My First Ever Intentions Board. What Magic and Joy Will 2014 Bring?

Posted by Barbara Techel

2014-01-08 11.20.11eMaybe you’ve heard of them. Sometimes also called visual boards. I like the idea of calling them intentions. It fit right in line with my dry erase board I have in my writing cottage where I write out what I call my “heart intentions” which I’ve been doing for the past five years.

I remember years ago when I was in a marketing company selling products and how we were encouraged to do these boards. I never did one because it seemed to focus on material things.  Not that I didn’t want to go on vacation, or perhaps new clothes, or a new car. But looking back I was lost then, not really knowing what it was that made me happy.

I took a class yesterday called “Setting Your Intentions for 2014” where we created intention boards. It was fun!  The gal that taught the class, Elise, had us first do different types of exercises and answering thought provoking questions by writing them down.

She also shared power words with us. As she read them we had to write down those that resonated with us. Some that jumped at me were: Be, Courage, Intuition, Joy, Smile, Simplicity, Peace, and Spirituality.

Then we grabbed a board,magazines, scissors and glue stick, and began laying out our year of intentions.  Here is a tour around mine:

Top left hand corner is a small green house to remind me to keep living simply and with less “stuff.” Having a small house helps with that, I think; Right hand side I love the words Joyful Secondact- having turning 50 this past summer I plan to live the second half of my life that fits me best;  I also found the word fear and made a big red circle with a line through it- as a reminder to not let fear stand in my way.

The large word “yoga” jumped out at me as I love, love, love my yoga practice. Then I saw the words “live your yoga.” That reminds me to live my truth of the unique person that I am.

Bottom left you see a black pencil sketch of a girl holding a heart shaped balloon, reminding me to keep following my heart. Bottom right hand side is Oprah being loved up by all her pups… ok, so I don’t need a reminder to be with and love my dogs, as I’d do that 24-hours a day if I could!  But the picture depicts pure joy to me and that is how I feel when I am with my dogs.

The rest are words of reminders of and how I want to live each day–“giving smiles” which I want to do more, “awareness” of living in the moment, “Calm within” as a reminder on those days I forget and “grace” reminding me that when I am in a state of grace it means I am living from my soul.

I didn’t find the words Share, Inspire and Encourage in the magazines I was perusing, so I made my own. They are important to me. After I came out of my sabbatical last October that was my message from my heart… that I wanted to keep writing, and through my writing I want to share, inspire and encourage others.

Though I used to balk at the idea of doing one of these, I drove home feeling calm, focused, and happy. My board will now sit in my writing cottage as my daily reminder.

I hope by sharing mine it will inspire you to make your own and watch the year unfold with a visual reminder of what is important to you.

Outside My Writing Cottage Window: Winter Speaks to Me.

Posted by Barbara Techel

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The still, deep blue cold of winter speaks to me. Be not afraid.

Stepping outside, within seconds sends cutting chills instantly to the deepest parts of my bones.

But it speaks to me that there is hope beneath the frozen ground as biting winds send an intense shiver through my body.

It is there if I see with the heart of my spirit.

A promise of spring to return. A deep warmth to come again and warm my skin.

A trust and faith brought to the forefront again that my honeysuckle plant now dormant in the icy snow will show its glory of color this summer.

The fluttering and buzz of hummingbird airplanes not far off in the distant.

The quiet of winter to retreat.

To contemplate.

To dream.

To give thought to new ideas.

A call to my heart that I can always choose joy.

A quiet time to be one with me. To listen to the whispers of my soul.

To practice being.

To breathe in this moment.

Looking to the sun in the brilliant blue sky, outside my writing cottage window, I give thanks to all that is life.

Have Arms, Will Snuggle. Gidget the Love Dog.

Posted by Barbara Techel

cam and gidgetCameron and Gidget

There are many things I’m enjoying and loving about Gidget. I’m also relishing in her sweetness and go with the flow attitude. One thing I especially love about her is how she easily adapts to new people around her.

Last Sunday we had friends, Karin, Ron and 9-year old, Cameron visiting from Illinois and staying at a local resort. We had them over to watch the Packers/Bears game. Yes, I admit it, we let Bears fans in our home…. but after all, they are friends, even if they do love those Bears.

I first met them after Cameron, a lover of dachshunds, discovered my first children’s book about Frankie that a local gift shop carries and sells for me.

My friend, Victoria, was the manager at the time and spied Cameron walking around holding a copy of Frankie’s book.  She said, “I happen to know the author of that book and the real Frankie. I just might be able to arrange for you to meet them.”

That was almost five years ago. Since then we’ve gotten together just about every year when they visit our little village of 947 people.  Cameron still working on talking his Dad into a Dachshund, has gotten his dose of doxie love from Frankie, then Joie, and now Gidget.

Karin, Cameron’s mom, took the photo above of Cam and Gidget getting to know each other. Gidget made herself right at home snuggling her little head into Cam’s hands for a good dose of petting. Cam, being the young gentlemen, didn’t say a word about the fact she was wearing a Aaron Rodgers Packer jersey!

It seems no matter who comes over, or no matter where I take Lil’ G she easily finds her way into the laps of those wanting to pet and snuggle with her.  Yesterday she was happy and content to be in our dear friend, Cassy’s arms, as we spent some time at her apartment and she made dinner for us.

Not only was it a treat to have Cassy cook a delicious dinner of taco’s for us, but to see how happy, content and comfortable Gidget is wherever we seem to go, really does my heart good. She is really getting to be quite the love dog. But I suspect she always was.

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