Getting Ready For The Next Chapter In My Life.

I am really excited right now. I know I haven't written a blog in a while because of the holiday season but mostly because I am getting ready for the next chapter in my life. My husband is Graduating Collage this Thursday ^_^ and we are moving back to Las Vegas NV where we lived for 10 years before moving to Oklahoma.

We had to face so many challenges while My husband went to school. I had a lot of health issues and then I was told that I was going blind. I could only imagine the pressure that my husband was under. Having to work full-time, go to school full time and take care of me, helping me to heal and not give up.

Now this amazing journey is coming to an end. Each of us stronger and wiser than when we first started this journey 4 years ago.

He will be graduating and once we move I will be on a whole new path for myself. Once we move I will start the low vision training that I need to do, even though I think I am doing pretty darn well ^_^ but knowledge is power so I will get the training. I avoided doing it for the longest time because I reeeallly didn't want to face the fact that I am losing my eyesight. I realized that I must focus on enhancing my other senses and not focus on what I am losing. I always tell everyone to focus on what you want and not on what you don't want so I think it's time to take my own advice.

When we move back I also want to focus on my art, creating tutorials and creating beautiful journals that will inspire people to write. I am having a strong pull back to doing what I have always loved. I feel like with this new chapter I am redesigning my life. More accurately I feel like I am following God's plan for my life. I am excited for what is to come. Please keep me and my husband in your prayers as we get ready for the move and the new chapter in our lives. Once I get settled I will be back to updating everyone with new blog posts. Stay inspired. Thank you for following me. You are loved and appreciated.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

My Top 7 Inspirational Blogs and Memes

It can be stressful for many people this time of year. Added to the stress of the Holidays you also have the stress of current events. If you are a sensitive person like myself everything can be overwhelming but it don't have to be. Now more than any time we must stay focus on creating the life that we want to live and not get distracted. Enjoy each day as if it is your last. Read inspirational blogs and watch uplifting videos. Do what ever you can to make yourself uplifted and happy. You have everything you need to succeed. Don't believe anything less...

This is my top 7 inspirational blogs and memes to help you get you through the holidays and beyond. God Bless and Happy Holidays

Artisticsoulwithin.com

Smile because you are loved

Let go and love ALL of yourself.

You are good enough.

You are who you believe you are.

Letting go is absolute bravery. 

You have so much more life in you. Live your life.

Let Go And Love ALL Of Yourself

I really love this article that I found about Anxiety. It is written by an anonymous writer titled How to Make Anxiety Work For You, Not Against You. Everyone has experienced anxiety from time to time but if you are going through some tough challenges right now you are really going to enjoy this article. It really hits home in such a beautiful way on how to make anxiety your friend and not your enemy.

This article was so great it almost made me cry reading it. It has a really powerful message that I know anyone who reads it will be able to relate to it. I remember growing up I was filled with A LOT of anxiety about everything. I went from childhood abuse to my mom and dad disappearing leaving my little sister and me with a friend who really didn't want us to be with her because she was a single mom with 3 kids of her own. It was a very scary time for me because I didn't know if me and my sister were going to be homeless. I had anxieties about school because I was always behind and I still had to deal with the social politics at every school we moved too which made things even worse. I worried about everything.

My anxiety seemed non stop even in adulthood when I had to face some serious health problems back to back. For the longest time, anxiety was something that I had to fight. Everything hurt and I had to do everything to stop the pain but no matter how hard I fought to stop the pain and make things better things kept getting worse. I got to the point in my life where I was so afraid that I would be crushed by something “out there” that I didn't even want to leave the house or even my bed at times. I have seen great therapists and they were helpful, but I still felt like I was missing something. I didn't know what it was until a few years ago.

Anonymous said, “I was the one who had turned anxiety into some sort of creepy horror movie character, when really all she was, was a version of me who just wanted to be heard and loved.” This is what I came to realize myself. I realized that I was fighting myself and making an enemy out of something that was trying to help me. Instead of fighting my anxiety I learned to embrace it and listen to it. That is when I went from being extremely fearful to being very adventurous and outgoing.

Anonymous said, “I decided that day to change anxiety's name to “sweetheart”... When she feels worried, I tell her I am there for her, and she smiles. When she's angry, I listen to what's bothering her, and she relaxes.” This is exactly what I learned on my journey. When I feel pain or anger I literally stop, look at it and I say to myself I see you, It is ok to be there, I love and accept you anyway then the pain, frustration and anger just melts away. My anxiety aka sweetheart just wants to be seen and heard so I see her for what she is and I say it's ok ^_^

Anonymous said, “When you accept and love parts of yourself that you deem unacceptable, a strange thing happens. Those parts start working with you instead of against you.” When I learned that anxiety was not my enemy I was able to travel and explore beyond my wildest dreams. Staying focus on my Spiritual life and learning Mindfulness techniques really helped me out a lot in learning to let go and love all of myself. I learned to not fight that part of myself but embrace it. I learned that anxiety is nothing to be ashamed of. Anxiety is like physical pain and it can be physical pain. That pain is not trying to kill you it is simply trying to tell you that something needs to change and you have the power to change it.

After much study and self-reflection, I don't see anxiety the same anymore. If you can adjust your perspective a bit you can learn to use anxiety to your great advantage.

Anonymous said “Rather than seeing UCI (anxiety) as something that needs to be removed, think about the gifts it brings to your life and choose to see it differently. Now that I can see my anxiety as a gift. I know what I need to do to get back to inner peace, something I don't think I've ever really been able to do.” This is the key right here. When something is strongly in your face take notice and go back to inner peace. That is what mindfulness is all about. It is about excepting what is and going back to the center, to inner peace.

Don't be afraid. Find out what your anxiety is trying to tell you and listen. From my experience, I know that peace of mind is on the other side of listening to that part of yourself that desperately wants to be heard. If you are struggling with anxiety please read How to Make Anxiety Work For You, Not Against You. I am very honored to have read that article. I hope you enjoy it and find it as helpful as I did.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

Let Go And Celebrate Your Life

I really love love looove Anushree Baikerikar's article titled What If Success Was Measured by How Well You've Loved? This is a very powerful question and Anushree in her article beautifully redefined what success is and what it really should mean. Anushree wrote a great article about her life and how she discovered the true meaning of success. Her article was very great to read and I know you will enjoy it.

My husband and I have been married for 19 years now and we known each other for over 20 years. If I was to write a book about our life it would be a romantic comedy ^_^ I went from not like him A LOT to falling very much in love with him. It is a long funny story that I might share at another time. While we were dating Marcel said that he wanted to be a preacher. I was very happy to hear that. I will never forget the day he told me that he wanted to be a preacher. I knew he would be a really great one. We talked about it and as he went to his dorm room on campus I remember thinking I know one day we will get married so what does it mean to be a preacher's wife?

I knew in my heart what I wanted for my life, I knew what God desired and I also knew that it was faaar from what would be considered “successful” in today's age in America. Honestly, I have told very few people this but my life has shown what I wanted and that was to focus only on my family, my faith and art. I want to serve. I said that this is far from what is considered “successful” because if you talk to many people as I did, the first thing that people will tell me is “you gotta make money right?” and “it is not realistic for a family to live on only one income.” To the chagrin of many people I put making money on the low end of the list and focused totally on serving others and creating art. My husband understood but not too many friends or family understood. We always had what we needed even though life wasn't easy at times. I decided early on that I want to live my life on my terms even if it didn't fit the norm or considered to be “successful”. Caring for my family was what I knew would make me happy even if I didn't get paid a dime.

For the last 19 years I served in missions, worked in large food pantries, taught kids art and bible, coached youth and woman and took care of my family. My husband is doing great and we will be celebrating our 20th anniversary next June on the beaches of San Diego CA sssshhh he don't know this yet ^_^ lol.

If I was to die right now would anyone know how much money I made? NO! but they will remember how much I loved everyone, how much I loved to serve and how I loved life.

Anushree in her article wrote, “Just think about it- what if success was measured by how well you've loved instead of what you've earned or how many people know you? What if success was actually how much you've loved life itself, filling it with love and giving even more love? And not necessarily what you are wearing, the places you've been to, or the phones, cars and yachts you've owned? What if success was measured by how much joy you've brought to the table and how much better or worse you left the place than when you arrived? What if success was measured by how kindly and sincerely you've treated those around you? What if you actually got negative points every time you treated someone meanly or unfairly or judged someone or looked down on someone? How would your success graph look in the case? Would you need to put in more effort to make it better?”

Even though I have put very little focus on money my life has been filled with joy. Everything that I really really wanted in my life I got and if I wanted more all I have to do is ask. This all came about because of what I chose to focus on and celebrating EVERYTHING in my life. I remember reading “You know you are on track when your heart is at peace.” This is why I decided to be a Spiritual Mindfulness Life Coach because I want to give even more and help others find that peace within themselves. The more love you show to yourself and others the more peace and joy you will know.

Anushree Baikerikar article is spot on. How we love each other should be the gold standard of success. In her article, Anushree's shows how to let go, appropriate the little things, love your family and realize the real meaning of success. Read Anushree Baikerikar's article titled What If Success Was Measured by How Well You've Loved?

Live well, laugh often and love A LOT. When you count your blessings and celebrate your life amazing things always happen. I see the best in you.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

Let Go And Give Yourself Permission To Live.

I have found an amazing article written by Tess Marshall titled 21 Tips To Release Self-Neglect and Love Yourself In Action. This article is all about giving ourselves permission to live and in today's society this is greatly needed. If you are looking to step out of the norm and learn to give yourself permission to live then I know you will love Tess Marshall's article.

This article really hit home with me because I feel like I have this constant pressure to do more and be different. In my heart, I know being who I really want to be will cause me to stand out of the crowd in unfavorable ways with some people. So what do I do? Do I fit in and make people comfortable or do I stand out and live my life to the fullest even if it makes people uncomfortable? In the end, I am choosing to stand out with no apologies and I thank God for helping me to make this decision in my life.

In Tess's article, she said, “We're taught by society that our worth is found in the idols of our culture- technology, status, youth, sex, power, money, attractiveness, and romantic relationships. If you base your self worth on the external world, you'll never be capable of self-love. Your inner critic will flood you with thoughts of “I'm not enough, I don't have enough, and I don't do enough.” Feeling of lack are never-ending. Every time a goal is reached or you possess the next big thing, your ego will move the line.” Tess is sooo right on point. If we keep our focus on what other people think of us that feeling of lack and not being good enough will be never-ending. We have to learn how to love and trust ourselves. Only then we can live our lives to the fullest.

In order to give ourselves permission to live, we must spend some time looking inwardly. Meditating daily and writing or drawing in a gratitude journal is very helpful. Trying something new every day will also help in giving yourself permission to live. Like Tess said, “You have a right to an awesome life.” Give yourself permission to be awesome.

I have learned that letting go and excepting uncertainty also plays a big part of giving yourself permission to live. Of course, I want to make everyone comfortable and I would love everyone to like me but I am ok if they don't. I am giving myself permission to live my life with no apologies. Tess said in her article “Speak up and speak out. Allow yourself to be seen, known and heard. Get comfortable with intimacy (in-to-me-see).” I love this. Don't be afraid to stand out and be seen even if it makes others uncomfortable because in the end you can't please everyone so you might as well be yourself.

Tess said, “Be willing to surrender and grow. Life is a journey. We are here to learn and love on a deeper level. Love yourself enough to believe in the limitless opportunities available to you.” There are a lot of people who will tell you all the things you can and can not do and that what you are doing is not enough. Be courageous, block those voices out of your mind and own your unlimited potential. If you sit quietly and listen, you already know what is best for your life and it may not add up to what other people think is best for your life. Trust in yourself. You know what to do.

Giving yourself permission to live life to the fullest takes courage, hard work and patience. Every day you must decide to live. Every day you must strive to have that singular focus to live life to the fullest. I totally understand that it will not be easy and some people in your life may fall off the grid but in the end it will all be worth it. If you are looking to learn how to give yourself permission to live please read Tess Marshall 21 Tips To Release Self-Neglect and Love Yourself In Action. I can go on and on about Tess's article. I love ALL 21 tips and I know you will find each tip very helpful too. Read her tips, do a gratitude journal and every day give yourself permission to live. I see the best in you.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

Letting Go Is Absolute Bravery

I really love this article written by Jennifer Sparks titled Learn To Flourish When You Are Not In Control. I can really relate to this article very much because I am going through something that is very far out of my control in losing my eyesight because of Macular Degeneration. If you are going through something that seems beyond your control please read Jennifer's article. It is a very heartfelt and inspirational article.

Growing up I felt like I was always sick with something. First as a baby I was born with a hole in my stomach. Then growing up I had to deal with years of childhood abuse and the PTSD that followed. Then as I got older I started having seizures, always in pain and started losing my eyesight so I totally understand how it feels to not be in control of one's life but I will never forget when all of this started turning around for me and Jennifer painted a beautiful picture on how to overcome what seems out of your control.

As I look back on my life to where I am right now, I wondered how did I get here? I love my life now. Ok, I am losing my eyesight but I am not in pain, I haven't had a seizure in years, I have a wonderful husband of 19 years and I am living a life filled with joy and surprises lol. So how did I get here? The answer is I let go and expressed gratitude for everything in my life. I let go and boooy was it scary and hard to do so. Like in Jennifer's article, there was a lot that I had no control over and I tried really really hard to control each and every step of my life. When I learned this very important lesson of letting go that is when I started to see more, A LOT more blessings come into my life.

Jennifer in her article said it best “Soon, I was focused on how blessed I felt and the joy that had always been around me but that I failed to see when I was looking the other way. Even in times of struggle, I continued to look for these simple things, and they were always there for me. I just had to decide to see them.” She said, “I just had to decide to see them.” This is the key right here. Holding on to what you have no control over uses up a whoooole lot of energy. That energy could be spent on what you want and what you are grateful for instead of what you don't want and what you hate.

Only after letting go I found a way through each challenge in my life. Trusting that everything was going to work itself out and having faith was my saving grace.

The one thing that we have absolute control over that no one can take away is our thoughts. Jennifer said, “Our journey has taught me that I am in control of my thoughts, and when I pick my thoughts carefully, I can still flourish in challenging circumstances.”

One thing that I have learned is that challenges are not meant to crush us. They are meant to teach us lessons and help us to grow. Because of what I went through I am more resilient and very resourceful. I am stronger now then I was just years ago. After going through so much in my life I can now share how I over came it all. I learned that if you control your thoughts you can control your world.

If you are struggling with controlling your thoughts start a gratitude journal, learn Mindfulness and listen to inspirational and motivational CD's or watch inspirational Youtube videos like I do EVERY DAY. You became what you constantly think about so I encourage you to fill your mind with good things and let go of negativity. Reading inspiring articles like mine ^_^ every day will also help you to stay focus. The more focus and calm you are the quicker you will get to your desires especially when things seem out of your control.

If you are going through some struggles right now please read Jennifer's article titled Learn To Flourish When You Are Not In Control. In her article, you will see exactly how to get through any struggle. If I can overcome I know you can. I see the best in you.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

My Top 6 Favorite Inspirational Blogs and Meme's

These are my top 6 favorite inspirational and motivational blog's and meme's that I have posted on Artistic Soul Within.  As a Spiritual Life Coach, my goal is to help people cultivate peace, passion for life and less stress so that you can create more in life. In order to create the life of your dreams you must have a relaxed faith and the persistence to keep a positive attitude. You already have everything that you need to succeed. You just need to believe. Stay Encouraged. 

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

Being Yourself Is Absolute Bravery 

You Are Who You Believe You Are

Your Choice Is A Blessing

You Have So Much Life In You. Live Your Life.

Let Go And Live Your Passion

Artisticsoulwithin.com 

Trust Yourself. You Can't Screw Up Your Desires.

“I seldom end up where I wanted to go, but almost always end up where I need to be.” - Douglas Adams

I love this article written by Christine Hassler titled You Cannot Screw Up Your Destiny. I must admit that this article came right on time for me. Have you ever wondered if you were making the right decisions when it comes to what you really want in life? I know we all have those thoughts. If you ever thought about if you are on the right track then I know you will love Christine's article.

One thing that I really love about Christine's article is that she hit home the fact that there are no “wrong" choices and that there are infinite paths to get to where we want to be. Christine said “Trust me, there are no “wrong choices. There are simply consequences of each choice that shape the manner in which our destiny unfolds but truly cannot screw it up.” I love this quote because we get so caught up in judging every decision we make as a good decision or a bad decision instead of just labeling each decision as a lesson learned.

Christine gave a perfect example of this by describing our lives like a treasure map and our destiny is a pot of gold. The choice that we make along the way simply impacts the direction that we take to the pot of gold. Christine said, “There is not just one route to get there- there are many paths that you can possibly take. That means there are MANY choices you can make in your life, which will all eventually lead you to the same destination. This still takes into account for free will. Your destination is your choice. Once you decide where you want to go trust that you will get there.

Once you realize that God is always looking out for you and that there are infinite possibilities for your desires to come to you then this should take a big load off your shoulders. Trust that God is always nudging you in the right direction. Also, it is important to trust in your inner wisdom. Christine said, “Your own inner wisdom is your internal GPS so that you will never get totally lost. Sure you may feel a bit disorientated at times, but trust that your Higher Self knows your destiny. The more you are in communication with your Higher Self, rather than your ego, the more direct your route will be.”

In order to get in touch with your Higher Self and trust your inner wisdom, you have to get quiet. I notice when I get anxious, angry, frustrated and upset I can't hear my inner wisdom and I can't feel God nudging me in the right direction. It is only when I get quiet, let go and pray that is when I can see and hear clearly. Meditation and getting quiet will go a long way in being able to trust your inner guide.

In closing understand that there are infinite ways that your desires can come to you and that there is something greater than yourself who wants you to have the desires of your heart. What you want is already yours. You just have to get into the state of mind to see it. If you want to know more about how you can't screw up your destiny please read Christine Hassler's article You Cannot Screw Up Your Destiny and be encouraged. You have everything that you need to succeed.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

Living The Life Of Your Dreams Is Absolute Bravery

I really enjoyed reading this article by Bethany Rosselit called Forget “Should” and live the life you want to live. Her article starts off with this awesome quote “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson. In today's world, it is an act of bravery to step out of the “norm” and be who you really want to be. If you are looking to be inspired to live the life of your dreams then I know you will love Bethany Rosselit's article.

I know how it is to really want something and people tell you that it is not good enough. I grew up with constant criticism. Even as an adult people will say if your dreams don't scare it's not big enough. If you are not working 2 jobs, you are not working hard enough. If you don't have a big house on a hill you are not rich enough. You know what's funny? All these people who say these things never really stop and ask anyone hey what do YOU really want? What will fill YOUR life with joy? What do YOU value the most? It might not be anything scary or a big house on a hill. It might be something simple as a tiny house by a lake with a dog watching the sun rise and sun set every day. To live a simple, peaceful and happy life. If this is the life that you want to live then be brave and strive to live a simple life. This is your life.

This is why I love Bethany's article so much. She asked herself what would really make her happy, she then went out and made it happen and it was faaaar from the “norm”. She is a huge inspiration to me because she was willing to brave criticism, brave the hard work to make it happen, brave her own fears and above all she stuck to her values.

Bethany said in her article “Ask yourself what you value rather then just doing things because you are supposed to. This is your life, and there is nothing that you must do. Everything is a choice, even when you think it is not.” A lot of times we don't take the time to think about what we really value. We are soo accustomed to being on auto pilot and we don't stop and think about what our values are and what would really make us happy. Take a moment right now to think about your values and don't be afraid to honor your values and dreams.

In Bethany's article, she also talks about how we should not be afraid of Change. She said, “Move with the flow of life rather than resisting it. Be ready to move on when it is time.” She is so right on point in what she said. To get from here to where we want to be we must change and our environment must change. Change is necessary for growth.

Don't be afraid of change and don't be afraid of criticism. Bethany said, “When someone criticizes or judges your choices, they are only showing their own misunderstanding. It is an insecure person who judges another person's choices.” People will criticize. Take it for what it is and move on towards your goals and your dreams. If you stick to your values it will be all worth it in the end. Trust me I know. Trust yourself and know that you have everything that you need in order to succeed.

If you are looking for more inspiration to live the life of your dreams please read Bethany Rosselit's article titled Forget “Should” and live the life you want to live. Read her article, be brave and live the life of your dreams... I see the best in you.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

Let Go And Live Your Passion

I love this article written by Esther Litchfield-Fink titled Why hard work might not pay off (and what will). This article that Esther has written is a very well thought out and beautifully written article about how we should put our passions first. If you are looking for a life filled with passion, I know you will enjoy her article as much as I did.

In today’s world it can be sometimes difficult to put your passions first but with a few mindful changes that Esther perfectly written about in her article I believe anyone can live a passionate life. I have noticed that the truly successful people are doing what they love and all great success was done with passion. So if you really want to be successful you have to find what you are passionate about and do it to the fullest.

The best part about living a passionate life is that you don't have to quit your day job to live a passionate life. You can start right where you are. I know that you may be thinking that I am working a full-time job and I have 10 kids. How can I find the time to work on my passions? By the yard it hard but inch by inch anything is a cinch. Focus and Determination are key. First figure out what you are passionate about then work out a detailed plan to make it happen. Once you have all the details figured out work on it one hour a day and make those hours count. It may take a lot of patience, but those hours add up to the life of your dreams. Don't worry about motivation at first. Esther in her article said it perfectly “Passion is not always strong and powerful. It can be calm and deep. Don't worry about motivation. Once you feel the passion for something, the motivation comes with little effort.” I wholeheartedly agree with this. Just start and keep going.

One of the best advises in Esther's article that I loooove is “Hide from those that bring you down”. YES YES YES!!! Esther said, “Steer clear of the “hard work and little passion and play” people. Seek out those that understand how acting from passion first enhances your life and the life of everyone around you.” This is very important. I use to have people around me that use to sap my energy because I wasn't living up to their expectations. It was very hard, but I had to let those people go and avoid them like the plague because they were not helping me to get to where I need to be. Avoid people who bring you down and have no desire to help you achieve your dreams.

In Esther's Article, she said, “Know that sometimes life is hard. And work is hard. World and life events and tragedies bring us down and out of happiness and passion. Know that this is necessary so you can see the contrast of living from passion first to living from the work hard place.” she said Remember, when you have passion about something you are more willing to take risks. Everyone can decide to work hard, but passion means something different to each person. Follow yours.”

Living a passionate life is not always easy. It may mean looking deep within yourself and making changes from within. It may mean reevaluating your relationships and prioritizing your time, but I know that the main ingredient to success is passion. Without passion all we have is a feeling of being stuck, depression and anger. Passion gives us balance. It is the thing that fills us with life.

What are you passionate about? What gives you life? What feeds your soul? You have everything that you need to succeed. Don't be afraid to live the passionate life... If you are looking for ways to put your passions first please read Esther Litchfield- Fink's article Why hard work might not pay off (and what will). Read her inspirational article and learn to put your passions first because you are worth it.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

Go Ahead Dance To The Beat Of Your Own Drum

I really enjoyed this article written by Skylar Liberty Rose titled Who Cares What They Think? (Why You Don't Need to Fit In). This article by Skylar touched my heart on so many levels. If you struggle with fitting in and find yourself worrying a lot about what other people think then this article is for you.

In this short but beautifully written article, Skylar and her husband was invited to hear one of her yoga student's play the piano. When they got to the place where her student was playing they were turned away because of how they were dressed. Understandably Skylar and her husband were angry and upset, but instead of leaving they decided to stand out side of the door. When they heard the music of student playing they started slow dancing in the lobby. They were happy. Aaaahhh I can sooo imagine this beautiful scene.

They didn't let the craziness of the moment rob them of experiencing the beautiful music. Skylar in her article said, “Life will always throw us curveballs. Always. But we can still find our own joy. We can still hear the music. She goes on to talk about how our happiness should not be dependent on the acceptance and approval of others. She said, “If our happiness is only ever dependent on the acceptance and approval of others then we are giving away far too much of our power. It's human nature to want to be liked, To want to be included, but it's damaging for our self esteem if it's something we have to fight for."

I myself have struggled with wanting acceptance and approval of others. Just in writing a blog post doubt and fear use to stop me from typing a single world. In the beginning I lacked a lot of confidence. Fear of rejection was the number 1 reason I didn't start a blog for the longest time. I have learned that it is ok to march to the beat of my own drum. I have made Mispellingz and punctuation issues;;; a part of my unique character ^_^ Every day I am learning something new and getting better and better. Even though I am far from perfect I love to write. I may not always have the right words to say or always be understood, but those who wish to truly understand will take the time to know me and understand my heart.

Sklar beautifully said, “ We can waste our time caring about what others think of us OR we can get ourselves a great big slice of empowerment and dance to our own music. We can be subdued and spiritless OR we can be original and unique and stand out.”

I want to share this amazing poem that Sklar wrote. This poem really inspired me and I love it a lot...

I Will Not Hide

I will not hide who I am

Who I was born to be

Just because it blots your landscape

I will not mute my colours

Nor dim my light

Just because your eyes are sensitive

I will not lose my flavour

Nor relinquish my spice

Just because your palate requires a different taste

I will not dilute my strength

Nor water down my spirit

Just because you have no desire for this drink

I will not walk with less confidence

Nor diminish my flare

Just because you prefer me to be meek

I will not stop my torrent

Or calm my waves

Just because you want shelter from this storm

I will not stay in silence

Nor sensor my speech

Just because you have no appetite for my words

I will not lessen my love

Nor subdue my passion

Just because you fear my fire

I will not hide.

By Skylar Liberty Rose

Has it ever accrued to you that maybe you were not meant to fit in? Maybe you are meant to be the brightest star in the room. Don't let anybody reduce who you are. You weren't meant to fit in. You were called to stand out. If you struggle with fitting in and caring about what other people think please read Skylar Liberty Rose's Article Who Cares What They Think? (Why You Don't Need to Fit In). Play your own music and learn to dance to the beat of your own drum.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

Let Go And Live Your Life To The Fullest.

I really enjoyed this article by Marc Chernoff titled 4 Questions that will change your attitude (When you can't change anything else). I am starting to be a big fan of Marc. He has written so many great articles and this is another great one.

In this article Marc talks about how our attitude plays a major role in our success in life. I know it's hard to keep a positive attitude when you are going through a lot in your life. Trust me I know. I have gone through childhood traumas, overcame illness after illness then ending up being told by the doctors that I have Macular Degeneration and I am about to go blind soon. Sooo Yea I know how hard it is to keep a positive attitude, but I know that it's because of my positive attitude lol and A LOT of prayers I am where I am today.

Marc said it perfectly “Regardless of what you're going through, it's about choosing: Will I allow this to upset me? Will I choose to make this bad or good? Will I choose to stay or walk away? Will I choose to yell or whisper? Will I choose to react or take the time to respond?” He also said "Peace of mind arrives the moment you come to peace with what's on your mind. It happens when you let go of the need to be anywhere but where you are, physically and emotionally. This acceptance of the way things are creates the foundation for inner harmony. The need for something to be different in this moment is nothing more than a worry, and worries simply lead you in circles."

I totally agree with what he said. Acceptance doesn't mean staying stuck in your situation. Acceptance simply gives you the space to move forward mindfully. When I was told that I was going blind my mind understandably was all over the place. I was deeply depression after the diagnosis. I eventually got to a point where I was able to sit with what is, embrace what is (pain and all) and eventually found calm and peace within myself. Enough calm and peace to create a whole new life for myself... In the famous book Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill I remember reading a story about a father who had a son who was born without ears and every night he would tell his son “Your disability will be your greatest asset.” His son grew up to do amazing things in his life. I thought to myself why can't this be me? Why can't what I have in this present moment be my greatest asset? There are many famous blind artist. Acceptance gave me a clear vision to set a course to where I really wanted to be in my life.

Marc said so wisely “It's always the right time to embrace the present- just the detached awareness and acceptance of right here, right now. Only then do you have the power to focus on your challenges and opportunities more mindfully- and that changes everything.” I have learned the last few years that any attachment to a certain outcome brings a lot of suffering. I had to learn to let go of my “plans” for my life and just flow to my greatest good. Flow to what really brings me joy. Years ago I would have never dreamed of writing a blog or being a Spiritual Mindfulness Life Coach but here I am living a life beyond my wildest dreams.

Marc said, “Your greatest weapon against stress and negativity is your ability to choose one thought over another. Happiness escapes from those who refuse to see the good in what they have. When life gives you every reason to be negative, think positive.” Letting go and learning to flow will open up so many doors and windows for you in your life as it did for me. Understand that your thoughts create your life and the only moment you have is right now. Choose your thoughts wisely because what you continue to focus on you will manifest.

If you are struggling with worry and letting go please read Marc Chernoff's article titled 4 Questions that will change your attitude(When you can't change anything else). Study each question and cultivate peace and harmony in your life. You have everything that you need to succeed. Learn to let go, relax deeply and success will be yours.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

Wake Up And Be Grateful. You Have Greatness Within You.

I really enjoyed reading this short but sweet article written by Marc Chernoff titled 12 little known laws of gratitude that will change your life. This article really hit the mark on what is needed to achieve greatness.

Gratitude really is the key to everything you desire. In his very first paragraph, Marc said, “Gratitude leads to greatness. It can literally turn what you have into more than enough, jobs into joy, chaos into order, uncertainty into clarity, and bring peace to an otherwise chaotic day”. He goes on to talk about how whenever you show appreciation you get more of what you desire. This is overlooked by so many people. Gratitude is essential for personal growth and spiritual growth.

I know you probably heard about gratitude many times before. I have written about it many times, but this is something that really must be highlighted in your mind because gratitude really is the key to what you desire. So many people take for granted these little known laws. Maybe because it is too simple or we are forgetful. We must understand that if we want success in our lives we must show gratitude for what we already have. Gratitude is what gives you that spark to set off what you desire. Without Gratitude all you have is an unlit candle in the dark.

It is nearly impossible to be sad when you are counting your blessings and because of the joy you have you will have many more blessings to count. Marc in his article goes on to say “It makes no sense to condemn or regret an important life lesson”. Remember that what you focus on you get more of so don't sit too long wishing you would have done things differently. Focus on what you are grateful for now, make changes for the future and do better. Marc said, “Gratitude makes sense of yesterday, brings peace to the present and creates a positive vision for tomorrow”. Be grateful that you have room to grow and move forward to a better tomorrow.

Gratitude also puts things into perspective. Marc said “Good days give you happiness and bad days bays give you wisdom. Both are essential”. Gratitude helps us to see clearly and live our lives to the fullest. I love when Marc said in his article “What matters most is not what you say but how you live. Don't say it, show it. Don't promise it, prove it.” You don't have to say a word. Your life will show how much you are grateful for not just in riches and wealth but how content you are and how much joy you have for living life. It will also show in how you give to others.

Marc in his article said, “The highest form of prayer is giving thanks”. This is sooo true because giving thanks when you pray opens doors to what you truly desire. He ended his short article with an awesome quote by his grandmother. “Life should be lived with a little more gratitude and a little less attitude.” If you are still wondering why you are not where you want to be consider counting your blessings and take notes from Marc's great article titled 12 little known laws of gratitude that will change your life. If you challenge yourself to count your blessings every day, relax and let go, what you desire will come to you. I have seen it in my life and I know that you will see it in yours.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

Your Choice Is A Blessing

I am soo happy I came across this Article written by Stephanie Kwong. The article is called 3 words that will change your entire life, if you let them. When I read this article it put a big smile on my face and I know it will do the same for you.

This article written by Stephanie is very short but very powerful. I really enjoyed reading it a lot. The article is about how Stephanie grudgingly wakes up one morning to go to yoga class and after finally getting out the door she comes across a woman on crutches with one leg. The woman pointed to her while Stephanie was holding her yoga mat and asked her “are you going to yoga?” Yes, Stephanie replied. The woman smiled and said “Good for you. You're lucky.”

At that moment, Stephanie realized something life changing. She said, “I learned that if we've chosen to do something we'll gain from it, even if we can't see what that is. Yet.” She goes on and said “There are benefits in the choices and decisions we make. And in those moments of have-to's and should's, we can shift into an attitude of get-to, which will transform our experience of those moments to being one of choice and a blessing.”

I love what she is saying. Living from a place of I get-to can really change our lives in such tremendous ways. We get so caught up in I have to do this and I have to do that until we don't recognize the blessings in our everyday choices.... Being a preacher's wife can be challenging. My husband have been preaching for many years now. I use to feel like a wallflower sitting in my husband's shadow for a long time but one day I took a trip to my sister's house in Seattle WA and being vision impaired I needed an escort at the airport. The escort I got was really nice. He asked me where I was from and I told him I was traveling from Oklahoma to Portland OR. I told him my husband is a preacher and a ministerial student at OCU. He said, “O you're a preacher's wife.” I said yes for almost 20 years. He said something that I would never forget. He said, “You are an amazing person. Don't ever think that you are less than your husband. Not too many people can do what you do. What you are doing is a great work. Keep doing what you are doing.” What he said filled my heart with so much joy and totally changed my perspective. It was soo right on time because I had my doubts if anybody noticed what I was doing and all the hard work that I was putting in every single day.

After reading Stephanie's Article, I realized that I am blessed in so many ways. I realized that I don't have to do anything. I get to do everything I choose to do. I am where I am today because of the choices I made yesterday. We are so blessed that we get to choose our day and how our day will proceed from this moment on. Even in stressful times we have a choice. Getting into a state of gratitude opens up many more blessings to come our way. Changing your perception can change your whole life. I realize that I don't have to do anything but I get to do everything that I desire.

There is a benefit to changing your perspective from have-to to get-to. Stephanie said, “I now wake up with more vibrancy and gratitude, reminding myself of all that I get to do, get to be, get to know. Lucky me”. That is exactly how I feel about my life. I get to be a preacher's wife. I get to be a Mindfulness Coach. I get to study all the subjects that help me to grow as a person. I even get to see lol not perfectly but enough to write this blog. I get to share my thoughts with some amazing people and meet some amazing people. What more can I ask for? I am blessed.

If you want to learn how to change your perspective from have-to to get-to please read Stephanie Kwong's article titled 3 words that will change your entire life, if you let them. I hope this article inspires you as much as it has inspired me. 

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

I See The Best In You. Never Stop Dreaming

I found a beautiful, inspirational true story written by Anthony Stagg Titled 2 pieces of guidance a blind man taught me about achieving your dreams. In this 7 minute article Anthony describes how a man named Tim Reddish OBE went from childhood struggles to having a great career, a wife and 2 kids to having an even better career and life after he lost his eyesight. Overcoming losing his eyesight was a struggle at first, but Tim Reddish became unstoppable and a great inspiration to many people.

Anthony talks about in his article how after losing his eyesight “Tim had a decision to make, did he let this affect him or did he take on the responsibility for his own future?” Not only did Tim take responsibility for his life he shined so bright the whole world could see him. I was greatly moved by this article because I was diagnosed with Macular Degeneration in December of 2013 at the age of 37. One doctor said that I will be mostly blind within a year or so because my eyes are severally damaged.

When I got the news that I was going blind I was devastated. No, I was beyond devastated. I'm a visual artist. How can I go blind? What will I do with my life? I don't want to be a burden on my husband. I already had to go through a lot of crap in my life. Why this???? Every day when I woke up and my eyesight kept getting dimmer and dimmer. I got so depressed that I didn't want to open my eyes in the morning when I woke. Just opening my eyes was a constant reminder of what I thought I was losing.

After a year of depression and with the help of my husband and my big Sis Renee I decided to take charge of my life. Like Tim, I had to take responsibility for my life and not take no for an answer. I was focusing on the fear of losing my eyesight instead of focusing on seeing the world around me in the most unique and beautiful ways. I was focused on what I didn't want instead of what I wanted.

So I decided to become fearless. I decided to step into the world with new eyes and a new way of seeing. It has been an amazing journey. I have done things that I would not even dream of doing before now. I have done presentations and sang in front of large groups, started my own coaching business and I really enjoy creating this blog site. Now I only focus on what I want and those things that are out of my control I ignore. Well, more accurately I see it for what it is then I move on. The article that Anthony wrote is truly inspirational. The best advice is to take responsibility of your own life and be crystal clear of what you want. Having a clear vision will help you move forward in your life. Anthony's article will show you how.

My goals now is to be the best Mindfulness Coach that I can be and to run a meditation center within the next 2 years to help people overcome stress and anxiety. O and I will have a light brown Goldendoodle dog named Charlie ^_^ He will be the best guide dog EVER lol.

If you are going through a lot of challenges right now please read and be inspired by Anthony Stagg's article Titled 2 pieces of guidance a blind man taught me about achieving your dreams. Read Anthony's article and decide if you are going to let your challenges stop you or will you choose to do great things. The choice is yours. I see the best in you. Don't quit. Don't ever quit.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com 

You Have So Much More Life In You. Live Your Life.

I really love this short article written by George Mortimer titled 10 compelling signs that you're doing better than you think... Do you feel like you are nowhere near the life that you dreamed of living and you want more out of life? This article may give you a different perspective on your life and help you to see that you are closer to your dreams than you think.

In Mortimer's amazing article, he talks about how we should look at the bigger picture and realize that we have everything that we need to live our dreams. He also talks about how our life is amazing in ways that you may not have considered. In his article, he helps us to see the clues around us that shows us that we really are on track.

Looking at all the blessing you have right now allows you to gain so much more in your life. Mortimer in his article said, “The faster you can turn away from what's behind you and focus on this moment the happier you'll be”. Focusing on the present moment and the blessings you already have is huuugely beneficial. The more you are grateful for in your life the more blessings you will receive. Yes, I know that this has been said many times before however this is thee most important lesson to learn. If you are looking for a better life start by counting your blessings and see how much more will be added unto you.

One of the best points that Mortimer made was that “You still have a mission left unfinished”. He said, “One of the saddest things in life is to see people die in their 20's and get buried in their 70's. The truth is, your life is never finished. The fact that you still have more goals you want to accomplish, places you want to see and things you want to do puts you so much far ahead of anyone who isn't even trying”. The point is that you have so much more life to live. You are not finished yet. I learned this lesson after I was told that I was going blind. I myself had to realize that I still have a lot of life to live and I am not finished yet. There is still more life in me.

The purpose of life is not to focus on what you don't have but to enjoy all the blessings that you already have. Focusing on what you have instead of what you don't have brings more blessings into your life. Take a look at all the goodness that you have around you and you will see that you have more then you realize. If you want to see more signs on how you are actually on the right path please read George Mortimer's article titled 10 compelling signs that you're doing better than you think. See for yourself how you are actually closer to your goals and dreams than you think. Don't doubt just keep moving forward. 

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com

You are the light of the world. Go ahead and shine.

This is an amazing article written by Perry Manzano titled “How to keep your spirits up when you're bombarded with negativity all day”. If you find yourself constantly surrounded by negativity or negative people in general this article is for you.

There is a lot of negativity going on in this world today. We see it all around us and to top it all off many people have to go to work and to school just to deal with even more negative people. If negativity is a part of our everyday life we have to be better prepared to handle the daily bombardment of negativity. After reading this very well written article by Perry Manzano it helped me to realize that we can guard ourselves against negativity and live a peaceful and happy life despite what is going on around us. There are times when we must be around negative people, but there is a way to effectively protect ourselves against negativity.

Perry Manzano said, “If someone's being negative toward you, and you realize it's influencing you for the worst, make a conscious effort to get back in the driver's seat and be in control. Instead of mirroring their energy, try to help them mirror yours. Be glad that you're in a more positive state, and reflect the desired positive outcome back at them. If they raise their voice, you speak calmly. If they're rude, you act politely. That's the name of the game. Now it's just a matter of who caves in first. Maintain your energy, and stay the course no matter what. You'll know you've got them when they start matching your tone. He also said, “Remember, they're not really attacking you. They're attacking the problem. The problem itself in not a part of you; it's a separate entity”. I agree with this wholeheartedly and it works every time.

I loved it when he said “Your Positive actions make you your own leader, not a follower”. You can't change the negativity of the world, but you can change how you deal with it. You can change how you react. It is really up to you. Negativity is really how you perceive it. You have a choice to be a light or to be a part of the other persons darkness. Don't let other people dictate how you feel.

The best advice Perry Manzano gave is to “Treat yourself when you feel the negativity getting to you”.

My favorite thing to do after a hard day is to relax in a hot bath while eating a bowl full of delicious ice cream or strawberries with whip cream mmm heaven... In your daily life you should have a plan to clear out any negativity or that energy will get stuck in you and fester like a cancer. Negativity exist and even positive people can have a bad day from time to time. We may not be able to change the whole world but your goal should simply be to allow the world to match your beautiful light. Even if the world doesn't match your amazing light you will still have the ultimate inner peace that no one can take away. Guard against negativity by choosing to keep your spirits high and be the light of the world.

If you are dealing with a lot of negativity in your life and you want to learn the most effective way of dealing with it please read Perry Manzano article titled “How to keep your spirits up when you're bombarded with negativity all day”. In it Perry Manzano gives 5 amazing tips on how to handle everyday negativity. I hope that this article inspires you to live life to the fullest no matter how negative the world may be. You are the light of the world. Go ahead and shine.

God Bless

Artisticsoulwithin.com