The Soul

The other morning, I woke up to a thought in my head that said “The soul is who you are before the mind chimes in.”  

After that, I proceeded to slip into a state of bliss, of pure awareness looking out through “my” eyes.  I was in complete awe.  The state of bliss didn’t last all that long before the mind came in “You need to start getting ready for the day.”  I begrudgingly listened and got out of bed.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot over the past week.  Do you ever have an impulse to do something - compliment a stranger in the grocery store, get up and dance to your favorite song in a restaurant, run through the rain in your nice clothes, quit your job, buy that dream house.

Then the mind comes in: “No, they’ll think you’re weird.”  “I don’t want people to think I’m crazy.”  “Ehh I don’t want to mess up my clothes.”  “That would be irresponsible.”

That impulse, that is your soul, the truth of who you are.  All the fearful thoughts that come after is the mind.

I want to live honoring my soul, not listening to the mind.  This will take some practice for me since I have learned to live by mind my whole life.  But the more I don’t listen to it, the more fun I have, the more free I feel, the more things unexpectedly work out and the more I feel like I am honoring what I really want.

It hasn’t been an easy journey and certainly not a logical one, but as I do this the more trust I have in myself and life.

What is your soul telling you to do that your mind is talking you out of?  Try following your soul and see how things start to work out.

XO

Adrienne

Choose Joy

I no longer buy into the paradigm that we have to work hard, struggle and do something we don’t enjoy everyday just to save money to retire when we’re older and then start to really live.  Who sold us this idea?!  

Our life is precious and the future is not guaranteed.  Why should we spend it any other way than what brings us joy?!  

Of course we all want money and the freedom that comes along with it.  But most of the time if you were to ask people what brings them joy, it’s things like spending time with family, taking the dog for a walk, being in nature, seeing a beautiful sunset, reading a good book, enjoying a delicious meal.  

All of these things are easily at our disposal and cost very little.  Why do we deny ourselves from these simple pleasures?!  Or if we are indulging in them, very seldomly are we 100% present - most of the time the stressors of work and life are still on our minds.

I’m now consciously choosing joy everyday.  I want to experience these simple pleasures and not take them for granted.  

I’m no longer waiting for a tomorrow that may or may not come. I am investing in my happiness now.  Happiness and joy is a choice we can make everyday.

Who’s with me?!

XO

Adrienne

Gifts

It’s my opinion that every challenge in life is happening FOR us to help us evolve and expand.

I also believe that within every challenge is a gift.  And the bigger the challenge, the bigger the gift.

What do you focus on when faced with challenges?  Because what you focus on and the meaning you give it is what is creating your reality.

What if you can train yourself to always look for the gift inside of a challenge?  You would meet life’s problems very differently.  Maybe you would even get excited about a challenging situation because you KNEW it had a gift in it somewhere for you.

Remember this when you’re faced with things you would prefer not to be because they seem difficult.  Can you look for the gift in it?

XO

Adrienne

Listen

Have you ever noticed how the words LISTEN and SILENT are spelled with the same letters?!  I believe in order to listen to the quiet whispers of your soul, you must stop all the noise both internally and externally.

I believe that all the answers we seek are inside of us.  And we have the ability to tap into infinite intelligence at any time.

The world is a noisy place and there’s tons of information flying at us, getting us to react and telling us who we should be.  On top of that, we have that critic in our head that is often barking at us “You should do this, you need to do that, why haven't you done this” etc.

It isn’t until we can get still and quiet the mind where our own personal truth can bubble up to be heard.  It’s not always what we want to hear and can often be scary to listen to, but I’ve found the more I listen to that subtle voice, the more easily my life flows.

The more we ignore that little voice, the more challenging our life gets.

For example - when I was engaged, I kept hearing that subtle little voice alerting me it wasn’t right.  But I chose to ignore it, stuff it down and go full steam ahead with wedding plans.  Then a year after the wedding, the whole marriage blew up in a very messy way that I still carry a lot of guilt around. 

This remains a challenge for me - trying to find my own personal truth amongst all the noise and then having the courage to follow it.

What is your soul trying to say to you?  Get silent to listen.

XO

Adrienne

Our Infinite Playground

We live on a truly incredible blue planet.  There is more to do on Earth than we can ever fathom doing in a lifetime.  Destinations, activities, entertainment - and it’s all here for us!

Earth is like an infinite playground for us to explore, play and have fun on.  It’s fun (and overwhelming) to think about everything this world has to offer and I want to make sure I take full advantage.

I had stopped playing and exploring for a while when I used to take myself and life so seriously.  Now I’m having fun again following what feels fun, trying lots of new things and exploring all this world has to offer.

Playing and exploring doesn’t have to stop just because we become adults.  Actually it’s a great way to keep us young and youthful.

Don’t lose that sense of wonder.  Keep exploring, keep playing - that’s why we have an infinite playground all to ourselves.  

XO

Adrienne

Best Day Ever

What if today is the best day of your life?!  It is your best day ever because it’s the only one you are guaranteed to have.  It’s the only one that exists right here right now.  Tomorrow is not certain.  Yesterday is just a memory.  Today is all you have.

What will happen on this beautiful, magical day?!  ANYTHING!  Anything is possible.  It’s filled with possibilities and potentials. 

Maybe you run into an old friend you haven’t seen in a while, maybe you land an exciting business opportunity, maybe you have an unexpected windfall of money, perhaps you get to spend it doing something you love with people you love.  Or maybe nothing extraordinary happens but you're filled with gratitude to witness another rotation of this beautiful planet.  

It’s yours to create anything you want!  You have the choice.

We often lose sight of the fact that all we ever have is this day.  We project so much into the future, we miss the only moment we have.

Get present today and remember today is the best day ever!  You have the power to make it so.

XO

Adrienne

Authenticity

I spent the weekend with a community in Denver that were some of the most loving, accepting people I've ever met who are all dedicated to their own personal growth.  I went in only knowing one woman and left with a whole slew of new, genuine friendships.

The most amazing part of the experience was how REAL I could be with anyone I spoke with.  I could open up about anything - parts of my past I'm not proud of, shameful secrets I don't often share, my deepest thoughts and fears that are difficult to speak.

Anything I said, no matter who it was to, was met with nothing but compassion and understanding.  I never felt judged and allowed people to see ALL parts of me that I typically hide especially when just meeting someone new.

I didn't wear an ounce of makeup all weekend, didn't do my hair and still felt so loved and accepted by everyone for who I was.

These are the types of people and experiences I've been craving in life.  Deep authenticity where I can be my most open and free self and seen for who I am, not what I look like.  

What you realize is that everyone has similar stories, experiences, thoughts etc. and you're not the only one struggling with the things that can feel so isolating. 

This is the type of community I strive to create among my clients which is why I always am real and authentic about my experiences.  And it's been so fun to watch some of the connections that have formed between them!

If this is something you are looking for, I am here for you - to just be a nonjudgmental friend to listen to anything you want to share.  Authenticity = Freedom.

In light of this, here's a pic of me - wet hair, no makeup, sweats.  The most raw and authentic me.


XO

Adrienne

Unlimited Potential

I recently watched the new docu-series on Netflix about Arnold Schwarzenegger.  He’s someone who has always been fascinating to me after reading a little bit about him in the updated edition of Napoleon Hill’s classic Think & Grow Rich (which much of what I coach on is based on.)

He excelled in not just one but THREE completely different talents in his lifetime.  Something he said really struck me - “I knew if I could see it in my mind, it was possible for me.”

I believe we are never given a desire that we don’t have the ability to fulfill.  Just the fact that you can see it in your mind, is PROOF it is possible for you!

We have SO much potential and the possibilities for our lives are endless.  But our old patterning and conditioning often stands in the way between us living our highest potential.

Our mind is creating our reality with our beliefs and what we focus on.  When we can develop that incredible belief in ourselves and then learn how to use our mind to focus on what we want, we become LIMITLESS!  

Don’t settle for things as they are.  Don’t let people tell you things aren’t possible.  Forge your own path and live your life with no regrets!  I promise you, you are capable of so much more!!

XO

Adrienne

Numbing

I haven’t had a drink in over 18 months now - I can’t believe it’s been that long!  Giving up alcohol has been such a positive in my life in many ways.  
Something that it has really brought my attention to, is the ways in which I escape or try to numb out my feelings.  Without having alcohol as a quick, easy fix, I find myself reaching for other things.  The big one for me has been food.  (Most people who stop drinking lose weight - it’s been the opposite for me!)

But I also see it when I constantly check my phone, binge Netflix or incessantly worry about needless things in my life.  They’re all some sort of distraction. 

It’s been tough but also very enlightening to consciously watch myself self-destruct.  And once I’m aware of it, I can (sometimes) stop it.

What we don’t realize is that when we numb out the uncomfortable or bad feelings, we also numb out the good.  Which is why we require more and more of our “drug” of choice to get those happy feelings and they’re fleeting.

Being human is about experiencing the full range of emotions, not just the good ones.  We have a tendency to want to cling to the good ones and push away the bad which is just impossible in this ever-changing reality we live in.

What if we could just let all of our emotions come and go as they please without feeling the need to do anything about them?!  Just let them pass through us like a wave of current just passing through our bodies.  After all, emotions are just energy in motion.

In fact, experts say that if we just allowed an emotion to run its course, its average lifespan is only 90 seconds!  The problem is when we resist the emotion, the energy gets trapped and it prolongs the whole experience even keeping remnants of that emotion in our body for good.

Now when I reach for food or find some distraction, I’ll pause and ask myself - what am I feeding right now?  What am I feeling and what am I trying to avoid?

Sometimes I get an answer, sometimes I don’t.  But more importantly, it serves as a pattern interrupt in my brain so I can start programming in a different habit and allow whatever I’m feeling to pass through.

Being human can be hard but let’s enjoy the full spectrum of what life has to offer instead of avoiding it.

XO

Adrienne

Ego

The late, great Wayne Dyer says ego is Edging Out God.  

The ego is a mind created mechanism that allows us to have a separate experience.  

There’s nothing wrong with the ego, until we mistake it to be who we are.  

The ego looooves to judge, it loves to make something wrong and it loves to want things.  It wants to want even more than it wants to have which is why when you get something you wanted, you’re only briefly satisfied.

If you become aware, you’ll notice all the ways the incessant ego is deluding you.

Left to its own devices and believing everything it says, we become very negative and disconnected.

Just like most things I preach about, awareness is always the first step.  I’ve been acutely aware of my ego recently.  And boy is it crazy! 😂

I’m learning how to just watch it carry on and not let it suck me into its drama.  What we put our attention on is what we give our energy to, so if we are giving our ego our attention, we are feeding it energy that keeps it alive.

The more we can divert our attention back to the present moment, the ego gets weaker as we starve it from our precious energy.

The moment you start noticing it chirping up, do something physical like wiggle your toes or do a jumping jack or simply focus on your breathing.  That will interrupt the pattern and get your focus back into the present moment.  

And remember, you don't have to believe everything it says 😊

Try it!

XO

Adrienne

Don't Take it Personally

I tend to take myself so seriously at times.  I stay in control, want to look a certain way and definitely don’t want to stand out too much.  I get in my head and I can be overly concerned about what other people think about me.

I crave praise and approval - I want people to tell me I’m doing a good job.  And if I get criticized or judged (even from a random person on the internet), it can hurt.

The good news:  I don’t let it stop me!  

Once I became aware of this pattern in me, I just notice it’s happening and don’t let it control me.  I look at it for what it is - my ego trying to keep me “safe” and years of conditioning unconsciously being told we need to be liked by others.

In the acclaimed book, The Four Agreements, number two is Don’t Take Anything Personally.  

Why?  Because nothing others do is because of you.  What others say and do is a projection of their own mind and what’s going on inside of them, and in reality has nothing to do with you.  When you can learn to free yourself from the actions and opinions of others, you are liberated from needless suffering.

Even if you haven’t completely transcended it like me, just being aware of it is a HUGE step.

As human beings, we are social animals and it wasn’t all that long ago that if you weren’t accepted by your tribe, it meant death.  So it’s no wonder this pattern can still live within us.

Notice it in yourself and don’t let it stop you from being who you are and doing what you want to do.

“At 20, we worry about what others think of us.  At 40, we don’t care what they think of us.  At 60, we discover they haven’t been thinking of us at all.”

XO

Adrienne

Great Expectations

Expectations - the strong belief that something will happen.  We often have high expectations for people and experiences in our life.  And when they don’t live up to our expectations, we are disappointed. 

Our expectations can be ceaseless if not kept in check.  Expectations breed more expectations - have you noticed that?  Then there's no appreciation for expectations being met, you just start expecting more and more.  

I’ve been there - with people, my business, experiences at restaurants, concerts, you name it.  When we continue to have higher and higher expectations, we feel more and more disappointed.  We are emanating a feeling of displeasure to the universe and lacking all appreciation. 

Since gratitude is the ultimate state of receivership, disappointment and displeasure are the opposite feelings to receive the things you truly want and need.

It’s ok to expect the best.  In fact, I encourage it!  But it’s when we get so attached that when something or someone doesn’t live up to expectations, we suffer.

There’s a balance in always expecting the best while not getting attached to the outcome.  Notice when you're expectations are getting out of check and bring yourself back to gratitude.  

XO

Adrienne

Your Journey

It was a beautiful weekend here in Denver and I'm so excited that golf season has officially begun!  I love golf for many reasons but it's so analogous to life and helps me with all my mindset principles.

After having one of my best rounds on Saturday, I called my father since golf is our common passion.  He said something to me that piqued my interest: "I've been playing for 50 years and I'm STILL working on my game!"

Ahh again, another great analogy to life.  With anything and everything in life, there is always more growth, more expansion, another level we can strive to.  Life is just a continuing upward spiral as we grow into the fullest, most expressed versions of ourselves.

It truly is a journey - with no destination; just a continuation of expansion.  Which is why it is so so important that we ENJOY the journey and not look to that destination as the place where we will finally "arrive."

If you think about your life now, there was probably a point where THIS exact place was what you were striving towards, and you never actually celebrated your accomplishments because you're just focused on the next thing.

Take a pause and be grateful for where you are, how far you've come and start learning to love the journey knowing that the lessons and growth will never end.

XO

Adrienne

The Chatter

Ugh it’s been a week!  Not because anything necessarily happened per se. But I’ve been dealing with incessant mind chatter.

My mind going on and on - criticizing myself, judging other people, complaining about situations, worrying about pointless things.  Jeeesh!

Is this always happening but I’m suddenly more aware of it?!  It’s a wonder I even get anything done in my life with this constant negative roommate.  

All of the tools I typically use just weren't working.  So what do I do when my mind acts up like this and feels so out of control?  

I surrender to it.  Not in a weak sort of way but I just stop trying to fight against it and let it have its little tantrums.  I become the witness of it.  I don't get invested in what it's saying, I don't believe it, I don't emotionalize it - I just let it be.

I disassociate from it and become the compassionate watcher of all the craziness going on.  I remind myself that I am NOT my mind - I am the awareness that is aware of the thoughts.

They say your pain is your purpose so it's no wonder that I became a mindset coach - because I know the pain well of living with an incessant, unruly mind and what can come when I believe all the negative things it spews off.  And although I've come a long way in my journey, I'm not perfect by any stretch and still can get caught up in the messiness of my mind.

Watch your mind this week and start taking notes of all the things it tells you that just aren't true or don't serve you.  It will bring much more awareness to your habitual thinking that otherwise goes unnoticed and consumes your whole state.

XO

Adrienne

Forge Your Own Path

The more awake and aware I become, the more I see how society, culture, the masses all are sending us messages on how we should be living our lives.  

We are supposed to have a steady job, save for retirement, get married, have a family, hold on to our youth, drink to socialize and unwind, etc. etc.  

Rarely do people stop and ask “Is this what I really want for MY life?”  It’s exactly those types of questions that I asked (and continue to ask) myself to make sure I am living my fullest, most authentic life.

👉🏼I got married because I thought that was what I was “supposed” to do and quickly realized it was for all the wrong reasons.  
👉🏼I had the secure, high-paying job because I was just following what I was told.
👉🏼I drank when I went out with friends because that was just what everyone does.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with those things if that is what is true and right for you.  For me, I realized it wasn't. 

It’s easy to go along with what everyone else does and tells us to do.  It takes a lot of courage to go within and listen to the quiet voice of your soul and even more courage to act on what it is telling you.

We are all unique expressions of God and we’re put here to have our own unique experiences and fully express ourselves.  Many times what we really want is not what is expected of us, and we have to be willing to go against traditions of society.

The opposite of courage isn’t cowardice - it’s conformity.  Be brave enough to forge your own path and listen to the quiet whispers inside of what is true for you.

XO

Adrienne
 

Clarity

I speak with a lot of people about what they want in their life and who they want to be.  The most common answer?  I don’t know.  Not so much in those exact words but that is basically what they are telling me.

It shows up like this - they’re so wrapped up in the daily to-dos of life, and it’s “good enough” so they don’t give it much thought; they had a general idea from years ago that they are still hustling towards but never actually stopped to ask themselves if that is still what they want; they have shiny object syndrome endlessly chasing new and exciting projects they get bogged down with.  And many other ways.

Clarity is king.  When you can get clear about what you want out of life, life becomes easier!  

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”  We heard that question a lot as a child, but we stopped asking ourselves that somewhere along the line.  

Ask yourself now - Are you who you want to be, doing what you always wanted to do?  If the answer is no, why not?

It’s so easy to get caught up in the hamster wheel of life, the trap of busyness and lose sight of the big picture.  If you’re anything like me, I spent a long time climbing a ladder to success only to realize it was leaning up against the wrong wall.

Don’t make the same mistake I did - get clear about what you want in life and the person you want to be.  It’s the way to live a much more purposeful and fulfilling life. 

XO

Adrienne

Comparison

"Comparison is the thief of joy."  I heard that one time and it has really stuck with me.  

You may have seen on social media my posts about April 1st was my second anniversary in business.  Approaching the two year mark, I was feeling all kinds of stress and negative feelings because I thought at two years in, I should be "further."  

When I examined that belief, I realized how silly and unproductive it was.  What is "further" and why couldn't I just be proud of all that I've accomplished?  After all, I am running a successful business doing something I LOVE and live a great life.  Why was I being so hard on myself and holding myself to such lofty standards?!

It doesn't matter whether you're comparing yourself to other people or just to your expectations - comparison truly is the killer of joy.

When you compare, you take everything you’ve accomplished and completely discredit it.  You unintentionally say “Everything I’ve done and have isn’t good enough because it’s not THERE.”

That in turn sends a signal to the universe of DISPLEASURE and DISAPPOINTMENT.  When you emanate that frequency, you get more things to be disappointed about. 

Appreciation is the opposite of disappointment.  There is ALWAYS something to appreciate in any given moment and circumstance.  The more we can train our mind to appreciate, the more things we will get to appreciate in return.

Another great tip I am embracing - celebrate every little win as if it was a million dollars!

XO

Adrienne

The Unknown

Our human minds have a tendency to want to figure everything out.  We are uncomfortable with the idea of not knowing.  But why?  The unknown is beautiful space to be in.  It’s filled with possibilities; filled with endless things that we haven’t even dreamed up.

When you sit down to read a book, if you knew the ending and exactly what was going to happen, would you even read it??  Probably not.  So why do we want to do that with our lives?  

The universe wants to surprise and delight us but it can’t do that if we’re always anticipating what is going to happen.  The brain is an anticipation machine so we need to become aware of how much it is anticipating the future and bring ourselves back to the present moment.

If we’re always assuming what is going to happen, that is what shows up for us.

Sit in the unknown.  Magic and miracles can only happen in there. 

XO

Adrienne

Spring Renewal

Today is the Spring Equinox - hooray!  We’re leaving the depths of Winter hibernation and the renewal of Spring is starting.  We can learn a lot from looking at nature.  It’s a time of movement, action, clearing out the old and making room for the new.  There’s an abundance all around of everything needed for nature to flourish.

Trees start budding into beautiful colors, dirt on the ground turns to loads of grass, meek streams turn into flowing rivers, more animals are around as much more food is available.  It’s one of my favorite times of the year.

Tap into the abundance that is all around you - you have everything you need and more to live an amazing life.  You have always been provided for.  Open up to the abundance that your life has always provided and be grateful for it.

What we appreciate, appreciates!  So if we appreciate the abundance that’s been given to us, we get more abundance.  When we’re always thinking about what we don’t have and how we want MORE, we become blind to how much has been given to us already and it cuts off the flow.  How can the universe ever provide more if you aren’t happy with what it’s already provided?!?

Spring is a time to renew - our homes, our mind, our energy.  Use this time to clear out your space and your mind.  Let go of anything that doesn’t serve you.  Let go of the thoughts of lack and make room for even more abundance to come into your life. 

XO

Adrienne

Unfinished

While in Paris last month, I learned the Mona Lisa was not actually finished.  In fact, many of the works of art that we consider masterpieces weren’t completed.

That’s so interesting to me and made me sigh with relief.

As a perfectionist, I am always looking for the end, for something to be completed - and completed perfectly.  This was a great reminder that most things in life are unfinished and it can still be amazing and perfect just as it is.

There is beauty in something being unfinished.  It reflects the messiness of life and how it’s still amazing despite more to that needs to be completed.

It’s cliche but life is a journey, not a destination.  And when we can embrace that nothing is ever finished, we can give ourselves more grace.  We will always be a work in progress and there is beauty and perfection in that.

Embrace the unfinished messiness of life - it’s your masterpiece.

XO

Adrienne