A Time of Rebirth

Spring has always been special for me. 

My beloved dogwood trees are blooming here in Virginia, the forest has begun to show her vibrant spring colors and the robins have started to appear after their winter vacation. I love spring. New beginnings. Rebirth. Physical, emotional and spiritual rebirth.

That’s what’s happening for me now.

I’m exploring yoga, working on a new high-performance coaching certification (which I’ll be offering later this year) and delving even deeper into my study of A Course in Miracles.

It’s always been easier for me to start a new path then to finish it. Commitment hasn’t always led to easy follow through. I procrastinate. Postpone. Find lots of distractions. Part of the high-performance techniques I’ve learned have helped me tremendously which is why I want to share them with others. 

I feel a new chapter starting for me and my family this spring… it’s exciting, scary and exhilarating all at the same time.

I feel a renewed passion for life which I attribute to three things. After several years, I feel the trauma of my dad’s passing is now behind me. While I miss him, the grief has shifted and I feel a level of healing I’ve not experienced before. My new grandson, Emory, has opened my heart in ways I couldn’t have imagined and I feel a deep need to contribute in new ways to help create a more loving world for him to grow up in. And I have a birthday coming up this week.

A big one.

It ends in a zero.

I used to think sixty was “getting up there.” Time to rock grandbabies, bake pies, spout wisdom…and wait for the end. What a difference a few decades make! My perceptions of aging started to change when a good friend gave me the book “You Can Heal Your Life” by Louise Hay. 

WOW!

Here was a woman who had faced overwhelming challenges and triumphed over each. Her life could easily be a blockbuster Lifetime movie! She’s become a living example for me in so many ways. While she had a fascinating life particularly in her forties and fifties, she did something extraordinary after that.

What did Louise do at sixty? Started Hay House which is now recognized as one of the leading new thought, self-development publishers on the planet. Some of my greatest insights, understandings and personal growth came from books, events and connections I’ve made thanks to Hay House. 

But Miss Louise didn’t stop there.

In the following decades, she took up organic gardening, painting and sculpture, ballroom dancing and continued to publish her own books, classes and programs. And for over twenty years continued to travel around the world appearing to thousands of delighted fans in numerous live events each year.

Now over ninety, she continues to inspire all who know her and her work.

Amazing.

Incredible.

And if Louise can do it, so can I.

So can you. So can anyone committed to growth and intending to have fun along the journey.

Here’s to spring. Our rebirth as individuals and in community. To us all beginning a new chapter, continuing to grow and to finding ways to love deeper and laugh more!

Thanks, Louise…

Invest in Yourself!

I feel renewed. Energized. Fantastic! Why? I just invested in myself.

In late September, I traveled to Orlando to attend a signature event for Hay House Publishing called I CAN DO IT. The title says it all! In this three day event, many of the top Hay House authors host workshops on a variety of mind-body-spirit topics. An added perk for me was my book signing at the Balboa table, but my investment that weekend went well beyond any business opportunity.

I was not only introduced to new ideas I can immediately apply to my personal and professional life, but I also loved meeting people who share my interests and passion for learning! It’s invigorating.

I met total strangers who became new friends as we exchanged tips or recommended helpful books and blogs. We were all emotional at a star studded tribute to the recently deceased Dr. Wayne Dyer, who was a Hay House author for many years. We shared with each other in workshop exercises. Thousands of us meditated as a group. We danced with Dr. Robert Holden during his keynote speech. We had a blast.

We learned new ways to keep our body healthy, our mind clear and our spirit happy.

We invested time, money and focus on ourselves. It was glorious.

The experience reminded me just how important it is for each of us to invest in ourselves. I believe as we do so, we become happier, healthier and more creative benefitting everyone in our lives. It’s that important.

Yes, it’s smart to invest your money wisely, do those renovations on the house and buy a reliable car. You spend lots of time thinking about those investments. How much thought do you give to investing in your own mental, physical and spiritual health?

It may not always be possible to travel to an event. Bet there’s probably a few close to home you might enjoy. When’s the last time you checked? Have you ever tried an on-line class that interests you?

You could read a new book that stretches your understanding, explore a blog with a fresh perspective or have coffee with a friend and dig into an interesting topic. All great ways to invest in yourself!

You could walk in nature. Get a massage. Take a yoga class or follow along to a Tai Chi video on YouTube. Commit to a consistent meditation routine. Pick up the spiritual book you bought years ago and always meant to read. Take that relaxing bath you say you don’t have time for…do it.

When is the last time you invested in yourself? An even better question is, “what will you do now to invest in your mental, physical and spiritual health?”

I hope you answer this question and take action. Why? Because we all deserve to feel renewed, energized and fantastic!

Touched by a Great Spirit

Image Source: drwaynedyer.com

“I express love and create harmony wherever I go” was the message on my Louise Hay calendar for Sunday, August 30th. Certainly a great message for any day, but especially that day. That was the day Dr. Wayne Dyer passed from this life to the next. He knew how to express love and create harmony. And he taught millions of us how to do the same.

I never personally met Dr. Dyer, but like many across the planet, his teachings have helped shape the person I am today. He was an awe-inspiring author and speaker who helped people find real solutions to everyday problems. His books helped me find my spiritual center and taught me to use that to improve every area of my life. Dyer is powerful on the page, but in person he was mesmerizing.

I saw him three times at various Hay House I CAN DO IT events in the last several years. No matter how far I sat from the stage, I could literally “feel” his presence and was riveted by the passion he brought to his talks. He was honest about his own challenges and failures. He was open about his own early resentments and how the power of forgiveness forever changed his life. He was a peaceful and powerful presence who seemed to exude love for all.

The most impressive to me, however, is how a self-help spiritual author and speaker positively and profoundly influenced the lives of so many people in our world. Not a politician, not an actor, not an athlete, but an author. What an incredible testament to the power of his work.

I am forever grateful there are people like Wayne Dyer who write, speak and live love. They remind us we are one, united by the same Divine energy that runs through us all. They point out that in any situation we can react from fear, or we can react from love. Thanks to Wayne Dyer’s teachings, millions are aware of this choice, and choose love.