Facebook Link

My businesss Facebook page is up.  Check it out at:  www.facebook.com/soulisticadventures

Website hopefully up soon.  Keep checking back.

To the adventure,

Take Time to Play

Well, I knew it would happen.  I burned myself out.  I hit my own wall recently.  We all do it to yourselves, don't we?  In our busy world, we all have a tendency to go, go, go.... in my case, when I am enthused and passionate about something, I typically put 200% into what I do, working relentlessly, with focus and detail.  I have to be honest, I don't know when to stop sometimes and then, I too, seek out something playful to do to re-balance myself and to come back refreshed, alert and ready to go. 


So, what do you do when you feel yourself beginning to short circuit? - you know....when you feel the tingling of nerve endings below the surface of your skin, your digestive system tightening up into a knot or simply feeling exhausted leaving little space for calm rational thought, so you start snapping real easily (and not being proud of it)....


....YOU TAKE A BREAK AND TUNE IN TO PLAY!!!


 1.   Observe your natural surroundings such as playful dolphins in the ocean - carefree, enjoying the elements, and going with the flow.   Just watching nature at it's best can stimulate a sense of joy and in turn breathe new life into seeking out a fun activity for yourself.

Play like the dolphin!

2.  Take a spur of the moment trip.  Get in the car, step on the gas and just go.  Exploring new places and seeing different surroundings is a great way to play and experience that child-like sense of discovery.  

3.   Move your body - but choose something playful that you did when you were younger to bring out the child-like joyful quality of playing, being creative and having  pure fun.

You are never too old to hula hoop!

4.  Giggle until you wiggle - In other words, LAUGH and LAUGH WELL until your abs feel sore.  Allow laughter to help you shake the tension away and lighten your load.  A good belly laugh is a great outlet - gets the blood flowing and is just a great overall feel good playful experience that is available anytime and anywhere.

There are many, many more examples, but guess what?   I need to go out and play!!

To the adventure,

Emotional Guides

Pay Attention to Emotions

Jumping For Joy

When something evokes an emotion, pay attention.   I bought this photograph at an Arts & Craft Show in Beverly Hills, CA in May 2008.  It is actually 12"x18" and finished very nicely.  I was visiting a friend near my old neighborhood of Burbank where I had lived from 1990-1996.  We had just come from visiting our Alma Marta at California State University and touring around other old haunts, and I was flooded with memories - and comparing then to now (not a constructive thing to do by the way).  I was still swirling in old emotional baggage and in contemplation of my current state of affairs.  My heart was not at rest, and I had a lot to yet figure out.  

So, when I came upon this photograph amongst the artist's display of his many other beautiful selections, I had to literally catch my breath as it struck my emotional chord in a profound way.  Simultaneously (I kid you not)....BOOM!... my heart and soul was hit with two emotions - joy and sadness -  that both caused me to choke down tears which became actual tears.  

I was a mess.  I didn't know which one to focus on.  On one hand, it evoked tears of joy as I saw me as the woman on the right leaping with so much happiness and pure joy of spirit - celebrating life and living to the fullest -  that's what I wanted, that's what I knew I felt in my heart and was capable of, however, at the same time, I choked down tears of sadness and heartache as I realized I wasn't there yet - that wasn't me yet as I was still living in pain - in the sludge - still in my own way - not living my true essence.

What's so unique and special about this photograph is that the emotions it provoked gave me a lot of messages:

1. It gave me inspiration to keep going - to figure out what the heck was holding me back.  
2. It told me that I am joyful at heart and that I want and deserve joy - not pain.
3. It told me I was still in pain and that I need to stop and let it go.
4. It told me I have support (depicted by the other silhouette representing my friend and all those that love me unconditionally) - that I have people who care and are holding me up, shining and carrying the light until I get there.

I didn't purchase it at that moment.  Instead, I obsessed over it the whole time we were at the show. It was costly and they only accepted cash or check, and I didn't have enough cash on me nor did I have my checkbook.  That was resolved, but the point is..... WOW!  I was so glad that I did buy it as it was an important investment in my path and really helped me out.  I took it home and put it up in my bedroom and there it remains today.  I see it everyday when I wake up - even before I step out of bed as it is in proper view from my pillow.  And, I am happy to say, I am leaping now and it's only the beginning!

So, take notice of your emotions. Listen to your body.  Be aware and allow life to show you signs and clues to your path.  Your emotions are a powerful source of information.  They are an internal guide to your soul and well being. 

Are you paying attention to your emotions?

To the adventure,

Lining Things Up!
Creating a Dream While Tolerating Other Areas in Your Life

Taken Jan 2012 - by Yonkers Train Station - Yonkers, NY

My current day-to-day during the week is at a full-time job that is a big time downer and over the disappointing years of any kind of improvement (in fact it's gotten more absurd),  it has dwindled down to it's "just a paycheck" and for how long? -  that is even questionable!  I know this is a familiar state for many, and sometimes, we do have to grin and bear it, however, in the long run, I refuse to "settle" if my heart yearns for more and if I have the power to change things, I will.  When all attempts fail to make a current situation better and it's out of your control, then you simply have to make a decision then take steps to move on. 

So what do you do when you have a dream, but you still have to be tolerating a little bit longer? 

You line things up!

Below are five important first steps that I've taken and that may help you to line things up for yourself:

1.  MAKE A DECISION -  At this point, you've already felt the warning signs, the pain, the disappointment, the feeling that something is not quite right, or a burning desire to do something else.  It's time to make a decision - no more whining, getting depressed, angry or frustrated - be honest with yourself, dig deep into your heart and decide what you want.

2.  DAILY LEANS TOWARDS YOUR GOAL - no matter how large or small, take one daily action step that leans you towards your goal.  Even if your day is still at a 99% toleration level - so you give 1% towards an action that will support your goal.  Another day, you'll be able to give more and it will build and build.  Whatever it is - just do it, giving yourself credit and self-compassion during the process.  Before you know you it, you'll be nudging up to your goal.   

3.  KEEP INTEGRITY - honor your decision that you made to yourself - keep in alignment by keeping integrity with actions that support your goal.  Remember the goal is to support you - when at all possible, choose the action that will move you towards your goal - not away from it. There is no perfect or 100% at all times - but more often than not, strive for choices that support you and your goal.

4.  KEEP TRACK - Keep a file, notebook, folder, "to do" list - whatever you choose - but some kind of system that helps keep you on track.  This will get more intense as your goal becomes more and more of a reality and when the percentage of time you are able to devote to your goal shifts to the positive.

5.  WHEN IT GETS TOUGH, BE REAL & STAY TRUE - When the tolerating situation gets the best of you (and it will some days), remember that you are on the right track.  Look in your notebook, your folder, at your "to do" list and remember that you just happened to slip at that moment.  You are on the right track, you are leaning towards your goal on a daily basis, and the pendulum is indeed shifting to your favor.

Hudson River - Yonkers, NY (Jan 2012)

THE END

(couldn't resist!)

To the adventure,



The Vision

My Vision Board - Created Dec 2011

Visions are Clues to Your Inner Self

Yes, folks - there it is!  My Vision Board.  It was so big (almost 4ft x 3ft), I had to paste two large boards together and honestly, it still was not enough space!  I have a tendency to be a very big dreamer.

So, my journey to create Soulistic Adventures began to take shape and form by creating this vision board.  I worked on this feverishly in one day (as I have a natural and sometimes annoying tendency to obsess over something until I get it done - especially if it's something I love to do) - but I digress (I do that a lot too) - ha!

For years, I have accumulated thoughts on paper, even tiny pieces of paper when an idea struck - grasping for a writing utensil and finding whatever I could to write my ideas on - notepads, post-it notes, corners of paper bags, napkins, formal typed versions of concepts on the computer, written versions, words, phrases, pictures I cut out from magazines or any printed material that struck my fancy.  My ideas are all thrown into a folder and it's quite interesting to see how my concepts and ideas have changed over the years when I take the time to sit down and look through it all.  

One thing I noticed, however, when looking through this folder was that I always had an underlying theme about being well from the inside out.  I was always interested in the core inner being of a person and knew in my heart that if that was healthy then all the outside obsessions that our culture dwells upon would be healthy too.


My biggest struggle was putting together my voice in a cohesive way that would make sense to share it with the world and to create a sound business structure to function successfully and professionally.   So, I finally focused BIG TIME on this particular project - to seriously take the time to put my ideas all together in one place visually so I could bring my vision from words, ideas and thoughts to a visual format - a visual format all in one place that gives it an even bigger life and an opportunity to receive clarity.  

This process of making ideas visualized is very powerful.  It's a clear way to define your intentions - to make them real.  By seeing it this way, I was able to see my feelings in some form of structure, and I was finally able to begin defining  my vision and my voice. It also helped me to do some mind-mapping (a future blog topic).  Even now, I still tweak my plan as the board provides constant feedback when I get stuck or when I read back my written thoughts and compare it to what I see to check if it's in alignment with my voice.  I was also able to develop my business name and logo by staring at it for inspiration and drafting out my sketches and ideas.  Cool, right!

My vision board is still hanging up, and I look at it all the time.  Sometimes I happen to brush by it giving me a playful childlike grin as it reminds me that I'm  "tuning" in to myself and realizing my dream day by day.  Sometimes I just stand in front of it pausing to breathe it in, reading every word and noticing every single detail as it recaps my heart and provides another window into my soul bringing excitement for the future and tears of joy.  I will keep it up for who knows how long as it remains an inspiration - a starting point on my path to bring my idea to life and to deliver my dream to you.  

So, I would encourage all of you to create your version of a Vision Board.  Be creative - make it yours.... and please note that it does not have to be for a business plan, it could be what you want in a relationship, what you want your home to look and feel like, what vacation you want to go on, what you want your life to look and feel like....whatever you are feeling and desire - or simply to have fun and ENJOY!  It helps give life to your thoughts which in turn creates a reality towards your dreams and further insight into who you are.

Vision boards are truly a window into your soul.

To the adventure,