Finding Joy

July 19, 2022July 19, 2022 ~ jodiheisz ~ 1 Comment

I don’t know about you, but I am finding it hard to find joy with how crazy the world is. Every time I turn on the news, I hear something traumatic creating anxiety and frustration. I feel hopeless with current events allowing it to steal my inner joy.

Many of us, including myself, turn towards materialism and worldly success as distraction hoping it will find the joy we have lost. But this is not the path to long-term joy and happiness.

When you use material things or accomplishments to make you happy, it’s only temporary. The truth is happiness comes from within. When you choose to find happiness within yourself, it’s long-lasting. Nothing external can bring lasting joy. If you wait until the tragedies of the world dissipate before you find happiness, you will be waiting forever.

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Turn Pain Into Power

November 3, 2021November 3, 2021 ~ jodiheisz ~ 5 Comments

Not one of us escapes pain living in this world. Experiencing trauma, pain, disappointment, and loss is a part of being human. It’s inevitable.

When you’re in swirling in chaos and being swallowed by darkness, it’s hard to understand you will get through to the other side. It seems too impossible to comprehend or believe one day your pain will go away and happiness will appear.

But no matter difficult things are, you always have a choice. This pain you are experiencing is bringing you to a crossroad.

You can take the road to the left and walk the path of resentment, self-destruction, and victimization.

Or you can take the road to the right and walk the path of healing, empowerment, and transformation.

The choice is yours.

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COVID-19: WTF???

March 22, 2020 ~ jodiheisz ~ Leave a comment

A riveting and captivating movie. My eyes locked on the screen with my hands gripping the seat waiting to see what happens next.

The plot is about a coronavirus called COVID-19. This virus turned into a pandemic and has taken over the world. Across the globe thousands are sick and dying with the numbers growing by the second.

Hospitals and medical professionals are overwhelmed with the influx of infected patients leading to lack of supplies, limited hospital beds and exhausted personnel. Doctors are forced to make the heartbreaking decision on who lives or dies based on the resources they have to provide the care patients need to survive.

Grocery store shelves are empty with limited food, no toilet paper, no hand sanitizer and no cleaning supplies. Even the ice cream is gone!

In attempt to control the spread of this deadly disease, the world stops with countries in lock-down. People’s lives are turned upside down within minutes. Businesses are forced to close leaving many unemployed. The stock market tanked with definitive signs of a deep global recession. Schools are closed leaving families to homeschool their kids. All sporting events, concerts, kid’s activities, museums, libraries, universities, weddings, tradeshows, conferences and more are cancelled. And the horrific list goes on…

But wait? Guess what? THIS IS NOT A MOVIE.

IT’S REAL.

WTF????

How could this happen? I mean seriously…don’t you feel like you’re living in science fiction movie? How could we experience such suffering financially, physically and emotionally on a global level? Why us and why now?

It feels surreal like it’s not really happening but yet… it is.

I know you’re receiving lots of information about the coronavirus so I won’t take too much more of your time. We’re all trying process the drastic changes thrusted upon us in a short period of time.

This experience is unprecedented. None of us have dealt with this before in our lifetime and never thought we would. Whether you think these changes are an overreaction or you’re feel overwhelmed, we are all suffering and in this together.

I’ve been researching on how to deal with the pandemic and want to share these findings with you. The other day I listened to the Rich Roll podcast on dealing with the corona virus pandemic featuring Rich and wife Julie Piatt.

Julie said something that resonated with me. “This is our divine moment.” Wow! Beautiful and true. This is our time to show our inner light, learn more about ourselves, be connected with humanity and to serve in deeper ways with humility and reverence.

Here are the ideas I found to get through this challenging time of dealing with a pandemic and social distancing.

Look inward using meditation. Learn more about who you are and trust yourself. Ease your anxiety with silence and creating mental space.
Get closer to God. No more words needed here.
Help your neighbors, friends and family who are immune compromised or elderly. Go grocery shopping for them, cook a meal and deliver it or run their errands.
Pray. Pray. Pray. Pray…. did I say pray?
Do the hobby you always wanted to start but didn’t’ have time. Now you have no excuse.
Work longer on the hobby you started because you have more time. Still have no excuse.
Read, draw, write, paint or do something creative. Creativity is healing for the soul.
Call your parents every day. They never get sick of hearing your voice.
Go outdoors and play with your kids, take your dog for a walk or go on a quiet walk by yourself to feel connected to nature.
Catch up on Netflix. No guilt allowed.
Experiment with healthy meals. You’re not going to restaurants anyway.
Don’t stop giving to charities or your church. Giving is healing.
Try fun exercise programs online. Who knows? Maybe you won’t need to pay for that gym membership anymore.
Give reverence to those who passed from COVID-19. Every life matters. They deserve to be remembered and honored.
Be grateful for the medical professionals, truck drivers, grocery store workers, teachers and everyone working long hours to keep us healthy, fed, educated and taken care of.
Don’t hoard toilet paper or food. Who buys ice cream when they’re trying to stay healthy? And don’t get me started on the toilet paper. Makes zero sense…
Find humor wherever and whenever you can. The toilet paper memes!
Limit your time watching the media. They’ll make you crazy.
Check out some online learning programs to expand your skills. Now’s the time to sharpen your abilities.
Get some rest and good sleep. You have permission to sleep in on the weekends… finally!

Like what Julie Piatt said, this is “Our Divine Moment.” Make every second by serving and helping others, get closer to God choosing faith over fear, feel connected to the world knowing we are all one and be the light shining love to all.

Take care and stay healthy.

How Martial Arts Transformed Me

November 27, 2018November 27, 2018 ~ jodiheisz ~ 11 Comments

It’s been a few months since my last post. But, for a great reason. On November 3, I tested for 5th Dan Master Black Belt in KiMudo. I’ve been martial arts for over 22 years so this test was a big deal! I needed lots of practice, dedicated focus and a crazy amount of energy to accomplish this goal.

KiMudo is a martial art comprised of Tae Kwon Do, Judo, Hapki-Do, self-defense techniques and various weapons. We lovingly call it the “traditional mixed martial arts.” For my test, it was required I write a resume of my accomplishments. Instead a boring resume, I wrote about how martial arts transformed my life. I wanted to share this with you and hopefully it will inspire you to transform your life too.

Jodi Heisz 5th Dan Resume

For my 5^th Dan resume, I could give you a long list of accomplishments, rewards, and certificates earned during my martial arts career. I could tell you about how I achieved all my black belts in KiMudo, my black belt in judo, winning big, shiny trophies at tournament, being a judge, sitting on the testing board for both color and black belt tests, and more.

Yes, all are great accomplishments I’m proud of.

But you know what? At the end of the day, none of these matters.

There’s quote on Facebook I have liked and shared by Kaci Diane describing my biggest accomplishment in martial arts.

“I love the person I have become, because I fought to become her.”

To me, that’s what matters most.

The transformation I’ve experienced throughout my 22 years of martial arts means more than any trophy I’ve won or any belt I’ve earned. Becoming the best version of myself to lead a more positive and peaceful life with compassion for others including myself, is the center of my martial arts career. It’s what keeps me coming back to Dojang day after day, week after week, year after year.

Today, I am sharing with you three personal achievements that changed my life most.

Self-confidence and belief
Cultivating friendships through martial arts
Becoming a leader to inspire others

Self-confidence and Belief
Master Bob Perk reminds me most students who come to martial arts are broken and searching for a better way, a better life. I know this is true because when I started martial arts in 1995, I was very broken. Probably… the most broken of all.

Students and black belts today see Jodi filled with strength, confidence and smiling all the time. They don’t know the depths of darkness I originally came from. Back then, I was a much different person than I am today. Most don’t know the dark places I came from, and the deep trenches I climbed out of to see the light. I was desperate searching for a better way, a better life. To be whole. Healed. And feel worthy.

My confidence on a scale of 1-10 was off the charts on the low end. Scared to spar, feared falling, afraid to speak or teach in front of a crowd, petrified of throwing or being thrown, etc. I remember Master Perk telling me repeatedly, “Be more aggressive!” I wasn’t aggressive because I didn’t believe I had the chops to be successful, to rock it and be great both in and outside the Dojang. I thought I didn’t deserve it because I felt unworthy.

Slowly over the years, kick by kick, punch by punch, throw by throw, my confidence grew stronger, more powerful. The light always existing inside, but dim, was starting to shine bright. It was beginning to shine, because I believed I could shine. Instead of knowing I could be successful, I believed I was successful.

And now, I am unstoppable, determined, strong, capable, powerful, amazing, fearless, rocking it and … more aggressive. I am whole. Healed. And believe I am worthy.

Cultivating friendships through martial arts
One of my biggest achievements held dear in my heart are the friendships I’ve been blessed with through martial arts. I am honored to have met so many wonderful people from all walks of life, backgrounds, and ages.

But the friends I cherish the most, are my instructors Bob and Audrey Perk and my gals.

Masters Bob and Audrey Perk have been my rock and my foundation through many life’s challenges. They’ve supported and guided me through the good times and the bad. Without their encouragement and belief in me as a person, I wouldn’t be the woman I am standing here today. They taught more than martial arts. They taught me the value of family, friendships and how teamwork really does make your dream work. My hope is for me pay it forward and help someone else one day like they have helped me.

Then, there’s my gals. We call ourselves, Audrey’s Angels. We’re kinda like martial arts gangsters… so we are. A true sisterhood running deep, maybe deeper than blood related sisters. Life is better lived with true friends to share it with. Especially when you can kick each other in the head or throw one another on the ground. I don’t know many friends who would stand for that kind of treatment. But we do. Because we love martial arts. And because we love each other.

From that infamous night we’ll never forget, making Pauline walk 42 miles in Woodman’s to get my favorite blue chips, bonding with my judo buddies during those ridiculous attempts to get “that throw” right, and to all who hugged me during my darkest moments. No words can describe how grateful I am to have their friendship.

Just like form Ka Chi says, “Go Together: Sharing the Journey of Life”. To the share the journey of life with my martial arts family through the laughs, the cries and everything else in between, is my best award. Supporting and encouraging each other to be strong, powerful, connected, and awesome is a gift of a lifetime.

And I love them all for that.

Becoming a leader to inspire others
Anyone can learn to be a leader. But not anyone can attain a certain level of inspiration and compassion if they haven’t walked the steps themselves from darkness to light. Being an inspiring leader requires a glowing confidence with humility, integrity, joyfulness and little tough love.

After years of working towards building my confidence and restructuring my life, I’ve become a strong leader for my students. Taking what I’ve learned and the transformation occurred within has granted me with a different set of skills in teaching and guiding others. Nothing feels greater than passing down your knowledge to help your students change their lives for the better. The ability to empathize with those who are struggling because you once struggled, makes the difficult times of the past worth it.

One of my favorite teaching moments is when I won Black Belt Champion twice competing in the spring and fall tournaments. Last summer I set a goal to win that trophy. There were setbacks and challenges. But I never gave up on my goal. I visualized it every day, trained hard and consistently, and had friends to hold me accountable. With the power of goal setting and perseverance, I achieved my goal.

But it the end, winning black belt champion wasn’t about me. It was about teaching my students dreams can come true if you believe and do what it takes to make it happen. Being a leader who’s walked the path and inspires others become the best versions of themselves, is my dream come true.

Sisterhood Rocks…The Female Friendships Rule

July 7, 2018July 12, 2018 ~ jodiheisz ~ 2 Comments

The 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.

15 Ways To Develop Intuition

March 10, 2018 ~ jodiheisz ~ 3 Comments

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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.

Before you check your email in the morning, see if you know how many are in your inbox.
See if you know who’s calling or texting you before you check to see who it is.
Meditate daily. Five minutes minimum.
Before meeting with a friend, try to “see” what color clothes they are wearing.
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.
Before going to work, try to feel what emotions your boss is having.
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.
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.
When choosing what to eat at a new restaurant, feel what meal is right for you. Order it and nothing else.
Use your imagination to visualize your heart’s desire as already achieved. Be as detailed as you can using all your senses.
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.
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.
Eat whole foods on a plant-based diet. Fueling your body with nature’s goodness increases your vibration to receive guidance from the Divine.
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.
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

New Year Resolution… More You

January 7, 2018January 7, 2018 ~ jodiheisz ~ 2 Comments

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“I know of nothing more valuable, when it comes to the all-important virtue of authenticity, than simply being who you are.”
– Charles R. Swindoll

New year. New beginnings. New resolutions. New and better me. At least that’s what I have tried year after year after year. And year and after year after year, I failed on my resolutions. The only result was me being way too hard on myself. “Bad Jodi!”

Well… not this year. I am trying something new. A gentler, more loving approach to personal development. Instead of new resolutions to be a new me, I am going to be more of the real me.

How about you join me in this challenge to be more you instead of a new you?

We always want to make more money, lose weight, pay debt, get a new wardrobe, etc. All of those are positive and it’s good to have goals to improve your life. I have new goals set for this year too.

But what if in 2018, your focus is on becoming more you in everything you do? How would your life improve if you were unapologetically you? Always being your authentic, genuine self under all circumstances is a challenging but worthy effort. If you stopped trying to change your true self and stopped being a watered-down version, you would be happier and more at peace. I know I will be.

Being yourself takes the stress off trying to be someone you’re not. It requires less effort because you’re simply just being with no agenda, acting out a fake persona, or trying to keep up with the status quo. Things will flow gracefully when you tap into the true nature of who you are deep down inside.

To be yourself requires three key things I am working on: Courage, Clear the Clutter and Say Yes to the Best. Hopefully, these will help you too.

Courage
It takes a courageous heart to be yourself in a critical and judgmental world. Especially when this world exists in your mind. The more you are yourself, the more confident and independent you will become to stand strong in your beliefs, talents and gifts.

Every day, be brave to take off the masks you wear, stop playing the roles you play and choose to be present instead of going through the motions. When you have the courage to show the scars, the rawness underneath, magic starts to happen. This magic is the real you. Being brave showing all of yourself helps you connect with others in a deep and powerful way. Including connecting with yourself.

Clear the Clutter
To be more you, clear the clutter from your life. Physically and emotionally. When you clear what no longer serves you, you clear the space for you to see the light within. Clutter is distracting keeping you away from true joy and happiness.

In your physical space, donate old clothes from your closet you never wear, get rid of those old pots and pans taking up room in your cupboard and clear your table from papers and unnecessary items to leave room for a mindful meal.

In your emotional life, let go of self-doubt, judgements, fear, anger, worry, resentment or any negative thoughts about yourself. Imagine throwing these thoughts and feelings into a big, yellow dump truck in front of your house. One by one throw these negative thoughts away. When you are done dumping everything, see the dump truck driving away from your house. How do you feel? Do you feel more clear, peaceful and at ease?

The more clutter you remove, the more you can see the real you. Just like when you remove clutter from a room, everything looks clear with light shining into the open space.

Say Yes to the Best
Make a commitment to yes to the best and no to the good. When you say yes to what’s best for you, you give your true self permission to shine and take center stage. You deserve to do what’s in your best interest to live aligned with your vision, goals and beliefs.

Never back down from your gifts to please others. Do what you feel is right in your heart. Remember, you are the one who was to live with you the most. When you do things to fulfill you in the deepest way, your life will be peaceful and full of wonder. This will make your loved ones happy too because they will feel your positive energy emanating from your soul.

Your experiences will be vivid and vibrant by committing to the best things. You will have less stress and resentment and will stop feeling overwhelmed by choosing to say no to the good. You enter a sacred space connecting to your true self, God and the energies surrounding you. Living and being the real you and doing things honoring your true self allows you to live in the moment going with the flow of life. You are free to just be.

Join me in 2018 to be more you. It won’t be easy and it will be scary. But you will be energized, happy and peaceful living true to yourself. God wants us to be who we are, nothing less and nothing different. He created us for a reason with a purpose for being here. Let’s honor His will for us and honor ourselves deep in our hearts and souls.

Commit to this resolution with me to be more you.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Time to Rise

November 29, 2017November 28, 2017 ~ jodiheisz ~ 6 Comments

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“Rise above the storm, and you will find the sunshine.”
– Mario Fernandez

In times of intense struggle as the world whizzes past your head, you’re granted permission to take a rest, pause and slow down. For our sanity and well-being, all of us need a break to catch our breath, ground our energy and center ourselves.

But there are times we need to suck it up and rise. Above the ashes. Out of the rubbles. Over the brick wall. In these moments, we rise and awaken to see our inner truth creating a new reality manifesting our heart’s desire.

If want it, you gotta go for it. Even when you’re feeling sick, rejected, worthless, depressed, scared and exhausted. Get up and go. Push through it. Punch your obstacles in the face. Throw negativity to the ground. Charge forward. Fast or slow. Doesn’t matter. Momentum builds over time. If you feel like shit, that’s ok. Yes, it will hurt. It will be hard. It will suck. You might even cry.

But the more you move, the less it will suck and the better you’ll feel. Action is natural medicine healing your stress, anxieties and ailments bringing positivity and light to the surface. Stagnation creates pain and suffering, action creates fluidity, clarity and peace of mind. Choose action.

Rise because you want to. Not because someone else wants you to. This is your time to accelerate your personal development and expand your level of consciousness. Your character will build. You’ll create deeper integrity rooted in your values and beliefs. You’ll become the superhero of your own life with strength, commitment and perseverance.

Don’t let that thing, big or small, stop you. Challenges and obstacles are to be expected. It’s a part of the process. Use them as fuel giving you energy to drive your dreams closer to the destination.

Prove it to yourself that you are capable and you can do it. When you feel like you’ll never make it or get through, remind yourself you are stronger than you know. Think about how awesome you will feel in the end. And trust me… you will feel fucking awesome.

Wake up. Get up. Rise. Take one small step forward. Then another. Crawl. Walk. Jog. Push. Punch. Kick. Keep going. Don’t stop. You got this.

This is your time.

Right. Now.

Photo by Fab Lentz on Unsplash

The Gratitude List

November 22, 2017 ~ jodiheisz ~ 2 Comments

Be grateful for:

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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Brave

November 18, 2017 ~ jodiheisz ~ 7 Comments

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“Fortune and love favor the brave.”
– Ovid

Do you want to be brave? Be courageous? Be stronger and more powerful? If you answered yes, then it’s going to take work. You’ll need to throw yourself into the fire and swim in the deep waters. Facing your fears head on whether you believe in yourself or not is a must. To be brave, just do it.

Being brave is hard, scary and sometimes paralyzing. But the rewards are amazing creating a better, stronger and more powerful you. You’ll learn new skills and abilities. You’ll discover talents you never knew you were blessed with. And you’ll realize, maybe even surprised, by how strong and brave you already are.

Being courageous comes in many forms. It doesn’t mean you should do crazy feats like skydiving or bungee jumping. It’s about facing your fears with faith and belief you have it within yourself to overcome challenges and adversities. You’ll learn to live strong in your beliefs and do what your heart desires no matter what anyone thinks. Many times, it requires you to do the right thing even when you don’t feel like it.

True acts of courage are built on the foundation of your heart and spirit. It’s easier to be brave when you’re passionate about a goal you want to achieve. It’s easier to have courage when you stand up for someone you love. When your heart and spirit is filled with faith and optimism, you can face the fear of being yourself out in the world.

What can you do to become the brave warrior you’ve always wanted to be? Or I should say… already are. Try these nine things to push yourself out of your comfort zone forcing you to build courage and confidence.

Public Speaking: Yes, public speaking is frightening. But it teaches you how to deliver effective communication with charisma and energy to keep your audience engaged.
Speak Your Truth: When you are talking with someone who has an opposing view, tell them your beliefs. Don’t argue. Respect their position. But respect your position too. By doing so, this helps you stay true to what you feel is right no matter what.
Open Your Heart: SCARY! You might get hurt. Or rejected. In fact, you will get hurt and rejected. But… you will feel love and deep connection. Getting hurt and feeling love are life’s greatest teachers making your soul grow and evolve.
Sit Still in the Silence: Sitting in silence is challenging because we can hear our thoughts and feel our emotions deeper. We are addicted to background noise and distractions to muffle our minds and bury our feelings. Turn off the TV, turn down the music and pause the podcast. Learn to sit still in the silence. Be brave to see the truth of what’s going on within.
Perform in Front of an Audience: Do something you enjoy in front of people. Illicit feedback from qualified people. Maybe it’s a dance routine, singing a song, reading poetry you wrote or a comedy act. Choose something you are passionate about with a desire to share it with others.
Be a Leader: Be adventurous and take the lead on a project, a class or a team of people. Do it even if you don’t have leadership experience. Let of worries of being wrong. You will learn along the way and gain confidence over time.
Do Something You Have Always Wanted to Do: even if you it’s your first time knowing you will suck in the beginning. The more you do your thing, the less you will suck. If you stick with it, you will become awesome!
Do Less and Say No: Simplifying your life and saying no to what doesn’t serve you takes courage. We fear what others think if we say no. We fear we’ll lose out on something if we downsize our life. Saying no to wrong thing and yes to the right thing empowers you to do what matters most and live your life with intention and focus.
Tell Yourself “I Love You”: One of the hardest things to do is to love ourselves. To honor ourselves with unconditional love no matter how much we have failed or let ourselves down takes an enormous amount of courage.

Being brave creates deep inner growth and helps you learn more about yourself and what you are capable of. Stepping out in courage with faith and optimism builds character, strength and integrity. Be brave, be courageous and be the best you.

Photo by Jordan Sanchez on Unsplash