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Friday Focus – 7/14/17 {Stay In Your Lane}

Good morning beautiful people! It’s absolutely stunning here in Seattle on this magical Friday morning. I hope no matter what season it is in your area you are diving into the weekend with an expanded heart and inspiration.

This week’s theme came to me suddenly but resonated deeply. I may have written about this before but I always welcome the reminder, and it is this:

The time spent worrying or thinking about what others feel/think/act/say to you is their business. Stay in your lane and keep your eyes on your business.

Take a moment to truly ask yourself, “is this really true?”. No matter what worries you, ask yourself this question. How much of what is going on in your head are your own projections, worries, and fears?

Remember no judgement, only awareness.

As we dive into the weekend take a moment to pause and ask yourself this question whenever you come up against a resistance. Oftentimes you will find the thought you were just thinking is either based in the past or is a future projection. And what a relief that is!

You are free in THIS moment.

May you find a bit more peace, love, and laughter as you head into the weekend.

Namaste.

Photo by Tanner Larsen

Knowing Your Truth

What does it mean to go IN? To be still? To know your truth? To muddle the outside (and sometimes inside) voices so that you can finally hear and feel your own personal power? To finally feel the expansive freedom that comes with knowing THIS truth?

Just remember, all that ever matters is the coming back to this.. the constant remembrance and living out from this beautiful place that lies within all of us.

Photo by the wonderful Jakob Owens

Our Deepest Fear

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.

~Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love

Gives you the shivers doesn’t it?

So I ask again, who are you not to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? What are the limiting beliefs (and therefore illusory truths) that are holding you back?

Take a moment and take inventory of each decision during the course of a day. Imagine these decisions as branches of a tree; where are these branches stemming from? What is the basis (beliefs) of these decisions and how deep do those roots go?

Remember, change can happen but it takes work. Knowing how to catch the beliefs is half the battle and everyone, yes everyone, is capable of creating this change.

In the meantime I implore you to ask yourself two questions today:

How are you playing big today?
What is one small step you can take toward your true self?

In wellness,

Susan

Language & Beliefs

Your language is a window into your beliefs, and your beliefs are a window into your vibrational state. Take a moment today to identify FIRST where you want to be and how you want to feel, and now reverse engineer the process.

It’s so simple yet incredibly true and powerful when you do the work. Take a quiet moment to think about how you want to feel and then use the beliefs and language you need to support this.

In other news, I’ve been writing a lot about quiet time and creativity, and my creativity is exploding! Let me share this beautiful creation with you:

Creating this mala took hours. From the time it takes to intentionally sit with each stone and feel what it is you are drawn to, designing the mala, and then of course hand knotting each bead and pouring your intention into it. It’s quite meditative and such a beautiful process.

Did you know that Rose Quartz is one of the most popular stones for it’s loving qualities? This stone encourages love, nurturing, and warmth, and vibrates at the heart chakra and is a vibration of a high, deep love. It is often helpful for emotional healing as well as faith and hope.

And the Opal Quartz is a stone that inspires hope, creativity, and imagination. Due to it’s larger proportion of the water element, Opal is known to provide deep support during times of transition or hardship. This stone is also said to be a stone of love, helping a still heart to receive and give love, warmth, and peace. Opal has a sense of fragility, lightness, and yet a fierceness as the way the light dances to the spectrum of colors within each Opal stone. This stone also enhances cosmic and psychic consciousness, while cleansing the aura.

I thought the combination of Rose and Opal was perfect.

I’ll be spending some time creating more of these beauties and starting a ceramics class as well, but don’t worry, when I have a burning desire to share knowledge for positive change and growth you can be sure the Blog will be the first place I post.

In loving kindness,

Susan

Friday Focus – 7/7/17 {There’s Nothing Wrong With You}

There’s nothing wrong with you

Are your hormones are a bit wonky? Sure
But it doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you.

Do you feel like crawling under the covers because of a string of bad days? Sure
But it doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you.

Struggling with a health issue? Sure
But it doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you.

Dealing with relationship issues that keep coming back? Sure
But it doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you.

Fighting an intense fear of failure? Sure
But it doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you.

Experiencing grief that doesn’t seem manageable? Sure
But it doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you.

Wondering why it feels like it’s taking a million years to achieve X when for others it seems so easy? Sure
But it doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you.

There’s nothing wrong with you

No matter what is happening in your life just remember this, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you.

Namaste.

Favorites Lately – Sunpotion

Stress. It can be so easy to fall into it am I right?

Every since experiencing adrenal fatigue I have been vigilant about watching stress. Whether it’s stress from work, the analytical mind, exercise, lack of sleep, you name it – ensuring your stress levels are in check requires mindfulness and action.

Paired with mindfulness and a holistic approach to life, what I have found to be amazing at helping ensure I am supported in keeping stress at bay are adaptogens.

Anyone who has delved into the world of health, fitness or vitamins has certainly heard this buzzword for quite some time. As someone who has experienced adaptogens their whole life I can attest to these amazing supplements that come from the natural elements of the world.

Lately, I’ve been using Sunpotion as part of my daily ritual. Also pictured is AmlaPlex which I’ll speak to below:

So what is moringa, rhodiola, and AmlaPlex? Let me explain how I use these wonderful adaptogens in my daily routine:

Moringa
- What it is: Moringa by Sunpotion is packaged as a green powder and is full of micronutrients and amino acids. While it has many purported benefits I specifically use moringa to assist with stress management and a gentle energy boost without the element of caffiene.
- How I use it: I love having moringa as a tea or a latte in the morning either before breakfast or after breakfast. If I drink it as a latte it will typically be before breakfast. Did I mention how much I love how it acts as a natural energy boost without feeling the jitters?!
Rhodiola
- What it is: Let me start by saying Rhodiola is magic for me. While I wrote about rhodiola in earlier blog posts I want to emphasize how important it is to find out what works for you and your body. Each body’s chemical make up is different and it’s important to work with a trained professional to find out what works for you and your current situation. I’ve tried Ashwaganda for stress management but my adrenals love Rhodiola. It stabilizes my stress and energy levels whether I have a dip in energy or too much of it; Rhodiola always brings it back to where it needs to be in the circadian rhythm.
- How I use it: Rhodiola is a key ingredient in my morning “poppin collagen lattes“. I add a half tsp, sometimes a little more, into my concoction and blend it all together until the coffee turns into a smooth foamy blend. It does have an earthiness to it but I’ve found that adding the tiniest pinch of stevia does the trick. Cinnamon helps too!
AmlaPlex
- What it is: AmlaPlex is a auyervedic blend made from 35 select ingredients, including spices and herbal extracts. I was recommended this blend from my ND who suggested to take this morning and evening to help with increasing immune function during a time when I was catching the cold.
- How I use it: Doctor’s orders… morning and evening I take a tsp after my meal. To some who are not used to various spices it may taste… spicy… but I love spice so naturally this tastes amazing 🙂 It is also a bit sweet so it acts as a dessert too.

So there you have it, adaptogens and the powerful effects it could have on your health! I can’t emphasize enough how crucial it is to adopt holistic life changes to assist with stress management and note purely rely on supplements. After all, you want to get to the root cause and only use these when your body may need the extra boost!

I’m curious, have you ever tried adaptogens? If so, which ones have you tried and have you noticed a difference? What lifestyle choices have you adjusted to get to the root cause? How do you effect positive change in your life?

Namaste.

The Benefits of Mindful Eating

Have you ever heard of mindful eating? Or eating with intention? If you have, have you actually put it to practice for an extended period of time?

Believe it or not, just like meditation or exercise, it takes work! But if you have tried it, you very well may have noticed all the wonderful benefits that come with mindful eating such as:

Complete digestion
A sense of well being and ease
Increased vitality
Feeling satiated
Better poop (yes, #2)
(just to name a few)

I wanted to write about this in particular because just like with exercise or other “seemingly” important things that we know we should be doing, mindful eating seems to be last on the priority list. And what better time to put this into practice now that the 4th of July and all of it’s bbq’ing festivities are complete?

To start, as with anything, we need a current understanding of what we are doing today as it relates to what we desire to change. So ask yourself a few questions to start:

What are you doing when you eat a meal?
How do you feel right after a meal? 1 hour after a meal?
If you prepared your own food what was the step by step process you took in order to eat your meal?

You may notice a sense of awareness and connection beginning to occur already as you take inventory of how, with whom, what, where, and why you eat your food.

Remember, no judgement, just awareness.

The point of this exercise above is to better understand where you can make small changes to set the intention of mindful eating.

Whether you tend to buy prepared food, eat alone, watch TV, or come from a family of fast eaters there are a few solid steps you can take to incorporate mindful eating:

If you’re preparing your own food take the time to study your subject. Yes, look at every detail of the asparagus and it’s tiny intricate details! If you’re adding grapefruit to your salad try scraping a tiny piece of the skin and taking in the sweet and tangy fragrance it offers. Just by doing this you are already in the now and honoring what will soon be consumed.
If you bought a prepared meal take the time to thank the food and all the ways it got to be where it is today. From the sun, soil, worms, the farmers, and yes, even the people who prepared it. Without any of these elements this delicious meal wouldn’t have been possible! By doing this you may notice a sense of ease and gratitude, simply by taking the time to notice the miracles that occur on a minute by minute basis.
As you begin to eat really take a look at what’s on your fork or spoon and notice every single detail of the food in front of you. You’ll notice things I bet you haven’t seen in years, for some, the first time in their lives. As you look at every detail on your fork you may notice the thought, “wow, I’m not actually thinking about anything else”. Yes, that’s right. Continue to practice this art of noticing your food before each bite. An added side benefit of this art is that every single bite will taste that much better because your senses are now engaged with the food and not the distraction!
Don’t just swallow, chew! There’s something beautiful that happens when you really chew. First, it’s the body’s process of starting the digestion process. Your saliva acts as the break down agent for the food that will travel down to your stomach and intestines, so why not give it a kick start? Instead of having bigger pieces of food for your body to break down, really chew and mindfully notice the food as it breaks down in your mouth. Again, you may notice just how good food tastes and just how good you will feel not only physically, but m mentally as well.
Last but not least, end your mindful eating by giving thanks and staring at your bowl or plate with appreciation for what was in front of you. Rather than rushing off to the next thing, give yourself a minute or two to really take in the moment. Honor the time you gave to yourself and the food that is now in your body.

I hope you enjoyed these simple, yet powerful tips that work for me personally. During the transition between San Francisco and Seattle it was a hectic time, but when I needed it most mindful eating was the peace and solace I needed to ground myself and step into gratitude. As you can see, truly the benefits are endless!

In wellness,

Susan

Friday Focus – 6/30/17 {Intuitive Journeying}

Lately, I’ve been feeling into what feels right in the day to day. I have my focus and my peripheral vision wide open so that I can receive all that is available to me in this moment, intuitively feeling into this journey we call life.

And what does it mean to intuitively journey? It means you are feeling into what you, let me repeat, what YOU, the deeper you wants to experience along this journey. Sometimes it may be the grind, other times it may mean to spend more time with family and friends, and sometimes it means exploring parts of you that wants to experience something.

I have felt the creative part of me want to expand and explore like never before. As I dive deep into it (writing included), I am creating space for this experience along the journey we call life. Rather than listening to the shoulds, buts, or ifs, I am intentionally creating a deeper awareness for what wants to –be– and –experience-.

Lately, this has shown up as writing and physically doing things with my hands such as taking up ceramics. (Yes, ceramics and I am SO excited to get my hands on clay!)

There are a few other projects brewing but I am keeping it sacred for now.

With that said, what does intuitive journeying mean for you? Where in your life can you expand and grow? What do you need more of in your life to feel, not good, but GREAT?

All good things to consider during this long holiday weekend ?

Be safe and namaste.

Susan

Seattle and Bellevue Senior Portrait Photographer

Littleness: What Value Do You Put Upon Yourself?

“The lesson may seem hard at first, but you will learn to love it when you realize that it is true and is but a tribute to your power. You who have sought and found littleness, remember this: Every decision you make stems from what you think you are, and represents the value that you put upon yourself.”

~A Course In Miracles

Often times action becomes patterned. What you chose to eat for breakfast, how you react to a certain friend or boss, how you treat yourself and your relationship to money, and really, how you treat yourself and all of your relationships.

At first, it stems from an initial set of decision points until it becomes a behavior. Can you take a moment and look at where in your life this may be true? Remember, no judgement, just awareness.

The most important question to ask yourself is – “Why?”.

When you look at your Why’s behind all of these actions and behaviors, you will see the truth of whether or not you play in the field of Littleness or Greatness.

I am here to remind you today how GREAT you truly are. How playing small doesn’t serve anyone and certainly not you. How playing GREAT is your natural tendency and birthright. How playing GREAT helps elevate the world and everyone who is here.

So pause for a moment today and watch your Why’s and notice where each decision stems from. Remember to play in Greatness.

Namaste.

Creating For The Sake Of It

When was the last time you felt inspired to create something? Do you remember what inspired you? Was it a piece of art? An idea while out on a hike? Or perhaps you saw someone else’s creation and thought, hey, I can do that too!

Lately I have been deeply inspired to simply create. Not for any desired outcome but to simply tap into what I feel drawn to and give it a shot! And what has been even more inspiring is the sense of ease that comes along with detachment. It has been absolutely beautiful to laugh, experiment, and learn along the way!

My next new creative hobby will be jumping into the world of ceramics & pottery. I can’t wait to get my hands on clay and see what happens ?

Ok, so what if you haven’t felt inspired in a while? Or, how do you get out of your own way so that creating can become fun again? I’ve listed a few simple hacks that have never failed me and thought I would share them here.

Go on vacation
- Yes, it’s as simple as that. Sometimes you need to take your mind OFF of the usual 5 repeated thoughts to leave space for new ones, and vacations can often help. When you’re in a new environment you become hyper aware and sensitive to what is going on NOW and that could mean trying new foods you’ve never had before, walking down a beautiful street, or meeting new people, all of which can help spark new ideas.
Do something new
- This is similar to the first one but try something new! Whether it’s simply trying out the new Ethiopian restaurant that just opened up in your neighborhood, checking out bootcamp if you’re only used to Pilates, or attending a new meetup in a completely different genre, trying something new can switch up the senses and jolt the system.
Create or try a new recipe
- I find cooking to be a way to meditate. Whether you’re avid cook or not, try a recipe that is a little more complicated or a cuisine you haven’t ventured into yet. Oftentimes this will get you exposed to new ingredients or methods of cooking and can serve as the mental break you need to feel refreshed again. Plus, it feels good to serve other people after you created something delicious!
Be unattached to the outcome
- This is probably the most important. Don’t worry about the outcome! Whether you find out cooking isn’t your thing, or watercolor isn’t what you thought it would be, that’s ok! The beauty is in the journey, the laughs along the way, the moments when you felt a rush of inspiration or new ideas, and even better? the people you meet along the way. When you become unattached to the outcome you open yourself up to other possibilities, and if you give yourself a bit of grace those new outcomes can blow your mind.

Hopefully this inspires you to other new ideas on how to get creative. I’ve been feeling even more creative since returning from New York and wanted to share my own bit of inspiration with you all.

Here’s to switching it up and new summer hobbies!

Namaste.