What if we could choose a different way?

What if the societal constructs that run much of the world could be rear ended and  new models and expectations built in their place?

What if there was so much more?

What if women could be seen in other ways – past their role as appendages to men,  sexual objects for the gratification of men and nurturers to all?

What if it was once a different way?

What if?

And this brings me to a wonderful book by Shirley MacLaine, that certainly poses a lot of interesting questions. The book is entitled simply: WHAT IF…

Today I would just like to share with you the final few paragraphs on Page 52

How you react to these words is fodder for your own consideration and I will not be giving my opinions here, as I feel the value in this small excerpt, as it rests in the context of this page of writing, is for you to examine your own personal response to the words.

No doubt your marital status and experience thereof will impact upon your mulling over of these words.

I found them quite thought provoking and as you can tell from my introduction they set me off on quite a few tangents of enquiry. My hope is that these word take you to your own place of self reflection and self discovery-  untainted by my own personal journey through these words.

So now – over to the incredible Shirley MacLaine:

“ After my husband and I split, I made it a point to dodge the marriage bullet. From then on, I had loving sex without commitment. I loved to work hard, and feel I have earned all I have, which is enough for the rest of my life. But mostly I am content. Content with my surroundings, my friends, my family (whom I see when I want to), and my life.

Many women friends of my age are finding exquisite happiness on their own. None of us feels alone. On the contrary, we feel free and creative to be who we are. We often have celebratory lunches (too hard to find a parking place at dinner), reveling in our freedom of aloneness.

Wake Up, women of the world! You have earned the right to be free of taking care of others. Perhaps it isn’t even your nature. Perhaps you are the true warriors of peace.”

As is always the case when I present someone else’s words for reflection, I invite you to go back and read the passage a few more times.

Let it sit with you.

Let it quietly roll about in your mind and consciousness.

Let it guide you to where you need to be – for You.

Discover You.

Love You.

Be You.

- Christine -

Imagine a woman who trusts and respects herself. A woman who listens to her needs and desires. Who meets them with tenderness and grace.

Imagine a woman who acknowledges the pasts’s influence on the present. A woman who has walked through her past. Who has healed in the present.

Imagine a woman who authors her own life. A woman who exerts, initiates, and moves on her own behalf. Who refuses to surrender except to her own truest self and wisest voice.

Imagine a woman who names her own gods. A woman who imagines the divine in her image and likeness. Who designs a personal spirituality to inform her daily life.

Imagine a woman in love with her own body. A woman who believes her body is enough, just as it is. Who celebrates its rhythms and cycles as an exquisite resource.

Imagine a woman who honours the body of the Goddess in her changing body. A woman who celebrates the accumulation of her years and her wisdom. Who refuses to use her life-energy disguising the changes in her body and life.

Imagine a woman who values the women in her life. A woman who sits in circles of women. Who is reminded of the truth about herself when she forgets.

Imagine yourself as this woman.

Patricia Lynn Reilly

Taken from the book: The Strength of Women

There really is not very much I can add to the profound wisdom of this passage and I thank Patricia Lynn Reilly from the depths of my being for writing it. It is funny how certain words find you at the perfect place and time and give you exactly what you need in that moment.

I happened upon the little book that contained this writing, one sunny day in a Post Office queue in Mackay, North Queensland. I have a tendency to shop in Post Offices and Airports, so it was not surprising that my eye wandered whilst waiting in the Xmas throngs. But what was surprising was that it was a book of this nature that caught my eye. It was unusual that this little book took my attention for some reason.

I was not there to buy a book.

I was not needing to read a book.

I just saw the book and felt immediately drawn to it.

For most of my life I have lived with a certain amount of annoyance at having been born a girl. In a world that is so heavily weighted towards men, it just seemed like an uphill battle sometimes. Apart from having to deal with a whole list if issues that come with the simple reproductive capacity we bring to the world, it just seemed like men had all the fun. Made the rules. Called the shots. Had less to worry about.

Then one summer’s day – I found this book and read this insightful passage and the world of my womanhood opened up like a brand new book, waiting to be explored and read for the first time.

The impact each verse had on me was quite overwhelming.

For the first time in my life I felt like part of an incredible Sisterhood!

Part of a wise council of elders.

Part of an incredible group, blessed with the role of giving life to the planet.

Part of a special force for good.

Part of a sensual, beautiful, loving and nurturing energy.

I actually felt glad to have been born a woman.

This was a huge leap for me, and one that has been gradually unfolding over the past few years. Whereas in my younger years I always preferred the company of men, I found myself meeting more and more incredible women.

Strong women.

Inspiring women.

Fun women.

Really funky, and cool women.

Headstrong, and opinionated women.

Compassionate women.

Women who set their own course and knew their own value.

Women who stood their ground and made their own way in the world.

Sexy, smart, empowered women who supported the other women around them.

And the oh so very wise women who took me under their wing and guided me to pastures new.

It is interesting to me that I chose two very male dominated professions on which to build my earlier life: tap dancing and drumming. Perhaps there is something in that? Perhaps I set myself a struggle that I need not have had?  But like all things in life, perhaps it was these very experiences that have informed who I am now and guided me to the work that I now find so enjoyable and empowering?

Who knows?

Time will tell?

But what I do know – in this moment – is that the passage above in pure gold!

It will no doubt mean different things to different people – and that is the beauty of the written word. It can be digested and reviewed in any number of ways subject to the readers experience and expectations.

So I invite you to go back

Sit quietly.

Read it again.

Take from this wisdom whatever it is that feeds your soul in this moment.

Revel in being a woman.

Revel in the women around you.

Find strength and courage and heart and fire in the sensuality and assuredness that is your right as a woman on the planet.

Discover You.

Love You.

Be every inch of the Woman that is You.

- Christine -

Ponder life. Ponder myself. Ponder my interactions with the world around me. Ponder questions to which I may never have an answer. But nonetheless, ponder I do – as it feeds my soul and renews my energies.

It was during one such “pondering moment” that I started to meditate upon celebrity and the effects it has on our society.

In a world that celebrates celebrity and fame and so many other things, perhaps we have lost sight of our true value in the world. And that is in the interactions and impact we have on those who are closest to us. We can create such wonderful moments of joy and caring and laughter and sharing and togetherness and help and appreciation and life in every single day we are on the Planet.  And yet we seem to have lost sight of the intrinsic value in this. We seem to be oblivious to the power that lies at our very own fingertips each and every moment of every day.

Perhaps it is better to be truly, madly and deeply loved and cherished by the few who are closet to us, those who love us, and do so knowing all our flaws –  than to be idolised from afar and shallowly, by those who do not really know us, or genuinely care for us at all.

Why do we perceive “celebrity” and “fame” as some sort of Holy Grail?

Why are so many of our youth now aspiring simply to be “famous”?

Why have so many of us we become slaves to celebrity? Lapping up every inane story that the tabloids put out about the people who have reached this exalted status?

Do we really care what they ate for dinner?

Do we really care what clothes they wear?

Why do we buy into the charade?

Certainly, I am someone who loves to celebrate excellence. I love celebrating all the good in the world and appreciating anyone who has  created something of beauty or merit.

But why do we undervalue some things and put others on such a ridiculously high pedestal?

Can we not celebrate the barista who makes us a fabulous coffee every morning?

Can we not value and appreciate the cleaners who keep our pathways clean and looking beautiful?

Can we not honour all the gardeners of the world who surround us with the beauty of nature?

Can we not smile in gratitude and appreciation for the teachers who educate our youth?

Can we not applaud the efforts of our nurses, firefighters and emergency personell who put their lives on the line to keep us safe?

This list goes on and on and on.

We are all heroes to someone.

We are all heroes in our own lives.

We all have the potential to impact greatly the lives of those around us, in a positive and nurturing way.

And wow – that is a gift.

We should all feel empowered and excited by our ability to effect those around us in whatever way we choose and in whatever way is applicable to our own unique abilities and gifts.

Like a little pebble thrown into the lake of our own lives, the ripples can be huge.

Life changing.

So why do we not value ourselves and the enormous ability we have to make a difference in a positive way to those close to us?

Why do we obsess over people who are not actually in our lives at all in any real and meaningful way?

Again – it is fantastic to be inspired bzy people from afar and we all have our mentors. But surely we could also value those people closest to us and realize the huge potential that exists at the very borders of our own lives to make a huge difference.

Famous or not………..

We all matter.

We can all make a difference.

We can all have an impact.

We are all the leading lady or leading man in the film that is our life.

So, now is the time for you to focus on You.

Focus on what you can do in your immediate surroundings, to make a difference.

Realize that you do matter.

You are important.

You are intrinsic to the lives of those that matter most to you.

Those who bask in your sunlight and feel the breeze of your intention each and every day.

Those people who share you time, your thoughts and your space.

Those people who know you inside out and back to front and love you just as you are.

These are the people who inform your life and whose life you influence too.

So never ever think you do not matter – because to someone you do.

Even if that person is the most important person of all – You.

So go out into your own life today and send out ripples of love and support and hope and joy to all those around you.

Because you can be sure that you really do matter to them and perhaps this is the true essence of life, that we have left fading in the shadows of our “celebrity obsessed” existence.

Discover Your Greatness. Love Your Greatness. Be Your Greatness.

- Christine -

This is a topic that I have found quite fascinating in recent times, as I didn’t actually connect the dots myself till relatively late ha ha!

As we go through life we tend to be really fond of people who support what we want to do, what we say and what we think. But the truth of the matter is, that in order for us to truly develop our ideas, concepts and goals we need to have both Mr Support and Little Miss Challenge there beside us along the way.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that without these two elements of cheer squad and opposition, it would be very difficult for us to actually figure out what we truly believe in and what avenues to pursue. What we are prepared to fight for? What opinions we will defend to the end? What matters? What is the best path for us to take to get where we are going?

This thought struck me whilst defending my position and plans during a rather robust conversation one evening. My opponent was most decisive in his opinion and was striking blow for blow as we went through our paces. I must admit that I was struggling to keep up at some stages as I was battered with statistical analysis of various types and loads of facts and figures. I guess I tend to argue a point from a more emotive, humanistic or creative/artistic standpoint and the grilling I was getting was substantive. But struggle on I did. So as this was all going on, my mind suddenly wandered off and I thought to myself – “ I really care about this project and I will keep on debating this topic.  It will work. I am sure I can make it work. I want to know more of what I think can work actually. I want to know more of what my LITTLE MISS CHALLENGE for the evening thinks. He has really brought up a lot of great points and I am going to find answers to them. Mmmmmm – I hadn’t considered that etc etc etc ”

What?

It was a light-bulb moment for sure.

In that very moment, I suddenly realized the huge advantages of LITTLE MISS CHALLENGE. Sure she can be incredibly irritating to say the least – but she gets the job done.

She gets you thinking.

She takes you to the next level.

She takes you to the place of fixing the problems before they have actually shown up on your doorstep.

Without her, you would not even have considered all those unforeseen issues.

But what of MR SUPPORT I hear you scream – is he not of equal importance.

Well – indeed he is.

If all we heard was LITTLE MISS CHALLENGE in the background criticizing every plan we had and shooting down every idea that came to us, we would curl up in a little ball and just roll back quietly down the hill to where we belong. But fortunately, life has furnished us with two equal and opposite forces that compliment each other ideally and perfectly.

Whilst LITTLE MISS CHALLENGE is doing her utmost to convince us that our plans are inconceivable, unachievable and non redeemable, MR SUPPORT will be beefing it up in the corner, assuring us that we have a perfectly splendid idea that will easily make it to the Heavy Weight Division of the World Title Bout.

The challenge here is to accept and use both lots of input to get you going full steam ahead on your mission. You simply need to recognize both aspects for the wonderful gift that they are. Acknowledge that both LITTLE MISS CHALLENGE and MR SUPPORT are both contributing vast amounts to your success.

One is giving you the confidence to go forward.

The other is giving you the forethought to look at otherwise unseen problems and an opportunity to hone your responses when attacked for your project or idea.

The perfect match.

Happy Days.

If you have LITTLE MISS CHALLENGE and MR SUPPORT in your life, you are a lucky person indeed.

So look around you, and cast your eye around for people who represent both of these aspects.

If you are surrounded by “Yes Men” – a cheer squad that never dares to question your ideas or suggest alternatives – you could be missing out on honing your vision to perfection.

And if you are surrounded by “ Nay Sayers” who constantly put you down and tell you that you have no chance of achieving your vision – you could decide not to try at all.

So having both is a healthy and natural balance that can catapult you toward your goals and dreams like nothing else can.

The heavy hitters should always be in your corner.

As soon as you see one of them walk away, make sure to go find some replacements.

LITTLE MISS CHALLENGE has so much to offer and will make sure all risks are summarily accounted for. So listen, think, adjust, be flexible and take in all she has to say. You don’t have to agree – but you would be wise to listen and consider.

And MR SUPPORT – well, he will make sure you have the confidence to step out and take the plunge, despite all the questions, judgement and antagonism thrown at you along the way by LMC. He may not always be realistic – but that’s OK – he has other skills on offer. Another agenda. Giving you self-confidence, hope and an unending energy to deliver on your project.

So go out and assemble a great team.

A balanced team.

A team with both support and challenge.

And you will be on your way.

- Christine -

Sometimes it just seems easier to whinge and wallow. But is this really helping the situation? Perhaps not?

The molehill does not always have to turn into a mountain.

Infact – nothing in insurmountable. Nothing is a problem. Just a different pathway to where you are going. A little less comfortable perhaps. A less familiar path. But why not just “live on the edge “ a little?

Be happy to explore new things. New possibilities. Not for any reason – just because you can. So your life has gone a little off course. Perhaps it was meant to – and when you look back and see the bigger picture you will be happy that you turned off the road when you did.

Perhaps the reward is in the doing. Perhaps the reward will be in the trusting.

Just because.

At these times of challenge, stay alert to all the goodness in the world. Switch off to the negative, because you just do not need it.

Glow. Glitter. Radiate your knowing and trust, that everything will be OK out into the Universe.

Be open to the possibilities.

What possibilities?

Do not bother yourself with such details all the time – as when the time is right all will be revealed to you. When the time is right the possibility will arrive at your doorstep in a blaze of glory, like a knight in shining armour, beckoning you forth to a brand new space, a brand new day, a brand new you and will provide you with all the guidance you need to embrace this new time, this new experience, this new moment.

You just need to trust and to surrender to it.

Contemplation can be a wonderful thing – but nothing beats just getting out there and doing it. But don’t get ahead of yourself and bog yourself down with superfluous questions. They will bog you down like quicksand.

Rise above your questions and let the reality of existence show you in real terms the path that is yours. Be true and honest and nothing can stand in your way.

Light the path.

Water the seed.

Follow the yellow brick road.

Know that if you are doing something, that it is your Destiny and You are learning something invaluable from it.

Learn the Lesson.

Embrace the Light.

Love the Process.

Look for no reward.

The reward is the process.

Try the new and the unexpected.

Dare to fail.

Dare to not care what others think.

Dare to simply be.

No reasons. No excuses. No explanations. No need.

Just Be.

This is the key to a joyful experience on the planet. A place that abounds with exotic, wild, joyous, intoxicating and humbling experiences.

So next time your world seems to not be going to plan, take a step back. Take a deep breath and trust that all will be OK. Be open to other possibilities that you may not have considered before. Take action to rectify the situation – but remain open and flexible to things you may not have considered before.

I am sure we can all agree that hindsight is a wonderful thing. So think back to another occasion in your life when everything went “pear shaped” but yet years on you realized that it was the best thing that could ever have happened to you. This is so very often the case and we can sometimes look back and think “ I can’t believe how upset I was over that when in fact it turned out to be he best thing that ever happened to me”.

I can think of at least four occasions in my own life, when I felt truly devastated by the turn of events in my life, but then years later I thanked my lucky stars that the apparent misfortune befell me. It is incredible how so often the best of Good Fortune comes to us masquerading as Sad and Sorry Days of Grief and Woe.

So – keep a level head and a clear mind. For as sure as the nights are long – the next day will turn up and life will go on no matter what your attitude to it. So you might as well, employ an element of trust that all will work out for the best and step into each day with hope, positivity and possibility.

And that is the key.

So many people simply do not allow for the possibility of things going well.

They do not allow for the possibility of a negative situation turning into a positive one.

They do not expect anything good to come from a perceived “bad” situation.

As I have said in previous posts. You can only manifest in your life what you can conceive of. So conceive that this dastardly occurrence in your life may actually have some lesson, positive outcome or tipping point that is going to change your life or impact your life in a meaningful and or positive way.

If you want possibility to exist in your life than you have to open the door to it and beckon it in.

Like anyone or anything, if you slam the door in the face of possibility all the time it will stop coming to call and the doorbell will remain un-rung.

So next time there is chaos in your life take a different stance.

Look for the lesson.

Choose the best path available.

Be open to possibilities that you may not even have considered and trust that the best option will be made clear to you.

Discover. Love. Be. Trust.

-Christine-

As with most things in life – less is more – and I found this brief and succinct verse to be most profound and touching in its simplicity and connection to the truth of our reality.

I invite you to claim your space for the next few minutes, settle in and read the verse below. Read it with intent. Read it with purpose. Read it without the need to rush onto and into the next activity of your day. Allow it settle within you and around you. Allow it to wrap you up like a huge blanket and give you permission to get to know you.

To find you.

To be you.

To honour you.

THE VOICE 

There is a voice inside of you

That whispers all day long

“I feel that this is right for me,

I know that this is wrong.”

No teacher, preacher, parent, friend

Or wise man can decide

What’s right for you – just listen to

The voice that speaks inside 

By Shel Silverstein

Now – I ask you to just sit once more with those words. Let them fill you up to the brim – overflowing with support and acknowledgement of who you really are.

Let them pour into every crevice of your being.

Let them flow into the very ends of your fingertips and down into the soles of your feet.

Let the words penetrate your mind, expand your heart and pour into your ears.

And now – read them once more.

Feel the clarity moving through every inch of your body.

Feel the energy starting to move.

Allow the thoughts, feelings and passions that represent your true self to surface and make their presence felt within you.

Acknowledge what matters to you.

Let those thoughts, those wants and those desires poke their heads up and get your attention.

Take 10 – 15 minutes to sit quietly with this verse and your thoughts and just observe what comes to your mind. See what rises to the surface, bubbling up to greet your new awareness of what lies within. What desires and passions have been lying dormant within you – waiting to be invited to the surface?

What thoughts flashed through your mind as you read the verse?

What longings did you feel in your heart?

Now – read it again. And again. Really let it float about within you and resonate.

Now – close your eyes and sit with it for another 10 minutes or so.

Okay – open your eyes.

Are you surprised by what thoughts came to you during that process?

Sometimes it is so difficult to clarify exactly what it is that we want in life, but the truth is that our most desired self is right there within us. Like a little gift- wrapped present just waiting to be opened.

But we can not open a gift if we refuse to see it waiting for us on the table.

And it is the all consuming fear of other people’s expectations, or society’s expectations or our parent’s expectations that can cut us off from this voice within and leave us feeling directionless. Empty. Lost. Hopeless.

Like a boat without a rudder.

A person without a purpose.

There is nothing worse than feeling that you can not live your life in line with your own values and beliefs. And it is these values, thoughts, beliefs, passions and interests that lie within our soul waiting to guide us to a life of purpose and contentment.

They are all a gift – a treasure – just waiting to be found and opened.

The truth is that we all know where our heart lies, if we are honest with ourselves.

We all know the topics that light a fire within and call us to action.

It may be scaling Mount Everest.

It may be baking cookies for your friends.

It may be setting up a new business.

It may be writing a book.

It may be finding bargains online and sharing them with others.

It may be spending time with family.

It may be working as an activist or advocate for an issue close to your heart.

It may be lying in the sun drinking cocktails.

It doesn’t matter what it is  – it just matters that you connect with your inner voice and acknowledge its guidance.

I believe with 100% conviction, that much of the disharmony in the world today is caused by people not being allowed to live their lives in line with that “little voice within”. There are so many people who feel “bullied” into living someone else’s life.

Living a life to someone else’s standards and ideals.

The life of an accountant may not be at all compelling or rewarding for someone who desires from their heart and soul and their little voice within to be an artist.

The life of a dancer may not be at all compelling or rewarding for someone who desires from their heart and soul and their little voice within to be a stockbroker.

The life of a Corporate CEO may not be at all compelling or rewarding for someone who desires from their heart and soul and their little voice within to be a social advocate for political change.

The life of an entrepreneur may not be at all compelling or rewarding for someone who desires from their heart and soul and their little voice within to have a regular job with regular benefits they can count on and little responsibility.

The key here is that what is right for one person may not be right for another and our happiness and contentment, rest in the acknowledgment of this fact and in our ability to recognize and utilize this Voice within.

This wonderful barometer of our soul.

This wonderful call to action.

This wonderful resonance that stamps our individuality and our true calling across our entire being and existence, with the ability to bring us a sense of peace and fulfilment regardless of our exterior world.

The irony of life on the Planet Earth, as we know it, is that despite having this wonderful tool as close to us as it could possibly get – right there within us – few people are actually aware of it and even fewer use it to facilitate the life they have always dreamed of.

But the key to this door can be found in the profound words of the little poem presented to you today. Once again I invite you to unlock the door and walk through to a new and exciting existence where you honour the truth of who you are.

Not your parent’s truth. Not your teacher’s truth. Not your friend’s truth. Not your preacher’s truth. Not your mentor’s truth. Not my truth.

Your truth.

There is a voice inside of you

That whispers all day long

“I feel that this is right for me,

I know that this is wrong.”

No teacher, preacher, parent, friend

Or wise man can decide

What’s right for you – just listen to

The voice that speaks inside

Thank you once more Shel Siverstein.

Discover You. Love You. Be You.

It really is that simple.

- Christine -

As someone who also finds it difficult to “hold her tongue” so to speak, and as someone who has an opinion on nearly everything, it does strike me as quite ironic though, that these three little words hold such a dear place in my heart.

As with many proverbs, the origin of this phrase is obscured by the passing of time, though there are reports of it dating back to as far as Ancient Egypt. The first example of it in English is said to be from the poet Thomas Carlyle, who translated the phrase from German in Sartor Resartus , 1831, in which a character expounds at length on the virtues of silence.

There is also reference to this proverb being used in relation to women in the 16^th Century with Silence being described as a “ woman’s finest garment”. As you can imagine, this third reference would not be one that I would be promoting in any way shape or form – but there it is regardless to taunt me in the writing of this article. I can only be grateful that I was not around in the 16^th Century to marvel at this type of thinking, as I do not think it would have ended well at all, to say the least.

But now, to the proverb itself and the importance or value I feel we can garner from it in the 21^st Century.

First and foremost, I feel that perhaps these wonderful three words can guide us to look inward for counsel, and encourage us to seek wisdom in the depths of our own silence. With the constant “buzzing” of our modern world coming at us from all angles and in all guises  – constantly and consistently – perhaps these three tiny words hold the key to our salvation in a world of madness and noise and confusion. Perhaps these three little words can pack a powerful punch if we take them at face value and literally and truly appreciate a little Silent Time each day.

Perhaps it is through this silence that we can hear our most treasured secrets and innate wisdom. And perhaps we have to take the time to stop and really listen. Perhaps we need to pause, and make room for the silence to expand and engulf us, to really soak up it’s true benefits. Perhaps we need to let the Silence speak to us. We need to give it time to breathe and be. We need to give it time to elaborate upon its nothingness, in order for it to show us the complete intricacies of it’s ‘everything-ness’?

This Silence is not something to be rushed, for it is in its expansion and timelessness that its true virtue can be found.

Perhaps in this space and time we need to recognize that this Silence is truly Golden.

A Golden Promise leading to our true selves.

A Golden Light shining in the darkness of our man made delusions and confusions.

A Golden Treasure waiting to be found and cultivated.

I encourage all of you to seek out this Silence and enjoy its full possibilities and promise.

In fact – take a moment right now to just sit in this Silence.

This beautiful, resounding, all encompassing Silence.

Let it eat you up and consume you. Let it take you away to another world – your Inner World. A world of peace and quiet and possibility and presence.

When you are ready – open your eyes –  regroup – reconnect -  and continue onward.

Now consider making that a regular and special part of your day.

The other aspect of this proverb that really speaks to me, is in relation to our interactions with other people.

So often, when in a conversation, we are listening to the other person speaking, but not hearing them at all. We are too busy thinking about our response. Too busy formulating our answer. Too busy figuring a way to sway the other person to our way of thinking. Too busy coming up with a witty comment to display our fabulous intellect or a way to Segway to a topic of our expertise.

But again we forget.

Silence is Golden.

If we can just silence our minds from our inward chitter chatter and silence ourselves from having to speak – perhaps we may find out something fascinating and intriguing about the other person that we did not know.

Perhaps, in giving them the time and space to speak and hold the floor, we may truly hear them and our interactions may be all the richer for the genuine attention and presence we have given to the other person in the conversation.

As I say these things however – do not think for a minute that I am an expert in reigning in of my own chatter. I am notorious for “not listening” to people and drifting off to some other place when others are speaking.  Unfortunately for me, my face is quite expressive and it is not too difficult for people to tell that I have no idea what they have just said when this occurs.

As with most of us – this distraction seems to reveal itself mainly when I am conversing with family.

Why I do not know?

With friends, acquaintances and clients I am known for being the exact opposite. 100% fully engaged and committed to the conversation. But put me with family and I can suddenly drift off into another time and place, looking blankly at a pillow or a wall.

So the point here is that we all, most likely, have some times, places and people with whom we can exercise this proverb and activate our own silence to the betterment of the situation at hand.

For our betterment and introspection when engaging with ourselves and our Inner World.

For the betterment of those around us to allow them to be fully heard when they are trying to communicate and share themselves with us.

In the end, I think perhaps that much can be learned about ourselves and about all those around us from taking on the role of Observer.

Silent Observer.

Silent Listener.

Silent Seeker of this Golden Treasure.

So once again – I invite you to take this concept and run with it in your own life.

See if it works for you.

Be aware of You and how You are in the world and in Your space.

Wishing you lots of nothing-ness and everything-ness.

Discover. Love. Be.

- Christine -

Live your truth.