Tag: Faith

Just LOVE

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Love and kindness are those qualities you hope you can authentically show up for in all you do. For the friends who need your support and care. For family. For the close, loving relationships that mean the most to your life. AND For yourself.

Recently I had heard a podcast with Elizabeth Gilbert and Tim Ferris and Liz was explaining a personal exercise that she has found so beneficial to her life….A Love Letter to Yourself. The idea being—having a two-way conversation with God and asking, “What would you have me know”…and listening to the loving response about what God would like you to hear about you.

Now, this is not a new idea and I consider myself someone who prays, has conversations with God and who seeks to be in tune to guidance and a belief in a greater divine. BUT, I have written myself five letters in the past couple of weeks and it has been a beautiful gift to myself. I cannot explain the difference of seeing words come to you and typing or writing them on a page and then going back later and reading them. It is a beautiful experience to say and hear things said back to you. It also seems to bring such clarity and guidance of things that seem genuinely important to myself and what I believe on a grander scale. It has been wonderful.

Highly suggest you try it. I decided to get up early, go on a walk and then sit down to write the letters to myself. Just allow. Open yourself to the dialogue and just begin. Don’t overthink. Just listen and feel your way across the page. It is very connecting.

xoxoxo

So, then I decided to challenge my husband to try the same exercise. He is generally pretty skeptical about any of my far out or not normal requests. It is all fine and good for me, but for him….here is the scenario…me asking him and suggesting what a nice opportunity it could be for him after he had been on a nice walk. I suggest, ‘Maybe try writing yourself a love letter tonight and see how it goes and then maybe you could do it a few more times to see how you really feel.’ He immediately responded, “I will do it for you tonight, but I am not going to do it three more times.” I shared, “Well, if you are not wanting to do it for yourself, then don’t bother. I don’t want you doing it for me, you need to do it for yourself.”

Needless to say, he did write the letter to himself and then he shared it with me. It was a beautiful note and it made me tear up in emotion at the sincerity and kindness that was shared. His skepticism of course chimed in, “Well, it was probably all in my head and I don’t know. I just started to look at it like I was in a conversation with God and that’s what came up.” I smiled and teased, “Of course. That is what you do. Of course you are going to hear your own voice. Its like a two-way conversation, but God is not all of the sudden going to have a different voice in the conversation.” smile. smile. “It is a gentle way of connecting and hoping you feel of your worth and love.”

I was grateful he took on the challenge and I was gifted the opportunity to hear the words he shared from the letter. It was a genuine, loving conversation that meant something deeper.

I highly recommend trying this simple exercise for yourself, with family, with your children…it is a connecting exercise that helps everyone feel a little more LOVE. Period.

Some other ideas to connect with God on a deeper level:

Tune in EARLY–I always heard Wayne Dyer share that he had a lot of inspiration come to him in the morning hours—around 3 am. That is when he would do most of his writing. He felt it was the best time of day to tune in.

PRAY–Prayer truly is a great way to simply begin. You can do a written prayer or just begin to ask, connect and talk. Nothing needs to be formal. Just pray from your heart.

CREATE–creativity through writing, art, music…is a very basic way to connect on some level. Many years ago I worked for a lawyer & I found him to be a very inspiring person. I asked him for a list of his top books he would suggest reading. The top of his list, “The Artists Way” by Julia Cameron. I was shocked that he had an artist book at the top. He just shared that it took him out of his normal routine and challenged him on another level. That is why he liked it so much. Another great book that I am reading currently, Rick Rubin’s book, “The Creative Act: A Way of Being” Also a great read. Creativity is within all things—the creation of all that is comes from an idea of the imagination…the seed of a dream…a divine spark…a whisper of a possibility. Creativity is a doorway to another depth, a challenge and connection beyond.

READ something inspiring–There are so many people in the world with their unique talents, stories, experiences, lives they’ve led and you can learn so much from them. Find those people or stories that inspire you, read from the masters, learn from the leaders of old, tune in to those people who inspire you and shed light on your world. Follow those souls who bring you to awe. When you read something and FEEL something–listen, take note, be aware, wake-up. When you read something and highlight the whole book…Follow that.

MUSIC–I genuinely feel more alive, inspired on another level when I hear a piece of music that seems to lift to the heavens. I just heard Coldplay’s new album & the song “One World” —it is a gorgeous song that has a lot of instrumental. [enJOY the instrumental parts in this song—gorgeous] It just took my soul to a heavenly place. Music can be like that. Whether its lyrics or the tune or the instruments…there can be pieces that set your soul free. Im sure every song is different for each individual. PLAY the music and see how it FEELS to your soul. Music has a power all its own. The heavenly muses play through us to bring it to the world to share. What a beautiful idea. Truly listen to the beauties.

CALM–through stillness, your breath, meditation, yoga, movement [like walking]…there are so many variables of things that can bring you to a quiet place and allow you to fall into a flow or a deeper rhythm of calm or a focus that transports you higher.

Tapping into your own STRENGTHS or PURPOSE–you have your own unique gifts that lead you to a higher calling to share with the world. Maybe you are really good at lifting people through leadership or have a natural eye for photography or easily string together a beautiful combination of words in writing. Everyone has things that light them up and get them excited. Follow that excitement and enthusiasm to those things that stir your soul and energize you. Chase after them, learn and grow through them and get yourself to a place to share with the world. YOU do you. The rest will come.

Pick a SPIRITUAL TOPIC and study it for a year & share what you learn–I remember when Wayne Dyer decided to do this with the Tao and got rid of everything material in his office space. He then carried a copy of the Tao with him everywhere and began to focus on one part for a specific set time. He then created his own ideas to share.

Keep a list of DAILY BLESSINGS–aka gratitude lists. You can do this on an individual basis or you can ask every family member to also share in this. Have everyone share blessings around the dinner table OR you can also share before bed OR you can also have everyone text things to one another throughout the day to keep the conversation and connections going.

Some other sweet ideas I found online to tap into a DEEPER CONNECTION–Go on a prayer walk around your neighborhood & pray for each individual as you pass their home . Blow a kiss to the sunrise or sunset and give thanks as you enjoy the beauty . Look at tiny details in nature and give thanks for the awe and amazement of such creations . Sing hymns that resonate with you . Go on a hike and give thanks for the grandeur and details all around . Light a candle every morning and read a devotional of some kind . Find a local cathedral and just admire the beauty and detail within the walls . Create your own prayer bead ritual and give thanks in your own way with each bead . Practice being of service by cleaning out your old & donating to those in need . Practice solitude with a specific time or day to have a technology break . Ask God to bring someone to you that needs you to help them . Write down personal miracles or moments of grace that you or your family were given . Once a week [over dinner or breakfast] have everyone share something that they felt helped them feel connected to God in some way . Have everyone in your family write down their own stories or experiences of when they felt God touch their lives .

Strive to JUST LOVE–Love is the opposite of all that is harsh or detrimental or destructive. It is a place of peace, light, calm, a higher place to seek to exist. Do all you can to simplify, grow in kindness, become a little better each day, let go of fear or judgements, calm the waters of chaos or anxiety…do all you can to strive to come from a higher place of love. Practice that. Every thing takes time, so you may as well practice to come from LOVE than anything else, right?

There are many little things we can seek and strive to do to bring a deeper connection with God. Coming from a place of LOVE is the greatest goal. Take it day by day…write a love letter to yourself. Write a love letter to your children. Help a neighbor feel loved. Be love. Spread Love.

As Coldplay says in the song…IN THE END, IT’S JUST LOVE.

DO THAT. xoxo

Peace, Love and Light to you. -H

FAITH IT

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FAITH IT

He has your back.

I wanted to share a few amazing stories that illustrate faith, belief and an ever knowing of a larger presence that fills our lives. The first is a very real and genuinely scary experience that recently happened to me.

My little family moved out of state and landed in a small cottage in a beautiful, serene, majestic area of the Pacific North West. It has literally been just over three months and there have been soo many emotions already.

Whenever you move (I have moved many times throughout my marriage–at least 15 times & four different states) there is always a bit of a transition period. It can be a fun adventure full of new experiences and new places or a time of stress. There is always a bit of both, because with any change comes growth. It can be exhilerating and tough all at the same time.

Well, things were going great! We were enjoying our new area, the beauty of this place, new people, etc. Exactly a month later, my parents came to visit & while we were walking the beach with them I came across a woman who was looking for small, red pebbles in the sand. I started to help her look & we began to talk. She asked where we had moved & I began to describe our new home & instantly her face went very sad. She said, “I know that house very well. My dear friends use to live there. Then she paused and said, “I probably shouldn’t say anything.”

I smiled, “You cant do that. What?” She preceeded to tell me that her dear friend had lost everything after her husband had killed himself. She felt bad, left my side and began to walk down the beach in my opposite direction. Obviously the conversation was hard for her.

I think I was in shock, stunned almost. I looked down the beach in the opposite direction at my family & knew I could not say anything. I needed to process this info. 

The next few weeks were tough. When my daughter & husband were gone on a couple work trips, I was left at home with our two, little dogs. I sat up every night with disturbing thoughts running through my head. I wondered where the suicide had happened. I wondered what the story was. I wondered if there was a bad spirit….my mind raced and worried.

It began to take me back to another point in time when my sweet husband had hit a very low point in his life, was depressed and couldn’t make sense of life. He wrote a letter to me & my daughter (who was four at the time) and took a shotgun up a canyon to end his life. Thankfully, he did not end things that day and we worked through depression and got him to a better place in his mind. It was a very emotionally tough time in our lives.

So, with this new information in our new home I became genuinely worried that maybe there could be a negative force or influence that could lead my husband back down that road. My mind began to swirl with worry, fear, negative thoughts of this new experience. 

I did not say anything to my husband about what I had learned for weeks and then I could not take it any longer. I had to tell him the information and that it had been eating me up inside. He was very supportive & said we could move any time & that we did not have to stay in this home if I felt unsure or dark about the situation.

Then, the very weekend my daughter was leaving us for her first college experience and moving away from us, something else unthinkable happened. My husband got a phone call, he gets off the phone and explains that this man had called and was looking for information on the recent sale of our home. He was talking about how he was an appraiser, he wanted to see our documents, was inquiring about info.

My husband said it was a nice call, but strange that the man wanted us to send copies of our contracts to him. My husband never got his name. That evening, our little family was watching a movie when my husband received a text from the same man inquiring about our moving info. and shares his name…Joe Dejel (I did change his name). My husband starts saying the mans name out loud & says, “why is that name so familiar? Who is this guy?”

I about died and I am sure my face turned a few shades grey. I responded, “are you serious right now? Are you serious?”  I then reminded my husband that Joe Dejel was the guy who had been stalking me 13-14 years ago. 

My daughter was sitting between us & becomes genuinely concerned. Like we all were.

Joe Dejel had been following me around our neighborhood for months & then showed up randomly at a CPR class I was taking to get certified as a yoga teacher. He had followed me over 30 minutes away from my home. When the leaders of the class asked his name & noticed he was not on any list I was terrified but also relieved because I was able to at least get his name. It was a terrifying experience to feel like someone is watching and following you. I got the police involved, found out where he lived so I could find out the make of his car & empower myself with knowledge. It was the most unsettling, power sucking feeling and experience.

So, to have this same man call my husband looking for info. having our old address in hand and trying to find out where we had moved, was definitely unsettling to say the least.

My whole body began to panic, everything began to weigh on me, “Why was this happening? Why would God do this? Why would he have two terrible experiences (my husband’s depression/suicide & this man stalking me) that happened so close together be almost playing out again in our lives…..my mind swirled, hashing and thrashing, unsettled, angry, fearful, trapped in worry and soo concerned and unable to understand what I was suppose to learn or what we needed to do. I became a wreck and my sweet husband was genuinely concerned.

My daughter was literally starting college two days later & that was the main reason we moved out of state so we could be a good support system to her in her time of transition & now this!!

I felt terrible for the fear that was brought on. My daughter was genuinely scared for me & jumped on her computer and started changing all of her personal emails, so she could not be found.

It was crazy!!

For a few days, I was a wreck. I was beside myself with worry and concern why this man was showing up in our lives again.  

It seemed like a very scary and difficult time in my life was showing up all over again and it was more than unsettling. Panic, fear, fear for my family, my daughter going off to college, so many emotions and feelings were welling up inside. 

I tried to be strong while we got my daughter off to college. I did not want her scared and worried about whether or not her mom was going to be okay. My daughter had been with me every day of her life, home-schooled & college was her first real experience to be around other people, socialize and find her wings. I was not going to have it all ruined or over-shadowed by a man and his possible intentions. 

We got our daughter off to college. She was still worried because my husband travels for work, so I would be home alone for days at a time. Our little home is surrounded by dark woods, so my daughter was genuinely concerned. “Shouldn’t we call the police,” she shared. 

I tried to calm her anxiety by telling her I would do what I did before, make sure we notify our realtors and neighbors to not share any info of our whereabouts & tried to reassure her that he would have to find a way in through our newly gated community.

She left feeling a little better. 

Luckily, I had a strong front for her but as soon as we got back to our new home, the fear would envelope me and I did not know how to stop it. For a couple of days I pleaded with my husband trying to understand why God would place both of these situations back into our lives. I desperately tried to come to a realization or seek to find some reasoning. My mind whirled with fear, anxiety, concerns of the unknown. 

My husband and I laid in bed Tuesday, September 21 (we dropped our daughter off on the 19th)  and after days of emotions we had the longest night and felt a heaviness within our hearts. My mind went from anger about no one telling us about a suicide to fear of someone breaking in and hurting us. I was jumping from one emotion to another, concerned our daughter was safe, wondering if we should move, feeling so alone and wondering why God would make us feel like this after just moving here. Soo many emotions. 

My sweet husband gently said, “We don’t have to stay here. We can go anywhere. If you don’t feel safe or you feel an energy in this home that is not good for you or our family, we can go.”

Neither of us slept the entire night. We kept talking and fretting about feelings, actions, trying to understand. I was a wreck and he just kept trying to do his best to console me.

The very next day I received ONE message from a sweet niece on my husbands side. She had just started college a month before our daughter, so I had been sending her little text messages of encouragement and love. Our communication was sweet, but just the regular Hellos and happenings. She had never sent me quotes or anything other than personal hello messages.

BUT, that particular morning I received just this quote in a text…this is what it said

“If the devil can’t take you out, he will try to wear you out. Stop obsessing, stop ruimating, stop scheming. Stop rehashing. Stop analyzing. Stop worrying. Give it to God and go to sleep. Since God never slumbers nor sleeps, there’s no use both of you staying awake.”

She said nothing. Only the quote was sent with a couple heart emojis. 

I read it and a peace like nothing I have ever experienced washed over me. I instantly ran to my husband and read him the message. We both looked at each other and said, “Wow.”

It was an answer to prayer, it was a calm like no other. Since that moment I have felt a peace and a knowing that God has our back. Whatever will be perfectly planned. He has taken our worries and freed me. I instantly felt safe. I have felt nothing but a sweet knowing that He is there and knows our every need.

That is the greatest gift. 

__________________________________________________

Zennon story.

I have been walking and walking while getting back in tune with listening to those things that inspire my heart and help me become a better version of myself. What God needs me to be.

I was listening to an incredible podcast…Good Life Project was interviewing Shelly Tygielski

Wow! what an inspiring woman with an incredile story. It was such a fun listen. LISTEN TO IT!

She had soo many great stories to share, but I LOVE a good Godwink story & she had a pretty incredible one. She was talking about her father-in-law and the wonderful man he was. She loved his spirit, but said he always hated the name he was given. For years he would not go by his usual name, Zennon. He told people to call him Chuck. Later in life he began to go by his given name.

Shelly shared that he was getting up there in age, to the point where the family decided to put him in a home. He hated it! He teased that he didn’t like old people. He had a lively spirit, so when covid hit and his facility was effected, it took its toll on Zennon. He contracted covid and was not expected to make it. The family was devestated and because of the situation no family could see him, but by some miracle, some end of life fight, Zennon tested negtive in his final days and family could come and give their goodbyes. 

Shelly and her husband flew to his bedside and were able to give their goodbyes.

She then talked about how hard it was to lose him and was trying to find some consolation in his parting, so she would ask for some sort of sign from Zennon that he was okay. She was so hopeful for some grand sign, but did not see or feel anything. 

It was time for her and her husband to head home, so they had called for a car to take them to  the airport. 

In the hussle of packing and preparing to leave, Shelly’s phone went off with an incoming message. She froze, in shock she yelled to her husband. He rushed to her, “are you okay? Did you forget something?’ Shelly looked at him in disbelief and showed him the phone, “Your Dad is coming to pick us up!” she exclaimed!! Her husband was worried, “are you okay?” He then looked at the phone and noticed the person coming to pick them up was “Zennon”

Sure enough her sign had come and Zennon picked them up and was driving the exact car her father-in-law drove.

Such a great story. The bigger, grander picture. The other side is closer than we can imagine.

_______________________________________________________

I genuinely hope and pray that these stories will leave you feeling peace and comfort in a knowing that God has your back and that there is a bigger picture for your life. Have faith in that!

Peace, Love and Light to you today. -H

BLESSED. GRATEFUL.

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I literally skipped out of the ultra sound radiology room after I was told that the lump was benign and that I will be fine.

My sister was waiting for me in the waiting room and I lit up jumping up and down, “Best day ever. I am going to be fine!!” Another woman sat in the room & smiled, “it is a good day,” she replied.

I was a flutter of good energy, so grateful to be alive, to not have cancer running through my body, to FINALLY KNOW that this bubble gum sized ball in my breast was nothing!! It was a morning of unknowns & then you look at the mammogram and see a dark, black mass & wonder if that is a good or bad thing. You have no idea until you hear the final verdict.

I cannot even imagine. I looked at the ultra sound tech and grabbed her and gave her a big hug. My emotions got me & I said to her, “I bet you have seen many different outcomes.”  She responded, “My mom had cancer, so days like today are good ones. I feel like I am helping people & this is a great outcome.”

My sister and I hugged each other as we left the nurse’s station and I began balling with happy tears as we walked out the doors. It was like a flood of emotion ran through me and relief swelled up inside my heart. I grabbed my sister so tight and told her, “I was so scared. I am so grateful. You have no idea.” We both cried and then cheered with joy. It was literally one of the happiest moments of my life. I just kept feeling so much gratitude in my heart. I know people walk out of their daily being told to go see an oncologist and I was a truly blessed person to walk out of there feeling relief, joy, gratitude. It was humbling.

I got home & my daughter was waiting in the doorway. I ran up to her and grabbed her so tight and told her everything was good and I was going to be okay. I started crying happy tears again. I expressed to her how blessed and lucky we are that I was healthy and that it was benign. We hugged the biggest hug ever. Relief filled both of our hearts.

It is a pretty delicate thing to look at a huge fear and know you have no control.

The day before I went to the hospital (Tuesday of this week)–my last post, I went on a long walk alone and just cried and cried. The what if’s were strong, but I looked at the mountain range in front of me & I said, “God. You can create incredible mountain peaks. Surely, you could remove or take away a small pebble sized fear in my breast.” I kept thinking that and crying. I kept looking at the immense mountains around me and had to have a greater faith that things would be okay.

I got to the end of my walking path & walked close to a small river. I looked down and noticed a black rock that had tons of small lines all over it. At our house we call black rocks with white lines, “Spirit or wish rocks.” Most spirit rocks just have a single, white line, but this rock had multiple lines in every direction. I picked it up, looked at it and said, “You have many wishes you hold. You are what I need to hold on to & have faith in many good wishes.”  I took that rock home & I also carried it with me to the hospital.

FAITH truly is in small details. I now feel the lump in my breast and know that it will be a reminder to me to have faith that things will be okay and that I am blessed.

GRATEFUL and BLESSED will never be enough expression of the relief, the gift, the shift that has taken place in knowing what a different journey I could have been on today.

THANK YOU is all I can even begin to say.

 

God bless. give thanks. be grateful in all things. Thank you. xoxo

The What IF’s?

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It has almost been a month since I found a lump in my breast and I have seen the other side of….what if’s…What if I die? What if this is it. What if this is one of the last sunrises. What if this is the beginning of unbearable pain. What if this is closer to the end of my beautiful life. What if I am taken away from my daughter, an only child, her best friend, her foundation, her comfort. What if I won’t be there for my husband to lift him when he needs me. What if I have poison running through my body. What if. What if. What if. It seems to never ends when you find something in your life that shakes you to your core.
You definitely see another side of yourself and you wonder how you became this small, scared version of something ugly, something you never knew could be there.
I feel like I rolled up in a ball for about a week, but knew I had to keep a strong face for my daughter. I did not want her to worry or wonder or think about the ‘what it’s.’
I knew I had to begin to look at the what if’s from a different place, a more powerful place. What if it is the ‘C’ word…What would I do? How could I take that on? Would I go traditional medicine? Would I talk to a lot of people? How could I handle this to my best ability? How can I empower myself.
Now, you must know one thing about me—I HATE hospitals, doctors, needles and I avoid them at all costs. In fact, I had not had any blood work done since my ONE and only daughter was born (15 years ago) & that experience ended poorly when the nurse yelled at me & told me I was making her nervous. NEEDLES. NEVER!
Well, when something shakes you to your core & your mind races with the ‘what ifs’ those needles don’t seem like the biggest problem in the room, so I took it with grace and dignity and powered through. I left the lab, looked at my husband and said, “One hurdle down! One more big one to go…the mammo.”
It is tomorrow and my fears begin to bubble to the surface and I have to find a place that helps me feel safe. I have found music, nature, warm showers, visualizing healing images and little things make me feel better.
ring-magical-vintage-mood-ring-1LITTLE THINGS: I bought myself a “mood ring” because when I was a kid I thought they were so magical. At this point I knew I could look down and see a variety of colors that would make me feel a little better. It works!! I look down at my finger and see bright purples, blues, greens and I know that deep down I am feeling CALM, HAPPY, RELAXED and it makes everything a little better.
Big hugs. You can never get enough of those little joys. Life is short & we MUST stock up!! smile.
Music-heals-the-heartMUSIC: There has been a song that seems to resonate with me at this juncture. The words seem to resonate. It is a song by Rachel Platten called Grace. Here are some of the lyrics that resonate:
I used to wear love like an army
I used to know nothing could harm me
Now fear got up all in my head
I’m all in my head, and I made a mess
I confess, I’m ashamed
And I need grace
To step inside my mind and help me be a better person
Release the better version of me
‘Cause right now, what I wanna do is scream it
I need grace ’cause I’m running low on faith
And I really wanna change my heart
‘Cause I’m falling apart these days
And what I really need is grace, grace, grace
I feel like I’m a ghost
I forgot the most important thing I know
That there’s nobody else I have to be
There’s no one else I need to please
I have the answers that I need
I used to wear love like an army
I used to know nothing could harm me
Now fear got up all in my head
I’m all in my head, and I made a mess
I confess, I’m ashamed
And I need grace
To step inside my mind and help me be a better person
Release the better version of me
‘Cause right now, what I wanna do is scream it
I need grace ’cause I’m running low on faith
And I really wanna change my heart
‘Cause I’m falling apart these days
And what I really need is grace watching over my mistakes
Yeah, I really wanna change my heart
‘Cause I’m falling apart these days
And what I really need is grace
 
The other song is RISE UP by Andra Day. That just makes you feel stronger.
a5ae7f8e8f57683986848258cb7c59bf--white-butterfly-butterfly-wingsVISUALIZE: I also believe in visualizing & when it comes to trying to heal something I see white butterflies. I envision the ball inside like a cocoon that is radiating light, waiting to be free from fear, illness, and there are hundreds of butterflies inside that break free and flutter throughout my body spreading light.
I also see the ball as a spinning bright light that explodes sending thousands of tiny stars spinning throughout my body.
It is hard to not know what is happening and having no control. I am trying to have faith that I will be stronger after this experience. I will RISE UP and be filled with GRACE.
What else can you do?
forest-trees-happyWALK: No matter what you have going on in your life, your body, your mind…a walk is an instant remedy and seems to help worry, stress, what if’s melt away and take you to a place of calm. You just see beauty, details, colors, nature soothes the soul. ALWAYS.
prayerPRAYER: NO matter what you believe, have a religion, struggle…I believe prayer is a very powerful tool and is not bound by any belief system. Prayer is the purest form of communicating fear, need, faith, humility, thanks. It is a gift that we can say simple words and bless anyone in need. That is a beautiful gift. I invite prayers from anyone and simply say thank you.
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I am still in the unknown, but I am trying to surround myself with hope, faith, prayers, lots of walks, warm showers and little things that make me happy. What else can you do. Life gives us struggles, but we learn through them and hopefully come out stronger. We can only HOPE to find the strength we need within and are able to RISE UP.
SAY a PRAYER. SEND SOME LOVE. TELL SOMEONE YOU LOVE THEM. HUG. SEND LOVE NOTES. GO ON A WALK. TRY SOMETHING NEW. EAT SOMETHING YOU LOVE. LISTEN TO MUSIC YOU ENJOY. Do things that make your heart sing…because we can!!
Peace and LOVE to you today. xoxo  -H

Spring Cleaning for the Soul

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Hello. Happy March 1. It is the beginning of a beautiful month and a perfect time to ask yourself some great personal questions. Kind of a Spring Cleaning for your Soul.

My daughter just turned 14! ahhh! Time goes by so quickly. One thing I wanted to give her for her birthday was an inspirational book that I made full of quotes, activities, questions and ideas to help give her life VALUE. When we feel we have values in our life, our life is richer with purpose and reason. I thought I would put together some ideas that you can run with, think about and incorporate into your own life.

 

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I think understanding what your VALUES are in life is key. You may already live by certain values OR maybe you are not sure what they would be. Here is a good exercise to get you started. There are lots of value exercises out there, but here is one to get you started…I would suggest your circle the top 8-10 and then from there narrow down your top 3 or 4. Post them in a visible place to remind you.

values-checklist

 

 

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FAITH is another good thing to have within your life. “Surrender to what is. Let go of what was. Have faith in what will be.”  -Sonia Ricotti     I think as humans we have a very hard time letting go and allowing. Faith is a step that you take to show you believe in something bigger than yourself.

ACTION: As a little reminder: just step outside at night, look at the stars and know how truly small you are.

 

 

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FOLLOW YOUR HEART  Your heart is like an inner compass, connected to all things good. When you are able to learn to listen and be guided by this inner compass, then you will be led to good things for your life. Each step in the journey of life is important & the best map is held within your heart. Follow it.  It is a divine treasure.

‘FEELINGS’ are a BIG indicator when following your heart. I learned this simple lesson & it was an ‘aha’ to my life. It is SO simple: If something (a decision, a conversation, an experience, etc FEELS ‘GOOD’ or ‘BAD’ then you follow that guidance. Everything you do will give you a feeling that is either good or bad. You cannot FEEL both at the same time. Follow that inner guidance at all times and your heart will make it feel so.

ACTION:  Make a list of things your heart desires for your life: a bucket list if you wish. This list will be great inspiration and will help you follow your dreams. Your deepest interests and aspirations for your life will come from the guidance of your heart.

 

 

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BE YOU   Be yourself no matter what anyone else thinks. God made you the way you are for beautiful reasons. He has given you gifts, strengths, talents & has made you unique.  Besides, an original is always worth more than a copy!   “Being the best is great, you’re the number one. Being unique is greater, you’re the only one.” -unknown

ACTION: Ask yourself these questions–What are some ways you can become or discover more about yourself? [take a personality test, write down things that make you happy/sad, etc]

What unique skills, strengths and abilities do you have? Write down what you feel you are good at. What awards or certificates have your received? What motivates you to do better? What strengths do you feel are you? What do you like to share with others? What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? What are some characteristics you admire in others?

 

 

blendinBE A LIGHT My favorite quote ever…speaks volumes about being a light. Love it.3abb3ea07eadb814b972960e9f70de91

ACTION: How to become someone that shines brightly from the inside out.

Have positive self-talk. How? Affirmations are a good start. Say positive things to yourself each day.  “I am happy to be me.”  “I am a vibrant being of love and light.” What I say to myself: “I am beautiful, healthy, fit and trim. I am love and light.”  No matter what–be kind to yourself. Don’t say things you would not say to a good friend.  Cultivate positive beliefs about yourself.

Self-love. Learning to love and respect yourself and your body takes practice.  Don’t compare yourself to anyone. Nourish your body with good foods and exercise. Have personal boundaries by surrounding yourself with positive influences, being able to say no and not allowing others to take away your power. Work really hard to not let others opinions matter so much. Be yourself.

Listen within. Follow your heart and your inner guidance. You are the only one that can feel what is right for your life. If you feel guided to do something, listen. Begin to tune in to the signals and guidance you get from within.

Know your personal values and live by them. When we violate the values that keep us in alignment, we violate the person that we truly are.

Don’t aim to please others . Don’t worry about how others view you . Learn all you can about yourself . Learn to appreciate who you are .  Be confident with who you are . Forgive yourself . Stop being negative about yourself . Find and do hobbies that you love . Learn from mistakes . Set goals and strive for what you want to accomplish

REMEMBER THIS: “Be the light that helps others see.”

 

Those are a few spring cleaning actions for the SOUL. I will write another one to accompany this, but I figured this is a good start for today.

FEEL GOOD.

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Faith not Fear

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l778594751It is funny how life keeps sharing the same lessons and you still find yourself wondering what you are missing from the experience. I have been going over some of my  old blog posts and found a couple within the last three years that included some personal feelings. I was writing down the situations in which my husband was looking for work and how it was affecting me. I began to laugh to myself, noticing the very familiar feelings that I am having today. My husband has decided to leave his current job in pursuit of something better suited to his desires.

I am a big believer in doing something you enjoy, so I am very supportive of the move, but with any change comes a bit of discomfort, feelings of being lost and unsure where to go. I walk around my house wondering if I should be preparing to move, I look at my daughter and wonder if I should plan summer camps and fun activities or if it will all be in vein. It is “limbo” and I handle the feelings, but it is hard to not get sucked into the demanding mindset where you begin looking at the sky and saying, “What are we suppose to do!” I find myself constantly praying as I drive around looking for any “sign” or direction. I truly know God could deliver an answer at any time, so why not now!

I know, I know, “patience.”  But, as I strive for patience, I also feel torn between “need” and “want.” It is not bad to need or want an answer, so I can then begin to move in a direction. That has to be better then sitting by wondering which direction to go. Sitting at the cross of two paths is fine, but isn’t it better to know which one to take and then begin. NOt just sitting and wondering, right?

Many people have their own thoughts, “God sometimes wants you to decide,” or “things will work out.”  I know things will “work out” but its the in-between that is hard on me. The in-between is suppose to be that space where everything is clear. Like in meditation, there is always mention of “the space” “the gap between” so why is it so hard for me to be in-between. Why can’t I just go with the flow and wait for it to all work out?

So, today I am going to go on a personal pilgrimage of the online world to find some tips to help me get beyond the mundane of waiting, to move forward in some direction that will help my family. Wish me luck!!

TIPS TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS: With anything you choose, you need to begin with making good choices, right? Right. My husband has made some great choices and it has led him to big learning and great opportunities, but in the last couple jobs there was more stress, which then affected his health and happiness.

The human mind hates uncertainty. Uncertainty implies volatility, randomness, and danger. When we notice information is missing, our brain raises a metaphorical red flag and says, “Pay attention. This could be important…” -Psychology Today

  1. Value is in the eye of the beholder: How much is a gallon of water worth?  This question makes me think of the show “Alone” & how after a week everyone is valuing water, cheeseburgers, beer, etc extremely higher than if they were at home. They are valuing these things much higher than what others may take for granted.      Always make decisions on your own: Sure, factor in other people’s opinions, but bear in mind that they may value things (very) differently. Blindly following other people’s advice may lead to disastrous decisions — even if they are based on “sound” advice from people with the best intentions of helping you.
  2. Know your goals before choosing: It may sound obvious at first, but it all boils down to your goals — knowing what you want out of the decision.But establishing a clear picture of your goals for decision making is not always trivial, and I don’t think people invest enough time to do it properly.     This rings very true for me. When my husband took his last position I was very worried about the role & how it truly sat with him and his values. I know now that you need to make sure your values are in line with what you choose to do. When you align your actions with your life purpose and personal values, then it is much easier to know the direction that is right for you. -Self Improvement Saga
  3. Try the PrOACT Approach to Decision Making https://litemind.com/decision-making/  [Problem Statement / Objectives / Alternatives / Consequences / Tradeoffs]  (1,2,3, from -litemind.com)
  4. WHY-Ask yourself “why” of what you have chosen to do and weed out poorly made plans.
  5. Set aside time to reflect on your decision. Sit with it.
  6. Ask yourself, “Will this decision be the right one for everyone involved? Is this choice  good for me? Is this choice good for my family?”
  7. Imagine having made the decision. Imagine choosing one path & then the other. How do you feel? Go within to see how it makes you feel.
  8. Let go of the fear. Know and understand there is no “right” decision.
  9. Follow your gut instincts. If you have to talk yourself into something, it is usually going to lead to a bad situation.
  10. Take action. Any good action or direction trumps inaction. How will you move forward if you just continue to sit at the fork in the road

 

waiting-for-a-signLOOKING FOR SIGNS OF DIRECTION

I laughed to myself as I came across this sign on the internet. I know it may sound funny, but I believe in signs. I have had experiences where passages in books, intention cards, magazine pages have not only been inspired, but answered my prayers. I know you may be skeptical, but here are a couple links to my stories–enjoy–https://yourhappyplaceblog.com/2013/01/02/tap-into-the-vision-for-your-life/

https://yourhappyplaceblog.com/2013/03/13/looking-for-the-gift-of-grace/

 

Funny article that said–Here is the sign you have been looking for. “Sometimes you have to stop worrying, wondering, and doubting. Have faith that things will work out, maybe not exactly how you planned–but perfectly.” -unknown

Great article http://www.possibilityoftoday.com/2012/03/29/here-is-the-sign-you-have-been-looking-for/

 

 

Faith-Based-Motivation-Everything-Will-Work-Out

Have faith beyond yourself

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“You start to live when you commit your life to a cause higher than yourself. You must learn to depend on divine power for the fulfillment of a higher calling.”  -Lailah GiftyAkita

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I wanted to share a divine, personal experience that I recently had. In order for us to believe we are not alone, we are doing divine work, we are guided by something bigger than our small selves, we must have testimony of it. We must experience moments that we can share with others, which will enhance a larger faith in something bigger and beyond ourselves.

It was probably a couple months ago–I was in a deep sleep and just before I woke I saw a vision, a picture popped into my head of my art displayed in some type of museum. It looked like a children’s museum. I woke up energized by such an idea. I have had children’s books whirling in my creation for years & over the last year I had created some art that was to help connect parents with their children. I just finished the book within the last few months & the thought of trying to get it out into the world was very overwhelming.

A couple years ago I did the children’s book venture—went to a few workshops, some writer conferences, took classes, turned in a few manuscripts, but my work didn’t go anywhere. Honestly, I could have tried harder, but it wasn’t quite right.

LBCloudBBearSo, with this last book that I just finished a couple months ago, I had a different feeling. I wanted it to soar into the world, to touch families with its interactive activities. I loved the whole concept & was almost dreading trying to figure out how to get it into the publishing world when VOILA!! A beautiful gift, a magic, a mystery, a vision literally was given to me. I had NEVER thought of this type of direction—an interactive display at a children’s museum. I was lit up!! I sat up in my bed and the ideas began to whirl. I grabbed my phone and began to write them in my notes. I was so excited. I loved the idea. I looked up to the heavens and said, Thank you.

The next few days I contacted a few children’s museums across the county and asked everyone where I would begin to get an idea into a museum. I had many wonderful people send me their thoughts– I heard big costs to put exhibits together (literally $500,000-millions), people inviting me to museum conferences, sharing links and ideas from other museums, and the director of one of my local museums suggested going to local libraries and doing a test idea. I was so grateful for the giving hearts and attitudes of people across the country.


 LBCloudBPage11I was still not sure where to begin, so I thought I would start at a local library & see if my ideas would fly. I wanted to have interactive stations (about 10) that showcased my art and interactive reading and activities that parents and children could do together. i.e.: an image of giraffes that spots were covered in things to be grateful for. The parents would then sit down with their child & create their own paper giraffe & fill it with spots of personal things they were grateful for.

I had a variety of ideas that I took to the library. I arranged a meeting with a sweet children’s librarian to share my thoughts and ideas. She was so great to work with. She expressed that she loved my ideas and my art so much that she wanted to put it on permanent display. Wow! I was humbled at the thought and grateful that she saw the potential of the concept. I was honored that she wanted my art to be hung for all to enjoy, but I was a little worried that the full idea would not be utilized or explored. I didn’t think she would have the time or patience to do the activities, so I have been a bit hesitant.

After a great first run, I thought, why not!! Why not just send my ideas to the local children’s museum and see what happens. Why NOT!! So, I created a professional look book with all my ideas, thoughts, visions and sent it off with a prayer in my heart & lots of prayers out loud while driving. smile. smile. I don’t know what I was thinking–I sent it the week of Spring Break. I knew a children’s museum over spring break would be busy, so I knew I would need to be patient. I patiently waited.

A couple days ago I received an email from my local museum that was wonderful!! The director and her director of Interactive exhibits had looked at my ideas and they wanted to offer me an opportunity to be mentored by the Director of Interactive Exhibits. He is suppose to be one of the best in the West!! My heart jumped and I was elated!! What an opportunity!

I walked out on my deck, looked at the sky and said, Thank you for opening this door of opportunity. Please help it to be a great door that will help me get these ideas out into the world to help families. Please help me to continually be an instrument in thy hands.

It was very humbling to know—we are not alone. We have ideas, visions, creations, that are sparks, little divine gifts that truly can light up the world. We are given these sparks & if we miss them or dismiss them–they are gone. But, if we believe and see the potential and see the gift, then we will be given greater direction and even more doors of possibility will be opened.

This whole experience has been a true testament to me—to have faith beyond myself. To look for little miracles, to believe in the doors of possibility. To have faith in that!

I hope you can find the faith to believe in something beyond yourself and to know anything is possible.

Peace to you.  -H

Have a little Faith

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panoBEARLAKE3I had quite an adventurous weekend!! Almost my whole family of nine adults and ten kids headed to Garden City, Utah to go boating at Bear Lake. The weather was wonderful and everyone was having a great time on the beach, waiting for the boat.

Earlier in the day my husband was putting the boat in at the marina when large amounts of water started filling the boat. In a matter of minutes the boat was almost going to be sunk in the marina. Luckily, a nice fisherman was heading out on the lake & saw my husband and brothers-in-law struggling to figure out what could be done. The man quickly pulled his boat over & towed them out before the boat was completely under water.  The culprit??? The boat had been in the shop & the mechanic had not replaced the plug in the boat. yikes!!

Lesson: whenever getting into a boat—have a life jacket and make sure there is a plug!!

Well, after hours of draining the boat, finding a plug, I honestly wasn’t sure if we should take the boat out. My husband was determined to show my family some…he literally started trying to quote Clark Griswold, “fun, old-fashioned family..fun. We’re gonna press on, and we’re gonna have the hap, hap, happiest time.” I laughed & let him carry on.

We took the boat out & after we loaded up eight kids, three adults, towels, & made sure everyone had life jackets, we were off! My brother-in-law jumped in to the freezing lake & strapped on a wakeboard, took a few spins & then we began to notice the boat was taking on some water. The adults all looked at each other, “What do we do? get the kids in closer to shore or risk getting to the marina?” We opted to get close to shore & get everyone overboard because water was coming in quick & the weight of everyone was definitely not helping. The kids all looked at the shore & we heard little voices say, “that is sure far.” We kept reassuring everyone we had life jackets & they would help us float in to safety. One by one everyone jumped off the boat. The rest of my family watched, wondering what was happening on board the boat. They knew something must be wrong when they saw me climb off the boat, fully clothed. smile. smile. We all began swimming to shore.

We gathered together as we watched my husband & brother-in-law slowly drive the boat toward the marina. The entire family stood there on the beach and said a prayer that the boat would not sink & the guys would be okay. We all watched until we could not see the boat any more. We then received a call from my husband & the boat had stalled in the middle of the lake. They needed the coastguard quick!! Luckily the boat drifted near a buoy & were able to hook the boat so it would not continue drifting further and further from shore.

This is when a stranger on a jet ski pulled over because he could tell they were in trouble & offered to pull them out with his tractor.  The safety of grace, the beauty and kindness of a stranger. He jetted off to his nearby cabin & brought his tractor down to the lake & everyone worked together to get the boat out before going under. YAY!!!

Bear-LakeThere was another side of this story that these children learned this weekend at Bear Lake. They learned that faith and prayers can do many things. While my entire family was gathered together yesterday, I had my mother share a personal story from her youth about guardian angels & praying for safety… My mother when she was about seven-years-old had been at this very lake with her mother, father and two older brothers. They had been traveling & were on their way home when they arrived at the beautiful Bear Lake. It was a hot Sunday & being religious people they did not want their children swimming on Sunday. But, after many begs and pleas from the boys, their father allowed the children to take a quick dip in the lake to cool off before returning to the hot car & driving home.

lake swimmingMy mother shared the story with beautiful detail & allowed the children listening to look out at the beautiful, blue lake & imagine the story.  She continued on…one boy found a inner tube & the other found a log to float on. At first, everything was all fun, but then the boys began to get swept further and further out into the lake. The water began to get more choppy & one of the boys had his log shoot out from under him & he was left looking for safety. He swam over to his brothers tube & tried to hold on, but the tube then jetted out from under both of them & the two boys were left with nothing around them. They knew how to swim, but the waves were crashing & the water kept churning over them. The parents could barely see them & began to worry. Their father saw what was happening & began to swim out after them. Their mother looked at her young daughter (my mother) & had her point & watch where the boys were. She quickly obeyed & kept her arm pointing, watching the boys. Their mother ran up and down the beach yelling for help, praying they would be saved. Their father was a good swimmer, he swam hard, but the current was powerful & his body was tiring & he knew he would not have the strength to save both of them. He thought to himself & wondered what he could do. Out of nowhere there was a women, who yelled, “you grab him & I will take him.” They pulled them in & everyone was exhausted, throwing up water, but they were alive. Their mother grabbed this mysterious woman & hugged her, sobbing, thanked her & asked her everything she could possibly find out about her—where she lived, why she was here, where she came from…

My mom told the story and sobbed, reminiscing every moment. Every child in the room listened intently. She concluded the story about how her mother & father tried to locate this woman for years. She explained how her brother would travel back east for business & also tried to find her, but they never could. To them, she was a guardian angel that answered their prayers.

This weekend was many moments of memorable fun, but was also a humbling, learning experience of having faith.

The kids all worked together to bake a big plate of cookies that we took to an angel who helped us out this weekend. It was sooo fun to see the kids so proud to give them the notes and cookies they made & say thanks for helping save the boat. It was priceless.

tumblr_m9njjw34hd1rei2jfo1_500I just wanted to share these two great stories to share further the importance of having faith. –Peace to you. Heather

Follow your HEART

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ImageLife is a funny thing…you wake up, follow your habits and patterns of a usual day, go through the motions of the to do’s, go to work, have other people tell you what to do, sign your kids up for things you are not even sure they truly want to do, but you do because they will fall behind in the game of life, you rush through every meal you eat, you unwind to your favorite television shows and then begin the process all over again…UNTIL…your life gets shaken up by something that shifts your patterns, makes you look deeper, stops you in your usual tracks, carries you away on a personal challenge and is some type of personal life wake-up call. 

This is when you truly begin to swirl, to look in a multitude of directions for your life, something that makes you finally stop and once again LISTEN TO YOUR HEART!  When we were kids we did things that sang to our hearts, we would paint for the pure enjoyment, we would dig in the dirt and not care if we got dirty, we imagined, we played, we explored, we did things that followed our hearts desires. THEN, we begin to grow up—the stuff of responsibility, the reality of home mortgages, kids college tuition, the REAL job, we begin to forget to listen to our hearts desires, we begin to do things out of necessity, not desire. Dreams begin to dwindle, life begins to go faster because of the routine. 

BUT, Thank GOD for LIFE’s Little INTERVENTIONs—the things that I lovingly call “FAITH BUSTERS”–moments in your life that give you opportunities to BUST OUT, to JUMP, to step away from the edge of the mundane, to try your spirit, to expand your growth, to help you build a little more FAITH.  

My little family is in the middle of one right this minute! We have been working on figuring out our current job jump, my husband has been interviewing non-stop & the whirl has been steady. I looked at my husband & said, “we need to get out of here, we need to step away, take a breather, have a fresh outlook.” We decided to PLAN a spontaneous trip to Disney World—a place across the country, a place we have never been, a place that will allow our imaginations to be free, a place of pure enjoyment, to step away from worry, to place our LIFE PLANS back in God’s hands.  

My sister texted me yesterday—“So I hear Florida is in the works?” I smiled to myself,  replied, “Absolutely! Yes. We are all about PLANNING a spontaneous trip until God finishes helping us PLAN our life!!”   

This morning while driving to the bank, I said to my husband, “This trip is a Faith Buster—we are going with full faith that he will be working on opening the right doors, putting in place the right people, the right situation for our family.”  I truly believe this. He works in mysterious ways, so this trip is part of following our hearts, doing something that will bring our family closer while creating memories that will last forever. 

Cheers to FAITH BUSTING moments!! Cheers to following your HEART!!

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FLY

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“The reason birds can fly and we can’t is simply that they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings.”  -James Matthew Barrie

I have always had a thing for nature, but throughout my life I have always been surprised at the little miracles that have dropped into my life. Throughout my marriage I have raised three different nests of baby birds, helped a wounded red-tailed hawk we found in the desert, saved a baby robin from dying on a couple of occasions, and each time was always struck at the immense miracles birds are.  They are these little bodies of feathers, fluff & aerodynamics that help them carve through the wind, fly on an air stream, dive, soar—all at heights that at one time were unimaginable to man.

I am always amazed when I watch a bird fly, the way they float, allowing the wind to take their wings and send them higher and higher into the blue sky. There is this magic, this unmistakable gift birds have been given to be so high, to have faith in something bigger that allows them to drift into the high currents of the sky. They are able to have this knowing that their wings will carry them, that the sky is their home, that soaring high is their calling.

This makes me think of our personal callings–people are given gifts, talents and abilities that make them reach beyond their own limits, circumstances that  allow us to try to go higher on a personal level, to seek our ultimate potential.

Like birds, there are moments or times within our lives that we become wounded, put down, get involved in things that don’t help our spirit soar.

I have seen the sight of a wounded & broken bird unable to fly, it was heart breaking to know that this little spirit who was meant to fly, was for a time stopped from its purpose, was unable to fulfill its calling, was deterred by circumstance.

It truly is a beautiful metaphor for life, for the callings that we have been given, and when we get side-tracked, distracted, unsure, become indecisive, or complacent with the stirrings of our hearts, our inner knowings become dim, we begin to loose our ‘spirit wings.’

I just thought of that idea, ‘spirit wings’ –the ability to follow those things that make our spirit soar. When we get down on ourselves, loose a little faith in something greater than ourselves, follow things that take us away from our gifts, or we begin to do things that aren’t good for our spirit—we begin to loose our ability to fly.

‘Feelings’ are a good indicator of what makes your spirit soar. If you are listening within to what lights you up OR what brings you down, you will be able to follow your inner guidance, you will be able to follow those things that allow you to be who you are meant to be, to go beyond your personal limitations, to find the dreams that speak to your soul, to live the life you imagined and to be on purpose—to FLY.

“Hold fast to your dreams, for without them life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.”  -Langston Hughes

Fly. Peace to you today. –Heather