Having an Inner Foundation

Day 49
Natalie Here

I spent the day yesterday shooting shape wear for a lingerie line ~ http://rhondashear.com. The focus was before and after foundation garments. Those must haves for women like me that need to smooth out underneath before I put clothes on top. It was very exciting to see the before and afters on camera. Humbling at times which gave me an opportunity to do some "mini acceptance work"  (see~STEP 2 ) but then the comfort and ease I felt in the shape wear was thrilling. Not to mention the results !!

It is the same for this process of Feeding our Spirit, that we are on ~ working on our inner foundation leads us to feeling confident and secure in ourselves ~ that is the greatest asset we have in looking good on the outside.

With Thanksgiving coming up I have been thinking allot about what I am grateful for in my life and planning a ceremony with my family where we light sage and incense and choose crystals as we go around a circle saying what we are thankful for and why.
We will be camping on an island in southwest Florida ~ Cayo Costa . It will be a big adventure for my family - a first, as we can only get there by boat - nothing on the island. I am giving myself permission to be present in the newness of each experience and find the joy in discomfort , should it occur. This is pretty much a guarantee when one camps.

Let me know how you spend your day of thanks.

Namaste,
Natalie

Create Ease In Your Life....

Day 47
Natalie Here

As I read Stephanie's post I was reminded again how this process is one of finding love of self.

The moment I remind myself to be gentle with my thoughts when the judgements come up through the day, it brings be back to the present. I simply say "you are doing your best", this in itself makes me conscious/aware.
When I water the plants in my garden my focus is one of nurturing. When I take care of the plants they respond by flourishing and in turn give be me back flowers, fruits and vegetables. The focus is on taking care of the needs of the plant. So often in my life I feel as if I am running, running without even realizing that I am on empty. My needs get pushed aside in the effort of doing.

It is the same for my spirit ~ feeding my mind loving thoughts allows me to feel connected and to flourish.


Being conscious/present gives me the environment to choose to be good enough; the choice is made over and over again. I say to myself "I love you, I love you " those simple words creates ease.

The focus for me today is to neither judge the negative thoughts but let them dissolve with "I love you" and nurture one need.

Namaste,
Natalie

Staying The Course and Making Peace with My Mind

Day 45
Natalie Here

Well here we are 45 days in and I have learnt some very important things about myself ~ I can continue to commit to me while being embroiled in the sometimes chaos of my life. This last month I planned, executed and cleaned up my husbands big 50 Th Birthday bash, after just finishing my daughters Birthday party with all her new kindergarten friends and creating a photo shoot for my new promotional work for my agencies, Eco gardens, ballet rehearsal for the Nutcracker ,soccer games.....you know being a MOM. Whew ! And unlike the Real Housewives I did the work myself with the help of friends and family. It was fun and at times anxiety ridden.


Lesson One ~
I can have a huge To do List and still do my workouts almost daily ~ I can fit my meditation in despite feeling scattered and anxious about the outcome of events in my life.

I can continue to practice mindful eating and when I have some yummy food that I especially enjoy not beat myself up as over indulging, but relish the moments as I am in my awareness.

As Stephanie says it is so easy to go to the self flagellation, but when I am aware I can see the separation it creates in me from myself and as I choose to practice loving kindness for myself I am brought back to the present.


Lesson Two ~
My ego/ mind can be a powerful motivational tool. I had two events where my outer appearance was important - One was my photo shoot and the other for me was my husbands party. In both instances I never sought perfection and truly tried to focus on nurturing my spirit. Since I have started this endeavor
I have lost about 11 pounds with my goal being 20. The miracle is that I have continued to keep my focus without being on any particular diet or deprivation scenario. I have enjoyed moving my body and the way it makes me feel. Meditation has at times brought me back to sanity even on the days I fight sitting still for 10 minutes and quarrel in my mind the whole time.

Now here is the joining of paths for me - I acknowledged my ego's need to focus on my physical self ( my outer appearance ) yet realized that the more fulfilling agenda was to feed my spirit by loving me in small ways, daily.
Listening to affirmation Cd's in the car - drinking water and snacking on fruits and veggies ( and when I had Cheetos, being present with myself as I ate each cheesy stick).

I am appreciative for the ego and it's excitement it creates as I step on the scale and then I am grateful for the grounding my meditation makes me feel. 


This is how I stay the course operating in both worlds and coming back to my commitment of self focus.

One thing to work on -posting more- I want to sit to write more, yet this is one area that I cannot seem to give to myself. This is my challenge and I hope as I continue that this effort will integrate into my life seamlessly.

As a mother, wife, self employed entrepreneur my greatest hope is that I can learn how to feel like I have a handle on it all. Then again I  might only feel that for brief moments and maybe having my spirit to connect with is enough ??
For today I will ask what task can I let go of ?

Let's come together ... we are all here for each other to move forward- I often post motivational little diddies on my professional Facebook page - like me to get more updates.

http://www.facebook.com/NatalieLaughlin

Unretouched photo from my last shoot -retouched coming soon-

Namaste,
Natalie