"Girl, you gotta sweep up your porch!"

I had a conversation with Oprah the other day. Yes, "Oprah!" We were sitting on my porch. After she looked around with eyes following plants needing to be watered and dirt needing to be swept - she crossed her arms underneath her breasts and said in that Tyler Perry/Madea manner, "mmm-hmmmph..."

Her eyes said it all as did the harrumph of dis-satisfaction.

"Girl," she said, "You gotta sweep up your porch!"

This was a pronouncement. An exclamation, A statement. A fact. It encompassed all that I am and all that I am not.

Now you must seriously know that Oprah was not really on my porch. She lives in my head. I have learned to step into the shoes of my mentors and role models. Her wisdom and honesty help me balance the voices in the attic. The upstairs voices of the three old bitties:

Shoulda. Woulda and Coulda.

I play Oprah's voice talking back to me like a bird calling through the window with encouragement and ideas. A melodic chant of straight talk with her eyebrows raised and piercing questions. I always answer her truthfully from a deep prospective of self that I don't always share with others.

The conversation I played in my head was the visit of a wise and good friend who shared with me the importance of stepping into my destiny with strength, cleanliness (apparently important to Oprah) and preparation.

I looked through the eyes of another and saw depression and a sense of giving up. I am on the doorstep of my dreams and I've been sweeping dust under the welcome mat. I have created random acts of sabotage and ignored blatant and blaring facts.

I recently celebrated my fifty-and-a-half mark. I've been working on this list and realize I am starting to fulfill my wishes and my destiny is about to change.

Goals For My Fifties:

Be the Healthiest I've Ever Been
Motivate and Inspire
Do Presentations for Something I Believe in
Introduce Others to Walking
Make Money Having Fun
Earn a Leadership Role
Write
Dance
Move with Intention
Learn to be a Wife

This is all up to me and that is where the distraction and interruption of action steps take place. The lack of integrity in continuing. Following through. The procrastination of realizing our goals and letting the dust settle at our feet. The act of uninvolvement that creates fear, worry and stress.

Stand with me, broom in hand and look around your own porch through the eyes of another. How do you welcome your dreams and desires? What's behind the facade? Remove the welcome mat and shake it out. Sweep behind doubt and under failure. Clear out the cobwebs of indecision and water the plants that give birth to your desires.

"Girl, you gotta sweep up your porch!"

Another day of Gratitude

I think I'm going to start blogging once a week. I hope that by now you have discovered the gratitude in your own life. I encourage you to stay focused on these positive and deliberate reminders and write them down for yourself every day.

What I am grateful for today:

I am grateful for the "Aha" light bulb moment I had last night in allowing my sub-conscious to believe that I am consciously working responsibly and with intention. Isn't that where fear comes from after all? The sub-conscious mind? I take my right hand and pat my left shoulder (NLP - Neuro Linguistic Programming) and re-assure myself.

I am grateful for the coaching call I had last night. It's nice to just be...

I am grateful for all the mortgage leads I have that are waiting for my life preserver to rescue them and help them back to solid ground.

I am grateful to have a husband who stands up for what he believes in. He is in the midst of a business situation and I'm really proud of his resourcefulness and courage.

I am grateful to have dreams and aspirations which become goals and then turn into action steps.

I am grateful to have a sense of humor and can laugh easily with others and most often at myself.

I am grateful for the clean house I came home to yesterday. Sarra cleaned the house and fixed us dinner! Thank you, Sarra!

I am grateful to all of you, for allowing me to be part of your day.

I am grateful to have all my limbs, fingers and toes. I take advantage of these extremities without cognizant thought. I can walk, dance, skip, type and tap my feet to the sound of my own rhythm.

I am grateful for appreciating the beauty that surrounds me. The dry brown hills are starting to come to life with a variety of greens in every hue imaginable. Even though I've been walking the same trails for almost 10 years, I almost always discover a new treasure.

What's There to be Grateful for?

What are you grateful for today? Is it the warmth of your home? The security and paycheck that your job provides? How about the family and friends that make you laugh and hold your hand when you cry.

What I'm grateful for today:

I am grateful that even though it's 5:00 in the morning and cold, it's more chilly than freezing cold. I have my socks on, my flannel pajamas and a robe. I'm even wearing gloves. There's no snow outside and it's gonna be another warm SoCal day.

I am grateful for the space heater that is warming my office. It's 35 degrees outside right now! I can see all of you in cold country rolling your eyes at this, but it's what I'm acclimated to.

I am grateful for the walk I took yesterday. We have access to a racetrack that horses no longer run on yet the property owners keep it maintained. This is adjacent to our land, so I can just slip through the barbed wire that separates us and take advantage of a flat surface that's six furloughs in length.

I am grateful to watch the dogs as they run to each hole sniffing for gophers, rabbits and squirrels. I love watching their exuberance as they enjoy the trails we take together.

I am grateful to note that my shingle blister is hardly noticeable. That's especially good news since I will be out and about today among a lot of people with eyes... Yeah, Melaleuca Oil!

I am grateful that I was able to operate in a mortgage software program that I haven't used in almost 10 years. Now if I can only figure out how to e-mail a loan application.

I am grateful that I wasn't as rusty as I thought when calling prospective mortgage leads. All the lingo came flooding back and I can relate and establish rapport so easily with those that I spoke to. I will work diligently to find them a better loan.

I am grateful for the time Dewey and I have had to ourselves while Sarra (my 31 yr old daughter who lives with us) has been visiting a friend.

I am grateful that I have learned to stay out of the drama. When others want to gossip it's best to not have an opinion and change the subject. Do not become engaged.

I am grateful that I am loved. This gives me encouragement and support and propels me forward as I meet challenges.

Being Grateful Anyway...

I've been waking up with these monster headaches. Combined with the sleeplessness I've been experiencing after around 3:00 a.m. sometimes it does feel a little overwhelming. We can all compare battle wounds and decide who has the worst. The reason I share this is not for sympathy but to encourage you that EVEN WHEN life interrupts our pattern with a health issue, a lagging bank balance or a pink slip, we must decide who we want to be and how we are going to get there.

I am honest with you and bare my soul so that we can travel this road together. I know we all have moments in which we want to just give up. The problems we face seem so daunting that it feels impossible to create a solution. Start small. What can I do today? What can I be grateful about? I am breathing...

What I am grateful for today:

I am grateful to live in a rural setting and hear the melodious howls of coyotes. I know for some of you that has no appeal, but I enjoy listening to their chorus of resounding barks that is answered by another pack across the valley.

I am grateful that my own dogs have a keen sense of watchfulness and guard us protectively.

I am grateful for the added companionship of a new puppy in my daughter Laura's household. Her husband Kevin works nights and she is happy to have an 8 week old Husky to nurture.

I am grateful that my week has started well and that I am staying on task with all the duties I am performing in the numerous roles that I am becoming.

I am grateful to a friend who treated me to a movie last night. I haven't been to the movies in ages. It was so great crunching on popcorn and laughing along with the rest of the audience. Thank you, Sherry!

I am really, really grateful that the shingle blister I have on my lip has been kept at bay with Melaleuca oil and topical gel. At this point I'm usually unable to go out in public.

I am grateful for vanilla chai tea! I gave up coffee and caffeine in August with the help of my mentor Jeff. I have been trying different varieties of tea ever since. It's really been an enjoyable part of my morning to sip my tea and write my list of gratitude.

I am grateful to the coaching mastermind group I belong to. I had the privilege of giving a presentation on blogging and it went really well. I haven't had that opportunity for over 2 years and I realized how much I miss it.

I am grateful for the kindness I see in others every day. If you look for the love in human nature you will certainly feel it. Thank you to those that checked in on me yesterday because I wasn't able to send out my blog. Computer issues in the morning prevented me from doing so and then I had to move on to my work schedule.

I am grateful to have awareness of self. Not to say that I don't bury my head in the sand upon occasion. But even when I do, it gives me time to reflect and self-analyze and decide what action steps I want to take to move forward.

Gratitude for all the Hats I Wear

It occurred to me while walking that I would like to acknowledge us all for the many roles we successfully maneuver through in the course of our lives. When I was creating my Twenty-Ten goals I was surprised to realize how many hats from my past are still in style today.

I know for a lot of us, multi-tasking is a necessary resource. We juggle careers, children, family, spouses, finances, and hopefully a healthy lifestyle. If you can still manage to smile and reflect on the importance of what your participation contributes to those you care for, HATS OFF!!

I am grateful for the motherhood hat I wear. It teaches me patience, how to be a role model and gives me a mirrored reflection of who I portray.

I am grateful for the friendship hat I wear. It teaches me honesty, how to be gentle and gives me the ability to vent without prejudice and judgment.

I am grateful for the wife hat I wear. It teaches me to trust, how to communicate (apparently husbands aren't mind-readers) and gives me love and security.

I am grateful for the daughter hat I wear. It teaches me to be compassionate, how to listen and gives me wisdom and advice.

I am grateful for the coaching hat I wear. It teaches me that it's not about me, how to transform someone from pain to pleasure and gives me the ability to hear my own instruction.

I am grateful for the healthy hat I wear. It teaches me that I must live with intention, how to create movement every day and gives me motivation when I take walks.

I am grateful for the sales hat I wear. It teaches me to ask for the business, how to interact with clients and establish rapport and gives me the satisfaction of helping others with a monetary reward.

I am grateful for the administration hat I wear. It teaches me to be organized, how to plan my time and gives me the foundation for success.

I am grateful for the marketing hat I wear. It teaches me to be resourceful, how to gain recognition and gives me the spotlight to share my message.

I am grateful for the creative hat I wear. It teaches me to pay attention, how to combine mixed media and gives me an appreciation for all that is possible.

How to Keep Going When Everything Seems Against You...

I woke up with a tingle yesterday morning. Now that in itself could be construed as positive. This particular buzzy, annoying prickle was coming from my upper lip. I prayed it was just a pimple, but as the day wore on, and the blister grew, I knew I had another case of shingles.

These blisters have a nasty habit of appearing on my face, just around my smile. They grow into an oozy strawberry patch and I become a hostage on the hill, not wanting to share the stares of onlookers. Shingles comes from a strain of chickenpox that never leaves our system and can be activated by worry, fear and stress.

Hmmmm...

Now, if you've been reading this blog with any regularity you know of my struggles and that I continue to write what I'm grateful for so that I will change my focus. Since starting this practice life really has offered me many opportunities. I am standing on the dock ready to launch a few boats. I am strong, courageous and sure, a little nervous.

Something I have learned from my mentors is to acknowledge the fear, not just gloss over it with a Polly-Anna smile and sugar coated anger. Really feel what the worse case scenario could bring and let it resonate within. Allow the anguish and loss to paint a picture of diminished abilities and feel the limit of what we control.

Then...

Do something about it. This starts with attitude. What thoughts need to change from surrender to survivor? What words are in our head reminding us of past failures instead of the valuable lessons we've learned from each endeavor? This is why we undertake the encouraging action of reciting affirmations, writing out a gratitude list and begin to see our world as hopeful and full of promise.

Even when one has shingles caressing their smile...

What I am grateful for today:

I am grateful that all the income opportunities that I have before me can be conducted by phone. I do not have to camouflage facial blisters with an inch of stage makeup.

I am grateful for this incredible product line that I've been using which offers potent benefits that I can apply directly to my upper lip. There is so much diversity with this company, I can also do laundry, clean my floors, ease arthritic ache, spend less and make money without leaving the hill.

I am grateful that I have been here before and know exactly what to expect. Especially when the blisters get so big that it feels like my face will be permanently scarred. It won't, I'm happy to report.

I am grateful that I'm not bed bound. I have had shingles probably 3-4 times and the pain had always limited my movement. It's like having the worst flu symptoms. Knock on wood and a habit of being grateful, I'm upright and in motion.

I am grateful to know people in the medical profession who can treat me without having insurance.

I am grateful for this mindset of persistence. Yesterday I worked on my goals for Twenty-Ten and orchestrated my action steps accordingly. Today I will transfer this data into a spreadsheet and begin launching my income opportunities.

I am grateful for all the roles I've had throughout my life. Now as I move forward wearing a few new hats, I can look back on familiarity. I am a great multi-tasker who performs well when my hands are full.

I am grateful to all the people in my life who continue to encourage me and love me. No matter what. Thank you for riding through this life with me.

I am grateful for another Southern California day. The forecast boasts temps of almost 80 today. We have bright blue skies and the ground is starting to green after the much needed rainfall of late.

I am grateful to have all that life gives me. I stand on my rock and shout at the heavens, Thank You! I appreciate all that the universe is trying to teach me.

Coach Be

Day Two of the New Year

I don't know about you, but just knowing that I have a clean slate and a fresh start really encourages me to move forward by taking action steps to produce amplified results. I'm sure a lot of you have already defined your goals for 2010. If you haven't, I would like to point out that this is waaaay more important than a New Year's Resolution. Do I have to tell you how many of these so called "solutions" fail? They stop becoming important and the towel is thrown in.

Let's start with deciding how we want to exist in Twenty-Ten and what the possibilities are toward that intention. Who do you want to be? How do you want to live? For me, I can answer those two questions by sharing that I want to live with intention. I want to have integrity and follow through in all that my word conveys. I want to motivate and inspire, creating enough momentum with the opportunities that I have, to reach as many people as possible and make a difference.

I also want to move at the speed of instruction and monitor my progress so that I can work efficiently at reducing my debt and fatten my bank account!

What I am grateful for today:

I am grateful for knowledge. I have resources that teach me how to plan my day, accomplish my goals and put me in an optimum state of mind. Let me know if this is something you struggle with as I can help.

I am grateful for technology that orchestrates all that I have and all that I want into a spreadsheet which generates action steps.

I am grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way as I launch into the new year. For the first time ever, I have a few hats to wear and they all fit the person that I am becoming.

I am grateful for the positive attitude that resonates with confidence. I KNOW that my life beckons me and I have some very important lessons to learn. My rose colored glasses have been adjusted to fit and the glass of promise is more than half full.

I am grateful for the faith and trust that others have in me. Their certainty propels me toward self-assurance which snowballs into actuality.

I am grateful for this perfect time. As I prepare to launch my livelihood into a few different directions, I take a moment to reflect on this period in my life. I am the master of my domain and have very few encumbrances that limit my productivity.

I am grateful to have so many back up singers on this stage of life. We are all surrounded by gifted people who are more than willing to hold our hand and keep us accountable. When someone calls on you for advice, tell them the truth and let them be their word.

I am grateful for affirmations that resonate with positive meaning. I am my words and the voice of my head and my heart carry power in creating my day. As my mom used to chant like a mantra, "What you project, you reflect..."

I am grateful for health and well-being. I have all bodily function and the mental capacity to appreciate such a gift. I won't waste it.

I am grateful for you, my friends, family and readers that I have connected with. I started creating a gratitude list to keep myself accountable for realizing all that I am surrounded by. I hope it fills your heart as it does mine.

Coach Be

January One, Twenty-Ten

January One, Twenty-Ten

The title has the makings of a big Hollywood production doesn't it? In the voice of that dude from Dragnet. Jack something I think. January One, Twenty-Ten. Has hope, has possibilities, has forgiveness, and most importantly means Two Thousand Nine is over. Period. Done. Can't go back. Ever, ever again.

I'm grateful about that.

The new year is filled with unlimited possibilities and commendable intention. Promises, new outlooks, different ways, the start, the beginning, change, transformation.

Opportunity~

There's a new rock that I climb on when I go on my walks and it looks southwest over the whole valley. I precariously perch on the tip and feel the current of wind as it naturally brings my arms up like wings and allows me to glide in the breeze. The quilt of copious green below me is the land of my surrounding neighbors. I wonder if they ever look out there window and wonder who the crazy lady that dances and stretches on her walks is.

It's me, me, Be

I have been talking about starting a walking club forever and I thought I would just "Do-It" as they say.

That is my commitment for January One, Twenty-Ten.

And so I begin,
"What do I have to be grateful about in 2009..."

I am grateful for all that I have learned in 2009.

I am grateful to have learned about patience. I learned to not only stop and smell the flowers, but see if there's any bugs on them before you stick your nose in to smell. I learned to smile at idiot drivers and bless them. It also helps to immediately thank God for the awareness and not hitting them.

I am grateful to have more home cooked meals and learn all the ways we can serve cream of mushroom soup. Sarra has really been the captain of our kitchen and so I have learned to surrender my area a little.

I am grateful to have support and understanding of those that hold me up as I grow. I have learned the value of immeasurable friendship. Blood and batter between all those that are tied to me by DNA and those that just want to be there. I am grateful!

I am grateful to have learned about the prospect of giving up perfection. One doesn't do this casually after tea, mind you. It has been a journey. Thank you Colette for the visual of the rainbow tutu that didn't match anything.

I am grateful for the learning of others as I am finally old enough to listen. Really listen. There's a lot of wisdom out there. Find a mentor, a role model, someone who is already taking the action steps to live their dream. Talk to them. A lot...

I am grateful to have learned about the library. I had forgotten about these wonderful places. Seriously! They have stuff for FREE!!! Then, they have the Friends of the Library, which is their bookstore and they sell books for CHEAP!! Like 50 cents to two dollars.

I am grateful to have learned how to say good bye to someone I love. My foster mother, Eddie "went to be with Jesus" as they say, and I was fortunate enough to have been able to hold her hands and stroke her cheek, just like she did for me when I was a baby. I thank my mom, Shasti, for helping me walk through the nursing home and just let the love pour out.

I am grateful to have learned how to build my core muscles while walking and can't wait to show others how to do it, too!

Happy Twenty-Ten, Everyone!

Blessings for you and those you hold dear,

Coach Be