Hail to SARK! The Queen of Childlike Spirit

For those of you who know me, particularly if you’re a member of the Boca Raton Women’s Wellness Society, you’ve heard me talk about SARK regularly with admiration and gratitude.

Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy, SARK, and her playful, insightful books, have been a part of my life since my mother introduced me to her musings more than 15 years ago. Living Juicy: Daily Morsels for Your Creative Soul has been on my reading list for most of those years, along with the one I remember reading first, Succulent Wild Woman.

The colors and drawings always caught my eye, and the words nurtured my soul, reminding me not to forget the joy of playing like a child.

Each month for the past year, I’ve been closing the Women’s Wellness monthly meetings by pulling a card from my collection of SARK’s “Juicy Living Cards”, so I was thrilled to see last week that SARK’s been talking about “adventure amnesia”…when we know something is missing, but we just know what it is. Her antidote is a fabulous new 30-day eProgram called SARK’s Awesome Anytime Adventure!
I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share this progam with all of the SARK fans out there like me! You can get a DAILY audio message from SARK, plus tons of other all-new SARK art and writings, in her newest eProgram, SARK’s Awesome Anytime Adventure!

If you’re ready more adventure in your life, take a look at SARK’s Awesome Anytime Adventure!…she calls it “a 30-day tour to the most breathtaking destinations within you!”

SARK’s Awesome Anytime Adventure includes all-new colorfull daily adventures, interactive journaling, downloadable SARK goodies, and inspiring daily audio messages from SARK, herself!

Ready for a different kind of vacation? SARK’s Awesome Anytime Adventure is a 30-day multimedia eProgram full of nourishing, fabulously fun sweet spots of inspiration, healing, and extreme self-care.
Click here to view more details

I can’t wait to get started! How ’bout you?
In the spirit of wisdom, wellness and prosperity-
Nanette

The Holiday Season is a Time For…

I’ve been thinking about this blog post all week, and was struggling to find the “perfect” and “profound” thing to share…

Note to self: I vowed to eliminate the word “struggle” from my vocabulary this year– guess I haven’t quite succeeded yet… Reminder: effortless is my theme of this new year

…then, as I was clearing my emails this morning, I received a newsletter titled “The Top 10 Holiday “Shoulds” (and Permission to Just Breathe and Let them Go)” from Christine Kane, an artist and creativity consultant.

Instantly, I knew that even though I should come up with something of my own, I had found my answer, her newsletter is the perfect words of wisdom to share today.

And it’s the perfect reminder for me to take a long, deep, breathe, and remember that the holiday season is a time to connect…

…not to things… but to friends, family, lovers and strangers, and mostly, to ourselves.

For me, the holiday season is a time for celebration of life, love and light, and for renewal and re-birth. Nothing else really matters, does it?

So enjoy Christine’s words– I couldn’t have said it better– and if you haven’t already done your journalling for the day, ask yourself the question…what is the holiday season a time for to you?

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The Top 10 Holiday “Shoulds” (and Permission to Just Breathe and Let them Go)
Do you know the “shoulds?” Those voices that occasionally creep around your head telling you that things aren’t as good as they could be and that everything would be better if you behaved well?

Yea?

Well, you’re not alone. We all go there from time to time. Some of us spend our every waking moment “shoulding” on ourselves!

In the coaching/mentoring work I do, I know one thing to be true about this time of year:

The Holiday Shoulds are a special breed of Should. The Holiday Shoulds are loud and insidious. If you’re not conscious, they can make you believe that they’re a rational way to think.

After all, during the holidays, people become almost hypnotized into believing that every moment should be a certain way, that every yard should look a certain way, that every family should behave a certain way – and that it’s okay to beat themselves up for their own preferences or for not keeping up with the imaginary standard.

Here’s a list of the Top Ten Holiday Shoulds, along with a thought or two about simply letting them go, and delighting in this moment. In the words of Byron Katie: “When I argue with What Is, I lose. But only 100% of the time.”

1 – I should have a new outfit to wear to the Christmas party!

Last year’s outfit is fine. Your shiny happy self tells a brighter story than something you bought at a store.

2 – I should have done hand-made Christmas cards! (Or, I should’ve done Christmas Cards at all!)

Relax. If you had time to delight in making cards, that would be great. But it’s okay that you didn’t. And as for not sending cards, you can send them out next year. (Or, be like my brother’s family and send out Valentine Cards instead!)

3 – My kids/parents should behave differently!

Everyone is doing the best they can. What would happen if you simply accepted each person’s path and choices – and let them be exactly where they are?

4 – I should’ve bought more expensive presents!

When gifting becomes about competition or keeping up, then it just drains you. Take a moment to remember who you are and how you want to love the people in your life. Nothing beats authenticity.

5 – I should go out and buy more [insert useless consumer good or processed food here.]

When you nervously become a consumer for no reason, challenge yourself to sit down, listen, and experience the emptiness. You might find that it’s actually quite peaceful in there!

6 – I should’ve lost weight this year!

Become a champion of yourself. Make a list of five great things you accomplished this year, and let go of those things you didn’t. You can revisit them in January.

7 – The Holidays should look more like the pretty scenes in a snow globe or on Christmas specials!

The cool thing about snow globes and such is the happy feeling they create inside of you. Instead of thinking everything should make you feel that way, try to capture the feeling you get from those things – and then carry that feeling to each moment in your life. I call this Positive Daydreaming.

8 – I should’ve made [Insert time-consuming baked good featured in Martha Stewart Magazine]!

See #5. And remember that Martha Stewart has a very large staff. And that there’s rarely a shortage of sugary baked items during the holidays.

9 – My house should have better decorations!

See #8. And go take a nap.

10 – I should make better scrapbook pages after the holidays!

Doing good scrapbooks does not make you a good mother, sister, daughter or friend. Doing good scrapbooks makes you someone who has time to scrapbook. If you use photo-boxes or boring albums, you’re still a wonderful human, and we’ll all still love you.

**BONUS SHOULD**
11 – It should be The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Christmas is lovely with all of its twinkle lights and confectionary goodies, AND there are many wonderful times each year. (I happen to love each and every time I hike in the woods, no matter what time of year it is!)

Wonderful is about your delight and how you feel on the inside. When you let go of what is not authentic delight for you, then you might be surprised at how simple the holidays become. You might find that wonderful is right here in this very moment.
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Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her ‘LiveCreative’ weekly ezine with more than 4,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

WANT TO SEE HUNDREDS MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE?
See Christine’s blog – Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be Courageous – at ChristineKane.com/blog.

Hello world! Today is the first day…

You know how to finish that line, don’t you?

Well, today is the first day of my life as a “blogger”…kind of exciting, kind of scary, and kind of fun!
More to come…

Wishing you well–
Nanette