inspiring women

Letting Go of Red Alert

January 21, 2014

“Temperamentally anxious people can have a hard time staying motivated, period, because their intense focus on their worries distracts them from their goals.” ― Winifred Gallagher

I have a slightly skewed superpower: when I look at any situation, I can see the conclusion. What makes my power skewed is that I can’t see the actual conclusion. Instead I can see the worst possible conclusion; what could happen if I don’t do something like lock the door, do the risk assessment, buy travel insurance or go somewhere without first looking it all up on the internet.

I know that there are wonderful blessings from this power. I always – always – have the paperwork/ number/ list/ pen. I have flying down to a fine art, and I always have a plan. This has made me soar up the ranks in my career, and I can see how to use my power for good.

But for some reason when it comes to my dreams, this power holds me back.

You see, being able to see the worst means that I have been operating in a perpetual state of red alert. My husband only half-jokingly occasionally calls me a squirrel. That’s me: constantly preparing for winter. Running around, buying three of the things I like just in case I can’t find them again. Getting up to check if the door is locked. Knowing what could happen if I leap. I don’t look excitedly towards the fulfilment of my dreams, I worry about what will happen if they come true. If I stopped typing right now and focused on my body, I guarantee you my shoulders would be up around my ears and my stomach would be in a knot.

My soldiers are always at their battle stations.

But I have chosen align as my focus for 2014, and when I am standing on a beach in Costa Rica, I do not want to be worrying whether or not I have worn the right SPF. It’s time to use my power for good. Instead of believing the worst that could happen, I am choosing to let go of red alert. I am choosing to release the tightness in my belly. I am letting go of the story I tell myself of having to control everything in order to be safe. I am choosing to decide for myself how I will react. Red alert will no longer be my operating procedure, but a signal that it is time to pause, breathe and make a conscious decision. It’s time to remember that a) I am a grown-up now, b) I am always safe and c) I’ve got this.

So thank you to Red Alert. Thank you for all of the gifts you have given me. But I am ready now to stop letting you rule my life. Thank you, but I’m letting you go.

This post is part of the Let it Go Project: a collection of stories leading up to a beautiful releasing ritual, hosted by Sas Petherick on the 30th of January. All the details for this free event are here. And you can take part! Be inspired by other posts in this project, and share what you are ready to let of of on the Let it Go Project Community Page!

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Magic and Miracles

October 7, 2013

“Magic and miracles happen everywhere I go.” – Me

After never having much success with affirmations, a few months ago I started an experiment. Instead of reciting affirmations that my lizard brain could disagree with, I started noticing magic and miracles. If for any reason I noticed beauty or love or nature or whimsy or if I was delighted in any way, I would say, “Magic and miracles happen everywhere I go!”

And of course, as I had already seen proof, my brain would have to believe it.

After a few months, I slowly changed my tactic. Every now and then I would slip in a little, “Magic and miracles happen everywhere I go,” when I hadn’t actually seen anything. Then my brain would have to actively look for proof that it was true, because if previous experience was anything to go by, it must be true.

And now?

Magic and miracles happen absolutely everywhere I go!

You want proof?

How about getting to spend 5 days with two of my best friends and an amazing circle of women? Try being witness to bravery and honesty and openness and deep soul sharing. How about releasing and manifesting and cackling and dancing under the stars? How about unlimited – and I do mean unlimited – cake?

And if that wasn’t enough, proof looks like crayons and markers and candles and crystals and journals and love – SO. MUCH. LOVE. – all overseen by a green velvet buddha and a tiny plastic fox.

Proof is in the divine guidance that told us to open the door and hold the space – because that is all we did –

and then magic and miracles happened.

Magic and miracles happen everywhere I go.

What would happen if you believed it too?

inspiring women

A Life Saved.

December 11, 2010

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” – Mother Theresa

Yesterday I opened my mailbox to find two messages waiting for me. The first was an email full of stuff I could buy – stuff so pretty I couldn’t possibly live without it – stuff that for a brief moment I toyed with purchasing. The second email was from my rockstar friend Letha from Wrap Up Africa. After I read her email, without a second thought I hit delete on the first. I was so inspired by something that really matters, I wrote and asked if I could share her writing with you. Here it is, I hope it inspires you.

“This is a photo of a friend of mine named Susan.

She was my first Ugandan friend and in many ways the inspiration for Wrap Up Africa. Susan passed away last year from Burkitts Lymphoma, a highly treatable cancer that likely would not have killed her had she been born elsewhere.

As most of you know I have just returned from Ethiopia and Uganda where we spent a lot of time in the hospital wards. As I was playing with the children in the hospital in Ethiopia (many of whom have been living in the ward for years) I kept thinking to myself “all I want for Christmas is to be able to help you”. I was having a real moment of sorrow for these children and fear that I would not be able to help get them care in time. Then I thought, “I can’t do it alone but with help anything is possible. It’s time to ask people to join me in trying to get these children into treatment”. The holiday season is so full of promise and magic and seems to me a good time to try for miracles.

We are launching our Chemo for Christmas fundraising event. We need to raise $400,000 for 365 children to enter into care (approximately $1000 per child). That may seem a large figure but if we break it out it is only $25 a month from 1,000 people. If you can give, please do we appreciate your support, no amount is too small. We would appreciate your sending this request along to your friends and family, the more people we have helping the easier it will be to reach our goal of one child for each day of the year (365 children) and less than half of the kids that need our help. Kids like Susan.

The majority of the cancers the children have are highly treatable. In Uganda 85% of the children have a cancer called Burkitt’s lymphoma, which responds 90% to treatment when caught in time.

At this time of year I always take stock of my life. I think about what I have, how grateful I am for all of it and what I hope to do in the year to come. This year one of the things I am most grateful for is that my son and family are healthy. My goal is to try to help the children who are not lucky enough to have their health. I hope you will join me. Working together we can help these children take back their lives and have a fighting chance.”

Learn more about our mission and how you may help at: http://wrapupafricafoundation.org

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.”“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.”