Are You a Changemaker or a Trailblazer?

As I watch various events unfolding in our world and witness new discoveries being made across the globe, I’ve been pondering the meaning of thought leadership – and how one’s uniqueness impacts the collective on a larger scale.
 
Whether we’re writing a book, building a business, chairing a board, managing a political campaign, or opening an art gallery – our thoughts, ideas, and beliefs naturally reveal themselves when we’re doing our best work.
 
As a highly-creative person with fresh ideas and new ways of seeing people, places, and things – have you ever thought about the ripple effect you create through your personal and professional work?
 
Have you pondered the bigger message – and how it touches people in large and small ways?
 
Have you wondered about the impact it has, when it travels from one person to the next – and how far it might go?
 
Have you ever considered yourself a changemaker or a trailblazer?
 

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Are You on a “Caterpillar to Butterfly” Journey?

On my daily walk this morning, along one of my favorite Cape Cod nature trails, I noticed my first butterfly of the season crossing my path. It stayed with me for a few minutes, eventually landing on a yellow flower in a nearby meadow.
 
I began thinking about this butterfly – and the transformation it had taken to become one. It reminded me of a favorite quote by beloved poet Maya Angelou“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”
 
 
Every great transformation – whether personal, professional or creative – involves a process that isn’t always pleasant. There are many twists and turns, lots of creating and adjusting, and a necessary willingness to “see it all through.” 
 
It’s a unique journey that can be described metaphorically, “from caterpillar to butterfly.” 

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Giving Courage to Your Creative Voice

Imagine picking up the cosmic phone and scheduling an appointment with your creative voice to discuss the next steps that will bring a dream to fruition.
 
During a new moon phase, the lines are clear – so feel free to ask for what it is you need and desire.
 
The new moon gives us the courage to step into our true voice with a fresh set of eyes and a desire for new beginnings. It gives us the ability to believe in the power of our own authenticity.
 
Take a moment to think about your “life story.”
 
How has it played out – up to this point?
  • Where you encouraged to take risks?
  • Or were you told to “play it safe” – always making comfortable, practical choices?
  • Was your voice heard and received with love and respect – making you feel like your opinions, your thoughts, and your emotions really mattered?
  • Or were you silenced – making you feel like you weren’t worthy of having an opinion, a thought, or an emotion?
​​​​As Oprah Winfrey once noted, “I was once afraid of people saying, ‘Who does she think she is?’ Now I have the courage to stand and say, ‘This is who I am.’”
 
 

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What’s the Universal Gift in Your Life Story?

One of the most powerful films I’ve ever seen is Freedom Writers. It continues to be one of my favorites.
 
It shows the power of journal writing – and telling one’s story through a voice that is unique to the storyteller. And through the pages of sharing this story, a larger sense of purpose begins to unveil.
 
For a taste of what the film is about, visit this link and watch the movie trailer: Freedom Writers
 
So much could change in our lives, and in our world, if we just stepped into the power of our life story – learning its lessons, receiving its gifts, and bettering ourselves in the process – then finding our own diamond in the rough, giving it a good polish, and sharing it with others.
 
We all have a jewel of wisdom that’s meant to be shared with others – in a way that only we can share.
 
 
What’s the universal gift in your life story

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Turning Brokenness into Beauty

Many of us are familiar with the saying, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

And in several cultures, beauty is celebrated in unique ways, depending on how it’s viewed.

In Japan, for example, broken objects are often repaired with gold. The flaw is seen as a unique piece of the object’s history – which adds to its beauty.

Thinking about yourself and your own life, what do you consider “broken?”

And how might another see this “flaw” as beauty?

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How Can You Illuminate the World?

As we settle into the first full moon phase of the spring season, here’s a great quote to ponder – “You have to find what sparks a light in you, so that you – in your own way – can illuminate the world.”

In this time of uncertainty and unsettledness, it’s the quieter moments that are needed to reflect within ourselves a light that may be going unnoticed.

Take a moment to close your eyes, breathing fully and deeply, several times in and out. Then invite yourself into these questions. (more…)