Today We Gives Thanks

As I sit here to write this blog post my heart is full.  It feels in fact like it is overflowing.  My life is incredibly blessed.  And I am learning to love every bit of it.  Even the part of me that insisted I add the word learning.  Because I struggle with loving every part of myself.  The ragey, bitchy, judgmental, money fearing part of me....isn't all that cuddly.  But I am learning.  And for that...I am totally grateful.  What a journey! Wow!  I just need a moment to breathe it all in.

As I start to count what it is that I am grateful for...I immediately think that there is not enough space in a single blog post to count the sheer number of things I am grateful for.

So here is the short list.  I am grateful that I am married to my best friend.  Who loves me...all of me...even the rage, bitchy, judgmental, money fearing parts of me.  Who shows me that I am loveable.  Who believes in me.  Holds me. Likes me.  And some days tolerates me when it would be much easier to get in the car and keep driving...far, far away. 

I am grateful for my Beautiful Daughter who teaches me more than I could ever imagine.  She brightens my day.  She teaches me how to love.  How to share.  She teaches me patience (or tries to).  She shows me there is more to life than just work.

I am grateful for my family.  My Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, Niece and Nephews.  I value all of our time together.  How each moment together is filled with ease.  It may not always be easy but it is so comforting to know that we will always be family.  We will stick together regardless of the size of storm we must weather.

I am grateful for my newest family.  My In Laws.  These people love me and accept all of my quirks.  And it is only a marriage license that legally bonds us together.  There is comfort in knowing that they choose to be family.  That they opened their arms, home and hearts to me and that they welcomed me in and never looked back.

I am grateful for my extended family.  There is comfort in numbers.  Comfort in knowing we are all here to work and grow together.  That we may not see each other often but we know...we are all here together no matter what.

I am grateful for my friends.  All of you.  You have entered my life for a reason and I love for that.  Each time that we talk, each memory we make, each challenge we face...I am grateful.  I love you all. 

I am grateful that I am able to do what I love each and every day.  That I work with people who help to grow me each day.  And I know that they think that I am helping them but truly...they teach me more than I teach them.

And of course I am grateful for all of the blessings that comfort my life.  The roof over my head, the food in the fridge, freezer and pantry, the cars in the driveway, the dogs snoring by the bed and the cat and her "presents" that grace the basement. 

I am grateful for all of you that are reading this.  I am grateful for the freedom to write a blog that spouts whatever opinion I choose to type at every given moment.  I am grateful for the air that I breathe.  I am grateful for the opportunity to make an impact in my life and the lives of others every single day.  I am grateful for the moments of discomfort, challenge and even the ones of heart break and dismay because each moment shapes my life.  And I wouldn't want it any other way.

What are you most grateful for?

I wish you a day as beautiful as you! 

Much Love and Many Blessings,

Lisa

When Faced With Change

Our journeys are all very similar.  Even if we are not moving in the same direction.  Yesterday my Dad and I went to their North place to work with some horses.  As my Dad brought them in to the pen it was great to watch.

You could see that they were uncertain as to what was going on and whether or not they really wanted to be there. As we let them settle for a minute a couple of them felt that they were comfortable enough to graze.  Some were checking out the entire pen - determining where the boundaries were.  And three were taking great care to keep their heads up, eyes open and watching to be certain that we were not going to cause them harm.  These three would run from us when we entered their space.  One even went to the extreme of jumping over a fence to avoid us.

I don't know about you...But I can tell you that I am very much like each of these horses in different situations.  When I am faced with change and it is something that I knew was coming and it was something I wanted...I was happy to relax into the change.  Take on an attitude like...I am here now...might as well get comfortable.  When the change is a bit of a surprise and I am not sure exactly what it means to me but it seems like an adventure...I am like the horses who scouted out the pen.  I want to see what it all looks like.  I want to know what my boundaries are.  And when there is a change that wasn't my idea.  That I wasn't prepared for. That I didn't see the value in making...I am very much like the latter three horses.  I keep my head up.  I run from the change.  I protect myself at all costs.  I act from a place of fear.  Rather than a place of faith that it will all work out.  

How is it that you view change?  Do you approach it from a place of Fear or Faith?  Do you find that it differs depending on the extent of change you are facing?

Today I am grateful that I am celebrating Thanksgiving with my Parents, Husband and Daughter.  That we are healthy and able to enjoy these days with one another.

I wish you a day as Beautiful as You!

Much Love,
Lisa

I don't feel like blogging...

No Sir! No Blogging Today!  (I hope you read that to the tune of "I don't feel like dancing" Scissor Sisters.

Blogging seems to be a huge challenge.  I have a ton of blog posts that are partially composed.  All of them brilliant of course.  However, I really don't feel like finishing them.  Do you ever get that way?  Where you just would rather...not?  

I must be in a self sabotaging mode.  I have been eating rather clean. Nothing processed, no white flour, limited high quality meats, no dairy, sugar only in the form of red wine...but that is clean because it is made from grapes.  And we all know that grapes are a fruit.  May I take this moment to remind you that the Canadian Food Guide recommends 7-8 servings of fruit per day.  So...I am just trying to follow the rules.

All kidding aside I had been eating clean.  And in the last two days...I have veered of track dramatically.  I have had a cheese burger, french fries, mashed potatoes and gravy, meatballs, fresh baked homemade buns,  potato chips and a healthy slice of cherry pie.  The word healthy referring to the serving size rather than the nutritional value.  And I am not going to lie...the meatballs, gravy, potatoes, buns, and pie...were absolutely delicious.  The heavily processed foods were far from good.  To call them food seems to be stretching the definition of the word to its outermost limits.And I am paying the price of my gluttony.  

If you are reading this post and wondering what the hell my point is....I don't blame you.  My body is using all of its energy trying to figure out how to digest all that I have inhaled in the last two days.  So the purpose of this blog is to remind myself...that I don't do well on sugar, white flour and all of the mystery chemicals that lurk within processed foods. 

In order to honor my temple...I will acknowledge that I  actually hear what it is trying to tell me.  I will treat it with more love and kindness.  Tomorrow I will start the day off with a smoothie.  And I will do my very best to say no to potato chips.  I will not guarantee that I will be able to avoid the two cherry pies on the counter.  Hmmm, that makes me wonder....how would they be in a breakfast smoothie?  I mean really, I put fruit in the smoothie...what can a few cherries hurt?

I wish you a day as beautiful as you!

Much Love,

Lisa

Ps:  Today I am grateful for my weekend with my beautiful family.  And for the work and the effort that my Mom put into creating all of those delicious foods.  

Are You Rocking a Ritual? Or Has Your Ritual Sunk Like A Swimming Rock?

Lately I have been feeling like I have gotten away from my morning rituals.  This didn't happen overnight.  Although it does seem like I had a ritual one morning and it was gone the next.

It is in the morning when I most feel connected to God, to my Higher Self, the Universal Energy.  I had a really good streak where I would start every morning grateful for all the blessings in my life.  Before I jumped out of bed I would spend a few minutes basking in the love and energy that fuels my life.  Once I was out of bed I would spend time reading positive affirmations.  Next I would write about those affirmations at www.750words.com  I would write about whatever thoughts came to mind surrounding those affirmations.  The 750 words exercise turned into a meditation where the words would flow more from my heart and soul than from my brain.  Then miraculously a blog post idea would appear.   Once my blog was posted and published I would move on to planning my day.  I would enter this space feeling calm, centered, balanced and optimistic about what the day could and would hold for me.

And then one day..I got busy.  Too busy to write 750 words.  So I skipped that step and stumbled straight into blogging.  And the next day (or maybe the day after that) I found that I was too busy to blog.  And then I was too busy to read affirmations and meditate on them.

And the next thing I knew...I was feeling scattered, disconnected, and unproductive.  My focus was bouncing from one idea to the next. I was looking for something to focus me and ground me. And....

 32 days ago I heard about a book.  Making Miracles by Melody Beattie.  And Mai Vu (my soon to be coach) invited me to join her group - 40/40 Miracles.  And I started doing a daily writing exercise.  30 days ago I started exchanging it daily with my partner.  This is something that I make a priority in my life.  Regardless if I am at home, what day of the week it is...it gets done.  No excuses.

Now I am noticing that I am ready to build my morning rituals around this exercise.  I count my blessings in the morning before that I get out of bed.  I work on my miracle exercise.  I comment on my partner's progress.  And twice this week I have signed into 750 words.  I have even posted eleven blog posts in the last eleven days.  I am ready to return to blogging in the am.  I feel better this way.

One day recently ( in the last 10 days I am sure) I was talking to my Blog BFF and she reminded me that spiritual practice is called practice for a reason.  It is something that we need to practice.  And when I think about that...it is exactly that.  It is always there for us to come back to.  We can grow and evolve and it is always there.  It changes when we need it to.  It grows along with us when we need it to.  It welcomes us back like an old friend with open, loving arms when we return to it.

So if you have stepped away from your spiritual practice.  Or your rituals. Or your routines. Or whatever you would like to call them...please do not judge yourself harshly.  Do not blame yourself or make excuses.  Just welcome yourself back to that space with big, open and loving arms.  You are right where you need to be.  Exactly as you are.

I wish you a day as beautiful as you!

Much Love,

Lisa

The Blogging Challenge So Far

We are 11 days into this challenge with 20 days remaining.  I can honestly tell you I had great ideas for today. And they were swept away by the momentum and excitement on the day.  I do apologize and ask for your patience.  I will post early tomorrow. ...and it will be a good one.

Much love,
Lisa
Today, I am grateful for all of the energy and enthusiasm in my life.

The Beauty of Simplicity

Today I was talking with a client and she is undertaking some serious changes in her life right now.  Her job position changed and four days later she decided to quit smoking.  COLD TURKEY. 

I don't know if you have ever tried to quit smoking...but it is not an easy feat.  It is hugely challenging and the cravings don't go away overnight.  In fact I have talked to people who have been quit for 25 years and still have the occasional craving. 

My client was talking about how she feels that her worst time of day is in the car on her way to work and in the car on the way home.  The morning craving seems to be something that is getting easier as the days go by.  The drive home is something that isn't easy for her.  She craves the cigarette as a means to decompress after a long and challenging day.  This has been a habit for the past two years. 

Tonight on our call she shared with me a huge win.  She found that today was much easier.  Her solution was beautifully simple.  She chose to appreciate the view along her drive.  She took in the beauty of the fall leaves lining the river valley.  She loved all of the colors. 

This is something that we need to remember.  A tool to keep in our back pocket.  Some place nice and handy.  To use any time that we are feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and disconnected. 

Where can you look to appreciate the beauty of your surroundings? Is it in the sky in the formation of the clouds? A sunrise? A sunset? The moon?  Wildlife? Flowers? Body of Water?  The sun glistening on the snow? At a kid? The elderly? Within yourself?

Regardless of where you are seeing the beauty....be sure to stop and appreciate it. 

I wish you a day as beautiful as you,

Much Love,

Lisa

Today I am grateful for the beautiful colors that symbolize the change of the seasons!

Permission!

Today's blog is about permission.  I know that when I was a teenager I could not wait for the day to come that I no longer had to ask someone for permission.  Little did I know that I would find myself asking for permission long after my teens.  Unless thirtythirteen is in the teens somewhere and no one told me about it. 

When I was working for someone else....I would have to ask for permission to take time off, to start a new initiative, to have a long lunch and a hundred different reasons.  Unless of course I was living by the fact it is easier to beg for forgiveness rather than ask for permission...and although that has its purpose....it is not the best action plan for every scenario. 

Every time I think of asking for permission I am reminded of my nephew.  I am going to say that my nephew was four years old.  And we were all sitting around and waiting to go to the family gathering.  My nephew really wanted to play in his little pool.  So he asked our aunt Kate if he could play in his pool.  Kate told him "Go ask your Mom."  So he toddled into the house to speak with his mom,  He came out and crawled into his pool.  Moments later...his mom came outside very upset to see him in the pool.  When my aunt asked him why he was in the pool he answered very matter of factly...."I did ask her.  You didn't say that she had to say yes."  Touche.  Well played.  It also reminds me to try and cover all of the bases and be crystal clear on my requests.

Back to the topic of permission.  Today I gave myself permission.  Permission to celebrate my success.  I lost 6 lbs and 9.25 inches in September.  I gave my permission to eat the donut my husband drove an hour and a half out of the way to get me.  I gave myself permission to swill wine and eat cheese and crackers and spicy Italian meats.  I lived on the edge Baby.  Oh Ya I Did!  I gave myself permission to rebel.  To acknowledge all that I went without in order to see such great results.  To give myself permission to start back to eating clean tomorrow. 

I have also noticed that in the last few days people are asking me for permission.  Permission for them to honor themselves and care from themselves.  Now when people ask me for permission I do not see myself as I person with a magic wand.  I simply try to mirror back to them what they are looking for but they just aren't quite ready to give it to themselves.

For example:  One client decided that she was going to quit smoking.  What a healthy choice!  So proud of her.  At the same time she also decided that she was going to clean up her eating.  I gave her permission to take on those changes one at a time.  First make some gains not smoking....then make small leaps regarding healthy eating. 

Another client was feeling overwhelmed.  She had so many things on the go that she was spinning in circles and just wanted to take a break.  I can totally relate. So I gave her permission to just stop, hit pause.  Take a time out. And when she was ready to return, create an action plan.  To work on what she absolutely had to work on. And permission to put some things on the back burner.

In both of these situations....they felt lighter.  And that is a win in my books.

So what about you?  What is it that you need permission to do?  I would love to hear it. 

I wish you a day as beautiful as you. 

Much Love,
Lisa

Monday! The Enemy!

Good Morning Monday!!!!  I woke up this morning grateful for all of the comforts that life has afforded me.  I was super excited for the new day and ready for all of the wonder that the week holds.  And then....I mindlessly checked my facebook newsfeed.  Wow, I am getting the impression that people are not a fan of Mondays.  This makes me wonder why Monday is the enemy. 

I know when Monday was the enemy for me...and it was whenever I was in the corporate world and not loving it.  And because I felt trapped and had no choice I took it out on Monday.  The dreaded day of the week that forces me out of a warm bed and into a shit hole.  Once I got out of bed Monday would fling things at me.  A flat tire, an accident, frosted windshield, spilled coffee, alarm clock that didn't go off, the coffee table that somehow moved in the middle of the night, slow traffic, and all of the other irritations that Monday threw my way.  Mondays were exhausting.  I would spend them being annoyed, irritable and defensive.  After all....Monday was the enemy.  I even found that Monday would sometimes disguise itself as other days of the week and bring all of its nasty tricks with it. 

Nowadays Monday is no longer the enemy.  I quit my job.  I gave myself permission to start living life my way.  And with that change came a steep learning curve that I need to be more responsible and with that responsibility comes accountability.  I learned to stop blaming days of the week, or others for the times that I wasn't happy with the way my life was turning out.  I realize that isn't quite as simple as that to actually put into practice.  I even find myself back in that mindset at times.  But I know that I don't have to choose to stay there.

Since today is Monday I want to do something that I don't LOVE to do but I feel GREAT when it is complete.  So today...I will sort through old mail/bills and file it away.  This will set my Tuesday up to be even better than my Monday. 

How about you?  What is it that you can do today that will either change your outlook on Monday or at the very least set your Tuesday up for success?

I wish you a day as Beautiful as you,

Much Love,
Lisa

Ps:  Today I am grateful for the energy and enthusiasm I feel towards new business ideas....stay tuned for details!


Just for Giggles! Thanks to Facebook...Meanwhile In Canada Page:

The Crush Crushed The Competition

Today I was able to spend the day watching my big brother play and win the final game of the season for flag football.  It was a beautiful October afternoon.  I dressed in more than enough layers and stayed plenty warm enough thanks to my coffee and Kahlua.  Not to mention the fact that I spent the entire game running and hollering up and down the sidelines.  It was a wicked day.  And I enjoyed it very much. 

I can't wait until next weekend when I get to spend the weekend with the whole family for Thanksgiving on the farm. 

Below is a picture of the winning team.  And a picture of their played out cheerleader.

Today I am grateful that I live close to my big brother and his beautiful family.  Life is Awesome!

Hope that you enjoyed your weekend!

Have a week as Beautiful as you!

Much Love,

Lisa

R.I.P Kristen

Today I am having a really difficult time blogging.  I posted twice on Thursday and not at all on Friday.  And today...I am forcing myself to post something.  Yesterday I was battling a cold and low energy.  I also received news that a beautiful woman lost her fight to cancer yesterday.  She left this world and her pain and suffering behind.  She also left behind a husband and three beautiful young boys.  My heart feels that it is torn in two.  On one hand I am happy that she is no longer suffering.  And on the other hand, I am so saddened at the thought that these three beautiful boys will grow up without their mother.  I know that the community, family and friends will bond together and raise those boys to the very best of their abilities.  That I know without a doubt.  However, that doesn't replace their Mom. 

Kristen, you were such a blessing to this World in the short time you were here.  May you rest in peace and continue to sing in heaven. 

Much Love,
Lisa 

Today I am grateful for my health and the health of my loved ones. 

The Naked Truth of It

Lately I have been doing a lot of work when it comes to myself.  I am not talking about me physically working..like cleaning the house or anything like that.  Just ask my husband....I have certainly not spent much time doing that.

What I have been doing is working with a coach.  And she pushes me. She sets the bar just outside my comfort zone and makes me reach for it.  She encourages me.  And she sees my potential - and that in itself is freeing.  Now this coaching relationship is not all love and pink fluffy Unicorns.  It is a relationship that is based on truth and trust.  And sometimes that means that she has to tell me to quit whining and get my shit done.  Now you may be thinking that this is a little harsh.  Let me tell you it is exactly what I need in that very moment.  Her words slice through the fear and free my feet.  They allow me to get my ass moving and start gaining momentum.  And for this I am grateful.

Now this post isn't really here to tell you about how wicked awesome my coach is....that would be deserving of a post all on its own.  What I want to talk to you about is the naked truth of it.

Whenever you decide that you want something bigger and brighter for yourself it involves a lot of work.  And that work isn't all fun.  It means spending time looking at what lies you have convinced yourself of being true.  It means digging around in the darkest corners of your mind.  Shining light on all of your fears and looking them in the eye.  And this does not happen over night.  At least it hasn't for me.  And I am grateful that it is a bit of a process because it means that I only have to look for as long as I can stand to and then I am free to scamper back to the light.

I am three weeks into this journey and there have been times where I have wanted to quit.  To just curl up into a fetal position and rest easily knowing my own patterns will continue to serve me.  You see I have learned that I am a person who lives life all in.  The throttle is wide open, I am in high gear and the gear shift is ripped right off....there is no slowing me down.  Now this can be a huge adrenaline rush....and it typically is...but it can also be a lot like a roller coaster coming off its tracks.  It is all consuming and it is exhausting...and once the coaster car leaves the track....I am left burnt out.  With nothing left to give...to my work, my friends, my family or even myself.  This is a pattern that I am willing to break.  To modify in a way that suits me.  To learn to down shift gears once and awhile.  Even pull over and enjoy the view.

There are times when it feels like I have pried open the lid to Pandora's box.  And the suppressed emotions and fears are flying up at my face like bats flying out of cave.  It's uncomfortable and it is downright scary.  And I question why it is that I do it.  And I ask...Is this worth it?  Fear plays tricks on me.  Tells me that I am not worthy.  I  don't deserve it.  That freedom, fame, fortune, happiness will never be mine.  It is in those moments where I  need to sit with the fear.  Thank it for being there with me and ask it what it is trying to show me.  Breathe it in....and then breathe it out and breathe in all of my dreams.  Let them illuminate my heart and lead my way out of the darkness.  The best part of working with a coach is that when I feel that I am so wrapped up and stuck in the fear all I need to do is reach out and ask my coach to hold the lantern and shine light on the path.

I am here in this moment because I am meant to be here.  Right here.  In this very place.  You and I...All of Us....possess a beautiful gift that is meant to be used to shine light on the path of others.  I refuse to let fear stand in the way of me doing so.  I hope you do too.

I wish you a day as Beautiful as You Are!

Much Love,

Lisa

Ps.  I you want to learn more about the coach who is helping me on my journey check out www.maivucoach.com

One of Those Days!

Have you ever woke up in one of those deep, dark moods?  Where the rage, and the anger and the annoyance and the irritation just oozed out of you?  Today was one of those days for me.  When my eyes first opened I was annoyed with....everything...even myself.  A place in my brain said...remember to be thankful, thankful for the roof over your head, the nice warm bed, a beautiful, healthy daughter and a handsome loving husband.  I heard that voice and for a split second I was thankful and then....I slipped right back into the annoyance.  I was grouchy in the shower, grouchy feeding animals, grouchy making smoothies.  Scratch that...I was especially grouchy while making my smoothie. Why do I need to stir more than the f'n blender does?  What is up with that?  Sure the fruit was frozen solid but IT IS A BLENDER!  BLEND DAMMIT!!!!!

This was not the kind of start to my morning that I was wanting.  I didn't want to be feeling this way and I knew that.  I also knew that I could change how it is that I feel just by thinking different thoughts.  I completed my 40/40 miracles exercise.  Then carried right through to creating a passion statement that is part of Dina Mikaela's Body By Design program.  I get that I was a grouchy rageaholic but that is no excuse not to follow through on my morning routine.  Also part of my routine is to check in on blogger bff.  I am not going to lie....I was counting on her to have some words of wisdom or wackiness that would cheer me up.  And it was the right thing to do.  A few minutes of instant messaging had me giggling about bathrobes and sneaking up on deer.  I was feeling better.

Oh sure, the annoyance returned when my husband called ten minutes later asking me to come and pick him up.  But it quickly dissolved.  There may also be more times today where the annoyance and anger bubble up to the the surface but I don't have to spend my time and energy hanging out with those emotions  I can feel better whenever I want to.  I just need to think of something that feels better.  I know that I have a choice.  And I can choose to feel better in an instant.

Want to know something?  You can too.  You don't have to wallow in feelings of stress, fear, anger, sadness.  You can choose to feel better.  Stop focusing on how terrible you feel and redirect your thoughts to something happier.  Perhaps images of you chasing deer through the forest wearing a bathrobe.  Or an episode of Big Bang Theory that made you burst out laughing.  Whatever it is....it is only a thought away.  Give yourself the gift of feeling better.

Today I am grateful for the knowledge that I can choose how I feel.

On that note....I wish you a day as Beautiful as you!

Much Love,

Lisa

Book Review - The Pillars of Health - Your Foundations For Lifelong Wellness

About a month ago I signed up to join Hay House Book Nook.  I get to choose a newly published book, they ship it to me for FREE and all I have to do is read it and blog about it.  So here is what my thoughts are about this book.

I was first drawn to the book because it asked "Do you go to the gym religiously? - for a couple of weeks at a time?"  I immediately nodded yes.  And then the next few questions sold me on it.  "Do you find yourself desperately to focus but unable to keep up with everything going on in your hectic life?  Are you frustrated by a world that seems full of inconsiderate, unpleasant people?"  I know that I could answer yes to these with great ease.  I could even relate to the fourth question "Have you been on every diet imaginable, yet still feel unhealthy and low on energy."

As I started reading this book I was interested in what he had to say regarding the effects of processed foods on the body.  I was in agreement until we reached the point where he started talking about how bad animal proteins are on the body.  This was something that I immediately reacted adversely to.  I love meat.  I am a rancher's daughter.  I am a meatatarian.  I eat vegetables because the meat I like to eat like vegetables.  And it is the way I have always been and I am not interested in changing that.  Well not full time anyway.

As I continued on with the book I loved the fact that it was not entirely about how and when and what to eat.  The author touched on more than just that.  More than the importance of getting you body moving.  He also spoke about supplements and essential oils.  I knew more about the supplements than I did about the essential oils part of things.  So once I finished the book I was so interested I contacted a friend so that I was able to learn even more.  This is what makes for a good book in my opinion.  It sparks the desire to learn.

Mental Acuity is one of the pillars of health.  He spoke o the importance of exercising your brain.  To really challenge it in different areas.  This was honestly something that I never gave much thought to.  I am blessed with an excellent memory and razor sharp wit.  Never before did I consider that I may lose that.

The final pillar - compassion - spoke deeply to me.  This is a huge part of my life and something that I believe in greatly.  It was incredibly refreshing to see that someone else thought that compassion for yourself and others was important enough to be a pillar of health. This is certainly not something you see in every health and weight loss book.

Since reading this book I have made some changes in my life.  I can credit 'The Pillars of Health' for sparking the change.  I am currently eating more of a plant based diet.  So much so that I am only eating animal protein three times a week.  I am still learning about the many uses of essential oils and I even work on exercising my mind on occasion.

Now as I mentioned previously, I was provided with a free copy of this book in exchange for a review of it  That being said...my review is definitely favorable.  It was a relatively easy, interesting read that was able to get me to see a different point of view.  If you are looking to purchase a book that covers whole body/mind health....this is a book for you.

Who knows....maybe you will find yourself bypassing the bacon section in the grocery store.

Wishing you a day as Beautiful as You,

Much Love,

Lisa

Today I am entirely grateful for the many opportunities that come into my life unexpectedly.

The End of One Challenge and The Beginning of Another

Wow!  It is October already.  Where has the year gone?  I feel like it has flown by.  I have spent the month of September attempting to eat clean and motivate others to do so as well.  And now that October has kicked off it is time for another 31 Day Blog Challenge!

I loved the last blog challenge that I participated in back in July.  And now I am prepared to jump right into this one.

October is the month of Thanksgiving for Canadians.  It is honestly one of my favorite months of the year.  I love the autumn leaves.  I love the smells.  I love the thought of the trees shedding their leaves and the Earth receiving them in an effort to re-purpose them into something new and fresh.  I love that we usually get one snow fall in October and this reminds me that we always have a fresh start available to us.

I believe October has so much to teach us.  And we can learn much from it.  For example:

Are you carrying around a bunch of thoughts, ideals, or values that no longer serve you?  Are you willing to let them go like the trees release the leaves?  Are you ready to re-purpose the energy towards something new and fresh that is more in line with your current values?  When you let go of those thoughts and ideals that no longer serve you, you feel an renewed sense of energy.  And you are able to pour that energy into whatever your heart desires.

We also always have the opportunity to start fresh.  We can start fresh by simply thinking new thoughts.  All too often we work ourselves into a position where we do not believe that we have the gift of choice.  We feel there is no choice and we are stuck and so begins the down hill spiral. The amazing thing about life is that we do indeed have choices.  We always have choices.  That being said there are times in our lives when the choice is between bad and worse but there is always a choice.  When you get feeling stuck, stop, and get quiet.  Spend some time getting in touch with your breathing.  Connect with yourself.  And ask yourself....which choice can I make in this very moment that will get me closer to how it is that I want things to be.  Which choice really honors my true self?  And when you do that...you will start to feel better.  Just like that.  To feel even better still...follow through on that choice.  Take action.  Even small steps will assist with that.  And just like that....you have a fresh start.

Throughout the month of October I would like to end my blog post by sharing something I am grateful for. So today, in this very moment, I am grateful for the 31 Day Blog Challenge.  It provides me that gentle push to blog again.  And I love my blog.  It allows me to spend time getting quiet and in touch with my higher self or my true self.  It allows me to share that message with all of you.  And for that...I am grateful.

I wish you a day as Beautiful as you!

Much Love,
Lisa