RACHEL AWES

Rachel Awes

All I Did Was Listen

http://allididwaslisten.blogspot.com

http://www.rachelawes.etsy.com

1.  We’re discussing strength to be me.  So in 100 words or less (don’t worry, I’m not counting), who are you?

i wear a ring that says love on my finger.

i like to hug. especially my hubby & two sons (ages 13 & 11).

sometimes i can barely contain my joy when i see my sons

playing out the best of who they are,

like when abe (the 13 yr. old)

dances

and sam says yet another

kind thing.

i really like to color.  a lot.

i like to affirm, encourage, lift up.

i like to open windows & let the light in.

i love little things like lilacs blooming, chocolate,

a card from a friend, morning coffee.

i am thankful for hearts

& all the beauty inside.

2.  A job is what many people do for money.  The term “Vocation”  has its root in the word “voice”.  What is your vocation (whether or not you are currently practicing it)?

i work as a psychologist in a solo private practice

in st. paul, mn with a passion for people to embrace

their beauty.

i also work as an art playgroundist and have an

etsy shop and have also begun selling cards to

gift shops.

i'm also a blogologist.

& mom.

3.  What does “Strength To Be Me” evoke in you?

everything i'm moving into.

my purpose.

my all.

being awake & alive.

loving.

going to the stranger

in the coffee shop

& telling her the truth...

that she is

remarkable, beautiful, special.

loving big. risking everything.

4.  What are your strength training tools-of-choice?

labyrinth walking

quarterly weekends alone for only creating.

prayer.

naps.

gratitude journal.

quiet.

5.  What methods have got you to the level of strength you possess today?

choosing people near me who affirm, love, & believe in me.

paradoxically, after that first sentence, also caring less what people think

& trusting my insides for direction.

following what brings me joy & also contribute to what

increases joy for others.

6.  If you were strength training for something, for what would you be in training?

trusting my path.

i say that because the deeper i follow it, i then hit moments of

doubt or fear & i need all my muscles to have groovy endurance

to walk through those with my face still facing the sun.

7.  We’re all human.  May we learn some about your humanity?

yesterday i told my husband & son abe that we needed to be at his

school at 6:30 pm for his bike trip orientation. they needed to then

cancel fun basketball playing plans they had made because clearly

this plan trumped. so we rolled into the school parking lot and it was

empty. the correct date was a month from that day.  oops. "nice, mom"

i believe was the quote! as we drove back, we all ended up having an

important conversation about something that had happened at school

that day that clearly needed our extra attention and nurturance.

sometimes there are unexpected blooms in our oops if we let them

live there.

8.  We’re all divine.  Would you share with us some of your divinity?

my prayer for my own life the last couple years is that i would

live into god's dearest dream for me.

9.  If you were authoring the Cliff Notes version of the story of your life (including the days that you have yet to create), what points would you want to highlight?

listen.

enjoy chocolate.

fall & get up again.

be grateful.

hug. a lot.

risk being myself.

stretch further into the world

with kindness.

enjoy colors.

be honest

about who i am.

love.

love some more.

Thanks so much to Rachel for being the pioneer in sharing her story!  

Rachel Awes

www.allididwaslisten.blogspot.com

www.rachelawes.etsy.com