The topic of overwhelm has come up in several conversations with clients this week.  As we worked through it to find a way to overcome this feeling, I realized that talking it through with others was very helpful for me as well.  Although I am not overwhelmed by my work, there are moments when I journey through this new phase in my life when I feel overwhelmed but often do not realize it.  Now, that I am more aware that this is happening to me it will be easier to recognize those moments and handle them with confidence.  The other day when I was preparing for a meeting I suddenly found myself a little nervous.  I was about to do something that was out of my comfort zone but certainly not out of my ability.  So I did the following things which helped.

1. I stopped and took a deep breath.  I then concentrated on breathing for a few seconds
2. I reminded myself that it was ok to ask for help and that I did not have to know how to do everything perfectly.  (The words we speak to ourselves are very important and will affect how we act)
3. I visualized the meeting going very smoothly and it did.

It didn't take long to do the above three things but it helped so much.  Recognizing what I was feeling and then doing something about it always makes a difference for me and those I work with.  Hopefully, these three steps can help you as well.

Friday is the day I share a joyful moment that happened during the week.  Last night I went to a book club for the first time. The other women had all worked together for years and had a long history together.  Yet, they made me feel very welcome and I had a lovely time.  I am so grateful for all of the people in my life who are reaching out to share their special moments with me.  What was your moment of joy?

                    When you share your dreams and your talent, magic happens.  Let the magic begin!
                                                                                                                            Ginny

                                      “Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet."  Roger Miller

It has been raining here for days.  Actually it seems like it has been raining for months.  I love a rainy day but I am learning that I am not a fan of day after day of rain. But then I saw the above quote which reminded me that although I can't change the weather, I can change how I react to it. I can see this time as a great opportunity to huddle down with a blanket, a book, and a special cup of coffee.  I can use this time to create a special place to write or to meditate.  On my vision board for this month I have a beautiful picture which says create a quiet sanctuary.  I think of my home in this manner but there are little touches I have been adding week by week to really create this atmosphere.  A small bunch of flowers on the kitchen table, a lamp instead of overhead lights, and lots and lots of pretty journals to capture thoughts and take notes are just simple things I have done to add to the feeling I want to create in each room. 

I remember how I used to love rain when I was little.  There was nothing that we loved better than jumping in puddles and seeing how big of a splash we could make.  So while I'm not outside splashing in puddles today, I'm inside still enjoying all the wonderful things a rainy day can bring. It is amazing how just by changing our thoughts we can change how we feel. Thank you Roger Miller for giving me the inspiration to do just that today.

Each Thursday I share something that brought me joy during the week.  This week I received numerous Facetime calls from my young grandsons.  Each call brought with it three smiling faces.  It was a perfect way to end the day and to capture special moments filled with joy. What brought you a special moment of joy this week?

           When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens. Let the magic begin!
                                                                                                                                Ginny

                                    "Where is your water? Know your garden.  Hopi Teaching

I love these two simple sentences.  As I journey through life and all of its stages, I have not always be aware of what nourishes me. Or even if I knew I put other things ahead of me and what my needs were.  Sometimes that was necessary and I don't regret for one second putting the needs of others first.  But at other times in my life it was not necessary.  It was a habit that I had gotten into.  As I slowly move through 2015, I am doing so with a heightened sense of awareness. I am looking for the things or people that inspire me to become all that I can be.  I am noticing the colors that bring energy or a sense of peacefulness.  I am watching how light can affect how I feel or how a simple bouquet of flowers can bring happiness each time I look at it.  In order to create the life we want to live, we have to truly know ourselves. Where is your water?  If you take the time to notice and appreciate what truly nourishes you, it can change how you experience each and every day.

                    When you share your dreams and talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin!
                                                                                                                           Ginny

 "Fill your life with as many moments and experiences of joy and passion as you humanly can.  Start with one experience and build upon it."  Marcia Wieder

As I continue on my second week of consciously living a joyful life, I find it interesting that the same things that I am grateful for are the ones that also bring me joy. I love nature and I love looking at the sky and trees.  It has been rainy and cold here for quite awhile.  The other day when the sun came through the clouds and lit up my living room I realized how happy I felt seeing the sunshine.  It was a moment I will remember.  So for me sunshine equals joy.

While I agree with the quote above that I would like my life to be filled with as many moments of joy as possible, I am not always sure that I can create those moments.  I would like to try but I also want to celebrate the spontaneous moments that are unexpected and unplanned.  I want to celebrate the sudden burst of sunshine that fills a room, the shared cup of coffee with a friend, and the laughter that always comes with a visit from my grandsons. I believe that awareness is the key to living a joyful life. Recognizing and celebrating the joyful moments that come with each day is the first step to building a life that is filled with joyful experiences and moments. So for now I am going to live more mindful of what is bringing me happiness and joy and slow down enough to truly enjoy those special moments in time.

Were there moments of unexpected joy in your life this week?  

                 When you share your dreams and talent with the world, magic happens!  Let the magic begin.
                                                                                                                            Ginny
  

I would like to take just a moment to wish everyone a Happy New Year.  This is the time for bright new beginnings and often resolutions which in the past I rarely kept. Several years ago I learned of the practice of using a word or a phrase to guide me through the year and decided to try it.  I love the idea and found that my word stays with me throughout the year and helps me to focus on what is important. Several years ago my word was gratitude and it was a wonderful word.  My husband and I practiced gratitude daily as he fought his disease and it helped us to stay positive and to see how lucky we were even in the midst of a very challenging time.

This year as I am moving into a new phase of my life I've decided to use the phrase Living Joyfully as my compass through each day and eventually the year.  I created a very simple vision card to represent living joyfully and was surprised when only two images spoke to me.  The first was of a baseball player raising his arms in triumph as the stand behind him erupts with applause. The second was of a woman completing a yoga pose with a glorious smile on her face.  The first picture represents the joy I hope to feel as I accomplish something big and exciting.  This feeling might only come once throughout the year but it will be easy to remember and recognize.  The second picture represents all of the joyful moments I hope to recognize throughout each and every day of 2015. These are the moments we so often miss and I don't want to do that anymore. I want to be aware of the joy in my life and to celebrate it each week.

For many years I shared what I was grateful for each week in my Friday post.  I have decided to do the same this year with the joyful moments I experience each week. What I loved before was when you shared what you were grateful for as well.  I hope that this year you will share just one or two joyful experiences you have had throughout the week with us.

 This week I met with an old friend for lunch.  We worked together for many years and try to meet at least twice a year for lunch.  When I saw her walking towards me on the street I felt that wonderful feeling of joy you get when you know you will be with someone special.  We had a wonderful time talking and laughing and remembering the good and not so good times we shared in the past.  I thought it would be the perfect joyful moment to share with you this week.  

Is there a moment of joy that stands out for you as you look back over the past week?  It could be a beautiful sunset, the smell of fresh baked bread, a hug from someone special, or a quiet moment to yourself.  I hope that you will join me this year and live joyfully!  Maybe together we can start a live joyfully movement!

          When you share your talent and your dreams with the world, magic happens. Let the magic begin!
                                                                                                                             Ginny

I have one coaching spot left for this season.  If working with a coach is something that you have thought about, this is the perfect time to do it.  The first session is always free and a time to determine if we are a great match.  It's a time for us to get to know a little about each other and what coaching with me is like.  Words or phrases such as kind, compassionate, intuitive, great listener, thoughtful, always supportive, and asks the perfect questions so that I can find the answers are used by clients to describe my coaching style.  If you are interested in more information or a free coaching session, you can contact me at ginny.lennox@comcast.net.