A RUDE AWAKENING OR A GREAT OPPORTUNITY?

I have been renting a house for the last three years. During this time I often receive mail addressed to previous tenants that used to live here, so Joan Lutz, if your out there, your mail is still coming here years later. It is not uncommon that junk mail and letters addressed to others are mistakenly found on my floor when I walk in the door daily.

Recently I had a rude awakening.  As I was bending down to pick up the bulk mass mailings of weekly super market fliers, along with my monthly State Farm solicitation, and the weekly Land's End and L.L. Bean catalogues, which have increased during the holiday season, I saw an unfamiliar magazine. Immediately I thought Joan Lutz. But no, it was addressed to ME and it was AARP! AARP is the acronym for the American Association of Retired Persons!!  

After the initial shock, I went on an emotional roller coaster ride which lasted at least a long 15 minutes. First came denial. This is a mistake. I am not old enough to be a member of AARP. That's the magazine for old people, senior citizens are age 65 and up and I'm only 45. At this point I don't even accept or identify myself as being middle age so you can imagine my ego's horror of being on a senior citizens mailing list.

Next came anger. How could they possible get my name and address? Who does the fact checking to see just how old someone is? I have a current valid drivers license and a social security card.  Google those or just my name and all kinds of facts appear confirming my age, which once again, does not fall into the senior citizen population.

After taking a breath, and finding my way to the couch to sit down before I slumped my way down the wall to sit on the floor amongst my bulk junk mail, bargaining made an appearance in my thinking and it sounded like this. Dear God, I know I'm a sugar addict and Oreos are not a proper breakfast meal, I don't sleep enough, but how can I when you put all the funny comedy central shows on late at night? I know I rarely exercise, (no excuse), but I will start to eat properly, get eight hours of sleep nightly and start to run three miles a day even outside in the cold AND be a better person in all areas of my life if you would please not allow premature literature to cross my path again, spiraling me into an insecure, vain, botox wanting, desperate woman.  Please God, I promise.

I sat on my couch in at stupor. While sitting there I noticed a feeling of a heaviness entering my spirit. The best description would be that a gray cloud floated into my mind and soul. The feeling of “why bother” and the “it"s all down hill from here” were creeping into my psyche and I realized I wanted to close the blinds, turn off the phone, pull the covers up over my head and grab the Oreos. Depression was seducing me. I know depression, it's friends with the Oreos.

I expected to see ads for old age retirement homes, discount coupons for eye glasses, definitely Ibuprofen advertisement and perhaps and article on ballroom dancing.  So as I was sitting on the couch I decided to take a look.  Michelle Obama was on the cover and she looks great, not a wrinkle. (OH..maybe coupons for botox inside).  An article “2011 Best Places the GOOD LIFE FOR LESS! Page 46” and “6 Months to a New Job- and a Fat Paycheck”,  which confused me because I thought the whole idea of retirement is to notwork?   My interest was piqued.  I like those topics and I want that information so I opened the AARP magazine.  The first picture I saw was a beach at sunrise with three surfers headed to the water and bowl of raisin bran, my favorite cereal, with the slogan “I am taking the board out of retirement. WHAT?

There were articles on “ Have Fun, HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT PANCAKES”, “Save Money THE CHEAPEST TIME TO FLY IS”, and “Feel Great, IF YOU WANT TO LIVE LONGER”, (debatable), and this was only page eight!  Flipping through I was shocked to see articles on actors I love IE. - Jayne Lynch, Gene Hackman and Viola Davis. Not quite my peers but identifiable. And then reality hit.  The Miralax advertisement, an article “Save Your Eyesight” and an add to Fight Advanced Prostate Cancer. This was scary stuff for me. Unfamiliar territory but I reminded myself that's life.

I read on and decided I liked this magazine.  This is good stuff.  This is living.  These Seniors have it going on.  A few health hurdles but they don't act like victims like I do.  I ruminated for a bit looking at the big picture and came to the conclusion that this was a wake up call, an opportunity to take care of myself . Now sitting up with an attitude adjustment, acceptance entered my thinking.  I am on my way to AARP land.  It doesn't seem like a bad place to be.  I felt encouraged, even excited about making healthy changes in my life.  After the emotional roller coaster ride, I realized I went through the Kubler-Ross model of the “Five Stages of Grief”.  I experienced them all and actually have extra pep in my step, a new attitude, a banana in my purse and a smile on my face.

The Chestnut Hill Local’s Article on Blue Print Life &Wellness Coaching.

The Chestnut Hill Local’s Article on Blue Print Life &Wellness Coaching.

RUG

Rug ripped out
Right from where I was standing
Future falls smashing to the ground
Like a shattered champagne glass

Sweep it up
Get up
Lay down
Rest, stunned and numb

Zombie to robot
There is almost feelings
Medication stabilizing my grocery shopping
Today

Robot to person
Pliable, viable with more experience
Not wanted but served up
Don't upchuck

The lesson of rug
Weave your own
It's not knotting Indian
It's bright colorful yarn of my own

Greener Grass

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
The Truth is it's not, that grass of pretense
Is what your perceiving alluring, deceiving
Believe in that lie and it's you that's misleading

That grass of jealousy, greed, discontent
Ego, confusion, disconcerting offense
Envy, illusion that your grass is not green
Is it fear that your grass is not being seen

The bigger the better, precursor to grieving
Those rose colored glasses that have you believing
Your less than, not worthy, you don't have enough
Enough of the “stuff” that makes living so tough

Keeping up with the Jones' the fantasy of winning
The treadmill of life that just keeps on spinning
You out of control, empty and void
The life that your living, your being destroyed

In paradise it started with Adam and Eve
They believed in the lie that their grass was not green
They thought there was more, that their lot was devoid
Of what they knew not, they just wanted more

That choice that they made still has dire effect
Repercussions that followed, the masses defect
Like blind sheep they traveled the facade of content
Tormenting, consenting the call to repent

The lesson they taught us was have gratitude
That lives in the space that we know attitude
Be thankful and tend to your own back yard
So many don't have one and yours is so large

For peace in your soul, grow your grass organic
It's different I know you feel panicked and manic
Slow down keep it simple, nurtured, de-weeded
Water and sunshine is all that is needed

Soil that's tended, the grass that you'll grow
With loving and gladness, please keep your grass mowed
Humble, not boastful, meek, quiet and nourished
In just a short time your green grass will flourish


Compare and despair, don't look over there
Keep your intentions pure and your heart filled with care
Your patch is not linked to a status or class
With motive uncomplicated you'll grow greener grass

Calling all Brides...let's take a ride!

Bridal Bonding Boot Camp
We do not remember days...
We remember moments.
(Cesare Paverse)

Bridal Bonding Boot Camp in an informal weekly meeting of brides to be. Getting married is one of the most important decision you will make in your life. It is a time filled with love, excitement, anticipation, and joy. However, preparing for your wedding day is a very busy time of planning, appointments, setting goals and decision making. This can be exhausting and stressful. It is normal to feel both exhilarated and overwhelmed at the same time. AND IT’S ALL OK!

Bridal Bonding Boot Camp is a service that provides the time for you to get back to you. YOU are your first and last love. BBBC wants to support you with specific tools, techniques and exercises that will guide you through this process. Most importantly we want you to have FUN! This is an opportunity for you to meet other women who are experiencing the same feelings, fears and questions you are having. New friendships will be formed and fellowship to be had. Wouldn’t it be great to have another friendly future bride to call when your freaking out and want anonymity from friends and family. These relationships are proven to be quality enhancing both before your wedding day and after you say I do!

The primary purpose of these meetings are to provide you with creative, fun and meaningful ways to bring your emotions to a safe and nonjudgemental place. To give yourself a specific time in your week to relax, explore topics of love, commitment, sex, family, your man, anxiety, diet, exercise and whatever your needs may be so that you are prepared to have the wedding that you want and deserve. We will lay down a strong foundation for you to be effective in planning your wedding sanely and prepare you with tools to have a successful, loving, committed marriage.

Through specialized life coaching skills and mind/body exercises you will achieve your goals. Using creative art therapy techniques such as movement, journaling, and improvisational exercises combined with meditation, guided visualization, ritual and conventional sharing you will be empowered, refreshed, relaxed and prepared for that sacred moment of union that you will share with you fiancee, families and friends. These are your moments, take the time to honor yourself and gracefully transform into your new future.

TREE HUGGER

I believe we need to hug trees more for what they give us than what we give them. I tune into the energy, texture and anything else that comes up inside me. I also think about the tree. The who, what, where, when, how and why. I offer up a prayer of thanks. I have done this unconsciously for myself as healing work.
I just left Kripalu up in the Berkshire Mountains. I did a fast there about five months after my father died. I made him a tree. He is a Spruce. The FIRST thing I do every time I go is stop the car, get out and hug/pray/experience that tree and always sit with it during my stay. I mentioned it to a guest of the fast this week who just lost three family members in 18 months and was a mess. She came back and told me she found three trees together that are now her family.

Mary’s dad at Kripalu, Massachusetts

Mary Gulivindala is the owner of Blue Print Life & Wellness Coaching. She is also a dancer, mother of two boys, a dog and a cat. She is a firm believer of “you are your first and last love.”
For more information, please visit: www.blueprintlife-wellnesscoaching.com

The Glass is not Half Full or Half Empty, it is Just Too Big

We all know the expression the glass is either half full or half empty. It is used as a question to gage how a person views a situation, whether they see it as positive or negative. It is about a persons perspective. Well I see the glass as just too big.

Life has become extremely busy and at times overwhelming. With work, add in a commute time, family, add in an aging parent or sick one, children and their schedules plus the wonderful but consuming technology ie. Email, Google, Facebook, Linkeden and Twitter if you choose to use social networking, you will see or feel that there are not enough hours in a day to do what is required let alone have the luxuries of down time, hobbies and a social life.

I'm tired just thinking about it now! So how can you simplify your life?

There are the usual solutions:

Better time management – take away a couple hours of sleeping

Write down a to do list – which if your like me put too many tasks down a day that don't get accomplished and them move them to the next day. By weeks end I have a list longer of the things I didn't do than did.

Prioritize – Do I take the dog for a walk or put down paper?

Delegate – Unless you can pay an assistant, the only people I can delegate to are my kids and they are too young to drive, go to the market, or use the oven.

The reality is you can't do it alone or do it as well as you want without sacrifices your health, sanity or self esteem. That is why I like being a life coach, to assist you in moving forward in your life as smoothly as possible. I guide you to live in the solution. When a client comes to me with a goal or goals they want to achieve, they don't have the availability to take the time to sit down, strategize, research and assess how to reach their goals in a timely stress free manner, or the resources I do. Taking time out of their day to do those things would just add to their already hectic lives.

Enter stage left...me. I access, articulate, make a list of action steps to do and guide my clients successfully to their goal in a timely manner, dependent upon how willing and committed the client is to do the work. IT'S ONE LESS THING FOR THEM TO PUT ON THEIR TO DO LIST... YEA!!! It is now on mine.

This is not to say that I tell you what to do, you are involved in the process because you are the process and the answers lie within you. My job is to keep you moving forward and accountable to yourself and encourage you to think in different ways than you might normally. I will get your creative juices going, and you do have them, think outside the box and inspire you in ways that you didn't know lived within you.

One step at a time we will get to your destination.

You Take My Breath Away

When you look my way
My heart beats stronger
My passion longs for you
I can wait no longer
You take my breath away

In those quiet moments
When you whisper my name
Safely in your embrace
I desire to remain
You take my breath away

When I’m in the dark
I shutter in dismay
Your my shinning light
Your the sunshine in my day
You take my breath away

In your eyes that twinkle
Brown soulful wise and true
There is no other man
That holds a candle to you
You take my breath away

I am grateful... And breathless


July 1, 2011

TREASURE CHEST

TREASURE CHEST

I used to have a treasure chest with silver, diamonds and gold
Garnets, pearls, rubies, emeralds, beauty to behold
Glittering, shinny, full of jewels, security I would know
I held on tight with all my might a soul I would not show

Security it promised me alluring and addictive
Open the chest and I could rest poverty was restricted
These treasures I did not gain alone a partner was included
Yet life swept in and crumbled him he bowed out and excluded

The valuables of wealth and worth possessions that were rare
The world confirmed my treasure chest, not many could compare
So happily my outside gleamed with falsity so common
The family crest with name confessed tattooed it with our omen

Perceived as good but not for long the Pirate came and took it
Defeating and depleting me I felt my life was ruined
Years went by and I would cry destitute my future
Stripped away those shinny days life was all confusion

I could not find the treasure map to take me back to past
Suffering with lessons learned, pain I would outlast
Anxious, scarred, all alone I only knew despair
Til Truth stepped in revealed my sins my soul needed repair

A new box I would build alone all wood and nails were mine
Not an easy task to do it took a lot of time
Years and years of humbling truths old life stripped away
Slowly as each nail was nailed kneeling down I prayed

What is precious, valuable, possessions of true worth
Slowly being reminded of what I was taught from birth
The outside things the golden rings are only a delusion
Feeling trapped, hijacked, collapsed explained the confusion

A Carpenter did come my way bringing me true treasures
Not the worldly type of life always seeking pleasure
Go within the secret place their you'll find the key
to a honest treasure chest, a real one trust in Me

Gratitude, new attitude, acceptance stop delaying
Faith, family, friends so dear, they are worth displaying
Honor, love, integrity, forgiveness, wisdom, hope
To polish these is practice see while learning how to cope

The treasures in my chest aren’t things their qualities and actions
Patience meeting preparation authentically transacting
Gentleness, love, loyalty to me first I must learn
To give my jewels to all the fools no more they’d have to earn

Humor is a special gem I use it all the time
One of my closest playmates it saves me from my mind
Self-respect, confidence, persistence to endure
A path set out without a doubt, joy it will ensure

My treasure chest is still growing because it is alive
Not dead with all those static things my treasures reach and strive
Monetary gains they’re not, my needs they are supplied
It baffles me, it’s trust in He that I keep getting by

The world may see oh poverty because they live the lies
Witness wonder, trust, contentment, things that all should try
Faith and risk to take a chance on things that I can’t see
But in my heart, my mind and soul I live in Victory

THE LIMB OF MY TREE

There is a limb, a branch of a tree
The limb that I speak of is humbly me
This limb is a branch that grows from a tree
A tree strong and ancient, wisdom of family

The roots of this tree started centuries ago
With a people I know not, but still my roots grow
Embeded in them, my ancestry
My kinfolk, who were they, their reflection is me

My parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents paved
A way to my talents, characteristics, DNA
Heredity is given in genes of history
A road paved with hardship, storytelling and mystery

My limb is attached to the branch of my parents
My Mother and Father taught me their talents
My Father his poetry, song and dance
His showmanship, love of books, and the ability perchance

To dream big, no regrets, no guts or no glory
Passionate good or bad, always the real story
From humble beginnings he worked his way up
To educate himself, his kids, he supported us

My Mother so humble the salt of the earth
This metaphor from Jesus her salt it did birth
A faith unshakable there’s no doubting commitment
Don’t debate, keep the faith, God’s love is sufficient

Our family she stayed, raised and praised
Always present, working hard, pretending nothing to it
Never a complaint, a curse never uttered
A better role model, sorry there is no other

Their branch is attached to the trunk of the tree
Their parents, grand parents exclaimed a decree
Work hard every day, laugh and love our own way
They traveled the pond to create a new day

A new world they came too with courage in hand
No money, or people a new foreign land
The times they did struggle but kept to their plan
And made a success, never waived took command

Laughter and hardship and death they did face
So courage and bravery adventure and faith
The trunk of this tree has deep strong roots
We are rooted in God, He is the Truth

He is the Vine we are the branches
A lesson I’ve learned or I couldn’t be planted
All that before has trickled down to my limb
I cling on to stay strong to keep fixed on Him

This tree is still growing because it has twigs
My boys, they live on, they are light their my kids
To watch them and nurture the souls that they are
To witness our history in them they’ll go far

To continue to grow and one day they’ll know
I will tell them the stories of our ancestry so
One day I will see in them part of me
My prayer is they know love and laughter, our tree