Happiness Jar Project

01 Jan 2015 Leave a comment

by Camille in My Thoughts Exactly Tags: , , , , , ,

I came across a Facebook post by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love, yesterday about her Happiness Jar Project. In it, she wrote about re-introducing her followers and fans to the idea of the project. As a huge fan of Elizabeth Gilbert, and as someone who is always searching for ways to grasp keeping joy and happiness in my life, I was intrigued.

So I searched for others that had participated and the concept. I couldn’t access her website, but I saw for myself how powerful this one little act could be in my life. I am one who, when I discover something like this, I jump in with both feet full on! Being who I am, I posted on Facebook myself for others who wanted to join me in this.

Within just a few minutes, five of some of my good friends said, “I’M IN!” I created a Facebook Group called The Happiness Jar – Jar of Joy and added these five incredible women as members. The intention was to start today, January 1, 2015.

The group is up and running and I have posted my first post with a picture of my own happiness jar. I hope the rest of the women post pictures of theirs as well, but I’m in this. Today, I created a little altar by my bedside as a way to end each evening with a prayer, intention, and remembering that one small thing from the day of whatever brought me happiness that day.

What is so important about this? No matter what kind of day I have had, I know that there has to be something that is a happiness possibility. And by writing this moment, this even, this one thing on a piece of paper and putting in in my jar, I go to bed on a note of happiness and joy! Instead of going to bed focused on what went wrong that day? I go to bed focused on what went right!

As I write this to share on my blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and I think Pinterest, I am excited to share yet another journey with my readers here. And I am so blessed that I have found an author, Elizabeth Gilbert, who has become one of my own personal influential people in my life. I do not know her personally, nor have I ever had contact with her, but her insight and her humanness and the way she shares a part of herself with her readers and fans have influenced my own writing.

I am leaving The Happiness Jar – Jar of Joy Facebook Group open until the end of the month so that anyone who wants to join in can. It’s never too late!

The concept? Take a jar to designate as your Happiness Jar. Each evening, write one thing or event that brought you happiness that day and put it in the jar. On those days that just are not that great? Take one out and read it – focus on it – smile and say thank you! At the end of the year, take the time to read each one and see just how far you have come in the year. You could make a collage, paste in a journal, or put them in a box with the year on it for safe keeping. Some families have even made Christmas decorations out of them. I haven’t decided what I will do with them, but it will be something that is meaningful!

I am so looking forward to sharing this journal with you here on Dancing Naked. Feel free to join me on Facebook and share your impressions. I think today’s bit of happiness is being able to write this and share with my friends!

Oh, and here is my Happiness Jar Altar!

happiness Jar altar

Moving Forward

29 Aug 2014 1 Comment

by Camille in My Thoughts Exactly Tags: , , , ,

My Music Muse – Hold On by Sarah McLachlan

Link to Music/Lyrics – http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/sarahmclachlan/holdon.html

My last post was the day of my knee replacement surgery, and it has already been five weeks. Time has gone by so quickly. I have missed my readers and sharing my raw, open, and naked self with all you.

First, I am doing great and moving forward quickly. I was thinking this morning during my usual morning cup of coffee that I have experienced so much in the last five weeks and really needed to share with all of you. So, after dressing and doing my rehab exercises, I came to work in my studio/office. I opened my playlist on the cloud, hit shuffle, and here was this song, Hold On by Sarah McLachlan.

The opening lyrics, “Hold on, Hold on to yourself for this is gonna hurt like hell” is really the only phrase to open what has been brought to the open for me during this time. I am not talking about the physical pain, although that has definitely been a new experience for me. No, I’m talking about the pain of realizing that this event of three is the culmination of what I have been avoiding for a very long time.

In my blog before surgery, I shared that I have lived my life based on fear and that this surgery is the epitome of the final step of moving forward for me. No longer basing decisions based on fear, but moving forward bravely and with courage.

And it has “hurt like hell!” But through this all? I would not change a thing. You see, even when we decide to shed those old beliefs and move forward, Source (or whatever you chose to call it) gets busy and circumstances and events come into your life that make way for the new. It can be so painful, and there are so many times when we wonder what the hell is going on. Haven’t I had enough? But, the desire to move forward is much stronger than the comfort of staying where I was.

This is a tug of war between two spirits within me. Dark and Light? Frankly, it doesn’t matter. What matters is the one spirit knows she needs to move on and the other was (notice the “was”) staying where the comfort is. To quote the song,

At the crossroads I am standing
So now you’re sleeping peaceful
I lie awake and pray
that you’ll be strong tomorrow and we’ll
see another day and we will praise it
and love the light that brings a smile
across your face.

The strength that is within me pushes me forward, and the smile and joy that moving into my passion brings is far beyond what I could imagine. And so, with faith and the support of those around me that get this? I move forward to the world I have imagined and created.

And now playing is Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds – apropos! “Don’t worry ‘bout a thing!”

Raw and Vulnerable – Dancing Naked

29 May 2014 Leave a comment

by Camille in My Thoughts Exactly Tags: , , , , , , ,

Music Download for today – Seven Lives by Enigma

Link to music/lyrics – http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/enigma/sevenlives.html  http://youtu.be/A2s4PXq8F1M

“Seven Lives” by Enigma

Traces, many faces
Lost in the maze of time
Blinded by the darkness
That’s the start of the seven lives

It’s too close, but still too far
Follow your inner guide
Show us who you are (are, are)
In these seven lives

Follow your inner guide
Show me who you are
In these seven lives

It’s too close, but still too far
Show me who you are
In these seven lives

 

We all have many faces – those we share with the ones that are the closest and those that are hidden. What happens when the hidden faces emerge into those that are open? The shadow side becomes exposed, raw – out there for everyone to see. The trick is … Do the ones that say they love us really love us for all that we are? Or do they run and hide when hidden faces show those pieces of us that have been in the shadows for so long?

It is a given that those that stay without a question are earnest in their words and feelings. What is not a given is do you stay with yourself when those hidden faces emerge through the shadows, or do you run and hide from your own truth?

That is the most difficult to do sometimes. The challenge is to take each of those faces and really look deep into the eyes. Where is the belonging? Where is the home? The doubts – the fears – the scaries – they will all emerge sometime. What do you do when they come out to play?

Well, for me, I give them their own names and personalities and write them in books or paint them on a canvas. I look at their personalities and ask where the belonging is. Is the belonging to be a part of me or shall I hold and embrace that part of me and let it go? To be sure, there are faces that are scary or scared, but there are those that need to be a part of my life and a part of my beingness. Those? I give birth to, nurture, and if the time comes, I let it go. If it is to remain a part of me and my life, I love it as a part of myself knowing that this is what molded me into who I am at the given moment of time. It could change tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, or in years to come. It matters not because I am ever changing, ever evolving, ever becoming. I believe that when I stop, then this life will be over.

At this moment in time, several faces have emerged that have created a need to take another look at what I need. Some are difficult and have been buried for many years, even from the one that is the closest to me, and as I navigate through the exploration and realization of this part of me, there are some thoughts and feelings that just cannot be expressed. There are specters that appear attempting to undo what I know has been great growth. To those specters, I open my arms wide so that I can become who I am meant to be, finally.

And this is the whole point of Dancing Naked – open, raw, vulnerable. Take it in. Hold it. Love it. Tell it everything is all right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ready, Steady – GO!

10 Aug 2012 Leave a comment

by Camille in Self Growth Tags: , ,

When I woke up this morning, my first thought was, “It’s morning already!”  Sleep has alluded me in the last few weeks, and my body is ready to catch up.  So, what does this have to do anything?  It brought to mind how I have neglected the very body that makes my living, allows me to enjoy life, and is my vehicle here on this planet.

People who know me know that I experienced osteoarthritis in my right knee that is an obstacle to exercising and walking.  Instead of just noticing and thanking my knee for the lesson, I have allowed it to prevent me from taking care of my body.  First step – acknowledging this.  Second step – moving forward!

I start now by taking a log on what I eat, when I eat, and how I eat.  If you would like to join me on this journey, I am creating a website dedicated to this growth process.  Let me know!  You can be included as well.

I am not sure where this is going, but I know that it is going to a place that is for the health of my experiences to come.  As my grandson says, “Ready, Steady – GO!”

 

Been Gone Too Long

21 Nov 2011 2 Comments

by Camille in My Thoughts Exactly Tags: , , , ,

I can’t believe that it’s really been since August since my last blog post.  One thing that can be said about my life is that it is always changing.  In writing that, I know that I need to change that experience if I want my life to chill for a while.  But, I’m good with change, for it is through change that we grow the most and become our true selves.

It seems that days, weeks, and months fly by, and before I realize it, several months have gone by.  My past experience has been that things are always busy.  And they have been.  Busy is not necessarily bad – it’s now we react to that busy-ness.  It is how we believe that busy-ness.  Perhaps we see it as overwhelming, but one thing for sure is that we are living!

Life just is – to be experienced, lived, participated in, and shared.  I have learned many insights and grown exponentially.  I am living life as a fully active participant – not standing by and watching.  My intention is to share with my readers my experiences in the coming year so that we may walk this path together.  It is important to share my new quest path.  Why?  I know that many of you out there experience challenges and what could be perceived as setbacks.  I will share mine with you.  One thing about setbacks – they are not!  We may think that losing that job, losing that client, having to experience something that you thought was long gone are setbacks.  But, they are merely events that have occurred so that you can master a lesson.  These are amazing opportunities to grow and provide challenges to be what we desire to be.  So, the next time you feel slapped in the face with yet another “setback,” give it a smile.  Write it down.  Record your emotions surrounding this event.  Embrace those emotions.  Ask yourself one important question – what does the solution to this event look like?  Journal about it!  And this is important!  Allow for your process – don’t be self-critical and do NOT play the blame game.  Just process and allow yourself to grow with it.  That doesn’t mean you have to like it!  Grow with it!

So, where have I been the past few months?  Working at my new work, seeing clients at Earth Touch that I desire to see, preparing for 11:11:11, and being me being wife, mother, grandmother, and sister.  And to top that all off – I made the decision to go back to college to get that degree.  College is a life long dream of mine, and now I am living that dream.  I will say that it is a challenge to integrate my study time with work, family, and play time.  I am finding that I a lot smarter than I thought I was and I can write!  Fancy that!

I am living my life.  Sometimes, it’s not so pretty, but it’s my life.  I have had people say to me that there is always something going on in my life, and they are right.  Funny, though, I don’t think they are meaning that as a compliment.  Frankly, I have learned not to care about that.  There will be those naysayers that try to undermine growth and learning.  So, I let them have their say and smile to myself inside.  I am good with that.  I know where I desire to go.  I have created a map to get there.  And I have embarked on this journey with my eyes wide open.  I am ready to take that next step.  Are you ready to join me?  Fasten your seat belts – you are stepping onto my ride now!

The Three Levels of Speech

22 Jan 2011 2 Comments

by Camille in All About Me, Growth and Ascension Tags: , , , , ,

Greetings in Light!

I was sitting on my sofa early this morning, cup of coffee in hand, and laptop on the arm of the sofa.  As I was watching the sunrise – my front window faces east – I enjoyed the quiet silence.  This is my favorite time of the day.  All are asleep, the world is in that hush place.  I hear the soft breathing of my family and at this time of the morning, all is well!

In these early morning hours, I use this time to connect with my Soul Team and Guides and ask them to assist me in this process of living in the 3D world.   I closed my eyes and listened.  I was surprised when I was told to open the laptop and go on Facebook.  “Really?” I said.  I, frankly, was expecting some other kind of message.  But, I followed the message and opened the laptop to Facebook.  I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to find there, so I starting surfing postings by people I know, people I don’t know, and other various groups.  I saw posts of shared loved – some dear friends of mine just exchanged rings.  I saw posts of anger.  I saw posts from all kinds of people in all forms and fashions.  I was led to a page  that led me to a Sufi website.

I have not explored this spiritual path of Sufism.  I have a beautiful client and friend whose parents were Sufi and she was raised as a Sufi.  Her parents have transitioned over, but I remember the calm and peace they always carried and the love that they shared with each other.  I also remember that they seemed to have a beautiful radiant light about them that wasn’t present in others.  My friend doesn’t really practice much now, but still holds to the teachings.  I have not explored much in this belief, but recognized it as one that seems to bring peace and calm to those that practice it.  This isn’t my first exposure to Sufism.  The 7-11 down the street is owned by a beautiful family that has asked me time and again if I have heard of Sufism.  I shy away from organized religions, so I politely said yes and went on my way.  But, here this page was right in my face.  So, I started reading.

I have had challenges and patterns that crop up now and then dealing with communication – particularly in standing up for myself and speaking my truth.  And, I have been attempting to navigate this whole process since it seems that it has come up for me in a large way lately.  It’s been so painful, but yet, I feel I am in my Truth and I know that it is part of my growth and Ascension process – a lesson that has to be mastered here in this life.

Well, here is what I found.  I love Spirit – She opens my eyes to what I need to know and understand.  I will share this with my students and have included this in a chapter of my new book.   I hope it speaks to you the way it spoke to me.

“Speech is of three kinds:  The first comes from the desire of the self; the second from reason and the third from love.

Speech which arises from desire is troubling and insipid, giving neither pleasure to those who speak, nor profit to those who listen.

That which arises from reason is accepted by the wise and gives pleasure to the listener and the speaker,

and speech that arises from love enraptures those who listen and those who speak.”

Excerpt from the Menaqib al-Arifin, words of Mevlana Rumi from The Stories of the Wise of the Mevlevi Tradition, #414.

I intend to read these words often and put them in my heart and share them with those that are around me.

Always in Love and Light,

Gaia Renee