Lightarted Living: A Woman of Ease

Lightarted Living: A Woman of Ease:   A Woman of Ease The good feeling started with a little smile appearing one morning. As she lazily stretched and opened her eyes she was gr...

A Woman of Ease

 

A Woman of Ease

The good feeling started with a little smile appearing one morning.

As she lazily stretched and opened her eyes she was greeted 

by little memories of far-away friends surfacing to brighten her day.

She allowed the little loving thoughts to escape and spiral into the air around her, 

tickling her fancy, and surrounding her with a colorful aura of joy.

A peaceful sense of ease tucked her into a hopeful future,

And gave her a deep sense of knowing, 'All is Well'.

Tracy

Her life and heart were all ablaze.

She had arrived full of energy, passion and hope.

Her presence was electrifying, 

Igniting a fire in all around her.

Smiles abound.

A Woman Refreshed

She was a woman full of fresh ideas,

Ready to refresh her outlook on life,

Full of healthy and bold thoughts. 

She had turned the corner.

A bright and hopeful life was emerging. 

Her future was sure to bring smiles, joy, happiness and ease.

Dance On!

No matter the hardships,

No matter the pain,

At your earliest convenience,

Return to life fully engaged.

Let joy be!

On with the dance! Let joy be unconfined. 

Lord Byron

A Fresh Canvas

Salmon Dinner styled by Colleen McGinn was the photo used 

as my canvas for all of the pictures in a woman of ease series.

Colleen McGinn is an inspiring food stylist who encourages

us to try new heathy meals by making them look so tasty.

She is truly a woman full of fresh ideas!

Lightarted Living: How to Be Self Confident and Put Others at Ease

Lightarted Living: How to Be Self Confident and Put Others at Ease: Falling Down on Self Confidence? Get Back Up  Self confidence flagging?   If you knew you had a trick up your sleeve to get your confidence ...

How to Be Self Confident and Put Others at Ease

Falling Down on Self Confidence? Get Back Up 

Self confidence flagging?  If you knew you had a trick up your sleeve to get your confidence back would you use it? I would. Here's the trick: Stop being self-conscious. Strive to be a person of ease instead. 

Even the Most Self Confident Struggle with Confidence

Even the most self confident of us have times when we struggle with flagging self confidence. In anticipation of meeting people for the first time, or taking center stage with the spotlight on us for a special event, we can let self doubt and self consciousness creep in. 

My daughter is about to get married and that joyous occasion has, of course, put her into high alert for how she'll look on her wedding day. But it also has her father and I thinking about meeting her fiancé's family for the first time, and feeling a bit self-conscious too.

So what's the solution to overcoming all this self-consciousness on our part? Simple. We give up our self-consciousness and embrace "you're never fully dressed without a smile" instead. 

 

You're Never Fully Dressed without a Smile

Early in life I stumbled upon the key to relaxing and presenting myself confidently no matter the situation. All I had to do was remember I had the key and bring it out whenever I began to feel self conscious about the prospect of people looking at me or my performance and judging what they see.

My big AHA! came when I figured out that if I felt uneasy in my skin, then other people felt uneasy in theirs. If I put my focus on attending to other people's comfort and ease instead of worrying about my own, my unease disappeared. By simply switching my attention from myself to others, I replaced my self-consciousness with a concern for other's ease.

Whether you're the person leading that first in-person meeting back at the office, or you're the bride at the wedding, you can feel the heat of all eyes upon you. But if you stop and think about it, you'll see everyone at your presentation or wedding is nervous about how they look or act in a new or formal situation. What if they dress inappropriately, fail to fit in with others, or look stupid?

When you get 'you're never fully dressed without a smile' you can learn the art of being self confident and putting others at ease in any situation.

How to be a Person of Ease wearing an Inner Smile

A person of ease is confident in the moment and puts everyone around them at ease. 

You become a person of ease when you choose to be other-conscious instead of self-conscious, and you dress yourself with that inner smile by projecting the four messages all people want to hear in all situations:

The 4 messages all people want to hear

I'm glad I'm here.

I'm glad you're here.

I care about you.

I know that I know.

You don't have to actually say those four messages, although you can. You only need to convey them through your actions. 

When you're sincere in your attention to other's comfort and ease, your calm sense of presence will light up the room and let that inner smile shine through. When you confidently attend to the ease in the atmosphere everyone is better able to relax and enjoy their interactions.

Lightarted Living: If I had Words to Make a Day for You

Lightarted Living: If I had Words to Make a Day for You:   "If I had words to make a day for you, I'd sing you a morning golden and new. I would make this day last for all time; Give you a...

If I had Words to Make a Day for You

 

"If I had words to make a day for you,

I'd sing you a morning golden and new.

I would make this day last for all time;

Give you a night deep in moonshine."

Scott Fitzgerald and Yvonne Keeley

Song from 'Babe, the Pig'

Lately this song from the movie 'Babe' has popped into my head over and over again as I look for the underlying secret messages in the art and objects around me. 

I feel such tenderness towards so many of you at the moment, and it spills out of my heart onto the art pages. The healing beings have been singing Babe's song to me of late, and I'm compelled to offer their song alongside them so they can sing it to you.

Life is full of both joyful and difficult events calling us to send tender thoughts to surround others in love as they move forward with life. That's what this song is to me.

Who do I send this song to today? 

💓Those getting married, and those getting out of prison;

💓Those having babies and those who've lost a loved one. 

💓Those in treatment for major illnesses and those recovering from years-long healing of abuse, injury or hardship.

💓Those of you recovering and resting after a year of turmoil.

If I could, I would sit alongside you and sing this song to you to calm your nerves and quiet your fears. 

Today I wish you a morning golden and new, and a night deep in moonshine. 

From Rags to Riches

The underlying photo of the healing spirits is from 

an art studio rag used by Lee Bryant to wipe paint from her brushes.

Lee sees the marvelous in everything--rags, dirt, jar lids, rocks, snow,  

food leftovers, and many other ordinary items waiting to be discovered. 

I am the lucky recipient of her gift of seeing as she photographs 

these great finds then delights me with her objects of love.

I feel love and tenderness in her offerings to me, 

and I hope you feel the love and tenderness in our offerings to you.