I don’t know about you, but I believe there is one topic that is at the root of much of our despair and much of our sadness…. and that is, our love wounds.
Many of us have wounds in our heart, soul and mind (and hopefully nowhere else) that we got after a relationship did one of 3 things:
turned sour
stagnated (stayed stuck)
didn’t evolve in the way and in the speed that we wanted it to
And while it may be that an ex-love, an ex-friend or a formerly beloved family member hurt you with what they said or with what they did… it’s not the act in and of itself that hurt you.
It’s what you make that word or that action that you didn’t like mean to you. It’s your interpretation of it.
You and I assign the value to things. We label things as good, bad or indifferent.
There’s is nothing that I can think of that is as simple and as complex as love.
Can you?
It’s the emotion behind our greatest, most magnificent and unforgettable joy and the reason behind our greatest loss.
While love is a gift, it’s also an art.
While it’s an art, it’s also a science.
Even though love is who we are and something that by our very nature comes naturally to us, it’s something that we really need to practice, experience and put thought into.
How Would I Answer The Question: Is Love Charismatic?
The first thing I did when I read that this was my topic for this post, was to smirk, huff, and say, “yeah right!”
Really!
That’s what I did even though I came up with this topic!
Whyyyyyyy?
Because love is imperfect.
Love isn’t always pink.
It isn’t always charming. Nope, it isn’t. We would hooooope that it was, but it isn’t.
Does love have charismatic characteristics?
Suuuuure, I would agree with that.
But my conclusion is that if love where charismatic, we would show it more often, share it more often, and spread it more often.
It would be the shiny thing we would want everybody to see.
And if everybody felt this way about love, then we would see love evvvvverywhere. Without having to squint and look for it like in a Where’s Waldo? picture.
I know, I know, you must be have reread this question at least a couple of times and asked yourself, “Whaaaaat? Isn’t the heart and the soul the same thing?”
I remember being in a book club in college and asking the same thing. It gets even more confusing when you try to add the word “spirit” into the mix.
But for now, let’s focus on the question: where does love come from, your heart or your soul?
In order to be able to answer this question, it’s important to define what soul means and what heart means.
As you do, ask yourself under which category you would like each person that you listed to fall under?
In other words, what would be your favorite reason for that person to love you?
Here are the categories:
Those that come with the package:
Those who come included, as a default in your life.
These include your parents, brothers, sister, cousins, aunts, in-laws.
This type of love is tepid depending on whether or not these people engage in the love reasons below.
This love is essentially a given. But, contrary to what others tell you and what you try to convince yourself of, this love isn’t special purely standing on it’s own.
It’s bland.
It’s like loving because you have no choice, rather because you want to.
Those who uplift you— this is sometimes reciprocal and sometimes it’s not
These people don’t necessarily love you. But they can. At the least, they hold you in high regard.
But they’ve been instrumental in our life journey in allowing you to reach more of our potential.
We love these people not necessarily because they love us (because they may or may not love you, but because they’ve made a difference in your life whether for a short period of time or for a long period of time.
Those who love you without having to
They love you just because
Those who speak your love language and love you, most importantly, woo you in that love language (meaning the way that you most like to be loved)
These people get you.
They don’t give us crumbs.
They feed us what we need (in a good way)
Those you desire.
These are like an item you’re anticipating to get on your birthday or for Christmas.
You might hardly know what it’ll be like having the gift, what the gift can do or not do, but MAN, you want it.
Remember, you’re wrote a list of people who love you in your life.
The chances of that “shiny person” to love you, are not as high as you would want.
But hey, maybe you are lucky that way.
Those who love you innocently
For me, this category is usually reserved for the babies or for the puppies, who, when they’re small, are able to give you so little, but yet so, so, so much.
Even toddlers, even children, even teenagers and adult children should fall into this category.
We should love children unconditionally.
Without expectations.
Without reservation.
Because we want to.
And our children should not be able to do anyyyyyyything to deserve a guilt trip from us or less love from us.
Those who love you because of how you help them, serve them, what you do for them or buy them
in other words, they love you for their convenience
Step 3
Next to each person’s name identify under which category they really fall under.
Before you start, note that there are some people who may fall under more than one category. In those cases, pay attention to what vibe or what sensation they leave you with.
In other words, if you had to categorize them into one of these categories…and never tell them why you think they love you, which category would they fall under?
Be honest with yourself, even though they may or may not be honest with you.
Step 4
Pay attention to the feelings that come up as you realize why this person loves you… especially if it’s different than the reason why you would LIKE for them to love you.
Turn It Around And Do The Same Activity
This time, do this activity based these two questions:
Who do you love?
Why do you love them?
Step 1
On page 2 of the handouts, do steps 1-4 listed above.
Step 2
If there are any of the same people that love you and you love them, compare the reasons for loving one another.
Do you believe you love one another fairly?
Why or why not?
Step 3
Reflect on these questions:
Who do you tend to love?
What category do most of the people that you love fall under? What does this say about you?
Do people love you according to the intention and the degree with which you love them?
Do you love others based on how you WANT to love or are loved?
What other conclusions can you draw from this activity?
Who or what do you consider loveable?
What, if anything would you like to change about your findings?
Step 4
Share some of your answers to step 3 above in the comments below.
I’d love to hear about the patterns that you found.
If you’ve seen Sonia Choquette in a conference, you know how wonderfully amazing she is.
So, if I tell you that I prefer her books over her live events it’s not because her events are bad (because I’ve already said that she’s wonderfully amazing in them), but because I can savor her charm the entire time it takes me to finish her book.
This Book is A Page Turner
This is a book that drew me in the minute I started reading it. This this Walking Home by Sonia Choquette book review , reveals why.
Sonia presented herself in such a raw, vulnerable and real way that I could immediately relate to her humanness.
As you know, this book is a journey deep within herself as Sonia strives to regain her balance after two deaths in her family and her struggle in her marriage.
She decides to reconnect with herself by walking El Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage path that crosses Spain and takes most people about 30-35 days to walk about 14-16 miles per day.
And she does so alone.
But it’s almost like she takes her readers with her, because she describes everything in delightful detail. She shows, she doesn’t tell.
You feel like you’re walking beside her.
Sonia showed so much detail regarding how the Camino looked, nature looked, her room looked and the people she met looked looked, that I kept wondering all along, “how does she remember all of these details!?” Saying that she was as present as she could be living these moments is an understatement.
I literally could not wait to get into bed every night to read what had happened to Sonia that day on the Camino.
It was soooo engaging that I sometimes read several chapters in one night.
This book is my 2nd favorite book ever. And you know what? My #1 favorite book is also one that she wrote. And trust me, it’s not favoritism, because I love to read a variety of interesting topics, but she just draws me in.
She is the best literary “host” I know, because she welcomes you into her story and into your heart.
Sonia says that a naysayer in her life questioned her ability to write in a quite insulting way as she was beginning her career. I really can’t believe someone would have the audacity to say such a thing to her.
In my book, she writes so vividly, that even technology doesn’t entice me more than her book. And I LOVE technology.
That’s how good of a storyteller she is.
Why I Love Walking Home By Sonia Choquette So Much
Here are just some of the reasons why I like the book so much:
1) Aside from being able to “see” what she was going through as she told her story, I was able to admire her more for allowing us to see who she was… by being so real with us.
2) I GREATLY admire and got to know the true, quiet, shy and reserved Sonia.
3) I admire the positive impact she’s had on the world even more despite her preference to be alone (being an introvert is not a bad thing)
4) I feel better knowing that if people have failed me or if I’ve failed myself, it’s because of love and the associations we have to love and ourself. This book teaches us that it’s human to make mistakes… no matter if you’re highly intuitive or not.
5) This book keeps you on your toes to see what’s going to happen in the end.
I, however, was sad that the book ended because I want to read and know more.
I’d love for Sonia to write part 2 to this story that explains how her life has been since the Camino and how she’s been applying the principles she learned throughout her journey. Most importantly, I’d like to know how she’s looking after her own wellbeing even now, that she has reintegrated herself into her daily life.
you don’t have to be spiritual or religious to enjoy it
makes you better understand and have compassion for the human experience
allows you to accept our pros and cons more fully
allows you to see the resilience of the human spirit
Concluding Remarks About El Camino
In sum, this book is soooo great, that I will be rereading it again soon. It’s that good!! There’s that much meaning to extract from it if your’e willing to observe the subtleties and parallels not only in her life but in yours.
As Sonia says, you don’t have to walk the Camino to reconnect with your heart and soul. Don’t be surprised if by starting to read this book, you begin to have a healing journey of your own. It’s practically inevitable.
You can learn about spirituality and know it theoretically. Sonia, however, is a prime example of how to apply spirituality in a practical and natural way.
I received this book from Hay House in exchange for an honest review.
Since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, this week I’d like to do something totally different.
I’d like to ask you the following Valentine’s Day Love and Treasure Tag questions.
You’re welcome to answer them just for your own purposes, with your partner, on your blog, on your YouTube video or on any other social media.
For example, Cassandra, from Organized Clutterbug uploaded a YouTube video of her Valentine’s Day Love and Treasure Tag responses here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l61LB-gWTE
If you haven’t met Cas, you’re in for a real treat. She is creative, funny, modest, real and on top of that, she offers useful and practical tips. She is very generous with her knowledge and posts often.
Just be warned, that if you answer them with your partner…. they may realize that what they’ve been giving you for Valentine’s Day, isn’t what you prefer.
Be sure to reassure them that you love them anyway. 😉
Answer The Following Valentine’s Day Love and Treasure Tag Questions
1. Are you a romantic person?
2. What do you prefer receiving on Valentine’s Day?
chocolate or other candies
dinner
jewelry
movie
flowers
clothing
card
3. What do you usually get on Valentine’s Day?
chocolate or other candies
dinner
jewelry
movie
flowers
clothing
card
nothing
4. Do you prefer a handmade card or a store-bought card?
5. What is the BEST thing anybody has ever said, done or given you on Valentine’s Day?
6. How do you feel when you see what other people got on Valentine’s Day?
happy for them
jealous
7. When it comes to desserts, what flavor do you prefer?
chocolate
vanilla
strawberry
8. When you were in school, how did you feel when you gave the kid you liked a Valentine card?
9. Have you ever had a love letter, card or gift rejected? Tell us about it.
10. What was your favorite thing to do when you didn’t have a boyfriend on Valentine’s Day?
11. What do you think is the best movie to watch on Valentine’s Day?
12. What song do you immediately think of when you hear the phrase “a romantic song”?
13. Which Disney couple (yes, like Mickey and Minnie) has the type of relationship that you’d like to have? Feel free to share why.
14. Which Disney couple’s relationship is the most similar to yours? Feel free to share why.
15. What Valentine’s Day decoration do you like the most?
heart cutouts
candles
lace
heart candy
cherries
whip cream
And yes, cherries and whip cream are food decorations. 🙂
16. Who do you think deserves to be loved the most on Valentine’s Day? Why?
17. What general Valentine’s Day tradition would you like to remove?
18. What tradition would you like to add to Valentine’s Day?
19. Who would you like to tag so that you can hear the answers to these questions?
Thank you for answering the Love and Treasure Valentine’s Day Tag!
I hope you have a fabulous Valentine’s Day and that you remember that love doesn’t just have to be expressed that day, but rather, every day of our lives.
Here are My Answers To The Valentine’s Day Love and Treasure Tag Questions
You can see my answers below written in red.
1. Are you a romantic person?
Yes, I am. I used to be more romantic, but now I’m a bit more practical.
2. What do you prefer receiving on Valentine’s Day?
chocolate or other candies
dinner (I’m a foodie… so a nice restaurant dinner is my idea of love. 😉 I like local Italian restaurants (not the big-chain kind). But the thing that I love the most about a romantic dinner is that it shows me that somebody wants to invest in spend quality time exclusively with me doing something that we both love. It doesn’t get too much more romantic than that.
jewelry
movie
flowers
clothing
card
3. What do you usuallyget on Valentine’s Day?
chocolate or other candies
dinner
jewelry
movie
flowers
clothing
card
nothing
4. Do you prefer a handmade card or a store-bought card?
I know I may sound picky, but I prefer a pretty purchased card, unless the handmade one is very pretty, made with lots of love and from somebody special.
It’s silly for me to focus on the beauty of the card, but since I keep the cards I receive, I want it to bring a smile when I see it for the first time as when I see it later on.
Cards are like beautiful art for the heart.
If the cards are durable (meaning strong and not flimsy), I like them even better.
Random fact: My favorite brands are Papyrus, Hallmark and American Greeting, in that order. I don’t have to receive these brands to be happy, of course.
5. What is the BEST thing anybody has ever said, done or given you on Valentine’s Day?
My child’s first card was the best. 🙂
6. How do you feel when you see what other people got on Valentine’s Day?
happy for them
jealous
I’ve felt both. But usually, I feel happy for them.
What I don’t like is for people to “show off” their “love” in public, when there is no love in private. And usually, you can tell which couple falls into which category. Know what I mean?
In my opinion, gifts can be as special or even more special in private, than they are in public.
And most importantly, something free can be as meaningful, if not more meaningful than something that’s super expensive. It’s the intention behind what’s given to you that counts.
7. When it comes to desserts, what flavor do you prefer?
chocolate
vanilla
strawberry (Fun Fact: I like the cartoon Strawberry Shortcake)
8. When you were in school, how did you feel when you gave the kid you liked a Valentine card?
I felt nervous about choosing the “perfect” Valentine for him, placing the Valentine in his classroom Valentine box and trying to read his reaction if and when he opened it. I didn’t say much in the Valentine… but I wondered if he could tell that he got the “coolest” Valentine I had. Of course he couldn’t, right? But the suspense was interesting.
9. Have you ever had a love letter, card or gift rejected? Tell us about it.
Yes. It wasn’t on Valentine’s Day (thank gosh), but in 2nd grade (elementary school, can you believe it :O ? ) I gave the little boy I liked a love note (what was I thinking!!??) while we were in line to go back into class.
You know what he did?
He got out of line even after the teacher was already there, to throw the note into the trash can.
I was scarred for life. Hahahaha. 🙂 (Just kidding… although of course, it did hurt my feelings).
Worse thing is, he really, really, really wasn’t that cute.
Especially when he grew up, and I really thought to myself, what was I thinking!?
But that’s okay, writing is one of the ways that I show my love the best.
So in the end, things have a perfect way of working out.
10. What was your favorite thing to do when you didn’t have a boyfriend on Valentine’s Day?
Remember how I said that I was a romantic?
Well, there were several Valentine’s Days when I didn’t have a boyfriend when I would lay down in bed on my tummy, put my head on a pillow, and listen to romantic love songs. I would sing along to them or I would simply analyze the lyrics to death.
I loved this ritual because the songs that they played on my favorite radio station were part of a special Valentine’s Day radio broadcast. They were fa-bu-lous!
It was almost great not having a boyfriend so I could listen to these songs! Guess what? I did this even if we went to my aunt’s house for Valentine’s Day. I just asked her if I could borrow her radio.
I was definitely a hopeless romantic.
11. What do you think is the best movie to watch on Valentine’s Day?
There are so many great ones, but, I would watch my favorite romantic comedy, Notting Hill.
I love romantic comedies. 🙂
But if you want my advice… watch your own romantic movie or romantic comedy movie, even if you’ve seen it. That way, at least you’ll know that the movie is great and won’t be disappointed by that. 😉
12. What song do you immediately think of when you hear the phrase “a romantic song”?
“Take my breath away”….la-la-la-la-la
I don’t even know the whole song, and nope, I’m not that old, but it comes to mind.
The song that is kinda old, but is nevertheless romantic, is “Unchained Melody.” You know the one—- from “Ghost” remember?
It’s not my favorite though, don’t worry.
I actually have too many to list.
13. Which Disney couple (yes, like Mickey and Minnie) has the type of relationship that you’d like to have? Feel free to share why.
Yes, this is a tough question. But my answer is: Cinderella. I like how relentless, romantic and persevering Prince Charming is. Plus, he’s a great provider. I mean, who wouldn’t like to live in a castle? 🙂
14. Which Disney couple’s relationship is the most similar to yours? Feel free to share why.
Also a tough one, probably, The Little Mermaid because there were distances and transformation that were part of the equation.
15. What Valentine’s Day decoration do you like the most?
heart cutouts (shouldn’t surprise you based on my logo, option, right 😉 ?)
candles
lace
heart candy
cherries
whip cream
And yes, cherries and whip cream are food decorations. 🙂
16. Who do you think deserves to be loved the most on Valentine’s Day? Why?
I think that everybody deserves love any day and especially on Valentine’s Day. However, if I had to pick one group of people it would be friends.
In some countries Valentine’s Day is called “Love and Friendship Day.”
And although we do often give friends a little something on Valentine’s Day, I think that most of us hold back somewhat in sharing the deep love and appreciation that we have for our friends because we don’t want to come off as too loving toward them.
17. What tradition would you like to remove from Valentine’s Day?
The one tradition I would remove from Valentine’s Day is self-consciousness. We are way too self-conscious about showing people our love.
18. What tradition would you like to add to Valentine’s Day?
I would like for us to know what offering the top 20 people in our life prefers, according to Gary D. Chapman’s Love Languages. They could like physical gifts, spending time together, words of affirmation or actions.
Knowing this, I would aim to give the top 20 (or 10 or 8, the number doesn’t really matter) in my life what they prefer during a moment of quality. And since each person deserves their own slot, so to speak, I would want to schedule a mutually agreeable time to offer them my token of love within the 7 days after Valentine’s Day.
We could schedule time together months down the line, but at least we have something to look forward to. And the best thing is, we don’t have to hold our breath waiting for the “we should get together soon” phrase to come true.
And when we have something to look forward to, we lead happier lives knowing that instead of having a calendar full of “to-do’s,” we have at least 20 get-togethers of “want-to-do’s” already scheduled.
19. Who would you like to have answer these questions?
You, who is reading of course!
Please leave all the answers to these questions or your favorites below in the comments. If you have a blog or a YouTube channel leave your site below so that we can visit your responses. Or you can also tag me on social media so that I can see your responses there.
As Valentine’s Day is approaching, more people have love on their mind.
I always do.
I’m fascinated by love.
Why?
Because it’s not all pink and red roses, you know?
There are aspects of love that I don’t even know what color they are.
So in this post, I’ll tell you which aspects of love I find mysterious.
It’ll be a list, because I don’t have the answers to why love is this way.
It’ll just be a fun observation.
And in the end, I’d like for you to please share what aspects of love you think are the most mysterious.
What Do I Mean By Mysterious?
I don’t know about you… but when I pass away, I have some questions that I need answers for. Particularly, when it comes to love.
In this post, I’ll share some questions that I ponder about. That sometimes keep me (or have kept me) up at night.
That have made me day dream.
Or simply wonder.
They usually fall into the category of “WHYYYYYYY?????”
You know what I mean, right?
Why is love like this?
Why is love like that?
You get the point.
In essence, these mysteries are things about love that you’ve wondered about.
These are patterns that you see in the world and that you don’t know exactly what to do with, where to place, whether to accept or reject, whether to label as a given, or a “heck no!!”
In the end, these mysteries are much more powerful than we are in terms of their ambiguity (unknown origin and nature), but essentially, they’re what invite us to lean in to love and take a closer look.
In sum, they make love more interesting, complex, and curious.
It’s no wonder then that many great songs, movies, novels, memoirs and stories mesmerize us.
So let’s get started in unveiling the most mysterious characteristics of love!
Mystery #1
Why do people feel the need to be with someone when they’re no longer here (either because they have passed away, they’re not nearby, or they have moved on in their life)?
Mystery #2
Why are some people so lenient when it comes to love? In other words, why are some people so tolerant of the love crumbs they receive rather than going for the whole love cake?
Mystery #3
If it is said that we are often surrounded by people who are at a certain level of consciousness, why is it that in some marriages, one person seems way more “consciously” advanced than the other? Does this mean that the one person who thinks is advanced is not as advanced as they think?
Mystery #4
Why is it that many people who have achieved great things in life, had a physically or emotionally absentee father and/or mother?
I know that this has to do with the archetypes that people are meant to live, which at the end will make them stronger… however, why is it necessary in the first place?
Meaning, why does the absence of love, more often than not, what makes people stronger instead of the PRESENCE of love?
I don’t know about you, but I think this last question is a big one.
Mystery #5
Do people die, defy death or are born just to allow or prohibit couples from forming?
Let me elaborate, so that you know where I’m coming from.
Do you know of anybody who died and because of their death a couple got together or didn’t get together?
Do you know of anybody who had a near-death experience but lived to meet the man or woman of their dreams?
Have you ever wondered if people are born “just because” or in large part because they’re meant to be someone’s couple?
I know this last question may seem almost like “not enough” and a “lame” reason for living because we think we’re so much more than just a partner.
But then, does that mean that loving and being loved isn’t enough? That being someone’s couple isn’t enough?
What if instead of searching for “our life’s purpose” we realize that the purpose of our life is to love?
Not just in a romantic sense, but in a general love sense.
Mystery #6
Can our unborn children see us from above?
And if so, what do they notice the most in us?
Do they choose us? What criteria do they use to choose us?
Do they get to meet our relatives that have gone before us?
Mystery #7
Why does love get sent to the back burner of our lives individually and collectively so often?
Why don’t we embrace our loving nature even more?
Mystery #8
When we go to Heaven/afterlife (if you believe in a Heaven/afterlife) are there couples?
And who determines what couples go together?
Does there have to be a mutual desire on both parts to be together?
But what if you want to be with someone and they prefer being with someone else? Or vice versa?
And if you’re rejected does that rejection hurt eternally?
What do couples do in the afterlife?
That Was Fun!
It’s fun to ponder about these things because we get to see love as something larger than life, which of course it is.
I could go on and on with some of these questions, but I’ve greatly enjoyed sharing these with you.
One of the tools that has truly helped me start this 2015 with the most momentum, energy, enthusiasm, focus and alignment EVER is Leonie Dawson’s 2015 Create Your Shining Year Workbook.
If you haven’t heard of it, or even if you have heard of it and have never used it, you’re in for a great treat!!! 🙂
Who is Leonie Dawson?
Leonie Dawson is a mentor, author, visual artist and dedicated wife and mother. She is an inspiration to her 50K+ subscribers. Her yearly workbooks have been annual bestsellers for the last half decade.
The 2015 Create Your Shining Year workbook is an incredibly popular and useful tool to increase the probability of making your year highly productive and impactful by helping you plan it out.
Over the last six years, thousands of women have used this workbook with the most amazing results.
When you place your order, you’ll also get a colorful free digital calendar that you can print out and that will allow you to have monthly check-ins with yourself to make sure that you’re on track for reaching your goals.
The workbook itself consists of beautiful and colorful pages that explain the exercises briefly and in an inspirational manner and which are followed by worksheets for you to fill out.
What Makes This Workbook Special?
You know the saying that says that you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover?
Well, in this case, you should judge it by its cover.
If you think this workbook is beautiful and magnetic on the outside, wait until you see it on the inside. It’s gorgeous! There are literally splashes of color everywhere….but it doesn’t detract from your ability to focus.
On the contrary, your creativity is heightened no matter how “anti-planners” or anti-calendars you are.
And using a plain pencil or pen to write on this beauty seems almost like counterproductive. I mean you couuuuld use those utensils, but in my case, I found that colored markers were the best thing that I could use to enhance the beauty of the workbook itself.
They Are More Than Just A Workbook
It may seem like I’m just trying to convince you to buy one, but really, I’m just trying to convince you to give yourself the gift of experiencing it. Not for my sake or benefit, but for yours.
To me, this workbook is more than just a workbook.
It’s a piece of my life…. it’s where my life, my dreams and my goals are plastered.
It’s my to-do list for my life.
It’s where the seeds are planted.
And these workbooks are so special that I plan on collecting them like if they’re diaries… because I’d like to look back one day, and say to myself “wow, you’ve really come a long way!”
And I have.
And you can too… especially when you honor your inner voice.
The Workbook Isn’t Special Just For Me
In the internet marketing world, having 50,000 subscribers is amazing, but having 80% of those subscribers and/or followers buy this workbook (because after all not everybody who is her subscriber buys and not all of her buyers subscribe), is mind—blowing. Yep the “poooof!” kind of mindblowing.
And honestly, 40,000 workbook users can’t be wrong.
Is It Normal To Feel Hesitant About Buying This 2015 Workbook?
It is very normal to feel hesitant.
As a matter of fact, I have a confession to make. I’ve been a Leonie Dawson subscriber for a couple of years but I had never purchased anything from her.
The freebies that I had gotten from her on her site were great, but I still didn’t take the plunge.
I had seen and heard rave reviews about this workbook.
And I still hesitated.
It wasn’t until 2014 was winding down, that I noticed that I really needed to spark some love into 2015.
And after doing some research I decided to buy it.
It wasn’t because of anything that anybody said in particular, because you’ll find both support and lack of support for Leonie and her work out there, but it was because I actually felt like I needed to tune into myself in a unique way.
Do you feel like that?
If so, honor that feeling.
Because in my case, purchasing this workbook was definitely one of the top 5 purchases that I made last year.
And the best thing is that this gift, which I gave to myself as an early Christmas gift, is a gift that will keep on giving both in 2015 and for the rest of my life.
Because planning or failing to plan impacts your entire life.
What Type Of Workbooks Are There?
Before we get into what type of workbooks there are, let me ask you:
What do you want help with?
Your life in general?
OR
Your business?
OR
Both your life and your business?
There are two formats of the workbook that you can get: either digital or printed.
But there are more choices than that. Let’s explore what they are and what their cost is.
You can get the digital version to help you improve both your business and your life for $17.90 (By ordering this combined version of life and business you save 10%, which is a $2.00 savings). You’ll be able to download it to your computer and print and start working on it.
Guess what? If you buy the printed version, you get 2 bonuses!!!:
Bonus Foldout A2 full color 2015 wall planner
Free access to Life + Biz digital workbooks as a bonus to start working on right away (which is an extra bonus this year)
What Does The Cost Break Down To?
Before you think that you don’t need an extra and expensive workbook or planner when you could just use any generic calendar or planner that isn’t necessarily focusing on moving your business and life forward, let me do the math for you:
You can buy them directly from Leonie’s website by visiting this page.
Leonie has informed us through a January 2015 newsletter that the workbooks have been flying off the shelf this month (January 2015).
And since she had shared when they were first available for sale that they were selling faster than they had in prior years, I was sure to grab mine as soon as I decided to treat myself to one.
Just so you know, Leonie did sell her workbooks for prior years on Amazon and her site, but this year, she is only selling her 2015 workbook on her site.
Insider Tips About The Digital Version
If you’re planning on buying a digital version so that you can type in your answers and then print out your pages on your mobile device or on your computer, that’s great, but I would recommend that you price the cost of printing out your pages first.
If money is not an issue for you, then you don’t have to worry about doing this.
However, if you’re planning on printing yours at home, let me tell you that the pages inside are in bright colors. You can always print them in black and white, but honestly, having the pages in color adds a lot to the experience. It makes filling up the workbook more inviting and more uplifting. The downside to printing in color, as you know, is that it can be more expensive.
Just so that you know how to factor in the price of ink let me share that the:
If you’re not going to print these pages at home using your own ink, I HIGHLY recommend requesting a pricing quote at your local print shop by providing them with the total number of pages you’re looking to print and whether these will be in color or not.
Why?
As strange as it seems, in my area, by requesting a quote, I found out that it was less expensive for me to buy the actual printed workbook than to print the workbook at my local print shop.
The benefit of buying a digital ebooks (or getting them for free this year) is that you can print any of the pages that speak to you the most and put them up on the wall or even frame them. Yes, they’re THAT pretty! =) Most importantly, they invite you to write things that you’ll want to revisit.
The digital version has a caveat that I’d like for you to be aware of and that is some people may experience issues in being able to type in their information and have it saved even after they click save. But it may work for you.
Besides, even if it doesn’t, you can either print out all the pages and fill them out by hand, OR you can fill out the pages digitally and immediately print them out OR you can use the mobile apps that Leonie recommends which are:
Adobe Reader (which, by the way, you will also need in order to try to fill out your workbook on your computer)
Good Reader
Notability
Notes Plus
As a bonus, let me just say that I recommend that you try out NoteShelf. It’s my favorite app for annotating, which means writing on the PDF, highlighting it, and even adding pictures to whatever it is that you want to remember via a mobile device.
If you use a mobile device to fill out your workbook digitally, you can then send it to yourself as an email attachment, download it onto your computer and then print it out, whether at home, or at a print shop, with your OWN writing on it. How cool is that?!
I was so happy that I had ordered the Leonie Dawson workbook, that it made me happy just thinking about the day that it would arrive.
When I received it, I was just pleased with the packaging, the condition and seeing the product live.
Other than the fact that I would prefer the cover to be thicker and sturdier, it was love at first sight.
The workbook is truly beautiful.
How I Filled It Out
I started filling the workbook out after Christmas, when things had settled down a bit.
The pages that I thought were THE most important to accomplish prior to the last day of the year were the 2014 Closing Ceremony workbook pages, which invite you to release the previous year with love and gratitude.
But then again, it’s never too late to reflect on the past to improve the odds of a more glorious present.
Filling out this workbook is a great activity that you can do with family member or friend on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
Or alone. It’s so refreshing. And that’s what I like to do. I like to fill it out when I’m alone, because when I’m doing something as enjoyable as this, I certainly don’t want to be distracted.
My #1 Tip For Filling Out The Leonie Dawson Workbooks
My #1 tip for filling these workbooks out is to enjoy the process.
If we don’t enjoy dreaming about, envisioning and planning out how we’ll achieve our goals— what makes us think that we’ll LOVE accomplishing them?
We might be able to do them, most likely, we won’t love the process fully.
My Approach To Completing The Workbook
Since I have limited alone time, which is when I feel the most creative, I actually have the workbook on my desk open to the page where I left off… with my colorful markers next to it, so I can work on it:
Whenever my computer is slow
When I’m starting up or shutting down my computer
When I need to take a break
When I need to gain more clarity
When I want to have fun
Even though I’d like to sit down and fill it all out, in a way, filling out little by little is like enjoying a decadent dessert… one bite at a time.
The #1 Objection You Need To Get Over
If you’re a go-getter the #1 objection you’ll have is that you’ll think that you don’t have time to plan.
That’s not the case because usually, when you don’t plan you waste more time trying things out that don’t work.
You could have actually saved yourself some time by actually thinking about what you want to achieve ESPECIALLY if you’re a go-getter and you have a bajillion things that you do, that you want to do and that you need to do.
Surely, you can watch or read 1 less show, movie, YouTube video or social media post.
How Long Does Filling Out Each Page Take?
Each page takes roughly 5 minutes, it depends on how willing you are to listen to your intuition (heart and inner voice) and just letting that voice express itself.
Plus, as Leonie says, if something about an activity doesn’t speak to you, you can choose not to do it. It’s no big deal.
Me? I’ve been filling every page out… and I’m still making great progress.
What Have I Learned From The Workbook So Far?
I have confirmed what I propose on my Love and Treasure website and that is, the importance of asking the right questions that make you reflect on your life, so that you can feel in control of it.
By planning, I get to increase ALL of my core desire feelings and my feeling of satisfaction.
Taking the time to reflect on my life in 2014 and what I envision for 2015 is absolutely useful. It allows me to live more consciously.
4. Looking at the workbook makes the creative part of my brain light up.
5. I love analyzing and reflecting and the workbook fuels my need for introspection.
6. I use the colorful markers I bought at Erin Condren to ensure that my writing is bright on the page, but that my writing doesn’t go through the page.
However, I recently came across these erasable pens that I might switch to. Why?
They’re colorful
If you’ve used erasable pens many moons ago, you’ll love these because they actually do erase completely
They’re retractable, so you can just write without worrying about putting the cap back on
YOU, of course, as long as you have an open-mind to artsy. You may thiiiiink that you’re really linear and systematic, but trust me when I say that that may be one of your issues that prevents you from moving forward.
Your sister
Your best friend
Your mom and YOU, if you’re a mom
Artsy people in your life
Entrepreneurs (which hopefully includes you)
Friends who have birthdays in October, November, December and January…. especially those in December (it must be tough having a birthday that month…and a little extra something as nice as this wouldn’t hurt). I personally know A LOT of people who have a birthday in January.
In sum, it’s for people who have visions and dreams they’d like to achieve
As much as I love it, I have actually had to put a break on myself when sharing this workbook with others.
It’s sad to say that some people may be turned off by the allusions to spirituality. They’re gorgeous, though!! Besides, it’s just an image that we’re talking about!
So, for that reason, the people whom I wouldn’t recommend this workbook for are:
people that you know who are “too” religious
people that you have a gut feeling could be offended, or worse yet, ignore this workbook completely if you gifted them one
I wrote an article about the lame misunderstandings that we run into when it comes to religion and spirituality, when in reality, we should be focusing on love.
I purchased the book in early December to ensure that I had enough time to write in it before 2014 ended as a way of putting a mental end to that wonderful year.
I highly recommend that you sign up to Leonie Dawson’s newsletter so that you are the first to know about when the 2016 Workbook comes out. You can sign up to Leonie’s newsletter by clicking here.
My Favorite Sections Of The Workbook
One of my favorite sections in the book starts off on page 2. Why so early in the book? For 2 reasons:
Leonie dedicates the book to “you” and she also says that:
A portion of the profits from this workbook will go to a range of charities that support the world to become an even better place.” -Leonie Dawson
She adds:
Fantastic years don’t happen by chance however… we need to vision it, dream it, map it out, plan it and MAKE IT HAPPEN” -Leonie Dawson
Here are some of my favorite pages from the Life and Business Printed Workbook:
I enjoyed the 2014 Closing Ceremony greatly because it was nice to take inventory of the wonderful things I accomplished in order to rev up 2015
I especially liked pg. 21 where I got to put pictures of what I’m grateful for…which of course included my family
I like pg. 25 that asks about what I want to feel and experience in 2015 because it shifts your mind from a “do” mentality to an “enjoy” mentality
pg. 28– things that I’ll do when everything sucks (I hope I don’t need to reference this page often)
pg. 29- Affirmations that I can turn to
pg. 30- Ritual Days that invite me schedule in things that I love into my calendar (love that!)
pg. 31- What I Want To Gift Myself This Year (and in my case it wasn’t things, but feelings)
pg. 31 (on this same page) what I’d like to release this year (It’s an insightful exercise that helps you bring up the lame stories you tell yourself year after year and that just get in the way of expanding the radiance you can give.
pg. 37-40 100 Things To Do where you write down 100 things you’d like to do whether they are big or small (it’s easy to fill this list out)
pg. 42- My Mottos– 5 mottos (how powerful short phrases can be)
pg. 43 10 Things To Celebrate Yourself For (you don’t often get encouraged to celebrate yourself and this is a perfect excuse to applaud yourself for all that you are and all that you do).
pg. 51 Amazing Habits that you’ll incorporate as much as possible into your day but won’t penalize yourself if you don’t… because even a handful of these habits can move you forward
I’m still working through the workbook. I’m sure I’ll come across more valuable activities that I love.
So check it out! Even if you decide that it’s not for your (which I highly, highly, highly doubt) I can assure you that there will be someone in your life that would LOVE and treasure it.
Now It’s Your Turn
Have you used these Create Your Shining Year workbooks?
What are your thoughts on them?
What results have you gotten?
Leave your comments below! And after you do, grab a copy for someone who you think needs to see life on the bright side! 😉
