Pursue Your Aspirations............

"It is about you living with a sense of greater freedom to express your voice and pursue your aspirations!"  ~ Author Tara Mohr 

The above sentence jumped off the page while reading Playing Big: Find Your Voice, Your Mission, Your Message. I felt an immediate connection and empowerment!

There is a cautiousness, that comes along with expressing yourself! It is in the letting go of the notion that others need to approve, understand or accept, that allows for a sense of true freedom to ring. For me, if my choices come from a place which includes, consideration and compassion towards others, I will be on the right path for me.

I share the sentence with you Dear Readers, in the hopes that you too find freedom to express yourself and pursue your aspirations. And remember, it is the questioning, discovering and trying new paths, that we truly grow and find our voice and aspirations! It doesn't happen overnight, it doesn't happen easily and it certainly doesn't always look pretty....but what IT DOES, is come from a genuine place within..... and following your heart is the best place to start.

Stronger for doing so  ~ Happier for doing so ~

Found....

Yesterday at 6:18 AM I found myself and thought I should reveal my location since I haven't been posting lately.

Being out of sorts, due to "Life coming at me", at what feels like rapid fire, I have felt overwhelmed....functioning certainly, but feeling lost just the same. Flipping through a book I randomly picked up off my bookshelf, I found a folded photocopy of a book page, tucked between the pages....just waiting to be discovered!

The first two paragraphs provided me insight and comfort as I interpreted the words in front of me. I share them now, with certainty that others can relate and perhaps find comfort in them too.

"You may know about riptides or rip currents. These are strong currents (1 to 5 miles per hour) near the shore and near the surface of the water. Rip currents pull you out to sea. People do not usually drown from rip currents, if they do not try to fight it by swimming directly toward shore. If you do try to fight it, you will tire because a rip current is much stronger than you are. Once you are exhausted you sink (you are not pulled) under the water...End of story.

So if fighting a rip current is not the smart thing to do, what is? Lifeguards would tell you to relax when a rip current catches you because you can keep yourself afloat easily - you dog paddle for a while, you do the backstroke for a while, you tread water for a while - and you wait. A rip current does not pull you under, it only pulls you out for a bit. So you are safe as long as you float. Soon the current will die out and you are free to swim to shore."

So at the moment Dear Readers I will enjoy floating along, as I heal this body and mind for a few more weeks. And quite honestly....it is the being out to sea in rocky waters that reminds me how amazing things are back on shore and so glad that is the direction I am going in. 

~ Be kind to yourself ~ the current will pass & on solid ground you will be!

Spring Has Arrived..

Spring has made it's way back to New England. Not just on the calendar, but in real life! Timing didn't match up this year at all! It was a long and testing winter, filled with LOTS of snow and frigid temperatures for longer than any of us were amused by.

Along with it came trying times to stay positive and see the good. I am the first to admit that it is not always easy to stay in a Connect With Your Life frame of mind....but I do believe there are many advantages in doing so and I continue to make it a priority each day.

A very important component is to be aware of the simple beauty around us. These welcoming Crocus' a couple of weeks ago were my lifeline that Spring was finally making it's way to me. 

Taking the time to slow down and see them was just the gentle reminder I needed. A quiet 5 minute walk around the front yard did just the trick to center my scattered thoughts, recharge my tired mind and resume the glass to half full.

By being connected and taking  a bit of time, we are prepared to face the obstacles and responsibilities that often drain and zap our positive energy. 

So Dear Readers take a few moments each and every day to notice the beauty and Blessings around you. They have been placed before you for encouragement and motivation to take a breath, be in the moment and Connect With Your Life!

Peace,
Maria

    One of my beliefs, ok maybe a handful of my beliefs, but they work in unison: 

Give others the benefit of the doubt

Be gentle with judgement towards others

 Choose your words carefully

 

and here comes the clincher that pulls it all together...

Treat YOURSELF with these same redeeming qualities!

Make The Time.................

There is something I frequently hear when presenting my Connect With Your Life talks,
"I feel guilty taking time for me" and the other obstacle I hear "I have too much to do to fit one more thing in, especially if it's for me". I get that, I was there once too. Now I think hogwash!...You've Got This!

My experience has been taking time to recharge my cell phone is essential if I want it to function properly. See where I'm going with this...It is ALSO essential to recharge ourselves if we want to function properly.

Make heartfelt time for yourself Dear Readers! Feel a flicker of Joy fill your heart while taking time for you and also as you think about creating time again tomorrow. I'm talking start small, even 10 minutes makes a difference ~ a journey starts with a step and gets easier with each one.

Here are a few things I have on my S.O.S list (Something Of Substance)

Talk on the phone with a girlfriend! No work, no stress, no medical complaints allowed. Just some fun lighthearted conversation filled with laughter that recharges us both!

Relax with a journal/ notebook. Write random thoughts, feelings, wishes and 5 things I am thankful for. This winter on the east coast there was a whole lot of wishing for warmer weather and less snow. I let my writing take me to summer " Must Do For Fun" ideas which included planting a veggie garden and going to outdoor concerts!

Play like I did as a little girl. Color ~ Slinky ~ Jacks ~ Pick Up Sticks ~ Paper Dolls. I went to the store a few years ago and bought a bagful of treats from my childhood. Oh and an Etch~A Sketch. Buying these things made me smile, taking them out brings on a smile and just seeing them when I open the closet makes me smile. It is a reminder that I took time to do some whimsical shopping that mattered to me. No guilt there!

Dance! Find a song that makes you want to move and just do it! The silly awkward feeling will pass, endorphins will kick in and you will be on your way to a happy place....if even for just a bit.

So go ahead, make your own S. O. S list and get started. Let what ever is holding you back go...and feel the sweet reward when you take time for YOU!

Peaceful Reserve.......

Greetings! Thanks for stopping by for tips and respite from the hectic and often stressful feelings we all experience on a day to day basis. 

Starting to become mindful of the "pile up" that can cloud and distract you from feeling connected, is a step towards easing, what I call "static in my mind".

In order to Connect With Your Life it is important to take a break and take a breath. 

There is importance/benefits in taking even just a few minutes periodically, to exhale, acknowledge what you greatly value and believe THERE IS a place of calm within you. 

I use a great App on my phone called "Take A Break ~ Guided Mediation". It's free at the App Store. It provides 5-10 minutes of a soothing voice to break the momentum of the hectic sometimes hamster wheel thoughts, while redirecting and creating a calming feeling in just a few minutes, allowing me to get me back on track.

Our goal is to store up a reserve of calm and peace, available to draw from when we need it. I have found this practice of recognizing, resting a moment and then redirecting, works well for me.

Give it a try! Find what works for you and create a peaceful reserve to draw from. It's worth figuring out!

Please also visit my original blog More Than Mom Thoughts for additional inspiration!

Batten the Hatch.......

Yikes! It has been longer than I would have liked since my last post. My world has been tossed a bit, and as a result, my schedule and routine are all askew.

Here's what I would like to share today. When Life comes at you fast and stress is at a level that takes away your breath, know that .....You Will Be OK! 

The importance of staying connected in your life and knowing how to manage your own stress, plays a major role in stabilizing the rapid fire, rushing thoughts, that are all so often crushing.

Put into practice your own relaxing techniques BEFORE the inner storm hits. That way you can put them into action as soon as you need them.

Here is my go to:

Listen to relaxing nature sounds/ instrumental or meditative music to sooth and distract

Close your eyes to block out light and visual distractions

Relax and rotate shoulders to release tension and get blood flowing (helps with brain fog...or is that just me who gets that???)

Focus breath for five: Smell the roses & blow out the candles!  Heard that from a Mom to her upset  daughter, it was so very tender.


Whatever works for you, should be at the ready. Take it from me Dear Readers, I live it  first hand.......you will find peace in the practice as well as peace in the panic.  You've got this!!