365 Inspirations—337: My Students

"There is no passion to be found playing small—in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living."—Nelson Mandela

 I'm an author, but I'm also an ESL teacher at a local community college. Writing and teaching are two of my passions, but it's not the act of teaching or writing that brings me the most joy, it's what I'm able to convey through these mediums. I feel so happy and fulfilled when I see others find purpose, peace and joy in their lives—when they discover something about themselves or learn something they may have initially thought was difficult or impossible. I think it's the breakthroughs and the 'ah-ha' moments I witness in others that bring me a sense of fulfillment and bring me closer to my own discoveries. We are all learning and growing here, and sharing that process with others helps my own process of growth.

I've very impressed with my students this quarter, particularly my small business ownership class. I volunteered to teach it without knowing too much about what the class entailed. My husband has owned several small businesses, so I wasn't completely out of my league.

Still, I made sure I lined up plenty of guest speakers to cover the things that I did not know. I'm not fond of accounting, so I just touched on the materials that dealt with numbers. Afterall, it's an ESL class  and I am an ESL teacher, not an accountant.

So I decided to focus on the language aspect of business. I focused on the business proposal minus the spread sheets. We studied vocabulary related to small businesses and each student came up with their own business proposal which included a business name, tag line or jingle, owner's qualifications, five-year plan, etc.

Today they gave presentations and shared with the class their ideas. I was so impressed by these. Some of these presentations were reminiscent of Steve Job's new product presentations for Apple. These students have mastered the Power Point presentation. Here are some of them:

I'm sure the investors on Shark Tank would have invested in many of their ideas because they all sold me on what they had to offer.

Even though I volunteered to teach this class, I thought that I may not like it that much. Business can be so dry, but this class was completely creative. The students selected business ideas that they were PASSIONATE about and this made for a very exciting, energetic, FUN class and we also got to learn along the way.

I realized that if I allow students to choose and be part of the learning process, they learn so much more. It's fun for me, for them and for everyone.

I'm fairly positive that many of them will start many of these businesses they proposed. It's just an ESL class, but I know some of them will go on to take business classes or accounting classes. They will study nutrition, photography, architecture or any other classes they need to make their dreams come true.

I had one student who had absolutely no idea what her passion was. She spent the first couple weeks wondering if she'd ever find a business idea. Somehow, along the way, she discovered it and gave one of the BEST presentations I've ever seen and with so much enthusiasm. It made me happy to be part of this process of discovery.

I'm happy that I got to be part of seeing all of my students' passions and ideas come alive. It makes my job so worthwhile.

Have you ever done or taught something that seemed out of your league, only to discover that it was right up your alley?

365 Inspirations—333: I've Made it This Far....

“Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” —Robert Louis Stevenson

Somehow I've made it to post 333. It's 11:17pm and this is how it is sometimes. Writing every single day for 365 days on this here blog is not as easy of a task as one may think, but I'm still here.

We took the ferry back from my mom's house and arrived in Seattle at around noon or so. Yoon had to take his car into the shop, so we went out for some noodles while we waited for it to be fixed.

Life caught up with us. Today was a mix of commuting, taking care of odds and ends, a squabble about something insignificant in the scheme of life, a date-night out to a good flick called The Book Thief and a night-capper at a French restaurant/bar in the area. Now we are here.

Yes, we are here. Yoon strung together some Christmas lights he found at various places around the house. We have a nice fence for them.

I'm feeling like I'm at the crossroads of something. Like I may just leave part of myself behind for a life that I'm meant to live. Can't explain very clearly right now.

I'm ready to get some headway on my next book, but life keeps taking over.

I'm inspired to do something different, but I haven't done it yet.

I'm confident that I will.

It's just a matter of time.

Life is going to change.

It always does.

But so far, I've made it this far. I've made it to blog post 333. That's something, isn't it?

Thanks for reading.

Have you ever been surprised at how far you've come?

365 Inspirations—326: Seeing the World from a Different Perspective

“What we see depends mainly on what we look for.”—John Lubbock

Have you ever looked at the world upside down? The other night I was lying on my back on the living room floor before a yoga class (my husband now teaches yoga classes in our living room) and I was looking at our geometrically shaped dining room light.

From a standing view the light looks like a light, but from a prone position, this light looked like luminous orb suspended in mid-air.

Walking around Greenlake, I started to look at everything in a different light and it changed my perspective completely.

I wonder how many people spend their days doing much of the same thing? I know I do.

 Do you drive the same way to work? Do you listen to the same radio station? Do you tend to eat the same things for lunch or dinner? Do you talk, call and text the same people? Do you ever step out of your 'box' and look at the world in a different light?

I've been getting up earlier and walking around Greenlake alone because my husband has yoga classes at our house in the mornings and the morning classes are currently full. I'm not normally up so early walking, but I've found it to be quite an invigorating start to my day.

Today I met a friend for lunch and then we went to a coffee in the same complex. It was nice catching up with her. Then, my husband came and met me at the coffee shop and we went to see the beautiful movie called 'About Time.'

It's the story of a family (well just the men in the family) who are able to travel back in time. They can only travel back to a time in which they have lived and they can't go back any further than the birth of someone in the family or the story will change.

The movie poses some very interesting questions. For example: If you could go back in time, what would you change?

In the end, the son tries to live each day and then live it again more slowly so that he can appreciate the moments one more time. After his father dies, he realizes that he doesn't need to go back in time to live each moment. He just needs to live each moment fully as it comes.

There are certain things he tries to go back and change, but later learns that some things happen for a reason and there are lessons to be learned from those things, even though they are unpleasant at the time or cause pain.

Lately I've been feeling a lot of gratitude for my life and the things I'm led to each day. I think that gratitude multiplies and makes room for even more gratitude to enter. Even on bad days, I try to find a kernel of good. Writing inspirations this year has helped me with that.

I'm paying attention to details, seeing life with a new perspective, and I'm grateful for every moment I have. I'm also learning to venture out of my comfort zone to experience things that are new and different. These things help me grow.

Have you recently spent any time looking at the world from a different perspective?

365 Inspirations—315: Being Welcomed into Ohana (Extended Family) at Kalani

Today, after a vigorous Ashtanga Yoga class at 6:30AM and after a night of hurricane rains, Manuela from Brazil came and found me at breakfast and said, "You and Yoon should come to our volunteer meeting.We welcome you."

I was already feeling quite welcomed and people have really extended themselves to us, but the community (Ohana) meeting today really gave us a feel for what Kalani is all about.

There something special about this place. I know it's probably been said at a million places, but Kalani really has something here.

They don't tell you to do anything. There's no dogma or practice or rites or rituals or religion you must follow. There's a buffet of classes offered at the Hawaii Yoga Festival and at Kalani and it's up to you to pick and choose what appeals to you. There are ukelele classes, hula, yoga, meditation, space for being with yourself and enjoying the amazing natural beauty here, there's space for writing, for meditating and for just being. You can come work as a volunteer and cook, clean, do maintenance or garden.

What I love most about Kalani is the way they celebrate each person talents and uniqueness. They believe everyone has gifts to offer and they support each other in offering those gifts. Some people can cook, some people are good at gardening, others here are artists or writers in residence. It's beautiful how everyone is supported in this lovely setting to be who they are. You really can feel a lot of love and aloha here. There's a lot of spiritual growth happening, but that growth and the way it unfolds depends on each individual.

So today Manuela welcomed Yoon and me to the community and mentioned that I was the Artist-in-Residence for the Hawaii Yoga Festival. She placed a lei around my neck and everyone smiled and clapped and we really felt happy to be part of this place.

Yoon and I gave announcements about our upcoming classes and encouraged people to join.

Tonight Yoon gives a talk called Overcome Fear and Follow Your Heart. I'll be there as the designated photographer.

More soon from the land of Aloha.

Have you ever joined a retreat or community where you felt a lot of love from the group? Where was it? Did it encourage you to spread that around?

365 Inspirations—307: Sharing

With my friend Rosedanie inside Samarai Noodles

“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”—Mother Teresa 
It's easy to get sucked into our own dramas. We all live in our own worlds with our own thoughts and concerns, but my how good it feels to open up and share with another.

Whether you share your home, a meal, good conversation, a coffee, a ride—whatever it is, it feels good to share.

Tonight I'm sharing time with my good friend Rosedanie. She just came back from a 10-day Vipassana meditation course and is staying with us for the night. We made up the bed in my office and it looks really cozy in there.

We took her out for noodles in the University District and caught up on each others lives.

It felt good to share worlds with another person. It really puts things into perspective.

Yoon found a Starbucks card on the ground that had been run over and rained on. Somehow it still had some juice left on it, so he bought me a coffee and a croissant. I know I shouldn't drink coffee at night, but it did give me energy to drive to a house on Capital Hill where my friend left her computer before her meditation course.

Now she doesn't need to backtrack and she can head on her way home tomorrow with ease.

If we would just open up and share a little, we actually would find that our load becomes a little easier.

I'm happy to be sharing this evening with a good friend.

Have you shared anything with anyone lately?

365 Inspirations—303: Ginormous Plants in my Living Room

“We are made for loving. If we don’t love, we will be like plants without water.”—
Desmond Tutu

My husband was given the gift of plants on more than one occasion for his yoga studio. That studio is gone, but the plants live on. And let me just tell you about these plants....

They started off as little itty bitty things and, after all the inhaling and exhaling his yoga students did over the years, those plants are now GINORMOUS. Believe me when I tell you that often after a vigorous yoga class at the studio, the windows were so steamed up from all of our huffing and puffing that the atmosphere was akin to the Amazon rainforest—perfect for plants!

These are the kind of plants that might just eat you in your sleep—The Little Shop of Horrors variety.

And I love them.

All the good energy that was in my husband's studio is now shifting to our house.

I love all the green. It's like we have several new family members. He had these plants outside, but he doesn't want them to die, so they are inside now. They are temporarily in our living room, but we may move some to the bedroom. We are still sorting it out.

I will say that I love the feeling of these plants and all the green. It makes it so homey and they make me happy.

We had tiny succulent plants throughout the house, but have never had bigger plants.

Do you have many inside plants? What types of plants do you have?

365 Inspirations—206: We are All in This Together

Celebrate the Differences!

"We all have to live together, so we might as well live together happily."—Dalai Lama

I think it's easy to get caught up, through the internet and what not, in all that we may not have.

Maybe you look over the fence and find that you don't have what your neighbor has. Maybe you don't have a fence. The grass is always greener on the other side, so they say.

But is it really?

We are only looking at another person's reality through our own eyes. It is our perception of that person's reality. We can't possibly know the struggles or difficulties another faces by merely observing a situation externally.

It's helpful, maybe, to realize that no one has a perfect life. We are all in this together. Some struggle more than others or find themselves in more trying situations than we might currently be in, but it doesn't make us exempt from experiencing trials and struggles and similar experiences.

Today two smiling Jehovah Witnesses came to my door. An elderly African American woman had such a twinkle in her eye, that even though I don't usually take solicitations, I decided to hear her out.

She said, "What's the one tragedy or difficulty in the world that you'd like to see taken away if it were possible?" I said that I didn't know, there are so many.

She continued, "If all pain, suffering and even death could be taken away, how would you feel?"

I thought about people who are in pain in hospitals or who have lost a family member and I said, "That would be beautiful." I didn't think too much about it, but I thought that would be nice.

She read a few passages from the bible, but she did not preach to me. She just left me with those questions to ponder, gave me a pamphlet and then she smiled and turned away with her friend and told me that she came because we are all neighbors and she said, "Have a wonderful day."

I liked that she said, "We are all neighbors." It made we think of how we are all in this boat together, this world together, no matter what we may be going through, what we believe or how we live.

It made me appreciate my life and made me want to share what I have with others. Understanding that we are all neighbors made me think of how much easier it would be to appreciate and even celebrate the successes of others and to really reach out to those that are struggling too.

In September I'm going to Peru with my husband and a bunch of yoga students. I'm also going there to do book research. The woman who owns the house we will be staying at in Sacred Valley sent me a book when she heard I'd be writing one about the area. It's called Pachamama's Children. Pachamama means 'mother earth' in Quechua and they believe that all of us are children of this earth. One of the most beautiful things I read about in the book is called ayni.

Ayni means "today for you, tomorrow for me." The Quechua believe in the idea of reciprocity. It's the idea that everything is shared and that I'm not separate from you. Everything from farming to rearing children to cooking food is shared. On my very first trip to Peru, almost 20 years ago, I witnessed this hospitality. I was frequently invited to eat food and stay with the locals and they kindly gave me all that they had, even though it was very little.

I can't forget this. Anytime I catch myself wondering why I may not have something that someone else has, I try to remind myself that we are all humans sharing this world. Nothing really belongs to us and we can't take anything with us when we go.

I try and appreciate the beauty I have right in front of me for the offering. It may be a tree or a flower or the sun on my face or the light of the moon that streamed through my bedroom blinds last night, beckoning me to come to the window and look out at it. What I realized, while standing there staring,  was this: It doesn't matter where we live, who we love, or what we believe—we all get to see the very same moon and enjoy its beauty.

Do you appreciate the beauty in life and do you share it with others, even if their thoughts, beliefs and ideas may be different from you own?

365 Inspirations—162: Unexpected Gifts

Hugging trees in Hoh Rain Forest, Washington

"You give but little when you give of your possessions.  It is when you give of yourself that you truly give."—Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

This is my last week of the quarter and then I'm on break for two weeks. I have to say that I really look forward to the time off as it was a heavy quarter of teaching for me. This summer I plan to only teach one class in order to give myself time to work on other projects.

There were many occasions, during the quarter, when I wondered how I'd make it through the day. Teaching classes back to back for 5 hours with very little down time was really challenging. I did my best and gave the students all that I had.

Now it's the end. Today I spent my class time proctoring a state test and then I met students individually to go over their tests and get them registered for next quarter.

It's really hard to gauge, at times, if everything I'm doing is having any impact. I think we are all our own worst critics at times, so I was happily surprised to hear all the positive feedback from my students today about my class.

Some students wrote letters, some gave gifts and some verbally let me know how much they really appreciated my class and me. I really did not expect any of this and that made it all the more special. Here's a letter from one of my students today:

Not perfect, but heartfelt!

What I realized is that if you give your full attention to whatever you are doing, it will not go unnoticed. You may not realize the impact you have on people and your surroundings, but the things you do are important.

This appreciation from my students, which came in many different forms, was an unexpected gift. These gifts are treasures that make me want to keep on giving.

Have you ever received an unexpected gift?

365 Inspirations—158: Opening Up to Fear

Facing my fear at Yoon's Yoga Bliss near Seattle

"What is needed, rather than running away or controlling or suppressing or any other resistance, is understanding fear; that means, watch it, learn about it, come directly into contact with it. We are to learn about fear, not how to escape from it."—Jiddu Krishnamurti 



This story was originally posted on my blog in 2011

I thought if I traveled, I'd find something. Maybe I'd find God. Maybe someone out there could ease the difficulties of life. You know, I used to talk to God. I'd often ask him (her?), "What should I do?" Often times I'd close my eyes and pray very hard. I didn't want to not know where I was going. I needed to be reassured. I needed to know if things would work out.

But no answer came.

And then one day, when I least expected it, after a long run around the neighborhood, a crystal clear voice said, "You know what to do." The voice was strong and reassuring. But I didn't feel strong and I didn't feel I was any closer to knowing what I was meant to do in this world.

I wanted to follow that voice. I wanted to know it intimately. I wanted to understand where it came from. What if I went the wrong way? What if I did the wrong things? What if I made mistakes? What if people didn't like what I was doing?

I was afraid. I didn't have any answers. I made a lot of mistakes in life (and I'm still making them). I fell down quite a bit. I was not a happy person and I didn't respect myself nor did I believe I had anything positive to offer the world. Still, I could not forget that clear voice that came to me on that fall day of my senior year in high school while running down a narrow path flanked with bright orange and yellow maple leaves. The air was crisp, but the late sun shone on my face and filled me with an incredible warmth. But it did not last.

After high school I traveled all over the world searching for that voice. I traveled to Mexico, South America, Asia, India, etc. I meditated, I practiced yoga and once again, in deep silence, I basked in that inner warmth and stillness I had felt for those few moments in high school. For a time, I attributed these feelings to a certain practice. I believed that something outside me--the environment, an organization, a teacher, a guru, God--made me feel like this. Without this practice or a certain environment, I thought that this peace and this joy could not last.

I don't know exactly when things changed. I don't recall the exact day when I understood that voice or when I overcame my fear. I think it was gradual. Meditation helped, yoga helped, walks in nature helped, writing helped, friends helped, books helped--I am grateful for so many things that aided me on my path and gave me the courage to open up.

But that voice. The one that said, "You know what to do." It didn't come from God or Buddha or yoga or meditation or my husband or my friends or my family or anything else. All of these people and things played a part in understanding these words.

"You know what to do" came from me.

Not the Katherine Jenkins "me," but the one that is opened and fearless. The one that is not separate. The one that is connected to everything.

Do you have a tendency to hide from your fears or face them?

365 Inspirations—138: In Memory of Daisy, An Inspiring Cat

"We all want to love and be loved, and Daisy and I were a love match."—Sarah Lawrence

Do you have a cat? I don't, so I live vicariously through my friends' kitties. Right now we are house sitting for four wonderful cats. I always look forward to the opportunity. Spending time with these cats reminds me of a very special cat.

When I first went to visit my friend Sarah's apartment, she let me pet Daisy. Daisy was the softest kitty I've ever touched. Daisy was such a sweet cat, but I noticed right away that she couldn't walk very well. She would take a few steps and then fall down and had to be propped back up on occasion. My friend let me know that her cat had what's called Cerebellar Hypoplasia, a neurological disorder that develops while a kitten is in the womb of a mother who has been exposed to the Distemper Virus. Cats with CH are born with an underdeveloped cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls motor skills. CH cats have a lack of balance and coordination. However, the cats are not in pain and can live very functional, loving lives like all other cats.

Sarah first saw Daisy in May 2009 at the Average Joe Cat Show, a fundraiser for Purrfect Pals, in which people enter their family cats for a variety of categories. Various other cat organizations are often present too. Jessica, the foster mom of Daisy, brought her to the show to give Daisy a better chance of being adopted. 

Sarah stopped by Jessica's table and had an opportunity to see Daisy walk. Daisy took a couple of steps with wobbly legs and fell over on her side. After learning a bit about Daisy, Sarah thanked Jessica and walked on with misty eyes.

But since that very first meeting, Sarah couldn't stop thinking about Daisy. Through a bit of effort, she tracked Daisy down and eventually adopted her.

Hearing how Sarah came to adopt Daisy made me feel quite moved. Most of us want to adopt a cat in perfect health and without any problems. How many people could truly adopt and love a kitty that has special needs? 

Not many.

The way Sarah loved this cat, just like her fully-functioning cat Catalina, was just so touching. She spent so much time training and giving attention to these animals equally. It was very impressive and inspiring. 

I was so inspired by Sarah's love for her cats, particularly Daisy, that I planned to interview her for this blog. The day before I planned to come for the interview, Sarah had to put her precious Daisy to sleep due to liver failure. The cat had been suffering and it was time. Fortunately, Sarah had had four wonderful years with Daisy who was about 13 when she adopted her.

I was one of the people who attended a very special memorial service for Daisy on March 3, 2013, one month after her passing, and was surprised to see how many people had also been touched by Sarah's love for Daisy and Daisy herself. People sang songs, created and read haikus, created works of art and someone even sewed a lovely pillow.

 I never thought I could feel so much, but I did. I felt a lot of love. Guests also made $3-$5 contributions to the Daisy Memorial Fund to help with the care of Edward, another CH cat way across the country in New Jersey at Tabby’s Place  http://www.tabbysplace.org/SN_page.php?id=888, a shelter that helps a lot of special needs cats. Here's a picture of Edward:

What I was inspired by was the fact that true LOVE comes in ALL forms. Some have children, others have animals and some people have a loving mate, family members or friends. There is no ONE way to LOVE or create a loving home or environment. Maybe you live in a community or on a farm with many people or maybe you live alone, but get your love from your life or work. Maybe you tend to plants or your garden. Maybe you teach or write or paint. There really are many ways to show and share your love.

Here's a little of what Sarah had to say about Daisy and a video of Daisy:

"All day long and all night long, her trust, devotion, love, and companionship were a treasure.  We took comfort in the familiarity of our routine together but never took each other for granted.  Now I’m sad that my little sweetheart is gone.  There will never be another Daisy.  But I’m glad we could share our lives, connect so deeply and genuinely, and just love each other, which is what it’s all about."—Sarah Lawrence

Do you have a pet? Do you consider your pet part of the family? Could you ever adopt a special needs animal?

365 Inspirations—123: Book Event in SUNLAND

"Whatever you do may seem insignificant, but it is most important that you do it."—Mahatma Gandhi

My mom and step father live in SUNLAND. It's a community in Sequim, WA. Tonight, a few book clubs gathered together and we did a book event.

I write every single day. I write here because I get something from  keeping daily posts, but what a bonus if others are  getting something from what I write too!

 It's always good to get feedback and I'll admit that sometimes I am not very good at getting around to all the blogs I'd like to read. However, if I do land on a blog and enjoy the post, I always leave a comment!

I think feedback is really important. It encourages me to keep going and doing what I'm doing. Tonight I got A LOT of feedback and I was so grateful for it.

The book event was in the Sunland club house where my parents live. People went out of their way to prepare appetizers and set up the facility. When we got there, I was happy to discover that most of the people had read my book, liked it and knew a lot about it. Many had prepared detailed questions and even knew the page numbers of the passages they wished to ask questions about.

Signing books at Sunland Book Event

My husband played a gong and chanted just like he did at our other book events.

I don't know how many authors have appeared in person at these book clubs, but I think it was extra special for everyone to be able to talk to the author of a book they had just read with their book groups.

What I got from this event is that sometimes you may think the small things you do are insignificant, but every little thing counts. Also, you don't know how you may affect someone. You may think that what you say or do has no affect on people, but what you say and do DOES in fact affect people. In some cases, people may change the way they say and do things. They may reflect more on their own lives and even make a positive change based on something you've written, said or done.

That's what made me want to keep writing tonight. That's what made me want to keep opening and sharing with people.

I'm happy to be in quiet SUNLAND this evening with my family. It was a BEAUTIFUL day here. The weather was perfect and we took a walk out at Dungeness Spit and saw all the snow-capped mountains and the ocean. Now it's time to take rest. I feel a lot of gratitude this evening. I feel happy and fulfilled.

In what ways do you share with others? Are you aware of what you say or do and how that is affecting other people?

365 Inspirations—103: Community

“Everybody is a story. When I was a child, people sat around kitchen tables and told their stories. We don't do that so much anymore. Sitting around the table telling stories is not just a way of passing time. It is the way the wisdom gets passed along. The stuff that helps us to live a life worth remembering.”—Rachel Naomi Remen 

The weekend has been FULL of community. I have met so many people and gone to events where I saw people face to face. It's been interesting. So much of my life is online these days with my daily blog and keeping up with e-mails, etc. It's been nice to meet, talk to and feel people in person.

On Thursday, I met my writing group, on Friday morning I met a friend for a walk and lunch, on Friday night I met another writer friend and teacher and Saturday (today) I went to a bridal shower AND met with about 10 friends from my husband's yoga community at our house.

I usually don't meet many people on the weekend, so this was a lot of interaction. I will say that perhaps we need MORE face to face communication because I think it makes a difference in the quality of our lives!

Me with my friend Chaya, a bride and mother to be!

Maybe not a whole weekend of it, but at least a little bit on a regular basis. I don't think online communication can ever substitute for person to person communication. I think I want more of that in my life.

I want to return to a simple life that is free from technology. Do you think that's possible?

I sometimes entertain the idea of living in a community of like-minded friends and sharing our passions, cooking, meals, ideas, etc. Everyone would have their own space, but we could come together whenever we wanted to and if we needed to be alone, that would be fine too.

Anyway, whatever happens, it was good to connect with people today in person.

I'm going to now rest.

Do you meet with a community regularly? Do you often meet friends and or group members face to face?

365 Inspirations—98: The Earth

"It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small."— Neil Armstrong

I saw this video today via a friend's Facebook page. It put so many things into perspective for me. We are all so small and fragile.

We are all in this together. Loving, working together and sharing is really what it is all about. Here's the video link...


http://www.upworthy.com/some-strange-things-are-happening-to-astronauts-returning-to-earth?g=3&c=fea

Please check it out!


What makes you see the bigger picture of life? Do you often get caught up in details or are you a big picture person?

365 Inspirations—93: Celebrating a Milestone

Event at Edmond's Bookstore in WA

"At the end of a life, it's not the safe and comfortable things we've done that we'll remember. It's the times we risked everything to follow our hearts or make a change for the better."—Katherine Jenkins

One year ago today my book was born. I'm celebrating that today because it was a very important milestone in my life. I had to face all my fears to do it. I had to cut through all the red tape of people who told me it couldn't be done. 

In 2010, I was blogging 365 Lessons while simultaneously writing my memoir, Lessons from the Monk I Married. During that year, with the support of encouraging people I met through my blog and other places, I was able to face many fears. Keeping a blog helped me keep going with my dreams.

How do you do something you really want to do? How do you face all your fears and move forward?

Sign for my book event on window of Well Read Bookstore in New Jersey

In my case, the book wouldn't let me be. It came to me in my meditations, dreams, daily life. It wouldn't let me ignore it. 

It seemed to have a mind of its own. It wanted to be born.

I had editors, publishers, friends and family tell me it wouldn't work. Some people told me it was a crazy pipe dream.

Book Reading at Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle

Signing books at Powell's Bookstore in Oregon

Of course that only propelled me to keep going. It only added more fuel to the small fire that was burning inside of me.

At one point, an editor said to me, "Only 5% of all books written get traditionally published and you are an unknown author."

I didn't say, "Oh shoot, never mind then," and go back to my safe and comfortable life. I didn't put my tail between my legs and run away, I didn't even blink an eye.

I looked at her unflinchingly and said, "I have a feeling I'm going to one of the 5%."

I don't know where this force came from, all I know is that there was no turning back. I was going to go all the way with this. I felt it in the core of my being. This story, my story, would be read by many people. My hope was that the people who read my book would also be able to go forth with their own dreams and have the courage to follow their own hearts.

I'm happy to announce that, a year later, the book has been read and has received great reviews nationally and internationally and will soon be translated into Croatian and Chinese for starters!

Book event at Book Passage in Marin County, CA. 

But riight now, a year later, I don't feel as strong as I did then. I'm not sure where that fire went, but I know it's not completely gone. The coals are still burning and I'm bound to feel those flames again.

I'm celebrating today because I want to remember how all of this felt. It felt like a dream, but it was very real.

This is not something unique that happened to me, it can happen for each one of us. It's not an easy road to one's heart. You have to sometimes step on thorns, whack through jungle bushes and trees and often times you can't even see where you are going. It's scary and so easy to fall back into what might be comfortable and known, even though we know it isn't our true path.

But if you keep putting one foot in front of the other in the direction your heart is telling you to go and you don't look back, you will arrive. Stay focused. 

Also, if you do reach a milestone on your path, celebrate it! Remember what got you there and remember that you can always rekindle that fire.

Are you taking steps towards what your heart is telling you? Have you given yourself space to hear what your heart has to say?

365 Inspirations—74: Doing Something NEW

"If you never did you should. These things are fun and fun is good."—Dr. Seuss

I chopped off all my hair and got bangs.  I wanted to do something completely different. Perhaps it's a mid-life crisis?? I also got a manicure (the first one in my entire life) and a pedicure (the second one in my entire life). It's a stage I'm going through.

I'm feeling the need to change my life in a BIG WAY. I don't know what that is all about Alfie?

I still have so much school work to do before I leave on Tuesday, but I need a break!

I think I've already checked out. I'm on vacation in my mind even though I am not technically done.

My husband just pulled a movie out from his backpack. He got it from the Seattle Public Library. It's an Irish movie called  A Shine of Rainbows. I'll let you know how it goes. Guess we need to go get some movie snacks!

I hope you all have a wonderful Friday night!

Here's my new haircut:

Have you tried anything new lately?