Category: Writing
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Good and Plenty…
Abundance mentality is one of my guiding ELAN Principles. It does not mean to seek greedy gains, but rather to celebrate gifts that are freely given and to respond in kind. It is the opposite of the fear-based view of scarcity urging you to hoard that which you deem finite. Pay attention. Look for gifts…
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The Lone Writer…
Writing is a lonely act. Struck by inspiration, we choose to make something of it or move on and forget the flash of brilliance, all alone. No one holds my hand while I turn jotted notes into blog entries or scenes for a short story or novel. It is my ten fingers poking at the…
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Today…
Today. What a gift. Tomorrow will soon enough be today, another gift. What adjective describes your today? Joyful? Frenetic? Harried? Celebratory? How many decisions will you make and how will those inform your tomorrow? Today has a lot of work to do. No matter how you spend these 24 hours, it is churning away in…
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Who’s Your Family?…
At a recent memorial service, I was struck by the number of people who counted the departed as one of their extended family. The pews were not filled with blood relatives, but with loving friends who gathered to celebrate her life and what she had meant to them. My dictionary app describes family as members…
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Living in the Deeps…
Another ELAN Principle is “Observe Your World.” It is “Stop and smell the roses,” amplified; a practice of deep seeing, deep listening, deep connections and deep feelings. It is a walking, active meditation in which one gives in to the moment at hand, releasing worries for the future or regrets about the past. Pay attention…
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Watch Your Mantra…
One of the ELAN Principles that I strive to live by is “Watch Your Language.” It promotes good verbal practices such as choosing words carefully, deciding to speak or not speak and refraining from gossip. It also means to monitor your thoughts. The words you feed into your brain can nourish or deplete your soul,…
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Blues…
The Blues can oddly uplift a sad soul. Singing along in a minor key is like a good friend holding your hand during tough times. Sometimes the Blues signify a time of rest. We go, go, go. While in the frenetic fun times we can convince ourselves that things will always be this energetic, positive,…
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Broken Zen…
Time to reread old favorites that promote quiet time, non-judgment, inner calm and a Zen vibe. I so easily allow the scary wide world to poke a talon in the loose weave of my pretend peace. I’m not alone in this state of heightened frenzy over our 24/7 365 four-year cycle of coming together (haha)…
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Mosquitoes…
I love how steady showers perk up the little faces of flowers and green up the grass and trees to a fresh brightness. The smell of rain invites a lazy snuggle with a good book and warm blanket. Rain promises new growth, replenishment, and continued life for all of earth’s living things. But rain brings…
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Divots…
Divots are holes dug into a perfect green field by an overzealous or misdirected swing. Golfers merely replace the detached lump, stomp it into the earth and call it good. How do we react when we goof up and ruin the perceived perfection of a pristine life? Pristine and perfection are ideals, not to be…
Patty Mayeux Blog 