Live With Intention

I've had this poem by Mary Anne Radmacher for probably 8 years now. I just love it! It's currently "living" on the side of my refrigerator. And for months now it's been calling me to post it here and expound on it. So... here goes..... (her words are in green)

Live with intention.

Do you have a mission statement for your life? What are YOU about? What's important to you? What makes you "tick"? What is your purpose here?

Walk to the edge.

Be willing to take risks and to step outside of your comfort zone. Stretch yourself. Dare to develop your talents, skills, and abilities to their fullest.

Listen hard.

When you talk to someone, really listen - deeply - to what is being said. Listen to what's NOT being said. What is their body language saying? Listen for the feeling underneath the words. What's being said in the silences?

Laugh.

Lighten up! Don't take things so seriously. Stuff happens. If you don't like it, use your energy to change it instead of complain about it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Find SOMEthing positive about it. Do whatever it takes to find joy in your life.

Practice wellness.

Take care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritual. Give yourself what you need to be your best self. Don't give yourself away until there's no you left. If you're going through a rough time, be gentle with yourself. Don't wallow in self-judgment or self-pitty. Do what you can with what you've got. Give yourself what you need to bet better.

Play with abandon.

Fully engage in whatever you are doing - without inhibition or restraint. GO for it! Let yourself loose! You ARE the lead player in your life.

Continue to learn.

Keep your mind open. Be willing to think outside the box. Examine each of your beliefs periodically to see if it's still something you "believe" or if it's just a thought habit. Does it serve you now and enable you to succeed in life, or does it limit you? Be willing to learn - expand yourself - on all levels, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually.

Appreciate your friends.

Friends are gifts from God. Don't take them for granted. Tell them how much they mean to you. Cherish the time you spend together. If you haven't spoken to an old friend for awhile, call them to say hello and catch up. Don't wait until it's too late.

Choose with no regret.

When you make a choice, MAKE IT. Don't be wishy-washy about it. Decide with your whole heart, mind, and soul. Then don't look back.

Do what you love.

Life is too short to put off doing things that fill your heart with joy. Don't let excuses stand in your way. "Some day" is today. Listen to your heart. Find a way to be involved in doing that thing you love doing.

Live as if this is all there is.

Right now, in this moment, this IS all there is. Make the most of it. Appreciate it. Wherever you are, be fully present - in mind, body, spirit. Don't let life pass you by.

Mary Anne Radmacher... author, artist, and inspirator... has been writing since she was a young lass. Her commitment is to writing that reflects the passion and possibility treasured in every day. Her writings are inspirational and are partnered with original and handcrafted art. www.maryanneradmacher.com - www.facebook.com/maradmacher

Here's to continuing the Journey.... Living with intention every day, in everything we do.

-Becky

Recession: A Different Perspective

I'm one of those (few) people who haven't "bought in" to the recession. I also don't watch the doom-and-gloom mainstream news channels either. And if gas prices go up, I don't start commiserating on how bad things are and how much worse they might get. 

Not to say any of that is necessarily "bad".... It's just that I try to be very conscious about what comes in to the gray matter between my ears and what goes out of it through my thoughts and words.

(I admit... I have been accused of living in "Becky World".... but that's okay. It's a nice place to live!)

Actually, every body lives in their own special "world." Five people could witness and event and you'll get five different versions of it. That's because we all see things from our own perspective, which is made up of everything we've experienced, hoped, and dreamed, as well as our challenges, doubts, and fears.

Perspective isn't written in stone. It's a fluid thing. We're always learning and growing, trying on new ideas, discarding old ones that no longer serve us.

At least, I am.  And that's the sort of openness I strive to foster in my coaching clients as well.

So, back to recession....

I recently read an article that looked at the whole concept in a radically different light. Here are a few key points mixed in with my 2 cents....

For a little history.... the past 120 years have been dominated by the Industrial Economy. The 'reader's digest' explanation of this type of economy, according to Davd Buck of Coachville.com, is "People are workers with jobs to contribute to making things. People are consumers of the things others make."

The fundamental philosophy is that...

• More, Better, and Efficient is Better.
• Things will make you happy.
• Work is good.
• We've turned everything into "work" - we go to work, work on relationsips, work at our golf, etc

The past 20 years though, has witnessed a major expansion of human consciousness. People have begun to wake up to the real possibilities of life and are not so interested in the accumulation of cheap things - especially when abusing the Earth and people are part of the process of making these things cheaply.

In addition, more and more people are no longer interested in toiling away day in and day out at a meaningless job that gives them no satisfaction just so they can earn the money to buy more things.

So, Mr. Buck's theory is that this "shift in awareness is CAUSING the recession." When people purchase less things, the economy naturally recesses.

But - here's where the different perspective comes in....

Let's look at the word again....

RECESSion

Recess means to stop working and PLAY!

Those things that we've traditionally relied on.... a good job with benefits, money in the bank, a governement to protect us..... these outer structures are falling apart. And are "forcing" us to regroup and reconnect with our Inner Self and re-evaluate what is really important.

Enter the Inspiration Economy.....

This type of economy, as Dave says, is fueled by....

• the human desire to live purposefully and add value to the lives of others
• the human desire for things that are made with inspiration - inspiration is NOT always efficient
• the human spirit of play - the desire for purposeful play

In this type of economy, people make decisions about what they will do and create for others based on what will best fulfills their purpose. And they make buying decisions based on what inspires them and adds value to themselves and their communities.

Fundamental philosophies that drive the Inspiration Economy are...

• Better is better
• People are Investors, not consumers. They invest in themselves and in beautiful things for their environments
• People are players and creators of value - not workers. They create things and services that add value to the lives of others in a way that fulfills their own purpose.

Value, meaning, purpose and play are the new buzz words. And the central way to approach life is through creativity, fun, resilience, collaboration, and resourcefulness - in endeavors that are meaningful whether related to career, family, business, health, romance, or spiritual connections.

What do you think?

Here's to continuing the Journey.... trying on new perspectives, letting go of ideas and things  that are not working.... embracing change as a way forward...

-Becky

Link to his article