Remembering Who You Are

Could it be that out of this chaos and crisis we are all becoming ourselves again? Returning to who we really are.

As our busy schedules of work, school, social activities…the list goes on, fade away, who have you become? Although it has come about in an unsettling manner, time has been given back to you. Use it to reflect on the things that you left by the wayside. It might be family togetherness, a phone call you’ve been meaning to make, cooking a favourite meal etc.

It’s also a time to reflect on what you need in this moment. This is the message we drown out day after day as we go through our list of things we have to accomplish.

Start by taking 5-10 minutes out of your day to sit in meditation, read a chapter of your favourite book, play some music…your inner voice will let you know what you need. Listen. This is a time for healing and the place to start is with you.

Trying Times

Hello Joy-Seekers

When the world starts to crumble around you, how do you continue to ground yourself? This is the question that’s been on my mind for the last few weeks, for obvious reasons. When all of the things that make you feel secure such as money, a job, family, health, and various infrastructures, start to show their cracks, how do you continue to stand strong? 

All of our lives are changing significantly- and at the same time. Get ready fro some unexpected shifts. You’re going to find the strength that you never knew you had. You’re going to revisit relationships and connections that you had perhaps neglected over the years. You’re going to find that you are needed and able to help in both big and small ways. Will you answer the call?

Personally, I’ve taken a long break from the thing that I love doing the most which is coaching and connecting with others but the current state of the world is pulling me back where I belong - thankfully.

Over the next little while I’m going to focus on a number of things that help me, or have been suggested by others, to remain centred when we have no control about what happens around us. The only thing that you truly have control over is yourself.

So please check in every few days or once a week, whenever you have time. I’ll keep sharing as I’m inspired. Share your comments on this page, I would love to hear from you. We’re all in this together.

Much Love,

Marlene

Who Are You?

Hello Joy-Seekers,

This message is especially for those of you who have had a significant spiritual shift which perhaps even completely changed the course of your life.

Who are you today and do you still identify with your previous self? For instance, when you meet someone for the first time and the usual introductory questions pop up do you start to talk about who you used to be followed by who you are now?

I often find myself explaining to people that I used to be in finance where I did blah blah blah and now I’m a life coach and medium…The first part is no longer relevant. My previous life has no bearing on what I do now so why do I feel the need to explain? If this feels familiar I think it’s a clear sign that you're still hanging on to a little bit of fear. The fear that you had when you decided to step out of your shell and follow our true path. The fear of not being accepted, facing judgement and doubt from others or just plain failure. For those of you who have chosen to reinvent yourself, maybe more than once, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

It took me a long time to become comfortable with the complete change in my career and life trajectory, even though I had no doubts about the decision, and it’s obviously still a work in progress but I’m not stressed about it. Actually, the fact that it’s become so annoying to me is a clear sign that I’m truly ready to leave the past exactly where it belongs. Bye!

Now, join me in taking a huge step forward and out of the shadow of your old self. That person no longer exists, the real you is waiting for their turn in the spotlight. It’s time to shine!

Much love,

Marlene

Time Away...

Hello Joy-Seekers, 

Recently I had the opportunity to attend a retreat in beautiful Hawaii, the Big Island. Our group spent the majority of the week enhancing our life coaching skills and redefining our goals and intentions however my biggest take away from the week, I would describe as a “spiritual reset.”

The time away as well as the surroundings (people and nature) allowed me to go a little bit deeper and take stock of not only how much I had grown but what direction I wanted to take, going forward. I made a few key decisions about my life as well as changes I want to make in my business (which you will see within the coming months).

We all become complacent and stop realizing that we've been drawn into the current of chaos and clutter of everyday life, which tends to block out the clarity that we need. 

So, whether it’s in Hawaii or in your own living room, I challenge you to do the same. Check out of the chaos for a moment and make the time and space to check in with yourself. Are you still happy with the way things are going? What would you like to change? Ready to try something new? Be grateful for the lessons that life has taught you thus far and be deliberate about how you present yourself in the world. Be authentic, be real, be joyful!

Press the reset button and see what happens…

Much love,

Marlene

Feeling A Little Shaky...

Hello Joy-Seekers,

There are a few, or many, moments in our lives when we feel a little shaky. I don’t necessarily mean unstable but just a little unclear or fearful about where to go next. Think of it as being a little lost, or stuck. It's normal.
I’ve been feeling this way lately and recently I started toying with the idea of adding mediumship to my coaching practice. It’s been a long time coming but I always knew that becoming an intuitive coach was just one step closer to this.

I am a medium. I love bringing through and talking to spirits. I’ve trained, I’ve practiced and it’s the thing I’m most comfortable doing. What’s not so comfortable is letting the whole world know, but this is the only way I know how to push myself to do something that feels right…and scary at the same time. I truly believe that the scarier it seems, the more we are meant to do it.

For my clients who are happy to stick with intuitive sessions that’s okay we’ll keep it at that level, but I can’t wait to start connecting my clients with loved ones from the “other side.” The messages they bring are always meaningful, insightful, and given with love. What can be better than that?

What’s shaking you up these days? 

Much love,

Marlene

Tiny Drops

Hello Joy-Seekers,

As I sit and write this message to you all its pouring rain outside my window.

I don’t really like the rain or cloudy days but I know that it all serves a greater purpose in nourishing the earth…also some people really love the rain and probably feel the way I do on a sunny day.

Then it made me think about how broad reach and vast effect of rain. From each little drop of rain, so much is provided. Food for earth, flowers, crops…all living things. In one tiny drop. Each tiny drop does its part and together look at the limitless effect.

Can we be like tiny drops of rain in our own way?

Most of us want to do so much good in the world and it can be overwhelming to think about how to make a meaningful difference. But, every small thing you do IS meaningful. You may not see the ripple effect from offering words of kindness or lending a helping hand but believe me, it lingers on. In all corners of the earth there are others making their own “small” contributions, and like the rain drops it just keeps multiplying. One by one.

Where and how will you choose to make your tiny drop today? 

Much love,

Marlene

Spring Cleaning!

Hello Joy-Seekers,

Out with the old and in with the new!

What thing, person, or habit is currently a part of your life that is no longer serving you?

Is it a so-called friend who deep down you know is not a positive force in your life? Is it a habit that's hard to break but obviously pulling you down?

We all have something or someone in our lives that we hang on to because it’s comfortable or maybe too scary to let go of. Now how much better would your life be if you swept it out? How much easier would it be to reach that happy place when you’ve strayed too far?

If you’re able to identify what this thing is that means you’re fully aware of its negative effect and the fact that it’s time to go.

How are you going to let go? I’ll tell you. One step and one day at a time. Don’t beat yourself, just make a firm decision that it’s now or never. The universe has got your back and will do the rest! Trust me.

Much love,

Marlene

I just feel like sending out a big virtual hug out to all of my clients. I want to let you know that I love connecting with all of you and helping you share your unique gifts with the world. Stay Joyful!

It's All About Love

Dear Joy-Seeker,

The month of February is usually associated with love, particularly because of Valentine’s Day. Some take the opportunity to celebrate with their loved ones while others try their best to ignore it. To others it means nothing at all. I’ve thought about it and I think I fall somewhere in the middle- it differs from year to year lol.  

This year I’ve decided that along with celebrating with my loved ones I’m going to make a bigger effort to focus on loving myself.

When was the last time you made a conscious effort to treat yourself with the loving kindness you usually (or always) extend to others? Take a moment and ask yourself what you really need. Time? Compassion? Patience? A big hug? More laughter? A day at the spa?  Yes to the spa! What matters is how this makes you feel inside. You can’t effectively love and nurture others unless you do the same for yourself first.

Why wait to receive it from outside when you can start from within. The love you extend to yourself not only starts the healing process but it teaches others how you want to be treated. It starts with you. Some of us may be so far away from loving ourselves that we don’t even know where to start, but this realization is the first and most important step.

Are you ready to fall in love with yourself again?

If the answer is YES, I’m here to give you a jump start!

I look forward to connecting with you!

Much love,

Marlene

Resolutions

Dear Joy-Seeker,

Well it’s another new year and as tempted as I am to make some sort of resolution, I’m not going to. I used to try but I would eventually forget all about it within a few weeks, so instead of feeling like I repeatedly failed at what started out as a good intention, I just stopped making them. Just like that.

I now make an effort to create resolutions on a daily basis, it’s so much easier. Every time you wake up you have a brand-new opportunity to start over. It’s actually more refreshing to do it this way and you end up forming good habits over the long term. So for today, what will your resolution be? 

I’ll tell you mine. To be more open to allowing spirit to guide me. I live on the ocean and as I often sit and stare at the mesmerizing waves I’m convinced that if we just “be” like the waves we cannot go wrong. The waves do not resist, they just flow. They have no fear that they will get stuck on the shore, or too far out, or dry up, because they won’t! The natural pull brings them in and out on a silent rhythm that is perfect in every way. 

As I coach others and help them to tune in and trust, and just be, it’s also a reminder to myself to continue in that direction. We’re all in this together and when we connect we help each other to heal and to grow.

I had a fantastic year in 2018, doing what I love, guiding others and in turn being guided by others. This makes me happy and that’s what matters the most.

Happy new Year and I look forward to working with you!

Much love,

Marlene

Seasons Change, People Change

Dear Joy-Seeker,

It’s that time of year again and as the seasons change it’s a good time to go within and think about changes you would like to make in your own life. You have the freedom to do this at any time, believe it or not. We are evolving beings and so we constantly crave something new, something different. There’s nothing wrong with that. These desires serve to expand our life experiences so we can continue to grow and move forward.

Think about it. What have you been wanting to change, make better, get rid of etc.? Just choose one thing, don’t bite off more that you can chew. Now, if you could snap your fingers and make that thing happen, what would it look like and how would it make you feel? If you’re feeling excited and energized by just imagining the perfect scenario then you’re on the right track. That’s your gut, your intuition…it never lies.

This is the first step to taking charge of your life. Your happiness is not dependent on anyone or anything, it all comes from within and the choices you make.

 I look forward to connecting with you very soon!

Much love,

Marlene

Follow Your Soul...It Knows The Way

Dear Joy-Seeker,

Are you living your life's true purpose? If not, how do you find it? Wouldn't it be so easy if as soon as you became an adult, someone handed you a map or an envelope with all the answers, and all you had to do was follow it? Well guess what? It's actually easier than that. You have the map!

Yes, I'm serious. The answer lies deep within you, a place that only you have access to. Each person has a unique purpose and journey to take in this life and you were born with the roadmap to guide you.

Think back to times in your life when you were stuck, had to make a decision, didn't know where to go. At some point I'm willing to bet that something kicked in and said, "do this." It might have come in the form of an idea, a little voice inside, or a voice from outside- maybe part of a conversation. That seemingly magical answer to your prayers was your intuition. The voice of your soul. This is where all your answers lie- just waiting for you to ask the question.

There is no truer voice than that of your soul. Just listen... 

Much love,

Marlene

What's Your Perspective?

Dear Joy-Seeker,

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.

This is one of my favourite quotes.

What it means is that everything that is occurring is being viewed through our own lenses, subject to our own perception. How you view something or how you perceive something is not how anyone else is perceiving it.

Now that you understand this, let’s take it a step further. Can you change your experience by deliberately changing your perception of what’s happening?

For instance, a situation might pop up that you immediately perceive as negative and you then continue to engage and move forward in that negative experience which results in the negative outcome you expected.  What if you were to completely turn things around and view the pending situation and outcome as positive? Do you think that anything would change?

The only way to truly understand and believe that this can happen is to test it out. Set an intention to only have positive experiences for one day. This intention is yours and yours alone. It doesn’t change anyone else’s behaviour or thoughts but you will see that by setting this intention you will start to attract increasingly positive experiences.

I’ve often sat and listened to a client and then presented the same situation back to them in a different light. Usually they say “Oh, I never thought of it that way!”  From that point on they are able to take a new direction and start the process of moving forward in achieving their goal. It puts a smile on my face every time!

Much love,

Marlene

What's On Your Nightstand?

Dear Joy-Seeker,

I’m an avid reader. I run a book club and at any given time I have a number of books on the go. Reading feeds my soul.

People usually like to catch up on reading during the summer months so I thought you might appreciate receiving a list of a few spiritually based books that I love.

I have read all of the books listed below but keep in mind most of these authors have written numerous books so feel free to look up others that might resonate with you. These are just suggestions to get you started.

• Ask and it is Given by Esther and Jerry Hicks

  • A powerful book explaining the law of attraction. The entire book contains teachings of the collective consciousness from the non-physical dimension known as “Abraham.”

• The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer

  • I found this one after listening to a podcast by the author, Michael Singer. His message about disconnecting from our thoughts and discovering the real you deep down really resonated with me and I have since recommended it to many friends.

• A Course in Miracles Made Easy by Alan Cohen

  • Written by my coach and mentor Alan Cohen. A Course in Miracles is quite a heavy read and requires a solid commitment. This book summarizes the course nicely and serves as an intro to those who want to fully delve into the course.

• Wishes Fulfilled by Wayne Dyer

  • This was one of the first books I read when I started my spiritual journey and so it has a special place in my heart. This book will help you to start discovering who you truly are and to truly understand that we all have a unique purpose here on earth.

• You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay

  • This is one of those books that you will keep going back to time and time again. Louise teaches about how emotions manifest into physical ailments, how to let go of baggage, and most importantly, get back to loving ourselves.

Enjoy!

Much love,

Marlene

Are You A Daydreamer?

Dear Joy-Seeker,

The other day as I was waiting for a friend to arrive for our coffee date, I travelled to a very familiar place, or state, of mine- daydreaming. I love daydreaming. I can remember sitting in class as a child fully immersed in one of my daydreams only to be startled back into reality by the teacher calling my name. It was usually to answer a question however I hadn’t heard anything up to that point because “I wasn’t there.” Sound familiar?

As I sat at our table I began my journey and a few minutes later I noticed I was getting some strange looks. This happens all the time. I was so into this dream that I could feel everything as though I was actually there and my facial expressions conveyed this. From those around I’m sure it looked very odd but as I said, I’m used to it. If you’re a true daydreamer like me you know exactly what I’m talking about.

This feeling of experiencing the event as though you were really there is the secret to manifestation. We are all capable of manifesting our desires and the key is to feel what it is like to already be there or already have that thing that you wish for.  I am someone who has to see to believe, so I I’ve tested it for myself. My whole journey to becoming a life coach was a true test of faith and the power to manifest because my life was not going in that direction when I first started out. I was in the corporate world!

I could not see how I was going to get there AT ALL but I constantly imagined the feeling of being there. The universe took this signal and orchestrated everything in order for me to reach my end goal.

Don’t let anyone discourage you from daydreaming(unless you’re driving or in the middle of an important meeting). It’s the place where we get our best ideas and summon our truest desires. We’re all wizards!

Happy daydreaming!

Much love,

Marlene

Practicing Gratitude

Dear Joy-Seeker,

What are you grateful for? Do live from a place from gratitude? What does this all mean?

Gratitude is the act of giving thanks for all that you have and all that you are.  The “act” is usually as simple as just feeling thankful but can be expressed in many other ways, such as verbally. Why is it so important?

Focusing on the things you are grateful for keeps you in a high vibrational space and sends a signal to the universe to keep providing more things for you to be grateful for. The universe does not determine whether your thoughts are positive or negative it only provides to you, the things that you are focused on.

Have you ever had a day where everything just seemed to go wrong? We all have. However, if you were able to turn your focus away from the very first bad thing that happened and focus on something more positive, I’m willing to bet your day would have gone a lot smoother. Easier said than done, I know. But are you willing to give it a try?

Start your day by giving thanks for even the smallest of things and put yourself in the habit of going through your day in that space of gratitude. Take it one step at a time. You may start out only remembering to do it at one moment in the day, however, the fact that you stopped and remembered is the most important thing. Slowly it will become a habit and you will become addicted to that feeling.

Being in a space of gratitude changes the way in which you connect with others and how you operate in the world. How do you want to show up?

Much love,

Marlene

Compassion

Every human being is doing the best they can with the thinking that seems real to them.

This is where compassion lives.

In our daily lives, we encounter people with various personalities, opinions, ways of life etc. It can be quite effortless for us to jump to conclusions and unconsciously form our own opinions about others.

I challenge you to spend a day viewing others through the lenses of compassion. Take note of what changes. Do you feel different? You may find that it alters your routine exchanges, you’re moved to respond in a different manner, or perhaps not respond at all. Just listen. Your goal is not the change anyone, but to gain a better understanding of others. Meet them where they are.

Our differences, in their various forms, are what draw us together, intrigue us, make us want to know more and in essence, expand and evolve.

When an opportunity such as this presents itself, grab it. What better gift to offer to others than a new and improving you!

The power of words...

What power is there in words?

Think about something that you’ve been wanting to do, or the place in which you'd like to be (literally or figuratively). Perhaps you’re just dying to believe in yourself and what you can accomplish, but you always stop short. Nothing happens. Why is that? What’s holding you back?

Now speak these words out loud, to someone you trust or just to yourself. Shout it into the welcoming depths of a lush forest or an angry ocean wave just as it comes to grab you. Nobody else has to hear it, but you know that you have spoken these words. 

Can you feel the life that you’ve just injected into that idea or thought? Did it give you a burst of energy? Do you feel more confident in achieving this thing that you have now given life to?

Now … do you believe in the power of words?

Be like a wave...

Have you ever stood on the ocean shore and just watched the waves roll in?  Mesmerized.

I was standing with my husband in this very place and he said to me, "You know, we should just be like waves."  Just allow life to take us on our journey. Pushing us to the next stop ... and the next.

Why is it so hard for us to be like these waves? They come in and go out with such ease and fluidity (literally), never resisting. What would it be like to spend one whole day in such a state, permitting life to lead the way?

Perhaps we would be steered towards a more desirable path than the one we are currently on. Perhaps the long awaited answers to those burning questions would finally come into our vision. New ideas, new people, new beginnings ... 

Jump in and give it a try!