Sisterhood Rocks…The Female Friendships Rule

20431237_10212243918727296_1571402650913900000_nThe power of female friendships (with the right gals) rocks.

We cry together when we are sad and dying deep in emotional pain.

We cry when seeing the pain on each other’s faces feeling it in our body like it’s our own.

We cry when we talk about the suffering and injustice of the world because we are compassionate, loving beings who believe in the value of humanity, peace and righteousness.

We laugh at one another’s sudden dumb moments (because we know we are smart 99% of the time).

We laugh at ourselves when being insane and ridiculous (we get crazy sometimes but that’s allowed every once in a while).

We laugh at each other’ jokes because we are hilarious (especially the inappropriate jokes for society’s standard for being women but who the hell cares… they are funny).

We laugh at asshole, idiot men (of course we do… because men can be asshole idiots. Not sorry guys).

We hug each other in praises of encouragement and give high-fives when we rock it.

We hug each other when a loving touch is needed to mend a broken heart and when we just…need a hug.

We give advice even when it’s not wanted because we want what’s best for our friends.

We ask for advice because we trust each other’s judgement and know we are smart, wise and honest.

We love each other kid’s like they are our own because we are family. The sisterhood friendships go deep in our blood and veins extending to our real blood family.

We almost went to jail that one, crazy night. If we keep it up…we still might…

The Sex and the City girls don’t hold a candle to who we are and our friendship. Hell, we are martial arts who kick, punch, fight, throw, arm bar and choke. Sorry Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte but we are the bad asses.

You listened to me for hours on end ranting, raving, whining, complaining, etc. Then again on the next day, the next week and so on. Ever since high school you never once you told me to shut up giving me what I needed…a trusted ear.

When I was down on my luck deep into emotional hole, a financial hole…hell I was one big, gaping hole, you treated to dinner making me feel special, loved and important.

If I am wearing an outfit I love but makes me look a stuffed Raggedy Ann doll busting at the seams, you tell me truth and to change clothes. Immediately. Now that’s true love.

You believe in me when I don’t. You tell me not to quit when I want to give up. You tell me the truth on how to improve, be better and to thrive.

You got my back, helping me stand straight and tall to move forward with confidence and grace.

You make me feel beautiful when I feel ugly and when my teeth don’t look right. You make me feel like I have a kick ass body even when I’m bloated looking like I’m six months pregnant.

You never judge, condemn or yell at me. But will tell me the hard-cold truth to save me from my mass destruction.

We stand together locking arms holding each other up to be strong, powerful and connected. We make each other feel safe to be who we truly are and to feel beautiful, sexy, hot, smart and fucking awesome.

And I love you all for that.

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15 Ways To Develop Intuition

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“Intuition is seeing with the soul.”
Dean Koontz

I love developing my intuition. I love it because it helps us communicate to one another at a deep and profound level. It creates a strong connection to our highest selves while opening the channels to hear and feel the Divine. Everyone is born intuitive because we are souls living in a physical body having a human experience. Intuition is the language of the soul and because we are souls, we all have intuition.

But what if you feel disconnected to your intuition? Or maybe you’ve been working on your intuition but want to develop it further. Or you’re in the beginning stages on your intuitive journey and don’t know where to start.

If you want to develop and grow your intuition, you need to practice by using it. It’s like a muscle. To make it grow stronger, you must train and exercise it every day. With consistent daily use of your intuition, you’ll understand how it works and how it works for you. You’ll see how it’s been working all this time but never realized it until you became conscious of it.

Here’s a list of 15 ways to develop your intuition. You don’t have to do all of them. Pick the ones you resonate with the most and ones to challenge you.

  1. Before you check your email in the morning, see if you know how many are in your inbox.
  2. See if you know who’s calling or texting you before you check to see who it is.
  3. Meditate daily. Five minutes minimum.
  4. Before meeting with a friend, try to “see” what color clothes they are wearing.
  5. When standing at an elevator, feel which doors will open first. Or if you are at the grocery store, feel which line is the fastest.
  6. Before going to work, try to feel what emotions your boss is having.
  7. Ask God a question. Grab a pen and paper. Write. Feel the answers coming from the top of your head through your hands on to the paper. Don’t edit. Just write. Allow the words and the answers to flow through you.
  8. Practice acting on your intuitive feelings and nudges you receive versus what your intellect tells you. The more you listen and act on your intuition, the stronger it gets and the more you trust.
  9. When choosing what to eat at a new restaurant, feel what meal is right for you. Order it and nothing else.
  10. Use your imagination to visualize your heart’s desire as already achieved. Be as detailed as you can using all your senses.
  11. Go for a walk outside and feel the energy of nature surrounding you. Try this at different times of the day to experience the natural flow of earth’s magic. Listen to the birds chirping and cars driving by. Look and see every detail of the trees, the clouds in the sky and the flowers along your path. Feel the breeze and the wind on your face.
  12. Be kind and gentle to yourself. Being too hard on yourself and negative thinking kills intuition. Self-love is the nectar feeding your intuition to grow and expand reaching a new level of consciousness.
  13. Eat whole foods on a plant-based diet. Fueling your body with nature’s goodness increases your vibration to receive guidance from the Divine.
  14. Before you meet someone new, try to see what they look like in your mind’s eye. Try to know their hair and eye color, facial features, body type and style of clothing.
  15. Open waking in the morning, take a few deep breaths. Visualize three things you want to accomplish in detail as if already accomplished. State each of your goals out loud with confidence.

These tips to charge your intuition are simple to integrate into your daily life. No need to mediate alone in a cave for thirty days, or spend lots of money on training to develop your intuition. Intuition is simple to add in your life because it’s a part of your soul. Your soul wants to connect deeper to your mind, body and the world around you. Using your intuition will always guide you in the right direction to help choose what’s in your highest good and create the best life filled with joy, magic, love and peace.

Photo by Sasha Freemind on Unsplash

The Gratitude List

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Be grateful for:

  1. The pain, the struggles, the trauma and all of life’s challenges. You are a brave warrior ready to face anything on your path. Deep compassion and boundless empathy for others is now engrained in your soul.
  2. Everyone who helped you during your darkest times while hitting rock bottom. Without them, you wouldn’t be here today alive and kicking ready to take on the world.
  3. People who inspired you. Dead or alive. Doesn’t matter. Their inspiration motivated you to act on your dreams and goals. They lit a fire under your belly igniting your passion with courage to accomplish what you desire most.
  4. Your parents. Without them you wouldn’t be here. Plain and simple. Even if you don’t have a good relationship with them, be grateful because they gave you life. If you do have a good relationship, honor it, cherish it and listen to their wise advice followed by action. And always tell them “I love you.”
  5. Your kids. They love you no matter what you look like, what you feel like or if you had bad day at work. The bond between parent and child is greatest thing anyone could ever experience. Hands down. Again, always tell them “I love you.”
  6. Your BFF. They listen to you during your breakups, your complaints about feeling fat, how depressed you are and that your world is going to end. You create memories together filled with once in a lifetime experiences and wild and crazy adventures you both will never forget. The laughs until your tummies hurt, and the inside jokes only you two could understand are second to none.
  7. Your breath. Breathing is life, energy and your source. Focusing on your breathing is natural medicine. It calms and centers the mind, body and spirit creating spaciousness and relaxation. Listening and following your breath is the pathway to peace.
  8. Your body. No matter what your body shape is, the state of your health, your hair color, or the size of your nose… love it anyway. Treat your body as a temple by exercising, feeding it with healthy, wholesome foods and giving it unconditional love.
  9. God, the Universe, Divine Source or whatever you call it gives you grace, healing, mercy and peace. God/Universe/Divine always has your back. You can count on Him to take care of you through the good times and the bad.
  10. Mother Earth. She gives us all gifts of life providing everything we need. Thank you, Mother Earth, for the deep waters, green grass, food sources from plants and fruits, herbs to heal, the trees for cool shades, the blooming beautiful flowers, the chirping and crawling insects and all birds and animals roaming the earth. Most of all, thank you for showing humanity how to live in peace and harmony between nature and the world.

The list goes on further to be thankful for many other things. No matter where you are, what place in life you’re at or what challenges you face, there is always something to be grateful for.

Try creating your own gratitude list that’s personal and unique to you. If you are willing, please share your gratitude list in the comments below. I would love to hear!

In token of my gratitude and appreciation for being a part of my blog, feel free to download my e-book, 31 Days to Soul-Fueled Living.

Photo by Simon Maage on Unsplash

Be Your Own Guru

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“At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want.”
– Lao Tzu

Your friend will give you advice. Because you need it. Your spiritual teacher will tell you how to pray. Because you need to learn. Your fitness coach will give you a workout plan. Because you need to train without hurting yourself. You read best-selling, self-help books. Because you want to grow and develop.

But, at the end of the day after everyone tell you what’s best for you, there’s only one person who can tell you what’s best. YOU.

No one knows you better than you. No one knows how your body gains weight after one bite of chocolate cake. No one knows who’s the perfect partner for you… or not. No one can tell you the best meditation since you know how your mind works. No self-help book, no matter how well written or if it’s a New York Times best seller, can tell you how to make your life better. Continue reading

Heartbeat… Can You Hear It? Can You Feel It?

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“Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition – they somehow already know what you truly want to become.”
– Steve Jobs

If you want to live a passion filled life – the fire burning in the pit of your stomach, courageous truthfulness, unlimited creativity, big and bigger vision, then feeding and feeling your heartbeat is essential.

What attracts you? What draws, yanks and pulls at your innermost desires? What fuels your burning need begging for attention? What makes your heart beat hard and fast taking your breath away?

Whatever is for you — listen and follow your heartbeat all the way. Maybe it’s fulfilling a childhood dream that always haunts the back of your mind. Or doing something to overcome your fear with a pure act of courage. Perhaps a call to serve humanity in a way that raises your spirit. Or feeling the push and pull of an energetic connection with another human being. Or maybe it’s the wild, out of this world creative idea dying to get out of your head into the real world.

The rhythm and beating of your heart signals to what drives you, motivates you, inspires you and captivates you. When it beats strong spreading warmth throughout your body, it means yes. When it beats slow or normal, it means no. Listen to the sound and feel your body’s wisdom. Then, follow and act on the messages of truth sent by your heart.

Listening and acting upon the thundering sounds within paves the way to live the life you are meant to live. They’re clues, signals and messages to take the next big step and venture into the uncharted. Trust the messages and believe if you follow, you will discover great treasures along the way.

No one said it was easy to listen and do what excites your spirit. But, if you are crying for more wanting to unleash the veil between the ordinary and the extraordinary, you must say go right now. Not next month. Not next week. Not tomorrow. But… Right now.

What is it that thing gripping your heart making it move. Stop and listen. Even just for a second. Can you hear it? Can you feel it? The boom, boom, boom beating of your heart is speaking to you, beckoning you, guiding you to what brings you happiness, passion, wonder and fulfillment.

Listen. Feel. Follow. Go. Do… right now.

Featured photo by Sergio Rola

Angel Gifts

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“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”
― Mother Teresa

After a rough night of sparring matches, I walked outside the dojang facing my next opponent… the beastly December weather. Stepping towards my car with light feet as to not slip on the ice, the blistering wind speared into face penetrating into my bones. I didn’t want to go anywhere else but home. Get into my soft jammies and snuggle with my dog as my heavy blanket wrapped around me. Yes, that’s what I wanted.

But wait! There was one more thing I had to do. A very important task. Vital. Crucial. No amount of snow or cold weather blast would stop me from getting this done tonight.

Going shopping for my Christmas angel gift.

At my church, we have a list of needy children given to us from the area schools. These kids come from poor homes and families with hardships so they’re in desperate need of someone buying them a gift. How awful and heartbreaking it would be if a child didn’t receive a Christmas gift. Right?

Anyone at our congregation is welcome to sign up to purchase an angel gift for one of these kids. So, every year I jump at the chance to bring a moment of joy, and hopefully, a smile to a child’s face.

But these angel gifts are much more than material things. They’re gifts of hope. Love. Peace. Excitement. A chance to make these kids feel they are a part of something greater and are not alone. It helps them know they are being watched over and taken care of. It’s proof we are all connected, and God is with them always no matter what their circumstances are.

As I was shopping, this got me thinking (which can be a very dangerous thing!). Why do we have to wait until Christmas to give angel gifts to show we care? What if we gave angel gifts all year round to help spread the message of love and joy? We don’t need to spend lots of money or buy something extravagant. It could be crazy, super simple.

  • Give someone a hug out of the blue just because.
  • Tell the tired and stressed out Walmart cashier with dozens of impatient customers behind you thank you for taking care of your groceries.
  • Calling a friend to say hello or set-up a lunch date to catch up instead of communicating via Facebook.
  • Tell your friend they are beautiful. We all need to hear we are a beautiful. We’re so hard on ourselves on the way we look, aren’t we?
  • Shovel the snow in your neighbor’s driveway.
  • Bake cookies for a family member or cook their favorite dish. Especially if they are experiencing hardships and feel overwhelmed.
  • Send someone a card with a thoughtful and inspiring handwritten message.

The list is endless. Unlimited. A vast ocean of creative opportunities to spread your wings and fly with your angel gifts of love. If you like New Year’s resolutions, add giving angel gifts to your list. Commit to giving these gifts of love, gratitude and service beyond Christmas throughout the entire year.

It will make someone else feel special, loved and connected. Including you.

Merry Christmas to you all!
Jodi

 

Featured image by Ben White