Each week for as long as I’m digging it, I’ll share my responses to some or all of the Life Organizer questions – my most recent book. We do this together at the Comfort Cafe every week.
This week I relearned that if I put my attention on what’s missing, what’s wrong, what’s not enough, I get depressed.
When I put my attention on what’s good, what’s loving, what’s right here right now, I am nothing short of blissful.
It really is that simple.
Although, for someone with a brain as Squirrel like as mine, never easy.
The Life Organizer Questions for
Week 42
What is beckoning to me these days? What is capturing the attention of your heart?
My novel. I want to write it although I also want to avoid it. Ah, the push pull that I so often find myself in. Another perennial area of learning for me – to let go of the resistance and be here with the full range of wanting to let the story take me and wanting to what? Be mindlessly busy.
What one step could I take to explore this call? Think simple action. Not a project, not a big ding dang do, simply take one step, then pause and see what you know now.
Keep showing up and writing each day. Don’t beat myself up for both wanting to and not wanting to. Let go of the story that good writers always want to write.
To paraphrase the poet Mary Oliver, what would help me love the soft animal of my body today?
Keeping my mind where my body is, so I actually can love what my body is experiencing. This is how I actually rest and fill up!
Who could I see as holy today? Who could I greet as a part of the light within us all?
My sweet 15 year old daughter Lillian. I love this question as a way to deepen my love and actually make it less personal, more connected to all-that-is. She needs me to be strong right now and show her options without collapsing into overwhelm.
Want to play along?
Write down the questions and muse upon them in your journal.
Join the Comfort Cafe and do it in community.
Pick one question and respond in the comments.
Or…?
Love to hear how you choose your life this week.
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9 responses so far ↓
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2 Liz Oct 19, 2009
Today, I will choose to see my husband as holy today. As happens from time to time, I can tell I’m taking him for granted. And worse- seeing him as an obstacle or interruption to what I’m doing or trying to do. Just making that declaration, I feel a softening inside and anticipation of our next interaction.
3 Hayden Tompkins Oct 19, 2009
What is beckoning to me? Working in the area child abuse to make a real difference. I can’t see the path yet, but I know the direction.
4 Mahala Mazerov Oct 20, 2009
What one step could I take…
Be willing to do less than I want to, less than I think I “should” or “need to.” Practice being content and even thoroughly delighted with small, sustainable, enduring action.
Ok, so that’s 2 steps.
You get the idea.
Much love,
Mahala
5 Jennifer Louden Oct 20, 2009
Aren’t the power of questions beautiful? I love reading your comments!
6 Walter Oct 22, 2009
Each day I make the step of learning from the experiences and inspiration of others.
Just like what I’ve explored here.
7 Laney Oct 24, 2009
Jen, I find your blog & writing to be very inspiring. Thank you for sharing & your honesty. It means so much. I would like to put my thoughts into action; one of my yoga teachers has a saying, “real or imagined” & I’ve been more in the “imagined” mode than real. I need to find a way, the motivation to combine the two. I’ll let you know how it goes! Alane
8 Jennifer Oct 25, 2009
Welcome Walter and Laney and thanks for the kind comments. Laney, I totally get what you mean about living in the imagined world. Simple action is the key – take an action, pause, notice what you know now and then take another one – speaking to yourself kindly. Our minds want to know how everything will work first… such bullshit!
9 Laney Oct 25, 2009
Hi Jen, It’s good to be here. Thank you for your response- isn’t that the truth about our minds get in the way of our hearts! At least that’s what I hear you saying. I will try your suggestion of simple action & noticing what happens– to think to be real! I think it is awesome that you wrote back
Looking forward to Monday’s post.