You Don't Need To Wait

You don't need to wait to feel at home in your body.
You are home in your body right now.

You don't need to wait to feel safe.
You are safe right now.

You don't need to wait to feel loved.
You are loved right now.

You don't need to wait to feel successful.
You are successful right now.

You don't need to wait to feel sexy.
You are sexy right now.

You don't need to wait to feel complete.
You are complete right now.

You don't need to wait to feel free.
You are free right now.

You don't need to wait to shine.
You are shining right now.

Shine on sisters and brothers!

LYL: Love Your Life

My 23rd year was nothing short of incredible and I want to share with you all some insider knowledge on what made it so amazing and how I made it my most rockin' year yet.

From the outside looking in, one could look at my past year and say that I had terrible luck and that I had a really shitty year because of various situations with my career and finances. One would say that I failed at finding a job that I thought I wanted, that I was a failure because I was living at home with my parents and not making it on my own. Actually, you know what's really freakin cool? I am so used to being in a state of miracle-mindedness, because I have chosen to only perceive love, that trying to think of this past year as something other than miraculous to write that sentence was difficult for me. It wasn't easy to think of reasons why someone would say my year was terrible. However, I can assure you that 12 months ago, I had a long list of reasons why my life wasn't good enough. But I have come to believe that everything truly does happen for a reason. Every perceived obstacle is an opportunity for personal growth and oftentimes an opportunity to let go of old beliefs and open up to new possibilities beyond what our small minds have conceived for us. Of course, growing pains will be experienced along the way, and I can assure you of that, but when we come out of those perceived low points, what is left is a purer form of yourself. It's almost like you shed a layer of yourself and are closer to your true form.

For me, I graduated school and thought that everything would fall into place. I would find a job, even if it wasn't my ideal job and I would have a great apartment with friends that I loved. However, this didn't happen and I was left to do the only thing I could think of: take a look inward and figure out how to be happy and what direction to move in. I was recently talking to my aunt and she made note that I came upon this journey because it was what I was looking for. I have always been yearning to know myself at the deepest level possible, to know my true desires, to break through the barriers I had created that prevented me from truly connecting with the world. I have come closer to knowing my true self than I ever have before. And who I am today will be different from who I am tomorrow or in a few months. Which is why this thing called life is so damn awesome!!

Here is a reflection of this past year for me.
-I began my journey to remove all the walls that I built around myself
-I placed connecting to my inner guidance my number one priority
-I started out by reading some books and meditating every once in a while and I go deeper with my spiritual practice every day
-I read "Add More ~Ing To Your Life" by Gabrielle Bernstein and became part of the amazing herfuture.com community online and in NYC
-I began a daily meditation practice
-I have transformed close relationships through forgiveness
-I have provided support, coaching, and inspiration for many of my friends
-I lost 40 pounds
-I went off all of my medications
-I began exercising and feeling damn good because of it
-I became more comfortable in my body (even now that I have gained some weight back, not just because I lost weight)
-I worked at a social media marketing agency
-I created the logo designs for Sacred Space NYC, Best You Forever, Wine For Women
-I did design work for countless other inspiring businesses
-I kept an open mind and was guided to incredibly inspiring friends, mentors, communities, healing modalities
-I have read probably about 30 books
-I have a bookshelf full of even more books to read
-I went on my first date
-I bulldozed the barriers that prevented me from admitting my true desires to do something health-related for my career
-I enrolled in the school that I had been wanting to for a year (Institute of Integrated Nutrition)
-I am working with a health coach that I admire and am helping her with her business
-I am part of an amazing group of women that inspires me daily
-I am group coaching with Gabrielle Bernstein
-I am starting my own graphic design business
-I am doing things that scare me every day, getting outside of my comfort zone
-I moved into NYC and have my own apartment (with an amazing roommate, I might add)
-I ran 3 miles at once!!
-I tried hot yoga for the first time and LOVE it
-I started going to IntenSati classes
-I started this blog
-I am a featured contributor for www.yourbellalife.com
-I love myself
-I live a life full of gratitude, love and smiles
-I allow myself to feel everything that is coming up for me instead of being ashamed when I am not feeling happy

Now how can you feel this awesome about your own life?
My Top 5 Tips To Love Your Life
1. Make a Gratitude List or a Love List. Write down everything you are grateful for in your life as often as you can. Sometimes you may not want to do this so find a friend who will rattle off what they love to you and someone you can do the same. My friend Micki and I had the best bbm convo EVER when we spent an hour sending each other bbms such as: hot chocolate, the ocean, dolphins, kisses, massages, running in the rain, snowball fights, people watching, the color lime green. Whatever it is, call on what makes you happy.
2. View all of the obstacles you encounter as opportunities. There is always something to learn from any perceived challenge. Later on, you will most likely be able to see why these challenges came up for you and what you learned from them. Maximum growth will occur when you remind yourself that you can learn from the obstacle.
3. Make it your number one priority to listen to your intuition. Choose from the heart. Your intuition knows best and when you listen to this voice inside of you, you will experience fulfillment and happiness in each moment.
4. Get Moving! Physical activity makes you feel good. No ifs ands or buts.
5. Choose to believe that everything in your life is working out for your highest good. Why would it be any other way?

The Artist Never Knows

"Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what next or how. The moment you know how, you begin to die a little. The artist never entirely knows. We guess. We may be wrong, but we take leap after leap in the dark."
-Agnes de Mille

Fire That Lights or Burns

Anger. The fire deep within wants to come out and play. Wants to twist and strangle and burn. It suffocates and emblazes every cell of myself and those around me. Allowance of the raging fire softens the blows. I am able to enjoy the heat it produces and I sink into its warmth. Fire is a fine line, however. In it’s untamed state it is destructive. Anger engulfs the shadow, highlights the demonic. Stares sin in the face. In an instant this fiery passion can light up the room or turn everything on its path into ash. Free will dictates that I choose its fate.

Dare to Begin

On my run on the East River yesterday, I saw this quote written in chalk on the ground. I stopped, took in it's meaning, and contemplated what it meant in my life and it struck a chord. All year I have been trying to push and shove my way into something that I don't have a true passion for. I knew in the back of my mind the direction I wanted to go in and that is to teach others everything I have been learning about my emotions and thoughts and how they correlate to my body's health and functioning.

I had heard of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition from my good friend Lee, who's sister attended. I took a look at the website about a year ago and deep down knew that this is what I needed to do. I didn't know why, I didn't know how, but I knew it was where I was supposed to be. Over the past year, I have had so many run-ins that have confirmed this for me- meeting many people who rave about the program, being inspired by hearing professionals speak about the topics near and dear to my heart, prophetic statements from those I admire.

What was holding me back?
-"Practicality". I have a skill as a graphic designer. I am good at it, I have a natural eye for it. But you know what I realized? I only love it when I am designing for companies that are spreading the messages I believe in- messages of total health.
-Feelings of unworthiness. I am struggling with my own weight and health issues, why should I go to school to be trained to help others? Silly, silly. This is exactly WHY I should learn more so that I can help others overcome the struggles that I have gone through.
-Fear of the unknown. Where will this take me? Is it a waste of money? Will I be successful?

I am daring to begin. I am enrolling at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and I am taking a step towards the life I want to live (A HUGE thank you to my parents who are so supportive of this). I will be learning so much and I can't wait to share it with all of you!

I dare you to take one step in the direction of your dreams. And always remember this: baby steps are steps too. Remember to be proud of yourself for any step you take towards your happiness.

Also, as many of you know, Gabrielle Bernstein has been a huge inspiration in my life. She is a constant reminder for me to choose love over fear and has helped me see the abundance and love that is in my life in this present moment. For the first time ever she is doing worldwide coaching via ustream/phone!!! So so exciting, you really don't want to miss this. So if you are interested, sign up and feel the love! SIGN UP HERE