Do you know the power of love? Do you know how much influence the power of love in various different capacities has on this world, lives, and choices that people make each and everyday? There are many facets of “love” and in our society, the power of love, if not directed or driven with the best and purest intentions, can cause more harm than good. However, real love, expressed by purity of heart and soul, can and will exude enough powerful energy that those that encounter it’s presence, cannot but help to be transformed and changed because of it’s undeniable force. Pure love causes a peace, joy, and serenity in the soul, and shines a light so bright that one cannot help but to surrender in it’s awe and bountiful beauty.

You as a creation of the divine dwell in the magnificence of “love” everydayof your life. Are you aware of its power to move through you and as you? Choose today to open your heart, mind, and soul to yield to the brilliance of love.

Can you believe that 2012 is nearly coming to a close and 2013 is right around the corner?! This year has been filled with many unexpected blessings and challenges. On a personal level, my family experienced tremendous heartache and tremendous joy this year. One of my close family members was diagnosed with a very rare cancer, another close family member passed, and my sisters welcomed two new little blessings into the world.  If we were to include the natural events that have rocked many parts of the country, Hurricane Sandy to name one, you would agree that something is calling for us to wake up. With everything that has happened, and everything that is to come, now more than ever, we are called to “be” at a higher level of spiritual awareness than ever before. How can we ever go back to business as usual?  Personally, I had to take a moment, dig deep, and truly ask myself, is it possible to operate as “business as usual”? It would be careless of me to tell you that I had an epiphany, and now I live in the back woods of some remote island. Nope, that is definitely not it. However, I can firmly say that is not the reason why God placed in me to create LIB or even put us here! We desire more and we want the same for you! If we just listen, and adhere to the messages of God and the holy spirit, the picture will become clear, and the message will be strong. We need to take a moment, free from the outside noise of this world, and remember the innate reason why God has placed us in the world. Sometimes, we can get so caught up in doing, that we simply forget to “be”.  Unexpected blessings come and shower us with love, while unexpected challenges, rock us, wake us up, and jolt us to take action. Have you ever experienced an unexpected blessing that shocked you to the core? Well, that is another story for another time! However, you decide whether to let these blessings or challenges move your spirit, heart, and mind, into action. It is up to you!   

Who and what defines normal? An even better question is what exactly does it mean to be “normal”? Webster’s dictionary defines normal as “conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal”. Let’s say a young woman, scholar, decides that instead of accepting a full scholarship to school, she decides to follow in her Grandfather’s footsteps and live in the Himalayas for 2 years, trekking and exploring the land, and world around her. A few blocks away, a young woman decides to pursue a career in architectural design, never marry, but adopt children. A few more blocks down the road, a young man decides that right after college, he and his longtime girlfriend will get married, have 2 kids, and live in a house with a white picket fence in the suburbs of Saddle River, NJ. Is any one of these individuals less normal than the other? Is it considered normal for a man to stay home with the children and his wife go off to work? Is it normal for two people to be married but live in two different households? Is it normal to pray to God, Krishna, or Allah? Is it normal to be born with red hair or black? Is it normal for a woman to love sex more than a man? Is it normal to have the desire to live life with full abundance or endure life and suffer in hopes of “promise” on the other side? Who and what defines normal for you? Does society define it? I will be the first to say that I am far from normal. When I was a kid, I was perceived as a bit “abnormal” because I was “non-talkative” and very shy. Fast forward to my adulthood, I could be considered somewhat “abnormal” for some of the wacky things that I have said, done, and believe. However, that is not for you to decide, it is for me to decide. Normal can only be defined by “You”. Think about it, social norms” can be defined as a “pattern of behavior, in a particular group, community, or culture, accepted as normal and to which an individual is accepted to conform”. So in essence, if everyone is doing the same thing, acting the same way, believing the same thing, and skipping to the same tune, society will consider you “normal” or lack of a better word “a robot”.  Would you rather be considered “normal” just to be “accepted” in society or would you rather express yourself fully and be comfortable with who you are as a person. I choose the latter, what about you?

“The possibility of stepping into a higher plane is quite real for everyone. It requires no force or effort or sacrifice. It involves little more than changing our ideas about what is normal.” Deepak Chopra

“Normal is not something to aspire to, it is something to get away from” Jodie Foster

Are you willing to make the commitment to change, and do what is necessary to be the person God has ordained you to be, live the life you were created to live, and be the blessing that you are to this world at this very moment in time? This is a very powerful question that each and every person must be willing to ask themselves and be courageous enough to answer it with an open heart and truthfully. After all, only you, the Holy Spirit, and God will know the answer. Life is full of the “known” and “unknown” and to be willing to show up fully for yourself and for others is living life with an open heart, giving spirit, and willing soul. When your mind, body, and spirit answer “Yes, I am willing!” it is an expression to the cosmic world and universe that you are “here”, “willing” and you are “present”. To be willing is to experience the good, bad, and ugly of life. However, when we open our heart and mind with a resounding “Yes!” we experience life on a deeper, fuller level. Be willing to say “yes” to life and simply be willing.

TIDBIT 1

“God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;…. 
–Reinhold Niebuhr”

 TIDBIT 2 

 ” Change is the essence of life.Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.“

Where do I begin to share the power of community? The power of community involves people coming together to encourage, support, and lift up one another. Growing up, I was somewhat shy, enjoyed singing, writing, and I enjoyed playing basketball. As I got into my teenage years, the idea of sweating did not appeal to me, so I pretty much hung up the idea of any type of physical activity. At any rate, it was not until I had my second child that I decided I better hit the gym to 1) Decrease my chances of getting post-partum depression and 2) lose the baby fat. Plus, I wanted to feel better about myself. It was around this time, I joined then “Womenfit”, now elements, that I absolutely fell in love with the club, members, and overall environment. There is nothing more powerful, inspiring, and uplifting, than being around other women who share a common goal, which is improving their overall well-being in body and spirit. Months after joining the club, and after giving birth to my daughter,  going through a separation and divorce. This was by far the most challenging time in my life, but I got through it. It was during this time, I witnessed first-hand the power of community, and having a strong support network. I remember faithfully going to the club and working out, and being completely encouraged and supported by many of the members and instructors at the club. Two close instructors and friends, offered encouraging words and reassurances that things will get better, which they did.  Fast forward to 2012, the power of community is still at work in this place and it is absolutely amazing. I cannot express enough how much I value and appreciate the women of elements. Lastly, did i mention the club is women only? That should tell you something :-) We ROCK!   

“A healthy social life is found only, when in the mirror of each soul the whole community finds its reflection, and when in the whole community the virtue of each one is living” Rudolf Steiner

Happy Valentine’s Day! It is on days like this, I am often reminded of how very sweet and precious love is. Now, in researching the origin of Valentine’s day and how it all came about…initially Valentine’s day did not originate as a celebration of love and romanticism. Nevertheless, this Valentine’s day is recognized by many of us, as a way to show our loved ones how much we love and appreciate them. Valentine’s day is a time to not only show our loved ones, how much we love and appreciate them, but an opportunity to soak in all of the love and affection that is in the air. People seem a little sweeter, air a little lighter, and more joyful. There is something about “love” that has an amazing power and energy that resonates in each and every one of us. Love is light, joy, peace, and happiness all rolled up into one and delivered from one being to another. Love exudes gentleness, patience, and is filled with all the intangible nutrients and vitamins one could ever need and one could ever want.  When we fill ourselves with the power of love, and operate in love and in truth, there is no stopping you and if everyone operated on the same wavelength with one intention, which is to love oneself and love for others, the world would heal much quicker and we would be lifted much, much higher. Now, I say this to challenge to make every day, a celebration of love.  

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthian 13 4-7

What does it mean to have “courage” or to be “courageous”? Webster’s dictionary defines courage as being “the quality of being brave or valor” To me, courage is standing up for what you believe no matter what. To me, courage is being fearful but acting anyway and lastly courage means going against the norm of what everyone else believes is the “socially accepted” thing to do, say, or be and doing your own thing. In some way, shape, form, or fashion we choose to be courageous from the moment we wake up, until the time we fall asleep at night. The other day before I walked out of the door, the holy spirit said to me “every day you either choose to pick up your gifts and dreams or  you choose to lay them down. Which do you choose today?” I nearly fell to the ground and wept, because it touched a deep inner place in my soul that only God and I know exists. As a woman, business woman, mother, wife, nurturer, provider, and all of those wonderful roles that I play each and everyday, the very core of who I am is expressed through the gifts that flow effortlessly through me and the same is true for you. It is how God made us. The gift that God planted in us is at the very core of our being, just as a writer, writes, and a singer.. sings. Each and every person on this planet was born with a God-given gift, many if not all of us with multiple gifts, my question to you…do you choose to pick up your gift or lay it down today?