Look Into My Eyes…

Maybe it was the title of the book that pierced my 12-year-old attention span to grab this book from the library shelf, or maybe it was vivid colors, who knows. What I do know is I never imagine how that book might affect me 30 plus years later. The book was about odd careers, or weird jobs, something like that. It intrigued me. Maybe because I have always identified as weird. That adjective used to bother me. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I learned to embrace it. Weird means I am not boring. Weird means there are other weirdos like me. Somehow, that feeling left me feeling less alone.

I remember vividly turning the page of that library book and reading “hypnotist” – and I knew what hypnotize was. I’d watched enough sci-fi movies by age 12 to hear and have a loose understanding of what it does. It would be apx. 14 years later before I would experience hypnosis first hand, by Rev. Retha J. Martin, who would become my hypnosis teacher and mentor. I remember reading that book entry and NOT thinking: ‘how cool it would be to get people to do what I want them to do’ — I remember thinking: ‘I wonder how that works.’ It was that book that planted the seed which would later lead to this fulfilling career.

In fact, I learned how it worked and how I could use it to help people, thus – Haven Hypnosis was born. I later developed my motto: Start living the life you deserve. I am privileged to help people do just that. I do not take lightly the responsibility I hold to steer people back onto their natural paths. Part of what I do is educating people about the myths and misconceptions of hypnosis. Still today, to the general public, hypnosis is an enigma of witchcraft and Devil’s play. I can assure you, I practice neither. I have met people who are self-proclaimed witches. Of those I have met, I came to understand they too had many misconceptions thrust upon them.

Though I am trained in clinical hypnosis and not stage hypnosis, I find myself explaining the differences to people who are inquiring about what I do. If it were not for stage hypnosis, some people may not engage me in conversation to learn about my part in the world of hypnosis. Stage hypnosis is where most people formulate their idea of what hypnosis involves. Still, even when I come at them with kindness, science and facts, many well-educated people, I might add, jokingly throw their hands upward to their face and proclaim ‘Don’t look into my eyes!’ I laugh. It makes me laugh when it happens. Of the people who do this, about half will stop and listen and have a real conversation about hypnosis. The other half will listen, but not look at me, at all. I also find this humorous. While hypnosis can be that easy, for some, I would never engage in an unethical practice of entrancing someone with my eyes, nor without explicit consent. I did it once. We got married two years later and fifteen years later he is still here, working in our home office as I type this blog. To date: I’ve never made a person cluck like a chicken, quack like a duck or bark like a dog. I’m still working on that… (I joke…)

I love to talk to people about what I do. I do not mind the sneers and jeers, but at Haven Hypnosis & Wellness, we practice kindness.

I understand I am not for everybody. I know I am not the best hypnotist on the planet, either. Every day I am learning, even 20 years later. But that is the beauty of it all. I don’t have to be THE BEST, just have to be the best for you. I am pretty darn good, if I say so, myself. Perhaps I am the best hypnotist for you.

Do you want to know more about what I do and what services I offer, or maybe you want to make hypnosis a career, or learn more about training to be a hypnotist or hypnotherapist, or maybe you want to be a part of the largest hypnosis conference in the world (you don’t have to be a hypnotist to go!)? Message me or call the office. You won’t even have to LOOK INTO MY EYES… I’m happy to chat.

Be well. <3

Love Yourself Anyway

I was moved to tears a few weeks ago during American Idol. Katy Perry asked a contestant, Demi, why she hadn’t pursued a career in music. Demi stated, “because she doesn’t look like other girls…” Ms. Perry went on to give her the best reply, “There’s probably not someone that looks like you because you’re supposed to be the one that looks like you,” Katy told Demi. “That influences all the girls that look like you that don’t feel like they look like anyone else.”

Thank you, Katy, for giving not just girls, all people, inspiration to be courageous enough to be themselves.

Despite what anyone says, despite how you stack yourself up against anyone, just be you… and love yourself anyway.

This is me, age 17…with hair no one understood, with a style that made people shake their heads and dreamy ideas no one thought I would achieve.

This isn’t even my dog and a week before this picture, one side of my hair was longer than the other as I tried to fit in with the 1980s punk rock/skater crowd. Being someone I wasn’t didn’t work for me. The girl in this picture was barely me. I came to accept the true version of me, flaws and all. I’m a better person because of it.

Be you.

Love you.

Do you.

I promise, the rest will fall into place, eventually, if you’re brave enough to dare to just be you.

<3

Witchcraft?

I do not claim to know everything. Below is a post based on what I know and believe to be true, presently. Be aware: just because you speak God’s name does not make you Holy. I am the first to admit that just because I am a licensed minister does not make me Holy. It also does not make me not a sinner, nor perfect. As with most things in life actions and beliefs are driven by, first and foremost… INTENTION! You can lead the most profound, compassionate life and the most heinous, filth-filled life while invoking an praising God. Many of us have beared witness to both examples.

Case in point: This poster was brought to my attention last night. The person who posted it, by all accounts and in my experience with this person, is a kind, loving, genuine human being. Upon sharing this, the person stated they meant no disrespect and apologized for any misunderstandings. That took a lot and speaks well to their character. However, they are not the first to post it. I have family who have posted it in the past, as well. Upon further thought,

I felt compelled to offer insight about this poster. These are my personal and, perhaps, professional opinions. The poster, in and of itself is comical, really. It is just a poster. It was said to me once about the value of intention, “I can open a can of soup and invite Satan in to swim among my oyster crackers with the intention of pursuing evil and acting out accordingly. Doing so does not make soup evil. My actions might.”

These are symbols and practices. People and their intentions and/or people and their misguided judgments make these practices evil — and on the flip side, people can set the intentions for the betterment of self and all and use these practices for the best possible outcomes.

There are quite a few practices on here, which are quite healing and widely used in the wellness/complementary care field. While I have met people during my 48 years who designate themselves as witches, I, myself am not a witch, nor do I practice witchcraft. Of those I have met who state they are witches, none I have ever met are evil. In fact, it is safe to say, one of my closest friends is a witch. It should be noted many of these practices are not witchcraft. I do not claim know everything, but I know this centuries-old rhetoric is misleading and incorrect. While some of these practices may be tied to or used in the different cultures; cultures you or I may not practice nor understand, does not make them witchcraft.

For example:

Yoga: Classical yoga was developed more than 5,000 years ago and is practiced to bring one closer to embrace enlightenment. Largely aligned with Hinduism and Buddhism, not Wiccan or witchcraft, itvis practiced by many people of many different cultures and religions, as well as outside of any deep religious movement. In a post-modern yoga society, and in a wellness context, yoga is a discipline which can be used by the practitioner to learn to control their own thoughts (through meditation practices) and their bodies by increasing muscle strength, tone and flexibility.

Chakras: Sadly, bc of the title of the book: Serpent Power, by Arthur Avalon, my experience is people are misled by what chakras are before even opening the book. Our bodies are like road maps. Chakras are energy meridians on this map. I could educate on the positives and negatives of opening, cleansing and restoring chakra functions, but it is a lot to process. One of my Christian leadership friends likens the Holy Trinity as the three main etho-chakras of Highest Divinity. With or without the practice of understanding and using chakra energy, we can feel positive and negative energy. You just “know” at your core when something doesn’t “feel” right. Our bodies, minds and spirits record these feelings. And much like many of us have done in our homes lately, purging these energies is often necessary for people in order to feel well.

Kundalini: Having just done extensive research for my book: “Haven Hypnosis: Meditation Guide”, Kundalini is a yoga/meditation practice used to strengthen your nervous system and quiet your mind, boost self-confidence and actually used (though not called kundalini) in mainstream Christian cultures, as well. I believe the closest relation I experienced was when I was a practitiner in Catholicism and learned of a term called Incendium Amoris, which means fire of divine love. This practice can bring you closer to the Divine presence of God. It may seem frightening, as when Moses experienced this with the burning bush. However, this type of spirit is precisely the same as experienced in Kundalini – experiencing a love which is giving, tolerant and sacrificing. It is said that, to make sacred is to sacrifice your egoic needs to the Higher self and your Divin­ity. We often think of sacrifice as giving up something. True sacrifice involves no suffering.  In fact, sacrifice is meant to bring you great joy and bliss. Mother Mary is the epitome of this type of spirit in her sacrifice to bring about the life of Christ. However, because of the serpent symbolism of the Kundalini, people refuse to dig deeper and stop at serpent energy and deem it unholy. Kundalini is your life force energy. It’s believed that in those who are unawakened, their energy remains coiled at the base of their spine, like a serpent. For those who have an awakening event and become conscious, the energy spirals upward, toward the Divine.

Hypnotism: Again, a host of benefits, all of which you know I could go even further in depth than I have thus far. These benefits include, but are not limited to: help people overcome phobias, fears, and anxiety, help people sleep better, relieve stress, deal with grief, promote cellular healing, pain management, overcome addictions, etc.

Rosary Beads: Used in prayer. According to the Catholic Exchange: “The rosary has had a long history and gone through many stages of development. The use of prayer beads actually precedes the time of Christ. Hindus used them to help keep track of prayers said throughout the day. In the Christian tradition, early monastic orders would pray the 150 psalms daily. At first they would use 150 pebbles in a small pouch in order to keep track.”

Dream Catchers: The Chippewa Indians believe that night is full of both good and bad dreams. Dream catchers are hung above the place where you sleep it moves freely in the night air and catches the dreams as they drift by, as a symbol to allow for peace-filled sleep. Symbolism, such as this, is scattered throughout Christianity. The dove, for example, is a symbol of peace. It is said, in Matthew 3:16, the Holy Spirit appeared to Jesus as a dove. According to First Nations Monday, the dream catcher has a deeper meaning than just warding off dream states : “The dream catcher, as a whole, represents the Creator’s heart for salvation. The feathers represent the Trinity. The circle represents Creator, the Father.”

Spirit Guides: As a trained Reiki practitioner, I am aware — Spirit, though it can, depending on the invocation, does not ALWAYS imply evil spirit. Is not our Lord and Savior the HIGHEST spirit guide?

Though people often use the terms interchangeably, spirit guides and angels are not the same. Like spirit guides, angels are available for guidance and protection, and embody unconditional love, and wisdom. Angels have a hierarchy in purpose.

I know God bestowed upon me the abilities to lay hands and help mend. I knew this from an early age but did not accept it until recently. Though my family’s religion long practiced the laying of hands and invited the spirit of the Lord to present and heal, somehow my practice was deemed unholy, though i practiced as they practiced– for the betterment of all involved. I still practice this way. If you knew my heart you couldn’t truly make that statement. I am lead by the Divine to help to the highest good, for the betterment of all involved. I can tell you and some clients can attest to God’s spiritual presence in my office.

Several archangels—such as Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, govern different areas of life. Archangel Michael is the angel most called upon for protection and guidance; Raphael is called in more frequently for healing. When I was baptized Catholic, as an adult, I was given a gift which included the Roman Catholic prayer: Angel of God, which serves as a reminder of God’s love, by enjoining the guardian angel to support me.

I have called upon God personally and for my clients, to help protect and heal. God sends us spirit guides and angels. We are each other’s angels right here, right now. Many are proving that these days. Sadly, some are choosing selfishly.

Though not listed here, meditation is sometimes looked upon with similar, misrepresented rhetoric and ideology. Yet, in many Christian religions, prayer and centering prayer is practiced – both of which are meditative rituals.

Educate yourself and yes protect yourself from anything that feels wrong to you. Just because you may feel these practices are not for you does not mean they are not beneficial to some, nor does make it evil. Just as I sure, though given facts here, one might try to argue that my saying it is not evil does not make it not evil. Yes, evil exists. It can exist inside and outside these practices. Many people have done heinous things in the name of God.

I am not typing this long post to change your mind. That is up to you. I am writing this to stand firm on who I am. For far too long I allowed people to make blanket statements about who they thought I was/am, or who they believe my friends and colleagues to be. And this allowed me to believe for too many years I was nothing because I didn’t match their expectations or acceptance.

I won’t stop. I AM in and of Christ. Ordained and licensed to serve in accordance. I will not teach others these things are of the occult, because you’re wrong. If you knew heart and what I am about, you’d understand.

Thanks be to God for the healing gifts bestowed to me. May God bless you, always. Be well. <3

Eating Mindfully

What a difference a year makes!

#mindfuleating #havenhypnosis

Picture #1: A year ago. Hospitalized due to RA stress issues, that I thought I had a handle on, until I didn’t.


Picture #2: Taken June 15, 2019 – My beloved Christopher and me – after his birthday dinner at Copper Mug in Loudonville, Ohio.


Picture #3: Taken June 22, 2019 – Me – taken by a Sandusky Register photojournalist at Sandusky PRIDE

Indeed, what a difference a year makes, but holy moley – what a difference a week makes, right?

Why the drastic change between pictures? (Besides good lighting and different photographers) One reason is mindful eating. In the spirit of transparency, notice pictures 2 and 3 are a week apart. Notice the difference? Aesthetically/physically, it is astounding! Today, I was able to pinpoint the other difference. (No, not my hair!) Gluten and alcohol, intake. Not done mindlessly, mind you. I was aware of my intake and aware of the consequences. I will explain below. Bare with me.

I was told I have the RA factor in 2009. Fortunately, I have never had full-blown RA symptoms, but I have RA flares. The flares happen every so often, usually with little to no warning. Several years ago, my family doctor and my rheumatologist suggested going gluten free, or lowering my gluten intake. Doing so would reduce joint flare up and likely stave off RA symptoms, in general. And it has. I have an intolerance to gluten. For me, gluten throws off the natural flora levels in my gut, causing a flare in symptoms. When you add alcohol, depending on the type and quantity of alcohol, you can actually cause bad flora to ferment and flourish.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information and Health Line Magazine – “red wine actually increased the abundance of bacteria known to promote gut health and decreased the number of harmful gut bacteria.” You can also not drink and/or add probiotics to your diet, under the supervision of your physician, which is what I do, daily.

A year ago, even with my fantastic stress reduction skills and under the watchful eyes of my doctor and specialists, RA flares were out of control due to not being able to manage my stress to the best of my abilities. I got mad at the illness and we both took it out on me. I spent the night in the hospital to ensure all was well. Once I was released, I took myself to task on improving my health and taking back control. I quit my job as a writer for a publishing company two days later. Since then, I have been able to eliminate the stress and live the life I deserve. My health drastically improved. I also meditate daily, do yoga and just work to reduce the stress I can control and let go of what I cannot. So far, it has served me well.

A week ago, we celebrated my husband’s birthday. I indulged in desserts, a glass of wine, (I cannot do more than 2 glasses of wine, anymore) and other foods, with semi-reckless abandon. I was mindful as I made my choices. I chose to indulge against my better interest. One glass of wine, bread before dinner, a sensible entree and cheesecake for dessert, on June 15th… when I was already having an “RA Day” – left me very puffy. (And the rain and humidity did my hair no favors!) Let me say, I have said more than once to my husband, “That picture of us is not my favorite.” -because my inner critic and truth teller knows I do not look healthy!

I not only try to watch what I take in, but how much. Even I do not get it right every time. Sometimes my body will throw me a curve ball, just when I think I am on top of my game. Such is the case on June 15th. Even a little bread, mixed with white wine, was less than beneficial to my system. Notice “try to?” When you try to do something, you are not really doing anything. To try automatically sets you up to accept that failure is a possibility. Today, I learned I owe it to myself to do better than to try. That does not mean I must go without eating or drinking what I love. It just means I must be more mindful and even more moderate in consumption. So perhaps I switch to red wine, rather than white…

Many can enjoy life’s indulgences in moderation. Many cannot. It is your responsibility to know and understand your boundaries and limits. Nothing wrong with living at your level and working from there. Stop comparing yourselves to how others perform or respond. You’re not them. They are not you. If you slip, catch yourself before you fall. You choose by your choices which direction you spiral. Continue to spiral down until there is only darkness and no light or continue to spiral up, enlightened every day, reaching and achieving.

Mindful eating is the practice of being aware of what you put into your body and the awareness on how your body responds. Mindful eating is why I only enjoy a half of a glass of wine, rather than the entire bottle. It is why I only had a few small slices of bread. But seeing the profound changes, physically, makes me MORE MINDFUL and thus, preparing me to take even better care of my body. These daily reminders, sometimes hourly reminders are so profound. My husband and I like food and we like dessert. We now challenge ourselves to find tasty, gluten-free desserts, healthy meals with portions right for us. Which is what Christopher did this weekend when challenged to make not only healthy doughnuts, but healthy strawberry rhubarb pie – and he succeeded, hence the cover picture. It was delicious! Using stevia, honey or agave, in place of sugar, has taken some getting used to. But I remind myself that I once did not like the taste of tomatoes as a child and can now eat them, so this too shall pass. The taste was just different, but not noticeably.

Know this: while there is a lot of vulnerability in me disclosing my truths in this blog post, I make zero excuses. I own my missteps. Acknowledgment and awareness keep my momentum moving. Vulnerability allows me to grow. No one grows in their comfort zone. Step up and stand up! Own your choices and then keep moving forward, so you do not fall backwards into the rut. I am human and work at being the best human I can be, daily. And humans make mistakes. I have no regrets, though. Every misstep is an opportunity to grow and learn something about myself. Dwelling and wallowing in self-pity and excuses does nothing but send you spiraling downward.

It is so easy to get off track. It is easy to get back on track, staying on track takes work. Everything worthwhile usually does. So, as I work to walk my talk, mindful eating is always a part of my life plan. Even I slip, from time to time, and I KNOW exactly what I am doing, when I do it. I refrain from beating myself up. I live, learn and move on. We all have slips. Some are costly. Others just make us look bad. So, as I vow to make better choices today, I vow to increase that throughout my day. No pressure! Because today is all we have. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.

So be your best you, today. Perhaps the momentum will carry you throughout the day, into tomorrow and for a lifetime.

Yours in wellness,

Nora

Sow Good Seeds 

Life is full of disappointment and grief. I have been dealing with both for a few days now. Disappointment and grief are as much a part of life as celebration and joy. Some times in life we may become disappointed in circumstances life hands you. Some times in life we may become disappointed in others. They may view your choices no longer in line with their ideology. You may mourn the loss of what you thought was a kinship, or you may say: Cie La Vie!

People like to push their opinions and demands upon others, which is often the cause for such disagreement and grief. You can choose to own those opinions and demands and in some scenarios, doing so feels like an obligation. Maybe it’s life or death. Still, in many ways, we face choices in both.

Some might say I push opinions with The Wednesday Word, my blog, etc.. However it’s not a push or demand because you choose to read it. You choose to follow and like this page or read the blogs.

Life is also full of choices. People may assume because you are an empathetic, kind, compassionate being that you are obligated to be that all the time, in every situation and to all people. While we may strive to be so, we may fall short or we may speak out intentionally against a person behaving unjustly. As the saying goes, you are either assertive or a bitch.

Everyone isn’t going to like you. Everyone is not going to agree or cater to your whim. They’re not obligated to. I practice being kind to others, daily. I also call people out and hold them accountable. It is part of my job, after all. It is easy to be kind to others. It is not an obligation. It is not an easy choice to put up boundaries and be firm or question people’s motives. What you are obligated to do is look out for yourself. That is not a selfish act. It’s a necessary act. Sometimes you may feel obligated to act on behalf of others. This is also a choice. It is my default to be kind to anyone I come across and even nicer to the people I love, care about and cherish. It almost feels like I AM obliged to be kind, but I am not. There are those people out there who feel entitled to step over boundaries. If they didn’t know said boundaries existed and you square up those boundaries and they “clap back” – good for them for standing for what they believe, even if they are wrong.

People can agree to disagree. When those boundaries are crossed and disagreements become insults, take back your control of your boundaries. Distance from the strife is often necessary in order to allow the seeds you plant to blossom. You need to weed in order to sow good seeds. You don’t need to be kind to people who don’t appreciate it, however, you can choose to. You can also choose to be kind to those you think deserve it or need it. If they behave in an undeserving manner, you can choose to continue to nourish the weed or nourish the seed. You’re only obligated to nourish one. If you’re both beautiful beings who just cannot blossom together, bow to the time when you could and you did, take a big breath in and when you exhale, watch your seeds soar and easily take up root in another spot. Rest and be well until the wind calls you to adjust your boundaries again.

As I face yet another health strife, I know the importance of resting and setting boundaries. I’m not prepared to grow anything except healthy cells. This means weeding, meditating, making unpopular choices and speaking truthfully. Things I have always done, why change now? Assertive or bitch? I accept both, graciously.

Seeds I’ve planted in my 47 years are a plentiful bounty. Of that I am most confident. You’re also not obligated to always adapt to the energy around you. You choose to set the tone and influence the energy. Negative energy can suffocate, like the weeds, if you let it. Others may attempt to guilt you when your light reflects the image of their own guilt and shame. Stay true. You know you. Be unapologetically you. Perfectly imperfect. Keep shining your light. It will light your path and shine a spotlight on where you need to plant, help nourish what you sow and where you need to grow. Your light can linger into the darkest places and warm some cold hearts. It will show you an entire kaleidoscope of one’s true colors. If people choose to dance in your light, great! If they try to burn you out, flip the switch, turn on the strobe and disco ball and dance to your own drum — and remember to whom you are obligated. Reap the goodness of what you sow.

-Namaste’

A Living Miracle

Albert Einstein once said:

“There are only two ways to live your life: One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

I attempted suicide for the first time at age 12. A handful of my father’s pain pills would make my pain disappear. See, I did not want to die, nor did I understand my actions could lead to death. I just wanted the pain I was feeling to go away. I wanted to not live the life I was being forced into. Years of physical abuse by my father, emotional abuse by my mother and sexual abuse by my sibling caused me to feel unworthy, unloved and never appreciated. Miracles did not exist for me before downing that potentially fatal dose of Darvocet. My miracle came when I woke up. Waking up felt like anything but a miracle. I was pissed I had to continue to endure this crude storm God put me in.

At age 16, I got into a horrendous car accident, flipping my car end over end, into a field. I do not recall much after landing, except my then boyfriend pulling me from the wreckage and us running for help. He swears he couldn’t have, as he was at the next farm house calling for help because I was stuck in the car, with my left arm pinned under the roof. I got home and my father was not happy I survived and said as much. He was more upset the car was totaled. I remember asking God that night why He continued to use me as a pawn in this chess game of life.

At age 17, my father beat me bloody over reminding him he needed to drive me to a Young Author’s Conference at a nearby school, or I needed the car so I could go. He didn’t believe that I was really going to be at this conference. He called me all kinds of horrendous names before slamming his fist into my face, repeatedly, before I somehow managed to move and his fist went into my bedroom wall. I did not understand how I managed to escape. I went to my grandparents house next door. My grandfather told me I probably deserved it. My grandmother wanted to help, but my grandfather’s words and actions felt her paralyzed with fear. So I went home. I was beat, again. This time, I called my friend Donny, who hid me until I could figure out what to do in order to be safe. I did not have a plan. I had no idea what to do or where to go. So many people turned their backs on me. This time I cursed God. WHY would you allow a child to endure such agony, and for what? No one wanted to stand up to my father, and I had no faith in the adults around me, so I chose not to go to authorities because I figured they would turn against me too. So I was forced to go home. My father’s abuse stopped after that, but my sibling would continue the sexual abuse. By the time I married for the first time, at age 20, I was a mom and one very broken human being.

My first marriage was not short of its own dysfunction, but we had three living, breathing miracles. Our miracle was we all survived one fateful date in September 2000. Up until that day, I assumed my life was destined to be that first part of the Einstein quote: as though nothing was a miracle. I was not supposed to have the three beautiful children I was blessed with. Not even then did I believe in miracles. Doctors make mistakes. I chalked it up to just that. Doctors were wrong, I was not infertile. Surviving two cancer scares, legal troubles, nasty divorce and custody case, the list goes on, I still did not see the miracles.

I started my hypnosis journey amidst all the chaos. To this day, I am unsure how I managed to work, take care my my children, go to college and attend hypnosis certification classes. Then again, maybe I do know. Yet another miracle I would not awaken to until much later. It was around this time I met my now husband, Christopher. We were not supposed to meet, but that is a story for another day. Fate aligned and we met and have been married now, very happily, since 2005. After meeting Christopher it dawned on me one day. I cannot see my miracles because I cannot see myself. I had been living life under the cloud of everyone else’s unrealistic expectations. Until I cleared that smoke away myself, I could not own the other part of that Einstein quote: EVERYTHING is a miracle! Surviving the overdose, surviving all kinds of abuse, having three beautiful babies, even marrying, surviving and divorcing my ex is some kind of miracle. Christopher is beyond miraculous. I have never known a love like this, until now. I did not think this kind of love existed. It wasn’t until I could love myself, though, that I could appreciate this love and the love of my children. We are all living miracles and everything IS a miracle, just as Einstein said.

Einstein also said, “Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others, it is the only means.” 

I have not always lived the life I deserve.  I felt I was bound by others expectations and unrealistic boundaries, until I knew better.  I had to learn to love myself, in spite of everyone else. I still have downs, but I have far more ups and now understand my downs better. I found my faith again, stopped blasting God and started tuning into myself. Because of these things and the power of positivity, combined with the right tools and a safe and supportive space to grow, I now nurture myself through tough times and count every breath as a miracle.  These assets also opened me up to discover paths in life I had no idea existed. I am one powerful person! I remind myself, daily.

Some people, I’ve learned, are offended by my ‘rah-rah’ personality, now. Goes to show you, you cannot please everyone. The power of positivity is more than thinking, it is a necessary lifestyle. This lifestyle is the foundation I begin with to help build up every client.  Owning this lifestyle has helped me overcome so much. My journey, as you can see, has not been easy. I had to chose to live in order to live. I had no idea for the first half of my life that I actually had a choice! Coming to that realization and owning this lifestyle has lead me to a few fantastic opportunities, one being the owner of Haven Hypnosis & Wellness, the best jobs on the planet, next to wife, mother and Nani (grandmother). Every day. I am blessed with opportunities to help my clients discover and/or make their own paths, uncover their potential and live their lives authentically and yes, witness their own miracles.  How cool is that?

Now, it is not only an expectation that I live the life I deserve, because it is my job to walk my talk — but it is an obligation to self, to my family and to my clients, to be the best version of me I can be.  Do I have bad days?  Certainly, we all do.  I have learned it is just as important to be positive as it is to permit yourself to not be okay.  Cry.  It is your body and spirit’s way of working together to purge the negativity so you can embrace the positivity.  Allow yourself time and space to heal so you can truly appreciate being whole.  It IS the only means, to live by your own good example.  That is your legacy.  Do not take 30 years to unleash it, like I did. Live your best life now.

Thank YOU for allowing me to share my miracles, to witness your miracles and allowing me to show you how to live the life you deserve!