After I cast on 300 stitches and started knitting my first row I realized 3/4 of the way into it I had to rip it all out..., well, it's quite possible that I may have overestimated my knitting skills.

I had it in my head that knitting would be like riding a bike - just a tad optimistic.

As I sat with the circular needle perpendicular to my belly in an effort to stabilize it so I could begin to re-cast on the 300 stitches I had a deep thought about creation.

Here I am, getting all frustrated because I want to create something beautiful and special and ... it's difficult.  Creating something special I think by definition is difficult and requires an investment AND a commitment. 

Sure, I bought the needles, the yarn, the stitch markers and of course the pattern book, but that's not where the real investment begins. The real investment and commitment to the project is so much more.

The investment happens one stitch at a time, across 300 stitches (and I can't remember how many rows). The commitment takes time, patience and intention.

I want this shawl to feel like a loving hug for its wearer. I want the wearer to know how much I love them. I want them to know I treasure and cherish them and that's why I decided to create something special for them .

In order to create that experience for the shawl wearer, I have to create that experience for the shawl creator (that's me). I have to create a feeling, an experience of love and joy as I painstakingly stitch this creation into existence.



I have to be patient, with myself. I have to be open to the possibility/reality of making mistakes, of starting over, and over again. I have to stay committed to my vision and not give up. 

And, you know what, this isn't just about knitting a shawl - it's everything and anything we choose to create... it's the moments that give life meaning - we get to create those too! 

We GET TO create every moment; we GET TO decide what our experience will be. But in order to do that with love and intention, we have to wake up and rediscover the experience of BEING OURSELF rather than focusing on DOING TO ANOTHER. 

Our purpose in life is not to manipulate things but to create living encounters of shared caring moments.

Whether it's knitting, doing taxes, or caring for critically ill babies and their families, we GET TO create every moment.

We can create moments of frustration, isolation and fear OR we can create moments of joy, connection and love.

We can actually switch gears when we feel a negative emotion coming on.  In order to make the switch we must begin to notice how we are currently showing up. 

It was a wake up call for me when I realized I was showing up to my knitting all irritated and frustrated; (there was also a ripple effect on my husband who was a victim of the collateral damage of my emotional state ). But, when I noticed how I was showing up I decided that's not how I want this to go down.

Noticing is about presence and awareness (here's a cool 12-minute medication I found that can help cultivate presence and awareness). 

Although, you don't NEED to meditate to develop awareness, it doesn't hurt.

Once you are able to notice how you are showing up, that's where the magic can happen; that's where you actually get to choose and create how the moment will unfold.

It takes practice for sure (just like casting on stitches to a circular knitting needle), but what we practice grows stronger. Neurons that fire together, wire together.

What I have found from the folks going through and graduating from the Trauma Informed Professional Certificate Program, their journey has opened their eyes to being more present in their lives, both personally and professionally. They share a deeper awareness of self and other that has empowered them be more intentional about creating moments that serve the highest good of all involved. 

So, on that note I would like to invite you to ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you feel out of alignment and disconnected from your purpose and passion?
• Do you know you have more to give to yourself and to the babies and families you serve?
• Do you yearn to share a deeper, more authentic expression of yourself with the world?
• Do you want to create a legacy that touches lives and impacts lifetimes?

If the answer is YES, then, my friend you GET TO create a future your present self will be so proud of by enrolling in the Trauma Informed Professional Certificate Program!!

In anticipation of the one-year birthday celebration of this incredibly unique transformational program that has been endorsed by NIDCAP Federation International, NANN, COINN, and NAPSW, we have reinstated our pilot pricing for a very limited time.

In addition, the first 20 people who enroll in the month of October will receive an autographed copy of the 2nd edition of Transformative Nursing in the NICU - Trauma Informed, Age Appropriate Care.

With a mission to transform the heart and soul of healthcare for babies and families around the globe, we need YOU!

Join close to two hundred interdisciplinary professionals from over a dozen countries and together we will pioneer the possible to create a kinder, more connected and compassionate world - one moment at a time! 

Thanks for taking the time to read me

Take care and care well,

Mary