What We Should Be Teaching Our Kids

Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best.- Bob Talbert (tweet this)

Before I had my son, I was pretty judgmental towards moms. Towards everyone, if I'm being totally honest. Actually, I think a more accurate way to describe the feeling I'd get was disappointed. I feel like people could be doing so much better than they were.

I was more like a friend who wants whats best, and less a name-calling mean girl.

I would see parents lined up to by a happy meal, or see grocery cart full of frozen food and think to myself that I would never be that kind of mom. I was going to make sure my kids were eating healthy. The worst was going to kids sporting events. I also told myself I would never be the kind of parent who would put my kids in events that are based on competition and ego-boosting.

Thankfully, motherhood handed me one hell of a slice of humble pie.

I must've had a lot of time back then to spend judging everyone around me.

Now I'm way too busy for that. I spend my time filling up my cart with fast and easy frozen foods, and rushing through the fast food line, trying to get to a soccer game on time.

Being a parent is one of the toughest jobs and majority of us weren't really taught any training before we were thrown to the wolves.

We're all doing the best we can. I know that now.

It's easy to get overwhelmed trying to be a super mom or dad. I invite you to slow down, and check out my article to remind you what our kids really need from us.

XO,
-Felicia G

New series coming up!

The past few weeks have been like an orgy of germs at our house. Just trading and swapping coughs, colds, and sinus infections

This is the second time this year that I've been sick- which is pretty rare. I haven't been sick since my preeclampsia episode and before that, it had probably been another few years since I had been sick.

Since deciding to take a holistic approach to health, I've been working on my body, mind and spirit all being in alignment. So I've had to do some reflecting and investigating as to why my clique and I have been under the weather so much lately. 

I'm pretty sure it has to do with: 

#1- All the crap (yummy Mexican food) we've been eating.

#2- Little to no sun exposure. 

#3-

Well, I'm not sure what #3 is yet. I'm still investigating. 

Maybe allergies? I didn't have issues with allergies while we lived in Denver. So maybe it's the dry New Mexican desert. 

Yup, #3 is probably dry weather.

 And you're probably wondering how does she manage to not get enough sun while living in the desert? 

Well, me and the sun don't mix.

My family calls me Powder if that gives a clue as to how I can be lacking in Vitamin D.

I'm pretty sure I've gotten a sunburn while hanging the clothes to dry. So I try and limit my time out there. 

                                    

Anyway, thanks to my violent coughing, I'm still getting an abdominal workout!

This cold has also encouraged me to start a regular series here about the spiritual cause of illness. 

Spiritual causes of illness?! What does that mean?!

It means that our bodies, minds, and spirits are all working together as one. 


If you have an issue with one, more than likely you have issues in the other. 

Remember, "spiritual" simply means having to do with the spirit. So when viewing illness, we look at the issue that are taking place inside of our spirits. These issues can be anything from unresolved anger, bitterness, fear, un-forgiveness, etc.

Our bodies have this energy force field that surrounds us. And beliefs, unresolved conflicts, emotions, and other things start to penetrate this field trying to get our attention. Since we usually don't pay attention, the issues keep getting deeper and deeper into our energy field until they start to manifest (be seen) in our physical bodies.

It's like getting a bill. 

You know you have to pay it, but you keep putting it off and putting it off-until you get the shut off notice and then you get serious. 

 Or is that just me? :P

It might sound a little kooky, but stay with me. I think you'll find, as I did, that this stuff makes waaaaay more sense then conventional medicine. 

Consider how many times conventional medicine leaves you with no real answer as to why you're having the health issue you've been dealing with. Or how the first resort is a medication, followed by unnecessary surgeries. 

Did you know that prescription drugs kill more people than illegal drugs? Preventable medical errors is the #3 killer in the United States- third only to heart disease and cancer!

Take for example the case of a Minnesota patient who underwent a bilateral mastectomy for cancer, only to find out post-surgery that a mix up with the biopsy reports had occurred, and she had NOT actually had cancer.

Messing up an order at a fast food place is already bad enough, but to make a mistake when reading a biopsy report?!! 

Ummm... that's not okay. 

I'm not bashing doctors, or even trying to get into a pharmaceutical debate. But unfortunately, there are more and more reports of doctors intentionally over-prescribing medication and proposing surgeries just to get big fat paychecks. 

We're all human and we make mistakes. But when your life is on the line, I think it's only logical to be open to alternative options instead of popping pills your doctor gave you. 

My intention with these posts is to invite you to take an active role in your health- body, mind and spirit. And to remind you that the power that creates the stars in the sky and the flowers in the earth is the same power that created your amazing, incredible body that your beautiful soul lives in!

So let's make it an awesome place to live!

Be sure to sign up so you wont miss any of it.

XO,

Felicia G

How I manifested $24,000

Here's my results from Experiment #4 of Pam Grout's E2 book:

Before I explain how I manifested $24,000, you need to know how it all started.

I have consciously been manifesting for about 2 years. That means that in the past 2 years, I have been working on focusing my thoughts and feelings to bring something in to my life- my reality. 

Like a lot of people, the number one thing on my list was money. 

I needed money and I needed it right now.

I was in this slump- it seemed like I never had enough money or just enough to get by. 

I read books, did all those get-a-million-dollars-by-the-end-of-the-day YouTube subliminal's. I cleansed and balanced my chakras, bought money oils and incense...anything that anyone claimed would help me get money right now. 

They say that whatever your deep seeded beliefs are, and not just  beliefs about money, will determine the extent of what you can experience. So if you have any limiting beliefs about money, it will limit the amount and the ways money can come to you. 

I obviously had some limiting beliefs 'cause none of that stuff seemed to be working. I felt so stressed about money all the time. 

And that was part of the problem. Our thoughts, feelings and beliefs all determine what we're attracting into our lives. 

If we're feeling like we never have enough money, then we're thinking that we never have enough which creates situations where we never have enough.

So I started to be more aware of my feelings towards anything having to do with money. 

Once you're aware of something, you can work on adjusting it. (tweet this)

Whenever I went shopping, I noticed that I felt a tightness or tension when looking at prices of things. If someone invited me to lunch, I'd feel that tightness again while thinking about what to order. 

Just about anything having to do with the exchange of money, or the thought of money, and even receiving money gave me that tight, constricting feeling. 

Whenever I would feel that tension creep in, I'd take a deep breathe in and tell my self "I am abundant."

Then I made it a point to buy one thing at the store without looking at the price. Something as simple as a pack of gum, or a candy. (Organic of course.)

Or I would order a drink at a restaurant. It might not sound like a big deal, but when you are so worried about money, or feeling like you're literally living paycheck to paycheck- buying without a price tag check is pretty serious stuff!

Another thing I started doing to reprogram my money vibe was to constantly replay in my head things I had manifested in the past. Like a mental gratitude journal. 

When you're thankful or thinking about things you've already manifested, you feel good. It also helps keep your mind off bills or anything else that causes you financial stress. 

It also helped to build my confidence in my ability to ask the Universe for things. When I say things- I don't just mean material things. Peace, love, harmonious relationships are also things you can manifest into your life. 

Let's summarize:

~Beliefs create a manifesting set point.

~Anytime you feel tension around money, breathe it out.

~Use affirmations that make you feel good.

~Gratitude!

~Ask for what you want.

Alright- so how did I manifest $24,000 in three days?

I'd been meditating every day, I got rid of my guilt about asking God for whatever I wanted, I was buying full price shirts at target- the world was my oyster. 

Experiment #4 says to pick a specific thing you want to manifest in 48 hours. I decided I wanted $10,000. 

                        

I went through my day feeling & pretending that I had $10,000. I even made a list of the things I would do with the money. 

I felt pretty good up until 9 o'clock. 

9:04 was the deadline. I checked my account and the money wasn't there. 

To be honest, I was pretty bummed. I thought for sure I was gonna get it! I sat down to log my results when I had this epiphany. 

The reason why I've been trying to manifest a large sum of money is to keep me from feeling anxious. 

Anxiety about the unknown; anxiety about the future. Anxiety about some possible financial catastrophe that could happen and not being financially prepared for it.  

The real reason I (and probably other people) want to win the lottery or hit the financial jackpot is to have peace of mind. 

Peace of mind knowing that whatever financial situation comes up will be taken care of. 

In my attempt to manifest $10,000- I was graciously reminded that I am taken care of. 

Every situation in my life up til this point (financial or otherwise), has been taken care of. So why would the future be any different? 

Any real need for money has always been met- miraculously. The problem isn't about having money- I know I'm blessed beyond measure. 

The problem has been my perception. 

When you focus on lack, you will get more of what you're giving your attention too. 

But when you put your energy and attention on abundance, you will find more and more things to be thankful for. 

I sat there with this amazing peace, not just knowing, but feeling like I am always supported financially. That peace was priceless. 

I took a break for a few days from thinking about the experiments again. I wanted to stay in that peace for as long as possible, because I knew that the longer I can emulate those feelings about being financially abundant, that it would start to reflect in my reality. 

Another amazing thing happened. In those few days after my epiphany, I was able to check a few things off my list of things I would do with $10,000!

There was a big shift in my thoughts about money, and manifesting so I decided to try to manifest the money again, just for the fun of it.

I wrote on a note in my phone: "In the next 48 hours, I expect to receive $10,000 into my checking account. Every positive thought is a magnet to the $10,000!"

I didn't give it much thought after that.

3 days later I got a call from my mom, asking me if I had checked my bank account. I thought holy crap -she won the lottery and put the 10k in my account! She stayed on the phone with me while I checked it. 

I logged into my bank as fast as I could and was amazed to see that I had $24,000 in my checking account!! 

Apparently the bank had made a mistake and put her loan into MY checking account. 

I wasn't even bummed that it wasn't my money (ok maybe a little bummed.)

It was just such an amazing feeling. It gave me this huge boost of confidence and a reminder that the more you can have fun, and feel good, you'll attract things into your life easily. 

I know that's hard to hear when you feel like you're in a pit and see no way of getting out. But there is always a way out. Our thoughts are affecting our reality all the time. Once you start becoming aware of this and work on changing those thoughts, you'll notice how you can shift the energy in your life. Then you'll get better and better at aligning with the things you want. 

Another thing I learned from this was to always stay open- the Universe (God) will  provide above and beyond as long as you're open.

To be free from suffering, free yourself from attachments- Buddha (tweet this)

While I didn't exactly get the $10,000 I had thought I was going to get, manifesting $24,000, even if it was only temporary.

This book has definitely helped me harness my ability to manifest and to be aware of the thoughts and feelings I have on different issues. I highly recommend Pam Grout's book to start you to work with this universal energy that's available to all of us! If you've already read it, I'd love to hear your experiment results!

Peace & Blessings, 

Felicia 

How to Tell Someone No

                        

Idk if you know this (I didn't)- NO is a complete sentence.

If you want, you can sweeten it up by adding a thank you to the end.

Sometimes I keep it short and sweet.

No.

Or even nope.

 I'm getting so much better at using this beautifully freeing sentence.

I'm a pro at telling my son No!

They taught us in school to say no to drugs- and the church I grew up in taught us to say no to pretty much everything else.

But no one taught me how to say no to my family or friends.

It's a very important word that we all need to use from time to time.

If you are struggling with this two letter word, head on over to Over The Moon Magazine to learn how to say no!

                               

Peace,

Felicia

Pam Grout E2 Book Review - A book about manifesting

I'm buying books a lot faster than I'm reading and I wanna switch that up this year. I've also started a book club with one of my best friends-something I've been wanting to do for years!

Because my son was born at 26 weeks, he had to spend quite a bit of time in the NICU, just a week shy of 4 months.

The angel we met told us that we should read to our son- that way it would pass the time and he would be able to know we were there since we couldn't touch or hold him.

So the first thing we did was buy some books.

I read to him every day and I know it was one of the reasons for the amount of self growth I experienced in those 4 months. Reading is a form of therapy for me and this year, my aim is to read at least one book a month.

Pam Grout's E squared- Nine Do-It Yourself Experiments that Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality made it's way to the top of the list.

I've had my eye on this one since it came out because it combines two of my favorite things, DIYs and metaphysics!

 If you haven't already experienced first hand that thoughts, intentions and energy are as real as the couch you're sitting on, I highly recommend this book.

The nine experiments take about 48 hours each. I'm going to be sharing my experiences and results from each one but I'll try not to spoil anything for you. Since some of these happened faster, I'm going to just keep updating this post with my results from the 9 experiments.

Experiment # 1: Asking for proof that there is a 24/7 energy force available to all of us, all we have to do is be aware of it and ask for what it is we want and it'll deliver.

Results: This was a little tricky for me since I already believe with every bit of my being that there is a presence bigger than us. I'm not trying to sound holy roller, but I am aware and engage with that presence throughout my day- so much more since I started meditating daily. So for me- the best I can describe the results of this experiment is like a kid believing in Santa Claus and not questioning where the presents under the tree came from.

Experiment #2: What you experience in your reality is because of your beliefs and expectations.

Results: In this experiment, you are to pick a color of car, or object and keep track of how many you see in 48 hours. I picked orange and my boyfriend picked lime green. I was inside for the first day of the experiment but I still managed to see orange cars. They were ALL over my Instagram feed. The morning of day two, I went to pick up coffee and I saw 5 orange vehicles in the 10 min travel to and from the coffee shop. At one point during our time cruising around town, my boyfriend and I looked over to find a bright orange car next to a lime green truck!! It's already been a couple of weeks and I'm still seeing those to colors everywhere.

Experiment #3: Use dowsing rods to physically see there is a field of energy around us that can be used to guidance (or finding water).

Results: I really enjoyed playing with the rods we made. You can make them with wire hangers. They can be programmed and used like you would a pendulum. I'll share how to use a pendulum in another post. I was also able to clear some stuck energy in my house using the rods. I'll share a post on that too.

Experiment #4 The results from this experiment are so amazing, it's gonna have it's own post.

Be sure to check back for more results!

-Felicia















 

Be Happy Where You Are + Free Printable

We're a couple of weeks into the new year and thankfully I'm still excited and working on my goals for the year. While it's good to have an eye towards the future, it's also equally important to be happy and fulfilled now.

Goals should be a way to encourage self improvement, but can sometimes be used as a way to avoid fully being in the here and now.

I'm guilty of using goals as a means to escape reality.

Let's use my blog for example. I want to grow my blog to reach thousands of people.

So naturally, I spend all day on Pinterest pinning away all the things I need to do to make that happen.

Instead of making a plan of action-able steps, I spend all day in lala land. Now it's 7 o'clock and my family is starving and all I've done all day is pretend I have a million blog followers that are waiting for my pearls of wisdom. (My ego can sometimes get the best of me).

So I must stop and think- Am I really ready for a million readers?

Maybe not.

At least not until I can remember to feed my family at a decent time.

Are you really ready for those big dreams and goals? Check out my article on Over the Moon Magazine to see if you're really ready!

Blessings-
Felicia

How to Accomplish Goals in 30 Days

                                 

This year, I've decided to change resolutions to experiences.

Experience just feels better for me. Instead of feeling anxious, I feel excited and encouraged.

Experience feels more reachable.

My latest article for Over the Moon Magazine gives you a real, no-nonsense guide to reaching your goals for this year!

Get out your New Years resolutions cuz I'm gonna help you mark some of those off your list! 

Click here to check it out.
                                           

Be sure to comment and let me know what you want to experience this year!

Xo,

Felicia 

Healthy New Year, Healthy New you

Happy New Year- a.k.a "I'm ready to get in the best shape/relationship/job/etc. of my life!".

2015. So crazy.

I thought for sure after the Y2K we'd be teleporting, and have robots who clean and cook calorie-less foods like Rosie from the Jetsons. 

I don't mean to brag, but we got a robot this year. 

Yup. A real- life robot. 

My son got a robotic dinosaur. He doesn't cook, or clean, but he can sit, bark and growl. And he can go into maniac mode if you press a button on his back (which isn't that impressive, I can do the same thing).

Well, just as I'm sure that there's technology out there for teleporting, I'm pretty sure there's some sort of technology for getting rid of calories (kinda like the Total Gym we got for Christmas). 

It's safe to say the past, oh I don't know, maybe my whole post-pubescent life, one of my new years resolutions has been to get healthier (code for skinnier)

While I could go on and on ranting about body image and weight and women and all the other stuff you already know, I'm gonna save you the headache. After all, it was one of the biggest party days of the year last night.

As I was cleaning up today after our awesome party, I tuned into Over the Moon Radio and listened to episode 2- Stop Feeling Crazy About Food with Isabel Foxen Duke. 

Isabel made a very good point. One that we all need to commit to memory.

Weight and health are NOT the same thing. 

You can be healthy and thin and healthy and not thin. You can be unhealthy and thin and unhealthy and not thin. 

So if you're like one of the many bazillion women who want to get "healthier" this year, I suggest you check it out. Or even if you just ate one too many tofu cocktail weenies or one too many glasses of gluten free champagne. 

                                         

Sorry so short, but I have more confetti to clean up. 

Listen to it and get ready to be the healthiest you you can be!

Cheers to the new, healthy, you!!

xxo,

Felicia 

Why I Started Meditating Every Day (the answer might surprise you!)

                                

Apparently it's been a few months since I've posted anything on my blog. I write pretty regularly but it seems as soon as I take a break in my day to get it blog ready, my son wakes up.  Or I realize it's almost 6 and I haven't showered, let alone make anything for dinner. 

Believe it or not, I'm starting to get the hang of this new role of motherhood. Kinda. I did forget the diaper bag last week but for the most part I'm doing pretty good. 

Showers are a regular occurrence, my house is in order and we don't eat corn dogs for lunch anymore! (I've actually been living without a microwave for over a month now.)

So how did I go from stinky, scattered, microwave-hot-dogs-for-lunch-everyday, messy mama to good smelling, grounded, I-now-use-my-toaster-oven-for-everything, organized mama?!

Well... I'm not really sure. 

But I'd have to guess that the secret behind my success is meditation. 

I have been meditating for 21 consecutive days!

Yup...I signed up again for the Oprah & Deepak 21 day meditation challenge- but this time I actually did it for more than 5 days. 

And I have been more productive in those 21 days than I have been in probably the last 2 and a half years! 

Meditation is like organization and cleaning for your soul. 

It's a way to get rid of all the things that you don't need any more and allows room for the stuff you really want to cultivate in your life. 

I felt scattered, unorganized and unproductive. I felt like I was always behind and trying to catch up with my life. 

I was tired of how my life was going and I was asking for direction.

So once again, I was graciously given a nudge from the Universe. 

I was laying on the couch one afternoon, already feeling defeated since my son and my kitchen were covered in oatmeal, (yes, oatmeal is a lunch food) and the rest of my house was a disaster. There were tons of boxes that needed to be unpacked, clothes that needed to be folded- you get the picture. 

I didn't know where to start, so I grabbed my oatmeal covered child, and threw all the laundry off the bed and we laid there.

He was spilling his bottle while I checked my email on my phone. 

I got the email for Day 1 of the meditation challenge and decided to create a cool picture for my Instagram to show people how dedicated I was for signing up for another 21 day challenge. 

I posted the pic and decided what the heck...we're already laying here, we might as well meditate! 

The few times I had actually done the meditations, they were really good and I was excited for this one because the topic was Live the Life You've Always Wanted and that sounded pretty good to me. 

Especially cause I felt like I wasn't exactly living my dreams. 

So I put it on and to my surprise, Max had stopped squirting his milk on the bed and was falling asleep!!

It usually takes me awhile (an hour) to put him down for a nap so the fact that he was asleep in less than 20 minutes was incredible. 

I finished up the meditation and felt refreshed. I think I even showered. 

The next day around nap time, I put on the meditation for day 2, and Max fell asleep again! 

Day 3 and 4- same thing. No screaming or fighting his nap.

 He would fall asleep so fast, I was ready to buy the whole series. 

And another thing started happening- I starting making lists of all the things that needed to be done. 

Now, I had made lists in the past but I never really got around to actually doing them. 

The more I got done, the more motivated I was to do more. I was starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel. 

I was more focused and relaxed. I started noticing this expanding feeling of calmness. 

We were a week into the challenge and to be honest, the only reason I was doing it every day was because it was the fastest way I could get my son to nap. 

I've been wanting to make meditation part of my routine for awhile now, but couldn't get passed the feeling of being to busy to actually do it. 

I didn't all of a sudden have time- I just found something that was helping me put my son to sleep faster so I could hurry up and do more stuff around the house.

Regardless of the reasons behind my daily meditation, I was still reaping the benefits. 

Another icredible thing started happening. I noticed all my relationships were improving, I was feeling more patient with my son and with everyone around me. 

My outer world started reflecting my inner world.

I was letting go and clearing out space in my mind and my house was mirroring that. I was making time for me and I noticed that I seemed to have more time in my day.

But the second week into the meditation, Max wasn't napping. As a matter of fact, he didn't nap that whole week. But I still did it because I needed a time out for myself, even if it was only 20 minutes. 

I needed that time to quiet my mind and reflect. 

It's been 21 days. Almost everything on my to do list is complete. We've eaten home cooked meals almost every day, and I feel so good. Like really, really good.

The more I work on the inside, the faster I see change on the outside.


P.S.There are lots of free meditations on Youtube and if you check out The Chopra Center for Meditation, you can sign up for an upcoming meditation series. They're free and they also have an app you can download that's really convenient.

What "Another Earth" Taught Me About Perception

                                          

Every situation we're in, we have two choices- to let it make or break us. Our ego's have this way of trying to break us everytime. When you're at the grocery store and you pick the line that ends up taking forever, or when everyone in your office drives you bananas, it's the ego that tells you to get revenge, or to take out your anger on the slow cashier.

I believe that we're here on this planet to grow. Everything is always changing, and growing. The little things that make up our day to day are our opportunities to grow.

We've all listened to our egos, maybe more times than we care to admit. But does it actually make you feel better to tell everyone off? It might temporarily. It might feel good in the moment. But it doesn't help us grow.

Does riding the car in front of you ever make them get out of the way? Maybe. But does it keep anyone from ever cutting you off again?

Does telling the cashier that they really need more than one person working ever make there be more than one cashier the next time your're there?

The ego lives for those things.

And every time you give in, you feed the ego.

It kind of stops the lesson right in its tracks and then you'll just end up having to try again next time.

Our world needs each and every one of us to start growing if we ever want to live in a world of peace and harmony.

Check out my article for Over the Moon magazine on changing your perception.

And be sure to sign up to get the weekly issue delivered right to your inbox!

Old town & New beginnings

                                          

The pod and truck are loaded and were heading out. As we pull on to the freeway to head home, I check my phone to see our approximate arrival time. I've done this drive so many times, but somehow I thought maybe it would say 6 hours instead of 12 hours.

I noticed the time on my phone- 11:11.

If you don't know by now, I don't believe in coincidence. Everything has meaning to me.

Bird feathers, pennies, butterflies, number sequences- all mean something. Even spiders and moths have a message if I could just hold off killing them long enough to listen.

According to Sacred Scribes Angel Numbers, Number 1111 is made up of the powerful influences of the number 1, amplified and magnified by four.  Number 1 resonates with the vibrations and attributes of new beginnings and starting afresh, independence and individuality, initiative and assertiveness, ambition and motivation, success and leadership, courage and strength, creation and creativity, self-reliance and tenacity, attainment, happiness and fulfillment, innovation, self-development and oneness with life. Number 1 reminds us that we create our own realities with our thoughts, beliefs, intentions and actions.

A year ago, I thought I had it all planned out. We moved to Denver and I was certain it was going to be for at least a few years. I also thought I was going to magically be a different person with not a care in the world. I left all my problems behind and everything was going to be smooth sailing. 

       

 

After the adventure we had, I feel like I can hang with Captain Black Beard and the rest of the scalawags!

I'm so thankful for all the people and events that lined up so we could have those experiences. But I sure wasn't thankful in the midst of all of it.

Not one bit.

During the time where there didn't seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel, I just wanted to turn back. 

One thing I know for sure (Oprah moment) is that it's during the struggle that you build the skills you need to handle life. 

That doesn't mean you have to struggle. But if you are struggling, you're developing the skills you'll be able to use in the future. And then the better you get, the shorter the struggles seem. 

When we're struggling, angry, disappointed, or sad- it's because things didn't go the way we planned. 

When we made our move to Colorado, I had it all planned out. And when it didn't go the way I planned, I freaked out, threw a fit and wanted to go home. 

But I was forgetting that when things don't go as planned, there's a bigger better plan in the making. The dreams we planned on didn't happen, but those weren't really dreams. They were just a step up from what we were doing back home. Kinda like a promotion. 

I've always dreamt of being a writer. Free to explore and capture my experiences to share with whoever was interested in listening. To be free from the daily grind. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that in the time of such struggle and hardship- would the beginning of my dreams be taking form. 

I am a regular contributing writer for an incredible online magazine, Over the Moon, something that would've never happened had our plans turned out the way we thought. 

I also learned a lot about myself, gained strength in my relationship, and learned to trust my intuition even more. And moving to the place I always wanted to live. Once again, by getting what I thought I wanted, I was able to re-examine and see what I really want and what's important to me. And now I can take the necessary steps to continue to move forward in this new direction. I'm going back to an old town but with new eyes. I'm staying firm on the goal but flexible in the process. 

Looking back on your own life, can you see how the things you planned on, turned out better than you thought? If you can't see it yet, don't worry- keep going. There is a light at the end. 

What is Alignment and How to Get Into It

     

When you aren't feeling steady, everything that everyone else is doing around you- will knock you down.

You try and avoid people and situations that will knock you down because you aren't firm in your alignment.

What is alignment?

Alignment is when you are "in line" with what you want.

When you're feeling insecure, unstable, or a lack clarity-it's really a lack of alignment.

So how do you get into alignment with what you want?

First step is to know what you want. 

Sounds easy, right?

For many of us, that can be a tricky question. But one of the best ways we learn what we want is all the experiences that show us what we DON'T want.

About a year ago, I was so unhappy. I wasn't enjoying my job anymore, I had no clue what I wanted to do, and since I had just had a baby- I felt stuck.

How was I supposed to just change careers after 10 years, especially with a new baby to support?!

Everything was driving me nuts.

My family was getting on my nerves, my house was getting on my nerves, just about everyone and everything was just so annoying. I felt stuck, frustrated and really, really unhappy.

Because I wasn't aligned with what I wanted, everything around me knocked me down.

The hardest part was I had no clue what I wanted. I was so easily swayed by everyone else's vibrations that I finally got to a point where I would avoid people because I hadn't found my own steadiness. And I felt like I never had time for myself to sit and figure out what I wanted to be doing.

My phone was always ringing, someone was always just showing up without notice, and my parents would freak out if I didn't talk to them at least 8 times a day.

I didn't have any boundaries. I didn't know how to say no. I let everyone call the shots with my time.

All the while thinking "Ughhhh everyone around me is sooo negative, I wish they would spend time working on themselves like I do".

I felt like everyone around me was the problem. That it was their fault that I was unhappy.

If only they would let me balance their chakras then maybe I wouldn't mind spending so much time with them.

I came to the conclusion that if I moved away, I wouldn't have to deal with them and all my problems would be gone.

Wrong..

All the things I thought I needed to be happy, I had them. I had tons of time by myself. Well not really tons- my son always has something for me to be cleaning. I had tons of places to go, new restaurants to try, all the things I thought I was missing out on.

But I still wasn't happy.

I was 1,000 miles away from everyone and I was still unhappy. I finally had the free time I used to dream of, my door bell never rang, my parents still called all day, but at least they couldn't just show up unannounced.

My focus was always on the negative. The negative traits in people, the negative things I would hear around me, negative situations everyone wanted to talk about.

I wanted to get the hell out of town and the hell away from all these things that were keeping me from being happy.

I could've sworn they were the problem. (Real enlightened, huh?)

Wrong again.

I was finally in the city I dreamed of moving to, and I was still miserable.

Finally, the light came on.

I was the problem.

I realized that if I didn't start changing my attitude, and focusing on the positive in EVERY situation, I would be miserable every where and with every one.

You can't control outside situations or people. You can only control your reactions. 

I had a vibration that the universe kept matching. I was attracting people and situations that brought more anger, frustration and unhappiness because that's what I was "lined up" with.

When you can become so firm and steady in your alignment, you won't be swayed or affected by the people and situations around you.

One of the ways you can get lined up is to pretend that you have the thing or situation you want to be in line with.

Take my situation for example:

I was unhappy. I felt like all the things around me were at fault. Now I've come to realize that happiness is a choice.

                      

If you let outside forces, people, or situations control your happiness, you will constantly be unhappy. Those things aren't constant. People change, situations change, the weather changes. The only constant is your decision to be happy or unhappy.

If you take things one moment at a time, and choose to be happy in those moments- then you start to have a whole bunch of happiness.

So if you want to be lined up with happiness- start doing things that make you happy. And choose to be happy even during those times when you have to do things that don't exactly thrill you. For me, that's doing the dishes. Am I happy that I have to do dishes 10 thousand times a day? No. But I am happy that I have people who like to eat the food I cook.

Would you be sleeping all day if you had your dream job? If you want to be lined up with your dream job, start doing things now that you would be doing if you already had that job.

Be so firm in the feeling- be so set in your alignment that nothing that any one says or does can sway you.

If your family, spouse or friends are critical or negative- don't let it phase you. We're all on our own journeys- love them in the process.  Work on yourself and decide that you aren't going to be swayed by their lack of alignment. They'll either shape up or ship out. Or maybe you'll ship out.

We'll be moving home in a few weeks. I'm not sure where we'll end up. But I feel so much better now that I'm aware that I have the power to choose to be happy no matter where we go.

I am so thankful for this time away. And I'm happy to be going back. I choose happiness now, and no person or thing can sway that.

Ok... maybe just the never ending pile of dishes.

Happy Mother's Day

I don't think anyone is ever really ready when a pregnancy test smiles at you. I hadn't planned on getting pregnant, but the universe had other plans. I wasn't the first person in line to hold the new baby, or had any desire to play with dolls as a child.I didn't have one ounce of motherly anything.

It wasn't that I didn't want kids, I just felt like I'd be okay if it never happened. Thankfully, God had other plans. Like wayyyyy different plans.

Once I got all settled in with the my new pregnant self, I decided that I would have a beautiful, calm, water birth at home surrounded by candles and heavenly music.

I know...first time mom = clueless.

Once again, my plans didn't pan out that way. I developed a severe case of preeclampsia and had to be transported to a bigger hospital to deliver my son via emergency c-section.

Now that he's is a year and a half, the way he made his entrance to this world fits him perfectly. He's very independent and strong willed. He's a little rebel like me (;.

Thank God for his demeanor, 'cause when you're born almost 4 months early, you've got to be pretty determined.

Becoming a mom three and a half months early made me feel like I was so behind. I felt like I was always trying to play catch up. I had a pile of prenatal books I didn't get to read, maternity clothes with the tags still on and a prenatal yoga DVD that came the week I delivered my son.

I was already feeling unprepared and clueless. Having a baby at 26 weeks sure didn't help. I didn't have a parenting style picked out or even had time to do my research on vaccinating.

It's like I got pushed into the middle of a marathon with no training.

I'm finally beginning to realise that what I'm experiencing is called motherhood. We all have these ideas of how we want things to go and the things we'd like to be better prepared for before baby comes or even the things we'd like to accomplish with our children.

Life goes by whether or not you're prepared. Half the time it doesn't go as planned, and that's okay.

I'm finally okay that I wasn't able to use my hypno-birthing cd, or use the birthing tub we reserved. I'm okay knowing that while I have no clue what I'm doing, that I have a force greater than me that I seek guidance and direction from.

We all have access to that guidance.

Search for it and you will find it.

I'm still pretty new to the parenting scene but check out Sitting on the baby. Amy is a mom and a childhood expert who's not afraid to talk about the tuff stuff like how to handle your screaming baby and other stuff we get scared to talk about as parents. There's lots of help there.

The best advice I could give to new parents, or to any new mother who's life isn't going the way you thought is- as long as you're always doing the best you can, everything will be okay. Be present. Enjoy every minute you can with your babies.

Know that the long nights of no sleep and baby screaming will soon be long gone.

You can do this. You were chosen for this. You're and your kids will be just fine.

Lots of love and blessings,
- Felicia G

What To Do When You Lack Motivation

I get so overwhelmed with all my ideas & ambitions that it seems easier to just lay in bed and take a nap. Then there are days when I'm so focused and fired up and ready to tackle anything, nothing can stop me. Today is not one of those days. Today is one of those lay in bed all day kinda days. This issue of trying to make something out of my life, fulfilling my purpose...it feels like a battle sometimes. There are times when I feel like none of it matters, that nothing we do matters. I get frustrated because I don't get why we have to work just to make pieces of paper. It seems so dumb sometimes. Like why can't we all just do what we love and barter and not have to spend so much time "making money". What's the point of all of this is?


Yesterday was a Debbie Downer kinda day.

I was feeling defeated. We all feel it at one point or another.

I tend to be overly ambitious. I want to do everything at the same time, and I want it done like yesterday. Since I had so many things I wanted to do, I probably got overwhelmed and decided not to do anything.
Maybe it was all the wind. Whatever it was, I was feeling defeated.

I was just being dramatic. I was lacking motivation and it spiraled into "maybe I'm doing the wrong thing, maybe I should be doing something else, if this was my real passion, then why aren't I motivated to do any work?" I was ready to throw in the towel, to call it a day and just lay in bed.

There are lots of times when we feel like what's the point? You're not defeated. You're just having a bad day. And it's not really even a bad day. It just might not be a productive of a day as you would like.

I'm pretty sure Michael Phelps had those days when he'd rather stay inside and watch movies all day. And I bet Giselle Bunchend has lots of days when she'd rather sit on the couch and eat a whole cake. (Probably not, but it makes me feel better thinking she does). Do a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life...blah, blah, blah. Just because you're doing a job you love, doesn't mean every day is going to be all butterflies and rainbows. And just because there are days you don't want to do you job, doesn't mean it isn't your passion, or purpose.

I know I am living my purpose. But I was totally second guessing myself. I felt like I was swimming upstream. So I decided to stop. I called it a day because I knew I wasn't getting anywhere.

Whenever you aren't in the flow, when you aren't feeling connected to the Divine, God, whatever you call your source of inspiration- it's best to not do anything. 

Don't dig yourself deeper and deeper. Once you realize that you are swimming upstream, stop. Go with the flow. Maybe the best thing for you to do is nothing. Maybe you're being guided to slow down to get a different perspective, or a better insight to a problem you've been working on.

 You have the power to change your thoughts, which will change the direction of your life. Once you notice you aren't feeling good, stop and do something that does feel good.

Don't ever forget that there is a force so much bigger than you that can see the whole picture.

When it comes to running a business or when you're working towards a goal or project, there seems like there's so much that needs to be done, and if you aren't doing it, someone else is.

You have a gift that no one else has, and you have ways in sharing those gifts that no one else can. So don't worry that someone else is going to work harder than you or steal your chance. Take it easy, breathe, relax. We all have those days. Don't worry, they'll pass.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and they had a whole crew.

Love, light and rainbow kisses,

-Felicia

Removing Energy Blocks That Are Keeping You From Attracting Abundance

        

Attracting wealth and abundance are usually at the top of the manifesting list for most of us. Have you been attracting, manifesting, creating, affirming...only to end up frustrated and still broke? If all the affirmations in the world aren't getting you to where you want to be financially, then this post is for you.

If you read this post,  then you know I really had no clue what I wanted to do with my life until recently. And I might be doing something totally different 5 years from now!

I kinda had an idea what I wanted to be doing with my life. I knew I wanted to contribute to the empowerment and uplifting of society, mainly woman.

I never considered myself materialistic-it didn't make sense to me that people were working so hard to get more things to make payments on, like houses and cars, etc. So I started to tell myself that I wasn't  going to worry about stuff like that.

I would always tell myself that I only needed enough to live simply. What that really meant was not having any real goals and to just get as many clients I needed to pay my bills.

So that's what I did.

If I needed some extra cash, I'd run a special for my clients and  have some extra money and I'd get by for awhile.

Then I watched this video of Jim Rohn.

I never even thought about life outside of myself. I felt that if I wasn't feeding into consumerism and all those material things, that I was doing my part. (I personally feel like I was just hiding the fact that I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life.)

                                      

I didn't have any real goals. I was just floating along. For some people, that works, but it wasn't really working for me. I was stressed and anxious all the time, and I didn't really know why.  

Well actually I did.

I knew that I was avoiding the dreams I had inside. I had all these ambitions and ideas and I ignored them. It was easier to just lay low and not really think about all that stuff. Subconsciously I thought that if I didn't try, then I couldn't fail.

                                         

I had a job that was paying the bills, sometimes. But wtf was I supposed to do if I wanted to quit my massage job? I felt like I didn't have any other skills. So I continued being a mediocre massage therapist. I wasn't really trying to advance in my career, I was just getting by.

A few years ago, I came across a video from this girl Christie Marie Sheldon- actually I think my boyfriend found it and shared it with me. She was advertising her new program, Unlimited Abundance.

Christie is an intuitive healer who uses her gift to help people eliminate their energy blocks, raise their vibrations and manifest their ideal realities. She's spent the last 15 years doing private energy sessions, helping people get rid of the blocks that sabotage our chances for creating our ideal lives. So she created a program where she could do her energy clearings through a series of audios and guided meditations.

I know, sounds a little crazy. 

I didn't believe it either. I was very skeptic. I had no clue how this lady was supposed to get all in my energy and remove the blocks. So I didn't sign up for the webinar that she was offering.

I was doing affirmations every day, balancing my chakras, using visualizations, meditations- anything that promised to bring me more money.

                                       

I struggled for three more years after first hearing about Christie Sheldon.

We moved to Denver and I was more stressed than ever. I quit doing massage and started an online jewelry business. It was fun, but still not my dream. I was affirming all day and staying positive and hopeful and all that stuff...but I was still behind on bills and clueless about the direction I wanted my life to go.

One night, I was praying and begging for guidance. I was doing the whole I'm a good person, please help me prayer. 

And guess what....my prayer was answered! I had forgotten all about Christie and her program, and then I received an email from her team about a webinar she was hosting to talk about the Unlimited Abundance program. 

That was my sign. I knew it wasn't a coincidence and that I needed to do the program.

So I went ahead and signed up for the webinar. I listened to the clearing sessions, and felt better immediately. In the energy clearing session, she does a guided meditation that was so amazing.

I’ve been meditating for about 7 years, and her meditation gets you in the zone, quickly and easily. It’s one of my favorite parts of the session.

The program is a series of audios that you listen to that will explain the block and then she puts you in the meditative state that allows the block to be cleared. The great thing about the program is you get the mp3 as well, so you can just load in onto your phone, iPod, etc. and listen to it anywhere.

I felt so good, even just from the webinar. I had renewed hope in my desires and finally felt like I had the tools to attract anything I wanted.

The first thing I noticed was this sense of calm assurance. I had gone from this constant feeling of fear and anxiety to feeling more laid back. To others, that might not sound like a big deal, but my anxiety was so bad that this subtle change was HUGE.

It was as if for the first time, my mind was clear enough to allow ideas that would bring the abundance.

I found myself exploring career options I had never even considered. There were opportunities all around me, and I could finally see them!

Within 3 months of finishing the program, I started a new career, made significant changes in my finances, and most importantly, I was on a career path I was passionate about.

Three months!! I spent the last 10 years searching for what the Unlimited Abundance program gave me in a matter of months.

I really felt like anything was possible. I had removed the blocks that were keeping me from living the life of my dreams.

Thanks to Christie's program, I was able to clear myself from the blocks that were holding me back. 

And I did it in the comfort of my home.

The only regret I had was not starting the program the first time I heard about it. If I was able to make such huge changes in 3 months, imagine where I could be if I would’ve started 3 years ago! But better late than never.

With all the nonsense that’s out there, I know it can be tough to trust the claims that everyone makes.

The great thing about this program is that you can get a full refund if you aren’t completely satisfied. No questions asked.

So if you've been affirming and visualizing, but still feel stuck, I recommend you go here and get you're FREE preview of the program. You've got nothing to lose!

   Blessings, 

 Felicia 

Can someone please make GMO free, healthy Hot Cheetos?!

It's 11 o'clock on a Friday night. Baby is asleep and life is good. Everyone likes to unwind after a long day... some people enjoy a glass of wine, a nice cold beer, maybe even a nice fat joint...mmj of course ;)

My vice is Hot Cheetos. Honestly, just about any neon colored chip. I LOVE Hot Cheetos. Like Pee Wee Herman why-don't-you-marry-them love them. I love all cheetos. I even have the cheeto commercials saved on my Youtube fav's.

My car.....Jk

I know they're bad. I make myself do like 40 hail mary's after I eat them.

My love for hot cheetos started in middle school, 7th grade to be exact. 6th grade was pretty depressing, but 7th grade was incredible! They opened a new middle school (junior high as my man would say) and it like going to school in Bevery Hills- flowers and fountains and tv's in the class rooms. It was awesome. During lunch, one of the teachers would bring out this rolling cart full of stuff kids love...candy, lollipops, little debbies, you name it. Granola moms would've crapped their organic panties if they knew all the junk that teacher was selling. And everything was 5 for a dollar. I'm pretty sure it was to fund their after school happy hour.

Anyway, it was like Christmas everyday. I would get a bag of hot cheetos and a gourmet lollipop that would inevitably fall and break before I could put a dent in it.

My sister shares this love of hot cheetos with me. Every time we get together, it's like when old friends binge drink, talking about the good ol' days. Except we binge on hot cheetos. A sandwich just isn't the same with out a nice side of neon red deliciousness.

I know they're full of addicting red 40 and blue 30 and god knows what other brain tricking excitotoxins. I don't want my son to ever eat them because I'm pretty sure they're as addicting as meth.

I want to rid myself of this addiction. I'm just not ready to let them go yet. We don't do dairy, we hardly ever eat beef, we don't eat bacon, 95% of everything in our house is organic, we drink fresh juice everyday...we're doing alright.

So I don't need an intervention, I already know. But don't be too mad at me- we had fresh pressed juice for dinner, again.  Hey, I told you I wasn't perfect...I've got my own struggles going on here ok. 

What I do need is for the frito lay and cheeto lay and all the other neon chip makers to please, please figure out a way to make non chemical, GMO free chips. And make 'em gluten free while you're at it! I know there are millions of people who would love to eat them.

If Redbull can have some guy free fall from outer space, then I know they can make healthy hot cheetos.

Or at least a hot cheeto flavored rice cake. Please, just some sort of red, delicious, crunchy something that can cure me from this addiction. I'm trying really hard to eat clean and blah, blah, blah. I don't beat myself up over a bag of hot cheetos every once in awhile.

And it wasn't even my fault... if Target would've had the rice chips 2 for $3 like the cheetos, I obviously would've bought them instead.  

Idk I've you've seen this- but watch this dude literally free fall from outerspace. I know it's long but it's TOTALLY worth it.  Happy Friday.