[Day 13] with Stephanie Lin (Copy)

Humans are emotional beings. We are made to feel a wide range of emotions in our body to match the rainbow of experiences that life on this planet has to offer. Happiness is wonderful, but so is anger. Passion is beautiful, but so is sadness. Peace of mind is precious, but so is anxiety. They are all part of being alive. Can we learn to embrace them all?

Often times people fall into the trap of labeling certain emotions as good and others as bad. They believe that if they can only keep the “bad” ones at bay then life will be wonderful. But our emotions are reflections of the fullness, complexity, and beauty of life. When we ignore, suppress, or attempt to change our emotions before they can be completely experienced we are cutting ourselves off from life. This creates stress in the mind and dis-ease in the body. Energy does not flow freely in and out. Stagnant energy cannot be released and recycled back into the earth.

How can we experience emotions in a healthy way? Feel them to completion. Allow the unique energy and nuance of each emotion to course through your body. Experience the mental relief that comes with not fighting or resisting or questioning. Feel the physical tingles as the energy of this emotion goes where it wants to go. You may want to take deep breaths and move, dance, or shake your body to allow the energy to flow through you. Before long you will feel the emotion cycle out of your body, making room new experiences and emotions to enter.

And on and on it goes. This is life as a human being. How precious and beautiful it is!

Now write a post or grab your journal and write about your reflections, experience and share your story.

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About Stephanie Lin

Stephanie is a spiritual construction worker and life coach whose passion is to guide awakening women to live a conscious, soul-driven, and joyful life. Her gifts of energy sensitivity and claircognizance are supported by intensive training in thought-based coaching with Brooke Castillo at The Life Coach School, as well as ten years immersed in the study of Buddhism and other spiritual traditions. She holds an M.A. and M.Phil. in Religion from Columbia University. She is also a contributing author in the bestselling Adventures in Manifesting series. http://www.stephanieylin.com

http://www.twitter.com/stephanieylin

[Day 12] Are you impatient? (Copy)

How often do you say " hurry up", "come on" or think to yourself "I want it to be done NOW"? Or how often does someone else say the above to you? Do you dream of being more patient in your life?

It can be a valuable exercise to stop and reflect on why you feel so busy in everyday life. Is it always necessary? Does impatience set the agenda? Note the answers that emerge.

We experience daily impatience, both our own and others. When the car in front of us is a little too slow, when the light turns green. When the kids aren't listening. When people don't do something the way we want it done etc.

What does impatience feel like? It often holds irritation and criticism and can make ourselves and those around us feel uncomfortable. If you aren't aware of your own impatience, then how does it feel when someone else meets you that way?

Especially when we have decided to create some changes in our lives, and shifts don't happen fast enough we think we've failed, that that method doesn't work and we are on to the next thing. Maybe you've felt impatient during this challenge - come on already get to some good exercises... :)

A ton of questions today, but important ones to look at.

Now write a post or grab your journal and write about your reflections, experience and share your story.

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[Day 11] Do you get enough sleep? (Copy)

A lot of clients have trouble sleeping and come to me to see if meditation can help them turn off the constant stream of thoughts, worry and speculation that seem to keep them up. Although mindfulness meditation isn't a relaxation practice, it can be a great bonus effect.

A lot of things keep us up at night, but what prevents us from going to bed in the first place? I created this challenge with a smile on my face because my answer would a big fat YES - I stay up way too late!

With two small kiddos and a business I drink too much coffee and stay up late into the night so I can get things done. When my head finally hits my pillow, two girls crawl into our bed and a night of pushing and shoving begins. It's cozy, but not good for resting...

I defniately feel the lack of sleep in my body. And I know that I have to get more rest to be able to function properly. Somehow it's "hard" to tuck myself in at 20.05. Because at night I get to hold hands with my partner and have some time to myself. Do you know the feeling?

Do you get enough sleep? 

Now write a post or grab your journal and write about your reflections, experience and share your story.

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[Day 10] Unplug (Copy)

A few years ago I decided to give up my iPhone because I hoped it would help me unplug. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, texts, emails, calls, we are plugged in a lot. It didn't really help, because even though my phone was gone, I still felt I had to be on call and stay in control of all incoming messages - at all times.

When I worked corporate we had a 24 hour reply policy. Which was fine and in some cases we could wait 3-4 days to give the best respons possible. It doesn't seem to be acceptable anymore. Facebook rats us out. We read a message and it tells the sender that we have seen it. If we don't reply it seems weird and we get follow up messages like "are you there". Have you experienced similar situations? We have to be quick on our feet.

Sometimes I have received a business proposal and answered back the next day only to get a reply saying they found someone else, and there are loads of examples.

For me getting rid of my phone, deleting apps etc. didn't help. I needed to allow myself to go offline and let people know what to expect from me. And I just can't be everywhere, with a quick reply - all of the time. Maybe you don't find it as stressful as I do, which is great. No matter how you feel about being plugged in, I can't wait to hear what being unplugged brings up for you.

PS. Try to do it during hours where you normally would be on your computer or phone.

Now IN A FEW HOURS write a post or grab your journal and write about your reflections, experience and share your story.

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[Day 9] - with Michael Haupt (Copy)

(the picture is from a mini wilderness retreat in Sweden I did with my colleague Sille)

Michael Haupt came up with today's challenge and I thought I would write my respons to it today - so thank you Michael. :)

I love meditating outdoors, with the wind against my face, fresh air and the feeling that I have stripped away so many of things that I worry about in my daily life by connecting to something bigger. There is something special about nature for me - how do you feel?

I live downtown Copenhagen, Denmark 2 minutes from the Central Station. A LOT of life going on here. I am not really a city girl but fell in love with a city boy and here I am. I was born in Labrador in Northern Canada. Not a lot of people, but a lot of wild life going on there. I have missed that connection to nature, and often felt it was lost in my life.

But in the city there are parks, trees, animals, wind, sun, rain and the chance to connect to the peace in all of the noise. I connect by looking up at the sky, pointing at birds with my 1-year old, watching the sun rise (we do that a lot I find thanks to the 1 year old...), feeling the wind against my skin and the smell of a freshly mowed lawn. It is there if I want it.

Now write a post or grab your journal and write about your reflections, experience and share your story.

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2. Add a comment below with a few words about your post with a link to the blogpost

Click to tweet: Connecting to nature via @mindfulground 's Mindful Living blog challenge #awareness #nature #meditation #openess http://tinyurl.com/qf3m33s

Recommended reading 

Awake in the Wild: A Buddhist Walk Through Nature - Meditations, Reflections and Practices

By Mark Coleman

About Michael Haupt

Michael Haupt has lived in 16 cities on 6 continents. After being caught up in the hustle and bustle of corporate life, he now lives in a tiny mountain village, 90 minutes from the nearest bank. Traffic jams now consist of cows rambling down the road. Michael believes that the questions we ask ourselves determine the quality of our life. Follow or friend Michael on Facebook for a daily inspiring question, and enjoy the lively responses and debate at http://michaelhaupt.com/facebook/

[Day 8] Look up! (Copy)

  Meditation and mindfulness training are often linked to the image of a person sitting with her eyes closed, focused and alert (and most of the time amazingly gorgeous).

But what if it also included looking up and really noticing what’s right there in front of us. How often do we investigate and take that in? It can be a good practice to see what is going outside of ourselves and how we relate to it. Do we see with an open mind, or seewhat we think we see.

There are clearly many reasons why we as adults don’t always look up with curiosity. We are in a hurry, stressed, tired, worried or we've been in the same spot so many times we rely on KNOWING instead of seeing.

One thing a teacher of mine brought up that hit home for me was - remember to be curious. When I look at my children and people that are playful in life they are curious about themselves, life, objects and whatever they stumble upon on their way. I have always admired that ability, since it seemed to fade in my life.

Looking up can be taken very literal - what is in front of you. wall, trees, cue, window etc. You can also take it one step deeper with your partner, children, colleagues. Who is this in front of me? What do they look like today? What are they saying? How does it feel to be here with them? Taking in what we see with curiosity and open eyes.

Make it a habit several times today to look up . Up at the sky, rooftops, birds or tree tops. What do you see? Do you see something new? If you are somewhere that feels sort routineish how does it feel to look around and observe. Let your eyes wander around - curious and open.

You can remind yourself by writing a post it or note that says " look up". Or set your a reminder on your phone.

What do you notice?

Now write a post or grab your journal and write about your reflections, experience and share your story.

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Click to tweet: Look up what do you see? via @mindfulground 's Mindful Living blog challenge #awareness #life #openess http://tinyurl.com/oc5mzns

[Day 7] Enjoy a cup (Copy)

There is no doubt that being TOO busy is an issue in a lot of people's lives - including my own. As for finding time to meditate, well probably you won't the find time, you'll need to take it. Letting mindful living into others parts in important.

For me bringing awareness and mindfulness practice into my daily activities is just as big for me as my formal practice (meditation). If being mindful left me when I leave the cushion, then maybe there wouldn't be that much of a point.

Something I really enjoy doing is setting aside time to drink a cup of tea or coffee and allowing that to be part of my practice that day. Most of us drink tea or coffee (or water etc.) and if you're like me, you "down it" while sitting at the computer, Tv, chatting on the phone or reading.

This is an excellent chance to show up where you are, practice being mindful and enjoying what you are doing - while you are doing it.

Now write a post or grab your journal and write about your reflections, experience and share your story.

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Share the love

Click to tweet: Tea meditation today via @mindfulground Bringing mindfulness into daily activities #tea #mindful http://tinyurl.com/npdbx2q

Recommended reading

Mindfulness: A practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world

By Mark Williams

[Day 6] - What are you grateful for? (Copy)

We often look at what we aren't good at, what needs to change and how we can improve. Seldom do we shout from the roof tops what we are good at and what we are grateful for in our lives. Somethings might be a given. Other things we may forget to truly enjoy.

Being Mindful is showing up for life as it is, and this includes joy, happiness, celebration and gratitude. Do you remember to enjoy life? Do you allow yourself to celebrate your qualities and successes?

Even in the darkest times of our lives, there is still "good" to be discovered and be grateful for. Acknowledging those times and things in our lives can support of us to remember to enjoy.

When stressed or in a hurry we may not be as sensible to the signals to slow down, but are we in such a hurry we also forget to breathe in the wonderful things in life?

I AM GRATEFUL for all of your posts, sharing, insights and openness.

Now write a post or grab your journal and write about your reflections, experience and share your story.

1. Add the URL  http://www.mindfulground.com/day-6-i-am-grateful/ as a TrackBack link

2. Add a comment below with a few words about your post with a link to the blogpost

Share the love

Click here to tweet: Noting what I am grateful for via @mindfulground what are you grateful for in your life? #gratitude #mindful http://tinyurl.com/o3fgtlo

Recommended reading

Gratitude: A Way Of Life

By Louise Hay

[Day 5] with Belinda Pate-Macdonald (Copy)

Who is in control of your life?

Now, this is a thought-provoking question.  We’ve been told by the media and other people that we need to take control, be in the drivers seat and take charge.  But, there’s a huge difference between making choices in your life based on trying to stay in control, and making inspired decisions based on empowerment and love.

One depicts a struggle, the other an openness and flow.  Control stagnates, flowing creates.

Ideally the answer to this question is “no-one is in control of your life”.  When you align yourself with your heart, to manifest a life you love, it’s really important to understand that Love doesn’t control.

Making a commitment to stay in your heart centre and to respond to life from a connected, universal perspective, aligns you with Divine Grace.  You are then guided by your heart’s truth in any given moment.  You understand that everything you create is connected to the whole and for everyone’s benefit.

This is empowering, inspiring and highly creative.  As you release control, and all the fear that is attached to that, you welcome an even greater vision and wisdom, and truly become the “author of your own life”.

Now write a post or grab your journal and write about your reflections, experience and share your story.

1. Add the URL http://www.mindfulground.com/30-day-living-mindfully-blog-challenge-day-3-belinda-pate-macdonald/ as a TrackBack link

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Click to tweet: Contemplating control with @mindfulground 's 30 Day Living Mindfully Blog Challenge. You can still join http://tinyurl.com/nxcwjqk

About Belinda Pate-Macdonald

Belinda is a consciousness illuminator who helps you breathe Love and renewal into your life.  She is renowned for her gift of seeing your Essence and helping you to connect with your true purpose.

Through her work as a heart-centered speaker, spiritual counselor, healer and writer, Belinda creates deeply healing, sacred spaces that inspire and transform.  Over the years she has helped thousands to discover their own unique and amazing gifts.

http://www.hummingbirdhealing.com.au

http://www.facebook.com/hummingbirdhealing

[Day 4] How do you treat your body? (Copy)

"Your body is your home"

Rich Hanson

For years I neglected to listen and respond to the signals my body was sending. Headaches, pain in my back, insomnia, nausea, panic attacks just to name a few of the signals.

The body was just sort of in the way, and at times I felt that it was robbing me of the chance to really get to a place of success and freedom - "if I can just do a little more, THEN I can relax" I would think to myself. The thing is you can ALWAYS do a little more, and more and more.

I was stressed and although It didn't come from bad intentions, I had never learned how to slow down enough to really respect my limits. A lot of us aren't friends with our body, it becomes our enemy at times.

By beginning to listen to the body's signals with gentleness and curiosity you can create enormous shifts. They may seem small, but just knowing where you are in this moment can help you respond more skillfully and in tune with what you need. The first step is always awareness with what is.

So, what is your body telling you? Get more sleep, eat less, eat more, less sugar, stretch, exercise, release tension, drop your shoulders a bit, relax your jaw, feeling strong, healthy, light, big or small, what signals is your body sending?

As Rick Hanson puts it "Your body is your home" and how does living there feel? Maybe you treat your body really well, how does that feel? How can you begin to treat your body like a good friend?

Remember this isn't about judging yourself, but observing with compassion (we will be diving into that some more later on ).

Now write a post or grab your journal and write about your reflections, experience and share your story.

I am LOVING your posts! 

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OR

2. Add a comment below with a few words about your post with a link to the blogpost

Recommended reading

Not Quite Nirvana: A Skeptic's Journey to Mindfulness

by Rachel Neumann

[Day 3] - Sit (Copy)

We are starting off slowly in this challenge. And one good point in all of this is, that this isn't about rushing to become more mindful... :)

We have covered what being Mindful means to you. Important to define for yourself so you know what your starting point actually is. It helps you know what you expect from the challenge and yourself. Yesterday we connected to the breath. An amazing place to begin to stop and bring your awareness back to the present moment.

Today is about the formal practice - meditation, and in this case the sitting meditation.

Do a 10 minute sitting meditation (if you are experienced or feel you have more time, then sit for longer). 

You can use the following instruction, an app or sign up of the mini mag on the front page and you will receive a free audio you can download. You can also youtube "Mindfulness sitting meditation" and use one of those.

• Sit on a chair or cushion, you can also lay down on the floor if that is more comfortable for you. The back should be straight and let the shoulders drop slightly towards the floor. Close your eyes or let them stay open, and find a focus point in front of you.

• Let your attention rest on your breathing. Follow your in-breath from the nose and its movement through the body to the stomach. Follow the out-breath up through the body and out through your nose. How deep in the body does the breath go?

• Let the focus be on the breath. Every time you discover that your attention has shifted away from breathing, observe what the mind is occupied with, and gentle bring your attention back to the breath. As best you can. not judging yourself, because your attention has shifted. It happens again and again and is completely natural.

• Next time your mind has wanderd off, pay attention to whether it is thoughts, feelings, or body sensations that has filled your awareness.

• At times your legs might begin to feel restless, or your nose starts to itch, there can be an unsetteled feeling in the body, you start to worry about what you need to do when you're done? It can be anything. Is it possible to observe what it is?

• Before the meditation ends bring your attention back to your breathing allow your attention to rest here before opening your eyes and gently take in the room.

Now write a post or grab your journal and write about your reflections, experience and share your story. If you already have a solid practice maybe reflect on what that practice means in your daily life. If you are a beginner what comes up for you when meditating?

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Click to tweet: Day 3 - Sitting meditation today with @mindfulground ’s 30 Day Living Mindfully Challenge. http://tinyurl.com/p9mr8sy #ease #meditation

[Day 2] B R E A T H E (Copy)

“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”

Thich Nhat Hanh

We are often told (in the world of meditation) things such as "remember to breathe", "It starts with learning how to breathe" etc. I get what they are aiming for - I think. But as I see it, we are lucky beings because breathing happens whether you are intending to or not.

At last something in our lives we don't "have" to control... blink wink blink...

The breath is a very supportive way to anchor our awareness and can be used as a resource to come back to the present moment. It can be a way in to what is happening right now.

Anytime we want to, we can bring our attention to the breath and notice how it moves in the body.

For just a moment we can allow thoughts, feelings, sounds take care of themselves and just sit, stand, lay down with the movement of the chest and stomach. Giving ourselves the chance to show up - right where we are.

Simple - Yes. Easy - No not all the time. Available - anytime you want.

For me in my daily life it is my way of stopping, observing, letting be and connecting to what is important in that moment.

Now write a post or grab your journal and write about your reflections, experience and share your story.

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2. Add a comment with a few words about your post below with a link to the blogpost

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Click to tweet: Connecting to my breath with @mindfulground ’s 30 Day Living Mindfully Challenge. Come join me http://tinyurl.com/p9mr8sy #LMBC13

Recommend reading

Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness meditation for everyday life

By, Jon Kabat-Zinn

A few posts from Day 1

Habits, Bringing larger awareness to life...

Krista, being mindful and floating happily through the day...

Charlotte, Denmark - om bevidst nærvær og børn..

[Day 1] Welcome to the Challenge (Copy)

  Yay, we are ready to start 30 Days of Living Mindfully and thank you for joining. I am so happy that so many of you have the intention of creating more space for yourself this November and beyond.

Allow yourself to be inspired, touched, challenged and create space to feel all the in between. I can't wait to read your posts.

Thank you for the willingness to turn inward and the courage to share your story.  <3

A little house keeping

Before we get to today's challenge here's a little info about the challenges, how to go about them and how to join.

There will be a few guest posts with some really cool teachers throughout the 30 Days. Everyone of them have a different perspective (as do we all), and field they work in. Some challenges will speak to you others may not.

Also...

• Don't feel the pressure to take everything in, believe or love it all. Instead reflect, look at resistance, why you like it or why it just might not matter. Being mindful includes it all and there is no right or wrong.

• Listen to your body and system along the way. You are the only one who can feel your limits and respect them. Be respectful of yourself and be responsible throughout the challenge.

• When commenting and interacting always be respectful of others. This isn't about judging others. Any rude, abusive or cruel comments will be removed

Now for the fun part

Now write  a post about your reflections and/or experience, and share it with us.

How to share and submit your your link:

If you're joining as a blogger or writing about your experience along the way you can do 2 things:

1. Add a trackback link to your post. The link you want to use is the URL for that day's challenge for example

http://www.mindfulground.com/30-day-living-mindfully-blog-challenge-day-1/

Past the link in the TrackBack box - It normally looks like this

When you hit publish, we get a notification and a link to your blogpost. This is the easiest way for us to find you and round up and share your posts.

2. Or you can add a comment below with a few words about your post and the URL to it.

Share the challenge with your followers

Click to tweet: I joined @mindfulground ’s 30 Day Living Mindfully Challenge. Come join me http://tinyurl.com/p9mr8sy #LMBC13

What the hell is she doing anyway? (Copy)

I have to face the fact that I am a talker. I have serious issues at times with getting clear. I have a mentor that always "suggests" a less broad language... hmmm well ok, I am working on it. Some might say it's bad for business, or how will people know what to come to you for IF YOUR'RE NOT CLEAR??? And as always with this blog challenge I am doing, I am asked to get crystal clear... The blog challenge Day 10 is:

Which are the key online revenue streams you want to focus on in your existing business?

So basically "What are doing with the your life and business Carina?" Sometimes I find it hard, because in the field I am in, there is no ONE or RIGHT way. I work with life, and that happens is all sorts of ways. I draw on my experience with meditation, mindfulness, yoga specialized in women's body and energy and sometime fall short in how put that into a few bullets...

I know what's important to me though. And that's that people feel connected, worthy, happy, and that they feel that they belong - because everyone deserves that in their life. I want people to own their stories without being caught up in the drama of it, finding peace and ease in everyday life. 

As to how I want to bring this to life in offerings and ways to connect is:

• through one on one programs. These are for the people who are so ready to commit that they feel it in their bones. I love these connections because it is a safe place.
• through the Free Blog Challenge. A way for people not ready to take the big leap, to try out the idea of letting go of a life ruled by stress, auto-pilot, worry and unhappiness.
• through retreats that give people some intense time to look within, relax, meditate and take a break from everyday life, to see it in a clearer light.

And a few other cool things that I am cooking up...

I may not always be clear in my sales pitches and pages, but I am so clear on my vision and WHY I do this work in the first place.

Without any spiritual dogma, and keeping both feet on the ground I want YOU to feel compassion, connection and care for yourself!

Sending these some love (Copy)

Sometimes you just stumble across people that inspire you. And sometimes you just forget to tell them that that's what they do - inspire. So this is the month of challenges (in many ways) and we have come to day 9 i Natalie's blog challenge. They question today is:

Whose online business do you admire most and why?

I have to go 3-fold today. There are too many people I admire to cook it down to 1. I have never been good at "would you rather die by shark attack or fall off a cliff" and the "You HAAAAAVE to chose" kind of games... So not going to limit myself this time either.

1. Is Joanna Lindenbaum from Soulfulcoach.com

She is such a talented woman and always spot on. Her way of getting so close and personal even though she works 98% online amazes me. She brings her heart to what she does and it oooozes through the internet. When I grow up I want to be like her.

2. Is Caroline Cain from carolinecain.com

She is just so down to earth and really REALLY knows how to speak so you understand on a mental and visceral level. I could listen to her forever, and makes living healthy and happy sound like something that is possible, without changing everything about yourself... bonus.

3. Is Sarah Avant Stover from saraavantstover.com

I have never met her, but I adore how she brings women together via her online community. Important work and really something that more women need to engage in. When we go on our around the world trip next year, I might just have to ask her to drink coffee with me. :)

Besides those 3, I also have to send some online love to Natalie - she just helps so many people do what they love smarter.

<3

Anxiety got me started! (Copy)

Ahh Day 7 - This blog challenge really doesn't feel like a challenge. Which is awesome - big thanks to Ms. Sisson. Today's question is great - just up my alley.

Which key tools will you turn to regularly to maintain your mindset and how will you use them effectively?

For years I delt with anxiety. Panic attacks, a constant sense of nervousness in my body, scared of being scared ruled my life. I isolated myself more and more, just from feeling so tired and not knowing how to face people anymore.

My way through those years became my meditation practice. I wasn't enlightened or fell in love with a guru. I just sensed tiny shifts for every time a sat and closed my eyes and let go of control. It wasn't always peace and ease - but more about handling what arose.

I became less scared and reactive, but learned to respond with more clarity. I began to see I had a choice. No matter how I felt, I was in control of the next step.

As for my mindset anxiety has become my "warning signal". I haven't had a full blown attack in years, but when a certain feeling creeps up I know it well, I know that this is when to slow down, take better care of my self, and allow myself to be vulnerable.

Easy - no, necessary - Yes.

Meditation and presence isn't only what happens on a cushion somewhere quiet. I bring it with me. It is how I move through life. It is compassion, care, curiosity, it is being connected to how I feel.

I am still me, I still have triggers and less flattering sides at times, but I am so much more aware of how they effect me, and stop a lot sooner then I did before. It is just so much easier to deal with when I am not on never ending auto-pilot.

So what supports me in business and life (and hey isn't it all just life??) is my meditation practice.

Perfection is feeding chickens... (Copy)

So I thought I would skip Day 5 of the blog challenge, but then something perfect happened, and I had to go back to this challenge.

The question for Day 5 was: What’s does your perfect day look like?

I have written this down for every single business program I have attended. All good fun, but sometimes it just feels so far away. Maybe mostly because I have tended to think it had to be really different from my life as it is. Those perfect days are great, but I want to remember that the process is just so much more important. That's why I do what I do - to live my life as it is happening.

Being self-employed can be challenging, I  often loose sight, get into a panic when we are low on cash, sit up too long at nights and do everything that all the really rich business people tell you not to do.  My website isn't perfect, I don't have really expensive pictures and badges. I procrastinate and drink too much coffee. I mess up and say I'm sorry a lot.

I meditate and look at the guilt I feed myself and compassion is a part of it. So do I strive for perfection or see perfection in what is. The other day it became SO clear.

Last Thursday I decided to keep my oldest daughter home from daycare. My partner had done a night shift and was sleeping. On impulse me and the two girls hopped on the bike and went for a little ride. We ended up in a little haven in the middle of Copenhagen. A little area with farm animals.

We were invited in to feed the chickens and pet the rabbits. We ate apples and had a chat with a 94 year old man. We ended up having the time of our lives.

I was behind on work, reading, napping but in those few hours my day was perfect. Just what I want - freedom, happy children, time to enjoy the little things, and the ability to let go.

In the back of my mind Lou Reed was singing "Just a perfect day"... minus images from the movie Trainspotting...

What is does your perfect day look like? 

Homeless or independent? (Copy)

Ahhh Day 4 of the Blog challenge. I am warming up, getting into writing again - which is so much fun. The feel of getting clear and focused is great. Little by little the post are making more sense... to me. :) So today's question from Ms. Natalie S. is: What is your definition of location independence?

When I first started out, I felt more homeless than independent. I worked/work at home for the most part, besides when I teach meditation classes. Which is great, but can create a little trouble in really getting clear on the difference between WORK HOURS and FAMILY/RELAXATION TIME. Do you know the feeling?

(I work at home with a little more advanced hardware...)

Instead of me going to work and coming home, my family sort of comes home and invades my work space. And that just isn't fair to them or me. So not having an office created a little stress for everyone in the house. I have gone to cafés etc. but couldn't get into a real flow there. So I have roamed the streets with my laptop seeking, and not working...

It has been my excuse for why I haven't been totally focused and why my business has taken a while to really get moving. UNTIL I met Natalie, and not having a base to work from really couldn't be the excuse anymore.

It draws back to the last few posts about freedom. I have clients where I go to their house, I teach group classes at a beautiful venue, I do 1:1s a third place, and do admin work at home or where ever I can find a quiet spot.

Now, instead of feeling homeless, I like to think of it as having many "homes". Being connected and spreading my wings all over town. Using the various spots for the different purposes that are called for there. It all gives me room to change, evolve, create without having to deal with the admin of having my own office. Which I know, for me, would take even more focus from what I am really passionate about.

It's a balance and takes some ability to adapt and work with what you've got, but isn't life that way anyway?

When I used to be a puppy dog... (Copy)

Blog challenge DAY 3 - What’s your definition of freedom in business and adventure in life?  My lovely brother used to tell amazing stories of when he was a puppy dog. We all listened and laughed, but he was always caught up in the stories like he really had been a cute little dog and oh  my the adventures!

In a lot of ways I look back at the time before a became a mommy dog, hmm grown up, hmm gave birth to two beautiful girls, with smiles and nostalgia. Missing life as it was. I remember feeling and speaking of myself as adventurous and interesting. Life just flowed in whatever way we, and it, wanted to.

Awakening to the fact that I am now human, with bags under my eyes and subtle smell of spit up, makes me divide adventure and now even more...

I really love my life, but I don't feel so adventurous anymore. Or I guess contemplating the question it all comes back to MY definition of what that is. Where I see lack, and where I see life and joy unfolding before me. Adventure has turned into some huge and un-reachable thing. Nothing to with responsibility, worries or domestic life.

Freedom in business is what I am doing (close to anyway - still working on the how). But freedom is in the fact that I am in charge. I can have a full day mid-week with the girls if that's what we want to do. I can sit in my PJs all day and write emails, I can work with the most inspiring clients because I chose to (and they chose me).

Within our family, work doesn't define how we live, 9-5 etc. We define the life we want and how business can be a part of that - amazing eh!?

Next year we are leaving our apartment and crossing the US and Canada. It might take 8 months, maybe 9 and we are just going to go with it. Going back to my roots and visiting my family in the reserve, feeling the wind in our hair, showing the girls that part of the world, and living our adventure as a family, with responsibility, and I guess you always worry a little as a parent.

Adventure in life is living it fully, with the circumstances you face. Going after what you dream of without being attached to the outcome. And I think I will remind myself of that from now on...

If I were free... (Copy)

Aha, blog challenge Day 2. Was feeling all great about Day 1. And then... Day 2 challenge:

If you woke up tomorrow and were free to do anything you wanted with your life, what would you do and who would you be?

Gulp... well freedom. I have wanted to be free most of my adult life, and then after working with several teachers, attending a bunch of retreats, and meditating for years, I find out I am already free, and then I forget it again...

But thinking of the question in mind I do have desires. After working through Danielle LaPorte's Desire course, I really feel good about desire. Something I thought, for a while, I couldn't, if I were to follow the Buddha's words. Anyway...

If I were/felt free I would be me, but happier. I would be me, but complain less. I would be me, and enjoy my family more. I would be me, but with more smiles. I would have a thriving business working with what I love. I would live life as I dream of. I would say "I am" instead of "I would be"... 

What can make me smile is remembering, that I am free to do what I want. Panic, money, sleepless hours get to me sometimes, and pushes me to look closer at my fears and worries. In times when it takes different shapes, when life throws you a challenge, I am free to relate to it in the way that I want.

For me freedom and feeling free is there more than it isn't.

Being curious and connected supports me on the journey in life, and I tend not to strive (read slave drive) myself, but remember the process of life - it is happening anyway, why not show up for it?

For me that's where freedom awaits - showing up for life, as it is happening.

Do you show up?