I once heard a story of a new teacher who had been called into her principal's office for a discussion about her class. As the story goes she was told to not expect much out of these kids as she had a few students who were just getting shuffled from class to class to get them out of the school system. Being a new teacher, full of hope and passion, she didn’t think she could do that. Instead, she thought she better figure out which students he was talking about and offer them extra assistance. While the principal stepped out to get coffee, she snuck through the student files and found numbers at the top of each student folder. She was sure that was their IQ and committed them to memory. When it came time to teach these kids, she set the bar very high as these children were all very smart with outstanding IQs and it was her job to bring it out of them. She worked tirelessly that year to mold the minds of these students and they all did an outstanding job. When the year-end came...

I need help. 

Can you help me? 

I can’t do it alone. 

This is too much for me. 

How hard is it to say these words out loud? Do you struggle with admitting you need and/or asking for help? 

Do you know why it’s hard to ask? 

In part, the difficulty comes from society priding itself on a “self-reliant” culture. We have been conditioned to believe that we should be able to do it all by ourselves. We have been conditioned to believe that to need help from someone is to prove that you are incapable. 

That leads to us feeling vulnerable. Exposed. Naked. If I have to ask for help, there must be something wrong with me. If I have to ask for help, I am failing. If I have to ask for help, I am not worthy. 

Remember when we talked about growing constantly and how that doesn’t stop when you graduate from school? We are so quick to say the words, “it takes a village to...

Do you remember the old story of the tortoise and the hare? They are racing towards the finish line and the hare is so sure he will win that he got distracted and decided to take a nap. Not because he was tired. Not because it was his normal time of day to rest, but because he was being arrogant. The tortoise, on the other hand, continues slow and steady until he wins the race. He does not rest, but he does not hurry through either. 

What lessons we have to learn from these two!? 

The hare hurries in the beginning, becomes sure he will win, so he rests and misses his opportunity to cross the finish line first. How many times have you done this with your own goals? Maybe you decide you’re going to “get in shape” so you start by running a mile on day one, even though you haven’t run a mile in years. On day two you’re so sore that you need to rest. Day three hurts worse than day two, so you rest a little longer. By day four your...

We talked all about protecting your space, and we’ve talked about releasing your burdens, but what about respect? I had a teacher in high school who was deeply respected. Although he was a great teacher, his respect came from the expectation he set in his classroom, not because our 16, 17, and 18-year-old selves noticed how great he was. You always referred to him as Mr. Dare, never just coach or by his last name. You were never late for his class. You didn’t break his rules. He expected excellence from you, no matter your reputation. And so he got it.  

You can do the same in your life. We often allow the disrespect that comes our way. Maybe not the first offense, but from the ones that continue to treat us poorly. Most behavior is learned behavior, right? So, if my child colors on the walls and there is no punishment, she doesn’t learn to take responsibility for her actions and will most likely color on the walls again. She...

Are you an NCIS fan? Gibbs is known for his "gut." That instinct he uses to make impossible judgment calls that always lead to the perfect outcome. I mean yes, this is a TV show we are talking about, but trusting your gut is a real thing! If you're not an NCIS fan maybe you've heard the phrase, "a mother's intuition." Or maybe you've been in a situation where you got a feeling deep in the pit of your stomach that told you something wasn't quite right. Each of these is talking about the same thing. Your intuition aka your divine guidance. We are all born with the ability to be aware of that guidance. As babies, it is this intuition that guides us to take our first breath, how to nurse, and how to trust when we are safe and unsafe. New parents, were you ever told that if you are calm your baby will be calm? That is in part because they can intuitively sense the different vibrations between their seemingly safe world and your stressed-out "unsafe" one. Children use their intuition when...

Do you ever feel like the people you're around just flat out suck the life out of you? After even just a few minutes around that person, you are exhausted, worn out, and maybe even in a bad mood? 

Maybe you notice it more when you spend time around someone who is crabby, and it makes you crabby. They say misery loves company and it sure seems to pull you in.

Both of these instances are examples of people changing your vibration. They either take your power and steal your light, leaving your cup empty OR you lower your vibration to match theirs. Neither of which feels very good. It is REALLY a bummer when you were in a great mood that morning, or you want to enjoy your kid's soccer game but that Mom is just taking all the fun out of it for you. Listen, someone else's rain doesn't have to fall on your parade. Now, I know you don't go out asking for such things to happen, but they seem to anyway. So HOW ON EARTH do you prevent this?! 

First and foremost, you must...

Have you ever felt like the weight of the world is on your shoulders? Like you just need a breather, a break, a minute to be? Maybe you're the mom who has cried in the shower or at the kitchen sink, because that weight has to be released somehow. Most women will tell me, "there's not time." There's too much to get done to take a vacation or to even take a "day off." And that may be true. BUT... you don't necessarily need a vacation to release some of these burdens. You don't need a day off (although I don't discourage a good vaca, or stay-cation once in awhile), what you need is to learn how to carry the burdens that are only yours and more importantly, release the ones that are not. 

Two weeks ago we talked about recognizing the burdens that are not yours and leaving them where they are. Today, we're going to dive into how to release the ones you're already carrying. Often times, we think it is our responsibility to carry the weight of the world. Someone we love is hurting, so...