Love Over Fear – Always

love over fear

So far, my turning 40 birthday month has been amazing and filled with many firsts.

Grief Recovery Method AustinThe biggest first is taking a solo flying trip. I got back earlier this week from Austin, TX, where I spent 6 days for a grief recovery certification training of the grief recovery method. I’d love to share a bit about my trip – the highs, the lows (and there were big ones), and everything in between.

First, going from snow and cold temps to – what I thought would be 70’s (with rain expected some days), was the first joy of my trip. Austin, however, pleasantly surprised me with even warmer temps than expected and apparently, unusually sunny, Goldilocks-type days.

My first day there, I met up with a gal that I’ve known since around 2010 or so from a senior photographer FB group. It was sooooo fun meeting her and actually connecting in real life.

The following day, I met a gal who I’ve followed for quite some time and who I consider a mentor – Phoebe Mroczek. I’ve listened to her podcast, The Unbecoming (which I highly recommend, by the way) for the past year, and she is as down-to-earth in person as she is online. We shared goals and aspirations and it was great to connect in real life. Because let’s face it, ND isn’t exactly the epi-center for entrepreneurs. There’s a snowball’s chance in hell of any entrepreneurial event happening that would draw in people from around the country in my neck of the woods! LOL! If that’s the case for you, too – never be afraid to reach out to your online people, when traveling, to meet up! I’m so glad I did!

I enjoyed a wonderful stroll down the river, where I came upon a little stand where they were giving away free pints of ice cream! You’ll see it’s made with cashew milk and I gotta say, despite not loving pecans, this ice cream was sooooooo good! Highly recommend! I was told you can find it at Target and, I think, Wal-Mart as well. Worth checking out, for sure!

To my delight (and truly, I was happy like a child), I made an unexpected friend while on a tour of Austin, where we visited the cemetery where some well-known people are buried – including veteran Chris Kyle. My new friend is originally from Burma (borders Thailand) and living in Kona, HI. She was in Austin for training different from mine but somewhat in the same arena, so we had a topic of interest off the bat. After the tour, she asked me to join her to eat and we ended up talking for over five hours. She shared about Buddhism and about her homeland, as well as her life in HI. We’ve connected since that meeting again and I know I have gained a life-long friend.

The first 2 days of my trip, reminded me of all the great blessings God brings me in the most unexpected ways. But, I was open to receiving, too. And maybe that’s the lesson the first two days taught me: keep your heart open. Love over fear – always.

The next four days of the trip would be some of the most challenging four days of my life. Despite this being a certification training, a part of the training is to experience the process yourself that you will take others through. The method is to complete a loss-relationship in two of the four days. What made this experience even more intense is that the morning of the first day of training, I was awfully sick (puking, nausea, and you know what). I spent the entire day lying on the floor just so I could be present. Fortunately, I had the read the book prior, so hearing it in person, reinforced what I had read.

To begin with, Austin wasn’t the plan either, as I had originally registered for a training a 5-hour drive from me, however, that ended up being canceled. The next nearest training wasn’t until October. Austin just happened to be at the same time and I already had the time off. And, honestly – I just felt in my gut it had to be now and not later.

The Grief Recovery Method, once learned, is a method of healing you can utilize the rest of your life with loss of any kind that feels significant and with relationships of those both deceased and living.

I am beyond excited to be able to bring such a service to my community and surrounding communities. To start, I can only do in-person Grief Recovery work, however, it is a goal of mine to complete additional training down the road, that will enable me to conduct online Grief Recovery (i.e. bring healing) to anyone anywhere!

In the weeks ahead, I will share more about this wonderful program. I can say, with my whole heart, this can be transformational (i.e. life changing). And, I only say can be because you truly do get out of it what you’re willing to put into it. You have to allow yourself to feel all the hard feelings and be completely honest with yourself because that’s where the healing is.

This program is generally 8 weeks, however, as I mentioned in training, you do the intense work in two days – so it is a very intense experience. There is an advanced training I can take down the road that would allow me to also conduct the 2-day process in a weekend workshop, too. But to start, in the 8-week program, it’s broken down into weekly chunks of information.

My Personal Grief Recovery Method Experience

In my experience, having gone through it, I would say that it’s not that I’ll never feel sad again or grieve what I’ve lost, however, I don’t have this immense attachment to the grief itself anymore. It’s as if we hold on to what is familiar, but I no longer feel weighed down by it. The perfect analogy for me is this: before, I felt like I was treading water in a sea of grief. It was an exhausting vicious cycle, knowing that my life decisions were being dictated by this over-arching feeling of loss. And now, I feel like I’m swimming again. The grief is still there but it’s me moving with the current, not being bogged down by it. Does that make sense? I want others to experience this transformation, too. I felt called to this program the moment I found it – I knew it was it. I could cry in gratitude for this experience. It’s a freedom I’ve never felt. And, I can say never because I’ve been carrying these rocks since I was 8. Moreover, you learn tools on how to be a better listener, how to better communicate, and knowledge of how to complete other/future losses that you will have forever. No one can ever take this experience or knowledge from you. 

This program had me feeling like I dropped a backpack of rocks that I’ve been adding to all my life. I feel lighter today than I did before this program and am so grateful I listened to my heart and gut.

If you are in my area and desire healing, stay tuned. If you’re not in my area, I encourage you to seek out a Grief Recovery Specialist in your area via the Institute website. There are programs geared specifically for loss of a pet, one in the works specifically for loss of relationship/divorce, and also one for parents to help children grieve (love this one – it’s prevention at the heart of it). I have plans on offering these, too, as well as providing talks to businesses/organizations that feel their business/organization could benefit. We all could benefit from listening skills, right?

Grief – Impacting Our Economy & Other Areas of Life

Also, there is statistical data on the financial and productivity impact grief has on businesses and organizations and I will be sharing more info on that to come as well. It’s the one thing that unites us all – no one is immune and we all have it and we bring it to our careers, families, and all relationships. And, although you may feel as though you’ve dealt with it, I encourage you to dig deep and ask yourself if failed relationships, bankruptcy, broken family relationships, lack of or loss of friendships, may not be due to any relationship you’ve had that you wished would have been better, different, or more. I guarantee there’s something there you’ve likely buried and locked away. I did and The Grief Recovery Method was my key.

If you’ve made it this far – bless your heart. xx Stay tuned to future blog posts where I will share a bit more of the ins & outs of the program and other healing tidbits. In the meantime, I encourage you to sign up for my weekly newsletter, as upcoming talks and future group info will be shared there first with those most expressing interest in knowing more.

Yours in grief and for choosing love over fear – always. <3

P.S. Are you in my area and interested in being a part of my first pilot, 8-week group pilot program? I’m looking for up to 6 people who are wanting to heal a loss-relationship that they wish could be/could have been better, different, or more and heal that relationship once and for all, but are also willing to commit to their healing for 8 weeks – once weekly for approximately two hours each time. This is not a drop-in-and-out program. Commitment is required – it is the only way you can heal and also be reliable support to others in the group. Sound like you? Reply to this email and let’s chat.

P.P.S.There is also an opportunity for one person to work with me in-person 1:1. Although I highly encourage the group dynamic (for various reasons), sometimes, a 1:1 is more fitting. Get in touch and we can discuss if you think you’d prefer in-person 1:1. 

P.P.P.S. It is also worth noting that those that take advantage of the pilot programs, will benefit from a greatly reduced investment. There is nothing you need and all materials are provided. Why not do this for free? I wish I could, however, aside from my cost and time, it’s likely you wouldn’t do the work without an investment of some kind. There is something about investing in yourself that flips a switch in your mind that you value something more if you invest in it. I know this to be true of myself, too. But I also know, when everything else I’ve tried in my life, including trying to work through it on my own and therapy – nothing worked until this. True story. This program is the act of choosing love for yourself.

Heal Your Stories to Forgive

In this post, I shared what forgiveness is and what it isn’t. And, in that post, I also share what I’ve learned about forgiveness, as well as what not to do with forgiveness.

In this post, I’d like to share a deep-dive method I’ve learned in navigating forgiveness. Before we move on, however, if you haven’t completed the exercise I mentioned at the end of that post, I’m including the following info again, for your convenience.

Give some thought to both positive and negative events/unhappy memories of a relationship with someone you’ve found it difficult to forgive. This person can be living, deceased, and any relationship you wish would be or could have been different, better, or more in some way. It is, however, best to start with the closest relationship. For example, in my case, it is the relationship with my mother because she raised me.

Next, map these events in chronological order as best you can on a straight-line timeline, starting with your very first memory with that person regardless of it being positive or negative. For some relationships, it could be the first time you met that person. Keep going, writing the positive events above the line and the negative events below the line and ending with the current year. Also, maybe it was a misunderstanding or memorable event – keep those times in your relationship in mind, too, to add to your timeline. Ultimately, it’s the feelings you had when these things occurred that we’re wanting to dig deeper into.

Some examples are a new dress, a punishment, a vacation, abuse, a tender moment that’s stuck with you. Even with an abusive relationship, if there are positive memories (or actions like paying rent), those must be acknowledged as well. Be as honest with this as you possibly can. Every relationship is made up of good and bad and right and wrong; acknowledge both to express the true picture of the relationship.

When I did this exercise, I had to sit back and let it all sink in a bit. When you see all the things you’re holding on to in your heart, it’s eye-opening. You realize how much toxicity exists within your body. Not all events were below the line, however. I also felt more appreciation in other ways, too, for events written above the line.

The next step is to translate the relationship graph into three categories: apologies, forgiveness, or significant emotional statements. Above-the-line events are usually apologies or significant emotional statements. Some negative events may fall into two categories, too, if there is appreciation but also a negative emotion tied to the event.

When it comes to apologies, you may owe an apology for something you did or did not do. You may not have communicated something before the relationship came to an end. Regardless, this is your perception of your actions or inactions.

A Side Note on Apologies

When you feel like a victim, apologizing comes extra hard to do. I can speak for myself when I say that I had developed a lifelong relationship with my pain and acted like a victim for many years. I didn’t realize this was a problem until I experienced a mid-life unraveling (crisis) and looked inward for the first time.

No matter how insignificant it may seem, apologizing for even the slightest transgression is the only way you can complete your pain to move on from it.

Forgiveness: An Inside Job

The next category is forgiveness, which is the acceptance that there will not be a different or better yesterday. It is the action of giving up resentment held against another person. You would also never want to forgive someone face-to-face, as doing so will likely be met with defensiveness. Always keep in mind: forgiveness is an inside job. I have been a witness to this and it’s just not pretty. Don’t add insult to injury – this is inner work for you and you alone.

Things Left Unsaid

The last category is significant emotional statements. These are neither apologies nor something that calls for forgiveness. We tend to hold on to unsaid things that make a situation feel incomplete for us. A few examples would be: I love you, I hated you, I was ashamed of you, thank you for the sacrifices you made for me, etc.. This category includes all the things left unsaid or things we wish we had said or done (or hadn’t said or done).

Repeat the above for every relationship that’s caused you suffering and you’ll experience many a-ha moments and, my hope, healing as well.

I created a little guide to go along with this post. Enter your name and email and you’ll receive an immediate download. You’ll also receive The Unleashed Letters, which hits inboxes every Wednesday.


https://www.theunleashedheart.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Heal-Your-Stories_opt-in.pdf

Give Your Pain a Little Love

Ho’oponopono: a method of healing developed by a Hawaiian therapist by the name of Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len. He “cured” an entire ward of criminally insane patients having never met them or spent time with them in the same room. The story goes, he reviewed each of the patients’ files and then healed them by first healing himself.

Why would anything we work on within, have an effect on our outside world? If you think about it, everything that happens to you, you experience it in your mind. Everything you see, hear, every person you meet passes through your mind. You only think it’s “out there” and because of this, you hold no responsibility to it. When, in fact, you are responsible for everything you think and everything you give your attention to.

Forgiveness: The Hawaiian Way

There are four steps to this method, and the order is not essential. Repentance, Forgiveness, Gratitude, and Love are the forces at work that can transform your feelings around a particular relationship.

The best part is this can be done in the quiet of your own home, without assistance from no one, and you can even say the words in your head rather than out loud. The power is surrendering yourself to the feelings that come up and allow them to pass through you – raising your vibrations and capacity to be open to love and forgiveness within your heart.

Four Steps to Forgiveness

Step 1: I AM SORRY
As I previously mentioned, you are responsible for everything in your mind, even if it seems to be “out there.” It’s often the “inside” problems that show up in our outside world, so keep that in mind. So, choose something to be sorry for that you know you’ve caused yourself – start there. Do you have an addiction, a weight issue, or other health problems? Maybe you have anger issues? Start there by stating what you’re sorry for as a phrase: I am responsible for [the issue] in my life, and I’m sorry that I have caused this.

Step 2: PLEASE FORGIVE ME
PLEASE FORGIVE ME. Say it over and over and mean it. It will feel awkward, but don’t worry about who you’re asking – just ask! Remember how sorry you are from step one as you ask for forgiveness.

Step 3: THANK YOU
Say “THANK YOU.” It doesn’t matter who or what you’re giving thanks to. For example, thank your body for all it does for you or yourself for being the best version of yourself you can be. Thank God or the Universe, if that’s more your thing. Keep saying THANK YOU and feel it with every ounce of your body.

Step 4: I LOVE YOU
Say I LOVE YOU – to your challenges, to the thing that has you feeling caught up in negativity. You can also say I LOVE YOU to your body, to God (the Universe, if that’s more your thing), to the air you breathe, and to the home that shelters you. Say it over and over. Mean it. Feel it. There is nothing as powerful as Love.

When I initially learned about ho’oponopono, I learned to do this practice alongside EFT (or tapping as you may know it to be called). It’s come to light, in recent years, that tapping isn’t actually a necessary component of the practice, which means – this is easily accessible in the quiet of your mind no matter where you are. Stuck in traffic? You’ve got nothing but time, my friend, and what a fitting situation to give love to, right? Because we all know road rage is real and one can only imagine the blood pressure of some people who take it too far!

Take a few minutes to watch the video below that helps explain how ho’oponopono works, how this physician uses it in her practice, and how it may help you.

I think what this really comes down to is a willingness and openness to be a witness to, be present with, and give attention to the emotional upset within our bodies. Providing love and care to what pains us and lovingly hold it in our hearts and releasing it with a new perspective is a way to heal and forgive ourselves – for ourselves.

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