The phrase “the circle of life” is often used to describe the cyclical patterns we observe, typically in the physical sense. But when I saw this quote and pic on the Get Stronger, Girlfriend Facebook page, I soon realized that phrase applies to more than just the animals in the jungle and the seasons of the weather.

There have been times in my life when I was pulled to learn more about myself, who I am, why I’m here, what I’m doing, etc. I sought teachers and gurus, I signed up for newsletters and podcasts. Essentially, I was in a new space and needed the guidance and inspiration from others who’d been there before me. During such times I acted like a sponge and soaked everything up. (Since you are in fact reading my newsletter right now, I imagine you know what I mean.)

In time I would hear enough, learn enough or, more accurately, I’d remember enough to satisfy my questions. With my answers in mind, it would be time to focus once again on this so-called reality of mine and let my gurus of sorts sit on the sidelines. My schedule would return to normal, all those newsletter emails would go unread, the books would move from night stand to desk to shelf and, in general, life would go on with me at the helm.

From afar I imagine it may appear as though I’d “slipped back into old behaviors,” but more often than not I’d simply reconnected with the truth inside and no longer felt the need to seek outside of myself for the answers. Ahhhhhhh, I so love the peace that comes with finding those answers within!

Of course, inevitably after some time passes by, a new growth opportunity presents itself and in my uncertain state I begin to look outside for information to help me answer my questions…and ‘the circle of life’ begins once more. Yet, the more I repeat this cycle the more confident I become with the knowing that I always have the answers within. Sometimes it’s just easier to find/remember with someone whispering in my ear.

So, do tell – is this pattern something you can relate to? Where are you in the cycle now? Comment below and let me know.

The Answer Is Within is a post from: Feel The Possibilities

Here’s a great reminder that we easily forget in the busy-ness of our lives. For me it speaks to the reason we set New Year's resolutions, the importance of visualization boards, really anything that gets us to clearly decide what we want then helps us keep it at the forefront of our thoughts. Check it out:

“It is of great value for you to give your conscious attention to what you specifically want, otherwise you can be swept up by the influence of that which surrounds you. You are bombarded by the stimulation of thought. And so, unless you are setting forth the thought that is important to you, you can be stimulated by another’s thought that may or may not be important to you.“

~ Abraham Hicks

Ah yes, how easy is it to get off track with the multitude of inputs we have in our lives. From the news to Facebook to the TV and movies we watch to “escape” – we are truly overwhelmed with information and very much need to carve out time to keep what’s important to us top of mind.

How do you do that?

I’d love to know, so drop me a quick comment below and I’ll share something new I did recently that helped me.

Choose Your Thoughts is a post from: Feel The Possibilities

A friend recently directed me to a really cool YouTube video where a young man (like 10 years old kind of young) has dubbed himself Kid President and he has a pretty cool message about “being more awesome” – check it out here. His messages are super simple and they got me thinking about how we, as adults, complicate things that kids see straight through. Bummer, huh?

But wait! The rules or shoulds that kids live by may actually hold the answers to the very problems we are experiencing today. That’s right – they hold the key to some very simple solutions. Yay!

To unlock them, here’s my very simple challenge for you…

1. Think of a problem in your life today.
2. Boil it down to the point that you could explain it to a ten-year-old.
3. If you have a ten(ish) year old in your life, direct these questions to them; otherwise, tap into and ask your once-upon-a-time 10-year-old self:

“What advice can you give me about my problem?”

“If you were me, how would you handle this problem?”

4. Now, seriously consider the answer and how you can apply that advice to your problem and do it!

Is this too simple? No!

Case in point – I think the fact that I just asked that question (as did you by default; since by reading the question, you automatically posed it to yourself) goes to prove we cannot simplify things enough!

Let’s face it, as adults we over complicate things, make excuses, doubt ourselves and essentially get caught up in our heads. On the other hand, kids typically haven’t been totally brainwashed just yet.

So…depending on your situation and which ten-year-old you ask:

• If you’re feeling bad, the advice might be to make some fresh baked cookies with your mom.
• If you’re mad at your husband for saying something that hurt your feelings, the advice might be to share that with him.
• If you’re working too many hours, the advice might be to start saying no to people and saying yes to yourself and loved ones.

And if such advice feels too simple, then perhaps you’ve gotten too comfortable with complexity.

In the end, it’s a choice, and you have the power to choose.

SIMPLE SOLUTIONS DO EXIST!

With that in mind, what advice do you think a kid would give you about your problem? Let me know by adding a comment below. Who knows, maybe if everyone shared we’d all get to enjoy some new ideas for how to handle our problems? Just say’n!

Simple Solutions Do Exist! is a post from: Feel The Possibilities

“Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” ~Buddha

Sometimes I read that quote and I feel inspired; other times my reaction is “I don’t have it in me to make some great change today. Thanks, but no thanks.” Ha, ha – maybe you can relate?

We have such busy lives and are so darn good at beating ourselves up, I think we easily dismiss what Buddha is gently trying to remind us of with this quote.

“Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” ~Buddha

Here’s the thing…I don’t have to DO anything massive to tap into the limitless possibilities that stand before me. I could choose a different thought, I could decide to handle a challenging situation at work in a new way, I could forgive myself for not meditating or practicing yoga for the last week and just start fresh today.

Since Easter is this weekend and it’s a time of renewal in many ways, I thought we could all benefit from considering Buddha’s wise words. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by the idea of being born again every day, what if we simply looked for fresh ways to approach things?

Here’s an easy way to do just that:

Look at yesterday – with a fresh slate, what would you have done differently? What might’ve made your day easier, happier, lighter? How could you have been of service to someone else at work, on the road, or at home? When might you’ve been able to take a five-minute break to look outside and take some deep breaths, listen to your favorite song, or send a quick text to someone letting them know you’re thinking of them?

Now I look at Buddha’s quote and feel inspired. Today is a new day and we can make the most of it because we have the power to choose what we think, do and say.

Happy Easter everyone! Regardless of your religious affiliations, here’s to the renewal of life, love and laughter in your world. Here’s to a fresh start!

Go Ahead – Get Fresh is a post from: Feel The Possibilities

Today I’d like to share a post I read on Facebook about the importance of getting real, with others and with ourselves.

Being real with each other is not an easy thing to do in a society that honors keeping up appearances, yet it is an important part of walking a spiritual path.

Through advertising, media and in many other ways, we are taught to be more concerned with how we appear or come across than how we really are. How often do people ask you how you’re doing, not really interested in listening to the answer? How many times do you answer, “Great!” flashing a big, unauthentic smile when in truth you’ve had a tough day, week, or even month?

Even those of us involved in spirituality fall into this trap. We feel that we should be a certain way, and so we pretend to be that to the outside world. We feel the need to be perfect, submerging our faults.

Living spiritually is being in a constant process of transformation, and in order to do that we need to be honest about our negativity, with others and ourselves.

If we try to be all smiles and niceness on the outside, but have judgmental and negative thoughts on the inside, we’re just covering up the dirt by sweeping it under the rug. There is no transformation in that. Besides, the truth of our character can always be felt.

We all have flaws. We all make mistakes.

When we choose to expose ourselves, garbage and all, people know what they are getting and appreciate the courage it takes to be that open. Now they can relate to us, confide in us, be one with us.

Being real is a great spiritual quality. It indicates someone with whom people can connect.

If we hide our negativity in the shadows, it will never see the Light. Being truthful about our garbage and exposing it to others exposes it to the Light.

~ Yehuda Berg

In the spirit of getting real, I encourage everyone reading this to answer the following questions:

• Do I ever fall into the trap of putting on a happy front?
• When’s the last time I wasn’t ‘real’?
• Why didn’t I share what was really happening with me?
• What could I do differently next time to be more open?
• What’s the worst that could happen?
• Could I get through the supposed ‘worst’ that could happen?

Let me know what you come up with cuz others may be experiencing the same thing…and perhaps it’ll inspire the next newsletter topic, which could help us all!

Get Real is a post from: Feel The Possibilities

It is just as important to know when to move with inspiration as it is to know when to rest. With the second month of the year coming to a close, I challenge you to consider whether or not you need to rest.

Not take a nap or go get a mani-pedi; not reward yourself with a sweet treat or flowers; not find an excuse to not finish something important, but find a way to actually pause…and…rest.

Rest and Release the past and the future.
Rest and Enjoy the moment.
Rest and Sit in silence.
Rest and Take a break.

As I see it, there are three types of rest: physical rest, mental rest and spiritual rest. In this post I’m talking about spiritual rest – the kind that creates space for you to connect to something bigger than yourself and helps put things in perspective. The kind that has the power to melt away trivial worries and leave you feeling rejuvenated.

Many of us are incredibly talented at multitasking and overachieving, which often rewards us with societal praise and more money than meaning (along with less than stellar health and underappreciated relationships).

Yet, how many of us are incredibly talented at hitting the reset button? How many of us proudly dedicate time to do a bunch of nothing for the sole purpose of resting, reflecting and redirecting?

I feel like there’s an opportunity before each of us to consider whether or not we want to build our skill sets when it comes to the latter.

The question is, do you?

I’d love to know what you think! Leave me a comment and share your thoughts, or answer any of the following questions:

• How do you know when you need to rest?
• What does resting look like for you?
• Are you getting what you need from that kind of rest?
• If you were to take a different approach, what might it be?

If you find your schedule getting away from you, your to-do list multiplying like rabbits and you’re already amazed at how quickly the year is moving, then here’s to you finding a way to rest!

R.E.S.T. is a post from: Feel The Possibilities

Today I’d like to share a letter I read not too long ago. It fits beautifully within this month’s Love theme.

Dear Human,

You’ve got it all wrong. You didn’t come here to master unconditional love. That is where you came from and where you’ll return.

You came here to learn personal love. Universal love. Messy love. Sweaty love. Crazy love. Broken love. Whole love. Infused with divinity. Lived through the grace of stumbling. Demonstrated through the beauty of… messing up. Often.

You didn’t come here to be perfect. You already are. You came here to be gorgeously human. Flawed and fabulous. And then to rise again into remembering.

But unconditional love? Stop telling that story. Love, in truth, doesn’t need ANY other adjectives. It doesn’t require modifiers. It doesn’t require the condition of perfection. It only asks that you show up. And do your best. That you stay present and feel fully. That you shine and fly and laugh and cry and hurt and heal and fall and get back up and play and work and live and die as YOU. It’s enough. It’s Plenty.”

~ Courtney Walsh, Storyteller

Here’s to being gorgeously flawed and fabulous – and loving every messy bit!

Flawed and Fabulous! is a post from: Feel The Possibilities

I don’t know about you, but I am sooooo a product of my environment.

As in, when I’m surrounded by beauty, I feel it deeply; when I’m surrounded by judgmental, negative people, I feel it deeply. This especially applies to where I am when I’m working. Is it a fairly organized, open space – or am I crammed into a hole with crap all around? From my vantage point, do I see things that make me smile or things that make me want to go clean up or call for help?

So, for the majority of this month I have been converting a guest bedroom in our home to my very own office, which I have dubbed my Lady Lair. (Hahaha, that name alone makes me feel powerful and giddy at the same time.) She’s not quite done, so I don’t want to reveal her just yet. But here’s a pic of the chair I want – to me it says it all!

No doubt it’s a great way to start off my new year, which as you know is dedicated to going Above & Beyond I’m expecting great things to come out of here: lots of inspiration, creativity and, who knows, maybe a new video series! (In case you missed how I’m approaching my resolutions for 2013 in a super simple way, check it out here.)

What about you…

Have you ever been called to change up your environment and, if so, what’d it do for you? Or, are you thinking it may be time for a change and, if so, why do you feel so inclined?

Give me some insight into your world below in the comments field and we’ll continue to tackle our environments together!

A Product of Our Environment is a post from: Feel The Possibilities

Dearest Spirit / Universe / God,

Thank you for the pain,
for it let’s me know I’m alive.
Thank you for the confusion,
for it let’s me know I need to get clear.
Thank you for the tears,
for it let’s me release part of what doesn’t serve me.
Thank you for the angst,
for it pushes me forward.

Thank you for my breath,
for it connects me to you.
Thank you for my eyes,
for they can find respite in beauty.
Thank you for my ears,
for they can find escape in music.
Thank you for my mouth,
for it can smile in spite of adversity.

Thank you for my past,
for it has shaped me into the person I am today.
Thank you for my present,
for it is at this moment that I can influence tomorrow.
Thank you for my future,
for it holds endless possibilities for me.
Thank you for my life,
for the adventures have taken me to new people and places.

Thank you for my own will,
so I may freely choose my thoughts.
Thank you for my own thoughts,
so I may influence how I feel consciously.
Thank you for my own consciousness,
so I may be aware of my choices.
Thank you for my choices,
for they are what shape every aspect of my life.

I have chosen the pain.
I have chosen the confusion.
I have chosen the tears.
I have chosen the angst.

And they have served me well – for being alive, clear, relieved and motivated has always brought me back around to joy, focus, laughter and delight. The circle of life lives within me. Today I embrace it all and give thanks.

A Personal ‘Thank You’ Note is a post from: Feel The Possibilities

Happy New Year!!!

Oh my goodness, I’m so excited I have goose bumps all over! Care to guess why? Surely you know…what would the Queen of Possibilities get most excited about? Why, new and endless possibilities of course!

Right now, at this very moment, you and I both have an endless number of directions that our lives could move toward. Anything is possible. All we need is a little creativity and willingness to play with them – just like an Etch A Sketch!

I bet most of us have played with this toy at some point; trying to gain the motor skills necessary to get smooth lines to move in the direction our imagination saw, using the two knobs to plow through the weird, sandy innards of the thing. Ha, ha, ha – if you were anything like me you got a bit frustrated and used the coolest erase feature ever…the shake, shake, shake!

You know our lives operate just like the Etch A Sketch, so I thought I should remind you, just in case you forgot, that you can shake, shake, shake anytime you need to and start to create something new.

Ooooohhh, the power you wield is soooooo awe-some!

Can you feel it? I can! So what new life picture would you like to create? It’s simple – all you have to do is consider what you want and then ‘draw’ it with your intentions. (For the sake of being clear, your intentions are how you program your subconscious – through thoughts, words and actions.)

Hmmmmmm, as for me, I want to be in awe. I want to feel innocent curiosity. I want to feel positive energy coursing through my body, mind and spirit. I want to be moved to tears. I want to learn. I want to serve. I want to teach. I want to be in love with what is and open to the possibilities of what has yet to come.

What about you? What do you want? What are you intending with your thoughts, words, and actions today? If you’re ready to put some power behind those intentions, scroll down to comments and share what’s on your mind!

P.S. If it's hard to 'see' your intentions in your mind's eye, why not create your very own Intention or Vision Board? It just so happens I've put together a Do-It-Yourself Guide that comes with a stunning album begging to be filled with images of your dreams, your intentions, your new pictures! Read more.

Lesson from Etch A Sketch is a post from: Feel The Possibilities