Dreams Come True

Sitting with Gratitude

April 3, 2017 by 0 Comments
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I spoke with a dear friend on the phone about dreams come true. She had just received my book and was living in her new home. We had shared our dreams and struggles over the years and she mentioned how awesome it was that we both had manifested our desires.

I agreed, “It’s amazing, now we have to figure out what we want to manifest next.”

She replied, “I think I’m gonna sit in gratitude for a while with this one.”

I was blown away and humbled by her wisdom. She was so right. The work is done, and instead of continuing to strive, I need to take a breath and sit with the feeling of immense gratitude. My deepest desire of becoming an author has finally come to fruition. It’s time to give thanks and really feel the power of gratitude.

Gratitude is a daily practice for me, but stopping and sitting with it, is not. I am constantly striving, reaching and pushing. I am always looking forward and tend to forget to be present and really dwell. Mindfulness is an ongoing practice and as a recovering perfectionist, I try my best to stay present.

As far as I can remember, I have pushed myself against myself. I was always competing with myself in my mind and striving to achieve. Learning to sit in stillness began 10 years ago after my first bout with anxiety. The effects of the anxious spiral I allowed myself to enter were wearing heavy on my mind, body and soul. I was achieving, but very unhappy. Mindfulness and gratitude have changed my life and brain chemistry.

When the results of hard work occur, it is important to sit in gratitude for yourself, the process and the result.

Everything is an opportunity to be grateful. Taking the time to be still and really feel gratitude is a gift you can give to your heart.

As I take my dear friend’s advice, I am in awe of the opportunity and process that just took place. Now that I stand on the other side of this beautiful opportunity, my heart wells with gratitude. This is an awesome feeling and I definitely want to sit here for a while.

Introducing My First Book: Moonlight Gratitude

February 21, 2017 by 2 Comments
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“Your book has a birthday. You don’t know what it is yet.” -Cheryl Strayed

I’ve had this quote above my desk for over 2 years. I would see it every day as I sat at my desk writing my heart out. I would visualize my book in my hands and seeing my name in print. I would go into bookstores and stand with my eyes closed imagining seeing my book on their tables and shelves.

My creative gestation clock was ticking loud and clear…I wanted to give birth to a book!

I spent most of 2015 sending book proposals out to literary agents and publishers with no luck. There were some responses. One even asked me to send the first 50 pages. That year was spent in a whirlwind of hoping, anxiety and creativity. By the end of the year I had felt rejected more that I cared to feel and put my manuscript away. I realized that I had lost the joy and passion and needed to take a break.

So, on January 1, 2016. I took a break from trying to get published and just focused on coaching and writing blog posts. I was happy to find my passion reignited and excited to spend time creating once again.

Then one day, January 27th to be exact, I received an email from the contact form on my website:

Hello I am an editorial director…I am looking for someone to work with to create a moonlight meditations book. If you would be interested in a project like this please email me at the above address. From reading through your website it seems like you would be a perfect fit.

I read it over and over. Was this real?! I googled the publisher and sure enough they were real. I couldn’t believe it!

My book’s birthday is March 15, 2017. It is beautiful and filled with words that came alive right below that quote that kept my hope alive. Snow Seychelle illustrated the cover and parts of the book with her beautiful underwater art. I am obsessed with whales and the moon and when I saw that the art included whales and the moon, I could not believe how perfect the pairing was. Everything came together so beautifully.

I wrote parts of the book in the desert, in mexico, at home, by the ocean and among the trees in Washington. I carried a notebook with me everywhere to capture inspiration as it came. And then one day, I had a finished manuscript and sent it off to be created.

My hope with this book is that at the end of the day, it can bring some calm and mindfulness. I suffered from insomnia throughout college and remember the anxiety of sleepless nights. I am grateful for that time because it gave me the empathy to write each passage.

Our trials can blossom into beautiful things.

I remember the day I saw my book on Amazon. I gasped. It was actually a real book. Then, last week I received an advanced copy. Finally holding the book was exciting and seeing my name on the cover was surreal. After so many years of dreaming, my dream came true and was in my hands.

You can find it on pre-sale at Barnes and Noble and Amazon. If you or anyone you know deals with daily stress, anxiety or lack of sleep, this book is meant to bring calm and mindfulness into your day. Please pre-order a copy today and share with friends.

Love and peace,

Emily

Saturn Return

June 7, 2016 by 0 Comments
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It has been known as a quarter life crisis. Around the ages of 27-31 it hits and all of a sudden something must or just changes. For some it is a subtle nudge that doesn’t go away until addressed. For others it seems devastating, like everything that had been worked towards was a sham and the feeling of starting over is too much to bear.

This time is known as Saturn Return; a milestone of reaching adulthood. Saturn takes approximately 28 years to make a full orbit around the sun from the time of birth. With each occurrence, responsibilities change, thoughts mature and a shift in mindset takes place.

Each person experiences it differently. It is a time when life does a course correct. Some learn new skills that propel them in the direction that is now waiting to be explored. Others feel this time as a difficult transition, feeling like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. For some, it can be a period of hard work either physically, mentally or emotionally.

My Saturn Return hit me a month before my 28th birthday. I thought I was having a nervous breakdown. Anxiety flooded my days and I doubted my decisions as everything I had worked for seemed to just not fit any more. I knew I needed a change, but I didn’t know what I needed to do. I wanted answers immediately, but they took their time to arrive.

While I was in what felt like an endless loop of waiting, I learned some hard and valuable lessons. I started recognizing my core values and desired to live a life that aligned with who I wanted to be. This is where the pain set in: I had to give up ideas of what I thought I wanted and where I needed to be to align with what I really wanted. It was scary to think about starting over.

The more I resisted this new path, the harder things seemed to be. But, when I embraced the changes that were occurring, regardless of my attempts to control, a peace set in. I noticed that the amount of anxiety I experienced was in direct proportion to the amount of control I tried to exert. I released my grasp and a new career, friendships, cities and outlook appeared.

I had to make room for what needed to take place.

I noticed 4 phases of a Saturn Return:

  1. Humility: I felt embarrassed thinking that what I swore was my life path was actually wrong. Having to admit to myself and others that I was starting over was recognition that I did not know it all and that I still had some learning to do. OUCH!
  2. Growth: I had to learn new skills to move forward in a new career. I had to learn a lot about myself and grow from mistakes. Embracing my authenticity and bravery catapulted growth and helped me to move on and forgive myself and others.
  3. Emergence: After the inner struggle of control, I was able to emerge onto the new path. There was a new found confidence after I embraced the growth. I felt renewed and excited.
  4. Freedom: Finally accepting the end of where I thought I was heading and embracing the next phase brought a sense of freedom. There is a renewed sense of trust that occurs which feels free and lighthearted.

I have coached many people going through their Saturn Return. There are spiritual shifts, career changes, relationship and life transitions that occur. It can be scary and exciting to navigate. There is something beautiful on the other side of the struggle. It is quite lovely to see the transformations from struggle to freedom. These steps differ in time for each person, but at the end, freedom appears.

Like a caterpillar creating a cocoon, this a time of transformation. Don’t let preconceived notions take over and stunt forward movement and growth. Be open and allow the changes to happen. Celebrate each lesson and be grateful for the path thus far. Soon, the butterfly emerges and spreads its new found wings and soars into freedom.

You have escaped the cage. Your wings are stretched out. Now fly.

-Rumi

For more on coaching, email emily@soulsadventures.com

Career Coaching with Soul

June 1, 2016 by 0 Comments
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One of the main questions I am asked is “How do I successfully change careers?”  I have navigated two career changes and have been able to take sabbaticals where I could recharge and refocus. The more I coach, the more people have come to me for help in their careers. I have had former colleagues tell me that this was what I should be doing as they considered me as a mentor while we worked together.

When I began the journey of coaching as a career, my vision was to help people tap into their souls and to live more intentionally. One of the most important areas of life is career. Coaching seems to always tap into career whether intentionally or not. There are times to move forward, times to step back and learn a new skill and times to just rest and recharge.

Helping people find fulfillment in what they do comes from a soul level. It is more than looking for a job and hitting apply. Career changes take thought, planning and bravery. Going after something new can be daunting. I want to help you sift through options, create a plan and harness your bravery.

Below is a list of current career coaching options:

  • Resume Review & Revision
  • Cover Letter Review & Revision
  • Job Search & Networking Strategy
  • LinkedIn Profile Review and Revision
  • Sales Process Optimization
  • Confidence Building & Overcoming Blocks
  • Mindfulness at Work

For more information, please email emily@soulsadventures.com or visit here.

The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.

-Steve Jobs

Embracing Ambiguity: The Beauty of the Unknown

February 24, 2016 by 1 Comment
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Ambiguity is like a fog where you can see the outlines of things, but nothing is really clear. When life is vague and answers are desired more than anything, it can lead to anxiety, restlessness and at times depression. Not knowing the outcome or direction is such a common theme; everyone has felt the anxious grip of ambiguity at least once.

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to write a book. Writing has been in my life since I was a child. I would write stories, journal and read as many books as I could get my hands on, hoping one day to have one of my own.

When I quit my job in 2014, my goal was to travel the world and write. I wanted to write a book and try to figure out how to get it published in my free time. I wrote and wrote and wrote. I even had a coach put me on a writing schedule. When I felt like the book was complete, I started the process of finding a literary agent.

I created a book proposal with my writing ready to be submitted. I sent letters out to several prospective agents and waited and waited. It was painful to be so vulnerable with something that I had been dreaming about for 25 years. I knew that in order to make it happen, I had to put myself out there.

Then, the rejections started pouring in. The first one made me cry and I was used to them once the fourth one came in. One agent asked for my first 50 pages. “YES! That’s hopeful!” I thought and called my close friends to share and calm my nerves. I sent out the work and waited some more.

Eight weeks later, I received my final rejection. It hurt. I needed to take a break and revisit the book in a few months. I decided to solely focus on my business and let the book wait for its birthday.

In January, I set an intention to let go of my expectation of getting published. I was tired of receiving rejections and noticed that it started affecting my passion for writing. I thought that taking time off would bring clarity. Three weeks later, I received an email that rocked my world — an offer to write a book.

I let go and the universe delivered my dream in a way I would have never expected.

The email was from a publisher who had stumbled upon my website. It was unbelievable the way it all happened but the universe is mysterious, magical and amazing. It all made sense and the day I accepted the offer, I sobbed giant tears with gulps for breath. It was emotional, messy and very joyful.

There was a release that set in when everything came together. Grace kicked in and offered relief to the waiting and wondering. In that moment, gratitude overflowed and a feeling of astonishment enveloped me.

If I would have known this back when I started this process, the gratitude would not have been as great and the relief would not have felt as powerful. The anticipation was part of the joy. The ambiguity set the stage for amazement and wonder. In that moment, I realized the beauty of the unknown.

*stay tuned for more information on this book project later this year

Making Dreams Come True in Bali

August 5, 2015 by

leo

I met Leo on my first trip to Bali in 2012. He was a barista in my favorite coffee shop, Kopi Desa, and we became friends during my stay. I returned last year to stay for a month and was so happy to see that he had started his own restaurant, Cupit BBQ. Cupit is located in Penestanan right outside of Ubud, the cultural center of Bali. The dining room looks over a river bank with lush tropical plants growing down the hill; such a lovely place.

Leo beams with positivity and greets everyone with a smile. His place specializes in BBQ and is a family run operation. You can tell that the food is made and served with love. It was one of my favorite spots to stop and hang out after a warm walk into town. He serves amazing homemade ginger ale and his beer is kept very cold.  Leo will even play guitar and have a sing-a-long with you if you ask nicely; one of my favorite memories from Bali.

I am inspired by Leo’s story and wanted to share a little bit of his spark. My hope is that this will inspire others to go after their dreams and not be afraid of the work they sometimes require.

What made you decide to go after your dream of opening Cupit BBQ?

Leo: Well since I had lots of experience in many restaurants as a barista, waiter and cook, I wanted to make something small like Cupit so I could do all the stuff I have learned. I wanted to have a restaurant before. When it all works, I want to travel to see the world.

What does “dream come true” mean to you?

L: The thing that we really wanted to have and we get it after the hard work we have done.

Are your dreams coming true?

L: I have Cupit but I have other dreams that I need to work out. I really want to travel as you know I tried for a U.S. visa before and that didn’t work. I want to try again and I want to travel to Europe. I know its going to be hard but I believe there are always ways to make it happen. I know I will get it. Cupit was my first dream and it came true.

When you were a little boy, what did you want to do when you grew up?

L: Honestly, I have know clue what  I want to be. Since we have a difficult life (poor) before, my family was always working. I started working the first time when I was 6 years old. I helped my mother sell her ice cream and part time I went to school. So, most of the time, I worked hard as a kid. Then I went to tourism school and I worked on better jobs and learned a lot of things.

Like English? Because you speak lovely English.

L: Yes! I learned English in university for 4 years. But before, I learned it a little bit as well in high school. I also learned Japanese as well in high school.

How many languages do you speak?

L: Bahasa, Balinese, English and a bit of Japanese now since I never practice. I am still learning Dutch and German.

That is amazing! Are you proud of yourself?

L: Yes! I had a big dream to make come true. “I am a dreamer, and I am not the only one” that’s written on my arm so I can see it and work on my dream.

I love that! So, I teach people about living an intentional life. It is basically not just working towards goals but having a reason (intention) behind everything we do. What would you say your intentions are?

L: Well I think for me its simple. I really want to change my life to be better than before. I want to see the world. By starting Cupit, I think I can make it happen.

Terima Kasih, Leo!

I greatly appreciate Leo for his openness and willingness to share with me. Most of all, I am grateful for his friendship and inspiration. Relentlessly pursuing a dream works with the right intentions. Leo wasn’t afraid of the hard work and I admire him for sticking to his dreams. When I returned home from my trip, his story inspired me to be brave and start my business. Bali continues to teach me lessons, even a year after I’ve returned. If you get a chance to visit this enchanted place, make sure to visit Leo’s restaurant and say hello. You won’t regret it.