Believe

Happy New Year

-a little late-

but with good intentions!

I love new opportunies where I can start fresh. Forget the mistakes that lie behind me- carry the lessons learned and celebrate. Then move towards new adventures, new possibilites waiting to be explored. What about you?

I forget sometimes we can start fresh every day because every day truly is a gift- a gift, a privilege -to be living on this earth fulfilling our purpose.  Fulfilling our calling. We are still needed here for a reason.  Celebrate that!

In the last few years I have tried to have an anchor word and verse to take me through each year. It is strange how the words come to me. I felt this year it would have something to do with letting go and stop comparing but yesterday when I was out for a walk, it hit me ___________

🎉🎉 BELIEVE 🎉🎉

"Believe you are enough.
Believe in endless possibilities.
Believe more travel adventures are on the horizon.
Believe God can still use you in spite of your perpetual,  never-ending feeling of being in a constant state of PMS (Thank you menopause)!
Believe you can still show love and kindness to others. Believe you are loved.
Believe you can accomplish your goals.
Believe you are worthy.
Believe you are beautiful. God created you to be a beautiful human.
Believe God does know what He is doing.
Believe."

What are your hopes and dreams for not only this year but for your life? What do you want to be remembered for?

For me, I want to be remembered as someone who loved big, loved God, laughed alot, knew I genuinely cared for people and knew how to put a good outfit together! 😉

#newyearnewpossibities #whatdoyouwanttoberememberedfor
#hopesanddreams

The Beauty of a Regimen

See my you tube video here, The Beauty of a Regimen!

Stop

I am having a a wee love-hate relationship right now with social media. 🤣😂

Long before the term influencer and branding were hashtags on instgram and long before selfies, I was all over the latest social media trends. Hopped on board twitter from the beginning when it was boring and only a few people on it. I have been a blogger over on Blogger since 2006! Was one of the first of my friends on instagram when it was all about posting cool photos.

Social media is an amazing tool now for all sorts of avenues, especially promoting a business and/or a cause. Yet, for me something has shifted.

Now I feel a pressure that I have never felt before. Now I have found I am comparing myself to all the "influencers" out there. Now I am thinking I am not good enough.  Now I am feeling I am not branding myself enough or in the right way. Like I have no idea how to pose with my one leg straight behind me and my other let slightly bent  and hip out without falling over.You know what I am talking about! 😉 How do ya'll do that?!

I don't like the fact I am comparing myself one bit to what I see on social media. I always have loved getting to know people and love seeing their lives posted on social media. I used to have a penpal back in the day when we actually wrote ✒letters✉ to people!😉 So this what I call  modern day penpals!

Somehow though I have lost sight of that simplicity that once excited me. I have lost sight of my own dreams and goals. I have lost a bit of my confidence. I rebel against all those perfect photos we see (Yes I try to post the perfect shot too)!

So I am trying to take a step back and tell myself to👉 🛑STOP🛑 comparing myself to what other people are doing! Remember I am on my own journey! Remember I am a confident, strong, fierce woman. Remember I am just where I need to be. Remember why I started doing what I am doing in the first place!  Have fun! Laugh more! Continue to be who God created me to be. Continue to learn and grow. Continue to be authenic! But STOP the comparison tape📼

#beconfident #beauthentic #bebrave #stopcomparing #bossbabe #canadianentrepreneur #selflove #instagood #bestrong #befierce #bereal

Cross in Hand

I was touched when a kind man from my church presented this cross he hand carved for me!  It is beautiful. He took the time to explain how it fits perfectly in my hand so I can pray with it and feel closer to God in a fresh way.  I need this reminder. Lately, I have been experiencing a crisis of faith. Before I go further, I want to clarify it is not because I changed churches to Anglican! I am not totally sure what is happening within but I am just unsettled at the moment. At the core of who I am I still believe God is truth. At the core of who I am my faith is strong. However I am just a little frustrated and am in the season of questioning. Some of my views have changed as I have matured in my faith.  I have not compromised or water-downed my faith.I am tired. Tired of the spiritual battle that ensues. Tired of the “hoopla” as I call it, that can be part of many churches. It is interesting I am tired of the “hoopla”- all the programs that are creative ways to teach about God in our current world. My first career was working for a Christian youth organization that world renown evangelist, Billy Graham founded. His mission was, “anchored to the rock, geared to the times.” Yet something shifted within me. I just want simplicity now. I just want to be. Isn’t that what God wants. “ Be still and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)” ... Why ….Change brings new opportunities . Please let’s not judge.I am being vulnerable and honest about my spiritual journey. It helps me process.  I am clinging on to the promise this cross represents. Sometimes that is all I can do. Sometimes that is enough. When I do not have the words, my act of holding onto this cross is enough. God knows and sees my heart.

***Thank you Ross and Joan Scott for this beautiful act of kindness! I love it! Precious to me!***
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#womenoffaith #spiritualjourney #handmadecross #woodencross  #bestill #godseesme #clingingtojesus #faithful #womenoffaith #ponderings #faith

Elsie May

I love using my creative brain putting together outfits that have a purpose, that have a theme, that are a bright light in a dark world, that inspire others. I am an artist, a creative soul. My wardrobe is my canvas. An opportunity to express myself. An opportunity to reflect happy to those I come in contact with who need happy.  As artists, we open ourselves up for judgement. We are vulnerable. But it does not give anyone the right to make us feel less of a beautiful human person, created for a purpose on this planet. Created to make a difference in our world. ❤
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So I am embracing happy today with confidence and pride wearing my Grandma Whalen's old housedress I found in my storage unit this past summer!😉 ❤
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I knew I had to keep it, especially since it had her name Elsie May stitched on the tag. This dress brings many happy memories of her! Elsie May had nine children and in her later years of life she would visit each family staying for months. At each home, wearing her housedress and apron, she would bake her bread, knit her slippers, cook Jigg's dinner for us and sit and talk with us over tea and gingerale when we got home from school! ❤
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Elsie May was a strong, fiesty woman who never held back her opinion! She would definitely be telling me to "stop my nonsense" and wonder why on earth I would wear a housedress to work! But this woman was full of love and faith. She always told me (and the rest of her grandchildren and great grandchildren and great great grandchildren) she loved me and was praying🙏 for me. Her door was always open for anyone to stop by for a chat, tea, gingerale, cheese & crackers and Peppermint Knobs!
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So I wear this housedress today in honour of my Grandma,  Elsie May Whalen! I miss you. I accessorized with pearls and my tassel pearl earrings from Paris! And of course my makeup is Beautycounter😉
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Never let anyone tell you you are less of a human for what you wear.  We are fierce, creative women who have a message this world needs to hear, even wearing Grandma Elsie May's house dress! 😊
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#ootd #motd #style #accessories #beautycounter #fashionstyle #whattowear #vintage #vintagedress #igstyle #creative

Words

Words.
Powerful.
Words span decades, making an impact.
Crafting sentences carefully together to create beautiful works of art.
Art we have memorized.

"I dreamt I went to Manderley again."
"To be or not to be. That is the question."
"For God so loved the world He gave His one and only son."

Imagination.
Words can take us to another world helping us forget our circumstances for just a brief moment.
Symbolism.
Grammar.
Spelling.
Recitation.
Poems.
Prose.
Words can teach us life lessons. Make us laugh.  Make us cry.  Inspire us to action.

Yet words can have a negative impact and cut deep.
Deep into our souls.
Wounding.
Creating wounds that linger.
That never forget.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me."
-a rhyme we heard as young children.  Contrary to this, I have learned names/words do hurt us. 

I am guilty of saying things I regret.  At times I have not sought forgiveness. And at times I have.  Words of healing. But still. The words are out there and cannot be taken back.
Sometimes we never know the impact of the words that come out of our mouths.  Something said in jest can encourage a stranger or can cause pain to a friend.

Let us be mindful of the words forming in our minds.  As they exit our mouth may they be the ones that encourage, inspire and not tear down.

Words.
Powerful.
Beautiful.
Timeless.
Created from the letters of the alphabet.
ABC.

50 New Things

I made a decision🤦‍♀️ to try #50newthings the year I turned🎉 50🎉(last September)! Some new things I have accomplished are taking a photography📷 course, getting a funky💇‍♀️ haircut, cliff jumping🧗‍♀️ in Muskoka,trip to Portugal (sadly had to cancel due to a death in the family), trip to Paris🗼, joining this incredible movement for better beauty💄 (I had no idea how Beautycounter would bring such joy in my life this past year) AND wearing a bikini👙 !
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Yes, I wanted to wear a bikini👙 for the first time in my life in Portugal where no one knew me and where it was acceptable for all body types to wear a bikini!
_________
I bought this cute bikini👙 from #Aerie and had visions of feeling beautiful in it. But, my #bodypositivity turned into body shaming. I didn't think I was worthy 😂to be wearing a bikini.
_________
When I neared 50, I found my body changing😉 I did try my best to work out 🏋️‍♀️ and eat healthy 🍽 (and still try) but was not consistent. I would still compare myself to my friends who had great figures. 🙋‍♀️Anyone else do this? They we wearing bikinis yet I did not feel I could pull off the bikini 👙look. But I really wanted to wear one. Sounds silly.
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With age I have found I am more confident in who I am, YET these past few months I have really struggled 😥with my self confidence for some reason.
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🎉TODAY🎉 I changed that. TODAY  I changed my thinking. TODAY I believe I am worthy just the way I am-the way God created me to be-curves, cellulite and all! 😉
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🎈TODAY (before I turn 51 in September), I wore my bikini👙! And it felt good! 👊
▶️It was only for a few minutes but it felt good.😘
I will be brave and wear it next week when I go camping🏕
And it will feel great🎈
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For those of you who can relate to what I am sharing I want you to remember: #everybodyisabikinibody and #everybodyisbeautiful
You are beautiful. Not just your outward appearance but YOU as a person.  #YouAreWorthy #BeConfident  We are beautiful humans meant to make a difference on this planet. Go out there and try 50 new things with confidence! I will be cheering🙆‍♀️ you on!😘