My Feline Best Friend

I have never had a pet of my own and kind of feared cats before I met Shadow, aka Lil Puff of Smoke, Muffinhead, Fuzzyface, Sweetie Mc Sweeterson or Tiny, who is my best friend's kitty cat.

I study allllll the time about spiritual wellness, peace and balance. It is my passion and I think I am getting pretty good at it. I do know that having a pet is elemental in psychological and spiritual well being because of this. Until now, I have never connected with an animal. So this blog is about the things I love about her.

Readers warning: Many these following statements contain anthropomorphic attributions to how I think she is feeling as a human would.

I love when she shows appreciation for me by petting my face or my hair with her paw.

I love when she gives me a micro-dermabrasion treatment on my face. Licks off all makeup, etc.

I love when I pet her, she sometimes gives me little love bites on my hands or if I pull my hand away, she puts her paw on top of mine to let me know she wants more.

I love that when I was nervous before my first half marathon, she stayed the night in the house instead of prowling outside so she could sleep on my head for my comfort.

She knows when I have a stomachache and will not lay on me, but beside me without me asking.

When she hears me talking on the phone on the back porch she appears out of nowhere to sit on my lap and get some attention.

She does not like unannounced feline visitors and takes care of it promptly and firmly, same as me. I don't like unannounced human visitors; I handle it differently though, but promptly and firmly.

She is her own woman and won't let anyone boss her, same as me.

She is a friend to all animals, raccoons, squirrels, birds, cats, chickens. Don't know about dogs. (Although, she has had quite a number of rumbles in the night, to no good end for her.)

She is popular in the neighborhood; she goes out at night and starts meowing for her friends.

I love when she smacks when she eats, so cute.

She never does anything like jump on counters, tables or claw furniture.

When she is lost or sick, I am too.

I get so excited when I get near the house I start calling her from a mile away so she'll come home. When I go back home, I feel so good inside. I even made up two songs I sing to her, but that's for another post. I don't want anyone sending the white coats for me.

My Second Half Marathon

A Very Cool Find and a New Plan

I ran my second half marathon this October and it was as fantastic as the first. I want to share with you a very cool product I came across at the Expo. I am not usually one to try to promote or sell products in my blog, but this one is a winner. I like it so much I decided to become an affiliate for them. They are called yurbuds and I love them! They are custom fit to my ear and the best part is they don’t fall out! Plus, they block the cold air from getting into my ear canal. Since I am prone to earaches, this is a God send.

One the experiences I had after the race occurred during the following week. I didn’t feel like running at all and didn’t have any running goals in mind, so I think I totally lost my runner’s mojo. Next year, I have a new plan. Run the half marathon again and plan another 10k race within the following month.

I didn’t realize how important it is to have a running goal. I am back on track and running with my yurbuds free from earaches and having to constantly restuff them back in my ears. Detroit winters can be brutal.

If you are interested in yurbuds, check out their site at www.yurbuds.com, if you do order, you can use affiliate code: WHFJ8

Read the Book That's Inside You

In my quest to become more spiritually connected to God and aware of the blessings around me, I read a lot of books, quotes, tweets, sign up for inspirational newsletters, thoughts of the day, listen to podcasts, etc. You name it, I’m signed up for it. However, I think I am on overload. Everything is starting to sound the same now.

Love

Meditation

Yoga

Exercise

Gratitude

Nature

Spirit

Soul

Perception

Openness

Forgiveness

Letting go

Intention

Positivity

Synchronicities

Coincidences

I was just realizing the need for a slow down period, when it occurred to me to “just read the book that’s inside me”. I came to this revelation while meditating one day as my thoughts drifted away from the quiet place (as they often do). I immediately stopped the guided meditation recording. I was so moved by the thought of it, that I had to write it down right away so I could develop the idea further after my meditation was done.

Here’s what I wrote on my notepaper exactly, ”Read the book that’s inside you. Write it down and share it. You have all the knowledge you need now to do it and do it well. You can take a break from reading everyone else’s books.” Well, ain’t that a how-do-ya-do? I have been pining away to become an author and inspirational/motivational speaker as a vehicle to serve God. It’s my ultimate dream, my goal of all goals. Guess now is as good a time as any to get started. You don’t get the word of God coming to you any clearer than that!

Earlier last week, I think I received a tangible message that may be related. Work with me here.

I went running for the first time in almost a week because I strained my calf muscle. I was itching to get back on the road even though it isn’t completely healed, so I thought I’d just go a couple of miles. I got about 1/3 of a mile out and found a shiny Craftsman wrench right in the middle of the street (13/16 to be exact). I looked around, there was no one to be found, so I picked it up and ran with it the rest of the way. Incidentally, I re-injured my calf muscle during that run and have been laid up since. But I digress.

I think the message is: that I already have the tools I need at this time, and that I can trust I am able to share them with others. I don’t have a need for that wrench right now, but I have it if anyone else does. It’s so shiny and new, it could really do the job well. Someone may see something shiny that catches the light in the middle of the pages I am able to write.

I was wondering what the heck that wrench was doing lying there. Since I am temporarily not getting my cherished running high while I heal, I can get that high by infusing God’s words into some writing and hopefully inspiring others. Guess that’s why my leg is taking it’s time to heal. Now I have time to do what God wants me to do. The irony of it all!

That was a fun puzzle to figure out though!

Yoga~The Perfect Combination

Meditation is something that I do to relax, calm down, get close to God, re-balance & recharge. It clears the clutter from my mind. I meditate twice a day for about 30 minutes each time. Without it, I become irritable, frazzled and disoriented. It is a spiritual re-centering for me. Running or biking is something I do to get energized, release pent up tension, get close to God, rebalance & recharge. Without it, I become irritable, frazzled and disoriented. It is a spiriutal re-centering for me. Yoga is something I do that blends the physical benefits of running or biking with the spiritual, mental exercise of meditating. Yoga is the all around good guy of spiritual wellness and wellbeing. The after effects of meditation, exercise and yoga are like taking a time release magic pill for achieving happiness, peace and balance.

Unlocking the Door to Your Personal Prison

Depression, anxiety, helplessness, hopelessness, anger, frustration, dependence, rejection, loneliness, and more.

Everyone feels one or more of these feelings at one time or another.

You can't wish them away. These feelings can make you feel like you're in a prison or hell, and the door is locked tight. You can't even think of a way out. There are no windows and the door has been shut for so long, you don't even know if there's a key to it anymore. If there is, you sure don't remember where it is.

It is important to realize that the door to your personal prison locks from the inside. You walked right in, and you can walk right out anytime you want. No one put you there but you. Sure circumstances happened, but it is how you believe those circumstances affect you that will determine whether or not you cross the threshold of that doorway into darkness.

Further, there are 3 components to walking in or out through the prison door.

1-Freedom

2-Choice

3-Responsibility

We are free to choose to start looking for a way out

We are free to choose to stop looking for a way out

We are free to choose to try to make things different

We are free to choose to give up and accept what we perceive as our "lot" in life

Whatever we choose, it is our choice. We must be responsible for that choice.

It may not have been your choice that your loved one died
It may not have been your choice that you lost your job/house/car
It may not have been your choice that .......you fill in the blank

But it is your choice how you respond to that situation. And that my friend, is what you are responsible for. So you have the key to go in and you have the key to get out. Any time you wish.

This does not completely solve the problem, but it is the first gigantic step in moving toward feeling something different. It is a huge relief to know that life isn't just happening to you. That you can take your control back and make your life what you want it to be. You hold the keys at all times.

You may not control all circumstances in life, but you control you. You control how you react and how you respond.

Locking yourself in prison or a personal hell is purely a personal decision. You may walk in by mistake, but if you don't like how it feels, unlock the door and get out quick!