3 things I am going to stop doing immediately

When will I learn to stop doing what isn't working?

TODAY, I begin.

I am going to pick three things that drain my energy, deplete my spirit, damper my day.
I am going to STOP DOING THEM IMMEDIATELY and start doing something else with that precious time that inspires, engages, infuses and ignites a new flame.

I promise to:

1. Get rid of administrative tasks.
Why did I take them on in the first place? I mean, I am the creative person in this organization! How did I pigeon hole myself into taking on this role? I mean, I know times are tough, but I am the most expensive person on the payroll. I should be doing things that bring the most value to the business. Entering and paying bills is NOT one of those tasks. Today, I am going to hand it over. I will place an ad {today!}, ask my accountant to interview and train a new hire, and let the books get managed at a {very well watched} arm's length.

2. Clear the calendar.
If you are anything like me, if it ain't written down, it don't get done!
We put all kinds of crap on our calendar, clogging it up with boring meetings, to-do tasks we dread, conference calls that seem to go no where. What if we scheduled in some time to rock our world? I mean, carve out some time to do something that takes the business forward, shifts a new paradigm, turns our world upside down-just for fund {and profit!}

So, here is what I am going to do. I am going set aside 30 minutes EVERY DAY {week day, that is} to forward my dreams.

It's going on the calendar and I am going to keep this daily appointment!


3. Get out of the comfort zone.
Ever put something on to wear that is a bit artsy or outrageous and then your inner critic snarks at you, "you cant wear that!"
Well, it's time to put that pesky pessimist to bed. Time to stop staying inside the comfort zone. Trust me, it's time to be outrageous! I am going to shake up it out and rock it out. I am going to go outside my comfort zone and try something different. I am going to read inspiring advice from those I admire {Danielle Laporte is at the top of my list} and I am going to begin implementing their brilliant ideas. Why theirs? Because they are brilliant and I am not. Because they are doing something different that is working. I have no shame about being a copycat. I will mirror, shadow, follow, stalk...whatever needs to be done until it seeps into my soul. Whatever it is, I am going to make sure it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable, makes me snicker in silence at my sweet little secret, I am going to relish in the returns I anticipate will come as a result.

Now get out there and get going.....and stop it, already!

Whew! Feeling better?


copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

getting out of the rut

I need to get out of my rut. You know the old, annoying saying, "If you do what you have always done, you will get the same results.", or something like that. I cringe every time I hear that, but today, I think there may be some truth to that old, annoying tome.

Here's the deal....I am in a rut! I only know what I know how to do. And, for sure, some things are not working. You would think I would just stop doing them. But no, relentless old me who perseveres to the death keeps plodding along. Perseverance is a postive trait, but like anything taken to the extreme, it can be our undoing.

IT IS TIME TO START DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY

I am saying that out loud, actually I should be screaming it at the top of my lungs. I need a new declaration, a mind-blowing mantra- something that will intentionally take me off course and back on the right track. I need to toss it up and see how it lands. I need a new religion, so to speak.

Moving is momentum, but if we don't like the road we are on, its time to take a detour. I, for one, am ready to roll.

I better buckle up, cause I am putting the pedal to the metal and looking for a freedom ride.

Here I go.........



copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

what do you want to do with your one precious life?

At what point to we finally be and do what we had always dreamed?
When did we stop dreaming in the possibility that our lives could be everything we could imagine?
Magic making or wishful thinking, you might say. I say, so what? Why not?

Time is ticking and if we don't set the course for our lives, no one else sure as hell will.

What is it that you want to do with your one precious life?

Time to stop the clock, check in with your heart, and dig down deep to find those buried dreams. Pull them out, dust them off, shine them up. It's time. Don't waste another minute waiting, wanting, wishing.

words to myself, echoing to open ears......are you listening out there????

copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

be the authority of your life

I recently asked someone what they felt was lacking in their life. This was their answer;

"I miss being the authority of my own life."

Stunning. It would seem that we should always be the authority of our own life, but today is a different time. Many of us are railroaded by the circumstances of the economy and defeated by the lack of support along the way. It is easy to see why we might feel like we have no authority over our own lives.

And yet, this is the perfect opportunity to e-VALUE-ate our lives. What do we value? What brings meaning and purpose to our lives? Are we living those values? Why not?

Even in the midst of the chaos and confusion of these extraordinary times, we can take ownership of how we live our life.

Here are few questions that come to my mind:

- What do I value most? Am I committed to those values and do I have the discipline to stand steadfast, despite the circumstances that surround me?

- What brings me peace in the midst of chaos? Am I making time for myself to be that peace?

- What do I need to do to take back ownership of my life and become the authority who knows best what I need to be the fully whole person that I deserve to be? That I have a responsibility to become.


I would say, begin now. Here is a great poem from Rumi, one that I love that says it all.

BEGIN ( by RUMI )

This is now. Now is. Don't postpone till then. Spend the spark of iron on stone. Sit at the head of the table; dip your spoon in the bowl. Seat yourself next to your joy and have your awakened soul pour wine. Branches in the spring wind, easy dance of jasmine and cypress. Cloth for green robes has been cut from pure absence. You are the tailor, settled among his shop goods, quietly sewing.




copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

reality check

"What was I thinking?!"

Have you ever said that to yourself?
At one time or another, we all suffer the side effects of impulsive actions and reactive behavior, bad decision-making and thoughtless speech. Guilty as charged.

In today's fast facebook paced techno-blogging-twitter -email-cell phone communication chaos, it is easy to move too quickly. Sometimes, even before our heart has time to catch up with our head. Headaches. yes, my head aches from quick, frentic answers and the batting back and forth of seemingly at the time exciting ideas. Mostly its fun, but when it becomes just about quickness, then it is exactly the time to slow down. Be thoughtful. Take time out to think things through.

Sometimes it is good to act quickly, for sure. I just don't want it to become a regular routine.

So, the next time you feel your fingers typing fasting than you can think, or feel....slow down. Let it rest. Read the email tomorrow. Mull over the question. Take time to see if the opportunity really belongs to you, or might be better served to end up on someone else's doorstep.

Ah, what a relief not to always have to jump on the bandwagon. Watch it pass by and keep idle as it does.


copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

guardrails & guides

I need guardrails. The kind that keep me out of a ditch and on the road of life. They are my signaling system to warn me if I am meandering down the wrong path and headed into a danger zone.

I have many guardrails. They are the daily rituals that help keep me sane and centered, focused and fulfilled.
My daily writing practice is one of those rituals. It has been several days since I last posted, thanks to a lack of internet access {I am in a remote location} and a self-indulgent hallpass to stay at home and be with my family instead of venturing out to seek a signal like an addict scouring for whatever feeds her vice. It felt good to let go, but I also missed my writing. Sure, I could have written on paper and posted it later {now that I think about it!} , but there is something about routine, when ritualized, that turns it into a sacred ceremony.

It is holy and feeds me wholly.

Meditation is another one of my daily rituals that acts as both guardrail and guide. I haven't mastered more than ten minutes at a time. I know the real gem of the practice is just showing up- getting on the cushion. It keeps me on track and offers me words of wisdom- a wise guide whispering in my ear.

I missed my practices and I can feel the longing. I can also feel the tension simmering just below the surface knowing I am leaving this warm haven of ocean blue gulf of mexico paradise to head back home to lots of work. I am going to take some of this sunshine back home to remind me that this is really why life matters most.




copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

where does inspiration come from?

Inspiration- inspirare- in spirit.

Where does inspiration come from?
There are so many stories we all tell ourselves about how our creations come to life. Do they authentically reflect the vision we imagined? Are they the quality we desire? Is it the process or the outcome that brings us fulfillment?
Here are some thoughts of my own.

1. Show up

Inspiration can't ignite if we fail to show up. Opportunities for inspiration are already present. We simply have to be aware and present and open to the possibilities that exist.

2. Do the work.

If we put our effort into motion, we create the momentum for something to happen. It may not always be in our time frame, but like anything, the odds are a matter of mere statistics. More work, more chances to get it right. In this case, practice does make perfect, or at least, better.

3. Let go of the outcome

We all have expectations of how and what results we want to achieve. We can put in the effort and do the work. Then, we have to let go. Otherwise, the stress and strain may seep into our work.

I recently viewed an interesting talk about inspiration {she calls it creative genius} by writer Elizabeth Gilbert. Click HERE to see the video.





copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

clear out the clutter

{The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak}

- Hans Hofmann

Clear Out the Clutter
Are you organized and efficient? Do you find yourself shuffling paperwork, rifling through files or watching your inbox pile up? Seeing the mounds of undone work that lays scattered about your workplace is more time consuming and energy-stealing than to just simply clear out the clutter. The exhaustion and frustration from the clutter can be paralyzing. Whether it is at your desk or in others areas of your life, be determined to regain a sense of beauty by creating a place of organization and of order.

1. Only the essentials.

The first step to clear out the clutter is to get rid of anything not needed. Surround yourself with only the essentials. They should help you do your work effectively and accomplish your goals proactively. You need to be able to access your tools easily to get the work done most efficiently. Put the rest away or throw it out. By keeping “just enough” of the right things around, you not only create order, but you also remove unnecessary distractions that cloud your vision and obstruct your path. Clutter can keep you from being fully focused on the projects and tasks at hand. When you clear the clutter, you will immediately be more productive and have a greater sense of well-being.

2. Streamline the clutter clean-up.

Some of the bigger tasks may require a more systematic approach. Don’t overwhelm yourself with long lists and unrealistic expectations. Resolve to approach your clean-up a bite at a time. Set aside 10 minutes every day to do something to improve your work environment. Just 10 minutes. Not a lot of time out of your day, considering most of us spend 8-10 hours a day at work. Think of it as a mini break from your normal workday routine. Look at it as something good you are doing for yourself. At first, you will be clearing the clutter. Once you have created a sense of order and love how it positively affects your work, you will be committed to keeping it that way. Then, it will become a permanent habit that enhances your work, not detracts from it.

3. Start with the basics.

How do we get started? Start with the basics. First, clear your desktop. Get rid of anything that is not essential to your well-being or success. Either file it away, give it to someone else or throw it out. Rearrange your desk to support the way you work. Place the items you have decided to keep on your desk or in your drawers in a way that has form and function. If you use a computer, arrange your computer outlook folders to electronically save attachments or emails in a specific inbox or file. For paperwork you must print and keep, create a filing system that provides a place for everything and everything in its place. You might want to use inboxes or file folders.

4. Make it easy to manage.

Whatever method you choose, make sure it is uncomplicated and something you can manage day in and day out. It should be easy, accessible and uncomplicated. It should only take you minutes to manage. At the end of each day, clear away any clutter you have managed to accumulate throughout the day. File away paperwork and organize yourself for a fresh start tomorrow. You will minimize the time spent sorting through the work that needs to be done the next day when you take care of it as it comes to you.

When you walk into work and sit at an uncluttered desk, you will feel refreshed and ready to get going. You can start the day with focus and purpose. When we take care of our surroundings, it sends a signal to ourselves and others that we care about our work. We take pride in what we do. We create efficiencies that allow us be to be more productive . We spend our time on the things that really matter and provide value for the company. We no longer waste our time and energy on administrative tasks. They don’t add anything to the bottom line and only create stress and frustration for most of us. Before you know it, you will have created an environment that promotes clarity and concentration.

5. If you can't do it, delegate it.

If you absolutely cannot bear to think of organizing yourself, I suggest you delegate it to someone on staff or hire it out. I use a local university job placement resource or local community blog to find well-educated students or responsible individuals who are looking for project-based work. Whether permanent or on a project basis, it is an inexpensive way to delegate tasks that you don’t have the time or desire to do yourself. It helps me get what I need to get done, without any commitment to future expense or management responsibility. There are plenty of people who would find joy in doing the things you dislike. Despite what you have come to believe, you do not have to do this on your own. Ask for help, make it happen and get it done.

One of the best things I ever did for myself was hire a personal organizer. I like my space neat and clean, but I didn’t have the time to do it myself. I needed someone who could arrange my files so that I could find whatever at needed with ease. I thought about how I would like it organized and what it should look like. Together, we came up with a plan that put the best of both of our ideas into action.

I bought cloth-lined stacking storage boxes, colored file folders and printed labels with my favorite fonts. Within a few days, my office was neatly organized, beautifully arranged and purged of any paperwork that was no longer needed. My books were lined up neatly by category, alphabetized in order, and the frequently used resource books were put within easy reach. One of the storage bins was used to organize office supplies. Never again have I searched for pen or paper. When I run low on supplies, I simply replenish them and put them in their proper slots. It makes finding what you need efficiently easy and makes a beautiful presentation.

6. Hire help.

Another way I organize my day is to have the receptionist check my phone messages. She checks them several times a day and only emails me the messages that need my immediate attention. She takes care of the rest or passes them on to the proper department for follow-up. It saves me time and ensures that even when I am busy, I can attend to others in a timely manner. If you don’t want to hire someone to work at the office, you may want to consider hiring a virtual assistant for a few hours a week. Your time is valuable and your wellbeing is priceless.

Once you have cleared the clutter in your environment outside, you can begin to clear the clutter on the inside. The clutter in your head can be just as paralyzing as the clutter on your desk. It starts with removing those repetitive thoughts that no longer serve you well. How often do you have too much to remember? Too many exciting ideas or tasks to attend to. Or, perhaps you have too much you need to forget. Useless ruminations can clutter up precious space like garbage milling through a processing plant. What to do?

7. Write it down.

How do we get rid of all of this excess trash and confusion and get focused? One of the ways is to write it all down. By purging yourself of the swirling tornado of thoughts in your mind, you can begin to clear your head and clarify your thoughts. By writing it all down, you regurgitate the garbage and sift through the rubble from another perspective, finding the jewels buried in the clutter of that which you could not see before, thoughts that only looked like useless trash. What may look like nonsensical mumblings today might be our “ah hah” answer tomorrow. If we allow a few minutes or an extra half hour, we can find time to write down our thoughts throughout the day. Whether using a paper notebook or writing on our desktop computer, we allow a blank slate for purging and receiving our thoughts in that moment. Don’t edit, don’t judge. This is about the process, not the perfection. I find it best to take the time first thing in the morning or at the end of the day. Our morning mind is awake and either empty, ready to be open to the day, or full from the nights’ processing, ready to be expunged on the paper that lies before us. Our evening dreams sift and sort through the rubble, doing all the work for us behind the scenes. Purge the chatter that wakes you up at night and put it somewhere to incubate, so you can go about your day with a sense of clarity and openness. By getting rid of the clutter in your mind, it naturally will bring organization to your daily list of tasks that need your focus and attention. By writing it down, it can sort it out on the page and provide precious information and feedback. At some point, the fragmented thoughts will flow like a smooth river of ideas. Wherever you are, you can be encouraged and keep inspiration close at hand with the written word.

Once you have cleared the clutter inside and out, you are now be free to create more abundance in your life and work. You have created space for new things and opportunities to float into your view and into the workplace. You feel on top of our game and ready to take on the challenges that come your way with a positive, effective attitude. Be determined to keep a sense of order and create structures that provide you with easy ways to make this a habit in your day. The dividends will pay you back tenfold.




copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

leaning on the divine

sometimes, I just can't make it on my own.

By nature, I am a self-reliant kind of girl. One of seven raised in a family of necessarily independent individuals. I was almost forty years old before I realized I could actually ask for help. That others would actually want to help. It's hard to peel away my grasp of control. It's difficult to see my auto pilot taking on tasks that should and could be left to others. It's heartbreaking to know that I miss beauty, connection and love because I haven't lifted up my head and stood still amongst the warm sun and hovering clouds.

and, there are some days, I wonder who I am. Who is this person who is seeking something that seems to be hiding.
My energy is depleted, my spirits has been diminished, my self-confidence is in a shambles. I am weak at the knees and either a torrent of anger or a floodgate of tears is teetering like a time bomb, ready to burst from that single small straw that can knocks some one hundred plus pounds nearly to the ground, crumbled in a heap, almost unable to get up.
Humbling and heartbreaking stuff from a "get it done" kind of girl with unusually boundless energy and a true passion and enthusiasm for life, beauty, work.

At times like these, this is the time I call in the divine. I invoke a prayer, sing an incantation, sit silent in contemplation.
Sometimes I beg for mercy, sometimes I curl up like a cat on the bed and hope my lover will wrap his arms around me tightly, not letting go even when I do.

Blessings abound. The spirit fills me up and gets me up. "Walk out into the day", it whispers. Nothing like nature to remind us of the awe and beauty of world. Fresh air fills the lungs. I enjoy the feel of my muscles moving on the rough hewn concrete pavement.
The clouds part, and the darkness fades. I see the sun and feel its warmth settling on my shoulders lightly.

These days of uncertainty are rare. And they are a blessing. They call me to lean on the divine. May my prayers be often, no matter what and how I feel. I want them to be a part of my everyday. Laden with a gratitude knowing that I am never alone on this sometimes lonely journey. That I can call upon the divine at a moments notice. That, despite my stubborn and selfish self-reliance, the soft arms of embrace will always be open to welcome me back home.

portal

Portal

Daring to step through
Courage to not turn back
Surrender from the safety of what we already know

One door can be a pass through and another can be a point of entry
To something divine, surreal, so real
Self- discovery, commitment, a new path on which to walk

Daring to go forward
Courage to believe in oneself
commitment to leave the old behind

A way to access the wisdom of the soul
All knowing and yet knowing nothing
Trusting everything

Take a leap
Of faith


I am ready to leave some stuff behind me. Even more so, I am ready to put some new things, new steps, in front of me.
I had one of those moments yesterday. You see, I a have a phobia and fear about speaking up in groups, getting on stage, putting myself "out there.". This from a women who once shamelessly acted in front of anyone who would stop to see or listen my wild antics of goofiness. This from a woman who, at 16, was selected as one of four women actors on her first audition {and it was a paying job!} . This from a woman, who was told by her acting teacher to give up the play and get back to class for a stupid children's workshop. This from a woman, who somewhere along the way, had a creative U-turn and stopped believing in herself. yes, now it all makes sense.

and so, there comes a time when we have stepped the stones, narrowed the gap, healed the wounds. We are ready, once again, to test the waters and tap dance out our dreams. Those long lost and buried, and those newly revived and imagined. Time to walk through a new door, a portal anchored by the divine.

yesterday, I had one of those days. I did a segment on a local TV show. It was amazing! Not so much how good I was {I wasn't}, but how good I felt. That , to me, is the true barometer how things are in are life. How do they feel? I was determined to have new mindset, set some new goals, and walk through a portal of possibilities for my future.....and it felt great!

{see me on TV. Click HERE.}





copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

fire, flame, embers, ashes

A fire is a perfect metaphor for our lives. Its needs to be ignited. It thrives on oxygen. It must be tended to with care.

Our fire can last a lifetime, if we fuel it properly and care for it cautiously. We can see it burning brightly, sheaths of golden flames shooting up like a rising phoenix awakened from its sleep. It settles into a syncopated hum and hissing, lulling us into sweet calm and quiet. The warmth will unchill your brittle bones or make your backside sweat.
It's embers can simmer with excitement, or slowly diminish into ash.

Sometimes we need the gentleness of the flame to calm our nerves. Sometimes we need the ferociousness of the flame to get us going.

What kind of fire do you need to light today?
Spark the match. Fan the flame. Burn, baby, burn.





copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

a way of life

lately, I've noticed that the way I am living right now is not exactly the life I love. Not that it isn't great and I am not appreciative for all of the wonderful things I am, have and do. It is more about HOW I am living my life. everything I do, from my everyday life at home to the boardroom in business is reflection of my authentic self. Or, at least, that is what I have done in the past naturally and aspire to daily. There has been a slowly creeping change going on in my life that I have somehow allowed to change the way I live.
The stress and strain of business over the last 18 months has diminished my spirit and stolen my energy. How did I let that happen? You see, things just dont happen "to" us. They just happen. We can either get hooked and tossed aside or we can see them for what they are and STILL take care.

So, I had this amazing conversation yesterday. What I came to realize is that I don't lack enthusiasm {and I do believe in the divine}, I just lack the energy that I am used to - the energy that feeds my spirit and nourishes my soul. It is taking time for the little things, inside and out. Not really about balance, more about living the life I am longing for. No more longing, just living.

{who among us does not wish to dare to love life fully and trust the wild and true energies of their heart?} asks, Paula Reeves in her jungian-centered prose called Heart Sense.

throw complacency out the window and let your wildness dance in the dark room with wild abandon.
as Rumi is my muse, my life fulfills my longings. what am I waiting for? time to get movin'.......

here I go.




copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

truth is beauty. beauty is truth

Keats knew what he was talking about.

What is more beautiful than being surrounded by beauty? And what is beauty but something that has soul. truth. authenticity.
so often, we get tossed aside by outside circumstances. we get stuck doing the things we "should" and forget the beauty of our own nature. our truth. our beauty.

what is your soul singing and longing for? I want more beauty back in my life. Garden fresh veggies from the local farmstand. flowers on the table and daffodils poking through the raised bed garden in the backyard. A celebration of spring and grilling with friends alfresco in the garden. Order in my house {yes, its time I pick up the pile of clothes off the floor!}.

truth seems so simple, and yet it is so easy to end up down a different path.
time to stop and remember what it feels like to be exactly who you are.

copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

live and let live

The world is a better place because we are all different. I especially love to travel to other countries to see, taste and learn about how other cultures live. I love to taste the different ingredients and dishes. I am enamored by language and love to hear the sounds of a sentence, much like most would a song. I love to see and visit those places that have a sense of history and bring authenticity and grounding to a place. The things that make it have a soul.

And people. Different ideas, beliefs, customs and culture. It is fascinating.

what makes it so? Curiosity.

Life like, if we show up where we are with a sense of curiousity, ready to learn more about the other person, place or experience, we often find our lives become much richer as a result. It expands us- enlightens us - and often eliminates previous misconceptions we might otherwise have had.

Allow people to be who they are and just for one day, get curious. Ask the questions that go a little deeper than "how are you?"
Look someone in the eye or touch them on the shoulder and show them that you really want to connect with them, if only for a moment. Stop to enjoy a meal at a new place, somewhere you might not ordinarily choose.

explore the riches the world has to offer. Live and let live.


copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

trust. believe. surrender. receive

my dad says this to me all the time, "Trust. Believe. Surrender. Receive." That mantra, incantation or prayer has been said in many different ways by many people over the years.

I have always had a hard time with trust. The word should be emblazoned on my forehead as a forewarning to others I meet on the path. I might appear aloof, disconnected or distant. What is really going on is that I am feeling out my of comfort zone, my threshold of trust. I am learning to take bold leaps of faith. No more baby steps. I want to be daring and willing, bold and bodacious. THAT kind of living requires trust. In myself, in others, in a divine essence that is really guiding this ship anyway!

I have begged and bartered, hoped for and felt helpless. What I have come to know is that unless I truly believe, my words, actions or insights are only ideas awaiting illumination, no matter how much I trust. They are intentions awaiting a commitment to action. Our belief is our action.

And then, we must let go. This is probably the most difficult part. Letting go of the expected outcome. Can we let go of our expectations of how the results or outcome might look? Can we let go of "our timing"? Can we tune in and surrender to that wise wisdom around us that really makes it all go 'round? This is the surrender. If you have experienced its beauty, you know how good it can feel.

And then, we receive. It may not be what we had hoped for, expected or wanted, but it will be exactly what we need.
As my dad says, "the answer is never "no". It is either maybe, not now or something better." Now, that is something I can trust.




copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

Sacred Sundays

Reading in bed. Lingering under the warmth of goose down covers after my eyes have opened and a long time since the sun has gotten out of bed. Easing myself into the day. No to dos, just the ta-da of the day and the permission to move slow, be quiet, and do whatever my heart desires.

Sounds of music deliciously interrupt the quiet. Ocassional lyrics call me to listen.

The sun is bright, deceiving onlookers from the inside to believe it is warm on the outside. Still, winter lingers in the air and the fireplace stays warm.

I crawl back into bed and read some more.....
Something to stay in bed for:

Broken Open by Elizabeth Lesser. an essay on our ascent- starts with a visit to the underworld. Our Hero's journey, indeed.




copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

holding on

What am I holding on to?
My grasp is tight and my teeth are clenched.
This cannot be a good thing.

Another crisis at work. What will take for things to go smoothly, for the lessons that need to be learned not be so dramatic and tragic? Results around us often reflect who and what we are. I, for one, see too many ghosts in the mirror. They haunt me at night and linger somewhere in the background during the day, waiting for a shadow so they can reveal themself to me- myself to me.

Most days are getting better. Gratitude more than than bitter resentment or angry resignation or frustration. And yet, there are still lessons to be learned. I am a slow learner.

So, for now, I will loosen my grip and let go of what I am holding on to.
What am I holding on to?



copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

What you can teach me

So often, I forgot that I am not always right. {Hello?!} I mean, I know that, in hindsight and in the bigger scheme of life, but when I am in the moment, I somehow forget. My big bully ego takes the reins and takes over the party. It is no longer fun for anyone, even me.

Who wants to be right when it alienates us from others? You would think I wouldn't, or anyone, and yet I answer automatically with righteous opinions, thoughtless words and insensitive quips.

So, for today, just one day, as a start, I am going to be curious. I am going to listen. I am going to hear what you can teach me.


What you can teach me
I realized today that I know nothing at all.
That is, of course, I know something,
but nothing of that which you know.

I realized today that I understand nothing at all.
That is, of course, I understand something,
but nothing of that which you understand.

I realized today that I love nothing at all.
That is, of course, I love something,
but nothing of that which you love.




copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

good food with those we love

life is sweet when food is good and shared with those we love at the table.


copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

white.hot.truth

The best conversation I am having today is with Danielle LaPorte, real-life success story and self- realization rock-star . Her website and daily download offers a dose of instant inspiration. It's the kind of tough love, get-going motivation I need right now. This power girl guru is not about fluff. Did I mention the design? That alone is enough to inspire....

I just signed up for my first "fire starter" session with Danielle. 90 minutes of musing to find out where my feet should be moving and what my heart should be singing. After 14 years of being in business, I need an outside perspective and a new way of thinking. I want to revisit my vision, refuel and re-ignite my passion, and restart my engine. I need to let go of the habitual patterns that no longer serve me well and create a shape-shifting attitude that will take me out of my comfort zone.
I can't wait. Bring it on, sistah! {PS: tattos are still not an option.}

Visit her site and see for yourself. You may love it or hate it, but at the very least it will make you think out loud.
Here is to all of our success, fulfillment and dreams. Here's to the white.hot.truth of life and living.

Click HERE for inspiration.



copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

margarita meditation

Meditation is the master of my monkey-mind. I try to meditate at least 15 minutes every morning.
But sometimes I need something stronger, something that completely dissolves my raging ego and "to do" mentality.
I need an ice cold, slushy frozen margarita.
yes, its true. Tequila.

Warning: one is "just enough" for mental relaxation and possibly even spiritual enlightenment. After that, there is no telling where the path might lead.

copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

dharma art

At this point and time in my life, I am often asking different questions. I am looking to live life differently than the previous decades. Less accomplishments and doing, more living and being. Chogyam Trunpa calls this the "the art of living" and he says this is where our art must begin. Like ancient masters who have practiced for years, we too must practice. Our practice is our intentional daily lives. The way we fold our clothes. How we make our bed. The attention with with we wash dishes or clean our kitchen. When our basic foundation is ordered we can move out into the world with less neurosis and confusion. {we hope!}

We can bring that way of being to our art. Until we are that we of being, we have no art. We have struggle and ego and aggression and confusion.

When I meditate, which I don't do nearly enough, I can feel the difference. It is a practice that grounds me. I see things and people and situations more clearly. I let go. I am calm, despite the crazy conversations that spontaneously take place inside my head. If I am not meditating, I can spiral down into a million stories. None of which serve me well. None of which most likely resemble any truth of actual reality. But for me, for that moment, it is real.
When I meditate, I have signaled to my Self that I matter. That I am prioritizing my life to take care of my well-being.
Those parts of me that work without my interruption appreciate it greatly. Those parts of me that struggle and strive and toss and turn welcome the permission to just "do nothing" and be, if only for ten minutes out of my day.

Sundays are sacred for me and this is where dharma art reveals itself- in the quiet, in the calming down, in the space where the divine can be heard and allowed to show its grace.
How to make everyday our sacred dharma art?




copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

desires and disillusionment

There is the thread that holds us together. Conversations fueled by our interests and desires. Desire to dig down deeper to that place, to open up to that vacant space. The place where possibility and learning and growing and understanding all unfold, unfurl like a wonderfully challenging experiment of living this life. And then there’s the love. And compassion and misunderstandings and anger that make it all disappear as if it never were.

The tug, the nudge, what is this nagging thing? Disillusion is an evil troublemaker.
And right action is the gift of those with strong character of solid mind. I am weak at the knees and falling from grace. Where is the place where this all makes sense?






copyright 2009 Alisa Barry