For me, this time of year the energy of giving and compassion seems heightened, and the possibility of miracles and wonder comes alive. When I say giving, what I mean is the spirit of goodwill. The gift of presence not presents.

Last week I did a Facebook Live and the topic was the power of mindfulness and vulnerability. If you didn’t get to see it, I shared with the audience that I have been feeling vulnerable lately. I’ve been going through a lot of growth and as exciting as this is, there is also a sense of stepping into the unknown which can feel unsettling at times.

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.