touching base

It seems I've been deficient in my blogging. I seem to be suffering from writer's block and a lack of enthusiasm for projects near and dear to my heart. So I have decided to attempt a break through this block by forcing myself to put pen to paper. Actually it would be more accurate to say finger to keyboard. It seems fitting to blog on New Year's eve and to look back at 2009.

It has been a good year I think, it just seems blurry. My children still remain my greatest source of pride as I watch them grow and stumble and find out who they are. My husband has had to summon inner resources and explore his darker side in an effort to do what is right at work. He is learning that a good offense is sometimes a smarter strategy than a strong defense. It's hard when you are a nice guy.

I am still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up and so I feel much empathy for my boys who are asked this question everytime they talk with adults.

My reflexology business was busier this year and I am grateful and look forward to increasing revenue with this.

And so success, a blog has been written. It shall end with a sincere wish that everyone have a healty, happy and prosperous 2010.

schedules

One of my major conundrums is my schedule. I get stressed if my days are filled and I get stressed if they are too open. I seem to work more efficiently in the former but I do enjoy the ability to put off things with the latter. Finding balance has always been my motto but the individual days never seem to be too balanced. I guess I should look at the weeks or months overall in review and decide if they were balanced. Things will be a little more unbalanced now with the holidays coming up rapidly. Oh well, let the ride continue.

Sharing my poem

I wrote this poem ten years ago when I was forty. It's cute. Thought I'd share it with you all.

Reality Bites

I'm perplexed
Well hell, I'm vexed
I'm staring at the mirror transfixed
The image there surprises me
It's not a sex goddess of 23
Instead I see a forty year old
Strands of silver meshed in with gold

I must have smiled frequently
My crows lines are expressive of my geniality
My eyes come with luggage, fully packed
My breasts are compressed instead of stacked
But am I depressed, no siree
My husband has still got a thing for me

I may be forty but I can still jive
My husband is only 35.

Metamorphasis through Renovation

We have lived through a summer renovation. I have been teaching reflexology out of the basement for the last 5 years under less than ideal conditions but there were reasons not to tackle the expensive reno. And then last spring I had had enough. Life and business felt like it was in a holding pattern and I felt it was time to improve my work environment. We finished it last week and the change is already palpable. I have had a sudden increase in interest in my courses and more clients are booking sessions. Many of them don't know I have completed a renovation. I am attributing it to a positive change in energy, or a change in feng shui. The basement is now a wonderfully bright refuge for the kids and for work. I am looking forward to teaching in it. I must invite past students in to see the new space. It shows why so many decorating programs are on television these days. Your environment can affect your life so declutter and pretty it up.

Riding the Wave

I have always considered September the month that marks the beginning of my New Year. I don't know if it is because it is my birth month but pivotal things seem to happen to me a lot in September. The astrology reports for Virgo are astoundingly positive for the next two years. I am a devout follower of astrology when reports are good and I always shake my head when the reports are less cheery. Those are always meant for someone else. In any case, I must admit to feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation for the future. My gut tells me something good is going to happen. I will be happy with a lottery win or with a banner year for all reflexologists. As a community we are sensing good things to come. Our feet are planted firmly on the ground and so our heads are not in the clouds but looking straight ahead at a positive future. September 20 to 26 is World Reflexology Week. So if you haven't tried it you should. If it's been a while, maybe it's time to book a session. Pick up a book and read about it. Check out my website for more information if you like. www.suetoddreflexology.com

Hopefully your September will unravel in a positive manner. Love your feet to help achieve your feats.

Sue

Simple pleasures

I am always fascinated with how different people experience different pleasures. A great example is golf. So many people love this game. I would rather watch the grass grow and the paint dry. Here is a list of some of my simple pleasures.

* the first cup of coffee in the morning
* checking out the news of the day on my laptop
* walking my dog
* having a reflexology session
* receiving email
* getting regular mail in my mailbox
* yakking with a neighbour on the front porch
* a glass of wine
* spending time with friends
* watching any kind of creative process
* writing down my thoughts
* quiet conversations with my husband at the end of the day
* any smile from my kids

What are your small pleasures?

Blog preempted by summer

It seems I have been negligent in completing my weekly blogs. Sorry, the weather is decent so I am living life instead of commenting on it. I'll touch base again with all of my wonderful insights when the weather turns to cooler temperatures.

Take your shoes off and let mother nature perform some free reflexology on you. Enjoy summer while it's here.

Re energizing

Well, back from my first week of vacation. We spent it camping and for the second year in a row the weather chose not to cooperate. Lucky me, I am not dependent on outdoor activity to have fun. It was great to simply watch the woodpecker give himself a migraine, or to watch the chipmunks and birds taunt my poor Lucy. Happy hour was observed with an almost religious fervor and it was great connecting with friends from previous camping years. Of course, we managed to receive the news about Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson and of course a tip of the hat to Bud (a long time camper) who passed away this week as well.

Thanks to whoever invented puzzle books and sudoku. They came in handy this week. I feel somewhat re energized but I am also looking forward to more time off. Hey, is it happy hour again?

Disorganization or Dastardly Plot

If you looked at my office (also known as the family room) you would probably assume I was disorganised. I have marked ownership of one sofa with a plethora of books and papers all piled haphazardly over 2 cushions. My lap top tray is filled with smaller snippets of paper, the t.v. converter and anything else I deem essential. The thing is my area is actually highly organized (as long as my husband doesn't try to organize it). I know where everything is and what project is on the go at any given moment. Nothing irritates me more than pseudo organization. This is where an office or business will look organized on the surface but is actually a hotbed of disorganisation. I have been poked by frequent examples of this lately and of course they have to be linked to my phobia - the doctor's office. I went in for my physical like a brave girl and followed up after my blood work came back with some minor issues. Imagine my surprise when I was called 3 days later to go in again for another reason, and 3 days after that and again today. I have had more spikes in blood pressure occur from these calls then is necessary. I have to admit I lost it with the receptionist. She tried to tell me that all the lab reports come in separately. Doesn't it make sense to wait until they are all in before you call the patient? That would have been 4 separate visits back to the doctor. I am sure OHIP would have been billed for all of them. Is this disorganization or a dastardly plot. I just know I am debating call display so I can avoid their calls.

Karma Kick

I have always believed in karma and have tried to instill a sense of karma in my kids. I have always told them that what you send out comes back to you. I see evidence of it many times in my own life. If I delve into the negative and think nasty thoughts I am usually administered a karmic kick within a week. Somebody out there is trying to make me a better person but I don't seem to be a very quick learner. Why is it so easy to fall back into negative patterns of criticism and gossip?

I am trying, but I seem to have a direct link to whoever administers karmic kicks. Do you think you could pick on someone else for a while? I am starting to get paranoid. I guess whoever is in charge means well. It's just that right now I feel like a student being picked on by the teacher. I'm guaranteed to flub again because I'm being watched so closely.

Here's to me being a better person. My butt is bruised from the recent lessons.

Overcoming Apathy

Apathy comes in all shapes and sizes. Some people are apathetic emotionally, no extremes of emotions for them. Some people are apathetic about their careers, I can claim a bit of guilt there. My biggest form of apathy falls under the heading of "Spending Big Money". The house needs some changes. It is feeling smaller and smaller as the boys get bigger and bigger. Parts of it are showing signs of age. I can relate there as well. I can put off updates on the house for quite a while if I know there are big bucks involved. So, the basement renovation has been on hold for 5 years. My poor reflexology students have shivered down there every winter. I justified it by saying it was keeping them awake for learning. Luckily I teach more in the fall and spring then in the winter. So I'd look at the basement and imagine the thousands of dollars it would take to fix it up and I'd shove that idea aside once again.
How did I overcome this apathy? Well I started pricing a new house. Yowsa. It will cost me over $100,000 for an additional 1000 sq. feet. It will cost me significantly less than that to finish my basement that is approximately 1000 sq. feet. Sold!!!!! I feel like I scored a good deal. Just hope the contractor I hire doesn't suffer from apathy.

Creativity

Creativity isn't an entitlement of the artistic mind. I can remember how I had to knit or crochet or work at some craft in order to feel sane. The creativity of seeing something come together fed me on a deep intrinsic level. I felt calmer, more centered and more fulfilled while working on crafts. I thought that perhaps I was "crafty". Imagine my surprise when I let go of my crafts completely. I had started teaching reflexology and the lesson planning and study aids I developed were satisfying that same deeper need. This was surprising to me. Theoretically, this was work, but it felt like play! I learned that creativity comes in all shapes, sizes, forms and interests. The key is to find the one that interests you. You leave the work energized as opposed to fatigued. I am starting a new project now that should take a couple of years. I am developing a head/neck reflexology course. I am excited and grounded at the same time. Wish me luck and I wish you the same enjoyment I feel with your creative endeavours.

Overcoming Fear

I am trying to be a brave girl. It's not a big thing, just my annual physical that I have managed to push off for 2 years. I can get queasy just thinking about it. My palms get sweaty and I can feel my pulse race. What's the big deal you ask? After all, I am a dental health care provider myself. Well, I have pegged it to traumatic experiences with 2 different childhood surgeries. Neither were life threatening but the experiences were both examples of psychological abuse at the hands of the nurses. Now I know things have changed over the years but I am now conditioned just like one of Pavlov's dogs. I regress to the young child of five and I feel I am giving all of my power to someone else from the moment I think of booking the appointment. Finding the right physician is the first obstacle. Empathy seems to be low on the list of priorities, they all seem rushed to get in and out of the room. I am on my third doctor in 20 years. Liked one but she moved. The second was all business and didn't listen, just jumped to conclusions. I have met my third doctor. She seems nice, more empathetic. My physical is tomorrow. I am facing my fear. Wish me luck.

The World is a Small Place

Now I'm not a traveller in any sense of the word. I have only flown once in my almost 50 years and I have only been to two of my provinces. We generally camp for our vacation and that is usually a couple of hours away. Nonetheless, I am astounded at how small the world is. I personally know two people who have been to the Antarctic. I have taught (several years apart and totally by coincidence) two people from the same village in Romania. We have met the half siblings to our puppy in different parts of Ontario and the father of the dogs hails from the U.S. We always seem to meet people who know people we know no matter where we go. My brother can be dropped into any city and bump into someone he knows. It's almost spooky. Now how does something like this happen? Well now my brother and I seem to have something in common. We share the gift of the gab. There are very few people we haven't been able to pull into conversation. Maybe this is what brings the Earth to a size we can relate to. When you start to relate to individuals the world shrinks (and opens at the same time). So expand your horizons while shrinking your world and have a conversation with a stranger. You'll both benefit.

Empathy in medicine

There has been a constant theme running through my life for the past decade. It has crossed through my dental hygiene career, into my reflexology career and on into my coaching career. It seems I am being pushed to speak about medical empathy. I am an empathetic hygienist/reflexologist/teacher/life coach and have a happy clientele to prove it. They are so thrilled to finally have someone who listens to them. I am not performing miracles for reflexology clients who come to see me and say I am their last hope. I am listening and at times I am finding habits that lead to their physical problems. Many times my clients have been told that their situation is hopeless, not necessarily fatal but it will not improve. This can become a self fulfilling prophecy for some people. Others look for people to give them hope and that is how they come to me. I listen and I tell them one simple thing. Nobody knows your body like you do and you do have some say in what your body can do. Many of them burst into tears when I say this. I do believe the body can do wonders if the mind is in a positive state.
The complaints about health care are coming to me fast and furious these days and I feel driven to comment. The few sites I have read regarding medical empathy are trying to quantify it in beakers and lab experiments. We are trained in empathy from infancy. At some point these medical practitioners choose to stop using it. Why, who knows? Bring it back. Your clients need it and you do to. Some day you will be a patient too.

Adjusting for Balance

I have been supremely busy lately brainstorming and developing seminars for my "Lunch and Learn" meetings. I plan on offering them to dental offices and doctors offices etc. Normally I thrive on work like this. My family room (also known as my office) is covered with binders that are designated for every project that I work on. Now this may sound chaotic but I do finish the projects I start, I just have a lot of projects. I move rapidly from lap top to text and back and forth while juggling laundry and ortho appointments and anything else that may come up during my day. Now my mantra is balance. I have no problem letting a dust bunny live a day longer than it should if I am really in a work groove. But this week I noticed I wasn't enjoying working on material that I am passionate about. So I have listened to my body and brain (and the birds chirping outside) and I have given myself permission to extend my timeline for completion. It was a long winter and spring and summer fly by. I plan on feeding my brain and body by taking a break. It may last a week and it may last longer. But I know my projects will be waiting for me once I have finished playing. I hope you all can achieve balance in your lives.

Turning a Fantasy into Reality

Well my dream house is up for sale again. It was listed in the fall and I viewed the photos daily, daydreaming and seeing myself in every room. It is a tad outdated but the bones of the house and the windows and view are phenomenal. Then all of a sudden it was gone. I had a physical response to that. My spirits sunk and I felt sick in the pit of my stomach. I never stopped thinking about it though and while I was stalking the MLS site I saw a photograph I recognized. It was the back of MY house. And now I am back to stalking the site and walking through my house in my imagination.

So what's the problem? It costs just under 2 million dollars. Now I am a big believer in thinking positive thoughts and in self fulfilling prophecies so here it goes. I want that house. I am by nature a nester and this is my nest. And so I am sending out the most positive energy possible in the hopes that my fantasy becomes a reality. Come on universe, I am picking colours already. Send me good vibes everyone. Fingers and toes crossed.

Creating your own Grand Canyon

Now I have never personally seen the Grand Canyon but I've seen the Hoover Dam. One was created by Mother Nature over centuries and the other was created by man in a shorter time frame. They are a great example of working at something small bit by bit until you achieve something big. It is great to look at the big picture of what you want to achieve but that can feel overwhelming at times. Focus on the small steps that will take you where you want to go next. Every once in a while look back at what you have done, you may see a Grand Canyon or Hoover Dam behind you. Imagine that. Look what you did by focusing on the small steps.

Am I a victim of technology

I have really embraced a lot of the new technology that has come our way. My cell phone keeps me in touch with my sons (and keeps them in my radar). (By the way, I never answer the phone when I am driving.) My laptop is my connection to face book, linked in, email, my web site, my blog and the entire world of information. It keeps me connected to friends and family that I normally wouldn't see. It keeps me tapped in to new developments in my field and I have developed a nice sag in the sofa where all of this takes place.

I have noticed something happening over time however. I seem to be developing the attention span of a gnat. None of the above mentioned formats are really conducive to long involved perspectives requiring a lengthy attention span. I can't stay focused on any project or any reading for any length of time and will actually do housework to avoid lengthier reads (gasp).

If technology were a meal I guess you could say I'm living on appetizers and can't seem to
digest a full meal.

And so my training program in lengthening my attention span begins. I refuse to be a victim of the technology I enjoy so much.

The Power of Pausing

I am an eternal optimist, always preferring to see the positive in a situation, always ready to dive into a new project or course. Optimism is a wonderful state of mind and can take you through many dark days but the down side can happen when the eager optimist jumps into something not quite so wonderful under the surface gloss. I have learned the value of the power of pausing before jumping. Most offers coming our way have a realistic time limit before requiring our response. I have learned to stop myself mid jump and pause ...........during which time I absorb this new idea or event or course offering. I may jot down notes or investigate further or check references or any number of things before diving in. Ultimately, the pause allows me to determine if I am still excited about it one or two or more days later. If I am, I will often go for it. If not, well then it wasn't meant to be. I have saved a lot of time and money by practicing the power of the pause.

Being open

I can run the gamut of emotions from tears to joy in a single day. I don't enjoy days where I run that intense a cycle but then I don't enjoy days where I'm down and the amazing days just make the down days seem worse. What to do? I think the key is being open to what is happening to you at any given moment. What is that moment or that emotion supposed to be teaching you? I just learned that when you are in depression you are at your most creative. That is an amazing example of yin/yang at work I believe. So I guess we should just accept the emotions and remain open to what they are telling or teaching us. You can't have joy if you haven't experienced sadness and all of us can admit to learning not just from positive experiences but the negative ones as well. So be open, there is a lesson in everything.

Looking for positive amid all the negative

If you look outside right now the odds are all you will see are dirty piles of snow and streets lined with debris that has collected over the winter. It just feels dirty and gray and damp and heavy. It really reflects the attitude everyone seems to have about our economy. News commentary about the state of our economy is dim and grim and gray and heavy. Guess what though folks. Guess what is peeking up through the gray piles of dirt and snow. Bulbs of daffodils and snow drops and tulips are determined to overtake the gray landscape. I think this is a good time to take our cue from Mother Nature and show the same determination to reflect a positive and growing attitude about our own economic future. We do control this you know.

Potential

Hello Everybody



I don't know if it is because their has been a shift in the weather (for the better), or because we have sprung forward, I just feel an amazing sense of potential. I feel the potential to increase my income, to increase my creativity, to increase my happiness. Waves like this waft over me from time to time and the ride is lovely. The future seems so open and I can bend it to my will. My brain buzzes with ideas and I am careful to give them the attention they deserve and not immediately say "no that can't happen" and shove them to the side. Dreams are free and the best value for the money spent. Dream on everyone and explore your potential.

Excess

Welcome to March everyone. This month always makes me feel that spring is around the corner. This is usually when people start thinking about summer outfits and will they still fit! I have been watching television and I am appalled at these reality shows like the biggest loser. These fitness coaches yell and point out body flaws in an effort to motivate the contestants. I feel verbally abused after watching these shows and I have to wonder if these contestants can succeed in maintaining their weight loss after the shows are over. I don't see them as motivating as much as bullying. What is it about our society that requires such excesses. We spend to much, eat too much, want too much and even when we try to rectify these situations we go too far. Everything in moderation seems to have a nice sound to it now doesn't it.

keeping the faith

It seems that things go well for a little while but seem to stagnate for longer periods. What should you do during stagnation periods? Everybody needs a little external motivation to get them through the stagnant parts of their lives. Try listing your goals. Stagnant periods are a great time to review and edit your life goals. Reach out to people you have lost touch with. Odds are they may be in a stagnant period as well. Dream! When life isn't stagnant we don't have time to do these things. You know, upon reflection, maybe a stagnant period is a good thing.

The February Blahs

Hello everyone.

It seems we are all affected with a case of the February blahs. What is it about this time of year that tests our patience to such a downer level? I have decided to make February my personal investment month. Economic times are tough but one way I elevate my spirits is by taking online courses. I had a eureka moment with one of these courses and as a result I am in the process of developing an additional career as a life coach. It just seems to complement my reflexology practice since I seem to coach clients and students alike already.

Try it. Universal classes is an online site with very reasonable rates for their courses. You can afford to explore your interests without sinking a lot of money.

Enjoy the rest of this month and exercise your brain with a little education.
Sue