Gone For A Walk

Dear Readers and Followers-
If you are reading this post on August 24th or 25th, I'm out walking.  Walking from my hometown of Portland, Oregon to Seaside, Oregon, on the Coast.   No I'm not walking the entire 129 miles.  I'm apart of a 12 person relay team.  I'll be walking 11 miles over two days.  Over hill and valley.  Singing, walking and riding in a van with 6 ladies, one of them a dear friend.

I've been training for a year to do this walk.  I'm nervous and excited.  So, why did I decide to do this event?  To focus.  Focus on myself.  My health and well-being.  To heal and lose weight (which I have...50 pounds, thank you for asking.)  To prove to myself that I can do something so off the chain that it shakes up my entire approach to life.  So, it is not just a walking event for me.  I think sometimes we have to shake up our lives in a healthy way.  I can not wait to see the sand of Seaside and my dear husband on the sidelines waving me in. 

So, focus.  Over the years, I've discovered that what I focus on manifests itself in my life.  With this Campaign, I've focused on my creativity and creating a positive attitude.   I have more creative flow and I'm able to shift my thoughts, outlook and attitude to the sunny side of things quickly and with ease.  With Portland to Coast training, I've created health, strength and endurance.

What to focus on next?  I'll think about it as I walk.

Until next week...create to feel great!

42 projects complete...10 to go!

Another P2C craft....First Aid kit.   Hopefully, we won't need it, but just in case...We'll be ready!

pockets for all the supplies.  Bag flattens for ease of operation.

Ah! Resistance-I'm Callin' You Out!

As I'm writing this, I am five days away from doing the Mother of All Relay Races- The Portland to Coast Walk.  Yes.  That is right...I'm walking to the coast with 12 others.  I've been working towards this event for a year.  I've walked.  I've injured myself.  I've healed and I've walked some more.  I've been crafting cool stuff to take with me to make life easier for myself and my team mates.  The start day is in my sites.  I was excited until I heard that the speed in which everyone else is walking this event it is going to take 40 hours!  Really!  My first thought was, "well screw this noise.  If no one is going to push past their fears of being uncomfortable I'll stay home."  I'm now at- it is what is.  Maybe this is my team mates pushing and doing what they can.  If it takes 40 hours. It takes 40 hours.  After all, some team has to be last. Right?
What I felt I was hearing was my resistance to pushing myself coming up.  It is always easier to look at someone else and what the are doing or not doing than look at our self.   Yet the blame game never gets the job done.  This applies to long distance relay walks and everything else in life.
Once again, the trick is to stop and realize what is going on.  If something feels off. If something feels negative. If something feels like pushing a rock up a hill.  Call it out!
How did I get out of this place I found myself in?  I focused on the fun!  I focused on making it fun!  I've still got some days to train.  All my training is fun stuff I want to do or fun places to walk to.  I have an MP3 player loaded with only high energy fun favorites.  I have a treadmill where I work that my boss set up to help me train on the downhills. I get creative and make stuff.  Most of all I keep in mind that bottomline- it is me out there on the road walking. This fantastic experience will be what I bring to it.  With my walking times, my attitude and my energy.   Resistance can now hit the road, but it sure as hell doesn't get to walk along the same road I'll be walking.

How do you send resistance packing?

Until next week...create to feel great!

42 projects complete! 10 to go!

One more P2C project...an arm strap for my MP3 player.  I discovered that my best walking pants, don't have pockets.  And I love walking and singing to music!

90 Percent

With the Occupy Movement we started hearing about the 98%.  Years ago, columnist Dear Abby, talked about 90% of what we worry about never happens.  The other 10 % we can handle.   Recently, I discovered the Secret Society of Happy People.  They proclaim that most folks can really be happy 90 % of the time.   They peg, 90% because of that 10 % which is life that often times just grabs at us and we can shake it no matter what.  Happiness happens, they say.  Sounds almost effortless.

Being sort of an all or nothing kind of girl, 90% doesn't seem like it it hitting the mark.  Yes, 100% of the time is a nice lofty goal.  Again, that 10 % gives us some wiggle room and takes the pressure off of being perfect.  What I'm finding is most days hitting 90% is not an issue it is an easy stride, so I go for that 10%.  That extra 10% is a wonderful feeling.
So be it worry or happiness we can always handle that 10%.

Do you think you are hitting the 90% happiness scale everyday?  If not what would you like to do to hit that mark?  If you are hitting the 90%...go for the extra 10% for a week and see how it feels.

Until next week...create to feel great!

41 projects complete.  11 to go.

More P2C projects....I volunteered to make my team, The Under Toes, visors to wear for the event.  And being me...not just plain visors but gold lame visors (well for the ladies- black with gold trim for the men).
I think we'll be able to see each other in the crowds.  15 days and counting to race day! Yikes!

Lighting The Way

This last week, I was part of an amazing theater experience.  Lights Up! workshop production of Anything But Brilliant - A Love Story.  The play is brilliant.  The road to creating this wonderful work has been brilliant.  And a love story in it self.  It furthered my lesson and exploration on the theme of working from a place of love or a place of ego.  This was full on working from love.  All aspects.  And my oh my it was fantastic.
I've heard it said that "Love is the light that you see by".  This was certainly the case. We have to willing to hold the lamp for ourselves and others. That way we all shine so brightly and the path is clearer.
I know it can be challenging in the world that doesn't want it to work this way.  Yet we have to be strong.  We need to stop, check and ask..."Is this coming from love or ego?"  Here's how I will know for sure.  Everything will go dark. In the darkness there will be doubt and confusion.  Resistance and sadness.  That is the signal ego is at work.  Love brings light. Fluidity and ease. Joy and delight.
Now who doesn't need that?

Are you willing to attempt to stop, check and ask..."Is what I'm doing coming from love or ego?"  At least for the next week, just see what happens in your life.

Until next week...create to feel great!

40 projects complete!  12 to go!

The project of the week is my Lime green fleece polka dot blanket for Portland to Coast.  I know I'll be sleeping in the van and on the ground.  I want something light and warm (we are headed to the Oregon Coast..it get's chilling in the mountains even in August.).  So there it is.  Count down to relay has begun. 20 days.  Yikes! I better put the crafting down and do some walking!