Tag: wholeness

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The Top of the Mountain

Our lunchtime view by Heart Lake in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.
The Top of the Mountain

The journey between our feet and the top of the mountain can be our biggest obstacle.

Our vacation is far behind us but the pictures quickly bring back the memories. This particular day found us at a picnic area overlooking the frozen Heart Lake in Yellowstone Park. My eyes intently focused on the top of the mountains as I soaked up every single minute of this space of tranquility. It didn’t seem cold even though each breath we exhaled was proof of the cold temperatures. The peace that surrounded our little moment far exceeded the current climate. It was something I wanted to bundle up and tuck away in my heart.

I realized that peace is easy to sense when you’re sitting in complete comfort with all of your needs supplied and no obligations demanding your attention. It’s also easy to sense when you can simply stare at the top of the mountain and declare how beautiful it is.

BUT what if you’re looking at the top of that mountain as your desired destination and all you can see is the path between your feet and the snow-capped pinnacle? What if your life depends on you conquering that road and its obstacles in order to challenge your real potential? What if the desire to know yourself better outweighs the desire to remain complacent in this journey we call life? What if you can’t live with yourself if you don’t TRY to meet the challenge?

I ask these questions because I truly love to be in the company of people who cannot even look at that mountain without thinking of a way to scale its terrain. They hold a glimmer of adventure in their eye. One can see their “wheels” turning!

It behooves anyone to surround themselves with these types of folks. They have no fear of failure because the odds of succeeding are just as great if not more. Frankly, failure is way overrated. I believe failure only happens if you never put one foot forward. Instead, it’s about mindset, determination, courage, and confidence. It’s about DECIDING you can do it.

As I lowered my eyes I began to see the vast frozen lake in front of us. The mountains stand in their majesty holding their own difficult course. But what about the journey before the mountain? The lake itself held one danger after another and it had to be conquered en route to the mountain?

The voyage before the mountain top experience can be the scariest and offer defeat.

Okay – enough – my point is this. Life is meant to be lived. Your life, my life, and everyone else who holds breath in their lungs. We are creatures with potential beyond anything else on this earth. Many times that potential is squelched because we find a comfortable spot and set up a lifetime camp while the view of the mountaintop becomes so familiar we don’t even look at it anymore. The longer we camp in one spot, the longer and harder the journey seems to present itself. It looks too hard to conquer and we get all tripped up in the nitty-gritty details until we talk ourselves right out of any possibilities of embarking on any new expeditions.

I leave you with this encouragement. Take a good and hard look at your mountain. This time, devise a plan to start moving toward that mountain top. Even if you have to navigate the frozen waters of fear and doubt. Each step you take is one step closer to success. More importantly, each time you take a step forward, the potential within is coming to the forefront. Excitement and courage begin to take the place of fear and doubt. Stamina strengthens and the muscles of faith begin to ignite! Release that potential inside yourself that has been there all the time!

It is true that “life is but a vapor”. Make sure you LIVE IT and by all means

Enjoy the Journey-VB

Check out some of our latest music released this year! It too holds a mountain top experience!

It's in the Music
https://lifesgoldenseason.com/its-in-the-music/
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In the Waterfall of a Golden Season

The power of the waterfall .
Yellowstone National Park

Do you feel like you’re in the waterfall of a golden season? Well, read on as I explain!

Waterfalls have always intrigued me. Kind of like fire. They are mesmerizing. I can stand there all day and stare at it while it does what it does every day whether or not anyone is looking.

My husband, being the generous and loving person he is, gave me a two week vacation to Cody, Wyoming for Christmas. First of all, he knows I absolutely love the mountains. Second and most importantly to me – he did the planning so I wouldn’t have to do a thing but get in the car.

The two week journey was scheduled for the last two weeks in May. I got in that car and didn’t look back. The world (or at least my world) has been moving faster than my mind can keep up. I am a processor so I don’t operate at full capacity when on overload for an extended period of time.

It feels good to be in a slower paced environment where one can realize there are parts of our land that still seem untouched by man’s hand.

This raven sat by the waterfall as a friendly greeter. There are many mystical and spiritual meanings in different cultures regarding the symbolism of an encounter with a raven. I simply enjoyed sharing my french fries with him as he shared his space with me.

It is certainly refreshing to see people soaking up the mountain air. The folks in this part of the country have a great appreciation for their heritage. I have a great appreciation for their appreciation. The mountains have a way of penetrating my soul and it seems that is a common thread among the natives and several of the visitors we have crossed paths. The only words I can think of to express what I see is “folks tend to breathe a little deeper in the midst of nature”.

The waterfall reminds me how small we humans compare to the power of natures own natural abilities. It runs with a mighty force propelled by the melting snow in higher elevations. Everything in it’s path must adjust to it’s speed, depth, and boundaries.

I can’t help but apply the same principles to this golden season as I organize a life timeline for the person I am writing about in the next book project. It’s quite an aha moment to see one’s lifespan on one single page strung along a list of dates. Much like the waterfall – we will have moments when circumstances caused by other elements will make us run faster than usual while outside of our comfortable boundaries. It may even seem so deep at times we wonder if we’re going to drown in the process.

There is hope though! The season is eventually going to change and allow you to catch your breath as the gushing waters lend only a tiny stream and eventually a solid duration of tranquility as ice on a frozen river.

I leave you with this encouragement. Evaluate your own life timeline and make the needed adjustments for it to portray the legacy that matches the desires of your heart. Take the time to stare at a waterfall if you need inspiration! You never know until you try it! Whatever it takes to make each season a golden memory.

By all means

Enjoy the Journey – VB

I would love to share a season of my life with you! You’ll find it on my Book Page. My favorite read is one written from the most transparent part of an author’s heart. That was my goal with Escape from Darkness. I hope you find some common ground in our journeys.

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THOSE MEMORIES FILLING MY MIND

Photo by Girl with red hat on Unsplash

Those memories filling my mind just won’t let me go. I have found myself in a place of very deep reflection these past weeks. (which really isn’t that unusual for me). I had another birthday this month so maybe it truly is “life’s golden season” that brings back nostalgia. I have also been binge-watching old childhood television shows on ROKU. Those TV shows had good morals, humor, and life lessons. Of course, it could be the research I am doing for my next book. Maybe it’s hearing the lyrics in music before it was so overproduced and polished. The days when music was written from raw life emotions or world events.

I don’t have the answers but I do know I am not the only one that seems to be reminiscing about the good ole days.

Frankly, I am beginning to believe that somewhere in the past 50 years we have become such polished people we have either forgotten or never knew how to be our authentic selves. It’s funny because when those rare face-to-face meetings occur with someone who brushes the world view to the wayside and instead lives out of a place of genuine purity – I am enthralled and even envious.

When I go down that deep hole of reflection and introspection I usually find a place in my daily routine that simply needs a change. Sometimes it’s an easy transition and sometimes it’s gut-wrenching.

For example – one little tweak of a schedule can bring hours of relief in a day. That’s easy.

However, changing a false mindset can literally feel like losing a limb. I was raised on a farm. Hard work, integrity, and honesty were deeply instilled values. We worked hard, played hard, and rested hard. I liked country living and watching the sunset from the porch. I liked being barefoot in the mud. I didn’t recognize it then but the freedom of the outdoors did something for my soul.

Photo by Johnny Cohen on Unsplash

We probably assumed the days would never change but they did and many of us changed with them in pursuit of a “better” life. The hourly wage and 40-hour plus work week took the place of sunsets and family dinners. I now better understand why I was terrible at punching a clock! It didn’t allow me to witness those beautiful things that happen outside the constriction of a schedule. Like dropping everything to watch a horse foul or a litter of puppies enter the world.

It seems many folks are looking over their shoulder to search for something they lost along the way. I leave you with this encouragement. All is not lost – it is a part of you that only needs resurrected. Show them the things they may not know like a family dinner. Require all electronic devices to go into lockdown for a moment on the porch as the sun explodes colors in the sky on its descent. Reach deep within yourself and let those creative ideas flow. How can the world possibly be complete without your contribution of beauty that only you can give?

Change is a good thing and we mustn’t grieve the past BUT we must remember we all have something to teach and we all have something to learn. Give of yourself as a teacher and a student and you will most certainly

Enjoy the Journey – VB

It's in the Music

The Latest Release Right HERE!! It’s a dream that came to life in my writing.

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Have You Shared Your Story?

Photo Credit: dreamstime.com

Have you shared your story? I absolutely love to hear people’s stories.

The current fast-paced world seldom lends time to listen to an entire thought from someone else let alone their entire story. Some of my favorite memories include listening to stories told by my Mother, Dad, Granddad, and friends. Now that I am older and most of them have transitioned to heaven, I have a much greater appreciation for their stories. It makes me want to go back and listen more intently to each one of them while looking them in the eyes with my full attention.

Listening in general is a lost art. The explosion of technology has replaced the evening gathering of families around the dinner table and things like the hot summer porch sittings with a glass of tea in hand – listening to the frogs’ chirp. This heart misses those times and silently wishes the world would slow down enough to appreciate each other’s presence a bit more.

I recently read All Over but the Shoutin’ written by Rick Bragg. His story entails his journey from Possom Trot, Alabama to his success as a writer. It’s not only inspiring, it will move your soul.

Each one of our stories has the same potential to inspire and give hope to those around us. I believe if we would only look a little closer it would be evident that each of our stories connects to someone else’s. I could relate to Rick’s love and honor for his mother.

I too have a mother that had a story. A story that began in 1921 on top of a mountain in Plumlee, Arkansas. Her journey carried her to many states as my Grandpa moved the family with his ministry and writing career. One year she bound the archives of his writings and added a brief summary of her written story to the front of one of the books. I would have never imagined how precious that gift would become to me through the years.

In her own handwriting, she included dates, a few short stories, and even a medical history of her generations. These are things we do not think of as valuable until they are.

The point is that these things only transpire if we invest our time to make them happen. There has never been a space in history that has given us the ability to research, create, share and archive as we have now. Our stories should not go with us on the day of our last breath. A piece of us must stay on earth to instill hope, reflection, and wisdom to those who are seeking.

I believe it is important to share our history with our families and friends and be equally willing to listen to their stories too. The truth is, even though a story is unseen, it can prove to be the most valuable influence in the lifetime of the receiver. Once heard, it will plant itself in a memory available for retrieval for the rest of your days! The richness of life lies under those things we strive daily to maintain like mountains of debt for big houses, cars, and the decaying junk we thought we just had to have.

Me and my Grandson walking together. He’s a big part of my story!

I have one grandson. The week he was born I started a journal of his time spent with me and his grandpa. My entries are as if writing him a letter. The pages are beginning to fill with heartfelt words of encouragement and wisdom from those moments. I tell him things his squirmy 8-year-old self doesn’t have time to hear right now! One day he will cherish the words and prayerfully hear the tone of love in my voice as he reads the journal. Perhaps he will be sitting outside on a hot summer evening with a glass of tea as written memories unfold into a pleasant journey of his own story. My hope is he will be inspired to write his story too and continue his portion of the massive connection of mankind.

I leave you with this encouragement:

Record your story. Write to your children or grandchildren. Be transparent as you record your story leaving no stone unturned. The golden seasons of life are meant to be told. Tell the story as if you were the most important person in the world – because you are and by all means

Enjoy the Journey – VB

Blogging is a GREAT way to tell your story! It’s easy to get started with a little assistance right HERE!

My Story

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Freedom vs Wholeness – Are they the Same?

Photo Credit: Freerangestock.com

Freedom vs wholeness – are they the same or is one needed to obtain the other?

I recently joined Kelsie Jo Hillis on Picturing Purpose Podcast to review my book Escape from Darkness. The conversation inspired me to revisit a few of its main topics such as gaining self-worth and the real definition of wholeness.

I am very thankful to Kelsie Jo for the podcast chat. I hope it encourages each reader to explore the concepts of wholeness and freedom. (Two of my favorite words)

Freedom will pave a new road of adventure for you while wholeness gives you the courage to walk it out!

You know healing has happened when you can discuss your past from an objective view instead of a totally emotional standpoint,

I noticed that I didn’t start sweating and breathing really fast when we approached the hard places of conversation. I commented at the conclusion of the podcast how glad I was to have written the book from the place of raw deliverance. I truly didn’t hold anything back because I wrote it in the heat of my healing. There really is no better place to connect with people than from the place of walking out of pain. They need to hear the tears and feel the desperation for freedom.

Transparency was a real obstacle for me. It seemed my life was full of secrets. Somewhere in the healing process, I realized the “secrets” were nothing more than shame transformed into a vice of insecurity. My belief system had become propped up with an infrastructure of insecurity and low self-worth.

Insecurity will shut you down. It will keep your feet planted in a cesspool of fear and uncertainty. Simple decisions can become difficult to manage and you could analyze your way right out of opportunities. Viewing your life through the lens of unworthiness can keep you trudging through life like you’re wearing concrete boots. Daily living can seem like a major and tiring task.

The question I raise today is this: do you see yourself as ENOUGH to pursue freedom in this chaotic world of high demands and constant stress? Sometimes I feel my shoulders up around my neck because I’m living for what I need to do next in my day.

The current world requires we make moment to moment intentional decisions to protect our peace.

So why is wholeness important? We must see ourselves as worthy enough to take the time in each day to protect our inner peace. It takes courage and strength to combat interruptions and distractions with bold grace. Courage and strength rise up more frequently in the pursuit of becoming whole.

I found a new person hidden under the rubble of stress and trauma once I dedicated time to run my race to wholeness. The first few steps were nothing more than tiny steps of faith because I had never seen myself as enough. Smart enough. Talented enough. Pretty enough. Worthy enough. My perspective changed as time and discipline ran their course. YES– I will schedule a monthly massage. YES – I will spend an hour each morning with a book or pen and paper. YES – I will protect myself from hitting the emotional ditch.

I walk toward my dreams but with total awareness that it is a JOURNEY and NOT A SPRINT!

Everyone has a different journey to walk. Even if we were all headed to the same destination of freedom, the route is different for each one of us. That is exactly why I encourage folks to tell their stories. There are nuggets of hope in each story.

The truth is FREEDOM IS BEAUTIFUL. It allows the real you to begin to shine and get brighter each day.

I leave you with this encouragement. Find that secret place where you can actually hear yourself think. Ask yourself “Do I believe I am enough? “ Your answer will lend a good starting place to begin a new self-care routine. Practice saying YES to yourself. We all have room to expand and by all means

Enjoy the Journey- VB

This blog was a stepping stone in my freedom and wholeness walk. Maybe it would help you too! Here is where I got started. It’s easy and affordable and introduces you to a network of wonderful people.

It’s one click away!

Don’t forget to check out the podcast!

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Am I Enough?

Photo and quote By: Lindsey Ellen Simon
This is one of my favorite views…surrounded by towering trees.
It’s here where it gets quiet enough for the silent things to be heard and slows down enough for the hidden things to be seen. Where you can actually hear yourself breathe in life and feel every time your heart beats. Can these things be seen and felt other places? Sure…but the difficulty increases as the height of the trees decrease.

Do I really believe that I am enough?

I just returned home from an hour and a half massage! It was absolutely fabulous and absolutely needed. My massage therapist is a close friend and professional who is as genuinely concerned about my well-being as I am. She is so important to me that she gained honorable mention in my first book that was written during my own process of finding wholeness. I first had to define the term before I could pursue it! Below is the definition copied from the December 17, 2020 blog entitled “Wholeness”.

It is also a direct quote from the first page of “Escape from Darkness”.

Wholeness is the sense that my life is One – not many parts or many compartments, but one loving, breathing, ordered life. In the midst of the search for wholeness – two good things remain; my desire to be whole and the voice that can lead me to wholeness.

Wholeness allows me to embrace who I am and at the same time strive to achieve all I am capable of achieving and become all I am capable of becoming. Being content with who I am today and improving myself for tomorrow.

I believe wholeness is attained when we find the delicate balance that allows both to coexist.

Massage was a major player in my pursuit of emotional freedom. Yet it is only one of many things a person can do to rejuvenate a tired body or mind. It only takes a bit of thought and intentional effort to make moments of self-care happen for yourself. I personally love any kind of pampering. If there was a job entitled “receiver of professional self-care” I would certainly qualify. I have several ideas! It seems I frequent conversations including self-care more and more in these days of uncertainty, isolation, and information overload. It also seems there is a common theme that often relates to “unworthiness” in those dialogues.

Many women really do have difficulty seeing themselves as worthy of putting their own self-care in the budget. I believe most women are wired to BE the nurturer or giver instead of the receiver of such love. Things like massage therapy can be seen as fluffy and unneeded. However, if medicine is needed for well-being or illness, we quickly fork out the cash.

The question I raise today deserves introspection. How can we see ourselves as ENOUGH to feel worthy of “self-care” in this chaotic world of high demands and constant stress? I wish there were a clear fix-all answer. Somebody would be rich, wouldn’t they?

The answer is not quick and it certainly isn’t a FIX ALL remedy. The first step is a simple decision to pursue your own wholeness. The rest of the steps happen naturally as the progress is walked out. You may be led to a counselor, life coach, or mentor. You may find yourself on an extended vacation in the mountains. You may engage in totally new and improved daily routines that include walks, quiet time, writing, or cooking. Whatever brings your mind to the center of relaxation allowing your whole body to be involved is worthy of being put on the list.

I found a new person hidden under the rubble of stress and trauma once I dedicated time to run my race to wholeness. The first few steps were nothing more than tiny steps of faith because I had never seen myself as enough. Smart enough. Talented enough. Pretty enough. Worthy enough. My perspective has changed as time and discipline have ran their course. YES– I will schedule a monthly massage. YES – I will spend an hour each morning with a book or pen and paper. YES – I will protect myself from hitting the emotional ditch. I walk toward my dreams but with total awareness that it is a JOURNEY and NOT A SPRINT!

I leave you with this encouragement. Find that secret place like you see in the picture at the beginning of this blog where you can actually hear yourself think. Ask yourself “Do I believe I am enough? “ Your answer will lend a good starting place to begin a new self care routine. Practice saying YES to yourself. We all have room to expand and by all means

Enjoy the Journey- VB

Find more of Lindsey Ellen Simon’s pics on Instagram

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Pursue WHOLENESS

In today’s culture it is of the utmost importance to intentionally pursue wholeness.

We are in full swing of holiday activities, political unrest, and pandemic instructions. Things couldn’t be more exciting or more uncertain. The media offers stress with just one click on your electronic device. One click usually leads to two clicks and before you know it you have been successfully submersed in 30 minutes of information overload. Information for circumstances that you have absolutely no control. Yet the rest of the day you will be left pondering the information. Furthermore, nearly every person in your path will mention their own stress and opinions on the matters within a few seconds of a casual conversation.

Without even knowing it we build internal stress structures. Over time the accumulation of stress causes our bodies to remain in constant fight or flight mode. These days it doesn’t take long to get there. A common phrase is “if there could only be another me, maybe I could complete everything on the daily “to-do” list”.

Well, it isn’t uncommon to find yourself divided into many parts. Parts that represent your past, your present and your future. If you really slow down enough to thoughtfully examine your own behaviors, stress levels, and daily routines, you may find that there REALLY ARE several versions of you accommodating each day! It is no wonder we long to get away in front of the television with our favorite show or consume the drinks, food or medication that calm the internal beast.

I believe women are worse then men regarding the many identities we try to hold up. Especially in the current culture of singleness and singleness with children to raise. In general it seems that men are better at staying to the course of their purpose. Women are wired to “save the world”. We are naturally doers and nurturers.

While I love the empathetic, compassionate and loving part of myself – there came a time that I hit the wall (so to speak). I was running so fast and wearing so many hats, I seldom stopped to make sure I was still breathing.

Let me tell you from personal experience – when your body and mind can’t run anymore, they will stop! Right there in your current tracks you will find yourself unable to function. I can honestly say I have never been more afraid than I was when the overload happened. I could not get control of my emotions. They were running on their own. (story is here) Physical exhaustion was beyond getting out of bed.

Some people hit a wall of anxiety and racing thoughts. I had thoughts of “nothingness” . I wanted to slip into a cave and sleep the world away. It can be very hard to crawl out of such a pit of despair. The mental and physical load on the journey to wholeness is overbearing. Becoming whole is the best and the more difficult of our two options at that point in time. We either succumb to wholeness or fall down the pit of depression. My decision and commitment to pursue wellness came when my counselor asked me to define wholeness.

One of my favorite authors is Matthew Kelly. I found my destination to pursue in his book “RESISTING HAPPINESS” .

WHOLENESS

The sense that my life is One – not many parts or many compartments, but one loving, breathing, ordered life. In the midst of the search for wholeness – two good things remain; my desire to be whole and the voice that can lead me to wholeness.

Wholeness allows me to embrace who I am and at the same time strive to achieve all I am capable of achieving and become all I am capable of becoming. Being content with who I am today and improving myself for tomorrow.

I believe wholeness is attained when we find the delicate balance that allows both to coexist.

I leave you with this word of encouragement. Don’t wait for your own “hit the wall” experience. Begin to listen to the “voice” of Wisdom that resides outside of the wilderness. Start stepping toward your own definition of wholeness and pull the fragments of yourself together. You are important! Wrap this year up in a huge present of time and attention to yourself. Pursue wholeness and by all means

ENJOY THE JOURNEY – VB