My back decided to go out on Saturday at work while wiping milk on the floor. It was one more layer of injury, stress, and I spent the weekend on ice and heat, too locked up to walk across a room. Monday I woke to go to the work clinic and after struggling down into the car (if you’ve ever had a bad back you know what struggle I am talking about) the car would not turn over. I called Mike, got the spare car key and promptly got stuck in deep snow at the end of the driveway. I barely made the appointment and was told re-evaluation in two weeks and no work.

Today is Wednesday and I have had two chiro visits and one physical therapy session. I can move for short periods of time. I am feeling blessed. I took 6 photos. Smiled. And for the heck of it tried to turn my car over, and with arguments, it did. I hope the HEET runs through well enough to make it feel better. I guess we both needed TLC.

Tomorrow, I am doing some office work at a group home–not my position but hopefully it will offer a bit of income. And I have picked up 3 sub-teaching days late next week. My goal is to start on the Etsy Store, pronto.

So am I in the Winter Greys? Or am I Graced? Resilient. Hopeful. And concentrating on Balance, Beauty and Breathe! I guess in spite of it all I am graced. Things could be worse and I am grateful for today.

Getting in touch with my happy buddha, my hibernating bear, and my queen bee. Perhaps throwing in a touch of spider to weave more dream-webs and spin some tales. Yesterday, I spent the day sleeping sometimes acting like a hibernating bear helps you to forget the back pain. The snow blanketed the house and I finished reading “The Secret Lives of Bees” by Sue Monk Kid.

I have been awarded two weeks off work, although I may pick-up some administrative tasks and do some sub-teaching the next couple of days I will be spinning tales and hanging them in windows to catch dreams and move me out of my February Funk.

A friend gave me a hug in passing and asked if I had worked with metaphor at all. I am not sure I understand but what she was suggesting but it got me thinking of the imagery and animals coming to me recently. Sleeping like a hibernating bear and dreaming, tiny spiders on the walls, The bees (of the book I just finished) humming new songs. And then the fact that lots of this change is culminating on the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Tiger.

I feel a turning point.

I have some time, now to get past pain, and work with the stories unfolding in my heart.

Sites of Interest:

Healing Keys

I am still behind on all my responsibilities accept one, work. Commute this morning at the start of my double shift 9am to 9:30pm day!

Sorry Folks. Busy. Hope this holds you over until I get caught up.

Thursdays are just HARD! My rituals fail on Thursday. My organization has fallen away. My fave outfits are dirty. I start off the week strong and fizzle into exhaustion by Thursday. On Thursday (or sometimes even on Wednesdays) my body is really craving, broccoli, a long run, and a 9-hour nite-long sleep.

Believe ~ Breathe ~ Beauty

I think on Thursdays (or even on Wednesdays), if I start with these three words I might be able to find a bit of balance.

Believe–A tiny necklace that arrived as a gift in my mail box. A tiny silver charm that reminds me in the possibilities of abundance even when you least expect it. Believe is my theme word for 2010. It brings me back into the right-framed mind–the creative side.

Breathe–what one thing do I need right now. Stop all the racing thoughts. Breathe. The answer usually comes as a one-word-reply. Wednesday it was FOOD! Yuppers it came to me in capital letters and loud. I popped 2 Gluten, Egg, Dairy-Free Van’s Waffles into my shiny red-toaster and smeared them with fresh ground almond butter and added a sprinkle of raisins.

Beauty–It does not take too terribly long to pop the SD memory-card out of your USB port on the puter and back into the camera step out the door and take a single photo. I did so, yesterday. The photo is of Mike’s Icehenge :-) He cleared snow off the pop-up camper and underneath were sheets of ice. He has been taking photos at night with external flashes.

But is this ritual? Do I do this daily? Can I even begin to commit?

What I was most drawn to was: Devotion, Hydration, and Nutrition.

Devotion–Each morning I would like to wake and choose an intention for the day.

Hydration–8 ounces of water before coffee everyday. I can do this, right?

Nutrition–Food is feeling like a struggle with my new lifestyle “Gluten Intolerant” and therefore also egg and dairy intolerant (at least for the time being). Old faves for breakfast are gone. Perhaps this weekend I can plan 5-days of different breakfasts that might start me off with the added nutrition I need during this healing time.

I think we will do a Monday-Friday posting next week of my Morning Rituals.

It is said that your habits create your destiny.

I’d add that your habits also create your confidence, courage and even your creativity!

In other words, your daily choices, routines, and seemingly insignificant moments make all the difference in your results.

One of the best ways to generate great results is to create a morning ritual. A powerful morning ritual sets the tone for your entire day – and your entire year!

A ritual is personal. A ritual is creative. (Not reactive!) A ritual is what gets YOU on track to create your best day. (And subsequently, your best life!) It can be as simple as a 15-minute routine, or as intense as long-distance running. The important thing is that it becomes a HABIT.

My morning ritual combines a mixture of physical, mental and heart-centered activities to engage each of these human power centers!

Here are some ideas to help you create your own powerful morning ritual.

Hydrate First

Many Eastern health practitioners recommend chugging down at least a half-liter of filtered room-temperature water first thing. (Yes, before your coffee!)

Upon waking, your body has spent hours without hydration. Drinking pure water at this time triggers a series of physiological functions that keep your body super healthy. Some report that this one practice can actually heal many diseases. (I’m not a scientist – but I can attest to the amazing results!)

Get Moving

Exercise is called “The Number One Form of Preventive Medicine.”

It is also a prescription for happiness and a cure for depression! Getting exercise first thing sets your day off right. You can do a simple stretching routine, yoga or an all-out heart-pounding hour at the gym. Pick something do-able and do it.

Meditate

Many people don’t meditate because they find it intimidating. I say, start with just 5 minutes. Meditation connects you to your center, and to the deep silence that surpasses any drama that might be happening in the world of your personality. Don’t worry about doing it right. Just allow yourself the time to BE.

Set Intention

“Intention rules the earth,” says Oprah Winfrey.

It’s true! Your intention is a powerful force to engage.

Remembering your intention puts you back on track. You become focused again.

Reflect for a moment on your Word of the Year. Read a goal you’ve written down for yourself. Remind yourself of a financial dream. (If you’re one of my new students in Uplevel Your Business, read the intention you wrote down on the first day of the program!)

You don’t have to know the HOW. You just need to set the intention so your inner GPS can stay on target!

Be Grateful

Before I get out of bed, I silently create a morning gratitude list. When I begin my day remembering my “gratitudes,” (instead of my “anxieties”) my heart fills with extreme joy and deep awareness. I then bring that energy into everything I do – and to everyone with whom I connect.

Use a Netty Pot

(This one’s a little weird!)

For years, my acupuncturist told my husband and I to use a Netty Pot. We laughed at him. Then, in the face of acute sinus problems, my husband tried it and became a convert. He converted me.

A Netty Pot uses warm water and a special salt to cleanse your sinuses and clear your breathing. Google it, and let the idea sit with you for a while. (You might be a convert too!)

Eat Creative

Your choice of breakfast foods can set up your success with other meals as well. Start your day off in the healthiest way possible for you – and make it a ritual, not a chore.

Be Prepared: Create a Not-to-Do List

Everyone needs a “Not To Do” morning list.

Suggestions here include anything that brings up a “reactive” state: Turning on the local news. Checking email. Answering texts. Answering the phone.

Let these things wait until AFTER your ritual has been completed!

Your Assignment:

After reading this article, don’t just think, “Wow. Those are some good ideas. I should try one or two.”

Instead, deliberately create your morning ritual now. Take about 20 minutes to think about and write down what your ritual will be each morning. Start simple at first. Choose one or two items from this menu. Or come up with your own. Write out your Ritual in detail.

Begin first thing tomorrow morning, and let your habits create YOUR destiny starting now!

Guest Blog by: Performer, songwriter, and creativity consultant Christine Kane publishes her ‘LiveCreative’ weekly ezine with more than 11,000 subscribers. If you want to be the artist of your life and create authentic and lasting success, you can sign up for a FRE*E subscription to LiveCreative at www.christinekane.com.

See Christine’s blog – Be Creative. Be Conscious. Be C

I am reading The Secret Lives of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, a book borrowed from the lending library at The Joy Center in Ishpeming. I had attended a vision boarding workshop just last month and the book caught my eye. I love the rhythm and the language and the character of Lily.

“Every time I refused to wipe away the wetness. It made the world seem so alive to me. I couldn’t help but envy the way a good storm got everyone’s attention.”

These words spoken by Lily as she stands in the rain, remind me of the electricity we feel during a storm.  Ionization of air. The smell rising from the ground. Slap of thunder.

I get tired of cold feet and hands in February. Two pairs of socks and the wish to wear gloves with the finger-tips cut off while typing for long sessions. I need to pull all the blinds up high and draw back curtains but the cold creeps past moldings and winds up from the floor and around my soul. Tugging, the seasonal depression creeps in and I crawl under three comforters and dream of waking to lilac.

This past weekend  finally watched Julie and Julia and quite frankly it only reminded me how far behind I am on my dreams, or should I say the dreaming is not the problem it is the productivity!

I think the movie may have driven me further under the covers.

I get distracted easily with Twitter @kimnixon and with other social media. I scatter myself across numerous blogs, and I let deadlines pass without submitting my photos. I am imperfect. True.

But then there is the 78-year-old man in the movie Up who ties balloons to his house to follow a dream. Blue, red, yellow, pink, purple, tied to long strings, filled with helium. A good strong updraft and we are up and over the mountains baby!!

Take me there. NO. Wait. Mountains are generally cold.

How do you maintain warmth? How do you get to June? How do you get to your next fishing trip? Please share.

How do you approach the shore? As a child I approached two different ways. If in the presence of others, cousins, summer friends, aunts and uncles, parents or grandparents, I rushed in. Running full-steam all knees and elbows and a splash was soon to follow. When alone, I was a whisper, trying to not move the tiny grains of sand. Walking lighter than a feather. Attempting to leave no trace of myself, not even a shadow. I was magic and no one knew but the shore.

I woke to rain this morning and blue jays, a bright spot of blue on dirty snow. As disturbed as I was with rain in January it inspired my article for the Spring Issue of Health & Happiness Magazine.

One of the questions I have been posing to people is, “What changes are you moving through?”

I am facing a new challenge with my health and a recent diagnosis of being Gluten Intolerant. So much time has gone into reading about this and how to start eliminating wheat and gluten from my life. Then I am also facing the next tests and procedures as we try to figure out if I have Celiac Disease.

This has all put a serious dent in my creative time and the obligations on my to-do list. I am at a new point of finding balance. Cooking can now take extra-time. Planning for my health care needs. Taking on more hours at the day-job to pay the new expenses. How do I fit in work-outs when feeling ill?

I could say I was blessed with this rainy day. But I want sun. I want to forget all responsibilities and run trails like I did this summer. I felt lean and strong.

Yesterday I attended a vision boarding session with Roslyn McGrath at The Joy Center. I loved the result. My Vision board was 3-D and jiggly.

The box featured springy pipe-cleaners and driftwood, treasures, and aims. I felt so hopeful and on my drive home the box danced down the road with me. Today, I am focussing on the bargains we make with ourselves. The constant re-shuffling of must-dos and have-to-dos. I know during this healing phase I must play and not stress-out.

How do you address Healing? Please share.

I visited a local sculpture park, Lakenenland, this past weekend and took many abstracted sections of the full sculpture. This one had me looking toward blue skies with smiles. We were out celebrating my birthday and my grandson came along. I already had my birthday wish at that point–a day with my daughter and grandson, precious.

But the photo, that got me thinking of wishes. World Peace. Healing for Haiti. Understanding across borders. What is your wish? Please post as comment.