Truth

Love Yourself First

~ jodiheisz ~ 8 Comments

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“Do you want to meet the love of your life? Look in the mirror.”
 – Byron Katie

Every morning when you wake up, the first thing you should do is to appreciate yourself, your life and your new day. Know deep in your heart you have much to be grateful for. Your alive. Your breathing. Your blank canvas is waiting for you. It’s beckoning for you to paint the scenes of the hours and minutes of your life to come. But, to create a beautiful masterpiece filled with color and vibrant energy requires one vital thing …

Love Yourself First.

If your day gives you lemons and throws rocks at you, be easy on yourself. We all have bad days, but they don’t define us. They are an experience. A learning lesson. Are they hard and excruciatingly painful sometimes? Yes, absolutely! But they are only a moment in time. And this moment will pass until becoming a distant memory fading into the infinite sky. So, when life throws you punches and you feel you can’t take anymore punishment, remember this one thing to keep you strong…

Love Yourself First

When you make a mistake a work, feel fat, forget to pay a bill on time, have a bad hair day with a humongous pimple on your face, get angry at your kids, feel overwhelmed, unworthy and plain stupid… remember you are beautiful, loving, compassionate, amazing, powerful and strong. And, your totally and completely worth it. You will feel awesome above all the shit in your life if you remember this one thing…

Love Yourself First

Creating more light in the world spreading joy and peace begins with you. If you love yourself a little bit more each day, it spreads like wildfire into your soul, into your heart, to your loved ones, the grass beneath your feet, the next-door neighbors, to their next-door neighbors, then spreading to every being in your town. This wildfire of fierce, purifying, magnificent love begins and only begins with you. To ignite this fire of sacred love, all you need to do is this one simple thing…

Love Yourself First

The truth is real love is not outside of yourself. It’s in you. You are love. Yesterday, you were love. Tomorrow, you will be love. This is essential truth never changes. All you need is to drop your guard and see it, feel it, hear it and know it. No matter what happens to you or what challenges you face, the light of love always shines bright even beneath the dark clouds. So on the days you mess up and fall apart to biblical proportions or create magic with your presence, remember this most important thing…

Love Yourself First

Photo credit www.stuchy.com

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

~ jodiheisz ~ 6 Comments

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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

Bad Ass 2016 Year in Review

~ jodiheisz ~ 2 Comments

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The other day I was reading Danielle LaPorte’s blog post (check her out… total spiritual warrior), on the 5 Q’s for Your Deeper Year in Review. Danielle answered, and invited others to answer, these five questions below to gain self-inquiry and insight from the past year and hope for the next.

What didn’t work?

What did work?

What were the highlights?

And then: What does the new year look like if it’s full of what works?

Bonus Q: What do your highlights say about you?

I thought “Damn!” These are bad ass and sooo much better than New Year’s Resolutions. To be honest, resolutions suck and are a hell of a lot worse than doo doo. And since, I loved this strategy, I decided to answer these questions myself and share them with you. And, hopefully, you will answer your 5 Q’s and share those as well.

What didn’t work?

  • Not trusting and believing in my abilities. Gotta trust myself and not rely on anyone else for my success and happiness. It’s comes to down to me baby!
  • Worry: Nothing amazing comes out of worry. Ab-solute-ly nothing.
  • Being too nice: Just because I am a spiritual geek doesn’t mean I should let anyone treat me like a doormat. No one has the right to treat me that way. Nada zip zero. No one.
  • Not listening to my body when it’s in pain. Mind, body and spirit are one. Must integrate all parts to live whole.

What did work?

  • Taking fear by its horns and smashing it down to the ground by starting this blog.
  • Finally taking care of my body when it’s in pain. That integrating to live whole thing.
  • Learning to love myself no matter what. You can’t rely on love from other people to make you make happy. This love must come within your heart and soul extending out into your entire being.
  • Trusting my intuition. My gut never lies. Ever.
  • Back to meditating every single day. Peace at last.
  • Starting my Reiki practice again. Profound healing begins.
  • Smiling as much as possible. Because it works for myself and everyone else around me.
  • Loving and embracing my sensual side as a woman. Seriously… wearing beautiful clothes that make you feel good works. Plain and simple.

Highlights

  • My son, Hunter, taking Judo with me and watching him compete. Hell! I never competed in Judo. Kudos to Hunter!
  • Seeing Hunter perform loud and proud in his first musical. He rocked it!
  • Inspiring people to live in truth to their heart and souls with my blog and writing.
  • Becoming a published writer with guest blog posts on SweatpantsandCoffee.com and TheChangeBlog.com. Yes! I feel like a legitimate writer.
  • Bad ass girl’s night out with my martial arts super hero chicks. Celebrating Katelyn’s 21st birthday was a must. And, we kicked it!
  • Testing in the DoJang for the first time with Hunter. Me: 2nd level Brown Belt in Judo, Hunter: Yellow stripe in Judo. Sweeet!
  • Creating deeper and long-lasting connections with my truest friends.

And then: What does the new year look like if it’s full of what works?

  • Taking my blog and my writing beyond expectations. Honest, no holds barring, risk taking messages. Complete and utter truth speaking straight through the mind and soul.
  • 2017 is my year. Nothing less. Hopefully more. I will make damn sure this happens.
  • Making those long-lasting connections grow deeper creating stronger friendships.
  • Allowing intuition to blossom. Watch out world… I am getting ready to serve you more.
  • Being a complete bad ass woman at all levels filled with light, love and spirit.

Bonus Q: What do your highlights say about you?

  • I love people. I love helping others and making them smile. I love love. And I am learning to love myself once again. It’s all about love, baby.

Now, it’s your turn! Let’s hear it and share it with me and others today.

Have a Blessed and Happy New Year!
Jodi

Featured photo by Brigitte Tohm

 

Angel Gifts

~ jodiheisz ~ 2 Comments

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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

Be Bold. Be Beautiful.

~ jodiheisz ~ 12 Comments

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“Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it.”
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Today, decide to do two, simple things to change your life.

Be bold. Be beautiful.

Being bold and beautiful means choosing to be assertive standing in the real you. Raw, honest, authentic, strong, vivacious, loving, fearless, compassionate and empowered. Being bold dressed in the real you makes you beautiful like a shining star sparkling in the indigo sky.

Being bold and beautiful is not being what someone else wants you to be. Not following today’s trend guaranteed to die tomorrow. Not following the masses because everyone else is doing it. And not trying to impress the wrong people for the wrong reasons.

When you become bold and beautiful, your unlimited. Powerful. Magnetic. Your spirit soars like a rocket to the heavens above giving a message you are ready for more. God will listen sending you affirmations and opportunities to make you more the real you.

I will be honest. Some people won’t like the real you. It will frighten them shaking every fiber and bone in their bodies smack down into their core. Because seeing you be real makes them feel they should be real. And, you know what? They are afraid of facing the real person deep inside of them.

The ones who are ready for the bold and beautiful real you, are ready and waiting for you to arrive. This tribe, your tribe, will always have your back. I betcha they too are ready to be bold and beautiful just like you.

Today from here on out fill your life with fire-breathing passion, real and gut-wrenching love, unwavering and focused commitment and a solid connection to humanity. This transforms you into the ultimate beauty irresistible to yourself and the world in every way.

Be bold. Be Beautiful.

 

Featured photo by Tavin Dotson