journaling will open you up

When I was younger I would tuck my journal underneath my bed so that my brothers would not find it.  There were deep thoughts in there about my current crush and the butterflies I got in my stomach when I saw him.  I filled those pages up, writing long after dark and safely tucking it away under my mattress.  Oh how I would have been devastated if someone were to have found it.  That tiny little notebook contained my heart.  All of the honest words that I couldn't speak to friends were spilled out onto the page.  It was an outlet.  A chance to really set free and be exactly who I was. 

Writing in that notebook gave me courage to take risks.  To ask him out and have a place to turn to when he said no.  It was all ok because the page helped me sort through it.  It pushed me to live body in a world where I was so timid.  It encouraged me to spread my wings just a little bit more and see how far I could go.  The page held the heartbreak, the tears, and the struggles and made them seem not so bad once I wrote it out of me.  Having this to turn to was a gift.  An extremely precious gift I turn to time and time again.  

I hear so many people say that they are not a writer.  They think there words have to be pretty and packaged up.  A neat story contained between the lines with a beginning, a middle, and a beautiful ending.  But that is not what journaling is all about.  Journaling is the freedom to tell your story from wherever you are standing in it in this very moment.  The feelings may be raw.  The emotion unprocessed.  That is ok, because the page does not judge.  It simply catches your words and holds them for you so that you no longer have to carry them around with you.  

There is no right or wrong way to journal.  Spelling does not matter and there does not even have to be one cohesive story.  Sometimes are hands will jump from one moment to the next and we never know what story may emerge.  The beauty that comes with journaling is in watching it all unfold organically.  In giving our hearts permission to just write whatever comes up.   

Yes this is journaling.  The roaming, the wandering, the adventure.  Spilling it all onto the page and not looking back to see where you can take it, but rather letting it take you where it wants to go.  We all have stories inside us.  From places we have been, people we have encountered, moments that have changes us forever.  These stories want to be told and only you can set them free.  

Journaling gives your heart an opportunity to heal.  A chance to tell the story again.  
So see it from a new perspective or to spill deeply into where you are in this very moment.  It is a gift.  A gift that only you can give yourself when you grant yourself the permission to show up and spill open.  The page will never judge and neither for you.  For any emotion you feel in any moment is yours and it is ok.  It doesn't meant that is how it always has to be, but for that moment we must acknowledge it so we can move forward.  

Allow your writing to help you move forward.  To forgive yourself and others.  To take a leap.   To gain confidence in yourself.  To have the courage to keep going.  Allow the page to hold it all for you and reflect back how strong you really are, how much you really know, and how courageous you really can be.  

I invite you to join me from Sept 9th - 29th to bravely step into journaling and grant yourself permission to release your words and see where our stories take you.  

mandatories

Life can sweep me up in a whirlwind in a quick second.  It is crazy how fast it can happen.  My to do list seems never ending, the dishes are piled high in the sink, the laundry needs to get done, and the is still un made.  Auto pilot commences and I am flying from one thing to the next not funny present in the moment.  

I am not a fan of when this happens.  I drive to work and don’t even realize I am driving until I arrive in the parking lot and open the door.  Has that ever happened to you?  Your mind so distracted you become lost in a hazy cloud unsure of which way is down.   

To keep myself from venturing down this path I have chosen to add a couple of mandatories into my every day routine as well as some go to self-care practices that ground me quickly and remind me of the journey that I am choosing to take. 

Mandatories:

• Meditation every day even if it is only for 10 minutes.  Before leaving the house for work in the morning I light a candle, sit on the floor in my living room, and let my thoughts go.  Sometimes I am doing this act in jeans before running out the door and that is ok.  
• Nourishing my body.  Choosing to provide it with the fuel it needs to make it through each day.  That isn't to say that I am a perfect healthy eater, chocolate chips cookies and chai tea find there way in.  However, I try to be more conscious about what I am choosing and not just grabbing things because they are quick.  

Then there are my go to self care practices that I sink deeply into when my body is craving some love

• Writing.  Putting words on paper has always helped me figure things out and navigate my way.  It is on the page that I solve problems, breathe life into my dreams, and allow myself space to let go.
• Capturing the moment through photography.  I love how technology has provided me the opportunity to have a camera in my hand at any moment.  Taking photos on my cell phone is one of my favorite ways to slow down and seek out the beauty.  It gives me the chance to capture the moment in a quick and easy fashion.  
• Creating alters.  I have many different alters around my house and I love tending to them, rearranging them, showing up to them to drop in a wish.  They are where I go when I need to recenter.  

We all need self care tools that we can turn to.  Little things that don't take much time and effort, but fill up our wells and help us navigate our paths.  

Each and every day YOU are creating a beautiful and divine life.  Yes, YOU are doing that even through your everyday moments that you feel are ordinary.  

Take a moment to appreciate this life you are working so hard at.  Fill up your well.  Take time for you. Enjoy your one wild and precious spin on this great planet.  

Want to gather with a group of women who are looking to do just that?  Join me on March 1st for a four week online journey where we will unfurl into our beautiful lives through:

• Writing
• Photography
• Practicing Ceremony
• Creating Alters
• Meditation

No fancy equipment or experience needed.  I will be taking you through many different ways to approach each exercise and you will learn how to open up and unfurl into your beautiful life.  There will be special guest post from Kelly Barton, Vivienne McMaster, Christine Mason Miller,and Donna Wynn.  I hope you join in on this four week adventure. 

giggles from the couch :: one thing that will change your life

I invite you to join me today for an episode of {giggles from the couch} where I talk about one thing that you can do that will change your life.  

creating ritual

Dear Tender Hearts,

Life can pass by quickly.  We try to savor each moment but we get wrapped up in our to do list and running from here to there.  It doesn't have to be that way.  There are small things we can do to savor the days and allow ourselves space to see what a beautiful life we are creating.  

Ritual is a big part of my life and it extends beyond holidays and into the every day moments of my life.   I prepare my cup of tea in the morning with intention.  Waking early to light the kettle.  Sitting down with my mug steaming, the world still dark and I begin.  It is a moment to breathe in deep and set an intention for the day ahead.  I pull out my Alchemy Deck and choose a card.  The one I choose usually becomes my guiding word for the day.  I savor this quiet time.  

Before bed I slow down again.  Taking time to reflect on the day that has passed.  I write down one moment for my Happiness Jar and say a blessing for what has been.  It doesn't take long to do this, less then five minutes, yet I feel a lightness in my heart as I close out the day.  

These practices are a part of my daily living, yet they are a practice.  There are days when I do not get to them.  When life has swept me up in a whirlwind and my head hits the pillow before I write my moment.  That is ok.  Life takes us where we need to go.  In these moments I do not beat myself up, I just know there is always tomorrow to begin again.  

I invite you to join me in Unfurling where we will dig into these practices and many others.  You will have the opportunity to try something on for size and see if it fits for you.  You will be encouraged to slow down, take a breathe, and unfurl into the beautiful life you are creating.  Yes YOU are creating a beautiful, deep, loving life.  Take the time to savor what all your hard work has created.  

Class starts March 1st and if you sign up today you can receive 50% off as a Valentines Gift from me to you.  That means the class is just $39.  Just use the promo code LOVE when checking out.  Hope to see you there.  

Love,
Jennifer

unfurling

YOU are writing the stories of your life every single day.  These storeis unfold in your common moments.  When you wake up in the darkness, make a single cup of tea, and begin your day.  They unfold as you travel throughout what you feel is an ordinary moment but have the possibility to turn extraordinary.  You never know when a moment or a person will change your life forever.  

You tuck your stories into your pockets. Keeping moments like love, adventure, and travel, as well as heartbreak, sadness, and loss.  As you go about your day your stories revisit you and you are reminded of a person you met or are transported back to a specific time. Something triggers your memories and instantly you are there.  

These stories are yours and yours alone.  No one else has taken your journey.  No one else sees the world the way you do.  These stories need to be celebrated, acknowledged, and sometimes let go off.  

You have stories of bravery and courage that are filled with inspiration.  You need to acknowledge that you are the star in those stories.  YOU are the one who made them happen.  

You also have stories that play on repeat in your head, dragging you through the mud when you don't deserve to be.  These stories need to be let go of.  

I invite you to unearth these stories.  To gain trust in what spills out, celebrate the glorious moments, and let go of what no longer serves you.  The page is there to catch your moments.  Allow it the opportunity to hold your words safely.  

I invite you to gather around my virtual table and join me for four weeks of unfurling.  Writing and photography are the two tools that help me bravely step into my life.  The page catch's my words and the images capture exactly where I am in the moment.  

I want to sit along side you and guide you in using these two tools to unfurl into YOUR beautiful life.    

Join me for four weeks as we explore the different ways our stories emerge through writing and photography.  We will do this by diving into:

• setting intentions
• creating alters
• digging into the beauty of ceremony
• meditation

week one :: intentions
We will explore setting intentions, learn how to clear the path, and acknowledge your every day stories and the stories you most need to tell.

week two :: speaking to ourselves
We will hold gently the stories we tell ourselves and how we speak to ourselves.  We will learn to show up with love and compassion even in the midst of the most difficult stories. 

week three :: letting go
There are stories that we avoid telling, bury deep, and do not want anyone to know about.  But these are your stories and they need to be told even if no one else hears them but you.  Gently we will let go of these stories as we tell them one word at a time.

week four :: dreaming with ease and grace
t is time for some deep celebration and we will do that by acknowledging how far you have come and dreaming up where you may want to go next.  

How does this work?
All lessons will be posted on a private blog.  You will have full access to this content for four months after class ends.  Therefore you will not have to feel rushed to get through it when life creeps in.  You can go at your own pace and slow down when something really resonates with you.  

What will you receive: 

• A weekly video digging into that weeks lesson
• Three post a weeks filled with writing prompts and different exercises to help you unearth your words
• Stories and inspiration to open you up and get the pen moving on the page
• An open email box where you can communicate with me any time.  I am here to support you through this process. 

What do you need:

• Access to the internet so you can enjoy the weekly lessons on the private blog.
• Your favorite writing tools be it a pen and a notebook or your computer.  Whatever works for you.  
• A camera.  Nothing fancy needed - your phone will do just fine.  

You do not need to be a writer, creative, or a photographer to be in this class.  I will be taking you through with many different ways to approach each exercise.   This class is about opening up and unfurling into the great unknown.  For it is there that your true self is waiting for you. 

Questions:  Drop me a note at jbelthoff@gmail.com with any questions you have.  

journaling

When I moved out of my parents house I tossed all of my old journals.  I didn't have the space to take them with me and I couldn't bear the thought of someone {my parents and brothers} actually reading them.  I was young and can only imagine the teenage angst that was scribbled between those lines.  

• Heartbreak spilling out after I asked Dave to go out with me while standing in the hallway outside of the gym, and he said no. 
• Scribbles of fights with my best friend Kristen during the moments we didn't get along.
• Page after page of boy crushes and unrequited love.  Thinking I would never find someone and be destine to spend the rest of my life alone.  

Yes, it was all there.  My heart filled up those pages.  My journal was my best friend.  It was always there for me no matter what.  It caught everything I threw at it and never once judged.  I could speak honestly in my journal about sneaking onto the golf course with Greg when I never should have agreed to go out with him in the first place.  

When Dustin and I moved I packed all of my journals into boxes.  I was surprised to see how many I had accumulated over the years.  Pages and pages telling the story of how I arrived here. I flipped through some of them and was instantly brought back to the moment.  

• The fear and excitement that swirled in me on the day I was waiting for Amy and Gail to pick me up for my first trip into the woods at Squam Lake.  The uncertainty of the unknown and the thrill of what could be.  
• The sadness that poured out on the days I lost my Grandfather and Nana.  I understood there passing but watching my brothers and parents cry completely broke my heart.  It was a moment where standing beside someone and giving them a hug was all I could do.  The page held my tears.  
• My heart beating two times fast the day Dustin walked into my life.  The way I instantly knew that it was going to be so good.  The gushy words, the way love spilled open, the excitement of something knew.  I was able to relive our first few moments together through the words I wrote on the page.  

When I show up in my journal words spill.  When I look back on what I have written I realize how far I have come and it helps me navigate where I want to go.  There are many stories that I skip over.  Writing them down once was all I needed to release.  It is wonderful though to have them there as a testament for what I went through, how I showed up, and how I kept stepping forward no matter what. 

As I have grown so have my words.  The teenage angst has luckily past and the words that spill are raw, honest emotions.  My journals are my road map. They provide me a place to plan, dream, and let go.  There show me where I was, how far I have come, and help me jump boldly into the future.  

What do your journals hold?  Do you look back on them or toss them after they are filled?

Are looking to kickstart your journal writing or dive deeper into your practice?  I would love to be your guide.  Join me for 21 days of brave journaling from November 1st - Nonvember 21st.