Self Care is not an inconvenience

I see you there trying to work that google search to give you the answer you really want.

You think you are looking for ways to seamlessly integrate your self care into your already busy life, but that’s not quite it…

The question you are really asking is how can I practice self care and not feel guilty.

How can I take time for myself without feeling like I am neglecting my family, my friends, my work.

How can I possibly take time for me when they (whoever that is) depend on me.

I’m pretty sure I have a couple more drops in my cup so I have some time before I have to take care of myself.

Do you have time? To ignore taking care of you, no. Do you actually have time to take care of yourself, yup.

This is not about getting fancy, this is simply about prioritizing the basics. Like showering, drinking water, eating a vegetable, or taking a nap.

I know you think you are successfully filling everyone’s cup from your own, but my guess is you’re not. How full are you actually filling your cup before you start to pour that in to others?

Maybe a better question is, how big is the cup you are trying to fill? Are you thinking you are using a big jug when really what you have is a dixie cup? Maybe that’s why it feels so hard to find your balance, to feel fulfilled in your care tasks, to actually make progress in your self care plan.

Some days there are easy answers, and some days the digging just leads to more questions. But we like questions here right?!? Use some of these questions to start to poke around and see what your true feelings are around taking care of yourself.

Here are some starter questions:

  1. What do I define as self care? Use this as a chance to brain dump anything and everything YOU say would take care of you. Don’t clutter your list with things you hate but that your aunt posted on Facebook and says you have to do.
  2. If time were not a factor, what habits would I like to start creating? This can be health related, mindset related, work related whatever. Let yourself start dreaming!
  3. How does taking care of myself feel? It’s easy to get bogged down in a list of things we need to do, and sometimes we overlook the success we have because we didn’t take a moment to find the feelings. Sometimes success doesn’t look like we expect, but the feeling, well if we know what/how that feeling shows up for us it will clue us in to our successes.
  4. What support do I need to help me stop feeling shame/guilt/overwhelm, etc and start my self care journey? This is a big one. Probably the one thing most of my clients struggle with the most. Especially as women it’s encouraged to put ourselves and our needs last lest we be outed as selfish, uncaring and neglectful. 
  5.  Ask why you feel like your needs don’t matter? Find some quiet time to sit with this question. Do some free writing after your meditation. Or just let the thought marinate a bit. I bet that a lot of why you are hesitant to do more is based on not feeling worthy to do more for yourself.

Here’s where I wish I had a magic formula to just make this process super easy, but I don’t. What I do have are some pretty good listening ears, lots of practice holding space while you figure things out, and the ability to help coach and guide you along the journey.

You don’t have to figure this out alone. If you are ready to take those next steps, then I am ready to support you 100%. Hit the link below and let’s schedule a chat and see if working together might be the answer you’ve been seeking! I have 1:1 coaching spots open now!

 

Schedule a Discovery Call!

Is gratitude overused?

Sometimes it feels like the word gratitude is overused.

Like we can just fix that bad mood, that upset, the sadness, if we just wrote down all that we were thankful for.

I am not trashing the idea of practicing gratitude. I really believe that we need to have a laser focus on the good because our brains our wired to seek out the bad immediately.

I say this because I had an interesting experience lately that made me rethink how I approach gratitude and my past.

I was talking to my reiki healer and we were digging through past versions of Lisa, seeing what she might have needed to hear, what she has shown me.

As I sat there sniffling and crying my reiki healer said to me, I think you need to find gratitude for those past versions of yourself.

At the time it almost felt like gratitude was the wrong word, but as I sat with that statement and that thought, I knew I had to find gratitude, compassion, understanding for all of those previous versions of me.

See, I had always told myself that I must be really broken to have veered so far off the track of what I was “supposed” to do. I like control, because control meant I wouldn’t be hurt. By people calling me names, making fun of me or finding out that I wasn’t perfect.

In my head was always this long and detailed to-do list. With the implicit promise that if I followed and checked all the boxes, ____ would come. The blank changed so much over the years, but ultimately it was the fairly tale, the dream, the rom-com ending for my life.

I did really well checking things off my list and then, boxes were being skipped. Pretty soon it felt like some lists were almost done and others not a single box had been checked. Instead of seeing and celebrating the successes I had achieved, all I could see were the boxes left empty. My failures.

I denied myself a lot of living and a lot of experiences because I felt I hadn’t earned them yet. There was the weight I was always trying to lose, the relationship that never happened, the family I always thought I would have all slipping further and further away.

What past versions of me couldn’t see, was that the Universe was working for me this whole time.

While I saw a disappointed Lisa is her 20’s experiencing her first real heartbreak, I now sees the seeds of not settling for less than we deserve.

While Lisa in her 30’s still wondered if she would ever find someone and settle down, would ever figure out what she wanted to do as a grown up. I see how we checked off what we didn’t want which was helping me clearly see what I did want.

As I heal myself, I can see how had I completed my checklist, safe job, marriage, family, it might not have been good for me. I would have sacrificed my happiness, my wholeness, my peace to keep someone, something together that might not have been healthy for me. I would have sacrificed my wants and needs to keep others happy and the status quo moving forward.

My gratitude for past versions of me is that even in the midst of our despair we kept moving forward. That even if I couldn’t see it then we were always in pursuit of more. Her bravery to just keep trying is what makes me stronger today. 

I am so damn proud and grateful for me. I have created for myself this ability to love and be happy with my own company. I am growing and cultivating the strength to create boundaries that are healthy and healing for myself. I am meant to be the one to start this generational healing within my family, to stop a path of self loathing, hating ourselves and settling for less than we deserve.

I always assumed I was too quiet, too shy, too mousy to change anything. It is true what they say, watch out for the quiet ones. I may not be the loudest in the room, but I will always love myself and those I fight for the fiercest.

So have gratitude for yourself even when you felt like you should have learned the lesson faster. You learned it exactly when you needed to.

Have gratitude for not only the success but the failure. The failure guided you on what to do next.

Have gratitude for the speed of your journey. Stop questioning the timing, you are exactly where you need to be. Just this once, sit back and allow yourself to enjoy your growing!

If you would like to chat about how find more gratitude, take care of yourself better, and just be more awesome, then hit that contact button and let’s chat!

One Minute To A More Relaxed You

The election, Coronavirus, upcoming holidays, maybe you feel like you can finally take a deep breath or maybe you feel even more anxious.

I spoke this week on my podcast, BYOB (Be Your Own Bliss) about how I use breath to calm myself down. How connecting with our breath can be an easy way to ground ourselves and to connect with our bodies. (If you haven’t listened yet, hop on over and check it out!)

When I was taking my Yoga Teacher Training, I didn’t fully understand why we spent so much time talking about breathing. I mean it’s just in and out, pretty simple, in fact our body does it automatically.

What is so amazing is that our breath can do more than just bring oxygen to our bodies. There are techniques to heat up the body, cool ourselves down, to bring focus to fully expanding the lungs and of course calming ourselves.

Think back to a time when you felt nervous, anxious, overwhelmed, how did that feel in your body? Was there a tightness in your chest? A knot in your belly? Was your breathing shallow and fast?

Breathing can be our first recognizable sign that something is off. Next time you feel yourself getting upset, stressed, anxious pay attention to how your breathing changes. Awareness is our first step to change.

But you clicked here to be a more relaxed you, so here it is. Just Breathe.

Start by taking 3 deep breaths. Deeper then you think you are capable of. You are trying to fill your lungs up like a balloon so slow down your inhale and feel your lungs fill up. 

Soften your belly. Especially if you are a woman, you probably spend a good majority of your day holding your stomach in as an attempt to make you look/feel thinner. Relax, allow your belly to be soft, not only will this allow you to take a bigger breath it will also bring some relaxation to your body.

Once you have taken as big of an inhale as you can, exhale it all out. Exhale until you don’t think you have any more air left in you and release a little more. As you exhale think about not only all the air leaving but also releasing all that you no longer need. All the thoughts, emotions, guilt you are holding onto. Let go.

Taking 3 deep breaths can be done anytime you need to give yourself a pause, a break, a release. Learn to use your breath as a way to re-connect to your body. Marvel at the feeling of your chest and belly expanding with the inhale. Feel the exhale squeezing out all the stuff that isn’t serving you anymore.

Check out the video below for 3 more breathing techniques sure to bring better awareness to this seemingly simple task.

If you are looking for other amazing videos, classes and support you need to check out my online membership Sacred You Studio! I am adding new class formats, new workshops as well as a vast library you can access 24/7. Who needs to leave the house when all the good stuff can come straight to you! Sign up today!

Cover Photo by Sanni Sahil on Unsplash

Is joyful movement for you?

I was always a sporadic worker outer. Even as a kid, you were much more likely to find me with my nose in a book than out playing sports or running. 

Even early on, physical activity for exercise had to have a purpose. It was running, weight lifting, something so that the end goal was getting good at _____ activity.

I never considered the fact that I loved to roller skate, ride my bike, hike around in the country as acceptable forms of exercise.

One of the messages I internalized early on was that I was not an athlete. One season of 8th grade track really cemented that belief. I attempted shot put and discus, the two options I thought would require the least amount of running. Well they kinda did, but my heart was never in it. I happily went back to the band and let others be the athletes.

Flash forward to my adult years. I joined a gym, hired a personal trainer, and decided I was going to be skinny for the first time ever (still wasn’t an athlete and was not going to try).

I did get skinny. I still remember how fascinated I was with my new muscle definition. But as I would soon find out, and would be a running theme in my life, trying to keep that body would eventually do more harm than good.

What I learned from my experience was that exercise was transactional, a punishment, not always fun. 

When the weight stopped dropping as fast, and the compliments slowed, it became harder and harder to find my why to work out. There wasn’t a point if it wasn’t going to make me feel and look “acceptable.”

On my journey to ditch diet culture and tune in to my own inner knowing, exercise has far and away been my biggest struggle. Which seems strange because it was probably the last thing I added but it is a struggle.

Maybe because the effects from exercise feel so immediate. You sweat, you get tired, you feel something and that something is usually good (hi, endorphins!). There is also a control with exercise that is difficult to relinquish. It can still look healthy, even if mentally it’s not.

What I am still doing is being patient with myself as I create a whole new relationship with exercise. Blurring the definition and expectations of how it means for me to physically move my body.

Here are 3 approaches I have used to help me bring more joy to my movement!

Approach #1: Get Curious

What physical activities do I enjoy? When I was a kid, what did I love to do?  Do I want to stay inside, go outside, both? Do I want to include strength training or just cardio? Just because you have always done a certain form of exercise does not mean you need to stick to that. This is your permission slip to try something new.

There is no right or wrong answer, but getting curious and sitting and thinking about what, where and how you want to move your body is helpful.

Approach #2: Take Action

As much as I wish simply journaling something made it happen, action is required. Is there a YouTube video to help you get started? Does someone you follow on social media offer a class you might like *cough* sacred you studio yoga *cough*. Throw on your favorite song and dance!

Dust off the bike, the roller blades, the running shoes and do something! Make your plan easy. If it has been a bit since you took on a consistent routine take the time to build your endurance. Try 2 days a week and work up from there. Try any and all activities you want. You will find something that works!

Approach #3: Practice Kindness

This new approach may bring up new emotions and feelings. That’s okay. If it feels too overwhelming or feels like it has trailed into a more disordered territory, please find a license therapist to help.

If your previous activities have left you a big sweaty mess, unable to move, and your new activity doesn’t…that’s okay. Broaden your idea and definition of what constitutes exercise. 

Sit with and write about the feelings that come up too. Exercise can be measure by more then just how much sweat we produced or just how wobbly our legs are. 

Did the new activity make you happy? Did it allow you to do something enjoyable with your partner, kids, best friend? Do you feel rejuvenated and restored by it? Did it relax you? See there is more to exercise than just breaking a sweat. Allow movement to add something to your life, let it be fun again!

Also, if you have been working out constantly and are breaking into moving just for fun, you may feel a little rebellious and not want to do anything. Don’t panic. Sometimes we need the rest. Rest is good. Let your body, your mind and your spirit get a break. Eventually you will be ready to move your body in a way that honors you, respects you and that you enjoy. You deserve to move your body in any way you like and you deserve movement that is joyful!

Have more questions? Curious about creating your own personalized health journey? I am always up for a chat and currently taking on 1:1 clients! If you want the guidance and support to create a health plan you love, then set up your discovery call TODAY!

Are you practicing patience?

Patience is hard. It can suck to be ready for big dreams, to want something so much and to feel like it is so far away. One moment you feel like you are on the cusp of having it all, and then heading straight into self doubt.

I know I often feel like once I have made the decision I am ready for the goal, the dream, the results to be here now. Not realizing that the habits, the thought patterns, the beliefs I have were not created in a day but over a lifetime, so the change won’t be instantaneous. So it can get discouraging when the change doesn’t happen soon enough.

It can be easy to think that the goal we are working toward just isn’t for us. That maybe we are dreaming too big and too bold. Maybe you have talked yourself out of your goal/dream because you weren’t seeing anything happen. You meditate, you journal, you take action, but nothing is happening…or is it?

I struggle with this everyday. My dream to be a women’s health guide is not new, but it has been evolving and it feels like it will never happen some days. Discovery calls that don’t book, launches that aren’t what I hoped for and doubt as to whether or not I am a good coach creep up more often than I’d like.

What I am quick to forget is to have patience. That it takes time for the changes in our inner reality to show up in our outer reality. But just because we don’t see it, doesn’t mean that things aren’t happening. It may not happen immediately, but it doesn’t mean that what’s meant for us is not coming. 

Patience and relinquishing control. I am responsible for the what and the why, the how, well that is not mine to handle. When we can let go of things coming to us in just exactly the right way, well you might be surprised what shows up.

As Chrissy so elegantly put it on this week’s podcast, “It (meditation, visualization, etc) works, even when you don’t think it’s working or feel like it’s working, it is.” Make sure you check out this week’s podcast!

How can you practice more patience in pursuit of your goals?

  1. Consistency. Remember that change doesn’t usually happen in a day, so work to have a consistent practice. Especially on the days where your dream just seems so very far away. It might not always feel possible, but sit with it and soon you will effortlessly embody the version of you that has your dream.
  2. Honesty. Are you impatient with your progress because you really want this dream or are you just trying to check off another box? Maybe your impatience is springing up because what you want will make someone else happy and not you. As if you could just check off this dream so that you can get on to something that really excites you. It’s okay to pivot on your dream, if you know it truly isn’t for you.
  3. Relax and Trust. What’s meant for you can’t miss you. This or something better. All phrases I use to keep the control gremlin at bay. Trust in the timing, trust that maybe there is more you need to do and learn in order to fully accept your dream. Or maybe the Universe knew you were playing small and is bringing something better to you. 

Sometimes going it alone isn’t the answer. Maybe your frustration and impatience is a sign to invest in yourself and hire a coach. Sometimes having a neutral third party can help you see your blind spots, hold you to your vision and guide you through your transformation.

If you feel stuck creating health goals that you want. If you are tired of hating exercise, done with all the “shoulds” of putting your health first then we should talk. Let’s make taking care of you fun!

Click below and let’s chat…

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3 Questions To Help You Get Clear On Your Dreams.

"If you can't stop thinking about it, don't stop working for it."
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I feel like at some point I stopped dreaming, but I can’t pinpoint the actual instance. Like there was a moment when auto-pilot kicked on and I just sat back and settled for a life thought I “should” want.

Then I started to feel it. That buzz, like a fly you can’t see but it won’t leave you alone. That sense of wanting more, but being too afraid to uncover what might be there.

Maybe there are stories, passed down from generation to generation about what you do. You are handed the list and are rewarded for every check mark you accomplish. You are doing what you are “supposed” to do, why isn’t it making you happy?

You brush aside the feelings and find another hobby, another check mark to chase and hope that will quell the feeling of unease and unsettledness inside. And it might, for a bit. But our dreams have a sneaky way of coming to the light anyway…

So what if you are ready to finally take a peek at what your dreams might be? Here are 3 exercises I use to tap into that dream space.

1. “Wouldn’t it be nice…”

I love this exercise because it has a relaxed feel to it. I don’t get attached because it’s a hypothetical, but don’t be fooled. It is the perfect exercise to start tapping into what you truly want.

Here’s how it works. Grab a journal and at the top of the page write Wouldn’t it be nice… and then just start making a list of all the things in your life that you want to happen.

For example: Wouldn’t it be nice

if I got all my emails read today. 

I got outside for a walk. 

if I finished a module in my online course.

Let it be about anything and everything, big and small. You may not get clarity on your dreams immediately but you will start to open yourself up to dreaming again. 

2.  Ask yourself, “If anything were possible, what would I want to do?”

And now you write it all down. Well it might not feel as simple as that. There might be resistance or fear or just plain brain freeze.

So break up the dreams. Have a page for personal, professional, family, relationships, etc. By getting specific on the area of your life you are dreaming about it can get the mental juices flowing!

Set a timer for 5 minutes and write. Any dream, any wish and DON’T censor yourself. This is just for your eyes so let the dreams get big and fun! Play! It’s a dream, let your inner child come out and imagine with abandon!

3. Find a goal that inspires you and take the littlest of baby steps toward it.

Alright so this isn’t a question per se, but it’s an important step in realizing your dreams.

I assume you didn’t read all this way just to have a list of dreams and not do anything about it did you?

Good, so let’s talk baby steps. Out of your list of goals, there has to be something that intrigues you, gets you excited or that you just can’t stop thinking about.

That’s the goal we will work with. On a fresh journal page, write the goal at the top. Then start brainstorming what you could do next. Maybe it’s an internet search for more information, a phone call to someone you know or maybe it’s just acknowledging that this goal is important to you. Take that first step towards that goal. I think you’ll be surprised at the momentum just one baby step forward can make.

And then find the next step and the next, and so on until you are well on your way!

There may be some set backs, but don’t allow that to discourage you. Just find the next smallest step and get busy living your dreams!

If you are looking for more inspiration to keep you moving toward your dreams, be sure to check out the latest episode of my podcast, BYOB (Be Your Own Bliss). My guest April Mather has some fantastic advice on how to start tackling those dreams! Listen wherever you get your podcasts! Please share, rate and review to help others find this!

Rest, Relax and Recharge, do you have a plan for that?

Today is cold and rainy and I would love to be sitting somewhere nice and warm, reading a book, getting some sun and just being.

There is a lot that can feel aspirational about rest and relaxation. Visions of bubble baths, spa treatments and glasses of wine can feel like the norm. But what if it doesn’t match your definition of rest and relaxation.

I get stuck in the rut of using a pedicure (done from home now), a cup of my favorite tea, watching my favorite movie or tv show for the millionth time. And sometimes that is great, but sometimes there is a restlessness that the usual relaxation tricks just won’t cut it.

When that happens I pull out my journal and ask myself some questions:

  • What would make me feel better in this moment?
  • What is something I used to enjoy doing but don’t do anymore?
  • What is something I have always wanted to do, but felt too silly doing?
  • What am I feeling now in this moment? How can I serve myself and be present for these feelings today?

Then I set a timer for 5-10 minutes and just write. List everything and anything. Don’t censor your answers, just let them come. This is great information for you to start to piece together your rest and relaxation strategy.

I include the feelings question because I think it’s important. A lot of times we (myself included), use these relaxation and self care strategies to avoid dealing with big emotions. It will work for a while, but eventually you will need to deal with how you are feeling. If this is too big and scary to journal about, please, please, please, reach out to a mental health professional. Try MentalHealth.gov or NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness .

I sometimes have to sit down with myself and really dig into my feelings. Be specific and really naming them. Then I try to trace it back to an event, incident or something so that I can deal with the feelings and emotions and in this way honor and take care of myself.

Sometimes I use meditation as a gateway to getting myself to a relaxed and receptive place to let these new ideas flow. I keep an open notebook and pen beside me so that I can jot down ideas if they come to me in a meditation. Sometimes I get great ideas and sometimes I just took 20 minutes for myself and snuck in some relaxation!

The more we let go of control and the more we allow those thoughts and ideas to come organically the better and juicier they are!

I thought about putting a list of different and out of the box suggestions here for you, but I want your list to be unique only to you. This is where you start trusting yourself and your intuition to know what is best for you.

So now that you have a whole list of things that excite you, restore you, maybe even relax you, schedule it! Put it on your calendar, make it important and don’t cancel. Tell someone you trust that will help keep you accountable and encourage you to keep this important date with yourself and not cancel.

Don’t think it has to be a big time commitment either. Feel guilty taking an hour for a massage or for coffee, then start small and work up to more time for you. It may take a while for you to stop feeling guilty and really see how important taking time for you is. 

Also, this is not meant as a slight to massages, pedicures or drinks with friends as good ways to relax. I use these too and they are fabulous. I just want you to know that if they aren’t doing the trick you have permission to do what works for you.

I would love to hear what you came up with for your own personalized rest and relaxation list! Comment below or hit me up on the socials!

Get out of your head and into your body.

You are about to take that first step. Moving slowly down a new path, you are that combination of nervous/excited. You have an idea of what is down the path, but you can’t know for sure until to start walking. It’s the moment of truth, do you take that first step or turn back toward the well worn path you know?

I will gladly admit that I spent a lot of years quickly turning away from a new path. I was convinced that the nerves, the uncertainty I felt in my body meant that veering off my path would be bad. That something was wrong. I had truly lost the ability to listen to myself.

I had done a pretty good job of avoiding any major changes or shifts in my life. Mostly content to live a normal if uneventful life. Big dreams and ideas, were just that dreams and ideas. Meant to make the time in my little cube pass a little faster, but certainly not for me. 

I did eventually get restless in my uneventful life. I started to do things that were out of character for me. I started running (which I still have a bit of a love/hate relationship with, but we’re working on it). I started teaching fitness classes, then I started working towards my 200 hr certification in yoga, then I came up with a business name, well you get the idea.

Before I knew it I had a website, a blog, an online studio space and I was actually posting stuff on my social media accounts! I was coaching clients and teaching classes and suddenly the dreams I had back in my little cubicle didn’t seem so far fetched.

What I missed in this whole saga, was the process, the journey. Oh, I was right smack in the middle of the process but I couldn’t see it. All I saw was how far I still had to go, how I wasn’t quite where I thought I should be and how I wasn’t the glorious “after” photo yet.

When I get stuck in the comparison trap, there is an almost 100% chance I am completely in my head and have tuned out my body. Being completely in my thoughts feels safe and comfortable. I can replay all possible permutations of any given situation as many times as I like and feel oddly comforted by all the ways it could possibly go wrong.

What that does to me personally, is that a lot of energy, feelings and emotions get stuck, with no where to go. When I talk about getting into your body, I mean actually acknowledging it for all it does. To take care of and move your body in the ways it needs to support you.

I get some of my biggest breakthroughs when I move my body. I am sure there is some science to this, but when I can focus on my body it gives my brain a break. I stop forcing the ideas and know that when it’s time, the idea will come (hopefully 😊).

Our bodies store emotions, so as you go through big life changes and possibly upheavals, it’s important to honor and care for your body. I usually get pretty clear signals from myself when there is something that I need to pay attention to. I don’t have to like or love my body everyday, but I absolutely deserve to take care of it gently, lovingly.

When I feel disconnected to my body, I like to do this body scan meditation. It’s about 10 minutes, but it truly allows you a moment of self care and a chance to connect to the messages your body may be sending.

Body Scan Meditation ⇒ HERE

This week’s podcast is all about transitions, big emotions and our bodies, check it out ⇒ HERE

Do you know how to create happiness?

“You’re only as happy as you want to be.” “Good Vibes Only.” “It’s a good day to have a good day.” 

They seem trite and cliche, but we’ve heard them all before. We probably even believed them at one time. But did they also make you feel bad for not being happy all the time? Did you feel like a failure for not being as grateful or as happy as you think you should be? Well I have some good news for you! We are taking back control over our own happiness. I have some steps to help courtesy of a wonderful podcast guest of mine!

A few weeks back I got to interview happiness mentor Taylor Proctor of Happiness Abound. She is a coach and speaker that helps other people create more happiness in their lives. She is honest and straight forward about her journey to create more happiness in her life and she’s passionate about helping you find that too. 

What struck me most about our conversation, was the way she asks you to look at your life and situation. What are your beliefs around happiness? Are you “shoulding” yourself out of the happiness you seek? Are you striving for perfection? Not with a critical eye, but with curiosity.

Happiness can start with something as simple as a word choice. Now this is big. Words have power and often what we say is having a bigger influence on our subconscious than we realize. That’s why this tip just🤯.

Instead of saying, “I should ____”      Try saying “I could ____“

Changing one word changes the whole feeling behind that statement. Could gives you back the power, gives you choice in the action. Take back control over your happiness. Take back responsibility.

“You’re not happy unless you are happy all the time.”

I used to believe this whole heartedly. I worried if I was thinking too many negative thoughts because thoughts become things and if I somehow let the bad stuff creep in then that’s all that’s going to show up in my life and… That’s an exhausting way to live.

Happiness is not about a specific destination. It is an ongoing journey, an adventure, an exploration. What makes you happy today may not make you happy in a month, so what’s important is to learn a method that allows for you to grow and evolve in your happiness journey.

Taylor has a formula that helps you identify what happiness looks and feels like for you. Reminder: this is not an exact science. It is meant as a guide to help you plug into and discover your happiness vision. It gives you guidance as you grow and change to allow your vision of happiness to grow change.

Her formula is: Identity + Vision + Mindset + Leadership = Happiness

Identity: get to know yourself and what works for you. Trial and error and experimenting are your friends here. What are your core values, what’s important to you? Really get to know yourself.

Vision: What do you want for your life? Always feel like the success goal posts are moving? When you know who you are and what you want, you get to define what happiness and success is in your life. Here’s where you get to start enjoying the moment (release that FOMO😊).

Mindset: breaking out of the comparison trap. Work to change the stories you tell about what you do or don’t do. Work on the blocks keeping you from your goals. Meditation, energy work, affirmations, journaling, there are so many ways to work on this. Message me if you are looking for guidance when it comes to shifting your mindset.

Leadership: Have a leadership mindset over your life. You are the CEO of your life, act like it. You know who you are and what you want. You are taking action to let go of any mindset beliefs that aren’t working for you. Now as the leader of your life how are you taking steps to steer your life in the direction of what will make you happy. How do you allow yourself to live in the moment and enjoy the happiness you find right now.

Now for you chronic list checkers, this might feel strange. We are used to having a set list of things we “should” check off to make us happy. Here’s the good news, you get to create a list that you love, that makes you happy!

I hope this has given you some pause for thought today. I hope you have found some comfort in the fact that you are in charge of what makes you happy. That happiness is something that is allowed to and needs to ebb and flow with the changes in your life. I hope you put yourself first and start to create a life full of the happiness you deserve.

Want to learn more about Taylor and all the amazing things she does?

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Instagram: @happiness_abound

Facebook Group: Happiness Abounders

Podcast: Happiness Abound

Website: happinessabound.com

Are you making connections?

Connection [ kuh–nek-shuhn ]

noun

the act or state of connecting.

anything that connects; a connecting part; link; bond:

association; relationship:
a circle of friends or associates or a member of such a circle

It feels so obvious to talk about how our connections and ways we connect have changed. Our world is changing minute to minute. They way we once were linked to each other has drastically shifted.

The one thing that has not changed is the fact that we need connection. We need the links and bonds to our community, our family, ourselves.

Maybe this great time of change has led you to connecting more frequently with relatives. Maybe it has forced you to get creative with celebrations, sadness and getting through the day to day.

I hope it has allowed you to connected deeply with your community. I know I have become more aware of how I interact in my community. I may not have been able to be out with the protestors for the Black Lives Matter movement, but it showed me the myriad of ways we can all contribute to causes and change that we believe in.

I have taken great advantage of this time to connect more fully with myself. Quarantine was the dedicated time I needed to work to heal my relationship with food, movement, my body, my business. It was the focused time I needed to cocoon and do my work so that I could start to become the butterfly I want to be.

In this week’s podcast we start the baby steps to bringing awareness and intention to creating meaningful connection in our lives.

How are you continuing to connect to those people in your lives you find important? How are you connecting to the most important person in your world, you?

This week’s podcast also has a twofer BYOB moment. A challenge to help you strengthen the connection to those you love and a special meditation practice you can do anywhere, while doing anything!

Please share the podcast with anyone you want to connect with! Let me know how you connected with someone special this week.

Please rate and review on Apple Podcasts. Listen on Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts! 

Cover Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash