10 Day WE CAN DO THIS Countdown to 2011 # 4 - Encourage

"There are two ways of spreading light - to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it” - Edith Wharton

We are in the middle of a snowpocalypse here, but I caught a head cold for Christmas, so unfortunately am unable to help hubby very much with the shoveling ... otherwise I'd be out there with him right now, of course

(luckily, he did get a nice pair of snowpants for Christmas that should come in handy - thank you Kella and Chris)

So, back to my 2011 countdown. I think that if 2011 will be a year of DECIDING we will need to surround ourselves with people who encourage us.

(and we need to encourage people right back, of course)

We cannot do this alone and need our tribe, our peeps, our friends to help us stay motivated and on track - people who are truly happy for our successes - people who remind us how strong we are in the times when we have fogotten.

I have decided to become a more proactive encourager in the new year and draw more encouragers into my tribe. Encouragers don’t promise rainbows and eternally sunny days - they are not in our lives to splash pink paint over our problems and pretend they don't exist.

Encouragers promise presence, wisdom and positive energy. They reinforce us to ourselves. They tell our stories back to us in the strong voices our hearts need to hear.

In 2011, I am committed to encourage the people in my life and attract more encouragers into my life!

(even if I have to bribe them with upcycled jewelry and a free driveway shovel-out by a very good looking guy in new blue snow pants)

*you're doing everything right print by laura george

Twas the Night Before Christmas ...

and all through the house
not a creature was stirring

(mainly because they'd been drinking heavily all day, but what the hell- I need the corks)

not even a mouse

the stockings were hung
by the chimney with care

(well, slippers actually and I bought mine a couple sizes too big, choosing to wear really thick socks with them and a couple packets of that stuff marked "do not eat" and maybe some bubble wrap rather than pass up a deal on the size 9's)

in hopes that St. Nicholas
soon would be there ...

Merry Christmas - I hope everyone has the best Christmas ever - I've sneaked a peak at some of my gifts and think I will!

(well, except for the year I got the crimper AND the salad spinner, that would be a little hard to beat)

* gorgeous Christmas print by AVeryStory

10 Day WE CAN DO THIS Countdown to 2011 - # 3 - Release

“Three rules of work: out of clutter find simplicity; from discord find harmony; in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” - Albert Einstein

If 2011 will be a year of deciding there will be some things that have to be released to make room for the better things that are coming our way -

releasing resentments and anger and all the things that are cluttering up our cupboards and inboxes, minds and hearts to create the space we need for the amazing things life wants us to have.

I know someone who recently had an amazing opportunity for their craft and although I was truly happy for them I also felt a little of that green-eyed monster called jealousy enter my mind and heart.

What I realized rather quickly though was that I had not created the space in my life and my business for an opportunity like this and so I didn't attract it.

I was already overwhelmed and if I had been given this opportunity would likely have needed to lie down - in a big old wooden box if you know what I mean.

(this is not all law of attractiony, but two things cannot occupy the same space and my spaces were filled, I remember this from science - I think - I am not really a mad scientist, after all, I just play one on the internet)

Just as we can fill our days with a whole lot of nothing — splattering our attention on things that don’t really matter to us - am I the only one who never wants to see the words social media again — we can fill our homes and studios with heaps of junk we don’t really want, too.

It is a lazy way of non-deciding. Being a victim to incoming stuff is more comfortable than clearly asking ourselves what we want to have (or not have) in our environment.

In 2011 I am committed to RELEASE - the things (and thoughts and practices and habits) that I do not love and create the space for change.

release photo by zseike

10 Day WE CAN DO THIS Countdown to 2011 - # 2 Trust Our Instincts

“Creativity comes from trust. Trust your instincts. And never hope more than you work.” -Rita Mae Brown

Since I have declared 2011 my year of deciding lots of decisions have already started coming up.

I sometimes find myself second guessing my original reaction and of course there are things that need some thoughtful contemplation before deciding, but I truly believe that since our subconscious is such a storehouse of remembered experiences and innate feelings that we need to learn to trust it.

(trusting our truest selves to have our back, so to speak)

I resolve to trust my instincts in keeping my decisions aligned with my truest intentions (and never hope more than I work - I love that one, too!).

*trust your instincts print by ashleyg

10 Day WE CAN DO THIS Countdown to 2011 - #1 Be Brave

"I am not afraid ... I was born to do this. " - Joan of Arc

After 9/11 we packed an emergency suitcase in the trunk of every car and had a plan that in the event of a national emergency all family members would drive west and meet up somewhere beyond Hershey, PA.

We had no specific destination, but thought when we reached an area where people were familiar with Skoal tobacco, GEDs and fishing with dynamite we would be safe.

We kind of pictured ourselves becoming the kind of survivalists we knew from the Discovery Channel, Eddie Bauer ads and Stephen King books; creating a new world order in some rarely visited national park - living on dandelions and mole crickets.

After a while some of these fears subsided a bit, but it did leave me with the certainty that being BRAVE is an extremely important attribute.

Fear keeps us from making decisions and creating change and if we wait for the fear to go away, we may always be left waiting.

So in 2011, I resolve to be BRAVE.

(note- this does not include my completely appropriate fear of stink bugs, closed shower curtains and cats that don't blink)

*fearless card by happytimesco