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  • Intuition

    From Oxford Languages: in·tu·i·tion /ˌinto͞oˈiSH(ə)n,ˌintəˈwiSH(ə)n/ noun the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning. "we shall allow our intuition to guide us" I don't know about you, but it has only been in recent years that I am finally learning to trust my *intuition. In some ways, I suppose you could say I am a bit of a "late bloomer." Another often quoted expression one could use to describe my naïve gullibility is "ignorance is bliss" coined by the English poet Thomas Gray in 1742. Granted, some of my "ignorance" is by choice, opting out of watching daily news in order to guard my heart, peace of mind, sanity, and overall well-being. This morning I was powerfully reminded of three important facts: God protects me. Joyful dancing and gratitude come from complete trust in #1. Surrender, acceptance, and judgement-free curiosity allow me to peacefully coexist in this chaotic self-destructive world while simultaneously living not of this world. Psalm 23 from The Holy Bible is often quoted to provide comfort, confidence, blessed assurance, guidance, and peace. Today I am grateful to fear no evil as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death in communities in which I work, reside, and serve. In addition to learning to trust my *God-given intuition when it comes to intentionally placing myself in certain environments, surrounding myself with other humans, and wandering through the wilderness progressively (imperfectly) thanking God for the "manna" provided without grumbling; I am also educating myself and others [Matthew 13:9] regarding Intuitive Eating in a series of videos linked below. If treating your body, mind, and spirit with kindness and compassion is something that appeals to you, please join us for this series. May you be well-- mentally, physically, and spiritually, exercising your intuition to make wise choices throughout your month with the weekly intentions recommended one day at a time in this book by Evelyn Tribole. I Spy Diet Culture all around us... Do you?

  • Confident

    When you think of what a CONFIDENT person looks like or acts like, what images or descriptions come to your mind? Merriam-Webster defines Confident as the following: confident adjective con·​fi·​dent ˈkän-fə-dənt -ˌdent Synonyms of confident 1 : full of conviction : CERTAIN confident of success confident that conditions will improve 2 : having or showing assurance and self-reliance a confident young businessman a confident manner When I think about descriptions for confident people I respect, these are some of the thoughts that come to mind: Does not find it necessary to explain, defend, or boast about oneself. Original. Able to be emotionally vulnerable and honestly transparent when appropriate. Accepts responsibility for errors and makes amends to make it right whenever possible. Trustworthy. Keeps it simple with an easy does it no need to be like anyone else presence. Authentic. Welcomes constructive criticism, recognizing the fact that there is always room to grow and improve. Humility. Faith-filled and Faithful---Philippians 1:6 Confidence and Philippians 4 Peace, Joy, and Contentment in any circumstances. "Free to be me" is a wonderful mantra to build confidence. There is ONE who has all power who loves you enough to die for you. Should you choose to listen and believe in this confidence and love for you, you may actually learn to love yourself and others in a similar way. Perhaps you already do. May you love like someone who knows confidently they are loved. May your cup of joy overflow...

  • Counselor Confessions

    These are my confessions... As a school counselor, I mindfully observe people daily. In much the same way as a horse smells fear on its rider often mirroring the jittery nervous energy, adolescent students sense when a teacher [or substitute] doesn't like or respect them. They tend to react in kind. Likewise, they also have a tendency to respond respectfully with kindness when treated with both kindness and respect. Sometimes there are exceptions to this and those cases are usually triggered from deeper underlying issues, most often hurt and lack of trust from past trauma. The other Counselor Confession I choose to share with you at this time is THIS one: As I observe those beautiful swan students who appear to glide effortlessly along, standing out among all the other awkward ducklings stumbling clumsily through the masses; I am keenly aware of the deep pain many of those "swans" are carrying, adamantly refusing to let it show. Honored and privileged to be entrusted with their "confessions," I pass them in the hallways and silently lift them up in prayer for healing restoration while offering them a sincere smile and warm greeting to encourage them on this battlefield of life. Secretly, I already know how the story ends. The battle has already been won. The victory is ours for the taking. Hallelujah. Amen. These are my confessions... May you be calm today my friend, full of peace and gratitude. Selah.

  • Time Changes

    Time changes and so do I... This is a follow-up update to the original post titled "This too shall pass" below. Adapting, growing, changing, work in progress, not perfection, I didn't want to give up my relatively newly formed healthy habit of running in the mornings. The time change moving sunrise an hour later made it challenging to run in the dark at my usual time before getting ready for work. Faced with a difficult decision to either stop running in the morning or run in the dark; I chose to stay in bed the first Monday morning and then attempted to go in the dark on subsequent mornings. Since then I have started using a headlamp which helps me see where I'm stepping and keeps me safe from cars. Some days I am more motivated than others. Workout playlists pump me up and add an extra skip in my step and desire to dance in my spirit! This was part of today's inspirational playlist 3/15/24: Stronger -- Mandisa Light It Up -- Terrian Worry About Nothing -- Kingdmusic Grace Got You -- Mercy Me Testify -- Social Club Misfits, Crowder Dance vibes from the music, confidence moved by Holy Spirit prompts me to share my joy and positive energy with you for real on daily IG REELS ! (link here) Whether adjusting to a time change or recovering from jet lag this too shall pass. Memes joke about what we each would've done with that hour we just lost by recently springing our clocks forward moving from federally mandated daylight savings time (in all but 2 states AZ, HI) back to standardized time in the USA. Honestly it's incredible how much difference one hour can make in our lives. Building healthy habits around daylight hours often requires a shift in mindset when we gain or lose an hour of sunlight in our days. I don't know if it affects you mentally, emotionally, and physically as much as it affects me, but it set the tone for my morning in a negative way. This prompted me to practice more mindfulness mediations from the book Practicing Mindfulness by Matthew Sockolov. So far we have covered Journaling, Letting Go of Negative Thoughts, and Stop and Smell the Roses in our mindful meditations together @ YouTube: Praying these readings are helpful for you as well. For those who provide comments, encouragements, questions, participation, and suggestions I appreciate you! May you be filled with the peace which passes understanding today friends. May you stop and smell the roses or whatever aromas you are able to breathe in deeply to remind yourself to be present in the power of NOW. If you find yourself needing a shoulder to cry on, a person to celebrate a big or small victory with, or simply someone to talk with, let's chat.

  • Relationships

    As a professional counselor I work with helping others build and repair relationships daily. This morning during the commute to work I started contemplating important connections with others inherent in sharing genetic material or relationships by blood. This line of thinking led me to the anticipation of Easter observed and celebrated on the last day of this month of March 2024 where we remember the relationship by blood with The One who shed His own in exchange for ours on the cross. Personally this happens to be my most important and valuable relationship by far. It may seem odd to those who don't know Him personally that I would prioritize this relationship above the tangible relationships bonded by genetic material, law, love, or common interests/struggles/values, but I do. One of the reasons for this free-will choice on my part is that in doing so, this priority improves my relationships with all of the above, whether they realize it or not. It's perfectly okay if you don't understand. You don't have to understand. You don't have to agree with me. You don't have to approve of my priorities. That's the beauty of free-will. Life is full of choices... Both for this one as well as the choices impacting your eternal life... John 3:16-17. The choice is yours. My prayer today is THIS one: "Give me your eyes" (link in image) Dedicated to my Dearest Sweet Royal Princess Kalani... Grandma loves you and your Mama to the moon and back!

  • We Are Not The Same

    In the past I always seemed to search for ways you and I could relate to one another. You know, attempting to find common ground so we could share empathy and compassion. But in this moment I am realizing that we are not the same. Subjects which may enthrall me such as my beautiful precious granddaughter Kalani pictured here, may be of no interest to you at all. And that's okay. Turns out connecting with you here or on any other form of social media is not necessary for my happiness. Truth is I am happy. It's the little things that make my happy each day such as a warm mug filled with the rich aroma and flavor of quality coffee between my hands, the feel of the soft flowing fabric of my dress for work, the soothing or upbeat sounds of my favorite instrumental music which alternatively relaxes me or invites me to dance, the welcoming fur and purr cuddles from my cat making "biscuits" on my lap, deep breaths, hubby hugs, answered prayers, and the Living Water quenching my thirst for all eternity. These are a few of my favorite things. These are the gifts that bring a smile to my face and remind me that your approval is no longer needed. If you would like to connect, feel free to send a chat or complete a "contact me" card on this site. If not, no hard feelings whatsoever. Recently finished reading The Art of Being: Recapturing the Self by Catherine Laroze on Grateful Gwen Good Reads Channel: Next up... Until then, may you be surrounded by the little things that bring a smile to your face. Take Care.

  • Self Discipline

    The struggle is real. Lately, I have been failing. Not just failing, but failing BIG. Several of the areas where I attempt to practice loving self-discipline such as staying within a budget and fasting have proven the flesh is weak time and time again. Can you relate? Perhaps not regarding these specific aspects of your life, but maybe in other identified weaknesses you perceive as challenging. I know who I can go to for help and I am currently praying for help as I type these words to you. I also know the living water is the only one that will quench my thirst. And yet I find my thirsty self seeking superficial remedies for my spiritual malady. Practicing loving kindness toward others and myself in this moment and keeping an open-minded "idleness" with curiosity rather than judgement as I breathe in deeply inhaling grace, exhaling praise... repeating the process as often as needed. May you also practice loving kindness toward yourself and others today. May you approach this world and the people in it with curiosity and grace; breathing in deeply all the wonders of this existence, savoring each unique and beautiful experience as it unfolds. May you find a healthy balance between productive self-discipline and lazy indulgent idleness for the shear sake of BEING. May you be healed, comforted and enveloped by divine PEACE which surpasses understanding. May you reach out and connect should you need someone to listen and offer a virtual hug.

  • Attractive

    Honesty is HOT. Honest Open Transparent As a Counselor, I have always been intrigued by observing people. A large part of practicing active listening is noticing body language which sometimes communicates more than the verbal cues produced by words. If one is paying careful attention, feelings of discomfort, anxiety, happiness, bitterness, anger, concern, and many more may be detected by a person's body language. Personally, I find interesting quirks such as facial expressions or goofy random comments which indicate an individual's comfortability in their own skin much more attractive than the latest trendy enhancements marketed and pushed by the following industries: cosmetic companies, plastic surgeons, beauty salons, health and wellness entrepreneurs, car dealerships, clothing brands, or any other corporations seeking to profit based on our insecurities, desires to fit in, gain popularity or acceptance. To be clear, this is not an attempt to knock any of those businesses, as I too have tried my hand at one (link in image) as well. Here's a suggestion: Embrace your God-given natural beauty and say "Thank you for making me one-of-a-kind!" What are your thoughts on what makes a person attractive? Specifically what attributes do you find appealing in another person? What about laziness? Is that an attractive quality in another human? Are you sure about that? You may want to give this author's perspective a listen on that subject before you decide:

  • Mean Girls

    I recently renamed the subheading for this entire blogsite "Counselor Confessions." This entry is going to BE exactly that! Still debating whether or not I even want to go see the new Mean Girls musical written by the übertalented Tina Fey only because I GET TO experience the melodrama of real life "mean girls" almost every single day at work. Sometimes a girl just needs a break from all of that rude, insensitive ridiculousness. Having said that, on those occasions when I am mentally able to take a proverbial step back from the unacceptable behaviors and dive deeper into the roots and underlying causes for the insecurities and extreme attention-seeking behaviors; it enables me to have compassion for these hurting little girls who are in turn hurting others through feeble misguided attempts to empower themselves with the hope of feeling better. It doesn't work. We are grateful to be able to offer mental health services which include The Ophelia Project designed to truly empower these young women with healthy social skills teaching them to treat each other with empathy and kindness. The mad-dogging "resting B*#$H face" dirty looks, Instagram "burn book" posts and stories intended to emotionally harm, vicious exclusive social circles, as well as direct physical assaults video recorded for further social media humiliation are tiresome head games at best and fatally (by suicide) criminal at worst! Exclusionary practices as demonstrated in these GIFs from the original Mean Girls movie are all too common in schools today (especially middle schools) and can inflict serious psychological harm. It is not okay. In an Instagram post earlier this morning, I shared the idea that if something is no longer useful we need to let it go. I've also heard it said that if something no longer serves us, we should let it go. The latter way of wording that has always rubbed me the wrong way because it sounds so selfish. However, with a growth mindset I have since changed my point of view to reflect the following: Let It Go if it is negative self-talk, exclusionary [mean girl] behavior, adding to the mental or physical clutter, unhealthy, surrounded by spiritual darkness, attention-seeking, closed-minded, stubborn, selfish, etc. Breathe deeply and meditate on all the good things listed in the book of Philippians chapter 4 while strolling through the garden (video link in photo) IN HIDING. May you be happy, healthy, and set free today friends, family, and lost sheep seeking a sense of belonging. Welcome HOME!

  • Bear

    When you get a few free moments check out the varied definitions for the word "bear." What prompted this post was the idiom "Don't poke a sleeping bear." Without going into too much personal detail about what reminded me of that expression; suffice it to say I chose wisely to heed the sage advice this afternoon. There is also the highly politically controversial second amendment in the USA which provides citizens "the right to bear arms" in order to protect ourselves from bears or other direct threats to our survival. Another powerful use (and my personal favorite) of this word can be found in Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. This one happens to be our marriage verse and defines the way we treat one another on a daily basis. There is an additional definition of the word bear which describes a surly, burly or uncouth person... the kind who at times gives us the opportunity to practice living out the verse above. And of course there is the alternative spelling "bare" --- its homophone which contains its own list of unrelated definitions, not relevant for our purposes here at this time. Words have always fascinated me. Partially related to my primary love language and also because I am a self-proclaimed "word nerd." Literature is empowering -- helping us to gain knowledge, freedom, escape, peace, faith, hope, and LOVE. What is your primary love language? What is your favorite work of literature? What is your top priority? What is your purpose? Are you more focused on DOING or BEING in the power of NOW? Do you struggle with hearing The Siren's Song? Is there anything specific I can help you work on today? Perhaps reaching a personal goal or finding a safe space to process a difficult decision? If so, please reach out in the chat box or through email on the contact page here at this blogsite. I am here. You are not alone. May you be happy and full of peaceful resolution moving forward like a river.

  • Being Human

    That's right! I am a "human being," not a "human doing." This is a concept I have read about before and perhaps you have as well. This philosophical photo journal The Art of Being Recapturing The Self by Catherine Laroze currently available HERE is a powerful reminder of the importance of this notion: The subtitle "Recapturing The Self" is particularly interesting to me since part of my life quest is dying to self by living out the prayer of St. Francis one day at a time: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. By prayer and meditation we can relieve some of the pressure to "DO" or perform by society's standards. We can choose to simply "BE" breathing in the serenity of each moment deeply inhaling peace and exhaling perfectionistic expectations. Will you join me in this exercise of simply BEING in the power of NOW? Also, in keeping with the New Direction of this blogsite sharing "Counselor Confessions" as a professional counselor; it is important to note here that deep breathing exercises can lower your anxiety and restore your sense of calm. More practical tips for finding your calm in this video below:

  • I Have a Dream

    "The time is always right to do what is right." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In honor of MLK day this three day American holiday weekend, I wanted to share a little bit with you about the dream God has for my life. Unfortunately when I changed my domain [GratefulGwen.com] over from the FREE Google hosting service platform "blogger" to the paid host "Wix" I lost all of my previous blog posts including one titled "I Have A Dream." It included this photograph of me after my high school graduation where my Mom gifted me with this framed poster I wrote in Kindergarten about my dream to become a teacher. By the grace of God, and some efforts on my part that dream became a reality. This past Thanksgiving after reading the entire book "Created to Dream" by Rick Warren, author of "The Purpose Driven Life" during our flight home from Michigan to California; it reframed the way in which I now interact with this famous inspirational MLK quote "I have a dream." NOW instead of pursuing my own dream, I am seeking to fulfill the dream God has designed me for and has designed especially for me. Doing precisely what I was born to do fits like a glove, doesn't require any justifications, rationalizations, financial failures, or uncomfortably forced sales pitches to convince anyone else to buy what I'm selling. It simply feels right. And once again "The time is always right to do what's right." MLK jr. If there is a way I may assist you with discovering and living out the dream God has for your unique and beautiful life, please message me so we can work together to make all of your God-given dreams come true! Perhaps we will read this book together on the channel linked in the image above soon. Are you living your dream?

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