May17
Posted on May 17 by Ruth Davis
Today is my mom’s 80th birthday and we are at a local casino, celebrating at the slot machines. By the title of this blog, you might think that she hit the big one and is now a Mega Winner. She is, but not in the typical terms of a casino. Eight years ago, my mother was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Most people diagnosed with stage three of this horrific disease die within three years. My mother underwent chemo and radiation and, while she has lasting side effects from the treatments that make breathing more challenging, she was declared cancer free. She incorporated more fruits and vegetables into her diet, proclaiming she was learning to “eat the rainbow.” She started letting go of the little things that aggravated her. She focused on the people and activities that bring her pleasure and joy. She joined a writing group at the senior center. She began clearing the clutter of papers and photographs. And we resumed our weekly Scrabble games, this time joined by my father. In 2007, five years cancer-free, we celebrated...
Mar15
Posted on Mar 15 by Ruth Davis
We can plan and dream in our heads but we must be present in our bodies to take action, to move forward in our lives. A lot of people think they can’t DO something until they are inspired. They think if they wait, inspiration will come and THEN they will do that great thing they thought of. The truth is, action comes before inspiration. In yoga, students are encouraged to find their soft edge, to stretch deep enough where you feel the stretch but do not feel pain. It is at this edge where the muscles release and then you can breathe in and stretch just a little bit further. Moving BEYOND what is comfortable and safe is where real growth can happen. So when was the last time you did something a little outside of your comfort zone? It could be something that you’ve always wanted to do but were a little too scared, or something you never considered doing by yourself. Maybe it’s going a movie by yourself, or taking yourself out for a lovely meal. Maybe...
Jan31
Posted on Jan 31 by Ruth Davis
Gratitude is the single easiest way to shift your life. “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity. It turns problems into gifts, failure into success, the unexpected into perfect timing and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ~Melodie Beattie The universe is a magnet–if you are stuck in the woe-is-me and the worry of things, the universe will offer you more opportunities for woe and worry. If you focus on the spaces where you feel joy and peace, you will experience more joy and peace. The easiest way to do this is by being grateful for what is. Even the small things, especially the small things…. TRY THIS SIMPLE EXERCISE: BEING GRATEFUL (GREAT-FULL) Every day, write a list of five things you are grateful for. Things that make you feel great and full. They can be small things big things things that make you smile. They...
Jan23
Posted on Jan 23 by Ruth Davis
A few weeks ago, I wrote about letting go and having faith that something new will grow. This week I realized that letting go is also about mindsets. Letting go of a desired outcome, letting go of the one way, the only way I see something working out. This week I learned that, when I am able to release my strong hold on a particular scenario, space opens up for new possibilities, new ideas, new ways to achieve the desired outcome. Imagine you are walking on a lovely path and suddenly, your route is blocked by a giant, fallen tree. You might get so focused on how the tree has blocked your path that you are unable to consider any other options. But if you would just step back from the tree, you might see a secondary path right there, waiting for you. That’s what happened to me. I was so disappointed that I didn’t have the money to keep working with my coach that I got stuck in that mindset. When I finally let go of the possibility...
Jan13
Posted on Jan 13 by Ruth Davis
Imagine what might be possible if you open yourself to a new thought When I was in my 20’s I imagined that I would be the next Great American Writer. I sat at my portable electric Royal typewriter every day, inventing stories about people, documenting my observations, journaling ideas for my first great novel. One afternoon a friend said to me, “Why do you bother? There are no new ideas. Everything’s already been said.” Now, she was an important person in my life, and very smart–– her IQ was high enough to join the Mensa Society–– and so I believed her. And I stopped writing. Twenty years later I took a deep breath and signed up for a creative writing class with an amazing teacher who encouraged my writing, challenged my skills and inspired me to write deeper and better. One day in class she said, “There are no new ideas.” My heart sank to my knees. No, not again. And then she finished her sentence. “And so it’s your job as a writer to come up with new ways...
Jan04
Posted on Jan 4 by Ruth Davis
What do you know today that you did not know this same time last year? Please share your comments...
