Celebrate One Thing About Today

Dancing in the Moment

I've just done the most marvelous thing. I spontaneously stepped into the amazing creativity that has emerged around the world in response to the US presidential campaign (the result of which will be known by the time most of you read this).

A few weeks ago I did an 8-day training to become a certified Journey Dance™ instructor, an experience both exhilarating and transformational, not to mention a total blast. (more on Journey Dance later but feel free to check out the site) Joan, my new JD colleague from Vermont, and I came back full of energy and excitement about leading Journey Dances wherever there was an opportunity and we decided to lead a Journey Dance for Obama!

We organized it in a week, helped and inspired by my friend Randy's enthusiasm for the event, and willingness to put Obama music and video together.

What made it so marvelous was the experience of having an inspiration and paying attention to the energy around it, rather than the logistics. Given the week I had ahead of me, had I focused on what would need to happen to pull it off I would have decided almost immediately that it was too much. Instead, I focused on the energy, and what a blast it would be to do, which allowed all the details to come together effortlessly. I remember clearly thinking  - I really want to do this. Period. It'll happen. And the universe delivered.

Ony it got better. We so inspired ourselves dancing to the images and music created for Obama that we decided we should bring the dance to the streets of Burlington the next night, election eve, and invite passersby to dance and celebrate. The energy surge in the room was enough to knock you over and we got ourselves organized in about 10 minutes. Everyone had just the right thing to contribute.

As it turned out, several things did not come together, most notably the weather, but from THAT emerged something even greater. We realized that the energy we had generated was still there to tap into and we decided to direct it toward something bigger and more powerful around the change that needs to happen, rather than the candidate that needs to win. Exactly what it looks like is not clear yet, we're allowing it to percolate, but I have no doubt that if we stay connected to and follow the energy, something equally marvelous will easily unfold.

Can you imagine what it would be like to live life this way?  I, for one, am seriously investigating.
I'll keep you posted!

To dancing in the moment,

Lisa

Happy New Everything!

Before I get started on the topic for this post there's something I want to record here. It's a celebration message I have been saving on my voicemail for weeks but it's going to expire soon.

A friend of mine said this:

"Well, one of the things I can celebrate is that I know that you are out there being Lisa Buell, creating joy, and doing something worthy."

I just loved that. It was such an affirmation of who I am and who I am trying to become, and it reall puts it all in perspective. No matter how caught up in the how I get, and whether I'm doing it right, that message is, in essence, my life purpose. Thank you, Daniel, for reminding me how simple and straightforward it is.

Thank you also, for consistently stopping, looking for and sharing what you have to celebrate every time you call. I totally celebrate you for your willingness and ability to find the celebration in every day.

New Everything?

I am having the most marvelous day! I made a commitment that this year I would actually support my visions, goals, dreams and intention to manifest them by setting aside one day a month to devote exclusively to connecting and reconnecting with my vision and goals for the year; to check in with my progress, adjusting where necessary and creating new goals when I have accomplished the others.

What a concept! Today is the January day I am having a ball - reading over old visions, seeing what has manifested, what has changed for me; all the while recording on giant post-its every new idea I have for my vision board, for organizing myself, for all the things I want to do, be and have this year.

The reason it is so much fun is that I know that every and any idea I come up with, has the potential to become a reality for me. I can add to or change the direction of every area in my life if I choose. Then, depending on how much energy and attention I give it, I know I will see the result; the universe will respond. This has happened far too many times for me to doubt it. Now it's more of a playful energy, and a fine-tuning. Of all the things I'm creatively bringing forth, which do I want to really focus on? What amazing, unexpected, creative way will the universe deliver?

I'll keep you posted!

Lisa

P.S. I actually stated on public radio, so I might as well here, too, that one of my intentions for 2008 was to become an accomplished speaker - accomplished, for me, meaning speaking to a lot of people in a lot of different venues and HAVING A LOT OF FUN doing it.

What are you intending to have happen this year?

Celebrating Better World Club

The World of Celebration is moving at warp speed. I can't keep up. I'm so busy celebrating I haven't posted in a month. Then 2 days ago, I started this wonderful post (I thought) about the energy of Winter Solstice. Before I knew it, several Christmas presents, parties and a nasty cold later, it's today and I'm onto a brand new idea.

I want to start celebrating all the amazing people and organizations that are out in the world doing good things. I don't want to neglect the little miracles that show up unexpectedly, like this blessing outside my office window the other day:

                                    

       

But something that has been increasingly demanding my attention is the fact that there is so much good going on out there in the world that most people don't know about, because the media isn't reporting it. And because people don't know, they think that it's all pretty hopeless. And that attitude causes them to not only project more of that energy, which is not the least bit helpful, but it keeps them from taking action themselves, of participating in the incredible phenomenon of self-initiated positive change that is occurring around the world right now. I want you all to jump on the bandwagon because this ride is a lot more fun than that one and because the more of you that do, the faster we will turn this thing around and have a planet that is thriving and a true joy to be living on.

Better World Club

Now an auto club may not inspire you to heights of passion but these guys are really awesome and I have been wanting to tell everyone I know about them for a long time. (I have converted a few close friends and relatives but I'm going bold this year) Imagine how many millions of people belong to Triple A (I was one), not even knowing there is an alternative or why there should be. Here's why:

In addition to making me laugh out loud (I actually look forward to their newsletters) :

- they give 1% to environmental cleanup
- they offer roadside assistance for BICYCLES!
-  they don't lobby against public transportation
- they act as a watchdog for anti-environmental activities in Washington and the major auto companies 
- they pay me cash rebates for gas every quarter......if that's not enough, here's more

CELEBRATION AND CHALLENGE

What I'm celebrating is the creativity and chutzpah Better World is demonstrating by taking on an institution like Triple A and finding ways to make roadside assistance socially responsible and fun.

And I'm challenging all of you to consider signing up with them. Of course, I don't get anything out of it!
If I did, I wouldn't mention them on my blog. Or I would shamelessly ask you to support me by supporting them. Actually, I DO get something out of it. I get the satisfaction of having created positive change by inspiring others to positive change.

Lest you worry that you won't get the same stellar service you have been receiving all these years from your current auto club (how many of you have even thought about your auto club in the last year?), I'll admit that I was a little concerned about that when I joined - and I didn't have the benefit of a recommendation. Within a couple of weeks of joining, my car went off the road. I called to have it towed and the same local towing company (I knew the driver) that had towed me before, showed up again. A smoother transition there never was.

Now, do the right thing - it's pretty small in the scheme of things but it could make a big difference if a lot of you took the challenge. I promise it won't hurt and, even better, it'll feel GREAT.

So that's my gift to you this holiday season!

In joy,
Lisa

It's still Thanksgiving weekend.....

.....so I thought I'd share a prosperity blessing with you.

I went through a period of many months where I read this every day. It's amazing how difficult is it to stay in any kind of lack and/or anxiety when you really pay attention to what you are reading and really wish this blessing for yourself. (Hint: read it out loud.)

I wish it for you!

Lisa

 
A Prosperity Blessing

May you be blessed with an amazingly abundant day today!
May the clouds break and the heavens pour down upon you more joy, more love, more laughter and more money than you could have ever dreamed of.
May the sun shine its golden light of prosperity through every cell of your extraordinary body.
May you be cleansed today of any resistance or feelings of unworthiness that you may still be holding onto.
May your false illusions of doubt, fear and scarcity gently fall away like soft white feathers on a gentle breeze.
May you be willing, simply willing, to allow the Universe to shower you with miracles today.
May the Angels wrap you in their shining wings of opulence.
May the fairies deliver you to their pot of gold at the end of a majestic rainbow.
May your eyes shine with the glorious truth of who you really are and may that truth uplift others in your presence to their own inner knowing.
May your ears hear the sound of perfection ringing in your soul.
May you taste the deliciousness of every precious bite of life as your day unfolds moment by moment with amazing grace, heartfelt love and a bounty of magnificent money.
As this day ends, may you slumber wrapped in an exquisite blanket of enduring peace and profound gratitude.
And may the last words you speak today be Thank You!

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Thanksgiving and Birthday

Today I am celebrating not only Thanksgiving but my 52nd birthday!

Every 7 years I get to share my own celebration with this powerful day, when so many people are consciously focusing on what they are grateful for in their lives. Of course, some are immersed in challenging family dynamics and others are simply stuffing themselves and watching football :-)
But, in general, this is a much loved holiday and it's not surprising. It feels really good to be in a state of gratitude.

I am particularly grateful for my life today. I spent the first part of the morning looking back over the past year and all the amazing things that have happened to and for me, with a beautiful and affectionate cat named Equinox whom I borrowed to keep me company during this exercise. All the learning and growing, all the abundance, all the wonderful opportunities. It really has been a wonderful year. And I fully anticipate the same for the year to come. I know what I will be focusing on and open to receiving this year. It is, of course, all cool and exciting stuff.

I also wanted to mention how much I love getting older. Every year gets fuller and richer as I strengthen my internal Self and my connection with Life, and learn to move through the world from that place.
I am constantly surprised when I experience aches and pains - as if I were actually middle-aged! - but I do ask a lot of my body and my mother told me recently that this also is a stage, that I have increased physical well-being to look forward to as well.  In general though, it's a wonderful upward spiral. The more connected I get, the happier I am. The happier I am, the younger I feel.This must be another one of my mother's secrets. If you know her, you know it's the truth when I say she's always been at least 40 years younger on the inside. Thanks Mom!

I think that's it for now. I just wanted to get on my blog today to wish myself a happy birthday and you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Blessings,

Lisa

Gratitude, of course.

Celebration.....Gratitude. Hmmm. What's the difference, I wonder?

I wanted to write about gratitude this week because it's Thanksgiving, and then I remembered this blog is about celebrations and I realized I would be talking about the same things either way. When you are in gratitude and when you are celebrating something you are in a state of being that is abundant, focused on what's working, what's going right, what the "great-ness" is in your life at the moment. Which is an awesome place to be, especially if you want more of the same to come into your life.

You know what I'm really celebrating and grateful for today?

As I was beginning this paragraph a flood of small celebrate-ables came into my mind and I thought, "I can't just keep listing one thing after the other - like the fact that I'm sitting at my computer with my new DSL hookup, looking out at the snow and the birds busily feeding. Or the fact that because of technology I didn't have to miss the meeting this morning that I wasn't willing to brave the weather to drive into Burlington for. Or the mink, coat still chocolate brown against the snow, who trotted across my line of vision while I was on teleconference. Or the fact that I get to see my sister tomorrow. How boring will that be for my readers?"

And then I realized that, for the most part, I have reached a place where my focus moves naturally to what's working and what's to celebrate. No matter how small, I gravitate toward "great"-fulness". I don't have to work at staying positive or being in a state of appreciation. With practice, it has become my default. I am really grateful for that. And for the reminder that, with practice, everything gets easier. (Even my African dance class, although barely!)

Today, I also celebrate all the things that are great in your lives and wish you an ever-expanding state  of "great-fulness" .

Paul says in all things give thanks (not for all things). He is stressing the importance of a grateful heart, not simply an expression of gratitude for things but a heart that is greatful (full of greatness). The greatful person is great because he has turned on all the lights in himself. The greatful heart actually opens the way to the flow and becomes an attractive force to draw to itself great things.

Take a moment right now to engage in the experience of gratitude. Close your eyes and feel grateful. Don't turn outward casting about for things to give thanks for. Remember, it is not an emotional reaction to the blessings you can count, it is an energy you stir up in you which is causal. Let the spirit of thanksgiving flood your whole being with healing warmth.

In joy,

Lisa

A Flood of "Celebrate-ables" and PRISON DANCE

WOW!

You may have noticed, concurrent with the challenges we face in the world today, that there is a dramatic awakening and shift in consciousness happening across the globe, at every level. What's more, the rate at which things are happening and changing has accelerated considerably.  (If you haven't noticed, you may simply need to shift your focus. I suggest ODE Magazine as a great place to start. You'll be amazed at all the positively evolutionary activity going on around the world today.)

One of the ways I experience this acceleration is in how quickly what I intend begins to manifest. I barely started this blog a week ago and I am already overwhelmed with celebrate-ables to share! (what a great word - thanks, Daniel) I invite you to bring consciousness and focus to your intentions and desires and see what happens for you. Of course, I'll want you to celebrate your outcomes with our new and growing Celebrate One Thing community!

My original intention for this blog was to share the celebrations that are left on my voicemail, (in response to the question "What's one small thing you can celebrate about today?", for those of you who are reading for the first time) so let's start with one of those, one that totally speaks to intention. Here's what this friend said:

"You know what's really cool is that that whole question about just asking what you can celebrate, I don't know what it is but I've just got so much to celebrate these days!"

I guess I'm not the only one instantly manifesting.

Yesterday I had this experience with a purse (yes, you heard me right) that I wanted to share but I was so blown away by something else last night that the purse will just have to wait. And before I share that celebrate-able, I want to celebrate the fact that....

....the virus has taken hold! Three people have reported this week that they are adding "What's one small thing you can celebrate about today?"  to their phone message!

Can't you just feel it spreading? It gives me goosebumps. Okay, what I'm celebrating today:

I'm celebrating Byron Garcia, security consultant for the Cebu (Philippines) provincial government and the 1500 inmates (and fabulous dancers) at the Cebu Prison.

Byron introduced an exercise program where the prisoners marched in unison, starting out with marching to the beat of a drum, but then moved on to dancing to pop music. One of them was Michael Jackson's Thriller and if you have seen it, I'm not surprised. Byron uploaded it to You Tube two months ago and it has gotten over SEVEN MILLION HITS! Now that's a virus! (If you haven't seen it, I have conveniently included it below :-)

I think the potential of this is HUGE and I'm celebrating the creativity, the newness, the brilliance of this idea. Engaging the body and the mind simultaneously, exposure to music, creating an intense focus, providing an activity at which one can excel and acknowledgment of that excellence, ; these are all things that stretch and grow and heal human beings. It's no news that prisons have failed miserably at rehabilitation and I applaud this amazing effort which has apparently not only taken the viewing world by storm, but has, not surprisingly, had positive results for the inmates.  I'd like to see a prison dance virus sweep the world, wouldn't you?

So, check out Thriller, go watch the rest of the videos on You Tube, and read more about it at the Byron Garcia Link above.

What crazy idea has been brewing in the back of your mind? Maybe it's time to dust it off and take another look.

In joy,

Lisa

 

Birthdays, Retreats, So Much Beauty to Celebrate!

Happy October 1st!

Today I'm celebrating BEAUTY.

• The beauty of another glorious fall day in northern Vermont .
• The beauty, inside and out, of one of my dearest friends and most favorite people - Kyle - whose birthday it is today. Happy birthday Kyle! I'm also celebrating how blessed we all are to have you on this Earth with us.

Kyle, at our yoga studio in town where she taught, posing for the Bad Girls Cafe calendar we did a few years ago. Isn't she beautiful?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

• And the beauty of this past Saturday - of the day, the place and the people I shared it with. My partner, Sharon Snow, and I held a Soul Spa for a small group of wonderful women at the most glorious hidden jewel, Dreaming Mountain, not 10 minutes from my house. We created portraits of our authentic selves, picked apples, ate and sang together, and shared ourselves and our intentions for our lives.

I'm also celebrating the beauty of human beings when we open ourselves to each other and to our true natures.

Sharon and I doing stretches on the rooftop garden. I sent this picture to a friend of mine who said it was so beautiful we could have read the Scrabble dictionary to them and it would have been a successful retreat!

• And, lastly, I'm celebrating that I figured out how to insert links and images into my blog!

Wishing you much beauty in your lives,

Lisa

CELEBRATING SYNCHRONICITY

Today I am celebrating synchronicity, which never ceases to dumbfound me.

Yesterday morning I received a call from a dear friend whom I haven't seen in ages. She said,

I can celebrate the fact that I reached out to say hello to you today.

As I listened on I really appreciated her ability to find something to celebrate, as she reported a horrible example of bad things happening to good people that she and her husband were currently experiencing. She was calling to ask for some help, which I was happily able to give, AND synchronistically AVAILABLE to give.

You see, I should have been out at a class, but my car battery had died and I was stuck at home till late in the afternoon! So they came over, jumpstarted my car, we visited and had some laughs, and everyone got just what they needed.

Synchronicities really are amazing when you think about it. If someone had asked me to make a list of 50 people I could call to help me with the battery she wouldn't even have been on the list, I hadn't seen her in so long. And yet she was the one because right at that moment I had something to give her, too. Ain't life grand?

What cool synchronicity have you experienced recently?

Lisa

The Pulse of Life

Already, in a few short weeks, there's quite a range and variety of celebrations showing up in my voicemail.

One of my favorites was from someone at the local gas company. Don't you just love that? She was calling to leave me some information and she just jumped right in, no hesitation, and said,

"I'm celebrating that I woke up with a pulse this morning."

I cracked up and, of course, had to call her right back and celebrate with her. I think she was a little surprised but this is what I mean. A mundane call delivering information to a customer turned into this wonderful, humorous connection between two human beings (who happened, by the way, to both be named Lisa).

Two nights ago I came home from a dance class, all sweaty and feeling great. It was dark out (boo hoo - only 8:20) and as I stepped out of the car I heard the distinct quack of a flock of Canadian geese flying over head. I looked up and, even though it was dark and cloudy, I could clearly see the outline of a huge V of geese, flying in formation. My home is one of the few places I know which direction I'm facing and they were going North-Northwest, which I found a little odd. But I had no doubt they had a clear plan and knew exactly what they were doing.

I was just awestruck. Here it was, dark and cloudy, and this huge group of magnificent birds were  accomplishing this truly amazing feat, as they did last year and will probably do next year. How many of us can say we know exactly where we're going, how we're going to get there and when the best time to leave is? I'm flying to California next week and I don't even know where I'm staying yet.

What is this pulse of life that directs the geese? Why do they even exist? They are one of the many answers I commonly precede with the question: How can you NOT believe in God? (a Creator, something bigger than us, however you want to call it) Bluebirds beg that question, and Jack-in-the-Pulpits.

Just looking around ourselves, with these questions in mind, the whole of life is mind-boggling, miraculous. And there is this pulse, running through all of it, through all of us. We are miracles. When Lisa said she was celebrating waking up with a pulse that morning, she hit on the biggest celebration of all .

Today I'm celebrating the pulse of life that freely allows all things to be.

Lisa