Day One of Twenty List Building Blog Challenge - What Do I Love About My Business?

What Do I Love About My Business?

The fact that I made it up of course!  It is true...my company is a made up "job"  that brings me many gifts.  Freedom, Pleasure, Passion, Purpose and Joy.

One day I was speaking my truth and I offended a follower on Facebook.  Let's call her Sandra Sufferer. This called in the drama, and allowed for everyone's fear to flood the surface. Later I discovered that Sandra Sufferer had posted on Facebook that I was so pathetic that I needed to make up my own job.  And the effect of reading that statement was so....freeing!

I loved it.  Of course I made up my own job.  Before reading this I was trying to fit into the role of a life coach.  And I had no fucking idea what a life coach was.  I gave myself permission to drop the title of coach.  I started to play with my title.  I am a Community Creator and Connector.  I am a Rebel Hearted Woman.  I am exactly who I am in any given moment.

My business allows me to be me.  I am able to stand in my truth, to speak my truth, to listen, to hug, to heal, to play and grow.  To Glow and To Flow.  I am able to help women stand and speak their truth.  I am able to create and hold space for women to transform their lives.  I am able to do what I love and love what I do every moment of every day.

Who wouldn't love that?

Are you looking to connect with your passion?  Want to stand in and speak your truth?  Curious about meeting your inner Rebel Heart?  Feel free to connect with me for a complimentary Power Hour Session.  60 Minutes dedicated to discovering you.  How delicious is that? Connect With Me Here

Wishing you A Day as Beautiful As You!

Much Love,

Lisa

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

I Used To Be Bound But Now I Am Free....

I absolutely love how life comes together.  As I have mentioned in several posts I am taking part in a 30 Day Bravery Challenge.  I have been quite lax in completing the exercises because I was partaking in a slo pitch tournament and I was too impaired and distracted to be able to focus.  Not to mention that there was never a quiet moment to string two thoughts together.

So tonight I sat down to follow through on the exercises.  One of the challenges asked us to comprise a list of five things that we have overcame in our life.  We were to choose one and journal about how it is that we felt when we were in it and also how it felt when we rose above it.

I was able to come up with five challenges that I was able to overcome in a matter of seconds.  The hard part was to chose one to journal about.  In the end I chose the experience of when I was sexually assaulted by an authority figure.  I have mentioned it briefly in a previous blog post.  And the exact event details do not need to be discussed here.  The events that followed are the ones that needed to be overcome.

I am not certain if you can relate to my story.  This event happened in a small community.  In a community that was so close knit I was the new kid because I did not attend kindergarten in that school.  The event occurred in Junior High.  A young girl accusing a school principal of something of that nature rocked the community.  Everyone instantly had an opinion and very few opinions were forged on facts.  My life and the life of my family was turned upside down.  When I returned to school the day after the incident I was filled with trepidation.  I had hoped that no one had found out.  That life would somehow be normal.  Instead what I met was a bunch of angry junior high students who were not mature enough to form their own opinions.  They were only able to repeat the opinions of their parents.  These opinions were steeped in fear and an unwillingness to believe that a principal could ever do such a thing.  Rather than consider it being a possibility it was easier just to slander a young adolescent.  I went from being a tall, skinny, awkward tomboy to a slut and a liar.  Everyone felt it was their right and obligation to tell me that.  Even the teachers were cold and unwilling to step in and stop the running commentary.  The comments only gained more fuel as time went on and we inched closer to the trial date. At the end of the day the courts determined that I was indeed telling the truth.  This did nothing to repair my reputation.  Since I was still considered a leper in the community my parents thought it was best to allow me to complete high school in a different school district in an entirely different town.

It wasn't until I sat down to complete this exercise that I realized that I continued to be a victim of this situation for many, many years after it was over.  My confidence and belief in myself was bruised and battered.  I lived my life based on the opinions of others regardless if they were supported by facts.  I acted out and attempted to live up to whatever label society decided to place on me.  There were times that I didn't see fit to respect myself just because others wouldn't.  It took years for me to realize that I first need to respect myself and then others would in turn respect me.  The way I felt in that moment and in the years that followed is not anything that I would like to feel again.  I can however, say that as I reflect back on the place I was in then and I compare it to where I am now...I have certainly rose above that challenge from many years ago.  And realizing that I have rose above that feels fantastic.  And even though that experience was a painful one, I am grateful for it.  It has brought me to where I am today.  And today - I am Beautiful, Courageous, Strong, Loved, Loving, Lovable and Worthy.

I used to be bound...But now I am FREE!  Free To Be Me!

Tomorrow I will post an article that I submitted to a magazine.  As I reread the article that I wrote a few months ago I realize that it was this event inspired the article.

Do you have any challenging experiences that you have lived through?  I am sure you do.  We all do.  Spend some time reflecting on how you felt in the moment.  And then think of how you felt when you rose above the challenge.  Remember all of the strength and courage that you need to face the challenges in your life already lives within you.  You only need to give it permission to be set free.

I wish you a day as beautiful as you!

Much Love,

Lisa

The Freedom of Forgiveness

This morning was one of those mornings where I actually woke up before my alarm.  This could have been because of Jaguar and another cat fighting outside the window.  Or perhaps because Maggie the Boxer raced out the door to see what all of the fuss was about.  Or perhaps even so that I would save my husband from having to hear my 5 am alarm and then me fumbling around for it trying to shut it off.  I am not certain.  What I would like to think is that this morning was to allow my thoughts to rise like the sun.  That I could lift them from slumber to a place of love and light.

Lately I have been dealing with petty drama with my football team.  Most of which being sparked by me and my desire to equate having fun with getting the ball rather than enjoying a beautiful evening surrounded by remarkable women.  I get the message.  In fact I think that I just GOT that message.

Before I get too far into my blog I would like those of you reading this to think of people who are facing a journey up a hill much steeper than yours.  Send them love and light.  In this moment I am holding a woman I never met in my thoughts.  She was just given the message that she has stage four cancer and six months to live.  The enormity of that message is washing over her friends and family like a tsunami.  My wish for them is first for a miracle and that they may find peace, love and comfort in all of this in their own ways.

I am also thinking of a friend's brother who lives in High River.  They just replaced their vehicle that was lost in the flood and four days after their shiny new car was hit by a severe hail storm.  May they find a pleasant surprise coming to them soon.

Another friend recently lost her job, and then had more news that is making her feel like someone is pulling the rug out from beneath her feet.  My wish for her is that she finds her footing and grows through this time rather than just going through it.

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When I wake up early in the morning I am able to watch the sun rise through my kitchen window as I sit before my computer.  This in itself is a blessing.  I am able to enjoy the quiet and serenity that exists before the rest of the house wakes up.

On mornings like this I am able to quickly get my 750 words of writing out of the way and then spend some time in meditation.  When I am meditating I often ask for a message.  These messages are always pertinent to what is happening in my life at that moment. Sometimes I share that message in a blog.  Today I one of those days.

Some days we need to let things go.  Letting go of past hurts will make room for good things to come into our lives.  We often tell ourselves that we can't forgive them because the person did something so egregious that it does not deserve forgiveness.  So we carry this hurt, anger, shame, blame and resentment around with us.  And it weighs on us.  It burdens our heart and our soul.  If we carry it long enough it poisons our thoughts.  We stay in the mindset of a victim.  We make all of our choices from there.  We begin to not trust others.  We no longer give of ourselves and our love freely for we could get hurt again.  We become prisoners.  We blame others for all of the unhappiness and ugliness that surround us.

Today I am going to reflect on my life.  And I am going to look for areas where I am harboring resentment and blame towards another. And I will forgive everyone in my past for all of the perceived wrongs.  I will give them the benefit of the doubt that they were doing all that they could in that moment.  That what they did in that moment was the very best that they could.  And I will forgive them.  I will forgive for my sake.  And I will forgive myself of the things that I have done in my past.  I will relieve myself of all of the feelings of guilt that I am carrying.  I will give myself benefit of the doubt that I was doing the best that I could in that very moment.  And know that the person I am today would not react that same way.  That I do not have to feel guilty about my actions.  That I should celebrate that I have grown into a person who would do something differently in that given situation.  I will put down those burdens and make room for further greatness to flow into my life.

Perhaps reading this you are thinking of areas in your life where you could forgive others and even yourself.  I would love if you would do just that.  You are worthy of greatness.  You are lovable, loving and loved.  You deserve it.

Wishing you a day as Beautiful as you,

Much Love,

Lisa