The Bigger Questions

I hope you’re well and that the new year has been good to you so far. I haven’t been in touch for awhile as I chose to take some down time in January to relax and reflect. However, it was not the complete escape I was hoping for as there is always so much happening. So I extended my retreat into February and, lo and behold, another month has already passed.

You may recall that last year was a significant year of transition for me. To recap, my youngest son graduated from college, my husband retired, we sold our home, and moved from Chicago to Greenville, South Carolina. And here we are, six months in and still living in an apartment while the bulk of our belongings are in storage. So why haven’t we found our new home? Great question!

First, I think my husband and I both needed to exhale after such a significant transition. Having owned three different homes in the past 30 years, it feels kind of nice to not have that responsibility.

And we have loved living in a small city (with a big city vibe). Just steps from our door we can find delicious food, theatre, music, and shopping. There’s also a gorgeous waterfall in the center of town and a bike path that winds through nature. Hiking in the mountains is just a short car drive away.

But I think consciously, or subconsciously, there’s another force at play. I just don’t think I am ready to commit to buying a home so far away from where my boys live. So why did we move in the first place?

Well…about a year ago our oldest son moved to California and our youngest was planning to apply to medical schools all over the country. So realizing there was no reason to stay in Chicago and wait for them to visit us, we expanded our horizons.

After much searching, we were guided back to the Carolinas where we had lived when our children were young. We had always loved the mountains, so we set out to find our new home close to the vortex near Asheville, North Carolina. But when we stumbled upon nearby Greenville, South Carolina, we felt like we’d found a little slice of heaven.

Fast forward, here we are in our small apartment in Greenville, loving the mild climate and the beauty of the mountains, the happy and friendly people, and the aforementioned abundance of things to do.

But here’s the thing. After we had already made the move, my oldest son decided to move back to Chicago to attend grad school. And my youngest son is now considering medical school in the Midwest. Hello? Could you not have made these decisions before we packed up the truck and moved our belongings south?

I know you parents of older children are laughing and saying, “Never plan your life around your children because the likelihood of them staying put is slim to none.” I know of more than one instance of a couple buying a home where their children lived only to have the children move soon thereafter.

But there’s another piece to this puzzle that invites reflection. I didn’t choose to leave Chicago just because my children were no longer there. I chose to leave because the energy of life had grown stagnant.

Once the boys moved away our home just wasn’t the same. It was too quiet. Too many empty rooms filled with memories. I felt like even the house wanted us to leave so a new family with little children could move in.

The neighborhood that was perfect for raising children where they could safely play outside and walk or ride bikes to school and the parks, made me miss them even more. I would pass the soccer fields where my boys played or hear the high school band that my son participated in practicing, and I’d get a knot in my stomach wondering how it all went by so fast.

I just felt like if I stayed there a part of me would die.

The nice, neat package of a life I had created felt comfortable but too confining now. I needed to step into a new chapter where I could be fully alive once again.

Even though this new path was filled with uncertainty, I felt my Soul calling me to expand and take a leap of faith. So, I leapt!

Here’s the thing…I still miss my boys A LOT! I miss not just them, but the life we shared as a family unit for so many years. And despite the advice of other parents, I do plan to move to wherever they land once they’re married and have children.

This leap has invited me to process through a deep level of grief with the possibility of arriving at a greater understanding of my relationship with my boys and my role as “mom” now that they’re grown.

But the leap has also resulted in a huge burst of new, live-giving energy. I literally feel a higher frequency here. I’m not sure if it’s the close proximity to the vortex or just a more positive approach to life in this area. Whatever it is, I don’t want to leave it!

I’m curious to discover what adventures my Soul wants to take…

* Who am I now when the roles I’ve played are shifting?

* What spiritual depths and heights are waiting to be explored?

* What is my Sacred Mission for this chapter of my life?

* What is the Universe asking of me?

* What do I most deeply desire?

And the all-important question, when will I get to move my things out of storage and into my new home?

At this time on the planet, when there is so much suffering, chaos, and uncertainty, we’re all being invited to ask the bigger questions and play our part in finding the answers.

Don’t be afraid of the darkness – the void. It’s not a tomb. It’s a womb where a new creation is being birthed!

Be bold. Be Daring. Be AWE-dacious!

P.S. There’s so much Co-Creation happening. I can’t wait to share more with you soon.

What is the Great Pause all about?

I’m excited to share that I will be joining my dear friend and Co-Creatrix, Sheila Cash, for a panel discussion during World Unity Week entitled, “The Great Pause in Moving Humanity Forward”.

We’ve all been barreling forward in an exciting, at times thrilling, evolutionary progression these past years. Every day, if not every minute new and innovative ideas, resources and tools are suddenly in view. In certain ways, our brains have been preparing under the radar gradually over a lifetime and in other ways our trillions of cells are venturing into unprecedented levels of re-integration each millisecond. Every level of our consciousness – spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically is learning superpowers of adaptability.

Never a boring moment!

In the meantime, what has become increasingly apparent is that burgeoning numbers of people are taking a pause. Some have left their jobs or even careers altogether. Many have taken several month vacations or longer sabbaticals. Others who aren’t able to manage that logistically are practicing dedicated blocks of time in nature and meditation. I’ve actually taken two pauses in the past two years, and am just emerging from the second!

While we’ve talked about letting go of old standards of thinking for decades, we’re experiencing the genuine shifts now. We’re finally flowing from DOing to BEing. There is a quietness and an exhale that is rippling through conscious circles.

Sheila calls it “The Great Pause.” Here’s what she says, “What’s intriguing is the sense that there is more to the bigger picture of evolution here. Attunement to life’s impulses reveals trends within humanity as universal energies that are being intricately orchestrated by the intelligent universe. This is about more than just rethinking our jobs. This current phenomena is revealing an organic realignment in preparation for our collective future. Our personal experiences are harbingers of what is forming ahead.

Might this phenomena actually be preparing us for a new level of co-creation globally?

I’m inviting a panel of thought leaders who have spoken about their own need for a pause recently to come together in opening up more personal perspective of this global phenomenon and how it relates to our collective future.”

You are warmly invited to join us on Zoom for this relevant discussion that is a sign of our times:

“The Great Pause in Moving Humanity Forward”

World Unity Week

Friday, June 23 – 12:30-2pm ET

Convergence Room:“Humanity as Organism Thrives”

stewarded by: Dr. Tom Acklin and Haseena Patel

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REGISTER NOW FOR YOUR ZOOM LINK TO JOIN US HERE:

​https://peaceofcreation.com​

You are a significant expression of the life impulse. All that comes to you and through you reflects the leading edge of humanity’s future. Let’s discover more together of what universal energies are forming now and how it can inspire you and all of us!

Be bold. Be Daring. Be AWE-dacious!

P.S. World Unity Week is a free event co-hosted by our friends at Unity Earth and the SINE Network. You can learn more here…https://worldunityweek.org/

Freedom Beyond Fear

Last year, following our incredible online summit – Creatrix Convergence 2022, my co-creatrix and I had planned to launch a new program. But my gut and everything in me was telling me to “STOP”. It wasn’t clear why, but I heeded the guidance. In fact, I even went so far as to make the decision to close my business completely as I’ve shared here previously.

It wasn’t until year-end that I had an opportunity to sit back and reflect on 2022. And the revelation that came to me was – overall it was a really “crappy” year. I hate to say that. In fact, I don’t believe I’ve ever said that. I’m a glass half full type of person who always finds the good in any situation. But I just couldn’t deny the truth. And glossing over the reality was causing me harm.

Beginning in June, it felt like a relentless attack was occurring on myself and my family. One crisis or challenging event after another. So, I did like I always do. I went into survival mode and managed through it to the best of my ability not concerning myself with the impact it was having on my body and psyche.

In December, I was at an appointment where they took my blood pressure. It was uncharacteristically high. Not only had I never had high blood pressure, mine was always in a very healthy range. I didn’t become overly concerned and assumed it was simply a result of all the stress of the year confident it would return to normal once life calmed down.

In January, I had it taken again with the same result – higher than it should be. Additionally, I had been experiencing light headedness for about a month at that time.

Playing it safe, I made an appointment with my integrative physician who suggested we do some blood work just to see if there’s anything out of the ordinary. The bloodwork came back fine so he suggested I take my blood pressure each morning to track it.

That’s when things got interesting. I found that any time I went to take it I would become highly anxious. So much so that I couldn’t get an accurate reading. It was like being caught in a loop. The device I needed to check to be sure I was okay actually made me not okay. So now what?

This is a road I’ve been down many times. I’ve lived with anxiety around illness for as long as I can remember, having acquired it from my mom and exacerbated by the fact that my dad died of cancer at just 56 years old.

I’ve even done significant healing work to address this in the past – so why is it coming up again? Why now? And why this?

Easy answer…I got really stressed last year as a result of all the mayhem. I felt off kilter (lightheadedness) and high tension (elevated blood pressure). I get very anxious around issues of health. So, take some blood pressure medication and be done with it.

Hard answer…I got really stressed last year as a result of the mayhem. I felt off kilter (lightheadedness) and high tension (elevated blood pressure). I get very anxious around issues of health. So, address the underlying cause of the health anxiety at a deeper level than ever before so you can rid yourself of this once and for all and restore health, wholeness, and vitality to your life.

I chose the latter because, apparently, I love a challenge.

Here’s the thing – I tend to have very healthy habits. I eat well, take supplements, maintain a healthy weight, exercise, sleep fairly well. So many of the things suggested to lower blood pressure were already part of my routine.

I decided to double down on my meditation practice and began incorporating Yoga and Qi Gong more regularly into my schedule – also trying to be very intentional about slowing down and relaxing.

Additionally, a friend had recommended a book called “The Emotion Code: How to Release Your Trapped Emotions for Abundant Health, Love, and Happiness” by Dr. Bradley Nelson. I was fascinated by it. Yes, I knew that trapped emotions could lead to illness and dis-ease, but I had never heard of such an easy way to release them. Knowing the likelihood that I had boat loads of trapped emotions, I found an Emotion Code practitioner and began working with her remotely.

Here’s what’s really cool…the released emotions don’t just come from this lifetime so it makes sense that we wouldn’t be aware of them. They can be pre-natal (while in the womb), pre-conception (hard to even imagine), and from past lives. And the clearing happens not just for me but for my ancestors and future generations. Power-full!!

Although my health has not yet been completely restored, shifts are happening and the symptoms are lessening. Of course, I want to be healthy as quickly as possible. But I also know that if I rush the process I may miss out on a tremendous opportunity for growth and transformation.

I’m not alone in having deep seated emotions coming up from the subconscious for healing. In my case, I’ve named it fear and anxiety. Another soul sister is working on guilt and shame, while another is addressing loneliness and isolation.

Why? Why is all of this coming up now?

Because it’s time, dear SiStars. Time to heal at the deepest levels of our being. To break through all of the unconscious patterns, behaviors, beliefs, and programs that have kept us in suffering, separation, lack, and limitation.

It can be deceptive. Trapped emotions may show up as subconscious habits or ways of being. An approach to life we’ve always taken without realizing the detrimental effect it’s having on our health, happiness, and flourishing.

We can’t move forward and co-create the New Future if we’re held back by trapped emotions, lower frequency vibrations, and unhealed wounds. These energies are keeping us in bondage – preventing us from fully stepping into our True Essence and Magnificence.

Trust me, I know it can be scary to go there – to do the shadow work. I know it can feel like we’re just digging up wounds and scars that are better left undisturbed. But the reality is even if we’re not conscious of them – they’re there – wreaking havoc in many cases.

And when we have the courage to “do the work”, we discover there’s freedom on the other side. A freedom we may have never experienced and that we’re destined to remember.

It can sometimes feel lonely to be walking our individual healing journey that no one can completely understand because it’s our unique path. But along the way, in addition to the incredible support of my Soul Sisters, I have felt the love and nurturing of my guides and teachers.

On February 1st, a day known as Imbolc in the Gaelic tradition, marking the mid-point between the winter solstice and spring equinox, I had a wonderful encounter with Brigid, the Goddess of pre-Christian Ireland. I awoke early in the morning and while lying in bed received clarity that my symptoms were being caused by my fear and anxiety. By naming it as emotions I knew I could heal, I felt a tremendous amount of relief and actually felt my heart and head relax.

Later that morning, as I was shuffling my Divine Feminine oracle deck (created by Meggan Watterson) a card popped out. I turned it over and saw to my delight it was Brigid! She was there to assure me I was not alone on this healing journey. The card said…

“There’s that moment when you’re making your way through the dark and suddenly (after what feels like days, or months, or even years) a ray of light comes through to you. A lightening happens. Each step isn’t quite as hard to make as the one before. And you feel a great shift begin, as if now you’re headed toward something new. Something even brighter. Brigid is the essence of that first flame, that first ray of light. Brigid reminds us that the darkness never lasts.”

Imagine how your life will change as you expand your body temple to be able to hold more of the higher frequencies and operate from a higher consciousness here on Earth!

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Be bold. Be Daring. Be AWE-dacious!

P.S. I truly hope you are well. But if you, too, are feeling the pull to address emotions, thoughts, or symptoms you’ve been avoiding, I encourage you to not put it off any longer. Freedom is on the other side of fear and you’re not alone – we’re in this together!

And if you’re on a healing journey I’d love to hear from you so I can provide support and encouragement. Just reply to this email. Sending so much love!! xoxo

Restoring the Sacred

In ancient days and past lives the Temple was a place of worship.  Where Goddesses and Priestesses were honored, respected, and revered.  Where community gathered to pray, engage in ceremony and rituals, and offer sacrifices to the Divine.

Over time, the Temple changed as patriarchy and hierarchy implemented rules and protocols for belonging.  A separation occurred.  A heaviness descended.  A darkness emerged.

It is now OUR TIME to Restore the Temple and Restore the Sacred.  And women will lead the way forward. 

In Sacred Circle together…

We Realize –

Our Individual and Collective Sovereignty

We Release  –

Letting Go and Surrendering

Getting Naked and Vulnerable

Acknowledging our Wounds as Sacred

Allowing to fall away old beliefs, identities, and things that no longer serve

We Remember –

Our Connection to Mother Earth, the Cosmos, Source, Sisterhood

Our Inherent Worth and Dignity as Daughters of the Divine

Our Voice that speaks Our Truth

Our Authenticity and Pure Essence

Our Life Force and Goddess Energy

We Rise Renewed –

Transformed and Abundantly Free

Evolving and Ascending into our Feminine Genius

Tapping into our Intuition and Deepest Heart’s Desire

Moving through the world in Lightness of Being with Ease, Flow, and Grace

Exploring and Sharing our Creativity

We Reimagine –

Engaging our Fierce Feminine through Inspired Action and Sacred Impact

Claiming our AWE-thentic Power and Holy AWE-dacity

Connecting with and Drawing from the Field of Infinite Possibilities

Dreaming a New World into Being

Birthing a New Creation

We Re-Unite –

In Unconditional Love

The Divine Feminine and Sacred Masculine

The Light and The Dark

Heaven and Earth

As Above So Below

The Temple is no longer a place where we need to go to be in the Presence of the Divine.  We now know that the Temple is within each and every one of us. As close to us as the beating of our Heart.

  Our Body is the Temple of the Spirit.  Where we are invited to embrace ourselves as Healthy, Whole, and Holy.

For the Sovereign Feminine…

Her Medicine is her Presence

Her Beauty is her Offering

Her Wisdom is her Gift

She is All that is Good, True, and Beautiful. 

This is the New Temple.  The Temple of the Sovereign Feminine.  And we are Her in all Her Radiant Splendor!

Welcome Home Sister!

Freedom & Flow

Where’s Williams??

Not that I am so self-absorbed to think any of you have asked this question over the past ten months.  After all, you have plenty to keep you occupied amidst the ongoing chaos.

But for those of you in this AWE-mazing Sisterhood who have wondered, I thought it was time to share where I disappeared to and why. I wish I could say I decided to escape to a far off destination until the madness ceased.  But, alas, my story is not that romantic.

My first blog post was in January of 2016, and for five years I wrote consistently at least once a month.  Until I abruptly and unexpectedly stopped this past February.  I say unexpectedly because this was not at all in my plan.  If you have been following you know I was in the midst of sharing lots of posts, interviews, videos, and trainings focused on social impact and women’s empowerment.

So, what happened?  Well, in February I was in meditation.  And let me just add that I had committed in 2021 to devoting my mornings to spiritual reading, reflection, and meditation recognizing that more time spent on the “inner work” would lead to more impact on the “outer work”.

Who knew how profound this decision would be!

So, I’m sitting in meditation and I receive a download, or guidance from the higher realms.  I get this a lot; however, it’s only recently that I’ve recognized it as such.  Historically, I would have said it just came to me or it was a thought I had.  Now I know I have always been guided and, thankfully, for much of my life have listened to the wisdom.

Anyway, the message that day was crystal clear…

“The Freedom and Flow you’re seeking aren’t out there beyond some goal you’ve set for yourself.  The Freedom and Flow are available to you now.  So why aren’t you choosing them?”

Boom!  I immediately sensed the profundity and knew it was Truth. My Soul had been crying out for Freedom & Flow for a long time.  But what did this message mean for me and my life?

It meant I needed to put AWE Partners on indefinite pause.  Why?  Because something about the way I was running this social enterprise was keeping me from the Freedom & Flow I deeply desired.

Although AWE Partners has been inspired from the start – and I absolutely love all it represents (Authentic Women Empowered) – it had become a burden.  I was spending the bulk of my time “running the business” – trapped on a marketing treadmill that kept me from doing the things I really loved and spending time in my Zone of Genius.  It happens a lot to entrepreneurs, but particularly to those running on-line businesses where you’re constantly trying to get your message out there in a world that grows noisier by the day.

When the message came through it was clear to me.  I had to take a break, re-evaluate, and determine my next course of action.  So I did.  I looked at my calendar, figured out what commitments I needed to follow through on, and stopped any future planning.  Within a couple of weeks, I was completely done.

Now here’s where it gets interesting and surprised the heck out of me.  I didn’t miss it!  Not one iota!  I didn’t miss any of it!

To say I was shocked is an understatement.  How could I not miss the thing I had devoted six years of my life to?  How could I not miss being absorbed in my purpose?  How could I not miss the most fulfilling calling in my life other than motherhood?

How?  I don’t know.  I just didn’t miss it.  In fact, not only did I not miss it – I LOVED IT!  I loved it so much I thought I might never go back.  I might not ever work again.  Why would I when this is so freeing??

AWE Partners 1.0 was complete.  Perhaps there would be an AWE Partners 2.0 or maybe not.  I didn’t know.

I was so happy to JUST BE!!

But here was the even bigger revelation.  I didn’t need AWE Partners to be content or fulfilled.  I didn’t need to say I was a Founder and CEO to feel good about myself.  If someone asked me what I was doing I had no problem saying…”NOTHING”!!

Why is this such a revelation?  Because my entire life had been spent on the path we’re supposed to be on.  You know, the one that’s supposed to make us fulfilled and content.

Study hard, get good grades, go to college, get a good job, make money, get married, buy a house, have children, keep your children off drugs and out of jail, get them into a good college, start a business, volunteer, save the world……

Sound familiar to anyone?

The Freedom & Flow I was seeking required me to step off the path and into the wilderness – the great unknown – where there was no pre-determined path. 

But there was something else that shocked me.  By learning to “Just Be” I discovered that I WAS ENOUGH!

In my book, The Gutsy Guide to Giving, I wrote about how etched on my inner glass ceiling were the words, “You’re Not Good Enough”.  And now, my inner glass ceiling had been shattered!  I knew without a doubt that I was good enough, and I didn’t need to do anything to make that so.  I could truly “Just Be” and that was enough.

For about six months I floated in a river of just being, enjoying every moment of it, until something started niggling at me very gently, asking me to consider what my Soul might want to do next.

Stay tuned and until then…

Be Bold.  Be Daring. Be AWE-dacious!

P.S. Have you been longing for a non-partisan, interfaith Community in which to immerse yourself in Body Wisdom – Heart Opening – Soul Connection? Together, WE are uniting in our Feminine Power to uplift and awaken ourselves and support one another in the TRUTH of who we are. We Lovingly Invite you to Join us in the Awakening of the Sovereign Feminine!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/awakening-of-the-sovereign-feminine-tickets-237886313367

Good-byes, Grief, and Growing New

This past year saw an end to one chapter and the beginning of a new for myself and my husband.  We officially became empty-nesters after dropping our sons off at college, our youngest for the first time.

This is one of those stages in life that you know is coming and do everything you can to prepare for it, and yet when it arrives it still hits you in the gut.

The days and weeks leading up to our son’s departure were filled with shared memories, hugs, laughter, and tears.  However, the day we moved him in turned out to be more rushed than we had anticipated and our good-byes brief.  Maybe a good thing.

And then we arrived home to a VERY quiet house.  No family calendar filled with activities.  No basement filled with teenage boys.  No late-night chats over pizza.  

Just silence.  And gratitude for all the amazing times we’ve had and stories yet to be written.

For the first time in 22 years, I have plenty of time on my hands.  Plenty of time for self-care and soul-care.  Time for family and friends.  Time to re-evaluate the direction for AWE Partners.  And time to dream about the future.

But to ignore the grief would be not only potentially harmful but also inauthentic.  I would be lying if I didn’t admit that there’s a piece of me that feels like it’s missing.  Like it left my body and went off to college.  A piece that can’t be replaced by activities, events, or other people.  

And that’s ok.  The grief is simply an indication of the depth of love I feel for my children and for the life we’ve lived together all these years.  It has molded me and shaped me into the person I am today.  It allowed me to explore the depths of my feminine side and to better understand the depths of the masculine that I have shared space with.

It also allows me to recognize my strength and the strength of all the women who have loved deeply only to release that love out into the world. We women feel the joy and the pain in the depths of our soul and incorporate it into our being adding to the richness of life.

So what next?  Well, apparently, my last birthday was some kind of milestone.  At this stage of life I don’t even count.  I’m just so thrilled to be alive and healthy that birthdays come and go as a celebration. 

But certain family members and friends (who shall remain anonymous) attempted to thwart my positive outlook on life with questions such as, “Do you feel old?”.  Or discussions that centered on providing proof of just how old we are.  

Not going there, girls!   You do you, but the fact is given my DNA I’m likely only at the half-way point of my life.  Which means I have A LOT of years ahead of me.  And I plan to make the best of them.

Rather than growing old, I feel myself GROWING NEW!!

Never before have I been at a place in my life where I felt such potential for freedom.  Freedom from the responsibilities of school or work. Freedom from the responsibilities of parenting.  Freedom from caring what other people think or expect of me. Freedom to follow my bliss and do things that bring me joy.

Freedom to tap into the depths of my soul and listen to the voice of intuition that is guiding me forward toward a calling that my entire life has been preparing me for.  My purpose, my destiny, my dharma.  

Can I see it clearly? No!  Is the path certain?  No!  Do I know how to get there?  Nope!

But those aren’t the questions I’m asking in this second half of life.  Instead, I ask myself…

Can I trust it? Yes!  Am I ready?  Yes!  How can I serve?

How can I empower other women to heal their wounds, trust their journey, answer their calling, and serve from a place of love, compassion, and kindness?

Good-byes and grief are part of the journey, as is darkness.  But the Universe is constantly evolving toward the light and co-creating through us as we grow ourselves new and inspire others to do the same. 

We need you out there as a light-bearer and I could use some companionship.  Will you join me in growing new?

Be bold. Be daring. Be AWE-dacious!

Lis

P.S.  Reach out to me if you want to explore opportunities to partner/collaborate in 2020!

The Sweet Spot Between Your Comfort Zone and Chaos Zone

Has this ever happened to you?  You come up with a great idea.  You dream about it, imagine what would happen if you went for it, and then decide for a variety of reasons not to take the plunge.  Next thing you know, somebody else somewhere on the planet implements your idea with great success.  And you’re left kicking yourself for choosing to stay in your comfort zone.

We all do it.  Make decisions that feel safe, familiar, comfortable.  Who needs more stress and anxiety?  And why would anyone want to risk failure and being judged? 

Why? Because the truth is personal growth and transformation happen when we’re living outside our comfort zone.  When we’re challenging ourselves.
  
Sure, it’s scary.  But the only way to conquer our fears – the only way to freedom – is to walk through it.

You have to experience the fear if you want to overcome it.

So I always encourage women to stop playing small and step outside their comfort zone.  But what happens when you leave your comfort zone only to discover that very quickly you’ve entered the chaos zone?

Not everyone experiences this.  We all know those women who seem to be able to have it all – all at the same time. And if this is working for you – then girlfriend you do you!

But this ain’t me. When I enter the chaos zone I am not good for anything.  I get stressed, overwhelmed, and crabby.  And I wonder how I got there yet again.

Recently, I was trying to understand if this is just my personality.  I know I tend to be a bit of a control freak.  I know I like order and thrive on organization.  But have I always been this way?

Apparently so!

My first job was at McDonald’s.  Now you might think I worked the counter, and I did at times.  But I found it so stressful – particularly when I had to use the ice cream dispenser and could never get the cone to look right.  So instead, I preferred to grill burgers. Honestly, I was fascinated at the process the company used to ensure that every burger came out perfectly.  It should have been clear then that I thrived in an environment that provided organization, structure, and certainty.

My second job was as a waitress at Poppin’ Fresh Pies (now Bakers Square).  Now as long as we weren’t too busy, and I had plenty of time to service my tables all was well.  But when we got “slammed” I was a hot mess.  My friend, Heidi, was the hostess and I would plead with her not to give me another table.
  
Fast forward to becoming a parent.  When I realized that my to-do list was rarely completed in a day and that my time was not my own – the stress set in.  It took me quite awhile before I could adjust to this new reality.  Twenty-two years and two kids later, I think I’m finally beginning to relax now that both boys are out of the house.

But as an entrepreneur I am constantly being pushed outside my comfort zone, which has been a really good thing for me.  I needed to stretch myself.  I needed the challenge.  I needed to remember what skills and talents I possess and the new ones I have yet to acquire.

We forget how much we have to share with the world!

However, it takes discipline for me to know my limits.  Know when I’m stepping over the line and into the chaos zone where I’m just not as effective. Where I don’t thrive.  And, frankly, where I’m miserable and completely miss out on the joy of life.

The key is to know and love yourself just the way you are.  Your personality, your temperament, the way you want to live.  

​​That’s your sweet spot! And it’s absolutely perfect.  Radical self-care and soul-care will help you get there and stay there more often.  

Find the sweet spot between your comfort zone and chaos zone and live there!

Need help knowing how much of yourself to give? 

Book a FREE Impact Breakthrough Session with me here… https://SchedulewithLis.as.me/

Be bold.  Be daring.  Be AWE-dacious!

Are You Using Your Personal GPS?

When one of my favorite books Eat, Pray, Love came out I dreamed of being able to escape like Elizabeth Gilbert did.  But as a wife and mother it wasn’t possible.  Now that my boys are both in college, I took the opportunity to embark on a month-long sabbatical in Portugal and Spain.

There’s nothing like getting away from the day to day responsibilities of life to relax, clear the mind, and ignite the spark of creativity.  For one month I had no “to do list”.  Instead, I found plenty of time for savoring delicious food and sipping wine (Eat).  Time for some inner work, visits to spiritual sites, and co-hosting a small group retreat (Pray).  And quality time with my husband of 28 years (Love).

Yet despite my attempt to disengage, the experiences I encountered kept revealing lessons and metaphors for life that were hard to ignore.

Sometimes we have to step outside our comfort zone to enjoy the grander view

For one week of the excursion I was completely on my own driving through the Duoro Valley, making my way from Porto to Santiago de Compostela to meet my husband who was completing a 200 km walk on the Camino de Santiago.  (He walks…I drive…it works.)

I frequently met women traveling together and they were quick to invite me to join them for dinner, unaware that I was relishing the time to myself.  And when they heard I was driving alone they were shocked as navigating through the city streets was ridiculously confusing.

And then there were the mountains.  As I was leaving one winery hotel to make my way to the next, I was advised to take it VERY slowly.  The roads are narrow, steep, and there are no guardrails.  Add to this the fact that I was driving a stick shift that didn’t always cooperate.  More than once the car stalled, and I started sliding back down the mountain.

So I was really nervous to begin the trek.  But as I already had a reservation, I decided to carry on reminding myself out loud…”I am brave.  I am strong.  And I am an excellent driver.”

Well the road was indeed narrow and steep, so I drove slowly and carefully.  And if someone wanted to pass me by, I let them.

What I wasn’t told was that the views were breathtaking when I had the courage to take my eyes off the road.  And when I finally arrived at my destination a bit worse for the wear, it was like finding a hidden paradise of grape vineyards, olive trees, and a charming inn nestled between mountains.  Well worth the moments of angst.

When the only light you see is behind you don’t turn back – the darkness ahead won’t last forever

On another part of the journey signs on the road indicated I was approaching a tunnel through the mountain and I should maintain my speed at 100 km/hr.  As I entered the tunnel, I could see the light behind me but only darkness up ahead.  Eventually, the light behind me disappeared as well.  The SOS phones every 100 yards or so brought little comfort.  For a full four minutes I drove on in darkness (which is a REALLY long time to be in a tunnel), until finally a shaft of light broke through and I emerged back into the sunlight surrounded by beautiful vistas. 

Just listen quietly for guidance and take the next right step

Throughout the trip my GPS was my lifeline.  The female voice emanating from my phone became my best friend.  And I got to thinking (because when you’re alone for a week there’s a lot of time to think) that maybe I should be more aware of the guidance system accompanying me in life.  What would that mean?

• Recognizing that I have an advisory board of angels, saints, teachers, and guides who want to help – all I have to do is ask
• I need to listen very carefully and eliminate distractions
• I will only receive guidance for the next right step
• It won’t always make sense to me – they might use language I don’t understand
• But if I proceed slowly – doing what I believe I’ve been guided to do – and trust – then I will receive the next right step
• Sometimes – despite the instruction – I might make a wrong turn – but don’t panic because I’ll quickly be re-directed back to the correct path
• Without fail I will always arrive at my destination if it supports my higher good

Here’s what I learned on sabbatical.  It really doesn’t matter in life if you go around, over, or through the mountains.  What matters is that you find your mountain and consult your personal GPS.  Your destiny is waiting!!  

Be bold.  Be daring.  Be AWE-dacious!

Is Self-Care the same as Self-Love?