We are all one...

I have been thinking a lot about the concept that we are all one, and had a very profound moment when talking with a friend the other day.  It was a little like a realization and a little like a memory.  Basically the words that fell out of my mouth were " we are all one as we all came from the same original soul, and are now working to attain a common vibration so we can come back together"

It was like a little hole in time opened and swallowed me up, allowing me to realize that we literally are all one, we are just vibrating on different levels and are in different areas of learning.  That is why we feel so separate, it is this illusion of separation that creates this mass growth for all of us.  That puts us in the space where we strive to understand and continue to move towards one another with compassion..  but I digress...

This conversation came into being as I had come into contact with a client who was struggling with the idea that he was a walk in.  A soul that had decided to come in and take over the life journey he had set out to have, and the soul that started that journey had decided to head home...  While working with him I realized that yes, he was a walk in BUT the soul that came in was just another piece of him.  Even though it had not been with him up to this point in his human incarnation, it was still him and it got me thinking about this concept of we are all one...

It feels very much that we are all connected but I think we are more deeply connected than originally thought.  I feel that we, in our original state are one energy, one entity, one soul, one being of thought and this is how some of us are able to connect so deeply to others.  This is caused by our vibrations being so close together that we almost sync up.  I know some of you know what I am talking about.  Like when you know your best friend is having a shitty day even though you haven't spoken to each other in a couple days.

But hey these are just one girls thoughts... I would love to hear your perceptions on this topic as well :)

We all hold each other's hearts in the palm of our hands.  Be gentle, and allow the thoughts that turn the world to create a reality of beauty and love.

 

 

To learn more about Nicole and the services she offers please visit her website at www.intuitivebalance.ca

Breaking through

We all face blocks in our lives, and some feel more strongly built than others, but I think the most disconcerting block I have faced recently was painters block.

Part of what I do for a living is to paint peoples energy on canvas and it seems as long as I have a person that I am painting for I am fine. As soon as I try and sit at the canvas and paint just for the sake of making art, or to paint for myself I hit the dreaded roadblock.  Everything that flows off my brush I hate and I get frustrated and walk away. 

This block got so bad recently that I couldn't even bring myself to sit down in front of the canvas and I was terrified that this "block" was actually creating an energy block in my getting clients for the paintings I create specific to a persons energy. I also had the lovely fear that if I did get a client for a painting that I wouldn't be able to create as I had before.

Thankfully I have great friends and one of those amazing people in my life went the extra mile to help me break through.  After an amazing little healing session with my great friend Tim Kessler, which included an awesome visualization and some therapeutic sound healing, he took me on a little adventure.  We ended up at one of his friends where I got the opportunity to play with spray paint.  A medium I had never used before but found to be versatile and so very much fun. 

This small act on his part had a huge impact on me and allowed me to open up again to the creative flow.  Knowing that with intention and remembering that creation is fun, I was able to step back into the flow and allow the art to flow from within in me instead of trying to force a preconceived idea.  Trying to force the flow to happen was completely part of the block I had been facing.  I had forgotten how to allow and play when working with the paints.

In going through this I had a realization.  We face blocks or challenges in many areas of our lives and often get frustrated and feel like we are going in circles or just standing still.  When this happens I feel we need to look at how we are approaching the area in which we are feeling that block or challenge.  Have we forgotten how to play and flow in that area of our lives?  Are we trying to force things to happen based on our expectations?

The solution generally arises when we let go and allow. Releasing our expectations to the wind and find that place of flow once again.  Not having our heart set on a specific outcome and remembering that the universe always has our best and highest in mind even if the how of getting to the destination does not fit our preconceived ideas.

So think about it, if you are feeling boxed in or stagnant in any area of your life, try letting go of those expectations and trust that the universe has got your back.  This is the place that miracles happen, this is the place that creates those magical moments that time just cannot touch....

But hey, you don't have to take my word for it, after all, these are just one girls thoughts...


                              The picture below is what I painted after the break through...

 

If you would like more information about Nicole and the healing and artistic services she offers please visit her website at www.intuitivebalance.ca

 

 

If you would like more information about Tim Kessler and the services he offers please visit his website at www.livetikelife.com



A little bit of Awesome!!!

Right now I am reading "The Book of Awesome" by Neil Pasricha, and I have to say it is AWESOME.  It really makes you realize that there are so many little things in life that we take for granted that are truly awesome.  Things like an extra long hug, snow days, or the smell of freshly mown grass. The man is a genius and really hits it on the head.  It's all about perspective.

You could be having an awful day, nothing seems to be going right and BAM, out of nowhere you look down and there in front of you, just laying in the street is a $5 dollar bill.  Suddenly your day flips, your mood elevates and you feel like the luckiest person on the planet.  Wouldn't it be awesome if we could flip into that state without having to have something out of the ordinary and extraordinary happen?

We can, I promise you, we can.  It just takes a little bit of practice with perspective and how we view what is happening right now in the moment. 

We all have our days of glum, but what I have been playing with in my glum days is having little moments of gratitude and paying attention to the little awesome things that happen in my day.

Like the song I woke up with playing in my head coming on the radio during my commute to work.

Realizing there are leftovers in the fridge I can take for lunch, rather than just a sandwich. (Yum)

Having plans fall into place at the last moment, that you were really hoping for but weren't sure were going to happen.

Or that phone call from a great friend right when you have some time to chat.

When we forget to appreciate the little miracles that happen for us daily, it can make life feel like a bit of a downer at times.  We don't have to have huge wins everyday (though they are great aren't they). Having little wins throughout the day can really lift us up, as long as we are paying attention.

So I ask all of you to please take a moment and recognize the little wins, the awesome syncronicities, and the simple pleasures that are happening all the time around you.  Really appreciate the awesomeness of your day and be grateful.  We are all here to learn and grow but it is so important to have FUN while we do it.

But as always, these are just one girls thoughts, so you be the judge!

For more information about "The Book of Awesome" and author Neil Pasricha please visit his website at www.1000awesomethings.com

If you would like more information about Nicole and the services she offers please visit
www.intuitivebalance.ca

Turn "What if" into Why not...

Today as I was driving in to Calgary I was pondering the funk I have been feeling off and on for the past couple of months (really), and  it brought me to thoughts of faith. 

When we hold faith what we are really doing is trusting. 

Trusting that everything is going to be OK. 

Trusting that it is all going to work out for our best and highest.

 And most importantly trusting in ourselves that we have the guts to keep putting one foot in front of the other, continually taking steps towards our hopes and dreams, which leads us to trusting that the universe/god/creator will back us up.

Right now in this very moment of time I am struggling with that trust.  I have reached a point in my life, in this moment, where I am actually making goals for myself on so many different levels and it is beginning to feel a little overwhelming. 

I have never and I mean NEVER been a goal setter.  I always thought that I would just roll with life and allow whatever was to be for me to be.  And to be honest I love that philosophy...

BUT I have realized that to propel myself forward, it is time to set some actual goals.  No more waiting around for the universe to step in and "show" me the way. Now is the time to start carving out a path for me and I gotta be honest here.  I am scaring the crap out of myself.

All those old doubts start to surface, you know what I'm talking about here.  All the "what ifs"

What if I can't do it

What if I try and I fail

What if I make an idiot out of myself in the effort

and the all encompassing... What if I'm not good enough...

So in feeling all of these doubts and wondering where in the world my always there, standby trust and faith has gone (remember all this is happening in my head while driving in my car) I look up and what do I see....

 a Hawk, with no fear, soaring high above the earth, in full trust that it will not fall.  The universe is supporting that Hawk as it soars through the air on wings of trust.  It does not question whether it can fly, it just does it.  So maybe I can too.

For the rest of my driving this morning I saw a total of 14 Hawks!!  All soaring high in the sky.  Must be a sign and for me it is one that rings very strongly in my heart as the Hawk is my main power animal and tends to show up for me when I am stepping in the right direction. 

So today I am taking my lesson from those Hawks and have decided to spread my wings and fling myself off the cliff.  I have also decided to leave all my expectations behind. 

They can stay on the cliff and dig their own little "what if" hole.  I don't need them anymore because I have wings.

But as you know these are just one girls thoughts, so you tell me, where do you find that trust?  How do you manage to step forward through all the what ifs and do it anyway??  I would love to hear your stories and experiences so please feel free to leave them in the comments :)


If you would like more information about the services that Nicole offers please visit her website at www.intuitivebalance.ca

The cycles of grief

So my friends, yesterday was my moms birthday and as many of you are aware, she passed away last year.  This was the first birthday we have had since she has been gone, and last night I was all ready to write a blog post about how hard grief is and how it can sneak up on us and pull us under in an emotional whirlwind.

I do still feel this is true but events of the day and talking with an amazing friend have helped me to change my perspective somewhat about grief and the various ways it can affect us.

For me the last week or so has been very difficult in an under the surface way and of course I did not want to look at why I was feeling like hiding from the world.  I was doing everything I could to avoid acknowledging that I was hurting emotionally and missing my mom like crazy.

So yesterday my dad and I took a trip to where we spread her ashes last fall.  While we were there I felt peaceful, happy, and sad and lost all at the same time.  I was concerned about my dad and how he was dealing, and I was concerned about myself because I could see I was in full fledged avoidance mode.  If I don't look at it then it's not real.  If I don't acknowledge it then that can't possibly be what I am feeling.  This mode never really works, especially when you are in a space that you can see that you are in the avoidance mode.  It basically shatters the illusion really.

So we came back to the city, spent some time with family and then the world began to move on once more.  I couldn't seem to shake the feeling though.  That lost feeling of sadness and vulnerability, and some piece of me welcomed that feeling.  It really wanted me to just fall into it.  To allow it to grow and take over everything, my work, my feelings, my life....

This is where the original idea for a blog post was stemming from, that awful feeling of being alone to deal with the sadness of "losing" my mom.  That no one could possibly understand and that the feelings themselves seemed to have a life of their own that I could not shake.  In all honesty though, this could not be further from the truth.

There are many people out there who are dealing with grief on many different levels.  Whether it is the loss of a loved one, the loss of a relationship, or even the loss of a job.  Right now many people are also trying to deal with the "loss" of who they thought they were, or who they were striving to be and that is like a death as well.

We are ever changing and growing, the old falls away to make way for the new.  New Ideas, new inspirations, new thoughts.  Death is a part of our daily life and is integral to the development and learning that we choose to come here and participate in.

So through the amazing conversation with my friend Tim, who is also a life coach, I came to a beautiful realization and have renewed a commitment to myself that I had let slide a bit over the last couple of weeks. 

At my core, my essence is joy.  It is always there, it is always with me and no matter what I am going through, dealing with or feeling. That joy is always there right in the center of my soul, just waiting for me to remember and allow myself to connect to it.  To see the beauty of life that is all around me.  To see the positive in every situation and to really appreciate the simple things.  To be in the moment and allow myself to love that moment right now, as it is, with no expectations and no judgements.

So in short, I choose to remember my mom in joy, to grieve her in joy and to always love her as she is as much a part of my joy as she was a part of my life.  I let go of the need to wallow in sadness and to let that despair of not being able to physically connect with her in this life get me down.

Will I still have moments of sadness? you betcha, and I will allow these cycles of sadness to wash over me.  I will acknowledge them and feel them and then I will allow them to go.  I will consciously step into the joy of my memories of her.  I will cry with her and laugh with her, because she is with me always, in my heart and in my joy!

So you see my friends, you have a choice in how you decide to deal with your grief, in whatever situation that grief is stemming from.  You can choose to stay in the negative space, the sorrow and the sadness.  You can choose to wallow OR you can allow yourself to feel those feelings, connect with them on a base level and then let them go.  You can choose to step into the challenge of life, and you can choose to accept that challenge with an attitude of love and joy.

but hey these are just one girls thoughts, so I will leave you to make your own decision...

For more information about my friend, the amazing Tim Kessler and his coaching, nature questing, fitness and barefooting programs please visit his website at http://livetikelife.com/

If you would like more information about Nicole Tunheim and the services she offers please visit her website at www.intuitivebalance.ca

Kinda feels heavy doesn't it...

Lately I have been talking to many people who have expressed that they are feeling heavy, tired and even a little low.  Almost like they are wading through heavy sand and just can't seem to lift their feet up high enough to create momentum.  I also have been feeling this in many areas of my life (of course the main areas I am feeling this resistance in are the ones I am trying to work on the most, lol)

So what is this heavy feeling that seems to be plaguing so many of us? 

Well as I understand it there is a heck of alot happening under the surface in our subconscious minds at the moment and we are doing an amazing amount of energetic shifting without even being consciously aware of it.  So maybe we should just cut ourselves a little bit of a break....

On top of this glorious unconscious shifting and the releasing of old patterns and limiting beliefs (that we don't even have to work at I might add), we are also clearing and releasing for our lineages and the ancestors.  The planet and all of us on it are actually doing the work to release the past, THE PAST!! 

This is huge and has not been done before.  We are in the process of clearing out the old energy and the old belief systems that have been carried for, well it feels like forever, so I am just going to say it that way... forever.  In reality (or at least the reality we perceive) we are really doing a major load of work here.

So my friends, cut yourself a break, and start looking at being ok with where you are right in this moment.  So if you are giving yourself a hard time because you have stepped back into some old habits that you had thought you had released for good, that's ok.  It just happens to be where you are right now in this moment.  Will those habits hang around forever, no they won't, but this is where you are so embrace it.  Love yourself in the moment, not when you think things will be perfect because frankly... Things are perfect RIGHT NOW!!

But hey, these are just one girls thoughts....

If you would like more information on the intuitive and healing services Nicole offers please visit the website at www.intuitivebalance.ca

Balance... How exactly does that work again??

As I sit in this incredibly beautiful setting with the water in front of me, the sun shining and a light breeze playing in the nature of the day, I still have to wonder... where in the world did my balance go?

Did I ever really have it to begin with?? 

I have noticed that I seem to be a creature of extremes.  Growing up I was your average child of the 80’s with middle class parents who provided me and my brother with everything we could ever need.  Is this what perpetuated the cycle of instant gratification that my generation has become so dependent on? 

As a teenager I bought into the “grunge” movement and embraced a false depression that I think all teenagers play with while their brain attempts to re-wire itself.  I chose to deal with this by turning to marijuana and I fell deep into that pool of numbness so I could wade through life with no responsibility, just like I was able to coast as a child.

I woke up at 27, never really having grown or taken much responsibility for my life or what I wanted in the future... My first step upon waking was to leave my marriage and the world exploded with possibility.

So for the last 5 years I have been trying to find my balance in life while stepping into my power and onto my life path.  I left my corporate job; I went back to school and developed my natural gifts.  Now I work my dream job as an intuitive healer and artist, yet I am still struggling for balance.  I still live my life in extremes and boy do I love a good distraction. 

I talk a great talk to myself and to be honest my clients.  I channel great advice for balance from spirit for those who come to see me, yet I still cannot seem to step into and use that advice for myself. 

Oh I know that it would benefit me greatly to meditate daily, exercise regularly, and eat in a cleaner more health conscious manner.  I have days where I am determined to make changes the very next day.  Then that day comes and another distraction happens or my schedule gets in the way.

I have noticed that this is a pattern that other healers struggle with as well.  We are so busy making sure we are there for our clients that we disregard and “forget” about ourselves.  So how do we create the change that brings balance?

I think part of it is letting go of the expectation that it will all happen at once, as well as allowing ourselves to shift into that space of balance at our own pace.  No more being hard on myself if I just can’t bring myself to do yoga one morning, or if I really just want that chocolate cake.  But in saying this there does also have to be a conscious sense of moderation.  Maybe I want that treat but I don’t really need to have it every day. 

Also listening to what your body wants and needs, being aware of what will make me feel good and what is making me feel kinda crappy is a great step in the right direction.  So in the name of balance I plan (and I use this term loosely) to listen and make time for what my body, mind, emotions and spirit is asking for.  As well as listening when they speak up and tell me that what I just did, did not really serve me at all. 

Maybe this is all I can do in the name of balance right now, but I feel it is a step in the right direction.  But hey these are just one girls thoughts... you make up your own mind J

If you would like more information about the Intuitive, healing and artistic services offered by Nicole please check out the website at www.intuitivebalance.ca