Accepting What is, and Manifesting Love, Hope, and Compassion!

Accepting “what is” is a “recognition” of what is going on around us and not necessarily an “agreement” to what is happening. With that said, what are your thoughts manifesting?? (I hope that it isn’t fear.) Remember if something is “real” in your brain, it will be “real” in the physical. In this potent time, what do you wish to attract? Negativity, resistance, anger, disappointment, chaos or fear? Or love, hope, abundance, inspiration and compassion?

Emotions carry their own vibration. When you come from a place of fear or doubt, you decrease your vibration. Emotions like love, peace, or joy carry a vibration between 500–600hz, while fear vibrates at 100hz?

It is vital that you align your thoughts to manifest positive outcomes. (This doesn’t mean you are walking around “happy” with what is going on in the world around you, but rather how you are reacting to it.) When you come from a place of love, peace, or joy, you are not just raising your own vibration, but doing your part to raise the vibration of your home, your neighborhood, your town, your state and even that of the planet as a whole. Something so useful right now.

You can raise your vibration through meditation, grounding (or earthling); listening to music or singing; utilizing a creative outlet, focusing on gratitude, spending time in nature, as well as accepting what is.

It is also helpful to remember to stay hydrated, mindful of what you eat, and take breaks from both the news and social media as needed, if not all together.

Accept what is and do your best to try to raise your vibration. It is something small we can do, but its impact ripples far wider than you think.

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Would you like to elevate your vibration and remove confusion or disorder between you and another?

Would you like to elevate your vibration and remove confusion or disorder between you and another? I have a quick, little exercise that you can do anywhere: I want you to send *love* to someone who bothers you. At first, this may not be easy, but you will feel freer every time you do it. When you send love to someone who you feel has wronged you, you are practicing unconditional love and compassion. In return, you will feel better and more empowered. When practicing unconditional love and compassion, you raise your own vibration.  When we raise our own vibration, we elevate the vibration of the planet as well. I don’t know of any better time to do this? Can you?

I first wrote about this exercise back in January of 2019. You can re-visit it here: https://healriseupandascendwithamber.wordpress.com/2019/01/13/strengthen-your-emotional-power-with-this-quick-little-exercise/

What if you took a Mental Health Day Away from Covid-19?

What if you took a Mental Health Day Away from Covid-19?

What if you distanced yourself away from the news, other people’s opinions, empty store shelves and social media for just one day?

It is fair to say that we are all suffering from Covid-19 Overwhelm. Too much of anything is never a good thing and sometimes too much information can send you down the rabbit hole. I am also a firm believer that if information needs to get to you, it will find you.

Under normal circumstances we all deal with  varying levels of stress in our day-to-day lives, but throw in a pandemic, and there are many new layers of stress added personally, professionally, emotionally and even physically. Anytime you feel that your stress level is about to reach its peak, it is time to hit the reset button. What if you took a day and hit the reset button?

What if you hit the reset button by turning off the news on your TV or electronic devices? The same news will be there tomorrow. And as I said before, I am a firm believer that if information needs to get to you, it will find you.

What if for a day you ignore any text messages from friends or family that have to do with the virus? And likewise, what if YOU refrain for a day from sending or forwarding around any text messages to friends or family that have to do with health information, funny memes or do I dare say a “designated Corona Prayer?” Don’t take this the wrong way, we should ALL be praying during this time but there is no “one-size-fits-all” prayer that if the chain gets broken by someone not forwarding it we are all screwed.

What if for a day you stayed out of the store? Looking at empty shelves that are missing necessities doesn’t help anybody’s stress level. Observing others dashing in and out of aisles like the virus is going to “bite them” while they are stocking piling for the end of the world can get under one’s skin and get in your head, too.

This may be the hardest suggestion yet, but what if you don’t participate in anything on social media that has to do with the Corona Virus for just a day? And by this I mean, you aren’t giving your time, energy or attention to any so-called (debatable) stats and facts, memes, images or news stories that appear in your news feed. What if you refrained from beating others over the head about how they need to be staying home with your posts, comments and temporary profile picture? (I get it, you feel that by spreading the word you are helping the situation or feel that you have a piece of control when everything seems out of control, but really, you are just beating more people up who are already feeling down. The ones who are not staying home or social distancing are not at home on social media to see you telling them to stay at home!)

Take a mental health day and do something that you enjoyed doing before all of the started. Do something that you find to be relaxing, try to rest, or try something that you have always wanted to do.  I promise that you will feel more balanced if you distance yourself from the news, information and the many opinions surrounding the virus and the fall out around it.  Even if it is just for a day, try to ignore it and leave it in a corner like a misbehaved child and go fill your head with something else.

Forty Ways to Keep Busy

Quarantine for many is terrifying. Maybe you are finding yourself with more time on your hands than what you are used to?   Maybe you feel that you have less time? Time is a gift and we get to choose how we use it. Here is a list of 40 things that you can do to honor the time that you have been given.

1. Get plenty of rest. (Rest keeps your body and mind healthy and strong.)
2. Bake something. If you make a double batch, share with someone. Baking can also help with stress as some find it to be calming and soothing.
3. Be present. To be present means to have your focus, your attention, your thoughts you’re your feelings all on the task is at hand. You are present when you let go of the past and you don’t focus on the future.
4. Check-in with family, friends, and neighbors to see how they are doing. You can see if anybody needs anything.
5. Clean your home, vehicle, and garage. A messy, dirty, or cluttered space can make a person feel anxious and less focused.
6. De-clutter cabinets, drawers and closets. Clutter is nothing but unprocessed memories. Clear the clutter and give what you no longer need away. If you aren’t able to donate items, put them aside in a box and when you hear of someone needing something, go to that box and give  what is in need away.
7. Detox your social media feeds and contacts. You are what you read and come in contact with every day. Social media is a magnet for negativity and fear and it has the ability to ignite panic and false information at an exponential rate. Protect your own energy and mental state by unfriending, un-following, hiding posts and/or muting people who spread negativity and fear into your world.
8. Educate yourself on how to preserve food.
9. Email or call local non-profit organizations in your area and ask how you can be of assistance.
10. Establish a community garden where you live.
11. Exercise your intuition and learn to trust it. We all have intuition. Gut feelings are intuition.
12. Fill your home or space with positive energy. Play music, open the windows to let fresh air in, pull back the curtains to let natural light flow in, invite nature in with houseplants, hang things that make you happy, or add some color around you.
13. Find a personal mantra or daily prayer that you can say when you get up in the morning or throughout your day. A personal mantra is an affirmation to motivate and inspire you to be your best self. It is typically a positive phrase or statement that you use to affirm the way you want to live your life.
14. Find things or do things that make you laugh.
15. Get familiar old fashioned remedies that you already have in your cabinets with things like apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, baking soda, cinnamon and turmeric (to name a few).
16. Get moving! Exercise, walk, move your body or dance.
17. If you are religious, use this time to strengthen your relationship with your God/Creator. If you are spiritual, use this time to strengthen your spirituality.
18. If/when you start planting your garden, plant a little extra for neighbors and strangers.
19. Incorporate gratitude into your day. Go for a walk and in your head think about what you are grateful for, or before you go to bed at night, recite a list and give thanks for what you are grateful for.
20. Incorporate uplifting sound into your day through music, chanting or church hymns.
21. If you have children, have them journal as well.
22. Learn deep breathing techniques. Deep breathing can decrease stress, stimulate the lymphatic system and increase both immunity and energy.
23. Learn to meditate. Meditation clears the mind, calms the body and helps with decision making.
24. Look around your home for ways you can scale back on your water and electrical use.
25. Observe how much food you waste and make changes accordingly.
26. Offer support to first responders, hospital workers, and public health officials in your area.
27. Organize old family photos. (If you have children, teach them about relatives in old photos.)
28. Read the books you have never started. Re-read books that you already have read.
29. Reconnect your body to the earth. This is also known as grounding (or earthing). Grounding neutralizes free radicals. One way to ground is to walk barefoot outside.
30. Research and get familiar with the term “Mutual Aid.” Imagine living it.
31. Search your home for items that you can fix or repurpose instead of throwing away.
32. Share whatever you have with another.
33. Smile at others.
34. Spend time outside in nature.
35. Start something you have always wanted to start like a hobby, an organization or a skill set.
36. Take the time to write a letter or send a card to somebody who matters to you. Teach your children how to write a letter or note and mail it off.
37. Teach yourself to play an instrument.
38. Throw your weight behind anyone willing to take on difficulty for the well-being of the collective.
39. Unsubscribe from email and mail solicitations that you no longer need or want.
40. Use this time to release grudges and forgive those who you think have wronged you.

How are you spending your time? Drop me a line or comment below to let me know.

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Keep Calm! What if COVID-19 (a.k.a. The Coronavirus) is Just a Paradigm Shift?

Keep Calm! What if COVID-19 (a.k.a. The Coronavirus) is Just a Paradigm Shift?

What if the “Virus” is doing exactly what it is supposed to do?  To dismantle which no longer serves us?

I know that it is hard right now, but it is VERY important to NOT get swept up in the panic and anxiety surrounding what is going on in the world around us right now. The fear and panic is manifesting low (negative or heavy) vibrational energy. PLEASE DO NO ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE DRAGGED DOWN. It is important that we all hold ourselves at a HIGHER VIBRATIONAL LEVEL.  What if the “Coronavirus” is really just a paradigm shift? A paradigm shift is defined as “an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking, or doing something, is replaced by a new and different way.”  What if this shift will bring about changes within us, within our society and even within our planet? What if this shift or change will make us look at the world around us differently and as a result we will go about our daily lives differently? What if this shift helps us to shed what no longer serves us, or our highest good? What if this shift teaches us to get back to basics and live a simpler life? What if this shift opens our eyes to the idea that sharing makes more sense than trying to be successful on our own? This isn’t a bad thing, it is just different than what we are used to. What if all of this “down-time” we are experiencing is giving us time to hit the “reset button” along with time to think and reflect? Change can be scary, but that is why it is important that we keep our vibrational levels high (positive).  We must not react from a place of fear, but from a place of compassion. Things like war, violence, racism, greed and hatred are NOT the answer. We cannot solve any problem if we remain at a low vibration. If you want to do your part in smoothing the transition that we are currently experiencing, raise your vibration.

Parents: At What Age do you Stop going to your Child’s Bus Stop?

My children are still in grade school and they take the bus to school. Our stop has a variety of children from kindergarten to sixth grade taking the bus. Some other parents (or grandparents, or babysitters) congregate at the bus stop, while others can’t, or choose not to.  I am fortunate enough that my schedule allows me to be at the bus stop with them in the mornings. On days that I can’t make it to the stop, I usually send a text to another parent or two asking them to please keep an eye on my children and to please let me know if they are doing anything that is inappropriate in my absence. (It takes a village!)  I also know a handful of parents seem surprised that I still go down to the stop nearly every morning.

Like many kids, my children tell me that I don’t need to go to the bus stop with them. In fact, some moms of older kids tell me that it is “un-cool” to be at the bus stop. Part of me would love to not have to leave the house, especially in the cold or the rain, but the other half of me, continually hears and sees things at the bus stop that usually lead to a conversation that needs to be had after the kids get home from school, or during dinner conversation. (As many others, my kids are a continual work-in-progress and continually need to be molded and taught how to be respectable human beings.)

Sure, kids will be kids, but right when I think I don’t need to, or shouldn’t go down to the stop anymore, something happens, or is said, that leads me to believe I still need to be around and address things with my children.

My concerns can sometimes have to do with safety issues like “Get out of the street while you are waiting for the bus!”

I have heard kids using words like “gay” in an inappropriate context, or trying to “school others” of what it means to be gay – many time in front of younger and impressionable ears with wrong information being provided.

Recently another child used the word “racist” in a negative way as he stated that he “wanted to watch something on his phone that was racist.” Also said in front of impressionable ears.

The other day I saw an unattended child licking rocks. (I can’t make this up.)  She thought she was being cute and said that they tasted like saw dust. Some of us parents tried to discourage her by telling her that they were dirty, but that didn’t stop her.

Many kids have devices these days, as do many kids at our stop, (mine still don’t – I know, that makes me “un-cool” again!) and I have seen them on their phones discussing how they are registering for things that they need to be over the age of 18 for. As a reminder, a few of these children are 12, but many are younger. (Chalk that up to different rules, different families, I guess.)

In the past I’ve heard children at our stop talk about world events and tragedies in heartless and at times, brash tones. They are children and have a lot to learn, and families address such events in different ways in their own homes, but I have found myself chiming in to these conversations when necessary.

I’ve seen a young child at our stop take things like fruit out of his or her lunch box and throw it at other children. Once it is thrown, it is left on the ground unless another parent suggests that it gets picked up.

Perhaps my bus stop is one of the worst ones in town? (Probably not.)

Or maybe all bus stops have a little of this going on? (Probably so.)

Kids will be kids, but I feel that they are continually a work-in-progress and they need pruning along the way.

 I don’t know about you, but I choose to continue to be an “un-cool” parent and keep my eyes and ears on my children as well as those around them – At least for a little longer.

So I ask, “At What Age do you Stop going to your Child’s Bus Stop?” You can reply in the comments section below or join the discussion on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/JoinTheDiscussionCoffeeConversationTransformation/

Detoxing in the New Year just Doesn’t Have to do with Food

Resolutions. Lifestyle Changes. Detoxes – All of the Buzz Words that we hear every year about this time.

When it comes to our bodies and food, the word “detox” means to rid the body of toxic or unhealthy substances. But why limit your detox to just the substances in your body? Besides detoxing physically, should you be detoxing emotionally and spiritually as well? Where else are “toxic” or “unhealthy” things (or even energies) getting into your life?? The answer could be right under your nose…

Is there anything or anyone that is showing up in your social media news feed that needs to be detoxed? Negative energy can come to you in the form of social media though other people’s posts, rants and comments. Maybe it is time for a digital detox? Maybe it is time to scrub your news feed? And you, as a human in the physical world, also made up of energy, you are absorbing that negativity or toxicity that your eyes are skimming on a daily basis. Did you know that negative energy can also stay stagnant in your energy field? If the posts, comments or people who you follow on social media feel heavy or negative to you, drain you, or if they no longer are serving your highest good, be rid of them. Delete the negativity.

What are you watching on TV, at the Movie Theater or on your Streaming Services? What are you listening to in the car during your commute? Is the energy, tone or content negative or positive? What is the energy of the people speaking or of the topics being discussed? What is the content of the show, mini series or documentary that you have been binge watching lately? Are you letting negative energy, thoughts and information into your living room or your vehicle? Is what you are watching or listening to serving your highest good? You have the power to make changes – turn the channel!

This is also a great time to evaluate who you interact with, associate with and represent on a regular basis. Who are you hanging out with these days? Who is in your inner circle? Do these people raise you up or do they drain you? Are they your best support system or are they full of drama? Do they have your best interest at heart? Maybe it is time for a relationship detox? What organizations do you belong to or are you associating yourself with?  Again, are they serving your highest good? How do they leave you feeling?  If it isn’t positive,  let it go. It is okay to walk away.

Do you have contacts in your phone or in your email address book who you no longer stay in contact with and most likely have not need to contact again? Let them go. Delete. It doesn’t have to mean that these contacts wronged you, but by hanging on to old, stagnant relationships, we can’t make room for new ones.

Your diet is not only what you eat, but it is also what you read, watch and listen to. It is also the people you hang out with as well as the social media groups and pages we associate with.  In retrospect, we need to detox more than food from our bodies.

Don’t be afraid of letting people and relationships go.  If people are meant to be in your life, they will find their way back. In the meantime, Detox. Let Go! Make Room for new!

I am not the Authority on Millennial Slang or Acronyms, but how do You Respond when Your Child asks, “What does “AF” mean?” (And have you ever really stopped to think about what AF really means?)

(This post contains adult content and isn’t suitable for younger readers.)

 

I am not the authority on millennial slang or acronyms. Nor was I ever really an expert in grammar and the AP Style Guide and I never got along well either.

Seeing that I was born before 1981, I myself am not a millennial. This post isn’t intended to put down millennials. But if it stirs something up in you, I suppose it is getting you to think. (Which is the reason for this post.)

Millennials are not bad people. And every generation has been irritated by the generations that have come after it. I do question, that in a society where we are already getting lazy and lazier (see my post: “When did Business Casual Become Backyard Casual?”) I don’t relate to how as a society we are getting so lazy that we can’t even use full words or sentences anymore, but let’s save that discussion for another day.

My issue with millennial slang, and let’s note that it isn’t just millennials using it, but society as a whole has started to adopt it, is that I don’t feel that it is appropriate for ALL ages. Let’s take for example “AF.” It is an acronym that can be found on apparel, coffee mugs, and even on my Yahoo home page in my news feed, just to name a few places.

As a parent, I try not to peruse the internet with my young ones looking over my shoulder. I still try to protect my young children from what they are watching on television and in movies, what song lyrics they are listening to that are appropriate at their age, as well as what words are acceptable in our home. Our home isn’t rated for mature audiences quite yet. In places like stores, I do my best to re-direct them from merchandise that will lead us to an uncomfortable conversation, but when people are on the street, in a grocery store or at community events wearing apparel with the “AF” on it, I can’t always control what my children are seeing.

The other day while grocery shopping, my youngest saw a lady wearing a shirt that had AF on it and she asked me, “Mom, what does AF mean?” I scrambled for a moment and the best thing I could come up with was “Always Funny! That person’s shirt means she is funny all of the time!” (Lucky me. She bought it… for now.)

Her question did get me thinking. What does AF really mean? When referring to the acronym ‘AF”, the “A” stands for “As” and the “F”, well you know, “F*ck.”

The F-word (which is described as “vulgar slang” when you google the dictionary meaning) can mean: to have, or the act of: sexual intercourse. It can also mean to ruin or damage, and when used alone or as a noun or verb in various phrases to express annoyance, contempt, or impatience. (Source: Oxford Dictionary)

Let me break it down for you a bit further. Again, from the Oxford Dictionary.

The word Annoyance means: The feeling or state of being annoyed; irritation. A thing that annoys someone; a nuisance.

Contempt is defined as: The feeling that a person or a thing is worthless or beneath consideration. Disregard for something that should be considered. The offense of being disobedient to or disrespectful of a court of law and its officers.

And Impatience is: The tendency to be impatient; irritability or restlessness.

So, this got me thinking, if you have AF on a sign, a shirt, a headline, are you telling the world that you are: Sexual intercourse? A nuisance? Disobedient? Impatient??

If you wear a shirt around the holidays that says you are “Jolly AF” are you possibly telling me you are as “cheerful as sexual intercourse?” Or maybe you are “happy to damage?” (Sounds weird, I know. But refer back to the definitions above.)

When you sport that new Halloween tee that you purchased through a crafting website that says “Spooky AF” are you telling those who see you in it that you are potentially “ghostly beneath consideration?” Or that you are “sinister yet expressing annoyance?”

What about the parent who is wearing something that says “Mom AF” (or Dad AF)?  Are you possibly “one’s mother (or father) who has disregard for something that should be considered?” (Ah, what the what?)

Here’s one. What about “Feminist AF?”  Is this an oxymoron? So in one breath we are for equality of the sexes, (feminist) yet we will use the f-word with it. Does that blur lines back to us viewing woman as sexual objects? (Look up the word “Male Gaze” when you have time.)

Is your man “Savage AF” meaning he is “uninhabitable and in a state of being annoyed?”

Maybe you are “Engaged AF”… you know, you formally agreed to marry someone yet there is irritability and restlessness? Maybe not the best way to kick of an engagement.

I could go on, and on, but you get the idea. I am not an authority on the English language, and the English Language IS a growing collection of words. Is it me, or did nobody stop and think this slang through?? When you pick it a part, it doesn’t sound too intelligent. Also, do people not think before they put on a shirt or post a sign or advertisement that young eyes and ears are everywhere? And before you assume that my standards are too high or I am too “whatever” (fill in the blank), I myself own some shirts that have sayings on them that are not kid appropriate. I choose to not wear them around my children or in places where I will run into children. I save them for when I am in an adult setting. I also feel that though they may seem inappropriate for some ages, they AT LEAST make sense in what they say, unlike some of the AF slang I just described.

If you are a parent, (an aunt, uncle, grandparent, etc.), how do handle unavoidable slang and acronyms that aren’t suitable for young children? You can reply in the comments section below or join the discussion on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/JoinTheDiscussionCoffeeConversationTransformation/