Heart and Soul Living

Are you feeling stuck and unclear what to do next?

Wishing there were someone you could talk to who would let you hear the words of your heart and soul without judgment? Help you gain clarity on what matters most to you and help you move towards it step by step?

Longing so much that you are almost desperate with the desire to truly live your life and not just go through the motions or compare yourself against society’s measures of success, even if they don’t match up with your own?

Looking for clarity on what it is you feel drawn to do in this life?

If so, then you may enjoy being coached – and I am so excited to announce that after a long hiatus, I am once again offering limited slots for coaching.

Words of a former client:

Working with Elizabeth has inspired me to be my best self. After each session I have a major take-away to reflect on and I gain more understanding about who I am and who I want to be. I’ve learned so much from the writing exercises and assignments. It’s not like keeping a diary; Elizabeth has coached me to articulate the voice of my soul. People often talk about feeling blocked or getting rid of barriers, but how does one do this? I believe Elizabeth has a gift. She listens so intently and her methods always focus on the possibility for positive change.
D.O.

If you would like to find out more or to sign up, let me know by commenting below or sending me a private message. I look forward to hearing from you 😊

Some much needed inspiration and tears for me today.

Wow!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i41qWJ6QjPI

Beyoncé - I Was Here (United Nations World Humanitarian Day Performance Video) Beyoncé's official United Nations World Humanitarian Day Performance video for 'I Was Here'. Click to listen to Beyoncé on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/Beyonc...

No words can describe how it feels when a client, friend or acquaintance tells me how meaningful some of my words – spoken or written – were for them and the inspiration or impact it had on their lives. Thank G-d and thank you – so much!

When I help them shift a thinking pattern that is keeping them stuck to a way of being that doesn’t match with who they want to be, opening their eyes and hearts to great possibility – WOW!

And there are times when I’m the one who just needs to speak with someone who won’t judge and who will both let me pour the words out and perhaps help me not only see the situation from a healthier, more productive point of view but also to tune in more closely to the sometimes quiet voice of my soul.

I would love to be that sounding board and space for you. If this sounds like something you can use right now, I invite you to get in touch with me to discuss a special 3-session package I am currently offering to help you get started.

Heart & Soul Living If you are ready, let me help you make a change. Imagine living your life without crippling fear, without regret, without desperate anxiety. Let me show you how to break free from the tangled thoughts and relentless worries that hold you back and keep you from pursuing your dreams. Start making the....

Oh, I need this so much!

And I have a feeling I'm not the only one.

How terrifying it is when we try to let go (even a little) of our need for control and certainty...

Loosening our grip on control and certainty… | Heart & Soul Living Loosening our grip on control and certainty… Control. Firm grip. Security. Definitely. Absolutely. For sure. Many of us crave certainty. We want to know how things will work out before we take even the first step – but definitely before we wade in even more deeply. We want to have a firm grip an...

A few thoughts on freedom

With Passover approaching, I wanted to share a few of my thoughts about freedom.

We often think of freedom as something physical or external – freedom of speech, freedom to associate with whoever we choose wherever and whenever we choose, freedom to pursue any of an unlimited array of educational and career opportunities.

Freedom from slavery.

Freedom to make our own choices and decisions.

But freedom goes so much deeper.

We can so easily be physically free but enslaved emotionally or mentally.

We can be so caught up in our fears that we prevent OURSELVES from moving forward.

We can overthink and catastrophize so much in our own minds that we stay stuck in the familiar discomfort of the moment than try to break free from it.

Our minds can take us down dark roads where we see almost everything in black and white, a place we don’t feel we measure up.

We can make our happiness dependent on the words and actions of others, words and actions we cannot control.

We can be so enslaved to the vision we’ve had of ourselves for so long. Yes, by all means, stay true to your values, your beliefs – the healthy ones – that make you who you are. But what benefit is there in staying so connected to a vision that tells you that you are not good enough, never have been and never will be?

That tells you that even one mistake means you are somehow less worthy?

That one stumble somehow discredits all the amazing parts of you that make you who you are?

What about all those fears that make it so difficult to truly enjoy and feel gratitude and the blessing in the present moment?

When we’re so afraid of the other shoe dropping, G-d forbid?
When we look at others and feel so inspired by the amazing things they are able to accomplish – but somehow believing somewhere within that this type of life is beyond us?

What type of freedom is that?

And what can you do today to move closer to the true freedom we are meant to embrace and to live in?

As this Passover approaches, may we all be truly free. May we feel that lightness that comes from letting go of the weights on our shoulders that just push us down. May be feel ever more connected in the deepest and sweetest ways to G-d, knowing that He is always there for each of us, guiding our path and embracing us – even if we feel alone.

May we all be blessed with true freedom in the sweetest, healthiest and most loved filled ways.

Often in our lives, we don't see the big picture as we feel like we are swept along in this journey called life.

Some parts feel wonderful.

Some may feel like a huge, colossal waste of time.

But if it is all and always part of a bigger plan?

Just under two years ago, I wrote my book, Faith over Fear - Time to Stop Hiding and Start Living.

The book tells some of my story, complete with the many twists and turns that form a life.

As Maribeth Decker reviewed on Amazon: "This book spoke to me in a very powerful way. It helped me to see the twists and turns in my life were a coherent, purposeful journey and provided specific suggestions for letting go and moving forward. Very helpful!"

If you haven't read it yet, I invite you to get your copy if it is of interest to you.

If you've already read it, I invite you to send copies to your friends as well to help them see that this is ALL part of a bigger picture.

Available from Amazon in both print and Kindle format.

www.faithoverfearbook.com

I remember the first time I shared information about my OCD and anxiety publicly - beyond my immediate family and a friend or two.

I was so worried about what people would think. I shared it with one hand blocking my eyes.

I was just so tired of pretending that the OCD and its impacts on me didn't exist, of hiding it all behind a smile.

Of feeling like it was a deep dark secret that I would need to hide from the world forever.

Like it was something to be so ashamed of. Like it was something that would cause other people to think so much less of me. Like it would overpower any positive aspect of who I was.

I wrote and wrote about a number of things I was worried about people finding out about me - and then I shared it in my blog and in social media.

It was so scary.

And it was so freeing

Even when I was feeling like I was at my wit's end, crying tears behind closed doors, even when I felt so ashamed and alone, I was never truly alone.

And neither are you.

A Very Personal Post | Heart & Soul Living A Very Personal Post An imposter can be described as someone who seems to be one thing or one type of person but who in reality is someone quite different. Similar words can be used to define a “phony”. Sometimes I feel like both an imposter and a phony. People have told me more than once t...

Some scattered reflections today, the day after Yom Kippur.

A little bit different than my usual style, but kind of in line with my thoughts at the moment :-)

Scattered reflections for the day | Heart & Soul Living Scattered reflections for the day Foundation. Core. Starting point. Strengthening that place within. Conflicting thoughts and emotions. Seeing things with new eyes. Feeling other people’s pain. Connecting from a place of love. A heart burst wide open, so scary. So grateful for the depth of feeling.…

Oh my goodness.

Thankfully my experience isn't exactly what's described, but I can so relate.

I know it sounds 'crazy' but I have had similar 'what if' thoughts over the years.

Look at the hair gel bottle when I'm putting it back in the cabinet or my grandmother might pass away.

Look at a certain photo of my grandparents over the years to keep them safe.

Repeat and repeat the prayer so that G-d won't be mad at me and I won't let Him or the community down.

Wash and rewash the dish or the food until I'm able to do it without those thoughts and feelings of anger and resentment since those feelings are 'wrong'. I should be positive and happy and grateful. I should live up to the standards of the most righteous people throughout the centuries.

I should be superhuman or I'm not good enough.

Know that none of the above makes sense, but what if there's even 0.0000000001% connection between my thoughts and the health, safety and well-being of my loved ones and myself? I can't take that risk. My overactive guilty conscience would have a field day with that.

Hide the OCD behind a smile, as much as possible.

Cry tears over and over behind closed doors.

Feel so alone.

Worry that if people knew the real me, including the OCD, they would think less of me. Instant blow to my self-confidence and self-esteem.

Feeling like if people liked and complimented me it was because they didn't really know me.

See OCD portrayed in the media as liking things tidy or a little extra handwashing. Know they have NO idea. And know that thank G-d my OCD was and is relatively mild.

Thankfully my OCD symptoms are much better now - thank G-d! - but they are definitely not gone.

Thank you for sharing this article, OCD on The Mighty.

When OCD Means Living in a World of 'What Ifs' "Re-wash hands, just in case. I won't get sick. But, what if I do?"

So excited to have recorded this video for 'Choose Faith over Fear' yesterday.

And please share/forward with whomever you feel might be interested and benefit. Thank you! :-)

Choose Faith over Fear It can be so easy to get caught up in our fears, but what if we would choose faith more instead? Faith in a Higher Power, faith in ourselves, faith in others...

Someone recently asked me what I mean by listening to my soul or my soul talking to me.

For me, this means that in a world where there are so many competing messages out there from media, society in general, our more immediate social circles, etc., it can be hard to tune into our own hearts and souls. It can be easy to be swept along with what others believe is important or right.

It's about tuning into what you stand for and what matters most to you - even if society or someone else is trying to convince you that you should believe something very different.

It's about having a set of values that guide you and that serve as a foundation and starting point for every other choice and decision you make.

We will talk about this and more in the Choose Faith over Fear online event.

If you haven't registered yet, I invite you to do so today at http://heartandsoulliving.com/webinar/

Choose Faith over Fear Webinar | Heart & Soul Living Do you ever feel like you should be somewhere else in your life by now? Like the past 10, 20 or maybe even 30 years or more have just flown by, and you wonder what you have to show for it?

Sometimes we might think that the only thing that's real is what is right in front of us, what we can touch and feel.

But what if there is so much more, beyond what the eyes can see? Beyond what our physical senses can perceive?

Beyond what the eyes can see | Heart & Soul Living Much of our lives revolve around what we can see and touch. If it is visible with our eyes, if we can feel it with our hands, it is real. If it isn’t, then there is much more room for doubt and questioning.

You're invited to join me for my upcoming webinar, 'Choose Faith over Fear', scheduled for July 18, 2017.

If this sounds of interest to you, please register at http://heartandsoulliving.com/webinar/ and share with anyone else you feel might benefit:-)

What if feelings of guilt could take a holiday, just for today?

The day guilt took a holiday | Heart & Soul Living I joke around sometimes that I have an overactive guilty conscience. What may not even register a blip on the consciences of most people can sometimes leave me feeling like I have committed an enormous sin or at least a sizable error.

Wow! Whether we notice it or not, we are often guided into 'fitting in' and 'going along' and 'doing what everyone else is doing' - to the point that our creativity and unique passions can feel stifled, unvalued and disregarded.

And while it may eat away at us from the inside, not everyone is even conscious of what that inner voice is trying to tell us. What is your heart and soul telling you today?

How Society Kills Our Creativity – In A Breathtaking Award-Winning Short Film 8 minutes | If you relate with a sense of having your true self shunned by the society we live in, this one’s for you! And if you have kids on top of that, it will really hit home. Madrid based animators...

So excited to be working on my first webinar in years.

It's called 'Choose Faith over Fear' and is scheduled for next month.

Stay tuned for more info!

Have you ever had a day where things weighed on your mind oh so heavily and you wanted to scream and run away, even just for a short time?

Motorcycle Days | Heart & Soul Living There are days when we are happy to do what we always do, and there is a great blessing and gift in having a routine and living the day-to-day.

Do you overthink so much that you feel like you can't enjoy the here and now?

I can so relate...

Do you overthink so much that you can’t enjoy the here and now? | Heart & Soul Living The past is done. Yes, we can learn from it, and we are meant to. But no matter how much we learn from it, we cannot go back in time to redo it.

This is still so amazing and so incredibly true.

For years, I kept my 'deep, dark secrets' inside since I was afraid that people would think less of me if they knew the 'real' me, and even when they would compliment me, my internal filter would wonder whether they would feel the same if they were to know the 'real' me.

Let's say this did not help my self-esteem or self confidence, to put it mildly...

And when I started sharing more about my challenges and imperfections? People started telling me how they could so relate. That they had felt so alone.

So at those times when I want to hide, I remember those comments. I remember how it feels to believe that people only think highly of me in some area because they don't really know me.

And I encourage other people to live from their hearts and their souls.

And I know I have to do the same.

We start next week!

If you or someone you know are interested in finding out more, please send me a message so we can set up a time to speak.

A sliding scale is available for pricing, so even if finances may be an issue, let me know and we'll see what we can figure out ;-)

Faith over Fear | Heart & Soul Living You go through life, trying to do something meaningful, but somewhere along the way you may find yourself living a life you don’t recognize, a life you don’t even consciously remember choosing.

When we get busy in our day-to-day lives, who and what can end up falling through the cracks?

Falling through the cracks | Heart & Soul Living We go through life. We get caught up in the details of day-to-day living. We feel the pressure of everything we ‘have to’ or ‘need to’ do. We exhaust ourselves trying to live up to the often impossibly high standards we set for ourselves, beating ourselves up when we fail to live up to the perfect e...

We strive. We try to do our best.

And yet there are times we stumble and the guilt and disappointment in ourselves threaten to eat us up from inside...

When your best doesn’t feel good enough | Heart & Soul Living I want to do the right thing, but while sometimes the answer is crystal clear, sometimes it is far from it. The picture is cloudy, the right answer hidden somewhere in the fog.

What an amazing article and view on life that doesn't go according to 'plan'

Maybe God Is Making You Wait Because He Wants You To Learn That There’s No Timeline For Anything In Life Or maybe he’s making you wait because the more you wait, the more you’ll appreciate what you’re going to get. The longer you wait, the longer you’ll keep what he’s going to give you.…

I posted this a little while back but felt we can all use a reminder to choose faith over fear more often...

Manifesto | Heart & Soul Living Manifesto In our minds, we are small, insignificant. We put on a show, hiding our true selves behind a mask. We ignore the whispers of our hearts, the cries of our souls. We believe the lies that we’re not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough. We believe that we’re not lovable. We hide behind th...

But by the grace of G-d...

But by the grace of G-d | Heart & Soul Living How quickly we forget that in many ways ‘we’ are just like ‘them’ and that is but by the grace of G-d that we are not in that same position.

Years ago, I officially founded ‘Heart and Soul Living’. The name part came relatively easily since I knew that I both wanted to live and lead from MY heart and soul and encourage others to tap into THEIR heart and soul as well.

And living from this perspective can be enormously meaningful as we hopefully pay more and more attention to what truly matters most.

And then there are times when living from this place leads to existential questions that go right to the core, times when we doubt or question ourselves on a deep, deep level.

I am blown away when I receive positive feedback and admiration from people who read what I share and am even more amazed when people tell me how I inspire them.

I am someone doing my best to do my best, and sometimes that ‘best’ is better than others, to be put it mildly. There are times when I feel surrounded by questions that reach deep within and grab a firm hold on me.

I was doing some journalling this morning and thought that some of the end result might be something many of you can relate to as we navigate this journey of life. Know that if you relate to any of what I’ve written, you are far from alone.

‘…I see people around me who beat themselves up, who feel not good enough or like something is lacking in or inherently wrong with them and like they are unworthy. And it breaks my heart. I feel so much pain inside when I see people who have bought into and now believe stories that make them feel less then. I feel like it is part of my mission to help them see the light and beauty within. It is a longing that is so deep rooted from the time I started feeling it years ago. I want to help them see the value and worth within and then live, make choices and share their gifts and contributions from that place. This is broader than any one specific group of people and is my longing for humanity. Can you imagine what the world could do if people felt more whole, capable and worthy of love – and made choices from THAT place?

And at the same time, just writing the above scares me. What if I G-d forbid unleash something I didn’t want or intend to unleash? What about the people who either consciously or without awareness want to do harm and feel THAT from deep within? How do I protect myself/How do WE protect OURSELVES in a world like that? Isn’t it naïve to think that helping people truly love themselves is enough?

Or maybe it’s more than enough for my role in the world. Maybe that’s a key part of MY contribution to the world. The fact that I can’t do everything should in no way take away from what I can do and what I deeply feel I am here to do. The pain and longing for this is so powerful that I am crying as I write these words, and I see the letters blurring in front of my tears.

What if this love isn’t enough? What if I am led astray? What if I unintentionally lead others astray? What if my best intentions are in any way misguided? What if fear gets the best of me and I never do this at all? What if the love in my heart never truly extends as far beyond the surface as I would like, as I crave? What if that craving is wrong?

What if my inconsistences leave me feeling untethered and unanchored? What I follow my intuition and it’s wrong? And I’m wrong? What if I don’t listen to my intuition and THAT’s wrong? What is my intuition even trying to tell me at all? What do I do?

How do I become the true best version of me, the real true version, not the one stuck in any kind of self-interest? Trying to earn a living from a business founded on helping people? Maintaining/Distancing from connection for reasons based more on fear than Truth?...And how do I react when faced with the seeming reality that what I believe, what I say I believe and what I do aren’t all completely aligned? Is this a weakness in me or just part of the growth experience of being human? Being human, I believe, as is the fear, doubt and uncertainty.

I make mistakes. I don’t always know the right thing to do.

I can only do my best in the moment, based on the situation at hands and based on my core foundation.’