grateful for this ride

Life is one adventure after another.  With twist and turns that we never expect, but must muddle through.  We end up on the floor in a puddle, unsure of where to turn or how to get up.  But someone how we manage.  We reach, we stretch, we grow, and we rise.  We stand taller than we ever knew we could.  We wipe away our tears and boldly face the world.  We jump into the unknown and take  chance on the ferris wheel even when we are terrified.  We take the risk.  We suffer the fall.  We leap without knowing where we are going to land.  

Yes, this is life.  Our one wild and precious life.  We have choosen to live it. To show up in it.  To be present to all the feelings and emotions that rise. We know it will not always be rainbows and butterflies.  We will falter.  We will feel hurt and pain.  We will suffer.  Yet we will also form friendships.  Fall in love.  Make memories that last a life time.  Laugh deeply and find new paths home.  

Along the journey we find ourselves, over and over again.  We discover what moves us.  We become stronger in who we are.  We navigate our own path and reach for our dreams.  We reach further than we ever thought we could go.  We see our dreams come true.  We understand the hard work it takes to make them happen.  We don't give up. We don't ever give up.  

We are grateful for this ride.  For this crazy wild adventure.  For the unknowns.  The twist and the turns.  For the deep love and the warm embraces.  We are grateful for it all.  We know that with love comes pain and we are ok with taking that risk.  We will always risk because with risk comes growth and we are forever growing.  

in the moment

In the moment time stood still
Quietness engulfed me
I could hear the sound of my heart beating
As a gentle breeze blew past
It was a moment unlike any other
The warmth of the sun shining on my face
My bare feet being tickled by the blades of fresh cut grass
I had made it here
I had traversed uneven terrain
Faced hardships and many unknowns
I had stepped into the the darkness
Willingly
My knees are marked by scars
Each one telling their own story
I have found my way
Leaned in for help
Struggled and succeeded
On top of everything I never gave up
Yes, this is what has lead me to this moment
Putting one foot in front of the other
Facing the long road with a smile and a tear
Taking the risk
Going on the journey
Looking carefully behind me and
Jumping boldly into the moment
This is a moment unlike any other
I stand here strong and brave
Ready for whatever comes my way
For I know now how to ebb and flow
Shifting with the tides
Holding what I need
And letting go of what no longer serves me
My journey thus far has taught me valuable lessons
Of love, loss, and how laughter heals it all
To road ahead is filled with so many unknowns
But this moment holds me gently
Beneath the bright blue sky I am filled with hope
Hope for what can me, for what I can create
For the chance to try again, and again, and again

the notebook will save you

It is your notebook that will save you time and time again.  Yes, the blank page providing you space to spread out, dream, and release.  It is your notebook that catches your words and holds your deepest thoughts.  It heals you and helps guide you home.  

It is the friend you can always count on.  Providing you the opportunity to go back and see how far you have come.  It also gives you a place to work out where you want to go.  There are never any judgments.  Just space to grow.  

Carry you notebook with you.  It is there for you any time you need it.  A new blank page like a clean slate, ready to catch any story you throw at it.  Gravitate towards the words.  Be thankful for this resource.  

Your notebook is a place to spill you heart.  To be vulnerable and be seen.  It is a moment for quiet reflection and a chance to write the scary story that your heart longs to tell.  It is love and deep emotion. A paragraph of meandering and one sentence that tells the whole story.  It is in the pages of your notebook were you will find yourself time and time again.

Writing is a blessing and it is something that you can do.  You write a grocery list my dear, you are a writer.  It is a string of words together on the page.  A moment, a thought, a sentence, sometimes just one single word.  There is no right and there is no wrong.  It is open and forgiving.  

Writing is a courageous act that allows your heart space to breathe.  There are moments when you aren't sure where or how to begin but it doesn't have to be so hard because where you begin may not be where you end up.  When you grant yourself permission and allow your heart to do the writing your honest story emerges.  The one you most need to tell.  

Writing is a gift you give yourself.  

I invite you to join me for 21 days of journaling where together we will show up on the page and write from a place of tenderness.  Grant yourself permission to practice and allow whatever comes up space to breathe.  

Directly to your inbox you will receive:

• Writing prompts to nudge the pen forward
• Exercises to stretch you
• Inspirational poetry and quotes
• Gentle reminders to keep on writing

time for an adventure

It was time for an adventure
To pick both feet up off the ground and swim
To see how far you could in one strong breathe
Yes, it was time for an adventure
Because this staying still wasn't what life was all about
The body needs to move
The mind needs to be challenged
We must stretch ourselves and grow
Yes, it was time for an adventure
And instead of planning for a someday
Or a one day
She laced up her shoes and walked right out the door
Because adventure awaits us
We just need to go out and seek it

because

Because we are all struggling in some way
Unsure of the next step to take
Questioning the one we just took
Looking forward with hope and fear

Because we all do not do it as quickly as we planned
Good intentions set
Life flying by
Guilt building up over the delay

Because none of us are perfect
All we can do is try each day
Sometimes we do not try as hard, and that is ok
Other days we push forward, full force

Because sometimes we do not get it right
We may do it again
We may never even think about trying
Or we may accept it turned out as it should

Because the world didn't give up on you
So don't give up on the world
Hold on tight and reach out slightly
Feel the gentle nudge to move

note:  I wrote this poem on this day in 2012 and resonated so deeply with me today that I just had to share it.  

speak kindly to yourself

It is no longer “I want”
It is now “I will”
Because the conversations we have with ourselves matter
They shape our confidence
They set us up for the steps we take
They remind us of who we are
We need to speak kindly to ourselves
To be the voice we would be with a dear friend
Forget about the negativity
Ditch the “one day”
And boldly step into what you desire
Your dreams are there for a reason
Chase them
Become them
Live and breathe within them
Take the risk
And speak kindly to yourself along the journey
The love you give to yourself will help you power through
Begin right now