On Monday, participants in my Project Light Year class received a long email from me about the tragic mass shooting in Orlando. In that ecourse, we’re exploring sacred signs and divine intervention all year together. I know it may seem like neither were present in the middle of the night at Pulse nightclub on Sunday. If there are angels, you might ask, where are they when tragedy strikes? 

After reading that class email, a bunch of students said it was so helpful, they wished I’d share some of it with a larger audience. So I gave that some thought and decided to share some of it here, in hopes it provides some healing perspective for you, as well.

I suspect some of you are feeling this event deep in your bones, walking around with an aching heart because you feel so helpless or empathically feeling the dark energy associated with a tragedy such as this. But when this kind of thing happens, we have a choice to curl up and give in or to be a light in the dark. To do this, to choose the light, there are some things we must understand.

As hard as it is to comprehend, it’s important to remember that death is not an ending but a moving on to MORE life, to amplified joy, to clear purpose. While we often struggle to hear the calls of our soul here on Earth, all confusion and distraction evaporates when we transition back into the non-physical. We remember why we agreed to our earthly journey in the first place and we understand the timing and circumstances of our departure.

The angels remind me that no one transitions “too soon,” even in the case of an unexpected, hate-filled crime like the one that occurred this past weekend. Though none of us know the specifics of how we’ll be eventually called back into the light of the Great Beyond – be it disease or old age or accidents or violence – our souls agree, before entering the earth plane, to use our lives for the highest good. We know this will likely involve challenges and that there may be suffering, but we agree to go anyway because we also know that our journey will end with a glorious transition back to Self – on a timetable lovingly and purposefully orchestrated by the universe. Even if that is sooner than the “life expectancy” determined by the culture we’re born into.

For those of us left behind, watching the news and shaking our heads, this is hard to accept. Why can’t we all just live to be old and die peacefully in our sleep? As horrifying as it is to see young, innocent people die at the hands of another, the angels ask us to remember that those souls are being supremely cared for and that no life ends in vain. When a group or community of people transition together, the angels say they often have previously made some kind of soul pact around the implications of their deaths. That is to say that although they don’t know how they’ll transition, the impact of their deaths and the circumstances surrounding it will be highly visible, deeply felt and powerfully transformative for many left behind.

No one in their right mind would agree to “going out” in this fashion, we may argue. And that’s true; this is not a choice made by the mind, but by the soul that is unwavering in its mission to add more light and love to the world, even if that requires an abrupt ending.

So many intuitives, including myself, have heard the same thing from the souls of 9/11 victims: while we were mourning here in the weeks and months after that tragedy, there was a hopeful and celebratory atmosphere on the Other Side as souls transitioned, ready to further their missions together by inspiring healing, change, innovation and compassion from Beyond. I have no doubt the same thing is happening now, as 49 brave souls unite with great hope and big plans for inspiring goodness to come from their deaths. They will do their part to influence and inspire from the Great Beyond – and we are called to do the same, with angels all around.

This latest tragedy is awful on so many levels, but that also means it holds opportunities for growth and change on so many levels, too. Rather than spiral down, we are asked to show up and use our lives to create more light. The key is to act where you feel most moved. What about this tragedy hits you hardest? Where do you feel particularly sensitive? What do you see must change to prevent such hatred in the future?

Rather than feel paralyzed by the many layers of change required, notice what your heart feels pulled to do in the name of LOVE, from praying for victims’ families to compassionately supporting the LGBT community to influencing political leaders to helping a friend get the mental health intervention he or she needs. Some will be inspired to create ripples in their own circle of friends and families, others will be moved to create tidal waves we all hear about. Know this: it all matters. Hate holds no power over love and we are here to prove it.

Today, Justin Bieber announced that he’s canceling all future meet-and-greet sessions with fans because of how much they drain his energy, to the point of depression. While I’m sure some people are questioning or scoffing at this announcement, it all makes perfect sense to me: the reigning prince of pop is an EMPATH. It explains so much of the wild ride he’s been on these past couple of years.

People who are empathic are super sensitive to other people’s emotional energy. An empath can feel happy walking into a room full of people, but quickly begin to feel weighed down, sensing and absorbing each person’s emotional state like a sponge. It happens swifly and subtly, and can feel like you have multiple personalities, unsure which feelings belong to you and which ones belong to someone else.

That kind of confusion can easily cause anxiousness and depression, as Justin has experienced, and can drive empaths to find ways to “numb out” – drinking, doing drugs, overeating, acting out – so they don’t have to feel so much. I know there will be lots of disappointed fans and angry concert promoters, but I applaud Justin for recognizing his sensitivity to others’ “spiritual energy,” as he put it. He’s creating healthy boundaries for himself so that he has the energy to continue creating and performing.

If you suspect you’re an empath, too, figure out what you can and cannot handle and then take good care of yourself. Before Lori Portka​ and I took the stage at our Infinite Purpose​ book launch last fall, I could feel my energy rapidly draining as people filed into the theater. I wanted to greet everyone, but I simply couldn’t. I quickly headed upstairs to the green room and Lori and I did a grounding meditation with our peeps. It brought me back to center and allowed me to focus on my own emotions. Without that quiet reflection and distance from others, I would have taken the stage feeling shaky and unsettled. So while I don’t sing & dance for millions (and never will!), I can relate to Justin’s decision and hope it serves as an example to others. If you don’t protect and preserve your personal energy, you cannot show up in the world with purpose and clarity.

(For more about living as an empath, I highly recommend Dr. Judith Orloff​’s book, Emotional Freedom and Elaine Aron’s The Highly Sensitive Person)

Yesterday, I got a visit from my Nana. And then she brought some of your loved ones over, too. It was a day, from start to finish, of appearances and sacred signs that made my heart absolutely race. And that’s really saying something, since I’m pretty used to engaging with the Great Beyond. Let me give you the highlights because there’s a gift in it all for you.

Nana passed away nearly a year and a half ago, but when she was alive, she knew I could see and hear spirits and angels. She assured me multiple times that she’d be popping in, sending signs, and whispering in my ear (i.e. bossing me around!) once she was in Heaven. We had some good laughs – and shed a few tears – about that future reality. But after her passing, I didn’t hear much from her – up until these past few weeks (maybe you saw my Christmas tree story, for instance). It’s like she was picking up steam, gaining the energy and know-how to get through to me in a major way.

A Vivid Dream

Several days ago, I started noticing “spirit chatter” swirling around me, like the faded din of a busy restaurant. I was too busy to get still and tune in, so the spirits found another way to get my attention (they’re sneaky like that!). On Monday night, Nana came to me in a dream – so vivid and real that I was surpised the next morning when I woke up in my bed! In the dream, as I shared on social media, Nana and I were with old friends and dear family, sitting next to each other, having a marvelous time. Everyone was laughing, loving, reminiscing. And then I realized I was the only one who could see her. They weren’t talking to her…they were talking ABOUT her. I couldn’t believe they were missing her being right there!

Don’t forget – you see and hear what others can’t, Nana reminded me. And then she asked that I use that gift to let more people know their loved ones are near…they’re sitting at the restaurant with them, riding in the carpool with them, dancing in the living room with them. Oh! Mission accomplished, I told her. I’ll be teaching that soon! But she already seemed very aware of my recent decision to devote the next year of my online class, Project Light Year, to helping participants deepen their awareness of and connection to spirits and angels.

There’s more to share than you think and more people to reach, Nana said – but I didn’t quite understand. She then demonstrated some of the amazing ways she’s learned to play with time and space – and then I woke up, surprised to be in my bed since I could have sworn I’d just been in a restaurant with Nana.

A Crowded Room

Our interaction had been incredibly vivid and stayed with me into my waking hours, which is how I know Nana was really with me. But I didn’t know how to address the things she’d requested and shown me, so I set them aside and went on with my day. Until, that is, she showed up again. Not in dream form, but standing in my bedroom when I walked in. And this time, she brought a roomful of moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, children and pets all in spirit form, to back her up. Whoa.

Nana is a social butterfly, so I’m not surprised that she’s already made countless friends over there! She asked me to please listen to them. One man who died in his 50s told me his family tends to doubt or miss the signs he leaves for them. A mother who passed in her 70s showed me “all the pretty birds” she’d like to send if only her daughter would open the window blinds. A yellow lab ran circles around a sleeping baby, proud to be watching over the new arrival. A little boy wanted his family to know – and laugh about – all the funny pranks he’s been playing on them. My heart was racing as they each chimed in about the loved ones they’d love to re-establish an connection with, in a new and wondrous way. “You can help show them we’re right here,” one man said, and my heart sank a bit.

“I don’t have a way to find them for you,” I told the roomful of spirits. “You’d have to bring them to me, nudge them to find the class.”

Nana stepped up then and said lovingly, “We have – but some people can’t afford it, Liv-er. And we need to reach them, too.” Nana always did love a bargain – almost as much as being overly kind to total strangers. So I started to negotiate with the hopeful group of strangers in my room (ha, that sounds so crazy!). I ran through the numbers in my head, worried I’d lose money or send the wrong message about the course’s value. But they didn’t care for any of my discount suggestions – or my irrational fears.

I then heard someone in the crowd say, “You have to let them choose the price.” And the room filled with shouts of support. Wait, what? Choose their own price? For a full year of inspiration and connection? That suggestion sounded totally ridiculous (this is my livelihood, after all). But that idea also sounded beautifully, inexplicably right. If you do this, word will get around to all the right folks, another spirit said. Looking at all those loved ones gathered, eager to let their people know they’re okay and still around, I got all choked up. How could I say no?

By then, it was time to pick up my oldest at school. I almost missed my turn, I was so distracted thinking about how I’d make it work! There would be lots of administrative hoops to jump through; I knew I’d need to bring Jill, Happiness Manager for my biz, up to speed. As soon as we got back home, I pulled my phone out of my coat pocket and found that it was already calling Jill. I quickly ended the call before she answered – not even sure how to describe yet what was going on and what we needed to do. But it was crystal clear that Nana & Company wanted to get the ball rolling!

A Gift from the Other Side

The truth is, on paper, this makes no sense for my business – offering a whole year of content at an undetermined price, only days before class begins. But in my heart, I know none of that matters. I can feel the vibration of this request from on-high pulsing through me. I am choosing to trust it will all balance out, that the perfect people will be called to it, that an army of angels has my back. So here we go…

The regular price and our 12-month payment plan are still available – but now you’ll find there is a Pay-What-You-Can option for the 2016 edition of Project Light Year, which kicks off next Monday (1/11). Read about the class and community, then notice if your heart feels pulled to be part of it. If it does, scroll down to the Pay-What-You Can option and change the default amount – currently $1.00 – to the price that feels doable and perfect for you. All I ask is that you come to this experience with an open mind, an open heart, a grateful spirit and deep compassion for the tribe you’re becoming part of.

If you already signed up to be part of Project Light Year 2016, I want to be fair to all of you dear hearts. So watch for an email in your inboxes, giving you the opportunity to request a partial refund if the class fee you paid stretched you too thin.

Whenever I quiet my fears, whenever I calm my ego, whenever I listen to divine visitors and celestial whispers, amazing things unfold. I have no doubt this will be the case again. There are things I will be sharing that I don’t even know yet. There are people I’ll be meeting who will be blessings in my life. There will be stories and connections that will fill me up with glee. 2016 will be a year of pure magic and it’s only just begun.

Happy 2016! At the start of each new year, I love the idea of selecting one meaningful, motivating word to serve as a personal guide for the next 12 months. And I have three simple steps to do it.

STEP 1: Choose it wisely. To choose my word each year, I first imagine how I want to feel on December 31st, looking back at what I’ve experienced and achieved. What positive theme do I want to be able to see weaving through my life as I reflect on the past year? Sometimes it helps to notice the experiences and patterns I’m tired of and want to release from, and then figure out what the flip side of that would look like. Sometimes I want to build upon awesomeness that’s begun sprouting up; I want a word that reminds me to nurture and nourish that.

STEP 2: Use it wisely. And then, throughout the year, I use my word as a litmus test. In any situation, I can ask myself if it lines up with my word of the year. If it doesn’t, that’s a good indication that I’m off-track and need to recalibrate.

STEP 3: Don’t forget it. Take it from someone who’s been there, done that. It’s a bummer to reach December 31st and realize you left your word (and, likely, dreams) in the dust. Your word of the year is meant to stick with you through thick and thin. So post it somewhere you’ll see it frequently. Paste it on your vision board. Illustrate it and frame it. Write it on your bathroom mirror with a dry-erase marker. Keep it front and center to lead the way all year long.

Last year, I chose the word SERENITY and it served me well. I wanted to point my inner compass towards feeling good in all ways – physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, professionally, personally – with a constant foundation of peace and calm holding me steady through it all.

Right away last January, I had to put that word to good use. Our little guy, Tru, had been sick for nearly a month and only got worse while on our trip to Texas during New Year’s week. Once we returned home, we had three days straight of doctors appointments, pharmacy runs and blood tests. While juggling that with work and other commitments, I continually asked myself, “What are the choices I need to make to achieve serenity now?”

Sometimes, the answer was about expressing gratitude for the positives – a flexible schedule, good doctors, access to medicine, the ability to afford treatment. Sometimes, it meant taking a nap or talking to a friend on the phone while Tru rested. Sometimes, it meant choosing not to stress over unreturned emails or looming deadlines. And while we waited for test results (which wound up being inconclusive and he eventually got better), it meant not freaking out over what I didn’t know or obsessing about the possibilities, but just living in the present and celebrating any sign of progress with our little guy. By leaning on my word of the year, I surrendered to serenity and felt so much better for it.

This year, I’ve chosen a word that makes me smile from ear-to-ear…

Yep, this is my year to dance with GLEE! I knew I wanted to focus on cultivating joy this year, but that particular word didn’t feel quite right. I wanted something lighter, something brighter, something unique. I flipped through the thesaurus and when I saw “glee,” it jumped out at me. And then, I looked up the definition in the Merriam-Webster dictionary.

“Exultant high-spirited joy,” it said. And I felt a shiver of truth and light buzz through me. There it is, I thought! GLEE is my word of the year. My guidepost for living, my companion in decision-making, my best bud in cultivating joy.

So, what word will guide you this year? If you need a little extra guidance to choose your word, there are two FREE (also a favorite word!) resources that I highly recommend and thousands of people have used: Christine Kane offers an awesome online Word of the Year Discovery Tool  and Susannah Conway offers a five-day Find Your Word email class. Both are brilliant.

Wishing you a year that lives up to your highest expectations, dear hearts!

 
That was fun for several days, but on Friday, Tru told me the phone only had 2% battery life left. “It’s gonna die,” he said as he put it on a family room table and happily skipped off to play with something else.

Fast forward to Sunday night. As we (finally!) decorated the Christmas tree, humming along to holiday songs on the iPod, I got all choked up. I’d forgotten that I’d kept Nana’s Swedish flag garlands and as soon as I pulled them out of the box, I could feel her with me so strongly. Putting up her Christmas tree was always an event with Nana; family would gather to decorate as she gave instructions and marveled at the beauty of the twinkling lights, meaningful ornaments and nods to our Swedish ancestry. Nana’s parents both came to the United States from Sweden and she was fiercely proud of her heritage. So, when we were packing up her belongings earlier this year and I saw the Swedish flag garlands, I knew I couldn’t let them go. I needed to hang them on our tree in honor of Nana and our wonderful, extended Swedish family.

As I began to hang the flags for the first time on Sunday night, I was struck by the song that started playing. It was Kristin Chenoweth’s beautiful Home on Christmas Day. Perfect timing. While she sang and I hung Nana’s garlands, my eyes filled with tears…

And now I promise you with all my heart this Christmas
That all the love we shared will never go away
Your spirit’s everywhere and I hope you know
That you are always here, home on Christmas Day

I knew my mom would be touched, so I texted her this picture and told her Nana was here. Then I posted it on Instagram, saying “I promise to take good care of them, Nana. God Jul!”

And that’s when Nana called.

Out of the blue, Brad and I heard a loud digital-sounding song start playing – a happy little jingle we’d never heard before. We looked around, then looked at each other with wide eyes as we noticed it was Nana’s phone. “Umm, I think Nana just called,” he said. He opened the flip phone, but it was dead. Maybe it was powering off, he reasoned – not knowing that it had only 2% battery a full two days before. My heart raced with delight; I knew with every cell in my body that Nana had found a way to reach out with impeccable timing, putting her stamp of approval on our flag-adorned Christmas tree. My mom and I joked that Nana had finally figured out how to use her cell phone (I’m sure they have amazing tech support on the Other Side!). And now, every time I look at our beautiful tree, I feel like Nana decorated it with me.

The holidays can be so hard when we’re missing loved ones who have crossed over. But when we open our hearts to the possibility that they are with us still, lift our vibration to meet theirs, and pay attention to the signs of their presence…magic happens. I have seen it time and time again in my own life and in the gasp-worthy experiences of friends and clients.

This is why I’ve decided to devote all of next year to joyfully exploring and sharing the multitude of ways we are supported, watched and cared for by beloveds in the Great Beyond. Sacred Sign Language is the just-announced theme of Project Light Year 2016. If your heart feels called to know more, find details and early bird pricing here. I would love to spend next year in awe with you.

*******

(This essay originally appeared in my Divine Interventions newsletter and received such a loving response, I decided to share it here, too.)

Less than two weeks ago, everything fell apart.

Lori Portka and I were tired. We’d just spent countless hours preparing the pre-order campaign for our upcoming book, Infinite Purpose: Care Instructions for Your True Calling. And something didn’t feel right.

Back in January, when we decided to self-publish through Wise Ink, we knew it was a huge financial risk. We’d have to raise funds through pre-orders to help cover the cost of mass-printing this book; an 8×10 full-color, hardcover with nearly 200 vivid pages of divine guidance and gorgeous artwork. So we’d signed on with PubSlush, which specializes in crowdfunding for indie authors, and we diligently worked on our campaign materials – from shooting a short film about the book to creating “perks” for those who support the campaign.

But in the week leading up to our pre-order launch, we kept encountering speed bumps. We had a feeling something was up, but we were so eager to kickoff the campaign that we ignored all the little signs. We sent the link early to a bunch of friends, asking them to check it out and to start sharing the campaign with others on Wednesday. Many of them placed early orders, which was fantastic – but also revealed more glitches in the system. Ack! That Wednesday morning, we had to delay the launch by several hours while we waited to hear from PubSlush. With each passing hour, we grew more anxious. We were too blinded by worry to see that the universe was purposefully and lovingly running interference.

I decided to step away from the laptop and check in with Spirit, who encouraged me to be patient (not really what you want to hear when things are falling apart). We would launch, Spirit said, “when the sun meets the moon.” Completely baffled by this, I figured I was so stressed that I wasn’t hearing them correctly. So I dismissed their guidance.

And then the shitty-shit-shit hit the fan.

Lori called and asked if I was sitting down. I braced myself. “The glitches don’t even matter,” she told me. “PubSlush is going to shut down and we have to get out ASAP.” For a good 30 seconds, we muttered every effing swear word that exists. And then we sprang into action.

We didn’t have any more time for sulking, for swearing, for wondering why. We had people to contact and refund. We had to keep folks from sharing the link on social media. We had to find a filmmaker to edit PubSlush out of our short film. We had to re-think our financials. And we had to move all of our content over to crowdfunding site INDIEGOGO. Running on sheer adrenaline, we did it all in less than 24 hours – and then we didn’t know what to do.

We were so tired, we had no energy to officially launch and explain the new pre-order campaign to people. We weren’t even sure we’d gain any traction on such a big crowdfunding site. We went around in circles; should we launch the next day? the next week? or just go into hibernation and launch the book in 2016? With no clear answer, we sat on the phone saying almost nothing to each other. We were that fried.

And then I remembered that weird guidance from Spirit: to move forward “when the sun meets the moon.” Praying it might offer us some clarity, I googled it – and my eyes just about popped right out of my head. I read aloud to Lori as I scrolled through the first site that grabbed my attention. It said there was going to be a new moon the next day – Friday, August 14th – and that this would be a time when “the sun and moon rise together, the sun and moon set together, the sun and moon cross in the sky.” 

We both gasped in awe. 

We immediately looked up the astrological implications of that particular new moon and were wowed by the insight from Mystic Mamma: “A roaring New Moon in Leo is upon us, sparking creativity and originality and igniting our passions with soul aligned purpose.” 

Whoa!! It all made sense. Our timing was not aligned with God’s timing. We had plowed forward despite a bunch of glitches, despite all the delays, until the universe finally stopped us in our tracks and forced us to take a detour. By the time we’d moved everything over to INDIEGOGO, we had to wait until Friday to launch. Online marketers say Fridays are awful days to introduce a new iniatiative, but we didn’t care; it suddenly felt like the perfect day to us!

And, indeed, it totally was. The sun and moon danced, and the campaign kicked off with such a bang that we were trending on the homepage throughout that day! Meanwhile, PubSlush got happy news, too; as they prepared to shut down, they were acquired by another company. We all went from holy crap to holy wow in a matter of days.

Looking back, we realize that when it felt like everything was falling apart, everything was actually working in our favor, for the highest good of all. Once we trusted this, our energy levels shifted and we went from feeling totally fried to fired up.

Now, with a week and a half to go, we’re over halfway to our funding goal and totally delighting in every single pre-order that comes through and in a state of wonder over the divine orchestration of it all. Want to join the magic? You’re right on time. Pre-order your Infinite Purpose book and check out all the cool perks at the IndieGoGo campaign!

Yesterday, I posted this on my Facebook page and the words, which found their way to and through me over a year ago, have struck a chord with many.

So, I’m making this available as a free printable (just click on the image and save or print). Feel free to share it with someone you know whose heart is hurting, either using the social media buttons below or by printing it out.

Our loved ones who are no longer here physically really are still with us emotionally and spiritually. When the signs they send and help they give is noticed, they delight in it! So don’t think of yourself as silly or crazy for sensing your own link to the heavens above. It’s true: real love never ends. 

It’s been a crazy-busy month, but I’ve been thinking lots about you and wanting to share a whole bunch of goodness with you – programs and products and people I’m just swooning over. So it’s time for a stream-of-consciousness braindump. If you like this little Oh, Goodness! list, let me know over on FB or share the list below. Maybe I’ll make this a regular thing around here.

courageous heARTS (they need your vote!)

Linking Angels is collecting votes this month to award $100,000 to an up-and-coming nonprofit. I’m rooting for Courageous HeARTS  – a small organization with a huge heart for helping kids heal through art. Please vote for them here (it’s free & super easy). 

My Favorite New Movie 

I am over-the-moon excited for my soul sister Lori Portka. Today, a beautiful new short film about her was released via Hailey Bartholomew’s 365 Grateful project. Every time I watch it, I cry. Seven minutes of gorgeous gratitude. You have to see it, friends. It will make you want to deeply thank every person you come across today! Watch it, share it, spread the goodwill. Here it is:

Little Love Notes

Speaking of Lori, you’ll also LOVE the brand new Crazy Sexy Love Notes – a deck of inspiring cards by Kris Carr that she masterfully illustrated. Pick a beautiful, encouraging card each morning; such an uplifting way to start the day!

Mermaid Pillows

I’ve been a fan of Kelly Barton’s art for years. Right now, I’m totally swooning over her brand new mermaid throw pillows. Seriously. Could these be cuter??

Flying Lessons

I truly believe every creative entrepreneur needs to experience the magic of Kelly Rae Roberts’ Flying Lessons ecourse. It was a game-changer for me years ago, and today I’m honored to be a contributor to the updated, self-paced version.

The Daily Saint

Do you know about The Daily Saint? It’s kind of like Humans of New York, but every day founder Mikaela features everyday heroes and their random acts of kindness. I find the short stories soooo uplifting and heartwarming; you can follow TDS on Facebook or Instagram so you don’t miss a post.

Empathy For Sale 

In case you haven’t heard, Emily McDowell’s new line of Empathy cards are freaking brilliant. The perfect blend of wit, wisdom and compassion for someone facing a serious illness or life challenge.

How To Inspire

Last but not least, I’m having a blast collaborating with Illuminating Souls’ Laurel Bleadon-Maffei on a brand new program called Inspiring Messengers. It’s a six-week course for those who want to make a living by sharing their light. She is so gifted, so smart. Starting June 3rd, the course includes live mentorship calls, a wide variety of resources and video tutorials – including one about creating inspiring graphics that we’ve made available online for FREE today only. Check it out here. 

Here’s hoping all kinds of goodness greets you on your path today! xoxo

Exactly one year ago, I got brave and shared a dream of mine here: I felt ready to write a book. I didn’t have a timeline, nor a story or theme I was desperate to write about. I could just feel the book making its way to me, and I knew giving voice to that dream would pull it closer. And then, quite honestly, I forgot about it. Lots of other things took priority, from work stuff to family stuff, and I put that dream on hold.

But the universe didn’t. With a million little twists of fate, it made that dream come true at the speed of light. And now, I am over-the-moon excited to tell you that my soul-sister-friend Lori Portka and I are writing a book together. WHAT!?

Many of you know that last fall, our worlds turned upside down and inside out when Spirit – the circle of ascended wise ones on the Other Side whom I work with during my intuitive readings – swooped in and teamed us up. Lori had just texted me, feeling deflated because a publisher she was working with on a big project had just rejected eight of her paintings. As soon as I saw her text, it felt like a lightning bolt jolted through me and I heard the voice of Spirit saying those paintings were for us, for a new project called Infinite Purpose. They provided detailed instructions for leading an eight-week online program featuring Lori’s artwork and Spirit’s words (transcribed by me).

To be honest, we both thought it sounded kinda crazy. But it also felt so big and powerful, we couldn’t say no. Lori and I were shocked when 250 people signed up, fast as lightning, eager to step deeper into their callings. And as we sent out a new message from Spirit and the corresponding painting to participants each week, we were blown away by the magic that transpired in their lives and ours.

Seriously blown away.   

Not long after that program ended, Spirit appeared again with a new vision. Those teachings were to become a book, they said – with personal stories, room for reflection and more gorgeous art. All of the pieces fell into place within days and we found ourselves giddy with excitement, toasting over Skype, as we signed contracts to birth this book into the world.

We have spent the last couple of months totally immersed in making INFINITE PURPOSE: Care Instructions for Your True Calling a total treasure for you – a gorgeous, full-color, hardcover gift book/guide book/journal/life changer. Because it will be so different than anything on the market, and because we know it’s meant to be birthed into the world lickety-split, we’re self-publishing this book with the awesome blossoms at Wise Ink. They are total pros and they’re keeping us on our toes in order to release this book on 11/11/15. Holy wow. 

There’s a lot more work to do. And we’ll need your help along the way. So, we’ll be sharing fun behind-the-scenes magic, plus inspiration from the book on our brand new Facebook page (Facebook.com/InfinitePurpose). We’d be so grateful if you’d “like” the page and become part of this wild and wonderful journey with us!

I absolutely LOVE witnessing someone change their life by changing their mindset (yay, power of thought!). Back in 2009, when I still co-hosted a radio show in Minneapolis, we did a show on positive thinking. We interviewed a young woman named Dani DiPirro who said she’d spent the first 25 years of her life with a negative attitude – until she realized it wasn’t doing her any good. So, she decided to shift her thinking and committed to finding the good in every situation.

Dani’s life changed in all kinds of wonderful ways.

She was so inspired that she started a web site, PositivelyPresent.com, to share her own insights and experiences with readers yearning to find the good, too. The web site took off, she was able to leave her marketing job, and published her first book in 2012. This week, she’s celebrating the launch of her second book – The Positively Present Guide To Life – and it’s great!

She’s one busy (and happy!) lady these days, so I asked her to answer me three quick questions – including how she stays upbeat on social media. Enjoy!

Dani, you’ve built the Positively Present brand online, from your blog to Instagram to Facebook. But spending a great deal of time online can be soul-sucking if you’re not careful. In the book, you advise readers to use technology wisely; can you elaborate on how you do this? 

“Technology can definitely be soul-sucking if we’re not careful with how we use it. There are three important things to consider when thinking about using technology in a positive way.

First and foremost, it’s important to think about how you feel when you’re using certain technology or visiting certain websites. If you feel inspired, motivated, and engaged — that’s great! If not, you might want stop visiting a certain site or, to limit your time on the site, remove its app or bookmark. (And it’s important to remember: just because everyone else is doing it, doesn’t mean you have to.)

Secondly, it can be useful to pay attention to how much time you’re spending on social media. Obviously I spend a great deal of time on certain sites (particularly Instagram and Pinterest), but I try to have certain times of the day when I don’t engage with social media and I give myself a little break.

The third point to keep in mind when striving for a positive, healthy relationship with technology is that there are many apps and websites that can actually help you be more positive and present. Finding apps and websites that encourage mindfulness can be very useful, particularly during the times when it’s difficult to stay in the moment.”

In the section on work life in your new book, you encourage readers to appreciate what’s working and accept praise graciously. I love this, because it’s so easy to forget to CELEBRATE the little things each day. So I’d love to know how you’re savoring and celebrating this moment in your work life as your new book is being born into the world!  

“We’re often so focused on big goals that we forget to stop and rejoice in the little moments. I try to celebrate something every day, even if it’s something as small as crossing a tough task off my to-do list or making some extra time to play with my dog. I’ve been working on this book for two years so it’s a big deal that it’s finally out there in the world, sitting on bookshelves all over the world. Even though it was a big moment when I first saw the book in the bookstore, I’ve been trying to celebrate all of the little victories along the way (such as turning in the first draft, completing the illustrations, etc.), and this has actually made the debut of the book even sweeter. Every little win — no matter how small — deserves to be savored, and throughout the publishing process, I’ve really tried to make time to celebrate (and write about) the little moments.”

What was your favorite chapter to write in the book and why?

“Great question! My favorite chapter of the book to write was the first chapter, which focuses on being positively present at home. I enjoyed this partly because I’m a bit of a homebody and really enjoy being at home, but mostly because I believe it’s so important for people to create a positive living space in which they can feel comfortable, relaxed, and inspired. We spend a lot of time in our homes and with the people we live with so it’s important to make the most of the moments we have at home. And this isn’t always easy to do. Sometimes we’re not living in a place we want to be or we’re living with people who aren’t necessarily positive. Ideal living situations are hard to come by, but I believe everyone can make the most of whatever situation he or she is in and create a home that feels both invigorating and relaxing.”

Thanks & congrats, Dani!

Pssst! Friends, you can find The Positively Present Guide to Life here.

And!? Dani’s also a contributor to my How To Build a Blog You Truly Love ebook here.