Core story

December 31 Prompt: Core story. What central story is at the core of you, and how do you share it with the world? (Bonus: Consider your reflections from this month. Look through them to discover a thread you may not have noticed until today.)

Wow I love how this last prompt ties right in with my post about the most memorable gift I received in 2010. My central story is that it is possible, even necessary, to heed your calling and share your unique gifts and skills with the world. Success, abundance, love, wellness, and happiness are available to everyone. It's just a matter of training yourself to experience life through an open heart instead of from a place of fear and lack. There is joy available everywhere if you only look for it. There is support, encouragement and opportunities available to you every moment of the day, if you keep your heart and mind receptive.

Gift

December 30th Prompt: Gift. This month, gifts and gift-giving can seem inescapable. What's the most memorable gift, tangible or emotional, you received this year?

The most memorable, and important, gift I received this year was the message that I can change my story at any time. It's been a few years now since I started experiencing daily chronic pain, and I've found peace through acceptance. And yet, at a recent healing circle, I stumbled across a novel idea - I have the power to change the story I tell about myself. I've been experimenting with telling myself a new story when a muscle spasms or fibromyalgia flare-up begins. Instead of letting my focus be trained on the pain or accepting the pain or even on what modifications or self care I need to cope with it, I create a new story. I give myself Reiki, and I choose a new story about feeling great. I've noticed that within a few minutes the pain has receded to the background and my mood is cheerful and energized. Perhaps I don't have the power to change my physical body with my thoughts, but it does seem I can change my perceptions and experience of the situation. This is empowering stuff!

Achieve

December 28th Prompt: Achieve. What’s the thing you most want to achieve next year? How do you imagine you’ll feel when you get it? Free? Happy? Complete? Blissful? Write that feeling down. Then, brainstorm 10 things you can do, or 10 new thoughts you can think, in order to experience that feeling today.

Ah this is an interesting prompt. I often start the new year with goals and intentions to focus my energy and attention for the coming year. I haven't given much thought previously to how I imagine I'll feel when I achieve my goals. I suppose that I will feel accomplished and successful as well as secure and abundant. I'll be grateful and fulfilled too. The thing is, I already do feel these things today. There may be a few niggling doubts here and there that pop up when I stretch outside my comfort zone, but most of the time I feel great about my life.

Ordinary Joy

December 27th Prompt: Ordinary joy. Our most profound joy is often experienced during ordinary moments. What was one of your most joyful ordinary moments this year?

I have had so many of these moments of ordinary joy this year. I've found that it's easy to slip into ordinary joy when you are fully present and appreciating everything that happening inside and around you. I often slip into ordinary joy when visiting the beach, a garden or other natural landscape. It also happens when I spend time with family and friends. Working on an art project, cooking, painting, petting my cats, playing with my friends' children also induce this ordinary joy. A good cup of tea or coffee sipped in the sunlight. A healing circle. A meditation. Listening to music on Pandora. Sitting in my office. Giving Reiki. Yoga. There are so many ways to invoke ordinary joy in my day to day life. I feel quite blessed!

Soul Food

December 26th Prompt: Soul food. What did you eat this year that you will never forget? What went into your mouth & touched your soul?

Oh dear, this is a really tough question! I have eaten all kinds of soul food over the past year! First there's the Harvest Bowl at Rawbert's filled with organic, local produce and red quinoa and a steaming mug of lemon ginger tea. Then there are the delightful Thai restaurants in the area with their servers with big smiles and soups that just exude love. A new favorite is the divine Shahi Paneer Korma at Anmol with staff who always stay open late and let us indulge after an event, healing circle or kirtan. I've had some of the best blueberry pancakes at Comets Diner in Tyngsboro, too. I think for me, the soul food experience is a combination of good company, great food and super nice staff at the restaurant. Even my favorite coffee shop turns a good cup of coffee into soul food for me. Of course, some of my friends and family are pretty amazing cooks also who infuse their meals with love and deliciousness too.

Photo ~ A present for yourself

December 25th Prompt: Photo - a present to yourself. Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and what it best reveals about you.

This photo was taken by my sweetie at a friend's wedding this fall. It was an honor and a pleasure to officiate the wedding of a good friend. This was a spontaneous, candid shot, and I think it reveals who I am at my core.

Everything's Ok

December 24th Prompt: Everything's OK. What was the best moment that could serve as proof that everything is going to be alright? And how will you incorporate that discovery into the year ahead?

One of my best moments this month was doing my year end financials for my business. Despite the economy, my business revenue doubled in 2010 from 2009. There was a lot of growth in 2010, which always means additional expenses, but I was excited and proud to see the profit even if it was modest. Seeing the bottom line of my business double in a year where everyone has been afraid and stressed about the economy has been extremely heartening. I have been telling my own clients all year that when you come from a heart-centered place, it is easier to find clients than it is to find a job in this kind of economy.

All the promoting, networking and reaching out you do during a recession is going to be invaluable as the economy improves. It's invaluable even during a recession. So, don't let the state of the economy bring you down. When you have a calling to be of service and help people heal or grow in your own unique way, clients will find and hire you. Now, more than ever, the world needs healing professionals, and I'm proud to be helping healing professionals create and run thriving private practices regardless of the state of the economy.

New Name

December 23rd Prompt: New name. Let's meet again, for the first time. If you could introduce yourself to strangers by another name for just one day, what would it be and why?

I am quite happy with my name and who I am, so there isn't anyone else I'd rather be for a day. I sometimes go by a name in my spiritual community that reflects the earth-loving, goddess inspired side of me. It's fun sometimes to put a different side of yourself than usual in front by using an alternative name.

Travel

December 22 Prompt: Travel. How did you travel in 2010? How and/or where would you like to travel next year?

I did some visiting around New England in 2010. Also, I traveled to the midwest in 2010 via Amtrak. It was a peaceful trip. I love how much time there is to relax and read on the train. In years past, I traveled much more often.

I'll be ringing in the New Year up in Vermont with my sweetie. Later in the year, I am planning a trip to the west coast to Portland, Oregon for a seminar with Mark Silver of Heart of Business. I've also got a trip to Iceland on my radar. And in October, I'll be back in the midwest again for my annual gathering.

Future Self

December 21 Prompt: Future self. Imagine yourself five years from now. What advice would you give your current self for the year ahead? (Bonus: Write a note to yourself 10 years ago. What would you tell your younger self?)

If I could write a note to my younger self 10 years ago about the most important thing she could do, I would advise her to trust her intuition. I would point out how each time she faced a decision or choice, she had a deep knowing about whether it would work out or not. Many times she ignored the red flags and the quiet intuition and convinced herself to give it a try, hopeful that she could change people or situations or herself to make it work out. Until she learns to listen to and trust her intuition, she is going to spend a lot of time and energy trying to make things work that aren't going to work. The sooner she lets her intuition guide her, the sooner she will live a life that is harmonious, enjoyable and peaceful.

Five years from now I see myself settled into a wonderful, cozy home near the ocean and parks with a family that includes pets. My business is thriving, and though it's busy, it is very fulfilling work that supports my life. From the settled place I see myself in 5 years from now, I would advise my current self to continue to put down roots and make decisions based on where I want to be - not where I am today. I would suggest I think about things like: where can I cut expenses and save more money towards a down payment on a house? am I investing enough time and energy in my romantic relationship to build the foundation for a thriving family? am I working too much? working too little? am I doing enough self-care to sustain all the aspects of my life that are important to me such as my friends and family, my work, and my creative pursuits?

Beyond Avoidance

December 20 Prompt: Beyond avoidance. What should you have done this year but didn't because you were too scared, worried, unsure, busy or otherwise deterred from doing? (Bonus: Will you do it?)

In 2010, I really allowed myself to enjoy life from all angles. I especially enjoyed food with good company, and I didn't push myself to be disciplined about food. Instead of working to lose weight to make pain management easier, I let myself gain weight by having a whole lot of fun. It was definitely the right move for rejuvenating my spirit after a couple of rough emotional years. Now my body has reached a point where it's telling me that the pain would be better managed if the weight came off, and if the foods I'm sensitive to (like sugar) are kept out of my diet. I believe I need to buckle down and get disciplined about eating habits and find other ways to keep a daily sense of enjoyment in my life that isn't related to food.

Healing

December 19 Prompt: Healing. What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2011?

For me, 2010 was a lovely year. Each month seemed to be better than the last, and I would call it a slow evolution of love, happiness and wellbeing. I think it was the cumulative effect of meditation, daily self-care, wholesome nourishment, and wonderful company.

My life is pretty darn great, but there's always room for improvement, right? In 2011, I'd like to finally step into my own as a savvy and empowered woman when it comes to financial matters. It's been a learning curve for me in this aspect of my life, but luckily I have an amazing finance coach, Lili of Empowered Bookkeeping, who continues to help me learn and grow into my potential in this area of my life and business.

Try

December 18 Prompt: Try. What do you want to try next year? Is there something you wanted to try in 2010? What happened when you did / didn't go for it?

The scariest thing I tried in 2010 was opening myself up to being in love after a number of years of being focused inward on understanding my body and figuring out my life path. I am so glad that I let myself be vulnerable and took that leap of faith.

Taking risks is actually a big part of my personality and how I move through life. It results in wonderful experiences and successes, and sometimes it results in pretty dramatic failures and disasters. I learn a lesson every time something doesn't work out, and I don't usually let it slow me down.

In 2011, my intention is to spend less time focused on work and more time letting myself be creative and expressive. I'd like to try taking a community class or two in painting or drawing, different dance styles, or cooking.

Lesson Learned

December 17 Prompt: Lesson learned. What was the best thing you learned about yourself this past year? And how will you apply that lesson going forward?

This past year, I learned that I could live a completely full life that includes friends, family, my own business,and romance even though I have a chronic pain condition. I have learned so many lessons from the pain over the last few years, and the most important lesson I have learned is that pain does not have to limit your life. With a little forethought, planning, accomodations or modifications, I can do almost anything I want to do. Sometimes pain is a signal from the body to stop and remove yourself from danger (think hand on a hot stove and the reflex to jump back), but when you have a pain syndrome, pain has a very different meaning. Instead of stopping, you actually have to keep moving: exercise as much as possible, laugh a lot, be social, keep working and stay in a heart space of gratitude and abundance to mitigate the pain. Self-care is crucial, as is learning to understand this different language of pain that is spoken by a pain syndrome. You can learn to listen to your body's clues just like a mother learns how to understand her newborn's different cries, and you can nurture, nourish, rest, massage, stretch, meditate, your body in the way that it needs to turn down the pain volume. Going forward, I will continue to listen to my body, treat it lovingly, and gift myself with the accomodations and modifications that make anything possible.

Friendship

December 16 Prompt: Friendship. How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst?

This is a really tough question to answer. I think the best thing I can write about regarding friendship is that I made a number of wonderful friends in 2010 who share values I hold dear. It's been wonderful to be in a supportive, loving, collaborative community of healers on the North Shore. It's been invaluable to learn and be healed by one another as we continue to follow our truths and live authentic, heart-centered lives. Together we hold each other up, reflect what's important to each other, and help each other continue this sometimes difficult work of staying honest, authentic and positive despite the extreme fear mongering in our society and the world at large.

2010 in 5 minutes

December 15 – 5 Minutes Imagine you will completely lose your memory of 2010 in five minutes. Set an alarm for five minutes and capture the things you most want to remember about 2010. (Author: Patti Digh)

2010 was a positive year for me. The wellness center I started with a dream and inspiration took off and began to grow. I stepped into a level of confidence about myself as a coach and teacher that I had not imagined possible before this past year. I found myself sometimes in the role of expert and ok with that!

I feel like in 2010, I really came into my own. I did a lot of inner work, and I got really clear about who I am and what's important to me. I also did a lot of work to forgive things from my past that could get in the way of the present. I cultivated love, compassion and gratitude in the relationships with my friends and family.

I opened my heart up even further than ever before, and I put it out to the Universe that I was ready to meet my soulmate. Amazingly, he found me this summer! Our beliefs and values mesh so well, it's hard not to think that we were made for each other. I am very happy, and I love having such a warm, compassionate, quirky partner.

Another big lesson in 2010 was asking for help and allowing myself to receive it. I started with a summer intern who has turned into my assistant. She is a blessing, not only because she picks up the slack there just isn't time for in my schedule, but because she has wonderful ideas and a savvy about the wellness industry that complement my own.

Wow 5 minutes went by so fast! I think I captured the essence of what was most important in this past year.

Appreciate

December 14 – Appreciate What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it? (Author: Victoria Klein)

The one thing I have come to appreciate most in the past year is asking for help and receiving help when I need it. Especially when you have a business to run, you can't do it all! There's a point you reach where your time and energy is maxed out, and the only way you can grow is to bring on someone to help you out. I've learned how to communicate clearly about what I need, and at the same time trust my assistant to get things done in the best way she knows how. She's brought in some great ideas that are helping me clarify my mission and focus, helping The Healing Center grow and decreasing my stress - it's fabulous!

Action

December 13 – Action When it comes to aspirations, it’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step? (Author: Scott Belsky)

Action should be my middle name. I am always taking action, and I believe that consistent action is what leads to success. In terms of my aspirations for my business in 2011, my current step is reviewing the current year and taking stock of what worked and what didn't. My next step is to choose 2-3 areas to focus on in the first half of 2011, pick some goals and milestones, and make an action plan with weekly measurables.

Body Integration: A Cohesive You

December 12 Prompt: Body integration. This year, when did you feel the most integrated with your body? Did you have a moment where there wasn't mind and body, but simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present?

Most of the time I experience being a cohesive ME, alive and present. My body and mind are integrated and wonderful at communicating with each other now. This is especially true during times when I am practicing Reiki, yoga, and meditation.

As someone who lives with chronic pain due to arthritis and fibromyalgia, there are times when I feel my body is at odds with me. I have learned that mental and spiritual outlook make a difference in my experience of suffering when there is pain. Sometimes there simply isn't anything that alleviates pain except time or change of weather, and by employing Reiki, yoga, and meditation I am able to keep my spirits up and continue to experience and enjoy my life.

11 Things

December 11 Prompt: 11 Things. What are 11 things your life doesn't need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life?

This is a really tough prompt! I deeply believe that it's not helpful to focus on what you don't want because we tend to make more of what we focus our attention on. I'd rather contemplate 11 things I want and need in my life in 2011 to change my life for the better.

1. Love I will cultivate love in my life through being loving and compassionate and opening my heart to receive love when it's given.
2. Laughter I will cultivate laughter in my life by not taking myself or life too seriously, and I will set aside time regularly to have fun and spend time with jolly people.
3. Spirituality I will cultivate a healthy spirituality this year by taking time every day to meditate and be grateful for my life. I will also celebrate with friends and family as the year unfolds.
4. Abundance I will cultivate abundance in my life through gratitude for what is and keeping my heart open to receiving the blessings all around me.
5. Friendship I will cultivate the friendships in my life by listening closely, celebrating accomplishments, and hanging in there during tough times with my friends.
6. Sacred Space I will cultivate sacred space for healing and personal growth in my personal life and at The Healing Center by listening without judging, offering unconditional acceptance, and maintaining healthy boundaries.
7. Wellbeing I will cultivate a feeling of wellbeing in 2011 by practicing yoga, working out several times a week, sleeping enough, and eating foods high in vitality and nutrition.
8. Creativity I will cultivate creativity in my life by creating an art space in my home where I can paint, draw and work on crafty projects regularly.
9. Self-care I will cultivate self-care by giving myself Reiki daily, receiving a bodywork session weekly, and reserving some quiet time every day to center, relax and recharge.
10. Productivity I will be productive by limiting myself to working only 40 hours each week and spending the rest of the week on all the other things so I am constantly refreshed, energized and excited about my work.
11. Gratitude I will cultivate gratitude by acknowledging all of the blessings in my life. I'll look for the opportunities to grow when I find myself in challenging situations. I will practice accepting things for what they are and allowing them to be.

Unravelling

December 10 Prompt: Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?

I do believe I made a lot of wise decisions in 2010. I've been allowing my Wise self to guide me in all personal and business decisions since early 2009. I even created a 6 week course calling Clearing your Path for Success to teach my clients how to access their core, Wise self for their own decision making processes. Some of my favorite decisions included joining a weekly Reiki share group where I can receive nurturing every week, pursuing a new romantic relationship, hiring an assistant so my business can grow, and working with a fabulous financial advisor.

Party

December 9th Prompt: Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans.

The best social gathering I attended in 2010 was the Million Dollar Women's Conference in Salem, MA in November. Each year, hundreds of professional women and business owners gather to listen to other local women who brought their businesses to the million dollar revenue tier. It never fails to leave me inspired, excited and determined to be my best self in life and my business.

Beautifully Different

December 8 Prompt: Beautifully different. Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different - you'll find they're what make you beautiful.

What makes me different? That's a tough question! I do believe that each of us is unique, and we each have our own path to follow. When I listen to my heart and the advice of my Wise self, I am able to follow my particular path more clearly. So I believe that allowing myself to be guided by intuition, insight and wisdom is what makes me different.

When it comes to lighting other people up, I believe that happens when I help others see their own path more clearly. Sometimes it's through reflecting their truth back to them. Other times it's teaching them how to listen to their own heart and Wise self. Sometimes it happens simply through encouragement, but I believe it's my path to help others find their own path.

Community

This is part of the Reverb 10 project.

December 7: Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?

2010 has been a year of much community in business for me. I've met so many holistic healthand heart-centered practitioners on the North Shore. My Reiki students have formed a Reiki community here on the North Shore too, and there's the community of practitioners The Healing Center. My personal, spiritual communities include a Reiki community in Cambridge and Sisters in Celebration.

I'd love to continue to connect with and grow these communities in 2011.

Make

December 6: Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it? Author: Gretchen Rubin

The last thing I made this year was the new mission statement and membership model for The Healing Center. I bounced ideas off of my trusted advisors, and with the help of my fabulous assistant, I put together a handbook for the practitioners who work out of The Healing Center or who are interested in joining us. It took some serious concentration, brainstorming and creativity to birth this new business model, but I am pleased with it.

Reverb 10: Let Go

December 5 – Let Go. What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why? (Author: Alice Bradley)

I let go of suffering this year. 2008 and 2009 were very difficult years for me. It is no secret that I experienced a lot of pain. The pain was accompanied by suffering; emotional anguish, anger, depression, and helplessness. I believed that they were inseparable. Then one day something happened - I found peace with the pain. By surrendering my resistance, magically suffering disappeared even though there was no wondrous resolution for the ongoing physical pain. I allowed myself to accept the situation completely ~ my body is in pain but I am alive and well ~ without judgement, without needing it to change. I no longer had to wait for the pain to go away in order to live my life and enjoy myself. Paradoxically, the more fun I have the less pain I experience. I still have chronic pain the challenges that come with it, but my life is magical and full of love, laughter, and joy. Through acceptance, pain has returned to it's proper role as a messenger in my body instead of the demon making life miserable.

Reverb 10: Wonder

December 4 – Wonder. How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year? (Author: Jeffrey Davis)

I wanted my life to be filled with love, magic and laughter in 2010, and it was so. Wonder comes when I approach life with kindness, beginner's mind, curiosity, and optimism. What you focus on is what you attract into your life, so I chose my thoughts, words and actions purposefully to bring more positivity into my life.

Reverb 10: Moment

December 3 – Moment. Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors). (Author: Ali Edwards)

There were many moments where I felt 100% present, vibrant and alive in the past year. My favorite was watching the meteor shower in August with my sweetheart. We laid out under the stars on the dock. We could hear the fish splashing as they were feeding and the nighttime birds. Above us, the sky was clear and the stars vivid and beautiful meteors flew across the sky. The night went on and on and gradually a mist rose over the river bringing pre-dawn light. Fishermen started arriving and setting off on their boats. Gradually the stars faded away as the sun rose. It became a beautiful morning.

Reverb 10: Writing

December 2 – Writing. What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it? (Author: Leo Babauta)

This is a tough topic. There are so many things I do each day, how to evaluate which do not contribute to my creativity seems tough. Instead, I think I'll focus on which things do contribute as motivation to make them a consistent part of my daily routine. Waking up early for yoga and a meditation session puts me in a creative place. Also, a good workout gets my blood and creative juices flowing. Lastly, a few moments at night to reflect on my day and set intentions for the next keeps me grounded and centered. A flexible structure is key to creativity for me.

Reverb 10: Word

I've decided to participate in Reverb 10. Reverb 10 is an annual event and online initiative to reflect on your year and manifest what’s next. Use the end of your year as an opportunity to reflect on what's happened, and to send out reverberations for the year ahead.

December 1 - One Word. Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you? (Author: Gwen Bell)

2010 was my year for Unfolding. All sorts of wonderful things unfolded in my life this year: The Healing Center, my private practice, love, friendships, new spiritual direction, sisterhood, community, etc...

I'd like 2011 to be the year for Abundance. Abundance: love, laughter, companionship, creativity, productivity, connections, community, friendships, family, home, career.