Although I had always heard about the benefits of journaling - putting your thoughts and feeling on paper - I had never really gotten into the habit of doing it. I am a very verbal person, as well as very analytical, so I thought there would be little benefit for me personally.

When Heal With Hope was created I started My Blog as a way to share ideas, thoughts and feelings on a variety of health or life-related topics. I set a goal of writing at least once a week, and found it was not as easy as it would seem to be. Each week I spend time deciding on a subject...it is usually something pertinent to what is going on in my life at the time, but sometimes the process becomes an opportunity to uncover unresolved matters, and to more deeply explore what I am really feeling, and the impact it is having in my life.

It turns out that blogging/jounaling has been a very therapeutic experience. Taking the time to sit quietly and to connect with my innermost thoughts and feelings, helps to release them...to validate them...to work through them...

If you have never tried blogging (visit http://www.blogger.com/ for info on how to create a free blog) or journaling (see the homepage of Heal With Hope, http://www.healwithhope.com/) I strongly suggest you give it a try. You may find yourself uncovering issues that need resolution, releasing some of the emotional blocks that interefere with your healing, and also find a new connection to the inner you.

I believe words have a power greater than any of us may have realized...so try taking pen to paper and discover the power of your words! ~Andrea :-)

The other day when I paused to ponder the message, I was struck by how it brought a smile to my heart, as I realized that at that moment I knew that I had made it past a bend in my road, and was now traveling a new path and was on a new journey.

So many wonderful things have happened to me the last year or two...and the last few months have been especially blessed as it has been a period of great creativity and enlightenment. I am still dealing with challenges and have my struggles, but I also find the flow of new ideas and new options overflowing in my life, and feel blessed with great energy - literally and figuratively.

So if you are stuck at the bend in your road and aren't sure how you are going to continue your journey- have faith. Because you can and you will. You may not see the way right now, but stay focused on where you want to be, and you will be guided to find your way.

The road to enlightenment, peace, and well-being isn't always easy or smooth. But I can tell you that if you keep your eyes focused on what is ahead of you, rather than what's behind you, before you know it you will have made it past the bend in your road - and you will have become a stronger, greater being in the process!! ~ Andrea :-)

A friend of mine recently shared her excitement about a new book and healing program she discovered - Dr. Darren Weissman's The Power of Infinite Love and Gratitude and his LifeLine Technique. The technique incorporates a variety of healing modalities including acupuncture, ayurvedic medicine, muscle testing, along with modern therapies like EFT, NAET, and NET.

The essence of Dr. Weissman's message, and that of many other "new age" scientists, healthcare practitioners, and philosophers, is that finding a way to live in a place of love and gratitude is one of the most impactful healing tools available to us. Emotion has such a great affect on our mind, body and spirit - anger, hurt, fear and disappointment weaken us physically and mentally. And this can create an interruption of energy flow, opening the door open to illness, or blocking healing from taking place.

So how do we live in a place of love and gratitude when life keeps getting in the way?? When people continually do things that annoy us, when events occur that throw us off track, when we feel stuck and limited?? We do the only thing we can do - we make the choice to focus on love, and to be grateful for whatever we do have that is right and good.

When you find yourself annoyed at someone, make the conscious choice to let go of that feeling and to find some reason to send vibes of love and compassion to them. When things aren't going your way and you find yourself getting annoyed, stop what you are doing...take a deep breath and upon its release feel all of the annoyance and negativity leave your body in that exhaled breath. When you feel stuck and life is conspiring to limit your growth and progress, divert your attention to something that makes you feel good - take a walk and observe the beauty of nature around you, listen to music that you love, spend time with someone who makes you feel good, or grab your journal and put your thoughts and feelings to paper.

That is what I am doing right now...it has been one of those mornings - nothing specific, just a few little annoyances that I focused on and therefore gave power to - which didn't get my day off to the kind of start I like to have...but gathering my thoughts and releasing them here has allowed me let it go, and enabled me to refocus on getting back to a healthier and happier place... to connect with the love I have deep within, the gratitude I have for all of the blessings of life.

I can feel the negative energy leaving my body...and a more peaceful energy entering. I may not be perfect, my life may not be perfect, but I continue to seek to find that place of "infinite love and gratitude" that will help me to move closer to living the life I truly want to live. ~ Andrea :-)

PS If you are interested, check out Dr. Weissman's website: www.infiniteloveandgratitude.com

The warning signs were there. I could feel the stress and strain of my life taking a toll on my body, mind, and spirit...but the money I was making was good, and leaving my stressful job just didn't seem to be an option. I knew there were foods that were not agreeing with my body, but I was busy and just didn't have the time to do figure out how to replace those familiar foods. I was always on the go -work, kids, family obligations...and so I continued to push myself and to tax my body, and eventually my body said, "Enough!", and I wound up in bed and unable to function for several years.

And so I was finally forced to see that feeling good was more important than food, than money, than the "I-can-do-it-all-perfectly" image I felt I had to project to the world. I stopped eating everything that weakened me - sugar, grains, dairy, salt, non-organic fruits, veges and meats. I became careful to avoid exposure to toxins as much as possible. I began spending my time and money investing in myself - searching out people and treatments that would help me to regain my good health.

It has not been easy - no one enjoys sacrifice, struggle, and having to work so hard at being well. But I know what it is like to hit bottom, to be so desperately ill that you wonder if you will be able to go on for another day...and when I think about that time and place, the sacrifices I am making seem small in comparison.

I see people now who are in the place I was - not paying attention to the warning signs, assuming that they can take care of things "tomorrow", that they will be able to continue to bounce back, even if they keep eating the wrong food, so they keep pushing themselves beyond reasonable limits, not honoring and loving themselves...and unwilling to pay the price.

Unfortunately many are not ready to hear the message: you can pay attention now, or you can pay a great price later. You are a precious gift, deserving of good health, peace, and joy...do whatever it is you need to do to love your body, care for your mind, and nuture your spirit...because one day time may run out, and you may not get another chance to do it right. ~Andrea :-)