Lifted, By My Girls! — The Archives — Formerly Vented Uplift

  There’s Always a First First date.  First love. First job. First promotion. First baby. First day of school. First new car. First day in the new home. Firsts. We can probably make a list of all the beautiful firsts in our lives longer than our arms.  But, not all firsts are exhilarating. Some firsts are scary and dreadful, like hearing the words you have cancer for the first time. Those words will bring you to your knees, and the feeling is crippling. I know. I remember that moment when I heard for the first time that I had breast cancer. It was 5:15, my feet were soaking in warm water at the nail salon, and we were leaving for Las Vegas the next morning.  No doctor ever calls after 5 pm. I was safe, or so I thought. It had been a week since I had the biopsy. No news was good news, right?  Not this time. Not for me. My phone rang, and Dr. Diehl was on the other end. “So, the results didn’t go our way.” Those words changed my life forever. “Your result returne...

Ah, moms. You love em', you hate em', but no matter what you do, you eventually turn into them. I'm not saying this as a curse or death sentence. I am presenting this as a celebration. I lost my mom at the age of 25. She was 50, and the significance of me being exactly half her age does not elude me. My Beautiful Mom at age 25 She never met my husband, and she never met her grandson. I argued with the universe about what was fair and what I felt I deserved. Just so you know,  the universe never argues back. About four years ago, when my son was just a wee babe, strange occurrences kept happening. I began accidentally breaking every gift my mother had given me. They were all silly little things but full of magical memories. The toothbrush holder she made in pottery class, the glass sculpture she gave me when I graduated high school, planters, and jewelry all broke in my hands. I sat and sobbed over every shattered remnant. I cried ugly, dramatic, child tears. One time my son...

Trying to lose weight, exercise more or start on a difficult project? As Lao Tzu says, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Sometimes that first step doesn’t even require standing up. Studies show that even 11 minutes a day of Kundalini meditation can boost mental health, promote mindfulness and increase gratitude. MRI imaging has demonstrated that meditation changes your brain; specifically, the regions involved in learning and memory processes, emotion regulation, self-referential processing and perspective-taking. This simple daily practice, when repeated for 40 days, may be exactly what you need to reach all your goals. Why 40 days? Because it takes 20 days to break old habits, and 20 days to start new ones. There’s a reason Christians fast for 40 days during Lent, and Judaism teaches that those seeking answers to prayers should pray for 40 days in a row. Did you know that your skin cells renew, on average, every 40 days? Meditation is easy. It’s quick. It wor...

  Ready to give that energy of yours a boost? Here are the top 5 things you can start doing today and make the shift! 1- Create a morning routine My morning routine takes just under two hours. I can't stress enough the importance of a great morning routine; it will set you up for a successful, energetic day and life. I experimented with a few different things and figured out what worked for me. You should do the same, and soon you'll know what works for you, and you'll enjoy starting your day that way. 2- Eat real, high-quality, fresh food Purchasing and eating freshly-grown fruits and vegetables is the best way to ensure there are no preservatives, chemicals or dyes added to your food. It keeps your body running on clean sources for energy and naturally you'll feel more vibrant and energetic. (try the smoothie recipe below!)                                  ...

The last two years have been quite a ride. As individuals, families, communities, nations, and collective humans, we are constantly bombarded with trauma, fear, loss and face a myriad of heavy emotions with it. It can be overwhelming, and our physical, emotional, and spiritual beings pay the price. Our nerves are shot, our systems are on overload & we are, in general, overwhelmed much of the time. Many of us have deepened our meditation & prayer practice, our physical movement, and journaling. And it has helped, thank goodness, but at times we need more. Some support in moving to wholeness & wellness. Tools to bring balance calm & help in managing these often rough waters of our times. Tools to restore us to the space of flow. Essential oils are a consistent go-to tool for me as they affect us on all levels—physical, emotional, mental & spiritual. When we are trying to navigate rough waters, we want tools that will be effective & move us to be in such flow that ...