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Explore | Beyond What You Think You Know
Intelligence vs. Wisdom: 11 Insights for a Happier Life
Ever since I was a little girl, the value of intelligence and a good education was instilled in me. My paternal grandfather immigrated from Portugal with nothing more than an 8th grade education and through intelligence and a strong work ethic created enough prosperity to pay for all of his grandchildren’s formal education. My grandmother on my mother’s side earned a Master's degree in English Literature from Northwestern in the 1920s, before embarking on a 50-year teaching career.
I love hearing stories about people empowering themselves for a better life. And while intelligence and education are undoubtedly valuable assets for a. . . Read More >>
Create | A Life Beyond Your Wildest Dreams
The 28 Ways I Want to Feel
For most of my life, I concentrated on what I wanted to achieve, conquer, or attain. To my surprise, and subsequent chagrin, I wasn’t as happy or satisfied as I imagined I’d be when I was successful in achieving, conquering and attaining where I’d set my focus.
As I sought information about the world and myself (clearly what I thought I knew wasn’t true) I recognized we’re driven to achieve, conquer and attain because we assume it will make us feel OK in some way. While all of the diverse displays of human behavior stem from our desires to be accepted, important, worthwhile,. . . Read More >>
Explore | Your Power
3 Superpowers You Don’t Even Know You Have!
Anything in life worth having requires a bit of energy, and happiness is no different. The good news, however, is you have the superpowers necessary to supercharge your life with greater freedom, appreciation, and love right now!
1. Forgive Someone.
"Forgiveness is the key to action and freedom." – Hannah Arendt
Contrary to popular belief, forgiveness is not for the other person- it’s for you. Resentment wreaks havoc on your life like an out of control drunk unwilling to leave the party. Forgiveness loosens the grip that person/incident/event has on you, allowing you to move forward. Forgive someone right now and be amazed. . . Read More >>
Create | Change
5 Surefire Steps to Change Your Life!
It’s often said, change is hard and people don’t change. I’ve discovered people do change when they are willing, and change isn’t hard when you have the information on how to do it. The ways in which our lives play out are simply manifestations of what’s going on the inside. Change the inside and watch your life unfold in an entirely new direction.
1. Set an intention.
Whether it’s a complete life overhaul, or you want to break through creatively (which actually is a complete life overhaul) declaring you are ready for a change is signaling to your inner wisdom that you’re ready. . . Read More >>
Be | Happier
7 Things You Can Let Go of to be Happier Right Now!
By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond the winning. -Lao Tzu
So often we think we need more to be happy, when in actuality we just need to let go of limiting beliefs and erroneous understandings. The following are 7 things you can let go of right now that are part of my continual practice I know yield significant results!
1. Let go of living your life for your parents.
From a very young age we seek approval and acceptance from our. . . Read More >>
Be | In love
Who Knows How to Make Love Stay?
“Who knows how to make love stay?” Tom Robbins famously asks in Still Life With Woodpecker.
At the beginning of a relationship, when we’re falling in love, there is a copious amount of magic that’s present. It pervades every crevice of our existence, making life’s tedious tasks and obligations come alive in a vibrant rush of passion.
Then, one day, without any warning it’s gone. Just as effortlessly as it appeared, it flitters off in the night sky with no mention of where it’s heading or if it has any plans to return. We retrace steps wondering, is there is anything we could’ve done. . . Read More >>
Create | Growth
Is Pain an Unavoidable Part of Personal Growth?
Growth is a curious thing. Often times it hurts like hell and imposes great uncertainty upon us, and it isn’t until we’re able to assimilate some different information, that we can reflect back to the past season, year, or ten years and seen we’ve grown. Many times it’s through these trials and tribulations that we start to see ourselves as much more capable than we’d previously understood ourselves to be. While growth is often times a consequence of pain, I've discovered pain does not always need to accompany growth.
While I certainly have plenty of day-to-day material that allows me the opportunity to. . . Read More >>
Be | A believer in YOU
Confidence vs. Belief
"Once in awhile you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right..." -The Grateful Dead
These words are often times used interchangeably, but apparently confidence and belief are about as similar as Juicy Couture and Couture. I know this because I was once quite comfortable in my confidence. I had no trouble speaking up, dancing freely, and traveling solo. I jumped out of airplanes, surfed big waves and skied double black diamonds without so much as a second thought. I had conviction to make the grade, land the deal, and get the guy.
Then, as my former. . . Read More >>
Be | Free to Discover your Authentic Self
Are You Putting on an Oscar Worthy Performance in Your Own Life?
While I wasn’t exactly one of those girls who sat alone on the bleachers, scribbling in her notebook the astute observations of an outside observer, I certainly had an affinity for words.
In the third grade, I composed my first work of fiction about the oldest woman in the world. A piece that I don’t remember much about except for one sentence,
“She sobbed and sobbed and when she was through she found herself sitting in a sea of wrinkly tears.”
A sentence that garnered praise from Mrs. Perry, the opportunity for me to read my story aloud in front of the class,. . . Read More >>
Explore | Yourself Though Your Relationship
Who is Your Relationship About Anyway?
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” -Lao Tzu
Love is some potent stuff. It gets us high, knocks us low, and spins us ‘round and ‘round. It heals, it hurts, and delivers unparalleled joy.
When something sprouts up in relationship that’s different than we’d envisioned, it’s easy to fall into fear. Despite our best reminders that change signifies life, movement and growth, we punish ourselves, thinking we’ve done something wrong, and worry that all is lost. The analytic mind loops like a rollercoaster, as we angle to salvage the remaining vestiges of that. . . Read More >>
Be | Whole
Are You Whole?
Due to a variety of planetary constructs - all rooted in origins of our patriarchal culture - we, women, are programmed from the day we are born to prioritize relationship as the most important aspect of our lives. Ask an honest man where loving relationship (not sex) ranks on his list of life imperatives, and you’ll probably find it mid-way down the list sandwiched conveniently between court-side seats at the Lakers game and a bachelor party in Vegas.
As a child, I’d overhear hear my mother describe me as precocious, but I know I wasn’t the only 5 year old at Happy Valley Elementary who. . . Read More >>
Create | A New Script
Are You Following a Script You Didn’t Write?
As a youngster I never felt young. I remember teenagers and adults speaking freely in my presence under the pretext that my seven-year-old psyche was much too naïve to understand such grownup subjects. I let them believe that, but I didn’t miss a thing. I quickly learned straight A’s said I was smart, being athletic meant I was popular, and hanging with the boys made me cool. As I got older, I equated partying with fun, money with success, and a sparkler on an all-important finger with security.
Despite my quick-witted, adventurous, yoga sculpted, high-kickin’ and high-falutin’ life, I repeatedly found myself in a. . . Read More >>
Explore | Your Pictures
Ever Wonder Why We Get Defensive?
Chances are, at some point you’ve either found yourself on the defense in a conversation, or witnessed someone else reacting in a defensive way. Either side you’re on is anything but a good time.
I realize defenses have a place- the atmosphere, deodorant, eyelashes...
Defensiveness in a conversation, however, is incredibly destructive. Defensiveness at its baseline level results from one feeling unsafe in a conversation, and if someone feels unsafe, he/she won’t be capable of being present in that conversation.
While this is an important understanding, I’m interested in the why behind the why, and how the not so obvious can help assist. . . Read More >>
Explore | Your Purpose
3 Steps to Uncovering Your Life’s Purpose
“The heart of human excellence often begins to beat when you discover a pursuit that absorbs you, frees you, challenges you, or gives you a sense of meaning, joy or passion.”- Terry Orlick
We’ve all heard the saying, do what you love and the money will follow. However, amid the chaos of becoming self-sufficient, doing what we think is expected of us, and obtaining the "American Dream", all the while staying fit, finding love, and trying to have a little fun, it's easy to lose sight of what we're really passionate about - that is if we ever knew what it was in. . . Read More >>
Create | VIBRANCE
Is it Time to Get the Gunk Out?
Over the past six and a half years my journey into greater consciousness has taken many twists and turns, ups and downs, and flipped everything I once thought I knew on it’s head; one thing, however remains – I want more of this wild adventure. I want to continue to grow in every direction and align more deeply with my spiritual, physical, and artistic capabilities.
Becoming more conscious has had a dramatically positive effect on my life in every way. What started with a desire to heal myself from a broken heart has unfolded in ways I never could’ve imagined. As I. . . Read More >>
