These five bio questions are meant to not only tell you a little bit about me, but to get you to think about how you would answer these questions in your own life.
Many people that follow my writing through my books, blogs, emails or meditation CDs have written to me in return to express what similar experiences we share.
I hope that you enjoy the questions and will ponder them for yourself.
Ever since I could hold a crayon, I wanted to be an artist. I fully intended to become a commercial artist when I graduated from high school.
Enter the inner critic. We all have one along with an inner counselor. My inner critic said, “Hah! You’re not Norman Rockwell. What makes you think you can be an artist?” So, just like that, I didn’t pursue a career in art.
Instead, I entered the creative business of advertising, which led to a 30-year career in radio sales, management, and consulting.
If I had the opportunity to talk to my 18-year-old self, I would have said, “Of course you’re not Norman Rockwell, you’re YOU!” (Thank goodness, with age can come wisdom!)
I never regret the three decades I spent in the advertising business. It led me to the path I’m on now.
While I might not be an artist using a paint brush on a canvas, I am now a writer using a pen to paint a story on the page. God Notes – Daily Doses of Divine Encouragement, is my first book published by DreamSculpt, an imprint of Waterside Productions.
My second book, The Freedom to EAT – 10 Secrets for Lasting Weight Loss and Inner Peace, I published under my own company, Be Still Press. My artist returned as I created the logo, chapter illustrations and cartoons. That was very healing.
I find it interesting that when you are young, you are asked what you want to be. As an adult attending any kind of social or business function, you are asked, what do you do?
I was so busy doing that I forgot how to be.
I mentioned the critic, but we also have an inner counselor within us. The counselor is the still small voice that leads us and guides us. You can call it your gut, your heart, or your instincts. It is that deep knowing what is right. I would define it more deeply as your soul, your true essence. My still small voice was screaming for me to leave the corporate world behind to write.
Thanks to my husband Robert, he gave me the permission and provided the support to quit and do just that.
What I do for a living now is write, create resources to help people heal, find inner peace, and live life with greater joy and flow. I speak to these topics in a corporate setting to increase greater productivity and engagement through mindfulness and meditation and to churches from a spiritual perspective. Learn more on my speaking page.
This work has come about by answering the next question.
Core values are what uncompromising principles that you live by. When you live your life from your core values, your life has greater peace, power, clarity, and purpose. My core values are:
I live foremost from my faith. The Bible is full of truth and wisdom, so I quote it a lot. Jesus said, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”
The truth was that I had accomplished all I had desired in my corporate career. It was no longer life-giving, but life-sucking! I don’t know where all of this writing will lead. So far, people and opportunities are flowing into my life as I listen attentively to what next step to take.
When you live from a place of truth, you are free.
When you tell the truth (with love), speak the truth, are truthful with yourself, you can face what you need to change or be at peace with decisions you make.
I want to have compassion for others, for all of God’s creation, and compassion for myself.
I love deep, meaningful relationships, especially having soul-centered discussions. Nothing thrills me more than when one of my readers writes to me and says, “When I receive your emails, it’s like you know exactly what encouragement I need at the time. It’s like you’re in my head!”
Connect with me through my blog, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and/or LinkedIn.
I used to think having joy meant being in a euphoric, blissful state. Truth be told : ), with that definition, I didn’t feel joy very often.
Joy for me is a feeling of deep peace, expansiveness, and contentment. I feel joy the most on Sunday. I take Sunday off and unplug from my computer. For some reason, my brain explodes with ideas to write about. Part of the reason for that is that I’ve given myself permission to just be.
On Sunday I am also usually out in nature. The mere reality of being-ness, being out in God’s creation with none of life’s demands clawing at me, helps me to feel a oneness and connection with God and all that is. That is a feeling of joy. Which is a great segue to the next big question.
I believe this is the biggest single question that anyone needs to answer. The answer will determine how rich your life will truly be.
Growing up, my image of God was the great judgmental scorekeeper in the sky. I was trying to please God, but always felt I fell short. I was afraid that if I stepped out of line, God would squish me like a bug.
All of the talk of sin, salvation, forgiveness, and more sin, confused me. If I was forgiven, why do I have to be told every week at church that I’m a sinner? Church didn’t encourage me, it discouraged me, so much so that I turned away from my faith for twenty years.
I became very successful in my advertising career (the material world) during this time period. However, the stressing and striving took its toll. My soul was dying. I began to seek the God I knew had to exist.
My image of God has changed from judge to loving Guidance Counselor, Parent, Loving Partner. I believe that God created us to love us. There is a yearning inside of us that only God can fill. Experiencing God’s love means experiencing God’s Spirit inside of us.
Experiencing God’s Spirit produces fruits of the Spirit. Just like an apple tree produces apples, God’s Spirit within us produces fruits of the Spirit which are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self- control. Who wouldn’t want to live life with these qualities?
For the last decade I’ve spent hours each morning being in God’s presence, getting to know God instead of trying to please God. The God I know now is the Great Encourager. I share that encouragement in God Notes – Daily Doses of Divine Encouragement.
So, what is your image of God? If you struggle like I did, here is a free eBook and audio version called Bringing God’s View into Focus.
I am amazed that we have access to God, the Creator of everything and that God loves us and cares for us so much. When we trust God fully, life takes on a spiritual flow and ease.
If you wish to connect with God more deeply, I created a free mini course called Four Spiritual Practices to Be Present with God.
I was at a vocational workshop. The leader overheard my, “What do you do for a living?” comment. She came by the table and said, “The next time you’re at a gathering, ask the question: What brought you joy in the last year?” I loved that!
What brings me joy is writing. It’s what I was meant to do. I have what I call my magic time. It’s 5:30AM-8:30AM. No one is up, especially between 5:30-6:30AM in the house. The world is not fully awake except for a few early birds (feathered and otherwise). The house is still.
It is in the stillness that God speaks and opens the faucet of inspiration. It is magical. It’s a place of flow. I aspire to live my life from that place of flow.
What also brings me joy is making connections with people. It’s living life from those core values. When someone emails me and tells me that I have helped to transform their lives, that is humbling and joyful!
Spending time with my husband Robert, traveling the world together, (this picture was taken in front of the Swiss Alps), talking to my son each morning, attending our wonderful church, singing in the choir, getting together with friends, writing and creating, are all joys. Since Robert was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, I treasure what travel we are able to do even more.
I hope that by sharing and answering these questions will help you answer them for yourself.
They are answers that have helped me to live a life with greater faith, flow, and fulfillment. I hope they will help you do the same!
Want to live with joy and flow? Find out how through the Four Steps to FLOW.
