family chiropractic – We Only Get One Chance

THE SECOND STRAP

He always reaches for the second strap.

It doesn’t matter how many hundreds of times I have put this walking boot on, he reaches for that second strap to help out.

Most of you know I have been in a walking boot since early August. This has been an overuse injury do to my climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro back in March. Actually it didn’t happen on the mountain, it was when I got home and never took the proper time to rest that the injury happened. And beyond that I have been dealing with plantar fasciitis off and on for the past 4 years in my left foot. It was simply the perfect storm of events.

The trip to Mt. Kilimanjaro was life changing and amazing however since Kilimanjaro it has been the best seven months of my life and all due to meeting one heck of an incredible man.

He has been such a light in my life and I will be sharing our incredible life adventures as we go but I wanted to introduce you all to Mike.

He is the most kind, gentle, generous, hilarious and loving man I have ever been around and I feel lucky to even be able to hang out with someone like him on a regular basis and even luckier to be loved and supported by him.

The other day as I was leaving to head back into work after my lunch, he was there grabbing the boot and helping me. Of course I am the only one that knows exactly when I am putting it on and taking it off but as soon as I grab and velcro or un-velcro the first strap, he always grabs the second strap. I got choked up “Even after all this time, how do you just keep doing that and helping me?”

Last week must have marked 500 (not exaggerating) times or so that I have taken this boot off and put it back on. If he is with me, he jumps up from any place and is instantly up in my business and helping me get this thing back on and he is always fast enough to grab the second strap. There are 5 total and by the time he has his hands on the second strap he is fixing the rest of them up for me to go out and take on the world. Every. Single. Time.

We have worked and camped and traveled and danced and played since I have had this boot on. He is always always always making sure it is handled.

There is an air pump on the boot that pumps air around the liner and softens the hard rough corners of the boot. He knows it takes 8 pumps to pump it up to a comfortable level and that when I stand up it needs 2 more pumps of air for it to be solid. He counts out loud as he does it. It comforts me.

I have never ever known a man so willing to help me in my life. He is there for the fun times but also there, right by my side for the mundane-ness of life…like taking this boot off and putting it back on. The extent of his help is endless, I am just using this simple task as illustration.

I would be a liar if I said this has all been easy for me but honestly, to accept help in my life isn’t easy to begin with and it has taken this long to really be alright with leaning on him. His continual willingness to grab that second strap has been eye-opening, as well as mind-boggling. For the 40 years of my life so far, I have never had so much help, love and support.

Does it sound strange to say that I believe the Universe sent me such a crazy injury that needed so much tending to and sent him at the same time just so I could truly have a shift in my being and allow him to infiltrate my life? Does it sound crazy that this boot has been like a “boot camp” of sorts to break me down, break all the guards down and teach me to allow someone, him, in?

A friend said to me the other day “I sympathize with your foot thing as I dealt with something similar for 6 months. It took me getting to a place in my mind that if this is how it was going to be for the rest of my life, if this pain is permanent and I have to deal with this limitation for life, I accept that as my reality…and then I started healing.”

That hit me like a ton of bricks mostly because I have learned to accept it into my life with the condition that it is just for the time being assuming it will heal and feel better. But taking the idea up a level to the concept that if I have to live in this boot for the rest of my life and be alright with that has really allowed a huge emotional release for me and I can feel the healing happen…on many levels.

…because if I get to have his help with this (which I am finally healing so I will be back to normal in the next few weeks so I won’t need help with it for a lifetime BUT there are ALWAYS other obstacles) life for the rest of my life, I open my arms and heart fully and accept it.

After all of these months and never wavering ever even once, I know he will always be by my side ready to grab that second strap and help me move forward. I am forever grateful for his love.

60 EXTRA HANDS

Most of you know that I grew up with 3 brothers. If I could possibly explain to you my childhood in 3 simple words, I would call it “three against one”. Always…and I was on the losing side of that scenario.

I am not used to being around women for extended periods of time. Of course I have a lot of incredible women in my life, I have personal time with them in doses. The thought of spending and entire 8 days together with 30 other women was an intimidating factor of my trip to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. However, in retrospect, those 30 women changed my life forever for the good.

I would say probably around a third of the women on this trip had children at home. Women, in general, are naturally helpful and the “mom” energy of the crowd ran strong and deep. If ANYONE, and i mean ANYONE, needed ANYTHING, someone was stepping up to help out, assist others and offer additional supplies. And when I use the word “someone” I am actually talking about 3-5 “someones” because the generosity of this particular group of women was palpable.

We were in this trek together. And when I look out at the broader picture of life, we are ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

I am not one to ask for assistance, I have been able to accomplish a lot in my life on my own. When I am exposed to 8 solid days of really intense activity with such an incredible group of women willing to literally give you the shirt off their backs, it changed me. The consistency of having those 60 extra hands willing to share, give and serve me in the time of need with anything they have to spare…I am forever grateful. I learned from them it is okay to ask for help as I stand shoulder to shoulder with such willing souls to offer help. Of course the culmination of this I wrote about already (click here–>>) “Don’t Die With Your Daypack On”. Such a POWERFUL lesson!!!

I returned to my normal life back in Fenton with a different perspective about asking for assistance.

I know that my willingness to accept help from others has also taken me to a different place as well. I have some amazing friends, a couple specifically I am referring to, that stand shoulder to shoulder with me as I progress through my days. When I ask for help or need assistance with something, their consistent support has continued to help me evolve to a new version of myself.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” -African Proverb

The picture I have added to the post is not a picture I took, however it is a really good representation of how I view this helpful world now. To have 60 extra hands ready to assist in making this life and world a little bit easier for me, what a gift. I love you Kili Dadas!! Thank you for everything!!!

I SAID YES

Quite often I receive emails that sound like this “I see you are on an adventure out on a boat in the Lake Michigan. How did you get involved in that?” My simple answer, “I said yes.”

When I get invited somewhere, I figure out if it is at all possible to say yes and if it is, I do.

When I was 10 years old, I said yes and was given my first horse.

I said yes and ended up moving across the country for school when I was 19 years old.

I said yes and moved up to Anchorage, Alaska for an awesome 3 year adventure.

I said yes (to myself and my abilities) and opened my own chiropractic practice Cafe of LIFE that thrives still today.

I have said yes and ended up away from my family for the holidays but with great friends and that has led to some awesome trips over the years.

I said yes and purchased a condo, a building and a home.

I said yes and have a second business that has been running and successful for years.

I have said yes and got on planes to not one, but 5 different first dates over the years.

I said yes and ended up in some really incredible relationships (though none have gone the distance…just yet anyway).

I said yes and found myself jumping out of a plane.

I said yes and signed up for and ran the Chicago Marathon.

I said yes and ended up having some of the greatest times of my life.

And just last weekend I said yes and ended up on a boat along the shore of Chicago to watch the America’s Cup Qualifying Race.

I am sharing all of this because as I am sitting on a boat in the water and under the sunshine and with a beautiful view of the city of Chicago last weekend, I was so grateful. I have had many experiences and in that moment, I am proud of myself for having the courage to just say yes and get out there and live life.

In the past, I have also gotten email messages inquiring whether I had some sort of terminal diagnosis and why I was making so many different things happen all the time? “The tragedy in life is not death…but what we let die inside while we live.”

Brush fear aside, step up and have the courage to say YES to your life! I promise you will find great adventures along the way and open up to really living!!!!

Next time I see you, I want to hear from you that “I said yes and…” and then tell me all about your adventure.

SUGAR

It starts with Halloween and ends with New Years Day….SUGAR, SUGAR EVERYWHERE!!! Notably this is also considered “COLD AND FLU SEASON”. Guess what? Sugar is a major factor in decreased immune system function and when that happens, the “invaders” (viruses and bacteria) have a chance to take over.

Let’s learn some physiology…
White blood cells are a HUGE PART of your functional immune system. They travel through the body and convene around areas of “invaders” and do some clean-up work. White blood cells need Vitamin C in order to activate and do their job of phagocytosis (in essence “eating up”) of the viruses and bacteria. Sugar and Vitamin C have a very similar structure and compete for the same activation/binding site on the white blood cells. If sugar is around, Vitamin C doesn’t get to do its normal work and your immune system becomes compromised. When you decide to eat sugar, you can think of your immune system becoming a slug and slowing down to a crawl…every year…around this same time and going all the way through the New Year.

Certain minerals are required in order to process the sugar you eat. Because refined sugar doesn’t contain those minerals, chronic ingestion of sugar can lead to depleted levels of essential minerals in the body which creates further problems and compromises health.

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO TO KEEP A STRONG IMMUNE SYSTEM?
Great question!!! Let’s take this little bit of awareness in to this holiday season and see how making a few better choices in what you put on your plate and in your mouth can have a drastic effect on your energy levels and immune system function.

WAYS TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM:

Drink lots of water
Eat your vegetables
Get plenty of rest
Exercise/move your body daily
Take your vitamins
Steer clear of sugar
Steer clear of alcohol
Keep up with your regular chiropractic care
Get outside for some fresh air
Laugh often and take some time to play
Keep a positive mental attitude

The nerve system and immune system are interconnected (some will say they are the same – neuroimmuno system). When the nerve system is compromised, so is the immune system. REGULAR CHIROPRACTIC CARE will help maximize your potential for health by keeping your nerve system clear and your immune system strong. Swing in to the Café of LIFE Chiropractic Center! We would love to help you and your family have a wonderful, HEALTHFUL holiday season!!!

A SHARE FROM MY PRACTICE

A share from my practice…

September 18, 2013

A 17 year old presented in my office 2 weeks ago with systemic pain…everything hurt. One day prior to her first visit with me, she was in the emergency room at an Ann Arbor hospital with a pain level of 45 on a scale from 1-10. Excruciating. She has had to use the handrails to pull herself up and down stairs lately and has not been able to have any normal 17 year old fun.

She had been dealing with this type of pain for the past year and her family had done everything for her. All medical tests were negative. Next step in the medical arena was muscle biopsies. She was 1 week away from going in for that.

This beautiful girl was put on acne medication in early 2012. Turns out as her parents did more research after not finding any answers to all the pain she was experiencing, systemic pain can be a “rare” side effect of that particular medication.

Her mother works with some other people who are under care here at the Café of LIFE and one of them said to her, “If anyone can help your daughter, Erica can.” I am flattered however I also know that I am just the messenger, chiropractic and the body’s Innate Intelligence is doing all the work, the only part I can take responsibility for is I have the education, skills and I set a very clear intention for her to return to perfect health.

They had no idea what chiropractic was about. The first visit to the Café of LIFE includes a lot of education about the nerve system and the power that heals the body works though this system, and if there is interference, called “subluxation”, it is going to be compromised. They were shocked to know that, grateful for the time I spent with them explaining that and STOKED to get started.

Today marks her 4^th adjustment. She is pain free for the first time in a year, she has had some 17 year old fun over the past few days and is in high hopes of joining her swim team for practices and meets in the next couple weeks.

The body has an incredible ability to heal. I am so lucky to be able to witness these miracles on a regular basis. I share this story with you so that you know a little bit more about what goes on here at the Café of LIFE. I also share this story so that you do not take medication prescribed by the MD with blind faith. Do your research.

Some many of the stories at my practice are worth sharing with the world. I don’t always take the time to write them all out. Thank you for taking the time to read and for letting me share.

TEARS HELP

There are a few moments in life when there is so much internalized intensity that tears help. Just letting a small explosion come out of your tear ducts helps to alleviate the pressure of the current moment and the stress that is building.

I am a pretty sensitive gal and do my fair share of crying, though crying is not exactly what I am talking about, though I guess it would technically be what is happening.

This past weekend I re-visited Bower’s Harbor on Old Mission Peninsula in Traverse City to compete (or rather complete) the Traverse City Triathlon again this year. I was signed up to do the same distance I did last year which is called a “Sprint” and consists of 1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike, and 3 mile run.

I had quite a bit if anxiety building up for about a month prior to the race last year due to the distance of the swim. This year I was much calmer…until the morning of.

I had a few friends accompany me in the race this year which included my Mom and step-dad. They had each done two shorter triathlons in the past and had been training and gearing up for a few months for this one. I think I was partially picking up on their nerves that morning as well and hoping and praying they had good experiences since I was the one that encouraged them to participate.
The 5:30AM wake-up time came all too early and we were grateful most of our gear was packed the evening before. The drive up to Old Mission took just over and hour from where we were staying. As the miles passed and the time ticked away, the most intense nervous/anxiety feeling started to brew inside me. No amount of deep breathing or meditation could contain this feeling. It could have possibly been the month-long anxiety from the year before all being packed into one single hour.

I had to come up with a strategy and chose to turn on some loud music and let it out somehow and that is when tears started streaming down my face. As I sat and watched my body do this, I checked into my thoughts to discover there was a little bit of fear creeping around in there…okay, it was sheer terror. Over what? Why such terror? Then I tapped in to the fact that this swimming thing never gets easier for me. I struggle and gasp for air due to my challenged heart and decreased ability to carry oxygen.

So I just let it flow and allowed myself to settle into the idea that the wet suit I was about to put on will keep me on top of the water no matter what and all I have to do is put one arm in front of the other and kick my legs. Tears help a lot in relieving that kind of tension.

We pulled up to the parking lot where we would unload our gear and head down to the starting line. My Mom walks over to me and says “I think I am going to throw up.” That didn’t help the nerves any however I was grateful to have had the avenue of release already figured out and felt better, though still super anxious.

The morning continued. I survived the swim easily this year. The race went well. I beat my time last year by 7 seconds…which I was happy about. At least I am consistent I guess. My hopes in doing these events is that my anxiety will diminish with each event and I can get to a place where I can thrive from the starting gates and focus on the event rather than being distracted with so much anxiety. 2 Sprints down, many many more to go.

Speaking of triathlon, I would like to mention one of my heroes that happens to be doing the Ironman Triathlon this coming Sunday. My cousin Kelley was born 2 years after I was and we grew up together. She has taken on endurance events over the years like it is a side job of hers and will be completing the ultimate endurance challenge ever…Ironman. The race consists of a 2.4 mile swim, a 110 mile bike and a 26.2 mile run. I wish I could be there to witness this huge accomplishment in person but will be there in spirit. And I have to admit that during my race last Sunday, I thought about her and was grateful to not have that kind of a race ahead of me.

Bottom line…tears help. They do. There is a reason they are part of our physiological make-up and can really be used to our advantage from time to time.

MY REASON

There are so many reasons why I love being a chiropractor. This is one of my reasons and a testimonial that I gather my strength from to press on…no matter what! It ran across my desk the other day and I wanted to share it with you.

“Our son Benjamin was born on July of 2004. His traumatic birth resulted in lack of oxygen to his brain and he suffered microcephaly and severe cerebral palsy. This condition would cause him severe muscle tightness and spasms which were uncontrollable.

Many medications were available to us to give Benjamin relief from the tightness in his muscles. But we didn’t want him to be constantly lethargic and sleepy. We were told his time would be limited so we looked for the best alternatives to medication so he could enjoy his life to the fullest.

In our search for alternative methods to keep our Benjamin comfortable, Dr. Erica Peabody was recommended for chiropractic care. Her warm personality and gentle approach impressed us immensely. From the first adjustment Benjamin was able to sleep better and some of the muscle tightness lessened. His constant arching (a result of his cerebral palsy) also lessened. When he was being adjusted he almost always had a smile on his face. He couldn’t speak but we knew when he was smiling that life was pretty good for him.

So we began our weekly visits to Dr. Peabody. We traveled an hour and a half each way to see her. We always looked forward to our visits each Wednesday because we knew they would provide Benjamin much needed relief and he would almost always sleep the remainder of the day because he was finally able to relax. Our only obstacle was that we were so far away that we could only make one visit a week.

Benjamin passed away on October 7, 2008, at the age of 4, as a result of his medical condition. We were so thankful that we were able to have Dr. Peabody in his life, if only for a short time. She gave him the care and relief from his condition that the medical community could only provide with medication.

Handicapped children cannot always tell us how they feel. For Benjamin, his inability to speak or tell us how he was feeling was definitely a concern to us. When we chose chiropractic, his change in his overall condition and personality (to a much happier child) let us know we definitely made the right choice.

Dr. Erica Peabody’s care for Benjamin has made a very positive influence in Benjamin’s life as well as in the life of our family. Because of Erica’s care for Benjamin, our 20 year old son has decided to follow in her footsteps, and is now attending Life University to become a chiropractor so he can help children such as Benjamin to live a happier, more comfortable life.

When we were leaving the hospital on the day of Benjamin’s passing, our doctor comforted us by saying that we did “everything” to help our son in his short life. By adding chiropractic to his care, we know that we did indeed do everything to make his life the best that it could possibly have been.

Thank you Dr. Erica, for making a difference in Benjamin’s life.”

I keep this and other testimonials close to me and close to my heart. It reminds me of my reason for what I do and gives me strength to keep spreading the message about chiropractic care and the body’s ability to heal and grow. This is not a “miracle” story in the way you would think of miraculous healing and stories of healing from certain medical conditions. It is however a miracle to that little boy and his family…a very small miracle that changed his and their world. I am in awe daily and grateful always to have chosen this profession.

AM I REALLY LIVING?

I physically connect with a few hundred different people per week through service at my chiropractic office Cafe of LIFE, my book club, the gym, the yoga studio and other things that I am involved in. A large portion of those people are connected with me through Facebook as well and I make a conscious effort to share my life experiences along the way through that medium. I get a lot of feedback and people say things like “Wow! You are all over the map!”, or “You are so free and do so many things!” or “You are always doing something fun.” or…well you get the picture. I absolutely live a blessed life and am always trying to be involved in rich, rewarding experiences. But am I REALLY living?

You may ask yourself, “what exactly does she mean ‘REALLY living’?”

I was reading a book about 3 weeks ago which presented this new-to-me concept of what it means to REALLY LIFE life. To REALLY LIVE life, I need to find myself stepping outside my comfort zone so that I can expand my ideas, concepts and limitations so that I may continue to grow and evolve.

I spend a lot of time by myself and I love going on adventures and make it a point to look at most experiences as great adventures…but lately I am asking myself, how adventurous am I really?

I have a lot of free time and sometimes I will see an event posted somewhere that I think will be really fun to attend, I have the time free and I really want to go…but I hold back because I don’t want to be the one to show up alone. “What will people think if I am there by myself?” “What if all the seats are in pairs and I am sitting there with an empty seat next to me?” “What if everyone is talking in groups and no one wants to strike up a conversation with me and so I awkwardly stand off to the side alone?” “If only I could find a friend to go with me and I will be comfortable.”

I also come across events happening in places I have never been and I am held back from going by thoughts like “How am I going to be able to navigate traffic and parking?” “What if I have the wrong shoes and end up having to walk a long distance?” “What if I don’t want to participate once I arrive?” “What if it is a really bad experience?”

If I only participate in events that I know exactly what is happening when I get there and who will be in attendance…am I REALLY living? If all the details are already known, and everything plays out as anticipated, how am I going to grow, expand and evolve from that experience?

When I heard this idea, just 3 weeks ago, that maybe I was not REALLY living, I vowed to myself that if something came up that I really wanted to do, and I couldn’t find anyone else who could or would want to go, then I will still go anyway. I will show up alone, to unknown places, and unknown people and get involved in activities that I do not know all the details ahead of time just to see what will happen and how it will pan out. Why not? I have nothing to lose and EVERYTHING to gain!

So I have started…I began with a new yoga studio that I had heard about and have wanted to try for some time now…and ended up having the most intense and amazing yoga experience of my life thus far. While I was at that class, I was inspired to attend a class at the same location just a couple days later that turned out to be one of the most amazing experiences of live music and yoga I have been involved in thus far. So now that I have had such great reward from stepping outside my usual and customary routine in life, I am inspired to do so much more…and I can tell this is going to snowball since I have only lived in this new thinking pattern for 3 weeks…which is a really great thing and gets me even more jazzed up about life than I already was so WATCH OUT WORLD!!!!

I am looking forward to more great adventures and trust me, when they present themselves…I am jumping because I AM REALLY LIVING THIS LIFE!!!! Do you have a recent story that helps you relate to the idea of REALLY living life? I would love if you would share and be an inspiration for me and others to keep stepping outside our comfort zone, since that is where life happens. We only get one chance…

GRATITUDE TREE

Through the months of November and December this year, we had a “Gratitude Tree” here in our reception area. Every time someone would come and get adjusted, they had to stop by the “Gratitude Station” and fill out a leaf and put it up on the tree. Since we are into the New Year, the tree has come down however I want those gratitude thoughts to live on so I want to share them with you.

“my family, naps, resilience, hugs,communication, sun, the ability to communicate with loved ones who life far away, I am grateful for how much Erica is in touch with her Innate, ninja turtles, my children, my friends and family, love light and laughter, a healthy family, my husband, butterflies, saving grace, abundance of health, holiday parties, my body and its ability to heal itself and for chiropractic for helping it along, my amazing connections with people, my friends, my family, the Cafe, for the people in my life who inspire me to go beyond my own boundaries and fly, my cat Izzy, being able to wake up on a Monday and feel excited to go to work I LOVE my job, laughter, my dog he makes me smile every day and bring a lot of joy to my life, I am grateful for my loving family, all the people in my life, the lessons I’ve learned, the gift of love, I am thankful for my family friends and Dr. Erica and staff, flow let it flow!, my wife and kids, music, my physical mental and emotional health, I am grateful for time with people I love, family friends and good health, family and health, warm cozy sweaters, Jesus, my awesome LIFE, my back, a fun and happy place to visit…the Cafe of LIFE, my daughter graduating from WMU this week Magna Cum Laude from Honors College, sunshine, a healthy family, grateful for Erica and my health, my nephews, my son, family, my children Ashton and Lorilei, I am grateful for people who grow organic produce, Bloody Marys, having an “easy” pregnancy and the love and support of my wonderful husband, I am grateful for my Mom and all that she does to love and support me as I evolve and grow in this lifetime, being able to work on and overcome my challenges, fall, hot cocoa, friends family and community, I am thankful for God’s love, family, LOVE, Thankful for good health, happiness, prosperity and EXCELLENT chiropractic service, unconditional LOVE, my children-grandchild Paul and health, I am grateful that I’m still breathing, I am grateful for ANGIE!, patience, I am grateful for all the amazing people that come to the Cafe everyday I love being able to serve you!!!, Innate Intelligence and the body’s ability to heal, I am grateful for Angie Bucsi and how much light she brings to the Cafe everyday, I am grateful for a really amazing man that has recently entered into my life and I look forward to the journey, I am grateful to be blessed with an amazing job and people to work with, the strong women I know and love, God’s favor, being in this community, abundance, I am grateful for my LIFE sometimes I forget how BIG, opportunities, I am thankful for the wonderful family that surrounds me, hunting season, Happy Holidays for all and good health and blessings, I am grateful for my LIFE!, health, I am grateful for unanswered prayers, friends who love me, memory, my sister she is my best friend, I am thankful for my husband-my friend and confidant, cake!, I am grateful for the ability to serve this community!, family and friends, the life lessons I’ve had the opportunity to learn from, health, my kids, I am thankful for my puppy Ava, smiles and laughter from my family and friend (and strangers who have happiness to share), my pets, my son Nathan, people who hire housekeepers, espressos and free puppies, able to pay bills, a healthy body, language and communication, health food and clean H2O, I’m grateful for my new baby daughter, Jeff Sheila and Stella, wine, sugar-free lattes, family, peace, sobriety, my awesome husband, the ability to read, I am truly grateful for my daughter Sandra, happiness, LOVE, my blessed life with my family and those who choose to still be friends, my cousin Nathan, knowledge, babies and grandmas, video games, I am thankful for Dr Erica and her calming soothing presence, I am grateful for good health, my wonderful family, I am grateful for my 3 amazing brothers and their wives and children, family makes the sun shine brighter, my daddy, able to live life happily, LIFE, being in my 40s life is good, Sam passed her driver’s test look out Fenton drivers, for my husband’s family, family, I am grateful for my book club, my support group that has supported me and helped me through a time of transition I am now a happier and healthier person, my dad boys sunshine sleep and wine, my 3 sons and husband, for my lovely wife and Cafe of LIFE, family and friends, thankful for my mommy, music, hope, book club, chocolate wine and my Integrity peeps, my beautiful family my health and my friends oh and Cafe of LIFE, abundance, my hubby, my life, gratitude, nice weather, my freedom, people who are positive, sunshine, Obama, family Jesus and friends, I am thankful for LOVE, I’m grateful for my grandma’s cooking, I am thankful for Skype and airplanes!!!, my adjustment today, God’s love, ice cream, book club, cousins, good health, Jesus Christ, family and friends who care, I am thankful for my nieces and nephew, the amazing staff and students at EKLC, chocolate and wine, us, pork chop lamp chop and cupcake, LOVE, I am grateful for the opportunity today to take one step closer to being open to divine light and energy, pets, Erica and Angie, for LIFE, that the cutest little boy I know calls me “mommy”, my children, fresh AIR, the sun shining.”

One of the things that Angie and I noticed the minute we put the tree up is that the mojo in the reception area shifted significantly. When you start putting energy into things you are grateful for, more of that stuff shows up. There is so much to be grateful for. Please take a few moments and recognize something you are grateful for every single day or make your own “Gratitude Tree” at home! Thank you for sharing with us!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I hope this post finds you gearing up to have an amazing 2013. I know I am. It has been a while but I am still here. I have been MIA dealing with some personal stuff. I sometimes find it incredibly therapeutic and other times very difficult to write while processing. This time around it has been very difficult. It isn’t bad stuff by any means, my foundation got completely rocked and it has been emotional. Then add to that the stress of the holidays and to use the word “intense” doesn’t do it justice.
I can finally see the light and each day brings a more and more clearer view of the greatness in the Universe. It is moments like these that I can feel my foundation rebuilding and it is rebuilding in a different way, a different formation, which is a good thing, but it taking time to do so.
I wanted to write to wish you a most glorious New Year! I am grateful to have a clean slate and a brand new year to work with. I have set some intentions and plan to set some more over the next couple weeks. What are your plans? Any big goals you are going for in 2013? What kind of shifts are you making? I would love to hear what is happening if you want to share.

Happy New Year!