A few snowflakes fell on me today. It’s a time of winter and spring dancing back and forth on the seasonal dance floor in the mountains of my beloved Yakama homeland. Sometimes change can seem chaotic; externally we might notice one moment it’s raining, then snowing, then hailing, then a quiet fog rolls in providing a bit of a blanket and maybe encouraging a pause. Internally, when we pause from our busy lives we can sometimes find or reconnect with our visions of what we truly want in our lives. When we have the courage and wisdom to do so, we can more fully witness and enjoy the beauty and possibility that surrounds us.
I love witnessing transitions and transformations. I was fortunate to do so in my The Auntie Way Creative Writing Class on Thursday, when busy people took time to honor their creative brilliance and joyfully realized they could do so in rich and satisfying ways as we worked together in a supportive collective. We had fun witnessing each other’s voices emerging, as prompts and brief discussions encouraged our creativity to unfold through structured exercises. Wow! Joy and brilliance in only seven minutes!
On Friday, despite a family crisis, we had a wonderful gathering for my The Auntie Way Quarterly Planning Workshop in which caring, committed leaders, scholars, and educators rethought notions of time, time management, and productivity. Collectively, we placed our desires for a healthy, sustainable life at the center of our planning process for these next three months. I love when our most important outcomes are honored and understood. With compassion and support, we challenged limiting beliefs that keep us stuck in cycles of stress, overwhelm, burnout. We shifted our focus to instead powerfully envision what we really want for our lives, and built schedules aligning with this beloved vision.
What a joy and delight to witness and experience transitions and transformation.
Photo: Transitions and transformation on Yakama homeland. Credit: Michelle M. Jacob
Do you want joyful transformation in your writing? Join The Auntie Way Writing Retreat! Spring Session begins April 7.
Michelle M. Jacob 