whenever wherever however: thank you

Gratefulness is seeded in our awareness. Blossoms from intention. Is revealed during reframing. Gratefulness shows up when least expected.

The pure joy of gratitude blossoms without conscious thought or action. Often, I am not sure what seeded this sudden joy-filled thanksgiving. It seems to magically appear…but really it does not. The gratitude blossoming in our interior garden is a result of awareness. 

Gratitude is a celebration. During it, I recognize that my life is beyond blessed by people who show up — my son, furry companions, family, friends, colleagues, and the intimate stranger. It is sparked by the beauty of a sunrise or the playful antics of squirrels. When I focus on the beauty of what is right, the world becomes magically extraordinary.

When I am aware, the effervescence of gratitude shows up everywhere. I pass through a mundane existence into mystery. In this place of magical extraordinary, I am grateful for everything…even what isn’t particularly warm and fuzzy.

At other times, gratitude is elusive. It is easier to focus on what I do not have or what I do not want — the sorrows, the grief, the wants or needs that go unmet. For me, that is when the power of the reframe comes in. 

Through the eyes of my heart and with the wisdom of my soul, I can reframe the thorn on life’s stem. I can move past that pointy thing to see the blossom at the end of the stalk. Through this change in perspective, I see the necessity of the thorn and the blossom. It is in that reframe that gratitude blooms.

For me being grateful is a cultivated way of life. It’s having a heart wide open to possibility. Benedict of Nursia, in his little rule, reminds us to listen with the ear of our heart. For me, listening with my heart is key to recognizing gratitude. My recognition of gratitude is complete when I respond from the wisdom of my soul.

Of course, it is easier to be grateful when life is smooth, calm, easy — to revel in moments of simple joy. But life is not always smooth or calm or easy. Life is uncertain, complicated, messy, and tangled. Even those circumstances are something to be grateful for. I mean, who wants to live without any upheaval? Okay, maybe sometimes that would be nice. 

Then I remember that the upheaval gives us opportunity to flex our gratitude muscle. When I am mindful, I see the tangles more objectively. When I peer closely, the reasons to be grateful sparkle on the tangles. In fact, those sparkles guide me to untangling my life. In the untwining I find a bouquet of blessing with or without the tangles. 

Gratefulness, for me, is found in the reframe. Within a change of perspective, I find the rolling sparkle-seeds of thankfulness. For that discovery to happen, I must be in the moment aware of whatever is percolating; whatever trigger is waiting to be flipped. 

Gratefulness means showing up in those moments when I am not perfect and appreciating the thorns of my imperfections. What is gratefulness for you? 

Van Hurst, ms, is an intuitive-coach-catalyst. As a contemplative coach, she uses mindfulness practices and intuition tools to create strategies for navigating those places may scare us. The result of time with Van? Creating a blueprint for your life through a deeper connection to your intuition and contemplative nature. 

Van is a professional speaker & author who weaves inner wisdom into all she touches. Her books are available @ www.wildefyrpress.com. Her most recent book, As Natural As Breathing: Being Intuitive, is available on Amazon. Contact Vanessa for life coaching, intuitive consultations, keynotes, and programs.

Website / LinkedIn Profile / Facebook / Twitter: @fyrserpent / ©2022

I am my dream

that is all the hope I need

As I edge closer to a milestone birthday, I find myself returning to the dreams of my younger self. Wondering why they didn’t quite manifest. How I went in a totally different direction of where I thought I’d be. Sometimes comparing where you are now with those dreams from time past can be difficult if not downright depressing. If I am not careful, I can get stuck in the if-only doldrums. 

Then I remind myself that there are no guarantees, and life is not a static line from here to there. It is a sobering thought to realized that any of those dreams could have been attained only to have a kink occur in my lifeline. The dream could have imploded as my life was jerked off course into another path. My motto has become when dreaming, expect the unexpected.

Then I thought, “what if I am my dream?” Instead of taking a micro-view of my life — saying if this, then that — what if I took a macro-view? That is seeing my hopes and dreams not as the goal, but as guides to living with soul purpose. With this stance, I can live firmly in the moment where every thought, action, and words creates the dream that is me. 

If I truly believe this, then there are no wrong decisions, no wrong steps. Everything that I do — that you do — is a manifestation of the dream. We live that dream even when we cannot connect our thoughts, words, and actions to the dream. I see it like this: even when the night is so dark or the sun too bright to see clearly into our core, we can act from our core. When we act from that core, we are our dream.

Do you feel a sense of relief at not having to decide upon THE dream or fearing each step you take will lead you further and further away from the dream? I know that I do. So, let’s reframe the dream:  when I am the dream, everything that I do, all that I am, is a reflection of the me at my core. It really is that simple. Kinda.

Now I am not saying that you, or me, that we cannot have hopes or long term goals. No, those are important. What I am saying that we, step-by-step, create this wondrous life wherever, whatever, and however we find ourself. We create this not in a planning session, but in each moment we choose to be true to ourself.

Maybe as I edge ever closer to this milestone year, I am finally accepting that I am the dream. No matter where I have found myself or will find myself on this journey, I will always be my dream. This dream has nothing to do with external accomplishments and everything to do with the beauty that sparks from the center of my being. 

I am my dream...and that is all I need. HBU?

Vanessa F. Hurst, ms, is an intuitive-coach-catalyst. As a contemplative coach, she uses mindfulness practices and intuition tools to create strategies for navigating those scary places. The result? Creating a blue print for your life through a deeper connection to your intuition. She is a professional speaker & author who weaves inner wisdom into all she touches. Her books are available @ www.wildefyrpress.com. Her most recent book, As Natural As Breathing: Being Intuitive, is available on Amazon. Contact Vanessa for life coaching, intuitive consultations, keynotes, and programs.

Website / LinkedIn Profile / Facebook / @fyrserpent / ©2021

From Chaos to Celtic Knot

Do you ever feel the chaos in your world closing in on you? Maybe you feel a great big knot getting tighter and tighter. Your mind jumbles. You just can’t focus. Does this sound familiar? It does to me. 

Lately I have been thinking that maybe it isn’t chaos I am feeling. What if my reaction to a particularly difficult leg of my journey manifests as jumble? What if I just breathed through the feelings? What would I discover? 

So what led to my pondering? Earlier this week a client told me that her life was a chaotic mess. Using my intuition, I took a bird’s eye view of her life. What did I discover? Well, it wasn’t chaos. Instead of a tangled mess, I saw an intricate Celtic knot. This infinite loop didn’t have an ending or beginning. Instead, the path dipped and twirled as it wove through her life. Although it was amazingly beautiful, I could see how it felt, at times, chaotic to her.

What if we reframed the chaos into an uncertain loop of a Celtic knot? What if we viewed our lives as Celtic knots? Imagine an intricately woven, beautiful journey of twists and turns and loops and bends that is uniquely yours. Instead of being scared about what is just around the turn, you become curious about what lies ahead. After all, don’t you want to experience the weave of the knot? 

Life is mystery. We are never quite sure what the next moment holds. I don’t know about you, but I am curious and a bit daring. I am finding ways to courageously move more deeply into my Celtic knot. When fear threatens to tangle me, I remind myself that this is my journey so wherever, whenever, however I find ourself, I am home. And, that is big relief!

Can you accept this reframe from chaos to Celtic knot? If so, that means that whatever you name as chaos is just a part of your life waiting to be untangled. The narrow turns and stomach dropping dips aren’t leading you to a spooky place. The only destination in this Celtic knot is home to yourself. The great part? You learn who you are on this crazy ride on your life weave.

Those dips, bends, turns? Let’s call them challenges that show you what is stopping you from being who you truly are. You know, the authentic self…true self…just you! When you focus on the uncertainty, the messiness with the intent to learn, the chaos untangles. In that moment you understand the challenge and can choose how you move forward. 

Are you overwhelmed by this idea of a Celtic knot? This reframe may take some getting used to. To see life as an infinite twining is to be curious about what is in those tight, shadowy, unsettling spaces. It offers opportunity and potential. Opportunity to use the skills you have learned over a life time. Opportunity to compassionately meet your fears with courage. Opportunity to really become the person that you envision. And, I would bet, opportunity to discover that you aren’t so far away from that person you want to be. 

How do you travel the Celtic knot? Think about a challenging situation. Then answer the questions. 

• How did the situation hook you? 
• What have you learned about yourself in what hooks you? This can be a mishmash of both true and shadow. For example: you may discover that you have a compassionate spirit while being impatient. 
• How can you integrate what you learned into your life? 
• How does this knowing change you? 

Use these knowings to light those bends and dips of your Celtic knot on the way to transformation. 

Are you ready to ride the ribbon of your Celtic knot? I hope so because I am riding mine. 

 

Vanessa F. Hurst, ms, is an Intuitive-Coach-Catalyst, who uses mindfulness practices and intuition tools to create strategies for personal and relationship transformation. She is a professional speaker & author who weaves inner wisdom into all she touches. Her books are available @ www.wildefyrpress.com. Her most recent book, As Natural As Breathing: Being Intuitive, is available on Amazon. Contact Vanessa for life coaching, intuitive consultations, keynotes, and programs.

Website / LinkedIn Profile / Facebook / @fyrserpent / © 2021

Being the Gift of Small Things, Blessings, and Beauty

Have you ever wondered about the secret to happiness? What is the key to feeling that deep contentment that seeps into your bones and flows into the world when you are happy?  Once that happiness is cultivated, it becomes a gift you give to yourself and share with others over and over again. 

But, how do we cultivate this gift within our self? 

Let’s begin with what happiness is…and is not. Happiness is not the absence of fear or frustration or sorrow. Happiness is the way we approach emotions and circumstances that threaten to flood us with a tsunami of hopelessness. Happiness is not a fleeting emotion; it is a way of life — a state of well being and contentment.

2020 has seemed like a decade of uncertainty and challenge instead of twelve months. If you are like me, it was a year filled with many opportunities to either get trapped in the uncertainty or rise to the challenge. As I reflect upon the year, I am amazed at everything that has occurred. I cannot believe how much my life, the life of my son, the lives of friends and colleagues have changed. Unfortunately not all this change is for the better. 

These changes provided ample opportunity for the reframe. And, while I admit that I am a master re-framer — able to see the good, the potential in most situations — I have my moments of despair this year. During this year, I’ve even questioned if I have ever been happy and what happy looks like. So, this year has provided the ultimate reframe!

In this ultimate reframe, there are so many opportunities to create a way of life that is filled with contentment. By contentment I mean being grateful for what we have, acknowledging our blessings, and finding ways to expand the beauty of our lives.

Okay. Don’t get anxious. Breathe. This task is not such a tall order when we reframe in little bits. What if we begin by accepting that happiness is rooted in being content and satisfied with an edge. This is not the satisfaction of complacency but the edgy satisfaction that comes from being content in the moment while setting goals and moving toward them. It is about being grateful for the good in your life while continuing to strive toward your dreams. 

How do you get there? Start with the little things!

• Acknowledge the small things in your life — or those things that are working.
• Acknowledge the blessings — those are the things that tip the scales in your favor or show you the glint of the silver lining.
• Find at least one way, each day, to expand the beauty in your life. 

Let’s move into the tangible with some examples from my life? 

• The small things: even through the upheaval of the year and the loss of several income streams, I have a part time job that pays most of my bills. 
• The blessings: my relationship with my son, the listening ears of friends.
• Expanded beauty: the daily reflections arcs that I share on Facebook. These are a way to start my day and share that beauty with others.

Now you do it! What are the small things, the blessings, the expanding beauty in your life? I am not saying that this activity is always easy. Sometimes we’ve got to dig into who we are to discover the small things, the blessings, and the beauty within. And, through this acknowledgement we are the gift with share first with our self and then with the world. 

Here’s to being the gift of rolling moments of small things, blessings, and beauty in 2021.

Vanessa F. Hurst, ms, is an Intuitive-Coach-Catalyst, who uses mindfulness practices and intuition tools to create strategies for personal and relationship transformation. She is a professional speaker & author who weaves inner wisdom into all she touches. Her books are available @ www.wildefyrpress.com. Her most recent book, As Natural As Breathing: Being Intuitive, is available on Amazon. Contact Vanessa for life coaching, intuitive consultations, keynotes, and programs.

Website / LinkedIn Profile / Facebook 

Twitter: @fyrserpent / ©2020

Real Beliefs, Shadow Beliefs: Growing In the Garden of You

Beliefs are curious things. They speak to us from the depths of our being . Each whispering is a reflection of who we are. They provide limitless opportunities to share the truth within. Each belief is a stone in the foundation of how we engage others.

I don’t know about you, but these past several years have given me ample opportunities to survey my foundation. To name what I believe — to rejoice in what is truly me and confront those shadows that tangle deep inside me. I recognize that these tangles are not who I am. Instead, they provide the arena to unravel the shadows. Once free of the tangles I can truly live my true story.

Once in a class longer ago than I like to admit, I told the participants that only when I am embarrassed by an action stemming from a shadow belief, do I have the energy and courage to change. The response was a tittering of unease. But, think about it. What happens when you really own the truth? Who we are is birthed by being uncomfortable enough to change. 

Let that sink into the depth of your core. Then ask yourself, “When was I so uncomfortable that change was inevitable?” Name the shadow belief that was too tight, too raw, so totally not you that it left you gasping for breath. What did you do? Invite change or hide within its shadows?

Now, I am not a proponent of running through the streets shouting my sins — I mean fallibilities. I am not that public. No, I am the quiet sort who turns within and experiences the stuff seeping from my core. Through reflection and introspection, I listen to the lessons of the seepage. Then I use the resulting compost to nourish my truth. The rest of the compost I toss into a communal bin to be used at later time. 

The benefit of the last four years, and I am all about the reframe, is the number of opportunities I have had to dig up the ground of me, to pull up those invasive shadow beliefs, and plant seeds of who I am. I hope you have had the opportunities to do the same. 

What have I discovered in this process? The work is not in the harvest but in the nurturing of these seed beliefs. So, in this moment I ask, “What invasive beliefs am I ready to pull out? What do I truly believe?” Within those  answers is found the stuff — the compost and the seeds to grow the garden of you. 

Vanessa F. Hurst, ms, is an Intuitive-Coach-Catalyst, who uses mindfulness practices and intuition tools to create strategies for personal and relationship transformation. She is a professional speaker & author who weaves inner wisdom into all she touches. Her books are available @ www.wildefyrpress.com. Contact Vanessa for life coaching, intuitive consultations, keynotes, and programs.

Website / LinkedIn Profile / Facebook / Twitter: @fyrserpent / ©2020

Taking a Detour on the Road of Where You Are Going

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. These words of Thomas Merton resonate within me now more than ever. So much uncertainty in the past six months. What will the last half of 2020 hold for me, for you, for all of us? I think that we can all say, “I have no idea where I am going.” Because, really, what is next in this storm of uncertainty?

Taking steps into the dark while groping to find balance are scary. Our next step may be off a figurative ledge or tripping up a steep incline. The uncertainty is not going to go away, so we need to own our fear. Until we do, we stand paralyzed in the moment. To break free of our fear means to take chance after chance after chance until our eyes grow accustomed to the light that shines from within. That light, our divine spark, connects us to the sacred voice that leads us through the unknowing into soul purpose.

We do not have to know where we are going on this journey. All that is needed is a loose plan as we move step-by-step on this pathway of life. When we focus in the moment, we hear the whispers of our intuition. Responding to our intuition, we become the power that propels us down an uncertain path with surety. That power is fed by our courage, sustained by our humility, and manifested by our hope. This power wakes us to the realization that our life has meaning. We understand that we live with purpose for we have no choice but to be our true self.

I am amazed at the number of plans I have developed only to see them take a detour down a windy, muddy path. I have said, “I’ve never seen a detour I didn’t take.” But, those detours didn’t take me anywhere I didn’t need to be. The ultimate reframe: these paths are not detours but side roads overgrown with challenges and life lessons. On those paths I learned so much about myself and grew into the person that I am. I hope that you have found the same on your detours.

Do we know where we are going? Probably not. This unknowing opens us to the possibility of what might be. For within the uncertainty we find limitless potential and unwavering possibility. The uncertainty calls us to be curious and act with daring in our approach to life. Because, isn’t that what life is truly about? We are called to be curious, courageous, and daring as we experience life through the heights of joy and the depths of agony. 

So, how do we step down this path of uncertainty?

• Through mindfulness. What is your mindfulness practice? How aware does it make you of the opportunities in your life?
• Through self-compassion. How are you practicing self care in each moment? How do you forgive yourself for perceived missteps and detours along the way?
• Through response flexibility. How willing are you to change plans? What one thing can you do in this moment to be more flexible?

The answers to these questions may not create a path without detours. It takes us exactly where we need to be as we awaken to the necessity and potential of detours. Through these questions’ answers, we create a rich life full of challenges met and lessons learned and soul purpose realized.  

Vanessa F. Hurst, ms, is an Intuitive, Coach, Catalyst, who uses mindfulness practices and intuition tools to create strategies for personal and relationship transformation. She is a professional speaker & author who weaves inner wisdom into all she touches. Her books are available @ www.wildefyrpress.com. Contact Vanessa  (vanessa@intentandaction.com) for life coaching, intuitive consultations, keynotes, and programs.

Website / LinkedIn Profile / Facebook / 

Twitter: @fyrserpent / ©2020