Look up...

I was hiking today in beautiful Bryce Canyon, along the Sunset loop. It was bright and sunny, with several feet of fresh fallen snow and long stretches of blessed solitude.

Ironically, I repeatedly caught myself looking down. I was so focused on my steps to be sure I didn't fall in the snow. Soon, I would get inside my head and start thinking through all the different challenges in life right now. And inevitably when I do that, I begin to feel a lack, scarcity.

Then, something would draw my attention up and I would see this:

Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with breathtaking beauty and awe. Lack was replaced with abundant gratitude. I remembered who I am and where I come from. Simultaneously, I began to imagine all that is possible in life.

As I walked on, rather than looking down and focusing on the immediate steps and obstacles, instead I walked with new purpose and power. I envisioned the future and set clear intentions of what I want. I think that's what they call empowerment.

So, when you find yourself looking and feeling down...

LOOK UP.

Identity and Social Amnesia

I've been thinking a lot about the labels we use to describe ourselves and the titles or descriptors other people use in relation to us. Just for fun, try this... make a list of all the words, names, roles that you have heard in reference to you over the last month. I tried it, here's what I came up with:

Mother
Daughter
Divorcee
Crazy
Funny
Single mom
Inspirational
Secretary (imagine how much I enjoyed that one)
Guru
Manager
Single mom
Mean
Too nice (yes, I see that dichotomy too)
Leader
Coach
Off the deep end

Half of those, I'm not okay with for different reasons. They are more than just the words, our society has associated meanings with each of those words. Do we allow these labels and words to define who we are?

OR is who are much more elemental and divine?

What if you strip away all the exterior and superficial labels? What if you get right to the heart of who you are? Then what would you see?

At an elemental level, I am...

A Goddess in Training
Spirit
Divine
Love in action
Mother
Keeper of Truth
Light

From now on, when I hear an artificial label, I am going to play social amnesia and replace it with one of these. And always remember who I am.

Blaze YOUR Trail

We have all heard the adage of taking the road less traveled. What about taking the road only you know? One that has never been traveled before?

In my humble opinion (as I try to figure it out myself), life is about blazing your own trail. Connecting to that deepest part of yourself where you know who you are and what you want to do. And then, here's the key, having the courage to follow what you know!

To blaze brave is to step onto your path fully and intentionally.

To courageously move forward.

To listen to your instincts and follow them every time.

Blazing brave is having the self-assurance and trust

to do what you know is right,

even as everyone around you tells you are crazy.

The greatest blessings in my life have come from pivotal moments when I was faced with doing what was normal and expected versus trusting my intuition and doing what I knew to be right for me.

Were the choices easy? Of course not!

Was it a walk in the park once I made my decision? Yeah right!

Did the challenge reward me with an amazing life and growth? Absolutely!

So if you are faced with a decision at this very moment. Or feeling that unease and discontent when things aren't quite right...

BLAZE BRAVE...

Take courage and follow your instincts.

I believe and know that you can.

E.