To Remain Open

Remaining open to life lessons and insight is a beautiful essence and way of being to bring to your day. There is a freedom that is found within. Accepting that we do not need to have all the answers, all of the time, is something that creates room for expansion, growth, gifts and beauty.

Many people have a difficult time saying "I don't know." They will struggle, pretend, and grasp for an answer as if the admittance somehow makes them less than in the eyes of others. But the reality is, within this statement, there is a great truth that shows just how wise one truly is. Being honest and open to one's ignorance creates room for greatness to be shared, room for our soul to expand and grow, room for life experiences and more.

Let's face it, we are not all interested in the same thing. We do not spend time studying, learning, exploring and investigating the same topics. We can't! This creates beautiful opportunities within our relationships for introducing, for sharing and for expressing. When we admit that we do not know something we create an opportunity to learn, a chance for wonder, a moment of engagement and a time for interaction in being the receiver of information from a giver of knowledge. The art of expression blossoms.

When we create the room for not knowing, we are not showing our weakness. Instead, we are making room for greatness. It becomes an opportunity for a relationship to deepen, for someone's confidence to shine bright, and for our ego to become comfortable with the not being the ONE! Most people who have practiced this act are very comfortable and confident in their not knowing. Being an empty vessel creates beauty within.

It takes honesty, integrity, confidence and great authenticity to admit we do not know something, especially when there is an expectation from others that we do or "should" know it. Not only is it an opportunity to model to others that there is no shame in not knowing, but it also opens our being up to the magnitude of discovery and learning. It creates pause to be receptive, it generates inquiry and wonder, and it shows your genuine ability to be flexible and vulnerable. It is a time for curiosity to grow and possibilities to manifest!

Blessings, Lisa

After the Yes!

So you have said yes to the Universe! Congratulations. Let the fun unfold! Now you will find that all that crosses your path has meaning and impact on how you unfold, what you decide and how you engage. Now you will see things differently and from a amazing new perspective. The horizon of your life's path has forever changed.

Your "No" will be limited now, as it will only be used for boundary setting, preventing energy manipulation and in seeking balance. You will no longer say no to things you don't like or feel like dealing with, because the wisdom of your yes is ready to embrace the lessons. You no longer are allowing your fear to keep you small with your "No" of insecurity.

You are ready to converse with the Universe. You are ready to give your soul voice. You are engaged and present, singing, dancing, honoring and witnessing. Your "Yes" rings out among the stars, echos through the mountains, dives deep into the seas and fans the fires of the Gods.

Your "Yes" awakens your trust of self. It sits beside your authentic truth. Your "Yes" clearly states that you are willing to flex with, to learn about and to release what is needed. Your "Yes" requires you to step aside and move out of your way. Your "Yes" tells your ego to relax about the change, that change is inevitable and beautiful and alive.

Your "Yes" opens the doors to the energies that flow to you and through you. Yes means that your awareness will be heightened and brilliant. Yes means you are willing to make mistakes, to play and explore, to pause and rest and to go deep and wide. Your "Yes" will become a way of life for you and you will one day look back and find it difficult to remember any other way!

Blessings, Lisa

The Talk Of Mothers and Daughters

Gloria Steinem once said, "Every time a woman passes a mirror and criticizes herself, there's a girl watching..." Often as a role model for the young women and girls in our life we feel powerless as we struggle with our own body issues and acceptance. Yet, we are not unaware of the impact we can have on her developing self-image.

The one thing I have learned over the years, whether it be in parenting my own daughters or in working with other women, is that our children see everything. So when we skip a meal, complain about our cellulite, compare and critique other women's bodies or say disrespectful comments about our own body, it is witnessed and taken in. These young girls watch us as we look in the mirror at our reflection, they hear us talking to others about our body dissatisfaction, they listen to how we receive compliments and are aware of how we feel about our bodies.

Knowing this, it is important the we recognize that we need to change the way we are responding to our thoughts and self talk. We need to remember that our daughters see themselves through the mirror of our eyes. What we draw attention to about them and their body sends very strong messages. What we show them we value, whether it be a certain size, an age, or a hair color for example, they begin to use as their value system. If physical appearance is important to us, it will be to them.

It means creating healthy boundaries between our own personal process with our body acceptance and what we say and how we react in these body standards. Positive self talk will be witnessed and embraced. Focus on other attributes that are not beauty related and have nothing to do with appearance, changes where you and she will place value.

It takes time, it takes awareness, but in order to change the pattern of repetitive low self-worth and body shame, we have to start somewhere. There will still be plenty of messages passed on to our daughters about their beauty and their body through media and peers, but if our conversations with them focus on all that makes them so wonderful and unique, things will begin to change. If we can model to them acceptance and grace with our body, celebration of how it serves us and appreciation of all body types, the message will be loud and clear.

So where to begin? For starters stop talking and talking and talking about the latest diet. Try to send good healthy messages about your body through words and activities. Stop the negative talk about your body or anyone else's. Listen to the way she talks about her body and have conversations with her to help her see it from a more positive perspective or to share why she feels that way. With making some of these changes in your relationship with your body and with your daughter, you will begin to see changes both in your body awareness and in her developing self-concept of her beauty and her body image.

To learn more about Body Image Coaching, visit me at www.womenwithinsight.com.

Choose Your Words Wisely

Being awake and aware changes many things in your life. One subtle change that has a tremendous impact on your relationship with others and with yourself is the change in your choice of words. There is great power and energy in the words we choose to speak and think. Our language is one of our most potent tools.

Think to a time when someone said something to you that stung? Labels are words and they often cling to us from childhood well into adulthood and create personal viewpoints and definitions of who we are.

Bringing consciousness to the words we speak and think is part of being aware. When we recognize the power of words, we choose more carefully and we speak with intention. Words can be energetically charged. Knowing this and handling them with care means we speak with integrity.

A great practice around words is to take a few days to be very conscious of what you say. Do you have key phrases that you use? When you are feeling certain emotions what words creep into your conversations? What beliefs do you hold about the words you speak, the names and labels you own? Make note of how you feel when you speak with different people in your life. Are there those who you walk away from feeling powerful, alive, happy and positive versus someone who seems to bring you down or drain you of your energies? What is the difference in the words they use?

Perhaps you have noticed that you may have a "slip of the lip" when you speak too quickly or without giving much thought to what you are saying. It happens to us all, but it is a great reminder of the power of our words.

The intention we bring to our conversations also impacts the power of our words. Rambling on, speaking quickly or barely commenting send very different messages than when we speak with confident intent and thoughtful phrasing. The power of our words can offer inspiration, healing and joy. Being mindful of the potency of our conversations can bring about tremendous change in our relationships and how the world responds to us.

Blessings, Lisa