December 19, 2005
December 19, 2005 Issue #22
Welcome to the newsletter where playing more and stressing less is taken seriously. It's written with the intention to support you in living a life with more passion and play and less worry and work.
IN THIS ISSUE...
Unexpected Beauty
Movie & Website Recommendation
4 spots left in the Beach Retreat!
Giggles & Guffaws
Ways to Play Today
Something to Ponder
My Playground
The article, the message, the thing to make you go hmmm...
"Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. ~Frosty the Snowman
~Unexpected Beauty~
It snowed yesterday! Perhaps that's not such an exciting exclamation to make for some given the fact they may live in a place where snow during the wintertime is a sure thing. However, in Portland, Oregon, seeing snow in December is a rarity. I woke up to bright sunshine and blue skies in the morning and didn't expect to see anything different. What a surprise it was to look out my window a few hours later and see a winter wonderland of white. It was especially delightful because it came on suddenly enough that it left our local newscasters scratching their heads wondering how it happened. Perhaps it's not so great to deal with a sudden shift in the weather if you're driving in traffic, but it sure was fun watching the change happen from the cozy seat in my office. Perhaps some of the most beautiful things there are to experience in life are the ones we don't see coming.
I had another unexpected moment of beauty happen to me yesterday. I went downstairs late in the day wondering what I was going to fix for dinner. I looked in the refrigerator hoping some food fairy had delivered by evening meal, but soon realized I would need to get creative if I wanted to make something healthy and satisfying. Rather than settling for the easy bean burrito or bowl of cereal, I actually opened up a cookbook and turned the pages until I found something that sounded appealing. Of course the first thing I thought of was I wouldn't have all the ingredients to make this delectable dish. Imagine my surprise when I opened the fridge a few minutes later to discover I had enough of the required foods to come pretty close to making what appeared in the picture before me. I was quite pleased with the tasty concoction of roasted red pepper, gorgonzola cheese and shrimp pasta I made. I was just bummed I didn't have a dinner companion to share in my culinary triumph.
Unexpected colors in a wintertime sunset.
While it's important to plan, be prepared and have structures in place in our lives, I think it's also equally important to be able to roll with the punches, embrace spontaneity and allow the element of surprise to bring us a deeper sense of awareness. Consider how your life might be like were you to live full out with what happens unexpectedly rather than striving to figure out what's expected. One of the beautiful things the unexpected can bring is letting go of our need for control. When the unexpected happens, we’re offered the choice of resisting it or making the most of it. I choose the latter and encourage you to do the same. Here are a few other things I hope the unexpected will bring you:
5 Beautiful Things the Unexpected Can Bring
1) Awe- Magicians aren't the only ones capable of making our jaws drop with their tricks. The unexpected has a way of creating magic without the use of wands or levitating bodies. Have no worries about what people may think of that delightful look of surprise on your face. That alone is a beautiful thing.
2) Wonder- It's in our nature to question why the unexpected happens. I suggest putting our thinking caps on with our hearts rather than our heads and revel in the beauty of not knowing.
3) Joy- The element of surprise can elicit profound feelings of pleasure. We just have to remind ourselves to let them in.
4) Laughter- Whether it's an unpredicted snowstorm or a sudden passing of gas, laughing is one of the best byproducts of the unexpected. I'm giggling now. Are you?
5) Gratitude- Yes, sometimes the unexpected brings us experiences of pain, anger and loss that we would rather not deal with. However, those same experiences often give us the chance to develop a greater appreciation for all we are and all we have.
At this time of year, many of us make resolutions we'll begin taking action on come January 1. Why not do something unexpected NOW and see what kind of difference it makes before the calendar turns? Last night I called a friend I hadn't spoken to in quite some time. I could tell by the tone in her voice that hearing mine on the other end was a sweet surprise. I had caused something unexpected in her life and she, in turn, caused some unexpected fun for me. How many people do you know who could use a little more awe, wonder, joy, laughter or gratitude in their lives?
Be the cause of the unexpected and see for yourself how many beautiful things happen as a result of your delightful deeds.
Check it Out
Personal Recommendations for books, music, websites and all resources fun!
Pandora I am so excited to share this website with you! I just discovered it a couple of days ago and it's been playing non-stop on my laptop since. Think about your favorite songs and musicians. Have you ever wondered how you can easily find new music that's similar to what you enjoy listening to? Wonder no more. At Pandora, personalized radio stations are created for you based on your music preferences. You type in the name of a specific song or artist and the program (which they call the Music Genome Project) develops a play-list of similar-sounding songs for you. You can view the artist's name and song while they're playing and create a list of your favorite tunes for future purchases or not. You can create up to 100 different types of stations for different genres of music and they're saved for you. You can select which of your stations best suits your mood. So far I've entered in Sarah McLachlan for a mellow folk station, Afro Celt Sound System for a world music station, Luka Bloom for an acoustic guitar-like station and Darude for a wild and crazy dance station. The best part about this program is it's FR*E! Have fun creating your stations. Barry Manilow anyone?
"The Polar Express" Movie
I saw this movie in an IMAX theatre a couple weeks ago and it was a ton of fun. If you live in or near Portland, Oregon, I highly encourage you to go see this on the BIG, BIG screen while it's playing. Tom Hanks voices several of the movie's characters and it's amazing how life-like the animators made them appear. Go rent the DVD now and watch it before the 25th. You'll laugh and possibly cry (it was the little boy singing in the back of the train that got the tears going for me) and you'll definitely be touched by the magic and spirit of Christmas. There's also a very good chance you'll walk away from the movie believing in Santa again. That jolly fat man in the red hat lives on still!
What's Up at Playful Spirit?
The January retreat in Cannon Beach has 4 spots left! If you're a woman who would like to experience a bit of bliss in the middle of winter, I encourage you to check out the retreat information here and then contact me if it strikes a chord in you. It's going to be an amazing weekend and I would love for you to be a part of it! I'm headed to New Zealand the day after Christmas to join my sweetie who's already in the glorious South Pacific sunshine. We'll be spending three weeks traversing the north and south islands visiting friends and family while exploring the beauty of everything that's Kiwi. I'm thinking I should find the perfect place that could host an overseas retreat in the future. I've always imagined myself traveling and facilitating retreats all over the world. Why not start with one in New Zealand? That would be a hoot! I would love to hear from any readers that are interested in something like this or would like to know more information about the retreats I'll be doing closer to home next year.
Giggles & Guffaws
An amusing story, joke, anecdote or picture to tickle your funnybone
My cat, Buddy is an expert.
Ways to Play Today
Why not...bundle up, go outside and play in the winter weather?
Grab your warmest coat, mittens and hat and go have some fun in the elements. Go sledding. Go for a walk or a run. Jump rope or jump in a puddle. Experience the sensation of rain on your face or the frosty air in your nostrils. It might be more tempting to stay cozy and warm inside, but I challenge you to get out, move your body some and appreciate the beauty of Mother Nature. Chances are you'll not only enjoy your outing, but you will have burned off enough calories to enjoy a nice cup of cocoa and cookie. Hmmm...cookies. I'm bundling up now.
Why not...count your blessings?
Spend some time thinking about the people who are in your life. Consider how they've made a difference and impacted your world. Connect somehow via email, phone or snail mail and let them know you appreciate them and the reasons why. Your blessings don't need presents wrapped in pretty paper. Your presence in their lives is the perfect gift so give it away today and let your blessings know they count.
Something to Ponder
Questions designed to stimulate your thinking AND encourage you to take action towards what you want.
What could you do today to cause the unexpected to delightfully surprise someone?
How might the unexpected cause greater awareness in you?
Care to share what these questions stir up in you? Need some support around how to pick out the positive in the unexpected?
Send me an e-mail.
I welcome your thoughts and will respond to all e-mails received.
If you want to find out more about the work I do as a facilitator, writer and coach check out Playful Spirit Make sure you come back and visit every so often as you never know what kind of resources and fun stuff I'll be playing around with and adding to the website.
Thanks for reading this issue of Lighten Up! If you enjoyed it, please pass it along to your friends, your family, your co-workers...You get the idea. Until next month, allow the unexpected to add beauty to your life and may you be the cause of unexpected beauty for others. Be well, be happy and play more.
See you on January 16th!
Happy Holidays!
Lisa
~Playful Spirit's mission is to empower women to acknowledge and express their unique gifts in the world. We help people rediscover their passion, purpose & sense of play.~
lisa@playful-spirit.com www.playful-spirit.com