Entries For: December 2009

Happy (almost!) New Year!
Take the next three days to get ready for a fabulous 2010!

I don't know about you, but this is one of my favorite weeks of the year! It's a time to reflect on the past year and see what I learned about myself and about life. It's also a time to look forward and contemplate the coming year and consider my hopes and dreams and desires as I continue on my journey in this joyful life! Here are four simple steps to help you ring in the new year with purpose, intention and joy! This exercise could take you 30 minutes or a few hours - it's up to you!

1. Acknowledge your accomplishments. Make a list of all the things you feel you've accomplished in the past year. Consider your business, your relationships, your health, your spirituality, your personal development... any area of life you'd like to give yourself a pat on the back!

2. Release anything you want to leave behind in '09. You may realize that there are old beliefs, negative thoughts, physical clutter or even stale relationships that no longer serve you. Resolve to release them with love. They served you for a while but they may not anymore.

3. Celebrate all of the blessings in your life. This is my favorite part! Take inventory of ALL the things you have to be grateful for in your life. Expressing gratitude and joy for all the good that is around you is a great way to get into a high vibrating space.

4. Focus your attention on what you want to manifest in '10. Call it goals, resolutions or intentions... whatever you do, list your desires in the affirmative and be as detailed as possible. You don't order from L.L. Bean or Nordstrum and ask the customer service people to send you anything that they think you'd like, do you? You call and order a specific size, color, design, etc. Do the same with your goals and dreams for 2010, focus your attention on them regularly and watch them manifest.

I hope you find these exercises as helpful as I have found them to be. Every year just gets better and better! I wish for you lots of joy, love, laughter in 2010 and always, always, always - INSPIRATION - to guide you on your journey!

PS For readers in the Tallahassee area, it's not too late to sign up for the 2010...Begin Again New Year's Day Retreat! Hope you will join us!

Shopping. Parties. Presents. Food (usually waaaaaaay too much!). Lights. Carols.

This season is so fun and so festive. I love it!

And, this year it's a little quieter than usual. I'm taking to heart the retreat work that I've stepped into this year.

I'm experiencing more quiet.

I'm giving myself permission for more space.

I'm realizing that I could knock myself to be the perfect friend/daughter/coach and extend myself to send cards, write personal greetings, buy gifts for everyone I love and care about (a verrrrrry long list!) ... but instead, I am choosing sanity... and just doing the best I can.

I'm spending time in silent gratitude saying over and over every day "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

This has been a challenging year for a lot of people that I know, myself and my family included. But there is so much to be grateful for. We are truly blessed.

I wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and look forward to celebrating an exciting NEW YEAR with you soon! Thanks for reading, for being my friends, colleagues and supporters.

~ Elizabeth

PS If you are feeling ready for some R+R yourself but are also seeking the company of women, I invite you to consider joining me in the next few weeks...

2010...Begin Again - A New Year's Day Retreat on Jan 1st, 2010

New Year Solitude Retreat - A Woman's Retreat for Self Care and Spirituality from Jan 29-31st, 2010

 

 

Join me and Geralyn Russell this evening at 8 pm EST for our FREE Teleclass "Dissolve Holiday Stress NOW: 3 Simple Solitude Practices".

You'll take time to...

- BE

- BREATHE

- REST from the holiday chaos

- CONSIDER how you want to do the rest of the holiday season a little bit differently

Click HERE to register for this hour oasis and experience a bit of solitude this evening...

 (Geralyn Russell and I at BPW's Divas & Desserts - what a festive occasion!)

Is this holiday season wearing you out? That's a sure sign you aren't taking enough R+R time for yourself!

 

 

It’s easy to get caught up in the demands of life and miss the warning signs that you need to go on retreat NOW.

 

 

How do you know if you need a retreat?
~ You are tired or overwhelmed by all you have to do
~ You are scattered or lack focus
~ You can't find peace and quiet at home
~ Your creative juices are all gone
~ You give your time and energy to others and routinely put yourself last
~You have no energy left
~ You are grieving
~ You need new perspective
~ You want to DO less and BE more
~ You are experiencing a life transition (a move, new job, marriage, divorce, the birth of a baby or a new business)

It’s time to nurture yourself. You deserve it AND taking time off will leave you feeling
~ happy
~ grateful
~ inspired
~ rested
~ joyful
~ relaxed

Doesn’t that sound good?

I’m planning two special retreats for you in January 2010...Begin Again and the New Year Solitude Retreat on Jan 29-31, 2010 but you don’t need to wait until then.

~ Decide you're ready for a retreat! (yes, even now as the holidays approach!)
~ Pick a day, time and location (even 15 minutes of relaxation can restore your soul)
~ Choose activities that will nurture your mind, body and spirit (journaling, meditating, walking in nature, dancing, singing, creating art). 

The holiday season can be a whirlwind of activity and demands on your time and attention. You can choose to retreat and renew your body, mind, and spirit. Then you'll enjoy the season a whole lot more! :-)

After the holidays, I’d love to have you join me on retreat January 29-31, 2010 so that you can...

~ Rest
~ Focus
~ Enjoy peace and quiet
~ Explore your creative side
~ Put yourself first
~ Renew your energy
~ Achieve a new perspective
~ DO less and BE more
~ Come away inspired about LIFE!

And if you need a break NOW, join me for my FREE Holiday Teleclass Wednesday December 16th at 8 pm EST called Dissolve Holiday Stress NOW!

It's that time of year again. I don't need to describe it to you. Most people either love it or dread it. There aren't a whole lot of fence-sitters on the topic of the holidays. If you are ready to disembark from the holiday crazy bus, here are three simple steps to help you.

1. Create Space. Pull out your calendar RIGHT NOW and look at the month of December. Are there hours or days that are not accounted for? Choose a few chunks of time - 30 minutes here, 2 hours there, an entire day (wow!) - and block them out just for you. This is the season of giving, but if you don't start by giving yourself some spiritual food in the form of space and time to breathe and think, you won't have anything left to give anyone else!

2. Envision your Ideal Holiday. Take a blank sheet of paper and write 5-10 things that would make your holiday just perfect. Then, talk with your loved ones about how you can incorporate some of these ideas into your holiday plans.

3. Self Care SOS! Make a list of all the things that help you to destress. Post it on your refrigerator and every time you feel the holiday crazies coming on, choose a self care tool that will come to your rescue. Examples: eating an organic meal in a relaxed environment, getting a babysitter for 3 hours so you can go do yoga, meditate for 10 minutes before you start your day, saying no thank you when you really don't want to do something.

If you want more tips and inspiration from me , I invite you to join me for two exciting events in December.

*** For Tallahassee area folks: I'll be the keynote speaker on Tuesday Dec 8th at the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce Professional Women's Forum and I"ll be talking about how to thrive during the holidays!

*** For people all over the country: Join me and Geralyn Russell for our Dissolve Holiday Stress NOW! Free teleclass on Wed Dec 16th from 8-9 pm EST. It's sure to be a respite in the midst of a busy holiday time!