Category: spiritual lessons

Animal Communication · animal communication book · spiritual humor · spiritual lessons · writing

It’s almost here…making a book

designingfairy3 Comments

Screen Shot 2013-07-24 at 8.04.25 PM

Sharing the process of creating a book…

Yes, this will be easy. Just put the class into a book. It’s already written.

Oh, no, where’s that drawing? Does it even exist anymore?

I don’t like that part, or that part, and that part needs rewriting.

What a mess.

I need a whole new chapter 8!

Now that heading should be on THIS page, not that page. Why won’t it move?

Stupid computer program! Why the heck won’t that picture go there?

Oh, it looks good. I like this.

What do you mean the drawing isn’t 300dpi? I changed it three times. It SHOULD be 300dpi.

Head really, really hurts.

That font looks awful. Why does that font look awful? I don’t know. Time for cookies.

It’s really coming along!

I should have added this. But if I add this, I need to add this.

Still hate that chapter. How can I fix it?

That’s what I forgot to include!

That picture still looks weird.

Now I have to move everything around again. Pages aren’t lining up. Why do I do this? Am I crazy?

I can’t even look at it today. Where’s the cookies?

Wow, I like how it’s coming along. Everything is flowing nicely. It all looks seamless.

OMG! There’s a huge typo! Why didn’t I see that? Am I blind? What else did I miss?

Two friends don’t like the title. Crap.

Cute title! That will work.

Why didn’t it upload? I sat here for hours and it didn’t upload? I need to smack someone or something.

Almost done.

What if no one reads it? What if ends up in the discount pile bin in Walmart? Maybe I should tweak it a little here, a little there.

Time to just jump into the fire. It looks good. Reads well. I need to stop picking at it.

One more change…

Couldn’t sleep. Wondered if I should add a paragraph to chapter nine.

I think I just had an entire dream I edited the book in my sleep.

Ah, acceptance. It’s completed. Uploading and ready to go.

Well, that was easy. Let’s do it again! Next book…

 

spiritual guidance · spiritual lessons

The Lesson of Cowboy Dave and miracles

designingfairy9 Comments

background2

Sometimes, things may be hopeless and you need to grieve. When Sarah got sick, I knew in my gut, this wasn’t something I could heal in anyway. She was very old after all, and the diagnosis was bad. It was time. You can feel that energy of endings, and you just submit to it.

Then there’s the miracles.

Whenever my friends are facing hopeless situations, I tell them about Cowboy Dave.

Years ago, during the time everyone had crazy adjustable mortgages, when the housing crisis occurred, we were faced with the challenge of selling our beloved home. We’d be there for four years, and truly loved it, but we felt stuck in an ever-expanding payment that was growing unreasonable. To make matters worst, my husband quit a job he truly enjoyed, but he had to make a tough decision, because he was being treated so horribly and unfairly at work, he felt he had no choice.

We went through what most folks had to go through–the awful feeling of threatening letters coming in the mail, and the overwhelming worry about losing our home. We decided to try and sell our home and went through two different realtors. Things were getting closer and closer to the wire where we were running out of time and the house would be in foreclosure.

Help arrived! A couple came to the door and handed us brochures. With smooth-butter voices they promised to take the house off our hands and hand us $10,000 to run away and start a new life. My head ached at the time, like it does when negativity is sqirming around me. I protested.

The wife’s smile turned into a straight line, and her fists gripped the couch. Her husband turned on his bully button. “You have no choice!” he yelled. He explained they were the only option and we were crazy to turn down this deal. “This is reality and how things are. You’ll walk away with nothing,” he shouted at us.

When they left, we felt bullied and destroyed. It was like a huge hole grew into the ground and we fell right down into it.

And I then got weird guidance.

We were to expect more. Expect miracles. We called the bully couple back and told them no. We were throwing ourselves into the mercy of God and the Universe. It was crazy and illogical.

Two days later, we got a phone call from the realtor. A man wanted to check out the house.

Cowboy Dave, we later affectionately called him, was another realtor from a different company. He was a little old man with a big cowboy hat and a smile that lit up the room. He let his buyer in and then explained to us that this man was given a long list of houses to consider and he pointed to ours. “This is the house I want,” he had said. He lovingly went room to room and the air popped with his excitement. We waited in anticipation for his decision.

Only a few days later, we got his offer. We made over $80,000 in our sale. This was at a time when the house crisis just began, and houses were not selling, much less for the asking price.

When I am feeling like a situation is looking beyond hopeless, I ask myself if it has that ending energy and I need to acquiesce and accept, or do I need to ask and wait for a Cowboy Dave moment.

empaths · spiritual lessons

Twitter anger update and being treated well

designingfairy1 Comment

Screen Shot 2013-06-21 at 10.03.42 AMI am learning…

Happy to report that since I expressed my upset on Social Media with how I had been treated with Customer Service at Verizon, I received a phonecall from Verizon trying to remedy the problem! Ed, my new customer service rep, was in contrast, very kind and helpful. He explained to me that he tries to put himself in the customer’s shoes and how he/she would see things. I attracted another empath! Unlike the first rep who was very shaming and assumed I did something “wrong,” he was very understanding. He corrected the problem.

This whole experience has shown me how far I’ve come in how I want to be treated in the world. A part of me would get lost in that shame space even if I had done nothing wrong, so I probably accepted that behavior in the past. (Perhaps because as a sensitive, I am very over-responsible.)

The Bad Little Girl Syndrome

I remember a year ago or so taking Emma to the old veterinarian who was excellent in knowledge but known for her cold approach. She shamed me for going to another veterinarian and even the holistic vet prior to her. She frowned at me and said kangaroo dog food would be the only food option we had and if I didn’t take her suggestion I was “wrong.” And then I was shamed at the reception counter when I complained of the extra charges that were added that I was unaware of.

I went home that day feeling like the little girl who forgot to do her chores and was punished. I had one hell of a migraine that night.

My entire adoptive parenting experience was about dealing with folks who didn’t hear me and shamed me for what they felt I “should have” done. I was treated horribly by the child, and most everyone involved, and that’s an understatement.

But obviously something huge had shifted this time around.

I found the new veterinarian and when Sarah was gravely ill, I had TWO wonderful veterinarians (including her holistic vet) aiding her in her care and HEARING me. I was told “you are doing a great job.” I had all the support on all levels I needed to take care of her in the end.

Big chunks of my life broke away where I wasn’t getting my needs met or heard. I broke away from organizations that didn’t hear me at all.  This time around when I ask for help or assistance, it’s there and it’s excellent support.

I attracted a part time job I love to do that feeds me in every way and I’m told “Just keep doing what you are doing. We love it.” What a change!

You won’t go backwards

And then there was Ed to show me this. Some folks say that the Universe gives you tests. In this case, I got a little taste of what I used to experience. I needed to stand my ground and ask for the new energy where I am now comfortable living at, and by doing so, it gave me confidence I won’t have to have those negative experiences anymore now that I had the new game plan or map for how I want my life to be like.

fairywithoutorange with name

marketing for sensitive · spiritual lessons

I am not Leonie

designingfairy2 Comments

Screen Shot 2013-06-20 at 7.23.20 AM

(screenshot from Leonie Dawson’s amazing website you need to check out)

Leonie, I just love your energy and your site. You are so filled with energy and magic and you always sound like you are having a party we all need to be a part of.

I am not a Leonie.

Here’s the thing. When I read one of Leonie’s posts and see her site, I think, “I need to do my marketing LIKE THAT.” I need to have that cute sign up form and be so smooth in my marketing, and and and…

I now have a headache. I have that feeling you get when you have a dentist appointment later in the day. I’m not an extrovert. I can be very social but there’s a difference. If I had my choice I’d probably spend most of my days in an art cave surrounded by forest and fairies and dogs just creating stuff. I have moments where I don’t even want to be near people. It’s too exhausting.

But that little voice persists. That’s how you do your marketing!

No. That’s the wrong shoes for me.

I need do everything in a way that works for me and IS me. I’m a sensitive, and an introvert and I love one-on-one connections and networking. I overwhelm with too much of anything.

But, Ronni! Everything I read about marketing says I need to do X and B and have podcasts, and….

If that works for you, I say go for it! The biggest lesson I am learning is that things should be simple, with everything. They need to flow. And flowing is different for every person.

But that voice in my head persisted. So, I did what I do–be the detective. I found evidence. Even Leonie Dawson, who started her blog in 2004, was way different and took awhile to find her shoes. You can check out her earlier 2004 blog posts on her blog.

dancingshoe

You need time to find your own shoes.

After years and years of trying on different shoes and growing out of some, I feel I am finding the things that are easy for me and are fun that match. And hopefully, you are too. Keep doing those things. And remember to just be you.

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Hey, if you liked my post, be sure to subscribe to my blog/website, order my books and just have fun here.

spiritual lessons

Anger and Twitter

designingfairy

Anger is a good, healthy thing. It let’s you know when things are not right in your world.

Yesterday I had a pissy attack. I don’t usually care much for Twitter but it proved to be an excellent way to discharge my anger and frustration. I figured although I have over 400 followers, most of which are folks who don’t give a hoot what I do and who I am, that I was safe and could dump on my feed comfortably. It did seem to help.

Today I have some clarity. Do you ever notice that if you have one of those days, usually there’s a theme lesson that is happening. I was super angry at Verizon. This isn’t the first time my needs were ignored and I found myself with a huge overage bill that I did try to rectify but since I had upgraded online the new plan was in effect “incorrectly” so I had an extra $70.00 tacked on my bill. Not cool. I have a real problem with corporations that have different rules that don’t make much sense and don’t hear the individual. They did not earn my money nor they deserve that amount.

I was also very upset when I heard news of a situation with a former friend that was another “everyone is all happy and smiling but underneath is massive dysfunction that I can see but they won’t even talk about.” It’s the old Oleander experience I have lived with in the past. Everything is just fine, just drink the Coolaid. My usual response with both these situations is to want to scream and educate and show everyone, Hey! There’s a problem here. I want to warn people so they aren’t hurt! And I’ve lived in too many situations where I felt like I was in the middle of one of those horror movies where you are the only one seeing the evil alien behind the mask who is trying to take over Earth for destruction and no one believes you, because the alien looks just fine.

With the second situation, unfortunately, it’s not my problem. If someone’s lesson is to deal with an unhealthy individual, I can’t interfere. Unfortunately, in time, they will find that out–the mask will fall off. With Verizon, I could continue to try to convince them that there is an issue and jump up and down or I can…find a new phone company.

I often wrote about my problem with finding a good veterinarian and that situation finally shifted. I found a very kind one that will listen and is reasonable after kissing many toads that didn’t hear me or were very shaming. I guess when I look back at that situation when I was in it, I felt stuck in that endless cycle of discomfort until I got super pissy and realized I deserved to have what I needed and wanted. I didn’t have to play that dance anymore.

If my phone company doesn’t hear me I can look for one that will and that fits my needs. I don’t want to pay for a Share Everything Plan to save money when it’s just one phone!

And that toxic friend–obviously, I was in the middle of the lesson thinking I didn’t deserve more, and at the first signs of creepy behavior and red flags I should have ran the other way. Far away. Maybe that’s what I’m really upset about now. And that means no arguing, no trying to show or point out the alien in the mask, no trying to fix, or worse, heal them.

I still am fighting the urge to put up billboards for folks to stay away from certain organizations. So I finally learned that important lesson in that playing field. And some folks are still there–in school, so I need to have compassion, and not take away their schoolyard.

fairywithoutorange with name

Angel Guide communication · career path · spiritual lessons

Elves in ten cent books

designingfairy3 Comments

Messages arrive in interesting ways…

The library had a ten cent book sale! They are demolishing the discount book building to build a brand new library building. There wasn’t much left when I arrived, but I was very attracted to this workbook immediately.

workbook

I flipped to this page.

elf-style

Development of creative thinking? Elf language and create elf food? This is my kind of book.

elvestoreadabout

I had goosebumps…looking at this fun book I felt back on path after getting a little knocked off. I remembered, Oh yeah. THIS IS what I love to do. Make learning fun. Engage the imagination. Drawings with stories. Maybe it was elf magic. But it gets weirder…

lanterns

Last night I had a dream. I was moving out stuff from a room. I remarked how I didn’t have much furniture to move, only boxes. Inside a box I found a paper lantern. I thought in the dream, I didn’t know I had this. I forgot. I wrote in my journal the next morning:

Japanese Lantern

Here I was in the 10 cent store with few books to choose from and I had this book in my hands — the elf workbook, and on page 160 there was the exact paper lantern I held in my hands in the dream. Interesting, eh?

 

 

spiritual guidance · spiritual humor · spiritual lessons

Things I should like, but don’t

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Sarahlovlove

what I DO like – my Girls

We are all trying to “find” ourselves underneath the masks, the mud, the shoulds…

I am discovering… that a very strong voice inside of me is emerging. It’s vocal right now, and it’s loud.

We all have that voice. It’s our soul, sometimes whispering, sometimes screaming. And screaming can be through our bodies’ cries of illness or  through the complaints from our rebellious spirit.

I am discovering…that there are a lot of things I should like that I really don’t like, and I’m tired of saying I like it. Perhaps you can relate. In no particular order here’s a small list:

  1. I should like Twitter, but I don’t. It’s like a fast-moving escalator with everyone screaming at once with no real connection to each other. Sometimes, there is a voice that comes through the madness you can hear but it’s like finding someone waving in a crowd in an airport. That’s too much work to find them. I also hate new followers that already have 300,000 followers and don’t give a crap who I am or what I do. 
  2. Many vegetables. I eat broccoli, but it doesn’t taste great. I only like green beans that come in the can and have salt in them. I do like salads because you can add all kinds of yummy things to them and they are interesting visually.
  3. Being friendly to people I don’t like. I have come to the conclusion from age and experience that you don’t need to be nice to mean or jerky people. They don’t understand it and they don’t appreciate it. Often, being nice is an invitation for them to take advantage of you.
  4. Cleaning.
  5. Parties. I HATE small talk. I bore easily which is probably not a good trait. I like to talk about things in depth or hear people’s stories.
  6. Okay, I don’t like hearing stories about health issues. Really don’t like that. I am visual and empathic so I don’t need to hear about your last stay in the hospital where they cut into your stomach and ripped out all the bloody parts.
  7. Insensitive sensitive people. These folks may not be truly sensitive, or maybe they are and they become so hardened to protect themselves they have become the insensitive people who say ridiculously insensitive stuff that comes out of their mouths like projectile vomit.
  8. Surrender. It’s probably the definition I don’t like that is incorrect. And there’s lots attached to it including TRUST, but when you’ve trusted and it went horribly wrong, it’s super hard to do. Goes along with the one line I hate more than anything, “God only gives you what you can handle.” Bull poopy. The biggest bull poopy I’ve ever read. Then you feel guilty you are strong.
  9. I always bitch about this. I was even thinking about making a weekly post of spiritual sayings I found that don’t really say anything, or worse, are unrealistic. They usually fall into the category of “don’t worry and just be calm and at peace even though your house is on fire,” or “think and be like a monk even though you have bills to pay and a ton of responsibilities.”
  10. And finally, I’m supposed to like Facebook Biz pages…

Screen Shot 2013-04-29 at 10.43.11 AM

I bitched the other day here about Facebook and ended up in the New York Times Small Business page “freeing myself from Facebook”. I think my rebellious, inner spirit called out to the rebellious spirit of the writer of that page. It was an interesting nod from the Universe/God that it’s okay for me to object to things I “should” like because everyone else says I should like it. It’s even okay to be negative! Wow, what a spiritual concept! It’s freeing. It’s empowering. Because by doing so, you walk your own path, and you learn who you are under all the mud.

being sensitive · spiritual lessons · storytelling

Validating Souls

designingfairy9 Comments

screensoul

We are vulnerable when we create

When we create anything, whether a piece of writing, a crayoned drawing or succulent dish, we are vulnerable. We reveal a little part of ourselves that was tucked safely away. As we grow stronger, we are able to bring even more and more of our creations into the world. What helps the most is having Validating Souls surrounding us. These folks mirror our worth back to us and support us when we stumble and step into potholes. They remind us who we really are under the costumes of what and who we think we should be.

Those potholes are the opposite of Validating Souls. They come in the form of people. They aren’t bad people by far, just different species then you. It’s like you came from the tribe of Ookie Dookies who all loved music and liked to write and were round and short. Some time long ago you wandered off from the tribe to find berries and got lost. You were found and taken in by the Ipsy Lipsies. They loved and cared for you but still look at you like you are a little strange because you aren’t into science and math and have long arms and legs. This whole other tribe doesn’t even think like you — their vision and perception have a whole other view because they wear very different glasses to see through — big red, solid frames with angular curves.

It’s hard for a sensitive person to not feel rejected when their Ipsy Lipsie tribe comes to visit and looks at you like you have three heads. They just can’t see you, not with those glasses that they wear, and that’s hard not to take it personally when you feel everything so deeply. You just want to feel accepted and that you belong.

The other day I sent out Episode 3 into the world of my web show. Those web shows are a part of me that have long been forgotten and want to be heard. I ran into an old acquaintance the other day. I sent her the link to my show that is on my new video Tumblr blog. On that blog, I share all my video creations, my sketches and my process. So far, I only share other folks’ videos there if I am truly inspired and out of all the blog posts so far, I only shared one. She wrote back thanking me profusely for sharing the link–she loved the video I posted, the video I didn’t create! My stomach fell to the floor. There wasn’t one comment about my work. I was back to being that little girl being raised by Ipsy Lipsies who had blended into the wallpaper and wasn’t seen.

To the rescue, was a few members of my Ookie Dookies. They heard my distress call from far away and came swarming in. “Loved the bird drawings, they are perfect,” my beautiful friends said. “I love your way with story.” They saw what I saw and showered me with shared visions. They speak my language.

I will remember this whenever I step into those potholes and fall deep in for several days. I will call out my distress call for my tribe. And of course, I will keep creating as I continue to grow strong.

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I love to share what I’ve learned through story that usually has some whimsical illustrations or two. If you like my writing, consider taking one of my written classes, or buying my books. You can see my story studio here.

creative inspiration · fairy fabulous web show · spiritual lessons · storytelling · teaching videos

Episode 2 of the Fairy Fabulous Web Show

designingfairy

 

EPISODE 2:  a story, NEW, about possibilities being born. Featured product involving fairies. And, creative idea involving visual journaling goals.

being sensitive · spiritual humor · spiritual lessons

What I learned from movies…

designingfairy1 Comment

Screen Shot 2013-03-11 at 11.19.16 AM

and for something fun…What I Learned from the Movies…

I’m a big movie fan and from watching lots of movies I’ve learned a great deal. There does seem to be distinct differences between the movie world and ours.

  1. If you are being chased by a homicidal maniac, do not trip and fall. If you do fall, do not just lie there and shake, get the %$# up and run away even faster. 
  2. If you ever hear scary music playing in the background, know that something bad is going to happen or someone who is evil or the “bad guy” just entered your picture. (Wouldn’t that be amazingly great if we were warned like that?)
  3. Everything that is playing out in your life right now is like one big story. Look at the connections and the symbolism/metaphors to figure out what’s really going on.
  4. Some folks are really just catalysts or bit players in your life, even plot devices, to create big action that creates big change in the end.
  5. We can ask for happy endings or at least work towards them.
  6. Some folks are just here to play the villains this time around. Be free to say BOOOOOO when they are around.
  7. Popcorn really does make the stories in your life look more interesting. At least it tastes really good.
  8. Your life might start out sad and upsetting, have lots of trauma and crisis in the middle, but in the end it all makes sense in some way (or at least makes a good movie).
  9. In movie world, everyone is more productive. Unfortunately, in real life everyone has to stop and take a pee or needs to eat a few times a day. I can’t imagine Harrison Ford stopping in the middle of being chased by an enormous ball to ask where the nearest bathroom is, and in some movies, you wonder if the main character ever eats at all.
  10. And in that movie world, everyone can go to sleep and wake up with their makeup on. I find this fascinating because the times I did this, I rashed out and looked quite wonky in the morning.

There you have it. Movies are very helpful in giving us a better perspective of our lives, and provide at the very least, a gratefulness that we can eat real food.

image: Dreamstime.com