The Gift

It's the Holidays.  Again.  Wow.

So, this time of year is all about gifts.  What does a gift represent?

According to Wikipedia:   A gift...is an item given to someone without the expectation of payment. Although gift-giving might involve an expectation of reciprocity, a gift is meant to be free...By extension the term gift can refer to anything that makes the other happier or less sad, especially as a favor, including forgiveness and kindness...

The thought of a Gift also made me immediately think of the amazing song by Annie Lennox, "THE GIFT".  This song just touches me to my soul and in every single cell of my body.  I wanted to include the lyrics for you:

Darling don't you understand
I feel so ill at ease
The room is full of silence and it's getting hard to breathe
Take this guilted cage of pain and set me free
Take this overcoat of shame
It never did belong to me
It never did belong to me

I need to go outside
I need to leave the smoke
'cause I can't go on living in this same sick joke
It seems our lives have taken on a different kind of twist
Now that you have given me the perfect gift
You have given me the gift

For we have fallen from our shelves
To face the truth about ourselves
And we have tumbled from our trees
Tumbled from our trees

And I can almost...
I can almost feel the rain falling
Don't you know it feels so good
So let's go out into the rain again
Just like we said we always would

This year was an entire year of complete Internal Transformation for me (as well as MANY people I know and have been blessed to work with).  It has been brutal, amazing, beautiful, unbelievable, and absolute reflection of all of the work I've done my entire life.  I am thankful for all of the gifts that:  on the surface appeared to make me more sad, made me absolutely joyful, dropped me into myself in beyond profound ways, others gave me (intentionally and just by being in my life) and that I gave myself.  In fact, I have recently given myself a gift that is going to push me bigger and farther than the former me could have EVER even allowed myself to imagine.

What gifts have you received during this year?  What gifts were you hoping for?  What gifts have you given yourself?  What gifts have you NOT given yourself?  What gift can I help you receive for yourself?  What gifts are you not allowing yourself to have, even though they are staring you in the face, begging to give to you?  Why keep them from yourself?  Are you letting fear stop you from your truth and being released from that guilted cage of pain and set free?  Are you holding onto some OLD overcoat of shame that EVERYONE but you knows doesn't at all fit you anymore but you are holding onto it, no matter what?!  Don't hold yourself from your Fabulousness just because you are afraid of getting there.  The other side is so worth the Journey, I promise.  C'mon out, it's Fabulous our here when you just GIVE YOURSELF THAT GIFT that you know will unlock EVERYTHING for YOU!

Much much love and gratitude for every gift I receive for having every one of you touch my life, in ANY way...

Feelings and Gratitude...

SO it's Thanksgiving 2014. 

WOW.  As I sit here and organize my home (which I never have time for!), I'm torn about how I feel about that. 

On the one hand, I am SO thankful for everything that is in my Life and has come into it this year.  I've had:  this year be a big rebuilding after the complete devastation of 2013; a big jump in my growth of living from trust and confidence in myself, the universe and my path; an amazing best girl friend who supports me and believes in me beyond ALL reason and literally more than anyone has in my life; a strong, supportive man who has helped me step into all that I am and into me getting very clear about my message in so many ways, as well as helped me grow my business; 2 wonderful visits home to be with my family whom I adore; the support of a community of very powerful and loving people; finding and joining a new organization that will help me grow personally and my business exponentially; so many people on my team helping me with the things I don't have time for or that my brain just doesn't function to do; my boy dog and I have formed a new bond after my girl dog died; so many awesome people I'm working with in Joint Ventures to create inspiring programming; getting many old mistakes and unneeded and energy sucking drama cleared out of my life; knowing, seeing that it is all coming together and glimpsing how, even if it's not completely in focus and here yet...

On the other hand, I miss my family and have had tremendous heart-break, loss and lessons in my life this year:  I just lost a very dear person in my life and my heart is so tender from this; I have had a manipulative, controlling man trying to control me with everything he has, creating lots of drama in my life just by his energetic presence in it and really hitting me where it hurts the deepest in order to try to damage control the ruining of his "reputation" because I see him for who he truly is and I won't tolerate it; this year has been hard in so many ways and I have learned to be humble so many times; I've had to learn time and time again to live by the Four Agreements; I have had to make difficult decisions financially; finances have been beyond challenging; I've had to put on my big girl panties over and over and just move forward in every way. 

Life moves as you move.   

My message here?  It's ALL valid, my friends. 
REFLECTIONS
The saddest thing of all is sadness, when it is unfelt, neglected, unmet, rejected. Sorrow, without a home, is truly sorrowful to behold.
We get angry at ourselves for feeling anger. We fear fear, its intensity, its immediacy, its imagined power to overwhelm.

It’s confusing to attempt to not feel confusion when confusion is burning in us. The most frustrating thing of all is trying to make frustration disappear immediately, desiring the absence of desire.
Our greatest pain is our resistance to pain, the refusal of the living fact of pain; our unwillingness to stare life in the face, unblinking.
Only a thought would say, “this thought shouldn’t be here”. Only an imagined mind would want to be “free from mind”. Only the ego would want to go beyond ego.
Taste raw life directly, without judgement, or judgement of judgement of judgement. Or, allow all judgement, even judgement of all judgement.
Our experience is always reflective. But the Heart is forever open.
– Jeff Foster

Feel it all.  Be grateful for it all.  Be it all...it is all a part of us, we cannot seperate ourselves from our feelings, any more than we can separate our hearts from our bodies...and why would we want to?

Where in your life so you hold yourself back from growth and change, from getting what you really want, from being all that you can be, from fully stepping into Your BEST you in every way you can be?  I encourage to not.  Live full-out my friends.  I strive to every single day.  Every single minute.  I challenge myself in every second and I am super grateful that I have embraced this.  Live full out.  Why not? 

"I want it to say, 'All used up" on my gravestone."  Larry Winget.

Don't you!? 

Surrender-The Ultimate Feminine

First, I wanted to share the most powerful tool that we have in our lives to bringing in and creating the biggest and best lives possible as well as to really create not only what we desire, but what our soul is longing to create in our lives, for us:

Surrender: to yield power; to return, restore or resign. Yield to a higher power, a higher knowing within yourself.

Give up resistance and get out of your own way.

Relinquish control of your logical mind. Are you limiting yourself to what appears to be logical? Don't let your ego interfere with being open to your intuitive self. Take time to release old belief systems and self-inflicted limitations and welcome new possibilities.

Free yourself by turning loose any worries or fears that may be holding you back. Release them to the Universe.

Give up control. Move away from Judgements or expectations, and limitations will be removed. Don't push too hard. Let go and place faith in Spirit.

Can you accept the fear that comes at the edge of the unknown? Are you prepared to take the risk? New directions are often revealed just when you're most scared and most in need of them.

It is through surrender that you will be provided with a rendering of the splendid adventure ahead.

Second, I just want to draw the parallel of true Surrender in our lives with stepping into The Yin, the Feminine Energetic aspect of us all: the sacred, the Feminine (self and connection with others) loving and appreciating all of you and receiving; holding space for, allowing, softening, setting/honoring boundaries from the space of Love and being Centered and Embodied from this true place of Power. The Feminine is simply the

Energetic of going within, the turning inward while sensing, knowing and being guided from within...the turning inward...

The Sacred Feminine is not only vulnerable, tender, nourishing, cherishing, patient and sweet-hearted, but also ferocious, prophetic and brave. She is not afraid to stand firmly, even fight for, what she wants and believes in, but she also inherently listens to and knows the path of least resistance, that of the “all that is” and can instinctively go with the flow for the greater good. holding space, waiting, soft, centered, grounded, open. Being the fullness and majesty that you truly are, healing the wounds and kinks in your heart so that you can heal others, owning your full space in the world and showing your sisters the way.

Step into All of you. Allow. Create. Listen. Know. Find wonder and fascination. Believe and Live in magic...it’s much more fun...

Ordinary or extraordinary? Your choice.

Life will never ask you to do everything it takes.  Life will always ask u to do everything u r willing to do.-Larry  Winget

The greatest thing u can ever achieve in your life is excellence.  It's easy to be ordinary.  There's lots of ordinary put there; ordinary settles for the comfortable and safe.  It takes willingness, hunger and openness to achieve Extraordinary.  To get to extraordinary and excellence, you have to REALLY want it and you have to have the COMMITMENT to get there, period.

Mastery is about repetition, it's about banging on your craft.  It's about having a goal, a vision, a burning desire and crafting a path and a plan to get there.  Period.  Creativity and innovation are required in creating all of these and Whether its creating a new business, changing your body, changing your life, changing your business or interpersonal relationships...getting ANYTHING you want In your life...it requires commitment, determination, a plan and focus to bring them into reality in this dimension.

Ready, Willing and Able:   The only thing that stands between u and what u want is what u r willing to do.  Dreams do not come true.  Plans come true. -Larry Winget

Everyone says they are ready.  Everyone is absolutely able.  Not everyone is willing.  Do you have the willingness to stay with it and get it done?  Do you have the willingness to do whatever it takes to get where you want to go?  Are you WILLING to do whatever it takes?

Willingness is vulnerability.  Vulnerability is knowing and admitting that you don't know everything.  Vulnerability with willingness, now that can change the world!  Catch there is...all we have direct control of is ourselves.  We change the world changing us...one person at a time...

Just think, if we all commit, If we are all willing, If we all come from the space of total vulnerability and openness...wow.  Think how amazing and AMAZING we would all be.  Think how amazing...beyond amazing the world would be.

It all starts with us...ourselves.  So, I know you are ready.  I know you are able.  Are...you...willing?  Join me in committing all if it for yourself!

Feminine Power in Movement

Feminine Power in Movement

The Feminine, at it's very very simplest essence, is inward energy. The Yin Energy is the piece of us that knows, feels, flows, takes care of us and those closest to us. It is holding space, waiting, soft, centered, grounded, open and being the fullness and majesty that you truly are.

It is healing the wounds and kinks in your heart so that you can heal others, owning your full space in the world and showing your sisters the way.

Feminine power in movement is: moving your body from it's intrinsic core, from your knowing what your body needs, from and for what works for your body and not, from what is honoring you and challenging you and the balance of pushing that edge while respecting yourself (your body, your fears and yourSelf).  It is NOT letting yourself off the hook, not doing, giving or getting your best...in fact, it is the opposite. 

The Sacred Feminine is not only tender, nourishing, cherishing, patient and sweet-hearted, but also ferocious, prophetic, brave and will shout and bang on the table like a wild lioness towards anyone or anything that threatens the emotional, physical and psychological health of people and the world.

Do you move from this true place of honoring yourself and your body when doing your exercise and movement program? Do you come from the place of force and expecting yourself to just be able to do something that you and/or your body just can't yet? Moving from the place of force and unrealistic won't truly change anything...moving from the place of honor and working with and connection just might change EVERYTHING.

Reflection of Your Inner Self

Everything we are experiencing showing up in our physical world is a reflection of what is going on within ourselves. 

I have had 2 profound examples of this in my world over this last week.  The extent that this is true is mind-blowing and how it has shown up in my world, both examples I'm using are very different and both were directly connected to what I had going on in my mental and emotional bodies.

First, I had a situation with a man where I was very much cutting myself off from him and trying to just separate (which was, in actuality, very much my own self-sabotage) and I was completely spinning in my own stuff.  His reaction to me reflected it, I was so caught up in my stuff that I was being hidden.  When I (what felt like physically and) consciously went into myself and shifted what I was feeling and what I was putting out and AT him, his entire demeanor, energetic and actions towards me changed...it was PROFOUND how fast it happened and just how quickly the entire situation changed.  "Oh, there she is, cool."  PROFOUND concrete confirmation for me of just how energy creates and effects energy and how we really and truly create and effect the world around us.

Second, I found myself SEVERELY tucking my pelvis under and what felt like clenching my lower abdominals and transverse abdominus and I could not stop it, no matter how much I told my body to stop it-which I am very adept at doing!  While talking with my gf about it, I started talking to her about this situation with a man that I had been in where I felt very betrayed, attacked and let down, not to mention disappointed in his actions and complete lack of awareness about what he was actually doing.  After talking with her about it, I noticed I had more movement in my pelvis!  Woohoo!  After finally deciding how to handle and what I would do about the situation then informing him of my decision, my hips released even more and the pain that had come up in my sacrum lessened considerably.  Whew!  What a direct confirmation of the mind-emotion-body connection!

Do you have any examples of how you have seen things connect for you?  What have you seen manifest for you that you were focusing on?  How have you noticed the what your think and feel connection in the physical world?  Please share, I'm really curious how this shows up for you!

The Goddess Attracts, Never Pursues

What does this mean to you? 

You know the "Theory of Attraction", yes?  You attract into your life what you want by your intention and your giving space and allowance for it to show up.  It is the opposite of the energy of force and action.  In essence, these are the dynamic interplay of the Feminine and Masculine Energies of life. 

Feminine Power is coming from a space of Love:  receiving, holding space for, allowing, softening,  loving and appreciating all of you, receiving, holding space for, allowing, softening, setting/honoring boundaries from the space of Love and being Centered and Embodied from this true place of Power. 

Masculine Power is coming from a place of Being on a Train Track: complete focus, action, force, not taking no for an answer, setting boundaries from a place of "don't mess with me, I am doing what I want and nothing is going to stop me, so don't even try."

How good is your balance with these two energies in your life?  Do you do everything from force and action?  Do you allow yourSelf to create and to let Life happen and bring the amazingness that you desire/deserve with patience, trust and knowing that God/the Universe/Life (whatever your word for the Divine is) has your back and that the greatest and highest good (notice the similarity to GOD) will always show up, no matter what it looks like at the time, or even when it shows up?  Do you do BOTH, whatever is actually called for from you in each situation? 

There is no right or wrong answer.  You can't screw this up.  Everything happens as it is supposed to happen, no matter what...

SO...staying in your Inner Goddess Self is simply staying with yourSelf.  With your Intuition.  With your Innate Knowing.  One lets it come to her instead of feeling like she has to go out and make it happen.  One stays in...grounded, centered, soft and feminine.  Moving Your Inner Goddess is simply moving with this energetic and connecting it within yourself and your body.  The Goddess attracts, not pursues...

part 3: transverse abdominis

This is the third and last installment of my 3 part series talking about the muscles I focus on teaching people to engage when they first begin working with me and what their physical, energetic and emotional connection is within the body.  Today we talk about the Tranverse Abdominis and it's role.
  
It is the deepest of the abdominal muscles.  That means it is the one closest to your internal organs. It is sometimes referred to as the "corset" muscle.  Its primary role is to provide support to the spine and increase pressure on the abdominal cavity (where the internal organs are) and thoracic cavity (where the lungs are).  The fibers run transversely across the body (hence the muscle's name).  When the transverse abdominis contracts, the linea alba (the center of the abdomen) moves in towards the center of the body as it is pulled towards all of the origins of the muscle.  So when I tell you to pull your belly button into the spine or pull your belly down, it is to encourage activation of the transverse abdominis.  The transverse abdominis is usually the weakest of the four abdominal muscles for many reasons, including back and hip pain, back and hip trauma, pregnancy, stress in one's life, etc.  It is shut down and not firing in MOST people.  However, Activation of your transverse abdominis is what flattens your belly, as well as supports the back and it is key in supporting your back and hips and working with any pain in those areas.

Being the deepest muscle in the center of the body and physically supporting the entire body, (particularly the lower back and hips) as well as being the connection between the lower part of the heart energetic center and the solar plexus (the center for personal power), it is very much a part of self-love, security/self-identity and belief in onesself.  The lower back holds a lot of security issues, stress and tension of all kinds.  The hips hold a lot of rigidity/flexibility issues as well as stress and tension.  The transverse supports both of these and when properly functioning, helps them both stabilize, thus balancing a lot of the: rigidity, flow, adaptability to life and movement, belief in onesself, security in who one is in this world and feeling secure within this world.  All stress comes from one trying to control the world around them instead of accepting what is, being with what is and moving with what is.  Stress comes from trying to make something, very often times everything, into something it is not.

Learning to engage the tranverse take a lot of practice and focus, and many people want to just gloss over it and let the psoas, arms and legs take over in movements instead of truly learning how to use it as it is designed to be.  There is true value in learning how to slow down and allow the body to be, allow yourself to be, and let something happen as it is supposed to happen instead of the forcing and making something work that we are all accustomed to and have come to believe is the only way to make changes...in fact, it very often stops true change from happening.  In order to bring the new, the fluidity and flexibility within one's body and life, one has to accept that learning how to do something different and allow that there might be another way to do something, anything, rather than what one has always done.  Learning how to truly use the transverse abdominis will translate into being more supportive and engaged in all of our movement, all of ourselves and all of our life.

I hope you have enjoyed the exploration of these different sections of the body!  As always, Please let me know all questions, comments and feedback.  Love to u...

---

part 2: Upper back

This is the second in my 3 part Blog Series focusing on the 3 things I start every client learning how to engage and move correctly when they begin with me, no matter how long they have been working out (or NOT working out!) so we begin to build a strong foundation to truly changing their bodies in whatever way they desire.

The first installment was on the Glutes.  This one is on the Upper Back, which I work with through Shoulder Blade Squeezes and teaching people to mobilize the lower part of the upper back, which is generally very shut down due to many reasons.  The muscles in the Upper back are intricately intertwined with the neck, shoulders and mid-back as well, so I have included all of these and their emotional connections:

Neck
The neck is a two-way communicator: You take in life-sustaining food, water, and air through the neck, and at the same time, emotions, feelings, and thoughts are expressed outwardly through your voice. Stiffness here can indicate resistance, usually to other ways of thinking.

Shoulders
This is where you carry the weight of your responsibilities, whether it’s work, family, or mortgage payments. Creative energy flows from here, moving into your arms and hands, where it emerges in what you do in the world. Tense shoulders can also indicate resistance, perhaps to the responsibilities you feel you must maintain, or pressure that’s put on you to perform.

Upper back
This area, the reverse side from the heart, is where you can store repressed anger, resentment, guilt, or shame.

Mid back
Your core allows you to bend and move, representing your ability to be psychologically and emotionally flexible. Stiffness in the mid back can reflect an inner stiffness, holding on to a fear, or inability to go with the flow.

So you see, there are many things that are sitting in our upper backs and everything connected.  I work with all of these areas individually and collectively to help people get Pain Relief, Improve their Posture, Improve their Confidence and Ability to Connect with Others, Change the Way a Person Looks to Other People, Etc.  

We are Absolutely complex beings in any way and ALL of it shows up in our bodies.  Whatever your Body goals are...I can help you...call me!  (303) 525-7058.  Love you! 

The 3 things I focus on teaching people when they start with me

The main 3 things I focus on teaching people to strengthen and engage in their bodies when I start working with them: their glutes, the muscles in the lower part of the upper back and their transverse abdominus. I am writing a 3 part blog series to focus on each of these areas and their role in our bodies and lives. We, as humans, are as far from simple beings as there is. Our bodies, how they function and how everything is interconnected reflects this to an infinite and PROFOUND degree!

Everything in our bodies relates to everything else in our bodies as well as in our energetic bodies! We develop compensations physically due to other things that begin to not connect physically, but in truth, those things happen because of something going on within us emotionally as well. This week I am focusing on the glutes. Next week, it will be the upper back, then the transverse abdominus.

The glutes are the largest and most powerful muscles in our bodies. They hinge and support the entire body in most movements we do. We also hold much of our primal, sexual and creative energy in our hips, which are largely supported by the gross motor movement in the glutes. In most people, REGARDLESS of if you already "workout", the glutes don't fire. They don't support the body from this place of absolute and internal strength. This misfire and disengagement happens for many reasons: sitting much of the time, lower back issues, hip alignment issues (structural or otherwise), trauma to the back and pelvis, inactivity, improper body mechanics due to stress, etc.

So you see, we are complicated in many ways! The movements I do with people are simple, simple, simple, and easy to learn but also take focus and a desire to learn, change and do something differently, which translates to everything in every area of our lives. When we teach you to engage your glutes, we connect you to this huge power source within you, physically and energetically, that you have cut off...for whatever reason and the reason doesn't matter...what you do moving forward does. When you reconnect them, it shifts so much for you! In your body, as in your life, all it takes is a desire to shift, learn, become more powerful and stronger. Have you chosen this for yourself? Have you chosen this in your life? Have you chosen this in your body? I will help you chose it...all you have to do is ask. It's not always easy (what's the old saying, nothing worth having ever is?) and it is so worth it.

Call (303) 525-7058 or email me now, tracy@bodymindalignedfitness.com, to do a consultation with me and chose it for yourself!

Confidence.

Confidence is like a muscle: the more you use it, the stronger it gets!

Confidence. It is a beautiful thing. Many women who come to see me want more of it. I teach them how to get it. Through movement, through encouragement, through them seeing it themselves when they've done something they couldn't do before.  Through them seeing themselves through my eyes and coming to believe.

1.  full trust; belief in the powers, trustworthiness, or reliability of a person or thing: We have every confidence in their ability to succeed.

2.  belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities; self-confidence; self-reliance; assurance

3.  certitude; assurance

 

Vulnerability: being honest with how we feel, who we really are, letting another person and other people completely see us with our fears, what we need and asking for what we need. Ouch. Scary. Completely absolutely terrifying.  

Living wholeheartedly: with the knowledge that we are enough and deserve the best in how we treat ourselves and how others treat us in all ways: body, mind, personal relationships, spiritual life etc. EMBODIED CONFIDENCE. Know that you are enough and YOU are always worth it.  

Confidence. It is Having and Being ALL of this for yourSelf.

Accept and love your biggest Gifts and your biggest Challenges. They make us who we are...BODY, MIND AND SOUL! Embodied Confidence.
 Own it.

 

This is something I have worked on cultivating in myself very diligently for the last few years.  It comes and goes for all of us, it is simply a practice of practicing it, believing it and in many cases, practicing FAKE IT UNTIL YOU MAKE IT!  

There is definitely something to be said for believing beyond rational believing.  There is definitely something to be said for intention and just going for it, no matter what.  There is definitely something to doing your best and accepting nothing less that the best showing up.  

I have also found that a CRUCIAL piece for me in finding and anchoring my confidence and absolute total belief in myself is having other amazing beings saying, "I see you!  You are absolutely amazing!  Be it!" and being there for and with me.

Let me be this for and with you!  You deserve ALL of this for yourself!

 

I offer Confidence and Women's Empowerment/Embodiment coaching with One-on-one fitness and wellness training. I basically work psychosomatically, physically and energetically with each individual person to shift themselves: Body, Mind and Soul!

I specialize in working with people (mainly women) to model, teach and empower them to become and BE more comfortable with their bodies, in their own skin and within their body-mind-spirit from a place that is less than loving themselves to an EPIC place of love & joy at who they are, within themselves & in their bodies.

I do this with 1-on-1 movement work, education about healthy eating choices, Soul Infusion Movement classes, Pilates based core conditioning classes, corrective movement, posture education, playshops, retreats and weekends built around women diving into their core essence & themselves in a very grounded & real, Body-Mind & Spirit integrated way.

Feel free to contact me anytime! tracy@bodymindalignedfitness.com

Vulnerability. Wholeheartedly.

Vulnerability.  I have been told that vulnerability is the key for me to get everything I want...romantically with a man, as well as professionally with the business I am creating.  Ok, Cool, Got it, Simple.  Be vulnerable.  Ummmmmm....what does that mean, anyway?  We bat the term around a lot, but what does vulnerability really mean and how do I be it?

Brene Brown is seen as a foremost authority on vulnerability.

Her take:  "The overwhelming message in our culture today is that an ordinary life is a meaningless life unless you are grabbing a lot of attention and you have lots of Twitter and Facebook fans who know everything you know.  I use the shame-based fear of being ordinary as my definition for narcissism...No matter how happy and fulfilling (a person's) small, quiet life is, they feel it must not mean very much, because it's not the way people are measuring success, which is just terrifying."

"The root of the scarcity issue is fear.  Fear consumes an enormous amount of energy in our lives, and to me it's probably the greatest casualty of the scarcity culture.  We are spending so much time and energy being afraid that we are not fully walking into our power and gifts."  In addition, "Joy is a daring emotion!  We are going to let ourselves stop in a moment that won't last forever, that can be taken away.  We feel almost that you are a schmuck if you let yourself feel too deeply because the bas stuff is going to happen."

She has coined the term "wholeheartedly" for the people who live their life from the feeling of being enough.  How did they arrive at that emotional place?  There are two things they share in common.  The first is a sense of worthiness-they engage in the world, with the world, from a place of worthiness.  Second, they make choices every day in their life, choices that almost feel subversive in our culture.  They are mindful about things like rest and play.  They cultivate creativity, they practice self-compassion.  They have an understanding of the importance of vulnerability and the perception of vulnerability as courage.  They show up in their lives in a very open way that I think scares most of us."

"When I asked people, 'What is vulnerability?', a large percentage of them used the example of "initiating sex with my wife/husband".  Yet, there can be no intimacy-emotional, spiritual, or physical intimacy without vulnerability.  One of the reasons there is such an intimacy deficit today is because we don't know how to be vulnerable.  It's about being honest with how we feel, about our fears,  about what we need, and, asking for what we need.  Vulnerability is a glue that holds intimate relationships together."

To me, that is the gold for me here...being completely honest with how I feel, who I really am and letting another person/other people completely see me, about my fears and what I need, and asking for what I need.  Ouch.  Scary.  Completely absolutely terrifying.

If I do that:  I open myself up to judgement about how I feel (especially if it's not nice, like everyone always wants everyone else to be and feel, real or not), I might have someone I really like and really want to like me NOT like me and that would completely destroy my little heart, I might confess my fears and what I need and be completely judged and rejected and if I ask for what I need and I don't get it, or, even worse, I get told that it's ridiculous, that would be completely devastating!

So, the alternative:  I live my life and do't admit or ask for what I want and what I know is my soul's longing and/or truth because I will be judged by others outside of my life.  Um, yeah.  That doesn't sound like a good idea to me.  I don't admit what I want and express and I don't get what could make me really happy.  Of course, I still might not, but I have NO chance if I'm not vulnerable with it.  I might ask for what I want and not get it, or I just might get it and WAY more than I ever dreamed of or hoped for, in all ways....

My sweet Daddy

My Daddy and Me when I was about 5.  (Funny, if you know me, I still wear my hair like this if it's up in a ponytail!)  I Love my sweet Daddy. 

I'd always been such a Daddy's Girl.  My dad was an absolute softball pitcher RockStar, verging on being semi-pro, and I grew up on the bleachers and yelling "YEAY DADDY!" at the top of my lungs every time he was on the mound.   He was just a cool dude, had a pretty rough upbringing, fought a lot and was a tough and scrappy little guy and I just thought he was the coolest dude who ever lived!

My mother was also the love of his life and when she died and he was suddenly a 36 year old man with 2 children under 10 and a failing business that his employees had ruined while he was caring for her in her last 6 months of life and he had lost the love of his life...he lost it, everything changed.  My awesome, amazing cool Daddy was a very lost soul.  Since then, I had not seen him really fully show up and participate in his life at all.  At all. 

He literally Stayed checked out until December 22, 2012, the day the Mayans said that nothing would ever be the same again.  While sitting talking with my brother and I that day, He shared from a very deep and genuine place within himself what really happened the day my mother died.  He had never shared this with us before, certainly never from this place.  She was very sick, the cancer was everywhere, in her spinal cord, her brain, everywhere...she was throwing up all day.  He was up for about 48 hours straight.  He was holding the pan for her, doing anything she needed, being there and loving her, no matter what, showing up probably more than my father ever had and definitely ever has since.  He went to sleep...he went to sleep for a very short time...and when he woke up, she was gone.  He STILL thinks he could've done something and he stills blames himself.  Irrational, yes.  The heart and Soul aren't rational, especially when it comes to the love of your life.  He showed up the biggest and the most powerful and the most he had ever showed up in his life...and she still died.  So, his pain had him retreat back in, even deeper. 

He still talks to her.  He still apologizes to her for not understanding that all she really wanted was for him to show up and be her best friend.  I also believe that he has spent his whole entire life holding space for her. 

So today, my Daddy lives a sweet, simple life in the country in Texas, taking care of his animals, domestic and not, and he loves it, taking pleasure in the little things in life.  He's had a pretty turbulent and in many ways disappointing for him life so he likes the simplicity and quiet he has now.  Simple, sweet and loving...he has brightened so many lives along the way in his life, people can't help but smile when they are around him.  We talked for almost 2 hours this morning, he genuinely asks and wants to know about what I am doing in my life and in my business now, even thought he doesn't really understand most of it, it doesn't matter, he's super impressed and he Loves me and is extremely proud of me...huge from a man who asked me if I had thought about "getting a job" less that a year ago...then a few months later, got me a necklace telling me to "shoot for the moon, if I miss, I'll only land in the stars."  Thank you Daddy.  I love you sweet Daddy.

R.A.W.

This week has been such a learning, teaching, challenging week for me. I found myself challenging even the very foundation of everything I do, everything I am and everything I think I know.

With all that I have been destroying and uncreating in my life (within myself), I have been asking lots of questions: What else is possible? What if none of anything looks the way I think it looks at all? How can my playshop contribute to herself? What does she want? How can my work contribute to my money flows (rather than me having to work my butt off to contribute to my work)? Why do I keep doing this one habit that continually trips me up and I can never seem to shift it? Lots of dropping in. Lots of questioning.

Feeling ready to just give up, having a very unstable client go off on me with a lot of untruths, feeling hopeless, feeling disappointed in myself for being this late person I've been all of my life and it gets me nowhere and is actually detrimental, looking at relationships and what is real and what is not, feeling completely raw and open to whatever...able to not judge myself with some of it, judging myself with some of it.

It's times like these when I rely so heavily on my support system. I could not do any of this without those amazing people in my life. They believe in me when I don't even believe in me. They tell me I rock and I believe them and find it within myself. They inspire me to keep working on and with the things I want to change. They show me other options and introduce other ideas and possibilities. The make it possible for me to move ahead, in every way.

So I forge on. Being completely human, screwing up a lot, being amazing a lot, doing my best and intending and/or working on changing all of the old stuff that doesn't serve me and actually hurts me. Continually questioning and continuing to ask for what I want to create to replace what I've cleared out of my space. That's all I can do, that's all any of us can do...that's what we are here to do, and hopefully we create more ease and joy within our lives and within other people's lives with just knowing we are all here, doing the best we can and loving each other through all of it...if I have ever disappointed you in any way, I deeply regret it. Please know its not my intention...and please always let me know...we are all here to love and help each other, in every way.

So you REALLY want it? If you did, you would get it and nothing would stop you.

Priorities. 

Is what you are doing, BEING and choosing in your life congruent with what you want (body, mind, spirit)?   If not, then y do it?  Choose different.  So you REALLY want it?  If you did, you would get it and nothing would stop you.  So, I ask you again, do you REALLY want it?

I know so many people who say they want something, from changing their body to changing their life to getting a new sofa.  The SAY they want it, but they use some excuse to not have it.   People say they want to have stronger, leaner and healthier bodies, and they won't get up and productively move their bodies with intention to change them OR make smarter food choices.  Hmmmmm, from what we know about how bodies function, is anything going to change?  People say they are in terrible pain in some way, and they won't actively and passionately seek out how to change it; when they DO find the solution for themselves, they use some excuse, usually time and/or money, to not have it for themselves.  Hmmmmm, does that make any logical sense if you REALLY want to be out of pain?  The same is true for everything in a person's life.  If you want it, truly in your bones want it, you will make it a priority:  energetically align yourself with your focused desire, schedule in the time, find the money, find a way to trade services to get our of pain, do a layaway plan on the sofa, endless possibilities.  It is simply a matter of choosing that you want something and directing your intention and actions towards having it, no questions.

Priorities.  What are you making the most important thing in your life?  What is in your life reflects what your priorities are.   Empower yourself.  Choose what you really want.  Go after it.  Be TRULY TRULY OPEN to how it is going to show up.  Very often times it will not look like you think it is going to look, be open to and OK with that.  One choice lead to the next choice, which leads to the next one and you eventually end up at the end of your yellow brick road of the changed body, the Out-of Pain back, the awesome new car that you didn't think you could EVER afford!  

You get the idea.  It all boils down to choice.  It all boils down to how bad a person REALLY wants something.  I am in NO way shape or form saying it's going to show up tomorrow, I am saying that if you really decide and go after it, really aligning yourself energetically with what it is, not having these old limiting beliefs around WHATEVER you are telling yourself is stopping you.  It's really not, you and what you are making a priority are. 

My Mommy

My mommy.  If you get my newsletter, you saw her picture before reading this.  The resemblance is remarkable.  I look like her, I move like her, I have her mannerisms, I have her fabulousness she wasn't allowed to be. 

Kathryn Elaine Hagan Revell.  She died when I was almost 10.  I don't remember her very clearly.  I remember small things.  I remember us riding bikes around the neighborhood together.  I remember her sorting laundry and letting me help.  I remember that she LOVED Willie Nelson's Red-Headed Stranger (maybe that's why I absolutely adore him) and The soundtrack from "The Star is Born" (it's actually a phenomenal album!).  Everyone, Everyone, Everyone that knew her said she was the sweetest, most tender, loving, soft, faith-full and feminine woman they had ever known.  I was also told that she died because she was too sweet for this world, she didn't understand how people could be like that...I've also always known that she was very unhappy in her marriage and back then, women just didn't leave their marriages, no matter what, especially in Houston, Texas!  I also know that she was big and fabulous (I have added a picture to this blog

of her in a full length red leather coat, who wore a long full length red leather coat in the 70s in Houston?!  Nobody.) and not allowed to be (in any way, shape or form) and that kills a person's spirit, period.  She had breast cancer, evidently a very aggressive form of it, and back in 1979, they had no idea how to treat breast cancer...the Body sickness energetic people say that breast cancer is anger.  She died pretty much 6 months to the day that she went into the hospital.  I do remember that she was paralyzed on half of her body and disfigured and very drugged from the morphine.  I had huge guilt, until around age 16, that I never told her one more time I loved her because she was extremely scary for a small child to see. I told my father that when I was 16, he told me I was wrong, that I had told her I did and I hugged her.  It lifted a weight off of my heart and it makes me happy right now.

I went to a Movement Arts Festival with my 2 shaman practitioner friends Melanie Leithauser and Daniel Donovan (The magical duo.  They do their work together and it is beyond so powerful.  I want that with my man.)  yesterday.  I originally thought it was because I wanted to do a presentation to do my work.  It wasn't.  It was to do a Shamanic Breathwork Journey with them.  Right before we began, the women next to me in circle, whom had recently lost her mother, thanked me for being there because I reminded her of her mother, who was vibrant and full of life and amazing and just who she was, always.  Wow.  What a gift to me.  Then My mother was with me in my journey yesterday.  Melanie and Daniel do their work connected to a "soundtrack" of music and sounds specifically engineered to take everyBody on a journey through the Chakras.  I was totally aware the entire time that no matter which Chakra we were on (and I sensed each one, it was wild), my first chakra wanted to be connected to the earth the entire time.  Rooted, Grounded, Embodied. 

At one point, I had this absolute understanding that I was doing the work that I am doing in this life for myself for her as well.  I've been told this many times, but yesterday, I KNEW it within myself, wasn't told it from outside of me.   "I miss you" came up in me, which my mind always thinks is ridiculous because I never really had her, but my heart and soul know it isn't ridiculous.  I let myself just be in the knowing, the feeling, not going into the pushing it away with the thinking at all.  She's been with me a lot lately.  A lot.  Came to me loud and CLEAR yesterday that everything I am healing in this life is healing for her also.  The irony that today is Mother's Day dawned on me last night.  Energetics of life are interesting sometimes.

I love you Mommy.  I'm grateful I got to tell you that one last time.   I miss you.   Thank you for downloading your sweet sweet Queen heart and soul into me.  It and You have served me well to have that core underneath everything else that has happened in my life along the way.  Thank you.     I miss you.

My Angel Girl Bella

It was a year ago 5/2 when my Angel Girl Soulmate, Love of My Life Bella girl was diagnosed with her tumor reappearing.  I had no idea how I could ever live without my Bella, much less function and have a life.  I literally didn't know who I was without my B.  Literally.  Literally.

I had come home 2 days before and she was limping.  "Oh, Angel, what did you do?"  I thought nothing of it, Bella was often having a little glitch, then she was fine.  She was a f-ing rockstar.  Period. Everyone who knew her knew she was a f-ing rockstar.  (The previous July, she had had a large tumor and much of her chest superficial muscle and skin removed.  5 minutes after being under a general and having major surgery, the 14 and 1/2 year old amazingness in a beautiful blonde dog body was up and walking around, talking to and loving on everybody around, which is just who she was and what she did, period.  The surgeon even told me what a RockStar she was!)  I came home the next day and she could barely put weight on it.  "Oh Angel."  I figured she jumped off of her favorite perch in front of the window and hurt her arm.  Rocco needed to go to the vet too, so I called and made an appointment.  Our doctor looked at her and told me she thought her tumor was back.  "WHAT?!"  She's just limping!!!!!!!!!!  It was incomprehensible.

I called my good friend Dana, who is a beyond dog lover person and who I knew would get it, while I was in the room waiting for our doctor to come back in with Bella.  There was no way.  We had beat it a year before.  How could she possibly have her cancer back?  It wasn't possible.  I called my friend Rich.  I text my brother and my father.  I waited, numb.  Terrified and not believing it.  No absolute way possible I would ever lose my Bella.  It wasn't even an option in my reality.  Not even an option.  Dr. Monika came back in with my Girl, smiling and loving, no idea what we were in for over the next 3 months...either of us.  I listened, absolutely not believing or fathoming what she was telling me.  We would beat this, absolutely no question.  No question.  There was nothing Bella and I couldn't do.  Nothing.  I called my bestie Sabra on the way home.  Just to tell her, not that I might lose her, just to tell her.  Sabra always grounds me...I just wanted to tell her....

So I went into motion.  Life moves as you move and I am really good at moving.  We did a healing with my friend Tamlyn.  Tamlyn fell in love with her.  She told me that Bella wanted me to see and know how amazing I am and that I was and would continue to be with or without her.  It was time for me to own it and to be it, without her.  Bella was her amazing, cute, sweet self throughout the meeting.  The magical thing was, I got her to sit on my lap for probably 45 minutes.  Bella NEVER sat on my lap for that long-there were things to do and people to love around, why would I sit here?!  But she did, and every time Tam would hit on something Bella really wanted me to hear, she would close her mouth and look right at Tam, in the eyes, silently telling her thank you for communicating with me.  Seriously magical.

Next we did a healing with an animal energy healer.  We went to my vet to find out about Chemo.  We got a second opinion.  I knew I didn't want to give her chemo, no way I wanted this happy, amazing being sick.  No way I would do that to her and she didn't want it either.  We went to another vet who offered an alternative chemo he had had great results with and dogs not getting sick with.  I tried it.  It made her sick.  We got off.  I tried an alternative vet.  We did an amazing, beautiful, sweet and forever memorable photo shoot with the Incomparable Tamara Murphy-Webb.  Tamara fell in love with her.  We did a reading with an animal communicator.  My favorite things from that reading, "she wants it to be you and her, just as it was before she was diagnosed with this."  "she loves that no matter what, it was you and her, no matter who was in your life, what was going on, etc. it was always made clear it was me and her, period, no matter what." "why do humans think because we leave out bodies we are gone?  we are never gone."  she said our commitment to eachother and our agreements were too strong, that she would never leave me.  Ever.  and my ABSOLUTE favorite comment..."my human is amazing and she doesn't even know how amazing she is.  she does all of these amazing things for all of these people and she is amazing and she has no idea how amazing she is."  That was so my B. 

True to our life together, out last 3 months were quite the ride.  When she had the tumor removed, it was a wake up call for me...I took her with me everywhere I could for the last year of her life.  For the last 3 months, ALL I did was Bella 24/7.  She was absolutely my life.  Period.  During that time, I absolutely learned the true balance of Surrender and Mama Bear.  I accepted that she might leave me but I'd be damned if I wasn't going to fight for and protect her out of love with every bone and cell in my body and all of my soul.  I talked to her all of the time.  I asked her not to make me make the decision.  I told her how much I loved her.  I thanked her.  She died 8/4.  Her kidneys failed.  She orchestrated her last day so that she got to stay home with me, love on me all day and have me love on her all day long, creating what she wanted in her life and protecting me up until her last breath.  I was communicating with 2 psychic friends (ultimate gratitude Alexis and Pam) all day long and she told both of them she was fine all day, up until she died (orchestrating for me to go back to the store a SECOND time and she died while I was gone because she knew I could not handle watching her leave her body), then she talked to one of them...telling me to sit with her, to get out of my hysteria and sit with her, hold her, love her, one last time...so I did.  I held my B in my grandmother's homemade antique quilt.  I kissed her sweet spot between her eyes, right on her forehead.  I kissed her paws, which I loved to do.  I kissed her cheek.  I looked at her, not fathoming that I would never see her again.  I held her.  I felt her.  I loved her.  No words to explain how thankful I am for that time.

My wonderful friend Joel came and took me to the vet at 11pm on a Sunday night.  He had to take her from me to give the vet tech.  I literally couldn't let her go.  He literally had to take her from me.  I just sat there.  I can still feel it.  I just sat there.  We went home.  I called my BF Christiane on the east coast, she was sound asleep and she answered because she just knew.  I text my dad and my brother.  I tried to sleep.

I woke up and I started on my life after Bella, an absolute lost and numb wreck of a human being.  So I put one foot in front of the other.  I woke up every day and I moved.  I lived.  I leaned on all of the awesome people who love me in my life.  I started in on an entirely new direction in my life in so many ways.  Eventually, in around 6 months, I stopped crying every time I saw her picture or talked about her.  I got stronger.  I created an entirely new business and life path for myself.  I kept having all of these people love and support me and tell me how amazing I am, to just BE it, to know it, own it and live it without hesitation.  I had no idea what that looked or felt like for me...I eventually grew into it absolutely and I am grateful.  Beyond grateful.

So, my body of work, Embodied Confidence, grew out of this experience and out of my entire life with this amazing, beautiful, blonde, me in a dog body, loving and if you cross her you will know it, being.  You see, every time someone would tell me to just live and be amazing, all I did for a very long time was see her in my mind's eye and feel her in my heart.  To grow into the amazing, confident and integrated woman I have grown into...I had to have this amazing being show me the way...and give me the best example and the greatest, perfect life lesson to know what amazing is.  Bella, this is for you.  Thank you for giving me this ultimate greatest gift.  Mama loves you.  Mama Loves you more than Life itself.  Do you love your Mama?  Oh yes...I know you do.  Thank you Angel.  Eternally grateful for you.

Spring: In every Tradition in the world...Rebirth and Transformation

My church message from Joel Osteen this morning, "The only way to tap into the powers of resurrection within you is to believe. There is a power within you that is unstoppable. Don't go thru life intimidated when you are so powerful."

Today is Easter.  Easter...the day that Christ rose from the dead.  He rolled the stone away from the entrance of the tomb where they had laid his lifeless body and he was resurrected from the dead.  In the Spring, nature resurrects herself and rises from the dead.  People come out from out hunkering down for the winter feeling and want to thrive, live and be outside in the beautiful sun!  

It is also the time we shake away the relative darkness of winter and step into the light of Spring: Inspired, hopeful, planning a fun and amazing year!  

I just spent the weekend at an experiential event called "Adventures in Transformation".  This weekend was huge for me in so many ways.  It was huge for all of us who attended in so many ways, and we believe the work we did there ripples out and effects the world, period, because everything and everyone in the world is connected, whether we like it, believe it or not.  It is a scienticifally proven fact that we are all in this system together and energy never gets destroyed, it simply gets recycled.  We all left inspired, with new hope, new possibilities birthed within us...resurrected and reborn from the constricted and hopeless space we had been functioning from and born again into a big and loving space within us.

My presentation there was very much a rebirth:  of me, from me, for me and for my work in this world.  As many of you know,  I was heavily involved with Nia form many, many, many years.  While I still love her very, very much and I have great respect for my background...this weekend physically marked me stepping into my own body of work, "Embodied Confidence" that is a reflection of everything I have done, learned, gone through and been in my life.  It has been many years and lots of blood, sweat and tears coming to be birthed into this world.

I have many offerings that will fit for many different people within EC.  I hope that you will be inspired and moving to move out into your own light and join me sometime!  

Embodied Confidence™

It is impossible to change or heal your body and life simply working in the Emotional, Psychological or Energetic realms.  
It is impossible to change or heal your body and life simply by moving and/or beating up your body in the Physical realm.

How we relate to the Body and Mind is how we relate to life itself.  The degree to which we can touch pain with mercy as well as embrace joy completely...that is the degree to which we can go beyond the old and enter into life wholeHEARTEDLY...We have to work with ALL of us to change and heal!

----Movement is the way of moving who you be out into the world.  You take the energy you discover within and use Movement to bring it into the greater space around you like a ripple manifestation.  When you discover your Personal Power, it effects Everything and Everyone around you.
----Everything that is up for us in our lives (mind, heart, spirit...), Shows up in our bodies.  We develop injuries, compensations, have accidents and weaknesses, etc. that reflect what is going on in our chakra and energetic system.  Our bodies are simply and eloquently our vehicles for how we show up, experience and do our lives, period

Accept and love your biggest Gifts and your biggest Challenges. They make us who we are...BODY, MIND AND SOUL! Embodied Confidence.
 Own it.

The Internal See-Saw Balance of our GIfts and Challenges

The aim in life is to share our gifts, learn from our challenges and to do this as consciously as possible. Your purpose is unique to you, because it is shaped by:

Your soul's qualities
Your personality characteristics
Your life situation

There are no 'hard and fast' explanations for physical imbalances and certainly no one meaning that applies to all people. It is ultimately up to you as an individual to discover how the mind-body connection applies to your unique experience.
With a desire to heal, everyone will be guided on their own path to healing one way or another.

Gifts and challenges
Your greatest gift is also your greatest challenge, because you have come here to master it.  Every gift has to be mastered, like a wild animal that needs to be tamed.
Your gifts and challenges are like a see-saw that needs to be balanced and find its center. Finding this balance means that you understand your gift, what it feels like to use it well and what it feels like to misuse it. Once you find this balance you allow your gifts to flow freely, and you create a positive impact on the world around you.  (journal on gifts, challenges)

Since we are here to share our gifts and learn from our challenges, becoming closer and more familiar with your soul's gifts and challenges starts to give you a very clear sense of purpose and direction.

Soul...
The soul is ultimately responsible for giving the body its life force. In subtle ways, it guides and directs our behavior and actions in the physical form. When the soul chooses to leave the physical body, the body perishes. The soul is driven by wisdom, love and universal service.

Mind...
The next level is the mind, the interactive mechanism between the body and soul. The mind registers and filters emotion (the language of the soul) and registers nerve impulses generated by the body. The degree of communication between the body and mind, and soul and mind depends on your ability to work with your mind to have her work for you and connect them all. When the mind is functioning as intended, it is self-aware, focused and quiet as required. So the mind has two choices: to block out sensation or to listen to it. If the mind is smart, it listens.

Body...
And finally, the body, our outer shell, is a product of both the mind and soul and how it is cared for on a daily basis. The body's magic formula for survival - sleep, diet, environment and exercise - can be used to prolong life or shorten it. You can learn and apply ways to sustain and energize your body - it's your choice.


Just starting, just choosing you, just choosing creating more for yourself is the first step in anything, and gaining confidence in your body is no different!  Dealing with the mental, emotional and spiritual pieces that invariably come up for all of us is the key and the hard work that EveryBody has to deal with when we make the choice for us.

Embodied Confidence: Personal Power Through Movement!

I have created an Amazing, Powerful body of work called Embodied Confidence:  Personal Power Through Movement.  It is the culmination of everything that has happened in my life...my journey, my learning, my Greatest Gift and my Greatest Challenge...and she has been gifted to me in a very powerful way and I am passionate about sharing everything I have learned, incorporated...Embodied...

I have just completed the task of putting it into so many words, whew!  Let me know what you think, how this makes you feel, what questions/comments/feedback you have!  I welcome any and all:

It is impossible to change or heal your body and life simply working in the Emotional, Psychological or Energetic realms.  
It is impossible to change or heal your body and life simply by moving and/or beating up your body in the Physical realm.

How we relate to the Body and Mind is how we relate to life itself.  The degree to which we can touch pain with mercy as well as embrace joy completely...that is the degree to which we can go beyond the old and enter into life wholeHEARTEDLY...We have to work with ALL of us to change and heal!

----Movement is the way of moving who you be out into the world.  You take the energy you discover within and use Movement to bring it into the greater space around you like a ripple manifestation.  When you discover your Personal Power, it effects Everything and Everyone around you.
----Everything that is up for us in our lives (mind, heart, spirit...), Shows up in our bodies.  We develop injuries, compensations, have accidents and weaknesses, etc. that reflect what is going on in our chakra and energetic system.  Our bodies are simply and eloquently our vehicles for how we show up, experience and do our lives, period

Accept and love your biggest Gifts and your biggest Challenges. They make us who we are...BODY, MIND AND SOUL! Embodied Confidence.
 Own it.

The letting go and cleaning up in order to move forward

Whew, what a day!  I'm finally sitting down after a day full of taking down Christmas for 4-5 hours, vacuuming up ALL of the pine needles (which still smelled SO good), running to the store, making myself food for dinner tonight and some for this week, cleaning up the kitchen and unloading the dishwasher.  Whew!  All of that little bitty stuff that takes so long!

I kept my Christmas decorations up for as long as I possibly could without annoying myself because I LOVE Christmas.  The entire holiday season, from before Thanksgiving until New Year's day just makes me happy.  I love the Hope and the Energy of the Season.  I love getting little things for all of my clients and people in my life whom I love.   I love all of the lights up in town squares and downtowns.  I love all of the colors everywhere.  I love the decorations up in my home, stores, everywhere...

So, I prolonged it as long as I could, but now, onward into 2014, which will be a completely different year for me, for many of us, for so many reasons and thank goodness!  2013 was beyond brutal for me in so many ways.

So, I am sitting down to work on the first pieces that I am creating and unrolling in what I am coming to think of as my own body of work, "Embodied Confidence (TM)".  I have a couple of one day playshops (with very different focuses) that will be happening in February (Intro to Embodied Confidence) and May (Moving Your Inner Goddess:  Love your Body.  Love yourSelf.  Love your Life.).  I have a 5 week series starting in March (Moving Your Inner Goddess:  Feel Strong.  Be Strong.  Live Your Strength) that is focused on empowering women to get themselves and their bodies moving in Many different ways.  We will be exploring within a safe and nurturing group environment to start the create the knowing within themselves that they, and their bodies, CAN do it!  Then I will be doing a 2 day retreat tying everything together this summer!  How amazing is that?

I'm also going to be working with a large fortune 500 company and a couple of office complexes to create fitness programs for employees.  I'm incredibly excited about it!

SO, I had to let go of Christmas to move into this year and I am SO happy to be moving into this year.  What about you?  What are you excited about this year?  What magic are you creating in your life?