A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.
Lao Tzu
The ground warms, the internal clock springs, the road beckons. Where will you journey in the coming months?
Noël Rozny is a writer/editor/yogini/work in progress.
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Our freedom can be measured by the number of things we can walk away from. — Vernon Howard
For me it comes from giving up the family restaurant, letting it go and in so doing, letting go of the stresses that had ruled my time.
My questions would be what has give you freedom? Was it from letting go of something, or from jumping into something new?
Renee L. Tennis-McKinley writes sporadically from her haunted old farmhouse, where she lives with two demonic cats, a half blind spaniel, and retired husband.
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Too often we allow our fears of what people might think of us determine what we think, write or how we act. Because of this, we rely too much on the backspace, or delete key, of our keyboard to dictate our voices rather than our spacebar. Imagine a using keyboard without the delete key available: What would your voice finally be able to say or do if it were finally freed of the backspace?
After writing and illustrating her first bestseller in second grade, “The Lovely Unicorn”, C. Streetlights took twenty years to decide if she wanted to continue writing. In the time known as growing up she became a teacher, a wife, and mother. Retired from teaching, C. Streetlights now lives with her family in the mountains along with their dog that eats Kleenex. Her new memoir, Tea and Madness is now available.
You can follow C. Streetlights on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, andGoodreads.
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For years, I swore I was going to be an author, full time. This was how I was going to make my living, build my life, and embrace my passion. Instead, I settled into a position that was comfortable. I had a steady income. It was enough, even if I couldn’t stand my job. Then, my husband and I had Kenna. Born sixteen weeks too soon and weighing in at a meager 9.6 ounces, she changed everything. After 183 days in the hospital, Kenna finally came to the magical place called home…on oxygen, a heart monitor, and a feeding tube. Suddenly, I have to find a way to contribute to our income while working from home. It was just the nudge I needed to write the books I’d always planned to write. Now, nearly twenty novels later, I am blessed to live a life I love, working from home, able to be a mom and have a fulfilling career.
What challenges do you face? How can you turn them into blessings? What can you do to do to live a life you love?
Nicole Andrews Moore lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband, a teenage son and daughter, and Kenna. Every day is new and sparkly…which is why she chronicles them on her blog, The Dreamers Do Project. It is a way for her to spread her brand of hope, happiness, and love.
Don’t forget to share your responses by commenting on the blog or using the hashtag #Cultivate16.
Dear Money,
You and I seem to have a love-hate relationship. I wish I had more of you at times; other times I wish the world didn’t revolve around you, and that I could escape your grasp. Why must you be so elusive yet so necessary? Why most so many of us struggle to earn you while watching you slip carelessly through our fingers? Why can’t you be more like a dear friend? I wish that one day I didn’t worry about you as much as I do now. I want our relationship to be a more relaxed one — one in which I’m not pining after you or wanting for the basic necessities of life.
I’m so thankful to all those who welcomed me into their inbox for Cultivate prompts once again. Two very wonderful ladies — who both happened to win the first ever giveaway for Cultivate — bravely shared their responses on their blogs. Thank you very much, Rowena and Tracy! I enjoyed reading your responses, and I’m even more delighted that you both won the Rock the Butterfly Essence sessions with Teresa Deak. I’m also incredibly grateful to Teresa for agreeing to the giveaway. She’s a beautiful soul sister indeed.
Each year I’m amazed by the responses I have to mine own questions, realizing that the answers are always right there within myself. Even though participation isn’t as high as other prompt series, I know that these questions are definitely prompting others to go within to find answers. I’m also thankful to Tui and Morgan for helping me decide to move the Cultivate prompt series to May from now on. Keep your eyes open for more news on this subject.
What is/ are your intention(s) for 2016?
My intentions for 2016 are:
I hope to keep up with these intentions during the year, but I’ve always enjoyed yearly intentions better than resolutions. A yearly focus makes me feel like I’m accomplishing my goals, even if it’s a slow progress.
Don’t forget to share your responses by commenting here on the blog or using the hashtag #Cultivate16.
What part of you is begging to come out?
My free spirit wants to come out and play. I’m dying to take off on an adventure and then lay around doing nothing as I please. I want to experiment in my kitchen to my heart’s content. I want to feel the wind in my hair and the sun on my face. I want to write and take photos. I want to sleep until the sun’s up and stay up late to see the stars. I want to live everyday like I’m on summer vacation. Or winter break. Or spring break. It doesn’t matter. I want that feeling of freedom and contentment. The question is how do I balance that with the very real need to making a living?
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What would you like to make or eat this year? With whom?
I’d like to bake birthday cakes this year, just as I always do. I’d like to try my hand at the peanut butter cup cheesecake again, and sit with my family as we savor each creamy bite. I want to experiment with more recipes and cooking methods, and my favorite eating companions have always been my family. I’d love to meetup with friends, though. I’m hoping to go out for coffee and dessert with more than a couple of friends — because what could be better than caffeine and sugar with good company?
Don’t forget to share your responses by commenting here on the blog or using the hashtag #Cultivate16.
How can you cheer up those around you?
Even when I was younger, people knew me for my smile. A dentist nicknamed me “Smiley,” in fact. I’ve been smiling at others partly because it’s part of my personality and partly because it helps soften the people I’m around. It’s hard to be upset when you’re smiling or when someone’s smiling at you. I offer an ear and a shoulder to cry on — and I can promise you that if you’ve ever told me not to share it with someone else, I’ve kept my mouth shut. I’ve been offering this prompt series as a means to not only help myself but to also help others see the beauty in life and themselves. I want others to know that the world is a beautiful place with a plethora of opportunities to be happy. I’m going to keep doing so. I’m going to share my smile. I’m going to share jokes. I’m going to share words of inspiration. I’ll probably even share sweet, fattening treats because it’s hard to be sad when you’ve got some indulgent in front of you!
Don’t forget to share your responses by commenting here on the blog or using the hashtag #Cultivate16.
