Amidst all the chaos in the world there are so many good things and good people but unfortunately, this doesn’t always make it to the front page so today I want to share a good news story with you!

Anxiety’s a bit like a houseguest who’s overstayed their welcome. At first, you think the visit is short-term but somehow, time passes, and the guest has made themselves WAY too comfortable. You can’t get rid of them and your home no longer feels like a safe, peaceful space.

Now what if this home I describe is your mind? And your body? What if anxiety feels like it’s taken over? You desperately want to kick out the unwanted guest and find peace but if feels like a vicious cycle with no beginning or end.

Sometimes I can hear the same message over and over again but it’s not until it’s said by one person at the right time that it sticks. Have you ever had that happen? It was my experience this week.

I’ve been taking an online course with Marianne Williamson. It’s fantastic. She said,
“The spiritual life is not where you are making things happen, the spiritual life is where you’re allowing everything to happen.”

Last week I talked about peeling back the layers, like an onion, to rid ourselves of old stories and beliefs and get back to the core of who we truly are.

Sometimes we take it upon ourselves to do the work and peel back these layers, and sometimes we get a little extra nudge or push to finally face the tough stuff head-on, whether we like it or not.  

How many of you have been thrown a curve ball that has brought life as you know it to a complete halt?

Self-discovery is like an onion. As we peel back the layers, the truth of who we are begins to reveal itself more and more.

September has always been a significant month for me. A time when I have started new things and made big changes, a lot of which have altered my life in big ways.

Recently I was reflecting that it was in September, 24 years ago, that I went to my first meditation retreat and learned to mediate. I’d love to say that since that day I’ve been a dedicated meditator but that’s not how my story goes.

As humans we will experience a full gamut of emotions - one of them being fear.
 
When we are afraid we feel a sensation in our body. The default reaction is usually to push the fear away or push it down. We want it to be gone. But the more we push it down or try to get rid of it, the longer it will stay.

We are incredible beings with unlimited potential. Our thoughts, words and actions have a tremendous impact on not only our own lives, but those around us too and this impact can be positive or negative.

There are so many things to love about summer- including the food! I love summer food. All of the fresh fruits and veggies are so delicious.

For many of us, the quest for perfection is constant and is often so deeply engrained in our thought patterns and behaviours that we don’t notice how much control and influence it has over our lives.

Last week we talked about “the problem with perfect”. Could you relate? Most of us can, at least to some degree.

There are times we may feel more confident, aware, focused and in a good groove and ‘The Perfectionist’ isn’t on our radar but there are also times when our inner critic – you know, that negative, nagging voice judging from the depths of our subconscious mind – is front and center and begging for attention.

Our society is a very external one. There’s a huge amount of emphasis put on what’s going on around us; what we do for a living, what we look like, what we have. The popular belief is that the more we have it together on the outside, the happier we must be. But as many of us are aware, that’s just not the case.

Happy holidays! I know this can be a busy time – last minute everything! Hopefully you’re able to enjoy a few moments of mindfulness in the midst of it all. One way I do this for myself is through reflection and bringing my focus back to what’s really important to me.

What keeps coming up for me is being present, being of service, and the gift of giving.

“For it is in giving that we receive.”   – Saint Francis of Assisi

It’s the beginning of the week which means your checklist might be extra-long. Not to mention it's December which can be busier and more stressful for some. 

Is your monkey mind jumping all over the place? Do you feel annoyed? If ONLY you could be focused and get some peace and quiet in your head. 

Is it just me - or do you ever wake up in the morning, have your day completely planned in your head and it doesn’t turn out that way at all? Happens all of the time, right?

Then what? Do we freak out or choose to go with the flow?

So we hear it all of the time that “Attitude is everything”, right? 

Well, check this out. When you add up the letters of ‘Attitude’ it equals 100.  

That’s kind of cool, don’t you think?

I'd like to share my journey with you in hopes you can relate or find some inspiration....We are all in this together!

I have experienced tremendous personal growth this year - and as a result feel greater self-love and resilience. As I am writing this I am filled with gratitude. Was it easy? No. Was it worth it? Yes. 100%.

Do you want to try something simple that will brighten your day and someone else's?

Take a moment and imagine the next person you expect to see today.

Can you picture him or her?

The first time I read about the idea that our thoughts create our reality was in my early twenties. It was Louise Hay’s book ‘You Can Heal Your Life’. It blew me away. And although I didn’t necessarily make big changes in my thinking at that time, it did 'plant seeds' which would later grow.

There are some people who have a naturally positive, kind and giving way about them. Do you know anyone like this? I do, my brother-in-law Rob.

Every Sunday, for several months of the year, Rob gives the women in our family a sunflower - just because!  He loves sunflowers. They make him happy and he wants to share his happiness with us.