Mojo Monday ~ Looking Back & Looking Forward While Staying Present

Maternal great great grandparents William Roberts and Sarah Briggs and children.

Looking Back

lin·e·age

ˈlinēij/
noun

1. 1.

   lineal descent from an ancestor; ancestry or pedigree.

   synonyms:

   ancestry, family, parentage, birth, descent, line, extraction, derivation,genealogy, roots, origin, background, heritage, dual heritage; stock,bloodline, breeding, pedigree

My blog writing, besides coming from those stories that inspire me personally and topics that I wish to share with others, is also sometimes informed by my connection with my Cosmic Cowgirls tribe.  My writing appears not only on my personal blogs, but also on Cosmic Cowgirls member web sites.  Over on the Rodeo of the Soul we are going to be exploring the theme of Lineage.  When I began delving into my own personal ancestry research about a month ago I had no idea that this was part of the new year plan.  It is rather serendipitous how things are falling into place.  

In light of this theme there will be more exploration of ancestry in the coming months, yet it won't be entirely focused on genealogy per se.  When I think of lineage in broader terms, beyond my own family tree, I think of honoring the wisdom of all women (and men) that came before.  I think of a video I recently watched of Bill Moyers interviewing award winning writer Ursula Le Guin who is about 85 years old now and the wisdom she shared.  I think of suffragists, feminists, women historians, activists, artists.....and onto the legendary work and impacts we are leaving in our wakes for the women and girls to follow us.  There is much to explore in the coming months.  

Looking Forward

At the beginning of a new year most of us not only look back at year we just wrapped up.  We also look forward to the new year, perhaps with dreams, goals and resolutions in mind.  Here are brief introductions to several articles that offered some thoughtful ideas for looking forward to the new year ahead. 

Beyond Carb-Cutting: Resolutions After A Trauma — Sleep, Play, Love - I especially love the simplicity of these heal-the-trauma resolutions and wonder how life might flow if these were your most primal goals for the year?  (Click the link for the full article.)

1. A restful sleep
2. Play, Sing, Dance  
3. Love the One Who Is With You 
4. Be In Nature
5. Ban Perfection (though I might tweak this one to Embrace Imperfection)

2 Choices That Can Make This Next Year The Best Year of Your Life - A fan of the wisdom of Dr. Margaret Paul and her Inner Bonding newsletters and program I found her two suggested choices to be sound advice - Gratitude and Intent to Learn.  (Click the link for the full article.)

If 2014 Tried You or Tested You, Do This - If 2014 was a hard year for you I encourage you to click on over for a visit to this article.  It has the ability to shift perspective.  I especially loved the passage below.  (Click the linked title to access the original article.)

"I believe 2014 was not your worst year, but possibly your greatest.

Your Year of Greatest Strength
Your Year of Greatest Faith
Your Year of Greatest Hope
Your Year of Greatest Patience
Your Year of Greatest Risk
Your Year of Greatest Determination
Your Year of Greatest Courage"

10 Ways To Live Simply In 2015 - Inspirational and thoughtful descriptions of ways to simplify.

Staying Present

Simple and wise words from Maya Angelou.

Have you read any inspirational articles that you'd like to share about in the comments?

What are your thoughts about looking back, looking forward and staying present?  

Mojo Monday ~ Write A Letter to Your Future Self

The following is an e-mail from the past, composed 6 years, 11 months and 23 days ago, on April 18, 2007. It is being delivered from the past through FutureMe.org.  

(It was delivered via email to me on April 10, 2014, my 45th birthday.)

Dear FutureMe,

Happy Birthday Michelle! You are 45 today - wow!

Did you forget about this message? You wrote it 7 years ago. I am sure that a lot has happened in 7 years. I hope that you find yourself in a good and happy place in your life.

At the time of writing this letter you were still feeling some insecurities about some aspects of your life. There were little worries about your marriage. Some hurts and frustrations that you are planning and hoping to work through. Next week you will be meeting with a therapist for the first time in your life. You are nervous about it and also have great hopes. You are hoping that it helps you work through some of your anger and frustration in regards to the relationship with your husband and also with your mother. Oh how cliche that sounds. The archetypal mother-daughter conflicted relationship.

I have had moments of doubt about my marriage making it for the long haul. Sitting here now though and really contemplating the future I see clearly that I want this marriage to work. That is what I envision in my future. I want to know that 7 years from now when I receive this email that my husband will still be by my side. That we will be raising our children together and growing old together. I want our relationship to be solid, loving and fun. I want us to celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary this June together.

Not only have you aged but so has everyone else. Your husband is going to be 52 years old in May. And your twin daughters - wow they will be 8 years old in May. Just thinking about such a passage of time in connection with your loved ones brings tears to your eyes.

There are also the fur-kids to consider. Hopefully both are still with the family. Our furry friends just don't live long enough. The cat will be 17 years old and the dog will be 11. I hope they are still with us. Just thinking of them passing is hard to imagine.

There are also my siblings and my parents. What changes have taken place in our family during this time frame. I know from experience how the unexpected can happen. I've already lost two brothers and a fiance in my past.

Are you still working at the same job? You had a good job back then with a great organization. I also know that you are capable of more. You have a lot of creative talents and you can write. I am hoping that you have moved in the direction of putting your creative talents to work and are making a living in that area. You have entered into the world of digital design recently. You love to play with images. Finding the right combination of writing and design would be perfect.

Here are some of my wishes for you in the future.

I hope that you have learned to be more relaxed. 
I hope that you are more accepting of yourself and your imperfections. 
I hope that you are comfortable with your body. 
I hope that you are having lots of fun in your life. 
I hope that you have a great relationship with your husband. 
I hope that you and your daughters are so very close and love spending time together. 
I hope that your daughters are happy, healthy and loving life. 
I hope that your parents are still alive and that you have a healthy and close relationship with them. 
I hope you are doing things you love professionally. 
I hope that you have a close circle of friends and that you still spend time with them. 
I hope you have found effective ways to take good care of you. 
I hope you have learned to express your needs to others. 
I hope your hair looks good -tee hee. 
I hope you are happy - most of the time.

I was surprised when I received the letter above.  It was nearly 7 years ago when I wrote it and my memory of doing so really didn't come back until I was reading it.  It moved me to tears.  I loved seeing how my focus was on my relationships, my marriage, my children and my family.  

When I wrote the letter my daughters were just about to turn one years old.  They are now seven and will turn eight years old in May. My husband and I will be celebrating our 11th wedding anniversary in June. 

I am still at the same job and just had my 10th anniversary at the end of March.  Yet I have made strides with my art and my writing.  Back in 2007 I hadn't even heard of the Cosmic Cowgirls.  It wasn't until October of 2008 that I attended the Bountiful Conference they put on in Healdsburg, California.  Being a part of this tribe has let to me writing Mojo Monday posts for nearly four years now.  That it turn led to my column in Cosmic Cowgirls Magazine which launched in early 2011 and has been going strong for three years.  I have yet to make a living with my writing and art, and I don't know if I will get there, but I will keep on doing what I love.




I am considering writing myself another letter with futureme.org.  I think sending one to myself five years from now on my 50th birthday sounds about right.  When I contemplate what might go into such a letter I realize just how much can happen in five years.  I grow emotional considering my wishes and hopes for what my life will encompass when I am fifty years old.  There is something powerful in stating your hopes and intentions for your future self. 

Will you write yourself a letter?  Would you want to send it a year from now, five years, or maybe ten years or longer?

Share a little bit about what you are hoping and imagining for your future self in the comments.  

In the Clearing

Clearing ~ the act of making or becoming clear.
Clear ~ a synonym for transparent

The word "clearing" and "clear" have been especially significant to me the past seven years. I entered into a new phase of life that included marriage, moving to a new community and then becoming a mommy to twin daughters. Sharing my life with a partner has taught me so much more about the real meaning of commitment, compromise and forgiveness. Being a parent also includes commitment and compromise, in addition to self-forgiveness and the practice of a whole new level of patience with myself and others.

I entered into therapy for the first time due to some struggles I was experiencing in my marriage and as a first time parent. It has been eye opening to view my life as a kind of web and to really see how the various parts of myself from the past and the present connect. There have been revelations that have been positive and helpful. Others have been painful, but also in their own way sometimes even more helpful. When you find yourself caught up in an unhealthy spiral, to finally have that aha moment of clarity, allows you to then break free and move in a different direction, make different choices and really see things through new eyes.

During the course of some work I have been doing with Shiloh McCloud and the Cosmic Cowgirl University in the 30 day on-line class called A Year of Great Promise I have again come to see more "clearly" how often my thoughts can travel back into the past and revisit old stories and events or project worries into the future. I once read that FEAR stands for False Expectations Appearing Real and I have never forgotten that because it is so true. If I am reminiscing about wonderful happy memories that is all fine and good. However, if my wanders into the past are more focused on loss, grief, sadness, and those things that cause me pain, I am unnecessarily living them over and over again. In the opposite direction there is that thinking about the future too much. Dreaming, Visioning, and Planning out one's future is the best part about thinking about one's future. Yet when I find that my focus becomes more about my worries and fears about what could happen, then my focus on the future becomes unproductive and even self-defeating.

I don't want to suggest that all wanders into the hurtful past are self indulgent. Certainly it can be necessary to bring something from the past into the light so you can experience a breakthrough of sorts and finally move forward. An example might be when you are feeling anxiety and you really don't quite know what is at the heart of the matter. So you find yourself taking an on-line class with Shiloh and some of the prompts and questions prove difficult and intitally you find yourself resisting answering, writing and responding, but as you stick with it there comes upon you a realization of what is truly at the center of that anxiety. There is your clearing. There is that point of bringing what was hidden into the light. There is your opportunity for recognition and then release, or perhaps action, if that is what is called for in order for you to move forward.

In this clearing I have realized how profoundly my own thoughts affect me. I can allow my thoughts to get bogged down in thinking about old negative story lines from my past or worries and fears about my future. When I get bogged down in the past and future there isn't as much room for Focusing on my Vision or all the positives in my life or all of my many blessings. This is my challenge - to stop those unhealthy and negative wanderings and redirect my thoughts back to the present and what I am doing NOW. Positive thoughts create positive feelings. Positive feelings make you feel good and make you feel happier. This brings me full circle to my Life Vision. I want to be a force for Positive change in my life, the lives of my family and friends and if I widen the circle I would also say in my community and in the world.

It all starts with my thoughts and where I choose to focus them.

A Letter From the Future

Dear Me,

How ironic that I am writing to you just a couple days away from your 40th birthday. Just imagine - in 40 years you'll be my age - a whopping 80 years-old.

I am writing to share some thoughts with you. This isn't advice - because really advice isn't always worth much. You really just need to trust yourself and your inner intuition. Follow your heart and listen to your gut.

What I want to share first is to take care of your self, so that you can experience the joy of good health for as long as possible. Trust me, you want to be able to still be active and doing things forty years from now. So if you want to be active in your future you need to be active NOW.

I am also going to tell you something you already know, which is that you are in touch with something greater, that something that connects us all. It is a web of magic that permeates the universe. Stay open to new experiences, to magic and special connections. Synchronicity happens because you draw those experiences to you. You are indeed powerful.

Don't be afraid. Don't let fear control you. Just stare it down, hop over it, walk by it or smack it out of your way. And failure. Ha! Laugh at that one. It is an illusion. There really is no such thing as failing. In fact what people often discover is the old cliche that when one door closes another does indeed open and what is through that next door is so much better than what you left behind.

What about all your creativity? So what if someone doesn't like what you write or paint. Ask yourself what it does for you and your spirit. If it brings you joy, a sense of fulfillment or completion, then keep on doing it. Odds are someone else will probably like it too anyways.

Dance more. Don't be so serious. Laugh, laugh, laugh and then laugh some more. Be happy. Enjoy the ride of life. Always stay in touch with your inner child because she is still in there. Play!!!!!

Trust in this great big amazing swirling spiraling universe and always be open to loving and being loved in return.

If you were to write a letter from your future self at the age of 80 to your current self, what would you write?