Earth Day was on Sunday. My husband and I felt called to one of our favorite places, the ocean, specifically, the Marginal Way that’s located in Perkins Cove, Ogunquit, Maine.
The well paved path, just as it’s name suggests, hugs the margins of the ocean.
Here was our first stop shortly after we started our walk. What called me was not the bench so much as the trees.
Maine is known for where the “forest meets the sea.”
It’s remarkable how strong and sturdy these windswept trees are especially when we see…
where they stand. The rugged, rocky coastline steals my heart, every time I visit.
If I were a tree, is this where I’d want to be planted?
True, the views are incredible but is my constitution strong enough to endure the elements? Could I adapt?
Here’s where I get a wee bit philosophical…
I look at these trees and I compare where they stand with where I’m standing in my life. Hmmmmm….I’ve weathered many events in my life and know my share of loss and disappointment. Resilience is one of my strengths of character. Perhaps, I’m more like these trees than I first thought?
As I was juggling my camera with the camera bag to grab a different lens, I tapped the view screen against my tummy which in turn took this photo…
Look at that! This happy accident gave me a completely new and unexpected perspective. There are times when I look up and take photos but on this day, I was looking down and outward.
While the photo isn’t in focus, I love the feeling of it and it’s a great reminder to not forget to look up.
Do you get so focused on the rocky parts of your life that you lose sight of your why?
My busyness has slowed down in the last week. In that doing, doing, doing there is little room for being. There is little room for listening. I’m good at keeping myself busy. My grandmother even gave me that advice. She said, “Don’t be idle. Always keep yourself busy. If you’re idle, you’ll end up feeling sorry for yourself.” It’s advice that I’ve put into practice. I’ve been known to say, “There’s isn’t time for fear. There’s only time for doing.”
Over the years, I’ve also come to know the value of being. My body, mind, and spirit require that I balance “being” with “doing.” Add to that there is no amount of doing that can mature an idea like the quiet of incubation time.
This quiet time, however opens up a space for where those inner critics like to show up.
Yesterday, I was chatting with a friend. She started our conversation, “I’ve been wondering how it’s going for you since you made that big decision to leave the day job. How are you doing?”
I told her how I’ve been so busy that there was little time to panic until this last week. Here’s what I do when fear grips my heart: I allow the tears to surface, I listen to what the inner critics have to say, then I step outside for a quick walk to clear my head. When I come back in, I get back to work. Sometimes I journal it out. Other times, I create a mandala. I can’t let myself get stuck in fear. There is a lot of work to be done to make my business a success. Momentum is key.
When a “should do” becomes a “get to do.”
One of the biggest challenges of an entrepreneur is to keep up with social media. This week, I started a new Facebook page and Instagram accounts for True North Arts. It has been on the “you should do list” and I was dreading the idea of starting these new accounts, building the following, and finding time to post to them. As I sat down to finally do it, I found myself feeling more and more energized with each photo and post. I love my work and it makes my soul jump for joy. I feel lucky to have these sites as they offer another way to share the beauty of my soul work and to connect with kindred spirits. Now that’s cool!
As I bring this blog post to a close, and looking back at the tree photos from Earth Day, my inner critics are quiet. You see, I’m feeling up for the challenge to grow where I’m planted. I’ve shifted my focus from the rocky parts to my “why” which is the work that makes my soul happy.
Three things that make me happy these days…
- My shiny new Facebook Page
- My shiny new Instagram Page
- Recording soothing soul connecting guided meditations for my Soul Journey Mandala Series.
Love the photos.
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them.