Sippy Cups for Everyone!!

I’m moving across the floor in Nia class and finding myself becoming more and more annoyed with the woman dancing in front of me.

The room is packed—it’s a farewell class for one of our dear members who’s moving out of state—yet the woman I’m watching seems oblivious to this. Twirling, spinning and flailing –she’s claiming space enough for three!  And as I wonder for a moment how I could remedy the situation and consider moving to the back of the room, I feel a smile creep across my face and I suddenly see this sweet pony-tailed middle aged woman as a fanciful, quirky two-year old girl. (We’ve all seen these toddlers—they’re on their own planet, spinning through outer space and dancing to a theme song only they could have written.)

As I experienced this shift and my irritation turned to compassion and even delight as I backed up to give her more space, I thought, “Wow, what if we could view all our fellow tribesmen as toddlers?” 

The naysayer in the staff meeting who finds fault with every idea—becomes the analytical three year-old who no doubt, could take apart a toaster and put it back together. The conversation hog who loves to be the center of attention is transformed into the princess in training pants who precociously commands her minions to do her bidding with a sweep of her pink, glitter-covered wand. The electronically-distracted husband who seems to be ignoring your requests for help in the kitchen is suddenly a small preschooler, legs splayed across the floor, head bowed and face buried in Where the Wild Things Are …and my adolescent son when he’s rounding out a solid hour of “push back” because I won’t let him play Minecraft, is magically transformed into a beaming curator of Cheerios and miniature yellow school buses.

I left class an hour later with a huge smile on my face. And gratitude for this shift in perspective. What would the world be like if we could all challenge our own thinking? Is it possible that just by seeing things differently we can embrace a new way of being (read more) and how we relate not only to situations … but to each other?

When I shared this story with my husband, he asked, “What were you thinking right before you had this shift?” I don’t remember. But, I do know that more and more, my desire to feel good, to feel peaceful—and to feel a sense of well-being—is growing stronger each day. And I’m observing that the desire to feel good, more often than not---trumps the pull to feel bad.

Let’s play! (Lord knows I need a shift in perspective! My child care for the week just flew out the door—along with my summer intention--and I’m staring down the barrel at a week of deadlines, book re-writes, interviews and events prep!) For the next  seven days, every time I find myself getting irritated or frustrated at someone, I’m going to open my heart and mind and picture them with a red sippy cup in one hand, peanut butter smeared across their cheeks and small, chubby legs .

Will you join me? Let’s just see what’s possible when we challenge our own thinking and assumptions about one another. Who knows what might happen!

P.S. Interested in exploring how you could cultivate a shift in perspective towards self and others? There's still room in my June 22-24 New Way of Being: Women's Self-Renewal Retreat if you want to join us at the beautiful Kripalu Center for Yoga & Wellness in Massachusetts! We'd love to have you continue this conversation with us in our upcoming women's circle.

I love to hear from, connect with and meet The Journey readers at our events. I invite you to:

• Find Your Tribe: Join or learn to facilitate Personal Renewal Groups for women
• Attend a retreat/event including my June 8th Small Business Visioning Retreat and my June 22-24 Kripalu retreat; check out all upcoming events
• Learn about Live Inside Out and receive weekly inspiration on our Live Inside Out Facebook Community
• Pick up my life balance title The Mother's Guide to Self-Renewal from the library or buy it here or at your local bookstore
• Read past issues of my Life Balance newsletter or Career Management newsletter
• Take Action: Contact one of our career or life balance coaches for 1-on-1 support; receive an initial complimentary consultation
• Empower Others: Schedule Renee for a private workshop or retreat for your company or organization
• I Choose Love PSA: a reminder that when we come from love--one of the most powerful yet underutilized forces on the planet--we have the ability to transcend fear and remember what we're really hear to do: give and receive love. Learn more

Subscribe to The Journey, a weekly blog about coach/author/entrepreneur Renee Trudeau’s personal journey to creating balance from the inside out.

Photo at top: My exhuberant preschooler, several years ago, after he made it to the top of Enchanted Rock--ready to take on the world.

Summer of .....?

I attended a beautiful intimate dinner on Friday evening hosted by a dear friend/mentor/sister. The theme of the gathering: nourishment.

She invited a few close friends who deeply nurtured and nourished her to her gorgeous Mexico-inspired, art-filled home in downtown Austin. We dined on an amazing green curry with fish, basmati rice, green goddess salad (prepared by the beautiful Meg with Spoon) and had the opportunity to really slow down and be with one another in a way that is rare and beautiful.

The experience re-affirmed for me how important play, pleasure, enjoyment, heart-felt connection and contentment are in my life (I’m reading the wonderful Big Leap by Gay Hendricks right now where I’m exploring the concept of “expanding how contented” one can feel; I highly recommend this book).

These experiences have inspired me to come up with my list of things I intend to do this summer (check out my June newsletter for support on creating an intentional summer).

I’ll share this in case it might inspire you to create your own list:

*Host an intimate house concert with the huge-hearted, deeply inspiring, ever-so-beautiful Sara Hickman
*Give—through creating and offering a supportive, empowering You’re the Master, Not the Slave yummy small business workshop for close friends—many of whom are newbie entrepreneurs
*Cook a lot—using my herb garden, lots of fresh local berries, trying new dishes, with my sweet son, for friends and people I love
*Intentionally build a strong, beautiful support team for my business so that the fall is joyful, easy and prosperous (and of course, fun!)
*Take my son to visit lots of natural areas, lakes, rivers, springs and off-the-beaten path swimming holes, including early morning kayaking on our nearby lake
*Attend a wonderful, women’s retreat in a beautiful, cool and spirit-filled location (heading to Kripalu in July)
*Be extra loving to my body, enjoying lots of Nia classes, walking, yoga and resistance training--that build my inner and outer strength
*Carve out time many evenings throughout the summer to enjoy my partner’s sweet company-- talking, relaxing, walking, meditating and laughing together
*Sign up for this wonder community supported agriculture program and spend some time working on this farm, harvesting veggies with my seven year-old
*Hear, experience and enjoy lots of music—thank God I’m in a community where this is possible daily!

If you filled in the blank “Summer of ___________,” what is it you most want to experience in the next 12 precious weeks?

P.S. MARK YOUR CALENDAR: I invite you to join me in a virtual living room to experience a taste of a Personal Renewal Group (PRG) for women and learn about the Power of Self-Care. Register today for our free June 11th PRG Sampler class—it’s interactive, but you’re welcome to just drop in and listen.

Thousands of women around the world are gathering in small intentional self-renewal circles each month, learning to Live Inside Out (become a fan on the Live Inside Out Facebook page). Join us!

The Journey, a blog about coach/author/entrepreneur Renee Trudeau’s personal journey to life balance and living life from the inside out, comes out weekly. Subscribe here. For more information on Renee’s upcoming events, click here.

Photo: Renee Peterson Trudeau, standing on a fishing pier in Port Aransas in the Gulf of Mexico watching an unbelievable storm roll in. Going to the beach always reminds me of how much I love summer.

Peace in the Eye of the Storm

Happy 2008 (have you noticed all the "2008 is going to be great" bumper stickers everywhere?! ...I'm hoping this group intention will affect us all very positively!).

I got two doses of black eyes peas yesterday (one veggie style with lots of cumin-yum--and one with a ham hock, really flavorful). I love this tradition and of course eating lots of hot buttery cornbread with these steaming bowls of goodness is a must. Both of these peafests were shared with good friends and my son/husband--what a wonderful way to usher in this new year.

This morning I went for a walk on a hike/bike trail that encircles a lake near downtown Austin. It was about 31 degrees, which in Texas, means hardly anyone else was out walking! Halfway around, I felt pulled to stop and sit on a lakeside bench. The spot was very quiet--no one around, just still waters, weeping willow trees and a few slow moving ducks. Across the lake I could see and faintly hear one of our busiest expressways. Most were probably driving to work--some maybe be feeling the post-holiday, backlog-of-work calling their names. (I can relate, my a.m. to-do list this Wednesday feels somewhat daunting. Deep breaths ....)

As I sat and observed the contrast of stillness/business, I felt a blanket of calm peace wash over me.

My intention for the holiday season was to remain calm/peaceful in the eye of the storm no matter what drama or excitement (healthy or unhealthy) was unfolding around me.

I think I'll carry this intention into January and beyond as well.

There is something really empowering and comforting about knowing no matter how crazy or exciting or insane things get around us, we really can choose to access that quiet, still space that resides within. For me, returning to this place, feels like going home. Sometimes I get lost or distracted, but it's alwasy there, waiting.