How can we live in perfect harmony?

Dec 18, 2017

As I was thinking about today's post for Courageous Self-Care Foundation #5, I kept hearing the Lion King song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" run through my head.

There's one line that goes:

... the world for once in perfect harmony

with all its living things.

(Yes, I did just sing the song out loud here at my desk; it's such a classic-for me at least.)

What would it be like to be in perfect harmony? 

I have an unusual answer for you.

To me, perfect harmony would be if each human being could embrace both their masculine and feminine energies and learn to concsiously choose when to use each one. That would be a sweet, sweet symphony.

Why?

Because if each human being stopped fearing the feminine and could harness their masculine side when necessary and then their feminine side at other times, seriously people... the world would be glorious.

We would have a world full of whole people who aren't trying to fill their empty spaces with someone else. Each relationship...

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What do Madonna & Courageous Self-Care have in common?

Dec 18, 2017

Madonna could be the poster child for the 4th Foundation of Courageous Self-Care.

Why? Because it's all about Full Self-Expression. (You know the tune... Express Yourself Hey Hey Hey Hey!)

We've been going through the 12 Foundations of Courageous Self-Care (kind of like the 12 days of Christmas, but all the gifts go to you and there's no pear tree).

If you missed any of the previous Foundations, simply click the links below: 

Foundation 1 (Shifting your Relationship with Time)

Foundation 2 (Gratitude Changes Everything)

Foundation 3 (Freedom through Forgiveness)

 


Now, about Self-Expression. Our innate nature is to expand. We expand most fully when we are on purpose, feeling fully alive and showing up as exactly who we are.

In my opinion, our most important journey in this lifetime is finding out who we are, discovering our gifts and talents and sharing them unabashedly with others.

Can you imagine what life would be like if that were the case? Oh my gosh... life would be...

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How to Gain Freedom through Forgiveness

Dec 05, 2017

It's a great day to learn about freedom!

Freedom through Forgiveness is the 3rd Foundation of Courageous Self-Care. 

If you missed Foundation 1 (Shifting your Relationship with Time) or Foundation 2 (Gratitude Changes Everything), simply click the link for either one to learn more.

 Now, about Forgiveness and Freedom...

 

I love this expression about Forgiveness; blaming others is like drinking poison and expecting them to die.

If we're holding onto grudges towards others, or ourselves, we are draining away precious energy. It takes so much energetic tension to blame and to hold onto things that happened in the past. 

Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself. 

My favourite forgiveness practice is the Ho'Oponopono, an esoteric Hawaiian Healing System. I made a video about it that you can watch here. 

In my experience, the most powerful forgiveness experience is when we choose to forgive ourselves. We can be mighty hard on ourselves, right?

Take...

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A Secret about Courageous Self-Care

Nov 29, 2017

How are you doing with your thoughts and words about time? In the last post, I talked about the first Foundation of Courageous Self-Care, which is essentially treating time like your friend. If you missed it, you can read it here.

Today I have another juicy secret for you about Courageous Self-Care, which just so happens to be Foundation #2.

Take a big breath so you're ready to receive this earth-shattering news...

Gratitude Changes Everything

Ok, so this is not new information for most people. However, when you decide to devote more of your energy to actual gratitude practices, your life truly does change for the better.

I've been speaking with women recently about gratitude and asking them what their gratitude practices are. Mostly, they say things like, "I say thank you," or "I try to feel grateful throughout the day."

Those are great places to start. And here's your chance to take it a step further.

Gratitude has a magical energy. When you express gratitude to something or...

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So What is Courageous Self-Care Anyway?

Nov 27, 2017

It's been over a year since I started developing the foundations of Courageous Self-Care. Initially, I thought there were 7 foundations, which would have been nice because they could have aligned with the 7 chakras.

That didn't work out. 

As my awareness of self-care expanded, 3 more foundations were revealed to me. "Well, that will work nicely," I thought, because we humans like the number 10 a lot. We have 10 fingers and 10 toes, so we like the number 10.

A few months ago, I started writing this particular post. I even titled it the 10 Foundations of Courageous Self-Care. However, when I got to the 10th foundation, there were some ideas that still wanted to be expressed. 

As it turns out, there are 12 foundations. Who knew?

As far as numbers go, 12 is still a good one because now there is a foundation for each month of the year. Hooray! All is well.

Over the next few posts, I'll be sharing with you the 12 Foundations of Courageous Self-Care. Rest assured, they...

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Did You Know This About Birthdays?

Nov 14, 2017

Last night, I returned from a retreat in California that I helped facilitate. You may not know this about me, because I tend to compartmentalize my life, but I feel compelled to share it with you today. One of the hats I wear is as the Program Manager for a global program called Your Year of Miracles.

Each fall, there is a retreat for the Inner Circle members of the program. Last year I attended as a member. This year I attended in a leadership position after a series of miraculous events. More on that another time.

My point today is about birthdays and this is related to what I mentioned above because I happened to celebrate my 41st birthday on Sunday at the retreat.

Here's me with Marci Shimoff and Debra Poneman, the founders of Your Year of Miracles. What an honour to be showered with love and gifts by two incredibly powerful global change-makers.

Anyway, here are 2 important things to keep in mind the next time you celebrate your birthday.

1. On the date of your birth, all...

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The Problem with I'm Sorry

Nov 07, 2017

A great deal of Courageous Self-Care involves the words we choose to think and speak.

When we're aware of the words we use, we can significantly change our vibration, because words are incredibly powerful.

Each word, whether thought or spoken, has its own vibration, meaning that it resonates with energy.

If we constantly think and speak words with a low vibration, such as coarse language, we're actually draining our energy and putting out a low vibration frequency.

Because like attracts like, whatever energy we put out comes back to us, so we then attract people and situations that reflect that low vibration back to us.

Conversely, when we choose higher vibration words to affirm to ourselves and to share with others, we then experience more situations and people who fill us up with positive energy.

For example, consider the phrase, "I'm sorry." I'm all for using it as a sincere form of apology, but many people, especially women tend to apologize as a habit.

They utter the...

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The 3 Most Dangerous Words

Oct 31, 2017

I remember learning the 3 most dangerous words in the English language... "I know that."

It's so true. when we say "I know that", we are cutting ourselves off from deeper learning. We're robbing ourselves from the gift of the beginner's mind, where everything is fresh and full of possibility.

I recently attended a women's retreat in 2 roles; as a participant and a speaker. Since I've been facilitating workshops and retreats myself for the last few years, it had been awhile since I participated as a student.

I struggled the first couple of days because the Great Trickster (my name for my Ego) insisted that I knew what was being taught.

However, I reminded myself that I didn't want to use those 3 dangerous words and that there is plenty I don't know.

Ten years ago, I attended personal development courses on a monthly basis. At that time, there was so much that I didn't know and my learning curve was very steep.

Since I've been studying intensively for a decade, I've learned that I...

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How to Manifest Giant Chocolate Bunnies and More

Oct 30, 2017

The first time I taught my daughter Zoë how to manifest, she had a magical experience.

Zoë was about 6 years old at the time and it was a week before Easter. My mom gave her the sheet for a colouring contest.

"What's the prize?" she asked.

"A giant chocolate bunny from Bernard Callebaut*," replied my mom. *local gourmet chocolatier

"I'm going to win it," declared Zoë.

Step 1: Know without a doubt that what you desire is now coming to you.

Zoë completed the colouring and we zipped off to the store to drop it off, just before the deadline.

In the car on the way home, I shared what I knew about manifesting.

"Imagine you just got the call telling you that you won. Practice feeling like it just happened."

Zoë closed her eyes and imagined the happy scenario. When I glanced in the rear-view mirror, her face was glowing like the sun.

Step 2: Feel the feelings you will feel once you've manifested your desire.

"Next, let's imagine who you would call to share the...

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An Explanation for Manifestation

Oct 29, 2017

Sometimes we want something so much and we put every effort into making it happen but it doesn't turn out the way we expected.

It can be devastating.

That has happened to me and, for a long time, I didn't know what to think about it. In fact, it can even feel like God/Spirit/the Creator is against us.

Three phrases changed the devastation into understanding for me and, so of course, I wanted to share them with you.

When we desire for something to happen with all our hearts, the Universe (or insert your word for the Higher Power of your understanding) says one of three things:

  1. Yes, here you go.
  2. Yes, but not yet.
  3. No, I love you too much for that.

Courage is required to accept the answer.

 

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