Welcome to Writing A Life!
I invite you to join me on a journey of creativity and discovery. Together we can create a whole new concept of living after 50. Words have power, and the sight of your words on the page gives them life. What if we could use writing as a tool to give birth to our authentic lives at a time when the culture tells older folks that it’s time to hang it all up and retire to a rocking chair? Let’s use our minds, our hearts, and our words to create a
Looking for A good Read to Curl up with? Take a look below:
“From This Day Forward”
Book Three in the Maplewood Farm Series
“From This Day Forward:”
Gladys Nelson spent her days creating glamorous, extravagant weddings for the rich and famous in New York City. On what should have been the happiest day of her life, however, her whole world came crashing down. She retreats to her small hometown to work in the family business while she tries to rebuild her life and her faith. The answer to one prayer comes walking through the door. The answers to the others are found in a very special place, with very special people, and a new understanding of what love truly is.
Return with us to Maplewood Farms, where age is just a number, faith is strong, and a belief in the power of prayer is undeniable.
Available on Amazon in Kindle and Paperback formats!
https://amazon.com//A Hope And A Future//Maplewood Farm Series//BOCL9PJSTB
Also:
Here’s what folks are saying about Book Two in the Maplewood Farm Series:
“Characters are deep and well written.”
“It spoke to my heart.”
“Reading it just made me happy.”
“A Hope And A Future – Tom’s Story”
All the residents at Maplewood Farm agree that Tom O’Neil is the glue that holds that amazing community together. Not only is he their pastor and friend, he is also one heck of a cook. Yet few people know that a little over 50 years ago, the man who was then known as “Father” Thomas O’Neil couldn’t even hold his own life together. On a tragic day in America, Tom makes the decision to walk away from the life he is living to find a life worth living. Along the way he will rediscover his faith and his God. What he never expected to find was the love of his life.
Return with us to Maplewood Farm, where age is just a number, faith is strong, and a belief in the power of prayer is undeniable. There are many more stories yet to tell, and Emily, Vera, Jonathan, and all the others are there to share them with you!
Available from Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats. http://www.amazon.com/Hope-Future-Book-Maplewood-Farm-ebook/dp/B0BN4HB25T
What people are saying about “A Wing And A Prayer:”
“Makes me want to live my best life!”
“Life is good.”
“Such an uplifting story, full of hope and joy.”
Come along and visit the folks at Maplewood Farm. You won’t be disappointed. Available in paperback and Kindle at Amazon.Com.
“Emily Wainright is 65 years old, divorced, and an empty-nester. After taking early retirement from the marketing firm where she worked for over 20 years, she sells her home and makes the decision to downsize to a sweet little studio apartment in a small rural town upstate. Her goal is to finally give herself what she’s always wanted: to be a full-time writer. With only her two feline roommates for company, Emily settles in and gets started, but it is painfully apparent that the words just won’t come. She realizes that writing is a lonely profession, and that she has to live her life before she can write about it. One night she offers up a prayer for help. The next day, on the advice of a neighbor, she checks out a nearby farmers’ market where a “chance” meeting sets her off on an adventure that even she could never have written, let alone seen coming. Sometimes prayers are answered in the most unexpected ways!
Join Emily and all the folks at Maplewood Farm. Each one has a story to tell, wisdom to share, and an unshakable belief in the power of prayer.”
Hope you’ll enjoy these first two books in the series, as well as the first series in a collection I’m calling “Stories For Our Third Age,” books geared to people 60 and over who want to read about folks they can relate to, topics that interest them, and the concerns they are facing in this third stage of life. I hope “Wing And A Prayer” will speak to where you are, and where you want to go. I also pray that “A Hope And A Future” will help you find the answers you’ve been looking for. Just go to Amazon and type in my name and the title. Then click on the link. Peace and blessings.
#####
In my non-fiction collection of essays, you might enjoy:
It’s never too late to have the happy life you deserve. Check out my ebook, the third book in my “Third Age Trilogy,” available on Amazon Kindle: “Gifts Of An Ordinary Life: What If Just Being Happy Is Enough?” Here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B079SKXYXF (copy and paste in your browser)
Gifts Of An Ordinary Life: What If Just Being Happy Is Enough? (Third Age Trilogy Book 3) Kindle Edition:
If you were to ask people what they most want out of life, the majority of them would probably say “to be happy.” but what exactly does a happy life look like? In this, the third and final book in the Third Age Trilogy, the author sets out to discover what living a happy life really entails. Launching her very own Happiness Project for “Third-Agers,” she gives herself three months to build a life that is not only happy and fulfilled, but that will stand the test of time going forward. With wit and honesty, she shares her triumphs as well as challenges and, along the way, finds out that happiness is, indeed, an inside job.
Note: All three books in my “Third Age Trilogy” can be read as stand-alone books. Taken together, they provide three different perspectives on life after 50, and the amazing lives we can create! You can find them by typing “Barb Parcells” in the Amazon search and then the title. Happy reading!
You’re Assignment For The Week
Every other week I’ll post a writing assignment that is in tune with the subject of the blog post. There is no right or wrong way to do them, and no one is going to see them except you. The idea is to get used to using writing as a tool to open up your heart and mind to the changes you can make in your life just by seeing them come alive on paper. Have fun with them and remember to just keep writing!
Assignment 10.3
Read today’s blog post: “Time To Plant A New Garden.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Imagine several packets of seeds laying on the table in front of you. Each packet represents something you’ve always wanted to do or try but didn’t. Maybe life just got in the way while you were busy raising a family and working for a living. Maybe people told you it was silly, or you’re too old, or it would never work. Pick at least three packets of seeds and label each one with the dream or goal you want to grow. Once could say travel, another maybe writing or painting, a third taking up running. Then take a piece of paper and write down how you will plant those seeds, what you need to do to nurture them (how will you water them, feed them, weed them, etc?), and what it will feel like when you finally harvest what you’ve grown. Do this for each packet of seeds. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Are you ready to rake that dirt and plant those seeds? Write about it now!
Assignment 10.2
Read today’s blog post: “Hello, I Love You!” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about ways you can celebrate Valentine’s Day with you as the center of attention. How would you treat someone you love, a best friend, or family member? Would it involve food, or going somewhere, or treating them to something special? Think about the gifts you have given or received in the past and choose at least four or five that would make you feel loved and appreciated. What’s your favorite meal? Music? Movie? Place to visit? Draw up a list and beside each item write why it’s our favorite. Then pick at least two and make it your mission to do them for yourself this Valentine’s Day. As Louise Hay used to say, our relationship with ourselves is and always will be our longest lasting friendship. Why not make it a good one? Have fun, be creative, think outside the box, and always remember that, when all else fails, just keep writing! Peace and blessings!
Assignment 10.1
Read today’s blog post: “Promises To Keep.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think abut all the times you made a New Year’s Resolution only to have it fall apart before February. Now ask yourself: “If someone made me a promise, would I expect them to keep their word?” The answer, of course, is “yes.” So why not make a promise to yourself? Some examples might be: “I promise to eat healthy, get more exercise, take that class, get out in nature more, etc.” Pick one and write it across the top of the page. Now write at least five reasons why you want to keep your promise to yourself. Why is it important to you? When you are done, pick a word for the year that reflects what you want to do. Write it out on a separate piece of paper is big block letters and put it somewhere you’ll see it every day, either on a mirror, or the frig, or above you desk. When you are done with you assignment, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write them down!
Assignment 9.4
Read today’s blog post: “Time For Some New Shoes.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Can you remember experiencing some good fortune only to worry about when that other shoe would drop? Have there been times when your fear of what might happen next took away from the joy of what was happening in the present? Write down the situation, how you handled it then, and how you might handle it differently now. What belief systems do you need to let go of and what new ones do you want to adopt? Maybe writing in a gratitude journal every day? Looking for at least two or three positive things in every day? Write down you ideas and affirmations. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Any new ideas or affirmations you can use? Write about it now!
Assignment 9.3
Read today’s blog post: “The Gifts We Give Ourselves.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think back to when you were a child. What were one or two things you did that made you happy? What brought joy to your young life? Was it a trip to a special place? A special toy, or television program? Was it visiting a grandparent or some holiday fun? Write down at least two things that you always looked forward to as a child. Why did it make you happy? What was it about that place or thing that filled you with laughter and joy? Now ask yourself what you could do right here, right now, that could bring back those feelings. Could it be taking yourself somewhere you always loved? Enjoying a favorite move or program? Visiting with a like-minded friend? What would make you as happy as a 5 year old right now and how could you make it happen? Write it all out. Then, when you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about it not … then go out and have some fun! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 9.2
Read today’s blog post: “Getting Out Of Hot Water.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Go back in your mind and think of three challenges you faced in your life. Perhaps it had to do with your upbringing, or raising your kids, or your spouse, or your career, or maybe it’s the challenges you faced as you got older. Write each one down and then describe how you handled them. Did you give up and get mushy like the first pot? Did it make you grow hard and thick skinned like the second pot? Or, did you change the challenge into an opportunity? Now go back and look at the three challenges again and, for the ones that fell into pot 1 or 2, go back and write how you could have changed them into something better, or how you could do that now if it’s a current challenge. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 9.1
Read today’s blog post: “Welcome Back! School Is In Session.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Reach back into your life and think of times when you’ve kept yourself from fulfilling your summertime dreams because of fear, or buying in to what others say people people “our age” can’t do. Now take a sheet of paper and write across the top: “What I Didn’t Do On My Summer Vacation,” and list all the things you didn’t do but wish you had. What kept you from doing it? Was it money? Fear of traveling alone? What else could you have done if you weren’t afraid? Could you find something closer to home that would fulfill that dream, or create a new one? When we think “outside the box,” we can come up with all kinds of ways to make our summer days, and all of our days, ones to remember and cherish. When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Will you be starting that “Summer Dreams” list next year? I say, go for it! Peace and blessings!
Assignment 8.6
We’ve already collected a lifetime of experiences and events that have left a deep impression. Often it is something that those coming after us would benefit from hearing first hand rather than from a text book. Think of at least one, and preferably two, such events, and write down what it was, when it happened, and how the country processed it. How did it affect you and your family at the time, your friends and acquaintances? What do you want the future generations to learn from it? Go into as much detail as you can. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Might this be the beginning of a collection to write and pass down? Start writing! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 8.5
Read this week’s blog post: “Choosing To Be Brave.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think back to goals and dreams that you had when you were just starting out in life. Were there any that you did not pursue out of a fear of failure, or the bad advice of others? If you can think of two or three, write them down and then describe what kept you from fulfilling them. Look at them now and ask yourself: “Is there any way I can still achieve this goal, or something like it?” If you truly believe you can’t for financial or physical reasons, what could you do right now that would make you happy? Is there something you’ve always wanted to learn? Is there a class for that, either locally or online? Is there a place you’ve always wanted to visit? Want to learn ballroom dancing? Or, have you always wanted to write a book, paint a landscape, take up pottery? Whatever it is, write it down, explaining why it speaks to you. Then come up with at least three steps you can take in the direction of that dream or goal. When you are done with your work, take it out the next day and read it. Any insights? Can you come up with at least one more step you can take? Write about it now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 8.4
Read this week’s blog post: “A Time To Bloom.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about a time in your life when being able to “let it all out” would have been a blessing. Or, perhaps you are going through something now where you could use a sounding board, a sympathetic ear that will let you say what you need to say without fear of rejection. The page is that sounding board, that sympathetic ear that will never judge you. Whatever it may be, pull out some paper and a pen and let it rip. Use the page to cleanse your mind, body, and soul so you can plant the new seeds of a new season of your life. If you need more than 20 minutes, give yourself 10 more (I’ve found that after 30 minutes we tend to run out of steam}. When you are done, instead of putting your work away and taking it out the next day to read as we usually do, take the paper outside, if possible, and burn it, destroy it, let go of it. It, like the pain and darkness contained on the page, is now gone. Tomorrow, take out a new sheet of paper and spend about 20 minutes writing down the new seeds you want to plant to grow the authentic life you deserve!
Assignment 8.3
Read this week’s blog post: “Use It Or Lose It.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about what a normal day is for you. Are you running around here and there, or just “hanging out?” What do you eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, usually? How much exercise do you get? Just give yourself an example of an average day. Then look to see where you could make some improvements to benefit your health. How about a smoothie for breakfast instead of pancakes and home fries? A nice, yummy salad for lunch. An early morning walk to usher in a new day, or, if it’s too cold, a mid-day walk to break things up. Could you eat better, move more, and improve your health? Is there someone you could call on to do this with you to keep you honest and help each other regain healthy lives? Write down all the suggestions and ideas you can think of, then pick one or two to start with. As you get used to the changes, add one or two more … it’s easier to do that way and won’t overwhelm you at first. When you are done writing down your plans, put our work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now, and good luck!
Assignment 8.2
Read this week’s blog post: “Home Is Where The Heart Is.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Make a list of all the things you dislike about where you live now. It could be things like the location, who you live with, neighbors, difficult access, anything. Now make a second list, this one of your ideal home. Where is it? Do you live alone or with others? What it is about this home that brings you joy, peace, and contentment? Now look at the two lists. If your current living arrangements are due to finances or physical challenges, what could you do to make it feel more like list #2? Would it be a matter of letting go of things, or of attitudes? Could you make some inner changes as well as outer changes that would allow you to “bloom where you’re planted?” Write down what those changes are and how it could change your perspective on what “home” means for you. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 8.1
Read this week’s blog post: “It’s Just A Matter Of Time.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about that one thing that seems to rule the way you live your life. It could be an addiction to time, or money, social media, or other people’s expectations. When you think of one, write it out in detail and describe how it affects your every day living. When you are done, think of three small but doable things you can start today that will help to cut the cord. Write them out, describing what and how you will implement them. When you are done, make a promise to yourself out loud, something like, “I promise to do my best to lay this burden down and give myself the free, joyful and authentic life I deserve.” Then put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now …. and a belated Happy New Year!
Assignment 7.8
Read this week’s blog post: “The Road to Joy.” Then set the timer for 30 minutes. Think back over your life to an event that would change the course of your life in ways you couldn’t have imagined. We all have them. They may be sad, or joyful, or exciting, or frightening. Whatever it was, it changed the way you looked at life and chose to live that life. Write it all down as if you were making it into a teaching story to share with younger members of your family or community. Put your heart and soul into it. You just might discover something new to learn as you write. When you’re done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights?Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 7.6
Read this week’s blog post: “With Thanks From A Grateful Heart. Then set the timer for 20 minutes. I don’t think I have to tell you what this assignment is going to be about. First, take a sheet of paper and write down as many Thanksgiving traditions as you can remember. Did you go to Grandma’s house, or did Mom do the cooking? Did you help? Maybe you didn’t have any traditions growing up. Write about that, about how that made you feel and what you would have liked to do. On a second sheet of paper, write a list of new traditions that you could start. Perhaps it involves your family, or friends. Perhaps it involves volunteering your time to a shelter or soup kitchen, or a church supper. Perhaps it’s about gathering your scattered family and friends to re-establish what the holiday means. Finally, take a third sheet of paper and write down every single thing you are grateful for. Not feeling grateful? I’ll bet you can come up with at least 10. Give it a try. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 7.5
Read this week’s blog post: “The Best of Times.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Taking some ideas from the post, come up with at least three ways that you can make changes in your life to make these the best years of your life. Perhaps it might be making changes to your diet, or moving more, or finding you “tribe,” or anything else that keeps you from becoming a “grump” instead of a healthy, happy, long-living you! If you’re stumped about how to make those changes, write down three things you could do to find out more, like reading “The Blue Zones,” or researching online. When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now.
Assignment 7.4
Read this week’s blog post: “When Did We Stop Dreaming?” Then set the timer for 30 minutes. Think back to when you were a child and young adult. What were your dreams then? Did you want to be rich and famous? Go on adventures? Write down two or three and describe what made you choose those dreams. Now fast-forward into your 30’s and 40’s. Did your dreams change? How? Why? Write about those years and what dreams you had to let go of to fulfill what you believed were your responsibilities. Now sit back for a minute or two, take a deep breath, and ask yourself: If I could do anything right now, where I am in life, what would it be? What have you always wanted to try? Maybe you can’t run a marathon, but can you walk around the block for 20 minutes and work your way up? Maybe you’re not Grandma Moses, but can you find joy in just playing with drawing or painting? Once you identify your new “dream,” write down two or three things you could do to get started … those first steps. When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now … and get dreaming!
Assignment 7.3
Read this week’s blog post: What Is Happiness?” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take out a sheet of paper and write down what a typical day for you looks like. What time do you usually get up? Is it a chore to get out of bed in the morning or do you hit the floor running? What do you do next? Pick up your cell phone? Make the coffee? How does your day usually progress? When you are done, take another sheet of paper and number it down the side from one to three. Then come up with three ways you could change how you start the day that could make getting out of bed in the morning a joy instead of a dread. Perhaps you could take up meditation? Do some morning stretches? Vow not to look at the cell phone before 9 A.M? Then do the same for the rest of the day and the evening, dividing the afternoon and the evening into three spaces for each, and coming up with something you could change to bring more joy and contentment into your life. When you are done with the list, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 7.2
Read this week’s blog post: “The Power of Belief.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Everyone believes in something, even if it’s not God or the idea of God as we know it. Perhaps it’s a belief in the power of love, or nature, or the teachings of our family of origin. Whatever it is, it is what we lean on in times of trouble, and rejoice in when life is good. Try to come up with at least two or three things that you believe in, or have faith in, that carries you when times get tough. Write a short paragraph for each one describing what it is, why you have chosen that belief, and how it works in your life. Then answer the question: “How can I use this belief, this faith, in creating the authentic life I deserve?” Do this for each of the items on your list. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assighment 7.1
Read this week’s blog post: “What I Did (And Learned) On My Summer Vacation.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about everything you did, saw, and experienced this summer since we were last together. Did you take any trips? See family you hadn’t seen in a while, experience new locals, new foods, new sights? What stuck with you the most? What did you learn this summer, about life, yourself, your dreams and your goals? Did anything spark an interest in something you’d want to find out more about? Spend the first 10 or 15 minutes writing down your experiences from this summer. Then use the rest of the time to examine what, if anything, sparked some interest that invited you to learn more, just like signing up to learn a new skill or craft. What is one thing you could do right now that would be a first step in moving forward with that idea? When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights, new ideas, new “sparks?” Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.32
Read this week’s blog post: “To The Class Of 65.” Then set the timer for 30 minutes. I want you to imagine presenting a graduation speech to a class of people turning 65. If you are that age, think about what you would like someone to tell you about life going forward, about dreams and goals at any age. The same holds true If you aren’t 65 yet. What do you want your Third Age to look like? Feel like? Be like? What would your dreams be? If you are older than 65, share what you’ve learned about blossoming into this age and what your dreams are going forward. In all three cases, you want to create the opportunity for people to embrace and celebrate this special time in their lives. When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now … and Happy Graduation to all!
Assignment 6.31
Read this week’s blog post: “We Are The Wisdom Keepers.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. We could not have come as far as we have, and lived to tell what we have seen and learned, if we were not meant to share that knowledge with others. I was born right after World War II and remember the Korean War, the polio epidemic, the Viet Nam War, the assassination of a president, the fight for equal rights for blacks as well as women, and so much more. I know many of you have, too. If you had to make a list of the top 10 things where you believe you have gained wisdom and understanding, what would they be? Get out you paper and pen and write them down. Then next to each one create a piece of wisdom to share with the world now. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or a long diatribe on what’s wrong with the world. It just has to be the wisdom you’ve gained from your years on this earth and what you want to pass on to the generations who have come after you. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Also, now that we have our own “Writing A Life” Facebook page, feel free to share some of your suggestions with others. You just might have that one piece of wisdom to share that will change a life. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.30
Read this week’s blog post: “A Much-To-Be-Desired Condition.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Sit down and make a list of at least 10 things that bring you contentment. It could be bird watching, or reading, or listening to classical music, or anything that makes you feel happy and content. It could be going for a walk not just for the exercise but simply to be out in nature and feeling the sun on your face. When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to see if there is anything you want to add. When you are all done with your list, pick one thing and just “do it.” Repeat this for the next ten days and then go back and do it again. See if you can make feeling content a part of your every day life! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.29
Read this week’s blog post: “Getting Down To Basics.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. I want you to start two lists. List #1 will be about letting go of physical things you no longer need and are just weighing you down. Do you really need that 30 year old fondue pot someone gave you, or the two extra set of drapes, or three sets of dishes? How many pairs of sweatpants, or shoes, or purses do you really use? How much stuff is just weighing you down and taking up room in your life? When you finish the first list, begin on List #2. This list is all the things in your day-to-day life that are weighing you down and robbing you of time you could be spending doing something that brings you joy. Always cleaning a home that’s way too big for you now? Volunteering for too many committees? Always saying “yes” when you’d rather say “no?” Write down all the things that you could start letting go of. Don’t be afraid of how you’ll fill the time you free up. That’s something we’ll cover in our next assignment. For now, just make the list. When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Anything you want to add to the list? Do it now … then get busy on those closets! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.28
Read this week’s blog post: “A Frigid Lesson In Gratitude.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. I want you to make a gratitude list. Not just any old gratitude list. I want this one to be so thorough that it blows your mind. Sure, we can put things like good health, loving family, a safe home, friends, etc. on the list, but I want you to mentally go through your day and see how much harder it would be without all the things we take or granted like electricity, hot water, heating/AC, a stocked pantry, blankets, etc. What about clothes, shoes, indoor plumbing? If you really thought about it, I’ll bet you could come up with at least 50 things for your list. So that’s what I’m challenging you to do, come up with 50 things/people, etc., to be grateful for. When you’re done with your list, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Can you add to your list? Write it down now!
Assignment 6.27
Read this week’s blog post: “Wishing And Hoping.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about three wishes you would like to come true. Write them down. After each one, write down what is behind the wish. Is it financial freedom? Is it good health? What is it you really want to feel? Don’t make it about “things,” but about what those things represent. Do you really want to win the lottery (and all the headaches that will come with it), or do you just want a newer, comfortable home for you or other family members? Do you really want to find Mr. Right, or do you need to find love for yourself, within yourself? Do you want to write a bestseller, or do you want to write because it’s who you are? Take as much time as you need to figure out what three wishes you want and why. Then ask yourself what small steps you can take now to create that feeling. Write them down as well. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.26
Read this week’s bog post: “Clueless? Congratulations!” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. We all have some things we want to do, to try, to experience, but fear and doubt about the outcome somehow always keeps us from moving forward. Pick at least three things that your heart tells you to try but your head tells you the opposite. Is it traveling somewhere you’ve never been? Learning a new skill? Joining a club or a group? Writing the great American Novel? Pick at least three things and then, for each one, take a leap of faith and write down at least one or two things you can do right now to get you started. It doesn’t have to be anything huge (like moving to another state). It could be something like going online and checking out travel information, signing up for a class, or attending just one meeting of that new club you were thinking about joining. Don’t give any of it too much thought … just do it on faith and see how it feels. Once you have you list ready, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now, and then … get out there and live! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.25
Read this week’s blog post: “All In Good Time.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Admit it – you have a dream, something you’ve always wanted to do but, for some reason, haven’t done so. Maybe you think you’re too old now to make your dreams come true. Maybe you think you don’t have enough money, or connections, or talent. None of that needs to be true. Want to write the “great American novel?” Do it. Want to paint a masterpiece? Pick up those brushes? Want to start a non-profit or help the homeless? Every dream starts with a pencil, a piece of paper, and a list of baby steps we can take to make our dreams come true. There’s no time like the present. Take out a piece of paper and write your dream across the top of the page in big, bold letters. Then below that, start a list of the small, baby steps you can take. Want to write? All it takes is a notebook and pen, or a laptop. Want to paint? Where you can you start to collect supplies (you don’t have to start out with fancy stuff from the art supply store – the kids craft section at Walmart has brushes, and paint, and the stationary section has paper. One step at a time, one day at a time, makes a dream come true. How would you start your non-profit? With a mailing list? A Vision Statement? Write it all down. When you have your plan done, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now … then get started!
Assignment 6.24
Read this week’s blog post” “The Ripple Effect of Words.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. It’s always nice to receive a card or a note from someone we know just to say they are thinking about us. What do you think would happen if we started leaving notes of encouragement for people we don’t know, like the mail carrier, the trash man, a stranger in the laundromat, on someone’s car? What if we slipped one in with the check for our electric bill or gas bill? Take a few minutes and try to come up with at least 10 places where you could leave a note, like in my book, or a card, that contains uplifting words of encouragement and hope. Next to each person on the list, write out what you would put on the note and how you would get it out there. When you’re done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read? Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.23
Read this week’s blog post: “So, How Are You Feeling?” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Make a list of the different areas of your life, separated into categories like health, home, work, family, etc. Come up with at least 5. Now next to each one, write down what you think you could do to give yourself more happiness in each of these areas, and, more importantly, how you want to “feel” in each of these areas. Don’t use material, outside sources for your list like money, status, or the perfect partner. Happiness is an inside job and not dependent on someone or something “out there.” How do you want to feel physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, etc? Give yourself plenty of time to sit with those feelings before you write them down. When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.22
Read this week’s blog post: “See Me, Hear Me.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about how you think society treats older people. What false beliefs and customs need to be changed? What gets you angry and how would you fix it? Pick at least three areas where you see a problem. Write the problem out in full, talk about how that makes you feel, and then come up with a new set of ideas and beliefs to change that outdated concept. What could you, and others, do to start the ball of change rolling in the right direction? When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any new ideas? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.21
Read this week’s blog post: “What Can You Do With A Hole In Your Bucket?” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. I don’t have to tell you what to do with this one. Just get your list started, but be mindful of whether the items you place there are realistic, or if you need to find creative alternatives. For each item, write out how you will accomplish it and when you plan to do it and check it off your list. Don’t try to do everything at once. The beauty of planning ahead is that situations can change, and that’s where writing every day and staying in a creative mode can pay off. Just remember to have fun, keep writing, and start living! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.20
Read this week’s blog post: “She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Make a list of at least 5 ways that you don’t love yourself or make self-care a priority. It could be not eating well, not getting enough exercise, or the way you talk to yourself. When you have finished your list, go to another page and make a list of at least 10 things you can do to make self-care and self-love a regular practice. What 10 things can you do to make yourself feel loved? A bubble bath? A favorite meal? A massage? Write down at least 10. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.19
Read this week’s blog post: “A Brand New Afternoon.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think back to when you were in your 20’s, just starting out in life. You had plans, dreams, ideas, and a set of beliefs, mostly obtained from family, friends, and society as it was then. Perhaps you were all about your career, or getting rich, or finding love, or any number of things. Perhaps you wore many masks and had many titles, but now, in your later years, those titles are gone and your masks no longer fit. You don’t necessarily have to be “old” to feel this way. Often it starts as early as our 30’s or 40’s. Pick three or four things that were “true” for you in your 20’s that are no longer true for you now. Write out what they are, what you thought they would bring you, and how you feel about them now. Then, for each one, create a new truth, a new idea for going forward into the afternoon of your life. It could be about how you spend your time, how you earn a living, or who you spend your life with. It could be about where you live. Whatever resonates with you as true to who you really are now, write it down. When you have completed at least three or four new ideas, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.18
Read this week’s blog post: The Layaway Life.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take a serious look at the things you have in your home that you are saving for a special occasion. It could be the good china, the crystal glasses, the tablecloth and napkins you only take out for company. It could be the really “nice” items of clothing that you only wear in public. It could also be that expensive bottle of wine you are saving for when you have guests. Are you getting any enjoyment, any joy, out of keeping them hidden away? Make the decision to either give them away to someone who will use and appreciate them, or decide to make yourself a “special occasion” and use them yourselves. Eat the lasagna off a china plate, open that wine and drink it from one of your mother’s wine glasses. Set the table for dinner, even if it’s just you, with the good tablecloth and napkins. While you’re at it, put on that nice outfit that makes you feel like a queen, and treat yourself the same way. Anything and everything is yours to use and enjoy. Pick out three things that you don’t use and write them down, then create a “special occasion” for yourself to use them, writing down all the details. On a separate page, think of three things you’ve been wanting to do, but putting them off “until things get better.” How could you treat yourself to them now? Write down those three things and then research how you could treat yourself to them now. A trip to the Met? Lincoln Center? Learn how to paint with watercolors? Learn indoor gardening? Pick three things and go for it. When you are done with your lists, put them away and take them out the next day to read. Any insights? Could you think of more ways to make yourself and your life a “special occasion?” Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.17
Read this week’s blog post: “For Better Or For Worse.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Go back and make a list of the events in your life that had the biggest negative impact. It could be world events, like war, or personal tragedy, or it could be from becoming totally disillusioned with life in general and wondering how you were going to get through it. Since you obviously did, how did you do it? What did you do that got you through the dark times? For each event, write down how you did it. Now think about what is going on in your life today? Did those events, and how you handled them, give you insight into how to weather our current life storms? If so, how could you apply them now? If you were giving advice to a younger person with less life experience than you’ve had, what would you tell them? Write it out as if you were writing a letter to a young friend wondering what the whole point to life was as it is now. Be honest, be sincere, and most of all, be authentic in what you say. When you’re done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.16
Read this week’s blog post: “So, How’s It Going So Far?” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Go back to your list of intentions from last week and take a look at it. When you set the intentions, did you also describe how you would go about keeping them? For example, if you wrote: “I intend to exercise for 30 minutes every morning,” did you have a back-up plan in case you had a morning that didn’t work for you? If not, come up with at least 3 “could’s” that would work. For example, if you have an early morning appointment, you “could” exercise in the afternoon. Or, you “could” give your house a good cleaning (I don’t know about you, but I get a good workout after all that scrubbing and sweeping). If your intention was to cook healthy meals every evening and you can’t get to it one day, you “could” open a can of vegetable soup (healthy), and have a piece of fresh fruit for dessert. There is always a “could” that will help you achieve the same thing without the guilt from not doing it at all. So try and come up with at least 3 “could’s” for each of the intentions you set last week. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? You “could” write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.15
Read this week’s blog post: “I Give You My Word.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about the changes you would like to make in your life, whether it be for your health, your job, where you live, or anything that you’ve been wanting to improve on. Pick out your top three of four items and write them down, not as resolutions, but as intentions that you would like to manifest. For example: “I intend to get up and exercise 3 times a week.” Then add how you will handle it if you don’t follow through: “If I only exercise 2 times during the week instead of 3, I will reward myself for what I did accomplish and try harder in the coming days to follow through.” You might also add some ways you can make it easier to accomplish your goals, like walking to the store instead of driving, or using the stairs instead of the elevator. Do this for each intention you listed. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings … and good luck!
Assignment 6.14
Read this week’s blog post: “Tidings Of Comfort And Joy.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. See if you can find a Christmas or holiday card that hasn’t been used. You could even make one out of paper, cardboard, magazine clippings, or whatever you have on hand. When you have some kind of card in hand, and a pen, pretend that you are your very own BFF, best friend, and write yourself a Christmas message. Tell the receiver how much having them in the writer’s life means to them, how much you wish for them a happy and abundant year ahead. Remind them that, regardless of the hardships they may have experienced this past year, you know that they will be able to move into the new year an even better version of themselves. When you are done, put the card in an envelope and do one of two things: either mail it to yourself, or put it where you will see it on Christmas morning. When you open it, read it as though you didn’t already know what it said. Own the message. You will never find a better BFF than yourself. Honor that. Hope you have fun with this, and that you gift yourself with knowing that you matter. Write on!
Assignment 6.13
Read this week’s blog post: “Dear Santa.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. You guessed it? That’s right. We’re writing a letter to Santa. We’re not asking for that expensive new purse, or a vacation in the Bahamas. We’re asking for the important stuff, the stuff that means the most to you, your life, and the lives of your loved ones … and all of us. What things would you change if you could wave a magic wand? Write it all down, item by item, and really expand of why this is important to you. Try to come up with at least 4 or 5 items. When you are done, sign the letter (yes, this is truly a Dear Santa letter), put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Anything you want to add? Do it now, then put the letter in an envelope and put it somewhere safe to take out next Christmas to read. It will be interesting to see how many of those items came true for you, won’t it? Until then, have fun, be honest and creative, and just keep writing. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.12
Read this week’s blog post: “The Sears Catalog, Redemption, And A Really Good Christmas Cookie.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Pick three things you remember from your Childhood Christmases or other holiday celebrations that bring you joy when you think about them. Go into as much detail as you can, even noting the sights, smells, sounds, and feelings that each memory brings up. Write them as though you were telling someone a story, perhaps a child or grandchild. When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Then take what you’ve written and start a “Christmas Memory Book,” perhaps creating a front and back cover out of cardboard that you can decorate, or purchasing a nice binder to put it in. All during this month, as more memories surface, write about them and add them to the book. By New Year’s Day, you’ll have a family keepsake that you created yourself. Enjoy! Peace and blessings.!
Assignment 6.11
Read this week’s blog post: “A Story About Purple.” Then set the timer for 30 minutes. Picture yourself as what society would call a Senior Citizen. Write down what society has told us about getting old and the perception we have been taught about growing older. Now take a few minutes to go within and get in touch with who you really are right now. Do you really think that will change just because you have a few more birthdays behind you than in front of you? Make a list of all the social ideas on aging that you want to disprove and describe who you will be in your later years. Will you wear purple and be outrageous as our author proclaimed? Will you be a leader or a follower? Who will you be? Write it all out as if you were that person now. How will you look? How will you take on the world? Be honest but, most of all, be positive. When you’re done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.10
Read this week’s blog post: “Just Getting Started.” Then set the timer for 30 minutes. Take a piece of paper and make two columns. One column will be called: “What I don’t like about getting old.” Then list all the things you think are negative about moving into old age. Be sure to include things that may frighten you or that you’ve witnessed personally that have led you to those beliefs. The second column will be called: “What I love about getting older.” Here is where I want you to really put on your thinking cap and come up with at least 10 things that are positive about getting older. Perhaps it’s being able to finally retire, travel, downsize to a home that’s easier to maintain, or, maybe it’s something deeper, more profound. Nothing is out of order here. This is your wish list for your golden years. When you finish with your lists, write at least one paragraph about what you would like a typical day in your life at age 75, or maybe even older. Write it as if you are making a promise to yourself, like setting an intention. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 6.9
Read this week’s blog post: “Letting Go.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take a few deep breaths and let yourself honestly admit to times when you have had a hard time letting go. It could be something from the past that you’re still struggling with, or something new. Try to come up with at least three things that you could let go of but haven’t. For each one, write down what it is, what you think might happen if you let go, and what, honestly would be the true outcome. Sometimes when we write it out and look at it, our reasons for holding on really show up as not being in our best interest. See if by writing them out, you can finally let go and move on. When you’re done with all three, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Could you come up with a few more things to add to the list? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.8
Read this week’s blog post: “Allow Me To Introduce Myself.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Sit down and get quiet. Take a few deep breaths. Then ask your Spirit Self: “Who do you say I am?” Sit for a few moments and then start to write out the answers. If nothing comes to you at first, think about what you believe are your best qualities. If you write: “I am nurturing,” write down at least one example of that. Then go on to the next. Try to get at find at least 10 positive things to describe yourself, and an example for each one. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.7
Read this week’s blog post: “Wisdom’s Daughters.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about something in your past, whether it be from your own personal history or from the history of the place and time when you were growing up. This would include your life as a young woman just starting out in the world. If there was one lesson, one specific incident from your life or from what was happening in the world at the time, that you would want young women to learn from, what would it be? Would it be about women’s rights, civil rights, war, privilege, education, marriage, children? What is the most important lesson you’ve learned and wish young women today could learn from as well? Write it as if you were writing a lesson in a history book, or a letter to a young female relative. Be honest, open, and, most importantly, write from your heart. When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.6
Read this week’s blog post: “A Time To Breathe.” Then set the timer for 30 minutes. However, before you do, go and get yourself a nice cup of tea, coffee, hot chocolate, or whatever strikes your fancy. Now, go and find a place to sit where you are comfortable, in surroundings that please you and comfort you. It cold be outside on the porch, the deck, or patio. Or, it could be inside by a window with a lovely view, or even in a room filled with things you love, like books, artwork, and your favorite collections. Wherever it is, make sure it is a place you love to be in. Now sit down, sip your drink … and just breathe. Breathe slowly and deeply at first until you find a nice, comfortable rhythm. Look around you. What do you see? What makes you smile? The clouds floating by that look like teddy bears? The squirrel running up the tree? The birds in flight? Or, how cozy the room you are in feels, how safe and inviting it is. Keep breathing. Smile. Smiling is a must. Smile just because you can, because right now in this moment, all is well. Whatever is waiting for you on the other side of this 30 minutes will still be there when the timer goes off. Smile, breathe, be. When your 30 minutes is up, go to your writing space and spend at least 10 minutes writing about how that felt. Is it something you want to do again, more often, daily? Where there any thoughts or feelings nagging at you to get up? Write it all down. Then put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now …then go sit, breathe, and be! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.5
Read this week’s blog post: “The Great Silent Grandmother Gathering.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Every one of us, young and old, can do something, one thing, to save the world. It could be donating to a cause, doing our part to live more sustainably, writing a letter, or even joining a group and actively participating. While there are countless causes that need help these days, we all have one that is near and dear to our hearts, but so often older folks think they are too old to make a difference. As we saw from our story, even one grandmother can do her part to save the world. Get out a piece of paper and make two columns. On the left, choose a cause you believe in like world peace, climate change, women’s rights, etc. On the left, write down three things you could do to make a difference. Even making phone calls or signing petitions is doing your part. Try and find at least three causes where you would like to do something to make a difference and write down three things you could do. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now, then pick the first thing on your list and start making a difference in the world! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.4
Read this week’s blog post: “I’m Going To Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Try and find a picture of yourself from when you were a child, maybe around five years old. I chose five because that’s the age when you start school and go out into the world for the first time, filled with hopes and dreams. Then get out a nice piece of paper and write a letter to that child. Tell her, or him, about what you have learned about your life, about what happened to those dreams, about how it might not have been perfect, but that you/they did the best you could with the knowledge, experience, and environment you were working with at the time. You can go into great detail if you want or, like me, you could address specific issues that you feel your inner child needs some closure with (you can always do this again with other topics). Whatever you choose to write about, make sure that it ends with love, support, and most of all, acceptance. When you are done with your work, instead of putting it away and taking it out the next day to read, mail it to yourself. When you get it back and read it, that will be the time to sit down and write about what getting that letter meant to you and how it may have changed your perception of your past, and what lies before you. Peace and blessings.
Note: As always, these assignments are for your eyes only. There are no grades being handed out here other than the ones you give yourselves!
Assignment 6.3
Read this week’s blog post: “Designing Your Own Life Part Two: Cleaning Your Home.” Then set the timer for 30 minutes. Go back to the design you made last week of your ideal home. You assigned an area to of your life to each room and wrote in it what you wanted from the part of your life. This week we’re going to do a little cleaning first. You can’t put in brand new furniture and brand new decor if the room is filled with clutter, dirt and old, over-used items. Each area of our life deserves a good cleaning and decluttering before we arrange it just the way we want. So on a piece of paper write down the “name” of the room/area of your life and make two columns. In the first column, list all of the things that need to go, then all of the things that need a thorough cleaning out. In the second column, put in all the new and exciting things you want in that room. You want the room/area of your life to be bright, shiny, and reflective of who you really are and what you really want in your life. Proceed with every room until your new home, and your new life is sparkling and inviting you in. Have fun, get creative, scrub hard, and remember to just keep writing.
Note: Remember that these assignments are just for you. You don’t have to “turn them in” and you’re not going for a grade – just a brand new authentic life! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 6.2
Read this week’s blog post: “Designing Your Own Life.” Then set the timer for 30 minutes. Take out a sheet of paper and lay it out on the table. Draw a blueprint of the house of your dreams. It can be anything from a mansion to a tiny house. Divide the house into rooms using squares marked on the blueprint. Each room will represent an area of our life: health, finances, emotional, spiritual, relationship, etc. The number of rooms depends on the areas of our life that you wish to re-design. Then in each square, put in what you really, really want. You don’t have to go into too much detail, just use enough words or symbols so that you know what they represent. When you are finished with the design part, turn the paper over and write down one baby step you can take now in each of those rooms to take them from design to reality. For instance, under finances you might say: “today I will start keeping a list of every penny I spend to see where my money really goes.” Continue with each room until you have at least one baby step for each area. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now.
Note: These assignments are for your eyes only. You do not have to turn them in for grades or critique. They are for you alone. This is your authentic life to create and to live in love and joy!
Assignment 6.1
Read this week’s blog post: “What I Did On My Summer Vacation.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take a few moments to think about how this past summer, and this past 18+ months, has changed how you see life now. This summer more of us were able to get out and about, but did it look and feel the same as summers of past years? Did you take a different approach to it? What, if any, changes have you made to the way you live your life and think about life in general? Have they materialized into different lifestyles or even different places to live? Write down everything you felt, saw, and did that has made this September the month of new beginnings and new experiences.
When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Is there anything you want to add or new changes you want to make? Write about them now.
Peace and blessings.
Assignment 5.22
Read this week’s blog post: “Do You Believe In Magic?” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and pretend just for a few minutes that you are 5 years old again. Did you believe in magic? I don’t mean in the kind of magic conjured up by magicians and magic shows. I mean the kind that kept you looking for fairies, dragons, and animals that could speak. Try to remember that feeling. Now open your eyes and, while holding on to that feeling, think about the magic that surrounds you every day that you haven’t taken the time to notice. When you look outside, or spend time in nature, what things feel magical to you? If you could be 5 years old again, what sort of make-believe world would you create. Write down those things that you can see as an adult, and the ones you would create in your 5 year old mind. Can you “feel” the magic in both instances? If so, describe it. If not, why not? What is holding you back from feeling the magic in your life? Write it all down. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now.
Assignment 5.21
Read this week’s blog post: “What Is PTG?” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. List the five areas discussed in the post, then beside each one think about how you have experienced PTG, or not. Go deep and look at each of the areas from a new, post-pandemic perspective and define them for yourselves. Where have you grown stronger, and where do you need to grow stronger? Go through each one and discover what they mean to you now. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now.
Assignment 5.20
Read this week’s blog post: “What Now?” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Let us suppose that your state, or area where you live, has lifted all of the pandemic restrictions (if they haven’t already done so), and you are free to come and go as you please. If you’re like most of us, you have two lists: a list of things you want to do, and a list of things you should do. Sit down and make out both of your lists. Now look at the should-do list and ask yourself if everything on that list is absolutely necessary, or is it something you think you’ll be judged for if you don’t do it? Will someone think you’re a slacker, or will you think of yourself that way? After being shut in and restricted for so long, is this really what you want to prioritize, assuming that it isn’t something necessary for your health or safety? If it isn’t, can you cross it off your list and either do it another time in the future or delete it completely? After you’ve gone through your should list, go over your want list. As you look at each item, ask yourself if doing it will bring you a sense of joy and happiness, or even contentment. If so, leave it on the list. If not, why did you put it there and what could you replace it with that will bring joy? When you are done with both lists, ask yourself which list is longer and do a bit of editing. Your want list should definitely be longer than your should list, not vice versa. When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Want to add or delete something from your lists? Write about it now.
Assignment 5.19
Read this week’s blog post: “Planting Our Inner Grandmother Willow. Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think back for a moment to things you learned from your grandparents or parents that have taken root in your life. Perhaps they had to do with how to navigate life, models of behavior or morals to live by. What affect have they had in your life? Write them down. Then ask yourself what roots you would like to put down for the generations coming up ahead of you. What are the most important things that you would like to pass on? Write those out as well. You may want to add why you think they are important and how they have impacted your own life. When you are done, put your work away and take it our the next day to read? Any insights? Are there some more roots you’d like to put down? Write about them now.
Assignment 5.17
Read this week’s blog post: “Side By Side, Hand In Hand.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Over the course of a year of learning and experiences, each of us has accumulated valuable lessons that we can pass on to those that come after us. Each of us has something that we are passionate about, that we have devoted our lives to, that we can pass on to others as tools they can use to carry on. At the same time, these young folks are tech savvy, connected, and know how to organize for change. Think about some way that you can mentor the next generation, be it a skill, or experiences that may help to guide them going forward. How would you go about this? Would you volunteer somewhere, or join some organization. Write out your ideas. Then ask yourself what you would like to know more about that these young folks could teach you. Would it be something in technology, or communications, or even the arts? Write down what you would like to learn and why. When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now.
Assignment 5.16
Read this week’s blog post: “Missing You.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. This past year has not only been a learning experience for all of us, but for many of us it was a chance to get to know who we really are and whether or not the lives we were living before the pandemic were authentic and worthy of us. Think of a time during this last year when you thought back to the “you” you used to be, the one you somehow lost track of and missed. What was it about that person that you loved and admired the most, and where did she go? What changes might you make that would allow her to be born again, this time to stay? What have you learned from this last year about who and what is your authentic self. When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now.
Assignment 5.15
Read this week’s blog post: “A Heavy Dose Of Humility.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think back to a time when you had to depend on someone else even when it was the last thing you wanted to do. Maybe it had to do with actual physical help as in an illness or injury. Or, maybe it was a job or project you really wanted to pursue on your own but realized, reluctantly, that you just couldn’t go it alone. Write out a description of the event and why you had to rely on others. How did that make you feel? If you’ve never had such an experience, pretend for a moment that you are injured and require someone to help you do even the most basic things like getting dressed and walking. How do you think you would feel? Now ask yourself in either scenario whether there was something for you to learn from this experience, something that would make you a better person? When you are done with your assignment, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now.
Assignment 5.14
Read this week’s blog post: “Dropping The Masks.” Then set the timer for 30 minutes. Think about all of the masks you’ve worn over the years, and the costumes you’ve created just to be accepted by others. Make a list of the different costumes or masks you’ve created. Now get out a sheet of paper for each one and, on the top of each page write the name of who or what you were impersonating. Below that write out what the costume looked like and who or what your were trying to impress. When you finish one, go on to the next one. When you are done, do not put them away. Instead take them and, one by one, tear them up and toss them away. Then start a new page with the title “My True Authentic Self.” Now make a list of everything that describes who you really are without the costumes. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now.
Assignment 5.13
Read this week’s blog post: “Let The Stars Be Stars.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. We all have moments in our lives where something or someone has caused us pain, or regret, or remorse, that we have been trying to find an explanation for or someone to blame it on. By using up precious years of our lives looking for an explanation we rob ourselves of the time we have left. Think of at least two such situations that have happened to us and describe the circumstances surrounding them and what we’ve been telling ourselves about it. Once you have it all written down, go back and name the feeling rather than the situation: grief, anger, remorse, regret, disappointment, etc. Then after each descriptive word write: Let the (grief, anger, etc) be what it is. Repeat it to yourself out loud. Then move on to the next one. When you are finished, take a deep breath and let it go. Normally I would tell you to put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Not this time. This time we are going to take the paper and toss it away. If you’re writing on a screen, delete it. Let it go. It is what it is and now it’s time to move on. And always remember that, when all else fails and things get tough, just keep writing. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 5.12
Read this week’s blog post: “Time For A New Definition.” Then set the timer for 30 minutes. Take a sheet of paper and write down all of the words that describe who you are as society defines you. Male or female, young or old, parent, child, sibling, wife, mother, etc. Write down all of the titles that we have had to carry around with us like a very heavy bag filled to overflowing. When you are done, take the piece of paper and rip it up! Yes, you read that correctly – rip it up. Burn it, flush it, toss it in the trash. Those are the old definitions of who you are. Now take out a new, fresh sheet of paper and write down what really describes you. What makes your heart sing? What brings you joy? What do you like to do for fun, or as an interest or passion? What makes you different from everyone else? That last one won’t be as easy as you think so take your time with it. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 5.11
Read this week’s blog post: “A History Of Us.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take out a sheet of paper and divide it up into columns, with each column representing the different stages of our life: childhood, teen years, young adult/older adult, etc. Under each column write out those moments in history that were happening at that time that you remember most or that had the biggest affect on you. When you are done, take out another sheet of paper, or open a fresh screen, and, taking each stage one by one, write out how your experiences of that time have played out in how you’ve lived your life going forward and where you would like your life to go now. For example, has your experience of the women’s movement had an affect on the kinds of volunteer work you do, or the causes you support, or the jobs you’ve had? Have you become involved in things like sustainable living and climate change based on your own personal history? What about how you make a living, or would like to? I know this sounds like a long assignment that will take much more than 20 minutes so give yourself as much time as you need. Perhaps you can do 20 minute segments on each stage of your life with a break in-between. However you do it and however long it takes, it will be worth it in the end as you move forward to create your authentic life, the one you are meant to live. When you are done with the assignment, put it away and let is settle for a day or two. Then take it out and look at it again. Any new insights? Can you see where you may want to make some changes in your life going forward? Write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 5.10
Read this week’s blog post: “Making Room For Memories.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take two pages from a notebook and put “Old Memories” at the top of one page, and “New Memories” at the top of the other. On the first page, make a list of at least 5 old memories that no longer serve you, or make you happy. Maybe it was a broken heart from an old boyfriend, or a bad experience, or a painful loss. Whatever it was, just write it out. Ask yourself: “How would my life look if I could get rid of these memories?” Now go to the second page and list five new memories from your past or recently that have brought you joy, contentment, happiness, or love. How does it feel to relive those memories through your writing? Finally challenge yourself to add two more spaces to the bottom of the page for two new memories that you would like to make room for in your life now. Maybe a new job, a new project, a new lifestyle? When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. After you’ve read it, take the first list with the old memories and tear it into strips or put it through a shredder if you have one. How does that make you feel? Write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 5.9
Read this week’s blog post: “Getting to Know You.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Pretend that you are writing a bio of your perfect match on a dating app except in this case you are the one you want to be matched with. Write it without relying on the old cliches about what you look like, or what you do, or any of those other sugar coated cues. What makes you laugh? What makes you cry? What do you do for fun when you’re all alone and no one is watching? What is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen? What fills your heart with joy? What is your favorite thing to do with your best friend? Finally, if you were looking for your BFF instead of a mate, who would you say that you are? Don’t be afraid to be as honest and as free with your thoughts as you can. No one will see this but you (and your inner BFF). When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Are you ready to hook up with this awesome person? Write about it now.
Assignment 5.8
Read this week’s blog post: “The Invitation.” Then set the timer for at least 30 minutes. Sit down with a notebook or your open screen and ask yourself these questions:
- If money were no object, what would I love to do?
- If age was not a barrier, what would I love to do?
- If I let myself be vulnerable and open to looking foolish to others, what would I love to do?
- If I was fearless, what would I admit was my heart’s longing?
- If I could write the story of a day in my perfect life, what would it look like?
Go deep and be as honest as you know how to be. Don’t use the time to worry or wonder over how you could achieve these dreams. Instead, see them as realities just waiting to be discovered. When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? If you were brave enough, could you pick just one thing and take a tiny, baby step in the direction of your dream? Hint: If you’ve been doing your joy and gratitude pages regularly, you might find clues there as well. Write about them now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 5.7
Read this week’s blog post: “The Valley of Decision.” Then set the timer for 30 minutes (yes, I said 30 but you’ll see why in a moment). Get out a notebook or pull up your writing screen and, starting with your childhood, break your life up into decades from birth to present time. Within each decade list the most important events that happened in that ten year span, good and bad, and what was going on in the world, your world, at the same time. When you have finished, go back and look at each decade and find those life events that have affected who you are now and how you live your life. Just like a sculptor with his chisel, chip away at your life until the real you is revealed. Now you know why I asked you to set the timer for 30 minutes. You may need even more time. Take as much time as you need until the final version of you has appeared. Then take a few minutes to decide what needs to go, and what needs to be embraced and kept. I know this sounds like a lot of work, and if you want to break it up into two sessions, that’s fine as long as you come back to it by the next day. When you are finally finished, put it away for a day or two and then take it out to read. Any insights you want to add or delete? Do that now. P.S I hope you are keeping up with your joy and gratitude pages. You may find some additional gems to add to this assignment hidden in them as well. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 5.6
Read this week’s blog post: “Life In The Afternoon.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take a long, hard look at this last year. What changes have you had to make in the way you live, make a living, or communicate with others? Have any of them caused you think about making some permanent changes even after the restrictions are lifted and life opens up again? Pick at least two, perhaps one from your home life and one from your work life, or what you do to earn a living, and write down what you have come to realize about the way it used to be, and the way you want to change it going forward, and why. When you have finished both of them, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. And don’t forget to do your joy and gratitude pages as well! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 5.5
Read this week’s blog post: “A Time to Create.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take a look back at your life and pick out those events that forced you to pick up the pieces of your old life and create a new one. Perhaps it was an unexpected illness, or a death in your family, or a fire that destroyed your home, or losing your job. Whatever it was, look back and take note of what you created out of those ashes. Or, perhaps you are currently facing the demise of your way of life now. What can you create going forward? What changes have you had to make recently that have turned out to be positive? Make a thorough inventory of your life “before and after,” and write it all out. When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Note: I hope you are keeping up with your joy and gratitude pages. If not, this would be a great time to do so. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 5.4
Read this week’s blog post: “The Power of Change.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think back to a moment in your life when something changed, something big, that ended up having a powerful and positive affect going forward from that moment. What changed and why? Write down the experience and then reflect on how that change turned into a positive force in your life. If you can’t think of one, think of a change you’d like to make. Perhaps it is one that you’ve been afraid to make because of having to step outside of your comfort zone and doing something you’ve never done before. Write down what it is, why you want to do it, and how you think it will change your life for the better. Imagine what your life would look like if you went ahead and made that change. Write that down as well. When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. P.S. I hope you are remembering to jot down your moments of joy and things you are grateful for every day. If you haven’t done them yet today, do them now as well. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 5.3
Read this week’s blog post: “The Field.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. First, check in to see if you’ve been keeping up with your daily lists of 5 acts of joy and 5 things to be grateful for. If you haven’t, set the intention to do them right after you finish today’s assignment. Now let’s move on. Think about at least three things that you’ve had a hard time accepting about yourself, or that you think isn’t acceptable to others. It could be you looks, your relationships, your lifestyle, any number of things that you think you should change because others tell you that you should. Now take each one and ask yourself: if I were someone who loved and accepted myself, what positive action would I take to show myself the love I deserve? If it’s about your weight or your health, what could you do to be healthier (notice I said “healthier” not “thinner”). If it’s about your relationships, what could you do to make sure you are treated the way you deserve to be treated? Just choose three items that would be at the top of your list and write out what you could do to show yourself more love? When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Can you come up with more ways to love and accept yourself? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 5.2
Read this week’s blog post: “It’s All Good.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Last week we committed to writing down at least 5 acts of joy that we experienced that day or, if you’re doing it in the morning, that we experienced the day before. Now we are going to use that blank page that we kept between each day and list on it at least 5 things we are grateful for. It could be things like a roof over our heads, or food to eat, or good health, of family, or any number of things. It could also be about the taste of a favorite food, the smell of flowers, or a child’s laughter, or so many other things that touched out lives that day or the day before. The important thing I want you to focus on when writing this list is to find at least one reason to be grateful for being you. Yes, you read that right. I want you to find something about yourself that brought you a moment of gratitude just for being you. Perhaps is was that you were able to help someone, or give money to a cause even if it was only a small amount. Maybe you are grateful that you are being responsible about climate change and doing what you can, even in a small way, to reduce your carbon footprint. Maybe you are grateful that you know how to knit so that you can make hats and mittens for the homeless. There is always at least one thing that you can be grateful for about being you. It just takes practice and a change of mindset. When you are done with your work each day, put it away and take it out the next day to review before you move on to the new day’s work. If there was something you missed or wanted to add on either page – moments of joy or gratitude – add them to the new day’s page. Make every day a celebration of you! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 5.1
Read this week’s blog post: “A Radical Act Of Joy.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. This is going to be an ongoing assignment for 2021. In addition to our regular weekly assignments, I want you to start keeping a journal called “Acts of Joy.” Each day try and look for at least 5 acts of joy and write them down. You can write them down as they happen, or take a few minutes at the end of each day to write down all five. If you have trouble coming up with five right away, try using the five senses as categories as I did in the blog post. For example, was there something you saw that brought you joy? Something you heard, tasted, touched or that someone said that made you laugh (if you’ve got little kids around, that can be every day)? Next to each item on the list, try and explain how that joy felt inside, how and where it touched you. Leave a blank page in-between each day as we are going to be using it for something else going forward. When you have finished you list for the day, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Do you want to add to the previous days’ list before you start a new one? Work on that now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.40
Read this week’s blog post: “Snow Day!” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. First, think back to when you were a child and you and your family had to hunker down for a snow day. Was your experience one of challenge and adventure, (and fun playing in the piles of snow afterwards), or was it scary? What did you learn about being prepared from that? Now think about the year we’ve just come through. While no one could have predicted this, how might we now be able to take what we’ve learned and be better prepared to go forward, be it a snow storm or something that challenges all of us to step up and do our best? What might you do differently now that you’ve lived through this year? How has the storm of this year changed how you do things? When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.39
Read this week’s blog post: “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown … And Thank You.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. I know not all of you reading this celebrate Christmas, but we all have some holiday or celebration we observe that has been a part of our lives since we were very young. We all have memories of celebrations past, some good and some challenging, the lessons that we took from them and carried forward into our adult lives. Think back to a cherished memory or tradition in your own life. First write down what it was and why it has stayed with you all of these years. Then put into words the lessons you received from it, the “gift” of that experience that is there when you need it, when times are tough and you need something to hold on to, reminding you of what’s really important. How do you express that lesson today? When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.38
Read this week’s blog post: “Picture This.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Everyone has something they like to do that brings them joy. Not everyone thinks that they are creative or artistic, but we really all have some creative juices flowing even if we don’t think so. Take a few minutes to review in your mind the kinds of things you like to do that could be considered “creative.” Maybe you like to paint or draw, or write, or sew, or work with yarn, or fabric, or create lovely gardens, or bring the outdoors inside. Write down anything you like to do that allows your creativity to flow. How does it make you feel? Is there anything you liked doing when you were younger but gave up because you didn’t think you were any good at it? If so, write that down, too. Now go back and look at your list. Is there anything that is keeping your from letting your creativity shine? Are you worried about someone being critical of you, or even being critical of yourself? What could you do just for the joy of letting your authenticity shine? Write it all out. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.37
Read this week’s blog post: “A New Year’s Do-Over.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think back to the resolutions you made on January 1, 2020. How many of them did you keep? Were they all about things like losing weight, getting healthier, moving your business or work forward, making more money, or other major accomplishments in your life? What impact did the pandemic and it’s side effects on your lives and the economy have on your resolutions. Write down each one of them and reflect on whether they came to pass and, if not, why? Now go back and re-write a new set of resolutions knowing what you know now with all that has happened in the last year. How do these experiences change or influence your list? What things from your original list no longer make it and why? Go deep on this one and let the work reflect the changes of how you see the world now. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now.
Assignment 4.36
Read this week’s blog post: “When Words Fail.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about a time in your life when the world handed you an experience for which you simply had no words to describe it, or what you were feeling. I’m thinking about something either in your own life or a national event that took you for a tailspin. How did you find a way to go on? What did you do, or stopped doing, that got you through it when there were no words that would help you heal? Now think about the state of our world now. We can talk about all the ways people should do or not do something, or about who is right or wrong, but in the end it is what we do, not what we say, that makes the difference. So, what actions can you take right now to help, to make a difference? Make a list of at least 3 or 4 actions you could take and a plan to execute each one. When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.35
Read this week’s blog post: “Holding The Door Open.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. First, think about the women who have come before you who have had an impact on our life. It may be someone you know, someone in your own family or social circle that inspired you, that held the door open behind them so you could come through. Perhaps it was someone else, a teacher, politician, or spiritual leader. Whoever it was, write down how they inspired you and what that has meant to you in your life. Now think about how you can hold that door open for others to come through behind you. What can you do to encourage and inspire younger women to cross that threshold? Try to think of at least two ways. Write them down and then decide on an action plan to carry it forward. When you’re done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.34
Read this week’s blog post: “One Breath, One Bead, One Moment At A Time.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Using the technique we created a few weeks ago of morning pages, use about 10 minutes to de-clutter your mind. Write out your to-do list for the day, get all the negativity, worry and fear out on on the page, and then take a few deep breaths. Now turn to a new, fresh page and write down 10 thing you are grateful for. Take the first one and turn it into a mantra. For example, your may write, “I am grateful for my family.” Now, turn that into a mantra: “I am loved and I am loving.” Or, you might write: “My life is filled with blessings.” Now, your mantra could be: “Peace, love, and joy surrounds me.” Keep going until you have a mantra for each item on your list. Now pick one that really speaks to you. Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and start mentally repeating the mantra. You may want to set a timer for, say, 10 minutes. Or, just go with the flow. If your mind starts to wander, take another breath and go back to the mantra. There is no right or wrong way to do this. The only bad meditation is the one you don’t show up and do. When you are done put all of your work away and read it the next day. Any insights? Can you come up with some more mantra-worthy gratitudes? if so, write about them now.
Assignment 4.33
Read this week’s blog post: “I’m Going To Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Who is your older Wise Self? Is it an Obi-Wan or a Merlin? Is it fairy godmother or a elderly relative who has passed, whose wisdom you cherished? Think of someone whose wisdom and insight you trust and have them write you a letter. Allow them to give you a sense of perspective about your life, where it has been and where it is going. What guidance do you think they’d give you? You may be surprised at what comes up when it is coming from someone you think of as “outside” of yourself. Remember, honesty is always the best policy. When you’re done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? How do you feel about what they advised? Write them back now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.32
Read this week’s blog post: “Fact Or Fiction.” Then set the timer for 10 minutes. I want you to do your morning pages as assigned last week. Once you have found a place to deposit all of your worries, gripes, and to-do lists, you can focus without distraction on the work ahead. When you’re done, reset the timer for 20 minutes. Go to a fresh page and continue writing in longhand. I know that those of you who like to write on a keyboard may find this tedious, but I want you to feel the connection of your head and your heart through you hand and on to the page. Now begin the story of your new life, the one that you truly wish to live. Where do you live? Who do you live with, or do you live alone? Do you have a job or are you retired? If you work for yourself, what do you do? If not, what are you hobbies or passions? What brings you joy? What are you grateful for? Instead of a “happily ever after” ending, do you live a “happily every day” kind of life? When you’re done with your work put it away and then take it out the next day to read. Any insights? How do you feel when you read about your fairy tale life? Is there one small step in the direction of your dream life that you can take today? Write about it now.
Assignment 4.31
Read this week’s blog post: Letting Our Hands Speak.” Then set the timer 20 minutes. This assignment needs to be done first thing in the morning to be effective. For this part of the assignment you’ll need three sheets of 8 1/2 by 11 paper, whether it’s in a notebook or loose paper. The reason we use that size is because using smaller paper “cramps our style” so to speak. It makes what we need to get out seem small. It also needs to be done by hand, not on a screen. The act of moving your hand across the page connects your head to your heart and vice versa. Now think of all the things that were on your mind when you woke up this morning. What’s on your to-do list? What’s on that list that you are reluctant to do or can be put off for another time? What thoughts or worries are you carrying over from yesterday that are still bugging you? What are you angry with, or who? What limiting beliefs need to be said out loud so you can see them and let them go? Just dump it all on the page. It doesn’t need to be a work of art because no one will see it except you. Don’t worry about spelling or punctuation. Just let go. When you are done, put it away. I’m not going to tell you to take it out the next day to read. This time all you need to do is go on with your day, perhaps with a new, lighter to-do list, or, maybe, no list at all. Maybe today you’ll just place your attention on what absolutely needs to get done and let the rest of the day flow as it will. What I will ask you to do tomorrow, and every tomorrow until next week, is repeat the process. Give it a chance to work it’s magic. Do your morning pages every day for a week and see if it doesn’t help you to see your life in a different light. Next week we’ll move on to the next phase of this assignment. You may be surprised at what happens. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.30
Read this week’s blog post: “What Lies Within.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think back to all of the challenges you’ve faced in your life, the ones when you thought you’d never get back up again but somehow you did. Make a list of at least three making sure to write down what you thought was going to be the outcome and what the actual outcome was. How did you do it? What was it inside you that made you get back up one more time and move forward? When you have three situations and outcomes, take a moment to see if there isn’t some link between all three that is your super power, whether it’s a spiritual connection, experience, or some piece of wisdom you’ve picked up along the way. Write down what that is and see if you can come up with an affirmation or mantra to use when you feel yourself getting lost again. When you’re done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now.
Assignment 4.29
Read this week’s blog post: “What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think of a time when you had a decision to make and you didn’t know what to do. How did you finally find the answer? Are there certain tricks or methods that you fall back on that have been successful or did you just plow through? Write down what worked for you in that situation. If you were going to suggest to a friend struggling with a problem a way to come up with a solution, how would you advise them? When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Have you discovered any new ideas about how to problem-solve in your own life? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.28
Read this week’s blog post: “September’s Song.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Close your eyes and think about the first day of school when you were a kid. What excited you the most? For me it was getting to wear a brand new dress (back in the stone age before we girls were allowed to wear pants to school) and shoes, and showing it off with the other girls in my class. It was my brand new lunchbox and school bag, and the smell of the freshly sharpened pencils inside it. Whatever those memories are, write them down. Then think about what feelings those memories evoked. Was it more than just excitement to see old friends? Was it curiosity about your new teachers and new subjects? Was it wondering what new secrets of the world you were going to learn? Write those feelings down as well. Now take a minute to let them sink into your heart. What kinds of things could you do right now to rekindle those feelings? Is there a project you could give birth to, or online course you could take? Could you help some young folks online with their projects? What could you do to write your own September Song? Put it all down in as much detail as you can. When you’re done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 4.27
Read this week’s blog post: “100 Years Later And We Still Have Work To Do.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think back over your life, your mother’s life, and, perhaps, even you Grandmother’s life, or the lives of other older women who have touched yours. Have any of them shared memories of the women’s movement in this country? Were their lives affected by the discrimination women faced back then? Has your life been touched by it here and now 50 years later? What do you feel are the most important issues facing women today and how can you get involved or, are you already involved? After spending a few moments soul searching this issue, pretend you are writing a letter to a young girl, maybe a daughter, granddaughter, or niece. In the letter, share your feelings and experiences on this issue and why you think it’s important. When you’re done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now, Then consider actually sending the letter to that young woman or, if it’s to an imaginary person, put it away where you can take it out 10 years from now to see how far we’ve come. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.26
Read this week’s blog post: “Asking The Right Questions.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Using the questions from the blog, write answers for each of them You don’t have to limit your answers to one or two items. Get really honest with yourself about what you know for sure and what you’d like to know more about. There might even be additional questions you want to challenge yourself to answer. When you’re finished, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Are there more questions or more answers? Write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.25
Read this week’s blog post: “A Wandering Mind.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. You are about to take your mind on a mini-vacation. First, clean out that closet in your head that’s full of all the projects you “should” do. Then sit yourself down in a chair by a window or, if possible, out in your back yard or on your porch. Take your notebook or device with you. Now just sit. Sit for at least 5 or 10 minutes and just breathe. Look around you. What do you see? Imagine yourself in your favorite place like the beach, the woods, or wherever you go for peace and renewal. Let your mind wander aimlessly. Remember to smile during this trek. What catches your attention? Cloud formations that look like animals? The sound of birds? Squirrels at play? The plants and flowers around you? The sounds of surf or seagulls? After a few minutes, take out your pen or device and write down all of the things you saw and heard as if you were writing a letter to someone. Get really descriptive. This is a wonderful exercise for not only clearing your mind of clutter and allowing it to roam free, but to sharpen your ability to focus on what is in front of you. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Thinking another “mini-mind vacation” might be in order? If so, write about it all now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.23
Read this week’s blog post: “Gentrifying The Past.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think back to something from your youth, a place or event, that looks very different now in your memory from when you were young. It could have been something that, with the passage of time, either looks better or worse than you remember it. Maybe the house you grew up in is now gone and replaced by something else. Perhaps your old school or old hangouts are long gone as are the people you shared them with. All of us can remember a person or experience that we thought was the end of the world at the time but, as we’ve gotten older, has taken on a different look. Write out what that experience was, and then ask yourself if you’ve gentrified it in order to feel better, or if you’ve changed it for other reasons. It may be hard to allow yourself to confess to the window dressing you’ve put on it, but ask yourself if, in doing so, it has had a positive or negative effect in your life as you’ve grown in wisdom and understanding. This may take a little more than 20 minutes to do so reset the timer as necessary. This exercise may seem a little deeper than we usually go, but, especially now, moving forward with a clearer picture of where we’ve been and where we need to go, has never been more important. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.22
Read this week’s blog post: “Walking Home.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about how you might go about creating your own Camino experience. Certainly, if you are able to create some kind of actual walking experience, plan where you would go and what you would carry to represent what burdens you are ready to lay down. If a physical walk isn’t possible, write out what you could do instead to achieve the same results. After you have planned your experience on paper, take another sheet of paper and cut it into strips wide enough to write on. Then, one by one, write out the burdens you wish to put down. They can be anything that has been weighing you down including forgiving yourself and others, anger, frustration, sorrow, you name it. When you have finished, ball the strips up one by one in your hand until you have created a pile of symbolic stones. Now you can go forward in whatever way you have created. You may want to put your work away and take it out to look at it again the next day to edit before your journey. Or, you may want to do it as soon as you’re done writing. Whatever you decide, make sure that after you pilgrimage is completed, that you write down the experience to remind you should you feel the need in the future to go back and pick up some of those stones. Always, always, remember to just keep writing. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.21
Read this week’s blog post: “A Handcrafted Life.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Just like an artist needs paint and paper, and a knitter needs yarn and needles, we have the tools to craft a life we want. Pen and paper or a keyboard and screen are our tools. Take a moment to think about your ideal life. Where do you live? What do you do for a living if you need to provide for yourself and others? What moments of joy can you bring into your life every day even it it’s only for an hour? How can you balance both a life that you love and your obligations as a citizen of the world? To do this, write out a typical day in your handcrafted life from the time you wake up until the time you go to bed. Be sure to answer all the questions above as you go. When you’re done with your work, take it out the next day to read. Any insight? Has anything sparked some ideas for you? If so, write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.20
Read this week’s blog post: “Living An Imaginary Life.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. All of us at one time or another create a picture, a story, that we either present to others as ourselves in order to feel accepted, or keep to ourselves to sooth our inner child that feels unworthy. Write across the top of the page: Once upon a time … and tell the story of that child and the world she created. Or, write about how you created a mirage for the rest of the world to see to hide what you felt were your flaws. Once you have written that part of the story, now create how you would, or did, write a new story, one that ends, “and she lived happily ever after.” Perhaps you haven’t gotten to that part of your story in real life. Now is your opportunity to write a new one. If you have written a new story, explore how you got there. Remember, the written word has power when seen by our eyes, heart, and mind. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Is this a story that you would want to live, or want someone in your life to learn from? If so, write about that now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.19
Read this week’s blog post:”Coming Full Circle.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Make a short list, maybe 3 or 4 items, of the things that you always dreamed of having or doing when you were 6 years old. Now go back and beside each items answer this question; “Did I get what I actually wanted or did I get something different?” If you got what you originally asked for, write down what it was and what it looks like now. If you didn’t, ask yourself if maybe it came in a different package that you didn’t recognize as what you thought you wanted. If it has, what did it look like and was it what you wanted or what you needed? When you’re done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.18
Read this week’s blog post: “The Things We Miss.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. What are some of the things you’ve missed the most these past few weeks and months as we’ve been forced to redesign our lives? Is it the people, the freedom to be out and about, or is it what these things represent? Take a few minutes and write down what those things are. Then as you go back and re-read each item, describe what those things represent to you. How do they make you feel? What is it about them that is part of who you are? Now think about how you will look at those things differently when we are given the green light to be back out there. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings,.
Assignment 4.17
Read this week’s blog post: “Time For A Major Rewrite.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Sit quietly for a few moments and take an honest inventory of the different areas of your life: home, work, relationships, spiritual, emotional. Look back over the last few years and, especially, what’s been going on over the last few months that have affected each of these areas. Now pick one that you would really like to “rewrite.” First write down what area it is and why you think it’s not working the way you thought it would, or, would like it to. Now do a major rewrite. What would have to change? Who else might that change affect? How might you go about it? What would you have to change about yourself in order to make that part of your story work? It may take more than 20 minutes to do this so if you need to, reset the timer for another 20 minutes. When you’re done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now (and, yes, you may need to do some editing). You may want to repeat this exercise with the other areas of your life that need a rewrite. Go for it! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.16
Read this week’s blog post: “Reaching For A Life Line.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. I am hereby giving you a permission slip to let it all out on the page. Let out all of our anger, your fear, your sorrow, your frustrations, your depression, your despair. We’ve all been pushed to the edge these last few months and by putting it on the page it helps to release it all like poking a pin in a balloon. After you’re done, but it away until the next day and then set the timer for another 20 minutes. Now go back and re-read what you wrote. Use this time to ask yourself: “What am I learning about myself from all of of this, about my life, about my beliefs, and about myself as a person?” When you are done with it, put it away again and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Have you felt that something inside has shifted? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.15
Read this week’s blog post: “The Reach Of Our Ripples.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Have you ever had a moment when you realized how far your own ripples had gone? What had you done to start the ripple in the first place. Write out the experience and then sit back and ask yourself: Was this a positive ripple or a negative ripple? All too often we are less aware of the negative ripples we create than the positive ones. A word said in anger, an action we regret taking, all can cause ripples we may never realize are going out there. Now ask yourself what kinds of things can you do, now, at this time in our lives, to create positive ripples that will reach as many people as possible. See if you can come up with at least 5 things you can do. They don’t have to be anything huge. It can be as easy as picking up the phone, sending a text message, sending a gift online, donating to something or someone in need, etc. When you are done with your list, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Are you ready to start those ripples going? Write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.14
Read this week’s blog post: “To Everything There Is A Season.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Look back into your life for a time when you were dealing with a loss, perhaps the death of a loved one either human or animal. Then write the quote used in the blog across the top of the page. You may want to either Google the entire quote or look it up in a bible if you have one. Now go back to the page and ask yourself what, if anything, your loss taught you about living. How did it change you for the better, or, even, for worse? Be totally honest and ask yourself if you can take another look at that time and learn something else from it given our current situation in the world. Write what comes up for you. When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.13
Read this week’s blog post: “After All, We’re Only Human.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about a time when you made a mistake, either an error in judgement or just what I call a “screw-up,” a mistake that you view as a sign that you aren’t smart-enough/talented-enough/young-enough/etc. – you know the drill. Write about what you did or didn’t do and how that made you feel. Now ask yourself if you learned anything from it. Was it something that you might not have learned if you hadn’t made that mistake? Did it help you to see something in a new and even better light? Did it change your mind about something? Write it all out. When you’re done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.12
Read this week’s blog post: “Now That You Mention It.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Make a list of the different areas of sustainability mentioned in the post. Then next to each item, write down ways in which you can make changes in your own life that would contribute to a more sustainable lifestyle. Are there any that interest you enough to want to get involved on a community or national level? Are there any you could teach others how to do? When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.11
Read this week’s blog post: “And Not A Bit More.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Start a list of things that bring you joy, that add value to your life on a daily basis. What are the things you deem “valuable” from a lifestyle perspective? When you have finished that list, close your eyes and create a mental picture of your home. Now ask yourself which items actually bring you joy, or serve a purpose. Make sure that the purpose you identify isn’t one that only comes round once a year but something that serves a purpose all the time. Maybe you don’t need a dozen decorative pillows on your sofa, but does that afghan your mom made remind you of her every time you wrap yourself up in it? How many wine glasses does a person actually need, and which ones are your favorites? What clothes do you own that make you feel comfy and happy when you put them on? Now ask yourself: If I had just a few hours to pack up my life and could only take what would fit in an SUV, what would come and what would stay behind? At this point you might need to reset the timer but by the time you’re done, it will have been well worth the extra time. When you are done with your assignment, put it away and take it out to read the next day. Any insights? Are you now looking at your home, your life, in a new way? If so, write about it now.
Assignment 4.10
Read this week’s blog post: “Humble and Kind, Part 2.” Then set the timer for 10 minutes. Make up your own list of ways you can express kindness to others, or ways you can humble yourself to ask for help. When life returns to normal and we’re back out in the world interacting with others, how could we make the day a little brighter for someone else just by a simple act of kindness? How could our own lives be made humbler and brighter by excepting kindness from others? It doesn’t have to be a huge list – 10 suggestions would be enough. When you are done with your list, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Did you come up with some more ideas? If so, write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.9
Read this week’s blog post: “Resolution Do-Over.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about any New Year’s Resolutions that you might have made at the beginning of the year. How are they going? Give yourself a whole new start, with a whole new mindset, and come up with at least 5 new resolutions that you can put into practice right now while you’re restricted to being inside or only making necessary trips outside. Don’t let yourself get bogged down in the usual lose ten pounds, get a new hair do, start my novel. Think about things you can do in the here and now, right where you are, that will not only improve your own daily living but maybe that of someone else as well. When you are done with your list, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now!
Assignment 4.8
Read this week’s blog post: “For The Next Seven Generations.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Make a list of all the lessons that have come out of this current world crisis for you, the things that made you take a second look at your beliefs and behaviors. When you are done, make another list of how you would like to see changes in any areas where you feel we can do a better job. Include with those items what you can do as an individual to bring about those changes, even in a small way. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 4.7
Read this week’s blog post: “Prescription For A Nation.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Write yourself a prescription for getting through this current crisis. List at least five things you can do to deal with the fear, anger, uncertainty and resentment that may be building up. Ask yourself what you would suggest to a loved one or friend who was dealing with these emotions. Give your creativity a real workout here. You just might uncover something that will carry over into your everyday life going forward for the future. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Did anything you “prescribed” help? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.6
Read this week’s blog post: “When The Well Runs Dry.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about a time when you pushed yourself so hard that there was nothing left in your own well. It could be a life situation, an illness, a project that you obsessed about, a job. Were you able to refill your well? If so, how? If you’re currently going through a dry spell, how might you replenish your own energetic and creative juices? What practices can you put in place so it doesn’t happen again? When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.5
Read this week’s blog post: “A Time To See.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Pick a place to sit where you have a view good view of the room you’re sitting in, and possibly near a window if you can. Close your eyes for a moment or two. Now open them and, beginning right in front of you and moving from left to right, let your eyes roam over the area and notice anything particular that catches your eye. It could be the lovely afghan someone crocheted for you draped over the back of a chair. Note the colors and design. Or it could be a favorite chair, picture, light, plant or floral arrangement. Slowly keep moving your eyes and look out of the window. What do you see? What captures your eyes and lingers there? Give yourself enough time to really soak in what you are seeing. Now go back and write down what you saw. Describe the afghan in detail, the plant, the chair, the trees outside, the light in the room, all the detail you can capture. You may have to return your eyes to a particular object to really see all of its qualities. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Did you notice that your day seemed a little clearer after your experiment? Write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.4
Read this week’s blog post:”Small Victories.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about a small success or accomplishment that you have experienced lately. It doesn’t have to be anything huge, but, rather, something small that allowed you to move forward in the direction of your dreams or goals. It could have been something as small as a change in attitude or perspective. Or, like me, it could have been something in your physical life that has propelled you in the direction of better health. Whatever it was, write it down in detail and then explain how it can, added together with other small victories, add up to a big success or accomplishment. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.3
Read this week’s blog post: “Angels All Around Us.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think back to a time when you had to bite the bullet and ask for help. It could be something to do with a physical set back, a personal problem, or anything that you had to admit you could not do alone. Write down the gist of what that situation was, then ask yourself these questions: What lesson did I learn from this experience? Who helped me and did they make the process easier or harder for me? Does asking for help make me any less of a person, or a better person? Could I be that help for someone else if asked? When you have finished answering the questions, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.2
Read this week’s blog post: “All Is Well.” Then sit back for a moment and ask yourself if you think meditation could benefit all the areas in your life. Could connecting with the silence and stillness within help you with focus and clarity? If you already meditate, write down all the reasons why you feel it is or isn’t working. If you don’t meditate, why? What is keeping you from reaping the benefits of a meditation practice? After you have finished writing down you whys and why-nots, set the timer for 10 minutes. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in to the count of 4, hold it for the count of 4, exhale to the count of 4, hold that out for the count of 4, and then take a regular deep breath in and out. Do you notice any different in yourself at that moment? If nothing else, did it feel like a refreshing “pattern interrupt” into your busy mind? Try the exercise one more time and see how it makes you feel. Now with the time remaining on the timer, write down how that felt and whether you think that you might be tempted to explore meditation a little more. When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Need a little more information? I recommend Davidji’s “Secrets of Meditation,” It will help take your mind and heart where it was meant to go. P.S. Meditation is great for writers who need more focus and clarity! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 4.1
Read this week’s blog post: “To Sleep, Per Chance To Dream.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. If we are honest with ourselves, we all have challenges that we’d rather not face. Perhaps it is a health challenge, or a relationship challenge, or a major lifestyle change that requires you to change the way you look at the world and your own beliefs. Choose one challenge that you’ve been avoiding and write it out in detail. Include the reasons why you’ve been avoiding it. Then close your eyes for a moment and picture yourself coming out of a dark cave and into bright sunshine. Feel the warmth on your face and breathe in the fresh, clean air. How does that make you feel? Now open your eyes and, holding on to that feeling, write down how facing that challenge and making that change will improve the quality of your life for the better. List at least three ways if you can. Looking at what you’ve written, think of one small step you can take right away to face that challenge and move forward. When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out to reread the next day. Any insight? Write about the now …then take that first step! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.45
Read this week’s blog post “Tidings of Comfort and Joy.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think of a special place that brings you feelings of comfort, joy, and love. It could be any physical place from a church, to a place in nature, to a room in your home. What is it about that place that fills you with those feelings? Write them down. If you don’t have such a place, create one in your own mind. What does it look like? Why did you choose that place? Now think about your special place and the feelings of comfort it brings you for a moment. How could you gift yourself with those feelings whenever you are in need of them even if you can’t go there? Write out your plan. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.44
Read this weeks blog post: “An Older, Wiser Christmas.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think back to a cherished holiday tradition that you remember from your childhood. What was it and why do you remember it so fondly? Is it something you still do or has it been packed away in the attic of your mind? If you still practice it, write it out like a story you are sharing with family and friends. If not, what would it take to brush it off and make it part of your holidays once more? If it involves someone who is no longer with you, how can you honor their memory by re-establishing it? If you don’t have an old cherished tradition, why not start a new one? What could you do to that could become your very own tradition for years to come. Plan it out on paper. When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now.
Assignment 3.43
Read this week’s blog post: “Flying Under The Radar.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think of at least 3 areas in your life where you are letting your sense of responsibility drain your energy. It could be work, or a situation at home, or even over-committing your time as a volunteer. Whatever it is, write them down and then take a few minutes to think of how you could step back and recharge your battery. it could be delegating some responsibilities for a few days or even permanently. It could mean asking for help. Or, it could mean seriously looking at cutting down on “them time” and making a commitment to yourself for more “me time.” When you have three areas where you have identified the energy vampires and found ways to recharge, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now.
Assignment 3.42
Read this week’s blog post: “Now You See It, Now You Don’t.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take out a sheet of paper and write down three things that you believed were true for you 10 or more years ago on the left side. When you are done, go back and write on the right side whether you still believe in those things. If you do, why have you held on to those beliefs. If not, what do you believe about it now and why has your perspective changed for the better? Worse? Why? Take some time to really explore these three beliefs until you are sure that what you believe as the person that you are right now is right for where you are in your present life. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Are you seeing things through a whole new set of life lenses? If so, write about it ow. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 3.41
Read this week’s blog post: “Life: The Eternal Classroom.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about a change that has come into your life, or that will be coming into your life, that you are not looking forward to. It could be physical, financial, or relationship related, or any other change that you can’t seem to let go of. Write out the situation and then take a minute to look at it. How might you change your perspective and look at this situation differently. What positive outcome could come from it if you just let it flow and see where it takes you? How might you alter your lifestyle or belief system to allow something new to come in? When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.40
Read this week’s blog post: “Living Small.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take a sheet of paper and draw 5 columns. Label each column as follows: Physical, Emotional, Material, Relationship, and Spiritual. Each of those columns represents a packing box. Fill each column with that emotional baggage that has been weighting you down, those memories and experiences that you’ve been carrying around for years and that no longer serve you. When you’ve filled one box, move on to the next one. When you are done, put the paper away and take it out the next day to read. Are there any things you can add to your boxes? Add them now … but you’re not done yet. Take your list and go outside, if possible, and burn that list. In essence, we are sending those boxes of what has been weighing us down into the either where they belong. You could also tear it into tiny pieces and flush it down the toilet, sending it down the river of discontent and out of our life. When you are done, make yourself a nice cup of tea and relax – you’ve earned it! Peace and blessings!
Assignment 3.39
Read this week’s blog post: “Life Delivered To Your Door.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. How much time do you really spend in one-to-one interactions with others? I’m not talking about family members or co-workers you see every day. I’m talking about friends you already have, or opportunities to meet new people? Come up with a list of five things you can do over the next few weeks that involve going out and meeting people face-to-face. It could be coffee with a friend, strolling through a book store and striking up a conversation with someone, volunteering for your church or our children’s school, or anything that requires you to interact with folks one-on-one. Don’t just write a list. Include ways you might make one or two of these things an ongoing situation. Also write down how you think this would make you feel …either positive or negative. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.38
Read this week’s blog post: “Much Ado About Nothing.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes … and do absolutely nothing! Sit back and just breathe. Give yourself 20 minutes to just live in the present moment. Look out of the window. Look around the room you are in. Smile for no reason. At the end of 20 minutes, reset the timer for 10 minutes and write down how that little exercise made you feel: happy and relaxed? Stressed, with your mind going 90 miles a minute with your mental to-do list? What does how you reacted say about your own need for some down time? When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Do you need to make more “me time” for yourself? Write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.37
Read this week’s blog post: “Why Worry?” Then set the timer for 10 minutes (yes, you read that right – 10 minutes instead of the usual 20). I want you to think about something that is really worrying you right now. It could be anything. It could be a problem at home or work, a health scare, the state of our country, anything at all. Take pen in hand or bring up a blank screen and get it all out. Let yourself rant, rave and do whatever it takes to wring yourself dry of all those fears and imagined outcomes. At the end of 10 minutes (if you don’t run out of worries before then), do one of the following: if you wrote in a notebook or on a sheet of paper, take a red marker or some other bright, bold color and draw a huge cross over what you’ve just written. If you want to be even more bold about it, you can rip out the page, take it somewhere safe, like outside, and burn it. If you wrote on a computer or tablet, you can either hit “delete” or backspace over the entire tirade and make it disappear. Then shut off your device and go do something nice for yourself, like taking a walk or making yourself a nice cup of tea. You’ll notice that I did not have you save anything to take out and read the next day as usual. That’s because I want you to take a few minutes the next day to check in with yourself to see if the exercise helped. If it did, fine. If not, do it again. The goal is to release those fears and worries into the nothingness from whence they came. Good Luck! Peace and blessings!
Assignment 3.36
Read this week’s blog post: “A Lesson From Old Blue Eyes.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think back over your life and pick out something that you regret having done, or not done. It could have been about a relationship, a career choice, a major move, or any life-changing event. Write out the situation and then sit back a moment and think about it. Is it possible that what you have come to think of as a regret has actually, years later, led to something even better, something more in keeping with the authentic “you” that you are becoming? Write down how it has actually had a positive affect on your life. Try not to dwell too long on the negative side of this assignment. Make it about the positive, authentic changes it brought into your life. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.35
Read this week’s blog post: “Believing Is Seeing.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about a belief you have about aging, or life in general, that is no longer working for you. Perhaps it isn’t even your own belief, but one that you inherited from your parents or some other authority figure: “You have to work hard-if it’s easy it isn’t real/valuable/worthy; you have to suffer for what you want; once you get old no one pays much attention to you; getting old is a bummer, etc.” Or, it could be one that you used to believe but that you have already turned around. Either way write it down and then find a way to turn it around. Change it from a negative belief to a positive one, a belief that will fill you with hope and excitement for the future: “I work smarter, not harder; do what you love and the money will follow; this is the best time of my life.” Try to come up with at least two or three. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Did you come up with a few more that you can turn around? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.34
Read this week’s blog post: “The Way We Were.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take a moment and think about your days growing up from about the age of 13 through your young adulthood. Pick one thing that stands out in your mind that you wish you could live over again. Perhaps it was some special event in your life, or the summers of your youth, or time spent with you friends. Write a little about what made it so special and why you wish you could go back in time and live it over again. Now think about something from your youth that you don’t want to relive again. Was it something that happened to the world, to our nation, or to you personally? Was it something that left an indelible impression on you? Why? What did you learn from that whether positive or negative? Now look at both events and ask yourself what you would do differently now that you have the knowledge of hindsight. When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.33
Read this week’s blog post: “A Sense of Place.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take a moment and think about where you live now. Is it someplace that brings you joy and fulfills all your “soul needs,” or are you living there to meet more “practical needs” like work, family, etc? Reach down inside and think of the kind of place you have always dreamed of living in, whether it’s city vs country, or even another country, or the kind of housing you live in. What is it about that place that calls to you? What are it’s qualities and what kinds of feelings do you feel when you think of it? Write down your ideal sense of place, whether it’s where you are now or where you dream of being. Now ask yourself if it’s actually the place, or the feelings that arise when you think of it that call to you. How can you find a way to have that experience where you are now? Perhaps you do need to relocate to your happy place, or perhaps your happy place is right where you are inside. Make your list of pros and cons and, when you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 3.32
Read this week’s blog post: “Practice Makes Perfect.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Do a mental survey of the different components of your life: home life, work like, physical life, mental life, relationships, etc. As you look at each one, think about areas where you aren’t putting yourself first. Do you work more than play? Do you sit more than move? Do you put everyone and everything first? Are you eating healthy? Is the time you spend with your loved ones “quality” time or just whatever time you have? Make a list of ways you can establish a new practice of putting yourself first in each case. Do you need to establish a new morning routine? Evening routine? What “practice” can you start that makes you your top priority? When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.31
Read this week’s blog post: “Living Life In Slow Motion.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. What are the things that you love to do that “fills your glass?” What are the things you put in the category marked, “Things I’ll Do On Vacation?” Are there ways to do those things without waiting for summer to come? Could your tweak them so that they could be done in any season? Is it just the rest and rejuvenation you seek or is it something else, maybe a sense of fulfillment? Make a list of those things you look forward to doing on vacation and then come up with ways to do them during the rest of the year. Maybe you could do one thing a month? Is there something you could do to renew yourself once a week? Write it all out and come up with a plan for some more “vacation time” in your life. When you’re done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.30
Read this week’s blog post: “The Big Numbers.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Remember all those milestone birthdays you couldn’t wait to get to, like turning 16, 18, 21, etc., and all the advantages you thought they’d bring you? Did they? How about when you turned 30, 40, etc? Was it a different expectation? Write down the important birthdays in your life and how they did or didn’t meet your expectations. Then look ahead to the next big number coming up for you and how you might now experience it differently with a new perspective. When you’re done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.29
Read this week’s blog post: “Letting Our Lives Speak.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Have you ever had someone thank you for inspiring them by your actions or comments? Have you ever been amazed that anyone even took notice of what you did? If so, write down what it was you did and how if affected someone else. If not, have you ever been moved by looking at someone else’s example, and maybe thinking about doing the same? If so, write about that experience and how it has affected your life. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.28
Read this week’s blog post: “Living Life As A Verb.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. What does living life “as a verb” mean to you? Have there ever been times when you chose to take a time-out from life but found it hard to get back in the game? Describe your situation and how you found your way back. Or, if you’ve never experienced this, how would you find your way back to a life in motion? How would you advise someone else to do just that? When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.27
Read this week’s blog post: “Just Like Joe DiMaggio.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think of someone you know or just a person you admire that is an example of graceful aging. It could be someone in your own family that inspires you or someone in the public eye. What is it about them that impresses you about how they are handling the aging process? Write about this person, then take those same attributes and think about how you could employ them in your own life. Are there things that you might want to change about the way you think about aging, or are they things that just describe living and growing in general? How do you want to age vs how you think the culture sees it? When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.26
Read this week’s log post: “Stepping Up To The Plate.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Batter up! Think of a situation when you had to “step up to the plate,” or a current one that is asking you to do that very thing. What stopped you then, or is stopping you now? What would it take for you to dust off your bat and step up? Who are your role models who have done that very thing? Go deep with this one and find your inner Babe Ruth! When you’re done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Are you read to put on your mitt and get out there? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 3.25
Read this week’s blog post: “A Girl, A Cookbook. And A Dream.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Go back in your mind to when you were 12 years-old. What were you passionate about? What did you love doing more than anything else? What did you dream of becoming? Write it all out, complete with all of the passion and excitement it brought you. Did you pursue that passion? If you did, write the experience down. If not, why not? What would it take for you to pursue it again? What is stopping you and how could you move beyond that to finally move towards your dream? Let go of the negative chatter from the past, the ones that told you that you weren’t good enough, or talented enough, and affirm in writing that you are ready to follow your passion wherever it leads. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Are you fired up and ready to go? if so, write about that now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.24
Read this week’s blog post: “Let It Be.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Bring to mind a situation or area of your life where you feel challenged to “find an answer” or “solve the problem.” Write down what that situation is and why you feel the need to “fix it.” Then put your pen down and close your eyes. Sit quietly for a few moments and focus on your breath. Follow the process of : just sit, just breathe, just be. Give yourself at least 5 minutes to let go of everything and just experience the present moment. Then open your eyes, look down at what you wrote, and ask yourself: ” Do I really need to fix this situation, or can it fix itself? What is my heart telling me about this? What is the next right thing for me to do?” When something comes to you, write it down. Then put your work away and take it out the next day to read (and try not to think about it again until then). Any insights? Did the problem fix itself? Write about it now.
Assignment 3.23
Read this week’s blog post: “In The Company Of Women.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Do you have a tribe? Is it a tribe of like-minded sisters or is it connected to your work? What do they bring to your life? If you don’t have a tribe, create one. What would it look like? What is its common goal? When you are done writting, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.22
Read this week’s blog post: “Leaving It On The Page.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. I know we did this assignment last year, but it is one that you can pull out and do anytime you need to let something go before you implode! Think of something right now that is driving you crazy, or hitting your anger button big time. Maybe you are frustrated over something that you can’t do anything about. Whatever it is, open up a notebook, journal, or page on the screen and lit it rip! Rant, rave, yell, whatever it takes to get it all out of your system. When you are done, close it up and walk away. Unlike all of our other assignments, I am NOT going to ask you to take it out the next day and read what you’ve written. Once you close that journal or hit close on the computer, you are done with it; you are leaving it in the past where it belongs. What you can do the next day is take to the page again but this time answer this question: How can I move on from this and do something to make myself happy today? There’s no time limit for this but 10 minutes should do the trick. Peace and blessings to you all!
Assignment 3.21
Read this week’s blog post: “What If?” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Write across the top of your paper or screen these two words: What If? How many times have you asked yourself that question? It could be about your life, your work, an idea you’ve always wanted to pursue, something you wanted to create, anything at all that sparked something inside. Now write down what that thing is. If you followed your idea with action, describe what happened and what made you go for it. If you didn’t follow your idea, why not? What stopped you? Was it how it would affect others around you? What is stopping you now? How might following your idea to its conclusion change your life? What small step could you take to move in the direction of that dream? When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.20
Read this week’s blog post: “Perfect Timing.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Are there areas in your life when you’ve waited for the “perfect time” to do something or achieve something, but the “perfect time” never came? Are you still waiting for it? Did you really believe that doing this thing or having this thing would make you happy? Write down this experience. Then on another sheet of paper, write down 10 things that you could do, right now, that would bring you joy even if it’s only to take yourself out for an ice cream cone (I did it the other day and it made me feel like I was 5 years old again!). When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about it now, then pick one thing off your list and go do it! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.19
Read this week’s blog post: “Your Mission, Should You Choose To Accept It.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. If you wanted to write a statement that accurately described who you are and what you believed, what would it say? You may think that 20 minutes for this assignment it too long, but let me assure you that there is a great deal of trial and error built in to this. Your first attempts will either be too long, wordy, not on target, or too vague. Don’t get discouraged. When you finally hit on the statement that best describes you, you’ll know it. When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
P.S. When you’re finished, print it out and hang it on the wall. It’s something to be proud of!
Assignment 3.18
Read this week’s blog post: “Simplicity and Serenity.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take a sheet of paper and divide it into columns that represent the three most prominent and time-consuming areas of your life: Home, Work, and Outside Commitments. Then take a few moments for each one and think of at least five things you could do to simplify your life. Maybe you could cut down on outside commitments, or delegate some household duties to others. Maybe you could simplify your lifestyle and gain more time and more money to spend on experiences instead of stuff. If you really think about it, there are probably more than five things for each category but let’s leave it at five for now. When you are done with your list, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Did you come up with some more ideas? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.17
Read this weeks blog post: “Finding What Excites Us.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. I want you to come up with a list of at least 10 things that you can do that would bring some excitement into your day. Maybe it’s taking a day trip somewhere you’ve always wanted to go, or taking a class, or trying a new cuisine, or trying a new kind of sport. Don’t just write “ice skating,” or, “kick boxing.” Write down what it is that attracts you to it and raises your excitement level a few notches. When you are done with your assignment, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Which one will you choose to do today? Write about it now … and then go do it! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.16
Read this week’s blog post: “All The Ages We Have Been.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. For this assignment, I want you to call up your inner 10-year old and ask her to plan an adventure for you. Don’t let your ego, that internal critic, give you all the reasons why you can’t or shouldn’t even entertain the idea of an adventure. You are the Indiana Jones of your own imagination. However, the adventure should be something you could actually do. Always wanted to go hang gliding? Climb mountains? Ride a camel? Whatever it is, write it down. Go into detail about who, what, when and where. Be bold, be courageous! When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Thinking about pulling out your suitcases? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.15
Read this week’s blog post: “The Big Picture.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think of a time when you were “short sighted,” not allowing yourself to see the big picture. Or, it could be something that you are focusing on now. How did your limiting beliefs keep from you from soaring, or, how might seeing the big picture now allow you to fly? What is weighing you down and what could you let go of? When you are done with your writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? If so, write about them now . Peace and blessings!
Assignment 3.14
Read this week’s blog post: “Exactly Where I Need To Be,” then set timer for 20 minutes. You have two choices here: you can either think of a time when you pushed yourself out of your comfort zone to walk your talk, or, an opportunity that may be out there right now for you to do that very thing. It could be something connected with the work that you do, or work you’d like to do, or a cause you believe in, or anything and everything. The key is that it has to be something that makes you “scared and excited” all at the same time. When you know what that is, write about it in detail and include why you were scared to do it and what pushed you – or is pushing you – to get out there and do it. This may even be the catalyst to do something you’ve always wanted to try. Remember, words have power when we see them on the page. When you’re done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 3.13
Read this week’s blog post: “First Buds.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Imagine for a moment that, like a tree in spring, you are getting ready to send out the first buds of your new. authentic life. Number your page from 1-5 and decide on which new “buds” you want to bring forth into this new season of your life. For each “bud,” write out in detail what it is, what steps you can take to bring it into bloom, and what fuel from your old life, your winter, has fueled your desire for this new direction. Do an honest inventory of your life and create buds that are bound to bloom for you. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Could you add tweak your list a bit? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.12
Read this week’s blog post: “Oh Teacher, My Teacher.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about a teacher that meant a lot to you, one that “touched your soul” as we talked about in the blog post. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a teacher from a school you attended. It could be someone you met briefly, or even a friend or family member. When you have that person in mind, write them a thank you letter. Tell them what it was that they taught you and how it has stayed with you as you grew in years and, hopefully, wisdom. Thank them for taking the time to share their wisdom with you and let them know that you hope to one day be that teacher for someone else, paying it forward. When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Have you come up with a way to “pay it forward?” If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.11
Read this week’s blog post: “Home to Avalon.” Before we set the timer, I want you to find a quiet place to sit, inside or outside, wherever you feel safe and will not be distracted. Close your eyes and take a few deep, cleansing breaths. Once you have centered yourself, ask yourself the following question: “What is my deepest desire?” Then just sit in the silence and listen. If nothing comes up after a few minutes, ask the question again. You may notice a tightening in the area of your heart or stomach. That is your cue that you are somehow not allowing the answer to come through. This may be because you are afraid to find out what it is. Don’t be. Your true self knows what you need. When you think you have an answer, open your eyes and set the timer for 20 minutes. Now write what you heard and why you think your soul wanted you to know that. What has been keeping you from fulfilling that desire? If, however, you did not get a definitive answer, write about what you think it might be and why you think it wouldn’t come up for you. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Have you thought of what one, small step you could take right now to realize that desire? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.10
Read this week’s blog post: “Being Dorothy.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Close your eyes and image that you are flying in a hot air balloon way up above the clouds. Suddenly the clouds part and the balloon starts to descend. There below you is your new, authentic life. It contains all of your hopes and dreams, the things on your Bucket List, the people you love, etc. Now open your eyes and answer this question: “What does your new life look like? Who is there? Where do you live? What do you do? What brings you joy? ” This one may well take more than 20 minutes so feel free to set it for another 10 or 20 … or not at all! For this assignment it is all about fun, and dreams, and adventure – no time limit required. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Is there something you wish to add or change? More importantly, is there anything that calls to you, that says “why wait for Oz when you can do it now?” If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 3.9
Read this week’s blog post: “Thank You, Mr. Webster.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. I am going to ask you to answer some questions:
- What does authentic mean to me?
- Does this definition match the one I wrote 2 years ago (if you didn’t do the first one, just skip this)?
- What does my authentic life “look” like?
- What does my authentic life “feel” like?
- Does this match up with what I wrote 2 years ago (again, if you didn’t do the first assignment, you can skip this one)?
- Why or why not? In other words, what would you change about your life now?
Be as honest and open as you can. Don’t brand yourself a failure if what you envisioned didn’t come true, or if it did, it wasn’t what you thought it would be. This is the place where you get to make a course correction if needed. We are never wrong. Every challenge is an opportunity to grow. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any new insights? Anything you want to add or change? If so, write about it now.
Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.8
Read this week’s blog post: “P.S. I Love You.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. If possible, I’d like you to hand write this one. There is something more personal about holding a pen in your hand and letting the words flow across the page. I want you to write a letter to yourself that starts: “Dear (fill in you name), I am so proud of you for (fill in).” Then continue with : “I am also proud of how you (fill in).” Continue in this fashion until you have come up with five things you can be proud of yourself for even if one of them is doing this assignment. Make you sure you close the letter with a loving sentiment. When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Did you think of anything else you could add to your list? If so, add it now. Here comes the surprise ending – put the letter in an envelope and mail it to yourself. Actually put a stamp on it and toss it in a mailbox. When the letter arrives in a day or two, open it up and read it out loud to yourself. When you are done reading it, take out a journal, device or just a piece of paper and write down how that made you feel. Peace and blessings, dear ones, and Happy Valentines Day.
Assignment 3.7
Read this week’s blog post: “Finding Our Way Back.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Whether you are a member of the Boomer Generation, or any generation before or after, we each have a belief, a cause, a feeling in the pit of our stomach that something needs to change. That was the inner pull that gave birth to the events of 1969. What is your inner pull? What cause or belief pulls at you, and what can you do to “be the change?” It does not necessarily have to be something big like marching in the streets, but everyone can do something. Write across the top of the page: “The one thing I believe most needs to change is…..” Go into as much detail as you can and don’t spare the adjectives! Then start a new sentence: “One thing that I can do to be the change is ….” Again, it can be something as simple as stuffing envelopes, writing blogs (hint, hint), raising money, making phone calls, etc. Everyone can do something. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Did you think of other things you can do to find your way back? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.6
Read this week’s blog post: “Your Work To Do.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Make a list of things that peak your interest, or that you’ve always wanted to try. What do you do that brings you joy when you do it? What kinds of programs are you drawn to on TV or the Internet? What blogs do you follow? All of these things are clues to what is waiting withing you to come forth, your work to do. When you’ve made your list, zero in on the one that hits your “inner ding” and take a few moments to ask yourself: “What small step could I take to find out more about this thing?” Write that down next to that item, then check to see if there are any others that also draw you to them, asking yourself the same question and writing down a small step next to them as well. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Is there a small step that you are anxious to take? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.5
Read this week’s blog post: “Me, Myself, And I.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take out a sheet of paper. I want you to do this on paper, not on the computer screen. There is something about connecting your hand to the pen, and then to the paper, that changes the energy and the inspiration of what you are writing. Take a moment to think about what you perceive as mistakes, things you have done for which you have not forgiven yourself. Whether it was a word, an action, or even a thought, if you’ve been beating yourself up over it up until now, write it down. Then, next to each item, write a note of forgiveness to yourself as if you were writing to a naughty child who is saying, “I’m sorry.” It doesn’t matter why you did what you did, just that it is in the past, it’s over, and carrying all that baggage makes moving on so much harder. Go down the list until you have written a forgiveness note for each item. When you are finished, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Do you feel a little lighter and hopeful than you did before you wrote it? If so, write about it all now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.4
Read this week’s blog post: “Cause For Celebration.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Write down these four senses: taste, sight, sound, touch. Then write down as many things as you can that bring you joy for each one. What are your favorite tastes, sounds, sights, feelings? What makes your heart sing? Close your eyes and imagine experiencing each one as if it were actually happening and bring as much detail as you can to your description. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Feeling like celebrating? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.2
Read this week’s blog post: “Who’s Signing Your Permission Slip?” Then set the timer for 10 minutes. Think of something you’ve always wanted to do, something that speaks to your heart. It could be a trip to a place you’ve always wanted to visit, or learning a new skill, or even moving to a completely new town or city. Whatever it is, sit quietly for a moment and get in touch with your authentic self, the one who speaks the truth. Then open your eyes and write out your own permission slip to do that thing that will feed your spirit. You can go into as much detail as you want, including why you want to do this particular thing and how you think it will contribute to the authentic life you are creating. When you are finished, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Might you just take that bold step and actually do what you’ve given yourself permission to do? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 3.1
Read this week’s blog post: “Answering The Big Questions.” Then set the timer for 10 minutes. Answer the two questions that were suggested in the blog post:
1. What will they put on your tombstone?
2. What do you want the greatest accomplishment of your life to be?
When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Did you answer either question differently than you did when we did this exercise back in March? Both? Neither? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.48
Read this week’s blog post: “And So It Goes …” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Write this question across the top of the page or screen: “What did I accomplish this year that I set out to do last January?” Be as detailed as possible and don’t forget that even the smallest of accomplishments are something to celebrate. When you have finished answering that question, go on to the next one: “What did I not accomplish this year that I set out to do last January?” This is not a opportunity to berate yourself or point the finger of blame. It is an honest assessment of what you, for whatever reason, did not get done. The last question is to ask yourself: “How do I feel about each list and the things on it?” When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Do you have a better idea of what you want to accomplish in the year ahead and how you will treat yourself along the way? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 2.47
Read this week’s blog post: “Yes Virginia … Forever And Ever.” Then set the timer for 10 minutes. Imagine you are the editor of the New York Sun, and an 8-year-old girl has just written you a letter asking if there is a Santa Claus. How would you answer her? Go deep into your own memories of what it felt like to be 8 years old and write from there. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Did what you write have an affect on how you feel about Christmas yourself? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 2.46
Read this week’s blog post: “Call Me Irresponsible.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. First, write an answer to the following question: “Do I take on the responsibility for everyone and everything even when it’s not mine to take on? If so, how?” When you are done with that question, answer this one: “In what areas of my life could I delegate responsibility to others?” When you are finished, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Ready to let go of a little more? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.45
Read this week’s blog post: “The Right Gifts For The Right Reasons.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Yep, you guessed it! I want you to write a letter to Santa Claus, only in this letter I don’t want you asking for those really cute boots you saw online or a vacation in the Bahamas. I want you to take an inventory of your inner self, the place where you store your beliefs and ideas about the world, and I want you to ask Santa for those things you need more of. Maybe it’s patience, or humility, or love, or understanding. Maybe there are qualities and gifts you want for your loved ones. Whatever it may be, put it all down on paper (it’s okay, Santa is used to long letters). Be open and honest. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Do you need to add a P.S. before you send it off? if so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.44
Read this week’s blog post: ” I Remember …” Then set the timer for 10 minutes. This week I am taking a page from my very favorite writing teacher, Natalie Goldberg, who taught me all about writing practice. Write across the top of the page or screen: “I remember …” and then keep writing for 10 minutes, always keeping your hand moving. Write whatever comes up without questioning or editing, just free flow. When you are done, set the timer for another 10 minutes and write “I don’t remember …” and repeat the practice. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read? Any insights? What do you think made you choose the memories, or lack of them, that you chose to write about? Is there a way you can take the negative memories and reframe them? If so, write about that now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.43
Read this week’s blog post: “Tell Me A Story.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think back over your life and pick an instance that would make a good teaching story. Maybe it was about a road not taken, a personal challenge, a loss, a miracle, or anything that taught you a valuable life lesson. What did you learn from it? Were you the hero or the victim? Write it all down in story form as if you were going to use it to teach others what you learned. When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Is there anything you would add or change, including the ending? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 2.42
Read this week’s blog post: “Thank You, Mr. Thoreau.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Who are the heroes in your life? Are they real people, literary characters, inspiring individuals in history? Who has had the most impact on your life? Sit down and write them a “thank you” letter. It doesn’t matter if they are alive or have passed. Write it as if they are still with us. Tell then how they have changed your life for the better. Don’t hold anything back. You may find that their effect on you goes even deeper than you realize. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. P.S. If your hero is still alive, drop your note in the mail. It just might change their lives the way they changed yours. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.41
Read this week’s blog post: What You See Is What You Get.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about how you present yourself to the world. Are you being honest with what you show to others, or are you hiding behind a fictional adaptation? Maybe you are glossing over certain areas of your life, or are afraid that to be honest will make you seen “not good enough.” Maybe you are running a business and are afraid that to be honest and open with your clients will send them running! Being as truthful and honest with yourself as you can, write across the top of the page or screen: “One way that I am not being authentic is …” and start writing. If there is more than one area you think needs to be addressed, keep going. Include in your answer how you think others will treat you if you come clean and live openly and authentically. When you are done with the assignment, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? How could you turn this around so that you are living a truly authentic life? Write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.40
Read this week’s blog post: “Finding True North.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Across the top of your page or screen write: “Home is ….” and start writing. Be honest with yourself about what your deepest ideas and feelings about home really are. When you’ve finished, write : “Where I live now does/doesn’t feel like home because ….” Again, go deep. Are you perfectly happy and content where you are, not only geographically, but authentically? If so, write down all the reasons why. If not, why not? When you’re done answering that question, ask yourself what you would change, if you could or wanted to, in order to create the authentic home to compliment your authentic life. When you are completely finished, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.39
Read this week’s blog post: “The Sound Of Your Own Voice.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think of a time when you realized that you chose to speak with your own, authentic voice and not the voices of others, especially if those belonged to people close to you like your parents, your friends, or your religious leaders. What was it that you spoke out about, and what prompted you to finally find the courage to break from the crowd? How did that feel? How did you handle the reaction of others to your decision? Be as honest and courageous on the page as you were when you spoke out. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Is there something going on in your life right now where you need to separate your voice from the crowd again? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.38
Read this week’s blog post: “See You In The Field.” Then set your timer for 20 minutes. Take a moment and think about an issue about which you have strong feelings. Without getting embroiled in the reasons why the other side is wrong and you are right, challenge yourself to look at the issue from the other side. Why do they feel as they feel about this issue? Is there even a tiny point upon which both sides can find common ground? Look within yourself and find that place, that “field,” and write out your thoughts about a way to compromise, even if it’s just on one small point within the entire issue. Really challenge yourself to find a way through to Rumi’s field. When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any new insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.37
Read this week’s blog post: “Fierce With Reality.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Look back on your life and try to identify those things that you saw as failures, or mistakes, or possibly even a lack of good judgement. Write them down. Then go back and look at them again. Have you been spending your life “uprooting” them, trying to find out what went wrong? Would you be willing to let them go, to “plow them under” so they can nourish your future instead of keep it stuck? Take the issues you’ve listed and, taking each one by one, write: “I accept and embrace all that I am, and let this issue go.” When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? If so, write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.36
Read this week’s blog post: “Your Gift To The World.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. I’m not going to ask you to look up all the things that happened on the day you were born, but what you can do is pick one category, like top selling song/movie/book, or headline for the day. Think about all the things that you have seen or experienced in your life, the inventions and innovations that were only ideas and dreams when you were a child. Now ask yourself: “Have I used what I’ve learned and experienced since the day I was gifted to the world? And what has my gift back to the world been?” Have you been holding back your gifts, or trying on other people’s gifts instead of sharing yours with the world? Remembering that there is, and always will be, only one “you,” how could you shine your light even brighter? Take your time with this, resetting the timer if needed. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.35sh
Read this week’s blog post: “Lessons For A Lifetime.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Now stop and think for a moment of something that you have always wanted to learn about, whether it was a skill, a place, a concept, a profession – in short, anything in the whole wide world that you have always wanted to know more about. What is it about this subject that excites you, that makes you want to know more? How would knowing this, or achieving a certain level of competency in it, make a difference in your life? Go deep here and get to the root of the why. Is there anything stopping you from engaging this subject? Why or why not? When you are finished with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any new insights? Maybe some motivation to sign up? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.34
Read this week’s blog post: “With Praise And Gratitude For Teachers.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Let’s pretend it is our first day back at school and we have been assigned the dreaded “What I Did Over The Summer Vacation” essay, except this one will be titled: “My Favorite Teacher and What They Taught Me.” Certain teachers become our favorites not only because of their talent and attention, but because something they teach us, with or without our knowing it, stays with us and has a profound affect on our lives. Think about that teacher, and that lesson, and write down why each was so important to you. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.33
Read this week’s blog post: “The Courage Of Our Convictions.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Ask yourself if there is a cause that you currently support or, even better, that you supported once but let go of as your “real life” got busy and more demanding. Was there something you believed in enough to fight for in your own youth but gave up on? Or, are there things that you still support? What? How? Is there a way that you can use the power of the written word to make yourself heard, to speak for those who can’t? Get real about your feelings on this issue and ask yourself how you can “be the change.” When you are finished, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.32
Read this week’s blog post: “Picture Perfect.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think of your most cherished photograph, perhaps one from your childhood, or a trip you took, or a significant other. Perhaps you can even pull the picture out and place it next to you for this assignment. Look deeply at the photo, and then write down what you see, being as descriptive as possible. Now write down what memories that picture brings to mind, what feelings, what emotions? Why does that picture have that effect on you? What would happen to your life going forward if you lost it? Be as honest and descriptive as possible. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
2.31
Read this week’s blog post: “Finding Your Ikigai.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Everyone has grown up with age-old sayings or advice in our families, wisdom passed down from one generation to another. Together with what we now know about healthy and conscious aging, take some time and come up with your own Top Ten Rules for a long and healthy life. Do you know anyone who has lived to be 100, or at least well into their 90’s? What is it about them that has contributed to their longevity? Can you adapt it as one of your Top Ten Rules? Write from your heart and what you truly believe about healthy and happy living. If you need more time, set the timer for at least another 10 minutes. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Might there be a number 11 or more that you want to add to your list? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.30
Read this week’s blog post: “The Gifts of Invisibility.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. What are your feelings about how older people are treated in our culture? Are you old enough to have experienced being treated as if you were invisible? If not, do you know someone who has, or someone who has bought into the idea that after a certain age there are no longer relevant? Describe your feelings and experiences around the subject. After that, describe what needs to change in the way we handle aging. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Any new ideas? If so, write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.29
Read this week’s blog post: “Just One More Book.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Now ask yourself this question: “Is there, or has there been, anything I’ve put off doing in my life because I think I’m not good enough/smart enough/haven’t learned enough …etc.” If you overcame your doubts and finally took the plunge, what was it and how did you overcome your fears? If you’re still in that place and need to take a leap of faith, what’s stopping you? What do you hope to get from one more book/class, etc? Dig deep and get the the truth of the situation. Don’t worry, no one else will see this except you (unless you are the one you’re afraid to admit this to). Write it all out. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? What have you learned? Are you ready to take that leap? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.28
Read this week’s blog post: “The Dress.” Then sent the timer for 20 minutes. Go back in your memory and think about an item that belonged to one of your parents. It could be an article of clothing, a piece of jewelry, a favorite tool or household item, something that, when you think about it, brings back memories of them. If it is something that has passed down to you, get it out and hold it in your hand. What are you thinking? If you don’t have it on hand, close your eyes and imagine holding it in your hands. What memories do your senses paint for you? How does it define your parent? When you have captured that, start writing. Take yourself down memory lane and see where it leads you. When you are finished, put your work away and take it out the nest day to read. Any insights? Memories that you had forgotten all about? What do they say to you now? Write it all down now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.27
Read this week’s blog post: “The Duke, My Dad, And A Bowl Of Popcorn.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take a deep breath and close your eyes. Go back in time to a person or place that made you feel safe and special when you were a child. Perhaps it was one-on-one time with someone, like a parent or grandparent, or a regular place you visited, or a special person you looked up to, a hero, if you will, who made you feel that everything would be ok. Connect to that feeling. Now write about it, going into as much detail about it as you can, including place, day of the week, time of the year, your age, and what was going on in the world around you at the time. What about it made you feel that everything would be okay in the end? When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Did you learn something about how you experience the world now? if so, write about it now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 2.26
Read this week’s blog post: “Time For A Reality Check.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take a moment to close your eyes and sit quietly for a moment, taking a few long, deep breaths. Now, put your attention on the sounds around you and really, really listen to them. Traffic? Birds? Music? Someone using a sweeper? A child crying or a dog barking? Next, move your attention to the smells around you. What do you smell? Coffee? Tea? An essential oil burning in a diffuser? Someone next door cooking something? Or, if your window is open, maybe the smell of cut grass, flowers? Take it all in. Now open your eyes and look around you. What colors do you see? Are you near a window? What do you see outside, the colors and scenery? What about the objects on your desk or wherever you’re sitting. Pick something up, any object that you can hold in your hand. Feel the texture, the weight. Notice the color, shape and any design. Put the object down and close your eyes again. Think of one of your favorite tastes, like chocolate, or flavored coffee, or an herbal tea, or ice cream! Try to experience that taste now. After a minute or two, open your eyes. Spend the next 20 minutes writing about everything you just did, what you heard, saw, touched, smelled, tasted and experienced. Write it as if you are trying to explain it to someone in a letter, or as background for a scene in a book. Experience each and every one of your senses as if there were brand new. When you are done with the assignment, put your work away and take it out then next day to read. Any insights? Were you able to re-live those experiences through your written words? Write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.25
Read this week’s blog post: “Confessions Of A Rainy Day Writer.” Now, instead of setting your timer for 20 minutes, take yourself outside for 10 minutes (20 if you can do it) and just sit. Take in everything that is going on around you. What’s the weather like? Are you alone or are there other people around you? Are there animals? Birds? Squirrels? Are you in a town, city, or the country? What sounds do you hear? What do you smell? Do any of the sounds or smells spark a memory, perhaps from your childhood? Close your eyes for a moment and breathe it all in. When you feel you have it, pull out your notebook or whatever you write on (no one said you couldn’t write outside as well if you are able – if not, just return inside, preferably in front of a window). Now you can set the timer for 20 minutes. Write down all of what you just experienced as if you were writing a letter to a dear friend far away, or writing the opening chapter of a book. Make it as real and as alive as you just experienced it. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? How did this experience deepen your life and your writing? Write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.24
Read this week’s blog post: “Life Lessons From Out Of The Blue.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Close your eyes and visualize yourself at the age of 100! You are happy, healthy, and full of life. Your grandchildren and great-grandchildren are all around you as they come together to help you celebrate this milestone. Someone asks you this question: “What have been the most important lessons in your life that have helped you to reach the age of 100?” Now, open your eyes and write down your answers. Keep in mind that, for the purposes of our assignment, you will be passing this wisdom down to those that come after you (you can do this for real, if you wish, or just imagine it). Try to think from the perspective of someone who has lived, seen and experienced a full and productive life. If you need more time, set the timer for another 10 or 20 minutes. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Do you want to add something else to your list of wise advice for the younger generation? If so, do it now. Peace and blessings.!
Assignment 2.23
Read this week’s blog post:” Leaving It On The Page.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about something that is really bothering you. It could be a concern, a worry, a fear, a limiting belief, or something that you are really angry about. It could even be a person you are angry with, or some injustice that has rankled you. Whatever it is, now is the time to get it out of you and on the page. This is where you can rant, rave, verbally kick something, stand your ground, and let the world know “I’m not taking this any more.” It is possible that you may go beyond the 20 minutes you set on the timer. In this case, take as much time as you need until you start to feel as if you are empty of all the negativity you’ve been carrying around from this issue. When you are done, close your notebook or screen and put your work away. Now, here is where I am breaking with our usual practice …do NOT take it out again the next day to read. Once you have closed the book on this issue, in a manner of speaking, you are done. Whatever it is has found a new place to live and, hopefully, will not be back to rob you of your emotional freedom. If you find that down the road something else pops up and takes a bite out of you, pull out your trusty notebook and have at it. Remember that words have power not only to inspire us, but to heal us. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 2.22
Read this week’s blog post: “At Home In Our Inner Mansion.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Imagine the different areas of your life as different rooms in your inner mansion, such as emotional, spiritual, physical, material, relationships, financial, etc. Pick one room where you feel as if you need to spend some time “redecorating,” or, “remodeling” that area of your life. Write down how the room functions now, and how you would like it to function. What would you have to do/change to do so? When you have finished one room, move on to another. You may want to reset the timer for another 20 minutes or so for each room you choose to go into. On the other hand, perhaps you only need to “remodel” one room at present. Just take your time until you feel totally comfortable in that room. When you are all done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Do you need to go back and attend to a detail in one of the rooms, perhaps make an additional change? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings … and happy decorating!
Assignment 2.21
Read this week’s blog post: “Listening to the Experts.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Was there ever a time when you listened to your heart and followed its advice even if your head told you not to? If you’ve ever had that experience, write about it now, making sure to go into detail about what tipped the scales in favor of what your heart was telling you, and how it all turned out. Or, is there something that you want to do, a path you want to follow, that feels right in your heart but not in your head? This is the time to put it all on paper, listing not only the pros and cons, but what your heart is telling you to do. Remember, words have power when you put them on paper and see them in front of you. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Have you been encouraged to follow your “inner ding?” If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.20
Read this week’s blog post: “The Face In The Mirror.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take a long, hard look at yourself in the mirror. Do you like the person looking back at you? Have there been times in your life when you were challenged to conform to the expectations of who you should be, whether it was how you looked, what you did, or how you lived your life? Have you made any changes in how you think about yourself now? If so how did you come to accept yourself as you are, or, if you don’t, then what steps can you take to do so? If it is true that “perception is everything,” how do you want to perceive yourself, and does it matter to you how others perceive you? Obviously, this could take more than 20 minutes so feel free to reset the timer or just go with the flow. Creating an authentic life starts with creating an authentic you. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Any changes you would be willing to explore? If so, write about them now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 2.19
Read this week’s blog post: “Uniquely One Of A Kind.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Across the top of your paper or screen anwer the following questions: “What makes you unique? Why are you the different one in your family? How has that uniqueness served you? What was one positive experience that came from being “different” from the flow?” Let this assignment be a celebration of who you are in all your quirky glory. When you are finished. put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Feeling a shift? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 2.18
Read this week’s blog post: “Wishing and Hoping.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. All of us have that one thing we regret not having done, that one thing that called to our authentic souls, but for whatever reason, we didn’t heed its call. What was that one thing, and why didn’t you do it? Would you do it now? What’s stopping you? Write down your answers to these questions and then ask yourself one more: “What would I have to do to answer this call now, and would I be willing to do it?” When you are done with your assignment, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now.
Assignment 2.17
Read this week’s blog post: “A Different Perspective On Fame.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. What does the word “fame” mean to you? What would you like to be famous for? Who can you be? Give this one some thought, especially if it speaks to any changes you want to make in your work or in your life. If fame, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, in whose eyes do you want to be famous? When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.16
Read this week’s blog post: “Making All The Pieces Fit.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Ask yourself this question: “What are the contradictions in my life, the parts of me that just don’t seem to fit in to the life I want?” An example would be if you are living in one place, but long to live in another. Or, if you are doing one kind of work or job, but know you should be doing something else. Another good example would be if the life you show to the outside world does not match your inner world. Whatever it may be, now is the time to put it down on paper so you can see it in the light of day. It may be that you have more than one “piece” that doesn’t fit. Just list them all. When you are done with that, give yourself a few minutes to meditate on these things, then go back and write down how you might find a solution, or a compromise, that would make all the pieces of your life fit. You might want to reset the timer for this one. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Any more pieces that you want to rearrange? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 2.15
Read this week’s blog post: “What A Day For A Daydream.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Find a place where you can sit either outside or by a window where you have a view, and where you can comfortably write. Take a deep breath in and out. Look at the sky, the trees, the people, the houses. Are there any birds, squirrels or other wildlife around you? If you live in a city, take in what you see, hear, smell and feel. Now let yourself go and just daydream. Notice what your eyes settle on, what draws your attention. Does anything spark a question in your mind (like mine did wondering how the birds can maneuver in the wind), or does an idea pop up out of nowhere? After you have given yourself a few minutes to free-float, start your timer and write whatever comes up, letting it lead you wherever it wants. Don’t edit or cross out, just free-write. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Ideas? Inspiration? If so, write about it now.
Assignment 2.14
Read this week’s blog post; “What I Know For Sure.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. You guessed it, you are going to create you very own “What I Know For Sure” list. This is a list of those truths and beliefs that are the foundation for your life, that give you hope and courage to move forward because you know that something, or someone, always has your back. Write from yourI heart, not your head. When you are finished, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Are there any additions you’d like to make to your list? If so, do it now. When you are done, hang your list where you will see it each day to keep you grounded. Peace and blessings!
Assignment 2.13
Read this week’s blog post: “It’s Just A Matter Of Time.” The set the timer for 20 minutes. Write across the top of the page or the screen the following: “If I had all the time in the world, I would….” and let yourself fly! Time is no obstacle here. Whether it is something big or small, or a series of things, write them all down. You can go into as much detail as you like. Obviously, if you need more time, reset the timer for another 20 minutes. Have a blast with this one. When you are done, put our work away and take it out the next day to read it. Any insights? Have you been inspired to go for it? if so, write about it now.
Just a reminder: I am on vacation next week so there will be no new blog post or assignment. You are free to try this one again, or find a previous one that really challenged you and give it a second look. Just remember to have fun. I wish you all a blessed Easter season. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.12
Read this week’s blog post: “An Invitation To The Feast.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. You are going to create a menu for the life you deserve that does away with those things that rob you of your nourishment (like blame, unworthiness, and self-defeating, self-talk), and replace them with the foods of the soul. Start by writing across the top of the page or screen: “The things that no longer feed my spirit and that I am cleansing out of my life are ….” Think of all the things you believe make you unworthy of your authentic life and use the symbols of bad foods to describe them. When you have finished with that list, write: “I now place on the table the things that feed my spirit and bring me only joy and forgiveness …” and name those. Describe how they nourish you and cleanse you of what no longer serves you. You will probably have to reset the timer for this one. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Did you think of any other foods that need to come off the menu and new ones that need to be put on? If so, write about them now. I wish you peace, blessings, and a grand feast!
Assignment 2.11
Read this week’s blog post: “Being A Good Ancestor.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Imagine that you are looking at one of your descendants, perhaps someone your own age now, or even younger. You want to “stand behind” them, as writer Linda Hogan tells us in the quote on the blog post, and whisper in their ear something that they need to know to live their own authentic lives. What piece of advice or wisdom can you share to carry with them? You can be really creative with this one, perhaps even creating a whole scene as in a book or play. However you do it, let it represent your true self on your own quest for authenticity. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Did you think of something else that is important for them to know? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.10
Read this week’s blog post: “Answering The Big Questions.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Write across the top of the page the following question: What do I want the greatest accomplishment of my life to be?” Then start writing. Don’t just write something general like, “I want to bring peace and happiness to the world.” Get specific. Using your unique talents and gifts, and with the intention to live authentically, what do you want that accomplishment to be? When you have finished with that question, answer the second one: “What will they write on your tombstone?” How will your greatest accomplishment in life translate into what will be written there (I always thought Thomas Edison’s should have been “he brought light to the world, ” or, for the Wright Brothers, “they gave us wings to fly” ). See the connections? Anyway, have great fun with this one. Who knows? You may just change the world! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.9
Read this week’s blog post: “Ideas Worth Spreading.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes (you might need more this week so feel free to set it for 30). What would you like the world to know? What is the most important message you could share with the world? With this in mind, write your very own TED Talk on that subject. Keep in mind that your presentation can only last 18 minutes (although it can be shorter). Think about how you would motivate people to invest their time, or their money, or just to somehow be of service in helping you spread this message. When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Do you see some places where you could be more passionate and persuasive? If so, make those changes now. Who knows? There might just be a real TED Talk in your future! Peace and blessings.
Assignment 2.8
Read this week’s blog post: “Smoke and Mirrors.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think of someone in your life that you like a lot. It could be a member of your family, or a close friend. Make a list of those qualities that you like about them, the things that make them uniquely “them.” Then look at the list and see if you can find any of those qualities in yourself. Write those down as well. Are there any qualities that you admire and wish you had? Look deeply within and see if you can find a time or a situation in your life where you actually did exhibit that quality and write that down as well. Now think of someone whom you dislike. What qualities do they have that makes you dislike them? Write them down. Now look at that list and ask yourself if there is, or ever was, a time when you may have mirrored those same qualities: were you dishonest, irresponsible, judgmental, critical? If so, write about that as well. You may need to give yourself another 10 or 15 minutes for all of this. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Did you discover some inner qualities about yourself that you didn’t know you had? How does that make you feel? What changes can you see yourself making because of what you discovered? Write about it now.
Assignment 2.7
Read this week’s blog post: “Happiness is …” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. What does a happy life look like to you? What do you think are the things that make up a happy life? Are those things in your life now and, if not, why? What would you have to do to create a happy life for yourself? You may need to reset the timer for more time. Just go with it and write until you are “happy” with it. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Do you feel a shift or some changes that need to happen in your life now? If so, write about it now.
Assignment 2.6
Read this week’s blog post: “Hello Again.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Imagine that you open the door to find your dearest, long lost friend, who you have not seen in many years. This is the friend with whom you could always share your deepest, darkest dreams and secrets. They tell you they have come back to remind you of who you really are. What do they say to you? Don’t be afraid to go deep and connect to that place within that knows the answer. When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Can you see where you may have gotten lost for all this time? If so write about it now.
Assignment #2.5
Read this week’s blog post: “Permission To Be Beautiful.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. We are going to start stripping away those masks that hide our true beauty and let it finally shine through. Write the following across the top of the page: “The first mask I will tear away today is : …..” Make sure that as well as naming the mask, you explain why you feel the need to wear it and how it will make you feel to finally get rid of it. When you have finished with the first one, go on to the next, and the next, until you feel that there are no more masks hiding in your closet. When you are finished, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Have you discovered another mask or two hiding in the back of your emotional closet? If so write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment #2.4
Read this week’s blog post: “And Now For Something Completely Different.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Write across the top of the page or the screen: “And now for something completely different, I dream of …” and run with it. What would you dare to do regardless of how outrageous or impossible it seems? There are no restrictions here so let your imagination soar. When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Does what you imagined still seem impossible, or do you detect a shift? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment #2.3
Read this week’s blog post: “Knowing When To Wake Up.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Sit quietly for a few minutes and think back to a time when your soul was trying to get your attention, when it tried to tell you that your life at that moment wasn’t working? Perhaps you’re only getting that message now, or, perhaps you heeded that message in the past and your life changed as a result. Wherever you are on that path to authenticity, start out by writing: “My soul called me to wake up when,” or, “my soul is calling me to wake up now because …” and keep going. Try to give specific examples of what is not working and, more importantly, what needs to change so that it will work for you. This may take more than 20 minutes so feel free to write as long as it takes. When you are finished, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Has your soul spoken to you again, perhaps even louder, since you wrote this? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment #2.2
Read this week’s blog post: “Dreams, Wings, and Other Things.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Go back in your mind to a time when something unexpected inspired you to do something that you might never have thought of by yourself, something that changed your life for the better. Perhaps it was a change of job, or home, or a trip you took, or a book you were led to read. It could be anything at all, big or small. If you truly cannot think of anything, perhaps you can recall someone in your life who experienced something that changed their lives. Whatever it is, write it out in as much detail as you can. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Has anything “occurred” to you, or inspired you once again? If so, write about it now.
Assignment #2.1
Read this week’s blog post: “The Big Picture.” Then set your timer for 20 minutes. Go back and look at your work from last week’s assignment and note the promises you made in order to make changes in each of the areas of your life that you chose. As you look at each one, see if you get a sense of a deeper meaning behing each one of them, something that links them all together. Can you see it? Feel it? Spend the rest of the time writing about the “big picture” that is taking form and what that says about how you have changed in the last year, and how that has, or hasn’t, affected your idea of what your authentic life looks like. Feel free to reset the timer for at least another 10 minutes if you need to. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? What is the first thing that hits you? Write about that now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment #69
Read this week’s blog post: “Promises To Keep.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Pick three areas of your life that you would like to work on in the coming year. It could be your spiritual life, your physical life, your creative life, your relationships life, your emotional life, etc. When you have three, start with the first one and write: “This year I promise to … and keep going. Don’t overload each category. Just give yourself one or two things in each area that you want to accomplish, and make a promise to yourself as you write each one that you deserve to have your promises to yourself kept – you are deserving of that kind of commitment. When you finish one area, move on to the next one. Reset the timer if you need more than 20 minutes. When you are done, put your work away and … surprise … don’t take it out again until New Year’s Day! In the light of a new year, take a look at what you wrote and see if there is anything you wish to change or add. Does the idea of promises kept give you more hope for success than resolutions? Any other insights? Write it about it on New Year’s Day and start a whole new conversation going! Peace and blessings.
Assignment #68
Read this week’s blog post: “Home Grown Heroes.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think back to times in your life when you stepped outside your comfort zone, or defied logic entirely and did something so out of character for you that it was an act of courage … in effect, when you were the hero of your own life. The easiest way to do this is to break down your life so far into blocks of 10-year spans (ages 1-10, 11-20, 20-30, etc.). If you need more time, set the timer for another 10 minutes or however long you think you’ll need. Be honest with this one. You are stronger than you know and have probably shown that countless times over the years; you just need to claim those times now. When you are done with your work, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? How does brining these moments to light empower you (or not) going forward into the new year? Write about that now.
Wishing you all strength, love, courage, and the hope that you all become the heroes in your own lives that you so richly deserve. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Assignment # 67
Read this week’s blog post: “A Lesson From Home.” Then set the timer for 10 minutes. Write across the top of the page or screen: “What I remember most about Christmas as a kid is …” and then start writing. Include the highlights of the season as you experienced them when you were a child, even if some of them are not warm and fuzzy ones. When you are done, set the timer for another 10 minutes and write: “What Christmas means to me now is …” and go for it! Write from your heart, both the tears and the joy. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Do you see a correlation between your childhood experiences and what you feel now? Do you see where you can reclaim some of that childhood magic? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment #66
Read this week’s blog post: “An Authentic Life Is An Inside Job.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Across the top of the page or screen write: “Sometimes I feel as if I am not enough because ….” and keep writing. Identify those areas or experiences of your life where you believed you did not measure up, either because of someone else’s judgement of you, or your own. For example, I had an art teacher tell me once in high school that she never saw anyone who tried so hard and failed so miserably! Can you imagine what that did for my love of art? It kept me locked in the box marked “Not Good Enough” for 30 years until a dear friend helped me unlock it. If there is more than one area of your life where you have experienced “not enough,” start a new sentence: “Another time I felt I was not enough was when ….” Reset the timer for another 20 minutes if you need to. When you are done, put your work away and take it out then next day to read. Any insights? Have you been able to find places where you can let go of the past and embrace the idea that you are enough? If so, write about them now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment #65
Read this week’s blog post: “Holding On To What Matters.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about the things that matter the most to you, things that represent the foundation of your life. I don’t meant your material possessions, but those qualities and ideals that you hold dear. When you have come up with at least three of them, write across the top of the page or screen: “One thing that is most important to me in building an authentic life is ….”, and keep writing. When you finish one thing, go on to the next one: “Another thing that is important to me is ….” If you need more time, set the timer for another 10 minutes. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Is there anything you would change? Add? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings.
Assignment #64
Read this week’s blog post: “Finding Your Voice.” Then set the timer for 10 minutes. We’re going to create an imaginary scenario and then finish it using our imagination and our own unique take on the world. The scene goes something like this:
An elderly woman steps out on her front porch to collect the mail. As she is sorting through the junk mail and bills, she sees a strange envelope. The envelope has a vaguely familiar return address. She opens the letter, pulls out a sheet of paper and begins to read. Suddenly her eyes widen in surprise!
Okay, writers … what’s in the envelope? Write what you think it is and fill it in with a little background information, especially if what is in the envelope refers to something from her past. If you find yourself on a roll, set the timer for another 10 minutes. When you are done writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Now here is the fun part. Make sure you leave a brief description of what you came up with in the Comments section of the blog post page, then go back and see what other folks came up with. See how differently each person answered the question from their own unique perspective. Sharing ideas and insights is what makes life so much more interesting. As always, have fun and keep writing. Peace and blessings!
Assignment #62
Read this week’s blog post: “Learning To Sit With It.” Then set the timer for 10 minutes. Think of a decision or choice you made that is causing you to second guess yourself. Perhaps someone close to you challenged your decision (for your own good, naturally), or perhaps you suddenly feel all alone out there, the only one to challenge the norm. Whatever it is, write it across the top of the page or screen and start with the first question: “Does this choice bring beauty or value into my life?” Then close your eyes, breath deeply in and out a few times, and listen. Don’t start an internal dialogue with yourself, or debate the issue, simply sit, breathe and listen. It also helps to smile a bit, a tiny, Mona Lisa-like smile. If you need to and have something peaceful to look at, you can open your eyes and enjoy the view while you sit. When the timer goes off, start writing whatever comes up. Keep going on to the second and third questions if you can: “Does this choice bring me joy? Am I willing to give something or someone up to continue to live my authentic life based on this choice?” If you need to, reset the timer for another 10 minutes and just sit in order to calm your mind back down and listen to your heart. Do this as many times as you need to. When you have answered all three questions, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Do you still agree with what you wrote? Write down anything that comes to you from this experiment now.
Assignment #61
Read this week’s blog post: “It’s Just A Matter Of Time.” How appropriate it is that as we are talking about the idea that there is no such thing as time, I am about to ask you to set the timer for 10 minutes! So, how about trying a new experiment with our writing assignment this week? Across the top of the page or screen, write: “One way I let time rule my life is …” Then start writing … without a timer! Write for as long as it takes you to say what is in your heart. When you have finished with that train of thought, write: “Another way I let time rule my life is …” and go for it. Once you have completed at least two examples of how time rules your life, complete this thought: “Some ways that I can be more present in my day to day activities are …” Again, take as long as it takes for you to voice your ideas on the page. This isn’t a race to be won, it’s an authentic life to be created! When you are finished, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Have you thought of some more ways that you can take your life back from the clock? If so, write about them now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment #60
Read this week’s blog post: “A Safe Place To Fall.” Then set the timer for 10 minutes. We’re going to take a page from best selling author and writing teacher, Natalie Goldberg, and play with some writing prompts. One of her favorite ones is: “I remember …” Start with this one and write for 10 minutes. If you find yourself stuck, write “I don’t remember …” and see where that takes you. When your 10 minutes is up, think of an idea or an intention that you have been wanting to manifest. Set the timer for another 10 minutes and write “what if?” across the page, then keep writing. If you get stuck, go back to “what if” and keep going. When you are finished, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Have you broken through anything that has been holding your back, or, have you discovered something that can help you move forward? If so, write about it now.
Assignment #59
Read this week’s blog post: “Our Authentic Connection To The World.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Have you ever had a transformational moment in nature, a moment when you were transported from where you were in your human existence to a different existence, experiencing the world as something other than human? If so, describe that moment in as much detail and color as you can. If you haven’t had this sort of experience, have you ever wondered what it would be like to be some other creature? Pick the one that appeals to you the most and sit for a moment, eyes closed, and feel what it would be like to be that creature. What do you see, smell? Where are you? Open your eyes and describe the experience in as much detail as possible. Open yourself up to seeing the world through the eyes of another. When you’re done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights, thoughts to add? How did this assignment make you feel? Write about it now.
Assignment #58
Read this week’s blog post: “Harvesting Life’s Lessons.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think back to the year as it has played out so far since January. What have been the key highs and lows – the key “ingredients” – that come to mind? Have there been successes? Less-than-successful moments? Do some stand out in your mind like a shiny apple, and do others look like bruised produce? If you were to put them all in a pot and cook them up, what would come up? How would you season it so that it results in something that feeds your soul and nourishes your spirit? What would you call this new recipe? Take extra time with this one if you need to. Sometimes things must “simmer” a bit longer for the best results. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Does your “recipe” need a bit of tweaking? If so, write about that now. Peace and blessings … and happy cooking!
Assignment #54
Read this week’s blog post: “A Story For Anyone Who Thinks She Can’t Save The World.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Have you ever stood up for something you considered to be important? Have you ever come together with others to let your voices be heard? What was it about and why was it important to you? How did it make you feel? Would you do it again? If you’ve never had this experience, would you? If so, for what reason? If not, why not? What would you be willing to risk to stand in your truth? This may well take more than 20 minutes so feel free to reset the timer. When you are finished, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Have you been motivated to do something to stand in your truth? If so, write about it now. As always, have fun with this and, remember, always keep writing! Peace and blessings.
Assignment #53
Read this week’s blog post: A Conversation With Fear. Go within and ask yourself if you have any fears about aging, or any fears about how you see your life going forward. Make a list of those fears and then choose one. Set the timer for 20 minutes and write down the fear, asking it to have a conversation with you. Then sit back and see what comes up. Keep the conversation going and don’t hold back. Being honest with ourselves is the first step in making positive and lasting changes in our beliefs and in our lives. Don’t try to do more than one at a time unless the one you are on naturally leads you into another. You can take more time if needed, but do commit to at least 20 minutes. When you are finished, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Have their been any shifts or insights? If there are more items on your list, choose another one and repeat the process, one day at a time, until you have gone through your entire list. Make the commitment to make the rest of your life, the best of your life, without fear holding you back. While I will not tell you to have fun with this assignment, I do encourage you to keep writing! Peace and blessings.
Assignment #52
Can you believe it? Here we are at the one-year mark of doing our weekly writing assignments! Time flies when you’re having fun … and writing your way to an authentic life! For this week, please read the blog post: “A ‘Sense’ Of Story.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take each of your senses one by one (sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch) and write about the stories that certain ones bring up for you. What special meanings do they have for you, and how have they found their way into your life today? You may want to give yourself extra time for this assignment. Sometimes a trip down memory lane takes a bit longer than 20 minutes! When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Write about them now. Also, please accept my thanks for being a part of Writing A Life over this past year. I can’t remember when I’ve had so much fun sharing my love of writing with others. May your pens and keyboards help you create a life that you love! Peace and blessings.
Assignment #51
Read this week’s blog post: “Mickey Mouse, Play Dough, and Remembering The Magic.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Answer the following questions: What was your favorite game of make-believe when you were a child? Who were you and what did you do? How did you act in your make-believe world that was different from your real world? Do those qualities or characteristics carry over into your life now? If not, why? When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Are there changes in the way you see the world that you could make? If so, write about it now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment #50
Read this week’s blog post: “It Always Comes Back to Walden.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Take a moment and answer this question: “What is my true calling, my Gift? Then describe a time in your life when you did not “follow your bliss,” but allowed others to convince you to “be responsible and do the right thing.” How did that make you feel? What finally happened to change that, or has it changed yet? If you don’t know for sure what your true calling is, ask yourself what you would do with your life if money and obligations were not an obstacle, and how you would handle any attempts by friends and family to dissuade you? You may need more than 20 minutes for this assignment so feel free to keep writing after the timer goes off, or reset it for another 20 minutes. When you are finished writing, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Is your jewel shinning a little brighter now, or do you need to take it out and polish it up? Write about that now. P.S. If you look on the “Contact Me” page, you will find the links to the books that I mentioned in the blog post, as well as to my other blog, “Flower Bear’s Garden-Growing A Life,” which will be celebrating it’s 5th Anniversary at the end of September! Happy writing!
Assignment #49
Read this week’s blog post: “The Present Within.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think about a time when you knew the truth of something down deep in your soul without knowing why or how you knew it. Louise Hay used to call it her “inner ding.” What was it? Was it about what you wanted to do with your life, your career? Was it an indication of what your work in life was meant to be? Did you follow your “ding,” or, like me, did you take the long way around? Or, are you still looking for it? Try and answer all of these questions. If you need more time, set the timer for another 20 minutes (I suspect this assignment will take some time to complete). When you are done, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Any new thoughts about the work that was placed in your heart? If so, write about them now.
Assignment #48
Read this week’s blog post: “The Poetry of Living.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. I want you to throw out everything you’ve been taught about how to write a poem. For this exercise, nothing has to rhyme, have rhythm, or have so many words/syllables to a line. All it has to do is express what you are experiencing with all of your senses. Close your eyes, take a deep breath in and out, and just sit for a moment. Now open your eyes. Take an inventory of your senses. What do you see around you? What do you smell, hear, feel? How does the air feel on your skin? Is there a cup of something at your elbow as you write? What is it? How does it taste? How does everything that is going on around you in the present moment make you feel? Write that all down in the form of a poem, not more than 10 or 12 lines. It doesn’t have to make sense to anyone but you. Be as descriptive as possible. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. If you were a stranger reading this poem, how would it make you feel? Write about that now.
Assignment #47
Read this week’s blog post: “The Business of Forgiveness.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Write out the answers to these two questions.
- Who or what do I still need to forgive from my past?
- What do I still need to forgive myself for?
This may require more than 20 minutes so feel free to set the timer for another 20, perhaps 20 for each question. Be as specific as possible. When we review all of the details on paper, often we find that the power of those thoughts or words to continue to hurt us look differently then when we say them to ourselves. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Anything else you want to add or let go of? If so, write about it now. I won’t tell you to have fun with this one, but whatever you do, keep writing!
Assignment #46
Read this week’s blog post: “A Life Without Want.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Across the top of the page, write the question that was asked at the beginning of the post: “What does it feel like to be me without wanting?” Answering this question is going to require that you first separate out those things you know for sure are your basic needs for living. Then imagine going a full day without “wanting” anything but what you already have. How does that feel? Can you think of things that you have found yourself “wanting” that are less about your authentic self and more about the “idea” of who you are? If you need more time, set the timer for another 10 minutes. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? If so, write about them now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment #45
Read this week’s blog post: “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet!” Then set the timer for 30 minutes. We are going to complete our inventory of assets by finishing the following three sentences: 1. I have a great deal of experience in….; 2. Something I’ve spent many years doing is ….; 3. Something I could spend the whole day doing is …… You can break these up into 10 minute sections, or you can just write flow of thought through to the end. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Did you think of anything you can add to your list? Do these things, taken together, suggest anything to you? If so, write about them now. Peace and blessings!
Assignment #44
Read this week’s blog post: “One Of A Kind.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Ask yourself the following question: ” How do I feel about the idea that I am absolutely the only person exactly like me in the entire world?” Don’t be afraid to go deep and touch your inner self, the one who sees and processes the world. When you have written your answer, follow it up with this question: “How does that affect what I believe is my life’s passion?” If you need to, set the timer for another 10 minutes to finish this up. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? New thoughts? If so, write them now.
Assignment #43
Read this week’s blog post: “Happy Birthday To Me!” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Across the top of the page write: “The best gift I ever received was …” It could have been a gift that you gave yourself, or one that you received from someone else. Be specific about why that gift was so special to you and what lingering effects it has had on you. Then set the timer for another 10 minutes and complete the following: “One gift I would like to give myself is …” What is that one thing that only you can give yourself? How will it affect your body, mind and spirit? When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Any new ideas? If so, write about them now. Have fun!
Assignment #42
Read this week’s blog post: “Excuse Me, Have We Met Before?” Then set the timer for 30 minutes. Go back in time and remember an incident where you had a case of deja vu, where you were somewhere you’d never been before but knew it as if you had. Or, perhaps it was a time when you met someone new but instinctively knew you’d somehow met them before. When you have chosen the memory you want to work with, write down and answer the following questions: 1: What is it about this place or this person that seems so very familiar? Now for the fun part … question 2: Who were you when this happened before? I want you to reach way down inside and come up with a previous life you may have lived as if you were creating a character in a work of fiction. Or, perhaps you already have had feelings of who you may have been in a previous life. In either case, write down who you were, where you where, and what you were doing. Be as specific as possible. This exercise is going to help you uncover hidden depths to your self that you may not have even known were there. At the very least, it is an exercise in using your creativity and imagination in your writing. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights? Did anything else occur to you while you read what you’ve written? If so, write about them now. As always, and especially for this assignment, have fun with it!
Assignment #41
Read this week’s blog post: “Meeting Cary Grant.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Go back into your memory and chose a person who was a hero for you, or a heart throb, or an inspiration. Why? What was it about them that inspired you? Also, if you could spend an hour with them, what would you ask them? This might take a little longer than 20 minutes so feel free to reset the timer for another 10 or 15 minutes – whatever you think you may need. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Was there anything you learned about your own ideals and beliefs that were influenced by this person? If so, write about it now. As always, have fun, and keep writing!
Assignment #40
Read this week’s blog post: “It’s A Nice Place To Visit, But I Wouldn’t Want To Live There.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Now answer the following question: “If I could only take one special memory with me into my next life, what would it be?” Perhaps it would be the birth of your children, or the day you met your beloved. Perhaps it was a trip you took, a summer you spent with your parents or grandparents, etc. Make it one in which you learned something essential about life, if at all possible. You may need more than 20 minutes for this so feel free to set the timer for at least another 10 minutes. When you are done, put what you wrote away and take it out the next day. Are there any insights? Any revelations about how you can use this lesson going forward? If so, write about it now. As always, have fun with it, and, keep writing!
Assignment #39
Read this week’s blog post: “The Most Authentic Character You’ll Ever Meet.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. This is an exercise in using your imagination. Imagine that you have come back to earth as something that lives in nature. It could be a tree, an animal, an insect, a plant, etc. Sit for a moment and imagine what it feels like to be that living thing. Then think of three attributes of your new identity that demonstrates authentic living. It could be a service you perform, nutrition that you provide, or anything else (think of the tree in the blog post). Try to really get into your new character. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. What did you discover about your new identity? Did it lead you to any insights about who you are now? If so, write about it now. As always, have fun and keep writing.
Assignment #38
Read this week’s blog post: “You Must Be Present To Win.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. I want you to imagine that you are creating a recipe for a new book, but this is not for a cook book. This is a book about ways we can stay present and practice mindfulness in our day to day lives. Think about what ingredients you need, how to apply or mix them, and how to enjoy the finished product. Be creative with this. The idea is not only to have fun with it, but to hopefully open up some new ideas that you can apply in the authentic life you are creating. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Are there any insights? Does your recipe need a little less spice and a little more flavor? If so, write about it now!
Assignment #37
Read this week’s blog post: “Like The Lilies Of The Field.” Set the timer for 20 minutes. Make a list of five positive things about yourself. You can include things like: “I’m kind, generous, funny, compassionate, dedicated, etc.” Don’t be bashful here. Dig deep and don’t worry – they’re in there. When you have come up with five things, write a short paragraph about each including an example where that trait or behavior made you or someone else feel good or improved someone’s life, including yours. Go into as much detail as you can. If the timer goes off before you are done, set it for another 20 minutes. When you are done, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Any insights or “Ah Ha” moments? Did you think of some others? If so, write about them now.
Assignment #36
Read this week’s blog post: “Words To Live By.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes and come up with a motto for the authentic life that you are creating. Once you have it, write how your motto will work in all the different areas of your life: home, work, fun, passions, family, etc. Take more time if you need it. When you are done, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Do you still feel the same way about the motto you chose, or have you come up with an even better one? In either case, write about it now. As always, have fun with it!
Assignment #35
Read this week’s blog post: “Creating A Habit Of Being.” Then set the timer for 10 minutes and answer the following question: “What is one thing I can do today to make me happy?” Give yourself time to be as thorough as possible and really describe in detail what that one thing is and how it would make you feel. Why? When that is done, set the time for another 10 minutes and answer this question: “What are some things I can do today to make me smile?” Again, don’t skimp on this. Use your imagination to come up with at least 10 things that could make you smile. When the assignment is done, put it away and take it out the next day to read it. Any insights? New Ideas? Did you smile while you read it? If so, write about it now!
Assignment #34
Read this week’s blog post: “It’s Not Easy Being Green.” Then set the timer for 10 minutes. This week we are going to answer three questions. The first question is: “The thing I love to do most that makes my heart sing is …..” When you are done, set the timer for another 10 minutes and answer question two: “If money were no object, I would spend my life doing …..” Finally, set the timer one last time for 10 minutes and complete the following: “One step I can take in the direction of my authentic life today is ….” When you are done, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Were they any surprises there? Insights? Ideas? Inspirations? If so, write about them now. Get excited about it! Most of all, as always, have fun with it!
Assignment #33
Read this week’s blog post: “Clicking Those Ruby Slippers.” Then set the timer for 10 minutes. Across the top of the page or screen complete the following statement: “When I open my front door, I feel …….” When you are done, set the timer for another 10 minutes and complete this statement: “How I would really like my home to feel is ….” Finally, set the timer one last time for 10 minutes and complete this exercise: “Five things I can do to create my authentic home are: …..” When you are done, put what you’ve written away and take it out the next day to read. Any new insights? Did you think of more things you could do to create the feeling you want to have in your home? If so, write about them now.
Assignment #32
Read this week’s blog post: “Getting Down to Business.” For this assignment we are not going to set a timer! I want you to take as much time as you need to complete this one. Read through the description of the Magic Cloud Ride. Turn off all distractions around you, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Now go through the exercise as described in the post. Feel the wind on your face as you fly. Hear the birds all around you singing and tweeting in joy. Now see the beautiful, majestic eagle come along side and ask you where you want to go. Pick your favorite place in the whole world, the place that, when you are there, you are happier than you’ve ever been. Once you are there, sit down on the ground and take it all in. Now, ask yourself these questions: “What am I feeling right now? How does this place make me feel? Why?” Give yourself a few minutes to soak this all in. Then visualize the cloud coming back for you (I know, bummer, you don’t want to leave; but this is the first and most important step in your quest to create your authentic life … be brave!). Once you are back, open your eyes and give yourself a few minutes to adjust. Then pick up your pen and write the answers to those questions. Make sure you don’t leave anything out. When you are done, put what you’ve written away and take it out the next day to read. Does what you wrote still ring true? Did you think of something else that you could add to clarify what you saw and felt? If so, write about that now.
Assignment #31
Read this week’s blog post: “We Now Interrupt Your Life …” Then set the timer for 20 minutes and write across the top of the page or screen: “The time when my life was interrupted by an unexpected event was …” Then describe what happened and how it changed, or didn’t change, the direction your life was going at the time. How did you handle it? What did you learn? When it’s done, put it away and take it out the next day to read. Did you find any new insights? If so, write about them now!
Assignment #30
Read this week’s blog post: “Good Lives Are Hard To Come By.” Set the timer for 20 minutes and write across the top of the page or the screen:”I think good lives are hard to come by because …,” or, “I don’t think good lives are hard to come by because …” Give this one a lot of thought. Be honest in your assessment of what you think makes a good life. When you are done, set the timer for another 10 minutes and make a list of the things you do, or could do, to pull yourself out of a bad moment and keep it from ruining your whole day. One of my favorites is to take myself outside and “walk it off.” Another is to pop in an old Jerry Lewis DVD and laugh until it hurts (after all these years he still has the same affect on me)! When you are done with your list, put both of your writings away and take them out the next day to read over. Did you have any insights about what makes a good life? Did you think of anything else you can add to your list? Write them now.
Assignment #29
Read this week’s blog post: “Finding Our Way Out Of The Tunnel.” Think back to the last time you were in a bad mood where you believed there was no logical explanation for it. Or, if you can’t think of one, try to remember a time when you blamed someone or something else for a bad mood you were in. When you have it, set the timer for 10 minutes and write about how you felt and what you believed was the cause. When you’re done, set the timer for another 10 minutes and ask yourself the questions I asked in the blog post. Basically they are: “What? Why? Really?” Then ask yourself the final two questions: “How would I like to feel, and what can I do to get moving in that direction?” You will probably need to set the timer for another 10 minutes. Come up with a list of at least 3-5 things you can put on your “Go-To” list when you need a boost out of a bad mood. When you’re done, put what you have written away and take it back out the next day to read. Does anything you’ve written surprise you? Have you discovered a pattern of behavior you didn’t realize you were following? Or, do you see a new tool to use in creating your authentic life? Whatever you’ve uncovered, write about it now.
Assignment #28
Read this week’s blog: “Who Are You Pointing To?” Then set the timer for 10 minutes. The first part of this assignment will be to spend 10 minutes preparing a list of questions that you would answer about yourself if you were filling out an online survey. You can take it from the easy questions, such as: “What’s your favorite color/food/season, etc.” to more in-depth ones like: “What makes you smile? Who is your hero? What would you do with a million dollars?” When the time is up, set the timer for at least 20 minutes and answer the questions. If you need more time, take it, but don’t make this a do-or-die assignment. The point is to have fun and get to know yourself better. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Did you find out something interesting about yourself, or re-discover a love for something? If you have had any new insights, write about it now.
Assignment #27
Read this week’s blog post: “Getting a Ph.D. in Living.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Write across the top of the page or screen the following prompt: “The subject that I majored in to earn my Ph.D in Living is: ……” Then go back and review the areas in your life where all the books and lectures in the world could not have prepared you for the lesson you learned from one particular experience. What did it teach you? Have you grown from it ? Why, or why not? When the timer goes off, ask yourself if there is another experience you’d like to write about. If so, set the timer for another 20 minutes and have at it! If not, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Has the experience of writing it down given you any new insights? If so, write about it now.
Assignment #26
Read this week’s blog post: “Let’s Live To Be 120!” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Across the top of the page, or screen, write the following: “If I was able to live to be 120, I’d ….” What would you do? What could you accomplish? What would you like to accomplish if you had all that extra time? Would you do something new, or would you go back and re-do something differently? Let your imagination free to reach for the stars. When you are done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. Did you think of anything you would add or change? If so, write about that now. Have fun!
Assignment #25
Read this week’s blog post: “Staying Small.” Then set the timer for 10 minutes. Think of a time in your life when fear kept you from doing something, or accomplishing something – a time when you “played small.” Across the top of the paper write, “The time that I played small was when …” and start writing it out. Go into as much detail as possible including all of the feelings and emotions that were involved. When the timer goes off, set it for another 10 minutes and write across the page: “How would this situation have worked out if I had “played big?” Then write how you think it would have worked out, or not. The idea is to revisit those feelings and put finally put them to rest. When you are done, put your assignment away and take it out the next day to read. How have you changed as you have grown in wisdom and experience, or have you? Why? Why not? Write about whatever comes up.
Assignment #24
Read this week’s blog post: “Choosing Our Path.” Then set the timer for the first of what will be 3-20 minute practices. Write across the top of the page: “Where did I come from?” If you have a definite understanding and idea that is true for you, write that out. If you don’t, write what you “think” is true, or a truth you can feel comfortable with. At the end of the first 20 minutes, get up and walk around the room for a minute, look out of the window, get a drink, anything to clear your mind. Now sit down and set the timer for the next 20 minutes and write about the following: “When do I experience moments of this truth in my life?” It is possible that you may not have these experiences. If so, write about that. When you are done, take another short break and then set the timer for the final 20 minutes. This time you will answer this question: “How does what I believe, or not believe, affect my ability to live an authentic life?” Yep, I know, this may well take longer than 20 minutes. Take as long as you feel you need to express what is in your heart.
As always, when you are done, put this away and take it out the next day. I would suggest that you do this for several days in a row. See if what you wrote compels you to seek new or different paths to investigate, or if it has changed where you see your life going. If there have been changes, sit down and capture that in writing as well. Seeing your ideas and understandings on paper, reading them, is a powerful tool of transformation.
Assignment#23
Read this week’s blog post: “To Be, Or Not To Be.” Then set the timer for 10 minutes. This is going to be a two-part assignment. First, find a quiet spot to sit in all by yourself. Turn off any electronics. Take a few deep breaths and just “be” for a minute or two. Then use your senses. What can you see, hear, smell? Do you hear birds outside, or the sound of the furnace kicking on and off? Can you feel sunlight through the windows, or wind rattling the glass? Can you smell this morning’s coffee, or a scented candle or oil burning? Is the neighbor’s dog barking? At the end of the 10 minutes, set the timer for another 10 minutes and write your BFF a letter, telling her all that you sensed as if you were trying to share it with her. Don’t leave out anything! When you’re done, put your writing away and take it out the next day to read. Is it like getting a letter from a dear friend? Did the exercise allow you to learn to enjoy sharing the world around you with yourself? If so, write about it now.
Assignment #22
Read this week’s blog post: “Coming Home To Ourselves.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes. Think of a daily task that is perhaps not one of your favorites, or that you rush through just to get it done. Close your eyes and see yourself doing that chore, but instead of rushing ahead while you mentally go over the rest of your to-do list, or wishing someone else would do it for you, stop and picture yourself going through each movement involved with the task. See the items involved, feel your hands performing the task. Are there smells involved, perhaps the scent of soap or other cleaning liquid? The sound of water, or the sweeper? The feel of cloth or a hard surface? Can you find gratitude for this task such as being grateful for hot water, indoor plumbing, electricity, clothes to wash, food to cook? When you are done visualizing this task, write it out in as much detail as you can. remembering to end with gratitude for whatever it is. As always, put your assignment away when you’re done and take it out to read the next day. Has there been a shift in how you see that task now? Can you find your authentic self in it? If there has been a shift, write about it now.
Assignment #21
Read this week’s blog post: “Making A Myth Of It.” This time we’re going to set the timer for 30 minutes. Take an honest inventory of those moments or circumstances from your life thus far that were painful and find one that needs to be pulled out of the darkness and set free so that you can move ahead in creating your authentic life. Give your myth as much color and detail as possible, always remembering that this story is going to end “happily ever after,” as you, the hero, finally slay that dragon, or cause the evil witch to disappear, or free yourself from the dungeon. When you are done, put the story away and take it out the next day to read. Is the dragon truly dead? Has something shifted? If so, write about it.
Assignment #20
Read this week’s blog post: “Claiming Your Power.” Then think back to a moment in your life when you realized that you actually had power over your own life, and choices you were free to make. When you connect with that moment, set the timer for 20 minutes and write across the top of the page: “The moment when I claimed my power was when …” Then go for the 20 minutes. If you truly feel that you have never had a moment like this, think back to a situation when you might have made a different choice that did result in taking your power back, and write about that. If you need more time, set the timer for another 20 minutes. When you’re done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read. How does it make you feel? Have you lost sight of what that moment represented? How? How can you get it back? What different choices can you make now as you choose to create an authentic life? Write about it!
Assignment #19
Read this week’s blog post: “You’ve Been Pre-Approved!” Think of an area of your life where you’ve been seeking approval. It could be your work or your job, your relationships with others, or even your relationship with yourself (your body, your looks, your self-esteem). Then set the timer for 20 minutes and write across the top of the page: “I have been pre-approved for …” When the timer goes off, if there is another area of your life you would like to apply this to, start another page with the same prompt, set the timer for another 20 minutes, and go for it. When you are done, put what you have written away and take it out the next day to read. How do you feel now about the need for approval? Has it made any changes in the way you look at your life? If so, write about it.
Assignment #18
Read this week’s blog post: “Congratulations! I Now Pronounce You … An Adult!” Then set your timer for 30 minutes, take out pen and paper (or keyboard) and write across the top of the page: “I became an adult the day that ….” Then go for 30 minutes. Was there one moment, one season, one event that is stamped in your memory as the day you became an adult? Or, was it a gradual awakening? Write about that, too. Don’t just record the events. Report on the thoughts, feelings and realizations you experienced as well. When you’re done, put it away and take it out the next day to read. How has that moment in time informed the way you lived your life? Have things changed? What advice would you give to a young person just starting out? Write about it.
Assignment #17
Read this week’s blog post: “High School: The Music of Belonging.” Then sit for a moment and go back in time to your own high school years. Find a song from that period that speaks to you of your life and experiences of that most important time of your life. When you do, set the timer for 20 minutes, write the title of the song across the top of the page, and write about why that song and those lyrics define who you were then. What does it say about what was important to you at that time. Then, when the time is up, think of another song that speaks to who you are now. It can be another song from the past or a new one from the present. Then set the timer for another 20 minutes and write about how that song defines who you are now. The same? Different? Do you see some similarities or patterns that need changing? As always, when you are done, put your assignment away and take it out again the next day for a read. What have you discovered about yourself and how far you’ve come from those days? Is it time to write yourself a new song? Peace, baby!
Assignment #16
Read the blog post, “School Days.” Set the timer for 15 minutes and write about your fondest memory of your experiences in elementary school. Name teachers, students, subjects and how or why they had a positive impact on you. When the timer goes off, set it again for another 15 minutes and write about what you disliked most about that same time period. Was there a mean teacher? A bully? A subject that you hated? After both assignments are done, put them away and take them out the next day to reread what you have written. Do you see any habits, ideas or beliefs that were born during that time that have impacted your life today? If so, write about that at for as long as it takes to identify what and how.
Assignment #15
“Six-Word Memoir.” – Yep, you read that right. This week I want you to create a memoir with only six words. No, I’m not kidding and, yes, it can be done. Let me give you a few examples from Natalie Goldberg’s book, “The True Secret of Writing” ”
Brooklyn girl makes good; parents dumbfounded
Money was the currency of control
My singing voice was never heard
Spiritual one in a family of mathematicians
Get the idea? Give yourself time to come up with what you believe is the best representation of what your life has been about up to this point. Then, when you are done, set the timer for 10 minutes and write out why you chose those six words to describe your life. When you’re done, as always, put it away and take it out again the next day to see if perhaps now, after having time to think about it, you would choose six different words. If you think you would, write them down, then give yourself 10 minutes to write down why. How will this new perception help you going forward?
Assignment #14
Read the blog: “For The Love Of A Rose.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes, take out paper and pen (or keyboard), and answer the following question: What needs to “form” in my life to make it an authentic life?” It could be a belief, new ideas, or new understandings. What needs to come from the formless into form to make your life genuinely yours? This may take more than 20 minutes. I would suggest that when the timer goes off, put it away and take it out tomorrow. If necessary, set the timer for another 20 minutes and see where it takes you. Since there will be no assignment next week due to the holiday, when you are finished, put what you have written away and take it out again next week. See how your thoughts and, perhaps, revelations about what you have written have caused you to look at your life differently. If it has, write about it!
Assignment #13
Read this week’s blog: “Memories Are Made Of This.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes and think back to a memory that had a huge impact on you that has carried over until today. Perhaps it was a special moment from your childhood, like mine. It could also be one that is not a happy memory. That may have even more to do with who you are today. Write about that as well. When the 2o minutes are up, set the timer for another 10 minutes and write about how that memory has changed you, made you a better person, or made you want to be a better person. Perhaps it pointed you in the direction of your career, your passion, or a cause you support. Whatever it is, write about it. Then put the assignment away. Give this one an extra day or two before you pull it out and read what you have written. I suspect that having written it, you will start to see evidence of it working in your life even before you review it.
Assignment #12
This week we are going to paint a picture with our writing. Find a comfortable place to sit where you can write undisturbed, set the timer for 10 minutes, and describe what you see in a 3 foot radius around you. Use as much detail as you can: is there a cup of tea or coffee on the table? What kind? What is the color of the cup? Is there a design or a saying on it? How does it smell? What are you wearing? Furniture? Lights? Flowers? Imagine you are describing it to someone who has never seen such things before. When the 10 minutes are up, go into a different room and repeat the process. Are you in the kitchen? Is there something on the stove? Dirty dishes in the sink? Write for another 10 minutes. Finally, if possible, go outside and describe what you can see in your immediate range of vision. If the weather doesn’t permit you to be outside, go to a window where you have a clear view and describe what you see. Is that old Mr. Jones out there raking up his leaves? Sammy the paper boy peddling his bike down the street? Is it raining? Snowing? Help others to see what you see.
When you are all done, put your work away and take it out the next day to read it, but read it in a different room than the one you wrote it in. For example, if you did write in the kitchen, move to the living room or the bedroom. For the outdoor exercise, read it in a different room with a different view. The idea is to see if you can see in your mind’s eye what you are reading. Can you see it? Could you have been more precise? How could you have made it more alive?
Once again, have fun with this. Challenge yourself to reach for the best words you can use to convey the picture and all that goes with it. Paint a picture with your words.
Assignment #11
This week’s assignment might be called “Much Ado About Nothing.” Read this week’s blog about The Gift of Nothing. Then set the timer for 10 minutes. For the first part of this assignment, you will not be writing … you won’t be doing anything except breathing in and out, and just being. Feel your body inside and out. Feel the room around you, and the sights, smells and sounds beyond you. Do nothing else but just “be.” Now set the timer for another 10 minutes and write about how that felt. What came up for you? Did you feel a connection with the rest of the world around you? Describe in as much detail as you can remember what you saw and heard. You may need more than 10 minutes to do this. Feel free to go for another 10.
Assignment #10
Last week we wrote about our proudest moments. This week we’re going in the opposite direction. We’re going to write about what we perceive to be our “failures” or “bad decisions.” Read the blog post for this week. Then set the timer for 10 minutes and write across the top of the page: “The worst decision I ever made was …”. Don’t get bogged down in a lot of details, and, definitely, don’t use the time to beat yourself up. That is not what this assignment is about. This is about redefining our ideas about failure by using different language to assess a situation and come up with a conclusion. Just describe the decision, how you came to it, and the outcome. When you are done, set the timer for another 10 minutes, and write across the top of a new page: “Something positive that I learned from this experience was …”. When you are done, put your work away and take it out to look at again tomorrow. Are you seeing your “failure” in a different light? If so, write about it.
Assignment #9
Read this week’s blog: “Patting Ourselves On The Back.” Then set the timer for 20 minutes and write about a moment in your life that you are proud of. It could be in sports, education, career, relationships, or anything else. If it was a major achievement in your life, and it lifted you up, it was a moment to be proud of. Taking a page from last week’s assignment about writing practice, write across the top of the page: “The thing I am most proud of in my life is ….” Then write for 20 minutes. If you’re still feeling pumped after that exercise, start a new page with the heading: “Another thing I am proud of having accomplished is …” Reset the timer for another 20 minutes and have at it. See how many things you can bring to mind. It doesn’t have to be something huge. Like my example in the blog post, it can be learning to master a skill like I did with technology. When you are done, put it away and take it out the next day to read. See how long you can carry that feeling of, “I’
Assignment #8
If you haven’t read this week’s blog post about Natalie Goldberg, please do so now. As you can guess, this week’s assignment is about getting back to basics.
Set your timer for 10 minutes. Please do this assignment in long hand if at all possible. The energy of making contact with the pen and paper, and moving your hand across the page, is what makes this practice so valuable. Write across the top of the paper: “I remember …” Then write for the full 10 minutes, keeping your hand moving all the time. If you run out of steam on one memory, write “I remember” again and keep going. When the 10 minutes is up, reset the timer for another 10 minutes and write across the page: “I don’t remember …” and proceed as before. If at any time you feel as if you are on a roll and can go longer than 10 minutes, feel free to do so. When you are done, put what you wrote away and take it out again the next day to read it. See what floated up from your consciousness when you allowed yourself to write freely without second guessing yourself. As always, have fun and enjoy the adventure!
Assignment #7
Think back to when you were 6 years old. If someone had asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up, how would you have answered? Set the timer for 20 minutes and write down your answer, then describe whether you did or did not pursue that career. If so, has it been rewarding and, if not, why? Or, did you pursue something else and now wish you had followed your dream? Be honest and write down exactly how you feel. What would you have done differently and what, ultimately, lead you to what you ended up doing?
Now set the timer for another 10 minutes and answer the following question: “What kind of person do I want to be when I grow up? Don’t answer this from the perspective of a 6 year old as in the question above. Answer the question as the age you are now, knowing that you have many more years before you to make it come true.
As always, put your answers away and take them back out tomorrow. What have you learned about yourself? Write a paragraph about that. And, yes, have fun with this. Make it an adventure into Tomorrowland!
Assignment #6
First, go back and read this week’s blog post on the three soul questions. Then allow yourself to sit quietly for a few minutes, asking yourself each one in turn. Now, set the timer for 10 minutes and write the first question out: Who Am I? For the first minute or two, write out the usual answers, all the titles and roles that define you, and then cross them out. Now you are left with the space to write the real answer. Give yourself the whole 10 minutes for this even if it means staring out of the window for the first 5 minutes! When you are done, reset the timer for 10 minutes and move on to the next question: What Do I Want? As before, get the surface stuff out of the way, then cross it out and get to the meat of the question. Let yourself go deep and feel the answers. When you are done, reset the timer one more time to 10 minutes and go to the last question: What Is My Purpose? Once you know the answers to the first two questions, you will discover that there are as many ways to serve the world as there are people. Let your imagination loose on this one and be creative. Be assured that nothing is ever written in stone and if one path doesn’t lead you anywhere, you can always take the next turn in the road. Remember to have fun with this assignment. You may even discover when you’re done that you are a whole different person than when you sat down to write!
Assignment #5
What would it be like to create something that would change the world and have an impact on millions of people? Let’s find out. Set the timer for 2o minutes and finish the following sentence: “If I could create anything, it would be…” Keep in mind that it does not have to be a concrete item. It can also be an idea, a cultural shift, a belief, or anything that you would like to see become reality. As always, when you are done, put it away and take it out the next day to read. What does your idea say about you and your own life? What needs to be created there? Again, have fun with this. Let your imagination soar!
Assignment #4
This is going to be fun! Set your timer for 20 minute (yes, we’re going longer). Imagine your perfect life. Now write down what you a day in your perfect life would look like. Start from the moment you wake up. Where do you live? With whom? What does your home look like, your bedroom? What can you see outside the windows? Describe every detail including sights, smells and tastes. Go through your day. What are your doing? Where are you going? Most important, how do you feel doing and experiencing those things? If you need to reset the timer, give yourself another 10 minutes. When you are done, put it away until tomorrow and then take a look at what you’ve written. Does it ring true? How does it make you feel? Take 10 minutes and write about what this dream life brings up for you. As always, have fun and don’t be afraid to dream big!
Assignment #3
Last week’s blog post talked about “do-over’s.” Go back and read your last two assignments. Pick out one area of your life from either your childhood or early teens that you always wished you could do-over. Maybe it was where you went to school or some aspect of your education; perhaps it was a sport you wanted to try, an artistic or creative pursuit, etc. Now set the time for 10 minutes and start a new “Once upon a time” story featuring the new you doing this thing over, a second chance to do it your authentic way. Please don’t get bogged down in regrets or blame. This is an exercise in creating a new chapter, not regurgitating the old one over again. The idea is to have fun and be creative. It’s your life. Write it the way you want it to go! Please feel free to leave your comments and any insights you may uncover. Happy writing!
Assignment #2
This week we are going to use writing to dig out those Negative Nellies in your life that, either in the past or in the present, have convinced you that you can’t be, do, or have what you truly want out of life. Perhaps it was a parent, a teacher, a pastor or a well-meaning friend. Whoever it was, we need to silence them once and for all and let our own inner voice be the only one that guides us.
Set the timer for 10 minutes and write the phrase: “When I was little, I wanted to ….. but … told me…” Fill the in blanks with the dream, the person and what they said. Try to use the entire 10 minutes by writing about how that affected you and how it has carried over to today. Just like in the first assignment, when you are done, put what you have written away until the next day. Then take it out and read it. Are there any surprises? Any patterns emerging? How do you feel about it today? Set your timer for another 10 minutes and write about that.
Assignment #1
My first blog post began with the words: “Once upon a time …” Your first assignment is to set a timer, or your phone, for 10 minutes, write that opening on the top of the page, and then just write. See what comes up. Make sure this is free-flow of consciousness writing. Don’t stop to edit or correct. When you’re done, put it away without looking at it until tomorrow. The idea is to give yourself some time to put some distance between you and what you wrote so that you are reading it with fresh eyes. Notice any patterns or surprises that come up. If you do find some, write them down and keep them handy. You will want to go back and take a look at them after you complete the next assignment. Write on!
News of the Week:
In the coming weeks we will be posting information about other sites where my books can be purchased. We hope to have them available for all eReaders and devices by the holidays. In the meantime, here are the links to my ebooks on Amazon:
Staying Rooted: Living and Growing Through The Seasons Of Our Lives: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M8CBWTQ
Song Of An Extraordinary Life: Creating A New Soundtrack For Our Third Age: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VETGZFU
Second Chances: Lessons In Wisdom From A Life Well Lived: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KOPXXTK
Barb Parcells, Writing A Life 