Let Your Life Bloom

Self-Love Manifesta

What better way to let your life bloom than by making a declaration of self-love? I was recently inspired by Madly In Love with Me to put together a Self-Love Manifesta. Here's mine. Do share yours!

Self-Love Manifesta

 

I love myself.

I eat healthy, nutrient rich foods that nourish my body.

 

I love myself.

I rest when I'm tired, breathe deeply when I feel scared, and believe in my own strength.

 

I love myself.

I move my body with exercise, dance, flexibility, and power.

 

I love myself.

I fill my life with people that love me, creating my own community who are open to possibilities, supportive, and value themselves too.

 

I love myself.

I listen to my heart and its deepest longings - to belong, to contribute, to create, and to love.

 

I love myself.

I appreciate the little things I do to take care of myself, like brushing my teeth and drinking water.

 

I love myself.

I invest in my mind by reading inspirational books, writing down creative ideas, and engaging in solution oriented conversations.

 

I love myself.

I listen, trust, and follow my intuition knowing that it always leads me to the next best learning place in my life.

 

I love myself.

I laugh often, cry unabashedly, and sing out loud no matter how I sound.

 

I love myself because I know by loving myself life becomes more enjoyable and loving others becomes easier.

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The guide for letting your life bloom

A quick guide for exploring Let Your Life Bloom while I'm on a blog hiatus is now available below for your viewing pleasure.

At the start of the year, I decided to write 5 days a week, each day being a different health oriented theme. More about that here. Each theme, in addition to the general categories that I write about - health, intuition, and coaching - gives you a strong foundation of health and clarity. When you have this, you can truly let your life bloom.

Here's the snapshot:

Movin' On Mondays - All about movement and the body.

Tasty Tuesdays - Food, farms, fantasies, and more.

Wisdom Wednesdays - From dreams to nature to animals, tap into the inherent wisdom of life.

Talk to Me Thursdays - All about community, communication, relationships.

Fabulously Fun Fridays - Whatever I wanted to post, which makes it fun for me and you!

Health - Always focused on the holistic side of well-being and healing.

Intuition - Learn to listen & follow it, distinguish it from fear, and let it be the main voice guiding your world.

Coaching - Ask new questions, create the life you love, develop a new relationship with yourself, set goals, and more good stuff. 

Ask Coach Vanessa - Questions ranging from employee to entrepreneur, procrastination, balance and the answers to life's most basic inquiries.

Other ways to up the inspiration and expand the resources in your toolbox:

See why health, intuition, and coaching are key in letting your life bloom.

Let Your Life Bloom teleseries - Free 9 month series with 27 guests chatting about the four keys to letting your life bloom, Energy & Intuition, Holistic Health & Sustainability, Leadership & Legacy, & Integrative Coaching. All set to a different backdrop of health, rotating monthly.

Turning a New Leaf coaching program - Become more clear and effective at achieving whatever goals you set for yourself by creating a strong foundation of health. 1 on 1 coaching currently available, or groups opening again in 2010.

Get Clear energy & intuition classes - Learn the language of energy and become crystal clear when it comes to your intuition.

Sign up for my monthly newsletter with a featured health and wisdom article, a tasty treats food section, and a community corner filled with great finds I come across. Do so in the top right corner of this blog.

Know the 7 basics of health.

The philosophy behind Integrative Wellness Works.

Friend me on Facebook (make sure to send a note).

Read my personal and professional stories.

Become a Facebook fan.

Chat me up on Twitter.

Get princess wisdom.

In the Spotlight.

 Eating habits & cravings.

Going grainless.

Office politics.

Thanks for visiting. Keep in touch and let me know the beautiful ways in which your life is blooming.

Thinking of you

Hello blog world and readers of Let Your Life Bloom,

I hope you're doing well, enjoying the season change, and up to whatever fulfills you.

If you've read any of my posts on intuition, or have attended my Get Clear series, you know that I first and foremost trust my inner guidance. In doing so, it sometimes directs me in different ways than what my ego wants or expects. In learning to go with the flow of my own natural rhythm, it's become clear that for right now, it's time to step back from posting while other seeds are germinating.

Last week was the first time I didn't post 5 days a week since the beginning of this year. I love writing and sharing information and stories with you. Which means I'm looking forward to when it's time to start up again. I may post sporadically, because I just can't help myself! ✿

Thinking about you and looking forward to returning when the time is right...In the meantime, chat me up on Twitter and Facebook. 

Wishing you good things,

Coach Vanessa

Key phrases to heal and restore health

There are certain phrases and quotes that when you hear them, you automatically take a deep breath. You also feel better and more relaxed, like you can finally let go of whatever was making you feel stuck - at least in that moment, if not for good.

Here are a few key phrases that always make me feel better:

"I accept where I am, knowing it's exactly what I need, and where I'm supposed to be."

Acceptance has been a huge learning for me. It still is. See, I like to be happy. To feel such intense appreciation for life that the hair stands up on my arms and I get goosebumps (my truth-o-meter) when I think about the things I'm grateful for. When I get into stuck places, or old stuff comes bubbling up, it is incredibly easy to go into resistance (judgment, fear, you name it). Saying this to myself helps me feel more peace in the moment.

"I am completely, totally responsible for everything I experience."

When I first read a variation of this affirmation somewhere else, boy o boy I really didn't like it. Then, I said it to myself, and my body felt like it melted into a big pile of relaxation. Intellectually, it makes sense. If I take credit for the good juju, why not take a look at how I'm playing a role in the things that I don't like as much. Always liberating, sometimes challenging.

"I love myself. I forgive myself. I set myself free."

This phrase was passed to me from a former coach of mine. It comes from A Course in Miracles. I had to massage this one out for awhile before it became second nature. My first thought was "Of course I love myself." Then I realized, that wasn't always true. Little did my conscious awareness know, I had a long list of grievances against myself, and sure enough, they were tying me up. It takes up a lot of energy and well-being to hold on to stuff. Time to let it go.

"There's a right timing to everything."

Speaking of time, I used to get so caught up (OK, sometimes I still do) in "creating my reality" that I would push, push, push myself to do things even when it didn't feel right. I was so attached to a certain outcome happening...on my watch. I have repeatedly learned and gotten the clear message that things happen if they're meant to, when they're supposed to, and when you're ready for it.

"This or something better."

How often have you taken the path of the worst possible outcome? Fear spins stories that can grip even the most grounded person. Train yourself to say this phrase and not only will your focus shift onto what's (positively) possible, you'll feel better and find it easier to take action toward what you want.

***

And on a humorous note, as I shared the title of this post with my husband, @GreenSmith, he shared his key phrases:

"Chihuahuas are my friend." "I am a potato pancake." He added a "Ping" at the end of each phrase to indicate a magic wand being waved. Then followed with, "Are you adding this to your article?!"

Yes!

What key phrases help you heal and restore health?

Following your natural rhythm

When's the last time you gave yourself the freedom to follow your nose, intuition, and natural rhythm? How often do you complain about not having the time to do what you really want to do? What would your days look like if you had full authority to set it up how it bests works for you?

It can be easy to forget that you have a choice in life. To think that someone else is pulling the strings and directing the show. Yet, we are all given the gift of discerning the most supportive and fulfilling path for ourselves. 

Whenever I meet someone who is struggling with health issues, it's inevitable that our conversation turns to a place of their regrets or wishes. A desire for change and longing to live one's truth. And, without fail, as they made a choice in the direction of their heart - whether small or large - health is restored.

Ever since I volunteered at Mountain Bounty last season, I became much more aware of this whole other world where following the natural rhythm rules the day. It's inherent in us as much as it is in the earth and the seasons. Pay attention to what you're being called to do. Step up to the plate. It's time to take that path.

Remembering who you truly are

We are amazing beings, capable of so much greatness. Is that how you normally think of yourself? Or do you get caught in a loop thinking that your thoughts define you and your behavior is who you are? It's time to reclaim the grandness of ourselves.

That's the theme of the September Let Your Life Bloom™ newsletter (sign up to your right). Here's one of the tips from it:

Take stock
Sometimes we wear our past as war wounds, using it as an excuse for why we do what we do, why we need to avoid or run away, or why we can't do something new. We always have the choice to do it differently. It's time to see our past in a new light. We've been through a lot - in work, relationships, friends, family, money. We've seen a lot of movies, read books, most likely still know the words to the theme songs of TV shows that we watched as a kid rolling around in our heads (I belt out the tune to "The Facts of Life" when I least expect it).

All those experiences - all of them - shaped us into who we are today. There's always something to learn, understand, appreciate, and share about what we've gone through. If you had to lay it out on a timeline with the major influences highlighted, what are the themes? What are different ways of thinking about your experiences? Start to look at the totality of your life, what you've learned and how it's helped you clarify what you value. In doing so, you'll shed a layer, better integrate the past, and find peace with truly remembering who you are.

✿✿✿

I've mentioned before that I'm part of the Threshold Choir. Here's a one minute recording of the song "I am remembering" that we sang a few weeks back. It's a bit choppy at first, fyi (cell phone recording).

Always a powerful read, Marianne Williamson's memorable quote on remembering who we are...

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

How do you "do" meditation?

There's lots of books about meditation - the how to's, health benefits, what to do with the monkey mind, and more. This post is more about how you specifically "do" meditation. There's a concept and workbook that I wholeheartedly support called How you do anything is how you do everything. It's all about the way in which we approach what we're doing. When's the last time you paid attention to how you're being? How are you different when something's happening that you like compared to something you don't?

When we have the courage to look at how we are showing up in relation to life, we start to see our own strength. You begin to understand that you are more than your behavior, habits can be changed, and nothing is "the way it is." Things are the way you are and the lens you are looking at life through.

What does this have to do with meditation?

It is one of the easiest ways to watch how you "do" life because the only backdrop you are resisting against is yourself. There's no one else to blame, no external circumstance to distract. You are just sitting there, either with a soft focused gaze, or with your eyes gently shut, breathing. How is it to be with your thoughts? How easily are you distracted? How is your body responding? What are the stories you're telling yourself as you sit there? Do you react, dialogue with, or just notice those stories? 

No matter how you "do" meditation, the remedy for shifting where you are to where you want to be and finding peace in the moment - in meditation and in life - is to breathe. Follow your breath. When we get scared, resistant, angry, sad, we automatically restrict our breathing. It's a survival strategy and defense mechanism. It's a "get small to be safe" mentality. That worked back in the day when we had to run from animals. Now, it's time for a new way of doing and being in life. Meditation and breathing can bring about the exact transformation you've been longing for.

When you can relax into what's happening, be it your mental process in meditation or a challenging situation in life, you have much more access to your intuition and the ability to take effective action.

Here's what to remember:

1) How am I doing life? Use meditation as your playground to discover the answers.

2) Breathe into the distraction, resistance, and tight spots. Let your breath relax you. Use this in meditation and life.

3) Choose to notice, reflect, acknowledge, and breathe through how you're "doing" it all. Then: Speak your truth. Get clear. Effectively act. Transform.

That's your recipe for the day. Have at it!

The BS radar

Yesterday my mom asked me how I was doing, I responded with "I'm OK." She said, "That doesn't ring true for me." I looked at her blankly. She continued, "That's Marshall Rosenberg's NVC way of saying - I smell BS." She was right. I wasn't being honest with myself, or with her. It was like the calm sea masking a stormy undercurrent.

Ever wonder why it is that we don't tell ourselves the truth? I do. Some act like they don't know what's true for them. I say we always know what's true, our bodies know, as do our friends and family. We know by something feeling "off." It takes courage to bypass the BS, and follow your truth.

I jokingly said to my mom, "What if we had a BS radar above our head that would start flashing every time a lie appeared?" Truth is, we do. It's called our intuition. I see this all the time in the work that I do. It's incredibly handy to know when people aren't being honest with themselves.

I often wonder what our world would look like if we honored and lived our truths. I'm not talking about the in the moment judgments or habitual reactions that we can so easily succumb to. I'm referring to the truth in our hearts. The past few months, I've been catching myself in both little and big lies, and immediately stating "That's not true. Here's what is true for me right now..." It's a practice, for sure. One in which life only become richer and more genuine in the living of it.

Where do you need to tell yourself the truth? About your career? Relationships? Life dreams? Turn the volume up on your BS radar, listen to your heart, and get real. It only gets better from here.

bhmnnnnnnnnnnnnn Ω

Wondering what that means? Well, wisdom comes in many forms, and sometimes it takes a little deciphering to make sense of the signs that come our way. I've found a few fun ways to play with the clues of wisdom, turning life into a treasure hunt instead of a confusing roller coaster. It's a way to break out of the serious mode we get into when "trying to figure out" what's happening in our life. Here's two that I like:

♥ Turn words into acronyms with each letter standing for something important and/or is silly to you. It's especially good with words that have a potentially negative emotional charge. TIME could be Tender Intimate Moments of Ecstasy. FUN could be Fantastic Unlimited Nightgowns. 

♥ Every time someone talks to you, take it as a message from God/Spirit/Universe. It may be the most mundane phrase, but there's beauty in that too. You'll start to look at conversations in a whole new way, and synchronicity will abound (it's always there, you'll just start to notice it more.)

Still wondering about the title of this post? It was my cat running across the keyboard when I wasn't looking. My interpretation? To lighten up! I had the wrinkle brow when thinking about a topic on wisdom for this post. Ah, the circles we spin ourselves in! Now, it's your turn. Pick one of the above and share it here in the comments...

Healthcare reform and food

Healthcare reform has been on my mind for several reasons beyond the obvious political conversations that are happening around it. Coming from a holistic perspective, I can appreciate what the mainstream medical system does offer. It is also clear to me that the system itself, beyond the tangled mess that is otherwise known as "insurance," is also diseased and out of balance.

The current system is based on survival, fear, profit, mismanagment, and lack of the whole picture of what it really takes to be healthy. It's not about "fighting the disease" as if the enemy was our own body. As if we had no choice but to go to battle with ourselves to stake a claim on our health. It's time for a new paradigm. One that integrates the best of conventional and alternative. One that focuses on prevention, thriving, and relationship - with  ourselves, our community, our environment, and our health practitioners. This has a huge impact on health!

Michael Pollan, well known food advocate and more, has written a piece for the New York Times called "Big Food vs. Big Insurance." I've included on the next page. Let's educate ourselves so we can responsibly create health now, and for the future.