Showing posts with label self-improvement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self-improvement. Show all posts

Monday, April 4, 2016

Today is my 'Personal New Year' otherwise known as my 'birthday' - here are some gifts for YOU! #MondayMotivation


I am fascinated by astrology. Years ago I read that our Birthday's are really the start of our year - yes, our astrological year, but our personal year as well.

It resonated.

New Year's Eve never really resonated as a beginning to me, and in 2011 the night lost it's 'joy' for me, some of you will know what I mean by that, others won't. It's a long story and my archives are certainly searchable if you are curious.

Today is my birthday, making 4/4 the start of my year - astrologically and personally.

Here is what I've learned so far:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I can't make everyone happy. - I am not telling you not to try, but I can tell you to work on making YOURSELF happy - and not just once and awhile. Do one thing each and every single day that brings you joy. For me, it's music, photography and travel. I can't travel everyday (although that would make me super happy) but I can listen to music. So I do.


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I can't keep every ball in the air. - I am not a juggler. I am a multi-tasker, but I am not a juggler, some days a ball or two will fall. It's OK.


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Clothes and Shoes aren't the only things you will outgrow. - We outgrow people, relationships, situations, jobs, as we ascend different things will suit us, others won't. It's OK to Spring Clean your life. Sweep out the relationships that fill you with dread, the people who make you cringe, the ones you send to voicemail when they call you, the ones on Facebook that annoy the hell out of you - use the unfriend button. It's OK. The world and your world won't crumble. Just remember, disagreements are not cause to automatically let go, you aren't always going to see eye to eye with someone no matter how much you love them and how much they mean to you, it's not about seeing eye to eye all the time, it's just knowing when to agree to disagree!


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Love the person - Remember what I just wrote above - don't sweep someone out of your life because you don't see eye to eye on sex or politics. Love the person not their politics. Love the person, not who they worship. Love the person, don't worry about what goes on in their bedroom. (unless it's the person you are actually in a relationship with, then you should totally know what's going on in the bedroom).


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - You know nothing about yourself - Ever. You are a constantly changing, ever transforming work in progress. What you feel about politics, sex and religion will change throughout the years. oh, did I say that's OK yet? Because it is. If you can admit you don't always have it all together: (a) you are doing great and (b) be more compassionate of the person across from you (they are juggling shit too).


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Loss - Loss will hit us all eventually. - There is no right way to handle it. There is no wrong way to handle it. And even in cases where you know it's coming, trust me when I tell you that you still won't expect it.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Turn your mess into your miracle - You know that annoying saying 'You can't get rainbows without the rain'? - Sorry to tell you but it's true. Diamonds are formed via High Pressure (um, not from a lump of coal), and that is exactly what life does to you, puts you through high pressure, if you ride through the waves of pressure you come out polished not demolished! My biggest mess: I'm an insomniac - it's hard to turn my brain off - but I realize I've made really good use of the extra time and that my insomnia is probably why I love to read, research, and write.


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - And if you can only remember one golden nugget? - JUST SAY NO! - The more you learn to say it, the happier you will be!

I'm off to make a New Year's Wish List just in time for the New Moon on the 7th! Happy Birthday to my fellow Aries peeps!

Readers Sound Off/Your Take: What Day is your personal new year? What is the most important thing you have learned so far?

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FTC Disclosure:  This is NOT a Sponsored Post, 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.

Monday, October 5, 2015

{#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?

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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.

Monday, August 10, 2015

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

Consciously Un-Coupling Cartoon Drawing by mark ewbie

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''?

Empty Piggy Bank, Representations of Lack


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.

Tracy Iglesias of Ascending Butterfly on the $100 Bill
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?

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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.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Weekly Moment of #Gratitude: The Good, Bad and the Ugly Edition! Summer 2014!


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

This feature has been M.I.A for awhile - don't get me wrong it's not because I haven't had things to be grateful for, because I have.

This summer flew by in a blur, some good, and some not so good stuff.

Not So Good:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I attended an event, recapped it, and then had someone threaten to sue me because they wanted me to remove their photo and my synopsis. And maybe it's because I started in Newspapers but I felt the need to dig my heels in and stand my ground. I will not be bossed around by anyone when it comes to my digital home and how it's maintained. Especially since this has always been a place about empowerment and I have worked hard to keep snark and negativity from invading my digital home.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - I have been so busy it has made writing pithy content feel more like a chore. Something I absolutely hate feeling.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - The level of bad Public Relations and Pitches this summer made me want to shut my digital doors and just escape the stupidity of my inbox completely.

Good and Grateful For Stuff:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Events that did provide unique experiences as lately those have been few and far between.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Brands that actually wanted real partnerships and not just a free mouthpiece.

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Taking a Digital Camera Course at Best Buy that allowed me to improve my DSLR skills making the investment in a good camera totally worth it. (Check out the DSLR Learning Center at BestBuy)

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Being featured by SheSpeaks which I wrote about on Thursday was definitely a great reminder that all my plugging away is not in vain! Sometimes it's just nice to know that your work is appreciated.

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


My Take:

I have been a bit too close to things lately and I have tried to detach myself spiritually from a lot of it, but I realized just how much I missed this feature and how much I missed taking time to actually stop and remember how good things are in the here and now.

Having someone threaten to sue me for just doing my job brought on an incredible range of emotions, not all of them good ones. But I instantly went straight into 'pitbull' mode, and at least that let me know that writing and this space I have carved out for myself still meant more to me than I realized. And while I'm not grateful for the undue stress at a point where I least needed it in my life, I am grateful that the experience helped me see just how much this space and my integrity means to me. I was unwilling to compromise and I remembered that sometimes you need to assess what is and isn't worth fighting for.

Experimenting with Photography this summer has been engrossing and fun. I also realized I didn't have to share it all. While getting better at it was something I wanted to do initially to improve my blog photos, playing with it more frequently has opened up a more creative eye and while I love writing, I needed a jolt of creativity in my life lately, something that wasn't necessarily all about Ascending Butterfly.

Happy to bring my favorite feature back and speaking of which, on Monday another favorite feature returns from a long hiatus with a giveaway too, so stay tuned!

What are you most grateful for this week Butterfly?

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

FTC DisclosureThis 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.

Monday, May 19, 2014

The Three Places You May Be Forgetting to Add 'Intention'



We tend to approach 'big' things with intention, but we sometimes forget to speak intention on things we do almost on 'auto-pilot' when we do them like:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Lighting a Candle
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Lighting Incense
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Go To Sleep At Night/Our Dreams

@buddhaonabicycle.com


You can add intention to all three of these.

Light a Candle or Incense with Intention - We tend to have a reason when we light a candle, but open the door to only positive energy by lighting it with intention. Whatever your belief system is should be what guides you. I have observed some who are Christian open the lighting of a candle by stating they are lighting the candle in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as they believe that lighting a candle symbolizes the light of Christ. Others feel that lighting a candle brings light to our wishes and desires, used by some as a request for healing or peace.

Taking a moment of silence before lighting a candle or incense for that matter to clear your head of negative thoughts and energy is important. Try sitting for a moment with your eyes closed, if you are a good 'visualizer', visualize white light all around you, if you are more of a voice person, affirm either silently or out loud postive words of affirmation to put yourself in the right place (mentally and spiritually)  to light your candle or incense.

When you feel ready, open your eyes, light your candle or incense (or both) bow your head and direct your intentions and/or prayers to the Universe, God, Allah, Buddha, the Angels or your higher self for that matter and ask that the energy created by your candle or incense serves your highest good and the highest good of your environment and those around you.

The hardest part will be the letting go, release any need to have the prayers answered in a specific way, allow spirit and the universe to help you find the best path to your answer.

Put intention to your sleep and dreams -  Yes you can do the same for your sleep, and while this might feel the most strange to you at first, doing this with consistency may just change your sleep forever. Take some time without noise, turn off electronic devices, tv and music too. Sit for some time in silence, whether you keep a gratitude journal or not, focus on 3 good things that happened to you in this day. Express gratitude (silently, or out loud your choice) - then focus on your top three goals for yourself, personal would be better, but professional are OK too, Affirm to yourself be it out loud or silently that you charge your dreams to help you see clearly those goals you wish to manifest, ask your subconscious mind to be vibrationally aligned to those goals so you may see clearly how to reach them.

When you master these, try adding intention to other simple daily tasks, add intention to your eating patterns, television viewing, and one of my personal favorites your shower, I really do believe we can change our lives by changing our thoughts and our own responses to the mundane/routine and to those things that may not be so routine.

What have you put intention to today butterfly?


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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a Sponsored Post. But if you would like to sponsor a Motivation Monday, feel free to contact me! :)

Monday, March 3, 2014

The 10 things your Life/Career Coach is too afraid to tell you! #MotivationMonday



A Bra Specialist can look at you and tell your bra size quite accurately BEFORE she even measures you. A shoe store associate can usually look at a foot and also pretty much accurately guess your size and foot width. And while we hate to hear this, an HR professional makes their final assessment within the first 10 minutes of the job interview.

A Life or Career Coach come into play when you want to manifest change in your life or career. It's hard for the Coach to do their job when they quickly realize that it's only YOU and your attitude standing in your way. The quote "Attitude Determines Altitude" has lasted this long for good reason!



The Top 10 Things Your Life/Career Coach is too Afraid to tell you:

(1) It's not your boss, it's YOU - How you react to your boss and his/her demands are going to determine how far you will go. I am not telling you to brown nose your way to the top, however I am telling you as a Career Coach, that this is the most vital relationship you have in your career arsenal. Remember, even leaving a job of your own accord will require a job reference. And in Life Coaching this applies to the relationship you feel most stuck in, the one you feel that is not moving forward but backwards. Be it your in-laws or that BFF you think you may be 'outgrowing'...

(2) You Must Pay Your Dues - You are not going to become CEO in a year. Don't be afraid to pay your dues.

(3) Procure a Mentor - You want to touch base with someone doing the job you want to have eventually. It's OK to go outside your organization to find that person. In fact, that is the better way to go, you want someone who you can be frank with and who can also feel free to be frank with you about their path to success.

(4) Relationships are a two way street - If your theme is constantly about how every relationship has wronged you, your coach may be too afraid to tell you that you are sabotaging your relationships by the way you react to things that are not to your liking.

(5) Presentation is half the battle won - It's not just the job interview where you should whip out your best suit, dress for the job you want, not the job you have. If the top salesperson calls in sick and a major account needs attention, who do you think the boss will ask to pinch hit? The person in jeans or the suit?

(6) Yes, Peer Socialization is necessary - Those myriad of after-work team-building events, do you really have to go? YES, you have to go. Your peers are in the trenches with you, and if you can all support each other, you all win.

(7) You get what you give - Selfishness will hold you back from the life you really want. Be it the green-eyed monster, or pushing your agenda to hold someone else back, you get in life exactly what you give. If you spend countless hours telling your life/career coach how selfish everyone is around you, they are going to easily spot that the selfish Sally in those relationships is really YOU.

(8) Stop making cross-lateral job transfers - Your job trajectory needs to go up, if you spend years just moving sideways it's going to be harder to go up the next time you make a job move. Aim to build a career with an upward trajectory. (Because dearies, only crabs walk sideways!)

(9) Don't let moss grow under your feet - If you can't find the job you want, keep searching and portion out a part of your week to volunteer. Volunteer work is just that WORK. It allows you to give back to your community in a relevant way and still build necessary job skills. The busier you are, the more attractive you are to a potential employer.

(10) Define Success Clearly - How do YOU Define Success? Don't tell your coach how your mother and father define success. Or how your spouse defines it. Or your siblings for that matter. Yes you need to make enough to cover your bills, but at the end of the day, amassing money and then having no time to enjoy it, is something I am sure we can both agree is fruitless.  No Life/Career Coach can take your career or life to the next level until you know exactly what success looks like for you. Visualize it. Do you picture yourself in a garden with blooming flowers? With a smiling family? In an office at the top floor? Bring your Life or Career Coach a picture of how you define success, then and only then can they help you get there!

My Take:

The only thing that tends to stand in the way of our own success, is US! We tend to be our own harshest crtics, we tend to think status quo is better than change and we get stuck in ruts that for the most part we create for ourselves.

Before reaching out to a Life or Career Coach, start by tapping into what success looks like for you, what position you want to be in and be sure you are ready to knock your life and career status quo on it's head. Change sometimes comes with sacrifice. A life/career coach is not your fairy godmother, they can't wave a wand over your head and put you straight into your dream life. Define Success for yourself and then once you have that vision, there is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking the help of an expert to guide you on how to achieve it.

And lastly as someone who has been coaching for awhile now, my biggest tip is that a life/career coach is NOT your therapist, while it's super easy to get that confused, your therapist digs into your past, your life coach looks forward (not backward) into how the immediate can be re-shaped to look more like YOUR vision of true success.

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

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a Sponsored Post.

Monday, January 27, 2014

{Todays #Inspiration} Each Person! #MotivationMonday



































I can relate to the last sentence of this quote! My best creative writing has always felt like I was just a temporary vessel for the words and that the writing 'came through' me. Those writing moments are effortless, almost easy. I am engrossed and engaged and the words flow through me as hours fly by on the clock. Those days feel amazing!

But the key is to remember that every single day can be like that if we are open to the many blessings that the Universe sends us each day. Today practice letting something come through you, stay in the moment, and say an affirmation to both start and end your day. Don't let 2014 be 2013, you can shape it into anything you want it to be!

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

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a Sponsored Post!

Monday, January 13, 2014

I plan to _______ to move myself closer to this ______ Goal! #MotivationMonday



For me: I plan to develop better financial habits to move myself closer to the Goal of moving to a new residence! What is your fill in the blank for Motivation Monday?

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

FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a Sponsored/Compensated Post.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Wordless Wednesday: Blessed are the Weird!



Happy Wordless Wednesday Butterflies! Bloggers please feel free to post the link to your Wordless Wednesday posts as a comment, so we can all go visit you too!


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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a Sponsored Post!

Monday, March 4, 2013

Ascending Butterfly Monthly Book Club: #Review & #Giveaway of @RealRomaDowney Little Angels: Prayers For Every Day



Thanks for your patience while the Ascending Butterfly Monthly Book Club took a brief hiatus! We are back in action and I thought in honor of Easter coming this month, we'd offer something special for you to tuck into that Easter Basket of your favorite little one! In fact while we normally give the book of the month a full month so you all can get your entries in, we are cutting this one a little short so we can be sure that there is ample time for delivery before Easter!

Much like it is well known that children pick up languages quickly especially when exposed to them at an early age, the same holds true with giving them the fundamentals and foundation of their Faith. Our Faith is the compass that guides our actions and our lives, why not start your children early on giving them the tools they need to build a foundation of Faith that will last forever?

Faith, Prayer and Meditation are incredibly grounding, they set the pace and tone for our day, and the same holds true for little ones!



About the Author:

If that face looks familiar it should! Author Roma Downey is best known for playing the kind hearted Angel, Monica, on the Television Series 'Touched By An Angel'. A role that earned her several Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. She is also the Executive Producer on the new epic mini series The Bible which aired on Sunday, March 3rd on the History Channel. She is also a spokesperson for the volunteer group Operation Smile, which provides surgeries for children around the world who were born with severe cleft lips and palates. (Operation Smile and St. Jude's Children Research Hospital are favorite causes for us here at Ascending Butterfly as well).

About the Book:

In Little Angels, four year old twins, Alex and Zoe, have eight Little Angels looking out for them. The angels live on a mural on the nursery's ceiling and come to life when the kids need them most. They act as teachers, protectors and friends - to instruct and guide. Each angel has a distinct personality. Little Angels helps to provide real practical skills such as learning ABC's and 123's in addition to teaching core family values such as the importance of being kind and of sharing, of being truthful and honest and of showing gratitude and love.

The Simple Prayer that inspired it all:

This simple, sweet prayer is what inspired the Little Angels series of books:

God in Heaven, my Savior dear Watch over my children and draw thou near Send your little angels to be at their side To light and to guard to love and to guide.

A prayer from Roma's own childhood was the inspiration for the Little Angels series! Watch Roma as she discusses all things Little Angels:





My Take:

The books are crafted with a great softly padded cover and has thick sturdy pages that are perfect for little hands to maneuver and tough enough to withstand the tortures that little ones sometimes put books through. From the sturdy yet safe construction to the super cute animation, this book (in fact the entire series) is definitely a hit! I love also that the prayers are broken down into categories like prayers for Morning, Praise, Thanks, Mealtimes, Prayers for Others, Prayers for Help, Guidance, Forgiveness, Comfort, and last but not least Bedtime. The prayers read like poems, and some pages have biblical verses which is a great starter to get little ones ready for bible study in a way that is easy for them to understand, and fun too!




Get Social With It:

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ- Visit Ideals Books they offer many other faith-based books for children at http://www.idealsbooks.com

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ -Visit the Official Little Angels Website for more about The Little Angels, http://www.littleangels.com/

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Like Ideals Books on Facebook

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Follow the author on twitter @RealRomaDowney

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - And check them out on YouTube too!

Win It:

We'd love for you to have a copy for your Little Angel this Easter, follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter Entry Widget Below to get in your entries for a chance to win a copy of your own:

a Rafflecopter giveaway



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FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of Little Angels Prayers For Every Day for editorial consideration and the sponsor is providing the winner's copy, however all opinions are 100% my own. I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." See our Full Disclosure Policy HERE. The sponsor is responsible for prize fulfillment. Neither Ascending Butterfly nor it's giveaway sponsors will be held responsible for lost or mis-directed mail. We welcome readers and authors of ALL Faiths!

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Weekly Moment of Gratitude: The OH NO they didn't edition!





What I am grateful for:


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - NO! NO! NO! -  I have decided NOT to let someone tell me how to operate MY business, trust that more details will be forthcoming, but butterflies I warn you, if you give someone an un-deserved inch, you best believe they will try for that mile, so reign it in at the first and early signs! But I am thankful for the lessons and the chance to see this so called partner's true stripes. I don't suffer fools or hypocrites lightly and this week gave me the chance to cut off some very dead weight. The word NO! seems to keep getting re-played over and over this year!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Events! - I have attended some fun and wonderful events lately and I will be sure to post the recaps as quickly as possible!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - DUH WINNING! - I have received some of the prizes I won recently, and got notification of a few more since my last posts, I won a great Merci Chocolates Prize Pack from a blog contest recently and a $50 Target Gift Card from a Twitter Party! Not only is it fun hosting twitter parties, but I love entering and participating in them too!

Sorry it's been so long since my last Gratitude Post Butterflies, it's not that I haven't had things to be grateful for, quite the contrary in fact, but I have been taking more time away from blogging and social media and giving myself some much needed time! It has been leaving me scrambling to catch up a bit on posts, so this feature got cut for awhile while I got caught up. I have been keeping my own daily list of things I am grateful for and taking time to acknowledge my blessings daily. A bit of concentrated focus on what you do have, instead of on what you lack or need, can make a huge shift in your life!


What are YOU most grateful for this week Butterfly?

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What are you grateful for today? I'd love for you to write in and share what you are grateful for this week. The more you say it, the more you speak it, and the more you live in gratitude, the more you will find reasons to be grateful for, and the more reasons that the universe will send you to be grateful for. So join me on this journey of gratitude and inspiration. And you can post here daily (even though my list will be posted weekly).

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

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

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias This Week's 'Moment of Gratitude' and Active Giveaways!  - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

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

Giveaways!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Ascending Butterfly Book Club will be returning, and our first title will actually a special title for the little ones in your life, stay tuned!

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Gratitude Journal Reco:

For those of you who are interested in keeping a gratitude journal this year, here is my recommendation and where to purchase it:

















Make this Your Best Day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post, all opinions are 100% my own. Journal Recommendation uses an Amazon Affiliate Link. Questions about our Disclosure? Please visit: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/p/disclosure-policy.html

Monday, February 25, 2013

Motivation Monday: What goes better with quotes than butterflies?


Graphic Reads: "When you get to the end of all the light you know and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: either you will be given something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly!" ~ Edward Teller

I feel like I am about to step into the unknown myself this year in so many ways, and my Faith definitely tells me I will fly! Just thought I'd put a little Motivation in your Monday, here's hoping you not just 'fly' but 'soar' this week!

What do you need encouragement to try this week? Share your leap of Faith!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post!

Monday, January 14, 2013

Monday Motivation: Keep Calm and Believe On! #inspiration #MotivationMonday

inspirational quotes

I have been taking my own advice about carving out much needed time for myself, and I took a long weekend to re-group, de-stress, and just be. Doing so definitely helped to put me in a much better mood, and give me much needed perspective and I can now tackle a new week with energy and enthusiasm!

I hope all my butterflies out there had a wonderful weekend!

I will be closing out the yurbuds giveaway and contacting the winner shortly, and this week stay tuned for a new giveaway, and if you need a hint as to what it will be, read HERE.

Happy Monday Butterfly! What do you believe you can do this week?



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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post!

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Today's Words of Inspiration: Be What You Believe! Inspired by my new #Pajamas Edition!



One of my Christmas gifts this year was a new pair of Pajamas, and they read 'Be What You Believe'. It's a super simple, yet very powerful message. How often do you catch yourself being something your not? I don't mean in a hypocritical way. Just conforming who you are to make someone else happy or comfortable? Trying not to be offensive, or walking on eggshells around a particular person or co-worker?

It's not fun is it?

In the long run, not being what you believe just fills you up with toxic energy. Be What You Believe at all times, that doesn't mean you have to be hurtful or blunt, just authentic, honest and truthful.

Whether you make resolutions or you don't, Be What You Believe in 2013.

I'm actively trying to open my mind to all sources of inspiration so I can make positive and forward moving changes in this year, I have a lot of lost time to make up for! But if a simple pair of Pajamas can inspire me to inspire YOU, what can you find to be inspired by today?

How will you be what you believe this year?


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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Weekly Moment of Gratitude - Happy Mother's Day Butterfly!


Happy Mother's Day Butterfly!


What I am grateful for:


Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ My Mom -  She is the most amazing woman I know! And she has spent this year helping me through a very dark time and two very difficult hospital stays this year. I am filled with gratitude that God blessed with a mom AND a best friend.

I have been blessed with many strong women in my life, some who are now passed including my Grandmother, my Great-Grandmother, and my Godmother who is also my Great Aunt.

And a special thanks to my Aunt Butterfly who has also been with me during my difficult hospital stays this year along with my mom!

I had a great weekend with my Mama Butterfly this weekend, and I hope you did something special for your mom too!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - SAYING NO - I'm sure that sounds odd, but one of the things my health scare this year has taught me is to truly value my time and efforts, and if someone or something isn't a good investment of my time, energies and strength, I now will immediately and unequivocally say no. I'm grateful for this lesson learned. It's certainly helped to reduce my stress!

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Thank YOU: Just wanted to thank everyone who voted for me in the Swag Mom contest, while I did not win, in addition to votes, there were so many messages and comments that were super encouraging, and others who shared their own stories or a prayer and those messages meant as much to me as the votes of support do! And for those of you who have emailed me and shared your own health battles that have been fought and won, thank you. I'm inspired by not only your bravery, but the generosity of your spirit by sharing your personal stories with me.

Happy Gratitude Sunday Butterfly!

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What are you grateful for today? I'd love for you to write in and share what you are grateful for this week. The more you say it, the more you speak it, and the more you live in gratitude, the more you will find reasons to be grateful for, and the more reasons that the universe will send you to be grateful for. So join me on this journey of gratitude and inspiration. And you can post here daily (even though my list will be posted weekly).

Remember, attitude really does determine altitude.

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

OK to RT: @Tracy_Iglesias This Week's 'Moment of Gratitude' and Active Giveaways!  - http://tiny.cc/n4Thx

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

Active Giveaway

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ - Because our opening Mother's Day Giveaway also encompasses this month's Featured Handbag in the Spotlight, this one closes on May 30th like our normal handbag feature would, enter to win a $200 Wilson's Leather Gift Card HERE

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

Gratitude Journal Reco:
For those of you who are interested in keeping a gratitude journal this year, here is my recommendation and where to purchase it:
















Make this Your Best Day ever, Bless and Be Blessed!

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


FTC Disclosure: Journal Recommendation uses an Amazon Affiliate Link. Questions about our Disclosure? Please visit: http://www.ascendingbutterfly.com/p/disclosure-policy.html