I Can Do It Conference-Tampa, Florida

Just the past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend and participate in the I Can Do It Conference in Tampa, Florida.  I had it on my vision board and made it a reality.  I was only in Tampa for 24 hours,  overnight, yet it was the most influential experience that I will never forget and cherish.  I had the opportunity to finally meet Michelle Phillips, along with some fabulous ladies in the Coaching Circle I have been a part of for the past twelve weeks in mid July through early November.  It was the first time we all met in person.  All other communication has been over the phone on our Coaching Circle calls or through our private face book page.  The anticipation up until we met was a mixture of nervousness and excitement. We all met in the lobby, gave hugs and went to dinner to celebrate the completion of the Summer and Fall Circle, as well as new friendships.  It was a time to connect, laugh, and enjoy each others company.

Michelle had each of us do something similar to what she did when she was a part of a Coaching Circle. She had us pick an engraved rock out of a bag and each rock had a word on it.  The rock that I picked was STRENGTH.  So relevant to where I am in my life right now and something that I carry around with me as a reminder of this amazing support group that I had the opportunity to be a part of. I am such a lucky girl. After the dinner we all walked over to the Wayne Dyer speaking event.  It was so fun to be able to sit with the girls and listen to more inspiration to end the night.

The next morning I met one of the girls from the CC Sherri to attend the workshop with Cheryl Richardson and Louise Hay. To see them speak in person, in the same room, was a dream come true.  And to start my day with the two of them and spending time with some of the Coaching Circle girls made my day even brighter.  Following this presentation, I attended another work shop with Louise Hay and part of the workshop we watched a video and it was so powerful and following were questions and answers.  It was so incredible to be in the same room and to hear Louise give advice to others in the room.  After the presentation we went to lunch, talked, and waited until Michelle's presentation later that day.

All of the girls in the Coaching Circle headed to Michelle's session.  Michelle had the front row reserved for her Coaching Circle girls.  On the other side was her family.  It was so awesome to be able to experience one of the biggest days in Michelle's professional career to be a speaker at the I Can Do It Conference. She owned the room. Her confidence and passion for what she does illuminated the room and the energy was incredible.  To be sitting in person and listening to her speak, along with all the Coaching Circle girls was the highlight of my trip.  We were Michelle's first Coaching Circle and the bonds that have been formed with Michelle and all the girls is unbreakable. The session ended with Michelle playing the video all the girls created for her as a Thank You.  Tears were flowing.   Solidified that we will always be there for each other through good times and bad. The power of a support system I never thought I would ever experience something of this caliber.

As the trip to Tampa came to a close I was overwhelmed with sadness. Sadness that this experience was over.  Sadness of leaving the girls and Michelle in the Coaching Circle and thinking when am I going to see them again.  Fear of what's next for me and in this next leg of my journey.  As my emotions got the best of me, my Mom and I headed back to Orlando.  It was a long drive and during this time we talked and we cried. It was a time to connect with my Mom and share our truths with each other.

I will never forget this experience and am forever changed as a result.  Upon my return home, I was re charged and hopeful of good things to come my way. This experience was just one more to add to Taking Yoga Off the Mat and my blog series.  I am so proud of where I am in my life and the work that I have done and am looking forward to what lies ahead.

Paying Tribute Part 7- Michelle Phillips

I embarked on new venture that began back in July-July 27th to be exact.  It is funny how the universe worked in my favor and it was meant to be. Confirmed to me that all is time and space.  I ran across a woman by the name of Michelle Phillips on face book. Michelle is a celebrity makeup artist and life coach. She also has a book that just got released called, The Beauty Blueprint and her own radio show on Hay House Radio.    I started to respond to some of her face book posts and to my amazement she actually took the time to respond to me. Not just a yes, no or thank you, but really took the time to respond. I was amazed, but also felt a connection to someone that I hardly even knew at that time.  

I responded to one of her face book posts on affirmations, I sent her my story through e mail, and Michelle responded again with a sincere message and asked me if I would like to join her with a small group of women in her summer coaching series. It was at this moment in time that my life changed all because of someone who cared enough to take the time to say-You Matter-And I Want to Help You.

Michelle is one of my angels. Michelle has such a big heart and she sees the best in everyone.  Michelle has been my continued supporter and strength over these past seven months.  Michelle has provided me with a safe forum to be able to accomplish things I never thought were possible. She helped me to challenge my beliefs about myself and she believed in my abilities. Michelle has supported me through the process of confronting things about myself and in my life that I had a hard time facing at times.   Michelle inspired me to take ACTION on things in my life which lead to results.

Michelle introduced me to Doreen Virtue's Angel Cards in the Coaching Circle, so in her honor, I asked the cards tonight and you will never believe what card I picked- and this is so right on-ANSWERED PRAYER.  Michelle is one of my answered prayers.  She came into my life in an unexpected way and who would of thought my prayers would be answered through the power of the face book world. A new opportunity for me was lead by Michelle and it has opened up doors for me I could never have imagined, along with a continued friendship.  I feel so blessed that Michelle is in my life. Michelle is one special individual and I thank her from the bottom of my heart.

Coaching Circle Thoughts

Ladies,

I came to the realization that this Coaching Circle is coming to a close-somewhat-I know Michelle said we would stay in touch monthly for a while longer.  This is something that I am sad and anxious about, yet I feel a sense of achievement and excitement at the same time. I feel so grateful to be a part of this circle.

I learned so much from each of you in this circle.  I thank you for allowing me into your lives and opening up yourselves to me.  You are such a powerful support group for me and amazing individuals. You been there for me through words of honesty,  support, encouragement, and to celebrate of all of my achievements. I have had the opportunity to do the same back to all of you.   The process has changed my life for the better. Words can not express how grateful I am for this experience.

I have learned so much from being a part of the Coaching Circle and here is just a few things that popped into my mind:

That it is OK to be vulnerable and open up myself to others.  When you open up to others and ask for support you not only learn more about yourself, you also can learn from other people's experiences.

That it is OK to speak my truth out of love for myself and not the fear of what if!

To trust that the universe will take care of me. So instead of reacting I need to let go and let things fall where they are going to fall.

To love myself.  To take care of myself first and know that I can not carry the burdens of others.

To trust that I am a competent person and I am able to do anything I put my mind to.

To know that it is OK for me to make mistakes, to not beat myself up over things, and to learn from every situation I encounter in life. Every experience is a lesson.

To believe that every situation that has occurred in my life has happened for a reason and in the midst of the most chaotic situations in life, these are the times to look back on and with great pride and say that it only made me stronger.

To not only speak of things that I want to see happen in my life, but to take ACTION. Action is what gives me what I deserve in life.

I love this one, To lead by example :)

That I will look back on the past six months to a year and say AHA-so that is why this is happening. Love those Aha Moments!

Whew!!! I feel a sense of achievement :)

I am looking forward to finally meeting Michelle and some of you in November at the I Can Do It Conference. It will be a time to connect face to face finally, give lots of hugs and to celebrate the new friendships that have been formed. I am also looking forward to staying in touch with each of you.

Love you all!

xxoo

Melissa

Changing Lives-One By One

Second Chances

So I watched one of my favorite movies of all times with Jennifer Garner.  Its called 13 going on 30.  My niece and Mom were asking questions throughout the entire movie-good thing I have seen it before...lol.  The best part about this movie is that it is full of beauty from the location of the set, the scenery, Jennifer Garners outfits (to die for), hair, makeup, the messages that came up throughout the movie and most of all to not have any regrets and live life to the fullest. Life is all about second chances.  Create and to go after what you want in life.

One of my favorite scenes is when she is presenting her new outlook on the magazine Poise.  Love this:

  Jenna: "Who are these women? Does anyone know? I dont recognize any
  of them. I want to see my best friends big sister, the girls from
  the soccer team, my next door neighbor, real women who are smart
  and pretty and happy to be who they are. These are the women to
  look up to. Lets put life back into the magazine. And fun and
  laughter and silliness. I think we all - I think all of us - want
  to feel something that weve forgotten or turned our backs on
  because maybe we didnt realize how much we were leaving behind. We
  need to remember what used to be good. If we dont, we wont
  recognize it even if it hits us between the eyes."

Each time I watch this movie I never get sick of it because it is such a fun movie full of life.  Every time I see this movie I want to go out and buy some Razzles :)  http://youtu.be/hhbYxXg7p-A This video is a reminder to let loose, have a little fun-and to not take life so seriously and enjoy the beauty around you.

Coaching Circle

I can not believe that four weeks of the Coaching Circle I joined and decided to participate in has passed. Amazing how much time flies when you are having fun.   I won't go into detail, but Michelle Phillips our main leader-supportor and motivator takes us through steps out of her book, The Beauty Blueprint. I never really thought that you could dedicate that much time to yourself, self indulging-but for me it felt like overindulging.  I almost felt guilty, yet something about looking within yourself and having the courage to hold yourself accountable and do the work is so liberating.

It has been four weeks of eye opening experiences, and participating in this Coaching Circle is the best thing that I have ever done for myself in a really long time.  I feel like I have made great strides towards facing things in my life that I have a hard time facing and learning my lessons in life.  

I still have a ways to go, and how ironic is it that I pulled one of Cheryl Richardson's twilight cards off of her website. I closed my eyes and asked a question about moving past resentment and the work that I will be doing in the next cycle of the Coaching Circle.  The card that I pulled was Comfort.  When I clicked on it, it said " Lean back into the arms of grace, let go and let God. "  So perfect and until next time I know what it is I need to do.  

My Heart Said YES!

I have a new venture that lies ahead beginning July 27th, funny how the universe works and I feel that this was meant to be. I ran across a woman by the name of Michelle Phillips on face book. Michelle is a celebrity artist and life coach. She also has a book that is coming out in the Fall called, The Beauty Blueprint.  I started to respond to some of her face book posts and to my amazement she actually took the time to respond to me. Not just a yes, no or thank you, but really took the time to respond. I was amazed, but also felt a connection to someone that I hardly even know. 

I responded to one of her face book posts on affirmations, I sent her my story through e mail, and Michelle responded again with a sincere message and asked me if I would like to join her with a small group of women in her summer coaching series.  She was even willing to help and work with me individually since I was going to miss two classes on vacation.  A woman of her stature I am sure has better things to do.

This was the first time in a long time, that my heart knew what to do. My heart screamed to go for it and that is just what I did.  I have never been so clear on something for quite some time. I feel like this is a new opportunity that will be filled with accomplishments, challenges, and I am going to be confronting things about myself and in my life that I have a hard time facing at times.  Nervous and excited.  

And so this new journey begins on July 27th, and I am looking forward to it...to be continued. 

Surround Yourself With Those That Love You..................

Yesterday seemed like a long day, not in a bad way, just a lot was going on at work.  I can not complain because I love where I am professionally and work almost feels like a second home to me. A second home because if you think about it, that is where I spend the majority of my time on weekdays pretty much 8 hours a day.

We had a retirement luncheon for a gentlemen that has worked for our program for over 9-10 years.  I also supervised him for a few of those years.  There came a time where we all had an opportunity to say a tribute to him, including myself.  There was lots of tears, joy, laughter and memories shared.....it triggered me to begin thinking that each and everyone of us touches lives in our own unique way.  We all have love and support around us, and are probably affecting more lives than we think.  I have this motto and that is to surround yourself with those that love you, and who are only going to lift you higher. I was just telling someone the other day that I have surrounded myself with amazing individuals in my life.

It also got me to thinking that nothing ever stays the same, change is constant.  Change at times for me is not comfortable for a short period of time, but yesterday helped me to see that when things change in our lives or we are going through hardships, new opportunities open up for us and it is during the hard times where lessons are learned to only make you stronger.  I have a friend that gave me a little plaque.  I have it in my bathroom, and look at it each and everyday as I am getting ready in the morning or going to bed as a reminder to: Believe, to believe that all things happen for a reason.

As I look back on what has transpired in my life so far, I can not complain. So grateful for what life has provided to me, and comforted in knowing that when things get tough....I am surrounded with love and support....all I need to do is reach out....my friends and family will always be there for me.

First Class-Business Class-Economy-Standby-Hmmmmm....something to think about.

I have been reading more and more lately, something I have not done a lot of in the past. Curiosity I guess and something to keep me grounded when things feel tough.  I came across this book called-Traveling at the Speed of Love by Sonia Choquette.  I can not believe how small the New Age section was at Barnes and Noble-very surprising. It was the last book on the shelf and it was meant to be that I got this book. I just started reading it this weekend.  The book has just begun and it there are already parts of the book that have really struck home and taken my breath away.

The title of the book pretty much says it all, "when we travel at the speed of love, we choose to live in a frequency of unconditional love. Today, most of us travel at the frequency of fear and exist in a victim consciousness. " Something to really think about is, "we are all traveling in this universe together, the speed, the tone, and the quality of our journey differs greatly from person to person.

We choose our way just as when we travel on airplanes we choose our class: first class, business class, economy, or even standby."  Never looked at life like this, and for sure do not want to be in economy-First class or standby would be nice.  I see standby as in living life spur of the moment and letting life unfold as it is ready, or first class as in giving myself what I feel I deserve and surrounding myself with like minded people.

The book is just getting started, but there was a section that stood out which speaks to when you travel first class, " you meet the best fellow travelers " (for the most part)  "Because like attracts like, people who choose to travel in first class meet kindred spirits, like minded souls who share the same values and priorities.  These are giving people who are generous of the soul and full of heart and make your journey through life richer in every way.  The make traveling companions, and open doors to wondrous opportunities."  So grateful that I am surrounded with these kind of individuals in my life-my friends and family.  I started a blog series called Paying Tribute, and I think that it is so important to be grateful to the people in your life. Those that open and heal your heart vs surrounding yourself with people who bring you down.

Funny how the card I picked today off of Sonia's website speaks to Starting A New.  I feel like I am slowly just doing that, and so the journey continues...........

Celebrate

The past couple weeks, a common theme has been standing out for me-Celebrate.  A word that can be interpreted in different ways, for me I look at this as a celebration of where I currently am in my life and my journey that lies ahead.  

This word has been coming to me through dreams, songs, and tonight through just picking a daily wisdom card off of Sonia Choquette's website.  Something that I would not of noticed in the past, and it seems that when things just seem like coincidence, think again.  As you look within yourself, and open your heart to the unimaginable, you will start to see little small miracles start to happen.  I have had many small miracles happen to me the past few months, but to me I consider them huge....cause it is just one step closer to living a more peaceful life, even sometimes in the midst of chaos.  Take time to celebrate all of the good that is going on in your life, which includes your health, family, friends and loved ones.....Celebrate with a thank you to that special someone, or a hug, or a letter, or dinner with a special friend or loved one, and the list goes on.......Celebrate good times.

The Shift Video Segment

Ran across this segment on U Tube, it is a series of Wayne Dyer's movie called The Shift.  Been watching some of the segments and it has really struck home for me. Brings tears to my eyes every time I watch it. To look at life in this way is truly amazing. "Put your attention on how may I serve. Not being attached to outcome and putting attention to service." This video is so powerful, I wanted to savor it somehow.  What a better way to save this video than in my blog series.  " Wherever you are, at whatever age, you are only a thought away from changing your life. " Thank you Wayne Dyer!

Patience is a Virtue

I ended last night feeling grateful for my life, my family and friends, my job, my co workers, my health-oh and my little man of course.  Oddly enough, I dreamt about a birthday cake and looked it up in my dream book. What I got out of my dream is that my wishes will soon come true-with action of course.

Had an off day today for some reason.  Really off day.  Could of been the Hay House Radio I was listening to last night-heavy stuff.  I could'nt even concentrate at work.  Guess we all have those days.

Was doing some casual searching on a website of Sonia Coquette earlier tonight, picked a random daily card off of her site, and this is what showed up for me:

How convenient and a fabulous way to end my night-this is so right on.

  I am recognizing that  I just need to be patient and let things go where they need to go. 

All in due time.  All in due time. 

  

Paying Tribute Part 6-Marjorie

I first met Marjorie back in January 2006 when I first interviewed for the Operations Supervisor position.  She was on my interview panel.  I remember leaving my interview Scott was waiting for me in the car and I told him I did not get the position.  Wow-what confidence right-lol.  I got the offer that week.

It was not until after the first year, going more into my second and third year at Head Start that Marjorie and I started to develop an actual working relationship that lead into a friendship.  I was asked to become the Acting Operations Manager for the program.  We worked closely together running the program, keeping it a float and along the way came many challenges for myself professionally and personally.   She helped me through those challenges.  She would always use Yoga and its philosophy during those times.  She even got me started in Yoga.  

Marjorie has always been there for me when I needed her.  I remember when I got my wisdom teeth out she took me to get them out and took care of me following.  She would spend hours just sitting on the couch with me while I was healing.  A memory to treasure for sure.  One out of many. Margie has always been in her love to me maternal in some ways, and always made sure that I was taking care of myself. She would always say to me, Be Kind To Yourself....now I know what she meant. It took me a while to figure it out as I have made strides in my spiritual journey.

After about five years of working with Margie she announced out of the blue in a meeting that she was leaving the program.  I felt a like someone had hit me in the stomach.  Hard news to hear at first for someone who has always been there.  The place where I miss her most is at the Yoga studio since that is where our friendship truly evolved.  As time progressed I came to accept it and was so happy that she was embarking on a new journey-new adventures.  She has moved out of state to San Francisco and I know that she is only a phone call or plane ride away if I ever need her.  

Margie and I at the Yoga Studio

Paying Tribute Part 5-Mary

Little Miss Mary :) I met Mary when I was her supervisor at Maricopa County Human Services-Head Start Program.  Mary was hired to oversee our Volunteer Program.  The Volunteer Program was something that was new to the program.   Previous to her being hired I was working closely with a consultant Pam Betz to create some framework in the program.  When we interviewed Mary she stood out over all the rest of the candidates.  Within the first five minutes of the interview, I knew she was the right fit for the position.

I was so bummed because on her first week of work I had to go somewhere out of State I think....I can not remember.   I wanted to be there for her first week of work.  I supervised Mary for quite some time, and then she got moved to a different supervisor as we were re structuring staffing.  I remember when I was still supervising her, we ran into each other at Martini Ranch.  We both had some drinks in us-lets just say the Monday following was a little awkward at first...lol.

Mary was such professional and was always willing to go the extra mile.  She was always asked to do extra because of her strong work ethic and it was just known that she would get the work done. Not only would she get the work done, but it was quality. Mary put her heart and soul into developing the Volunteer Program and the program would not be where it is today with parent and community volunteers without her hard work and persistence.  She has moved onto bigger and better things. I am so proud of her for making that move.

Mary is one of the most caring individuals I have ever met.  She is so fun to hang out with and is always such a great listener.  She has such a big heart and I am so lucky to call her my friend.  Thank you Mary for what you do for me, and for our friendship.  So lucky to call you FRIEND :)

Paying Tribute Part 4-Mentor and Friend Margaret T.

I met Margaret a couple years ago and it seems like I have known her forever.  The picture above is from my 37th birthday back in August.  Margaret was hired as a consultant where I work.   I remember the first time I met her I was in a meeting room with some other co workers and I was thinking, "who is this woman and who does she think she is"...lol.


Margaret had such a strong presence about her and it screamed confidence.  Little did I know that my life would be changed forever in the years that followed professionally and personally.   It was following this time that she became my mentor.  She believed in me when I did not believe in myself.  She has helped me to see my abilities beyond which I would of never seen. All I needed was that extra nudge. 


Margaret is a woman that does not take no for an answer.  She always finds the positives in every situation or circumstance.  Love Love Love her perspective on things.  She is a role model for all woman who aspire to make themselves a better person professionally and personally.  She has accomplished so much and the funny thing is she is just getting started.


Margaret has a heart of gold.  She has a peaceful presence about her and when you are in the same room with her you feel like you are being hugged when you are not.  She is my sounding board and anchor.  In times when I need her most she is always there for me. To have someone that just gets it---is so refreshing.


To have a mentor and a friend at the same time is a once in a lifetime opportunity.   Forever grateful that she has allowed me into her life.   


Looking forward to many more good times ahead.  There are some friends that come and go into your lives, I know that Margaret is one of those friends that will be around no matter what.   Thank you Margaret for your " Wisdom, Dedication and Example. "


Love my M time :)

We All Can Make a Difference

We had our work End of Year Event just this Friday night.  These are always events that I look forward to.  Part of the reason I love my job is the people I work with.  Such a diverse group of people and the best part is that in the five and a half years that I have been working in the program something that stood out for me on this day and became clear- we all at some point or another make a difference in someone's life.  This happens on a daily basis.  At least for me I do not really think about it often.  It is not until you hear it from someone that it really becomes reality for you.  


There were two instances that day really stood out and meant the world to me to hear.  One staff member was a Teach for America student.  For those of you that do not know what Teach for America is, they recruit recent college graduates from all over to teach for two years in low income communities.  Pretty intense program and such an amazing diverse group of young individuals looking to make a difference in someones life-true leaders.  Our program recruited about six to come and work in our Head Start program. As I was talking to some of them that day it is was so rewarding to hear their stories from when they first started with Teach for America and their first year as a teacher in our Head Start classrooms.  How far they have come!


One corp member in particular came up to me and we started talking about the program year.  I told her that I was thinking just the other day the first time I met her and how much time just goes so fast.  She responded back and told me that just the other day she was telling one of her co workers about the first day that we met.  Our program was giving orientation to the Teach for America corp members, kind of like a meet and greet.  She said that when she first met me, and there was something about me that  just drew her to me.  She said I made her feel comfortable when she felt scared of what was to lie ahead.  To hear that made my heart melt and to know that I had impacted her in that way is something that I will never forget.  Another staff member was graduating with her AA in Early Childhood.  She had her college graduation that night  and said to me that it would not be possible without me believing in her and pushing her to complete this.  There are many others now that I look back, but I won't bore you :)


We all have the opportunity to change lives for the better, and we all have the opportunity to let that someone else know what a difference they have made in your life by telling them. Part of why I started the Paying Tribute series in my blog page.  Go out into the world, have fun and remember that each and every day you impact a life in some what or another or you have someone in your life that has done the same for you.  Tell them, life is too short to live with regrets!

Paying Tribute Part 3-My Sis Cath and Triplet Sis Margaret

Oh the joys of Sister Hood........love my sisters......it is Crazy 1 and Crazy 2....no real difference, other than when I am around them they are my partners in crime. Oh who to start with, how about the wee one of the family Catherine, otherwise known as Cath.........

My little sis Cath, and not so little anymore.   As I was growing up I was one of her caregivers.  I remember giving her a bath in the bathroom sink... that is how little she was.  Here is my favorite pic of us taken in California when we went to see her in acting school.  Catherine can be known as the family therapist at times.  She grew up around adults, all of her brothers and sisters, so no wonder why she is so smart since she was always around adult conversation.  She always has a great perspective on things, and is so fun to be around. I am so proud of her and what she has accomplished in school. She is a Junior at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and she is even looking at the possibility of going to law school.  Still consider her my baby sis!

Rockstars!

My triplet sis Margaret.  Margaret is the oldest of the triplets and only 6-8 minutes apart from me. It is fun to share the same birthday with her.  We are total opposites, growing up she carried around footballs and I carried around baby dolls.  What I love about Margaret is that she was always the quiet one growing up. Go with the flow type girl.  I on the other hand was a little mmmm high strung at times. My mom laughs, as we would leave the house in high school, she said she could see me running my mouth to Margaret. LOL...Margaret would just stay quiet.  We grew up doing everything together. We spent elementary and our high school years together. We were known as the Kerdock twins in High School.  Best times were in high school together and hanging out in downtown Annapolis growing up.  We attended a private high school and wore uniforms.  We had plaid or pinstripe little skirts and we would wear mens boxers underneath, that was the in thing to do!  One Saturday morning, we were all up in the kitchen and Margaret came up in her uniform all ready for school. We were all laughing at her.  Margaret could tell you some great party stories in high school.  We had good times for sure.

Both Cath and Marge hold a special place in my heart and I am proud to call them my sisters. I am looking forward as we get older to many more good time that lie ahead.  

Alright girls this calls for another trip to VEGAS!

Love You Both to the moon and back!

Paying Tribute Part 2-My Lil Man

For those of you that do not already know, when I refer to my lil man, he is my furry little creature who I adore more than ever-Paxton.  He used to be my Moms dog, my Mom ended up having to move and she was going to give him away to our groomer.  I remember the day, Scott and I were living in Denver and we had the windows open to our house.

Loved our first house. Cute brick tutorial with wood floors. Scott was mowing the lawn, and as he was resting for a few minutes he said to me, why don't we take Paxton and have him come live in Denver with us.  I was ecstatic.

So just about a few weeks later he was on a plane to Denver.  He was so drugged from the relaxants we gave him that he walked barely out of his crate sideways. He has been our lil man ever since.

Never thought you could love a little animal so much.  He is called the God Father in our family.  He has been through a lot with us. Oh -the unconditional love of a furry little creature. Just lying next to him is so calming.  My favorite thing that he does, is when you say something-his eyes tell a thousand stories.  Can't explain it, but so cute.  He is my furry little child and I love him!

Paying Tribute Part 1-My Mom

Hmmmmm.......where to begin.......so as I am sure all of you know by now......I am in love with Kelly Rae Roberts artwork.  

I ran across a picture she painted of a  Mom and a Daughter.  The caption stated: 

GROW ~ BECOME ~ JOURNEY

Pretty powerful words and all go back to the time that I came into this world as a little girl, my life experiences that have led me to who I am today, and my spiritual journey to looking within and finding out who I am as an individual over the past few years.  All of this would not be possible without my Mom. My Mom raised six of us, and wow out of those six-TRIPLETS. Full time job!

I remember when I was a little girl I would not leave my Moms side.  I never wanted to spend the night out, and pretty much hated going to school.  I remember one time my Mom took me over to one of my childhood friends houses to spend the night and she dropped me off.  As she drove away she would see me in the rear view mirror running after her...lol....I just love being by her side-I felt safe.  I have many other stories, but I won't bore you or embarrass myself.  

Even though I am no longer attached at the hip, Mom I want you to know that I still love you more than ever, I still need you but in a different way, and I still love hanging out with you. Especially when you are Spring Break Jane.  You have such a zest for life. You know what you want and you just go for it, pretty admirable.

Thank you Mom for raising me well and nurturing me into who I am today.

I love you and Happy Mothers Day!

All of the Angels In My Life-Paying Tribute One by One!

So I have decided to begin writing blogs about each person that has played such an integral part in my life and why. 

I am a true believer that things happen for a reason. 

People come into your life for a purpose and people are currently in your life for a purpose.  

I would not be who I am today without your love and support.  

So I thought why not start paying tribute to the most obvious one which is my Mom.  How convenient to that it is Mothers Day Weekend!  

Please keep in mind, that this will take time and I will be naming each blog Paying Tribute-Part 1,2, 3. etc. I do not want people to feel left out. I will get to you I promise in time.  

So here we go.........to be continued..............

Journey to Wings

This picture pretty much says it all. Thanks Kelly Rae.  It is so important to love yourself.  

It takes work, WHEW does it ever!  

So far this has been a ride for sure. I am looking forward to what lies ahead for me in this lifetime and beyond.

Who would of thought that through the process of self discovery that things would not be easy and even lonely at times, but the best part about my journey is that I am not alone.  

I am so blessed and grateful for each and every one of my family members and friends who have been there for me and supported me through this journey.  

Thank you for being my light, support and providing me guidance along the way.  

You know who you are!

I have not yet received my wings, but I am well on my way. 

Sooooo until next time I am off to go seek more..............

Trust that Inner Voice

Everyone chooses their own path in life, but in the end there is one thing that we all have in common-for those that choose to- which is to seek to have a better understanding of yourself.  When you begin to become aware and look into who you are as a person its like peeling away the layers of an onion. Stinky I KNOW, but layer after layer  within time you begin to find out who you truly are as a person. All of us have a story to tell and when your story unfolds you begin to look at your negative patterns and why those patterns exist. And this my friends is when the true journey begins.  


I recently had a conversation with an individual who informed me that I have such great intuition, I questioned it at first for a brief second, but after we talked I came to realize that if we just allow and trust ourselves enough to listen to that gut feeling that you get when something does not feel right, or when you need to make a hard decision -act on it and trust that inner voice.  


You are your best teacher and amidst as i would call it all of the growing pains in life, challenges become your best teacher. As Louise Hay would say, "The healing attitude is to think of any external challenge as simply a reflection of your own internal resistance to change." 

Attitude is Everything

Whew what a week! Lots of activity both at home and at work.  Have not had the energy to write down any thoughts, until i ran across a story just surfing the net online.  This is such a powerful story and message so I wanted to share:

"Cherokee is telling his grandson about a fight that

is going on inside himself. 

He said it is between 2 wolves.

One is evil: Anger, envy, sorrow, regret, fearful thinking, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.

The other is good: Joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?"

The Cherokee simply replied, "The one I feed."

Attitude is everything.    The mind is a powerful thing, but you have control over it.  Negativity is harmless to the soul. And within time it will drain you if you let it, or you can choose to have faith that All Will Be Well, only you can make that choice.

The Things That Are Most Important.......

The past two days I have spent in the hospital because my husband had spinal surgery.  All I have to say is thank goodness for doctors, nurses and aids. My family thought that it was funny when I said, I don't like hospitals, except for the fact that they heal peeps.

As I spent time at the hospital the past couple days, I came to realize that life is so precious.  I had a lot of time to people watch. There was one thing that I noticed immediately and that was unity.  Family and friends coming together to provide love and support for their loved ones when they need it most.

I started to think that sometimes it takes a scare or even something worse to happen in order to recognize what the most important things in life are and to me that is friends and family.  I am so blessed for the amazing friends I have in my life. I have surrounded myself with the best of the best, and have been lucky enough to have them let me into their lives.  I also have such an amazing family and huge support system.

I always have the mantra to surround yourself with people that love you, and as long as you have that nothing else matters.   It is so comforting to know that if you allow yourself to be vulnerable, and open up your heart to others, that your life becomes so much richer and relationships become that much stronger.

Thank you to my friends and family, I am eternally grateful for every single one of you. You know who you are!

Aha Moment!

I just finished a book, a book that I will have unnamed, but one that has solidified where I am at this point in time in my life.  It just took someone else to tell a story to really help me see that I am not alone. Some I could relate to, and some I questioned.  A lot to soak in for sure.  

I have recognized that there is a reason for everything in my life, and within time it will come to me.  Let's just say I am beginning to put the pieces of myself together. I am so blessed to be on this journey.   Fearful, but at the same time ready to open doors, experience and learn as much as I can while I am here on this earth.  ~"Be Yourself, Don't be Afraid, and the Love the World."~ Love this!

Surrender to the Divine

I have been practicing Yoga for two years, it will be three years in October.  So lately I have found that it is harder for me to get to Yoga, but I know when I do go I always receive powerful messages in class that ring true to my real life experiences and even how I am feeling at that moment in time. This is the my favorite part of the class.  Each Yoga teacher has a different style in delivering the message. I prefer storytelling and sharing personal stories as I can relate to this more.  


Tonights Yoga lesson was on Surrendering to the Divine.  Basically, surrendering to what is in life.  There are good moments and some not so good.  I have found that when you are faced with challenges in life this is where the true test comes into play of taking Yoga off the mat.  


Sometimes you get so deep into over thinking things (the mind is a powerful thing, if you let it get to you) , stating the what ifs , focusing on the negative, and having expectations of others and yourself that you miss what that lesson is supposed to be.  You create so much struggle for yourself and as a result stress overtakes the body.  Stress, I have read is just another word for Fear.  Makes sense.  


I have been learning to make space for things and surrender to what is. At times it is a struggle, but acknowledgement is the first step to making a change.  Give yourself a break, we are all human and make mistakes. I have a friend that always would say to me, "Melissa, be Kind to yourself." Powerful words.  Who knows, when you surrender to what is something miraculous could happen and lessons can be learned.  Try it.............

Change

Nothing is more scary to some people than change.   For some, it is welcomed and for others it is a challenge.  For me it is a challenge.  I am a true believer that things happen for a reason, you may not find out what that real reason is until much later and after the fact, but at some point the lightbulb goes off-kind of an aha moment.  Love those moments.

When you are at a crossroads in your life, whether it is professionally or personally, it is only you that can make the decision to either stay where you are or make a decision to take steps towards a change.  So why is it so hard to do so....one may say fear....fear of the unknown maybe?

I am learning how to embrace change and remind myself that change is inevitable. Change is something that in the end brings added knowledge, growth, opportunities and people into your life that you would of never met otherwise. It is the special friendships that I have formed in the past, and in this present time that I am most grateful for.

One of my mantras is to surround yourself with people that love you.  No matter what curve balls life throws that your are not in it alone. And that my friend is a comforting feeling.

Leo North Node

Astrology is something that has always fascinated me. Love- Love- Love learning about this stuff.  So I started to read this book called Astrology for the Soul.  It is really insightful, and the more and more I read about my own sign, the more sense things are making on how I am currently living my life.  

Here are a few things that have stood out to me, and are so right on for me at this point in my life.  Leo's tend to over analyze things, and think more with their minds than their hearts. Leo's must learn to start trusting their intuition rather than clinging to their logical strategies.  I can so relate and since I have recognized this, and I am open to work on this and begin to trust the process in life. To stop feeling like I have to control everything, and just let go. Yep, let go. Easier said than done, but I am willing to take baby steps to make this happen. Who knows, hopefully one day I will be there.

On another note,  Leo's have spent many lifetimes living on the sidelines watching others interact.  Ones who have sacrificed personal identity and in past lives have lost touch with their inner child.  This makes so much sense and I have found that when I stop taking life so seriously, and I get in touch with my inner child it is so refreshing and healing for me.

I went to my nieces dance competition, Kaylee and Mc Kenna. Kaylee is the older of the two.  Mc Kenna is the youngest. I love them both with all my heart and with Mc Kenna I feel a strong bond with her. When she runs up to me and says......Aunt Melisssaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.....my heart just melts.  As I was watching them dance onstage strutting their stuff I started to look back on my childhood. I realized that as a child you have no fears, you take risks, and everything that you encounter is new and exciting.  I have memories of catching fireflies with a jar, or making dandelion necklaces, making forts, dancing with my cousins and creating a show for our parents to watch, and so much more.

To get in touch with your inner child is so important, and it is so easy to forget as you get older.  When you get so stuck in the muck, it is easy to do. So today and onward I am going to make more of a conscious effort to get in touch with my inner child, what are you going to do today?

Smorgasbord of Yoga Classes

Yoga was something that I looked forward to going to each day after work. I attended religiously and the feeling that I had when I walked through the doors at Yoga Pura with the tiny bell ringing, was heavenly.  I attended all levels of classes and seemed to be drawn to a handful of Yoga instructors. 


The positive energy, caring people,  and being under the same roof of individuals just like myself who were trying to find themselves in this crazy world (at least some people that I know of) was what made me want to come back each and every day.   It was my home away from home.  A place where I could go and spend an hour and a half of looking within ME-finding my true self.  (Which I am still trying to do-lol-baby steps)  I would look forward to the life lessons at the beginning of class and as time progressed would feel comfortable enough to actually ask questions and share my own experiences in classes.  I was taught that it does not just begin on the mat, and learned that I needed to take it into the outside world. To begin to notice my patterns, tendencies, and look things in a different light.  A positive light. 


I had some hectic days at work and Yoga took my mind off of things.  I would wake up from corpse pose with the refreshed feeling that tomorrow is a new day.  A brand new day.  Pure Bliss. 


The more and more I practiced Yoga, the more I started to feel positive shifts in my life.  Shifts that I can not explain or at times did not understand.  These shifts will be in future blogs-not quite there yet!

My Intro to Yoga

I started to take some beginner Yoga classes for a month or so with MW. I would look forward to going to class, and loved all of the instructors that I encountered.  Each instructor brought something special and unique to their classes.   I decided to take an Intro series to Yoga. Jen was my instructor, and I remember the anticipation and nervousness of beginning my first actual Yoga class where I got to experience what Yoga was truly all about.


It was (I think) a six week yoga series.  I remember being halfway through a class and a girl passed out on her mat across the room from me. I took one look at her, and felt lightheaded myself from sympathy pains and had to sit out the rest of class-lol.


It was the last class of the series.  I remember waking up out of corpse pose and there was a tiny flower and a hershey kiss at the end of my yoga mat.  Jen left us a present for completing the series.  The room was still dark, candles lit, and the sound of Om intensified throughout the room.  I was so proud of the fact that I stuck with it, my husband never thought that I would stick with it because usually when I start something physical like exercise I never finished it.


The more and more I did it, the more curious I became and hooked for life!

True Beginnings Part 2

Months into the Acting Operations Manager position is when MW and I formed not only a professional relationship, but also a friendship.  She would always take Yoga off the mat, and teach me the practices and philosophy of Yoga when things got stressful or challenging.


I was asked to go buy a gift certificate for MW, at Yoga Pura for her birthday as I have always been known as the fabulous gift buyer.  Love buying for others and it brings out my creativity.  I walked into the Yoga studio located off of 7th Street and Coral Gables.  I remember walking through those doors and having such a comforting feeling like I was being hugged.  I still get that feeling to this day, of belonging to something. Of course back then, I did not quite know what that was. As I was buying the gift card, I remember just being curious and I started to ask questions.  I said to Laura (who is now one of my amazing yoga instructors) that I cannot see myself doing Yoga.  In the weeks following, I could not get the studio out of my head.


The thoughts of going into the studio and the lessons of Yoga sat with me for some time , and then it only took a question (which in my eyes was one of my angels watching over me) that asked me if I wanted to attend a Yoga class.  I attended my first Basics Yoga class, and my world has never been the same since...........

True Beginnings

My spiritual journey truly began when I started to work for the Maricopa County in my new job position as Operations Supervisor.   I remember my husband was waiting for me in the car for me as I was interviewing.   I got in the car and said to my husband that I did not get the job.  It was during that same week that I got the job offer, and my life has never been the same since.  Wow, what self confidence I had-lol.   My first year on the job was the toughest, and most challenging in many ways and my first boss left the program. 

It was not until my third year I believe (give or take since I have short term memory sometimes) that my journey began not only professionally, but personally.  It was during this time that my new boss N told me that she was leaving the program. N was with the program for about a year, and we would spend every waking hour together it seemed. Our lives were consumed with work and we spent many late night hours together trying to keep the program a float. I was so sad about the news and frustrated as to the reasons why they were leaving their positions.  

I was then asked to fill in as the Acting Operations Manager by MW.............and here is where my spiritual journey all began..................