A prayer for us all...

Prayer for World Peace

We pray that we may grow
in our understanding of the nature of all living beings
and our connectedness with the natural world;
that we may become ever more filled with
generosity of spirit and true compassion and love for all life;
that we may value each and every human being
for who he is, for who she is,
reaching to the spirit that is within,
knowing the power of each individual to change the world.

We pray for these things with humility;
We pray because of the hope that is within us,
and because of a faith in the ultimate triumph of the human spirit;
We pray because of our love for Creation, and because of our trust in God.
We pray, above all, for peace throughout the world.

 - Dr. Jane Goodall, excerpt from Prayer for World Peace

Hold Fast...

We think of the word “strong” as being tough.  But strong includes so much more of ourselves:

1.  Acknowledging your feelings and realizing your vulnerability

2.  Sharing your life with others and allowing yourself to open up your feelings with them

3.  Asking for help in the ways that you need it most for you individually

4.  Believing in yourself even during the hardest days

5.  Believing that things will get better with time and support

6.  Taking good care of yourself along the way

Stay strong and take care!

Colleen :-)

Taking time with nature...

Nature vs Nurture......why not both?   Nurture  yourself with the  beauty around you and let your spirit fly!

Hugs,

Colleen :-)

• Taking time for you...

• Nurturing yourself takes time and now that you are ready to start doing that on a regular basis, let’s look at some things you can do.
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• Tending to your body:
• *Take a bubble bath and soak in the warmth and enjoy the time for yourself
• *Exfoliate your skin and use your favorite lotions to nourish it.
• *Take care of your nails (men included) and file, buff and polish them.
• *Get a massage or relax in the jacuzzi.
• *Don’t forget your feet and remove callouses and soften with a scented lotion.
• *If you can afford it, buy a hot wax machine for home use and warm your hands, elbows and feet with layers of hot wax that contains oil.  Your skin will be silky smooth afterwards.

There are other important ways that need to be included in pampering yourself.  These include getting exercise, sleeping well and enough (it is suggested that people with chronic illnesses get 8-10 hours of sleep per night) and eating a healthy diet as a lifestyle.

Be kind to yourself and if you haven’t been doing these things listed above, start today and enjoy!

Colleen :-)

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Making you first...

How Self Care Benefits You:

(Thank you to verywellmind.com) 

“We are all less able to handle the stresses that come our way when we're already depleted by physical and emotional exhaustion. Or, put in a more positive way, we are more resilient and more able to handle life's stress when we are feeling our best both physically and emotionally. A massage, soak in the tub or other forms of pampering revitalize you inside and out. Taking time out to maintain self-care has several benefits:

It Affects Your Physical Health

While self-pampering doesn’t always lead to major improvements in overall health the way healthy diet and exercise do, the relaxation you get from it can trigger the relaxation response, which can prevent chronic stress from damaging your health, so in a sense, self-care is good for you inside and out.

It Affects Your Emotional Health

Taking time out to care for yourself can remind you and others that you and your needs are important, too.

Having a well-cared-for body can make you feel good about yourself and your life, and conveys to others that you value yourself. This can contribute to long-term feelings of wellbeing.

It Makes You a Better Caregiver

People who neglect their own needs and forget to nurture themselves are at danger of deeper levels of unhappiness, low self-esteem, and feelings of resentment.

Also, sometimes people who spend their time only taking care of others can be at risk for getting burned out on all the giving, which makes it more difficult to care for others or themselves. Taking time to care for yourself regularly can make you a better caretaker for others.”

You are a special individual and taking care of yourself is more important than ever!

Be kind to yourself and love who you are in ways that are good for you.

Next blog will discuss ways to do this also.

With kindness and peace,

Colleen :-)

Take time to breathe...

Self care comes with taking time to enjoy the beauty around us. So many of us get caught up in daily routines that take up our days and leave us missing out on the simple things in life.  But we need the balance that lets us breathe deeply and appreciate the wonderful nature that surrounds us.

So starting today, take some time to look around you and catch the colors of the flowers, smell the fresh air and look up to see the art that nature creates for us every day.

Enjoy!

Colleen :-)

Gratitude for one another...

It is important for us to not only recognize one another with gratitude and love, but also as equals to each other.  For this is what allows us to see the many facets of those in our lives without judgement.  No matter where we may see ourselves; our family, friends, neighbors, and community stand along side us in spirit. Let us not forget to brighten our lives with their presence.

Love is all there is,

Colleen :-)

Compassionate prayer...

“While we each walk our own path, we are united in divine love, overflowing with compassion and gratitude for one another.”

By your side in thought and prayer,

Colleen :-)

Colleen 

Letting go as much as you can...

To allow yourself to be in the present moment...no matter what may be going on right now...and to let go of past traumas and the fears that tie into them, will give you more freedom than you realize.

Depending on where you are in your life at this time, your experiences from the past, may still be something you are continuing to deal with.  But wouldn’t it be nice to free yourself from even parts of what emotionally hurts you, if not all of it?

Just think of it!  You will have the opportunity to become more creative and bring space into your heart for gratitude and love. Your thoughts will be focused on today and your mind will be clearer for making any decisions you may have to take on.  

Need some support with that?   Find a counselor, close friend, family member who can be there for you and let those close to you know that you are making changes in your life that may be hard at times (holding onto traumas can have emotional benefits in that we feel comfortable re-living them again and again...and don’t have to work at moving forward in our lives....so you may waver back and forth with letting go). 

But does even thinking of letting go make you feel a little lighter? Could you treat yourself to the idea for a few days and see how it feels?  (Don’t forget your gratitude journal to help you with it all too). Baby yourself along the way and acknowledge the positive changes you make for yourself. You are important!  You deserve this!

Hoping you will give it a try and enjoy the freedom that comes with it!

Colleen :-)

 Ending a beautiful day with gratitude...

What has touched your heart today to make you smile?  To bring joy into your life and fill your cells with happiness?  To make you breathe easier?  To help you heal?

Whether it be someone, or something, that has made your day just a little lighter, take the time to recognize it with gratitude.  Studies even show that having gratitude in your daily life is a healthy way for everyone to live and can further connect us to others.

Using a journal to write your daily gratitude is also a great option to record your thoughts. Buy a special journal for this purpose and keep it in a place that you know you will be able to see it to write things down. Take in the beauty, love, support, etc. of all your days have to offer you!

Live your life with gratitude always,

Colleen :-)

Books to help with positive thinking and healing...

HAPPY READING!!

HUGS,

Colleen :-)

Try this healing tool...

Our thoughts have such great effects on us.  If we allow it, our negative thoughts can become the way we live our daily lives, not giving us the chance to heal or find joy in our days.

I am reminded of the example I read about that explains that if you were face-to-face with a lion, or you just thought about being face-to-face with a lion, your body will function with the same negative thoughts and fears!

This is not only damaging to your health , but also takes away from being present in your days.

So take the challenge....every time you have a negative thought, flip that switch in your head and think three positive thoughts. You will start to feel a change in how you think and how you handle stress (remember, it’s not avoiding stress that you have to do because that’s basically impossible, but it’s how you will handle the stress that makes all the difference in your life)

And catch yourself with each negative thought and keep the challenge going as much as you can!

Happy and joyful days to you,

Colleen :-)

One step at a time...

On the journey we each take through life, we may face trauma, illness, etc. Our fears of what is to come from these experiences can take over our thoughts and even our healing. They can stifle our abilities to deal with every day activities and keep us from moving forward.

But there are options to getting the help needed with counseling, support groups, online resources, self-help books, workshops and classes. And of course finding a circle of family and/or friends that you can lean on and depend on for support and a listening ear at any time you may need it.

No matter how hard it may seem, take your first step to getting this support. You never know how much this step, and the ones you continue to take, will bring you calmer and more peaceful days.

You are worth it!

Colleen :-)

So here it is nine months from my last post...I believe all the dust has fallen off and time has gotten me back on my feet once again. Ready to share, ready to assist in any way I can and to include you in my days with positive thoughts and energy!

Look forward to being with you all once again!

Colleen :-)