Repost of, Pages for you just to be you

What Stories do you want to leave behind?

Dona Anderson

Repost of, Pages for you just to be you

Roots to Breath, Dona Anderson

This is the last of the four retirement articles I did for Island Gals magazine in 2012 and posted here March 4, 2013.  It is my favorite as writing the other three over the space of a year led me to this one.  Also at the time I was working on my upcoming book(not sure of the title yet) and I shared a few lines in this article that still inspire me.  

I hope you enjoyed this series!   

Pages for you just to be you...

Dona Anderson

My previous stories spoke about retirement being a special time to do things that feed your soul and brings you health and happiness. For me, this included challenges and things that both excited and surprised me.  It will continue to be an evolving process to work through while adding that sprinkle of courage on top.

 

Last issue, I referenced my imaginary life book and filling its pages with lots of good things.   I’d like to share a few lines from a meditation I wrote last year.   I think it sums up how each new day gives us more opportunities, pages to write, and lets us know we’re not done yet.

“There are pages left for love, family, and friendship …

             There are pages for learning, listening, and being still …

There are pages to show your compassion, patience, strength, and courage …

           

There are pages to fill with gratitude, adventures, hopes, and dreams …

There are pages for you just to be you …

            And, there are pages for you to tell us all the things that make your heart light up and sing! “

As I was writing this series of stories I thought about how others I know are using this time, and I thought about those who left us way too early.  I thought about how many of our conversations change to health related topics, pensions, finances, downsizing, or senior centres.  And, then there are those other conversations that are full of excitement about doing things they’ve always wanted to do or at least try, travelling, buying a new boat or vacation home, having fun, and finally spending the savings.  It is also a time to catch up with relatives and old friends, and for meeting and making new friends or relationships.

In yoga we talk about awareness, being present, and how this benefits our lives.  I’d like to introduce you to Tadasana, a pose to honor the mountain.  It is a pose we return to between standing postures that brings us back to creating a strong foundation.  It brings us back into balance with our breath and to feelings of awareness and confidence.

In Tadasana, we stand tall with all our beauty, strength, and power.  We establish a place to let go of what comes at us each day, a place to be grounded, and to connect with our breath while we remain alert and strong.  It’s a place to connect the mind and body as we open up to feel the aliveness within ourselves.  It is a place that reminds us we can always pause between things to find stillness and peace.

Like the mountain, we to have survived what’s come at us through the seasons of our life, and we are always changing.

And like the mountain, we will continue to stand tall with all our beauty, strength, and power … and let our observers,

Wonder, Watch, and Admire!         

Namaste

Simply, One Breath At a Time is available in paper copy 
at Amazon and eBook at online booksellers

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Sprinkling of Courage, repost

Sprinkling of Courage

Dona Anderson

Dona Anderson

This is the 3rd of the 4 retirement articles I did for Island Gals magazine in 2012, and a reposting of it from February 2013.  As with all 4 of these articles I still continue to see further growth in myself and awhile back I heard in an online interview with an author her say how she had to learn to see that she was still OK after doing something fearful to her.  She also said she used to not say anything because she thought it would be wrong.  It's so good when we get our chance to discover, experience and grow further into who we are and can become.  Coming soon the fourth article, Pages for you ... just to be you.

Sprinkling of Courage!            

I remember years ago on TV, I think it was Dr Phil, saying something about if you were your own personal manager, you’d fire yourself.  Luckily, those words have stayed with me and they seem even more important to me now as my life is a book of many pages and I want to fill what’s left with lots of good things. 

When I was working full time I had my stand-by list of excuses;  too tired, not well, too far, wrong day, stressed out etc., so it was easy to stay in my shell and I missed out on a lot of things over the years. I don’t want to miss out on things anymore, so I have to value this time and let it reflect what I want to do, learn, and experience. 

There are so many opportunities, and no, I can’t get too lazy, shop till I drop, pig out, or stop exercising, but I do get to spend most of my time guilt free doing what supports me.   I don’t always get it right so my down times remind me of what I like, miss, need, and want to get back to.  While retirement allows a more relaxed schedule, I still have to decide what I need and want to do.

This is my new affirmation:

I value and am worthy of whatever

I want and need to do to feed my soul,

and be happy and healthy!

My imaginary book is doing well.  The pages have stories of new passions and experiences, personal changes, music, relaxation, yoga, travelling, nature, puppies, family and friends, my book and blog, and much more!  One day a friend who’s ten years younger asked if she could follow me to see what I’m doing as I age, I said of course as I also have a couple of older friends that I watch for inspiration.

This past winter, I started guitar lessons, went to a couple of courses at our Elder College, and I also taught for them a gentle beginner yoga class.  I was thrilled to be with so many wonderful people.  It seems age also gives us more to say, share, and comment on than what I remember from my earlier school days.  It was such a unique and fun experience!  One lady also told me that age makes us speed up new relationships as we don’t know how much time we have.

During these last few years I’ve met many interesting people who like me are valuing this time to expand their interests, while also learning to let go of fears, guilt, and excuses.  And, like me many are adding into the mix their own personal sprinkling of courage.  They are exciting to talk to, be with, learn from, and are mentors for others. 

My ”manager” often reminds me that I spend too much time writing when other things are being ignored, so I reply …

“This is my day to rest!”

What are some of your Sprinklings of Courage?


Simply, One Breath At a Time is available in
paper copy and eBook Amazon and other
eBook formats at online booksellers.

eBook,It's here!

Simply, One Breath At a Time – is now an eBook!

Big News!

Roots to Breath, Dona Anderson

I am so excited to send this note out to let you know that Simply, has spread her wings and is now also an eBook!

Balboa Press

I know this book will win your heart and prove that you can make a difference not only in your own life but also for those you share it with.  65 titles to explore! 65 invitations to breathe and find relaxation!

Begin now by saying to yourself, “I give myself the gift of kindness, I give myself the gift of patience, I give myself the gift of stillness …”

Get a copy and start your journey to living life well! 

Here’s two links, Enjoy!

Kindle  Balboa Press Bookstore and other online booksellers

Paper copy still available!

Shane Koyczan

It's so nice to hear a wonderful writer and story teller, Shane Koyczan

http://youtu.be/0Y2VNDetsjg

Check online for more info and videos. He has a powerful Ted Talk video on bullying!

A repost of, I'm the new Manager of me!

Who Manages You?

Roots to Breath, Dona Anderson

This is the second in the series of four articles I did about retirement and learning how to adjust or reinvent myself to this next phase of my life.  It was originally posted here Feb 18, 2013 and published in Island Gals magazine for issue 2 of 2012. Being the new manager of me still continues to be challenging mostly now because I don't know where the time disappears to.  Time seems to go faster and some holidays even get forgotten since they are no longer indicators of a future day off work to celebrate. 

Coming soon the third article, Sprinkling of Courage.

 I’m the new Manager of Me!      

Dona Anderson

In the last issue of Island Gals, I shared about how my retirement to do list needed changing.  During that first year I found out that some things were wonderful and others not so great.  I loved being able to meet new friends, sit over a long lunch, or go for a walk on the beach on what would have been work time.  But, I still didn’t want to do more housework or other things I wasn’t fond of and I would catch myself saying, “I didn’t quit my paying job to stay home and do this”. 

And, being very fortunate to be getting older and fancy cooking is not all that good for me anymore, those thoughts of spending afternoons baking or having a lot of dinner parties wasn’t really going to happen very often either.

Many of us come to retirement in different ways.  For me it was early and planned but it still seemed a bit scary and took some time to smooth the edges.  I soon discovered that I was the new manager of me and this time for however long it lasts, and it was my job to find out what I wanted and needed to do that would feed my soul, and make my life happy and healthy. 

It used to be easy to sign the kids up for extra activities but not me, and now I get to attend things during the Day and sometimes even sit in the front.  I used to take the bus to work every day and now I drive.  When I slowly started to find a few new things for me to do or at least try out, my life slowly opened up to wonderful new experiences, challenges, and opportunities.  As an older adult, I found out I could go to things by myself and be fine, and I found out how lucky I am to be part of and support other peoples work and passions.  All this has also allowed me to learn lots, bring new things and people into my life, go to different places, and most of all it added a freshness and excitement to my days.

It’s so nice to see what others are doing and I sometimes get my courage from watching them.  Whether they’re spending time with family and friends, golfing, walking, travelling, writing, painting, teaching, exercising, helping others, doing yoga, volunteering, or maybe it’s going to the spa, making a quilt, gardening, reading, taking courses, being part of clubs, or making a huge pot of soup for a sick friend, etc., it’s all their special way to now reward themselves, be healthy, happy, and give support to others.  

So far it has been a very unique time of fun, personal growth, and discovery.  Sometimes it’s busy and confusing, but whenever I want I can give myself permission to rest or do nothing while knowing that is perfectly OK!

~~
Thanks for listening, and I hope you related to this in some way!

Life sends us change and new challenges all the time and it's great when we finally can open up to see them as opportunities and possibilities.

Take Care ...

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Sharing a TedWomen Talk, Diana Nyad

Sharing a Ted Women Talk. 

Diana Nyad,  Never, ever give up

http://www.ted.com/talks/diana_nyad_never_ever_give_up.html#!

A repost of, What's Really Waiting For Us?

What's Really Waiting For Us?

Dona Anderson

I thought I'd repost some of my earlier articles in case you hadn't seen them.  This was the first of four published in Island Gals magazine in 2012 and I posted it here February 13, 2013.  I chose this today as my last post, a quote from Martha Beck, spoke about passion. This story speaks about my making changes and space for surprises.  I'm sure many of you will be able to relate to some of what I said.  Coming soon the next article I'm the new manager of me!

What’s really waiting for us?

Dona Anderson

Early retirement was dreamed of as a time to do fun things while I was still young enough, and since I’m not overly energetic, it would be partnered with the easy button!

The retirement to do list had started at least 10 years before, and every time I was overly stressed or it was a beautiful day, I would think to myself, just wait…its coming!  

My list even included those dreaded things I was very good at putting off, but were always on my mind.  Then a few months before retirement, I put yoga teacher on my list. I didn’t really know what I’d do with it, but I thought it would be great for my health and provide lifetime learning.  I had started yoga the year before because my aches and pains, IBS, and premenopausal symptoms were taking over every part of me, and it was definitely helping.

When my retirement did begin over nine years ago, I hadn’t anticipated that moving to a new place and house all at once would be stressful when it had been planned years in advance.  Then I also discovered that my retirement list was full of things I didn’t want to do anymore, except for yoga, so I found a class that suited me, and later started teacher training.  I found lots of other new things to do as well when I started looking, like drumming, choir, workshops, Elder College, a forest nearby, and morning walks on the beach.  I’ve even learned Reflexology and Reiki.

Yoga introduced me to the rest of my life, and from it I’ve gone to places where I’m still wondering what the heck am I doing.  Like when I started writing guided relaxations to use for my yoga classes, I discovered I loved how the words went together, and how good it felt to share them with others. 

I chuckle at myself now because I’ve also had to face and work with the other list, my personal flaws and challenges.  I always had low self confidence, problems reading, speaking to others, etc., so I put limitations on what I thought I could do that kept me from reaching forward and outward. 

Yoga teaches me to take my time, try other ways, be patient, and to enjoy and accept what I can do that day.  Each time I do, I gain a bit more awareness, inner strength, courage, confidence, and excitement for other things I can and could do.    

When I made space for surprises, I was able to find out what was really waiting for me, and I’m so grateful my lists and passions now also involve supporting others. 

I journeyed to a place

where I could listen to my heart …

it spoke, I listened!