It’s almost too easy to loose your true self. Who you really are. In a time when people are most connected, so many are actually disconnected.
Relationships we “have” online begin taking over parts of our life where we should be expanding, naturally, outward into the world and most importantly inward to ourselves.
The year began with such beautiful energy. I have however felt like my energy has been slightly stifled the past couple weeks.
I’ve pulled inward, pushed the outside world to a distance. Feel like I’ve for too long, allowed the outside world to influence and it wasn’t always in a positive way. Focusing on people who, really in the big picture, do not matter in my day to day life. Truth be told, the biggest part of this meant pulling back from social media. Focusing on ME and not what everyone else is doing. Limiting social has felt freeing. Not that I don’t care about the people I follow… but really, my life and my mental health is so much more important. Far too often it’s simple to get sucked in, when really what we need to focus on is our own life.
Yesterday morning I woke up naturally, actually at my normal time also! As much as I could have went back to sleep, I stayed up. I poured into me. I gave myself permission to slow. My brain has been quite active these past couple months. I have found when this happens I allow myself to get overwhelmed far too quickly, until I become conscious of my thoughts and actions! It’s taken me so much less time to shift, thankfully!
I started with a Turmeric tea in bed (coffee for the husband) and a blend in the diffuser. I selected the oils based on my intuition, trust in yourself and you will always be lead to the truth!
Ginger – The Oil of Empowerment
Geranium – The Oil of Love & Trust
Ylang Ylang – The Oil of the Inner Child
Frankincense – The Oil of Truth
Green Mandarin – The Oil of Pure Potential
Many of these I know their emotional uses, like Frank, Ylang Ylang, Geranium because they are well used 😉. The others… how fitting for this weekend! 💕
I appreciate my daily greatness journal. It provides me a beautiful start and finish to my day. I hadn’t meditated in a while so that was my next course of action. Helen Murray, who a couple years ago I did personal coaching with, has a beautiful Peace, Grace and Prosperity Meditation on her website as a free download. Go have a listen, it is like magic to calm and clear the mind! Helen has a beautiful way of speaking and beautiful energy about her.
This morning, this was the SourceMessage on Instagram. An account I feel very aligned with! Cheers to a beautiful day, filling myself up! 😘
Many of us can acknowledge and admit getting sucked into social media. This year, as a whole I have dedicated to being more purposeful, being more intentional and allowing that to reflect in my everyday living and online life.
Ive felt a pull to push back on social, for months now. To get back to the real me, which honestly was pen and paper, writing poems, allowing my words and feelings to flow. To capture real life with my camera, in the beginning with film and now convenient with digital, providing the opportunity to take as many photos as I can, not worrying as much about the perfect shot, because knowing that I am able to capture multiple. My blog and photos on Flickr. Both of which I had long before many of the “popular” social sites showed up and began dominating… Allowing my creativity to flow, without judgment, restriction.
There is life beyond social media, a tool that I have come to appreciate, but also one that I choose to not allow to dominate my time or life. Modeling for my children as well. Much of my realization and growth has been fueled through our home shifts and changes. All of which has been modeled by our current life.
I have felt this pull for a while, sure things can be “personalized” on these social sites – but its not true personalization. Many people we are all “friends” with, but really thats almost diluted the real meaning of what a “friend” is. 2020 will be a year of growth. I can feel it.
Bedtime truly is one of my fav times! Also one that can get too easily neglected. It’s time to bring some balance back cause when I feel good life is SO good!
Creating a bedtime routine is still one that is a work in progress. Which is ok! I had the opportunity tonight of time. Which let’s be real, a bedtime bathroom routine does not take that much time, it really is super easy! When you get out of your head!
Before I got in the shower I stopped. To admire myself in the mirror. I’ve learned to love my body. All of it. Stretch marks, c-section and various surgery scars… have made me the beautiful woman I am! I took my time. Which took maybe 10 minutes more than normal.
Freshly clean with a few of my favourite products!
I have a few favourite products that my skin really likes! Tonight before my shower, I did a little bit more than what I would consider an “everynight bedtime routine”. I filled the sink with some steaming hot water and as it was filling, I added 2 drops each of doTERRA Tea Tree and Balance! Tea Tree is amazing on my skin, especially for any pimples, I can feel it beneath the skin, put a drop on top, depending on the severity lol and repeat if necessary, it works SO good! Balance, well one of my first oily loves, it does just that, Balance! It’s so grounding.
After steaming my face under a nice large towel, I used the Eminence Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant. It’s very neat, it comes out as a powder that you add as much water as necessary to use on your skin. My sink is SO super soft after using (and helps deal with any black heads too!).
These are a few of my favourite things!
After showering I use either doTERRA Verage Face Serum or Face Lotion with 2 drops of Yarrow|POM or Eminence Rosehip Firming Oil or Moisturizer each also with Yarrow|POM. Tonight I chose the Rosehip Firming Oil with 2 drops Yarrow|POM.
Can I also mention my Humble deodorant!Natural and oh my goodness it works without providing any discomfort to my under arms! Sometimes DIY makes sense, others it is worth paying every dollar and cent!
My skin feels so soft, hydrated and after saging my room and starting the diffuser it’s time for bed! Can you see the light blue tinge, ah the hydrating power of Yarrow|POM!
Relaxed, feeling at peace and ready for a good nights rest! Thriving As An Empath
Before going to sleep, I like to let my thoughts go… release them from my mind to create a blank slate for the next day. I’m working at this in the kitchen too at night, cause man it feels good, again back to clear surfaces. It’s when my mind flows best, when I also love to blog, a love of writing that I’ve had for years, back to my daughters age honestly. That I let go and it was a big part that I am so happy is back! This is a platform I feel I can truly be myself and thoroughly enjoy.
One of the last things I do before bed… I love my dailygreatness journal planner! Its how I start and finish my day and has helped me shift my mindset in so many ways! When we sit down and take even 3 minutes – it can honestly take as little as this! Really be honest with yourself. Let your pen flow on the paper. This beauty had helped me brain dump at night to allow an easier, graceful transition into the night and next day. I highly recommend this planner to any mom, business woman, dad, business man, human being on earth! This planner has the entire year, with a daily page, monthly summary, 90 day review and so much more! It’s my 2nd year with a dailygreatness and I am being so much more purposeful with it this year! 🙏 Click on the link above to save 10% on your own! You are welcome 💫
Ah life, it can be interesting at times. Feel like its a LOT and then come back into reality and literally calm.the.F.down!
I can honestly say my surroundings greatly contribute to the shifting of my energy. I was admiring our home and said out loud how much I truly loved it. Ive said this before, in various stages of renos. But this time it feels different.
When this stage is complete, we have completely transformed this entire home ❤
This makes me so damn proud of us – all of us. Me, my husband and our two kids. In all our life together I have never truly “loved” where I lived. Mom and Dads will always feel like “home”, but its also their home. This home truly feels like us… which feels incredible! Knowing and now very clearly seeing how everything is coming together, has my heart bursting with so much gratitude!
A dream we saw on paper, then on screen, adjusted, edited, research so many options, costs, pros and cons. The numbers person in me has felt so much ups and downs, hills and valley’s. Pair together a numbers woman, with a much more stronger masculine side, with the “unknown” at times – which was almost the entire basement – an adventure x 2 that was, I have been forced to get comfortable with “the unknown”, to honestly learn to trust – without a doubt!
As I thought about how much I loved what our home was transforming to, a cool “house” version of US~! Which had me reminiscing on our journey as individuals, a couple and a family. We have all had some incredible growth, at times what felt like not given a choice, but alas a learning lesson. I am so proud of all of us and the home we have created together.
Thinking back, my kids younger years were a slight blur. I am so grateful for all the photos I captured, seeing the images reminds me of some of my fondest memories of them growing up, honestly some of my kids own memories too! Life was “busy” – before I knew that busy isn’t how you want to feel all the time. We were involved in multiple businesses, I tried to push my infertility pain aside, I had the beautiful “million dollar family”, I should be happy, yet I still was so angry with my body so I kept myself busy all the freaking time to not slow down, not deal with it.
Guess what, the more you push something down, the harder it tries to come up! Just freaking deal with it and move on with life. Counseling is an incredible thing! The power of talking, a genuine listening ear and most of all compassion.
A couple years ago I told my husband I wanted to really focus on what WE want – which was finishing our home so we could then all enjoy it. I have learned so much about myself along this journey that honestly, I may not have been urged to do. Like being ok with taking a great big leap financially to make this house our home. Its 1000% worth it! I can say without a doubt, I love our home and am truly SO grateful for every part of it.
That’s when it dawned on me, my surroundings completely play a significant part in my energy and how I feel. Its the visual. Clutter in my home or business is visually so over stimulating – in a negative way. De-cluttering, being organized, (our home being done), everything having a place – makes me feel so good. For some reason, I used to think I was weird, or that it was “anal” so I pushed against, which honestly was other peoples opinions! It really does feel good to ‘not care what others think’, but it takes a lot of personal work. I find social media can have a very strong negative pull at times. There have been days where I feel like I post alot, because I do. I get into an online vortex almost… which is also linked to HOW Im feeling 😉 Yup all related!!! If Im feeling energetically heavy, I can get sucked into the mindless scrolling. The time “wasted” is very real. Especially when I remind myself that the people who truly matter are IN my life. Not “on” social media. As a photographer I truly appreciate photos, every single one is its own piece of art, which is very cool. One reason I gravitate more to Instagram because its mainly just photos an videos. Other platforms, granted all of them have this downfall, can be strongly negative, which affects anyone’s mental health! Lets just be real and honest about that.
I am much more conscious about my social media use, am I perfect at boundaries, not really. However the better I feel, the stronger emotionally I am, an obvious perhaps. But easier to not access social media as much. There will always be negative people, who will choose to complain about anything and everything. Another real factor on mental health because everyone has to deal with other people in their daily life in some way! Another important reason why I wanted our home to be a true reflection of us, our “nest” as my husband named it. Our happy and always safe place. Our escape from the world, if we ever needed it, our peace on mother earth.
As I stood tonight truly appreciating what we have created, I feel even more at peace.
All in divine timing was so key with every step of this project, which I can NOW see without a doubt, 20/20 vision! Every single hill, mountain, hole, valley we encountered, as I said we had a life lesson. So for that I am thankful. I will have even more appreciation for our home, our nest that I am so grateful for now! Which also displays that our “being happy” truly reflects off of our “being grateful”. Being grateful, feeds off of appreciating your life – the ups and downs, which can be more challenging when you are IN the moment. Yup I get that – We have ALL been there!
Right before bedtime as I am getting ready to unwind, I take some time to reflect. I find this time so important, especially when there are outside factors that could be having an effect on me.
How I spend my evening, greatly affects my sleep as well as the next morning.
Let’s be real. Other people’s lives can be absolutely fascinating. But is it really, “real life”?! Or is it judgment free?
I love photography, of all kinds! Also house plans and designs. I love social for that, but I’ve been feeling lately sucked in and lost, which isn’t a good feeling. A space that can cause anxiety, pass judgment, harassment, violence. I began by unfollowing the news, focus on the good in the world!
I’ve realized how “real life” is so much more than the social world that can suck us in, sometimes so very quickly!
Last night, I enjoyed a great sleep and started the day with my journal. It flows SO incredible! Setting the intention, pushing any fears or worries aside! Tonight, as I finish this in bed, I will be lights out before 11pm! A great achievement. We seem to be natural night hawks lol but we are working on this everyday!
Bedtime, sets the mood for a good sleep, for a good morning and even the entire day! Bedtime, once the kids are in bed, should be focused on me, unwinding, refreshing my own energy, versus various other people’s energy in posts etc, which the light from devices can be damaging to our sleep! Yes I have fell into this trap!
Tonight I remembered to honor MY routine. The way I unwind best. How else can I care for others, if I don’t take care of myself first! Something I also want to model for my children.
With the changes we are making to our home (which are freaking incredible) it involves pushing our comfort zone – ok I will only speak for me – MY comfort zone in a very big way.
Its gotta get messy before our dream can come true. I can envision it too, expected because my 1st strength is Futuristic. Every strength has its good and challenging traits. Its ok.
Today is the day OUR space truly begins the transformation, but today is when the mess starts, and its weighing heavily on my heart.
I remind myself, this is just a moment in time. It will be ok. Looking back I KNOW it will be ok, I mean hello look what we have lived through. Honestly I know we all had our own experiences with PTSD after the basement flooded. I know without a doubt I struggled. However we rise, we choose to honor those feelings and rise as the same time. Some days this meant doing as little as possible, relaxing, watching a show, movie or series, allowing space. This week has been that for me again.
Interesting actually as I write this I realized the kitty who we welcomed into our family, also has challenges with transitions. The universe works in amazing ways, we have been loving on our Missy, also being patient and giving space. The same as what I crave and need during, what can feel like heavy, transitions. She just needed some love and patience, to learn its ok to trust.
Ive learned in my life though, that when it feels really challenging, heavy, hard or deep… its literally on the verge of something that feels freeing, open, like a deep breath, space, love, time, abundant. Like an arrow that’s pulled back before its released. Gaining momentum, becoming even more focused, flows in fast and lots of it – if you allow the time and patience when preparing.
I can breathe my way into alignment ~Gabby Bernstein
Simply taking a few moments to be present, acknowledge what is happening and my emotions surrounding that. Also realizing the truth of this. Its pushed my emotional eating this week. In a very very big way. Alas its been 90% healthy and all gluten free by my choice. What I am noticing though, is how I feel is very also affected by my “diet”, no this isn’t the right word, I honestly detest this word, it gives the wrong impression – my mental health is very much influenced by my eating lifestyle!
This week my little girl, who loves to bake, made some fresh cookies – oh my goodness. They were gluten free too, because thats the only flour we now use in our home. I can honestly say I did not indulge like the old me would have – BUT I did enjoy more than a few! Yesterday we went out snowmobiling with family and stopped at a couple restaurants to refuel our bellies! The food was wonderful, however gluten free is much more challenging in restaurants, unless very careful. Its not as serious as a peanut allergy, meaning it wont kill me, however it is just as important because it can cause a lot of discomfort, pain, inflammation, bloating, various digestive issues… which happened to me last night and is still affecting me today. When I physically feel these ways, it most certainly affects my emotions, add in hubby’s house task for today and yup emotions peaking!
We were so fortunate to find our little missy through a local pet rescue. When I was growing up, my grama used to help stray cats. In fact many of her own house cats were ones she rescued off the back deck. My sister and I enjoyed helping her with them, especially socializing them! At times, yes loving the little fur balls did result in scratches! Sometimes many!
Rescue kitty’s require a lot of patience and love. Our sweet girl is the same. The day we met her, she peed ALL over me. Not just a little bit. More than I think I, as an adult woman have ever peed. She was so nervous. That was the one and only time thankfully!
The kids allowed her space, but also showered her with so much love. They were cuddling her for a short time the first night home! We’ve lost her a couple times, but not for long. Well ok, the 2nd time was 2 days, even I was starting to panic, but not admitting to the kids. One evening when it was just me here, I searched the entire house… side note – when is the last time you cleaned under ALL your furniture?! I found her, in the last room I looked in, obviously, but it literally was the last room I had left to check.
Our little Missy is doing well, but she still has her moments of fear. My daughter and I have been purposely socializing her when we are home. The transition at times is tough for her. When we get home and bring her upstairs, this can at first cause her some fear, hence the scratches (we aren’t declawing this kitty), we persist through and comfort her.
We all shower her with love. Snuggle and cuddle, kiss and pet her. Show her it’s ok to trust and that we are going to love her for her lifetime! This is her safe place.
Tonight before my daughter carried on with her plans, she brought Missy to me. We snuggled on the couch. I ran some Reiki with her to calm her. Animals LOVE Reiki, well mine have and do! I decided what I previously had on my to-do list, could wait. I had the opportunity to enjoy a couple hours in a silent house, it was time for me and to love on our new kitty!
Yes, again!
Last night, I did the same. Still being somewhat productive with dinner, dishes and tonight my laundry.
Animals are incredible for this, one reason why I do strongly believe every home should have an animal. Someone who depends on us for their food, water etc. But who also gives us, unconditional love.
However what I found today, after purposely and consciously putting MY needs as top priority last night… today flowed incredibly well in all areas of my life. Seamlessly. I have an abundance of time and money. I am grateful for my life. Grateful for the experiences.
Tonight, after we were left alone, I got up to start my laundry, fully expecting Missy to jump down and run back to my daughters room, her safe place.
But she didn’t.
She stretched out even longer on the couch.
When I left, a couple hours later, to pick up my daughter, I told the pets, as I do every single time we leave our house, that I would be back soon. Before Mads and I went into the house, I gave her a heads up that Missy was on the couch when I left so we should go in slowly. Our sweet girl was still there! She happily snuggled with all of us before bedtime and then we allowed her, her own space to go down to bed when she was ready.
I am so proud of our little fur girl and for us for being patient, loving, compassionate and kind to her and our dog. Animals are so smart, Becker certainly mourned his sister Paisley, and when he saw Missy he was visibly very excited to meet her with his tail wagging! Baby steps and we will get there one day at a time!
It feels like this winter we have experienced all our Canadian seasons in just these few months!
Alas it has been like within our home as well! As we have begun the “next season” aka major phase!
I had a visit with my chiropractor friend today and even she felt how tense my shoulders and neck are!
I am purposely choosing to be more graceful to myself, my family and others, to take a deep breath and be present, to also watch the words I am using. Our family has embraced the powerful universe and understand what we speak, can become our reality.
Although I am feeling more mentally tired right now, I understand this is just a short season, kind of like the snowmobiling we’ve had as of lately, patience for what is to come!
I envision where we are headed, I appreciate the most of where we are now and am grateful for where we have grown from. 🌱
I absolutely love our home and am so grateful we could create our dream with this starting point! I remind myself, whenever I feel myself getting tense about the next phase or next item on the to-do list, where did we come from?!
One day, long ago, everything we have experienced was once a mere thought… and now here we are! 🙏
This is the time I choose to honor me more, to encourage my kids to do the same, do what you enjoy. Spend more time as a family having fun, of various lengths of time and activities.
That’s one of the biggest reasons I learned in last weekend and took the day to go clear my mind and better myself (and the world really). 🤗
Very soon we will be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labour for 50+ years to come! 🥰
I am so excited, I am proud, but tonight, this week, I honor that at times this isn’t easy for me, and that’s ok. Because we all have our hills and valleys. Every single one of us in various parts of our lives. It’s so much better to choose to embrace the ride of life, than to aim to control the situation how I or we see fit. Life happens, the universe hears us and supports us. So in this time, I am grateful for allowing myself to take a gentle step back. Permission to let it go, to trust all will work out, all will be well in Divine timing to our plans and expectations, or better! ✌
The other day a friend posted a video on Instagram about her upcoming Reiki Level 2 Course. I instantly felt drawn to it, with zero hesitation! I even chose to “miss” a day on the trails snowmobiling!
I did it for me.
I did it for my husband and kids.
I did it to be a part of bringing more peace and healing into the world!
It starts with us. Making a choice.
Thank you to Krystal and Deb for your peaceful and informative instruction and demonstration on my journey to Reiki 2!
I’ve always been a woman who appreciates and is intrigued by energy. Horoscopes were incredibly fascinating to me. Especially when I began to exercise the power of my mind, without even realizing the potential.
Our health today is a balanced mix of holistic health and modern medicine. By balanced I mean, if we need to go to the hospital or doctor, we do. If this does not need to be our first choice, we choose holistic options to support ourselves.
At a time in the world where taking a deep breath and slowing down, even for 5 minutes, could drastically shift the collective energy.
Reiki has been around for longer than I know. I was going to google it, let’s just be honest, the history and science behind things is an area I choose not to be my main focus. My life began to honestly shift even higher when I took my Reiki Level 1 course at the end of 2016. The following year I dedicated time and energy into continuing the shift, not yet realizing the powerful momentum I had going for me!
What is Reiki…
In nut shell its energy. The practitioner, me, being a conduit for energy to flow to myself or another person.
The Reiki Principles
Just for today, I will give thanks for my many blessings.
Just for today, I will not worry.
Just for today, I will not be angry.
Just for today, I will do my work honestly.
Just for today, I will be kind to every loving thing.
When our minds feel like they cannot stop, our emotions are beginning to affect us physically, we get sick, run down, tired, cranky… when we just feel like there is ‘no time to get anything done!’
This is when we need to recognize the importance of slowing down, honoring our body and it’s incredible healing power.
I first hand know the shift Reiki can assist with in someone’s life. Honestly something everyone should be taught. I know one day we could live in a world with so much more peace, by choosing to slow down and honor ourselves the way our heart and soul needs us to.
After all when our chakras are out of balance, this does affect our bodies and minds, emotionally and physically.
Be one with peace. Enjoy time with yourself. Focusing your mind. Be proud of you and allow the opinions of others to slough off.
For me, for my family, Reiki is a way of life. My kids ask me to ‘do the energy crystal thing’ most times when I run Reiki with them, I will incorporate it into their nightly oils. Another way we can connect, unwind, relax the mind, open up and truly enjoy the flow of life.
It’s interesting I was thinking the other night about a famous person that person popped into my head because we had been watching one of her favourite shows, friends!
Someone who I follow on Instagram had posted about using an oil with their baby and also happened to mention that their baby was the night so I do have some experience with oil so I reached out to her and suggested a few other ones that she could try and I was thinking about how I may not get a response back from this quote in quote famous person. Which then got me thinking who determines who a famous person is… you do. You determine who someone is that you look up to or admire or find inspiring.
We each in our own life determine who “is famous” in our life.
There are people who I feel are well known and famous, and yet someone else may say, “Who?”.
Here in lies the power. The power of our minds, of our subconscious. To believe whatever we choose to!
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