Softly Through Courage

April 11, 2017 by Yasmeen Ali in Beginning, Courage, Forward movement

Courage need not be in the form of a big dive off a cliff. Sometimes, it's a soft, sweet, gentle glide forward with slow and gentle steps. Sure footing...cautiously, optimistically. Slowly, softy, surely taking steps forward, solid in your conviction, and confidently in the direction of your courage.

Sometimes courage comes from a very small space inside you, a little voice that hints and teases and sometimes eggs you on. Sometimes, you just take one small step, one easy kind gentle step. You try. You see how it feels. And then you take another and another and another.

Sometimes courage can be sweet or delicate or nice. No...really? Yes, I think it can. It's not all bravado and ruggedness.

Eye contact at the store when you usually avert gazes or hold your head down.

Reaching out to shake someone's hand.

Hugging someone.

Smiling at someone.

These small acts can serve to lift you outside of your comfort zone. Slowly, sweetly and gently. Courage isn't this big public dance on a stage in front of millions. Sometimes it's just a step forward, gently and sweetly.

In Love and Sweetness,

Yasmeen

Song: Sleep Like a Child by Joss Stone

Mood: Surreal

Special: Full Moon

Thanx: MG for her support. Keep your 'eye' on the prize

But I Don't Want To

April 04, 2017 by Yasmeen Ali in Beginning, Courage

Or, oh crap this posted while I was just playing around with it. Oh well. Double crap...the other post I was working on disappeared. Oh well...chuckling. Back to this post.

Okay, this is a favorite of mine. Nope...Nah...Don't feel like it...Don't make me.

Sometimes, the courageous step is doing something we don't want to. But when is the best time to do that? Tomorrow? Next week? Next year? Probably, not ever.

Sometimes pushing through challenge and discomfort frees us from entanglements

But, I don't wanna...

Don't make me...

Please no no no no...

Um...lemme try...

Wait, not now...

I'll just watch. You do it.

I'll watch.

Okay, I'm ready to try now.

No, not ready yet.

Oh, I did it.

Um...Hunh?

Okay, what now?

What's next?

I did it.

Oh crap. I did it.

Where are my excuses and fears and concerns and worries? Crap. Now, I can't find them. I know I set them somewhere. Did I pack them?

Oh, okay back to I did it. I didn't want to but I did.

Hmmm....

In Love and What the...oh well,

Yasmeen

Music: The Power by SNAP!

Mood: Calm strong. Finally awake. And now even.

Special: I feel like whatever it was...passed. Feel finally awake

Thanx: To SSM for that lovely surprise. So Starry.

Musing...The other I was working on, that was entitled Element of Choice, disappeared on me. I wonder what that was about. Wonder if I'll recreate it for next week. Hmmm. Love this image up there. Sorta like Escher.

Sunday Creative Expression 3

April 02, 2017 by Yasmeen Ali in Courage, Creativity, Expression, Journaling

COURAGE

I wonder what it would be like to draw courage or to create a dance around it? Would you whirl around with scarves? Would you jump up and down? Is courage running up a lot of steps like in Rocky?

Is it sitting there for a long long time, till your wrist hurts, writing and expressing pain and sorrow? Is it sitting there writing about great successes, about times when you stepped forward in courage?

Would you draw? Paint? Scribble? Stand on your head?

Or, just whirl around with your "cape," from the first Expressive Exercise a few weeks ago, screaming "I am courage. I am courage. I have no fear. I have no fear."

Just play with it. See what comes out. See what comes to mind.

In Love and Playing,

Yasmeen

Song: Nocturne by Rolf Levland (Secret Garden)

Vibe: Kinda intense and wondering

Special: Learning to accept those who do not understand me. It's okay...I think. LOL!

Thanx: KT for her amazing week of videos. Makes so much sense.

Musing: These tags continue to amuse me. Day trip. Hunh???

And a littl oops....thought I posted a while back. Oops.

Courage from Power Center

March 28, 2017 by Yasmeen Ali in Courage, Forward movement

I think the story of courage is one in which we get in touch with our power center, where we open up ourselves to possibilities and to smaller voices that we long since stifled, that we long since kept hidden.

Some of us are on hidden journeys shielding ourselves from so many of life's experiences. We're quiet, shy, hidden, lacking and fearful. Some of us think we can be seen in the smallness of who we may be. We think someone will find us, see us. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they can't because we are cloaked. In hidden voices, hidden experiences, hidden thoughts.

We believe people will ridicule us, shame us, control us, put us down if we speak up. We have a lot of proof that can happen as it has happened before and it is happening now. We have eyes and ears. We can see and hear.

But, do we speak up? Do we show up for ourselves? Our inner truths? Our inner thoughts? Our real selves? That deep down often buried true self.

Big questions are not always easiest to answer in a few minutes. But, there is a certain element of freedom in speaking our truths, showing up as we are. Not as others want us to or expect us to but as we really are.

Cool. Funny. Loud. Wacky. Serious. Contemplative. Laid-back. Adventurous. Curious. Imaginative. Quiet. Caring. Loving. Living.

Do you have aspects of yourself that you keep buried? Hidden? Secretive? In a tiny little suitcase in your tummy or packed away on a shelf behind volumes of stories in your mind? Does it feel good?

In Love and Curiosity,

Yasmeen

Mood: Really frickin' strong. WTH?

Song: Conqueror by Estelle

Special: Super cool chat with KW...thanx

Thanx: To my honey for commenting. And no I don't have lottery super powers.

Perhaps Shy

March 21, 2017 by Yasmeen Ali in Beginning, Courage, Forward movement

I might be shy. You might be shy. Or, we may not be. But, sometimes shy or bashful or quiet or introverted or awkward or unsure or confused or overwhelmed or a whole host of other labels can put us in a space of reservation.

A sort of holding space until we are ready to advance.

Sometimes it's a stuck place or an immobilized space or a weird space or a yucky space that we don't want to be in but we won't leave. We know it. It knows us. Keeps us safe and known but maybe just maybe wanting to step out, maybe just maybe wanting to try something new, maybe just maybe thinking, dreaming or fantasizing about other possibilities.

Sometimes, we are afraid to take steps forward. Sometimes, we are afraid to let go of the past reasons why taking steps forward may not work for us. Sometimes, we are not ready. The possibility of forward movement is simply, well just too much to process.

So we stay where we are, thinking, dreaming and fantasizing.

But sometimes we are not aware that by stepping out, we are essentially opening the door, clearing a path, for others. Maybe. Sometimes it's opening the door for us. Laying the path for us to go forward. Sometimes, it's freeing. And just like in the song I'm listening to it helps us to "stand a little taller"

In Love and Stepping,

Yasmeen

Music: Stronger by Kelly Clarkson

Vibe: Low energy energized. Strong and confident.

Special: I spoke up yesterday. Shared my truth. That was cool.

Thanx: To AM for providing the forum to share.

Musings: I used the word "sometimes," a lot. And "maybe." Hmm...

More Musings: I don't fully get this tag cloud up there but we'll see. Studio of our mind? Art of the soul? I wonder where it gets its ideas.

Love's Courage Takes Flight

March 14, 2017 by Yasmeen Ali in Expression, Beginning, New

Excitement. Anticipation. Feeling good and excited about the possibilities of this blog. This blog entry is entitled, Love's Courage Takes Flight because this is what came to me in meditation. Sometimes I meditate. It so so so quiets my very active mind. Today's imagery was especially lovely as it had hearts and rainbows and gardens and then this massive massive eagle that just took flight. That is when I knew I just needed to sit down and start. I was ready.

But being ready doesn't always happen on schedule. It does not happen because I write it down on a piece of paper. Believe me, I tried. Oh did I try. It does not happen through sheer will or wishing. I tried those as well. Something just shifts and you're ready.

My story is that of courage.

It's about taking chances and moving past my comfort zone, way way past my comfort zone. And then kinda sorta being okay with it. And then retreating and regrouping again until it's time to go forward. Usually, I just get the urge or the inkling or a burst of energy, not unlike today, and I just start. I just go for it.

Not unlike the imagery in recent meditations, the path was open. It just came through as open; go through now.

Over time I hope to share bits and pieces about courage, taking chances and moving beyond comfort levels, but gently so as not to rock the boat too much. You definitely want to make some ripples, though.

There are times when you start big, you just take a leap. And there are times when you start small. Just where you are at. You will know what's right for you. You will know when you are ready. You will know when it feels right. But always try to take that first step, even when your mind tries to override you.

Love is expansive. If you can get into that expansive space first, you might find it to be just a little bit easier.

In Love and Flight,

Yasmeen

Song: This Shirt by Mary Chapin Carpenter

Vibe: Really really good.

Thanx: HD for checking on me. SS for her smiling disposition.

Special: Just starting. The vibe. The ease.