taking my own advice (take one)

So this is for all of you who have a hard time saying no.

I did it. Today. I said no.

I can't help you. Today, tomorrow, or the next day. Yes, I do have a job, and I will not have time. Between teaching four yoga classes and editing four chapters (with more to come) and handling the other responsibilities I have, I will not be able to help you.

Thursday? Oh well, Thursday...well, I might be able to help Thursday. Just let me know.

(I am trying...)

attention

The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.
Henry Miller

a prompt

I stoped by Sarah's site today and felt prompted to share some thoughts...

I yearn for...a place of my own where I can create, write, practice yoga, meditate, nap, look out the window, daydream....maybe a treehouse, a cabin in the woods, a cottage at the sea, a little studio in the backyard...a place just for me (and yes, I will invite you to come and visit).

I ache...for my grandmother. Every day. I ache with the missing. It has almost been a year. A year. This amazes me. I ache for her.

I adore...spring flowers. All of them. Purple, pink, orange, white, red, yellow, fuschia, blue, striped. Everywhere. Makes my heart so happy to see the earth awaken from her slumber.

I want...to find the goddess inside me. The sexy, beautiful, strong, wild, superhero, wise goddess inside me.

I need...to continue to let go every day. Let it go. Take a breath. Let it go. Let go and have more fun. Let go of the guilt, anger, sadness, ego. Let go and throw my head back and laugh and laugh and laugh. Let go. And live.

three things (a tag)

Melanie of navylane and inspire me thursday tagged me to answer this great list:

3 Things You Wish For (just for you)
that i would write more (start a book!)
to take belly dancing lessons
to learn to swim without fear (i can swim, but i am always just on the cusp of terror)

3 Things You Would Do To/For Yourself If There Was No One To Judge You (or if you had the guts to do it!)
get my nose pierced
dye my hair red
go on vacation by myself
(get tattoooo! but this one i do plan on at some point in the future - maybe on my 30th birthday later this year. shhh...don't tell anyone.)

3 Bad Habits You Have
thinking ice cream is a food group
not putting things away in the same place after i use them
not putting new toilet paper on the roll; i just put it next to the roll and leave it for jonny to fix later

3 Insecurities You Feel
i don't think i am ever as pretty as my friends
that i do not know as much as a person i disagree with (so i often just disagree in my head instead of out loud)
that i may never have the group of friends here in my town that i really want

3 Talents/Skills You Wish You Had
knitting
driving "stick" (at least that is how we say it back home in Indiana)
sewing

3 Things That You Would Do If You Had More Time
cook (ok, i have time for this some days but i just don't do it enough)
learn to sew
write more letters

3 Things That Bring You Peace/Relaxation
reading
yoga
coloring

3 Things That Spark Your Creativity
color!
music
my favorite things in my house (probably another post all in itself)

3 people you want to tag
M of Creative Stumblings
Cate The Bean Counter
acumamakiki because we know she loves a good list (and i don't think you have done this one)!
Of course, feel free not to accept the tag. And if others are inspired to play along, please do!

{SPT} the me who accepts your invitation

Invitations I usually accept:
guilt, to be "the responsible one," to do a favor I don't have time for, the ringing of the phone (even if it is not a good time), to fix someone's problems, guilt, the words of my inner critic, to meet unreachable expectations, sadness, to hide who I truly am, to sit in the back of the room, to stop asking questions, to whisper instead of speak loudly, to be the good girl, to walk instead of dance, guilt, guilt, guilt...

But this month, another invitation has come my way.
The invitation to embrace and accept all of me.
I extend this invitation to others every time I teach yoga, yet I could not find a way to extend it to me.
And then this month, this invitation arrived in the guise of magical words , images, and art by amazing women and the brave creatures who posted SPTs.

Thank you. Please accept my RSVP. I will attend this acceptance of myself as I embrace all of who I am. The faults, the ugly bits, the beauty, the grace, the fears, the joys, and yes, even the feelings of guilt.

Check out other SPT all of me posts at Self Portrait Tuesday.

senses. artist date.

{see}

{smell}

{taste}

{hear}

{touch}

{and know}

a self-portrait

I have put on my bathing suit and jumped off the diving board right into the world of Inspire Me Thursday...so at least once a week you are going to see something I have created with my own two hands. This week I tried creating my self-portrait with crayons. But I had trouble translating it over the scanner...but here it is all the same. This is how you can often find me. Trying to find my breath in the midst of the ramblings of my monkey mind.

Click on over to Inspire Me Thursday to see some other self-portraits and explore some amazing blogs.

going in

I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.
John Muir