Filling Up My Cup: August 10th Edition

Hey there you fabulously awesometastic person you. It's time to curl up with a nice cup of coffee/tea/water/smoothie, put your feet up, and relax. Soak up these wonderful words from these amazing people.

I'd love to hear what you're reading (or writing!) 

Pop a link in the comments and share! So ya know those things that make you really really happy and make your body feel really good? Those are acts of self care, 101. Confession: Over the last few months I noticed that I was depriving myself of yoga because "I didn't have the time". Bad Dominee, stop doing that Dominee! I listened, I stopped depriving myself, and it felt so freakin' good. How yoga helps you show up for yourself from Curvy Yoga showed up just in time for me!

The other day I wrote about how Facebook Comparison sucks, well Rachel has some great tips on How to stop comparing yourself to everyone else. Check it out.

There are so many simple little things that can change your life. I like uncovering and discovering them. Just A Simple Prayer can create ahhhmazing changes in your life.

Whether you feel like a Froot Loop in a bowl of Cheerios or a lone Cheerio in a bowl of Froot Loops, you should know that Fitting In Is So Overrated. Now I'm hungry for cereal.

I'm a firm believer in Western medicine working with Eastern, energy, whoowoo, hippy, metaphysical-y stuff (whatever you want to call it) to heal and create wholeness. Winter talks about Letting Go of the "Medicinal" Stigma and of not feeling spiritually "enough" because you can't conquer illness by yourself.

If you don't know what to blog about I have a pressie for you! I think that this is the BEST list of things to write about when you've got blogger's block. Seriously, they're creative, interesting and all kinds of awesome. Go forth and get your blog on!

Does anyone else feel the need to print out  27 Problems Only Introverts Will Understand to all new acquaintances?

Tell me, Dear Reader, what have you been reading?

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Allow yourself to be tender.

I was so happy yesterday when my lovely early birthday gift to myself Oracle of the Mermaids showed up. It had perfect timing and kicked me out of one of those down-in-the-dumps bad moods.

Right after I'd excitedly opened it up and looked at all of the cards, I held the cards to my heart and asked for them to guide me. I chose Vulnerability.

Open your heart, allow yourself to be tender.

Alright Universe, I hear ya. I have been rejecting vulnerability, I know this, and the card was a gentle reminder that it doesn't have to be that way. I have been concentrating on being "strong" and holding myself together that I don't even know the last time I had a good healing cry.

I've been ignoring my vulnerability. 

Sometimes it's easier to close off your heart, to spend your time being busy and working, so much so that you don't have the time to feel vulnerable. I've been telling myself that I'll be vulnerable later, I have too much stuff to do now. I've rationalized that being vulnerable is moping and ain't nobody got time for that.

I do everything myself. My business is 100% Dominee-run. I live by myself, I make my own meals, do my own laundry, clean the house. Often, I get caught up in emotionally supporting others and I forget that sometimes I need support too. I get so tired of only relying on me. It would be so nice to have someone take care of me for a change and yet I block out that vulnerability, ignore those feelings, stuff them down, and then go about life.

This is what the mermaids say.

There is an enormous desire to avoid pain, to avoid anything that leads to emotional distress... and yet, the very thing that allows such a thing to happen is one of your greatest powers. Your vulnerability is beautiful and others are drawn to it and yet so often you feel foolish and embarrassed for being vulnerable and you do your best to hide that tenderness.

You feel like you will be abused or taken advantage of if you are open and willing to trust but to trust and to love are some of the most appealing and beautiful human qualities.

Holy wow that's so right on the money. This week I am taking that lesson to heart, opening my heart, and allowing it to be tender when it needs to be. Maybe creating a stronger support system around myself wouldn't be a bad idea either.

What about you? Do you embrace your vulnerability or do you hide from it?

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How Do You Wake Up?

What's your reaction when you first wake up?

Do you jerk awake to the sounds of alarms blaring all around you? Do you, with a groan that sounds like a ravenous zombie, reach over to pound on the snooze button, only to be awakened by alarms a few minutes later?

The word says it all: alarm.

Is that really the way you want to start your day? 365 moments of alarms, frantic beeping, or the radio blaring at you?  It doesn't have to be that way.

Experiment with the noises you wake up to. If you use your phone stray away from the default alarms. Use a ringtone that you like. Pick a song that makes you wake up happy and want to conquer the world.

There's apps for that, there's alarm clocks that will wake you up to chimes or even nature sounds.

How do you wake up? 

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The Wisdom of Turtle

A few days ago I was walking home from work in the morning after a few days of rain. I live in the city and I was walking over one of those bridge-thingies, ya know they aren't really bridges, just elevated roads with water that runs underneath them when it rains.

When I'm crossing that bridge-thing I always look down over the rail because sometimes there are ducks and I really like looking at ducks. That day I looked down and saw a turtle-disguised-as-a-rock moving underneath the shallow surface of the water. I stood there for a few minutes watching it move. What can I say? I enjoy turtle-watching.

I always like looking up the meanings of animals that cross my path, they're always good reminders to pay attention to some area of my life that I might not notice otherwise.

This is what Turtle Magic teaches:

Turtle represents motherhood, longevity, and awakening to the opportunities that are around you. Which is all sorts of perfect for me right here in this moment. I've been retreating into my shell a lot lately but over the last week or so I've felt myself emerging and I've felt myself awakening to my creativity again.

Turtles are ancient and have been around for so many years. They are featured in mythology in many different cultures. In the east the top of the turtle shell is seen as representing heaven and the bottom of the shell, earth. As an animal that lives both on land and in the water, Turtle is seen as connecting the two worlds.

In Africa the turtle is a symbol of the feminine sex organ and sexuality and to the Native Americans it is associated with the moon and menstruation. It is a creature steeped in feminine mystery. Turtle represents the primal mother that resides in all of us.

Turtle also teaches us about cave time, or in this case “Shell time”. We must look inside of ourselves and know when it is time to retreat, when it is time to hide within ourselves and let life proceed slowly. Turtle knows that it has all of the time in the world to get things done. When turtle turns up it is time to get in touch with your true self, your primal self.

Is there any Turtle wisdom that is resonating with you right now?

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An Extraordinary Ordinary Life

A week ago I was sitting with my friend and we were talking about Facebook envy.

In the past, before the internet, we usually made friends with the people around us, in our neighborhoods, with lives that were similar to ours. The houses looked similar, the people around us made the same amount of money, the kids all played together. How often would you have someone coming over to your house with a bag of polaroids from their trip around the world and the beach house in Maui they just bought?

Facebook changes all of that. We get an inside look at the lives of people all around the world who, without the internet, we'd never get to know. Which is such a crazy blessing, but it has it's downside now and then too.

We get to see pictures of those trips to India, the retreats in Bali, photo albums of the cherub-faced-angels that you never hear of misbehaving, the brand new house that overlooks the ocean and they all make it look so damn easy. If you're just an Average Joe (or Jane!) you might find yourself being a little discontent, wishing your life was more like that.

Facebook envy happens over those magical picturesque lives.

Suddenly you start to wonder if you can really be happy with your normal hum-drum life. The pile of dirty laundry calling your name, the screaming-fighting-in-need-of-a-bath-and-nap kids, the apartment that you can't even call your own because you're renting it, and vacations? Vacations are those stretches of time when you catch up on chores. Tropical vacations? Yeah, you wish.

Your life seems so far-removed from that picture of Facebook Happy.

Then there are the articles, websites, and blogs that tell you that you can have that life if you buy x, they have the secret and they are willing to tell it to you. Buying x can give you that ever elusive happiness. They have the recipe, just give them a few month's rent, stand on your head while speaking in Latin and sacrificing a few virgin princesses while you're at it and you can be happy and rich with a life just like theirs.

That mentality teaches us not to be happy with what we have and where we are.

I want to show you how to be happy in your ordinary life. I want to show you how to make your ordinary life extraordinary. I want to showcase all of those ordinary things that create happiness, because it can be found everywhere, for free even.

Every week I'm going to post an Extraordinary Ordinary Life tip. A simple, easy, reminder for you to do something ordinary and allow it to make your life extraordinary. Those simple joy that get overlooked, the things that make you smile... let's embrace them and love them and be grateful for them.

What ordinary things make your life extraordinary?

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Filling Up My Cup: August 3th Edition

I am a reader, words have always, and probably will always, have a profound effect on who I am. I connect with words and they make my heart happy.

Here's what I'm reading and loving this week!

Jealousy is my Greatest Teacher: It's no secret that I love love love Mara Glatzel, she's always worth reading!

5 Enlightened Lessons We Can Learn From Our Computers: Treat your brain like you treat your computer and you might learn a few things!

What do you want to be when you grow up? You don't have to know what you want to be when you grow up. It's all right to take the time to figure it out.

The Secret is That There is No Secret: Want to know the best secret to success ever? The secret is there is no secret.

Yarnbombing for the kind but cowardly: A great take on a Random Act of Kindness, especially for those that like to crochet.

On My Nightstand

The Happiness Project: Now I read the first part of this book and I have a confession: I didn't love it. It seemed to approach things from more of a left-brained point of view than I prefer, then again the author is a law school graduate, so it's a very intelligent book and if you tend to be a left-brained thinker you might like it!

Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files): I love me some Chicago professional Wizard Harry Dresden. They're fun reads that let your brain wander off into mystery and magic.

What's on your bookshelf? What are you reading?

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Where's Your Sanctuary?

This week's oracle card is from the gorgeous Wild Wisdom of the Faery Oracle by Lucy Cavendish and Selina Fenech.
This card holds such an important message about stability, safety, and security, all very important things, especially for us sensitive people.

We need to feel safe and secure.

This lovely faery wants you to create your own sanctuary. Find a sweet safe place where you can take time for yourself. Just think of it, warmth, silence, comfort, create a place that embodies those qualities.

If you feel yourself feeling overwhelmed and anxious try to find that haven or sanctuary, even if it's only within yourself.

Take a walk and lose yourself in nature, go sit at a park bench and read, spend time in meditation, or with those friends who give you a solid foundation. Do something self-nurturing.

This card signals a need for solitude and quiet. Be very conscious this week of when you need to take a break. If you feel yourself feeling anxious or stressed out, make the time to check out for a bit and take a rest, whether it be curling up in bed with a good book or taking a nice long walk, whatever makes you feel good. This is a time for introversion, so turn within.

If you look around your home and it just doesn't feel like it belongs to you, or it doesn't feel happy to you, this would be a good time to do a bit of cleaning, re-organizing or decorating. Turn your attention towards creating that sacred space for yourself.

Are you happy with your home? Where is your special sanctuary? How do you cultivate that inside of yourself?

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