…heartbeat
of the positive revolution
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What Do You Choose? Yesterday a neighbor was lamenting her life situation. She desperately wants to lighten up, to free herself from the burdens of negativity she feels from family, friends and the news of the day. She is reading all the right books, yet her old patterns persist. While reading can inspire and guide, present new possibilities and confirm what we already know, reading is not the answer. The answer lies in choosing how to live. My favorite chapter in Revolutionary Agreements is I Choose. I share excerpts with you here because it radically changed my life to make these declarations – and it can change yours, too. The future is now: you are creating it in this very moment. What do you choose? I choose to surround myself with like-minded, like-hearted (and light-hearted!) friends. To surround myself with people… … who I can trust to always speak their truth, with compassion for themselves and others; …who understand that true collaboration within a rich diversity is what brings out the best in each of us; … who I can trust to always take problems directly to the source (especially if it’s me!) and who will remind me to do the same; …with whom I can effortlessly lighten up and feel completely free! Sound simple? Oh, how I wish it were! It may be easy to apply these choices to new people we accept into our lives. But we can’t divorce our parents! And what am I to do about my brother? For goodness sake, I actually completed writing Revolutionary Agreements so that it might help him during a difficult time in his life. Did it help? Honestly, I don’t think he’s ever read it. Once during those difficult times I tried to get his attention by saying, “You are acting like a victim.” He responded, “I AM a victim!” Aargh! What to do? I had immediately slipped into judgment. And then I remembered: I have a choice. When faced with someone who does not practice the Agreements, I can choose one of two things: to be in judgment or...here comes the BFO (blinding flash of the obvious)…I can choose to live by the Agreements! I remembered that at the heart of the matter, these Agreements are first and foremost Agreements with myself. I feel oh-so-much better when I focus on seeing the best in my brother (rather than focusing on what Agreements I think he should practice); when I honor his choices (instead of being self-righteous about my own); and when I lighten up. Yes! What’s your choice?
“The Revolutionary Agreements serve as a cornerstone of my life inviting me to live with greater peace, love, joy and integrity. The most powerful and challenging agreement for me is to honor my choices, thereby living without regret.” – Kim Zoller, Success Coach, kimzoller@comcast.net Happy Birthday, Revolutionary Agreements! To celebrate the 5th birthday of Revolutionary Agreements, Marlin Press is offering 70% off all case sales ordered directly through the Publisher.s this the year for you to take Revolutionary Agreements to your workplace (a luncheon book discussion, perhaps?) or to your worship community (see Rev. Martie’s story below), or to facilitate a workshop at your local college or community center? Do you know that there is a free Facilitator’s Guide at www.RevolutionaryAgreements.com? For more information on the special 70% discount, or to order a case, please send an email to Helena@MarlinPress.com. Your stories are the heartbeat of the positive revolution. Keep them coming! Aflame with the Agreements Rev. Martie McMane is Senior Minister of First Congregational Church of Boulder, CO. martie@firstcong.net My youngest daughter, a recovering alcoholic, went into treatment three years ago on Mother’s Day. It was the best Mother’s Day gift I had ever received. Acknowledging a blessing in disguise, she recently shared with me, “Whoever would have thought my alcoholism would have shown me my life’s path and vocation?” She now is working on completing her Level II certification for CAC (Certified Addiction Counselor) while holding down a full-time job. My daughter and I both work with a holistic recovery movement that encompasses body, mind and spirit. We are enjoying lively discussions about the Agreements in our own lives and in our work. She says that the Agreements integrate seamlessly into the Twelve Step approach to recovery with her clients. In my personal spiritual journey and for my church, I am committed to a transformation into wholeness, being the best Self that God created me to be. The Agreements support me on this path. When I introduced them to my women’s spiritual group -- paralleling each Agreement to a specific scripture -- they loved it. Then I introduced three Agreements (one from each category) at our church’s overnight leadership retreat. The leaders readily adopted those three and also committed to working with the other nine. The enthusiasm grew and I could not keep enough books on hand! I am presently devoting my sermons to one Agreement per week. I am delighted when parishioners come to me and share how they have used a particular Agreement in a specific situation. My church is aflame with the Agreements and that is a blessing - not in disguise. For uplifting sermons that apply the Agreements, listen to Rev. Martie (as she is affectionately known) at www.firstcong.net/sermons I have always preferred the warmth of summer and openly complained to all around me about winter’s cold, wet challenges. I forget that I can CHOOSE to embrace the wisdom of winter’s introspection; or I can resist it like crazy, missing an opportunity to see the blessings in disguise like getting much needed exercise by shoveling snow or playing joyfully in a huge pile of the white stuff with the toddlers next door. March For Peace March connotes so many things We cast our eyes away from winter In our hearts we do the same, It’s time to shovel out the soul That first small bud and robin’s call Each Spring we get a second chance |
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