SuZen's Corner

Transformation...holistically

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Guided Meditation to Meet Your Future Aligned Self

Clarity, Meditation

Guided Meditation to Meet Your Future Aligned Self. 12 minute meditation to guide you to meeting your future aligned self. Enjoy listening to the sound of soft beach waves and SuZen’s calm voice as she guides you through a relaxing meditation to meet your future aligned self.

🌊 Jump straight to the Meditation


Take a deep breath and journey with SuZen to meet your future aligned self in this relaxing guided beach meditation. Let the sound of the waves calm your mind as you align with your highest path.

🌊 Take a deep breath and journey within.

In this deeply relaxing guided beach meditation, SuZen invites you to connect with your future aligned self — the version of you who already lives in harmony, confidence, and peace. See now what your future holds for you – directly from your future self who already knows what’s possible.

Set to the soothing sounds of gentle ocean waves, this 12-minute guided meditation helps you release tension, let go of what no longer serves you, and align with your highest path. Whether you’re seeking clarity, inner calm, or a powerful energetic reset, this journey will help you manifest from a place of ease and flow.

💫 In this meditation, you will:

  • Meet and connect with your future aligned self
  • Feel grounded and relaxed through ocean soundscapes
  • Activate clarity and intuitive guidance
  • Release limiting beliefs and old energy
  • Manifest your next-level alignment with peace and purpose
  • Borrow hope & belief from your future self
  • Ask any burning questions you may have about your future

🎧 For the best experience, find a quiet space where you can relax, use headphones, and allow SuZen’s voice and the rhythm of the waves to guide you inward. Knowing that desires would not be given to you if you weren’t meant to have & be those things <3

🕊️ Watch the full video below and let this gentle journey remind you that whatever you’re ready to achieve or release is already waiting within you.

🎧 A Journey to Your Future Aligned Self

Guided Meditation to Meet Your Future Aligned Self. 12 minute meditation to guide you to meeting your future aligned self. Enjoy listening to the sound of soft beach waves and SuZen’s calm voice as she guides you through a relaxing meditation to meet your future aligned self.

If you enjoyed this guided meditation and would like to learn more about coaching with SuZens complete the discovery form to learn more.

Stay Present, Stay Powerful: How Mindfulness Boosts Productivity, Peace, and Connection in our Busy World

Authenticity, Clarity

Stay Present, Stay Powerful: How Mindfulness Boosts Productivity, Peace, and Connection

In today’s fast-moving world, it’s easy to slip into the habit of mentally racing ahead — thinking about the next task, the next appointment, or the growing list of things we should be doing.
But what if the real secret to achieving more, feeling calmer, and truly experiencing the richness of life is much simpler?
It’s not about doing more. It’s about being more present.

Mindfulness — or the simple act of staying focused on the current moment — is scientifically proven to improve mental clarity, boost productivity, reduce stress, and even increase overall happiness.
But the benefits don’t stop at your career or big life goals. Staying present transforms the little moments of daily life too: driving safely, enjoying time with your children, savoring a walk with your dogs, or even feeling a simple joy while grocery shopping.

The Science Behind Staying Present

Mindfulness has been widely studied for its incredible effects on the brain and body.
Research shows that practicing presence can:

  • Lower cortisol levels (the body’s main stress hormone)
  • Improve concentration and focus
  • Strengthen emotional resilience
  • Reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression

When you stay focused on the task at hand, your brain isn’t overloaded by trying to juggle too many things at once. You work more efficiently, with greater clarity, creativity and fewer mistakes — and you feel better doing it.

How Staying Present Boosts Productivity and Success

When we fully engage with what we’re doing — whether it’s answering an important email or cooking dinner — our actions become sharper, more intentional, and more effective.
Distraction slows us down and adds invisible stress.
Presence makes everything flow.

Instead of scattering your energy worrying about the future, presence anchors you to now — where real action happens.
You move through your to-do list with clarity instead of chaos.
You stop wasting energy on overthinking and second-guessing.
You experience momentum. You achieve progress instead of overwhelm.

The Emotional Benefits of Being in the Moment

Staying in the moment isn’t just about getting more done — it’s also about feeling better while doing it.

When you’re present, you’re less likely to get caught up in anxious thoughts about the future or regrets about the past.
You naturally feel calmer, more centered, and more connected to yourself and those around you.

Presence brings peace because it frees you from the pressure of “what if” and “what’s next.”
In the now, you realize: you are enough. “you are”
Right here. Right now.

Safety and Presence: The Hidden Connection

Mindfulness isn’t just a tool for stress reduction — it’s essential for safety, too.
When you’re fully present while driving, you’re more aware of your surroundings, quicker to react, and less likely to make dangerous mistakes.
When you’re present walking your dog or crossing a street, you stay tuned into your environment, protecting yourself and those you love.

You notice the little things; perhaps a bee buzzing or a snake slithering by – its those little things that remind us what life is really all about.

Presence is protection.
It keeps you grounded not just emotionally, but physically as well.

Finding Joy in Everyday Moments

Staying in the moment also allows you to experience life’s simple joys that so often get overlooked.

  • The sweetness of a conversation with your child.
  • The peacefulness of watering your plants or tending your garden.
  • The small victory of finding the ripest tomatoes at the grocery store.
  • The tail-wagging excitement of your dog on a morning walk or relaxing on the ground under the warm sun.

When you are present, these small moments become big experiences — filled with gratitude, connection, and simple happiness.
Instead of life feeling like a blur, it becomes vivid, colorful, and meaningful.

Easy Ways to Practice Presence Every Day

You don’t have to sit for hours meditating to reap the benefits of mindfulness.
Try weaving simple presence practices into your day:

  • Single-task: Focus on one task at a time. When you’re emailing, just email. When you’re eating, just eat. Allow all of your senses to focus on the current task at hand.
  • Pause and breathe: When you notice your mind racing, stop. Take a slow, deep breath. Bring yourself back.
  • Sensory check-in: Notice what you can see, hear, feel, smell, and taste right now.
  • Gratitude moments: As you go through your day, silently give thanks for the little things — a delicious meal, a sunny sky, a happy child or animal, a kind smile.
  • Technology boundaries: Set aside tech-free times, especially when with loved ones, to be fully engaged. If you have little ones looking up to you they’ll notice and it will have a positive impact on their day. Your spouse or partner will also notice.

Final Thought: Your Power Is in the Present

The next time you feel overwhelmed or scattered, remember:
Your power isn’t in worrying about tomorrow.
It isn’t in replaying yesterday.
Your true strength, peace, and success live in this moment.

Stay present. Stay powerful.
And watch your life transform in ways both big and small.

How to “Sage” or “Smudge” an area

Coaching

How to “Sage” or “Smudge” an area

~ Written by SuZen

Sage has been used for thousands of years in many cultures. From healing properties to culinary delights to clearing energies, sage is a very versatile herb. 

If you’ve never used sage to clear out energies in a space this will explain it very easily so you can do this anytime. 

The first thing to keep in mind is fire/smoke safety. Be sure you have something like a fire proof plate or abalone shell to collect any ashes that may fall while smudging your area. Collect this, a means for lighting (lighter or matches) and the sage itself is all you need. You may wish to also have water or a fire extinguisher nearby. (If you are somewhere where smoke is not safe or allowed you can also use a sage spray). You can also have a small fan or feather to spread the smoke as well.

To begin, open up a window or door in your house. This is necessary for an exit for the smoke and any negative energies to leave. 

Take a few deep breaths before you begin to clear your own energy and set your intentions. You may intend to clear energies, you may have a reason for this clearing or it could be general in nature. 

Start by lighting the end of the sage bundle. Allow the fire to burn for a minute or so then it should either go out on its own or you can carefully blow the flame out yourself. You should now be holding a smoking bundle. Begin at one end of the room and slowly wave the wand around as you walk around. Invite any negative energies to leave and invite positive energies to enter or stay. You may also wish to release any stagnant energies as well. Thank all of the energies for moving. Let anything negative know it is not welcomed in this space. Today or in the future. Continue moving about the space until all areas, especially in corners, have been covered with smoke. Use your hand or your fan or feather to wave the smoke about. End at the open window or door as it exits your space. Allow the smoke to exit before you close back up the door or window.

You can now thank all of the energies for leaving this space. Be sure the sage smoke/fire is completely out and then you can put your items away for future use. 

Your space is now cleared. You have now been cleansed as well. You and your space should feel lighter and clearer. 

The Full Blood Flower Moon – with an eclipse 🌝

Coaching

Ah, another full moon my friend! 🌝

Today’s BLOOD FULL FLOWER MOON (With an Eclipse!) energies can be used to your great advantage. Full moons are always a great time to re-evaluate your life and where you want to go/be. 

I created this guide to share with others some of the prompts I used to release & refocus today.

First of all, always show yourself grace and follow your intuition. If you feel like going out and being active and having fun – do it! If you feel like crawling back into bed and taking a nap – do it! 

Photo I snapped this morning on my cell phone

A few things I have been guided to sit with today are below.

  • Who are you? And answer it honestly and don’t hold back and DO NOT allow yourself to get trapped in your past story. Write out who you ARE and who you WANT to BE!  
  • What’s currently holding you back from realizing the life you are meant to live? Really think about it. You can list people, places, circumstances, self limiting beliefs, real challenges, whatever. Write them all out. We will be releasing these later 😀
  • Take some sort of action. Whether it is cleaning out a drawer or clearing a space or throwing away something that no longer serves you, do it. You don’t have to spend 4 hours purging your house but at least spend a few minutes getting rid of something that no longer serves you. It could even be canceling a subscription to something you no longer use/need. Thank yourself for clearing more energy around yourself. Mean it. 
  • Now normally we don’t discuss a lot about manifestation during the full and waning moon cycles however if you are reading this on the full moon or even up to 3 days after you can still work with this powerful moon energy this way. Think about a soul urge or dream you have that comes up frequently. What is it? How would you feel to be living that truth NOW? Write it out, and feel it. Smile and relish in the feelings that come with having/doing all of it. 
  • This evening, and you can do it anytime really but I prefer the evening/night for some reason….take your list of what you want to let go of and burn it under the full moon. I usually use a large shell or bowl to safely contain my paper. You could even do it over water to be extra safe. If you really cannot burn it you can take your paper and rip it up and soak it in water or just throw it away. 
  • This evening you can also charge any of your crystals. Place them on a plate or tray and set them out somewhere safe outside under the full moon. Bring them back inside before the sun fully rises. There are some people who say not to charge your crystals during an eclipse but my personal opinion is that it is fine and that the old rules were probably from long ago where we humans didn’t understand what was happening during an eclipse and thought it was something negative.
  • You can also make full moon water. It’s such a treat to sip on moon water. I find it so soft and like a luxury somehow. All you need to do for this is pour filtered or spring water into a mason jar. I also put on the lid to keep any contaminates out. Let the jar sit out over night. In the morning, before the sun fully rises bring the jar back inside. You can drink it all that day if you would like but I tend to keep mine around for much longer sipping a small amount here or there.  (Don’t use plastic or paper cups, find something glass to use)
  • Relax and allow for some self-care. You can curl up with a book or your journal under the moon or run yourself a warm Epsom salt bath and soak for as long as feels good. Light some candles and play some lovely spa music. Being in a place of peace and surrender to nature’s gifts allows more alignment and flow into your life.

Remember, this is your life and you are the designer of it. You get to do and be whomever you’d like. Really honor yourself and allow yourself to feel and believe it all.

I hope these tips help you soak up the energy of today’s Full Moon. Comment and let me know what you are planning, or if you are reading this after, what you did to enjoy this wonderfully powerful full moon. (This post was originally written on 5-26-2021 however these tips are good for ANY full moon)

New Moon During Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Clarity, Healthy

Hello Beautiful! This new moon is coming with some strong energy for you to create the life you truly want to live!

Welcome to this month’s new moon energy, friend.

How are you feeling?
The new moon is the perfect time to reflect on life and decide how you want your life to look.
What is most important to you?
What changes do you want to make?
How will you stay healthy and strong and thrive?
It is not selfish to take care of yourself.
You are in charge of your life.
It doesn’t have to look like someone else’s life.
You get to design your life.
Take some time to rest and reflect during this new moon and decide what you will do to continue manifesting that life you soooo desire.
💞🧚‍♀️⏰

I hope you enjoy this short video I created for you. Please, comment and let me know how you are doing and what you are learning right now through all of this!

Some Healthy Immune Boosters

Coaching

We all worry about catching an illness from time to time. In times like now, March 2020 many in the world are worried about Coronavirus (COVID-19). While we do not intend to create any hysteria, if you have a compromised immune system you should be taking even more precautions than the general public. This article is NOT intended to be medical advice and you should always research on your own and/or with your Doctor about your specific needs or concerns.

That being said, there are a ton of natural, easy to acquire and use known immune boosters.

Essential oils are great. Some are anti-bacterial, others are anti-viral & so on. For today’s article, we are going to focus on the ones that have potential anti-viral properties.

Some of the TOP Anti-Viral Essential Oils*

Basil

Bergamot

Cajuput

Cedarwood

Cinnamon

Clove Bud

Eucalyptus

Juniper Berry

Lavender Spike

Laurel leaf

Lemon

Manuka

Niaouli

Peppermint

Ravensara

Ravintsara

Rosemary

Sage

Tea Tree

Thyme

Also known to boost your immune system/prevent illness:* 

Colloidal Silver     Echinacea     Elderberry Syrup    

Grapefruit Seed Extract Oil of Oregano     

Vitamin B6     Vitamin C       Vitamin D3   

Vitamin E     Magnesium Oscillococcinum    Zinc

Onion, garlic, sage, cumin, cinnamon, ginger

And, some of the most common-sense approaches to avoiding catching an illness still includes properly washing your hands, avoiding ill people and eating healthy foods, drinking a lot of water, getting good rest & exercise.

Be Well!!

Feel free to share this image in its entirety 

anti-viral essential oils

Please friends, remember I am just a regular person like you and only sharing what has worked for me or what you may wish to consider. You have to do your own due diligence. This article is not to be construed as medical advice. * Some links may lead to affiliate payments.

How to Create a Vision Board

Coaching

How to Create a Vision Board

First of all, let me start off this post by wishing you a Very Happy New Year! If you are reading this in the future this was originally written on January 1, 2020. But the information is always going to be applicable to creating a vision board!

That being said, let’s get started with learning more about Vision Boards & the process.

What is a Vision Board?

A vision board is a visual piece that showcases dreams, goals, hopes & plans for your future. Today I’m going to be discussing creating a physical vision board on a foamboard as it is my favorite. You can choose to use a different medium, even a digital one if that fancies you. The science & psychology behind creating dreams and goals is real. Statistics show a written goal is more achievable and a visual one even more likely to manifest. This article is not about the technical jargon but you can either search for this information if that is your jam 😀

What will I need?

So for this vision board experience, we are going to need the following items:

Lots of magazines

(you might start asking around and collecting them in advance so you have a variety of which to look through. Ask doctor’s offices, friends, families, etc if they would mind holding a few old ones aside for you. Alternatively, if you are going to have a group vision board  “party” you can ask everyone to bring a few and then share then around)

A foam board

(I get mine at dollar tree, for yes, $1, it’s sturdy/stands up by itself and is large – 24 x 36 inches so I have plenty of space) Don’t have a foam board? No problem. You can use a poster board, cardboard or even a regular sheet (or sheets) of paper!

Tape, glue or glue stick 

Scissors

A positive attitude

I am told so often that someone is not “crafty” or “creative” so they avoid these things. Trust me when I say I thought the same thing at first too but now I can easily create one that I find appealing when completed. You CAN do it!

Is there an ideal time to create a Vision Board?

The short answer is it doesn’t matter when you do it but the longer answer is as follows. For me, I find it to be more effective during, or very close to, a new moon because that is a powerful time for manifesting. It is also ok to do one at the beginning of a new year or a big change (like losing your job or having to move). Full moons can also be powerful energies to do one. If you have a pull to create one and it doesn’t fall into something I’ve mentioned don’t fret, do it anyway! Trust your own instincts!

Where should I create?

Wherever feels good. I’ve had vision “parties” at my office. I’ve created them at my table. I’ve sat on the floor most of the time where I can spread out ideas. 

vision board party

Should I create it on my own or with a spouse, friends or family?

Totally up to you! I have the idea to create a class in the future for couples to work on them together but all of mine thus far have been created solo. It’s fun to have other people there working on theirs as well to chat with & get ideas from but it is also empowering to sit alone and maybe even meditate or otherwise channel some ideas all on your own.

What should my board look like when it’s completed?

Again, this is totally up to you! I have seen some that are completely random, I’ve seen others make them color coordinated. I’ve seen some that have ideas all mixed on the board while others have segmented areas on the board separately. I’ve done them with mostly pictures and also some with mostly words & everything in between. Go with your intuition and FLOW with the process. Remember that there is no right or wrong way to create your board. Now, if you have a plan and want to focus on a certain topic or area of like go for it! But do not stress overthinking it should be a certain way. 

Vision Board

The process should be fun! If it’s not fun consider a change to make it more fun!

The Process

First of all you grab your scissors and go through the magazines to find items that resonate with you. Cut out photos of things you find appealing, want to have, a place you want to go, a car you want to drive, an experience you would like to have, etc. And even words that feel good to you. You can cut out more than you might end up using – no worries here. But definitely cut out a ton of options.

After you have all of your cutting completed I like to arrange the parts onto the board before I glue or tape anything down. This will help you with the overall look & feel of the board. Do you want to mix things up or create sections or color coordinate it? It’s yours so get as creative as you’d like. Do you prefer things lined up or placed at angles? Overlapping? Whatever you like – go for it!

Once you are happy with your layout you can start the gluing/taping part. Take your time and don’t get in any hurry. You want to feel happy with your final piece.

I hope this has helped you understand the vision board process a bit more. 

Please, leave your comments/ideas/questions below. Even better, show me your vision boards!

I love hearing from my readers! 😀

And Happy Vision Boarding my friends!!

Boundaries

Coaching

Taking the negativity out of “Boundaries”

If you are like me, you are constantly looking to improve your life. Most likely, if you are reading this article, you are interested in constant self-improvement. Therefore, I’m sure you have heard about setting boundaries. Boundaries sound tough though, right? That’s because we naturally have a desire to help and compromise for others. So when we hear the term “set boundaries” we immediately take a step back & think it sounds harsh. Recently I’ve begun to look at this differently. I thought perhaps this idea may help you as well.

Instead of saying you are going to set boundaries what if we just focus on having clarity. Do you have clarity in what you want out of life? Who you are? Or who you wish to be? Do you have clarity about the life you want to live? The relationships you wish to have? The work you feel great about doing? If not, let’s dive into that. Clarity is so important. Without clarity, you have no idea what your day, week, month, or years may bring. Sure, it’s great to flow with life as well but without any clarity, you are missing out on so much more. Life is meant to be lived; not just endured. If you are not living the life you want then you need to find your clarity.

The way I work with finding clarity has several steps. You can take all of these steps or some of them or even add your own but a process is very important. 

Here’s a daily schedule to add to your normal routine to help you.

  • Daily meditation
  • Daily Grateful Journalling
  • Daily Exercise
  • Daily Healthy Eating & Drinking Habits

SuZen’s Homemade Deodorant

Beauty & Bath, Healthy, Recipes

Over the years I have tried many deodorants. I used to, many years ago, just purchase the major named deodorants at the local stores because I wasn’t aware of the health dangers. Now I am very leery of the antiperspirants that include aluminum and other toxic chemicals/scents, etc. You are most likely here because you have similar concerns as well so I will not get into that and if you want more information google is your friend 😀

Initially, I started buying these “all natural” deodorants that I found in specialty health food stores or online. I found that either 1) They would work for a short period of time and then I would start developing an odor or 2) They would burn and leave an icky rash behind. So I started playing around with recipes at home.

I’ve been using the following now for at least a year successfully. I have no irritation and no weird smells. I am very happy with this formula. I was using a gray clay and switched to white because the gray was leaving weird marks on my skin (I wear tank tops a lot as I live in S Florida) and this was not appealing lol. Since the temperature is warm, even inside of my house, (I keep my a/c around 76-78) the deodorant will easily melt if I apply it straight from the jar/deodorant container so I wipe a bit on my palm then rub on each armpit directly from there. Way easier. You can also use a jar if you do not have a deodorant tube. You can buy them online (referral link: https://amzn.to/2D7gpx2 ) or clean out an old one you have. Hot water & soap should do the trick – just be sure to dry it well before you re-use it. I have also heard of people storing their deodorant in the refrigerator to keep it more solid.

Feel free to use your own essential oils of choice. I don’t like much scent so if I do use essential oils I use them sparingly. If you like to have more scent then just add more in your recipe.

Depending upon how much you want to make use a different measurer keeping the same #s

Ingredients Needed:

Coconut Oil

Olive Oil

Beeswax Pellets

Clay (use food grade)

Baking Soda (if you have a sensitivity to baking soda try using only arrowroot powder. Personally doing half and half has no caused me any issues at all)

Arrowroot Powder

Optional:

Cocoa wafers or butter

Essential oils

To make about 2 containers here’s my recipe with instructions.

I melt the following in a double boiler (you can also use a large mason jar inside a pan of hot water – be careful no water splashes into your mix)

2/3 Cup Coconut oil

a splash of Olive oil

1/3 Cup beeswax pellets

8-10 cocoa butter wafers (optional)

Once the mixture is fully melted I add:

2/3 Cup Clay

1/6 Cup Baking Soda

1/6 Cup Arrowroot Powder

At the end, I add essential oils if preferred. I use scents I like & with this recipe recommend about 50 drops. More or less to your preference.

I then pour into jars, deodorant containers or any other container you may have clean & available. If you want it to set quicker just put it in the refrigerator or freezer for a bit!

Good luck & happy mixing!!!

P.S. If you try this recipe out please comment and let me know how it works for you!

Here’s what mine looks like!

DIY Homemade All Natural Deodorant
DIY Homemade All Natural Deodorant (With gray clay – leaves marks!!!)

(With white clay – leaves NO marks!!)

As always, my links could be attached to a referral or affiliate program.

Girl, wash your face a review by SuZen

Authenticity, Book Review, Clarity

Girl, wash your face – a book review

So, I’ve always wanted to write book reviews on the many books I’ve read in my life. So when I started reading the highly popular “Girl, wash your face” by Rachel Hollis. I knew I wanted to write a review of this one for sure. I told myself that I would finish reading it today and write the review. But time started to get away from me and I wasn’t sure if I would have the time to write the review. But here I am, 8pm and going to write it.

The feelings I got when I read this book were similar feelings I get when I hang out with a really good girlfriend. One who has positive things to say but also has truth to give too. It’s written in a conversational tone and if you are anything like me you’ll probably breeze through the book pretty quickly. The chapters are fairly short and they all end with some tips from Rachel as well. For some reason I always dig having an action step or tip at the end of each chapter. So there’s that.

I feel like the best way to provide you with the insight I took away from the book is to break it down by chapter. A couple I’m going to combine together and you’ll understand why.

So without further ado, here we go.

The book starts with an intro and then as we dive into Chapter 1, a little humor and truth. I’m not going to tell you the opening line but if you’ve watched an interview of Rachel you’ve probably already heard it. This chapter gets you used to the layout the book will follow and basically lets you know that you are just fine and should be yourself (which is a huge underlying mantra in the book in general as a whole)

Chapter 2’s Lie says “I’ll start tomorrow”. We’ve all said this and done this and then never completed the thing. In my opinion there isn’t a ton wrong with this however it’s like when you have a kid and you threaten a consequence but don’t follow through you lose all credibility. Or when you are working on a job and don’t follow through on a promise, again you lose all credibility. And, as Rachel reminds us, what about those ever critical promises to one’s self? You think, “oh no biggie” but hello you are losing faith in yourself with each mishap. So don’t be too hard on yourself but start to pay attention and try to make commitments you can actually keep. (I know many of my friends are perfectionists and never fail to follow through so ignore this but for the rest of you – think!)

Oh, in case I failed to mention it at the beginning, each chapter is a lie we tell ourself and then Rachel goes on to explain why its a lie and how we can improve. So Chapter 3 is all about thinking you are not good enough. Even the most successful people have self limiting thoughts at times. It’s human nature. But how can we relax enough, stop beating ourself up and just do the thing? Rachel will share her story and let you know that having those feelings is ok but don’t wallow in them for too long.

In Chapter 4 we hear a hard truth from Rachel where she was judging others and how it made her feel crappy for many years even after the fact. And the person didn’t even know she was being judgy it was just an internal battle she had with herself. Sure, some of you are so judgy that you might not even know how judgy you actually are however a lot of us feel bad for the judgment down the road. It’s crazy how often I catch myself or my friends casting unnecessary judgments. But I do believe we have to recognize it and then we can improve.

Oooh, here’s a good one ladies. Like a really good one. (And guys this can be you too). The belief that somehow you’ll be whole or better once you have found love. In Chapter 5 we hear about finding love.  I’m not fully the best person to speak about this much because I’ve really spent a ton of time single and loving me but I have been caught up in it for sure. Rachel shares her love story of meeting, losing and then marrying the love of her life, Dave. I’m sure he doesn’t “love” this story but it’s real and stories very similar happen a lot. Some with different endings but their’s is a good one.

In Chapter 6 we learn about how no doesn’t have to be the final answer. How there may be a different way or how to getting what you want. And sometimes it is. But here’s my favorite take away from that chapter.  Instead of thinking “why is this happening TO me?”. Flip that narrative and instead ponder “Why is this happening FOR me?” Yeah, even the really hard, not fun stuff is there for a reason. Don’t quit on yourself.

Chapter 7 was a tmi chapter but I’m sure it has it’s place for many. Rachel discusses her lack of er, sexual experiences and how she worked through that. Hey, read it. Just not out loud in front of your parents. It’s ok, she’s married.

So Chapters 8 & 9 talk a lot about being scared you aren’t a good enough mom. We all have those moments of doubt. We are doing a million things each day and no way can every aspect of life be perfect. So read these chapters, even if you don’t have kids. It’ll help you gain some perspective and grace.

Chapter 10 dives into how we mostly feel we aren’t far enough in life at any given moment. Like by this age I would have thought I would have done, achieved, had, etc x,y or z. But remember to talk to yourself nicely and encouraging and don’t be so hard on yourself. Maybe go back up to Chapter 6 and consider how it’s FOR you. I mean do your best but be ready for bumps and delays.  A part I like is the when Rachel gives the tips at the end of the chapter she mentions making the goals list but without the time limits. That’s fair.

Chapter 11 goes into perceptions we have of our own kids and any shortcomings. I’m going to go ahead and lump that sort of in with chapters 8 & 9. Not every woman has kids. Personally I think my kids really rock but they have plenty of moments too. Don’t we all? lol. I think the point is knowing that we all wonder what others are thinking about our families at times in our life’s .

In Chapter 12 Rachel shares with us how her childhood created her self as an adult. She didn’t realize much of it until attending a conference a few years back. Self discovery is so important in life and going through these processes and discovery are critical for you to accept and grow. It is not for you to find someone to blame. Not at all. Most people do the best they can with the tools and information they have at that moment but we can all do better and definitely learn from our past. Some that was in our control and other parts that were out of our control.

Rachel tells us in Chapter 13 a crazy goal/dream she had since she was young and how it didn’t happen even though she believed it so. So consider that when you dream up goals. I mean still have those big crazy dreams and goals but add a splash of reality in there too.

Funny enough in Chapter 14 Rachel tells us how she had times where she thought she sucked as a writer. Go figure. There will be haters and don’t let that stop you from creating the things you want in life! Go get em, girl!

Chapter 15 is very somber. Rachel shares a very devastating life event with us and also shares with us how that helped her to realize just how strong she was. That’s all I’m going to say here about this one. But yes, go read it!

The chapters at the end sort of feel the same to me in a way. They are about sharing challenges and being brutally honest (in her case to strangers reading her book). She’s dealt with some things. So it goes to show you that even though it looks like her life is all gorgeous and perfect, its not always that way. I liken it to how we compare our real lives with our social media friend’s highlight reel. We really have no idea what other people are dealing with if they don’t tell us. We see what they are up to and think they are living the best life ever. Who knows honestly what its like over there though. Focus on yourself and being the best YOU can be.

Chapter 19 goes off in a different direction. This one is pretty good. It’s all about diversity and different ways of life. Different races and religions and so much more. The world is changing and we are all learning and sharing more with people that don’t necessarily seem the same as us. Our younger generation are, for the most part, being raised much differently than our elders even a generation or two before us. I love this and am glad she added her backstory and growth here.

The final chapter, Chapter 20 is about needing a hero and we learn that we are our own hero. Like we don’t need to look to another person or other external place for that. It’s within us. So challenge yourself, love yourself & “Girl, wash your face”.

I hope you enjoyed my synopsis of this popular book. I went ahead and included a link to amazon where you can order it if you’d like. It’s  an affiliate link connected to my account. It’s an easy read and I think you’ll enjoy the book. It won’t take long to read and I honestly believe you’ll find at least a few great take aways in it. It’s like anything, we know most of these things but just like they say with motivation (and showering), it doesn’t last so we have to keep on with the positive mindfeed.

 

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