#fallingopen

It is the way the leaves change color
And then they release
Spilling open to the ground
A new life
A different opportunity
A freedom to not have to hang on

This visual encourages me to spread my wings
Let go  
Shift into the possibilities of what can be
It feels powerful
Fresh
Brimming with hope

There is no reason to hang on for to long
Sometimes you need to just walk away
Allow the openness to engulf you
Savor the new opportunities
Take time to play
And see where the road leads you

This is falling open
Releasing into the unknown
And bravely stepping in to the next phase
Seeking out the hidden chance
Not looking back
But carving a path ahead

This is what fall feels like to me
A chance to release
Try something new
Be brave
Stand in my own voice
And move fluidly throughout the season

As we dive into this next season I intend to capture the moments where I fall open through the hashtag #fallingopen   I do not want to let them slip by.  I want to savor the freedom.  Sink deep into this new beginning and fall open into all that is around me.  

The leaves are my inspiration, for they do it so well.  They hang on just long enough and then they  release.  The release is never easy but it is in that shift where a whole new world opens up and you never know what beauty may be there.  

I invite you to fall open with me by tagging your photos #fallingopen.  Together we can encourage one another and witness that shift that occurs with change.  How will you fall open?

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.  

lift your head up to this moment

Lift your head up to the sun
Feel the warmth
Soak in the goodness
Savor the moment
Yes, this moment
Wherever you are right now
Pause
Take a deep breathe in
Feel the air around you
Notice the sound of the passing cars
Listen even closer to the silence in between
You will only get this day once
What will you do to make it meaningful
Who will you share your love with
What kindness will you bring
Say what you feel in your heart
Do not hold back
Let the love pour out of you
It will makes someones day
Even though the moment feels ordinary
It is a very special moment in time
Live with your heart wide open
Live deeply in this moment
 

dreaming

You watch from the sidelines and see other people's dreams coming true.  They make it look so easy.  Things seem to fall in place.  They are living the life you wish you could be living.  You stand on the sidelines pouting.  

But here is the thing.  You can be living the life of your dreams.  For others it did not just fall into their hands.  It took work, dedication, and lots of time.  They had a vision and went for it.  When they got knocked down they didn't give up.  They kept putting one foot in front of the other, ebbing and flowing with the changing tide.  You can do this to.  

You can achieve your dreams.

You just need to show up day after day.  Take the risk.  Listen to the voice of your own heart, for it will guide where you want to go.  There are no short cuts.  There isn't a special pill you can take.  You have to put in the work.  There will be sweat and tears but it will be worth it in the end.  

Do not let others control your destiny.  Do not give them the power to drag you down.  This is YOUR one wild and precious life.  Live it to the fullest going after what moves you.  There is no reason to be stagnant.  There is no reason not to dream.  Anything is possible when we put our minds to it.  

What is it you dream of?  Where do you want to go?  What is it you want to be doing?  

Reach for your dreams.  Take one small step towards them today and then keep that rhythm in motion.  Step by step you will get there.  Yes, you will.  

a love letter to summer

Dear Summer,

Oh how you have brought about a flurry of activity.  I am grateful for the days spent swimming, laughing, and riding my bike.  Your gentle sun kissed my skin and filled me with a little bit of healing.  You encouraged me to throw my schedule out the window and embrace the longer days and added time spent with Dustin.  

You took me on adventures.  Roaming the streets of Seattle.  Step after step we discovered new land.  You opened my eyes up to a new city and invited me to come and play in it.  You also provided me with a deep moment to slow down, soak in the warm sunshine, and enjoy paradise.  You were so very kind to me on our travels with open seats next to us, luggage that arrived right when we expected, and flights that went off with out a hitch.  For this I am grateful.  

You reinforced in my heart the importance of family and spending time with one another.  There was laughter, so much laughter and even a couple of quiet ragers.  In the mist of chaos we came together and enjoyed every moment.  We leaned on one another, showed support, and came out just a little bit stronger.  

You are my most favorite time of year and I am sad to see you go.  You have filled my heart with happiness and my belly with mint chocolate chip ice cream.  You reminded me to play, let go, and not worry so much.  You invited me to dig my toes into the sand and feel the salt water wash over my skin.  

Although I am sad to see you go I am ready to embrace September for it is this month that feels like a fresh start to me.  After all the play and goodness my heart feels more open.  My dreams more expansive.  My determination to leap stronger than ever.  And I have you to thank for that.  For you encouraged me to get out there and let go in the first place.  To jump on my bike and see where it would take me.  To travel unknown roads and find a new way home.  

Thank you for your kindness.  For shining your light on me and giving me space to play and dream.  I am grateful for you dear summer, for you have opened me up once again.  

I look forward to 2016 when we will meet again.  Until then I will hold you closely in my heart and cherish the time we got to spend together.  

Love,
Jennifer

{If you were writing a letter to summer what would you say?  What are you grateful for?  What did you do, where did you go?  I encourage you to give it a try and see where your letter takes you}

not the way it was supposed to be

Traveling has made me miss my mom more than I ever thought. Usually I have used travel to escape...be somewhere else.  Forget about life for a moment and live somewhere I wish I could stay forever.  But being on the road has made my moms absence even more present.  

Whenever I traveled I always looked for something to bring back for her. Something small and meaningful that would make her and I feel that she was right there with me. While waltzing through the maze that is Pikes Place market there were so many things that I knew would have remade her smile. I gazed at the items looking to pick out the perfect one and suddenly I was snapped back to reality. No matter what I purchased she wasn't going to be around for me to give it to her. 

Sitting on the plane to Aruba my eyes filled with tears out of no where. I missed my mom like something fierce. I remembered fondly the trip we took with her. The hysterical tube ride. Snorkeling. Hanging on the beach. Being teased for ironing. And her love for the gift shop. I am so grateful to have these memories. To have experienced such an exotic place with my mom who was more than happy to just spend some time with us at the jersey shore. 

I miss her deeply. I wish it was different. I don't understand why it had to end this way. It hurts. She was to young. So filled with life. It wasn't her time. She was supposed to be laughing with her grandchildren. Watching my new house be built. She was supposed to be there on the day of my wedding, beaming with pride.   

It wasn't supposed to be like this. It was never supposed to be like this. Yet here we are.