Beautiful Faces. Magical Places.

I am eager for the lists that make their way out on sleepy Friday mornings. Today I am a Om Time Tea in bed, sipped while steaming hot, watching my husband do the morning routine, feeling so much compassion for all that I do and grateful for the man by my side kind of mama. (We should all have more kindness and compassion for ourselves, shouldn't we?)

These are my pay-it-forward lists.

Leaning into my, "I am just love-ness" this poem affirms for me what I know. Thank you once again Karen.

Jennifer reminds us that there is always more to the story, Amen.

The Gratitude Tarot from Teresa, pure joy.

My girl Carmel, always posts the best songs on FB!

Loving this series from Jamie, and Julie's post took my breath away.

My newest book on the side of my bed.

Drinking this tea to help soothe and heal my bladder.

A very special project I'm working on starting with this magenta notebook. Just need to actually put something in it now!

How will you celebrate the powerful full moon tomorrow night?

As our body cries out...

...we may choose to ignore or fight: Or surrender to the truth we hear when we silent our struggle and listen.

They say it takes a woman up to 4 years to be correctly diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis. This is my story of how it took 14.

I wake up one night in my Seattle home and feel a bit odd, a strong sensation to pee mixed with pressure. I run to the bathroom and after releasing I still need to go, but nothing is there. Pressure continues and after a urine test shows no infection I take home some homeopathy and try to manage the pain.

It is the summer of 1998 and Patrick and I are in the middle of planning our wedding. I make a decision that goes against my heart. I am working a job I both love and dread in the pit of my belly. We are uniting two families who do things very differently, causing friction for both of us. The wedding is taking place in Maine in October. The pain spreads into my lower back. I go to the bathroom a few times an hour.

We rush off to the clinic, Bastyr, where once again, I simply have no infection. I have to pee in a cup each time and it takes forever due to the pain and feeling of urgency mixed with nothing coming out. I tell my sweet doctor who is a student of natural medicine and healing about the decision I made and the wedding. She scolds me sweetly for not telling her sooner, a new homeopathic remedy and a promise that I will speak from my heart -- out the door I go once again.

Within hours the pain starts to subside. I still have extreme pain during sex, I am covered in psoriasis all over my face.

I am diagnosed with Candidiasis (a systemic yeast overgrowth in my body) and I follow the Candida diet to the letter. I feel amazing and whole. I marry my love in October in Maine, holding hands and dreaming of what shall come next in our lives.

In 2000 my first miscarriage leads to a D&C, my body will not release the pregnancy, so after what had been about 6-7 weeks, I agree to the surgery. I cannot pee after. Nothing will come out but I have to go and my bladder is filling. To be released from the hospital I must pee so I sit in the bathroom and squeeze as hard as I can, finally something comes out, I can go home.

I sit on the toilet at home long into the night crying because I still can't release my bladder. I can feel it spasm and in pain. I am so full I feel like I might explode. I turn out the light, sitting only with a candle. I eat catnip. I relax. Finally, I pee.

Living no longer near the clinic that treats with homeopathy and kindness I am thrown into a medical world. Each time my bladder flares up and doesn't show on the urine test as infected, I am sent home with antibiotics (hello systemic yeast overgrowth) because I must have an infection, I show all the signs of it. Being in so much pain I take them, praying that it will help.

Years pass, three children are born. Time floats along and it is 2011.

I feel nauseous one evening as I go to sleep, a bit light headed. I wake up to the most incredible pains, making labor feel easy (which it wasn't). Patrick takes me to the emergency room where I am put through a cat scan. I show no infection on a urine test. Through my pain I try to explain to the doctor on duty that my bladder infections never show up, that I have flare ups when I'm stressed or sad, that my body reacts to the way my mind is processing, that I...

Patrick holds my hand. He watches the blank face of the doctor who could care less about my stress. He wishes he could take the pain away for me. He doesn't realize he is doing more to heal me by being next to me, loving me, than any emergency room can do.

In my doctor's office the next day, the closest place I have found to a compassionate doctor who listens to me, she tells me that I have a large kidney stone and I do not have UTIs. I have what is called Irritable Bladder, it is brought on by stress or caffeine and if I can stay away from caffeine and manage my stress I can keep it calm. Finally, some answers. I don't think much more of it, but am careful to monitor my caffeine.

In the 14th year, since the first flare up, I have now learned the pattern. I feel nauseous, diarrhea, pressure when I pee, urine cloudy and sometimes lightly bloody, light headed, back pain, chills and waking to pee up to 6 times a night. I know when I've eaten too many foods that cause yeast overgrowth or am in a stressful place, not processing my feelings, that I will need to spend some time resting and flushing my bladder with water and my heart with love.

Another flare up sets in, now 14 years later, though even as a child I remember being the one who always had to stop to pee. I am processing old pain, and feeling ashamed of my body. When it is particularly bad my bladder spasms and I leak urine, yep, pee my pants. I can avoid caffeine, but stress! Ha! I. Am. Trying. We hold pain memory from traumatic times, it can flare up just as the bladder symptoms can.

A friend on FB says, I think you have Interstitial Cystitis. I Google it. Irritable bladder = Interstitial Cystitis. I read everything I can. Holy Shit. 14 years later I understand, as much as I can what is going on. While it is unknown what causes it and there are very few treatments, I finally know I am not alone. I am not broken. This is an auto immune/mind and body connection diagnosis all in one. I am not broken.

I surrender to the truth that this is not something that I can just fix. This is part of my truth. Revealing that my body is not in perfect working order is about as vulnerable as walking down the street naked to me. (Especially the pee in my pants part.)

When I surrendered to the truth that this is part of my whole self, I started to gather the support around me that will make it possible to heal. This too, a lesson I am given from the Universe over and over. Giving is my abundance, but without learning to receive that abundance will never manifest fully.

I will heal from this, because I am no longer fighting against it. I will heal from this because it is not an excuse or a weakness, it is part of my truth. I will heal from this because I see a time when the pain is gone and my bladder is strong and calmed. Waves on the beach. Strong yet soft. Lulling in their sound which is at the heart of our Universe.

I will heal.

I have surrendered to the truth.

I am listening.

Surrender is a vulnerable place to step into. It is the only place where we can see fully the beauty of our lives and the potential of greatness and joy that we are born to be.

I'm surrendering and inviting you with me.

 

 

Beautiful Faces. Magical Places.

I am eager for the lists that make their way out on sleepy Friday mornings. Today I am a red clover tea followed by an egg scramble with turkey sausage and avocado (only sausage and larabars for the kids), crayons and a big box for kids to draw in and a barefoot leap down the block to get the dog who escaped kind of mama.

These are my pay-it-forward lists.

My favorite post by Andrea so far, this has been on my mind a lot.

As I move towards writing with a bit more vulnerability (yikes) Meg reminds me why we must.

Look at how beautifully presented this is, I love a great idea coming to life.

I'll be there!

Lauren filled her shop with such beauty, have a peek.

I always said I wanted to live on a farm, but maybe I just like looking at pictures, we'll see!

Mmmm-Hmmm from Kristin.

If you are local (RI or close) this is a not to be missed event.

Loving my new mascara, worth the trip to the mall and over-stimulation that is Sephora!

What has touched your heart, made you laugh or tear up this week? Any fabulous finds to share? Love to hear all about them, leave a comment down below.

I hear...

...an echo of surrender in all of my groups right now.

My stories of surrender are many. Most recently I have been finding myself in a transformation, the work I do shifting, begging for more clarity and, oh, have I pushed against this change. It can feel fierce and scary. Even when we love what we are doing there can be a push against. That is the thing about surrender, we don't just melt into it, it is a process we learn to flow through.

Clarity is scary for me. I have been in the process of surrendering to the transformation I find myself in and as I accept this I feel clarity presenting itself. I find support around me.

Every time I watch my three year old throw a tantrum I know that a moment will come when he surrenders, when his tears dry and he takes those deep breaths that mean he is coming out of the fight. I watch him, without words as his body becomes lighter and he feels the truth of where he is. Then the moment of change comes, he laughs or asks a question. He gets up and moves around. Acceptance and change.

Surrender.

Let's journey there together and explore this process of surrender into change. I'm so excited to announce Making Space for Surrender, a group program for women who desire support and inspiration around making joyful changes in their lives.

Please join us in this beautiful and gentle program, a gift to yourself, a blessing to your life.

 

 

Giving is Abundant - Life Changing - Powerful

My connection to this project is that as soon as I saw the video and felt Erin Giles' passion I was overwhelmed with complete awe and sadness and hope. Tanya introduced me to End Sex Trafficking Day and I donated and have been tweeting, but I couldn't stop feeling as though I could do more.

I am asking all of the beautiful community that is around me to take 5 minutes today and change your life through giving. It is how we claim our own abundance, sharing, giving and loving those we have never seen.

Today with a donation of $5 or $10 or $15 or $50 you can change lives. This is powerful stuff and our community being part of that is another way into our own gorgeous living.

Donate today, come back and leave your email in the comments and I'll send you a coupon code to receive my 10 Day Green Up Ebook  FREE as a thank you. There are over 20 delicious recipes, simple and quick to make -- your favorite foods transformed along with some health coaching guidance from me. Take it at your own pace, enjoy it.

Please, 5 minutes, change lives. We are the reason this world will become whole and beautiful. Not someone else. Us. Now.

This project is fueled with faith and love and I know that you all will understand that as creating joy.

Click here to donate.

Beautiful Faces. Magical Places.

I am eager for the lists that make their way out on sleepy Friday mornings. Today I am a teeny-tiny mug of watered down coffee with coconut milk (yes, missing my decaf quite much) followed by making breakfast smoothies that most did not drink, squeezing in a tiny bit of work, walking the dog, and going to buy a hose so we can water our herbs kind of mama.

These are my pay-it-forward lists. 

Chloe's tomato soup was included in Jodi's Tomato Thursday. Seriously, how cute is Tomato Thursday.

You can feel the energy and release from Jo Anna as she lets good go.

From Ruth, who I adore. So loving this momentum she is creating in her life.

Can't live without this stuff, and I just ran out. Yikes. Thank goodness they are having a sale! (P.S. I'll be doing a giveaway from Vapour next month during Beauty Week!)

Michelle's detox starts this Sunday, focus on new mamas.

You should like this Facebook Page, Daniel is an amazing spirit.

I've been busy, busy with kids home from vacation this week. I can only imagine how much more loveliness is floating around the inter-webs! Link to your favorite post this week in the comments.

With blessings for a gorgeous weekend!

 

Simplicity of Ritual - Mama's Tea

When tea becomes ritual, it takes its place at the heart of our ability to see greatness in small things.

~ Muriel Barbery

Each night I have a ritual of lighting candles just before it gets dark. I place them around the house, one near the lego playing and one in a window sill, a couple near the Buddha head.

This ritual is a signal for our family that we are settling down, that crazy jumping around time is over, meals are served and cleaned up.

On the nights I forget I feel unsettled and the kids soak up my energy. We all feel rushed and as though our rhythm has no gentle transitions. When I fall out of the rhythm I know my path back in. I clean the kitchen, top to bottom. I make a pot of broth and a beautiful soup. I set the table with a little flower and a pitcher of cold water. Then I light my candles.

I sit with Lucas as he falls asleep snuggled under his 'cozy' and head resting on his favorite bird pillow. After he drifts off I fill the electric kettle with cold water and wait for it to click, signalling it is time to pour over my tea bag. Usually I have red raspberry leaf or nettle. Every now and then I indulge in a decaf black tea with honey and milk.

This tea, this ritual, signals to my body that my work of mama has come to rest for the night and I may now go snuggle up with Patrick and share some bits of our days or watch one of our favorite shows together.

This ritual of my nightly tea is like closing the curtains to the day. A deep exhale that stillness has come. I must remind myself to hold it and sip it hot, being present to now.

Explore ritual as transition. Where are your transitions rough and leaving you feeling a bit lost or frazzled? Is there one simple gesture that you can choose to create rhythm inside of your transitions?

(From The April Joy Up)

Beautiful Faces. Magical Places.

I am eager for the lists that make their way out on sleepy Friday mornings. Today I am a mug of decaf black tea followed by making one breakfast of tea and toast, a one egg omelet with cheese and a two egg scramble with capers, packing 2 lunches, loosing my temper at all the fighting from said kids whose breakfasts were made to order, coming home for chicken soup and wishing to crawl back into bed kind of mama.

These are my pay-it-forward lists. And I'm pretty sure as I hit publish it is now the afternoon.

Bernardo. You should know him. Start by watching this.

Amanda is amazing and I vote for her every day.

Wild Sister is all about beauty this month. I wrote about my mirrors and my belly.

I was blessed to be a part of the Luminary Profiles. I just read Aarona's. Loving her.

How blessed am I that Lucas gets to play on these logs once a week!

I have always wanted to read this, so I added it to Patrick's Kindle and am spending a few minutes each day simply reading.

I just ordered 10 of these. Hoping that these are going to be my new go-to for the kids. I have big hopes.

I need to do a whole post on feathers. #obessing

Superstar Guest Post - Please welcome the voice of Lisa

Please welcome Lisa Consiglio-Ryan to Mama Space today. Lisa is one of my Mamacoach superstar clients and I wanted to show her off a bit to you all! Lisa has been working with us for the last 6 months to develop her voice and her business from her heart center. This is who she is, what she loves. Please welcome the voice of Lisa...

Self-love is probably the number one way of boosting your mood and honoring the relationship with yourself.

I know that I get so busy, taking care of the kids, the house and running my own business, I sometimes forget about me. Little ole’ me needs some lovin’ too.

To find love, you must first find it in yourself. Then the whole Universe will mirror it back.

There are tons of ways to love yourself up. You can get a massage, go shopping, read a book, take a short trip, hike in nature or just soak in the tub with a glass of wine.

These all sound amazing, but let’s talk about another way to show your body some love. Practice self-love with food. And not just any food.

Dark leafy greens. (And you thought I would suggest chocolate!)

Spinach, kale, Swiss chard, collards…

These leafy greens will boost your mood, keep emotions steady and ultimately heal you and the world around you. As you eat more and more green goodness, your body will start to go through a transformation. Your cells will begin to change, breathing in the oxygen from all those leafy greens, feeding your blood.

While this is happening, over time, you will notice that your behavior, thoughts and emotions will change. As you pump your body with these whole foods, REAL foods, the more REAL you feel. You start to feel more compassionate towards others, but best of all, you will be compassionate towards yourself.

It all starts with you. Once you treat your body as a temple, a sacred home, your thoughts and actions will shift. This shift will lead to healing and will foster self-love.

The fastest, easiest way to feed your blood with greens is by juicing. By juicing, you are getting all the vital nutrients and minerals into your bloodstream within minutes. Keeping emotions level, your thoughts pure and practicing self-love in the most basic way.

The first step is healing you. As you start to change, your family and friends, see this change and often times mirror you. Others around you take on your gentle demeanor; your kindness and love. This ripple effect can happen. I promise you.

Start with feeding your gorgeous body liquid nutrition.

It changes your cells, and your being which is a gentle way to connect to your body, soul, and to others. Self-love in this form is life-changing.

*Try this juice to boost mood, level out emotions, and to cleanse blood. This juice will have a gorgeous green hue.

Juice = Love

1 handful of spinach

1 handful of parsley

1 celery stalk

1 pear

½ lime

Run through a juicer, put in a pretty glass, and drink up.

***

Lisa Consiglio Ryan is the founder of Whole Health Designs, juicy clean living advocate, Bikram yoga newbie, and mama of two. She provides detox programs for women who desire to embrace clean living. Lisa is also developing her own line of raw juices.

Join Lisa for her popular Spring Renewal 10 Day Detox. Enjoy this gentle food-based cleanse and guidance on taking care of your gorgeous body.

Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Twitter.

Beautiful Faces. Magical Places.

My vision board with my copy of "Soulfooting" by Pixie over it. Seems fitting, yes?

I am eager for the lists that make their way out on sleepy Friday mornings. Today I am a mug of decaf green tea followed by a raw chocolate smoothie followed by an hour of work, packing 4 people plus my juicer up to go to NY for the weekend, painting my toenails, driving all on my own to NY for the weekend with the kids kind of mama.

These are my pay-it-forward lists.

This will be my adventure trip in June, cannot wait to see the complete beauty of what Lori has created.

Patiently waiting to read this book of the heart.

I am a huge fan of boredom, my kids may roll their eyes, but it always brings us to special.

Turning 38 this year myself, this was extra special to read.

I love freaking cool ideas that become businesses, like this one.

Where I am soft gray, Teresa is a rainbow. This was a beautiful tribute.

Just look at that picture, the joy and celebration. From nursing and pregnancy books of my past into this, soon. Wow.

Tanya introduced me to this. Please watch the video, feel Erin's passion. We make a difference.

Funny thing, my three year old loves to smell mys arm pits, I happen to use the salt crystal.

Huge crush on Anthony Robbins, I like to call him TR, you know.

I am completely blown away by the Joy Up Tribe and the beautiful work they are doing. Feeling blessed and excited to know the next step of where the joy up will be going...oh yes! I'll share soon.

I am planning a small group program all about surrender and letting-go, details will go out first to my list and then to everyone.

Have the most deliciously beautiful weekend.

P.S. I did get the iphone, just for instagram. Oh full moon worshipping. Let yourself dream a little tonight and feel the energy. Howling optional.

What does mommy do anyway?

I found this on my desktop sticky note. Clearly someone is paying attention to what is going on in this beautiful business I am creating. (I've already hired her to work for me in 5 years!)

Once there was a woman. She had a online buisness. But,she saw that she could not type anymore. She was not happy.

She went to Mr.Typen. She asked for help. Mr.Typen agreed to help. He told her to sing the ABCs. So,she did. It did not help.

She then went to Mrs.Hula. She asked for her to help. So,Mrs.Hula told her to say la la la. She did. It did not help.

So,she went to Mrs.Marcotti,her last hope. Mrs.Marcotti told her to take a deep breath and calm down. Then, she told her to do some soulwork with her.

After about 3 months, Mrs.Marcotti did a joy up. The woman(Miss.Suzy) joined. She learned alot. So, Mrs.Suzy did a really good buisness. The buisness was artsy stuff.   THE END

by Chloe Marcotti

In my truth

"When a woman tells the truth she is creating the possibility of more truth around her."        ~ Adrienne Rich

This I believe with all my heart.

My truth:: Being a positive light in the world does not exclude our darkness, our struggles or our sadness.

"Moonlight is sculpture."  ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

You can be a force of positivity while sharing moments of sadness, doubt and fears. Perhaps, we are all the more that light shining when we share the truth of ourselves which includes that delicate and ever shifting balance, our gratitudes, joys, fears, chaos, overwhelm, passions and desires. I know that this is my truth. I share it so that I may have the possibility of more truth around me.

"Your path is illuminated by the light
Yet darkness lets the stars shine bright." ~J.L.W. Brooks

Shine in all of who you are, not just a piece and that is positively joyful when those truths are a shared truth becoming a lesson we may all be graced with. Yes this. Grace from all of our truth. Not all of our details or privacy, all of our truth, which is darkness and light. It is child's pose and jumping for joy.

Resonate. Glide. Stretch.

Sparkle.

Bow. Kneel. Whisper. Bask. Glow.

Shadow. Shine.

Meld.

Scatter. Curve. Dare.

Change the world around you with your positive truth and remember that the stars must have the darkness for us to see their light. Change comes after the work, once the sweat has evaporated and we feel the chill from a body now lowering its internal temperature. Truth is beautiful work.

This I believe.

"We compare our insides to others' outsides." ~ Anne Lamott

I want you to know my truth, more than the outside, but the inside so that you see how we are connected. So you know that you are enough, because we are all so much alike. I can't give you my stars without showing you the night sky.

Beautiful Faces. Magical Places.

I am eager for the lists that make their way out on sleepy Friday mornings. Today I am a mug of decaf green tea followed by a raw chocolate smoothie followed by making breakfasts, lunches, driving kids to school, walking dog, coming home and having breakfast with my littlest and then both of us getting some screen time to chill out kind of mama.

These are my pay-it-forward lists.

I've been hearing the name Ronna whispered all over the interwebs and then I listened in to a Sunday Service and was hooked. And this, well, just start with the title.

Movement, beautiful food, joy, peace, nurture, beauty, purpose, intention, quiet, love:: here.

Falling out of rhythm at home, I always go back to simplicity, and always his words.

I need the next one I'm to fall in love with to sort of fall out of the sky.

Ritual makes me so happy, this is my kind of birthday, thank you for the beauty Lisa.

Just Tanya.

How adorable is this?

Bedazzle me, my new favorite earrings.

Lucas now insists we bring instruments in the car and without fail he has been playing the harmonica and the kids have been humming tunes along. Loving this. Promise it can get you out of a funk.

I'll be at the Joy Circle tonight, sorry we are filled up, but we'll do it again, and the circle will be traveling, stay tuned for a bit of how we are making that one happen. Mama wants to pack her bags and heels!

And The Joy Up starts tomorrow, you with us? I was just looking through the first week and I can't wait to start talking about it with our tribe.

When it gets tough...

...it can often help to look through the lens. Find the sprinkles of joy::

  • From 30 degrees to 80 degrees to 40 degrees, it can be a bit of a shock, but-oh-how grateful for those early blossoms.
  • The popcorn dance, reason to make more popcorn for dinner! Please follow instructions.
  • Discovering snuggles in any variation in a tiny little house.
  • Lilac buds from the first little bush I planted in our backyard, I love to welcome them. Hope.
  • Anticipation for sitting, standing, jumping, sharing, listening inside of this circle is making me smile and feel the butterflies. Butterflies + Amazing Woman + Joy =Magic. Yes, it is full. Yes, we'll do it again and it will be going on the road, soon. 
  • Windows that will never be clean again now that we have window markers. OK, no, they were never clean before. I have boys.
  • You never know what little note you'll find on her door. Last time it was a warning that no one who entered could lecture her. Apparently things are softening.
  • Raw chocolate pudding and watercolors are my assistant's (3 year old Lucas) and my favorite combo. Want a recipe, I promise I'll measure next time.
  • Collard wrap lunches, rocking my world. Yesterday was cucumber, olive, tomato, cashew cheese, pesto and today was cashew cheese, olive, marinated mushrooms, broccoli, tomato, honey lemon dressing, macadamia nuts and parsley. Holy Wow!!! I have this little thing if you desire some more green in your world. Collard wrap tutorial included.
  • The picture that looks like one thing and yet with explanation becomes a world beyond my imagination. Love. 

The Joy Up starts on Saturday. I hope you'll join us.

Friday We Join Together in the Circle

A quick reminder to those that have signed up to get ready for Friday night together in the circle. I am so excited to stand, sit, move, laugh, learn, listen, share and be inspired by all of you.

For those of you who live a bit too far away the circle will be traveling. Stay tuned for details of that fun and...if you haven't yet, sign ups for The Joy Up continue for 5 more days and then we begin!

Friday, March 30th at Om Kids Yoga Center
7:00 (arrive at 7 we start at 7:15) -9:15pm
$20 - leave a comment below letting me know you are coming and call the studio to reserve a circle spot (space is limited)! 401.305.3667

The Joy UP comes to life! The joy circle is a place for women to come together with the intention of making space in their lives for more joy. We will talk about story, soulwork, ritual and stillness. This is for women who are ready to empower their lives through their thoughts and choices.

Can two hours of your time increase the amount of joy in your life? Come find out.

Read more...

Beautiful Faces. Magical Places.

I am eager for the lists that make their way out on sleepy Friday mornings. Today I am a mug of decaf green tea followed by a kombucha green juice followed by making breakfasts, lunches, driving kids to school, coming home and having breakfast with my littlest (today we have my middle one home too) and then both of us all of us getting some screen time to chill out kind of mama.

These are my pay-it-forward lists.

We love chopsticks. They slow you down, make a huge mess of noodles on the table as the kids slurp and they are just so freaking pretty in a jar or mug. The kids use these and I use these (apparently sold out at the moment).

While I'm not ready, yet, to shave my head, women are freeing themselves from the notion that their hair is their beauty. Ozma has some serious superpowers of bravery and grace.

"When you explore you get more imagination then you already have." This video picks me up when I am down, it reminds me that each moment is divine joy, a gift, no matter what I am feeling or learning or expanding into.

Faith, Intuition and Nutrition, this is the power trio. As we start to learn how to explore these in our own worlds magic will start to happen. Thank you Heather.

Abundance is not the amount of money in your bank or pocket, it is your feelings, your thoughts, your practice of being in the now joyfully. This was a lovely look at how courage plays a deep role in abundance.

I am certain this TED Talk will make all Friday lists because this woman is a beautiful story teller/researcher.

I acknowledge that my whole life I will be in a relationship with my belly. I used to think if it was flat, that suddenly my life would shift radically. What I've learned is that when I stopped fighting so hard I could find love in the most unlikely of places. Melissa takes on this emotional subject, of developing our hara.

Spring Tribe has arrived, Alicia wrote on her dream list for 2012 to be included in the tribe. I swoon over manifesting.

Honored to be visiting::

Nicole Burley

The Joy UP starts in one week. Have you joined us?

Echo of Surrender

Surrender: To give yourself up to a new emotion or course or influence.

This is where we can make space for allowing, releasing and simply being in our now.

 

Surrender to the scratches all over the car, written in stick by the three year old with wild curly hair.

Surrender to the broken branches of the baby willow tree, a puppy and his teeth must chew.

Surrender to the popcorn lunch, it truly makes them happy. Joyfully happy as they munch and run around in the sun.

Surrender to the headache, hear its pulsing message --the deep desire the body has for its nurture always appears.

Surrender to the avoidance that pulls you back, back, back and do something that holds beginning and end. Repeat.

Surrender to the overwhelm, thank it with a full heart and listen to your spirit's song.

Surrender to the echo, let it wash over as the letting-go begins and begins and begins.

====================

In all of my groups right now there is the echo of surrender. For some it is fearful for others a release and feeling of being in their flow. I've been thinking about this as the discussions continue with such honesty and grace. I would like to go deeper, to explore surrender, allowing, letting-go, truth and the grace that will deepen our lives.

I am planning an affordable group program where we will gather around this topic. It will be in part group calls and an email forum. Here is what I would like to know from you...

Where in your world is there an echo of surrender and what feelings does it leave you with?

 

 

Beautiful faces. Magical places.

I am eager for the lists that make their way out on sleepy Friday mornings. I am a mug of decaf followed by lemon water followed by making breakfasts, lunches, driving kids to school, coming home and having breakfast with my littlest and then both of us getting some screen time to chill out kind of mama.

Learning of new faces and places that make up this magically inspiring online world is part of my Friday joy. I thought I would pay it forward so I kept a list of all my favorite reading from the week, some new, some older as I dig through archives.

I am a big believer in shared vulnerability. It is changing the world as women collectively raise their voices in this way. Susannah is asking you to:: Always wear your invisible crown.

Karen often brings me to tears just when I really need to be brought there. She shares how:: His work will never end.

Every now and then I read something and think, damn. That. When it is so good it makes my body sigh. Jamie's words, just yes and perfection and thank you! I will know this:: Only we can be in our hearts, knowing that next point of growth and the courage it takes to step into it.

This week was a tough one for me, I was crabby, moody, teary, resistant, bothered, blah. Ever grateful for Michelle. Over and over I often need to be reminded:: Be more like you.

Story connects us. We are brought together in circle's of women through words strung together with the moments from our lives. Britta has a story and together:: we are walking the same path.

She is making a bag a day because she wants to be great at what she does, like a prolific writer who commits to 5,000 words a day. This woman has passion. Chelsea is someone who believes so deeply that she is enough:: The Utopian Collection.

Leo sums up how my world of business works. I love my beautiful chaos. Not sure I could plan if I wanted to:: let go.

A conversation in our minds and our circles. Comparing, feeling less than. We need to talk about this more, I am promising right now that I will. Pixie is a treasure, and this is sacred truth:: No one can touch what happens in our dreams, in our journeys, our active imaginations, and meditations.

Rachel's favorite color is this mustardy yellow. Mine is gray, golden brown a close second, preferably with a feather somewhere. Women go through cycles of feelings, emotions, and I know after my week of low and quiet and tears that soon I too will wake up feeling:: Joyful for no reason.

All things beautiful:: add more to your world, in whatever ways feel good, with color or shape or texture.

Honored to be visiting with my words or theirs::

Gentle Living

Annmarie Gianni

Nourishing Our Radiance

Persephone Brown

Ivy Plum

Sign Up for the April Joy UP, Connecting to Our Spirits of Joy, is happening now. Pay what feels good - and I mean that (you do not have to justify or apologize) because this program is made to be available to everyone, regardless of money in the bank. Will you join us?

The Energy of Us, Choice

I just told Chloe, who is distraught that her brother pushed her out of the way to grab a bug, to come from a place of love in her heart and not anger. She sort of made a face at me and then did just that. She got the next bug, no problem. The sun was out, garden play, lots of bugs. Yep.

I have not been writing easily the last few weeks and when someone asked me a question today, I knew that I would be able to write my answer. The reason is that I love to explore topics from a place of love and present them to you that way.

The question: What are my feelings about barter in businesses, mine or otherwise?

My very simple answer is that right away you know if it feels right. If it does, barter with all of your heart, love each other up. If it does not, simply a 'no thank you' is usually enough. We get to say yes or no, intuition or policy, yours to decide. Barter is much larger than a trade in my eyes, it is an energy exchange just like the receiving and giving of money is.

Now want the longer answer? Read on friends.

I grew up in a world of bartering, Wisconsin, where my mother was asked to assist as a midwife at a home birth. This was not the norm in the early 70's. Without knowing specifics, I do know that she was paid in quilts and bread and jam and a whole lot of gratitude. Bartering is a beautiful word to me, it means community, it means love, it means sharing what we have. Often it happens without the word barter ever being mentioned.

I also believe in abundance, in being paid what we are worth, in women pricing things in a way that values their work and the enormous energy they are crafting into their businesses, their art. I know that the first time I was paid a dollar amount that I was afraid to even think, let alone create a pay now button for, my feelings of abundance tripled. The abundance was already there, but I finally understood the honor of another woman trusting me enough to guide her life and business by paying a large amount of money. Scary, but a sacred beautiful feeling. I also felt abundance when over 200 women joined me in the first Joy UP and paid what felt right to them. Some paid nothing, others were generous to the point of tears in my eyes. It changed my life.

I am a stay at home, well, I guess a work a whole lot at home mama to three gorgeous, sassy, busy little bodies of joy. I started my business with less than 100 people knowing anything about what I was creating and no one paying me anything. I have in three years built a platform where I teach change and joy and complete adoration for heart centered marketing and foster community while helping provide monetarily for my family and myself, buying groceries and gas and recently, new brakes for my van. This is a blessing.

One of the reasons that I was able to bring my business to this place of growing abundance (and this is simply the beginning point) is through the love of others. My focus was around building community, being steeped in connections that would hug my business and my life. I don't see a separation between my work and my life. I am what you get, the yummy and yucky bits, all of me.

I reached out in all sorts of ways to other women doing work of their heart, mostly through pure affection for who they were and what they were doing in the world. I offered my courses for free to people when no one signed up. I still offer my courses for free to about 5 people each time I run one. The barter is an energy exchange, just like it is with money. Sometimes the energy exchange becomes a barter of product as a thank you, mostly I know that the more women who are experiencing my programs the further they go out into the world, and being able to gift them enhances my joy. I am able to connect with women who I admire and support and in return they go out of their way to share their experiences with their tribes.

Here is a secret. Many of the businesses you think are making a ton of money, are not. They are simply in the very early stages of their understanding of abundance, and often are budgeting their groceries just as you may be.

These women and I, who have built inspiring connections through our online lives, have gifted each other with our services or products, not out of desperation but out of a joyful wanting to do so.

Remember my short answer, if it doesn't feel good, no thank you. Send a blessing.

Michelle and I often will suggest to our clients just starting out that they reach out to mom bloggers and offer a free spot in their program. This is an implied barter, I gift you with this program because if you adore it and me, you'll help spread the word, help me promote. Community building, not sleezy, pure loving intentions to continue the journey into abundance. I've had clients just starting out barter for babysitting, editing, meals, you name it. This allowed their businesses to flourish. This, just as with money is an energy exchange. Energy, this is all of us, all of our world. Currency pays the bills and helps bring us to freedom, but so does some babysitting or promotion from a big name blogger who adores you. Energy. We get to choose.

There is a barter happening each time someone sends an ebook or course for review. Please accept this book in exchange for some kind words that will help me promote it. You may not think of it as such, but it is. I prefer the words energy exchange, you can call it what you like. We choose our currency, words, promotion, connection, money, inspiration...

I choose to do work in a way that allows me to offer free spots or do some bartering with women I adore who have heart centered businesses. I run a popular pay what feels good program and I have e-courses that can hold hundreds of women. I also do work where I exchange my energy for money only, as in my private coaching.

One more secret. Not everyone is where we are on the journey into understanding abundance. Many of the women who join my pay what feels good program do not have any idea yet of how to feel abundant. Knowing abundance is not part of their experience. I love uniting with women in this place, I love being a teacher on their journey, one reason I do this work. Again, my choice, I love to be able to do work in this way. If it stops feeling good, I'll change it.

Most often I am asked if people can make payments, rather than pay all at once. I love that they ask, rather than just not joining. Same goes with barter, when we are motivated, we explore our options. I once asked to trade raw cheesecake, as in me making it, in exchange for a seat at a conference. I did not make cheesecake but ended up winning a free ticket to the conference. Motivation. Trust. Coming from a place of love in your heart.

These women who say, "I'm sorry I wish I could pay more" often do pay more later on, often for private coaching once they see how a shift in coaching changes their lives. I love this transformation.

As I wrote this today a package arrived in the mail. In it was something I had ordered from a beautiful mama artist. She included other treats for me as a thank you for the pay what feels good program. The package smelled of lavender and the connection we are making is pure loving energy. 

I am led strongly by my intuition as I run my business. I am led by intuition when I coach my beautiful tribes of women. I am led by intuition when I start a new project, the one that is tingling inside and wants to burst forth.

These words I share now are not to imply that I am doing my work of the heart the way you should.

Quite the opposite. They are to say that we all have an intuition of how and why. It is a glimpse of my world. Wisconsin born. Energy lovin'. The things that don't feel right to us can be discovered from a place of love, a simple no thank you and then send our blessings knowing that we are all approaching our lives from where we are, from what feels good or hopeful or deliciously simple and beautiful.

Come from a place of love in your heart, in your business and tap into the intuitive person you are. Your passionate heart centered work guides you, so you know when to say no thank, or I would love to connect that way with you. Thank you.

And always send that blessing.