So what does happen if there is no knot at the end of your rope? What if when you get there it is slippery, your hands (or paws) won't hang on and you find yourself falling, falling, falling?

Have you experienced this? I bet you have. I bet we all have because life is full of moments that are potentially freaking scary and falling, falling, falling, is scary...until you realize that wait a minute, I always bounce. I always get up, find my way, claw back up to the top of the rope where hopefully there is a platform to stand and catch my breathe and maybe contemplate what the heck just happened and how can we NOT do THAT again?

Many times it isn't the circumstance that is happening but rather how you handle it that determines how well you live and how bounceable you really are.

This week I met with a client who, while knowing life had been extremely tumultuous for her, didn't realize her super power was resiliency. When I pointed this out to her, she was surprised but I could see the belief in herself showing up for perhaps the first time in this life. She has achieved many things in this life but hadn't realized she had that bounce factor and how amazing that really is for a calm, centered life.

If I've learned anything over the last eighteen months, it is to not get too caught up in whatever the experience or emotion is as it will probably bounce along as well if I keep centered. Centered may come after a pretty good crying session or a temper tantrum, in house, or after a good nap. It may come during a good workout or a chat with a friend. In whatever form it takes, it shows up because I have acknowledged that it is my knot. It is the superpower that helps me be in this world and be of service in this wonderful universe we have. No, it's not always easy, but who the heck promised life would be? I didn't see that line in the soul contract. How boring would that be anyway?

Learning to be bounceable (admit it, you just had a vision of a me bouncing) also known as trusting is where I learned I had a knot that I just couldn't see. I have also learned that all the other smaller trials and diversions helped me trust that whatever the outcome of an experience, I will be ok. I will be able to move forward and look for the next side road that shows up. Sure, it has been incredibly scary and tear producing but even that helped me to accept that sometimes things are just hard and that's ok. That knot will always be moving and may be invisible at other times but the knowing that I have it will be the strength that helps me hang on to that rope or cliff or side of the building. Ooooh, zip line. I want to do a zip line! Sorry, got distracted by the fun that life has to offer too.

So trust in ourselves and the universe eventually leads us to the knowing that whatever road we were on, we will eventually find our direction again and our endurance.

• What is your rope? 
• Is it your faith? 
• Your belief in the universe? 
• Your commitment to working out? 
• Your track record of thriving through some tough times or are  you just developing it now and could use some help in tying your knot.

Ask yourself how have you made it through and eventually learned from past experiences? Also think of when you have seen others hold it together, or not, but move through trying experiences and advance themselves both emotionally and spiritually. What did they do that may inspire you to try?

However you find the knot, create a reminder that you have it. Place a sticker on your odometer, a reminder on your phone, a bracelet or something that says, hey, you have created a safe spot, why don't you use it? You do have your own knot of superpower. I know it. If you can't find it, come see me. I will introduce you.

Knot kidding....you rock,

Vicki

www.vickibaird.com

One of the fascinating human processes that happens when something ends in our lives is we do a retrospective. A review of the movie so to speak. It doesn't seem to matter if this is a job that ended, a move out of a neighborhood or a relationship end through break up or a passing. I know it is a way to practice the life review we will go through after we pass. The benefit of the review when we cross is there is not ego, or self critic, involved as it remains with the physical body. Isn't that refreshing? Something to strive for here, wouldn't you say?

I happen to be someone that likes to look under layers and see what is there and why it may be impacting me today. I see it as an adventure even when I am covering my eyes and looking through the fingers at whatever it is I want to explore. Sometimes it takes bravery to look within and I want to help everyone discover that bravery and looky look look look at all that makes them amazing. It is in those layers. Sure, some of it we want to fling out the window and we can, but some of it is so stinking wonderful and most of us just don't see it within ourselves, until another points it out.

In retrospect, I have become incredibly grateful to the relationship I had with my husband. I had, and expressed gratitude to him when he was here, but after his passing, and without putting him on any pedestal, I realized we really did have a great marriage. We had some really hard experiences in our time together, I believe it's called life, yet what I have come to appreciate is that we both really respected each other and worked diligently to keep that respect alive by being the best we could be individually. I know I had some moments where I wasn't being my best and so did he, but we handled it with this other thing we cultivated in our marriage; friendship.

It takes time to develop a true friendship. I know you can click on my name and request I be your friend but that isn't true friendship. We've become a drive- thru society where people expect to have a certain steps met in a dictated time frame and know for sure what they want in life and in relationships. What I have come to realize over the last eighteen months especially, is that I wouldn't trade all of those trying times in our marriage if it meant I was to rush through and not be with my friend all of those years because we didn't take the time to get to know each other and commit to not only being lovers, partners in business, and parents, but truly good buddies too.

I will admit it is a double whammy when I want to tell my friend who was also my husband something that happens and he isn't here physically to hear it, but the awareness that we did a damn good job even with the pressures of life; that is a comfort.

One of the other things I have realized is that in being such good friends in life, I knew how to begin being a friend to myself after Howard passed. I wasn't always the best friend to me when he was here because he filled that role so well. He got my sense of humor. He would tell me when someone was taking advantage of my kindness and I didn't see it.  He knew my fears and while he really stunk, until about six months before he passed, at being able to just give me a hug when I cried, he gave the best hugs ever! He also fiercely believed I could do anything. ANYTHING! He told the nurses I was going to get him home from the hospital, even though they said he probably wouldn't survive the ride, because I loved him. Of course I did, loved him and got him home. He was my best friend. A friend, whom to this day, I take care of myself because I made him that promise and friends don't break promises like that.

It is without a doubt that because we were two individual people, with different interests but a common desire to do the best we could with what we had at the time, that he completed his journey and I am learning how to be that friend for myself. I know his ability to love me so deeply has helped me to love myself now.

The reason I share all of this is it occurred to me that some may not know that this level of caring is available to them. I have also really come to realize that not all have experienced the connection I know to be possible, albeit necessary to do the work, in this lifetime.  I know I wouldn't have known it without a partner who was determined to show me I was worthy of love and I was willing to show him the same. We all are worthy and deserving of that. Everyone. All of us. Especially you.

I know the statement you can never love another until you love yourself is said a lot and I don't actually believe that. I could not have learned to love myself without Howard being the mirror to reflect that love. While I stand firm in the knowing we can cultivate that love within ourselves, and attract it into our lives, I do believe an example is sometimes needed. There are no perfect relationships but if our twenty seven years can stand as that example for someone, I am honored for both of us.

I am here to tell you on this February love holiday, Howard's birthday of course, what did you think I was going to say? So, anyway, on this holiday I am here to tell you to be persistent, be committed to excellence in relationships, first with yourself and then others, be truthful to yourself and don't settle for good enough.

If you are brave enough to come into this Earth experience, you are brave enough to look within and know what you want from all of the relationships in your life. You are brave enough to be retrospective of what you have settled for in the past and perhaps be grateful yourself for what you see there as well. I know we aren't the only ones who were able to love another so much we ended up loving ourselves in the process. Look around. There are examples. Be willing to do the work required too. Loving oneself isn't for sissies. It is hard work sometimes, but the peace that comes from the soul when you do is absolutely tangible.

I wish for you the love that lights you up inside. A love for life, for self, for others, for sunshine, for puppies, for art, for the Earth and for whatever makes your world amazing. I wish for you a love that has not only hindsight, but foresight to help create it to be more than you could possibly imagine. I wish for you the knowledge that you deserve to experience it in your life and sure, you may have to trust a little and you may have to be brave, but you can do that. I know you can. I've seen the love in you and reflect it back.

Many blessings,
Vicki

www.vickibaird.com

I have heard from so many people asking how do they handle the energy and circumstances of life lately. I have waited and thought about whether to respond in a public way and then decided that I have to or I would be doing a disservice since so many are asking.

 I am asking. I have asked myself what the heck is going on on an almost daily basis. It normally takes A LOT for me to be upset, cranky or mad but these last couple of weeks I have felt like I needed to be the groundhog and go back under to protect those around me from what could be a fascinating spew of words. Perhaps you have felt this way too.

No doubt we are being asked to practice the skills we have in place and to develop even more of them. Mostly patience, tolerance and love, I believe. While I can not say to the whole reason we have conflict or challenges in our lives, I do know for a fact they are there as a way to help us rise up and see what we care capable of. Not everyone is going to take that challenge as one of growth. They may react rather than respond. They may lash out and accuse and they may show a side of themselves you have never seen before. Maybe you are that person. Maybe you are seeing aspects of yourself you haven't realized were there. Maybe you don't like it. Fantastic! We can only change when we realize there is something there to be changed!

I am not only referring to the political landscape, because I will NOT get into that, but the energy of the universe and the request that we, as humans, need to keep growing and asking more of ourselves. That is the process of the soul and there is no getting around it. Each being is sending out a signal of growth and while they may not like it, or want to respond to it, it happens. It makes people downright miserable sometimes.

What I can suggest in this experience is to remind yourself that you are not responsible for how someone else acts, behaves or speaks. You are responsible for you and how you are in the world. The world is going to change. It is not always going to be of your liking. It is not the worlds job to make sure you are ok with it. It just isn't. Get over that if that is your thinking.

 Our response to the world and the actions of it's people IS up to us. Holding any kind of fear, hate, resentment or accusatory energy will effect the world sure, but it will completely effect your life first. When we hold this energy it not only changes the cells within our body, it emanates and then creates more conflict in the world. We all get mad. I think that is great. Emotions matter. What we do with the emotions may matter even more because it then becomes the example of who we are.

How many times have you lashed out in anger or in hurt and then thought about it after and realized that is NOT who you are but how you were feeling at the time? If you do it a lot; you need to look within and get clear on why this is who you want to be and if there is anything you can do about it.

I have a theory that people who are lashing out are doing so because they are mad about who they are inside. Remember, each person is the only one who really knows what is going on inside and can speak with authority on themselves. So often unresolved issues are just below the surface ready to come out but we are afraid to look at it or ask ourselves what the heck we are doing. Then when someone cuts us off in traffic, disagrees with who we like or what we believe, the match is lit and the powder keg goes off. It is so much easier to point the finger out and not realize there are three pointing back at oneself. So much easier to say, they are wrong, or dumb or misinformed than to say, wait a minute; maybe that is my sh*t.

There are going to be issues in life. There are going to be problems and disappointments. There are going to be arguments and there are going to be people you don't like. That is fine. That is life. How you respond to these circumstances are a good indication of how peaceful you feel on the inside. The problems aren't the issue. The way they get addressed are.

Feel passionate about your life. Feel what is in alignment and what isn't. Feel how you would like your life to be and who you would like in it. But for goodness sake, do not think for a moment that it is miserable because of someone else's doing. If it is miserable, realize that and do something to change it. Once you get that, and really get it, then step forward and create change. Then use your voice to communicate how life could be different. Then educate.

So many people are yelling at the top of their lungs lately that they can't even hear the voice within. I get being ticked off. I understand frustration and anger. I do not understand being mean to another and I certainly do not understand how when we all have a soul and heart we can't be accepting of
ourselves and others.

Yes, the energy is freaking nuts right now. Yes, people are not happy with their lives (please see above on what to do about that) and yes, it is still winter in many places (I'd like to point out that it IS February. Of course it's winter!) but external circumstances only effect your life if you let them. Get clear on what you are really upset about and then address that. I promise you, when you do that, the ups and down in energy will be something you realize is there, but not something that takes you out of enjoying the beautiful life we are blessed to have on this planet.

I heard a quote today on a podcast I was listening to with Dr. Jordan Metzi. He said "if you aren't actively building it; you are losing it." While he was talking about supportive muscle fibers, I heard it as a more internal process of if we aren't practicing self care, kindness, love or acceptance, we are going to lose it. I believe in our ability to create a world where these muscles get flexed on a regular basis. I believe in our hearts and souls and I believe in you.

Be the change you wish to see in the world is not only a quote often used in the spiritual world; it is a credo we can all aspire to.

Be that change, please.

Vicki

www.vickibaird.com

This isn't a surprise to you, but 2017 is here. It has been here for a few days and so far, so good. The sun even came out in the Berkshire's today! A January gift for sure just when people were getting a little desperate to see something shimmery.

It really shouldn't surprise us that it is grey here from December to March on most days, however, it does when following a particularly challenging 2016. I don't believe in blaming a year for the issues that come up in our lives. I've heard so many people saying good riddance to the year. That is stunk and it took so many things and people from us. No, no it did not. A year does not have that kind of power, but I can understand how it could feel that way.

2016 in numerology was a 9 year. 9 are endings and in my experience often bring out the level of not being able to take this you know what anymore. Everyone faced endings of some sort in their lives this year. Relationships, jobs, hopefully unsupported habits, homes, and yes, even physical lives. This is natural and we can't really have beginnings without endings. Even with all of this, which happens every year by the way, light shines through.

This last year gave us so many opportunities to show our true selves and people really did. A lot of people saw what needed to be done and stepped up. They saw their own light and allowed it to show others. It was definitely an act of courage if you allowed yourself to see a glimmer of who you are and allowed it to peek out a little too. Good for you. Maybe shining bright didn't happen yet; that is ok, because what follows endings? You've got it; beginnings.

2017 is a one year. Beginnings. Did you just take a nice deep breath? Good job! Now, much like a nine year can't be the reason for all the things that happen; a one year can't either.  You have to get involved in the blessing that is your life. Can you go along and just be pulled by the current? Sure, you can absolutely do that, but then you may not complain about anything in my presence. Can you decide to do something about giving this beginning its due? Of course you can. Act. Act on something to increase the enjoyment of your life.

The energy this year feels so full of excitement. Remember that excitement can often present to our systems as anxiety so check in and feel what you are feeling. I know the last three days I have felt like my stomach was going to flip right out of itself. At first I thought it was a return of that stomach bug that I chose to end 2016 with but it isn't. Phew! Thank goodness, it's excitement! For what? Well, whatever is unfolding in front of me. For some the unknown is a fearful thing but once you realize that everything is a form of unknown until it happens so we are always in the place of not knowing for sure, you get good at going with the flow. The practice of learning to trust in that not known is the real gift to oneself to develop. I highly recommend it.

To be in that trust, you would look to what you already know about yourself and the life skills you have. See? You've got this!

So, this year with all it's excitement is generating momentum for whatever you would like to move forward with. Energy does not discriminate. You can excel if you are willing to participate. There will be a great deal of emphasis on deciphering who is supportive in your life and who may need to exit stage left. For some of us, the last year made this abundantly clear but acting on it will carry into this year. The releasing of relationships can be done with respect for all parties. It's called being an adult and mature. Really focus on this if you find yourself clearing up your inner circle.

As we clean up that circle, the people who are most in alignment with our beliefs, goals, heart and intention will naturally be attracted to us. Sure, it may take some time to manifest this community in the physical and yes, you may have to actually leave your house to meet them, but the energy will be there to help you. Use it!

So, given that everything is fluid, take the next few days and think about what you may have seen come to completion last year and what could be a beginning this year. Also, do some inventory of relationships around you and including with yourself decide if there is anything there that could change for the better this year. Then, what is one thing you could do to contribute to the success of that today. It starts now.

Happy beginnings,
Vicki

www.vickibaird.com

I keep hearing people say how they are so busy and it is because of the holidays. I want to call bs on this. Why? Because I hear it in the summer too and then the fall because of school and then the spring because of yardwork.

It's fine if you are busy. Life can be. But at some point, you may want to listen to how often you are saying you are busy. Too busy. 

What are you too busy for? Connecting with yourself, others, appreciating nature, being creative? 

Increasing your wisdom, exercising, learning an instrument or a language? Volunteering, sleeping, mentoring someone or deepening your spirituality? 

How about being still? Is what what you are too busy for and are avoiding by keeping the go, go, go going? 

I feel like most people are so afraid to hear the voice within that may suggest they aren't happy or in line with their life that they keep piling on the responsibility to ensure that doesn't happen.  

I'll clue you in to something; when you come for a session, that is what I am listening to. I am pausing to hear what your voice has been trying to communicate to you but couldn't get through because the busy signal was so loud nothing else could be heard. 

So, what if you said no to the go,go,go? What if you gift yourself some quiet time and ask the voice inside what it wants to say? It is the holidays. Why not self gift?

When getting quiet remember to turn off all electronics. The length of time is not so important as much as the intention to spend the time. 

That thing that's been bugging you? It's in that quiet moment. As is the communication of why you feel less than thrilled with your life.  It isn't the traffic, or the bills or someone else's behavior. It is what is not being given a voice. I promise you. 

You don't have to put up a billboard announcing what you've discovered about yourself. Unless you want to, of course. Be brave. Be willing to hear it.  

Until you say yes to hearing this voice; you are not living authentically you. Sure, it takes courage. But you've got that in droves. Go for it. 

Say yes to you,

Vicki

http://www.vickibaird.com

You don't have to love everyone, but you may want to be able to recognize why it is you don't love them and heal that aspect within yourself.

This last week has been incredibly challenging for all of us. One would think that could be unifying but as a human species, we aren't there yet. We will be one day, it is a knowing to my soul and a hope to my heart that we do. The soul will hold the knowing until the physical part of us gets to the same vibration. It's ok, we will do it, all at different rates, but we will.

You know that expression that art imitates life? Well, this last week I've become so aware that my life is imitating my younger life today and I thought it may be the same for others too. I believe we are more similar than different so today I take a leap of faith to share what I've been realizing and maybe you are feeling too. Perhaps there can be healing from it for others and yes, for myself, too.

Each of us are compilations of our experiences and our teachings. A group of people witnessing the same event often see it and process it very differently. We have all witnessed a roller coaster of emotions through this last week and have come to see people in our lives differently too. I think this is a really good thing, and sometimes we can't see it until the band aid is ripped off.

Band aid ripping can come in many forms. It can be an election that didn't favor your party, or it can be someone cheating on you, or it can be someone passing, the losing of a job, or a stubbing of a toe that is the last straw. Painful that it may be, those band aids occasionally need to be ripped to wake us up and to get some air to the hurt that is underneath.

My band aid happened a few years ago when I realized Howard was not going to be in my physical life for much longer. It isn't my favorite skill, being able to know someone is leaving my life by passing or the ending of a relationship, but it does help me to prepare. While I could get myself in place to experience it physically, the emotions that come up after are often as much of a crap shoot as anyone's process. I decided that whatever I was going through, I was going to feel it, understand it to the best of my ability and use it to improve on the version of Vicki I experience every day.

So while it is painful some days, I embrace that because it means I am feeling. I am connecting with what is my true heart and how I experience it is through the past that is me. Feeling isn't a bad thing. Sitting in your sorrow isn't helpful, but feeling is a great gift. It brings up the crap that gets pushed down that we feel we have dealt with but haven't. I suspect that is part of why people are hurting so much in upheaval of this election process. The long, drawn out election process, rather representative of life, isn't it?

People are facing the hurts that they've buried and the wounds that were beneath the band aid for so long they can't even remember what put the injury there. Then when they don't feel they can deal with the feelings, they project them out on to others and what must have made them feel bad today and it isn't totally true so it begins another cycle of burying.

As we faced so much name calling and bullying with finger pointing, not only in national news but local as well, I realized we all have dealt with that in our lives. Somewhere someone told us that what we feel didn't matter and a part of our subconscious believed it, so it started stuffing until it wasn't possible anymore. We all experience it to a different degree and while I won't even pretend to understand what someone may go through as persecution for what beautiful skin they have or where they were born; I do know what it feels like to be told to not be smart. To shut up and not share what I know. To be told that I was too strong for people and I intimidate them. To be told not to cry or I would get something to cry about. That I felt too much or I didn't feel enough for someone's liking. That when I shine, it makes others feel bad so I need to stop doing that.

Growing up I took beatings. I brushed them off as discipline until recently. I even joked that maybe the beatings I took several times a week shook something up in my head to make it possible for me to be as intuitive as I was. I joked away abuse. I made it ok that my father beat me because someone else might be uncomfortable with it. Someone else might not want to discuss what happened in our home or may not see it the way I did because their experience was different but you know what? That wasn't helping. That wasn't airing out the wound so it could heal and it certainly wasn't helping me to realize that it is perfectly ok to not love my father.

This is the life imitating life part. Current day events helping me to see what I wasn't looking at within from my past. When I came to the conclusion, with the help of my theracoach, Belief Re-patterning and tissues, that I didn't have to love him, I realized it made room for me to love me. It made room for my truth and who I am, and am discovering I am, every day. It made room to say what I went  through wasn't ok and others didn't step in to stop it, and that wasn't ok either. I eventually stood up to him and said if he hit any of us again, he was going down. My fifteen year old self was a good bluffer. My forty seven year old self is tired of bluffing. She's done loving everyone and all their conscious choices and bullying. She is done justifying why someone would act the way they did because of their past and therefore making their hurt ok but not her own. She is done with the idea that we have to love everyone. We don't.

What I believe we do have to do is heal ourselves so that when we encounter a person who is not representing their soul well, we will feel strong in who we are enough to educate, speak up, help another or walk away, but walk away because of choice to not engage rather than because we don't want to upset someone else.

Realizing I didn't love my father and really couldn't because of the choices he made over the years in his life with me, doesn't mean I don't respect him. He worked his tail off to support eight kids and a household. He often worked several jobs to do so. I can appreciate where he came from in his childhood experience and I can even feel empathy for his path. What I choose not to do any longer is make the decisions he and my mother made in how they raised us with physical abuse be justified.

I don't bring this up for you to feel sorry for me. I bring it  up to point out that when I let go of the burden of carrying the should around loving him, I felt lighter and I hope he does as well in spirit.  I felt free to love the way I love. I feel more love for the human's I share this Earth with because I have opened my heart to love myself.

  It takes courage to love big.

When you carry around hate of another, you hurt yourself. When you hang on to the should's of life, you burden your own energy. When you can't see that you have freedom, and so do others, to love whom they want, to vote for whom they want and to not love whom they want; you get in the way of loving yourself.

It may take people a long time to be able to come to this place within themselves. That is ok. Others are not your concern. You are. Great changes can be made one soul at a time.

So, while we do not have to love another or their policies, we do have to learn to love ourselves so that any wounds that may be in there are healed. Are you up for the challenge? Your soul believes you are and so do I. Let's go! I'll help.  Let's flood this planet with authentic presence and a direction of healing.

It takes incredible courage to love big and honest.

Courageously yours,
Vicki

No, this is not a tell you who to vote for blog. No one has that kind of power over us, which is shown by entering the booth alone, vote how you want to. It is a check in to see how you are directing your energy.

Every being in the universe emits energy. Every thought process creates a ripple in our world. That is why it is so important to be aware of how you truly feel and what you are offering in the way of the your personal signal. See this is the thing; we are individually responsible for what we project. So you alone can control if you help or hinder your life.

No one can be upbeat or "positive" all the time. It isn't possible given that emotions ebb and flow. However, when one participates in joining the ruckus or drama going on, it increases it and makes whatever that is being paid attention to greater. Energy goes where energy flows so no matter what you are speaking and feeling about; you are creating.

So, for instance, if you are re-telling a story over and over again of what has happened in the past or fears of what could happen (ahem, election Tuesday), you are contributing to the outcome possibly being the "scary" prospective.

It takes practice to be able to speak honestly without drama and without fear projecting. It is so worth the practice. Energy does not flow backwards. It does not understand you "don't" want something. It feels out the vibration and runs with it. So, you can be saying you don't want to have a tyrant for a boss but because energy only flows forward, it will be processed as you DO want one. Negating words are a human creation. No one asked energy if it wanted to vote on this, so it keeps doing what it is so good at; answering the request as always saying yes.

The Law of Attraction is not a new concept and I'm probably telling you what you already know, but in case you didn't or you have simply forgotten, and that's ok, I would like to remind you that you have a choice in how your energy is perceived and how it helps to create your life. Sure, that means there is responsibility in what you are saying and feeling, but isn't that a great thing? Doesn't it feel good to think about what you DO want. How you DO want to feel?

It is easy to get rapped up in trying to convince others to think, feel or act in the way you do, but that is a complete waste of time if you aren't in alignment with yourself because you won't be offering a signal that is in your favor anyway. You will be contributing to the force of what you don't want if you get caught up in proving you are right. Drop that crap. It's so exhausting.

So, as we, in the United States, move toward the election this week, remember when you are talking, posting on social media, complaining with others or worrying in your head; all of that matters. If you want to help, present in support of what or whom you would like to see represent. If someone wants to drag you into their drama tell them you have given up the drama to the llamas so you will have to pass while you line your personal energy to help.

The bottom line is everyone has their own truth and we can be kind even if we don't agree but we can't complain if we didn't align with our own in the first place.

Know your own energy first,
Vicki

www.vickibaird.com