Tag: Inspiration

Connecting to the wonder we are, Inspiration

Connecting through our Curiosity

Erin Keane

Did you just see that?
See what?
That over there.
There’s something in the water there.  
Watch! Oh, I see it. What is it?
Aha, it’s a seal.
I knew I saw something!
Look there are: One, Two Three, Four of them.
They are beautiful.

As new groups of people approached the seaside, these words of curiosity and wonder would surface over and over again. While the visitors gazed upon the water, brief engaged conversations happened between strangers. These conversations happened with an ease, and lighthearted tone.  It was as if the seals were creating harmony in a world where so many of us experience chaos. They were giving us the permission to be human again, when so often we function in our boxes and our roles. And in the grander scheme of things it was the invitation of nature: the soft sand between our toes, the sound of the waves crashing upon the shore, the hope for a beautiful sunset on an Eastern seacoast, and the desire for a longer lingering away from our every day lives that drew us together.

As the sun began its journey of setting along the horizon, the seals began to pop their heads up more often, keeping themselves above water for a bit longer each time. We laughed and made up stories–imagining that they were gathering together just like all of us, and saying to one another look: “There’s another one of those two-legged creatures walking on the sand and pointing at us.” It was as though the curiosity was mutually welcomed.

This whole, wonderful curious  interaction of human to human, seal to seal, human to seal, and seal to human represents how we are created to be a part of the world, and the world to be a part of us. It is the rhythm of the sound of the sea, like the pulse of our heartbeats that invigorates us, and draws us near to the waters edge. Bringing unlikely strangers together to remind us that being human is a wonderful, marvelous gift.

It’s moments like these that make me wonder, why we allow ourselves to be so lonely in this world?… But that’s a conversation for another day.

How about you, what makes you feel alive? How has your curiosity transformed your life for the better?

Be well today, and always.

You are a wonderful, marvelous creation.

Blessings, Erin, Bella Bleue
©Bella Bleue Healing, Health & Inspiration for Your Life™ All Rights Reserved.
Please also visit my photography site: Naturescapes, Flowerscapes & Life: Photography by Bella Bleue

Connecting to the wonder we are, Inspiration

You’re Just So Good

Erin Keane

“You are such a good person.” “Your dog is such a good boy.” “You are such a good friend.” “You always take good care of your plants.” There are so many times a day that we say someone or something is GOOD.   Having positive feelings and acknowledging the “Good” around you and in your life opens yourself to accepting and loving yourself and others more deeply. But I wonder, for all the goodness around you, how often do you look at yourself and say, deep down inside, “I am good?” 

I know for me that believing and saying  this statement can be challenging at times. I often ask myself: “Am I good mother? Am I a good wife? Am I good believer? Am I a good person?” It can be so frustrating that negativity sneaks into our hearts and minds at times, and does its best to try to beat us down. So how do you change this belief so that you can really believe you are good?

I’ve been reflecting on this a lot lately. My son is three-years old now, and I’m noticing how much my reactions to him seem to effect the way he views himself. I’ve been trying to be encouraging, as he attempts to do new things, like potty-training, even when he is unsuccessful or stubborn. I am intentional about saying to him, “Good Job;” or “You are being a good boy.” We’ve put stars on a chart when he is successful in his endeavors, and provide him with praise. But sometimes, I fail and get frustrated, and express my disappointment.  And I notice his face will become sullen, and then I begin to judge myself, and wonder, “Am I taking away from his ability to trust in himself as good?” Here I am as a mom, trying to instill deep within my son, that he is a good person. I want him to trust in this as his truth. I want him to believe deep down inside, “I am good.”  So that no matter what he faces in his life such as let downs, mean people, or a break-up, that he can trust in his inherent goodness. 

I wanted to divulge deeper into this because this sense of goodness  is not just about me or about my son, but about all of us. It’s a question each of us ask ourselves, no matter how absolutely perfect or imperfect we believe we are.

So, here I am working on it. And I turn back to the words, I just wrote: “inherent goodness*.”  Inherent means, “existing in something as a permanent, essential, or characteristic attribute.” (Online definition). I am good. You are good. I was created with goodness deep down inside. You were created with goodness deep down inside. But its not just deep down inside—your goodness is a part of your being…it’s in your eyes, your heart, your mind, your feet, your ankles, and elbows, it’s even in hairs on your head. And if this goodness is all over you, then you must be “Good.”  There’s no getting around it, as long as you can trust in it.

But! of course I get in my own way, and I don’t trust, saying, “Well, you might be good, but you are broken too. You aren’t always so wonderful to be around. And at times you can be really mean.” And then my day, turns the corner and I’m back to forgetting about my wonderful, amazing, “inherent goodness.”  It is this on-going battle that can be harmful if the power is given to the negative. I realize that embracing inner goodness, comes from acknowledging that we need guidance about what can be harmful to us, as well as, affirmations about what can be helpful to us, so that we don’t get stuck in this on-going battle of am I good, enough? Thus, begins the answer, to the question: How can I believe that I am good?

I can trust that I am good, even when I feel I am broken, or mean, by admitting when I am wrong, by asking for some guidance when I need to change my inner direction towards that which is good, rather than the negative; and to recognize that celebrating my inner goodness also means I need to have a healthy balance between my expressions of frustration and affirmation. For example, I need to remind myself that my feelings of anger, or frustration do not change my goodness…these feelings are here for a reason when they occur, but I need to let them go, so they do not consume me, and I need to reconnect to my deeper goodness—which for me is also my connection to God.

How would you answer the question, How can I believe I am good? 

  • Take some time and reflect by imagining a circle where I am good is at the top of the circle, and you create your answers along the path of the circle, that bring you back to your truth: I am good.

——————————————————————
*Inherent goodness, as I am using it, also means that there is a deeper longing in us to connect to the Sacred, that which is truly good.

Blessings, Erin, Bella Bleue
©Bella Bleue Healing, Health & Inspiration for Your Life™ All Rights Reserved.

Connecting to the wonder we are, Healing

Healing Wonder is All Around You

Erin Keane

Children remind us that wonder is all around us. All we have to do is look.

May the world you see around you bring wonder through your eyes,

and fill your body with healing joy.

Remember that one of the gifts of life is to take the time to PAUSE and soak up life. The more often you do this the deeper the healing that will happen in your life. This “down-time”—will rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit. You need to open yourself to these healing opportunities in life…because they can easily be missed if you are too busy.  

Life already has healing available to you everywhere. It is just a matter of allowing  yourself to experience it.

Blessings, Erin, Bella Bleue
©Bella Bleue Healing, Health & Inspiration for Your Life™


Connecting to the wonder we are, Discovering Strength

Take a Step Back from Your Challenges

Erin Keane

Blessings, Erin, Bella Bleue
©Bella Bleue Healing, Health & Inspiration for Your Life™ All Rights Reserved.

Please also visit my photography site: Naturescapes, Flowerscapes & Cityscapes

Inspiration, Life

Being Playful is Essential to Our Humanity

Erin Keane

Children running around at a city fountain. Laughter everywhere. Cameras flashing.  Water spraying. Horns honking. Music playing in the air.

I am always awe-struck at how much I learn about myself, and what it means to be human when I’m watching my son  run around and play. I think part of the reason we were made, is to simply have fun. There’s something very invigorating and inviting about being spontaneously playful—like running through a fountain just because it’s there. This playfulness seems to awaken our bodies and fill them with life. Maybe it’s the surge of energy running through our veins, or the positive endorphins that ignite playful cheer in our cells that makes us feel alive.  But I’d like to think it’s more simple than all that: You feel alive because being playful is a part of what makes you fully human!

This is a good reminder that life needs to be fun..and to get there, you should return to the roots of your early days. Return to the freedom of being a child; return to the spontaneity and worry-free mind-state of your younger self—the one who sees splashing water as an invitation for being playful, for laughing, and for freeing your spirit.

Let go of the worry, the responsibility, and the pressure you put on yourself to be a certain way, and instead just be.
Be free.
Be human.
Be YOU.
And run through a sprinkler…

Blessings, Erin, Bella Bleue
©Bella Bleue Healing, Health & Invitation for Your Life™

Please visit my new site: Photography by Bella Bleue

Connecting to the wonder we are, Healing

Sunsets Heal Us

Erin Keane


Open Your Eyes
Soak up creation

Fill the depths of your soul
with the evening light

Become one with the earth
and be fully at home with the amazing person you are.

Blessings, Erin, Bella Bleue
©Bella Bleue Healing, Health & Inspiration for Your Life™ All Rights Reserved.

Connecting to the wonder we are, Inspiration

You Have Purpose Just as You Are

Erin Keane

You have purpose. Your life is meaningful. You were created to be here at this time in history for a reason. You are a miracle. You are a living inspiration. You are a created wonder of the world. You are beautifully and wonderfully made.

I purchased a new Campanula Plant, a.k.a. the Blue Bell, the other day. As I wandered around the nursery the Blue Bell in particular caught my eye. As I looked at it I remembered it did something special, something I was interested in, but I couldn’t put my finger on it exactly. So I picked one out, one that needed some extra nurturing, and brought it home.

And after a web search, I remembered: the Blue Bell attracts Hummingbirds. It creates the nectar inside its flower that the Hummingbird enjoys. The Blue Bell has purpose. It was created for its beauty, but also as a source of food for the survival of the Hummingbird. I’d Love to see a hummingbird visit my yard. How amazing would that be?!

It is profoundly interesting how the created natural world teaches us about ourselves. The earth and all that dwells in it and from it, has purpose. Each living creature and organism, has a purpose. They create balance in the world that allows for our earth to survive; as well as, provide resources for our survival.

If you take this image of the Blue Bell, as being created to provide balance in the ecosystem,  and apply this to your own life, you too can begin to understand how you provide balance in the created world.

Sometimes we look too hard to discover what our purpose is. Sometimes we try to fill ourselves with words, and activities that we hope will give us some some idea of why we are here. By doing these things we often get in the way of ourselves: We are trying so hard, that we forget how to just be-How to just be YOU. Exactly as you are.

  • I invite you to take a step back and try not to worry about what you are supposed to do with your life, or to know exactly what your purpose is.
  • Instead try to just go about your day and live, being nothing more and nothing less than just who you are. And as you go about your day, take notice of how you co-exist with the earth, its creatures and other people you meet along your way.
  • Affirm yourself and tell yourself that your life makes a difference and that YOU are alive because the world needs you…somehow every day your life, YOU make the world around you no matter how big or small a better place to live because YOU are ALIVE.
For even in the depths of darkness or uncertainty your light shines, and your beauty is seen by all who cross paths with you. Trust this, and live this as your truth. 

Remember by just being YOU, you already have transformed life, and have purpose just as YOU are.

Blessings, Erin, Bella Bleue
©Bella Bleue Healing, Health & Inspiration for Your Life™ All Rights Reserved.

Connecting to the wonder we are, Inspiration

Inspiring Thoughts: Learning from our children

Erin Keane

Sometimes we need to be like a little child
and soak up the world with a silent wonder
in our hearts
the kind of wonder
that makes us pause long enough
to receive life with a feeling of awe
of how deeply connected
we are to this immense and powerfully soothing natural world
with every ounce of our very being.

Blessings, Erin, Bella Bleue

©Bella Bleue Healing, Health & Inspiration for Your Life™ All Rights Reserved

Healing, Life

Hear Me Long Enough to Listen

Erin Keane

One of the greatest ways to connect to another person is to give him/her the gift of your listening ear. Every single one of us wants to be heard. We want our words to mean something to someone else, because the words we speak come from within our being. Just as you long for attention from another person, someone else longs for your attention. During my years as a spiritual counselor, I’ve discovered that listening, usually without saying a word, to someone’s story is most often the greatest healing gift I can offer; and within personal relationships it is the one of the greatest gifts I can receive.

When you feel listened to you are empowered to trust more deeply in the wonderful, amazing, incredible, fabulous, unique, (& so much more) person you are! -Bella Bleue

I invite you:

  •  To make an extra special effort to really listen to someone you care about.
  • After you walk away from this experience take some time to reflect on what you learned about this person that you hadn’t noticed before AND
  • Reflect on what it was like to be so fully present for another.
  • If you are the one who needs to be listened to: Ask that the other person to listen

It’s amazing how when we “Hear Someone Long Enough to Listen” we are giving an incredible gift, and at the same time receiving so much in return.

I originally shared this post in my first weeks of blogging. I sometimes return to my writings to see if there is anything I need to reflect on, or that speaks to me in a different way at this moment in life. After sharing my last post about healing our brokenness, I reflected some more…and part of  ‘naming’ what I feel is also being able to share my story with someone and be listened to.

I continue to be grateful for the supportive community of readers and writers here from all over the world.

As we listen to each other and support each other, a deeper healing is happening in our lives and in our world.

Blessings, Erin, Bella Bleue

©Bella Bleue Healing, Health & Inspiration for Your Life™ All rights reserved.

If you like to read more from Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., check out her book: “Kitchen Table Wisdom :Stories that Heal”.  The quote is from her message, “Just Listen.” I have more about her in my Blogroll. Blessings!