True Voice

True Voice: In Through The Back Door

Nothing is at it appears. Women come to me seeking a big breakthrough with their money-wealth or their body-weight issues. They're serious. I have the tools and eagerness to help them. Then something happens.

What emerges is a longing that goes so deep we can't ignore it. We plunge into a deep, rich and bold exploration of her source of wisdom. Together we call up the Wise Woman, Ancient One, Feminine Elder, Dear One--the names vary. This is the woman's voice of wisdom. She has been waiting to be discovered. She is so eager to have a conversation with you!

What I've come to understand is that this inner source each woman discovers is what I've been calling the True Voice. The voice that offers you an inextricable connection to your innermost sacred source.

I've observed that when you go to that place, inspiration flows; creativity embraces and engulfs you and becomes your way of being in the world. You are truly unstoppable in your unique expression of what really matters.

And you find her, almost accidentally, when you thought you were seeking something else. Issues with wealth and weight are a portal to your truth--even if it sneaks in through the back door.

Dark Ancient Space

Dark Ancient Space

There is a quiet wisdom found in the space between generations,

A wisdom tethered to an ancient story,

hundreds of generations of story.

We hear it on the wind's whisper

as it tickles and twitches at our ears

and tugs our tangled hair

until we wake up from our dream,

ready and alert.

Our attention is captured by the dark ancient space between generations,

The space that informs who we are becoming,

that names our place of honor on the earth.

This poem just came back to me from my colleague, Jude Gladstone Cade. I apparently wrote it in 2002 for a workshop we offered in Del Mar, CA. What a lovely thread of reconnection!

Emerging Qualities in Women 50, 60, and Beyond

I'm 63 and several of my coaching clients are in their late 50's and well into their 60's. There is an interesting shift I notice emerging in these women and in myself. It's subtle and yet often comes forward with fierce clarity. There is something different about the way women of this age talk and approach work and life. There is clearly a new blush on the wild rose!

These are 5 qualities I notice emerging in women in their late 50's and 60's. This isn't to say these may not exist in women of another age, and the momentum for these appears to build as we age. The joy in this is that there is more to look forward to as you increase in age-- Whoohoo!

• Playful Ease and Joy--you are done with the struggle; you're out there looking for an easier way because you know life doesn't have to be so damned hard; you take joy in the inner confidence earned from years of experience; you're able to hold life lightly and have pure fun--all the while knowing every minute counts.

• Energy--there is a miraculous surge of energy after the dipsy-doodle of menopause; it's a form of unceasing energy that sustains your goals and purpose; yes, you get tired at the end of the day and need plenty of rest, but when you're living your waking hours on purpose there is no stopping you.

• Giving Back--you express gratitude frequently, openly and wholeheartedly; when you're in touch with all that you've been gifted in this lifetime, you begin to ask what and where you can give back to make a difference; you begin to shape your legacy.

• Comfort in Your Own Skin--you no longer have anything to prove, nothing to compete about, and little concern about what others think of you; you're happy to settle into the essence of who you are--knowing that she's someone you've come to love for all that she is, not what or who she isn't.

• Focus and Mission--you know that you don't know how much time you have before you die and you live accordingly; you become focused on how you want to live your particular life, for the rest of your life; you clarify your reason for being on the planet at this time and don't waste time getting about the business of fulfilling your life mission; time is precious.

Which of these qualities is beginning to show up more or differently in your life? What perspectives are shifting for you?

Midlife Women Prepare for What's Next: The Dangerous Old Woman

"Never before on this planet have more awakening women been alive at the same time; with a righteous expectation that a life of meaning, transforming self and others, belongs to all of us, irrevocably." Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes.

Estes' book, Women Who Run With The Wolves, has powerfully informed my woman  journey for nearly 20 years. A Jungian analyst and gifted storyteller, Estes is now launching her next masterwork, The Dangerous Old Woman and I'm so excited! Please check it out, so you can decide if this work is for you.

There's a free one hour podcast which will give you a taste of what's to come on the live six-part webinar starting next week. If you miss the live event, Sounds True will send out the audio for you to enjoy at your convenience.

It's time to awaken, transform and find meaning--for the rest of our lives!

I so grateful Estes is here once again to guide us. 

 

Your Second Half of Life -- No, It's Not Too Late

Many women have put their dreams, ideas, and creativity on the back burner while they tended their careers, relationships or the joys, needs and demands of family life, or all of these.

What I've seen is that around age 50 is the perfect time to wake up to the adventure and possibilities awaiting you for the rest of your life.

I say this because there is a wealth of resources and energy available right inside of you, waiting to be tapped. There is more.

And it's definitely not too late! When you claim your birthright to your dreams and take action to fulfill them, you become unstoppable. Your energy sustains you.

This is the time when your gifts can be used in service to a higher purpose in your relationships, families, communities and the larger world.

This is the time to tend to the new answers that come to you when you ask about what matters.

So, what matters to you now?

Time for Spring Planting

It's not too late to plant seeds. If we don't plant, we don't have anything to harvest, simple as that. No matter what your age right now, there's more to plant and plenty more to harvest.

You have no idea how many years you have to live into and what I want for you is to fully live into every one of your days.

There are thousands of seeds to choose from--here is one variety to ensure that you sustain a vibrant life and flourish well after 50. The time for planting and watering is now!

Creativity--Imagine the 90 year old violinist who took up playing when she was 70 and lamented, "If only I had started this when I was 40, I would have had 30 more years of enjoyment! At 40 I thought I was too old."

As you move beyond your 40's and 50's, there are unlimited opportunities for you to engage your creativity. And yes, you are creative. Don't even question it.

You are creating life with every breath you take.

Now is a great time for you to start honing the edge of your creative interests. They will help sustain your enjoyment for the rest of your life.

What aspects of your creativity are you itching to explore? When will you do it?

How Old Are You?

Over the weekend I had the honor of witnessing a family's memorial service for their 95 year old Mama. One of the stories told particularly captured my attention and helped me reconsider my age.

The man's 89 year old Dad was failing when he met up at the local grocery store with his cousin, the daughter of this 95 year old Mama. They chatted about their parents' ills and woes for a few minutes.

Then the daughter revealed she had recently had "the conversation" with her mom about all the social services available. In the conversation the daughter went on and on about each service and how easy it would be to sign up and get some help.

The mother listened politely and then turned to her daughter and said, "But Honey, those services are for OLD people!"

Someone once said, aging puts wrinkles on the body. Quitting puts wrinkles on the soul.

When will you be too old?

Have you ever thought about quitting because of age?

LIfe's a Stretch--What Are You Stretching Into?

As I lay gracefully contorted into a near-perfect Pigeon Pose at the gym this morning, a big weight lifter guy slid by and said, "Life's a stretch, he-he." It got me thinking. I played with the idea and realized the many meanings.

Stretch--long time; we're in for a long stretch of cold this winter

Stretch--not believable;as in not by a long shot or not by any stretch of the imagination could that be so

Stretch--big distance; we've got a long stretch to go before we get to Kansas

Stretch--an exercise to elongate and make muscles flexible

Stretch--make it go farther; we have to stretch every dollar in this economy

Then there's this kind of stretch--the one where you expand, grow and feel your way into new opportunities and challenges.

This stretch usually involves fear and hesitation at first and then you take the next step. Or if you're a wild thing, you jump right in.

There is an understanding that this stretch will get you out of your comfort zone and into unknown territory. You're motivated because there is a promise of something big and/or very satisfying at the limit of the stretch. It's compelling.

As I unwound from Pigeon, I wondered what that next stretch will be for me.

Aren't you curious about the same thing? What are you stretching into this Spring?

Midlife Women Seek Nature--A Resource to Get You There

I turn to nature daily for sustenance and a portal to deep rivers of joy. Today I'm offering a resource for those of you who share my passion for the natural world. I love to be out in nature, and sometimes it's satisfying to cozy up and read about it.

The resource is actually the author and naturalist, Kathleen Dean Moore. She is daring, wild and more tender than the violet blossom's breath in her descriptions of nature. Not only does she describe, she immerses you in the drama and wonders nature offers up.

Her recent book Wild Comfort, The Solace of Nature delivers. I've added a review (below) to help you decide if you'd like to turn off your immediate daily distractions and feed your soul from a naturalist's perspective.

“Kathleen Dean Moore is a writer whose senses, heart, generosity, and intellect open in every direction. This book, filled with knowledge of the natural and human worlds, is a superb naturalist’s handbook. It is also a praise book: an illuminated manuscript whose life overspills its own borders. In its grounded wisdoms, humility, curiosity, and in the kaleidoscope beauty of its descriptions, Wild Comfort reminds how to see, how to sing; how to welcome, with equal gravity and grace, whatever asks entrance into our lives. It is destined to become a classic.”—Jane Hirshfield

What is your way of connecting with nature? I'd love to hear your story.

 

Is Your Creativity Stuck or Just Taking a Normal Break?

There's a time and place for wandering around. I assert that this apparently pointless activity is essential to your creative process.

It is a step you probably will be called to move through over and over, even if it's uncomfortable.

The good news is that it's often a sign that you are about to let go and unleash your creative power; a signal that fruition is at hand.

Still, it's frustrating when you are in the middle of it. This wandering around step feels like you're wasting time and not getting anywhere.

It's definitely not about the flowing, rich feeling you get when you know you're on track and gaining momentum as you go.

The worst thing is that this part of the process doesn't even feel like a "step." It's easy to minimize and sweep aside.

Watch out! There's danger if you step over this step. Many people have given up their project or their creation just a few weeks, days or minutes before "it comes together" for them. They get tired, bored and lost in their creation and let the wandering around get the best of them.

Creativity requires time and space. The wandering is necessary to allow your creative juices to regenerate and reorganize. Wandering is one way to bring your fullest expression into the light.

If you feel you are in the "wandering place" right now, step back, breathe and relax. This may well be a normal part of your creative process. Have faith that your creation is on its way.

How does your particular creative process work?