This has been a transforming year for me. I have discovered  things about myself that have been grossly neglected for decades. Yesterday, as I wrote in my journal about the past week, the following  imagery engulfed my imagination and I let it flow…Here is what I saw:

Being a visionary and entrepreneur is a part of who I have always been. “She” was always here, but for 40 years, I have allowed her to be quietly escorted to a basement room in my mind and locked away.  No one mentions that room…what may be in that room.

Until…

In September 2016, Someone started inquiring about the temple (My Body)…started assessing its condition and its spaces. Then, that room in the basement was uncovered and it was revealed that it was named, “Visionary and Builder”. I never knew it existed but I now wanted to get inside to see what was in there.

Belief was the key that opened the heavy, wooden door. Once opened, there “she”sat…waiting. She was smiling and there was a sparkle in her eyes. “Are you ready to shine now? Because I am!”

I reached for her hand and looked deeply into her eyes. They were electrifying! As she walked me through this room, she showed me rows and  rows of books with my name on it. As I opened one book after another, I discovered she had been creating ideas, concepts and products that the world needed. I also saw walls filled with statements of faith and belief in who she says Dawn is:

“I am successful.”

“I am powerful.”

“I am needed.”

“I am irreplaceable.”

“I am a visionary.”

“I am valuable”

“I am a creator of healing spaces.”

I looked at them, then looked at her. I then asked a question, “Who put you in here? Why did they put you here?

She looked at me…almost sad.

“You put me here. You were convinced that I was not needed or wanted for your life. The people in your life made you believe it and you accepted it…until now! I heard movement outside that door for the first time in decades. That is when I knew my time in here was coming to an end. So, I prepared for your arrival so that you would NEVER AGAIN doubt who you truly are. Now, let’s go! This temple must be finished soon. There is much work to be done within it and outside of it. I already know what to do…Follow My Lead.”

The visionary and entrepreneur has been released and my entire life is about to change!

I would like to give you an assignment today. It may take you a day to accomplish…it may take you all year. The timeframe of completion is not important. Instead, the decision to accept this assignment and purpose to complete it IS. What is the assignment? Answer this question,

What are practical ways that I can display courage in the midst of chaos?

 

We are all told to ‘take courage’ when things appear to be spiraling out of control in our life. Have you ever thought to yourself, “how exactly do I take courage when I am afraid of what I am seeing around me?” A quote by Nelson Mandela is the first step in answering the question – accepting the truth that courage does not mean that you are not afraid.

Accepting the Presence of your Fears

Courage is defined as “the ability to do something that frightens one”. Yes you may experience fear, concern or worry. BUT, you will not stay in that space of fear, concern or worry. You feel it and then walk towards it. What does that look like? For me, that looks like cancelling the inner dialogue that bombards my mind as I manage a project that I am inexperienced in. The situation did not change externally, but I made the decision to change internally.

Confront the Chaos

Sometimes, we fall into the trap of avoiding the chaos in our life and world. We believe that if we do not engage with it, we will not be impacted by it. “Yeah, I see that mess over there, but if I begin to deal with it, it will hurt or be uncomfortable! I don’t want that!” And your plan may seem to work for a time…until your energy is sapped by your avoidance mechanisms! It is tiresome to continually strategize how to avoid a person, location or conversation. Picture yourself as the little girl in the image above. Your destination is straight ahead, but so is your personal ‘chaos’. You can decide to trek through the grass and unpaved pathways. Even though this path is unclear visually, it is safely away from the chaos you are seeking to avoid so you reason that it is worth a try. But, we all know that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. The same holds true with our confrontation of the chaos in our world. See it. Accept that it is there. Remember that the discomfort is temporary and then move towards it.

So, now it is your time to think about your strategy for having courage in the midst of chaos. Our world is moving in a direction where navigating through chaotic situations will become a necessity! Prepare your heart and mind by considering the answer to this assignment. Share your thoughts with me! You can connect with me here WordPress or on Facebook at Atmospheres of Wellness.

Picture this…One day, you are given a key.

This key is one-of-a-kind and irrevocable. This key gives you access to a storage house with your name on it. You are capable of gaining access to this space at ANY time. The contents of this storage house is EVERY THING you will EVER need on this Earth.

You are gifted with this key because of your connection to the One with  limitless resource.

The following month, you receive notice that you are immediately required to address an issue that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. You begin to think, ” I am unable to address this issue. I do not have the resources to handle this! How am I going to address this? Why is this happening to me! God, why are you allowing this to happen?!” Meanwhile, the key that gives you access to EVERY THING you will EVER need on this Earth is sitting there available for your use. All you need to do is take hold of it and use it!

Isn’t that crazy?

You have forgotten your key! All I need to do is go to my storage house, use my key and access from my resources to resolve my issue! Unfortunately, most of us never get to this point.

Do you know what the ‘key’ is?

What we BELIEVE gives us ACCESS to the provision for our lives. What I BELIEVE will PRODUCE my REALITY. If I believe that I have NO LACK in my life because of Who I am connected to, then I will have no doubt when challenges and situations present themselves. My response will be, “Oh, I have a solution for that issue because I BELIEVE in my Source of limitless supply!” And then, move forward in FAITH that the solution is resolved while I wait on the manifestation of the answer. Remember this statement:

Seeing IS NOT believing! FAITH is believing!

…so, what do you believe? Does that line up with the vision you have for your life? Does your faith compliment your level of belief?

Think about it…

My life has drastically changed over the past 4 months. My consciousness has been expanded and enlarged to see farther than I can look. I have taken up residence in the realm of possibility. My mental DNA has evolved past my familial limiting beliefs. I am a new creature. I am experiencing life through new eyes, ears and power. And as with all newborns, we crave exposure to new people, scents, places and cultures.

Oxford Dictionaries define this word in 3 ways, but for my purposes, I will focus on these two:

the state of being exposed to contact with something:

the revelation of an identity or fact, especially one that is concealed or likely to arouse disapproval

I made a conscious decision to expose my life to the possible ridicule and criticism of others. For months, I allowed the opinion of a few to impact my reach to many. I wanted to cradle and cuddle with my new found passion as a mother with a newborn baby. And it felt good…it was safe. Therein was the danger and potential trap for my future.

Growth is impossible to maintain in isolation. We need people to develop our skills, talents and abilities. We thrive in relationships because we were created for the connection. Exposure and Relationship are interconnected and for years, I wanted to deny this truth. Until recently, I wanted to be successful without telling anyone about it. I wanted the support of many without saying a word. I see now that I was being selfish and self-centered. Those actions were not from a place of love and healing. Instead, I was operating from a place of fear and self-preservation.

My heart and mind have been elevated to a level of connection that understands that although time alone with myself and God are my foundation, I must get up off my knees and do the work He has given me to do!

I am a storyteller with healing in my words and in my hands!

There are so  MANY in our world today crying out for reassurance that goodness, peace and prosperity are possible for them. Connecting my life to theirs is the exposure necessary for success and growth – for their life and mine.

So, what about you? Have you been avoiding exposure as a nocturnal creature avoids the sunlight? Are you shying away from the divinely established platform God has been trying to give you? Re-assess your intentions for your life and your family. Then ask yourself, “To what end am I doing these things? For whom is this all for? And then…

It.Is.Time.

 

I decided to head home for lunch today. As I plan for my upcoming year, I am eating at home more rather than spending unnecessarily at restaurants. I made my meal, ate it slowly and reviewed my social media accounts – typical process for me lately. Looking at the clock, I begin to gather my things and head out the door.

Driving down the street, thoughts of Starbucks popped into my mind. ” I would love something sweet right now!”

Wait, WHAT??

I literally just finished an entire meal no more than 5 minutes ago. Could I possibly be hungry again? And if so, why am I specifically craving a pastry?? Then it hit me and I stated out loud, ” You’re not hungry! You have a HABIT!”

(I really enjoyed the Hunger Games! No relation to food, but it was great to me!)

But, I had to tell myself that what I was experiencing was not real! Yes, it felt very real but it was all in my mind. My body had zero need for sustenance at that time. I did, however, have an emotions need that I was seeking to fill.

Can you relate? Do you eat to think a problem through? Do you eat to reward a ‘job well done”? Do you eat to forget your problems and challenges? Notice that none of these reasons relate to food hunger. The connecting thread is an emotional gap that requires fulfillment.

Challenge your sudden desires for food. Are you truly hungry or simply satisfying a habit? You physical and emotional wellbeing are worth protecting from habits that no longer serve you. Doing the work of self-worth, value and purpose will greatly increase your capacity for love, joy and peace. I am so thankful for this discipline. I now have an intention for my eating and a boundary to protect my truest, deepest desires.

Be.Well.

 

At this point in the year, many of us are planning and dreaming of something better than what we experienced in 2016. Maybe we are dreaming of more success in business, love and influence? Possibly we are planning for a better commitment to our physical wellbeing? And there are some who are simply planning to plan for a better future! Whichever category you have placed yourself in, I wanted to deposit a quick thought into your process…

Did you shine?

You are probably wondering exactly what do I mean by ‘shine”? You may be thinking, ‘If she only knew what hell I experienced this year1″, or ” How can I shine when I have no one to experience life with?” Well, I am here to share a simple truth with you…

Darkness can come in form of a loss in your life. I lost my grandmother earlier this year and that was a challenging time for me. Have you loss someone you loved in 2016?

Darkness can come in the form of health challenges. This was one of THE painful years for me in terms of health and wellbeing.  Has your body suffered this year?

Darkness can come in the form of broken marriages, homes and relationships with loved ones. Have you experienced a broken heart or spirit at the hand of another?

Darkness comes into our lives and this is part of our human experience. But, it is not merely the darkness that causes us to shine.

It is what we DO IN THE MIDST of the darkness!

I am sure we all know people who collapse under the pressure of life and never recover. They focus on the darkness and not their light. They lose hope in the possibility of the darkness lifting. I am here to tell you this unwavering truth… The darkness will ALWAYS lift! It is a temporary condition  with temporary impact…as long as you understand it’s purpose. And the purpose is to polish you…to perfect you..to strengthen you.

Oxford Dictionaries define ‘shine’ as to “make (an object made of leather, metal, or wood) bright by rubbing it; polish”. To the trained eye, a tarnished piece of silver with intricate detail, beautiful curves, and weight is a precious discovery! The tarnish does not diminish the value of the piece. The collector understands that the piece simply requires restoration. The rubbing off of the tarnish may be tedious, dirty and time-consuming, but with expectant hope and unwavering faith, the collector can already see the precious gift awaiting them.

Our lives are that precious gift! Resist the temptation to disregard your challenges. Allow your life to shine! The rubbing process is temporary! The darkness covering you right now will fade away. Shine brightly in the midst of the darkness! You will not only encourage and empower yourself, you will impact the lives of others in ways you can hardly imagine.

 Shine.Bright.

I wanted to share a glimpse into my heart…into the mind of a developing, growing and evolving woman who desires more for her life. This process started years ago, but my rebirth is very recent.

Sometimes, to truly start living, parts of your life must cease to exist. I came to that crossroad in September 2015. Coming face to face with the realization that my time on this earth could have ended due to an illness that was unseen shifted my focus. Experiencing life from a place of limitation, enforced medications and suspension of my passions changed me. The Dawn that existed before that moment was no longer and in her place was a being searching for purpose, meaning and answers. I felt so confused, alone and vulnerable…and I hated it! I yearned for the times when I knew exactly what I could and could not do. A times when I trusted my body and my intuition…a safer time.  Even as I write this blog post, I am remembering the hazy vision I held for myself and the depression that was knocking at my door. Self-pity, condemnation and fear were beginning to take up residence in my mind and I almost gave them full access to my life…

But then, He stepped in and reminded me of this one thing…

I am not finished! Get up, Dawn!

When I heard these words, I knew what He meant and I knew that I had to fight through spiritually what I was experiencing physically.

Generations were waiting on me! I have seeds to sow…life to share…

When my wake-up call came through, it was June 2016. I was recovering from surgery, enjoying first-time home ownership, and preparing for my son’s 15^th birthday. My mind was swirling with emotions, desires and concerns yet I knew that this was all about to change. I began seeking resources on changing your mindset. There is so much information out there but nothing connected with me and where God was leading me. Being a lover of research, wisdom and books, I pursued my mental healing with a passion. I was lead to a life coach whose approach, teaching and lessons helped me to adjust my vision for myself and my purpose. She helped me realize that before I could get anyone else to believe in me, I needed to believe in myself! Not just the thoughts from my family, friends and co-workers, but God’s thoughts about me. And once I learned what He thought of me, I needed to ERASE ALL DOUBT! And my journey towards a miraculous, aggressive mindset renewal began. Unearthing the deeply buried limiting beliefs was an uncomfortable process but liberating at the same time. Day by day, the scales began to fall from my eyes and the plugs out of my ears…and it was like I was seeing and hearing for the first time.

 

God is so amazing!

And it was during this time that God allowed me to have a glimpse into the life He always desired for me. A life that was lying dormant within my mind that I refused to believe was possible. I refused to believe it because others told me that it was not for me.

A life of abundance

A life of prosperity

A life of love and peace

A life of wholeness

It was always there for me…I just would not receive it. I left it sitting there like an unopened gift from an unsuspecting recipient. Why you may ask? Well, because I allowed the words of others to create my reality.

Our words (and the words of others) are powerful tools. They can create life or death both intentionally and accidentally. You will notice I write about that in every post I create because I am a believer in the power of our words. God created EVERYTHING from a word! And we are created in His image…what does that tell you?

I decided to speak life over myself and my destiny. To believe in my gifts, talents and abilities. To believe that I had something to offer the world that would leave an impact for generations to come. And that is when Atmospheres of Wellness was born!

I am an architect by training and I am currently working towards licensure. I have a passion for creating healing environments that promote wellness – both in the workplace and home space. I am a healer by nature and I learned this truth as I took the time to discover who He said I am. Additionally, I am committed to living a clean life – in my foods, conversations and actions. I am learning as much as I can about holistic healing, clean eating and alternative medicines. I am a lover of essential oils and I believe in its ability to heal and soothe our bodies. I am a lover of life and a believer in the value of all life. I am a valuable person capable of greatness and impact. And THAT is my vision for my life. That is what I bring to the table of life and everyone who sits with me will experience encouragement, fulfillment and peace. That is who I am…

So…I thank you all for journeying with me. I thank you all for giving of your most precious resource to walk with me – your time! I do not take that investment lightly. As you read my blog, or my product posts on Facebook (Atmospheres Of Wellness), I believe that you will receive exactly what you need when you need it most. I believe that you will leave fuller than you came. And I also believe that the deposits you receive will produce a harvest of blessing in your life. THAT is my definition of wellness…and I AM an artisan of atmospheres of wellness.

Blessings to you all!

 

(Please Note: I take no credit for the images used. Google has provided them all!)