How well do you know yourself? Seriously. Not just that you like pickles and hate spinach. Or that you know you’d prefer a fuzzy sweater over a fancy dress. But the real stuff. Do you know what type of support you need when you’re feeling overwhelmed? Do you understand how you react when you’re stressed out? Are you aware of your strengths? Do you know how to listen to the signals in your body? Are you even aware of your own body?  

You see, each of those things is a part of what makes you, you. But so often we are unaware of those things. So often we just do whatever it takes to get through the day and overlook everything else. We ignore our bodies, we ignore our preferences, and we certainly don’t take time to honor the signals it is providing us.  

Coming into the holiday season it is so important to make sure you’re staying grounded, protecting your space, and taking time for self-care. Most importantly, listen to...

Have you ever been driving down the road, singing along to the radio, only half aware of what is happening, when all of a sudden a deer steps out onto the highway?! You immediately slam on the brakes, your heart starts racing, and after you know you’re both safe you continue on your way. Except now your heart is pounding and you may be breathing a little hard from that quick burst of excitement. You know the feeling I’m talking about. It is an instant adrenaline rush, stemming from fear.

Now imagine staying in that heart racing state for days on end.

Yikes.

That is exactly what happens to your body when you live in fear. Fear of failure. Fear of disappointment. Fear of judgment. Fearing for your safety. Whether it’s a fear of something physical and tangible, or it’s a fear of an emotion, the way your body reacts is the same. It releases a surge of Cortisol and Adrenaline to keep you alert and able to respond to any life-threatening situation. You know like a...

My story starts when I was a young child. For as long as I can remember I could tell what other people were feeling. I knew where their hurts were and I was aware of when they weren’t being truthful or honest whether to me or to themselves. I remember hugging someone who was upset about something and feeling their pain. I remember praying for people when I was young and my hands getting hot in my palms as I did so. I thought all of these things were normal. I thought that is just what happened to everyone. It wasn’t until my teen years when I confided in my friends about these experiences that I realized this wasn’t normal for everyone. I quickly became insecure about it all and did everything I could to pretend like I was “normal.” I totally shut down the gifts I was given and lived in my logical brain as much as possible. In nursing school, we were exposed to alternative therapies in a few of my classes. We learned about Reiki, chiropractic...

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...