Tag: Self-Help

Healing, Health, Inspiration

Imagine Healing is Happening for You

Erin Keane

One of the spiritual gifts we have been created with is our imagination. Using our imagination to inspire healing in our bodies is an amazing tool.  Take some time to be with your body, and any where you feel pain, illness, discomfort or off balance, take notice. And then begin to focus, and imagine your cells, your tissues, your organs working to bring healing, health, balance and peace within your body.

I have been working more intentionally at getting to know my body, because I have been suffering from dizziness, headaches and tiredness. About 2 months ago I began to try to find a way to get better. I realized what I was feeling wasn’t just a phase. I talked to doctors, and friends, and did my research, but still didn’t really feel well. And then one day about a week ago it dawned on me: I have been forgetting to be in touch with my body. I had forgotten how to listen to my body and learn from it: that when something is off in your body, yes you may be ill, but your body may also be telling you that the way you are living your life may not be healthy for you.  In my case I was holding left over grief and every day stress in my head. And it was making me exhausted.

But as soon as I began to make a CHOICE to listen to my body and become aware of why I was not feeling well, day after day, I began to hear my body telling me, it needed me to “Let Go.” I needed to begin to release the emotional stuff I was holding within me, and as soon as I began to offer myself the gift of love and compassion, I began to feel better. This love encouraged me to begin to imagine healing energy, love, light flowing within me and pushing out all that was harming me. I continue to do this each day and thus, day by day am feeling better. I have also chosen to eat well, and learn more about the foods I put in my body, but that’s a story for another day.

So I invite you to be present to your body and to begin to imagine harmony and balance in your body. Be intentional about this.  Make it a part of your every day spiritual or mindfulness practice. And see what happens.

healing-cells

Blessings, Erin, Bella Bleue

©️2012-2020. Erin Keane. Bella Bleue Healing and Blessings. All rights reserved. No portion of any post or photo may be copied or reproduced without prior written permission from the author, Erin Keane. Find me on Instagram @Erins_blessings and at Facebook Bella Bleue Healing & Blessings by Erin Keane.

Please also visit my photography site: Photography by Bella Bleue.

See my Facebook page for daily inspirations and messages.

Inspiration, Life

Nature’s Healing Gifts

Erin Keane

When we take the time to see nature around us, we can learn deep truths about life. I live in the Northeast. The changes in the weather from one day to the next is a complete mystery this year….You never know what the day may bring. This can be true in our life too…we may wake up and expect the day to be one way, and it brings something completely different or unexpected. But when this happens, we have the choice to embrace the opportunity to be inspired by the experience or we can choose to completely miss it. This morning, I looked out my doorstep and saw this image in nature speaking to me.

This image is ironic in some ways. It’s the image of snow embracing a plant that has died for the season, against the backdrop of new life ‘springing forth.’ Walking out my door I could have just seen the snow, and the decaying plant, but instead, the green…the image of inspiration, and HOPE, caught my eye, and thus, changed the way I woke up to my day.

I felt

HOPE: New beginnings are just around the corner, for each of us, if we just open our eyes and take the time to look for them.

INSPIRATION: if nature can break through the winter and live, then we can break through those things that hold us back and LIVE our lives!

My invitation to you:

1.Take some time today to pause and look at life around you.

2. Note what you see.

3. Let yourself feel the inspiration within you.

4. Put the inspiration into your day and see where it leads you.

5. Write down what inspired you and where it lead you.

 

Blessings on your day!

Blessings, Erin, Bella Bleue

©Bella Bleue Healing™ All Rights Reserved.
Please also visit my photography site: Photography by Bella Bleue.

See my Facebook page for daily inspirations and messages.

Discovering Strength, Healing

Don’t Panic!

Erin Keane

Yesterday, I Panicked! That feeling of “Oh, No!–This can’t be happening!” My panic wasn’t the result of the most awful thing in the world. No one was hurt; everyone I love was safe and sound, and the earth was still tilted and spinning normally on its axis.  But, it was life-shattering for me in my immediate moments of realizing what had occurred.

I put my photo memory card in my computer, and it wasn’t recognized. Of course, no worry yet. I had the brilliant idea of trying it in my camera. It would certainly read in there. But, NO! No response, no recognition. Hu? Why? What’s going on here? THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING! All of my pictures of my son for the last 6 months—GONE! NO! A portion of the story of our life as a family erased. And of course this is when my heart, Sank.  And panic flooded my insides…Hot hands, racing heartbeat, uncontrolled thoughts all dismantled, defeat, worry….

But wait a minute...I don’t want to feel this way!

With everything else calm and quiet around my house, I was able to grab a hold of the chaos inside me, and put it on pause for a few minutes. Okay, brain: You work. You got to help me out here: You [mind] got to get this heart of mine under control, and help me FIX THIS! I won’t accept defeat!  Normal brain function returning, I was able to start solving this problem like a puzzle: Getting out another memory card, and examining the two together, I realized a significant part of the edge around the access point of my broken card was missing.   So of course the panic returned for a minute, and then my mind started buzzing:  “I’VE GOT to FIX THIS, I’VE GOT to FIX THIS!”

Stabilizing myself, I began some creative ideas to fix this. But none seemed practical. And then I paused, as I sat at the window, and I began to say a prayer: “Saint Anthony, I know I ask you to help me with things I have lost, I’ve lost my photos. Please help me find them.“—Connecting to my faith calms me down; it re-centers me….What works for you??  Believe it or not, I started to get my answers. I went back to where I was sitting on the couch the night before, and laying on the rug, was a tiny strip of black plastic. After many cross-eyed tries at the microscopic puzzle and with super-glued fingers, I got that strip back on! I put my memory card gently in my computer. And there were my photos. BREATHE, AGAIN. All was not lost.

I realize this was a lesson for me about Life, not just about this particular moment of panic. I know in many situations when I am panicking I lose all sense of hope; i.e., I become hopeless. I feel like nothing will change. And I get stuck. But yesterday, I handled myself well. I need to remember   this experience when I lose control of other parts of my life. I know that I won’t be able to fix everything that’s placed in front of me. But I can learn to work at re-centering myself, and being more intentional about asking for help (because we aren’t made to walk this walk of life alone).

It also made me realize, how much I don’t want to sink into that trap of Depression again. It’s funny how proactive we can be with ourselves, when we are working in opposition to something negative in our lives, isn’t it?  And that’s the key here: Yes, I’m writing about not wanting my pictures to be lost, but what I am really writing about is: “I don’t want to get stuck feeling this way!”  And wanting to change the way I feel, has great power in it. This power is what I want to hold onto. It’s what we all need to hold onto when we want to change our emotional state in life. It’s not the kind of power that dominates, and dictates, rather it’s the kind of power that is gentle and honest. It’s the kind of power that says to each of us in our own unique way, “ You are going to be okay.” ” You are going to get through this somehow.” And thus, it is the kind of power that also says, “It’s okay if I don’t know the outcome, I’ve just got to give myself the chance to Live through this, rather than being a puppet of panic and anxiety.”

The best part of this lesson learned, is that the strength to get through the obstacles in life is right there inside each and every one of us. And life offers us the opportunity to tap into our inner strength daily. Sometimes this inner strength moves us forward to discover solutions (like fixing my memory card) other times this inner strength teaches us how to take care of ourselves (like in my case asking for St. Anthony’s help…maybe for you its taking a relaxing bath, meditating, admitting when you need to rest, etc).

So know you are not alone when you panic. It’s a very real feeling for all of us. Knowing this is healing. Taking care of ourselves in the midst of struggles is healing.

Somehow all will be well…Life will find its way to take care of you, when you open your arms to receive healing.

Blessings of healing and peace to you,

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

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

Healing, Health

I’m Grieving and I’m Healing

Erin Keane

Last week I wrote about how to deal with unexpected change. I was blessed with some very supportive answers from fellow bloggers…and an underlying message was to take some time and listen…which I did. I discovered that deep down I was anticipating the grief: the sadness, and pain, I was going to feel because of the change I would be undergoing.  And this anticipatory grief was getting in my way—my feelings were not being tended to, and I couldn’t make any choices because I was ignoring what I was really feeling. It was hard to discover my true feelings because what was going to happen was something good, and yet, I was feeling sad.

When I did my residency at the hospital years ago, I used to talk about anticipatory grief often with my colleagues. I worked in the ICU and Transplant Units and could often tell when death was near and I knew when I was feeling sad about losing my patient and watching the family grieve as well. I understood this grief. It made sense. I could call it by its name. Grieving death was normal…something to be expected—and the people I worked with understood it too. They created a safe place to talk about grief. 

BUT! Grief isn’t just an experience before or after someone dies—Grief  is also very normal in the every day dealings of life. Every Day Grief can happen when: we have a baby & everything in life changes, or the kind of grief we have when we finish college, or the kind of grief we have when we move out of state, or the kind of grief we have when we realize we aren’t living the life we had hoped for and so on. [This kind of] grief  is not something we usually want to talk about in our culture. Consequently, when I say, I’m grieving about some future event or something I’m going through, I notice I often get the expected response: “It will be okay. Don’t worry so much.” Yet, the response I really need is a good LISTENING EAR, that is comfortable with my feelings…that says, “I hear what you are saying, and if you need anything, I’m here for you.”

I believe that  if we, as a culture, were more comfortable with grief, we all might be a lot happier & healthier in life: We could talk about what we feel—and feel listened to—and be able to move through our grief more naturally and comfortably.

  • We wouldn’t be hiding our feelings: Our grief wouldn’t be a hidden experience in our lives that keeps us feeling down—we would be dealing with what we were feeling and give ourselves the chance to understand what we really need at that time
  • We would be dealing with our feelings while they were happening: We would be able to be in the moment instead of  misunderstanding our feelings for something else.
  • We wouldn’t be as reactive to people who are close to us: Sometimes when we don’t understand our grief we may be more reactive towards  people we are close to. For example, we may get angry with our spouse because he or she says the wrong thing, when the real reason we are angry is because we don’t feel like we are being cared for—
  • We would be able to ask for help or care more easily when we know that we are grieving—if grieving is an accepted part of life–people won’t feel shamed for their feelings or experience of grief and thus, be more in tune with themselves and what they need when feeling this way.

Do you recognize when you are grieving?
Are you comfortable about feeling grief?
Are you able to talk openly about your grief? Whether it be about death, change, loss of self or identity, etc.?
 

It is always amazing to me how so many of us talk about wanting to be happy and positive all the time, but in doing so we often forget how important it is that we allow ourselves to feel sadness, anger, loss, etc. because by allowing ourselves to be open about our feelings we actually are allowing ourselves to heal—and the healing invites the positive, happy, joyful feelings to naturally arise.

Give yourself the gift of being tender with you, and let yourself grieve when you need to. Grief comes and goes whenever it wants to show up so don’t be hard on yourself and say, “What’s wrong with me?…Just let it be: accept it and love yourself enough to say, “It’s okay that I feel this way today.” And trust that there will be better days ahead when the time is right!

But also remember that being consumed with grief that leads to depression or grief that begins to interfere with your life, is not healthy— and you should seek help when you need it! You deserve to be well!

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

*photo from Wikpedia: Angel of Grief

Life's Journey

Choosing the Right Path: Sharing Your Wisdom With Others

Erin Keane

Sometimes good things fall apart so that better things can fall together.

                                                                                                     –Marilyn Monroe.

The last few days I have been navigating uncharted waters. I’m trying to figure out which direction to take on my current life journey, and  I am really unsure where the compass is trying to lead me. The needle is always supposed to face North, but somehow the electromagnetic pull is out of sync, and it’s leading me all over the place.  More simply stated: I’m not liking the idea of change in my life.

How about you? How do you deal with change?

I’m particularly good at dealing with change by being anxious. I get anxious about the unknown future ahead of me when big changes could possibly happen. And instead of being able to be right in the moment…LIVE FOR THE MOMENT…I’m already 2, 000 miles ahead of myself saying…BUT WHAT IF…? But I know this isn’t always the healthiest way to deal…

For those of you who’ve been with me on this journey, you have probably noticed I write when I’m anxious. It really does center me. And I really need grounding when I’m feeling lost.

I always come up with things to help me:

  • My biggest help often is my faith…or at least turning to the Divine and remembering, “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jer. 29:11).  These words are helpful to me, they are words that I turn to when I do feel lost or unsure.
  • Sometimes, it’s turning to Beauty, and Nature.
  • Sometimes it’s emotionally connecting to those I trust and Love.—being listened to, talking it out, recieving their points of view.
  • Sometimes it’s remembering how much my son &  pets trust that I will take care of them…and remembering that if my energy of love & care is being put into the universe, in return, I can only receive love and care back.

So, I want to say thank you to each of you, for sharing in my journey and for accompanying me with your support.

  • Where does your guidance come from when you are unsure of choices you have in front of you?
  • How do you discover which path to take?
I invite you to share your wisdom…it will be a gift to all those who search for answers like me.

For no one person can know all, that’s why we need each other, and have each other to share in the journey.–Bella Bleue

THANK YOU.

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

Healing, Inspiration

Listening to the Wisdom of Your Body Opens New Doors

Erin Keane

Sometimes we have to Ponder Life,

to discover the answers we are searching for.

These last couple days I needed an extra dose of refection time. I gave myself the gift of listening to my inner wisdom–i.e., what my body was telling me–so that I could make choices that would be best not only for me, but also for my family. Do you take time to listen to your body when you are searching for answers? If Yes: Do you usually feel like your body directs you in making choices that are good and right for you? If No: Why do you choose not to listen to your body?   

I usually can’t avoid what I feel…my gut just keeps bugging me until I pay attention and take time to reflect. So that’s exactly what I did these past few days. I pondered life, so that I could open myself to discovering my deeper truths…& share what I discovered is right and good with those I love.

Give yourself these gifts

  • Make space in your life for reflection
  • As you reflect take time to get to know your body better
  • By becoming aware of your body you can notice imbalances
  • These imbalances are indicators that some kind of change needs to happen within your Life
  • Write down what you notice or make note of it in some effective way
  • Reflect again
  • Write down possible changes
  • Act upon them
  • Notice your body again: if you begin to feel balanced again—note what is working. If not, keep searching.

May you be blessed with the discovery of your answers!—the ones that transform your life!
 As you discover the answers in your heart
Your world begins to transform
You hold your head up
And your Spirit opens
to receiving Life
And you smile
because you understand
your gifts
and are ready to share who you are.

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

Inspiration, Life

Listening to your body is Good for You!

Erin Keane

It always amazes me how much our bodies hold. I know this too well. Whenever I am confused or stressed about something, my body goes into overdrive and falls apart on me…headaches, tummy aches and all that other stuff that comes with stress. I realize I need to be very conscious about my well-being during these times. As a person who has suffered from depression– I put myself on ‘high-alert’ so that I can regain my equilibrium without falling off the deep end.

I’m not always good at following steps—I just like to go with the flow, but these things seem to help me and re-ground me:

Take a Step Back: Remove myself from the stressor and find a place to go and breathe. Do you have a special place to relax?

Breathe in Deeply, and Let Go: Release all that is within me that is causing me suffering—Letting go with every exhale. And breathing in calm and peace. What do you do with your breathing that is helpful during a stressful event?

Pour a Cup of Coffee: The caffine helps with my migraines—they come along when I’m really stressed. I’m really good at holding stress right in my neck and head…Where do you hold stress in your body? Do you have a ritual of coffee or tea etc. that helps you re-center?

Listen to songs that make me move my body & dance: Even though I need the calm I also find I need to move my body and get those positive endorphins moving! There is something freeing about moving your body—it gets me out of my state. What do you do?

Get a Hug: My son is good for hugs during the day, and my dog and 2 cats also love to be hugged—there’s something about connecting to humans and animals through touch that releases so much of the negativity and refills my body with a sense of love and care. Do you have someone or a pet that you who reconnects you to sense of care and well-being?

Writing about it: I know this has been the topic of lots of my recent posts, but I’m realizing how much better I feel by having an outlet for my feelings. I used to journal all the time when I was younger and stopped when my life got too busy…and of course that’s when depression got in my being…I guess I need to write to get to that place of balance after I’m stressed, anxious, etc. What about you? Do you find change happening within you when you write or sing, etc.?

It’s Friday evening in New England. So I’m letting go for a while, and ready to just enjoy the evening. I hope you are well, and find joy in your journey today too.

Remember: You are capable of feeling good in your life whenever you want to—especially when you change  your state and give yourself the freedom to be happy.

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

Related Reading: Tea & Comfort by I Stop for Suffering

Inspiration, Life

Oh, Anxiety! Why Don’t You Just Leave Me Alone?!

Erin Keane

I hate that feeling of anxiety. The kind of anxiety that is there when you go to bed and still there when you wake up. It’s that kind of anxiety that comes from uncertainty…the unknown.

I would love to create something that would just make it all go away….I guess I’d have to know the future then. And if that was the case then the enjoyment of creating my future would disappear, because I’d already know what was going to happen. Plus, I might not like what was going to happen. Or I might be too focused on the future excitement, that I would forget to live in the present moment and just enjoy being alive.

So maybe being anxious is what I’m stuck with.

MAYBE NOT!

Ok!

Breathe. 

So I’m not going to let the chronic anxiety take over. I’m going to be sensible and  just let life be.

Breathe. 

Let life be. But that’s what’s making me anxious.  So I’m going to do something!

Breathe. 

I’m not just going to sit by and let my life happen.

Breathe

 I’m going to do something about it!

Deep Breath.

I’m taking the time to pray and ask for some guidance…

My inspiration came from my husband this morning. I said, “I don’t know if I’ve got it in me to write my blog right now. I’m just not feeling that inspired. I’m worried about…” He replied, “Well, this is when you need to be writing the most. This is when you need to challenge yourself.” Okay…I’m challenging myself. And the funny thing is he was right. Writing about the hard stuff…unwanted feelings of anxiety…actually helps make the anxiety have less power. Writing forces the anxiety out. It doesn’t just sit right on top of my gut.  I think I will be better off today. Maybe I’ll be even more proactive because I’m not letting the feeling of anxiety control me. Instead I’m in control of my destiny. And I have the choice to determine how I’m going to feel about it.

So chronic anxiety, I’m dissing you today. I’m kindly asking you to leave, and if you don’t my other feelings of hope and inspiration are going to have another thing coming to you!

Be well all of you, and keep your head up.

It’s a new day!

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