tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32382264420730331222024-02-18T20:04:54.664-08:00Parenting From Source- the Blog of Christina FletcherChristina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.comBlogger146125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-27313676711738722492018-05-22T11:49:00.000-07:002018-05-22T11:49:55.106-07:00Creating Worlds with homeschooling...So, it’s crossed my mind that maybe people are wondering why I’ve talked so much about the journey my daughter and I have taken with the homeschool curriculum, Oak Meadow.<br />
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Why, right? When my work is focused on Spiritually Aware Parenting and really my blog should be reflecting mindfulness and spiritual alignment for parents and kids?<br />
Well, you probably know that there’s nothing more exciting, or exhilarating than when you find something that helps support your child: especially when its something that deals with a challenge that has always been there.<br />
Oak Meadow came at a time when I was noticing my younger daughter was struggling with not only her schoolwork, but her sense of herself, her confidence, how she learnt and how she absorbed information.<br />
As I’ve told you in past blogs, <a href="http://www.oakmeadow.com/" target="_blank"><b>Oak Meadow</b></a> has given her the tools and awareness to delve into topics from a self aware perspective. She not only completes the projects and sets her own schedules and routines, which builds her sense of Who She is even more, but she’s also learning and reading about so many different elements of life that we never would have been able to explore before.<br />
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This winter Gia went into the <b><a href="https://oakmeadow.com/what-we-do/grades-k8/" target="_blank">Oak Meadow Grade 8</a>.</b> She wanted to mix things up, and since she was so eager to dive into the English Section, she chose to focus one topic at a time, rather than scattering them through the week.<br />
I can’t blame her for wanting to work through the English. This time, Oak Meadow exceeded even themselves.<br />
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The grade 7 English worked hand in hand with the World History section. But this time, English takes a front seat and becomes a core unit all by itself.<br />
This is produced seamlessly through 4 elements. The course book, which breaks down all of your projects and lesson focuses, as well as how to use the rest of the supporting material.<br />
The works of fiction, which exemplify the lesson.<br />
From some sci-fi works such as A Wrinkle in Time, The Giver and Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, to classics such as The Hobbit and Tom Sawyer, I truly felt I could relax knowing Gia was getting a strong foundation in some important pieces of literature.<br />
The other elements were for writing itself, and she was instructed on how to use them within the course book. These included Writing for 100 days, which Gia LOVED. Although it is written for classwork, OM guided her around the work she could do independently and she enjoyed it’s structure and space it gave her to write in.<br />
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The last element shocked me as it was the Strunk and White book, Elements of Style.<br />
I remember my sisters using this book in university, so it was rather surprising to see my grade 8-er working her way through the notes on the design of writing. She really did well with it (and is enjoying explaining semi colons, colons and various grammer to her older sister.)<br />
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Last month I was happy to be able to attend a homeschooling conference in Halifax, where I represented Oak Meadow’s amazing work. I still can’t get over how effortless it is to discuss this work side by side with my work of Spiritually Aware Parenting… because watching how my daughter has grown as herself and with the knowledge she has attained… it makes me breathe a sigh of relief. It really is exactly what I was hoping for for her.<br />
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She’s now off to work through the Science. That’s going to be a challenge for her, as she naturally gravitates towards the English and reading, especially when it’s full of imaginary worlds. I’m facinated to see how OM creates a platform of curiosity as she dives into further into the Scientific studies.<br />
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<i>Oh… also, I just heard that<a href="http://www.oakmeadow.com/" target="_blank"> <b>Oak Meadow</b></a> started a Celebrating Spring Sale, and it’s on until the 31st of May 2018. It’s 20% off the bookstore OR 10% off Enrollment. (we do self-led study of the program, but enrollment means your child has a teacher at Oak Meadow and they send in their work!)</i><br />
<i>At this time in our world, I know a lot of people are looking into Homeschooling as an option. I strongly encourage you to look into OM. And if you have any questions feel free to pm me. I’m happy to talk more about our experiences so far.</i><br />
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Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-2091332161109736052017-12-20T11:23:00.000-08:002017-12-20T11:23:49.841-08:00A student's (my daughter's) thoughts on the Oak Meadow homeschool Curriculum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqNFNWxqxq51GXjAJyZFDqkkn04R-zsCe-Qg-tNhjiUyFmr_qpqDhjZw4_v6Q4wR8gVAqdpl-W4rbvtcV5Jj_g4fEQH3gaXHWsUh7Cumq-yw7MmgA3TmvPIgglV-NmqAyGwHqfpRjNdo/s1600/20171220_143034%255B1534%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqNFNWxqxq51GXjAJyZFDqkkn04R-zsCe-Qg-tNhjiUyFmr_qpqDhjZw4_v6Q4wR8gVAqdpl-W4rbvtcV5Jj_g4fEQH3gaXHWsUh7Cumq-yw7MmgA3TmvPIgglV-NmqAyGwHqfpRjNdo/s320/20171220_143034%255B1534%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">As parents, we can observe our children, watch their behaviors and mannerisms and basically try to guess how they truly feel about something they are experiencing. Sure we can ask them honest questions, but deep down, we know there’s a chance the answer being given is the one our children assume we want to hear.<br />Often our children might not know their inner truths themselves.<br />In my own experience, it is only in the still of the night, when all is calm, that I can quietly feel my way to how things are unfolding for my children and if there’s any new ways I can support them.<br />Early on this year in one of these moments, I suddenly found myself feeling the need to help our, then 13 year old, daughter, Gia, and I’m so glad that once we acknowledged the issue, we were able to allow in such a glorious solution.<br />January 2016 was a strange month in our homeschooling journey. She’d pushed herself through some painful lessons on line before Christmas the month before, had plowed through a workbook that had given her no joy. Our Gia is our natural joy-lover. She has always loved to have fun, to create, to play… and to explore the world with a passion. I’ve struggled in meeting this need over her years of homeschooling, since I’ve never been fully able to break the belief of schoolwork being something you just “had to do” and not enjoy. But, for Gia, this had to be different.<br />Her older sister has always loved the challenge of pushing herself, of the challenge. She was teaching herself to read by the time she was 3 and now at 15 finds university courses exciting. Gia, who’s only 10 months younger, has always been pulled between her natural tendency to play as a process to learn and the pursuit of changing her natural ways of learning to “catch up” to her ambitious sister.<br />I was becoming more and more aware of how this inner battle was affecting Gia’s confidence and sense of self, and so, with that I reached out to Oak Meadow.<br />10 months later, having just completed her grade 7 curriculum in the program, Gia will admit to feeling completely different<br />. The other day, as we were discussing 2017, she described the year as the one where she woke up and became sure of herself. Not only did she complete her year’s work (something that usually has had to fall to the sidelines for her own sense of sanity) it also helped her gain the focus and clarity to launch her own stop motion Youtube channel, where she’s now helping other kids all over the world make their own movies in this patience demanding artform.<br />We decided that it was important to wrap up the year properly, and as a final project for 2017 Gia has written a review of the Oak Meadow Grade 7 curriculum to share with you. It’s really exciting for me to have her here, expressing in her own words what I’ve been trying to articulate for awhile. Anyway, enjoy!<br /><br /><strong>I’m Gia and I’ve been homeschooled my entire life.</strong><br />Up until this last year, I’ve felt very unorganized and I didn’t like schoolwork. I always felt so stressed when trying it and I often ended up quitting a curriculum, meaning I would only do schoolwork in little batches. If I had a workbook or more traditional curriculum I felt that they gave me the information and gave me the questions I had to answer but they didn’t explain it in a way I understood so I never knew what I was doing.<br />Oak Meadow’s grade 7 curriculum has kept me interested all year. There were days when I’d think I wouldn’t be interested, but then when I got into it I would enjoy it. Ever since starting Oak Meadow I’ve become really confident in my writing and essays. I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be with my age, which I was struggling with for awhile.<br /><br /><strong>Why?</strong><br />It understood me from a level that no other curriculum did. Other curriculums taught me like I was at school and made me extra stressed. I never absorbed any of the information, but Oak Meadow met me on a more personal level, using examples from real life and allowing me to write stories around the topics, so I feel them rather than just have to memorize facts and data.<br /><br /><strong>What was my favorite project?</strong><br />I was so proud of my automobile project, which was kind of surprising. I really pushed myself and made a great presentation of the information. I learned about how the automobiles changed over time and about the fuel through history. I never thought that was something I would be interested in, but I was!<br /><br /><strong>What was my favorite topic and what did I learn?</strong><br />My favorite topic was World History, which was also really surprising, since I’ve never been interested in history. I liked the structure of it. I liked how I would read about something, then do a project about it, and then go back to reading more in detail. It kept me interested and really built upon the topic.<br />The last project was really cool. I went back through the whole curriculum and reviewed all the projects. I got to pick out influential people from history and expand on them. I picked Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison, because the project was how the world be without their work and they made such a difference in the world we live in today.<br /><br />The Grade 7 English section made me feel more confident in my writing since it had a section on writing mistakes and what they were and why people got afraid to make mistakes. They gave guidelines on how avoid the mistakes and I became a lot more confident in using those guidelines. I looked back at all my work since the start of the Grade 7 year and I could see myself get significantly better.<br />I read a number of books with the Grade 7 curriculum, both fiction and non-fiction. My favorite fiction book was Summer of The Monkeys, which was a fun book. (a few of the other books were quite serious and sad, which I don’t usually read because they make me uncomfortable. I usually avoid them, but I still read the ones offered in OM.) My favorite non-fiction book was the one on Amelia Earhart, because I learned a lot about her and now I feel quite educated in her life story and in early flight.<br /><br /><strong>I now know the life cycle of stars!</strong><br />I loved how I was able to write stories in the Science Curriculum as well, as that’s a really good way for me to learn. Whenever I write my stories I really felt I followed the guidelines of the curriculum completely and that makes me feel really proud of my work.<br />(I’ve never felt proud of my work in any other curriculum! When I completed a project in this year of Oak Meadow it made me feel so satisfied.)<br /><br />I’m still finishing the math section, because I fell a little behind in that topic so I could really dive into the World History and English curriculum which was exciting to me. (I love how I didn’t have to go in order, I could work topic by topic if I wanted to.)Math has always been a struggle for me, and although Oak Meadow helps me understand it better than other workbooks. I still have to take it slowly. I do love how they offer the workbook with the test and practice pages separate from the guidebook.<br /><br /><strong>What I learned about myself?</strong><br /><br />In some projects I feel I didn’t put enough energy in them, especially in the beginning ones. It was like I didn’t quite get how it worked, but then it clicked. I think I needed to be reprogrammed, because I had to change my view of schoolwork as a painful thing I had to do into a learning experience which could actually involved learning stuff and being interested instead of being in constant pain!<br /><br />The Grade 7 curriculum also made me more independent when using it. At first I didn’t feel confident enough to take the lessons into my own hands so my mom helped me plan everything out each week, but gradually I was able to do it all by myself, planning out and scheduling out each week. It made me feel so much better in what I do now and gave me life skills for planning and organizing. I now use those skills in other things that I do, which makes life so much easier. (I can’t stand it when things aren’t organized, which I didn’t want to admit until I started to work with Oak Meadow. The grade 7 curriculum gave me the tools I needed to really shine.)<br /><br /><br />I would suggest Oak Meadow to anyone who is having trouble with schoolwork that follows a core-curriculum, because it reprograms the mind to be open to learning in a fun and interesting way.<br /><br /><em style="position: relative;">Gia is 14 years old. Feel free to visit (and subscribe to) her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXf1uxKdi500wmgIFadWn6A" style="color: rgb(141, 36, 36) !important; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out;" target="_blank"><strong>youtube channel</strong> </a>where she artistically (and patiently) creates and shares her Ever After High Stop Motion videos as <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXf1uxKdi500wmgIFadWn6A" style="color: rgb(141, 36, 36) !important; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Everstone Studios.</a></strong></em></span><br />
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">NOTE- As a Canadian, I can totally understand the extra stress of dealing with shipping and the exchange rate... that's why I was so excited to find out that Oak Meadow is having a boxing day sale to include Canada. The sale offers 10% off everything in the bookstore (including curriculum) + $1 shipping!<br />Use the code: <span style="color: #222222;">2017BoxingDay</span></span></strong>Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-82727413737622385942017-11-29T15:57:00.000-08:002017-11-29T15:57:59.136-08:00Do you have your hand on the hot stove?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUoF6DidrjquuFbcKXK-_evEJXnYa2qdRTGBAwbQs6odnobTvhm1lKEFiBAiVv8YxoGfBZe9iohW4A6i7sa4U8stWju4e77EYVI6bJ7-CJ4kb-S9cZJqrBrF5ZxOyvipC0ZZicW69CV1A/s1600/Do+you+have+your+hand....png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUoF6DidrjquuFbcKXK-_evEJXnYa2qdRTGBAwbQs6odnobTvhm1lKEFiBAiVv8YxoGfBZe9iohW4A6i7sa4U8stWju4e77EYVI6bJ7-CJ4kb-S9cZJqrBrF5ZxOyvipC0ZZicW69CV1A/s320/Do+you+have+your+hand....png" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">When I was starting my positive parenting path over 10 years ago it coincided with my discovery of the teachings of Abraham Hicks… and the the concept of taking your hand off the hot stove really transformed my way of thinking.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">When I first was introduced to the work of Abe and Esther, my husband and I ordered a CD of theirs (yeah… remember ordering CDs?). We listened to it so often that I can still hear some of it word for word in my head….</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><i style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">“We just want to encourage you to take your hand off the stove. But you say ‘ I can’t. My mother put her hand on the stove, her mother put her on the stove… it’s just what we do. The day I was born they told me to put my hand on the stove.” And we say, try it. And you sigh and say ‘it is sweet relief to take my hand off the stove. But who am I to take my hand off, when even my government and world has their hands on the stove?’ we say, put your hand back on the stove if you want to, but now you know that you have the choice.”</i><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">What’s the stove? Pressure. Struggle. Stress. The perception that life has to be hard, that success has to be achieved, that we have to push to get what we want.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">That parenting has to be a painful journey with a lot of heartache… and our children will end up rebelling against us. That we have to control them, or cajole them to be the people we want them to be. (blech!)</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">We can take our hands off that stove of struggle, of pain. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">What I love about this image is the actual relief it sparks within me. I imagine having my hand in pain and then just lifting it off. I don’t need to pry it with all my might. I don’t need to push. I just need to remember that I have what it takes to just lift my hand out of the fire. I have what it takes to breathe deep and be. But I still forget. I still put it right back on there</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">What Abraham forgets to mention, is that as physical people, we also have neural pathways that pull us back into our old patterns. Each morning, as if on cue, we will get out of bed and put our hands back on that stove, unless we put some tools in place to remind ourselves that each day can be different. We can make a different choice.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">Yesterday I posted a video </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/spirituallyawareparenting" style="background-color: white; color: rgb(141, 36, 36) !important; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">in the group </a><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">about how complaining literally becomes part of us and how gratitude (appreciation) breaks the pathways of negative perspective.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">But it does take that choice of lifting our hands off of the high pressure world, in fact, making that choice each day, is really all it takes.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">I remember when I was in theatre school, I would sit listening to what the teacher would tell us our project was or what was expected from us. I remember thinking “nah… I can’t even imagine myself doing that.” And then w</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;"></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">ithin a few weeks I’d be doing stage-fighting, or climbing 20ft scaffolding, or reciting some long piece of Shakespeare prose. I soon learned that it was just about jumping in and not pushing against it, and taking the step by step path before me. I’d get there in the end.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">This reminds me of the concept of “headlights”… that when you drive at night you can only see a few feet in front of you with the help of your headlights, and yet you always end up at your destination. This is so true in life…</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">Sometimes, the only step that’s clear is to take your hand off of the hot stove.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">This is such a valuable perspective for the end of the year, when we can just find that relief, even if everything around us is busy. Focus on headlights, focus on love, light and relief. You’ll get there in the end.</span>Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-28349000465046018652017-11-26T14:24:00.000-08:002017-11-26T23:04:47.759-08:00Positive Parenting when it gets tough!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSs92latFXVxWMnaOoG7ZBvcjlwl5H-1yNiungwZVahV5RNy8pa9Nu852j3hHggy2qeyinhiSD0Nz9F0dIF5eAR6fj2BRrXTzSLfrvRSginusV0qq5pO1kROEmSEp7FrC64RGWZdVDac/s1600/24085367_1522847287812360_525775110_o.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSs92latFXVxWMnaOoG7ZBvcjlwl5H-1yNiungwZVahV5RNy8pa9Nu852j3hHggy2qeyinhiSD0Nz9F0dIF5eAR6fj2BRrXTzSLfrvRSginusV0qq5pO1kROEmSEp7FrC64RGWZdVDac/s320/24085367_1522847287812360_525775110_o.png" width="213" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">I’ll be honest, when I first started on the road of “positive parenting", I had no idea there was a term for it.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">I’d never heard of “attachment” parenting or “RIE”… all I knew was that when I got mad or frustrated with my children it felt horrible… and my instincts told me that it felt horrible because I was just mad my kids weren’t doing what I wanted them to do, and that made me feel like a bad parent. .</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;"> At the root of it all, I was needing them to change to make me happy.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">Which meant I was telling them that other people were the cause of our happiness or unhappiness. I would raise people who couldn't find their own inner joy. </span><br />
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">(</span><b style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://bit.ly/posparentbundle" target="_blank">Check out this amazing Positive Parenting Course Bundle available NOW... but only until Wednesday Nov. 29th!</a> (over $1000 worth of positive parenting courses for $97!)</b></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">So, I had to find a different path which would build: </span><br />
<em style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; position: relative; text-align: justify;"><strong>1) A positive parenting relationship between myself and my kids.<br />2) A perspective of parenting which offered the positive message for my children that they were perfect just as they are.<br /> And<br /> 3) A positive perspective of myself. I had to learn that I was allowed to be Me… with all my foibles and isms, that make me ME.<br />When a child sees their parent being authentic, they know they are allowed to be themselves.</strong></em><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">And for me, that’s what positive parenting really is… actually that’s what positive Living really is.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">But then, we have the actual parenting part. It can be so easy to research positive parenting, but the application can be so much more complicated</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">. Life gets messy. Life can get Really Messy. How do we navigate through that? What are the steps we can take to be Positive Parents, especially at busy times and holiday times when the pressure is on?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">If you noticed my number 3 above, you’ll see I had to find a positive perspective of myself. I had to be Me. When I could connect to being me and not some superficial concept of “mom” I had the foundation to fall back on. The lens to put on. The connection to call upon when life gets tough. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">And it does get tough. Life is fast. Sometimes things chug along in all blissfulness, but a child will have an off day. They will get stressed and so will we, but that's often where the learning takes place.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;"> That is actually a huge part of positive parenting: understanding that even the tough moments have purpose.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">In each off, tempery, fiery, crazy and chaotic moment with our kids, we know that we can stop in our tracks. Its ok to have an off moment and to feel anxious, worried, or sad. It’s an opportunity to learn and grow together. Negative emotion is nothing more than an indicator that we aren’t seeing through our spiritual perspective. If we try to push the indicator away, we can’t listen to it.</span><br />
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">OK… but some real tips… How can we positively parent in the rush of it all?</strong><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">1) First, know that energy matches energy, so when a child is frantic, we can practice finding our inner calm, breathing deep and bringing in a different feeling space of love. We don’t have to go into the situation with panic and trailblazing.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">Our children might be scared of their own feelings. With us remaining grounded will support them and light the path back to stability.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">2) Listen. Listening to our children’s experiences, emotions and thoughts gives them a space to express and explore what they really are going through.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">3) And then offer. We can offer tools to feel better, we can offer a hug… we can even offer solutions like quiet spaces or car rides to leave the situation entirely. But also, when our children are in disagreement with us we can offer them our WHY. Because often the very reason they say no to us is because they don't understand what we are suggesting, or they are trapped in their own thought processes. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">Give opportunity to shift to a better feeling space, without forcing them to feel better. Shine a light in the emotional darkness.</span><br />
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">Positive parenting means that our children don’t have to navigate who they are alone. They can explore themselves and the world of emotions and life supported and held.</strong><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">Also… always remember that children live in the moment. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">The future and past are abstract concepts and often feel overwhelming. This is why holidays and celebrations often don’t work for young children, because the moment of seeing beautiful snowflakes can be just as exciting and wondrous for a small child as any Christmas morning… so… we can remind ourselves to see the wonder in every moment as well. We can train ourselves to see through the eyes of a child and enjoy the world for its everyday… not just on a special day.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">I think the most beautiful part about positive parenting vs conventional parenting is the knowledge that it isn’t about getting results from our children, rather acknowledging the journey we are all on.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "raleway"; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">When we want our children to give results (such as good behavior and manners)for our own comfort we skip all the important steps that the challenging moments can offer us. But when we remember the journey of life and look for the tools of love and support we can offer them, our parenting becomes a foundation building experience, which leads to the confident, loving and positive focused adults our children can become.</span><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; position: relative; text-align: justify;">(Positive parenting is such a wide, exciting topic and appears in so many ways. It’s a wonderful experience to explore and consistently learn about it. This Monday (27th) to Wednesday (29th) you have an amazing opportunity to expand your positive parenting toolbox.<br />You can get over $1000 worth of positive parenting courses and all their material for only $97 with this <b><a data-cke-saved-href="https://afineparent.simplero.com/products/68971-Positive-Parenting-Premium-eCourses?ref=11740-Christina-Fletcher" href="https://afineparent.simplero.com/products/68971-Positive-Parenting-Premium-eCourses?ref=11740-Christina-Fletcher" style="color: rgb(141, 36, 36) !important; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Premium Positive Parenting E-course Bundle.</a>.</b> This is really a once in a lifetime sort of chance, with courses by Dr. Laura Markham and other amazing experts. and I can’t encourage you enough to check it out.)</em>Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-7001868601584651092017-10-17T13:55:00.001-07:002017-10-17T13:55:51.650-07:00GUEST POST- The benefits of Homeschooling by Sally Keys<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.3333px;"><i>A few weeks ago I was sent this article by Sally Keys over at <a href="https://www.stitchandsew.net/child-may-not-learning-classroom/" target="_blank">Stitch and Sew</a>. Although I don't often talk about homeschooling very often, as I understand that the option is often not available to some, I think Sally does a beautiful job pointing out the benefits and opportunities Homeschooling brings.<br />For more information on how I homeschool my teens, you can check out <a href="http://spirituallyawareparenting.com/blog/homeschooling-teens" target="_blank">this post</a> or watch <a href="https://youtu.be/yeRt2jMvPpo" target="_blank">this video </a>to hear more about the Oak Meadow's grade 7 curriculum we are currently using with our daughter.</i></span></span></div>
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<b><span class="m_-8717440117795157416colour" style="color: black;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416font" style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416size" style="font-size: 11.5pt;">The Benefits of Homeschooling</span></span></span></b><span class="m_-8717440117795157416colour" style="color: black;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416font" style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416size" style="font-size: 11.5pt;"></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1H4g_7yW-EE6CgHOnEXkCYXyOL3sdQsnN-73ahPCg2kMu5N-34DB4Uwz0Vbo-uN6MzO9__anKUSJAG46hGwZ-mxMvLE_FB0X3BsaiykGgfHqqRS68m7xsj7sMas3JvCHt4s7qpPygy0/s1600/josh-applegate-149607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp1H4g_7yW-EE6CgHOnEXkCYXyOL3sdQsnN-73ahPCg2kMu5N-34DB4Uwz0Vbo-uN6MzO9__anKUSJAG46hGwZ-mxMvLE_FB0X3BsaiykGgfHqqRS68m7xsj7sMas3JvCHt4s7qpPygy0/s320/josh-applegate-149607.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="m_-8717440117795157416colour" style="color: black;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416font" style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416size" style="font-size: 11.5pt;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://spirituallyawareparenting.com/blog/homeschooling-teens&source=gmail&ust=1508359445170000&usg=AFQjCNGXo5BDJqRpKRvugo-Xe5aYjTvwdg" href="http://spirituallyawareparenting.com/blog/homeschooling-teens" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Homeschooling is becoming more and more popular</a>, and while it can certainly be a challenge, it is also a particularly rewarding experience. Today, <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.nheri.org/research/research-facts-on-homeschooling.html&source=gmail&ust=1508359445170000&usg=AFQjCNFQkbI9aOv4KMGno6NoyK8HBiL7jA" href="https://www.nheri.org/research/research-facts-on-homeschooling.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">more than 2 million American children</a> are homeschooled. They also tend to score significantly higher - up to 30 percent! - on standardized achievement tests. However, homeschool can also have significant spiritual benefits and can help your child grow socially and emotionally. </span></span></span></div>
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<b><span class="m_-8717440117795157416colour" style="color: black;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416font" style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416size" style="font-size: 11.5pt;">Homeschooling Means More Learning in Less Time</span></span></span></b><span class="m_-8717440117795157416colour" style="color: black;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416font" style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416size" style="font-size: 11.5pt;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="m_-8717440117795157416colour" style="color: black;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416font" style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416size" style="font-size: 11.5pt;">Schools have a very strict schedule which usually doesn't equate to excellent time management. Homeschooling, on the other hand, allows you to <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.familyeducation.com/school/benefits-homeschooling/why-do-people-homeschool?page%3D2&source=gmail&ust=1508359445170000&usg=AFQjCNEvZwT0IqpmmEv4rDFmoeWEKbj4Mg" href="https://www.familyeducation.com/school/benefits-homeschooling/why-do-people-homeschool?page=2" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">tailor the activities to the educational goals</a> of your child and avoid wasting time in administrative activities. Furthermore, schools are particularly frustrating for bright children, as they usually finish activities before the rest of the class and feel bored. Homeschooling permits you to speed up or slow down as much as you want, according to your child's individual needs. </span></span></span></div>
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<b><span class="m_-8717440117795157416colour" style="color: black;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416font" style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416size" style="font-size: 11.5pt;">Homeschooling Fosters Strong Family Relationships</span></span></span></b><span class="m_-8717440117795157416colour" style="color: black;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416font" style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416size" style="font-size: 11.5pt;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="m_-8717440117795157416colour" style="color: black;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416font" style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416size" style="font-size: 11.5pt;">Homeschooling brings family members together, fostering intense relationships between siblings as well as between children and parents. Furthermore, one-on-one teaching is much more effective than teaching a class of 20 students. Finally, the dedication of a parent to his or her child and the degree of connection make homeschooling a wonderful option. </span></span></span></div>
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<b><span class="m_-8717440117795157416colour" style="color: black;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416font" style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416size" style="font-size: 11.5pt;">Homeschooling Develops Creativity and Self-Confidence</span></span></span></b><span class="m_-8717440117795157416colour" style="color: black;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416font" style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416size" style="font-size: 11.5pt;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="m_-8717440117795157416colour" style="color: black;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416font" style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416size" style="font-size: 11.5pt;">Many schools focus on academics rather than developing creativity; usually, children are encouraged to think like everyone else. Homeschooling allows children to <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.stetson.edu/artsci/psychology/media/medlin-creativity.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1508359445170000&usg=AFQjCNG1X3Q_G-GwqwXygI65ooQYJGq34Q" href="http://www.stetson.edu/artsci/psychology/media/medlin-creativity.pdf" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">form their own opinions and foster creativity,</a> as parents are more likely to support independence as opposed to teachers. <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.stitchandsew.net/child-may-not-learning-classroom/&source=gmail&ust=1508359445170000&usg=AFQjCNGrbBhTuEEcTUUrWnku0yrrJ_gtvw" href="https://www.stitchandsew.net/child-may-not-learning-classroom/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Homeschooling allows children to be more assertive</a> and less scared of expressing their opinions, as they know they're in a safe physical, emotional and moral environment. Homeschooling also lends itself to more research and in-depth exploration of areas of interest, without waiting for everyone to be at the same level. </span></span></span></div>
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<b><span class="m_-8717440117795157416colour" style="color: black;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416font" style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416size" style="font-size: 11.5pt;">Homeschooling is Healthier </span></span></span></b><span class="m_-8717440117795157416colour" style="color: black;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416font" style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416size" style="font-size: 11.5pt;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="m_-8717440117795157416colour" style="color: black;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416font" style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416size" style="font-size: 11.5pt;">Homeschooled children have more time for physical exercise and often get outside more, experiencing healthy and spiritually beneficial activities such as gardening while learning. They also usually have a healthier diet than their peers who attend a regular school, as it is easier to prepare healthy meals at home. Cooking with your kids is very beneficial, as the children learn to prepare their own meals and <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/top-10-health-benefits-cooking-home/&source=gmail&ust=1508359445170000&usg=AFQjCNEUag53VlHUTJ9b1OpXfy_oWVqjAA" href="http://www.healthfitnessrevolution.com/top-10-health-benefits-cooking-home/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">learn about what makes a meal healthy</a>. School lunches or home prepared lunchboxes are not as packed with nutrients as homemade meals. Furthermore, homeschooled children aren't exposed to as many germs and therefore need less medication. </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="m_-8717440117795157416colour" style="color: black;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416font" style="font-family: "Calibri Light", sans-serif;"><span class="m_-8717440117795157416size" style="font-size: 11.5pt;">Homeschooling can be a wonderful way of developing a strong and meaningful connection with your child if done properly, while giving your child a chance to excel in areas which aren't usually covered in depth or covered at all at school. </span></span></span></div>
Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-1710675399324012772017-09-14T15:56:00.000-07:002017-09-14T15:56:29.476-07:005 steps to building on Self Awareness (as the first step towards mindful living)<div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEk5-THm1kZdoZclUkp0v-BJL4QzAet5B_ZQyFRkjHiD21euqgKsOTevtfwVRvimAwg_vOtJkzrxN9HFCd-jZNTPIxHNcwYpACDCLf6ALKchZEluULOmZqxsYgk5mywvm9YjiIk-46EA/s1600/5+Steps+to+Building+Self+Awareness..as+the+key+to+passing+on+Mindfulness.1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEk5-THm1kZdoZclUkp0v-BJL4QzAet5B_ZQyFRkjHiD21euqgKsOTevtfwVRvimAwg_vOtJkzrxN9HFCd-jZNTPIxHNcwYpACDCLf6ALKchZEluULOmZqxsYgk5mywvm9YjiIk-46EA/s320/5+Steps+to+Building+Self+Awareness..as+the+key+to+passing+on+Mindfulness.1.png" width="320" /></a>It's becoming pretty mainstream to practice some form of mindfulness nowadays. Even within our schools, meditation or focus time are replacing the traditional standards of detention or lines in some states and provinces. There is a growing understanding that mindfulness and calm create better mental health and prepares our children to deal with the chaos and turmoil our world can often offer.</div>
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But how do we create a solid foundation in mindfulness for our children... not just the action of it?</div>
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I mean, it's a wonderful step in the right direction to get children to sit quietly and listen to a guided meditation, or to focus on their breathing but how do we build the awareness for each child so they can appreciate the actual purpose for doing so?</div>
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It's a bit like teaching a child how to do math, but not actually helping them understand the reason why they need it or when to apply it within life.</div>
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It could also be seen as the philosophy of giving a child a fish to feed them for a day... giving them calm for a moment so their day is successful.</div>
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When we have the ability to teach them how to fish and feed them for a lifetime. Our children can be the generation to use mindfulness and conscious living as daily and lifetime tools for happiness.</div>
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I can feel you call me an idealist, but honestly, I feel there's one small shift in how we present mindfulness that will make all the difference.</div>
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We just need to pass on Self Awareness first.</div>
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Self-awareness gives us the navigation skills to sense when we need meditation, when we need positive focus when we could do with quiet or when we would be best to dance out our stresses. Self-awareness works alongside mindfulness to create presence and conscious living, allowing ourselves to sense when we are starting to get stressed or upset by observing rather than reacting.</div>
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Imagine when you were a child having the tools to sense when you could do with some quiet time rather than being “told” you need it. Imagine feeling that stress within you to the point of exploding and being able to find your breath and shift to feeling better. How would that have prepared you for the rest of your life?</div>
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Sure, maybe I'm an idealist sometimes. We all have off days and we can all jump off the awareness train when life get's busy. But I called this business Spiritual Aware Parenting for the reason that even when we're off, even when we're stressed, even when we aren't thriving, we're aware of the fact that mindfulness can be a tool to help us get back on. We're aware of our own offness when we practice Self Awareness and self knowledge for a little while, which makes hoping back On all the easier.</div>
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So, what does that mean? How do we pass on Self Awareness to our children as a foundation for mindful living.</div>
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Practice it yourself. Example is key within Spiritual/peaceful parenting. Verbally say you are going to get quiet to “feel more like yourself” when you start to get stressed. Journal, create energy focuses with music, find your joy and follow your bliss. Become aware of Who You Are and How to <a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.com/yourlight.html" target="_blank">Step into Your Light.</a></div>
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Talk about emotions and preferences. Ask for your child's opinions and listen to them.</div>
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Opinions and preferences are extensions of perspectives and perspectives are extensions of self expression, which comes from self-awareness.</div>
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Open up to a range of experiences and discuss how they feel. Go on nature walks and simply Be. Watch calming movies/shows after watching something faster or louder. Do something that makes you feel excited or exhilarated and compare it to cuddling together reading a book. Contrast builds awareness to how we feel and what we resonate with.</div>
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Create and explore curiosity. It's easy to brush aside a child's questions during the day, but breaking rhythms and exploring with them opens life up and allows you both to grow and learn.</div>
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Quiet bedtimes. Consider bringing bedtime 30- 45 minutes forward so you can create it as mindfulness time without calling it that. Make it your own time for presence as well as your child's. Let the energy of the house shift, slowing down and unwinding from the day. Read happy stories and listen to your child's. Allow the energy and peace flow through your home moment by moment and watch as your child adapts to it, becoming aware of how things change in feeling and how it affects them.</div>
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Self/Spiritual awareness is about presenting opportunities to feel, observe ourselves, and experience life.</div>
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It's about Aha moments. :) It's about thriving rather than surviving.</div>
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I'm so passionate about passing on self/spiritual awareness to children (Some people ask why I put self and spirit together... the reason is simply this. We are all Spiritual Beings having a physical experience, not the other way around. Therefore, true self awareness is spiritual awareness.)</div>
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That's why there's a whole section dedicated to Self Awareness within my <a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.com/spiritualkids.html">Spiritual Kids course.</a>. to help lay the foundation. Then there's the emotional awareness section as well, which creates a deeper foundation to our children knowing Who They Really Are, and that's not even counting the meditation section. I created the course so Spiritual awareness could be created in layers, step by step... for you as well as your child.</div>
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(I actually have had a lot of parents tell me that they've enjoyed the content just as much as their children have. We can all be Spiritual Kids.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.com/spiritualkids.html">Spiritual Kids is available from the website</a> and there's a special promo on at the moment as well, where if you enroll in Spiritual Kids you also get the mini course <a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.com/connection.html">“Go from Too Busy to Play to Connection with Your Children.”</a> which is a 7 day e-course delivered to your inbox with exercises and videos to help you be more present with your children even with a long to-do list.</div>
Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-88889034279624472412017-09-10T13:41:00.000-07:002017-09-10T13:41:09.498-07:00We All Need Heroes<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-size-adjust: 100%;">
As a huge portion of the world sits watching how Irma and all her offspring will leave parts of the world when they are finally gone, while others are still dealing with Harvey's aftermath or the fire damages, I want to talk to you about something we all need.<br />Heroes. They come in different shapes, forms and intentions, but I want to encourage you to take a moment, breathe deep, and consider yours for a moment... yours, and your children's.</div>
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See my son finally sat down and watched Superman with the family.</div>
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No, not some violent, dark film where it's confusing to figure out who's fighting who... but the real Superman. The Christopher Reeves man of steel, who wants truth and justice, who never lies and sends half his income to his silver haired mother. The hero who inspired my generation to be better people... and not hurt others... only create a better world.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG8zBrhCcpgErHo0Us0KBCibR2c2ioa7sG6N0jM7YfFgEL3L3pJD_92m9ok0oaIRRS4sDfFhMM8XXCw9kk6i-Tbpmr1v66Ibc7blDnB-XdzqBXa5xsoTlDM3ZHYTyGuZxBoLOyKxIBzSE/s1600/We+all+need+Heroes....png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG8zBrhCcpgErHo0Us0KBCibR2c2ioa7sG6N0jM7YfFgEL3L3pJD_92m9ok0oaIRRS4sDfFhMM8XXCw9kk6i-Tbpmr1v66Ibc7blDnB-XdzqBXa5xsoTlDM3ZHYTyGuZxBoLOyKxIBzSE/s320/We+all+need+Heroes....png" width="320" /></a>I've been eager to show my son this movie, but since he accidentally saw some scenes of the newer Superman a couple of years back, he's adamantly refused to watch any superhero movies... and who can blame him.</div>
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So, why, you ask. Why am I happy to finally get him to watch Superman?</div>
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Because, as much as Postman Pat, Little Bear, and good ol' Christopher Robin create a beautiful world for my boy I've been feeling that he also needed some heroes to shine a light forward as he grows and expands in life.</div>
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Life is full of contrasting experiences for all of us. We experience challenging times to discover our inner strengths, desires and yeah... our inner heroes. (That's why we create stories about them in the first place. Without challenges, no storybook hero would have a chance to exist.)</div>
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My son wants a pretty world in his head, but let's face it, there's a lot of fear in the world and a lot of things we "don't want". I want him to know stories of good, kind, strong men and women, who shine their light and see the best in all. I will never force him to learn of them, but I'm happy when he opens up to them. I want to be able to hold that image as an instruction manual in times of need. How would Superman react in times of crisis? (and no... not just the fly around and save the day sort of way... the compassionate, caring and loving way.)</div>
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The world made a little more sense to my son yesterday when he watched Superman with his classic cape and bright red boots. He works for justice and refuses to hurt anyone.</div>
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We all need heroes.</div>
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Awhile back I was discussing heroes with someone and they were asking what the point of having heroes was. I mean, in some ways people could see it as a form of idolization or mimic to look to someone else and hold them in high enough regard to garnish the term “Hero.” Others use the term as “Modern Day Heroes.” Someone who got the job done did what was right. Fought for others.</div>
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But I have another view of heroism.</div>
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We choose our heroes as those who have perfected qualities we want to foster within ourselves.</div>
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They are more than people we admire, rather we have an intuitive pull within us when we find a hero, as we know we have witnessed or seen the world through the eyes of someone we want to be more like, they emulate our ideal self and in doing so, they can help us get a better sense of how we can practice that.</div>
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If you've studied self-help at all, you know the power of visualization. You have probably heard the concept of the Ideal Self (Hey, if you've worked with me or are enrolled in the <a class="ng-scope" data-link-id="123187943" href="http://track.mailerlite.com/link/c/" style="color: #2ecc71; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">Stepping into Your Light Course</a>, you've worked on that concept already.) Well, a hero can give us a good platform to work from when designing that concept, because by witnessing their actions and how they carry themselves we get an intuitive snapshot of what we resonate with ourselves.</div>
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My mom's hero was Marmee March from Little Women. The quintessential mother, who raised her daughters to stand strong and think independently. This concept of a hero helped shape my mother's life for a very long time.</div>
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I've had many heroes over time.</div>
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Probably a steadfast one is Madeleine L'Engle, who wrote A Wrinkle in Time as well as so many others. She wrote because she had to, it was in her soul. She had to get the words to paper. She wrote what she lived, what she loved and she shared so much wisdom with the world.</div>
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Anne, from the Anne of Green Gables, reminds me of fiery spirits and the power of the imagination.</div>
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Larry from The Razor's Edge... reminds me of letting Spirit guide you to a sense of empowered individualism.<br />Elizabeth Gilbert for her Authenticity...<br />Louise Hay for her embrace of life and contribution of love. (We'll miss you, Louise. <3 )</div>
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Perhaps, as a mother, I resonate more with Marmee March than I thought I did...</div>
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I think it's time we all put thought into our heroes.</div>
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A Hero casts an image, a framework, which we can try on and see if it feels like a comfortable fit. It then can help us remember ourselves in darker times, and give us direction to find our inner compass when we think we've lost it.<br />(Remember the phrase and trend WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) Asking ourselves what our heroes would do in any circumstances can give different insight and direction.</div>
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Now, as someone who continually talks about our inner guidance systems and trusting your own spiritual connection, I'm in no way suggesting you simply act like someone else. Rather, our heroes actually can remind ourselves of the best parts of us.<br />They remind us that we aren't alone and, like my son experienced, they tell us that there are others who have high ideals and peaceful intentions. That it is true power to be kind and the light is incredibly strong indeed.</div>
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<i> By the way, <a class="ng-scope" data-link-id="123187947" href="http://track.mailerlite.com/link/c/" style="color: #2ecc71; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank">The Stepping into Your Light Course </a>is open for enrollment for only $77 at the moment. The course really supports your high self, helping you discover your inner light and help it shine, releasing what holds you back in the shadows. We will be having a group study of the material within the private Facebook Community in a couple of weeks which really gives you support and accountability through the whole 4 weeks of the course.</i></div>
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px;">Also, if you would like to chat about your heroes, helping your children discover their heroes, or even just about Spiritually Aware Parenting and how to use it to resolve any challenges you may be having, feel free to</span><a class="ng-scope" data-link-id="123187949" href="http://track.mailerlite.com/link/c/" style="background-color: white; color: #2ecc71; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; text-size-adjust: 100%;" target="_blank"> book a connection chat with me.</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px;"> It's a free 20-minute session where we dive deep and explore what's holding you back and what you can do to break free.</span></i>Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-77820061876289890832017-08-09T16:20:00.001-07:002017-08-09T16:35:39.290-07:00The Course in Spirituality for Children breakdown.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3d1Uj30F1FKt8jkMlQ2CxHPIXPT6SWsrSub3e_R9yC2D5yCciyp0IhPOuWXBFH20-EaPwsfxSJJV1VosNgTmjdzD5L__a6Jtg7IMRuq1fxJxD4hkbvaWD69vMAkofL7-taBA-LCSh_Cc/s1600/ad+for+course.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3d1Uj30F1FKt8jkMlQ2CxHPIXPT6SWsrSub3e_R9yC2D5yCciyp0IhPOuWXBFH20-EaPwsfxSJJV1VosNgTmjdzD5L__a6Jtg7IMRuq1fxJxD4hkbvaWD69vMAkofL7-taBA-LCSh_Cc/s320/ad+for+course.png" width="320" /></a></div>
I've been meaning to write this post for awhile... but summer happened... and now it's almost too late!<br />
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You see, since early July I've had a summer sale of $90 on <a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.com/spiritualkids.html" target="_blank">Spiritual Kids the e-course. </a><br />
but I have to end the sale as of tomorrow night,(August 10th) sending it back to $147, to get ready for some fall offerings.<br />
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So, I thought I'd take a moment to really let you know what we're looking at if you buy it at this amazing price before tomorrow night... because, it would be sad to learn afterward, right?<br />
($90 is only $15 a week, less than a yoga or meditation class and you keep this material forever)<br />
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You'll get access to week 1 right away.<br />
<em>Week one looks at Your sense of Spirituality and how to create a new space for it within your life.</em><br />
It gives you a video lesson which helps open you up to Spirit and invite it into your home.<br />
Plus a meditation which creates the energy of opening up to that invitation.<br />
You also get a few worksheets which help clear some of the mind chatter and clutter from your life, so you have a clear intention going into the next 5 weeks.<br />
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<em>One week later you'll get the What is Spirit, lesson...</em><br />
The video lesson covers a wide perspective of Spirit, allowing you to use whatever term you feel comfortable with, but giving you some clear guidelines to start expressing with your children. (this isn't Sunday school, there's plenty of room for you to feel what feels right to you.)<br />
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<em>One week after that, we talk about Meditation, as a way to find a connection with spirit.</em><br />
Yes, you'll be given tools to help you meditate so you can be the example, as well as your own Mp3 meditation.<br />
You'll also have an MP3 for your child and a range of exercises, to help create the right space for them. Time outs/time in's be gone... meditation will become the new and exciting quiet time for both of you.<br />
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<em>On week 4- we look at emotions.</em><br />
The video lesson breaks down what emotions indicate spiritually and offers tools within your parenting as well as yourself.<br />
You have amazing worksheets and stories within this lesson and a whole workbook on Emotions.<br />
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<em>Week 5- is Appreciation...</em><br />
It has its own section. In the video we discuss the difference between Gratitude and Appreciation and how they feel. We talk about the power of using appreciation for when life is spiraling. This is a huge section with worksheets, crafts and exciting experiences.<br />
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<em>And then, we wrap up with the Law of Attraction...</em><br />
This might be the most powerful section and it inspired the whole course. My daughter thanks me all the time for passing on LOA to her from a young age.<br />
In the video lesson, you get a thorough breakdown of how the law of attraction works, past the Secret and simple manifestation. We are looking at how it changes your parenting and days when you start to observe and shift with it. There's another Mp3 meditation, 2 workbooks, and lots of exercises to do with your children, as well as 2 stories for bedtime reading... or whenever.<br />
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Like I mentioned, you can use the material as often as you like, for as long as you like, once it's in your inbox. The exercises are aimed at anyone with children 3-13... but a lot of parents are loving the work themselves, so I don't know if I can say that anymore.<br />
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Phew... ok. I'm sorry if I sound salesy... I really am hesitant when it comes to selling sometimes, but I also know how frustrating it is when people have been getting newsletters and being part of the group and then they find out months down the road that something I've made was available and they say “if only it was a little in my price range, like $90 instead of $147.”<br />
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See what I mean?<br />
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So, That's my breakdown. Thanks for reading.<br />
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<a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.com/spiritualkids.html" target="_blank">You can enroll in the course here.</a></h3>
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I kind of just sat here and let it roll on.. so that's why that short announcement was so, well lengthy.<br />
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Lots of love and light everyone,<br />
Be well,<br />
Christina<br />
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PS... the reason why I launched the sale in the first place was that I truly feel it's a wonderful time to dive into a Spiritual perspective focus. Kids are just going back to school, life is changing speed, but there's the space to breathe deep and set spirituality as a priority before seasonal rushes. I hope this resonates with you.Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-74227298890322545932017-06-27T21:40:00.000-07:002017-08-27T10:58:35.757-07:00A Simple Tool for Self Care and Being Present.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I want to tell you about a little process I call the Octopus Effect.</div>
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See, we're all incredibly busy. As parents, we are systematically known for feeling scattered and overwhelmed. We run about, like toddlers, often after toddlers, focusing on as many things as we possibly can for as little time as possible. We literally feel like headless chicken and then we feel guilty for not dropping into the zone of connecting with our children... or guilty for not having any self care time.<br />
I have a new little mini course for you over on the website and it's actually only $17 for 7 days of fantastic content and daily little lessons in how to <a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.com/connection.html" target="_blank">Go From Too Busy to Connection</a>.<br />
The course is all about releasing the guilt that often weighs us down when we feel too busy to have time with our kids and truly connect with them, it then helps you find the clarity to find balance instead.</div>
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One of these exercises is the Octopus effect.</div>
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I used to identify this scatteredness with the feeling of having lots of tabs open on an internet browser. We try to focus on one, but we just can't. So we have to train our minds to close the tabs.</div>
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And then, I figured out the Octopus Effect. </div>
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Imagine an octopus, with its tentacles spread out in all directions.</div>
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Now, imagine that each of those tentacles is a thing on your to-do list, they are scattered, varied and all over the place.</div>
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Imagine when you feel scattered and all over the place you are focused within the tentacles, scattered in all directions. You try to focus on one, but then feel guilty for the lack of attention to the other ones.</div>
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You try to move all tentacles at once and life goes haywire.</div>
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Now imagine shifting focus to the core body in the centre of your octopus. Withdraw the arms, knowing that by putting energy within that core and creating stability, the flow of life will take care of all the other parts of the whole.</div>
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This is what its all about. We can all spend too much time chasing our own tails, running for tentacle to tentacle, task to task.</div>
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But when we draw that energy within, and focus within that core, then we feel relief from the chaos and can find ourselves again... so that we can radiate out through all those tentacles, fully and aligned.</div>
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Isn't it exciting? To know that some simple self care techniques can have the incredible ripple effect of bringing ourselves back in the moment and withdraw from the scatteredness of day to day life?</div>
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Now, the next step of the exercise is to allow a word for that core to flow to you. Withdraw your tentacles, breathe deep and listen. Give yourself a moment to hear that specific word that signifies that core of your inner “octopus”.</div>
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Got it?</div>
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Awesome.</div>
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This word may surprise you. Mine was “stillness”, which was less exciting or energizing than I thought I'd find. But still when I tried it on, it really was exactly what I needed to hear.</div>
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Now, when you have that word, try breathing deeply and focusing on the word. You can even let the word flow out on your breath, letting it really resonate within you.</div>
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This simple tool can be pulled out whenever you feel overwhelmed or stressed. By using the image of the octopus you have a reference point for your own focus.</div>
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Within the day, you can ask, are you focusing from the outer ring, from the tips of your tentacles and scattering that energy... or are your resonating from within your core; centred within yourself?</div>
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This little exercise really reminds you how important a bit of self awareness and self care is. It's more than a to-do list item. Self Care can't be one of those tentacles. Rather, it has to be the focus of the core, so that the rest gets done. Self care is an inside job. It's a focus and intentional job and once we practice it, well then, woosh, everything else just gets done in a flow.</div>
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I am really passionate about helping you find ways of fueling that core self. I believe that in this time, when routines and patterns are thrown in the air, you can consciously put your mind on, well your mind and allow stillness to enter within.</div>
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I really encourage you to visit the course page and check out <a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.com/connection.html" target="_blank">the new mini course</a>, it's a wonderful way to start the autumn and set new patterns up before the winter months.</div>
Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-23514315288433197602017-05-14T21:26:00.002-07:002017-05-15T11:21:37.262-07:00Blossoming through their homeschooling journey and curriculum<div class="MsoNormal">
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Summer is coming and what with leaves budding on the trees, the return of hummingbirds and frogs chirping at our river across the road, there’s a sense of newness and of life blossoming. I’m reminded of this within my own family as our son teaches himself how to ride without training wheels (taking them off himself I may add), and as our girls come out of winter hibernation, emerging more like young women than ever.</div>
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The other day I was asked by a group member why we homeschooled and it made me stop for a moment. Finally, I replied, that for me, the most important thing I can offer my children is their own sense of self, their own confidence in their unique perspective of the world. I want their education to support this journey, rather than challenge it. I want them to put a priority on knowing themselves and their schooling, the practical things they learn about over these school years needs to be the canvas for them to do that on. Sure, my eldest may have plans to venture out to the school system in a few years, but I know she will have the self-assurance in herself. She knows who she is and who she wants to be. She'll create her own imprint in all she does.</div>
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And then there’s her sister. I’ve mentioned my spirited, creative girl a couple of months ago to you. I can’t believe how she’s blossoming these past few months. She’s gone from being my little girl to this aware, sparkling, confident young woman. (ouch... it really does go so fast.)</div>
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I mentioned that we had recently started <a href="http://www.oakmeadow.com/" target="_blank">Oak Meadow</a> with our second daughter in a post a couple of months ago. She was eager for the sense of purpose, the weekly tasks and structure at the same time it meets her creative needs, she even finds her own sense of creativity within the creative tasks. (Her first project was on the Tudors, which she combined with stop motion video, an activity she is passionate about, she’s also written stories during her studies in stars, she’s created speeches and explored long works of classical music. She's had projects which have continually brought subjects to life, rather than just being taught.). I am loving how the curriculum leaves room for her to put her own personal stamp on projects. She has a list of things to complete, however, she is given choices in how to explore them in ways that make sure she maintains her interest.</div>
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This is actually kind of funny to watch really. Often, in her past homeschooling journey, if she got intimidated or bored of a topic, my daughter would drag her heels and really tell herself the story that she didn’t want to continue with it. I would see this girl come into my room, throw herself on the bed, suddenly really tired and not be able to find that spark of focus so she could continue. But with Oak Meadow it’s different. They are really catching her attention. Oh sure, she comes across some subjects which start to fall into the old pattern. (surprisingly math is no longer one of them. She says she is finally understanding it) The French Revolution started to make her... um... well tired. But once we pulled out the Teacher’s guide, talked about it in conversational tones and used all the tools that are given, she was back in the saddle and finished without another word.</div>
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It may seem like I’m going on about the program, but you have no idea the relief it is giving me. For years I’ve watched our daughter, who is so incredibly brilliant with her own processes, perspectives and ways of doing things, I’ve seen her struggle and lose confidence in her ability. And now she’s thriving and feels like she is achieving what she should be. The focus and sense of self that’s creating for her is bleeding into other elements of her life. Even in her art, her play, she’s developing an attention to detail that I’ve never seen with her.</div>
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She’s growing up. Suddenly, and beautifully, growing up. But from the inside out. She doesn’t feel like she has to look grown up, and she doesn’t feel she has to act differently either (I can hear her playing something in the other room with her siblings and it’s as crazy and fun as ever.) But, even still she is developing in her own magical way and I am so grateful that <a href="http://www.oakmeadow.com/" target="_blank">Oak Meadow</a> can be a part of that.</div>
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If you are thinking of homeschooling, I encourage you to <a href="http://www.oakmeadow.com/">check it out</a> before the 29th, because they are having their annual sale on right now, with 20% off. </div>
Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-33533926823128617372017-03-22T15:52:00.003-07:002017-03-22T15:52:36.270-07:00Co-operation instead of Control (a guest post)<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;"><em style="position: relative;">I am so thrilled to have a guest post to from Julie Louisson. Julie is a past primary teacher who is now a parent and blogger from New Zealand, She has two sons (aged 3 and 5). Since meeting Julie over at the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/spirituallyawareparenting" style="color: rgb(141, 36, 36) !important; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">Spiritually Aware Parenting Community Group</a>, I have been so excited to see how our work ties in to each other. I love discovering like-minded lightworkers in the Spiritual Parenting community and I hope you will check out more of Julie's work over at her <a href="http://www.julielouisson.com/" style="color: rgb(141, 36, 36) !important; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">website</a>. Without further ado... I'll pass the post over to Julie's words...</em></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;">Here in New Zealand, teachers at early childhood centres and schools encourage children to use the</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;"> phrase “stop it, I don’t like” as a clear and respectful way to stand up for themselves when needed. So, I have taught my boys (aged 2 and 5) to use this phrase with one another at home. One morning, I heard my eldest saying “stop it, I don’t like it”, repeatedly. His brother obviously wasn’t listening to him so I went over to investigate what was going on. It turned out my son was talking to me! “What am I doing that you don’t like?” I asked, incredulously.<br />“You’re being bossy”. I was told.<br />And I was. It was a humbling reminder that I had strayed from my intentions to collaborate with my boys rather than insist on unquestioned compliance. When we demand compliance from our children, we silence their voice and teach them to bow to the expectations others have of them. On the other hand, when we recruit our children’s co-operation, we teach them to value the needs and wants of themselves and others equally. They develop a sense of their power to impact their own lives and others’ in positive ways.<br />I believe we are spiritual equals with our children. I don’t think we have the right to thoughtlessly dish out instructions and expect them to do everything we say. Sure, there are occasions when our children just have to do as they are told, perhaps for safety or practical reasons, but we have to respect their needs and wants as much as our own. As a parent, I also want to teach my boys to regard everybody’s needs and wants equally themselves.<br />The way I parent, including the way I get my boys to do what I need them to do, is an important part of teaching them to value everybody equally and to approach life with a collaborative spirit. Being bossy is not a part of this! Here are some of the things I do to enlist their co-operation rather than enforce compliance –<br /><strong>I ask my children for help </strong>rather than instruct and demand. For example, our Wednesday mornings are particularly busy as my husband leaves home early for a breakfast meeting. Things need to go smoothly in order for my boys and I to get out the door in time. So, over breakfast, I tell them that I find it hard doing everything without Daddy’s help and ask them to please help me by being especially quick with their morning tasks. It’s a team effort and, lately, we’ve been running <em style="position: relative;">early</em> on Wednesday mornings.<br /><strong>I thank more than I praise.</strong> When one of my boys has done something that is helpful to me, instead of praising (eg. “Good boy”), I offer a sincere thank you (eg. “I really appreciate you getting the mail, I already had my hands full”). Showing appreciation acknowledges their giving heart. Praise only affirms that they did what I wanted them to.<br /><strong>I acknowledge spontaneous co-operation</strong>. Doesn’t it make your heart swell to see your children thinking of and serving others of their own accord? My youngest often finds my things around the house and brings them to me in case I might need them. I give him a big hug of thanks for his thoughtfulness.<br /><strong>I get my children to do chores.</strong> In our house, chores are unpaid. They are an opportunity for my boys to co-operate and help with the smooth-running of the house. If my son doesn’t set the table, for example, we can’t eat. The natural consequences of co-operation are far more enjoyable than the natural consequences of not helping. My boys see and experience the fruits of their labour.<br /><strong>I co-operate with my children too.</strong> Co-operation is a two-way street and my example is one of my best parenting tools. I help my eldest to find the missing Lego piece he needs. Sometimes, I change my plans around to accommodate a playdate he has requested.<br /><br /><em style="position: relative;">No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent. - John Donne</em><br /><br />Apart from being a respectful way to get our children to do what we need them to, a spirit of co-operation in the family helps them to see the big picture – they are a part of humanity and everyone’s behaviour impacts on the other people around them. They learn that, when people co-operate, it makes a positive difference for everyone involved. Co-operating also helps our children to see that they have something to contribute, giving them a sense of their own worth and everybody else’s.<br /> <a href="http://julielouisson.com/" style="color: rgb(141, 36, 36) !important; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in-out;" target="_blank">www.julielouisson.com</a><br /> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Raleway; font-size: 10px; letter-spacing: 1px; text-align: justify;" />Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-41618090111917313152017-03-21T10:58:00.000-07:002017-03-21T13:42:46.741-07:00An Alternative Curriculum<div class="MsoNormal">
Ever since I held our first born daughter in my arms I knew I was going to want to home school our children. I’ve never looked back on the decision, although I have to admit, we’ve had our number of struggles with what curriculum to use and what approach to take.</div>
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This was especially true with my second daughter. She was the one who usually had her head in a workbook. Those early years when I thought schoolwork had to be painful and forced meant she wrote her answers with tears streaming down her face. When I finally had the inner realisation that I wanted my children to love learning and have the passion for it to keep learning their whole life, in some ways I had to de-school my second daughter. We turned to creative living and unschooling as an approach for her. She is imaginative, creative, passionate and very tactile. Why read about it when you can play with it, why study and memorise? For her, it has to have life breathed into it so her very spirit sings out with it.<br />
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But, with an older sister, who is very pragmatic and academic, it was hard for my creative spirit girl to find a groove. I turned around to find our free floating approach leaving her feeling like she wasn’t smart enough to do “normal work.” It’s fine to tell someone that they work differently, but in the long run, they will look for proof of what they can do.</div>
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And then, there was <a href="http://www.oakmeadow.com/">Oak Meadow.</a></div>
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My daughter and I have eyed Oak Meadow for quite sometimes, tiptoeing in and then wondering if it would work for her. But now, with her in Grade 8 and she’s been forcing herself to do workbooks she HATED or programs that barely made sense, she’s felt ahead in some areas and then behind in others, she’s craved a structure, a method, a way to turn around each day and say “yes, I learnt this today and now I am done my lesson.” I tried her on some standard structured programs, but it was dull for her multicoloured mind. <a href="http://www.oakmeadow.com/">Oak Meadow</a> was to be the solution.</div>
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Oak Meadow is a Waldorf inspired curriculum with a difference. Its nature and projected based, with lessons in classical literature and approaches, but it also interweaves common core outcomes in all it does. Subjects flow in and out of each other, so to keep a child’s interest and yet achieve the right outcomes and it does so with a sense of grace and beauty you can literally feel it enrich a child’s world when they open each lesson.</div>
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Our grade 7 curriculum arrived yesterday and my daughter’s eyes (ok... my eyes as well) sparkled with the excitement of unpacking it.</div>
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We chose to do the Grade 7 curriculum for its content. It's world history provides the student with everything from Shakespeare to Amelia Earhart and Martin Luther King, flowing beautifully together with explorations in classical music and art. Projects that have caught my eye in the first perusal include memorising Shakespeare verse, presenting a scene on film, interviewing survivors of WW11, diary entries of historical times, film reviews, as well as an array of essay topics and reports. From what I’ve noticed so far the student is given a choice for each assignment and it can range from creative and artistic to a more traditional essay standard. The English syllabus provides a foundation to support the world history projects, including grammar instruction and words to compile for spelling reviews and proof reading. Science is beautifully laid out, covering some review topics from years before to then launch into astronomy and observation work.</div>
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The math is divided in two books, one with instruction and one as a workbook, with a hefty amount of practice sheets so the student feels comfortable and confident before heading to the next topic. Math has always been my girl’s terror subject and she’s been nervous for this official curriculum for that reason. It’s also another reason we ordered a grade lower. Strangely, though, when I look at my local school’s concept of what grade 8 contains, Oak Meadow’s grade 7 covers most of it anyway, proving that it’s a solid academic choice and my daughter is getting a great stepping stone in her education.</div>
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From the binding which looks like a traditional spine but is actually spiral bound underneath to the little touches like the small wooden plane to assemble during the study of first flights, we haven’t even properly started and I’m ecstatic! I’m sure there will be challenges along the way, as my daughter has to go through the growing steps in finding her own rhythm in learning and creating the routine she was desiring. Sometimes, what we say we want looks different when we actually get it, but still, she has been desiring what she knows she needs. The satisfaction is going to be awe-inspiring!</div>
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I’m often asked about curriculums for homeschooling and I’ll be doing a number of reviews regarding this one as my daughter progresses through it. We’re starting late in the year, but that’s the homeschooling journey I guess. </div>
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Summer school isn’t such a bad thing when learning is fun.</div>
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Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-87153788814770559882017-01-07T16:11:00.000-08:002017-01-26T12:19:33.340-08:00Turning January Blahs into Joys.<div class="MsoNormal">
So, how is your family recovering from the holidays?</div>
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There is something I’ve always loved about January... the openness, the newness, the space to launch into anything...</div>
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And then I had kids and I was introduced to January blahs.</div>
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Have you ever noticed how in October everyone is excited about Halloween and then it turns to November and Christmas whisperings start.. it builds and builds... feeling like a cross between excitement and absolutely overwhelm. Finally, it ends with hysteria. I’ve always done my best to keep it calm and cool, but now that everyone is older they are on their own path. Christmas morning comes, I focus on keeping it chill, but everyone has their own processes, their own anticipation and then suddenly after all the build up... it’s done.</div>
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I watched my children eek out the holiday spirit through until New Years. We played, they goofed about and we had some amazing family time. Ours is a “downtime” themed holiday... soaking up the music, food and card game vibe.</div>
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But life proceeds... and now it’s back into our happy day to day life. No matter how long you keep the tree up, the energy shifts and suddenly, it just... well, I guess it just feels like January. I start pulling out my agenda, and my <a href="https://jlk86341.isrefer.com/go/WB2017/ChristinaFletcher/" target="_blank">Leonie Dawson workbooks,</a> I start feeling my way to the new path of 2017.</div>
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But everyone under 14 has a bit of a gap. With nothing “to look forward to.” There's some mood swings, some upset over little issues... really a sense of overwhelmed.</div>
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Ugh, my husband and I sigh with the whole thing. Culturally children have been told for three months of the year that there is happiness around the corner. </div>
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But really, we all know that happiness is in the day.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7YUfR-BTFKWjj0qHHI5WAnqGRGytGXqHUfnbwKUWmYrkM9X3DgHBgKALs5k5bBYjcieYGhfF1I0YU9clALi1HFRKxNWNyb2nE899jY5j-5FPaQa52plbSREKaSd7pG2y3M1xQ2D2sFyE/s1600/Turning+January+Blahs+into+January+Joys.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7YUfR-BTFKWjj0qHHI5WAnqGRGytGXqHUfnbwKUWmYrkM9X3DgHBgKALs5k5bBYjcieYGhfF1I0YU9clALi1HFRKxNWNyb2nE899jY5j-5FPaQa52plbSREKaSd7pG2y3M1xQ2D2sFyE/s320/Turning+January+Blahs+into+January+Joys.png" width="320" /></a>Don’t get me wrong, my kids know this too. In fact, one of the things they all noticed during holidays was how the happiness was in the lightness and moment to moment play of each day. The prep had been empty promises, as the gifts and celebration had been hoopla for 15 minutes, it was the after play that really rung out in joy.</div>
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But January whispers to them otherwise. Although my boy loved his blocks and toys, and played with them during the week, now they sit on the shelf as he approaches each day with an energy of “now what?”</div>
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Outside is cold and stormy, there’s a restlessness progressing and each day he goes to sleep asking “what’s happening tomorrow?”</div>
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When a child is 2-3 they know the happiness of the moment, and anything outside of that is overwhelming. They welcome the end to celebrations and big deals. </div>
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But, like our older children, we can also fall for the premise of happiness having to be found and built upon, can’t we? When do we learn to drop in the joy of the day like our babies? Do we pass the restlessness on to them? Do they learn it from us? Is our children’s restlessness a mirror of our own?</div>
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It is time to refocus. It is January after all, right? It is time to breathe in the moment and release the anticipation for a greater tomorrow. Let’s embrace a fantastic today.</div>
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This is why I extended my New Year sale on the <a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.thinkific.com/courses/spiritual-kids-tools-for-a-spiritually-aware-family">Spiritual Kids course.</a> (this is the last sale I'll be having in a while, everyone I work with keeps having a fit how cheap I offer it.) I think shifting the focus to creating spiritual foundation in our homes is the perfect solution to January blahs. It shifts it from “what is happening tomorrow?” to “What are we being today?” It turns our child’s focus from “What are others doing for me?” to “What can I create for myself?”</div>
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When we offer our children tools to find out what makes themselves jive, when we draw their attention to their emotions and their focus through activities and crafts, we help them feel their way to their inner truths, with fun and lightness. And in that vibration, we attune ourselves. They get to show up as themselves, their own individual essences, rather than the “child” who is waiting for the next holiday. Rather than a role, they can shine as themselves.</div>
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Roles follow us all and it’s time to break free of them.</div>
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Passing on spirituality has made me have to set aside my own sense of roles. I’ve had to show up as myself so I can encourage my kids to do the same.</div>
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It’s a wonderful circle pathway to embark on.</div>
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Life is fun; each day a seed to grow into a joyful experience. Each moment, we can choose our focus and we don’t need holidays, or events or even outings to create happiness in our lives.</div>
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Living in the present is the greatest gift we can give ourselves.</div>
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There was a great quote from Abraham Hicks the other day... it talked about cutting out the word "achieve" and "earn"... and replace with "allow".</div>
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We need to stop working towards happiness and allow it to be in the moment instead.</div>
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And now, I have to slip downstairs to help my son ice a cake we just made together.</div>
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Cake is always an extra bonus to a happy day.</div>
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Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-64619506641673451422017-01-04T13:09:00.000-08:002017-01-04T13:12:01.787-08:00This is what happens when my daughter cuts my hair<div class="MsoNormal">
You might have noticed I have a bit of a head of hair. I have to admit, I’ve always liked my hair, it’s full, it’s easy to manage, and as long as I don’t go too creative (I once layered, it was a disaster) it is friendly.</div>
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In fact, I’ll let you into a secret... I usually only cut it once a year.</div>
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Maybe longer.</div>
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I love going to a salon, but it’s one of those things I just never do. Another little fact you might not know about me is that I don’t drive.</div>
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Yeah, crazy... I know.</div>
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But when I was 16 I lived in downtown Montreal. There was no way I’d learn how to drive there and public transport was a good friend. Then I moved again and was in University, I didn’t want to spend the money to learn when I was studying... and then inspiration led me to my husband and he drove... I got to hold his hand... why would I learn then?</div>
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Also learning in the UK, well that sounded complicated. Then I had babies, I’d learn later on, when I wasn’t distracted easily... and so on, and so on. Now... well did I mention I get to hold his hand?</div>
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So if I want to get my haircut it turns into a big family venture. Arranging when to go, what everyone is doing while it’s done. It’s not worth it at the moment. It just never happens.</div>
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Well, I hit my year and a half point a few weeks ago. My bob had turned long... my ponytail was shabby. It was being uncooperative. It was time for the chop.</div>
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So, after our son was in bed (because I draw the line at a 7-year-old barber) I went into my girls’ room with scissors, and asked “Who’s up for it?”</div>
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Now I’d done this once before when they were younger... and it had gone fairly well. But then I’d been hesitant about my younger girl doing it. She wasn’t feeling very secure at the time, very focused... so I was a little nervous. However this time around when she asked if she could do it; I knew it was just what she needed.</div>
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You see, our second daughter, who’s only 10 months younger than her sister, still has often suffered from middle child insecurities. She’s sensitive and her sister usually hits milestones first. However, I’ve been watching her break free of that over this past year and it excites me. So, I handed the scissors over with ceremony. She was a little nervous, but you should have seen her face when it turned out perfectly even.</div>
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Sometimes, offering a little bit of trust mixed in with vulnerability is what our children need from us. When we show up and say “go for it.” And hand over the keys (Hahaha.... what will that day be like if I still haven’t learnt how to drive by then?) or the scissors.</div>
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Our girl who always wanted to be little is growing up, and by making that space for her to make mistakes, and then succeed, she is creating her place in this world, with certainty and self-knowledge.</div>
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This new year, I ordered the <a href="https://jlk86341.isrefer.com/go/WB2017/ChristinaFletcher/">Shining Life and Biz workbooks</a> from Leonie Dawson. Now if you haven’t heard of Leonie, you really should check her out. She’s an artist, author, a mother, and life coach who has put together an <a href="https://jlk86341.isrefer.com/go/SBLA/ChristinaFletcher">academy</a> and <a href="https://jlk86341.isrefer.com/go/WB2017/ChristinaFletcher/">these books</a> to unleash each individual’s creativity and sense of self. She’s awesome... and a self-proclaimed Kooky Lady! Anyway, I bought myself <a href="https://jlk86341.isrefer.com/go/WB2017/ChristinaFletcher/">the kit</a> and the moment they arrived I knew my daughter should have the life book too. Our eldest didn’t want it, the kookiness didn’t speak to her soul so we got an affirmation colouring book for her instead, but our second daughter is lit up from the inside whenever she opens up the pages and colours in some of the suggested passions, interests or pursuits. It has asked her some self-defining questions and really made her question her goals, interests and her own spiritual connection. At 13, she’s becoming focused as who she is and how she wants to show up in the world.</div>
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Together, we’ve started filling in our workbooks and just spending some time together doing soul work. Yeah, we’ve done it before as you know from the Spiritual Kids course, but that was when she was a bit younger. Now she was ready for something a little different... something she doesn’t even show me.</div>
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We just sit there together.</div>
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So, what happens when I let my daughters cut my hair? It helps us both show up and shine. It creates self-confidence and fun. It reminds her that I trust her, that hair is just hair and grows so there’s little risk (my view anyway, definitely not a lot of women’s, I know) and that life is in the focus and the moment.</div>
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Happy New Year everyone!<br />
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Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-9339868342527908152016-12-29T21:34:00.001-08:002016-12-29T21:34:53.417-08:00I missed the mark...but now it's time to Align and Shine!<div class="MsoNormal">
I missed my mark...</div>
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I skipped a cue and I was a little disconnected....</div>
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I'm sorry... but it will be worth it.</div>
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See, the thing is, that for the past few months I’ve known a New Years challenge was something I really wanted to do, but because I was swarming in work and...well... it wasn’t new years eve yet, I came up with the processes in kind of a half minded way. I did it via the steps I’m “supposed” to follow, the way coaches do it and the “Embrace Feeling Good” challenge was created. But it hasn’t been resonating or coming together at all. In fact, I was supposed to get my filming done before Christmas break, and it hasn’t flowed yet.</div>
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What I love about my work is the fact that as I offer tools to be authentic to yourself, that means I have to use the tools to be authentic to myself. I don’t offer anything I don’t do myself. Everything we work on together, has to come from an inner calling... otherwise, it’s not spiritually aware, right?</div>
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Isn’t that the best cycle!</div>
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So, over the last couple of days I’ve been asking Spirit to flood the concept and really show me what it should be. <b>What is really going to set 2017 up with a solid foundation of love? What is going to Feel Good... (like the original challenge concept) and yet, be about clearing space, feeling authentically true and feeling good because we are aligned to the highest versions of ourselves? How can we show up this year, with a basement of love, of relief and of honesty... honesty in ourselves and where we are?</b></div>
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So, it starts here... Honesty in myself.</div>
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I am shifting the challenge to a little different... now it’s not just about feeling good...</div>
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It’s about Showing up.</div>
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Showing up as Ourselves for 2017.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj43k0PCoIvVWKCnxrDzVSU1nRiBEmr5DTDtEyBq0b0mT1FSkhRx-aq1YyOSYOuWIlzRrqltAbdk_gTzlupc8FsArz5q246EzzUmdEQlULMkMaXoAYhzzY-ckMJbgTjnPvOmA231NdmefA/s320/new+year.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.subscribepage.com/alignandshine2017">http://www.subscribepage.com/alignandshine2017</a></td></tr>
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The truth is, the world is going through a lot of changes. It’s not about feeling fearful as we cross the threshold of the new year, sure world events and social media might have us think that’s the only way to be, but I believe it’s an important time to radiate out as much love as possible.</div>
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And there is no purer light than for you to show up as You. It’s not about looking at the dark parts of the world or the negative stories and talking about how you don’t like them, (which we can all fall into) rather just shining as you.... focusing on the positive light, shining it bright, telling the feeling better story and well... feeling good, the perfect antidote for an uncertain time.</div>
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When we are all resonating as our truest, deepest versions of ourselves, unapologetically, knowing that we are connected to our Spiritual guides/God/Source/inner being... then that is how we create a better home, a better world and a happier life for all our family. It’s also the tools our children need to resonate as themselves too. We all need to support each other to have the courage to shine as Who We Really Are.</div>
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So, this is the new sense of a “challenge”... but rather than a “challenge”, let’s go back to the term New Years Intention... <b>this is the intention for 2017</b>. <a href="http://www.subscribepage.com/alignandshine2017" target="_blank">AND YOU CAN SIGN UP HERE!</a></div>
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And we’re starting with a strong foundation... a basement of knowing who we are... who we aren’t... and freeing ourselves to be the best Self... the best parent/partner/friend/person we can radiate as.</div>
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Sounds an intense calling for a video “intention”?</div>
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Not at all.... We’ll be doing it aligned and easy. A few exercises, a few videos, and sharing with each other on FB... we’ll be laying the foundations for a good year where we can radiate. It will feel liberating, relieving... and clear. You’ll feel lighter, and ready to <a href="http://www.subscribepage.com/alignandshine2017" target="_blank">creating an amazing 2017</a>.</div>
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I hope you join me... because this is going to be awesome... It’s going to Feel Awesome and its going to flow.</div>
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Because... you know, it just feels right.</div>
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Oh yeah, one last thing...</div>
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It felt right to put on a<a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.thinkific.com/courses/spiritual-kids-tools-for-a-spiritually-aware-family" target="_blank"> Boxing day special for the Spiritual Kids Course... </a>a little illogical when you consider I’ve been offline basically for a week and I haven’t been able to talk about it or build it up. But it’s on for $97 until January 6th (instead of $147). I figure that most of the exercises are what I’ve used to start the New Years for my children over the years. There is something about going through the processes of exploring who we are and what we appreciate, how we find our inner selves and how to set a good attraction point in January that seems to bring a consciousness to home, and I wanted to make sure you had a chance to have that opportunity as well.</div>
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Again... it's felt good.</div>
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So... let’s be aligned together, and hold space for each other. Finding that quiet space within, connecting to that divinity within, and radiating the light from our deepest selves.</div>
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And then we’ll feel really good.</div>
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Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-57820000945343638622016-12-17T16:14:00.001-08:002017-01-26T15:38:12.435-08:00All I want for the Holidays<div class="MsoNormal">
You know what I want for Christmas this year?</div>
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I want fun.</div>
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I want to have a lightness to life and let it flow through my core. I want to giggle and to have belly laughs, like my son can still. I want to goof around, and be silly. It’s not like I stopped being silly on purpose, somewhere I just thought I got too busy. But that’s ridiculous, isn’t it?</div>
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When people describe me, I often get “positive” and “cheerful” in the description... I think I once got “bubbly”... which I thought was kinda neat although... maybe a little concerning! But sometimes, I forget to let that feeling really drop. I forget to let the thoughts actually vibrate... well at a bubbly level. I think we all do this, we skim through life’s offerings ... never fully experiencing the feeling, which can make life kinda bland. It stops the belly laughs, really.</div>
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It’s like when I try to figure out if the presents I’m buying my kids are all fairly distributed, and rather than sitting down with pen and paper in hand to figure it out, I try to mentally think about that as well as everything else... the feeling space turns stressful, because it’s unfocused and unfelt. Rather than fun, because I could be really savouring the joy of giving.</div>
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Mindfulness creates focus, but its circular, as it also comes with focus.</div>
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I had the most wondrous realisation the other day. I’m married to the love of my life. I dreamt of meeting him since I was 5, and now we’ve been married for 15 years. Woah! How did that happen? Not only that, but I’m a mom to my dream kids, and I get to come up with ways to pass on spirituality to them and share them with other parents, I get to talk practical spirituality and relationships and parenting with people all across the world daily. I get to write and express myself and I live in a world that I can share that in a click of a button. I get to show up as me. I need to let that sink in finally, rather than chasing it, because I haven’t actually realised it.</div>
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So often I talk with parents and they talk about being more present in their parenting, and I think coming to terms with this kind of realisation is a big key to that.</div>
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Look at what you’ve got, and decide to claim it. Let it sink in.</div>
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Appreciate the moment, and know it will change, and most likely get even better, but what you’ve put out for has come to this point, which will bring forth more asking. So, appreciate what you already have in front of you, and let your heart fill and your energy ground you to the floor in the awe of it all.</div>
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Because appreciation can be one of those skimming thoughts, can’t it?</div>
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We can list off what we have, like a grocery list, and check them off, almost scared that truly appreciating them, loving them to our core, will make us too vulnerable.</div>
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Oh, that’s deep, right?</div>
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Love makes us vulnerable.</div>
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I remember, when my husband and I first met, we felt so vulnerable, because we thought we could lose each other. We could almost feel ourselves pull back out of the fear of not having each other.</div>
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How many other things do we do that with? How much of life do we skim over, not wanting to drop into it completely for fear of missing it if it goes away?</div>
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So, what’s the point of this letter?</div>
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Well, in these darker days of winter, and as winter holidays approach, I want to encourage you to do two things...</div>
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<b>Savour those in front of you and let the loving of them, fill you up from your toes. Don’t just make lists about being grateful for them, rather let yourself Feel the love of for each item on that list, let the list build, so you feel elated.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b>Second thing is, let any stress go and have some fun! It’s time to feel wonderful, it’s time to enjoy the little things, really enjoy them, and it’s time to embrace feeling good! And Live it up.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Imagine for one moment, if the vibration we collectively carried into the New Year was one of Joy.</div>
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What would that feel like as a community?</div>
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I guess we'll have to wait to see. </div>
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Oh by the way, I’m working on a free video challenge to start the new year off in a feeling good place, I’ll be letting you know more details closer to the date, but I really hope you can <a href="https://www.blogger.com/subscribepage.com/feelgoodfor2017">join me</a>.</div>
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I think we should all go into 2017 feeling good about ourselves and our families. <3</div>
Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-6791526464247586792016-12-12T20:43:00.002-08:002016-12-12T20:43:42.930-08:00Can I take over?<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes, you just have to take over.</div>
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This past week, it turned to winter, and it turned early. My daughter hates the cold and we’ve been talking about going away for some of the winter since... well, since last spring.</div>
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But winter came early and travel plans, well, let’s just say I’m barely planning Christmas yet.</div>
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It’s been a hectic time and I’m looking forward to some chillin’ in pjs and play. I’m not thrilled about the snow that’s pelting outside, but I also know that everything happens for a reason. We have to trust that all is well and that life is flowing just as it should. For some reason we’re sitting here with our heating on full and our old draughty house fighting it back with all its might. For some reason, we’re as under prepared for winter as ever before.</div>
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Because we were planning a trip, you know. And winter is early.</div>
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Our son is just happy his cat is in the warm and he has an excuse to play inside and not have to go out. Our one daughter isn’t happy about it, but she’s making the best of it. She’s reading, doing her schoolwork and crafting a lot in her room. She wants an adventure, but she’s remembering how it works... we’re here for some reason, all is well, and the snow melts at some point.</div>
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But our eldest is the one who is restless. She wants excitement and travel and exploration and who can blame her. She wants to study on the road, to see things, witness things and live. And with that focus her room was becoming a sea of chaos, and she was becoming upset with it all. Nothing was flowing and apathy was settling in.</div>
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It starts with a tone usually, which triggers the idea that something is frustrating her. And then it sparks to later mornings, and too much screens. If I say something she says it makes her feel bad... I get it I do. I remember being in that space and not knowing how to get out. <br />There’s a line in the Jack Nicholson movie “As Good as it gets.” that I’ve always loved</div>
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“I’m drowning here and you’re describing the water!”</div>
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I’ve come to the conclusion it’s really easy to describe our children’s water that they feel they are drowning in and it’s that process that can really make them shut down.</div>
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Sometimes, we have to just give them a hand up, and offer them a rubber dingy.</div>
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Every so often I look at either of my teen daughters and ask “would you like me to take over your life?”</div>
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And usually, because I ask when life is obviously too much, they sigh and say “yes please.”</div>
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So, like today. I clean their room, warning I’m coming with a garbage bag so they should grab what they want before I get in.</div>
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I lay out a to-do list, so they have a clear idea where their time should be spent.</div>
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I make their meals, making sure they are eating what they should and drinking enough water.</div>
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And then I make sure I’m hanging with them a bit more than usual. I make sure that life lightens up. I take some time to sit and giggle while doing our nails.</div>
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Because let’s face it, sometimes it can all seem a little bit baffling and we’re not born with a life instruction manual to tell us how to organise what we need to do. As a child grows we seem to expect them to know more and more, when really, when I look at it, I need a planner and breakdown to figure out what I need to do each week... and I only realised that a couple of years ago.</div>
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When you are paving your own path, banging your own drum, you can end up aimless and not knowing what to do next. It’s one of the cons of independence. So when our kids are learning independence, covering tips to recognise overwhelm and deal, simply by showing the example of them... that’s an important tool in their bag.</div>
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This can sometimes come at inconvenient times. It can lead to late night talks and even blame being thrown around, or stress out of defending themselves. No one wants to admit to overwhelm, but when its an acceptable thing in a home, when we all admit to sometimes dropping the ball, when things can be openly discussed, it means it's ok to say "yes, please take over for a little bit, so I can gather my thoughts and soul."</div>
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And sometimes someone asking if they can pick up the pieces just for a while, means our kids can find their feet again and they can use those tools next time. Because next time, they will be able to feel where they are just a little bit better, and they'll be able to put it in order because we suggested how.</div>
Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-28801742614267023902016-12-08T14:38:00.000-08:002017-04-12T09:55:31.443-07:00Spiritual Kids... the E-course. What is it?<div class="MsoNormal">
Do you have questions about <a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.thinkific.com/courses/spiritual-kids-tools-for-a-spiritually-aware-family">Spiritual Kids, the e-course</a>.</div>
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I hate to sound salesy, I want to make sure you know about it. Especially in the recent survey a huge<br />
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proportion of you mentioned you were considering participating in the course in the New Year.<br />
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So, here’s some answers to some questions you may have.</div>
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<b>How long of time do I have access to <a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.thinkific.com/courses/spiritual-kids-tools-for-a-spiritually-aware-family" target="_blank">the course</a>?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The enrollment is a lifetime access. You can download everything from the school platform so you can have it with you without internet access, or view it from the platform at anytime.</div>
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<b>What age is the course exercises for?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I have 3-13 as my guideline, but it depends. Some stories and poems you may find better for the younger age, but then the journal prompts and emotional awareness exercises suit older than 13. There’s also the option of making some activities more complex, if some crafts call for a kleenex box for younger children, it could be crafted with a more permanent crafting solution, like woodworking or oil paints for older ages.</div>
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Saying that, I’ve done most of the exercises myself, so it’s all relative and adaptable.</div>
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<b>How does it work?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The course is a collection of video lessons, breaking down the lesson concept (Part 1 invitation, Part 2 Spirit, Part 3 Meditation, Part 4 Emotions, Part 5 Appreciation Part 6 The Law of Attraction), and how to absorb it into your daily life. The exercises, MP3s and journal prompts then provide you with tools to bring the concept into your family’s foundation. The first part is designed to help you find your core beliefs that you want to pass on, this isn’t certain things being taught, rather a process of you feeling secure in your own beliefs and letting them radiate out as well as your child having tools and activities to explore their own feelings and beliefs.</div>
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<b>What results will I see?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The interesting thing about consciously inviting Spirit into your home is you really don’t know what’s going to be created. From simple connection between you and your children, to them opening up to questions about spirit, to witnessing the law of attraction in your child’s day and lightly talking about it, there are millions of ways spirit shows up. Saying that, I feel that with this course, you will feel more confident that you are providing spiritual foundations within your home. You will feel more secure in what you believe, what you radiate and what you pass on to your children. Your family will feel lighter and easy going about spiritual concepts, and using meditation and spiritual tools will gradually become a way of life rather than a big deal. It won’t feel contrived or foreign anymore.</div>
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Now saying that, every family is different and spirit shows up differently for everyone. My lawyers would have a fit if I started making generalized guarantees, but so far, that’s the response I’m getting from the course’s participants anyway. (We have a private group for the course if anyone wants to disagree!)</div>
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Actually, if it helps... here’s what people are saying about <a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.thinkific.com/courses/spiritual-kids-tools-for-a-spiritually-aware-family" target="_blank">Spiritual Kids</a>:</div>
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<i><br /></i> <i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px;">Christina Fletcher's Course empowers parents to tap into what's already found within but may still be untouched.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-size: 14px;">Through meditations, crafts, journaling prompts and downloadable guides full of nuggets of wisdom she has put together an easy to follow course perfect for parents who</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-size: 14px;"> are choosing to parent from an awakened state. She brilliantly teaches you how go within and enhance your parenting by learning new spiritual tools and applying them to your parenting.<br />This is a course you can listen to over and over again and absorb something new.<br />A perfect addition to your conscious parenting toolbox!<br />Carol Lawrence & Stacy Toten </span></span></i><i><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2FIntentionalConsciousParenting.Com%2F&h=pAQFpgkgcAQHapw8NRncDw_kCLPHaAiSAgsK7Kt_CSbn4PQ&enc=AZNEDdKE2Jy2yQcdwVmJMy_zw3UcJXkdjqBCX9NDuv9K7lVQeNfUUs-og44SWhEGXwiWeSsuaYCX_f595uIF_TpQtEpLkPldD5laXnMWI8lYtPEz7Mz-pmEWd4pEZ8u-gj_yN-ZHKzuzlsWzYyjhbB250fb7fyMBgnI60OEcNqnGbMBtHdDCZTQL2fG2RHqY56s&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">IntentionalConsciousParenting.Com</a></span></i><br />
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<em><span style="background: white; color: #4b4f56; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -0.75pt; line-height: 115%;">I cannot find the words to describe my body's responses. (to Spiritual Kids) ..pure sparkly delight! You have done an amazing job, Christina.... (The course) warmed my heart and I believe that any parent who truly intends to lift the energy of their family to a highly vibration will be inspired by this course...You have brilliantly woven Abraham's teachings throughout the entire course.... my own vibration is raised, just reading through it. Go for it!!!</span></em><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; letter-spacing: -0.75pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
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<span style="background: white;">~ Sandi Schwartz-</span><br />
<span style="background: white;">Author of Authentic Parenting Power and Coach at Leading Edge Parenting</span><br />
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<em><span style="background: white;">"This will be a course I experience again and again. I know I will grow and get something new out of it each time.</span></em><i><span style="background: white;"><br />
<em> This course is called "Spiritual Kids", I realised that I am a "kid" when it comes to being spiritually aware, so I did all the exercises myself and learned so much about coming back to being ME.</em><br />
<em> Thank you for giving me the opportunity, the tools and the little push I needed to invite spirit into my life and show me my path.!"</em></span></i><br />
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<span style="background: white;"> ~ Course participant of <a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.thinkific.com/courses/spiritual-kids-tools-for-a-spiritually-aware-family" target="_blank">Spiritual Kids</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ok, I’m done. Phew.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud of something as this course, and I’m sorry for shouting it from the rooftops so often. I just would have loved it when I started out on this journey and I think you will too, and I want you to have it for the best price possible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It could even be passed on as a gift!</span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ok, Now I’m done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Love and light always,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-75215260064937384542016-12-06T11:10:00.002-08:002017-12-17T14:34:06.412-08:00December Intentions <div class="MsoNormal">
December brings up a range of emotion within me. Excitement and celebration for the year to come, as well as introspection and assessment of the year that’s been. </div>
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When I was about 10 I started doing a “year in review” and “a year in preview”, the last week of December of each year. It’s morphed through the years I must admit. Now, for the month of December I become more introverted. Like preparing for a hibernation, I allow the darker days of winter to let myself drop into myself. I get to connect a little deeper, drift a little further and explore the light within.</div>
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I love passing this on to my children; the ability to take the quiet and enjoy the process, as well as the knowledge that answers lie within.</div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hug-Store-Rick-Morrison/dp/1625177712/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481308758&sr=8-1&keywords=hug+store" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmpQWHOO17MnkTMb83Gb-WSH4NqVMD8O7UbmPpwRQJ4nhUa29b5wZxMrv2Ec1oYqNTHDXBUQNMluqR5IZ9Tw1RslZK07IwIUadMlBzbv7V1BIuIGfQFFXIzr1wm2kRTMTlwxbYAsimZ4/s320/9781625177742.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a>A few weeks ago I was talking with author Rick Morrison about his new book <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hug-Store-Rick-Morrison/dp/1625177712/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481308758&sr=8-1&keywords=hug+store" target="_blank">The Hug Store</a></b> and I was lucky enough to receive a copy to share with my son. Based on true events the picture book follows Rick’s daughter as she struggles to find a “hug” for her grandpa. Leading to the conclusion of her realising that the hugs lie within herself, she is empowered to be able to share love and affection whenever she wants to, that love never runs out. With its vivid illustrations and fun writing style, the story is an easy read to be read aloud to young listeners, making it a delight to pass on the significance of going within to find what you need, rather than forever searching outside of ourselves.</div>
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It’s a wonderful time of year to go within. At the same time, looking around us, and seeing amazing empowering products that are being made to help ourselves and help support our children’s spiritual journey of love are becoming available on a regular basis is exciting. Although the media may try to convince us otherwise, it’s a wonderful time to be on this planet, for both ourselves and our children. Yes, on the outside it can be confusing and fast paced, even frightening. The world can be so chaotic, but it seems like each year we look back upon we can find more tools for enlightenment, more processes and perspectives we can offer our children that helps them tune into their truest selves, and really feel their way to their own connection.</div>
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It’s the most important focus at this time. To be able to stand up as ourselves, grounded to the earth, connected to our spiritual source, present in the moment and sensitively aware of our emotional guidance system. That’s what we are here to create and what we want to offer our children. It’s been a time of peer pressure and drama, of influence from outer sources. Within my December meanderings, which are still in early stages, that’s what’s becoming apparent.</div>
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<b><a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.com/yourlight.html" target="_blank">Now is a good time to shine as ourselves.</a></b></div>
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It’s a time of gift giving, a time of tool giving perhaps. Holiday seasons are like a pendulum they can chuck you off course from spiritual connection or inspire magic and mystery as you connect within. Books like Rick’s <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hug-Store-Rick-Morrison/dp/1625177712/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481308758&sr=8-1&keywords=hug+store" target="_blank">The Hug Stor</a>e</b> can spark ponderings for our children, activities, crafts, and mostly time together can create the space where spirit can move through our homes, bringing inspiration and motivation to connect more to spirit and disengage from the world’s drama.</div>
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This is what I dream of for all I do; to support homes in being flooded with spirit, not through rules and teachings, but through emotional experiences and guidance. Letting Spirit in and letting it inspire, with support and a shift in perspective to create a feeling of love and relief.</div>
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My own e- course, <a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.thinkific.com/courses/spiritual-kids-tools-for-a-spiritually-aware-family" target="_blank">Spiritual Kids</a>, is created with this philosophy; that when we attune ourselves to our own spiritual connection, things start to happen. Life shifts when we make the intentional promise, when we invite spirit in. People already taking the course are writing in telling me how once they’ve set intention by buying the course for their family and doing the first few invitation exercises, suddenly they are flooded with opportunities to share the exercises and stories with their children, just naturally through the day. Spirit isn’t a forced, uncomfortable issue anymore, it is becoming fluid again, inspired again, as it should be.</div>
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Whether it’s through books like Rick’s The Hug Store, or one of the many incredible books out there, or a course like <b><a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.thinkific.com/courses/spiritual-kids-tools-for-a-spiritually-aware-family" target="_blank">Spiritual Kids</a>,</b> or perhaps your own inner calling’s processes to flood your home with Spirit, I hope this December you can find some space within yourself to stop and feel your way through to letting Spiritual perspective flood your home and interactions with all who live there.</div>
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I hope that you can take just a few moments to review how this year has gotten you to where you are now, and within that space, find the feeling of what you want to create for 2017. It’s an important month for setting intentions and I hope you create beautiful ones.</div>
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**** Updated on Dec. 17th... This year I've set up a <a href="http://subscribepage.com/createyouryear" target="_blank"><b>FREE</b></a> workbook to set intentions for your 2018 as well as release your 2017. You can<a href="http://subscribepage.com/createyouryear" target="_blank"> <b>grab it here </b></a>and use it to create the year of your dreams.***</div>
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Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-11725202985786844462016-11-25T15:27:00.005-08:002016-11-25T15:34:15.797-08:00What does your Spirit feel about Holiday Sales and Shopping?<div class="MsoNormal">
If your inbox is anything like mine today... wowzers!</div>
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I was trying to figure out when this whole “black Friday” thing began, but then if it wasn’t one mad scurry sale it’s another one, so that shouldn’t be the focus.</div>
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The focus should be how it feels.</div>
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Over on the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/spirituallyawareparenting" target="_blank">Facebook group </a>today I mentioned that there’s a huge point made about materialism and spirituality. I’ve witnessed it growing up so many times that people teeter totter between wanting to be “spiritual”... and then feel guilty if they get excited over an item of clothing or piece of electronic equipment. The same imbalance comes in us not wanting our children being focused on toys or “stuff” but come the holidays we’ve all got presents in the back of our minds...</div>
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We’ll most of us do anyway.</div>
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So where does it settle in modern spirituality? What does “buying” look like to our spirits?</div>
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Like I said, it depends on how it feels.</div>
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Emotions, along with instincts and inner guidance, are the language of our spirit. As Positive Energy when we feel good it indicated the connection to all we really are... when we feel stressed, upset, frustrated or angry, that shows we need to change our perspective and focus to reconnect to Who We Are as Spirit.</div>
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So, if the “buying” or “bargain hunt” is fueled by fun; if it’s excited, joyful and eager... then Spirit is right there, enjoying the season and the experience. (I know... Spiritual shopping, what is better than that?!)</div>
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But, the minute it gets stressful, or overwhelming; when it gets noisy or you feel yourself drained of energy and focus.... you’re being told to stop, retreat and find connection to your inner self.</div>
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Yeah, it really is that easy. When we watch how we feel we can actually feel our spirit guiding us, telling us when to stop and connect, when to buy, when to not, simply by watching what feels good.</div>
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And it never fails. Listen to that emotional guidance and you’ll be led to exactly what you need when you need it, and it will be a joyful ride getting there.</div>
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As an example, I’ve been meaning to be more active on my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/spirituallyawareparenting/">instagram</a> more lately, as a way to share more and provide more tools for connection... but our house is a wifi free zone so it’s been impossible.</div>
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Well, on a sale memo today I got notified of a new tool which will make it easy to meet you on there without leaving my computer. I guess I had quietly made the request, and the answer found its way to me with a price that made it even more exciting and easy to see the right path to take.</div>
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Also, I wasn’t planning on taking part in any <a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.com/sale.html" target="_blank">“Holiday Sale” items</a>. As a coach I didn’t really know what it meant. But then, suddenly out of nowhere, yesterday I felt like putting some things together, so I did, for the fun of it. I think they were probably meant for some of you and I was getting the indicator to put it out there, so if you feel good about checking them out, you can do so <a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.com/sale.html">here</a>. </div>
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They will be up until Monday unless they go before then. <i>(10 enrollments of Spiritual Kids are on special f</i><i>rom its current special and there’s coaching and book deals as well.)</i></div>
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Following your emotional guidance is so vital during this time of year. It may feel illogical or like there are too many things to “do”, but trust me when I say, it gets done so much better when you look within to just see if it “feels” right.</div>
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Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-34637490728818673662016-11-19T14:11:00.004-08:002016-11-19T14:11:54.583-08:00Tools for a Spiritually Aware Family<div class="MsoNormal">
I remember when I was pregnant for the first time I had this overwhelming feeling of wanting to offer my daughter the tools to shine as herself. Even though I was quite young, through my wanderings and studies I had scraped the surface of spirituality, energy, the law of attraction and following bliss. I was experimenting with listening to intuition and trusting my relationship to divine source. Suddenly, I on to my child and I felt like I had nine months to figure out how to bring that to life for her.</div>
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wanted to pass tools of awareness<br />
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I’ve learnt a lot since then. I soon realised my daughter was spirit, and knew how spirit worked. I soon found that fun and play was the language of the soul and the journey of being a parent was a continuation of my own spiritual path, not a destination which I needed to prepare for.</div>
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However, as our daughters grew, by the time they were 3-4, I had the pull to start sharing spirituality with them. They asked questions which needed metaphysical answers, I saw the opening for them to become aware of their emotions as messages from their spirit, and I knew that they needed to know how to radiate at the energy of what they wanted rather than focusing on what they don’t want. (It stopped whining so quickly!) Therefore, I started to piece together stories and activities to offer them tools for a happy life, to weave together a foundation of spiritual awareness for our family.</div>
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I was talking about teamwork with our youngest the other day, and our eldest daughter started talking about “the idea of the family as an orchestra, parents as a conductor” and how they had learnt about consideration and what feels good. I had to laugh at hearing words coming back to me, words and concepts that have been taken to heart by my children and philosophies that they are using day after day. I am so proud at how my children see spiritual concepts as every day, purposefully meditating before schoolwork and consciously choosing tv shows that resonate with what they want to feel.</div>
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I sigh in relief that my children know themselves and can find ways to tune into that when life gets too much.</div>
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But over the years, as my business as a parent coach and author has developed, that desire is more and more prevalent. Over this past month as the world has taken some strange dips and turns, parents are asking for this more and more.</div>
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We all want our children to be able to shine as Who They Really Are, to trust their heart and to know how to feel their way to their own deeper bliss. We want them to feel strong in their own individual journeys, not victims to what they think others think about them and not swaying in their own sense of self to please someone else. It is a powerful time for our children to shine, as themselves.</div>
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Perhaps that’s why it felt like the perfect time to finally put my first e-course together.</div>
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<b>Spiritual Kids; building foundations for a spiritually aware family, comes out this Monday. The course is designed to empower you as a parent to shine as yourself, and offers you tools to offer your children through crafts, activities, and experiences. They get the games and fun, absorbing information about spirit, meditation, emotions and the law of attraction, while you get to watch the video lessons and guided meditations. It is a combination that creates an organically rooted spiritual and emotional awareness in your home and family.</b></div>
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Feel free to check out the video below to get a greater sense of what I’m talking about.</div>
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But also make sure you check out the <a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.com/">website</a> to learn more. Once the course goes on sale it will be up for a promotional price for the first 50 courses sold (which includes lifetime access and a private facebook group) so, keep posted for sure! <span style="text-align: center;">I can’t wait to share this information with you.</span></div>
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Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-28129921495504907042016-11-11T14:03:00.003-08:002017-02-02T11:39:29.250-08:00Teaching Our Children to Love and Live in a Time of Fear.<div class="MsoNormal">
A few days ago we woke up to a scared nation.</div>
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Even if I don’t live in America, I could feel the panic, the fear and the shock ripple through social media and worldwide. Through my groups and clients, I felt that fear in parents come in two focuses.</div>
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How do we protect our children from being victims of hate; sure that was definitely there. But mostly, the fear was in asking how to pass on to our children that it’s not ok to hate. How do we pass on love and tolerance, acceptance and compassion, when it looks like intolerance is tipping the scales and that’s what our children are around?</div>
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I see it in my own son’s eyes sometimes lately. He’s been around a lot of talk and then after election night, he was hearing stories of people’s worries and fears. He doesn’t say anything, occasionally takes part in a conversation, but you can tell there’s an uncertainty there and I wish he wasn’t hearing so much. (A teenage sister who is homeschooling and is fascinated by politics... it’s going to happen.) He hates violence or seeing any signs of aggression or nastiness. I think this is more common with children now. Children around the world are sensing a shift and they don’t want the aggression. It’s not just America that is being given these extreme choices of love versus fear. Children across the world are witnessing polar perspectives. They might slowly become desensitised to it, but if kept aware of how they feel, they can sense that they want to feel more joy than anger. That the pursuit of happiness is an instinctual motivation.</div>
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So, how do we prepare our children and pass on tools of love and compassion? How do we offer them the space to feel Off, to feel upset or angry, without worrying that they will grow up intolerant? How do we offer them the space to get to know themselves and also attune ourselves to our own sense of love, so that we can radiate what we want... not what we are scared of.</div>
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Because remember, we attract one of three things; What We Love. What We Hate. And What We Fear.</div>
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So, where does that leave us with our children, in a time ripe with fear?</div>
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Take a step back. Breathe and note that the sun is shining, the birds are singing and yup... it’s that time of year... here in Nova Scotia snow is forecast.</div>
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Are you breathing deeply? Are your children playing?</div>
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Grab a cup of coffee and appreciate something. There it is. A sigh, a release and a shift from holding up what we fear.</div>
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Now, listen to me gently.</div>
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You have no control over what your child grows up to experience. You can only offer them tools of awareness; awareness to how they feel, awareness to how other people feel, awareness to a sense of feeling like themselves and an awareness to getting caught up in a crowd.</div>
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Because let’s face it; fear loves a group. Fear loves to spread and get people talking.</div>
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Love is sown well in quiet, in that peace which is created within, when you shift perspective to a Whole Sense of Self.</div>
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And what is sown, we radiate. What we radiate, we attract more of. It’s law.</div>
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So, then it also comes down to us. To our example and our experience. If we are filled with worry and fear, then it’s not our children who reap from that. We are the ones holding up that fear... it is our experience in the process of creation. We are filling our home with a vibration, which our children pick up on and in that process mirror. Like seeds scattered, some take root.</div>
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Therefore, to answer the question on how to help our children through this time of fear?</div>
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<i>I say, radiate love and talk often of wellbeing with your children.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Show love and compassion to those who need it.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>Offer tools for emotional and spiritual awareness to your children.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i>And trust wellbeing. Trust that life expands and grows, that the positive always balances the negative.</i></div>
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There are so many ways to offer tools of awareness to our children. Let the question sit with you. Instinctually you will be told what your child needs. If you find centre within yourself, you will feel what way to go. If it helps, I am offering a video Series in<a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.com/free-video-challenge.html"> Raising Mindful Children next week</a>. It has three FREE videos with exercises, tips on creating space for mindful living and a free gift. You can sign up here. I’m really excited how it’s coming together.</div>
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And (drum roll) as of November 21<sup>st</sup> The E-Course,<a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.com/inspiration.html">, Spiritual Kids; building foundations for a spiritually aware family will be on sale </a>. The course is 6 parts filled with crafts, activities, stories and exercises for your children as well as videos and meditations for you so that spirit can flood your home and create easy opportunities to become more spiritually aware. I suggest signing up to the newsletter or joining the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/spirituallyawareparenting" target="_blank">Facebook group</a> to make sure you hear about the release. </div>
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I am so excited to be able to help you pass on spiritual tools to your children. Because we can turn this time around. Rather than seeing it as dark we can choose to radiate the light. Rather than feeling like it is a heavy time and filling our heads with what others tell us, we can step up, show up and make love happen. It’s the perfect time as our children are experiencing a true extreme to the spiritual love they FEEL is the true way of living. I hope that we can shift the tide and create a time of pure love together.</div>
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Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-52604126064195049062016-11-09T09:17:00.001-08:002016-11-09T09:17:49.200-08:00How to live in a positive space after an election.<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpGi_-E7LU3el6auldCJFZCs4ZWbkxynreMsu8JdC46AtXk_F6_HlFGJ8lrGDanQRnQx-3gHe0CzWz8GK50LbHNuw3EGZJ0gzJmAAUUSYq3rB6CMmtkhMJMT6w6Dwp9r6VCCIYsqQDTk/s1600/Post+Election+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpGi_-E7LU3el6auldCJFZCs4ZWbkxynreMsu8JdC46AtXk_F6_HlFGJ8lrGDanQRnQx-3gHe0CzWz8GK50LbHNuw3EGZJ0gzJmAAUUSYq3rB6CMmtkhMJMT6w6Dwp9r6VCCIYsqQDTk/s320/Post+Election+%25281%2529.png" width="320" /></a>I don’t talk politics. Hey, I usually live somewhere between
a chaos of family living, running a business and finding connection time with
my Spiritual Source. Worldly events, baffle me and... let’s face it drag me
down. We can all get caught up in Facebook land, and complaining and gossiping...
but at the end of the day we can usually refocus on what’s around us.</div>
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Today, may not be one of those days. Today, the world
watches the aftermath of yesterday’s elections and if we’re not mindful, we
could talk about it, be scared of it, complain about it, natter about it, turn
on our neighbors about it, be in disbelief about it and create monsters, demons
and horrors in our imaginations and conversations. We have to take a step back.</div>
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Imagine your thoughts... your personal focus, as a beam of
light. That light is altered by your focus.</div>
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Now, imagine if you and many like you focused on creating a
joyful focus; a focus on love, healing and blessings.</div>
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It feels like we should be focused on what’s going on in the
world today, right?</div>
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But there’s nothing that can be done at this moment. WE can’t
do anything... we can only fuel fear and upset with our focus.</div>
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Or we can re-focus, ground, centre and radiate Who We Each
Really Are; mainly Love.</div>
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Play with your children today. Go out for ice-cream. Today,
more than ever it is important to radiate wellbeing. Maybe I’ll make some
brownies and watch a funny family movie. We give power with our focus... I
think it’s time the power went to Love, don’t you?</div>
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It’s a habit, an addiction to friction and, maybe, just
maybe, this whole event has happened so we can heal ourselves and take how we
feel back to our own focus.</div>
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It’s for our children, you know. They are currently
surrounded by panic. 3 year olds are talking about the names Trump and Clinton.
It might sound cute, but they are also aware of our energy we are radiating in
stress. So, we need to pass onto them the clear message;</div>
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We are each in charge of our focus, our feelings and our
moments. Wellbeing is flowing and we are taken care of. We allow love to flow
when we are radiating love.</div>
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Let’s join together in love today and all this week. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/spirituallyawareparenting">Meet me over at
the group</a> and let’s talk silliness. Bring your favorite story, show a photo
of your crystal collection or beautiful yard. Let’s share what brings us joy. </div>
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Love and light to you dear one.</div>
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(Feel free to forward this email on to anyone you wish or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/whotheyreallyare/photos/a.291040847594123.76117.190853564279519/1305953816102816/?type=3&theater">share
this post on Facebook</a>. We need to spread the love.)</div>
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Love always,</div>
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Christina</div>
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Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-4953295795163927432016-11-07T10:48:00.001-08:002016-11-07T22:16:48.645-08:00November Stresses and Preparations<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #010101; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">And November is here.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">There’s something suspended about November. Something that feels hesitant and expectant. I don’t know about you, but there’s always part of me that feels like I should be doing something, but I’m unclear what that is. And it’s always worse for my children.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3ozCnvzSYCVdDSdiSwyS-DRhlEeTQlEMR9eVhN8uBiFTxBDo-9pHB0wEJv2XtN6JezcPlwE5wqASqolvz7gSKzZh8Qxj9wV5rk3hD0VuO3qjSCfmfbhEfFhr2tjfBziAzCCTQ2u-1rw/s1600/November+Preparations.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3ozCnvzSYCVdDSdiSwyS-DRhlEeTQlEMR9eVhN8uBiFTxBDo-9pHB0wEJv2XtN6JezcPlwE5wqASqolvz7gSKzZh8Qxj9wV5rk3hD0VuO3qjSCfmfbhEfFhr2tjfBziAzCCTQ2u-1rw/s320/November+Preparations.png" width="213" /></a><span style="color: #010101; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I just sat down with my daughters with the homeschooling “What do we need to do before the end of the year?” conversation. Personally, I like knowing my end of year goal, it creates focus and intention. My eldest, well she wasn’t exactly happy about it. She’d rather have a further goal... say Spring. Knowing where she is headed with a little more distance creates more clarity.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I think that’s because, although the end of the year feels like a strong intention, it’s always interrupted with the big issue of Holidays. Winter holidays always seem to create a gray area, and for many that gray area starts in November.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">What is it about a certain period of time that suggests we need to get certain things done by certain dates? Why do we add to-do lists to our already busy days and feel pressure to meet certain traditional criteria for things like Thanksgiving or Christmas? What’s even more baffling is the idea of tradition to pass it on to our children. We want to create good holiday memories for them, or at least we feel like we “should”. However, looking back at our own holiday memories growing up, they are often ripe with stress and everyone running around like headless chickens. It was after it was all done, the peace that followed the storm, that we smile back at.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">There’s a lot of stress that comes at this time of year... and probably more stress and anxiety this year, as for many the holidays are following what may be one of the more stressful weeks in current American History. This week is election week, which seems to bombard our newsfeeds and conversations alike, and once the dust has slightly settled, American Thanksgiving will be picking up speed. Of course, 4 weeks after that we’re looking at Christmas, Winter Solstice, Hanukah, and other celebrations... only to collapse into a New Year relief.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">It’s not just us who can feel the stress build up. Our children sense it in the air. They sense anticipation for something that is supposed to be exciting. They sense it in the fear over political events and they sense it within us, as our schedules build up and we start to feel pressure from unclear things. It’s important to create a strong foundation for our family. One founded in love not fear, and also founded in the present moment, not in future events. Life is each moment of our lives. That is what our children remember and that is what gives them the tools to create a happy life for themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">This month I have a lot to offer you and I hope that they will help you create a seamless blend of foundational tools for you and for your children as well as offer you the opportunity to start laying the groundwork for incredible Intentions for 2017.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">First, last year’s audio course is back to being available until November 21<sup>st</sup>. Then it will be locked back into the vault until next year. You can find it <a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.com/inspiration.html">here.</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Secondly, I am offering you a free 3 part video course next week on Passing Spiritual Tools onto our Children. I thought it would be fun to share with you some simple tips and tools on passing some awareness and clarity on to your children, now when it can be such a muddled and mixed feeling kind of time. <a href="http://spirituallyawareparenting.com/free-video-challenge.html" target="_blank">You can sign up here!</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101;">Sacred Tree Recordings will be releasing some guided meditations of mine over the next couple of days. They produced the Mp3s for Spiritual Kids, and have created Theta Music to accompany them. It's a very exciting project and one to help you find groundedness, </span>clarity<span style="color: #010101;"> and re-alignment.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Hmm. It might be a good time to sign up to the newsletter... because this month there's a lot to keep track of.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #010101; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> Lastly, today marks the start of the empowerment summit over at Heather Devore’s place. It’s free and you can grab your spot <a href="http://www.heatherdevore.com/Christina">here...</a> and still be in time for my awesome interview on Friday (as well as my gift!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Yeah, like I was saying... there's just something about November that makes you feel like doing something. </div>
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Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3238226442073033122.post-6119019647596671542016-10-30T20:12:00.001-07:002016-10-30T20:14:59.083-07:00Do You Crave Empowerment?<div class="MsoNormal">
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What does the word “Empowerment” mean to you? Do you feel
empowered to be authentic to yourself... or does the daily routine and toil
sometimes mean that you lose sight of yourself? Does life in fact, make you
feel disempowered? Well there’s a sobering thought, right?</div>
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The word empowering can make some people hesitate slightly.
The idea of self power can make some uneasy, and yet, as scientists or healers
alike will attest to, as energy beings we are all powerful.</div>
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There’s the power of
our focus and the power of our intention.</div>
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There’s the power of love for that matter.</div>
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Whether we like the
idea of being powerful, or if it makes us feel like we are overstepping our boundaries,
there is no doubt that we all have an inner fire, a powerful generator of
energy force that radiates as ourselves, and that fire sometimes needs to be
fueled. To me, that’s what empowerment means; to fuel the fire of our inner
selves, in order for it to radiate out stronger and more authentically.</div>
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Empowerment allows us to show up as ourselves, to not waiver
in our sense of who we are, but to trust that inner guidance that carries us
through. It’s an exhilarating thing to help parents feel empowered to show up
as themselves each day. Someone just asked me what my favorite part of my <a href="http://www.spirituallyawareparenting.com/coaching.html" target="_blank">work</a>
is, and that’s what I told them; the relief in a client’s voice when they get
the feeling of what it’s really like to show up to their family as themselves.
When the penny, and the “should” version of them, drops. Ohhhh... it gives me
shivers of spiritual connection.</div>
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A few months ago I was asked to be part of a <a href="http://www.heatherdevore.com/Christina">Women Empowerment Summit with Heather
Devore</a> and the summit starts on the November 7th. Twenty-five other experts
and I will be discussing women, empowerment techniques and the question “What
keeps us small?”</div>
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Small. Oh. That’s
another sobering thought, isn’t it?</div>
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I loved taking part in this interview and I loved this
question. We can assume that we keep ourselves small because we accidently get
swept up in a perception of ourselves that doesn’t match the truest version. We
can get distracted with the idea of what we “should” be and keep ourselves
small in order to avoid what we “dream” to be. We can keep ourselves small
because, as I mentioned, we can fear the concept of what power is. We can
actually be afraid of our inner nature.</div>
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Or we can keep ourselves small because everyone else is
doing it, why shouldn’t we? Why should we attempt to reach great heights when
it may alienate us from others? Phew.</div>
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Well, I really am excited to listen to all the responses to
this question in <a href="http://www.heatherdevore.com/Christina">next week
free summit</a> and I would really love to see you there as well. There will be
a linked Facebook group as well, so you can ask questions and create
dialogue... it’s going to be an incredibly insightful experience.</div>
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So where do you need to feel empowered? What holds you back
from being the greatest version of yourself? Do you keep yourself feeling small
or do you shine as a bright light for the world to see each day?</div>
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<a href="http://www.heatherdevore.com/Christina">You can
sign up for the summit here</a>. It starts November 7<sup>th</sup> and I look
forward to seeing you there.</div>
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Christina Fletcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16452639157202020246noreply@blogger.com0