 Go ahead and look for the beauty in the messy chaos. And then vow to KISS ... Keep It Simply Simple. You don’t need to fix everything right now. Start on the most minuscule level. There’s a tiny bit of beauty there. I see it.
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My heart blooms like a mandala
an ever-spiraling kaleidoscope of colors gleaned from these wise and blessed surroundings. Each step a prayer, every breath an inward swirl of gumption. I walked away from Emily Nielsen’s workshop with the knowledge deep in my soul that only I could choose to set myself free by letting go of self doubt and paralyzing disappointments in my life. Are you ready to shine bright? To step into your best and liveliest self? We can do it together. I’ve been leading lighthearted, legit wellness playshops and retreats since 2014 and at the end of the day we realize it is just the beginning. Join me this January in the mountains of Idaho for a cozy, holistic winter retreat at Bliss Camp.  “Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use.” - Earl Nightingale   I’ve been told that I’m “perky.” My nickname for awhile was “Sunshine.” I’ve been called bubbly, effervescent, positive, bright. I’m okay with that. I do believe in optimism and in the healing power of positivity. Having the ability to look on the bright side has literally saved me. I have days when my body feels heavy with despair. I spent my last birthday burrowed on the couch with a blanket over my head. I know the ache of regret, the stumbling fear of loss, the cruel mockery of shame, and the need to crawl on my knees for forgiveness. What I know to be true for me is that if I start to slip, I can begin to slide. And from there, it’s a treacherous climb back up. I don’t want to slide. So I have learned to embrace the pain. I can face it and maybe even stroke its ugly cheek. But I cannot allow myself to wallow. When I slide into the muck and wallow around, there is the real risk of becoming mired down. The heaviness may start to win. And so I grasp for what I need to pull myself free. I am blessed to have a network of genuine partners and friends who I can call. I believe in the healing properties of therapy, and medication, and fresh air, and movement, and sleep, and writing it all out in a journal. I also have the ability to find gratitude. Gratitude can start tiny, tiny, so small. I can be thankful for a pair of socks without holey toes. And yet, gratitude is the foundation for optimism. It’s the bottom of the pyramid. Start there, maybe stay for awhile, and then look up. Along the way to the top you may encounter hope, peace, rest, vitality. And those things can be genuine, and authentic, and true. Hope and optimism save lives; they’ve saved me. I am not ashamed to rely on my ability to find the good. I believe in the good, and I have seen glorious manifestations arise because of my nod to its existence. I know that I am alive (perhaps as a perky ray of sunshine) because I’ve been able to hold on tight to the promise of higher thoughts. |
by Emily Nielsen"I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition." All posts are copyright ©Emily Nielsen
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