Your Writing Mentor

Mary Knippel

The Spirited Woman Visionary Top 12 Pick List

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I made the list! I’m so excited to share that I’m among the Spirited Woman’s Spring Top 12 Pick Visionary List. The Spirited Woman is a leading international women’s empowerment community. I am so very delighted to be listed as a Top 12 Visionary along with eleven other phenomenal women!

The Spirited Woman List has been published for over a decade, highlighting incredibly gifted women committed to making a difference while inspiring and uplifting others.

I am humbled and honored to be considered a Visionary. Not that long ago, I never would have considered myself a visionary. After all, I’m just an ordinary housewife and mother. A part-time journalist who volunteers at school and church. Never standing out in a crowd, but always being the go-to person for family and friends.

Do you feel that way about yourself?

I can hear a distinct sigh and an almost hushed question:  Who am I to call myself a Visionary?

Well, in the words of Marianne Williamson:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’

And the quote continues with the response to that question:

Who are you not to be?

Which brings me to the declarative statement:  I am a Visionary.

I say that proudly for myself. And I state it on your behalf.

As passionate women dedicated to making a difference in this life by sharing our unique stories, we are all Visionaries!

The wisdom you have acquired through the lessons you have learned coping with any number of life experiences, make you distinctly qualified to share your story. Your story is yours to share, as only you can tell it from your perspective. Your story matters and someone out there is waiting to hear your story of courage and grace.

Congratulations to all of us Visionary Women!

[Friday Five-Minute Writing Prompt] I am longing to..

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I am longing to…

Friday five-minute writing prompt

Take out a fresh sheet of paper. Natalie Goldberg uses a “fast-writing” pen. I suggest using your favorite writing instrument and an unlined piece of colored paper for fun. I use a fountain pen with purple ink. Some folks opt to use a computer. Please remember that typing puts you in another part of your brain. I believe you have greater access to messages from your soul with the pen to paper. However, if you are not physically able to write, then just open a new word document on your computer and go for it. The point is to keep your fingers moving for five minutes and not stop. I want you to experience how much writing can be accomplished in a short period.

If you get stuck, just repeat the writing prompt – I am longing to... or any other phrase that is comfortable for you. Do not stop to edit, correct spelling, look up a better word, or rearrange a sentence. Do not question what comes up in the five minutes: this doesn’t make sense, where did that come from, or what a crazy notion. This is a timed writing exercise so be sure to set the timer on your watch, phone, microwave, computer, or kitchen stove. Whether you use an egg timer, a No. 2 pencil and a spiral notebook, your iPad, or even your iPhone, the theory is the same. Keep your hand and fingers moving and have fun taking dictation from your unconscious self. Make a list, hum a tune, write a poem, or create a short, short story. This is your time to explore and experiment.

Photo credit: jamienease.com

You can choose something greater

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I’d like to take a minute to remind you that you are a history maker.

Yes, you! You make history every time you consciously choose to follow your dreams. Not to make the safe choice. The choice to create a new normal for yourself.

I’m using an extreme example of royal weddings to illustrate my point about creating a new normal. I have been fascinated by all the pomp and ceremony of royal weddings for a long time as illustrated by the picture accompanying this blog.

And it illustrates what I’ve shared with you before: your personal story is connected with the universal story.

Once upon a time while I was pursuing my dream of a college degree, I had the opportunity to study in London for a quarter. The program was sponsored by the University of Minnesota. I would receive college credit, lodging was all set up, as well as all the curriculum. Excursions to plays were not only included, but attendance was also required. And we took our own professor along! It was a glorious experience.

I was working part-time for my tuition as a secretary and had no savings to finance the expense. This was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Most of my family thought I was crazy for quitting a perfectly good job to go to school full time in the first place. Now I wanted to go abroad to study for three months. More crazy behavior and positively not normal by their standards.

What did I do? I did what any other college freshman would do. I got a student loan and had the time of my life!

I was in London Spring of ’81 when Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer were preparing for their nuptials. The blue mug was among my souvenirs from my college adventure.

Three decades later, a dear friend, and one of my classmates on that life-changing trip, and I made an anniversary trip back to London. Preparations were in full swing for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. We celebrated another royal wedding, our friendship and created new memories. 

It only seemed fitting that I add to my collection when the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Megan Markel was in the making. Although I didn’t have the opportunity to purchase my new porcelain treasure in person, the internet proved a valuable tool in assisting me to hop over the pond. 

I tell this story to underscore how you can choose something greater for yourself. Going to study in London is what I choose as part of my story which became my thread to the universal story. Share what you are passionate about and the people who share that passion will lean in to learn more about you and your business.

Hop over to my Facebook page to let me know how you have chosen something greater and followed your dreams. I’d love to hear!

What about this mothering thing…

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Meuer girls
The Meurer sisters…One Generation of Mothers

Do you remember that song from Camelot? The  one that talks about the Merry Month of May…the month of, “yes, you may.”

Growing up good little boys and girls did what Mother (and pretty much everyone else) told them was correct behavior. As a result, you were polite, said please and thank you, turned in your homework on time and cleaned your room without being asked. Well, I’m sure that cleaning stuff happened occasionally without being asked. The point is you knew what your mother expected; that you were to treat others with respect and courtesy.

She told you to button your coat when you went out in the cold because she didn’t want you to get sick. 

Now you know that it takes more than wearing a sweater to keep yourself from getting sick. 

She told you to drink your milk because she wanted you to have strong bones.

Now you know it takes more than drinking milk to have strong bones.

She told you to listen to your teachers because she wanted you to learn the lessons being taught at school.

Now you know more than the teachers in a classroom provide the lessons you need to help you create your amazing life.

The question to consider as you are reading this is:  How are you doing at this mothering thing when it comes to YOU?

As an adult, mothering yourself is an attitude toward self-care which needs to be addressed. You are encouraged here and now to give yourself permission… to say, “yes, you may” about taking care of yourself.

Have you ever dismissed that nagging feeling of common sense when you promised you’d only work just 15-minutes longer on that new idea that’s been noodling around in our head all day? Then end up working for three hours and you didn’t get enough sleep…again. Or, skip your workout because you need to make another phone call. How often do you look up to realize that you didn’t get away from your desk longer than that restroom sprint? What about breakfast, lunch and your dinner routine? Not eating nutritious meals on a regular basis because you don’t have time to shop or cook, let alone digest them.

Nurturing yourself also includes breathing space…downtime in whatever form you crave. Mine includes journaling, walks on the beach and soaking in bubble baths. You may like to get lost in planting a flowerbed, playing a sport, or sketching a still life.

It doesn’t matter what you choose to do in your leisure time…what matters is that you take time to step away from the pursuit of daily life to pursue the business of being a whole person in body, mind, and spirit. The result will be a you who brings a stronger and more compassionate self to the business we are passionate about.

Hop over to my Facebook page and share with me what you have chosen to do to mother you!

 

[Friday Five-Minute Writing Prompt] Mothering myself…

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Mothering myself…

Friday five-minute writing prompt

Take out a fresh sheet of paper. Natalie Goldberg uses a “fast-writing” pen. I suggest using your favorite writing instrument and an unlined piece of colored paper for fun. I use a fountain pen with purple ink. Some folks opt to use a computer. Please remember that typing puts you in another part of your brain. I believe you have greater access to messages from your soul with the pen to paper. However, if you are not physically able to write, then just open a new word document on your computer and go for it. The point is to keep your fingers moving for five minutes and not stop. I want you to experience how much writing can be accomplished in a short period.

If you get stuck, just repeat the writing prompt – Mothering myself... or any other phrase that is comfortable for you. Do not stop to edit, correct spelling, look up a better word, or rearrange a sentence. Do not question what comes up in the five minutes: this doesn’t make sense, where did that come from, or what a crazy notion. This is a timed writing exercise so be sure to set the timer on your watch, phone, microwave, computer, or kitchen stove. Whether you use an egg timer, a No. 2 pencil and a spiral notebook, your iPad, or even your iPhone, the theory is the same. Keep your hand and fingers moving and have fun taking dictation from your unconscious self. Make a list, hum a tune, write a poem, or create a short, short story. This is your time to explore and experiment.

Photo credit: jamienease.com