Your Relationship with You

In life our most important relationship is with our Self. We spend a good amount of time trying to build our relationships with others, whether it be life partners, children, parents, peers, or even co-workers. But, how much time do we intentionally devote to our relationship with our Self? When was the last time you purposefully sought this time out?

You tell others that you love them. You tell others that they matter. You tell others that you understand their pain, their suffering, or their fears. You tell others that you appreciate them. You tell others that you want to get to know them better, to discover what makes them tick. You tell others to take care of themselves, to go gently, to rest up or to take a deep breath. You tell others to celebrate...that they deserve it. When was the last time you told your Self any of this?

When you begin to pay attention to your Self, you send a message to your soul that you matter. You send this message to others as well. You begin to pay attention to your needs and let go of expecting others to know what is best for you. You let go of the disappointment you feel when they are not aware that you are in need (as if they are mind readers). When you pay attention to your Self you begin to have compassion for your vulnerabilities and have awareness of your strengths. This opens doors for you to be present and fully conscious on your day to day process, instead of blindly moving through time, day after day, week after week, until you find you have lost sight of your vision and your passions.

Investing in your relationship with Self actually is the wisest action you can take. If you are ever at a loss in your life as to what you "should" do next, pause and ask your Self what it needs. Start there! Then the shift begins to happen.

For me when I feel stuck or unsure, if I take some time for Self care, sit with my Self and ask questions, listen closely to the answers without judging or rationalizing, my energy begins to flow again. Whatever was blocked has moved. Whatever was in need gets addressed. Whatever longed to be held gains the attention necessary and whatever asked to be released is gently let go. It never fails me!

As 2014 unfolds I plan to commit to my relationship with my Self. I am going to set up a date with my Self weekly, to tenderly love me, celebrate me, honor me, listen to me, encourage me, and support me. I know I am good at doing this with others; family, friends, clients, and peers. I look forward to my alone time together!

Blessings, Lisa

The Importance of Gifting Free Time

Let's face it, life is often incredibly busy. Our 'to do" list is quite long, complicated and exhausting. And it feels like almost everyday something unexpected gets added to it. We are scheduled in from the moment our eyes open until we drag our tired body off to bed at night. Often, we become so accustomed to this way of being that we forget the beauty and necessity of free time.

But is this really the life we want to be living? There was a recent study done, not a terribly scientific one, but certainly real, in which a hospice nurse reported on the many things that people said as they faced their last days. The common thread was that they wish they had made more time....more time for family, for play, for relaxation, for themselves.

In the end I doubt I will be reflecting with great pride on how much of my "to do" list in life I accomplished. In the end I doubt others will remember how great I managed my hectic schedule. No, but they will instead remember the camping trips, the long walks, the belly laughter, the shedding of shared tears and the holding of hands. In the end I will take with me and also leave behind some of the love and beauty that was generated in these moments.

It is in these moments of free time that we find the glitter of our life. We find our soul reaches out and embraces these moments with intensity and makes certain that we walk away with a full heart and a beautiful memory. Gifts of free time can be of solitude so that we can simply be and discover who we are, what our passions are and what lights the sparks within us. Gifts of free time can be shared with others, but don't need to be scheduled and orchestrated. Instead, surrender to the spontaneity and delight in the wonder of the magic that happens.

Blessings, Lisa

On The Day You Were Born

On the day you were born there was a powerful celebration. All the angels and guides surrounded your sweet new soul brought into this body. Together they gifted you with treasures to carry you through your life's journey.

One angel presented you with the gift of laughter so that lyrical delight would ring out from you. Another brought the gift of breath so that you could whisper wondrous words of support and breathe in all the delicious aromas and scents of this world. One guide gifted you with respect so that you could bring this into your relationships with all things and beings and have it mirrored back onto you. One angel shared the gift of fierceness, knowing you would need it at times to stand your ground.

On and on, one by one, the angels and guides stepped forward and showered you with gift after gift. Your little body glowed with the essence of them all; grace, vulnerability, wonder, passion, silliness, acceptance, joy, flexibility, determination, peace, resiliency, and insight. On and on into the first night of your little life they came, one after another, to be certain that you would be bestowed with all the unique gifts you would need to bless this world you were entering.

They knew of your greatness. They knew of your promise. They awaited your arrival and the celebration had begun. Together they gathered to cherish you and to honor the being you were and would become.

The final angel stepped forward and gave the very last gift they had brought. It was the gift of self-love. And it was said, "May she always use this gift wisely and generously, it is the spark that ignites the power of all the other gifts. It is the fire that will fuel them. It is the softness that will allow them to expand. It is the strength that will support them in times of need. This last gift is where the seeds of her true beauty will grow and flourish."

Blessings, Lisa

Not Giving Away Your Power

There are all kinds of pressure; peer pressure, parenting pressure, career pressure, beauty pressure and more. We are continually bombarded by standards that are set for us to adhere to, rise to and accept. But these standards are set by forces outside of us. They are set to keep a division between the haves and have nots, to create a chosen few, the elite, and the beyond special. It creates a series of checks and balances that most accept. But what if you are one who does not accept them as the norm, or a measure of who you are and what you do?

Who are these forces to deem that someone is more worthy than you? For anything? How do they become so powerful in our world? What right has been bestowed upon them? Why do we turn to them for guidance and approval?

We have given our power away in so many circumstances. We believe that others know better who we are and what we need to do. We give them the power to call the shots, set the bar, make our choices and form our opinions.

What if we began to lean into ourselves? What if we gave ourselves permission to trust our own truth, to listen to our own voice, to learn from our own mistakes and successes? You are the very expert you need to consult on decisions about your life. Practicing this act of listening to one's truth and authentic voice takes time, it is often not modeled to us or encouraged. But, that does not mean it is not doable or possible.

No one is more worthy than you of your power. You have the greatest insight on what is right for you. You have the best opinion on what you want. You have the wisest thoughts on what feels true. You have the deepest connection to your truth. No one else does!

Embracing this fact and applying it to your life is a power filled action. It puts you in control of your decision making, your choices, your interests, likes and dislikes without any need to rationalize or hide.

We all need people in our life to share out thoughts with, to have conversations that help us expand in our views and concepts, but in the end it is you who puts the final thought in place within your essence. It is you who creates the pattern for your life tapestry and chooses how to embellish it or trim it back.

Learning to not give our power away is a practice. It is a commitment. It takes time. But in a world where an "expert" is around every corner, to learn to rely upon our own power, strengths and wisdom is a very important skill of survival and leads to days of happiness and grace.

Blessings, Lisa