the gauntlet

So the Gauntlet has been living in one form or another even though this site hasn't been updated for a while. Emails have been circulated. The Gauntlet lives on Facebook as well, but my beautiful friend, Tony, reminded me that this site was lingering and encouraged me to get it back up and running. So, even though there is a big gap between the 2007 posts and now, I wanted you all to know that the Gauntlet Lives!! I will endeavor to post some of the older content from 2008 but here was my new year post and following that look for my most current post!

A NEW YEAR!

Hi Everyone, I hope you all are having a good holiday! This past year has been a little bit sparse for the gauntlet for which I apologize. I am beginning to think to 2008 as a "tear down" year. A lot of established ways of being have been torn down this year. I, of course, see it in my own life but I've seen it in a lot of other people's lives and maybe you've seen it in your lives too.  If 2008 didn't hold a lot of change for you or tear downs, then maybe the question to ask is "Am I stuck?" and "Why?" Here's what I am thinking about 2009. It feels like a "building" year to me. I don't know if the structures will be finished and free standing by the end of 2009 but they will be well on their way. What does "building" require? It requires action - purposeful action. As my father use to say, "If you don't reach for something, how the hell do you think you will get it?" Maybe we are perplexed about what to reach for. As we know with the gauntlet, it can be as easy as organizing your closet, mailing your packages or paying your bills on time. We don't have to have grand goals like "write the great American novel". Little goals are, after all, the stepping stones to grander, bigger goals.  BUT for 2009, I wanted to try something a little bit different. In the time honored traditions of "new year resolutions", I wanted to think about what some of these "bigger" goals might be and then throughout the year, concentrate on the smaller steps that lead me there. So I ask you to join me in some thoughfulness about what some of your "bigger" goals are. This is your year to build on them. You don't have to accomplish them. You don't have to have them all written down, in alphabetical order, and prioritized by January 1st either.  Let's just turn our attention to these bigger goals and then let's hack away at them throughout the year. You can add onto them as we go. Headway on one goal might bring about yet another goal for your list. This year is about consistency. Consistency of action and growth. This doesn't mean we won't falter. This doesn't mean we won't need to reinvigorate ourselves from time to time. It just means that when we forget, we must remind our selves and each other and start again.  So what are some of your big goals? I have to really sit and think about mine. I have a few in mind..... 1. Physical accomplishment. Consistency in the pursuit of health for my body 2. Cover some ground on two of my main writing projects. 3. Get a hold of my finances.  4. SImplify my home. Thats a lot of ground to cover in a year. That's why I say it's a building year. I will work on these goals ( and perhaps others) throughout the year. And I will get in touch with all of you to let you know what little steps I am taking to get me down the path. And I will reach out to you to do the same.  Join me? The new year is almost here. Think about what you want for yourself. Think big and then act small. I'll check back in with you around the 1st of the year to kick off our journey. In the meantime, here are a few favorite quotes I've come across lately that made me smile.  Much love to you all. Shannon Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.  - Will Rogers
Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. 
-- Soren Aabye Kierkegaard
There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew. 
-- Marshall McLuhan
How to make a million dollars: First, get a million dollars. 

-- Steve Martin 

ONE IS ONE

This may seem obvious. One is one. But as we know the most simple ideas are sometimes the most difficult to put into practice. I think complexities and complications can seem to more comfortable sometimes. It gives us something to talk about to one another as we commiserate. But I digress. 

This is what I mean by one is one. A lot of times I think we negate the notion of one small step, one small gesture because it seems like it's not enough or it seems like our goals are so far into the future that one step is almost irrelevant, but one is one. And the beauty is that if we stay present, one is one - not more and wonderfully, not less. And all we need is one, and then another one, and another one. But here's the rub. If you stop in your steps, then one is also one and you start going back down. Once again (and thank goodness) not all at once. So don't beat yourself up for missing one step, even two, but there needs to be momentum in a direction. Because if you don't have momentum on one direction, then I'm sorry to say, you are having it in the other direction. 

So revel in the notion that one is one. It is beautiful and simple. It doesn't dwell on the past and it doesn't jump way ahead into the future. It's just one. It relieves you of all the stress of having to be more than or do more than. Just do one. Just be one. And if you miss one step, remember that doesn't put you all the way back at the beginning. It just puts you back one. And, as my friend Pam says, you can start your day over at any moment. Like now. Or now. Or now. 

So as you work toward your goals, just work on one step at a time. One is one. No more. No less. Live in the simplicity and reap the benefits!

my goals remain the same as my new year goals but I'm gonna work in steps of one and pushes of three weeks. Join me?

What will you work toward?

Dream Big. Act Small and Build!

xoxo. shannon

Barbara Hall, Northern Exposure, Rosebud, 1993

Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.

Henry David Thoreau (1817 - 1862)

Hi, Everyone.

As we are fast approaching the one year anniversary of the gauntlet (November 1st), I struggled with whether or not to get one in before  that. What I decided is "Why not?" So buckle your chin straps, gauntlet 9 is about to hit the ground running! So....

MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2007 is the start date. Think about your goals! I'm going to really try to do something different for this gauntlet and I'm going to take some time to organize my thoughts about this one. I want it to be a raving success!


So get ready! Think about what you want to focus on and make a commitment!

I'll chime in a few days before to make sure you're all raring to go!

Love and light as always!
Shannon



Apathy can be overcome by enthusiasm, and enthusiasm can only be aroused by two things: first, an ideal, which takes the imagination by storm, and second, a definite intelligible plan for carrying that ideal into practice.
- Arnold Toynbee

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.
- Annie Dillard

I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
- Edward Everett Hale

My Friends ~

Well, Gauntlet 8 is done for most. Congratulations! A few started late so you may still be going, in which case - Keep Up The Good Work! How'd it go for everyone? I have to say that I sometimes forget the amount of focus it takes to really follow through on your goals. It's hard and it takes commitment. I've been a little low on energy lately so it was a bit of a tough one for me in terms of focus. But here's how it finished up for me:

1)  train for the triathlon 5 times a week - okay well, I've put in some time but not necessarily 5 times each week. The scary part is the triathlon is in two weeks. Yes, two weeks. I'm concerned but I keep telling myself that I just have to use the utmost of determination, will power, focus and relaxation that I can muster and I'll be fine. Let's hope I'm right. Sep 16  - Zuma beach.

2) eat clean - not so much sugar and junk food - well, not so clean. Cleanish might be the best way to describe it. I'm now in slough off some sludge this coming week so I can relax the week running up to the event mode. I ate okay but this last week I didn't do so well. It's a new moment starting now!

3) small portions! - did alright on this most of the time. Yay for me!

4) get into a book (summer) - nope. no time or energy I'm afraid.

5) write at least 2 treatments - Well, no. I took notes on some treatments but nothing written. The good (and very bad) news is that I promised someone a treatment next week. So.....guess what I'll be working feverishly on all week? Nothing like a deadline to make you get things done!

6) work on integration - make the outside match the inside so I will be expressing who I am to the world - Hhhhmm.... this is a long and involved process that requires a real awareness. The good news is that I think I'm understanding more and more how to do it or rather what it looks like. So this is my quest.

7) journal and meditate at least 5 times a week - no, not five times a week, but dang it if it doesn't feel good when I do it. It's just like exercising my bod but it's exercising my heart, mind and soul. When you finally get off your butt and do it, you wonder why you haven't been doing it every day. Well, something to keep in the forefront of my mind.

8) half my weight in ounces of water every day! - no. But, as I said before, I've been more conscious about water intake and have been taking more in than usual. And now I HAVE to for Tri Day cuz if I'm not hydrated, I will bonk for sure.

9)  walk on the beach and enjoy the moment - waves, sand, sun, wind and me (summer) - Okay, well, I'm going to count this as done because the last ocean swim I did was a real treat. There were seals in the water, the sun and clouds were beautiful and in my wet suit, I could float like a buoy and I truly did stop and take that in for myself on that day.

10) tap into the universal heart as often as I can - as often as I can wasn't enough but when I did it, it was great!

11) go out with a girlfriend or two one night (summer) - DONE!

12) print my list and look at it every morning to remind and inspire myself - printed it. didn't look at it every morning.

Okay, everyone! What happened with you? Next Gauntlet will be in September. I'll email the dates in advance for anyone who wants to get up for it! Remember all updates are on the blog too (www.gauntlet.squarespace.com). For those of you who email me your lists and comments, let me know if you want me to post them or not. And a big THANK YOU to Tony (www.tonyleroy.com) for including me in his monthly newsletter.

My love to you all. Whether you participate or not, your energy is out there supporting this process. THANK YOU.

Talk to you all soon!

Love,
Shannon

PS - Anyone wishing to be removed from my email list or if you have anyone you want me to add, just email me and let me know! Thanks!

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.  ~e.e. cummings

Wherever you go, go with all your heart.  ~Confucius

May you live all the days of your life.  ~Irish blessing, also attributed to Jonathan Swift

Whether you think you can or think you can't - you are right.  ~Henry Ford

If you hear a voice within you say "you cannot paint," then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.  ~Vincent Van Gogh

It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.  ~Edmund Hillary

To the question of your life you are the answer, and to the problems of your life you are the solution.  ~Joe Cordare