{life reflections} A Slap in the Face: A Reminder of Happiness

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{life reflections}

 Weekly thoughts and rambles. A glimpse into my mind and world. 

Entries that I might jot down in my Happy Diary; the release of thoughts to flow uninhibited. Reflections from the soul. 

Reflections of life.  

I hope to leave you inspired. 

If you want to share your own reflections of the week please leave a link to your "life reflections" entry in the comments for all to find and see.

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A Slap in the Face: A Reminder of Happiness

Who is familiar with that moment when a certain realization attempts to slap you across the face? While I've had many moments like this, one in particular struck me again recently. In being honest, this little funk I've been in has been a rather tedious and lingering ordeal, one which I have been struggling with daily. Some days I feel like I must be bipolar: sparking from happiness to anger to tears in a matter of fleeting moments. One couldn't guess when the tempest would strike next. But then, I remember that I am cleansing, and that finally (several years later) all the excess estrogen has been attempting to leave my body after five years of being on the birth control pill. I also remember that the emotional roller coaster has been doing a few maniacal twists as of late--probably to keep me on my feet ;). And so, life simply has its funks and it is best not to beat oneself up over such things. We are, after all, all human, and happiness doesn't always come so easily. 

And then I was slapped across the face. I don't remember how it happened, what prompted it, or why exactly in that moment it sprang up from that inner part of my mind to give me a good talking to, but it did. That slap reminded me that my happiness depends on Me, and Me alone. I am in control of my own life, I am responsible for my own state of mind. Sure, it's not always a cake walk, and sometimes things really test your ability to simply "be positive". I mean really test you. For instance, every time over the past little while that I have had a moment of absolute happy bliss, it seems to be snatched out from under me like some cruel joke. I blame everything outside of myself for that bliss being snatched away from me. Because it's easy to pass the blame, especially when one is struggling with their own inner demons within life. But then there's that slap. That slap that reminds me that I am responsible for my own happiness. In seeing this, I have to remember--and I mean really drill it into my mind again--that I not the circumstances, people, or events around me can take my smile away. Sure, things will test you (and, again, sometimes really test you) but in the end, You are still responsible for allowing these things to ruin your day--and your life. It's a harsh reality at times, especially if we are caught in a state of helplessness within our own deteriorating self-appreciation. It's like one more thing to taunt us, to tell us we're not good enough because we can't Just Be Happy. Oh cruel world! But, when being honest, and if we can really take a step back then we can also realize that this mentality only further traps us into the web of self-helplessness and the "poor me" attitude that spirals so easily out of control. Because we refuse to accept that We are in control--at least, we Can be. 

Again, I'm not saying it's an easy walk in the park. Sometimes it is, most certainly, but other times it really feels like you have to fight tooth and nail to climb back to the top of the happiness ladder. And once we are at the top for a few fleeting moments, sometimes the foundation is still weak and so we topple quite easily down again. And this is another cycle that is so easy to start feeling helpless in, to start beating yourself up for, or cursing life for being so cruel. It's the self-perpetuating cycle of self-rejection, of self-loathing, or lack of self-appreciation. This is why I still hold strong to the belief system that happiness must must must start with You. Once you start feeling Good about YourSelf, then you can start to stabilize your ladder to happiness and the journey, while still bumpy, can be much easier and more manageable. 

Life truly Is a beautiful, wondrous gift, and to see it as a cruel place there to tear us down or laugh at us doesn't serve you. Life is not cruel, only our mentalities towards it are. These mentalities are built over time, burdened by life events and tribulations to solidify the feeling; but all the beauty in life can also serve as your tools to change your perspective. Once the perspective starts its building then the path to happiness can truly be paved. And that path is most easily paved by gratitude: gratitude for the small things, the big things, the people around you, the events around you, the material things, the weather, a roof over your head, anything and everything, but most importantly, gratitude for Your Self.  

So, allow a little slap to cross your face every so often. Let the lessons remind you to have the courage to empower yourself, to remind yourself that You Are Strong enough to overcome anything. Put yourself in control, truly and fully empower yourself and replace any negative thoughts with the words "I Can!". Love Yourself. Encourage yourself. Remind yourself that you Deserve to be happy, that you Deserve Good Things. Healing takes time, but more than that, healing takes Persistence. Do what you must for yourself every single day, by doing this you can move yourself away from the "poor me" helpless mentality and start to write a beautiful life for yourself once more. 

Much Love and all the Happiness in the world to you and your beautiful sparking soul! 

xo

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{life reflections} Being a Woman! + Emotions & Health

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{life reflections}

 Weekly thoughts and rambles. A glimpse into my mind and world. 

Entries that I might jot down in my Happy Diary; the release of thoughts to flow uninhibited. Reflections from the soul. 

Reflections of life.  

I hope to leave you inspired. 

If you want to share your own reflections of the week please leave a link to your "life reflections" entry in the comments for all to find and see.

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Being a Woman! + Emotions & Health

It's tough being a woman. It's also intensely magical and amazing and I wouldn't trade it for the world. My husband has asked me before, on days where I'm clutching my stomach with cramps of death (of course he waits until they subside before asking) if I would not trade all that to be a man. I wouldn't. It's not because I don't like men or don't find them deeply fascinating as well, it's just that I love being a woman. Being a woman is such an opening experience, as if we can feel more deeply and wildly and enter depths and bonds amongst fellow women that perhaps men don't get to enjoy. I just love the feminine energy. There's something magical about it; like free gypsy souls, empowered goddesses, and/or soulful fairies. 

I saw this meme on Facebook yesterday (see below) and it made me giggle because I've been talking about similar things with other women in my life a lot at the moment to which the image made me relate. For instance, I keep describing myself as trying to "get my fire back", and we as women in general tend to like using these whimsical metaphors to describe our energies and feelings and passions that can't be put so bluntly into "logical terms." Sometimes it's as if women have their own dialogue--and studies have down that in some ways we do because of the way our brains are wired. These are things that if you tried to explain to (most) men, you'd probably get an arched eyebrow and a look to suggest you might have lost your marbles. "You're fire back??" But… women get it. They just get it. You'd only need to half explain yourself and women would just get it. "Ah, yes, your fire back! Of course!"

The experience of being a woman is one I wouldn't trade for anything. Being a woman is fun, and we are strong, compassionate, fiery beings that have so much to offer each other and the world around us. So, I'd take cramps of death any day and still be a woman. 

The truth is that our society is very uncompassionate and detached when it comes to women's health and women's bodies. I realize this more and more as I dive deeper into learning about my own body, about our cycles, hormones, and the emotions that Directly affect our health. And yet we're meant to believe that our health has nothing to do with our emotions. This is another topic that has been reoccurring lately: Emotions and Health--but I'll get to that when I'm done talking about the awesomeness and trials of being a woman. 

Being a woman should actually be a lot easier than it is. Every part of it! But society has suppressed women for centuries. Feminist talk? Absolutely! How about we stop shying away from being "feminists" because every single damn person on this planet should be a feminist! Feminism doesn't mean hating men, it means equality. I also feel that it is much more than that, I feel like it's about getting back in touch with our roots, with each other, and with men as well. Becoming open to Love in all areas of life. Our attitudes towards men has developed into one of tension and separation. Separation is everything to do with feminism (in my opinion) because women have been pitted against one another creating separation amongst our own gender and the opposite gender--leaving us feeling utterly alone for much of our lives. I think it's so eye-opening and important to realize this so that women can stop being so catty towards one another and finally love and support one another instead. You'd have to be pretty blind not to have noticed, or not to have felt, (once you're paying attention) the level of cattiness women have towards one another--feelings of jealousy, envy, and all around bitchiness. It's absolutely mad that women should be this way! But it's absolutely intentional, because it came with the territory of suppressing women all that time ago. What better way than to pit women against one another? Now, feminism has continued because of our society, because of the mentalities of both men And women. We can no longer blame it on the opposite gender, as many men are also feminists, and most women are a part of continued suppression (simply because it's embedded in our society). 

I've been reading Christiane Northrup's book "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdoms" and it is absolutely fascinating and every woman should read it! I bring this book up because reading it is like one long moment of "Wow! That is so accurate! I wish I'd realized this sooner!" However, one bit in there really stuck out to me that I wanted to share: that women are constantly apologizing for their very existence! It is so so true, and on such a deeply embedded subconscious level that it really becomes no surprise women still face such oppression. The mentalities of our society keep women in check; we grow up apologizing for being here, we grow up feeling badly about our bodies, about our appearance, about our periods and hormones, and everything else imaginable. We have a constant feeling of never being good enough. It's no wonder we have PMS, hormone imbalances, health problems and relationship drama. If we are constantly apologizing for our very existence how can we possibly hope to feel love, feel good about ourselves, and thrive and flourish as the fullest awesomest versions of ourselves? 

Back to emotions and health… when women are constantly apologizing for their very existence, then that creates some awful emotions towards our bodies, minds, and souls, and thus, health problems result. The connection is absolutely undeniable (between emotions and health) but it is something never taught in the medical field or in society. This connection makes the issues of PMS and other women-related health problems no surprise at all--because we're practically taught that our bodies are foreign objects that give us pain and bleeding every month and that this is simply something we must accept and deal with. We don't! If we start to fix the way we Feel about our bodies and ourselves then we start to see improvement within our health and all of those PMS syndromes can finally go away. Of course, this is such a deep and complicated issue, which is why I recommend picking up Christiane Northrup's book, because this woman is brilliant and highly educated and I feel as if she could help every single woman on this planet with her information and insights and intellect. 

My husband also picked up this amazing book the other day that has this chart connecting certain body parts to the emotional significance. Going down this chart, we were both blown away by the accuracy. Completely and utterly blown away! I wish someone had made me realize all of this sooner. My health has had it's turbulences forever now, but it makes so much more sense knowing that it all began (and continues) from emotional blocks. I feel much better knowing now that if I want my health to improve then it's time to dive deep emotionally. 

As it happens, I had a large breakthrough a while back, which has only been more and more solidified by all these new insights. I feel very fortunate to know these things now, which is why I felt like rambling about such subjects today. I mean, what amazing things to know and understand that we have not been told about?! The truth is that a lot of my time and thoughts have been taken up on these subjects at the moment (women's issues, emotional trauma and health). But, for today, that's all from me. 

I wish you all the courage in the world to tackle your own emotional blocks and to get your own health to all that it should and deserves to be!  

   

So Much Love from my heart and soul to yours!     

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{life reflections}

. . . . . . . . . . 

{life reflections}

 Weekly thoughts and rambles. A glimpse into my mind and world. 

These are entries that I might jot down in my Happy Diary; what happens when we put our fingers to the keyboard and allow our thoughts to flow uninhibited. Reflections from the soul. 

Reflections of life.  

I hope to leave you inspired. 

If you want to share your own reflections of the week please leave a link to your "life reflections" entry in the comments for all to find and see.

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Today I feel good. Life feels pretty fantastic. My tummy has been up and down though, so I've been trying to do a process of elimination to figure out what I've been eating that's affecting it. It's hard to figure out sometimes, but when you know how good you can feel you strive to get back to that. Anyway, that's about my only complaint right now, otherwise I've been feeling pretty blissful. 

I feel as if I've found a good balance between work and play. I'm finally feeling good about money again and, low and behold, it's flowing ever so fluently at the moment. Which brings me to today's mention of the Law of Attraction. When it works, it really works! When you feel good about something and secure about something and abundance is rolling in, it's easy to attract more. Likewise, it's also really easy to spiral at the first sign of doubt. I think that's why we experience so many wide ups and downs in life and in varying aspects of our lives. But it's important to remember and try to get a grasp of the Law of Attraction, because it really does spiral very easily either direction--either with abundance or with loss. Gratitude helps a lot, but more than that, feeling good in general is the most important part. When you start to feel good--just overall happy, blissful, satisfied--then that's when everything else starts to flow more fluently. Piece of cake right? Sometimes. Other times, I think we all know how hard it can be to stay on track and to not get down. But there's always a light at the end of the tunnel and things work out in the end. So what's to complain about? Maybe there are things, maybe life is pretty easy for you, but either way, there are always always always things to be grateful for and ways of seeing the positive. Even if it takes a little more effort, feeling Good if achievable. Anyways, that's my spiel on the Law of Attraction today, because it never ceases to blow my mind. Like magic! 

Tralala.

I have been busiest writing and drawing and being a little introverted geek. Putting out this book is exciting to me, just putting out this creative project in general is exciting to me. It's really not like anything else I do. In case this is the first time you're hearing about it, this book is a fantasy, anime/manga-inspired, tale that I've titled "Everwake." The story is dark and twisted and whimsica,l and full of emotions, in-depth characters, and all sorts of other fun things that make a story exciting. I used to write stories all the time in my teenage years but that sadly stopped at the end of high school because I felt it was too "geeky"… ah the fun (not) of not being yourself at that age. Regardless, I started writing again a couple years ago, and drawing (obviously) which brought this story about. I'm already on Book 3! I can't even believe it. The ideas and story have just been flowing so smoothly and easily. I've also been doing a drawing every day to keep inspired and perfect my sketching. I can't wait to get my Cintiq (wacom tablet that will allow me to draw out more professional final artwork), so that I can start releasing more artwork for the book. I haven't decided exactly how I'm publishing, but I do know there will be lots of artwork and even some comic bits to toss along with the book. I just can't not place art with it. If I felt that I could then I would do the entire thing as a manga comic book, but I do love the writing aspect, the novel aspect, of the story, so I think combining the two will be something new and fun. So, yes, that's been taking up a lot of my time and I'm loving every second of it.
(You can check out the progress of that on my deviantart (click) since I won't be plaguing this page with too much news on that).

What else is new? 

Summer is winding down but the fun certainly hasn't stopped, and neither has the sunshine. We've had some crazy rain and thunderstorms, but then the sun comes back out and we can play and hike and swim and camp and enjoy the summer life. I may say this a lot, but I feel so blessed to live where I do. I look out my front windows and I'm staring out at epic mountains, a sparkling lake, and ospreys that soar above the treeline, occasionally swooping down to catch a fish or fly away from (or gang up on) the eagle that also lives around here. Nature is supreme, it's hard not to breathe it all in and be grateful to be where I am. Moving away from the concrete jungle that was Edmonton was the best decision I ever made. And, it's funny, because I never thought I could live in a small town again; too small, not enough to do, not enough opportunities, blah blah blah. Excuses. I can't stand big cities anymore. They're overwhelming whenever I have to spend too much time in them. Fun to visit sometimes, but not to live. All the things I thought I would be missing I didn't, and even if I did, those things fail in comparison to what I get living where I do. 

So, yeah, life is good. ;) And I've finally gotten around to writing another of these posts, it's been a while! 

Hope you are all smiling and singing and dancing, and being yourselves, and making the most of your day and week and life! I'm off for a saturday morning breakfast with my two siblings. 

Create a Nice Day! 

Much Love!    

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{life reflections}

. . . . . . . . . . 

{life reflections}

 Weekly thoughts and rambles. A glimpse into my mind and world. 

These are entries that I might jot down in my Happy Diary; what happens when we put our fingers to the keyboard and allow our thoughts to flow uninhibited. Reflections from the soul. 

Reflections of life.  

I hope to leave you inspired. 

If you want to share your own reflections of the week please leave a link to your "life reflections" entry in the comments for all to find and see.

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I feel as if I've been talking a lot lately about the roller coaster of life; the ups and downs that can feel so extreme and so sporadic, as if the little gentle stream of life has now turned into a gushing tumbling river, plunging under and popping us high high back to the top. Maybe there's something in the air, it just seems like a lot of people I know, and myself included, have been experiencing much higher turbulence than usual. I would also like to think this has something to do with the shift of awakening within so many of us--so many people "waking up." It is a double-sided blessing: when we work on ourselves we allow ourselves to experience and draw out issues and problems that may have been rather deeply buried, therefore things may feel worse before they get better because we need to work through those issues before we can move forwards to the space of walking on rainbows while it sprinkles gumdrops. 

Ah life. It truly truly truly is a beautiful thing, it's just such a shame that we've been conditioned to believe that life is suffering, that life is hard work, that life sucks. Think about how many brain patterns we have formed during our upbringing to make us feel badly about ourselves, to make us feel that life is no fun, to make us believe that materialism and money are the only forms of happiness, to make us believe that our happiness depends on things outside of ourselves, and to make us believe that happiness is a farfetched myth that we could never achieve. 

When things get tough I think it's important to reflect on how far you've come. See, sometimes it may feel as if we haven't changed, as if we haven't gotten any happier in our lives, but this is when it's good to look back at where you were when you started. For me, I used to cut, I had plenty of suicidal thoughts, and being sad was just a daily part of my life. If I look at my life now, even when I have bad days, or moments of frustration where I don't feel as if I've gotten anywhere, it's pretty easy to see that I have. I no longer cut, I am no longer "depressed," I just have moments of relapse and real human emotions. Feeling bad, sad, down, frustrated, and so forth, aren't signs that you haven't gotten anywhere or that you're not, at the core of you, happy, it's just a reminder that we are all still human and we all still feel. Feeling is great, it's just our attachment to not letting go of negative emotions that is a problem. That, and that our minds tend to over-think things and create problems that aren't even there. We are all human, we are allowed to feel, we should feel. Ups and downs are a part of life, our holding onto the ups and downs are the part that we need to adjust so that the flow of life is much smoother and enjoyable. Let emotions flow and then let them go. 

Whenever in doubt, just think about how far you've come. Remind yourself that you're human and that life will always have ups and downs. Learn to enjoy the ride. Make the most of every situation and of ever circumstance or opportunity. Try to think positive, try to work on yourself. And don't beat yourself up along the way. Just do your best! And remember to smile. ;) 

I want to talk about two things this week in greater depths: the emotional guidance system; and first steps to working through depression. Two topics that I've been thinking a lot about lately that I have a lot I'd like to say and share. 

Our life experiences are gifts that we can share with others and that goodness has the domino effect of spreading to others. It's truly a wonderful thing. If you've learned something about life that makes things easier than share it with friends and family or a stranger. Spread the goodness because if it works for them then they too will pass on that knowledge to those around them. If people don't take your advice then at least you tried, no harm done. 

Keep smiling, trying, and loving life. And remember; JUST DO YOUR BEST! 

^_^ Much Love! 

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

{life reflections}

. . . . . . . . . . 

{life reflections}

 Weekly thoughts and rambles. A glimpse into my mind and world. 

These are entries that I might jot down in my Happy Diary; what happens when we put our fingers to the keyboard and allow our thoughts to flow uninhibited. Reflections from the soul. 

Reflections of life.  

I hope to leave you inspired. 

If you want to share your own reflections of the week please leave a link to your "life reflections" entry in the comments for all to find and see.

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It's been a very very busy couple weeks! I always feel like I'm ahead with work when it comes to markets, that I have lots of time. And then I blink. And the market season is here. So I've been rushing around getting ready… and feeling rather overwhelmed. Stress seems to come in spurts for me, almost always to do with work one way or another; deadlines or money. They are difficult issues to work around and feel good about sometimes, but they are things I practice more and more, especially when you know how the Law of Attraction works and how if you feel as if you don't have enough time or enough money then you won't. So I've been telling myself every day; there is no need to stress; I have more than enough money, I have more than enough time, everything will get done and everything will be fine. It's true. Things always have a way of working out, so I need to keep that in mind during those times when I feel overwhelmed. Ironically, I stumbled upon one of my older posts about "learning to not get overwhelmed." How appropriate. Thank you Universe. 

Well, I'm off to actually take a day off and relax and lay in the sunshine for a while. Today is mine and Cory's 9 year anniversary. Nine years! That's crazy! So I'm going to spend the day with him and then later today is my bestie's birthday party so should be a super awesome day--and a nice relief from the chaos of my current mind. It's a dress-up party too, how fun is that?! 

Hope you're all having a lovely day and enjoying life and remember to smile even when you feel stressed or down. Oh the power of a smile or a laugh. Mood transforming! :) 

Love you all! Sending you happy positive energy and a skip to your step!  

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

{life reflections}

. . . . . . . . . . 

{life reflections}

 Weekly thoughts and rambles. A glimpse into my mind and world. 

These are entries that I might jot down in my Happy Diary; what happens when we put our fingers to the keyboard and allow our thoughts to flow uninhibited. Reflections from the soul. 

Reflections of life.  

I hope to leave you inspired. 

If you want to share your own reflections of the week please leave a link to your "life reflections" entry in the comments for all to find and see.

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Has it ever been a busy life lately! I can hardly keep up with orders (in a good way ^_^) while also trying to juggle getting ready for this year's market season! Sometimes being self-employed requires more discipline than I seem to have. The free spirit in me perhaps. I think I just maintain the faith that everything works out--because it always does. Reminding myself that there is always enough time for everything that I want to do helps too. When you tell yourself you have enough time then the Universe magically rearranges itself so that there is. Magical! I love the Law of Attraction. I still don't understand how people refuse to follow it sometimes. I mean, I get that it's hard to wrap your mind around at first, but what's the harm in believing it? Especially because it Does work. Granted things don't always happen when we try to manifest them, but there's always a reason, whether it be our own unwillingness to believe or because we're forgetting to immerse ourselves in the whole "make-believe" of things already Being so that they actually Are. If you haven't read "The Secret" or don't know much about the Law of Attraction, I've probably lost you. I'll just skip ahead to some other random thoughts for the day, but I wanted to slur out some Law of Attraction stuff first because, well, that's where my ramble was taking me today. 

I've been busy. That's where I was right? 

Work is fantastic. I love my job! I need to manifest a little extra time to make sure I'm blogging more though too--I've forgotten a few posts last week (you may or may not have noticed) so I'm trying to be more on it. Especially because there are still articles that I want to take some time to write up and don't want to rush through. I also want to try and blog more about things you all want. And I don't know what you want or don't want unless you tell me. ;) I love getting feedback, good or bad, because it points me in the right direction and gives me material for improvement. That being said, this is still my blog and so I'll still be writing about whatever the hell resonates with my heart. ;) 

Life has been busy. Good busy. There is always room for friends and laughs and relaxing. I've been taking part in the 30x30 David Suzuki Challenge as well this month; spending at least 30 minutes outside for 30 days. I'm usually outside for much longer than 30 minutes a day, but there are some days when I'm working hard (and since I work from home) when it seems like an effort to squeeze in that 30 minutes. I'm glad I'm doing it though because it is that push on such days. It's so important to be outside. It's so important to spend outside in the grass or dirt barefoot as well. We are so filled with positive ions (those are the bad ones) from all the electronics around us and from always wearing shoes and being in buildings, that those positive ions don't actually have an exit and so the negative ions can't replenish. When we are barefoot outside then we are grounding ourselves and therefor are able to release those ions. It's good. It's important. And we don't do it enough. You feel instantly better. If you are depressed or if you have a headache or don't feel well, just spend time outside barefoot and you'll better in no time. For real. Like magic! But not… because it's just the way ions are. So my 30x30 challenge has been just as much about being barefoot and grounded as it as been being outside. I love it and I will definitely implement this into my life. Of course it's easier in the warmer months, but at least it's a good place to start. 

People are funny. That's where I'm going next today. Emotions, conflicts, and relationships become so entertained, it's hard to tell what you're doing sometimes--or what others are doing for that matter. It's important not to over think things, not to create problems that don't exist. It's the whole reason I wrote the "Tips to Self Care" post because I felt it was an important post to write this week. Negative emotions are plagues to our bodies and minds. Feelings like jealousy, envy, insecurity, anger, all those things, they just don't really have a place in your life. Not a beneficial one anyway. Sadness and anger are good passing waves, they are reactions and feelings from the heart. Things like insecurities, jealousy, and envy are created from the Mind. They do not serve you so it is important to unlearn them. Plus the more you focus on those feelings the more you'll attract things that will make you feel them again (a little more Law of Attraction for you). 

Life is beautiful, it is grand, it is full of possibilities, opportunities, and magnificent relationships, but you'll never find those wonderful things if you close yourself off from them.   

That's all from me today, I'm off to relax with some tea and take a day to write and draw and work on my Book. :) Hope you're all having a fantastic long weekend and making the most of what's around you and filling yourself up with gratitude! 

Much Love! 

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

{life reflections}

. . . . . . . . . . 

{life reflections}

 Weekly thoughts and rambles. A glimpse into my mind and world. 

These are entries that I might jot down in my Happy Diary; what happens when we put our fingers to the keyboard and allow our thoughts to flow uninhibited. Reflections from the soul. 

Reflections of life.  

I hope to leave you inspired. 

If you want to share your own reflections of the week please leave a link to your "life reflections" entry in the comments for all to find and see.

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Dreams are strange things. Sometimes I try to understand them. Sometimes they make sense, sometimes they don't. Sometimes you can figure out where they came from, like a collection of things you saw or events from your day replaying and reappearing sporadically into your dreams. Other times it's like you can see the future, see things before they happen, and can totally blow your mind. Like this one time I had a dream about boxing (and I was wearing boxing gloves), very random and out of nowhere, and then the next day when we were checking out some thrift stores I saw a pair of boxing gloves--what??!!! And then there was the time in elementary school that I had a dream about a girl in the class getting her hair cut and the next day she'd had a hair cut. Very strange and a little creepy? 

Then there are the dreams that are trying to tell us something. Maybe? Honestly, I don't really know where I stand with the dreamworld. It's such a strange and fascinating place. 

Where am I going with this? I suppose family has been on my mind a lot lately, of ordeals of the past, of things perhaps I am afraid of repeating. The truth is my family life has been chaotic and the source of a lot of joy and a lot of stress and pain in my life. The last couple years I feel as if a calm began and has been getting better ever since. But life can be surprising and it all depends what we're manifesting. I'm a little afraid of manifesting more drama. Fear is such an annoying and silly thing in our lives that is best to be put aside, especially when our thoughts can manifest our fears into reality. Still, sometimes it nags at us and sometimes certain things take extra work to get through. My family fears are one of those. Apparently. 

A year ago I never would have imagined my family to be where it is today. It's inspiring. It's a bloody miracle is what it is. I spent a lot of time focussing on the positive, visualizing what I wanted my family life to be like, and being grateful for what I had. Considering how things are now, it feels as if it's worked. But life can be surprising and repeat ordeals as soon as we stop focussing on the positive, complain, or become fearful. 

Last night I had a very vivid dream. I'm still trying to decide whether it was a warning sign, a premonition, a realization and reflection of what I've been feeling lately, or a lesson to teach me to let go. I want my relationship with both my mother and my father to be better. With my mother, I love her to death, she's one of my best friends, a constant source of inspiration and love in my life. But lately I haven't seen her enough. I've also realized that I'm afraid of disappointing her, or of her feeling I'm not on her side. Mom, if you're reading this I'm sorry for feeling this way and I love you. 

I guess I'm sharing this here today because I know so many people have problems with their families. Family is love, it's life, it's joy. But family involves a lot of different people, a lot of different people's problems, perspectives, and emotions. So things, naturally, can get messy and people don't always see eye to eye. I don't think any family is perfect, but certainly appreciating what you have helps and will bring about more joy within it. That and remembering that you don't all have to always agree to get along. ;)

As for my father… I mentioned recently that things have gotten a lot better with us, after years of estrangement and ordeals. I want to work on that. I am happy of where things are at right now. But my dream last night was about him. It was a repeat of the past few years, of our usual circle together that ends with me in tears and disappointed. 

So, I'm trying to decide if the dream was a warning, or if it was simply a nudge for me to let go of outcome, enjoy the moment, and to stop being afraid. You can't be afraid or disappointed if you're not attached to the outcome, if you're not setting yourself up for disappointment with expectations. Life's too short to not take risks or to not be bold because you're afraid. Fear holds us back, courage and taking risks propels us forward. 

I do believe the dream last night was merely showing me my own thoughts, how I was feeling that I hadn't really acknowledged. I want a better relationship with my father, but I am still afraid of being hurt again. But that's something I can work on now that I've acknowledged it. Love is letting for of fear. Life is being who you are and not being afraid or ashamed. Life is following your heart and your passions, and pursuing your hopes and dreams. Ultimately, life is about being positive. It's all about attitude, right?! Right! 

Personally, I'm tired of being afraid. I'm tired of being afraid of hurting people by simply following my heart. It's my life and I'm going to live it the way I want, and have the relationships that I choose, and be the person that I want to be. I want to be free to speak my mind, to do what I want, and to wear my heart on my sleeve. I want to be bold and courageous. I want to let go of fear. Because fear is the only thing holding me back. Fear is that silly nagging voice that tells you things are impossible. Fear is the little devil on your shoulder that makes you doubt, that makes you manifest the things you don't want into your life. So letting go of fear will bring about the positive, will bring forth the things you Do want. 

I always always come from a place of love. Always. It's just difficult when people don't always realize that. It's difficult when you feel misunderstood. It's hard because you are you and they are they. We're all different, we all see things differently, we all experience things differently. 

I do believe though, if you live through your heart, if you always come from a place of love, then, eventually or immediately, things will always fall into place. Perhaps that's all I need to take away from this and any other experience in life; to live with love and to let go of fear. Because the last thing you should be afraid of is love.    

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{life reflections}

. . . . . . . . . . 

{life reflections}

 Weekly thoughts and rambles. A glimpse into my mind and world. 

These are entries that I might jot down in my Happy Diary; what happens when we put our fingers to the keyboard and allow our thoughts to flow uninhibited. Reflections from the soul. 

Reflections of life.  

I hope to leave you inspired. 

If you want to share your own reflections of the week please leave a link to your "life reflections" entry in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . . . .

The sun is shining, the weather is warming up, and I've had a rather social week. Life feels good. 

It's interesting though, the ups and downs, the struggles, the rush of emotions, and the releases and surprises. Life is unpredictable, that is for sure. But it's a good thing. 

I'm trying to remind myself (and others) that life is a constant wave, but, no matter where you are, you can benefit from your position. Life puts you where you need to be in order to learn something, to increase your personal growth. It's just that we don't always see that, and when we fail to see that we tend to fall into negative habits and emotions and miss the lessons altogether. Then the spiral can happen which we get stuck in until we finally stand up and say "no!" But we can't walk away from what life is trying to teach us until we learn the lesson, otherwise we may feel as if we're getting ahead only to end up back in that same situation or place in life over and over again. It repeats until we can learn what we were meant to learn. Sometimes the lessons are concealed, sometimes they're subtle, and sometimes we really have to dig deep to get there, but the lesson is always there, one way or another. Or multiple ways. We can learn so much from a single experience or a single ordeal in our lives. Again, we just have to choose to see this. Life is all about attitude, or at least the state and condition of your Self within that life is all about attitude. It's a lesson that I still practice, that still takes work, and that can still be improved upon, but it is one solid message I remind myself of and carry with me at all times. It's the light switch that tells me everything is going to be alright, that I have a Choice in the way my life is going to be (in the future and, more importantly, in this very moment). It's all about my own attitude. I can choose to be Happy or I can choose to be sad. My choice. No one else's. Not life's circumstances or troubles can change that, attitude is up to me alone. And our lives then reflect whatever attitude we choose to pick up. That is why attitude is so important, why staying positive is so important, why reminding yourself to see the lessons and to smile in the face of troubles is so important. Why "I can't" or "that's impossible" are not words that should be in your vocabulary. Attitude will shape your life. 

I get it though, it's easy to get discouraged, especially if you feel stuck in one spot, in one lesson that you just can't get past. But discouragement and feeling frustrated are not beneficial emotions. It's important to remember that life is beautiful at all times when our eyes are open to it, and it's also important to remember that nothing is permanent. We can't get too attached to feeling down, but it's just as important not to get too attached to feeling too high either. Happiness is a state of being. We may experience extreme highs, but if we get attached to that high then we feel disappointed at the downward swings. Hold everything with passing release. Go with the flow. Everything in life changes, nothing is permanent. And there's beauty and comfort in that, again, if we so choose to see it. 

What am I trying to say? Life is beautiful! Your Attitude will make it so. Don't get discouraged ever ever. Stay Positive. And remember that life is a journey not a destination, so learn to enjoy the ride, to go with the flow, and to laugh and smile all day long. 

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

{life reflections}

. . . . . . . . . . 

{life reflections}

 Weekly thoughts and rambles. A glimpse into my mind and world. 

These are entries that I might jot down in my Happy Diary; what happens when we put our fingers to the keyboard and allow our thoughts to flow uninhibited. Reflections from the soul. 

Reflections of life.  

I hope to leave you inspired. 

If you want to share your own reflections of the week please leave a link to your "life reflections" entry in the comments for all to find and see.

. . . . . . . . . .

As I sit here with a heat pad on my stomach and my femini tea brewing, I can't help contemplate what it is to be a woman. Yes, today I'm going to talk about women, our amazing yet debilitating cycles, and what it all means… well, my thoughts on some things anyways… and how we all need to be nice to one another…  

Women. We are such amazing wonderful beings. The life-force of human life. We have the ability to destroy life, like most other creatures, but unlike our male counterparts, we also have the ability to create life. Not just take part in the creation of life, I mean literally Create Life! How amazing is that?! And frightening. As a woman who has never given birth, nor plans to, I find the whole concept so fascinating, empowering and terrifying. I mean, let's face it, you don't too often hear the stories of women giving birth gently and calmly and loving the experience, it's usually some variation of a horror story. Yet, when it's all said and done, the beaming smile and look in a mother's eyes as she holds her newborn is one I've seen many times and seems to wipe away that pain. I am so blessed to be surrounded with amazing women in my life; strong, inspiring women. All around me. And you are too. Even when we women seem crazy and hormonal with what feels like the flick of the switch, holy are we ever strong kick-ass things! 

I think a lot of the negative attitudes towards women and our cycles feeds the continuation of that negative outcome. We look at our periods as this terrible thing we dread once a month. We look towards other women with disattachment, cattiness, and jealousy, instead of loving, welcoming, appreciating and looking out for one another. It's a sad cycle. Truly. I feel like it needs to change, that we must become aware of this and start supporting one another. Women have gone through a lot, and continue to do so. The world is sexist, quite often in a very subliminal way. I mean, you hear people make the remarks like "your throw like a girl" or "play sports like a girl" all the time. Even when this comment is made jokingly and innocently, it is still putting women down. It is hurtful, is it not? Truth is that society still fears and puts down women and continues to do so whether we are fully aware of it or not. I'm not this huge feminist. I've read the book "Cunt" and have felt inspired by it, awakened by it. But I'm not this huge feminist. Maybe I'm starting to… I'm not going to slap a label on it because I hope that all women are feminists in one way or another. I just feel as if I, too, am awakening to the reality of how sexist the world still actually is. Not just sexist though. I think society still has many subliminal put-downs to things it fears. For instance, I watched this video the other day of this amazing woman talking about our use of the word "gay" and how we use it so liberally, and even though we may not think about it, it is a hurtful word to the gay community. Watch the video, you won't regret it. 

Anyways, I think my point (if I indeed I have one in today's ramble) is that the world needs to show more kindness, love, and appreciation for everyone and everything. Yes, I think that's my point today. Appreciation and love and positivity. (Isn't it always? ;))

This goes for the vegan front too or whatever your beliefs might be. I try not to be a preachy vegan, I share information when I can but I do so in a more positive and inspiring way. Because I think being vegan should be a positive thing and if you want to encourage others to go vegan you're not going to do it by being pushy or condescended towards others. The truth is we can all live in harmony with one another and be nice to one another. I've turned so many people vegan, and I am proud of that and will continue to do so. But I also get along with my fellow non-vegans and don't make them feel badly. I may open some thinking doors, or open their eyes to some realities, but I'm not going to make them feel badly. And what I do works. Trust me. And my life is beautiful and it encourages others to live their lives beautifully as well. We Can all get along. It just takes some respect, understanding, and often taking a step back to see all sides. And admitting when you might be in the wrong and fixing that with an apology and positive action. It's not rocket science, it's common decency. 

So be nice to one another. The end. ;) 

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♥ Wednesday Favorites: Happy Diaries ♥

Last post I spoke about keeping a "Happy Diary" so today it only seemed fitting that the Wednesday Favorites post be some awesome choices for your journal. Remember to always keep the well-beng of Mother Earth in mind; it all goes hand-in-hand when practicing Positivity--share it with the earth! So here are some of my favorite eco-friendly notebooks that I have stumbled across.  

EcoJot: These are the ones that I use and I absolutely love them for so many reasons. The covers are super cute and have lots to choose from, including a ton of different sizes. Their prodcuts are 100% post-consumer recycled, so no new trees are cut in the making of their journals! The paper is acid free and processed chlorine free, and all inks and glues are vegetable based. Even the mill where the notebooks are made is powered by biogas harnessed from a nearby landfill! As if this isn't great enough, they have a "buy one, give one" program where they have so far given 70,000 notebooks to children in countries all over the world including, Haiti, Kenya, Tanzania, Niger, Poland, Zimbabwe among others. 

Inspirational Journals: at Tees for Change! They have a couple Inspirational covers to choose from and come in different sizes too. They are made with 100% recycled chipboard and white inside paper and come wrapped in a biodegradable bag made from plants.

So there are only a couple that I really wanted to share with you today but I HAD to share these because they are a Must for your Happy Diary needs ;) 

Exercise for the day? What are YOU Grateful for? 

Have a fabulous day Lovelies! 

Peace & Love

xo

~Bianca 

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☺Inspirational: Happy Diary! ☺

I spoke the other day about writing for Positivity instead of Negativity. If you are taking part in the 30 Day Self Challenge then you also know that number 30 is to keep a Happy Diary. 

So what is a Happy Diary? 

It is a lovely place where you can write down Happy, Loving, Positive, Optimistic thoughts every single day. This encourages positive thinking and an overall positive mental attitude. 

Our thoughts are products of our habits and our daily lives and unfortunately we live in a rather negative world that tends to rub off on us. To some of us, happiness comes easily, to most it takes effort. It won't always, it's as I always say, practice makes perfect. And if you continue to practice one day you will no longer need that constant reminder to yourself. As to how to get there, practice positive thinking. A Happy Diary is a wonderful step to get there and to change old thought patterns into new ones. Instead of jotting down angry, pessimistic thoughts, focus on uplifting, happy, optimistic thoughts and write those down every single day in that Happy Diary. This repetition will change your thought "habits"; instead of your mind dwelling on the negative all the time it will instead learn to let go of that pessimism and not pay it any mind, and instead focus on the joys of life around you. 

Your life is perception. Remember, everyone faces ordeals and unfavorable circumstances in life, but it is how you Choose to Act about those things and how you Choose to Feel that will affect the general Happiness in your life. We are products of our own thoughts. Learn to think Positive. Practice this by writing down Positive things. At the end of your day, maybe first thing in the morning, or any time during the day that you need a pick-me-up, jot down happy thoughts. Write about how wonderful your day was instead of focussing on the bad. Write down why you love your life, and why you love the people in it. Write about the beauty that surrounds you. Write about the laughter of a friend or even a stranger you met on the street. Write down Who you Want to Be. Write down things you love about yourself. Write down all the little moments that make life so unique and beautiful. If an "unfavorable" situation occurs, write about the lesson that you took away from the experience instead of why the experience was bad. All these steps will help to re-enforce that Positive Attitude and mindset and general way of thinking. It will make you Happy about life and allow you to enjoy it. 

Nothing could change in your life and at the same time Everything could change, just by changing your way of thinking. 

So write, write, write in that Happy little Diary. Re-enforce Positive Thinking. See the world through an optimistic mind. Open yourself to the beauty of the world around you. Write down Happy thoughts and your mind will learn to focus on those Positive joys of every minute of your life. 

Peace & Love

xo

~Bianca 

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☺ Inspiration: Turn Your Mood around with Writing! ☺

It's a simple step that most of us don't place the effort in; turning our mood around. Let's face it, we all have moments where life can become overwhelming, when things can get us down or just plain in a bad mood. Turning our mood around is one of those things that requires our immediate attention if we hope to carry on with the rest of our day on a postive note instead of dwelling on negativities and remaining moody. Yet we very rarely actually give ourselves the time to do so. 

Put in the effort to make yourself happy and upbeat! 

I already spoke a bit about dancing and doing something active to boost your mood and return that smile (you can check out my video blog regarding this and be entertained by my sillyness too ~_^). It's a great step, but it can be useless if you can't stop a dillemma or problem from nagging your mind. 

Sort through those problems as soon as they arrive. Focus on a positive outcome. Don't waste your time on negativity, this only re-enforces that bad attitude and makes it harder to recover. And whatever you do, do not play the "poor me" card. These things get you no where but in a negative circle.

Learn to get into the habit of using pen and paper to write down your problems and ordeals, but most importantly, your thoughts into a positive conclusion. Now, this is key so I'm going to say it again; don't dwell on negativities! 

Too often our process of writing and thinking means whining and venting and complaining about what's wrong in our lives. This only continues the negative attitude, worse yet, it further imbeds it into your brain. Such a continual process becomes a habit, one that is not easy to break. And this is the dilemma most of us must face; changing our thought patterns back into something positive after years of negative thinking.

So use that pen and paper as a constructive tool instead of dwelling on pessimism. If you need to let out a little vent, by all means, do so--it is often a necassary part of the process--but keep writing until you reach something positive. Learn to ask questions, to look deeper, to really let your thoughts transfer onto the page. Don't spend time thinking about what you're writing, just let the words flow from your subconscious to your conscious mind right onto paper. The thoughts should be written out just as fast as they strike the mind. All one fluid process. You'll be amazed by the revelations, epiphanies, and realizations you'll have. That is, if you allow yourself to and really get into positive habits. If you begin the process with no intention of a positive or constructive outcome then you won't get one because you'll still be dwelling on the negative. 

Learn to open your mind and let your thoughts flow through your heart. It is another key point in this exercise to ask "what would love do?" Love opens the door to enlightenment and openness, and if you are open then you will be receptive to the wonderful revelations that may come to you by hammering out words onto paper. Let go of grudges, and the blame game, and being right, let it all go and become open to your subconscious mind. 

So, to sum this up in steps and key notes:

☼ Don't waste your time on the Negative.

☼ Keep your mind on the things you do want, and off the things you don't.

☼ Keep writing until you change your attitude into a positive one.

☼ Be open and loving--so that you are Receptive to the revelations that may come.

☼ Let your thoughts transfer instantly as they come from your subconscious to the page.

☼ Set Positive, conclusive Intentions. 

☼ Don't stop writing until you have a positive conclusion and can be at peace with the problem.

☼ Write as soon as trouble surfaces in your mind--don't push it aside and allow it to linger until it reaches a breaking point.

These steps will help you maintain a Positive and Happy Attitude. But always remember to appreciate your life and look at the good in it instead of the bad. There's no point in letting yourself be miserable all the time-- you can turn your own mood around! It is in your hands, give yourself that credit. Make sure you place the effort though. If you do nothing then your bad mood will linger, don't allow it to. You are all powerful and have absolute control of your mood. Practice consistently changing it around and you will be well on your way. It will eventually come naturally and the effort won't be as great. Until you reach that point, practice, practice, practice. Never get discouraged and always be resilient. 

You are an amazing human being!

So dance, write, and do whatever else you may know that works to turn your mood around. Don't waste a second more of your time being negative! Smile, laugh, and enjoy your beautiful life!!!

Peace & Love

~Bianca xo

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