All Comments By Kristin Pedemonti

I love this reframe being vigilance as keeping vigil in worship/peace. Thank you. I will need to meditate on this to see what this reframe brings up. I have layers of lived experience of vigilance related to trauma and work with survivors of abuse too, so I have layers of unlearning to do.

Having a sense of purpose makes all the difference, as we see in the story. Many of us live in societies which do not put priority on purpose or the longview of what we're contributing, but on short term gain. Isn't it wonderful when we can stand up for purpose being the priority rather than simply making money as the goal? Like the Stonemasons, we can find purpose too. When I'm teaching Presentation Skills in translating complex data, I remind myself what I'm actually doing is teaching how to connect more human to human heart to heart. What are the human stories behind the numbers? In each assignment I remind myself to be as loving as possible in my feedback and to find the humanity. Theres also the "bigger" purposes. In 2005, I stood up to the prevailing ideas of 'success' & 'shoulds' and sold my small home and sold/gave away most of my possessions to found/facilitate a volunteer literacy project. I donated programs for over 30K children and trained over 800 teachers in 75+ villages how to use their own cultural stories to teach writing. Today, I'm a Narrative Therapy Practitioner whose purpose is to co-create preferred stories, not 'fix people.' I support this with the 50 day contract teaching Presentation Skills. The purpose under all the work is Storytelling, Humanity, Heart. Here's to finding purpose in whatever work, tasks, sharing we do.

This post brings up many layers for me both personally and professionally as a Narrative Therapy Practitioner. In this perspective, emotions are not to be judged, they simply are. The distinction intros post of 'avoid devastating and seek positive emotions' lands to me as potentially judgment. We are taught in Narrative to notice the emotions and to ask the person we are in service to to notice too. What might the emotion wish to te us? Avoiding emotions can push those emotions deeper and actually make a person sick: lots of trauma research around this. Speaking of, a person's lived context has a Huge impact on why they are feeling the emotions they feel. I've more to say, but this feels sufficient for now. There are no 'good' or 'bad' emotions. There are simply Emotions.

I was mugged at gunpoint by 4 young black men, probably only teenagers. They seemed scared themselves by what they were doing. The ot fear u had was that in their fear, they might accidentally shoot me. I felt compassion for them. What had happened to them that they would already have a gun and be mugging someone? I saw them as boys, afraid. They only took my money which meant mercy because they left me with my lil flip phone, my credit card and metro card. I don't know if I saw Christ in them,but I did see humanity which held me in compassion. I think what helps is a breath and then compassion and then humanity which helps us to ask, 'what happened to this person to cause this behavior?' Then we can look from love.

As a Narrative Therapy Practitioner and one with lived experiences of tge impact of traumas, I absolutely disagree with being a slave to our own mind and unable to help ourselves. What we become slaves to is layer upon layer of lived experiences and of external influences that teach us to be slaves. For example, a person born in poverty whose parents have relationship with drugs due to hopelessness which was caused by living in a society without safety nets and with greed which caused a small percentage of the population to consume much and which created the poverty in the first place and treats persons in poverty as if somehow their becoming a thief to survive is that person's fault. I do agree a person can become a slave to other's ideas about them as 'less than' and sometimes this then is internalized into their own mindset and thinking of 'worthless.' None of us is born into a vacuum, we are each impacted by the family we grew up in, gender/cultural/societal norms and Watson of thinking. Additionally to trauma. It is amazing to me how one can then stand up to this and make healthy choices.

Thank you, deeply resonate with your response.

I would like to make a small adaptation away from the combat metaphor, to simply 'relationship' is where 'you want to become better, not better than.'

Such a wise and empathetic bus driver! Illumination means to me sharing our light and love with others especially when times are dark. When another is dark, we can be the light to re-ignite their spark. Given the example above, I recall being on the New York City subway rush hour, the train was packed with people. A very muscular large man was standing by the doors when another equally large muscular man got onto the train and bumped into the first man. In moments there were yelling at each other, shoving each other. No one did anything. People stared at the floor, their shoes. Some whispered, "someone should do something." I realized that someone was me. I reached into my bag and pulled out a small bottle of bubbles. In the Before Times I always had my bubbles and my Free Hugs sign. I stood up and took a step inbetween the 2 men and I smiled. Then I blew bubbles. Within 4 seconds flats, both men were laughing and popping bubbles. I reached into my bag and handed each man a small bottle of bubbles, smiled and went back to my seat. By now the entire car was smiling and laughing and clapping. It was a beautiful reminder of be the light. What helps me be light in difficult situations is to not make assumptions and to remember each of us has so many layers of context of our lives, this helps bring out empathy. I hope this brought a little light to you.

Seeking to understand is how I've always tried to enter every encounter and it has opened up so many meaningful learning experiences and broadened my perspective. How? Seek to enter conversation asking: What is the Context? How can I see and honor Complexities with Curiousity and Compassion? These encounters happen often, but one particular example came to mind: An encounter with a woman at a restaurant during the Kavanagh hearings for his potential selection on the US Supreme Court. Context. We were both dining alone: she looked sad and seemed curious about me. She asked how was I so comfortable dining alone? We struck up conversation, I asked if she wanted to join me. She did. She shared about her recent divorce. I shared Compassion and transparency about my own divorce. Honored the Complexities. She shifted conversation to Kavanagh, very excited about him being considered. Curiousity/ compassion: I asked what resonated with her about Kavanagh. She shared. I listened. I told her I heard her and appreciated her perspective. She asked what I thought. I gently with Compassion shared that my views were different and that was ok. I shared I am a survivor of childhood sexual assault & molestation and that for me, it was challenging and that I felt for the woman he was allegedly accused of assaulting (as an 18 year old). She heard me. I did not seek to change her view. I truly listened and learned from her view. In this case Because I was asked, I gently shared my views, again without seeking to change her view. Only with seeking for us to understand each other's Context & Complexities. She told me it was the most civil conversation she'd had in 3 years! She asked for my email to stay in touch. I asked if we could Hug. We did. I admit in this example I shared my view too, because I was asked. Often I simply Listen. Today I am a Narrative Therapy Practitioner and honoring layers of Context and Complexities is how I seek to understand th... [View Full Comment] Seeking to understand is how I've always tried to enter every encounter and it has opened up so many meaningful learning experiences and broadened my perspective. How? Seek to enter conversation asking: What is the Context? How can I see and honor Complexities with Curiousity and Compassion? These encounters happen often, but one particular example came to mind: An encounter with a woman at a restaurant during the Kavanagh hearings for his potential selection on the US Supreme Court. Context. We were both dining alone: she looked sad and seemed curious about me. She asked how was I so comfortable dining alone? We struck up conversation, I asked if she wanted to join me. She did. She shared about her recent divorce. I shared Compassion and transparency about my own divorce. Honored the Complexities. She shifted conversation to Kavanagh, very excited about him being considered. Curiousity/ compassion: I asked what resonated with her about Kavanagh. She shared. I listened. I told her I heard her and appreciated her perspective. She asked what I thought. I gently with Compassion shared that my views were different and that was ok. I shared I am a survivor of childhood sexual assault & molestation and that for me, it was challenging and that I felt for the woman he was allegedly accused of assaulting (as an 18 year old). She heard me. I did not seek to change her view. I truly listened and learned from her view. In this case Because I was asked, I gently shared my views, again without seeking to change her view. Only with seeking for us to understand each other's Context & Complexities. She told me it was the most civil conversation she'd had in 3 years! She asked for my email to stay in touch. I asked if we could Hug. We did. I admit in this example I shared my view too, because I was asked. Often I simply Listen. Today I am a Narrative Therapy Practitioner and honoring layers of Context and Complexities is how I seek to understand those who consult with me. Grateful [Hide Full Comment]

I relate 100% to this notion of mercy and try my utmost to practice it whether that is sharing meals and listening with unhoused people or being kind to everyone I meet in every encounter even the gruffest folks (often they need kindness more than we know). A thought of mercy was when I was in Poland March 2013 after performing in a Storytelling Festival; I became very ill with a severe flu. I was too sick to fly home. I was staying with the Storyteller at his home, but there was no heat other than a very small wood stove and a blizzard. Another person staying stayed up all night feeding the woodstove and the Storyteller insisted I sleep closest to the fire. This was many layers of mercy. What helps me practice mercy is to always pause and say: This is a person in need of grace and kindness. They are hurting enough. And I might ask myself: how would I hope someone would treat me in a similar situation?

Like a seed, love grows when it's attended to and nourished. In my own lived experience, an expanded definition and expression of love is possible when we pause and we remind ourselves of context and complexity of people's lives impacting how they see themselves & others. When we pause and acknowledge this context & complexity it allows us to see beyond binary. This then allows us to potentially expand what we see and to open to loving kindness. I think too expanding the definition of love, as bell hooks did and Sharon Salzburg too: to love shows strength not weakness. This change could do so much! My lived experience, in the Before Time, of Free Hugs was life altering. I took my Free Hugs sign to protests and hugged people on Both sides. I witnessed them hug each other and have civil conversations. This might seem small, but it was a start. A beginning to loving kindness. ♡

This pandemic has clearly brought lessons into my life (and others I suspect) about deeply noticing and appreciating "lasts." The last travel to another country in the before time. The last time I shared Free Hugs in a busy town square, the last time I hugged people without any anxiety. This pandemic has been a gift in some ways, a profound reminder of the lasts we are experiencing while being alive. And if we choose, a beautiful opportunity to appreciate seemingly mundane moments ever so much more. I will never underestimate the the glory of a HUG.

Indeed we are all beggars, each one of us in some way at some time in our lives has done something out of fear or our needs not being met or wanting to belong. When we pause and ask ourselves, "what might have happened to this person to create the action taken?" We can sit in compassion rather than judgment. ♡ Since 2008 I've shared Hugs, conversations and bought lunches with homeless. Every person I met had/has a story of loss. Every person when hugged said statements like, "thank you for seeing me. " "I haven't been touched in twenty years." Imagine what that would be like.
Before we judge or see someone as "bad" again, let us pause and ask, "what might have happened to provike this particular action?"
Hugs from my heart to yours,
Kristin

Oh how I love Nasruddin stories! In today's deeply polarized political climate in the US we often experience "not hearing each other" and placing the not hearing on the other. I've found that compassion in seeking to understand the complexity of layers of influence on each one of us and our beliefs helps me to better hear what is said. ♡

What struck me is the individualistic view shared "I am me..... everything about me is authentically mine"

I am me because of you.♡

Stated with compassion for each of us who live in societies that place so much emphasis on "individual responsibility" for fixing or figuring out. What about all the external impacts that deeply influence who that "me" is? What about familial, gender, cultural, societal norms that tell us stories about who we are supposed to be? What about ancestors whose traits we carry? What about traumas we've survived?

This is all to say, while embracing our beauty, grace, uniqueness & gifts, also honoring we are not created in a vacuum. ♡

I am me because of you.♡

As a survivor of multiple traumas, and someone now studying Narrative Therapy, understanding the choice we have in which stories we choose to focus on and amplify and our choice in how we respond was/is a huge part of my healing journey and in facilitating recovery from trauma workshops for others.

In witnessing and listening to other people's stories and perspectives we are given a beautiful opportunity to check in on our own perceptions and our own narrative.

We each have a choice to view ourselves, others and the world from different perspectives. Acknowledging "it is all stories" is an important part of the process. I've been doing this reframe work full on since 2016 and prior as well in the building bridges between cultures since 2005...

Currently during the pandemic of COVID and of racism, there have been so many opportunities to consciously amplify narratives of potential for change rather than despair or destruction. So, one of mine is focusing on the incredible uplifting of voices which have needed to be witnessed and heard and the fact that change is happening right now.

I've also noticed the deeper honoring of people who work in "essential" jobs, not only healthcare workers, but also cashiers, truck drivers, farmers, sanitation worker, postal delivery.... I was always taught that we each play an essential and valuable role, to see others seems to also understand this, gives me more hope!

Also amplifying the kindnesses and generosity of people seeking to be of service to each other.

And this gives me HOPE....

100% agree, love all, no exceptions. As a survivor of molestation as a child & teen, my heart has always been open to love the hurters who must have been so hurt themselves. I'm in the beginning stages of sharing a healing program with survivors & perpetrators because after all as the article says, in some way we are each of us both aspects.

Heres to love.

Compassion to me means feeling love, care, kindness and empathy for everyone, no exceptions.It means to look below the surface and seek to understand what may be underneath driving the behavior or words of another (and of self).
Perhaps because I grew up in a household with a dad who had multiple suicide attempts and died when I was 22, and because I experienced significant bullying from ages 9 to about 14, I have somehow developed a deeper ability to hold compassion for all, because I have lived on the other side of it.
The capacity to also heal suffering begins, (for me anyway) with seeking to look underneath it, and to also ask, "what can I learn from this experience?" "How might I grow?" How might I find compassion for self or others in this experience and learning?

What helps develop it is to recognize everyone has had times of suffering so matter what their life may look like externally. Since we have all suffered, we are all together. And then we can begin to heal. Acknowledging the suffering is key and needs to happen first, before we can heal.

Hugs from my heart to all of yours,
Kristin

The gold that grows in my experience is layered: trust, friendship, light, love.
I am in the midst once again of a shift from scarcity to abundance. I sometimes get caught up in society's or culture's definitions and lose my way for a while: my anxiety rears up as I look at my savings for my future. In those moments, I am then usually reminded of the abundance all around me: right now, while on tour facilitating healing from trauma workshops:
I'm reminded by the dozen friends and friends of friends who have offered me housing, connections to organizations in service to survivors, shared meals with me, shared deep conversations, advice, hugs, their time. Wow, such abundance! It often does not equal literal gold, but gold in other forms. And if we are focused too closely on literal gold we miss the other forms.
So your passage comes at the perfect time, reminding me to again see the abundance in other forms.

Remembrance means to me to acknowledge I am part of something bigger than myself.To honor my ancestors. To honor the earth and the universe of which earth is a larger part. Remembering the universe is in me and I am this universe happens when I let go and allow: recently I felt this while in facilitating for a group of veterans and I was so hoping what i was sharing was of value to them, that I was being of service because I was deeply second-guessing myself and my place. There was a moment of intense peace as not only did I see my dad in their eyes (he's been gone for 28 years) I felt my dad in the room with us and the veterans felt it too, they pointed it out to me. That moment was profound, a knowing, a connection beyond the physical in front of us. I felt both small and limitless at the same time. I hope this makes sense.

Thank you Somik for posting on my behalf. Testing to see if I can post. I'm using Chrome

Love this! We see what we are ready to see. Oh my goodness yes in recognizing in my own life. I am currently driving across the US donating and sharing very low-cost workshops for survivors of trauma: "Steer Your Story: how to move beyond the trauma and see the whole and worthy person you are today." The "gold" on the path has been the people who've so kindly agreed to host me in their homes, the people who've connected me to organizations and individuals who may be interested in this workshop, those who've treated me to dinner. My fundraising in "gold", the actual money needed has not yet come in and yet there is so much "gold" in the generosity of connections, housing, and meals. I feel blessed!

Thank you for this timely reminder! Being existentially lazy to me means giving oneself the time to reflect, the quiet to contemplate and the space to simply be. What helps me be in activity without being "busy" is to be in it mindfully and to focus on one task at a time. This is something I honestly work on weekly because I have had the tendency (especially when I lived in Washington DC) to get really caught up in busy. Now that I am in a more quiet space (literally) I find that it is easier to focus in on one thing at a time, to actually take weekends off and NOT fill the time with tasks or mindless activities.

 Oh my goodness this passage is breathtaking.

Every one of us is more than one descriptor and so much more than our jobs. I relate to this on so many levels: as a survivor of childhood abuse and trauma, as the daughter of a father who had multiple suicide attempts and died when I was 22, as someone who grew up on the very lowest edge of middle class and ate cereal for dinner, as a former spouse of a partner with severe bi-polar/ADD and was a pathological liar, as the sister of an alchoholic brother now 26 years sober, as a former anorectic, as a Cause-Focused Storyteller who chose to sell her home and possessions to create a volunteer literacy program and had no idea what she was doing but somehow it worked out, to the 51 year old woman I am today who became a traveler collecting, presenting and performing stories worldwide and now sharing Steer Your Story across the US all the way to Alaska to provide workshops for other survivors to steer their internal narratives to be more empowered and better reflect their strength and truth of who they are today Oh yes, we contain multitudes. And when we see each other as complete human beings including our challenges and those traumas that we survived which then informed who we are today, we are so much more! I started sharing my truth publically about what it was like living with and trying to care for a parent with multiple suicide attempts. Then I spoke more on social media and in presentations about my own experience with different brain chemistry (episodic situational depression and anxiety). This vulnerability and sharing my full self resulted in others sharing their journeys too. It opened up amazing conversations with such depth. Since April 2016 I've also gone public about the childhood s*xual trauma and it peeled back another layer for others to share their stories too. And here I am on a journey all the way to Alaska in service to creating space for people to share their stories too. I am grateful. If you want to learn more, please visit: www.steeryourstor... [View Full Comment] Every one of us is more than one descriptor and so much more than our jobs. I relate to this on so many levels: as a survivor of childhood abuse and trauma, as the daughter of a father who had multiple suicide attempts and died when I was 22, as someone who grew up on the very lowest edge of middle class and ate cereal for dinner, as a former spouse of a partner with severe bi-polar/ADD and was a pathological liar, as the sister of an alchoholic brother now 26 years sober, as a former anorectic, as a Cause-Focused Storyteller who chose to sell her home and possessions to create a volunteer literacy program and had no idea what she was doing but somehow it worked out, to the 51 year old woman I am today who became a traveler collecting, presenting and performing stories worldwide and now sharing Steer Your Story across the US all the way to Alaska to provide workshops for other survivors to steer their internal narratives to be more empowered and better reflect their strength and truth of who they are today Oh yes, we contain multitudes. And when we see each other as complete human beings including our challenges and those traumas that we survived which then informed who we are today, we are so much more! I started sharing my truth publically about what it was like living with and trying to care for a parent with multiple suicide attempts. Then I spoke more on social media and in presentations about my own experience with different brain chemistry (episodic situational depression and anxiety). This vulnerability and sharing my full self resulted in others sharing their journeys too. It opened up amazing conversations with such depth. Since April 2016 I've also gone public about the childhood s*xual trauma and it peeled back another layer for others to share their stories too. And here I am on a journey all the way to Alaska in service to creating space for people to share their stories too. I am grateful. If you want to learn more, please visit: www.steeryourstory.com Hugs from my heart to yours, Kristin[Hide Full Comment]

Being moved my nature to me means being more connected to the interconnecteness of our environment and ourselves within that environment rather than being fragmented by small slices as the article shared. This connection can happen in urban or natural settings, I think it's about intention: connecting to what is there rather than being tethered to technology.
As for being lost and being guided by elements rather than any maps, yes, I can share a time in an urban environment and one in nature.
3am in Paris after dancing Tango, the metro was closed so I took a bus back to the neighborhood where I was staying with a friend. Though it was familiar in daylight, at 3am, it all looked quite different and in Paris many of the street signs are painted on the sideds of houses and buildings. The 3am bus also does not make the usual stops, so I was nearly a mile away from my friend's home. I had no GPS, only a small flip phone cell phone with a dead battery. I navigated by familiar landmarks: Sacre Coeur cathedral on the hill above gave perspective, then a cemetary I recalled, then a bakery I recalled, then a corner bistro, then a line of trees on either side of a stately street, I knew I was nearly at her doorstep. I found my way back thanks to paying attention to surrroundings rather than being glued to a cell phone.

 OH How I love this share: the idea of early morning pre-dawn preparedness to enter into the deeply sacred and spiritual. Yes! It reminds me of the need to slow down into the ebb so we can appreciate more fully the flow. I relate so much to this after having moved through a very busy year and now finally having some time to deeply reflect especially on a healing retreat I attended for female survivors of childhood sexual trauma. What was most extraordinary was the ordinary in so much of the information shared: simple meditation, breathing yoga, as well as information on how trauma affects our brain thought process and then our actions/reactions, and yet the impact was incredibly healing. I think because of that preparedness for receiving. I arrived 2 days prior to the retreat so I could steady myself to be ready to receive the learning, healing and wisdom. I also gifted myself with a full day of rest and reflection before I flew back to the intensity of Washington DC. Allowing that time before and after as well as taking a few short naps made all the difference in how my body, mind, heart and spirit absorbed all the healing shared. Even though the pace of the healing retreat was rather full and brisk the time before and after deepened the impact. The group experience was also impacted: to be the example of resting, doing self-care, being gentle with self, allowing the time to absorb impacted the other women present too. And I was even more loving and compassionate because of my own preparation. <3 I am aware how fortunate I am that I could take that extra time. This month of November was one of pulling inward and allowing more time to process. It has made all the difference. And it impacted how I relate and interact with others: I am more conscious than ever of slowing it all down: of taking more time to be fully present so we can create time. Thank you for the perfect post Thanksgiving Share! <3 HUG

 We become the stories we tell and focus upon. I love this folktale and used to tell it when I performed for families at libraries and schools. :) In my own life I am currently wrestling with the idea of relocating out of Washington DC where I moved 4 years ago. I keep asking myself, "am I seeing the full picture" or am I focusing on a negative perspective: is it really too "noisy" here with the current political atomsphere and activism that's now nearly 24/7? I ask myself to remember all the good here too: the amazing Burning Man and couchsurfing communities, the deeply heartfelt All Souls Unitarian church I attend. The fact that it's a walkable city. My housemates whom I lovingly refer to as the Golden Girls as they are in their 70s and 80! So many blessings. And yes, DC is tough to live in at the moment too. So I meditate and pray and ask, "what is best for my heart and soul" and may I see the full picture with gratitude too. I hope this helps... :) To shape perspective in a broader sense I also myself, "what story are you telling yourself about this situation? and "might there be another story?" <3 

 We Become the Stories We Tell and those we consume. So, it makes sense that the world mirrors our perceptions and our perceptions mirror the world. What we focus on we see and this becomes our world view and then impacts our feelings. The beauty is we have agency each day to choose a new story: what do we see when we look at that pond? Are we focusing only on that mud and debris or also on the beauty of the sky reflected within? As we focus on the world: are we seeing the challenges AND the beauty in our fellow human beings? How might we look at the other and see ourselves? I find what helps me do this: is to imagine that person as a child, their innocence, their vulnerability. And then in seeming them as a child to also see them as not so different from me. Example, someone who's belierfs are far different from mine, if I think of them as an innocent and vulnerable child, I can dig under that belief to a value they hold, maybe it is security. When I think of that value, I see my own value reflected too. They become the same as me, so there is nothing strange or foreign, we are one. For "there but for the Grace of God go I" I think of how at any moment any of us can be in challenging situations: how can we see each other with compassion? Ourselves with compassion too? <3 

 To work of love is to love = being present and honoring and loving someone no matter where they are on the journey. It means loving them when they are hurt or angry or feeling unlovable. It means reminding them of their worth when they cannot see it. It means seeing their heart and inner beauty. This happened for me this very weekend. My cousin whom I love like a sister had to have her young healthy dog euthanized because he had bitten 3 different people he didn't know and all unprovoked. My cousin had no choice but to have him euthanized, it is a state law where we live. The love in loving, was to choose to drive up from Washington DC to be with her face to face in PA and be by her side as she went through the awful process with her beloved dog. It was to love her even when she had moments of shutting down and of anger and of hurt and to just be present next to her, saying nothing at times, just being with her. This is a small example, but I think one of value because it is a small moment of love that adds up to the bigger moments. <3 What helps me to hold close is to see the child and the inner beauty in the person in front of me and to remind myself of their heart when they cannot see it ( and sometimes I struggle to see it too) It is to remind myself that I too am worthy of that love: to work to love myself as I love others <3 

 So much YES to looking beyond someone's anger and hatred to what they love and are trying to protect. This has been my mantra since before our election cycle in 2016 here in the US. Often it has fallen on deaf ears, I was told if I was compassionate and loved, I was then complicit. I disagree. If I love and seek to understand, I feel as if that is trying to build a bridge toward understanding. So, I continue to post about love and compassion for Everyone and seeking to understand what is underneathe the anger/ hate which is often fear and yes, under that is love often of family, sense of security and wanting to be seen, heard understood. Here's to looking through the lens of love. What helps me avoid hating is empathy and compassion and knowing that hurt people hurt people and healed people heal people. Maybe there can be more healing and less hate. <3 

 Soft eyes to me means pausing then looking with love and compassion and kindness. <3 When someone has a different view than mine, I do my best to use this. Or when I see someone is hurting about something underneath their anger. It takes mindful effort, that moment of pause, pulling into love then responding. <3 

 Oh I love this and deeply relate. It is all about sending out your prayer or intention, doing what you are able to connect the dots and then stepping back and trusting that God/Universe or however you name it has heard you and will answer. Perhaps not in the exact way you reequested on in the time frame requested, however if you trust, it does happen eventually. This has been true for me so many times I'm honestly not sure which experience to share with you. One of the more recent ones is that I now serve at the World Bank as a Storytelling Consultant helping staff to see the human story in their data, connect more fully to each other as human beings and honor the people they serve throughout the world. I had sent this intention/prayer out about 6 years ago and in Feburary 2015 I happened to attend a Wellness Retreat Networking event. The husband of the organizer happened to work at the World Bank and the department he worked in was hiring consultants in Storytelling. We struck up conversation, I sent my CV, was interviewed a week later and 24 hours later got the job. It took 3 years from the setting of my intention, but it happened! And this is just one of dozens of experiences I've had. I feel blessed and grateful. What helps me maintain is the evidence I see all around me that when I trust, life works out! <3 

 Perfect timing, thank you. Do nothing means to stop and sit and be. I am in this exact position today as I take a break from what can be a "go getter" "overachiever" energy in Washington DC. I sit here alone at my friends' home in the Catskills, trees surround the house which sits near the Hudson River. I look out into trees, eye level with them. I have had the gift of 2 full nights and days alone here before everyone else arrives and i am grateful. I am literally moving through sadness, in a depressive episode which has been quite intense. "Moving through" has been mostly a saving grace as in "this too shall pass." At the same time, I wish to sit and be qiet to allow myself to heal, my mind to still and my body to do so as well. I slept until 10am with no apology. Today I had planned on visiting a Victorian mansion, the home of an artist, but instead, perhaps I will only walk to the river, sit on a bench and breathe. It is OK to simply breathe rather than constant movement. Reconciling "keep moving on" with "critique of single-mindedness" I think is to know the difference of when to STOP moving, to simply be and breathe. I remember being caught in a dust storm at Burning Man and I set my bike down, turned on the lights, pulled my bandana over my nose and mouth, pulled goggles over my eyes, closed my eyes and simply let the dust swirl around me, It was like a mystical massage. When the storm was over, I slowly rose, lifted my bike and slowly pedaled back to my camp over 2 miles away. I listened for voices that were familiar and I moved when it was safe to do so. Perhaps this story better reflects. <3 Thank you for allowing me the space to share. <3 

 As a "recovering overachiever" who spent much of her life feeling not good enough, this post touched me deeply. Now 50, life is more about the smaller connections, the deep value of one to one rather than the urgent feeling of "I must make a huge impact"  or seeking approval. For years I've danced to my own drummer (rather than march, I choose dance ;) ) and haven't cared what others thought of me in certain contexts. I've never really fit it, I'm more like a misfit toy ( from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer) than I am some Barbie doll of perfection. For example, I use bubbles at the World Bank as a way to calm nerves, difuse tension and connect on a more human levecl. I've done it since day one when I brought bubbles to the interview panel. ;) I still do it 3 years later. Embracing those things which make me unique, like a never-ending sense of childlike wonder, helps me to stay grounded. I was tested on this last week as a Manager at the World Bank did not at all resonate with whom I am or how I do my job. I've consistently been rathed 6.8 out of 7 in countless other trainings. And so I let it go, this person sees the world through grey lens, me through pink and yellow and that is OK. I know who I am and like each of us I've been given gifts to share. The only way I know how to share them is by being me with my Pink bangs, my brightly colored clothes, yes, mostly pink these days and my "slight exuberance" as I move through each experience. As someone once said, "be yourself, everyone else is taken" :) 

 I needed this so very much today, thank you for the perfect reading and reflection. I currently live in Washington DC which given the current political administration is incredibly challenging. Nearly everyone I know is deep in their activism to the point of exhaustion, constantly claiming, "we cannot stop, we cannot rest, we must resist." I am observing them (and myself who chose to sit in compassion for all sides and honestly, that space can come with exhaustion too) I see how so many of the people I care about are sick and tired and need a break. My own Depression returned 2 weeks ago and is the deepest I've felt in quite a while. It was my mind and body reminding me to take a break, to "drop out like Buddha" and to self-care, reflect, sleep, go for walks, and sit in quiet. It was also a reminder to reach out to others for support rather than so often being the source of support. I am moving through one day, sometimes one hour at a time, seeking to be gentle with myself and seeking to return to center. Cultivating balance is a process and for those of us who are "recovering overachievers" or living in a society/culture where "crazy busy" is worn like a badge it can be an even bigger challenge because of judgment from others. What also helps me are habits like Awakin's readings and meditation, Daily Good which is how I start every day, taking time to simply be and breathe and when the darkness comes, to know the light returns and it is more than OK, it is Necessary to drop out like Buddha in order to be of service for anyone and to be healthy for myself. <3 Thank you again for exactly what I needed today. <3 

 The word which immediately came to my mind was Compassion. When we sit in compassion for self and others there is less "judgment" and we can move through the discomfort with more ease, at least that has been true for me. Compassion also serves me to stop caring if it's "me" or "them" and sees it more as "us" <3 

 I relate to two steps forward, one step back. In that life and stages are like a dance. There is progress, not perfection, at least that's my mantra. <3 To support the journey I do my best to not judge where I am or where anyone else is either, to sit in compassion for self and others. Each stage contains valuable learning and when we move through without judging it, we are able to see/feel the learning with more ease. 

 The great mistake is thinking we are alone. If we have the courage to open up, share our truth, our vulnerability, our story, we quickly learn we are never alone in any experience. There is always at least one other person who has experienced something similar who can sit with us, listen, hold space and acknowledge our journey. I've been on both sides and it is healing and releasing . I would say the most "grand" way I ever experienced this time of intimacy was when I allowed myself to be extremely vulnerable in posting on Facebook about being in another depression and being deeply concerned about the darkness enveloping me. I had moved through depression before and was feeling dismayed that it had returned at a time when things seemed to be going so well. I reached out, first on Facebook, because I was too depressed to make a phone call and ask for physical presence. The outpouring of love, care, concern was beautifully overwhelming. It pulled me out of the darkness enough to accept invitations of several people to come to visit me over tea or coloring books. They sat with me one on one and listened and hugged and were simply present. I've done the same for others and to be on the receiving end was deep and healing and appreciated beyond words. What helps put down aloneness is recalling the times when either I have been present for someone else or they were present for me and the rush of love felt in my heart. This is just the push needed to reach out again. <3 

When listened to we feel valued, when asked reflective questions and if we have anything more to say, we feel both heard, valued and perhaps even understood. This is what so many are aching for in the US and in the world that is so hurting. So many feel unheard and in turn unvalued and misunderstood. When we feel listened to by someone fully present we feel that we do have value and that our voice matters. I've been listening deeply for a long time and even more so since the 2016 election. I've made my social media a space for listening and for compassion and because of this I've had people on all sides message me and converse with me. I've had people share their deep experiences and thoughts. And just last week, totally unrelated to the US, while I was in Albania presenting a Communication Workshop.  One of the attendees approached me afterwards and started to share some of his life story. I listened, providing space and then he shared he struggled with depression. I listened. And then I hugged him and whispered,"I've been on that journey too." He shared more. I felt deeply honored that he would share something so deeply personal especially at a work related training. We ended up making time to have breakfast together the next morning. We listened to each other across our cultures, providing space. It was wonderful. I think the patience to listen deeply comes from knowing what it feels like to be listened to myself and from the responses from others who are so grateful to have that space created for them too. <3 

 Wonder is being open to the beauty all around us, in us and in each other. I experience wonder nearly every day because I choose to live in gratitude and in openness to the wonderful in the seemingly small things. I was in Albania last week to facilitate Communications training for staff from 25 country offices for the World Bank. I sat in wonder of: 1. the fact I was even invited to present 2. all the cultures I was able to encounter in such a short time and with such deep enjoyment of the food, music, languages and conversations to learn. 3. the beauty of a sunset over the Adriatic Sea while being treated to a delicious Albanian red wine and mussels and octopus. 4. the joy of new friendships forming. 5. the fact that airplanes can take us across the world in a matter of hours.... the list goes on. What helps me to stay in wonder is gratitude and the realization that the seemingly small things often become my fondest memories of a person or place. <3 

 I love this! The idea of collaboratively creating meaning. To me this means not being so attached to our own idea or outcome, but to the potential and possibility of what might unfold. We need this especially now given some of the deep divides. One potential path to a little healing is to open a conversation in a more ambiguous way to allow for more possibilities in the responses. A personal story of this was in my volunteer literacy project in Belize. Having no training in creating a volunteer project was a blessing because I had no set idea of what "should" work and therefore was constantly open to revising and adapting. It meant I was always openly listening to the locals and what they needed or wanted and then doing my best to collaborate with them and meet the needs. It turned out that creative writing in the schools was a need so I utilized the local indigenous legends learned while traveling village to village to create a first person narrative lesson plan. This also was ever changing depending on which region of the country I was training in <3 And then it further opened in other countries. Being open to the possibility of adaptation and revision allowed for so much more to unfold. And now in my current work at the World Bank, I am always adapting my training and listening to open conversation and meet needs. <3 I think putting myself in another's position helps me to open up to more possibility in my own actions. 

 I totally relate! 2017 became the year of self-care and it was Glorious! I took naps when needed so I was more refreshed. I stayed in more instead of going out more. I often donate to others, this year I spent some of that money on me by receiving coaching. It made a huge difference and impact. I am more centered.  <3 I feel really wonderful today and much of it is because I finally shared kindness and compassion with myself rather than with everyone else around me. Yes, I am still kind and compassionate to others and now i include ME in the mix too. It's made all the difference. What helps me stay rooted is seeing the impact little by little. I am more centered. I am more grounded. I feel better more days that not. Be your own best friend too, you are worth it! 

 Wow. Powerful. Living in the freshest chamber of the heart means living in the present not the past. <3 Yes! Last night I participated as a "Giver" in a Tantra Puja ritual with 30 people. We rotated from partner to partner giving the gift of being fully present as we symbolically and ritually shared opening up the heart. One of my favorite rituals was pouring water from a vessel into a small conch shell, then placing a drop of two on the pointer finger and thumb and with the finger, gently tracing a tear from the outside of the eye down the cheek to chin. This tear represented for the Receiver all the tears they either could not or were not allowed to shed. It was deeply moving. We then placed a satin piece of cloth over our fingers and with one finger gently wiped the tears away. As I sat there in the Giver role, I allowed my heart to be fully open to any hurt of the Receiver, to silently say, "you are enough. It is allowed to cry. You are allowed to feel. Open your heart." It felt so nurturing to nurture and be there fully. I was able to recognize my own tears sometimes not allowed to be shed, and to be fully present too. Deeply powerful experience. The challenge for me was not being able to hug the person. <3

I do my best to stay in the freshest chamber, knowing each encounter is different and new and that although the past may inform me, it does not define me. <3 What helps me is reminding myself that all of live is a story, a narrative we each create And so I can choose, daily to live in the present chamber of the heart rather than dwell in the past. The new story can be created each day <3 

 We were born to realize we are not static. Where we started does not need to be where we end up. Adversity can be a motivator to something greater than we dreamed possible. I've lived this my entire life. Born into a family consumed by depression, a father with multiple suicide attempts, a brother who turned to alcohol and drugs to cope and was addicted by age 15 and a mother overwhelmed in anxiety. I, turned to theatre as a way to try on different roles and it opened in my mind a way to live very differently in the world. A way to realize in my every day life I also had a choice to write a new story. I've swum up stream ever since with the tool of Storytelling and being the author of my own story to guide me. And now I choose to share that gift with others, reminding us all: we are the author of our own story and can reinvent and change our character, as well as begin a new chapter at any time. <3  In February I will begin to share an online beginner course in this and am so excited to share what has worked so well for me! <3 

 A threshold moment to me is that magic often fleeing moment of both aha and I don't know wrapped up together in a  twinkle. It is the awareness of magic and not being able to completely understand it and realizing, that's what makes it magic <3 As the days are darker (soon to be lighter!) I find that I curve in more into introspection. Sometimes brief moments of insight happen, like this Saturday night driving home after a gathering and I felt totally at peace and totally in my heart, this huge love pouring out. I cannot entirely explain. I felt warm in the cold and I felt joy. The opening up comes from not seeking to hold onto it, but in a sort of release and a trust in the magic. I hope this makes sense. <3 

 I am is all we need to be. After all we are human beings. So I am = being a human being. <3
I have "enough" tattooed on my right wrist, it serves as a daily reminder that I am enough. You are enough. Each of us is enough simple for being. Or I am. <3 
I felt this today at church. The woman next to me started crying, I sent her thoughts of love and care and then I stooped down to reach for tissues out of her reach, I gently placed the tissue on her lap and gently patted her shoulder while sending more thoughts. I cannot explain it entirely, but my heart felt so full of love and connection in that moment. I couldn't fix anything for her, but I could be present. I could BE present <3 I am. You are. We are. Enough. <3 

Small graces to me are: the ability to pause and soak in the song of birds in trees outside my window, to savor the flavor of the soup I am eating slowly, to be witness for a friend simply sitting conversing or even in silence. Recently, I was home for Thanksgiving, it was a challenging week trying to serve my mother to see she is in need of assistance and she is not doing well mentally. The two small grace moments that stand out are: sitting with my friend Mary in a cafe and sharing appreciations of each other without any pressure, simply sharing softly while holding hands what we admired about the other, that spark we saw in each other that perhaps we couldn't see in ourselves. Another was watching my cousin's 2 dogs play together, the miracle here is both are rescues, one badly abused and I'd never seen her play like this. It was a reminder of the healing that can happen through love. 
Thank you for this post I needed the reminder of the impact we each make simply by being who we are. I've felt pressure (some my own, some from others) to reach more people with my healing Storytelling workshops. I've felt less than and not enough through some of the expansion process. I am reminded that what I am doing right now is enough. <3 

We are the stories we tell and this impacts how we see self, others and the world around us. If we choose to see  every person as profound, or in other words, every person is worthy and we then treat them with kindness and love and share hope, we create a beautiful world around us and one in which people want to more deeply interact. I do my best to live this way each day and to imagine each encounter with each person is a possibility to learn something new from them or myself. I had an amazing encounter with a homeless man in Washington DC... two actually. One is Mr Weeks who engaged me in conversation on my way to work. I asked if he would like a Free Hug, yes. And after that first encounter every day when we saw each other he would engage in conversation with me "schooling" me about life. :) The other is Aed, another homeless man I met in DC and took to lunch one day. He shared his entire life story with me over sandwiches and informed me that he created a meditation program and could he email me about it. Until my encounter with Aed I had not thought much about internet usage and the homeless population. Turns out nearly every day he would find a cafe with wireless interest and work on his meditation program and send emails. Both Mr Weeks and Aed taught me many life lessons and all because I saw them and engaged in conversation. It is amazing what happens when we see each other <3 

 The sun simply is. It has no expectation, no attachment to any outcome, it simply shines. Recently, I noticed that when I simply show up as me and I share my own shine in my Storytelling work and I do not push to have a certain outcome, then the world responds. When I push and try to promote too hard, it seems to not come together. I realize this is a vocation example, but it is one so strong in my mind currently. When I share my gifts without attachment to outcome, it seems the connection is far deeper and lasting and goes straight to the heart. I am not sure this makes any sense. As for being moved by love, oh yes, I have felt that and for me it is to do my best to see each being as beautiful and worthy and to sit in compassion. When I do that I feel incredible beams of love coursing through me and out of me. <3 

So true. I relate to nothing but space as I move through receiving coaching. One of the helpful tools is to imagine one's energy expanding out and that the energy is like the wind blowing out and past challenges to create space. Our minds are infinite spaces too, the declutter is often by reframing: for example, one of my other favorite reframes is I choose. When we have choice we also have more space. Currently I am moving through another layer of healing with my mother, whom I've been in the role of parent since about age 12. When she was born she turned blue and was brain damaged. That damage manifested over time in processing like a 5 to 7 year old. She also have several mental illness challenges such as severe anxiety and paranoia. She is also one of the most negative people I have ever met, not only my opinion but those who know her mention this often.  It has been difficult at times to always be in the role of parent with her, especially when she is so negative and mostly ungrateful. My father was severely depressed after his service in Vietnam, multiple suicide attempts, died when I was 22. My brother was alcoholic by 15 (his coping) and then sober by age 26. The current healing is choosing to remain as a primary care taker of my mom as her condition worsens. The choice I have and the healing is: would I walk away from a 5 year old? No. And rather than get stuck in why, I ask myself, now that this has happened, what can I do. And I've created more space to process all this, from meditating on it, to spending quiet time at home to reflect rather than go out and be social and not move through the layers. And in that space a team began to form as I reached out to her Pastor for help and her only two friends and her two sisters. Expanding out the energy also helps so much; to imagine myself like wind, there is much space in wind. <3 

 Beautiful. Leaving gifts behind far beyond one's lifetime to me means leaving a legacy of kindness, of being shelter, being shade to others, however you might define that for yourself. It is about being a place of respite, of being the one who listens, offers a hand, a shoulder. Being the one who can be leaned on. I think someone long before from whom I benefitted within family context was my great-great grandfather Martin Quigney who courageously fled Ireland during the potato famine. He left on one of the last famine ships in 1852 and made his way to the US where he created new roots. I am part of his tree. On a larger scale and unrelated, I think of the many women who stood up together so that I could have the right to vote, own property and do the work I currently do. What inspires me to pay my own gifts of Story and Listening and empowerment forward are all those who have gone before me who also shared kindness and love and compassion. And I must say, it also feels really good in my heart, <3 

 This is a really deep one. To me the idea of love based on morals being inhuman means that love should be unconditional, to allow it to simply be because love is love. This also extends to no self to love: I think the idea is if we are all one, then there is no other or self, just one to love. And that one includes self/other together. So in practice of loving oneself we are loving all. This is what spoke to me. 

Realizing thoughts are just thoughts and they do not need to define me or even be "reality" is freeing. Thoughts change even within a day as our feelings change and evolve: whether those feelings are about ourselves or others. Reflecting on this for myself: I noticed today that my thoughts are jumbled and tangled today, partly due perhaps to a slight cold and feeling a little under the weather. I noticed that I was judging myself about things more harshly today. In recognizing these are just thoughts and not trying to "fix them" or deeply analyze, but knowing "this too shall pass" I am able to sit in breath and rather focus on that breath, in and out and relax. I've also been introduced recently to EFT, tapping and wow, it also helps with realizing thoughts are simply thoughts and they are not permanent. I hope these thoughts are clear ;) <3 

 I think compassion and emptiness go hand in hand is about not having attachment to the situation or person, but to see a blank canvas onto which you can simply love and be present. I experienced this in a deep profound way the other weekend at a healing arts festival of workshops in tantra where we were called to be silent and deeply present with numerous partners as we explored things like:" look at the person standing in front of you, see their beauty. See their entirety. Now picture that person as you at 6 years old, what message does your 6 year old have for you?" At this time the woman I was partnered with melted into sobbing, her shoulders hunched forward, a hand over her eyes and she looked away. Instinctively, I held out my hand and gently placed it on her other hand that was at her side. I looked into her eyes until she looked in mine and all I did was hold space in silence thinking the words, "compassion, love it is ok" into her. She held my hand. Soon her crying eased and she nodded she was OK. It as a moving moment of being both empty and compassionate. I hope it makes sense. <3 

 Thank you. Celebrated my 50th birthday on September 3rd by attending healing arts workshops all weekend. We explored nothingness, being fully present to the moment and to each other. To me nothingness is that sacred space where we realize we are enough simply in our existence and everyone around us is enough too. Experienced that so many times this weekend where all the noise disappeared and I felt at one in the moment and grounded and settled in. I felt enough. Breathing and focusing on being helps me stay rooted. Sometimes listening to water helps too or rain. <3 

 Love you enemy to me means seeing that underneath their anger or maltreatment is often fear and under the fear is hurt. Allowing oneself to sift through the anger, fear to get to the hurt often reveals common values and shared humanity. I've been seeking to hold this space of compassion for all for quite some time and especially since our election here in the US. I am saddened to see dear friends say hateful words of their opponents rather than see the human in front of them. I have posted as much as I can about holding compassion and understanding the hurt that lies underneath the hate. Whew. I have been persecuted on all sides for holding this view. I have been told my compassion for both sides somehow diminishes my taking a stand against the danger of hate. I am not sure I agree. I think hate is not the answer ever. I do think seeking to understand is. What helps me practice is what I shared: see beneath the hate or the difference to what may be hurt or pain and see the human under it all. Find the heart. 

Our hearts and souls are connected beyond boundaries, there is an energy present if we allow ourselves to believe in that magic and depth of possibility. I have felt this connection with several people in my life: even though my mother and I have a challenging relationship, she has a 6th sense as do I when it comes to each other. When the phone rings, I know without even looking it's her, this often happens for her too when she allows that kind of connection to be possible. I have this with someone I love in a romantic sense, he lives nearly 2000 miles away and yet I know instantly when he is having a difficult time. We only see each other a few times a year and yet we remain deeply connected across space and time. A friend from childhood, whom I had not seen nor heard from in 30 years came back into my life several years ago through the wonders of Facebook. We picked up nearly exactly where we left off at age 12 as if no time or space between us passed at all. I have this relationship with people I've met on my world travels, we may only have ever spent a week together and yet our hearts and souls remain connected through our shared experiences. I feel very fortunate that I have experienced this connection so many times in so many different ways/contexts. It helps me right now in a time when I live in what can be a very disconnected place: Washington DC and I serve part time at the World Bank, such a heady, cerebral place. To be reminded again of heart and soul was very much needed today. Thank you. 

I think and believe the growing in heart and soul bonds comes from allowing the possibility to exist and not trying to categorize it or buying into what society often tells us a friendship or relationship *should* be, but rather enjoying the magic that *can* be. Hugs from my heart to yours, I hope you feel it....

 This is a deep one! :) Each statement could be its own reading. For me, the greatness of what is not known reminds me of my own smallness in a good way. Yes, I can have significance in changing my corner of the world, at the same time, there is much I do not understand and that is OK. The smallness reminds me of the awe of the world and the universe. The smallness of what I do know also gives perspective that I definitely do not have all the answers, or anywhere close to the answers. It brings humility into the equation or situation. In keeping with the smallness of what I know, I shall end here today, <3 

 We are all interconnected: tiny dots together becoming something larger and more beautiful when viewed from a distance. When we take the time to view the beauty through the connection; that is the key for me in our survival. As individual dots we may seem small and insignificant, ah, but together, there is the beauty. <3 And yes to Jeannie. I am only one, but I AM ONE.... <3 

I relate to this so much! As a Cause-Focused Storyteller who chose to quit her job, sell her home and possessions to create/facilitate a volunteer literacy project in Belize in 2005 and then re-renter life in the US as a freelance Storyteller/Speaker/Trainer and Coach who currently serves as a Storytelling Consultant at the World Bank in Washington DC, I was told by some that I was "selling out." Perhaps I was learning that "wherever you go, there you are." Meaning that wherever we choose the serve, there we are if indeed we are serving with mindfulness and intention to the task, it matters not where we do it. <3 I have experienced deep sacred moments serving while I teach presentation skills at the World Bank: when I have connected heart to heart with staff reminding us all to listen, learn and value those whom we serve. Recently, 3 staff who had taken my online monthlong intensive course, then attended a face to face with me. When I asked why given it was the same content, all 3 separately replied, "So we could be in your energy in person and hug you to thank you." This is transformation and to me sacred. <3 
To avoid "service fundamentalism" I remind myself to "serve where I am" I hope this is helpful. Hugs from my heart to yours, Kristin

 The force of love = the force of total revolution because it opens our eyes to our interconnectedness and how truly, as humans and beings, we are all one. I have felt this in waves and in glimmers many times, a feeling of complete compassion, love, joy all wrapped together envelope me and I feel light and nearly to bursting. Recently I felt this at a Compassionate Listening training, the 14 of us had shared many vulnerable stories of experienced conflict, hearts and minds were open and I felt this sense of being utterly connected to each person in the room. I have felt this with animals too. I am not sure what helps experiment with the impossible, other than having so many experiences over my nearly 50 years on the planet, that anything is possible. <3 

 This resonates so much: 1. I am on the morn of embarking on sharing We Become the Stories We Tell both in the US and Canada: the idea is we become the stories we tell ourselves, we create our own narrative. And as you say this narrative (or attachment) is not set in stone. We can change the narrative at any time in many ways. We can change our own role in the story we've created. We can choose to begin a new chapter, make a new choice or decision. We can become aware of the roles we put ourselves and others in and change those too (or at least our attachment or view of them.) :)  I have gone through the process of changing my own life story several times. First time back when I was 13. I had been bullied terribly at school, back then, teachers didn't help you, guidance counselors told us it was "our fault." But summer of turning 13, I decided I wanted a new role, not the one being bullied anymore so I auditioned for a play and it turned out I was quite good at it. Theatre gave me confidence and it changed the way I carried myself. The bullying didn't stop completely, but my reaction did. I brushed it off, laughed more easily at it and walked away. It worked. Fast forward to today. I still have negative self talk in my head: I now have a tattoo on my right wrist which says "enough" it is to reframe the story of "Not enough" Every time I glance at my wrist I am reminded, I am enough just as I am. And you are too. Thank you for the perfect post as I head out on my adventure. 

 Big enough to take it all in to me means, we have the ability and capacity to do this is we remain out of fear, in the present and trust/believe that we can handle it. When we are fully present in the present moment rather than ruminating about the past or worrying about the future, it frees our mind, heart and soul to simply be. This past weekend I participated in a 3 day Compassionate Listening Training with 12 others. We all did our best to be fully present with and for each other. As we listened either in silence or in reflection and present with eye contact and not concerned with what to say in response and with no need to "fix" anything, a magic happened where every single one of us opened more deeply both in what we chose to say to each other and in how we were able to listen deeply. It was beautiful and heart/mind expanding. Realizations of the deep value of simply being present as a gift to one another. <3 Oooh, to commit to see clearly: gosh, I guess the power in seeing how that opens the heart.mind even further and it diminishes worry/fear as thoughts rather than swirling seem to center and settle. Thank you so much for this reading, a perfect reminder. <3

 Anger is a challenge for me: it is an emotion I was forbidden to express as a child/teen and it seems to come out now rarely and perhaps most often as tears or even as depression which is often referred to as "anger turned inward." I think with all feelings it can be healthy to say: feelings are feelings, they just are, however how we choose to ACT on them is very very important and what narrative are we creating about our feelings? Good to reflect. <3 Recently I had a wave of anger surface as I contemplated sexual molestation experienced as a young child. I am not angry at the perpetrators, they are sick, I was momentarily angry at the prospect of processing another trauma on top of several others. And then it quickly transformed into "what can I learn from this?" How can I move forward in as healthy a way as possible? This is how I try to move through any experience. Freeing self from any emotion is realizing "this too shall pass" I hope this serves someone else to be gentle with themselves. Hug <3 

 Having choice or even the illusion of choice can be liberating. It takes some pressure off. We can choose different thoughts. We can choose how we react. How empowering! This happened the other day after a challenging conversation. I reflected on it and realized my part and that I could choose a different response which in the end served the other person better and me too. Here's to the power of choice in our thoughts and our actions!

 Thank you. I needed this reminder. I have experienced a challenging week with memories of past childhood sexual molestation surfacing. This weekend I went on a retreat with someone dear to me. We were lucky to have no internet access for an entire 3 days and it was so refreshing to tune into the nature around us in the Canadian wilderness. We hiked in solitude, often in quiet even together. We paused, sat on benches and breathed in fresh mountain air. We gazed at mountains, we felt snow on our faces. It was a respite from any type of control and it felt so freeing. My mind felt much more settled after disconnected and recalibrating. I am grateful. 

 We are each a great ship, or perhaps a smaller vessel, but together we become that ship and we are able to serve, to float, to lift others from the waves. My own journey is to continue sharing stories of hope, light, love,compassion and understanding: whether that is one person at a time in conversation, through the posts I choose to write and share on social media or like today when I have the blessed opportunity to present in front of 1200 high school students to remind them 1. They are enough just as they are made. 2. They are the author of their own story. 3. We become the stories we consume, share and tell, and we have a Choice in those stories. <3 here's to holding onto hope and light, even if only a glimmer. Hugs from my heart to all of yours.

 Swimming in miracles to me means seeing the beauty that surrounds us every day: and by beauty I mean small things like: the rain this morning that left such a clean scent through my window, the puddles I can now jump in if I so choose, the cup of tea that tasted so good when I paid attention to it, the crispness of the apple as I slowly savored each slice and then the gratitude that I could work remotely from home this morning teaching a class with people in 30 countries throughout the world and the gratitude that I can take the city public bus into work to teach in person this afternoon. It is all about what we choose to see and being in the moment. It can be elusive, but I experience it quite often now that I have worked on that muscle. ;)  Recognizing these moments takes practice initially in looking for them, then after a while, in my experience anyway, you end up seeing them all around you! <3 Hugs from my heart to yours.

I was mugged by gunpoint in NYC summer of 2010. I reacted in compassion for the young men who felt so desperate they would make this choice. Rather than condemn them I asked for compassion for them. At the time the $80 they robbed from me were groceries for 2 weeks, but they must have needed that money more than I did. In the end, the $80 came back to me within 24 hours: $40 from a friend's mother and $40 from a check sent by a friend when she heard what happened. I think it is far more valuable to react in love and compassion for the human being and the heart. In our current political situation in the US< i have shared Free Hugs on election day and in front of the White House. I often share Free Hugs at protests too. It is always well received. here's to love!

 As a word person rather than numbers I felt the same as the narrator in the story, ah, how dull it would be if we all sang or played the same note, how lovely to have melody and harmony! Infectious goodwill, yes!!!! As a person who often shares Free Hugs, does random acts of kindness, applies as best she can the Golden Rule: 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you' I can attest to so much goodness and kindness always! Good Will is indeed infectious in a good way! When we do or see a kindness it just keeps on going and it infects those around us to be kind as well. i see this all the time with Free Hugs. One person accepts a hug, then another and soon there are so many conversations! This is the goal really, to connect one to another! What keeps me doing my best and being kind is knowing that eventually it comes back around and really it just feels so good to do anyway, so why not be kind?

oh my yes! Enjoy the journey each day even with the smallest actions or words or dance or song or story. Today I needed this reminder. it's been an intense work week preparing to present at MIT and I got caught up in the feeling of pressure. I live in Washington DC an intense city with many intense people who have a challenge relaxing. Well, I have learned that life is a musical... we can choose to enjoy a bit of song, dance, and music or we can get bogged down in a storyline. <3 Today I just booked a massage over lunch. Last night was enjoying sacred songs in the cathedral, and Wednesday was 600 people drumming in the cathedral. All for JOY and to live the journey. Valentine's Day I dressed in the pink heart onesie I sewed myself (it's far from perfect, but it's warm and fun) and I took my Free Hugs sign and walked down to the Columbia Heights metro stop and I just offered hugs. It turned the day around for me too. I've been doing Free Hugs since 2008 and V Day is now one of my fave days to share hugs and love. Yes, here's to enjoying the journey because it may be the only one we receive. Hugs from my heart to yours! Kristin 

 This hit hard. As both someone who has often sat in witness of other's depression or pain and as one who is challenged with depression herself. I meant to respond earlier, but this was a challenging week with being sick with a bad cold and being sick about all that is happening in the US with the new President. I can tell you from personal experience that what I want the most is simply to be valued and heard and loved. No one needs to "fix" me, nor can they. I am made the way I am and it is OK. The same goes for me witnessing for others, I cannot, nor should I try to fix anyone. What I can do is simply be present in love and compassion. Seeing someone you love in pain can be quite difficult, and yet, simply being there is enough. Hugs from my heart to all of yours, Kristin

 I love what Jagdish P Dave said, 'theory and practice are two wings of the bird of living."  I agree we need both and that one is thought and one is action; we need them to move forward in understanding. However I would also point out there is a potential pitfall for many to become so attached to theory the action never comes or an action comes but without truly understanding human impact. I have witnessed this is my work at the World Bank where economists become so enraptured with their data and what they think the theory is that they do not always listen to the humans their work impacts to understand in *practice* what the outcome may be of their *theory* on paper. I hope this makes sense. In my own volunteer work in Belize, I leaped in without having all the theory behind what I was doing in training teachers to use their own cultural legends in their classrooms, this not knowing all the theory was a blessing in disguise as I was unaware that in theory it should not have worked as it did. So, there can be blessings too. I do believe we need both and not to become bogged down in either one. As always, balance is key. I hope this made sense. <3

 Great art takes great suffering or great joy & both take the depth of silky attention to achieve the outcome. As a Cause Focused Storyteller who seeks to build bridges between people and connect people who feel they may have differences and serve people to see that the stories they tell and attune to become themselves, I resonated with the notion of silky attention. Oh that depth of attention which is elusive and yet which comes when we are as said, "in flow." I've experienced this throughout the last decade plus when diving into a project: for example: I was in Belize traveling village to village donating storytelling workshops for teachers/librarians and programs for students. it was hard work, yet it was so fulfilling connecting on a heart and human level through first printed works then oral folktales. There was one officer in Ministry of Education who sought to stop my work as he could see the impact (at that time the government in Belize was quite corrupt and had an agenda of not addressing the rampant illiteracy, that's another story for another time) This officer tried to sabotage my project by ruining my reputation through scheduling school visits but then never giving me the schedule: 20 visits were scheduled but I was never told where/when. Every week I would call/email asking for the schedule to be told it was still being finalized when in actuality the visit dates had already passed by. Thus 20 school admins believed I had simply not shown up. Karma, I learned of this 6 months after when I surprised one of the schools with a visit and the Vice Principal greeted me with hugs and confusion stating, 'we thought something awful happened to you, you never showed up!' I told her from what I knew the 20 visits had never been scheduled and she relayed to me how they had that past March. I connected the dots and realized I had been duped, but it only strengthened my resolve. that afternoon she invited me for lunch at her home and who walked in the doo... [View Full Comment]

 Great art takes great suffering or great joy & both take the depth of silky attention to achieve the outcome. As a Cause Focused Storyteller who seeks to build bridges between people and connect people who feel they may have differences and serve people to see that the stories they tell and attune to become themselves, I resonated with the notion of silky attention. Oh that depth of attention which is elusive and yet which comes when we are as said, "in flow." I've experienced this throughout the last decade plus when diving into a project: for example: I was in Belize traveling village to village donating storytelling workshops for teachers/librarians and programs for students. it was hard work, yet it was so fulfilling connecting on a heart and human level through first printed works then oral folktales. There was one officer in Ministry of Education who sought to stop my work as he could see the impact (at that time the government in Belize was quite corrupt and had an agenda of not addressing the rampant illiteracy, that's another story for another time) This officer tried to sabotage my project by ruining my reputation through scheduling school visits but then never giving me the schedule: 20 visits were scheduled but I was never told where/when. Every week I would call/email asking for the schedule to be told it was still being finalized when in actuality the visit dates had already passed by. Thus 20 school admins believed I had simply not shown up. Karma, I learned of this 6 months after when I surprised one of the schools with a visit and the Vice Principal greeted me with hugs and confusion stating, 'we thought something awful happened to you, you never showed up!' I told her from what I knew the 20 visits had never been scheduled and she relayed to me how they had that past March. I connected the dots and realized I had been duped, but it only strengthened my resolve. that afternoon she invited me for lunch at her home and who walked in the door but the man who had made the schedule and never gave it to me. He happened to be her husband! Poetic justice served as I informed him I had just set up visits with 10 more schools. I continued scheduling schools on my own and offering training, within 6 years I had donated programs for 33,000 students and trained 800 teachers because I felt so passionate about the project of using indigenous stories to teach creative writing and the students immersing themselves in the story through 1st person narrative.
It was a great example of persevering and how something of that challenge and difficulty is often worth pushing through. Hugs from my heart to yours. I realize this is not a "great art" example, however it is a labor of love as the book has just been published about the journey creating the project and the detailed lesson plan is also included along with stories written by students and teachers who attended the workshops.

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 Such truth in "We must remember that we are not just form and matter. We are luminous beings. And our destiny is to radiate light." As we focus on only changing ourselves in a non egotistical way, but from the heart, we realize it is the only place change occurs. We cannot change another person, nor should we, but we can change and improve ourselves in order to shine our light as brightly as we are able. I say this as a person who is challenged at times with episodic situational depression. Depression has had gifts (at least for me) in that I feel my compassion toward others has grown out of the darkness experienced. My set point is joy and sharing that joy, friends call me "slightly exuberant' and yet there is the darkness of depression. when I am in darkness, my own light becomes a small glimmer and yet it is still there. when I acknowledge that light and recognize it, I become aware of other people's light too. The same with gratitude which is another kind of light. I started a gratitude journal in 1999 and it helped so much in darker times because there were always small moments for which to be grateful: example, the sun shining and blue sky on a cold winter day and the fact I had a hot cup of tea and was inside a house wearing a warm sweater: so much gratitude just in that small thing. And that gratitude and light grow exponentially as we focus upon it and the best part in my opinion is, it affects not only us but those around us who see this light shine out from us as we share it. Being mindful in the doing is again about where the focus is: is it on the present moment and the process or it is only on final result? It is up to us what we see, share and focus upon. Thanks so much for this post, I needed the reminder today! Hugs from my heart to yours!

 I especially resonated with thinking of all those who impact our lives that we may not always hold in awareness: all those who have gone before us to pave the pathway so that we may live more fully in our present time. Also to all those presently who impact us on a daily basis: from every one instrumental in the process so we could enjoy a cup of tea in the morning. It is valuable to pause and send up a prayer honoring them all. I also loved the part about compassion for those who have caused us suffering and to realize anyone who causes suffering has been or is in pain themselves. Pondering the personal impact of prayer: thinking about recently how Ive been offering prayers to Trump those who are so hurting and in such suffering that they have followed his rhetoric. I remain hopeful that somehow with all the racism, xenophobia uncovered that we may heal the divide that has grown so deep and that we all seek to understand and hold more compassion for each other. In the end whatever our beliefs, we are all human beings. no one is born as someone who hurts another and so it is up to each of us to be kind and send up the 5 prayers as suggested.

 Our minds are such interesting places. We really do have control over how we react. I find that pausing and breathing for a moment are such a huge help. And also to step outside myself for a moment. Am I being in compassion for the other and for myself? Is this reaction justified? When I pause, usually I realize my level of reaction, in the seldom moments of intense upset, are a bit overblown. When I breathe and sit in compassion for the other and myself, that feeling of upset often dissipates and I am back to more calm. I needed this reminder recently when having a political discussion. I allowed my emotions to take over and my sense of "justice" took over too. Then I paused and just said, "we need to stop for a minute. I need to breathe." The breathing and taking a moment to step into his shoes really helped. And we were able to resume the conversation in a more healthy way. i use this when driving too which is one of the few places my anger comes out ;) and usually when there is a merge with construction and people are being selfish. Now i stop, breathe and tell myself, "have compassion, maybe they are late or someone is sick or...."" :) It is a small thing, but it helps in the bigger moments too.

 oh yes, a journey is indeed a sacred thing, no matter if a journey to a foreign land or the journey in our own town or city; it is all about the intention we set: are we taking the journey with an open heart, mind and soul? Are we allowing for the unexpected to awe us? Are we opening our eyes to truly see the beauty all around us, even if it is simply a tree on the street where we live? Are we engaging with people heart to heart? Are we seeking to grow and learn especially if immersed in a culture other than our own? I  have found that many times when i travel, I've been to 27 countries so far: 20 of them through Storytelling performances/experiences, I seek to learn, grow and understand as well as soak in unexpected experiences whether that is a cultural celebration like the one i happened upon in Peru where hundreds gathered in a town square and ate a feast of seaweed, cuy, cheese, and tiny potatoes and there was singing and chanting too. i had little idea what was happening, but my smiling face and open attitude soon had  me pulled in with the locals. It was wonderful! Or the time in in Italy when i was on a train solo seated with a couple in their 80s and a young woman in her 20's, all Italian. I had only packed some crackers for what was supposed to be a 2 hour ride. they all had sandwiches and the older couple had a little picnic basket and wine too. They shared it with me upon eyeing  my crackers and the 20 something invited me to her village for a food fest. So  being open as well as being quiet enough to hear'/see the potential extra journeys leads to a richer travel. Be open, be kind, and be loving and see what unfolds! <3

Synchronicity for sure today! I was planning on posting in another forum We become the stories and experiences we share. I believe this relates beautifully to the idea of "becoming active participants translating meaning into life." For example, post election here in the US, although some awful things have happened already in the name of hate, other wonderful things have happened as well with people stepping forward to act out in deeper kindness and love and care to one another. Which stories do we focus upon? Which ones do we continue to share? We become these and our world view changes because of it. Do we lament or do we take positive action? And do we allow ourselves to be in discord or harmony? I struggled with this last Friday as I have a wide range of friends with a very wide range of beliefs, I hold all of them in my heart with compassion and seek to understand views that may be different from my own. I do my best to not judge, but to listen to hear what is going on underneath. When we stop to do this listening, the story we hear is usually one not so different from our own: we all want to be valued, understood, cared for and to matter. So I focus on this and then I ask: how can I serve others to feel this and how can i reflect it myself?

 To live as though already dead means to embrace every moment, every encounter, every person and experience as though it may be the last time. To have gratitude to live in the present moment worrying less, loving and enjoying more. There are many times life is like this for me, I think it may come from growing up with a suicidal father, i never knew when his moment might be his last and so I learned early on to appreciate the present moment because that might be all you have left. He died at age 47 when I was 22. That taught me that one can die young further cementing to live each day fully. I am now 49, when I surpassed my father's age it was a huge deal to me. Each day is precious. Each person is too. Here's to embracing each other and realizing the beauty in impermanence.

 :) HUG! :)

Destiny is within us gives us some liberation from circumstances, situations and even other people. If we view our life as a series of choices over which we have control then we may feel more empowered. We cannot control how other people act, we can't always control the circumstances we presently are in, loss of a job through downsizing, but as stated we can control how we react. A recent experience in my own work life: the department for which I worked as a storytelling consultant at the World Bank was dismantled and dissolved after nearly 50 years in existence. There was a lot of hurt. I was one of the newer staff, but at first I was caught up in the "injustice" of it after all we were doing really good and valuable work, how could this be happening? Then I was caught up in fear: as a Freelance Storyteller and Speaker I would once again have to search for other work which is often seeking for 3 to 6 months for a one or two day gig; takes a lot of energy! Then i shifted my focus: what did I have control over? My own response! I could look at this as a huge gift! I had been given 18 months of job security after 9 years of instability, I could buy cheese! I could also pursue presenting keynotes at places like Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. Wow! Instead of feeling drained, I felt energized and excited and hopeful. Developing this awareness is about shifting to "what can I control? How can I respond?" And "I have a choice."  Hugs to each of us!

 I relate very much to the feeling of needing to let go of the periphery and focus on the essentials. Feeling grateful that more days than not it is possible and only when I get caught up in life is it still a challenge. Two things truly helped in this process: spending time in other cultures where time was measured differently and where "success" was as well. Time expanded and days felt longer and not so rushed, perhaps this was due to rising with the sun and going to bed shortly after dark. The view of success was more about kindness to fellow humans and the quality of relationships rather than quantity of possessions. I've carried this into my every day life. It helps me to focus on what is truly important when I get caught up. Example, this week my book about my volunteer project came out. I felt both a sense of relief as it had been 10 years in the making from the start of the project to release of the book which details the journey and hopes to serve as a blueprint for others to take the leap. I also felt this rush of, "my goodness, I need to get it out everywhere right now!" I felt a sense of urgency and it was overwhelming as I was also caught up in other work commitments at the World Bank and in several other performing projects. Then I sat down on Wednesday and I just breathed, in and out over a cup of tea. And I let go of "right now" and I let go of urgency. I reminded myself it took 10 years to get to here, what is the difference of another few weeks at this point? What do I need to do right now today? What is truly necessary? What can I let go? I felt so much more at ease. That afternoon I even took a nap before performing that night and in the end the performance connected so much more deeply to the audience because I was fully present, and at peace in my heart and mind. Hope this helps! Hugs from my heart to yours!

 Substitute life to me means not being completely authentic or being who we were or are meant to be. There is a saying which I firmly believe and which I think is reflected here, "we become the stories we tell." The good news is we are also the author of the stories we tell so we can re-write or re-tell at any time. We can start a new chapter and allow that to become our new story. What role do we wish to play in our story? Are we the hero or victim in our story? Who are the other characters in our story? What journey are we taking? Do we wish to walk a different path? We can write that and live it.

 Beautiful and necessary reminder in the power in nature. I adore trees and listen and simply watch as they sway in wind, bending not breaking; we can do the same: just be. We dont have to try so hard.

 For me, Right away has a sense of urgency whereas now has a feeling of peacefulness. When I was in Belize traveling village to village learning and sharing stories as part of my literacy project I felt I was recalibrated by the local culture to look at the idea of 'right away' as "now." Belizeans for the most part move at a much slower pace and when they would say "right away I will come" that could mean 5 minutes, an hour or several hours later because they tended to be in the moment of now with whomever and whatever was happening within their immediate physical space. It was liberating. And yes, admittedly, a bit frustrating for me at first, especially coming from the Northeast of the US which often runs at breakneck speed. To protect from becoming a 'hungry ghost' I do my best to remind myself to be present now with whoever I am in physical presence and with the task at hand. Progress not perfection. :)

 Reality shifts as we construct and deconstruct it each day through our perceptions and experiences and how we react. Simplicity of the heart happens when we do not try to control it. I've had this experience when allowing myself to fully immerse in the present. Example, yesterday at a dance in a park I felt fully free, alive, happy and filled with joy. There was no attachment to dancing a certain way, it was allowing the rhythms to fully connect internally and just move however my body decided. Liberating!

This one hit very close to home. As someone challenged with episodes of depression which is very real and part of my brain chemistry, I must say that though I agree with much of the thoughts presented and that yes service to others certainly helps, when one has clinical depression it is more than "distraction." That being said, I do relate that in reframing one can be liberated rather than feeling in loss. I needed to hear that today! Every experience can be a lesson, and sometimes even a gift if we let it. I do my best to live in love each and every day. We have a choice; when we are doing whatever we are doing to view as from love. Even doing the dishes can be out of love :)  When a recent relationship ended changing from romantic to platonic I continued to share messages of hope as he is going through a very challenging time in his life. It was out of love and care. As for distraction as root of depression, I suppose that when I am not doing what is best for me, example working in a job that does not fulfill my heart, the depression is definitely more acute. Currently I am working my way back to more Cause Focused and heart centered Storytelling/Speaking engagements and it is helping my mind and heart because this is the work I am truly meant to do and have done. time for more of it! Hugs from my heart to yours, Kristin

 Keeping nothing between means being your real self, authentic, no masks. It also means creating a space to allow the other person or people to be real as well. I feel it is a bit easier than we think; we needlessly complicate. One of the phrases that helps me to be in this state is to think of us all as Tall Children, not in a demeaning way, but in that innocent, open way. A personal story of nothing between happened last night as a group of us broke the fast for Ramadan. We were from at least 2 dozen different cultures and yet there we were together seeing each other with openness and humanity and heart. It was a wonderful experience of building bridges of understanding. Hugs to you all! Let us keep nothing between!

 Every day! Every single day! I live in my heart, maybe too much some say. Every day I seek out to love others, offer compassion, offer listening and share heart. It is challenging when we live in a world that outwardly values doing so much more than being. Just last weekend I was fortunate to participate in a burning man type festival in the forest and it was all about sharing heart. We were present with each other, we hugged often, we looked deep into each others eyes and we listened and we spoke from our hearts. It was magical! I do my best to do and live this way every day. Being mindful helps to seek out the dark corners and to share them. At this very moment I am piecing together a project called Wings of Hope to break stigma surrounding mental health challenges, I've reached out asking people to share a photo of themselves and a descriptor beyond their diagnosis, it has been an incredibly heartfelt  experience even in the first few days. I am so grateful my heart is open enough to do this work. Hugs from my heart to yours, Kristin

 Perfect timing! Just had an experience this weekend, my first sweat lodge. In that moment of entire darkness, in a supportive circle enveloped by steam we both listened to each other, called out our own prayers, intentions and hopes as well as our needs. It was extremely powerful. Depression has been my "friend" for the last several months. After 7 rounds of sweats in 2 days, I feel released, renewed and reawakened to all the universe has in store for me on this path. I was blocking myself. I feel more opened again. Grateful. It was intense to sit in darkness and allow everything to wash over and to pour forth (literally and figuratively) Hugs from my heart to yours! Kristin

Creative Living for me means living fully while sharing the gifts (treasures) we possess. I feel truly grateful that for whatever reason I have been able to do this most of my life. Perhaps it came from growing up in such an unhappy and stressful childhood, that in my 20s I decided to live on my own terms and that continued to blossom up to present day late 40's. Two items I never leave home without: Free Hugs sign and bubbles to share. I thought Id include my 5 minute TED for you all that speak to this magic of discovering joy in small moments: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Vp2WNkQB0o

 Solitude has become more important in my life as I age. I seem to crave it more than ever. Perhaps this is also due to how interconnected we've become through technology; we are seemingly never alone with text messages buzzing at all hours, Facebook messages or notifications popping up and as the writer said, we can connect in ways like never before and yet so many feel so alone and disconnected. Solitude for me is in the mornings when I wake and sip my tea, crunch through an apple and just sit and look out the window. I feel fortunate that most days I really enjoy my own company and over the last 15 years have chosen to do many activities solo. True I meet people along the way and I enjoy meandering through a village or city on my own taking in the sights and sounds at my own pace. I am also an extrovert so need face to face with people too, and I admit Facebook has at times been a life saver when I am in depression and perhaps not as able to reach out in person. The balance of solitude and community in my life is to be sure to have quiet time each day to myself and then at least 3 times a week to go out and do something with friends; even if that doing is simply sitting together. HUGS from my heart to yours and here's to solitude!

 "The more you become aware, the more there is to bless" has been a definite truth in my own life, though I think I always related it to gratitude. The more we focus on something the more we have the opportunity to open our eyes and hearts. A personal experience of shared silent blessings is whenever I pass an accident I say a blessing to all involved. Another example is a smaller one, when someone rushes ahead of me on the sidewalk or pushes into me at the grocery store or cuts me off in traffic, I say a blessing that they might feel less frantic and be able to breathe. This helps calm my own stress too. The practice of sharing blessings (and gratitude too) has created more compassion and empathy for others and the realization that honestly, there are no "others." Hugs from my heart to yours, Kristin

Hugs and thank you David and  Madhur, so glad my response resonated with you! <3

 I loved the poetic beauty of the need for community and to connect as we renew together. the beauty is in the idea that it is the relationships that are paramount not the structure or the things. We have forgotten that as so many live behind literal gates of iron keeping the "other" out. I live my life as though nothing is permanent, grateful for whatever experiences come my way, grateful for people and situations. I am so glad that my "house" and by this I mean my being needs rebuilidng to remain strong and in tact. When we are there for each other to rebuild our "houses" meaning ourselves, what a beautiful lasting community we create. Hugs from my heart to yours, Kristin

 Wow, this is timely given our current political campaigns in the US. I see so much hatred, yet my initial response in compassion. How hurt this person and these people must be to react with such hatred. How can we heal that hurt? I resonate so much with Mandela's thinking; none of us are free if we do not live from a place of compassion for EVERYONE and seek to unshackle from hatred. I think so much hatred is born out of fear, and if we can address those fears through trying to listen then we are one step closer to healing. Whew! Hugs to everyone from my heart to yours.

 Oh this rings so true for me. Though thankfully (and gratefully) I am better now. Progress, not perfection :) One of my fave phrases is "we are human beings, not human Doings." :)  I come from a long line of "doers" My grandmother in her 80's would apologize for sitting down. I learned early on that "stillness equaled lazy" and so I filled my life with movement, literal and figurative. And several times I became so busy doing that I got physically sick, just like the monk in the story. My body told me to stop and slow down and just be. In that just being, a small bit of clarity came. In the years since, I have taken much more time to be still. And in being still important things are happening. If we look at nature, trees when dormant are still doing important things for their overall health and beauty. We we are still we are doing the same. :) We are refilling so we can give when needed. <3 Breathing helps me to center. Being in nature, being near water does too. I love watching waves either on the ocean or in a stream or a lake. Even a puddle can do. To just watch that water be. Ahhhhh. Breathe in. Breathe out! (PS It can be a challenge sometimes just being in DC where there is a huge push to be busy busy busy 24/7. I really feel so much compassion for those who cannot just be. Hugs from my heart to yours!

 Absolute truth. This is why I carry a Free Hugs sign, talk to strangers, smile at strangers, share small bottles of bubbles in airports, grocery stores while waiting in line as well as various other locations. We may never know what is going on for someone and to smile, to make eye contact, to engage in conversation can make all the difference. Honoring, respecting, valuing each other goes so very far!

About a month ago, I smiled at a homeless man I had seen several times in the same spot. I had tried to smile at him before, but his eyes were always downcast. I caught his eye, smiled, he smiled back. I asked if he was hungry and would like to join me for hot soup. He agreed. We spent the next hour, mostly me listening as he shared his story. We hugged several times. He was still on the street for about 2 weeks after that, we shared a sandwich on another day.  And now I don't see him. Maybe his luck changed. Maybe something good happened. I sure hope so.

Thank you for sharing Maya's smile story. She is one of my top 5 SHEroes in our world.