{Todays #Inspiration} What Compliment Has Truly Resonated With You? A #MotivationMonday inspired by @BuzzFeed

This is NOT a Sponsored Post, just food for your spirit!

Happy Monday Morning Butterflies! How was your Christmas? Did Santa treat you nice?

I got to feed my soul with traditions that I enjoy (like opening a present before midnight, usually PJ's!) and surprisingly didn't put up a tree this year, I just plain didn't feel like it, some years I go through this - and I just go with it. 

I needed to take a 'pause from the cause' and go back to some retro Ascending Butterfly 'Today's Words of Inspiration' - you know, how this blog started with daily inspirational food for your soul - back to our empowerment roots. I need that. (and I have a strong feeling many of you do too!)

It's been so long since I have done a Today's Inspiration that I really wanted to delve deep and bring you 'one to grow on' for today!

I rarely do 're-posts' and 're-shares' on my blog pages, I post original content and that's the way I like it, but today two amazing women in my Facebook Feed shared this video from BuzzFeed on their timeline and it really got me thinking, so I re-shared it on my personal and blog facebook page.

Check out the video here:

I went hunting for the original post that accompanies the video too! The post itself can be found HERE, it mostly posts the video and then the comments on the post are a goldmine in their own way. And a powder keg to a degree - but social media comes with it's share of good and bad.

Compliments are a funny thing aren't they? We don't give them out nearly as often as we should, and we rarely take one gracefully. ~Ascending Butterfly

For women most Compliments center around our looks, on a physical attribute. But I'll bet the compliments that have stuck with you were the ones that had absolutely nothing to do with your looks.

Compliments that have NOTHING to do with 'looks' that have resonated most with me:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I always come to you when a need good sounding board because I know you will be honest.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - You are an amazing friend.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - You are a talented writer. (and before I began writing for a living, the compliment that resonated with me most was 'you should be a writer' - it took a LONG time for me to take this compliment to heart and actually MOVE on it.)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Your perserverance never ceases to astound/amaze me. (Secretly this may be my favorite - I have had many bosses give me that one!).

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - You are the most loyal person I know.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - You inspire me.

So today Butterfly share with me: What is the BEST Compliment you ever received that had NOTHING to do with your looks? (Men I would love your feedback on this question as well as the ladies!)

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure:  This is NOT a compensated/sponsored Post, All opinions are 100% my own! Tickets were provided for Editorial Consideration. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

{#MotivationMonday} Ready for YOUR Shift? #butterflies #empowerment #inspiration

I posted this photo via our Social Media over the weekend but thought it would be perfect for Motivation Monday as well!

Are you ready for YOUR shift?

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: All opinions are 100% MY OWN. this post is NOT compensated. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

{#MotivationMonday} The #SuperBloodMoon shines brightly across the world, what does that mean for YOU?

Super Blood Moon, Lunar Eclipse, Harvest Moon and Motivation Monday:

Last night the Twitterverse was following @SuperBloodMoon (this twitter handle outlining the events of September 27th with the support of NASA) and it's corresponding hashtag #SuperBloodMoon with baited breath. Folks either had their heads out their windows or hopped in their cars and tried to find the Super Blood Moon to take photos. NASA was live streaming it!

I was also following this fun Huffington Post article which I shared on Ascending Butterfly's Facebook Page as well as my personal one with this wish:

These ‪#‎SuperBloodMoon‬ photos are awesome! ‪#‎LunarEclipse‬ ‪#‎FullMoon‬‪ #‎HarvestMoon‬ - Make a moon wish tonight butterflies, and let the Universe Whisper an answer in your dreams

The photos on social, and shared in this Huff Po article (they were live streaming NASA's video feed most of the night) are absolutely stunning, but after the rush of the photos died down, there was a collective question, what does this mean?

I'm certainly not an astrologer, but I have followed it for years (and I do mean a bit more than passively reading my daily horoscope), and there is a collective theme that I felt was fodder for a Motivation Monday.

This is not only a 'Blood Moon' butterflies, but also a 'Harvest Moon' - now what we harvest in life all depends on our individual Karma, but the doom and gloom associated with a Blood Moon is sort of leveled by the fact it is also a Harvest Moon, if you have been planting positive seeds and working ethically, diligently and with persistence, how beautiful it is to expect to reap what you have sown.

This is also a Lunar Eclipse - yes Eclipses do signify things 'coming to an end' in some way, but remember that doesn't have to be 'bad'. Blood is sometimes associated with atonement - forgiveness or a clean slate, releasing of old Karma and attachments can all be things coming to an end - which is NOT necessarily bad.

For many of us 'endings' and a 'new start' is exactly what we need right now.

One of the most amazing things I read about this Full Moon Lunar Eclipse Super Blood/Harvest Moon was this:

What really needs to happen is we need to stop with our differences, accusations, judgments of one another and start thinking more about the effects we are having on our own lives and the lives of others that know us and the world we live in and our contribution. Life is short, what do you want to be remembered for?

We should focus on becoming better people so that the future of our world as we know it can have a real chance to live in peace and harmony with one another, the human family. 

Until each of us focus on becoming the best version of ourselves as an individual and each of us does so,  and to realize we are all human and one brotherhood that needs to work together, respect one another and love one another, then the change we want to see may never come. ~ILLUME ASTROLOGY

Another worthy read in it's entirety and it's beautiful accompanying photo is from Moonology:

I would have to quote their whole page it is so well written, but I found it interesting that if you are an Aries or Libra (or for those who know their natal charts well those with Aries or Libra Rising), this is going to be a potentially STAND OUT time for you, she wrote "You're being singled out by the Universe as among the people most likely to take some kind of quantum leap into the future" - if you guessed I'm an Aries, you would be correct. (Additional Note for Aries: You have Mars (your ruling planet) on your side for the next seven weeks until November 12, to help you improve your eating habits or update your excercise schedule - make good use of it!)

For my fellow numerology lovers the eclipse was a 1 hour and 11 minute occurence! (For me the number 222 tends to follow me daily - I tend to look at the clock at that hour, see buses or subway cars with that number etc).

MY TAKE:

I have been feeling impending change for a long time now. My soul/spirit is pretty much YELLING at me to try something new, to make needed changes and release not only old habits, but to also find fulfillment - spiritually, emotionally as well as professionally in brand new ways.

I also find it interesting that my name 'Tracy' means 'the Harvester' and this is a Harvest Moon. I personally looking forward to Karmic Rewards for having planted positive seeds and I wish the very same for ALL of my butterflies as well!

This is a rare occurrence, one that won't cycle around again for another 18 years.  Use this rare energy, let it be a spark that propels your life positively forward.

As for the phrase 'Blood Moon' Jonathan Cainer described it best by saying:

There is nothing sinister in this phrase, it merely suggests a time for outgrowing a fear.

Call to Action/Readers Sound Off:

Did you see the Blood Moon? Were you able to capture a photo of it? What are you hoping to change, release or embrace for this last half of the year?

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a Sponsored Post. All opinions are 100% MY OWN. this post is NOT compensated. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

{#MotivationMonday} Leave a Prayer/Good Vibe - Get a Prayer/Good Vibe

Have you ever noticed how easy it is for you to 'kick it into gear' when you are helping someone else? Some deem this a 'helpers high' - where you feel better when you are doing something good for someone else.

Many people feel their prayers work the same way. They feel when they are praying for someone else that their prayers seem 'more powerful' - but not so much when they pray for themselves.

I can't say this is or isn't true - but I can say as a Life Coach the weight you put on that perception can certainly sway your outcomes.

In my humble opinion I think that when we pray or send good vibes to/for other people, we tend to be incredibly precise, it's a focused prayer, when we pray for ourselves, we often feel the need to 'explain ourselves' to explain why we are praying for a specific outcome and tend to include what we have tried to do on our own but felt we failed on, we throw in too many 'additionals/variables' - they say the Universe is very specific, and so our prayers and affirmations should be specific AND very concise.

I agree.

While I love hosting a Weekly Moment of Gratitude on Ascending Butterfly (and I still recommend keeping a daily gratitude journal where you end each day and list three simple things you are grateful for - these are my favorite journals to re-read), I thought I would mix things up a bit and offer a leave a prayer/good vibe request and take a prayer/good vibe request. I have seen these on the interwebs in various places and I have been amazed at how it's brought disparate communities together on a global scale.

Please note this is NOT a 'lets get into a religious debate' post/thread.  You can participate in this even if you are an atheist, hence the reason I used the term 'prayer OR good vibe'. It doesn't matter what religion you are (or aren't), I believe our words have tremendous power, let's use them to HELP one another.

Can you imagine what a better place our world COULD be if we took a moment to pray for a stranger instead of bullying, teasing or watching a fight video on YouTube?

Do you think you need prayer? Ask yourself these questions:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Is there a roadblock you are experiencing?

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Do you feel like you are at a crossroads in some aspect of your life?

Crossroads are a great indicator that you are in fact ready for change. Let's surrender it all to prayer/good vibes.

This week I Leave a Prayer and Good Vibes for:

The Family and Friends of Dr. Wayne Dyer who passed away on August 31st. Our world lost a tremendous spirit, so I take a moment to pray for his passing and for the next phase of his journey. I think the best way we as a society can honor his life is by becoming 'change agents' and being that change that we wish to see in this world.

And I seek a Prayer: 

Recently I experienced  the shocking and very eye-opening experience of having been followed into my apartment complex. My both hands were full (heavy bags of groceries in one hand a large pizza box in the other) and I live in a walk up with no elevator so I had to think quickly. I short stopped suddenly and stared the person right in the eye, he was confused by my decisiveness I'm sure and then turned and changed his mind, but obviously did NOT have good intentions. I want to move out (I have actually been toying with re-location and changing cities for awhile now) but financially that is not in the cards at this very moment, so I seek prayer for a financial breakthrough - an area I am sure many of you can relate to.

To make it easier, pray for the poster above you (If the thread gets big enough it may hard for you to pray for everyone, but you can at least tackle the request immediately above you), if you want to let them know you did, by all means do so, if you just want to pray for a few and keep that to yourself, that's OK too.

Feel free to leave your prayer, know that I will be praying for and sending good vibes to EVERYONE who posts here. (Your responses will let me know if this should replace the weekly moment of gratitude!)

What Prayer/Good Vibes are YOU Leaving? May your Motivation Monday and Labor Day be filled with good company and great memories.

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is a NON -compensated post, no monetary compensation has been received. All my opinions are 100% MY OWN. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

{Todays #Inspiration} Add me to the ranks of the 'consciously un-coupled' #MotivationMonday

Ah, Butterflies, my very highly imitated (down to my color scheme and font, really folks?), is back by popular demand. You asked for "Todays Inspiration" back - you GOT it. I think I mostly got tired of the second rate imitations of this column and thought I should get back to doing what I do best, INSPIRE.

Point taken butterflies, you wanted something 'from the heart' back, and you wanted a break from 'blog commercials' - duly noted dear ones, just remember a butterfly gotta eat, but I promise I will strike a better balance from now on. (Although in all fairness, most event recaps are NOT sponsored posts by the way! I just happen to attend a lot of events particularly in summer!)

Not sure if it will be totally daily again with inspirational posts or if it will be a strictly Motivation Monday deal until I get my 'groove back', but I know you wanted this feature and our monthly handbag in the spotlight back and I thought I'd get started on resuscitating this feature FIRST, and yes I am working on bringing the Monthly Featured Handbag in the Spotlight back for Fall so please stay tuned.

For Today's Inspiration I am joining the ranks of the 'consciously un-coupled', perhaps Gwenyth Paltrow's speech at the BlogHer15 Conference (are we still calling this a conference, or should we call it a phenomenon unto itself which it always is) is still playing in my head, but this conscious un-coupling thing is making the rounds. It's even taken Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner (perhaps there was a reason for her never switching to Jennifer Affleck, smart!) and now even Kermit and Miss Piggy are 'un-coupling'.

However in my case it's a MINDSET I want to 'consciously un-couple' with.

Just like we can outgrow a lover or any type of relationship to be frank, we can outgrow a mindset that sneakily permeates itself into our core and slowly and subtly makes us think of ourselves in ways that no longer serve a higher purpose in our life.

Remember when I told you that at Getting Gorgeous there was both a Psychic Reading a 'Face Reader'? (refresh your memory HERE) I had mentioned I wanted to re-visit the Face Reading a bit in another post, here it is. Something entirely dis-concerting happened which I left out of the Getting Gorgeous recap as it was certainly more fodder for this column than it was for an event recap!

For some reason she kept emphasizing that she saw that I was 'quite well off'. She literally peppered this into the conversation at least a dozen times. Mentally I found myself screaming 'what the hell are you talking about? I am FAR from well off Lady!' - this must surely be FAKE. Then I thought maybe I was being punked. At no point did she ask me my name, not my first or my last so this couldn't be some typical association with my last name being Iglesias and the singer Julio that I have had to dodge my whole life right? For the record, as far as I know I am NOT directly related to singer Julio Iglesias.

I wanted to find every reason to interrupt her, to interrupt the session or at least ask her how the heck did she figure me to be 'well-off''?

But somehow I didn't. Something kept stopping me. I thought if I listened on and didn't interrupt her train of though, somehow she would get to the HOW I get to this 'well-off' life that she perceived me to have.

So I listened.

My face got 'read' and I wouldn't be surprised if it got 'red' too. She revealed quite a bit about me that she had no way of guessing. I was surprised that face reading can tell you so much. But if people can read our 'palms' can it be that far off for them to read our faces as well?

If you are thinking 'Butterfly what on earth does this have to do with you consciously un-coupling? I realized during my Face Reading that somehow it felt like an affront to my person to be accused of being wealthy.

I am NOT even sure why that is.

MY TAKE:

I made the decision that night as the days events played in my head that I MUST for my own good, consciously un-couple with thoughts of 'lack' in all its forms. Those thoughts obviously clawed into my brain and dug root there somehow. Maybe it's living in the city that never sleeps where everyone's 'hustle' has to have a 'side-hustle' to survive. But a 'make ends meet' and not look much beyond that mentality somehow took root in my soul and I have consciously decided to un-couple with it.

I think I look awesome on the $100 Bill

WILL YOU JOIN ME? Will you release lack and affirm prosperity into YOUR life? What mindset do YOU wish  to 'consciously un-couple' with?

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, NO monetary compensation has been received, and ALL opinions are 100% my own! I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

{#MotivationMonday} Can you have #SwitchersRemorse and still feel GRATEFUL? #Inspiration

I was on a very different career path in life.

I was very young while watching the news one night around dinner time and the reporter announced that more people had died of heart problems that year than murders (and in New York City for murder to NOT be the number one killer/taker of lives that is quite rare indeed!).

I marched into the kitchen and told my mother quite matter-of-factly that I wanted to fix hearts when I grew up. (As I also had a passion for horses and was also sure I wanted to be a cowgirl, I'm sure she was amused to say the least). I told her about the news story, and she told me there was different types of doctors who worked on the heart, some that diagnose and others that did the surgery to repair it.

Childhood happened, but my interest in medicine never really waned and eventually she took me to the  library to read up on Cardiology and Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. In high school I even got the chance to sit in on the actual Gross Anatomy class. I watched as adults ran off and puked their guts out and wondered how on earth they'd become doctors if they couldn't handle that class! I wasn't allowed to do anything but observe the first year med students on the first day of this class and for some reason I didn't feel nervous.

Later on doing the frogs in anatomy class in school was a breeze for me. I got to work on bigger animals in a College Course I took knowing that this was all leading me to my dream of becoming a Cardio-Thoracic Surgeon someday.

But College was a whole different ball game, and various circumstances forced me to switch majors and I went from being a Biology Major with a minor in Psychology to a Mass Media Communications Major.

And from there a chain of events was set in motion:

(1) I interned for a Newspaper

(2) I took my first Television Course

(3) I interned for a local cable television show

(4) Became a film critic for a local paper

(5) Got to head up a science section as an Editor for the same local newspaper (My reporting skills led to a beloved community doctor getting additional exposure in various outlets until he eventually re-gained his practice, I have to say this was the moment where I personally felt just how powerful one voice and one simple 'human interest' assignment could be....)

(6) Freelanced for one my favorite magazines

During that process something else happened. Communications classes forced me out of my shell. Unlike my science labs, which on ocassion did have me partner up, communications classes were all about partnerships on deeper levels, especially the courses for Televison. I learned what being a fish out of water felt like. This wasn't my strong suit, with the exception of the writing. My love for writing was always there all along, but it wasn't coming out as much in the sciences in the same way it did when I switched to communications. It gave me the confidence to enter writing contests and when I took home first prize and cash for a writing contest in College just after I changed my major I must admit I felt quite validated by my decision!

A recent totally random conversation on my bus ride home this weekend (ironically from a blogging related event) got me to talking to the bus driver. His daughter is studying to be a nurse and I told him I wanted to be a Doctor when I was younger but life sort of 'veered me off course'.

For a very brief moment I did feel #SwitchersRemorse. I know I would have been a phenomenal Cardio-Thoracic Surgeon, I am a good listener, I am compassionate and I am a problem solver and lover of 'puzzles', I could see me being a fantastic diagnostician and physician!

MY TAKE:

And while random moments have often made me wonder what my life would be like now had I pursued my original goal of Medicine, I do know that Communications changed my life in ways I am eternally grateful for. My creative writing found it's way to the light, and in the writing community I have found my tribe. In managing Social Media campaigns I have utilized every single thing I learned in Mass Media Communications courses. I sometimes have pangs of #Switchers Remorse, but I have absolutely no regrets, I am doing what I was meant to do, coach, inspire and help people, just in a very different way than I originally intended.

There are tons of quotes out there on the topic of Remorse:

Have YOU experienced #SwitchersRemorse? Have you often wondered what your life would be like now if you had done just one thing differently in the past? If so, what was it? Would you change your path and go back and change something if you could?

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is a paid post for Verizon's #SwitchersRemorse campaign. If you switched away from Verizon and are regretting it, don't worry. They're making it easy for customers to come back. For more information, click here or head over to your local Verizon Store, all opinions are 100% my own!  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

{#WordlessWednesday} Sometimes you just need a pretty place to sit! {#Photos} #NYBG

Find yourself a pretty place to sit today!

Couldn't resist snapping a shot of the artwork on the walls, but when I re-visited my pictures I couldn't help but notice just how 'zen' sitting there was (what I saw when I 'looked up' is a photo series for a different Wordless Wednesday Post!)

Above: For some reason there was never a time when the bench under this painting didn't have someone sitting on it, so I couldn't get a full shot with this one! (Just like I don't like people snapping shots of me just because it's a public place I don't do it to others!)

Which is YOUR Favorite?

Brownie points for anyone who can guess where specifically these photos were taken!

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Bloggers feel free to link up by leaving us a comment with the URL to your Wordless Wednesday Photos as we'd love to see your pictures for this week, just remember, no giveaway links, WW only.

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, no monetary compensation has been received, and all opinions are 100% my own!  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

{#MotivationMonday} Are butterflies worth a thousand words? {#Video}

If Monday isn't exactly your favorite day of the week, let this You Tube Video Montage on Inspirational Butterfly Quotes help you start your week on a positive note, if a picture is worth a thousand words, how much are butterflies worth?

Credit: Video Courtesy of User: Beautiful Life T2

Stay Motivated My Friends!

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, no monetary compensation has been received and all opinions are 100% my own!  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

{#MotivationMonday} #Butterflies we are FOUR days away from the first day of SPRING!

Fellow East Coast Peeps, soon we will have LESS of this:

And more of THIS:

In just four days, it's bye bye old man winter and HELLO Spring! Who is with me?

I hope this put the motivation in your Monday!

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

{#WordlessWednesday} My wish for you Butterfly!

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a Sponsored Post. And I really do wish you Happiness in Your Life, Today and Every Day!

{#MotivationMonday} In this case you have BOTH! Make this the week YOU change your life! {Todays' #inspiration"}

Today you have BOTH! A Monday AND a Brand New Year to start those changes! Get working on those resolutions, it's never too late or too soon, just start! (Did you check out our new Facebook Cover Photo? It reads for a New Year to Bring You Something New, Make A Move Like A Butterfly Tearing Its Cocoon! Make A Move! - What do you think of it? What new move will YOU make this week?)

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a Sponsored Post!

January 1, 2015 - A New Years Prayer!

Wishing all my butterflies a new year filled with abundance in all its many forms, opportunities to keep you challenged not just busy, love, health and happiness!

If you set resolutions for this year, what are they?

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored Post!

Weekly Moment of Gratitude! - Come sound off, What are YOU most grateful for this week?

In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy

Good and Grateful For Stuff:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Developing a case of the 'wanderlust' again and it means it's time to pick a place on the planet I haven't yet seen and book a ticket! I have a feeling a getaway would do me a world of good!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - It's been snowing lately, so hopefully a 'white' Christmas is on it's way for those of us here in the Northeast. Maybe the cold weather and some snow will create a blanket of stillness and peace. With all the insanity right now in New York City, some holiday cheer would be a welcome thing!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I am also always excited by this time of year. Much like snakes shed their old skin and develop new skin it's place, that is what the ending of one year and the beginning of a new one feel like for me. A time to shed my old skin and make the changes I need for overall renewal. Wishing you all a happy and healthy 'renewal' period as you transition into a new year!

Ask yourself at the end of each day: What am I grateful for Today?

My Take:

I always miss this feature when I have to skip it to play catch up or find myself so tired on Sundays that I am just too pooped to write! I love reading what you are grateful for, so please share something good that this week gave you to be grateful for!

My old gratitude journals are my favorite ones to read. I like spending time on New Years Eve reading over old journals - it helps me see how far I have come and re-evaluate the things that both are and the things that are no longer important to me anymore.

What are you most grateful for this week Butterfly? What changes are you going to make for 2015?

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, no monetary compensation has been received. Nor are there any affiliate links in this post. As always, all opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

{#WordlessWednesday} @jengroover inspires the crowd at the @ActivateMovmt #Activate2K14 #Conference

I thought this picture of Jen Groover (tagged by Success Magazine as a 'one woman brand') inspiring attendees at the Activate 2K14 Conference would be a perfect empowerment photo for Wordless Wednesday!

"We have control of one thing only in this world ... Our Perspective. Choose a positive one." ~ Jen Groover

Happy Wordless Wednesday Butterflies, feel free to comment with a link to your Wordless Wednesday Photos as well so we can check them out and leave you some comment love! (No Giveaway Links please!)

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: I was invited to attend the Activate 2K14 Conference as a member of the Digital Media, this is NOT a sponsored post, it is an event recap of my experience. All opinions are 100% my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may visit our full giveaway and disclosure page for complete policy information. This post may contain affiliate links.

All you need is a Monday! #MotivationMonday

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with much to be grateful for and are entering the month of December with a hope and gratitude filled heart!

Bless and Be Blessed today Butterflies!

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

Opening up my can of FTC be gone: This is NOT a Sponsored Post! :)

{#Empowerment} Recap of Day Two of @Cosmopolitan @funfearlesslife #FunFearlessLife Weekend!

Cosmopolitan Magazine's Fun Fearless Life Weekend was an empowerment experience so big I knew it would take two posts to recap it properly! If you missed our coverage of Day One, click HERE!

Day two started with an Express Core Performance by the Fordham U Cheerleaders and we transitioned straight into "Morning Fitness" with Cosmo Body hosted by Adam Rosante and Tara Stiles:

Left: Adam Rosante, Right: Tara Stiles

Considering the small space between chairs Adam definitely got everyone's blood pumping and watching Tara do her Yoga Poses in those sky high stilettos and not miss a beat was amazing to watch! I got to do Yoga at Tara's studio Strala in New York which was a great experience and her workouts are included in FitFusion which I got to try in my last Fab Fit Fun Box! (You can check out the review of that box which includes FitFusion HERE)

The first panel of Day Two, "Love Your Body" included Cosmopolitan Editor Joanna Coles as the moderator, Kelly Osbourne, Jillian Michaels and Jennifer Ashton. While all the panelists were wonderful, I have to admit I was refreshingly surprised by Kelly's candor. She was an open book and her fashion line Stories not only runs in plus sizing, but the prices are the SAME regardless of the size, KUDOS to Kelly! Loving your own body with it's scars, cellulite, dimples or fat is where it's at butterflies!

The next panel was called "Invest in You" moderated by Joanna Coles, Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan Magazine US and featuring LearnVest's Founder, Alexa Von Tobel. Zuckerberg isn't the only Harvard Drop Out that went on to great success. From avoiding impulse purchases, asking for the raise you deserve (and the right way to do it!). Financial empowerment certainly helps everything else fall into place! Get control of your finances butterflies!

"At LearnVest, we're working to make financial planning both accessible and affordable so that everyone has the opportunity to get on track financially." ~ Alexa Von Tobel (Left), Right: Joanna Coles

The next panel was "Find Your Voice, Express Yourself", moderated by Laura Brounstein (Special Projects Director Cosmopolitan Magazine) and included Liz Crystal (Chief Marketing Officer at Express), Christene Barberich (Editor-in-Chief Refinery 29), and Katherine Vargas (Director of Hispanic Media, White House). Now this panel was a bit of a disappointment because so much time was spent focusing on what these powerhouses wear, don't get me wrong I get Fashion is important but there is so much more I would have liked to see Cosmo ask these powerful women! They were awesome, the questions asked, not so much. But then again I'm at a different stage in my life than the average age of the conference attendees for this particular event.

Left to Right: Laura Brounstein (Special Projects Director Cosmopolitan Magazine) - Far Left (Moderator), Katherine Vargas (Director of Hispanic Media, White House), Christene Barberich (Editor-in-Chief Refinery 29), Liz Crystal (Chief Marketing Officer at Express)

Gabrielle Union was interviewed solo by Joanna Coles and she was also refreshingly honest and straight-forward, and nothing was off limits. Gabrielle was one of the victims of the celebrity nude photo leak when apple was hacked. Not an easy thing to go through. She then joined the panel "Change the World", with Beverly Bond (Founder of Black Girls Rock), Nina Vaca (CEO and Founder of The Pinnacle Group), and Michelle Mulligan (Editor-in-Chief Cosmopolitan for Latinas).

Left: Gabrielle Union, Right: Joanna Coles

Far Left: Joanna Coles (Moderator), Michelle Mulligan (Editor-in-Chief Cosmopolitan for Latinas). Nina Vaca (CEO and Founder of The Pinnacle Group), Beverly Bond (Founder of Black Girls Rock), Far Right: Actress Gabrielle Union

There certainly isn't one formula for 'changing the world', but collectively each of these women are certainly doing their part!

"The Authentic You" was the focus of Gabrielle Bernstein's talk (pictured above), she is a Motivational Speaker, Life Coach and Author. She is the Author of "Miracles Now 108 Life-Changing Tools for Less Stress, More Flow, and Finding Your True Purpose" which you can purchase for a low price at Amazon by the pressing on the banner below. (Which helps Ascending Butterfly too! :)

The Empowerment Extravaganza ended with a live concert by Elle King! (Pictured Below)

MY TAKE:

Fun Fearless Life was an amazing opportunity to get inspired and empowered by women at the top who weren't afraid to share their failures as well as their successes. Every speaker was candid, raw and powerful and un-afraid to claim their gifts and put them to use. That's exactly what I want for myself and each and every single one of you, claim your gifts butterflies and as you fly upwards take a moment to stop and look around and enjoy exactly where you are NOW - you won't get this moment back, you can only make a new one.

Which speaker would you most like to have heard for yourself butterfly?

˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙˙·٠•●♥ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ♥●•●•٠·˙

FTC Disclosure: I was provided Press Access to Fun Fearless Life Weekend as Digital Press.  All opinions are 100% my own. There are affiliate links in this post. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may visit our full giveaway and disclosure page for complete policy information.