“It takes courage to speak our truth. Speaking our truth allows what is deep inside of us to come out – our hopes, dreams, desires, beliefs, who we are. Many of us let life’s not so fun circumstances run amuck, which swallows up our truth eventually leaving us lost and depressed. Oh my, how I know that all too well. There comes a point in time, though, when enough is enough.” ~ Speak Your Truth & Soar, TWWC article 2009

Talk about resonating! This excerpt from Speak Your Truth & Soar grabbed my heart today because in recent months I have found myself in that exact spot of being in not so fun circumstances running amuck in my life.  The result?  You got it!  Feeling lost and depressed and might I add fragile.

Last month I wrote about my being on that crazy merry-go-round kind of life knowing that the only way to get off would mean making some tough decisions.  Enough became enough when finally, I stepped up into courage and made some changes and now I am in the process of adjusting to what that means, and it is good.  You will be seeing the results of this in the next few coming weeks!

Discovering and living out our truth is a process.  Over the next while I will be posting about this because discovering is not enough!  We have to do something with what we discover!  And then we have to be careful to not get stuck in the process or we will never truly shine … or put another way, we will never fully bloom into who we were created to be.

Do you know your truth?

Do you speak your truth?

Do you live your truth?

If this brief article is causing something deep within you to stir, take heart!  This is a very good thing because you are in the right place at the right time.

Stay tuned for more on Knowing Your Truth: Think, Speak, Live.

Share in the comment section below if there is a stirring and/or what it means for you.

Time to fess up!  Yep, I need to confess to you again.

I have been very quiet for the last two months.  I have tried to break the silence a couple of times with no avail.

I have been STUCK!  Ugh!  I do NOT like to be stuck!  No one does and I am sure that that includes you.

When we are in a season of change it requires a lot of energy, discernment, wisdom, and COURAGE.  We want to make the right decisions for our lives and in doing so it more than likely requires us to move out of our comfort zones, out of our safe little boxes.  And there lies the rub where the wrestling begins.

I have been in a place of wrestling.  I still am really but just this very moment in my time of journaling I wrote these words:

I need to be able to rise above the the congested pathways of my brain, move above it and operate on a higher plain so that I can get moving.

And then minutes later came:

OMG!  I have got to lighten up!  Over thinking and over analyzing stops the flow of everything!  It stops creativity, energy – movement of any kind (think stagnation!).  It puts you in fear not knowing what to do first!  Sucks the passion right out of you.  Holy crap!  That is where I have been.  Where is my fun, my joy, my passion?!

Is that not amazing?!  In one moment I am overcome from the weight of my “brain congestion” and in the next moment my answer tumbles out in excitement in a way that has completely shifted my energy.  The pathways have just opened up.

And, I have to bring your attention to one more thing because in writing this article for you, the above paragraph just gave me a gigantic clue in another area I have been stuck in.

“… I am overcome from the weight of my ‘brain congestion’…”

Wow!  Everything about us in interconnected.  I have not been able to reach my health and fitness goals for months now.  Why?  Because I have been overcome from the weight of my brain congestion!!

Girlfriends, it is time for this girl to lighten up, have fun, and re-connect with my passions so that I experience the joy of life-flow once again.

Sooo … who can relate??

___________

Photo found here =>Kelly McCausey.

You ARE a beautiful phenomenal woman! Step into and embrace ALL of who you are … because YOU are woman!!

What does this video stir inside of you? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

PMS Fighting Foods

by Andrea Lewis

PMS — likely the reason our monthly visitor was nicknamed the curse, may be easier to cure than previously thought. Though it will require a certain amount of discipline on your part, the most effective cure for PMS appears to be dietary.

Studies have revealed that the foods most capable of eliminating PMS symptoms contain high amounts of the minerals magnesium and calcium, and the vitamins B6 and D. Fortunately, there are many tasty foods that fit the bill. If such foods are eaten regularly, while avoiding the substances that cause or exacerbate PMS, you can decrease and even eliminate PMS symptoms!

In addition, complex carbohydrates — such as whole grains, have been shown to boost serotonin levels in the brain, which helps to keep mood elevated even during those difficult days prior to one’s period. If you are prone to severe mood swings and/or depression, fiber rich fruits, vegetable and grains are an excellent choice. Carbohydrates with a low glycemic index are the best serotonin boosters.

Salt, caffeine and alcohol worsen PMS symptoms; you should also avoid fat during the last few days before the onset of your period.

To give you a head-start, I have compiled a short list of the foods highest in more than one the vitamins and minerals most effective against PMS. I call these foods “twofers,” though some contain three of the PMS fighting nutrients:

Halibut, fillet – contains Magnesium, Vitamins B6 and D,

Cooked spinach – contains Magnesium, Vitamin B6 and Calcium,

Black beans, cooked – contains Magnesium and Vitamin B6,

Peanuts – contains Magnesium and Vitamin B6,

Whole wheat bread – contains Magnesium and Vitamin B6,

Raw broccoli – contains Magnesium and Calcium,

Salmon – contains Calcium and Vitamins B6 and D,

Sardines – contains Calcium and Vitamin D.

There are many more foods that naturally contain the four aforementioned nutrients, but these eight give you the most bang for your calorie buck.

Remember, selecting foods with both taste and nutrition in mind will prevent you from returning to old, unproductive eating habits. Do your research; it will be well worth it. You may even discover some twofers that I’ve missed, and you’ll not only be combating “the curse” but living a much healthier, contented life.

For more information on natural PMS remedies and other natural health topics, check out the Article Archive of my holistic health e-zine, 21st Century Apothecary http://www.21st-apothecary.com

Yes, life IS messy!

Many of us try to make life fit into this perfect, black and white little box.  It is more stressful living in that pretend world than in the real, messy world.  The Christian community is particularly caught up in the perfect, black and white little box thing.  Ah! Before you throw darts at me I am part of that Christian community, I know first hand.  Although this is just my opinion, when I have expressed this to others whether Christian or not, I have yet to have someone disagree.  It’s ok if you do.

Can we be real!!… for just one minute!  Life IS messy!  The Bible is full of messy life stuff.  We read those stories and pull out life lessons, albeit really good life lessons, and end up beating ourselves (and sometimes others) over the head with it without love, grace, and understanding.  Lately, I have been thinking over and over … “who knows the mind of God?”.  We put God in a box thinking we know what He thinks and how He acts and moves.  REALLY??!!  Who are we kidding?!  He is the God of the universe for crying out loud.

I love my God, my Abba Father.  He is who I have anchored my life to so don’t misunderstand, but I have come to the realization that there is tons that we don’t know and understand about Him and His universe.  The sooner I quit putting Him and His universe in a box, the better off I will be.  And, may I add, by doing so will only strengthen my faith.  Just my opinion.

Look, I don’t care what religion you are, we all experience a messy life from time to time, although some more than others.  In my striving for authenticity, I am declaring to you, all of my precious readers, that I get that life is messy.  I get that your life can be messy and may be messy right now.  Heck! My own life gets messy … super messy!  I am not perfect.  I do not fit into that perfect, black and white little box.  Dare I say it this way … I do not fit into that perfect, black and white little Christian box.  I just don’t and I never will!  Just sayin.

So! Let’s all become more authentic by being ok with the fact that life IS messy!  Let’s embrace the mess that is currently in our lives to make us better people.  There are many life lessons to be learned in every situation we find ourselves in that can launch us to the next level in our lives.

Let’s be real!  Let’s be authentic!  Let’s admit to the fact that life IS messy and be ok with that.  Let’s embrace the mess and allow it to launch us!  Let’s allow our mess to reveal more of our authentic selves.  And most of all, lets embrace each other and love one another through it all!  That is why I am here!

With much love & a big heart,

Shileen

Image found here.

Breakthrough.  The next level.  Busting through the ceiling. Metamorphosis.

February was an interesting month looking back.  I had to look at my posts and reflect on my past week to begin to put some clarity to it.

February was definitely dedicated to creating.  We started with a fun way to creatively express love to ourselves through Love Notes With A Twist, which by the way I will have a follow up post to that soon.  We started a 90 Day Weight Loss & Fitness Challenge to begin to create health and wellness.  And we created artistically making our love containers and Valentines for our loved ones.  I even threw in soap making.

Plus, February was my birthday month!

All sounds fun and exciting, doesn’t it?  Then why did the last week of the month end up being a very difficult, emotionally raw week for me?

As I look over the month, I admit to you that my personal Love Notes With A Twist has not gone well, but I am determined to pull it out of the tank.  I thoroughly enjoyed the artistic creativity with the Valentines and the soap making which both gave me a huge charge.  And, the 90 Day Challenge is giving me a sense of hope & excitement to get my health & fitness level back up to where it belongs. However, and here is part of the rub,  that requires change on many levels.

With change, in this case personal growth, comes struggle.  We have to really want something in order to endure what’s hard to breakthrough the self-imposed wall, ceiling, padding, etc. to get to that next level.

In order for the beautiful butterfly to emerge from it’s cocoon, it must first become uncomfortable and then break its way out.  The butterfly must do all the work itself because any help will cause it to die, so I have been told.

We want personal growth but just when we are about to experience the breakthrough that we have been waiting for for so long is when the tension is at its greatest point.  We have a choice.  We can back off and lessen the tension to put us back into our comfort zone, or we can stay the course, push through the tension, and bust out of our cocoon allowing the beautiful butterfly to takes its rightful place in this world.

Sometimes we can find ourselves in that place of metamorphic tension and not totally understand where it is taking us.  I find myself in that place now.  The cocoon has become very uncomfortable but where will I be when I bust out of this shell?

As a result I have been asking myself, what IS MY rightful place in this world?  What is MY truth?  What is MY truthful pathway?

And I ask you … What is YOURS?

Whatever our breakthrough truth is for each of us, it is ours to own, embrace, and thrive in with amazing joy and peace!  Let’s not sink back into our comfort zones, but instead step up to the plate to endure this metamorphic tension so that we can joyfully grace our world with the beauty that is intended for us.

The world is waiting for each of us to take our own rightful place, and when we do there will be a hush of amazement!  Can you hear it?  Can you feel it?  Go for it!

The Luminous Green Butterfly image is from Fantastic at picable.com

Friday, February 18th is my birthday! This is not something I typically announce but this year I am.  It is a special milestone that I am excited about AND I am giving myself the most awesome gift ever!

Guess what it is!  Give up?

A healthier fit body!

And how am I going to achieve that?

Yes! Through a 90 Day Challenge that I am doing with Dr. Cheryl Townsley!

I love fitness challenges!  I did one 2 1/2 years ago and lost 30 pounds.  I went from a size 10 to a size 4.  You can see my before and after pictures in the post called “Weight Loss: Weigh More Than A Diet”.  The link is at the end of this article.

I know.  You are thinking to yourself that I must have gained it all back, right?  Wrong!  When you watch Dr. Cheryl’s video below about the challenge and her personal transformation,  notice what she says that happened to her body when she turned a particular age.  (That will also give you a clue about what age I am turning on Friday   )  In the last 6 months I have noticed a big change in my muscle mass, almost strange-like along with a few added pounds, less than ten but with my small frame I really notice it.

For my special birthday, I am giving myself the gift of health, not out of hatred and punishment, but out of love and care for myself through a 90 Day Challenge.  I am embracing who I am, the age that I am turning, and giving myself what I need to be strong and vibrant.  By doing so I can then give from a healthy joy-filled, love-filled cup to my loved ones and to YOU!

I encourage you to join me so that you can give yourself a healthier you as well.  Embrace yourself right where you are and join myself and Dr. Cheryl on this exciting transformational journey by taking the 90 Day Challenge. Let’s create a fun and supportive community of love and joy while we reach our weight loss and fitness goals together.

Are you in?  Let me know what you think in the comment section below.

P.S. … Have you figured out how old I am yet?  The clue is in the video!

For more information click here => 90 Day Challenge

The purpose of The Wonder Woman Challenge is to fill yourself up with love so that you can give love to others from your overflow.  That way you are giving from a place of abundance rather than one of lack.  Holidays like Valentine’s Day is no different.

One way we fill ourselves with love is to be creative, in whatever way that fits us.  I love to be creative.  It motivates and inspires me not just in the realm for what I am creating, but also spills over into other areas of my life.

Well, for Valentine’s Day my crafty creative bent came out to play.  Oh my!  When the inspiration hit there was no stopping me … all h#@@ broke loose in my house until I had all the supplies and, of course, that meant staying up late.  It was SO much fun and even more more fun giving my homemade Valentines and treats as gifts.

Below are the promised pictures and information for my projects that many asked for on Facebook.  I hope that you become inspired to create something … anything!  Something that takes you away from the mundane.  Something that takes your head out of your to do list.  Something that lets you play again like a child!  Something that will fill your heart and spirit with love!

Love Notes

This is not the greatest picture but this is so cute.  This was a gift for my son’s girlfriend.  I made cute little paper fortune cookies with love notes my son wrote for each one.  I found this idea at One Lucky Day

Be My Valentine Treat Bucket

I gave these cute treat buckets to my family members.  The buckets came from the Dollar Tree.  I covered Hershey Bars with very cute Valentine wrappers and made individual Valentine S’more packets.  The candy wrapper idea is from Anything But Perfect and the Valentine S’mores is from Welcome to Pittiepat Paperie

Chocolate Chip Valentine Cookies

These are just regular chocolate chip cookie bars but I used Wilton’s Brownie Combo Cutter and piped a little icing on them.

Well there ya have it!  Remember, a little (maybe a lot) of creativity is good for the soul!!