" Dealing ... "

“ ... Where do we go from here

What do i do with these feelings

longing to have you near

knowing we shouldn't be dealing ... 

Why must the bad things always feel so good

Why can't i just stay away

Thought our situation was understood, 

still does not mean its okay

Knowing we shouldn't be dealing ... 

I'll wake up in the morning and it will not be the same

Everything's is different we just play this simple game ... “

~ Eric Roberson ~ Dealing ~

***

Dealing with cancer is like pandora’s box.  Full of surprises.  I use to believe that my body betrayed me and just gave up.  

I bought into the idea that I would grow up, get an education, get a good job, get married, have kids and all would be well ... exactly as planned.  But when the bubble burst, all that was left was guilt ... that if I had just been a better daughter, sister, wife, friend, employee ... that I would not have got cancer-ed.  I didn’t understand why others habitual behaviours didn’t lead to an illness.  I had enormous guilt within me and societal influences supported my delusional mind. 

The truth is that within, I had no idea what cancer was and how I could get it.  I was in complete denial of what life was presenting.  I refused to accept the gravity of the situation and I didn’t know how to cope.  

Fast forward to those moments of anxiety, panic and stress when your body cannot do the things it use to prior to diagnosis ... acceptance.  The lesson I keep learning is it is not about how it should be, it is about how it feels ... gut feels.  And applying that in all aspects of this health crisis.  

So I am learning to gift myself the ability to rest my mind, when I choose, to observe my thoughts without judgement by focusing on one conscious breathe ... meditation.  I am learning to take my power back, learning to find joy in this journey and to shine this light within until my last conscious breathe.

And for the days that it seems so very hard to deal ... those days I tell myself ... it’s okay, you’ve done what you could, ease up and meet yourself at a softer place, let yourself rest, taking what you need, releasing what you don’t, you are safe, you are loved, you are protected ... while taking that one conscious breathe.

www.walkstrong.ca

" Rest ... "

“ ... You'll have to excuse me, I'm not at my best

I've been gone for a month

I need home for a rest ... 

There so-called vacations

By the light of the moon she'd drift through the streets

A rare old perfume so seductive and sweet

She'd tease us and flirt as the pubs all closed down

Then walk us on home and deny us a round ... “

~ Spirit of the West ~ Rest ~

***

Rest is not what most people think it is.  It isn’t recreation like hiking, watching TV, gardening, reading or getting wasted.  They may provide a restful space, but they are not rest.  

Rest can be defined as a kind of waking sleep, experience while you are alert and aware, like a bridge to sleep.  We achieve rest and sleep the same way, by allowing it to happen.  

When we rest, we allow our bodies to dissolve stress.  The body’s relaxation response can lead to physlogical changes, similar to yoga, meditation or a day on the beach.  

And the spiritual benefits of resting is profound.  When you slow down and get quiet, you can actually begin to hear you own inner knowledge.  When we make space in our lives, it helps us to make sense of life on life’s terms.

Having the ability to take a few conscious breaths, during which you focus on your inhalation and exhalation or the space between breaths ... 

Having the ability to make a statement and do nothing, does something for you.  Having the desire to put boundaries around so you can claim that time ... 

Most of us need to learn how to rest.  The more we integrate periods of rest and silence into our daily lives, the bigger the payoff will be.  And  during crisis, more rest and silence are called for.  It is similar to preventive medicine.  So important to make it intentional and make it a sacred time.  

The yang lifestyle can cause damage to our quality of life.  So this activity of REST, allows us to restore our body, mind and soul.  Concentrated rest confronts stress in both ways.  It reduces the demands of the situation  and it reduces our energy for that demand.  We have an opportunity to reflect, strive for balance, and again hold reserves for life’s emergencies.  

Properly developing a discipline of concentrated rest requires both inward and outward changes. So, stop focusing on what you don’t have and start enjoying the things that you do.  And plan your rest.  It is hard to simply be but test will come only from intentional planning and planning rest will come only if it is truly desired. 

Fortunately, we can decide that we are not a victim of time demands, we are creators and acceptors of them.  We can take responsibility of our life.  And so, we are as busy as we choose to be.  Embrace simplicity of a life that focuses on your values and not your possessions.  That concept in itself, will slow things down.

Remembering that rest is not a sign of weakness, but a vital choice to only further enhance your overall growth.  Living is when we starting enjoying rather than just producing ... resting included.

www.walkstrong.ca

" Centre Of The Universe ... "

“ ... I come before you with my heart in my hand

Hoping you can see me through this veil of tears

Somehow I've got to make you understand

Ah, don't you know me after all these years?

This is not the center of the universe

That's alright with me

This is not the center of the universe

But it's where I wanna be ... “

~ Eagles ~ Center Of The Universe ~

***

When we move the center of influence in our lives to events outside us, we interpret life as physical.  We give so much importance to external circumstances that we lose all touch with an inner self.  Everything that we think matters lies in the world outside us, and the desperate cry of our inner needs ... to love, give and belong ... go unheard.  When everything that matters lies in the world outside us, we are at the mercy of manipulating events and people to gain control.  

When we move the center of influence inward we feel the tendency to question everything that comes to us.  We want to know why.  The practice of Shravana is one of stilling your internal and external questions and learning to listen.  From this point of view, we can learn to absorb and become more of the witness to life without trying to interpret meaning.  The practice of Shravana relinquishes the desire to find the answers to all your questions and from this surrendering, you may find the answers come to you.

Cultivating the habit of mindfulness allows us to ask those questions, in stillness.  As we delve inward, the exaggerated sensitivity to the physical level of life diminishes.  The triggers to overreact to our surroundings in ways that bring on emotional and physical distress fade.  

And as we practice the art of listening, Shravana, we build a powerful concentration to hear ourselves.  Listening to self requires you to be more alert and attentive in the present moment.  Mindful of self.  Being able to live in the present moment is the ultimate goal of meditation.  As you become aware of every single emerging moment, you have attained a mindful state, no longer bound to the oscillations of others ... and As we move this center of influence inward, the veil is lifted and the true nature of our minds, in all its luminosity, shines.

www.walkstrong.ca

" Be Prepared ... "

“ ... My words are a matter of pride

It's clear from your vacant expressions

The lights are not all on upstairs

But we're talking kings and successions

Even you can't be caught unawares

So prepare for a chance of a lifetime

Be prepared for sensational news

A shining new era is tiptoeing nearer

And where do we feature?

Just listen to teacher

Be prepared! ... “

~ Lion King ~ Be Prepared ~ 

***

When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011, the fear of death consumed me.  I was obsessed with “not dying”.  I prayed, hoped, cursed, bargained and even tempted it.  I thought if I ignored it, it would go away.  I began to feel that life was meaningless, spirally into this vortex of darkness ...

Overall, our fear of death is pretty unhealthy.  Add to it an incurable dis-ease and we do anything we can to avoid it.  Yet we are aware that death is a natural uncontrollable process.  So rather than fearing death, perhaps we fear dying unprepared.  Not knowing when it will happen, how it will happen and who will help us transition to the next side.  If we follow the philosophy that we are gifted this life to prepare for our death, a real sense of urgency can then inspire us.  

I have learned that we are to prepare for a peaceful and successful death ... 

and make the most of this precious life we have been gifted ...

Believers of reincarnation understand that we are travellers passing through.  We came from a previous life and eventually we shall move on to our next life.  Our birth and death are empty-handed and alone.  And everything we have accumulated in this life, including our very body, will be left behind.  Hence if we ignored death we would have wasted our life working for things that we only have to leave behind.

All that we can take with us from one life to the next 

are the imprints of the positive and negative actions we have created ... 

Life presented itself with events that force me to become realistic about my mortality.  And four years later, I am still consumed with death.  Yet my awareness has transitioned from fear to acceptance.  With the guidance of an awakened teacher, my spiritual development has become far more important that the attainments of this world.  I have infinite gratitude towards my teacher who continues to support me as I cultivate patience, love, compassion, wisdom and clarity.  

death is a process of coming home ...

How we can have a good death is by having a good life.  How we pass reflects the way we lived our lives.  Living a life of emotional turmoil may lead to our dying full of regrets, trouble and pain.  It is far better to care for the lives for all around us rather than spending a fortune in prolonging life itself.

www.walkstrong.ca

" Simple Living … "

Slacker mindstate livin on time that's borrowed

My motto's I'll stop procrastinating tomorrow

I took the sorrow from the wind chimes, 

left happiness lonesome

And strung up sarcasm to make the melody wholesome

From my lungs to my feet, I'm breathin everything I speak 

I'm convinced I'm built for better things

~ Gym Class Heroes ~ Simple Living ~

***

After 2.5 years of following the strict Gerson Therapy protocol, and 6 months of Gerson maintenance … what now ... Gerson Living and I LOVE it.

What is The Gerson Therapy?

A gentle reminder … The Gerson Therapy is a practical and highly detailed guide to the intensive nutritional treatment of cancer and other life-threatening dis-ease that many would consider to have been impossible to obtain.  Dr. Max Gerson, MD, discovered enormous success when patients followed a strict fat-free, salt-free, low-protein, essentially vegetarian dietary regimen, based on great quantities of fresh vegetable juice, supplements, and systemic detoxification.  As well, contrary to what is being communicated, 

The Gerson Therapy has NO substitutes

The Gerson Therapy requires a FULL commitment by the patient.

What is Gerson Living? 

Just ask Jessica Ainscough, a beautiful, young woman who has inspired me daily.  But personally speaking, Gerson Living is a clean, simple, and organic lifestyle.  

We know where our food comes from, we know where our products come from, we support fair trade practices, we buy only organic, we buy only natural ingredients, we support local business and farmers, we support healthy relationships, we vote with our dollar, we practice what we preach, we reduce our exposure we negative people and places, we meditate, we practice yoga, we practice gratitude, we live life rather than fear death, we give back whatever and where ever we can ...

Our bodies have to decompose is some manner ... and a great deal of the human population is suffering and dying from chronic, degenerative diseases that hardly existed a 100 years ago.  The philosophy is that when adhering to a lifestyle based on the “principles” of the Gerson Therapy, these dis-eases can be completely prevented and even healed.

So some may read this and think ... this doesn’t apply to me.  My response ... YET.  That is not to hope, wish or curse anyone a dis-ease, but the incidence of cancer use to be 1 in 50 in the 1900s ... now it is 1 in 2 in industrialized nations ... maybe based on the simple fact that our modern society refuses to live in harmony with the Laws of Nature.

Statistics show that, today, the average lifespan of a woman is 77 years of age while it is 72 for a male. With that in mind, the typical person, after retiring, will enjoy less than 10 years of life before they leave this earth and they likely will not enjoy those ten years at all as those ten years will be spent consuming mass amounts of unnecessary pharmaceutical drugs and undergoing numerous surgeries to combat whatever degenerative disease ultimately leads to their unnecessary, early death.

We’ve heard the saying ... “we all have to die of something sometime” ... but I feel we could re-focus on quality of life and longevity instead.  YES, this is possible.  See me, following the principles of the Gerson Therapy helped me not only clean up my body ... but clean up my life.  Regardless of age, this therapy provides you a lifestyle of prevention and can promise the highest quality of life far beyond that of ones peers.

Reflecting back on the day we started Gerson (March 7, 2011), I thought that I was about to embark on something that would “save” my life.  Little did I realize that this could be “the” catalyst of a life far greater than I could ever imagine.  

I am grateful for the amazing powers of healing with nutrition and detoxification and realize that this kind of therapy is not a compliment, but a choice for proper healing and health maintenance.  And I am reminded by my meditation teacher, guru and guide ... life does not require our approval, suggestions or even participation ... life flows with ease where miracles occur every single day ... 

Gerson Living and Loving it … 

I'm thankful for my struggle because without it 

I wouldn't have stumbled across my strength ॐ

www.walkstrong.ca

" Enjoy The Silence ... "

Vows are spoken

To be broken

Feelings are intense

Words are trivial

Pleasures remain

So does the pain

Words are meaningless

And forgettable

All I ever wanted

All I ever needed

Is here in my arms

Words are very unnecessary

They can only do harm

~ Depeche Mode ~ Enjoy The Silence ~

***

The beauty of Silence ... brought into our monkey minds, clarity arises.  Perhaps a sense of being alive, perhaps a divine vision.

Silence ... tranquil wordlessness ...

In a world where noise pollution is so great, silence keeps one from going crazy.  A break in the chaos of sound.  A time where quiet and calm are welcomed, a time when a serene moment is available to collect your thoughts and regroup your senses, a time when a pause gives a noiseless second look at the blur of the world around you.  

Although I have always understood the importance of communication .. the ability to talk, listen, explain and comprehend.  I think there is also a real need to be quiet, because if we never rest our mouths, never retreat into silence, we can never coherently think.  The constant attack of sound grates upon our subconscious, filling our minds with words & thoughts that may not be ours.

The precious moment of stillness, of pure serenity ... the break  in the battle of words ... letting the numbness fill the room ... nothing is everything ... having the courage to put the world on pause and let the quiet stillness permeate our thoughts.

In bringing in silence, a sense of extraordinary is found within the ordinary, yet it remains unnoticed.  Perhaps true wisdom is found in the silence underlying the words.  In bringing in silence, judgement and comparison are absent and the appreciation of beauty inherent in all things is naturally realized.  We may stumble upon the treasure we all seek ... if we let the silence do the talking.

" Detached ... "

What do you believe?

Or do you still conceive? ...

Detached, crawl inside my head

Open up my mind is all they told me, told me

Detached, I don't relate to your fantasy

But I'm detached

See what you do to me

You feed off my mind, well then you break my ability

To maintain a 20/20 vision on myself

So why not, why not, why not let the pain go? ...

~ Spineshank ~ Detached ~

***

What is detachment and why is it so important regarding suffering?  Well, the essence of Buddhism says life is suffering, desire is the root cause of suffering and detachment of desire brings an end to suffering.

So then are desires the problem?  No, because desires simply arise, sometimes involuntarily, and are a part of being human.  Hence what Buddha was addressing is when we have a strong “attachment” to a particular outcome.  

You know the saying, if you want to give God a laugh, make a plan.  Well I know in my case, he has truly had some good belly laughs, probably rolling in the aisles ...

Life doesn’t always go the way we want.  Therefore to experience peace in our lives, we have to go with the flow or roll with the punches.  Yeah I know ... easier said than done, because it is so easy to be a victim ... shoulda, coulda, woulda and why me scenarios.  But understanding that those who view life in this way have a strong attachment to outcomes, increasing their suffering.

I have blogged about acceptance and surrendering to whatever is.  Yet, through meditation and further teachings, I am learning about “non-attachment” or “detachment” and the important role it plays in coping with life.  I am learning that unfavourable circumstances could be seen as a blessing in disguise to deepen my inner experience ... 

... what if you turned your what if into believing that everything is unfolding perfectly, according to a flawless Divine plan.  Then non-attachment is easier to achieve.  Every event can be viewed as our own perfect creation to learn and grow ...

Believe that the Divine is never wrong ... 

Another belief I use to have regarding detachment was that it came from a place of selfish isolation, withdrawal, disconnection and simply disengaging.  Now I am beginning to understand that detachment encompasses stillness, compassion, empathy and loving kindness.  It arises when we let go of our attachment to some things and our resistance to others.  When we stop needing things to conform to our desires, we can help let go of our egos desire using pure love as our ally.

My meditation teacher explains to us that detachment can make us feel as if we have mastered our attachments because we are no longer disturbed by them.  He explains to us that we must also practice patience as detachment enters our lives in stages and fluctuates with this process.

And being a student of life, I understand that I am just on the tip of the iceberg in this process ... to bring more awareness in my life, to lessen the hold of attachments and to eventually experience true liberation.

The essence of the Way is detachment 

~ Bodhidharma ~

" One Year Of Love ... "

Just surrender to your love,

Just one year of love,

Is better that a lifetime alone,

One sentimental moment in your arms,

Is like a shooting star right through my heart,

It's always a rainy day without you,

I'm a prisoner of love inside you -

I'm falling apart all around you - yeah.

And all I can do is surrender ...

~ Queen ~ One Year Of Love ~

***

March 7, 2011, exactly one year since I started the full Gerson Therapy.  I know wild eh?  Three words capture it perfectly ... what a journey!  In the beginning, it seemed unattainable as I didn’t know if we would make one week let alone one year.  But I had to shift and start focusing on enjoying the journey instead of “getting off the therapy”.  I had to completely embrace my new life and the opportunity presented to me for self-discovery and growth.

My new life ... taking me in a totally different direction from where I was heading.  But to step into this path I had to stop mourning the loss of my old life.  I had to let go and surrender.  I began by cleansing each and every aspect of my life on all health levels ... emotionally, physically and spiritually.  

And upon reflection, my former life was really full of one challenge after another, as I constantly felt like I wasn’t good enough or strong enough ... basically not deserving of the success I was achieving.  I was tired of beating myself up all day, every day, and I had to make myself a priority.

Cherrie Moraga quoted “Sometimes a breakdown can be the beginning of a kind of breakthrough, a way of living in advance through a trauma that prepares you for a future of radical transformation”.  Yes, I can relate ... definitely a radical transformation.  And during this time, I have received an abundance of blessings.  As tough as this journey is, the possibilities are endless.  I have been given another chance to decide exactly how the rest of my life will unfold.

And for those that are curious about the tumours, my last consult went extremely well.  My Gerson and local doctors were over the moon with my results.  My body is healing thanks to it’s alkaline state.  Honestly speaking, we really didn’t know if Gerson would “work” in the beginning ... yet as the hours turned to days, and the days turned to months, and now one year ... all the hard work has paid off.

So as I shine my light onward to the next 8 to 12 months of therapy, my intentions are to continue to heal my body, mind and soul ... my LIFE for the rest of my life.  And although I can’t say that I have loved every moment of the last year, with every high and low has come valuable lessons.  Lessons that I know I wouldn’t have experienced if it wasn’t for my cancer diagnosis ... experiencing real healthy food, yoga, meditation, sunshine, walks, time with precious family and friends, gardening, music, writing, fun books, good movies, concerts, theater and life ... for as long as I’m blessed to have it.  

At the very least, I’ve learned about what matters ... "finding courage, keeping hope and losing fear".

Peace and Carrots ॐ 

M

" Don't Panic ... "

We live in a beautiful world 

Yeah we do, Yeah we do 

We live in a beautiful world 

Oh all that I know 

There's nothing here to run from 

Cause here

Everybody here's got somebody to lean on

~ ColdPlay ~ Don’t Panic ~ 

***

Calm down, don’t panic, here, take this, it will make you feel better ... sound familiar?  The number of people suffering from panic attacks has increased exponentially.  There are various medications available for dealing with these and many choose to take them, only to suffer from damaging side effects.  What people don’t realize is that the answer for the question on how to deal with panic attacks without medication lies within themselves.  

Those of us that have experienced these types of attacks can attest to the enormous fear and worry surrounding them.  They can come on for no apparent cause, making it difficult to understand the triggers.  And we engage our built-in mechanism to sheild ourselves in any dangerous situation ... the “fight or flight” effect.  You see, when our body senses danger of any kind, it engages in survival mode.  Our stress and anxiety levels increase producing chemical changes in our body.  Our body feels it is in a high risk situation ... resulting in symptoms we call panic attacks.  

One of the simpliest natural techniques is deep breathing.  So start by shifting from the location of the panic attack to a more comfortable place.  Next, sit calmly, close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing.  As this will increase your oxygen levels to your neural organs and assist in proper blood flow ... resulting in a tranquil and composed space.  Next try to meditate to re-focus your thinking.  The purpose is to bring inner peace within ourselves and the world around us by transforming our thoughts from negative to positive.  If we don't attend to dis ease the mind, we may find dis ease of the body. 

Practicing the above will place in a better position to not allow the panic attack to take you over.  To truly understand why you panic, you must know what triggers the episodes.  Remember, the answer lies within us.  Our mind has the power to overcome any situation and put us in control ... only if we want it.  

"Roam ... "

"roam if you want to 
roam around the world
roam if you want to
without wings, without wheels
roam if you want to
roam around the world
roam if you want to
without anything but the love we feel"

~ The B-52s ~ Roam ~

***

Recently, I came across a great article about "the cost of Roaming" ~ The compulsive checking of messages, staying connected because we are afraid of missing out, or answering a late-night work email because it makes us feel needed.  This can be powerful distractions from knowing ourselves.  I realized that prior to my diagnosis, that was me.  I worked hard, very hard and took pride in telling others " I am sooo busy, I work 60 hour weeks, etc...".  I always seemed connected to some form of technology.  And all of my gadgets and tech toys tempted me with endless stimuli that invited my attention to go off in a million scattered directions at once.  If you need to get a hold of me, no worries, just try my hand held device, or my laptop, or my pager or my .... and it goes on.  

We can avoid the roaming charge or "the emotional or psychic cost connected with the distraction and expectation associated with that phone, wherever and whenever it might be ringing - by remaining as attuned to your inner technologies as you are to your outer ones".  It can be a challenge to maintain inner calm in a world of constant connection, yet I have had the opportunity to practice perfect this during my therapy and it has been essential for my well-being.  Wisdom practices such as yoga and meditation, have allowed me to set matters aside, cut myself loose from my ego, and experience freedom from external affirmations and influences ... like breaking free from rapid-fire tweet and measuring my popularity from facebook likes ~ yes, we don't need our smartphones to discover nirvana, what a relief!

It definitely takes discipline ... we all have the urge to just check that email or message ... but introspective wisdom practices will result in higher productivity, greater inspiration, and increased creativity.  It allows us to maintain presence and inner connection in a world designed to pull us in every waking moment outside of ourselves.  We can live with the latest technology and still have a connected inner life.  Perhaps next time let your voicemail take that call, let your email go unanswered and evaluate your relationship with technology instead of blaming it when you feel distracted.  Feel the shift as it may be the next new wave of inner technology you may just be looking for.

"Work It ..."

"Is it worth it, let me work it...
I put my bang down, flip it and reverse it...
If you got a big deal, let me search it...
I'd like to get to know ya so I could show ya...

Just make sure you ahead of the game..."

~ Missy Elliott ~ Work It ~

***

Yesterday I looked at the calendar and the weeks I have been on the Gerson Therapy ~ finishing off week 29 yesterday and starting WEEK 30 today.  Yep, completed 29 weeks ~204 days ~ 4,896 hours ~ 293,760 minutes ... and counting!  Since the inception of the programme there has been a few changes in regards to the reduction of medication and coffee "treatments", and the addition of certain foods again.  But really the changes have been physical ~ my energy levels are better, my skin tone is better (carrot glow y'all), and my body has changed.  There has been a significant shift in the last couple of weeks.  It is hard to describe but I what I can say is that I feel like I am truly healing.  One of the naturopath's I have been seeing said to me last week that "Once you start living your life instead of preventing your death, healing begins".  And it struck a cord, an aha! moment ... now I think I have already adopted that attitude, and have had to in a way due to the severity of the situation, but it is interesting when someone else says it to you in a way that just makes sense.  Hopefully it does for those of you that are reading this.  

Every day I work my programme.  I don't know how else to explain it - not much changes in the routine ... I am still on 13 fresh juices on the hour, every hour ... I am still on 4 coffee enemas ... I am still have oatmeal with fruit for breakfast ... I am still eating the special Hippocrates soup, baked potatoes and veggies for lunch AND dinner ... I am still on castor oil twice a week ... I am still on the Gerson medications combined with herbal and homeopath meds.  My days still begin at 6:30AM and end at 8:30PM ... I do have time between 9:30am and Noon & 2:30pm and 5:00pm for phone/personal visits, yoga, walks, meditation, blogging, and writing ~ staying pretty close to home though.  My day continues to be very structured, and I really don't mind the routine because I know what is coming and so does my body.  This is the biggest job in my life, my pivotal moment ... to heal my body.  

If you think about it we plan a great deal in our lives .... school, vacations, celebrations, investments ... yet if we don't really plan how to truly take care of ourselves ~ our bodies, our minds ~ the rest may never come.  This is not to be pessimistic, but merrily going along, going thru the motions, thinking that we will never get sick, nothing bad will happen and it won't be me, is probably not the best approach.  That is the approach I had.  I NEVER thought I would be in the situation I am in now, battling cancer.  Yet as I have said before, this is truly a blessing in my life.  Really because, I was so detailed oriented, so focused on the small stuff, and missing out on the big picture.  That has completely changed now.  And maybe this is all happening because I had to stop "sweating the small stuff".  My mind was cluttered with detail conversations about "stuff" ~ what she did, why he did that, what did that really mean ... and internally feeling like it was "all happening to me" because I just wasn't good enough.  A very familiar pattern of thinking in my life ... a pattern that has now thankfully ended.  Ended because over the last 29 weeks I have worked really hard to understand and make those changes.  

When we create harmony in our own minds and hearts, we find it in our lives.  And sometimes it takes the earth to move, or the rug to be pulled beneath us, or the universe to make us just stop for this to happen.  The signs are always there, but when your head is buried in the details, you miss it.  So if you can, take a moment to just be present, and open yourself up to these signs.  You will know what they are ... if things don't feel right, don't ignore it, act on it now.  Don't wait for a painful defining moment in your life to force you to make those changes.  Trust me, I know. 

 ♥ Heal your past, Live your present, Dream your future ♥