Inspiration from the Smithsonian

As always, I can find inspiration pretty much everywhere I am…partly because I am open to seeing it…unlike my 10 year old son who couldn’t find much to enjoy at the Smithsonian’s Museum for American History.  On the other hand, my daughter and I had a lovely time strolling through the “First Ladies” section, seeing the power of images mixed in with words in books, and checking out Julia Child’s kitchen from her time in Massachusetts.

It was in Julia’s kitchen area that I found my daily dose of awe and inspiration.  Yes, I admired her work overseas during the war which I hadn’t know about before.  I was mildly envious of her ability to live abroad for many years as her husband moved to different governmental posts.  But mostly what struck me was that she took a passion and personal love and transformed it into a cultural revival for cooking that made a dramatic impact on millions of American women and families.

Apparently, during WWII, to deal with shortages and conserve resources, people ate a diet that was largely centered on processed food out of a box.  Makes sense if there wasn’t a lot of fresh, readily available raw food and if women were busy working in factories and less able to be at home.  However, it also wasn’t the healthiest or most “alive” way of eating.  It was in the aftermath of this time period that Julia Child brought back her love of food and, specifically, French cooking, to America.  She made cooking come alive again, elevating it from a household chore to an activity of joy and care.  Her many cookbooks and tv shows were an inspiration to many.  More importantly, in my view, she helped spark a change in holding food and family together with exploration again.

I am in my own revival process with how I hold cooking.  I admit, though I have always valued good quality, healthy food, I have not always valued the time I needed to spend to give myself the goodness of such food.  Don’t get me wrong…I cooked, but my energy around it was sometimes not the most joyful and positive.  As I have been studying Ayurveda medicine, I have been re-examining my relationship with food and cooking.  I’m playing with how foods come together and create either imbalance or balance in my body.  I’m also exploring how my mental and emotional state of being while cooking and how it translates into the energy of my food…a reality in Ayurveda.

To help support my food needs in balance with the reality of my business expansion, which I’m choosing to spend large chunks of time with, I sought out a fellow food partner.  I shared in my newsletter earlier this year about this fabulous new cooking relationship.  My friend, a Julie with good “J” energy so maybe she’s channeling a bit of the Julia Child energy, cooks 2 meals and I cook 2 meals.  We each bring the 2 meals on one day to our kids’ school which is so convenient.  Not only do I get fabulously nutritious food cooked with love by someone else, but it is inspiring me to bring more care and joy to what I’m cooking.  Now that I’m cooking less, I feel like I can create a space of self- and community-care around my process of cooking.

Being in the Smithsonian yesterday with Julia Child reminds me about just how interconnected life is.  We are so connected with each other and have much to gain from each others’ journeys and stories…if we are open to seeing and receiving the wisdom.  What’s showing up for you in your life that is sparking awe and inspiration?

Inspiring Resources

I was recently listening to a teleclass between James Roche and David Neagle while taking a walk.  I love to use “down time” to listen to inspiring material.  I do this while cooking, while cleaning the house, while walking by myself  when I don’t need ponder time.  This technique creates a win-win situation…I can find time that I wouldn’t normally have to listen to uplifting things, and I enjoy mundane activities more by doing this.  It’s great self care for me.

Anyway, back to the teleclass.  David Neagle, who is a prominent life coach with a rags to riches story, was talking about two critical elements he discovered early on in his journey that were breakthrough tools to his moving forward.  The first was an internal shift that he sums up as “change your attitude”.  He recognized that a stumbling block, at that time, was his current attitude and beliefs.  He had been told to change his attitude by others but at some point it became an “internal aha” that clicked.  And changing his attitude was key.  Just in changing his attitude, his behaviors began to shift and he opened up to receive new opportunities in his life. 

He reinforced this shift by modeling the behavior of someone who held the picture of success that he was looking for.  And this was his second element to moving forward powerfully…finding mentors who can shorten your learning curve by not having to re-create the wheel.   He used growth seminars then coaches but one could use many different things as a mentor.

Both of these elements…aligning your beliefs to serve who you want to be today and finding resources to achieve those goals…are things I not only live but also offer up to my clients.  And one tool that I use to achieve both is Kundalini yoga.  Yoga may not on the surface look like a mentor because it’s not a particular person, at least not for me since I don’t have a single guru.  However, the teachings as a whole in Kundalini yoga offers a road map to living a life of healing and harmony that has been invaluable to me.  It is 5,000 year old, time tested technology and I see it working everyday in my life.  It is powerful and quick in transforming outdated patterns and is the single greatest element I have found that has transformed my life in huge ways.  The mantras and meditations also serve to expand my beliefs and align my mental beliefs with my higher truth.

What resources do you use to inspire and transform?  Taking a moment to reflect on this question can in itself me an important step on your journey.  As you explore this question, you might also be inspired to discover new resources to support yourself.