I'm writing from my August 2013 vantage point one day before what would've been my dad's 92nd birthday. Today I saw this awesome quote by Soren Kierkegaard: "To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily, not to dare is to lose oneself." I celebrate this Truth as my home church community celebrates our motto of daring to live the empowered Life. There's nothing that means more to me than living the empowered Life. To do otherwise is to die while I'm still alive and as I've said countless times before that is something I will never, never do!!!!!!!!! It's not living!!!!!!!!!!!! It's a living death!!!!!!!!!!

I can't help but laugh as I contemplate what smokin' hot weather Mother Nature might be cookin' up for us. I also can't help but know what smokin' hot tempers flare in those who remain bitterly disempowered and disconnected from their true Greatness. It takes so much Courage to disregard the negative messages we have mistakenly taken in as our Identity and to align instead with our true Greatness as we allow room for the true Voice of Inspiration to inspire and fire us into our true Identity. That is the heretic hero journey of any Lifetime. It's worth every moment of the Energy it takes to walk into this true Beloved Reality. Are you ready? I hope so. Be aware that those who don't have the Courage will slam you every step of the way. They're so miserable they can't stand to see you happy. The mirror is too clear!!!!!

I read a fascinating article today by Dreama Vance about vegan eating and its link to living a Joy-filled Life. She's the cofounder of Spiritual Dynamics. I read their articles every day. I know this switch will take me further along the journey into my own spiritual awakening. Concurrently I had lunch yesterday with a friend who said she tries to stay away from food coloring. I saw myself saying goodbye to the peanut M&Ms I was eating. I know they're loaded with food coloring. Then today I read another article about the beautiful skin people have who are practicing the vegan lifestyle. I laugh as I realize it certainly is a conscious spiritual practice to be so mindful and careful about what I'm eating. For many years I have been primarily a vegetarian, eating mostly organically grown foods. I stopped drinking pop again several years ago. I know I will consciously make other choices and changes soon. I value being healthy and happy!!! Money means nothing without the Health and Wholeness to enjoy my Life.

Another sweet blessing of the day is an impromptu appointment that came about as I followed my Intuition and called to see if I could have an appointment today. I got my appointment at the exact time I wanted. I got there early and was in and out before my appointment time actually even started. Now I will have beautiful pictures on my website highlighting the beauty of the Sagebrush Exchange where I held my August 2013 Women's Retreat. What I love about all these examples is the Expression of Power Within. It is so different than the power over dynamic people mistakenly use thinking that will bring them any semblance of happiness, peace or power. Power over can do none of that!!!!! It only brings misery, violence and extreme loneliness and alienation. None of that is what we are truly here to experience. For so many it seems to be such a slow agonizing awakening process. I'm doing everything I know to be and do to help people understand it doesn't have to be that way!!! They can make another choice!!!!

Writing this far into the future is always an interesting process. 2013 contained many blessings and one particularly heartbreaking loss, the death of my mother. 2014 has been filled with many blessings and some heartbreaking surprises that constantly remind me how precious and fragile Life is. Change is the only guarantee! Guidance and Intuition are my constant companions. I love that Voice that guides me along the way to my very highest holiest Good. I accept the challenges along the way knowing they are meant to be blessings saying take a wider higher view of the moment. Remember my Divinity. Release any thought of smallness in myself or others. That viewpoint allows the Joy to flow immeasurably. I love the feeling of that free flowing process. It feels so Good!!!!!

On the opposite end of the Happiness spectrum is three absolutely haunting quotes I read from Dr. Brene Brown's work: "If we ever started doing busyness 12 step groups we'd be filling football stadiums. People don't want to meet up with their reality." "We are the most heavily medicated, addicted, obese, in debt we've ever been." "I'm afraid we're losing our tolerance for vulnerability." All of these statements are massive expressions of how much fear people are living from each day. On the positive end of that same cycle both Brene and Oprah said they know that their willingness to be vulnerable is directly related to their Confidence and Success. I know the Truth of that with all my heart. I absolutely know that our willingness to be vulnerable lets our Sincerity show. Sincerity is another expression of what Brene calls the Wholehearted people, those who live from Courage, Compassion and Connection, knowing they are Worthy!!!! The bottom line is we are the only ones who control what kind of Life we create for ourselves. As I've said a zillion times, "It's an inside out job." We can do it!!! It's imperative that we do it!!!

Dr. Brown's research also brings up some haunting questions and awarenesses for me. I can't help but wonder what the suicide rate is now. Recently I heard that the rate of mental illness now is the highest it's ever been! The level of violence of every kind is so obvious too. Brene and Oprah talked about the many faces of fear: rage, depression, resentment, violence, addiction, anxiety, greed, jealousy. Brene talked about the political landscape. She said, "There's no more discourse now. It's all about blame."

I also read a very fascinating article titled, "Our survival instinct is killing us." The author spoke of our lives being filled with so much comfort we're less and less tolerant of any discomfort and how our brain signals the fight or flight response over every little thing. He spoke of the antidotes being Love and Gratitude, very similar to what Brene Brown says. Interestingly, the research in Spiral Dynamics shows that we're at such an elevated level of Consciousness now it only takes 5% of the people to move the world in a very positive direction. I know so many people, known and unknown in the larger world, who are doing such awesome work creating change in the world. Each person who moves even one degree in a positive direction creates massive change in their Life over time and in the lives of the whole world. That's Quantum Reality. That's how inextricably connected we all are!!! I am constantly sending out blessings of Peace to everyone everywhere. I know it's needed. I know it's felt. Namaste to you one and all!!!!!