It's Captivating inspiring emotionally charged heartbreaking amazing adventurous incredible...

Religion, government, history, school, teachers, bullying, domestic violence, drugs, booze, sex, resilience, Perseverance, education, strength, survival, spirituality, wilderness, purpose, identity & more...

Couldn't put in down. It's a memoir. 

Resonated & impacted & really hit my soul in many layers. You have no idea!!

I cried telling hubby about it & he hugged & loved me & said you have such a loving passionate heart & he wiped my tears. 

Called bro & told him about it & was very passionate in my explaining. Talked about stuff it reminded me of. He quoted a verse I had in my teenage bedroom " stand for something or you will fall for anything.

Drove it over to moms ( crying again).        " you have to read this now"

Sending emails & texts to all my friends.    " get this now"

I'm a book LOVER. Always have been. I'm a speed reader & a student of learning anything & everything. Memoirs written well & truthfully- captivate you. Because it's your fellow man. It's you. It's the neighbor. It's the grocery clerk. It's the kid in school with your kid. It becomes personal. 

When a book moves you & emotionally charges you & gets you alert & revived to your true self, your mission & purpose to serve world & deep gratitude for life & lights a fire burning in you to keep impacting the world with your voice...its a gift. Your truth is the key. Your story is the key. Use it for a greater good. This author is an inspiration.

Two other books off the top of my head have done this. 

Wow. Really, just wow.

I can't explain it. Maybe season of life  I am in. Maybe a soul gift. Maybe divine timing as part of my journey to receive this impact. Maybe touches some layers of my heritage & journey. Maybe just my heart is deeply passionate. Maybe just the humanity & empathy & understanding & love for others that's part of me...just wow.

Maybe more will reveal itself later...

I'm so tempted to write ALL the themes & points this book gives the reader but instead I will say:

All our experiences & childhoods & journeys...can serve a higher good & be of service to the world. Choose that.

Resilience is a strong & powerful trait to have & the development of it, can be long & winding & testing on every level, but it transforms you. You rise.

A Higher power exists. There is one light many lamps. Rock bottom is a common place to experience that Higher Power.

You have no idea what anyone walks around living in, on a daily basis- go out of your way to be, give, and spread EXTRA love, kindness, & selflessness. Especially to kids. They don't choose their parents, environment, schools, life, everything really....if adults wanna be immature or selfish It's one thing....but a kids innocence & heart & BEING is important & to be protected & respected & loved!

Be passionate, deeply & unapologetically, about something & give it a voice & action & help create change.

Hurting is a real deal wound. Love others. Love others. Love others. One of my favorite bible verses is: you can speak in tongues, talk to angels, have all the knowledge & faith in the world, & have all the powers in the world & give to the poor & on & on... but if you don't have LOVE you have nothing. **

You matter. We all matter. Be loving.Read this book!

** actual verse: If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love. (1 Corinthians 13:1-7, The Message)

Inner critics can be a real b&tch!

What contributes to the world in a beautiful wonderful way is when you are being : yourself: UUU : YOU!

--Everyone has moments through the day when they think should I say that or not, should i tone it down or should I speak up, should I wear this or should I not wear bc these reasons, does that person like me and do I care, should I parent like this or the way someone else suggested....( um never please;)

--The way you talk the way you dress the way you speak the way you present yourself the way you deliver the way you receive the way you give in the way you do things has that stamp of YOU-NESS on it!

--It's awesome when you have 1,000,000 degrees, and you've paid for marketing classes and art classes & read 100 books & you are all packaged and wonderful great from head to toe and all of these things contribute to be a smarter, more equipped and better you...yes awesome...super awesome...***
BUT ( always have to say big ole' butt)
Remember that you are just to take gems and nuggets out of those experiences and put them in your tool belt of your life tools that you use to live life. They contribute all while you still be YOU!

--Your inner critic speaks most loudly: when you're taking a step out of comfort zone or feeling vulnerable.
When you are going big towards your dreams & out of your safety zone--- inner critic speaks louder. Notice & nip it in the butt & replace!

---business ladies: when you deliver something in your YOU way, people resonate with that and so do you! it's more authentic & it's more successful and it's more contributing.
---all women: don't ever become a way that you think you're supposed to be at work, in a relationship, in your life socially or anything, because then you're missing out on your awesomeness and so are all the other environments you are part of.


Tips:
Take time each day to quiet to breathe and connect to your inner compass & soul.
See what makes you naturally laugh.
Talk to yourself out loud in the car and see how you speak & jive & vibe.
Refresh yourself on what gets you ignited and lit up and passionate and revs your engines!
Read a book or cook a meal or listen to a song that you know you love and you do it your way and not any other way.
******When Innercritic start speaking ask yourself who's driving this bus? Me today, my 16 year old self, or my little kid self? Get that wise YOU driving it!!! *****

Say stuff OUT LOUD!

Isn't it exhausting to always be "performing". Bc we think it's safe & protects us?
We all hungry for authenticity!
People who are real & open & honest & brave & still strong & driven.

It starts with you. Be yourself. With grace & some funk:) trailblaze!

How start today?
Practice gratitude.
Don't just say " oh yeah I have it good.."
Really practice it.
Say It out loud and put that energy out there in the moment.
Really what moves you & makes you really grateful!!

Tell a loved one : I'm really thankful for when you look me in the eyes when I'm talking.
say out loud when you're with your kids : I'm so thankful to be in this moment & hear your sweet voice.
when you get in your car say out loud: I'm so thankful I'm driving a car & get to see the world on the way to my destination.
Say out loud when you go to bed: thank you I have a roof over my head and blankets to keep me warm & I will wake up and get 24 hours again!

>>>Say out loud: whatever is specific to your heart & journey & life!!!!

***its a total different experience to PRACTICE gratitude & thankfulness than just think it once in a while or when you are forced to.

Say it, sing it, write it, tell it!!!
It's healing, it's expressive, it changes dynamic of the energy in you & around you!!

4 things IMPACT your joy

Hello beautiful's!!
I love this book the four agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz!
One of those books you can read over and over and over!
The 4 agreements are summarized above and they're awesome!

My favorite is take nothing personally :it has nothing to do with you
and assume nothing :which translates --communicate communicate communicate --to make sure you are not enduring unnecessary suffering!!!!

Can't we all think of examples when we have created unnecessary suffering?
In our minds especially!
When it wasn't really going on, but we were assuming things or not really clear on the situation or person's intentions or whatever!! Work, personal life...

Example: someone says to me: "wow I hope one day you get a bigger studio because this is really small. "
(My brain hears: The studio isn't good enough. Defense attack mode in my brain goes, do you have any idea how hard I have worked to have this and sustain it & how much I LOVE it & it's a gift!?)
Solution: me asking out loud to them and communicating "what do you mean exactly by this is so small!?"
They might say : you're so great at what you do, I love coming here you & a big huge space means more people can come!

WOW: imagine if I didn't communicate and I just assumed and made something up in my head & got bent out of shape!!! Unnecessary suffering!!! Boom!!

You can apply this to when somebody compliments you in a off beat way or questions you or make statements that don't click with you or in the workplace or your personal life or in the grocery store!
Be a light & be authentic & communicate in a loving way---so if you're on the receiving end...hearing it, it's in a loving way, like you would want to hear!
Xoxo