Greetings!  

Greetings to YOU and a Warm Welcome to our growing community of heart-centered women, who are busy creating balanced success through a restorative lifestyle by Working Smart, Playing Hard, and Resting Well...as best we can, in the midst of life's challenges.

With a shiny New Year underway, I'm among the many who are dreaming about, planning for, and creating an ideal vision for 2014. Thankfully, the way in which I go about this is drastically different than in times past.

Over the years, simple yet significant shifts in perspective have changed the entire nature of my resolutions. It used to be my list was packed with sky-high expectations of perfection in nearly every external way measurable, all born of the misguided belief that I could DO enough so I would HAVE the things I wanted so I could finally BE happy. (Think bigger rewards, better grades, smaller waistline, faster results, zero faults, etc.!)  

I can hear Dr Phil's voice in my head right now, saying "so how did that work for you?"  

Not very well, I admit. Ends up, for most of my life I had it backwards.  

But not anymore!  Now I know that becoming my best is a lifelong process that I will strengthen each day, every day, for the rest of my life. I know that excellence is the best I can achieve, and that achieving it takes time and practice.  Beloved mentors have taught me that the best order to create positive change is to first focus on who I want to BE, which helps me decide what I need to DO, allowing me to HAVE an abundance of people to love and be loved by, and a sense of worthiness and belonging that fills me up from the inside out.   

I'm grateful for my past soul-searching struggles with self-doubt and perfectionism, because in many ways they have been powerful teachers. Anger, vulnerability, doubts and fears are a natural part of life, yet as I got to know and understand myself better, it was clear I had stuffed those feelings down because I was ashamed and afraid. Now I know how important it is to embrace every single speck of myself, because my beauty and my messy side go together and are simply parts of being human.

I'm the first to admit I don't have it all figured out yet, but I have found my perfectionism has softened more through showing myself compassion than harsh criticism. I've also seen self-doubt shrink by allowing my vulnerability to shine through and light the way for others. I highly recommend "The Gifts of Imperfection", and "Daring Greatly", by Brene' Brown. 

"If you want to fly, give up everything that weighs you down."[Toni Morrison] Whether it's letting go of what people think, perfectionism, numbing and powerlessness, scarcity and fear, the need for certainty, comparing yourself to others, exhaustion as a status symbol, productivity as self-worth, anxiety as a lifestyle, self-doubt and "supposed to's", or always needing to be in control, please be gentle with yourself as you bring the light of awareness into those dark corners to see what's been holding you back. 

Take Action Challenge: 

1. Become more Aware: Make a List of 10 things you want to BE, 10 things you want to DO, and 10 things you want to HAVE in 2014.
2. Dig Deep & Be Honest: In the Past, What's weighed you down and/or sabotaged your best efforts in these areas? 
3. Step into Authenticity: Ask yourself "Who will I need to BE and what will I need to DO in order to HAVE a life I love...flaws and all?" Journal your answers.  

As always, I love hearing from you, so please share your insights and ah-ha's with me. If you get stuck or have questions, don't hesitate to reach out.  I'm only an email or phone call away.

May your feet find wings in 2014.  Life is flying by...Let's Soar with it!