There's No Peace In Struggle

Seven years ago, when the process of delivering our daughter Franki began, I befriended nature and went with the evolution of it.

As the hours passed with little or no progress, I braced myself forcefully against the physical sensations (aka excruciating pain) and the more I resisted what-was, the worse it seemed.

I thought, "This business of having natural childbirth is not for me" (which is likely why I ended up in the hospital having an emergency C-section. But that's another story).

Somewhere along this journey of childbirth, I became aware that no matter how much I tensed against it, THIS WAS HAPPENING. The only thing I could attempt to do was to make peace with the process of the inevitable.

This baby was coming no matter how I approached it.

Ingredients for life, Outlook on Life, BeliefsChristine MeyerAugust 19, 2016Comment

The Universe Doesn't Care If You Say Please

“Can you bring me my milk”? my daughter Franki asks as I’m doing dinner prep.

I respond with, “Soon honey”.

What feels like seconds later, Franki checks in again with, “Can you please bring me my milk”? (She thinks that saying please will speed-up the process).

Again, I reply with, “Soon honey”.

“But I said, “please”, Franki responded.

“I heard you the first time, luv”, I reply.

Now imagine that you’re the one repeatedly asking the question, “Can you bring me (fill-in-the-blank-for-that-thing-you-want)”, while the Universe is the one responding with, “I heard you the first time, luv”.

When you "ask" for anything - whether you speak it out-loud, mumble it under your breath, write it down, or have an experience that evokes a desire within you - the Universe says, “Yes! The milk is on it's way. Your request has been heard and is being fulfilled."

The Universe doesn’t care if you say please.

Ingredients for life, BeliefsChristine MeyerAugust 12, 2016Comment

The World Isn't Supposed To Be Just Like You

What a mom believes is love for her child is ridiculous over- indulgence to you.

What you think is easy and manageable may be hard and unmanageable to someone else.

What your normal is, is extremely weird to another.

What you believe to be an appropriate and timely way to respond to emails is a distraction and splitting of focus to another.

What you think is organized is someone else’s version of chaos.

What scatter-brained is to you may be creativity to another.

What over-ripe banana is to you may be perfectly sweet and delicious to someone else.

What you consider ho-hum boring and downright uninspiring could be stimulating and fascinating to another.

What you consider to be late and inconsiderate may be a cultural norm and respectful for someone else.

What you perceive as forward and pushy may be an expression of appreciation to another.

What is a necessity for you may be overindulgence to someone else.

What someone else describes as luxury may be pickings and slim-seconds to you.

What someone else describes as real accomplishment and productivity may be one hour’s worth of focus in your world.

What someone else believes to be the most beautiful place on the planet, is hell-on-water to you.

What's old and wrinkled to someone else may be beauty and power combined to you.

The world isn’t supposed to be just like you.

Ingredients for life, Following Your Path, BeliefsChristine MeyerJuly 29, 2016Comment

WTF?

You flip one off to someone because they cut you off in traffic...WTF?

Your kid is doing exActly what you asked him not-to-do...WTF?

You didn't get the job you were sure you’d get…WTF?

Your clients are asking you to discount your rates...WTF?

Your sales are down and you've got no money in the bank...WTF?

You end up in the hospital when you thought you were doing so well...WTF?

Your boyfriend broke up with you when you thought you were on-track to get married...WTF?

You're 40, single and still haven't met the person you want to partner with...WTF?

WTF?

Ingredients for life, Freedom, Outlook on LifeChristine MeyerJuly 22, 2016Comment

The Power of Dancing Naked and Letting Go

I danced naked on the sidewalk. Ran circles around my naked daughter, Franki.

Let’s back up a little….

We’d just finished swimming and had come inside to dry off. I stripped my bathing suit, wrapping a towel around me. Franki, bottoms off, top on, said she was cold, so I suggested she take her wet top off and wrap a towel around her as I had.

As we walked toward our front porch to hang our suits up to dry, she threw her towel and exclaimed, “Let’s have a naked dance party”!!

I laughed and answered, “Sure, go ahead”! (As in, "You can if you want to, but I'm not doing that.")

Spontaneous dance parties aren't unheard of around here but me dancing naked is.

This gal was determined to get that towel off of me and get me dancing.

“Come on, mama...let’s do it!!!!”, she excitedly exclaimed.

No neighbors within sight. No sound of vehicles coming up our long gravel driveway; six-foot-high ornamental grasses surrounding me - offering cover, and yet, I hesitated as my eyes darted left, then right and off into the distance.

Freedom, Ingredients for life, Outlook on LifeChristine MeyerJuly 15, 2016Comment

Let The Things You Didn't Plan Unleash You

Several weeks ago while on our way to get ice cream, my daughter and I found ourselves slam-dunk in the middle of a very long traffic jam. There was little or no movement and no way of knowing how long we’d be there.

When we set out on our journey, I hadn’t planned on idling for two hours on the freeway en-route to ice-creamy deliciousness that was just-a-short-distance away. Neither did I plan on Franki (my daughter) having to pee during this extended standstill. What to do?

No toilet in sight. No movement forward. No way to pull off the side of the road.

This little event was not planned…..

I didn’t plan on my mother leaving when I was a young child.

I didn’t plan on divorcing my husband of 15 years, moving to another country and ending up in Pennsylvania.

I didn’t plan on getting pregnant, having a child, or having a girl. (I really thought I'd be more suited to having a boy).

I didn't plan on have an emergency c-section (I had a home birth planned)!

Ingredients for life, Freedom, Following Your PathChristine MeyerJuly 8, 2016Comment

Perspective. Perception. Interpretation.

It’s a beautiful morning. The sun isn’t up yet, but I’m seeing in my mind’s eye what the landscape looks like because I’ve driven this road often. I know that the leaves are brilliant hues green lifting up overhead as I get closer to the mountainside. The view is breathtaking in the daylight, even though I can't see it right now. I feel alive and in-tune. I’m rockin' out to some tunes as I drive with my thoughts and loving how the other drivers on the road are responsive and moving out of my path in perfect time. I’m really enjoying the thrill of driving a little faster this morning.

In front of me, my husband and daughter, and behind me someone else is following - all of us on our way to the same destination. I’m eager, excited, content, and I’m enjoying this motorcade very much.

Upon our arrival, my perspective is intact. This was fun! As we all got out of our respective vehicles, the person who’d been following us exclaimed, “That drive was horrendous!”

Same drive. Same flow of traffic. Same road. Same scenery. Same houses.

Very different perceived realities.

Freedom, Beliefs, Ingredients for lifeChristine MeyerJuly 1, 2016Comment

You're Right Where You're Supposed to Be

To the guy who thinks he just delivers medical prescriptions to homes...you're saving people's lives.

To the gal who thinks she's just a waitress at the local diner...you're making someone's day with your smile.

To the young lady who thinks she should have taken violin lessons when she was a little girl...you didn't want to do it anyway.

To the local garbage pickup guy who thinks he's not good enough to do anything else... you're helping beautify someone's place.

To the hair stylist who thinks she's just doing hair...you're promoting self-love.

To the factory worker who thinks he's just pushing buttons...you're helping build something that's going to benefit a lot of people.

To the dedicated mom who takes her kids to school every day and thinks she should be doing something more important than that...

Ingredients for life, Following Your Path, FreedomChristine MeyerJune 17, 2016Comment

You Can Always Tell A Different Story

We all like to tell stories; the stories of our lives... It's how we relate to one another, bond and make forever friends, isn't it?

We embellish them here, flower them up there, tell the truth-as-it-is for the sake of accurate and actual accounts. We provide the sequence of unfolding events along the way, dragging up all the good, the bad and the ugly parts that got us to where we are and made us the person that we are now.

While it may make for a good story, what you think and talk about and how you feel about it - becomes.

You're always creating your now (because it's now and you're having the experience of it now as you're telling it) and you're also pre-paving a future reality.

So if you're going to recount events (tell stories) about your past, present or future, make light of the bad and the ugly - or leave it out altogether.

You don't have to emphasize the struggle to affirm your worthiness.

Outlook on Life, Ingredients for life, Following Your PathChristine MeyerJune 10, 2016Comment