When the Universe Answers

My Perspectives of Truth

I believe in the power of the Divine wholeheartedly. I believe our energy is our connection to Universal powers. I also believe our thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and perspectives of truth that we choose daily create our realities in each moment. How we look at ourselves, others, and the world as a whole—MATTERS! With that being said, I believe that when we ask the Universe questions, the answers come according the energy we are giving out. 

If we are lacking in our self-worth and self-concept, we will be answered back with lessons to help find out why we have to build up our self-love. Some of these lessons can come from toxic relationships, jobs, family, etc. When we see how painful it is not to love ourselves, we may be put into situations, then given the tools we need to grow and prosper, but don’t be mistaken, the Universe is answering, we just have to be willing to thank the Divine for the lessons we are learning along the way. If we don’t and choose to stay in our chaos, the lessons get harder. The Universe is trying to show us what we need to learn to get ourselves out, but we are resisting. One of our biggest barriers is not feeling worthy and lovable. That’s not the answer, that’s what’s keeping us from finding the solution.

Asking the Universe for Answers from a Place of Lack

Here’s my personal example of this. Back in September 2001, I left the state I had spent the last year looking to feel connected. I was desperate for someone to love me back after I had long on-again/off-again romance fizzle for the last time. I wanted to feel love so bad that my energy was carrying a horribly low vibration. When I did find someone, he swooped me off my feet, put me on a high pedestal, and spoiled me. I tried to find my worth in what I meant to this person. Slowly, the relationship turned toxic. He was there to teach me what happens when I seek worth from someone outside of myself. Since I was so resistant to this lesson, it got harder and harder until I felt like a shell of a person. 

I kept asking the Universe, “Why can’t I be loved the way I feel I deserve?” The answer took me years of failed relationships and finally became BRUTALLY CLEAR.  The Universe was answering; I just didn’t like the answer, “Because you don’t show yourself that level of love.” The Universe kept meeting me on my level to give me the answers I was looking for. When I began the work on my self-love, the lessons weren’t as brutal, and got easier and easier to move through.

How Do We Want to Receive our Answers?

Remember, the Universe can only give us more of what we already have. If we tell the Universe how horrible the world is and we ask questions from that mindset, the lessons will show us the brutality. We will get to learn the hard way, because that is where our energy is taking us. The Universe isn’t against us, but the Divine energy can only connect with us from where we are. This is not a concept that is just in religion and/or spiritual circles, it’s in science. So no matter how a person wants to break this concept down, what we put out there is what we will get back. If we want good, love, abundance, health, adventure, joy to come back to us, we better work on making sure our energy is aligned with the results we want.

If we come to the Universe with love in our hearts, we will get our lessons and solutions with a softer hand. Inside we know we are getting the answers, so we may even feel energetically lifted even if the lesson is taking longer than we had hoped. There is a faith that lies underneath that allows the Universe to do some magic. We listen as people recommend books, people, shows, events, places, etc. The beauty of this is when we can acknowledge, and say thank you for lighting the way. The Universe opens so many doors, but we have to pay attention to what is in front of us to see them. When we have a grateful heart, the Universe gives us more to be grateful for. When love is at the foundation of our questions, the people the Universe brings into our lives is AWE inspiring.

Asking the Universe a Direct Question with a Strong Foundation of Love

After I graduated college at 40. I knew my soul was calling me to write, but I had no idea how to get my voice out there. I started asking the Universe for guidance. FromALovingPlace.com was born. Once I started blogging, I started thinking about writing a book. Then I wrote an open letter from A BETTER ME about judgment. A book idea sparked. I wrote out my 3×5 index card and asked the Universe, “How might I get my book idea sold?” Little did I know the Universe already had been making a space for an agent to appear in my life. Then came the book shopping process.

Being Open to Shift—This is NOT Our Timing

It took one version of being shopped until there was nowhere left to turn. The book didn’t sell. I needed a new direction. I started writing another version, and midway through the writing I went to Sedona, AZ to get some clarity. With a lot of time spent connecting to Source, I completely switched directions. I left my half-written book on the shelf and started over with a new direction. This idea was getting a lot of attention, but not having a big following or platform, I received some of the most beautiful passes. The one thing that was consistent was editors telling my agent, the book would find it’s “home”. The Universe was guiding the process. When the book landed in the lap of my now editor, she had a vision. She saw the one thing that could really make the book shine. Her team agreed and the life of Letters from A Better Me: How Becoming an Empowered Woman Transforms the World found it’s home with Mango Publishing. 

Us humans can be some stubborn individuals. We’ve become very used to expecting quick fixes and answers. The Universe doesn’t work on our timing. This isn’t an overnight process; but with patience, love, and an opened mind and heart—The Universe answers. 

When we are having a hard time hearing the answers, it’s time to quiet the mind. If our minds are filled with clutter and chaos, the Universe has to be really loud in order to get us to pay attention. The more open and ready we are to receive, the faster the process will go. If we think we know what’s best, and refuse to see the messages and guidance, we stay prisoner of our own mind. Stay open to shift, change directions, and create new pathways. 

The Universe is Answering

  • Are you ready for the lessons you need to learn in order to lead the life that you REALLY want to be living? 
  • Are you ready to love yourself enough to allow the good to enter and stay?
  • Are you ready to do the work and change any unhealthy patterns that are keeping you stuck?
  • How do you want your answers delivered (make sure your energy is aligned)?
  • Are you ready to stay open to let the Universe work in the best possible way?

With Love and Gratitude, 

Rachael Wolff ©2019

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The Power of Three: Mindset, Intention, and Gratitude

Earlier this week, I wrote a piece called, Weight Loss: A Journey of Losing, Gaining, and Maintaining. Though this power of three helped me with the weight loss process, weight loss came naturally once I started taking better care of my mindset, aligning myself with the changes I wanted to see in my life, and living gratitude daily. 

If you can see this power of three as having the energetic force to help you in any aspect of your life, you will get to feel the true AWE of this process. So much in our lives begins to change when we are willing to see that we are the problem, and we are the solution. 

Mindset (Awareness)

Understanding how we think, and why we think the way we do is critical in the process of change. If we aren’t aware of how our thoughts, perspectives of truth, and firm beliefs are working for or against us, we won’t see how our actions and reactions are helping or hindering us. Let’s take weight: If we are in a constant struggle to lose weight, and we are using the weight that we are to beat ourselves up, we are actually attracting negative results. We look for quick fixes, which aren’t healthy for us and hurt us down the line. Oh and as soon as we stop, the weight comes right back. We do things that may take away from living a healthy lifestyle. Our mindset matters! The pounds do not equal our worth. An unhappy person at 250 lbs. will be and unhappy person at 120 lbs. if they are putting their value in their worth. It will just look different in how the unhappiness projects itself. 

If you try to force healthy changes before you commit to improving your mindset, don’t be surprised when you start doing things to sabotage your progress. This can happen in our relationships, educations, careers, spiritual paths, and lifestyles. If your mindset isn’t aligned with the results you really want to see, a war is waged inside of us. When we don’t like what we see in any area of our lives, instead of blaming or focusing outward on what we don’t have—Check within! 

  • What messages is your mind telling you?
  • Are these messages even true?
  • Is there a different way you can look at things?
  • How can you find opportunities instead of roadblocks? 
  • What beliefs are working against you getting what you really want?

Become aware of where your mind goes. If you are feeling a struggle within, there is a lesson there. What is it? BE OPEN! A closed mind won’t get you anywhere! For a deeper exploration, check out the 90-Day A Better Me Series. The topic matter will help you get to the bottom of what is holding you back. 

Intention (Stillness)

Many people have heard about what happens to people after winning the lottery. Most of them end up in a worse situation than before they won. Part of the reason this happens is because they put the value of happiness outside of themselves. If I had money… I could be happy. NOOOOO!!! We have to see the worth and power of our minds first. Our value is with us in this very moment whether we are rich or poor, overweight or underweight, in a relationship or out of a relationship, successful in a career or finding our way. None of these things have the power to make us feel happy, valuable, lovable, or worthy. The only way to make lasting positive change in our lives without sabotaging it is to feel that way first. This is why getting in touch with our true intentions is so important. 

 What are the actual results you are looking for? Go deep; the intention behind losing weight isn’t just that the pounds come off. Think about how it will feel to not have the extra weight on. What does that mean for your health? What kind of energy do you think will come from that? How will losing the weight affect your lifestyle choices? This isn’t about putting the value in being skinny. This isn’t about feeling more lovable, wanted, or important. If you are trying to lose weight for those reasons, you are not ready to move on. Go back to working on your mindset. 

Intentions for Healthy Living

My intention is to live a healthy lifestyle:

  • Increase my energy
  • Eat foods that are good for my body
  • Gain strength and endurance
  • Sleep enough for maximum results
  • Choose behaviors that support my well-being
  • Drink plenty of water to nourish my organs

The focus isn’t on losing the weight, it’s on the goal of living a healthy lifestyle. Our worth isn’t tied to what happens if we don’t lose X amount of pounds in a month. Every little thing we do that contributes to us living a healthier lifestyle can be celebrated. Our value is already there. We are just choosing a better way of doing things because we value ourselves. 

Intentions for Career

My intention is to feel passionate in my career:

  • I love helping individuals grow and flourish.
  • I’m inspired about learning the best time management techniques for working smart. 
  • I’m passionate about being organized.
  • I love being able to show my compassion for others as I communicate with others. 
  • I’m enthusiastic about being able to serve others to the best of my ability.
  • I’m positively ardent about being able to support myself financially.

It doesn’t matter what career path you choose, the question is—Can you connect to your passion of the things you love through it? This can be written for doctors, wait staff, retail managers, sales associates, executives, waste management employees, etc. This focuses on what we want instead of what we don’t want. Minimizing what we do by missing our opportunities to shine will defeat and drain us. Is that really what you want?

Intentions for Relationships

My intention is to have a loving, loyal, passionate, and communicative relationship with my partner:

  • We both understand what love is and support bringing out the best in each other (Make sure to be clear on what love is before you try attracting it to your life. There are brutal consequences if your definition is out of whack. Click here to read more).
  • I’m loyal to taking the best care of myself physically, mentally, and spiritually so that I can be the best version of myself for my partner. When I am loyal to myself, I attract loyalty in my partner. (Don’t expect someone else to do what you’re not doing for yourself).
  • I’m passionate about my partner, and we enjoy our emotional and physical intimacy through our honesty and connection. 
  • We are willing to listen and hear each other out. There is no ONE right way, just different ways. The more we listen to each other the better our relationship is. 

I write a lot about intentions in relationships through an intense process that you can read about in the 90-Day A Better Me Series and also in my upcoming book, Letters from A Better Me: How Becoming an Empowered Woman Transforms the World. 

Be clear on your intentions, because when they are not clear or have a negative energy attachment, you WILL sabotage yourself.  It’s not a matter of if, just when. 

Gratitude (Action)

I’m amazed at what the power of gratitude has the ability to create, change, and amplify. The last ninety plus days I’ve been writing out a page of daily intentions and a page of gratitude. My life is reflecting the energy I’m putting into it. I feel abundant in my life, and that is because I focus on daily gratitude. I find new opportunities to enjoy my life daily. Money shows up when and how I need it to. I am blessed with supportive family and friends. I find and make time for self-care. I make time to connect with my spirituality. I’m led to people and events that bring out the best in me. I’m abundant. Some people may look at my life and pick on all the things I don’t have, but that’s not my problem. That is their mindset that is creating that feeling of lack. Gratitude is a mindset of living as if we have everything we need in this minute and being thankful for that. 

Living in lack will keep us feeling like what we have is never enough. Then we take that out on others treating them with feelings of lack, so it comes off as they are not good enough and/or doing enough. The feeling of lack makes us resentful and the person we are the worst to when we live in lack is ourselves. When we live in lack, we sabotage any work we do on ourselves, our relationships, our careers, and our spiritual connections. We are filled with expectations. We focus on other’s letting us down. 

The great news is that shifting from lack to abundance is just a shift in perception away. It takes work, especially because we are surrounded by people who want us to want what we don’t have. That is how they sell fear, and we’ve shown them that selling fear makes us buy things. So if we are surrounded by things and people encouraging us to see lack, we have to make time EVERY day to focus on gratitude/ abundance. This is not a let’s spot gratitude for a few weeks and we will be good kind of thing. Practicing, living, and embracing gratitude is a daily activity and when you decide to stop, the lack will start creeping back in. 

Be grateful for the choices you made today that supported your intentions. Be grateful for the people who showed up to teach you something. Be grateful for the videos you watched that helped to inspire you. Be grateful for the unlimited resources you have to learn more about healthy living, self-care, and education. Be grateful that this piece somehow ended up in front of you to read. You get the point. For anything you feel resentful towards, find three things you are grateful for him/her/it in your life. What is the experience teaching you? The lessons are something to be grateful for. 

The Power of Three

When we combine a positive mindset, intention, and gratitude together, we win. Life becomes less of a struggle and more of a gift. We have the power to change our lives for the better in every instant. We just have to make the choice to follow through or stay where we are. What are you going to do to make today even better after reading this? Do nothing, and don’t be surprised when things stay the same. Do something and the motion can initiate a chain reaction of events that can take you on a path that will enhance your life. The choice is in your hands!

With Love and Gratitude, 

Rachael Wolff ©2019

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Weight Loss: A Journey of Losing, Gaining, and Maintaining

The Struggle with Losing Weight

I’ve seen many friends and family members struggle with weight loss throughout my life. My weight didn’t start tipping the scales of unhealthy until I hit 40. Then like a speeding bullet, pound after pound started piling on. Now, as many of my friends know, I do not like the burn of working out. I focus too much on the feeling and it messes with my creativity and flow of writing. I attempted going on the treadmill to lose the weight, but it didn’t do anything. No matter how fast I walked or the incline, it just sucked up my time and felt pointless. At the time, I wasn’t trying to lose weight for the right reasons. I thought if I lost weight, I would feel better about myself. A trap I’ve watched so many people fall into, just like I would be happy if…

The Importance of Self-Worth, Self-Esteem, and Self-Image

When we put our self-worth, self-esteem, and self-image outside of ourselves, we will STRUGGLE. We set ourselves up for failure, disappointment, and lack. We don’t have to lose weight to be lovable. We do have to choose to love ourselves in order to see the love that is presented to us. That doesn’t come from what we are not right in this moment. If we struggle with loving ourselves, we will manifest struggles in our lives. Our energy that comes from our core will permeate throughout. You can read more about in the inward journey:

90-Day A Better Me Series

Enjoying Losing the Weight

I knew if I was taking care of myself mentally, taking care of myself physically would feel natural and right. I decided to walk outside in nature, because that is something I love to do. I walked 5 miles a day listening to self-help books, meditations, podcasts, and anything that encouraged positive thinking. I love food so I wasn’t about to give anything I loved up, so I just started counting my calories and being accountable for what I was putting in my body. The weight came off. Then, in the busyness of life I just couldn’t find the time for walking the 5-mile walks and lost interest in counting the calories, and the gaining commenced. The maintaining got lost in the busyness of trying to fit more into my day than I had time for. 

Mindset Matters

Now, as a writer of a blog called From A Loving Place, I have talked about the energy of against thinking and what that does to us. I know negative energy attracts more of what we don’t want to see, so if I go at weight loss with the energy of working against accepting the person I am right in this very moment, I know that I’m putting a negative energy into the process and I will feel like I’m in a struggle to lose weight. If I focus on there not being time, the time for it goes away. I decided I wasn’t going to try to lose weight. I was going to accept myself exactly as I was and focus on being the healthiest version of me. 

When the Student is Ready…

Then came the road trip. I love road trips. I can be in cars for hours, days, and/or weeks and as long as I’m not in an area with excessive traffic, I’m at total peace. Road trips are an important part of my self-care, but not this particular road trip. I was in pain. There was a new roll of fat over my ribs that was causing me pain while driving. This roll was messing with my joy and my self-care. I found myself completely focused on the roll of fat the whole trip. It’s not like it changed my outer looks that much, but it definitely was affecting what was going on inside of me. That pain showed me something needed to change to be the best version of myself, so I started focusing on how I WANTED to feel. My energy was aligned with a healthy mindset.

The day after I got home from the trip, I decided it was time to commit to healthier practices. I had bought a knock off the Simply Fit Exercise Board some time ago, but just like any gadget it had sat in a perfect place ready for the day I would start getting on it. I went onto YouTube and found tons of great workouts to do with the board and weights. What I loved about the thought of this workout was that I didn’t have to make any time to do it. I simply did it while watching a television show that I already made time for. For the first time, I actually ENJOY strengthening and toning exercises, and it is strengthening my whole core and my arms!!! WHAT?!

Gaining Wisdom About Healthy Living

I’ve discovered that when I enjoy the process, I don’t feel like I’m in a struggle to lose weight. As I enter my third month of doing these workouts and being accountable for the food that I put into my body, I’ve lost 18 lbs. and counting. I’m not dreading anything; there is no painful recovery time. The exercise doesn’t make any of my body parts hurt after. My creativity is intact. I can go on for short 10-15 minute spurts, 30-minute variations, or just go at a steady pace for an hour. I feel good while I’m doing it. As I started to feel better and better, I started adding leg lifts with ankle weights, variations of weights from 2-10 lbs., and mixing it up with yoga stretches. I’m no longer focused on losing the weight, but enjoying the feeling and the energy I have to get me through the day. I’ve noticed how much healthier I feel inside and out, and because my mind is focused on the good stuff, I’ve noticed I WANT to eat healthier. I WANT to research healthier meal planning. I’m no longer naturally drawn to things that don’t make my body feel good. I’m not longer feeling the STRUGGLE of losing weight. I still LOVE food, I’ve just found a way to enjoy new and different ways of preparing, cooking, and when I do want to splurge—I do. 

Maintaining Healthy Weight by Attracting the Good

I FEEL great, inside and out.  My energy is in line with attracting what is good for me, and I find more and more things that make me feel good. Maintaining is no longer a chore, because the goal is about living a healthy and joy-filled life.  Outside of exercise and nutrition, I’ve also committed to keeping my head in the right space by writing out a page of positive intentions and gratitude daily. There will be a post to read more about that on Friday, September 6, 2019 on this website. If you haven’t signed up to follow this blog, you can do it by scrolling down on your phone or going to the sidebar on your computer. 

With Love and Gratitude, 

Rachael Wolff ©2019

Author of upcoming book: Letters from A Better Me: How Becoming an Empowered Woman Transforms the World

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3 Ways to Remove the Clutter that Self-Abuse Creates

3 Ways to Remove the Clutter that Self-Abuse Creates

Self-abuse is one of the many ways our self-hate, low self-esteem, lack of worth, and negative self-image manifest themselves. We create clutter both inwardly and outwardly when we don’t become self-aware of how we are treating ourselves. This doesn’t help us lead productive lives. This doesn’t help us stay away from the chaos and drama that surrounds us. The more we hate ourselves and treat ourselves with disrespect, the more chaos and drama we will attract to our lives. The clutter in our minds is fuel for the fear, hate, shame, guilt, and violence that is spreading in and around us.

If we want things to get better around us, we have to start within us. Our energy that we put into the world comes from the energy we are feeding ourselves daily. If we want to stop the abuse, we have to stop creating a space where we are apart of the problem. Self-abuse is not helping us or anyone else! When we self-abuse we are showing others that it’s okay to disrespect us, walk on us, and treat us as if we have no value. Many times people don’t even know that that is the way we feel, because our own behaviors have led them to believe that what they are doing is acceptable.

For years, I wanted to be the victim of my own thinking. I found a sick pleasure in being the doormat, but what I didn’t want to see is that I laid down in front of the person who chose to walk across my back. I was trying to find my value because I hated myself so much that I just gave myself away over and over expecting someone to see what I couldn’t. Our lack of value clutters our minds and distorts our realities into believing that we are trapped and that we can’t stop what is happening to us. Just the thought is self-sabotaging and attracts more of what we don’t want.

When my mind is cluttered, it spreads into my personal spaces. I’ve had my bed so covered in stuff that I have barely been able to fit on it to sleep. That’s when I know I have some real cleaning to do. The last time my bed was like that I dove head-first into figuring out how and why I kept sabotaging myself. It was time for me to look at how I was treating myself.

Here are three ways you can help yourself:

1. Become Aware of the Clutter —INVENTORY NEGATIVE MESSAGES

  • How do you talk to yourself when you are looking in the mirror?
  • What do you think about all your features?
  • What do you think about the person you are?
  • How do you feel about how your life looks to you when you look in the mirror?
  • How do you talk to yourself when you make a mistake for the first time?
  • How do you talk to yourself when you’ve repeated a mistake?

This inventory won’t be done in one sitting. As life situations come up, see how you are talking to yourself:

  • Are you calling yourself names?
  • Are you criticizing yourself?
  • Are you beating yourself with an emotional 2×4?

Just to give you an idea, life situations can still hit me off-guard from time to time and I go back through these steps in order to keep my headspace clean and clutter free.

2. Cleaning out the Clutter—INSIDE AND OUT

  • Start a self-love Journal —Pick a number of days you will commit 35, 45, and/or 90 days. Each day write a minimum of three things you like about yourself. Here’s a hint, if you spot certain positive qualities in others it’s usually because you have them yourself. Do your best not to repeat, especially in the beginning. As you see more and more things you like about yourself, then you can start reusing ones that you are really connecting to.
  • Clean up your physical clutter—Start with a drawer and just keep going. Throw away what you don’t need. Pitch, sell, or donate the things that are just taking up space in your life. Make space for what you want more of in your life. Remember, clear space is peaceful space.

3. Keep the Space Clean—STAY AWARE OF WHERE YOUR MIND GOES

  • Living in gratitude is the best way to keep your space clean. Anytime our minds go to lack, deprivation, fear, hate, blame, etc. we are creating more clutter.
  • Watch your reactions to people. I find this one entertaining. If  a person’s actions work you up: First question your own thinking about what is happening to see if you are fully aware of where your reaction is coming from. Second, I imagine the person saying or doing whatever it is to themselves. Our negative behaviors start from how we are treating ourselves, so we can gain clarity about the situation if we are not taking the person personally. This doesn’t mean we have to accept unacceptable behavior. We just don’t add our own clutter. How someone treats us shows us their love or fear that they are internally dealing with. How we respond to them shows us where we are.
  • Stop the Cycle of abuse. If you see, hear, or feel abusive thoughts about yourself come up, correct them and clean up your self-talk. Treat yourself with love, respect, loyalty, honesty, and compassion. We have to have it inside us before we have a chance of cleaning up what’s around us.
  • Give from a Loving Place. This means you are giving because you want to, not because you think it will make you worthy of someone else’s time, affection, love, respect, etc.

Side effects of these steps are: sleep better, eat healthier, enjoy self-care, kinder thoughts, less judgmental towards others, more compassionate, attract healthier people to our personal and professional lives, more opportunities to do good in the world, appreciate peace, and so many more. 

With Love and Gratitude,

Rachael Wolff

Did what you just read resonate with you? I hope you will explore FromALovingPlace.com and keep reading. I’ll be bringing a new series to the blog starting September 1, 2019. If you are not following along, make sure to sign-up below.

For my female readers, I have EXCITING news! Letters from A Better Me: How Becoming an Empowered Woman Transforms the World is available for pre-order! Click the link to order your copy today!

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90-Day A Better Me Series: Day 77 – How We Give Without Giving Ourselves Away

90-Day A Better Me Series

Part III: Living the Journey

Making the Now Count: Rebuilding our Lives

Day 77: How We Give Without Giving Ourselves Away

“Respect yourself and others will respect you.”

-Confucius

Giving without giving ourselves away. We give ourselves away if we are lost in our titles (mom, dad, single parent, son, daughter, wife, husband, girlfriend, boyfriend, partner, executive, cashier, doctor, rich, poor, disabled, good Samaritan, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, people pleaser, etc.) takes work. It’s self-work. If we don’t give time for self-work, our titles can become our identities. When they become our identities we’ve lost ourselves. Have you ever felt too spread thin because of all your titles?

From Day 2 of this series until Day 90 you are getting tools how not to give yourself away. The 90-Day A Better Me Seriesis the doorway into the work, but only you can choose if you want to step through the door. Otherwise, you are welcome to stay the doormat that lies down in front of it. There are many ways to do the work beyond what I offer here. I wouldn’t have been able to write the series if I didn’t find ways to do the work. I had to do the work to get to the place where I am now, and I continue to have to do the work daily to keep me here. I can easily fall back into giving myself away if I choose to stop doing the work.

We can follow paths that these titles have created, but underneath every single title, we are still here. We are still I AM.  I AM is a complete sentence, without following the path of any title, we still exist, our identities aren’t in the titles we carry. Grief of losing any title is SO MUCH WORSE if we put our identities into the title. Each path that a title takes us on are learning and growing experiences. There are going to be lessons and ways to give and to receive on EVERY path, but losing ourselves in the giving is when we think we ARE the title. We can be the best we can at any title we choose, and we can let the titles trap us in victim roles. Neither one is who we are. I AM is who each of us are. That is the beginning. So in order to NOT give ourselves away, we have to embrace I AM. Like I said, the details of these steps lie in each day of this series.

When we start becoming aware, more doors and pathways beyond the series will start opening. People will start showing up with more tools. Books will literally be mentioned multiple times in multiple ways unrelated to each other.  A topic you need to hear will be presented. It’s wild what happens when you decide to commit to the work. Miracles after miracle unfold before our eyes. One of the results of all this work is we NATURALLY don’t give ourselves away. It’s not forced. We don’t have to feel anger and resentment when people ask us to do beyond what we feel comfortable doing—Our energy remains peaceful. We can see the difference between what is theirs and what is ours.

If you are feeling a sense of excitement within you right now, that is a calling that you are ready to do the work. If you are feelings resistance, I highly suggest reading the entire series and see if that helps you feel excited. It’s FREE, and YOU ARE WORTH the time and energy, because this process is the bottomless well of life’s fuel. Instead of losing energy like we do when we give ourselves away (Day 28), we form healthy natural boundaries (Day 53) that replenish our energy instead of depleting it. We give when we feel a natural pull to give, we say no or delegate when we don’t. Our energy doesn’t shift with the chaos around us because the chaos is not who we are.  Here is a quick rundown of how to get to doorway of I AM, open it, and walk through it. Each step guides you to a part in the 90-Day A Better Me Seriesthat can lead you through the step in detail. Each part of the series is 30 days (Part I Days 1-30, Part II Days 31-60, Part II Days 61-90).

11-Steps to Giving Without Giving Ourselves Away—The Path of I AM

  1. Become aware of the titles you are getting lost in (Part I).
  2. Figure out what is blocking you from living as I AM (Part I).
  3. Accept and forgive yourself for how you’ve chosen to live that brings you pain and suffering (Part II).
  4. Question why you have chosen perspectives of truth that make you feel like you have to give yourself away to the titles (Part II).
  5. FIND YOUR VALUE AND WORTH (Part II)!!!
  6. Create new perspectives of truth (Part II).
  7. Give yourself the time you need to show yourself you value, love, and respect yourself (Part III).
  8. BE PATIENT and BE KIND (Part III) to yourself during this process because it takes time. Just think about how long it took you to become so imbedded in these titles that you made them your identity. There is a process of grief when we release our attachment to them. According to Kubler-Ross the 5-stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. When they pop up recognize them and accept that is where you are in the moment.
  9. QUESTION YOUR FEELINGS, THOUGHTS, AND ACTIONS (Part III)!!! If they are creating chaos and drama in in your physical and emotional world, use your perspective tools. Figure out what energy you are projecting—Fear (darkness/lack) or love (light/abundance).
  10. BE PRESENT (Part III)! Only in your present moment does the connection to I AM exist. Slow yourself down and do the work step by step in the present moment to project the energy you want to be sending out into the world. When we are present, we don’t give ourselves away because our head is where our feet are. We are conscious of our energy and what we need to do in this moment to align it with our choices, doorways, paths, and most of all the Divine Energy that created us to be I AM.
  11. Give from a place of abundance (Part III). When we are full, our actions are full. We are giving from a place of peace. We don’t expect our actions to trigger someone else to do something to complete us. When we are giving from a place of lack, we are NOT contributing to the positive flow of energy in our lives. We are expecting our giving to fill a hole. So it becomes the black hole that we lose ourselves in.

When we take these steps we are living in I AM. We can flow in and out of I AM as we grow and expand. We have to make the choice to be in I AM in each moment, which is why it only exists in the present. When we reach the point of I AM on a more regular basis, our lives truly reflect the abundance of our existence. Our purpose becomes clear and we give without giving ourselves away.

 

With Love and Gratitude,

 

Rachael Wolff ©2019

Don’t forget to read today’s companion piece: 90-Day A Better Me Letters Series: Day 77 – Giving Without Giving Myself Away

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90-Day A Better Me Letters Series: Day 56 – The Safety of My Self-Love

Letters from A Better Me

90-Day A Better Me Letters Series

Part II: A Journey of Perspective

What Launches Us Forward: The Stable Foundation

Day 56: The Safety of My Self-Love

Dear Universe,

I feel so incredibly safe since I started truly loving myself. I know I’m on this journey doing the best I can. I have to commit to growing and expanding the love within me. I can only do that by uncovering the things that are blocking me from experiencing the full capacity of my love. I can’t put my faith in human interpretations of words. I have to go deeper. I have to find my connections in the loving energy that the words can’t express, but that actions can show. It’s more important for me to grow and expand than shrink and contain.

I’m a big fan of people who live with love as their guiding force; some are Christians, some are Jews, some are Muslims, some are Hindus, some are Buddhists, some are atheists, some are Democrats, some are Republicans, some are Americans, Some have dark skin, some have light skin, some are homosexual, some are heterosexual, some are women, some are men, and I can go on and on. Loving energy cannot be contained into any one path or any one title. When I found the love within myself beyond what I’ve been taught to fear—I found peace, connection, love, hope, and joy.

I will choose paths spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally, and financially that help me to understand love and how to live my life from a loving place from the inside out. I choose people to guide me on my personal path who teach me how to expand my love, help me accept all of my light and darkness within me, so that I can serve humanity shining my brightest light possible. Any belief (perspective of truth) I choose that keeps me from experiencing love is a belief to be questioned and transformed. I’m embracing the all-encompassing energy of love, which means I need to know how to love and honor myself so that the love is always safe and secure.

The safety of my self-love protects me and keeps my boundaries healthy. I love the journey I’m on. I love getting to learn about the fears I still have and the ones I’ve grown out of. I love that no matter how others treat me; I will love me more and do what is best for my journey. I love me, so I take care of me. I can’t expect someone else to take care of me better than I’m taking care of myself. If someone’s energy isn’t healthy for me to be around, I have to make choices to protect me, not from a place of fear, but from a place of self-care. I want to serve the world with my best foot forward, and I can only do that by putting the oxygen mask on me first. The better I treat myself, the better I can treat the world outside of me.

I’m growing my own beautiful garden within my mind. I’m choosing to nourish this garden with lots of love. I’m choosing to grow and expand this garden through my loving actions towards myself and others. I’m choosing seeds from other’s beautiful gardens that match the loving energy I have inside me. How I maintain my garden is up to me. What plants, trees, and flowers I choose to plant is up to me. What seeds I choose to let go of is up to me. I choose not to let the smothering vines of fear take over my garden. I want to dig them out from the roots. Those roots told me I wasn’t lovable exactly as I am. Those roots said I had no value or worth. Those roots told me to fear what is different. I’m digging these roots up. I’m learning from what happens when I leave these vines unattended. I’m seeing how my self-love keeps these vines from coming back and smuggling all my beautiful species I’ve planted.

I’m worthy of the love I give to myself. I’m worthy of the time I contribute to my self-care. I’m worthy of the nurturing I feed my body, mind, and soul. I am created from Divine Energy, the purest of all lights. I honor the energy that created me by letting my love for myself shine through connecting me to Source energy, the strongest and most beautiful light that lives within me.

Today I’m Grateful

  1. I’m grateful that love cannot be contained within any ONE path
  2. I’m grateful to know my worth so that I can love myself
  3. I’m grateful for each day I get to expand and grow from the love within me
  4. I’m grateful for the opportunities I get to learn from other people’s loving actions
  5. I’m grateful to connect to the light of the Divine through the light shining within me.

 

With Love and Gratitude,

 

A Better Me

 

Rachael Wolff ©2019

Don’t forget to read today’s companion piece: 90-Day A Better Me Series: Day 56 – The Safe Foundation of Self-Love

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90-Day A Better Me Series: Day 56 – The Safe Foundation of Self-Love

90-Day A Better Me Series

Part II: A Journey of Perspective

What Launches Us Forward: The Stable Foundation

Day 56: The Safe Foundation of Self-Love

“It is easy to live for others, everybody does. I call on you to live for yourselves.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

The last week we have been diving into the importance of self-worth. When I was planning out the layout of Part II, I went back and forth whether to put the self-love or self-worth section first. They go hand in hand, but as I thought about it and the process I went through, I realized that I had to gain self-worth to start liking myself. Once I started liking myself, the path to loving myself was smooth. I wasn’t trying to force it. I remember the first time I looked into the mirror and said, “I love you” as an exercise, that’s when I found out how much I didn’t like myself. I saw how brutal I was to the person looking back at me. I worked on healing that before I could look back in the mirror and say, “I love you” and truly mean it.

Self-love is the safest foundation we can build our lives on. Self-love is the glue. We need self-love for all the other elements of love (Days 32-35), acceptance (Days 36-41), perspective (Days 42-46), gratitude (Days 47-50), and self-worth (Days 51-55) to grow and expand. Without self-love we fall off the wagon and struggle to get back on. We struggle to find our way through the dark tunnels and small confined boxes. Self-love is the essence of what living in the light is about. When we love ourselves fully, deeply, and without question, we are able to shine our lights at full capacity.

“Loving yourself isn’t vanity. It is sanity.”

-Katrina Mayer

Many of us have been raised in ways that were led by fear. That makes the understanding of what love is very confusing. That makes self-love even more confusing. This is where confusion can set in about someone who loves themselves too much (which is not possible) and someone who is ego driven. Ego comes from our fears, not love. It doesn’t mean anyone who lives in their ego driven world is a bad person, they are just caught up in their own dark energy that seeks outside approval from the world. Often it comes from deep levels of self-loathing. They are trying to prove something to the world and seeking love from the outside world because they can’t find it inside themselves. Have you ever been caught up in this downward spiral? I know I have. When we are there, we start taking our lack of love for ourselves out on the world. We want someone else to make us feel safe, because we can’t find that safety within our own feelings about ourselves. Self-love is where our safety lies. We just need to move past all the fears that have been blocking us from seeing the full capacity of our own lights.

IMG_2645

If you read the Day 55 post from the 90-Day A Better Me Letters Series, “How I Honor the Person I Am” I talk a little bit about how I’m connected to my spirituality through my self-love. I’ve studied many different religious paths on an academic level. I’ve looked for similarities and differences. I’ve looked for the love and fear within the readings. I’ve looked how human words whether in text or in services have brought perspectives of fear or love into their interpretations. I’m a spiritual person, so my connection to Spirit is very important to my journey, but my connection does not come from a human level, so no words spoken or written can contain my connection. No titles can hold me to the point where I can’t spot the love within another human.

If I have a weak moment where my own darkness is dimming my light, I know I have to go back to the truest form of love, the love within myself to reconnect beyond what the outside world tells me. Many people try to connect to spirit through words, but words and interpretation of words are apart of our human journey. Spirit is an energy beyond what we as humans can ever contain. In my perspective of truth, the closest I will ever get to feeling and honoring a true connection to Spirit is through the energy of love. I know that my capacity to love and be loved is at it’s highest when I love myself. I have to have it within me to fully feel the effects of it outside of me.  I CHOOSE LOVE. I choose love to connect me to myself, to the Divine Creator, to humanity, and to the planet. That is all created through my safe foundation of self-love.

When I’m honoring the love within me—I’m safe. It doesn’t matter what people don’t love me back. That is their business. That is their journey. The people who are meant to be on my journey will be there for as long as they are meant to be. When they leave or I shut the door, I’m still safe within the love I feel for myself. I can grieve them knowing they played an important role on my journey. I can feel the loss of their energy in my life. I can have moments of fear where I wonder if I will ever feel that way for someone again. That is apart of honoring their part in my journey, but in the end, I will still be there for me. I will be grateful that I was able to love someone so much. This can of course extend to animals, the Earth, our environment, etc.

The more we love ourselves and understand our mistakes, failures, triumphs, darkness, and light, the more we can see that it’s not our place to judge someone else’s life journey. It’s more important to keep our  own gardens the way we want them.

“I see our choices of perspectives of truth as the garden we create in our minds. I choose what seeds I’m going to plant. I decide how to treat the soil. I figure out the way I want to water my garden. I choose which weeds I want to pull. I determine how much light each flower, plant, vine, bush, or tree needs. I choose the space between each life form to support their growth. Other people can give me seeds to flowers, plants, trees, weeds, smuggling vines, invasive species, fertilizers, etc. I get to choose whether to plant or use them. If it doesn’t fit into the garden I’m creating, I can put it in my pocket to possibly plant later, or get rid of it completely. The choice is MINE and MINE ALONE!”

–Rachael Wolff, Day 46

We keep our gardens by being aware of our light and darkness and accepting ourselves for the person we are and the one we choose to be through our choices. When we choose to love ourselves, we have the ability to create gardens of AWE and AMAZEMENT. Our love guides us how to care for the gardens in our minds. Our love for ourselves gives us the beautiful seeds to pass onto others. Self-love gives us so much room to grow and expand without being contained by fear-driven ideas and demands. We are safe because the love we have for ourselves cannot be taken away by anything outside of us. Our gardens are in our minds, but when we create them from self-love, that creation is coming from the energy of our light within us, our soul.

Just for Today

Could you name three things you love about yourself everyday for 90 days? If you don’t think you can, start today. If you think you can, start today. If you want to see the biggest transformation that you will EVER see, start today. A hint into finding things you love about yourself is to look at what you love about others. If you spot it in someone else— It’s in you too! Enjoy the journey!

Thank you for reading and growing with me. I hope this journey helps you to create and expand the gardens of your dreams! Don’t limit your garden’s beauty. SHINE BRIGHT!

 

With Love and Gratitude,

 

Rachael Wolff ©2019

Don’t forget to read today’s companion piece: 90-Day A Better Me Letters Series: Day 56 – The Safety of My Self-Love

 

 

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90-Day A Better Me Letters Series: Day 55 – How I Honor the Person I Am

Letters from A Better Me

90-Day A Better Me Letters Series

Part II: A Journey of Perspective

What Launches Us Forward: The Stable Foundation

Day 55: How I Honor the Person I Am

Dear Self,

With every step of the self-discovery process, I gain clarity. I’m bringing attention to how I honor the person I am. I’m choosing to be accountable for the choices I’m making. This list is to help keep my energy on the level that feels good on the inside, so that I’m conscious of what I’m sending out into the world.

  • I’m aware of what happens to my energy when I project out fear, shame, blame, judgment, self-abuse, and living in the past and the future do to my lack of self-worth. I know that when I’m in a healthy place, I don’t take my fears out on others. I treat others with the same love and respect that I treat myself. I know my value and worth so I treat myself with the love and respect I deserve. I show myself love and respect by treating my body right, treating my thoughts compassionately, and giving myself the time I deserve to nurture any feelings that come up that I need time to work through. I also won’t expect anybody to give me more quality time than I give myself.
  • I’m accountable for my feelings, thoughts, perspectives of truth, actions, and reactions. I am going to have feelings that feel good and ones that don’t. I’m responsible for the choices I make no matter what I’m feeling. My joy comes from within and so does my sadness. I will accept all my feelings because I know they are there to teach me something about the choices I’m making. I know I’m responsible for my thoughts, because there is always a different way I can choose to look at things. I am accountable for my perspectives of truth because they are the doorways to any path I choose. Finally, my actions and reactions are influenced by the way I’m perceiving reality. I am responsible for all the choices I make. Other people are responsible for their choices. If someone chooses to be unkind to me, that’s their business. My business is the energy I choose to put out towards them.
  • I’m very clear on the differences between love and fear. My definition of love leaves no room for cruelty under any circumstances. When I’m operating from a place of fear, I’m not capable of acting/reacting from a loving place. I will react from a place of fear, which leads to confusion and chaos within my mind, body, and soul. Feelings that come from fear, shame, blame, judgment, guilt, rage, hate, vengeance, insecurities, and/or lack of worth are not representing the love within me. It is important for me to watch these feelings as they come up so that I find a way to let love transcend them. My definition of love is:

“Love is patient; Love is kind; Love is NOT envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; It is not irritable or resentful; It does not rejoice in Wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” -Corinthians 13.4-13.7

  • I’m in complete acceptance that my past is over. The best thing I can do is learn from my experiences and let anything that keeps me stuck in my own darkness go. I want to be conscious to see warning signs and spot kindheartedness without confusing the two. I’m focused on healing any energy I have tied to unhealthy pieces of my past in regards to people, places, and things. I’m responsible for the negative energy I’m holding inside me and I don’t want to take old feelings out on unsuspecting people. I’m also letting go of my attachments to the unknown future. I can have goals, but it is my job to take the actions I need to take today to be the best version of me in this moment. I will leave my future open for the twists and turns so that I can enjoy the journey on this beautiful scenic route.  I’m going to be with people when I’m with them so that I can know with clarity that they are treating me the way I treat myself. I won’t put my head in the future ignoring the signs of the care for myself and others in the moment.
  • I want to be hold perspectives of truth led by love. I want to live my life from a loving place. It is my responsibility to look at my feelings, thoughts, perspectives of truth, actions, and reactions to make sure they are aligned with how I want to be living.
  • I have chosen perspectives of truth that support me becoming the best version of me. My perspectives reflect living life with an abundance of love for myself and others. I choose to follow the Divine Creator’s path of love to salvation. I choose to see individuals and find connections through our capacity to love. I choose to trust that everything happens for a reason, and that every lesson comes with its blessings. I choose to share my life openly without fear, so that I give myself the opportunity connect with other loving souls. I choose to believe that whatever I feel about myself reflects out to create my reality. I choose to believe we are all students and teachers and each life has value whether life ends in the womb or at an old age. People are here as long as they are meant to be to fulfill their Divine Contract to serve humanity. Some will serve through their darkness and others through their light. I choose to believe anything that has the ability to bring out our compassion, love, empathy, humanity, and connection has authentic value.
  • I’m choosing to live in gratitude and abundance. The more I choose gratitude, the more abundant I feel. I know that I’m reflecting what I feel inside, so gratitude helps me manifest more of what I’m appreciating in my life.
  • How I’m treating myself is reflecting the way I want to be treated by others. I know that I can’t expect people to treat me better than I’m treating myself, so I’m making sure I put the time and energy to me that I deserve. I know I’m responsible for the energy that is coming back to me. If I don’t like what I’m getting, I need to check in with me to see what dark areas of myself I’m still feeding. I need to make sure that I’m showing myself that I’m deserving of time, energy, nurturing, and love.
  • My intention is to live life from a loving place and appreciate each day for the blessings that it gives me.
  • My intention in giving is to assist people uncover the best versions of themselves. I want to help others find the perspectives of truths that will bring the most love and peace into their lives. I want to serve humanity from a loving place. My intention is to increase the light shining in the world.
  • I love myself more than I ever have before. I truly believe that the more I love myself the more I’m able to connect with God’s love for me. When I see me through the eyes of love, I’m connecting deeper with the Divine, because I’m connecting through the light I was created with. The more solid I am in my own self-love, the more love I have to give and connect to others with.
  • I’m right here and right now. I want to enjoy the journey of life. I want to see each step and each miracle as it unfolds before me. When I’m not where my feet are I try to get a touch stone in nature to look at to bring me back to the moment I’m in, because when I’m not in the present, I get stressed. That is not where I want to be.
  • I’m open to try new things as they are presented to me on my path. I trust the Universe when I get signs to talk to people, read things, watch things, or do things. I want to live this life knowing I made the most out of every moment, so I’m open to learn, try, and explore life beyond my comfort zone.

Knowing these things about myself helps me enjoy my journey and be more conscious of what I’m learning.

Today I’m grateful

  1. I’m grateful for the breeze that reminded me to return to the present moment
  2. I’m grateful for the loving energy I feel from the people who I love
  3. I’m grateful for the silence on my first walk with my dog in the morning
  4. I’m grateful for today for giving me a chance to see more love in the world
  5. I’m grateful for my life’s journey

 

With Love and Gratitude,

 

A Better Me

 

Rachael Wolff ©2019

 

The list from this letter comes from today’s exercise in the 90-Day A Better Me Series. You can check it out below:

90-Day A Better Me Series: Day 55 – Clarity in Self Discovery

 

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90-Day A Better Me Letters Series: Day 54 – I AM Empowered

Letters from A Better Me

90-Day A Better Me Letters Series

Part II: A Journey of Perspective

What Launches Us Forward: The Stable Foundation

Day 54: I AM Empowered

Dear Universe,

I AM empowered! I make the choice whether to feel, think, and act out of my light. Nobody can dim my light if I don’t let her/him. Nobody is in charge of my supply of light I can bring to myself and to the world but me.

I’m choosing to work through the areas of my life that have no or a very dim light shining on them, so that I can serve this life the best I’m capable of serving it.

I’m empowered to question perspectives of truth that serve my darkness and re-frame them to let the light inside me lead me to perspectives that contribute to my ability to shine.

I’m ready to spread seeds of love and give people who are stuck in their dark opportunity to find their own light. I know anybody is capable of growing the flowers, plants, and trees that I’m offering, but I can’t plant the seed for them, and I trust that I did what I was meant to do by passing the seeds I have on. They may find other beautiful flowers that grow better in the foundation of their own personal garden. I trust that the love that makes their garden grow is what is right for them.

I trust that the people led away from my light are following their own path and it’s ok that our paths aren’t the same. Everyone is in my life for the exact amount of time that they are supposed to be. If a person can’t handle my light, I will not let their darkness dim my light! I’m empowered to be the best version of me possible.

I’m empowered to learn from my choices led by fear. I’m free to grow, change, and shift as my experiences help me to see what feels right and what doesn’t. I’m empowered to look at others with compassion because I know they are on this life journey to. My empowerment helps me to remain open to people who have different perspectives of truth than I do along with their ability grow, change, and shift.

I’m choosing to shine!

Today I’m grateful

  1. I’m grateful for the physical feeling authentic empowerment brings me.
  2. I’m grateful for my ability to choose how bright I want to shine my light.
  3. I’m grateful to be empowered to walk away from situations that aren’t healthy for me.
  4. I’m grateful to be empowered to show love wherever I feel the need to serve.
  5. I’m grateful I can look at myself beyond any title I have and feel a good being me.

With Love and Gratitude,

A Better Me

 

Rachael Wolff ©2019

Did you read today’s companion piece? 90-Day A Better Me Series: Day 54 – Empowering the Person in the Mirror

 

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90-Day A Better Me Letters Series: Day 53 – My Healthy Boundaries

Letters from A Better Me

90-Day A Better Me Letters Series

Part II: A Journey of Perspective

What Launches Us Forward: The Stable Foundation

Day 53: My Healthy Boundaries

Dear Self,

I know that my boundaries are in a healthy place because my self-worth, self-respect, and self-love are all intact. I know my energies are in-line to keep me protected by how I feel when I’m choosing my feelings, thoughts, beliefs, actions, and reactions. If I can feel the light energy, which feels light and expanding, I have my light force field up around me and I don’t feel the need force myself on others.

My healthy boundaries help lead me to the people and situations that will best serve my personal growth. It will also help lead me to others who want the seeds of what I’m choosing to grow in my internal garden. If I’m meant to serve someone else, I will trust they will be brought into my life. If my healthy boundaries are meant to teach them the power of light, I’m here.

I know I’m where I’m supposed to be learning whatever lessons I’m meant to be learning. What is important that I keep checking in with myself to make sure I’m not feeding the fears inside me create blocks to learning.

The more I visualize my light force field around me, the more I trust that there is a reason for my challenging experiences. I trust that my challenges are guiding me to create an even bigger and brighter light surrounding me—Shining from the inside out.

Today I’m grateful 

  1. I’m grateful for my ability to strengthen my light-filled force field
  2. I’m grateful for opportunities to learn from how much light I’m choosing to shine
  3. I’m grateful for being open to where my healthy boundaries take me
  4. I’m grateful for when my healthy boundaries tell me it’s time to walk away
  5. I’m grateful for all the incredible signs I get when I’m following the light from my force field

With Love and Gratitude,

 

A Better Me

 

Rachael Wolff ©2019

Did you read today’s companion piece? 90-Day A Better Me Series: Day 53 – Healthy Boundaries

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