Just Ask Elizabeth- Trusting Your Gut

Dear Elizabeth,

I have been reading about the need to “trust your gut” and how important it is. In the past, I have found that my gut has been right on various important occasions. I had a “bad feeling” and listened to my body. How do you know when to trust that bad feeling, and when you are letting anxiety take over? One of my favorite tv characters, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, always goes with his gut and gets it right, too. Your thoughts, Elizabeth?

Signed,

Trusting My Gut in Maryland

Dear Trusting My Gut in Maryland,

Also called intuition or sense-making, that ever quiet voice in all of us, can help us out if we just listen. It is also called a “hunch”, “practical magic” by some, and a “magical superpower” by others. I have a pastor friend who calls it “the voice of God”. It is a “sixth sense” say others.

Whatever you call it, this out-of-the-blue feeling of “just knowing”, often comes to us when we least expect it and may need it the most. I try to avoid what you describe by listening to my feelings, not my thoughts. I know of a few women who ignored this feeling and lived to regret it. Trust your gut and follow your hunches.

In my experience, my life has always been better when I listened to my gut, my inner voice. I have learned the hard way to not ignore this voice. Let me know how this works out for you.

Left your gut be your guide!
Elizabeth

Just Ask Elizabeth- What To Do About All This Clutter?

Dear Elizabeth,

I am so tired of all my junk. I need fewer things in my life and want to live with less “stuff”. Do you have any suggestions for me?

- Too Much Clutter in Whittier

Dear Too Much Clutter in Whittier,

I too have felt the need to downsize! A simpler life will help, I think, to focus on what’s important to me. These three things have worked for me.

First, decide what is the most important thing to you, your values and needs. Can you live with less clutter and busyness? Want to spend more time together with family and friends and less time with stuff? YES!

Second, can you live with planet sustainability as a priority? Can you volunteer, make sustainable choices getting rid of things, and live with less stuff? YES!

Third, can you live with simpler personal and spiritual values, and spend time on experiences and not on things? YES!

If these three things are what you want in your life, you do want a life that sparks joy, not a life with clutter, stuff, and junk. Start small. Go through your items and see which ones you are using that day. If you haven’t used an item in the last year donating it is a good rule of thumb. By owning fewer things, we can live a life with more time, more money, and more freedom. What could be better!

Ebook Announcement for Karma Rules!

My book is available to order on Amazon Kindle!! Paperback will be available in mid-November. Throughout this journey, I have had the pleasure of meeting countless feisty women and their stories as well as my own recovery have been the fuel for this book. I feel so grateful for the inspiration and support. Link to order below, and to learn more about the book, head to my karma rules page, or read the reviews of my first book!

Order the Ebook here

More Info on Karma Rules

Reviews of The Feisty Woman’s Guide

Just Ask Elizabeth- Post-Halloween Blunders

Dear Elizabeth,

I went “ Trick or Treating” with my kids yesterday and had a few “miss-steps” along the way! Have any of these things ever happened to you, Elizabeth?

Signed,
Halloween Nightmares in NY

Dear Halloween Nightmares in NY,

Happy Day after Halloween! You are not alone in having miss-steps on Halloween! A few of my friends have shared some of their miss-steps with me. Maybe you had the same!

1. Always avoid going to the house of an ex!

2. You are the only Halloween character who really needed a walker!

3. You avoid asking for… healthy treats!

4. “Trick or…” ( you forget that last word) often happens!

5. You still have all of your candy at the end of the night!

If you can relate to any of these 5 things, you had a memorable Halloween for sure!

Enjoy your well-deserved treats, feisty women!

You have really earned them.

Just Ask Elizabeth- Improve Your Mood

Dear Elizabeth,

I really need help improving my “unfeisty” mood. How do I improve my bad mood? Help!

Signed,
Cranky in CT

Dear Cranky in CT,

I also feel like this sometimes; all feisty women sometimes feel “unfeisty.” I, of course, have a few suggestions for improving your mood. They will help you, I am sure because they have also helped me.

Sometimes you may need to take a break from conversations. Try to listen more and let others fix their own problems, in their own feisty way. You are responsible for yourself only.

Dwelling on your problems is not a way to solve them. Distract yourself by going for a walk, reading a good book, or journaling. Then map out a plan to solve your problem. Be feisty.

Find ways to beat stress. Figure out the root of your turmoil and develop some new skills to cope. Talk to a good listener and the solution will probably come to you as you have a feisty “vent.”

Do you feel not “happy” enough? Spend some time meditating and honor whatever you feel.

Be kind to your feisty self and the feelings often pass for me.

Always honor your feelings. It is okay, feisty women, to feel blue sometimes. I do some deep breathing exercises, walk in the sunlight, and give myself a “pep” talk.

If you are feeling cranky, feisty women, so what? Stay away from the person, place, or thing that makes you cranky. You owe that to yourself and you will soon feel better.

Always take care of your body, sleep more, nap if you feel like it, eat healthily, and limit your caffeine intake. Never ignore the dark chocolate craving. It can help you feel better!

I always, remember, feisty women, to lift myself up….no matter what!

Hope that you feel more feisty soon!

Review of the Twelve Laws of Karma: Part 2 Full Moon

Re-posting my Full Moon post and the second review of the laws that somehow got deleted!

Tonight will be a beautiful FULL moon! Here I go over the laws of karma as a prelude to my second book in The Feisty Woman series, The Feisty Woman’s Guide to Surviving Mr. Wonderful KARMA RULES. Mastering the concepts of these laws and writing about them have helped to facilitate my own journey of healing and forgiveness, and I hope they bring the same inspiration to you.

Which law is most applicable to YOUR life?

Fifth Law: The Law of Responsibility: I am taking responsibility for my life and what has become of it. In life and in business, a few bad shows are par for the course. I will focus on the good and how to grow and learn from my struggles and challenges. There is nobody else to blame - including myself. This is all of our first rodeos. Taking responsibility allows me greater freedom from blame.

Sixth Law: The Law of Connection: I will respect the journey and respect the process of how things get done and pay attention to when I am in connection with “flow” as a writer, or in my daily life activities. I strive to be in this place of flow and connection to source - this is where I can accomplish my best work.

Seventh Law: The Law of Focus: I cannot think or do two things at the same time. Multi-tasking does not always serve me best, even when I think it does. Instead, I will take one step at a time. I have a great team helping me to advance the feisty lady guidebooks and I will trust that by focusing my energy, I am always putting out my best at that given moment.

Eighth Law: The Law of Giving and Hospitality: I must give without expecting to get anything in return. The joy of giving and making someone else’s experience on earth a little easier is the gift itself. Knowing this I will always be taken care of. Things will work out the way they are supposed to. I will be a successful, feisty lady, one that leaves a lasting impact because of my words and what I have given back to the people with who I have crossed paths or read my guidebooks in this life.

Just Ask Elizabeth- Improve Your Brain Health

Today on Just Ask Elizabeth a friend asks for ways to boost her brain health!

Dear Elizabeth,

Since I know that you recently survived a brain episode, what do you do every day to promote your healthy brain?
- No More Brain Fog Please in PA

Dear No More Brain Fog Please in PA,

Hope that you are doing better each and every day! I read a lot about improving one’s brain health. Here is my list of what I do. Let me know if these things work for you!

My motto is “when in doubt push your brain”.

Join a book club. Read a lot, everything that you can, about all things that you can. Discussions with others about all topics are great for my brain.

Exercise daily. Walk and stretch among green things. Being outdoors has really helped me! I walk 3-5 miles a day.

Eat 1-2 salads a day. Diet means a lot to me.

Have a few servings of berries daily. They taste so good and are good for you.

Drink plenty of water and green tea. Stay hydrated.

Shake off the stress. Journal, sketch, meditate, or whatever works for you.

Call family and friends and talk with people.

Do whatever makes you feel great.

Let me know if my list works for you!

Just Ask Elizabeth- Tips To Increase Brain Power

Dear Elizabeth,

I feel that my brainpower is slowly improving. Do you have any more tips?

Signed,
Brain much improved in Colorado

Dear Brain much improved in Colorado,

So glad to hear that my tips are helping you. I can offer you a few more tips, things that work for me! Try these tips and let me know if they are helpful.

Stay organized-Keep a schedule and stick to it. I write and walk in the morning and do the same in the afternoon.

Schedule a daily “do not disturb time” as well as a play break. Walking is my “do not disturb” time. My play break is whatever strikes my fancy on any given day!

Always help others. Run an errand for someone. Share a cup of tea. Just listen.

Journal every day. I write down 5 great events of the day and 5 completed projects of the day.

It helps me keep measuring my progress.

Stand up straight. Good posture makes a big difference for me. Look up and see the world.

Carry things balanced and do not overload one side of your body. Given my balance issues, this is crucial! I need to stay on my feet!

Do huge tasks in small segments and follow my own “5-minute” rule; 5 minutes and then rest! Never overwork, ever!

Read every day and do at least one crossword puzzle a day.

Let me know if these suggestions help. I would love to hear your ideas, too!