Issue # 24 February 2005

Dear Impish one,
You are the reason for this newsletter. I'm dedicated to
supporting the "imp" in you - especially this month your
IMPerfections!

You're receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to it,
you're a member of "The Imp Community" online, or a friend
passed it on. Sign up or unsubscribe at the end.

A special welcome to new subscribers! Earlier editions are
archived: http://www.theimpjournal.com/archives/

============================================================

1. Feature Article: "True Confessions of an Imp"
2. Coaching Q&A: "I desperately want to meditate daily but..."
3. News, Comments, Success Stories, Winners
4. Inspirational Message to Ponder

============================================================

1. Feature Article: "True Confessions of an Imp"

I remember as a teenager reading 'True Confessions' magazine
while babysitting. A recent article in the newsletter from the
International Association of Coaches was: 'True Confessions
of a Certified Coach'. The author's fear of failure stalled the
process of getting her IAC certification. (The same certification
I am presently preparing for.) Then I read the 'Pure Heart,
Simple Mind' newsletter on 'Perfect Imperfections' which also
resonated with me. Perfect IMPerfections - I love it!

I have little blue scrolls tied with red yarn that I hand out at
trade show or other events. They answer the question, "What is
the Imp really?" And when you unroll the scroll you find the
answer, "An Inner Magnificent Part of YOU! Your Intuition,
Motivation and Passion! Your Innocent, Magical, Playful inner
child..."

So, Bev, gulp ...take the plunge... True Confessions of an Imp...
I am finally admitting that the Imp is Spiritual!

Inner Magnificence? Intuition? Passion? Of course they are words
for some aspect of our Spirituality. I'm still not sure why I've
been reluctant to admit that "The Imp" is my spiritual gift to
the world. Perhaps I'll explore that in a future issue...

I left behind my religious upbringing at age 22. I wasn't comfort-
able with organized religion, dogma, creeds. And, yet, I yearned
for a spiritual connection to the intangibles - beauty, love,
passion, potential, a sense of connectedness to all of creation.

At the bleakest, darkest point of my life in 1993, I heard about
Jean Houston's Mystery School. I felt compelled to be there!
It was a spiritual awakening - the most significant life-
changing event I'd ever experienced.

And that is when the Imp was conceived. He popped into my mind
unexpectedly and took up permanent residency.

Perfect IMPerfections. Ever felt like you've been juggling 10
plates and they have all dropped at the same time and lay broken
at your feet? Well, I'm admitting I felt that way this past
month. Trying to do way too much at a time! Didn't get sick but
did spend several weeks mostly sleeping and then getting farther
behind...

And when that happens, it is time to be gentle with ourselves and
accept our perfect imperfections. I have so many ideas I want to
IMPlement! And I'm learning to focus on one project at a time
instead of five!

The article "Perfect Imperfections" mentioned a book, "The
Spirituality of Imperfection" by Ernest Kurtz and Katherine
Ketcham. Now isn't that synchronicity!

John Bradshaw says, "I think this book comes closer to the real
meaning of spirituality than anything I've looked at in the last
twenty years."

I've ordered a copy through Amazon. If this title 'calls' to you,
I'd appreciate you using my Amazon affiliate code to order it.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/startinglifeo-20

I encourage you to read the article 'Perfect Imperfections' at
http://www.seishindo.org/newsletter.html 
Scroll down to the February 2005 issue. It's a delightful story.

Mystery School happens every year.
Check out http://www.jeanhouston.org 

============================================================

2.Coaching Q&A: "I desperately want to meditate daily but..."

Rosie's dilemma: "I desperately want to meditate daily (because I
know how beneficial it is) but I have so much negative self-talk
and avoidance going on - so what is that about??? In the Fall I
was meditating. A friend and I held each other accountable. But I
was away over Christmas and never got back to it! I think of my-
self as a spiritual person - attend group activities - but I want
to re-establish a daily spiritual practice. I'm in conflict here
and could do with some clarity."

I coached Rosie in our Coach Mentoring Program. We are both
preparing for Coach Certification through the International
Association of Coaches. What emerged in that half hour:

When Rosie described what was happening, it felt to me like a
'should'. What came to mind for me, though I didn't mention it on
the call, were words from the book, "Creating Money: Keys to
Abundance" by Sanaya Roman and Duane Packer. (Actually a very
spiritual book.)

"Whenever you feel a heaviness, a resistance, or a reluctance to
continue, it is a sign that you are not following your highest
path. Your higher self speaks to you by making you feel joyful
when you follow your higher path, and resistant and heavy when
you don't. If you are forcing yourself to do things according
to a list of 'shoulds', you are not listening to the deeper part
of your being. Your soul rarely says, 'You must do this; you
should do that'. Your soul says, 'Isn't this delightful? Doesn't
this bring you joy? Wouldn't you love to do more of it?"

Digging beneath the surface of the issue, I learned that follow-
ing a lonely childhood, Rosie married young and had 5 daughters.
For years she avoided being alone. For three months now she has
been living alone.

When I asked if she was re-experiencing the loneliness of her
childhood, she said, No". In fact, she liked being alone!

She felt safe and had created a sanctuary-like space of her own.
When she got home from work, she could spend her evenings doing
as she pleased. She loved reading, relaxing in the bath, listen-
ing to music...

"Rosie", I said, "I see what you are presently doing in the
evening as a daily spiritual practice!"

When I emailed Rosie about using the session with her as the
basis for this month's Q&A, she responded, "Yes, I am enjoying my
self nurturing and inward evenings while winter is still with us
over here in the north of England - thank you for thinking of me
and you certainly have my blessings - it was a great coaching
session and I thank you very much... ...you are an inspiring
woman and I hope we can work together some more - your coaching
is awesome!"

Then came the next email: "Hi again Bev - I've been reflecting on
the question while at Pilates!! I want to add my latest thought
which is about the difference between self nurturing and
spiritual practice - I think I'm quite good at the self nurturing
but still think of spiritual practice as something else!!! (As I
said before with my RC upbringing I grapple with this one.) Would
like to explore this a bit more - sorry if I am complicating
things for you!"

Ah, more synchronicity! My Buddy Coach, Maureen Miller, just
yesterday mentioned Jan Marie Dore to me. When I checked Jan's
website I just happened to find two wonderful articles.

In the February 2005 issue of her newsletter she writes of spend-
ing quality time alone. A time when you connect with your own
soul, when you allow yourself to hear your own inner voice, when
you plan a daily activity that brings you more peace or joy...
And much more!

A second article from January 2004 is on creating Sacred Space
in your home, office or garden. Bless you Jan Marie Dore and
Maureen Miller!

So Rosie, and you my dear reader, I encourage you to check out
these articles at Jan's website. http://www.janmariedore.com

What challenges are you facing on your journey to greater self-
empowerment? Go ahead! Send your question to:



When your question is answered in this column, you have a choice
of receiving a complementary 40-minute coaching session or a set
of whimsical Imp notecards.

To help me IMProve my coaching skills and be ready for
Certification through IAC, I offered a special last month. I am
able to include 2 more clients so the offer continues. As I
mentioned last month, until the end of June, you can get 1-to-1
support for only $30 per month. When I become certified, my
standard coaching arrangement will be $200 per month. Coaching is
done by telephone so you can be anywhere in the world!
Contact me for details. Mail:

============================================================

3.News, Comments, Success Stories, Winners

Our January Imp t-shirt winner is Steffany Gabriel of Montreal.
Steffany describes herself as a former workaholic who decided
there had to be more to life. She moved across the country to be
closer to family, now only works 6 months a year, is much
happier, has a social life, great friends, time to smell the
roses, read inspirational books, meditate, journal and spend
quality time with the people IMPortant to her. Awesome!

Each month I give away one "Imagine Magnificent Possibilities"
t-shirt. Have fun helping the Imp travel around the world and be
eligible to win February's t-shirt. Request game cards, enter
your location on the Guest Map and enter the contest.
http://www.theimpjournal.com/where-in-world.htm
New subscribers to this newsletter are also entered in the draw.

============================================================

4.Inspirational Message to Ponder

The Imp encourages you to write the quote on a card, read it
regularly, and then journal about your thoughts, insights,
feelings and, especially, actions.

This month's is from 'Imp' Steffany. When she wrote, she added,
"My favorite phrase which I repeat many times a day is: I'm rich,
I have abundance in every area of my life. I don't know where it
is coming from but this great richness is there for me."
Thanks for sharing, Steffany! I see this as a spiritual practice,
too!

============================================================

Please share this "IMPressions" newsletter with your friends.
Just hit the forward button on your e-mail program...

Look for your next newsletter in mid-March.

Warmly, "The Imp and I", Beverley ;-)

Beverley Howden, M.Ed.
"The Imp Lady"
Author, Speaker,
Personal Empowerment Facilitator,

1-250-897-0992

 

The Imp is the delight of my life starting over in 1993.
My other website is www.StartingLifeOver.com

==================================

To subscribe,

To unsubscribe,