stepping into february

In the beginning of the year I choose a full spread of tarot cards, each card representing a different month.  It has given me an opportunity to slow down and be in the moment more often. 

February is the month of the fish.  

With this comes challenges as the fish is in constant movement on unsure terrain.  There is the ability to get lost in this roaming lifestyle, and not having clear goals can push me in many different directions.  Knowing that the fish is guiding me this month I will need to find peace, set small goals, and accomplish them.  I will have to be adaptable and turn to the moonlight to ground me.  

Even just being a few days into February I can see how this month will be filled with movement and unsteady terrain.  At work things are in constant motion and I need to be flexible and not allow the unsteadiness to shake me.  There is only so much I can control.  I must focus in on what I can can do and not allow what is out of my hands to bring me down.  

At home the ground beneath me is ever changing.  I am unsure what my future will hold but one thing I do know is that I need to follow my heart and push through.  I need to do what makes me truly happy.  There are so many dreams that have been living and breathing inside me.  It is time to bring them to life. 

Movement can be good.  It takes us from one phase of life to another.  We aren't always ready for the changing shifting tides, but sometimes we need to be shaken to our core to open up our eyes and see that we will be ok ... even if we aren't sure where we are.  I invite you to embrace the movement in your life.  To be fluid with it and see where it takes you. 

You may think you are destine for one place and then you end up somewhere entirely different.  Don't write off the different surroundings right away. Give them a chance to show you what they are made of. They may surprise you. 

my mother taught me

I remember the day my mom dropped me off at college.  It was only thirty minutes from my home yet I would be living on campus and life as we both knew it was changing forever.  Her little girl was growing up and would no longer be sleeping in her bedroom right down the hall each night.  

As I walked through the arches on campus I tucked into my heart all the lessons my mom had taught me growing up.  At the time she bestowed these lessons onto me I didn't appreciate them.  But as I entered this vast unknown territory I had a feeling I would be leaning deeply on all that she embedded into my heart.   

Sharing is Caring

This was one of her favorites.  She said it often and always reminded us of it when we forgot.    There were times she didn't even have to tell us because she showed us.  Like when she shared a bit of her sandwich if we were hungry.  Or gave us the towel to dry off first if we only had one after swimming in the ocean.  Letting us pull up the crab lines to check if something took hold.  Taking us to the park when what she really wanted to do was stay home and nap. 

Family Comes First

What mattered most to my mom was family.  When she was with her family her face would light up.  But mother/daughter relationships aren't always easy and there were years my mom and I struggled.  Through it all she never stopped showing me how much she cared and that family is always there.  On our birthday's she would have us over for our favorite meal which she would cook and you could see what joy it brought her to have us all gathered together.  

It's the Simple Things in Life that Matter Most

My mom never went on fancy vacations or cared for the most expensive and extravagant things.  What mattered most to her was time together, a memory made, laughter, family trips.  She enjoyed arts and craft and creating things.  She gave gifts from the heart and knew that it was the moments together that made up a beautiful life. 

Take Care of One Another

I remember when I lived on my own and I wasn't feeling great.  Nothing crazy, just a cold that knocked me down for the count.  My mom showed up at my door with medicine and warm soup.  She tucked me into bed, made sure I had everything I needed, and took care of me the only way a mom could.  Yet she didn't do that for just me.  She took care of everyone around her.  From watching after her friends kids while they went to work to caring for a friend who was dying of cancer.  She showed up.  She picked up tissues strewn all of the floor.  She made sure you were comfortable and she cared deeply.  

There are many other lessons tucked into my heart from my mom.  Lessons I will never forget and follow day after day.  It is because her that I am as strong, as brave, and as kind as I am.  She taught me to work hard, follow through, and not quit until it's done.  She taught me to love deeply, reach out, and invite others in.  She also taught me to not take life to seriously; to laugh at the corniest of things and appreciate the feeling of sand between my toes.  

My mom taught me so much, but most of all she taught me to be proud of who I am.  Some days this lesson is harder to remember than others.  But I do know that I am always growing, always learning, and always becoming.  And even though my mom isn't here to see it; I know she is still cheering me on.   

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What lessons has your mother taught you?

three things I need you to know

Deep in your heart there are truths that you know.  You learned them from your experiences.  Many have been unearthed through your struggles.  Others have come to you in your joy.  And still there are some that you have learned through your day to day living.  You cannot deny these truths but sometimes you need to be reminded of them.  

In the Love Notes Postcard Project this week I asked the participants to share with their partner three things they need there partner to know.  Three truths that are living and breathing in their own hearts.  Yes, there are many more than three but what three would you share?  

Three things I need you to know is:

1 - You can do hard things.  Yes, you can.  It will not always feel comfortable and there will be many times you will want to throw in the towel and just walk away.  But it is through this discomfort that you grow and unearth strength and wisdom.  You learn deeply from these challenges and you emerge stronger, braver, and wiser than you were before.  The hard moments become a badge of honor.  A measuring stick for what you are capable of.  And you will rise up again and again and again.  Because YOU, yes you, can do had things. 

2 - You are not meant to travel through this journey alone.  When you open up your heart, share your stories, and invite others in you unearth your tribe.  You find those individuals who cheer you on, stand beside through the good and the bad, and want to see you flourish and grow.  Together you do amazing things!  It is human nature to want to feel connection with another.  But this only happens when you let down your own wall and share yourself.  You find joy in these connections and together you travel through each journey.  

3 - Having a practice of gratitude helps you unearth the beauty and joy you have in your life.  When you take a moment each day to give thanks for even the smallest of things you invite more joy and love into your life.  Your heart softens and see how even a smile from a stranger can mean everything. When you practice gratitude you become more aware of the little moments that make up your day and see how divine they are.  Gratitude helps center you and encourages you to not walk through this life blindly, but rather take care of the moments and appreciate them. 

What three things do you know?  Share them in the comments below because we learn so much from each other.  

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Because we aren't meant to travel alone

I invite you to gather with me.  To show up as you are and share a piece of your heart.  I promise to be sharing a piece of mine as well.  Let's spend an afternoon of creative connection together.  If this sounds even a little bit intriguing to you click below to sign up to receive the invitation.  I hope that you will join me.  It would be wonderful to meet face to face.  

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the importance of community

I have learned that we aren't meant to travel this journey by ourselves.  When we come together we can do so much more than we ever can on our own.  

There is magic in community.  
There is magic in gathering.  
There is magic in opening up your heart and sharing it.  

I am an introvert.  When I step into a group I struggle.  I seek out the back of the room so I can quietly observe.  I soak it all in from a distance but always leave wishing I had gotten a little bit closer.  I long to dive in deep but struggle to do so.  

I have learned that I must step forward.  I do not need to wait for an invitation to find my way into the circle. I just need to drop my insecurities and step in.  It is not an easy thing to do, but it is so rewarding when I do it.  

It is connection that pushes me to dive a little bit deeper.  
It is connection that expands my horizon.  
It is connection that helps me grow.

But connection only happens when I let down my guard and step into the circle.  I have to be willing to not only listen, but to also share my own stories of heartbreak and triumph.  I have to not only reach out, but also reach in.  I have to be able to not only catch others stories but also be vulnerable enough to share my own.

I learned how deeply I longed for connection when I attended my first art retreat.  Quite and shy I found a way to blend into the background, yet I left there broken open.  I knew that I could no longer live closed off.  I had to reach out and invite others in.  I had to show up to the table.  

I have found my most meaningful connections unearth when I am surrounded by people who have similar interest as I do.  It is in these spaces that it is easier to dive in deep and share my heart.  I feel a sense of trust and connection because we have that common bond between us.  

The vastness of the internet makes it easy for us to stay in touch, but there is still something beautiful and magical about gathering together in person.  Looking into each others eyes, reaching out and holding hands, being together in the same room.  This is a precious gift.

Being an introvert I can allow long amounts of time to pass by without reaching out to gather.  It feels like work sometimes to make the effort.  But once I am with my people it all feels right and I never regret stepping into the circle.  

This year I am committing to spending more time with others.  To stepping out of my comfort zone and inviting my kindred's in.  I want to break down the wall I have built up and connect deeply.  I know the only way this will manifest is if I show up and share pieces of my heart with others.  

So I invite you to gather with me.  To show up as you are and share a piece of your heart.  I promise to be sharing a piece of mine as well.  Let's spend an afternoon of creative connection together.  If this sounds even a little bit intriguing to you click below to sign up to receive the invitation.  I hope that you will join me.  It would be wonderful to meet face to face.  

love notes postcard projects begins

As you step into 2018 carry LOVE with you.  And know that it is love that opens others up.  Because love makes the world go round.  And when you show up and share your heart you encourage others to do the same.  Love, love, love.  Bring love into everything you do. 

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Another round of Love Notes began this week and I couldn't be more excited.  It is the 22nd time I am hosting this three week project and still cannot believe how it has all unfolded since the very first round.  Love Notes encourages people to get back to basics and send a bit of snail mail love.  When is the last time you reached out to someone through the mail rather than a quick text or like on social media.  

The first prompt for this round is:  

As you step into 2018 carry ... {one word} ... with you
And know ...
Because ...

What word would you encourage others to carry around with them?

because snail mail still matters

When is the last time you sat down and wrote someone a letter?  The last time you were excited to go to your mailbox and see what was waiting inside {and no, not because a package from amazon was waiting for you}.  The last time you took a moment to connect with someone through the written word?  

Today we rely on instant connection.  A text message here, a check in on social media, a tweet, a like, a comment, maybe even an email.  It is quick and fleeting.  I love that we have the ability to connect with one another instantly.  It is like a little piece of magic in the palm of your hands.  

But what if you slowed down for a moment.  Took some time to write a note to a friend on a blank piece of paper.  Then dropped that note into the mailbox and gave it some more time to reach them.  How do you think your friend would feel when they opened up their mailbox and saw a very special surprise just from you.  

It is incredible how one letter can change someones day.  

A few years ago I created the Love Notes Postcard Project.  A simple three week project centered around connecting with individuals through snail mail.  In this digital age I had no idea if people would be interested, but it was something I was craving and so I knew I had to put it out into the world.  

What emerged from this small idea was an incredible community of individuals connecting through the written word sent through the mail. 

Strangers writing to one another.
Strangers opening up their heart and sharing a piece of their world with each other.
Strangers connecting.
Strangers reaching out to others who needed a little extra TLC.
Strangers no longer strangers, but friends.

It is the power of the written word that has brought these individuals together. Their hearts are as wide as the ocean.  Their courage to take a chance is immense.  There desire to lift others up with no expectation of anything in return is incredible.  They are a community of Love Notes senders.  It was the lure of the written word that brought them together, but it was their willingness to open up and connect that has made them friends.  

I never in my wildest dreams imagined such a divine and loving community forming out of the Love Notes Project.  Each time I visit the facebook group my heart overflows with gratitude and love.  It is these individuals who make the project possible and it is their divine kindness that forms deep meaningful connections. 

The project is simple.

3 weeks + 3 writing prompts = 3 postcards sent and received

Individuals from around the world have participated including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, France, Canada, Japan, Sweden, Finland, Germany, and more.  There have been places I had to look up because I wasn't even sure where they were on the map.  

In a world filled with uncertainty this project reinforces that there is still good in the world.  There are kind and loving individuals reaching out a hand.  We stand together, sharing our hearts, sharing our stories, sharing hope.  

What may be simple words to you could be the exact words someone else needs to hear.  What you write could change someones day or bring a smile to their face.  Your postcard is a little piece of fairy magic.  You may never know the effect is has on others along it's journey and when it arrives at it's final destination, but that is part of the wonder.

I am excited for the very next round of Love Notes starting on Sunday, January 14th.  There is still time for you to join us if you are interested.  There is no requirement to be creative or an exceptional writer.  The prompts are simple and the writing space on a postcard is short and sweet.  Store bought postcards work perfectly.  And if you don't have a postcard a note card works as well.  In fact any piece of paper you can drop in the mail is perfect.  

I invite you to come back to the basics and join us for three weeks of snail mail fun.