Courage Doesn't Always Roar

Courage doesn't always roar

Sometimes courage is the quiet voice

at the end of the day saying,

"I will try again tomorrow."

Want to be part of makingdreams come true and 
sharing inspirational messages?  

Why Mary Anne and Applied Insight
Need Your Help

Mary Anne is ready to inspire future generations with fresh work and delightful new energy (because evidently a quarter century of art and verses and a dozen books later she hasn't even scratched the surface). So, she's creating a new studio and artistic space in her home where she can host retreats and workshops and artists (oh my!), and where she can birth another glorious array of ideas and insights, art and words, to inspire generations to come.

She calls the new space "The APRON-AERIE," where she dons boldly-colored aprons (often polka-dotted in nature) to create and inspire and to support others in doing the same. THAT's what Kickstarter will help her do. One of our fabulous Kickstarter rewards levels gives you and a friend a 5-night, 6-day opportunity to spend uninterrupted time in the APRON-AERIE with customized artistic guidance from Mary Anne, enjoying rest, relaxation, creativity, and million-dollar views from her lovely studio and home on Whidbey Island. But there are so many more ways you can enjoy and celebrate her work.

Because while she's doing all of that, the Applied Insight team will be busily bringing all of her inspiring new work to the world. In the form of cards and journals, art and affirmations--whatever touchstones will help people remember to act boldly, embrace courage, and live with intention. To do this, our Kickstarter campaign will help launch an exquisite new line of wall art, journals, stationery, and quote cards that people have been asking for (ok, demanding) for many, many months. Mary Anne creates. We bring it to the world. You love it (and live it) every day. Everyone wins.

Those who have followed Mary Anne's career know that she is far more inclined to ask for help for others (and often does so with grace and compassion). Applied Insight knows this about her and we are asking for help on behalf of this whole endeavor.

It takes courage

to change your style,

your opinion,

the path you walk,

your hat!

It takes courage to let go

of the weighty parts of your past.

It takes courage to find your own voice.

It takes courage to reinvent joys,

to reinvent opportunities,

to reinvent dreams,

to reinvent connections...

to reinvent hopes that you have set aside.

There are only 7 days left to reachthe Kickstarter fundraising goaland they are over half way there!

The goal is $43,700 and they have
reach $25,755 as of November 1st.
They must reach the goal by 4:52 pm next Saturday, Nov 8th

If they don't reach the goal
they will not receive any of the funds.

Giving is easy and a joyful experience.
Be a part of making dreams come true
and ensuring that Mary Anne Radmacher's 
inspirational words continue to be 
spread far and wide.

You can also receive beautiful gifts
in return for your giving,
come learn more by visiting
the Kickstarter page here.

 

It takes courage

to recognize that rigid habit inhibits

It takes courage to accept

that the way you "have always been"

does not determine the way you are.

It takes courage

to stand in a place you didn't know existed...

and learn from a view

you previously couldn't imagine.

It takes courage to let go

of your assumptions

and fly you dreams as a 

soaring invitation to become the best

version of yourself.

It takes courage to stand for your convictions.

It takes courage to give up control

and it takes courage to recognize

you are perfect just the way you are.

Change of any sort, requires courage...

Courage to write a new story of your life

with the pen of each day...

of every moment.

Tell yourself this little story when you need it - 

"I have the courage to stand in whatever

the weather brings...

and understand that everything is washable.

Everything is fixable

and everything is replaceable

but by time and breath."

Mojo Monday ~ She: A Celebration of Greatness In Every Woman

SHE ~ She Harnesses Everything

“SHE is a book of qualities illustrating the greatness and strength of all women.  From ‘everywoman’ to exemplars Madame Secretaries Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright, to visionary artist Shiloh McCloud and poet Maya Stein, these woman represent the very best in the human spirit.  Author-artists Mary Anne Radmacher and Liz Kalloch have gathered these fierce and fiesty females along with their best advice for our life’s journey on the topics of leadership, friendship, adventurousness, collaboration, risk-taking, happiness, compassion and much more.  With words of wisdom from Madeleine L’Engle, Laura Schlesssinger, Rachel Carson, Oprah Winfrey, Harper Lee, Lucille Ball, Cheri Huber, Julia Child, Drew Barrymore and many others.”

The book SHE: A Celebration of Greatness In Every Woman is a work of art. Each page is richly designed enhancing the beauty and power of the words that were written by authors Mary Anne Radmacher and Liz Kalloch.  This work of art also includes words of wisdom from Shiloh McCloud, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Deanna Davis, Jennifer Louden, Christine Mason Miller and more.

I can recall how in January of 2013 Mary Anne Radmacher emailed me asking if I might be able to give her Shiloh McCloud’s private email address, as she wanted to contact her about a particular project.  I knew Shiloh wouldn’t mind so I shared it with her.  Later that same day I heard back from both Mary Ann and Shiloh about their delightful exchange regarding this very book project. Here it is finally in all its glory.

My friend and Cosmic Cowgirl tribe chief Shiloh was selected as the representative for the Mystical in the book. Here are a few images from the book for this particular topic.

There are so many more brilliant words of wisdom in the book.  More quotes to inspire.  More image and designs to please the eyes.  It is a feast for the senses.  The only thing missing is a musical soundtrack to accompany the book.

Here are some more images and quotes from the book to enjoy.

Authors Mary Anne Radmacher and Liz Kalloch
are about to begin a tour with their new book.

One of the big book events is taking place on March 8th
from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm in Napa, CA

Here are more details:
Celebrate International Women’s Day in a festival-like atmosphere!
Join inspirational author Mary Anne Radmacher and artist/co-author Liz Kalloch
sharing their new book, She: A Celebration of Greatness in Every Woman,
as well as Dr. Rhea Zimmerman (producer and director of Love Bomb The Movie
and local author Pam Burns-Clair, MFT
(We Who Took a Leap – From Where Our Mothers Left Off),
followed by lunch (which may be purchased),
book signing, wine tasting, local entertainment and
a room filled with inspirational women sharing
their unique talents/contributions in our community.
This event is FREE to both participants and the public.

Visit the Facebook page for the book SHE here.

You can find Mary Anne Radmacher on Facebook here.

Liz Kalloch is on Facebook here.

Lastly you can also find cards (even SHE cards) and prints by
Mary Anne Radmacher and Liz Kalloch
at a web site called Applied Insight.

She Nurtures Greeting Card (She)
“She nurtures. She gardens.
She calls her friends to play in the fields of excellence.
She commands respect by never demanding it.
She grows all kinds of goodness. She lives with intention.”

Mojo Monday ~ Promise of Tomorrow

Courage doesn't always roar

sometimes courage is the quiet voice 

at the end of the day saying,

"I will try again tomorrow."

~ Mary Anne Radmacher

This has been one of my favorite quotes for many years.  Artist and writer Mary Anne Radmacher has inspired me for many years with her writing and her art.  Many of her books are included in my library of favorites.  Yet it is only recently that I picked up a copy of her book called Courage Doesn't Always Roar.   I was incredibly moved and thrilled to read an expanded version of this very quote in this book.  I felt a bit stunned after taking it all in.

I also definitely appreciated this particular part in the introduction, 

"Courage is a paradox.  

Courage is the willingness to aspire, reach, 

and again believe in the promise of tomorrow."

Hmmm...let those words linger promise of tomorrow.

Now let us journey together further into the exploration of courage with Mary Anne Radmacher....

Courage doesn't always roar

sometimes courage is the quiet voice 

at the end of the day saying,

"I will try again tomorrow."

It takes courage

to change your style,

your opinion,

the path you walk...

your hat!

It takes courage to let go

of the weighty parts of your past.

It takes courage

to find your own voice.

It takes courage

to reinvent joys,

to reinvent opportunities,

to reinvent dreams,

to reinvent connections...

to reinvent hopes

that you have set aside.

It takes courage

to recognize that rigid habit inhibits.

It takes courage to accept

that the way you "have always been"

does not determine the way you are.

It takes courage

to stand in a place

you didn't know existed...

and learn from a view

you previously couldn't imagine.

It takes courage to let go

of your assumptions

and fly your dreams as a 

soaring invitation to become

the best version of yourself.

It takes courage to stand for your convictions.

It takes courage to give up control.

And it takes courage to recognize you are perfect

just the way you are.

Change of any sort, requires courage...

Courage to write a new story of your life

with the pen of each day

...of every moment.

Tell yourself this little story when you need it - 

"I have the courage to stand

in whatever the weather brings...

and understand that everything is washable.

Everything is fixable,

and everything is replaceable

but my time and breath."

The opportunity for greater courage

comes in the most ordinary moments.

Courage sings the praises

of the sturdy souls and says to them,

"Today I will borrow a little of your courage

and see what garden I can water 

with the healing of my tears;

and what growing things I can nurture

with the strength of my laughter."

Courage is defined more by its contrasts 

than it sameness,

more by its risks

than its security.

Courage is content to make no excuses.

Courage, dressed in intentional change,

is the most ferocious response to fear.

Courage acts without regret.

Courage laughs right out loud.

Have the courage 

to walk out the door

and let possibilities discover you.

Have the courage 

to wander and parades will find you.

Courage.

As you weigh the many possibilities of your day

measure your action with this question,

"How would I most like to remember this?"

Your chosen answer becomes

your natural action and

your unique opportunity 

for courage.

Perspective in the large.

Grace in the small.

An open hand.

A practiced pause.

A YES!

Courage doesn't always roar.

Mary Anne Radmacher has touched the hearts of tens and thousands with her popular cards, books, posters, journals, and gift books.  She conducts workshops and writing seminars on living a full, creative, and balanced life. 

She is the author of the following books:

Lean Forward into Your Life

Us: Celebrating the Power of Friendship

May You Walls Know Joy

Courage Doesn’t Always Roar

Live with Intention

Live Boldly

Please visit her website: http://www.maryanneradmacher.net/

A new year is approaching.  

2013 will be here within a week.  

Surrender your fear.

Embrace change.

Center yourself.

Stay true to your voice.

What is it that you want in 2013?

Now is also a great time to write yourself a series of Permission Slips!  Be courageous.  Set yourself free to be you ~ and to do those things that make you happy...and then let the rest be.

 You can just let it be.

I looked back at a list of Permission Slips that I had written for myself as part of a Cosmic Cowgirl Sparking session.  I have the date down as December 22nd.  I was inspired again by what I had listed.  Here is that list:

I give myself permission to be different than I was 10 years ago.

I give myself permission to like and love who Michelle is today.

I give myself permission to not be perfect.

I give myself permission to love my imperfect and over-sized body.

I give myself permission to be content.

I give myself permission to be an imperfect parent and partner.

I give myself permission to lighten up.

I give myself permission to not get it all done.

I give myself permission to write without editing.

I give myself permission to relax and have fun.

I give myself permission to make mistakes AND NOT beat myself up about them.

What would you include on your Permission Slip list?

Mojo Monday ~ Shhhhh....

Turn down 

the volume of demands

and listen

to the grace of

the small,

the silence,

the whisper.

~ Mary Anne Radmacher

Does the pace of the world ever seem frenetic to you?  

Do you ever find yourself struggling in order to keep up with emails, texts, blog posts, facebook posts, on-line classes, and phone messages?  

Do you ever find yourself filling every moment of your day with the many forms of communicating and social networking that are now possible?

While driving or at stoplights do you talk on the phone, text, check email, or surf the web?  

Do you ever feel inundated by too much information and too much stimulus?  Perhaps too many offers to participate in this or that teleconference or amazing life-changing workshop?

Do you ever take time to just sit?

Do you ever take time to just think?

Do you ever carve out quiet time?

Does the idea of quiet time seem far-fetched, because of the demands of your life?

Is quiet time something you long for or is it something you would dread?

This piece started to percolate in my mind after reading that a favorite author of mine by the name of Brene Brown was struggling with being on all the time.  She was finding herself checking emails or the web at stoplights.  She was filling every moment with communicating in some form or other. 

Just the thought of doing those things sounds crazy making to me.  I wondered, when does she get down time, quiet time, time to just think? It made me wonder how other people balance out being busy, with taking necessary time out for oneself?

Once a week, for work, I have an hour drive out of town and then I turn around and do it again in the afternoon to return home.  While the drive can sometimes get stressful due to driving conditions, for the most part, I use this time to simply listen to music and think thoughts.  I may come up with a new idea for an article.  I may ponder something.  I might imagine a new painting.  I may try to work out a problem in my mind.  The idea of using that time to communicate with others is not at all appealing. This for me is a perfect time to be unreachable.  

Is quiet time at all important?  Are we humans missing out on something if we fill our days with constant stimulation such as pinning pictures, reading status posts of friends and family, texting till our fingers are numb, talking on the phone at all hours, or signing up for every teleconference that hits our in-box?  

In wondering about this very thing I came across this quote by the Dalai Lama:

"If every 8 year old in the world is taught meditation, 

we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation."

Why would the Dalia Lama believe such a thing?  Would a violent free world really be the result of all the children meditating?  Would meditation really change them and our world that much?  

Cynthia Dawn,  a writer, children’s meditation facilitator, raw and vegan food enthusiast enthusiast, and co-creator of The Intention Tree Project, shares this about meditation:

"Meditation is a powerful adeptness for anyone and we are learning (remembering really) that when we have this modeled to us as children the reverberations are profound!

On a physical level, scientific studies have found that meditation:

* increases levels of immunity
* prevents and/or reduces cancer and autoimmune disorders
* improves hyperactivity and attention deficit disorders
* alleviates respiratory disorders and digestive problems
* reduces the severity of asthma and panic attacks

On a mental and emotional level, experts have found that meditation:

* encourages a healthy sense of self
* promotes well-being and self-esteem
* increases focus, concentration and problem solving skills
* fosters awareness and creativity
* instills connection, understanding, and compassion

On a Universal level many believe that meditation is a large part of the solution for world peace. When we are at peace with ourselves and no longer fighting a physical, mental, or emotional war ~ we can be true peacemakers within our world."

The sentence that really impacted me from above is:

 "When we are at peace with ourselves 
and no longer fighting a physical, mental, or emotional war ~ 

we can be true peacemakers
within our world."  

I also came across this report about meditation in public schools:

"A University of Michigan study concludes that two, ten-minute meditation sessions per day in a public school setting reduces stress in children and teens and promotes emotional stability.  Participants within the study group were found to exhibit less verbal aggression, anxiety and loneliness.  Based on this study, a growing partnership of Detroit area parents, teachers and physicians are now calling for schools around the country to offer meditation breaks each day.  'It wouldn't be difficult,' a spokesperson said, 'and it requires no expensive equipment, no special outfits or footwear.'  Since meditation is not a religion, proponents claim that meditation would be an appropriate stress reliever in the schools."

It seems that with meditation or even just the practice of getting quiet regularly, allows you to center yourself.

BJ Gallagher at the Huffington Post wrote a brief post titled Buddha: How to Tame Your Monkey Mind that explains more.

Buddha described the human mind as being filled with drunken monkeys, jumping around, screeching, chattering, carrying on endlessly. We all have monkey minds, Buddha said, with dozens of monkeys all clamoring for attention. Fear is an especially loud monkey, sounding the alarm incessantly, pointing out all the things we should be wary of and everything that could go wrong.

Buddha showed his students how to meditate in order to tame the drunken monkeys in their minds. It’s useless to fight with the monkeys or to try to banish them from your mind because, as we all know, that which you resist persists. Instead, Buddha said, if you will spend some time each day in quiet meditation — simply calm your mind by focusing on your breathing or a simple mantra — you can, over time, tame the monkeys. They will grow more peaceful if you lovingly bring them into submission with a consistent practice of meditation.

Do you long for more peace in your heart and mind?

Are there things that feel unsettled for you?

Do you feel content and happy most of the time?

Do you have time in your life to just be, to dream, to imagine, to just breathe?

What would it really take for you to start a meditation practice of your own?

What would it take to simply ensure that you get quiet time regularly?



"If we have not quiet minds, outward comfort will do no more for us than a golden slipper on a gouty foot."

~ John Bunyon

"We need quiet time to examine our lives openly and honestly...spending quiet time alone gives your mind an opportunity to renew itself and create order."

~ Susan L. Taylor