 Forgiveness is a tricky word. We often carry associations with the word forgiveness that turn the act of forgiving into something more painful than it needs to be. Let’s set the record straight on forgiveness by learning what forgiveness IS and what it IS NOT. Forgiveness is NoT:
 Now that we’ve discussed what forgiveness is not, let’s talk about what forgiveness really is and what it means. FORGIVENESS IS:
As you can see, forgiveness is not really about the other person at all. It is about us, our own wellbeing, our ability to move forward and care for ourselves, and our step out of the victim mentality. It puts the control back into our hands. After all, we cannot change anyone else’s behavior. No one has that power. But we CAN change our own behavior, and forgiveness gives us a way to improve our own lives and move forward. Now the hard part, HOW DO WE FORGIVE?  How to Forgive
Forgiveness sets you free. It gives you control over your life. It lets you breathe more easily and sleep better at night. It might be hard work, but in the end, it is SO worth it. If you need assistance or guidance in letting go of a painful event from your past, contact me at kelli@theascendedmom.com. I will be happy to partner with you in creating a life you love!
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1/16/2020 0 Comments The Power of Self Talk “My brain says some really mean things to me sometimes.” My friend told me this once, and I could totally relate. How we talk to ourselves makes a big difference in the way we see ourselves in the world. According to an article on healthline.com, “Self-talk is your internal dialogue. It's influenced by your subconscious mind, and it reveals your thoughts, beliefs, questions, and ideas.” If I’m constantly telling myself I’m not good enough, pretty enough, thin enough, etc., those messages will stifle my growth, lower my self-esteem, and lead to lower self confidence in my place in the world. Not to mention, what kind of message does it teach our kids? Sometimes they hear us say things like, “Ugh! I’m so fat!” Or “I can’t do anything right.” Muttering self-deprecating messages under our breath does not go unnoticed by our children and can lead to our children doing the same thing, therefore lowering their self-esteem and confidence. What’s the solution? Here’s my number one tip to start talking more nicely to yourself: When you catch yourself saying something nasty to yourself, stop and ask yourself, “Would I talk to my kids this way?” If you tell yourself you are a fat loser, think about saying that to your kid. How would your daughter feel if you told her she was a fat loser? Now think about saying this message over and over to your daughter. When she goes to get dressed but can’t fit into her clothes, you tell her you’re not buying her any more clothes until she loses weight. If she wants to go out for ice cream with her friends, you tell her she’s a fat slob who can’t control herself. If she wants to go to the beach, you tell her she can’t wear a bathing suit because she’s too fat and nobody wants to see her fat body on the beach. Your daughter would be crushed, devastated, and ashamed of herself. She would feel less and less confident over time. As she grew into adulthood, this message would be with her for the rest of her life. Let’s think about another example. You tell yourself you aren’t smart enough and you never get anything right. Think about giving your son that message. When he wants to start a project, you tell him he’ll never finish anyway, so why bother. Or when he wants to interview for his first job, you say no one will hire him because everyone else is smarter and more talented than he is. Or when he makes a mistake, you annihilate him with your words because smart people should never make mistakes. Your son would lose confidence in himself and his abilities over time. He wouldn’t try new things. He would take the message of worthlessness into his adult years and it could affect his whole life. Here’s my number one tip to start talking more nicely to yourself: Now let’s get back to YOU. If you have someone (your brain) telling you critical, negative words all the time, of course you are not going to feel good about yourself. The longer the negative self-talk continues, the lower your self-esteem will get.
Some of us had parents that actually did say those things to us while we were growing up. Those messages are engraved in our brains. Most of our self-talk is derived from the messages we received from parents and society in our early childhood. But we are not children anymore. As adults, it is up to us to speak to ourselves in a way that is life affirming. We need to retrain ourselves and give ourselves positive messages instead. How do we do this? Let’s look again at our examples. Let’s say you’ve told your daughter she is a fat cow that doesn’t deserve to dress nicely, have a treat, or go to the beach until she loses weight. Or you’ve said to your son that he is too dumb to start a project or get a job and that he’s an imbecile for making a mistake. How would you make things right with them? You’ve said these horrible things to yourself for years, maybe decades, so how do you make things right with YOU?
It is so important to treat ourselves with dignity and respect in the area of self-talk. Those with more positive self-talk are typically more optimistic and experience a greater level of happiness overall. Please be nicer to yourself! We experience enough negativity in our society without bringing more of it on with our internal dialogue. You are a unique human being. Since the beginning of time, there has never been anyone alive on earth who is like you with your unique set of talents and characteristics. And there never will be. You are a special imprint on this planet at this exact moment. You are a jewel. Talk to yourself like it! If you need help clearing old patterns and belief systems, I suggest doing some inner child work. Please contact me for more information and guidance for this process. 12/27/2019 0 Comments Parenting the Zodiac Depending on what month and day you were born, you have a corresponding zodiac sign that contributes to shaping your personality trait. Your sun sign, the zodiac sign typically associated with astrology, is the constellation that was behind the sun at the time of your birth. While it is fun and useful to know and understand your own zodiac sign, it is also helpful to know and understand the astrological signs of those around you, especially your children. Keeping in mind your kids’ sun signs helps you to more effectively parent them in ways they will respond to best. There are several factors that can assist you in understanding zodiac signs. Astrology is a very complex science that one can study for an entire lifetime. For the purpose of this study, the main points to get you started are listed below. First thing’s first, determine your child’s sun sign by visiting a free astrological chart generator site such as cafeastrology.com or astro.com. The Four ElementsEach astrological sign has an associated element which helps describe the unique personality type of your child.
The 12 Signs of the ZodiacEach astrological sign has its own set of characteristics and needs. Below you will find a brief overview for each. By working with your child’s sign and inherent tendencies and needs, you can parent them accordingly to help them feel accepted, valued, and appreciated in the world.
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