Bouncing Back: Resilience and Healing July 19, 2013 • 0 Comments “Our conditioning — the wiring of our neural circuitry as we learn from experience — sometimes goes awry. When this happens, we can find ourselves stuck in negative, dysfunctional response patterns that leave us feeling ineffective and miserable and more vulnerable to stressors or trauma.” —Linda Graham, Bouncing Back I found this very cool book, Bouncing Back, by Linda Graham.…
Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone with Transformational Singing July 17, 2013 • 8 Comments I don’t know if you have ever been a part of a group performance or not, but this is my first rodeo. As this transformational singing workshop winds down and we veer closer to performance day, nerves are a bit rankled. Coordinating all the moving parts is a challenge, albeit a beautiful thing to watch. No one wants to screw…
Thoughts on Turning 50 and the Secret to Happiness July 15, 2013 • 4 Comments This past Friday, I turned 50. It is a milestone of some sort, a marker between here and there — though I’ve yet to fully understand exactly which continuum I am traveling on. Fifty seems half way to something or maybe I just live under the fanciful notion that I am headed for 100. At the very least, it is…
“Love Is Alive” by Gary Wright (and Dianna Bonny) July 10, 2013 • 0 Comments The song that was chosen for my transformational singing breakthrough was “Love is Alive,” originally sung by Gary Wright. I practiced with a live version performed by Joan Osborne, which was incredibly deep, soulful and guttural. Very inspiring and freeing to sing. I’m not sure I ever sounded as good as Joan, but by the end of the workshop, I…
Transformational Singing, Healing Tears and Being Alive July 10, 2013 • 4 Comments I mentioned that I am participating in a singing workshop. Although, this is an inaccurate description, because it is really about finding one’s voice. It has as much to do with singing as buying a wedding dress does with being married. Nevertheless, singing is a pretty amazing transformative vehicle and transformation just may come my way — if I can…
The Healing Benefits of Beets + Roasted Beet Dip Recipe July 5, 2013 • 0 Comments I remember beets from my childhood as odd, dark red, jello-like strips that were to be avoided at all cost. They usually appeared on our table during a holiday, after my mother had read about a recipe in one of the popular magazines at the time. She was not a woman fond of cooking, so meals often consisted of pantry…
Facing Your Fears: On Courageous Introspection & Monster Hunting July 3, 2013 • 2 Comments I went on a monster hunt with the most adorable 4-year-old boy the other day. Apparently, my backyard is infested with them, so, armed with a sword and measuring cups + spoons (not sure why, but they were essential), we set out to remedy the problem. I never actually saw one of these scary creatures, but they were plainly visible…
Cure Leaky Gut: The Paleo Diet, Healing Foods and Greater Intuition June 28, 2013 • 2 Comments My body literally rusted in the aftermath of stress from the unfortunate events of 2010. The continuous adrenaline cocktail, lack of sleep and relentless monkey mind all had their wicked way with me on a cellular level, leaving me bereft of vitality. I won’t bore you with the laundry list of issues, but one thing I do have is Leaky Gut, which seems…
Wow the World and Just Say Yes June 26, 2013 • 2 Comments There are approximately 17,315 endangered species in the world. As a collective, human beings are not endangered, but I would posit that if you are not living the life you were meant too, the one that whispers to you in the quiet moments, you are teetering perilously close. How often do you say no when you really mean yes, and…
Why Blog? The Essence of Blogging About Such Personal Matters June 24, 2013 • 2 Comments This was originally published shortly after the blog was launched. I thought I would re-post it for new readers who might be wondering how this blog came into being and why I write it. Someone asked me the other day, after reading this blog, if I had always been this way. As in, sharing my personal information in such an…