Want to get inside my head?

These 25 random facts will give you a peek into my personality, beliefs, and even a bit of my upbringing. Welcome to my strange and unusual little world,(and kudos to you if you know that reference).

I was extremely shy growing up and still consider myself to be a quiet person, but I adore public speaking. Give me a mic and I will work that stage like I’m Beyonce.

When I was a child I read the Bible cover to cover, twice. Not because my parents made me, in fact I think they thought I was quite odd. But because I was fascinated with spirituality and religion and wanted to study and understand it. This lead me to study spirituality and other religions on a broader scope. I also read a lot of R.L Stine, which might explain my love for both spiritual concepts and true crime.

I always loved old movies growing up, still do. When I was a teenager instead of having teen bop pictures of current celebrities on my bedroom wall, I had black and white photos of old Hollywood stars everywhere. So essentially my teenage crushes were all dead people.

I manifested this gorgeous brownstone apartment on the Upper West Side in New York City when I was only 19 years old. It was an amazing time in my life. My very first place, and I had a claw foot bath tub and a fireplace! Only downside, is nearly two decades later, it’s still the nicest place I’ve ever lived.

I had a really hard time getting into after school sports when I was a kid. I tried the usual things like gymnastics, but hated it. I didn’t really enjoy athletics at all, and dreaded gym class (except on scooter day). It wasn’t until I rode a horse at summer camp that I found my calling. I absolutely adored horseback riding and couldn’t get enough of it. I remember telling my parents at the age of 10, that it took my whole life to discover what I truly loved. Of course could I have picked a more expensive hobby? Thank God for being an only child. I ended getting my own horse, Star, and riding all through High School until Star couldn’t ride anymore. Some of the most magical, memorable times in my life were in the saddle.

For years growing up I had a pixie cut. In fact I’ve had almost every hairstyle out there, with the exception of a perm ( I did have a mullet in 2nd grade…don’t ask). Even though my hair is long now, I have very little attachment to it. I could chop it off on a whim and not think anything of it. I even rocked red hair for years. The only thing I haven’t done with my hair is go blonde……yet.

I 100% believe in ghosts and have had many supernatural experiences throughout my lifetime. But I’ve never been scared of these apparitions. On the contrary I find them fascinating and embrace these experiences whenever I encounter them. In life I have found that the living, can be far more frightening than ghosts.

I find it impossible to read 1 book at a time. I almost always have a stack of 5 books going on my nightstand. Usually a mixture of spiritual books, an old Hollywood autobiography, something health related, a business book, and maybe some fiction. I have so many different interests that I couldn’t possibly stick to one subject. This doesn’t take into account the 3-4 audiobooks I have going at once either.

In my free time I love watching and listening to conspiracy theories. I don’t necessarily believe them all, but I do find them rather fascinating. I was actually into conspiracy theories way before it was popular on youtube, in fact way before youtube even existed. As a little girl I remember researching JFK’s assassination and Marilyn Monroe’s apparent “suicide”. Again confirming that I was a rather strange child.

For all of you astrology experts out there I am a Scorpio Sun, Cancer Ascendent, and Scorpio Moon. That’s right, I’m a double Scorpio.

I would consider myself an introvert with extrovert tendencies. I do love social interactions, and find small group gatherings to be very fulfilling, to a certain extent. If I have a week full of social interactions and get togethers, I will go into full on hermit mode and won’t talk to anyone other than my cats for days.

When I was 9 I entered a regional Girl Scout bake off contest. My homemade oatmeal cookies ended up winning “Best Tasting Cookie”. I still have the ribbon I won. I’ve continued to make that same recipe over the years, and everyone loves them, expect for my boyfriend. He thinks they are too sweet. In fact he tried to make a ‘healthy” version of my oatmeal cookie recipe, taking out all the sugar and butter and substituting it with applesauce. They tasted like shit.

Speaking of awards, I also won a pretty prestigious award in my elementary school for playing the flute. The win came as a complete and total shock to me. I was not expecting it at all. In fact I didn’t think that I was that good. This award helped me realize at a young age that I often underplay my own talents and skills, and gave me a much needed self confidence boost. Unfortunately I didn’t keep up with the flute much past 6th grade. But I often fantasize about an alternative reality where I became a great flutist for a famous orchestra. Maybe in my next life.

I’m a big fan of list making. I especially love making a monthly, weekly, and daily to-do list. For me that’s the best way to keep myself organized, focused, and accountable.The act of crossing something off my list is so satisfying that I will often write down completed items that weren’t on my original list, just so I can cross them off.

I spent 15 years of my life never having a pastry or a bite of pasta. A combination of an eating disorder I had for awhile, that eventually just gave way to an obsession with health and fitness (which in itself is another disorder called Orthorexia). It wasn’t until my first trip to Italy when I was 33 that I had a croissant. Ever since then I have pasta and a pastry at least once a week, and ironically I am more healthy and physically in shape then I ever was in the past.

I actually have always enjoyed the Kardashians. And yes I’m super into spirituality and self growth as well. Don’t judge me, it’s a good show.

I was an extremely picky eater growing up and wouldn’t touch a vegetable no matter how much my parents tried to bribe me. Everything I ate was processed junk from morning to night. Shout out to Entenmann’s, Tasty Cakes, and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese! Now I eat fruit and vegetables all day long and you couldn’t pay me enough to eat some fake processed food out of a box.

When I really like a certain song or album, I’ll listen to it over and over again memorizing every word and beat. I once listened to Madonna’s Evita soundtrack everyday for a year straight. And I can still rap all of Lisa Left Eye’s part in TLC’s “Waterfalls” from 1994, as well as Coolio’s “Gangster’s Paradise.”

I have the same obsessive behavior with movies and shows as well. If I really feel inspired by something I can watch it over and over again. As I child I was apparently really into Mickey’s Christmas Carol. I would watch it every single day. That is until my parents claimed that it mysteriously “broke.”

I was a bit of a late bloomer growing up. Didn’t end up going through puberty until late, and I didn’t have sex until I was 21. I remember always feeling behind in life, as I was the last one of my friends to get my period and lose my virginity. But now that I am older I am so grateful that I waited. For one, by the time I had sex I was actually emotionally mature and ready for it, unlike most of my friends. And two, my childhood was actually spent being a child. You have the rest of your life to be an adult and have sex. I’m glad that I got to be a kid for as long as I did.

For me, the best thing in life is going to see live theatrical performances and concerts. My love for theater started with my first Broadway show when I was 10 years old. Since then I’ve seen well over 200. I know, talk about privilege. But to me it’s always been a matter of priority. I would much rather drop money on a show than a designer purse. Items like clothing and accessories don’t come close to fulfilling me the way a live show does. Take away; spend money on what fulfills you personally, not what society tells you to spend money on. So if I want to go see The Music Man 16 times, that’s my business.

I’m really into dream work. I’ve always had vivid dreams and have received some pretty profound messages in my dream world. I’m currently working on mastering lucid dreaming, which is pretty wild. The only sucky part about being a good dreamer is that I tend to experience a lot of sleep paralysis. Nothing like feeling trapped and tortured in your lifeless body to wake you up from a good dream.

My first career as a Set Designer were some of the hardest and best years of my life. I worked 80 hours a week, was constantly stressed, and incredibly broke. Yet some of my fondest memories in life took place at that job. I would go through it all again just to be apart of that community and relive those good times. Plus I learned mad skills! Give me a staple gun, sewing machine, and a hot glue gun and I can make anything!

As an Acupuncturist I am totally comfortable with needles and have no problem poking myself, or even giving myself an injection of B12. However, if you try and take my blood or give me an IV I will break out in a sweat, turn white as a sheet, and most likely pass out. Stay away from my veins!

I’ve never been to school for business, nor have I ever taken any business courses. Yet I have to pat myself on the back as I’ve been successfully running 3 companies for the past 5 years. But it’s important to note that this is not, and never will be a Business blog. Because even though I’ve been in the green every year as an Entrepreneur, I still feel like I don’t know what the hell I’m doing most of the time, and my accountant would agree. I credit the majority of my success to following spiritual guidance, practicing law of attraction techniques, and some good old hustle.

There you have it, everything you need to know about me! Well, not quite. But these 25 facts should give you a better idea of who I am as a person and what lights me up. And maybe by reading this it got you thinking of your own interesting facts that make you, you. I would encourage you to write them down, even if you never share them with anyone. It’s a great exercise in getting to know yourself better, and will help you appreciate your own uniqueness.

Paris has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. And after years of planning and saving, I finally got over there in 2018 for 6 beautiful days. I was careful to not overplan this trip too much, as I wanted to really experience the Parisian culture and what daily life was like. Some of what I experienced I expected, and some I was rather surprised. I left Paris feeling inspired by their lifestyle, and have done my best to bring some of these beautiful habits home with me.

Let me first dispel the myth that the French are rude. I found this to be so unbelievably false it baffles me as to why this stereotype even exists. Granted I did my best not to come off as an asshole American tourist while I was there, because that stereotype is unfortunately very real. I don’t speak fluent French by any means, but I did do my best to learn certain phrases and always made an effort to try. I believe it’s respectful to at least try and speak the language of the country you are visiting, even if it’s just hello and thank you. With that said every person I encountered was lovely and helpful, even in some of the smaller markets where not many tourist visit. In my travels through life I have found that your energy speaks louder than words. And approaching others with an open grateful heart works wonders, even if you don’t speak the same language.

The first few hours that we arrived in Paris were spent walking around the Latin Quarter in the 5th arrondissement. This charming section of Paris is full of trendy restaurants and cafes, the legendary Shakespeare and Company bookshop, and the Jardin du Luxembourg. Within the first hour of arriving I of course found a delightful Boulangerie (Bakery) in the Saint Michele neighborhood, where I promptly ordered a croissant and cappuccino. This place would quickly become our favorite morning spot to indulge in the most heavenly almond croissants and people watch. Which brings me to the first habit I learned in Paris.

Eat Leisurely

This particular Boulangerie was populated by mostly locals, with a few tourists like myself. As I observed the locals I noticed that they would sit down with their cappuccino and pastry of choice in the morning, and actually enjoyed their meal. They weren’t multitasking on their laptop, or scrolling on their phone. They slowly sipped their cafe and ate while they either read a book, conversed with one another, or people watched. Coming from America, where meals are typically rushed and paired with other activities, it was surprising to see how present they were with their breakfast. I know for myself I rarely just eat my food without being on the computer, unless of course I’m at a restaurant with other people. But even when I go to a cafe at home, I’m always on my laptop or phone. In fact I would feel odd to just sit in a cafe and people watch, without some other sort of distraction. But in Paris it felt normal, and rather peaceful.

Meals in themselves should really be the main event, not a side task that you try and cram in. My morning smoothie is consumed while I answer emails. Lunch is often eaten with rapid speed between appointments or while I scroll on twitter. And dinner at home usually happens while watching YouTube. Yet in Paris I would have felt so out of place and even rude, whipping out my computer in the middle of breakfast.So for maybe the first time in my life I ate with complete presence, and it was wonderful.

The benefits of eating leisurely and actually being present with your food is amazing. For one you actually taste the food more when all of your other senses aren’t so distracted. Eating slower also optimizes the digestion and absorption of your food. You’ll increase the amount of nutrients you take in, reduce bloating and digestive upset, plus you’ll register when you are full faster. One of the reasons why the French can stay so slim while eating more indulgent food is because they are more present with their food and eat slower. Proper digestion and assimilation of your food is 100% connected to how well you metabolize that meal. Rush when you eat and not only will your body have a hard time assimilating fat, but it will also release cortisol, which causes weight gain.

I’ll admit I had a hard time adopting this habit when I got home. On vacation it’s easy to eat leisurely, but once you are back to your normal schedule slowing down for meals doesn’t always seem feasible. As I was struggling to fit this habit into my daily routine I realized that what type of life do I have if I am too busy to eat? Think about it, not having 30 minutes to enjoy a meal is absolutely ridiculous. Yet this is the culture we’ve created. Breakfast on your morning commute, lunch meetings, dinner in front of the t.v. Eating, one of the most essential basic necessities, has been downgraded to being less of a priority than emails. Once I had this realization I knew I had to make some changes. Now I read a book with my morning smoothie instead of jumping on the computer. I make lunch dates with friends so we enjoy our meal together. And my boyfriend and I make an effort to actually eat dinner at the dining room table, candles lit and everything. Interestingly enough, since adopting these habits I’ve lost 3 pounds, effortlessly.

Dine Alfresco

I do realize that alfresco is an Italian phrase, and I’m writing a blog about Paris. But let’s ignore that fact for a second and focus on food again. After all, so much of a Paris vacation is about eating.

Now as a tourist I was already planning on multiple picnics during my stay in Paris. I loved going to the local markets to pick up a fresh baguette and fancy fromage. I would then walk to a beautiful park or garden to enjoy my very French picnic. I expected to be surrounded by tourist doing the same, and of course there were a few, but I was more surprised by how many locals there were. It seems that eating outside is rather common in Paris, even in the winter.

The benefits of dining outside mirror what I’ve previously stated about eating leisurely. But in addition you get the sunshine and a good dose of vitamin D. Studies have even shown that outdoor dining reduces stress and cortisol levels in the body and increases focus and creativity. Not to mention from an energetic perspective getting out in nature is very grounding. For the most part, the majority of us spend way too much time inside. The Parisians understand this for sure as nearly every restaurant and cafe has outdoor seating year round.

As someone that lives in Florida this isn’t always the easiest habit adopt. We have a few good months a year of delightful weather with low humidity. But during the Summer months, eating outside during the day can be tortuous. Even under an umbrella it feels as if your skin is melting off, the air is so thick it’s hard to breathe, and you’ll be a sweaty frizzy mess. But I have found that once the sun goes down the evenings are much more tolerable, even on balmy nights. And there is something magical about dining outside. I do it as much as possible now, because not only does it feel good, but it reminds me of Paris.

A Note on the French Diet

One last note on food before I move onto another habit. There are several books and blogs that promote a Parisian diet in the states, i.e “French women don’t get fat.” This I disagree with. Yes, when you are in Paris eat all the cheese and bread, and drink all the wine. But if you think you can come back to the states and do that on a regular basis and not get fat or sick, you’re mistaken. The reason the French don’t gain weight as much from their diet, is because the quality of their food is so much better than what we have in America. Their gluten is real gluten, their dairy is real dairy. It hasn’t been altered with chemicals and hormones like our food in America. There is a huge difference on how your body processes real “pure” food compared to food laced with toxins. Eat that way in America, and you’ll have some health challenges. This by no mean stops me from going to a French cafe once a month, or indulging in some raw imported cheese from France. But bottom line, if you want to follow the French diet, you should live in France.

Read a Book

I mentioned that we were staying in the Latin Quarter which is home to the well known Shakespeare and Company Bookstore. As a big book nerd I fully anticipated visiting that shop, where I appropriately bought the Hemingway classic A Moveable Feast. But what I didn’t anticipate was how many bookstores there were in Paris! I swear it was if there was a bookstore on every block. Coming from America where practically all the bookstores have closed except for a few Barnes and Noble, I couldn’t believe how many I was passing. I was also surprised by how many people were reading books. At cafes, in parks, on a random bench, down by the Seine. People were reading everywhere. And they weren’t reading on kindles, they were reading from actual books. In fact I think I saw more Parisians reading, than on their phone. This was such a beautiful site, and says a lot about their culture. So if you want to look like a chic Parisian, pick up a book and put down your phone.

Walk the Walk

You won’t see a lot of gyms in Paris for good reason, they walk everywhere. Now as a former New Yorker this is not a new or foreign habit to me. When you live in metro based cities like New York and Paris you are going to do a lot of walking. Which of course also contributes to the healthier lifestyle Parisians are perceived to have. Yet unlike New Yorkers, Parisians walked at a decent pace, not at a rushed rapid rate. Walking throughout the city didn’t feel frantic like it does in New York. This again speaks to the pace of their culture, they never seem to be in a big hurry. I personally love to walk and miss city life at times for that very reason. The other day I enjoyed a nice fifteen minute walk along the riverside in Tampa to meet a friend for dinner. I was reminded again how delightful a nice walk can be. Not only is it good exercise, but it’s also a great stress reliever, especially when you aren’t rushing. Going for a walk clears your head, not to mention gets you outside. So even if you don’t live in a city that requires you to walk anywhere, go for a stroll around the block every now and then. And if you don’t want to do that, at least park far away the next time you are at Target to get those steps in.

Looking Stylish Doesn’t Mean Looking Perfect

When you think of Paris, you think of fashion. And one of the joys of people watching there is checking out their style. Everyone looked so chic, but they didn’t look like I expected. I purposely didn’t pack sneakers for this trip because I thought I would stick out like a sore thumb. So I was rather surprised when every Parisian woman that passed by was wearing cute sneakers of some sort. Which of course makes logical sense with all the walking they have to do. But in mind I was expecting to see Dior from head to toe and heels. Instead I saw a unique casual style worn with confidence. While everyone’s style was a little different, no one looked completely polished. There was an element of imperfection, which is what created this effortless chic look.

I was recently at a party in the states where there were a lot of young 20 somethings, which to be honest just looked like a sea of wanna be Kardashians. The microbladed eyebrows, Kylie Jenner lips, fake eyelashes, contoured cheekbones, etc….Everyone was trying to look “perfect” and as a result, everyone looked the same. I’m not meaning to pass judgement here. I too have spent many hours watching makeup tutorials on YouYube in order to master the art of contour. And there is nothing wrong with that look, but there is a lot to be said for embracing your own beauty and owning it. The French seem to have this concept down. Highlight the style that works best for you, and wear it with confidence. And you won’t find confidence from fake eyelashes and chiseled cheekbones, that can only be found within. Take off the facade and find your inner Parisian.

Let’s Hangout

Remember in High school and College when you use to just hang out with your friends. With no agenda other then to chat and laugh and maybe have a few beers. Well I felt like I was going back in time as Friday and Saturday nights in Paris basically turn into a big hangout session. Groups of friends of all different ages gather in squares and by the banks of the Seine to essentially “hangout.” They share some wine, laugh loudly, and play some music. Apparently hanging out by the Seine has been a tradition for hundreds of years. Which got me thinking, I don’t remember the last time I just hung out with a group of friends. Typically my get togethers are always organized and planned with a specific agenda, like dinner and a show. Which there is nothing wrong with that, but there is something youthful and fun about just hanging out. This has actually inspired me to have more chill get togethers with my friends. I’ve found that having no agenda allows you to connect and be more present with one another. Not to mention that opens the evening up to adventure and the unknown. Sometimes not having a plan, is the best kind of plan.

Au Revoir

Of course I wasn’t in Paris long enough to really understand all the in’s and out’s of their culture. But my week there certainly left a lasting impression, one that I’ve done my best to integrate into American life. Slowing down isn’t always easy, especially with all the pressures we have on us during the day. But it’s certainly a healthier and happier way to live. And we could all use a little more of the French joie de vivre attitude in life. Life is meant to be enjoyed, we just have to slow down enough to really live it.

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Metaphysical Disclaimer: Writing about and introducing the topic of Spirit Guides is tricky. While this is a theory that I fully believe in, it is just that, a theory. We have no scientific way of explaining or proving their existence. And therefore any information presented in this blog is purely based on my own understanding and belief system. Now if you think the idea of Spirit Guides is ridiculous, than I’m not sure why you would read this blog to begin with. And while I fully respect your opinion, this probably isn’t the article for you. But for those of you who are curious, or for those of you that are already on board the metaphysical train, this one’s for you.

If you could read my mind you might think I’m a little nuts, as I have a constant conversation going on with the voices in my head. But no need to put me away, I’m only chatting with my spirit guides.

Spirit Guides are something that we all have, whether you are aware of them or not. They may present themselves in a variety of ways such as an inspired thought, a dream, synchronicity, or even an invisible physical force that pushes you out of the way of the incoming car. Spirit Guides are here to help you on your journey. From leading you to your passion, to helping you find your keys.

Meet Your Guides

The concept of having a Guardian Angel is pretty widely accepted, even by people that aren’t in to all this “woo woo” stuff. Everyone can usually recall at least one experience where they felt guided or assisted by an energy outside of themselves. The truth is our Spirit Guides are working with us everyday, all day, we just have to learn to recognize it.

Now it’s a general understanding in the spiritual community that Spirit Guides come in all different shapes and forms. While of course there is no definitive guide on exactly what or who spirit guides are, the metaphysical world has come to an accepted consensus. Spirit Guides can be a collection of different entities such as Angels, Ascended Masters, ancestors, deceased loved ones, or animal spirits. Pretty much any being in the non-physical Astral plane could interact with you. I don’t think that from our limited earthly perspective we can possibly have a full understanding of the amount of energies out there ready and willing to play with us. But they are with you, always.

I started learning and studying Spirit Guides as a young girl. I read a lot of mixed information from different spiritual teachers. Some would say that you have 1 main guide throughout your life, and that you’ll have a few others pop in at different times to help out. Other teachers would say that your guide is usually a deceased relative, and yet others would say that it is rare that a deceased relative would act as a guide. Now that I am older and have had my own experiences, I realize how ridiculous it is for all these different teachers to put “rules” around who is and who isn’t a spirit guide. Humans naturally want to attach rules and logic to things to have them make sense. But bottom line, we won’t have a definitive answer on this until we transition from this life ourselves. So while we are alive we need to come up with our own understanding, based on our own experience.

I personally have come to believe that we can have an unlimited number of guides. I’ve had deep meditations where I’ve encountered a beautiful being with an abstract name that I’ve never heard before. And I’ve also felt the strong presence of my best friend who died in a car accident when she was 27. Often times I’ll have full on conversations with her in my mind, and it’s as if she is right here hanging out with me. If I am in a situation where I feel unsafe I’ll call on Archangel Michael to protect me. When I am writing I ask Wayne Dyer for his assistance, as he was a spiritual teacher whose writing I always admired. Even though I never met him while he was alive, I can certainly feel his assistance as I write this blog. Often I will just put a question out there to any being who is willing to be of assistance without trying to pinpoint a specific spirit. I may not know who provided the answer, but the answer always comes.

When it comes to Spirit Guides I don’t buy in to any rules or restrictions, with one exception. I only call on beings of the highest form of light and love. There are a lot of entities out there, and not all of them have the best intentions. Therefore, I’m very clear to only invite in high vibe beings, and I’d recommend that you do the same.

How You Experience Your Spirit Guides

Guidance from Spirit can come to you in a variety of ways. It is common to receive messages in your dreams and during a meditation. Synchronicity, is also a common and powerful way that your guides will let you know that you are on the right track. Often times guidance simply comes in the form of a thought or an idea that suddenly appears in your mind. It is possible to actually hear your guide. This usually sounds like a whisper in your left ear, and trust me when that happens you’ll have no doubt that your guide is with you. Some people are actually able to visibly see their guide. That’s not something I’ve personally experienced, but I’m totally down for a real life apparition (guides are you listening?). I often see little white sparks zipping around after a mediation, or feel a tingling sensation all over my body, which is another way to know your guides are around.

Once you are open and willing to work with your spirit guides they will reach out in some form or another to make themselves known. You’ve already experienced them multiple times in your life, you just may have not been aware. Ever have your phone randomly start playing a song? Or a book fall off a shelf and land at your feet? That’s your guides trying to get your attention about something. Your guides can work through other people as well. Perhaps that stranger in the coffee shop delivered a profound message that you needed to hear.

In general your guides are always gently nudging you along your path. They won’t force you to do anything specifically, but they might send the same message to you over and over in hopes that you’ll get it. Of course there are times where they might step in more forcefully to save your life if it’s not your time. There are countless stories from 9/11 of people whose cars broke down on their way to the World Trade Center that day. I personally was in a head on collision with my father when I was 6 years old. Our car was so crushed that they had to use the jaws of life to get us out, yet we walked away with nothing more than a bruise from the seat belt. Everyone who saw our car said it was a miracle that we were not only alive, but unharmed. My grandmother had passed away a month before. I know exactly who kept us safe in that accident.

Working with your Spirit Guides

When it comes to working with your spirit guides there are multiple ways to connect and work together. But there are two key steps that you must do if you want to establish this relationship.

Step 1: Ask

This is something that you do automatically, whether you realize it or not. Everytime you are trying to make a decision you are asking for guidance. Anytime you are upset with a circumstance in your life you are asking for help. And your guides are always answering. But it can be helpful when you are working on establishing a clear connection with your guides to directly ask them questions, or request their assistance. Asking in a very precise way can make it easier for you to hear their answer. If you are new to working with your guides simply ask for themselves to make their presence more known to you. Then pay attention to the next step.

Step 2: Listen

While the asking process is happening automatically, listening requires more attention and effort. There are multiple ways that your guides may answer you as previously stated, but if you are too busy with distractions, you may not hear their answer. And today it is all too easy to keep ourselves distracted with our phones, emails, social media, Netflix etc… Often when we become engaged in these distractions, we tune out from our intuitive mind and aren’t aware of the messages coming through. This is why taking time to be quiet and listen is so important. Once you establish that strong connection with your guides it will be easy to hear and recognize their messages throughout your daily experience. But to start here are a few ways that you can quiet your mind and tune into their guidance.

Meditation

The number one way to hear your guides is through meditation. By taking the time to listen and quiet your mind you much more likely to receive the guidance coming through. You may experience this in the form of a thought, impulse, vision, or a feeling. Take at least 15 minutes to meditate everyday, ideally in the morning. The energy of the morning is softer and it’s easier to tune in, but you can really meditate any time of day, or multiple times a day. Depending on my schedule I usually always do a meditation first thing in the morning, and one later in the afternoon. And don’t feel the need to over complicate your meditation. Simply sitting in silence and listening to the sound of the fan in your room can be an excellent form of meditation. I personally love listening to frequency music on youtube (just type in frequency music and you’ll see what I mean). Or the Abraham Hicks meditation app is perfect for taking 15 minutes to tune in. If nothing comes to you during meditation, don’t worry, it will.

Journaling

Writing with your Spirit Guides is another excellent way to receive guidance. This can be done right after a meditation, or anytime that you have a few moments to slow down and focus. You can try just free writing on your inquiry and see what comes through. Or write down a specific question and then write whatever comes to you first, not focusing on the words, punctuation, or grammer. This is one of my favorite exercises to do whenever I am feeling stuck in life. Without a doubt I always receive some helpful insight from this exercise. And I often I notice that I’ll write words or phrases that I don’t typically use in my vocabulary. The key to this process is to let go, trust, and let the words flow.

Dreaming

Another way to receive guidance is through your dreams. Now not every dream we have is giving us a specific message. Because let’s face it, we have some whacked out dreams most nights. Part of the dreaming process is a dumping and clearing of the subconscious mind. So while you can sort through those dreams and find little nuggets of symbolism and meaning, they aren’t necessarily divine downloads from your guides. Dreams from your spirit guides will stand out in your mind. They will feel important, and it will be easier to remember them when you wake up. Often times they are more detailed, more vivid, and more emotional. This might be as direct as a visitation dream from a loved ones that’s passed on. Often those dreams are filled with an overwhelming feeling of joy and love. They might be there just to hug you, or sometimes they will pass on a beautiful message for you.

One of the best ways to connect more during your dream state is to start to pay attention to your dreams. This is where keeping a dream journal can be a very helpful habit. The act of writing your dreams down every morning starts a pattern that your mind will respond to, by making it easier for you to remember your dreams. You could also record your dreams as well on your phone when your first wake up. Then go back to listen to them later when your conscious mind is more alert and see if you can pick up any messages. Simply the fact that you have more attention and intention towards your dream life, will increase your ability to recall and remember them. It’s also helpful to set the intention before you go to bed that you will remember your dreams. This is something I will literally say out loud so that I am priming my conscious and subconscious mind to help me remember. Once you develop a habit of recalling and writing down your dreams you might begin to notice patterns and symbols in your dream world that mean something to you personally. This will also make you more receptive to dreams from your spirit guides. In fact, once this begins to come easy to you, start to ask your guides a specific question when you go to bed and see if you get the answer.

Now I can already hear a few of you objecting to this concept, saying that you never dream. You do dream, it’s impossible for you not to, you just aren’t remembering them. Instead of staying firm in the belief that you don’t dream or can’t remember your dreams, how about you ask your guides for a little help in this area? Show them you are on board for learning by starting a dream journal. And set your intention to remember your dreams every night. I guarantee that if you ask for help, and make an effort, you’ll be dreaming in no time.

Synchronicity and Signs

Perhaps the most fun way that our guides communicate with us is through Synchronicity and Signs. Repeating numbers, animal totems, songs, and rainbows are all beautiful signs from our guides. Often times these signs will be personal to you, and may not mean anything to others around you. But when you experience a moment of synchronicity or recognize a sign you’ll know it by the flutter in your heart and the smile on your face.

Often times people are confused with repeating numbers such as 1111 or 444, wondering what exactly that means. These synchronicity numbers are simply signs that you are in alignment and on the right path. If you were asking specifically to see a certain sequence of numbers in response to a question, then you’ve received your answer. If you didn’t ask a specific question I like to think of the repeating numbers as my guides saying hello, and confirmation that I’m in synch with the Universe. Often times it’s helpful to check in with what you were thinking, feeling, or doing when you see these numbers. It might be confirmation of a thought or action.

Now what happens if you never experience synchronicity or signs? Well that’s a sign too! Whenever I go through a few days where I’m not experiencing my daily dose of magic, I have to check my energy. Usually my vibration is a little off. Maybe I’ve been working too much and haven’t taken the time to meditate and slow down. Or I could be harboring on to a situation that upset me that week. Not seeing a sign is my sign to sit my ass down, meditate, journal, sage, reconnect, and adjust my energy. And of course if I feel like I am in a low vibe place the first thing I do is ask my guides for help on pulling me out of my funk.

The key with all of this is to not force the sign or synchronicity. Ask, let go, and trust is the best process to follow. You don’t have to go looking for your sign. When you do that you create more resistance in your vibration and block your own manifestation. Trust that any sign or synchronistic pattern will be revealed to you in a way that you couldn’t possibly miss it.

The Invisible Counselors Visualization Exercise

This exercise by Napolean of Hill of Think and Grow Rich is by far one of my favorite ways to connect to guidance. The Invisible Counselors, or round table visualization is an exercise where you basically call a meeting with your guides. In my mind I visualize the conference room in my office, white board and all. Next you have your guides gather around the table. The fun thing about this exercise is you can call anyone alive or dead to your table. For instance you could gather some of the great minds of the past such as Tesla, Einstein, and Gertrude Stein. Along with some great minds who are alive such as Tony Robbins or Lady Gaga. Basically you call to your table anyone who you admire in this life or the afterlife. I’ve added to this exercise by adding any of my guides or loved ones that would like to join. You don’t have to worry about picturing what your guides look like exactly, unless you get a clear image. Just gather them all to your table, then start asking questions.

Here is what’s amazing about this exercise. Whether you believe that the answers you are hearing are actual guidance or just your imagination, it doesn’t matter. Because you end up getting some pretty incredible answers. Things that you wouldn’t have thought up on your own. This is also a great opportunity to ask this counsel for help in a certain area of your life, or a project your working on. I’ve gone so far as to draw out a to-do list on my white board in the visualization of things I’d like assistance with. It’s the most productive and insightful twenty minutes you’ll spend.

Now you may be questioning how you can call people who are still alive to your table. This relates to the idea that we are truly all one, all connected to a single source. Following that logic then we can tap into each others consciousness at any time. The key here is to keep an open mind, and not to try and control or dictate the answers you get. Also don’t try and analyze this exercise too much with a logical mind, it will scramble your brain. Just trust that there are things in this existence that can’t truly be fully understood from a linear perspective. Also it helps to believe in a little magic.

Continue the Conversation

Now to take your relationship with your Spirit Guides to the next level try interacting with them every day in some way. The more you work with them, the more comfortable and open you will be to receiving their guidance, and recognizing it. When I opened this article I joked about the voices in my head. But in truth, I do talk to my guides all the time and am always paying attention to the thoughts and impulses I hear. And I have to say that living this way is pretty fun. It’s like having your own team of helpers ready and willing to assist you at all times. They already believe in you, you just have to believe in them.