Positive Affirmations

 I discovered Positive Affirmations about two years ago when I was experiencing increased levels of pain and nerve action stemming from my spinal fusions.  I have to admit, I was terrified, terrified of the pain, of the possibility of a third spinal surgery and of losing mobility, the ability to live on my own, to take care of myself and of losing my independence….that was a whole lot of fear & anxiety  going on there…

Positive Affirmations got me through that rough patch amongst others  and is getting me through another one now.

I made myself a deck of Affirmation Cards…

Roads Go Ever On

Roads Go Ever On
Roads go ever ever on,
Over rock and under tree,
By caves where never sun has shone,
By streams that never find the sea;
Over snow by winter sown,
And through the merry flowers of June,
Over grass and over stone,
And under mountains in the moon.

Roads go ever ever on,
Under cloud and under star.
Yet feet that wandering have gone
Turn at last to home afar.
Eyes that fire and sword have seen,
And horror in the halls of stone
Look at last on meadows green,
And trees and hills they long have known.

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet.

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with weary feet,
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

The Road goes ever on and on
Out from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone.
Let others follow, if they can!
Let them a journety new begin.
But I at last with weary feet
Will turn towards the lighted inn,
My evening-rest and sleep to meet.

Still 'round the corner there may wait
A new road or secret gate;
And though I oft have passed them by,
A day will come at last when I
Shall take the hidden paths that run
West of the Moon, East of the Sun.

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien

Ten Minute Writing Exercise - A Writing Exercise that Glimpse into Your Future

Credit to: http://voices.yahoo.com/ten-minute-writing-exercise-ideal-future-vision-560981.html

Ten Minute Writing Exercise -

If you think you don't know what you want for the future, think again. Your subconscious knows more than you think. Ten minutes, a pen and a paper will act as a crystal ball for your ideal future in five years.

Print these instructions do the exercise and then share your future surprises. It's fun and it works! This is a nonstop writing exercise. The key to having this work is that you write NONSTOP for ten minutes. It is a stream of consciousness exercise that will awaken the creative right side of your brain. If you 'think' too much, it will NOT work. No one will read what you write, unless you want them too, of course. So, don't be self conscious about the letter itself. When you are ready, put on an alarm for ten minutes. You will be writing a letter to someone that would be interested and supportive of your accomplishments. The letter will have a beginning, middle and end. Here are the steps of the exercise. You may want to print them so you can glance at them while you are doing the exercise.

1. Date the letter today's date. 5 years into the future. Dear.. (whoever you want)

2. You are writing about your ideal future day. It will have a Beginning, Middle and an End.

3. Beginning: Wake up and using all of your senses, notice what you see, smell, taste, touch and hear. This will awaken the creative side of your brain. Are you living in a new place? Driving a new car? Drinking coffee? New lover, more kids? Etc.

4. Middle: Next, you have your ideal day. What are you doing? Who's with you? Where are you? Are there special technologies that you see? A new place? New people? How do you KNOW that this is ideal? What is satisfying about it?

5. End: Next, someone comes up to you and congratulates you on your amazing life and accomplishments. You thank them and they ask you "What was the biggest thing that you had to overcome to get to this point?" You answer them and then end your day with a celebration. You can celebrate any way you want, with anyone you want. This is just a fun way to close down the exercise. Once you have completed the exercise, read what you wrote. Any 'ah has' or surprises? What would have to change in your life today to move you toward this future? What did you have to overcome to get there?

I use this exercise in groups as well when I'm doing organizational strategic planning. People do the exercises together and then we talk about the common themes and patterns to create a common organizational vision. It works like a charm!

Scarecrow

Last night, alone, 

he saw the rising moon set silver fires among his stalks of corn

and watched the tassels burn like candlewicks. 

At dawn he saw the noisy crows return. 

They know him for a friend, 

this man of sticks in boots that dangle just above the dirt, 

the handle of a rake shoved through his shirt.

On summer days when grass around him sways 

like wave that follows wave upon the ocean, 

I've seen him shake, a dancer on a stake, 

as if he feels a music in the motion. 

And once I saw his round astonished eyes observe 

with more than painted-on surprise 

a black snake flow like water down a hole, 

and heard him sing upon his wooden pole.

~ Unkown

Roasted Dandelion Root “Coffee”

Roasted Dandelion Root “Coffee”

When brewed properly, dandelion root coffee closely resembles the rich flavor of traditional coffee, and it contains a wealth of vitamins and minerals.

1. Gather:
   One 5-gallon bucket of dandelion roots (to yield about 10 gallons of coffee).
2. Prepare the Roots:
   To wash the roots, fill the bucket with water and agitate the roots with your hands. Pour off the muddy water and repeat this process a few times until the water runs clear and you have a pile of luscious golden roots. Don’t worry if there’s still some dirt left on them—you’ll wash them again after chopping. With a sturdy knife, cut the roots into chunks. Put these into a large bowl (or sink), fill with water, then rub the roots and rinse until clean. Drain until fairly dry or pat with a towel. Chop about 2 cups of root chunks at a time in your food processor until they’re chopped into small, coarse bits.
3. Roasting the Roots:
   Spread the coarsely ground roots on cookie sheets about 1/2-inch thick. Place as many sheets as you can fit into your oven, set at 250°F, and leave the oven door slightly ajar to let moisture escape. The roasting process takes about 2 hours. Stir frequently and rotate the cookie sheets occasionally to ensure even drying and roasting. As the roots dry, they’ll shrink and darken to a rich coffee color—but be careful not to let them burn. Cool completely and store in glass jars. Flavorful additions such as anise, cinnamon, ginger, and carob can be added if you like.
4. Brewing the Coffee:
   You can either grind the roots in a coffee mill and brew in a coffee pot, or you can place the coarsely ground roots in a tea infuser and boil in a pot of water. Use 1 tablespoon of roasted roots for each cup of water (1/3 cup per quart of water). Adjust to your taste if you like it stronger or weaker. Add a dash of cream and sugar if you like, and enjoy a steaming cup of Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee!