My first 10 before 40 fully completed

I wrote in a previous post that I chose to abbreviate one of my goals for before 40 and attended a short, not a full weekend, retreat. Thanks to the generosity of my family for my birthday, and the generosity of my mentor and retreat leader providing a scholarship, I was able to attend the Courage and Renewal Winter Retreat at the Franciscan Retreat Center in Colorado Springs. I got there on Friday and left Sunday, and in between experienced some amazing realizations, transformations, heart openings, and met really interesting people. I am going to leave it at that and say no more because words are often not sufficient in discussing what happens during a retreat. I will say that the deer were plentiful, the wind a metaphor I got to wrestle with, and Winter and I have developed a different relationship than before, leading to a more positive direction. I did go into a Yoga Nidra session one night and the mantra that came to me was "Experience the Moment." Not "Be in the Moment" as at that moment I felt it was too passive a statement, but "Experience" felt more alive. In the spirit of "Experiencing the Moment" I stole this exercise from a dear friend's blog and here is what I am experiencing:

Making : A lot of decisions

Cooking : Pork chops, asparagus, baguette

Drinking : La Croix peach and pear fizzy water

Reading : "Discovering your Soul Signature" by Panache Desai

Obsessing: Over my retreat experience

Looking : A little disheveled having woken from a nap

Playing : NPR 

Wishing : That I could get paid to go on retreats

Enjoying : This exercise

Waiting : For the sun to set

Liking : The term "life affirming"

Wondering : How it will all play out

Loving : My family

Pondering : A poem about winter's darkness

Considering : What tomorrow will bring

Watching : Downton Abbey

Hoping : That I will like this mustard cheese I bought today

Marveling : At how good yoga makes me feel

Needing : The purple blanket my mom crocheted for me

Smelling : Like fresh laundry

Wearing : My jammies

Following : Mastin Kipp at http://thedailylove.com
Wanting : To live soulfully

Noticing : That laughter is healing

Knowing : That everything works out the way it is supposed to if I get out of my own way

Thinking : About my upcoming birthday

Feeling : Utter and complete gratitude

Admiring : My best friend and the courage in which she lives her life

Sorting : Through the spring wardrobe

Buying : The right amount of groceries

Getting : Hungry

Bookmarking : Warm Cookies of the Revolution

Disliking : Judging harshly

Feeling : Like "Every day above ground is a good day" (Pitbull)