2014 is almost complete! Seriously, it is almost finite, closed, put away, in the archives never to be seen again after 11:59 pm. Chances are good I won't see that time as unless my nose is stuck in a book, I rarely make it past eleven so let me just say a few things.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you for being in my life and for helping me to spread the work of this wonderful universe. Thank you for laughing along with me, and hey, if you are laughing at me, that's good too because at least you are laughing! If there is one thing I will do while in this human body is, I will inspire those to not take life so seriously. Have reverence for this life but lighten up people.

Thank you for trusting yourself, your path, your life, your loved ones and bringing those who have croaked in my office, on the phone, Skype, social media or the occasional conversation in the grocery store!

Thank you for the feedback of this blog and how you enjoy my view of this sometimes zany, often challenging and amazingly interesting life we share.

Thank you for being you. Thank you for contributing your unique energy to this last year and the ones before that. Thank you for stretching and growing even if you didn't particularly feel like you wanted to. Thank you for trusting me to help when you couldn't see where to go next or needed that blend of comfort and no b.s. I've been told I possess.

Thank you for teaching me how to be a better person. Some of you may never know it was your judgment and not so kind words that helped me be kinder. It gave me a reference point of who I do not want to be and inspired me to dig deep past the confusion, to look beyond your insecurities and embrace true compassion. For this, I thank you. You may never know because it was this behavior that helped me bid you goodbye as we will bid this year goodbye soon. I am truly grateful.

I have a very full heart and soul and am very excited to see the next year come but before I do, I will review and revere this 2014 masterpiece. I will open my arms up to change while appreciating myself for being willing to be here. I hope you will do the same. I hope you will look at this year and count all the amazing growth you have had. I hope you will be nice to you if you feel you could have done more. Of course you could, and you get another chance to. How cool is that?

Before you toss the year in the recycling bin, give it one more look and give thanks that you even experienced it. Open up to the love that is around you, be willing to receive that love and then offer it out again. That is a recycling plan we can all get behind don't you feel?

So, as we wind up this year, I wish you all the best your life has to offer and more. I wish you the feeling of contentedness of self with a dash of curiosity to keep you wondering....what will this year bring?

See you next year,

Vicki

www.vickibaird.com

If you join the band that is. Every year has it's own vibration. This year has had a theme of in your face. So, basically, anything that you were avoiding was brought to your attention. For some it was their health, for others relationships, career, spirituality and that long time question of who am I?

While each year has a theme, we are ultimately responsible for creating a life that works and is joyful so no blaming the year, ok? Take responsibility for your emotions and your choices and every year can rock.

The year 2015 has such a giggly feeling to it, I for one, am very stinking excited to see how that reveals itself for everyone. This year has a vibration of fruition with it. So, any energy you have put into creating your life will have the extra battery pack of this year. Now, that also includes if you are holding onto anger or blaming someone else for your issues. If you are holding onto that, you could very well create some challenges that will present as learning curves of their own. Don't do that.

This year represents, in my humble opinion, the moving forward point. For the last six years, SIX YEARS, we have been in a pattern of slowing down so our messages can be abundantly clear, although some still don't listen. After slowing down for the first three, the second half of the six years, starting in 2009, were about the messages being in your face. Did you see them? Did you pay attention to the messages that said this relationship has to change, that this job is no longer serving me, that YOU had to change?

If you didn't, you aren't doomed, you would benefit from some self reflection, but screwed you are not. It amazes me when people don't want to look at themselves and see where they could grow. I understand how scary that may be but you are the only one who can do it, so be brave for at least five minutes and take some inventory of yourself and be willing to see what you would like to change. No one is listening to your inner most thoughts, thank goodness right? If you don't listen though, your thoughts can become behaviors and then your behaviors become belief systems and then belief systems become habits and then you have to shift them again when you realize that doesn't feel good either. Sooooooo, if you were willing to hear them when they popped up first and willing to address what doesn't feel right, think of the time and self judgment you could save! If it seems too challenging to do by yourself, come see me and we will re-pattern those belief systems and have you on your way to creating the successful life you dream of.

So, what can you do to harness the energy of this year? You can be aware of some goals or success points you would like to experience this year and put some time into creating a loose plan to follow. You can clear your house with sage so you start the year in clean slate energy. You can reach out and connect with a support system to help create the best year yet! You could decide to be happy. That one can be challenging for some people. One must decide to be there in order to manifest it and the habit of happiness. It is a choice whether to be happy or miserable. Make a choice for the next year (Please choose happy. I honor your free will but come on people, miserable is NOT effective.)

You can also take this next week to assess where your dreams are and if you even have any. Be nice to you as you do it. If you find there aren't any dreams there, allow yourself to daydream and see what happens. Use the phrase what if... but use it in wonder. What if I really did trust myself to hike alone? What if I took that class and I aced it? What if I believed I matter, imagine what could happen?

(My gift this year from my husband so I guess it really is true! I'm not the only one!)

What if you made this the best year you have ever had and you shared the joy with others. Imagine the world we could have. In the words of John Lennon, "You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one." Join me in the dream that life can rock and the intention to have it do so.

I wish you the best of 2015 and am so grateful to have all of you in my world.

Blessings,

Vicki

www.vickibaird.com

I am so grateful to my mother who insisted we read, learn vocabulary and strive to speak in an intelligent manner. I am also grateful, most of the time, for the English language. I say most of the time because I can get frustrated with the lack of descriptors for what I am feeling but that may be more an energetic issue than the language. Perhaps we don't have the words available in any language for the depth of emotions, both in the high sense and the sad sense. That is something to look forward too I suppose. Perhaps we will create a thesaurus of words to build on happy, exuberant, or ecstatic! I am hopeful because I don't know about you, but I am a bit done with epic!

Our language is a great deal of fun though if you think of all the words that can mean something else if the context is changed. For instance, if I said are you content? You would know I was talking about a feeling. If I said, what is the content of that box?  You would know I was referring to what is inside the box. Two different contexts, one adjective and one noun, but they both mean what is inside, don't they? What if I combined them and asked you if you were content with your content? It is a bit redundant but it is fun. I know all the teachers out there are going to ask me to reference that thesaurus and find another word, but for the moment, play along with me.

We all have content, whether that is our physical self with arms and legs and a head or whether that is our emotional self and the availability of feelings, we have content. Some of the content has been deposited by others early in our lives and some we have purchased for ourselves. It is good to have content, it makes us interesting and it creates a desire for others to get to know us too. But are you content with your content?

What if you did an inventory? Would you find that you really did like all that was in that box? Do you feel in alignment with yourself or do you feel discontent? (See what I did there? Yet another use of the word. So FUN!)

• Do you like you? 
• Do you feel happy most of the time? 
• Do you laugh on a daily basis? 
• Is your heart open to love? 
• Do you have an interest or hobby that adds to the content of your life? 
• Do you play well with others?

These are just some of the questions you could ask yourself to get started on that inventory. Everyone has value and the more we see our own value the more we will contribute to the whole. So if one is content with their content, they will still want to grow and strive for more, but they will do it in a flowing way. 

If you aren't content, that is fine, recognizing it is where you can start. Don't judge it and don't whine, please don't whine. Observe that you could be happier and open your eyes and hearts to ways to create that. Pretend you are making a shopping list. Create a list that helps you to see in the physical what could change and then pick one item and decide to specialize in that for this week. Be easy with yourself about this and hey, if you are willing to take those silly tests on social media to figure out what you were in a past life, you can do this. It is a way to truly connect with who you are TODAY!

Satisfied with my content....for today, :)

Vicki

www.vickibaird.com

For some reason, this year's solstice seems to be greatly needed by many whether they realize it or not. For those of us experiencing the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, it signifies a shift to longer days and the offer of more light. Now, we go through this EVERY YEAR so why is this one the most challenging? My feeling is it is because we are entering the energy of 2015, the year of fruition. The culmination of whatever you have put into place in the last few years so energetically, we are perceiving this coming and perhaps getting antsy. More on this in a later post but it is a really good thing. YAY! 

The solstice, as experienced in the Northern Hemisphere, is happening December 21st at 6:03 EST. Often, it is celebrated with ritual as it is the return to light and the giver of life. Little by little, the days will get longer leading up to the Summer Solstice.

I believe the days leading up to the shift can be best served by taking a little inventory of self and what could perhaps use a little light. There is a tendency to want to rush right through the darker days and not appreciate what they have to offer. Dark is not bad, it is where brilliance may actually lie if you would listen and realize you won't get stuck there if your intention is to bring light to whatever you find. It also offers the balance of yin to the lights yang. Personally, I can not sleep in a room where there is light, so to the dark I say thank you. Thank you for the sleep that is necessary to reboot my system! 

We are very fortunate to live in a region where we have seasons. I believe we could honor all of them and in doing so, find a balance in our joy factor of life! 

If you want to enter into this transition into 2015 with a clear energy, I would suggest you consider smudging your home, car and work space if possible. Smudging is the practice of using sage to clear a space. There are many beliefs about how best to do this. I tend to go to the less is more place. One, acquire some sage from a metaphysical, health or online store. Light the bundle and ask for your team to help you clear the space. I then ask for anything that is not of the light, to go to the light. This can be any energy left from arguments that happened, illness or generally cranky energy. Be sure to open a door, window and use exhaust fans if you have them. You want the energy to travel out of the house. To not ventilate will cause the energy to stir up and add to whatever was going on when you first started to clear. After you finish going around your entire space, be sure the sage is out and enjoy your cleansed space. 

Another great thing to do on any solstice or full moon is to create a list of what you would like to release. They can be emotional, physical or spiritual. Anything that comes to you about what could be ready to go. Write it down, wrap it with red string (This is not a big deal if you use another color. Intention is much more important than supplies.) then burn it and send the energy out into the universe to be released. If possible, please do this safely and outside. If this is not possible due to restrictions or laws, you can burn inside but afterwards, remove the ashes from the home immediately after they cool. If you really can't burn, a shredder works well too just be sure to remove the shreds immediately as well.

Give yourself the gift of appreciating the long night and the allow yourself time to spend in silence. Tap into what is in your head and heart. Connect to the heart and know this is your true GPS system that offers balance much like the solstices do. Trust that the brilliance of the earth is within you too. A balance of light and dark, noise and silence, physical and non-physical. A beautiful compilation of winter and summer meant to be eased into with fall and spring. Be easy with yourself as we travel into a new year. Take that inventory and be sure to appreciate the good moments too. 

Leaving the headlamp off and wrapping myself in the blankey of darkness, 
Vicki

www.vickibaird.com

Are you attributing the feeling of stress lately to the holiday schedule and the perception of obligations for this time of year? While this may be a contributing factor, there is a lot going on in the energy of the universe that is assisting in the perhaps less then tolerant feelings you are having lately. 

Now, we are all responsible for what we do with the feelings we have and how we conduct ourselves through behavior, but when you know there is something kicked up energetically, you can be a bit more conscious about your choices and respond rather than react. 

There is always an increase in the speed of energy at the end of a calendar year. It really has nothing to do with the calendar and the numbers that we follow, but more to do with the reaction we have to that. Every being in this universe contributes to the vibration of our world. That includes you. So if you think you being in a mood, depressed or generally cranky is only affecting you, think again. Everything that we do and thought we have goes out into the collective and creates a ripple effect. I am not saying this to have you be in constant observation of your thoughts, but rather to have you connect to self and realize you matter; a great deal. 

All emotions are valid, what you do with those emotions are up to you. Feel, please feel, as I know that will help us to be nicer to ourselves and others, however, at the same time, be willing to choose how you want your energy to go out and be a contribution. It's fine to be frustrated and even valid to be angry or sad, but how long you are willing to be in those feelings is up to you. Feel them, then move on and up in vibration so we can help all of us to really connect with what this season is about; love. 

Yes, another year is closing and for some reason we feel we have to fill up every space with something to do or buy in order to avoid the feeling of time passing. I am suggesting we slow down and that will in fact slow the energy down and have this time of year be one of celebration of what we have learned thus far and give us a calm space to contemplate what we would like to create in the next year. It is like driving a car at 65 miles an hour and expecting to be able to handle a hairpin turn without any consequences. Chances are if you drive like that and try to round the corner, you are going off the cliff. Slow down and take it with skill and appreciation of the built in message of care and being present will get you to the next place in one piece and aware of the journey. 

The energy right now is one of pushing, there is no doubt, but it is pushing us to appreciate where we are in the moment and not to rush so far ahead that we can't even remember what the heck we had for breakfast. You did eat breakfast didn't you? 

When we feel pushed we may want to push against another. We may want to call names or talk louder to be heard. Please know that the others aren't pushing you or pushing against you. Your soul is placing a guiding hand at your back encouraging you to recognize that anything another person does is not a direct reflection of you; what you do is though, so stop and consider how you can use this energy to your benefit. Do you really want to be a better person or are you just saying that because you think you should? Would you want to be an example of compassion and acceptance or does that seem too hard so you will continue to complain and blame others for the way you feel? 

Yes, it feels like someone is squishing us when we are growing but if you give the acknowledgment and ask what can I do to expand and take responsibility, it eases and you can go ahhhhhhhhhhhh. 

Now, having said all of this, you may want to have a way to release the squished feeling and a way to release energy in your tool kit, as not everyone is going to take that leap and ease into the next year because they have gotten used to drama and the feeling of being rushed. That is ok, everyone in their own time. Be the example yourself and when others ask why you are so calm during all of this, you can say, I have learned that I don't want to feel torn up and I can fight energy or I can go with it. I choose to go with it and enjoy my life here! 

Having the ideas at the ready will give you a place to go when you want to explode. During the next few weeks the best course of action is going to be to move that body! Think of yourself as that caterpillar leaving the chrysalis to become the butterfly. You've got to move and groove to be able to leave it with your wings ready to fly! 

Releasing pent up energy is not only great for kids, we adults are still wired in the same way we were as kids, so get out there and boogie! Let's dance through the next week of this energy and be able to say, man, I really loved the way we spent the holidays this year! 

See you on the dance floor, 

Vicki

www.vickibaird.com

We all have a team on board. We have a committee that is here to help us be our best selves, whatever that may be for each of us. That committee is made up of our soul, our mind and our body. Each of us has this committee even if we aren't aware any longer or we plug our listening ears to it.

Our soul is like an individual GPS guiding us on a path that absolutely has a plan, a loose plan. A blue print, so to speak, that acts as an outline for our journey here. We get to fill in the rooms and the add ons but there is one, I promise. Within that blue print is a theme each of us is here to learn. Every soul sets an intention it believes the person can carry through and learn. Isn't it nice to know that your soul believes in you? It doesn't know everything as it is growing and expanding too, but it has vast knowledge to pull from and when we learn to include it, that information is available. Perhaps knowing it is there is the first step.

The mind, including the brain, is an amazing computer. It processes, categorizes, and strategizes for the best of our selves. It has, through it's experiences, created a data base that is wonderful and can be very supportive. While it can contain corrupt files and lead us astray, it is a valuable asset when it is well trained!

The body is amazing at picking up signals and processing information and sending it to the computer of the mind while receiving guidance from the soul at the same time. All while chewing gum and walking! If you don't find that amazing, I have nothing else here for you. The body gives us that gut reaction and inner voice that while subtle, never lies.

So, when you combine them all and actually use them, it makes this life thing a whole lot easier. Believe it or not, it gets to be very fast so you can determine if you want to go to that party for instance or whether you would benefit from taking that job, on the spot.

They can all work independently but that is a lot of work. It saves a lot of time on the crazy train when your brain wants to over think something and when your body feels everything around you if you use them all. The balance of all systems go creates a seamless process. In the beginning it may be a bit like driving a stick shift, but you will get the coordination down soon enough.

How do you do it? Well, first give yourself permission to acknowledge all of these places and use them simultaneously. Then, when you feel that pull or desire for more, you take a moment to tap into that soul self and feel the support. Then you can employ the mind and ask of it "what is it you would like?" After you hear a question or use this example, drop down into your body and feel what the direction could be. When we connect to feelings we get a very keen sense of what is in our best interest.

So, start with something you are not attached to such as, do I even like broccoli or am I eating it out of habit? You could tap in, allow yourself to inquire as to what would be fulfilling in this moment and then feel the answer. However you decide to do it, the time you give yourself will be the real connection point. I wish that for you. That connection to self and then the collection of the team!

Rah rah sis boom bah!

Vicki

www.vickibaird.com

A fun thing is happening to me this holiday season, every time someone says "I am so stressed, I have to buy a present for..." I start giggling, not because they are stressed but because I love irony.  People rush around to buy things for various reasons, because they think they have to, to validate their love, to prove something to someone, and sometimes, because they really want to, while secretly hoping for the appreciation to pour their way.  The irony here is they are creating stress buying presents and totally not being present.

I know I am not the first person to recognize that the holidays have become so hectic, everyone is trying to rush through them to get to January and be done with them. I miss the wonder of the season when it was about decorating, seeing pretty lights, my mother's braided cinnamon bread (the irony here being I have probably been intolerant of gluten my whole life but MAN was it good!) and the sing along we did on Christmas Eve. I wonder when someones company became less important than the latest wish list.

I love giving gifts so I'm not suggesting we forgo that, to anyone under the age of 18, but that we bring some presence into the season. Perhaps we can each ask ourselves what really matters to us and be the teacher of time being precious, not stuff. Not one soul who comes through to me wishes for their stuff but there is always an appreciation of the sweetest memory. I appreciate that my friends and I do time together rather than exchange gifts. Dinner out or a movie or snuggling into the couch with a cup of coffee and catching up is soul food. It nourishes at a level that is hard to explain. It validates we are connected to others and it gives value to the effort that is necessary in any friendship. I'm very blessed to have friends who get this.

How could you be more present this year? Would you like to volunteer? Would you want to say no to a holiday party you didn't want to go to anyway and stay home in your jammies while starring at the lights and giving thanks for whatever you learned this year? Would you like to start a tradition that the family only buy for those that are under an age or height limit? I don't know about you but I don't want to receive a gift someone has stressed over buying. Think of the energy associated with that. blek.

Give yourself the gift of time this year. Set an intention, if it feels right to you, to forgo the pressure of the manic shopping and perhaps make a donation in your family's name to a cause you believe in. I did this one year when I was younger and I remember the surprise of people's reactions but then the appreciation of being part of something they had no clue about but felt so good. I didn't realize then what I was doing had so much meaning, I probably thought it got me out of shopping too, but I am grateful to be aware of it now.

I wish you the gift of being totally present in your own life and seeing the magic that can bring. Sparkles, glitter and miracles.

Blessings,

Vicki

www.vickibaird.com