Friday, July 25, 2014

Living Life Fully

     WOW, what a week this has been. It's been a week wherein I could have gotten plenty down about situations in my own life. However, one new friend living in Arkansas had severe storm damage. And two friends had significant and sudden deaths in their families. All that certainly yanks minor daily annoyances into perspective.
     This is leaving me feeling ever more adamant about letting people know how much they mean to us. Say "I love you" with reckless abandon (on a cosmic scale, we do all love each other because we are all one). Express feelings of appreciation. Look people in the eye. Smile. Be friendly. Expect the best of folks. Have some fun with folks you care about. Laugh. Life is way too short.
     I love you, my readers!!!!!!!!!!!!!
         Leta

Monday, July 21, 2014

Rest and Recovery

     I had an adventure this weekend to visit a friend who had had double knee-replacement surgery last week. Quite a bold surgical move, but the increasing pain made it the best option, and it was finally done. He also had some complications afterward, which resulted in his body recovering from more than "just" the knee replacements.
     My friend is up and walking nicely with a walker. He has long incisions with staples holding them closed to heal. He wants to be all well, recovered and back to his normal life NOW. He can get frustrated that the recovery is taking "so long."
     We had a couple of discussions about how humans generally grossly underestimate the amount of energy it takes to heal our bodies, be it a minor thing like a new tattoo or major surgery. We think that the more we force the issue (rehab, meds, whatever), the sooner we'll heal and be back to our routine. If you've ever had surgery or a muscle or ligament injury, you know that the body heals in its own long time. No amount of rushing, pushing or wishing makes it go faster.
     Our bodies are amazingly intelligent and thankfully, they do what needs to be done without our conscious guidance. What about adopting the attitude of supporting that intelligence with abundant rest, patience, peacefulness and appreciation rather than an exasperated "too slow!"?
      Blessings,
           Leta

Monday, July 14, 2014

Communication Problem

     This quote is from The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks (an outstanding book):
"Behind every communication problem is a sweaty ten-minute conversation you don't want to have. However, the moment you work up the courage to have it, you collect an instant reward in relief as well as open up a flow of communication that will allow you to resolve the situation."

     Holy cow. I was reviewing the book today to help prepare for a workshop I'll be doing soon, and I hit upon this quote. I had an example of this very thing this past weekend. Alas, I had been dragging around the fear of the "sweaty ten-minute conversation" for WAY longer than I'd care to admit. And yes, there was an "instant reward in relief" and the issue was resolved. Whew!
     Things such as this that we hang onto out of fear really do inhibit good from fully flowing to and through us. My mentor, Dr. Chris Michaels, is adamant about saying what needs to be said, within the same day (in the above example, I failed that miserably). But like all of life, this is a practice, and I am improving!
     Maybe you have something that needs to be said, today?!?!??
             Leta

Friday, July 11, 2014

Ungrow Up

     My friend Jeffrey Dunn used the title phrase in a recent email, talking about how he gave up his saxophone many years ago to "grow up," and now he's getting back into it, and he's going to ungrow up.
     I was talking with son Eliot the other day, having an unusual (for me) lament about assorted worries and feeling like an old fart. Our discussion of that ended with "this, too, shall pass." He referred me to this OK GO video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qybUFnY7Y8w&feature=kp. This group's creativity and goofiness are great reminders that life is FUN!!
     Oh, dear, I do take life too seriously. And there's absolutely no good reason for it. I have a full, rich, healthy, love-filled life. I think I shall remember to have some FUN today. And tomorrow. And each day after that. Do give some consideration to how you may lighten up your life :)
     With smiles,
           Leta

Friday, July 4, 2014

Moving Forward

Words from Sally Robbins:
     "It's so easy for our human minds to come up with reasons to shelve our dreams. Too old, too broke, not enough training... blah, blah, blah. We can choose to listen to that critical voice, or we can choose to move forward anyway."
     While I was away on a week-long trip, someone I had seen in a band the weekend before I left died suddenly. While it was not someone I knew personally, it does give me reason to pause and consider. We are not guaranteed any particular amount of time here. Do I want to reach the end of my days here without having tried everything I can think of that may bring me joy? Do I want to live my days in worry, fear or stressed out (most likely about something over which I have no control)?
     Let's be among the those who reach the end with NO regrets. Join me on this 3-month intensive adventure: BE in Love With Your Life! Details here: http://www.believeenterprises.com/Spiritual_Development.html
     If you've made it this far, you know that the Universe has provided for you in amazing and bountiful ways, and that when you set your mind and heart to something, nothing is impossible. Join me. We are going to rock, have fun, laugh, grow, and dream.
     Ten,
         Leta