national letter writing month

April is national letter writing month and I couldn't be more thrilled.  Letter writing feels like a lost art in the age of email and text messages, but it isn't something that we should let drift off into the forgotten.  When you sit down to write a letter you are saying yes to opening your heart and sharing details of yourself with the receiver.  There is an intimacy that occurs and the opportunity is there for you to open up a little more because there is no instant interaction, just a blank page for you to let go into.  

I write letters often.  Some of them never get sent and that is the intent when writing them.  I find it cathartic to speak directly to someone on the page and say all that I have to say.  there is freedom and non judgement.  It is a lovely space to be in.  

I challenge you to pull out a pen and a piece of paper and write a couple of letters this month.  To get you started here are some ideas of letters to be written:

• To your parents.  Thank them for all that they have taught you and let them know what you admire most about them.  
• To a dear friend sharing the way you remember one of your favorite times spent together.  
• To your partner. Be steamy, intimate, and open.  Tell them one thing you have always wanted to tell them.  
• To someone you admire.  This could be a famous author, actor, teacher, co-worker.  Let them know how much they mean to you and how much they have inspired you.  
• To yourself.  Be gentle and kind.  Celebrate your accomplishments and give yourself a pat on the back for all you do each and every day.  

Once your letter is written fold it up nicely and place it in an envelope.  Add an address and a stamp and drop it in the mailbox.  You will surprise and delight the recipient and your letter may even change the course of their day.  

Who will you be sending a letter to this week?  If you are feeling up to it write more than one.  Maybe write one a day.  Share below in the comments.  

And tune in next Monday for more letter writing ideas.  Happy writing!

reaching for your dreams

Today in my brave journaling class we are exploring our dreams.  The ones that don't let us fall asleep at night because we are too excited about them.  The ones we keep quietly tucked away because we fear if we speak them out loud they may not come true.  The dreams we dream about time and time again.  

Yes, we all have dreams, wishes, aspirations for our lives.  They surface at the strangest of moments and once they latch on they don't want to let go.  There is that little voice inside of you that speaks louder than all the other voices you hear and it is nudging you to follow your dreams.  

How do you follow your dreams?  
How do you go after what your heart is calling you to do?  
What do you do if your dream feels completely impossible?  

There are times when we are clutching so tightly an idea of something happening the exact way that we have it planned in our head that we lose site of the feelings that are fueling this idea.  We think if the idea doesn't unfold like we planned then it wasn't right, or there has to be more. But there will be times, many times when an idea will not go the way you thought.  Sometimes we have to let go of our plans in order to allow space for the puzzle pieces to come together.  

This doesn't mean letting go of the dream entirely, but it means honing in on the feelings that the dreams stirs up and allowing space for that to unfold exactly how it is meant to unfold.  Sometimes the way we think it is suppose to be isn't the way it is meant to be.  Loosen your grip and let go of the reigns.  

Once you free yourself of your exceptions you will begin to see different things you never saw before.  You will be more open to opportunity and you just never know what may appear at your doorstep.  It can be hard to let go of expectations, but it may be the most freeing thing you have ever done.  

What expectations can you let go of today?  
What dream do you have can you get of the way of letting it come true?  

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.  

on blogging

There is something so fascinating about blogging
You set your soul free into this vast sea of content
Showing up time and time again
Sharing intimate details of how to navigate your heart
Showing your scars, your tears, and your laugh lines
You face your fears
You have setbacks
You stay away
But you always come back
Being here feels like home
With the light turned on you can see yourself again
For exactly who you are
There is a safety net that the screen provides
And the keys always allow you to type without judgment
Your history is contained within your site
You can scroll back and see how far you have come
You can talk a walk down memory lane
Shriek with embarrassment, be proud of what you did
And see how some things keep repeating themselves
There are highs and lows
Epic journeys taken
Moments captured that your heart forgot
it is amazing how space can hold so much of you
You never know if what you write is being read
But still, you show up
With gratitude in your heart
You spill open
Setting your words free

the page saved me

It was the page that saved me

Catching my words when I had no where else to turn

A firm grip on my pen

Furiously writing

The words pouring from my heart

It was the page that gently held each heart wrenching word

And soaked up all the tears that fell from my eyes

There was no judgment

No questions of right or wrong

Just an open space to let go and show up

It was the page that was always there

Late in the night

On the train ride home

Ready at a moments notice

Teaching me how to open up

It was the page that helped me grow

And see for the first time with kind eyes who I truly am

Working out the details of my journey

Healing my past

And providing me space to dream

It is the page I continue to turn to

To dream big, really really big

Record memories made

Work out the struggles in my mind

And list the beautiful moments that occur each day

It is the page that I am so grateful for

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Writing has been an enormous tool for me in healing my heart, pushing me forward, and providing me space to simply work out anything and everything that comes up in my mind.  I am grateful for a pen and a piece of paper.  Grateful for the communication between my heart, head, and hand.  And grateful for the ability to let it all go on the page.

This September I will be leading a five week online writing course;

Love Notes Special Delivery

.  During our time together we will explore what holds us back from recognizing the true beauty that we are.  We will using writing as a tool to dig deep, let go, and create space in our hearts to grow and dream.

We will then take the love we have in our hearts and share it with those near and dear to us, and in our community.  Once we fully embrace ourselves we can then really let the light in our heart shine.  Together we will take that journey.

I hope that you will join us on this writing adventure.  To find out more head on over to

HERE

or if you are ready to jump in you can sign up below.  

What:

An online writing class

Class Objective:

  Learn how to show up to the blank page and not be intimidated to tell the stories that we have tucked into our hearts.  Discover the healing powers of writing by telling these stories, letting some of them go, and moving forward as our best selves.  

Where:

Online, self paced class.  Lessons are delivered directly to your email box.  You are able to go at your own pace, go back to pieces that really resonate with you, and use the lessons over and over again.  

When:

Starting Sunday, September 15th  for five weeks

Why:

Because the page can save your life.  Opening your heart to writing can bring you back to yourself, help guide you in a new direction, and give you space to dream and grow.   

Cost:

 $49 USD

the writer

Being a writer can be a lonely adventure

Sitting solo on the bench

Entering through door to the coffee shop alone

Sitting with your thoughts by your side

Pen and paper your only company

The camaraderie of brainstorming with others

Creating together in a group

Laughing and giggling as it all unfolds

This rarely occurs for the writer

There work must be done alone

At times it can feel daunting

Sad and terrifying

Wondering if all this sweat and tears is for anything

Inner demons creeping in

And taking over

It can be a struggle to start

Words swirling in your head

But coming out all wrong on paper

The emotion is there

But the means to pull it out has disappeared

The writer must struggle through

Show up day after day after day

Fighting their way through

Sifting through the nonsense

Drilling down to the heart in the words

From on lookers it may seem torturous

They wonder why the writer continues to show up

Why do they not choose something where they do not have to be alone

They do not realize that within that solitude hearts heal

Minds expand and gold flows from their fingertips

There are brief moments when a writer is transported

Words flowing that she did not even know where there

For that moment the world around her disappears

She is deep in this other place, this different time, this lost world

And this makes it all worth it