And suddenly you know...

There's a saying..."You plan, God laughs"...I never truly got this until 6 months ago, when my world was turned upside down...when the life I thought I was living turned out to be an illusion.  This month would have marked our 13th year wedding anniversary instead it marks month 1...a new beginning.  Six months ago I could not see this day...in fact I could not even see the next hour, minute, second...

Sometimes the Universe shakes your world to it's core... 

when you are oblivious, unwilling to see or are avoiding the lessons you are meant to learn.  A few months ago my life was derailed in the biggest way.  What I perceived my life to be was now an illusion.  I felt as though the ground gave way under me and I was barely holding on.  I learned and am still learning some really hard lessons.

Betrayal whether from a friend or a loved one is the hardest pain to endure and the journey back to yourself is a long one.  I found myself wondering who I was.  I felt as though I lost my center...as if my inner compass was spinning out of control...I couldn't find my true north...my tether...gone.  I was deceived in the worst way.  The sad part was I knew there was something off, but the reality of it is, I ignored my intuition and allowed myself to be manipulated and victimized.  As I struggled to find solid ground and researched about betrayal and how to move through it...finding your way back in other words, I found there is much healing for me to do.

I didn't deserve what happened to me, no one does, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.  But my lack of self-love, my disconnect to my inner child...brought me to where I found myself 6 months ago.  Now I question who I am and where I'm going...last year striped me of so many things, the biggest loss was the trust in my relationship, the betrayal of my best friend and soulmate...now I find myself raw.  The past is too painful when I relive it knowing what I know now, the future...so unsure, so far away.  I still at times feel numb, frozen.

So where do you start when you can't find your bearings and your compass is spinning out of control...

Finding the Courage...

It has been my experience that when I get in the way of my dharma, my true purpose...the calling of my soul...the Universe continues to offer me opportunities to show up.  These opportunities may be presented in different ways but at the core...they are all supporting my one true calling.   Ego (fear) has played a big roll in holding me back and I've struggled...and still do, to show up in spite of it.  So, I want to share with you something beautiful that has come from an intention I set, finding the courage to make peace with my fear (it's a work in progress, mind you) and reclaiming my wildish nature.

My personal healing journey...

this past year lead me to much profound transformation, living into my word of the year Sea Change. I shared a little about it here.

My self-discovery and self-exploration process led me to the discovery of how by my pulling away and choosing a life of solitaire...mostly because I refused to conform to what some see as the "norm", thus for me it was easier to pull away and in doing so...I not only suppressed the calling of sisterhood; a calling I've heard for many years, but I also became disconnected from my inner Wild Woman.  Oh don't get me wrong...my
Wildness hasn't ever fully left me, it can't it's in all women...but she has been tamed to an extent.

On my journey, I found my way to the WILD Woman Project Founded by Chris Maddox and later I answered the call to become a Leader/facilitator of this amazing global movement. If you've been following my journey through my blog and Moonlight Living Pearl's of Inspiration, then you know when this all started, in early 2015, when I sent out a prayer.

I set an intention...

that I be surrounded by Priestesses... sisters, who are on a similar soul path as I am.   I asked that Women be attracted to me and my soul work, who can benefit from, being empowered by and feel support on their own journeys by my offerings.  I asked to be surrounded by these Priestesses...sisters, who are called to circle with me, as we support and nurture ourselves and one another, as well as embrace our Divine Feminine, our inner Goddess. Women who live in this space and walk this path, don't waste their time on negativity...judging, ridiculing or shaming another, instead we lift each other up, encourage each other when our fears become too big and pick each other up when we fall.  This is the connection I yearned for and this is the connection that is being gifted to me.

As the year unfolded...

I found I was meeting and connecting with exactly the women I called out to.  Little did I know when I set that intention that I would actually be leading Women Circles...but as the year progressed the calling to step into leadership became stronger than my fears.  And so, I went on a journey with some amazing women from around the world during my WILD Woman Circle Leadership training. It was powerful and needless to say...it reconfirmed that I'm on the right path once again.

Early December...

I'll be holding my first WILD Woman New Moon circle locally here in my home.  I'm so excited and honored to be doing so.  And yes...the fear does come up in waves...my chant of Surrender, Embrace, Trust, Release which I committed to reciting, earlier in the year, each time the waves of fear arise and holding on to my Why, supports me as I move forward.  Will I falter...probably...but I'm committed to "DIG" deep, find the courage and to stay connected...and with every baby step, I am coming home to myself more and more.

I know I'm fully in Deep Play right now...connected to my inner guidance as I continue to be inspired and guidance keeps coming.  I see this growing and blossoming...as I feel called to create self-guided personal New Moon Retreats, for those unable to attend my live circles due to distance or other reasons.  I also feel called to offer Full Moon gatherings where I'll be inviting guests to share some Creative Magick of their own.  Which brings me to another offering that's coming up in the new year...but more on that later.  For now I invite you to join my Wild Woman Tribe so that you can be informed when my local and virtual offerings are coming up as well as all of it's upcoming juicy offerings.

Spin, Spin with Me!

First Spun and Plied Yarn

It's so interesting how simple activities can become practices of mindfulness and put you in a meditative state.  Two of my favorite practices are...Spirit walks...meditative walks where I am open to receiving signs from Spirit in the form of messages from the animal kingdom or from my elemental guides and Barefoot Breathing...deep breathing while my bare feet are firmly grounded on Mother Earth.  There's really something to being here now...in the moment, open to all that is.

Lately, I've found how Spinning yarn can be a practice

Hackle Fiber Processing Tool

in Mindfulness...a sort of Meditative practice. What is it, that draws me to the spinning wheel night after night? It's almost addicting.

Let me back up a minute though...as of about 2 weeks ago...I would say..."I'm not the spinner, my husband is, cause I can't spin".  I was convinced I would never be a spinner.  I tried a few years back when hubby and I began our journey to have a self-sustained/self-sufficient homestead.  After hubby learned to shear our Alpacas, he learned about the tools to process the fiber.  Then started handcrafting them and offering them in our Etsy shop.  Shortly after, he decided to purchase a spinning wheel, so we could spin up our processed fiber.  But for me it was a mission impossible.  I didn't have the patiences for it and just gave up.  But he...well, he turned into an amazing spinner and so...I'd say "I'm not the spinner, my husband is", when ever I was asked.

Stress Management...Embracing the Alchemy of My Body

Today marks 2 1/2 months on my journey "Embracing the Alchemy of my Body".  As I mentioned in my last post "Nutrition..." I'm back to share more of what I'm learning along the way.  I started my journey on April 12th and incorporated 4 components which I believe lead to a healthier lifestyle.  They are Nutrition, Exercise, Stress Management and Essential oils.

My commitment for stress management...

was to engage my tools of...Meditate, Yoga, Breath Work, and Barefoot Breathing.  Also to get adequate sleep, do self body Massages, using Essential Oils both topical and diffused and the Hot Tub, as well as to communicate my needs more.  I felt all these would help me with reducing stress.

How has that showed up in my life so far?

Well...I'm still striving for small steps leading to bigger ones.  Since I know when I follow my tendency of all or nothing...I'm not as successful.  So far, I found working up to it, has helped me integrate changes so that they become permanent healthier life choices. At least that how it's been with my nutrition.  Though it's been 2 1/2 months now...it still doesn't feel like I've totally embraced the healthy habits of reducing stress.  I mean I have my moments, mostly the stress level is low, but there are some days, mostly it's around finances when I struggle.  As most of you know, I no longer have my "day job", I've stepped fulling into my business, as well as our small family owned business.  While that is a great thing...the steady income isn't there and as a whole the family is feeling it.  Thus, I put pressure on myself and that translates into stress affecting my sleep, cravings etc.

The good thing is...when I use the tools...they work...

that should be a no brainer right?...but still I'm not as consistent as I would like.  Well, I take that back...I have actually been consistent with meditating daily...which is a huge accomplishment for me!  Though I did miss a few days this past weekend when we were out on the road.  I like to meditate in the morning but the show had us wiped out and I couldn't muster my morning meditation before heading back out to the show.  On that note, I just reminded myself of the very clear commitment I made at the start of my journey...to give myself permission to mess up, to not come down hard on myself when I stumbled or screwed up...be it nutrition, practices or what have you.  Everyday is a new day and everyday I get to choose again.  The reality of it is I'm striving for a healthier lifestyle, that takes practice.  We got back last Sunday and I've returned to my daily morning mediation practice.

Now, in regards to meditating...here's what I've learned...

I tend to have what they call Monkey Brain...so I found that doing guided meditations is the ticket for me.  I finished reading Deepak's book "What are you Hungry For"...which I loved and still refer to...it launched my daily mediation practice.  After a few weeks of working up from 5 mins to 15 then 20 mins of meditation...I went to Youtube and found a wonderful collection of meditations both by him and by his teachers in the Chopra Center.

During my Meditation search I also came across a few Apps I now use.  Conscious Health by Deepak, though it's FREE there are some in App purchases.  I like how in Deepak's meditations he has a lesson to teach, a centering thought and a chant.

The Insight Timer App is great for when I want to try silent meditation or breath work...when I'm barefoot breathing or just outside sitting in nature.

I absolutely love Relaxed Melodies Sleep Zen Sounds...because its a collection of various sounds from waves, rivers, rains, to birds, crickets, frogs to winds, chimes and thunder storms...to sooo much more.  And you get to choose, combine and mix the sounds you want as well as set the timer for how long you want the background music to play while meditating.

The other practice I've incorporated is Self Massages...

I created a blend that will help tone and tighten my skin as I loose weight.  I know it's inevitable that I will be left with loose skin, given the amount of weight I'll be losing and my age.  So every evening I give myself a self massage from head to toe...hubby helps me with my back, a perk I say.  I found that this practice also helps me get in tune with my body...helping me accept it for what it is, instead of wishing it was something else.  On a side note...using the oils every night...has strengthen my nails and is making them grow much faster!

The other tools I'm incorporating are...

spending more time in the Hot Tub...especially before bed, as I found it helps me relax and fall asleep faster and deeper.  Communicating my needs...still one I'm working on but I'm blessed to have a super supportive and understanding husband.  Lastly, my Yoga practice...which also falls into my exercise, but it as well as my exercise is a work in progress, but I'll share more of that on my next update.

Another fun thing I've been doing is taking screenshots of the times that I see number sequences, I call them Sacred Numbers, on my phone...which is often...then I go to my Angel Numbers App by Doreen Virtue and find their meanings...the majority of the time they are reminders that thoughts become things, that we are manifesting with each thought, positive or negative.  And that I AM supported...even when I'm struggling.

Oh, I almost forgot!  You're probably wondering how the weight loss is going...we'll at 2 1/2 months I've lost 18 lbs so far.  It's shedding slowly but I'm good with that, mostly cos' the slower you loose the more chance you give your skin to tighten and I feel the slower I loose the more permanent it will be.  My ultimate goal is to lower my BMI...body mass index which measures body fat.  None the less it feels great to fit comfortably into my cloths even after a meal.  And as far as my nutrition goes, as I mentioned before all in moderation...I'm not depriving myself cause I refuse to do any more diets.  I'm still being creative and eating as close to Earth as possible and being aware of what I'm truly hunger for!

The 4 M's to Shifting Your Energy...

Though I've been busy the last few weeks with getting new production complete for the shop and getting the new book I'm collaborating in, published; I have felt flat, stressed, and living from a scarcity mindset.  It's times like this when the tools in my Medicine Bag come in handy.

First and foremost, I have to share that to me it's important...

Embracing the Alchemy of My Body

On my journey in living a Vibrant Juicy Life, I have had many challenges...Emotional, Spiritual and most recent Body.  I feel as I age, balancing my health gets harder and harder...it's almost like everything starts going south...and I'm not just talking about the affect gravity alone has on us women, LOL  In the past few years,  I've struggled with my teeth, my vision, chronic shoulder, back, knee and ankle pain...all caused from various injuries, pain that sorta just snuck back in, in the form of residual pain, (from the infamous inflammation I'm sure), among other unexpected ailments.  After all we are spiritual beings having a human experience and with that comes living in these shells we call bodies.

This is a perfect example of why I embraced the path of a Holistic Alchemical Healing Channel...

I seek to find balance of the Mind, Body and Spirit...and assist others in doing the same...transforming energy, emotions, consciousness and vibrations from one form to another.  I'm what's known as the "Wounded Healer" I suppose.  My offerings come from life experiences not so much my trainings.

Now, I have been given a new challenge...I went in for my routine health check to include the normal blood tests...only this time I got a call saying I'm Pre-Diabetic.  I new sooner or later my unshakable excess weight would catch up to me.  It's not been easy for me to choose to live a Vibrant Juicy Life and promote others to do the same, yet feel ashamed of my excess weight, my fail attempts to loose it and being subconscious about own body.  

~If you don't want to read my story...skip down to "Embracing the Alchemy of my body..."and be my witness

Only a few know that I've been a size 3 or smaller most of my life...

USMC...19yrs old

hard to believe when you look at me now.  I graduated High School at 98 lbs, spent the rest of my adult life at around 105 lbs. I was even put on double rations while in the service to gain weight because I'd drop under 100 lbs.

Now what you see in my recent selfies, and the first picture, is 12 years of struggling with excess weight, years of trying every diet out there to loose a little only to gain it back and then some...years of struggling with my shame and self conscious about being obese.  I want to interject here and say, I've been down the self acceptance and self love road...it's something I find important and practice more now then ever; but in my heart I have known and still know I don't feel comfortable in my skin at this weight.  Still to this day I don't know how to dress properly for my full figure and when I look in the mirror...I don't know who that person is anymore.

I spent my young adult life living pretty healthy...  

I didn't have many body image issues, other than wishing my nose or eyes were smaller, my hair was straighter etc, you know the things we think about when we are young and compare.  But I've grown to love those parts of me.  When I look back I have to be honest and say though I made some not so good food choices...I lived a much more active life.  Despite my busy life working at the hospital and being a single mom, I managed to make time for exercise and I always made wholesome meals too, processed foods were not common in our home. 

I know that as we age and our bodies change...

they seem to slow down and can't keep up...I get that some weight gain is expected.  I also know stress and cortisol and hormonal changes.  I lived with way more stress then, than I do now, drank coffee by the liter and even smoked, all of which I left behind.  Yet I was healthier then, then now.  I also traded in my stressful hospital job that called for me to be on my feet a lot and away from my kids, for a sedentary job at a jewelry bench so I could be more available to my kids. But didn't take the initiative to continue increasing my workout to balance it out. We all make life choices some good, some not so good.  Mine have brought me here facing the potential health threat of developing Type II Diabetes.

Serenity by the Sea

I spent the latter part of Spring Break week on the coast, taking in the salty air and all it's amazing energy.  When I'm by the sea I feel safe, I'm home...much like the fog in this picture I took, I feel all the craziness of the world is left just outside of it's boundaries...for at this moment in time, it can't touch me.  I'm at peace, I found my Serenity.  Where do you go to feel safe, where do you feel like you're home?

The Space Between...

That is what my love and I call that space where we meet in the middle, when there's a little give and take, where together we co-create our life and...where magick happens.  I feel this is where I've been these past few weeks. You know that space of unknowing, between the end of the old and the beginning of the new.

The Space Between...

where I've closed one chapter of my life and have begun another...yet its illusive.  What I do know is that I'm clearing, purging, letting go of what no longer serves me.  I know I don't have to wake up and check in and go about my work day anymore.  I know, that is gone, that part of my life doesn't exist anymore.

But the new...

that is still coming to be...I'm still that blank canvas, coming from nothing...the possibilities are limitless.  Yet, I feel I'm in limbo, though I'm co-creating my life with the Universe, the steps are tiny.  Definitely not all falling into place as quickly as I'd like...there are moments of fear and moments of awe in anticipation of who I am becoming as I shed what needs to be shed.

Deep in my heart...

I know that in this space is where I need to remind myself (often) to stay heart centered...to live from the space of knowing we are taken care of and that I'm exactly where I'm suppose to be. Remembering to be grateful for all the "magickal daily blessings" that we are blessed with everyday, that miracles do occur and that what lies ahead of me is bigger and better than what I have left behind.  That what ever unfolds, will be aligned with my soulwork. 

Spring is here...

our plum tree is blooming, as are the daffodils and hyacinths.  And like Mother Earth...I too am awakening to the new, as my beginning unfolds before me.

Holiday Happiness...

The Holidays are here...a time of celebration, joy, laughter, and family gatherings.  For some of us, every day life can be stressful, exhausting, even chaotic enough at times, but these seem to be elevated during the Holiday Season. We tend to be more raw, vulnerable, and sensitive during the Holidays and things like family issues, missing our loved one's energy, or grieving our losses during this special time of the year, tend to escalate.

Sometimes we feel we have no choice...

but to go within and withdraw, instead of feeling joy and connection.  If you or anyone you know is experiencing this...I invite you to join Dr. Monique Hunt our host, 3 dynamic Spiritual Teachers and myself, this Sunday for a Super Soul Journey Sunday Virtual Retreat. Where we will be exploring how to redesign the Holidays after loss, because even during grief we can experience Holiday Happiness. 

Registration is FREE!

Upon registration, you will get to hear their uplifting stories.  You'll also get a taste of my ARTbunance™ Co-Creative Coaching style as I guide you through exploring what Sacred Space means to you and Creating your own Sacred Space for our upcoming Virtual Retreat.  Each Spiritual Teacher is offering a special gift for all who register. You will learn more about their offers upon registration.

Join me for a day...

of Spiritual Growth, Personal Development and Inspiration. During the Virtual Retreat you will also have an opportunity to own a digital book called: “9 Spiritual Practices to help you create happiness during grief, the holidays and beyond”, where I share my practices of how you can Infuse Your Life with Essential Oils and Magickal Daily Blessings.

Also join my Event Page...

on Facebook, where you can share your experiences as you work through the ARTsignments™and explore Sacred Space leading up to the Virtual Retreat.  I look forward to connecting with you!

Creativity...at The Heart of It.

Welcome to Week One of the month-long Carnival of Creative Mothers to celebrate the launch of The Rainbow Way: Cultivating Creativity in the Midst of Motherhood by Lucy H. Pearce. 

Today's topic is Nurturing a Culture of Creativity at Home. Be sure to read to the end of this post to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

Join the Carnival and be in with a chance to win a free e-copy of The Rainbow Way!

November 27th: Creative Heroines.
December 4th: Creative Inheritance.
December 11th: The Creative Process.

**********

Being a creative at heart,  I love all forms of creativity

I have expressed it in various ways throughout my life.
   
                                                                    Most recently through my jewelry and paintings, my fiber arts and photography, to name a few.

 

...and it spills over to my kiddos as well.  When I pull out my paints or media of choice, they love to art right along with me. It's no wonder that Creativity is alive and present in our home.

Ever since my children were young... 

we've explored the Seasons and Sabbats through creative projects. I believe our most favorite is our traditional Yule project...creating a new ornament for our tree each year.  It's been fun experimenting with various ways of coming up with special and unique ornaments.  As it has watching our tree each year come alive with treasures, each holding a memory of their own.

We make time to express our creativity in many ways

some are over the top fun, like painting with our toes and feet or creating leaf print art.

Some are interesting and educational, like learning about the local indigenous plants and how to use them as dyes or like dyeing fabrics with ice cubes, giving it a marble effect! FUN!!!

But our creativity doesn't end there...

not just with creating art...we also like to let our inner Goddess Sparkle...in other words tap deeper into our Divine Feminine...you know our creative force that allows for manifesting.



 We like to create ritual during the New Year where we create sacred offerings and within each we place our intention of things we want to let go of and then release them as they  burn in the fire.

  Likewise during the New Moon and especially in the Spring we plant our seeds, dreams of what we want to manifest in the months to come...through creating dream boards, magickal creation boxes and such.




I feel blessed that my soulmate is as much a creative at heart as me...makes for fun family time and for a Magickal Goddess life ♥

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ORDER YOUR SIGNED COPY of  The Rainbow Way! and grab your free extras  (first 200 orders only!): - exclusive access to a private Facebook group for creative mothers - a vibrant greetings card and book-mark of one of the author's paintings. Kindle and paperback editions from Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble or order it from your local bookshop

• Carnival host and author of The Rainbow Way, Lucy at Dreaming Aloud shares an extract from the chapter Nurturing a Family Culture of Creativity.
• Lilly Higgins is a passionate food writer. Now a mother of two boys, she's discovered a new calling: to instil in them a love of food and creativity in the kitchen.
• DeAnna L'am shares how visioning the New Year with your child is an invitation to be inspired: use creativity and resolutions to create a fun road map for the year ahead.
• Molly at Talk Birth on Releasing Our Butterflies - balancing motherhood with creativity.
• Laura shares some of the creativity happening at Nestled Under Rainbows and a few thoughts about creativity.
• Georgie at Visual Toast celebrates her own unique culture of creativity at home.
• Esther at Nurtureworkshop spreads the love of the ordinary, the delights of everyday things that can be an adventure of the imagination.
• For Dawn at The Barefoot Home creativity is always a free form expression to be shared by all in a supportive environment where anything can be an art material.
• Naomi at Poetic Aperture is a mother, artist and photographer who tries to keep her daughter away from the expensive pens and paints.
• Aimee at Creativeflutters writes about keeping your sanity and creativity intact with small kids in the house in her post: Mother + Creativity - They Must Coexist.
• Amelia at My Grandest Adventure embarks on a 30 Days of Creativity challenge...you can too!
• Becky at Raising Loveliness explores creating with her smaller family members.
• Jennifer at Let Your Soul Shine reveals how children help us connect to our souls, through music and movement.
• Mary at The Turquoise Paintbrush shares her experiences of creating with kids.
• Joanna at Musings of a Hostage Mother explains why creativity at home is important to her in her post "I nurture a creative culture."
• It took until Amy at Mama Dynamite was pregnant aged 35 to discover her dormant creative streak - she has found lovely ways of tuning into it every since.
• Emily at The Nest explores how creativity runs through her family's life together.
• Jennifer at OurMuddyBoots sees that encouraging creativity in children is as simple as appreciating them for who they are: it just means overriding everything we know!
• Lisa from Mama.ie has discovered that a combination of writing and traditional crafts can provide a creative outlet during those busy early years of new motherhood.
• Anna at Biromums shares what nurturing a culture of creativity means to her.
• Zoie at TouchstoneZ argues that the less they are interfered with, the more creative children become as they grow up.
• Darcel at The Mahogany Way celebrates creating with her kids.
• Sally (aka The Ginger Ninja) of The Ginger Chronicles is continually inspired by her own mum and grandmother.
• Just being creative is enough, says Nicki at Just Like Play, as she ponders her journey of nurturing a creative family.
• Allurynn shares her creative family's musings in her post "Creativity... at the Heart of it" on Moonlight Muse.
• Laura at Authentic Parenting explores how being creative saves her sanity.
• Mama is Inspired talks about how she puts an emphasis on the handmade in her home, especially in the holiday season.
• Kirstin at Listen to the Squeak Inside shares with you several easy ways for busy mamas and dads to encourage their children to be creative every day.
• Mila at Art Play Day always lived in her dreams, sleepwalking through life ... now she is finding out what creativity is all about.... her inner child!
• Sadhbh at Where Wishes Come From describes how picture books can nurture creativity in young children.
• On womansart blog this week - nurturing a creative culture at home.

The Magick of Affirmations and Essential Oils...

Put a few drops of Wild Orange on your forearms,rub them
together and say the affirmation above!

Affirmations...what are they...they are positive statements you can say to re-phrase negative talk.  When you say them out loud and you use the "I or I am" statements, your cells hear that information and respond. If you repeat these statements over and over again and anchor them with essential oils you can actually change the programing that is in your body, it's pretty amazing really.  We all have picked up, negative talk, whether consciously or unconsciously...so repeating positive affirmations is one way to help us de-story them.  Everything is energy, we can not destroy energy but we can de-story them...taking away the old stories and create new stories that are positive and empowering.

I've been working my way through Susan Lawton's and Rebecca Linder Hintze's book "Living Healthy and Happily Ever After"...a book about using affirmations and essential oils for healing.  It's a wonderful and informative book and I'm loving every bit of it.  I've been practicing affirmations...by planting their seeds and feeding them with positive thoughts and energy with the help of essential oils.

Wild Orange in combination with Frankincense essential oils...

open your cell receptors...and believe it or not...cells respond to what you say.  That's right...so, if you say "oh it's winter season and I always get a sinus infection every winter"...than sure enough your cells will believe it and your body will comply.  Instead use the combo above or other essential oils who's vibration is in line with your positive affirmation and practice re-phrasing your comment to a positive affirmation like "I am healthy" or better yet say "this winter I am going to have proper nutrition and vitamins and I'm going to stay healthy and be well" and speak it out loud!  Much like the law of attraction we don't attract what we want, we attract who we are...so be the change you want 😉  Sound familiar?

We all have a story...

a story that keeps us anchored in our past.  Our cells record information all the time, so when our past stories creep up and we play them over and over again in our minds, that is what runs our daily lives. You know the stories...this or that happend to me and I can't move on...or I'm still mad at so and so, etc.

Replaying abusive situations or trumas from the past can actually be unhealthy. Causing us stress and keeping our bodies in an acid state, which causes us to practice unhealthy habits which eventually leads to ill health.  That's not to say you shouldn't sit with a therapist and work through these issues, that in itself can be very healthy and healing...just stop replaying them in YOUR mind.  I myself have been a victim of this act.

When we practice de-storying...

giving ourselves new positive information and de-storying these old stories...we create shifts...positive shifts that rock our worlds and change our lives.  Along with making healthy food choices and choosing a healthy life style, Essential Oils can help you chemically achieve these changes as well...putting your body in an alkaline state.  There are many studies that show a body in an alkalinity state will not allow any sickness, bacteria or even cancer to grow, pretty amazing, huh?

Remember...you have the choice to tell a different story...

by staying heart centered and in a place of gratitude...sharing the small miracles that occur everyday, instead of reliving the old stories.  Remember our cells move on and we are always creating new ones...instead of having them keep recording that old story...de-story your story... tell them a new more positive one instead. 

You can find this and other fun journals on my Etsy Shop!

If you find this to be difficult...I invite you to journal.  Ask your self why you keep choosing to relive the old story? What is it that you are getting out of it?  Why do you keep hanging on to it?  Or what would you have to let go of in order for this change to show up?  This will help you become aware of your feelings and help you move on.  I know, it's scary to move on sometimes, even when we know it's the best thing for us.  But, this is how we heal, this is how we grow and return to our true selves.

Essential oils and Affirmations are a wonderful tool to create empowering shifts...

Dr. Lawton suggest this blend and affirmation...4 drops Frankincense, 2 drops Clary Sage, 4 drops Lime.  Apply this blend behind the ears over your heart and solar plexus chakra and say..."I am aware of what is going on inside of me, I release the past, I am free to see the truth and be happy my way."  

We can even use this to de-story those deep seated untruths and beliefs we have, like...we are not good enough, we are not enough, we are not deserving of happiness, we are not lovable, etc.  Being kind and compassionate for others is hard and takes courage but some of us still do it, but it takes much more to offer that same level of kindness and compassion to ourselves.  Don't you think it's time we do just that...show ourselves the love we deserve.

Seeking positive attitude....

generating positive thought and focus is another blend and affirmation Dr. Lawton shares...blend 4 drops each of Bergamot, Lemon and 3 drops each of Basil and Geranium, apply it to your heart chakra...she even suggests we put it on a terra cotta necklace diffuser, so the fragrance is always present because, she says, that even the people around us will also benefit from this.  Say this affirmation:  "I trust myself to make good decisions for me, I can complete what I start." 

Another powerful blend...

Three drops each of Sandalwood, Grapefruit, and Basil...blended and applied to your heart chakra and back of neck.  She shares that Sandalwood holds the heart center vibration...our true self. Grapefruit breaks up the obstacles and carries the message of "can do" while Basil renews and refreshes.  Say this affirmation:  "I trust that I can hear my inner most thoughts clearly and I own my thoughts, I think positive". 

Don't stop here, get to know the oils and use the beautiful vibrations they offer to help you lift your own vibrational energy. Explore more of her offerings in her book "Living Healthy and Happily Ever After" .

I myself am still on this journey of learning and embracing positive affirmations and de-storying my stories...I hope my sharings inspires you to take your firsts steps to do the same ♥

I've created a mini ebook to assist you in creating powerful Affirmations through Deep Play...take a look and see if it speaks to you...11 Steps for Creating Affirmations using 11 Principles.

Blends and affirmations as shared by Dr. Lawton, post inspired by "Living Healthy and Happily Ever After."

Embrace Self-Love...

I made my Word of the Year stone this weekend...EMBRACE.  I've also chose a word for February... Self-Love...so that's what I'm here to share with you today....

Our first love and last love is...Self-Love...

How do you practice Self-Love?  I do so in various ways...one of them being by taking care of my body...connecting through Mind, Body and Spirit.  One way is my Yoga practice...I also enjoy dancing...like AND when nobody is watching ;)  Another way is, I give myself sweet love and attention through my oils...from simple foot oil massages to aromatic baths and oiling my whole body after a shower, making my skin soft (which has the tendency to be very dry here in the Southwest).

Self-Love practices can also look like...

Having a Self-Love Journal...where you can write yourself love letters, letters of forgiveness.  I also  journal about thing's I'm struggling with...for me it's all about reflecting on things I can do to fill my life with more Love and Balance...being pulled in so many directions leaves little me time...reconnecting and coming up with actions I can take help me get through those times, helps me feel less overwhelmed.

A big part of my Self-Love practice is...

becoming aware of my thoughts.  You will be amazed at the negative talk that goes on in our heads...I strive to treat myself like I would my best friend.  So, being more conscious of my thoughts, the self talk that goes on in my head throughout the day is important.  Our thoughts have power, changing them to supportive, positive thoughts can make for a more loving relationship with ourselves.  Negative thoughts only supports that kind of mindset...we have power over these thoughts, so why not strive to change them :)

Other simple Self-Love practices I like to do are...

Like simply listening to my body's needs...from eating when I'm hungry, drinking water when I'm thirsty, to going to sleep or taking a nap when I'm tired.  This also includes unplugging from the computer/phones etc and going for Spirit Walks...my meditative walks connecting with nature and becoming open to receiving messages from Spirit.  As well as barefoot breathing...mediating and doing my Yoga outside barefoot connecting and grounding with Mother Earth.  Writing positive affirmations, arting and painting all of things are simple acts of Self-Love.

Practicing Self-Love will totally improve your life...

How you ask...well, for one when I thrive and feel supported and loved my passion and business projects also thrive.  Some of you may have heard the phrase...when Mom is happy everyone is happy...well, it's that simple...when we are happier, rested, energized, less stressed it will affect those around us, as well as all that we do.

I'll leave you with my latest addition to the shop, just in time for the month of Love. Heart diffuser pendants with a FREE gift, a sample of some wonderful Essential oil to use with your new pendant ♥