When we take what we’ve learned and integrate it, we reinforce our own wisdom. We say to our inner voice, I hear you. I’m listening. And I trust you to guide me.

This past week has been so rich with insights and amazing momentum. But on the weekend I hit a wall… “No more NEW!” Just integrate what’s right in front of me. Take a moment to catch my breath and catch up on my Freedom List. I can’t tell you how powerful that Freedom List is. When I’m busy working away at it, I’m truly feeling the freedom it brings from creating space in my life. When I leave it for a bit, I feel the tightness build in me.

So today and this week are all about integration — integrating my learning from this journey, bringing my Freedom List back into focus, plus using my tracking sheet again to help me complete all the AM rituals that set me up for a fabulous day. I  just printed out my tracking sheet for the week. Using it last week was so useful. It showed me that I did most of the rituals, most of the days — which is GOOD ENOUGH!  (80/20 rule)

Today will be the last day I officially write about the AM Bliss journey. The conversation is shifting for me, and I’m excited to follow that flow to what is next. Plus I’m having this feeling that 21 days is the perfect length for a journey — recognizing the need for integration time. I still plan to continue the routine and will report on it periodically. 

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Did you enjoy the journey? Did you partake in it? If so, what did you notice? What did it shift in you? Tomorrow I’ll share some topics for future journeys. I’d love to know which you’d find most helpful in your own life.

Now for some well earned soak time! My bath water is running… Enjoy this day.

With love,
Paula

In the moments when we are at our highest levels of frustration, overwhelm, and ‘stuck-ness’, we are also in the richest place for an amazing breakthrough. 

And do you know what the easiest bridge to that breakthrough is?  TRUTH.

When we can be honest with ourselves, we can instantly diffuse overwhelm. When we can express where we are at without censoring, we can get that pent-up energy outside ourselves and instantly feel lighter.  Last night I reached out to a beautiful circle of friends and shared some heavy emotions I was feeling. It was magical to see how my mood and energy shifted as I voiced my truth.

Here’s a pattern I notice for myself. Perhaps you can relate.

You’re on a role in some area of your life. You’re sailing along just fine — but then you start to notice it. It’s like an itch, something you can’t shake — that feeling that something isn’t quite right. It grows and grows (more uncomfortable) and then starts to really build as overwhelm, frustration, anger, sadness or doubt. Eventually it gets so loud you can’t ignore it and it either brings you to a halt or you’re ready to throw in the towel with whatever it relates to (job, relationship, project, etc). You can’t bear it anymore, so you blurt out the truth of where you are at. And in that beautiful clarity — BOOM, a breakthrough!

It’s an interesting cycle. When I’m in the middle of it, I can’t see its beauty. I become fearful I’m on the wrong path. But lately, more than ever before, I’m learning to trust the process. I’m learning to be super kind and loving to myself as I go through it. AND, most important, I’m learning that I can catch the discomfort when it’s just a mild itch versus waiting until it’s a crisis.  

What about you? Do you notice a similar pattern? Do you shut down at the frustration/overwhelm stage? Or do you get quiet and get really honest with yourself regarding what the heavy emotions are about? Consider that just around the corner is the breakthrough that the emotions are calling forth. 

Breakthroughs are truly amazing and transformational, and a key component to stepping up our game in life.  

They catapult us forward to the next leg of the journey, versus having us grind through old patterns again and again.  The more we open ourselves up to breakthroughs, the juicier life gets. Opportunities once deemed ‘unrealistic’ are made real — one breakthrough at a time.

Do you have friends, family or other support networks to share your truth with? If not, consider a mastermind group or personal coach. The process can be much smoother when support, love and guidance are readily available.

Lots of love,
Paula

All day long I was in search of it. Stillness. Peace. Harmony. The ability to calm my mind of all the chatter and overwhelming thoughts. I almost don’t want to write anymore because anything I try write takes me away from the beautiful process of turning inward. But I’ll say this.

Can we sit in our discomfort (whatever its origin) and just listen, without combating with medication, food, retail therapy or the mask of choice? Can we shower ourselves with love as we hear chatter about unworthiness or confusion? Can we notice how our body is responding and give it what it needs? Can we choose one thought and/or inspired action that tips the scale to higher vibration energy?

So often we look into the world and disapprove of the war here or the fighting there. But, can we get still enough to attend to our own inner chaos?

Every battle or problem out there, starts in here. 

Lots of love,
Paula

“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and your discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.” Patanjali

Wayne Dyer introduced me to this quote years back. I came across it again this morning. So yummy! Many people go blank when you ask them their life purpose. Purpose? You mean what I’m brought on this earth to do? Besides take care of kids, clean the house and do the best I can at my job??

It’s not something that everyone can identify with or has discovered, let alone understands. And by definition, it’s a life purpose, meaning it may take a lifetime to know for sure (although we are always getting signs).

Passions, on the other hand – what you love to do and experience – are something palpable we can all tap into, if we haven’t already. They are the things that light us up, sweep us away. The things we lose ourselves in as time just flies by.

Funny thing is, as children we knew our passions. We didn’t know to call them that. But as we dressed up as princesses, built our castles, climbed trees like forts or towers, and made art without question, we were living our passions.

It’s time to get back in touch with our passions — to rediscover what we’re passionate about now and build our lives around our passions versus pursue them maybe some day if we have time. To sparkle in life, this is critical. To feel the most vibrant healthy being we naturally are, this is not optional.

Trust me, I know. The most successful (and happiest) people also know.

Start today by asking yourself these 7 questions:

1. What do I absolutely love to do? What doesn’t feel like work?
2. What did I love to immerse myself in as a child?
3. What is my favourite hobby that I wish I had more time for?
4. If 10 million dollars landed on my lap, what would I be doing?
5. What do other people compliment me on that I don’t even realize is my gift?
6. What project, if I never finished, would be my biggest regret?
7. What am I doing when I’m happiest?

Don’t just read these questions… spend the time to answer them. Your heart is waiting to be heard. As you begin tending to your passions, the term ‘life purpose’ takes on a whole new meaning. You’ll see.

Love,
Paula

Light of Hope, Light of Peace
Light of Love joins you and me.

The above words are lyrics are from a song I created for my concert a few years back. We sang it during a candle lighting ceremony in which I lit one candle, passed the flame on, and then slowly we lit the whole room. It was such a magical moment I thought my heart was going to burst. I’ll never forget it.

Given all that is happening in Japan and throughout the world, I felt called through my morning meditation today to begin this tradition again. There is a beautiful site that allows you to share your light. I have created a group “SandS” (for Sparkle and Sage) just for us. You can light as many candles as you want and dedicate them to whomever you feel would benefit.

Go now… share your light. Set your intention to illuminate hearts, heal bodies, and strengthen communities. Together we can light the world.

Click here to light your candle.  Follow the instructions and enjoy the quiet reflective time. Come back as often as you like to light another candle.

Lots of love,
Paula

P.S. I loved returning to my AM bliss routine after yesterday’s detour. These rituals are my friend. Lighting a candle each morning will be added to my routine.