Still reflecting on our words....

It is the end of June and time again for our collective post on our words chosen at the beginning of the year. Through this shared experience this group of women have continued to feel such a support system of acceptance and care. Read here how each woman has continued the journey, alone yet not alone.

My Abundance experience this June comes in the form of a gift for myself.

"I have been blessed to be attending a Yoga class three days per week. Through this class I have also met some amazing women. One of the women, a new friend has added so much to my life in only a few months. We enjoy a nice cup of chai on Sat. morning after our yoga class.

The first weekend in June we went on an overnight trip to a retreat center about 40 miles from our town. We stayed in an old farmhouse. Here is the abundance of this 24 hour time away.

A glass of wine on the front porch, talking, watching the sun go down, watching the three new young alpaca's recently adopted by our retreat center owners, sharing again a viewing of the movie Chocalat while of course eating dark chocolate and sharing another glass of wine and talking. Feeling the morning breeze flow through the windows upon awakening in the morning, and taking turns getting a massage by a massage therapist who came to our farmhouse with table in hand..and talking. Enjoying an organic salad then taking a nap just because we can..and talking. It was a gift we gave ourselves and the shared experience was truly abundant. It is not easy to take the time to break away from old habits and do something new. We did it and we are only blessed beyond measure. Thank you Cris for our girl time away."

Abundance is.. sharing new experiences with a trusted friend.

Annemarie from So I was Just Thinking shares about DISCIPLINE.



“Discipline is remembering what you want.” David Campbell

“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.”Jim Rohn

“Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability.” Roy L Smith

“Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes.” Buddha

My daughter epitomizes the definitions of discipline described above. She has working since September towards the goal of attending the Showcase National Dance Competition. By setting an achievable and measurable goal, she was able to see that dream come to fruition this past weekend.

Caitlin spent several hours a week attending ballet, tap, jazz and technique classes without complaint. Additionally, her instructors would call weekend rehearsals. What was the result of all this work?

Two amazing performances and two platinum awards. Which just goes to show that when you have the necessary discipline, you can achieve just about anything.


Roban from Moments In Time shares this about JOY.


JOY. Amazing how such a small, simple word can make such a huge impact in your life (when you let it!). Acknowledging the joy in my life has been one of my goals this year. By focusing on the word “joy,” I hoped to leave worrisome thoughts behind as I looked for those proverbial silver linings instead.

For me, finding joy is really about slowing down to enjoy the moments that make up my life. It’s about stopping the thoughts that whirl through my mind long enough to truly enJOY what life has to offer.


As I focused on this word, I began to recognize joy all around me. I saw joy in a baby’s smile at the grocery store, in the words of a student, and in my daughter’s unique way of seeing things. I found joy in a rare March snowfall and in the serenade of cicadas and frogs on a warm summer night. I found joy while cooking meals for my family and when treating myself to a few good books.


I have found that joy is not elusive but awaits me every day if I just look in the right place. Joy, I found, is a simple thing to enJOY.




Peggy from Middle Age Ramblings shares this about BALANCE.


6 months, 26 weeks, 181 days, 4,344 hours......four Americans and one Australian united together believing by focusing and reflecting on our tools called words our journey would become clearer.


For me, without a doubt the journey so far has been very rewarding. Who would have thought that by focusing on a few simple words (Balance, Desire, Persistence) they would grant me so much power and freedom.

This month I would like to reflect on finding balance in the midst of life’s ups and downs.
In life there will always be ups and downs. When something negative happens, instead of agonizing over it or trying to oppose it, we should accept it and try to turn it into a positive. Similarly, when positive things happen in our life we need to be prepared for the fact that good things can’t last forever.

Instead of wishing for a life of complete happiness where nothing bad ever happens, these ups and downs should be embraced, because they are what gives life its colour and meaning.
In Taoism it is believed that the entire universe is a balance of opposites, symbolized by yin and yang (day and night, winter and summer, male and female, life and death, etc).



“The Tao is the One. From the One come yin and yang; From these two, creative energy (chi); From energy, ten thousand things; The forms of all creation. All life embodies yin AND yang; Through their union Achieving harmony”.
Tao Te Ching (Dreher translation)





Octamom shares about EXCELLENCE.



As we hit the completion of half of the year, I find myself amazed that July is right around the corner. Four blog friends and I started the year by each choosing a word that would be our guiding beacon for 2009 and at the end of each month, we have each posted something about how that word is shaping our year.

My word for the year has been excellence. When I selected this word, I thought it to be the element would wind its way through many of the areas in my life in which I seek to grow and improve, in my relationships, homemaking, schooling, writing, photography and walk with the Lord. To pursue excellence has become a lesson in degrees. How does one know when they have achieved 'excellence'? It's not really a destination or accomplishment, but rather an approach and attitude toward the duties and desires in life. And one thing that has emerged as I have pursued excellence this year is that it can be practiced in the smallest things. In my world right now, with so much of my time joyfully captured by the needs of small children, big goals could be frustrating. But to know that I can exercise excellence in making a bed, wiping a nose and reading a book to a child allows me to honor my New Year's goals without creating frustration and overwhelm, which is a very excellent thing indeed.





Dear Friends,
As we pass from the first half of 2009 into the next half it is my wish for each person to have something they can hold on to to take with them along the journey, to live in the moment, to be blessed with good friends, loving family and an abundance of self discovery.



Blessings,
Avtcoach

Inspire and Be Inspired

June's "Abundant" theme is "inspire another".

I have struggled in the past few months with my writing. I have had so many new insights and new experiences yet somehow, the words to describe them would not come. I could not seem to adequately convey them in words. Mental images, meditative states, progress in asanas were abounding. My blog had to take a back seat to these experiences. I did not have the words.

Along came an extended phone call from my blog friend Miruspeg and her words were timely. Her own blog posting routine, her consistency, her word focus of "Balance" and daily example encouraged me. I was inspired.

Then came the end of May and an opportunity to group post again about our word. The creativity of my friends encouraged me. I was inspired.

Like Dorothy in "Jerry McGuire", "I just want to be inspired."

My inspiration comes in many forms: really good writing, beautiful art, music and photography, the commitment that someone has to a daily prayer life, a workout schedule, a nutrition schedule. In fact, I find inspiration from those who keep their personal commitments to just about anything. I find the quality of "commitment to self" very inspiring.

One individual who exudes inspiring words and actions is Michael J. Fox. His recent television special "Adventures of an Incurable Optimist" paid homage to individuals who live life with a positive outlook. I don't think anyone could watch this special or finish his new book "A Lucky Man: A Memoir" and not be inspired by the way he is inspired by the human spirit himself and celebrates the way others inspire him.

So there is something to "Inspire, and Be Inspired"

If I feel this abundant about being inspired, and Michael J. Fox shares this sentiment, then maybe to experience abundance we must seek to "inspire another". You might be intentionally inspiring another in a variety of ways but I am most certain that each and every person is "inspiring another" in some way that they are not aware of.

I recently posed a question to a very close friend. "How do I help you?" The answer I received was more than I expected. This person who inspires me so much in many aspects of life has been touched in unexpected ways by me. That I might in a small way contribute to the abundant life of another is both humbling and amazing.

So, my questions are these: Can we decide to "inspire another" or do we "inspire another" by living a quality life of positive abundance and that in itself is enough? Does inspiration come spontaneously in a different form for each individual or are there qualities that are globally inspiring? What or who inspires you?

Abundance is....an unexpected gift of inspiration.

May Day! May Day! Read About Our Words!

It is with great pleasure that I step back into blogging as we close another month. My good blog friends Roban, Peggy, Annemarie and Octamom are at it again with the latest installation of "Reflecting on Our Words". Read, See, and Enjoy!

"May is a month full of life. Graduations, Weddings, Concerts, Recitals, and Championships. Bike races, Foot races, and Horse races. It is a month in Oklahoma for rain storms and twisters. You have to keep your sneakers on to catch up with the action. May is also "Better Speech and Hearing Month". I'd like to think of it as "Better Encouraging and Listening Month". My blog posts have been absent but my life has been full. I am truly creating abundance one step at a time. Blessings to you as we move into June. What will the next month bring?" AVTCOACH



Annemarie of "So I was Just Thinking" created a beautiful collage for her word "Discipline".




Peggy of "Middle Age Ramblings" chose Balance for her word. But like a true lady has changed course by adding "Desire" and "Persistence" to help her stay focused on her goals. Very insightful!





Roban from "Moments in Time" chose "Faith and Joy" for her words of the year. She too got into the scissors, paper and glue spirit creating her word collage.

Octamom has created her own special work of art for her word "Excellence".

Abundance is...creating your own guide.

Enjoy Success!

It could not be a more perfect time to begin posting again after a short hiatus. As I continue on the path of experiencing Abundance in my life I have a list of ideas ready to emote into weekly posts. The month of May has been for me "Enjoy Success". To put wings on my goals I chose this month to take time to feel proud of my accomplishments and applaud myself for some sound decisions I have made. It seems many times when we chose a goal for ourselves, fate or spirit would have it that some challenge will be put in our way toward that goal. May has been full of creative decision making as we maneuvered our way through a blown engine, two car collisions in two weeks, the purchase of a new car and a visit to a doctor for some preventive health goals. I guess you cannot enjoy success without a price. I have to smile and be thankful that May is closing and I can look forward to June. The good word for June is "Inspire Another" and I have plenty of ideas for that one. I look forward to Monday and sharing a group post of our collective words for the year.

Abundance is...meeting a challenge head on, and enjoying the success of the end!

WORDS TO INSPIRE

Although I have reduced my blogging, my commitment to this joint project with my friends across the world to post about our WORD remains strong. I love the consistency and depth of our experience with each other. We are living our words by example and hopefully will be an inspiration for others to choose a value for their own lives that they can commit to. This month we are simply stating a credo of our word.

ABUNDANCE by Avtcoach

The way I see it, I’ve lived a life of fortune: A college degree, a close immediate and extended family, and a quality group of close friends. These are the aspects of life that I had considered when I thought of abundance.

Still, I had the thought that I would “seek” abundance. I would “strive” for it. Since choosing the word I have intentionally lived my days with a certain assurance that my abundance was evolving. I put feet to it. I began new routines: yoga, more reading, more contact with friends and scheduling play dates with family and friends.

I can say now that I HAVE a life of abundance. I now have a habit of abundant living that carries me through even some stressed days. It is not that my life is perfect, I don’t live in perfection but I do celebrate each moment that I smile when I could frown, say a good word when I could speak ill, listen to music, read and meditate when I could fill my hours with slothful acts.
I love that no matter my financial or relational state my life of fortune continues. I will grow and evolve in many other ways on the journey but I do so abundantly.

EXCELLENCE by Octamom

When I chose 'Excellence' as my word for 2009, I had a broad sense of how that directive could be applied in the upcoming year. I knew I wanted to bring a bit more care and finesse to some smaller areas of my life, such as housekeeping and chores. I knew I wanted to instill in the kids a deeper level of respect for working on their lessons with better attention paid to their penmanship, smaller assignments and the like.

I hoped to apply seeds of excellence to those more hidden areas of our lives. And I believe those seeds sown will bring a fuller harvest.

So often in pursuing excellence I have found myself focused on the big items, committing time and effort and high standard to those things that are most obvious, most seen, most noticed. But I've come to see that excellence requires a pervasive attitude that must wash through all aspects of life, that the excellence I want to find in the grander projects must first be practiced on the smaller stage—a smaller stage in which I act for the benefit of the One who created me.


Because, really, that's what true excellence is, the commitment to doing one's best, even when no one is watching. When excellence is practiced at the smallest level, it becomes a true aspect of character. Anyone can act, on occasion, with great skill and adeptness, but true excellence should be found consistently, a thread of character binding all the pieces and patchwork of one's life.

And so our pursuit of excellence in 2009 continues.

BALANCE by Peggy

Leading a Balanced Life I have discovered IS in my control!


Very bold statement.....but when all is said and done it is not as difficult as we make it out to be. Let me explain how it works for me.

I begin each task with a purpose and give my attention fully to that task.

Some tasks are easier than others to focus on, so I have learnt to slow down, whether it be driving, talking, entertaining, working, exercising......


I recognise when I am off balance and this is when I stop and reflect and often ask for help.
For example my love of blogging sometimes interrupts my other interests/chores/work and when I feel it is taking over I discuss the problem with a friend who helps clarify what I want to achieve and gives me other options to ponder upon.

I would not achieve BALANCE in my life without DISCIPLINE....thank you Annemarie for choosing that word and explaining how important your word is in all aspects of life.


Keeping the FAITH that balance is achievable and not to give up when the going get tough...and JOY that it brings when successful....bless you Roban for those words.

Of course an ABUNDANT life is then possible.....so grateful to you Coach for leading the way. And then EXCELLENCE in all aspects of a balanced life becomes possible.....Julie more than anyone I know shines through with this word.


Finally the easiest way to lose our balance is to cling to fixed beliefs or notions of how things should be. The only constant in this world is change, so the more things we cling to, the more we will be thrown off balance when they disappear. It is like trying to ride a bike while balancing an enormous weight on your shoulders. It is much easier to maintain our balance if we lighten our load.

DISCIPLINE by AnneMarie


Discipline can sound like such a harsh word. It often conjures up thoughts of detention, grounding, the principal's office when actually it should be just the opposite. A person who lives a life of discipline is living a directed and goal oriented life - setting their sites on the prize and making sure everything that she does will lead toward that end.


When I chose Discipline as my word for the year, it was because I saw my life spinning out of control. I was completely living in the moment which is not always a bad thing. However, I was letting circumstances dictate my actions instead of the other way around. It was a life full of excuses and shortcuts. For example fast food instead of cooking because I had too many things to do.

A Disciplined life does not come over night. It is long journey, but it is one I am glad to make with my supportive bloggy friends.


JOY and FAITH by Roban


Joy seems like such a simple three-letter word, but it is really so much more than that to me. It's not about being happy. It's not about everything being right in my world. It's just an internal sense of well-being that, despite what happens throughout the day, remains a part of me. I just have to be aware of it and look above, below, and through the din of daily life to see it sometimes.

When I chose my two words for the year, "faith" and "joy," I barely thought of the connection between the two, but as the year progresses, I am more aware of how faith and joy go hand-in-hand. To have faith means I can worry less. To worry less opens a window between my soul and the joy that surrounds me. I won’t say that I am now leading a worry-free life. No. I still worry. But I do know that needless worrying is using up more of my energy and crowding out the joy of life. So choosing to walk in faith and embrace the joy that is given to me is something I am learning to do… one step at a time.

Abundance is...friends who help keep you grounded.

Spring A Step Forward

April's theme in creating an Abundant Life is "Spring A Step Forward".

To me this means..avoid the stagnant. Continue to move in a forward direction in my thinking and in my doing. Take some chances. Get out of your comfort zone.

Here is what I have been doing:

Remember that ipod? Well, I have put it to good use. I have downloaded music yes, but so much more. I am filling my mind with the positive messages. Here is what is playing in my ear...."Marianne Williamson's Miracle Thought For the Day", "Pray As You Go", "Meditation Station", "Meditation Oasis". These are all free downloads from itunes. I also download on a regular basis: This American Life, This I Believe, and NPR: Storycorp podcasts. Downloading them means I can listen when I have the time or need a boost.

Another step. I have increased my connections with others. Meeting new people can open the doors for new experiences and ideas. Meeting up with old friends can help you see where you have been, maybe will tell you how far you have come, but also may give you a new perspective.

Recently I met a new friend in my yoga class. We meet for coffee after yoga at our favorite coffee/chocolate shop and our range of topics so far spans religion, politics, family, and yoga. We have had a similar response to our new yoga experience and we have enjoyed each encounter. I am looking forward to what this new friend can teach me!

Last week I received a call from a high school classmate. She is soon moving to another state. This week we met and it was so much fun. She is the same intelligent, smiling, fun-loving, beautiful and creative person that I knew in high school. Even with her move I know that our friendship will continue to thrive.

I have renewed connections with cousins. Those children I knew who ran around at family reunions. We are now adults and we are still having fun together. Our relationships as adults are very different. A step forward. They are deeper, more loving, and more engaging.

I have another friend who on a regular basis challenges me. I cannot be friends with this person and remain stagnant. This friend allows me to say what is on my mind, accepts the changes that I have been working toward and supports my quest for Abundance in many ways.

These are my ways of "Springing a Step Forward". They will be different with each and every soul. But, I do know that it is abundantly clear, I am meant to live my live in this way for today. I am meant to share my thoughts and hopes with these friends today. I am meant to be challenged and to grow spiritually and mentally and to live a life of abundance.

I cannot wait for what is to come! I know that April will offer more opportunities to Step Forward. We shall see!

There is a fitting movie clip about a woman's response to the risk of stepping forward. If you are interested you will find it here at Wingclips.com.

Abundance is....a daily miracle thought, old friends and new!

Reflecting On Our Words: March

One really never knows how one small choice can have such an impact. In January, Caroline at The Zen In You selected a word...one simple word. A word that would carry her through the year. From that choice came a like minded choice for five blog friends: Octamom, Miruspeg, AnneMarie, Roban and me. We wanted our "Word" to make a difference..and what a difference a choice makes. It is now the end of March and time for us to share our post reflecting on our word. This month we share a photo.

It is a simple task, the click of a button and a picture forms. I am loving the creativity of my dear friends. We have carried our "Word" with us through our days, and in no small way has our "Word" positively influenced us.

Through our photos, we hope in a small way you will find for yourself a path of Excellence, Balance, Faith & Joy, Discipline, and Abundance!

Octamom chose Excellence. There are many ways that she has walked this walk. Her "Word" has truly been a blessing as her child (7 of 8) who had a stroke at birth has now, through many hours of therapy begun to walk. A most excellent gift for this family! We certainly celebrate with her!

Miruspeg chose Balance. This woman has so many gifts. She has surely implemented Balance in her life since January. We all hope to have balance in our lives. Read her wonderful posts about how she practices her "Word".

Roban chose Faith & Joy. You can read her wonderful posts and see how she honors these words with her family and friends. A life of faith and joy surely shows through her beautiful photography!

AnneMarie chose Discipline. She is practicing this with style, documenting her most disciplined activities. I would say that she is courageously attacking Discipline in her life. Read more about her and get inspired!

I chose Abundance. What a journey I am experiencing!


We would love to see your photo and read your post about your word. Please let me know if you post about your word! I too would love to be inspired!

Abundance is....sharing a project with friends!