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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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

A Letter from Mother Earth

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“Only after the last tree has been cut down. Only after the last river has been poisoned. Only after the last fish has been caught, only then will you find that money cannot be eaten.”
– Cree Indian Prophecy

Dear Human,

I need your help. Now. This seething, gut-wrenching pain is tearing me up inside. The darkness, heaviness, sickness, and the diseased hearts and souls of humanity is hurting me deeply. I’m scared. Scared of what’s happened in the past. Scared of what’s happening now. Scared of what’s going to happen in the future.

You’ve torn me down by your human hands leaving me barren, dry and desperate. You pollute my air, water and soil. You knock down my trees, throw litter on the ground and create landfills. You exploit my natural resources, create toxic chemicals and build weapons for warfare.
It breaks my heart when I see you hurting each other, the animals and the planet. In the human world, you fight, judge, condemn, blame, kill, verbally abuse each other, and even worse… ignore each other. In the animal world, you kill, slaughter, abuse and mistreat animals without a second thought of how much pain it causes. Don’t animals have a right to live like you do?

This toxic, negative energy makes me feel unbalanced and out of harmony. My whole system is way off track. I can’t help but to respond with disastrous hurricanes, forest fires and earthquakes. When your human mother feels overwhelmed, exhausted and unappreciated, what does she do? Doesn’t she respond with a whirlwind of emotions creating a tornado of anguish and frustration?

The problem is you’re missing the real reason for being here with me.

And that’s LOVE.

You’re meant to love each other, not hate each other. You are here to love me, all animals both domestic and wild, the plants and trees,  and the air and water. You are here to love one another through the good and bad. To love God even when things don’t make sense. To love yourself even when you can’t look at your face in the mirror.

I was created to provide you a school to learn life lessons for your soul to grow and expand into a greater consciousness. You were created to honor life in all forms while taking great care of me. To build a strong and thriving planet, let’s work together to support and serve our mission for the benefit of all beings.

To create a positive effect for building a better world, I ask you try these things. Even just for one day.

  • Instead of anger respond with compassion
  • Show mercy for someone who upset you
  • Listen to someone’s perspective instead of judgement
  • Pick up the trash as you walk down the street
  • Smile and say hello to a stranger
  • Give someone you love a hug
  • Go outside and breath the fresh air. Feel my energy around yours.
  • Instead of buying meat and produce at the grocery store, shop at a local farmer’s market
  • Volunteer your time for a cause or charity you find meaningful
  • Sit still and be aware of the connection between heaven and earth and the world around you
  • PRAY. Pray for your loved ones, people suffering from recent and future disasters, animals of all kinds, those on the Other Side, for the hungry and living in poverty and pray for me, Mother Earth.

If you do these things for one day, maybe it will go on to the next. Every moment, every minute and every second counts. That’s all you need to heal and make a difference.

Please help me by planting the seeds of love into my soil. Water these seeds every day to build strong roots of kindness and to grow compassion, joy and forgiveness. We can work together to create beautiful, peaceful and loving planet to honor humanity and all life existing within it. A little bit of love will go a long way to heal our aching hearts and soothe our precious souls.

Even if it’s just for one day.

Love,
Mother Earth

Photo by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash

Then You Will Be Happy

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“If you want to be happy, be.”
– Leo Tolstoy

If I had more money, then I’ll be happy. If I had the perfect partner, then I’ll be happy. If my loved ones listened to me, then I’ll be happy. If I had my dream job, then I’ll be happy. If I, could I, If I had, If I did…then I’ll be happy.

Or will I be?

Well…no. I won’t be happy. Because the only way to find true happiness is by discovering it within yourself first. It begins and ends with you. Whether you are in a shitty job or have the perfect career, feeling joy and shining your inner light is the key to living a life of balance and harmony.

Searching for happiness outside of yourself or in a bunch of what if’s that may or may not happen, leads you to walking around in big circles. This circle leads you right where you started. Searching for happiness.

Stop searching. Right. Now. Instead look and listen to your heart, your essence, your soul. Within this space is where you’ll find happiness that will sustain you while giving lasting peace and deep inner strength. Only you can provide this. Not anyone else, no other stuff or any other circumstances.

Happiness is also created by living in the here and now. Being fully present while savoring each moment cultivates gratitude for being alive. No matter where you are, how much you’ve suffered or whoever has hurt you in the past… you ALWAYS have something to be grateful for.

Amazing, wonderful and beautiful things will happen. Difficulties, rugs being pulled from underneath you and unexpected traumas will rock your world. All guaranteed. But to remain calm and centered and in all experiences, requires you to embody deep, relentless and committed inner joy.

Happiness is a choice. You can choose to be happy. Or you can choose to be unhappy. It’s up to you. You have free will to decide where to be, what to do and who to be with. If you are in an unhappy relationship, you can work on it or get out. If you hate your job, you can change your perspective or find a new career. God gave you the power to charter your own journey while co-creating your life with the Divine.

Many people claim they are “stuck”. But being stuck is an illusion. No one was brought to this earth to live a stuck life. All of us are meant to experience life filled with joy, passion and purpose with the energy to love and serve others. Taking responsibility for yourself and your life gives you control of your happiness. Not your circumstances controlling you.

Shifting your perspective and changing your mindset, creates the space for happiness to grow. All you need is to see and be aware happiness begins and ends with you. Always.

I don’t a lot of money, but I am happy. I don’t have a beautiful house, but I am happy. I don’t have the perfect partner, but I am happy. Sometimes my son doesn’t listen to me, but I am happy. Doesn’t matter if I, could I, If I had, If I did…because I am happy.

Will you be happy?

Photo by Lesly B. Juarez on Unsplash

5 Simple Things to Create Joy & Brighten Your Spirit

 

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“Joy is the fibre of your Soul. “
– Danielle LaPorte

Life can be challenging, exhausting and heart-wrenching. Let’s face it… sometimes it just plain sucks. But, what if you had a list of simple things to make yourself happy, create joy and brighten your spirit. A go to prescription list to medicate your mind and heal your heart and soul.

Here are some things I’ve tried that helped me and want to share them with you. All I ask is you try one of them, just for one day. If any of these makes you feel happy and joyful, awesome! If none of these make you happy and joyful, that’s ok too. It means this wasn’t the right list for you. But the world is unlimited filled with opportunities to create peace and joy.

  1. Do Not Worry: Just for today, let go of your worries and release your troubled mind. You know those stories of mass destruction filled with pain and suffering playing repeatedly in your mind? Guess what? Never happens. It’s easy to imagine worst-case scenarios. But, in the end, everything usually turns out OK. All worrying does is steal your light sucking the life force energy out from underneath you. The next time you worry, replace it with prayer or a positive affirmation. Worry steals life, but prayer feeds life.
  2. Meditate: Sit in silence for five minutes a day. Yes, just five minutes. To calm the mind and build focus, that’s all you need. Sit on a chair or sit on the floor with your back straight. Focus on your breathing. In and out, in and out. When the mind wanders, and it will, gently bring it back to the breath. Just breathing. When thoughts come, let them go like waves in the sea or clouds in the sky. A simple, daily meditation practice gives you presence of mind to create peace, clarity and stillness in all areas of your life.
  3. Spend Time Outside: Spend 10-20 minutes a day outside in nature. Take your dog for a walk, play ball with your kids in the backyard, look at the stars at night, or read a book sitting next to a tree. When you spend time outside, you ground your energy releasing any negativity from your body and your energy field. Nature is a natural healer balancing and centering yourself making you feel peaceful, whole and connected.
  4. Pray: Talk to God for 5-10 minutes every day. Pray for yourself when you feel lost and can’t see the sun beyond the storm. Pray for your family when they are sick and want to ease their pain. Pray for your friends so they may be happy, successful and prosperous. Pray for your neighbors, the Walmart store clerk, the UPS guy who comes to your office, and even the stranger on the street whom you never met. When you pray for others and yourself, you feel a connectedness to humanity with a deep understanding we are all one.
  5. Read Spiritual Books: Read a book on spirituality. Whether it’s reading a Bible scripture, a chapter from the Course in Miracles or any author whose words touch your heart, it will lighten your spirit making you feel inspired and alive. Words are powerful with ability to penetrate deeply in your soul helping you see things from a different perspective. Reading spiritual books creates positive change within yourself bringing you to a higher vibration.

With the energy of today’s environment and the stress pounding on your soul every day, take a little time to make yourself happy. Even if it’s just for one day, try these simple things to shine rays of light into your spirit and to open your heart. You deserve to feel joy and love in your life no matter where you are. If you start today, then maybe you can feel joy the next day, then the next, and the next… until one day living in joy and being the light is the essence of who you are.

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