During my life I have been given the following labels: Introvert, Sensitive, Loner, Quiet, Shy, Disconnected. These are the core labels and I am sure there are many others. At this point in my life, I feel like those labels are actually symptoms which don't align with the suggested life path we are asked to follow. My judgement is, I live in a world that expects me to fit a prescribed mould. It's no wonder that I spent so much time feeling anxious and overwhelmed.

I came into this world with childlike innocence and wonder, trusting everyone and everything. Then at some point my world view began to change, it was no longer safe to simply be me. I started to judge myself based on the expectations and judgement of others. I started to compare myself to others and in this comparison made myself wrong. This inner story snowballed and silently affected my experiences and relationships. Then one day I started to question this story. Does this sound familiar?

I believe that we are here on this earth to experience being human. At the same time as we are being human, we are also uncovering our spirituality. An interesting paradox to live and experience. We look to teachers and positive messages to guide us and return us to wholeness. My observation is that in the process we are striving for perfection in a "spiritual" way which creates a different level of stress and imbalance. We may notice all that we are "not" as we seek spiritual growth and self awareness. 

Last week I went to Porteau Cove with a friend; it's a truly heavenly spot. Given that it was a really hot day I really wanted to swim. I had been there before and I could remember how awesome it was to be in the water. My initial desire was to dive / run in and what actually happened was quite different. Once I got my feet wet, I noticed that the rocks were slippery and there were barnacles on the rocks which hurt my feet. Then my Inner Critic came out to play and the inner dialogue kicked into gear.

To suggest that somebody might have the desire or need to grow up is a bold statement. After all we are adults with responsibility and commitment, we have brought children into this world, we own homes and cars etc. Despite the truth of all those grown up acts, we can be emotionally child like inside our adult bodies. Grow The F#&% Up is intended to be an urgent call to action; a metaphor for a deep desire for personal growth and change. At the same time there is an interesting

Over the years it has become easier to openly share my stories and my fears and feel like I have nothing to hide. While this is my truth, it is most certainly not everyone's truth. I had forgotten how difficult it can be to share with others and be vulnerable. Creating a safe space where authentic sharing and reflection can happen is a real passion of mine. Fire represents the intense courage and risk required to be authentic, open and present in our interactions. When the person you are speaking to opens their heart and lets down their shield a different fire begins

What if I told you that the key to being at peace in the world is within your reach? Do you want to unplug from all the drama that you experience or witness in your life? Do you want to understand your reactions to people or situations in your life? I know those questions sound a bit like a commercial is coming your way.... I promise that if you read on this article will contain the answers to set you free.

So first a little bit of teaching. Carl Jung first gave us the term "shadow" to refer to those parts of our personality that have been rejected out of fear, ignorance, shame or lack of love. His basic notion of the shadow was simple: "the shadow is the person you would rather not be" (excerpt from Dark Side of the Light Chasers by Debbie Ford) Here are some