This Moment

This Moment
This moment is what counts right now.  This very second ... and now this one! 

It's easy to get swept up in the stress and the chaos this time of year. It's even easier to set unobtainable expectations and strive for perfection in every way whether it's finding the perfect gift, having the perfect outfit or making sure your house is perfect for your company. 

As you get yourself crazed over almost everything, you overlook the current moment that you are in. 
You miss out on the smiles from strangers. 
You miss the hearing the laughter of the child in the store.
You miss the opportunity to dance to the music playing everywhere you go.
You miss seeing the acts of kindness happening all around you.

Don't miss anymore moments.  Enjoy every single one you have today, and tomorrow, and the next day.  For moments is all we truly have. 

You Are

You Are

Sometimes you need to remind yourself of who you truly are.  Not what others say about you and not what you want others to believe but who you have always been and will always be deep at the center of your soul.  

• You are brilliant
• You are strong
• You are bold
• You are funny
• You are fragile
• You are talented
• You are creative
• You are trustworthy
• You are sarcastic
• You are fun
• You are smart
• You are fearless
• You are caring

But most of all ... you are love.  Don't ever forget that.  You are a walking billboard for love. How you love, who you love, what you love and how you are loved back. Always remember who you are...

It's Not that Serious

It's Not that Serious
More often than not we take life, and ourselves, way to seriously. We forget that we are spiritual beings having a human experience and with that experience come fun and laughter. We spend too much time stressing about situations that have occurred or "may" occur and far too little time realizing how blessed we are in the moment. Not only is there beauty around you all of the time but there is also a reason to smile, a reason to laugh and a reason to believe that everything will be okay. So take a deep breath in and on its release, look around you. What can you be joyful for? What can you smile about?  And most importantly, how can you bring that light to others? Remember ~ it's not that deep! Enjoy the day!!

Filter

Filter
Throughout the day we are inundated with so many messages, so many opinions, and so many updates that it's easy to get swept up in it all.  We are like a sponge.  We absorb everything we see, everything we hear and everything we experience and at the end of the day we are left feeling tired, cranky, depressed or just plain pissed of.  Well, what for? What good is that? Why are we allowing our mood and our experience to be dictated by everyone else?  

It's time to set the filter on your life, not just on your Facebook page. Turn off the news, turn off your phone and spend some time with yourself figuring out what is "allowable" in your life - that goes for people in it too.  Decide today what you want your life to look like, what messages you will allow in your space, and what energy you will surround yourself with. 

Here's a hint - if it doesn't bring you joy, if you doesn't make you smile, if it doesn't uplift you, if it doesn't make you feel strong then it shouldn't be in your space! 

Own It

Own It
It's time you own every part of your life; from every good decision to every bad decision - own it.

Own every time you have disrespected yourself.
Own every time you have hurt others.
Own every success.
Own every laugh.
Own all of the times you dove off the cliff and took a risk.
Own your failures.
Own the times you stuck your head in the sand.
Own the times you had to end bad relationships.
Own every dance.
Own the times that you messed up good relationships.
Own every time you fell in love.
Own every kiss.
Own every cupcake.
Own every lesson.
Own every breakdown.
Own every post on social media.
Own every fight.
Own every smile.

Own all of your sh*t.  Once you do, you will be free.

Fear

Fear 
Fear makes us do some crazy things. When we are afraid we lash out on others. We may be loose with our words. We jump to conclusions quickly. We put out harsh statement to the universe. We look for blame. We look to finger point. We may even look to hurt others.

Fear perpetuates one thing - more fear. Nothing good ever comes out of a place of fear. Nothing. We can choose to stay in this state or we can choose another but that's up to each of us. We can spend our time wrapped in anger, wrapped in fear, wrapped in hate ... or we can spend our time uplifting others, spending quality time with those we love and most of all using this platform called life to carry the love and light so desperately needed at this time.  What will you choose today?

Free Yourself

Free Yourself
Sometimes we need our world to come crashing down to see that we weren't truly living. We were just going through the motions of life but not enjoying the simple moments throughout the day, not enjoying other people's company, and not even enjoying our own company. We hear the saying that "life is too short" and we embrace it but we don't always live it. Consider this your moment to make that shift. It's time to free yourself from the invisible walls you have put up around you. It's time to free yourself from the past hurt and pain. It's time to free yourself of judgements and self doubt. It's time to free yourself of toxic environments. It's time to stop allowing other people to dictate how your life is supposed to look. It's time to live ... and really live. It's time to feel every moment, embrace every situation, meet every smile, take every chance, walk through every door ... it's time to truly and unapologetically - live!

Chances

Chances
How many times are we presented with an opportunity and yet we don't take it. Instead we choose to stay in the same hamster wheel running around getting nowhere. Why?  What stops us from taking those chances that present themselves to us? Chances are our opportunity to learn more about ourselves, to grow, to try new things, and to leap with full faith that the net will most certainly appear. Life is full of chances. It's our responsibility to take them, try them, or even run with them. Give yourself permission to dive into the unknown. You just might find what you have been looking for - you.

Take a Break

Take a Break
To many times we go full steam ahead and we do not think about what we are doing, why we are doing it or if it's even something that we want to be doing! We just go on autopilot. We are lucky if we even take a break to eat, no less to reflect on our day. Well what if we did? What if we actually carved out the time to make sure we are working on our goals and that we have a clear vision for our lives? How would our lives look differently if we did this? It probably would be completely different, wouldn't it? So what are we all waiting for - let's go! It's time to get our lives exactly where we need it to be. Turn off the autopilot button and start steering your life in the direction you want to go in. You owe it to yourself. No, you owe it to the universe to live your fullest potential.

To Begin, Begin

To Begin, Begin
New starts happen all of the time.  Actually they happen every day and sometimes a few times a day.  That's the beauty of life. You can change course in an instant. You can choose a different path to pursue each day. Nothing is holding you back from trying new things, exploring new places, and meeting new people. The only thing that ever stops you is you. It's that simple. You get in the way of yourself more often than you should and why? Do you not feel worthy of living up to your potential? Are you apprehensive that life can bring you the joy and happiness that you seek or is it far greater than that? Are you afraid that you can have everything you ever dreamed of? Let's make this simple:

• You deserve to have a fulfilling and enriching life. That is your birthright by being here. 
• You are worthy of being happy in all of your relationships. 
• You have skills and talents to go ahead and pursue the job or career you know you should be doing - not the one you are currently in.
• What you dream of is what your life can and should look like. Turn that dream into a reality.

Sometimes you just need to begin again in order to achieve the life you not only envision but that you deserve.

Magic

Magic
We are magical beings. Somewhere along the way we forgot that. We feel like things just "happen" to us rather than that we are participants in life; that we choose our paths including who we interact with every single day and which lens we view the world through. Within each of us lies an unspeakable truth though ~ we are made of and have always had magic within us. It's our job to tap into that creative, inspiring, and joyful place inside ourselves. Our childlike wonder resides there. Our hopes reside there. Our unconditional love resides there. That's the place where dreams are born, passion thrives and energy is abundant. You know that place. You felt it as a child as you built forts out of blankets, as you made superhero costumes out of paper and tape, as you created new worlds with crayons and construction paper. That place still exists. Our job is to get back there. To reside there. To give ourselves permission to be the magical beings we once were and still are. 

Here is your permission - go unleash your magic.

No Judgement Zone

No Judgement Zone
What would it be like to go through your day without putting any kind of judgement on anything, be it a situation or a person?  Could you do it? Could you last all day without passing one single judgement on someone or something else? What about yourself? Could you go one day without thinking something judgmental about the person reflected back in the mirror? 

When we place judgements on other people, especially ourselves, we allow negative and toxic energy to rule us. It's that simple. If you allow that into your space you also allow that into your heart. It's easy to pass judgement. We live in a world that feeds on it. Ultimately though you know better and you don't have to subscribe to that way of thinking nor acting any longer. The more you can be open to yourself and others, the more peaceful your life will become. You don't have to struggle, you don't have to fight, you only have to just...be...and that's more than good enough.

Center

Center
We are all searching for our anchor, for our center, for our place of peace and purpose.  We tend to look outside of ourselves to feel whole. We try and find it in other people or things only to be disappointed time after time.  Trying to find your center in something outside of yourself will never work.  Has it yet? So stop. That's right just stop. It's time to go inward. It's time to do the hardest work you will ever have to do and that's finding your center through you. It's there and it's always been there. You've just decided that going outside was easier than going in and guess what, you are right. But you will never get to a place of real inner peace without turning in, feeling everything you've been afraid to feel, getting real with yourself, seeing everything for what it truly is - especially your own behaviors - and that's when you will get to your center. It may seem a bit scary but what's even more scary is living a life without ever finding you. It is now time and you can do it. Dig deep, find your beautiful core and let that bring you the peace you long for.

Breakthrough

Breakthrough
Our greatest breakthroughs can happen at the most unexpected times.  They usually occur at the worst time actually or at least that's what we think it is but in reality it's the perfect time. It's when we are feeling broken that we are at our most vulnerable place which means we are also broken wide open and can receive true clarity, blessing and lessons from whatever situation we are facing. It's hard to see it that way when we are in the midst of the storm. When we are walking through the pain we sometimes can only feel the hurt and despair but if we allow ourselves to open up enough, we will see how this can be a game changer in our lives for the better.  Maybe it puts us back on our path of living up to our highest potential.  Maybe it happens so that we can find ourselves again. Just remember that no matter how hard life might shake us, we will not break; rather we will breakthrough.

Ten Gallon Love

When you are a 10-gallon person and you want love, you want it on a 10-gallon level, but if you fool around and hook up with a pint person, they could be giving you all that they have -- sincerely giving you everything, but it doesn't fill you up, because you're bigger than that.

~Bishop T.D. Jakes

Ten Gallon Love
You deserve love that equals the kind of love you give out. If you love with every fiber of your being, you need someone who also loves with every fiber of their being. Too many times we end up falling for someone who, for whatever reason, can only give "pint" size love. That's all they have to give and yet you stay for too far longer than you should. But when you know you have a great capacity to love, when you feel it pouring out of your soul, well you owe it to yourself to allow someone in your life that feels it just as much as you do. Why settle for a smaller amount of love than you want or rather than you need? It's like ordering a small size smoothie when you really wanted a medium. It really doesn't satisfy you and although it's what you ordered, you know from the beginning it's not what you needed. It's time for you to be loved on a ten gallon level!

Be You

Shine with all you have. When someone tries to blow you out, 

just take their oxygen and burn brighter. 

- Katelyn S. Irons

Be You
Have you ever been around someone that just didn't care what other people thought?  Maybe they were singing loudly in the subway or better yet, they were walking down the street dancing to their destination. They are enjoying life; taking in every single second and making it their own. They have a deeper understanding that life is to be enjoyed, it's to be marveled at, and the more you can be true to you - well the more fulfilling life will be.  

Stop hiding to the world who you are. Stop trying to be someone you are not. Embrace every part about what makes you...well you! Live every day authentically. Do not live it for others or even worse, live in a state of waiting. There will never be enough time in the day, enough money in your pocket, the right time to go back to school, the perfect time to leave your job or the best moment to move. If you heart is telling you to try something, to travel somewhere, to be more creative, to find more peace and joy in your life well by all means this is your time to do it.

It's time to start being congruent with what you feel and who you truly are. It's your time to shine. 

Ride the Wave

“I've learned life is a lot like surfing. When you get caught in the impact zone, you need to get right back up, because you never know what's over the next wave......and if you have faith, anything is possible, anything at all.”

~Bethany Hamilton, Soul Surfer

Ride the Wave
Have you ever watched a surfer? They must become one with the ocean in order to be successful. They must feel the current and act on instinct in order to catch the perfect wave.  When they do, they allow the wave to dictate where it takes them. They don't try and change the direction of the wave for they can't.  If they get knocked off their board, they go out and try again. They wait patiently for the perfect timing...

Life is like surfing. If we try and dictate it or force something to happen before the perfect time, it will throw us off the board. Once we surrender to it, once we allow our instinct to come through, once we decided that we will go with the flow, well then we can enjoy the ultimate ride.  

Should vs. Are

Soul is about authenticity.  

Soul is about finding the things in your life that are real and pure.

~John Legend

Should vs. Are
You spend way to much time worrying about what you "should do" rather than embrace who you truly are.  You look around you and see your friends owning a home, having kids, painting that white picket fence on the new house they just bought and you think that's what I should be doing too but that's their story not yours.  Yours may look different and guess what, that's OK! You don't have to do things just because you feel you should be. If you try and be someone you are not, well that life won't fit you and you will be just as unfulfilled and unsure, even with all of the "shoulds" around you. It's time to fully embrace who you are, what you want out of this life and what you want to give to the world. There are no apologies you have to make for being you. When you know what you want, whatever that looks like, don't look back - just go for it. The world will tell you a thousand times over what you should be doing but there is only one person you need to listen to and that's the voice inside telling you that you are going to do this differently.  Stop letting people should all over you and find your comfort in who you truly are. 

Something New

Something New
The time has come to usher in something new!

• Learn a new skill
• Cultivate a new friendship
• Try a new hobby
• Book a new adventure
• Follow a new path
• Set some new goals
• Cook a new meal
• Switch to a new career
• Watch a new show
• Love someone new

It's that simple yet that profound. Go ahead and enjoy your something new.

Purge

Purge
When you feel like your life is a bit stuck, when you feel that you are on a hamster wheel and you can't get off, when you feel like you are carrying around too many burdens then it's time to do some serious purging.

• Purge your spaces. Clearing and making space physically also makes space emotionally.  Donate those items you never use or trash what you've been holding on to but should be thrown away.
• Purge your social media accounts. Give yourself permission to defriend, unfollow and delete any people or pages that are not bringing you peace and joy. Why are you allowing anyone or anything to stir up negativity in your life?  Remember - you are choosing to have them in your space; make a different choice.
• Purge your friendships/relationships. Everyone person you surround yourself should be a support person, they should "get you", they should uplift you and challenge you to be a better version of yourself. If there is anyone in your life that treats you poorly, sees you as competition in any way or put you down for any reason - cut the cord. They are not serving your highest good, they are only taking up space in your life that someone better could be taking. 
• Purge your career. If you are not enjoying what you do at all, well it's time to get that resume updated and move on getting yourself into a better situation.
• Purge your commitments. Being busy doesn't always mean that's' a good thing. If you are doing something out of obligation, stop! They best word you could ever learn is no. It will give you your life back. It's a small word but the most powerful. Learn to use it more often.

Purging = freedom.  Enjoy clearing out your life in every way and making space for joyful relationships and opportunities that are just around the corner.

Let Go of the Old

Letting go means to come to the realization that some people 

are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny.

~Steve Maraboli

Let Go of the Old
Too many times we hang on to our past.  We grasp it so tightly that no matter what we do, where we go, or who we meet, our past also becomes our present. We place it right next to us like a neon sign blinking "hey look over here, I'm carrying around my past & my pain" and for what exactly? Why do we allow our past to walk beside us in our present? It's simple; we haven't yet let it go. Well this is about to change right now - not anymore and not past this moment. What do you need to let go off in order to open up your life? What have you been carrying around with you that it's overdue to let go off? What burdens, hurt and pain can you lay on the floor and finally walk away from? Whatever comes to your mind first, is the very thing you need to let go of. Letting go doesn't mean you forget but what it will give you is freedom from the feelings that are weighing you down. When you hold on to old wounds, you hurt only one person - yes that person is always you and no one else. You owe it to yourself to finally throw down all of what has not been working for you and leave it there. Don't go running back to pick it up again. You deserve to treat yourself better than that. You and only you have the power to change your life. Make the decision today to let go of the old and leave it where it belongs, in the past!

Curious

Curiosity will conquer fear, even more than bravery will.

~James Stephens

Curious
When we where a child we were curious about everything. We took stuff apart and sometimes we even put it back together! We wanted to to know how something worked and why. As we get older our tendency is to just go through the motions of life without really even thinking about what we are doing and why. We have lost our sense of curiosity and our job is to find it again! 

The more curious you are about your life, where you're going, who is a part of it, and everything about it ~ well the more abundant and vast your world becomes. You owe it to yourself to stay curious. To go on adventures. To try new things. To broaden your world. That's truly living. Consider today your permission slip to tap back into your childlike curiosity. It's still there, you feel it deep within, so dust it off and let your curiosity soar. Enjoy this new lens in which you see the world and remember to stay curious all of the time, even until your very last breath.

Fight Song

This is my fight song

Take back my life song

Prove I'm alright song

My power's turned on

Starting right now I'll be strong

I'll play my fight song

And I don't really care if nobody else believes

'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me.

~Rachel Platten

Fight Song
Each one of us has our own "fight song". We are holding on to our hopes and dreams, sometimes by only our fingertips. We are scratching our way out of dark places because we have this gut instinct that what we are looking for is just around the corner. We can feel it. We can taste it. We can even see it when we close our eyes. It's just a little out of our grasp and yet something inside keeps telling us to move forward; to shake off any fear and doubt that creeps up along the way. 

That drive inside of you is your fight song. It's what rallies you to keep going. You might stumble or even fall because life is hard ... but so are you. Find your fight song inside and feel it every day. Let it carry you through the tough times and rally you when you need extra support and motivation. For some of us it might be a literal song that we connect to and play to give us that extra support while for others it might be affirmations or a motto that runs through your head in tough times to make sure you keep going. Whatever your "fight song" is, tap into it frequently and let that momentum be your rock. Don't ever forget that your're stronger than you know.

Rachel Platten's Fight Song Video

Crystal Clear

I hope when you count the stars you begin with yourself, 

and may you embrace the moonlight with your dreams. 

~Dodinsky

Crystal Clear

You have taken the time to explore your options. You have been introspective about your life and what has brought you to this point. You have done the hard and challenging work over the past few months that has lead you to this place. A place where you can make concrete decisions because you are finally crystal clear. It's okay to be nervous about making big decisions but not making them is actually a choice and not acting on opportunities can be shutting the door on a new brilliant path. You know what you want; stick to those goals, those dreams and make clear decisions that will take the steps necessary to bring that to fruition. It's time you spread your wings and fly!

Help

The willingness to share does not make one charitable; 

it makes one free. 

~Robert Brault

Help
To many of us try and do things ourselves. We never ask for assistance because we either don't want to trouble them, we don't want to inconvenience them and we figure what the heck, we can do it on our own. But sometimes life presents challenges or situations that are bigger than we can handle. We have to learn when we can rely on ourselves and when it's time to ask for help. 

Recognizing your limitations is crucial. If you are sick, most likely you go see a doctor. You realize that you can't always help yourself and that's key. There are so many people, your friends and family members included, that have skills and can help you but you have to ask. Look at asking for help as a strength. When you say "I can't do this alone", you'll be surprised who shows up to help or even a team that rallies around you. Don't try and be a hero in your own story all day every day. Let others come along side you and support you. We are meant to help each other so allow others to help you along your journey. You will be blessed for it - and so will they!

Options

Choices are the hinges of destiny. 

~Edwin Markham

Options
We are all faced with multiple options throughout the day. Some options are easier to choose from than others like where we should go eat for lunch or what station we should listen to on the radio! Yet, other options are more difficult. They might change the trajectory of our lives. The beauty in having options is our ability to make the choices that are best for us given the circumstances we are in. Options allow us to try new things, meet new people, and stretch ourselves out of our comfort zones. 

The next time you are faced with options, don't get overwhelmed. See your options as opportunities. Which option resonates with your soul? Which option makes you smile? Which option grows you as a person? When you learn to embrace options as a pathway to learning and growing, you will be grateful for them all day long.

You Matter

Be proud to wear you. 

~Dodinsky

You Matter
Just in case anyone hasn't told you lately, you matter!  Yes, YOU!! You might not hear that enough but you should. 

• What you say matters.
• What you do matters.
• Who you spend your time with matters.
• What you spend your money on matters.
• Who you trust matters.
• What you accomplish matters.
• How you live your life matters.
• How you treat others matters.
• Who you let into your circle of trust matters.
• What words you use matters.

It all matters because it makes you who you are. You are not just taking space up on this Earth. You have special skills and talents and that matters to not only you but to everyone around you. Despite how you may feel in a given day, remember that you matter most in your life and if you ever feel that you don't, well look in the mirror and recognize the soulful stare gazing back at you. Don't diminish yourself by ever feeling that who you are, what you say and what you do are insignificant. Quite the contrary - you are more significant than you realize. 

It's About the Lessons

It's About the Lessons
Wowzer - life can be so challenging at times, right?  Just when we think we are doing ok - BAM - a challenge is thrown right in our path. Sometimes they can be pebbles that we need to maneuver around and sometimes it's a giant boulder that stops us in our tracks.  Whether the challenge is big or small, see it for what it truly is and nothing more.  No it's not a way to take you of course but rather a life lesson to strengthen who you are. Life, in general, is about the lesson - what you need to learn about yourself while you are here. It's not about the house you live in, the clothes you wear, what you drive, what neighborhood you reside in, how much money you make, your job title, how many friends you have or even how fabulous your lifestyle is.  Those "things" are a byproduct of living a genuine and purpose filled life. If you try and take the easy way around what life throws at you by ignoring it or just moving quickly past it by whatever means necessary, well then expect to get the lesson in a grander way later on. We all owe it to ourselves to see every challenge, every moment as life teaching us about ourselves. How brilliant is that! We are our greatest lesson. Does that take work and patience and introspection? YES it does ~ and lots of it! But you are strong enough and deserving enough to make it through to the other side of the obstacle. See each life lesson as another rung on a ladder getting you to higher ground.

Good Enough

Today you are You, that is truer than true. 

There is no one alive that is Youer than You!

~Dr. Suess

Good Enough
Today is the day to recognize and important truth - you are truly doing the best you can right in this moment. You are not perfect, we are all flawed, but you need to cut yourself some slack and realize that you are and have been doing the best you can and that's ok. Not only are you doing your best but everyone around you is also doing the best they can at that given moment as well. Sometimes we are on our games and can go full speed ahead, other times we are lucky if we can make it out of the bed. Either way, you are doing what you can and you need to let that be ok. Don't judge yourself for "what else" you should be doing or the fact that you were only able to accomplish a part of your list for the day. Guess what?  That's perfectly OK! There is no need to beat yourself up and there is certainly no need to sit and pass judgement on yourself. Feel the joy of being you and release the energy of trying to be somebody else.

Signs

“All you have to do is to pay attention; lessons always arrive when you are ready, and if you can read the signs, you will learn everything you need to know in order to take the next step” 

~Paulo Coelho

Signs
When you drive there are signs all around you telling you what to do and where to go. You stop at red traffic lights, go on green, merge with oncoming traffic, stop at a stop sign and so on. The signs are put there to help get you safely to your destination.

Well life is like that. We receive signs all the time.  It normally does not come in the form of a traffic sign but they are constantly around us.  It's our job to pay attention. Especially when we have asked life to guide us or show us the direction we need to go in. It does but you have to be open and wide-eyed enough to not miss them.  Sings can come in all forms. The stranger who comes up to you and gives you advice.  The song that starts playing on the radio. The article you open up to when reading the paper. Sometimes it's a literal sign that is posted that speaks to your soul.  Those are real messages helping guide you to your destination. Don't ignore them.  Don't chalk it up to coincidence.  The more you recognize that help is all around you, the more you will feel confident along your journey.

Inner Compass

It's a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy.

~Lucille Ball

Inner Compass
When life presents new opportunities, it's your inner compass that should guide you on which way to go. It's good to seek opinions from trusted sources but don't discount your own inner feelings because ultimately this is your life, not anyone else's. Get still, get silent and listen to what your "gut" is telling you. You ultimately know the answer ~ you will feel it in every fiber of your being. Change can be scary but what's more frightening is staying where you are instead of embracing this new path before you. If you listen to your inner compass, you will never be steered in the wrong direction.

Storms

Rainbows apologize for angry skies.

~Sylvia Voirol

Storms
Storms can be scary. They fall upon you quickly. You don't always have warning signs when they are about to approach. They bring high winds, pouring rain, lightening and thunder. Everything and everyone runs for cover until it's safe enough to emerge again. And what happens when we "emerge" after a storm. We usually watch the tail end of it make its way across the sky. We might even sit in silence for a few moments caught in the wonderment of the sheer silence and how everything looks slightly different. There is a feeling, even for a moment, ok - let's begin again.  

Let the storms of your life be just that, a time for you to begin again. Recognize that in the midst of the storm that has fallen upon you, not only will it pass but it will make you look at life differently and that could be quite beneficial for you. Allow yourself to feel the emotions, even while your storm is on the tail end out. Feel all of it. Learn from it. Grow from it. Let the storms of your life literally help wash away the hurt and the pain.  Know that as the sun begins to rise again, so will you.

Sacred Space

Never be afraid to sit awhile and think.

~Lorraine Hansberry, A Raisin in the Sun

Sacred Space
Everyone should have a space that allows them to breathe, to dream and to reconnect to oneself. This space should calm your mind, your body and your soul and help you shut out the world, even for a few minutes. This space can be literally anywhere - that's for you to decide. If you don't have a space like this, your job is to find one! This space can be on a porch, a spot at the beach, inside a closet, a park bench, a comfy chair or anywhere that you can think of that when you are in that space, you tend to be able to relax. You can also create an intentional sacred space if you desire to.  You need to visit this space at least once a day for however long you can. You deserve that. You deserve a space that brings you back to center. We all need that. Go ahead and locate or find your sacred space and make sure you visit it often. By giving yourself the gift of a sacred space, you are opening up yourself to endless abundance.

Shine

May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks

May your heart be as light as a song

May each day bring you bright

Happy hours that stay with you all the year long.

~Irish Blessing

Shine
You are meant to shine brightly. Today is the day to show your inner light to the outer world. Be playful, dance, sing, laugh and allow all of the wonders of life to flow through you today. Be joyful and be silly. Find the light and the love in everything around you. Don't take yourself or your situation too seriously today. Be guided by your inner bright light and watch how you help illuminate others as well. Look inward, find your light and allow it to shine brightly the entire day for all to see  ~ for it is radiant and so are you!

Have A Nice Day

Your life is your garden,

Your thoughts are the seeds.

If your life isn't awesome,

You've been watering the weeds.

~Author Unknown

Have A Nice Day
Today is a day to sit back, relax and let yourself enjoy the day.
Enjoy the singing of the birds.
Enjoy the sounds of laughter.
Enjoy the smells of food being cooked.
Enjoy the sun shining upon your face.
Enjoy the sound of little feet racing across the floor.
Enjoy the splashes of water.
Enjoy the pop of a cork.
Enjoy the snoring of your pup.

Feel blessed that you are a part of this day and recognize all of the moments of pure joy and love that surround you.

Own It

If you could kick the person in the pants responsible 

for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month. 

~Theodore Roosevelt

Own It
Life doesn't just happen to you.  You are a participant, no the driver if you will, of your life. Yet most of us go around thinking that "things" just happen to us and we have no control over any of it. Here's a secret - you do! Life will challenge you all of the time but it's your choice on how you deal with it, what you learn from it and how you decide to grow from it. The most important thing you could ever own is own your life. Take responsibility for it - all of it. Just as you own the good, own the bad. Own your part in why a relationship failed. Own your part in why you didn't continue your education. Own your part in why you walked away from a friendship. Own your part in why you didn't finish a goal. Own your part in gaining the weight back. Own your part in all of it.

The more you decided to get real and own your stuff, the freer you become. By telling the gut wrenching truth to yourself, guess what - you heal your past wounds, your past hurt, and your past pain. But you can't fully do that until you are willing to own the role you play in your life. It's the most liberating thing you can do. Go ahead. It's safe. Take charge of your life today.

Know Thyself

All men should strive

to learn before they die

what they are running from, and to, and why.

~James Thurber

Know Thyself
Why is it that we take so much time getting to know another person but we hardly take the time to figure out who we are?  We are great at sitting with a new friend or colleague and want to know all about them and yet there are places inside ourselves that we have yet visited. Maybe we are scared of the possibility of turning over every corner of our being or maybe we just haven't ever really thought about it.  Either way, you owe it to yourself to get to know who you are first before you get to know anyone else. Why do you like the things you like? Why do you respond to situations the way you do? Why do you feel the way you do? Go ahead and delve in deeper. By knowing yourself first, you then can truly connect with another human being and not just on the surface. By taking the time and the energy to dig deep, you will unlock your blessings, remove self doubts and blocks.  Make a decision to get to the know the most important person in your life inside and out ~ YOU. 

Negativity Diet

Gratitude is an opener of locked-up blessings. 

~Marianne Williamson

Negativity Diet
When life feels stuck and you can't seem to get off the hamster wheel, it's time to go on a negativity diet. Most of the day you allow yourself to be inundated with negativity.  Whether it's watching something stressful or scary on the television, participating in gossip at work or with friends, or being around negative people, it permeates your soul ~ and your soul is calling out for some rest from the chaos. It's time to turn off the negativity and turn on the gratitude. Make a conscious effort today to surround yourself with only positive people and thoughts. Quickly shut down and shut out any drama. If that means not watching the news today, choosing an uplifting movie to watch or dusting off that book that you've been meaning to read about helping you along your path, well do it. Start you day with naming 3 things your grateful for. During the day remain open to seeing the beauty and wonder around you. Before you lay your head on the pillow tonight, name 3 more things you are grateful for. You might even want to break out a journal and write them down. The more you can shield and remove yourself from the negativity around you the more abundance and blessings you welcome in to your life.

Vulnerable

Vulnerability is not weakness. And that myth is profoundly dangerous.

~Brene Brown

Vulnerable
Life is full of smoke and mirrors.  We portray to the outside world what we want others to see and not what actually is. Just look at Facebook, Instagram, twitter and all of those social media outlets. According to our pages, we are always on an adventure, taking just the right angle selfies, eating incredible meals out, enjoying parades, events, concerts, etc. etc. etc.  Are we really living a "perfect" life ... um, probably not! But it's rare that we get real, that we share some of the struggles the pain and the hurt that life throws at us.  Do we need to plaster everything on social media? Well absolutely not but we do need to have an understanding that what we are showing to the world and what we are looking at on other peoples pages is what they want us to see, not necessarily what is.  The more we can start to be vulnerable and transparent, the more we will connect on a deeper level with others. We are all sharing the same story. It might look a bit different but underlying it's all the same - we are all struggling through trying to get to a place of peace. By sharing some of the realness, we can not only help others but we can also start to heal ourselves. Be vulnerable enough to share. You just might change a life for the better - including your own!

Options

Using the power of decision gives you the capacity 

to get past any excuse to change any and every part of your life in an instant. 

~Anthony Robbins

Options
The world is full of options and you, well you are full of options as well. No matter how "stuck" you might feel in any given situation there are options. You might need to step out of the way to see them because you might be too close to recognize what they are - but they are there. Sometimes, well most of the time, they are not packaged how you would expect them to be and so you might miss them or stumble right over them and keep going but not any more! Starting today, you will be able to see all of the different paths you can take. Today you will pay attention to all of the whispers life brings you, all of the people that cross your path and all of the conversations that are happening around you. Your options will become more than visible, they will become tangible and with this new insight and clarity you will ultimately make the changes to your life that you are desperately seeking. Never rule out any possibility for that could be the path that leads you straight into peace.

Forgiveness

Hurt people hurt people.

~Will Bowen

Forgiveness
We often wonder what the key to true peace and happiness is. The answer has always been and will always be forgiveness. Forgiveness doesn't mean erasing what has been done, pushing it aside or forgetting it; forgiveness means that you are no longer willing to carry around the hurt and the pain. The most powerful person you can forgive, well that is yourself. Start there.

Forgive yourself for allowing fear to make you immobile.
Forgive yourself for not recognizing the image in the mirror.
Forgive yourself for letting your voice be muted.
Forgive yourself for missed opportunities.
Forgive yourself for the choices that took you further from your path.
Forgive yourself for not loving yourself enough.
Forgive yourself for not owning and standing in your truth.
Forgive yourself for allowing chaos into your circle.

Forgiveness starts and ends with only one person ~ you.