One of the most delicious things about the interconnectivity of on-line life is getting to learn from people you would never have met.

Falling in love with their particular brilliance.

It is so precious and endlessly wonder producing to me. It’s why I blog. It’s why I created the Comfort Cafe. It’s why I Twitter. I know it’s not a replacement for real life connections and I cherish my on-line relationships.

One such extra-delicious connection for me is with Char, the force behind The First Step, an extraordinary patient advocacy service that simply blows me away.

It’s so needed and she is doing it so well! If you, or someone you love, is ill, check out Char’s website.

And I utterly wildly dig the questions she creates (she shares them at the Comfort Cafe forums regularly) She is better at creating questions than me!

This recent blog post of Char’s shows her question genius in action.

I’ve been wanting to explore these questions myself  so here goes:

What’s not working for me?

Char says: A hint for answering this question is to do it in your sloppiest most inarticulate way without trying to “figure it out”.  Whatever falls off your pen and onto the paper is perfect.

Feeling overwhelmed by projects and the holidays. Having to trek to Seattle again and again for doctor’s appointments. Feeling pressured. Feeling stiff from not exercising.

What are the signs that something isn’t working for me?’

A feeling of tension in my body. Noise in my head. Pain in my upper back.

How many of these things have actually happened in the last 24 hours?

All of the above.

What are some possible steps I can take to make things run smoother?

Return to my body. Always, always, always, for me, it’s about getting out of my head – which means stepping away from the friggin all holy computer – and coming back into my felt embodied experience…. I just did that. Here is what happened:

I felt my body, scanned it, what am I feeling?  Feel it, feel what is here, drop completely into it, stop pushing it away.

I noticed intense dark blue energy around my solar plexus, down the front of my body. Heavy, pulsating. Go into it.

I explored it, dropping my story about what the energy meant or where it came from. Be with it, be in it, follow it and also witness it, I am not just this energy.

After a moment, the energy exploded in roars and growls and rapid movement…. Let it move how it wishes.

Then it fell away.  I paused and rested. Ah…  Give yourself time to observe how you feel now.

Other possible steps: saying no to any new commitments for the rest of the year.  No phone calls or radio shows or interviews!  Continuing to plan each day the night before with only three main things to do, firmly commit to those three priorities, no secret “But if I have time, then I will.” Also, allot blocks of time for each priority – otherwise, I end up screwing around and wasting time and not actually resting or having fun. Keep it clean and simple!

Thanks Char for a Choose Life Monday check-in. You rock!

What to play?  Join in the comments or on your own blog. Be sure and link back to Char’s!