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By Erika Fehrenbach Prell  So, 2020 hasn’t exactly been what you were expecting or planned. You had goals and dreams and this was the year that BIG things were going to happen. Then, Coronaville, the evil stepsister to the fun and happiness land of Margaritaville, happened and everything was derailed. I was going to go on longer but I can’t even handle how whiney this sounds in writing! DreamChaser, it’s time for some tough love with a check up from the neck up, as in, let’s do a thorough mindset reset, flush the negative and get back on the positive train!! First, let’s acknowledge the reality. Yup, this year has pretty much sucked. There really isn’t any other way to say it. I am willing to bet, however, that there were some really awesome things that happened in there, things that may not have happened if it wasn’t for Coronaville happening. Even if it is merely that you no longer take the small things for granted...hello? That is a huge life lesson to live by in the future! This is the kind of epiphany people get after a near death experience or the unexpected loss of a loved one or triumphing a medical diagnosis. Thanks, Coronaville, for a BIG lesson without the scary life event.  Read on for 3 Steps to Perform A Check Up from the Neck Up!
Step 1 - Get It All Out Seriously, stop right now. Grab a piece of paper. Take 5 minutes to write down everything that sucked this year. Everything that happened that was disappointing or frustrating or awful or horrible. They can be as small as missing lunch dates with your kids at school to something big like how your job has been affected. The point is to get it out on paper! Why? In my recent discussions with friends, I noticed a common trend. More than ever before, people are hesitant to complain about something or state their frustration because there are worse things going on. Yes, the disappointment I feel about my travel plans being canceled pale in comparison to someone’s house burning down in a California wildfire. But, disappointment is disappointment, and we all need to just let it out and not bottle it up. Step 2 - Find the Good Feel better to get that out? Here’s the fun part! This will be a 2 part process. First, write down all the good things that have happened this year. Then, take that disappointment list, and let’s Flip the Script on it! For every rotten thing you wrote down, I want you to find something good in it...a lesson, a tip, a funny memory in the making...anything that flips it from the negative to the positive. I never said the check up was going to be easy, DreamChaser...good things take effort! Why is this important? Finding the blessings in the stressings is the best and nearly only way to build resilience. Your resiliency muscle helps you have a rubber butt so you can bounce back up better, faster, and with less pain the next time you get knocked down. Feeling that mindset shift? Your mood elevate? Those, DreamChasers, are endorphins surging through your body; these happiness chemicals elevate your mood amongst other health benefits. Want to do this every day? All you have to do is practice gratitude! (Spoiler, you are literally doing that right this moment. Tricked ya’!) Maybe your list of the good wasn’t so long...or, perhaps, it was longer than you expected. The length of your list doesn’t matter; you receive the benefits of gratitude regardless! Seriously, it is that simple to bring good vibes into your life. You are in the home stretch...here comes the final step! Step 3 - Keep the Perspective How do you feel? This assessment should help you put this season into perspective. Life is full of times when things do not work out the way you planned. Yes, this may have been a bit more abrupt and drastic than other times, to say the least, but now you won’t miss the important lesson. Learning to find the good in every day and flipping the script on bad situations will serve you well when this season, this Coronaville chapter, is finally closed. Because, it will close. You have the unique opportunity to come out of this a stronger, more grateful, resilient version of yourself, but only if you choose to do so and believe it can happen. This is the final piece of your check up from the neck up. You are the controller of your beliefs, your choices, your mindset. This Coronaville season is happening to you; this is OUT of your control. How you react and choose to come out of this is IN your control. YOU get to choose if you see the good or the bad, see the blessings or the stressings, stay the same or grow to be better. It’s YOUR choice. Choose wisely. Shine on!
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By Jackie White  Somewhere in Texas town, a southern woman, married for 20 years, realized that she and her cowboy weren’t going to make it. Maybe it was the late nights he was busy with “work stuff” or his distant presence that didn’t quite feel right. But, it hit her like a punch in the gut when he was seen with an unknown woman. She couldn’t ignore it any longer. She didn’t see it coming, but she found herself going through the Big D and I don’t mean Dallas... Divorce, no matter how you cut it, is never easy. When people marry, they aren’t planning on it happening to them. Sometimes you can see it coming a mile away or it can blindside you like a strong whack of a 2 x 4 knocking you breathless. The tidal wave of feelings can overtake you as if you are drowning, yet there is no water in sight. How do you get a hold of yourself and find the strength to stand on your own two feet and proceed through this with a clear head?  Help is Here! What you could use is someone who knows how to manage this process, a divorce expert who can take you through the process. Meet Rhonda Noordyk and Chassidy Camp of The Women’s Financial Wellness Center who specialize in helping women get through divorce. As divorce financial consultants that act as your advocate. They put together a team of professionals such as attorneys, financial advisors and therapists to guide you through each step. During a time when you may feel lost, hopeless or unsure of how to handle this emotionally draining life event, Rhonda and Chassidy have already thought about all the details you may not even have anticipated. Today they have graciously provided us with a road map to navigate the bumps in the road of going through the Big D. Making The Big D Decision If you are not the initiator, this is the first place The Big D begins, in your mind and heart. You ask yourself if a divorce is really what you want. How do you make such a decision? Rhonda and Chassidy are the experts in providing you the resources to help you make the right decision. Contact The Women’s Financial Wellness Center for a complimentary discovery call. They will ask you important questions and present important considerations. They also have an assessment to determine where you fall on the Divorce Readiness Scale, otherwise known as the Misery Scale. Hint, if misery is a word you use to describe your life, then some sort of change is needed, it may or may not be a divorce, but change is needed! Finally, you can take their Divorce Planning for Women Course available on https://www.wfwcdivorce.com Pulling the Trigger on the Big D If you already know that you want a divorce, Rhonda and Chassidy can put together a team of vetted professionals who can walk alongside with you during this process. Your core team will likely be an attorney, a financial advisor and a therapist. Other possible team members are life coaches, realtors, estate planners or health and wellness consultants to name a few. The Emotional Highway To get through the Big D, you will be traveling the Emotional Highway. Hang on! It’s sometimes a bumpy ride, but when you know what to expect, it can make things go a bit smoother. There are 5 emotional stages of divorce. It’s important to acknowledge and be aware of these stages and how you are feeling. Denial: You may find it difficult to accept that you are going through the divorce process, especially if you are not the initiator of the divorce.This is very normal and expected. Anger. This stage is felt by both parties in most cases. Blame, finger pointing and dissecting past events tend to explode onto the scene. During this time do your best to keep level-headed to avoid vindictive and hostile decisions made out of feelings of outrage. Bargaining: This stage can be laced with guilt especially if you are the initiator. If your self-worth is low, you can really lose in this stage because you may be willing to give in and regret it later. Depression The reality of divorce can result in depression. This stage can be lengthy, but with the help of a trained mental health professional you can work through your feelings and keep you moving forward. Acceptance Eventually you come to a place of acceptance and peace. You will no longer be consumed by the feelings and you can begin your new life on your terms. Important Pit Stop:You Are Worth It It might be tough, but a concept you need to wrap your head around and hold on tight to is that you are worth it. You deserve to live a life of happiness and that mantra should be your marching orders. Have the confidence to face divorce, walk through its fire and find a pathway of peace to your new future life.  The Mindset You Need to Embrace Because divorce is the un-meshing of two people’s lives that once were close and intertwined, it can be difficult to separate and really go on the defense for yourself. Recognize that women tend to have a hard time letting go, have a deep level of hope, believe in the best in people and sadly, many feel they don’t deserve a fair settlement. These things can prevent you from making smart decisions. Adopting a mindset that incorporates the following will help you to travel through the Big D with clarity and proficiency.
 Yes, the process is not a walk in the park, but on the other side of the emotional rollercoaster, you will begin the process of recovery.The 4 stages to recovery can be very empowering and can inspire you to begin living the life you have always wanted. Now, that’s a breath of fresh air! Stabilization - This stage is the time when the initial healing takes place and coping skills are put into place. Leaning on outside support of friends and family is important.. Finally, during this stage you will work to get your life back into order. Exploration: Once you are stabilized, you may re-examine what went wrong in the marriage so as to avoid making similar future situations. This is also a time to decide who you want to be from now on. Defining what gets you excited and what makes life meaningful for you is an important part so self-discovery. Experimentation: This stage comes when you aren’t feeling so vulnerable and are willing to try some new things in life.This can be a fun and enjoyable process. Regaining Confidence As you build upon the 3 earlier stages, you will find your confidence getting stronger with each and every day. You will be settling into your new life with the goal being that you are finding happiness and contentment with where you are.  Whether you are contemplating divorce or you are knee-deep into the process or may have questions post divorce, contact Rhonda and Chassidy for assistance. You can find more information on The Women’s Financial Center at https://www.wfwcdivorce.com
No matter where you are in life, SoulShine Life Connections has got a spot of sunshine for you. Check out SoulShine at http://www. FindYourSoulShine.com Shine On! By Jackie White  Coronavirus has impacted everyone everywhere. It has taken our world, turned it upside down and shook it out, spewing life that once knew everywhere. We still feel we are experiencing the fall out from the pandemic. New challenges pop up weekly. As we continue to wake up each day there is one thing we can all agree on, the atmosphere is laced with fear. For sure some days are better than others, but then some days it weighs heavy. So, how do we keep doing this every day and every week without cracking? The answer is by dosing with a generous helping of gratitude  Why Gratitude? Gratitude is a magical elixir of sorts. It cures so many things in life. No, unfortunately, it cannot cure the coronavirus, BUT, second best, it can help to cure your daily levels of stress. Gratitude is a funny thing because it’s power is so underestimated. To shift your mindset to one that is grateful and turns on the spigot of positive energy in your body. Being grateful will uplift your spirits and in doing so, will up lift your physical being. Being grateful is looking through a lens of love towards others and towards other situations that you have in your life. Establishing a Practice of Gratitude To establish a practice of gratitude during the pandemic will be feeding your mind, body and soul with a feeling of enough. You will see that even though life isn’t what it was, it can still be enough. That is where the magic happens. That is the shift that once you see that what you have is enough, you will begin to live life in a calmer and more appreciative way. That in turn settles the stress and releases the tension you may have been carrying for the last 5 months.  What to be Grateful for?
There are so many things you can be grateful for! Here is a list to think a little bit differently on how you can be grateful during this extraordinarily amazing time in life. Be grateful for your family and friends: This one is the obvious answer, right? Of course, we are grateful for family and friends, but this time, can you stretch your gratitude further? Can you be grateful for a good neighbor, an excellent hairdresser, the person who let you in during a traffic jam or the person who maybe isn’t on the top of your favorite friends list? Be grateful for your community: Our community members have really had a light shone on them during these tough times. We can’t help but be thankful to the healthcare workers, police, teachers, grocers, truckers, line personnel in food plants, those who are keeping the stores open and so many more. Be grateful for those things you once took for granted: This one is a great exercise because we really can see now what we took for granted before. Seeing a friend or co-worker, taking your car in to be serviced, eating at a restaurant or taking a vacation when you want are all things to be grateful for. Be grateful for the challenges because the challenges bring you growth: Whoa. This might be a hard one to wrap your head around. No one wants to be thankful for challenges that cause stress and anxiety, but if you can see something good you will take out of this, that is a huge opportunity for personal growth! Be grateful for just being you: Yes, you can be grateful for yourself. Acknowledge how you are handling all this. What are the things you have done right? How have you supported others? All of those things are awesome qualities of you! Be grateful for that! The pandemic may hang over us for some time yet, but now you have the remedy for your mind, body and soul to get you through stronger than you ever were before! Let gratitude wash away your Corona Blues and fill you with hope, calm and peace. Shine On! By Erika Fehrenbach Prell  Who else imagined Ross from Friends yelling “Pi-vot!”? Anyone? Bueller??? DreamChaser, I have a few questions to ask. Have you ever… -Realized mid-way through your college courses that this degree wasn’t for you? -Landed that dream job, then realized it was actually a nightmare? -Went back to school but still were unfulfilled or getting burned out? -Realized you were just going through the motions, living for the weekend? -Took a chance on yourself and did something totally different? Is my hand the only one that was up the whole time? You got it, friends, this is a summary of my personal journey of career twists and turns, and it started before I even had a career! I changed my degree 4 times in college before settling on nursing. I graduated from nursing school and landed my dream job, then learned what it means to work night shift. I returned to school for an advanced degree to just burn out a few years later, finding myself unfulfilled, uninspired, and going through the motions. And, more recently, I seized an opportunity to take a chance on myself with a huge pi-vot. Why do I bring this up? I doubt I am alone in this interesting plot twist of a career path journey. The statistics say that the average person will change careers 5-7 times during their working life. Crap, that means I might change 2 more times??? Bring it! I am that person that changes direction every 5 years or so, and I expect that will continue. Due to several life events growing up, I realized at a young age that life is short and to live all out, meaning life is too short to be miserable. While taking a pivot to a new path was a little nerve-wracking at times, I saw it as an expected part of the process, which made it less scary.  At some point, the possibility of opening that chapter to career change will present itself, and it will be up to you to be the author of that next chapter. A little guidance is always helpful to navigate unknown waters. Here is a way to evaluate where you currently are so you can take your next step confidently. I have found this process is helpful in making sure all doors have been peeked behind, creating closure so you don’t wonder “what if” as well as opening new doors. Explore your current profession first Perhaps the profession is correct but the particular job or job setting is the issue. For instance, in nursing, there are multiple settings to work such as clinic, hospital, community, or school with different types of nursing jobs within each setting. This is a good place to start to refresh your career outlook as you already have the skill sets needed to do these jobs. Creative extensions of your skillset Explored other jobs within your profession and came up short? Time to turn the creativity on! There are often careers that are related to your current profession like teaching, consulting, or sales that require knowledge of the profession. This would allow you to use your current knowledge while building new skills!  At some point, the possibility of opening that chapter to career change will present itself, and it will be up to you to be the author of that next chapter. A little guidance is always helpful to navigate unknown waters. Here is a way to evaluate where you currently are so you can take your next step confidently. I have found this process is helpful in making sure all doors have been peeked behind, creating closure so you don’t wonder “what if” as well as opening new doors. Explore your current profession first Perhaps the profession is correct but the particular job or job setting is the issue. For instance, in nursing, there are multiple settings to work such as clinic, hospital, community, or school with different types of nursing jobs within each setting. This is a good place to start to refresh your career outlook as you already have the skill sets needed to do these jobs. Creative extensions of your skillset Explored other jobs within your profession and came up short? Time to turn the creativity on! There are often careers that are related to your current profession like teaching, consulting, or sales that require knowledge of the profession. This would allow you to use your current knowledge while building new skills!  Keep up your certifications
I’m a firm believer in two principles when it comes to career...keep your options open and don’t burn bridges. Many professions require certifications or continuing education to maintain them. It is often way easier to keep them current than letting them relapse and having to go back to school, take more classes, or sit for an exam (or all three in the case of nursing!) to get those certifications back. Even if you think you will never, ever use them again...keep them current! Just never know when you might need them again. And, finally...ready, set, leap! Like many chapters in life, there will never be the perfect time to change careers. There is always something in the way...kids ages, your age, location, that one project, the amount of vacation time you have. Here’s the hard truth...life is too short to be miserable, uninspired, and going through the motions. You were meant for more! Believe in yourself, trust your instincts, have an open mind, and push yourself to get uncomfortable to pivot. What’s around the corner might be exactly what you have been looking for! Shine on!  By Jackie White The alarm goes off and you sleepily re-enter the world. You open an eye and then the other. You stretch and come to consciousness. You breathe and think about the day to come and then it hits you. This is real. We are living in unprecedented times, as they say. You don’t even want to think of the reality. You want to go back to sleep and wake up when it’s all over. I think we all have felt like this over the last few months. Maybe more than once, maybe everyday. So, with this reality weighing heavy, how do we continue to put one foot in front of the other? That is the real challenge in all of this. How do we do the stuff we have always done everyday without cracking? And by the way, doing all that stuff wasn’t that easy when there wasn’t a pandemic! What we need to do is take control. When we take control we can then break it down to manageable pieces wrapped in a new attitude and appreciation for life. Huh? That sounds like work. That sounds like looking at the bright side of things and, gosh darn it, you're not in the mood! Ok, I get that, but you can keep trudging through each day or you can try something new that maybe, just maybe, it will make each day easier and more meaningful. All I am asking is for you to just consider that there might be another healthier, more productive way to manage through today’s challenges.  Life Kinda Sucks Right Now Let’s just get this out on the table. Life kinda sucks right now. Let’s not sugar coat it! But, that doesn’t mean we should spend each and everyday acting like the sky is falling. Chicken Little, we need to gain some control! This 1, 2, 3 process will get you attacking each day with a system of control.  The Cycle of Gaining Control 1.Feelings Become Thoughts, Thoughts Become Actions: In the movie Moonstruck, Cher slaps Nicholas Cage in the face and yells “Snap out of it!” when he begins to go off on a tangent. Let’s pretend Cher obliged us by slapping us out of our obsessive downward spiral of negativity! Our mind is suddenly clear and ready to accept another state of mind. Now, we plug in a state of calm, assertive energy. The best energy to be your own Pack Leader according to Cesear Millan. He is right. Assume that energy and hold your head high and confident to walk into each day. I don’t care if you have to fake it, just do it. When you do, it changes your state of being and your physiology, which thereby affects your feelings and thoughts. Whoa! That might be an interesting connection for you to consider. State of physical being communicates to your mind to feel certain feelings. These feelings then become your thoughts. So, if what you are exhibiting physically is strength and confidence then your brain translates that into a feeling of control, power and calm. These feelings then direct the way you think and act. It’s a beautiful cycle of control. 2. Intention: Now that you are in control, you need to have a plan to get through each day calmly and effectively. That’s where intention comes in. Here is where you need to get committed to choosing a path that is not only clear but one that is positively charged. What I mean is, take the day you have been given and decide that today you will be grateful and determined to choose to live it in an optimistic way. So, instead of focusing on the hassle it is to wear a mask places, be happy that you can leave your house and get out. Rather than being negative about having to manage your kids at home while they virtually school and you work from home, look at it as an opportunity to spend more time with your kids. It gets very easy to fall into a habit of playing the starring role in a complain-a-thon, so when you start falling back into complaining and feeling frustrated, refocus yourself to choose a more positive response. 3. Finally. Make the Decision Daily: To wrap this new way of being in a big bow, you need to make the decision daily. The decision to choose to approach today’s Environment of Suck with a mindset of “I can do this!” and “I can do this with a positive attitude!” will make all the difference in your world each and every day!  Get yourself in the proper cycle of control and look to better days as we weather through these uncertain times.
Shine on! By Erika Fehrenbach Prell  Ahhh, the joys of motherhood! When talking about chapters in life, there is none more profoundly life-altering than becoming a mother. For some of you, baby makes 3 might mean you are a first time mother, which was the case for me twelve years ago. In our more recent family history, baby makes 3 was bonus baby, Lucy’s, appearance on the scene making three kids. This was an interesting experience in many ways! At the time that Lucy was born, Ethan was 10 and Liam was 7. Though I was definitely a seasoned mom, it had been a long time since I had a newborn, so, in many ways I felt like a first time mom because I didn’t remember anything! In retrospect, I was an interesting combination of the cluelessness of a first time mom with the chill factor of a third time mom, melding “I have no idea what I’m doing” with “ehh...it’ll be fine”. Lucy, good thing you are tough...lol! Like everything in life, our feelings and fears leading up to the birth of a child are varied and individualized. And, as you may be experiencing or recall, the hormone surge required to maintain that growing life inside you may send you on a rollercoaster of ups, downs, plot twists, and irrationality. Or was that just me? And, friends, this is what is going on before that tiny human arrives! There are more articles than I can count with tips on being your best as a first time mom from taking care of yourself to sleeping when baby sleeps with every topic in between. While all that is fine, I realized that the unfiltered truth about what really happens when you become a first time mother is missing. I’m talking the unfiltered, nitty gritty, this-is-what-really-happens truth. Put the baby in the bouncy chair, settle in with your fifth cup of coffee this morning, and let’s have a real girlfriend-to-girlfriend chat!  Without further ado, the 8 Lessons Girlfriends Should Share About Becoming a Mom: 8. You are Not the First Person to Do This Okay, my husband actually put this a little differently; when one of us started to spiral (okay, it was usually me), he would say, “dumber people have done this”. This was not meant from a place of disrespect, rather, his meaning is that humans have been having babies for thousands of years. The basics are the same...take care of your baby’s needs, protect them, and love them. The how has changed with advances in technology and knowledge. Like many things in life, keep the main thing, the main thing. 7. You Really Only Need a Car Seat There is a common maternity legend about how the hospital only cares that you have a car seat...have you heard that one? It’s not a legend; it’s completely true as I learned from experience. My now twelve year old, Ethan, decided to surprise us by being born 6 weeks early. He did so well that he was discharged from the NICU earlier than expected, as in, he went home with me. We had nothing...no diapers, clothes (other than the hospital gifts), wipes, bottles, breast pump...NOTHING except the car seat, an early shower gift. I stalled his discharge while Adam did an emergency shopping trip at the local baby store, buying the necessities but not too much since our baby shower was in 3 days. Here’s the lesson...there is so much baby stuff out there. Yes, it makes life convenient but you don’t need every gadget and contraption on the market! Save some money and space and keep it simple. Oh...and, you can never have your baby shower too early! 6. There Will Come a Time When You Will Loath Your Partner Truthbomb time, friends. This was the best advice I was ever given, even though I didn’t believe it at the time. I believe I laughed while internally thinking how much I LOVED this man and that I wasn’t sure I was ready to share him with this small human...and all that mushy stuff. The loathing didn’t happen until our second son, Liam, who was born 3 days from his due date and could breastfeed like a non-preemie baby. About three weeks into sleep deprivation and solo night time feedings, I remember looking over at my soundly sleeping, snoring husband and thinking, “I hate you. I really, really hate you.” My rational brain knew that he wanted to help, and he would have if he could as he was an equal night time partner with Ethan. Other than giving him a bottle, there wasn’t a lot he could do. But, I still hated him. Sleep deprivation does a number on you in many ways. Share your struggles with your partner, and anyone else in your circle, so you don’t feel alone and can get support.  5. Ask For and Accept Help This goes hand-in-hand with #8. Motherhood can quickly make you feel like a ship sailing alone in the middle of the ocean. It doesn’t have to be that way! Ask for help. And, guess what? Lots of people will offer to help...say yes! One last thought? If you don’t know what to ask for, the answer is food, laundry, cleaning, and watching the baby so you can nap. 4. Need a Minute? Let the Baby Cry My mom imparted this one on me. During rational and well-rested times, the thought of hurting an innocent baby is horrifying; when you are sleep deprived and irrational, an inconsolable, screaming baby can be too much. Just put the baby down in a safe place like their crib or bassinet and give yourself a few minutes to get it together.  3. Stop Googling Everything Google will freak you out. I’m a nurse practitioner, and I have fallen to it myself. I remember taking 3 week old Ethan to the pediatrician CONVINCED he had a small bowel obstruction; she kindly reminded me that babies and adults do not have the same illnesses and to stop reading the Google search after the 1st or 2nd result. What was the first result? Reflux, a common issue with preemies and exactly what was Ethan’s issue. Lesson? Be discerning of where you get your advice from! 2. Stop the Scroll - Comparison and Mom Guilt are the Thieves of Motherhood Joy Similarly, the highlight reel on social media can make you feel “not enough” or “inadequate” as a mother. Or, send you down the spiral of my baby isn’t doing what that baby is doing; is there something wrong with her?!? Take a deep breath. Every child develops at a different rate. Trust your pediatrician and your instincts to realize if there is an issue. Put down the phone and enjoy the moments unfolding in front of you but don’t put the phone too far so you can snap those moments! 1. Your Life is Now Run by a Tiny Tyrant that You Created Yourself Prior to becoming a mother, I was a major planner. Having my first baby 6 weeks early was NOT part of my plan. It was also the introduction that my life was now and forever being run by someone else’s agenda. The sooner you can embrace that chaos and unexpected plot twists are your new normal, the sooner you can start figuring out ways to cope.  You might like what we discussed in our girlfriend-to-girlfriend chat, or you might think it was a load of crap. And, you know what? That’s okay! Remember lesson #2, be discerning where you get your information from, including advice, because EVERYONE seems to want to impart their wisdom and experiences when it comes to pregnancy, birth, and parenting. These were the lessons that, when the baby made 3, I thought were the most valuable and helpful because they were the most truthful and honest. Joining the mom club continues to be the most awesome, terrifying, exhilarating, and challenging role I have ever taken on. One thing is for sure; this was the chapter that changed my life in the most and best ways. We are all better together in this, so, girlfriends...let’s raise each other up so we can raise those tiny tyrants!
Shine on! By Jackie White  I have been anticipating writing this blog for a while now. As I was waiting to get our dog from the breeder, I was thinking this could be a light-hearted blog about the “dog days of summer” instead, I have been moved to write about something entirely different. I want to write about love today. It is clear that a dog’s purpose is truly all about love. It’s a fact that the love and joy lives in the spirit of dogs. Their entire being and reason for being is about love. From the tip of their nose to the tip of their tail, they are little love machines!  Love and Happiness Dogs love you. Not a dog person? Well, guess what? They still love you! That’s the thing about dogs. Dogs love everyone and they love unconditionally. They are all about giving love and loyalty to people. Their positive energy is contagious and one can hardly help from smiling when you see a dog sending love your way. I didn’t realize how important it was to my kids to have a dog until I overheard a conversation. They were saying how lucky a friend of theirs was because he had a dog and that just by having that dog, he was guaranteed to have happiness in his life everyday. Another chimed in that the stress of the day can be melted away by just having a dog to love and to talk to. I didn’t really realize how important this was to them until I heard them describe the bond of love and unwavering friendship a dog could bring to their lives. As of this writing, Miss Daisy has been with our family for 5 days now and my daughter commented that she is truly bringing our family together, and she is absolutely right. I am thrilled this has happened because my kids are all teens and are busy with friends, but now they have Miss Daisy and she is pure love to them. She is like an instant super glue of connection for our family. In a home where teens don’t get up until noon, it has amazed me that they are getting up earlier and the first thing they do is come to look for her. We have been a non-dog household for many years due to allergies, but we finally were at a point where it was possible to get a “non-allergenic” dog. Although, we may have missed out on many years without a dog, I am a firm believer that all things happen for a reason and for our family we had to have the absence of a dog to realize the importance of a dog and how she will enrich our lives. Daisy is here at the absolute right time to bring our family together at a time when my teens are almost ready to leave the nest.  Connections Have you ever noticed how through dogs people are connected? You have heard of the young single guy taking a puppy for a walk in the park? My 16 year old son has utilized the oldest trick in the book by showing some girl friends his new puppy. You cannot deny that a puppy is a total chick magnet! I have found that walking Miss Daisy through the neighborhood is like being with a celebrity. We are stopped multiple times to swoon at her cuteness. It is clear a dog’s spirit is intended to bring people together. They are wise and know deep within their souls that through the heart we all connect. It’s that simple. As I meet more of my neighbors I have moved on from my name in trade for that of being called Miss Daisy’s mom. I’ll take it. Being a dog mom is the best in the world!  Joy Miss Daisy also knows all about joy and her job is to not only demonstrate how easily it can be found in the world but also to share that joy. Whether it be the fresh air blowing, the grass that tickles your ankles or random summersaults, joy can be found everywhere! On a recent walk, Daisy and I were strolling along when suddenly the smell of bacon cooking in the distance wafted right across our path. Knowing the joy that bacon brings, Daisy stopped, sat down and took in the aroma. I mean, I knew right then that we were at the very least bacon soulmates! We smelled the air together, took joy in the moment and then continued on our walk. As busy people, we forget sometimes to allow joy into our lives. Dogs don’t forget that. I believe that dogs are here doing the work of God by bringing joy, smiles and light to the world with their love, silliness and endless wags of their tail. I am convinced they are put here to teach us all about unconditional love and the joy that life just is.  Unspoken Language of the Soul
Dogs have a knowing about things. They know you for who you really are. They might even know you better than you know you. That is because dogs connect at the soul level. They can read your energy, your emotions and feelings. Dogs communicate on another plane than most of us. They can tell if you are weak or strong by your energetic presence and through your body language. It’s a language you might not even know you are communicating. They totally get you. Their soul to soul connection with you is an unspoken language of understanding, support and love. Pay attention to this connection and you will understand your dog so much more. Learn to live life from a place of love, connection and joy, just like your dog and you will see life through a lens you may have never considered. As for Miss Daisy I know she is a gift from God to my family. Even though she has only been with us for a few days, her impact has been felt in all of our hearts and souls. I have always appreciated life and how I can live my best life, but knowing Miss Daisy only for a short time, I see I still have a lot to learn. I look forward to all the dog days of summer, fall, winter and spring for many years to come. Shine On. |
AuthorsJackie White has been writing about life and its ups and downs for many years. With a degree in Industrial Psychology and a life-long student of personal development she is intrigued by how each individual chooses to live their life. Jackie feels strongly that truly living your best life is imperative to attaining peace and fulfillment. SoulShine was borne of her desire to inspire and teach others to live their best life. This is her mission and her dream. Archives
October 2022
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