Dormant trees. Flowerless gardens. Gray days. Colder weather. Wintertime can be tough. For some people, it is just a period of time to “get through” to reach the other seasons. But, is there a purpose for winter? What messages can it hold for all of us? I do believe all of Life is for us so there must be some reason the winter season exists…purposeful, positive reasons.

Time to reset ourselves. Nature is doing it, and perhaps, it is for us to do, too. The trees and plants are not using as much energy these days. Dormancy has its benefits. Winter can be a very relaxing season. Sitting by the fire. Enjoying hot meals such as soup. Why? For what purpose? Time to reset. January is the top of the new year. What do you want to achieve this year? What does 2024 hold for you? What are your goals? In this relaxed state of dormant winter, ponder the next 11 months. How do you want to spend them? What do you want to keep from 2023? What is new that you want to include in the new year. Just as the trees and plants are relaxing, yet preparing for spring, you can, too, relax as you make your 2024 plans. 

Body, spirit, and mind rest. Shorter days provide the perfect excuse for rejuvenation both physically and mentally. Spiritually, it is a simpler time to connect with one’s divinity. The calming effect of gray skies with barren trees can allow us to go within during this time for where are the green leaves right now? They’re inside awaiting the perfect conditions to appear. Where are the flower buds? They are within the plant. If we mimic this behavior, there just might be blessings awaiting us.

Perspective. Less activity now provides the contrast of the spring, summer, and fall month in which activity is usually at an all time high. How would we know busy if we don’t know relaxation? How do we know our quiet selves unless we experience our busy selves? Both are needed for a life well lived. To know one is to know the other. Allowing this slower time of the year to provide the activity contrast provides the perspective of the need for activity and inactivity for a balanced life.

Too often, it is too easy to view a cold, gray day as depressing. When looking deeper, we find peace, calm, preparation, balance, and relaxation in this season. As a parent and author, I say this statement often, “Perspective is everything.” In the case of wintertime, perspective is, indeed, an ally. Enjoy this time with deep gratitude!

I’ve been through enough New Years transitions now to have a new perspective on them: no judgment. Just observation. 

What I mean by this is to keep it real, personal, and loving. Judgment doesn’t work well for any subject for any of the 365 days of the year so why bring judgment into this topic now? Observing what was accomplished in 2023 to develop new goals for 2024 sounds real, personal, and loving. It’s an exciting time of the year so let’s utilize that excitement to move forward.

List all of your achievements of 2023. You’ll probably be surprised by what pops up. I was doing this with my husband earlier today, and he reminded me of many items on our list. It was thrilling to relive what we were able to to achieve together!

In that excitement, step up to the new year with, “What’s next?” energy. Create a new list for 2024. Don’t hold back. Dream. sense the ideas bubble up from within you.

By the way, in basic numerology, the year 2023 reduces to the number seven. Do your own search for the positive, spiritual meaning of our dear number seven. It may bring perspective to your 2023 year. 

I know…not everything was peaches and cream in 2023. As with anything, you always have options.

1. List the unwanted events and ceremonially burn the list while stating, “You are complete.”
2. List the unwanted events and while looking at them state, “I am bigger than this. I am more than this.”
3. List the unwanted events and have a good laugh because infusing laughter into each event lessens the intensity of them.

Don’t like lists? Don’t want to even think about what happened in 2023? You have options!

1. Stand tall outside with hands on hips and state, “All negativity from 2023 and previous years is now complete and will not be brought forth into 2024.”
2. Look in the mirror and state, “I only bring with me that what I need to grow in 2024 to my fullest potential.”
3. Write in your personal journal as often as it feels good: 2024 is my year of complete freedom. 2024 is my year of complete potential realized.

In basic numerology, the year 2024 reduces to the number eight. Do some research for the spiritual meaning of our fantastic number eight. It’s going to be an exciting year, for sure!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The song definitely highlights the good parts of the holiday hustle, for sure. It IS a grand time, but much to do, yes? Can you see the big holiday picture while wrapping, gifting, singing, eating, receiving, and traveling? Can you see the holiday forest for the trees?

I recently traveled across the United States. I drove by myself for five days from Washington State to North Carolina. It was a huge personal achievement as I’ve done it several times with a person in the car, but never by myself. Needless to say, it was a different experience being the sole caretaker of myself. I loved it, actually. 

While traveling for up to 14 hours a day with just me doing all the talking, I got the opportunity to think and think and think. One of those thoughts came from viewing my dirty windshield. (I’m making a point. I promise. It’ll all tie in together with the holidays and trees!) There was bird poop and smooshed bug guts on my windshield. But, I could still see. It depended on what I was looking at. It depended on my focused line of sight. It depended on what I wanted to see. 

If I was super bored, I looked at the splattered bird poop. Mostly white. Some specks of I don’t know what in the middle. Sorta round, but part of it dripped down. 

Then, the insect inners caught my attention. Greenish. Irregular spots that always seemed to go up the windshield. Some big spots. Some tiny.

The thought occurred to me: What I am choosing to see is what I am seeing. I have choice, and it’s like life! We can get distracted with the poop and guts of life right in front of us, or we can choose to see the big picture. I could easily shift my vision from the road to the windshield and back.

With all the items on our lists that need to be done at this time of the year and at other times, can we shift our vision easily from the big picture to the nitty-gritties of life? After all, bird poop and bug guts are quite interesting to ponder, indeed, especially when traveling several thousands of miles solo. The analyzing took me miles to do, fortunately! 

Enjoy your holiday festivities right now in this moment. In a week, I’ll post a blog about ending 2023 and beginning 2024 ceremoniously so the two years don’t blur into each other. What needs to be left behind and stay put in 2023? Oh I love perspective. It truly is everything. 

Ohhhhhhh! The childish love of the holidays always returns every year! It is the best time of the year, right?

The holidays can be wonderful…and stressful trying to create and match the holiday grandeur we have created in our minds. TV commercials, songs, and movies make us think of the perfect holiday experience which is impossible to bring into existence for who has real elves, reindeer, and an encounter with Santa in one’s own living room?

So we strive for the most we can do with what funds we have, the time we have, and the resources we have.

As our children age, their perfect holiday experience changes. Little ones seem to go with the flow much more easily than teens who are no doubt thinking of their friends and any special romantic interests. Family isn’t enough to fulfill the complete holiday experience created in a teen’s mind. It’s time to have an open discussion and to create a holiday plan with your teen to avoid:

• moodiness
• hurt feelings
• emotional outbursts
• withdrawn behaviors
• a sense that something was missing after the holidays are over

Think back to your holiday experience when you were a middle schooler or a high schooler. Was there someone you wanted to spend time with, but didn’t due to family obligations? Were there friends you wished you could see? 

While family is sooooo important to the whole holiday experience, it’s not the whole experience to a teen. Just as we adults have fun with friends, it is important for teens to do the same. A plan is needed. A discussion (or two) is needed. Safety is priority. Agreement is mandatory.

Ask:

• what would you like to experience this holiday season?
• are there any places you’d like to go?
• are there any different foods you’d like to eat?
• are there friends you’d like to include in your holiday season?
• do you have a special someone you’d like to include? Get a gift for?
• what is your favorite part of our past holiday experiences?

On the other side of this topic is the request for more help with holiday preparations. How can your teen help more? Play an important role? Be more involved since he/she is older?

Gather a couple of mugs and some cocoa and have a good discussion about your teen’s vision for the upcoming holiday experiences. This is honoring your teen and will establish a pattern of openness to discuss other topics as well.

PLEASE NOTE: this blog is for situations that are malleable and are deemed safe by you. If gossiping or bullying has reached unsafe levels, utilize community resources immediately: school authorities, police, mental health professionals, etc. 

Gossiping. Bullying. Making others feel uncomfortable. Not allowing others to be fully authentic. Shaming others for being different.

It’s all the same subject: someone’s heart supply (love) is low. In fact, it is VERY low. 

Let’s focus on telling “mean” things about someone to others aka gossiping, which is a form of bullying. In the spirit of keeping it simple, I’ll explain it this way: Gossiping is two subjects for two different sets of people: low heart supply vs. full heart supply and the person doing the gossiping vs. the person receiving the gossiping. 

In one moment, a person feeling fine and having a good day, can become the receiver of gossiping and immediately be depleted of his or her heart supply. It’s a physical reaction as well. Fear takes over in a big way. Fear seemingly hits like a tall wall of cold energy. Not just for the receiver, but for all those surrounding the receiver, which could include family members, co-workers, and neighbors. It’s gripping. It can be terrifying.

Because of the intensity of the situation, let’s break it down into smaller, manageable parts so we can release the intense grip…because you always have options with everything. I mean this statement wholeheartedly. Even with gossiping or any form of bullying, we all have options with everything.

When someone is feeling good, feeling friendly, and feeling well, it is because they are filled with love, peace, joy, and wellbeing. All these state of being can all be lumped together in this category: high heart supply. When someone is feeling down, bad, angry, belligerent, and depressed, all these state of being can be lumped together in this category: low heart supply.

Knowing one’s heart supply is important personally and socially because when we feel peace, we give that out. When we feel angry, we give that out. When something triggers us, like a person cutting us off in traffic, our heart supply directly impacts how we respond to such a situation. IF we are able to stay in peace when someone cuts us off in traffic, we will simply notice the event without drama. If we are not able to stay in peace with our heart supply suddenly lowered or depleted, we will react to the impolite driving with profanity, finger gestures, or thoughts of revenge.

So, Life is all about listening to/being aware of our heart supply because there will never be a shortage of events that will trigger us into losing some of our heart supply. It takes training and a willingness to maintain a positive heart supply while Life happens around us.

In the case of gossiping with our children, they do not have as much Life experience and may not have the training and willingness to maintain a positive heart supply. This is when parents come in, who are hopefully NOT sucked into the gossiping drama, to stabilize the situation, remind of staying in positive heart supply, and provide solutions for the gossiping.

What about the gossiper? Remember this from the beginning of this blog: Gossiping is two subjects for two different sets of people: low heart supply vs. full heart supply and the person doing the gossiping vs. the person receiving the gossiping. So we have to discuss the gossiper with this topic. Who is helping him or her because it is obvious a very low heart supply is present, otherwise, the person would not be gossiping. Gossiping comes from a place of insecurity, lack of love, or low heart supply. Period. 

Unless this lack/low supply level changes, the gossiping continues. Can a car low on fuel go very far? A car on empty stops. To resolve this situation, we must attend to the gossiper and raise his or her heart supply level. Period.

In all my Empowering Kids books, I explain a simple and very powerful parent-child strategy to solve any problem. It’s a co-creative style strategy. At the basic level, it is list creation of options. All of them. The longer the list of options, the better.

Then, together from the list, solutions that create a win-win effect are selected. There is much more to it. Especially in this book, Gritty Gossipers And What To Do About Them, I detail all the options available to address a gossiping situation. 

So, parents…how full are your heart supplies? Do you have them full enough so that you can care for both the receiver of gossip and the gossiper? Do you have heart supplies full enough so that you can remain outside of the drama to assist both students into filling up their heart supplies? Do you have heart supplies full enough to live in the Land of Possibilities even when you see your child hurt? 

I hope so because the only way to resolve a gossiping situation is to care for both students. Punishment doesn’t work. If someone is feeling off, weird, terrible, or angry inside (low heart supply), punishment, isolation, or shame won’t fix the problem at all, and has the potential to exacerbate it. 

For a complete look at this subject, your empowering steps as the parent, and your possible solutions, read this book: Gritty Gossipers And What To Do About Them.

I love writing about competition! In its purest form, it is beautiful, useful, and beneficial. I explain below:

Through team cohesion, focused thought, and attention to skill, middle schoolers (could be any middle schoolers anywhere) achieved permission to complete at the State Science Olympiad Competition in April 2023. From the regional experience, they stretched themselves, believed in themselves, worked together, and won. They also expanded together. Expansion is the point of all competition.

So…what do you think these students and coaches are doing now? You guessed it. They are planning for more expansion! Each of them is saying, “If we did that, what else can we do? What can we experience next at the state level?”

Competition by itself is positive. It promotes the idea of opportunity. It emanates creation possibilities. It allows one’s mind to consider never-thought-of-before thoughts.

For example, if a college class creates a robot specific for Alzheimer patients, and they receive multiple awards and accolades for this creation plus large sums of money for the college, what happens next? Not only can these college students post such an achievement on their resumes, but they say, If we did that, what else can we do?”

In addition, this particular college’s rivalry just down the road two hours, says to itself, “If they did that, what can we do?” Within a short amount of time, funding becomes available, professors organize groups of students, a robotics lab is updated, and creation of an even better robot specific for Alzheimer patients begins. Ahhhh…perfect competition.

Who benefits?

All will benefit as long as the competition remains in its purest form: expansion. The following quote is often associated with Mother Teresa: “I was once asked why I don’t participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there.” As long as competition is observed and conducted in a “pro” fashion, it is a wonderful aspect of our Earthly living.

When competition becomes US vs. THEM with them being dishonored, demeaned, or damaged in some way, competition loses its helpfulness to society. Pep rallies that focus on humiliating the other team hurts both teams. Where is the team’s focus with so much effort being put into yelling negative chants about the opposition? It’s not on team cohesion, focused thought, and attention to skill. The focused thought is now fractured.

Competition of any type can be observed through a “We are going to annihilate them,” mentality or a, “We are going to give our best,” mentality. Personally, I believe it is time for all of us to embrace a new standard of competition and to observe sports, such as in football, as a thrilling opportunity to witness what expansion the players have been able to achieve since the last game – a display of humans demonstrating their best.

At any children’s competition event, what do you see? I see miles and miles of road traveled as parents take kids to practices. I see many dollars exchanged for sports equipment. I see parents waiting hours for practice’s end so they can grab something for dinner. I see parental dedication to providing their offspring the opportunity to develop their full potential with the aid of positive competition.

What do you see?

This is a SECRET of life that I have known about for years, but it is just becoming very real to me this year. Not for any particular reason. It is just becoming more integrated into my daily life, fortunately. Sometimes, those things we were told, taught, or learned a long time ago suddenly become real, pertinent, and integrated. So I thought this secret to living well, loving the weaknesses of your life leads to empowerment, would be a great topic for a blog.

For a long time now, I’ve been writing about utilizing the negative things, people, and events in our lives for the highest good of all. I strongly suggest when something hugely uncomfortable occurs:

• Turn it around!
• Use it for your benefit!
• Search for how you can grow from it!
• Observe what is behind the situation!

I feel as if I need a megaphone to talk about this because it’s going to happen: mistakes, goofs, mess ups, problem, and curious interactions. When they happen and since life is for us, then let’s use each and every thing, person, and event to expand, grow, and ascend…be more than we were before it happened.

We all need this reminder, however, because it is just too easy to slip into victimhood. To get ensnared. To become enveloped with the drama or trauma of the situation. To become overwhelmed with the details. The good news is that while your life is relatively calm in this moment, now is the time to teach yourself what to do when the next uncomfortable situation occurs. The good news is that there is very good news about these events of life.

Some events of life happen suddenly such as a car accident or someone died unexpectedly. Some events of life happen slowly almost undetectable such as unnecessary weight gain or disease. “That which we resist, persists.” Renowned Swiss psychiatrist, Carl Jung (1875–1961), stated in his simple, yet very profound sentence how life on Earth works. What is resisting? Applying judgment to a particular event or personal attribute is resistance. It is resisting that which is currently happening.

This resisting brings upon the events we don’t want. The truth is we are perfect creation no matter how we look or what we’ve done. Any judgment about what is happening or how we look is resisting, and therefore, keeping that which is unwanted around in negative form. If you want things to continue as is, look at it angrily and it’ll keep showing up. Hate what happened, and it’ll keep showing up again and again or it’ll permanently be a part of your life.

So, if there is something that we want to change, we change the resistance to love. Simple, right? Maybe? No? Yes? It takes time, which is why this secret of living well has taken soooo long for me to integrate it into my life. I’m catching myself resisting and then switching it to love. It’s absolutely freeeeeeeeeeeeing!

When your kiddos are doing something that you don’t like, switch to love. Look at what they are doing well. Observe his or her cute nose. Her enthusiasm for life. His determination to practice basketball. If his growing, smelly feet are unbearable, find a solution for the stench while being amazed that your 7-9 oz baby is now growing like a weed. 

Complaining about stinky feet will just enhance the experience until it might escalate to dramatic proportions! Think this is a silly scenario? People go far beyond the norm with negative situations all day every day. One click of the TV, and you’ll know what I’m referring to. They are so focused on what they don’t want to happen. This is adding onto it, unfortunately.  The secret to living well is to focus on what you want.

In the case of weight gain, loving the excess fat is the way to weigh less. Enjoying healthy foods along with an increased of water intake instead of dreading another salad and having to pee more often is the way to release excess fat.

In the case of disease, let the doctors take care of the disease while you love, list, focus upon, and talk about how wonderful all the other healthy cells in your body. Be amazed how they are functioning well.

This shift is empowering. It is an important technique to model and teach to your kiddos. Life is going to happen. Those curious, and sometimes uncomfortable, situations of life will occur. We empowered beings have choice! We can resist what is happening or turn our focus to what is pleasant, healthy, and good. Live empoweredly in The Land of Possibilities!

Utilizing the energy of the Universe is key to parenting not only well, but peacefully, cooperatively, and joyfully on a moment by moment basis. 

Why? We came here to fully experience the joy of life and this includes our parenting life, too. Want to know more? How about these statements?

A truth about life: Our thoughts, beliefs, and feelings are the three tools we use to create our lives.

Another truth: We were all born with an Inner Divine Wisdom system that is sensed and utilized by our feelings.

Truth #3: We are all Divine Spirits in borrowed body suits on life journeys trying to have the best experiences right now.

Truth #4: It is not our job to fix anyone, but to be the Light and Wayshowers to those who are wanting to be shown.

Truth #5: We are all ascending to the next level of what it means to be human now that we are in the predicted Golden Age.

Do these truths sound odd? Weird? My question to you would be why? Perhaps, we’ve been told other things? We’ve been told we are not Divine Creations with Inner Divine Wisdom on Divine Individual Paths for the Highest Good of All when, truthfully, this is Who We Really Are. 

Could you, would you say these things to your kiddos? It makes all the difference in the world, in their lives, in your life. Everything can be explained through the lens of the energy of the Universe. It is the only thing that is actually real.

Kids want to know what is real. They can smell fraud a mile away. If you have a discontented child, it is because he or she knows what is really real and what is fake. Our children are magnificent beings with super sensitive sensors who are brilliantly detecting truth and non-truth.

What about those who will think this is BS? They believe the “flesh and bones” part of our existence. They have temporarily forgotten Who They Really Are and it is our choice to remind them.

If you don’t know what’s truly real, how can you explain it to your kids? This is your opportunity to re-member what you originally came here for and to be. This is your choice to learn how to utilize the energy of the Universe to have that parenting experience you desire. I’m a Light on Earth. I’m a Wayshower. It is up to you if you’d like to know how life really works.

I’ve experienced on a daily/moment by moment basis parental bliss. It can be done. Every single moment was beautiful. Precious. Wonderful. It had nothing to do with me being blessed with a great daughter. It had everything to do with how I spoke to her, viewed her, utilized the energy of the Universe, and, turned all challenges into our opportunity because parenting in this manner isn’t a ticket to a perfect life. The ups and downs exists for everyone…for everyone’s benefit if you are utilizing the energy of the Universe. 

Want to know more? Email me at lifebooks2011@yahoo.com and put Utilizing Universal Energy in the subject line. 

It happened again. I got a big rush of energy and a chunk of ideas “came” to me. Actually, through me because it’s like something very pleasant is whispering to my Soul. The big chunk? I heard that we parents would be happier telling our kids about being happy and all the nuances that go with happiness instead of how to make a living, which career to choose, and how to plan for the future.

It’s all about happiness, folks!

Is your logical mind saying…”But, what about kids? We need to tell them about the realities of life for when they’re adults. They need to be realistic so that they can get a good education and job, pay bills, and live a prosperous life.”

Those things, indeed, need to be told, explained, and impressed as important, but the big point here is HOW to tell, explain, and impress. Through what lens are you providing reality? Is it hardship as in “Life is hard.” Or, is it through doom and gloom as in “Money doesn’t grow on trees.” Is it a combination as in “Work hard, play hard.” 

Well-meaning parents want their children to do even better than they did so they push “Get a good job at all costs,” without discussing happiness. Yes, believe it or not, happiness and career go together. 

What if we shift how we talk about their futures to something like this:

YOUNG CHILD

Child: I want to be an astronaut!

Parent: That’s great! Why do you want to be an astronaut?

Child: I don’t know. I just do. I want to fly in space.

Parent: I love how you state your truth so clearly. Do you feel being an astronaut would make you happy?

Child: I think so.

Parent: How about you feel so?

Child: What do you mean feel so?

Parent: We have talked about how there is a difference between thinking and feeling. Deep soul-level feelings is communication with Divine Creator. That is Mother-Father God talking directly to you! It’s not a surface feeling. It comes from deep within you. It has a different feel. It’s different than when you are happy we are having pizza for dinner. Continue to realize and identify what makes you happy…happy at the soul level as we have already talked about many times. I’ll continue to talk about this more and more as you get older because it’s where you’ll know what to do with your life from this point forward. Happiness at the soul level is the only reason to do something.

Child: You mean I don’t have to make my bed unless it makes me happy?

Parent: Yes, that is exactly what I mean. But, here’s something for you to consider. How does making your bed make you feel once it’s done?

Child pauses.

Child: It does make me feel good! I like seeing it look nice.

OLDER CHILD

Child: I don’t know if I want to try out for the lead role in the musical this year.

Parent: What do your feelings tell you? 

Child: I feel nervous. I enjoyed participating last year, but I had a bit part. It was thrilling, though, to be on stage. I loved everything that went with it. I just don’t know if I have the skills. The other kids are older than me. One of them will probably get the lead role. 

Parent: You had feeling and thinking in what you just said. Separate the feelings from the thinking. Have a quiet time to listen to your Soul feelings. It’ll tell you if you’re ready or not to try out. Maybe trying out is the best thing for you even if you don’t get the part. I had many interviews before I got my first job. I was glad to have some “practice” interviews. Or, maybe you’ll get the part!

Child: Yes, I am confused right now. Too much swirling going on in my head. I need to make sense of it.

Parent: Just as a reminder, your Soul will always lead you in the right direction. It’ll make you feel happy. Joyful. Good. Exhilarated. So the nervousness you feel could be high vibrating energy of happiness or it could be your Soul saying one more year of getting to know theater. Your Soul will tell you.

Pause.

Parent: I love how you utilize this divine communication. It’s better than anything I can tell you or anyone else’s input for your life. It’s the go to space for your happiness!

Your logical mind may be saying, “Yeah, but life throws some hard hits sometimes. Challenges. Roadblocks. Dead ends. Break ups. Some of it is really tough like when people die unexpectedly.”

This is exactly when listening to the Soul leads us to greener pastures, or how to overcome a challenge, or how to get around a roadblock, or when to go in another direction for the roadblock has a purpose: get around it or change course. With any career choice, happiness is at the center of it. Four years of challenging courses make graduation all that more thrilling. Would you play a game that was easy to win every time? Challenges are part of the happiness big picture. Rock climbers stretch (literally) for more and bigger climbs. Runner go for more and bigger marathon events. Writers write longer and different books. 

Please note: Someone who leaves his or her body at a time different than our expectations is a challenge, indeed. At a subconscious level, he or she knew it was time to exit the temporary body suit for this life. The Soul will soothe and explain why living to an old age isn’t a guarantee. The person’s life was complete. It was time to go. We leave in perfect timing except in the case of suicide. Please understand that no matter how we exit from this time and place, we are in good hands…no matter what. For a complete explanation of this subject, read: https://www.amazon.com/Empowering-Kids-Suicide-Choose-Decision-ebook/dp/B00IJM1O4M/ref=sr_1_12?crid=1VXEP9Y6WBQ3O&keywords=lizabeth+jenkins-dale&qid=1677526615&sprefix=lizabeth+jenkins%2Caps%2C114&sr=8-12

Happiness. Joy. Peace. These are the way to guide your child into the most wonderful life right now that is filled with choosing from vast options that their individual Souls will guide perfectly through and around thrilling challenges. It’s all about happiness, folks!!