Author

tiffany

Browsing
In Heal

Second Chances

2 Comments

Have you ever given someone a second chance? Shoot, I gave my ex-husband multiple ‘second’ chances…more than I care to admit. I’ve given friendships a second chance and I’m glad I did. Yes, I have given my boyfriend a second chance…and I’m glad I did.

I’m sure some of you read what I write and make up your own conclusions and have your opinions. I mean, of course you do – I put it all out there. Do I share every little personal detail, of course not. I chose to dive into this blog world to be raw, honest and authentic with all of you. My mission from the beginning remains the same – if one person can not feel alone or relate to what I share, I’m accomplishing my mission. Look, we all have messy lives and if you think your life is excluded from chaos and imperfections…you might want to look in the mirror and be honest with YOU. Guess what – messy is OK. Imperfection is OK (what is perfect anyway?). It’s OK and perfectly healthy to not have everything go your way all the time. That is when we learn and grow. Think about it, if we had no mountains to climb…how would we ever know how to climb them?

I’ve learned SO much over the last few years. I’ve learned what I will and won’t tolerate. I’ve learned to view things from other perspectives, my way isn’t the only way. I’ve learned to conquer fears. I’ve learned that life can truly be peaceful and beautiful with the right people around you.

Communication can make or break ANY relationship. You need TWO willing parties that actually WANT to communicate and understand each other. It wasn’t the 48-hour breakup that mattered, it was the conversation that happened after. I mean, it did at the time – I was a mess…but what happened after truly mattered the most. Sometimes it isn’t the game you lose or the mess you make, it’s how you clean it up. It’s saying you are sorry and actually meaning it. It is the effort made. It is the honest tough conversations of fear and how we got to where we are today. I’ve realized through this process that some really beautiful open conversations can be on the other side of a really crappy situation. I’ve also come to the realization that we ALL have a story (I just blogged about this not too long ago). We all react differently to things, we all have different triggers and traumas from our many years of life…but it’s how you talk about and fix the wrong doing. It’s how you make it right.

Do you ever put the shoe on the other foot – I mean really try and understand where someone else is coming from? You know how sometimes you can hang on a comment or brief remark someone makes (and perhaps they didn’t have any meaning behind it)…you know, they can do the same thing. Do you really listen to what YOU say and how you say it. Perspective was the perfect word for me this year. I’m a sponge and want to continue to learn and grow into the best human I can possibly be. I’m still a work in progress, but gosh am I enjoying the hell out of the journey. I’m truly blessed to have had this man walk into my life (he’s pretty dang lucky too).

Go have yourself a beautiful weekend and have those tough conversations. Stop living in fear of what is on the other side of your truth. Fear is around every corner – let’s push through it together. Do you need to give someone in your life a second chance (only YOU can answer this)…perhaps that someone is YOU? Give yourself a second chance at living and walking your authentic path in life, take it from me – it’s never too late. I truly believe everything in life happens for a reason. The rip your heart out kind of break-up needed to happen to strengthen our understanding of each other and our relationship. I’m excited about life, even the adversities I face – they are all lessons. Don’t forget to buy yourself flowers…or let someone know how much you’d enjoy receiving some. Heck, go buy flowers for someone else. My sweet man bought me flowers when I really needed a smile this week, and I really appreciate the thought and effort.

As always, thank you for being on this journey with me – together we can make a difference. Cheers!

Continue Reading
By
In Love

Power of Prayer

No Comments

Do you believe in the power of prayer? I’ve learned through the years that there are many different ways to believe in something higher than yourself. I personally believe in God, but know not everyone does. I’m not here to judge, preach or convert anyone – just looking for some extra good vibes, positive energy, prayers…whatever that looks like for you.

I don’t know about you, but this has been the longest year, and it’s just the beginning of March. I know WAY too many people that are just going through it – you name it, and I know someone going through it. If you have it in you, I would appreciate HUGE prayers for everyone I know. I typically don’t have specific prayers for things I ‘want’. My typical nightly prayer is to pray for good health for my family and friends and to serve up for me what is for my highest and best good. The remainder of my prayer is simply gratitude, as I am incredibly grateful. As I was just reminder by my neighbor last week, if you woke up today, it’s a good day!

In turn, should YOU be in need of some additional prayers or good thoughts your way, please shoot me a message and I will add you to my prayers. I’m a firm believer in the power of prayer and positive energy. I just finished such a powerful book that I’ve talked about before – The Secret to Love Health & Money. It is basically the law of attraction…our thoughts become our reality. For instance, you don’t want to say ‘please don’t let me get sick’, you are then putting sickness in the universe. Instead, say ‘please help me to stay in good strong health’. You see the difference? Create space for that positive energy for you and those around you.

In writing this post, I have some additional gratitude and that is to a dear friend of mine that truly re-introduced me to prayer. She is proof of strong belief and prayer. Her and her husband recently started a new business and I can’t help but think that the big man upstairs played and continues to play a major role in their journey. I might as well give her a shoutout, as they are doing BIG things. Their business is called Special Strong. I encourage you to check them out – such a positive impact on the community and so many lives! Thank you to my friend for her beautiful presence in my life and for being there for me in BIG ways on this wild journey of life.

As always, I so appreciate you being with me in my journey AND I very much appreciate you sharing your journey with me – we can all get through this life together by sharing our stories of hope and strength. This post is about believing in something bigger than ourselves. I have had many powerful spiritual moments in my life and thank you in advance for holding my family and friends in your prayers and good thoughts. It truly takes a village and a community to live an abundant life and I’m grateful for mine. Please don’t forget to buy yourself flowers or remind those around you that you deserve beautiful flowers. I have been looking at these happy flowers I received last week – flowers have a way of just making you smile. Cheers to a magical week!

Continue Reading
By
In Heal

What’s Your Story?

2 Comments

Do you ever take the time to reflect on your story? I mean, we all have one. To some degree, I’m sure we have all had mountains to climb and obstacles to overcome. There are beautiful pieces, parts you possibly want to forget – all of it makes you who you are today. Do you ever truly sit and honor yourself for how far you’ve come and take the time to relish in your successes, completely reflect on your life? I can answer that for you – probably not. We are all too busy to sit and reflect. Well, today, I’d like to give you permission to do exactly that. It’s your turn to be proud of yourself for wherever you are in your life story – give yourself some love.

I’m fully aware that not everyone is as forthcoming with their story as I am, but let me tell you how liberating it is to acknowledge where you’ve been, where you are now and where you want to be. My story has all sorts of twists and turns and I’m at a point in my life where I am proud of my story and the person that I am today. I don’t have any regrets as I truly believe in divine timing. Am I still on a healing journey, absolutely. I believe we are forever healing as human beings…but I strive to be better every day. I’m far from done with my story and am excited about the upcoming chapters in my life. I want you too to get excited about life, even if you are in the thick of some tough times…you WILL get on the other side of it. You have a purpose on this earth…you have a story and the most beautiful thing about it, YOU ARE THE AUTHOR!

Here’s the other side to this, as I’m all about perspective these days. Do you realize that everyone you walk among has a story too? I would like to repeat that – EVERYONE has a story, you aren’t the only one. We don’t walk around with a shirt on that says ‘I’m dealing with some heavy stuff’, ‘my kids are driving me insane’, ‘my spouse and I are struggling’, ‘I just got fired’…I think you get the idea. Have a little empathy. That car that cut you off, the person that was rude at the grocery store or a co-worker that may seem a little off – perhaps THEY are in a rough chapter of their story. My point…we ALL are living and breathing our stories and life can just be hard sometimes. Let’s have a little compassion for one another. I know that I’m an open book, I’d tell my life story to a stranger, if I thought it would help them with what they are going through. Shoot, here I am sharing my life with all of you. Not everyone is like that and I’m fully aware of that. Sharing your story with others could not only save them, but it could save YOU too.

Here’s a little reminder for you…you cannot go backwards. So please do not live with regret and wishing you would have done something different. Stop beating yourself up. When I used to go down that path, I had someone tell me that ‘you did the best with what you had to work with’. I believe that is true for most all of us. As humans, we aren’t trying to do the wrong thing. So, let’s make a pact…no going backwards, move forward every day – even if they are the tiniest of steps. If you don’t like the way your story is going – turn the page, make a change. Again, YOU ARE THE AUTHOR! Give yourself and those around you grace. Smile at a stranger – that one smile or kind words you speak to them may be the turning point in someone else’s story.

Go buy yourself some flowers and do something that brings your heart joy. I reminded you to do this a few weeks back, write a letter to a friend or family member…or even write a letter to your younger or future self – powerful stuff, try it. As always, thanks for being here with me on this beautiful and sometimes wildly crazy story of life.

Continue Reading
By
In Heal

Slow it down

No Comments

Sometimes when life leaves you no choice but to slow down a bit, you are dished some perspective. Shocker…more perspective. My goodness. Manifesting is real. My words for the year are LISTEN & PERSPECTIVE and I cannot tell you how many countless lessons I’ve had in those two areas already this year.

This might seem like a silly question, but do you have an electric toothbrush? Do you ever stop brushing before the two minutes is up? I’m absolutely guilty of this, I’ve done it a few times. Really – TWO MINUTES! I’ve since stopped this madness, as I have been asking myself why do I feel so rushed all the time. I mean, we will cut the brushing short (and we are only talking 2 minutes) but will lay in bed and scroll on our phone for 20 minutes (or more)! I’m sure I’m not alone here. By the way, I finally dove into the electric toothbrush thing, it’s not fancy, but it’s great – I highly recommend it…and using it for the full 2 minutes.

I couldn’t resist – haha

When you are driving, are you the one weaving in and out of cars and yelling at people that stop at yellow lights? I’m not judging if you are, I’m just saying slow down…in ALL areas! Are you running late, well, that is probably your fault. You are just going to have to come to terms with the fact that you are late. I got cut off this morning and instead of getting angry and diving into road rage, I cranked my music a little louder and said to myself ‘apparently they need to get somewhere faster than I do’. I once heard someone say that when they get cut-off or someone is driving erratically around them, they just think that they are rushing someone to the hospital and are in a hurry for good reason. Maybe they are and maybe they aren’t…and maybe they need to read this post.

This is your reminder to slow down. Physically, it truly makes you more mindful. You can actually stop and smell the flowers. You notice more of what is going on around you. You tend to be more present. Mentally, can actually be a little more difficult. I always say that I have hamsters running on a wheel in my head 24/7, as it can definitely feel that way. I’m really working on slowing down my mind too. Meditation has really been helping to slow and calm my mind. I use a free app called Insight Timer – highly recommend.

Wow, that quote. I encourage you to read it again. What a beautiful reminder to SLOW it ALL down! This might be an unpopular opinion but…Wake up earlier and take some time for YOU. Listen to the silence and take it in. A rushed morning makes for a rushed and chaotic day. Slowing down allows you to be more present. When we are running around like chickens with our heads cut off, we can miss some really important and beautiful moments in life. We don’t know when our time on this earth is done – let’s make the days count! Slow down, surround yourself with good people and be present where you are. Life can throw you some loops, but one thing you can control is YOU. Slow it down guys, get up a little earlier and start your day off right – not rushed and with a good positive vibe…whatever that looks like for you!

Have an amazing rest of the month/week…can you believe it is almost March!? Don’t forget to buy yourself some flowers (stop to smell them) and celebrate yourself!

Continue Reading
By
In Love

Friendship

4 Comments

Do you have good friends? Are you a good friend? I mean, do you ever ask yourself this question? What does friendship mean to you? Let’s chat about it…

So, if you keep up with my blog, you will know that I’ve had some rough patches in my life…more over the last 5 years than I care to think about. Recently, I was really struggling and I had a knock on my door after my one friend found out what I was going through. It was her son, as she lives far away, he was dropping off Panera to me – salad, soup and cookies. He asked if he could give me a hug and said ‘I hope that what you are going through gets better’. Well, I thought I was getting a hold of my emotions but nope…that sent me right over the edge again. It immediately made me want to ‘up’ my friend game. I told my friend that I truly strive to be a friend like her. She is truly one of the most thoughtful and beautiful humans I know. We can all take a page out of her book. AND, can I please acknowledge what an amazing human she raised…I mean Wow!

Taking my recent situation to a different level…I was very quiet and shut everyone out the first handful of days. I was really trying to process what I was going through. I didn’t want to be greeted that next week with ‘how was your amazing long weekend with your boyfriend’ comments, so I decided to head it off at the pass. I did reach out and let a handful of close friends know what was going on, I was very brief and just said that I wasn’t ready to talk about it. EVERY SINGLE ONE of them replied with they love me and are there for me when I’m ready. BEST RESPONSE EVER! No prying, just respecting my wishes. THIS is true friendship.

I’m extremely fortunate to have a group of friends that have been in my life since junior high/high school days – we are talking over 35 years of memories, laughter, tears, births, deaths, divorce and love…SO much love! We don’t talk every day, but I tell you what, if one of us needed something we would rush to their side. We try our best to at least plan an annual trip. I’d do anything for these girls! Fun fact, I went to kindergarten with one of these friends and we were reunited again in junior high – lucky me.

1991 – I love that I’m the only one not looking at the right camera. Sorry girls, I couldn’t resist this gem of a picture.

These weren’t my only friends from high school I keep in contact with, I have some other great friends that I still connect with once and a while – definitely wish it was more often. I was lucky to have gone from elementary all the way through high school with quite a few people too. Facebook is good for some things and I love watching their lives unfold. I have an overwhelming amount of cherished memories with so many beautiful people – I’m a lucky girl.

Then there are those friends that you’ve met in the workplace. Shoot, we are at work more than we are at home and I’ve made some solid friendships at work. All of my friends went away to college. I tried that for a little less than a year and got into the workforce. I’ve been working a fulltime job since I was 19. I’ve had some awesome co-workers through the years and really fond memories. I’m grateful for those relationships and all the wisdom shared over the years. Two of my dearest friends are my co-workers and I couldn’t imagine going through the last 10 plus years without them by my side.

You also have your ‘Mom’ friends or the friends you’ve met along the way through your kids. These are special kind of friendships. Even if our kids don’t stay in contact, us Mom’s have a special bond. We shared so much of our lives together at school functions, Brownie’s, soccer practice, carpools, coffee dates, etc. We were in the throws of parenthood together and I don’t think I would have come out of it the same without those relationships. Shoot, one of my closest friends is my daughter’s ex-boyfriend’s Mom (Yep, you read that right). We got each other in their break-up and I’m so very grateful.

Lastly, you have your family that have turned into friends and vice versa. You know, the older you get, your Mom will still be your Mom, but she will also be one of your best friends too. Your family can definitely be part of your friendship circle (or not) – you get to make this choice. There are those special kind of friends that have been around so long, they are like family. I have a friend that I’ve known since high school that will spend the holidays with us from time to time and it makes my heart so happy – she is a beautiful friend, yet also like family.

Dear Friends, I ALWAYS have 12 minutes for you!

So, I will ask the question again – are you a good friend? Are you the type of friend that YOU would want to be friends with? It’s OK if you are lacking a bit in this department, I’m not here to judge…just to remind you about what I think is important in life. I’m truly blessed to have met some really cool people in my lifetime and I don’t take those friendships for granted. 100%, I would not be where I am today with my friends! I’d say one of the biggest bummers is that there just isn’t enough time to see everyone I want to see as often as I’d like to see them. Let’s make a pact to just strive to be better – better to ourselves and those around us. Nourish the relationships in your life, water those gardens and definitely don’t take them for granted. Go buy yourself some flowers and smile. It’s a good day to have a good day!

Continue Reading
By
In Heal

The Paradox of Life

No Comments

Life continues to throw lessons and perspective at me that I’m not a fan of, although I’m trying REALLY hard to practice what I preach and be grateful for the lessons and dive into why God is testing me the way he is lately. Today is my blog day and I’ve fought with myself since yesterday on what I wanted to write about and my thoughts are completely consumed. I’ve promised to be real and raw so here goes. Full transparency, it’s been a real crappy handful of days. When you are going along with your day and you feel that your life is headed in one direction and then suddenly you have the rug pulled out from under you, you have every right to be sad. I’m trying every trick I have (and that I’m currently capable of) to pull myself out of the sadness. What I really want to do is drive to the ocean, go on a long hike and sit on the waters edge for a handful of days…but, then there is reality ( I need my damn knee fixed). Ironically in my last blog, I talked about creating a Happy List. Although, I’ve now had to alter my list…it did help to get me out of a bit of a rut yesterday of drowning in my tears. I chose to wipe my tears and cook, write and read – those things bring me joy. It helped…temporarily, but it helped.

Funny (for lack of a better word) how quickly your life can change. One minute I’m happily attempting skiing again and then bam, ACL torn. One minute I feel like I’ve met the love of my life and the next, we are no longer together. When you lose someone you truly care about and they are still alive, it feels like grieving. I’ve never been broken up with…and this is a perspective (damn me and my word of the year) that I didn’t want to experience in my lifetime. I want a list of what I did wrong, what didn’t I do, what did I do…I’m sure you want to know why too (only because people are nosey). The truth of the matter is, it just doesn’t matter. If someone wants to be with you, they will fight for you and WANT to be with you. The ‘why’ aspect is completely irrelevant. After days of questioning my worth and value, I keep reminding myself that I AM enough. It’s OK that I love hard, it’s OK that I crack wide open with nothing to hide, it’s OK that after being in a prior traumatic relationship that I put myself out there again only to be crushed, it’s OK that I’m just not OK right now. As my daughter reminded me of my saying…It’s OK to not be OK, you just can’t stay there.

I have edited this post SO many times, as this is so fresh and I’m feeling very vulnerable. The details are personal and I’m not mad at this person and respect his choices – hurts like hell, but I respect it. I’m grateful for the time we had and have been reflecting on all of the amazing memories and lessons I learned while we were together – I will be forever grateful for the time we had, he’s an amazing man. Feelings aren’t a light switch and I pray they start to fade and I continue to heal. I will dive deep into busying myself while I mend my broken heart.

Those of you that have been broken up with – I now see you…I mean, I wish I didn’t, but I do. My daughter said ‘Welcome to the Club’…uh, I didn’t sign up for this club and I want a refund. This is a whole different kind of hurt. One I know I will recover from, it just might take me a bit.

Perfect time for me to start a new book. I just finished ‘The Secret to Love, Health & Money’…such a fantastic book that I will continue to refer to, but I can’t help but giggle at the title and my situation. I started ‘Let Them’ this morning by Mel Robbins. Good timing for me to just Let Them and Let Me. Please don’t be sad for me, I’m sad enough for all of us right now and this quote below hit home really hard. I’m a BIG Good Morning and Goodnight person, as this says, it’s more than just the words. This is going to take some getting used to. Here’s a reminder to those IN relationships…your words matter, your actions matter. Make that person feel like the most special person on the planet and they should make you feel the same. Don’t take your person for granted.

I continue to learn the hard way that life truly is a paradox. You need the rough roads to make the beautiful roads that much more magical. May this new week bring new blessings and continual healing to all of you. Healing is definitely a constant journey and I’m not letting up on the gas pedal on this journey of mine. I’m worth it and I’m enough – and so are you! Permission to buy yourself flowers or buy some for someone else. My son surprised me with flowers on Valentine’s Day (I sobbed like a baby) and my daughter’s sweet boyfriend also got me flowers. Thoughtful boys who knew I needed something to smile about. Let’s focus on those things that bring us joy and remind ourselves that no matter what – we are perfect just the way we are, don’t you dare change for anyone!

Continue Reading
By
In Heal

Birthdays and Happiness

6 Comments

Perhaps these two words don’t go hand in hand for you. By the end of this blog, I hope we can change that. First of all, birthdays shouldn’t be taken lightly. This is the most important day of your life – YOU were brought into this world, it’s the day you were born! If you haven’t figured out WHY you are here yet, perhaps you need to go on a self discovery journey – that’s a whole other blog topic. What I can assure you, is you are meant to be on this earth and you deserve to be celebrated. Birthday’s are a big deal!

Let me set the table for you. As a child, birthdays were always a beautiful celebration – my Mom made sure of it. Again, I realize this isn’t everyone’s reality…however, I’d like to help make it your NEW reality. If you don’t have good birthday memories, I’m sorry. Please give that younger self of you a huge hug and here is your sign to break the cycle. Stay with me here. As a mother, I always made sure my kids’ felt very celebrated, in the way they wanted. We would have a party (I was just reflecting with my son, I definitely put together some super cool parties for my kiddos), they would always get a special dinner, that I would make WHATEVER they wanted. We would also have a family celebration. Again, I think birthdays are a tad like Christmas – we are celebrating the birth of someone VERY important – YOU!

Flash forward to this week, I was laying in bed early in the morning on my birthday. I was kinda bummed, as I didn’t have anything planned to celebrate. Plus, I was coming off of two years with BIG celebrations. Last year was the big 5-0 and I felt like I was celebrated for a week. The year before that, my high school girlfriends and I did a big 50th celebration for all of us in Mexico. So, I needed to step back into birthday reality. I live with my adult children and they have busy lives. I was feeling lonely and not looking forward to the day. I walked out of my bedroom door and was greeted with balloon arches and a decorated kitchen. Instant tears! In that moment, I felt so special and celebrated. It instantly turned my mood around. I had a pep in my step (my lovely little current gimpy step…but nonetheless, a pep)!

I headed to work and was showered with calls, texts and messages throughout my day. It’s funny, I know that Facebook reminds you when people have a birthday, but it was different for me this year. EVERY single person that wished me a happy birthday, brought a smile to my face. I thought of a funny story or how long I’ve know that person, etc. It brought me so much happiness. The gifts were thoughtful and so generous. The cards made me cry (shocker…I’m an emotional person) and it was just a feel good day.

Which brings me to part two of this blog…happiness. I started my morning a little in the dumps and was instantly transported to happiness. I sat in that ALL day – what truly makes us happy? Well, the people we surround ourselves with, is an obvious one. But, what happens when you are with yourself and in your own feelings – we need to have happiness for ourselves by ourselves. Others can contribute to our happiness, but happiness is truly an inside job. I took this thought one step further. What colors make me happy, smells, foods, songs, words, pictures, movies, sayings…the list goes on. What brings you joy?

I loved this fun little list I found online. I have an assignment for you – let’s make a HAPPY list. Here’s why I’m making myself a HAPPY list…because not all days are good days. That is just reality. We tend to dwell on negative or unpleasant situations…why can’t we reverse this and dwell on our happy. Permission to be happy, even when you may be in a crappy situation. For instance, if we are sad or possibly dealing with depression, we perhaps reach out to a therapist. However, when that sadness goes away, we don’t feel like we need help anymore. I’ve personally done this. I used to go to Alanon meetings (a support group for families that are dealing with alcoholism, in case you didn’t know). I would sometimes not want to attend because I was having a good week. Fun fact, THOSE were the weeks that I got the most out of our meeting. I just blogged about ‘showing up’…well, this is yet another way for us to show up for ourselves! Who’s with me – who’s making a list to keep handy that focuses on what brings you happiness and joy? Gosh, what a great tool to help pull us out of a bad day too. I’m excited about this…[literally writing down things that make me happy as I’m typing this].

SO, first of all, if you aren’t big into birthday celebrations, I’m not going to force this on you…BUT, YOU ARE WORTH CELEBRATING!! I have friends that celebrate all month for their birthdays and I’m not mad about it. Shoot, I did something to celebrate EVERY month last year, since it was a big birthday. Complete permission to throw yourself a party if someone else isn’t. Make the day you came into this world a big deal and don’t you dare apologize for it. Secondly, if you have an opportunity to make someone else feel special on their birthday – DO IT! A message, call, card…an acknowledgement that they are special and what they mean to you is so meaningful. How do you feel when someone calls and sings you Happy Birthday or drops a card in the mail – time to pay it forward. We all deserve to feel special. Let’s focus on our happy and making others feel special. Just so you know, another mood enhancer is bringing someone else joy…in turn, that will boost your happy.

I’m excited about 51 – I’ve got some big dreams and am really diving into what I’m calling this second chapter in life. It’s scary, exciting, eventful, full of risks, failures, lessons, continual healing and so incredibly rewarding. Permission to buy yourself flowers and show yourself some well-deserved love. Cheers to being born and choosing happiness. Now go make that happy list!

This is 51

Continue Reading
By
In Love

Showing Up

No Comments

I’ve been dished even more perspective over the last two weeks. Injuries suck! My words of the year are LISTEN & PERSPECTIVE. So far, my words are quite appropriate!

It’s interesting how life works. There is something to be said for the saying ‘You have no idea until you walk a mile in my shoes’. We can try to understand others’ situations, but you truly never know how something feels until you have a personal experience. We can empathize and offer support to others, but we never 100% know how someone else feels. However, we don’t really need to try…we just need to show up, acknowledge and be there.

I had a short conversation with my daughter last week, as she tore her ACL a little over a year ago. It only took me a year, but I understood her frustration and emotion of her situation so much more. I felt compelled to acknowledge the struggle she went through over the last year, for so may reasons. I have obviously expressed how awful I felt for her along her recovery journey, but for the first time, I feel like she truly felt acknowledged and heard. Sometimes I think that is what we need…a little acknowledgement of the ‘suck factor’. Sometimes what life throws at you just sucks and it feels good for someone to see and hear you. Show up for you.

Do you Show up? This is a two-part question. First of all…do you show up for YOU? Do you make promises to yourself (I will wake up earlier, I will eat healthier, I will make better financial decisions…you get the idea) and not keep them? Then you need to start showing up for yourself. Why don’t we treat ourselves as we treat others? I personally think it’s easier to show up for others than ourselves. Do you show up consistently? If so, ROCK ON – you are awesome! If you are struggling with getting started in a routine and/or just being consistent…Well, this is your reminder to SHOW UP FOR YOU!! You are worth it. You deserve to go after what you want and consistently show up for yourself, no matter how you are feeling. I’m not only reminding you – I’m reminding ME too.

The other part of this question is…do you show up for those you care about? Do you make the extra effort to make those that are in your village feel acknowledged and heard? First of all, you need to show up for YOU. You know the saying ‘You can’t pour from an empty cup’. Then, you need to show up for others. Give attention to those you care about, just show up! I’ve experienced this multiple times in my life now…my back surgery and my divorce were probably my biggest teachers. Sometimes I asked for help and sometimes I didn’t, but there were people that just showed up – checked in on me, acknowledged the ‘suck factor’ of what I was going through. I will never forget these people and how they made me feel. So please, send a note to someone to let them know you are there for them, call them, show up at their doorstep – Just SHOW UP! Be the kind of person that you want in your own corner.

Can we make a pact together and put more effort into Showing Up. Go after those big dreams and show up for yourself every dang day…especially those days that are extra tough. Those days you don’t want to wake up to your alarm or walk that extra mile – read that quote above a second time. Stay the course and SHOW UP!

Don’t forget to buy yourself flowers. It’s also Valentine’s week – perhaps buy someone else flowers too. Be well!

Continue Reading
By
In Heal

Dear Diary

2 Comments

But first, quick story time…I posted my last blog on Wednesday, the 22nd. I try to post a few times a week, but this week had different plans for me. I had an awesome handful of days and then Sunday Funday came around. I have been wanting to try skiing (after a very long hiatus) for a year now. My boyfriend is a good sport and got me all decked out in gear for our day. This was a big fear of mine to face, yet I was excited to give skiing a try again. I’ve had up’s and down’s with back pain and I was feeling good, so it seemed like all the stars were aligned to hit the slopes. We had two short runs and I was feeling a little hesitant, but ready. Then, it was like everything happened so fast yet in slow motion. I wasn’t going very fast at all, my ski just went a slightly different way than my knee. Wah Wah Wahhhhhh…I will spare you the details of the rest of the day, but I needed a ride back down the mountain, there were quite a few tears and a whole lot of pain. Major gratitude for my boyfriend being extremely patient and for taking such good care of me.

I’ve been asking myself all week…what is this trying to teach me, what is the lesson in this crappy situation. This happened on Sunday and it is now Saturday. I’ve had a few rough days and my daughter (who is one year post ACL / Meniscus surgery) said to me ‘it’s OK to be angry and upset at the situation’. She completely validated me. I also felt proud of myself for conquering a fear. It certainly didn’t turn out the way I thought, but I gave it a shot. I’ve heard a huge emphasis on patience and strengthening my body. The patience is inevitable, I don’t have a choice…I have one speed right now (and it isn’t very fast). This is a huge awakening that the older we get, the more strength training we need to do. Message received, this has now climbed my priority chart, for sure. People, strangers even, have been overly kind. One woman asked to shop with me at the store and hold my items, etc. I literally had 4 things to get, but what a generous offer. I’m open to accepting help. Lastly, I’ve been reminded how powerful journaling and reading something positive every morning and night is. For the last handful of nights I’ve been wallowing in my sorrow – no reading or journaling. I journaled last night and again this morning and definitely woke up with a better attitude…still in pain, but a better mindset.

Now that you’ve probably heard more of a story than you wanted to…this brings me to my point. I’ve been keeping two journals for about 3 months now. Don’t get all crazy, I’m not asking you to write a novel, but I would like you to hear me out on this. One journal I keep has daily prompts. I reply to the short prompt and write what I’m grateful for. This will literally take you a handful of minutes – NO rules, permission to write freely about whatever the heck you want. Although, I absolutely recommend writing down what you are grateful for on a daily basis – morning, midday, night…whatever works best for you. Just do it!

My other journal is my manifestation journal. I literally write 2-4 sentences of whatever comes to my mind. I start my entry the exact same every morning…’In divine timing…’. I don’t want to put a time stamp on things, when it is meant to happen it, but it WILL happen. These are my hopes, dreams, aspirations…I literally envision myself living this life. Often times I write in present tense. I’ve had one of my manifestations come to fruition. I truly believe that what I’m writing will be my reality…believing in yourself and your dreams matter!

Journaling can be so powerful and the most beautiful part about it, is you can do it however it fits you best. You can write your life story, write about something funny that happens every day, something kind that you did for someone or that someone did for you, something you are struggling with…whatever you want. This is YOUR journal! Just try it. It’s a nice way to wind down from your day and/or start your day. My routine is about 15-20 minutes in the morning when I first wake up. I write in both journals, read a minimum of 5 minutes from something positive and about a 5 minute guided meditation. How we start and finish our days are SO very important.

You’re in luck. You can get your very own Heal Cook Love journal (pen included) from ME! $15.95 plus shipping – what a deal! Please keep your messages, comments, etc. coming – I love it all! You matter! Please don’t stop dreaming and pursuing the life you desire…fulfilling and peaceful, it’s possible! Permission to buy yourself flowers. My sweet boyfriend bought me flowers last weekend to celebrate my 15-year work anniversary – so thoughtful. I’m working on my menu for the week – that’s coming up next. Oh, and still not sure what’s wrong with my knee, but for now, I’m sitting in the lessons and trying to keep a positive attitude. Much love!

Continue Reading
By
In Love

It’s a 9 year

1 Comment

2+0+2+5 = 9, which means this is a 9 year. Yes, I believe in signs, the Universe, God…ALL the things! The more I read and fill my mind with positivity, gratitude and love, the more powerful I feel. What we feed our mind is so incredibly important. As with most of my posts, this is a reminder to dive into YOU and love YOU a little more this year. I’m not saying to not nurture your relationships, don’t overthink what I’m saying. I’m saying to make more time for you and make yourself a priority. You truly can’t pour from an empty cup – permission to FILL YOUR CUP!

First off, I want to give credit where credit is due. The images you see here entitled ‘2025’ are from Mia French’s IG page. Give her a follow and check out her website too – insightful! Give yourself a few minutes in a quiet space to truly embrace what you are about to read. THIS is some powerful stuff!

I mean, you can read and I’m not going to reiterate every word here but WOW – just WOW! Whatever it is you want/need to release – a habit, a grudge, old relationship, this could be anything – it’s time to LET IT GO! Releasing and surrendering to 100% create space for our true potential to emerge! Bye Bye Fear…Hello Authenticity! It is time to unapologetically live your true authentic life!

Every word of this – SO powerful. YES YES and YES! My question to you is, are you willing to let go of what no longer serves you and create that space for powerful journeys ahead?

Pride in who we ‘were’ – think about that one. We beat ourselves up over possible ‘mistakes’ or ‘wrong paths’ from our past. Have pride in your journey, no matter how rough the road. You are HERE and still standing. In fact, your journey has helped mold you into the person you are today. As stated above…’Cultivate gratitude for the lessons we’ve learned along the way’. It all comes back to gratitude baby!

‘…giving and receiving with an open heart.’ LOVE this! As much as we give to others, we need to be open to receive the gifts the Universe has to offer.

YES! Create that space for the magic and miracles that await AND a beautiful reminder that YOU ARE ALWAYS ENOUGH!

I hope you took the time to truly read and hear the words spoken – Wowzer! I literally have all of these up on my board in my room and read them every week. Such amazing reminders of what this magical year has in store for us…IF you are open to receive. Multiple times we are reminded to trust in divine timing or your divine path. Listen to the signs around you and don’t fight the flow. When we choose to not listen, we are going against our divine path – just sayin!

Dive into yourself this year – embrace transformation, embrace meaningful endings and beautiful beginnings and EVERYTHING in between. May you never feel alone on this magical journey called life. May you look at your past with appreciation for where you are today and to your future with confidence and hope. Permission to buy yourself flowers. Much love!

Continue Reading
By
Pin It