Journey to Center

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
Though having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads onto way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh,
Somewhere ages and ages hence;
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

~ Robert Frost (1916)

What roads will you travel this new year? When you look back in twelve months, what will you be happy about? Proud of? What will you have accomplished? What new directions traveled? Conversations begun?

Time seems to evaporate, it moves so quickly. Make each moment count. Give yourself the gift of living from center. Have the conversation you've been putting off. Make the decision that's holding you back. Sort through each difficutl emotion and find the underlying gift. Free yourself of any "stuckness" that surrounds your relationships. Begin with a single step towards center.

Happy New Year!

Judy R.

Make the Season Bright

Judy, Judy, and Ellen wish you the happiest of holidays! Take a moment, turn on your computer speakers, and click here to enjoy an interactive holiday card by Jacquie Lawson.

Good ki!

Twelve Days of Christmas

Michael Chojnacki - professional speaker, trainer, and Aikido instructor - sent the following story in his AikiWay newsletter. I had never heard it and found it fascinating. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

*****************

A favorite Christmas carol is "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Though there are many versions to this song in Europe, the first known English version appeared in a tiny book called Mirth without Mischief, which was printed in 1780. During the Victorian period, it became not so much a song but a parlor game and those who could not remember the various gifts in succession surrendered a turn in the recital.

The song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," that we know today was first published in England in 1842. The presents for the first seven days of Christmas are all birds. The four colly birds (which was corrupted to "calling" birds) are blackbirds and the five gold rings refer to the five golden bands of the ring-necked pheasant. Although "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was known in the United States, it was rarely heard until the 1940s. Since that time it has become one of the most popular Christmas carols.

*****************

Fun facts!

Judy R.

Managing Your Day Tips

Sometimes (maybe always) simple is good. The Harvard Business Publishing email tip this morning presented this list and I thought I would pass it on.

"The best laid plans for your day are easily thwarted by simply opening email or walking past a colleague's desk. Before you know it, you've lost countless hours to putting out fires. Here are three steps for keeping control over your day and your time:

1. Set a plan for the day. Spend five minutes before turning on your computer in the morning to write down what you want to accomplish that day. Be realistic. Schedule time in your calendar to get each thing done, putting the harder tasks at the beginning of the day.
2. Refocus. Every hour take a minute to stop what you're doing, look at your list, and reflect on your last hour. Was it productive? What can you do to make the next hour productive?
3. Review. At the end of the day after you shut off your computer, review your day and ask yourself what you were able to accomplish. What will you do differently tomorrow?"

Of course, if I was authoring the list, I would add to each step, begin by taking a few deep breaths (how about three!) and centering yourself.

Now, I guess I had better get back to my plan for the day......
Judy W.