Today I get to share the awe-inspired words of my close friend Kat! We share a deep love for the ocean and for so much of what the islands offer us as pure and simple inspiration! I look forward to being a Guest blogger on her Gently Moving Forward‘s “BE LOVE” blog series during the month of February! Stay tuned for that in the coming weeks here! And, now Kat’s offering…It’s so gorgeous and profound! xoox
What inspires me?
The Ocean is my biggest inspiration.
One of the things that Lórien and I have in common is our deep love of the ocean. Being near the ocean, walking at the beach and hiking along the cliffs is medicine for my body, mind and soul. Swimming in the water with the wild dolphins in Hawaii is top on my list of inspirational activities! I will never forget swimming with the wild humpback whales in Tonga. Just thinking about being in the water with a mama humpback and her calf gets me inspired! When I am in need of inspiration, one of the first things I will do is head to the beach. Even just 10 minutes at the shore can shift my energy level, provide clarity, and give me a fresh new outlook.
That special place.
We all have special places that make us feel good. I am grateful to feel that way about my backyard. It is a private, “secret garden” filled with flowers, trees, birds, and a warm hot tub/spa. A little time in my backyard every day helps me to stay grounded and inspired. I love to drink a cup of tea and listen to the birds sing. The beautiful trees help me feel grounded and strong. Sitting or floating in the hot tub is very relaxing and can sometimes change my state of mind completely. Do you have a special place where you go to recharge and get inspired?
Inspirational fuel
Seeing someone take a project from the initial idea stage to completion lights me up. Allowing that to fuel my own creativity helps to give me the courage and clarity to pursue my own dreams. That is the spiral path that I want to be on, moving upward along with others. Our dreams are possible and within our reach if we are willing to do the work. Willing to bravely nourish our dreams. Willing to put the time and energy into making them come alive. Willing to ask for help. There is much we don’t have control over, but consistently moving toward the directions of our inspired dreams is something we really can do. Every step we take brings us closer. We may need gentle reminders sometimes. Cultivating relationships with others who are choosing to live inspired lives can serve us tremendously. One of the things that I have learned is that it is not only OK to ask for support, it is essential!
Choose Love over Fear.
Every day we have a choice. We can choose to move us in the direction of our inspirations or we can get stuck in fear. Everywhere we look we can see either love or fear. One of the easiest ways to make decisions based in love is to take a few breaths and become as present as possible in the moment. Think about the choice at hand and notice how you feel when making your decision. When we choose a love-filled choice, it will feel light. If it feels heavy, there may be some fear in your decision. Play with this and practice it for a bit. You may find that you have your own unique experiences that will help you to make more compassionate choices. The more I practice this simple process, the easier it is for me to make choices aligned with love. Choosing love over fear is one of the greatest contributions we can make in our lives, both personally and collectively.
Practice Ho’oponopono
Forgiveness, Love and Gratitude are my Trinity. Through all of my years of study, the most powerful tools I have learned are Forgiveness, Love and Gratitude. When I am stuck, one of these three will help me to shift my energy to get back on the inspiration highway. The ancient Hawaiians had a practice of atonement called Ho’oponopono. This practice involved using forgiveness, love and gratitude to transform issues, relationship challenges and other things can block our creativity and access to inspiration. The next time an issue comes up, hold it in your mind’s eye and repeat the following: I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Thank you. Try not to judge yourself or others as you practice. Start with yourself and then move on to other people or situations from there.
Take time to Retreat and Realign
Busy lives with many demands make it essential to unplug every now and then. I take myself on a personal retreat quarterly. Taking time to retreat helps me to review and reconnect with my goals, dreams and desires. These retreats ensure that I make time to bring more of my inspiration forward in my life. I look at what is working in my life as well as examining what isn’t working. There is something magical about choosing to align with what is working in our lives. By focusing on what is working well, we can tap into the flow of grace and ease in our lives. Being in flow helps us to bring more of what we want into our lives. Knowing what is working is key to help us to shift and release what isn’t working. In these retreats, I allow time for rest, deep contemplation, integration, fun and inspiration!
Filling Up the Well.
In our modern-day world, there are so many choices and options available to us. While it is good to have many choices, sometimes it can be challenging to make inspired and aligned decisions. Learning to say “no” helps us to say “YES!” to the important things in our lives. Inspiration, like growth, is not a straight path. It is more like a spiral, evolving and moving forward. As we seek inspiration, it is important to be patient with ourselves and to practice self-care strategies that fill us up and support our body, mind and spirit. Self-care for me may be different for you. The key is finding what works for you!
What do you do to keep inspiration alive in your life?
Gently Moving Forward,
Kathleen Nelson Troyer is the founder of Gently Moving Forward. She works with organizations and individuals as a retreat leader, consultant, coach, trainer and mentor.
She leads intensive individual and group retreats to Hawaii and other sacred spots on our planet. She also facilitates family and systemic constellations and believes in the power of forgiveness, love and gratitude to transform our lives.
Kat lives in a seaside cottage with a magical garden 25 miles south of San Francisco with her fabulous husband John, three cats and one dog.
She loves to travel, cook and hike. She is passionate about living a peaceful, joyful and inspired life.
Kat is the author of The Gently Moving Forward Guide to Inner Wisdom that is currently available as a gift to her newsletter subscribers. You can find Kat and get a copy of her book at www.kathleennelsontroyer.com
An Invitation to Inspiration 