Seeking Light in Darkness: The Gain in Pain

A year ago, I would have never guessed that I would be where I am now. This year has blessed me with life experience and a heap of chaos as well. While I am in a much better place now than I have ever been, I must acknowledge a certain fact. And this is that I would not be who I am now if it weren't for the pain and darkness of my past.

Going through a time of utter hopelessness made me question my life and what makes life worth living. And through this very experience, I started the journey of a truly meaningful life- one where I live as authentically, wholeheartedly and daringly as I possibly can. Not only did a learn about who I am and what makes me happy- I also saw the value of persistence. To pursue the path that we feel is right, even if we must take the first step alone. I realized that I would rather follow my heart and own inner compass, however unpredictable, than live a conventional life.

It comes down to a choice.

What we choose to do with our life experiences. We can embrace the pain and learn from it.

Often when we reach a point in life where we don't know what to do anymore, we change. We change because we ask ourselves questions and see that which is no longer serving us in our lives. And perhaps this very pain is what gave us the opportunity to change for the better and realize our passion. 

 It may be that through seeing what doesn't work, what we are not, that we find who we truly are.

  “In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”

                                                               - Albert Camus 

 Blessings,

Julie 

Finding Inner Peace

I was talking to a friend yesterday and in our conversation expressed my belief that life is simple, but not always easy. Whatever is complicated is because we have made it complicated.

Life's cycles are unpredictable and filled with many ups and downs, but if we care to take a step back and look at our lives, all the pieces fit together perfectly. Life is whole. We are whole. Without the ups we wouldn't find a reason to live and without the downs we wouldn't appreciate the ups.

So how, then, can we find inner peace in this thing called life? It's messy and we can lose touch with ourselves and our hearts.

With awareness, we always come back within to realize that there is a stillness we can find. When we take a moment to honestly acknowledge our present and embrace all that lies within it, without judgement, we find peace.

And when we find that stillness and inner peace, we realize how powerful it is- to simply exist amidst the chaos of our everyday lives. 

"Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart."   (Unknown)

Blessings,

Julie

Discomfort and Inner Growth.

Remember when we were children and would complain of the growing pains in our knees? We were told that it was a good pain and would pass. Our body just needs to do it's work to become bigger and stronger.

Well, in keeping this same idea, inner growth works the same way. Emotionally, mentally and spiritually we grow in our lives. With every shift or change, we have the opportunity to learn more about ourselves. 

Certain things we learn with age, regardless of what we choose to do with our lives. But other times we have a choice. Are we going to be comfortable and do only that which we absolutely must do? Or do we look beyond with awareness? We can choose to embrace vulnerability and learn to be okay with the discomfort of the unfamiliar.

Our level of personal growth is a direct reflection of the amount of uncertainty we can handle. 

When we don't take risks, face our fears and embrace our adventurous self that thirsts to experience more, we simply do not fulfill our potential. Are we willing to be okay with not knowing everything? Whether we are taking off to travel the world, loving without expecting anything in return or simply allowing our true selves to show, these are risks that can be very uncomfortable. And are they worth it? Of course they are.

Of course it is worth it to be the truest expression of ourselves. To allow the world to see who we really are, without a mask. Yes, it is uncertain- who knows how people will react. But does it matter? Regardless of what we do, there will always be those who will judge and point a finger.

In being who we are, we are allowing ourselves to grow into our strongest selves . Not to mention the freedom of not having to think about pretending to be someone else.

Being who we are sounds so simple, but it can we tricky in this world where there are so many expectations around how we "should" be. The truth is that the unhappiness associated with not being who we are is far worse than the discomfort we sometimes experience in following our unique path and heart's desire.

So let's embrace individuality.

Blessings,

Julie

The Power in Simplicity.

Sometimes the most powerful and life-changing moments in our lives are the simple ones. They touch our hearts and we realize that we don't always need big and fancy things to live a rich and meaningful life.

We don't always need to achieve big things or have big plans to have a sense of fulfillment, aliveness and happiness with our lives.

Of course balance is the key. It is important to dream big and to create goals for ourselves so that we can realize our potential. But I have also found incredible value in living in the moment, and in savoring the simplicity it has to offer.

A warm hug,
A heartfelt conversation,
A genuine smile,
A good meal,
A beautiful day.

What are the simple moments that have impacted your life and touched your heart these days?

Too often we forget to see the beauty of what is right before us. Because we have grown accustomed to our surroundings. They become ordinary.

But really, it is in the seemingly ordinary moments that we can find extraordinary happiness. 

For the sake of this article, I will keep it short and sweet.

Here is a quote I love by Laura Ingalls Wilder (Famous children's author)

"I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things in life which are the real ones after all."

Blessings,

Julie

Why Travel?

It is my firm belief that without the opportunity to be challenged and grow as our unique selves, life is meaningless. We cannot become all that we are if we don't face our fears, push our limits and becoming incredibly uncomfortable.

Growth happens as a result of two things coming together: our experiences in this world and our internal processing of these experiences. Traveling is one of the best ways to expand our perspective and our capacity to experience life.

And I don't mean over budgeting just to stay in hotels and eat in restaurants. This is a vacation, not traveling. I went on many vacations growing up, but this year I really started traveling. I stayed in hostels and ate at the local markets, found myself striking up inspiring conversations with strangers. In doing this, my entire perspective on what travel is changed. I see incredible value in it.

When we travel, we become more open in every day because we want to learn more about what the world has to offer. We want to see more, do more and feel more. And in opening up, we allow the process of exploration, adventure and learning to take place.

The nature of travel is of non-attachment. We leave our stuff, jobs, the people we usually spend our time with and our homes to see something else. To become immersed in a different way of living and being.

Why is this so amazing?

Because it shows us that anything is possible. That we can live life is any way that we choose. It is just a matter of our decision. 

Traveling forces us to question our current way of life, choices and ways of thinking and doing things. Without travel, we may live our whole lives asking ourselves, "Is this really all there is?" And with it we feel more fulfilled. We realize that the whole idea of "normal" is bullshit. Complete and utter foolishness. Why?

Because normal is whatever we make it. Each country has it's own normal. And the only way to realize this is by packing our bags and traveling in the most adventurous and open-hearted way possible.

Blessings,

Julie

Embracing Authenticity.

Upon arriving back from traveling to Israel a few days ago, I realized the power of perspective. That when we grow and become more grounded in our authentic selves, we can be in the same places again after three years, and feel completely different. Three years ago I went to Israel and felt lost, disconnected and lonely. Upon going back to some of the same places again, I truly realized that it is who we become, within ourselves, that determines how we experience life. This is how powerful perspective is.

These recent travels gave me a certain reassurance. They reminded me that things do change. We are never stuck, even when we feel like there is no way out. There is always a path moving forward and we always have a choice. On who we want to become. With a great deal of self-trust, patience and persistence, we really can create the kind of life we want for ourselves, in every way.

My life really changed when I asked myself the question, "Do I want to live a life that looks good on the outside or one that feels good on the inside?" This is a question that challenges our authenticity. How much are we willing to risk to be true to ourselves? Are we willing to embrace vulnerability and uncertainty to follow the path that feels right, despite what it looks like? Through the choices I made, what I was doing was answering yes to these questions. It was time to give up who I thought I should be for something more real. Something far more real.

And upon being in the same places in my recent travels while feeling completely different, feeling finally myself, I was filled with overwhelming gratitude. I felt utterly blessed to have fought for authenticity, to be myself.

Life is too short to be anyone else other than ourselves. There is so much to experience and when we make our choices from our hearts, doing what really feels right, then our life experience is that much more real.

Things change all the time, no matter what we do. Life is constantly shifting and we are adjusting. And where we choose is in how we react to our circumstances or what happens to us.  We can choose to let life affect us, to become victim to circumstances and the expectations of others, or we can become active participants in our lives. We can choose to affect our lives, to pave our own path by the choices we make and walk on it as our most authentic selves.

Blessings,

Julie

Finding Your Balance: Looking at Life as a Balancing Act.

There is a beautiful saying that goes like this: "In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me lay an invincible summer."  Why do I love this quote so much? Because it holds true for so much that we experience in life. The concepts of Yin and Yang (originating in the Chinese culture) say that in life, we have everything and nothing lies exclusively. Happiness is not without sadness. Day is not without night. And so forth.

Oftentimes, we find out greatest happiness through our greatest struggle. Why? Because our struggles make us stronger and wiser. Perhaps this calls for us to re-frame our idea of struggle. When we are going through a tough period of time we want to isolate ourselves, we feel embarrassed and weak, that we aren't deserving.

Let's rethink our dark times. They may be the experiences that shape us into our greatest selves. For in darkness we find light. And in vulnerability we find our greatest power. Why I say this? Because I have experienced it.

If we look at our lives, we see everything. Life is whole when we let go of judgement and simply see what is. When we acknowledge and embrace all of our emotions, each life experience. For every experience gives us the opportunity to become more, to grow and to expand our consciousness.

The key then, is balance. I was listening to a radio show a few days ago that explained ways that we can become more balanced, ways that I have practiced in my own life.

It is important to find time for ourselves. Time to recharge, reflect and refocus. Eliminating toxicity in our lives is also vital. Choosing not to spend time with people who suck out our energy. Learning to say "no" may give us more space to say "yes" to what we really need. Our energy is precious and we cannot live our lives according to the opinions and expectations of other people.

I have learned that finding balance also means asking for help. We are put on this earth together, to connect and help each other. Asking for help is a sign of courage and self-respect, not weakness.

With these practical strategies in mind, I have also realized that balance is more than just what we do. It is a mindset created from the thoughts we think. It is a state of being, a state of inner peace that we find through looking within. Through facing who we truly are. 

Blessings,

Julie