Just the other day, my sister and I were taking a walk and we saw these two ladies practicing a belly dancing routine right out in the middle of the park. They were doing a great job and my sister said to me, "I think I need to say something to them. I should let them know that it's great to see women out doing things like this." I asked her what she meant by this and she said that you just don't see women being so free and self-confident out in public. I thought about this for a bit and decided that most women probably don't feel comfortable enough with themselves to let themselves be happy. This got me to thinking about how important it is to let the women in our lives know when they have made a positive impact on us and that their presence and involvement in our lives is very much welcomed and appreciated.
It then occurred to me that this just doesn't happen enough. When we are asked who our role models are, we often cite famous people in history. As I think about my life, however; I cannot credit famous people with truly motivating me to be a better person or helping me understand that I deserve to be happy. Yes, there are famous people who definitely inspired me, but they weren't able to have the kind of impact on me that friends and family have had, yet I've not always been as quick to publicly acknowledge the women I know in real life. For me, the list includes a number of teachers and a few other ladies who played a big part in my life at crucial moments. My list is below:
Susan Samuels
Linda Stephens
Joan Butz
Barbara Czestochowa
Anne Dunn
Cheryl Eresman
These are just a few of the women who have made a lasting impact on me and I would like to take this opportunity to say a public, "Thanks," to them.
As you think about your own list of role models today, who would you include? Would it be your neighbor from down the street? How about that nice lady at your church or even your third grade teacher? Take a moment and let them know this today. It will mean so much.
As for the two ladies in the park, my sister did take the time to talk with them and let them know how nice it was to see them out practicing their routine. They told her that they were getting ready for a show that they had to do and that they were very nervous about it. She told them that they were great and they seemed very relieved that we genuinely wanted to compliment their efforts. Lift each other up as much as possible. If we don't do this, who will?
Take care!
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September Spotlight
Jan Goff-LaFontaine
Jan Goff-LaFontaine
Jan Goff-LaFontaine is a social worker, photographer and author whose ongoing work is dedicated to creating awareness and healing through her art.
Jan has published two books in her pursuit of helping others to heal. Her first book, Reflections Between the Lines; The Healing of the Vietnam Generation examines the post-war experiences of 55 women and men who served in Vietnam.
Her most recent book, Women in Shadow and Light; Journeys From Abuse to Healing, was awarded Book Of The Year in Women’s Issues by the Independent Publisher’s Association, and was a finalist for the prestigious Nautilus Awards. In this powerful book, Jan focuses on the healing journeys of women who are survivors of sexual and physical abuse. In this book, she helps women to see and celebrate their beauty, and discover their strength, both through the interviews and the beautiful black and white portraits she created for each woman as an expression of their healing.
When Women in Shadow and Light was released, Jan began getting requests from women all over the country to create ‘healing portraits’ for them, as she had for the women in her book. After doing this for several women, and seeing the powerful effect the process has in helping women to heal, Jan started pondering how she might be able to offer this service to help even more women.
This led to the creation of her Healing Through Creativity workshops designed to support abuse survivors and those who work with them, such as advocates and counselors. In this workshop Jan works with one of the women from the book, Jeanne Kuhns - singer, songwriter, painter and Registered Nurse, who has written several songs specifically for these workshops. Through a series of meditations and journaling exercises, Jan guides the women in these workshops to a place where she can create healing portraits for each woman.
After discovering that it was not just abuse survivors who had body image issues and were unable to see their beauty, this workshop evolved into doing retreats for women titled Manifest Your Magic. The creation of essence or healing portraits for each woman is still a major component of these retreats, but they also include lots of deep sharing, laughter, fun and chocolate! And they are held in magical places as well, like the next one, in Hawaii.
Jan believes that every woman, no matter what her age or dress size, is beautiful; she sees all women through this lens, and her portraits reflect that. She feels that we can hold a new vision of who we are and what our lives can be, and experience in our bodies the healing power we have within. Her goal is to help women discover how our past wounds can become doorways through which we emerge as whole, healed and a gift to the world. She loves helping women to heal, and to live life from a sensual place, allowing more passion, awe, joy, and gratitude.
Be sure to subscribe or follow this blog for your chance to win a copy of Jan's book, Women in Shadow and Light; Journeys From Abuse to Healing!
Jan has published two books in her pursuit of helping others to heal. Her first book, Reflections Between the Lines; The Healing of the Vietnam Generation examines the post-war experiences of 55 women and men who served in Vietnam.
Her most recent book, Women in Shadow and Light; Journeys From Abuse to Healing, was awarded Book Of The Year in Women’s Issues by the Independent Publisher’s Association, and was a finalist for the prestigious Nautilus Awards. In this powerful book, Jan focuses on the healing journeys of women who are survivors of sexual and physical abuse. In this book, she helps women to see and celebrate their beauty, and discover their strength, both through the interviews and the beautiful black and white portraits she created for each woman as an expression of their healing.
When Women in Shadow and Light was released, Jan began getting requests from women all over the country to create ‘healing portraits’ for them, as she had for the women in her book. After doing this for several women, and seeing the powerful effect the process has in helping women to heal, Jan started pondering how she might be able to offer this service to help even more women.
This led to the creation of her Healing Through Creativity workshops designed to support abuse survivors and those who work with them, such as advocates and counselors. In this workshop Jan works with one of the women from the book, Jeanne Kuhns - singer, songwriter, painter and Registered Nurse, who has written several songs specifically for these workshops. Through a series of meditations and journaling exercises, Jan guides the women in these workshops to a place where she can create healing portraits for each woman.
After discovering that it was not just abuse survivors who had body image issues and were unable to see their beauty, this workshop evolved into doing retreats for women titled Manifest Your Magic. The creation of essence or healing portraits for each woman is still a major component of these retreats, but they also include lots of deep sharing, laughter, fun and chocolate! And they are held in magical places as well, like the next one, in Hawaii.
Jan believes that every woman, no matter what her age or dress size, is beautiful; she sees all women through this lens, and her portraits reflect that. She feels that we can hold a new vision of who we are and what our lives can be, and experience in our bodies the healing power we have within. Her goal is to help women discover how our past wounds can become doorways through which we emerge as whole, healed and a gift to the world. She loves helping women to heal, and to live life from a sensual place, allowing more passion, awe, joy, and gratitude.
Be sure to subscribe or follow this blog for your chance to win a copy of Jan's book, Women in Shadow and Light; Journeys From Abuse to Healing!
This Month's Thoughts for:
Body-Don't forget to stretch. All of the tensions of the day can build up over time and we need to stretch away the stress! Sitting at your desk or on the floor, reach for the sky and let your body relax!
Mind-Keep working on quieting your mind. As we head into the first big kid's holiday season, Halloween, don't forget to work on settling down each day. Parties, trick-or-treating, costumes, candy, it's all floating around in there so make sure you make time to push it aside and just be.
Spirit-For me, looking at the leaves as they turn in the fall is such a spiritually soothing activity. I truly enjoy walking at the park and taking in all of the beautiful patterns created as Mother Nature paints upon her canvas. It's hard not to believe that there is some Higher Power guiding the universe when you are watching the seasons change.
Mind-Keep working on quieting your mind. As we head into the first big kid's holiday season, Halloween, don't forget to work on settling down each day. Parties, trick-or-treating, costumes, candy, it's all floating around in there so make sure you make time to push it aside and just be.
Spirit-For me, looking at the leaves as they turn in the fall is such a spiritually soothing activity. I truly enjoy walking at the park and taking in all of the beautiful patterns created as Mother Nature paints upon her canvas. It's hard not to believe that there is some Higher Power guiding the universe when you are watching the seasons change.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
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