Inspired

Feb 25

A Lesson From the Moon

Every morning, after getting dressed, I pull on the handle of a tiny drawer in my closet. I open the drawer and grasp onto the same bracelet every single day. I slip the bracelet over my wrist and notice my attention shift to the little gold moon charm dangling off into the air. And I remember the message that arrived with this bracelet, the meaning of the moon charm: to protect and nourish along one’s path of growth and actualization. And throughout the day, this charm serves as a trigger, a reminder to protect and nourish myself—to breathe deeply, to create space for growth, and to cultivate grace from within.

This blog, this virtual space, is an extension of my life—my journey…our interconnected journeys. I realize that I’m quite protective of this space—unwilling to post for the sake of posting. As a person who craves and thrives in structure, it is quite strange that I don’t force myself to maintain a stringent posting schedule. Oh, I have in the past. And this space felt so very different for me. I lost the excitement to show up for the sake of simply being present. With time, I’m learning to protect this space from what’s expected—sadly, I have read practically all the books (and e-books) on blogging and tried for too long to conform to the various rules dictated by other bloggers. I bought into the mentality that you could be a good blogger or a bad blogger, an all or nothing mentality that fit my life at the time. But this mentality no longer fits my life. Offline, I don’t let labels define who I am or what I do (I did in the past). And I don’t want any labels to define me online either. But just as I struggle offline to protect and nourish myself along my path of growth and actualization, I struggle online as well.

I constantly remind myself to let go of what others expect or what I expect “should” be done. It’s a practice that I return to over and over again. When we enter different spaces, we are influenced by the norms of the context. This is normal. But the norms don’t have to define who we are in the space. It’s easier to show up and blend in than to ruffle a few feathers. While I do choose the path of least resistance in some instances, more often than not I choose to show up as myself, which I know is enough.

I love that a little moon charm dangling from my bracelet reminded me to return here, to this space, to write from within and simply let go of everything else.

This moment, these words, are my life. Simple and seemingly nonsignificant, but examined up close—truly profound.

…

This Friday (March 1st), I am celebrating my birthday. Each year, I try to do something unique for myself and others, grateful for the opportunity to turn another year older (truly). This year, I have a few ideas brewing. One of these ideas I’ll be sharing with my little paper dream (i.e., Two Rubies) mailing list on Friday. I would love for you to be part of the celebration. Simply, sign up for this separate list here.

Wishing you a beautiful end of February!

Love,

Carolyn

(the bracelet: purchased on opensky - not an affiliate, just love my little moon bracelet!)

{ 1 comment }

Jan 26

Give the world a reason to dance.

In my last post, I mentioned not wanting to share too much “heavy” stuff at once. Well, universe, thank you for listening. This morning, my husband shared with me a video from SoulPancake. And my heart leaped. This video makes me smile—each time I watch it, I smile even more. The message doesn’t get old.

not cool robert frost

It also sparks a deep sense of love and gratitude for everyone in the world who spends time encouraging others. The stranger who smiles at you when you’re feeling awful or the friend who sends you a sweet little gift just because. A sweet comment on instagram or an inspiring tweet. Little moments of encouragement mean the world to the recipient. You can never have too many of these moments or give too many of them either. At the end of the video, there is a call to action: to share the video with those who encourage you. Specifically, send them this video and let them know.

Today, I want you to know, that your encouragement on A Beautiful Ripple Effect means everything to me. Each kind word I receive or comment that something has resonated with you etches a space in my heart. You inspire me to keep writing, to keep learning, and to keep sharing.

I am so grateful for YOU.

Now, give the world a reason to dance :)! Get to it!

P.S. If you don’t see the video above, try refreshing your browser. If that doesn’t work, you can view the video on YouTube. 

{ 10 comments }

Jan 1

One Little Word 2013

I rarely check comments before posting, but decided to start 2013 a little differently and checked to see if any new comments were posted on my previous post before opening this page. And there were two new comments—two of the most powerfully inspiring and moving comments that I’ve received on A Beautiful Ripple Effect. I am so grateful for these words and for your support as we begin this new year. This journey of blogging which I’ve been dedicated to for over four years becomes more beautiful as time passes. I wish I could tell the girl who first started this blog in December 2008 all about the woman she would become and the people she would meet through this blog. It would have given her so much hope for the path ahead. This is a spiritual practice that has become more important to me than I could have ever predicted. And for that, every little moment of work (yup, blogging takes a lot of time!) is so very worth it.

…

This post is a response to the One Word prompts in the Reverb Remix. The One Little Word exercise is inspired by Ali Edwards.

…

At the beginning of 2012, I chose to focus on self-compassion. Reflecting on the past year, I see this theme weaved throughout my experiences. It’s a practice that is now a part of my life—never perfect, always a work in progress. Self-compassion is a constant that I see blazing through my soul, sparkling with delight. It’s the inner light that I find when I turn inward amidst external darkness.

Now, entering 2013, I choose a new word to serve as my anchor for the year ahead. For 2013, I choose BEGIN. This word popped into my mind this morning as I sifted through more words in search of the “perfect” one word to hold onto as I begin to navigate the paths ahead.

new beginnings

This year, I want to focus on beginnings—consciously creating new beginnings. I also want this word to serve as a reminder for times of uncertainty or overwhelm, to simply remember to begin…anywhere.

To begin is to plant the seed of action, to begin a new pathway for action. Regardless of what has occurred in the past, in the here and now, we can always choose to begin. To begin is to see the power within ourselves to choose how we navigate our moments. It’s a little word with big potential.

As I look back on 2013, I hope to see a year filled with new beginnings.

…

What is your one word for 2013? 

{ 6 comments }

Dec 23

Reverb Remix: A Conscious Transition

Reverb is an exercise in reflexivity. We step back from where we are, in the here and now, and reflect on the past year. We separate our intellectual interpretations from our emotional interpretations. We practice feeling deeply, becoming immersed in our senses. We look back with an open-mind and an open-heart. This practice is difficult, which is why we call it an exercise—a muscle we are working to develop one moment at a time.

At the same time, we begin to look forward, to visualize how we want to be in the coming year. We cultivate a beginner’s mind, ready to light a path across an open field. Our emotions serve as our inner compass. This inner compass is our anchor as we begin to think about our intentions for 2013—how we want to show up in the coming year and who we want to be.

The Fluent Self

The exercise requires digging deep and asking tough questions. Through these questions, we notice both smoothe and sharp responses—memories and emotions that come upon us like tidal waves. We don’t select what comes to the surface. As such, we navigate beautiful memories that we hope to relish as well as the memories we wish we could divorce from our being. Yet, in the end, we feel a deep sense of relief, a sense of nourishment that is very much well deserved.

Traditionally, Reverb begins on December 1st. Yet, some of us aren’t able to begin on that date and start a bit later (maybe even in January!). The date on the calendar is merely a mark in the sand. I intentionally decided to push Reverb back for myself this year. While thinking about the process and sharing my thoughts in the Reverb Facebook Group, I decided I wanted to mix things up this year—approach this exercise a little differently, creating the Reverb Remix.

The Reverb Remix maintains the same focus as previous years: reflecting on the past year and manifesting how/who you want to be in the new year. The Remix splits this project into two complementary components: Reflect (Part One) and Manifest (Part Two). Part One occurs during December 2012 (ideally) and Part Two occurs in January 2013. It’s a bit less intense than the traditional Reverb, but holds the essence of the original exercise.

Since, our schedules can be a bit unpredictable during this time of year, I have created a printable document that you can use for the Reverb Remix. You can Reverb privately using this document, post your responses to the Facebook group or to your own blog. This exercise is meant to be flexible to match your own needs and preferences. You can also use this Remix as a supplement to the traditional Reverb process if you are already involved in that journey. There are no rules or one right way to do this exercise.

Each part, contains 10 prompts. You can respond to all ten prompts, create your own ten prompts, or choose a few to respond to. Choose to move gently and select based on your instincts. Your responses don’t need to be words. You can decide to respond with images or photos you’ve taken, a quote that comes to mind, a song, etc.. The options are endless. However, if you’re like me and need a bit more structure, this printable document will serve as your handy companion.

–> When you’re ready to begin, you can download the document as a PDF file *here*.

I wish you a journey filled with an abundance of self-discovery and beautifully magical moments.

With love,
Carolyn

P.S. If you’re already participating in Reverb with any group, feel free to leave a link to your blog so we can follow along!

Online | Stay Connected

FACEBOOK GROUP | http://www.facebook.com/groups/248777998517088/

For updates on Reverb Remix and to share your journey online, use these hashtags: #ReverbRemix #Reverb12 

I will be sharing your remix journey online through my personal social networks as well so check in often at the sites below!

BLOG | carolynrubenstein.com/blog

PINTEREST | pinterest.com/crubenstein

TWITTER | twitter.com/carolynr

INSTAGRAM | instagram.com/crubenstein

Images | Sharing

This is a social exercise that I hope you will share with others. Feel free to use any images posted here (ex. the Reverb badges) and the prompts on your blog. Please kindly credit the images and prompts by linking to my blog: carolynrubenstein.com/blog. Thank you! 

A couple more badges for you to use below! This page will serve as the “home base” for Reverb Remix. I will add a spot to my sidebar so you can easily access it through the end of January. It may take a bit to add it to the sidebar so be sure to bookmark this page :).

Reverb12 Badge 500 pixels wide

Reverb Remix 2012 Badge 500 pixels wide

PROMPTS

*12.25.2012: I’ve updated this Reverb Remix page to include all the prompts for easy access. The prompts are also included in the downloadable workbook with inspiring quotes :). 

==PART ONE | REFLECT==

1. One Event. Reflect on a major event that occurred in 2012. Select an event that was experienced by people outside your immediate community.

Personal Note: I wrote this prompt in response to the tragedy felt across the world after the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut at Sandy Hook Elementary School. I believe the personal impact of this experience is important to look back on in the future. There is no need to respond to this specific event, but it is something I would consider reflecting on in a way that feels most comfortable for you.

2. Questions. What questions did you ask in 2012?

3. Perspective. What is one thing you’ve seen differently in 2012? How has this shift in perspective influenced you?

4. Connection. Have you connected with new people in 2012, online or offline? Name five people you’ve connected with in 2012. And (bonus!) name five people you would like to connect with in 2013.

5. Vulnerability. Brené Brown writes powerfully on the topic of vulnerability. She is a pioneer in bridging the research of vulnerability with the living of vulnerability. In her book, Daring Greatly, Brené writes about her experience at TED, how she gained the courage to expose herself as vulnerable in order to most powerfully demonstrate what it means to be vulnerable. Two lines in her book resonated me with the strongest:

Give me the courage to show up and let myself be seen. 

What’s worth doing even if I fail?

Reflect on your vulnerability in 2012. Specifically, here are three questions suggested by Brené to explore when thinking about your vulnerability: (1) What do I do when I feel emotionally exposed?; (2) How do I behave when I’m feeling very uncomfortable and uncertain?; and (3) How willing am I to take emotional risks? Think about these questions in relation to 2012 and/or 2013.

6. Well-Being. How was your overall well-being in 2012? You can think of your overall well-being as a composite of six domains: Interpersonal, Communal, Occupational, Physical, Psychological, and Economic (I COPPE; Prilleltensky, 2011). Do you notice that your overall well-being was influenced by one of these domains more so than the others?

7. 12 in 2012. Reflect on 12 moments in 2012. Or create a timeline, and focus on one moment/experience from each month in 2012. Get creative with the number 12 and what this number means for you in 2012.

8. Reading. What books have you read in 2012? What has been your favorite book (or books if you can’t pick just one) that you’ve read this year? 

9. Year in Review. As you reflect back on the happenings of 2012, what were your high points and what were your low points? What do you notice as you look back on the year as a whole?

10. One Word | 2012. Encapsulate the year 2012 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word.

==PART TWO | MANIFEST==

1. One Word | 2013. Imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2013 for you?

2. Ease. What can you do to add ease to 2013?

3. Giving. “The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The meaning of life is to give your gift away.” (David Viscott) What is your gift to give?

4. Ordinary Sparkling Moments. Reflect on the ordinary moments that bring you joy (e.g., the tea pot whistling, the sun setting). What moments would you like to relish in the coming year?

5. Creativity. What was the most creative thing you did in 2012? How do you plan to use your creativity in 2013? (Note: creative does not always mean artistic. Think outside the box here. Get creative!)

6. Rituals. What ritual(s) would you like to introduce into your life?

7. Dream. What crazy and wild dream would you like to become a reality (or at least begin to make a reality) in 2013?

 8. Vocabulary. If you could eliminate one word from your brain forever—what would it be? (Author: Meadow DeVor)

9. No | Yes. What will you say NO to in 2013? What will you say YES to in 2013 that you didn’t say yes to in 2012?

10. Conscious Entry. How do you wish to be in 2013?  

 

{ 8 comments }

Aug 28

The Big Questions: What is most sacred to you?

Today I’m participating in Tiffany Moore’s Big Questions extravaganza. She believes in asking the Big Questions – the kind that help you decipher your (actual) dreams — and (actually) do ‘em. Find out who else is answering The Big Questions and how you can win your own Big Question session here.

When Tiffany asked me to answer a big question, she wasn’t kidding. This question is big and actually quite scary to approach. If you use the “Carolyn technique” of question answering, then you approach questions with even more questions. So I began answering this question with … questions!

Ask Big Questions

… Where do you begin with a question like this? And once you begin generating responses, where do these responses lead? What is the probing undercurrent threading the questions and answers together? What is the motivation for answering this big question?

Above is just a snippet of the questions I asked myself in my journal. And they led me to this realization: I want to be fully aware of what is most fundamentally important to me (i.e., sacred) before it is taken away. The threat of losing something sacred (e.g., health, someone important) really puts things into perspective. 

Before tackling the big question, I set some parameters for myself to make this exercise a little less intimidating and more approachable (a trick I use to hinder the urge to procrastinate).  These guidelines included:

- Use a list format.

- Limit your responses to what feels right rather than what sounds right.

- Make this list with the intention of editing it. This list is a draft and not a final product to be framed.

- It’s okay not to know—to ask questions and create space to breathe. The answers don’t need to be packaged and ready for you to unwrap immediately.

What is most sacred to you?

*Life—the ability to wake up each day and breathe, the privilege of getting older.

*Health—mental/psychological and physical

*Family—priceless. I cherish the individual relationships within my family and love that my family is growing. (family: includes doggies, of course!)

*Friends—While I don’t have a ton of friends, the friends I do have are like family to me. I am blessed to have these people in my life. Lots of life experienced together, the good and the bad.

*Work—provides structure, routine, and purpose. It is a driving force in my life that I am grateful to have and feel lost without.

*Passion—the love that makes the mundane doable and the scary approachable

*Knowledge—I love learning. It’s no secret that I’m a total geek. The ability to acquire knowledge is sacred and not something available to many people in the world. I don’t want to take my relationship and access to knowledge for granted.

*Respect—very hard to gain and even easier to lose. Respect is sacred to me. I value it deeply and use it to guide my relationships and focus.

*Character—You can question anything about me and I’ll be open for debate. Yet, question my character and there is no turning back. (yikes, I sound scary!)

*Kindness—can transform any difficult day. give it willingly and receive it wholeheartedly, especially when you need it the most.

*Confidence—I take confidence very seriously and respect the sacredness of what it means to maintain confidentiality.

*Ordinary sparkling moments—these are the moments that light up my life!

*My flaws and imperfections—I have a love/hate relationship with this sacred item. But it’s a relationship that I’m constantly nurturing because it is sacred to me. I want to use my flaws and imperfections for growth and not feel defined or defeated by them.

*Pride—in self and others

*Writing—Ultimately, putting pen to paper has opened up my life to myself and others. It has been a source of transformation—providing me with clarity during periods of bleak uncertainty, a tool for dreaming and hoping for things I’m too scared to say aloud, an outlet for me to ask big questions and get comfortable with not knowing the perfect answers.

… And a few others added to my list after some time away: alone time, creativity and exercising my beginner’s mind, connection, ease and simplicity, self-compassion, and inspiring others.

what is most sacred to you?

If you don’t explore the big questions in your life, you are missing powerful self-knowledge. It is this knowledge that propels you forward when nothing else will.

And now, I’ll pass the question on to you: What is most sacred to you?

###

bottom photo: graphylife

{ 4 comments }

← Previous Entries