Tag: genuine

Love is Spoken Here

“People grow when they are loved well. If you want to help others heal, love them without an agenda.” 

Love – a word that holds so much weight. 4 letters that have a meaning for each one of you reading this. I am here, connecting to you through my love language, opening my heart to you. This is my passion I know. As you read on, my hopes are that you will feel, see or think of the various bonds of love within your own life.

Love is exceptional. I manifest love for the “soul” purpose of amplifying compassion and light in the lives of others. I know how daunting emptiness and darkness can feel. If there is one thing I’ve ever been sure of, it is that we should never leave the people we love in the dark. Everything comes and goes, love always remains. 

Love knows no time, distance or boundries. Our journeys are deeply rooted in love. Genuine connections – soulful relationships – they are unbreakable bonds of love. There are innumerable types of love and affection. I undoubtably believe that the greatest and strongest bond of love is when the people involved are essential to each others individual natures. Growing separately, together; near or far. It is a force that unites people. Love is an alliance to bring out the soul, passion, potential and human in one another. To bring out the most of everything. Love is a vow to show up and be present (physically and metaphorically).

Love requires a foundation built on:

  • values
  • trust
  • honesty
  • reliability
  • balance
  • support
  • communication
  • appreciation

Love presents itself in many forms, on many levels. Love can feel calm and chaotic. Bonds of love vary; some will thrive while others may be fleeting. We are reflections of all the people we love; past and present. Open your heart. Feel the love within you. Head up, heart strong.

Make sure you tell the people you love that you love them. Some will love you back. Others may not. Both are okay. Both are blessings. 

♡

You are loved. 

 

The Pursuit

We’re all pursuing something

to achieve a sense of fulfillment.

Love, wealth, independence, purpose.

We mark these successes as lives lived well.

Do you prioritize based on

filling those empty spaces within you

easily, quickly, fully?

Does it have a shelf life?

When you capture what you are after

do you become less satisfied? Uninterested?

Is your attention shifted to the next chase?

When you capture what you are after

does your heart radiate love?

Is passion poured into your soul?

Does it feel like home?

In our divine human nature

we must seek balance and perspective.

How do we distinguish between fleeting + comfortable

versus long-lasting + worthy?

Are you pursuing to feel something or

do you chase to feel anything?

It is a world of difference. Maybe even a lifetime. 

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Architects

“The core of who you are as a person I believe is permanent, a foundation built throughout the early years of your life. The good stuff however – kindness, selflessness, drive, reason and understanding, all come later. How you choose to decorate who you are is entirely up to you. So be creative.”

-Beau Taplin // The Architect

I’m here. I’m ready. Journeying freely throughout each given day.

The art of reflection is a beautiful practice.  It is a way to remind myself where I have been and the direction in which I want to set foot in. I encourage you to reflect, too.

This time of year I find myself especially focused on reflecting. For me, it is the perfect opportunity to step back and understand the complexities and simplicities of my trials and my successes over the past year. Often times we are so caught up in whatever is in front of us that we fail to make sense of it all. We are never going to be able to get closure, answers or understanding of everything that we experience + that is alright. Some experiences are meant to be a simple encounter at that. To distinguish the difference, I ask myself, “is it going to matter a year from now?”

I lead with my heart, but I will never stop questioning. My passion and desires are rooted deeply in my pursuit for growth. I want my soul to be fierce and free while simultaneously allowing myself to explore the truth that lies within my life. To successfully do this, I focus on three things: understanding myself wholly, journeying presently and being mindful of the key people in my life at each given time.

I want my soul to dance. I will move to the rhythm of love, compassion, understanding and open + honest communication. 

Open and honest communication allows me to diminish distance between myself and others. I am able to effectively convey my thoughts and feelings to both myself and the key people in my life.  I have said it before and I will say it again, my heart thrives on open outpours of love. I love my family who strengthen my heart. I love the one who puts a smile on my face as we grow separately, together. I love my friends and my deep connections with others. I am grateful for the ability to radiate the sensations that these relationships generate in my life.

We are the architects of our lives. Let’s commit. Let’s commit to seeking and pursuing our purposes and our truths genuinely, lovingly and with good intent. The time is now.

May you become everything and more. 

Soul Mantra

To have a positive mind and a hopeful heart. That is how I am choosing each day to build my life rather than just merely living.

A soul mantra is simply a word or phrase that sets our intention for each day. A soul mantra is a compilation of various components:

  • Knowing Yourself
  • Mind, Body, Spirit
  • Knowing Others

Knowing Yourself

Here is my advice to you: Choose to immerse yourself in your own world and get into your head. Do not live in fear of the future or in the pain of the past. Get comfortable with yourself. Enjoy your own company and solitude. Be confident. Be proud of who you are. Be humble. Understand your strengths and your weaknesses.

When you make the decision to set your dreams and goals in motion you place yourself on the path to becoming the person you most want to be. You allow yourself to seek new experiences as well as good vibes and idiosyncratic thoughts all of which encourage you to grow. When you understand yourself, you learn to better understand others.

In the words of my friend Aaron Patterson, “I’m more comfortable with the fact that the moves I make are bringing me closer to my purpose.”

Mind, Body, Spirit

Life is about making conscious decisions to nourish both your body and soul with the right elements to help you stay strong and healthy. Your heart and soul is the very essence of your being.

Start by stepping back and gaining some perspective. Sometimes when we are too close to something or someone, we are unable to maintain a healthy perspective. Take the time to seek clarity. Many times we know that there are toxic habits or people in our lives and they can be all consuming so we think that they are contributing to our lives – we’re wrong.

Work on replacing bad habits with good ones. Remove people. You do not need to explain yourself. Accept that these people or habits have been a significant part of your life but that they may be hindering your growth. You will be in awe at the things that come to you when you open space for healthier things; sometimes things you didn’t even imagine possible.

Knowing Others

Aforementioned, seek new experiences as well as good vibes and idiosyncratic thoughts. Take the time to connect with like-minded peers but also subject yourself to individuals who have different perspectives and ways of thinking – you could learn something invaluable.

Open up conversation. Be an intellectual. Share your outlooks. Engage in the conversation and observe. You don’t always need to be the one talking; “listen with the intent to understand, not solely with the intent to reply.” Be genuine. We are in a generation where people are driven by money, status and especially ego. So open up a little bit, talk about passion and purpose, art and sports, likes and dislikes.

Discuss what inspires you on your best days and what motivates you on your hardest ones. 

Soul Mantra

Give out what you most want to come back because beauty and truth surrounds us. Be conscious of the energy you emit and connect with. 

Be with people whose company you enjoy as much or more than your solitude. Whether it’s grabbing a drink, relaxing at a coffee shop, exploring a new city or sitting on the couch at home. Make connections to souls aligned with yours. You will find that encouragement, inspiration and happiness come easy with these people. These are the ones that will contribute to the quality of your life. 

Sending positivity and peace to you all.

Seek Your(selfish)

Many times in my life I have neglected my own happiness in fear that I would be hurting the feelings of someone I care about. I’ve done it with friends, family, and lovers. Not to fault of their own. My heart is big, my soul genuine. I love, and I love unconditionally. But there is truth in the saying, “It is both a blessing and a curse to feel everything so very deeply.” I am not great at being selfish. Most of the time that I have decided to put myself before others it resulted in me feeling torn down or regretful. However, being selfish is something that every individual should practice. It is healthy for our minds and souls to be aware and active in putting ourselves first. There is a thin line between being selfish for the good and just straight out being a selfish person. One lies within conscious decision making and positive outcomes. The other can be destructive to both oneself and your relationships due to the misguided interpretation of what being selfish means. This is not black and white. This is a balancing act. Put yourself first in situations or decisions that better your quality of life. By bettering your own life, you can then contribute to the lives of the ones around you. Build yourself up so you can build up others. Choose carefully who you put before your own happiness. Just because you do it for them does not mean that the gesture will be returned. There are no guarantees in this life but one thing I know for certain is that if you follow your intuition when it comes to making connections to souls aligned with yours, you will not be left disappointed. You will find that encouragement, inspiration and happiness come easy with these people because they understand the cycle. These are the ones that will contribute to the quality of your life.

Be whole alone. Make an investment in yourself. Then share your greatness with the world. 

Resilience

The past is never far. We carry it with us. Sometimes it becomes a part of who we are. Other times it is a distant memory. Every experience in our lives contributes to shaping the truest form of ourselves as we exist in the present and who we become in the future. Through pain and happiness, trial and triumph, we learn something new about ourselves and what it is that makes us the most of who we are and all we want to be.

Throughout my life one of the greatest strengths I have developed is the ability to be resilient. I have learned and built skills to endure both the past and impending adversity in my life. I made the decision years ago that I would take the toughest experiences in my life and transform them into learning the greatest lessons about myself. My decision to do so has liberated me in a way that most do not understand is possible when bad things happen. Being sad, resentful or angry for more than a short period of time never did work for me. I always allow myself to take the time I need to deal with the situation at hand whether it be an argument, heartbreak, death or so on. All the meanwhile continuing to move forward both physically and psychologically. I was in a dark place once – it was lonely and cold. Being angry at the world or another individual only hurts oneself. Be patient when you find yourself suffering. You can learn some wonderful traits about yourself all while building character as you see fit. Take what life throws at you and be afflicted with great fortitude. 

A Tribute

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gord

On Thursday, May 21, 2015 the world lost a great man. A man who was very dear to me. My heart is heavy. I am weighed down by this loss that feels so immense. I am not only grieving for myself, but for my family. My heart aches. I feel as though a dark cloud casts over me. The rain has already come and gone, but I am left in the wake of the storm.

As I take each day as it comes, I am trying to figure out how I can make the best out of this time in my life. I am trying to find ways to take an experience like this and put a positive spin on it. Then it hit me, I need to do what my Uncle did for others. On Wednesday, May 29, 2015 I stood in front of friends and family, in the celebration of my uncles life and delivered a message that I would like to share with all of you.

A famous writer once said, “too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

These small, sincere acts came very naturally to my uncle Gordy. He was a man who understood and valued the significance of “the little things.” He was a compassionate man with a big heart. He had this incredible ability to make anyone feel important, cared for, and appreciated because he always took a genuine interest in others. I so admire him for that.

The greatest gift you can give someone is your time. Gordy always made time. Being around him was always enjoyable. Whether it was sitting and chatting over a cup of coffee, or looking out over Lake Winnipesaukee and sharing deeper conversation. Whatever it was, Gordy was sincerely interested. He was always in the now; focused on you and the conversation that was taking place.

Uncle Gordys ability to connect with and touch the lives of others only heightened when he was diagnosed with cancer just over five years ago. He received an outpouring of support as people rallied around him because they were drawn to his kind, loving and gentle nature. Uncle Gordy, you most certainly did not fight alone.

Thank you for teaching and constantly reminding us the significance of a kind word, a listening ear, and the smallest act of caring. We love you.

So I leave you all with this – do not underestimate “the little things.” 110% of the time they mean the most. Be kind, be loving and be generous with your time and hearts. It doesn’t cost a thing.

May you rest in the sweetest peace, Uncle Gordy. I love you.