Decisions, decisions

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Lately, I have been beset with big decisions.  Life-changing decisions.  Do we sell the house and move closer to town?  Or stay here, in our home that we’ve worked on for ten years? If we move,  do we buy a condo, lease an apartment, or buy another, smaller house?   Can we retire?  Can I stay home and make a living writing full-time? Can we downsize drastically, and buy a motorhome (my sweetheart’s biggest dream) and spend time traveling? 

What do we do when we’re facing a big decision and we’re not sure which way to go? Fork in the road Read on, and I will share the solution for making the right decision when faced with a fork in the road.

You may be my age, you may be younger, but I’m sure you’ve realized that as we get older, time goes by faster.  It’s no illusion!  Life is short, so you must do the thing you’re dreaming of, and you have to do it now!  Marie Forleo (www.marieforleo.com) has the perfect solution: her 10 Year Test. Just ask yourself,  “Ten years from now, will I regret not doing this?”

Rather than focus on all of the reasons that you think you can’t do/be/have your desire, simply decide to follow your heart. Block out all of the other noise. What do you REALLY want?  I believe we have an innate wisdom as to what is right for ourselves.  To wit; I never wanted to be a rocket scientist or a brain surgeon.  I always wanted to be a writer and an artist. I believe we desire what we desire because it’s something we  are uniquely suited to accomplish! (although there were a few years when I wanted to grow up to be a cowboy or a horse…)

Follow your heartTrust your heart, trust the Universe, your Higher Power, your God. When making a big decision, know that the best decision for you…is ultimately the best decision for everyone else around you! You will be happy and fulfilled, and that will make you a better employee, parent, lover and friend.

As Marie Forleo said, and you can take this to the bank, “I have never, ever, ever met anyone who’s regretted following their heart!”

Whether you succeed or fail isn’t important when you are on the path of your heart’s desire. 

You can’t do it wrong…it’s all an opportunity to experience life. 

And, isn’t that what we came to this planet for in the first place?

XO Donna

No limitations…or consequences

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Can you even imagine that?  Not having any limitations or consequences. Now for some context. I was looking for  motivation and inspiration, and after reading my two favorites – Danielle LaPorte and Marie Forleo – looked for more, I’m greedy that way! I watched Tony Robbins, then saw a video of him and Frank Kern, a mellow, laid-back, surfer entrepreneur who really resonated with me. He talked about having done this PERFECT DAY exercize (the one I am sharing with you below), and years later finding that everything he had carefully written, he was now living!

The only guidelines offered were to keep it in the present tense, in the now.  And to go into as much detail about your day as you want. The more you can see it and feel it, the better.  He joked about needing to “remake” his friends so that they could have a conversation that wasn’t gossipy over their lunch together – but rather talked about ideas, goals, and helping the world. Luckily, my friends are already like that and I’m sure yours are too!

Carmel, CA 046Here is my photo of where I would live.  This is the view I imagine as I am eating my fruit and yogurt after I’ve finished doing yoga. 

Have fun with this, and if you care to share a photo of your perfect day, I’d love to see it!

XO Donna

If there were no limitations or consequences, what would your perfect average day look like?

  • Where would you live?
  • What would your house look like?
  • When would you wake up?
  • What would you do in the morning?
  • What would you have for breakfast?
  • What would you spend the first half of the day doing?
  • What would you have for lunch?
  • Who would you eat with?
  • What would your friends be like?
  • What would you do for fulfillment?
  • What life purpose would you strive towards?
  • What would your business be?
  • What time would you start work?
  • What would you actually do at work?
  • What are your clients like?
  • What is your relationship like?
  • What would you do for family time?
  • What would you have for dinner?
  • Where would you eat, who would you do it with? What would you talk about?
  • What would you do at night? Who would you do it with? Where would you do it?
  • What would your thoughts be as you went to sleep?

One step forward…

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Framed bathroom…and two steps back.  My closet still looks like a bomb went off in it.  However, our bathroom is finished, and beautiful!  So sexy-assed beautiful that I keep walking in and admiring it. Feeling the cool surface of the marble. I’ve cleared everything except the essentials off of my counters, and even created an arrangement with a Raku vase, dried roses, and a heart-shaped pottery jar in one corner. I love the counters and faucets polished, and I (almost) hate to brush my teeth in the sink because it makes a mess which I then feel compelled to clean and polish immediately.  (Oh, come on….like you don’t do this with a new toy, too??)

Am I obsessing a little? You betcha!  It’s my way of not dealing with the messy closet that was created in order to create the new bathroom. I made a half-assed attempt to wrangle it back into shape with a trip to Target for new hangers, a jewelry organizer, and some attractive storage boxes. I came home with two out of three;  but not finding  storage boxes kind of left me hanging (no pun intended!). Truth be told….I finally realized that the mess in the closet is a reflection of how I am feeling right now…but, I’m sure any of you could have told me that.   I’m confused, a little bit chaotic.  Simultaneously chomping at the bit, and yet holding back.  Those boxes of stuff, and piles of clothes,  represent parts of me that have hung on a hanger or been in a box for too long, and need to be brought out, and either “added to the rotation,” or released, let go of.  Things that are still useful, but  just aren’t useful for the ‘me’ that I am now.  I know they’ve served their purpose, yet I haven’t found the courage to let go.  Oh, yes, I’m still talking about the clothes. Maybe.

Let me tell you one thing I know about myself  –  at 61 I am still growing and evolving!  This isn’t the first time I’ve felt this upheaval, and I doubt it will be the last.  And that’s okay…it’s just uncomfortable.  (I had an image of a cocoon this morning, and the stress that occurs before the butterfly emerges!)  I’ve always gotten through it, and things have always been better than before!

I have been very lucky to have had many inspirational people in my life.  Two online presences that I rely on right now are:  #1) the always powerful, Danielle LaPorte (www.daniellelaporte.com). This woman is the definition of living large. I mean large in bold print, all caps. LARGE!  And  #2) Marie Forleo (www.marieforleo.com).  A sassyFramed tableau young woman who has a Q & A on Tuesdays that always addresses a relevant issue in a wise, and wise-cracking way!  Today’s topic:  The feeling of something missing in your life.  And having the courage to go for your dreams, take risks, and be willing to look stupid.  (Oh, that…I hate that.)

But her pearls of wisdom were exactly what I needed to hear in order to let go of the past, (make sense out of my closet...) and to be willing to “feel the fear, yet do it anyway! ”

XO Donna