Welcome back to The Way I See It where we focus on Awareness, Attitude and Intuition, which I see as keys to more confident decision making and aligned living.

For today’s post/episode 8, which I have titled, Respect is the Golden Rule, I would like to touch on the topic of Respect, especially Self Respect, what that can look and feel like, and why it’s such an important element in our every day relationships and interactions with others.

I’ll start this conversation with a definition of respect that truly aligns with what I’m talking about: It’s defined as due regard for the feelings, wishes and rights or traditions of others.
And the definition of self respect is pride and confidence in oneself and a feeling that one is behaving with honor and dignity.

With those definitions laid out, I wanted to share with you ways I show myself respect, why I think it’s important, if not imperative to do so, and how that directly impacts how we can communicate with others with an underlying mutual respect in place.

Beyond taking care of myself physically, such as eating good food, moving my body in a way that feels right and good to me, and getting enough sleep, I also see my attitude toward myself as vitally important as a way to show myself respect.

Appreciating myself for Who I Am is the significant foundation toward self respect, in all my foibles, as well as my skill sets, and everything in between.
Here are some examples:
I respect my skill as an artist, in varying mediums, from pencil to watercolor to pen and marker, no matter the subject matter.
I respect my acquiring skill in music, from song writing to composing on piano. I make time for it because I respect my desire to express myself that way.
I respect all I’ve learned and implement as I work in our electrical contracting office and fulfill the duties necessary to running a business.

I also respect my limitations, of what I can or cannot do in a day. I respect the times when I need to take a break and not guilt myself for it.
I respect myself when I look in the mirror and see how I’m aging, gracefully and with full acknowledgment of what is.
I am hyper aware of when I’m being too hard on myself for my “mistakes” or perceived “errors” when I’m not satisfied with what I’ve accomplished.
I’m learning to be more gentle with myself and create as much ease in my daily tasks as possible.

I also respect my need to fill my creative well, whether it’s reading a good memoir, watching a good movie, or getting inspired by the art I see online as I scroll social media.
I respect my unique way of expressing myself through the way I dress, how I use music to communicate in conversation (which I talk about in ep 2 of The Way I See It Podcast), and The Way I See It from my many Life Lenses as wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and friend.

Coming from that place of self respect, after having recognized the value of Who I am inside and out, mutual respect is an extremely important element of thriving relationships with others.
Recognizing the value of each one who I am in contact with and seeing that reciprocated through word, action, and response to our mutual ongoing communication is what makes those relationships meaningful and satisfying.

As I have practiced self respect over the years, I have come to recognize when a communication with another disappoints because of that lack of mutual respect, whether overt or subtle.
Sometimes it’s hard to detect at first, but wisdom grows over time with life experience as I engage with others, and I find myself most appreciative of that mutual respect that we all expect and rightfully so since it’s not necessarily easy to come by.

That’s why it’s so important to start with self respect; when you respect yourself and make the effort to appreciate Who You Are from the inside out, it helps us to gain more confidence when it comes to communicating with others with the expectation that we will receive the respect we deserve. And when that doesn’t happen, we can then, with confidence, draw a line in the sand and say, this isn’t working for me. We need to give ourselves space, creating a safe boundary from unnecessary conflict, no matter where it’s coming from. And we need not apologize for it.

If another wants to communicate, it must be in the bounds of mutual respect; otherwise, they are not recognizing the value of The Way You See It.
Just remember that The Way You See It Matters.

Allow the gift of your intuition to feel into whether or not you are respecting yourself and in turn, whether you are experiencing the mutual respect of others. And Act Accordingly.

A Journaling prompt for you:
List off the ways you currently express self respect. Get as specific as possible. No item is too small because sometimes the smallest of ways build that important foundation of respect that is vital to our well being.
When you’re ready, you can record one way that you would like to start respecting yourself more, whatever the area of life it entails. Perhaps give yourself permission to express yourself creatively or setting boundaries where needed. Whatever comes to mind intuitively in this entry, allow it to flow.
Remember not to beat yourself up when you don’t show yourself respect. Just becoming more aware of when this happens and why can go a long way to helping you align with Who You Are from the inside out.

The Way You See It Matters. Honor and Value that from the heart. Because your heart won’t steer you wrong.

Copyright 2022 Dawn Herring

Welcome back to The Way I See It, where we focus on Awareness, Attitude and Intuition for more confident decision making and aligned living!

In this post/episode (7), My aim is to give you strategies to Give Yourself a Voice, especially when you feel unheard.

We all know that it’s perfectly normal to talk to ourselves in our daily lives. Picture arriving in your kitchen and forgetting why you went there! So you say to yourself, “What was I in here for?” as you stand there puzzling for the momentary forgetfulness. Yes, we’ve all been there, done that!

Technically speaking, you were giving yourself a voice even if it was not in the best of circumstances, since you were probably feeling frustrated with your loss of purpose.
But we can be much more intentional with the way we talk to ourselves, which is actually a very important element of personal empowerment.

We all have situations where we have shared our point of view, the way we see it, to another, whether in conversation with a friend or loved one, with a colleague or a boss, or with our kids or grandkids. And in some situations, we feel like we keep repeating ourselves, because no one seems to be listening. And that can be frustrating. No one likes to feel unheard.

But I would like to share an important practice that we can all engage in that can enable us to have a voice and in the process, validate and affirm ourselves from the inside out, even when no one seems to be listening.

I believe it is imperative that we listen to ourselves, our higher voice that speaks to us, that voice of intuition. And one of the ways we can do that is to give that voice our attention. How?
Well, I’m here to share with you my tried and true approaches to doing just that.

First, My absolute go-to is keeping a journal. My journal is the perfect place to give myself a voice, even if it’s only written. My thoughts are important and when I write them down, it gives them presence more so in my life because I have honored those thoughts in word form. Now I can see and read what I am thinking, and even vocalize them if I choose to. In this way, I am honoring The Way I See It. It gives me a chance to share my point of view from my varying life lenses that give meaning and purpose to my every day existence.

Along with sharing my thoughts in word form, I also choose to draw an illustration that reflects my emotional response to something from my day that I choose to highlight. It’s sort of like a visual diary that I can look back on and see what I have experienced, no matter what emotion is represented, whether it be frustration, anger, elation, joy, happiness, humor. It is all equally represented. You could choose to simply draw a smiley face or a frown face or whatever intuitively works for you if you don’t want to draw how you feel in an illustrative approach.

Another way I choose to give myself a voice is through verbal affirmations. I have reminders that come up on my phone on a daily basis, and when I see them, I often read them aloud. It brings me into the present moment and inspires me to remind myself of what I am. Whether it be strong, resilient, creative, present, etc. Pick words that have relevant meaning for you and read them aloud.

The mirror can be our best friend; we can simply look into our own eyes and say, “I love you!” This is a tremendously empowering action to give yourself a voice and to validate and affirm yourself, both visually and audibly.

Music is one of my favorite ways to give myself a voice; and this one is especially meaningful because I express my appreciation for my Connection with Spirit when I write songs inspired by my study of sacred text and reflect on what it means to me. From lyrics to melody and then composing my songs on piano, and then singing as I play, I give my Spirit a voice as well. This is one of the most satisfying experiences I have on a daily basis.

Perhaps you may choose to write a lyric, a poem, a paragraph of something meaningful to you; then read it aloud. Relish each word as you speak it; knowing that it came from your heart and soul. Or choose your favorite song and sing with enthusiasm! You might want to dance as you sing, giving your body a voice as well.

I think one of the things that is so vitally important and linked to giving yourself a voice is recognizing your innate value; appreciating yourself for who you are.
Listening to yourself, giving yourself a voice, is a powerful way to recognize the value of what you have to offer, of The Way You See It. When you listen to yourself first with appreciation, honor and love, this will give you a strong foundation, and a more distinct confidence when you relate and communicate with others. Because you are already listening. Your ears are open and aware of what you are feeling, and how you want to express yourself.

Always remember that when you feel unheard, to give yourself a voice immediately by listening to your own thoughts and expression in whatever way feels right and natural to you in the moment. When you regularly practice giving yourself a voice, you will always be heard; this will impact the way you communicate with others. Because The Way You See It Matters.

A Journaling prompt for you:
Write a list of all the ways you could give yourself a voice, whether by word, or audibly, or in whatever way comes you to intuitively. Don’t dismiss any as silly or irrelevant. Just write them down as they come to you. Think of it as a brainstorm of affirming activity. Then choose one of those ways and do one right now! The more you engage with your own voice, the more you will appreciate it!
Now record an entry about the last time you felt unheard. What were the circumstances and what were you trying to convey? Express appreciation for The Way You See It in that situation and read your entry aloud. You may want to speak an affirmation aloud to yourself, such as The Way I See It Matters! My opinion and point of view have value.

Always Give Yourself a Voice; because you deserve to be heard.

Welcome back to The Way I See It, the place where we talk about Awareness, Attitude and Intuition, and how, with these Three Keys in our power pack, it helps us to gain more confidence in our decision making which leads to more aligned living! And that’s exciting to think about and experience, isn’t it?

For this post/podcast which I have titled, Saying Goodbye, I would like to talk about Life Cycles, how to recognize when one cycle is ending and another is beginning, and ways that I try to make it as gentle and seamless as possible, which is no easy feat!

First let’s talk about what a life cycle can look like. It can cover many facets of life, from where we live, to what job we have, to moving our residence including upsizing or downsizing, getting married or divorced, dealing with individual relationships, or even how we spend our leisure time.

We are always in a cycle of sorts, whether it’s just beginning or one we’ve been in for a while. There are natural ebbs and flows with each cycle. But how do we know when we’ve been in a cycle and the longevity is waning because it’s no longer serving us or our life circumstances have changed?

Sometimes life hands us an abrupt change that we didn’t see coming. Like having a rental home sold out from under you and you’re left to find another place to live and where you’ve been is no longer affordable? Or a major job change that brings you to an area you’ve never been to and you know no one, and are feeling isolated? Or perhaps, you’re in a place where you’ve just entered the role of single mom because the relationship with your significant other became toxic. Or maybe you’ve just entered a whole new neuro-divergent world with a diagnosis of autism in your child and you feel lost and uncertain about what the future holds.

There are some cycles in life that last for many years, such as a long standing marriage of 50+ or living in the same house for your entire married life or living in the same neighborhood even from childhood.

But what about those situations that last only a few years or even a few months? Perhaps a friendship becomes disconnected because your interests have change or one moved away and the distance creates a void. Or maybe you’ve been a full time caretaker of a special needs person and someone else takes over; or your spouse is in the last stages of an illness, and it’s time to say goodbye.

We could also look at each day, each month, or even each task as a cycle, which just shows the natural ebbs and flows that we can experience.

We can also look at our creative output cycles. Perhaps how change occurs as we paint, draw, sing, play an instrument, write books, or blog posts, or host a podcast? Sometimes, as we change, our content changes with us. 

Now that we’ve looked at all the types of cycles we may encounter in our life time, let’s talk about how we can recognize the signs of when one cycle ends and another begins.
Sometimes it can be really tricky to know. Other times it can be really obvious.

This is where AWARENESS is so key. The more we can sustain an active awareness concerning where we are in a cycle, the more readily we will be able to see the signs of when a cycle is coming to a close. Sometimes it just happens naturally and we just need to move intuitively through the process. Other cycles are ones we create for ourselves; this is when we have to be more proactive about recognizing when the cycle we are in is no longer serving us, especially when we feel out of alignment because of it.

One of the things that really helps me in dealing with a cycle that is waning is to feel into my body about what’s happening. What emotions am I feeling? Am I more frustrated than usual? Do I feel blocked? Am I agitated and wonder why? Do I feel resistance rather than flow?

It can be helpful to write down how you’re feeling, whether on a piece of paper or in a journal, depending on whether what you write will be preserved or tossed. Sometimes just getting it out on the page can give you just the right clarity in the moment to recognize a changing cycle that you weren’t already aware of.

Now I’d like to address how we can let go of an old cycle (even if it’s a short one) in order to embrace the new one that is beginning. This can be especially difficult to navigate when it’s a big change, such as caring for a loved one that required a lot of time and energy, or making a big move across the country. That’s why I titled this Saying Goodbye. It’s important to look at the cycle that is ending and see all the benefits you have experienced from that time. In a sense, it gives you the opportunity to honor your life’s experience and how it helped make you who you are today.

And as you do this, you can begin to say goodbye in a way that is gentle, kind and compassionate, toward yourself especially, which is vitally important! And as you do this, it enables you to tap into that intuitive wisdom that you need to guide you into what is next for you in that new cycle that is just beginning.

I will say that it can be very hard to let go…especially when you’ve taken on responsibilities that were challenging. It can sometimes feel like you’re in a free fall, which can feel disorienting and even overwhelming. Thus the gentle awareness can help us ease into that next place, as we open our hands and let go of what is no longer necessary or essential for us to do or have.

And we can celebrate how we have grown into who we are today that makes what is coming next possible, which helps us to fully align and move into that place with more ease and grace, with the least amount of resistance and stress possible.

Yes, I notice that sometimes when I’m in the process of letting go of an older cycle, I may experience a bit (or a lot!) of grief or sadness. But I remind myself that opening my hands to let go of what was (sometime I do this literally with my hands; it helps ground me in the present moment) can then lead to receiving what is to come, what is literally at the door of the new cycle that is beginning! And that’s worth celebrating!

I find when I get stuck in my head concerning the ending of one cycle and the beginning of another, the logistics can really slow me down and give me a feeling of powerlessness. So I have to remind myself that I don’t need to know all the details just yet. If I received everything I think I needed to know now, that would truly be overwhelming and completely unnecessary. Gentle beginnings can help us take it in one step at a time. And each step we take is worth celebrating as we Say Goodbye to what was and begin to Say Hello to what is new! And as you do this, I celebrate with you!

A journaling prompt for you:
Take a moment to record life cycles that you are currently in right now, from relationships to jobs to hobbies to family dynamics to how old you are. This will help you activate awareness with where you may be in a cycle. Do you see or feel any signs of a cycle coming to a close? How do you feel about this? Are you ready to release the old and embrace the new? Do you know where you want to go?
Also, you can note down what cycles you have more direct control over versus those that are more outward circumstances that you simply have to work with.
Now pick one of those cycles and determine how you can make the change as gentle and compassionate toward yourself as possible. You may want to write a letter in your journal to that cycle that is closing, highlighting the ways it has benefitted you and helped you grow in various aspects of life.
It can also help to pace yourself with your to dos or giving yourself space to create to unload pent up emotion.
And remember to celebrate all that you have experienced and honor who you are today as a result of having lived that life cycle. You deserve it!

Welcome back to The Way I See It, where I share my Life Lenses with a focus on Awareness, Attitude and Intuition. In this post, I plan to share a facet of my journaling practice that you may find intriguing. If you’re interested in journaling, or more specifically, bullet journaling, then you’re welcome to continue reading. In conjunction with my bullet journal practice, I will be touching on the Awareness Aspect to it, why it’s important, and why it matters to me.

Note: I decided to make this information available in the form of Episode 5 of The Way I See It Podcast titled, Music Mind, which you can listen to below! Please note that the text in this blog post doesn’t completely match with the audio version since the audio is a bit more spontaneous. :)

First, a bit of history. I have kept a longform written journal for 30+ years. Several years back after reading the book The Bullet Journal Method, I thought I would try my hand at using a bullet journal in addition to my longform written journal.

One of the benefits to keeping a bullet journal is keeping track of things that matter to you. In addition to the rapid log (basically daily list making) that you can create with each day's entry, there are also Collections that you can keep, which is basically a page in your bullet journal where you collect information that is relevant to you in one way or another.

One of the collections that I have been keeping in my bullet journal I have titled, Music Mind. In recent years I have become aware of the occurrence of music arising in my mind on a regular basis. I’m not referring to the situations where you hear a song in the car or in a store somewhere, and it gets stuck in your head and then plays on repeat. That sometimes happens to me but there are many other scenarios that trigger music arising in my mind outside of this particular example.

The fact that music arises in my mind on a regular basis was an instigator of great curiosity on my part, so I decided to start recording in my bullet journal the songs that would arise in my mind at any time. In so doing, I thought that it might help me to determine where the music was coming from, because I really wanted to know.

I find that when I wake up in the morning, music arises in my mind immediately. I find that music arises throughout the day. Some songs arise in my mind and stay there all day long. Some songs arise and then leave and another song arises and leaves. Every day is different. And I don’t think it’s an issue of what I’m exposed to necessarily. Although sometimes if I hear a song in a movie, especially during closing credits, or if I hear it in a store, it will arise at a later time or immediately afterwards.

So when I started this collection in my bullet journal, any time a song would arise in my mind, I would try to remember to write it down. When I would write the song down, I would try to remember if anything initiated the music to begin with. And if something did, I would write it down in parentheses.

I found the entire process of becoming more aware of when music arises in my mind, to writing it down in my bullet journal, to determining what might have triggered this music occurring, really started to give me a clearer picture of how my mind works .

There are various triggers that take place in my mind with some of the music that I notice. Sometimes a word or a phrase or a musical note might trigger a song arising. Sometimes a conversation I’m having with another person triggers a song. (And I often sing it aloud when that happens which can sometimes spark amusement, especially on my part, creating levity in that spontaneous moment!)

But, the times that are the most interesting to me are when the music that arises comes from my past, sometimes from childhood, sometimes from youth, and other times from later years. Especially with songs that really left a meaningful impact on me.

One of the things that I hope to do with this Music Mind Collection each month is that it will eventually reveal to me a pattern of music coming and going.

Sometimes I do notice when a song repeats itself on more than one day. Sometimes that can happen when the music comes from a movie I’ve been watching on repeat (especially when grandson keeps watching the same movie over and over again); but I also notice this without there being a contextual source to associate with that music, which is an ongoing curiosity for me. It begs me to ask the question, Where is it coming from, and why does it happen to begin with?

I think one of the greatest benefits to keeping this Music Mind Collection is that it automatically puts me in a state of Awareness when I hear the music arising. That state of Awareness immediately makes me more Present and slows me down. And, with the act of writing down the song, it naturally puts me in a state of pause for a moment. This pause can only benefit me because it forces me, as I slow down, to think very specifically about what is going on in my mind.

It gives me the opportunity to ask questions about where this music is coming from. In a sense, it helps me to honor the way my mind works, knowing that music is an essential part of who I am.

In some ways, the whole process I’ve described here is a mystery. It shows the many layers, if not worlds, that exist, not just in my mind, but in my heart and soul.

In other ways, it shows me what matters to me, how I think and how I communicate. I realize that some folks think in words, some in pictures, some in numbers. I think in music!

I have shared several images from three different months from my Music Mind Collections so that you can see what it actually looks like. Sometimes there’s a question mark (?) In the place of a title because all I hear is a melody or a few words, and I don’t recall the title of the song. I just know that there is a song arising and I’m not able to identify it right away or at all.

Sometimes I record the movie or place I heard it. Sometimes I’ll mark down the vocalist or group that sings it.

And if the song arises repeatedly, I sometimes look up the lyrics to the full song to see what meaning it may have for me right now.

Music will always have a special place in my life, and my Music Mind Collection is the perfect place to honor my Music Mind!

Here’s a journaling prompt for you:
How does your mind think? Are you pictorial or like a movie playing, or do words take center stage? Are numbers your game?

Give some thought (no pun intended!) with the primary way your mind works. Take a few days or a week or more and write down what arises in your mind naturally. See if any patterns emerge. Reflect on what those patterns may be speaking to you. By slowing down enough to experience this process, you honor how your mind works. Prepare to be fascinated!

Welcome back to The Way I See It, where we focus on Awareness, Attitude and Intuition, and how these Keys to Aligned Living help us make more confident decisions that lead to a calmer, centered and connected life.

I wanted to address something that has come to my attention both recently as well as over time. I have had many people tell me that they admire and are impressed with the way I am consistent with my practices and that I take time every day to engage my creativity in one form or another.

Yes, it’s true that I have an extensive, comprehensive creative, spiritual practice that is layered with many ways of expression and the desire to connect deeply with Spirit. But it has taken many years of time and exposure to varying types of creativity.

I have always been an artist, from a young age, but the media used has changed over time. I didn’t discover watercolor painting until much later in life, back in 2011, which was the same time I discovered the art form of art journaling, sending me down an engaging rabbit hole of visual and hands-on delights.

I’ve always had an interest in music, from playing the recorder as an adolescent, to playing guitar (very briefly) with Dad teaching me, to writing songs and singing solos and duets in church, to later in life, writing songs, playing tambourine and now piano.

Of course, journaling became a practice in my 20s and now that I’m in my 50s (yes I just aged myself), I’m still going strong, including adding daily illustrated cartoon doodles into the mix, which is super fun.

With all that being said, I wanted to express and clarify the WHY behind all these practices that really are not necessarily separate from each other, but work entirely in tandem. Such as Prayer/Meditation and spiritual study leading to song writing, leading to piano playing. Which leads to Inspiring art journal spreads and drawings in my journal. In other words, one thing leads to another. They are special to me.

But none of these practices to me are just some “nice” thing to do. No. They go much deeper than that.

THEY ARE A LIFELINE. Yes, you read that right. A Lifeline.
The definition of a lifeline: something one depends on which provides a means of escape from a difficult situation; or a rope or line used for life-saving, typically one thrown to rescue someone in difficulties in water or one used by sailors to secure themselves to a boat.

You see, life is a daily challenge. With many responsibilities. Without my Lifelines, I would not be in a centered, aligned place, with my faith intact and my heart full. NO.
That’s what they are there for. To give me strength, to teach me things, to give me clarity, to bring my subconscious to the fore, to Give Me A Voice to creatively express myself.

In other words, they are a necessity, not a nice-i-ty.

I’m not saying that I don’t enjoy the process of creatively expressing myself, because I certainly do, deeply and with great satisfaction. But they are a gift, a present to help me stay more Present.
The More Present I Stay, the Calmer I will be. I do not want to be overtly cranky (which I get to be when I don’t take enough time!), I want to be patient, kind, understanding, wise, gentle and the like. Unless I dip into those energies of creativity that connects me to Spirit, my vibrational frequency suffers. I feel more fatigued and want space to be alone.

I much prefer to be on top of my creative and spiritual “game” so to speak. I’d rather be prepared, inspired, open, aware, tapped into my intuition, and ready to take on what comes my way.
Not saying I don’t have bad days; doesn’t anyone, right?

But I just wanted to clarify; I do appreciate folks sharing their Point of View concerning what I do. I always want to know The Way You See It, always!
But I also wanted you to understand where the rubber meets the road for me; the Why behind my consistency. The Why behind the reason doing so many creative things daily is not an option, but a requirement—for my spirit and soul.

We all have necessities. Things we must have to stay sane. What are yours? What can’t you do without? What lifts you up and gets you in a the best place you can be?

Here’s a journaling prompt for you: Write a list of all the ways you enjoy creatively expressing yourself. Put a star next to the ones that you can do daily without too much ado, ones that don’t take long periods of time to engage in. Now, put at least one of those things into your routine so you can do it and feel great afterwards. Don’t see your creative expression as something to do once in a while that doesn’t really matter. Because it does. It matters because you matter.

We all need a lifeline, something that helps us keep our head above water, with so much chaos and negative energy in our world. We need to create positive energy for ourselves every day; and then it makes a difference in the way we feel, which ripples out to those around us. Ultimately, engaging in our creative practice, whatever it may be, makes the world a better place. And we thank you for it.

​Copyright 2022 Dawn Herring

Welcome back to The Way I See It where we focus on Awareness, Attitude and Intuition, and how those three keys can lead to more aligned living.
For this post, I am sharing the transcript to Ep 2 of The Way I See It Podcast. Our topic is Sensory Power and how we can use our awareness of our senses to awaken us to a more lucid experience in the day, tapping into divine wisdom.

Here is the transcript:

Hello and welcome to Ep 2 of The Way I See It. Today I want to share my experience with Sensory Power. In Ep 1 We discussed the three keys to aligned living, the first one being Awareness. So today I would like to unpack what that can look like when we focus on our senses and how that can lead to a heightening of our intuition and to more confident decision making.

I began tapping into what I refer to as Sensory Power as I delved into the topic of Consciousness and that spaciousness behind all the noise. Getting quiet and still enough to Pay Attention to what our senses pick up in our surroundings can train us to became more aware of that Divine Presence in all of us.

I want to share with you my most practiced ways of tapping into Sensory Power that work for me, ones that have stayed with me, bringing me into a more aligned, aware state that calms. We sure could use more Calm, now, can’t we?

One of my favorite ways is through my sense of hearing; I find I do this most often at night when my goal is to relax toward sleep. And this is the time when our thoughts can take center stage, most often in a way that can keep us up, wired and stressed from the day’s happenings. Instead, I choose to Listen Very Carefully to the sounds I can hear, like the distance swish of traffic going by, or the hum of a fan blowing. Of course, this is different from hearing a noise that irritates, such as loud music or conversation right outside your bedroom window! But, alas, there are many sounds we can tap into that bring us to a place of Presence, which naturally calms when done for periods of time.

Of course, the challenge of Staying Present is always there, pulling us away from listening, and drawing us back into stressful thinking. But if I just keep bringing my mind back to the sounds each time I get distracted, I can capture more of that calm for myself.

Another way I tap into my senses is though my piano playing. I play by ear as I compose spiritual songs I’ve written on the piano. Yes, it takes energy and focus to determine what sounds align with the melody I’ve created, but it brings me into intense focus and awareness when I do. Between listening to the sounds I make and my sense of touch on the keys, it is truly an immersive experience; whether I’m composing a new song or practicing one already in my piano book, it enables me to tap into that Sensory Power that brings deep awareness to my soul.

Another sensory delight for me is working with my hands in my art journal. I use many mediums to create 2 page spreads in my spiral visual journal. From scraping primer at the start, to using tools to create texture and fun mark making, it’s all very hands on. I love using fabrics, buttons, scraps of paper, cardboard pieces for mark making, and tools like a paintbrush or pastel crayon to apply color, whether wet or dry. The textures I create help me tap into that Sensory power of Awareness and seeing the whole process from start to finish is a true sensory delight as I make marks, cut bits and adhere them in pleasing places, and listen to that intuitive voice that teaches me what I can learn from the whole process.

Is there something in your day that brings you delight with your senses? Perhaps birdsong, or walking in the woods or playing a fun game with your kids or grandkids. Maybe it’s petting your cat’s fur or looking deep into your dog’s eyes. Or dancing to your favorite song or seeing your favorite color in a fun design.

Once you recognize how your senses come alive, make it a point to delight in those places of Sensory Power as often as possible. This can awaken your Awareness, giving you opportunity to practice Presence, bringing you into a place of Peace and Calm naturally. Next time you enjoy a sensory delight, linger a little longer. Make time stand still for just a moment. Or two, or three.

Enjoy the delight of a good belly laugh. Listen more distinctly to the notes from your favorite song. Slow down enough to hear that favorite birdsong. Stop and listen, feel, see, smell, taste. And Know.

A Journaling prompt for you: Jot down a list of your favorite sensory delights. Put a star next the ones you can create yourself so you can include them in your daily experience. Describe one of those most recent experiences in detail and how it makes you feel. Revel in the memory and in your current experience and feel the Power of the Present Moment.

Welcome back to The Way I See It! I’m excited to share with you the premiere episode of The Way I See It Podcast titled, Three Keys to Aligned Living.
In this episode I share with you my viewpoint on Awareness, Attitude and Intuition and how important they are for me to live my most aligned and satisfying life.

You’re welcome to listen or you can read the transcript below which includes the journaling prompt I offer for further action and reflection on the topic.
Thanks so much for listening/reading and remember that The Way YOU See It Matters. <3

​In this first episode of The Way I See It, I would like to share what I consider the Three Keys to Aligned Living, how they correlate with each other, and how, without them, we simply live on auto pilot with no sense of direction or purpose.

The first key for me is Awareness. Awareness can cover a wide range of experience, first starting with the 5 senses, but it also involves emotion, whether you’re responding to inner thoughts and feelings or observing what’s around you. When you are fully aware, you are Present. You’re tuned in. Your senses come alive and how you respond to what you are perceiving correlates to the next Key to Aligned Living: Attitude.


We all respond to what we observe, whether inside or outside of us. This is where, when we are Aware, we have to make a choice about how we will process what we are observing, whether it be through a negative or positive lens.


When I observe something, how I process what I observe is going to directly impact not only The Way I See It, but how I respond to what I see. Most times, there is an action to take based on what we observe. That action will directly correlate with the attitude we choose to take on.


When I observe, I must discern whether or not I am responding with gratitude for what I see (and feel). I know I have to make a choice to be positive.


Now there are things in my environment that are easy to respond to with gratitude, such as natural beauty, something surprising that makes me laugh or smile, or something that initiates a creative response in me like observing art or listening to music, especially when I’m inspired.


The things that derive a more negative response, such as when what I observe leaves me feeling vulnerable or misunderstood, I must choose the attitude from which I see.


This is when the Third Key of Aligned Living comes into play: Intuition. Of course, I may feel it beforehand and just not recognize it for what it is. And I am grateful when it happens spontaneously. I see Intuition as a Gift of the Heart, a GPS of the soul, if you will.


When I intentionally tune in to my Intuition, my inner wisdom that guides me in the path that my Knowing shows me, It can help to lead me into a better attitude when I struggle to stay aligned.


My Intuition tells me when I need to put up proper boundaries, when I need to simplify something that is stressing me, when I need to spend more time doing something uplifting, like playing my piano, or dabbling in my art journal. It also informs me when my body is in need of aligning.


When we start from a place of Awareness, it is easier to recognize that attitude from which we perceive what we observe. When we align our attitude in such a way that brings us peace, we will then begin to pick up on those Intuitive signs that tell us, Go That Way, or Do This. Our decision making becomes more simplified which leads us directly into more Aligned Living.


So the Key here is to choose to be more aware, more present, as much as possible, so we can be empowered as we choose to see things from a centered knowing light, that lifts the veil of illusion and helps us see Truth for what it really is.


My aim for you today is to encourage you to be more aware, to be empowered through an aligned attitude and to live so intuitively, that your joy and peace are full.


Here’s a journaling prompt for you: Begin to note times when you are more aware and how you feel about that awareness. Simply Observe and Note. Or draw what you are aware of and how you feel afterwards.