letterfromthepublisher
A
s a recovering control freak with a marginal obses-
sive compulsive personality, I regularly find myself
grappling with the vagaries of ego while learning
to let go of things that are beyond my control. Inner peace
CoNTACT uS
comes in choosing not to take myself so seriously. Thank-
fully, I find myself often laughing at my own absurdity.
Recently, I queried: Does a green veggie really have to go onto everyone’s
plate for every meal? What would happen if we miss an occasional bath on a
Publisher
school night? So we conducted an experiment. I tried letting go a bit and discov- Stacy Hairfield
ered that, to my surprise, no one died!
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Next, I broke through more personal boundaries by deciding to let go of some
Linda Sechrist
rigid, self-imposed expectations. Practicing my multiple roles as wife, mother
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(cook, teacher, taxi driver, counselor), daughter and friend, as well as magazine
Bonnie Cranmer
publisher, typically leaves me feeling tapped out of energy and time. It was time
Tracy Garland
for a shift in perspective.
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The answer was simpler than I imagined. I now trust loved ones to care more
Julee Bodee
for themselves and allow others to help shoulder the daily responsibilities. Updat-
Suzzanne Fil
ing my attitude and the way I choose to think about each situation has enabled all
of us to grow and flourish more. Wow. To contact Natural Awakenings
Southwestern Virginia
I now often find myself choosing to enjoy the moment, rather than stressing
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over the next 25 moments to come. The result? Today, not only am I more effective
Phone: 540-789-5550
at performing the task at hand, I take extra pleasure in sharing gifts of the moment. Fax: 877-331-2596
We all love opportunities to relax into shared beauty and joy. Email:
SHairfield@NaturalAwakeningsMag.com
We all experience, too, necessary times of intense planning, with things to do
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and schedules to maintain. But it helps to pause and know that we are not alone Floyd, Virginia 24091
in traversing our day. Choosing to share peace with those we meet along the way
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and focusing on them instead of ourselves lessens, and sometimes dissipates, stress
altogether.
Many of you have doubtless already made similar shifts. This month, we meet
two of the shining lights in our community who are helping to show the way. © 2009 by Natural Awakenings. All rights reserved.
Although some parts of this publication may be repro-
Joe Klein of Earthsong Retreat, in Floyd, Virgina leads an expanding series of
duced and reprinted, we require that prior permission
meditation programs aimed at teaching stress reduction, honest communication
be obtained in writing.
and healthy living skills for teens and adults. Learn more on page 10. Native Grace
Natural Awakenings is a free publication distributed
locally and is supported by our advertisers. It is
owner Donna Bollinger finds fulfillment in joining with artisans around the world available in selected stores, health and education
in promoting Fair Trade and social justice. See page 8.
centers, healing centers, public libraries and wherever
free publications are generally seen. Please call to find
As for New Year’s resolutions… I don’t believe in them. Each day brings all the
a location near you or if you would like copies placed
at your business.
joy, love and peace we choose to see in it; we don’t have to wait for a new year for
We do not necessarily endorse the views expressed
a fresh start. in the articles and advertisements, nor are we re-
sponsible for the products and services advertised.
We welcome your ideas, articles and feedback.
In joy, health and peace,
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