Free Sneak Peek

from my new book: Ephiphanies

I'm excited to tell you that my new book, Epiphanies, launched on May 13th. But, rather than tell you about it, I wanted to give you a free sneak peek. 

The attached excerpt is my gift to you for being a valued email subscriber. The material is from the Self-Care Section.  I’d love to know your favorite quote from this sample.

Feel free to send me your feedback. If you’d like to buy it and be one of  the first to get a copy, here are the links to purchase on Amazon: https://a.co/d/b5r9EuB. Thanks for letting me share my early excitement. I can't wait to hear more from you. 

Enjoy your sneak peek! 

Take Five

A pause is an opening; it acts as a portal to other options and choices. Robert Poynton

Life imitates art and theater definitely imitates life.  That is one of the things I enjoy so much about live theater.  When I was in high school, I was involved in several productions.  I learned so much not only, about theater, but also about navigating life, dealing with stress, and taking a good pause in the action now and again to renew my energy and spirit.

I remember how much time and effort the cast put into developing their roles and learning their lines. The director rehearsed the cast full-on for a certain length of time.  When the moment was right the director said, “Take five!” and all action stopped.  Actors went to their respective “pause places” to try to relax for a few minutes away from the noise and chaos.

The director seemed to sense when the pause should take place, and that continuing to barge ahead would only tire the actors and ultimately be counterproductive to the production.  The brief interlude seemed to allow the artists time to empty their minds and just be.  This gave their spirits the space to receive more inspiration so the creative process could move forward with renewed energy.  I was always amazed how after a break the cast’s enthusiasm was heightened and creativity renewed.

Another great example of the power of pause is Simone Biles, the most accomplished US gymnast of all time.  She is such a strong competitor that she invented four gymnastics moves which are now named after her.  She knows her worth and value to the sport she so loves, and she embraces her talent and the emotional fortitude required to be an elite athlete. At the 2021 Olympics, she stood in her power when she recognized a problem during one of her routines.  She experienced a condition that causes a gymnast to lose her spatial awareness.  As you can imagine, the twisties (as she calls them) can be extremely dangerous and frightening for an athlete.  Simone realized that mentally she was not able to overcome the fear associated with the condition.  Rather than continue she chose to take a pause and withdraw from most of her individual events.

Simone took five.  During that pause, she was able to rest, recoup, and rebound to go on to win a bronze medal on the balance beam.  She taught those watching that by resisting external pressure to overextend herself, she allowed her mind, body, and emotions to recover.  If she had not done so, she may not have won any medals and in fact, may have physically harmed herself.  Instead, hard as it was, she paused.  Simone modeled boundaries, balance in her life, and the power of the pause to us all.

Her well-taught lesson can be applied to our own lives.  Often, I find myself on a frenetic treadmill trying to develop and perfect the role I have chosen to play in my life as a healer and caregiver.  Sometimes external forces pressure me to change directions whether I want to or not.  A good example of this is when at a certain age designated by society I was told to retire, but I wasn’t ready.

As I entered this new phase in my life, my path occasionally gave me my own case of the twisties.  I found myself at a loss for what to do with myself and consequently, I filled my time with doing instead of just being for a while.  I tried to fill up the time with activities that did not necessarily fulfill me just so I could say to myself I did something today.

When I feel that kind of disconnect now, I take heed of Simone’s incredible lesson in taking a powerful pause.  I realize that what I need is to take five:  relax, be comfortable with the space and free time, leave it empty, and simply allow Spirit to inspire me.  By emptying the clutter, I allow room for inspiration to enter and lead me safely, assuredly forward to my next adventure.

Reflection:  How often do you feel external pressure to keep going when you need rest?  It can be uncomfortable to relax and refill but at times it is a must.

Invitation:Are you on the treadmill and want off? Be aware of how many times you feel this way and practice taking five. It gets easier with practice.