Make 2014 Special!

A new year is upon us and for most, this means resolutions and new ways of living.  Some of us resolve to be better people, to lose weight, to quit smoking, or to save money, amongst other things.  But, the basis of each resolution is change.  Change is required to fully succeed at any resolution we make, and let's be honest - change isn't always easy (take it from someone who isn't fond of change). 

In order to successfully effect change, we must get down to the nitty-gritty and find the core of the problem.  Most often, this core is seated very comfortably in a deep, emotional place that we may not even be aware of.  Would you connect your lack of parental love/support as a child to your current weight or food issues?  Would you connect your inability to find happiness to your negative self-talk?  (Are you even aware of your negative self-talk?!?!)  Would you connect any jealous or envious feelings to your own lack of self-worth?  These examples are not always the cause of each 'issue', but 99% of the time there is an emotional tie to our physical and mental ailments.  We spend a lot of time tending to the 'issue' and not enough time figuring out the trigger, or cause. 

I've been trying to push myself out of my own comfort zone into making necessary changes, and spending a lot of time trying to identify the emotional source of anything I have going on in my own life.  This led me to a great idea - since change is most effective on a deeper level, every service on my "Coaching and Hypnotherapy" page will be listed at a special price for the months of January and February.  All single sessions will have a 25% discount, package pricing and past-life regressions will have a 10% discount.  (The prices listed on my website reflect this discount)

Why not let this year be the year that you finally [insert desired change here] by making the changes from the inside out?  I'm here, when you are ready... 

 

Living Life According to the Universe

The universe works in a very structured, yet giving, manner.  There are rules and laws that govern the universe and our lives and the more we live in accordance to those laws, the more harmonious our lives are, the more in touch we are with our true selves.  For about ten years or so, I’ve naturally been living my life according to Universal laws and my life has been drastically different since. 

It’s like a natural system of checks and balances.  Where our minds go, our energy follows.  So, if we think about and harbor on negative aspects of life then that is what we find ourselves surrounded by.  If we wish harm on others, we find ourselves in harm’s way quite often.  If we want something, we must act upon it – in both thought and physicality.  Everything always comes full circle – what goes around comes around, so if you ‘go around’ in a positive fashion, that positivity also ‘comes around’ your life.  Everything in the world must have balance, what goes up must also come down.  There is a rhythm to the universe and as long as we are living in accordance to that rhythm, we ourselves, our lives are also in rhythm.  To me, it truly is the simplest thing in the world, yet so many people are not dialed into this concept and awareness. 

We are the only ones who can control what we think, how we act, and how we react.  Keeping our thoughts focused on the things we want, instead of the things we do not want heightens our ability to manifest things in our lives. 

Actively appreciating what we DO have instead of what we do not have keeps our lives in perspective.  Being aware of the things we have that others do not, helps us to keep it relative.  This can be our mental health, our physical health, our spiritual connection, our physical surroundings, our physical assets, our zest for life, etc. 

Understanding that we create our realities, through our thoughts, words, and actions helps us to not become victims of our lives and helps us to hold ourselves responsible for what we do, think, and say. 

Knowing that we must have balance in life, being able to take the good with the bad, understanding that the sun sets and the moon rises, that tides go in and out, that people are good and people are bad.  It IS what we choose to focus on, so why not focus on the good?  Even if we experience a down time or a “bad” situation, we will get through it – we always do.  Everything is happening as it is meant to and we are never given more than we can handle. 

Having an awareness that our thoughts are like silent wishes, so should we ‘think’ about wanting a new house, we have planted that seed, as a wish to grow in our world.  The more we feed energy to that thought (wish) the more of a reality it becomes.  It may not happen overnight, but it will happen – again, when it is meant to. 

While Universal laws seem to focus on the mental reality of our thoughts shaping our worlds, there is a strong spiritual connection.  We must connect to and understand the Universe at large and Divine timing.  We must be fully aware of our physical beings, as homes for our souls and treat our physical bodies as such.  Taking care of and tending to our needs, wants, and desires.  We must recognize this in others as well.  If we, as a “world” recognized each other on a soul level, can you imagine how different the world would be?  We wouldn’t have the jealousy, the envy, the competition, the greed … we would see so much more love, acceptance, compassion, forgiveness, and understanding.  I’d much rather live in the positive aspects of the world.  Wouldn't you?   

 

 

 

Healing Through the Mind-Body Connection

A healthy soul is a happy soul.  This, of course, doesn’t mean that souls with physical, mental, or emotional ailments are not happy.  It does, however, imply that souls suffering from physical, mental, or emotional ailments or illnesses may have some underlying distress or unhappiness that deserves some attention.   

Louise Hay talks of this very thing in her book, Heal Your Body A-Z.  She talks about her own experience with cancer of the vagina, how her background of rape and physical abuse at a young age could have been the causing factor of the manifestation of the cancer, and also how she healed herself through a process, starting with clearing old patterns.   

Old patterns, thoughts, and behaviors that are so deeply a part of one’s soul may be the root cause of many mental and physical ailments that  manifest.  Anger, resentment, and fear are all emotions that do a great job of festering and eventually erupting, both physically and mentally.   

There are many ways to recognize and overcome these thought patterns that create so much disruption.  The following guideline is simply that – a guideline to be able to recognize patterns.  Always consult a trusted medical physician with any ailments and illnesses, and with the recent surge in holistic healthcare, there may even be a holistic specialist that can be consulted.   

• Trust your gut.  If your body is telling you that something just isn’t right, trust that feeling.
• Check-in with yourself on a regular basis.  This could be daily, weekly, or monthly (although the more often and consistent, the better).  When a negative emotion arises, stop and allow that emotion to be FELT.  Holding it back or stuffing it down is what leads to the patterns and behaviors, and often-times illness.  Acknowledge the feeling.  Spend some time with it.  Get to know it.  Understand why it is surfacing and from where.  If it is anger – Is the anger really directed toward the person or situation?  Or is the person or situation reminding you of something from the past and THAT is what is triggering it?  Recognize the source.  
• Self-Care.  There are many ways to practice self-care (a whole other list could be started for this topic alone).  A few very easy ways to care for oneself are sea salt baths, meditation, yoga, massage, dancing (even if people are watching, but way more fun if done while home alone), sufficient rest, and healthy eating habits. 
• Enlist help.  Find a trusted friend to talk regularly with.  Hire a life coach.  Go to counseling.  Find healthy outlets that give the repressed emotions and feelings a way out, without hurting anyone, including yourself. 
•  LOVE yourself.  Love.  Yourself.  For every perfection and imperfection. 

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.  ~World Health Organization, 1948

 

*published in inSpirit magazine June 2013

Intuition Development Classes Online!!

Hi everyone!  I am so excited because I've had people express interest in attending my Intuition Development classes at Witchy Wearables, but are too far away or even in a different state.  So, I'm excited to announce that I finally(!!) have the online version ready to go, starting in January.  Yea!!! 

So, here is all the info you need to know:

• The classes will take place via video conferencing with Google Plus Hangouts.  You must have a Google (gmail) account and download Google Plus, if you don't already have it.  Be sure to include your gmail email address in the notes of your payment for the classes, if it is not your primary PayPal email, so that I can add you to my circles on Google Plus.   
• I am limiting the class size to 9 people only.  This keeps things intimate enough and adheres to Google's rules. 
• The classes span over 4 months, taking place every second Thursday of the month at 8 PM, Central time.  The classes may last up to 2 hours.  Specific dates are: 1-9-14; 2-13-14; 3-13-14; 4-10-14.   
• You must be able to commit to attending every class.  We create a shared energy during the classes and in an effort to keep this energy calm and comfortable, we all must take part in it.  Having people attend one class and not the next shakes up the energy and isn't very comfortable.  Plus, you won't want to miss out on the fun and interactive exercises and information! 
• The first 3 classes will come with handouts that I will email to you the day of the class. 
• You have options to pay for the classes.  The cost per class is $20.  Your initial $20 payment secures your spot.  After that, I will send you a PayPal invoice for the remaining three classes, about 2 weeks prior to the class date.  Payments are due 1 week prior to the class date.  --OR--  You can also pay for all 4 classes at once, which offers a slight discount.  There is a drop-down menu for the payment options in the Classes/Workshops section of my website. 
• You'll want to set aside this class time, to be a quiet, uninterrupted time for you.  This allows you to be fully present and connected to the group and gives respect to the rest of the group (and myself). 
• You will need ear buds or headphones, with a mic, for the class.  The ear buds/headphones cut out any feedback and echo that may occur. 

If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me!!  I can't wait to start this journey with you!! 
 

Happy Birthday Pawpaw

Today marks what would be my Pawpaw's 80th birthday. 
I'm not going to pretend like I had this amazing relationship with him,
because I didn't.  In all honesty, I feel like I barely knew him. 

My grandparents moved to Alabama when I was around 7
years old, so the only time I ever spent with him was
during quick visits.  And, let's face it ... spending
time with grandparents from the ages of 8-16 isn't
the first thing that comes to mind when you think
of "fun."  During those visits, I was typically outside
running around with my cousins and my Pawpaw was
typically sitting in his chair ... with his switch sitting right
next to him.  Daunting, wouldn't you say? 

Luckily I was never on the receiving end of that switch, but I can't say the same for other family members.  I never knew that side of my Pawpaw, but I've heard many, many stories.  I think the most important memory I have of him is from the Christmas before he passed.  We went down to Alabama for a visit and I remember 3 nights in a row of driving around, looking at Christmas lights.  The first night we went out, it seemed fun and exciting (from what I can remember, anyway).  The second night wasn't as exciting, and the third night was, "Again?"  But 18 years later, driving around and looking at Christmas lights is one of my favorite things to do. 

So, why write a blog about a man who had little-to-no impact on me while he was alive, except for one lasting memory?  Because I now have this amazing relationship with him.  Many of you will not understand, others will say I'm crazy, but there are a select group who know exactly where I am coming from.  My Pawpaw came to me during several medium readings I received, and now I feel his presence all the time.  He relayed so many important messages and gave me a lot of insight into who he is now, as a spirit, free from any demons he possessed in human form.  

He has talked about his shortcomings and gave a very important reminder to not allow his behaviors to trickle down into patterns in the family.  He talked of breaking that cycle and now allowing his wrong-doings to harm the family now that he's gone.  But, most importantly (for me), he has shown me unconditional love and support as I've grown and developed into the spiritual intuitive that I am.  He's been by my side, guiding me and protecting me along the way.  Is it a coincidence that his birthday is the day before another special and important person who has been instrumental in my growth and development from the spirit realm?  Nah ... I don't believe in coincidence.  

My Pawpaw also reminded me that I am one of a billion, interconnected souls.  He used the imagery of stars to demonstrate this concept.  In the reading that he relayed this reminder, he presented himself as holding stars in his hand, shining and sparkling.  He opened his hand and tossed the stars into the sky, to join all of the other stars.  The magical part about this particular imagery?  About a year prior to his passing, my grandparents renewed their vows during a family reunion.  One of the songs that was played?....

 

Growing Pains

We all experience pain as we grow.  As children, this pain shows up as physical pain, usually in our limbs.  But, what about the growing pains we experience as adults?  The less talked about emotional pains? 

For me, this shows up as an energetic slap-in-the-face by those I thought I was close to (friends, family), who are flat out unsupportive of my growth.  (Please don't mistake that as me wanting recognition or my ego stroked, because that is soooo not my style)  I'm sure many people can empathize with me on this.  Think about the times when you've had something exciting happen for, or to, you.  You, naturally, want to share that news with family and friends.  I mean, you do need someone to share in the excitement with, right?!  And how did it feel when one of those friends or family members didn't exactly share in the excitement the way you'd hoped?  Not too good, right?  

I'll share a story ... 

When Shannon and I were doing our radio show, we naturally shared the link to the show each week on Facebook and Twitter.  We got the word out ourselves, and it was nice when some of our friends and family shared the links for the show on their pages as well.  It wasn't so nice when friends and family consistently shared links for other friends' radio shows, but not ours ... ever.  Again, it's not that either one of us "needed" anyone to help us get the word out (we both have pretty big mouths), but we both had to take a step back and acknowledge the hurt feelings we experienced, brought on by the fact that people we thought were our "friends" took time to share and brag about other people they knew airing radio shows, but never us.  Thank goodness we are both fairly self-aware so that we were able to quickly recognize that the anger we (or maybe just me) initially felt about this was really hurt feelings in realizing that maybe someone wasn't as good of a friend as we thought.  

Fast forward to now and I have exciting and fun news to share, so I naturally shared on my Facebook page.  I mean, it is pretty exciting when you have an article published in an international publication, especially since I never really expected it to happen when I submitted the article.  It's even more exciting when my school features me in their blog, because of this!  But, it is also hurtful when the same friends and family members who blatantly didn't support me in other endeavors, continue in their unsupportiveness.  Did I expect anything different?  No, not necessarily.  I know that when I expect things of people, I open the doors for disappointment, so I like to leave that expectation at the door.  But, it is still nice to know that your friends and family have your back and are happy for you/proud of you/cheering you on.  

So, what do you do when you feel this lack of support, whether energetically, physically, or emotionally?  You put your big girl pants on and get over it!  Acknowledge the hurt feelings and then move on.  I was warned a few years ago about the reaction (or lack thereof), I would receive from others when I started to grow.  I was told that I have people around me that would simply not be happy for me and to not take it personally.  Thank goodness for that nice tidbit, because it helped me realize some very important things.  My growth and the lack of support coming from certain friends and family members actually has nothing to do with me and everything to do with them.  If someone isn't happy for you, it is up to them to figure out why they are happy for you.  It's up to you to keep on keeping on and stay in your happy place, where you do your best work. 

It is unfortunate and disheartening to find out that people aren't there for you (typically this happens when you are down and out, and also happens on the flip side), but how else would you know that perhaps you are no longer in alignment with certain people in your life?  It's times like these that you truly find out who is there for you and who isn't; Who really supports your success or sympathizes with your demise. 

And these are the growing pains of our lives. 

Hearing Your Intuition and Actually Listening To It

We are all guilty of hearing our intuition but not listening to what it's saying.  Think of those times when you've said,  
"Man, something inside me said to slow down, but I didn't and then I got pulled over."
... or ...
"I just knew going out tonight was a bad idea and then this huge fight broke out."

Or what about the times when you've felt the nudges or received the signs to make a change and you continuously ignored them?  This happened to me very recently.  I've been receiving signs and messages all relating to change - now is the time to make a change; watch where/how you spend your energy; letting go of something opens space for something else; and so on. 

While I was receiving all of these signs and messages, I was also slacking a bit with my radio show on BlogTalk, which I co-host with the fabulous Shannon, The Psychic Cowgirl.  I could tell my energy wasn't as invested as it had been in the past, as I was forgetting things here and there, and I would find myself being really amped and on top of things one month and then being thankful for Shannon handling things the next. 

It wasn't until Shannon let me know about a new opportunity for us to look into that the connection between releasing and the radio show came together.  And even then, I STILL said to myself, "No, there's no way that could mean the radio show.  All these messages about change and releasing something have GOT to be about something else.  I'll just ride this out ..." 

And then it happened.  An emotional breakdown unlike any other emotional breakdown, which actually had absolutely nothing to do with the radio show.  But, it was all part of the master plan. 

Shannon sent me a message Sunday morning asking if I was OK, because she had a dream about me.  I was fine and responded letting her know.  Within hours everything took a nosedive.  I messaged her back when I finally had strength and awareness, telling her I wasn't OK and letting her know what I was feeling and going through.  We messaged back and forth a bit and on Monday, she checked on me again.  I let her know I was still feeling a bit yucky and she jumped right in saying that she would find a guest host so I could take time for self-care.  (love her!) 

I listened in to the show that night and joined in the chat room.  I noticed how lively and energetic I felt being in the chat room, and so did Shannon.  And then, it happened again (that intuition giving nudges) ...

We both had to admit to ourselves and each other what we had been feeling and getting signs of.  Because it turns out, it wasn't just me getting these signs, it was Shannon too!!  When we started this venture a little over a year ago, we promised each other that if it either one of us felt that it wasn't fun anymore that we would let the other one know, and there would be no hard feelings.  Shannon and I have been friends for years now, but this radio show brought us a lot closer together and even though I had been feeling a bit heavy about the radio show, I didn't really feel that it was "not fun anymore" and didn't want to upset Shannon or stress her out with worrying about doing the show alone or finding a new co-host or anything really.  Funny, Shannon also didn't want to upset me in anyway, so we both went back on our promise, even though it was in an effort to not upset the other one. 

We talked and once we were honest with ourselves and each other, we know that this is the right thing to do at this time.  As much as I love giggling with Shannon on Monday nights, it is time for us to end this venture together. 

The best part about all of this is that we, as friends, talked and fully honored what the other had to say.  After talking, it was almost silly that we both were afraid to speak up about what we had been feeling.  Nothing has changed, except for the fact that we will no longer be doing the radio show together (that and she won't be giving me a weekly taunt about parallel lives).  I have a huge respect and adoration for Shannon and if she continues to do the show, I will fully support her and be a regular guest (and if I have my own show somewhere down the line, Shannon will fully support me and be a regular guest).  :) 

So, here's the lesson in all of this - honor, trust, and listen to your intuition and don't be afraid to talk about your feelings!  Amazing things happen when you follow through with your gut instincts and handle situations like respectful adults.  Things don't have to be messy, icky, and upsetting.  They can be simple, easy, and light.  It's all how you approach and handle the situation. 

Fitting In

All too often, all we really want in life is to fit in.  To fit in somewhere, whether it be a certain clique at school or work, with certain family members, or a group of friends.  We want to feel a sense of belonging. 

But, what if we took some time to look within and find that sense of belonging from inside ourselves?  What if we realized that what we are seeking really has nothing to do with anyone or anything outside of ourselves and has EVERYTHING to do with what we are truly seeking from withing?!?!

What is the true source of that feeling of belonging or fitting in? 

Is it acceptance?  If so, what is it about yourself that you are not accepting? 

Is it the need for attention?  If so, where are you not giving yourself attention?  Are you too focused on your family, school, or work and not being mindful of your time for self-care? 

Is it a need to feel loved?  If so, how are you not loving yourself? 

At the end of the day, everything starts within. 

We have to love ourselves ...
We have to be honest with ourselves ...
We have to trust within ourselves ...
We have to accept ourselves (And all of our faults.  Remember, no one is perfect!) ...
We have to take time to pamper ourselves ...
We have to be true to ourselves ...
We have to make peace with ourselves ...

Before we can give these out to anyone else and before we can allow them from someone else.  If we don't make things right within ourselves, first and foremost, we truly never make them right ...

"Until you make peace with who you are, you'll never be content with what you have." - Doris Mortman

To anyone and everyone that has an opinion on me, my life, and what I do (or don't do) with my time

Dear (insert your name if you fit the above description),

I'm very sorry if you feel I am not spending my time in the manner that you feel I should.  You see, I'm quite busy.  I'll gladly hand over copies of my calender each month, showing the amount of days/times I actually have free each month.  I work two jobs.  Yes, one is part-time and the other is only a couple of days a month.  But, they take up my time nonetheless.  And the couple-of-days-a-month job requires work outside of there, as I am designing classes to help others grow.  I also run two businesses.  One business is less time consuming, as I'm only an independent distributor for a company.  But, the other one ... that is my business and it requires a LOT of work and dedication to formulate the business and figure out ways to get my name out there.  I co-host a radio show once a week.  The hosting part if fun, but there is work involved as well.  The show ideas are not handed to us - we come up with all of the details ourselves.  Let's not forget that I'm a full-time student as well.  If that's not enough for you, I am also a wife and all that being a wife entails. 

My days, weeks, and months, are all carefully planned out in an effort to keep some level sanity in my life.  My husband and I spend about five hours a week together, on average.  Five hours a week.  You read that correctly.  So, I'm very sorry if I'm not around enough for parties, gatherings, holidays, etc.  I'm sorry if I don't visit or call as much as you would like.  But, I'm not perfect.  And, last I checked ... neither are you. 

If you feel I'm not calling enough or visiting enough, let me ask you this - when was the last time YOU called ME?  When was the last time YOU came to MY house?  I may not be living my life to your standards, but if you can't give an answer of "a week or so" to the two questions I just asked, then you're simply being a hypocrite. 

We are all grown adults.  We are all busy.  (some busier than others)  But, as grown adults there should be some level of understanding and compassion.  I don't question or judge you for not calling or visiting me.  So, the next time you decide to question or judge me for how often my time is spent where you think it should be, I ask you to take a good look in the mirror first. 

With love,
              Me