"No" - The test of Self Love.

I think one of the ways we are able to see how much we love ourselves is by whether or not we can say "no" to other people.

Is that something you do easily?

When you are able to say "no" to other people it means that you are putting yourself first, you may even feel selfish, but you know what it really is? Creating clear boundaries and loving yourself and that my sweetling, is necessary for living a happy life.

It took me a very long time to be able to say no to other people. I always felt like I was letting them down. I felt like I was being rude, that I was a terrible person, I can't tell you the number of uncomfortable situations I put myself in, the number of times I overextended myself, and the number of times I made myself miserable by not being able to say "no".

I have loaned people money knowing that they wouldn't pay me back but not knowing how to say no without coming off as a huge uncaring asshat. I've gone out to bars even though it wasn't my thing and I was uncomfortable the entire time, just because I wanted others to feel like I cared about their friendship enough to do it. "No" was a really small part of my vocabulary. Then I learned something.

My needs matter. YOUR needs matter.

It is our job to take care of our needs. It is not your job to take care of everyone else's needs. You have to give to yourself, you have to nurture yourself, and when those things are laid to the wayside by someone else's wants and needs it is time to re-evaluate your boundaries.

When someone asks you to do something tune into your intuition. What does your gut say? What is your first instinct? Go with that, that is listening to the truth of your heart. What does your body say? Are you extra tired or stressed out? Even if it's something you want to do, maybe it's time to take your body's side this time and bow out so that you have extra time for yourself to rest and relax.

You have to learn how to say no.

Remember that you don't have to explain yourself to anyone, but honesty is the best policy. Work on saying "no" and saying it right away. If someone asks you to help them out with something and you don't know how to say no, don't say you'll think about it. Chances are you're going to feel guilty about making them wait for an answer so you're just going to say yes anyway, even though you really don't want to.

It's really hard stuff, this saying "no" business.

I try to do it with as much love and compassion as I can. As part of Blessing Manifesting I get asked to do things all of the time. I get asked to work on joint projects, to do guest posts, to submit things for magazines, to do interviews, and just in case you haven't noticed, I don't do those things. I'm more self contained. I'd love to put myself out there, but at the end of the day I know that I have so much energy for the business stuff and when I add extra stuff I get burnt out really easily. So even though I love those people that think of me, I love them for wanting me, and believing in me, I still have to say no.

It really sucks. I feel bad when I do it, but not as bad as I know I'd feel if I was stressed out trying to meet a deadline, or adding more time into my already I-work-two-jobs schedule, or suffering from burn-out and not wanting to write anything, or how disappointed I would feel putting my own plans on the backburner so that I could do something for someone else.

What things are you doing that you don't want to do? How can you say "no" to those kinds of things in the future?

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Look up.

It's no secret that I absolutely love historical romance novels. (If you do too, be my friend on goodreads!) Reading is my most used self-care, my way to unwind, relax, and have quiet Dominee-time.

The other day I was struck by something in one of my books. The hero is trying to get the heroine to believe in herself and to believe that she can have more than what she has. She's afraid though.

"Don't tell me to look up. Don't ask me to want. If I do, I'll never survive." -- Courtney Milan

Then I realized that I feel that way sometimes. I'm afraid to be bigger than I am, I'm afraid that if I believe that I can be that person it's eventually going to collapse all around me.

I'm afraid to look up.

I'm afraid that if I look up I will see how very far I have to go. I'm afraid that I'll get discouraged at how high I have to climb. I'm afraid that I just won't have what it takes. I'm afraid of the fall if I get there. I want so much for myself and for my business and for my purpose that sometimes it's just so terrifying to want something so bad.

Are you afraid too?

It's easier to look straight ahead, at what you have right now. It's easy to be grateful for what you have in the moment than to think or wish or hope or strive for what you might have. The truth is, you might not ever get it. Could you bounce back if you looked up? If you saw it within your grasp, if you knew it was so close, and then it slipped through your fingers? Could you afford not to try though?

I think that's where we have to start to be brave. Wanting something, to succeed, to be greater than we are, that is bravery. Allowing yourself to look up, that's courage.

We might not reach that goal. We might not ever become that person that we want to be, but we have to try. We have to look up.

We have to believe in ourselves. 

Right now I'm being brave in putting myself out there, believing that Journey Through Journaling is going to be a success, believing that I am so meant to do what I'm doing. It's hard to look up but my eyes are on the stars right now.

I'm afraid to look up, but I'm looking up.

How are you being brave right now? What do you see when you look up?

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The Gift of Hope

I know that a lot of you, like me are sensitive to the news. You sweet sensitives and empathic lovelies see or hear something bad that has happened and it gets inside of your heart.

It hurts sometimes.

With everything that's going on in the world sometimes all you can do is sit there, holding back tears, wishing you could fix it and make it better.

It hurts to feel so powerless.

I keep reminding myself that all I can do is do what I do. Try to share my messages, try to plant that seed of hope or love or self-esteem where I can.

Pandora's story really resonates with me right now. When you think of Pandora what do you think of? Something bad right? The opening of a box that releases all that is bad and evil within the world. There's nothing good about that.

Her Story.

Pandora was created by the Gods, primarily Zeus, as a punishment to mankind for stealing the gift of fire from Mount Olympus. The Gods created her and made her beautiful. They dressed her in finery and beautiful things, they gave her skills of needlework and weaving, and they also gave her an urn, or jar. Inside of that jar was man's punishment. Disease, old age, toil, death, and other badness was contained in the jar.

Here was a woman, deceptively beautiful and fine, and she held all of that evil in her hands. She was sent to marry the fire-thief's brother and present him with the urn as a wedding gift. He refused to open it, fearing some trick. Out of curiosity Pandora opened the jar and unleashed all of the evils upon the world. It kind of sucks to be her doesn't it? By the time that she had closed the jar, all that remained in her hands was hope.

What she teaches us.

When we get to the bottom of everything, what we have left is hope. Hope that things will get better, hope that we'll make it through okay, hope that at the end of the day the world is a better place because you're in it. Hope that one day you will make a difference.

Sometimes it's all you have to hold onto.

Hope breathes life into the soul after it has been bruised and battered. Hope survives disaster and holds images of healing and improvement. No matter how painful and devastating things are there is always the gift of hope and renewal afterwards.

Connect With Pandora.

Tap into faith and hope to support you through difficult times. Look for the helpers, for the things that restore your faith in humanity. Look for the resilience of the human spirit, yours and others. Be the change that you want to see in the world. If you want something to change in the world, be the catalyst, embody those qualities and help others to discover them.

Find inspiration.

These things will make your day and probably make you cry, but that's okay.

Sometimes, security cameras catch something totally different.
26 Moments That Restored Our Faith In Humanity This Year
Stay Strong This is one of my favorite songs ever.

Let's all come together 

Take care of each other 

Stay strong keep your faith alive  

Hand in hand side by side 

With hearts opened wide 

Stay strong keep your faith alive 

Take a stand say a prayer 

Stay strong keep your faith alive 

Times like these 

We need to remember what is real 

Stay strong keep your faith alive 

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Journey Through Journaling is open for Registration!!

Hello lovely yous!

I'm super (read:zomgsohappyhappyhappy) excited to announce that my newest thang is open for registration at a special low price!

*drumroll please*

Journey Through Journaling is a 6-week course that starts on May 5th. Every Sunday for six weeks I'm going to pop into your inbox with journaling prompts for every day of the week to inspire you to write about your thoughts and experiences.

It's going to be awesome!

I don't think it's any secret that I absolutely love writing. Nary a day goes by that I'm not writing or typing something or another.

I credit my transformation from depressed, crying, angry, girl with too much emotional baggage to pack into a U-Haul to this current me (have I mentioned how happy I am right now?!). I still have my stuff to deal with, but I am a much happier person and I credit that to my own self-awareness. Self-awareness that I discovered through writing down my thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” ― Maya Angelou

Putting pen to paper is such a powerful way to get into your own head and figure things out. I wanted a way to bottle that which is why I came up with over 220 questions, under 54 life themes.

The journaling prompts in this course are deep, soulful, and insightful. I wanted you to be able to connect with each theme, to dig deep into your experiences, and bring them to light. There are some really hard questions, things that will really make you think and there's also some questions that will allow you to see and acknowledge all of the beauty within you and around you.

In addition to a ton of journaling prompts you're also getting access to a private facebook group, as well as the Journey Through Journaling Guidebook which will teach you how to deal with your Inner Critic, how to get over the blank page, and why journaling is awesome.

Journey Through Journaling starts May 5th, sign up today!

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I Found God in Myself

You can buy this print here

What do you find worth loving about yourself? Do you see any part of yourself as worthy of admiration? What part of you is Divine?

There comes a point in life when your thinking begins to change. When you realize that all of those things that you used to hate about yourself really don't matter. You realize that you are part of something great and big and lovely and worthwhile.

That turning point is different for everyone. Maybe you become a parent. Or you meet someone who really loves you and helps you to discover that you're worth loving. Maybe you just get tired of the self-hate and feeling not-good-enough.

Have you reached that point where you see something miraculous within yourself?

It's odd but I don't remember the exact moment I started to love myself, to see myself as something more. It was a gradual process, my thoughts about myself changed. My feelings about myself changed and I realized that I was seeing myself as part of this beautiful whole. I was no longer a part from it, no longer alienated from it. I started to see that I was part of God (the Creator/Goddess/Universe/Great Spirit/ect). I was a piece of that. It's like a big puzzle. You might think that the smallest piece doesn't matter but when you finish the puzzle you notice the lack of it, the incompleteness. You realize that the teeny tiny piece matters and you are that piece, you make it complete, and all of those other pieces, they complete you too.

“I found god in myself and I loved her I loved her fiercely” - Ntozake Shange

I encourage you to find that spark of Divinity inside of yourself. To recognize it, to accept it, and to keep it close to your heart. 

There is something miraculous and celestial about you. All of those things that you admire about the Universe dwell within you. 

They are part of you and you are part of them.

Do you see yourself as part of God? When did that moment happen for you? Is it easy for you to hold onto your divinity or do you forget sometimes?

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Come and hang out with me!

Funny face photo! I kinda love making faces at the camera. You should see my 'ermahgerd' face, it's totally epic. So I was thinking that I should compile a list of all of the places you can find me in the webosphere. If you have some stalker tendencies I'm going to make it easy for ya. I'm nice like that.

Amazing Life Amazing Business Academy: (Formerly the Goddess Circle) has been a great source of inspiration, motivation, and general life-changing-awesomeness. I'm an Academy Guide there, which means I get to moderate the forums and answer questions AND I have my own forum group, which you are welcome to join for extra Dominee-connectedness.

Blogs by email: Wanna make sure you never ever ever miss a blog post? You can sign up to get my blog posts sent straight to your e-mail address. Thank you feedburner!

Bloglovin': Now that google reader is going away. (*sob* Sadness!!) I've decided to migrate to BlogLovin' and you are welcome to join me. Super easy way to follow your favorite blogs.

((By the way, what's your favorite blog? I've been wanting new reading material))

Newsletter: The Newsletter goes out once or twice a month-ish. I'm not big on filling up your inbox cause I'm busy and you're busy but it's the best way to keep up with deals and new things, plus you get discounts and offers to test out my future products.

My personal Facebook: You are more than welcome to add me as a friend, one can never have enough of them, especially the online peeps I meet. They're wonderful. Plus I want to see your funny cat pictures. I know you have them.

Blessing Manifesting Facebook Page and Blessing Manifesting Twitter: Everyday I got affirmations, self love tips, and inspiring quotes and pictures for ya. 

Pinterest: Let's pin all the things. You should definitely check out the Blessing Manifesting Board for pretty pictures made by yours truly.

Goodreads: I read a lot, and I mean a lot, of historical romance. If that's your thing, let's be friends!

Instagram: I don't take very many photos (at the moment) but Summer is coming up and you know what that means? Photowalks because they are awesome.

Google+: Is kinda like the red-headed step-child but I visit occasionally.

Wanna share your online hangouts? Favorite blogs? And generally awesome website awesomeness? Comment below!

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Numerology Fun! Your Life Path Number

I've always been fascinated with things like astrology, numerology, palmistry, that sort of thing. I'm not one of those that reads their horoscope every day to find out what's going to happen, but I do find it interesting!

I think Numerology is fun, mainly because it's the only kind of math I can do without hurting my brain. Dominee and Math do not a happy couple make.

What is Numerology?

Numerology is the study of numbers in relation to one's destiny. Adding up the numbers in your birthday, or in your name, carry a certain significance. Numerology is based on Master numbers, which are the numbers 1-9 as well as the number 11 and the number 22. Each of these numbers has a specific meaning.

Discover your life path number

You discover your Life Path number by simplifying the numbers in your birthday and then adding them together. Each time you get a number bigger than 9, you add the two digits together (so that the number 13 turns into 1+3=4) to get a number smaller than 9. (Eleven and twenty-two are the exception!) Here's an example.

Life Path for December 28th 1977
December = 12. 1+2 = 3
28 = 2+8 = 10. 1+0 = 1
1977 = 1+9+7+7= 24. 2+4= 6
Add up the final numbers: 6+1+3 =10. 1+0 = 1!
The Life Path Number is 1!

Here's another demonstration of my own Number.

So now that you know how to calculate your Life Path Number, let me pull out my crystal ball and tell you what it means for you.

Number One

Number Ones are natural leaders who love the spotlight. They're bold, confident, ambitious and used to things going their way. They aspire to be successful and are highly motivated. They can sometimes be too heavy handed in their quest for the spotlight. They are very independent and logical thinkers.

Number Two

People with this number tend to want to be part of a pair. They're always in relationships and feel complete when they are with someone else, especially a soulmate. They are extremely loving and very sensitive. Harmony and balance are important to them. They struggle with being too self-sacrificing and giving too much of themselves.

Number Three

They are all about being the performer and entertaining those around them. People with this number make great writers, musicians, and actors. They embody excitement and tend to be charming and unique. They tend to wear themselves out easily because of their busy and energetic lives.

Number Four

This one is like an architect. They are organizers, they build things in a practical manner and they enjoy order. They have a very strong sense of what is right and wrong and rarely see anything in shades of gray. They use a logical and practical step-by-step approach to everything. They also don't give up easily. Strong, stable, and reliable are also words to describe them.

Number Five

Number Fives are hit by wanderlust. They love to travel, meet new people, and have new experiences. They are adventurers and wanderers with an insatiable curiosity for the world around them. People with this number attend the school of life. They are free spirits and love to express their creativity. They have difficulty with discipline and finishing what they start.

Number Six
Sixes are extremely caring and affectionate and always ready to stick up for the little guy. They want to help and heal those that are in need and give comfort to those around them. They are very nurturing and they fill the role of caregiver easily. They are friendly and kind but have a tendency to interfere and try to help too much.

Number Seven
People with number seven are sensitive. They tend to be worriers and do best when they are given their solitude. They are spiritual and intuitive and great at giving advice. They are introspective and tend to contemplate the mysteries of life and the Universe. They need to find the balance between being a loner and surrounding themselves with nourishing people.

Number Eight
Eights are good at managing. They are good with money and finances and accumulating material things. They are leaders and great business people and can balance ambition and compassion. They have the potential to change people's lives and improve the world around them. They have a good head for saving and investing.

Number Nine
Nines are spiritual people who do best in the role of humanitarian. They are selfless and patient and they make good healers. They seek inspiration and to inspire others. They have a strong need to make the world around them a better place. They can struggle with feeling disappointed in themselves when they don't reap the results they want. They find satisfaction in giving to others.

Number Eleven
Number Elevens are like Number Twos but twice as much. They possess intuition and are good at inspiring people. They sometimes come off as shy and withdrawn but they feel deep connections with others.

Number Twenty-Two
Twenty-Twos are similar to Fours. They carry great weight and responsibility on their shoulders. They are master builders and are great a rallying around a cause and making it happen.

Which Number are you? Does it fit with how you see yourself or is it radically different?

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Have you downloaded the Little Book of Comfort?

I don't know about you, but when I'm having a bad day, sometimes I forgot those things that I'm supposed to be doing to make myself feel better.

I don't know about you but I tend to be a wallower.

Wallowing in self pity or sadness isn't a bad thing as long as you don't do it for too long. If you hold on to it for a long time it becomes habit and then you forget how to not be sad.

After awhile you just have to pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and do what you can do to make yourself happy.

You know what that is right?

Each of us has a different thing that makes us feel better. I don't know what that is for you, you have to figure that out yourself, but I do know what things make me feel better. Which is why I put it in this little e-book for your reading pleasure. It's perfect for a case of the grumps on a rainy day, or any day.

Download it here!

Mwah!

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You are so beautiful.

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Goddess Wisdom: Flora's Story

It's Springtime and that makes it the perfect time to share Flora's story. It may be cold where you are (we've had days of chilling rain) but Flora is is about to awaken from her slumber.

Her Story.

Flora is the Roman Goddess of flowers and Spring and so associated with fertility and new beginnings. Her festival, the Floralia, is held at the beginning of May and involves flowers, dancing, and drinking.

I picture her waking up from her grassy bed and stretching as the sun's rays alight behind her. I see Flora as all that is good and sweet about Spring. I can imagine her smelling like clean rain and fresh flowers. I see her dancing around a field of flowers, happy to be uninhibited by winter snows and cold winds.

Flora is the one that playfully coaxes the blossoms to appear on the trees and the flowers to timidly shoot out of the ground. I can see her dancing through the countryside and gardens, singing and dancing and encouraging the seeds to awaken. Laughter follows her wherever she goes. I see her taking my hands and spinning me wildly around as she laughs, sharing the secrets of blossoms and flowers.

She has the happiness of a child and takes innocent, pure, joy at her freedom to play outside and enjoy the sun on her face. She takes breaks by laying down in the grass and looking up at the bright blue sky.

What she teaches us.

Flora teaches us that we've got to find the energy to wake up. Not just wake up, but wake up those dormant parts of ourselves. The passion, the joy, the childlike wonder for the things that we used to enjoy. What's something that you haven't done in a long time and you miss doing? It is time to wake it up and do it. Pull out your paintbrushes or start a new short story, sit outside in the morning with a cup of tea or coffee and enjoy the awakening of the earth around you.

Flora is also a Goddess of fertility. She gave the Goddess Juno special herbs to help her conceive the God Mars. This is a great time to start something of your own. Think about the projects and the plans that are waiting to blossom for you.

Connect with Flora

You can connect with Flora in many ways. Go outside and bask in the early spring Sunshine. Start your own garden or buy new house plants. Sit outside, close your eyes, and listen to what is going on around you. Buy cut flowers and sit them in a place you can see them. Make a garland out of flowers. Listen to the song Flora's Secret. Open the window and enjoy the fresh air. Rekindle the childish joy inside of you. Have a picnic outside. Nurture yourself and encourage yourself to grow.

Journaling Prompts

What inside of you needs renewal?
What do you want to start again or get back into?
What is your favorite childhood memory?
How can you give yourself a new beginning?

"I want to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees." — Pablo Neruda

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Spring Cleaning Tips!

So it's Spring, and with that comes to mind this wonderful thing called Spring Cleaning. You might start groaning at the thought of it, or you might be like me and be running through all of the exciting projects that are just waiting for you. Like washing the walls. Don't look at me like I'm crazy! Washing the walls with a bit of scented water is one of my favorite "chores".

I want to share with you some ideas and tips on how to start Spring Cleaning on a good note!

Big vs. Little

Some people will tell you to tackle the big tasks and get them out of the way and others will tell you to start small and work your way up to the big stuff. I say, figure out which strategy will work for you. You know yourself better than I do! I tend to do better when I start with the big projects first. For example cleaning out closets or rearranging cabinets gives me that sense of accomplishment and pride to push me through the little projects afterward. But if you get overwhelmed easily then start on those little projects and make small steps toward the bigger ones. It's all about knowing yourself.

Get rid of things you don't need.

When I moved last year I got rid of a lot of stuff, and I can't tell you how good it felt. It's hard to let go of stuff, especially when you've had it for a long time. Ask yourself these questions. Do you really need it? Are you really going to use it? How many times have you used it in the last year? Five years? Can you live without it? If it's something sentimental are you able to hold that memory without keeping the item? Is it worth it?

Let go of letters and mementos from past relationships, if those relationships weren't nourishing to you. Let go of those things that you plan on fixing or using someday but you just never get around to it. Donate the stuff you don't have a use for!

Do some decluttering.

Sometimes all you need is a good round of decluttering to make your home sparkle. Go through each room and get rid of broken toys, organize books and magazines, get rid of that pile of junk mail, or organize your dvds. If you're bad at organization check out pinterest for great and creative ideas. Beating the clutter is half the battle.

Go Digital.

Spring clean your computer and your phone! Get rid of old apps, programs, and photos that you no longer need. Make more room on your hard drive by getting rid of files that you aren't using. Organize your remaining files and photos into folders instead of having your desktop look like a war zone. (Guilty here!)

Get Spiritual with it.

I believe with my whole heart that energies linger in our homes and we need to cleanse our homes of negative energies every now and then. It's good to have a nice atmosphere, a clean atmosphere, and that's where sacred space clearing comes in. The best way to do this (for me) is to open every window in the house and let in the fresh air. Then I use a smudge stick (which is usually a bundle of sage and/or other herbs) or my favorite incense to go around the house, letting the smoke cleanse the space. Sage is purifying and the smoke from the sage cleanses the energies of your home. You can also cleanse the energies with sound, especially drumming, it breaks up the energy, and prayer works too! I definitely notice a difference afterward.

Goddess Haven.

One of my all-time favorite e-courses is Leonie Dawson's Goddess Haven e-course. It was huge in helping me come out of a depression that had left my apartment looking like something out of Hoarders. I absolutely love this course and heartily recommend it! It helps you prioritize, get organized, and create a space that you'll love.

What's your best Spring Cleaning tip?

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