Remembering 9/11 With a New Generation

For the 10^th anniversary of 9/11, I found a craft to share with my friend’s third grade class, kids not even born yet on 9/11/2001. The “Remembrance Pin” project provided the perfect backdrop to teach about the three places (New York, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania) where disaster struck that fateful, awful day.

We (age appropriately) explained what happened as best one can explain an indescribable tragedy.  The teacher told her class that we all need to be sensitive to other people’s feeling and emotions especially regarding 9/11.  It was very sad thing that happened and sometimes people cry when they talk about it, my own voice quivering when I spoke.

The teacher shared that September 11 is a day of service to honor all who died, explaining that service was doing something for someone else and expecting nothing in return.

The kids listened intently and then hands started flying up. One child saw news footage on TV of the burning buildings and people jumping out of windows. Another child raised her hand saying that her grandfather died in the twin towers but not her grandma.

Their tiny fingers worked diligently to feed the strings through the beads and letters that would become their remembrance pins. It proved a bit of a challenge but when completed they smiled proudly saying it was hard and easy all at the same time. They pinned their new treasures to their shirts and carried the lesson out in the world. I felt so blessed and grateful to share this with them.

At the grocery store on my way home, the checkout clerk admired my remembrance pin. I told her it was a craft project I had done with a class of third graders today. Her eyes filled with tears as she told me she planned to wear her American flag pin this weekend. I quickly unhooked my remembrance pin and gave it to her. She asked my name and thanked me with tears spilling from her eyes as she pinned it on her work smock next to her name tag.  9/11 tugs on all our heartstrings and plays a song none of us will ever forget.

I have ten extra pins made up and ready to share. If you would like one be one of the first ten people to email me at caren.albers@gmail.com and I will mail it to you, my treat. Kit is available at http://www.makingfriends.com/911_crafts.htm.

Go for it! – LIVE YOUR DREAM

Certified Organic Dream Creatrix -  Caren Albers is a writer, blogger, writing coach, and personal growth enthusiast who still colors outside the lines. While learning to live her own dream she learned ways to inspire others to live theirs. Her eCourses based on Radmacher Focus Phrase™ use guided writing to explore, discover, and LIVE YOUR DREAM. http://carenalbersinspirations.com

Finding Your Life Purpose in 4 Easy Steps

Finding your life’s purpose is no easy task. Years ago, I came across a great tool on Steve Pavlina’s blog “How to Discover Your Life Purpose in About 20 Minutes.” It offers a simple four step process to answer that age old question “Why am I here, what’s my purpose?” It’s really more of a two step process if you don’t count step 1 getting out the paper and step 2 writing at the top “What is my true purpose in life.”☺

The reason I recommend doing this is because I’ve done the exercise three times and it worked every time. Why I’ve done it three times involves my lack of file management skills. I’ll write more about that another day. Let’s get back to you and finding YOUR purpose.

Steve says “If you want to discover your true purpose in life, you must first empty your mind of all the false purposes you’ve been taught (including the idea that you may have no purpose at all).”  (I’m adding WOW here!)

Basically, you brainstorm writing down every thought that comes into your mind when you ask yourself the question “What is my true purpose in life?”

Keep writing and listing everything that comes to you no matter how impractical or applicable it seems.  Steve contends that if you keep doing this you will eventually write something that brings you to tears.  THAT’S YOUR LIFE PURPOSE.  If it only gives you the sniffles he says to underline it and keep writing.  He wants actual tears/real crying. 

Okay, yes, when I did this I was very receptive and believed it would work and yes at times I can be a bit of a crier, but the truth is the truth and it comes out if you’ll let it.

Steve Pavlina’s  4 Step Process to find your life purpose

Steve writes: Here’s what to do:

1.      Take out a blank sheet of paper or open up a word processor where you can type (I prefer the latter because it’s faster)

2.      Write at the top, “What is my true purpose in life?”

3.      Write an answer (any answer) that pops into your head. It doesn’t have to be a complete sentence. A short phrase is fine.

4.      Repeat Step 3 until you write the answer that makes you cry. That is your purpose.

Here’s a link to the original blog post http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/01/how-to-discover-your-life-purpose-in-about-20-minutes/ .

Today when I did the exercise AGAIN, I started more than misting up when I wrote “Honestly represent who I am, not be afraid to tell my stories.” Then a funny thing happened. When I no longer needed it, I found the file containing my previous exercise. The result then was (cue creepy Twilight Zone music do do do do do do do do do do) “Tell the truth about who I am and what I see.”

Give it a try. See what happens. I’d love to hear your results.

Go for it! – LIVE YOUR DREAM

Certified Organic Dream Creatrix -  Caren Albers is a writer, blogger, writing coach, and personal growth enthusiast who still colors outside of the lines. While learning to live her own dream she learned ways to inspire others to live theirs. Her eCourses based on Radmacher Focus Phrase™ use guided writing to explore, discover, and LIVE YOUR DREAM. http://carenalbersinspirations.com

WIGGLE ROOM

I don’t know about you, but I like to have a comfortable amount of wiggle room in my life. I define wiggle room as the space in between what’s supposed to happen and what actually happens. Pinning myself down to exact dates and times puts grimaces on my face and I really don’t any new wrinkles right now.

I’m discovering that wiggle room might be one of those loves that is bad for you. When exposed to the harsh light of day, wiggle room like comfort food tastes great going down, but in the weeks and months to come as our seams stretch and our muffin tops bulge, we regret eating so much of it.

I do enjoy my aimless wandering, but it doesn’t always get me where I want to go. Perhaps a little structure, a few hard and fast commitments, dare I say a deadline of two might be just what the doctor ordered.

I’m not sayin’ change WHO I am. I’m just sayin’ make a stronger commitment to WHO I am. Yeah, that’s it! I’m definitely, maybe gonna try that!

What new thing do you definitely, maybe wanna try? Let’s commit to doing it together. NO WIGGLE ROOM!

Go for it! – LIVE YOUR DREAM

Certified Organic Dream Creatrix -  Caren Albers is a writer, blogger, writing coach, and personal growth enthusiast who still colors outside of the lines. While learning to live her own dream she learned ways to inspire others to live theirs. Her eCourses based on Radmacher Focus Phrase™ use guided writing to explore, discover, and LIVE YOUR DREAM. http://carenalbersinspirations.com

TICKLE ME PINK!

I’m not your standard issue Crayola pack with only primary colors. I’m more of A rainbow, a color cornucopia, a 64 assortment box.

I want my today’s life filled with today’s Crayola colors like JAZZBERRY JAM, MACARONI AND CHEESE, OUTER SPACE, PURPLE MOUNTAIN’S MAJESTY, WILD BLUE YONDER, AND RAZZLE DAZZLE ROSE.  Maybe not MACARONI AND CHEESE, it’s kind of an ugly light orange color.

I remember when I first started coloring way back in the “brown age” as my son used to call it. The adult people insisted that we color inside the lines and gave us mostly red, yellow, blue crayons. It was exciting to get an orange or purple.

Per Wikipedia - in 1905 Crayola’s product line had reached 30 colors, in 1958 sixty-four, in 1972 seventy-two (how appropriate), today’s number is 120. I guess as the complexities of life increased so did the number of Crayola color choices needed to portray them.

Good news for today’s kids, they get applauded for coloring no matter where it lands inside or outside the lines. They’re also encouraged to have opinions and to think outside the box. LUCKY!

I was born way too early! I’m a 2011’er trapped in a 1950’s childhood. I can’t go back and fix the past. Not without a really great time machine and so far I haven't found one of those. I don’t mean to go all SCREAMIN’ GREEN OR BANAMA MANIA on you, but can I maybe, maybe just fix the future?

How ‘bout I take out my granddaughter’s PURPLE PIZZAZZ and color me a RAZZMATAZ future? Would that be too OUTRAGEOUS ORANGE to hope for? What would  TICKLE YOU PINK?

Go for it! – LIVE YOUR DREAM

((The colors (in all CAPS above) are the real ones being used today! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Crayola_crayon_colors)

Certified Organic Dream Creatrix -  Caren Albers is a writer, blogger, writing coach, and personal growth enthusiast who still colors outside of the lines. While learning to live her own dream she learned ways to inspire others to live theirs. Her eCourses based on Radmacher Focus Phrase™ use guided writing to explore, discover, and LIVE YOUR DREAM. http://carenalbersinspirations.com

Making the Most of the Last Days of Summer

If you haven’t had time to see this summer’s latest blockbuster disaster film, don’t worry. It’s coming to a neighborhood near you real soon.  It wasn’t enough that we weathered the UNNATURAL disasters like the debt crisis fiasco and the Standard & Poors downgrade creating a stock market plunge that smeared poop all over our retirement dreams, AGAIN!

But guess what, there’s a new game in town called NATURAL disasters. It premiered this week with Earthquake Tuesdays available in the DC and the surrounding areas followed by that irascible, uninvited houseguest Irene threatening to ruin everyone’s weekend and wreak havoc all up and down the northeast coast. What a beeach!

All I can say is God must be on another vacation, like the one he was on when the tornadoes ripped up the south and the floods raged in the Midwest earlier this year.

You can’t blame God for wanting to eke out a few last vacation days before school starts and we all know how sketchy cell phone service is on the beach. I bet his i-Everythings have stopped working and he has no idea what the devil is going on. I bet he’ll be more than a little embarrassed when he returns.

Remember when earthquakes and hurricanes were cutesy names for drinks we ordered in bars? AHHH, those were the days.

The Second Coming

My husband turned Vegan, low fat Vegan to be exact. I’m trying to remain positive, but he treats every new dietary approach like the “second coming?” Did I mention he was an Engineer, black and white are his team colors, fingers crossed that a rainbow appears soon.

I’m no slouch. I’m vegetarian 6 days a week and don’t cook meat at home. We belong to an organic vegetable club and are locavores buying at the farmer’s market every week. I’m just saying “would it be too much to ask for a sprinkle of cheese on my veggie pizza?”

He’s doing this for “big picture” health reasons. I completely support that. It’s the day to day “small picture” that’s chafes my hiney. When he asks every single server including the nice woman behind the counter at Taco Bell if her bean burritos contain animal products. BTW good news, she said no.

It’s the fact that I searched for a Vegan-friendly restaurant only to discover upon arriving that their Paella was prepared in chicken broth so he wouldn’t order it. UGHHHH! Hold on a sec, it’s hard to type and barf at the same time!

This too shall pass, just like the low carb Aktins revolution that invaded our home a few years ago. Unfortunately, the passing will signal another “second coming!” YIKES!

Silver lining….Skittles are Vegan and a friend just texted that Tequila is tool! Ta Ta for now! heading out to the liquor store. Sure hope that they have a candy counter!

Big vs. Little Picture

In the “Big Picture” I recognize everything for the experience and learning it provides. I make BIG decisions without regrets, without looking back, without future Caren finding even the slightest fault with past Caren. It's the "Little Picture" that still sometimes trips me up.

It's the thing I said or did twenty years ago that I thought was funny or necessary, turns out it was neither, AND the real kicker is that nobody but me still remembers it. Insignificant in the grand scheme of things small moments at times still rear their ugly heads to taunt and haunt me.

I’ve managed to heal my inner child, the large chunks anyway, the stuff that prevented my feet from moving forward but some small chunks still manage to occupy my deepest reaches.

I want the small things to share the same confidence I hold for the large things. I want always for the learning to be the lesson, to rewire my brain, no judgments today or ever, only learning. Yes, BIG love, no whammies!

Seeing the Light

I’m a HUGE Martha Beck fan but her article “Dear Me” in the April issue of O Magazine blew even me away!

You know how things other people do can drive you crazy. But when we you look more closely, more honestly you see that the reason it drives you crazy is because you exhibit some of those very same traits.

I’ll leave the fancy jargon to Martha because I still trip over the word “perseverating.” What I will say is that Martha offers an exercise that can provide you with amazing clarity and insight.

The first step is to write a letter (not meant to be sent) to a person you harbor unexpressed negative feelings for. I know this doesn’t sound new, but read on.

Martha encourages getting in touch with your inner judgmental witch with a “B.” At the top of the page write “Dear whoever your person is” and tell them in no uncertain terms what you think about them “in your lowest moments.” Remember, you aren’t sending the letter. So let it rip!

I had fun with it. It felt liberating to get it off my chest. Then I read Martha’s next instruction “cross out the person’s name and insert your own name!” What? YIKES! Ouch! WOWSER!

Now read the letter as if it is written to you. Martha encourages openness and thoughtfulness instead of defensiveness. Um hum.

Surprisingly, the things I thought I was writing to my friend like “you never have time for me but I see you making time for other people. I feel unloved, uncared for and unimportant” turned out to be true about me!

Right now, I find myself not making enough time for the things that matter most to me, to my higher self. With my friend as my mirror, I could see how much pain it’s causing me. BUSTED!!! It's so true that when you point a finger at another person, four fingers point back at you.

Martha’s process has a fourth step and a lot of other brilliant things. To enjoy every wise, wonderful note of Martha’s brilliant insight symphony I encourage you to read her column in April’s O Magazine. It will inspire you to turn things around and see them in a new light!

Too Much REAL in REALITY

The tragedy and devastation in Japan fills me with love, compassion, and concern for my fellow human travelers. It tugs on my heartstrings and clouds my eyes with tears that spring from my deepest reaches.

With life imitating a horrible disaster film, there’s too much REAL in my REALITY. How do we all quell our feelings of uncertainty and deeply abiding sadness?

We’re “can do” people. Give us a plan, something to do and we’ll happily execute. Fill sandbags, no problem, donate to charities offering aid, sure, anything to lessen our feelings of helplessness.

But today I feel paralyzed, my “can do” and my heart broken.

As I surrender to the tears, I see a news clip showing Japanese people gathered in a shelter preparing food together and helping each other. Doing things that feel “normal” they say gives them a sense of comfort.

Things won’t be “normal” in Japan or anywhere else for a long time. But what we "can do" is help each other and find comfort in the simple things of everyday life. We can share a blog, hold virtual hands and for a precious moment or two feel “normal” again.

TGVDIO - Thank Goodness Valentine’s Day is Over

Don’t get me wrong, I’m crazy in love, emphasis on crazy, with my husband of nearly 31 years but he’s not a gifted gifter.

Days like Valentine’s are usually met with a “deer in the headlights” stare and the “we’re not doing gifts are we” question.

He breathes a sigh of relief when I say no. We didn’t plan it this way, it just sort of evolved and it makes us happy. I’m kind of a particular gal, hey I picked him didn’t I.

Who knows me better than me and who knows what I’d like better than moi! So most of the time, I buy my own gifts.

Yesterday for V-day, I bought myself a new keyboard for my computer and a mouse support. Hey flowers wouldn't died and these gifts will keep on giving and giving. What can I say, I’m practical.

My “love language” is actually quality time and my husband scored big points last weekend by driving me 5 ½ hours to Atlanta for a Manifesting Your Vision seminar. That was truly the most awesome gift and I didn’t even have to wait for a special day to get it. Good thing I remembered to send him that “loving” E-card this morning.

Today I Paid Attention

To a world that supports me. To a life that blesses me. To the freedom I experience every day to choose how I show up in the world.

Today I paid attention.

To the love sent my way. To joys meant for me. To the life I create for myself in this moment.

Today I paid attention.

To a seeker’s notice of clandestine hopes clamoring at my fringes. To the dreams half obscured in the shadows. To my heart wishes now fully invited to the party.

Today, I paid attention to all that is me. And I was happy, full, filled, complete and overflowing with love.

Today, I paid attention and it totally PAID OFF!

Let the L♥vefest Begin!

Unconditional love is life’s greatest gift. Everyone wants to give and receive it, but not everyone can because unconditional love begins at home. To give it to someone else you must first have it for yourself. Like the airplane safety announcement  you have to put on your oxygen mask first before assisting others.

I know from my own learning and experience how important it is to treat ourselves with kindness, compassion, acceptance, and love. It’s not always easy or something we do naturally. But we need to learn how to give this amazing gift to ourselves.

My February Focus Phrase™ session INSPIRE LOVE starts today. For three weeks, I provide a daily phrase to help you explore your relationship with the most important person in your life, YOU!

Briefly, how the process works is that you FOCUS on the phrase during your day and then write three short paragraphs about how the phrase worked in your day. More “how to” information is available in my LIVE YOUR DREAM community. It’s FOCUS + PHRASE + WRITING + FEEDBACK.

If you’d like to write the first phrase with us and email it to me at caren.albers@gmail.com, I’ll be happy to offer you some heartfelt feedback. Here’s our first phrase. “Appreciate and embrace your past as your most cherished teacher.” – Mary Anne Radmacher

LET THE LOVING AND EXPLORING AND WRITING BEGIN!

LIVE YOUR DREAM

Fun is the Pathway to a Successful Life

"Having fun is not a diversion from a successful life; it is the pathway to it." Martha Beck

My quest for fun today involved a little “retail therapy.” I haven’t done much of it lately. Maybe that’s why it felt so good. The weather spit rain in my face all day long and the clouds threatened to bring an end to daylight as I know it. It felt like Alaska when they have 24 hours of darkness or is it 24 hours of daylight? I really should have paid more attention in school. My sixteen hour marathon website update had the pain in my shoulder screaming “don’t you even think about touching a keyboard.” No computing!!! What else could I do, I had to leave the house.

I headed out searching for a ray of sunshine and found one buying tickets to our local Library’s weekend event “Books Alive- Festival of Reading.” The events includes author presentations, book signings, a luncheon with Keynote Speaker Carl Hiaasen who wrote Hoot, Basket Case, Sick Puppy, Lucky You, Double Whammy, and on and on. I’m quite a fan of his books. All that topped off with a Saturday night, cocktail attire, Literary Gala , who can resist a gala!

Learning my way around my new small town I made a few wrong turns before finding the downtown library. I detoured on my way back taking a small street I had never driven down before. My eyes brightened as I saw some small artsy shops and heard them calling my name. Today’s diversion was so much fun and so successful that I almost forgot it was raining.

Casting a Long Shadow

For once I’m happy the sun wasn’t out today! Both NY and Penn. groundhogs agree, no shadow, spring is around the corner!


If you want to get a jump on things and warm up now, watch Oprah’s Australian Adventure with her 300 ultimate viewers.

It doesn't get more “feel-goodie” than seeing the astounding beauty of the Australian sights or watching people receive this amazing trip of a lifetime.

Oprah ask her guests to remember that great things can happen in your life, go home hold this experience in your heart, and then release it into the world.

No matter what you think of Oprah or her grand gestures or the commercialization of her good deeds or my personal pet peeve that she bellows things out in threes. It does my heart good to know that there are three hundred people who will be paying it forward and raising the vibrational frequency of the world’s energy.

That’s a positive outcome no matter how you slice it.

Game On

The only thing better than setting a deadline to give youself that much needed kick in the “ars” to get things done is to announce your intention to the world.

It got me back on my blog! I’ve been offline most of January working on myself, looking within, clarifying, and stepping up my game.

I studied marketing myself, living my vision, and radiating my passion. I used the power of daily daydreaming to see the limitless possibilities of my life. I’ve had lots of fun settling into retirement with my husband, but now I’m back and I’m “badder” than ever (the good bad).

I’m stepping into my own power. No more Caren-lite. No more hiding, full-throttle Caren dead ahead. It’s kind of scary for me as well as others. But rest-assured, I only use my power for GOOD.

I’m living authentically, expanding my horizons, and working on attracting my tribe, the people who get me, the people who I can share learning with and also learn from. That is an integral part of who I am. I hope you’ll join me on this journey.

I’ve updated my website and finally I’m able to communicate my passion for the process of FOCUS PHRASE™. I hope you’ll stop by and take a look http://carenalbersinspirations.com/. Your comments and feedback would be a great help to me.

Sometimes we know something so well that it is difficult to communicate it to others. This is not difficult to communicate, IT’S GREAT TO BE BACK!

♥Caren4u