Into Balance Life Coaching

I've moved my blog

2009-11-24T09:56:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends,
I've been having technical difficulties with this site and have moved my blog to wordpress
please come visit me there...
Thanks for your continued reading...lots of new stuff to come, classes, laughter yoga, recommended readings, rerememberings to come to presence...

Warm Cabbage Salad

2007-12-11T13:55:00.000-08:00

This salad is beautiful, delicious and easy! Serves four as an entrée six as a side dish

Ingredients:

1 medium head of red cabbage- thinly sliced. Place in a bowl and toss with balsamic vinegar.
1/2 pound crimini mushrooms sliced
1 onion- finely sliced
2-3 cloves garlic finely diced
1/2 to 3/4 cup toasted pecans
1/2 cup currants or raisins
Balsamic vinegar- enough to coat the cabbage
Extra virgin olive oil, one tablespoon or more. Adjust as needed after sautéing
Soft goat cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Putting it together:

Pour olive oil into large sauté pan and add onions, cook until translucent and then add garlic and mushrooms, sauté on medium heat until mushrooms soften. Add cabbage and currants and sauté for a couple of minutes, you want the cabbage to remain firm. Add pecans and salt to taste. After you plate up the salad add slices of the soft goat cheese to the top and fresh cracked pepper.
Enjoy!
We often eat this as an entrée with some good bread.

This salad is beautiful, delicious and easy! Serves four as an entrée six as a side dish
Ingredients:
1 medium head of red cabbage- thinly sliced. Place in a bowl and toss with balsamic vinegar.
½ pound crimini mushrooms sliced
1 onion- finely sliced
4 cloves garlic finely diced
½-3/4 cup toasted pecans
½ cup currants or raisins
Balsamic vinegar- enough to coat the cabbage
Extra virgin olive oil, one tablespoon or more adjust as needed after sautéing
Soft goat cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Putting it together:

Pour olive oil into large sauté pan and add onions, cook until translucent and then add garlic and mushrooms, sauté on medium heat until mushrooms soften. Add cabbage and currants and sauté for a couple of minutes, you want the cabbage to remain firm. Add pecans and salt to taste. After you plate up the salad add slices of the soft goat cheese to the top and fresh cracked pepper.

Enjoy!

The Story of Stuff

2007-12-09T17:52:00.000-08:00

This link is a 20 minute video clip on the "Story of Stuff" This is the story of how we became consumers instead of citizens and how it affects the whole world. I highly encourage you to take time to view it. Most of it you have heard much of this before and the way this is done brought some new awareness for me and it's a great way to engage kids in this topic.

Here are the ten tips for little and big things you can do. How many times do we need to hear something before we begin to change...many times!!

People created the culture of stuff and people, just like you and me, can shift our culture to a sustainable one. One choice at a time!

Lifecoaching for connection, balance and health!

2007-12-04T20:01:00.001-08:00

If you haven't seen this video clip yet consider clicking on it.

The Miniature Earth.

Q tip

2007-11-30T13:21:00.000-08:00

I recently took a class and the facilitator used Q tip as a reminder to "quit taking it personally".

As we move into the holiday season and we are interacting with anyone we find challenging, particularly those nearest and dearest, remembering Q tip can support us to check in with ourselves, pause, take a breath, and connect inward. Doing this gives us time to choose our response, meet our needs as well as potentially being able to support the other person. By not taking it personally and pausing we may create more peace and ease this season.

For me, if I can remember that I want connection more than being right it diffuses the energy I hold when I am triggered by something someone says or does. If I take some time I can come up with a strategy that shifts how I feel about myself and the other person and it is a huge relief. In that moment I have chosen to focus on myself rather than reacting to someone else.

The more I do this the more empowered I feel and yes it's a work in progress!

Choice abounds when we Q tip and pause!

Lifecoaching for connection, balance and health!

As December Approaches...

2007-11-26T14:17:00.000-08:00

As the holiday season begins to amp up what can you do to adjust your inner world so that you can have peace, ease, gratitude and joy and minimize stress, overwhelm and dis-ease?

Here are a few steps I take to stave off undue stress.

Step one: Stop right now and take a couple of breaths.

Step two: Get your calendar out and schedule in your exercise, healthy meal planning and cooking, special time with family members and friends, rituals you love...prioritize what is most important and don't schedule over it. These are the things that keep you in peace and joy.

Step three: Stay connected to yourself through your exercise, spiritual rituals, pausing, breathing, walking, dancing, singing...remember the reason for the season.

Step four: Give as much as you recieve. Notice what feels great to give and what doesn't. Give more of what does!

Step five: Remember you are doing the best you can in every moment. Forgive yourself.

Thats it for now!

Lifecoaching for connection, balance and health.

Pause, Connect, Reflect and Redirect!

2007-11-20T13:57:00.000-08:00

"If there is a pervasive criticism of global capitalism that is shared by all actors in the movement, it is this observation: goods seem to be more important, and are treated better, than people. What would a world look like if that emphasis was reversed" -exerpt from Paul Hawkins "Blessed Unrest"

What might you do to create that kind of change in your life?

LifeCoaching for connection, balance and health.

Discover the Power of Choice!

The Eating Season

2007-11-15T09:43:00.000-08:00

As we move into the holiday season also fondly titled "The Eating Season" I like to keep some things in mind that support me to stay connected to my health as well as enjoy celebrating with food.(the 80/20 rule

The first is when I eat a balanced and healthy breakfast and lunch I can go to a party or event and indulge with more ease especially if I include some fueling foods on my plate.

The second is keeping up my exercise routine throughout the season. Consistency does work.

The third is to enjoy indulging in small amounts and really savor whatever it is. I don't necessarily need the biggest piece of chocolate cake, I might share a piece with my daughter and a smaller portion, well savored, can be enough.

The forth is to be mindful of the reasons I am eating. During the season I tend to eat for comfort, connection and celebration. While those are all wonderful needs I want to recognize that eating is only one strategy to get those needs met. I want to think ahead and develop other options so that I can meet those needs as well as the need for health and harmony within.

Think celebration, nourishment and health throughout the season.

Lifecoaching for balance, connection and health.

2007-11-12T12:50:00.000-08:00

It's a blustery, damp, wet day and the fall colors have almost disappeared. The mountains are snow covered and yesterday while on a run a red tail hawk flew a few feet in front of me with prey in his claws...

Winter moves in slowly and I feel it seeping into the nooks and crannies of my life. It offers me the delights of skiing, solitude, white beauty and the opportunity for more time to reflect. Its natures way of reminding us we can pause if we dare, dream if we want and choose our way.

Choice...is a beautiful thing.

Coaching for connection, balance and health

Butternut Squash Soup

2007-11-06T10:01:00.000-08:00

This is an easy quick to make soup...although it does take 45 minutes to cook the squash.
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash baked in a 450 degree oven until soft usually 45 minutes
1 large onion diced or 3-4 leeks chopped
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
3 tablespoons of fresh chopped ginger
2-3 tablespoons of natural peanut butter or almond butter
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
5-6 or more cups of vegetable stock, broth or water
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut up squash into cubes. Pour olive oil into a soup pot add the onions/leeks and garlic. Saute on med-high heat for 5-10 minutes onions should be translucent. Add ginger and squash to pot and stir it together.
Pour in liquid to cover vegetables bring to a boil then reduce and allow soup to simmer for 15 minutes.

Puree in batches, add more liquid as needed, and add salt and pepper to taste.

2007-11-02T11:51:00.000-07:00

I'm curious as to how we stay engaged in the world and not get shut down by fear.

I've notice if I hear too much about how awful things are going in the world I move into fear and then slide down the slippery slope toward hopelessness and confusion. I can lose site of the big and small actions I can take that do make a difference.

Eating differently is one way we can support change. Eating local, less processed, organic, growing your own...these are all ways you can effect change.

Drive less, carpool, bicyle, combine trips, hybrids...these are all ways you can affect change.

Take care of yourself, breathe deeply, pause, step off the train, refuse to conform, laugh more, give empathy...these are all the ways you can effect change.

Giving to others, being in service, smiling warmly, letting someone in front of you, being present, random acts of kindness...these are all the ways you can effect change.

You are just like everyone else. You can make decisions, create change, love, hate, make war, be compassionate, connect, disconnect...

You get to choose...I encourage you to choose with your heart and recognize that big or small you make a difference.

The Trance

2007-10-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

“How important that we recognize the strong pull into our collective trance: the unconscious beliefs, unquestioned repetitive stories and habitual behavior patterns. Almost the entire culture around us lives in this trance. Simultaneously, the eternal calling of our True Nature, Original Self, Buddha Mind also has a relentless, powerful pull yet it is more subtle- inviting us yet not demanding that we heed its call. How do we listen well enough to hear the whispers of this timeless call when the shouting of the trance is so loud around us and within us? A noble path, this intention toward awakening!” – Russell Delman

and so you have it...what does it mean to be awake...how evocative is the pull of the trance...

Exploring the trance and inviting presence into your life...its a new dance...interested in learning the steps?

Coaching for balance, connection and health

2007-10-26T10:26:00.000-07:00

"Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses...We cannot change anything until we accept it" -Carl Jung

What do you want to change?

How often do you find yourself beating yourself up because you haven't done it...

What would it take for you to accept and give yourself empathy for where you are and to move forward from that place again and again...

Coaching engages you to tap into your own wisdom, to accept yourself where you are and to move forward from there. Connecting you to balance, harmony joy...whatever it is you want.

Find your best friend in yourself!

Carrot Salad

2007-10-19T13:27:00.000-07:00

This is an old favorite that I like to have for lunch or for dinner with soup.

1 Cup purple cabbage chopped finely, blanched and shocked
2 cups grated carrots
3/4 cup almonds-chopped
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 to 1 cup plain yogurt
1-2 tsp of cinnamon
Agave syrup or honey to taste

In bowl place cabbage, carrots, almonds and raisins. Pour yogurt on top, sprinkle the cinnamon on and toss it all together. Taste and adjust sweetness with agave or honey if desired

computer crash

2007-10-15T11:52:00.000-07:00

My computer hardware crashed on Friday and I found myself a bit panicked as I hadn't backed up all of my writing for upcoming work I am doing and haven't backed up my contact list either. Hopefully it is all retrievable and the lesson I learned is if I am using a computer I need to remember all the steps to take to reduce the risk of loss.

That said I had an incredible weekend full of music, a film festival and most important for me some wonderful deep connections with myself and others.
I viewed some amazing documentaries that were so inspiring my need for service rose another notch. If you get the opportunity to see "Beyond the Call" or "Mekong" go and support these films that are sending an important message.

Life is as rich and alive as you want. The work for me is being willing to explore options, be out of my comfort zone and taking the time to reflect, be in gratitude and give back! I want to learn to hold onto nothing and embrace everything.
How about you??

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

P.S. due to my computer crash I may not be posting too much in the next couple of weeks. I will have a new recipe soon.

Peace,
Carol

Wonder

2007-10-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

"When I go in to teach Nonviolent Communication to students I like to start with this question: What do you wonder about? When I asked students that question I'm bombarded with all kinds of things, and you will hear theri answers in this song. And after school when I ask the teachers the same question. What do you wonder about? And do you know the most typical response I get from teachers? Silence. And I say, I wonder what happened to us between age six and now. You saw how the children responded. What happened to us? And the teachers say, "Well, I was afraid I would sound stupid." I was afraid that what I was wondering about was abnormal." That's what happens to us. We lose our ability to wonder. We're educated in ways that make us worry about what we are, rather than what is alive in us.Most of the lines in this song came from the children.

Green Jell-O Song
I wonder why my dog won't eat green Jell-o
I like the wiggly was it melts inside
I wonder when a turtle pulls its head in
Is it so dark it's scared to be inside
I wonder if a rock likes being hard
I wonder if the sky likes being blue
I wonder if butterflies like butter
I wonder if you like being you

I wonder why I don't feel myself stretching
When people say I'm growing every day
I wonder why I always have to listen
to more words than I ever get to say
I wonder if the grass cries when it's cut
I wonder if the rain hurts when it falls
I wonder if the earth gets dizzy turning
I wonder if little worms feel small

I wonder why I see so many people
Do things that thye don't really wnat to do
I wonder if the music goes away somewhere
After I sing my song to you
I wonder if it feels sad to be old
I wonder if the moon likes company
I wonder why it's fun to feel a little scared
I wonder if you wonder like me 2"
-Marshall Rosenberg and friends

What do you wonder?

I wonder about how the color of leaves outside my window can make me so happy and
I wonder about how I can support others to find peace, happiness and more joy in each moment.
I wonder whether we can repair the damage to our earth as well as our spirits and
I wonder if making chocolate would be fun,
I wonder what each of you wonder about and
I wonder if this note will inspire you to wonder and if so
I really wonder if that can change the world.
virtual hugs!
Carol

Returning

2007-10-08T09:10:00.001-07:00

I returned from a weeklong class, the beginning of a three year program focusing on PRESENCE. It was a full week and I am integrating back into my world as I write this.

When we checked in at the beginning of the week one man shared he had a lot of knowledge but not much understanding and I wonder about that. So much of our cultural training is about gaining knowledge and yet understanding feels like a different level.
What is your feeling about that?

Do you want more understanding, knowledge or both...

One of our homework assignments is to stop five times a day and take three deep breaths following each one from beginning to end. Being present with breath, returning to life. Small shifts can make a big difference.

If you're interested give it a try for a while and simply notice...

Life Coaching for connection, balance and health!

2007-09-27T14:27:00.000-07:00

Fall days are often my very favorite of the year and we are in the midst of some beautiful days here in Bend.
The sunlight, the breeze, colors, scents, sweaters, hats, brisk, quiet, peaceful...

If you feel the way I do take the time to get out and enjoy it even if you simply walk around the block or step outside and feel the sun and breeze on your face for a minute.

Be here with Fall, now, while it is present!

Enjoy...I'm going to step outside as soon as I click publish!

2007-09-24T10:51:00.000-07:00

I'm facilitating a workshop right now called the "Write Balance" tomorrow we'll talk and write about societal beliefs and norms. As I ready myself for this topic I found myself feeling sad that so many of the norms and beliefs I see in our culture cause so much stress and overwhelm. Not just for adults even the smallest of children are impacted by our willingness to go along with a culture, that in my opinion, is way off track.

What keeps us following along in the direction of the tide...As I watched Michael Moores "Sicko" a month or so ago I was struck by what one European said. He said that Americans are afraid of their government while in France the government is afraid of the people...does that filter into how we go along because we are afraid to be different, to say no, not to keep up, to lose the American dream...

I certainly don't have the answers and I will continue to do my best to raise my awareness of the norms and beliefs and choose, as much as possible, to live only the ones that feel most aligned with my heart.

How about you?

Life Coaching for connection, balance and health/

The cereal box

2007-09-19T16:18:00.000-07:00

I was reading the back of the cereal box as I was pouring it into a bowl for Jack and noticed they shared the marketing strategy that has such an impact on our culture "Though it is difficult to maintain a healthy diet with todays hectic schedules..."

The hectic pace that pervades our world from breakfast cereal to Politicians is so ingrained many people believe they can't choose anything different. Rushing from one place to the next, feeling overwhelmed, confused, tired...it's just part of everyday life.

What do you do if you don't want to buy into the hectic lifestyle?

Is it possible to have more peace and ease in your life?

Maybe you could consider letting something go, saying no to something you don't really want to do, slowing down your pace just a little, choose to have less in order to give yourself more space...

There are lots of choices really it may be as simple as choosing to be different...

"The hardest battle is to be nobody but yourself in a world that is doing its best, night and day, to make you like everybody else." -e.e. cummings

Into Balance Life Coaching

2007-09-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

"As mentioned earlier, we have an inheritied a language that served kings and powerful elites on domination societies. The masses, discouraged from developing awareness of their own needs, have instead been educated to be docile and subservient to authority. Our culture implies that needs are negative and destructive; the work "needy" applied to a person suggestes inadequacy or immaturity. When people express their needs, they are often labeled "selfish" and the use of the personal pronoun "I" is at times equated with selfishness or neediness.
By encouraging us to separate observation and evaluation, to acknowledge the thought or needs shaping our feelings, and to express our requests in clear action language, NVC heightens our awareness of the cultural conditioning influencing us at any given moment. And drawing this conditioning into the light of consciousness is a key step in breaking its hold on us." -Excerpt from Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg

Interested in learning a new language...Life Coaching for connection, balance and health.

2007-09-11T11:45:00.000-07:00

As I sit
gazing out my window
a blue bird flies
the tree sways
the leaves quake
the once still air vibrates around me
and I am enveloped in life
nature
connection to earth
I breathe and feel my feet
firmly planted
and know if I continue
to practice
this noticing
this connection
to earth
I will feel
present
more
often
and all I work with
and towards in this life
will grow
as the tree
that sways outside
my window

Spinach

2007-09-06T12:07:00.001-07:00

I've slowed down on the recipe writing as of late...summer seems to be a time of less cooking and more playing in my family.

I did want to share one of my favorite foods and some twists on serving it.

Spinach when not overcooked is one of my favorite foods. I will often saute a clove or two of garlic in extra virgin olive oil add a bunch of spinach, stir it around for less than a minute, take it off the stove toss it with some lemon or lime juice, salt and pepper and eat. If available I top it with leftover lentils, rice, quinoa, goat cheese, beans, pecans, avocado, walnuts, tempeh...it is a great base for toppings or a simple meal if eaten alone. I often cook this up for a savory breakfast.

So if you enjoy spinach add some of these toppings and see what you think!

Life Coaching for connection, balance and health.

2007-09-04T07:55:00.000-07:00

Another article from my favorite magazine Ode.

It's hard to know sometimes what truly are the best foods for your body. I have found over the years the closer I can stay to unprocessed or slightly processed the better. A friend once shared she never bought anything with more than seven ingredients in it.

When you walk into a regular supermarket you can be overwhelmed by the choices and the marketing of processed food. You may have heard this tip already but it can be great for your health and your pocketbook if you shop the outside aisles and swing only into the aisle with rice, beans and other whole grains.
That way you are getting the fruits, vegetables, proteins and fiber you need and saving yourself time, money and your health while at the market.

"With strong evidence piling up to show that diet affects behaviour, it is surprising that so little has been done to change the daily diet of millions on the planet." -Jurriaan Kamp

Change your diet, change your life.

Life coaching for connection, balance and health.

Discover the Power of Choice!

2007-08-28T09:53:00.000-07:00

Autumn is in the air, in the flavor, in the scents, in the wind and the light. In the morning cool and the midday heat, in the anticipation of change as school begins and in the presence of the moment as I breath in the subtle shifts that are palpable but often indescribable.

I love this time of year and it feels a bit early...I relish being out in nature this time of year above all. In the ebb time as nature prepares for winter sleep I find a beauty and a reminder of the rhythms of life that I, in the busyness of our society, can lose track of.

I want to be still more in nature and in life. I want to observe often and live more fully in the moments I am given this gift.

Alive in a human body that has the capacity to explore the deep connections of our inner and outer landscapes.

Want to explore with me? Into Balance Coaching

Cost of Food

2007-08-23T12:51:00.000-07:00

We were having a food discussion last night at one of our community meals. The cost of eating organic and local came up and people shared how expensive it is to buy that way. I recognize that financially it is expensive. What I feel a bit sad about is that somehow, in our culture, when we cost things out we tend to look first and often only at the financial. We haven't been trained to look at the cost of our carbon footprint, the cost to our health, migrant workers lives, cost to the soil, the planet, and ultimately the cost to the next seven generations...

There are so many area's of our western lives that we choose to be unconscious about because it brings ease to our finances. I recognize the challenge in myself and want to be more conscious.

What I want is to feel comfortable talking about these subjects outloud in any situation, to gently remind myself and others of the impact our choices have. I want to educate myself and others to learn to see cost as something greater than our personal financial picture.

I want to wean myself from behaviors and habits that have the greatest impact and be able to accept my indulgences. Be it where I buy clothes, how much I drive, what I choose to eat,or how I choose to vacation. I want to do my best to decrease my carbon footprint, support world health, and be conscious of how others lives are impacted by my choices.

Shine the light on your own life and choose in whatever way works best for you to
make some small shifts that may impact your pocketbook a bit more but the planet and other living things a little less.

Change your consciousness, change your life.

Into Balance Life Coaching

Discover Power in Choice!

Grilled Portabello Mushroom Salad

2007-08-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

Summer is a great time for grilling if you don't have a grill you can saute the mushrooms.

Serves 4
2 large portabello mushrooms-we prefer them degilled- removing the underside of the mushroom with a spoon
1 head of garlic
Mixed salad greens- enough for the four you are serving, I estimate a couple of handfuls
1 red pepper
1-2 lemons juiced
2-4 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Slice the top off the head of garlic so it is flat and rub it with olive oil. Place in oven or toaster oven at 350- 400 degrees and bake until you can stick a fork through it easily, approximately 20-30 minutes.

Place red pepper on the grill whole and cook it until the outside of pepper is charred. Place in a paper bag and set aside for a bit. When it cools peel the skin off, deseed and place pepper in a food processor with 1 tablespoon or lemon and one tablespoon of olive oil. Puree until smooth then adjust amount of lemon and oil and add salt to taste.

Toss mushrooms in olive oil and place on grill, cook until done...you will know because it will soften and become a richer color.

Peel garlic cloves from head leave cloves whole. Slice mushroom into strips. Toss mixed greens with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper. Plate up the greens, place garlic cloves and strips of mushroom on top. Drizzle red pepper puree generously on top. If you are a cheese lover you can add a good goat cheese or a thinly sliced hard cheese on top as well.

Enjoy this meal with a great loaf of artisan crusty bread.

This may sound like it takes a long time but it's quicker than it looks and if you have two people to prepare its a snap.

Stress

2007-08-10T12:28:00.000-07:00

"Nothing outside of yourself can make you feel stressed. Stress never happens in the moment. Stress is either anxiety about the future, thinking about the endless to-do list hanging over our heads, or stress is holding on to things that happened in the past. But here-like right in this moment? Right here now? There is no stress here. It's a creation of our mind.
Many of us have become habituated, even addicted to a high level of urgency. Even as we complain about too much to do, our minds crave yet more stimulus. We have a free moment in our schedule, we surf the Net or pick up something to read rather than breathe deeply and renew our energy. We live in a society that invites urgency, so we most cultivate a discipline of self-reflection and what we call "state shifting " in order to stay centered amidst the intensity of our work." -Robert Gass

To know what is expressed in the above quote is really important if living a balanced life is something you truly want.

In our world stress is created by our minds and in the urgency of our societal norms and beliefs.

Can we choose to be different? Absolutely!

Will it be challenging? Maybe...

If you choose to stay connected to needs such as peace, joy, ease or simplicity you can align your mind, values and lifestyle to meet those needs. To do that takes courage, commitment and a practice of inner reflection that supports you to remember the life you want.
You may get derailed from time to time which is simply part of the journey...you can choose to get back on your track at any time.

You can live in this culture without choosing what others choose. You can find peace, joy, ease and simplicity more often.

Discover the Power of Choice!

Life Coaching for connection, balance and health

Summer meals

2007-08-09T09:39:00.000-07:00

We have another month or so of Farmers Markets and Fridays we create what I think of as our summer meal fresh from the market.
Often it includes corn on the cob, fresh steamed green beans, new potatoes boiled and tossed with a little olive oil and salt, a mixed green salad with strawberries, walla walla sweet onions, toasted hazelnuts, fresh goal cheese and a light dressing. Add to that a loaf of fresh baked bread and mixed fresh berries for dessert.
If two of you are preparing this takes 30-45 minutes to pull together and trust me well worth your time.
Fresh counts check out your local market and savor summer!

Progress

2007-08-06T12:02:00.000-07:00

What is progress?

When I think of progress in terms of how our society has framed it I feel disappointed and sad. I think happiness, peace, joy, connection, family...have been relegated to the back seat as we have developed land, built buildings, roads, toys, electronics, cars... Progress is symbolized by our external development, our consumption, our financial wealth and it has taken a huge toil on the natural world and our spirits.

My definition of progress is focused on peace. I make progress when I am a part of creating peaceful solutions, loving environments, connection with our natural world, giving myself empathy and being able to recognize judgment and blame as opportunities to explore what is up for me instead of looking at someone or something else.

What would happen if more of us shifted to looking at progress from our own unique perspective?

I have a friend who recently said we can't ever have peace its not part of our makeup and for a moment I felt overwhelmed and sad. Later I recognized its only true if we let it be, we can change, we can have peace and it will take each of us doing our own part to make it happen.

To me Peace is Progress. I have a long way to go to attain it in my life and I will keep moving forward, sharing, modeling and doing the best I can with what I know in each moment.

Life Coaching for connection, balance and health

2007-08-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

"I haven't failed. I've found ten thousand ways that don't work."
-Benjamin Franklin

How often do you consider what you did a failure?

What a shift it would be to look at failure as simply something that didn't work and move into the next moment open to the possibilities.

We are a culture that has placed a high value on winning and losing so there is a lot of failure passed around. As kids begin to engage in win lose activities at younger ages I wonder what impact that will have on the next generation. Often failure results in quitting, it doesn't motivate us to keep looking for new inspiration, idea's, or techniques.

How do we begin to unravel failure and see that great things lie in being willing to look at life from Benjamin Franklins perspective? Creativity abounds if you are willing to look at life this way. It is a life giving way of being.

How do people view themselves when they have failed a class, divorced, gotten fired, gone to jail, dropped out of college, not made a team, didn't apply for that job, ran away...we can "fail" at something only to find our greatest gift because of that so called failure. We can find 10,000 ways that don't work and on that 10,001 try we nail it!

Perspective...it's a beautiful thing.

Take some time to notice your beliefs around failing?

Does it support you to create a peaceful loving environment within and outside of yourself?

Life Coaching for connection, balance and health.

2007-07-30T13:24:00.000-07:00

We're nearing the end of July and as we move into August I ponder how I want the rest of my summer to look. I've had a wonderful one thus far.

However there is one thing I want that I have experienced only once this summer. I want some unplanned afternoons midweek to be spontaneous with my kids. Whether we stay home and be together, go to the lake, library, hiking, biking, a movie or take a nap I am craving the opportunity to connect with them and give the gift of time together before school begins and schedules amp up.

To make that happen I need to sit down with my daytimer and block those days and times out for us and be willing to value them as much as I do my work...

It's my commitment to staying connected to them in ways that feed all of us.

Anything missing in your summer that you want to make sure happens before these beautiful days are gone?

Take a moment to explore what you want and then schedule time to make it happen. Don't let the summer slip by and not get your needs met.

Life Coaching for balance, connection and health!

Presence

2007-07-26T09:26:00.000-07:00

"Never let yesterday use up today."
-R.H. Nelson

To be in the present moment is such a gift and for many a great challenge. When we aren't in the present we are missing out on a very special part of life because NOW is where life happens.

How do you practice being present?

I have found the most valuable way for me to stay ccnnected to now is to breath and feel my feet on the ground.

If you have a moment after you read this go outside find a small stretch of grass or dirt and take off your shoes and socks. Move your feet around and notice what it feels like to plant them firmly in one place. Take a minute to notice what it feels like to be firmly planted and then begin to pay attention to your breath. Imagine as you breath that your breath is moving all the way through you and connecting you to the ground. Take a few steps and notice if you feel any different?

You don't need to go outside to do this you can do it anywhere. I do this many times a day; pause, feel the ground underneath me and breath. It has made a positive difference in my life.
Explore different strategies to be present and magical shifts may happen.

Life Coaching for connection, balance and health.

"Discover the Power of Choice"

2007-07-24T12:32:00.000-07:00

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius-and a lot of courage-to move in the opposite direction"
-Albert Einstein

Have we made things bigger, more complex and more violent?

What would the opposite direction look like if you had the courage to make it happen?

I have my ideas and I may share them sometime...in the meantime take a couple of minutes with this question and jot down what you want.
What direction would you take?
How would it differ from where you/we are headed now?
Change happens whether we take the reins or not...

There is no time like the present to head in the opposite direction.

Life Coaching for connection, balance and health.

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Carrot Salad

2007-07-17T12:08:00.000-07:00

4-5 large carrots washed peeled and shredded
1 bunch cilantro rinse then remove most of stems and finely chop
1-2 bunches of scallions washed, peel off first layer as needed and slice
1 bag of frozen shelled edamame thawed
1 cup raw almonds chopped

Dressing-
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2-3 cloves of garlic diced
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste
Adjust vinegar and oil ratio as needed. You may need to adjust amount you mix in depending on how many carrots you use.

Toss it together in a bowl and enjoy!

Into Balance Life Coaching

"Discover the Power of Choice"

The River

2007-07-16T13:00:00.001-07:00

My family and I recently returned from a seven day river trip on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River in Idaho.

River trips feel like windows into another time period. Life is simple yet there is work, play, cooperation, danger, tranquility, beauty, difficulty, decision making, relaxation, light, water, rest, fun...did I say presence...you definitely have an opportunity to be in the moment. You still have to choose it though, you can stay lost in your thoughts or feelings but I found it easier to be in the moment because the moments seemed brighter more alive somehow.

Wildlife abounds out there and I have a deeper clarity about living in rhythm with the world around you. When I was surrounded by water, trees, earth, rocks... I felt an ease of choice that isn't apparent to me in the world of to do lists, rush hour, alarm clocks, concrete...

We saw otters, birds, big horn sheep, toads, fish, lizards...camped at hot springs, beaches, and rocky ledges. We laughed, sang, smiled, ran, walked, flowed, ate, slept and talked our way though 7 delicious days.

Into Balance Life Coaching

Take Back Your Time

2007-07-03T16:59:00.000-07:00

I'm reading a book entitled "Take Back Your Time" edited by John de Graaf. Chapter titles "The Overworked American", "The Incredible Shrinking Vacation" and "Time to Be A Citizen" are tastes of what the book has to share. It's a collection of essays that help the reader see how we got here and perhaps how we can shift if we choose.

I pay attention to how I spend my time, to remember what I value most, to be present in the moment and to make conscious choices often. In this culture I feel as if I am the salmon swimming up stream. Our cultural current isn't moving in the direction I want to go. I get caught up in the current and then readjust and begin my swim in the opposite direction. Sometimes it feels lonely and I once again go with the current to meet my need for commonality. I will continue to do this because it is what feels right for me but boy I would sure love some company. If any of you want to work on taking back your time give me a call I would love to support you in making that happen.

Does anybody else ever feel that way?

I would like to visualize a nation who collectively chooses to take back their time and with that creates a happier, healthier, peaceful more loving world.

October 24th is Take Back Your Time Day for more information or to get involved go to www.timeday.org

"What is it about the pattern of our lives that exacerbates so many of our social and environmental problems?
This book suggests that a key aspect of our pattern problem comes from an unconscious choice we've made as a nation since World War II. Without thinking about it, Americans have taken all their productivity gains in the form of money-more stuff, if you will-and none of them in the form of more time. Simply put, we as a society have chosen money over time, and this unconscious value pattern has had a powerful and less than beneficial impact on the quality of our collective lives" -John de Graf

Life Coaching for connection, balance and health.

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What to do?

2007-06-29T10:27:00.000-07:00

"What do you want to do with this your one wild and precious life?" -Mary Oliver

What do you want to do and are you doing it?

If so congratulations if not where are you stuck?

What beliefs or choices are you making that are keeping you from living your best life?

Individuals who are willing to reflect and ponder, to pause and identify who take the time to do the inner work, who are accountable for all of their choices ...those are the people in love with their life.

What will it take to get you to ask yourself questions, challenge old beliefs and develop trust in your innate wisdom?

I can support you to live this one precious life with greater joy and balance.

Call 541-389-0831 for a complimentary coaching session. Its never too late to have a life you love.

Life Coaching for connection, balance and health.

Discover the Power of Choice!

Play

2007-06-27T14:22:00.000-07:00

Play, is it underrated as a way to meet needs in your life?

We learned to play ultimate frisbee this weekend with my sisters and their families and came home with a lot of enthusiasm for the game. Last night we rounded up 9 of our neighbors ranging in age from eight to forty-eight and had a rousing, funfilled hour of play. It met my need for connection, fun, community, physical health and joy.

Joy at how the simple things in life have so much meaning and fulless, joy from watching the intensity and the laughter, accidental physical contact, being out of breath, delight in a glass of cold water, watching the youngest Martin and Kate catch, miss and throw with abandon, playing with adults, high fives all around...

Aahh...the simple joys of summer play!

What can you do for play today? Do you dare?

Life Coaching for connection, balance and health.

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2007-06-26T10:36:00.000-07:00

"You may find the worst enemy or best friend within yourself." English Proverb

How often are you your own best friend? For me it takes awareness and conscious choice to shift into friendly internal dialog. It takes remembering empathy.

I had a disagreement with my husband last night and in the moment I lost all of my compassionate communication skills. I watched myself go down my old path of blaming him and them blaming myself... As I was doing that I recognized the pain for what it was and shifted to self empathy.

I began saying you're okay, you did the best you could, I'm feeling sad and disappointed... and during that time I went and played frisbee with my son (met a need for fun, play and connection) and then watched a movie(met a need for ease and laughter).

It took paying really close attention to what I was saying to gently turn things around. Beating myself up, blaming him...was not going to make the situation get any better. Once triggered I need to care for myself, get some perspective and then either talk about it or let it go completely.

One way to be your own best friend is to learn to be compassionate with yourself. True, beautiful change and healing can emerge from there.

Notice your thoughts today and if the need arises practice some empathy!

Life Coaching for connection, balance and health.

Discover the Power of Choice!

2007-06-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

Balance is not a final destination it is something we have the opportunity to practice throughout our lives. It's a choice and it takes a commitment to be more present in the moment; to pause, connect and reflect before you take action. Consider it being a part of your journey.

There are a multitude of different options to practice balance in your life, one simple way is through eating. Since eating is a part of our daily life we practice the art of balance without adding something to our to do list.

How do you balance your intake so that you feel satisfied, energized, content...?
Pausing as you stand in front of the refrigerator and asking yourself; What am I feeling? Am I physically hungry? Emotionally? Will this support me to feel great after I eat it? Can I enjoy every bite? Would I be willing to sit quietly and pay attention to what I am eating? What needs will be met by eating this?...

Food as nourishment to your soul as well as your body...want to explore that?

Life Coaching for connection, balance and health.

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The moments

2007-06-19T12:39:00.000-07:00

I went to the laundromat this weekend to wash a down comforter. It's been awhile since I spent anytime there. It was a Saturday and many people were in and out. I was reading andafter some time went by noticed a beautiful young girl glancing my way. I could have ignored her and gone on reading but she captured my attention and I took the opportunity to connect and be present with something alive in front of me.

We did a dance of smiles, a bit of talk and a lot of flirting...I got my needs for play, spontaneity, and joy met. I'm imagining she had some needs met as well.

I am sharing this story as a reminder to each of you and to myself to be ready at any moment to see beauty and joy in front of you.

What's in front of you now?

Life Coaching for connection, balance and health.

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Nutty Brown Rice

2007-06-18T11:24:00.000-07:00

This dish goes great with some lightly sauted greens or a big green salad, its good cold for lunch as well.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup each sliced almonds and sunflower seeds
2 tablesppons sesame seeds
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1 small onion diced
1/4-1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. butter
3 cups cooked brown rice
2 tbsp. snipped fresh parsley or fresh snipped basil
Tamari, or braggs liquid amino

Saute onions in butter over medium high heat until translucent. Add almonds, sunflowers, sesame seeds, carots and pepper flacks and cook until almonds are lightly browned. Add cooked rice and parsley or basil; stir through until heated. Add tamari or braggs to taste.
Enjoy!

Transitions

2007-06-12T12:40:00.000-07:00

This time of year, for many families, is a time of transition from the structure of school to the potential space that summer can allow.

This year it is also a big leaving for us. My son is graduating from 5th grade and moving on to a new school. We have been with this small magnet school for eleven years and it has been a community connection for our whole family. It has supported us to meet needs for deep connection, safety, authenticity, love...the list goes on.

I feel such deep gratitude mixed in with layers of grief as we leave a place that has supported so many of our values. Holding joy and gratitude together with grief and being fully present for it all is my intention. I am more conscious of subtle changes as I become more present and connected. In the past I have not been as present as I will be today. I will notice what I am letting go of as I hold the door open to what will arise in the next moment. And I will hold that space for Jack as best I can. Embracing transition with all of the feelings that surface, allowing them all to be.

As we move on, I know in my heart, the seeds that have been planted during our time at Amity Creek will continue to blossom as we journey on...in that way Amity is with us always.

How will you transition into Summer?

What do you want to be most present for?

Life Coaching for connection, balance and health.

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Community connection

2007-06-08T08:51:00.000-07:00

Early this morning a bunch of hot air balloons were floating over Bend. As we watched them out the window one got quite low and very close and ended up landing half a block from our home. It was a beautiful multicolor striped balloon.

We walked over to have a look and many other people did the same. There we were many in bathrobes and pajamas chatting and taking photos, smiling, talking...connecting at 7:30 in the morning.

It was so interesting and fun to note when something unusual occurs it brings out an openness that doesn't often happen in our everyday lives.

I really enjoyed having my day start in such an unusual and connecting way. And I recognize I want more of that in my life. Spontaneous moments of connection with other humans.

Consider taking the opportunity today to connect with someone in a spontaneous way. Notice how you feel and what needs were met or not met doing this.

Life Coaching for connection, balance and health!

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Observing

2007-06-07T11:23:00.000-07:00

"To observe without evaluation is the highest form or human intelligence"- J. Kirshnamurti

And I know for me after years and years of training in evaluating simply observing is a skill that takes practice. The way I have been taught to observe without judgment or evaluation is imagine you are seeing or hearing what is happening while looking through the lens of a video camera. Instead of saying "this house is a mess" You would describe what you see; "When I see dirty dishes in the sink, two cups on the floor and three pairs of socks on the couch..." or instead of reacting to a statement such as "You're so mean" you share the specific words someone used "when you said dinner is awful..."

What shifted in you as you read each of those?

Can you imagine what might happen in your relationships if evaluations and judgments diminished. This is one step in the process of learning compassionate communication. If this peeked your interest you can go to the NVC website to gain more information.

It's a new way of being for me and I appreciate the clarity and kindness it brings into my world.

Life Coaching for connection, balance and health.

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Garage Purge

2007-06-04T13:50:00.000-07:00

We cleaned out our garage this weekend after seven years. We got rid of a lot of stuff we weren’t using, or was too small, broken…It felt good as we were doing it. Then we got in the truck to take some of the items to goodwill and the others to the dump.
Goodwill was packed, the woman who assisted us said they were full to the brim, she didn’t understand how people could have so much to give away when she couldn’t afford to buy most of it. I felt a bit disheartened and was able to empathize with her, then moved onto the dump.

The dump was quite an experience for me. I had never been…I wonder how many other people have never seen where their garbage ends up. I felt a bit disoriented and confused when my husband said just throw the stuff on the ground…I looked around and saw piles of stuff being covered by backhoes full of dirt…Our beautiful earth was being loaded down with our garbage, junk, plastic… As we left the dump the women said on Saturdays there are usually 500 loads dropped. That’s just Saturday! I left feeling dismayed, sad and confused.

After a couple of days processing and getting some support I sense a deeper awareness of how I want to be in regards to mindfulness to reduce, reuse, recycle and simplify and at the same time feel compassion for my need to buy for beauty, choice, play, adventure…

My intention is to be more aware of how I buy keeping in mind the whole earthly cost of what I do and perhaps most importantly forgive myself when I choose something that may not fit. If we each were willing to consider this I wonder what would shift…

What if anything would you consider doing differently? Today…

Lifecoaching for connection, balance and health!

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Cilantro Pesto Quesadilla's

2007-05-30T10:34:00.000-07:00

Cilantro pesto
Place ingredients in food processor:
One bunch cilantro washed and most of stems removed
½ cup roasted peanuts
2-3 cloves of garlic
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup extra virgin olive oil drizzled in as machine is pulsing
Juice of one lime
Salt to taste
Blend until smooth
Optional- add ½-1 jalapeno deseeded and diced (this keeps for a week to 10 days in the refrigerator. This pesto is delicious on potatoes, tossed on pasta, mixed in soups…

Quesadilla’s
Serves four with a salad on the side
4 Whole wheat tortillas
1 cup grated cheese - you can use sharp cheddar, jack, pepper jack or your favorite
1 can black or pinto beans drained, rinsed and heated add salt and pepper to taste
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
3-4 carrots
1-2 cups cabbage
Optional: red bell pepper, broccoli or other veges you have on hand
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ head chopped red or green leaf lettuce
1 bunch green onions diced
Place sauté pan over medium high heat and add onions and garlic, when onions are translucent add other vegetables (not the lettuce or green onions) and cook for 3-4 minute’s, add salt, pepper and lemon or lime to taste.
Place ¼ cup cheese on each tortilla, heat tortilla in oven or stove top until cheese just melted. Slather on the cilantro pesto then add beans, vegetables and top with some chopped lettuce and green onion.
Enjoy!

Lifecoaching for connection, balance and health.

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Floating

2007-05-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

We spent yesterday floating down the Deschutes river.

Seconds after we pushed off the shore I noticed feelings of peace, ease and joy.
Once on the river there is an inner freedom that happens...I am in the present moment... listening to the silence, my children talking, the sounds of nature...looking outward at the landscape as well as inward... as a calmness washes over me like a wave.

There is no doing in these moments, I am simply being...present to what is now, silent underneath the brim of my hat, smiling big to myself.

Ahhhh...bliss

What can you find in your day that might connect you to that place inside yourself?

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A Story

2007-05-23T12:39:00.000-07:00

I've seen this story before and felt the need to share it with you.

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters by Potia Nelson

Chapter One
I walk down the stree.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk...
I fall in...
I am lost...I am helpless.
It isn't my fault...
It takes forever to find my way out.

Chapter Two
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk...
I pretend I don't see it...
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same hole again.
But it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter Three
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk...
I see it there...
I still fall in.
It's a habit but my eyes are wide open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault...I get out immediately.

Chapter Four
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter Five
I walk down another street.

As I was sharing this with my husband last night he said "The Delman way of this story would be to stay in the hole, sense, feel, connect with your needs, develop a deep understanding of the wisdom that led you into the hole and then climb out and move onto chapter five."

I like options...how about you?

Lifecoaching for connection,
balance and health.

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Asking for Support

2007-05-21T11:28:00.000-07:00

It's challenging for many of us to ask for support, often even for very simple things. I'm not sure where that comes from, old cultural patterning of independence, genetics, distance from family and friends, fear of being needy...

What I do know is our inability to reach out for support when we need it can cause deep pain for ourselves and others.

Ironically as we hold back asking many, many people I know say the greatest gifts in their lives have been when they have been able to give to others. They give support willingly and with joy in their hearts. It fills us up to give to others, it is our true nature...we may forget but it is always there if we choose to access it.

I'm writing this now because friends of ours just lost their 23 year old son to suicide...it's been a very rough week. One in which I have more understanding of the importance of sharing and remembering that to reach out is not a sign of weakness (which is a very prevalent perception in our culture, particularly with males) but a sign of strength.

As I spoke with my children about this tragedy I recognized the need to continue this conversation in wider circles.

Talk to your loved ones about the value in asking for support. Model asking as well as giving support as often as you can. Talk about it, write about it, sing about it... Let's create a world where fewer lives are taken in despair.

Reach out, hug your loved ones, be present in the moment.

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

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Being in the ebb

2007-05-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

It seems there is a rhythm to life and I find I often get concerned when work begins to ebb. Instead of seeing it as space to reflect, write, renew, clean my house...I feel a bit afraid. Being a small business owner has been a huge journey for me and this is one of its greatest challenges...enjoying and even dare I say embracing the ebb.

What will come forth after a slowing down? What kind of collaborating/creative juices will I find flowing? What is the universe telling me?

Lots of questions and can I simply be aware and awake for the answers...

How is being in the ebb for you?

I like to imagine riding the tide with a smile on my face, not grasping, gropping or fighting what the tide is offering at this moment.

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

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Something in me...

2007-05-16T15:50:00.000-07:00

I went to a workshop/retreat last week with my mentor for the next three years Russell Delman.

I took in a lot and haven't yet processed it so that I can distill it in a way that might resonate with you. I wanted to share this one piece anyways and see where it goes.

Often when we have a strong feeling like overwhelm, resistence, confusion, elation...we fully identify with it. It feels like it's all of us and we may express it as "I am in resistance or I am overwhelmed..." In that moment we have become that feeling leaving no space or room to observe, sense, and perhaps gain the wisdom the feeling can show us.

To do that we need to make some room. Here is one strategy to play with.
Consider shifting your words to "Something in me feels confused or something in me is tired..."

Do you notice any change in how you feel or what you sense in your body by making this small shift?
Explore this and see what you notice.

I will continue to share more of this process and what I am learning.
It's good to be home!

Coaching for connection, balance and health!

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Almond Sauce

2007-05-07T08:48:00.000-07:00

Almond Sauce
8 ounces of almond butter
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/8-1/4 cup tamari (to taste)
2 tablespoons chili paste, or to taste
1 tablespoon fresh finely grated ginger
2 garlic cloves
1 bunch cilantro- chopped
juice of 1-2 limes
Place all ingredients except cilantro into food processor and blend add water to give you desired consistency. Adjust seasonings to taste, add cilantro and hand mix it in.
This sauce keeps for a week to 10 days in the refrigerator.

We use this sauce on buckwheat or soba noodles with steamed and fresh vegetables tossed in. Most vegetables work in this dish.
We also use this as a dipping sauce for raw vegetables and on sushi. Its a nice alternative to peanut sauce.
Enjoy!

Self-reflection

2007-05-03T14:48:00.000-07:00

"It all starts with self-reflection. Then you can know and empathize more profoundly with someone else.
-Shirley MacLaine

Self-reflection takes the willingness to pause...

Consider committing to pause and reflect for 10 minutes a day for one week and see what shifts!
You could pause with a cup of tea, on your favorite chair with a journal, sitting in meditation, gazing out a window, taking a hot bath...

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

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Time Pressure

2007-04-30T08:56:00.000-07:00

As a culture time is a precious commodity and it seems as we run from one commitment to the next, or write out our two page to do list the pressure builds before the day begins.
How do we shift that...how do we find ourselves present in the moment and attentive to what is right in front of us.
A couple of ways I support myself are to consciously breathe and to do heartmath.
Next time you notice the pressure, take a minute or two to pay attention to your breath, your body, the world surrounding you. Make a habit of conscious breathing of giving yourself permission to be still and present.
Do this often enough and you may feel a sense of peace in the moment and can then move into your activities from that place. As you begin to find comfort in this way your body may remind you to practice when you need it most.

Heartmath is connecting to your heart and to joy at the same time. It supports your heart and mind to be coherent and has been well documented to decrease stress and reduce risks for chronic disease.

Consider stopping to breathe or learning heartmath to support you to feel less pressure in your mind, body and spirit.

Coaching for connection, balance and health

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2007-04-27T07:46:00.000-07:00

"There is nothing like returning to a place unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have been altered" - Nelson Mandela

I recently returned from a visit to my mother. We had a lovely time, she has slowed down a lot so much of the time was peaceful and slow moving. One day we went out to lunch and then to a movie and the rest of the time was open to talk, read, walk...

I found myself noticing my need to relate a bit differently, wanting to connect in new ways and finding it a bit confusing sometimes.

When we have known someone a long time we often expect certain responses, comments...and conversations follow old familiar patterns. I spent time observing who I was being and sometimes enjoyed and other times was frustrated with the challenge of finding more of myself in the conversation. When I find more of myself I am more connected to others and have a deeper happiness in the moment.

I now can see one strategy that I didn't attempt was simply to share my awareness of my desire to communicate differently in order to connect more meaningfully and my confusion around how to do that. Sounds simple...

This week consider noticing what your patterns are like with people you've known a long time. Do you find yourself stuck in old ways of communicating?

What might you do or say differently in order to make a shift?

Spirit

2007-04-19T09:53:00.000-07:00

"My whole goal is to keep my spirit intact. If that doesn't happen, none of this is worth it." -Jewel

How often do we ponder our spirit and what does it mean to each of us to "keep it intact"?

Spirit for me shows up and feels intact when I am fully present to a person, place, or thing.

How I develop my presence is multifaceted. I meditate, I spend quiet time in nature, I connect meaningfully with people I love, I breathe consciously, I laugh fully, I gaze into someones eyes, I reflect...I practice, practice, practice.

I am not looking to be perfect, I am looking for forward movement, a closer connection with myself which then creates a closer connection with it all.

What do you do to keep your spirit intact?

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

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labor saving devices

2007-04-16T11:22:00.000-07:00

"The number of labor saving devices a person has is always inversely correlated with their amount of free time."- Russell Delman

Is that true for you...I wonder about this often as I watch my husband with all of his labor saving devices...it doesn't look to me as if time is saved. It looks to me as if it's another way to use our time. There in lies the choice.

Take this week to be more aware in this area of your life.

Have you created more free time for yourself?

Do you find yourself feeling peace and ease frequently?

Let me know how it goes!

Coaching for connection, balance and health!

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A Light Vegetable Dish

2007-04-13T11:56:00.000-07:00

I love carrots and we usually eat them raw. I decided to try something new and really enjoyed this dish!

6 large carrots peeled and sliced into bite size rounds
2 leeks washed and finely diced
2 red bell peppers diced
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1-2 lemons
1 tsp of salt

Steam carrots until just cooked (they should still be firm)
Pour 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil into a sauté pan. On medium high heat sauté leeks until lightly brown, add red bell peppers sauté for a minute or two, add carrots and stir until heated.
Remove from heat place in a serving bowl and add lemon juice, salt then drizzle remaining olive oil and serve.

Enjoy!

Coaching for connection, balance and health!

Cleanse

2007-04-11T11:06:00.000-07:00

I am going to do a spring cleanse this year. I am following the protocal from the book "If the Buddha came to Dinner" by Hale Sofia Schatz.

I'm feeling excited about taking some time to give my body space to release anything it's been holding onto and curious about how it might support the clutter that can appear in my mind and emotions.

I'll keep you posted. Any one interested in joining me...let me know. Its wonderful to have support from friends.

"Cleansing is like giving your body an annual tune-up" - Hale Sofia Schatz

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

Renewal

2007-04-09T08:49:00.000-07:00

Spring is such a lovely time to check in with yourself and ask "What am I needing right now that will allow me to move into the next season with fresh eyes and renewed passion for my life?"

As the buds bloom and everything begins to grow what do you want to grow in yourself?

What do you want to let go of so that you have room in your life?

Taking care of you supports all of the living things around you. Allow for some time this week to pause, reflect, and choose the direction that is calling to you during this time of year. Our bodies crave renewal and cleansing as Spring arrives, allow your body to lead.

Nourish your spirit, your mind, your body...the choices abound.

Discover the Power of Choice, choose to take care of yourself and observe what changes around you!

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

Practice

2007-04-06T08:15:00.000-07:00

"Practice kindness, and you start to become kind. Practice discipline and you start to become disciplined. Practice forgiveness and you start to become forgiving. Practice charity and you start to become charitable. Practice gentleness, and you start to become gentle." - Marianne Williamson

What are you going to practice now, today...these small acts are what change the world.
Are you ready to change? Need support to make it happen...give me a call and we can chat about the possibilities. 541-389-0831.

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

Discover the Power of Choice!

Vacation

2007-04-02T08:49:00.000-07:00

My family and I just returned from a 10 day vacation. I look very forward to our vacations together, it gives us an opportunity to choose to do things differently, be more flexible ,and explore new ways of being together.

One of my intentions on this trip was to stay very connected to myself. I did that by meditating each morning and reminding myself that what I wanted most from the day was to be kind, loving, and at ease with my family. I was aware often thoughout the day of the opportunity to take a breath, to be present fully, to let go of an attachment...and be kind, loving and at ease. It worked!

I also was shown once again that happiness, for me, is in the small shared moments, the touch, the smile, the laughter, the eye contact, the nod, saying yes, listening deeply...

Connection on vacation looked like: long walks on the beach, reading to my son, playing the ungame around the dinner table, hiking in nature, looking at works of art, people watching(particularly babies and young children), riding bikes on the beach, running with my husband, watching my son play in the water, watching my daughter unwind and renew herself, quiet meditation in the mornings, listening to the birds, watching the waves...

Staying connected, for me that is what it is all about.

How do you stay connected? And what is it all about for you?

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

A Salad

2007-03-21T07:55:00.000-07:00

As the weather warms I begin to crave salad again and we had this one the other night.
One of our small natural food store still carries delicious, ripe pears from the valley.
In salad bowl place:
one pear- diced
one avocado-diced
one head of romaine lettuce- tore into bite size pieces
feta cheese crumbled
toasted walnuts- 1/4 to 1/2 cup broken into small pieces

Dressing-
one tablespoon light miso
juice of 1-2 lemons
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Blend together add water if needed to loosen it up

Pour dressing over salad and toss gently, serves four.

Toss it all together, serve and enjoy!

New Eyes

2007-03-15T12:53:00.000-07:00

"The real voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes" - Marcel Proust

Often when I feel frustrated or overwhelmed I have imagined what life could be like if I lived somewhere else. I've had clients who believe moving will be the solution to their challenges.

As I dig deeper the above quote has so much meaning. I need to shift my gaze, to widen my perspective, and open to new possibilities.

When I support another human to shift their gaze or widen their perspective I sense a subtle change in the tone of their voice, or the expression on their face. A new world comes into view. At first it may be only a glimpse however, the more you focus your awareness towards this new way of seeing the more often the new view, along with the new you, shows up.

Consider changing your view instead of your geography...

Coaching for connection, balance and health!

Taking back your time

2007-03-12T15:32:00.000-07:00

If you are someone who often feels crunched for time, overwhelmed, or simply saddened by missed opportunities to connect deeply due to our overscheduled culture here are some resources you may find supportive.

The Northwest Earth Institute offers courses from Voluntary Simplicity to Healthy Children, Healthy Planet and there are study groups in many cities or you can start your own. Another couple of websites you might be interested in visiting are www.timeback.com and www.simpleliving.net

Take a minute to stop and notice how you feel just considering what life would be like if you could slow it down just a bit!

Coaching for connection, balance and health!

Discover the Power of Choice!

Women for Peace

2007-03-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

I went to a celebration of Women for Peace last evening and was honored to read a brief biography of the Nobel Peace prize winner of 1946, Emily Green Balch.

The piece that most inspired me is that besides all the great work she did as a young women, in 1955 at the age of 88 she was concerned about the widening gulf betwen the United States and China and wrote the People of China a love letter. This is the last stanza:

"Let us be patient with one another,
And even patient with ourselves.
We have a long, long way to go.
So let us hasten along the road,
The road of human tenderness and generosity.
Groping, we may find one another's hands in the dark"

I found this so touching and it reminded me that peace, love and making a difference are ageless and timeless.

Do what you can right now in this moment to connect to peace.

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

Discover the Power of Choice!

Family Balance

2007-03-06T10:56:00.000-08:00

I was speaking with another mother last evening who was saying she wanted to take her girls to a desert island for awhile to take a break. I often hear parents speaking in this way. The only way they see to stop the cycle of overscheduling is to escape.

I work with individuals to support them to recognize that it's our internal landscape that we need to focus on in order to create change that is empowering.

I shared with this mom how looking at our life from a holistic perspective has helped us stay balanced more often. We pause often as a family and check in, we connect and reflect about what is coming up, how things are going now, and how we want to move forward. We make decisions based on how each choice impacts all of us. The goal for us is to get as many of our needs met as possible.

We as parents have an opportunity to shift from too much to what's enough. I tend to fall back on remembering what I want most for my children. I want them to be kind, loving, strong individuals who know how to communicate compassionately and give and receive from their hearts. That isn't necessarily what is happens when lives are overscheduled. Connect often to what you want most for yourself and your children. Talk about it compassionately and support youself to make choices that feel great.

Coaching for connection, balance, and health!

Discover the Power of Choice!

A Salad

2007-03-02T09:14:00.000-08:00

Mark made this salad the other evening. The dressing is a unique flavor and gave this salad a delicous richness.

1 apple chopped finely
1/2 head of lettuce, red or green leaf chopped finely
1 cup cooked brown rice
1-2 red/yellow bell peppers
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1 cup grated carrots
You could add any other vegetable you have available that you enjoy eating raw. This serves approximately four people.

Dressing
2 tablespoons goat cheese
1/2 avocado
1/4 cup water
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
dash of salt to taste
blend until creamy (hand blender works great if you have one)

Toss and serve!

Coaching for connection, balance, and health.

Discover the Power of Choice!

Marianne Williamson

2007-02-28T16:47:00.000-08:00

A recipe is on its way...in the meantime I have been reading "A Woman's Worth" by Marianne Williamson this week. It's a lovely little book and so much of what she says is what I feel and need to share as well. A kindred spirit.

Here is a little quote to entice you to want more. "At every moment, a woman makes a choice: between the state of the queen and the state of the slavegirl. In the world of illusion, we are lost and imprisoned, slaves to our appetites and our will to false power. Our jailer is a three-headed monster: one head our past, one our insecurity, and one our popular culture".

Bringing your awareness to the three heads is one way for them to lose their power.

Would you be willing to consider which one of the "heads" keep you from being all you want to be?

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

Discover the Power of Choice!

2007-02-26T10:12:00.000-08:00

"Always we hope
Someone else has the answer.
Some other place will be better,
some other time
it will all turn out.

This is it.
No one else has the answer.
No other place will be better,
and it has already turned out.

At the center of your being you have the answer
you know who you are and you know what you want.

There is no need
to run outside
for better seeing.

Nor to peer from a window.

Rather abide at
the center of your being;
for the more you leave it
the less you learn.

Search your heart
and see
the way to do
is to be. -Lao tzu, translator unknown

That's it. For me that is it and that is the space I hold for clients. Am I lucky or what!

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

"Discover the Power of Choice!"

2007-02-21T11:17:00.000-08:00

"Joy has nothing to do with material things, or with a man's outward circumstance...A man living in the lap of luxory can be wretched, and a man in the depths of poverty can overflow with joy" -William Barclay

As I continue to receive emails from my sister in Tanzania I am pulled to reading this quote.
We seem to have it so backward here in the U.S. Its not the stuff that has meaning, its being present, joyful, connected to now that is the meaning.

I keep wondering how many times I need to say it or hear it. To be able to be here but not be of it, not let it swallow me so that I forget once again what the true meaning of our existance is. Giving and receiving with compassion.

Okay I'm reconnected to it for now. The work is bringing myself back to it over and over again. Unlearning the need to be right, win, be better than, have more than...

How about you?

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

"Discover the Power of Choice"

Ease

2007-02-19T17:15:00.000-08:00

I like the word "ease" when I'm stressed simply saying I want more ease in my life generates a shift.

How can that be, by just identifying what you want a shift happens... Well not always but I have found it likely that when I identify something I have a much higher likelihood of receiving it.

The work ease symbolizes pausing, taking my time, kindness abounds when I think of ease. Thats another of my favorite words KINDNESS. I think it's underrated and often under utilized in this busy world we live in. We forget that small acts of kindness can and do create positive change.

Take a moment to envision what your day might look like if you were to get your need for ease and kindness met. Who will you be?

EASE, share that gift with someone you love!

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

Stay with your heart

2007-02-15T09:38:00.000-08:00

It seems like I learn this lesson over and over again. When I stay connected to my heart and allow it to lead my head I am not only more kind and compassionate I make better choices, feel more connected, have more energy and my whole life feels more abundant.

When I get lost in my head and old stories pop in I can become afraid and with fear I become irritable and unsure of myself and my relationship to the world.

To reconnect to my heart one of the things I do is read my personal rules for living; stay connected to my higher self, love and appreciate myself, my family, friends, clients, and the world. Listen for connections and shifts, stay focused on the practice of being present in the moment, communicate compassionately, share my passion for balance, and question societal norms and beliefs.

I'm reconnected now! Thanks for listening and now it's your turn. How do you reconnect to your heart and what is your purpose?

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

"Discover the power of choice"

The Secret of Life

2007-02-13T08:54:00.000-08:00

"The secret of life is three words: change through relationships."
-J Krishnamurti

Thats a quote to consider! I find myself often avoiding difficult conversations with people because I think it's too hard, not worth it, they will think I'm too sensitive...

What I know is when I do choose to have those conversations I grow and learn and I create a new level of intimacy with that person and it's still hard...

Could shifting perspective and choosing to look at relationships as ways to change, grow and become our best support each of us to delve a little deeper when necessary. To not give up or give in but to explore what are options are. To know when to let go and when to continue...these are the changes we can learn from, grow from and simply be more alive and present with!

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

P.S. Due to getting spammed with 180 anonymous comments I have had to remove commenting at this time. I will reconnect it if I can figure out how not to get the spam. Thanks to all who have commented in the past!

Tanzania

2007-02-09T08:59:00.000-08:00

"What we think, or what we know, or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only consequence is what we do." -John Ruskin

My oldest sister is in Tanzania right now volunteering for six weeks as a nurse. She is doing powerful work there and supporting these beautiful people in so many ways. When reading the above quote I thought of her. She has a lot of knowledge and opinions and beliefs and those all lead her to do her work now in a new and exciting way. You can feel her passion through her emails.

Here is one of my favorite quotes from her letters. "I met a local schoolteacher yesterday and she said that in the first grade they learn how to get along with others, address their elders and love each other. It a subject like Swahili or math...
They are too much." Diane D.

In Tanzania they are doing things differently than we do and I wonder about all of our doings here in America. Are we teaching our children to care, respect, and love one another?

That's what I want for our children and so I will continue to do my best to share and model those values.
How about you!

Miso

2007-02-08T09:47:00.000-08:00

I've rediscovered miso soup and I find it an easy,healthy, satisfying lunch or snack. As far as soy goes its one of the best ways to eat it. It comes in a variety of kinds, light, dark... You may want to experiment to see what your palate likes best. I prefer the light myself. You can make miso soup very simple by boiling water, placing a tablespoon of miso in a cup and pouring the water over it. Mix and drink it up. I prefer to add either chopped green onion or steamed vegetables.
The key to keeping the nutrients alive is to never boil miso. Add the miso paste after the water boils and then you can simmer for a bit if you are adding tofu, vegetables...

The other way to get a healthy dose of miso is to make homemade salad dressing.
1/4 cup miso
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger OR 1 tsp ginger powder
water as needed (optional)

Use a fork or whisk, beat until smooth. This will keep in refrigerator for a week.

Give it a try, notice if it feels good in your body.

Conforming

2007-02-06T10:18:00.000-08:00

"Remember we are surrounded by messages to conform. The only way to resist is to be true to that inner voice" -Cecile Andrews

What does conforming mean to you?

How do you stay connected to that inner voice that can support you to stay true to yourself and why would you want to?

Consider what your life might look like if you spent more time checking in with yourself and not getting caught up in doing something just because everyone else does it.

Are they having fun?

I can't tell you the number of times I have had a parent share how stressed they are at having such a full schedule of kids activities but “oh well, we all do this”. I always think about my father who would often say "if your best friend jumped off a cliff would you just jump after her??" We don't "all" do that and by making global statements about what “we” do inadvertently pressures others to conform.

It takes courage, reflection, and well thought out choices to make the most of your time. Create the life you truly want by connecting, reflecting and redirecting your choices from that inner voice!

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

Support

2007-01-31T11:13:00.000-08:00

“The only way to cross from one form of our life to the next is by taking steps: We can’t just talk the talk, we have to walk our walk.” -Hale Sofia Schatz

What does walking your walk look like?

This is where we often get stuck. It’s easy to talk about the next steps we want to take but taking them often gets pushed to the side with the fullness of our lives.

What can you do to take action?

Get support. Whether it’s a group, a friend, your partner, parent, teacher, mentor, coach…simply stating what you want to change to someone else can have a profound effect. We are trained to believe we can do it alone and yes we often can and it’s much more fun to share our growth with others. It can meet needs for mutuality, contribution, friendship, intimacy and you may feel more excited, encouraged and confident in making the changes you desire.

Take action now call in support!

Coaching for balance, connection and health

Appreciations

2007-01-29T13:03:00.000-08:00

What are you appreciating right now…if you’re not appreciating anything take a moment of your time to take a couple of deep breaths and experience appreciation. Whether it is as simple as the cup of coffee or tea you had this morning, the gentle hug from your partner or child, caressing your pet, the sun shining, your car started…speak it all to yourself and then simple notice if your outlook on life has shifted a bit.

It’s easy to lose our sense of gratitude for the simple pleasures of our daily lives as we hurry to keep up with the world around us.

One of my sisters is in Africa working at a small hospital and as she emails back to our world I recognize how out of touch I can be with recognizing the gifts of comfort I have. I want to arouse a much greater sense of appreciation for the ease and peace I have in my life.

Coaching for balance, connection and health.

Thai Sauce

2007-01-23T10:19:00.000-08:00

This is Mark's recipe and I use it for tempeh and tofu, he uses it for chicken as well. It's an easy, delicious marinade. Serve the protein over a bed of rice, steamed greens or noodles with a side of steamed veges.

1 bottle hoisen sauce
low sodium tamari or soy sauce
braggs liquid amino acids
1/2 bunch cilantro finely chopped,
juice of 1 lime
tsp-table sambal olek or chile paste (to taste)
2 tbles minced fresh ginger
4 cloves minced garlic

Pour hoisen sauce into a bowl. Use hoisen bottle to measure an equal amount of tamari/braggs mixture and pour that into bowl. Add all other ingredients and pour into a container with a lid, shake well. This keeps in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. You can marinate for a 1/2-1 hour or overnight. I steam the tempeh before marinating as it holds the sauce better.

Compassionate Communication

2007-01-22T09:20:00.000-08:00

We did a compassionate communication workshop this weekend in the community I live in. I am continually amazed at what happens to us when we gather to do work that connects us more fully to our hearts. By the end of the workshop the whole energy of the place had shifted. The amount of gratitude and love that was in the room was palpable.

Compassionate communication is about staying in relationship. As a result of that their is a mutual giving from the heart that then supports each of us to get our needs met more often.

Its a shift in thinking, communicating and acting that is based in your heart.
Interested in learning more go to the NVC website.

"In hell, people have chopsticks a yard long so they cannot reach their monuths. In heaven, the chopsticks are the same length-but people feed one another."
-Vietnamese folk wisdom

Pressure cookers

2007-01-19T13:08:00.000-08:00

I know I am a little behind on my recipes so for those waiting I will have one out next week.

In the meantime I wanted to share a new kitchen item that I can't imagine living without now that I have one. We bought a pressure cooker about three months ago. We cook beans, rice, vegetables, and soups in it. It has saved time, energy, nutrients and more. If I soak beans overnight it takes between 12-15 minutes to cook instead of an hour or two. Vegetables cook in just a couple of minutes and because of the tight seal and small amount of water used you don't lose the nutrients in the foods.

The biggest gift to me is the time savings. If you are looking for ways to decrease cooking time and increase healthy meals this is a great option. They are a bit spendy and are meant to last a lifetime, its a long term investment for health. We bought a Kuhn-Rikon and have been really happy with it.

"No man can be happy without a friend, nor be sure of his friend till he is unhappy"
-Thomas Fuller MD
That's it. May you all have a healthy, happy, inspired weekend!

Coaching for connection, balance, and health.

Authentic Happiness

2007-01-17T10:01:00.000-08:00

I'm reading a new book "Authentic Happiness" by Martin Seligman. It's full of data about what factors into being happy. One of the big factors is having an active social life. I find that fascinating as I was just appreciating a friend for her commitment to staying connected to so many of her friends. She's one of the happiest people I know and this book just shared one of the reasons why.

If you're ready to explore your options for greater happiness, step up your social life a notch and see what happens. I don't mean you need to overwhelm yourself and add more stress to a busy life. Simply notice where the opportunities are to share a walk, a cup of tea, potluck meal, movie, lunch, a chat...

Let happiness unfold by sharing time with people you love.

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

Routine

2007-01-16T11:10:00.000-08:00

I've had numerous "aha" moments over the last week. What I am noticing is when I stick with my routine often I don't get enough stimulation to inspire my day.

For example: I have been drinking the same cup of tea every morning for a couple of years. While it meets a need for comfort and ritual if I never try a new kind I won't know if something else might be even better. I have varied my tea drinking in the last week and have found some delicious new flavors.

Be it driving down a different street to the grocery store, trying a new coffee shop, exploring a new exercise class, listening to new music...I'm now committed to checking out more of life and being conscious of how often I do something out of habit versus joy. Varying my routine wakes me up and brings more inspiration to my days.

If you are interested in exploring this start with one simple thing a day and do it a bit differently. Step out of your routine and see what happen!

Remember the old saying "Variety is the spice of life"
Give it a whirl.

Coaching for connection, balance, and health.

Our Conscience

2007-01-12T10:27:00.000-08:00

"The changes in our lives must come from the
impossibility to live otherwise than according
to the demands of our conscience."
-Leo Tolstoy

How loud does your conscience have to get before you change?

Thinking about my own experiences and coaching others I have found it varies. It's about how closely you are listening, honing your intuition, trusting something greater than yourself, being brave, letting go of old beliefs, wanting passion and joy more than pleasing others, leading instead of following...

It takes lots and each of us has the power to step into the change that brings us to our purpose.

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

Aha moments

2007-01-10T10:59:00.000-08:00

I'm having frequent aha moments on the topic of connection this week. I have had numerous conversations with friends about what we choose to do when we aren't feeling so great. For many of us we turn inward, to journals, meditating, just being with it...which is important on some level.

The magic I've experienced this week is by simply connecting with others, be it calling, walking, going to a coffee shop...I shift. Often its because I'm being acknowledged, or affirmed, or I'm receiving empathy. We are tribal, we need each other. It's okay to reach out. When you do it you offer the first step to empower others to get and give support. Getting support gives a gift too! The other person feels good that they can be there for you.
So if this resonates step out from looking inward and reach out.
I believe you won't regret it.
Connection...it's contagious!

Coaching you to balance, connection and health!

2007-01-09T12:58:00.000-08:00

“You’re not going to find the meaning of life hidden under a rock written by someone else. You’ll only find it by giving meaning to life from inside yourself.”
-Dr. Robert Firestone

Life from inside yourself…hummm how do we get there? Once again is it by choosing to take time to breathe, reflect, dream, contemplate and perhaps share with someone you love.

A New Mind

2007-01-05T11:27:00.000-08:00

I recently read the book "A Whole New Mind" by Daniel Pink, it was very interesting and inspiring to read. The premise is that we, as a culture, are moving from the information age to the conceptual age. To move into this new age with great skill we need to appreciate and become familiar with the gifts the right side of our brain offers. For those of you who are more right brained this might feel like a relief and at the same time pretty exciting. Your gifts are going to support you in this transitional time.

I encourage you to read this book and familiarize yourself with his ideas.
What I really liked about it was that it was positive and offered you choices to learn new ways.

If you read it, I'd love to hear what you think!

To move forward takes action, and the belief that you can.

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

Mediterranean Stew

2007-01-04T11:52:00.000-08:00

Stews are great winter comfort foods and they freeze well. This is one of our favorites.
Serves 4-6
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 and 1/2 cups chopped onions
1-2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tsp of salt
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes or 1 24 ounce can of diced
4 cups peeled, cubed new potatoes
1 bunch kale or swiss chard stems removed and chopped
1/2 pound green beans, stems removed
1/4 cup chopped parsley, and or basil
1 cup feta cheese
Juice of 2-3 lemons or more to taste
ground black pepper to taste
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
2-3 cups cooked or canned cannellini beans or bean of choice
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Heat oil in a soup pot. Stir in garlic and onions, cover and saute on low heat for 5-10 minutes until onions are translucent. Add oregano, salt, tomatoes, potatoes, and green beans. Cover and simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender, add kale or swiss chard and simmer for another 5 minutes or so. Add the cooked cannellini beans.
Just before serving, stir in parsley, basil, lemon juice, and pepper. Adjust seasonings to taste. Sprinkle feta cheese and pepper flakes on individual servings and enjoy!

Happy New You

2007-01-02T12:35:00.000-08:00

Ahhh we have a New Year, a prime opportunity to reflect and ponder what you want for yourself?

Who do you want to be this year?

It's inviting to recognize that the ritual of the New Year gives us this time and we can spend it focusing on what we want and need.

Do we want this year to be the year where we face our greatest fears, love ourselves beyond measure, find balance, develop gratitude and forgiveness, learn to tie our shoes (just checking to see if you are actually paying attention)...
New Year, New Awareness, New Moments, New Life!

Take this opportunity to make a plan to discover more of yourself.
Create SMART goals- Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timed and go for it.

Every time I work in rehab and am caring for people whose lives have taken a very difficult turn I am reminded "this is it, don't waste another moment not being whoever it is you are meant to be".

Be it, do it for yourself and for everybody else. We are each here for a purpose, if you haven't already found yours, now is the time.

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

Reflecting

2006-12-28T09:22:00.000-08:00

How was Christmas for you? Did you have feelings of gratitude, excitement, peace, contentment...or did other feelings surface?

What needs were met for you? Connection, relaxation, stimulation...
As I reflect about my holiday I feel a smile coming on because it really met a lot of my needs and I believe the needs of my family.

It hasn't always been that way. As I grow and continue to listen to my deepest needs my family seems to come right along with me. We experimented with less material gifts this year. I noticed a greater appreciation for what each gift was and many were utilized right away. We spent much of Christmas day doing crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, eating great food, getting outdoors, and visiting with friends and neighbors.

I did find that being fully present was a much greater gift than any present under our tree.

Coaching for connection, balance and health.

Merry Christmas

2006-12-22T11:03:00.000-08:00

Remember it's your presence more than the presents.

Its giving without expectation,
receiving with joy and appreciation,
caring and sharing,
moments of laughter,spontaneity, and play,
experiencing delight and awe of these precious moments
in this life!

Love,
Carol

Coaching for connection, health and balance!

Your Purpose

2006-12-20T09:50:00.000-08:00

My coach gave me a homework assignment for the New Year and I want to share it with you. The exercise is designed to find your life purpose.

For five days as you go to bed at night ask yourself what your life purpose is. When you wake up in the morning before you do anything else write down whatever comes to mind about the subject. Don't think to hard. Write fast and spontaneously. Don't look at your writing after you are done. On the fifth day schedule in time to meditate and reflect. Find a place you can get quiet and present. Do what works for you to achieve that state. Then read over all you wrote. Now take time again to reflect by meditating or breathing consciously and when you are ready stop and write down what your life purpose is.

Now you have your purpose, don't panic, visualize it...recognize it is an unfolding. There are steps you will take to get there. Use it as a guide and trust your inner knowing.

If you choose to do it I'd love to hear you purpose!

Coaching for connection, health and balance.

Making a difference

2006-12-19T09:02:00.000-08:00

There are so many moments, so many possibilities to make a difference. Large and small it's about being aware of the vast opportunities that abound in life.

I want to appreciate all of you who have given me the opportunity to make a difference. It truly lights up my life and engages my passion to be my best. Thank you!

This week in the hustle and bustle of the season take a moment to stop, breathe, and notice the possibilities. Then be in gratitude for yourself and the abundance in which you can give!

Make a difference, one moment at a time.

Coaching for connection, health and balance!

Global Climate Crisis

2006-12-15T14:33:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to see a presentation on the Global Climate Crisis last evening. It was delivered by Bill Bradbury the Oregon Secretary of State.

I was inspired and encouraged to hear that Al Gore is training 1,000 people in the U.S. to deliver his message wherever they can. Bill Bradbury went through his training and is willing to come and talk to any group of 50 or more. He has parts of the power point from the film with some additional specific information about Oregon.

It is a grassroots approach to getting this message out to as many people as possible. And in the end the message is a hopeful one. We can change what needs to be changed to make a difference and we need to do it now.

Change happens when you choose it!

gifts that keep on giving

2006-12-13T09:11:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for gifts that keep on giving here are two organizations that I have supported in the past and will continue to do so. One is Beads for Life. You can buy necklaces, bracelets, and other items. The money goes to create sustainable incomes for women in Uganda. The breakdown of where the money goes is available on the website.
The second organization is Trees for Life this organization gives a gift of fruit tree plantings in area's of the world in need. Both have a great mission and are doing amazing work in the world to eradicate poverty and hunger.

They also have price ranges to fit any budget. Check them out if you have a need to share gifts that keep on giving.

In the same spirit I am inspired to offer a free gift for those of you who feel you would benefit from a coaching session to create a vision for the New Year. I will offer five sessions to the first five women that respond. This offer is for women who have not worked with me in the past. If you are interested or know of someone else you want to share this with feel free to pass this on. These sessions are done on the phone. Call 389-0831 or email me at cdelmonico@my180.net to sign up.

A seed

2006-12-08T19:18:00.000-08:00

"If somebody doesn't begin to provide some kind of harmony, we will not be able to develop sanity in this world at all.
Somebody has to plant the seed so that sanity can happen on this earth."
-Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

Seems like there are more and more people out planting seeds. The thing is often you have to look outside the mainstream to see it. And therein lies the challenge much of the time for so many people.

How do I find the time to seek out the good news in the world?

Here is an opportunity for you to share where you get inspired, where you hear the news of "seeds being planted", where you see sanity happening...

Take a moment to write a comment and you will have supported someone else. I've already shared my favorite magazine "Ode" and there is Utne Reader, Orion and...Let us know!

Thank you, and may you get out there and plant your own seed.

A Healthier Chocolate Chip Cookie

2006-12-08T13:59:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe years ago in a magazine and have tweaked it a bit. The cookies are sweet but not too sweet and we love them best out of the freezer. I often make these over the holidays so if I get a craving I can satisfy it without too much sugar.
2 cups spelt or whole wheat flour
2 ½ cups oats (toasted in oven at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup ground flax meal
2 cups toasted almonds, walnuts or pecans or a mixture of the three
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup canola oil
1 cup agave or maple syrup
4 tsp vanilla extract
To toast oats place on a baking sheet in the oven with temperature at 350degrees for 10-15 minutes then allow to cool. Grind the oats in a food processor to a coarse meal. You can toast your nuts the same way, keep a close eye as they don’t take long to toast 3-7 minutes. Coarsely chop nuts.
Position oven rack in middle of oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. (Because there is no butter these can stick to the pan if you don’t use parchment)
Place ground oats, flour, flax seed meal, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Stir well with a wire whisk. Add chocolate chips and nuts and stir again.
Combine oil, syrup, and vanilla in a bowl. Whisk vigorously until emulsified. Stir wet ingredients into dry, don’t over mix.
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets about 11/2 inches apart. Flatten dough a bit and smooth edges.
Only bake one sheet of cookies at a time. The cookies take between 12-18 minutes they should be lightly browned on the bottom. Allow to cool on sheet and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. They will keep a week in the refrigerator in an air tight container or in freezer for weeks.