A tribute to my Dad…my greatest teacher

Hey Lovely Souls,

It’s with the deepest and most intense sadness that I share my Father passed away last week. And even though I (along with my eldest sister) was there in the room when it happened (unexpectedly to us) It still feels like it’s not fully real.

He was (is) my biggest teacher and is my greatest loss. Our family is devastated.

My tribute to him will be formed in a letter of sorts to him. It’s the way that feels the most aligned to me…

Dear Dad,

Thank you for teaching me in so many ways, intentionally and in leading by example.  Thank You for a instilling a love of learning, the power of curiosity and what being a life long student/seeker look like. You have been my greatest teacher and always will be.

Thank you for showing me what it was to be open-minded, forgiving,  hard working and deeply loving.

Thank  You for showing me the value of humor and allowing your inner silliest, funniest, goofiest self to come to the surface in your everyday moments and our interactions.

Thank you for loving so deeply, teaching and giving so freely. You were and are an amazing, sweet, kind and beautiful soul.

Thank you for defying the odds so many times and giving us more time with you. The truth is it would never be enough, I am grateful for all we had while still longing for more, even just a little.

You were center and soul of this family, there is a huge void where you were that will never be filled. You were our steel coated marshmallow (seemingly tough on the outside, soft on the inside).

May I live a life that honors all you have taught me and will continue to teach me.

I love you Daddy.

Heather

6 ways to do a Mini Reset

Hey Beautiful Souls!

Every so often (or often :D) we feel like we need a little or big reset, refocus. I am feeling like that a lot lately in many ways. However trying to do huge shifts in the midst of several unknowns just can stress us out more. You may know that I am a fan of small inspired actions, moves, shifts.

So here are some really doable ways to give your mind and life a mini reset:

1. Make the bed, it sounds unrelated and too simple. But it starts the day (or afternoon if that’s when you remember!) with one of having something done and it just simply looks calmer.
2. Write out a brain-dump, pour out what you need to do, what you are feeling doesn’t matter just give your mind some space and perspective by getting it out on paper (or digital if that’s truly more your thing)
3.  Decide what really needs to be the focus for your day or week. Allow yourself to zoom in on what needs tending to .
4. Take a deep soulful, belly breath. Then say to yourself… I’ve got this! Then start where you are.
5. Hydrate, get a healthy snack or meal. Start nourishing yourself in a way you know supports the energy you desire and need for what’s next (even if you don’t know what that is exactly!)
6. Create something, anything! (I love a journal, glue-stick and some images/words) Creating can be the best kind of reset for just about anyone… if you allow yourself to be open to it.

Here is to living Inspired, Creative and Empowered

Heather

Inspired to give this to you- Free eCourses

Hey Inspiring Souls!

I feel inspired/called to offer 2 of my for free. There is so much going on in the world these days. And no matter what I believe that self-care and self-expression are the foundations we can build on to rise up. Choose either or both Showing up for yourself through self and soul care or showing up for yourself on the page (a visual journal eCourse)

Learn more here!

Here is to living Inspired, Creative and Empowered

Heather

17 Awesome things to try in 2017

1. Sign up for Creativebug.com they have a ton of classes and are incredibly affordable. ($5 a month)
2. Try a 30 day Yoga Challenge (doyouyoga.com has one for free)
3. Try a 30 Meditation challenge (doyouyoga.com also has this for free!)
4. Project 365 or project 52 photo a day or photo a week for the year (I am doing 365 again this year after years of not really trying to do so!)
5. Spend 5 minutes daily on your finances. (5-minute finance check-ins is something I am putting into place this year!)
6. Sign up for a reading challenge (I am attempting 32 books at least this year!)
7. A new recipe, or once a week, month, season.
8. Visual Journaling (I happen to have a course  that I created here!)
9.  Don’t complain for 24 hours (this is something I am going to attempt, likely several times lol)
10. Work with a Coach (My current offerings in supporting you!)
11. Go on to Udemy.com  and sign up for a class on a skill you think would be fun to learn or would support your other desires this year.
12. A blog, YouTube Channel, Podcast. A way to share your ideas with others!
13. Try a new “look” maybe it’s switching up your accessories, getting a new hairstyle or color, revamping your wardrobe or getting one or two pieces you love but are not your usual.
14. Explore the various ways to move your body to support your well-being. Dance, walk, YouTube videos, in person classes, a group, In Home Yoga, Dancing to your own beat!
15. Try asking for what you want a little more often. Start small if this feels intimidating to you. If you go out to eat and someone says where do you feel like going.. if you do have an opinion then speak it! Sometimes the person we need to be the most honest with about our needs and desires is ourselves.. start there if that this feels true for you. Ask yourself what I Really need is, what I really want is…
16. We are surrounded by so many choices. One thing you might try this year is to limit yourself. This can be a personal challenge of not spending anything (unnecessary) for a day, week, month. It could also be not allowing the overwhelm of all your supplies to stop you from starting…Pare down your supplies and dive in!
17. Making a practice of telling yourself what you appreciate about you (daily and in the mirror would be even more powerful, but start with what feels right)

What are some awesome things you might want to try in 2017?

Here is to living Inspired, Creative,and Empowered

Heather

7 Questions to help support an Empowered 2017

Hey, Beautiful Souls!

As this year comes to a close and we go into a fresh new year I have been stewing on these questions to help me rise up in my own life in 2017… I thought I would share these questions with you. Maybe you are feeling that introspective,  hopeful space.  At the same time trying to figure out how you can not repeat the same frustrations of not diving into many of the things you say you really were seeking.

1. What do I need to do differently in 2017?
2. What have I been allowing to distract me from what I say I want? 
3. What, who can support me? 
4. What do I need to put in place, what systems might support me? 
5. How might I engage in the healing work that would best support what I am here to do, what I desire? 
6.  What’s working, what worked this year? 
7. What isn’t/didn’t work this year? 

Here is to living Inspired, Creative and, Empowered

Heather

PS: I will be creating a new series called “Create an Inspired Year” I will have monthly themes via my Soul Notes/Newsletter! Sign up here.

 

This month I want to…Setting Monthly Intentions (printable)

Nature

Hey Inspiring Souls,

Yet another month has rushed up upon us 🙂 or at least it feels like that! This month starts for many of us the Holiday mindset so it’s easy to just let that take us over. However I have found it really helpful to take even just 5 minutes and think about and to capture my intentions for the month.

I have a Printable for that in my Freebies section  So please go along with me this week and take time check in with ‘This Month I want to…”sheet. It has multiple prompts for setting your monthly intentions.

Please feel free to print it out and stick it in your journal or better yet your planner or on someplace you will see often. Or take the prompt or prompts that you feel called to dig into and go from there.

Here is to living Inspired, Creative and Empowered

Heather

Things to do with Magazine Clippings- Friday 5

Hey Beautiful Souls!

Many of us have magazines lying around that we are inspired by or find good bits in them but we either don’t want or need to keep the entire magazine around. Heres 5 things to do with those clippings and bits!

1. Pull out any tips or articles that are inspiring. Grab a file folder or my preference a journal and glue in those random bits of info to reference back to.
2. Pull out any images that you like and washi them to a closet door.
3. See an article or image that a friend or family member might like? Pull it out and send it to them. Any type of snail mail these days is an unexpected especially if it’s a little moment of thoughtfulness.
4. Pull/cut out words you are drawn to and glue them down in a journal, on an index card, in your planner.
5. Visual journal or collage with the words and or images that you find in a magazine.

That’s just some of the ways that we can use magazine clippings, do you have a favorite?

Here is to living Inspired, Creative and Empowered

Heather