Category Archives: Liberating Self

Gift Exchange of Words and Wisdom

Posted on December 21, 2011 | 11 Comments

gift-bow

I’ve been converted from magazine flipper to blog devotee.

Why the switch? I love the interaction and exchange of ideas that comes with blogs. And, I enjoy getting to know the author behind the words on the screen.

The sharing of ideas through blogs, links, and tweets is more than words. It’s a network of connections made and inspiration shared.

While the web can distract and derail us, we can find inspiration in other’s stories and words. Have you ever read anything in a blog that inspired you to try something new?

When I started blogging in the fall of 2010, I didn’t expect to meet people from all over the world. I was merely hoping to turn my newsletter writing into an opportunity to interact with my readers.

Starting a blog wasn’t supposed to be a life-affirming and changing activity. And, I certainly didn’t expect to be inspired by sharing my ideas and stories.

12 Gifts of Words & Wisdom:

As my curiosity peaked about how other bloggers work, create, and live, I started receiving unexpected gifts of words and wisdom from the blogs I read.

I’ve enjoyed reading and collecting articles throughout the year that inspire me in life and work. And, now I’d like to share these gifts of words with you.

Here are my favorite blog posts written by bloggers in 2011:

Your stories inspire me. Some of you have brought tears to my eyes. And, most of you have reassured me that we are all human, on a journey, where we fall and strive to get back up.

From Inspiration Received to Growth Sprouted:

For me, it’s not enough to read something inspiring. I have to do something with it. I may let it percolate or get stored in my brain for future use. Or, I may begin to change something about how I move through my day and my life.

What have you changed after reading something that inspires you? Here are a few ways that my thinking or actions have changed after receiving these gifts of inspiration:

  • Dreams come true in spite of your fears
  • Don’t wait for contentment to find you, enjoy the moment
  • Savor life through your senses and experiences
  • Surf the web with balance and purpose
  • Nurture and romance your creative side
  • Live life first, write second
  • Less can be more fulfilling than having more
  • Giving isn’t only for holidays

Each gift of wisdom I receive is like a seed. I can plant the seedling or throw it out. I can cultivate the gifts and till the soil, until they sprout their own growth in me. I hope you enjoy my gift exchange, and find some seeds worth planting in your own soil!

Gift Exchange: Please share one of your favorite blog posts/articles of 2011.

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Want a free gift idea? Subscribe via email & receive a free copy of my e-book: “Take Charge of Your Worry”

Photo Credit: “Gifts” by Kasia

A Special Thank You To My Readers: Your interest and engagement with my blog is much appreciated. I wish you a blessed holiday season!

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Be Known Behind The Mask

Posted on October 31, 2011 | 4 Comments

Pumpkin carving

Have you ever attended a masked costume party? You begin to mingle, making your way around the crowd of masked guests. You try to get to know them, but you find it hard without seeing their faces.

Sometimes I feel this way about blogging. As your host at Liberating Choices, I share a story with you about my work or my life. I wonder who I’m writing to, where you are from and what makes you come alive.

Imagine we are at a costume party where you don’t know many people. Some of you are excited, while others anxiety is rising. No matter what you are feeling, you have decided you want to get to know at least one person. This involves letting at least one person know you.

Virtual Unmasking Party

You’ve now entered my virtual unmasking party. Think of your email address as your mask. You can stay in the shadows, or you can take off your mask. Are you ready to be known from behind the mask?

Whether you are joining my virtual party, attending a dinner party, or sitting at a quiet dinner with your significant other, being truly known is important. What will you share about yourself? What do you want to learn about them?

Here are some questions to spark your ideas:

  1. Where do you live?
  2. How do you make a living?
  3. What are you reading?
  4. What is something you know a lot about?
  5. What destination have you enjoyed traveling to the most?
  6. What is your biggest pet peeve?
  7. What career have you always wanted to try but never have?

I’ll start the unmasking by going first, and I hope those that feel comfortable will join in:

  1. Missouri, United States
  2. Psychotherapist/Counselor in private practice
  3. The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks
  4. Nutrition (foods, supplements, etc.)
  5. Hawaii (when I was 10)
  6. Waiting (especially through customer service systems where you push buttons instead of talking to live people)
  7. Singer-songwriter

I invite the unmasking party to continue. If you’d like to, introduce yourself in the comments below, answering your favorite questions from above. I look forward to learning more about my readers, and where your interests lie.

(Note: This post is meant to be fun and light. Participating in the virtual unmasking is optional.)

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Thank You: A special thank you to Megan from The Sunday Dish for submitting Question #4 via my Facebook Page. And, to Courtney from Be More With Less for sharing her readers with me! Gratitude posts coming soon…

Photo Credit: “Pumpkin Carving” by Kenny Louie

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Being Lost Activates Motivation

Posted on October 10, 2011 | 6 Comments

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“Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.” ~Helen Keller

I’ve always loved a good adventure, especially exploring trails off the main path. That is, unless I get lost. Like the time I got lost deep in the woods with two friends when I was 15.

An Adventure in Getting Lost

I remember it perfectly. We are exploring unchartered land behind my friend’s apartment. (There are worse things a teen could be doing!) The sun is getting closer to setting, and my friend wants to take a “short cut” back to the apartment. Yet, instead of getting us back quicker, we find ourselves surrounded by a wall of trees – in a forest we never knew existed.

Darkness begins to fill the spaces between the trees. Thorny plants pierce our legs with weeds halfway up our bodies. We can’t see what we are walking on, but know we need to keep moving. Hours pass, fear sets in, and we have absolutely no idea how to get out of the woods. Everything looks exactly the same in the dark.

After walking many miles away from home, we see a faint light in a clearing. It is a house sitting on a long driveway. We bravely knock on the door and ask how to get back to the main road. (After all, cell phones hadn’t been invented yet!)

We are surprised how far we have travelled in the dark and discomfort, but we are proud of the scars from our adventure.

Usefulness of Being Lost

Have you ever been really, really lost? I don’t mean lost physically, but lost as to how to solve a problem or face a challenge. Did you freeze in fear or renew your determination to keep moving?

I find feeling lost and unsure very frustrating, but I also find it very motivating. My discomfort activates me to push myself and keep moving. I reflectively search myself for answers until I am back on track.

Feeling lost helps us retreat, reflect, and restore. In fact, some researchers describe “depression as a natural restorative process after a sustained stress response” (Dr. Daniel Papero). In this way, feeling lost is a time to recharge by taking extra good care of yourself.

Turn Feeling Lost Into Motivation

Let the dark-woods seasons of life restore you. If you feel lost, let your fear and frustration motivate you instead of paralyze you. Instead of getting angry at feeling lost, you can:

  • Look after your body with enough sleep, exercise, and nutrition
  • View feeling lost as part of the journey
  • Remember that you hold the answers, even if it’s hard to find them
  • Know this too will pass
  • Connect with others along the way

You don’t need to have all the answers to free yourself, or to find your way back. But, you do need to believe in yourself just long enough to see you can and you are.

When has feeling lost motivated you to keep moving?

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Are you receiving two emails from me? If you recently renewed your email subscription to Liberating Choices, you may be getting duplicate emails. I upgraded my email service to Mail Chimp, so I can more easily give free copies of my e-book on Taking Charge of Worry. (Keep the emails sent via Mailchimp, yet feel free to delete your email subscription with wordpress or feedburner.) Contact me if you have any questions.

Photo Credit: “Evening Sun in the Woods” by Per Ola Wiberg

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