Adore this piece. Especially “common mergansers swam around the corner, hoping they wouldn’t take off” and the photography you do. Thankyou as always for this inspiring work.
Thanks, Karen, again for your deep sharing of your reflection time. I have a mantra that one never fails as long one learns from what happened. Failure is only when one refuses to reflect on and learn from what is happening.
Beautiful, Karen. As always. Love that shot of the shovelers!!! My practice is to live my life in constant amazement. Sometimes I get it right. Like seeing your images and reading your words right now.
Thank you Ken! I love this, "to live my life in constant amazement" and it certainly shows in the work you put out into the world. I also love "Sometimes I get it right." YES!
I’m practicing radical acceptance of my emotions, which is SO HARD. My inclination is to default to scolding myself for what I should or shouldn’t be feeling. But one step at a time, right?
It is SO HARD!!! I took a 10 week mindful self-compassion course and then a group of wonderful women from that course have continued on weekly. We went back through the 10 weeks and now we are working through a many-chaptered workbook. I kind of tagged along before I let myself sink more deeply into it - it's great to have support on this path.
Really great. This is the one I took (with Christine Grace-McMulkin, but I imagine all the instructors are good). They don't have a lot of next year's dates on there but I'm sure there will be many more. https://centerformsc.org/lomsc/
I love your poem. And your practising is paying huge dividends. You don't have to do more. You are already enough. We've both had a gift of challenging health this year. And that gift is going to make us so much better into the longer term. Take care x
Karen, I am practicing gratitude also~ I made a list of pros and cons and really looked at it I realized it was fear running through me~ fear of Covid~ fear that my health will continue to decline~ fear I won’t see my family around our table it’s been three years ~ my sons family isn’t vaccinated at all~ and so I started going thru my day and being grateful ~ for my health I am still here~ it’s out of my control what my sons do~ it’s really helped me~ I talked on the phone to a 40 plus year friend at thanksgiving and I heard myself say ~I like who I am at 74~ that’s a giant step for me. I’ve learn to keep my life simple~ surround my self with caring ~loving people ~like you Karen~ life is short ~I am learning to just let go of the fears~ and try and see each day as a blessing.
Thank you Janisse, that's so kind! (Makes me feel better about not getting that flash essay done...or my writing for workshopping...still hoping I will though!)
I love this, Karen. There are an endless amount of “shoulds” in life, and it takes so much practice simply accepting and appreciating what is. It is work, even if it doesn’t feel like it!
Adore this piece. Especially “common mergansers swam around the corner, hoping they wouldn’t take off” and the photography you do. Thankyou as always for this inspiring work.
Thank you!
Thanks, Karen, again for your deep sharing of your reflection time. I have a mantra that one never fails as long one learns from what happened. Failure is only when one refuses to reflect on and learn from what is happening.
I love this Uncle Bill. Thank you.
Beautiful, thank you Karen. Write on.
Thank you Julie! Practicing the writing too!
yes! me too. :)
Beautiful, Karen. As always. Love that shot of the shovelers!!! My practice is to live my life in constant amazement. Sometimes I get it right. Like seeing your images and reading your words right now.
Thank you Ken! I love this, "to live my life in constant amazement" and it certainly shows in the work you put out into the world. I also love "Sometimes I get it right." YES!
The equilibrium necessary to age gracefully with optimism and joy in tact.
Yessssss....ever since I turned 50 it's been a journey. I seem to retain optimism but joy is more challenging!
I’m practicing radical acceptance of my emotions, which is SO HARD. My inclination is to default to scolding myself for what I should or shouldn’t be feeling. But one step at a time, right?
It is SO HARD!!! I took a 10 week mindful self-compassion course and then a group of wonderful women from that course have continued on weekly. We went back through the 10 weeks and now we are working through a many-chaptered workbook. I kind of tagged along before I let myself sink more deeply into it - it's great to have support on this path.
That sounds like an amazing course!
Really great. This is the one I took (with Christine Grace-McMulkin, but I imagine all the instructors are good). They don't have a lot of next year's dates on there but I'm sure there will be many more. https://centerformsc.org/lomsc/
Thanks so much! Will check this out.
I love your poem. And your practising is paying huge dividends. You don't have to do more. You are already enough. We've both had a gift of challenging health this year. And that gift is going to make us so much better into the longer term. Take care x
Thank you Cali! One thing I'm grateful for this year is getting to "know" you at least a little!
Likewise. Actually, we are so similar, I think we "know" each other a lot 🙂❤️
I agree - and I keep being reminded that I can know someone and not know them too so I don't want to assume - it's more fun to keep being curious!
Karen, I am practicing gratitude also~ I made a list of pros and cons and really looked at it I realized it was fear running through me~ fear of Covid~ fear that my health will continue to decline~ fear I won’t see my family around our table it’s been three years ~ my sons family isn’t vaccinated at all~ and so I started going thru my day and being grateful ~ for my health I am still here~ it’s out of my control what my sons do~ it’s really helped me~ I talked on the phone to a 40 plus year friend at thanksgiving and I heard myself say ~I like who I am at 74~ that’s a giant step for me. I’ve learn to keep my life simple~ surround my self with caring ~loving people ~like you Karen~ life is short ~I am learning to just let go of the fears~ and try and see each day as a blessing.
"I like who I am at 74" - YES! Life is so short and fear is tough. Love you Catherine!
Such a beautiful tribute to mindfulness and reminders of what we are capable of, if only we practice. Thank you 🙏🏼🌱❤️
Thank you Nanci!
Oh, Karen, I just love the poem you start with. I'm going to print it out, if you don't mind, and read it in class. It's so powerful.
Thank you Janisse, that's so kind! (Makes me feel better about not getting that flash essay done...or my writing for workshopping...still hoping I will though!)
I needed this today, thank you.
Thank goodness all of us share the wisdom around like a circle so it comes back to us when we need it!
That bubble picture is magical! I’m practicing surrender and trust. Both very hard for me but also kind of fun in a way :)
Thank you Katie! You really are practicing them, I see this in your writing too. I like "kind of fun in a way" - I need to cultivate that mindset!
I love this, Karen. There are an endless amount of “shoulds” in life, and it takes so much practice simply accepting and appreciating what is. It is work, even if it doesn’t feel like it!
Thank you Katie. One of my practices is reading your writing regularly too!