If you were going to give it a try how would you play with your shadows? Where would you begin? Would it feel scary, coaxing you to run and hide under the covers? Would you write a play and use shadow puppets to play the main characters? Would you walk forward and back enjoying this darker reflection of you on the sunny sidewalk of life? Would you try to catch him or her? Or simply appreciate the shadow’s existence, the knowledge of that being enough to release its power? In this post I share how playing with shadows can give your life an upgrade and the ways in which I’ve been doing it lately! How do you explore the dark sides of your self?

Whoa. Today’s post is vulnerable and one that just poured out of me once I found the courage to sit down and write. I hope it ignites something in you, maybe even serving to open a conversation with yourself about how you decide whether or not you are deserving of EVERYTHING your heart desires. This post has been churning inside for a few weeks now, but I had to experience the events of this past weekend before I could really put it all together. Spirit is rad like that. So much has transpired for me in the last bit and I’m in complete awe of how Spirit keeps nudging me toward MORE. Hopefully this post speaks to you and reminds you that you are worthy.. just by being you. XOXO

An invitation to assess our culture proclivity toward the divisional "you people" and to begin to think about the option to choose differently.

Doing our work can take on many forms and, at times, feel heavy. So, I’m sharing my thoughts on how we can show up, get our ass in the arena, and invite a little sun in along the way. Personal work doesn’t have to be hard and I’d like to invite the idea that it’s not meant to be. So, if you need a bit of inspiration (or a reminder to feel free) on your life’s work journey, this post is for you. XOXO

Affirmations are one tool I LOVE to use when creating the life of my dreams. They keep me on track and remind me that anything is possible. However, there are some tricks to creating an affirmation that works for you. If your affirmation isn’t believable - mind, body, and spirit - it will get you nowhere. So, read on to learn a few tricks to making your affirmation attainable.

1. Create an affirmation that honors the process of unfolding. Like a rose unfolds in the sun, we too transform by opening ourselves up, layer by layer. So, if you’re feeling like you want to pull yourself out of the funk you’re in create an affirmation that eases you in to the next best state. A couple examples of this are:

“My body, mind, and spirit are awakening to new possibilities.”

“I am feeling more energized day by day.”

“I am always guided toward my highest good.”

These affirmations are not tied to a concrete measure and therefore allow you to ease in to possibility. I find this settles the nervous system and creates an opportunity to open up to more - body, mind, and spirit. Give it a try and observe the ways you become guided to manifest your desires.

What does it mean to show up? For ourselves? For the other? What does that look like? What consequence does it carry? What truth or lie? Is it understood? Misunderstood? What do either of those mean? Do they matter?

Lately these are the questions begging my attention. This is where my mind goes when I attempt to communicate and am misunderstood.. When I am intending to show up for the other.. When I am practicing noticing. Through this process of noticing and seeking I often begin to observe the shadow as she dares me to look her in the eye and better understand her inner workings, my inner workings. She wishes for me what I wish for myself, that I live my deepest desires. And, as scary as it may seem, I must look at her, see and understand her, in order to make my dream a reality.

My latest blog post takes a deeper dive into the art of showing up and why revealing more of our shadow is an integral part of that practice. Visit the blog for inspiration as you explore these ideas for yourself. And, as always reach out if you want some support. XOXO

Big Love ~Amanda

Hello there! In today’s post I’m sharing why I gave my vegetarian diet a break and how I leaned in to meat-eating. While this post is about my journey away from vegetarianism, the underlying message is about much more than food. It’s full of nuggets that will help you tune in to your own intuition, creating a more inspired version of yourself. I’ve also included a link to an older post, Nurturing Nourishment, that takes a deeper dive into the bigger picture of food sourcing, environment, and human health. I hope you enjoy both and pull from them your own inspiration! On that note, will you join me in committing to more mindful and intuitive choices this holiday season, whatever that looks like for you? Cheers and Happy Holidays! XOXO ~Amanda

For me, fall is about cozy goodness and all things pumpkin so, it goes without saying that I just had to share my very favorite pumpkin lasagna recipe. No, it’s not super deep, but what’s more satisfying than nurturing ourselves with wholesome, yummy food? Self care is definitely part of my spiritual hygiene and often times, when I need some extra TLC, or just a little pick me up, I open a bottle of clean red wine, crank up my favorite tunes, and get to cooking.

This recipe is a favorite in our house and I hope it becomes one of yours too! It’s full of flavor, super healthy (that part can be our little secret), and high on comfort. So, as the temps cool down cozy up with this easy breezy recipe and maybe even enjoy a snuggly night in with those you love. That’s exactly what we did this weekend and boy was it nice. XOXO

I often hear people say I look so young or seem so happy. Well, today I’m sharing my secret for both.. PLEASURE! It may seem simple, but learning to live life from a state of guilt-free pleasure has taken awareness and time. However, once I started I didn’t want to stop! And, while maybe you have some learned fear around doing what feels good, I’m here to tell you that you can live from a place of pleasure and trust yourself to do so. There is no reason to fear doing what feels good, because there is a natural stop built into that plan. Too much of anything will likely leave us feeling.. let’s just say “not so good.” So, if we’re paying attention, and if our goal is to feel good, we will, over time, create our own boundaries in order to do just that. No outside dictator required!

Whether you deal with something as extreme as gastroparesis or are simply looking for ways to tame tummy troubles I’ve got you covered. While I’ve been pretty open about my struggles with gastroparesis I haven’t shared my full story and today I’m diving in. Read on to hear what got my attention, how I was diagnosed, what’s helped me the most, how I’ve somewhat tamed the beast, and what I do in a flare. You’ll even learn how you can create a new relationship with your stomach, including a little tidbit that may just help you enjoy your food even more - no guilt allowed! I’m so excited to be sharing all of these nuggets with you. Don’t wait, find out more now!

Self care can come in many forms and when dealing with chronic or short term pain it's all too easy to try to push through without properly addressing the issue. While controlling inflammation through diet and mindful movement is a big part of my pain management plan, self massage and essential oils are just as important. Now I'm sharing why I reach for this rub instead of prescription medicine