Wheels on suitcases - What a great idea!

I love when my worlds converge with a message. Be present. Don't rush. Be still.

Yesterday, I had lunch with a new girlfriend and she asked "How could she pray for me?" Translation = What do I really need? I need some help returning to my New Year's Intention of REALLY being present to the moment.

A colleague asked this question, "What's on your well-being check list?" At first I didn't like the idea of having yet another checklist in my life, especially when we are talking about my well-being. After pondering the question, I realized that my well-being definitely includes not rushing from here to there. I put it on the list - Don't rush.

While I lived in San Francisco, I had the incredible opportunity to "sit under" the teaching of a trusted friend, colleague and wise sage - Debby Bellingham. I went on a number of personal retreats with Debby that took us away from the craziness of every day. The number one priority of each of these getaways was to be still. I've been missing those times, literally and figuratively. Well, guess what? I just got invited to one the weekend of April 9-11th. I replied with a resounding yes. Pick me! I need some "still-ness" from my one-woman-juggling act of "RN student, Queen of Less Drama, life coaching, booking writing, domestic un-goddess and wife."

And then, this morning I read this quote on another coaching colleague's facebook status (Thank you Heidi). "If we take the time to be quiet, be still, and be present, we may start to see things we haven't seen before - things that have been right in front of our eyes. And those are the things that change the world." ~ Dan Pallotta

I went and read Dan's post on the Harvard Business Review blog. Powerful stuff. Please click on the link below and read the post.

http://blogs.hbr.org/pallotta/2010/03/no-now-no-new.html

I dare you to take a moment and ask "What's in it (the post) for you?"

Dan encourages us to take the time to see things as they are - then set out to make changes. Dan Pallotta is a leading expert on innovation in the nonprofit sector and a pioneering social entrepreneur. He knows the power of asking "WHY?"

Why do we do what we do? Are we making life matter? What would happen if you took some time to be still? Is the investment of being present to NOW worth it? How would slowing down serve me and the ones I love?

Taking some time out to just be still,

Cindy

P.S. Maybe I should take the wheels off my suitcase and slow down - LOL!

big.happy.balloon

I love synergy. I love chatting with one of my best girlfriends. We connect. We process. We get IT. When we talked yesterday, she told me about an upcoming job interview. She shared with me her enthusiasm mixed in with some fears of inadequacy. Her fears seemed to be winning the race.

I encouraged her to carve out some time and go to her favorite safe place. Once she’s there, I told her to “Ponder your strengths. Contemplate your essence. Create hope. Think on these questions – Why this job? Why you? Capture stories. Envision. Dream. Do all this in preparation for the interview.” She got the idea and ran with it. Her enthusiasm shot out in front. The energy in her voice lifted. Seemingly out of nowhere – I imagined a big, happy, hot pink, gerbera daisy, balloon. Can you see it? She could. We giggled.

Can you imagine her ambling into her interview, big happy balloon in hand? She ties it to a chair (not saying a word) and sits down with confidence. She’s ready. She’s got game. She interview becomes a walk in the park. BTW - she was made for this job!

Where in your life do you need a big, happy balloon of confidence?

Taking a walk of confidence,

Cindy

a simple moment of truth

Last Thursday I learned two valuable life lessons:  One about business and the other about simple moments that bring truth.
 
I had just sat through a 5-hour lecture with what became my worst migraine ever -  that was not fun to say the least!   I was walking from class to my big ol' country girl truck when I was stopped in my tracks. 
 
This gentle man with cerebral palsy in a motorized wheelchair rolled by me and then unexpectedly turned backed towards me.  I'm not sure how he elicited my attention but he signaled me over to him.  I think I was wondering if he needed my help.  He spoke in the most tender and kind 1-inch voice I have ever heard, "What's your name?"  I can still "feel" the gentleness of his voice.  Pause.   Deep Sigh.  I said, "Cindy, what's yours?"   His name was Milo.  It's what he said next that has stayed with me.  He said in a whisper that was seemingly meant for my soul (so soft and slow that I had to lean in real close to hear),  "You caught my eye.  You are beau-ti-ful.  You. Make. My. Heart. Go. Pit.ter.pat."  No pretense.  No cat call.  No hubris.  It was simply pure and genuine from the heart.   I must add here that this does not happen to me every day.  I know that my family and friends find me pretty (most days) but complete strangers do not usually stop me with such utterances. 
 
Whoa.  This sent me reeling.  As I walked away, I was awestruck.  It was as if I had been turned upside down and inside out.  As my thoughts jumped quickly through my processor, I turned back to catch a glance at Milo but he was gone from sight.  Hmm...
 
I called Brad to share my little moment with him but he was not available, so I called Alisha.  Have I mentioned before that I'm a verbal processor?  I shared.  We processed.  I was struck by his courage and the innocence of his intrusion into my life.  As an aside, for my single girlfriends, I wondered why most guys don't share such things with us, unabashedly.  As I recounted the moment, waves of emotions took over.  It totally caught me off guard.  We are talking waterfalls.  It seemed so silly and yet so profound that my tears flowed so freely. As we talked about my encounter, Alisha named the moment, "Sacred".  This message of truth spoke deeply to me.  Somehow it wasn't important to know why it had "hit me so" but I knew that it was my job to JUST receive it.  I'm still receiving it.  In the quiet moments, I reflect.  I contemplate.  I wonder.
 
What I learned this week about simple moments of truth:
 
• be willing and open to hear the message
• listen carefully with your heart
• messages of truth can be sent in unlikely packages
• truth comes when you need it
• truth sometimes comes as an interruption from the ordinary
• it's important to simply and humbly receive the truth
• take time to ponder the truth and let it seep into your soul
 
So I'm not sure how this story will sit with you.  It's not easy to capture the essence of a moment like this.  I hope it speaks to you.  I'm trusting there's something in it for you, too.  Live in the truth that beauty abounds within each one of us. 
 
Receiving,
Cindy

It takes a girl!

Most of us girls (living in America) have grown up in an age of believing that we could do anything and be anything we wanted to be! We were given the power to believe. We were given "eyes" to see. I think it's safe to say that my sissy bum and I owe my mom a big, ginormous thanks for instilling that confidence within us. Thanks mom for giving us a vision and a hope for our future.

I so strongly believe in the power of girlfriends. I believe that we can see in each other the great things that are destined to be. I believe that we hold the keys to unlocking opportunities for each other.

Some girls around the world haven't been given the keys or worse yet, they've had them stolen by circumstances out of their control. We who have been given much must help them unlock the doors to their opportunity.

"We are limited not by our abilities, but by our vision." Author unknown

I've got two videos that I want to share with you today. I believe that awareness is the first step to making significant changes. I believe that we hold the keys to unlocking great things for our girlfriends around the world. I believe that we must first have the eyes to see. PLEASE take the time to watch these videos. They are powerful!

The first one asks this question of you. The world is a mess.
Do you AGREE or DISAGREE?


The second one dares you:

I dare you to join me in finding ways to celebrate International Women's Day (March 8th). It's a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future.

Girls rule and boys drool,
Cindy

Please be sure to visit Girl Effect on facebook. It's got great tools for creating awareness and making a difference. After all, it only takes a girl.