Crown your temple with oil and watch your life flourish. -SRJ

The story:

You know the saying… we meet people for a reason, a season or a lifetime? It was August of 2019. I was headed to the neighborhood wine and spirits store. I grabbed a bottle of prosecco and jumped back in the car, before I could pull off a guy was asking me if he could speak to me. I cracked the window and he introduced himself as Shayne. He told me he was in town visiting and asked if he could take me on a date. I immediately said yes. I told him I had a fun activity planned for the next day and if he was open to it he could join. He quickly said yes.

The next day, I asked him to meet me at Chermin, formerly Muse, a place where you could create a custom scent. He showed up with a bottle of Grand Cru champagne, a bucket, two champagne glasses and an open mind. We created Shayne. Our chance meeting led to the birth of something I can’t believe I get to share with the World.

We both fell in-love with the scent and not each other (in case you were wondering.) We created something private and for the first time in it’s production we can share. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

This luxury unisex oil is sweet but strong, draped in sunflower oil and adorned in jasmine, pomelo and vetiver. The avocado oil leaves your skin soft and the citrus and flowers create the perfect blend. This smell will linger in a room long after you left.

Lessons of Vulnerability

Lessons of love through vulnerability

More than just paint on a canvas, it’s a lifestyle.

Welcome to my world, my life and my thoughts.

Finding Yourself: A Journey to You

In a world that's constantly buzzing with activity and demands, it's easy to lose sight of who we are at our core. The journey to finding yourself isn't a destination, but rather an ongoing process of self-discovery, growth, and evolution. Whether you're feeling a bit lost, or simply seeking to understand yourself better, this journey can be both challenging and incredibly rewarding.

Why Finding Yourself Matters

Finding yourself is about more than just figuring out what you like or don't like—it's about understanding your values, passions, strengths, and weaknesses. It's about peeling back the layers of societal expectations, family pressures, and self-imposed limitations to uncover the real you. When you know who you are, you're better equipped to make decisions that align with your true self, leading to a more fulfilling and authentic life.

Steps to Start Your Journey

1. Spend Time Alone

   In a world filled with noise and distractions, solitude can be a powerful tool. Spend time alone to reflect, meditate, or simply sit in silence.

2. Explore Your Interests

   What lights you up? What activities make you lose track of time? Engage in hobbies and activities that bring you joy and fulfillment.

3. Reflect on Your Values

   Your values are the principles that guide your life. Take time to reflect on what truly matters to you.

4. Embrace Change and Uncertainty

   Finding yourself often involves stepping out of your comfort zone. .

5. Seek Inspiration

   Surround yourself with people who inspire you and encourage your growth. Read books, listen to podcasts, or attend workshops that challenge your perspective and push you to think deeper about who you are.

6. Be Kind to Yourself

   The journey of self-discovery is not always easy, and it's important to practice self-compassion along the way.

Embrace Your Authentic Self

As you continue on your journey of self-discovery, remember that finding yourself is not about becoming someone new, but about uncovering the person you’ve always been. It's about embracing your unique qualities, acknowledging your flaws, and celebrating your strengths. The more you understand and accept yourself, the more confident and empowered you'll feel to live a life that's true to who you are.

In the end, finding yourself is a lifelong journey. It's about continuously learning, growing, and evolving. So, take a deep breath, trust the process, and enjoy the beautiful journey of discovering who you truly are.

Fear Is Reversible: Harnessing the Power of Your Mind to Overcome Fear

Fear is a powerful emotion, often overwhelming us in moments of uncertainty or when we step outside our comfort zones. But what if I told you that fear is reversible? That the very thing that seems to paralyze you can be transformed, and that within you lies the power to create a sense of safety and peace, even in the face of fear?

Understanding Fear: A Made-Up Concept

At its core, fear is a survival mechanism designed to protect us from danger. However, many of the fears we experience in our daily lives aren’t based on real, immediate threats. Instead, they’re often tied to ideas, perceptions, or imagined scenarios—things that, in reality, pose no true danger to us.

Training Your Mind to Create Safety

The good news is that just as your mind can create fear, it can also create safety.

Here’s how you can start:

1. Acknowledge the Fear: The first step in overcoming fear is to acknowledge it. Instead of avoiding or suppressing it, face it head-on. Identify what exactly you’re afraid of and why.

2. Challenge Negative Thoughts: Fear often stems from negative thoughts that spiral out of control. When you notice these thoughts creeping in, challenge them. Ask yourself: “Is this fear based on reality or assumptions?” “What evidence do I have that supports this fear?”

3. Shift Your Perspective: Reframe your fear by looking at it from a different angle. Instead of seeing it as a threat, view it as an opportunity for growth.

4. Practice Positive Affirmations: Your positive thoughts are stronger than your negative ones. Use positive affirmations to reinforce your ability to overcome fear. Repeat statements like “I am capable,” “I am safe,” or “I can handle this.”

5. Take Gradual Steps: Confronting fear doesn’t mean you have to take a giant leap all at once. Start with small, manageable steps that gradually expose you to what you fear. Each step you take builds your confidence and weakens the grip of fear.

I’m don’t rest much…

I sleep but I don’t really sit around and rest. It makes me feel lazy, but lately I haven’t had much of a choice. I have been pulled into a much needed resting era. I am slowly learning what rest isn’t… It isn’t long walks or longer bike rides.

Rest reset and sit in stillness. Be at peace with this moment.

As I continue to work on ways I rest, I’ve found a few things I like.

Routine- has some how inspired me to rest. I know when I have breaks and I don’t feel guilty for taking them.

A scent- having a signature scent I spray on the sheets (peppermint) and rub on me (Shayne) helps to relax my mind. It signals to me it’s time to quiet my thoughts.

Warm light bulbs- It gives the house a spa like feel and your body starts to settle down with softer light.

Everyone needs rest, take a second and learn what works for you.

Transition

This word evokes so many emotions for me. Excited, busy, moving, unknown, unsure, uncertain and stuck just to name a few. I am a planner. I want to know the plan, write a checklist and prepare. When you are in transition it’s impossible to plan. You have to take things day-by-day and moment-by-moment, which is terrifying for me.

God, is calling me to stretch and I’m not sure what that looks like. What it feels like… is fear. Transition means the process of changing from one state or condition to another. It simply means to put one foot in front of the other and move. It’s an action word. Keep moving and you will find yourself along the way.

Leave it on the field

…. Do it all! Try it! Really push yourself to complete what you started and when you are done leave it all on the field. Go as hard as you can, because we only have this moment. If not now then when?

When I think about the statement, ‘Leave it on the field,’ I visualize someone playing football. They have minutes left in the 4th Qtr. and it’s time for them to run the ball with one more attempt to score. They are sweating and the pressure is on, they have so many thoughts at once. They lock-in focus and score the game winning touchdown. They look at the crowd and smile-they literally, leave it all on the field, walk away and do it again the next game.

We really have to master putting ourselves all in the game and walking away. So often, we are afraid to simply try.

Operating from a place of peace…

My focus is to maintain my peace despite the situation. Just making that my focus God will allow things into my life that disrupt my flow, so that I can practice.

I’m working on my response to life. Life will happen to all of us- learning to manage my energy around this will help me operate in peace. My goal is to honor myself and move in an authentic way to and for me. There is beauty in stillness. There is grace in the quiet moments. The unraveling will happen, losing my cool will happen. Learning to manage my emotions and energy is the gift.

Keeping a clear head in the midst of a storm is true peace.

Peace & Patience

I’m being stretched to get used to the two P’s, peace and patience, and it is not an easy journey. Trying to remain calm while waiting is hard.

Think about when you are at a green light and traffic is moving slow and you’ve had to wait at that same light for four rotations- I’m sure your patience is stretched thin. I’ve told myself it’s time to stop reaching for instant gratification and learn to enjoy the journey.

The beauty is in the process. Peace is in the finish and patience is a discipline I’m working to master.

Things I’m trying during this journey.

• Finishing what I start, no breaks keep working until the task is done.

• Read the entire article. (from start to end)

• Not rushing to do anything.

• Moving my body. (a quick walk, short bike ride, stretch) Moving helps me to release pent up energy.

• Listen to your body and be mindful of the changes.

  Embracing Inner Stillness: A Journey of Self-Discovery

  As I sit here, enveloped in a blanket of silence, I can't help but wonder: What is my gut telling me? What energy surrounds me in this moment? It's a ritual I've come to cherish, a simple act of sitting in complete tranquility and taking three long, deep breaths.

  With each inhale and exhale, I draw upon my inner energy, seeking to unearth what lies beneath the surface. These clearing breaths serve as a gateway to my innermost thoughts and feelings. In the stillness, I invite the presence of the holy spirit, allowing it to settle my restless energy.

  It's in these moments of quiet reflection that clarity emerges, and with it, a sense of confidence washes over me. Suddenly, I realize that whatever challenges lie ahead, I possess the strength to overcome them. My gut instinct becomes my guiding light, leading me through life's twists and turns.

  For some, creating a calming atmosphere involves the use of scents, candles, or incense. These external aids can help to quiet the mind and open the channels of intuition. But ultimately, it's the act of stillness itself that holds the greatest power.

  I encourage you to join me in this practice. Take a moment now to pause, to breathe, and to listen. What whispers of wisdom rise to the surface when you quiet the noise around you? Embrace the silence, and let it guide you on your journey of self-discovery.

Understanding my grief…

My Brother died in september.

I’m one of seven children, and my 3rd oldest brother died September 2020. While coping with grief, I’ve learned a few things about myself. Here is what I learned:

• I process grief through my stomach- I know this sounds weird but it shows up as a stomach ache, nauseous, nervousness, and eating a little too much.

• To truly understand my feelings, I need to write things down. When I write my feelings, I think through and feel all of my emotions- it cleanses me.

• I cried so hard while writing- I busted a vessel in my eye.

  • I tried to remind myself I am human and to be human means I will feel things. So here is to all the feelings that are in this world to be felt.

    I’m intuitive….

    I remember the day I discovered this about myself. I was at a small dinner party in Brooklyn- at a friend’s house. She served a three course meal, with each dish being better than the last. As we feasted on dessert and endless glasses of wine- I told a group of friends I could read people (which I couldn’t to my knowledge.)

    My friend Ashlie, told me to read her. I sat still for a second and then the words just started to flow from me. She later whispered to me- dag girl you were spot on. One-by-one I went around the table of four saying information I had no clue I knew. Each person confirming it was true.
    
    Growing up, I remember incidents and prophetic dreams that scared me but I never knew I had this gift. I’ve shared and practiced on family and friends-since that night.
    
    When I think of that moment- I am reminded of this- She was discovering her love for cooking and I was discovering a gift that was buried below the depths of my trauma.
    
    If you want me to read you…Click here.

Spa is life.

Currently using…

ihome Zenergy- I got this as a gift and it changed my life. I fall asleep to the sounds of a spa.

Incense- I relax through smell. I know this is weird but if it smells right I can sleep all night- literally. I normally light this as I lay down to say my prayers and the next thing you know I’m sleeping. Don’t worry it burns out on it’s own. I keep it in a ceramic bowl with sand to catch the ashes.

Every good day ends with a cup of tea. This is my current obsession.

One last thing- this is life! I don’t go anywhere without my shower spray. I used to go to the Four Seasons all the time and this is what they use in their steam sauna. Trust me it is a game changer!