Revitalize Your Soul - Life's Tornado

"It's just life..." That's why my mom has been telling me for years. I always discounted her words, dreaming of a life with a few road blocks but not an annoying series of speed bumps.

Recently, my life has been like a wicked bad tornado - material belongings, friends, hopes and dreams nonsensically churning in the grey clouds. Some things stuck it out and enjoyed the twirl, but many were tossed hundreds of feet away, landing in a tree or on a trailer.

This "it's just life" attitude helped me realize that stuff is stuff and unfortunately friendships come and go. Through this tornado of rough times, I've seen long time friends fly away and new ones that chose to join in the fun of the chaos.

I've lost three cars...four if you count the brakes going out on my in my rental car yesterday. Most of my worldly belongings are roaming the proverbial sky or landed on a roof due to the move, and the tornado is heading to Middleburg tomorrow, so I'll have a whole new set of stuff to jump in.

Typically, my reaction would be that of anger and sadness due to loosing things like my favorite rug, yet another car or that favorite painting a friend made me. But all that is just stuff.

The only pain from this "life tornado" that I'm feeling is the damage that it has had on several of my closest friends...some that have been in my life for more than 15 years. My appologies and canned goods don't seem to help anymore. I choose not to be upset, however, knowing that they, too had something to do with not holding on in the wind.

And like mom says, "It's just life". One minute the sky is cloudless and vibrant blue, and within moments another tornado can just pop up (and probably will). We know that this will happen again and again, so the trick is how to handle it.

Will you see your next tornado as one of nature's glorious creations or a destructive force aimed to scatter you life?

See the beauty in the change; not the pain of the destruction.
It all happens for a reason...

Much love,
Jess

Revitalize Your Soul - Let It Go!

This message was emailed to me recently and really hit home in many ways. I had to share it with all of you today in hopes that it truly means something special to you as it did for me. Sooooo profound! Letting go can bring true freedom. :)

L E T T I N G G O By T.D. Jakes
There are people who can walk away from you. And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you: let them walk. I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone.

When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left.

The bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]

People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay.....Let them go.

And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person it just means that their part in the story is over. And you've got to know when people's part in your story is over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead.. You've got to know when it's dead.

You've got to know when it's over. Let me tell you something.. I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye.. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it. Stop begging people to stay....Let them go!!

If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to......LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to past hurts and pains .......LET IT GO!!!

If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth......LET IT GO!!!

If someone has angered you. LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge..... LET IT GO!!!

If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction... .. LET IT GO!!!

If someone broke your heart and brought you pain... LET THEM GO!!!

If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents.. LET IT GO!!!

If you have a bad attitude.... ... LET IT GO!!!

If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better...... LET IT GO!!!

If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him.... LET IT GO!!!

If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship. .... LET IT GO!!!

If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves.. .... LET IT GO!!!

If you're feeling depressed and stressed ............ LET IT GO!!!

If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying 'take your hands off of it,' then you need to...... LET IT GO!!!

Revitalize Your Soul - Honesty Series 1

Someone inspired me today to begin this Honesty series. I've unfortunately experienced a lot of dishonestly from people very close to me lately and it breaks my heart. So I found this very appropriate to remind myself, and hopefully others, the importance, meaning and impact that honesty has on ourselves, the ones we love and the rest of the world.

So here the first one. Someone special to me posted this on their facebook yesterday:

"No one can lie, no one can hide anything, when he looks directly into someone's eyes"
~Paulo Coelho

Our troops .... Our heroes!

This commercial really pulled on my heart strings. Our troops are our heroes and they deserve to be acknowledged, loved and appreciated. May God bless our soldiers and bring them comfort on a daily basis. As we all enjoy the conveniences and joy of being home, lets always remember to keep them in our hearts, thoughts and prayers.

With the warmest wishes + deepest love,
Ami

The Shift - A movie being made by a movement

Check it out!

Reusable is what they are....

"Next time you go to toss a reusable sandwich bag, think to yourself: Can I rinse out and resuse? They don't call them reusable for nothin', honey"
~Healthy Bitch Daily

Earthlings - Intense!

The trailer to this documentary called Earthlings is why I am a vegetarian. Please prepare yourself before watching this trailer. It is intense - AND real! I've read a bunch of details about what we are doing to our animals and could barely get through each word, but actually seeing some of it goes way deeper. The cruelty and inhumane torture of animals is beyond my comprehension. Please take the time to watch this....it's hard to watch, but if we can eat it, we need to see it .... we need to know.... we need to be aware of what we are promoting by what we eat. So please have the courage and the heart to watch this and help spread awareness by sharing it with others.

Earthlings - watch the trailer here

Revitalize Your Soul - Mistakes

We are all human and we tend to make mistakes…..it’s inevitable. Of course there are different levels of mistakes that we can make and we should have full control on the line that should not be crossed; which is usually based on our beliefs and morals of what is right and wrong. Those are guides that live deep within us…they are a part of us and who we are.

However, no matter how hard we try to listen to our guides…sometimes we make a bad decision or ignore our instincts or even refuse to do the right thing. We may try hard to beat temptations and keep a balanced life, but we are not perfect and sometimes we slip.

Whatever mistakes we have made, it is important that we try our very best to not dwell or regret on what has come to pass. We can not reverse time, decisions or actions….and if we dwell on them, we can not move forward in life. We end up trapping ourselves in feelings of guilt, remorse and sadness. Wishing we could change something that we’ve already done. I am a strong believer that regret and dwelling are a complete waste of our time and energy. We should definitely acknowledge our mistakes and take the time to reflect on them, but we must accept that we are human, take the lesson of our mistakes and use them to grow and become a better person. Lets promise ourselves to not repeat our mistakes, so we can continue to move forward in this beautiful journey of life. Lets forgive ourselves and release the trap of the past…the trap of regret.

Be free with me!

Peace and Love,
~Ami

Revitalize Your Soul - Be thankful for this moment

Right now, sit back and take a deep breath.

Look around you.

Look past you.

Feel inside of you.

Hear the sounds around you.

Feel your heart beat.

Recognize the energy that surrounds.

Be mindful,

And be thankful for this moment.



Much love,
Jess

Revitalize Your Soul

...Speak with Integrity...

It is so easy to fall into the trap of gossip at work, in our different circles, and within our families. Often, we do not realize the power of these words. As we circulate them within the universe, we are contributing with negativity. Instead of using words to gossip, speak positively, or try not to indulge in gossip at all.

Not only does the integrity of our word matter with others, but it affects us as well. The more we speak down of ourselves even by joking and saying things like, Wow, that was stupid of me, we are creating a negative connotation and making this true. I used to specifically have the issue of saying, Im sorry, instead of Excuse me, when I bumped into someone. I realized that the more I said Im sorry, the sorrier I felt about myself. Although in the moments, I did not mean this to be a negative statement about me, my psyche heard, Im sorry over and over, my subconscious began to believe that as truth.

Remember, say only what you mean. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love!

Much love,
Jessica