Happy Monday BEautiful Beings!

This weekend an amazing life teacher, spiritual leader and author ascended above. The remarkable Dr. Wayne Dyer was a leader in transformation and teaching the world about inner peace, love, and mindfulness.

It's amazing that while living we are either striving to be our greatest selves, living in the monotony of everyday, or doing something in between. The only thing that matters when we're gone is the legacy we leave and how others remember us. While present, being the best you can be to yourself and others, is what builds your legacy. Not everyone will be a world renown life teacher, but you are the world to someone. You matter to someone. The people you interact with everyday or even passing, they matter.

This week, consider, what type of impact am I making? What type of legacy can I leave behind?

May you be encouraged by some of the following words from the late Dr. Wayne Dyer.

"I'm so excited!"

"You got this"

"Yes! It's almost over. Wait...not yet? Omg that was only the half point!"

" I want this to be over!"

"Ugh why'd I do this"

" I am more than a conqueror. I can do this. I trained for this. Just think how good Boiling Crab is going to taste."

" My hip...my knee.  I want to stop."

" Yessssss! I did it! Whoa! That was good!"

These are the incremental thoughts and sentiments I had last Saturday when I ran my first 15k Double Road Race. It's a new style of racing that provides an extra challenge for runners because you're essentially running 2 events in 1 day; a 10k=6.2 miles and then a 5k=3.1 which are separated by a mandatory recovery period.

The challenge comes during the second leg, after the recovery because your body has been resting and really believes its done with gruesome long distance running. To its suprise, you have to get back up and finish out the race. Now, I've been preparing for the race for about 6 weeks,  but there's nothing like race day. New environment,  different altitude, the distraction of hundreds of other people around you. It was challenging but so enlightening. Not only was I proud,  but I placed 4th in my age division. Beyond the metal, there was so much gratitude for the journey getting to the finish line.

Physical fitness is more than an important activity for health and aesthetics (if thats your focus). It is the most simple test of mental strength. You get to see what type of person you are when things get tough, when you want to quit or when you're finding it difficult to just to keep moving.

How you speak to yourself really determines your beliefs, your faith and how healthy your relationship with yourself is. Do you speak words of encouragement and affirmation?  Do you speak words of defeat? Do you focus on the unknown fearing for or worrying about the worse?

How do you love on yourself in the quiet, lonely amd intimate moments with yourself? Are you gentle? Do you speak power into yourself like you would do another?

Tuesday is deemable as #transformationtuesday across social networks,  so today I ask, how can your mind be transformed? How can your relationship with yourself be transformed?

Despite the fact that my race was challenging,  I would absolutely do it again! There were so many times I wanted to walk but I chose not to. Even if I slowed my pace, I was not going to quit. I was so proud of myself,  I decided I would run a half marathon in November.

"The true measure of a (wo) man is not where (s) he stands in times of comfort and convenience but where (s) he stands at times of challenge controversy"- MLK

Stand strong. Do something that takes you out of your comfort zone. Whether big or small, physical or not, test yourself!

BE Strong. BE Transformed~
By: Tiffany W.

It's a new week BEautiful BEings! All things new bring rejuvenation!

This week, go forth considering who you are and mindfully falling in love with yourself.

It's easy to get caught up in who we believe we are not and even, who we want to be like. What about just loving yourself for who you are and appreciating whoever your becoming on your journey?

Stay focused on yourself without:
1. Comparing yourself to others.
2. Pointing out others shortcomings and ignoring where you can grow.

BEing on your journey is about YOU and no one else. It's not about you taking to heart everything that others say about you (whether positive or negative). Its not about becoming greater to obtain something or to impress people. Its not about growing so you can look down upon people who are at different points in their journey than you. Your journey is about you becoming the best version of your self, reaching your highest potential, and being greater to add light to this world.

Connect with yourself. Honor yourself. Learn who you are: your likes/dislikes, your triggers, your unhealed wounds, the parts of you that you've been hiding, your passion, your purpose, your fears, your inspiration, your strengths and your opportunities for improvement.

People will tell you about yourself; what they feel you should be like and who they believe you are. People will praise you and give you credit for change and positivity. To a degree, it doesn't matter. We can use individuals around us as gages for where we are, but we must be careful because whatever someone speaks isn't an absolute truth. It's the truth as they see it, whether positive or negative.

Get connected to your spirit; to your higher self and look around at your life. Those are the best barometers to gage who you are.

BE You~
By: Tiffany W.

The first commandment of self love is: Honor Thyself.

What does that mean? It means to accept, acknowledge, recognize and take with pride, everything that you are. What makes us who we are?Our choices, our thoughts, what we decide to be, our experiences, our beliefs, and whatever composes our mind, bodies and spirits. For some people it’s easier to focus on the parts of their being that seem untouched, un-phased, un-wounded. The other parts, are typically ignored or looked at with shame; the SCARS.

Scars are the result of healing. An imprinted reminder of a painful experience.  They can also be a consequence of an incident that resulted in major change, whether natural or not. Scars can be seen and unseen. They can be physical or emotional.

Far too often women are ashamed of their scars and today I ask you, may you choose to Be Proud?  Be Proud of your scars, whether physical or emotional. They tell a story and are a shadow of your beauty.

With an obsession for perfection, women are ashamed of stretch marks, acne scars, moles, facial birthmarks and bruises. Too ashamed to wear certain pieces of clothing for the fear of judgement, ridicule, or glances you may get from someone else. In the end, does it matter?

If you lost or gained weight, had a baby, have marks from conditions like chicken pox, or whatever else, that is YOUR experience and has nothing to do with anyone else. You had that experience and you know what, millions of other women around you have had the same experience. You are human, change happens, scars occur. Embrace them, and proudly include your scars in your story.

What about the scars no one can see, but you walk around with shame because of their occurrence? An abortion? Infertility? Trust, hurt or abandonment issues due to a relationship? Sexual assualt? Emotional or Psychological Abuse? Self-imposed disappointment? Do you realize how much extra weight you carry in your body because you resist as oppose to embrace these incidents? Embrace does not mean you are happy or joyful that these events happened to you, but you accept that they are a part of your journey and you can continue to live. In Christianity there is the notion that God will give you beauty for ashes. It’s a beautiful concept and life truth, that once you give up what you deem as dead, hurtful, ugly, or negative, life will be more beautiful. Your spirit will be more at ease. Your mind and body will release whatever you’ve been holding on to.

We as women let the invisible scars keep us away from love in platonic, familial or romantic relationships. We let them become barriers to walk in our purpose when in actuality, embracing and accepting these scars can bring us closer to our purpose. We let the scars keep us away from a life of abundance, opportunity and fullness. Release the fear. Release the shame. If you are reading this, you are still here. You are strong. Those scars are sign of healing. Once you’ve healed, you have to give yourself permission to be more, do more, love more, and think higher of yourself and what life can offer.

Your past experiences shape you, but they do not define you. You define who you are. Walking proudly with your scars allows you to live in a space of freedom. Walking proudly with your scars gives someone else the power to be free.

BE Proud~

 By: Tiffany W.

Happy Monday BEautiful BEings!

What did you wake up thinking about this morning?

Did you have thoughts of gratitude? Thoughts of resistance? Thoughts of excitement? Were you feeling triumphant and looking forward to the possibilities of today? Did you think about Monday being another day of opportunity or one of regret because the weekend is over?

Whatever your thoughts were, at this moment I want you to repeat the following: I am powerful and have the power to choose who I am, what I do, and how I show up in the world today!

The world will lead you to believe that life just "happens" to you. Whatever you get, is what you must consider to be your destiny. Yet there are many people who show us everyday, the power of intention, goals, faith and positive thinking in shaping what life can be. This is the world filled with individuals who've given up their power or have completely been blind to the fact that they have power.

Your power of CHOICE is what really shapes your life to the degree that it lines up with not only your purpose but also your desires. You choose your thoughts. You choose your career. You choose your job. You choose to set goals and go after them. You choose to see your goals through, no matter how much difficulty you face. You choose to give up on your goals if the difficulty has seemed too much for you. You choose to hold on to or release negative emotions. You choose to see the best in people and life. You choose to embrace a healthy lifestyle. You choose the type of people you surround yourself with. You choose the type of people you get in a relationship with. You choose to purchase or refrain from purchasing objects.

You CHOOSE. You have the power of choice. In your power, connect to understanding what it means to say, YES, and what it means to say, NO. Both words of choice are powerful and they impact your life the same. They can add to your self love journey or they can present barriers.

Sometimes saying NO is important in self care. For example, when you're tired and need to rest, No can be a savior. I know because I'm becoming more come comfortable with the word myself. When you're feeling superhuman it's natural to want to multitask; , make others happy, accomplish tasks, and be social. But what is your limit? Do you go go go until you get sick? Until you get injured? Until you can't concentrate and become delirious?

Choose to set aside self time at multiple points throughout the day. I don't have time is not an excuse. No one has time. Time is a possessor of itself. You make time. You can choose to say no, I won't go to bed late or I won't wake up late. I will choose to affirm myself and eat well. Say no to that extra task, say no to that meeting, say no to going out or whatever else you can choose to say NO to, to assure you are loving on yourself.

Sometimes saying YES is important in self care. You love saving money, but do you ever buy anything for yourself? You've worked so hard, but when's the last time you took a vacation? Are there activities or events happening in your city that you could explore to learn or be exposed to something new and expand your mind? Could you read a new book to learn something new? When someone offers to take you out or help you, could you say YES to ease work off yourself? Could you allow someone who cares or love you, to shower you with love and support?

Today and this week, keep your mind on the affirmation: I am powerful and have the power to choose who I am, what I do, and how I show up in the world today!

BE Powerful~
By: Tiffany W.

Self Love is Free but the journey will cost you.
 
It will cost you releasing many of the limiting beliefs and stories you've held on to. You will have to give up seeing yourself as a victim. You will have to give up seeing yourself as the one the world does not like, want or appreciate. You will have to give up the ideas that you are deficient in beauty, depth, talent, intellect or capability. You will have to release the unforgiveness in your heart so you can learn what it really means to not judge yourself or others. You will have to release notions of unworthiness and lack.

Self Love is Free but the journey will cost you.

Often whenever, or if ever, someone hears the phrase self love, they tend to believe that it is limited to embracing how you look or even taking the time to be with one's self, but it goes so much deeper than that.  On this journey you will become aware that much of what you thought about yourself may not serve you anymore. You may realize that the people you considered to be staples in your life, may not be supportive of who you are or who you want to be. You may realize that there is much for you to dig up within yourself to address and work on.

Self Love is Free but the journey will cost you.

Along the way, you will meet people who will be messengers. They will deliver conformational insight  to guide on your path. They will be mirrors and thermostats needed to gage your growth. They will be people who touch the wounds that run deepest for you and thus pressure you to grow and expand. Yes, your self love journey isn't just about you. The Self Love is Free but the journey will cost you. It will cost you frustration, anger, pain, maybe sadness, disappointment and of course relationships.

Self Love is Free but the journey will cost you because Growth is Uncomfortable. In the midst of your growth, you will eventually learn that the essence of Self Love is acceptance. Acceptance of your self. Acceptance of those around you. acceptance of the growth you're experience. You will learn to accept, so that you don't operate out of resistance and feel like life is harder than what it really is.

Don't fret. Just be patient and kind with yourself. Never expect perfection. Even if you know what to do or how to think, accept that every moment of every day is different. Some days will seem, feel, and be better than others. Life's a journey. This love thing is a journey.

BE Love,
By: Tiffany Wright

I always keep my eyes out for natural remedies and beneficial healthy routines.  One of my favorite new practices has been drinking a cup of hot water with coconut oil and lemon every morning.  I've been doing it for a month now and I wanted to share my experience with you.

Now I've been a fan of coconut oil for years, but I've pretty much limited its use to hair, skin, and cooking. Last month, I saw a Facebook post of the benefits on hot water, lemon juice and coconut oil, and I was pretty shocked to see coconut oil in the mix!

Back in January, I did a 30 day oil pulling challenge with coconut oil that I shared with you all, and it was such a great experience. With that being said I knew that the benefits of this new concoction would be great because I saw first hand how well the oil works on fighting bacteria.

The best website that I came across that explains the benefits comes from the COCONUTMAGIC Blog and the author gives the following explanation:

"Effects

Lemon water cleanses your palate on the way down. Once in your body, it helps gently flush your kidneys and your liver of wastes and toxins. Coconut oil behaves as a natural antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral tonic in the body, flushing out unwanted bacteria, and viral over loads and reducing stress on the body’s organs. Coconut oil can help detox the body of some of its most stubborn toxic waste.

Benefits

Lemon provides a high amount of vitamin C, which boosts your immune system and assists digestion. Coconut oil helps with the absorption of vitamins and sends fuel to the brain by creating ketones. Ketones are what your body produces when it converts a good fat (as opposed to glucose) into energy. A primary source of ketone bodies, are the Medium Chain Fatty Triglycerides (MCT’s) found in coconut oil. "

So what do I do?

I put a tablespoon of virgin coconut oil and squeeze half a lemon into a cup of hot water and drink! The idea is to drink it on an empty stomach. Drink it 15 minutes before eating or if in the evening, a while after your food has settled.


What's been the benefits for me?

I've noticed such a difference in my digestion and my satiation throughout the day. I drink the water within the first 15 minutes after waking up and sometimes right before bed and I'm telling you, it acts like a mini cleanse and it feels really good. I also am pretty active and have a fast metabolism, but at times I want a lot of food! Well, my appetite hasn't been as big and I believe as a result I've lost some inches.

As a follow up to my morning cup, I also now just sip room temperature water with lemon, and that's been great too!

Try this, and let me know what you think!

BE Well~
By: Tiffany W.

What happens when you're in a good space but you're in a relationship with someone who's depressed,  an energy vampire, or extremely negative and you care about them so much you want to help them?

The relationship you're involved in somehow causes you to shift the focus from loving on your self to being completely consumed with that person. You actually begin to not only absorb their energy but you let go of your own self love and care practices.

As a loving individual, you walk in love and with that comes empathy, the ability to emotionally connect to another person's experience. As beautiful as it is to be empathic,  it can also be rather draining.  When there's someone  you love a lot who's suffering,  it's easy to want to play the role of savior.

In your role as saviour you may go the distance to reach out to that person. That's beautiful because we should all extend love to those around us, but try to understand that you cannot save anyone. You can however positively impact someone by your presence and the way you live your life. Which is all the more reason why it's essential for one to continue to uphold self love practices no matter what's going on in your life or in a relationship.

Release guilt, judgement and pressure you've put on yourself to help someone else. Sometimes just saying, I'm here for you, is all you can really do.

The presence of their struggle is not your priority.  It doesn't mean you shouldn't care but often times it can be easy to think you're not a good enough friend or partner if that person continues to struggle.

Accept their journey for what it is and accept your role in their life.

If you find this happening, make sure to revisit your self love tool kit.  Are you pulling out the tools everyday? every week? as needed? or never?

If the trouble in someone else's life has caused you to go to a dark place or even a place of defeat or guilt, its time to take a step back and re-focus on yourself.

Change and healing comes when people are not only ready, but when they see positive models of who they can become. The best route of action you can take is to continue to love them, encourage them, and model positive healthy behaviors without an expectation that you will change them. They will see you. They will acknowledge you. They will change on their own and in the process, you can still preserve your sense of well being.

What are those activities or practices that help keep you peaceful? Still? Joyful? Playful? Healthy?
Expressive activities like writing, singing, dancing, playing music, or playing an instrument? Maybe spiritual activities such as praying, burning incense/candles, meditating or reading spiritual texts? What about exercising? Or maybe simply watching a feel good film? Whatever it is, hold on to those activities and do them as often as possible.

BE Whole~
By: Tiffany W.

In todays world, we are not short of expressed opinions and how to's when it comes to love and relationships. I'm quite sure the mothers and fathers of psychology would have never imagined that pop psychology would be a thing of the future in which individuals would be giving out advice left and right.

In my time of exploring what love and self love means, I always come back to the above definition. A definition that isn't necessarily singular because love cannot really be limited to one sentence as most words are. Even the great Greek philosophers had several categories of love ( brotherly, sexual passion, friendship, affection like those between parent and child).

The above explanation isn't even a definition, its an explanation of how it looks and how it feels. This is applicable for yourself and for others You may notice, that it is actual a scripture from the Holy Bible. Across spirit walks, love is similarly described as being inclusive of the above mentions .  When you step back and consider what a healthy love looks like, it includes the above. When you consider the 5 Commandments of Self Love ( Honor Thyself, Honor thy Mind, Honor thy Body, Honor thy Spirit, and Forgiveness) they all support the above.

My challenge to you is to evaluate how you express love to yourself and others. Evaluate how those who say they love you express their love to you. It's easy to get wrapped up in the words, "I love you," but not really take into to consideration what that means or what that looks like. When you can be honest with yourself you can then make the proper adjustments. Maybe you have to work on patience or not holding grudges. Maybe someone around you throws wrongdoings in your face or downplays your dreams. Again, through reflection, you can make proper adjustments. Maybe those adjustments are working on yourself and apologizing to those who you could love differently. Maybe its removing or stepping back from some people in your life.

You're not obligated to remain the same or keep the same relationships in your life. Your self love journey is about honoring yourself but also considering all the ways you can honor yourself better and reflect that in the relationships around you.

We are all perfectly imperfect, but there is extreme gratifying power and freedom in owning who you are. Take yourself as you are, allowing your insight and actions to line up, and those who matter most will accept you for who you are and who you're striving to be.

Are you patient with yourself? Are you kind to yourself? Do constantly judge yourself based on your errors? Have you forgiven yourself for events or occurrences you've felt guilty of? Do you compare yourself to others? Do you honor the truth about yourself? Do you give up on yourself?

If you answered yes to any of the above, it looks like you have some more work to do BEautiful BEing! I know I sure do! It's a new month, a new week, and a new day to continue moving forward and step into the beauty of the possibilities.

BE Love~
By: Tiffany W.