Author Archives: Diane Vich

    Categories Anxiety, Digestive Issues, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Stop Bloat

    The Journey to Published!

    The journey to becoming Published was not easy. It didn’t just land in my lap. The path to create this book took me 7 years. It took me a 7 years to truly learn my body and overcome my IBS. It was more than a diet change to combat the overwhelming symptoms. The process would have been so much easier if I had a coach to guide me through it. But my path was perfectly set exactly as it was because I was meant to be the person to make the difference. I was created to change the world for others around me. My pain, heartache and struggles were a necessary part of my journey. Because they made me the woman I am today. And if I wouldn’t have overcome so much, I never would have published this book. I never would have transformed my career over the past 20 years from Special Education Teacher, to Nurse, to Professor, to Health Coach, to Hypnotist and finally Author. The journey was never meant to help me figure out my health problems. It was always leading me to a better good. A deeper purpose was always in my heart but luckily for me the path also brought me an awakening of my own gifts and self-healing emerged. And in the path to self-healing and wellness, I discovered a multitude of other gifts that had been hiding. I learned that my empathy could be transformed from a curse to a gift. I learned that my love for the community and helping others was in my path. I realized my career wasn’t set in stone. I realized I could be everything I dreamed and more. And in the process this amazing course by Angela Lauria landed on my lap. She popped up on my Facebook news feed in July and I loved every minute of the course. It spoke right to my heart and everything I had always dreamed. To be an author and share my truth. I took a leap and filled out the application. The universe didn’t make that easy either. I had to fill it out twice because it disappeared before I submitted it the first time. But I persisted and completed the application again. I never thought they would pick my story to be published. But they did. And my final interview happened in August while I was on family vacation in Hawaii. And the journey began. The path was not easy and it wasn’t supposed to be. It happened exactly how it was meant to unfold. I worked everyday balancing family life, full time nursing, and writing. I woke up most days between 4am and 5am when everyone else was sound asleep. I wrote till 6 am and got the kids ready for school. Then I left home before 7 to spend the day at the hospital. And I would return home again to finish what I had started in the morning. Some days were easier than others. Some days I finished a chapter in an hour. Some days the chapters didn’t flow at all. Some days were filled with anxiety and symptoms. Some days were filled with joy and love. But even on the hard days I pushed to overcome those obstacles and challenges. I worked to create a safe space for myself that would spark my creativity again. And the creativity would reemerge. And then one day all the chapters were finally written. Some needed an overhaul but they were written. And a sense of relief came over me. I had finally expressed my story on paper with a bigger purpose. I had finally overcome that fear of being seen and heard. That fear that had held me back this last year of evolution. I was finally on the path to my dreams. And it all started with a class about writing my book. This week has been amazing and stressful all in one bundle. Finally being a Published author can be checked off my list. But the path to help others truly transform their health and lives is just beginning to unfold. And yesterday was the hardest day of all. The day when all those pesky fears popped back into my mind. The fear of being seen and being heard. The fear of having it all reemerged in the middle of class. And tears began to roll down my face. In that moment I realized exactly who had made this all possible for me. But the emotions had never truly hit me until that moment. I wrote about him in the book but the tears had never flowed. I’ve told the story countless times but never really felt the emotions. My Angel that made all of this possible was a close friend and my own gastroenterologist, Dr. Angel Veloso. He told me 7 years ago that I needed to change or I was going to die. He told me Nursing was killing me and I needed a break. And if he wouldn’t have pushed me to leave the bedside I wouldn’t be here today. And that is why the tears ran down my face yesterday. The tears that not many saw. They all did notice my smile was not the same. My cheery upbeat attitude was hiding underneath. It was hard for me to speak to anyone when we went on break. I had to process all those emotions. I had to truly release those beliefs that triggered those feelings. And I did just that. I prayed, meditated and relaxed in the meditation room. I felt much more relaxed and centered. My fears were slowly drifting away. And then something was calling me back to the classroom. So I prayed and meditated some more in front of the giant crystalline stone. And suddenly I felt everything come back to place. I was my happy, energized and motivated self again. And I was thankful that the very person that opened this path for me was proud that I was on this journey. I had told him weeks ago about the book. And he was excited that I was going to help others with my story. And finally my inner strength and resilience reemerged to plan the path for the next year. I realize now the true potential within me that has unveiled. I finally see that I can truly help people thrive in life. And it all starts with the gut. So my path is set, my year is planned and my next journey is unfolding. The question I have for you is… Do you know someone that suffers from IBS and digestive issues? Do you have digestive issues or IBS? Are you willing to share your story to help me collect case studies for the book? Are you available for a call that could change your future? Do you want to eliminate the symptoms of IBS? Do you know someone that is overwhelmed and desperate for a solution to their symptoms? Then share this article with them. And if it is you than schedule a call. If you have IBS and are suffering with symptoms all the time. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Let’s chat….

    Categories ADHD, Advice, Anxiety, brain disorders, Empath, fatigue, Health, kids, Mommy

    Sensory Overload

    What is sensory overload? It occurs when input bombards your senses from all directions.  This is exactly what happens when you receive stimuli in all 5 senses simultaneously.  It can happen in loud parties, conferences, schools, public places, work, events, etc.  Many events and public venues create this feeling of increased stress due to the magnitude of sensory assaults that are emitted from equipment or people.  These constant and repetitive sensations trigger a reaction in the body.  It is the flight or flighty response.  You know the fear of the situation takes over, all your stress hormones turn on and you can fight back or run.  You can either be stuck in the moment and allow the stress to build until you explode.  Or you can step away and relax your senses.  We are all impacted by noises, visuals and sensory stimuli but some have a significantly more potent experience.  And for those that are anxious like me, sensory overload can be overpowering and exhausting.  That’s right.  It is exhaustingly depleting your energy every moment you stay stuck in that uncomfortable situation.  And if the stress left unaddressed it accumulates in the body creating a sense of panic.  That is why children and adults exhibit feelings of anger or frustration when sensitivities accumulate resulting in a reaction of some sort or a tantrum.  A child might have a tantrum or cry during fireworks.  A teen might get in a fight or scream at someone in a loud concert.  And an adult might have an argument during a music festival.   Of course there are unlimited possibilities and unlimited scenarios.   But I’m all about positive solutions for the life we live in the environment around us.  Helping others finding the mental wellness they desire through simple modifications in their daily lives.

    So let’s get back to overstimulation in public venus.  In public events there are often many groups of people talking, kids laughing, babies screaming, overhead lights, flashing lights, loud music, etc.  It feels like an overwhelming assault on your senses and it happens every second.  You might be engaged in a conversation but all the stimulation keeps distracting you.  Its difficult to speak or understand everything.  If you are trying to do something on your phone, its 10 times harder to concentrate.  Any task or action you need to perform becomes excruciatingly difficult.  Every second builds into minutes and hours of stimulation entering your 5 senses.  And after many hours your body is completely drained and devastated.  I bet you know someone who is highly sensitive.  They may have an official diagnosis or medical condition.  If you know someone you feel in your gut or body when you imagine them.  The diagnosis or condition doesn’t matter.  It is just a name given to a condition that is covered by an insurance.  Its a name for something that will helps you acquire treatments or services.  But this is simply about understanding your body and taking ACTION to help yourself relax.  I am talking recognizing the symptoms or pain your body send you.  It is about Recognizing the triggers that cause you to experience the stress in your body.  If you can picture a friend who is always sick or has a headache.  A friend who always has a stomach ache or pain.  Or maybe its you.  Maybe you always have this creeping pressure in your chest.  Or your stomach feels like you swallowed a basketball.   Take a moment to think about the last time you felt that way.  What where you doing?  Where were you?  What did you feel in your body?  How did you feel in that place?  What emotion comes to mind.

    Ok so now that you have a better idea if you are sensitive or you know someone who is sensitive let’s take a deeper look.  Highly sensitive individuals include but are not limited to those diagnosed with a conditions like Autism, Seizure Disorders, ADHD, Multiple Sclerosis, PTSD, Anxiety and Mental health issues.  It is prevalent in all ages (infants, children, teens and adults).

    Here are some possible examples:

    • A child that is very spacey and distracted.  They appear to be in another world many times a day.
    • A friend that keeps fidgeting and looking at their watch during your conversation.
    • A coworker that loses eye contact during conversation and is looking at everyone in the room instead.
    • An infant that is unconsolable and crying in her mother’s arms.
    • A friend that screams at you during a normal conversation for no apparent reason.
    • A child that hides in a tent during fireworks.
    • A person that is pacing back and forth.

    Some symptoms of sensory overload: difficulty focusing, irritability, restlessness, urge to cover your ears, urge to shield your eyes from light,  feeling overly excited, feeling anxious (fearful or stressed) and feeling sensitive to things rubbing against your skin (textures, fabrics, clothing tags and nails).  Some symptoms may be even more confusing than you thought.  I experienced sensory overload after attending a child’s party.  The event was in a loud party venue (loud music, bright colors, kids, laughing, kids screaming, bright lights and tons of talking).  As the time passed I felt more tired and drained.  By the end of the event I was in such exhaustion that I needed a nap.  Napping is not my typical routine.  I usually have more than enough energy to complete my day.  I might need an afternoon meditation but a nap usually won’t happen.  Years ago I was exhausted like this every day.  I had chronic fatigue and realize now that sensory overload was a huge part of this.  So I returned home after the party tried a meditation but was still exhausted.  And I cuddled up into my sheets to sleep for 1.5 hours.  I woke up did another meditation and finally felt vibrant again.  Interestingly my son exhibits symptoms of sensory overload too.   But his energy was not impacted in the same way mine was.  He actually developed a headache.   After all the stimulation was over and it was time for bed, his head was pounding.  I’ve been learning his symptoms along with mine for several months now.  Becoming aware of your symptoms takes some effort.  And observing your child is important to understand their symptoms.  It is also important to ask them questions about their day and how they feel.  Its important to help your child deal with sensory overload.  It also helps you develop strategies to reduce sensory overload regularly.  And have a plan in place for full fledged sensory exhaustion.

    Our nervous system has two important parts that need to work together to establish balance: the sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic nervous system is involved in activities of wakefulness and alertness.  The sympathetic nervous system is involved in the fight or flight response.  This response helps us defend ourself during dangerous situations.  Dysfunction of the sympathetic nervous system results in nervousness, stress, and anxiety.  The parasympathetic nervous system is involved  in our restful activities like sleep and digestion.   It promotes healing, regeneration, nourishment and elimination.  Activating this system in your body is essential to reduce stress, sensory overload, and anxiety.  Dysfunction of the parasympathetic system appears in symptoms of lethargy and fatigue.  If the body is unable to calm and rebalance in response to these changes causes oxidative stress in the body. A prolonged stress response leads to stress on the adrenal glands and immune system.  The prolonged stress response begins to exhibit symptoms and eventually illness in the body.

    As an empath, I realize there are many people that experience this deep inner sense of stress.  And these people experience it like me, every moment, in every second, in every activity.   But I hadn’t realized its impact on the body until recently.  It is so overwhelming that symptoms arise quickly.  The stress builds and symptoms accumulate over time.  I’ve noticed the prevalence of children exhibiting symptoms of pain or digestive issues is a growing trend.  I was the same as many of the patients coming through the hospitals regularly.  Children with inexplicable symptoms and negative lab results.  Test after test just leads to no answers or solution for your child.  So what if we decide to take a step back and observe.  Taking time to understand your child a little closer and observing the symptoms that arise.  Here are some common symptoms of sensory overload.  And I also have some relaxation techniques to help your child calm their senses.  But there are plenty more strategies that help calm the nervous system.   And everyone is different, so its imperative to create an individualized routine for yourself or your child.  The routine should be based on the individuals needs and preferences.

    Symptoms of a Child with Sensory overload:

    • Tantrum
    • Throwing things
    • Kicking
    • Screaming
    • Zoning out/Day dreaming
    • Cover their eyes or ears
    • Shift in mood

    And there are scientific methods of reducing this overload in yourself and your children.

    Strategies to avoid sensory overload:

    • Plan to leave events early from parties- have an exit strategy and take breaks
    • Shopping- Plan, write a list and prepare before you enter the store.  Being prepared will enable you to gather everything you need and exit the store quickly thus reducing the impact of sensory overload.
    • Learn your triggers and those of your child – It will help you plan for new events and have methods at hand to reduce symptoms.

    5 Ways to Calm your Child’s senses:

    • Guide your child to relax with visual imagery and story telling
    • Relax outside in Nature
    • Cuddle and watch a relaxing nature show
    • Blow bubbles
    • Noise cancelling headphones with peaceful nature sounds

    If you want to learn more ways to help your child with special needs.  Then stay tuned for events and webinars coming soon.  I will be presenting soon at Miami Family Friendly Hands in October.   I will be discussing sensory overload and its impact on children and adults with disabilities.

    Categories Anxiety, Chronic Pain, Emotional pain, Empath, Empathy, fatigue, Fear, flare up, Fulfillment, Health, hope, Human Needs, motivation, Physical Pain, positivity, self-actualization, Self-doubt, Speak your mind

    An Empathic Awekening

    What is empathy?  Empathy is a sense of understanding the feelings and experiences of another person.   Many of us are empathetic towards our friends, coworkers or family members experiences.  And we have some form of empathy this sense of every day in conversations or communication with others.  We may even experience empathy watching a movie, TV show or listening to a song.  There are many unique individuals that choose to live a life of empathy and service to others.  Those special individuals live a life of service in one form or another to better the lives of the world around them.  They often choose their profession because of their high sense of empathy and compassion towards others.  These loving individuals in the health care or service profession experience more empathic situations than others do because of their work environment.  For example, my profession healthcare (nurses, doctors, EMT, Medical Assistants, Fire fighters, etc.) experience much more empathy because their career choice is founded on helping others.  Every day they care for patients facing health challenges and they serve them in their role.  Each of their patients is facing unique experiences that involve some form of physical or emotional pain.  The healthcare workers role is empathic in and of itself, simply by their conscious decision to help others.  Many health care workers may experience added stress or health issues because of their career choice and the way they process these experiences.

    And yet there are still people that experience an extreme sense of empathy.  This highly exclusive gift is almost impossible for others to understand.  They experience empathy at a cellular level throughout their entire body.  You can’t imagine feeling this form of empathy unless you experience it first-hand.  Those enlightened individuals are empath’s and they feel exponentially more than everyone around them.  Empath’s are individuals with a gift of hypersensitivity.  Some may call it a curse but I call it a gift.  Of course to reach this point of awareness and acceptance was quite a journey for me and those around me.   Empath’s are hypersensitive to the feelings, thoughts, pains and emotions of others.  That little fact was even hard for me to understand even-though I had an intuitive feeling lingering in my mind for a long time.  The interesting fact is that many empaths (hypersensitive people) don’t even realize the extent of their empathy or the toll it can take on their own health.  For instance my career paths have always lead me to a trajectory of caring for others in various roles and environments.  My careers gradually transitioned and transformed from one career into the next in the service realm.   Every career choice was a compassionate one: Special Education Teacher, Nursing Assistant, Registered Nurse, Health Coach, Hypnotist and now Transformational Author.  These are all careers based on supporting the community by nurturing, caring, and loving others.  All of these career choices were based on love and a hope to make a difference.  They were each an opportunity to improve the lives of those around me.  I acknowledged my empath gift a few years ago but didn’t understand its true impact.  I had NO idea the significant role it played in my own emotional and physical wellbeing.  I had seen a rollercoaster decline in my health and happiness but had no idea my empathic gift was the culprit.  And truly it wasn’t the culprit at ALL now that I understand my gift.  The cause of my health decline was my lack of understanding and preparation to live with my special gift.  After all we may be born empathic but the cultivation of a deep connection with Your Inner Strength takes time.  It was my lack of knowledge that caused me to fail at meeting my own basic human needs.  It was a lack of self-loving, self-care practices that was my downfall.  It was my lack of knowledge about self-protection that truly opened my eyes.

    Imagine a person that is so open and willing to help others every second of everyday.  They are so willing that they do this subconsciously all day long, 365 days a year, over and over again.  And I mean in the moment and every moment.  It could be a text message, phone call, face to face conversation or care-giver relationship.  You name the situation and my body was ready to tackle it. And I had no idea it was happening for almost 38 years.  I was effortlessly absorbing feelings, thoughts, emotions, pain and experiences of those around me.   I absolutely mean absorb because that is what empaths do.    And that is exactly what I used to do every day.  I was completely oblivious and unaware it was happening.  I did it with patients, complete stranger, friends, family members, co-worker, etc. It didn’t matter who it was if they were in pain I was ready to fix them or give them a little relief.  The true awakening began when I noticed TV shows and movies triggered intense feelings.

    Hypersensitive people are extremely sensitive to the energetic vibrations, emotions, thoughts and feelings of others.  This weird phenomena can actually allow them to absorb the feelings, thoughts and emotions of others into their bodies.  I know it sounds crazy because until I experienced it for myself I thought it was a crazy too.  Then I started to feel intense emotions during movies and TV shows.  The most significant experiences I had were watching Game of Thrones or other violent shows.  And the most traumatic scenes in the first few episodes of Game of Thrones were the hardest for me to handle. I could feel the good, the bad and the ugly.  I could feel everything as if it was happening to me.  I could see the pain in Kalisi’s eyes as her new husband raped her.  I could feel her pain when her brother treated her like garbage.  It wasn’t always negative or bad.  I felt the good ones too.  I could feel her love transform into something new for her husband.  And when I say feel, I mean my heart would race, my blood would boil, the emotions would pop into my head and fill my entire body. I could feel her fear; her shame and it took a lot of work to be able to watch the few episodes that I did.  We tried to watch it years ago but it was too violent and at that point I hadn’t established a self-love routine.  This past year we tried to watch it again and every time those rough and tough emotions came up I practiced my own routine on the couch amidst the chaotic show.  Yep, I changed my breathing pattern, I chanted affirmations in my mind, I practiced my stretching and relaxation techniques to release those emotions that had entered me.  It was an exhausting process and eventually we stopped watching the show.  I truly thought it was an amazing show but it was a lot of work to stay relaxed and calm because I hadn’t learned how to protect myself yet.

    After this phenomena, I was more aware of feelings and emotions in my body.  I started to feel weird sensations in my body during conversations with friends, coworkers and family members.  I began experiencing pain in areas that had been pain free for years.  Random pains would emerge once again.  Sometimes the pain would vanish after some self-love routines and others would last for days or even weeks.  You see I still hadn’t learned a crucial element to prevent or limit this phenomenon.  And truly this little crucial element is beneficial to everyone not only empaths because it promotes your own resiliency by building your own inner strength.

    Have you ever had a conversation and suddenly your head hurts?  Or Your shoulders tense up?  or  You get a sharp pain in your stomach?  Once, I started to put things together and realize this was my reality I began to ask myself questions.  Why does my back hurt?  What is the message my body is sending?  Suddenly, I started to ask myself a lot of questions.  This little practice began several months ago.  I began to see patterns with friends, family and strangers.  I realized that many pains that arouse in my body were not mine: back pain, shoulder pain or headache.  I’m not sure if they experienced any relief but suddenly after the conversation ended, I had their pain too.  Some might say its psychological, you are imagining it but I wasn’t.  They didn’t tell me they were in pain, I wasn’t assessing them as a nurse does, yet boom it came.  Then later on in the day they would mention they had a headache or their right shoulder hurt and it confirmed what my intuition had already told me.  And when I say I had pain I mean it.  My muscles were tight and tender, I was less flexible.  My muscles would making popping and snapping noises and activities became harder to perform.   Let’s just say the things I had worked so hard to relieve started pilling back up again.  My arm pain or back pain would be debilitating once again.

    It would happen suddenly in the middle of a conversation, my neck suddenly tightened and tensed up causing a radiating pain.  Then I would take some time to meditate, breath and relax.  I would ask myself.  Is this my pain mine or someone else’s? Boom, a name would pop into my head.  Then I would think about the conversation and any visual cues I had received.  Maybe the person was rubbing their neck or told me they had a headache.  I usually didn’t know they were in pain during the conversation.  Mysteriously symptoms would arise all the time out of absolutely thin air.  It helped me understand a little more why working bedside in the Pediatric Emergency Room was so difficult for me.  Being such a loving person and trying to heal the pain of those beautiful little children had eventually taken a toll so huge that I had to leave them behind.   But I hadn’t figured this out until now.   And I left bedside nursing more than 9 years ago because I left when my oldest was little.  You see I have been taking care of myself for years already and my chronic pain is pretty much non-existent.  I literally had to give up bedside care because my body couldn’t take it and my doctor was worried I was going to die if it continued.  Fast forward to this year, I am aware that I can feel these intense emotions and am creating a routine to relax and calm but I’m still missing a key element protection.  I get flare ups here and there but the extent of my pain is never close to what it was 6 or 7 years ago.  Then I travel to Hawaii with my family.  People that I love more than anything in the world.  People that I would give my life for and obviously if I absorb the pain of strangers my body was open and ready to take on their pain too.  Traveling in a group is always stressful.  We all know that it’s hard to please everyone and I always try to please everyone.  So I did, I used my ho’oponopono and my self-loving practices blessing everyone in my family.  I blessed them all every single one of them all day long.  If there was a family argument I blessed them.  If the kids were fighting I blessed them.  If we couldn’t agree on a tour, I blessed them.  If we were in a car for a long time and tension was running high, I blessed them.  I thought I was helping myself in the process that the blessings would help me remain peaceful, calm and protected.  They helped me stay peaceful and calm but I definitely wasn’t protected.  Each day I was exhausted and drained.  I would fall asleep early and wake up exhausted.  I didn’t realize I was missing some crucial steps in my process until I returned from Hawaii and read a book that arrived as a gift from my Publisher. Ramses Rodriguez’s book “Stop Pressing Your Own Panic Button” opened my eyes to my gift.  It also brought to light a doctor that has my special gift.  She has dedicated her career to help people understand their gift and protect themselves. Dr. Judith Orloff wrote the “The Empath’s Survival Guide” really opened my eyes.  I began to listen to her book on audible and them progressed to purchasing her program for additional insight.  And suddenly it all made sense, the exhaustion and the desire to rush home early from Paradise.  By the end of my trip to Hawaii, I was exhausted, drained and overwhelmed.  The lack of protection for myself caused me to feel completely overwhelmed and snappy.  I was snapping at people, grumpy and making hasty decisions because I just couldn’t take any more stress.  I had spent the entire trip blessing everyone around me and had lost myself.  I had lost my happy, positive attitude and upbeat personality.  I was at complete exhaustion and the only thing I could think about was getting home.  I still oblivious of my true gifts and the impact it was having on my own health.  I hadn’t developed a protection routine for myself because I didn’t know I needed one.  I was still taking on the emotions, thoughts, pains and energies of everyone around me even though I didn’t want to. And thus my Empath awakening happened. It has been a few weeks since we returned from that spectacular trip that enlightened me to the true powers of my gifts.  It also helped me realize the importance of creating a routine for myself that truly gave me resilience and happiness.  The funny thing I learned along the way is these little routines that I have are not only beneficial to me but everyone around me.  This week a course came into my email at Baptist called “Highly Resilient Nurses” that cemented this little fact in my mind.  The course spoke of some of the practices I have developed for myself over the past few years.  My practice is still significantly different than anything I have encountered out in the world.  But I realize now that I am on the right path and that Hawaii was the trip that brought my true awakening to light.  After all we all need to fall to stand up again.  We all need to crawl to walk.  We all need to hurt to heal.  So now it’s time to write the Transformation book I was born to write.

     

    So Here is a little gift.  I created it for all those empath’s out there.  Those Special people like me that feel more than the rest.  Those people that have a unique gift and were born to help the world around them.  And maybe even live in the health care world like I do.  Take time for yourself to listen and relax before you begin your day.  Create a sense of protection for yourself every morning.  This practice of self-love will make your day Fabulous.  Blessings and Joy to all of you. Click the image below to list to the Meditation.

    Morning Meditation
    Empathic Awakening
    Categories Fear, Fulfillment, kids, motivation, self-actualization

    Rappel Adventure

    The best day in Hawaii was definitely our Rappel day in Maui.  It was our only alone time together during our family vacation.  We spent the day laughing and pushing our limits in the Forest.  It was a very peaceful day with the boys.  By far this quiet and adventurous day in Maui was a bonding experience for all of us.  It was just us and two other guests on the tour that day.  The Rappel venue was in a picturesque and peaceful landscape in Maui.  It was a an amazing picturesque drive through the windy two lane highway up the mountain coast towards Hana.  We enjoyed ourselves learning about the history of Maui during the car ride up to the venue.  The road was impressive with only two lanes following the twists and turns of the mountain side.  The views were spectacular with beautiful scenery all the way to the Rappel site.  We enjoyed the conversations and adventures with our tour guides and fellow guests.  This spectacular adventure with Rappel Maui was an enlightening experience.  It was a quiet day of bonding and adventure for our little family.  We enjoyed quiet time in the lush landscapes of Maui.  Kate and Chris were very knowledgeable and experienced tour guides.  We felt safe the entire time we walked through the forest and Rappel down the waterfalls.  Lucas is a rock climber here in Miami and the Rappel tour was an adventure aligned with his passion.  Gabriel enjoyed the experience too.  It wasn’t any easy task to maneuver.  It tests you physically and mentally to put all your trust your skills in such an intense environment.  I have never tried an adventure like this before.  I rock climb occasionally in Miami but it isn’t the easiest task for me.  It can be scary to trust the safety equipment and let go of your fears.  Standing at the top of the cliffs is an enlightening and scary experience.  Standing at the edge of the cliff looking down tests your mind and body.   Fear can easily set in if you allow it to take over.  Thankfully my sense of adventure and resilience kept me calm and relaxed.   I was excited to push my own limits because the old me never would have been able to accomplish this physically and mentally intense adventure.  The old me never would have attempted such a challenging tour because chronic pain and illness had left me with limited strength and physical abilities.  I knew this tour was a test of my physical and mental resilience from the moment I booked it.  I worked hard to regain my physical strength over the past 6 years to push my limits in Hawaii.  Before the first climb I was talking to Luis one of the guests about the significance of this tour for me.  I told him the old me 6 years ago would never have been able to physically deal with the challenges of this tour.  I worked hard to regain my mobility, flexibility and overcome my chronic pain.  It was a huge accomplishment in my life and this tour was truly going to tackle those last little fears I was holding.  Hawaii had a bunch of adventurous tours and my journey had brought me here to finally prove to my subconscious that I am strong, powerful and ready for anything. I was truly ready for it all.  Ready to tackle the physical and mental tasks the tour would bring.  The first fear was trusting the equipment and allowing myself to lean into it.  My first Rappel landed me on my stomach on a cushion as I mastered this little task.  But I got up quickly and climbed down ready to tackle the waterfalls.  The equipment was all set up and everyone was securely tied throughout our walk and Rappel through the forest.  When we arrived at the first waterfall things really started to get real.  It was a spectacular view of the forest and top of the waterfall.  We each took our turns slowly Rappelling down the cliff.  I was super calm and relaxed as I watched Gabriel begin his first waterfall.  I didn’t expect what happened next but I knew that he was safe.  I also knew that I was strong and capable of keeping calm and relaxed through it all.  Gabriel slipped at the top of the waterfall briefly.  He was tied up laying on top of the waterfall with his feet dangling of the cliffs edge.  I knew the equipment was safe and secure.  Chris was next to him the entire time talking and guiding him through it.  I trusted his expertise to get Gabriel (my baby) out of his predicament.  None the less it was still a scary experience watching Gabriel dangle at the edge of the waterfall.  I took a deep breath and focused on my inner calm as I watched Gabriel get back up and secure his stance again.  I continued to breath as he Rappelled down the waterfall.  My heart was racing as I watched Gabriel regain his footing and push his limits safely down the cliff.  I kept myself calm and centered through the experience but I’m sure the fear was evident in my face.  Once he was safely at the bottom it was time for Lucas to follow in his path.  My little Lucas had waited months for this little adventure.  I could see the excitement in his eyes as he began his descent down the waterfall.  He is a tiny little guy but strong and adventurous.  He enjoyed every moment of the tour to the fullest.  It was equally scary watching my little bundle of joy Rappel down the mountain but he did it effortlessly with a huge smile.  Then it was my turn.  It was time to test my physical and mental resilience to the fullest.  My first cliff Rappel experience wasn’t easy but I was determined to go down the waterfall safely and efficiently.  I used my own breathing and centering techniques while I pushed my physical limits.  I slowly and meticulously pushed my butt back secured my stance and climbed slowly down the watery rocks.  It was intense and I didn’t want to look down.  Looking up at the photographer was scary too but I rocked it!!! The tour guides actually told me that I smoothly Rappelled down the waterfalls better than the boys did.  Kate and Chris could hear my breathing and told me they liked it.  I was actually using self-hypnosis, positive self-talk and breath work throughout the whole descent down the cliff.  I’ve become comfortable with my weird breathing patterns and don’t worry what others think about it.  It didn’t matter to me if others were listening or thought I was weird.  The slow deep breaths kept me focused and calm during the adventurous tour.  I used different techniques throughout the day.  Sometimes people can notice and sometimes they can’t. I’ve learned to honor the way I feel and do what I need regardless of the views the world may have of me.  Honestly most of the time people don’t notice or care much about what you do.  We tend to worry about these things excessively for no reason.  It was a spectacular day immersed in the forest of Maui.  We enjoyed the peace and quiet as we watched each other Rappel.  We jumped into the cool spring water after each waterfall.  The boys saw crayfish and shrimp in the water pools.  It was by far the best day in Hawaii.  We experienced thrills and excitement while be bonded together.  It was amazing to spend a quiet day alone in nature with my boys.  I will remember Maui forever.

     

    Categories Advice, Anxiety, freedom, Health, hope, positivity, self-actualization, Self-doubt

    Fight the Fear

    Fighting your fears is definitely a life changing experience.  I never thought I would be where I am today.  This past year has been an enlightening and nurturing experience.  We all have fears in our lives.  The biggest problem with fears happens when they overwhelm us and hold us back in life.  If we let the fears win then we don’t get to live the life we deserve.  Letting our fears get the better of us causes us to let our dreams dwindle away.  Thankfully I didn’t let that happen. Fighting my fears has been an uphill battle and the ultimate learning experience.  Learning my triggers and challenges through awareness has been an enlightening experience.  Tackling your fears is a slow process but worth every moment.  We need to start with the fears that impact us in our daily lives and progressively work up to the really difficult ones.  We face fears everyday during our regular life experience.  They can come up during conversations, work, daily life, music, television and even social media.  I started with little fears that were impacting my creativity and voice.  Its hard for many to believe that I had a fear of creating videos, public speaking and writing.  I was able to tackle my fears by reframing the subconscious blocks in my mind that made me believe I wasn’t worthy of achieving my dreams.  I learned to develop strategies to cope with the stressful physical response fears created in my body.  Over time I learned exactly what helped me relax, unwind and connect with my inner sense of calm.  Everyone has their own unique interests and coping mechanisms to deal with stress.  We don’t always know the techniques that work until we begin to invest in ourselves and find strategies that are proven to work to relieve stress.  Over time I developed my proactive approach to stress management which brought me my sense of happiness and joy.  The interesting thing that happens when you begin to unravel your fears is you true path in life emerges.  When you clean away the debris stress leaves behind inside our bodies it uncovers your passions and desires.  The path to emergence creates a proactive approach to overcome obstacles and challenges.  Developing this proactive approach which I now call my happiness framework took me almost a year to solidify and reinforce.  The interesting fact that emerged this week is that everything I have done to tackle the little things actually works for the big fears.  As I thought back to my past experiences with travel and airplanes I realize that fear used to shut me down in life.  I used to need a prescription to deal with the stress of travel and the anxiety that built when I felt confined in an airplane.  I remember my last long flight to Europe wasn’t an easy task and the only reason I was able to deal with it was because I had Celexa and Ativan on hand.  I am so thankful that I found my way out of the prescription patch up and developed a true proactive approach to deal with my stress.  I was a completely different person on the flight to Hawaii.  This was by far the longest flight I have ever taken.   Two separate flights lasting about 11 hours total.  The true test of my happiness framework came during the 8 hour flight to Honolulu.  Not only was I on a huge plane for 8 hours the seating arrangements were less than idea.  I was traveling with my boys but we were separated by strangers.  I was too far away to speak to them but close enough to see them.  It was impossible to get their attention to ask a question or to get something from them.  You see I was stuck in the center seat between two complete strangers.  And they were also stuck in two center seats between two strangers.  The old me would have been overwhelmed and panicked by this situation.  Instead I used everything that I new worked for me to connect with my inner calm and relaxation.  I listened to meditations and hypnosis sessions focused on empowerment, true purpose, wealth and abundance.  I glanced at my boys during the flight and filed with happiness at the peace and calm that they were experiencing.  I calmly closed my eyes and focused on centering myself through breathing and feeling.  Any emotions that came up during that long flight were washed away quickly allowing the sense of calm to grow.  When I was tired of relaxing I played tetris and listened to my dance album.  The old me would have been worried about what others thought of me and what I was doing but I truly didn’t care.  At times a song would come up that made me want to dance and I did.  Granted I was still stuck is a chair between two people but I wiggled and moves my arms in that tiny space jamming to the beat.  Sometimes I was so entranced in the song that I would close my eyes and jam even deeper.  I’m sure people walked by and thought I was a little strange but I didn’t care.  I didn’t care because I’ve learned and weird is a good thing.  I’ve learned that being myself is empowering and that no one can take that from me.  I’ve learned that the only person that needs to feel comfortable with it is me.  In a long day like this one tons of emotions came up but I let them flow easily and effortlessly.  Experiences from your past will pop into your head at any time and any situation but allowing yourself to feel centered and calm releases their hold on you.  When things would pop up I used Ho’oponopono, stretching and self-hypnosis to release them.  This unique proactive approach kept me feeling serene in a less than ideal situation.  I would normally have been pacing up and down the isle or worried about my kids but I felt completely aligned, safe and relaxed.  The flight was long and exhausting but fear didn’t get in my way.  It was truly an empowering experience to see that everything I had put into place for myself over the past year was exactly what I needed.  There was no longer a need for prescriptions to fog my brain or hide my experiences.  I am thankful for the journey to enlightenment because it truly set me FREE to live the life I desired and dreamed.  I am thankful that I can use everything I’ve learned to help others find their peace and calm.  It truly is a beautiful day.  I may be exhausted and unsure of the time but I know that my peace and calm is here to stay.  So if you want to connect with your sense of calm and inner strenght, check out my Facebook Group: Unleash Your Inner Strength today. I will begin posting videos today from Hawaii.  There will be some videos on You-tube as well but the bulk of the content will only be in Facebook.  I invite you to connect with your sense of calm in any situation.  You are powerful and resilient too.  It just takes a little guidance and support to get you feeling centered again.

    Categories Fulfillment, Human Needs, motivation, self-actualization

    Happiness is Achievable…

    Happiness is achievable in Life.  It is possible to Thrive and Feel Amazing in your daily life.  The path to Happiness starts with our basic human needs.  I’m sure your remember Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs.  We learned this little concept over and over again throughout our Educational lives.  But did you really take time to think about it.  Are you meeting all of your needs for Self-Actualization?  Probably not.  Most people never meet this level of fulfillment which makes it difficult to reach true Happiness.  The first 3 levels are the building blocks of a Happy life and most people achieve those three essential areas.  We usually meet our physiological needs (food, water, warmth and rest).  Although not all foods are created equal and rest can be difficult for some people.  Our need for safety and security are usually met if we feel safe in our home and work environment.  Belonging and love is achieved with relationships that nurture and support you with love.  The top two levels are a little more complicated to achieve for most people.  The reason its difficult to achieve or maintain is we all have subconscious beliefs from our past that block us from these two stages: Esteem needs and Self-actualization.

    Why is it so complicated to meet Self-fulfillment? Think about it this way.  You are an amazing professional career and feel loved and supported at home.  Yet for some reason most days you feel like something is missing.  You want to do more with your life and feel your true purpose hasn’t happened yet.  You might not understand why these feelings continue to arise but they appear frequently.  Your mind throws you curveballs every day with negative thought and insecurities.  These beliefs are usually related to experiences in your past and rarely coincide with the way you truly feel.  They don’t resonate with your deepest desires, passions and dreams for your life.  That is exactly why… You feel stuck.   Stuck in a job you don’t find fulfilling.  Trapped in relationships that don’t nurture your growth and development.  Therefore you are stuck and you aren’t able to reach the top of your pyramid.  And the pressure trickles down into the other areas you already achieved.  You begin to realize that certain relationships aren’t as nurturing as you used to think.  You start to realize that some groups or people make you feel sad or off center.  This shifts into emotional state impact your sense of safety.  Thus the journey begins.  You begin to surround yourself with people that truly bring you happiness and joy.  You decrease connections with people that are negative or unsupportive and feel a little better.   The relationship shifts help you regain your safety and sense of belonging.  But ahhh.. You are stuck again.  Its all because our minds were programed in our childhood.  We were programmed with feelings and beliefs from our family, friends and ancestors.  These programmed beliefs that don’t resonate deep inside us create a shift in our needs and the way we feel.  Why?  Because your mind does’t truly believe that you are meeting your psychological and self-fulfillment needs.  It means that YOU have a huge potential to SHIFT and THRIVE.   That’s Right… Your mind is sending you messages through your thoughts and feelings to Push you to Change.  That is the power of the human mind.  The fact that your mind isn’t completely happy actually resonates in your body.  You may not even realize the connection but it is there.  We actually develop tenderness, pain and symptoms as our body tries to push you to take ACTION.

    Here is an example:  Your Boss comes to you with a project that needs to be done ASAP.  A sense of overwhelm creeps up on you.  Your face gets flush.  Your shoulder and necks muscles tighten.  You feel pressure in your chest.  You want to scream but its not appropriate, so you hold back.  You politely say ok even though you have no idea how to squeeze it into your day.  The day progresses and your stress accumulates but you manage to meet the deadline.  Yet your shoulder and neck are still on fire.  You still feel stressed out even though your work day is over.  Why?  Because you weren’t able to meet your Physiological needs.  You weren’t able to take a break and relax.  You weren’t able to do what you truly desired.  You just pushed through the motions to meet the minimum.  So what now? AWARENESS AND ACTION will set you Free.  So how exactly do you do that?

     

     

    Image by Bruce Wilson Graphics

    The first step was Deciding to Make YOURSELF the Priority.  Yep that’s Right.  You need to make your Needs a Priority.  That means you need to Invest in Your Personal Development.  This Unique Personal Development ensures you are meeting all your Unique needs to reach YOUR Self-Actualization.  The basic fact is YOU need to invest time, money and effort in new areas that help you feel happier, nurtured and fulfilled.  Why money?  The fact is your powerful mind won’t hold you accountable if you don’t invest financially.  Therefore you might begin to make changes but they won’t stick.  They might last a short time but without internal and external accountability your mind will eventually let it drift away.  Think about this.  You are more likely to go to the gym and exercise if you have made an investment or signed a contract.  If the Gym is free, you will go for a few days or weeks but there is no risk to you if you quit.  So eventually that is exactly what happens, you slow down and stop going.  Now, if you invest in a Personal trainer, you are more likely to push yourself to eat better, exercise and make shit happen.  Why? Because the investment hurts.  Just blowing away your money isn’t appealing to your subconscious. When you invest in a Personal trainer or program you are held accountable by yourself and the instructor.  Therefore, you are at an advantage to push through the resistance and make it happen.  Then you begin to see changes in yourself and that reinforces your drive to stick to the change and keep going.  So now that you understand your Human needs better.  Do you feel you are fulfilled?  Do you want to feel happier?  Do you feel you are living your life’s purpose?  Are you ready to THRIVE?

    The exciting fact is that you don’t have to start from scratch and figure this out alone.  You don’t have to try and fail over and over again.  It can be Easy and Empowering to nurture yourself.  Let’s Thrive Together.  All of this is Easily achieved with a Guided Path and a helping hand.   Your happiness framework is unique. It’s everything that helps you achieve happiness by meeting your hierarchy of needs.

    Let’s Cultivate a Routine that Helps YOU Blossom and Bloom. Nurture yourself Mind, Body and Soul.  The call is FREE, let’s Discover what makes you truly happy.  Schedule your Discovery call today.

    Categories Advice, Anxiety, depression, Fear, Health, motivation, Self-doubt

    Thrive in Your Life

    Some days are filled with challenges or obstacles. They can be internal or external. The external ones impact our body in many ways.  Some of us get headaches, chest pain, shortness of breath, etc.  There are many physical responses that happen when you are stuck in Fear.  They are all due to our bodies fight or flight response.   It happens in the moment and it is intense.  It could happen for many different reasons and in many different situations.  It could be a confrontation by a superior or elder.  It could be a conversation that made you upset.  It could be a TV show that triggered some emotions.  But the fact is that they all stem from the subconscious beliefs we made in childhood.  It was based on our experiences and lack of coping mechanisms.  We simply were never taught how to deal with our emotions: anger, sadness, fear, worry, shame, guilt, etc.  We had no idea what to do with them.  And the way we dealt with these challenges before impacts the way we react now.  The interesting fact I learned this past year is that you can Thrive in Your life.  The tricky part that most people don’t realize is that it requires an investment in self-improvement and development.  Yes, that’s right, an investment in YOURSELF.  You can make little changes here and there by reading books and taking free courses but you still feel stuck.  The shift just doesn’t happen because your subconscious still doesn’t believe you Really DESIRE the change.  Trust me I’ve felt it and I’ve been there multiple times.  You take two steps forward thinking you are on top of the world, just to fall back on your ass when the next obstacle hits.  Yep, exactly you read a book and started to change the way you react to confrontation.  You are doing well and then suddenly someone you absolutely love and admire, throws you a curveball and boom you are back to square one.  Your body responds once again with a deep sense of Fear and the fight or flight response happens again and again.  Then one day I decided to truly get out of my comfort zone and surround myself with powerful, successful business women and entrepreneurs.  They were women I admired and honor for their courage and accomplishments.  Women that have overcome hardships and turmoil to get to where they are and I realized that was exactly what I needed.  It took time and investments to make the shift in my life but it all focused on Self-Development and Self-Improvement.  And when I speak of an Investment, I mean monetary investment and time.  The truth about psychology of the mind is that if there isn’t a monetary contribution then You won’t make time and truly invest in the transformation.  So I did, I took a leap, I cried and second guessed myself many times but in the end I took a leap.  I took the leap because I deserved better than the life I was living.  My family deserved the best version of me.  I had worked on improving my health for 6 years but the anxiety was still there.  I had to work on that subconscious and I had to actively get out of my comfort zone.  And the investment simply motivates and pushes you to do it.  I attended networking meetings, weekly meetings, coaching courses and online programs.  Each activity brought me a step closer to where I wanted to be.  Nothing worth achieving is Easy.  Nothing worth earning is FREE.  You need to put the time, money and effort into your Transformation.  And I did, just that and it finally stuck.  And I know it stuck because I finally took action for myself regardless of the obstacles that came my way.  I finally didn’t let a confrontation, conversation or challenge stop me in my tracks.  I used everything I learned through my health journey and my personal improvement to transform myself.  That meant actively responding to my self-Awareness and taking Action.  Then suddenly everything fell into place.  Obstacles came and went but I kept moving forward.  Confrontation made me uncomfortable and I took action.  Taking action through awareness means feeling your emotions and sitting with them.  Then the true Action happens, using everything you’ve learned and practiced to regain your composure,  focus, commitment and drive.  That’s right, you get down and dirty to fix the problem in the moment.  That’s when you feel the SHIFT.  You notice that conversation didn’t bother your quite as much as before.  Your notice the self-care and self-love you invested in the moment worked.  You realize that you are actively creating again and that your future is coming.  This only happens when you are ALL into the Change you Desire.  When you desire change and truly want to transform then you will achieve it. But first you need to Invest in yourself and Your personal development. Then everything will fall into place exactly how you desire. You can THRIVE in LIFE when YOU INVEST in YOURSELF.  That’s right, Imagine you are Thriving. FEEL NATURALLY AMAZING with a little self loving and nurturing for YOU.  Sounds to good to be true. Nope it is Powerful and Achievable.

    Some people need a visual of how Awareness and Action works.  Here it is:  A few weeks ago I woke up completely exhausted and unmotivated for anything.  It was time to go to work and get things done, so I needed to suck it up and move Right.  But remember this, I woke up like a zombie. I drove to work like a zombie in autopilot.   I had zero energy, my eyes were droopy and I felt like I hadn’t slept in weeks.  I was completely drained and unmotivated to work or even think. I need to act quickly to shift things. Which meant taking ACTION to switch from a snail pace to a Productive and Powerful day. Then, I took ACTION: I stumbled out of the car to grab some things from the back of the car (yoga mat, Kasina glasses, sound bowls and ear buds).  I Stumbled to the lake like a sleepy kid to Meditate, Breath and Rejuvenate. I set everything up and laid down.  I put in my ear buds and Kasina lenses to stimulate alpha waves.   I used the techniques I have developed over the year to relax, unwind and focus.  I Listened to a meditation (made specifically for me), practiced my relaxation techniques and 20 min later…I was ENERGIZED and feeling FANTASTIC.  One funny thing happened in the middle of this little relaxation session that could have thrown me into Fear and Worry.  An employee at the Hospital actually thought something was wrong with me.  Remember all my senses were involved so I didn’t hear or feel him approaching.  When he said, “Excuse me man, Are you ok?”  I heard him and lifted the glasses up.  LMAO I actually screamed.  I am someone that startles easily so thinking back that poor man must have freaked out.  I told him I was fine and jumped back in for the last few minutes.  My heart slowly slowed its pace, my breath relaxed and my body settled once again.  I finished my routine and I was Vibrant, Motivated and Energized.  The obstacle that happened didn’t stop me from my goal of getting back in my groove.  You can THRIVE IN LIFE with more Self-love, Positivity and Nurturing. You are POWERFUL.

    Categories Anxiety, Developmental Delays, Fear, hope, kids, motivation, positivity, Self-doubt, Speak your mind, Worry, young brain

    School of Stress

    School stress is a normal part of life, Right? I am not the only person that got anxious for tests or presentations. I am not the only person that developed an upset stomach during Final exams. Have you ever had to rush out of an exam to explode in the bathroom? Yep literally, my stress and anxiety caused severe IBS. It was always an issue since at least 8th grade. I bet if you are reading this now, at some point in your life you remember a time during your education where STRESS was on your mind and evident in your BODY. Maybe it was a teacher that spoke to you in a negative way or put you down. Maybe it was an obstacle you faced early on in your education that caused you to loose a little self-confidence or created a little self-doubt. Maybe, your parents were very strict and expected perfect grades adding extra pressure to an already stressful experience. The cause of the stress response is usually related to a deeply engrained emotional reaction in you subconscious mind. Trust me, I had no idea this was possible until almost a year ago. I thought anxiety was a perfectly normal part of life. I though that it was just my way of dealing with school. It was normal for me to study my butt off, know everything by heart and blank out on a test. It was normal for me to second guess myself and switch the answer on the test. Then I would spend nights worrying some more after the test was over. And then reviewing tests, I began to recognize a pattern over the years. My gut first answer was usually right but I always managed to second guess myself and change it.

    Looking back now, I realize that my insecurities were linked to my learning disabilities and family history of learning disabilities. I developed this fear of school that progressively got worse over time. I developed a sense of self-doubt and worry that impacted me throughout my career. I didn’t let it stop me though, I pushed through and managed to graduate High-School with honors. I pushed through it, over and over again. Two careers and Master’s education didn’t seem to stop me but deep down the insecurities blocked me from finding my true purpose. Some how, I managed to graduate with honors time after time but the impact on my body was pretty catastrophic over the years. The Negative thoughts impacted me during my Master’s degree to a point of absolute panic. I actually remember a day where my research paper completely vanished off my computer. The file vanished. AHHH! Seriously, it completely disappeared a few minutes before the submission deadline. My stress and anxiety hit me hard and fast. It felt like a kick in my chest. Fear overwhelmed me and worry made me feel helpless. I dropped down to the floor in a panic and cried uncontrollably until thankfully my husband found it. I had never experienced such an intense stress response before. It was the peak of my chronic illness, anxiety and stress. It was my worst panic to date and I thought I was doomed but everything worked out. Thankfully, as I mentioned before I was a great student and my paper was amazing. Somehow, I surpassed my own internal fears and worry to graduate with honors, once again. But these embedded childhood challenges continued to arise throughout my life. Self-doubt, fear and worry would impact me in all aspects of life. I finally decided something had to shift. I realized that these negative feelings were not aligned with my path in life. I had succeeded and overcome so much, it was time for my mind to catch up and wake up. It was time to shift this crazy negative mindset and leave the past in the past. It was time to believe in myself and release the past. No one deserves to live a life of self-doubt, worry and fear. Everyone deserves to THRIVE NATURALLY in their own skin. Everything fell into place at the right moment in time. I was READY. I was willing. And I was dedicated to finding my path. INVEST in YOURSELF. You deserve to THRIVE. You deserve to feel Healthy. You deserve to feel Prosperous too.

    Categories accomplishment, kids, Mommy, motivation, positivity

    The Baseball Shuffle…

    The Baseball Shuffle took my by surprise. Little did I know that this little trip would change my outlook completely. As a mom of active boys, sports is an essential part of life. But each child is unique in their interests and hobbies. My oldest, Gabriel has always loved baseball since little league. The sport has become a bigger part of our lives over the past few years. This year things shifted even more as he ventured to a new school with hope of joining the school baseball team. I could see the smile in his face and the glow in his eyes when he made it onto the Belen baseball team. I watched the games but I never really understood the game very well nor did it truly grasp my attention. The games were long and a little boring to be honest.

    This past week in Cooperstown the universe shifted and boom I was hooked on baseball. I’m not sure if it was finally getting to Cooperstown for the tournament or seeing him play. Gabriel had been dreaming of this for almost a year. Or maybe it was visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame. The movie about the History of Baseball definitely made me cry. And I wasn’t the only teary eyed person in the room. I say person because it was emotional for men too. Baseball is America’s favorite pastime. It united America and brought a sense of hope to the masses. It was amazing the see the smiles and sense of awe in all the boys eyes as they walked through the museum. I was awestruck by Babe Ruth’s memorabilia and other baseball icons. And remember, I really didn’t show much interest in baseball until this trip. It doesn’t really matter how my mind shifted but it did.

    Gabriel, Frankie and Christian were finally at Cooperstown. The smiles on their faces were priceless. I could see Gabriel’s dreams were at his fingertips. He was living his 12 year old dream. Something he had hoped and wished for but wasn’t sure it would manifest. Things worked out in the end and he joined his old baseball team Hardball to participate in the tournament. And he even invited a few friends from Belen too. They were all so excited to spend a week hanging with their friends and playing baseball. We were all ecstatic to watch them play. It was amazing to see how ALL the boys had improved over the past year. But the 3 peas brought a unique smile to our faces and glow in our hearts. Gabriel, Frankie and Christian had developed a unique bond over the past year. And they were ready to play BALL.

    It was a rainy week in Cooperstown Allstar Village. And games were cancelled so we headed to the Hall of Fame. I couldn’t help but smile when I looked at my son’s face hanging out with his team or playing baseball. All the parents were anxious when their kid was up to bat or catch the baseball. I had never really been paying such close attention to a game but his week was intense. I had seen my son work so hard over this past year. Playing baseball 4 to 5 times a week. Taking hitting and pitching lessons. Countless hours of working his butt off and playing for a team that consistently lost. It must have been the most frustrating thing for him and the other peas in the pod (Frankie and Christian). It was frustrating for all of us to watch. Maybe that was part of the detachment I had. Or maybe it was that the games dragged on until eternity. But either way all of us were frustrated and this tournament began to shift it all. My son had a goal and it was Cooperstown. He has more goals like playing on the 7th grade team at his Belen. And Cooperstown is like the Holy grail of baseball for an 11 or 12 year old baseball loving boy. If your child plays baseball or you love the sport then you completely understand. My son and husband love the sport. My little one (Lucas) has other sports dreams; baseball wasn’t his cup of tea. We knew that this week was our one and only chance at participating in Cooperstown. Gabriel is almost 13 and this was his last shot.

    I’m not sure why Baseball hadn’t caught my attention until Cooperstown. For some reason until this very surreal moment in time I hadn’t loved baseball. I wonder? Does my father love baseball? Of course he does, he talks about it all the time with Gabriel and Robert. But I can’t remember, Did he watch baseball? Did we watch it together? Was it a guy only tradition or were girls there too? I wish I knew. I guess I need to ask him. I’ll figure it out soon. But let’s get back to Cooperstown. Our entire family and small circle of friends were all looking forward to this tournament since early this year. The boys have been practicing like crazy to get to this tournament. They were a trio of buddies excited to visit Cooperstown together. They were like 3 peas in a pod. We hung out together every chance we got and this little adventure would bring us all closer together than ever before. Little did I know that Baseball was going to be my new favorite sport. The pressure was on for all of us. The kids and the parents felt the pressure. Each game was nerve racking and each parent had their own way of dealing with the stress. We also all had our own funny superstitious tricks up our sleeves. Some parents wouldn’t look at their kid when they were up to bat. To nervous to see it all unfold. But I couldn’t keep my eyes off of him. Gabriel had worked so hard this year. He had made MVP on his school team, which he brushed off as no big deal but it is a huge deal. He had improved his pitching, catching and hitting so much since last year. For some reason he was nervous in Cooperstown and he wasn’t using his own bat. It was frustrating but you can’t push a pre-teen boy. You just have to let them try it out and come up with the decision on their own. Oh boy did I want to tell him something but he was frustrated enough on his own. I get it because I used to be the same way, I didn’t believe in myself and had to work through it on my own. So we patiently waited watching him play game after game with his frustration increasing.

    Then one day, Wednesday June 19th everything shifted for him. I was so nervous that I couldn’t sit. I was literally pacing back and forth as I watched the game unfold. He finally grabbed his own bat and I jumped and screamed like a school girl. He hit his first home run in Field #33. It didn’t stop there. He went on to have a Grand Slam in field #33. I jumped and screamed again. All the parents were so excited. They had been waiting for Gabriel to hit it out of the park. He was selected by his coach for the Home Run derby in the beginning of the tournament (Sunday) but for some reason he didn’t use his bat until Wednesday. I’m not sure what shifted but we all had our superstitions and little tricks. Before that game I prayed and sent him some blessings. I even blessed his gatorade before I handed it to him. I was wearing all Blue (Baseball shirt, yoga pants, undies and all). Even the face of my watch mysteriously changed to blue on its own. My shirt said, “There’s no crying in Baseball.” We honestly don’t know what shifted on that Wednesday but I do know that Wednesday’s have been a big transition day for me over the past few months. So, it could have been Wednesday, the clothes, the blessings or any other variable. The fact is that it was the most exhilarating experience to see MY son hit a baseball out of the park. To hear that ball hit the bat perfectly and zoom out of the park was amazing. I had jumped and screamed for Christian too but this was my boy and I screamed like crazy. He had finally fulfilled his dream and hit a home run in Cooperstown. He ended up hitting 3 home runs that day. We couldn’t be any prouder of him. He was so happy and the boys were all jumping up too. He did it. He finally fulfilled his dream and were were all ecstatic. Let’s just say Baseball has a new place in my heart. I never though the game could excite me so much, that I would scream at the top of my lungs and jump like a kid but I did. Cooperstown was an amazing experience for all of us. It was exhausting, stressful and exhilarating all at once. We enjoyed the bonding experience to the fullest and I’m thankful that Gabriel achieved his dream.

    P.S. One funny thing that happened in Cooperstown that any mommy can understand. LMAO. Embarrassing but true. When Christian got his first home run, I peed a little. LMAO. I screamed and jumped so much that a little pee came out. It happens to all of us at one point or another. I haven’t experienced that in a long time. I workout my pelvic floor often but I had been holding it in too long and oopsie happened.

    Categories accomplishment, Anxiety, Chronic Pain, Emotional pain, flare up, hope, motivation, pain, Physical Pain

    Let go and Be Free!!!

    Learning your personal stress triggers and fears is a huge part of emotional health and wellness. It is impossible to change the world around us but we can change the way we react to it. I’ve learned a lot about myself over this past year. Learning the way I react to criticism, comments and conversations with others wasn’t easy but it is an essential part of emotional health. Every single one of us has pre-established beliefs, rules and behavior patterns in our subconscious mind. The healing comes into play when we truly understand our own beliefs, rules and patterns. We can only change our responses and actions towards the events life sends our way. We all face challenges and obstacles in our daily lives that can impact our health and happiness. Our reactions to these obstacles and challenges impact our bodies in exponential ways. Over the years, keeping my true emotions trapped inside lead to an exponential changes in my body resulting in chronic illness and disease. I was a person that held in all my emotions, fears, worry and stress. I didn’t share them with anyone much less myself. I kept everything so bottled up and tight that my health began to fail more and more with each year that passed. These high stress levels impact our bodies cell by cell that accumulates over time developing illness and disease. Emotional intelligence is not something we are born with or learn in school. The more we experience stress and keep it bottled up inside the worse our emotional and physical health gets. I’ve learned that no one can hurt you more than you hurt yourself. We hurt ourselves everyday repetitively and harshly. We repeat the same hurtful and harmful statements to ourselves everyday. It’s a vicious cycle that creates a build up of emotional stress in our bodies. This emotional pile accumulates inside our tissues, organs and cells and eventually develops into symptoms, illness and disease.

    My health issues started as a child with digestive issues, reflux, and IBS. I began bottling up my emotions and hiding my voice from the world as a child. I lost my creative side completely. The part of me that could write poems and paint, simply went to sleep when my voice went silent. The symptoms built up more and more each year until my health crisis in 2013. I reached a point in my life that any more stress was simply overwhelming and my body was ready to give up. It was evident in my emotional and physical health that something had to change. I reached my breaking point where my body just couldn’t take any more stress. I was getting my MSN degree, working in the PEDS ED and raising to young boys. My husband’s work schedule had him traveling all the time which added extra stress on my already full plate. At this point my hair was falling constantly, panic attacks were the norm and food was simply not digesting. I reached a point where water and saltine crackers were causing me stomach distress, nausea and pain. After extensive tests and hospitalization the truth was clear. My body was tearing itself down little by little. My stomach lining was eroding and ulcers were soon to develop in my stomach and intestines. The poor digestion and lack of nutrient absorption was impacting my skin, body and hair. The anxiety was causing panic and my chronic pain was at its peak. I was taking 13+ prescriptions and felt absolutely awful. My right arm and leg were numb and the pain was constantly severe. The doctor basically told me either you change your lifestyle or you are going to die. It was a scary truth that I had to face as a 36 year old young mom. The decision to place my health on my priority list was not easy. I had spent my entire life helping everyone else around me. Since childhood I had placed the feelings of everyone around me before my own. The decision I made was for me but even more for my children and husband. After all my health impacted my children the most good or bad. If I kept on that path my boys (Gabriel 7 and Lucas 3) would face a life without a loving and supportive mom to guide their way. Even typing that today brings tears to my eyes. I can imagine their beautiful little faces and lives impacted by my own lack of self-love. Over these 6 roller coaster years, I found my way back to my emotional and physical health. But the hardest part was this last year. The emotional journey to unlock the feelings and beliefs that had impacted my health over these 41 years. Now as a 41 year old mom of 2, I see the power in emotional health and wellness. I see the impact our emotions have on our bodies and that we harm ourselves more than anyone else can. We fail to forgive ourselves for our mistakes, behaviors and actions. We criticize ourselves more every single day about any little insecurity. Some of the criticisms I realize now runs really deep and impacts your body. I learned a month ago that I actually was angry with myself about the birth of my children. I was angry at myself for not having a vaginal birth. It was a decision that had to be made because my oldest was too big and likely would have been stuck in the birth canal. I didn’t realize the impact my anger had on my body until 12.5 years later. I realize inside my body, inside my yoni, I was blaming myself for not being good enough. I blamed myself and thought I wasn’t a good mom because of this little bump in the road. This little obstacle that gave me a precious gift a son that I love with all my heart. It just goes to show that you have no idea what your subconscious is hiding and the damage it can be causing in your body.
    Low self-esteem and self-doubt plagued my mind throughout my life. When I was heavier, I used to say horrible things to myself when I looked in the mirror. “Yuck look at that cellulite. Omg look at that belly bump, you are so fat.” I would look at myself and not see the beautiful woman everyone else saw. I didn’t think I was beautiful, I had little self-esteem, I didn’t show myself much self-love. This continued for most of my life until 2013 when started making myself the priority. I started eating right and exercising. I began to show myself more kindness as my body started to feel better and the pain began to leave my body. I began loving the beautiful girl in the mirror. I started to see my body was changing, shedding weight, looking less bloated and a real smile started to emerge. It wasn’t the fake smile I had been hiding behind for so long. I had been hiding my physical pain from the world a long time. Finally, when that pain was gone and I connected with the truth behind it my true smile emerged. It’s a smile filled with self-love and appreciation for everything I had been through, everything I had learned and the new me emerged.

    This journey of emotional healing and connecting with my intuition wasn’t easy. It takes dedication and self-love to truly get to the root cause. Learning that I had been keeping emotions trapped inside my body gave me the power to release them. I was holding a multitude of emotions. I had been a worrier all my life. I worried that I didn’t do things well, that I wasn’t good enough, that I wasn’t beautiful, that I wasn’t loved, etc. I was holding many other emotions too. The thing I realized through hypnosis was that my subconscious not only had the power to hurt me but it had the power to heal. There are so many emotions we hold inside us. These emotions don’t serve us to keep them trapped inside. The more we allow them to build up inside our bodies the more symptoms arise. It’s very interesting to tap into your intuition and allow your body to give you the answers. When you connect with yourself through self-love and nurture your mind, body and soul everything unfolds. You become aware of the immediate tension that arises in your shoulders, when your feeling overwhelmed. You notices the knot erupting in your neck while you talk to a friend that tells you something upsetting. You feel the pressure in your chest when someone shares a truly emotional truth they experienced. You can actually close your eyes, scan your body, identify a sore spot and know exactly why it is tender. This is not pain or soreness from exercise or overuse of a muscle. This is emotional pain that you have absorbed inside your body. Sometimes the pain isn’t even your own. It sounds absolutely crazy, I know but I have learned that as an empath, I can actually absorb the physical and emotional pain of others. My intuition tells me exactly why the pain is there and only then am I able to release it. It’s essential to bring out the subconscious triggers from hiding into your conscious mind. You need to feel the emotions in the moment in order to Let it go!!! You need to feel the pain, feel the symptoms, cry if you need too, sit with it and feel it. Sometimes you need to work a little harder to get it out of your muscles and tissues. The power of naturally releasing pain comes into action when you combine the subconscious mind, the conscious mind and the physical body. I have learned my body so well that I can actually release physical pain, feel the fluids shift inside my body and sense the emotions change with it. Working with your body in this deep way connecting mind, body and soul empowers you to tackle your biggest trauma, your worst heartbreak and even your greatest fears. Understanding your bodies natural healing powers enables you to accomplish things you never dreamed. Letting go of the past that created turmoil inside your body creates a positivity that radiates out of you. Letting go of every emotion that no longer serves you sets you free. Let go, live your life, be free, be powerful, be abundant, be YOU!! ou can be the ultimate version of yourself, I believe in YOU!!!