Returning

Time flies when you are having fun or out chasing dreams. If life had a map, mine would be a one laden with new paths and some dead ends. I am coming to a point now that I am ready to return to what I had started a year ago….I yearn for the familiar, that feeling of coming home. I have been on a long journey, diving deep into the sea of my inner self, uncovering who it is that I am. I have made remarkable progress, but it is time to rest. Take a siesta in a field of wild flowers, gaze at an ocean of stars, allow the mind to simply unravel and float free. Thinking and over thinking comes natural to me. Keeping my thoughts silent is a struggle. Some questions in life cannot be answered by others, research or the internet. The answer lies within and the only way to hear it is to be peacefully silent. Another release that I have always found incredibly helpful is writing. At times I seem to answer my own weighing quandary’s by just letting my thoughts flow through my fingertips to pen to paper (or keyboard to screen). So here I am again! I have missed my blog and revisiting has aroused a sense of longing and beautiful nostalgia. Have you ever looked back at a photo or maybe your own journal and thought to yourself, wow, I have lead a beautiful and abundant life. That is what is so profound about writing. You can easily forget a moment, but once its jotted down to remember or captured in a photo, you can forever revisit. Why did I ever stop? Life gets so busy. But I am making a promise to take the time to do that which helps me grow or can bring peace to my life, or can help myself tap into my higher being.

Immersed in the simple pleasures of life. Indulging in a good book under the refuge of a huge maple tree that sits high on a hill overlooking the gorgeous Hudson River with the Catskill mountains as a back drop. It is peaceful and  there is always a playful breeze making its way across the fields. A simple cloud in contrast to the blue sky captivates me as I sit at work and gaze longingly outside. It is so incredibly striking that its nearly ethereal and I have to wonder if it is real.  I drive with my windows and sunroof open, taking big deep breathes of fresh air,  allowing the sun laden summer breeze and Led Zeppelin carry me away through valleys of lush greenery and hawks capturing my awe as they glide above. A visit to the ocean reminds me how vast and yet small we are. The salty air awakens my senses, the cry of seagulls and rolling waves bring my soul to a state of peace. I allow her to take all my worries, anxiety and petty issues out to sea, where she can swallow them and return to me love and a reminder that my body and mind are sacred. Closing my eyes and taking in the sounds around me, I repeat these simple words: I am blessed, my life is abundant, I am loved, I am worthy, I am at peace with life and I am open to what the universe has to offer. When we slow down and take in our surroundings, drink in the beauty that our Mother has to offer, the gifts are priceless and are abundant to our lives.

I am returning to be inspired and inspire. What brings me the greatest joy is to help others love who they are, to reach for what may seem unattainable and to encourage you to be the person you are truly meant to be. We are forever changing and growing. It is not always easy nor always a beautiful process. But like the lotus, we emerge from dirt and rock to reveal our true being. Take time to be silent. Take time to walk barefoot and soak up all that earth energy (it is free and abundant, so be greedy!). Retreat to the forest, embrace her soil, drive your roots into the depths of her love. 

Many Blessings. 

Carla 

Savor The Calm

Feeding our bodies, allowing our taste-buds to fall into a deep satisfactory state, becoming aware of what we place into our mouths and relishing the nourishment our food provides us, is harder than it sounds. I have a nasty habit of rushing through the process of preparing our meals and consuming what I place before us as fast as I possibly can. It's easy to do so when the time I have with my family at night is limited, but my goal is to slow down. Live within the moment, within every second BE present. I do not want to pass down my state of anxiety or nasty habit of rushing through life to my son. I want him to be satisfied with the here and now.  I grew up being "bored", using my imagination was such a vital part of who I was as a child. My sisters and I lived outdoors, the world was our playground. Being bored isn't a bad thing, it  allows our children to cultivate and nourish their imagination, playing a fundamental role in finding who they are. How have I lost this concept? Rushing and being entertained at all times is such a huge player in our society. In my life journey, this is another concept that I need to let go and nourish the roots that once satisfied the person I was. The person I am now wants to be grounded, needs to slow down, be present...I am letting go, slowly, of all other distractions. What is it that you could cut ties with that would allow yourself to live within the current moment? Last night, as I was preparing dinner, I once again found myself on rush mode. I managed to find that calm place within myself, breathe, turn on some music that allowed me to unwind and most of all BREATHE. Its going to be work and a lot of self control, but I am determined to succeed.

It's so important to feed our ourselves with what nourishes our soul. Fresh food from the garden or what is in season helps to keep us feeling vibrant and healthy. I like to take all cooking outdoors whenever possible (hello rain), these precious summer months only grace us for so long until we are hibernating once again come fall and winter. I will share with you a couple of my favorite go-to recipes that have become a signature dish within my home. Mind you, these are my very own concoctions, so there are no measurements, I pretty much taste or eye-in the ingredients as I go along. I apologize for not making these recipes fancy, I am certainly not a food blogger!

I hope all of you are enjoying your summer! Sending you happiness and blessed sunshine your way!

Related articles

• The Filet Mignon of the Forest Wild
• Juiced & Feeling PUMPED!

Glitz Defined.

Stowed away in a small town rumored to be a dark dank culture in itself, given nicknames that bestow nothing of pristine beauty.....I found a gem, a retreat that won my heart and yearn to revisit for years to come. A place where I can get away, breathe, find the quiet within my soul to purge the negative and submerge myself with vital positive energy. This quiet cove lies within our backyard, hidden and treasured by those who have been introduced to it. It's breathtaking trails, namesake waterfalls and peaceful pools of water lie in Philmont, NY, High Falls Land Conservancy of Columbia County. Like the saying goes, don't judge a book by its cover. This town may have its faults, but underneath its rogue outward appearance,  lays a majestic inner beauty. It's much like the human race. 

With life happening at such a rapid pace, mostly good along with the handful of stress, I am drawn to nature to find peace, channeling positive energy. I have been practicing breathing through difficult times, as well as simple mantras I can fall back on when I feel off center (...mind over matter...). I am a strong believer in finding that calm within ourselves when we feel our world isn't grounded. As a child, I  always believed in a higher transcendent. Growing up Christian, those beliefs have laced with what I now believe and practice. I am constantly searching for knowledge regarding finding ones true self and peace with who we are. Along with research, surrounding myself with those who  are driven with the same goals and outlooks helps to keep me focused.

I  believe that we have the capability to call on good energy, rebuke the bad and heal ourselves by touch and surrounding ourselves with those who reflect the same outlook on life. I am still in the process of understanding energies and how to channel them, but I feel that we must be careful when choosing who to work with as our guide. Making sure your teacher is of good heart, has strong knowledge on the topic and that you are both on the same page as to what your beliefs are is a must when it comes to searching for a guru. A great book to read regarding this is The Essence of Reiki 1, written by Gary Malone. I cannot put this book down, it is so well written for those just beginning their journey. I highly recommend!

In a world of pressure to be a certain way, we lose ourselves, the goal or mission that we as human beings are marked with the day we are born. Why am I here on earth? What is my purpose? I think most of us struggle with this question. A captivating read on this topic is Yoga for Life: A Journey to Inner Peace and Freedom by Colleen Saidman Yee. I am hooked, as will you be :)

I truly feel that I have stumbled onto the right path in my life. I feel as though my birthright is to inspire, motivate, strike cords with those around me through writing. It's my vocation to embrace my need to inspire people, to harness my natural positivity to shine through others, to cause you to see the world in a different light. I would love to be the inspiration for you to go out and find YOU.. Embrace the difference you bring to this life, allow yourself to follow your intuition. Your soul knows best what your body and mind need. We just need to quiet the mind. We can come to love who we are, respect our soul and in turn to love others, even those who we come in conflict with. Instead of viewing negative situations as negative, we may be able to view them as lessons learned and handle them with love. Rather than accept the negative energy from the situation, we have channeled the positive. In my mind I envision placing my hand out, refusing the negative from my life. The best representation of placing a hand out to rebuke the bad is the Hamsa symbol:

{Pinterest}

For me, this is my glitz. Finding yourself, treasuring the simple things in life that spark an awakening, the drive towards happiness and the core of your being telling yourself that you are on the right life path. I am placing value on being human, coming to terms with making mistakes, claiming them and learning positive lessons. These are the jewels of life. It's the journey we have been blessed with. 

Related articles

• Defining You
• Metamorphosis
• A New Beginning

Defining You

For some, doing or knowing what makes you happy may come easy, unlike myself. Yes, I find joy in the littlest of things in life and for the most part I'm an optimist, laughing often and living to entertain others. But there is a separate part of happiness in which I am focusing on. In fact, I think, just as love, happiness comes in many definitions. The happiness I am speaking of is the one that you find whithin yourself and what you do with it. It took me a long time to figure out what makes me tick. What drives me. This happiness is the spring that resides within the core of your being. Have you been able to tap into your inner spring and find what makes you the happiest, what motivates your soul and defines who you are? If not, what is holding you back?

 

 

 

 

(This is one of my favorite pins found on Pinterest, in which I admit I am an addict to!!!)

 

 

I found myself trying to find happiness in ways I thought would create happiness, failing miserably afterwards. For instance, I am a spender. I find myself getting a quick high of that happiness while spending money, then the downward spiral afterwards because a lot of times it was money spent on invaluable items. When I sat down to write out my New Years resolution, it became more of a therapeutic purging session. I created realistic goals for myself that I had been putting off for years simply out of fear or anxiety of the unknown. I asked myself what makes me happy, looking at what trends I follow, the pattern of my habits, what captivates my attention....have you ever sat down with a pen and paper writing out a list of what you could envision yourself doing? Or creating "obstacles" to overcome so that you could reach certain goals? Have you ever asked yourself questions and answered them with honestly?

 

 

 

(My 2015 Resolution list)

 

 

 I noticed that when I started to analyze what I was most drawn to, it revolved around HOME. Creating an environment that makes my family and company feel a sense of welcome and warmth.  Yet it had to bestow little hints of the person I am. I love homes that display a persons personality. I noticed whenever I log onto Pinterest, that I was most drawn to DIY home projects, restore/renew, fabrics and the use of color combinations. Along the same lines of finding what excites me, I acknowledged the fact that I have always been drawn towards the art of writing. The play of words has always intrigued me and I have a thirst for knowledge. I remember owning a large red dictionary that I would enjoy flipping through and looking at all the words.....it was astonishing to me. I know that might be odd.....I couldn't agree more!! I still enjoy the smell of books and the feel of them in my hands. I am sure there must be someone out there that feels the same, or maybe I am alone on this, I admit to being a little neurotic. LOL! (can this be used in a blog???)  I truly love and enjoy writing. It makes me incredibly happy!! And that is why I am here!

 

 

 

 

 I have struggled with the guilt (mostly mommy guilt) of doing anything that purely made myself happy if it took away time from my family. And this is why I had to write this post!! (I mean, really, just get to the point already, right?!) This past weekend my husband went on a guys retreat up north to enjoy some snowmobiling. I decided, hesitantly, to take upon myself a "little" DIY project.....I wanted to try using this "new" concept of chalk paint that I had stumbled upon in JoAnn Fabrics. So I decided to try it on our rather large hutch in my dining room. Mind you, this was my first time painting anything. And why was I a little reserved? Because I was going to tackle this project with my three year old son by my side rather than waiting to do it during his nap times....the thought of what could possibly take place has a way of controlling what I do. Unfortunately I am one of THOSE moms. I just need to LET GO of the control factor and roll with it. In which I did and discovered something that we both enjoyed doing together!! I fell in love with painting, we turned up some tunes and  Logan (my favorite little guy) had a blast collecting all the screws from the cabinets I had to dismantle in his bulldozer. It was one of my most treasured weekends by far!! I have always envied other mothers from blogs I have read in the past that have created a career out what they were passionate about  while involving their wee ones in there work environment. Who would have thought you can combine what makes your soul happy along with who make your entire being happy! Its not about separating the two. Its about combining the two. I would love to claim the same for myself and my family, because that would truly make my heart and soul the happiest.

 

 

 

 

The result after this project was a new found happiness to simply repurpose what you already own, creating something you love and taking pride in a job well done. Sometimes happiness is more about working towards it. Not about an instant high from quick gratification. Its not about penny pinching or being thrifty. Its the happiness that comes from being artistic and using that energy to create something beautiful that you can take claim to.

 

I challenge you to do the same. Write out a list, create obstacles, allow yourself to let go of what has been holding you back. Find that inner happiness. Because you being happy only spreads to other areas in your life, including those around you.

 

XO