Valentine's Gift To Yourself!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hearts, Flowers & lots of Chocolate-ly Love is spread today!  Yum Yum Yum!

So as you receive the vibeage of the day why not take out 15 minutes and give back to yourself by letting go of some easy things that you "Don't Love"!

1. Purses, Backpacks, Rucksacks, Bike Bags or whatever carry-all you use daily............. Fish out the old grocery lists, shop receipts, gum wrappers, pens that don't work and anything else that you no longer need.  Letting go of the extra weight and clutter in our bags is a loving gesture to your shoulders, back & mind.
2. Make Up.......................................................................................................................... Perhaps that Fire Engine Red lipstick you bought 6 months ago, or even 6 days ago is just not what you thought it would be.  When looking through your collection of cosmetics there are usually colors or products that you know inherently that you will not use....Ever! Toss them!  When doing so also let go of the potentially attached guilt of it being an impulse or investment buy. 
3. Wardrobe........................................................................................................................ Did you know that we wear 20% of our clothing, 80% of the time?  Try this:  Stand in front of your clothing cupboard, closet or bureau, look at your clothing.  You most likely know without much effort which pieces are your core of dressing, and you also know intuitively which clothes you are no longer attracted to wearing.  Grab the pieces that you will (without hesitation) happily live without and get them in a box or bag.  Donate, recycle, or discard.  Next laundry load, look at the clothes you have just washed and be honest with yourself about their value to you.  Keep a bag handy and make a plan to pass them along.  The Rule of thumb on any shopping trip in my house is as an example:  2 new t-shirts bought, then which 2 items will go when we get home.
4. Culinary........................................................................................................................... If your taste buds were inspired to try something new in the kitchen and your excitement exceeded the actual success with those recipe specific ingredients; let them go.  Sauces, spices and the breakfast cereal or granola bars that your children just had to have and turned out they didn't like it.  Won't it feel better not to have that visual reminder?  Or feel better to pass them on, or discard them.  I myself just found a home for the sweet wine I bought just for Chicken Marsala, which was a terrific effort but essentially a mealtime flop and it feels great to know that someone will be using it!
5. Flat Surface Treasures.................................................................................................. Children's Artwork, Cards, papers, coins, keys, change, bits and bots.  With intention in a span of 15 minutes you tackle an area that may have become a catch all for all types of treasures.  Bring the bin with you and do a quick sort. 

Whenever you create the opportunity to relieve the space of clutter will lighten the room and lift your spirit.

So grab a bag, bin or box; set your kitchen timer for 15 minutes and Let go of the things that you Don't Love!

Happy De-Cluttering!

Practicing what I post.

Living abroad we can find ourselves at times missing certain comforts from home, such as food.  These things can be appeased by either requesting a care package or being creative in the kitchen, our feeling of missing can be satisfied for the time being.

When we miss family or friends, that too can be handled quite easily with an email, skype call or any number of online options.  However, no matter how far technology has come when we miss that special person that is beyond this world, there is a palpable void.

Special occasions like birthdays, Christmas and other calendar dates bring up those feelings and in some ways we can be some what prepared for those times, since we know they are coming up.  Its the times, when no matter where in the world you are, that on a Thursday, for no accountable reason, you feel as though you have been swallowed up and the feelings of loss have enveloped you.

As an adult I can and do practise what I posted in the Rock Star or Roadie blog and through that can navigate my way through the funk.  As a Mom, my instincts want me to just tuck my girls away, hug them, hold them and fix things.  

But I can't.

No amount of hugs from me can replace the arms that they wish to hold them.

Listening to me can not replace the voice that they wish to hear.

A Mom can do and be many things for their children; but a Mom can never be their Dad.

I can only love them, hug them, help them as a Mom.

I can be a "go to" person for them.

I can breathe deeply & evenly, and encourage the same.

I can listen and through that feel the heaviness of the funk lighten.

We can talk and acknowledge that these heavy feelings are temporary and know that they aren't always this strong.

We can sort through some choices and auxiliary experiences, created during this time, that may have best been put on pause, but learn from them all the same.

I can and do remind them of their Rock Stardom; we can smile, laugh, and feel even more heaviness dissipate.

Reaching out to someone when you need a "go to" can seem like the most difficult step; 

Reaching in to someone when they need a "go to" can seem equally so. 

To keep connected during these times takes willingness and faith on both parts.

The email, phone call or invitation for a walk may be the opening up to helping yourself or another feel lighter and better able to make their way back on stage.

Feeling like a Rock Star or the Roadie?

Where is your vibeage right now?


You know the Rock Star feeling, when everything you've got going on is going on!  You are hitting every note and are working through everything with relative ease!  Daily you take to the stage of your life and no matter what comes your way...bam... you have it handled.  No question, No hesitation, you have the "I Got This" attitude.


Have you ever felt like the Roadie?  When everything you are doing feels like heavy lifting, tripping over the cords, constantly stepping on the sticky patches of spilled coke?  When you face the day with the attitude of, "Geez I hope ________ doesn't happen", or I forgot to (fill in the blank) and you are always in catch up or clean up mode.  Not an awesome place to be.


Someone responded to my Rock Star question with, "I don't even feel like I'm on the tour"...so now what?"


My response to the query above was "What would it feel like to coast?"  Think intermission - a time out, a pee break, a chance to get a drink, buy a t-shirt or whatever.  Consider this as an opportunity to take a pause.


When you are in a funk what can you do?


1.  Acknowledge- Be gentle with yourself knowing this is temporary.                            


2.  Mental Sorting - Take the opportunity to see what is coming up for you. What is occupying your mind that has you confounded.  Grab a journal and write. 


3.  Decide not to decide - There are things that will have to be handled and do so; if there are auxiliary things that you could delay making decisions on do so until you are back in the zone.  


4.  Keep connected - Enlist the help of your support network, talk it out with your go to person(s) and share the load.  Your circle of support would not want you to carry that heavy load alone.  Reach out.


5.  Keep moving - February is a month whereas we are still in winter, the sun is graduating towards spring, and the weather can't seem to decide what to do.  Go for a refreshing walk, grab your Ipod, your friend, or pet and get some fresh air.


6.  Breathe & Belly Laugh - I realize you are breathing but stale, stagnant air can accumulate and hangs out in our lungs as it can in our homes.  Pop in your favorite comedy movie and watch and laugh, find a friend to have fun with and laugh!  Find a Laughter Yoga class and even if you don't feel like giggling the benefits of this type of yoga is amazing. 


Not feeling solid or balanced can be reflected in the body as in the mind.  Make a list of 5 things that help you feel more centered, perhaps one or more are listed above.  If not seek to discover what those things are in you, for when a funk happens you have your own personal toolkit to get through to the other side, refreshed and ready for your close up!


Rock On!!!

Defining "Creating Space"

I began using Creating Space as an expression to describe the experience of taking one of my Foot Fitness or Body Rolling Classes.  My intention when teaching was for the work to help to release restrictions in the physical body and the term creating space helped to add imagery to that end.  Opening up tight muscles, reconnecting with flexibility and feeling the body's energy flowing.

When I began as a Feng Shui Consultant, I continued to use Creating Space as  it applied to the physical space of home, business or landscape.  In some cases this may literally mean to de-clutter a room or home or to refresh the layout of a space that feels confining.  

Now as I am expanding my service to mentoring or Life Coaching I was searching for a word or phrase that best suited me.  I tried on a number of different ideas, asked for opinions, and wore out my thesaurus in the process.  However nothing I came up with really seemed to suit or to fit. 

Literally yesterday as I was poised over the keyboard it was one of those light bulb moments when I thought, well of course...I intend to help those who wish to release restrictions of thoughts or beliefs; help to de-clutter mental closets; reconnect with life; and move forward with their energy flowing.  

In that moment it all came together...The thing I love to do is to help people to Create Space in all ways!

So I am keeping it simple, and going with what suits me best!

Sherry Trentini, Creating Space

Enjoy your Day!