WHY THIS BOOK/TRUE STORY MADE ME CRY

by Caryl Westmore on February 17, 2010

Being a lover of books and reading all my life, I was touched and moved to tears many times while reading the story of John Wood and how he discovered his life purpose and walked away from a corporate job with Microsoft to follow his heart bringing education and books to kids worldwide.

Listening to him retell the story in the video below is powerful.

Makes you think – am I living my highest dreams and life purpose? What is my life really about – making money – or expanding love in self and others?

It began when he was an executive with Microsoft about 10 years ago. He went trekking for 10 days in Nepal, visited a school which was bare of books in the library. He promised to get books and one year later delivered 1000s of books bundled on the back of a yak.

Seeing the kids leap on the brightly colored books with delight and wonder, ignited Wood’s passion to help more schools in Nepal where the illiteracy rate is 75% – and later expand his vision globally.
SHOCKING
Shocking to know that of the estimated 850 million people who are illiterate in the world – two-thirds are women.
And inspiring to know that Wood has target giving scholarships to girls – especially in third-world countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam. He refers to the saying:”When you educate a boy you educate a boy. But when you educate a girl you educate a family and the generation to come”.

Yet it is often the girl children who end up having to give up school to work or look after their younger siblings. Unfair but also perpetuating the cycle of poverty, low self-worth and/or abuse which can result from a poor education.

Did you know that for as little as $250 a year you can support a child with a scholarship that keeps her in school? And it is wonderful to know that more than 3 million children have been touched by Room to Read’s outreach with books, libraries and/or scholarships such as this.

“Leaving Microsoft to Change the World” is not a new book – but it is highly relevant to all of us who value books – and care for our global children.

Let John Wood tell the story. I love it because it shows how he got on track with his life purpose …

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2 Self-help Body Tips for Your Well Being

by Caryl Westmore on January 14, 2010

Here are two self-help body tips which can improve your well being, health and focus in 2010.

1. FINGER HOLDS
From Jin Shin Jyutsu we learn how to hold each finger for a few minutes to dissolve and release a specific emotion linked via that finger to our meridians. So hold your thumb to release worry, your ring finger for sadness and grief and your middle finger to shift anger, frustration and indecision. Try it when you’re next stuck in traffic or upset by something. It works!

2. CREATIVE JOINT PLAY
Katie Hendricks demonstrates a way to keep flexible and creative – I love it!

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3 Ways to Awaken your Blue Moon Dreams in 2010

by Caryl Westmore on January 4, 2010

FUTURE DREAMS AWAKEN IN 2010

With December 2009/January 2010 being a time of the blue moon - two full moons occurring in one month (see end of post as to which countries have a blue moon in which month*) I wanted to remind you of the power you have in you right now to make 2010 your best year yet – starting with these 3 tips.

1. Do a writing/clearing ritual to Get Clear on what  needs to GO and then what you want to GROW.

Jennifer McLean (Healing with the Masters) recently shared this lovely New Year Ritual which I have adapted as follows: Take two sheets of paper. Make a list for Go and one for Grow.

Go List is all the stuff you are thoroughly sick and tired of creating in your life – (e.g. excess weight, money challenges, procrastination re writing your book).  Look back on 2009 and write them down.

Grow List is 5 items you want to manifest, attract and create in 2010. Writing them down is key.

Burn both lists separately in a shell or container.  Take the ashes of the Go List and scatter them to the wind with a blessing that you no longer need them and yes, give thanks you learned the lessons they taught you.

Take the ashes of the Grow list and bury them in your garden – or a pot plant – symbolically giving love and thanks for the seeds of manifestation which you are asking the Universe, Divine Spirit, God to bless.

2. USE IMAGERY to create a Vision Board, Intentional Scrapbook or Mind Movie that speaks to your other-than-conscious mind and powers up your subconscious to attract your dreams.

3. CHOOSE ONE BIG GOAL per year and 5 To Do action steps per day.

Yes, as important as it is to have satellite goals under the titles of Personal, Physical, Business, Financial and Spiritual (all of which I recommend you do) I have found that the most powerful way to move successfully forward in my life is to discipline myself to choose one big goal to achieve per year – and after that focus in the now with one day at a time.

So ask yourself the question after reflection and the suggested Go/Grow rituals: “It’s one year from now – January 4, 2011.  What one thing did I achieve in 2010 that made the most difference to my life?” For instance in 2008 I set myself one big goal – to finally write my book “You Can Break-Free Fast”.

In 2009 I aimed to publish it, get it on Amazon and learn more about internet marketing with regard to my writing/speaking/coaching  career.

In 2010 -I am focused on building on that – expanding  my career as a Writer-Speaker giving talks and workshops globally, starting in South Africa where my book is now being distributed and publicized in bookshops nationwide.

As important as my book has been so too has been love and marriage…  living my “babyboomer honeymoon”  in love with Nick my husband of two years.

So it’s great to have satellite goals around your one big push to achieve that Big Goal. But keep them to 5.  That’s my advice.

BACK TO WORK? OR WORK-PLAY?

When I got up this morning, I was tempted to think: “back to work” like so many others – maybe you?

But then I remembered – my “work” is my passion and play. I said to Nick, my husband – “We’re changing pace and focus today after a time of Christmas/New Year/my birthday celebrations. But today is a glorious divine abundant day (thanks Mary Hall for that affirmation). Best of all I get to play with my book, workshops and sharing my insights as to how you and others can “break-free” to attract your deepest desires and dreams.

For myself I’m enjoying a life of endless summer in glorious sunny Cape Town. Yesterday I played tennis, spent 30 minutes in the gym and enjoyed a late afternoon swim in the sea. I woke up today and meditated into my heart and found the BIG DREAMS I want to manifest in 2010 and then WROTE THEM DOWN.

As always, in the now – I have my action list of 5 Things TO DO to keep my day focused.

Writing this blog was not one of them!

But hey, I love my freedom. Plus don’t you just loved Alice Popkorn’s image? It inspired me to share my inspiration.

Happy Work-Play in 2010!

PS *Note that South Africa, America and Europe had the Blue Moon in December 2009
But… if you live on the “other side of the world” re GMT – such as Australia, Japan, India and China – your Blue Moon occurs in January 2010.

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