Have you ever dug through the junk drawer to look for an allen wrench or that little tiny screwdriver that is only used to take the battery cover off of toys? Searching through the drawer reminds me of when we dig through our own wonderful selves to find the tools to understand our lives. I don't know about you, but I have totally used a screwdriver as a hammer before.

Using the whatever is a handy method that can work temporarily. For long term enjoyment of this life though, I believe we can learn to use the tools we have in an effective way. For example, for years I used self deprecating humor to get the insult in before someone else could. Eventually, I realized that felt awful and wasn't necessary. Humor is a wonderful gift and I couldn't see wasting it on beating myself up any longer. The tool of appreciation helped me shift that habit. I'm very good at laughing at things that come up or if I've done something that was a little silly and I love that about me. The days of bullying myself are over, thankfully.

Self appreciation is a tool that is in everyone's toolkit. Sometimes we just don't remember where we put it and how the heck to use it. Perhaps we haven't ever been taught it is more than ok to like oneself and then use that as a tool to help others.

Years ago I realized I wanted to help people to find what was in their toolkit. I can read the screen of someone's life for the rest of my life but the real fun comes when the person I am working with realizes they rock and are amazing. THAT is the best experience to be a part of. It is why I became certified as a coach and then in Belief Re-patterning (final certification pending. woo hoo!). When I add tools to my kit, I can share them, loan them out on occasion and figure out creative ways to bring them to the public.

• What tools do you currently have in your kit?
• Do you know? 
• Is there a doohickey in there that you have no clue how to use? 
• Do you have a difficult time even admitting you have tools?
• Could you use help in identifying what you have and what you could add? 

On May 2nd, I will be co-leading a class with Tamlyn Hedemann. Some may remember her from a few years ago when she led a fantastic class on kinisiology. It was a very well attended class so when she was in town a few months ago we decided Pittsfield was ready for us again. This class will help you in all the areas indicated above and more. I am so excited to be able to double the skills and abilities by working with her again and offering it to you. There will be some tears, a lot of aha's and plenty of laughter, I promise you that.  Not only because humor is in my kit, but because Tam and I are a hoot together, if I do say so myself. 

In the meantime, how about you start doing a little inventory and check out what you have accumulated in your tool kit and see what you can build with it. If the tool is not serving you, perhaps you don't need an auger, be willing to recycle that baby and make room for some great gift of a tool. (A relationship that has passed it's time of effectiveness or a car that is limping along would be a good example of this.)

Taking my tools and heading out to build something!

Vicki

Click to access class information.:)

I am so grateful to my mother who insisted we read, learn vocabulary and strive to speak in an intelligent manner. I am also grateful, most of the time, for the English language. I say most of the time because I can get frustrated with the lack of descriptors for what I am feeling but that may be more an energetic issue than the language. Perhaps we don't have the words available in any language for the depth of emotions, both in the high sense and the sad sense. That is something to look forward too I suppose. Perhaps we will create a thesaurus of words to build on happy, exuberant, or ecstatic! I am hopeful because I don't know about you, but I am a bit done with epic!

Our language is a great deal of fun though if you think of all the words that can mean something else if the context is changed. For instance, if I said are you content? You would know I was talking about a feeling. If I said, what is the content of that box?  You would know I was referring to what is inside the box. Two different contexts, one adjective and one noun, but they both mean what is inside, don't they? What if I combined them and asked you if you were content with your content? It is a bit redundant but it is fun. I know all the teachers out there are going to ask me to reference that thesaurus and find another word, but for the moment, play along with me.

We all have content, whether that is our physical self with arms and legs and a head or whether that is our emotional self and the availability of feelings, we have content. Some of the content has been deposited by others early in our lives and some we have purchased for ourselves. It is good to have content, it makes us interesting and it creates a desire for others to get to know us too. But are you content with your content?

What if you did an inventory? Would you find that you really did like all that was in that box? Do you feel in alignment with yourself or do you feel discontent? (See what I did there? Yet another use of the word. So FUN!)

• Do you like you? 
• Do you feel happy most of the time? 
• Do you laugh on a daily basis? 
• Is your heart open to love? 
• Do you have an interest or hobby that adds to the content of your life? 
• Do you play well with others?

These are just some of the questions you could ask yourself to get started on that inventory. Everyone has value and the more we see our own value the more we will contribute to the whole. So if one is content with their content, they will still want to grow and strive for more, but they will do it in a flowing way. 

If you aren't content, that is fine, recognizing it is where you can start. Don't judge it and don't whine, please don't whine. Observe that you could be happier and open your eyes and hearts to ways to create that. Pretend you are making a shopping list. Create a list that helps you to see in the physical what could change and then pick one item and decide to specialize in that for this week. Be easy with yourself about this and hey, if you are willing to take those silly tests on social media to figure out what you were in a past life, you can do this. It is a way to truly connect with who you are TODAY!

Satisfied with my content....for today, :)

Vicki

www.vickibaird.com