My New Life - Birthday Celebrations

Judith Ashley is the author of The Sacred Women's Circle series, romantic fiction that honors spiritual traditions that nurture the soul.

My new life is now over two weeks old. I’ve danced through my house, celebrating that it is once again “my space”. Oops! This post was due up Monday but I spaced thinking it was scheduled to publish. Sigh...added the picture and am publishing today (Friday). Will have a new post and picture on Monday. Thanks for understanding.

When I pick things up, they stay picked up. If there are dishes in the kitchen sink, they are my dishes. The only food in the house is food I eat (which is really good because I don’t always have the will-power to turn away from ice cream).

I’ve spent this past week picking up the bits and pieces that got dropped along the way.

My writing goals remain the same albeit altered because I’m not sure I can complete the final edits on Sophia and publish both Sophia and Gabriella; write four prequels and then publish the seven prequels along with creating my Author Newsletter, finalizing my new website – after all, there are less than sixty days left in the year.

Where I am right now is deciding on whether to change my author headshot. I’ve had several professional headshots done over the years. 

Last week’s blog post features one.

Today’s post has yet another option.

And, to make things even more interesting, I’ll be including more options the next two weeks.

On November 28^th, I’ll include the last choice plus the previous pictures so you can tell me which one(s) you like best. That will become my head shot on my website and social media and future blog posts.

In the meantime, I’ve a birthday to celebrate!!!

Every day I do something special for myself—not just on my actual birthday or even my entire birthday month but one day for every year of my life! Believe me, should you choose to start this practice you may begin to see your birthdays in a whole new light.

FYI: It may be something as simple as spending the day in my nightgown and robe or perhaps extra personal reading time or a phone call to a friend I miss or haven’t talked to in a while. It isn’t about spending money on myself although I will admit a massage or pedicure is a wonderful gift. It is about making a conscious choice to give myself a gift.

What do you do to celebrate your birthday? Do you give suggestions about what you’d like to do? Or maybe gifts? Or are you someone who enjoys whatever other people come up with?

You can learn more about The Sacred Women’s Circle series on my website.

Check out my Windtree Press author page.

Follow me on Twitter: @JudithAshley19

I’m also on Facebook

My New Life - Creating My Tomorrow

Judith Ashley is the author of The Sacred Women's Circle series, romantic fiction that honors spiritual traditions that nurture the soul.

November is a special month for many reasons. It’s my birthday month. It’s Thanksgiving’s month. And now it is the month that starts a new season of my life.

A little background is in order.

My granddaughter and great granddaughter have lived with me this past year. Having them here was a blessing in many ways but it also created challenges in keeping to my Writing Goals. Having a little face light up when she toddled into my office in the morning, wanting hugs, up and to share kisses? Well, sucker that I am, that took precedence over whatever I was working on. And then there were the emergency child care days when the regular people weren’t available. Of course I said ‘yes’ and turned off the computer.

Ringing my gong almost a year ago

Last Friday they moved on to their new life and that meant I either went back to my old life from before they arrived or I created a new life.

Since it’s my birthday month, I decided a new life was what I wanted to create.

Rearranging the furniture came first.

Well, not exactly—first was the cleaning. No, actually first happened over the last two weeks they were here. I went through every kitchen cupboard and shelf as well as the pantry shelves and where I store other things. If I couldn’t remember when I last used it, I put it out for her to take. Setting up a household for the first time can be expensive! And since I was going to be a household of one did I really need 8 spatulas?

When they pulled out of the driveway, I rearrange the kitchen and cleaned the countertops.

Next came changing the arrangement of my living room furniture.

Life is about choices. And I firmly believe my Glasser tagline:

Your Choices Today Create Your Tomorrow.

Since I want my “tomorrow” to be filled with love and gratitude, I’m choosing to focus on what I want to create or manifest in this new phase of my life.

What about you? Have you a defining moment in your life when you’ve made major changes, even deciding to take your life in a new direction?

Please share!

You can learn more about The Sacred Women’s Circle series on my website.

Check out my Windtree Press author page.

Follow me on Twitter: @JudithAshley19

I’m also on Facebook

More Creating Sacred Space

Judith Ashley is the author of The Sacred Women's Circle series, romantic fiction that honors spiritual traditions that nurture the soul.

I’m writing this post two weeks before you’ll read it. It will be published on October 31, 2016.

Ross quartz crystal with owl and a variety of stones 

Some of you will be celebrating Halloween.

Some of you will be celebrating All Hallows Eve.

And still others of you will be celebrating Samhain (SawWen).

I will be spending time alone in the dark as the Wheel of the Year turns. Why “in the dark”? Because I will not have my porch light on or welcome trick or treaters. I stopped doing that several years ago when I was paying for my granddaughter’s dental work. Why am I giving out candy? What can I do different?

What I came up with was handing out money. For me, that meant pennies. (I live in a destination neighborhood where parents bring their children). The little ones (pre-school or maybe first/second grade were delighted. The older ones (middle school and high school, not so much). That’s when I decided to go dark.

In my Sacred Women’s Circle Series, I write about the eight Sabbats (or sacred days) in the pagan Wheel of the Year. For many believers of earth based spirituality, Samhain is the beginning of the new year. I’m one who celebrates Winter Solstice or Yule as the beginning of the Turn of the Wheel.

But I digress to some extent.

Sacred space can be anywhere you want it to be especially if that space draws you to it. What that means is the energy of that space is a good match for you. Should you desire, you can expand on that initial feeling and add items that inspire you.

If you don’t have an outside view as I do, consider hanging pictures of places that draw you in. Places you’ve been or always wanted to travel to. I did that when I worked in a job where my space was a cubicle. By surrounding myself with pictures and stones that had meaning to me, I created a sacred space that did not offend anyone around me.

Consider what you might add to your work space, your writing space, your living space if you wanted to amplify loving, positive, creative energy. There is no right or wrong answer as Elizabeth explains to young women she meets while in Ireland. It really is all about what looks and feels right (physically and emotionally) to you.

You can learn more about The Sacred Women’s Circle series on my website.

Check out my Windtree Press author page.

Follow me on Twitter: @JudithAshley19

I’m also on Facebook

© 2016 Judith Ashley

Creating Sacred Space

Judith Ashley is the author of The Sacred Women's Circle series, romantic fiction that honors spiritual traditions that nurture the soul.

And I paraphrase: One creative process deserves another.

Not only do I surround my computer with various stones for creative and inspirational energy, I have my computer set up so with a slight turn of my head to the right I look out into my backyard. I pay particular attention to that part of the yard I can easily see from my chair.

But that isn’t all I do to create sacred space in my office where I write. I have my Abraham Hicks perpetual calendar that I read each morning for reminders and inspiration.

Here are some items that I see whenever I walk into my office. They are to the right of my computer on a shelf over my printer.

Candle made by my best friend and selenite lamp

Crystal gift, candle I made and selenite lamp.

Books I use for inspiration and research are to the left of my computer along with two large stones that act as bookends: rose quartz and lavender quartz.

Feather and bling arrangement

Behind my computer monitor is a fantastic collection of peacock feathers, some natural and some with glitter, with three mirrored stems and two ostrich feathers. When the sun comes through the window behind me in the winter and hits the mirrored teardrop shapes, rainbows sprinkle the walls.

I find this beautiful arrangement made up of feathers I’ve collected in different places as well as some elements that were decorations on baskets I’ve won at writer’s conferences to be touched with romance.

I write romantic fiction or main stream fiction with a strong romantic element. My books also have a strong spiritual theme that runs through each book. By mixing spiritual and romantic elements in my writing space, I support my creative self.

How do you support your creative self in the physical space where you write?

You can learn more about The Sacred Women’s Circle series on my website.

Check out my Windtree Press author page.

Follow me on Twitter: @JudithAshley19

I’m also on Facebook

© 2016 Judith Ashley

2016 Fall Home and Garden Show #2

The tent had lights! and was Eye-Catching

Judith with books and banners in back

Judith Ashley is the author of The Sacred Women’s Circle series, romantic fiction that honors spiritual traditions that nurture the soul.

So thankful I was able to work all four days. It gave me time to talk about books and also to visit other booths.

Two aisles over was DaRockman and I will say I could not say "no" to several specimens he had on display. It's a really grey day here or I'd try to take a few pictures to share with you. Another post on another day.

One of the things I like best about this Show is that people do not expect to see a Book Garden so I'm able to talk to people who are interested in books but wouldn't necessarily know me. I loved the display this year!

Something for Everyone!!!

Amanda Washington with large banner behind.

Anna Brentwood and her Roaring 20's set books

Courtney Pierce's bundled trilogy

Courtney Pierce in Mystery section

Rosalie Redd's paranormal romance series

Pamela Cowan's books in the Mystery/Crime section

Susie Slanina's Metro series was a hit with children

The 1st five books in my romantic women's fiction series

Roslyn McFarland is the organizational energy behind The Book Garden. She’s not only an author but very creative. Look at the banners and how things are set up. All of that is due to her vision.

My apologies for the formatting errors. For some reason the pictures and text have a mind of their own today. I'm just grateful they all agreed to be somewhere on the page!

You can learn more about The Sacred Women’s Circle series on my website.

Check out my Windtree Press author page.

Follow me on Twitter: @JudithAshley19

I’m also on Facebook

© 2016 Judith Ashley

2016 Fall Home and Garden Show and The Book Garden!

Judith Ashley is the author of The Sacred Women’s Circle series, romantic fiction that honors spiritual traditions that nurture the soul.

Those of you who read my post last Friday at Romancing The Genres know that I spent Thursday through Sunday working at Fall Home and Garden Show in The Book Garden. I’m writing this post on Friday so I can’t report on Everything. I’ll write a final summary once the Show is over---look for that October 17^th.

I love seeing the looks on people’s faces when they see The Book Garden in amidst mattresses, decking, yard art, kitchen designs, etc. And because they didn’t come to buy books, their surprise is genuine. They seem to enjoy talking to authors and we authors love talking about our paper babies – our books.

Windtree Press and Rose City Romance Writers are represented there although Northwest Independent Writers Association members make up the majority of authors.

Roslyn McFarland is the organizational energy behind The Book Garden. She’s not only an author but very creative. Look at the banners and how things are set up. All of that is due to her vision.

You can learn more about The Sacred Women’s Circle series on my website.

Check out my Windtree Press author page.

Follow me on Twitter: @JudithAshley19

I’m also on Facebook

© 2016 Judith Ashley

Glasser Wisdom: My Plan Is

Glasser Wisdom: My Plan Is

Judith Ashley is the author of The Sacred Women’s Circle series, romantic fiction that honors spiritual traditions that nurture the soul. She is also on the Senior Teaching Faculty of The William Glasser Institute.

Dr. William Glasser first came to notice in the 1960’s due to his work at the Ventura School for Girls and the backwards of the V.A. Hospital in Los Angeles. I heard of Dr. Glasser in the late 60’s but it was 1978 before I took my first Basic Intensive Training. To learn more about this remarkable man’s life, I encourage you to read “Champion of Choice” by Jim Roy.

We’ve explored good and bad judgement and understand that “Useless Judgement” can and does negatively impact our lives. If you paid attention to your negative self-talk you’ve identified useless judgement in your life.

Here’s how to take control of Useless Judgement.

Write down the negative self-talk you’ve identified.

Rate each on a scale of 1 – 5 with 5 having the most negative impact.

Rank them in order starting with the ‘5’s’ and working your way down to the 1’s.

Look at the 5’s. Which one do you want to work on first?

Let’s say you pick

“I suck at technology. I can’t even use my smart phone well. I’m always hitting the wrong button and hanging up on people.”

This is a useless judgement you have total control over. So, what’s your plan?

You may now see “I suck at technology” and say “I don’t want to spend any time working on this. It really isn’t that important.”

Change the number.

Is it now a 1 or 2? Maybe a 3?

Next is “I’m too critical of myself. I’m constantly telling myself something is too hard or I can’t do it.”

This one is a bit vague. But if you don’t want to get more specific, you can still work on it as it is.

Thank yourself for doing something right

What can you say or do when you hear yourself being critical of you? Saying something is too hard and that you can’t do it?

Use your creativity. Imagine what your life would be like, how you would view yourself if this theme of negative self-talk was eliminated or at least greatly reduced?

If you appreciated the work you do?

If this is too challenging for you to deal with on your own, where can you turn for help?

A close caring compassionate friend?

A counselor?

I always recommend people read Dr. Glasser’s books to help stir their imaginations into finding their answers.

What’s important to take from this series of posts is
1.       The only person’s behavior you can control is your own.
2.       If you want your life to be different, only you can make that happen.
3.     Taking each item that negatively affects you (one at a time) and making a plan to do things differently works.

You may choose to seek professional help, you may choose to work alone, you may choose to join a group with similar issues.

By making a plan and following through, you will (I’m fairly sure) notice a shift in the direction you want to go.

Caveat: negative self-talk is powerful and when we want to make changes and eliminate or reduce it, expect an upsurge. Take a deep breath and remind yourself that this is a Useless Judgement whose time has come and it doesn’t want to leave. Wish it well and let it go.

Remember: Your Choices Today Create Your Tomorrow or keeping with the language we’ve been using Your Judgements Today Create Your Tomorrow.

Judge well.

You can learn more about The Sacred Women’s Circle series on my website.

Check out my Windtree Press author page.

Follow me on Twitter: @JudithAshley19

I’m also on Facebook

© 2016 Judith Ashley