Something New! Rest on Request!

I was inspired today to begin offering short private resting sessions, say 15 minutes, for $20. It’s like getting a chair massage for your body/mind/spirit but from home (Skype or Zoom or phone or I suppose in-person, if we’re passing by one another anyway . . . ).

I created a page on this blog for it, and you can find that right here.

We have paused our weekly REST Room calls for the time being, as the entire team has other projects calling for our attention; however, I love having REST like this as a part of my life, and I love to share it. So if you are looking for Rest on Request, you have come to the right place.

Love, love. xx

And Trust Rest. ❤

pink_chair_girl

The Greatest Love of All

Trusting rest is self-loving. As direct as it gets.

For a bonus and help with this, try resting in front of the mirror for a few moments. It’s FREE! And we can relax and talk to our reflections and give them total love.

“I love you so much. You are without flaw, exactly as you are.”

Trust Rest Trust Life Love Live

The more I trust rest, the more I trust life. And the more I trust life, the more I trust life! And the more I trust rest and trust life, the more relaxed and better I feel.

Definitely enjoying the ride, with much gratitude.

Each day, I relax more and more into the expanding goodness and happiness. I check my body sensations for any resistance or nervousness or clinging (“must always maintain this up-state”), and I relax.

Sharing an Awesome TED Talk

Well too bad I can’t embed it but you can click — just a wee click! — to check it out if you feel inspired.

This video GREATLY helped me get into the habit of writing at least one doodle prompt each night right after I got in bed. Thanks to doing that, I’ve written over 365 prompts and am ready for the next phase of making my book on the subject!

Why is this TED Talk about making changes relevant to Trusting Rest? Because it’s super easy and it’s self-loving! And if easy and self-loving aren’t all about trusting rest, then I don’t know what is!

Click here for the whole shebang, and let me know if it inspires anything in you! You know I be lovin’ ya. xx

Awesome!

It’s Okay Not to Work

A few days ago and again today I met women who are not currently “working” outside of the home. When I asked them both what they usually do during the day (prior to hearing they weren’t working), the each stammered a bit and talked in circles and seemed embarrassed that they’re taking time. One is three months pregnant and getting ready to move houses. She’s going to work on getting ready for the move while her husband works at his day job. The other is in-between gigs but has a gig she’s moving into soon.

This reminds me of when I was asked “What do you do in Austin” some years ago when I wasn’t working. I replied, “I go outside a lot,” which was really true and really was how I was spending most of my time. I was on the Greenbelt or sitting outside at a cafe writing pretty much all daylight hours. A friend who’d been mentoring me before I quit my social work job (the first time — well, the second I got canned the day after I declared that I wanted to be free of my office) pulled me aside that day and said that I came off rude in answering that question.

I have been noticing ass-kissing tendencies in myself lately, but, man, I think this is so annoying. Whose feelings are we trying to spare by pretending we’re not taking time off, being different, simply being ourselves?

I support all of your days and weeks and months and years off! I think it’s really good for us to have long stretches of time that aren’t given over to a job or a structure. I mean, not everyone thrives under no structure, and to be fair, I can use a little, sure. But freedom like that is soooo delish. I thrive on some good un-spoken-for time!

To Rest Is . . .

To rest it to know yourself well. To rest is to hear a voice that assures you, you can let go, just a little bit more. To rest it to retreat from others’ advice and comments and even praise. It is to look in the mirror and take a deep breath and let it out and feel your feet on the floor and say, “Life loves me. And I love myself — you — so much.”

To rest is to allow the mind to say all it wants to say and still keep it easy and let the spontaneity of the moment lead the way.

Writing Mother’s Day

It’s Mother’s Day today. I dreamed about my mother last night. It was very emotional. Also, after peeing around 0700, I slept until almost 11. I woke up with my eyes super puffy and almost didn’t recognize myself when I went to the mirror to lavish myself with love, appreciation and approval.

Then, after Morning Pages, I got all wild while looking at Facebook (of course). I felt such an urge to write, write, write. I took a day off yesterday from my 1000 words. I was glad enough to do so, although if I’d been more awake last night, I could have written. I have so much coming through right now.

Meanwhile, I’m here at the Tree House whose next renter arrives tomorrow. I’ve been doing a bit of cleaning each day the past few days (see 10s, below), but I don’t really feel like I’m making a dent in it. I mean, I’m still living and sleeping and showering and eating in here. I guess I just make a mess.

I could spend all day cleaning today, but I must write. I must. I must. I am.

I have thoughts like Writer seeks place to write. And I dig the excitement of finally feeling like I want to spend as much time as I feel writing today. The writer who got cut off by the college teacher in 1989 is finally re-emerging, and it’s awesome.

Today may have been the first day that I had such a direct craving.

Now I can hear the mother (grandmother) in the back yard next door who’s talking on the phone. Makes me realize how I must be heard when I’m out here, too.

Anyway, the reason a permanent wonderful home is right for me is that I don’t want to spend my time/energy/direction cleaning the house and packing up my shit again to move. I want to write.

And so, right now, I am. (A wee puff helps. I’ll say it.)

This morning's Morning Pages inspired doodle. Yes, I.

This morning’s Morning Pages inspired doodle. Yes, I.

I did talk to my mom, by the way. I feel better and also . . . I feel. Lots to feel on this day and tons of words to be written. See you soon! xx

When I’m in the Mood . . .

When I’m in the mood, I do like to knock out some of those loose ends. I just sent off an email with information about ordering private doodling sessions to a client. I got to include this new digitized version of a doodle signature I made one day while #doodlingwithstrangers.

carina digital

Fun, right?

I’m on my checklist of my 10 minutes of three things today: cleaning, loose ends and meditation/rest. I have done 10 minutes worth of cleaning, though I feel inspired to do more. Wanting to get packed up to move in a few day so that I’m 1) not rushing on Monday morning and 2) not trying to do it in the rain. And I’d add 3) doing it when I’m inspired and not when I “have to.” Blech.

Loose ends: I’d say I’ve given 10 minutes to that today. I got to order and update the above doodle signature from Fiver.com. I also sent that email that I just mentioned. Surely that’s 10 minutes of loose ends. But what I still want to do in that department is spend 10 minutes looking at website templates to forward the Doodle Outreach site. So much is happening in the world of doodling, it’s high time to have a place to capture and share it all. I love these ten minute increments. They’re so doable!

Then, if all unfolds and I don’t do anything that’s likely to make me fall asleep and not want to leave the house, I’d like to wander down to South Austin to catch my friends Bobby Whitlock and CoCo Carmel play a little show late this afternoon. It’s always a high time for me to go and see them. I always feel loved and aligned. They reflect to me a commitment to each of our hearts and individual paths.

And will I write my 1000 words today? TBD. I like to allow myself a day off here and there, though as I’m typing this, I can feel I’m having a bit of a craving . . .

I read on an Abraham post today that when you have a craving and it feels good, go for it. If you have a craving and it feels bad, don’t.

Things to play with on this sweet Saturday.

I’m having the thought right now, “Who gives a hoot about your to-do list?” But I don’t care. It’s my bloggy. I get to put whatever I feel on here. 🙂

Love, love,

carina digital

A Long Post, but Sweet

Today I cut my toe nails. I sat on a step outside with a towel under my feet and clipped my little growing things that I’ve been wanting to clip for days.

Yesterday I julienned a sweet potato, now ready to be made into baked yummy fries. The potato had sat on counters and traveled with me for a few weeks, at least. I felt some agitation when I looked at it until yesterday when I stopped and questioned the agitation. I looked right at it the vegetable to see if it contained a command to cook it. Huh. It didn’t. That’s weird, but cool, I thought.

And lo and behold, soon after, i find myself with my knife in my hand, cutting the thing into ample matchsticks, and saying to myself how easy it [was].

I have felt that same type of inner drive sensation today. I want to write my 1000 words and get them over with (gosh that truly sounds uninspired, but there it is). I’ve been wanting to make puppets as gifts for my mom and sister, and I’ve been anxiously staring at some ribbons I use for hair that are sitting on the table. I haven’t had the energy or momentum to make a puppet — just a bit of angst. Mother’s Day is coming up in a few days. I guess they wouldn’t have arrived by then anyway. But that’s worth a look, too. Do those shiny, curly things on the table contain a command to make a puppet?

They do seem so, a little bit.

That simply means I’m feeling a reaction to what I’m seeing combined with that question. And so I may rest and feel my sensations directly and not rush to any conclusion or specific question or anything at all. Just let my body be open and rest here. (No, no command found in that feeling either.)

I’m aware today of that feeling, like a stream steadily running under ground, of must-keep-moving.

This morning during Morning Pages, I offered myself another opportunity to play with some 10s, like I did last summer. This time, rather than six or more, I gave myself three. Three 10s for the next three days (including today), as I will move location on the fourth day.

1. 10 minutes of cleaning. I have found myself rushed and stressed on the days I’m leaving here, getting hungry and always taking longer than I had planned to get the place in tip top shape. Plus my friend told me I’d missed a few spots before, so I really want to make it nice. I ended up doing more like 45 minutes (dusting only), but I did it well and was relaxed and I’m really glad to have that done. But I would only have “had” to do 10, according to this plan.

2. 10 minutes of tying up loose ends. My intention today was to cut my toe nails (done!!) and sort out my Netflix account (cancel mine, email my people who share it with me, log in to the friend’s who has offered to share his now). I didn’t get that all completed, but I did chat with a friendly guy at N’flix and get the information I needed and send a relevant email. Good job, me! Also the guy at N’flix said I could strike up a conversation with their PR department to see if they would like to do some doodling.

3. 10 minutes of meditation/rest. Amen and hallelujah. I so often don’t realize how much I miss that little bit of in the moment wind down that a fully committed 10 (+) minutes gives. For years I did so much “resting in awareness” and LI sessions, I didn’t feel drawn to sitting. Nowadays, I find it so soothing, familiar, fresh and helpful. And clarifying. It helped me see to come here to write first and then go on to the 1000 words. I may even take a lot of this (we’re at 656 and counting) and transfer it over. Or something of the ilk.

And also that little meditation helped me see/feel more clearly that impulse to be doing doing doing. It has a bit of fear beneath it and a bit of separation anxiety. But all is well and there is neither anything to fear or anything separate.

A long post, but sweet. xx