Motivation Monday - Butterfly Summer Edition!

I have had a TON of butterfly sightings so far this summer! For me butterflies symbolize change, luck and sometimes a loved one who has passed away stopping by to say hello. Since I'm on the verge of a major change this year, I'm hoping all my recent sightings mean good luck is headed my way!

Wishing you a week filled with butterfly sightings and all the delights of summer!

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Happy 3rd Birthday Butterfly! We've come a long way baby!

Ascending Butterfly turns three today! It's been three wild years! We started with breathing affirmational meditations daily and have come quite a long way since. It took me a long time to feel comfortable enough to share more pieces of myself and my life on these pages. But now when I read back on my older posts I realize just how far this community has come.
2012 has been a challenging year for me on a personal level, but with the support and wonderful messages from butterflies in this community I've made it through feeling stronger and stronger everyday, so today is just as much about YOU as it ever could be about me. Thanks for sharing in the journey with me. Here's to the next 3 years!
To each and every reader, follower, facebook friend and twitter follower, Thank You.
To each and every brand who has partnered with us, Thank You.
To each and every advertiser, both old and new, Thank You.
To each and every sponsor, be it a giveaway or a blogging conference, Thank You.
To each and every brand who has shown tremendous faith in me and selected me as a Brand Ambassador, Thank You. 
I couldn't have foreseen all the opportunities that have come my way throughout the years, especially the ones that came my way this year. I am certainly filled with gratitude!
To my family and friends who are sometimes part of the story even when they are not always sure they wanted to be, Thank You.

I had no idea a love of butterflies could turn into a community of inspiration seekers, a community of social good and optimism that gives me the strength to move forward on days when I feel I can't. A simple idea, a simple interest coupled with my passion for writing and sharing stories turned into something bigger and better than I ever imagined. ~Ascending Butterfly

Blogging has been exciting and incredibly un-predictable, I have no idea what the next 3 years will bring as Social Media Expands and Changes, but I do look forward to the journey! I do hope the future holds many more Twitter Parties! :)
Cheers Butterflies!

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Beautiful Butterfly Friday!

Wishing all my butterflies a happy, healthy and beautiful Friday!

  

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Motivation Monday: Signs of Spring, time to Bee Happy!

Monday Motivation/Todays Inspiration: The weather outside today was absolutely beautiful. I actually made it out to the local park, where I spotted several types of butterflies, and a super monstrous, huge, scary looking bumble bee! I woke up to birds chirping and decided that no matter what happened today, that it was a great day to just be happy for all the simple things that normally get taken for granted.

I don't fare well with Bee stings, I got bit on my knee once and it swelled up like a football! But I saw this big, fat happy bumble bee graphic and just couldn't help smiling.

I feel like a butterfly sighting always makes my day better. They usually portend change or a stroke of good luck for me. I'm way over due for positive changes and a stroke of good luck.

What's your Monday Motivation Butterfly?

Twitter Party Alert: Don't forget to our RSVP for our next twitter party here: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/2012/04/rsvp-for-helping-hands-hhmilkbank.html

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Monday Motivation

Some Monday Motivation For You! Hope your week is off to a great start!

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Hearts, Flowers and Butterflies - Will you be my Valentine?

Valentines Day is upon us, and I'm sending all my butterflies hearts and flowers today! Cupid hasn't quite hit me with an arrow yet, but my heart is definitely filled with love and gratitude today and I hope yours is too!

What are your Valentine's Day plans?

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Butterflies in your stomach {Photo} + Great Holiday Giveaway!

Just a little Thursday humor! Our next promotion in our annual holidays buying guide will launch shortly!

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Active Giveaway:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Ends 12/15/11 – 3 Month The California Wine Club Premier Club Membership Giveaway! ARV $150 - http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/2011/12/3-month-california-wine-club-review-and.html

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How are your holiday preparations coming along? I haven't even put up my tree yet!

Piratey Pumpkin Carving For All Hallows Eve!

Photo @WDWMagic.com Forums - Completed Jolly Roger Jack O Lantern Copyright 2004 M. Turner

Getting your little Ghouls and Goblins ready for the big day? If Pumpkin Carving is on your agenda, then check out this PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES Pumpkin Carving Time-Lapse Video courtesy of Disney!

Want a cheat sheet? Visit HERE download the file named 'POTC_PumpkinCarving_FIN.pdf' - Save it to your computer and then print it, and you'll have both the instructions and a stencil for making a Jolly Roger Jack O Lantern! If you don't want to download and save the file, just print it, then visit this LINK. If you, or someone you know is dressing up as a Pirate this year, be sure to share this info with them so they will have the coolest Jack O Lantern's on the block!

If anyone is dressing up as or dressing their little ones as a Butterfly this year, be sure to tag Ascending Butterfly on FACEBOOK, we'd love to see your butterfly photos!

Happy Halloween Butterflies!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored Post. No monetary compensation was received.

Today's Words of Inspiration - Nature's Secret



@ Dean Forbes

Today's Quote:

"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

After a day mostly spent handling back-to-back conference calls, I decided to get out and spend the remainder of the afternoon in the park. It was when I got home that I realized just how much that small window of time spent in the sun did for my spirits. I arrived at the park feeling tired and left feeling re-energized. There is very little time left of summer, fall will be here very soon! I love this quote, and thought it was perfect for today. Nature is still, and being out in nature is my favorite reminder that our soul truly requires stillness. It recharges our spiritual and emotional batteries.

And better still? I had 3 butterfly sightings while I was there, and one was a Monarch!

Today's Challenge: Be still in Nature. Meditation is wonderful, but can you take your meditation to a park or a beach today? Even a 'walking meditation' will work wonders for the spirit!

Today's Breathing Affirmation: Close your eyes, take a deep, slow breath in through your nose, and affirm "I am always home in the universe, I am a being at Peace."

Before logging out for your weekend fun, if you haven't already done so, please enter our latest giveaways:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - 2 cool 4 School Back to School Giveaway with ZIPZ Shoes! 2 Winners! Ends 08/19 - You have the chance to select your choice of style (Hi-Top, Low-Top, Slip On etc) and design in the size of your choice as well. You can opt to pick a pair for yourself, or select from a youth/child, toddler or teen shoe and give them to your back to schooler! The choice is YOURS!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - August Featured Handbag in the Spotlight - timi & leslie Hannah Handbag Giveaway! - Win the Hannah Bag in your choice of color!

WINNERS:

Our Jockey Stay Cool Winners are:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - BikeOhio
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Brian E.
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Rilekat

Congrats to our winners!

Remember that attitude determines altitude, go out there and make this your best day ever, bless and be blessed!

Have A Wonderful Weekend Butterflies!

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Today's Words of Inspiration - Saved by the Butterfly!

Photo Credit @ Dave Dube

We have had various discussions about butterflies, what they mean to me, and what they represent for many of you as well. Last night a very interesting post came my way via facebook from our friends at One Meaning (Thanks Ingrid! 813!) and it was just too interesting not to share!

Komo News posted a fascinating story entitled 'Chilean miners believed saved by butterfly' and the video (which you must watch) sent chills down my spine in a good way! I don't want to give away any spoilers, it's not a long video and you really MUST watch it! See it now HERE (then come back and share your opinion.)

"It would have to be a very hardened heart not to be moved in some way by this compelling video." ~ Ascending Butterfly

What do you think about this video? What do you think about the notion that the miners were saved by a butterfly?

Butterflies for me always signal an oncoming change, not a small one, but a powerful transformation to come in my life, and they have always been very 'lucky' for me as well, sometimes representing an unexpected, yet pleasant stroke of luck.

Many people feel they are signs from loved ones who crossed over who are letting you know they are watching over you.

I thought in honor of this story we would make Today's Words of Inspiration about Symbols. For some it's a repeating number they see everywhere, for others butterflies or dragonflies. Sometimes people ignore their gut, or they ignore symbols that were sent to them.

Use 'Today's Words of Inspiration' as a breathing meditation to still your mind, quiet your thoughts and bring in positive energy. As you inhale bring in only positive energy by saying in your mind, I breathe in positive energy (or you can say creative energy if that is what you wish to create more of) and as you exhale, Affirm out loud 'I affirm today that I am open and receptive to the signs around me and that I allow my intuition as well as my signs to guide me on the right path today!'

Spend some time each day enjoying focused breathing AND soul guided meditative visualization, in doing so, you can bring about profound and powerful changes in your life.

Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by universal forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul. Do this at least twice today and see how by taking a moment away from the hectic pace and breathing in positive energy and affirming what you wish to create, your thinking will become different.

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

It is OK to *Re-Tweet* the link to this post and You can find me (@Tracy_Iglesias) on Twitter here! Twitter love: re*tweet by copying and pasting the following into your update field:

@Tracy_Iglesias #ascendingbutterfly - Today's Words of #Inspiration and Great #Giveaways! - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

Make this your best day ever, Bless and Be Blessed

Active Giveaways: Hurry Enter NOW!

1) Ends TODAY @ 3pm EST - Disney Secretariat Review & Movie Prize Pack Giveaway!  Enter HERE


2) Ends Monday, 10/18 @ 3pm EST - Pillsbury Sweet Moments Desserts and Prize Pack Giveaway! Enter HERE

Stay Tuned this weekend for a special giveaway in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, trust me, you won't want to miss it! Also, our Bratz giveaway winner has been notified via email and Twitter, so stay tuned for an official winners announcement!

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I challenge you today to look carefully for your own butterfly, your own symbol, your sign that transformation will soon come! What shape will it take? ~ Ascending Butterfly