My 1st Blog Contribution for Mother Manifesto

five Ways to Find Me Time During the Daily Chaos


So Proud to share my 1st blog contribution for Mother Manifesto a fabulous mom community that I am proud to be a part of.

Be Thankful!

During this time of year it is always easy to just get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays but it is important to remember what the holidays are really about. So as Thanksgiving comes upon us I would like to remind everyone that it isn't about the food or the football. It is about family, friends and cherishing the time we get to spend with the ones we love and remembering the ones we lost.

The holidays have always been hard for me for the past 8 years, as I lost some people that were so dear to me that even after this long it still cuts me to the core to not be able to spend my holidays with them. However, after years of trying to come to terms with this loss I have learned that I have to cherish the times we had and remember that although they may not be here physically they are always with me spiritually. It wasn't until I had my son that I truly was able to embrace the holidays again after losing the ones I loved. Now I try to give my son the same memories and appreciation for the holidays that they instilled in me. That is what it is all about. Passing on traditions and creating more memories to cherish. So this thanksgiving, I am most thankful for my son and being able to be the best mother I can be and give him the best life possible. All the hard-work I put in, is for him, so that we he looks back on his life he can have some wonderful memories to cherish of how much he was loved and cared for.

So this Thanksgiving, cherish the ones you love, remember the ones you lost and enjoy the memories you are able to create.  Be grateful for all that you have and be thankful for all that is to come.

From my family to yours I want to wish everyone a very happy, healthy and safe Thanksgiving.

If You Don't Set Boundaries, Who Will??

All to often we forget to set boundaries for those around us. However, if we don't set them who will?Without these boundaries we let people assume that they can treat you however they want, which leads to you allowing others to hurt you. So it is important to set boundaries on what you will and will not tolerate and enforce these by not allowing others to go past your boundaries.

My entire childhood and now adult life I have watched as someone very dear to me has allowed not setting boundaries to deplete their self worth and let them live in fear each day. That is no way to live but given that they have allowed this to go on for so long, that is all they know. This is why as a young woman I always told myself that I would never allow myself to feel that way. That I would always make sure I got the respect I deserved and would uphold my self-worth. Watching first hand how damaging it can be to let someone hurt you emotionally, mentally and physically, I never wanted to feel that way.

With that said, I just want to send out the message that only you can set the boundaries of how you are treated by others. So be firm, be strong and know that you are worth the respect and love you deserve. We all are!!

How Becoming a Mom Changed Me!!!!

No one ever tells you how much your life will change once becoming a mom. I mean it is crazy to think how different my life was before becoming a mom. Not just in what I did but in who I was as a person. Before being a mom, I was very brash and selfish. I lived my life on a whim of doing whatever I wanted without any regard for anyone feelings or thoughts.  I felt alone and empty with a void that could not quite be filled. Boy how all that changed once I held my beautiful little boy in my hands. 

It wasn't until I held my son in my arms and looked into his eyes that I truly understood what love was. At that moment nothing else mattered and from that point on he would always come before me. I never thought that I would feel that way but lord was I wrong.  Crazy how in that instant my whole perspective on life changed. Life wasn't about my wants or needs anymore, but about how I can give this little human being the best chance to achieve greatness and feel loved. You see once I had a child I wanted to be able to do all the things I felt I didn't have as a child growing up. 

Now, although I want to be able to give my son everything and do everything perfectly, as I have grown into my motherhood role, I have realized that nothing is perfect and we have to learn to let go of certain things and just wing it. I mean when my son 1st came I literally drove myself crazy and ragged trying to do everything perfect and be this perfect version of what I thought was a mom. Yet, what I was aiming for was not possible. It left me feeling drained and unable to be the best version of myself.  Now with that said, I try everyday to be the best mom I can be but also find a balance between being a mom and still finding time for me. 

I had to learn that not only am I a mom now but I am still me. I still have needs and wants. So without filling my cup back up, I am not able to fill others cups and be the person I want and need to be. So in becoming a mom it has changed me not just physically and emotionally but also mentally and spiritually. This will continue to evolve as my son grows and I also grow as a person, but I truly am so thankful for my son.  Before him I never wanted kids and was fearful of not being able to be the mom I wanted to be, but now I know that he was brought into my life for a reason.  He truly did open my heart back up from a cold dark place and truly gave me a purpose that I never thought possible. 

So in ending my 1st blog post in such a long time, I want to say thank you for taking the time to read this and share in my journey. Also, that for everyone out there searching for something, it will come when the time is right. Believe that there is a higher power guiding you in your path.  Know that we all evolve and change and with embracing these changes we become a better version of ourselves.  

Faith. Hope. Love. 

Happy to be Back!

After a long hiatus I am finally back to blogging.  A lot has happened in the past year. 

A little update on my life:

In January I was blessed with a Beautiful Baby Boy that has expanded my world in ways I never thought possible.  I took that last 8 months to concentrate on being a mom and enjoying the wonders of watching my son grow and change each and everyday.  With this my passion for life, the environment and activism has been ignited to a whole new level. So lots of blog posts are to come on things I am working on and passionate about.  I hope that everyone will take the time to read these and find them helpful. I am revamping my blog so stay tuned for all the updates and great information.

Try to Focus on the "Good"...

All too often we get caught up in focusing on the negative of life and although it can be difficult, the best thing to do is try and find at least one positive to focus on.  Whether we realize it or not we are inadvertently putting ourselves into a negative and pessimistic mindset, which is just no way to life live. This in turn helps to guide our mood and mindset for the day which can have considerable impact on interactions and goals. Why focus on the negative when all it does and drown you in pessimism and doubt, rather then focus on positive things that motivates and drive you.

Now, like anything in life this takes practice and experience to learn and craft. So know that we all, even myself, have days were the negative overwhelms us but each day you have to try and put your best attempt forward and not let negativity conquer or determine your day.  That is why it is key to find good people to surround yourself with so that they are not draining you with negative energy but rather charging you with the positive energy they give off. Even family can be draining and you have to find a median that is manageable for your life and your serenity.

"Find the Light in Every Situation" 

So, today I ask each and everyone of you to take a moment, breath and try to find at least one positive thing in your life that you have to be thankful for and focus on it. By doing this you can change your whole mindset and perhaps even the course of your day.  So I wish you peace and harmony on this beautiful April day and look forward to my post tomorrow. 

Sincere Love,

Brooke 

Trust Your Intuition...It's Watching Out for You!

My question for everyone today is, How often do you trust your intuition?

I think all too often we tend to forget just how intuitive we can be and start to ignore that inner voice when it tells us things.  However, it is really the reverse that we should be doing.  More often than not your intuition is that inner subconscious mind that is warning you about something and trying to guide you in the right direction. Your intuition is something that is developed through the trial and errors of experiences and lessons learned, so embrace it and listen to it when it speaks to you. 

"Embrace Your Intuition, It Will Always Serve You Well" 

Throughout my life I have experienced much struggle, pain and loss but with this my intuition has learned to identify things that I may not see due to emotions or other things overruling my mind at the moment. So now through experience of trial and error, I have learned that listening to my intuition can help me stay focused and level-headed with situations. Perhaps, we don't realize that our unconscious mind is keeping track of everything and with this you develop a sense of being able to read situations and your intuition is that unconscious mind triggering you that alarms are going off. Now where this gets difficult is that you have to learn how to listen to your intuition and that takes practice and patience.  

I myself know just how difficult it can be to get caught up in day to day life and not listen to or see the so called "signs" that where there.  However, instead of beating yourself up because your didn't realize or see the "signs", turn it into a positive lesson that we are all human and capable of mistakes but also all capable of creating a better us tomorrow. So through this you begin to calm the chaos in your mind and truly clear some space in your mind to have the ability to listen to that inner unconscious mind.  I think all too often we are our worst critics and this is a double-edge sword, so take each day, lesson and experience with stride and know that your intuition is being developed, you just have to listen. shhhhh.......

I will close by saying that I am definitely interesting in hearing anyone stories or questions and I hope you enjoyed this post.  Have a Beautiful Day!

Sincere Love, 

Brooke