Practice Being Transformed

Visual evidence of change is more recognizable than what’s unseen. So let’s compare mental health to physical health for renewed perspective and greater understanding. When someone gains a significant amount of weight, it’s obvious. Their frame has changed shape and size. When someone has a clogged artery that’s blocking the flow of blood necessary to sustain life, you can dissect the artery and visually see the plaque buildup. When someone loses an extremity that was previously there, they have to relearn how to function, with or without a prosthetic, and navigating the world, at least initially, is a bit different. So let’s view the mental in a similar way. When someone is bogged down with ceaseless, uncontrolled thoughts, it adds invisible, yet real weight in their ... Read More

You’re Not Wired for Fear

I recently read an article by a well known writer that made me cringe. God gave us fear were her words. And yes, I re-read them several times in disbelief. I believe her matter of fact sentiment aimed to provide women with a sense of peace and encouragement that fear is here because it's just a part of who we are. Unfortunately, this is far from the truth and the impact of this particular message could be devastating. The Bible says "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control]." 2 Timothy 1:7 AMP. When fear is granted space, your God given sound mind goes right out the window. Fear then ... Read More

Experiencing Whispers of Rest

I gazed out of the window watching the trees blow in the wind realizing the mundane experience of getting an oil change had given me a breath of fresh air. It was the first time in as long as I could remember that I had just stopped, just waited, just enjoyed. I had given our daughter my phone so she could watch a movie during our possible two hours wait, so I wasn't scrolling, answering or checking. We were stuck as we waited for the work to be done and the view faced a line of trees dancing in the morning breeze. I was both thankful and a bit ashamed. Thankful that this experience was happening, even if it was in a not so cozy car care space. And ashamed because I don't do it more often. That somehow I've come to a point in my life that has caused me to squeeze out the dear ... Read More

Keep Believing and Doing the Work

Achieving greatness requires a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication. You may have to wake up earlier than everyone you know and stay up after everyone has gone to sleep. You may have to skip events, turn off the tv and limit your time in all other endeavors. But in the end, the work that you put in and the sacrifices that you make will be worth it. Your craft, your purpose, your dreams are worth pursuing, worth focusing on, worth fighting for. And let me be clear. Some days, you'll want to give up. Some days you'll wonder what you were thinking and if you're even headed in the right direction. And then the fog clears and you know you're right where you need to be. So I encourage you to hang in there my friend. No one said it would be easy, but you can do hard things. Keep ... Read More

The Heart of Stressing Less

Tracie call 4485... Tracie call 4485.... Could it be? Am I getting another chance? There's nothing but great excitement and anticipation when that call is made knowing there's a CABGx4 (coronary artery bypass graft surgery) on the operating room board today. Yes? We need you to be heart holder in OR12. Okay! What a sacred honor. To place your hands in the chest of a living being and hold their heart while the surgeon ever so meticulously reroutes their vessels. I always stood there, hardly breathing, in awe of the gift and the opportunity. They'd never know I was there. They'd never know the gift they'd given me or the prayers I'd pray for them, yet our lives crossed paths and would never be the same again. The only thing I'd ever wanted to do as a nurse was work in ... Read More

Take the Leap

I challenge you to do something radical with your life. Something that you've been longing to do, but have, for whatever reason, convinced yourself not to do. There is no better time than now. There is no set of circumstances that will offer you a greater chance at success. It is your right now leap of faith that will propel you forward and bring you joyously closer to the goal you have in mind. Tomorrow is not promised to you. Your existence in this world in finite, but the power you posses is infinite. So go for it. You need to take the leap. ... Read More

I’m Not Saying It’ll Be Easy. I’m Saying It’ll Be Worth It.

[one-half-first] Can we pause for a moment to give thanks for absolutely everything?! This little piece of joy arrived in the mail yesterday. It's an article I wrote for the American Holistic Nurses Association's Beginnings magazine. It's exciting to see your work in print, online, or quite frankly, anywhere. And I wanted to take a moment to say thank God for the strength to write it. I also want to encourage someone who is struggling to accomplish their goals or wondering if their work matters or afraid of what it will take to go after their dreams. I think I average about 102 new ideas per minute. This used to deeply frustrate me because it's practically impossible to work on each of them. What makes this even a bit more interesting is that my writing and nursing practice ... Read More

Scriptures on Leadership

Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart. – Proverbs 29:17 ESV The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left undisciplined brings his mother to shame. – Proverbs 29:15 AMP Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. – Ephesians 5:1 NLT But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. – Titus 2:1 ESV Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the LORD your God is giving you. – Exodus 20:12 NLT Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. – 1 Timothy 4:12 NLT Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not ... Read More

Scriptures on Sacrifice

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. - Luke 9:23 ESV If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. - Matthew 16:25 NLT I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD. - Psalm 116:17 ESV Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. - Ephesians 4:24 NLT Strip yourselves of your former nature [put off and discard your old unrenewed self] ... Read More

  • Holding on to whatever needs to be released can cause more pain and havoc than was ever necessary. • Finding ways to let go, forgive, move on and work through are critical to your self-care. • I do this with words. It’s how I process and propel myself forward. It’s also how I inform and inspire others. • Your way will be unique to you. But you must find your way. Holding on will tear you apart, causing you to experience hurt, pain, defeat and struggle until you finally surrender control. • It’s time to seek ways to heal, thrive and live your best life. You’re worth it! • #wholeliving #wellnessblogger #womenshealthcoach #selfcarematters #selfcaretips #healingjourney #journalinspiration #holistichealing #stressrelease #stressreduction #healingwork #peacebestill #ancientwisdom #breathwork #prayer #mindfulliving #selfcarematters #findyourflow #mindbodyspirit #holisticliving #inspiringwomen #wholewoman #writersoninstagram #womenencouragingwomen #bgio #theslowdowncollective #meditating #thepractice #heartcentered #holisticlifestyle
  • The post read, “pain is not a lifestyle.” As I stopped to save the message, I thought about those who have surrendered to the pain, believing they can never have peace, comfort or a life free of it. • All pain - physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc. - is registered as stress and something to be pursued and eliminated from the body. • No matter what you’re going through, your body desires to be well, to protect you, to sustain you, to achieve homeostasis or internal balance. So if you only ever deal with issues superficially, never diving to the depth of the problem or truly seeking a solution, you’ll continue to hit the rocks, bumping into one challenge after another in life’s attempt to wound you greatly enough to force you to truly desire healing, restoration and wholeness. • You, my friend, are meant to thrive. To embody and exude greatness. To live without pain and suffering. • So start by letting the light in. Be willing to shift and heal the pieces so you can experience the peace you’re longing for. • #wholeliving #wellnessblogger #womenshealthcoach #selfcarematters #selfcaretips #healingjourney #journalinspiration #holistichealing #stressrelease #stressreduction #healingwork #peacebestill #ancientwisdom #breathwork #prayer #mindfulliving #selfcarematters #findyourflow #mindbodyspirit #holisticliving #inspiringwomen #wholewoman #writersoninstagram #womenencouragingwomen #bgio #theslowdowncollective #meditating #thepractice #heartcentered #holisticlifestyle
  • Illness breaks you open, exposing what’s in need of healing and indicating that something needs more love, attention, and nurturing. • As a nurse, I’ve watched far too many people suffer from a lack of awareness of, or ignoring, the need that’s longing to be met. • Missing the fundamental aspects of self-care can cost you greatly. And not knowing all of your healing, wellness, preventative and supportive options can have the same detrimental impact. • I’ve found that those who have an open heart and mind, are willing to try new things and learn to listen to their instincts, experience greater healing when they face an obstacle or they avoid them all together. • Your willingness to be healed and well, open up opportunities for you to experience your best life and to become the best version of yourself. • Don’t take your health and wellness for granted. Cultivate it, care for yourself and create the life you’re envisioning. • #selfcaresunday #selfcarematters #selfcareroutine #selfcaretips #selfcarefirst #selfcarecoach #selfcareforwomenofcolor #selfcareformoms #blackwomenhealing #bgio #happyblackwoman #blackmomcalm #wellnessblogger #womenshealthcoach #faithblogger #christiancreative #womenwholead #dreamersanddoers #encourageothers #healingjourney #holistichealing #healthyself #mindbodyspirit #healyourbody #eattolive #chinesemedicine #integrativemedicine #holisticwellness #wellwateredwomen #wholewoman
  • She woke up in the middle of the night. • WIDE awake. • And she never went back to sleep. • I’ve come to know that this comes with the territory of motherhood. But when you experience a collection of unexpected events, you can be left feeling quite stressed, drained, and unable to give appropriate attention to your responsibilities. • So what can be done about the inevitable unexpected events that come to challenge any plan or agenda you had in mind? • You can prepare for them. • When these types of things happen, because they will, it’s important that you speak up, ask for help, stating exactly what you need, utilizing your resources and abandoning any feelings of guilt or an occasional bout of superwoman syndrome. • No, your health, and sanity, are imperative. So whether you need to rest, heal or simply regroup, do it. You’ll present a better version of yourself to the world when you do. • #wholeliving #wellnessblogger #womenshealthcoach #selfcarematters #selfcaretips #healingjourney #journalinspiration #holistichealing #stressrelease #stressreduction #healingwork #peacebestill #ancientwisdom #breathwork #prayer #mindfulliving #selfcarematters #findyourflow #mindbodyspirit #holisticliving #inspiringwomen #wholewoman #writersoninstagram #womenencouragingwomen #bgio #theslowdowncollective #meditating #thepractice #heartcentered #holisticlifestyle
  • I said NO without explanation - standing confidently in my decision to no longer participate in the group. And guess what? We both survived. • Learning to unapologetically speak the word NO took some practice, but has become one of the greatest gifts. • Far too often we feel compelled to go above and beyond what’s expected; an unnecessary act which takes us off course and ignores our personal well-being. • You never have to justify your need for solitude, silence or self-care. You simply need to recognize your desire for it and act accordingly. • Recognize when you’ve had enough, are in need of rest, when it’s time to move on and when you’re the one who needs some attention. • Things will keep going when you step away, you’ll be stronger for slowing down and you’ll experience healing when you start showing up for yourself. • No is a powerful resource, so gently close the door on what you no longer need and begin moving towards what you do. • #findyourflow #mypractice #wholeliving #womenshealthcoach #mindbodyspirit #holisticliving #wellbeing #wholeness #wellness #healingjourney #inspiringwomen #wholewoman #writersoninstagram #ancientwisdom #faithblogger #womenencouragingwomen #theslowdowncollective #holyyoga #meditating #holisticmama #oilymama #peacebestill #thepractice #heartcentered #peacewithin #smallmomentsofcalm #selfcarematters #holisticlifestyle #stressrelease #healingwork
  • We laughed about not exposing too much cleavage. I was nursing our 4th baby and regardless of what work Mama was trying to accomplish, my breasts would tell me when she needed me. • Our bodies, breasts and babies are wise and when we tune in to listen to them, they tell us what’s needed. So in honor of #worldbreastfeedingweek here’s to simultaneously nursing our babies and achieving our goals. • #normalizebreastfeeding #breastfeedingisnormal #supportbreastfeeding #breastfeedingmama #breastfeedwithoutfear #breastfeedingmom #breastfeedingisbeautiful #wholeliving #holisticliving #holisticmom #ancientwisdom #blackmomsbreastfeed #MomsInColor #BlackBreastfeedingWeek #nationalbreastfeedingweek #raisingconsciousness
  • Spending each day with 4 young children means that some moments are a blur. Even while practicing mindfulness and intentionally being present with them, their needs can outpace my ability to retain it all. • I’ve learned to give myself grace and compassion, especially for the blurry moments. My work and time with them is invaluable. And when the house becomes still and I pause to think about all there is to be thankful for, I’m overwhelmed by the beauty and precious moments in my life that far outnumber the blurred ones. • I hope you can pause and give thanks for the blessings in your life. Focusing your attention there, on the good stuff, will nourish your mind and emotions, helping you vibrate higher and approach each day with a grateful heart. • #findyourflow #mypractice #wholeliving #womenshealthcoach #mindbodyspirit #holisticliving #wellbeing #wholeness #wellness #womenwithambition #inspiringwomen #wholewoman #writersoninstagram #christianwomeninbusiness #faithblogger #womenlivingwell #womenencouragingwomen #theslowdowncollective #holyyoga #holisticmom #holisticmama #oilymama #naturalmom #healthybabies #thepractice #heartcentered #peacewithin #smallmomentsofcalm #dreamersanddoers #holisticlifestyle
  • The second baby arrived and everything changed. This new bundle of joy wasn’t as willing to go with the flow as the first. So everything I thought I knew about parenting went out the window. • As I attempted to learn this new way of being as the mother of two babies who was also trying to start a business, I allowed some of my core wellness practices to slip away. • I was directing my time and attention to my little ones and new beginnings and neglecting my own self-care in the process. • Practicing self-care ensures that you take the time necessary to learn what’s best for you and your well-being. Self-care strengthens your ability to make choices that are right for you, helps you learn to trust your body and gives you the confidence to no longer rely on anyone else to make life and wellness decisions for you. • When you believe in yourself and your God given abilities, you stop second guessing your choices and start embodying exactly who you’re designed to be. • Self-care is a practice that challenges you to be present, to tap into your intuition and to follow your instincts no matter what else is going on in the world around you. • And when you let your self-care guard down, for any amount of time, you risk not showing up well for anything. • Thankfully, I recognized that I was off my desired path, got back on track and now prioritize my own self-care and wellness before trying to offer a less than well version of myself to my work or children. • It’s a standard that I must honor and maintain because no one else can or will. • I now have the honor of helping other women create and cultivate their own self-care path, as I share pieces of my journey to propel you forward on yours. • #selfcarematters #selfcaresunday #selfcaretips #selfcareroutine #selfcarecoach #selfcarefirst #selfcareeveryday #selfcareisntselfish #selfcareissacred #selfcareformoms #blackgirlinom #wellnessblogger #womenshealthcoach #stressrelease #healingwork #ancientwisdom #holisticwellbeing

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