Hi, Beautiful Friends!
In this time of the Covid 19 Pandemic, we recognize the need to adjust our meetings.
We set up a Zoom Room, and we will hold circles again.
For the holidays we are taking time off to relax. Join us again in 2022! Until then “Just Be You!”
Hello, Beautiful Women,
Inside of you are amazing ideas and seeds that can provide a bridge to life. You can plant your own seeds to growth when you feel supported and this is why I created the circle at Apositiva.
Okay, so once upon a time…. (this may be a longer story, but it’s worth it, so keep going)
My intention when I began Women Who Bloom circles was to provide a safe place and a bridge that all of us can feel connected to, feel heard, and be open to grow our ideas. Over the past few years we have met twice a week at Apositiva. These are free times to share and express ideas in a confidential space. We are all growing together.
Growing involves questions. Especially when we want to allow ourselves to be open to the realization that we are here to enjoy our lives. So we bring questions and journal about our ideas. Some ideas are old and most are how we want to go forward.
What ideas could you focus on? Can you give yourself permission to let go of the stuff that doesn’t serve you? How do you choose your thoughts?
Your choices matter very much and make you what you are, and your thoughts can carry you to joy, excitement, calm, as well as fear, so be on the watch.
Pick and choose your thoughts well. Notice what is fact and what is fiction. Choose what thought makes you “PING” with joy and leads you to feel good inside your mind, body and soul. You can make new choices about how you view the world, although some people feel help back from moving forward.
What holds us back from making new choices? Sometimes it’s an old meme, an old thought, or something happening in our unconscious, the background of our thinking.
When you are not paying attention, are you absorbing someone else’s stuff? (Note: In mentioning stuff, my definition here of stuff means: ideas, attitudes, fears, bios, opinions, humor, etc.). Your stuff is your stuff, experience, decisions, choices. Other people’s stuff is … well … their stuff.
Clearing old stuff can be done. Just like pulling weeds. What stuff do you clear? The stuff that anchors you to the past that doesn’t serve you.
Turn back time and travel to a time you want to explore. Journal. Wonder what was going on at the time. Re-examine your stuff.
Think about what you experienced, learned, and what you got in an old experience that could contribute to your life or the lives of others. You can also learn from others and get inspiration.
The book I’ve written with Bela Friedman and Rebecca Hufford gives our inspiring stories. For those of you who have asked, about the book Lessons From a Fall … here is the link to purchase the book – Click here for Lessons From a Fall.
If you want, you could change old programming by learning to use tools for personal growth.
Some tools could include: journalling, meditation, Neuro Linguistic Programming, Self-Hypnosis, Coaching, joining a class, and many more ways. When you join our Women Who Bloom circles you may enjoy meditations and journalling.
Take a walk when you need fresh perspective. Actively get yourself out of the environment where you feel confused or stuck. Literally stand up and walk around or open the door and get out in nature. Nature is interesting and healing, too. Connect with what you see, hear, feel, smell and taste. Your senses bring you in touch with your body.
Do you enjoy watching animals and nature?
Here is a deer I saw on a walk. Look closely. Isn’t she Beautiful!
Take some time to connect with nature, connect with yourself, and enjoy knowing that we are all connected by nature.
Click here and Watch this behind the scenes view in nature. Photographer Sets Up a Camera At a Log That Fell Across A Creek, Captures All the Wildlife That Uses It As a Bridge.
The next Women Who Bloom circles are the second and fourth Wednesdays at Apositiva in Portland, Oregon. We are taking time to relax and will resume in 2022.
When we meet again, our time will be
Wednesday, 10-11/11:30 am
I am planning on adding an evening circle for those who want to attend, but work during the day.
Would you be willing to share your input on evening times that work for you, so we can make a bridge for us all to gather?
Would you be interested in Tuesday or Friday evenings? I teach on Saturday and Sunday during the day, so for me these days are pretty busy, but a Tuesday or Friday at 6:30 or 7pm to 8/8:30pm could work.
Please let me know, so I can give everyone time to connect for evening circles.
2020 Commitment Ceremony
You commit yourself to a job, another person (marriage), school, but have you ever committed to yourself? Over the past couple years we did a “Commitment Ceremony to Ourselves” and it was fun! We have food, song, dance, and do a mind-map on the wall of what it means to commit to ourselves. Everyone contributes. I’d love to do this in the Spring if it works for you all.
In the meantime, take some time today to connect with nature, connect with yourself, and enjoy knowing that we are all more than we know. Enjoy being a Woman Who Blooms and remember to be open to the joy of being you. (Hugs)
See you soon!
Enthusiastically yours,
Cat
Have you got an idea or a challenge you want to figure out?
All you need is a tool to bring out the ideas and you can achieve amazing things!
Mind mapping can bring out the pieces to make that idea or challenge doable.
Join Cat Wilson as she presents this fun and interactive process.
Saturday, March 28, 2020
9:30 am – 4:00 pm
Apositiva Center
037 SW Hamilton Street, #1
Portland, OR 97239
More info here: Mindmapping 101
Book Release Announcement: “Lessons From a Fall, Three Powerful Women and Their Stories of Transformation and Growth” Now Available at Lulu.com.
I am excited to announce that the book I’ve written with two other life coaches and authors, Bela Friedman and Rebecca Hufford has been published, released and is available for purchase through Lulu.com.
Lessons From a Fall, Three Powerful Women and Their Stories of Transformation and Growth are engrossing inspirational stories that will enlighten, inspire, empower and help motivate you to make the critical changes needed in your world.
Lessons From a Fall is a collaborative effort where we share the difficulties of our personal journeys as well as the incredible wisdom we each gleaned along the way.
Our book proves that through grit and inner strength — nothing is impossible.
Our lesson is that although changing oneself can often seem impossible, it can be done. We each write about our personal challenges, sometimes in painful detail that brought us from adversity into love, fulfillment and our current roles as healers of the mind and heart.
Lessons From a Fall makes a great gift for yourself and others who are searching for an engrossing and well-written book to keep by your bedside to read over and over.
Click Here to purchase the book
If you have any question or need more information, please contact us at lessonsfromafall@gmail.com or call Cat Wilson at 503-816-5104.
Health is a state of peace and harmony. It begins with how you speak to yourself.
Are you telling yourself that you are not good enough? Let’s begin the New Year with a new vocabulary. Here are seven ways to talk to your body.
Be aware of the beauty around you. Sense the feelings inside and outside of you and notice with your inner and outer awareness what is real and what is imagined. Be aware.
Be free of the discomfort of news articles that disturb you. If you can do something, act. If not, go and freely participate in life where you can make a difference.
Be focussed on what matters in your world. Do you know your values? Take time to get focussed on what matters in your life.
Be here where you are right now and do what you love. As a mother, be a mom in the moment. As a student be in class and learn. Be where you are and enjoy your life in a mindful way.
Be loved by loving yourself. I’ve so often heard people say they don’t like their bodies. Well, your body is here for you to live, breathe, and be. Love your mind, spirit, and body.
Be strong in your truth. Once I learned that I wanted to do different work I changed careers and went into the coaching, training, and alternative therapy world. I walk my talk and practice my arts within myself.
Be healed by giving yourself good food and good thoughts. If you don’t feel well then explore when the discomfort started and consider the cause. Be healed because you matter.
Be it life or learning or being, take each day one at a time and remember to be kind to yourself.
Have you ever had a portrait drawn by an artist? Artists look carefully at the person in front of them. Taking pen and paper, they replicate the face in front of them from their point of view. Hand over a few dollars and you get someone else’s perspective of You.
Coaching is not about drawing, but you are asking a lot of questions. It’s not consulting where you give your opinion of how a person “should” move on their project. It’s about asking deep questions, and giving the other person the “insight” and watching them “create” their dream. Or maybe it is about self-discover in what is valuable to them. Coaching brings out the person from a deep seed we all contain.
Cat Wilson of Apositiva is offering a Coach Training program open to everyone. You may attend if you want to be coached or if you want to become a coach. Either way, you will get wider perspective and come up with dreams to work on.
For more information click here for Growing Coach Training. The coach training workshop is planned for Spring/Summer of 2020.
Rick’s Idea Photo Credit: Cat Wilson
I believe in tales of passage, people who tried an idea, a journey, or fell into an opportunity, even if a terrible idea that they loved, and made something wonderful.
“You can’t squeeze blood from a turnip” you argue. Ah, true. According to The New Dictionary, that means, “You can only get from people what they are willing or able to give.” (The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. 2002). But what about your goals and dreams? Are you willing to try? Are you able to give?
Have you ever tried a big goal, a challenge, and maybe acquired a taste for something that is actually not bad for you. What could you loose? What could you win?
In the movie “Under the Tuscan Sun” the picture opens with an author presenting his book at a bookstore. Francis, his teacher (played by Diane Lane) stands by proudly.
The author talks about being in a writing class and having writer’s block. All he has are terrible ideas.
He says that just as he was about to drop the class, his instructor Francis says, “Terrible ideas are like playground scape goats. Given the right encouragement, they grow up to be geniuses. Take one of your terrible ideas and work on it.” He says, “I did it!”
Later in the movie Francis takes the gift of friends – a tour of Tuscany, Italy – to begin writing on one of her own books and to recover from a divorce.
On a stop along the tour, she notices a passionate woman in a big hat, holding a duckling against her cheek as it nibbles her face, totally enjoying the experience. Her aliveness intrigues Francis and she follows the woman, but looses her in a crowd. Along the way Francis is drawn to a “For Sale” listing of estates, noticing the listing for a villa – Bramasole.
A passionate woman (Katherine) walks up behind her, and says, “It’s a nice little villa. Rather rundown, but redeemable. Are you going to buy it?”
Francis laughs and says that would be a terrible idea.
“Oh,” Katherine says, “terrible idea – hmmm. Don’t you just love those?!”
Further along the way, the bus is held back by some sheep, and they are stuck at this unscheduled stop directly in front of Bramasole, the villa for sale. She gets off the bus.
Francis looks at the villa, tours inside as she considers buying it, and a pigeon flies overhead and drops poop on her head. (yuck) Yet, this is the sign the seller needed to know who to sell the villa, which had been in her family for many years.
Sometimes in life we may find that something happens like a sign. The sign helps us make the decision. “This happened, so I CAN do it!”
Francis buys the villa, turning her terrible idea into a beautiful home!
When we “introduce ourselves” to an idea, we get to know our idea along the way.
When Francis tells her friends about her goal to repair the villa, they are surprised that she is willing to take on such a project. She doesn’t know anything about repairing a home.
Support does not always come readily from friends and family. Francis faces the journey alone, and gains the joy of a beautiful villa transformed by her dreams and imagination and respect from people after she finishes the project.
This blog is meant to encourage you to take a “terrible idea” that intrigues you and do something with it. Who knows what could happen for you?
One good idea can lead to the next.
Whether it’s writing a book, holding a focus group, or holding a workshop or mindmap party, I’m here for you in Coaching, Consulting, or Training.
We are all a work of art, and what we do makes us so even more. When I’m coaching my clients I encourage them to find what they love and do that one thing! This is how you create a more expansive you.
Art and drawing is a vital part of my life. Over the past couple years, I have been doing lots of sketching, practicing everywhere. You’ll find me here and there with my ‘Cat Bag’ filled with paper, pens, water color brushes, pens, brushes and plastic to protect water color pictures.
Current Shows
4655 SW Griffith Drive, #160
Beaverton, OR 7005
971.217.5660
+Google Map
It is such a joy when someone as lovely as Misa from Solace asks you if you want to bring your art in. She treats your pieces with such care and her talented curator Moose hangs the pictures to bring you joy. It is such a delight to show my collection here!
For those of you who fall in love with one of the Cafe Characters, a range of characters is ready to find a happy home. Prices are available with Misa, and all you need to do is ask.
Presentation
YES!!! Art is for sale, so contact me if you are interested in one or two prints.
4655 SW Griffith Dr. #160,
Beaverton, OR 97005
Books are my friends, and friends are everywhere! The words in these books have entertained my mind, my soul, and heart, enriching who I have become. As a coach, trainer, and creativityologist my friends – these books bring their authors and hang out with me in my library of ideas.
Book Release Announcement
In my youth, I always wanted to be an author. Although I have written literally hundreds of training programs I’m excited to share my first published book, a collaboration.
I am excited to announce that the book I’ve written with two other life coaches and authors, Bela Friedman and Rebecca Hufford has been published, released and is available for purchase through Lulu.com.
Lessons From a Fall, Three Powerful Women and Their Stories of Transformation and Growth are engrossing inspirational stories that will enlighten, inspire, empower and help motivate you to make the critical changes needed in your world.
Lessons From a Fall is a collaborative effort where we share the difficulties of our personal journeys as well as the incredible wisdom we each gleaned along the way.
Our book proves that through grit and inner strength — nothing is impossible.
Our lesson is that although changing oneself can often seem impossible, it can be done. We each write about our personal challenges, sometimes in painful detail that brought us from adversity into love, fulfillment and our current roles as healers of the mind and heart.
Lessons From a Fall makes a great gift for yourself and others who are searching for an engrossing and well-written book to keep by your bedside to read over and over.
Here is the link to purchase the book: http://www.lulu.com/shop/bela-friedman-and-rebecca-hufford-and-catherine-wilson/lessons-from-a-fall-three-powerful-women-and-their-stories-of-transformation-and-growth/paperback/product-24367942.html
If you have any question or need more information, please contact Cat Wilson at catwilsoncoach@gmail.com or call 503-816-5104.
In the world of coaching, questions rule. Clients can expect to hold court with a curious guide. But, do you know what questions do? What value do questions bring?
Questions are meant to bring information to the floor.
Clarify – Specifically what do you want?
Deepen – When you get what you want, why is that important?
Test – When you get what you want, because … how will it be in the future?
Ah Ha – When you look back on that time, what did you learn?
Rudyard Kipling said, “I had six honest serving men. They taught me all I knew. Their names were: Where, What, When, Why, How and Who.” As you can see in the mindmap, they lead the way.
Coaching is a process where the client is honored with having the answers. This means that the coach doesn’t give answers, because coaching is not consulting nor therapy. Inside the client has all the answers. The coach takes their client inside where it is safe to explore.
By asking questions, coaches help clients get to know themselves, open up possibilities, revisit dreams, introduce themselves, and take creative control of their own lives. If your coach is “telling” you what to do, then you are working with a consultant. In the world of coaching, questions rule, because they guide the client to his or her highest and best possible life!
When you want to become more, live better, or reach higher into possibilities, please consider me as your resource. I’m here for you.
“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” – Rudyard Kipling
Solace & Find Espresso