Almost 18?

With her graduation from high school approaching quickly, I am wondering where those 18 years went! It seems to have flown by so quickly because just a year ago we were at the Pacific Science Center celebrating her 3rd birthday with the Seattle dinosaurs. I even remember the pink jacket she wore that day and the cute little Pooh umbrella she carried around. Now, she is eying my car and hoping she and her Siberian Husky can take a cross-country trip together.  What a change!

No matter what happens with college, work, cars, or guys, I do know that I could not be more excited for Britty because of how solid she is and how non-conformity and freedom are clearly what she is all about. I see only good things for her because she knows how to make it all happen for herself. As far as people worrying about the teenage years and all the drama that can be associated with that, I am here to say that it does not have to be dramatic or bad. I believe there is only the "typical teen" if you buy into that. Teach them to think for themselves early on and let them be the creator of their lives. They know far more than you may do about what they truly love. If you instill independence and integrity and you live that way yourself, then I doubt you'd partake in the common drama and negativity of the teen years.

Hello Miss Wolfe.  (Still a BMW)

Mrs. and Miss Wolfe!

We all know someone with this disease. Gotta love them!

I love this little guy, especially the way he holds his basketball stomach! 

I love it!

Fun Stuff!!

Thank you to Lisa who encouraged me to BLOG again!  She even said to just "add one photo!"  Well, I can't just add ONE as you know!! :P  Someday, I will reorganize my blog and maybe do more veggie foods!  Until then, just photo updates keep me happy.

Love this wedding shot:

I still cannot believe how pretty our wedding cake was!!! 

Getting ready details with my girls.  So much fun! 

Ceremony & reception:

and lastly - my baby...  she's walking again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  UPRIGHT!!!!  YAHOO!  Surgery went well and recovery is progressing on schedule!  I love those surgeons who did such an amazing job.  Also, the anesthesiologist team was amazing.  We're lucky to attract some amazing talent and focus in our lives! 

Time for a Change, Indeed!

It has been so long since I've posted!  Work and home life has keep me busy, but I don't like seeing the old news on the site without a new update.

Some people say I move faster than they can keep up with, but I do love how much has changed!  So many positive changes have unfolded seemingly straight out of my vision boards and into my real life.

2010's ending brought some serious decluttering!  That felt great!!!!!!!!!

2011 brought: 

• Britty's 16th birthday 
• J & C - Engagement to be married
• My 40th birthday
• Relocating to our new beautiful home (with a pool!!!)
• Britty entering into a great public Highschool after all those homeschooling years!!
• Our October wedding ceremony in the Berkshires
• Our first Christmas together as a family

 

  

2012 (so far) has brought:

• a goodbye to our beautiful Lily (that was heart breaking.  I miss you, little Lily)
• My new studio relocation!
• New company name and big changes in the business that I LOVE
• New affiliates for work
• Britty's scoliosis and inability to walk (shocker news!)
• Britty's ongoing recovery
• A wedding reception for family and friends
• Britty's new Siberian Husky baby girl

 

My biggest wish for the rest of 2012 is that Britty can walk again ... easily and be pain free.  We will keep doing all we can there.  I'm positive that this little husky girl will be a HUGE part of Britty's recovery!!!!!!!!

For the rest of the year:

• Continued success and growth in my company!
• Expansion into new projects (Motivational area to help others reach their goals too!)
• A FUN and celebratory wedding reception that we have GREAT memories from!
• A log home (second home?  get away cabin?)
• Great self-care - veggie foods, green drinks, skin care, relaxation, exercise, etc...
• Positive focus.  <3  

Ahhh, that update felt good!!!!!!!

When the issues of someone else's life have you tied in knots, it usually means it's time to start focusing on your own life.

Doesn't that feel better?   

To Britty...

A glimpse into our future. Thank you for dreaming it. Because of you, it is now within reach:

We will SWIM!

We will play...

We will silently watch...

We will hike...

We will feel our freedom...

We will talk lots...

We will bike...

We will laugh at the cardboard cut-out of a mountain!

We will protect and love our friends...

And we will laugh our asses off that we pulled this off!!!!!!!!

The Sedona Method - Hale Dwoskin

Please watch my video so I can win a 7-Day Retreat with Hale and The Sedona Method!! I will send you a *great* postcard from Sedona if I win. ;)



The Sedona Method

I'm happy with the opportunities that have come my way since listening to these CDs. :) I look forward to even more!

The Cove

My friends deserve to be free.



Perhaps I find the movie "The Cove" even more horrifying than people who eat fish and support the overfishing by their dollar votes, but this is surreal to me. How can we justify killing cetaceans and fish for food and also for entertainment? I love when a disgustingly cruel and unhealthy hidden truth is exposed. It's one thing to be ignorant. Once you know what is happening, however, how can you contribute? This idea has sparked nearly one and a half million people to protest against one unacceptable "tradition" that needs to evolve... the Taiji, Japan dolphin slaughter.

The movie, The Cove, creatively captured secret footage of the reality hidden to the public, even hidden to the public in Japan. I commend the "activists" who devote their time and talents to exposing the truth so we can find out more and more about what we will and will not support. I hesitate to label these people activists because the word may be laced with thoughts of controversy or 'over the top' behavior. I consider the people in this film to be human; to be connected.

"The Cove exposes the slaughter of more than 20,000 dolphins and porpoises off the coast of Japan every year, and how their meat, containing toxic levels of mercury, is sold as food in Japan and other parts of Asia, often labeled as whale meat. The majority of the world is not aware this is happening."

"Critical praise and audience awards worldwide have focused international attention on Taiji and the annual dolphin drives off the coast of Japan. On September 1, the six-month dolphin hunting season opened again, and fishermen in Taiji plan to take to the cove despite international pressure. Experts say education, awareness and persistence are needed to eventually turn the tide."

www.takepart.com/thecove

The movie trailer:

Change can occur by our own personal evolution. Change in the outside world will occur whether we are ready for it or not. We can deplete the oceans. We can pretend we are a higher species than the others. We can pretend to have all the answers and all the control in the world. The fundamental truths still remain and they do not cater to our egos and stories of hierarchy.

Our friends deserve to be free. Help find a better way than violence and speciesism. Please watch The Cove and support the efforts of others who risked their lives and freedom to show the world that awareness is the biggest step we can take in moving forward.

Good News!

In a previous post, I mentioned that a business mentor and person I admire very much had been diagnosed with cancer. Brian Tracy has been combating cancer all these months and I had been watching his website and listening out for updates. I was so pleased to read that he was doing well, but I still worried!

Last night I received an update from Brian's top coach, Jim Masters. Jim works side by side with Brian in his coaching programs, business seminars and in many teleconferences and webinars. I have been fortunate enough to be part of these events and to get to know Jim more and more. On a call the other night, Jim gave an update as to Brian's health. I was happy the news was from Jim directly and not posted on a blog somewhere! I felt better to hear it from Jim and he did say that Brian is doing well. !!!! He confirmed Brian's blog post about his recovery and how the cancer cells have been removed and how he has hardly missed a beat during his treatment. (Why am I not surprised?) I told you he is a survivor! :) :)

I'm so happy that he is doing well and is still working with us live on our business program. He is even hosting another live two and a half day workshop this month and I know he will be amazing.

ASPCA

You know that great feeling you get when you see the furry friends of your family well taken care of and extremely happy?  Maybe you can feel the same knowing you helped some other babies who need it too!

I was happy to renew my membership to the ASPCA today and give some food to those homeless babies who are waiting to claim their new owners.  :)  Boots approved of this and wanted me to blog the link so you could consider donating too.  Check out their website for information and some freebies like a Pet Safety Pack to protect your loyal family members!  You can also obtain information on pet care or learn about how to fight animal cruelty in areas such as Equine Cruelty, Animals in Entertainment and the Exotic Pet Trade.  There's lots to learn and we cannot do better until we know better!

Help end animal cruelty by clicking the banner below.   Boots says so! 



To become a member and/or donate, click here:

I am the oracle of knowledge in helping animals in need!

Gotta stuff those private jokes in there... always.  :)  Ok, now go save 'em, you oracle of knowledge!!!

Trust the Process

You know that feeling gratitude is good.  You know that you perpetuate that which you are feeling and resonating.  So why can it be so difficult sometimes?!  ;) 

I was lucky enough to speak with author John Assaraf this week regarding this question I had.  I know what it's like to feel pure desire and total excitement for things.  I also know how the discrepancy from where you are at and where you want to be can be so drastic when you dream BIG...  so how do you stay in the mode of passion, excitement and energy during the transition?  John said that this is a common place to be and recognizing this as a transition is huge.  He mentioned taking the baby steps and kept saying this phrase to me:  "Trust the process."   Those words have been ringing through my mind all day long.

I used to believe you needed a crystal clear picture of the desired outcome to get to where you want to be.  If you have that, it can be a wonderful tool!  Without it, I felt a bit lost.  I do not know clearly which way I want to choose in one area of my life and it has made me feel that I am running in circles!  I am, however, taking steps to get to a better place each day...  so there is progression that is measurable and positive.  Rather than worry about the 5 year plan that is not totally clear yet, how about trusting the process?  Hmmm.  Great advice for me at this time and place where I am at!

Another idea that removes pressure from me and may help others is along the same lines as trusting the process:  you may not be able to figure out all the details of where you want to be, what you want to do, where you want to work, etc...  so instead, focus on the feelings you want to have.  The details will all fall into place once you do that.  So if you are not sure how much money you want to make specifically this year, how about focus on the feelings you want to have as a result of money.  If it's a feeling of success you want, then find out what will make you feel successful (or more successful?)  Success is never about the dollar amount anyhow.  What is success to you?  Define it alone because it is a very personalize idea and no one can tell you what it means to you.  So define it in a way where you *feel* success.

Another example of this is in envisioning a new home.  I have a dream of owning a custom log home.  I kept focusing on the home itself and took a step back to see why I wanted it.  What will that "give" me?  The answer was:  a feeling of safety, stability and the feeling of a welcoming and comfy place!  Log homes, to me, have that warm glow about them inside and are natural and "down to Earth" so to speak.  I never really had sat down to figure out why that was important to me.  Safety.  Stability.  Welcoming.  Comfortable.  Real.  Livable.  Breathable.  Everyone is welcome there and likes the feeling of it.  I associate them with a happy home full of laughing and support.  None of this has to do with an actual log home though, really.  So if I focus on those feelings instead of the "end result" of the home, I do believe the log home comes faster.  No resistance.  No dwelling on "lack" of log home!  Just perpetuating that which I want more of.  Then more of it comes in.  

Lastly on goals:  Clearly defined goals are energizing and can be a very fast way to get what you want!  Sometimes, however, they are not established or revealed yet.  I'm learning that this is ok.  In fact, in learning to trust the process and dig down beneath the specific goals you can discover what you really are after and WHY.   Once you tap into the "why..."  you can sit back and watch it all unfold.

Thank you to John for your time today  It was an honor to speak with you again!  **major gratitude**

Her Healing Powers Scare Me

It's nearly time to have Britty's braces removed!!!!  Not only will she love her teeth, but I'll be loving one less monthly payment!  WOO!   The braces experience was not as painful as we've heard, according to Britty.  With the brackets she had, we had no breakages, no major pain and everything went according to schedule.  (She also did not eat popcorn, gum, or gummy candies, so that has lots to do with it!)  So one last big procedure before the braces are removed...  wisdom teeth extraction.  Uh-oh.

I love how you can see the brackets on each tooth in the X-ray:

Preparing for surgery and watching the heart monitor.  Why did they have me stay in the room for the first part?  I was more nervous than she was.  Drugging up your baby is such a horrible thing to witness.  I had to pace around the waiting room.  We do not like taking any medication, so this seemed severe to us!! 

My baby is done and just beginning to come around after being brought into the recovery room.  This was how I first saw her.  :(  With an insane amount of cotton wads in her mouth, she had no idea where she was and how she got there.  :(  She was shaking and out of it, and I felt so bad for her and began to feel very sorry for people who are addicted to drugs or take them to "feel better."  :(  It's incredibly scary and I am so glad that Britty is healthy to begin with.  Still...

Back at home after a wheel chair ride.  (Hey...  Britty was in a wheelchair before I was!)  Ice packs to reduce swelling.  Towel wrapped pillow for blood catching:

This photo was taken the SAME NIGHT as the surgery.  ???  How does she heal so fast??  This was without the pain killers too.  HARD CORE, Britty! 

Here are some tips for faster healing as I've seen with Britty: 

*  DO use the ice packs.  I know it feels horrible.  This will reduce the swelling though and will be so worth it.  20 minutes on/20 minutes off.  I know it's easy to skip, but do your best.

*  If you cannot drink, try filling a little squirt bottle with water or juice.  Britty had a tiny one near her so she could squirt it in her mouth without it pouring all out!  (numbness makes for lots of drooling!)  Plus, with wisdom teeth removal, they say not to use straws so a squirt bottle was a great help to us!

*  Before surgery, don't listen to other people's horror stories.  ;)  Not everyone has the same pain and recovery. 

*  Prepare beforehand:  Stock up on the foods your doctors says are ok.  Make some pudding or tapioca!  Get juices, waters, ginger ale, or have a variety ready.  We had a ton of water here, but Britty could not drink it because she said it tasted like blood!  eeew.  So we went for the juice and a ginger ale and watered that down.  Having a variety with help!

Good luck to you if you are having your wisdoms removed!  Neither of us had trouble with ours.  Just stay healthy going into any surgery and your body will do its best to kick into gear to heal quickly for you!
 

No Fighting in our House!

So we had to take it on the road.... 

Britty's editing of this made me laugh so much that my stomach hurts.  The last "swipe" gave me a bruise on my ear with her lion's paw unleashing.  I *thought* you said we were play-wrestling?! 

Just you wait until next time, my friend...  Now I see how you play.  **RRROOAAARRR!!!!**



As our karate teacher used to say, "Families that kick together stick together."  One of them may end up deaf from it though.  :)

Very funny video, Britty!  The rug burns and bruises were totally worth it!! 

Do You Journal?

I recently seemed to step back in time with an old ritual I used to feel incomplete without: journaling. Once upon a time, my journals consisted of regular college-ruled notebooks with nothing fancy about them. I preferred these to the tiny decorative ones from bookstores because with the amount that I wrote, I didn't want to be flipping pages constantly and filling up the journal overnight! Within the pages of the plain notebooks, I'd work out everything I needed to. I weighed out the pros and cons of situations. I was free to even sketch out my option of selling everything and moving to New York City in 1992. I wrote down the crazy thoughts, the fun ones, the dreams, and the day to day things that could have otherwise been mundane or ignored. I did not want to have a day without my 100% honest journal.

After a number of occasions where my journal was read and used against me, I noticed that when I picked it up to write, I held back. I censored more than usual and wondered things like, "What if (so and so) reads this?" I wrote as if it were to be read by someone else, and that was when the magic had died.

As the years went on, I found some places online to journal. Password protected. Safe. There was something less powerful in typing though than in writing by hand. I could not put in my little doodles, hearts, smiles or make the swear words large and dark with lighting bolts around them. Black text on the white background. Not as much fun and I barely went back to ever read them again.

With my recent time posting lots of info on my personal life on YouTube, CCOR, and Facebook, I began to see that I really had a lot more to say.   In some ways, censoring did happen there as well for me when I told a bit of my story for that day. What about all the rest of the day? What about my real story?

I began to become aware of posting things to the Internet. I see the benefit in that sometimes and have enjoyed the experiences I've had with that in the past. What I did though was replace my whole story for the brief Internet version. In doing this, I've missed so much of my story. I've missed journaling and being exactly as I am without censoring or trying to be "better."

I recently read about making a vision board (yeah - another one!)  This made me think of journaling because the lady talking about the vision board said, "Take it down when you have company. Even if they are friends, you do not want others' energies in your vision." O_O When you post your truth on the Internet for all to share, it can be great... but isn't it true that you will then get responses and ideas and others' energies? If you are looking for advice, this may be great. If you are looking to discover your own voice and desires, this is an inner job.  I tend to get distracted with others' energies because I am not too strong at blocking that out just yet! 

I have since opted to sit out a few of my online "meeting" places for awhile for the pleasure of doing some inner discovering. My journal is a brand new college-ruled notebook. I purchased a pretty pen that I use exclusively for this journal. It is a ritual once again and it is fearless and uncensored. It is not for debate. Not for advice. Not for uncovering what I "need to work on." It is my story 100% and is for my own peace and confidence... lightning bolts, hearts and all.

Soul Mate

A soul mate is someone to whom we feel profoundly connected, as though the communication and communing that take place between us were not the product of intentional efforts, but rather a divine grace. This kind of relationship is so important to the soul that many have said there is nothing more precious in life.

- Thomas Moore

You Matter Very Much

Quoted from the blog of Jamie Tworkowski, founder of To Write Love on Her Arms - a nonprofit organization to help suffers of depression, addiction, self-injury and suicidal thoughts/attempts.

"I hope you know you're not the only one who feels the way you feel. You are not the only one who struggles.

You are not the only one with questions. You are not crazy. You deserve to be heard, to be known. You deserve love. 

You deserve love.

You deserve a place that feels like home. You deserve some hands to hold. Hands to pull you past the broken moments, hands to catch you when you fall. Eyes to see you. To say you're there, that you exist, that you change a room, that your presence is significant. Ears to hear you - hear your stories, hear you laugh. Ears to hear your questions and to say they matter. 

You are not alone today. You matter very much. 

Peace to you.

jamie"

http://www.twloha.com/

OPRAH WINFREY NETWORK AUDITION VIDEO

Please vote for my friend, Lilou.   The Oprah Winfrey Network is holding auditions for a "Host Your Own TV Show."  Lilou Mace is the perfect one for the job!  She is a known author, founder of the CoCreating Your Realities Network (a group of about 6,000 people from all over the world dedicated to improving themselves and the world, one person at a time!)  Lilou is an inspirational speaker and holds interviews with the top leaders in the field of spirituality and self improvement such as Deepak Chopra and Debbie Ford.  She is a force in this industry and her dedication and love for what she does is infectious.  We love her and HOPE she wins this TV show opportunity.  Please vote for Lilou and help her win a tv show that will do more than entertain...  it will change your life for the better.



 -------->>>>>> Click here to VOTE!!!!  http://bit.ly/9dFRzF

Lots of luck to you Lilou...  not that you need it.  ;)

The Power of Acceptance - Debbie Ford

I was reading The 21-Day Consiousness Cleanse by Debbie Ford tonight and wanted to share this part with you and say:  stay healthy, stay happy, and accept what you cannot change:

"You must accept all that you are, all that you've been, and all that you will be in the future.

You have to accept that life is full of ambiguities, contrasts, and paradoxes, and that there will always be challenges for you to overcome.  You have to accept that every challenge is really an opportunity that is meant to help you grow, to evolve, to open up, and to reclaim wisdom."

Just a reminder to you to accept the things you cannot change.

Loving this Prince!

"The purity of a person's heart can be quickly measured by how they regard animals"

~ Anonymous