Inspirational Blog

Giving, whether it is money, energy, time, love, support, strength or control can bring on feelings of anxiety. Anxiety arises when doubt creeps in and we second guess our actions. We may feel that the $20 donation to Girl Scouts was maybe too much and that you could have used it to put gas in your car. Or maybe saying “yes” to helping a friend seems like an energy drain.

When giving feels heavy and uncertain, let’s look at “why” we’re choosing to give… Is it because we are fearful that something bad will happen if we don’t; is it because of a need for approval; or perhaps we believe that we must sacrifice ourselves to feel joy.

Here’s the deal, you have to give when it feels good in your heart. When you give from the heart and surround it with feelings of joy you attract giving to you in return. You can even say an affirmation statement the moment you feel unsure about your $20 donation to the Girl Scouts and say “when I give this $20 I receive it back 10 fold” and feel the joy in it in your heart.

I used to think this was selfish. Shouldn’t I be giving without any expectation of return? Giving without any expectation of return, doesn’t mean we need to sacrifice ourselves in the process. The same way that it is imperative to love ourselves in order to love another person; it is imperative that we feel joy in giving of our money, time or love so that the gift vibrates with Spirit energy and opens ourselves to receiving its abundance. So, the next time a friend asks you for a ride to the airport, check in with your heart see what feels good; have the courage to say no to what doesn’t feel good; and then give from the heart.

The bottom line is you deserve abundance and must believe this is true. Giving and receiving are a part of the universe’s divine plan, so be active in it; have fun with it and enjoy the abundance that the universe brings back to you, every time you give.

If you’ve enjoyed this blog, please consider donating to the Bending Tree Expansion Project to help us enhance our services. Our goal is to help people find their strength and creativity from the inside out…meaning finding their joy and living it fearlessly, from the heart.
Thank you and Namaste, Karen

Happy and sad; bliss and frustration; easy and difficult; gaining and losing.

Life seems full of opposing forces, but the truth is, it’s all the same. The universe is always cheering for us and giving us signs and nudges to keep us on our path of inspiration and pure joy. It’s our perceptions that make it seem hard, sad and frustrating.

The law of attraction, a universal law, states “like attracts like.” So when we think something is frustrating it attracts more frustration, but if we go into the situation thinking it is blissful then you attract more bliss. It’s a state of mind and a state of the heart — we think it and we feel it to make it so.

What happens when we understand the law of attraction, a seemingly difficult situation turns easy; what we saw as something we lost, we realize it isn’t ours in the first place. We are in the flow, in balance, in abundance and in a state of evenness that allows for us to feel good all the time, feel the happiness that is our natural state.

If we truly and absolutely embrace this principle; and feel it in our heart and soul, than we have nothing to lose as everything happens for our highest and best good! To feel that we have nothing to lose pushes fear aside and allows the magic to happen.

How do we do this? Start by creating a mantra or saying to repeat over and over when you are feeling frustrated, sad or in a state of lack. For example if you feeling like you don’t have enough money: “I’m in the flow now and money flows to me from all directions.” If a situation is frustrating — “I know now that everything is perfect.” And, an example for when you are feeling sad or depressed — “I am the power and presence of God creating this situation that is untrue and I reclaim my power now.”

Then feel this mantra in your heart. Feel the joy of abundance, happiness and your power within.

Even if a situation is perceived as “bad” really it is what you needed at that moment to remind you to change course, switch it up and take the easy, natural way to flow in-Spirit. Life is essentially easy, we add drama and difficulty where there really isn’t any. When we realize that everything happens perfectly in that moment the walls come down and your world opens. You will see and experience things that you never imagined before. And, you realize, you have nothing to lose.

If you’ve enjoyed this blog, please consider donating to the Bending Tree Expansion Project to help us enhance our services. Our goal is to help people find their strength and creativity from the inside out…meaning finding their joy and living it fearlessly, from the heart.

Thank you and Namaste, Karen

I recently got a new puppy and it’s been awhile since I had one. Amid the joy of this adorable new being, I found myself missing my last dog intensely because he was so easy. Sure after 5 years of being with me he came when called, knew my running routine and didn’t pee in the house. But now it’s different. I felt as if I was starting over and I wondered; why didn’t I just keep my life simple.

And the bottom line is my life would not have been as rich and magical as it is now without this new addition and, in fact, with all the change in my life that’s happened so far. Without change my heart would not have known such opening.

The hard part, however, is letting go of the past, the attachment to the way things once were. Letting go amidst fear, doubt and that pesky ego, who tries to convince you that you’re better off alone, isolated and keeping to yourself holding on tight to all your things.

When you’re scared you want to hold on to that security blanket called “the past” because it seems safe. But you are given whatever you are in right now to help you learn what you need to learn in this lifetime; to grow and move forward. The past served it’s purpose but it needs to be released in order for us to experience an even greater bliss than we ever imagined, which is experience in the joy of now.

Trust your intuitive guidance, that little voice or feeling that comes to the surface when you make decisions; have faith in the divine timing knowing that whatever is happening now is perfect; and feel in your heart the beauty and happiness of now.

You can’t grow unless you let go. And, there’s no better time than now to do it — let go, flow and grow.

If you’ve enjoyed this blog, please consider donating to the Bending Tree Expansion Project to help us expand our resources to live your yoga. Our goal is to help people find their strength and creativity from the inside out…meaning finding their joy and living it fearlessly, from the heart.
Thank you and Namaste, Karen

I recently had an encounter with a friend and she told me about her vacation. While she was telling me the story, I felt a stab in my stomach. What the heck was that? Was that jealousy taking a shot at me? She’s a good friend and I want to see her happy and yet I got this feeling seemingly out of nowhere. Wait, check it. Yes, it’s jealousy. What’s up with that feeling? And more importantly, why? I’m not in high school, I’m so past this, aren’t I?

When we get these feelings of jealousy, we need to ask ourselves, what’s really going on here. What am I jealous of? That I wanted a vacation and felt like I couldn’t have one? I didn’t deserve one? Couldn’t afford one? In my case it was all of these things. I discovered a program deep within the cells of my being where I believed that I didn’t’ deserve a vacation, or more specifically, time off to relax and be OK with being provided for.

I realized I have a hard time doing nothing and just being, and at the same time, allowing others to do things for me, to provide for me. What I needed was to have absolute faith that the universe provides for me always in many forms: through one person, or another; a situation; an opportunity; or an occurrence such as a surprise invite for dinner. And that this is a good thing.

So jealousy actually served as a nudge from my soul to let me know that I needed to shift my mindset to continue in the flow and in-spirit. So the next time you feel jealousy jabbing at your side, ask yourself “What’s up with that feeling?” and let it be a door to discovery.

If you’ve enjoyed this blog, please consider donating to the Bending Tree Expansion Project to help us expand our resources to live your yoga. Our goal is to help people find their strength and creativity from the inside out…meaning finding their joy and living it fearlessly, from the heart.

Thank you and Namaste, Karen

We all seem to be our own worst critics, where the human tendency is to look at the “should haves” in every situation. I wonder, is it safer to think of what we should have done? Rather than just to have done it? Is there comfort in thinking that something better lies ahead rather than knowing the best is right now? Fear takes many forms and can inhibit our actions, but shedding the fear is easier said than done.

One way to chip away at that block of fear, no matter what form it takes, is to do your best. We can dissolve that critic and the perceived safety of that “should have” place when we know, in our hearts, that we do our best. Knowing that everything that happens is perfectly in-tune with the universe because we are doing our best at all times. Can this be scary? Yes. You can’t hide behind “if I only…” — you own it. It’s yours. So take a minute and switch your mindset and know that you gave your best. That you always give your best. Do your best without judgement. Remove the judge and the critic.

It doesn’t matter if you’re tired, hungry, angry, happy, energetic, spent, joyous or depressed, if you always do your best, you will experience life in the flow. Be easy on yourself and embrace what you are doing. Be present, accepting and allow yourself to flow and channel your best at all times. This energy resonates to all beings.

Don’t worry about outcomes or what people think. Know in your heart that you are doing your best. Without fear, without regret, without should-ing on yourself. Feel and believe in every cell of your being that what you are doing is your best and is in perfect timing with the universe. It’s time to relax into your best because whatever you do, it is that.

If you’ve enjoyed this blog, please consider donating to the Bending Tree Expansion Project to help us expand our resources for you to live your yoga. Our goal is to help people find their strength and creativity from the inside out…meaning finding their joy and living it fearlessly, from the heart.
Thank you and Namaste, Karen

My mom told me recently, ‘when it comes to money, people become a different animal.’

Why is this? What causes the change? Why not change your thinking about money?

Money essentially is energy. It flows, grows, vibrates and changes. It gives us strength just as a good run, eating a cheeseburger or talking to a friend. It’s energy we spend and gain to keep our lives in balance. So when we feel low in energy, what do we do? We give our body a rest; drink a coffee; or eat an apple with peanut butter. Just as we do things to replenish our body energy; do the same for your money energy. Relax, breathe, fill your being with a sense of abundance. How do we do this? Affirmation statements using gratitude, “I’m so happy and grateful now that…”; manifesting and visualizing your self in a state of abundance, now.

Most importantly release the fear. Let go of the fear of not having enough; let go of the grip; give it up to the universe; and allow abundance to flow in. There is enough wealth for everyone in this world. The universe provides for us always now. Take time to know it, feel it in every cell of your being. Make it as easy as filling your glass with water and taking a drink. You can do it.

If you’ve enjoyed this blog, please consider donating to the Bending Tree Expansion Project to help us expand our resources for you to live your yoga. Our goal is to help people find their strength and creativity from the inside out…meaning finding their joy and living it fearlessly, from the heart.
Thank you and Namaste, Karen