Lorraine's Parting Thought

Thank You For Inviting Me Into Your Wednesday!

Each week, I try to attend the Flow Yoga class at my community’s Sports Pavilion. Lorraine is our instructor; she is a lovely lady who guides us from sun salutations through final relaxation. As we sit facing her on our mats at the end of each practice, she sends us off with a Namaste and a heartfelt, “Thank you for inviting me into your Wednesday!”

This thought makes me smile every time I hear it. This week however, I took the time to reflect on this concept of inviting someone into my life. Each minute of each hour of each day is precious, and once spent, there’s no recouping lost time or requesting a refund or credit. I can’t go back to my 20’s to do something I missed out on when I was otherwise busy – that boat has sailed. What I can do however is make sure I spend each current and future minute doing the things I care most passionately about, with the people who matter most to me.

My dear friend Shel and I had wine and cheese on my deck together this evening. Beyond simply being an excellent way to spend a few precious hours, we talked about the concept of inviting people into our lives and living consciously. At a certain point in one’s life we concluded, it is not unusual to feel yourself awakening from a fog or a deep slumber. It starts by recognizing that you’ve been living your life on auto-pilot, and that your time is running out. Ah, the urgency created by a sense of mortality! There were many other things each of us could have spent our evening doing, and many other people we could have chosen to be with. At that time and place, there was nobody else with whom I wanted to share my three hours. I invited her into my evening, and she bolstered my soul. I hope I was able to give a little bit back in return for the invitation into her life!

Action Challenge: Decide who you want to spend your life with, then start calling, e-mailing, and/or otherwise reaching out to those people to make appointments for coffee, conversation, a phone call, or whatever works for you. Be very aware of the people you feel you *should* spend time with, versus those you really *want* to spend time with. Give one of your *wants* one or two of your *should’s* hours instead! Remember – it’s your life to live. Make the most out of every free hour you have.

Shel and Lorraine – thank YOU for inviting me into YOUR day!

Cheers and all my best to you!
~Brooxi

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”
- John Lennon

© Stephanie Brooks 2008

When is the Last Time?

When is the Last Time … You Did Something for the First Time?

As a kid, we had new experiences all the time. Whether it was the first day of kindergarten, or the first bike ride without training wheels, or the first date, we were surrounded by firsts in our lives. The thing is, doing something new was pretty ordinary back then, and failure was always an option! It was the price we paid for knowledge, experimentation, and growth. All things considered, it was a pretty fair price. Recognized by another name, we were surrounded by *Change*, and as kids, we didn’t know to fear it. Furthermore, the adults around us seemed excited for us as we passed through these rites of passage, and it didn’t seem like we had a choice but to go along.

As we age, we allow ourselves to fall into habits and routines. We tell ourselves that we know what we like, and that’s how we’re going to live our lives. On one hand, that’s great! It’s GOOD to discover yourself, and to live the life that makes you happy. On the other hand, it’s in our nature to strive for a better life, and better circumstances. Change happens, and it helps us grow, regardless of how uncomfortable the change is. Once we stop growing, we start dying. We watch as the world changes around us, but we refuse to change with it, and the world moves on without us.

So how about now? Do you surround yourself with new experiences? Do you roll with the changes in your life, or do you fight to go back to more comfortable circumstances? Do you allow yourself the opportunity to fail? What risk have you taken this week, and how far are you willing to follow it? Is it really that big of a risk anyway?

For me, I started a blog this week. Sounds pretty safe, huh? Yet it took me over a year of thinking about it to get started and put the proverbial pen to paper. So far so good – nobody’s laughed me to oblivion yet, and it certainly was less stressful than The Apprentice audition I did a while back – even without The Donald present! Maybe next week I’ll start my own website… it’s all about baby steps and trying something new.

Action Challenge: Start small and try something new this week. Maybe it’s a new route to work, maybe it’s a different sandwich at a different deli for lunch. Perhaps even it’s buying the Sunday paper to look for a new job or a new house. Pick something achievable at first, so that you can build your confidence for the next, scarier new thing!

Cheers and all my best to you!
~Brooxi

“If we could sell our experiences for what they cost us, we'd all be millionaires.”
- Abigail Van Buren (“Dear Abby”)

© Stephanie Brooks 2008

Hello World!

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step ... this is my first step!

For almost a year now, I've thought and talked idly about starting a website or a blog or *something* online to capture and share my thoughts on personal and professional development. I love helping others become all, if not more, than they ever thought or hoped they could be. For over ten years now, I've had teams at work, and the most enjoyable interactions have been those around personal growth and exploration of the possible.

A dozen or so years ago, my dear friend Cali Kris went through a period of self-reflection, analysis, and growth. Not surprisingly, since it was so impactful to her, she wanted to share her journey and invite me to take my own. Unfortunately, I wasn't in a place where I was ready for it, and I had no use for her recommendations. I thought what she was doing was some sort of mid-20s crisis, and psycho-babble... how naive I was!

Two years later, I dated Wicker - who loaned me his cassette tape collection of Denis Waitley's The Psychology of Winning. I ATE IT UP. This was notably my first serious foray into personal reflection. The point here is that everyone has his or her own path and timeline, and you can't impose yours on someone else. You have to be ready to take your journey, and it's yours alone.

In this series of essays and reflections to follow, I offer you the wisdom I've gained from all of the wonderful people I've been fortunate enough to work with, both professionally and personally. I hope you find it useful. Please add your comments along the way, so I may continue to challenge my own thoughts and grow with you!

Who knows where this will lead for me. Maybe I can start my own business - or at the least provide some food for thought for the curious mind, geared toward self-awareness and self-improvement. Regardless of the outcome, I have wanted to put something out into the ether... take a chance... and see what the future brings!

Wow, that wasn't so hard after all! My thanks and love go to MoJules for encouraging me to take the first step!!

Cheers and all my best to you!
~Brooxi

"Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself."

- Harvey Fierstein

© Stephanie Brooks 2008