April 1, 2022 Chautauqua

Beth's Ponderings

   Well, life has certainly been exciting of late.

   As I’ve had so much fun, and grown so much, I decided to sign up for a third year of the year-long mentorship program I have been a member of since April 2020.  I recently celebrated 700+ daily creative shares to the group!  OH MY! 

   My art exhibition at the Corridor Gallery in Red Deer was supposed to wrap up on February 28th, but due to a change in circumstances, was extended another week, and then a second week, and at the time of this writing, it’s going into its 4th additional week!  This has been an unexpected bonus for me.

   Also, I finished the 7-week singing/songwriting program and sang my song (an expanded version of one of my 10-Day Immersion songs) for the wonderful gals in the program..  A video of me singing the song (not my “official” debut, but a pre-recorded version) can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/beth.richardson.10/videos/1235772770282986  While I’m not singing as much as I hoped I would be by the end of the program, I did discover that 1. singing and songwriting isn’t as hard as I’ve always thought it would be, and 2. I am capable of doing a LOT more than I think I am.  I also have a whole set of different tips and tools to help me continue to develop a singing practice.

   I have no idea what is up next for me in this wild creative adventure of my life.  So far, most of my biggest opportunities have appeared because I showed up fully in a particular moment, and/or because I took a step forward and doors suddenly opened up for me.

   And that is one of the secrets to success.  Just showing up fully in the moment - wherever it may be and whatever you are doing, and then taking a step - even if it is the tiniest baby step, because each step moves you further from where you were and closer to where you want to go.  Even if you aren’t exactly sure of where it is you want to go because there is a bend in the road ahead that is blocking your view, just keep going, and soon you’ll be around the bend and seeing a brand new view.

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1prdEUjXWMN0T6XSA8Rm2n0mr-tcBAaGe/view?usp=sharing

   Whether you've enjoyed reading The Chautauqua from the first issue 20 years ago, are a brand new reader, or somewhere in between, I sincerely hope that The Chautauqua has enriched your life, as much as it has enriched mine publishing it.  If you would like to help ensure it continues to enrich others like yourself, I ask you to please consider making a donation to The Chautauqua. There are three methods available: 

Mail a cheque or money order (made out to Beth Richardson – Chautauqua) to Box 261 Mirror, AB T0B 3C0 

E-transfer to thechautauqua@gmail.com 

PayPal at https://paypal.me/thechautauqua (note: you will need to sign into PayPal first, and then specify the amount) 

   Your support and kindness is always greatly appreciated, and I look forward to continuing to bring joy and inspiration to you with each issue. Thank you so much and have a marvellous day!

And, if you are looking for a unique gift idea, please visit: https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html

Contact The Chautauqua via email: thechautauqua@gmail.com or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua   

No matter where you go or what you do, 

you live your entire life within the confines of your head.

 ~ Terry Josephson

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From TEA for the Heart & Soul Deck Created by Beth Richardson ©2021

email: thechautauqua@gmail.com

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to purchase decks:  https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html

Sometimes it's necessary to go a long distance out of the way 

in order to come back a short distance correctly.  

~ Edward Albee

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By being yourself 

you put something wonderful in the world 

that wasn't there before. 

 - Edwin Elliot

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From TEA for the Heart & Soul Deck Created by Beth Richardson ©2021

email: thechautauqua@gmail.com

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March 18, 2022 Chautauqua

Beth's Ponderings

   I don’t know about you, but some days it feels like we’re all on an out-of-control roller-coaster!

   Events around the world are enough to make you wonder if there are any sane leaders left. 

   The ever-increasing cost of living makes you wonder how much higher it can (or will) go up, and how long before we just can’t afford to pay our bills.

   If you have health concerns, besides COVID still lingering around, then you are probably wondering when things will settle back down, and when/if you’ll ever feel better.

   It is said that the only true constant in this world is change, and we are certainly seeing a LOT of change coming at us, all at once.  Of course, when there is that much change, and our lives feel out of control, the first thing we all want is to cling to (the illusion of) control and for things to go back to the way they were.  Unfortunately, we can’t go back, and things will never be the same.

   We can only keep breathing, keep putting one foot in front of the other, and keep being kind to those around us - because we’re all facing change, no matter how well (or not) we are handling it.

   I was reminded of a quote recently that goes something along the lines of: when everything is falling apart in your world, it’s because something new and better is being birthed.

   I know (believe me, I know!) it’s hard to believe that something better is coming when you feel like your stuck deep in the midst of the chaos and confusion, but the chaos never lasts.  Life goes in cycles, so if you can just hold on and remember that “this too shall pass,” it will be easier to handle whatever life throws at you.

  We’ve been through a lot in the past 2 years in particular, and we’ll be faced with more in the future - life cycles - but everything we go through makes us more resilient, and better able to handle the next situation we are faced with.  Keep breathing and keep smiling!

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jlsr8A6HD7eYEAWA7QeKd8Fd6Z52SQrK/view?usp=sharing

   Whether you've enjoyed reading The Chautauqua from the first issue 20 years ago, are a brand new reader, or somewhere in between, I sincerely hope that The Chautauqua has enriched your life, as much as it has enriched mine publishing it.  If you would like to help ensure it continues to enrich others like yourself, I ask you to please consider making a donation to The Chautauqua. There are three methods available: 

Mail a cheque or money order (made out to Beth Richardson – Chautauqua) to Box 261 Mirror, AB T0B 3C0 

E-transfer to thechautauqua@gmail.com 

PayPal at https://paypal.me/thechautauqua (note: you will need to sign into PayPal first, and then specify the amount) 

   Your support and kindness is always greatly appreciated, and I look forward to continuing to bring joy and inspiration to you with each issue. Thank you so much and have a marvellous day!

And, if you are looking for a unique gift idea, please visit: https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html

Contact The Chautauqua via email: thechautauqua@gmail.com or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua   

If you just look at all that already exists in your life, all that you already have: 

unlimited air to breathe, ample lighting to see, music to hear, books to read, 

stars to dream by, trees to gaze upon, floors to dance over, friends to cavort with, 

strangers to meet, enemies to befriend, woods to walk through, beaches to comb, 

rocks to scale, rains to splash in, rivers to float in, animals to bring comfort…

 you have to admit, there's more of it than you could ever, ever, ever, ever spend.

- Mike Dooley (tut.com)

email: thechautauqua@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua

From TEA for the Heart & Soul Deck Created by Beth Richardson ©2021

email: thechautauqua@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua  

Time is intrinsically linked to space.  

When you don’t have space, you feel like you don’t have enough time.  

Time arises in space, so when you don’t have time, it’s really a space issue.  

If you open up space in your mind and in your body, 

you’ll open up time in your life. 

 - Cate Stillman

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The more you live in simple rituals that work for your body, mind, and spirit, 

the more creative juice you free up.  

Your highly functional daily certainty anchors make you energy-efficient – 

freeing up space for clarity, for creativity and for stepping toward potential.  

- Cate Stillman

email: thechautauqua@gmail.com

 https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua

From TEA for the Heart & Soul Deck Created by Beth Richardson ©2021

email: thechautauqua@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua 

March 4, 2022 Chautauqua

Beth's Ponderings

   As my (free) email account is reaching its capacity limit (again!), I spent the past three days - in between working on this issue - deleting old emails. Some I remember keeping “just in case,” and some I don’t remember keeping at all (and would swear I deleted at the time they arrived). There are also emails that I saved to read “later” that haven’t been read in over 6 years! Note to self: just because you can keep something doesn’t mean you need to!

   I focussed most of my digital declutting efforts on emails from 2016 and 2017, which was a time in my life when I experienced a massive health setback, so that may also be why I have a large email backlog.

   It was interesting to see what interested me (lots of health related topics as I tried to figure out what was causing my health issues) which no longer do, and what was just becoming an interest (lots of subscriptions to artists’ email lists) as I started to transition to a new phase of life.

   The most interesting find during the email purge was a handful of emails, from an artist I admire, who had pictures of her artworks at the bottom of each email. Of the ones featured in the saved emails, I have copies of her paintings in her art & poetry chapbook that I did the interior layout for, and two of her original paintings now hang on my wall!

Beth

Read the complete issue of The Chautauqua here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lBNq9BxW-lBOsZVk_QWdA70fnUeWXESE/view?usp=sharing

   Whether you've enjoyed reading The Chautauqua from the first issue 20 years ago, are a brand new reader, or somewhere in between, I sincerely hope that The Chautauqua has enriched your life, as much as it has enriched mine publishing it.  If you would like to help ensure it continues to enrich others like yourself, I ask you to please consider making a donation to The Chautauqua. There are three methods available: 

Mail a cheque or money order (made out to Beth Richardson – Chautauqua) to Box 261 Mirror, AB T0B 3C0 

E-transfer to thechautauqua@gmail.com 

PayPal at https://paypal.me/thechautauqua (note: you will need to sign into PayPal first, and then specify the amount) 

   Your support and kindness is always greatly appreciated, and I look forward to continuing to bring joy and inspiration to you with each issue. Thank you so much and have a marvellous day!

And, if you are looking for a unique gift idea, please visit: https://thechautauquanewspaper.blogspot.com/p/products-for-sale.html

Contact The Chautauqua via email: thechautauqua@gmail.com or via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheChautauqua   

The less time you have to do something, 

the more you will focus on doing what is important and seeing it through,

 on account of the pressure.  

The result will be the same as or better 

than if you have an indeterminate amount of time 

to do it and take things too easy.  

 - Hector Garcia & Francesc Miralles

email: thechautauqua@gmail.com

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