Have you had a vivid dream lately, the kind that you wake up remembering almost every detail? Have you ever wondered what it’s telling you? Most likely you have.

If you are in the mood to play a little bit and want to stimulate your creative thinking then take a moment and recall a dream that you still remember. Close your eyes and visualize as much of the details as you can. To help you remember consider the following questions:

What was the setting? As you looked around, what did you see?
Were you in motion? Were you flying? Were you still or not able to move?

How did you feel?
Was it exhilarating? Was it scary? Were you happy, sad or indifferent?

Were you an active participant or an observer in this dream?
Did you share your space with others?
If there were other characters, who were they? Were they real to you or fictional?
How did they make you feel?

If you were a participant in your dream what role did you play?
Did the actions revolve around you or someone else?

If dreaming felt like you were watching a movie, then is it a movie that you would have chosen to see?
While watching this ‘movie’ how much control did you have in its outcome?
If you had a desire to change any details in your dream what would they be?
After making the changes how would you feel?
If you had no desire to change anything about your dream because it was so fabulously awesome that it left you wanting more… then hold that thought!
What specifically made it so fabulous and awesome for you?
What or who exactly made you feel so good?

This exercise was worth your “play” time if it prompted – personal reflection, curiosity, a call to action or just some valuable ‘me’ time to think about your dreams.

Here’s a little more to think about or play with:

What are your thoughts on ‘dreaming while asleep’ and ‘dreaming while awake’?
How often do you day-dream?
How many of your day-dreams have come true?
What would generate your special dream to come true?
What role does your thinking process play in what you dream about asleep or awake?
If you think does that mean you automatically dream?
Everyone thinks. So does that make everyone a dreamer?

Next time someone calls you “a dreamer”- thank them because dreams are to life what color is to canvas.

~Lesia S.

What holds you back from taking action and getting what you want assuming you know exactly what that is? Maybe you don’t feel you have the necessary skills to conquer that special ‘want’. The skills you feel you may lack can be of an emotional, physical or intellectual nature. Maybe feelings of inadequacy are creating fear in you. Fear is one of the most prevalent obstacles that most people face at certain points in their life. It can paralyze and rob you of opportunities for a very long time or it can be an underlying issue that makes you feel like you’re sitting in a car with your tires spinning.
What other obstacles beside fear are you facing? What’s holding you back from feeling at ease or confident and successful? Does it involve money? Is your financial situation actually stopping you from formulating a plan? You may be a student contemplating an academic path toward a dream career and you feel you’ve hit a brick wall with no hope because of financial burdens. You may be a mature woman who wants to re-enter the workforce and can’t see what your options are or have doubts about your qualifications. Perhaps you are among so many people who just can’t seem to hone in on a vision for yourself – doing what would inspire you and motivate you to achieve. Is that it? Is clarity an obstacle for you at this time? Or maybe it’s a lack of motivation? Maybe you’re struggling with what your purpose is in life. Why you want what you want? Why you don’t know what you want?
You may be asking how do I begin to know what’s really going on in my life or in my relationship with someone. How do I figure out what to do next?
There’s another obstacle – too many unanswered questions!

All these questions can be overwhelming and may leave anyone feeling like it’s all too complicated! Well, there is good news and there is bad news – which turns out to be good news! The bad news is – there is no, ‘one size fits all – easy fix’ answers. Why, because every person is unique with a unique story and albeit not always, unique ‘wants’ and obstacles. The good news is the questions are answerable and the obstacles surmountable.
More good news is – there is a much less overwhelming and a relatively fast way of tapping into your personal process to retrieve what is pertinent. Process means navigating your current personal story, the obstacle(s) you are facing and your ‘wants’. It means getting clarity by understanding the core, driving force and energy of what is going on in your situation right now and what you truly want then taking action. The discovery of newly found insights and awareness makes you see what is really there and from that point you can formulate a plan of action.

When you try to work on your process by yourself or seek advice or counsel, the task can be daunting. Without the answers to the right questions, accountability and follow through very little change happens. The actions taken are often in the form of trial and error – which can be full of golden nuggets of experience but don’t necessarily reap the results you want and can eat up years and funds. As well, the motivation behind those actions is often driven by necessity instead of informed choices or choices you really want to make.

However when you enlist the guidance of a specifically trained facilitator/coach who’s also a sounding board and a motivator, the process which is the key, remains focused, consistently insightful and is dedicated to reaching your current goal while keeping an eye on your long term vision. The focused conversations and guidance is fuel that drives your intentions, keeps you on track which hastens the time it takes to reach your objective.
Speaking of fuel and drive – remember that metaphorically, the car you’re in is yours and you are at the wheel. You decide whether or not you want to let someone navigate a route or determine your destination. I imagine you will want to set out on your road trip of a lifetime knowing that the route you take and the stops you make- to create and enjoy experiences- on the way to any destination will be planned by you, to your specifications and will be subject to re-routing if you so choose. Like any long road trip, when you feel you need a reprieve you will let someone take the wheel to keep the momentum going while you recharge, refresh and continue to chart your course.

All this is to say that the key that opens the door to a space where life can be lived with ease and actually feel enjoyable, fun, rewarding and uncomplicated is there for you to access and use. Get the key, open the door and see what you are missing. I know you will wish you had used the key sooner!

~Lesia S.

Easter is the perfect time to honour the spirit of renewal and hope. Just as spring gives birth to new life and a new day comes at dawn, so too I believe, kindness can sprout from the depths of each and every human heart and grow into a flower of love. The dream is that the seeds from each flower will multiply until a garden of colorful bloom creates a veritable sea of blossoming love that spreads within family, out into community and throughout the world.

Why love? Because it doesn’t matter who you are, what you do for a living or where you live in the world, sharing a kind word or a loving gesture with people (and animals), dearest to you and those nearest to you, even over the ‘wires’ all around the world, makes   you   feel   good! Who truly doesn’t want to feel good?
So – if you like to ‘feel the love’ then you guessed it, ‘share the love’!

There are many things in life that we have no control over but love is not one of them. Kindness and love comes straight from the heart and when it comes to LOVE, we have FREE WILL and we have a CHOICE.

Share the dream with me. It is a wonderful world out there and it’s getting better with YOU in it! Together we can turn a ‘blossoming’ DREAM into REALITY. The reality begins right now with you and I.

In the spirit of love,
~Lesia S.

Today it may be raining outside but the sun shines bright in my heart when I think of the women in my life.

I take a moment to celebrate you, my dear Mother. For you, life and family was one and the same. All your life, you imparted skills, encouragement and faith that propelled me in mine. And today you continue to do so through those quiet whispers in my thoughts. Mama, I can’t touch you but your infectious laugh and your love remains in my heart always.

I say hey and thank you my special Sister – for your love, the laughs, the health and cooking tips, our friendship, the memories we’ve made and shared together and not least for being my ‘rock’ and a joy in my life. Rock on Sis!

My lovely Nieces – you exude a youthful energy and creative spirit that rejuvenates me every time we are together.

When I think of you my Mother-in-law, I feel the love! You love to share your food prep know-how and recipes as much as I love to hear them! I enjoy your company and our chats. My wish for you is to keep on keeping on!

To my Sisters-in-law! We don’t often talk or see each other but when we do, it more than makes up for it! You are all strong women with spunk and a good sense of humour. I am happy to have you in my life and look forward to future good times.

Then there are my awesome ‘Sister’ Extended Family & Friends. I can’t imagine what life would have been like without you. You are kind, supportive, strong, fun loving, smart, funny, grounded, beautiful… and the list goes on and on. What makes our friendships so special is how time stands still when it feels like or has actually been forever! Let our friendship continue to withstand the test of time and may there be many wonderful moments in our future.

* On this International Women’s Day I say to all Women young and mature, in our communities and around the world, we are among many things, Ambassadors of Peace, Love and Freedom, which makes today so important to acknowledge and celebrate!

~Lesia S.

Today’s date is: ________________

My name is: ___________________

I have lived my life for ___ years now. I believe that where I am and how I feel today is a product of my experiences, choices, perceptions and beliefs thus far. So how am I doing? Am I satisfied with what I’ve accomplished? Where am I in my career? How happy am I in my life today? What’s next? What do I want to experience and believe? What choices do I want to make and how do I want to feel, going forward to make the next part of my life the best part of my life! What exactly do I want?

O. Myr an artist, once said “We write act in and direct our life story”. If true then I have the power to make changes in my life that will reap good health, self-respect, wealth, accomplishment, happiness – anything and everything I truly want. Awesome! So where do I begin? How will the next scenes unfold?

How do I want to see myself and be seen by others? Does it matter to me?
What will excite me, motivate me and help me feel accomplished? What contributions do I want to make to the lives of those I love and care for and in the work I do? What kinds of people do I want to have around me? Who and what can be a conduit for me to actually manifest what I want? How can I use my talents and strengths to their full potential? I know that the answers to these and other questions are what will forge and shape the future of a life that exceeds my expectations!

So today I pledge – to either think about or write an ‘outline’ that will direct how the subsequent scenes to my life story can unfold. I will look for opportunities and seek guidance that will help me get answers and insights, reclaim and better myself, build awesome relationships and keep me motivated to ‘reach’. My story will have a rich plot with inspiring characters, depth and it will be meaningful and exciting. Naturally I will play the lead role and my story will be true. True to me of course and nothing less than an Oscar Winner!

Signed: ______________________

Start now to experience the life you were born to live because time has wings!
~Lesia S.

“Be mindful”. “Live in the moment”. “Be in the present”. You read about its benefits in self- help books. Some of you may have even said to someone at some point, that you tried to be mindful or that you decided to be present and live in the moment.

Do they all mean the same thing?
What does each one mean to you?
When do you choose to experience such “moments”?

If you think you’ve experienced these moments of ‘being’, what prompted them?
Was it when you wanted to enjoy something because you felt unsure of the future?
Was it when you let go of the past?
Was it when honoring something or someone?
Was it to imprint in your mind a special moment?
Was it when celebrating exciting news?
Was it a beautiful sight that you were seeing?
Was it an affectionate moment you were sharing?
Was it to escape stress generated by past or future thinking?
What was it for you?

How did making the choice to be in the present, make you feel?
What were you seeing in your immediate world at this time?
How much control did you have over your thoughts and feelings?
In what way did it make you feel good?
What did you notice about how your body felt?

If choosing to stop, to be present and in the ‘now’, brings you a sense of release and relaxation and assuming it’s a space of time that you want to be in more often – then why not make it an intentional practice each day?
BE mindful and notice what is working, what you already have. See the beauty in all its forms that surrounds you and feel the love in your heart that is there to share.

From this wonderful place of being you can bring into awareness what you truly want. Do this regularly and BE on the lookout for some awesome transformations!

Yes – a rubber band around your wrist is one way to remember

~Lesia S.

You are who I am
Through you I live my passions
You are my very essence
Without you I cannot be true
And truly being is my worth

No one can take you from me
As much as some will try
Others may enrich you
Touch and soothe you
But no other can nurture and love you
As I
                             ~Lesia S.

Honour the Most Precious Valentine, your true original self.

Say that a ‘puzzle’ – the kind that you assemble, is a metaphor for an issue you are dealing with. Then say that any ‘misplaced’ pieces of the puzzle are unanswered questions and ‘missing’ pieces are questions never asked.

Assuming that you are human therefore predictably engaged in completing these ‘puzzles’ on an ongoing basis, how many puzzles do you work on in an hour, a day or a year?

How complex are your puzzles? How big are they?
How many more puzzles do you breeze through than get stuck on and never finish?
When you get stuck on a puzzle, how dedicated are you to finding the missing pieces?
What for you makes a puzzle worth finishing?
What makes you personally give up on a puzzle?
Does one of your puzzles at this time have missing pieces scattered here and there or is there one with a gaping hole?
If there is a gaping hole in your puzzle and you are stuck with not knowing where to start, how willing are you to ask for help in finding the misplaced or missing pieces?

How many puzzles do you have on the go right now?
Which puzzle, only one, is important enough to you to complete at this time?
How do you want to feel when this puzzle is finished?
How proud will you be in yourself for relentlessly seeing it through to completion?
How happy will you be when this finished puzzle brings relief and a sense of accomplishment?

Realistically, how many times have you waited for something to happen or someone to acknowledge or respond to a need and when it wasn’t forthcoming, you felt yourself falling deeper and deeper into a state of anxiety or fear, contempt or resentment?
Unanswered questions, questions not asked and periods of non- or miscommunication are sources for misplaced and missing pieces of those puzzles that you most want to finish.

The more challenging puzzles may require help to trace and find pieces to, but they will authentically change your life and likely be the ones that you proudly hang on your personal wall of achievements and mastery!

~Lesia S.

How do you set an intention for the day?

Think about something you would like to accomplish or something you wish to bring into your conscious awareness, to shed light on. Your intention can be to act a certain way, to observe, to listen, to notice, to finish, to start, to think about, to plan for, to respond to, to acknowledge, to save for, to work toward …
An intention can be about anything that is at the forefront of your mind or perhaps causing you stress and also at times, an intention can be quite challenging. The challenge is to maintain the onus on yourself and ownership of your intention and minimize the natural temptation to use excuses, blame or accusations (example: “ If he/she/ it hadn’t…” or “ I couldn’t because”), which often prevents successful execution.

You can experiment setting a random intention as practice to experience how it can create focus, (example: see how many green cars you can spot today when you’re out and about – who knows, you may be considering buying a green colored vehicle and want to know how popular they are).
You may want to choose an intention that has a more critical meaning to you, (example: if you are having trouble communicating effectively with your spouse or anyone important to you, make it your intention to notice the tone of your voice or your choice of words and the subsequent reactions you are getting).
Other intentions can be task related such as choosing a drawer or a box that needs to be cleaned out and then completing at least one.

Consider the following questions:

What good can come from setting any intention, in other words saying, “Today I am going to do this”?
What is important about setting an intention that is meaningful to you?
In what ways can being intentional improve your quality of life?

There are pros and cons to being spontaneous or even oblivious at times but how can being intentional when dealing with a particular subject matter that is causing you stress, possibly create more desirable results?

How are you different when you set an intention aimed at attaining your most profound want?
How critical is it to know what that want really is?

Recall the last time you intended to do, to get or to feel something that you wanted and reached it. What was it? What did you focus on each day leading up to success?
Example 1: How many of you remember saving up money for an item that you desperately wanted and eventually purchased, what did you do each day?
Example 2: Because of focused intention which created new awareness, you came to realize that you had control over your perceptions of things and let go of a destructive thought process that was eating away at you. As a result you felt peace within.

In both these examples intentions were meaningful and felt good when results were met with success, satisfaction, a feeling of accomplishment or one of many warm and positive emotions.

At this time, consider how you want to feel at day’s end. What intention would you like to set for yourself that will either begin to move you toward or make you feel the way you would like?
How will what you choose today jump-start you on a path that will render you in some regard, a better person and/or a happier one?

Note: This is all about you and your intention, not your intention for someone else.

With all that life throws your way each day, it takes courage to set even a seemingly small intention and bring it to fruition.
For those of you who choose to harness your courage, with a personally meaningful intention, you can bet that each day will feel much more than just another day gone by.

 ~Lesia S.

What a celebratory weekend we just had! It began with the opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver on Friday February 12th, was followed by Valentines Day on Sunday and officially in some parts of the world, Family Day on Monday.

Aside from having the common focus of ‘celebration’, what other ‘commonalities’ do you share on each of these occasions?

Here are a few:

Tolerance
Laughter
Togetherness
Failure
Creativity
Goals
Stamina
Respect
Love
Focus
Effort
Dedication
Resourcefulness
Desire
Perseverance
Endurance
Happiness
Disappointment
Hope
Persistence
Vision
Connecting
Sharing
Experiencing
Seeing potential
Determination
Success
Harmony
Courage
Strength
Teamwork
Pride
Reward
Chocolate maybe?

If you make the effort to reflect on just how much each of the above fit into all three occasions, you just may end up feeling like an Olympian yourself!

~Lesia S.