Break out of your comfort zone, today!

This year is all about breaking out of your comfort zone and experiencing your life in a whole new way.   It is all about dropping all the limitations that you have put on your life so that you can feel safe and secure!  It is time to drop all your beliefs on "who you are" and try something new.  It is time to let go, leap and know that the net will appear! 

Here's your chance to try something new, as you travel on your path to becoming more of who you are! Please by your tickets today! https://legooptimacannbisdinners.bpt.me

Cannabis 101

It dawned on me today that if I'm (Lego Optimo) hosting San Diego's first legal recreational cannabis paired dinner, that I better give some basic facts to those attending this historic dining experience.  So, here are some of the basics of cannabis that will make your experience even more meaningful and memorable.

Cannabis and Cannabinoids:  Cannabinoids of which there are hundreds of them, are the chemical compounds that give the plant it's magical powers!

Here's what cannabinoids do:

• Cannabinoids react with our body’s own endocannibinoid system.
• Cannabinoids bind to either the CB1 or CB2 receptor in our brain.
• The two most well known cannabinoids are THC and CBD.
• THC is a psychoactive cannabinoid.
• CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid.
• High CBD products are a great option for people who do not want to get ‘high’.
• CBD counteracts psycho-activity created by THC.
• THC and CBD work together synergistically to treat illness, this is called the ‘entourage’ effect.

Types of cannabis strains: Cannabis is a plant. Like any plant, it comes in different strains (varieties) and each strain has its own flavor/smell profile and effects. The three main groups are sativa, indica, and hybrid.

• Sativas are mentally stimulating and good for daytime use. Their euphoric effects make them useful for treating depression. In general, sativas maintain functionality while expanding self awareness. Many people use sativa strains to help them with creative endeavors.
• Indicas provide more of a “body high”. Patients suffering from insomnia, PTSD or cancer find relief with indica strains due to their tendency to stimulate appetite and provide serious relaxation along with opiate-like pain relief.
• Hybrids are a cross between an indica and a sativa. They have some characteristics of each plant.
• A useful way to remember the differences in medicinal effects between Sativa and Indica types of Cannabis are the phrases “Sunny Sativa” and “In the couch Indica”.

Outdoor Grown vs. Indoor
Marijuana is either grown outside under the sun or it is grown inside, often in a more industrial setting.

• Outdoor grow operations often work with organic practices and avoid the use of heavy, industrial chemicals.
• Indoor growers use artificial light and may use a variety of chemicals to keep the crop healthy.
• In either case, before you buy marijuana, the end product should be lab tested for chemicals and bacterial growth that may be hazardous to your health.

THC vs. CBD: The active ingredient in most cannabis is THC or tetrahydracannabinol.

• THC is in a family of compounds known as cannabinoids, which are closely related to pain relieving molecules in our own bodies. This relationship is what makes THC an effective medicine because it mimics what your body already does to help itself with various symptoms. THC is a clinically proven sleep aid and pain killer and can reduce vomiting and nausea, suppress muscle spasms, and stimulate appetite. It also releases dopamine in the brain resulting in euphoria for the user. This side effect is what makes the user feel “high”.
• CBD, or cannabidiol, is another cannabinoid found in cannabis. CBD is nonpsychoactive (it won’t make you feel “high”). Like THC, CBD works with systems your body already has in place to provide relief for various symptoms. However, CBD’s effects are more wide ranging. It has been known to help with pain relief, killing or slowing bacterial growth, reducing blood sugar levels, reducing vomiting/nausea, reducing seizures/convulsions, reducing inflammation, reducing risk of arterial blockage, inhibiting cancer/tumor cell growth, treating psoriasis, managing psychosis, suppressing muscle spasms, reducing anxiety, promoting bone growth, modulating immune fluctuations, reducing intestinal contractions, and protecting nervous system degeneration.

Note:  Reactions to Cannabis Differ
Every person is unique when it comes to marijuana and how you react may be different to your friend.

• Reactions differ to not only the main cannabinoids, but to different products as well as dosages.
• Before you begin, know if you are comfortable with the feeling of getting ‘high’.
• Start small! If you smoke, take a half second puff and wait ten minutes to see how your body reacts.
• If you buy a product, such as an edible, read the label carefully and take a quarter, to half the recommended dose the first time.
• Always wait to see how your body reacts before ingesting more marijuana.
• Different products take longer to take effect, be patient!
• Micro dosing is important - start small and work your way up to the recommended dosage.

Smoking is NOT required!  Ways to consume cannabis have come a long way, baby and there are a wide array of products. You don’t have to smoke your medicine anymore!

• Flowers, or strains, refer to the unprocessed green marijuana flower you can buy at the dispensary.
• Pre rolls are joints made from different strains.
• Edibles encompass all foods and technically drinks that can be taken orally.
• Concentrates are cartridges for vape pens, resins, oils, waxes, hash and rosin.
• Capsules are pills that can be taken; these are often high in CBD.
• Vape pens allow you to ingest marijuana from an oil cartridge with a discreet pen.
• Elixirs or tinctures are often taken directly under the tongue and can be very mild to intense.
• Sublingual sprays are sprayed under the tongue and as with elixirs, take effect quite quickly.

Now that you are armed with the knowledge, go ahead and buy your tickets to San Diego's first legal recreational cannabis paired dining experience.  And come experience the new world of legal cannabis!

Be a part of San Diego's first sophisticated dining experience for the cannabis connoisseur !

Happy New Year my friends! As most of you know, recreational cannabis is now legal! What you may not know is that I have started a new company with a seasoned Cannabis Sommelier called Lego Optimo.

Lego Optimo is a fine dining and entertainment event company that offers access to educational information and spirited cannabis culinary experiences. It is our mission to educate San Diegans about cannabis and how to responsibly incorporate it into their lives, including their culinary experiences. 

All that being said, I would love to invite you and your nearest and dearest friends to attend our very first dinner on January 25th at 6pm to 9 pm at an undisclosed location.

Here are the details:

This fine dining experience will include a private tour of one of San Diego’s most premier recreational cannabis retail shops, followed by a four course locally sourced dinner created by Flor Franco of Franco’s on Fifth and Benito Molina, celebrity chef and one of the three judges for MasterChef Latino on Telemundo.  The four courses will be paired with four strains of cannabis, chosen by a cannabis sommelier in collaboration with the chefs.  This is NOT an infused dinner and cannabis consumption is optional. The unique evening will also include cannabis education from local cannabis growers and vendors, music from local artists and will be an event that will be unforgettable. To purchase tickets or for more information, please visit the event website at https://legooptimacannbisdinners.bpt.me or contact the organizers at 619-846-9886.

This dinner is the first of a series of six dinners.  Each dinner will provide attendees with a completely unique dining experience. Flor Franco and six different well-known chefs, including Javier Plascencia, will create the cuisine for each dinner. The cannabis strains paired with each dinner will reflect a broad range of growing styles, locales, flavors and effects.  And, all dinners will include a private dispensary tour, local music and education on a wide range of cannabis 

If this dining experience doesn't interest you, I would be most grateful if you can pass it along to other folks who might be interested.  There are only 25 tickets available so please act today! 

Reflecting and looking forward

As this year comes to a close, I reflect on how much I've learned, let go of and how much I still need to learn.  I spent this holiday with a childhood friend, who has been suffering from depression and despair since her husband died four years ago.  For many reasons, I thought that her visit to San Diego would perhaps give her a new, fresh perspective on her seemingly hopeless life.  I however was quite wrong!  Despite all my best attempts she could never surrender enough to see the love and light that was right in front of her.

Now that she is on her way back home, I am left feeling truly sad, wiped out and really tired.  I also feel enlightened by the experience.  For you see, over twenty years ago, I too suffered from what seemed to be intractable depression.  Watching her struggle and fume about how life has "screwed" her over, made me realize how incredibly blessed I am to have healed myself.  The only difference between my friend and I is that I was willing to do anything to heal myself. I was willing to let go of the people, places and things that served no purpose in my life.  I was willing to learn new things every day and be open to new experiences.  I was willing to change.

My friend's visit during these holidays ends a year of awakenings.  A year of awakening to many of the illusions that I chose to give my power to and that I now choose to release to the universe.  I now choose to let go of all the illusions that made me feel powerless and less than.  I let go of all the beliefs that made me feel less than enough.

New year's day is a Super Full Moon, which is the perfect time to let go of all your old limitations.  It is time to shine a light on all the illusions that no longer serve you any purpose.  It is time to forgive everyone, including self. It is time to dream a new dream for an incredibly blessed and abundant new year.  It is time for you to become more of who you are!  Be open to the limitless possibilities that await you in the New Year. Let go and let the new come in! Let go and let life love you!!

The times they are a changin'

In November of 2016, the citizens of California voted to approve Proposition 64, which mandates that recreational use of marijuana be legal. Voters passed the bill by a margin of 56%, and California became the fifth state in the nation to legalize recreational marijuana. On January 1st, if you are over the age of 21, you can legally walk into a licensed dispensary and purchase recreational marijuana.

Although the exact details regulating the recreational use, production and distribution still need to be reviewed and adjusted by  state regulatory agencies and local municipalities, what is clear is that Californians want to consume cannabis and that the opportunities to fill their need to learn about and to help them incorporate cannabis into their daily lives are limitless.

And here's where we come in! Recognizing the limitless possibilities of the new recreational cannabis industry, we have joined forces with a savvy seasoned cannabis industry expert, Joshua Timmerman, to form a new company called Lego Optimo. Lego Optimo is a fine dining and entertainment event company that offers access to educational information and spirited cannabis culinary experiences. It is our mission to educate San Diegans about cannabis and how to responsibly incorporate it into their lives, including their culinary experiences.

It is our goal to be among the first companies who blaze the trail of the new cannabis frontier. To that end, we will be holding our first sophisticated dining experience in January. Please follow us as we take the road less traveled, again.  This time we create history!

The science of mind wandering

Last week, I watched a documentary on NHK World TV that focused on stress and how it is literally and figuratively "killing us". I couldn't stop thinking about it!  The documentary highlighted several studies being performed around the world researching why some people are able to handle stressful situations and others have great difficulties overcoming challenges, even becoming depressed and despondent. It scientifically documented the effects of  "Mind Wandering" and how it is blocking happiness in our lives.  It made me think how much time I am spending away from the present moment, the only moment that is real and what's it's doing to my happiness quotient. I'm hoping that it will do the same to you!

First, let's start with the anatomy of the fight and flight response.  From the days of the "caveman", mankind was gifted by the "fight or flight" response.  It gave prehistoric man the ability to escape from predators through the stimulation of the adrenal glands which secretes adrenaline and cortisol.  Those hormones, secreted in response to a threat like a big animal, caused the caveman's pulse to quicken, brain to focus and blood sugar to rise, giving him the strength and agility to flee the threat to his life.

Although we have evolved enormously since the days of caveman, our bodies still secrete adrenaline and cortisol in response to a "perceived" threat.  However, the threats to our well being today don't usually require us to run, flee or to gain physical strength.  In fact, most of our stress is created by a term called "wandering mind", a termed coined by a group of scientists that were studying the causes and the effects of stress.

The study showed that unlike other animals, human beings spend a lot of time thinking about what is not going on around them, contemplating events that happened in the past, might happen in the future, or will never happen at all. In fact the study show that “mind wandering” appears to be the human brain’s default mode of operation. 

Put more simply, we all spend more time in this present moment thinking about past events or worrying about future ones than experiencing what is going on right in front or around us. 

Furthermore, the study also found that even when we are thinking about positive or neutral past or future events, our brain senses these wandering thoughts as "stress" and subsequently releases the stress  hormones, even though there is no "real" danger.  The result of this constant release of stress hormones is a myriad of physical diseases, heart disease, diabetes and some believe even cancer.   Mainly, mind wandering leads to unhappiness and an dis-ease state.

The study concluded that "a human mind is a wandering mind and a wandering mind is an unhappy mind.  You and I however now have been enlightened by the studies' findings.  We can now choose to find happiness in this present moment.

I now encourage you to enjoy, relish and focus on the present moment.  It is where your true power resides and now according to many scientific studies, is where your true happiness lies.  Don't miss the beauty, love, peace and the happiness happening right in front of you, right now.  Namaste...love your life 'cause it is flying by!

It's your lucky day!

Today, according to astrologers is the luckiest day of the year! It is the day that Jupiter, the planet of luck and abundance, meets up with the Sun and shines favor upon all actions and intentions. It is a time for expansion and manifestation.     

Although I say I feel "lucky" every day, I'm not certain I really believe in the concept of "luck".   The dictionary defines luck as 'believing that whatever happens, either good or bad, to a person in the course of events is due to chance, fate or fortune'.   I am not completely convinced that things just happen by fate.  In fact, I believe that we create our own luck by our beliefs, thoughts, words and sometimes by our actions.   As I began to research "luck", I found my beliefs are quite closely aligned with those contained in Buddhism.  Buddhism teaches that "everything that happens has a specific cause or causes and there must be some relationships between the cause and the effect".  I believe that each thing that happens is intended to teach us some sort of lessons, if we are open to learning.    Louise Hay said it best: " We all have chosen to come here to learn particular lessons that will advance us on our spiritual and evolutionary pathways."  So, everything we do or say is actually bringing us good luck in the form of personal and spiritual growth.                      

Today, join me in creating your own luck by focusing on what you truly want to experience in your life and then,  send that message out into the Universe.  Send a clear to message that you desire and deserve more in your life. The Universe will respond to your messages, you will feel really luck and you will find luck wherever you go!

Hottest new tokin' trends happening in the Cannabis Industry

It’s 2017 and medical cannabis is legal in 29 states and the District of Columbia.  As the number of states in which cannabis is legal has grown exponentially, so has the industry grown by leaps and bounds.  Here are some of the biggest trends happening today in the cannabis industry:

Science: A report from Salar Media Group and cannabis lifestyle website Civilized  identified key trends that have evolved from the industry and what they mean for future markets. The first and most important is that cannabis legalization has pushed the frontiers of science. The report noted that as of 2015, there are roughly 22,000 published studies on cannabis. “The trend here is that cannabis is now being treated as a medicine with specific benefits and applications to specific diseases. This research will only continue to expand in the years ahead.”

Craft Cannabis:  Craft cannabis, like its cousin craft beer, is created for the picky cannabis connoisseur. Farms and cultivators are honing in on special strains in limited batches and releasing them with great fanfare, much like a microbrew’s special beer. Celebrity-branded weed is expected to grow, with Leaf’s by Snoop, Willie’s Reserve and Chong’s Choice already reaping commercial success.

High End Highs: The final trend is luxury cannabis brands, high-end dispensaries and 420 lounges. The Salar report states that cannabis brands “are replicating what happened in liquor brands with the introduction of high-end, more expensive tequilas, dark liquors, vodkas and sake."  Of course, those “high” end brands will also be able to command higher prices.

The cannabis industry has come a long way baby.  It is no longer your mama’s marijuana.  It’s a new day in which cannabis is legal and the sky is the limit!  

It's all about the terps!

As I venture into my new venue, the legal cannabis industry, I realize that there is so much that I don't know about cannabis and how it really works.  So,  as I learn new facts that I think that you might find interesting, I'll blog about them.  This blog is all about the "terps" or also known as terpenes/terpenoids.

There's something about the aroma of cannabis that just soothes the mind, body and soul.  Whether it's the sweet fruity taste of Pineapple Trainwreck of that skunky smell of Sour Diesel, it really all about the terpenes! Terpenes are the unsung hero of the cannabis plant.  While most people know about THC and CBD, terpenes are the compounds that actually give the flower its unique aromas and taste. Terpenes are by no means unique to cannabis. They can also be found in many other herbs, fruits and plants as well.  They are the reason why Durban Poison smells like a fresh squeezed lemon or why Peaches and Diesel smells like a juicy peach that has been dipped in gasoline (MedicalJane.com).

However, terpenes just don’t determine the taste and smell of your favorite bud, they actually help modulate the medicinal effects of cannabinoids.  In addition to defining everything about the smell and flavor of a particular strain, terpenes also contribute to the strain's euphoric effects and medicinal benefits. This happens when they combine with other cannabinoids, such as THC or CBD.  This synergistic relationship has been called the“Entourage Effect”,   For instance, the terpene aromas such as lemon and citrus have been shown to have medicinal properties which increase mood and attitude, while piney aromas promote mental clarity and memory retention. 

As I begin to learn more about the wonder plant cannabis, I'm finding that it is so much more than just THC!  Now that we know all about the power of terps,  we can break free of limiting ourselves to the high THC strains and begin to focus on its terpenes. Knowledge and terpenes are very powerful things to waste! Go ahead and use this knowledge to get wasted! 

This is the future...of cannabis!

The wait is over.  My new full time gig is bringing the next generation of cannabis products to Medicinal and recreational cannabis establishments.  This gig is all about the money.  No struggling, no suffering, just selling.

Here's a preview of the first product that is almost ready to be launched.  Hit me up if you want a sample!

This is the future...of cannabis. Soon to be available at a San Diego Cannabis Dispensary near you!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year and yes, it is a new year indeed.  I just finished a month filled with challenges, uncertainty and profound life lessons. A month of healing very old wounds and allowing myself to let go of so much of the past. 

Fueling that process of letting go and re-visioning my life was the six days that I spent whitewater rafting down the Colorado River.  It was a life changing experience!  An experience that taught me how very small my life and my perceived problems truly are in the scheme of the vastness of our planet and the universe. It showed me where I was physically and emotionally "weak". It showed me how I give up my power to others and it showed me how very strong I really am.  It showed me how I needed to move on and let go of all the people, places and things that no longer serve any purpose in my life.  It helped me to surrender and let go of who I was to become who I was supposed to be. 

So, on this Rosh Hashana, Jewish New Year, I say goodbye to it all of it-Your Product Hub, to the food industry and to all of it's cast of characters who never understood me nor could they ever destroy me.  I see them now and realize they were only illusions to teach me my own self worth and to value myself! I say goodbye, close to door to Your Product Hub and step into my future. 

Thank you for reading my blog(s).  I am hoping that you have come to realize that you are worthy of all that is good in this life, just like I have.  I wish you all a happy healthy new year. 

Stay tuned for my next adventure as I become the "queen of cannabis" !

Birthing new programs on my birthday!

Happy Birthday to me!  On this momentous occasion, I decided to give birth to a whole new series of services that I am offering as part of my business.  I invite you to celebrate my birthday and the birth of a whole new set of business service offerings. Please check out my new page that describes all the new development.

Causing a commotion!

August has arrived! The month of my birth and usually my favorite month of the year.  This August, however has not proven to be its usual light and fun filled month.  I remain in a state of free flow, furiously applying for new career opportunities...and being turned down over and over again.

This August instead of celebrating my birth, I am actually being re-born!  The process of job interviewing has made me examine who I really am and what I really want.  It's been an exercise in finding out what I don't want and what doesn't work for me anymore.

Granted, it is good to know what you don't want.  But, I am focused now on what I and my heart really wants. What I want is to use my "medical" knowledge and skills with my most recent marketing, business development, event planning and non profit fundraising experiences.  I want to create a position for myself that will allow me to grow and most of all, make the world that I live in a better place. That is a tall order indeed!

All that being said, I have been led to several positions in the budding cannabis industry here in San Diego.  To clarify, cannabis is legal here in San Diego both as medicine and as a recreational substance.  Although it is legal right now, there are many regulations still pending on its sale and it is still against the Federal law.   What is for certain is that the cannabis industry is in its infancy stage and has enormous growth potential. San Diego Magazine focused on the growth of the industry in its latest issue.

Click here to learn the facts about cannabis

So as I venture into this new frontier, I thought I'd start out with the basics of why I and many others believe in the healing power of CBD oil and cannabis. Before you take a look at the infographic, I highly suggest that you drop all your old beliefs and fears about cannabis. It's proven to heal without addictive and destructive side-effects.

I will keep you up to date on my job hunt and whether my purpose involves cannabis or not. For now, I trust that I am being led to my highest purpose.  I listen to my intuition which is that small still voice inside of myself,  which keeps telling me not to fit in or to settle for less than I deserve!  Are you listening to what your intuition is telling you?  If not, you're missing out on the many secrets the universe has to share with you! Namaste:)

A New Chapter

It's been almost three years since I started Your Product Hub.com and it's been quite a journey,  filled with lots of lessons.  Throughout the past three years,  I've met with countless small vendors, restaurant owners and a variety of entrepreneurs. I learned about their businesses, their lives and their struggles.  What I mainly learned from listening to their stories was that we all limit ourselves in some way through fear and limiting beliefs. It is through our willingness to change those beliefs that we grow, change and become our own personal version of "successful".

However, that's the rub.  We must be willing to change in order to move forward.  Each time I met with a new client and heard their stories, I could clearly see why their businesses weren't thriving. It was clear to me that in most cases, it was their unwillingness to change their belief which stopped them from getting their business off the ground or why their businesses were not thriving.  Each one of them was holding onto the belief that they were not worthy of success.  Not only were their businesses not thriving but they themselves were also stuck in rut of self defeating beliefs.  Their relationships were usually unsatisfying.  They usually gave more than they received and allowed their partner's needs to be more important than their own.  Many of them were also fighting with addictions which clouded their judgements and decision making powers.  They battled with their own demons and yet still put the needs of everyone else before their own.  In each case, they fought me and held closely to the way they had always done things, even if it was leading to failure. In the end, some of them even "blamed" me for their lack of progress or success.

I listened to each one of my clients with the best of intentions. I believed that I could help them overcome themselves and their destructive behaviors.  But, unfortunately, what I came to learn is that I couldn't help them.  I couldn't care more than they cared about themselves or their businesses. What I also came to learn is that my business would never be sustainable since all my clients suffered and through their suffering I suffered too.  Somehow, in working with all these failing fledgling businesses, I came to believe that because they were failing, I didn't deserve to be paid for my services.  Finally, I came to learn that I too was limiting myself and holding myself back from fulfilling my purpose.

Today, I begin a new chapter in my life. I have begun to find my next perfect job.  In this new chapter,   I value myself. I walk away from those who are suffering and unwilling or too afraid to change.  I walk away from the darkness and begin again.  I walk away without fear because I know that Life supports me in every way.  I walk into the light, knowing that those that do not fear the light will follow me. Those that have chosen to live in darkness, despite all my efforts, will be left behind.

I am grateful for all the lessons that all my clients have taught me in the past three years.  I am also grateful for moving forward and to begin again. I step into the future with hope and anticipation for more learning and more growth.  I encourage you to let go of the past and all the things that are holding you back.  As Louise Hay says, "no matter how wonderful yesterday was, today can be even better"! You and I always have a choice to make tomorrow better!

Declare your independence!

It's July 4th and all around me people are celebrating America's Independence Day!  I plan to celebrate later!  Now, in this moment, it dawned on me how we are all searching to be free of something!  Today, I am declaring my independence by freeing myself of the past.  As much as I work on letting go of people, places and things, there are just certain things that I struggle with releasing. 

And, by not releasing those people, places and things that serve no purpose in my life,  I hold myself back from experiencing the glorious "now" in every moment.  I block out my purpose.  I block any guidance, which I am being given in every moment,  just so that I can hold onto people, places and things, which have hurt me or weigh me down or keep me rooted in the past. All of them have taught me great lessons.  Lessons in self compassion and lessons in self love.  In the end, their negativity, jealous, envy and hatefulness ultimately served to turn me inward; inward where I can hear my truth and where I can connect back with love.   They reflected who and what I was in the past and have no power over me in this moment.

So, again today, I intend to free myself of my past.  I encourage you to do the same.  You will experience the true meaning of freedom.  Happy July 4th!

Endings and beginnings.

Today my friends at Suzie's Farm called it a day! After many years of valiantly fighting the forces that make farming so damn hard, they decided that it was time to surrender and move on!  I thank Robin and Lucila, who gave me a job when I needed one, even though they couldn't afford to hire me.  They and their farmily welcomed me into their fold and ignited my love for farming and the notion of growing things. 

Thank you Suzie's Farm for feeding my heart, soul and stomach and for launching me on a journey of healing that continues until today.  I am because you were.  Now it's time for both of us to move onto new beginnings.  So much love to y'all!

More lessons learned through fairy tales

I often find that my life experiences mirror the lessons that I learned in childhood from nursery rhymes and fairy tales.   Yesterday, as I finished up another fundraiser, I awoke again from a self created fairy tale and realized that I was done! I was done saving a world that did not want to be saved or that did not want my help.  For over ten years, I have been raising money for every good cause under the sun. I now am tired and I am ready to serve only my own cause & myself!  I have once again awakened to find that I have allowed myself to believe in illusions and fairy tales, ignoring any good sense and most of all,  overriding my inner wisdom.  I had awakened from illusions filled with nursery rhyme characters, all created to teach me profound lessons.

Here are the lessons that I learned through my journey of over 400 events and fundraisers:

Lesson learned #1: Con artists, fakes and imposters come in all different forms.  It does not matter if they say they are champions of the environment; if they proclaim they are"reborn" and spout religiosity; if they are the most popular person in town or for that matter, even if they are our President.  If your inner radar is sounding an alarm,  listen to it, even if you don't have any concrete evidence and even if every one around you chooses to believe in them.  You are being warned and it is time to believe in that internal warning system. I believe and I am now listening!

Lesson learned #2:  People will take from you until you stop allowing them.    Then, they will act offended when you stop.  If you stand firm they will test you and ask for more.  When they finally get the idea that the well is empty,  they surely will find someone else, probably better than you, to serve them. Fear not, they always find someone else to fill your shoes!

Lesson learned #3:  You are the most important person in your life.  Everyone else are only additions to or frills to your already perfect being.  If the people in your life are no longer giving you anything, and be honest, there are many energy suckers in your life, then let them go! Expect righteous indignation when you do let them go because they are good at manipulating reality to make you think that they are actually helping others, when in fact it is always about helping themselves. That is why they are part of fairy tales, they are make believe.  I do not believe any more.

Lesson learned #4: You already have everything you seek inside you!  All you have to do is to listen and trust.  That sounds so easy but ego wants illusion to make it feel good. Unfortunately the illusion is guaranteed to vanish at some point, reawakening you to what you already knew.  Just like a fairy tale always ends and you close the book, it is time to stop giving fairy tale characters any importance.  I've closed the book on those stories. I know exactly how each of those stories end and I know that they were never real!  Lessons learned!

It is new day for me.  In fact,  I am hoping a new era for me.  I am done with the things that have been weighing me down.   I have let go of it all and it has left me feeling empty.    But, that emptiness has opened me up to the new. So, today, I move forward without fear and in anticipation of more awesomeness than I could ever imagine to come.  Today, l know that when I listen to my inner wisdom I hear the answers I need. I know that all that I seek is already in me.  Today I trust that inner wisdom.  Today I trust me!

New moon intentions

Happy Super New Moon in Gemini!  This new moon encourages us to take a chance, to do something new, to learn new skills and meet new people. This new moon offers us the energy to explore the possibilities of breaking out of our comfort zones.  It asks us to imagine what our lives would be like if we weren't afraid and then make it our intentions on this new moon to act on those unfettered and uncensored dreams for our future! 

Be willing today to step out of your comfort zone and experience your life in a whole new way, unlimited by fear. Allow yourself to think big and then allow yourself to accept even more.  Because in truth we all live in limitless light, love and joy if we would only allow ourselves to do so.

I set my intentions to listen more, to be truly, authentically myself and to be true to myself no matter what!  How about you?

The new normal

It's raining in May, which may not seem odd to you if you don't live in San Diego, but I do and rain in May is odd.  In fact, I can't remember rain ever in May,  since I've moved to SD twenty years ago.  Upon researching San Diego's current weather, I found out that San Diego is indeed currently 134% above its normal rainfall.   That new normal for San Diego's weather seems to be just one of many new normals that I'm trying to adapt to these days.

Perhaps, "new normals" are just part of the process of being alive.  However, this year has presented so many new normals, so quickly and in such a complete manner, that It's hard for my mind to keep up with what is normal for me today.  I continue to reach out for people, places and things, which are not part of my new normal.  It's as if by muscle memory, my thoughts and actions want to return to the old normal despite my intentions to adjust to the new normal.   And when I do reach out to the old normal, you can bet I get burned.  I try the old normal and all I keep getting is the same old results. I think that is the definition of insanity, right?! Well, it sure felt like I was going insane this morning, as I tried to push an old button and got the same old, disheartening results.

So what is my new normal.  My new normal is one in which I honor and love myself first. I love myself first, so that I can better take care of others.  I accept people as they are in hopes that they accept me.  Because I honor myself and my feelings, I let go of those people who do not honor me or my feelings.  My new normal is free from fear and doubt and filled with faith.  In my new normal, the one that I created,  I choose to believe that all my changes will be easy to make.  And, so it is.

Last Autism Tree Project Foundation Food Farming and Nutrition Workshop

  As April ended so did the program I created for the Autism Tree Project Foundation (ATPF), the Food, Farming and Nutrition came to an end.  Last Saturday, we wrapped up the series of six workshops by planting two butterfly beds in the children's garden at Wild Willow Farm.  We then crafted wooden butterflies that will adorn our butterfly garden, beautifying it and raising awareness about ATPF.   So much profound change took place during the six workshops that it is impossible to capture it all of it on film or in words.  That being said, here are a couple pics that let you see the fun, love, family bonding and happiness that was had by all at our last workshop!

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What you can't see in the pictures are the kids eating vegetables at home.  You can't see the mothers, who have wept in joy to see their kids at peace with their environment and within themselves.  What you can't see is the enormous growth that took place within the kids, their parents, the volunteers and within me. 

Personally, this experience has helped me gain confidence in myself and my ability to make change.  It has allowed me to know that I can do anything if I put my heart and mind to it.  It has taught me that if I trust,  ask for help, when I need it and stay in my highest purpose, success is sure to follow! 

Happy May, y'all!  May it be filled with love, harmony, balance and peace!