Hula Hoop Your Way to Wholeness

Life is meant to be unscrambled like a jigsaw puzzle.

I'm a girl born in 1955. As early as five, I was asking for money from my father. My mother was a homemaker, so I knew to go to Dad for change for ice cream, a headband, or a hula hoop. A few years later I found ways to make money on my own by doing chores and selling Sunshine greeting cards door to door in the rural area of Michigan where we lived when my Dad was in the Air Force.

My father when he only knew joy.

I saved up for a ceramic poodle figurine that changed colors with the weather; a slinky, a yoyo, and a rubber banded object that when pulled by the hands spun in balance. Looking back, I feel empowered that I figured out ways to earn my own money. But yet, it was during this same time that I experienced not feeling like I was a part of the whole financial wheel, not balanced like my rubber band toy.

One Saturday morning, the six of us were piled into our station wagon to drive up to Alpena for a shopping day, I witnessed my father writing a check as we sat in the bank parking lot. I asked him what was he doing and he told me it was to get money from the bank. "Make it for whatever you want!" I shouted in glee. The thought of a book of checks to write out amounts sounded like the most delicious part of life I'd ever heard and why then were we not writing with the speed of a jet? He turned and looked at me with frustration and now as a parent I understand when he said, "It doesn't work that way." And I felt embarrassment roll over me. But why? I wanted to ask.

I never got any more of an explanation, and the years trailed on, and suddenly I was in charge of my own family, feeling as overwhelmed as my parents probably felt back then. Thank goodness for Suze Orman who helps us everyday. And as much as I know from her generosity, the connection I am making in my journey now is how I need to know I am quite capable to value myself enough to earn a sensational living while giving to my community in beautiful ways. And so connecting with my self esteem has become Mission #1 and I am so grateful to Caroline Myss and her program on self esteem.

Just last Saturday, I checked my mail and found a free copy of Louise Hay and Cheryl Richardson's book,  You Can Create an Exceptional Life after participating in a contest to describe my idea of what an exceptional life for me would look like. This book is helping me to see how ultra successful women - like Cheryl and Louise - indeed walk the same rocky path as me, as all of us, and find sterling and flexible ways to incorporate joy and wealth into their lives. This little book is saving me, once again.

I am a knowledge fiend.

As the creator of Workshops by Wolford, I am constantly seeking ways to improve, reinvent, and to fortify the human experience so that we can live whole, free lives. I like the idea of looking at a checkbook and not sweating the amount I need to write down. And I want to give to society through work that thrills and satisfies me.

Yet, I've spent too long worrying about how to accomplish that and now I know worry is just a fearmonger and has no place in our lives because there is plenty of money for ice cream and headbands and anything else inbetween. Knowing this, owning this, and applying this through spiritual and active practice is the key.

I am writing a new workshop titled: "The Problem is Worrying: How to Make Friends with Your Unconscious Patterns".  I will be pulling together lots of loose strings and will offer it online as well as in person in New York, and I am excited to do this. Not only does it feel great to be swimming in the knowledge and wisdom of my value, but it also feels incredible to know I am giving what I am learning to you, you who are waiting to take this information and to let go and to grow! It's never too late. Headbands and weather poodles for all!