Monday, February 27, 2006
you get to have people
earlier this month, my uncle passed away. it was unexpected and heartbreaking. one of those moments where like it or not, comfortable or not you realize how acutely you need other people.
oftentimes we feel we can only rely on people and truly ask for help when we are in a time of crisis. it's unfortunate that this is true, but it is. for many of us asking for help is a struggle. we would never consider telling our friends not to ask us for help, on the contrary we encourage them to ask if ever they are in need. but asking on our own behalf can range from feeling uncomfortable to downright excruciating.
this nearly universal struggle is so unfortunate because helping others is such an integral part of being human. when you think about the moments of your life that are the most meaningful, the moments when you were clear about your purpose and your connection to people what were you doing? likely you were sharing those moments with people you love, sharing life with them - both the responsibilities and the benefits.
in this recent period, i've found that asking for help can open our relationships up and bring them to a whole different level. when we ask for help, we are vulnerable and we are real. and maybe most importantly, we are not alone. by inviting others in we invite not only help but new perspectives and new ideas. two brains thinking together about one person's life can move things forward at a whole different pace.
what gets in the way of you asking for help?
what help do you want to ask for?
what agreements could you make with the people you love to make asking for help easier?
as always, i'm on this journey with you and would love to hear your thoughts and experiences so post them here!
dream big,
-kirsten
oftentimes we feel we can only rely on people and truly ask for help when we are in a time of crisis. it's unfortunate that this is true, but it is. for many of us asking for help is a struggle. we would never consider telling our friends not to ask us for help, on the contrary we encourage them to ask if ever they are in need. but asking on our own behalf can range from feeling uncomfortable to downright excruciating.
this nearly universal struggle is so unfortunate because helping others is such an integral part of being human. when you think about the moments of your life that are the most meaningful, the moments when you were clear about your purpose and your connection to people what were you doing? likely you were sharing those moments with people you love, sharing life with them - both the responsibilities and the benefits.
in this recent period, i've found that asking for help can open our relationships up and bring them to a whole different level. when we ask for help, we are vulnerable and we are real. and maybe most importantly, we are not alone. by inviting others in we invite not only help but new perspectives and new ideas. two brains thinking together about one person's life can move things forward at a whole different pace.
what gets in the way of you asking for help?
what help do you want to ask for?
what agreements could you make with the people you love to make asking for help easier?
as always, i'm on this journey with you and would love to hear your thoughts and experiences so post them here!
dream big,
-kirsten
Friday, February 24, 2006
taking breaks
i haven't posted in some time. life has been more than a little tumultuous and simply necessitated taking a break.
at first i felt pulled to be hard on myself, every time my mind would clear enough to think of my blog i'd feel this tug of guilt "i should be writing." but the reality was that i really needed a break.
and in the end i was very glad i actually took it. letting myself focus on what i really needed to meant that i got to experience it more fully, that i got to learn the lessons that were presenting themselves to me, and that i came out of the experience more ready to move on to what life has in store next.
so often i think we are trying to second guess life. we want to decide for ourselves what should or shouldn't be happening to us at this point in the process. and it's not that we don't get to be intentional and set our lives up to lead to our greatest fulfillment, but life is a journey and the twists and turns are not under our control. after all, if they were we would rarely learn much of anything.
following life's lead and letting yourself go with the flow is often the most rewarding decision, even if at the time it feels unproductive or out of sync with your plans.
what interesting twists or turns has life offered you recently? have you allowed yourself to follow them, without guilt or too much frustration with the change in plans? most importantly, what have you learned from the journey?
as always i'd love to hear your thoughts, feel free to post 'em here!
dream big,
-kirsten
at first i felt pulled to be hard on myself, every time my mind would clear enough to think of my blog i'd feel this tug of guilt "i should be writing." but the reality was that i really needed a break.
and in the end i was very glad i actually took it. letting myself focus on what i really needed to meant that i got to experience it more fully, that i got to learn the lessons that were presenting themselves to me, and that i came out of the experience more ready to move on to what life has in store next.
so often i think we are trying to second guess life. we want to decide for ourselves what should or shouldn't be happening to us at this point in the process. and it's not that we don't get to be intentional and set our lives up to lead to our greatest fulfillment, but life is a journey and the twists and turns are not under our control. after all, if they were we would rarely learn much of anything.
following life's lead and letting yourself go with the flow is often the most rewarding decision, even if at the time it feels unproductive or out of sync with your plans.
what interesting twists or turns has life offered you recently? have you allowed yourself to follow them, without guilt or too much frustration with the change in plans? most importantly, what have you learned from the journey?
as always i'd love to hear your thoughts, feel free to post 'em here!
dream big,
-kirsten
Sunday, February 05, 2006
vision monthly
i am extremely pleased to be a part of the launch of a new e-zine called vision monthly.
the magazine is the brain child of ethan johnson. check out the full issue at vision monthly. and look for my article: what makes you come alive?
dream big,
-kirsten
the magazine is the brain child of ethan johnson. check out the full issue at vision monthly. and look for my article: what makes you come alive?
dream big,
-kirsten