Sunday, November 02, 2008

Soul Coaching: Day 1, Life Assessment


Today those of us participating in The Next Chapter: Soul Coaching are exploring Air Week, a time for clearing our mental selves. Today's task is about assessment. Denise Linn offers great exercises in this chapter, each with varying levels of time commitment. I'm doing the "Going for It" exercise of assessing where you are and where you'd like to be but the measure I'm using is one I turn to as a touchstone regularly in my life and with my clients: my values.

I took each value and wrote in my journal where I was really honouring that value and what more I would like to do in that area. As Denise puts it, "Where am I? Where would I like to be?"
For each value I made 2 affirmations - one is a celebration of what I'm doing and the other is an area for growth.

Steps & Leaps

1. Life
  • I honour life through awareness of and embracing the rhythms of the season and of myself.
  • I honour life by lovingly attending to the needs of my body, in particular respecting the oscillating rhythm of movement and relaxation.

2. Authenticity/Integrity/Freedom

  • I honour authenticity/integrity/freedom through choosing to follow my own path and run my own business.
  • I honour authenticity/integrity/freedom by taking the time every morning to connect with myself and my desires through activities such as writing morning pages.

3. Magic

  • I honour magic by cultivating awareness, particularly to synchronicities and other messages from the Universe.
  • I honour magic by creating a daily practice for connection.

4. Self-Expression

  • I honour self-expression by creating daily collage cards for journalling.
  • I request the Universe's help in moving my forward in honouring self-expression.

5. Creating & Building

  • I honour creating & building through my work, whether it is creating my own business or launching a project like The Next Chapter
  • I feel fulfilled in this area.

6. Love

  • I honour love by living in gratitude for the relationships I have and the love that surrounds me.
  • I honour love by actively expressing my care and concern for those with whom I have an intimate relationship.

7. Beauty

  • I honour beauty by appreciating it every day.
  • I honour beauty by inviting more of it into my home and wardrobe.

8. Pleasure

  • I honour pleasure by taking the time to savour what I am experiencing.
  • I honour pleasure by recognizing I am more available to pleasure when I am full of vitality than when I am full of chocolate.

9. Home

  • I honour my home by investing effort, time, money and care in renewing its appearance.
  • I honour my home through consistent care, cleaning and decluttering.

10. Celebration

  • I honour celebration by acknowledging the turning of the seasons.
  • I honour celebration by following through on the celebration promises I make to myself

14 comments:

Romana Mirza said...

Thank you for this, it is a clear and beautiful way to identify the gaps but so positively. I worked ahead in the book and tomorrow we define our values. I'm going to do this with mine, it's a great litmus test!

PS: Shannon and Suzie have been commenting on my posts regularly - I said to them I'm starting feel like the fourth sister!

Shannon said...

Wow, what an awesome list and interpretation of the exercise! I love the notion of the invitations to welcome more in - that is totally cool!

Miss Robyn said...

wow Jamie! these are perfect.. I love how you say honour.. some of these things that you have listed are things I do anyhow, but to say I honour them would be so empowering... would you mind if i copied them off? I especially love the magick ones, it is so easy to ignore the signs from the Universe.
This is going to be an amazing journey, I can feel it!
Day 2 has started for me already !!

Sandra said...

Beautiful collage, Jamie. Something about the image and the words is very evocative, I want to linger there a while.

Serena Lewis said...

I love how you have conveyed the lesson in affirmations. Very well put, Jamie.

Miss Robyn said...

Jamie, just want to say also - a huge thankyou for doing this - I know how much work it takes to post everyday so that we can all take part. THANKYOU XO

Anonymous said...

As always Jamie, I see such a kindred spirit in you. You continue to articulate things I have hibernating in my psyche, and give me that delicious snap of clarity about my own values as I cultivate what lives at my core. What a gift!

You have created such magic here, connecting all of us.

Enjoy all this love that will be flooding your way for the month of November, and long after.

Pen said...

what an awesome post.
thanks also for creating this space. already i am coming across blogs and posts that are inspiring me beyond any expectation: and this is only day 1!

Tori said...

Wow these are perfect. I think everyone can connect with what you are saying in some way.

Anonymous said...

How pefectly worded. I find myself wanting to echo some of your phrasing because you explained everything so succinctly. Your responses helped me to reflect greatly on my own and have a better understanding. Thanks!

ELLIE said...

so beautiful - your words are uplifting - fresh and new for me - thanks!!!
-Ellie

Kelly said...

I love how clear and focused you are. Sometimes I feel like I'm so entangled in my patterns that I don't know where to start and so I don't. Thank you again for starting this group, I can already see the benefit...

Nydia said...

I like he way you put your intentions, it's very clear and you really know where you are!

I learned with my grandpa that nothing happens by chance, and I truly believe it. You guys are on my path for a reason, thank you1

Kisses from Nydia.

Turtleheart said...

This is a beautiful list! So incredibly empowering and joyful. It's very inspiring to read. Thank you for sharing it!