Archive
Dec 29 22
Growing in Grace
I awoke in curiosity, wondering how to “focus” on what needed to be done this day. I tapped in to what my whole body wanted being quite different leading me to a book my Mom had bought me years ago. I wish it had a date, but it was just signed
To Gina,
Love, Mom
I believe the universe sends us signals, guiding us to what we most need or want.
Today, the universe sent me a clear message and invitation.
My invitation to you, is to pause
Take a moment to take a slow, deep inhale (maybe lowering your shoulders), repeating as many times until you feel your whole-body. Open to see what wants to download or what Ah-ha’s are possible in this moment.
A buinocular view at my current reality; choosing to end an intimate relationship.
How do I leave someone I love?
How do I leave someone I see myself growing old with?
How do I do alone “again!”
Am I that “cat lady”
_______________ your story, fear or excuses that shift you out of Integrity
He was involved in a messy divorce for nearly five years when we met. I committed to be invisible wjile child custody was going on, to not affect his outcome. I did not take in to consideration how this would affect my outcome.
When I would tell him about my thoughts, he would say, “Can’t you make up better thoughts“, so I began to think maybe I was crazy. I was willing to devalue myself to have the chance of being loved by him.
I’ve learned that I am not willing to beg to be loved nor fight for someone’s attention.
I learned I can be in a relationship and not lose myself. I’m learning to trust myself, and today of all days the universe hands me a book titled, “Growing in Grace”
Much Love,
Gina
Photo Credit: @shotbycerqueira
For more affirmation, Genesis 2:8-25
Feb 26 19
Seasonal Depression
Sometimes Chocolate isn’t enough…
Be Exactly who you are and Be Loved
The sky is encapsulating, gray dreary clouds, the silence after a storm and a bad cold can create a depressing story. During the winter months locating energy, emotions or even an interest to live can surface and often does.
Socializing seems daunting, hiding feelings of sadness, staying safe, choosing to hibernate drowning out feelings with food, television or sleep seems easier. How do we accept sad? Be with depressed? …. and Love I’m afraid. This dark place often brings dense head fog and thoughts of suicide
Some may suggest a trip to the gym increasing serotine levels, the “happy hormone”. Others may swear by light therapy or antidepressants. I’ve personally tried them all and found what sometimes appears to be the hardest is actually often the remedy.
In my latest spell of depression I witnessed myself falling to old patterns seeking exogenous emotional comfort avoiding being afraid, crying and being utterly sad. Wouldn’t somebody just hold me, love me or better yet know of an instant gratification type device, pill or formula?
Einstein said it best “Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again expeting different results”
Resistance and Acceptance cannot coexist, so what holds us back from making a “new choice”? FEAR is paralyzing and New Choice is unfamiliar and requires immense amounts of courage. I compare it to a whole new operating system with multiple software updates.
Avoiding Danger is no safer in the long run that outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold. – Helen Keller
COURAGE is the ability to do something that frightens one; strength in the face of pain or grief.
I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. We often fall victim choosing to be paralyzed in Fear, but what if we could take one small action step in choosing to face. In the Hendricks work Facing is a part of F.A.C.T (Facing, Accepting, Choosing and Taking Action). FACT is a gateway to building blocks of courage.
Depression is Real
Depression is strength. Depression is noticing the constant emptiness weighing down inside of you. Those that experience depression experience a state that affects their everyday lives. This is facing suffering with dignity or faith.
Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore – Lord Chesterfield
I recommend and keep a journal getting what’s in our heads out. Below I’ve compiled a list of tools that I’ve found useful in bouts of Depression and I hope they will support you in your lives. There is no wrong or right, no external secret recipe, no pill to take it away. Follow your body intelligence with love and acceptance of what is happening and look inward kindly.
- Savoring Bubble Baths with Epson salt, essential oils or CBD
- Delicious Movies, Warm-Fuzzy Blanket Day
- Flavorful Hot Tea Moments throughout the day
- Support Group or Community
- Beating myself up with a soft feather
- Warmly Welcoming my emotions and all parts of me
- Loving gently and kindly what is
- Easeful Movement (exercise, fear melters, walking, etc.)
- Conscious Breathing
- Massage or massaging myself with fingertips or hands
- Phoning a good friend or being with myself as I would with a good friend
- Allowing myself to Feel Afraid
I invite you to post a resource or anything you’d be willing to share in the comments feed choosing enhancing our community while growing our Human Condition in LOVE.
When we hear “Ground Zero” the mind vividly recalls the world center trade bombing of 1993, but “Ground Zero” began long before 911. The Napa, California Fires; The Puerto Rico and Texas Flooding and major world crisis can all fall under this same category. Learning Gratitude from Ground Zero.
“Ground Zero” in 1946 described atomic attacks in Japan; in 1977 becoming an act of non-violence. Ground Zero is described as the personal point of the most severe damage or destruction. Ground Zero brings us to places where we see how little is in our control
Become Ground Zero in this movement — David Orr
Hmmmm, I wonder why it requires a catastrophic event (the point of the most severe damage or destruction) to generate the surreal stillness that leads to community, love and healing?
In the absence of love and belonging, there is always suffering. Always — Brene Brown
My theory and personal experience is that we won’t escape hardship, disappointment and tragedies. It’s true that “Persistence is resistance”, so there’s no use trying to detour, bypass or avoid these necessary feelings and emotions sometimes judged as inappropriate, wrong or worse sub-human behavior. I’ve found gems through distress. Life’s Journey is not a perpetuating smile cruising alongside joy with uninterrupted happiness and sexual delights.
History does not need to teach us every lesson. Wisdom, Education and Maturation can open up delightful, easeful ways to cultivate, arouse and awaken our conscious listening ears and open mind loosening Ego’s grip prior to the Godsmack or “Surface Zero” We choose how long to stay in the meandering. We can choose succession, flow and adjust course.
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. — haruki murakami
Human civilization is around 6,000 years. I see myself in every human. How long must “we” examine and research before we find our Ground Zero? This surreal, humbling corner that brings up full-on gratitude. Today, (this moment) I invite you to your personal “surface zero” in gratitudes, like indoor plumbing, flooring, appliances, walls, roofs and the almighty health.
The greatest Wealth is Health – Sarchar Leone
I pray for a world full of close community, connection and nuturing love bringing people up in humanizing versus the dehumanizing that strips human qualities’ away (i.e. racism, categorizing or verbal abuse). I believe each of us has our own unique connection to our God (purpose) and we are all shining our heart lights together creating magic in wonderment!
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” – Mark 12:30-31
It is a time to Brave the Wilderness as so eloquently written by Brene Brown. You can find more about her book on her blog
Be kind to one another, everbody has their own struggles, stay humble
Sep 18 17
Sweat the Small Stuff!
I came across an article this morning yet again saying, “Don’t sweat the small stuff” and this just feels like belly fire for me. I feel angst with raised shoulders and anger pouring through the keyboard saying, STOP! CHOOSE to sweat the small stuff especially in relationships (i.e. self, intimate, best friend, co-worker, etc.).
I’m a speaker and survivor of Scleroderma and all those (so called) “little” things piled up on an internal shelf until it broke and auto-immunity became my God smack!
Choosing NOT to speak has a price
The price increases when we aren’t listening… sometimes including your own health!
What previously happened when “something small happened”, internally I could “feel” yet almost immediately chose to overrode the body’s wisdom with this OLD saying “Don’t sweat the small stuff”.
Today, I strongly suggest and choose and address every bit of the small stuff; because in my experience it piles up! There is a way to be angry, sad, happy, despondent or irritated (etc.) with yourself or in relation to others without causing permanent damage to yourself or others by honoring and listening to yourself. The more you love your decisions, the less you need others to love them.
Ask yourself, How Do I forget about me? When Do I forget about me? AND the most important question is what am I willing to create something different instead? I want to share my visionary gifts and learn about your creative intuitive genius.
Check out Rory Sutherland’s Ted Talk and Sweat the Small Stuff
TEDSalon London 2010
Rory Sutherland
Another Great Little Book on Why “The Little Things” needs our attention by Andy Andrews
Are you ready to begin creating a life beyond your imagination?
You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection — Buddha
Jul 24 17
Unplug to Recharge
More living OFFLINE! Increased Reflection and SELF-LOVE
Technology has improved lives in so many ways, however, it continues to lose its shimmer and appeal to me this Summer Season. Do you recall the last time you went to the beach? ocean? camping? lake? or favorite body of nature? When was the last time you prepared and executed an exquisite meal for yourself just to self-love and enjoy the unknown? What about a day trip of hiking or exploring? I’m curious did you tap in to your heart’s experience? How long could you savor the moment before posting to Facebook, Instagram or some other social media. I remember a simpler time when we informed another as to where we were going (and if I didn’t respond by xx then call in the troops or come looking for me).
Sharing my personal experience… For the most part, I find my essence being solo, but you may want to bring that special someone, children or animals, there is no “right” answer, just follow your heart. I generally locate my bliss in the beauty of spending time with myself and definitely OFFLINE. I then occupy the space to focus on my dreams in parallel notably enjoying the process (whatever wants to happen having no expectations, assumption or control agenda) I treasure trove that I have more time and that my mind is less “busy”. In this creative arena I develop into an intensely rooted presence while experiencing a lighter, calmer more balanced version of myself I name essence. Time away repeatedly provides reflection, a place to evaluate my results; where I’m making my “energy deposits” and if it remains a good investment of my energy.
Now, To be transparent, I am by no means a Technology Natzi, on the contrary; I actually love it!!! Without technology, I couldn’t have built my successful business(es) or connect with so many like-minded people. It’s such a gift! However, being a “virtual” gift means we need to create palpable ways to balance. Listening to the physical body is so critical to support this balance and inner wisdom.
My invitation is to investigate what local choices can you schedule (daily or weekly) to take time and savor the beauty of your own backyard. Are you willing to frame time to stop and smell the flowers… plan a long walk… re-connect with nature… turn on some great music… dance… read a book… cook… go for a bike ride… write a song or poem… draw… collage or craft… nap…. what is your heart’s true desire? What do you really want? These baby step will lead you to those answers. Start by establishing an impeccable agreement with yourself of when and how long your willing to unplug and recharge. Where will you make your bliss?
Much Love, Gina
