Great Tuesday Morning

     Last year with great pain in my heart, I decided to allow my 14 year old son Zack to go live with his father in Ohio. His dad had moved the year prior and my Lil’ Dude was having a really hard time with it. His grades went way down in school, along with his behavior, attitude and respect at home. I fought it (and him) with my ego strong in the lead for an entire year. I couldn’t let go of my need to “be” mom, which at the time I thought meant that Zack needed to be under my roof or I wasn’t doing my job. How silly of me right? Once I removed ego and finally let go of my hold, something amazing happened. I had to get so clear with what I wanted. I mean the highest & purest desire for my son, his father, my other 4 children and myself. I had to get a vision of what I truly valued in my family. My ultimate desire and intention is harmony.

Holidays were a little tough, and other family celebrations were bittersweet. I will say this though: Thank God for Skype and Facebook Watching my boy’s transformation over this past year has been a delight in itself. I could see that I had made the best decision for him. My guy loves his father. I love that. He deserves to have his dad a part of his daily life. He also loves me. It wasn’t about who the better parent was. It was about letting my son have his journey, meeting his need for guidance and connection. I think the hardest part for me as a single mom is letting go of how I think things are suppose to look with my 5 kids.

     The sweet of life is truly in the surrender. I choose to believe that as they are all going in different directions and growing through their own lives, everything is exactly as it should be. They are safe, protected, healthy and happy. As am I. We all get to have our journey’s. That’s where my focus remains now. I trust and give thanks that my family is in harmony and the how is none of my business The happy ending when we do this?

     My son is on his way home from Ohio as I write to you this morning For good. He’s moving home. He will be here after my LexieGirl gets home from school today. How cool is that? His father has decided to move back to Las Vegas. Imagine that  I am sure you can imagine the joy that is filling my heart. When things got a little challenging for me this past year, I would draw on my love for my son, and my faith in my vision and my Source. I knew I would again, breathe my Lil’ Dude in.

Happy Monday :)

How are you gliding through your January? Do you feel as though your making progress? Keeping it in perspective so the molehills don’t grow to the size of mountains? I’ve been busier than a bee building her nest getting ready for her honey

Lots of creations, co-creations, joint ventures, projects and of course the blessing of my book release scheduled in the next couple of months Today’s article is from one of my favorite authors, Paulo Coelho. If you haven’t read his brilliant book, The Alchemist, I highly recommend it! An easy read, and not lengthy at all. It’s all about the journey If you are finding that you’re facing giants, mountains or messes already this month as you’re preparing to Rise To Your Size, take heart. Be motivated by the movement you’re making. Step by step you are making strides. Give yourself some Grace and know you’ve got a surplus of support whenever you need it.

To Your Climb,

Stacie

Excerpted from “Like the Flowing River”: Thoughts and Reflections

Manual for Climbing Mountains

–by Paulo Coelho , Original Story, Dec 20, 2011 by Daily Good

A] Choose the mountain you want to climb: don’t pay attention to what other people say, such as “that one’s more beautiful” or “this one’s easier”. You’ll be spending lots of energy and enthusiasm to reach your objective, so you’re the only one responsible and you should be sure of what you’re doing.

B] Know how to get close to it: mountains are often seen from far off – beautiful, interesting, full of challenges. But what happens when we try to draw closer? Roads run all around them, flowers grow between you and your objective, what seemed so clear on the map is tough in real life. So try all the paths and all the tracks until eventually one day you’re standing in front of the top that you yearn to reach. 

C] Learn from someone who has already been up there: no matter how unique you feel, there is always someone who has had the same dream before you and ended up leaving marks that can make your journey easier; places to hang the rope, trails, broken branches to make the walking easier. The climb is yours, so is the responsibility, but don’t forget that the experience of others can help a lot.

D] When seen up close, dangers are controllable: when you begin to climb the mountain of your dreams, pay attention to the surroundings. There are cliffs, of course. There are almost imperceptible cracks in the mountain rock. There are stones so polished by storms that they have become as slippery as ice. But if you know where you are placing each footstep, you will notice the traps and how to get around them. 

E] The landscape changes, so enjoy it: of course, you have to have an objective in mind – to reach the top. But as you are going up, more things can be seen, and it’s no bother to stop now and again and enjoy the panorama around you. At every meter conquered, you can see a little further, so use this to discover things that you still had not noticed.

F] Respect your body: you can only climb a mountain if you give your body the attention it deserves. You have all the time that life grants you, as long as you walk without demanding what can’t be granted. If you go too fast you will grow tired and give up half way there. If you go too slow, night will fall and you will be lost. Enjoy the scenery, take delight in the cool spring water and the fruit that nature generously offers you, but keep on walking. 

G] Respect your soul: don’t keep repeating “I’m going to make it”. Your soul already knows that, what it needs is to use the long journey to be able to grow, stretch along the horizon, touch the sky. An obsession does not help you at all to reach your objective, and even ends up taking the pleasure out of the climb. But pay attention: also, don’t keep saying “it’s harder than I thought”, because that will make you lose your inner strength.

H] Be prepared to climb one kilometer more: the way up to the top of the mountain is always longer than you think. Don’t fool yourself, the moment will arrive when what seemed so near is still very far. But since you were prepared to go beyond, this is not really a problem.

 I] Be happy when you reach the top: cry, clap your hands, shout to the four winds that you did it, let the wind – the wind is always blowing up there – purify your mind, refresh your tired and sweaty feet, open your eyes, clean the dust from your heart. It feels so good, what was just a dream before, a distant vision, is now part of your life, you did it!

J] Make a promise: now that you have discovered a force that you were not even aware of, tell yourself that from now on you will use this force for the rest of your days. Preferably, also promise to discover another mountain, and set off on another adventure.

K] Tell your story: yes, tell your story! Give your example. Tell everyone that it’s possible, and other people will then have the courage to face their own mountains.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Have you made any resolutions? Would you like to know ONE that will put all the other ones peacefully to rest so you can truly focus on the best? Care to guess what the one resolution is? Patience? Faith? Intention? Action? Courage? While all of these are wonderful attributes, and definitely add a critical element to our accomplishments,  none of them are the one resolution that’s needed. The only arrow required to shoot straight to the center of all your targets is evolution. Resolve to evolve. That’s it. It’s that simple. Courageously resolve to evolve. When we are learning, we are growing, and when we are growing, we are moving towards our goals. So many of us aspire to do more, spend more time with family & loved ones, lose weight, travel, quit a nasty habit, start a relationship, end a relationship, or start some sort of self improvement program, but set ourselves up to fail before we even start.

Without a clear and concrete plan of action, we are merely making the normal and so outdated fluff & stuff resolutions. Does this ring a bell? “I’m going to really really lose weight this year. Really I am. I mean I know I said that last year, but, this year, well this year is different. It is. Really. I mean it. I’m not sure how much I’m going to lose, but it’s going to be a lot!”  Then after a few weeks of running circles around the gym with no clear direction or plan….we choose out and fall back into our old habits and patterns. Sound familiar? Or ending a destructive relationship, learning a new skill to advance your career, etc. The desired outcomes may differ, but the principles are the same. When we are aiming for the center, we begin by pulling back on the bow.  The farther back we pull the bow, the more focused we become, the more concise the impact when we let go. By pulling back, by courageously looking at ourselves and our goals through the eyes of truth, the more guaranteed we are to hit our marks.

2012 offers so many promises. So many opportunities for growth, love, relationships, health, career, whatever it is, as long as your chosen resolve is to evolve, your target becomes clear and attainable.  Take a little time to step back from your fears.  Quiet the cast of fictional characters playing re-runs in your mind. Become an observer for a few moments, and get clear with what matters for your evolution. The first and most crucial step is awakening to the truth. Not the watered down version of the truth. Not what others want to hear as the truth. Your truth. And trust yourself. Your higher self knows what lies you have been buying into up until now. What is it going to take for you to be happy?  To truthfully be happy? To experience joy?  To build & grow your financial landscape?  To nurture your health for optimal performance?  To pursue your life’s passion? To create a relationship so delicious that it makes Hollywood salivate for what you have? To live a life of excellence? To live a life of excellence we must choose to excel. To move through the lies in every area of our lives.

Are you finding that you are always busy doing, yet the results at the end of the day are anything but excellent? Do your days find you drained by nightfall? Is the chaos your swimming in beginning to feel as though you have cement shoes on? Where are you in respects to your emotional growth? Spiritual? Mental, and physical?  This year is about renewing, restructuring, reviewing, rebuilding, results and rewards. Are you so busy bending over for others that you have no time for yourself? How exhausting is that? Are you fed up with being Mr./Ms. Fixit? Or molding yourself into the image that others want you to be? Time for your evolution. Time for breakthrough. It’s a new year. A New You. Get real so you can live a real life.

Write your top 10 values in life. Your personal virtues that you and those around you must live by. What are they? Get very clear with what matters to you. Take some quiet time to get in touch with your values. What makes up your value system? Once you have your top 10, choose 3. Choose the three that are your absolute deal breaking non-negotiables. Now you can create a solid action plan to achieve, obtain and move towards your goals. Apply these three to every situation, circumstance, life decision or choice you are about to make and you will begin to move towards your goals and begin building momentum for your desired results. The first step may be a little scary at first. This is totally understandable and will get easier with each honest step you take. Each time you speak from your truth, you will begin to walk with a greater sense of ease, of peace, of clarity and of grace. Confidence is built with movement.  Honesty takes strength. The strength that comes from your truth.

Honesty also takes courage. The courage of knowing that you are safe speaking, walking and living from your integrity. Your values.  Your target will become clear. Your choices, naturally, better. Conducive and supportive of your personal goals, dreams, hopes and desires. Those that have weighed you down, that which has kept you stuck, will instantaneously lighten up so you can let go. Let go so you can grow. Evolve. Your sights become fixed, arrow becomes locked in and SHAAAZAM!! BULLSEYE

If you are ready to make 2012 the year you truthfully and joyfully take yourself on, turn the heat up to a healthy notch, and let go of a life by default, creating instead a life that you design, I am accepting applications for a limited amount of new clients and projects and speaking engagements. For more information on my elite coaching programs, to set up a consult, or to inquire about my speaking schedule, please email me @ stacie@staciecampanelli.com

Here’s to creating a powerful year and making GREAT choices!

Well you’ve made it. It’s the week of Christmas. How’s your shopping coming along? Baking? Parties, wrapping, spending, spinning? Are ya finished? Did you find that hard to please person who seems to have everything, something unique and special?

The picture above is from my tree this year. On the branches sits a white envelope. The envelope represents gifts that cannot be measured monetarily. My joy and the raising of my children’s joy, is giving rather than the receiving ‘presents’ and the gimme gimme gimmicks that draw kids and adults alike in the marketing trap of Christmas. This tree has given myself, family and friends many seasons of pleasure and joy. Given the recent events in my own life, it brings me great comfort and a peaceful heart to sit at night and enjoy the beauty of my Shabby Chic Tree. I have decided that I am leaving it up the entire year to keep the spirit of Christmas, the essence, alive all year. Or as long as my OCD side allows me

The White Envelope

“For the Man Who Hated Christmas”

It’s just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past ten years or so.

It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas–oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it—overspending…the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma—the gifts given in desperation because you couldn’t think of anything else.

Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.

Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was wrestling at the junior level at the school he attended; and shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church. These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes. As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler’s ears.

It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford. Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. And as each of their boys got up from the mat, he swaggered around in his tatters with false bravado, a kind of street pride that couldn’t acknowledge defeat.

Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, “I wish just one of them could have won,” he said. “They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them.” Mike loved kids- all kids – and he knew them, having coached little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That’s when the idea for his present came. That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church. On Christmas Eve, I placed the envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done and that this was his gift from me. His smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year and in the succeeding years. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition—one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on.

The envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning and our children, ignoring their new toys, would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents.

As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents but the envelope never lost its allure. The story doesn’t end there.

You see we lost Mike last year due to dreaded cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree, and in the morning, it was joined by three more.

Each of our children, unbeknownst to the others, had placed an envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing to take down the envelope.

Mike’s spirit, like the Christmas spirit will always be with us.

by Nancy W. Gavin

Published in Woman’s Day Magazine 1982

Wednesday Inspiration

WARNING: This is not rated G or PG,
(a bit of swearing) but oh my GOD is it rated AAA for AMAZING, AWESOME & ASTOUNDING!. I have watched it myself at least a dozen times and each time is like the first time. Every
single time, I clap, tear up and burst with joy and gratitude as if it’s the
first time experiencing it. It’s absolutely one of the highlights of humanity.
♥

I am blessed into a sweet fit of tears. I love Michael Buble to begin with and this clip shows his true spirit. He blesses others AND blows himself away by the talent of this 15 year old fan.

♥

Sweet tears.

 This is pure love and light. No limits nor boundaries. This is Grace at it’s
finest.

♥

 And God bless Sam’s mom
for having the courage to stand in front of ALL Michaels fans and speak on
behalf of what and who she believes in, despite her obvious fears for a gift she
wanted to share with the world. Her child.

 ♥ A must see and share ♥

♥

Never give up on a dream that drives you daily. Be inspired to reach farther, Dig deeper and deliver your best performance when given your chance.

 ♥

  May this inspire and move you into ”FEELING GOOD!”

 Monday Motivation

Dear Monday:
I know that I have choices everyday. From what to wear, what to eat, when to go to bed, when to wake up, who to share my life & love with and when to say no or yes. Although some days are more challenging than others regarding certain choices I make, today gets to be a day that I say yes. That simple. Just yes. I will say it with a smile as I expect the universe to respond in kind. I will notice how my face feels as I am saying that sweet word. How my body feels to receive the rewards of yes. Just for today Yes, today is a wonderful day to say yes ♥

Wednesday Inspiration

Christmas time holds within it, a diverse gathering of belief systems and “reasons for the season.” Whatever meaning this holiday has for you, it is a beautiful part of your family memories and teachings, I am sure There is however, a Universal message that filters through every home, every heart and every hand extended in service. This is a time of year where the gifts given and celebrations shared are worth honoring and passing along to your children and loved ones. Wouldn’t you agree?

Charlene Costanzo © 2001

Monday Morning Motivation:

I felt it appropriate to kick off the first “official” Monday of
the biggest Holiday Season event of the year with the power of believing. I
chose the picture not for the scripture so much as I did for the power and
essence behind it. In order for anything to manifest for us (whether good or
bad), we must first attach ourselves to a belief about whatever “it” is. Are
your beliefs bringing you the love, joy, peace and prosperity you desire? Is it
time to re-evaluate what you are believing about what it is you want?

Your beliefs  need to align with your deepest desires. Your deepest
most heart felt wish. Otherwise, your going to continue to get more of the same
things you got last Holiday…If you enjoyed it, that’s wonderful too! There’s
always room for growth & expansion

Why You Must Be The I In Believe To Succeed And Achieve
Anything

Everybody knows:

You can’t be all things to all people.
You can’t do all
things at once.
You can’t do all things equally well.
You can’t do all
things better than everyone else.
Your humanity is showing just like everyone else’s.

So:
You have to find out who you are, and be that.
You have
to decide what comes first, and do that.
You have to discover your strengths,
and use them.
You have to learn not to compete with others,
Because no one
else is in the contest of  “being you.”

Then:
You will have learned to
accept your own uniqueness.
You will have learned to set priorities and make
decisions.
You will have learned to live with your limitations.
You will
have learned to give yourself the respect that is due.
And you’ll be a most
vital mortal.

Dare To Believe:
That you are a wonderful, unique
person.
That you are a once-in-all-history event.
That it’s more than a
right, it’s your duty, to be who you are.
That life is not a problem to
solve, but a gift to cherish.
And you’ll be able to stay one up on what used
to get you down.