Inspiration for Women ( and men) After 50: A Rilke Poem for Monday Motivation

February 6th, 2012 Connie

A Poem for Women after 50

Is there a song in you waiting to be sung? At 50, 60, 70+ we are called to fully express who we really are, to unleash our natural gifts and dreams. Rilke’s poem speaks to that so well. I have added italics. I hope it inspires you to soar!

I believe in all that has never yet been spoken.
I want to free what waits within me
so that what no one has dared to wish for

may for once spring clear
without my contriving.

If this is arrogant, God, forgive me,
but this is what I need to say.
May what I do flow from me like a river,
no forcing and no holding back,
the way it is with children.

 Then in these swelling and ebbing currents,
these deepening tides moving out, returning,
I will sing to you as no one ever has,

streaming through widening channels
into the open sea.

~ Rainer Maria Rilke ~

>>>>STAY TUNED FOR AN EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS… AN OPPORTUNITY TO ‘FREE WHAT WAITS WITHIN’ YOU!!

Joyful blessings to you!

Connie

 

 

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New Year’s Passion, Joy and Love in 2012: Advice From Harriet Tubman and Mari Smith

January 5th, 2012 Connie

 

Dream Big in 2012

Inspiration from Harriet Tubman and Mari Smith for 2012

I love the start of a new year with that feeling of newness and  possibilities waiting to happen. It’s a great time to activate your dreams.

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer.
Always remember, you have within you the strength,
the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars
to change the world.” ~ Harriet Tubman

Mari Smith,  social media expert, inspired me to  adopt a new practice for 2012. She says, “As a practice, each year I like to choose just one word as a theme for the following year. I’ve been doing this ritual for the last five years and have found it to be extremely powerful. The word becomes like a silent mantra, and a guide for both small and major decisions, and can often precipitate quantum leaps.”

My word for 2012 is TRUST! I tend to over-think decisions. This year I am going to respond with a Yes! to opportunities that come into my life, trusting that they are coming to me for a reason. Unless I sense that the opportunity is harmful  in some way, I am going to RSVP with a “yes” to the doors that open to me. Already I feel freedom and curiosity, as I respond to invitations to offer book signings and talks.

What word would you choose? What is the essence of a quality that will support you in manifesting your dreams in 2012—in being happier, more fulfilled— no matter your age or life circumstances? Pause a moment and identify your word. Will you share it with us by commenting below?

I also invite you to take a pledge to make time for joy this year: dance, sing, travel, walk in nature, and, of course, read my book, Joy After Fifty: A Woman’s Guide to Passion, Purpose and Lasting Happiness. Click here for information/to order.

May  love and joy nourish you in the coming year and may you be  supported in realizing your dreams!

With love,

Connie

 

 

 

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Best Holiday Gift: Peace, Joy and Vision at the Winter Solstice

December 20th, 2011 Connie

Light Returning at Winter Solstice

Best Holiday Tip: The Gift of Winter Solstice 2011

Winter Solstice is one of my favorite holidays of the entire year. While I used to dread (a joy-buster) the darkness and cold of winter, I have now befriended the dark. I love to sit in the quiet, light a candle and enjoy the moment, as I reflect on gratitude for all the gifts in my life (a joy-booster).

Winter Solstice will occur at about 9:30 PM PST on December 21, 2011. It is the shortest day and the longest night of the year, a time to celebrate the return of more daylight and increasing warmth—a fertile time to plant inner seeds for new “growth” in the springtime. Making note of the returning light has helped me embrace winter, as never before.

I invite you to join the increasing numbers of people who are reviving ancient traditions in celebration of the solstice. Themes of this time include renewal, hope, and new beginnings—a time for introspection, inspiration, and intentions/new visions.

My observance of the solstice has become one of the most nourishing experiences of the year. In quiet moments of deep presence, I find a respite from the noisy commercialization and intensity of the season. As a result, I find myself  in the true spirit of this season: grateful, joyful, and loving.

By taking time to reflect and to be still, we are more able to bring light and happiness to others through our kindness, our radiant spirit, our service. Radiating the inner light of joy to everyone we meet is one of the greatest gifts we can offer…a smile, a kind word, our full presence…these are lasting gifts of immeasurable value.

Questions to ask at Winter Solstice:

  1. What  behavior, belief, relationship will I release into the darkness to enhance my joy?
  2. What inspiring vision do I want to incubate now, in order for a new “birth”  in the spring?

A Simple Solstice Ceremony for Individuals or Groups:

  1. Place unlighted candles around the room.
  2. Sit quietly for 15-30 minutes in the dark, reflecting upon what you will leave behind with the darkness and what you will “birth” into the coming light—something you would like to manifest by springtime.
  3. As someone rings a bell for the end of the meditation, each one present can light a candle and share their reflections from # 2.
  4. Finish with a celebration: (e.g.singing, gift giving, sharing food)

I wish you a most joyful Solstice and holiday season!!

Heartfelt thanks to all of you who have gifted loved ones with my generously endorsed (John Gray etc)book:

Joy after Fifty: A Woman’s Guide to Passion, Purpose and Lasting Happiness. Click here for information/ordering.

With love, Connie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Women of Spirit and Leadership: Your Resource Guide for Healing, Happiness and Empowerment

December 12th, 2011 Connie
Announcing the release of the “Spirited Woman Directory”.

Enjoy this amazing guide to all kinds of services offered by incredible women from around the country and the world. You will find me on page 103. I hope you enjoy it!
Stay tuned for my posts on Winter Solstice and Tips for a JOYful Holiday Season.
Make time for JOY today!

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The Dalai Lama on Women’s Leadership: An Invitation to Passion, Purpose and Lasting Happiness

October 14th, 2011 Connie

FOR WOMEN 50,60, 70+

****JUST PUBLISHED: Joy after Fifty: A Woman’s Guide to Passion, Purpose and Lasting Happiness****

~A SIMPLE BLUEPRINT FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE AT 50, 60 70 AND BEYOND~

The following is a excerpt from the Introduction to my book. Click here for rave reviews and to order.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~An Invitation~

Even though we’ve never met, you and I are connected. After living five decades or more, we know what it is to rejoice, laugh, love, create, celebrate, and grieve, as women. We are bonded by our common heritage and privilege as women who have reached the most powerful time of our lives—our 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and beyond. We may look very different on the outside. Some of us wear business suits, others jeans, sundresses, or saris. Whether single, coupled, separated, divorced, or widowed, no matter which continent we inhabit, we are guardians of a priceless treasure—the capacity to love and to nurture, to facilitate and collaborate—to experience and share joy.

As contemporary women over 50, we are more educated, gainfully employed and empowered than our foremothers.  We have become breadwinners, homeowners, business owners, artists, CEOs, and heads of state!

As women, we are inherently endowed with the power to give birth — to children, books, businesses, gardens, communities. Just think:  If we could harness all the wisdom and life experiences of women over 50, we could rock our world —firmly, but gently — back onto an axis of harmony, peace and loving kindness. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said that Western women will save the world. I would respectfully add that this potential extends beyond the West to all women on the planet, if given the opportunities and knowledge to keep our spirits joyful and strong!

The truth is that the world needs our gifts — now as never before! We all have a calling and a purpose in this lifetime. Whether it’s to lovingly shape the lives of our children and grandchildren, to launch a new business, write our memoirs, or help build schools for girls in Afghanistan, as women 50+ the time has arrived for you and me to step fully into the life we were born to live.

Remember, you are a unique and powerful woman. There never has been and never will be anyone quite like you. And, it is truly your time to shine!

>> What do you really, really want in your life?

>> What is your calling at this time? 

>>What inner song is waiting to be sung?

Stay tuned for more in future posts.

Click here for more information and to order Joy After Fifty.

**** Get a JumpStart on the Holidays: A perfect *GIFT* for the women you love! ****

Loving blessings to you!

Connie

 

 


 

 

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Girlfriends Boost Health and Happiness: Tips and Scientific Secrets to a Life of Joy!

September 30th, 2011 Connie

 

 

WOMEN WHO CONNECT HAVE MORE HEALTH, JOY AND STRENGTH

 

It’s proven. Other women are good for your health! We women share from our souls, listen intently, offer support, empathy and abiding friendship. Below you will find an excerpt from my new book,

 Joy After Fifty: A Woman’s Guide to Passion, Purpose and Lasting Happiness.

Click here to read all about it!

PRAISE FOR JOY AFTER FIFTY:

What a gift! An antidote to the stressors of these times, Joy After Fifty shows us how to re-enchant our lives with wonder and delight in any circumstance. I highly recommend this book!

~Marci Shimoff, NY Times Bestselling author of Happy for No Reason. Love for No Reason and Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul

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~~Week Thirteen~~

The company of other women is “good medicine” for the female body, mind and spirit.  When women converse and connect, an extra dose of oxytocin, the feel-good hormone, is released. Women are reclaiming self-esteem and personal empowerment by participating in ongoing “circles.”  These circles are sanctuaries in which a woman can discover her authenticity, as she is “midwifed” into birthing her true nature and her unique voice.

 Reflecting on Joy:

* How did my relationship with my mother, or the absence of a mother, affect my current attitudes toward women?

* What aspects of being a woman have I, or have I not yet, accepted and embraced?  Do they prevent me from embracing my womanhood and truly loving other women as friends and “sisters”?

* What experiences do I currently have with other women that intentionally foster deep connection, communication and empowerment?

* What women would I wish to include in an ongoing “circle” for support, guidance and loving connection?

  Activating Joy:

** Light a candle.  Close your eyes and breathe slowly and fully to ground yourself.  Imagine yourself in a sacred women’s lodge. You are surrounded by concentric circles of all your female ancestors, from all time.

** Activate all your senses as you experience the depth of love and wisdom they are radiating to you now.

**  Formulate a question regarding a significant life issue.  Present it to the women surrounding you.  Listen carefully.  Record their “responses.”

** This week, set aside time to imagine yourself creating a women’s circle or rejuvenating an existing circle.  Consider the who, what, where and how of your intention.  For an individual or group coaching consultation on “How To Create and Sustain A Vibrant Women’s Circle”, send an email to www.joyafterfifty.com/contact

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What are your experiences with women friends? Please share a comment below.

***IF YOU LIKED THIS POST PLEASE CLICK “LIKE” BELOW.***

With loving blessings,

Connie Clark

 

 

 

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Tribute to a 9/11 Hero: His Joy, Courage, Resilience, and Service

September 10th, 2011 Connie

Frank DeMartini: A True Hero on September 11, 2001

A 9-11 Memorial to a True American Hero 10 Years Later

A chance encounter in a Greenwich Village restaurant in August, 2001 altered the course of my life and work. My friend, Pam, introduced me to her friends—Nicole and Frank DeMartini— who were seated at a nearby table. It’s difficult to explain how it was possible that the mere hour we spent in conversation would profoundly influence the next 10 years of my life.

Have you ever met someone who makes a profound impression on you in a brief moment of time, leaving you to wonder what that was all about? Well, that was my experience of Frank. I will never forget the joyful light in his eyes, his dazzling smile. None of us knew that Frank DeMartini was destined, in a few weeks, to become an American hero.

As construction manager of the World Trade Center, Frank knew the towers. When disaster struck on September 11, he was on the 88th floor of the north tower. Within minutes, he found an intact stairway and began ushering people, including his wife, to safety. He remained to help the injured, never to escape.

For years I couldn’t shake the memory of Frank: his aliveness and his joyful radiance—often rare in this fast-paced, stressful era. I realized how revitalizing it is to be touched by another’s happiness. I spent countless hours thinking about joy—how undervalued it is—yet, how, in difficult times, it revives and empowers resilience, courage, passion, and loving kindness.

The vivid memory of Frank’s joyful spirit was like a beacon guiding me to research the science of happiness and positive psychology, to found transformational programs called JoyWorks™—consulting, seminars, and retreats—to create this blog and to write a soon-to-be-published book, Joy After Fifty: A Woman’s Guide to Passion, Purpose and Lasting Happiness. Out of the ashes, a light continues to illuminate my path. There are no words to adequately express my gratitude.

Click here to watch a  trailer of a TLC documentary about the heroism of Frank DeMartini and Pablo Ortiz.

Let’s remember how our presence and state of being affects others—in ways we may never know. Setting an intention to radiate joy and love is the greatest gift we can offer those who cross our path.

How did the tragedy of September 11, 2001 influence your life path? Please share your story of healing, hope, transformation.

With love and hope for peace on earth,

Connie

****Thank you for taking a second to “like” my JoyAfter Fifty fan page. Just click below. I am sincerely grateful!****

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Recipes from Heaven: A Celebration of Life for Janice on Julia Child’s Birthday

August 15th, 2011 Connie

~In Memory of Janice's Joy of Cooking~

A Girlfriend Dies But Her Spirit Lives On Through Her Love: How Will You and I Be Remembered?

I am just now able to write to you after the loss of one of my very dearest, long-time friends. For the last many weeks, life as usual just wasn’t. Rather than extend myself outward to the world, I honored the need to be inward, to be still, to reflect, to really be present with 20+ years of memories of Janice–and to contemplate life and death—hers and my own.

My training  in the science of happiness and positive psychology have given me a gift. I have been able to access deep joy alongside my deep sadness—by the process of “savoring” happy memories of Janice. I close my eyes, conjure up a memory of a  ballet we attended in San Francisco, of our travels and adventures throughout Mexico, of  planning the menu for a women’s retreat in Sayulita, Mexico, of her thoughtful cards, newspaper clippings, emails, check-in calls, etc.

But what is most remarkable and memorable about Janice is the way she expressed her love to so many—humans and animals alike—by “feeding” us beautiful food. Not only did she delight her family and friends with magnificent international gourmet meals, she always carried doggie treats in her car and purse. After one of my retreats in Mexico, we fell in love with Pedro, a black lab who followed us everywhere. Janice made a beeline for the carniceria (meat market), bought all kinds of innards (yuck), hauled them home and cooked up a feast for our friend! (No wonder Pedro found us on many subsequent visits!) Another time in Mexico, she cooked for days in preparation for an unforgettable banquet for my 60th birthday.

This is one of Janice’s  favorite quotes: “One of the negatives I see in life today is that some people feel like they’re wasting time shopping and cooking. But I don’t think so. The time you devote to your meals is time attending to your spirit. You’re putting yourself in communion with the earth, with your origins, with something much deeper. I believe this is one of the most important things we need to recover in our lives.” ~ Laura Esquivel, author of Like Water for Chocolate

How will you and I be remembered? I believe we will be remembered most of all for how well we loved. In our fast-paced lives we must pause and ask ourselves, what will really matter at the end of my life? What can I do today, to ensure that I will be remembered for how I expressed my love?

How has someone you cared about left you a legacy of love? How do you make time to express your love? Please offer your comments below.

With love and joyful wishes,

Connie

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Remembering Helen Keller: A Woman of Optimism, Resilience and Life Success

June 27th, 2011 Connie

Inspiration from Helen Keller on Her Birthday

I hope you enjoy this video and the quotes below. When I am feeling challenged in my life, I find inspiration in the life and wisdom of this remarkable woman—a model of courage, grace and determination to transform her “limitations” into a life purpose in service to humanity. Research shows that happier people are those who are following an inner calling that has heart and meaning for them.

What is your unique calling at this time? Mine is to teach women how to activate that ever present inner state of joy—proven to reduce stress, increase harmony in relationships, to improve concentration and to build resilience for thriving through adversity. My soon-to-be-published book, Joy After Fifty: A Woman’s Guide to Passion, Purpose and Lasting Happiness blossomed out of this calling. I would love to support you in blossoming your unique purpose at this time in your life.  Contact me for simple steps to get started.

From Helen Keller to Inspire You Along the Way:

~Many persons have the wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness.
It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity
to a worthy purpose.

~No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars or sailed an
uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit.

~Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn
whatever state I am in, therein to be content.

~The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen
or even touched. They must be felt within the heart.

~When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often
we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the
one which has been opened for us.

~When we do the best that we can, we never know what miracle
is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.

~Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also
of the overcoming of it.

~Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul
be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.

~Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.

Click here to read more about Helen Keller.

I wish you strength, courage, optimism and trust to overcome the challenges in your life.

With loving wishes,

Connie

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Unstoppable Women 60+: Inspiration for Success and Fitness at Any Age

June 22nd, 2011 Connie

60+ Women Sizzle: Racing to a Successful Finish Regardless of Age

Last week, we celebrated an inspirational woman who, at 81, realized her lifelong dream of earning a college degree. This week, we celebrate two amazing women who are living proof that “age is nothing but a number.”

Meet Jamie Rivers (age 60) and Melody-Anne Schultz (age 69), two incredible athletes with five victories between them in Marin County California’s historic Dipsea Race.

Now in its 101st year, the Dipsea Race is the oldest cross-country trail race in the U.S. A beautiful yet challenging course, it spans 7.5 miles from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach, and holds a special place in the hearts of many Northern Californians. What makes it even more special is its unique handicapping system, which ensures runners from all walks of life have a shot at victory.

So it was that on Sunday,  June 12, Mill Valley nurse Jamie Rivers broke the tape, becoming a two-time Dipsea champion with an impressive finish time of 47:34. A lifelong athlete (she grew up as an avid swimmer in Guam), she is the fourth woman in Dipsea history with multiple wins under her belt. Last year a hamstring injury caused her to finish 622nd – but she certainly didn’t let that keep her down! “This is incredible,” says Rivers, “I wasn’t expecting to win.”

Also running Sunday’s race was three-time winner and Dipsea hall-of-famer Melody-Anne Schultz. This extraordinary grandmother of five has set records in the Boston and London marathons, winning many races by huge margins, and thereby changing perceptions of what older women can accomplish. She began running at age 46 and has set the bar high ever since. Like Rivers, Schultz refuses to allow setbacks to discourage her – for the past several years she has cheerfully competed in the Dipsea against medical advice.

Congratulations to Rivers and Schultz – two unstoppable, inspirational women – and to the top 11 finishers of the 2011 Dipsea Race, ten of whom were 50+!

If you’d like to try your luck next year in this beloved race, keep an eye on the Dipsea website – registration fills up fast!

Dr Walter M. Bortz II, scientific expert on aging and longevity, and author of Dare to Be 100, is an advocate of physical fitness for optimal aging. Click here to visit his inspiring website!

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