Sorting books- refreshing your spirit

One of my favorite ways to refresh my life is to sort my books.  Overtime my bookcases will fill with ideas and authors.  At some point, I will need to reboot.  I woke up Sunday morning and as I passed my bookcase I had huge desire to play with my books.  Not to read them but to sort them.  My bookshelf had become stagnate and over flowing.  Time to unmuddle and reboot.

Sunday afternoon I pulled all my books out and set them on the bed.  Organizing into categories.  My brain started seeing trends.  I took care to notice how I was feeling.  Was this idea/subject current?  Was I holding onto someone else's thoughts?  Did I feel excited to dive in or obligated to read?  How long have I traveled with this book?  Was it this an old idea that I have fully integrated and moved beyond?  Did I like the title, the color and the size of the book?  Questions and emotions flowed.

I moved my books from pile to pile.  Some got moved into my hubby's bookcase.  They were his thoughts- no need to hold onto someone else's thoughts.
A pile of books to sell or donate started to pile up.  Books I used to love but.. stacked up. Books I think I "should" read but I know myself.  Books I want to explore got stacked. Books I want to pop into to and randomly read a passage or chapter stacked up.  Books I want to read to improve my skills piled up.... And on it went. questions and movement.

Thoughts sorted and refreshed

In the end, I had gathered up 21 books.  21 books varied in topic, size, age, color and author.  A little pile of books I can draw from.  Other books got sorted by subject, type and look and thoughtfully placed into my other book cases.  Many books are going to be taken to 1/2 price books.

This sorting process is what I call sorting my thoughts.  By sorting my books I get to refresh my thoughts, discovered ideas that are not as important as they once were. I discovered old books I wanted to revisit and new ideas I wanted to dive into.  By narrowing down my books I gave myself space to explore.  Now I have a little pile of inspired and energized books.

Uncluttering your books is an effective way of uncluttering your thoughts, discovering your passions and letting go of what no longer supports your life, your spirit, your mind and your health.

Books are personal.  My aunt used to say they were like having friends around.  I agree.  This emotional connection is also one of the reasons they are hard to let go of.  Sort your thoughts, let go of old thoughts. Let your life breathe and create space for new ideas and thoughts to flow your way.

If you are feeling stagnate, uncertain, over whelmed - sort your books.  If your bookcases are over stuffed and spilling out at the seams - sort your books.  If you have held onto your college books, books from 10 years ago - sort your books.  If the title, size and color or a book makes you cringe - sort your books.

Sorting books and uncluttering is not work it is a spiritual practice of discovery.
         Wishing you a clear mind, breathing space and passions ignited.
                                Denise

A tip on cookbooks:
      When looking at the recipes ask yourself do I want to eat this custard or actually cook it.  A trip to a restaurant with a friend to sample and dine is better than old dusty cookbooks taking up space in your life.

Synergy Talks 2017! Coming to Seattle March 29- April 2nd

Hi All,
    I would like to introduce you to a friend of mine Lauren Hrusak.  I met her through my coach training.  Have you ever met someone who lights up a room?  She was sharing in class the other day and it was as if she was also conducting an orchestra.
   Over the past 8 years of blogging I believe this is my first introduction post.  Way to long in coming but today I was inspired.
   Lauren has created an event in Seattle called Synergy talks.  She created it much like the Ted talks.  There will be multiple speakers, speaking for only about 13 minutes followed by 10 of discussion.  Lauren has gathered some amazing speakers which I can't wait to hear!
  You can learn more later in this post but I wanted to share with you what inspired her create such an event.  We need more Lauren's in the world.  Come catch the buzz of energy!!!  (scroll down to register)

"I had a vision of Synergy back in the summer of 2014.

I was working I job I hated and wondering why everyone around me (including myself) had forgotten about their dreams and was just so damn unhappy.

All of sudden I saw an image of a group of people gathered together to discuss their goals and dreams. It would be a personal growth and development group. A community, a tribe, a family that supported and uplifted one another. I realized the three common ingredients to achieving a goal:

1. A deadline.

2. Accountability.

3. The support of others.

What if I could create something that could foster those ingredients?

That's precisely when Synergy was born. I thought no one would be interested in joining a group like that so I kept my idea to myself for many months until I launched the group in January 2015.

When Synergy first launched it was only supposed to be about setting individual goals in a group setting, but my brother, Brent Hruska encouraged me to deliver a recent blog post as a speech to kick off the group.

So I did.

I delivered a speech with the message of the importance of believing in yourself as absolutely paramount to achieving anything. From that month on and every month after I gave a talk based on a prominent theme in my life.

So, after giving more than 15 talks the past two and a quarter years I figured I could share some of them with the public, and thus Synergy Talks! was born.

Thank you for saying "yes," to opening your mind and experiencing a shift.

About Synergy:

Synergy is a collection of goal setting individuals.

Through the positive and encouraging community fostered by Synergy, group members are inspired to achieve their goals, no matter how big or small.

Synergy functions as a support system, a motivating network, and a loving family.

What is Synergy's purpose?

1. To ignite within us a renewed enthusiasm for life.

2. To experience inspired transformation.

3. To foster positive momentum in our lives and the lives of others.

The five tenants of Synergy

1. We only speak positively toward and about others.

2. We support each other.

3. We uplift each other.

4. We inspire each other.

5. We believe in one another and most importantly ourselves."

Cheers, 

Lauren Hruska

Lauren brings exactly what she says!  This is the first Synergy event- Lets support her and her vision.

Click here to register for the Synergy Talks

I'm honored to be one of the presenters on April 2nd.  I'm excited to get to share in this event and to be there and enjoy!!

Do the vampire test

I stumbled upon a book.  One of the best ways I know to get unstuck is to engage your creative self.  While looking for books on creativity for inspiration and mind shifts, I came upon Austin Kleon's work.  His work is raw and honest.  He gives you permission to love your garbage.

Tonight I was flipping through his book, on page 133 of Show your Work, was a heading followed by a quote:

The Vampire Test

"Whatever excites you, go do it.

Whatever drains you, stop doing it"

                         Derek Sivers

Can clutter clearing get anymore clear than this?   When you clear your clutter- your mental clutter, your physical clutter, your emotional clutter and your spiritual clutter, put it through the Vampire Test.  

I'll keep reading, at this point I'm not even sure if this is what Austin meant by the Vampire test.  If so, brilliant, if not we'll thank you for the inspiration!

     Be fearless in your decisions,

           Denise

True Beauty

     In cleaning there are no amounts of chemicals you will ever add to your home that will make it healthy.   Cleaning is about the removal of soils, germs and life's residues. Cleaning is not about the addition of chemicals and neither is beauty - authentic beauty.  

    You will not find your beauty in a bottle- no matter how much it costs.  True beauty is more of a practice than a purchase.  It is about living to nourish your life.  It comes from deep breathing, honesty and play. True beauty comes with sparkly eyes, a bright smile and a creative spirit.  True beauty comes from within.

  When my grandma Ella was 92 she was in a nursing home.  She spent her days in a wheel chair and was legally blind- from macular degeneration.   She was wrinkly and old but she was absolutely beautiful.

    Maybe she couldn't see anymore but she could listen to the nurses tell of their children and lives.  She could try to memorize Martha Stewart recipes by heart in hopes of one day trying to recreate in her kitchen. As she sat she would ponder, wonder and mull over life with open curiosity and not from a place of judgment.  She was blind but her eyes sparkled with curiosity.  When she would try to remember something she would look up.  I always thought it looked like she was trying to mentally shake apples from the branch over her head as if they held the answer to her question.

    On paper, maybe it doesn't sound like she was beautiful but if you happened to spend an afternoon with her, you would have witnessed her radiance. She had an authentic and internal beauty that would make the models on the cover of vogue dull in comparison.

    Beauty- true beauty is a practice of loving others, unbridled curiosity and patience.  Finding beauty in yourself helps you to see the beauty in everyone.  Discovering the beauty in each person you meet helps you to see your own inner beauty.  And when you nurture this beauty, this spirit of yours, you can get away with the fraction of skin care products!!!

 As always wishing you a happy and healthy home,

                     Denise

"We are taught to look to "experts" for our answers, only to find out that they often have no real-life experience on the subject.  When all is said and done, change begins with you.  Strength, willpower, responsibility, commitment and integrity grow from within and blossom only under your direction."

                                             Amilya Antonetti

                                              Why David Hated Tuesdays

Dont panic when running up a hill

This is Oscar and he looks like I feel today. Not so much the chunky part but the wiped out part. The last few weeks have been a whirlwind. Lots of traveling, walking 38 miles- over 3 days, committing to raising $2,300.00, plus I gave a talk to the NWIDS last Tuesday night.

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Today I'm just a little tired. Nothing a good night sleep and a day in the office to catch up wont fix but still when you are tired the path ahead of you seems a little more daunting than when you are rested.

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Here is my philosophy: When you are running up a hill, do not decide how far you are going to run. When the run is a struggle, your perspective will be too near sighted. Today, I'm running up hill. I will not panic about my fund raising efforts or my ability to walk 60 miles while camping at night. Instead, I'm going to write about my feeling and share the experience of a this walk for a cure. Later today, I'm going to go eat dinner with Dallas and some great friends.

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I can always panic tomorrow, but today I'll just put one foot in front of the other and get to bed early!!

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Wishing you all a good nights sleep!

Denise

200 B.C. same old same old....

"One thing is sure: the earth is more cultivated and developed now than ever before; there is more farming but fewer forests, swamps are drying up and cities are springing up on an unprecedented scale. We have become a burden to our planet. Resources are becoming scarce and soon nature will not longer be able to satisfy our needs."
Quintus Septimus Tertullianus
200 B.C.

This quote comes out of the last chapter in Peter Pringle's Food Inc. A book giving both sides of genetically modified food. Kind of interesting when you look at the date. When we only see what is in our own vision it is hard to comprehend anything else. I always wonder what do I believe that is real and what do I believe that is not?

Wishing you more questions than answers,
Denise

The great list

I make lists of my goals, things I want to accomplish and items I feel obligated to do. My list is called my MASTER TASK LIST. Sounds quite impressive doesn't it? MASTER TASK LIST must be very important and worthy of a special name. But it isn't really. It is just a list of things I don't want to forget, things I should do-or think I should do and things I have full intention of procrastinating about and never doing.

When I think of my MASTER TASK LIST I feel guilty and behind. It's not that I don't get a lot accomplished in the course of a year. It's just that this important list is always there reminding me I am not done. It tells me I am behind and will never catch up-not a good feeling.

This year I'm going to try something a little differernt. I'm going to rename my list. What do you think of "Really good, Don't forget and Procrastination list". That has a nice ring don't you think?

I now realized this list is just a list. I have many great qualities and one of them is procrastinating. I'm not doing to defind myself. I just thought you should know.

MY MASTER TASK LIST is kind of like all the stuff I collect over a year. I gather material/ideas/research. I devour some and file others for a later time- a time that rarely comes. I am curous and overzellous in my enthusiasm. If you put this quality in a MASTER TASK LIST you will have a long list.

This year, the the first items on my list will not cause my stomach to do twists but my heart to do a leap of joy. Next, on my list will be valuable items I don't want to forget. Like calling my grandparents, changing the fire alarm batteries or going for ice cream. Finally, I'll write my procrastination list. I now know this is not my most important list, it is just a list I created to help me along my year. a place to put things I don't want to forget.

I'm I rationalizing,? Could be, I'm also very good at that.

Happy New year,
Denise