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 5

“Freedom is for honest people. No person who is not honest with themselves and with others can truly be free ... instead they become their own trap.”

Have you been building your own traps? Break the cycle, break the chains .... speak the truth, be the truth, live honestly with yourself and others .... and finally be FREE!

Revitalize Your Soul - Honesty Series 4

“To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful.”
~Edward R. Murrow

Honesty is a part of who you are and affects many areas of your life....it is the core of your character....it is the foundation that builds bonds and true friendships with others. Do the people in your life believe you, do they trust you?

Revitalize Your Soul - Honesty Series 3

“The worst lies are the lies we tell ourselves. That is when we live in denial of what we do, even what we think, because we are too afraid to face the truth.” ~Unknown

Are you being honest with yourself or are you living a life of denial? Free yourself ....

“The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be.” ~Socrates

Revitalize Your Soul - Honesty Series 2

“If it is not right don't do it; if it is not true don't say it.” ~Marcus Aurelius

Enough said ....

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

Revitalize Your Soul - Gratitude Series (repost)

Happy Mother's Day mom!!!

Today, I am thankful for my wonderful mother. She is an absolutely amazing woman, beautiful inside and out. An incredible mom, full of unconditional love, never ending support, the warmest heart, sweet compassion, full of wisdom and healing hands...she means everything to me, she is my best friend, my rock, my “go to” person. She has taught me so much in my life, molded me into a caring, loving and nurturing person. She will baby me when I need it and will give me tough love when it’s necessary. She knows my strengths and my weaknesses...without judgment, without disappointment, she listens to me no matter what state of mind I am in. I am so thankful for the unbreakable bond we share that continues to grow each day. I love you and adore you ma! I am sooo lucky to have you!

What are you thankful for today?

Me and my mommy! :)

Revitalize Your Soul - Gratitude Series

It's so uplifting and life changing to take time to be thankful each day of our lives. You can surprise yourself by how many blessings surround you, when you take the time to recognize and reflect on each one. I am beginning a series on our blog that will be dedicated to expressing my deep gratitude to each blessing in my life. I am so excited to share this part of my heart with all of you...my old friends, my new friends, my future friends, my family, my angels. I hope that this will awaken your soul to see all the blessings in your life and will inspire you to meditate in gratitude.

Peace, Love and Light!
~Ami

Revitalize Your Soul

Forgive quickly. Love without boundaries or fear. Laugh without control. Never stop smiling. Be thankful for all your blessings. Live with hope and positivity. Embrace every moment.

xoxo,
Lovebug

Revitalize Your Soul!

Good morning! And what a beautiful morning it is! Remember to smile today and take time to be thankful for all your blessings. Stop and smell the flowers or (depending where you live) stop and breath in the crisp air and take in the beautiful colors of the falling leaves. Do something nice for a stranger. Tell someone special in your life that you love them or how beautiful/handsome they are. Brush off your challenges...they are probably smaller than you think and soon they will be in the past. For those of you going through any real tragedies, may you be surrounded by love and comfort that will heal your heart and bring you peace.

Sending my warmest wishes to you all!
~Lovebug

Revitalize Your Soul! - Healthy lifestyle

Most of you who know me well are aware that I have made some big changes recently to live a healthy lifestyle. I quit smoking, barely drink alcohol, no longer eat chicken and rarely eat red meat. I also work out a lot at home and love going to the gym! My life has changed for the better in so many ways. I feel strong, emotionally balanced, healthy, fit and just all around blissful. I just want to spread my happiness to everyone and let you all know what a great blessing these changes have been to my life.

For those of you that are trying to make some of the same changes in your life, I wish you all the will power, motivation and encouragement you may need to carry you through. You will definitely reap all the benefits of taking care of your mind, body and soul. I know I am :)

Here are a couple of articles I read today that you may want to read:
Eat your way to great abs
Does exercise matter for weight loss?

Much Love and Peace to all!
~Ami

Revitalize Your Soul - Change

There will always be something going on in our lives or around us that we wish were different or wish it would just go away. Although somethings are completed out of our control, we need to focus on the areas that we do have control over. Instead of complaining about it and dwelling on the negative, lets take the time to figure out what we can change - what we need to change, in order to improve the situation. Usually the change has to be within ourselves. We have full power over our actions, reactions, emotions and decisions, how we treat ourselves and how we treat others...even every word we speak has an outcome. So if something is picking at you and you want it to go away - sit back, take a deep breath and figure out what you can do to set that change in motion. Don't just think about it - BE the CHANGE!

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you’ve always gotten”.
-unknown

Peace & Blessings to all!
Lovebug

Revitalize Your Soul! - Life according to Mister Rogers

A friend of Jessica's posted this on facebook and we wanted to share this wonderful message with everyone:

"If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person." Mister Rogers

Every encounter we have leaves a lasting effect; even when we don't realize. And the ripple effects are limitless. We should always present the best, most real version of who we are in all we do.

"Won't you be ....my neighbor?"

Revitalize Your Soul!

Jessica sent this to me in an email today and I wanted to share it with all of you :)

Happiness keeps You Sweet,
Trials keep You Strong,
Sorrows keep You Human,
Failures keeps You Humble,
Success keeps You Glowing,
But Only God keeps You Going

God does keep me going and as I read this today, I started to remember how He is everywhere and in everything. The beauty of nature, the blue endless sky, the things that make me smile and laugh and inside every person that I love...all my angels. It all equals God to me .... it's what keeps me going, living and loving.

xoxo
~Ami

Revitalize Your Soul - Step Away

Sometimes taking a few days to step away from
a routine.
a job.
the computer.
life...
helps put everything in perspective.

And for the past two weeks that's what I've been doing. And I've laughed so much more.

Maybe I (or we) should step away more often.

Love,
Jess

Revitalize Your Soul - Emotional Health

Recently, my mom shared this with me. She was studying about stress and emotional health, and there are some fundamental points that she broke down for me and my brother to read and remember. These resolutions helped her a lot and they are also a big part of how I want to live my life.

It’s about taking control of your emotions and how you react to everyday situations and experiences. It’s a reminder that we all have a choice. This year has been very challenging for me and almost everyone that I know. I have felt completely lost and trapped within my own emotions, creating claustrophobia in my own skin. I have also seen my own friends and family drowning and indulging in their own pain, losing complete control of the life around them and choosing to be a victim of them selves. It doesn’t have to be this way….we DO have control. It takes a lot of work and practice, but in the end it’s all worth the happiness and peace you can feel inside and out.

Please take the time to read this…I hope it somehow helps you with whatever you struggle with and that it lifts your spirit knowing there is hope and that you can make a change in your own life.

1. Never say bad things about yourself. Look for sources of your unhappiness in elements that can be modified by future actions. Give yourself constructive criticism - what can you do differently next time to get what you want?

2. Compare your reactions, thoughts and feelings with those of friends, family, co-workers and others so you can gauge the appropriateness and relevance of your responses against a suitable norm.

3. Have several close friends with whom you can share feelings, joys and worries. Work at developing, maintaining and expanding your social support networks.

4. Develop a sense of balanced time perspective - be future oriented when there is work to be done, present oriented when the goal is achieved and past oriented to keep in touch with your roots.

5. ALWAYS TAKE FULL CREDIT FOR YOUR SUCCESSES AND HAPPINESS and share positive feelings with other people. Keep an inventory of the qualities that make you feel special and unique - those qualities that you can offer others. Even a shy person can provide a talkative person with the gift of listening. Know your sources of personal strength and available coping resources.

6. When you feel you are losing control over your emotions (emotions can be controlled), DISTANCE yourself from the situation or conflict, projecting your image into the future to gain perspective on what seems to be overwhelming now. Allow yourself to feel and express your emotions, but remember that you are in control.

7. Remember that failure and disappointment are sometimes a blessing in disguise. They tell you that your goal was not right for you, and save you from bigger letdowns later on. LEARN FROM EVERY FAILURE. Acknowledge setbacks by saying "I MADE A MISTAKE" AND MOVE ON. Every accident, misfortune, or violation of your expectations is potentially an opportunity in disguise.

8. IF YOU FEEL YOU CANNOT HELP YOURSELF OR ANOTHER PERSON IN DISTRESS, SEEK THE COUNSEL OF A TRAINED SPECIALIST. In some cases, the problem that appears to be emotional can be physical and vice versa. Remember hwlp I always available.

9. Cultivate healthy pleasures. Take time out and relax, meditate, fly a kite, enjoy hobbies, listen to music that brings you to good places, and pleasurable activities you can do alone and by which you can get in touch with and better yourself.


Much Love and Peace!
~Lovebug

Revitalize Your Breasts!!!

As many of you already know, October marks breast cancer awareness month. Revitalize wanted to reach out to everyone about this important challenge that can affect all of us in many different ways. Breast Cancer isn’t just about females and everyone should take a moment to learn more about what we can collectively do to assist with awareness and research.

Check out this great informative site!!

The official National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Site

Please remember to do monthly self-exams and visit the doctor if you find anything you shouldn't (guys this means you too) and also remind each other! The earlier cancer is detected, the better chance there is of fighting it!

One really cool organization that we wanted to share with you is Think Pink. We learned about this organization through a local photographer, Lori Barbely. Think Pink Sessions help breast cancer survivors and their supporters to celebrate life through a complimentary photography session. Any individual that has been diagnosed with breast cancer or completed treatment within the past 12 months qualifies for a Think Pink Session. Sessions are available to document the fight before or during treatment or to celebrate the victory when treatment is completed.

With love and hope,
Jess & Ami

Revitalize Your Soul - Let the color within you shine

Lately, my light has dimmed.

But in my darkest moment, somehow a spark appeared and pulled me out of what I thought was going to be a never ending hole of despair.

"And then there was Light."

It may sound cheesy, but since the day after my 30th birthday I've felt more alive than I have in the longest time. I'm feeling all of the colors of me resurface into a beautiful being that has so much to offer the world.

At my lowest, I didn't know what to do, how to think or who I was. Thankfully, it didn't take me long to realize that I am a Light Being - full of the colors of the rainbow and beyond.

My hopes are up, my focus is on my well being - no one else's, my businesses are bringing a renewed joy and I am finally getting my body and mind back into shape.

I will never forget my low - the dark period - so I can constantly be more appreciative of the light...of my light...of the colors within me so they will shine like never before.

With so much more than a glimmer of hope,
Jess

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