Feeling Overwhelmed? Part 2

Dear Wild Creative Hearts,

As promised, here is Part 2 of dealing with overwhelm!

Part 1 can be found here. We continue the list with four more suggestions.

5. Repeat to yourself that time and energy are unlimited. There is enough time for everything. The Universe is helping me. All is well. Or find other quotes or affirmations that are inspiring to you and read them on a consistent basis.

6. Do your favorite thing to slow down your mind and contact the space between your thoughts, especially if the thoughts are of worries and of not being good enough. It is from these silent places where your inspirations, "aha's" , and inner guidance can make themselves known. Do you have guided meditations you can listen to? Does sitting by a stream help?

7. When feeling overwhelm, stop and focus on the task at hand. If you are with another person, then be there fully, if you are writing an article then do that and nothing else, if you are sitting in nature, then be there fully, if you are brushing your teeth, yep, be there without thoughts of what's next. Recognize that you have slipped into "little me" and lovingly guide yourself back to your Expanded Self in your favorite way. Or sometimes is just enough to witness yourself being overwhelmed and be compassionate and loving to that part of you and allowing it to pass. How do you most easily return to your Expanded Self?

8. Love and compassion for yourself is paramount. Nurturing yourself is important. Talk nicely to yourself. (This may be a whole other blog post. :) )

I hope you found a nugget or two to help you during times when you are feeling overwhelmed. Please share what works for you when you are feeling overwhelmed, if you are inspired!

Love,

Lisa

(c) 2010 Lisa Dieken, All Rights Reserved

Feeling Overwhelmed? Part 1

Dear Wild Creative Hearts,

We all find ourselves feeling overwhelmed in our jobs and personal lives. Whether it is building a business, climbing a mountain or moving to the middle of the Pacific Ocean, some of us are more prone to the feeling of overwhelm than others. Organizing a closet, sorting through things, learning something new, e-mail messages, learning a healthier way to eat are all examples of things that can feel overwhelming to us.

Choose just one to try at a time. (because we don't want you to be overwhelmed while dealing with overwhelm! :) )

1. Overwhelm is a symptom of not being in the present moment, not being connected to your Higher Self, and not allowing the Universe to help you. It is "thinking" you have to do it all on your own. It is thinking and believing time and energy are scarce when looking at the big picture. It could also involve fears of not being good enough. Can you isolate the thoughts and beliefs that are creating the overwhelm? For example: It's never going to work, so why even begin. It's too hard. I'm not up to it. Impossible! It's too much., etc. And then change those thoughts to things like: I can do this. A little at a time. I'm strong and intelligent and can do this.

2. Remember small steps. Break things down into really small steps. Small, small small. A little related to the first item: look at what is in front of you and not the big picture. Look only at the next step. What feels fun and energizing? It might be just daydreaming about it.

3. If feeling overwhelm about a task, give yourself just 5 minutes or 15 minutes to do it. Or do it for the length of time it takes for one of your favorite songs to play. You don't have to do it all at once and sometimes just getting started is all it takes to get the energy moving in the direction you want to go.


4. Ask the Universe for help. Give the Universe tasks to do. This works especially well for large projects, building a business, etc. Make a list of things that you "get to" do and add in a column beside it a list of tasks you are giving to the Universe. And then let go of those things. There will be some things that get worked out without you doing anything. There will be some things that will seemingly sit there for awhile and then one day you will be inspired to call someone that will have the answer or your inspiration will lead you to exactly what you need, or someone or something will show up without you doing anything!

Part 2 - Can now be found here.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
Lisa


(c) 2010 Lisa Dieken, All Rights Reserved.

Wild Creative Heart Guest: Author and actress Starra Andrews

Hello Wild Creative Hearts,

Occasionally I will be featuring people who are being courageous and following their own Wild Creative Heart. This is the very first featured guest.

Introducing Wild Creative Heart Starra Andrews!
Starra Andrews is an actress and author from Los Angeles. She is the author of an actor-interview book published by the Greenwood Publishing Group, called The Pursuit of Acting; Working Actors Share Their Experience and Advice. She designed this book to help student actors, and actors just starting out. Her short story, A Hasty Decision, is featured in Aberrant Dreams online magazine. Find her at: http://pursuitofacting.blogspot.com/

I asked Starra to reflect on two questions:

1. How do you nurture your creative spirit?
I go on retreat by sitting in front of my altar and focusing on a candle. I will put on the funniest movie, and just laugh! I will walk during twilight and feel the breeze on my face, and watch the leaves slightly move on the trees. I also let everything else go (worries, anxieties, anger) and simply center on my heart chakra in light.

2. What do you do when you feel a lack of inspiration/feel blocked?
I will do all the same things as above, but I will also let all the frustration out by punching a pillow and saying (or screaming) everything I want! : )

Here is a writing sample from Starra:
Here's the set up: Tamara is a young woman who accidentally fell into the wrong book, and now finds herself in a world of battling vampires and warlocks. In this scene, a vampire couple who helped her survive her turmoil, give her some advice before she disappears and returns to her 21st Century world.

When she did close the door, it was pitch black. She heard Derek softly say, “Don’t move Tamara. Wait till I get you.”
After a few minutes, he came back holding a candle.
“I’m so sorry. Is she okay?” Tamara asked.
“She will regenerate tonight as she sleeps. Her hand will be healed by morning.”
“Oh, thank God. What about those other warlocks? What if they followed us here?”
“Even if they did, it doesn’t matter. My estate is warded. They cannot enter without my permission.” Derek extended his hand, and said, “Come.”
Tamara followed him to the bed where Genevieve was resting. She saw a scarf tied around her hand, and knew Derek had attended her.
“I’m sorry about your hand. It was my fault. We would have gotten in here sooner if I wasn’t clinging to Derek when we landed.”
“Tamara, do not blame yourself,” Genevieve replied. “I just have to get used to my new lifestyle.”
Derek smiled and leaned down to kiss Genevieve gently on the lips. In that instant, tears began to run down Tamara’s cheeks.
Derek and Genevieve looked at her with concern. “Are you all right Tamara? What’s wrong?” Genevieve asked. “I have never felt real love before. I thought I had. I was married for years. But, it was nothing like what I just felt from both of you. I hope I get to feel that again one day.”
Genevieve sat up with the last bit of energy she had before submitting to a vampire’s slumber, and took Tamara’s hand. “You will Tamara, I know you will. I can feel it, so don’t give up. I know your heart has been damaged, because I feel the sorrow inside you. But, there is another. Remember that feeling, because it’s real. Love is the reality; sorrow is the illusion.”

Thank you for being a guest at the Wild Creative Heart blog and sharing with us, Starra! Wishing you all the best as you follow your Wild Creative Heart!

Namasté,

Lisa

P.S. If you would like to be featured or know someone who make a great featured guest, please drop me a line at lisa AT WildCreativeHeart DOT com.

11 Ideas: From Little Me to Expanded Me

Dear Wild Creative Hearts,

Since receiving the inner guidance to move to Hawai'i, I've realized how quickly I've transformed from being a "deer in headlights" to feeling energetic and moving forward. In other words, from scared "Little Me" to the Expanded Self. I wanted to share some of the things I do in case any of it is helpful to you Wild Creative Hearts who are in transition.

1. At the top of the list is my connection to Spirit, the Divine, my Higher Self, All That Is, whatever you want to call it. Immersing myself in this energy in order to hear guidance, to feel loved and supported, to feel my expanded self. Surrendering, Trusting.

2. Love - When Little Me comes up with fears and worries I pay attention and love her. I speak to her like I would a small child. I soothe and comfort her.

3. Asking others for confirmation when I'm unsure. When I first received the guidance and was a little shocked about it, I asked others for confirmation. I asked those who I knew were intuitive and I trusted. In the end I have to listen to my own inner guidance and what feels right to me.

4. Nurturing myself - Making sure I spend enough time outdoors in nature, getting exercise, eating well, creativity!, doing spontaneous drawing, knitting, having fun, laughing. Sometimes when I ask myself how I best can nurture myself in this moment, I am surprised at the answer. One time the answer was to do the dishes! (I am my own dishwasher right now.) And indeed it did feel good to get them out of the way.

5. Meditating, going inward. Without slowing down my mind and going within, I wouldn't be available to "hear" the inner guidance. Sometimes I receive guidance right then, other times it is creating an environment for the guidance to come through later and in every moment as I allow my Higher Self/Spirit to manage things and not my mind and Little Me.

6. Checking in with my body to see what I sense is most energizing. When I first received the guidance to move to Hawai'i, I could feel the pull in my heart area. I could feel myself uplifted, I sensed being more energized. When I would get a sense of the energy of staying here in Colorado, the energy felt flat, stagnant, heavy.

7. Asking Spirit for help and listening - when feeling good and especially when feeling not so good.

8. Reminding myself over and over that the Universe has my back. I am always supported. Settling into this truth. Trusting it. It has taken a lot of personal work, transformation and patience to get to this place where I can feel myself trusting and settling into this truth.

9. Taking a small step every day. One day was a big step of getting things in my car to take to the thrift store. One day I went to the library to check out some books to see if it would help me get a feel for the best island for me to relocate. One day I made a list of things that need to get done so I wouldn't keep thinking about them.

10. Remaining in the present moment, rather than worrying about everything that needs to get done. Allowing the Universe/Spirit to help!

11. Keeping my thoughts and energy positive. Appreciating everything.

Getting to this place didn't occur overnight, it was a process of transformation, learning and finding what works for me. And still every day, I waver. I readjust my thoughts, my feelings, my connection to Spirit, my attitude.

How is your transition going? How are you feeling today?

Namaste,
Lisa


(c) 2010 Lisa Dieken, All Rights Reserved

Settling into Truth

Dear Wild Creative Hearts,

A recent meditation took me up the west coast of the Big Island of Hawai'i to the northern tip. I assumed it was suggesting a place to live. I checked it with a pendulum last night and received confirmation and this morning too. Did some investigation of the area in guidebooks and on the internet and it looks promising. It's even close to where a friend of a friend lives who I met in 2006. "Little Me" has concerns about the area and money worries started surfacing yesterday. Appreciating them and allowing them to be transformed.

I'm letting more and more people know my plans to relocate to Hawai'i. The support from friends and family is so very helpful as I continue to surrender and trust that all is coming together. Reminding myself that the Universe has my back. Settling into this truth.

Spirit messages are suggesting I focus less on the material world. That I rest in the Divine knowing that all of my needs are being met, better and more abundantly than I could ever imagine! Settling into this truth and feeling the relief and expansion that comes with it.

Love, Lisa

(c) 2010 Lisa Dieken, All Rights Reserved

Are you willing to not know?

Are you willing to not know? Are you willing to loosen the grip of control and maneuvering to allow for a more easeful, graceful and powerful path to emerge? Can you surrender your faith in your self-will and self-control to receive liberation in knowing and living the Divine course for your life? Are you willing to lay down your idea and open to the Divine Idea of what a life worth living will look, feel, sound, smell and taste like? Anakha Coman

YES!

Well, depends what time it is. :)

Oh, I want to. I desire to. I feel it. I can feel the Divine direction. I can feel the direction my Wild Creative Heart is leading me.

The "Little Me" is resisting. The self-will and self-control are digging their heels in. Why there would be a hesitation to move to Hawai'i, I'm not sure. Of course it wasn't Little Me's idea.

Here's what Little Me is saying:
Where you will stay? What about transportation? It's so expensive there! It's so far away from everything else! It's too hard to get over there. Why would you want to leave your beloved Colorado mountains? You wanted to move to Colorado for so long before you arrived here. Why leave? What will you do with all of your belongings? What about all of the things, people and animals that you have around you that you love? And what about writing a book? Come on, you aren't a writer! What would you write about anyway? Where will you hike? You aren't even much of a water person! (not at all a water person?! ) How will you get exercise? You don't know anyone there! It's just too much work! Too much to do! Certainly there must be something else! and on and on.....

Please stop.

Dear Little Me,

I understand your concerns. I know it is a big unknown. I don't know how it is going to work out either. I do know that we are supported beyond our comprehension. I do know that spiritual energy has completely infused our life and we are supported every step of the way. It's exactly like what Joseph Campbell calls 'following your bliss', following that which is emerging from within. Doors will open for us where doors wouldn't open for anyone else. And if I may remind you of Deepak Chopra's quote about when we are willing to step into the unknown, we are stepping into the field of infinite possibilities. Wonderful exciting events, people and "things" will show up in our lives that we could have never planned!

Let's focus on the abundance of it all! Appreciate the adventure and magic! There is so much magic happening! And friends are supporting us! Betsy's helping out. Gail and Lebyana too. And can we wonder joyfully about how it will all work out, even better than we could ever imagine? Can we focus on how we loved being in Hawai'i on our visit in 2006? We felt so nurtured. We loved the fresh fruits and vegetables. We loved the ocean. We loved the flowers and the fragrances. The football-sized avocados. The geckos. All the new animals and birds to experience! The warmth and sunshine!

And we will take it one step at a time. One day at a time. Focus on the present moment. Focus on the place between our thoughts that is so very comforting and energizing. We are safe in the present moment. One step at a time we will make our way there, joyfully, expanded and with grace and ease.

Love,
Lisa

(c) 2010, Lisa Dieken, All Rights Reserved

The Whispers of Inner Guidance

There is a plan and your soul knows what it is. -Deepak Chopra



Hello Wild Creative Hearts,

Oh yes, the importance of a little meditation and going inward. Two weeks ago I started receiving messages about "being at a crossroads" and a "change in direction".

"What?!?!", I thought a little perturbed. "What could this be about?" Drawing an oracle card, I was urged to begin dreaming about new possibilities and another suggested I spend some quiet time in nature. Sounded good to me!

So off I headed to Rocky Mountain National Park last Saturday. Because I felt utter exhaustion the night before as I went to sleep and realized the last three years *had* been rather rough and emotionally draining, I started dreaming about little get-aways on my drive. Someplace to really nurture myself and rejuvenate. Before I left, I even sent an email to an agency that rents cabins in Estes Park thinking a few nights away close to home might be good.

I arrived at my destination and I put on my jacket and winter hat and headed out to sit by the stream and meditate. The ground was wet from the recent precipitation so I ended up sitting on my hat.

Using the meditation technique I heard on a CD recently, I focused on the feeling of my breath and counted on the out-breath. How delicious to find that space between my thoughts... I could feel the well-being infusing my body. I listened to the gentle gurgle of the stream.

I'm not sure how long I sat there, it wasn't very long, and suddenly, without warning, a quiet intuitive flash I wasn't ready for: "Move to Hawai'i." And on the tail end another flash of a book being written while I'm there.

I believe my first reaction was a startled and confused, "Huh?" and then "Yes! Of course!" After my trip to Kaua'i and the Big Island of Hawai'i in November of 2006, I actually had started looking into moving there. Just for a year or so. But it was feeling too difficult to get there and events in my life eventually had me doing other fabulous things.

And then, after my initial excitement, oh my... the "little me" that Eckhart Tolle talks about started shouting all kinds of warnings and reasons not to go. (and still does multiple times daily.)

I spent last week going inward and checking it out. Two powerful and intuitive women validated it for me. One said she could feel Hawai'i pulling me there. (Thank you, Mary Macnab.) The other said the whole area would be supportive for me as I move forward in my life. A chapter is done in my life and it is time to move on. (Thank you, Licia Berry.) The oracle cards I drew were nothing but positive and urging me to do it. Over and over and over again. (Just once isn't enough for me! :) ) I did some writing, asking my Higher Self about it: "How about just a visit?" I asked. The answer was "How about a visit for a few years?"

A definite internal tug to go to Hawai'i. I can certainly feel it. Definite resistances showing up. Yes, I can feel those too. The feeling of being lifted and carried there. The feeling of the energy here in Colorado being stagnant for me right now.

A wise friend reminded me: I must say "Yes" to that which is emerging. (Thank you, Gail!)

I have heard the whispers of inner guidance. My Wild Creative Heart has spoken.

Hawai'i or bust! :)

Love,
Lisa

http://www.wildcreativeheart.com/
http://www.facebook.com/LisaDieken

(C) 2010 Lisa Dieken, All Rights Reserved

Falling, Wings, Flying

I'm on a zipline, holding onto a handle that is taking me down the wire at a great speed. Down, down into nothingness.... not knowing what is below me. Then, letting go of the handle (and being quite frightened to do so.) Falling into nothingness... Falling. Falling... getting my "bearings", finding my wings... and then FLYING... and SOARING.

I was attempting a shamanic journey while sitting in one of my favorite hiking spots. Twice, I came to the part of letting go of the handle and popped out of the journey. Something else interfered as I sat there... too frightened to continue. The third time I reminded myself it was only a journey and I would be fine, why not just see what happens! :)

In my life now, I seem to be at the part where I'm about to let go, I'm letting go, or falling. Or could it be that I'm in the midst of finding my wings? Wherever I am, it has been and continues to be an excellent teacher of staying in the present moment, focusing on the positive wherever I can find it, finding ways to connect to my Higher Self as often as possible, and being gentle and loving with myself.

So ready to FLY!

Love,
Lisa