How Fast the Wheels Turn

It’s like time speeds up the older you get-but really it’s all relative. You have as much time as you want in the day, it’s a matter of setting priorities and goals and then following through with them. Sometimes tasks must be done in small pieces, gradually. This is particularly true if juggling lots of projects simultaneously. Other times, projects can be started and completed quickly. The main thing is, to not stop moving the wheels. The faster your wheels are going the more ground you can cover and the more items you can check off your list at the end of the day. Keep them spinning!

Maintaining Our Own View

Many times when we look through the distorted lens of societal perception, we end up looking at things with a skewed vision. A vision that is often not our own, coloured by the expectations and experiences of other people. There is nothing wrong with society at large, but when our views on ourselves are the same as those of society we end up suffering. What do we suffer from? We suffer from not being ourselves. From being out of touch with who we truly are-and more importantly, who we can be. This is why it is essential that we maintain our own perspective separate from society when we are trying to grow as people or try new things.

Opting in or Opting Out

Sometimes it feels like the world is filled with magic and that every time you turn around something wonderful and unexpected happens. It's when we aren't looking for anything in particular and something amazing-something supercalifragilisticexpialidocious happens. It's in these pivotal moments that we have to make a choice. To either jump in, or shy away. Either way, we decide on what to do next. BUT-we must proceed knowing our decisions likely have long-term consequences in our lived in day-to-day reality. Here's to choosing to jump.

The Power of Thoughts

The power of thinking. We never really recognize the power of our thoughts or our words-but these things do in fact dictate our reality. The reality we opt into experiencing. The thoughts we think dictate what happens in this magical and strange amazing planet that we live on. Thoughts dictate our realities and provide space for us to grow and change perspective. Along these lines, they can also create prisons in our minds if we are not careful. Be mindful of what you consume and create-in body, mind and spirit.

Practicing Bravery

Bravery, "Ready to face and endure danger or pain; showing courage". Bravery is an important trait to have. It gives us persistence, and endurance. Traits that are great survivalist strengths and essential ingredients for success. In order to become more brave, we must practice acts of courage-and stretch ourselves. These are challenges we must rise to face if we wish to live a life that is beyond anything we can possibly conceive of ourselves.

Learning How to Recieve

For many of us, learning how to receive becomes a large part of our growth and development. Understanding that it's okay to ask for help. It's okay to not know everything and not do everything. It's okay when people offer support and it's even more okay to accept their support. Sometimes, for those of us who are used to doing EVERYTHING with seemingly little-no help this is a challenge that require us to let down our guard, put down our pride and surrender. Ultimately, surrender to receiving the gifts from the universe at large.

Getting Feedback

Sometimes things just happen that confirm so many other new truths that we're learning. When we ask for a response from the universe and we get messages that are so bang-on we can't help but be in awe of the wonder and interconnectedness of everything. These experiences are so humbling and confirmation that we are going to be just fine and that everything will work out for our highest good. Here's to getting universal feedback at the most appropriate times.

Taking Cues

Sometimes when we least expect it, we get signs from the universe. Signs about where we're at, where we need to be or to just be still. These signs are everywhere. The clues are in our surroundings and can even come into our consciousness when we are engaging in things like meditating. It's important that we listen to these universal cues and try to find ways to integrate them into our activities of daily living. We must be open to doing things differently and start doing things that serve us and stop doing things that don't. This can be easier said than done and being involved in situations where we are uncomfortable helps us to build our "newness" muscles. Muscles we may never even knew we had. The universe is all knowing, all caring and consistently has our backs even if at times if feels like we are up against a wall.

Butterflies

It's summertime. With summertime comes insects. Sometimes, very beautiful ones with powerful messages of patience and persistence. The two Ps. Butterflies are exceptionally patient beings. They live as caterpillars-eating their way around everything. Persistently foraging ahead. Then they form a chrysalis-and wait patiently in there for weeks and eventually emerge as butterflies. They have complete confidence that they will in fact emerge-and be able to fly. It's a display of trust and beauty. Why can't we sometimes channel the butterfly in our day-to-day lives? It may make all the difference if we can learn to persist with our goals, be patient with the results and trust that we will emerge more beautiful than ever before.

Taking Off the Beer Goggles

Taking off the beer goggles helps us see things more clearly. It's like we've been living in a little rat maze for so long and then suddenly-wide open spaces. A panoramic view. It's a really phenomenal experience-albeit a scary one. When we choose to stop ingesting substances that skew our thinking even more than it is already being skewed, we start to re-focus and see what's really in front of us. People that have so many threads of their personality in common with us it's unreal. People are really not all that different. Taking off the beer goggles gives you a fresh perspective that makes you feel like you are one with everyone you meet, and also helps to facilitate compassion in your being for those around you struggling to make the world make sense. Compassion is the cornerstone of understanding and perspective taking and empathy helps to get us there.

Paying the Price

We all have a price we have to pay for being ourselves. Sometimes we lose things along the way and that's tough. Very tough. Our lives change fundamentally in various ways as we go through a process of releasing and grieving. People leave. Places change and the only thing that we can come to count on is that nothing is permanent in this lifetime. Every moment is precious and what we choose to do with these moments is important to our evolution as we grow and develop along the way. Many of us are going through big transitions in life where some people that we once loved have taken a backseat for the moment. It could be forever, it could be for a short time while we get through some big changes in life. We don't really know what's going to happen next and living life from a place of acceptance helps us to navigate these tough times with ease and tranquility.

Free Falling

Sometimes we find ourselves in a free fall situation in life. Swirling through the air into the unknown at a rate that can only be described as G-Force times a million. These free fall moments are ones we can sometimes predict and sometimes we can’t. Sometimes we voluntarily jump out of the plane into the fall and sometimes it feels as if we took a wrong step and are free falling with no knowledge of why or how we got into these situations in the first place. Regardless of how you got there, it requires a real determination of spirit to move through it and a trust that all will be okay regardless of how you feel right at this moment. The free fall eventually stops and you can then gather your bearings and move in the directions that best serves your needs.

Scents

Scents. They can be a wonderful enriching experience or a pungently bad experience. They can also elicit strong emotions and give you an indication into someone's health. They are one of the best things about living on this planet. This is an homage to scents.

Resistance

Many of us have experienced things in our lives that keep us from feeling things deeply. These blocks, if you will, keep us from connecting with our hearts and the universal forces at large. These emotional blocks keep us from fully embracing life the way we would like to. They keep us from bonding with other people and prevent us from opening up. We are scared to be vulnerable, because we fear shame, blame, guilt, judgement and/or abandonment. Unfortunately, what many people do not understand is that by just having these blocks up-this resistance-they are creating situations where all the things they fear eventually come to pass. It's a horrible vicious cycle that many of us are unaware we're engaging in. AND even if we become aware, we then have to make the necessary changes to facilitate movement of those blocks and opening of our hearts. Sometimes this is easier said than done, but at the end of the day there is a sweetness that we arrive at that is unlike anything we have ever previously known. Here's to removing your blocks and opening your heart.

Relaxation

Sometimes the most therapeutic thing we can do for ourselves is to relax. To chill. To sit back and enjoy life. Sometimes it's about taking a break from being busy and reflecting on lessons you've learned, behaviours you've changed and the person you've become. Sometimes relaxing is about re-charging your inner battery. It can also be about connecting with new people and places. Whatever the reason, relaxing is one of life's fun luxuries. Enjoy chillaxin'!

Challenges as Opportunities for Growth

The challenges we face in our lifetime are really opportunities for growth in disguise. We sometimes can get caught up in the challenges-looking at them as if they are truly awful things because they make us have to access different parts of ourselves that we are uncomfortable with. It is in these spaces that we experience the most expansion as people here on this planet. At the time we experience these challenges, it can feel quite awful, but in reality we are being groomed to be better versions of ourselves. Here's to feeling the fear and doing it anyway.

DIY

DIY can be amazing or it can be a complete train wreck. Here are some examples of epic fail DIYs! Moral of the story is, if you aren't sure of what to do-ask for help! Good for a chuckle.

Plan B

Plan B. The second option. The "If this plan doesn't work out-I'm going to come hang out with you" feeling. Not a fun feeling. At least not for those people in the "Plan B" role out there. The fallback option. The second tier. The back-up pitcher. The second string. Whatever term tickles your fancy. It's the unpleasant feeling of being someone else's second option. It really really sucks. BUT-we don't have to choose to be the Plan B. We can choose to be Plan A or no plan at all. That's what we can tell those people in our lives that make us feel that way. Don't subsist off of the crumbs of other people's attention. If they aren't going to feed you a solid meal don't bother showing up to the table.

Social Media

Social media. The tool of Gen Y and Millennials. Everyone's doing it-amidst much controversy about how privacy standards are lax or that it's not really "connection" that's happening on these forums. It's unfortunate that we've confused technological "connection" with authentic connection or real connection. There are so many ways we can hide in plain site on these social media platforms. Facebook. Twitter. Instagram. Pintrest. LinkedIn. There is no shortage of tools we can mobilize to connect to people, but these tools are not helping us facilitate real connection with people. So much "connecting" with people is done on a superficial level that we aren't even sure what real connection feels like anymore. Social media has it's place. We can communicate easily with people, we can touch base with people, but real connection happens in real time. With real people.

Therapy

Therapy can be quite the touchy subject in today's day and age. It appears as if most people have been to some kind of therapy at some point. Massage therapy, physical therapy, marriage therapy, etc.. The list goes on and on. The focus of this post will be on counseling-type therapy-of which there are MANY different kinds. Some focus on cognitive processes/thought patterns. Some focus on dialogue and behaviours. Some focus on emotional expression and body work. Again the list goes on and on-and many incorporate certain elements of each to provide a "holistic" approach to the provision and practice of mental health services. Some incorporate herbs or medications to aid in helping individuals with severe issues to heal or gain some stability during particularly rough patches in their journey to whole body health. Some people believe therapy to be self-indulgent. For the weak if you will. Some feel there is value in discussing your issues with someone removed from your inner circle. Someone with a degree of objectivity. Everyone has their own opinions on whether or not counseling is helpful. Like everything else, if you are not willing to do the inner work outside of counseling sessions, you will have a difficult time healing. Whatever your belief is around therapy, it is the individual at the end of the day who must take on responsibility for their own healing.

Pets

Pets. They can provide us with entertainment, companionship, love and a sense of being responsible for another living being. Here's to pets!

Cities

Sometimes cities feel big and overwhelming. Lots of noise. Lots of people. Cramped. Chaotic. There's a particular feeling when you are immersed in the concrete jungle. Everyone's hustling and bustling to get from Point A to Point B. But sometimes we can find stillness in cities among the chaos. We can find charming old buildings with lots of historical significance next to new pre-fab homes across from government-subsidized housing. Among all of this are grocery stores, farmer's markets, bistros, big box chains, a dog groomer's and a myriad of other interesting buildings-the eclectic landscape of the jungle if you will. Every few months and every block or so there's a new place popping up to explore. Things are in a constant flux in these places. It's in these spaces that we are reminded to stay grounded and fluid simultaneously.

Gratitude

Having an attitude of gratitude is one of the best gifts you can give yourself, others and the universe at large. It's an amazing feeling to be grateful. Grateful for waking up in the morning. Grateful for going to sleep at night. Grateful for amazing food. Grateful for the abundance in your life-financial, friends, learning, love, etc.. There is no limit to things we can be grateful for. The more grateful we get, the more awesome comes our way. Everyday we are lucky to be gifted with this wonderful planet, ideas that seemingly come from nowhere, people to share the experience with and events that stop our hearts in our chests. This is a wondrous place full of surprises, twists, turns and unexpected miracles. Here's to the awesomeness of everyday life.

Children: To Have or Not to Have

Children. They are these beautiful little people who will eventually become adults who eventually run the world that we live in when we are old and gray. If we are lucky to get old and gray. However; some of us choose not to have them. This does not make us bad people. This does not make us selfish. This does not make us less worthy of human connection. This is a choice that we have the right to make freely. Many people who opt out of having children face stigma, being shut out by those with children simply because we "just don't get it" and rightfully so. We likely don't get what it means to be a parent having never been one BUT-we are often willing to babysit to give you and your partner a break for the weekend. We can be a different kind of support for these children. We provide a different type of perspective for these children-even if many people diminish our humanity based on the number of children we've sired or pushed out of our bodies. The decision to have children involves a myriad of factors and should not be taken lightly. There are financial and social implications for those decisions. Regardless of what kind of life you choose, it is yours to do with as you will. Not society's and certainly not someone else's. Choose wisely.

Sleep

Good sleep is amazing. It makes you feel like a new person when you get up out of bed. You feel rested, refreshed and ready to start the day. What is the key to good sleep? Going to sleep with light music playing is sometimes a good option. Going to sleep reading a book is also a good option. Just lying still with no distractions also works. It helps if you only use your bed for sleep. That way your body isn't confused when you're in your bed because you associate it only with sleep. It can also be helpful to take herbs or drink a sedating tea prior to bed. Our physical bodies house our spirit so it's important that we take good care of them.

Hiking

Hiking and being out in nature is one of the greatest gifts human beings can experience. Traversing soil, rock, roots, and trees is an experience like no other and helps us better feel our connection to one another and to the planet. We have the opportunity to see all sorts of critters out there in the wilderness and interact with people, places and things in a context that bridges social, economic and cultural differences. It's an experience that allows our inner child to come out and experience the world. Here's to the wild wilderness of hiking.

A Great Cup of Tea

Starting the day off right with a piping hot (or in my case-lukewarm) cup of tea sets the stage for magic to happen. It's an invitation to start the day with the flavours and aromas of unique and powerful tastes. Some of us like our cups of tea black-with no sugar, honey, milk or cream. Somme like to mix it up and depending on the type of tea they're drinking that morning, they will add certain elements to create a totally different taste. Some of us add almond milk. Some add goat's milk. Some add honey. Some add sugar. There are no limits when it comes to brewing and then modifying a perfect cup of tea. Here's to a great morning. Brew well and bottoms up!

Hope

The concept of hope has many definitions. It can mean "a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen"; or "a feeling of trust"; "want something to happen or be the case". These are not the only definitions of hope, but these are the most commonly recognized. Hope gets us through the times in our lives when we feel like we're in a black hole and there's no way out. The hope of things to be better than they currently are. The hope for the world to evolve and grow. The hope for us as a collective to get out of the tribal warfare perspective. Once we can see everyone around us as being part of us-part of the collective if you will-compassion becomes a much easier choice. Acceptance becomes an easier choice. Love becomes a much easier choice. When you can see yourself reflected in those around you, you can better understand their behavior and ways of being. Hope is a practice. An active practice. Something we must do consistently if we wish to become something better than we are right now.

Road Block AKA Writer's Block

Sometimes when we sit to write something nothing comes to us. The muse has up and left or we just weren't "present" in that moment of writing to produce meaningful words. These road blocks to our expression can be a hint that instead of sitting and writing we should be up and doing. Maybe move from the writing/thinking mindset to more action-based activities. Time for ACTION!

Worthiness

Many of us walk around feeling unworthy. Unworthy of love. Unworthy of belonging. Unworthy of connection. It is these feelings which ultimately lead us to looking for love from people, places or things outside ourselves. We must find this love within. We are ENOUGH. We are worthwhile regardless of our education, job title, relationship status, family, finances, etc. Sometimes there is a victim-like mentality and a "poor me" vibe going on in our thinking. We can all get into that mindset from time to time, but we have to take some responsibility for our thoughts and our actions. We must step up. We are not hopeless and unloved. We are accountable for our feelings and for what we think. Remember, we are DIVINE BEINGS. We are worth investing in and worth loving ourselves.