Monday Musings: Saying Yes

Last week, I was listening to a recording of Patti Digh's portion from Jen Louden's wonderful Virtual Retreat.

And on the ca Patti read a poem included in her inspiring book, Life is a Verb: 37 Days to Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally, called God Says Yes by Kaylin Haught.

I love this poem. Both for the sweet way God is talking. And for the reminder the answer is always, always yes.

I so easily forget that.

But what freedom and joy and expansion could be accessed if we recognized the "yes" that is always available to us.

To life: Yes!

To our heart callings: Yes!

To being kind to ourselves: Yes!

Even to the rough spots: Yes!

What would happen to our life if we lived like the answer is always "yes"?

Tell me, what in your life will you give a "yes!" to today?

P.S. Have you seen the movie, Yes Man, with Jim Carrey? "The world is a playground. Somewhere along the way everyone forgets this."

Direct link to trailer here.

Image: White mum, November 2009

Flowering Fridays: All the Facets

There are many facets to everything in life.

Many facets of the truth.

Many facets to the people we love.

Many facets of ourselves.

For me, it's often easiest to the love the facets I find most pleasing.

Be it with myself or with others.

But to love the facets that aren't as pleasing — the parts of myself and others I don't like or I wish would change....well...that can feel like a stretch sometimes.

(Sometimes it feels downright impossible.)

Yet I know that there's power and grace and kindness in loving all the facets.

I know that when I can be in acceptance of all the facets the beauty is able to fully emerge.

(*note acceptance does not mean condoning or agreeing; acceptance means seeing that there's always some beauty and wholeness present. It might be hidden, but it's always present.)

I look at this flower — with all the details up close.

The flower *is* beautiful, but it's far from perfect.

Notice the misshapen petal. How the center has asymmetrical shapes.

Those parts are not perfect.

And then I think…maybe that is part of the perfection.

As it is with each of us. As it is with all things.

Tell me, how do you embrace all the facets of yourself, others and life?

Image: from November 2009, bouquet on kitchen table

Flowering Fridays is a weekly look at flowers through the lens of what they might teach us about flowering fully in our life. Past editions are here.

Monday Musings: For Fearless Flowers

A super-secret, double-reminder for all fearless flowers:

If you but soak up the sunlight you are given, drink each drop of water I send, and strive only to be yourself, life shall quicken in your roots, spirit shall raise you into the light, and your bloom will inspire the world.

You see,... I do all the hard stuff.

  — The Universe

From TUT Adventurer's Club free daily emails from Mike Dooley (which I love by the way)

Wishing all you fearless flowers a blooming big week!

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If you are a coach or writer and part your blooming includes the desire to write or market a mind-body-spirit book, I hope you will join me today for the launch of the Spirit Authors community.

Lynn Serafinn has assembled an awesome lineup, and I'm so honored to be on her Grand Opening webinar panel today at 3  p.m. EST. We'll be talking about starting and writing your book and sharing all about the creative process. You learn more and sign up for this free event here. (There are equally great panels — all free — running this week; see the complete line up at the site.)

Image: Hibiscus plant, Eton Square, Pepper Pike, Ohio, August 2009