Good morning darling one, I pray that all is well in your world today! Before we dive deep into today's topic I wanted to take a moment to let you know how freaking grateful I am that you have taken precious time out of your day to read this post and any of the other posts prior. You could be doing any number of other important activities in your day and yet here you are, you’ve chosen to give me a few minutes of your time and I am couldn’t be more grateful! Seriously I do not take this lightly it makes me feel so very honored to have this time with you here. That is why the beginning of next year I’ll be upgrading my blog site to something a bit more sophisticated and more user friendly. I know this site has a few bugs and since I claim to be no computer wiz in the slightest I have ran into a few kinks here and there that can be uliminated if we go ahead with a different company. So when that time comes I will share all the details and we’ll switch on over together!
OK, so you know those times when someone new comes into your life, maybe you get a new co worker, or maybe your sister starts dating someone new and you ask one of your other siblings or seasoned co worker, “What do you think about the new person?” Usually you judge by this persons vibe, their actions, the way they’re dressed, how they interact with people around them, even how they look. It usually doesn’t take us too long to size someone new up.
The question I pose here today is, “What do you think about YOURSELF?” Really take a moment here and think about it. You can write it down if you’d like. For me the way I think of myself has come a hell of a long way that’s for sure, I used to think Very Poorly about myself. I still fight those feelings on a daily basis and I probably always will that is why exercises like this is so important to do because if we don’t draw attention to the way our mind is working and how it is potentially self sabotaging us, we can never make any positive changes to correct it.
So, for instance I think that I am hard working, determined, controlling at times, loving, kind, perfectionist, good listener, manic at times, strong, stubborn and focused, (I’d like to add funny to the list, but the jury is still out.)
Next I want you to think about which of these qualities cause you pain. Which ones harm you? Which ones harm others? Do any of these ‘traits’ seem to get in the way from growing more fully into your highest potential? The ones that cause me and others pain is the controlling trait, manic and stubborn, also sometimes the funny one, HeHe!
Ok so because I acknowledge that I have the tendency to act controlling what I have practiced doing over the course of about a year now, is simply seeing and acknowledging when that trait pops up. When I am trying to perfectly curate a chill family outing, or when I am throwing a hissy fit like a damned child because things aren’t going my way that is me trying to control something that I simply cannot control. It is out of my hands and in order to have any chance of salvaging the day or finding peace I must let go.
When I begin to act manic is when I tend to cause harm to myself. What will happen is I will start a project and I won’t stop until my body is about to fall over. Usually I won’t eat, I keep working, keep going, I tell myself I can’t stop, can’t take any breaks until the project is completed and the job is done. This trait I’ve gotten a pretty good hold on, not that it doesn’t happen at all anymore but I have gotten a lot better about recognizing when I’m slipping into that mindset and I’ll immediately stop and get a glass of water or make some tea and sit down for a snack. That forces me to take a look at how important this project is and if it’s worth risking my health or not.
Lastly the stubborn trait is a work in progress, lol! Hey, we’re only human after all! With this trait my attention now goes to why am I feeling so stubborn at this moment? Is this an issue of personal boundaries right now or is this just me simply being not willing to bend? What are my motives? Are they pure or are they selfish? I have come to learn that bringing mindfulness to these tendencies are the absolute key to recognizing them and transcending them into more productive states of being and all around a more peaceful state of mind.
Once you start this practice of simply bringing more awareness of your traits that is when you learn how to manipulate them and bring forth more of what makes you good, the traits that bring you joy! For instance if one of your primary traits is anger instead of ‘allowing’ a situation to anger you to the point where you spiral out of control and damn near black out you can get to a point where you witness the anger, you feel it, you acknowledge it, and then you start to ask yourself, “Is this situation really worth me flying off the handle and ruining my whole day?” Probably not. If one of your traits is sarcasm that can be funny and great in lots of situations and yet in others can be cruel and rude. Same thing you can simply be the witness, get to know and become more mindful of your timing and your motives behind the actions.
The coolest part about being the witness and getting to know our primary traits is that once we own them, learn them, witness them and possibly transcend them (if we want to enhance them or add more) we can then choose how to show up, how to use them. Now I am admittedly not fully there yet. I’m getting closer and closer everyday. Some days I’m showing up exactly like I have visualized and all is well! Other days I let the fact that I got up on the wrong side of the bed rule my world. Boo. The more we practice this daily the more we will have control over these traits and emotions and the more we will be in control of what primary trait we decide to run the day. Days that we spend with our loved ones we might want love, generosity, compassion and good listener run the day. Days when we’re working to meet a dead line we want our hard working, perfectionist, determined traits running the show. Ya feel me? It’s simply amazing the power of our mindset, we have been given a super computer in our head, its time we use it to our highest good right!?
Thank you again for taking the time to be here with me today my sweet friend!
Remember in your core that you are made of love and light! The world is ready and waiting for you to shine your brightness onto the rest of us! Have a wonderful day beautiful! MUAH!!!
Monday, September 24, 2018
Monday, September 17, 2018
Create Time for Play Every D*** Day
Today’s post will be brief and to the point, a quickie if you will, (hehe) yet that doesn’t in any way shape or form negate how serious and important this topic is. I simply want the purpose of this post to get you thinking a little bit, get your playful and fun time juices flowing again.
OK, so the past week I’ve had a lot on my mind, I had an unplanned week off of work and therefore had lots and lots of time to think. Normally if I had a planned staycation or even vacation for that matter I would have had mostly all of that time accounted for. Sure I would leave time here and there for chill time, workout time, meditation time, reading time but to be perfectly honest I am a complete busy body and if I don’t create time to relax I will absolutely stuff that time with chores and, you know adulting stuff.
So since I didn’t have this time accounted for guess what happened? I freaking played! I played games with my daughter, I colored, we had a jam out session one night, I read, baked, it was so damn great! I viewed the time as a gift and I wanted to make the most of every second of it.
Do you make time to just play?
Unfortunately I do not. My daughter Izabella is 9 years old now and she is hanging outside with friends a lot of time now which is great! Yet now because she is outside more or with friends more I’ve added more chores or more work into that time free time that I used to spend playing with her, I think because I look at it like I need to use that time ‘wisely’ and I guess my brain views the wisest idea being Adulting. Boo.
I want to view my time in my everyday life as a gift just like I viewed it from being off one week of work because, isn’t it!? Isn’t everyday that we wake up on this earth a f***ing gift from God?
Hell ya it is! I don’t want to squander it filling each and every crevice of free time doing damn chores. Nope. Done. I’m not saying I’m going to allow my household to go to hell in a hand basket, no, I’m proposing something different.
I’m proposing a challenge.
I am going to do a 30 day Play Challenge!
I am going to create 10 minutes dedicated for strictly play in my day for 30 days straight.
And I want you to do it with me!
I’m dead serious and this is what we’ll do,
OK so, play can be whatever you refer to play as. It could be a jam out session on your way to work rocking out instead of listening to the audio book or podcast. It could be playing frisbee with your dog, coloring, dancing while you cook, card game, board game, coloring, bubble pop on your phone, tickling someone, being tickled, the possibilities are endless and its literally whatever floats your boat. The only rule, give it 10 minutes of your undivided attention, that’s it.
At the end of the 30 days I want to know how you feel! You can Direct Message me by clicking on my Instagram link using the Instagram tab on the right of this page. If you start tomorrow that means that by October 18 you will have reached your 30 days. I am super excited to try this experiment with you! I can’t wait to see the results of what adding consistent play in my life will do!
So I will update you on Monday Oct 22’s blog post on my results!
Let the Play begin!
Remember in your core that you are made of love and light! The world is ready and waiting for you to shine your brightness onto the rest of us! Have a great day friends! MUAH!!!
Sunday, September 9, 2018
Creating Free Flowing Energy Inside Your Home
Good morning and Happy Monday to you beautiful one!
Today I am super excited to introduce you to my new friend and fellow blogger Brittney Graham! She writes a blog named Divine Independence and it is has a tons of really amazing content that I find to be super interesting and informative! Not only does her blog rock, she is also a very authentic human and that is definitely what I am drawn to the most about her. We decided to write a special post for one another’s audience and I couldn’t be more stoked! At the end of today’s post you will find the links to her blog page and social media, so please show Ma Gurl some love! Also, you can check me out on her blog, Divine Independence this Thursday where I delve deep about Embracing Your Shadows.
So, without further ado, I give you a special post today written just for you, my sweet friends from Brittney Graham.
Creating Free Flowing Energy Inside Your Home
Did you know that the way that certain things are placed inside of your home could actually create negative energy? It could even be blocking positive energy from coming into your home as well. Crazy right? The practice of creating life energy that is not disruptive throughout the home is called Feng Shui. Yes, I know we have heard about this so many times, usually when they are making fun of someone practicing it on a tv show.
However, this practice is very real and can be super helpful when it comes to creating a higher vibrational environment in our homes. Beginning Feng Shui can really give you a headache, I know I got one while trying to learn everything at once. I wanted to avoid that for you, so I created a little beginners cheat list below that focuses on each area of the home.
The Kitchen
The kitchen should be an area of our home that is bright and open feeling. This creates a sense of health and prosperity. But some of us have small kitchens so that isn’t fair, right? WRONG! There are tricks that can be done to make a small kitchen feel more open and brighter. Add lights, not just over head, add a plug-in light, or a lamp as well. Also, add a mirror so that the light reflects and creates the sense of more space within the room.
Feng Shui is all about color combinations as well, that being said, it is best to start with white on the kitchen walls. This works out pretty well for those of us that have rental properties and aren’t “supposed” to paint. White represents clarity, decision, and communication. Create a little bit of color pops with small accents throughout the kitchen and BOOM you have an open and bright space!
The Living Room
Or as I like to call it, the Netflix room! Honestly though, I do not know about you, but I spend 90% of my time at home in my living room. Therefore, it was really important to me to get that room whipped into a chi free flowing state! This set of instructions are less basic then that of the kitchen because furniture makes or breaks the flow in this space.
Let's break it down:
• The Sofa: The sofa should be farthest from the front door and against a wall. Be sure to leave a few inches between the sofa and the wall so you do not harm either. If the space will not allow for you to have a wall behind the sofa, try a long table.
• Chairs: These should be facing the sofa in a way that invites natural conversation.
• Coffee Table: Ideally you want this to be a round piece of furniture that is placed in the center of the room.
• Square or rectangular ottomans and side tables will accent the round coffee table nicely as well!
So what's with all the shapes? Well, circles represent metal, rectangular shapes represent wood, and shapes represent the earth. Bring these all together in harmony within a room, and you can help create balance.
The Bedroom
Okay, I am going to sound a little bit like your parents growing up, but seriously clean your room!
This is the one place in our homes that we should feel the least amount of stress and the most amount of relaxation. How are we going to achieve this when we have yesterday's pizza on the coffee table with the last 15 bottles of water we took out of the fridge?
Exactly.
This is also the perfect time to get rid of things that no longer serve you. If you have not touched it in over a month and it is sitting out in plain view, GET RID OF IT!
Now that we have the mess cleaned up, lets focus on our bed. Is it on the floor? If so, this needs to change ASAP. If the bed is off the floor is there anything underneath it? Nothing should be stored under the bed as it creates an energy build up.
When facing the door in your room, what is in the far right corner? This corner is about what we are inviting into our lives. To be honest, when I first started this, I had a litter box in the far-right corner of my room. So essentially, I was inviting crap into my life according to Feng Shui. Instead, try hanging a clear quartz crystal so that the morning light can cast clear energies throughout the room.
The last note I have for the bedroom is making sure that electronic devices are kept away from your sleeping area. Keep cell phones and laptops off the night stand and keep the tv on the opposite wall of the bed. Of course, it I optimal to not have a tv in the bedroom at all, but I am not saying that you can't have one or that it will create negative energy if you do. I am however saying that electronic energies seriously mess with our own energies. When we sleep we are recharging and it is hard to do that when electronics are messing with us and are close to us.
Now you have a small list of little changes that can be made throughout your home to make the energy free flowing. I just started practicing Feng Shui about a month ago and I can really feel the difference. I can feel how light my kitchen is now when I am cooking breakfast in the morning. I can feel how inviting my living room is to myself and everyone that I invite over. I can actually feel myself decompress when I lay down in my bedroom at night.
Bio:
Brittney Graham is a former property manager who decided that life was more than a corporate office. So, she decided to start Divine Independence, a motivational and empowering blog for everyone. She wants to be able to help those who are having a hard time taking their first step in their inner divine journey.
You can find Brittney Graham and her blog Divine Independence by visiting www.divineindependence.com
You can also visit Brittney on Instagram by searching Divine Independence
Today I am super excited to introduce you to my new friend and fellow blogger Brittney Graham! She writes a blog named Divine Independence and it is has a tons of really amazing content that I find to be super interesting and informative! Not only does her blog rock, she is also a very authentic human and that is definitely what I am drawn to the most about her. We decided to write a special post for one another’s audience and I couldn’t be more stoked! At the end of today’s post you will find the links to her blog page and social media, so please show Ma Gurl some love! Also, you can check me out on her blog, Divine Independence this Thursday where I delve deep about Embracing Your Shadows.
So, without further ado, I give you a special post today written just for you, my sweet friends from Brittney Graham.
Creating Free Flowing Energy Inside Your Home
Did you know that the way that certain things are placed inside of your home could actually create negative energy? It could even be blocking positive energy from coming into your home as well. Crazy right? The practice of creating life energy that is not disruptive throughout the home is called Feng Shui. Yes, I know we have heard about this so many times, usually when they are making fun of someone practicing it on a tv show.
However, this practice is very real and can be super helpful when it comes to creating a higher vibrational environment in our homes. Beginning Feng Shui can really give you a headache, I know I got one while trying to learn everything at once. I wanted to avoid that for you, so I created a little beginners cheat list below that focuses on each area of the home.
The Kitchen
The kitchen should be an area of our home that is bright and open feeling. This creates a sense of health and prosperity. But some of us have small kitchens so that isn’t fair, right? WRONG! There are tricks that can be done to make a small kitchen feel more open and brighter. Add lights, not just over head, add a plug-in light, or a lamp as well. Also, add a mirror so that the light reflects and creates the sense of more space within the room.
Feng Shui is all about color combinations as well, that being said, it is best to start with white on the kitchen walls. This works out pretty well for those of us that have rental properties and aren’t “supposed” to paint. White represents clarity, decision, and communication. Create a little bit of color pops with small accents throughout the kitchen and BOOM you have an open and bright space!
The Living Room
Or as I like to call it, the Netflix room! Honestly though, I do not know about you, but I spend 90% of my time at home in my living room. Therefore, it was really important to me to get that room whipped into a chi free flowing state! This set of instructions are less basic then that of the kitchen because furniture makes or breaks the flow in this space.
Let's break it down:
• The Sofa: The sofa should be farthest from the front door and against a wall. Be sure to leave a few inches between the sofa and the wall so you do not harm either. If the space will not allow for you to have a wall behind the sofa, try a long table.
• Chairs: These should be facing the sofa in a way that invites natural conversation.
• Coffee Table: Ideally you want this to be a round piece of furniture that is placed in the center of the room.
• Square or rectangular ottomans and side tables will accent the round coffee table nicely as well!
So what's with all the shapes? Well, circles represent metal, rectangular shapes represent wood, and shapes represent the earth. Bring these all together in harmony within a room, and you can help create balance.
The Bedroom
Okay, I am going to sound a little bit like your parents growing up, but seriously clean your room!
This is the one place in our homes that we should feel the least amount of stress and the most amount of relaxation. How are we going to achieve this when we have yesterday's pizza on the coffee table with the last 15 bottles of water we took out of the fridge?
Exactly.
This is also the perfect time to get rid of things that no longer serve you. If you have not touched it in over a month and it is sitting out in plain view, GET RID OF IT!
Now that we have the mess cleaned up, lets focus on our bed. Is it on the floor? If so, this needs to change ASAP. If the bed is off the floor is there anything underneath it? Nothing should be stored under the bed as it creates an energy build up.
When facing the door in your room, what is in the far right corner? This corner is about what we are inviting into our lives. To be honest, when I first started this, I had a litter box in the far-right corner of my room. So essentially, I was inviting crap into my life according to Feng Shui. Instead, try hanging a clear quartz crystal so that the morning light can cast clear energies throughout the room.
The last note I have for the bedroom is making sure that electronic devices are kept away from your sleeping area. Keep cell phones and laptops off the night stand and keep the tv on the opposite wall of the bed. Of course, it I optimal to not have a tv in the bedroom at all, but I am not saying that you can't have one or that it will create negative energy if you do. I am however saying that electronic energies seriously mess with our own energies. When we sleep we are recharging and it is hard to do that when electronics are messing with us and are close to us.
Now you have a small list of little changes that can be made throughout your home to make the energy free flowing. I just started practicing Feng Shui about a month ago and I can really feel the difference. I can feel how light my kitchen is now when I am cooking breakfast in the morning. I can feel how inviting my living room is to myself and everyone that I invite over. I can actually feel myself decompress when I lay down in my bedroom at night.
Bio:
Brittney Graham is a former property manager who decided that life was more than a corporate office. So, she decided to start Divine Independence, a motivational and empowering blog for everyone. She wants to be able to help those who are having a hard time taking their first step in their inner divine journey.
You can find Brittney Graham and her blog Divine Independence by visiting www.divineindependence.com
You can also visit Brittney on Instagram by searching Divine Independence
Monday, September 3, 2018
The Importance of Cultivating a Confidence Mindset
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence liberates others.” -Marianne Williamson
Happy Labor Day you cute thang you! Today I wanted to touch a little bit on the importance of cultivating a confident mindset. Now as I was sorting through various quotes that resonates with me on this subject I stumbled upon the one above written by Marianne Williamson and it completly rocked my world! This quote took this subject to a whole new level for me.
I wanted to make the point on this subject that yes when we shrink around other people so they won’t feel insecure it not only harms us but it also harms them. It is acting almost like an inabler because by shrinking and catering to their ‘ego’ you aren’t calling them to access their highest potential nor are you practicing yours.
I am not advocating being arrogant or egotistical in any way shape or form I want to make that clear. As we evolve and grow I feel it is so important to own our growth, own our power and spread our light. As we do that we literally give those around us permission to do the exact same thing!
Have you ever been around someone so magnetic, so loving, caring and confident and it seeps onto you? You start to feel more empowered, more confident, more light.
I know I’ve found that scenario to be true by being around a speaker or someone that I look up to, their energy kick starts my own and I’m left feeling like I can move mountains after just being in their presence!
We can all cultivate that type of energy, that type of light for others!
So as you’re eating your BBQ and celebrating the end of summer today with family and friends I just would like you to contemplate the very wise words of Marianne Williamson.
Who are you not to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, or fabulous? You playing small does not serve the world. We are all meant to shine! You do the world a major disservice when you shrink. Yet as you shine and rise into your light you become a beacon of joy and you become a magnet for those around you that they can’t help but to be drawn to!
Remember in your core that you are made of love and light! The world is ready and waiting for you to shine your brightness onto the rest of us! Have a great Labor Day friends! MUAH!!!
Happy Labor Day you cute thang you! Today I wanted to touch a little bit on the importance of cultivating a confident mindset. Now as I was sorting through various quotes that resonates with me on this subject I stumbled upon the one above written by Marianne Williamson and it completly rocked my world! This quote took this subject to a whole new level for me.
I wanted to make the point on this subject that yes when we shrink around other people so they won’t feel insecure it not only harms us but it also harms them. It is acting almost like an inabler because by shrinking and catering to their ‘ego’ you aren’t calling them to access their highest potential nor are you practicing yours.
I am not advocating being arrogant or egotistical in any way shape or form I want to make that clear. As we evolve and grow I feel it is so important to own our growth, own our power and spread our light. As we do that we literally give those around us permission to do the exact same thing!
Have you ever been around someone so magnetic, so loving, caring and confident and it seeps onto you? You start to feel more empowered, more confident, more light.
I know I’ve found that scenario to be true by being around a speaker or someone that I look up to, their energy kick starts my own and I’m left feeling like I can move mountains after just being in their presence!
We can all cultivate that type of energy, that type of light for others!
So as you’re eating your BBQ and celebrating the end of summer today with family and friends I just would like you to contemplate the very wise words of Marianne Williamson.
Who are you not to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, or fabulous? You playing small does not serve the world. We are all meant to shine! You do the world a major disservice when you shrink. Yet as you shine and rise into your light you become a beacon of joy and you become a magnet for those around you that they can’t help but to be drawn to!
Remember in your core that you are made of love and light! The world is ready and waiting for you to shine your brightness onto the rest of us! Have a great Labor Day friends! MUAH!!!
Monday, August 27, 2018
Getting Through Days Filled With Overwhelm
Hey there gorgeous happy Monday! I’m so grateful to have you here with me, your awesome and also can I say that I am very grateful that you spend valuable time out of your day to read this blog every week. It means so very much to me, this truly is a labor of love for me. I enjoy the hell out of writing and especially writing about real life stuff we can all relate too. My goal some day in the future is to grow this blog into a community, a support group almost and in order to do that I am working on growing my reader base, then I will change my platform that I’m using now from blogger to a platform that I can expand and grow into more sufficiently. So if you know anyone that may benefit or enjoy Love Your Light blog please send them a link to check it out. Lets grow, expand and be the best we can be together.
Yesterday was one of those days for me where just about everything that was coming up throughout the course of the day was overwhelming the shit out of me. It made no sense. Chad, Bella and I had a good day, it was a Sunday that we enjoyed for the most part, yet for some reason instead of staying fully engaged and present in the moment my mind was running rampant. It felt like my brain was on crack running a marathon thinking at lightning speed about all that was to come and of course all the “what ifs” that the future holds. So there was that and since I feel like I “know better” that almost made it worse I think. Because then I was giving myself a mental ‘talking to’ that sort of went like this, “Come on Brittany, seriously you know better then to waste this precious time you could be fully engaged with your family yet here you are worrying about some shit that may not even happen. By worrying or getting overwhelmed your robbing yourself of this present moment and your not giving Chad and Bella your undivided attention that they deserve.” That didn’t help.
It didn’t help because I knew all of that, yes, but giving myself a mental guilt trip was not the answer. If anything it added to my feelings of overwhelm because now I felt like a jerk mom and wife. Not cool. So I am happy to say that I eventually got my wits about me by the second half of the day yesterday by going somewhere quiet and getting a nice meditation in and all I could think about was how I’ve got to write a post about this. There are days when I can deal and manage feelings of overwhelm quite well and I attribute that to certain steps I’ve learned to take. Although yesterday most of those steps went out the window (I want to blame it on the full moon we had yesterday) though I will own my own actions like an adult, (dammit) and share with you how I deal with overwhelm on my good days.
I’ve learned to ask for help. (Now remember I said these are my good days.). Yes, I have learned to ask for help and not feel guilty about it. I’ve embraced that asking for help is not a sign of weakness of that I am not competent of capable, we simply all can use an extra hand every now and again to get things done more efficiently while keeping our sanity.
I’ve learned to make a tasks list. Prioritize from most significant and important and start at most important and work down the list focusing only on the one task I am on at a time. I try not to multi task all the time, I try to literally focus on one thing at a time so as to not get feelings of overwhelm and then half ass my projects.
I’ve learned to stop and breathe. If I am starting to feel a bit manic because I’ve had a day where I’m so busy I’ve been going like a crazy person I must stop and take a breather. Maybe go do a meditation, maybe just go sit down, maybe take a short walk, the goal is to slow down long enough to remember that my health and well being is of the utmost importance before anything else, especially these tasks.
Lastly I’ve learned that the feeling of overwhelm is a feeling that a lot of times I have created for myself. I’ve added too much to my agenda that day. I haven’t asked for any help. I haven’t taken anytime to pause and take a breath. I’m not declaring that all reason for overwhelm is self created because that is definitely not always the case. For me though, a lot of times it is. So I own it. I learn from it. I decide not to try to cram that much in a day again and I don’t. I don’t want to live in a state of constant overwhelm again. I’ve been down that scary insane road before and I sure as hell don’t want to go back again.
So today my sweet I thought I would share this with you because I know a lot of us are living with a whole lot of overwhelm on the daily. We can find so much more peace and happiness if we learn how to manage it best for our own unique individuality. I hope there is some info, some sort of tidbit in this post that speaks to you and if it does please comment and tell me what it was you got out of this topic today. I’d love to hear from you!
Remember in your core that you are made of love and light! The world is ready and waiting for you to shine your brightness onto the rest of us! Have a great day friends! MUAH!!!
Yesterday was one of those days for me where just about everything that was coming up throughout the course of the day was overwhelming the shit out of me. It made no sense. Chad, Bella and I had a good day, it was a Sunday that we enjoyed for the most part, yet for some reason instead of staying fully engaged and present in the moment my mind was running rampant. It felt like my brain was on crack running a marathon thinking at lightning speed about all that was to come and of course all the “what ifs” that the future holds. So there was that and since I feel like I “know better” that almost made it worse I think. Because then I was giving myself a mental ‘talking to’ that sort of went like this, “Come on Brittany, seriously you know better then to waste this precious time you could be fully engaged with your family yet here you are worrying about some shit that may not even happen. By worrying or getting overwhelmed your robbing yourself of this present moment and your not giving Chad and Bella your undivided attention that they deserve.” That didn’t help.
It didn’t help because I knew all of that, yes, but giving myself a mental guilt trip was not the answer. If anything it added to my feelings of overwhelm because now I felt like a jerk mom and wife. Not cool. So I am happy to say that I eventually got my wits about me by the second half of the day yesterday by going somewhere quiet and getting a nice meditation in and all I could think about was how I’ve got to write a post about this. There are days when I can deal and manage feelings of overwhelm quite well and I attribute that to certain steps I’ve learned to take. Although yesterday most of those steps went out the window (I want to blame it on the full moon we had yesterday) though I will own my own actions like an adult, (dammit) and share with you how I deal with overwhelm on my good days.
I’ve learned to ask for help. (Now remember I said these are my good days.). Yes, I have learned to ask for help and not feel guilty about it. I’ve embraced that asking for help is not a sign of weakness of that I am not competent of capable, we simply all can use an extra hand every now and again to get things done more efficiently while keeping our sanity.
I’ve learned to make a tasks list. Prioritize from most significant and important and start at most important and work down the list focusing only on the one task I am on at a time. I try not to multi task all the time, I try to literally focus on one thing at a time so as to not get feelings of overwhelm and then half ass my projects.
I’ve learned to stop and breathe. If I am starting to feel a bit manic because I’ve had a day where I’m so busy I’ve been going like a crazy person I must stop and take a breather. Maybe go do a meditation, maybe just go sit down, maybe take a short walk, the goal is to slow down long enough to remember that my health and well being is of the utmost importance before anything else, especially these tasks.
Lastly I’ve learned that the feeling of overwhelm is a feeling that a lot of times I have created for myself. I’ve added too much to my agenda that day. I haven’t asked for any help. I haven’t taken anytime to pause and take a breath. I’m not declaring that all reason for overwhelm is self created because that is definitely not always the case. For me though, a lot of times it is. So I own it. I learn from it. I decide not to try to cram that much in a day again and I don’t. I don’t want to live in a state of constant overwhelm again. I’ve been down that scary insane road before and I sure as hell don’t want to go back again.
So today my sweet I thought I would share this with you because I know a lot of us are living with a whole lot of overwhelm on the daily. We can find so much more peace and happiness if we learn how to manage it best for our own unique individuality. I hope there is some info, some sort of tidbit in this post that speaks to you and if it does please comment and tell me what it was you got out of this topic today. I’d love to hear from you!
Remember in your core that you are made of love and light! The world is ready and waiting for you to shine your brightness onto the rest of us! Have a great day friends! MUAH!!!
Monday, August 20, 2018
5 Tips: How to Return to the Present Moment and find Joy
Hey there good lookin! How you doin? I’m praying all is well in your world today! I am in utter disbelief and slight (or major) denial that my baby girl is now a 4th grader as of today. I can’t. Seriously she just had diapers on like last month it feels like. As I walked her into school this morning my head started to spiral. All I could think is, ‘Have I been doing a good job at this mom thing, is my baby prepared for the mean girl phase that is inevitably approaching, am I empowering her enough?’ On and on it went, I didn’t sign up for that roller coaster ride in my mind there in the elementary school hallway, I did fully embark on it when it came rolling through though.
If we’re not careful and well aware of the thoughts that we are indulging in we can be swept away by self doubt, anxiety and even self sabotage. That’s exactly why I decided to write this post today on returning to the present moment. Not only do we lose precious time in the here and now when we dwell on the past or get anxious about the future but we also rob ourselves of true joy and happiness. Those emotions are only possible when we are fully engaged right here, right now. They are absolutely not going to come to us when we’re stuck in our heads thinking back or forward, none of that actually exists. Only Now. I’ve come up with 5 tips on how to return to the present moment, I know mama here surely needed this reminder this morning!
1-Go for a walk. Get outside, turn your phone on airplane mode or do not disturb. Consciously use your senses. As you walk down the street, trail or path what do you see? Is it green lush grass, is it a blue bird, is it street signs or kids playing? Be present, witness and take note in your mind of everything you see along your walk. What do you smell? (Hopefully its not animal poo or anything gross like that). What do you hear? Do you hear birds singing a beautiful bird song, do you hear cars? How does the air feel? Is it thick and humid, is it crispy and chilly, is it windy? Maintain your mindful awareness throughout the entirety of your walk and gently keep coming back to your senses when your mind starts to wonder and it certainly will, that’s ok.
2-Play a board game. When was the last time you did that? They can be really fun! If you don’t have someone to play with its cool, put together a puzzle. If you don’t have a puzzle or puzzles aren’t your jam, play cards. Solitaire is a game you can play by yourself and it is something that can help bring you back to the present moment and out of your head. The goal here is to pick something that does not allow you to multi-task. You must focus only on what is right in front of you. This will make it very difficult for your head to take you on a roller coaster ride that you are not down with today!
3-My favorite-meditate. Meditation has so many amazing, incredible benefits and most importantly it helps you live more fully in the present moment vs. staying stuck in the past with feelings like shame, guilt or regret. It helps you to move more towards loving and accepting your whole self exactly as you are. You can meditate with some relaxing music at home or out in nature by yourself simply by being still with your eyes closed for a certain period of time or you can do a guided meditation. I’ll share with you a few awesome apps I have used that has totally changed my meditation game for the best! The app called Calm is great! They have some free meditation options or you can pay a subscription fee and unlock a whole lot of awesomeness! The app called 1 Giant Mind is a free app and it is great for beginners! You can meditate anywhere from 10 minutes all the way up to 30 minutes, your choice. Also there is an app called breethe it’s awesome! They have tons and tons of meditations, some you can do that helps you sleep, some helps you focus, some that help you with specific goals. You can’t go wrong meditating in order to return to the present moment.
4-Write or read. Some people find it very therapeutic to write down their thoughts and emotions in order to get it out onto the paper and out of their head. Sometimes that can be all it takes to move past something that was holding you hostage in your head in order to return back to the now. If that’s not how you roll, cool, try reading. Usually reading in general helps you to focus on the words vs. focusing on your thoughts. Specifically if you read something with intrigue, mystery or drama! You’ll be wondering what’s next in the book instead of worrying what’s next in your life!
5-Write a gratitude list. When you sit down and really write out all of the things that you
have in your life to be grateful for it can be hella humbling. Believe me, I know. If I am in a shitty mood for no good reason I’ve done this before and it can sometimes be almost jarring. I have soooo much to be grateful for, a beautiful home, a healthy daughter, a loving husband, a car that runs, a cute chiahuahua and a warm bed to sleep in! We can all count our blessings every once and a while to bring things in life back to focus and back to appreciating the here and now.
I hope that this post finds you doing well today and I really hope that you can take something away from this and enjoy your day to the absolute fullest! I know for me this post was totally ny therapy for the day! I feel so much more present and joyous just having shared this with you and using this as a reminder for myself! So instead of spiraling out today about what kind of mama I am and freaking out at how big my girl is getting I will enjoy her. I will be present with her.
So remember in your core that you are made of light and love! The world is ready and waiting for you to shine your brightness onto the rest of us! Have a great day friends! MUAH!!!
If we’re not careful and well aware of the thoughts that we are indulging in we can be swept away by self doubt, anxiety and even self sabotage. That’s exactly why I decided to write this post today on returning to the present moment. Not only do we lose precious time in the here and now when we dwell on the past or get anxious about the future but we also rob ourselves of true joy and happiness. Those emotions are only possible when we are fully engaged right here, right now. They are absolutely not going to come to us when we’re stuck in our heads thinking back or forward, none of that actually exists. Only Now. I’ve come up with 5 tips on how to return to the present moment, I know mama here surely needed this reminder this morning!
1-Go for a walk. Get outside, turn your phone on airplane mode or do not disturb. Consciously use your senses. As you walk down the street, trail or path what do you see? Is it green lush grass, is it a blue bird, is it street signs or kids playing? Be present, witness and take note in your mind of everything you see along your walk. What do you smell? (Hopefully its not animal poo or anything gross like that). What do you hear? Do you hear birds singing a beautiful bird song, do you hear cars? How does the air feel? Is it thick and humid, is it crispy and chilly, is it windy? Maintain your mindful awareness throughout the entirety of your walk and gently keep coming back to your senses when your mind starts to wonder and it certainly will, that’s ok.
2-Play a board game. When was the last time you did that? They can be really fun! If you don’t have someone to play with its cool, put together a puzzle. If you don’t have a puzzle or puzzles aren’t your jam, play cards. Solitaire is a game you can play by yourself and it is something that can help bring you back to the present moment and out of your head. The goal here is to pick something that does not allow you to multi-task. You must focus only on what is right in front of you. This will make it very difficult for your head to take you on a roller coaster ride that you are not down with today!
3-My favorite-meditate. Meditation has so many amazing, incredible benefits and most importantly it helps you live more fully in the present moment vs. staying stuck in the past with feelings like shame, guilt or regret. It helps you to move more towards loving and accepting your whole self exactly as you are. You can meditate with some relaxing music at home or out in nature by yourself simply by being still with your eyes closed for a certain period of time or you can do a guided meditation. I’ll share with you a few awesome apps I have used that has totally changed my meditation game for the best! The app called Calm is great! They have some free meditation options or you can pay a subscription fee and unlock a whole lot of awesomeness! The app called 1 Giant Mind is a free app and it is great for beginners! You can meditate anywhere from 10 minutes all the way up to 30 minutes, your choice. Also there is an app called breethe it’s awesome! They have tons and tons of meditations, some you can do that helps you sleep, some helps you focus, some that help you with specific goals. You can’t go wrong meditating in order to return to the present moment.
4-Write or read. Some people find it very therapeutic to write down their thoughts and emotions in order to get it out onto the paper and out of their head. Sometimes that can be all it takes to move past something that was holding you hostage in your head in order to return back to the now. If that’s not how you roll, cool, try reading. Usually reading in general helps you to focus on the words vs. focusing on your thoughts. Specifically if you read something with intrigue, mystery or drama! You’ll be wondering what’s next in the book instead of worrying what’s next in your life!
5-Write a gratitude list. When you sit down and really write out all of the things that you
have in your life to be grateful for it can be hella humbling. Believe me, I know. If I am in a shitty mood for no good reason I’ve done this before and it can sometimes be almost jarring. I have soooo much to be grateful for, a beautiful home, a healthy daughter, a loving husband, a car that runs, a cute chiahuahua and a warm bed to sleep in! We can all count our blessings every once and a while to bring things in life back to focus and back to appreciating the here and now.
I hope that this post finds you doing well today and I really hope that you can take something away from this and enjoy your day to the absolute fullest! I know for me this post was totally ny therapy for the day! I feel so much more present and joyous just having shared this with you and using this as a reminder for myself! So instead of spiraling out today about what kind of mama I am and freaking out at how big my girl is getting I will enjoy her. I will be present with her.
So remember in your core that you are made of light and love! The world is ready and waiting for you to shine your brightness onto the rest of us! Have a great day friends! MUAH!!!
Monday, August 13, 2018
Embrace the ‘Lull’
Happy Monday beautiful friends! This week I wanted to bring up the topic of inactivity or a lull period of time in our life. I believe we all have them in one way, shape or form. How do you deal with them when they arise? Do you embrace having down time? Do you get bored? Do you think you’re not doing something right because you’re not super insane crazy busy like most of us Americans feel we should operate on any given day? Unfortunately I usually fall in the category of the ladder.
The dictionary states that the definition of lull is: a temporary interval of quiet or lack of activity.
Synonyms include: pause, respite, interval, break, hiatus, suspension, interlude, breathing space...
Ok...
That all sounds amazing!! To have a nice respite, a time where I can have a bit of breathing space and down time could do me some good! So why the hell do I feel the need to fill up this blessing of inactivity with busyness?
Can you relate to this? If you can’t I seriously need some tips and tricks on how you embrace your lull, Fo Real. In the mean time I have added time onto my meditation in the mornings by 5 minutes so I am now up to 15 minutes and that has been great! When I first started meditating I could only sit 5 minutes and even that felt almost like torture. I’ve always been a busy body, can’t sit still, leg swinging as I sit, fidgeting with something in my hand, my body simply feels the need to be in constant motion. My meditation practice has positively impacted my life in ways I never thought possible and my goal is to one day be able to sit for 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening. I’m not there yet.
I get up from my cushion in the morning and off I go. I have gotten so used to having my days full of tasks, work, goals and chores that when there is a ‘lull’ or some breathing space I can start to feel unproductive. Don’t get me wrong I am still working, writing, being a wife and mama but still my brain demands more.
This post is a reminder. A reminder that I know I need very much right now. I am praying that you get something from this that you may have needed a little reminding of today too love bug. When we have these times of respite that will ebb and flow throughout our lives these are the exact times that we need to rest, recharge and rejuvenate. Our creative juices are being filled back up. We have space to breath and look inside to feel into our next move, our next goal. Even though my cray cray brain says “don’t stop moving, you must keep going” my heart knows, its OK to slow down, its OK to take this mini interlude, its OK.
Stillness gives us a chance to become fully present, and what a wonderful gift that is! I mean seriously that for me is one of my biggest goals in life is to become more fully present in every single situation in my life. While I’m writing here with you, while I’m playing with Bella, while I’m hanging with my boo thang Chad, while I’m with a client at work, I want to be fully present and giving that task or that person my all. When our schedules are bursting at the seams and we’re running around like a chicken with their head cut off that may be a bit hard, don’t ya think?
Yes I think so...
So thank you for being here and reading what I feel was more of a diary entry today, lol!
I truly hope this post finds you happy and healthy on this beautiful Monday my loves.
Remember in your core that you are made of love and light! The world is ready and waiting for you to shine your brightness onto the rest of us! Have a great day friends! MUAH!!!
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