Grounding.  It’s almost fall and there are so many opportunities to ground yourself.  It’s important for everyone.  Why? Because it allows life to flow. It helps people feel balanced and centered, and that brings positive outcomes.  

How do you know when you are grounded?  I know it because my voice becomes slower. I can easily make decisions, and I know what I want to do first.  This ultimately allows my day to run smoothly. I’ve also noticed that when I’m grounded, my child is more easily grounded. 

Similarly, we should be able to detect when we are feeling ungrounded.  For me, it’s the opposite of those above: my voice becomes faster.  I struggle to make a decision.  I can’t decide what I want to do first. One can easily know they aren’t grounded if they are going in circles in their head about something. 

Another sign you are ungrounded is not knowing where you put things.  You are doing things unconsciously and aren’t present with yourself when this happens.  It’s so easy to do.  

Unfortunately, It’s easy for me to get ungrounded because I’m naturally a thinker and can really get stuck in my head.  Being a mom also has put a spotlight on when I am and am not grounded, because you can’t” turn off” as a parent. Any moment you aren’t present is pretty clear, because a child forces you to be present.  

The good news is, over the years, I have learned enough about myself so that  it can just as easily get myself grounded again.   

So how do you ground yourself? I think the experts have always recommended going outside. Stop the run around by literally running.  Walking is personally my favorite way to ground.  This is one reason that I love city life so much. Another popular way is to meditate.  I have tried this on and off for many years.  I go through stretches of regularly meditating, and then I just get busy and the habit falls to the side.  It can be challenging to find an extra ten minutes a day to meditate.  Is it worth it?  It depends on you. This year has been full of a lot of movement and I have found that taking just 5 minutes a day to meditate helps me a great deal. When I don’t take just five minutes to meditate, I can tell. It’s like taking a vitamin.  It recalibrates me.  

To get yourself grounded, you first have to figure out you. We all have different experiences, preferences, abilities, and biology. Some people meditate through other movement practices: going for a run, a ride on a bike, or the walk I mentioned. 

If you haven’t focused on grounding yourself, my spirit is telling me to remind you to give it a try. We are all different, so learn to identify when you are and aren’t grounded and experiment with ways that ground you. Happy grounding. Now, I think I’ll head to the beach for some more grounding while I still can…..:)

How to live courageously one day at a time: “Follow your gut, listen to your intuition. Live by your intuition.” 

The phrase sounds magical.  And it ultimately can be, but living by your intuition on a daily basis can also be downright scary.  If you are doing it right, you are taking what doesn’t make sense to the reasoning mind and just going with it.  I can promise you from experience, it does become less scary as you do it more and more, because you trust in the process.  However, it doesn’t make it any less concerning.  

I’m sitting here taking a break in mid- Dec. with holiday music playing, right before the holidays start, packing up our apt.  We are moving.  Does this make any logistical sense at this time of year to move other than our lease is up?  No.  I told my husband, I don’t want to extend the lease, it’s time to go, get a new place. He pleaded with me, “Can’t we just wait until after the holidays?”  I insisted that it was time to keep moving, along with other things that are moving in our life.  When I have push back in my life, I listen and I observe. To me, that is the universe speaking.  Things should flow and when they don’t, I think more than twice.  So, onward we go, in the middle of a holiday season like a tornado that picks up our things and drops us somewhere new.  

Just yesterday, with boxes lining the walls, I walked out to our kitchen to find our sink overflowing with sewage which had seeped all over our floors and into our office.  Things had to get thrown out and the smell is still sitting in the crevices of the wood floors.  I looked at that and said, thanks Universe. I don’t need any more confirmation that the decision to move was the right one.  Now, I will have to trust once again that the universe will lead us in the right direction for the highest good of all.  

I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions.  I’m definitely one for writing down goals, just not at one single calendar event.  I like to write all year. 

This year, though, I will make a resolution: to live by spirit or my intuition no matter what, (whichever you prefer to call it) and to not worry about doing so.  At this point, I know I’ve become pretty good at doing this;time and time again it is clear that  I have what feels like an entire army of angels, guides, and spirits watching over.  It’s a little more tricky when you have a family because it’s not just you who is affected.  Instead, I look at it as how the effect can be that much more positively impactful because more people are involved.  My wish is that others live by their spirit in this new year, as well.  That even when it feels scary to do so because “it doesn’t make sense” to the logical mind, it actually makes the most sense, for your heart.  Ultimately, it takes courage.  Be courageous. Practice courage on a daily basis by asking yourself what your head is telling you vs. what your heart is telling you and see what manifests when you choose the latter. I have a very strong hunch, one result will be more courage.  

Now excuse me, I have to get back to packing.  🙂

–Mo

Follow your sense of wonder.

Since writing my last blog post about taking your fears and transforming them into positive statements of  “What ifs,” I’ve run into a handful of people who were going to experiment with taking their anxieties and making them “what ifs.” But, is there a trick to making it happen? 

I have learned that change happens by following your sense of wonder. This means being open to literally whatever catches your attention and running with it.  In this way, the choice of living by intuition is an immersion in desire through the act of listening, being hopeful, and staying patient. You must be fully invested in body, mind, and soul to create.  Any half-heartedness creates obstacles.  

I’m going to be very open about  some of the many things I did to manifest finding the love of my life and hope it inspires you to think outside the box about things you can do to manifest whatever your heart desires. 

I’ve mentioned before that I had an internal panic when I turned forty because I just thought that, by default, that special someone would have already shown up.  After going through a rough patch of being upset about my situation, I decided I would do whatever I could to manifest this dream.  

The first thing I do when I want to create something is to start looking to the universe for clues. It’s like a game of “find it.” What will I find next to lead me to my dream? Will I speak to someone? Will I read something? Will I find inspiration in an email? Will I hear it in a podcast or in a video?  I never know the answers until I open myself up, but what I do know is that I have to be ready for all opportunities that might lead me to my dream.  

Books have always been an outlet for me, a way for me to find my way.  So, one of the first manifesting tools I was led to were books. I read any book that I thought would be helpful for attracting a compatible partner. I picked those books up any time I was feeling frustrated and realigned my energy to be hopeful. I would often do this at night before drifting off to sleep.  

Next, I signed up for at least three dating apps -even though I hate dating apps- and decided it didn’t matter what I didn’t like, I had to do what my grandma always said, “Throw enough sh-t against the wall and somethings gotta stick.”

I spoke with a love coach. Yes, they exist.  I came across this love coach’s info and spoke with her,  getting suggestions on how I could redirect my energy. I took her advice about making sure I embraced my loving and feminine energy each day.  On days I didn’t feel outgoing or was depleted, I’d usually just throw on something casual, but even on these days, I made sure to be intentional about my presentation. This helped me remember my goals, create a vibe within myself, and project it to the world.  

I met with matchmakers. Despite my skepticism for dating apps, I find matchmakers tell it like it is and they don’t always say what you want to hear.  I resisted the feeling of not wanting to be judged by them and decided to just let them judge. I was looking for the right man.  

I told people I knew and trusted that I was looking for love and that I wanted to start a family. Having these discussions with more people than my usual small circle was very unlike me. I decided I was in an urgent manifesting state and had no time for shame or embarrassment: I had to put the word out to whomever I trusted.  I was going to do everything in my power to manifest my dream even if it made me feel uncomfortable.  

Through all of these steps, I was vulnerable, but I was also immersing myself in desire through the act of listening, being hopeful, and staying patient. I’m glad I did, because then, in the midst of a usual day, I got a text from a friend asking if they could give my number to a really nice guy. I said “Sure,” and didn’t allow myself to think anything of it.  Two months later, I got a text from the guy. I was in no rush to return his text because I was in the middle of a busy day.  I did respond to him at the urging of the person who gave him my number. Eventually, this man ended up being my husband. 

Can I prove that my manifesting energy created this union? Perhaps I cannot prove it, but I know that everything I did led up to this introduction, so I would have to say yes: my manifesting energy created this opportunity. Throughout this whole process, I was open; I was not half-hearted. I let the universe lead the way. I trusted, I hoped, and I used books or whatever resource I needed to keep my mindset positive. 

All of these things were mind, body, and soul work. Whatever your goals, whether it be long term or even for the upcoming new year, you can do the same.  There’s no downside to using all of your manifesting energy for one thing.  The trick is- pay attention and let the universe lead the way. 

MM

I’m a planner.  I love to have a plan, and when I don’t, I figure out how I can create one. Manifesting and planning the life you want is a journey and it’s one that we all have to be flexible and sometimes patient in creating. But how can you make things transform more quickly when you want to create that something, whether it be a relationship, a job, an experience or a situation? I can tell you that discipline and keeping at it, while at the same time letting go, is a large part of the recipe. This, however, is easier said than done when you wanted that something yesterday.  

I remember wanting to conceive my son.  When I turned 40 I had an internal panic.  Where is my husband?  How can this be possible that he still hasn’t shown up- and what about that baby I want to create?  I was filled with so many “why?” questions. The most immediate solution in my head was to not give up and believe in all my heart and trust my intuition that someone was out there for me and a baby was in my future.  

My husband did appear when I was 40 and my intuition told me he was the one, but it unfolded more slowly than expected. The planner in me said, “Great, if this is the right guy and we are in our 40s, this will go quickly and by 42 I’ll be pregnant.” 

Whew. Not so fast. Wrong. 

I was 42 and I still wasn’t getting pregnant.  How could this be?  My mom birthed ten children until she was 44.  How could my path be so different?  

Once again, I went into planning mode. I went to a fertility specialist and started IUI procedures.  I was convinced it would work.  It didn’t. I tried again.  It didn’t work. I tried a third time and I had a chemical pregnancy.  I thought this was a sign to keep at it, it would surely work. But, six IUI’s and still no baby. 

Your intuition is truth and that is why it is our most powerful guide on this journey.

I was mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted.  

Like many, I go into fighter mode when I’m exhausted.  I decided IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) was my last resort.  I had originally feared the thought of putting shots in my body, but I was beyond that concern.  I couldn’t understand why it was difficult and why I thought in my heart I should be pregnant and it wasn’t happening.  So, I said to myself, “What if this is what I need to do to bring this soul into the world?”  The first IVF was unsuccessful and the doctor told me I should use a donor egg.  

I won’t even write in words what I wanted to respond when that doctor said that to me.  Needless to say, I went to a different Fertility clinic for my second IVF and eventually conceived my son.  

If you are reading this and you are a woman who wants to be a mom, don’t give up. And if your intuition tells you something, don’t let anyone- not even a doctor- sway your intuition.   

Your intuition is truth and that is why it is our most powerful guide on this journey.  That’s why I write what I write.  I wish everyone would  use the gift of intuition and use it as often and as much as possible. It makes your own life journey easier and ultimately, enhances the lives of others.​​

What I learned from this experience, was not just to trust my intuition, but to face my fears. The second IVF cycle I was at my max and I said to myself, I’ll find another way if this doesn’t work. I have done everything in my power to create this dream and I will let the outcome go and figure out a different path if this doesn’t work.  The outcome was my little boy, who I cherish every day. 

Always ask yourself, What if……

What if that doctor was wrong in his assessment? (he was)

What if you will have that baby with your own eggs?(I did) 

What if you can be just like that pregnant woman walking down the street very soon? 

That upset thinking, “why isn’t it me?” is your intuition telling you, this is what you want to create for yourself. So say thank you to the universe for the communication.  

What do you fear about your desire or dream?  Can you turn it into a “what if”?  Energetically, I had been fearful of a number of things about getting pregnant, along with IVF and concerns that almost everyone has in having a child.  But I knew I needed to face that obstacle, and what came of it was well worth the difficulty. 

Face your fear.  Be flexible with creating the outcome. There is always a way. 

Here we are.  We had a brief break from the intensity of Covid, but the intensity is here again via the Delta variant.  With yet another scare, back to school, back to office, and back to any sort of normalcy seems like a dream we just keep trying to catch. We put our hands out and we are ready, stretching towards and happy to go back to modified old routines we once had, but yet again, it feels like it’s distancing itself from us.  

How are we going to get back to our new normal?  Unfortunately, this pandemic is not leaving us anytime soon.  So, how do we dig down deep again for this roller coaster of a ride? I look at reality and tell myself, “I’ll do whatever I need to do.”  Make judgments, but don’t judge others? Keep dreaming of better times? These are tough times; ones that most of us never dreamed of. Personally, I remind myself of all the things I am lucky to have, especially my health. How many times has it been said that health is the most important thing?  It really is. After that, everything else is “extra.” 

But how I miss the extra stuff! Like so many others have, I have lost a part of what was once my every day: my city life. It was my usual for over twenty years: the conveniences, the pace, the people, the resources, the ease of getting wherever you want, whether it be within the city or a plane ride away.  Yet this feeling I and so many others have right now still lurks. It is the dread of reversing the freedoms we temporarily returned to until the delta variant showed up and knowing that there will be other new variants. It’s just disheartening, and mostly for our children.  None of us want our children facing what they are living right now.  

Like we have done since this pandemic started, we do whatever we can to create the safest “normal” that we can.  In that spirit, my husband and I love taking our son to the beach.  We have gone to the beach either separately or to meet other friends, but for the first time this summer, we just went there alone as a family. I sat and I watched my son happily play in the sand, listened to the calming waves, and took in the smell of the ocean. Watching my two-year old son grounded me and brought me to the present moment.

As I sat there I realized that I was really tired. I knew that I needed to get home, get my son to bed, and then take care of myself.  I also promised myself that for the rest of summer I would do just this: go to the beach multiple times a week. Not just for me, but for my son too. Even though I say it all the time, I can and do still forget how much creativity and nature heals. 

So, I’m reminding anyone reading this to please don’t forget to do whatever it is that keeps you in the present and allows you to take a breath. Don’t forget this simple lesson during what have been hard and tiresome times: creativity and nature bring us back to the present, and by bringing us to the present, can heal both us and our children.  

In my reflection, I know this tiredness I felt at the beach that day- and that I still feel at times- stems from concern for my child.  My biggest wish right now is to end the worries from the past year and half. Right now, the vaccine is the only immediate thing that can protect our children. I hope that all the unvaccinated adolescents and adults who are eligible for a vaccine and have concerns would feel confident in going tomorrow to get the Covid vaccine. There have already been one too many children who have gotten infected, and my heart sinks each time I hear of another.  We all need to put aside whatever fear or reason that is holding us back from getting vaccinated for the betterment of our kids. 

Protecting our children’s health when they can’t protect themselves- that’s all that it comes down to. Maybe then we can put this virus to rest, and take a rest for ourselves. 

It’s April and oh boy, what a ride it’s been through COVID. We are all tired, but It sounds like if we can keep the pace of vaccines increasing, we are going to be in a better place soon. You might be asking yourself, where can I find the patience and energy to get through the rest of this with so many more challenges ahead?

Over the past year, we have all been given a different snapshot of how we deal with stress on so many different levels. Some of us become angry in so many forms (depression being probably the most common, because depression is anger at its core), some become more compassionate towards ourselves and others, some go numb to realities, and some just trail blaze through the different circumstances we all have never seen.

I think for many, the stress highlights where home is for you, where your heart feels content, and how important it is to surround yourself with like-minded people who share your values and concerns. I’m lucky to be able to live outside of the city while things have been so intense, to have a less stressful situation for my family. I miss the city, but I know right now the city is not the same, just as many other towns and cities are not the same. I go back and forth to the city only for necessary trips like the doctor, dentist, and anything essential that I don’t have with us. Every time I go back to the city, the streets look as if it’s a holiday weekend, when the city empties out.

Most recently when I visited, though, there was an increase in the amount of people walking around the streets– nothing like pre-pandemic, but not empty like my other visits during the winter. The city will have its challenges from this pandemic, but this visit assured me that it will work its way back to being the New York we all read about, where dreams are made of. Each time I see people I know on my visit, I feel a sigh of relief knowing these people are like-minded, sharing the same tolerance and concern for others despite the common stereotype that New Yorkers can get about being self-absorbed. Yes, there are self-absorbed people in the city, but you can find self-absorbed people anywhere. New Yorkers live at a much faster pace, and I think people often mistake the pace as rude or short.

The thing is, New Yorkers keep it real, and real can sometimes come across as brash, or not as soft as one might like. But there is a persistence to New Yorkers that is often hard to match. It’s this persistence that creates those dreams and makes it the wonderful city that it is. I have lived in NYC for over twenty years and every time we get knocked to our knees, that persistence reappears and we build it back up again.

This is going to be what the rest of this country and world will need to do and can do. We are all being tested like no other and wow, has it been hard, but we can all find that source of strength within to start building life back to a new normal. It can’t be done alone. It just can’t; it’s too large of an undertaking and requires those like-minded people that surround you with the same values to keep kicking until we don’t have to kick anymore, and the door stays open so the wind of renewed energy can come through. We do this through helping one another. So keep helping. Keep helping those around you get this vaccine if they are willing to get it. Keep helping even though you are tired. There is always someone more tired than you and if you need help, ask. The resources are there and better times are ahead. We also have support from above. I know this in my heart. We have an entire army of spiritual beings looking out for us, guiding us, giving us nudges, connecting us. They want to help us heal. Lean on those spiritual helpers. Speak to them. They will respond in ways that speak back to you so that you know they are there. Guaranteed.

The marathon is coming to an end and we will go back home to the city when we feel it is right for us. It will be different, but it will build itself back up again just as all the other cities, towns, and really the world will do. In the meantime, take lots of deep breaths and know better times are ahead for all because of the innovation of humankind. When we work together, we are all miracle makers in our own way and don’t forget the powers above for some added support.