Is the end of the year a stressful and difficult time for you too?

The Holidays are upon us.

And with it comes the busyness of getting all your personal & work projects done, a calendar filled with to-dos from Holiday parties, gift shopping, and friends & family gathering…basically our stress goes to another level.

It is also a time when you may feel lonelier or deep sadness, especially if you are away from your family, have lost someone close, or are going through your own life challenges.
Every year at this time, I think of my father, whom I lost during the Holidays. This year is no different. And as I am writing this blog, I am going through another loss.

So, how do we find joy amidst overpowering emotions and tensions?

By first not avoiding the sadness, the grief, the anger… we may feel. There are no wrong emotions.
It is important to let ourselves feel what needs to be felt, find compassion for ourselves and ask for help when needed— When we allow these emotions to go through us, we can give them space and, eventually, a place to rest.

Second, As you go through difficult emotions, also notice and embrace the small things that make your heart a little lighter:

• The twinkle in the eyes of a child looking at Santa and the toys through a store window,

• Your favorite Holiday song on your playlist,

• Decorating a Christmas tree, lighting the Chakukkah candles…and other family traditions,

• Looking at the Christmas lights in your city, town, or neighborhood.

• Reconnecting with an old friend visiting from out of town,

• Volunteering or donating to your favored charity

• The list goes on…

In other words, stay present for it all.

And believe me, I know It is not easy!

When I go through a difficult time is when my yoga & meditation practice helps me the most, Yoga Nidra in particular. This deep meditation created space for me to move through the loss of my father and some very difficult moments since then. It allowed me to release my anxious thoughts and feelings and ground myself so I could also see the sweet moments and the kindness around me, not just the pain.

That is one of the major reasons why I share Yoga Nidra with all of you all year long, especially this time of year.

If you’re feeling the stress of the end of the year and would like to experience a little release and calmness, I highly recommend this practice. You can find recordings on YouTube, or Spotify, attend a class in person in your city or join me online for my next Yoga Nidra workshop.
It will leave you refreshed and ready for the end of the year, no matter what you are going through!
Click below if you want to know more about the workshop:

Wishing you and yours a Happy Holiday Season!
And remember, you are not alone. I am here for you!

With Love from Santa Monica,

Cathy D

What Happened To Me?

That’s a question I often hear after teaching a
Yoga Nidra workshop.

Have you ever asked yourself that same question?

Have you also said out loud or to yourself: “Did I fall asleep, again” during Nidra?
And maybe you felt disappointed that you missed most of the meditation, yet when we discuss the journey, you recall some of the imagery, the sensations you felt, the smells, and perhaps even the sound of my voice, and you wonder:
What exactly happened?

So, here are 3 things that happen during Yoga Nidra!

Your Body Heals

During the guided meditation, your body falls asleep which helps reduce physical stress. However, your mind stays very much aware.
Your muscles start to relax, your jaw releases, and your shoulders soften.
Yoga Nidra helps release tension and pain wherever you feel it.
The body goes into a healing state facilitating physical wellbeing.

And yes, if it is sleep that you need your mind will fall asleep too to help heal & renew. With time you will learn to stay awake through the whole practice.

“Healing may not be so much about getting better, as about letting go of everything that isn’t you - all of the expectations, all of the beliefs - and becoming who you are.”

— Rachel Naomi Remen

Your Mind Awakens

During the practice, you may notice that your mind awakes, yet you detach from your thoughts. Instead of attaching a storyline to each image or word popping up in your mind, you start recognizing your thoughts as thoughts.
You become the observer.
You develop a deeper awareness of yourself.
With time you may even watch your unconscious and subconscious thoughts & patterns unfold in your everyday life, not just in your Nidra state.

Yoga Nidra guides you to become who you’ve always been by helping you identify the little nagging voice in your head criticizing your every move and quieting it down so you can live your best life!

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”

— Lao Tzu

You Feel Alive

As you awaken from the practice, you’ll feel a deep connection to all around you and to the Divine, the Universe, or whatever your spiritual beliefs are.

It may take a few minutes to adjust to the world surrounding you as you return to your senses. The colors may seem more vibrant, the sounds clearer, and the light brighter. You may feel more aware and in harmony with yourself.
You may even feel the deepest desires in your heart become alive and dare I say, find your purpose.

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built.”

— Rumi

Are you ready to give yourself what your body, mind, and soul need?

I offer monthly Yoga Nidra workshops & bi-weekly short Nidra meditation to soothe you when you need it most!

Click below to see the schedule.

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Shimmer • Sparkle • Glow!

“If your inner light is on, the darker it gets, the brighter you shine.”

— Matshona Dhliwayo

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Have you ever had a dream so powerful, that you woke up with a wonderful feeling that you just can't quite explain?

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Well, I had such a dream a few nights ago and I am still processing it.

It felt like I received a message, or maybe it was a deep knowing that I suddenly was aware of.
After hesitating a few days, I am now sharing it with you.

But first, let me ask you a question, have you ever heard or said he/she/they have the brightest inner light?

If you answer Yes, you're not alone, I have as well.

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What exactly is inner light?

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The answer according to the Oxford dictionary is:

“personal spiritual revelation; a source of enlightenment within oneself.”

In Hindu philosophy,

it is the assertion that there is something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite, and eternal, called the Atman – soul

The dream I had, revealed so much more.
It showed me that in order for us to shine bright, we must be in harmony with our whole being.

Our spiritual journey is only one part of the light we emanate.
To shine at our brightest, we must attend to all our "lights", nourish them, and care for them every day, in different ways.

Each light represents the relationships we have with:

• our loved ones and the people who challenge us,

• our bodies,

• our minds,

• the world around us,

• mama Earth...,

• and yes our spiritual life.

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“When we are in harmony, our light is at its brightest, so intense that we can no longer see its colors. We become an infinite glow.”

— Cathy D

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In my dream, the lights had different hues. They were like tabs of a notebook where each color's vibrancy represented my state of being and what I needed to "work on".

One of these "tabs" was rainbow-colored! Oh, that was exciting, although I wouldn't be able to tell you which “subject” it was for!

When we are in harmony, our light is at its brightest, so intense that we can no longer see its colors. We become one infinite glow.

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Do you want to access your inner glow?

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If you want to shine your brightest spend time with yourself, in meditation or prayers, and ask: what do I need today?

Then attend to the area that needs a little bit more love & attention.
It doesn't have to take long, a few minutes every day is enough to bring yourself back into balance.

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Are you ready to watch yourself glow & become who you are at your core?

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Book a complimentary 30-minute coaching call and I’ll give you a tip on how to radiate your brightest light!

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“As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.”

— Mary Anne Radmacher

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Three Ways to Help With Impostor Syndrome

As I teach and coach, I learn so much.

And as I give, I receive.

I just came off a week where I participated in a Mastermind followed by a fabulous Teach Your Gift Live event, where I was invited to coach.

Both events were headed by Mirasee and masterfully presented.

It was inspiring to be surrounded by a coaching team with incredible energy, knowledge, and values. 

What I enjoyed the most during the 3-day marathon event was helping the entrepreneurs.

Hearing the stories, the dreams, the fears, the incredible talents these brilliant individuals have, and the gift they wanted to share with the world was beyond inspiring and worth the early mornings & long days of work to help them.

It was an honor to listen to their stories and offer small steps and giant leaps they could take to improve their lives and business.

They shared with me where they were currently in both and where they wanted to go. 

And that’s precisely where we start.

We have to meet ourselves where we are in the moment to move forward with our goals.

Our progress is unique to us, yet we often look outside ourselves and compare ourselves to others to define our success and worth.

I really love helping people find their way and getting them closer to their dreams.

And it is fascinating to notice the common threads regarding what was holding the entrepreneurs back from their goals, although the fields they were in were vastly different.

The common thread: impostor syndrome.

So, What Is Impostor Syndrome?

It is when we doubt our own abilities, our talents, and accomplishments.

Have you ever told yourself:

"I'm a fraud, and it's just a matter of time before everyone finds out."

"Who am I to deserve this promotion or success?"

Or when you're being praised, do you say: "It's nothing," or "I'm just doing my job," or "it could've been better if…" instead of saying thank you and accepting the compliment?

I have said a few of the above myself.

So if you can relate, here are three ways to deal with impostor syndrome:

Let Go Of Your Inner Perfectionism.

Are you a high achiever, and nothing is ever perfect enough?

Is the little voice in your head constantly saying: "Can do better"?

See, perfectionism feeds into imposter syndrome.

When you feel like what you do isn't good enough, it's usually because you're comparing yourself to some "perfect" outcome that's either impossible or unrealistic.

The truth is no one is perfect.

And sometimes, being perfectly imperfect is exactly what this world needs. It teaches us grace and empathy for one another.

Isn't it the world you want to live in?

So instead of beating yourself up for not being perfect, ask yourself, did I do the best I could with the time I had? 

If the answer is yes, congratulations, you have moved the needle forward and are on your way to success! Success is not perfectionism.

Be Kind To Yourself.

Do you often criticize yourself for a mistake you've made, for not progressing fast enough, or for falling short on a goal you had set? 

Next time you speak to yourself harshly (I'm so dumb, I'm an idiot for…, I hate myself, etc.) I invite you to imagine that you are talking to a friend who has made a mistake or thinks they have made the wrong decision.

Speak to yourself the way you would speak to them. For example, you probably would be compassionate towards yourself, encouraging, and forgiving.

Imposter syndrome fades away when you talk to yourself the way you would be to your BFF.

Celebrate The Small Victories.

When you feel like an impostor, one of the hardest things to grasp is how much of a role you have in your own successes. 

Track ALL your wins and celebrate them.

There are no such things as small wins.

All wins are part of your big goal and need to be acknowledged.

Before each coaching meeting, one of my coaches asked me what we were celebrating today?

That forced me to think about all the little wins I had that week that I would not have recognized otherwise. It made me realize that each step is essential, moving me closer to my ultimate goal.

So let me ask you: what are you celebrating today?

(And by the way, that's how I start my meetings, too, Thanks, Brandy!)

Continuing To Find My Joy!

- Finding My Joy! -

Sunday night, on the last day of July, I capped off my birthday month with a Chili Peppers concert.

Going to their shows has always been a source of total excitement - (If you've known me for a while, you know I turn into a teenage girl unable to contain her frantic vibrations, haha).

Something was different this time, though, I was as excited as ever, and I also felt conflicting emotions.

- Breaking Open -

I didn't understand what that sensation was until the concert started and Chad Smith (the drummer), Flea (the bass player), and John Frusciante (the newly returned guitar virtuoso) began the show jamming on stage. Their love for each other and connection to the divine through music were undeniable.

At that moment, I felt tears in my eyes.

The vibrations of the music opened a gateway to my heart that had been locked for a while; I became aware of the walls I had built around me & how much I closed myself off from receiving.

Through the vibrations, the walls were crumbling down. I was accepting and open to pure joy and love.

- Refilling My Cup -

The world has been through many different phases, especially since 2020.

I've always felt called to serve, and since the pandemic, I have tried everything in my power to bring a little release however I could.
I did my best through my offerings (Coaching + Meditation) to create a space where people could let go, exhale deeply and renew for a moment.

I also attended trainings to serve my community better. And found creative ways to pay my bills as the world was shutting down and uncertainty became the new normal.

My cup was running low, not because I was giving so much of myself but because I didn’t allow myself to replenish.

Can you relate?

I know I am not the only one who tried to pour from an empty cup.

- Following My Heart -

That realization got me to California, where the ocean & dear friends helped me recalibrate.

As an empath, I feel the world hurting; as a human, I want to help. I am here to serve.

My ego, however, was at play.
Between the voice that was telling me:
"Who are you to help?", "what can you really offer to help others during a pandemic."
And when I felt tired, the voice telling me:
"Many people have it so much worse than you, don't complain and keep going,"
or
"you don't have time to rest, others are tired too, and they've lost so much, yet, they're out there helping,"

The more I felt the pull to follow my heart, the louder that little voice got. But little by little, I got to where I was going.

- The Realization -

Sunday made me realize that I was STILL denying myself pleasure. And the voice sending me messages of guilt/shame was still present in my life.
Yea, I still have work to do, sigh.

Accepting abundance in all ways should be simple, yet my subconscious is trying to keep me where I once was. This time, however, I am not beating myself up for not realizing it sooner.
I allow myself to open up to receive profound joy as it comes, not shaming myself for accepting it or doing "it" again when I resist the gift & no self-talks about how I should know better.

There are different levels of Awareness. And I am climbing that ladder slowly.

Sunday night felt so good; I was present, appreciating every vibration going through my body. And when the tears swelled up in my eyes, I felt alive. I was enjoying the moment to my fullest ability.

It felt so good to be that present.

So let me ask you this:

How can you be more present in your life?

Where and how are you stopping yourself from receiving & accepting joy in your life?

And would you like to know how to open the gate to receive more joy & abundance in your life?

Journal about it and if you want to discuss how to find more joy in your life, let’s talk!