Early this morning I found myself in a creepy crawly dream of fears. I was walking in the basement and my dad told me I had a bunch of ticks crawling on my back and swiped them off my clothing to the floor. The ticks were fairly large as if they had already drank some blood despite the fact they had not been attached to me. My thought was that I needed to kill them so they couldn't reattach to me or my family later. 

Before I could take action several large spiders came out of the recesses of the shadows and each spider began fighting a tick. At first it was hard to tell who was winning but soon it was apparent the spiders were stronger. The spiders began feasting on their success and I had to turn away, conflicted. I was glad the ticks were gone but I am not a fan of spiders in my house either. 

I woke for a few minutes with the heebeegeebees. Then I drifted back off to sleep. For some reason there was a bag of dirt on the floor in the basement and my brother was telling me that the strange white worms had pulled the spiders into the dirt. But he and one other person were struggling to keep these wild worms in the bag of dirt. One large one came out in my direction and I went to push it back into the bag when it opened it's one fang mouth and latched on to my hand. It was a snake, not a worm. I just stood there watching its mouth pulse on my hand, unsure how to react but not really feeling pain or fear. Then my brother informed me that the snake was drinking my unborn babies blood and fear set in as we worked to get it off. 

Waking from these dreams to ask myself what I am grateful for is kind of tricky. I'm grateful it was all a dream, I guess. But what does it mean? So I did a little research on symbolism. Before my first daughter was born I was tested for Lyme's. I had some of the markers but not all though I still exhibit some symptoms. 

On our camping trip last week my daughter and I each got a few tick bites and my husband brushed nearly a dozen unattached ticks from his clothing during one of our stops. Yesterday morning I found this engorged tick lying on the floor of our library. It must have come from our dog, whom I had not thought to check thoroughly as she was not on the trip with us. So it is not so strange that ticks would show up in my dream.

But in reading the symbolism of a tick it was as expected. Something could be taking my life force or draining me, possibly without my knowledge. And there is an attachment element as well though in my dream the ticks were not attached despite looking full. 

Next was the spider, which I have explored many times. The spider represents female energy, creativity, and weaving solutions. Well these spiders definitely had the solution. They took care of those ticks for me even if they did not, by themselves, make me feel reassured.

Next I looked up the worm and snake. It turns out a worm represents our connection with nature, bringing new life to something, and renewal. The snake represents abundance but can also represent a period of transition. The bite itself is a reminder to pay attention to my energy and intentions during a transition.

I admit I will have to sit with all this a while longer to gain a bit more clarity because I still have to let go of the "ick" factor from the dream. But I'm pleased to know that the spider was a good sign of solutions. And the worm and snakes seem to apply amply to my current situation. I guess it is time to explore which things are draining me, and through me, my baby. It brings forth the element of awareness that since we have returned from our trip I have felt more tired despite keeping a pretty laid back schedule.

On to the gratitude! I'm grateful for resources that help bring clarity to symbolism. I'm grateful to be tick free and feel secure inside my home. I'm grateful for another reminder to embrace the symbolism of spiders rather than fear it. I'm grateful for my daughter sleeping in so I can write this very long blog! I'm grateful for awareness and to make time for exploring the messages of my dream deeper. I'm grateful for a new day, sunlight, and to shake off the heebeegeebees of the night.

What have your dreams been telling you? What do your fears remind you? Do you enjoy taking time to explore the messages or do you prefer to just move forward with the day?

May today give clarity to areas we seek answers. May we find peace and solutions in any lingering questions we may hold. Have a beautiful day!

I woke this morning from the most amazing dream. It was one of those stories that I wake hoping I get to see it on the big screen some day so I can watch it again and again. It was a story that inspired even while it broke my heart.

As the narrator wrapped up the story he made the comment, "perhaps some things are beyond the power of nature; perhaps they can only be achieved by the power of love." And it seems true, doesn't it? Think of all the crazy stories you have heard about a person lifting a car to save someone or being able to hold onto their child during a tornado and both landing relatively scratch free down the street. Love does that.

Love is the force that gets us up however many times it takes during the night to comfort our child back to sleep. Love is what helps us care for a loved one that is nearing the end of their life, even when we are exhausted. Love is the power that gives us the strength we never knew we had. And love is the feeling of knowing we are supported when we feel ready to drop to our knees. Love is all around us even in those dark moments we cannot feel it. It is there and it is strong.

I'm grateful for such a beautiful and inspiring dream. I'm grateful for such a good parting message as I woke to start a new week. I'm grateful to know the power of love and have seen some of its miracles first hand. I'm grateful for stories of love and the strength it gives. I'm grateful for the way the mind can relay these beautiful stories in my sleep. I'm grateful to know that it is a possibility to have it made into a movie if I take the time to submit it. And I'm grateful that, at least in my dream, Morgan Freeman was narrator because he has such a comforting voice.

What brings you inspiration? What helps you feel the power of love? Do you feel supported?

May today allow us to feel all the loving support around us. May we find a way to make a positive difference in the world today. And may we be inspired by the beauty around us. Have a beautiful day!

Last night I had a dream. In the dream I got to see a glimpse of all these amazing people's lives from a supposedly renowned doctor to a child prodigy to an everyday working man. In the dream each person was struggling with depression. The doctor was asking how could she live in a world where a child could get a cancer that wasn't curable.  The child prodigy was frantically trying to help her find the right puzzle piece to the cure. The common man working to pay the bill. They were all intertwined, stressed, and focused on the struggle.

Then my spirit self guided me on. There was a banner. It said, "There are 1000 "me"s a day, don't wait for a better day." As my spirit self started to say something I was ripped awake by my toddler crying in my doorway. It was no less than her eighth time out of bed.

As I ushered her back to her room and tucked her back in, the banner still scrolled through my mind. Time is so fluid. Sometimes and hour can go by in the blink of an eye while other times it seems to linger for ages. And as I once again navigate stress and challenges on little sleep I find the pull of emotions getting a bigger swing. Even as a gratitude coach, depression is a very real topic that has reared in my life more times that I care to remember. Gratitude keeps me moving forward as well as the reminder that tomorrow is a new day.

But my dream essentially said, "scrap that." Tomorrow is a new day but this MOMENT is a new moment! Don't wait for tomorrow. Focus on the good you are doing today. Focus on the blessings you have right now. If this moment is hard or a low, take a deep breath, and open your eyes to the next moment that is still full of possibility.

My child, thankfully, does not have cancer. I am not struggling to pay the bills, at least not to a point of anxiety. And I cannot say I know how it feels for whatever burdens and challenges you are facing in your life because each of us face different ones. But I can share this message with you that opened my eyes. I can navigate the hard days in moments instead of days. And I can get through them because I am stronger than I know. And so are you!

I'm grateful for my family's health. I'm grateful to have a job that allows me to feel I am making a difference. I'm grateful to go above and beyond my job description when someone needs comfort or nourishment beyond what a massage can give. I'm grateful for the amazing people in my life. I'm grateful to be tuned in to imbalances and my emotions. I'm grateful for this message of 1000 new versions of me that reminds me that I am fluid and not boxed into the words used to describe me. I'm grateful for the endless possibilities both for myself and for you.

What aspect of you would you like to shift in this moment? What challenges are causing you struggle? What gratitude can you find in your life in this moment? Which new you will you be in this moment?

​May today open our minds to the endless possible versions of ourselves. May we know that if the day is going south we don't have to wait until tomorrow to start over. And may we find the love and support we need in whatever we face. Have a beautiful day!

In one of my many, short dreams last night I was walking down the sidewalk and noticed a boy. He was maybe eight years old and he was sitting on an old wall next to a creek. He appeared to be alone and looked distraught.

I asked him if everything was ok and he shook his head slowly and whispered, "there is a bobcat over there and it is going to get me." I looked to the area of brush he pointed too opposite the creek, next tot he sidewalk. We would have to walk right past it to continue on our way.

Looking back to the boy I said, "the thing about bobcats is they are scared of music. So if we just sing like there is nothing to be afraid of then we can walk right passed." He took my hand and I started to sing the first song that came to my mind as I walked him passed the brush. 

Once we were a block beyond the area he turned to me and said, "I didn't think you would hear me, I was only whispering." He began to fade as I began to wake but it brought a wave of memories and emotions as I recalled being a child. When I was young I often spoke in a whisper. People were constantly asking me to repeat myself or not hearing me all together. I tried to tell the boy that I had heard him with my heart but when I turned my head there was only pillow and the darkness of my room.

Dreams carry so many symbols. They help us process old baggage or see where we may be going off course today. Dreams can help give clarity or closure. For me, this dream not only speaks to an old sore and the fears of childhood but awaken me to my ability to tune in to my daughter. I know her energy. I know in my heart when things are off if I pause in the busy day enough to listen. 

There is so much more to be gained from this dream that I will embrace over the day as I have time to reflect. For now it steadies my feeling that my daughter is needing extra love and attention these days as she continues to make a lot of "big girl" transitions.

I'm grateful for this dream. I'm grateful to stop and listen to the boy. I'm grateful to know that fears can be conquered with faith, especially together. I'm grateful for the scene of the dream that held so much symbolism of its own. I'm grateful for dreams that stir emotions and reflection. I'm grateful to slow things down as best I can and be there for my daughter. I'm grateful for the ability to put myself in others' shoes.

Do you remember your dreams? Are there any whispers that have been calling to you that you need to pause and listen? 

May today embrace the whisper of our hearts. May we connect with our loved ones through our hearts first and then our ears. May we give love and support to those in need. Have a beautiful day!

You may have noticed that I am once again posting extremely early in the morning. No, I don't just love waking this early. And no, it actually has nothing to do with my daughter tonight.

I woke at 2 am from a very complex and emotional dream. It had a whole storyline but for some reason my body woke before it had ended. I woke in such a slow way that it was a little disorienting as the dream continued while the sounds of reality were blending in.

When this happens my mind takes over as the conscious author and writes the rest of the story. I let my mind finish it because like a good book you can't just stop ten pages from the end and walk away. And in finishing it my mind had fully woken up to tweaks the storyline needed and figuring out the timeline of events. I story boarded it as I have done so many "books" in my mind. Someday I hope at least one of these will make it to print.

The other thing that happened was I heard the digging and scurrying of little feet in the wall again. It was a sound I must admit I had not missed at all. We have had issues with mice in the wall between our garage and bedroom several times now with no luck to trap, evict, or even poison them. (Yes, I know but when the first two didn't work and I had been up for weeks every night with the sounds of mice I got desperate. And it didn't even work.)

Even in my exhaustion the connection and symbolism does not escape me. The "hamster wheel" in my mind and the return of the scurrying feet. While I am not exactly grateful I do appreciate the insight.

I am grateful for the way my mind works. I'm grateful to have an authors mind if not quite the ability to sit and put it on paper. I'm grateful for the ability to grow into that role. I'm grateful to dream. I'm grateful for all the amazing, complex stories I have dreamed up over the years both in my sleep and waking hours. I'm grateful to keep notes on each one in case I decide to return to them one day. I'm grateful for symbolism and the reminder for the need to quiet my mind. I'm grateful to do my blog early and then return to bed for some much needed sleep.

How have you been sleeping? What helps you turn off your mind and wind down for sleep? What gets the mouse in your mind running full speed?

May today give us moments of peace and quiet for our minds. May we also have the opportunity to live our passions and get excited over the ones that get our mind racing. Have a beautiful day!

As usual I have a to do list a page long plus a long playdate scheduled for my daughter. I have a tendency to make my lists way longer than I could actually complete in one day because I alot ten to twenty minutes for chores that will take an hour. There is always something to get done or something needing cleaned.

Last night I listed some of the things I needed to get done today to my husband. I was talking about which things have to be juggled with an awake toddler, like vacuuming, and which things are best done when she is asleep. He asked for another thing to be done and we discussed how that would best fit in on the sleeping child list.

As I fell asleep I had a dream that seemed a little ridiculous at first. I was planning and hosting a baby's first birthday party. It wasn't my own child but was clearly someone important to me because I was going all out. Then I learned it would be a dual child party with the original baby's cousin also turning one. The signs needed redone and color scheme needed tweaked to fit the second family.

Then I got a call. In the call my husband's beloved uncle (not a real one) had passed away. His family was so torn up and needing someone to make the arrangements for a memorial. I took it on, even attempting to make a scrapbook within the two day window I had. 

The memorial rolled around just hours before the double birthday party was to take place. As I was putting the final touches on the scrapbook, while the family watched a photo video of their uncle, another family member came to me and asked if I would help plan him and his fiancé's wedding. It seems that with the passing of the uncle they decided love was too important to wait and they wanted to say their vows within the week. Of course I said yes. How do you say no to love?

Obviously this is a far cry from my actual list that includes things like cleaning the toys my toddler played with right before getting sick last weekend and watering the grass seed. But sometimes we need to extreme and ridiculously outrageous insight to understand a more common issue.

Which parts stood out to me? The death of the beloved uncle reflected the knowledge that my beloved dog is dying before my eyes. I have been watching as she has gone downhill for months and I know the time with her is very limited. Yet I have designated very little time to just be with her, cuddle her, and cherish our last days or weeks. 

The part about the marriage and love being so important reflected how much I love to just spend time with my husband. We will be celebrating our anniversary this weekend but spending time just hanging out with him could definitely appear on the to do list more often. And even taking time with my daughter, just the two of us, outside of playdates and lunch dates and running errands. Perhaps so far as saying, forget the to do list, let's just play cars and read books together in this moment because she is growing fast. What is more important than enjoying this time together?

I'm grateful for my lists that help me stay on top of things. I'm grateful for the pride a feel in checking things off. Yet I'm equally grateful to see how blowing off the list or adding more heart-based things to the list would be so beneficial. I'm grateful for the dream last night that seemed both outrageous and also like something I really would attempt if asked. I'm grateful for my big heart and generosity. I'm grateful for the reminder on what is important and that my family trumps the chores. And I'm grateful to strive to find a balance.

What is on your to do list? Do you schedule time for your loved ones? Do you schedule more than can actually get done?

May today remind us to find balance. May we add the things that fill our hearts with joy and love to the list and prioritize accordingly. Have a beautiful day!

The last few nights have been challenging. I have not been able to finish a dream without being woke up. Having an old dog is not so much different from having a new baby.

Each time I woke last night I settled my dog back in and then lay in bed breathing deep and consciously completing the dream how I wanted it to end. There was a need for completion. Yet that completion, combined with the many times of waking have me feeling completely exhausted this morning.

"Finish what you start." It is a phrase I have heard often and has been a useful reminder when I find myself procrastinating. And it does feel good to complete a project. 

But isn't it interesting how we choose which projects to finish? I find it humorous that I felt the need to complete these dreams and yet I have several house projects in the works that have been awaiting completion for months. Perhaps this awareness is just what I needed to spur their completion too.

I'm grateful to have completed my dreams. I'm grateful for conscious awareness of inconsistencies. I'm grateful for the reminder of how good completion feels and for the encouragement to finish the projects I have started. I'm grateful to accept responsibility for my choices. And I'm grateful for another night with my dog, even if the nights are long and less restful. 

What is waiting completion in your life? What seems to take priority in your life and get completed and what gets pushed aside?

May today help us complete some of the projects that have been waiting. May we recognize inconsistencies between our desires and our actions and find ways to bridge the gap. Have a beautiful day!

Last night as I dreamed, there was a friendly face from the past to help guide me through the lesson. It wasn't a particularly rough or hard lesson just a reminder of what is important and who I want to be. But lessons are always kinder when there is a friendly face as the guide.

It wasn't just any friendly face. It was the face of a friend of mine who passed away a couple years after high school. I had talked to him the night before he passed. We had plans to get together the next day and when that time rolled around and he did not come I called and learned he had passed in a car accident. 

It was good to see his face last night. It was good to have a friendly face helping me see some important lessons. But it doesn't have to be a friendly ghost from our past to soften the impact of a lesson. A friendly face can go a long way. So can patience and respect. 

We all need "corrected" every once in a while. Many of us are in a position to have to inspire corrections, whether it be at home with a child or at work with a subordinate or coworker. Those corrections are best delivered in a kind way. 

Today is National Teacher Appreciation Day. When I think back at all the teachers I've had, probably only half taught me from a classroom. But the best ones taught with a friendly face and a hand in the game. 

I'm grateful for all the wonderful teachers I had growing up. I'm grateful for all the "teachers" in my life that came outside the classroom. I'm grateful for last night's lessons. I'm grateful to see a friendly, familiar face after all this time. I'm grateful for all the teachers out there today that reach students through respect and kindness. 

Who were your favorite teachers? Were they kind and caring or "tough as nails"?

May today remind us to respect those around us. May we deliver information with a friendly face and may we give thanks for all the "teachers" in our lives. Have a beautiful day!

In the wee hours of morning I was yanked from a dream as I woke gasping for air. By the way I sucked in the air I could tell that I had stopped breathing. 

In my dream I had been underwater. While I still need time to fully understand the messages of the dream the emotion was clear. And waking with a gasp was a little alarming.

As far as I know I have never stopped breathing in my sleep before. A couple hours later as I get up my lungs are still sore. 

Breathing is a basic need and I'm grateful I generally do not have to think about it. I'm grateful to consciously make my breaths deeper and to use techniques with my breath to help me relax. I'm grateful my body recognized the need for air and woke me last night. I'm grateful to have all my basic needs met and then some. I'm grateful for all the blessings in my life. And I'm grateful to take a deep breath and see clearly how abundant those blessings are.

What simple things have you been taking for granted? When was the last time you consciously took a slow, deep breath?

May today open our eyes to all the blessings we may be taking for granted. May we cherish each day. Have a beautiful day! 

Over the last week my sleep has been filled with emotion packed dreams. Some of them I remembered upon waking while others were left amongst my subconscious mind. Mostly I have just let my dreams run their course, observing and knowing I had a lot to process with all the news I received last week.

Despite plenty of hours of sleep I have been waking exhausted. By the sheer number of dreams I have been having I would venture to guess I haven't been slipping into deep sleep much.

When last night's dreams kicked up full of emotion, vulnerability, and frustration I sent to work. Passively playing witness does not seem to be moving the process along and so it was time to take control of my dreams. Stepping in I went from frustrated victim to determined participant. 

I entered a contest not focused on winning but focusing on showing who I am and what I believe. I guided the group through how to take a pain and find a gratitude. I led them on not only a gratitude journey but on how to bring relaxation techniques into daily practice and how to put both to use when grief strikes. In my dream I could feel my strength returning. 

I'm grateful for the past week of processing through my dreams. I'm grateful for the journey they took me on while I slept. I'm grateful to take control back last night. I'm grateful for the turn of events in my dream. I'm grateful to use the techniques I know to make a difference. I'm grateful to have felt the power and knowledge showing through as I coached the people in my dream.

What are your dreams telling you? Are you a passive witness to your dreams or an active participant? 

May today remind us that there is always a time to bear witness and a time for action. May we choose what best suits our needs and fills our hearts. Have a beautiful day!