The Wilder Zone

Are You Living an Extraordinary Life?

On the surface my life is quite ordinary. I'm not a billionaire. I don't own three gargantuan homes, a fleet of ridiculously expensive cars or a private jet. I don't have a personal chef, a housekeeper or a butler. I don't have a giant walk-in closet with 3,000 pair of designer shoes, an expensive evening gown for every day of the year or a jewelry box full of diamonds. And I'm not sitting on the beach on a tropical island sipping a margarita as I write this. (Although I'm working on that last part...how cool would that be?!)

Despite not having all those things, I live an extraordinary life. I live a life that for most of my life I never even dared to dream of. More than that...that I didn't even know was possible. It was so far out of my experience that I couldn't conceive of living the life I do now.

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away.” - anonymous

You see, I'm not a materialistic person and I don't measure my life by the things I own or the balance in my checking account. I measure my life, as the quote above says, by the moments that take my breath away. My life is not extraordinary because of untold material riches, but because of the richness of the experiences each day brings. It's in the little but oh-so-meaningful things...

It's waking each morning wrapped in my honey's arms, the feeling of being so well-loved filling my being.

It's the sound of the birds chirping outside our window as the early dawn light softly fills the room.

It's our sweet puppy greeting us with unrestrained enthusiasm and excitement after we've been gone, whether for five minutes or five hours, or watching her romp with the other dogs at the doggie swimming pool.

It's tickle time with my honey's boys, the sound of their laughter, or the look in their eyes when they gaze so adoringly at their dad.

It's the unexpected phone call from my son (calling from CA) to share some news, or simply to say hi.

It's the sound of my son's laughter and the sparkle in his eyes when he teases me.

It's witnessing a client's spontaneous "a-ha!" moment, or hearing the joy in their voice after a new breakthrough.

It's brainstorming a new idea or project with a colleague that sparks even greater passion for the work I do.

It's the sight of my honey coming up the walkway after work, and the soft, sweet kiss that follows.

It's that first bite of a delicious meal, or the first sip of a really good espresso or wine.

It's the feel of the sun, and a cool breeze, on my skin on a warm summer day.

It's a cold beer on a hot afternoon.

It's the sight of a beautiful rainbow after an afternoon thunderstorm or the amazing sunset that lights the sky up with shades of orange, pink, and purple.

It's kicking back in my favorite comfy spot with a good book, indulging in a luxurious massage, or catching up with a friend.

It's the long, heart-to-heart talk with my honey that lingers into the wee hours of the morning.

It's waking early on the weekend to realize I don't have to be up and snuggling back in for another hour or two.

It's cruising along in my sweet little honda civic on a gorgeous day with the tunes cranked up, singing and moving to the rhythm of an upbeat song.

It's laughing with my honey until we cry and our sides hurt. 

I could go on and on. My life is filled with these moments, as I'm sure yours is too. What makes them extraordinary, what makes my life extraordinary, is living in the moment, being fully present for these moments. Reveling in them, savoring them, opening my heart and soul fully to them, and truly appreciating them.

It's brought me indescribable joy, made my life (and my biz) so much more meaningful and fulfilling that even in those moments that are less joyful, or downright hard, there's an underlying sense of peace and well-being.

Extraordinary is one of those illusive words that has different meanings for different people. Only you can define what an extraordinary life is for you. How is your life extraordinary? And if it isn't, what do you need to do to open more fully to your life and to the precious moments that can make it extraordinary?

Photo originally uploaded by dtcchc

Ten Other Commandments to Live By

1.  You shall not worry, for worry is the most unproductive of all human activities.

2.  You shall not be fearful, for most of the things we fear never come to pass.

3.  You shall not carry grudges, for they are the heaviest of all life's burdens.

4.  You shall face each problem as it comes. You can only handle one at a time anyway.

5.  You shall not take problems to bed with you, for they make very poor bedfellows.

6.  You shall not borrow other people's problems. They can better care for them than you.

7.  You shall not try to relive yesterday for good or ill, it is forever gone. Concentrate on what is happening    in your life and be happy now.

8.  You shall be a good listener, for only when you listen do you hear ideas different from your own.

9.  You shall not become bogged down by frustration, for 90% of it is rooted in self-pity and will only interfere with positive action.

10. You shall count your blessings, never overlooking the small ones, for a lot of small blessings add up to a big one.

~ Author Unknown

Have you made other commitments to live by? If so, I hope you'll take a few moments to share them in the comments.

Photo originally uploaded by claireg73

Awaken to a Beautiful New Day

Each day we have the opportunity to recreate ourselves and our lives, to make new choices, take new steps...and the possibilities of what we can create when we let go of our doubts and our fears, are unlimited.

Awaken is a short movie sure to inspire your day and start your week on a positive note.

Photo originally uploaded by Brian9000

 

How To Encourage Inspiration To Strike

Whether you're hoping inspiration will strike and you'll find the perfect solution to a problem, or you feel as though you've run out of creative ideas, or you're trying to write and the words just won't flow, Tamar Wallace wrote a post sharing  an amazing trick you can try to encourage inspiration to strike.

I came across her post "Angels & Demons" on the Business of Design Online Blog a couple of days ago and I simply LOVE this method and had to share it:

Rather than asking [your] mind to search for a solution to a potentially impossible challenge, [you] ask [your] mind simply to remember it. The presupposition that one once knew the answer created the mindset that the answer must exist…thus eliminating the crippling conception of hopelessness.”

Simple and yet profound, AND to my delight, highly effective. Since reading Tamar Wallace's post I've tried it a number of times with amazing success. I shared the idea with a friend as well, who also loved it and found it immensely helpful. Give it a try for yourself and please let me know what you think of it. I'm curious to see how many different types of situations you find it useful for.

God's Way of Saying, "Have a Nice Day"

Paul Potts - Must-see Video

This unassuming young man has been given an incredible gift from God and he's been courageous enough to share that gift with the world. Watching this video of his appearance on "Britain's Got Talent," listening to Paul Potts sing, gave me chills and brought tears to my eyes. Being witness to the incredible gift he's been given left me feeling touched by God. I don't know how else to describe it. I can't encourage you enough to take a few moments to experience it for yourself.

The Nature of Success

Feeling in need of inspiration? Take a few moments to watch The Nature of Success movie.

The Peaceful Warrior

I took the afternoon off last Wednesday to go see The Peaceful Warrior. It's a wonderful, moving, inspirational movie about living fully, consciously, in each moment. It's based on Dan Millman's book, The Way of the Peaceful Warrior about a young man who has a serious and life-changing injury and with the guidance of a spiritual mentor discovers that his true strength is not physical but lies within, in his spirit.

The movie reminds us that there are no ordinary moments, that everything has a purpose, and that if we can wake up to live more fully, more consciously, in each moment we'll be amazed at what we can do. It delivers these great nuggets of wisdom in an entertaining, sometimes dramatic, sometimes light-hearted and amusing way.

It's one I'll be purchasing once it's out on dvd. It's a movie that is uplifting and energizing and that serves as a reminder for those of us who are familiar with, and attempting to live by, the spiritual principles the movie is based on, and one which might prompt a few of those delightful "A-ha!" moments that have the potential to be life-changing for anyone who isn't as familiar with the principles. My sons (16 & 20) are a bit skeptical, but I think even they would really enjoy The Peaceful Warrior.

Accomplishing Great Things

To accomplish great things we must not only act but also dream; not only plan, but also believe. ~ Anatole France

It's not enough to have a vision for your life or business. You must also be able to envision yourself achieving it. To do so, as this quote expresses so well, requires that we allow ourselves to dream and to believe in ourselves and our ability to accomplish whatever we set out to achieve.

International Women's Day 2007

Today is International Women's Day 2007.  A day that, according to the International Women's Day website, is "the global day connecting all women around the world and inspiring them to achieve their full potential. IWD celebrates the collective power of women past, present and future."

That's something worth celebrating, and it serves as a reminder to take the time to reflect on, and offer our gratitude to, all of the women in our lives who have inspired us, influenced us, encouraged and supported us, in being and becoming who we are.

There's an incredible group of women who have done that for me. My mother has an amazing circle of friends that I have been truly blessed to get to know and love. They are strong women, women who are living their lives fully and with passion. Women who embrace the full spectrum of life, allow themselves to feel the joys and the sorrows. Women who, even in the face of challenges, are strong enough, courageous enough, to admit their struggles, self-aware enough to learn and grow from them, and who through it all are able to laugh at themselves and life.

These are the women, when I'm feeling low, or doubting myself, that I long to surround myself with. Being in their presence, being witness to their intelligence, strength, and beauty, reminds me of my own. Being with them renews my energy and my belief in myself, and in my ability to live fully and joyfully, regardless of what life throws my way.  They are inspiring, not because of any specific feats of accomplishment, but simply because of the way they embrace  all of who they are and what life has to offer. 

I used to joke when I was feeling burned out, that I needed "some goddess energy." Now, from time to time, when any one of us feels the need, when any one of us is feeling as though our "goddess energy" is low, we arrange a "goddess gathering" and we all get together to enjoy a few hours of one another's company, to catch up on one another's lives, to share the joys and the sorrows, the accomplishments and the challenges. I am so very grateful for these women. Everyone should be so blessed.

Who are the women in your life who have made a difference? Who have inspired you, encouraged you, challenged you, to be all that you are? Who are the women in your life who have supported you, believed in you, when you most needed it? Take a moment today to connect with these women, past and present, to acknowledge them, to express your gratitude, to celebrate them.