12 Days of Solstice: Holiday Self Care

On the 7th day of Solstice...

As you know, I think self care is one of the most important things in the world. It sounds silly, that an act of taking care of yourself in a loving way can have epic results on your life but it's true. It helps lessen and relieve stress, anxiety, and depression. It creates self love, self-worth, and self-esteem. It allows you to get to know your mind and your body.

It has a ripple effect throughout your life.

It's always hardest (at least for me) to keep up with the self care during the holidays and that's usually when I need it the most. I created this worksheet to help you bring some self care mindfulness and intention into your life.

What things do you need to let go of this holiday season? It might be an obligation that you need to say 'no' to, stress or tension, not making time for yourself. Write down the things that you can include into your life to relieve stress. Taking time to watch an episode of Doctor Who with a mug of cocoa or scheduling in meditation. Give yourself permission to take a day off, to sleep in late, to buy yourself an awesome Christmas gift. Do your self-care!

[[Download it here]]

Celebrating Solstice: What Christmas shows or movies do you watch every year?

I love the movie Love Actually, it always makes me cry. I also love the Lifetime movies Ebbie and On the 2nd Day of Christmas, mainly because it has a very young, very yummy Mark Ruffalo in it. I can't imagine a better way to get into the Christmas Spirit! :)

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12 Days of Solstice: 2014 Create Your Amazing Year

On the 6th day of Solstice...

Every year for the past three years I have printed out and filled in Leonie Dawson's Create Your Amazing Year (Formerly the Creating my Goddess Year) workbook and planner.

It's wonderful for dreaming big - both in what you want to do and how you want your business to grow. I think it works great with my own Self Love Planner. I used both last year!

Today I'm giving away one copy of the beautiful 2014 Create Your Amazing Year Workbook and Planner (The digital Life Edition). All you have to do is answer the Celebrating Solstice question in the comments. The winner will be picked at random and announced tomorrow morning on the facebook page and in the comments!

Celebrating Solstice: What’s your favorite holiday food?

Mine is cookies, especially sugar cookies that you decorate with lots of colorful frosting. That was one of the best parts of Christmas as a kid. Our snowmen always looked silly and crazy but it was great bonding time for me, my sister, and my mom. Besides, the cookies were delicious!

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12 Days of Solstice: Amazon.com Gift Card

On the 5th day of Solstice...
Today I'm giving you a chance to win one $10 Amazon.com gift card. You know the drill, answer the Celebrating Solstice question in the comments and you are automatically entered to win! Winners will be announced tomorrow morning on the facebook page and in the comments!

You are gonna buy a book with that $10 aren't you?

After all, books make the very best gifts! Okay, okay, if you want to get something else I won't protest, but books are my favorite!

The best gift that I ever received was a book from my maternal grandfather. I can count on one hand the number of times I saw him in my life but I will always be thankful for the fact that he gave eleven-year-old me Anne of Green Gables. Anne of Green Gables is the first book that I can ever remember loving with all of my heart. I remember wanting to be just like Anne. I remember making her my imaginary friend (yes, I still had them at 11) and naming all of the places around me pretty names. The alley behind my house suddenly became Sparrow Lane and the imagination and creativity hasn't yet left me. Anne made it okay for me to live in my imagination, to love reciting poetry and reading, to have freckles all over, and to not be beautiful or perfect.

To this day, I have never received a gift that had such a beautiful and lasting impression on me.

Celebrating Solstice: What’s the best gift you ever received?

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12 Days of Solstice: Winter Holiday Planning

On the 4th day of Solstice...
Just in case you aren't all squared away on your holiday planning here's a handy dandy worksheet to help you get all organized. What gifts do you still have left to buy? Do you have all of your Christmas cards sent out? What food are you planning to make or what do you still have left to buy? What crafty things are you going to do this year? Gingerbread men? Cut out snowflakes?

[[Download it here]]

Be sure to leave a comment answering the Celebrating Solstice question and tell me what wonderful plans you have for the holidays! Me? My favorite holiday thing to do is watching Christmas episodes of The Golden Girls. I be you could've guessed that huh? It's my favorite show ever.

Celebrating Solstice: What do you want most for Christmas this year?

This question is actually pretty hard for me because there are very few things that I want! Although the easiest answer is I'd love to go see The Hobbit this month, I loved the first movie and I'm a huge fan of the book and the Lord of the Rings trilogy remains a favorite. Also, I always buy myself Christmas presents, because why not? This year I bought myself four new coffee mugs, a big bag of lavender bath salt, and a new vacuum cleaner. What can I say? I'm a simple girl. What about you?

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12 Days of Solstice: 2014 Self Love Planner Give-a-way!

On the 3rd day of Solstice...
Today I'm giving you a chance to win one of two copies of the 2014 Self Love Planner. All you have to do is answer the Celebrating Solstice question at the end of this post. If you've already bought the planner (thank you!) feel free to enter anyway and gift the planner to someone in your tribe or a loved one that might be in need of it!

The two winners will be picked at random.

Winners will be announced tomorrow morning in the comments and on the facebook page!

p.s. Thank you for being wonderful. I'm wrapping you up in a big warm hug right now.

Celebrating Solstice: What is your favorite holiday memory?

My favorite holiday memory is from when I was little. I was probably eleven or twelve and my mom was going through a tough time financially, raising three kids by herself. That Christmas a big group of people we didn't know came into our little living room with food and wrapped gifts and they sang Christmas carols to us.

Looking back I think it's so awesome that my mom cared enough to ask for help and it's equally awesome that there were people there to answer. It made for a great Christmas and really taught me what holiday spirit is.

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12 Days of Solstice: An Oracle Card Pulled for you!

On the 2nd day of Solstice Dominee gave to me...

Welcome to 12 Days of Solstice, 12 days of give-a-ways, discounts, and free stuff. 

Today I am pulling an oracle card from the Angels, Gods, and Goddesses deck for [the first 75 people] who answer the Celebrating Solstice question at the end of this post by midnight tonight and I will reply to your comment with the cards message! 

I love oracle card readings and I love adding a little bit of wisdom to your day. If you'd like a more in-depth reading check out the Oracle Card sales page for more options and to get a reading in ebook form with your card or cards scanned into it! 

Celebrating Solstice: What are you most grateful for this holiday season?

Leave a comment and check back tomorrow for a give-a-way!

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12 Days of Solstice: Picture Your Day

Welcome to the first day of 12 Days of Solstice. Each day, for the next 12 days, I'll be doing a give-a-way, letting you have a free download, and celebrating the holiday spirit with you!

Today I'd like to share with you my last official free offering of the year "Picture Your Day" a free ecourse starting 12/15. Lets capture the simple beautiful moments in our day. Each day you'll have a prompt, something as simple as "Take a picture of something that made you smile today."
I hope that you'll sign up!

Bonus! I cordially invite you to join the Blessing Manifesting Facebook group. I've been using it as a gathering place for the monthly challenges but come the first of the year it's going to transform into our own little private community. Join it and get to know the other women there. Send them friend requests, talk to them, learn their stories.
It's magic.

Show up tomorrow for something else!

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12 Days of Solstice

I'm still recovering from the energy sink that is releasing something new. Every time I release a new product I always feel drained and it takes me a few weeks to bounce back. In the last month I've released TWO - the 2014 Self Love Planner and the Wheel of Wisdom Oracle Readings and I need some time to kick back and relax. What better way than giving back to all of you?

Because you are all awesome.

Truly. Seriously. The emails you ladies have been sending me, the tweets and facebook messages and blog comments, it has been wonderful.

You make me feel the love.

Love all around. It's pretty awesome. Starting 12/10 I'm going to give something away every day until the Winter Solstice. Sometimes it will be a worksheet for everyone, other days it might be a chance for you to win something just by leaving a comment. No other strings attached.

Remember to bookmark the blog and stop by during those twelve days for gifts, community, and conversation.

Want more Blessing Manifesting? Check out the free monthly challenge, it starts on the 15th!

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This is the End + Being Adrift

I keep thinking "I can't believe this year is almost over." It hasn't really gone my way. It's been a bit of a difficult year, but the last few months have been pretty wonderful creative-wise, and for a creative person, that's such an important thing to have in life. Especially when it comes to having a business that runs on your creativity.

Today I pulled a card for myself from Lucy Cavendish's Oracle of the Mermaids to represent this last bit of the year. What do I have to pay attention to? What message do I need to embrace right now in my life?

Sometimes you have to let yourself drift.

Oh it's so hard to relinquish control. It drives me crazy to even think about letting go even a little bit, but if there's anything I've learned from my anxiety it's that letting go of control is sometimes essential. If only so that you don't stress yourself out and run yourself ragged.

This card teaches us that it's beautiful and humbling to float with the waves and the tides and know that you are safe. So often we think of it as disempowering to let go of control, and sometimes it is, but when we consider all aspects of setting ourselves adrift, of letting go with purpose, and going with the flow, we can examine that to intentionally allow ourselves to do so does give us power.

There is sense in making no effort at all.

Especially after going through a tough or stressful time. Allowing the tides and the waves to set your course can be beautiful and humbling. It can lead you to places that you might not otherwise go.

I think that this is a good reminder for me. I just finished riding this huge wave or creativity and drive and now it feels right to just let myself be. I don't have to force anything, I'm just allowing myself to flow. A moment-by-moment acceptance of what is right now. Allowing myself to be gently moved by the natural energy that's moving all around me.

It's good stuff.

Share this intention with me.

Is there a way that you can add flow to your life? How can you follow the path of least resistance in a way that will nourish you? That's what I want you to think about today.

How are you setting yourself adrift? 

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A Very Blessing Manifesting Thanksgiving

Over here in the States it is officially Thanksgiving Day. A day to be with family and to acknowledge and appreciate the things in your life that you are grateful for.

I am celebrating softly.

I made my favorite green bean casserole. I'm going to re-watch The Hunger Games and spend time reading Catching Fire and then I'm going to sleep in preparation for working this evening at my retail job.

As I said in You Have Permission to be a Scrooge, do what makes you happy. Don't buy into the belief that this has to be a hectic time of rushing around and being stressed out. This is a time of grace and thanksgiving. If you allow it to be, it is a time of beauty and softness and family-ties and appreciation and bounty. How will you celebrate this year?

I wanted to give a (short) list of all of the things that I am grateful for today. I hope that you will share your list here too.

I am grateful for...

The number of amazing women I've met the last few years.

My little cozy apartment that is finally starting to feel like mine.

The drive to get up most days and show up and be here.

My family, a collection of amazing human beings that I gathered myself. :)

The path that led me here to where I am today, no matter how hard and difficult it was.

The number of absolutely amazing books I have read so far this year. They have been wonderful.

You. You reading this right now. Thank you.

"If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough." - Meister Eckhart

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A Collision of Magic & Stardust

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Winter Self Care

For as long as I can remember Autumn and Winter have been my favorite seasons. My childhood is full of wonderful winter memories. In the two houses I lived in growing up, I picked the coldest rooms, the remodeled attic and then basement. It was always freezing in the winter time and I loved it, often keeping my window cracked for even more blissful cold air.

Some of my favorite memories are of being snuggled up with a ton of blankets, a book in my hands, and a hot cup of cocoa. That was bliss to teenage Dominee.

Now I effin' hate winter.

I know, it makes me sad too. It happened gradually. I went from living up north in a state that had those idyllic snowy winters to a southern state where ice is more common than snow and it's really really windy. And brown and bleak looking. And kinda depressing. I'm just not into winter anymore. It used to be all about the magic of snowflakes and snowball fights and holidays. Now I just hate getting out of bed in the morning because it's cold out there and bed is so nice and warm. Ahh, bed. Maybe I'm just getting old.

I have noticed that winter is a time for more self care.

Not only does it make the winter blues go away a little bit, but it also adds another layer to the season. Time for me. I do find ways to enjoy winter even though it's no longer my favorite. I wanted to share with you some winter-specific ways to add self care into your life. ((If you want even more self care info, check out the 2014 Self Love Planner. It just came out today!))

Seek Warmth

All over. Emotionally and physically. Drink warm drinks like tea and hot chocolate and enjoy the time relaxing and sip sip sipping as the warmth seeps into your hands and moves through you. Buy extra warm socks or slippers to wear around the house. I have cow socks. They are awesome. Have a favorite blanket and wrap it around yourself (Neon blue leopard-print for the win!). Curl up on the sofa and watch your favorite childhood movies and enjoy the memories. Make a corn cozie to warm your feet before bed.

Pamper Your Body

Winter and your lovely skin don't always coexist well. Am I the only one that gets really itchy legs? Lotion and moisturizers are your friend. Use them. Especially if you take lots of hot baths like me. If your lips have a tendency to get dry, use lip balm. Protect your body with warm coats and gloves and scarfs. Your body is awesome. Keep it warm and safe.

Embrace the Concept of Hibernation

We might not be able to gorge ourselves on food and then sleep for weeks at a time but there is something to be said for turning your focus inside of yourself and towards your home, that sacred magical place where you lay your head each night. What makes you happy there? What makes it a place you want to come home to each day? Create a cozy atmosphere for yourself and then sit back and enjoy it.

Reconnect With Yourself and Others

One of the cornerstones of self care is Connection With Self. Spending time with yourself, doing the things that you enjoy, and loving every minute of it. Read a good book, spend time drawing or working on a puzzle, or crocheting or one of the many things that you enjoy doing. Reach out and take the time to connect with the people around you in a real way. Spend time in conversation. Real heart-to-heart conversation.

Do What Makes You Happy

At the end of the day, the best self care is the kind that makes you happy. Sit outside and enjoy the cold. Sit by the fire and enjoy the heat. Take lots of photos of your personal Winter Wonderland. Go to sleep early or stay up late watching snowflakes fall in the darkness. Winter is what you make of it!

What is your Winter Self Care Routine?

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Win a free copy of the 2014 Self Love Planner + Workbook

Thanks to everyone who entered! The winners were chosen at random and you can now see them below! Thank you! xoxo

I'm feeling pretty awesome right now. You see, the last few months I've been very busy creating something that I'm over the moon excited about.

The 2014 Self Love Planner Workbook.

It was finished a month before the release date which is November 24th! Mark your calendars! The sales page is already up, newsletters are set to go out, and I'm 95% ready to launch right now. I've never had my shit together like this. It's pretty awesome.

The fear of sucking and not being good enough is fading.

Usually I'm scrambling until the very last minute to get everything done. I'm stressed out and frantic which then leads to overwhelm and a bit of depression. Rarely do I ever really enjoy launching something. And marketing. Ugh marketing. It's never been my favorite thing. This all stems from insecurity and fear that I'm gonna be a big ol' failure. I'm not letting those thoughts hang around this time.

On 11/24 I'm going to give three lucky winners a free copy of my newest thing the 2014 Self Love Planner + Workbook. It's gonna be epic and I hope that you'll love it. 60+ pages o' awesome that you can print out and color on or fill in and save right from your computer! Also, my Self Love Story, What Self Love is, how Self Care can rock your world, and how you can do it easily and sustainably.

My job is to help, encourage, and remind women to love themselves.

This planner is all about encouraging you to make time for yourself every second of every day. I hope you'll purchase a copy for yourself when it comes out. It will be awesome!

To Enter the Give-A-Way:

To enter the give a way just use the Rafflecopter form below. The more ways you enter, the higher your chance of winning will be! Please share and spread the word so this can be the bestest lauch in the history of launchdom! Thanks sweetling!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Is there anything you'd like to see in this year's planner?

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You have permission to be a Scrooge.

You have permission to be a Scrooge. Okay, maybe that's a little harsh because the last thing I want is to see you on the evening news running through a department store yelling "Bah! Humbug!" But - you are allowed not to buy into the holiday cheer. You are allowed to treat the holidays like normal days.You are allowed to celebrate in a soft and quiet way. You are allowed to preserve your energy and not spend it on cooking large dinners, or spending hours shopping, or driving yourself crazy trying to find the perfect gift, or decking the halls with boughs of holly.

You don't have to do anything you don't want to do.

If you want to bake cookies by the dozen, decorate your house like Santa's workshop, and make a Thanksgiving feast that makes Martha Stewart look like an amateur, that's awesome. But it's not a standard that you have to live up to if you don't want to.
Do what makes you happy.

I don't particularly like the holidays.

When I first moved out of my Mom's house, I was so excited to do my own holiday thing, to make my own traditions, and to have a wonderful time doing it. I quickly learned that I liked my Mom doing holiday stuff for me, I didn't care to do it myself! Ha! It became something I was forcing myself to do because that's just how people celebrate holidays, that's what I was supposed to do. It made me unhappy. It stressed me out and I never had much fun, and I tried to, I really did, because it was supposed to be fun. You shouldn't have to try so hard. Over the years even putting up the Christmas tree became a chore. Secret: it hasn't left my closet in two years and I'm okay with that.

The holidays are about enjoyment, love, family, and warm fuzzies.

It doesn't take all the trimmings to get into the holiday spirit. My ideal holiday celebration involves relaxing, watching a few holiday flicks, listening to a bit of Christmas music and consuming hot chocolate. The people I love get gift cards, and they still know that I love them, because I show it all the other days of the year.

Energy is limited, spend it where it needs spending.

Pay attention to where your energy is leading you this holiday season. Don't run yourself ragged trying to be or do it all. Get things done early and don't wait until the last minute. Learn to say no to the things that don't make your heart feel good.

This is a time for celebration. Celebrate.

In your own way, doing your own thing, with the people who make your life awesome. Don't lose the spirit of the holiday because you're stuck on the image of what you or your family expect you to be.

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Let Yourself Be Grateful

I'm going to tell you a little secret. I really don't like the holiday season. I haven't liked them since I was a teenager. When I ventured out to live on my own I desperately tried every year to celebrate and create traditions.

Each year it flopped.

Working in retail will do that to you. This year, I don't want to fall into the Holiday Grumps. I want to remember what the holiday season is about.

Love and Gratitude.

I hope that you'll join me in celebrating gratitude every single day. I just finished all of the emails and assignments this morning and I am so excited for it to start. I think it's going to be lots of fun and I really want to make this the biggest and best Monthly Challenge we've had yet. So far there are over 100 people in the Facebook group and I'd love there to be even more. Invite your friends to sign up and join us!

Sign up right now and be sure to share!

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A Different Kind of Abandon

source

Abandon. I hate that word. It brings to the forefront of my mind all of my abandonment issues, ones that I still struggle with. It's a trigger to unpleasant feelings and emotions.

My past is littered with abandonment. My biological father died without wanting to meet me, and my family and relationships have never been what I would call stable or reliable.

Abandon: that thing that people do to me.

I've been struggling with abandonment lately. It's one of those fights that looks like something out of Lord of the Rings. Big, evil, gnarly looking bad guys against little ol' me. Abandonment, and fighting against it when there's a chance it might win in the end anyway, is tough work. It's still worth trying.

I was reading, as I generally am because I've got mad bookworm skills (friend me on Goodreads my fellow book junkies), when I noticed the word abandon used in its other form. One that's not so scary. One that makes me think of running through spacious fields and feeling free.

noun

1. complete lack of inhibition or restraint.
"She sings and sways with total abandon."

Who doesn't need more of that kind of abandon in their life? Not that I'm calling you stuffy or anything, I'd never, but sometimes we just have to let go and to add a little of that kind of abandon into our lives. It makes the word less terrifying and it makes life more enjoyable.

I've been making a conscious effort to allow myself to feel abandon. It may be dancing in the dark with my body moving to the music, feeling nothing but the music and allowing myself to become lost (psst Loreena Mckennitt - Marco Polo best dance song ever). Or jogging for the first time in forever and loving the way that my legs move. Or painting while I let the rest of the world completely fade from me as I immerse myself in paints and textures. Or the way words just seem to flow out of me in beautiful and coherent ways. It's all magic.

There are so many little ways scattered through out the day that we can embrace that feeling. It usually starts with allowing yourself to focus on one thing and then allow yourself to be lost within it with no distractions. My challenge for you is to embrace that feeling abandon. What are you going to do today?

When was the last time you let yourself be uninhibited? When were you last unrestrained and wild? 

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The Power of the Nautilus Shell

Good morning my sweetlings! November is upon us and I think it's going to be an amazing one. The 2014 Self Love Planner + Workbook is all finished and ready to be released in a few weeks and so is the (free) Epic Gratitude challenge. So excited.

Each time I work super hard on something to release out into the world I inevitably get smacked upside the head with growing pains. Sometimes it's personal, sometimes it's professional and sometimes it's a little bit of both. It never feels particularly good, it's just one of those things you have to ride out and try to enjoy it as best you can because ultimately it means good stuff, even when it's painful in the moment.

Enter the Nautilus Princess and her message of Powerful Personal Growth.

This card comes from the Oracle of Shadows and Light and pictures a beautiful mermaid with long flowing red hair adorned with sea shells. In her arms she holds a nautilus shell. The nautical shell is a very important symbol within itself and one that I'm currently feeling fits perfectly in my life right now.

The nautilus, a type of mollusk who lives in its shell (which is actually its external body and part of the creature itself) is quite amazing. The nautilus has changed very little since prehistoric times. Despite that, it is a creature that represents growth, change, and evolution. The shell consists of a series of chambers where the nautilus lives. Each chamber gets bigger and bigger as the creature outgrows the smaller one and moves onto a bigger one until it outgrows that as well. The nautilus then enlarges its shell by the addition of a new chamber suitable for the next stage of its life.

This represents our ability to change and grow especially on a spiritual level.

The start of the spiral represents where we start off in our spirituality. Eventually we begin to grow and evolve, learning new things and expanding our beliefs so that they fit with who we currently are and where we are at in life.

The creature must keep building new chambers as long as it lives. It cannot go back to the previous ones; they no longer fit. It cannot stay in its present space or it will die. It has no choice but to move on and on.

This Princess in this card is uncertain of where she’s going. She knows that it’s time to move forward but she isn't quite sure how. She knows that she will have to make decisions but she’s unsure of her own power uncertain that she’ll be able to do the right thing.

She is reminded to grow in ways that are in-tune with her purpose, her integrity, and what she feels is right for her now.

It is now time to take yourself and your potential seriously. I definitely needed to hear that today as I try to shine brighter. Hopefully these words held wisdom for you too!

In what ways are you currently growing?

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Jump Start Your Creative Mojo

Happy November my friends! Are any of you participating in NaNoWriMo? If you are, let me know and keep me updated on your progress. I'm gonna be your own personal cheerleader! Go you you fabulously writer-y you! This is going to be a big month for me so I won't have the time. Sadface. However,

I know the pain of staring at the blank page.

Or blog post text box as it were. I was having that very problem the other day and I kept getting more and more frustrated. Open blog post, write a sentence, open facebook, click on links, giggle at cute cat pictures, visit youtube, giggle more, open blog, write a sentence, twitter, Burn Notice on Netflix, rinse and repeat. Does that sound familiar to anyone else? Three hours later and you've written the hell out of three paragraphs. Three measly paragraphs.

Then I remembered I can create the mojo.

You're either in the mood to write or you aren't. Just because you aren't in the mood doesn't mean that all hope is lost. You can find ways to get in the mood. Put on some "Let's Get It On" and... well that's a different blog post. Everyone has things that get them in a creative mood, find those things. I have a list a mile long of things that help and generally by the end of that list you'll find me in my writing groove.

First thing is first. Mix it up.

If what you're doing now isn't working then it's time to try something new. Easiest way to do this: Change up your surroundings. I don't mean go write somewhere else, although that's not a bad idea, but I want you to create an atmosphere around you of creativity.

For me, this usually involves opening a window and letting the fresh air in. Burning a stick of my favorite incense, lighting a delicious smelling candle, and spritzing the room with whatever essential oil I'm in love with at the time. You can see how this creates an atmosphere of relaxation and focus.

Wear the lucky underwear or nail polish. Listen to that song that always makes you want to write. (Mine is Bon Iver - Re: Stacks. What's yours?) If all that doesn't work I move on to step #2.

Woman, relax thyself.

Sometimes you just gotta totally check out for an hour or two and then come back to it. Instead of trying to break through that wall, you go and take the scenic route around it. Taking a long, relaxing, bath can do wonders. It can allow you to soak in inspiration or clear your mind so that when you come back to writing it's with a clear head. Taking half an hour to be mindfully distracted can also help. Mindfully distracted? What is that you ask? It's being distracted on purpose. Instead of allowing yourself to be distracted while the entire time you're thinking I really should be writing... Go forth, seek a distraction, and enjoy every minute of it without guilt. Then go back to the writing when your brain is ready.

Ditch the distractions.

I know, this one is a toughy but you'll be happier if you don't have 3 gazillion tabs open in Chrome. Or even one. Completely close it and don't open it again until your writing is done. Facebook will not collapse without you, I promise. Phones too, don't think I forgot! Put your phone across the room and don't touch it no matter how many notifications you get. No TV either. If you're listening to music try making your own playlist instead of listening to Pandora, that way you won't be tempted to get distracted from your writing to change songs. Instrumental songs and soundtracks are even better to get you in the zone.

When it comes to writing, you've got to allow your creative self to guide you and she can be a demanding biddy who exacts payment in massive amounts of coffee and good music. Make her happy and you'll find it easier to get over those hurdles that stop you from writing.

Are you doing NaNoWriMo? What gets you in the writing mood?

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Loving All Of Yourself

I've been pretty open about my past. I was not a good person. I was a liar and a manipulator. I was depressed all of the time. I was mean and hateful to myself and others and all of these behaviors were hiding a lot of pain and a lot of depression and an overwhelming feeling of helplessness to change my situation.

I've done a lot of things I'm not proud of.

I have abused my body. I have verbally and mentally abused the people around me. I've had anger issues out the wazoo. I have wasted years of my life by living a life that was not nourishing to me.

I talk a lot of talk about loving yourself and about loving exactly who you are. It's important. It was the thing that was missing for me during that dark period of my life. Loving all of you actually means loving all of you, past, present, and future. That's something that I struggled with and I didn't even realize it until now.

How do you love someone like that?

I usually tell PastDominee's story and then promptly stuff her back in the closet once she has taught the lesson of the cost of living life without self love. It never occurred to me to love her. Or that there was anything about her that was worth loving. She was an obstacle to get over in the quest of truly loving myself. Not part of the journey. It became normal to dislike her, to despise her, and see her as nothing but a cautionary tale of how not to be.

I was explaining to a new friend the idea behind Blessing Manifesting and my journey to get where I am. They said something very poignant to me. "I wouldn't have liked you. I'm glad you're not that person anymore." That comment rubbed me the wrong way. Part of me immediately wanted to protest.

I am that person. She's still part of me.

If that thought was true, that she was still part of me, and I disliked her, was I truly loving my whole self? That thought stuck with me for a few days, rattling around in my head. I started to pull PastDominee out of the closet and examine her closely. How did I really feel about her? Somewhere along the way I'd stopped being compassionate and started being judgmental and critical.

I realized that I do love her.

Which is the only thing she ever really wanted. I don't agree with her actions. I am sad that it took her so long to find the will to change, I'm even a little resentful of the things that she lost along the way. Still, at the end of the day, she wasn't too much different from who I am now. The core is the same.

I love her because no matter how long it took her to change, change she did.

I love her because even though she hated everything about herself she eventually found a way to love it.

I love her because no matter how hopeless she was, she never gave up on herself or life.

I love her because her experience turned into a story of beautiful transformation.

If you have a past you aren't proud of, don't write off the past you as worthless. She brought you to where you are today. She made sure that you survived.

That's beautiful.

What are your feelings toward PastYou? Do you ever resent your former self for things you did?

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Doing What I Love and Loving What I Do

I've officially been doing this whole business thang for exactly two years. The experience has been all over the place. I've gone from thinking that it's the most awesome experience ever to being moments away from throwing up my hands and throwing in the towel.

At the end of the day, I still love it. I love it a lot. 

This past month me and the biz had some couple's time. We took time away from the public and we worked on our relationship. We had some stuff we needed to figure out together.

Love will keep us together.

Having a business is a lot like being married to a demanding a-hole. It takes a lot of time and energy and sometimes the benefits don't seem worth it. You feel under-appreciated some days and over-worked others and then there are the days that you feel completely head-over-heels in love. It feels right. We're talking soul-mate stuff but relationships are difficult and it takes communication.

Become a business whisperer.

You've got to be able to communicate with your business. Know what it needs when it needs it as well as what YOU need when you need it. Then you find a balance between the two. Give and take. Compromise. Ignoring your business because it's too much work will not a happy business make. Going all in and working yourself to complete exhaustion will not bring you the love. Listening to everyone tell you what you should do to make your business work doesn't work. Each business is different, each you is different, and to make it work together you need to do your own thing.

Date your business.

Well, not really, because that would be weird, but go on business dates. I'm talking creative business planning and play dates. Take a notebook and fill it up with plans. Get to know what your business wants you to create. You might think that you know where you want to go with it, but sometimes it has other plans. Take the time to have fun with it. Spend the day doing the business stuff that you love doing.

Be flexible with your definition of success. 

In the big scheme of things my business is not what you would call mainstream successful. Most months I don't make enough to even cover the rent. That's where the pays-the-bills job comes in. Blessing Manifesting is the make-a-difference job, the make-the-soul happy job, and it does that in spades. It's successful at that, it's successful at helping other people, and that makes me incredibly happy and in love with what I do. Money isn't always the bottom line, don't lose sight of that.

What makes your business different is that it fills up something inside of you in an extraordinary way. 

Last month I released a completely free ebook called 5 Secrets To Success for online heart-centered businesses. I'd love for you to check it out and tell me what you think.

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Count Your Blessings In A Pumpkin Patch

Happy Halloween or as I call it, Samhain! May your day be filled with more treats than tricks. This is traditionally a day of Spirits and honoring those that have passed before us.

Which ties into appreciating what we have, while we have it.

How often do you take a step back from your life? I mean really take a step back, with the intention of looking at your life from a detached viewpoint?

Most of the time we don't step back intentionally. We step back when life forces us to step back. When something bad happens and we think back to how good we had it. Or something changes and shifts and we realize how happy and blessed we were before. There is a lot of truth to the old saying "You don't know what you have until it's gone."

It is time to count your blessings. 

Each week I like to pull a card to give us all a little bit of direction and wisdom. This card is Ghost of the Pumpkin Patch, from the Oracle of Shadows and Light and it is quite fitting for the season as we descend into the darker part of the year.

Take a look at your life and really see it for what it is. Take the time to count your blessings, especially the ones that you overlook on a daily basis. Those things that, small as they are, if you didn't have, you'd miss their presence.

Things and even people, become so familiar to us, so part of our every day, that we take them for granted. The familiarity with them breeds blindness to what amazing gifts surround us. This card reminds you to see the abundance that's all around you. The pumpkins, so to speak, the average and ordinary that become the extraordinary when we no longer have them.

Nothing is too small to be appreciated.

Appreciate those things like the fit and texture of your favorite shirt. The way that your shoes fit. The smell of your favorite candle or perfume. The color of the curtains in your living room. The taste of your favorite food. The calm before the storm that is the holiday season. All of these things are little blessings that deserve to be acknowledged and appreciated.

What little blessings are you thankful for? 

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Catching up!

Hello my beautiful peoples! It feels like it's been forever since I sat here and tap-tap-tapped out love notes and stories for you. I know that technically October's not over so this little ol' blogging break of mine should still be in effect but I like breaking rules. I'm a blogging rebel. Rawr. I've missed blogging so much and it's definitely ignited, or re-ignited, my passion for it.

What have I been up to this month? Epic Self Care.

I started this month wanting to take the time to step back and really figure out my direction, personally and professionally, and it has served its purpose. I feel clear minded, ready to go forward and make magic happen. I have a feeling that things are going to be beautiful.

I've spent my time painting. Cuddling with my best friend's little kitty. Hours spent laying on the floor with pillows, listening to music, and putting together a Gone With the Wind puzzle.

Simple soul nourishment. My favorite kind.

Not only have I spent time withdrawing inward, but I've also been expanding outward and opening myself up to new experiences and to blossoming in ways that are scary and lovely at the same time. I'm embarking on a new relationship, which is a scary thing in itself, but I find myself opening up spaces that were formerly closed up tight. It's a brand new journey.

Be Legendary.

I just love that and now it's hanging on my wall where I can see it every single day. It's a good reminder. So is that "find your own magic" bit. I want to live by every single thing on that wall hanging.

I've consumed a lot of tea. My favorite tea Sleepytime has soothed me and comforted me every single day. Especially when curled up with the book Ready Player One which was one of the best reads I've had this year, which is saying a lot as my current book count for 2013 is 94.

Round it all off with the fortune:

You make people realize that there exist other beauties in the world.  

Story of my life! I love it. I've also been taking the time to do some actual work. It hasn't been all lazing about around here. I started working on the 2014 Self Love Planner + Workbook and I'm 20 pages in. I think it's going to be beautiful and nourishing and helpful and I'm hoping to release it in late November or early December. Keep your fingers crossed!

I've also been thinking and dreaming on the idea of my very own Online Community. I'm so excited to see where that journey takes me. Right now I'm thinking the Spring or Summer of 2014. I really want to make sure that it is the best offering I can give you.

My dream is for a gathering place where we can share our journeys, talk about self-help and self-improvement, share resources, and create a safe haven for real and soulful conversations and connections.

Where has your October taken you?

I'd love to hear from you! I'd love to know what you've been up to and creating and dreaming. I'd love to hear your feedback! What do you think of the Soul Sisterhood? What things would you like to see? What would make it something that would interest you?

Let me know!

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Self Care is Essential For Introverts

I know, I know, I'm supposed to be taking a blogging break in October... but... I just can't help myself sometimes.

So along with this whole blogging break thing I've been trying to unfurl my wings a little bit.

I've decided to try dating.

Talk about energy vortex. Draining, draining, draining. I am an introvert. An introvert gets their energy from being alone. Solitude and quiet gives us a chance to rest and replenish our energy so that we can be bright and shiny. Extroverts are the opposite, they get their energy from being around people and going out. That's what makes them feel good.

Introverts get the bad reputation of being the anti-social weirdo that's hiding out in their parent's basement. That's not a true representation (most of the time. No offense to my weirdos). I've been called a hermit and a shut-in, but the truth is, I like hanging out with people (really I do!). I like enjoying another person's company... in doses... when it doesn't cut into my time for me. This doesn't mean I'm abnormal or that anything is wrong with me.

What it does mean is that I have to pay attention to my energy and what I can give to other people. The past week, I've been thinking about self care and how it relates to being an introvert. When I honor my introvert and do the things that nourish that part of me it makes an amazing difference in my life. No more feeling run down and stretched thin and drained when I don't need to be. Here's what I've learned about self care + introverts.

Learn to say "no".

This one is hard to learn but it gets easier with practice. Remember that you don't have go out or meet up or hang out. If you aren't feeling it, don't do it, and don't feel bad about honoring those feelings! Work on saying "no" and saying it right away. If someone invites you to something and you don't want to go, say no! Don't say you'll think about it. Chances are you'll feel guilty about making them wait for an answer so you'll just suck it up and go and wish you were home reading the entire time. That's no fun for anyone.

Be aware of what you need.

Know when it's time to take a step back from immersing yourself in the company of others. Learn what signals your mind and body are giving you when it's time to schedule in some "me time". You might start feeling tired and overwhelmed from social situations. You might get anxious about losing time you want to spend on non-social activities. It's okay to honor those feelings and be flexible with what's going on around you.

Learn what recharges you. 

As I've said before, self care is different for everyone. It's that thing that you do that takes care of you and makes you feel good. What things make you feel better after you've expended your energy with other people? What fills up your inner reserves? Do those things. Spend time with your best friend or partner. Spend time alone. Spend time in quiet solitude or jam out to music. Do the things that pull you back together and inside of yourself.

Don't compare yourself to extroverts. 

Extroverts make it look easy don't they? They are the social butterflies that love attention and conversation. They go out all of the time and they make creating new friendships look as easy as breathing. I'm over here like "I replied to four e-mails today and talked on the phone for 10 minutes. I'm worn out, where's my cave?" Don't stress the fact that you aren't that person that makes the whole social interaction thing look like a breeze. There's nothing wrong with you and  there are other introverts out there just like you and they're awesome too. 

Are you an introvert or an extrovert? What things nourish your introverted energy?

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Sanctuary + October Blogging Break!

Are you signed up for the newsletter? In one of the last issues I talked about how I had decided to take a blogging break in October and focus on creating stuff, like this month's Monthly Challenge and the 2014 Self Love Workbook + Planner. Obviously I've made it three days in and hello... Blog! I love it too much to stay away. P.S. Have you noticed the new look?!

I also felt the need to take a step back, figure out if I'm going in the right direction, on a personal level as well as a business one. It's a mix between Strange Brain Territory and Re-calibrating myself. Navigating growing pains are tricky business I always say.

I keep asking myself: What do you want?

On a deep level. Forgetting fear and putting aside what I think I can or can not do. What do I want? That's a really important question and one that we should be asking ourselves all of the time. While also keeping something else in mind:

You are allowed to change your mind.

We are forever blossoming and withering, growing and transforming, and in each stage of that process, our needs change. I'm learning that's okay. What I needed or wanted six months ago is not necessarily what I want now. So I'm taking time and space and deep breaths and asking myself that question. What do I want? Then I'm sitting with the answers. Or getting peeved with my brain because it's coming up with Error 404 because it just doesn't know. That happens sometimes. 

Every week I try to pull a card for you all. I ask the Universe what I need to remind you or what you need to know. This week had me pulling cards for myself from Oracle of the Mermaids and this one popped up and it couldn't be more perfect. Maybe it will help you out too.

Privacy, inviolate personal space, respected boundaries and taboos. 

"There are times when you need to declare to the world, this is my time and this is my space.

For you, much time has been given to others, to caring for them, to looking over them, to watching for them, to loving them, bandaging, soothing them, satisfying them, feeding them... and now it is your time.You have the right to unviolated time out, time alone, during which you can be your whole self. 

It is time to declare your boundaries as sacred."

Why yes, yes they are. So the rest of the month I shall honor my need for a lighter workload, for time to lounge about and discover how I'm growing this time. To take time to cherish and love all over Blessing Manifesting even if I'm not blogging. I'll still be posting affirmations and inspiration on social media, as much for you as for me. All of the affirmations and self love tips serve as reminders for me too. Hopefully you'll join me this month as honoring your boundaries as sacred.

Are your boundaries sacred? When was the last time you took time for yourself? Do you feel like you have "personal space"? I'd love to hear from you!

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5 Secrets to Success

Last year, or maybe it was the beginning of this year, I asked you guys what you wanted to see from me and the resounding answer was Not Business Stuff. Which is perfectly fine because I love writing about the heart, mind, and spirit.

Then I realized how much my heart, mind, and spirit are connected to my business.

I wanted to share some of the stuff I know so I put it all in a handy dandy notebook... er... ebook.

5 Secrets to Success for online heart-centered businesses that incorporate crystals, energies, art, oracle + tarot cards, bits of your soul and/or other hippy-dippy woowoo practices.

That's officially the title. 

There's so much business advice out there (wonderful, fantastic, advice!) but sometimes we forget that there are tools within ourselves that need discovering and cultivating. That's what I want to remind you! You can look outside of yourself all you want to figure out how to make your business perfect and how to make it shine, but if you neglect those things that you should be working on internally, you won't get very far.

If you're already signed up for the newsletter it should be in your inbox now! Want to take a look? Check out this page to sign up for your free copy!

I hope that you enjoy!

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An Island of Solitude

Today I wanted to feature a card from the oracle card deck Earth Magic. If you are signed up for my newsletter then you probably know why I'm feeling this card.

The Island a place of solitude.

Looking at this picture evokes a different reaction for different people. Some might look at this and see a lush little island with a blooming tree in its center. A tree that is perfect for sitting under alone with a good book, or laying on your back, staring up at the sky.

Or maybe all you see is the empty space. The things that you couldn't do. The things that you should be doing that would be impossible were you alone on that chunk of rock with nothing to do.

Everyone sees something different, the same person might see something different at different times. What do you see?

Even in isolation there can be life and beauty and growth.

This card is a reminder how important it is to spend some time in solitude and in silence. Even when you have other things to do. Ah, such a hard lesson to learn, especially in today's society when we have so much to do on a daily basis. It's hard to step away from life and responsibilities and family.

It's hard to sit in silence.

The past few weeks I have felt myself approaching burn out. That feeling you get when you know you're approaching mental exhaustion. Either you push through it or you put on the breaks and take a break. The Island is a reminder to do that. To take time for solitude and silence when we need it.

Take time to enjoy silence and peace without worry.

When was the last time you created space for unstructured solitude?

This last week has been full of that for me and it was a beautiful and sacred time. No rushing, no worry, no unpleasing sounds, no people, no masks. Just pure, authentic, me time. It's amazing how good you feel when you are stripped of your roles and responsibilities and are allowed to just be.

It was hard pushing away my responsibilities and telling myself 'no' when I felt the urge to fall back into my roles, to work, to do something other than the things that soothe me. It was a very healing experience and helped me to create boundaries within myself. Sometimes your inner self must create boundaries with the other parts of you.

She knows best.

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Daily Prayer

I'm a very spiritual (though not religious) person. I bring things into my life that call to my soul, whether they originate in Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Wicca, or what have you, it doesn't matter to me. If it calls to my soul, if it nourishes my soul, if it feels good, then I know that's what I need and I embrace it.

I don't discriminate with soul-food.

I love that Blessing Manifesting is for all faiths, at least I try to make it so that it Universally connects to people regardless of what they believe. I love the 'Namaste's 'Amen's and 'Blessed Be's that people share with me and that everything I do translates for many faiths.

I am entering a soul and spirit phase.

I've talked about how my spirit levels heighten towards Autumn and Winter. I think those are the times of the year where I go into a sort of 'hibernation'. My attention turns inward, I start to really focus on myself and less on the outside, on projects, and on other people. Turning my focus inward definitely allows me to turn my attention to my spirit.

At the beginning of the month I made a promise to myself that I was going to make time to pray every single day, no excuses. So far I've kept to that promise and I've seen some great changes in my life just in the last few weeks, mainly my stress level has gone way way down. Before I go to bed every night I light a stick of incense and then spend a little time talking to Spirit. It always feels like a good chat with a best friend right before sleep and it's become a favorite part of my day.

My challenge for you, if you are of a spiritual or religious inclination, take time out everyday this week to spend time with spirit, whether that means prayer for you or something different. See how it changes things in your life. Connect with that part of yourself. See how it adds a bit extra to your life.

Do you have a daily prayer practice? 

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The Call of Whale Song

I have been obsessed with whales ever since the first time I saw Free Willy or maybe it was Ocean Girl, which was a pretty awesome show. It was about a girl who swam and talked to whales and considered them family.

I digress, but my point stands whale = awesome.

Whales are the largest mammals in the world and they all exhale through their blowholes. I've talked about the breath and how letting out a big exhalation can relieve stress. You've probably even done it unintentionally when you are frustrated or angry.

So many creation myths start with the sea and this has given the whale to be a symbol of creation as well as creating. Getting in touch with whale energy can help you to be more creative and embrace those energies that are around you. This is especially true if your creativity involves song or sound.

Whale teaches us to sing our song.

To discover our voice and use it. To communicate with it. In doing those things we also learn how to listen to it. To hear that inner voice that calls and sings to us. To be vocal inside and outside of ourselves with our gentle yet powerful song. Our song, our voice, is unique and beautiful.

With everything there must be balance. 

It might also be time to dive deep deep deep into the depths of the water, allowing it to engulf you and allowing you to dwell in silence. Aside from their song, silence is something that I also associate with Whale. It has the ability to dive thousands of feet beneath what we know of the world. When you think about it, it's a pretty amazing thought.

Dive deep into the waters, allow the silence to engulf you, and when the time is right, sing your song.

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Are you performing psychological necromancy?

Thank you Dresden Files for this wonderful phrase. Psychological necromancy. What's it mean?

Reviving old memories and emotions and using them to torture yourself.

We drudge them up from where they've been buried in the past and we give them new life. Sometimes it's an accident, sometimes a bad mood triggers it, sometimes we just want to drudge it up to punish ourselves for the mistakes we've made.

I am a huge believer in the wisdom of the past. It has so many things to teach us about our behavior and about how far we've come. The past is a story that we can read to learn a lesson. Sometimes we need to read it twice (or more) for the moral of the story to sink in and for us to truly learn from it.

We learn the lesson but we keep reading the story.  

We've changed the behavior, made amends or attempted to, learned the consequences of those actions, and yet we still relive them in our minds. We replay events in our heads, wondering about the what-ifs and should-haves but thinking those things does nothing but turn those memories into brain eating zombies.

There's no use to it, nothing good comes out of it, and at the end of the day all you're left with is a bad mood and a burden of regrets.

The past is meant to be learned from, it's a map of where we've been. We get to cross those places off on the map with the knowledge that there are better places ahead and we are better equipped to handle them. Drudging stuff up after the fact is just no good.

The ABCs of combating psychological necromancy.  

Accept that the past does not define you. You get to make better choices. You get to rise above it and be something better than what you were.

Be in the present and remind yourself where your path is leading you and where you are going. Ground yourself firmly in the present and in the now.

Commit to actively working through it. When gunk from the past crops up, ask it what it has to teach you, look at the situation and ask yourself if there's anything you have left to learn. If the answer is nothing then commit to mindfully moving past these thoughts and feelings.

How do you deal with those yucky feelings and emotions from the past?

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Hey You Beautiful Soul.

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Story of the Selkie

The Selkie is a being who lives as a seal in the water but can transform into a human on land. The Selkie's story is usually a sad one as they can only stay on land for a short period of time unless their pelts are stolen.

There tales are usually of a Selkie falling in love with a human and then having to leave them to return to the sea. Alternatively, if their pelt is stolen they must remain on land and are unable to return to the sea.

The Selkie is torn between worlds.

Her ability to choose is taken away. The Selkie represents how important it is for us to make our choices and embrace our freedom and authenticity. Her story is for those of us that have forgotten our strength and freedom and our right to choose again and again and again.

We are so blessed.

We get to choose who we get to be with, we get to stay with our families - shall we choose to, to dance as we will, to worship as we please. We get so many choices on a daily basis, and when we compare that to the past, to the histories of our ancestors, it's so amazing to think that we have the ultimate control of so many aspects of our lives and story.

What choices have you made? What choices will you make?

There's so much beauty and power in our choices. The world is open to us and ready to support us in whatever path we decide to take. Now is the time to dance and celebrate your freedom. Here is a reminder for you: Your life is yours to control. Don't give up your power. Don't fall into complacency by allowing others to make your choices for you.

Don't believe that you are stuck where you are.

You aren't. It might hurt to get un-stuck, it might be awhile before things better, it might take a lot of energy or work to follow through with your choices, but at the end of the day, you get to make them, as well as the choices that come from your choices.

Embrace it.

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Do You Celebrate?

The other day I was hunting for incense to burn. I must admit something here, I am a huge incense junkie. At one time I had a collection of nearly 100 scents, all hand-dipped in essential oils and each scent stored in a ziploc bag and labeled.

Anyway, I picked a bag at random and saw that it was one of my all time favorites. Instead of burning one I put it back.

"That one is special. I'll save it for later."

Do you ever do that with random things? I've done it with tea, and clothes, and candles, and lotions, and perfumes, and paints, even books, I kid you not! If there's an author that I love and she releases a book, I'll wait to read it, put it off for a later time, when I need something good to read instead of treating myself to the reading of it now. That situation usually turns into "Why didn't I read this sooner?!"

Sometimes it's good to use those things that you're saving for a special occasion.

Especially if you're one of those people that keeps waiting and waiting until you forget you even have that thing to begin with. Pull out the good china more often than you do. Get dressed up just because you can. I don't think that it takes anything away from the big occasions.

There's something to be said for celebrating the everyday.

To say "this day is good enough just because" is an awesome feeling. Each day is wondrous and magical and extraordinary if you allow it to be.

Do you ever do this? What things do you save for special occasions? 

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