Every Experience

Every experience is about having a greater awareness of the Truth of Who You ARE!
Not most experiences.  All experiences.  Taking a walk, doing the dishes, aches and pains, withnessing the birth of a new baby, someone who does you wrong, getting a promotion, finding out that someone you love has a terminal illness, winning the game, fighting with someone close to you, watching an awesome movie, losing money in the stock market, every experience.  You name it.  Every experience is about having a greater awareness of the Truth of Who You ARE!

I am grateful for this experience which is here to lead me back to the Truth of Who I Am.

No Fear

My Good Earth tea bag this morning said, "The first and great commandment is: Don't let them (it) scare you." -Elmer Davis. I don't know who Elmer is but he was an angel to me this morning.

Peace

Peace is the natural state of affairs when that which prevents it is removed. - David R. Hawkins, M.D., Power vs. Force

Flower

I was inspired to draw flowers today.

Honoring Sadness

"Perhaps we would bear our sadness with greater trust than we have in our joys.  For they are the moments when something new has entered us, something unknown; our feelings grow mute in shy embarrassment, everything in us withdraws, a silence arises, and the new experience, which no one knows, stands in the midst of it all and says nothing."  - Letters to a Young Poet, Rainer Maria Rilke

My mother passed away about a month ago, in this time, I have experienced more sadness than usual.  I found solace in the above quote.  I notice I don't honor my sadness.  When I don't trust my sadness it becomes anger.  In those moments I fool myself into denying I was ever sad.

Some part of me believes a strong person doesn't get sad.  That trickster silently fools me into believing without conscious awareness that anger is my only strength and power. While I know that when I experience healthy anger it is truly strong and powerful, in these moments,  I watch, dumbfounded, as I  begin to destroy everything and every relationship in my path.

In sheer exhaustion and shame I scream inside the hollows of my soul, "What the hell!!"  I am quickly re-minded - Yes, indeed, I have powerfully created my own hell.

In that quiet moment of awareness, Wisdom's voice is heard and I re-member that true Strength does experience anger and is comprised of both joy and sadness.

"Sadness is the soul recognizing change." -M. Night Shyamalon

There is great change happening in my life.  Yes, Great Change.



Journal Prompt:  What feelings do you notice under your anger?

Saved

Love it! Great Wisdom

One great source of re-minderz in my life is quotes, sayings and stories I run across in my travels.  I've decided (at least for now) to start a series here on my blog especially for those awesome things.  I am calling it the "Love It" series.  Here is the first....

Cherokee Wisdom

Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.  He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all.

One is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, shame, superiority, ego.

The other is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, serenity, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked this grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Dynamic Conversation

When was the last time you had a meaningful conversation where you were inspired and wished it would not end? Individuals who attended a dynamic conversation at Dynamic Life Coaching Center experienced this. Comments include:
“This was a powerful night.”
“I gained insights and was encouraged to become more. “
“I heard the truth in a loving way.”
“I had ‘aha’ moments.”
“Seeds were planted.”

We invite you to participate in one of the upcoming conversations with the theme of “Creating the Next Phase of your Life.”
Each conversation is facilitated by Life Coaches Tanya Jordening and Sheran Mattson.
Seating is limited to 8 per session. Payment prior to the date is $50 for the two hour event or $55 at the door.

Thursday, Oct. 6 from 7-9pm or
Friday, Oct. 14 from 10-12pm.
At Dynamic Life Coaching Center 1701 S. Mill Ave., Suite 103, Tempe, AZ
Call Sheran at  480-326-7023 or Tanya 602-316-7207.
A powerful conversation can move us from living at capability to moving into capacity!

Coming Soon! Relationship and Communicating workshop using the 3 concentric circles.

Why Visualize? re-minderz.blogspot.com

Why meditate? http://tinyurl.com/433flzd

Why Meditate, Visualize or do Visioning?

Why Meditate?
It aligns you with your center, balance, harmony and pure potentiality. You feel more connected.

Why Visualize?
It's like programing a computer or mapping out a trip.  It helps you clarify your intentions and gives you direction on which to take action.

Why Visioning?
It's like downloading software, researching, or getting great feedback from a friend or colleague.  It expands your consciousness, brings even greater clarity and opens you up to greater good in all areas of your life.

Why do this with others? 
It deepens the experience and creates community.

Check the calendar of events for the upcoming
Meditation, Visualization, and Visioning Circle on August 23rd

If you followed your heart's desire, what would you be doing right now?

When you discover your essential nature and know who you really are, in that knowing itself is the ability to fulfill any dream you have. -Deepak Chopra What a great reminder!

Getting ready for vacation! Seattle here we come!

The problem is rarely what we think it is, but the problem is often in our thinking.

May Creative Discovering Workshop

What the participants said about the May Creative Discovering Workshop....

"I loved the workshop."

"It was excellent and life changing."

"I enjoyed the chance to sit and focus on me for an hour and a half...gaining new tools to enhance my journaling."

"Personally enlightening."

"The Creative Discovering workshop was revealing, powerful, insightful, fun, inspiring, expressive, meaningful, and useful."

Register for June Creative Discovering Workshop Now!

June 7th, 6:30 - 8pm

Dynamic Life Coaching Center

Mill Avenue and Broadway, Tempe, AZ

$5 if registered by June 1, $7 after June 1

Call Tanya at 602-316-7207 or

email registration - click on the address here now - tanyajordening@gmail.com

Have Patience

When I was a little girl I used to sing a song that I learned from my mother.  It started out, "Have patience.  Have patience.  Don't be in such a hurry."  I will catch myself singing that song when things get to going too fast in my life today, and somehow it always helps.

I was contemplating what it was that was helpful.  I think that I big part of it is that it is just a good re-minder.  It isn't anything I don't already know, but when I get to going too fast I forget all of my wisdom.  Some part of me thinks the faster I move the more I will get finished.  Actually what I have found more often than not is the faster I move the faster I get out of alignment. 

I have also found that my ability to have patience is directly related to how much I have tried to stuff into every moment of my life.  When I remember to slow down, have patience with the people and situations in my life, and have patience with myself, everything runs more smoothly.

Journal Prompt:

Is there anything I say no to that will simplify my life today?  If not, how can I become more patience with myself and others?

Creative Journal Prompt:

Draw an image of yourself and your situation or experience when you feel overwhelmed or impatient.  Now draw an image of when you feel patient or centered.  What do you notice from these two images?

Just learning to use Ping to post to more than one social networking site at a time. My life gets easier everyday! Life is GOOD!

What Counts?

Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted. Albert Einstein


I love this quote!  My question for you today would be what counts for you?

Creative Discovering Workshop May 10th

Creative Discovering Workshop

Tuesday, May 10th 6:30 - 8pm

Dynamic Life Coaching Center

1701 S. Mill Ave., Ste. 103

Tempe, AZ 85282

There are a few spots left!

Register today by emailing or calling Tanya at

602-316-7207

tanyajordening@gmail.com

Only You

You are the only one who needs to "understand" what you create in Creative Discovering, and even that isn't always the case. In fact, I often tell participants that just going through the Creative Discovering process can be all that is needed for a positive shift. You may "understand" what you drew, you may not, and it is even possible that your "understanding" will shift with time.

More Creative Discovering Images

I hope you have had the chance to look through all of the posts this month about Creative Discovering. If not, take some time to check it out. Get an idea of the variety of approaches. These are just a few. Here are a few more.

Creative Discovering Out of Sorts

This image was created by a Creative Discovering participant who described themselves as feeling small and tranquil, but at the same time bursting with and attacked with anger and rage. The participant shared that the exercise helped them to see how out of balance they had gotten and take more action to come back into alignment.

Journal prompt:

If you feel "out of sorts" what image would you create to represent that?

After you have drawn and observed that image and process, what image would you create to represent yourself in alignment or in balance?

Green Sea Turtle

Just a quick break from Creative Discovering to mention a book I am reading and really enjoying, "The Why Cafe," by John Strelecky. I "stumbled" upon it while searching a web page for a conference I want to attend in September. My belief that there are no accidents was confirmed. As I have been reading this book, that seems to have found its own way into my life, I am realizing it has come to me in perfect timing.

I learned so much today from a "green sea turtle." I can't urge you enough to check out this book. I am sure I will be adding it to my favorite books list when I finish!

Journal prompt:

Why are you here?

Creative Discovering - Family

How would you draw your family?

Creative Discovering Best Medium

Any medium that makes it easy for you to express freely while you are journalling is the best medium to use. In the two examples here one is done with crayola on inexpensive copy paper and the other is done with crayola markers on the same paper. You may choose a medium that is bold or another that is more soft. You may choose a medium because you like the way it feels, or you may even choose a medium just because it is what you have on hand!

Journal prompt:

Express what is currently going on in your life. Try it in one medium and then try another.

Creative Discovering Warm Up

Often in Creative Discovering Workshops participants will sit and just look at a blank sheet of white paper. When asked, they will say something like, "I don't know where to start," or "I don't know what to do." Usually what helps is to do a little warm up.

Just like in sports or playing a musical instrument, a warm up can help to get you started. You can warm up in whatever way works for you. What I suggest is that you take a blank piece of paper, and just start covering the page with color, shapes, whatever. Don't think of this as something that needs to look any certain way, just a way to get the page covered with something.

Over and over I see this work for people. In fact, I might suggest you warm up every time you sit down to do creative journalling. There is something about it that sets the tone and helps you to loosen up and express!

Abstract or Realistic

Sometimes when you work in your creative journal you might want to use realistic, recognizable images. Other times you may wish to use totally abstract ideas. In some of my Creative Discovering workshops I will suggest specifically one or the other to aid in uncovering a block, or change the experience a little.

As you work on your own I encourage you to do both. Try both on the same prompt and see what comes out for you. Ask yourself not only questions like, "Which one do I like better," but also, "What do I get from one that is different than the other?"

Journal prompt:

What is your greatest strength and weakness?

This prompt can be tricky for people. If you find it challenging, or you just want to try another approach, you might try stream of consciousness writing for 5 or 10 minutes. Set a time and commit to writing until the full time has lapsed. Then pick up your creative journal and start creating images. Don't think too much, just draw!

Creative Discovering Beginnings

I developed an interest in creative journalling in the early 1990's. The images I have shared here were some of the first entries into my journal. They were drawn at a time that was filled with joy and love, and also haunted with sadness, pain and anger. I drew the two entries on the same day, illustrating the roller coaster of emotions that seemed to plague my life.

The awareness that followed deepened my interest in creative journalling, and sparked my inspiration to create Creative Discovering workshops. Still, twenty years later I look at these images that are really quite simple and were drawn in a matter of minutes, and become captivated by the depth of my experience and the accuracy of expression that had escaped words for me at the time.

Today's Journal/Creative Journal prompt:

Over the next few days or weeks if you find yourself experiencing an intense emotion, comfortable or uncomfortable, grab your journal and express........

Whole vs. Good

"I'd rather be whole than good." -Carl Jung Here is an interesting quote. A good one to think about and contemplate. Any thoughts? Journal prompt: Write this quote in your journal and then just let stream of conscious writing come. Or....Creative Journal - Write the quote on a blank piece of paper and then start drawing or working with colors.

Introduction to Creative Discovering

If you enjoy traditional journalling or would like to re-ignite the natural creativity you had as a child, you might like to try what I call Creative Discovering. A great way to get started is creative journalling which is a technique in which you journal as you normally would except instead of writing you draw and use images. Even in this most basic form of Creative Discovering you will find it has a slightly different flavor than regular journalling, and as a result you are likely to have a different experience.

I have included two images from past Creative Discovering workshops to illustrate that there are as many ways to use creative journalling as there are people who do it. In one on the left, the assignment was to create an image which represents how you are feeling right now. Crayola and white paper were used in this exercise. In the other, the participant has used collage to do a self portrait.

Any medium works for creative journalling. I suggest you start with something simple like crayons or crayola markers. These are inexpensive and tend to be less daunting for some people. Remember the idea is to just start drawing. Let go of judging yourself or limiting beliefs such as "I can't draw." This is not a contest.

To get the ball rolling you could trying scrolling down through any of the journalling prompts in this blog, or simply go with what feels fun.

To receive all of the Creative Discovering posts click on the green text on the right side bar that says, "Subscribe to Re-minderz by email" You will be notified immediately as each post is posted. If you currently get emails 2-4 times a month (this is different), just let me know you have subscribed to eliminate getting those emails twice.

Creative Discovering

Creative Discovering....Coming Soon! Last month I introduced a workshop that I have presented for years, and am planning of doing again, soon. In this workshop participants learn a process I call Creative Discovering. This month I will introduce you to some of the process and benefits of Creative Discovering as well as include several images from a variety of Creative Discovering workshops.

Who You Were IS Who You Are

On March 16th I posted about Self Esteem, and as a result I got several great comments, and ideas. Eddie Jones, award winning Phoenix, AZ architect sent a great re-minder in his comment.

Eddie wrote, "If only adults would remember how fearless and creative they were in kindergarten. Everyone was a great artist with crayons, finger paints and dance." I agree. It is so true. We were born without the fear to create, express, and succeed.

Somewhere along the way we were "taught" to have fear. I'm not saying someone thought, "Now, I am going to teach my child or student to have fear of success." No. More than likely it was inadvertently modeled to us in a number of ways, from a number of well meaning people who weren't even totally aware of what they were doing or how great the impact of their words would be.

Eddie suggested I re-mind you of your "lost gifts and the nobility of returning to childlike ways even if (you) fingerpaint in private." I couldn't agree more. In fact, I would advocate that you find time to finger paint, and color and dance. If you can't bring yourself to do it with others (which is great fun) then by all means do it in private. The important thing is to get back to the part of you that wasn't afraid to just do it. That part of you is still in there somewhere. Who you were is who you ARE. Just purchasing a box of crayons, fingerpaints or a tutu might be enough to get you rolling.

If you need a little nudge or you just want to "play with friends," you might consider my upcoming Creative Discovering workshop in May of this year, which uses this concept to help you get in touch with the creativity that is innate within all of us. Stay tuned to this blog for date and location of this workshop.

And, as Judy re-minded us in my post on March 24th, do this with the children in your lives. Many of them are still fearless. If so, grab a box of crayons and learn from them. If they have already lost their fearlessness then grab a box of crayons and re-experience your fearlessness together. Even if they have lost it, they are closer to it than we are, and they are incredible teachers!

Today's journal prompt:

Put down the pen or pencil and grab some crayons or those cool smelly markers and draw in your journal today. Even better - put away the journal, too and grab a big piece of plain white paper and let loose!

Shift Happens

Today I was re-minded of one of the most powerful tools you can use to create success and serenity in your life - a consciousness shift! I think many of us are aware of the fact that the state of our consciousness creates our experience, but when things get tough we flounder for ways to shift our consciousness to align with what we want to experience.

A good friend of mine was experiencing a difficult challenge in her life today, the kind of challenge that would knock pretty much anyone off their center. Not too long after receiving unexpected difficult news she shared with me that she was taking time to go online and look at pictures of beautiful things. What a GREAT idea. The internet provides us with many tools. What an awesome idea to use it to shift our consciousness from what can feel all consuming towards faith in hopeful possibilities.

There are many ways that I have used this idea in my life, from simply talking with a friend, reading something inspiring, listening to music I love, remembering things I am grateful for, dancing around, and even just being silly with my kids. Sometimes different occassions call for different consciousness shifters.

Today's journal prompt:

What makes you feel joy, peace, love, gratitude? Make a list you can refer to when you need a consciousness lift. Keep the list in and easy to find location. Refer to in the next time you are feeling down or just need a little consciousness boost.

Being?

What is the "being" part of the equation -

Be + Do = Have

I think we are pretty clear on the "Do" and "Have" parts of the equation. For the most part we know what we want to have, and given a little time to plan it out we can figure out what we need to "do" to make that happen. Don't get me wrong, I see plenty of people who are stuck in these parts of the equations as well, but with a little coaching and a little willingness this part is easily overcome.

It is the "being" part that is so elusive. It is hard for most people to even get a grasp on the "being" part, which is so interesting because the "being" part just IS. We already are that which we are trying to figure out, trying to connect with, trying to be. This is the ultimate re-minder because it is simply remembering that which we already are.

Sure there are things you can "do" to connect with "being" like meditation or contemplation, but stop for a minute and re-cognize that there is nothing to figure out, nothing to do, nothing to connect with. The "being" part of the equation already IS.

Today's journal prompt:

Who am I?

More Self Esteem Ideas

Judy from Phoenix, AZ liked the self esteem journal (see post March 16th, 2011) and had a great idea to share this concept with the children in our lives. These children could be your own children, or in Judy's case she was thinking of a child in her neighborhood. You could share this idea of a child in a class you teach or maybe share the idea with a friend who has children.

A couple of possibilities could be that you gift the child with a journal especially for creating self esteem statements, or maybe you just share your experience of your self esteem journal with them. Something like, "I recently started a self esteem journal, and I thought of you because you are someone I really like."

I agree with Judy's comment to the self esteem post. It would be really great if children were exposed to more ways to build self esteem. While I always advocate that the number one way to build a child's self esteem is for the parent to build their own self esteem, I think it is always a good idea to share lots of self esteem tools with children.

Thank you, Judy!

P.S. Another idea for building self esteem for children in your life - when you notice them, say so out loud. (ie. I notice how kind you were to your friend - or - I notice you are really working hard on your drawing - or - I notice you did a great job of stacking those books, etc.) This idea is basically the self esteem journal out loud!

Today's journal prompt:

Did you learn positive self esteem tools as a child? If not, what are the ways you can build your self esteem today?

Changing People

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." - Maya Angelou

Leave it to Maya to tell it like it is! This is so true. I remember years ago finally realizing that I could not change anyone but myself. This was news to me, and I have to admit it was news I wasn't too excited about. At the time, I was sure that there were other people, besides me, who were making my life miserable.

When I finally accepted that I could not change them, and that I could change myself, I went to work on the latter. I was absolutely amazed. I would have sworn to you that those other people changed! As I took a closer look I was clear, the others had not changed at all, what had changed was my attitude towards them!

Today's journal question:

Is there anyone who you would like to change? How can you change your attitude towards them?

Gratitude Attracts

"...A grateful heart is like a magnet. When you are living in gratitude, you will attract more of what you are grateful for." -Cheryl Richardson

The Law of Attraction tells us what we focus on grows. When we focus our thoughts, feelings and beliefs on what we are grateful for that which we are grateful for grows. It is that simple - really.

Today's journal question:

What do you want to attract more of in your life? How can you be grateful for that which you want in your life now?

Self Esteem Journal Continued

Thanks everyone for the comments left both here and sent directly to me. I am pretty sure this post has gotten more over all comments back than any other. A few people have shared some really great thoughts with me, and as I get permission, I will be posting more ideas on this subject.

I think that empowering self esteem in our selves, and encouraging it in others is essential in all our lives. I am excited for the response this has received, and I am really looking forward to the journey ahead with all of you!

If you haven't had a chance to share, or you still have, comments or ideas click on the word "comments" below to share, or email me directly at tanyajordening@gmail.com. I am looking forward to hearing more!

Stay tuned for more to come!

Self Esteem Journal

Over and over I see the need for people to build self esteem, and I am always on the look out for tools to pass along. You have probably heard of a gratitude journal which has been made popular by the likes of Oprah and Sarah ban Breathnach, who wrote the Simple Abundance books. I know from personal experience and through clients, participants, friends, and family that the gratitude journal is very effective tool to create success and serenity in your life.

Recently I had an idea while talking with a participant in a workshop. If a gratitude journal is so effective, what about a self esteem journal using the same concept. Once a day take an inventory of yourself and write down 5 things that you like and/or love about your self and the things you did in that day. I began experimenting with this, and I have found it to be very effective, very quickly.

I'd like to share a couple of suggestions I found helpful, always keeping in mind that your heart will lead you on the path that is the best for you. It is nice to have a journal set aside specifically for your self esteem journal, but writing it anywhere anytime is, of course, more effective than not doing it because you don't have your journal.

I would encourage you to include things in your journal that you love about yourself just because it is who you are, and things you love about your choices and actions in that day. AND, I encourage you to write down the love you have for yourself even when you may feel like you messed up or made a mistake. Love yourself because you did the best you could. Love yourself for noticing you could improve. Love yourself because you are perfectly human. Love your process. Love who you ARE no matter what.

I invite you to give the self esteem journal a try, and let me know how it goes for you. I am looking forward to hearing your ideas, suggestions, feedback and stories.

Today's journal prompt:

Begin now, in the journal you currently have, or anywhere on any piece of paper writing 5 things your love and/or like about yourself.

Be Specific.....continued

Yesterday I wrote, you don't have to make your goals specific, unless you want to achieve them. The key here is in the end of the sentence, unless you want to achieve them.

"Of course I want to achieve them!" you might say.

And, I would ask you, "Are you sure?"

Over and over I see that we set goals that are not in alignment with our true heart's desire. Our true heart's desire has nothing to do with shoulds, and it often doesn't have much to do with what we think we want. Thinking comes from our head, and while it is a valuable tool in many instances, it is not very helpful with what comes from our heart?

What comes from our heart is more subtle. We aren't as accustomed to listening to our hearts. Our heart speaks softly, in fact we don't listen to our hearts we feel from our heart.

No worries. This isn't to say that our head had no part in the process. If from our head we have knowing, from our heart we have intuition. Head and heart are the masculine and the feminine nature in us, they are the yin and the yang. These two working together will lead us to what it is we really, really, really want.

Today's journal question:

If I get very quiet and ask my heart, "Is this what I really want in this situation," what do I feel?

Be Specific

It is amazing how days slip through life like sand through time. I made one of those basic goal setting error when I said I would post to my blog 4-5 days a week. My subconscious went to work asking which 4-5 days that would be, and automatically assumed it would be the 4-5 days that aren't today!

Blog posting everyday was successful because it was so specific, clear and definite. Sometimes I slip into thinking, "That is ridiculous! I know what 4-5 days a week are. That is specific enough!" The interesting thing is it beats me every time!

You don't have to make your goals specific, unless you want to achieve them.

Today's journal question:

Are my goals specific enough? Could a 10 year old read them and tell me exactly how, when, where and why they are happening?

More Life Is Good...All the Time

I have found, as I wrote last week, that even though I know intellectually that Life IS Good, all the time, I don't always experience it that way on a feeling level. In my process, I have learned that stuffing those feelings, or denying their existence was not helpful. I could *know* that Life is Good, even in the midst of a difficulty, and it didn't mean I didn't feel angry, upset or sad.

In fact, I did feel all of those feelings, and sometimes more. As with any time I notice a feeling, I found the most helpful thing was to allow myself to feel what came up, and seek the guidance the feeling brought with it. I might ask myself questions to find out what that guidance was. I might just allow myself to feel and come back and explore it at another time.

Being gentle and non-judgemental of myself as I notice ALL of my thoughts, feelings and beliefs has been one of those things I need to re-mind myself often.

Today's Journal Question:

Am I accepting myself, with all my thoughts, feelings and beliefs, right where I am? What "ya but's" do I have around this?

Re-minderz on Vacation

Re-minderz is on vacation in the mountains of California.

Log on in a few days for insights from the mountain, and....

....more on Life IS Good....All of the Time!

Happy Weekend!

Life IS Good

This bracelet is a "treat myself to something special" purchase I made a few years ago. It was money well spent. I love the bracelet, and I truly feel special every time I wear it. It always re-minds me of going to see Michael Beckwith speak years before "The Secret" was published.

We would go to see him speak every couple of months. Each we saw him he would say, "life is good," sporadically throughout his talk. The crowd would always respond by saying, "all the time." It really struck me as I definitely had times when I didn't think life was all that great.

At first I liked this idea that life is good all the time. I thought of it as an affirmation that if I would just focus on the affirmation, life would become good. Good meaning it would be to my liking, it would go as I see fit. This was helpful and felt comforting to me.

Over time (LOTS of time) as I *worked* with this re-minder I came to real-ize that life already was good all of the time. Life is good even when I think it isn't. Even when I am arguing with someone I love. Even when my child is throwing a tantrum. Even when I lose my job. Even when I lose my house. Even when I FEEL differently. My feeling doesn't change the Truth. Life IS Good, all of the time. You can be sure I had a few internal tantrums over this one!

My judgement or belief about the situation most definitely effects my feeling. When I release my judgement. When I choose to believe that Life IS Good, all of the time, even if I don't understand, I begin to experience the Truth that was always, already there.

Which re-minds me of *always, already* thinking and listening and judging. Hmm......more on that soon!

Today's journal question:

Is there an aspect of my life that does not feel good? What is my belief or judgement of the situation? Am I willing to believe that Life is Good, all of the time? Am I willing to be willing? Even in this situation? Even if I don't feel it, think it, see it, or believe it right now? Is there anything I can wear or carry with me to re-mind me of this Truth?

P.S. In the past I have forgotten this real-ization pretty often. When I notice that I have forgotten I just gently (and sometimes not so gently) re-mind myself. Isn't being human interesting?

I Did It!

Yahoo! I did it! Yipee!

I completed February's Nablopomo by posting to my blog everyday in February. I have learned so much and gotten way more from this experience than I had anticipated. I have learned things that I want to do in my blog that I've started like the journal questions, and I learned things I would do differently like - blogging everyday doesn't leave any room for a break. So....

I am committed to blogging 4-5 days a week, giving myself a break, but maintaining some consistency. I hope this will continue to work for readers.

And, I want your feedback on the journal questions. I have had a couple of people email me saying they love the new addition. That kind of feedback is very helpful. More feedback is welcomed. I would like to know if you find the journal questions helpful? Do you like them? Not like them? Why? Is there anything you would change about them? Any ideas of how to make them better or more helpful? more inspiring? more empowering?

Click on the word "comments" below to leave a comment here, or email me directly at tanyajordening@gmail.com

Thanks for being a part of Re-minderz!

Love, Love, Love

Everyone just wants to love and be loved. I heard this somewhere recently, and it was one of those things where everyone in the room just paused for a moment. Such a simple truth. No one can really argue with that. I brought it up in the middle of an intense conversation at one of my classes recently, and again there was this pause with an ensuing connectedness in the room.

The interesting thing is we all seem to know this, but forget it regularly. I have been practicing re-minding myself this simple truth in different situations. Give it a whirl. I have found it very helpful.

Practice re-minding yourself this when you are in the grocery store. Practice it the next time you are in an argument. Practice it when you feel impatient with your child......or anyone. Practice it when you feel angry, excited, upset, joyful, sad, indifferent. Say it slowly - slower and still slower. Remember as you practice it that it is everyone, everywhere, all of the time.

Today's journal exercise:

Today write this statement slowly in your journal seven times. When you are finished begin stream of consciousness writing for at least 3 pages on whatever comes up for you. Anything and everything that comes up for you. Just write it down.

Chocolate

Okay, really if you are gonna write a blog about re-minding anyone about anything at least one post has to be a re-minder to eat chocolate. Not that any of us would forget.....least of all me, but still it is a good re-minder that sometimes a little sweet indulgence is a nice way to treat yourself!

Enjoy!

Ideas

I get a lot of my ideas for posts here from people in various parts of my life. Most recently I've noticed a lot of ideas come from Facebook friends - Thanks! Just when I think I am not sure where the next idea will come from I read something, bump into an old friend, or get a phone call from someone who just needs to vent and suddenly I've heard something that is just the perfect re-minder.

In the career development classes I teach I always tell participants that 80% of all jobs come from networking. Then we go on to talk about how many other things also come from networking - like ideas!

Today's re-minder - connecting with others in many different ways brings value to my life in more ways than I can count!

What Are You 'Fraid Of?

I was thinking today about a story from when I was a kid. My children love this story. Today when I was thinking of it, it had a new helpful twist.

My family was sitting around the table at a pizza parlor when my step mother noticed my fathers shirt was all worn out. She couldn't believe he was wearing that shirt to a restaurant. She looked at him and said, "Wayne, your sleeves are all frayed."

My dad lifted his wrist close to his face and said in a cute, little squeaky voice, "What are you 'fraid of little sleeve?" My brother and I cracked up at his pun.

My girls ask me to repeat this story so often I think of it all of the time. Today when I was meditating on some recent challenges in my life I could hear my dad's voice asking, "What are you 'fraid of little Tanya?" It was the perfect question to help me work through what was on my mind.

One of my fond childhood memories became a great re-minder for me. I think I will ask myself this question often as I go about my journey.