Thank you, nice guy!

As I pulled up, I noticed there was a space in front of his Explorer truck and space behind it.

"Do you think if you moved back a little, I might be able to squeeze in in front of you?"

Coloring for the Soul

I saw this card when I went to my first ever The Coloring Project event in January, but I chose another one which better represented where I was at then. This past Monday, as I sifted through the stack of beautiful cards to color, I came across the fishy again. And this time, he stuck. Mission I'm Possible.

Finding #freedom in dancing with my whole self,
power in #vulnerability. 

Thank you, Andrea Koehler, for creating cards and an event that speaks to people's souls, a space for connection and community. 

Check out The Coloring Project for events near you!

Victim we are not

I have a problem with the use of the word "victim". Just because someone is part of a minority group does not mean they are a victim. The reason Trump or anyone can "pick on" a group of people is because he highlights the difference, the us vs. them. But "victims", people who are different are not.

Too Nice to Say NO

"I don't know how to say No," she told her friend, "I'm too nice."

Not saying "No" when what you want to say is no, is not nice.  In essence, you are lying to people.  Sure, we all do things we are not extremely excited to do - take care of loved ones when they are sick, take out the garbage, homework, etc.  Even these things I'd say are more like responsibilities and opportunities to learn, grow, better ourselves, to be there for the people who count on us, to keep our space clean and comfortable.  These things are not much of a choice, but we do them, and in the long run, most of us would probably agree that it's a good idea to do them.

But when you say, I'm too nice, not good at saying No - keep in mind that people have choices, too.  So if you're "too nice" and then are upset or make others miserable hanging out in your presence, you're not doing anyone any favors.

Let's be clear and direct. Yes means yes. And no means no. Please?

Creativity Problems

Problems I'll gladly accept. Bored isn't part of the vocabulary.

When your struggle is too many fun ideas and an overload of inspiration, it can be daunting, it can feel overwhelming. Treading water as the waves try to take you down. But swim in it, flow with it. Because at least with these problems, you know you'll never be bored, never be short of life energy, of vitality. Let your creativity guide you.

And here's a secret: there's never enough time and there's always enough time.

Dance. Create. Be. 

Disposable Everything

Feeling like #MacGyver. With some guidance from John (thank you!), I played electrician and got the severed phone charger to work!

We live in a culture of #disposability: disposable containers, disposable gadgets, disposable relationships. But anything worth having will take some mending once in a while - your favorite socks, your car, miscommunications & disconnections are all opportunities. Sure, it's sometimes easier to just get a new one, but each stitch, each piece of tape, each twist of the wire is an investment in the sustained growth of the relationship. It makes sense that we have trouble investing in something we view as disposable. With the first sign of difficulty, we throw it out. The most meaningful things however, are often the ones we mend and patch over and over again, those we can't bear to throw away.

People are so Nice

At Carpinito Bros. Pumpkin Patch last weekend, I asked a nice gentleman where to get the wheelbarrows as I grappled awkwardly with my big pumpkin on one hip and my smaller sugar pumpkin in the other hand. Over there, he motioned with head and hand. I followed his arm past the couple rows of wheelbarrows already occupied by pumpkins to a couple empty ones on the far side. Then I looked back to my left at the long lines by the veggie stands and back again at the distant wheelbarrows.

He must have seen my hesitation, because before I could decide which direction to walk, he said, But you can have this one and I'll grab another one, and lifted his big pumpkin out of the wheelbarrow right in front of me.

Really? Thank you so much!