Monday's Course In Miracles

Prepare yourself for miracles today.

Single Mom Thriving: I Can't Do It By Myself.

 As the youngest of ten children, I was often offered unsolicited help from my doting older siblings.  I hated it.
My response was always "I am not a baby. I can do it myself! "

 I was a determined and independent little girl.

That determination made putting myself though college and graduate school possible. It helped naturally birth three babies. Most importanly it made raising three children as a single mom achieveable.

All attributes all double edged swords.

I started out my single motherhood journey fiercely determined to make it. I was going to be the kind of mother I wanted to be. The absence of a husband wasn't going to change how I parented my children or how I chose to spend my time.  I wanted to prove to the world that I could do it all by myself .

My grit got me standing up. My grit made things happen. My grit alone though wasn't going to sustain me in the long haul.  I was tired of working so hard to prove I had it all under control.

Trying to do it all alone made me feel all alone.

Then all three of my children had the flu.  I could do laundry, clean up vomit, fetch buckets, dispense tylenol, rub heads, console and rinse and repeat for days.

 I could not lug three feverish, vomiting children to the store. I could not leave three feverish, vomiting children home alone.

I had to ask for help. There was no option.

My friend delivered groceries, medicine, movies and a much needed hug. She then checked in a few times each and every day. My children recovered and the flu moved on to me. That same friend took my children for few hours each day as I recovered.

 I didn't need to wait for  the flu to hit to ask for help. I could have asked at the first sign of overwhelm.

To this day, whenever I am feeling overwhelmed I always ask myself, "Is there someone who could help me with this?"

Suffering happens when we never ask for help and try to do everything all alone. 

A Welcome Message

I posted my first video on my Facebook page and I thought I would share it here as well. 

Remember, You are perfect regardless of what the external looks like. 

Many Blessings

Virginia

                         You can visit my facebook page here.

Monday's Course In Miracles

I give the miracles I have received. A Course in Miracles

Single Mom Thriving: I Am Enough.

When I first became a single mom, I spent many sleepless nights worrying about my children's future.

I was paralyzed in fear with the same question swirling in my head,"How can I be both Mom and Dad?"

Then one day in the wee hours of the morning it hit me, "I don't have to be mom and dad."

Every cell in my body felt immediate relief.

In Brene Brown's words I finally embraced, "I am imperfect AND I am enough."

I let go of the notion that I had to be anything more than myself in order for my children to thrive.
 
  Being myself meant that sometimes I had to miss events. I have missed many of my son's college lacrosse games.
  Sometimes I had to choose one child's event over the other. Just recently I chose to take prom pictures     with my senior daughter's group of friends instead of my sophomore son's group of friends.
   Being myself meant sometimes they had to find their own rides.
  Trusting that I was enough in these moments meant guilt was not an option.

I let go of the fear that my single mom status was going to damage my children.
   
    I ignored every ridiculous statistic about children growing up with a single mother.
    I fully committed to raising happy, healthy children.
    My marital status was in no way going to deter that goal.
  
 
I let go of the idea that parenting teens was going to be hard as a single mom. 

     Teenagers are amazing human beings.
     It is a roller coaster ride for all parents.
     In many ways this time is easier as a single parent. I make the rules!

I no longer stay awake at night worrying about how my single mom status will effect my children.

                    Mostly I go to bed wondering how it all went so fast.

Some Oldies But Goodies

As I said in yesterdays post,(you can read it here) I am a voracious reader. I read a few books each week.

I don't, however, collect books. I like to keep minimal stuff.

A reader emailed me and asked what books I would recommend. I  asked for clarification because there are just so many!  She clarified the question by asking,  "What books that you own and love did you refer to this week?"

If You Want To Write by Brenda Ueland
    I am not sure when I found this book.  It was first published in 1938. It is my absolute favorite book on how to write. I grab it for inspiration. I grabbed it the other day for permission to walk away from the writing and tend to my garden.

The Prophet by Kahil Gibran
    A friend gave me this book when I graduated college. (30 years ago GULP!) I grabbed it for a quote and then spent the next 20 minutes enjoying.

You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L Hay
    My sister gave this to me when I was newly separated with three kids under 5.  I grabbed it the other day because my hip was hurting after I ran. Louise Hay's  thought about hips,"Hip Hip Hooray- there is joy in everyday. I am balanced and free." I liked saying that as I learned to stretch my hips.

 A Course in Miracles
   I read this everyday. as you know. Have you checked out the latest? Find it here.


Artist Way by Julian Cameron
    This might be my favorite book. It is a wonderful way to embrace your creativity. I bought it when I was pregnant with my youngest, 15 years ago. I picked it up for inspiration this week.

The Essential Rumi Translation by Coleman Barks
   I love Rumi. His poetry is extremely powerful. One of my favorites is here. I used it for a picture quote on Instagram. You can see it here.

What are some of your favorite books that you refer to?

Love or Fear? You Choose.

One of my daughter's and my favorite adventures is to go to the library. We are both voracious readers and get crazy excited by a new batch of books to devour.

My batch this week includes Robert Holden's, Loveability, Knowing How to Love and Be Loved. 

I am halfway through it.

It is beautifully written.

It is the perfect antidote to all I have been feeling lately.

My library partner has graduated high school. She heads to MIT in just a few months. I have been feeling a bit sad.

Love or Fear?

Here are two examples

ONE:

Fear says, "Our days together are numbered."
Love says, " We will always be together."

FEAR:

'Our days are numbered' makes me want to keep her close by.
"Our days together are numbered' makes me anxious and sad.
"Our days together are numbered'  takes me away from right now.

LOVE:

'We will always be together' makes me happy to see her venture off with friends.
 ' We will always be together' makes me excited, proud and happy for this amazing daughter of mine.
'We will always be together' makes it possible for me to be here right now.

TWO:

As another child graduates the court hearing to change child support quickly approaches.

Fear says more than I can appropriately post here. The main theme is I am not loveable. (All negativity comes from the 'I am not loveable' theme )
Love says, "You got this Gin Gin (Gin Gin was/is my father's loving  nickname for me).

FEAR:

'I am not loveable' makes me angry.
'I am not loveable ' pulls me into a story from the past.
 'I am not loveable', according to Robert Holden is the number one fear. I agree.

LOVE:

'You got this Gin Gin' reminds me of my parents' love for me.
'You got this Gin Gin' reminds me of my strength that got me this far.
'You got this Gin Gin' reminds me that all of us, you, me, even my ex-husband, are constantly doing a dance between love and fear.

I am going to dance with LOVE!

Blessings,
Virginia

Monday's Course In Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes studying A Course In Miracles. each Monday I share a quote from the text.

Feng Shui Friday: Making a Summer House

The summer sun has the power to increase self confidence ,creativity and drive. It is the time of year when we want to get things done.

If there is too much fire energy, summer can make us tired, cranky and unmotivated.

I love to take advantage of summer power. One way I do this is by balancing the outdoor heat with a cooler home.
      Heavy curtains are replaced with sheer ones.
   
      My dining room is moved to the to the screened-in  porch and my dining room stays totally empty.
   
      I take up all the rugs and leave the wood floors bare.
   
      I add cooler colors of blues and pinks and greens.
   
       I spend a weekend purging stuff.

On the bagua map The Fame and Reputation area is associated with fire. I also spend time fixing this area up. You can read about how to that here. 
   
An open airy home feels like the possibilities of summer are endless.

Remember Feng Shui is pronounced FUN Shway.  Enjoy creating a home that mirrors your wonderful life.

Blessings,
Virginia

Single Mom Thriving; Farewell to the Green Queen

Thank you for:
   
    Sixteen years
     200,000 miles
    One labor
    Four throw ups.
    Hundreds of dinner picnics
    A million trips back and forth to school, practices, and games.

Thank you for being:
 
   A spaceship
   A pretend house
   A Matchbox motor speedway
   A fort
   A Hiding spot
   A Holder of toys and snacks and drinks
   An Emergency bathroom
   A Co Parent

Thank you for surviving;

    Bologna in the cd holder.
    Legos in the air vents.
    Broken door handles.
    Car seats  and beginner drivers.
    Dirt and sand.
    Leftover food and spilled drinks.

                                     Farewell Green Queen

 

 

Abundance

Yesterday I asked for abundance. Today I realized I am abundance.

Five Ways to Embrace Our Sadness and Lean into Healing.

 


My heart is so heavy and my sadness runs deep. As I try to wrap my head around the news, my heart cracks wide open.

Forty nine beautiful lives brutally taken.  So many tragically lost a daughter, a brother, a sister, a friend, a life partner, a husband, a wife, a lover, a niece, a cousin,  a nephew.  The suffering is unimaginable. I hurt all over.

I was already hurting.  A convicted rapist will only serve three months in jail.

And perhaps my heart is still hurting from all of the previous mass shootings and injustices of our world.

It hurts.

But I don't want it to go away. I want to feel it ,because that is what it means to be human. As humans we feel the pain in the world. As humans we also know healing is possible.

I feel for the brave woman who wrote that eloquent speech to the judge. I want her to heal.

I feel for all women who are victims of rape. I want them to heal.

I feel for the families and loved ones of every single person killed in an act of terror. I want them to heal.

In feeling my sadness and wanting to heal:

1. I try to make my world more beautiful.

I plant flowers. The blooms get watered with my tears.
Ann Lamott recommends picking up litter.
I like to clean a room, a drawer, a closet. Order makes me feel like I have control.

2. I offer help.

I believe acts of love are universal. Helping the person in front of you helps heal the world.  Even a heartfelt smile can create a miracle.  I also heed the advice from my childhood love, Mr. Rogers. I look for the helpers.

3. I share love.

I reach out to family and friends. I pray. The other day I set an hourly alarm on my phone. Each hour I held that beautiful ,brave, warrior of a woman in my heart. In those few minutes on the hour ,I showered her with love. I am doing something similar for the victims in Orlando. Love always trumps hate.

4. I make an effort not to get sucked into the media.

I find it traumatizing to watch and rewatch the news reel. I also hate having to repeatedly see the face of the perpetrators. Instead, I look for something inspirational or funny to read or watch.  I limit social media.

5. I create.

It has been scientifically proven that creativity increases happiness. Creating a meal, a picture, a dance, a song,a photograph all lift my spirit. Lifting our own spirits lifts the spirits of those around us and has a rippling effect.

Even in  the darkness I choose love. Please join me.

Blessings,
Virginia

Monday's Course in Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes studying A Course In Miracles. Each Monday I share a quote from the text.

A Thursday Thought

Beginnings Require Faith

I love to garden. In the garden, time is lost. Hours seem like minutes and days feel like hours.

I spend many snowy days dreaming of my gardens. Come February my perfect garden becomes etched in my brain.


When I finished getting my vegetable garden prepped, I hesitated to plant.

As I looked at my new garden beds, I wondered,

"Maybe I should send in a soil sample before I plant."

"Maybe it would be better to put the fencing over there."

" I should get a book at the library on growing tomatoes and cucumbers vertically."

I was trying to procrastinate.

I could send in the soil sample and make adjustments after the plants are in.

I already moved the fencing twice.

My tomato plants are four inches high. I started my cucumbers from seed. I have plenty of time to research vertical gardening.

It was time to begin. I knew by beginning I was letting go of my perfect garden.  I was letting go of the outcome. I could nurture and tend to my garden but how things grew wasn't up to me.

All beginnings require the same amount of faith.

Monday's Course in Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes studying A Course In Miracles.  Each Monday I share a quote from the text.

Today I learn to give as I receive. ACIM

Lessons From the Garden

             The past is gone

      The future is uncertain

    The present is magnificent

Monday's Course In Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes studying A Course in Miracles. Each Monday I share a quote from the text.

The Peace of God Belongs to Everyone.

Single Mom Thriving: Six Common Misconceptions of Single Moms

  I have heard many statements that contribute to the misconceptions of single moms. Here are my top six.

1."You are so lucky. You get every other weekend off"
     When my children were small I used the time they were with their dad to do the things that I couldn't get done when they were around. However, I did feel quite fortunate to go to the bathroom in peace.

Now that they are older, they want to be at home to be with their friends.  Weekends with their dad has become brief visits and creative orchestrating of schedules to spend time with their father.

While divorce offers many perks, having time off isn't one of them.

2."You're pretty. So don't worry. You'll get remarried soon,"
     Someone said this to me in the early stages of separation/divorce. I still shake my head.  What do my looks have to do with anything?

Contrary to belief, most single moms aren't in any rush to get remarried. They are looking for a new way to be happy.  Remarriage and happiness aren't necessarily a package deal.

3." I don't know how you do it."
      This is often said with an undertone of pity. Please don't feel sorry for a single mom.  I don't know how I do it either, but what is my other option?

You too would manage to do anything for your children.

Offer help not pity.

4."Your poor children have to grow up in a broken family."

     I am astonished that the negative stigma towards children growing with a single mom still exists.  My children were raised by me and are doing just fine. Two will be in college in the fall and all three are honor students and wonderful human beings. There is absolutely nothing broken here. Except for the dishwasher .

5."Getting divorced is the easy way out."

     There is nothing easy about divorce. It is a painstakingly difficult decision to make and a heart wrenching process to go through. Choosing to get divorced is often a smart decision and the best decision in many situations. In many ways it benefits both children and adults, but it is not the easy way out.

6. "But you are all alone. You must be so lonely."

        Loneliness and being alone are not synonyms.

Of the hundreds of single moms I have coached, being alone has built strength and self esteem to heights they never knew existed. A central part of the healing process is getting to know yourself better which translates into enjoying your own company.

Single moms are champions for their children and appreciate the value of a village. So while there are many things we do alone, there are numerous things others have stepped up to the plate to help us with.

We have created lives that overflow with helpers. And while many untruths remain to the ignorant, the village of helpers knows that being a single mom is pretty awesome!

The Absolute Best Way to Be Happier

 The absolute best way to be happier is to stop wanting to be right and to to stop making anyone (including  yourself) wrong.

When we strive to be right, we make someone else wrong. Then we enter a battle with another person.

When we make someone else right, we make ourselves wrong. Then we enter a battle within ourselves.

Innocent people die in battles. 

Rumi's quote goes on to say: 

When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk of ideas, language ,even the phrase 'each other' doesn't make sense anymore.

When we make anyone including, ourselves wrong or right ,we isolate and forget each other. 

Years back in therapy, I was angrily discussing an incident from my childhood that many of my siblings remembered differently than I.

 In total despair, I asked her, "Who is right?" 

She responded, "All of you."

I had been carrying around so much anger making them wrong and myself right. The truth was we all just perceived it differently.  Once I let go of right/wrong my relationship with my siblings got better.

We all have the choice. Join me in picking happy over right or wrong.

Monday's Course In Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes reading A Course In Miracles. Each  Monday I share a quote from the text.

Feng Shui Friday:Sometimes You Have to Embrace The Chaos

My eldest came home from college for the summer. With him came mounds and mounds of stuff. Stuff that was dumped in the kitchen, dining room and laundry room. Dirty laundry practically filled the entire laundry room and walking through the dining room required obstacle course finesse.

I felt like a tsunami had hit my organized, neat home and I wanted it picked up. NOW.

Because I wanted it to be picked up NOW, I decided it was my job to do it.

Until said eldest said, "Sorry about all the laundry mom."

Then I stopped in my tracks and with a smile responded, "No need to apologize.  I am not the one who is going to do it all."

I then tidied my office and my bedroom and decided to live with the chaos in the rest of the house while everything gets back into a groove.

It wasn't just about the stuff. The stuff everywhere meant a transition and transitions take a few days. Moving back home after seven months at school is a process. Routines have to be re established and boundaries need to be figured out. It can get messy.

We can't rush through transitions. We have to allow the mess and take control over areas that we can (i.e. my cleaning my office and bedroom). I could have put everything away myself and the result would have been a resentful exhausted mom. Instead I let my son figure out where everything was going to go and where he wanted to store the things he didn't need. I offered help as did his siblings but the process held more meaning for all of us when he took charge.

In a few weeks high school will be out and  there will be another mini tsunami as we transition from the school year to summer. I will keep my bedroom and office clean and embrace the chaos.

Change Your Mind Not Your Geography

Do you ever want to just run away?  As in pack your bags and leave it all behind?

Sometimes so many things scream for your attention that  a trip to a far away land becomes your daily desire.

Don't pack your bags.

 It is never about the geography. It is always about your thoughts.

The work of Byron Katie is always my go to help when I am feeling the urge to run away.

Her work involves asking yourself four basic questions

 1.Is it true?

2.Are you absolutely positive that it is true?

3. How do you react when you believe that thought?

4. Who would you be without that thought?

After you've answered the four questions you turn your stressful thought around.

I invite you to try it.  You can find  the work here.

Monday's Course in Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes studying A Course In Miracles. Each Monday I share a quote from the text.

If you knew who walked beside you on the way you have chosen, fear would be impossible. ACIM

Single Mom Thriving:Lean In Pioneers

"Single Moms have been leaning in for a long time - Out of necessity and a desire to provide the best opportunities  for their children." Sheryl Sandberg

Sheryl Sandberg is the author of Lean In as well as the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook. Her husband died suddenly last year and she is now in the throes of single motherhood.

For mothers day she wrote an essay on Facebook about her plight as a single mom and a call to action to help single moms .

Single mothers are the pioneers of leaning in.

Regardless of the community support, loving friends, and family it is up to the single mom to get it done.

Get it done is the puke bug in the middle of the night and both dealing with the clean up and the care of the infected child.

Get it done is the flu that hit the single mom who still has to care for children and work.

Get it done is the waiting up til tires crunch in the driveway all alone.

Get it done is the hours of homework help.

Get it done is the being three places at the same time.

Get it done is the creative and heart wrenching financial planning.

Get it done is loving the life you have leaned into, even when it is beyond hard.

Love is forgetting the single mom stigma and simply doing it with joy because you can.

You can do it.

You are way more than single mom.

Try Super Hero!

Don't Go Back to Sleep

            How you celebrate your waking moments sets the tone for your entire day. 


My morning routine includes:

* A few moments of being grateful while still in bed,

 * Savoring my morning coffee outdoors, in all weather

* Reading A Course in Miracles

 * Meditating

*Exercising

* Spending a few moments with my loved ones

These rituals set my day up for success. I know this because on days I have been 'too busy', I am a grouchy mess of a woman.

I look forward to the morning.  Other than an occasional wanting to sleep a bit longer,  I thoroughly enjoy the self nurturing that I give myself each morning.

Some of the best writing I have done was written in the morning. And it is during the quiet of the morning that I receive inspiration and answers to questions that have been on my mind.

Rumi was right. The breezes at dawn have secrets to tell you.Don't go back to sleep.

Monday's Course in Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes studying A Course in Miracles. Each Monday I share a quote from the text.

Single Mom Thriving and Surviving Mother's Day

I wrote this piece six years ago and I thought I would recycle it on my blog to honor all single mothers this Mothers Day.  Mother's Day really is about being with your children.

                               This is the picture that went with the article. Talk about TBT!

                                           
                                                             Just Mom

Like all single mothers I figured out immediately that the buck stopped with me. If something needed to be done, I figured it out.  Holidays were no different. In spite of Hallmark's incessant reminders that my family looked different, I went into each holiday determined to celebrate joy.

I figured out Christmas trees and Christmas lights. I stayed up all night one Christmas eve putting together a "some assembly required" pool table. I enjoyed buying my own presents, filling my own Easter basket and even buying my own valentine. I was proud that I knew how to honor and cherish myself regardless of my marital status.

Then Mothers day happened and all I felt was sad and sorry for myself. While millions of mothers were being pampered by their children with their husbands' assistance, my children were panic stricken as how to honor me. I missed my mom terribly and was envious of all the moms enjoying brunch, flowers and no housework.

No matter how hard I tried I couldn't bring myself to enjoy Mother's Day. I would have preferred to skip the entire day all together.

But for my children's sake I can do anything, even get a grip on Mother's Day.  It took time to master the day and it will never be my favorite, but joy can be found.

First I give myself to full permission to feel sad, resentful, angry or even jealous on Mother's Day. Feelings come up all of the time allowing them to be there makes them go away.

Secondly, my children feel enormous pressure on Mothers Day and it is difficult for them to create a perfect day without the help of another adult. I take all of the pressure off by assuring them I only want a hand made card and they include a breakfast in bed.

I also ask my children for alone time in my garden where I can be with my mom. Each year I plant something in  memory of my mom on Mothers Day.

Permission to feel, breakfast in bed,handmade cards, time alone in my garden with my mom are all the mothers day festivities I want. The rest of the day is about being a family and spending time with my three favorite people, the ones who gave me the honorable title of Mom.

Self Love

 When my alarm went off at 5 am, I wanted to ignore it and get another hour of sleep. I came up with wonderful reasons why I deserved/needed/ had to have another hour of sleep. I caught myself when I equated an extra hour of sleep as an expression of self love.

Getting up at 5am to write, meditate and then exercise is an expressions of self love. Committing to my morning routine, especially on the days I don't want to, expands my self love.


The media is infiltrated with mantras and how to posts on achieving self love.

Buy yourself flowers.
Take long bubble baths.
Say loving things to yourself.
Don't judge yourself.
Forgive yourself when you mess up.

 We have heard them all and they are all worthy endeavors.

However I believe, real self love happens when we do the hard thing, the thing we really don't want to do or the thing we don't believe we can do.

Self love is putting on your sneakers and getting outside for a run when all you want to do is stay in bed.
Self love is putting down the darn phone and having a real live conversation with the person in front of you. Self love is sometimes skipping the ice cream and sometimes having the ice cream.
Self love is only having one serving of the chips instead of the whole bag.
Self love is signing up for the class, the race, making the appointment or going on the date.

Showing ourselves what we are capable of  makes us grow and that is what self love is built upon.

Baby Steps

Take the step !

You might fall.

You might look silly.

People might say mean things.

You will be afraid.

You might want to vomit.

Take the step anyways with as much conviction as a baby learning to walk. 

You got this! 

Blessings ,

Virginia

Monday's Course in Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes studying  A Course in Miracles. Each Monday I share a quote from the text.

Feng Shui Friday: An Outdoor Room

The bagua map teaches that all areas of your home symbolize an area of your life.

Not all houses are built with perfect lines and thus many times areas are extended to the outdoors. As I've mentioned, my home has a screened porch jutting out the back middle. Thus both my love and marriage gua and my abundant blessings gua are out doors. I have enhanced those areas on the adjacent inside walls as well as outdoors.

I decided to up the game and give a face lift to the love and marriage gua, which is where we have a fire pit.

As always I started with an intentions, "Love surrounds me at all times."

Then I raked and cleaned out the debris I never picked up before the winter set in. Yes even Feng Shui experts are human.

A strong teenager, many rocks, a few bags of mulch, a string of Christmas lights and my favorite outdoor furniture resulted in this.

We discovered this rock. Serendipity.

Remember Feng Shui is pronounced FUN Shway. Have fun making your home a mirror to your wonderful life.
Blessings,
Virginia

I am having so much fun helping clients use the tools of Feng Shui. If you want to join the Fun email me at virginiamccormack05@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Whimsical Wednesday

Begin. Today.

Carpe diem .

Live as if it was your last day.

You only have right now.

You only live once.

We have heard these sayings so much they have become cliche. The meaning is real. Because, like it or not, none of us are getting out of here alive. 

So how do we make today the only day?

You know that thing you have been wanting to do; The book you want to write.  The stronger body you long to have. The relationship you want to repair. The water colors you want to play with. The dance class you long to take. The thing that lingers in the back of your mind. The thing that you convince yourself you  don't have time to do. 

Start it.  

Today. 

Take one small step in the direction of your dreams. Today.

Write for thirty minutes or even ten.

Take a walk or dance around the kitchen,

Make the phone call.

Go to the store and buy the paints.

Sign up for the dance class.

Just begin. Today.

When man takes one step toward God, God takes more steps toward that man than there are sands in the worlds of time . - The Work of The Chariot.

Once you begin, things seem to magically happen. The walk becomes a jog. The writing sessions become a story. A relationship is repaired.The paints become art.  One dance class leads to another.

You just have to begin.  Today.

And keep beginning on every TODAY you are given.

Monday's Course in Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes studying A Course in Miracles. Each Monday I share a quote from the text.

God's will for me is perfect happiness. ACIM

Feng Shui Friday: The Home Office

Your home office is a powerful room, regardless if you work from home.  This room is about organization and wealth.

In my practice I have seen many home offices that serve as a storage unit with boxes of old files scattered on the floor and stuffed into closets. Such disorganization blocks wealth.

So as always step one is to declutter and scrub clean.

In your journal answer these questions:
    How do I bring value to the world?
    What gifts am I not sharing with the world?
    How do I define success?

Enhancements for your office space:

Place your desk in the power position. Power position means you have a clear view of the door and your high back chair is against a wall.

Make sure your office space is far away from your bedroom.

Make sure you have a pleasant view from your desk.

Keep all clutter at bay. I spend 10 -15 minutes cleaning off my desk each day.

Live plants enhance the air in this room and can have a positive effect on your productivity.

Decorate the space with your accomplishments, awards. pictures of mentors and inspiring quotes.

Pay close attention to the far left corner. That is your abundance area. Hang something on that wall that symbolizes abundance to you.

Remember Feng Shui is pronounced FUN Shway. Have fun making your home a mirror to your wonderful life!

Blessings,
Virginia

Planting Seeds

On a beautiful 60 degree Sunday in March. I decided to garden. The soil was workable. So I added  compost and planted lettuce, arugula, spinach, onions and snap peas.

I planted seeds in March, in Maine.

I felt like a rock star. I felt like a miracle had occurred.

Until..

We got not one, not two, but three more snowfalls and temperatures dropped to below freezing

At the first snowfall I thought, "I should have known better than to plant so early. Maybe they will survive."

At the second snowfall I thought "Oh how stupid!  Planting all of those veggies in March. You live in Maine."

By the third snowfall I just laughed and remembered how much fun I had on that warm late March day.

Planting seeds is never a mistake. Sometimes we are in such a hurry for results we plant seeds when the time isn't right. The seeds are just reflections of what we want to grow in our lives.

Mistakes happen. We try new things and sometimes they don't work out. I had no idea we were going to have  three early spring snowfalls. I could have speculated, but I was right there in the moment doing what I love to do.

Being in the moment takes courage and living from your heart often involves setbacks. But that doesn't mean we should give up. I am certainly not going to give up gardening just because of that one mistake.

I replanted my early vegetable seeds just the other day.

Just as I replanted seeds in my heart in my morning meditation.

I trust both the garden in my heart and the garden in my yard will bloom.

Inspiration From a Mud Puddle

I take a picture everyday as a way to help me look at the world in a more loving way.  I often take pictures in my own yard because in the words of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz,

If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again I won't look further than my back yard because if it isn't there I never really lost it to begin with.

 My back yard picture was NOT inspiring. In fact it was quite depressing.

Then I adjusted my looking and my picture came out as this:

                             How we choose to see things makes all the difference in the world.

We all have mud puddles in our lives and every moment isn't always sunshine and roses.However even in the ugliness we can choose to find beauty right where we are.

                           Even mud puddles can be gorgeous we when look at them differently.

Monday's Course In Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes studying A Course in Miracles. Each Monday I share a quote from the text.

Seven Sentences That Sum Up Coaching Success

 Some of my favorite client quotes also sum up why coaching works.

These are seven of my favorite sentences.

"I never looked at it like that."
     Reframing is the cornerstone of my work. It is easy to get mired up in our own story of the way things are.  Often just a small tilt of perception opens up new solutions that you didn't know existed.  It is always how you look at it.

"I caught myself in the middle of trash talk and was able to turn it around it seconds."
      Trash talk is the gremlin ego that wants so badly to convince you that you are flawed. We all have it. The trick is to notice it when it is happening and to turn it around. This is a skill that needs constant practice. It is also one of the frist lessons I teach clients.

"My home feels so nurturing that I love coming home"
        My coaching practice includes utilizing Feng  Shui fundamentals. I believe your home mirrors your life and I help clients create a home that is inviting and nurturing.

"I really don't have to be perfect."
  Amen! Perfection blocks success. Nobody is perfect at anything. Good enough is  good enough!

"By putting myself first, I am taking better care of my children."
     We all know the airplane theory: Your mask goes on before your child's. Living it is another story, because there is so much to do as a mom. However committing to even one small act of self care each and every day makes a huge difference.

"My mind isn't so foggy now that I got rid of the clutter in my closet."
     Holding on to stuff we no longer need or want truly has a negative effect on our lies. Clearing out has immediate positive results.

"I actually believe in myself."
    I believed in you the moment we met.

Monday's Course In Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes studying A Course in Miracles. Each Monday I share a quote from the text.

Monday's Course In Miracles

My daily spiritual practice includes studying  A Course In Miracles. Each Monday I share a quote from the text.