What is Right with you ????

So my amazing friend, Paula, from Little Scraps of Magic, is participating in the Reverb10 writing prompt challenge to examine your 2010 and to set intentions and focus for the New 2011 year to come.

In her post today, Paula wrote a post in response to the Reverb10, Prompt 11: What are 11 things your life doesn't need in 2011?

She listed 11 dreaded things that she wanted to be rid of in 2011. You know all those things that we criticize ourselves about, that make us feel not good enough or like we are “imperfect” human beings that need to be fixed in order to be good, worthy, perfect ?

As I read Paula’s list, I saw many of the same or similar things that I wanted to be rid of in my own life. By the end of the list, like Paula, I was feeling the need to sigh deeply and heavily about all those things that are “wrong” with me and that I better hurry up at “fix” before it’s too late !

Then this other voice within me, the Voice of all Things Right With Me, cried out :

“Screw this list ! You have spent enough of your 45 years focused on what is wrong with you ! Has that “fixed” it all  for you? How about focusing on what is Right with you instead ! I promise, that is the key to feeling better about your life, Beautiful One ! That is the key to Loving all that is You !”

I grabbed hold of what that sweet voice said and I wrote this response to Paula…

and to my Self…

and maybe to you…

“You are not really far behind...you are exactly where you are meant to be.

11 things your life doesn't need ? All of us can think 11 or a few dozen things that we can do better at or want to rid ourselves of! Wanting to improve and be a better person is a natural part of living here on this chaotic planet. And yes, facing some of those boogie men is a good thing too.

But I also see how doing this list brought you into deep deep sighs...

How about deciding that the number 1 thing that you can be without in 2011 is focusing on what is wrong with you instead of what is right ? I am truly, truly coming to believe that focusing on what is right with us, what brings joy and mindful living to us is the key to solving even those dreaded "wrong" things !

And guess what, My Lovely, Inspiring, Creative Friend ? On the last day of your life, there will still be some of those 11 icky things on the list of what is wrong. Does that mean you will not have lead a beautiful, rich, deeply loving life ? I think not !

This was a lot of deep thoughts so early on a Tuesday morning for me. But very, very welcome. Every word I wrote here could be a letter to myself too, Miss Paula (Insert your name here).

So here is Kim's Prompt for the day, for you and for me :
What is right with you ? Discuss, explore and celebrate ! ;)

Love to you, My Oh so Right Friend.”

Love on that Beautiful Self today! Happy Tuesday !

PS : I will share my Canadian Chickie gifties for Day 2 and Day 3 of the swap tomorrow. This just felt like the right post for the day…Hugs !

In Good Time...

You may have noticed that things are a little quiet around here at the Queen of Arts blog. David has been off this week and we have been doing some stuff together. I have also been feeling very tired and a little under the weather. Nothing major, just a lack of oomph...

I have been reading your blogs and seeing all the great things that you all seem to be up to, but lacking the energy to comment in some cases. I am admiring the focus that so many of you have on creating goals and intentions for the new year. There are some incredible "word of the year" plans out there too.

But

I have to say

that I am just not there yet !

Funnily enough, I looked back to January 2009 to see the post I did for last year at this time and I saw that I was feeling a lot the same. I am definitely in such a better place than I was last year at this time emotionally, spiritually and mentally but the feeling that the world is going at a pace that doesn't work for me is often still there. I want to make some good and clear intentions for myself for the coming year, and yet I don't feel like this week to do it.

I am realizing that this pattern of listening to my own internal clock, and waiting to do things in Kim Time is a steady one and in the end, a good one. There is some pressure to conform to the pace being set by the world out there but mostly, there is a realization that doing things in my Time is the perfect way to do them, for me ! ;)

That being said, I have begun the work towards new intentions for the new year. As of last night, when I created the little journal page above, I have chosen a word to focus on for the year 2010.

The word is emerge.

e·merge (-mûrj)
intr.v. e·merged, e·merg·ing, e·merg·es
1. To rise from or as if from immersion: Sea mammals must emerge periodically to breathe.
2. To come forth from obscurity: new leaders who may emerge.
3. To become evident: The truth emerged at the inquest.
4. To come into existence.

I am still developing what the word will mean for me and I was glad to find the wonderful free download that Christine Kane posted on her blog called "Your Word of The Year Discovery Tool" (mentioned by quite of few of you wise women out there !) I plan on working with the word and the tools in the new year and seeing what comes...or what emerges...;)

This afternoon, my dear friend Darlene is coming down from Montreal with her 2 teenage sons and we will ring in the New Year with some games, a nice fondue dinner and some bubbly grape juice. David and I are excited to have them here in our cozy house. I will try and convince Dar to join me in the annual barefoot snow dance tomorrow morning ! I promise to show pictures of the two or us or just me !

I would like to leave with with this quote that my friend Patti Digh had on her Facebook last night and that rings so very true for me today, and wish you all an amazing 2010 filled with creative, bliss-filled moments !

Happy New Year and Big Love, Beautiful Ones !

We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives, not looking for flaws, but for potential.

- Ellen Goodman