Becoming an #MMIW ally

Understanding the movement.

What’s an ally?

Defined as an alliance to unite or form a connection or relation between. To ASSOCIATE with another as a helper : a person or group that provides assistance, support in an ongoing effort or struggle. [Online Webster]

What is MMIW?

Missing Murdered Indigenous Women. I’ve added links for you to dive deeper and learn more.

Native Hope, learn more here, a mural in Tacoma, Washington visit here, cities with the highest count view here and a Wiki version.

How to become an effective ally.

Empathy is a key factor in joining any movement or struggle. You have to literally feel the aches and pains or have personal experience. Once you understand the foundation and the WHY, you’ll be an effective ally.

“Here is the path, young and old, to the daughters of the four seasons find your place among the mountains.”

— Ho'omalamalama

Something to Share

I wanted to bring an awareness to my native students back in 2021 while inspiring them to be excellent. I didn’t want them to fell overwhelmed by what they couldn’t control.

Many of the families in my local Native community have experienced the loss of a loved one who's gone missing and I was aware of its effects on the children in our school.

• How do I educate without crossing traumatic experiences?

• How do I uplift and give hope to a difficult subject?

That’s when the word REVERENCE came to my mind. I needed to teach them the power of reverence and how it can compel us to move forward.

In a flow of conscious writing I penned a literary piece and entitled it, “In Reverence.” Then I brought it to the teaching staff in the Elementary and together we created a special event for the students.

The Mom’s from our FACE program sewed matching ribbon skirts. I designed two images to be placed on t-shirts and our principal made MMIW mask for all the adults.

During our morning Circle (gathering) all of the women gathered together and then faced the students as we red the poem. Next to me stood my Native Sister, Patricia Ortiz and the tears flowed. We wanted to reach out and let the students know that we can get through this together.

Later on in the day I was at Nisqually’s Longhouse during culture night and read the piece to them. Joyce McCloud, respected elder, gathered everyone to listen and in our circle we connected.

As an ally I am responsible to maintain the integrity of this movement and be a catalyst for positive change.

Looking back I’m grateful to have this shared experience with both Puyallup and Nisqually Tribes. Today I hope to continue educating the next generation and creating educational pieces to help them thrive.

As allies we allow our hearts to break, to feel the sorrow and then provide healing and resources.

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Something to Know

Our intention and the WHY behind everything we do matters. I wanted to point out some key factors to consider.

Movements such as MMIW have deep roots and aren’t merely for likes on social channels. Respect the WHY.

Often well-meaning individuals want to add their own spin to the movement in an attempt to be inclusive. Refer to #1

Some social accounts are built off of trending topics. Make sure to find the source or at best link it to a Native account.

The simple act of wearing RED will bring awareness to the movement. You can also support Native artist who create MMIW designs. Refer to #3

Teach your daughters and sons to be watchful. The idea behind MMIW wasn't to exclude other races or genders but as a place of reference.

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Something for MMIW

The first time I heard this song it was being sung at Chief LESCHI School then I listened to West Shore Canoe Family and couldn’t stop crying. Many songs, poems have been written and I am sharing one of many.

Westshore Canoe Family, Lummi WA. Song composed by Antone George. Video posted by YouTuber JTCLARK91 from Canada.

Our prayers go out to the missing & murdered indigenous women. We love and miss you. This video features the West Shore Canoe Family. Song composed by Antone George. Video produced by Children of the Setting Sun. Music arranged and recorded by Mark Nichols.

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Since 2020, pandemic, I’ve partnered with SPIPA of Squaxin Island to develop and create an online holistic-fitness program for women. It is important that we take care of our mind, body and soul.

The cadence of your Intuition [4/5]

CADENCE: a rhythmic sequence.

The best advice I ever received was, “Listen to your na’au.” In Hawaiian the word na’au has several meanings but in my situation it meant to, “listen to your intuition/gut.”

Your na’au isn’t swayed by marketing tactics or pressured by sales men over the phone. It’s connected to something deeper, your soul.

The trick is to tune out all the distractions and learn to trust what your gut/intuition is telling you. I’m sure you’ve experienced that feeling before.

I started a five part series called, “Create your own magic.” And the premise behind the post was to encourage us all to wake-up, get motivated and stop waiting for others to inspire us. We become our own cheerleader!

It’s interesting that the inspiration came just before the global pandemic which oddly enough is hitting some areas harder than others. The crazy part is that I live in one of the hardest hit states and life will never be the same. People are more suspicious and assume the worst through social distancing. It’s almost as if mistrust has permission and accepted as the norm. In fact I've read that there’s a “snitches app” where you can anonymously report someone you believe to be sick, even if they’re coughing because of an allergy.

Fear has gripped our communities and although I believe in preventive health measures I have witnessed a few extremes. Don’t get me wrong I totally understand the need for social distancing but I would rather more focus and dollars to be spent on unraveling the source. Why Wuhan?

Meanwhile we are left to find the pieces of a puzzle that has been tossed off the table. The puzzle is called stability. Hopefully you’ve been following the podcast as I address strategies to make your own magic and therefore creating stability because YOU are the defining variable. Below are the past three titles.

Intuition

It’s not easy to listen to your own intuition because there are many distractions but here’s a clever way to clear the mental clutter by asking the following clarifying questions.

1. What is my initial feeling about that situation or person? (Gut feeling)

2. Why do I feel uncomfortable?

3. What is the short term benefits?

4. What are the long term benefits?

5. Does this align with my goals?

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Find the Cadence

Everything that endures follows a cadence, even Mother Nature follows a cadence. There’s a rhythm to life that finds harmony in the ebb and flow of life. The secret is understanding the current of your frequency then trusting that wave or intuition.

I don’t know my future but I understand the music of my soul. I know what resonates with me and stay away from the things that do not. Once you begin to trust your intuition you will connect to the music of your soul. In fact the reason you’re currently reading this is because your intuition has guided you here and I’m so happy you’re here.

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When stuck [2/5]

In the series

CREATE YOUR OWN MAGIC, I wanted to sow seeds of inspiration and the best metaphor is a butterfly. [Previous]

This was my topic during this months mastermind. Think about it…

- Why give up your freedom to be confined to a small space?

- What guarantees dos a caterpillar have that it’ll emerge?

- What does it really take to grow wings?

I would imagine that a caterpillar understands the purpose of its lifecycle. Most of all it models FAITH. When stuck in one place the only option is to have FAITH in the process.

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Podcast

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FAITH

To use two words like FAITH and MAGIC in the same conversation might sound heretical since one is associated with religion and the other is outside of that realm. However if everything is energy then what we name it isn’t as important as what we intend with it. [My thoughts.]

In order to create your own magic you have to have FAITH and believe in your potential, regardless of circumstances or upbringing. Magic must first happen within.

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Listen

The world is full of untethered opinions. What I mean is that people aren’t connected to the outcome of your circumstance. Yet they’re quick to offer facts and web links that will back up their view. The funniest conversations to me are when a sick person tries to tell another sick person how to get well, I hear this type of conversation all the time.

In order for you to create magic you have to stop listening to people who operate in mediocrity. Learn to LISTEN to your Na’au, Hawaiian for that gut-feeling. LISTEN to how you react to things and trust your intuition.

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RELEASE

The things that weigh you down and stop valuing the garbage of unmet expectations. The details of you past failures weren’t meant to stop you, it was suppose to show you another possibility.

It’s a good thing that caterpillars don’t have mirrors, or else they would never come out of that hot mess called a chrysalis. Isn’t it amazing that their previous body didn’t hold them back from obtaining their wings. When you RELEASE it allows you to take flight.

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EMBRACE

What you’ve accomplished in spite of the naysayers. You create magic because you are magical. No one has to understand your purpose, they don’t have to know why you do what you do. The important part is do you understand your purpose?

When you spread your wings and feel freedom lifting you EMBRACE it. You paid your price, did the work and followed through with your dream.

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Guard

Also known as protect your ability to create magic. Once you manifest FAITH, LISTEN to your Na’au, RELEASE the things that don’t serve you and EMBRACE your awesomeness all that’s left is to duplicate it. Make more magic and change more lives for the better.

Never forget how you had to crawl so that you’ll never go back to it. GUARD your ideas because that’s where the magic starts.

PS: This is why masterminds are so important and effective.

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I Started A Podcast

Walk Inn Beauty

Is officially a podcast since April 2, 2020.

I wanted to share the things I’ve learned and invite others to tell their story.

A place where Beauty is our muse.

I wanted women to view Beauty as a muse rather than a goal. It’s not something we wear but a guide. Showing us how to be the best versions of our selves and ultimately walk inn beauty.

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Episode 001

“How Struggles Become Strengths.”

I was able to share the candid tale of my name, its origin and my struggles growing up awkward. Hope you enjoy it and laugh along.

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Episode 002

“3 Hacks To Becoming Consistent Despite Distractions”

Crisis and chaos is the biggest distraction to success, especially when you have so much at stake. Which is why consistency can turn into profitability to those who master their daily schedule.

The perfect season for letting-go.

AUTUMN IS…

So much more than a warm PSL or photos of every heart-shaped leaf that’s bursting with colors. It represents the perfect time for us humans to follow along.

Let’s face it, we’re to busy being busy. We bottle up feelings and storage them in a cabinet called someday.

Yet we all know that someday never happens and never comes. STOP THE MADNESS!

Our mental health is struggling to support our ambitions. Our bodies are shutting down from stress or worse… high blood pressure and anxiety overwhelms our sleep pattern.

We need Mother Nature’s intervention and embrace what occurs naturally.

“What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us.

And when you bring what is within out into the world, MIRACLES HAPPEN.”

— David H. Thoreau

5 steps for your Ohana

TO THRIVE AND SUCCEED

Celebrate, welcome and acknowledge.

A leaf doesn’t just fall to the ground, it celebrates what it’s achieved by displaying a beautiful array of colors. It welcomes in the season with style and flair.

Looking back, what will you celebrate?

What will you celebrate? How will you welcome in the NEW season?

Reflect on what you’ve accomplished earlier.

Don’t rush into the next phase, project or event in your planner. A river doesn’t run straight, it meanders and eventually reaches its destination.

You worked hard and deserve a moment of reflection. Allow stillness to boost your self-awareness.

List or doodle your accomplishments.

Consider what is incomplete.

Now that you’ve celebrated and reflected on what was you need to look at what wasn’t. In other words, what were you not able to complete?

REMEMBER: Please refrain from judging yourself. Don’t dwell on what isn’t because that would be a waste of time and energy.

If you need help getting stuff done read this post, “How to stick to your plan.”

Ask “Does it serve my (our) vision?”

Once you’ve listed or circled the incomplete things in your planner, ask yourself the question above.

If that task, event or project no longer supports your progress… Let it go!

If you’ve loss sight of your vision I wrote a blogpost called, “Vision your way into wholeness.”

Use this method when

• De-cluttering your space or mind.

• Creating a wellness plan and getting your body in alignment.

• Setting relationship goals. Let’s face it, we all have people that we have to let go.

• Working on your financial strategy. Keep those spending habits in check.

Below is a checklist and a printable.

I’ve included a print friendly version. If you’re a Mermaid please check your in box. If not you can join our newsletter in the link below.

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The Next Step

Walk Inn Beauty Mastermind is a circle of wisdom. A spring that you can draw from. We have monthly or lifetime membership.

We’ve returned to the ancient practice of generational wisdom.

The idea that all experiences have happened before and with a little help you can maneuver safely through.

A community that walks in Aloha, love.

We’re intentional, goal-getters, community driven and so much more.

“No woman should ever walk alone because together we walk inn beauty.”

— Ho'omalamalama

A Culture of progress

Are you currently in a “Culture Of Progress?”

Take some time to consider the answer to this question and before I dive into the inspiration of this blogpost here’s a simple definition.

Culture: the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectivity. [Google Dictionary]

THE INSPIRATION

I was listening to a coaching call with Dean Graziosi, co-creator Of Knowledge Business Blueprint, and he loosely mentioned about a culture of progress. As the training continued my mind continued to ponder the meaning. At the time I was driving and couldn’t take notes but my ears tuned out everything else from that point on.

I WAS DEALING WITH

At the moment I was dealing with a communication issue I was having with one of my contracts and those three words hit me, in a good way. Culture Of Progress.

Am I in a culture of progress?

Am I working with capable people who value systems?

Is this business relationship healthy and is there progress?

At the moment my answer was a big, “NO, NO and NO” then I pulled over to write down a few thoughts.

HOW To CREATE A CULTURE OF PROGRESS

1. Figure out your “WHY” and write it down, make it plain and visible. BLOGPOST

2. Distinguish all the things that dilute or distract you. Decide to stop. BLOGPOST

3. Make a list of the “Needle Movers” in your life or the tiny steps towards your big goal.

4. Lock-in your mind to devote 80% of your time to your NM list. BLOGPOST

5. Get into a group of likeminded individuals. Join their community and create the culture of progress.

I’m completely inspired to find, create and maintain a fellowship that supports my goals. I know this transaction will take time but it will be worth it moving forward.

JUST START

Now is better than never.

You can do it.

Even if you’re in the last quarter of the season or the last day of the year. Acknowledge where you are and move forward. If you need help check out WIBMM because we’re dedicated to helping each other move the needle.

I’d love to Have You Join My Newsletter

“Acknowledge where you are and move forward. Gift yourself the time to figure it out.”

— Ho'omālamalama

Find your drishti, Focus

Have you ever felt distracted, rushed or unable to focus?

Do you remember starting one thing and by the end of the day it turned into six projects? All of which are unfinished.

We chalk it up as normal creative flow but is it?

Is it normal to be distracted or is is it a sign of the times?

Our ability to “focus” is a war zone and we have to use tactical steps to get the job done.

I learned to focus through a practice called finding your Drishti. It was taught to me through one of my favorite yogi whom we lovingly call Mama Paula. Together with her daughter Maya they started SOL Health Yoga Wellness Center where they continue to inspire their community.

Your Drishti is the ability to find something to focus on & direct your energy towards. In fact I’ve compiled another 5 STEP list.

Before I get into the “Five Steps To Finding Your Drishti” I have to share with you my Yoga testimony to explain my connection with this practice that I’ve come to know and love. Yes, love.

IT STARTED WITH A CAR ACCIDENT

Back in 2011 an insane driver came head-on into my lane causing a horrific accident. The MRI’s revealed that my spine had the early signs of degenerative disease. I didn’t want any experimental surgery or kidney destroying drugs so I opted for Hot Yoga [Bikram Yoga] and regular supplements. [Learn more.]

THEN ANOTHER ACCIDENT

Yes, you read it correctly. A second accident in January 2019 sent me to the chiropractors. This time a pizza driver ran the red and plowed into us. This second scan had me nervous and the DC sat me down.

THE RESULT

My spine is vibrant and healthy!!! I asked him if he saw anything and he looked at me with an awkward stare, “No why, are you expecting something?” Honestly, I was in awe. My previous diagnosis DIDN’T EXIST IN MY BODY! I was ecstatic and grateful for the life changes that I’ve made.

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FIND YOUR DRISHTI

1.PICK ONE GOAL

When I stepped into the Yoga studio the instructor guided us to find our “Drishti” or a place of focus.

This was easier said than done and it took a lot of practice. I had to make a decision to focus on one object and devote my energy towards it.

2. FIX YOUR GAZE

Your eyes are a powerful tool which is why it’s important to focus, gaze and look towards something that will ground you.

I struggled on holding my Asana yet I stuck with it. Believing that I would improve over time.

In Yoga and life we have to remember to look at what we desire. Which is why vision boards are so helpful.

3. PRACTICE DEEP BREATHING

This is such an important part. It connects your head-space with your physical-space.

Listening to your breath invites awareness as you inhale and exhale. The sound of your breath leaving your body has a soothing effect when practiced regularly. What was once internal became external.

Breathing grounds us and it is the perfect anchor.

4. CHAMPION THE BODY

Condition your mind to focus through activities that will boost your ability to focus, such as a good workout. Which might sound strange but your body may be experiencing tension, frustration or confusion that could be manifesting in a lack of focus.

A good workout, Zumba or yoga session can relieve unnecessary tension in the body and usher in clarity.

Walking daily is also a great example of a healthy workout routine. Each day is a WIN, so start winning and stay fit.

5. PRACTICE OFTEN

No one can create a healthy habit in just one day, it will take time to become accustomed to focusing your mind.

The best advice I could give on maintaining focus is to form a habit and make it fun.

I know this might sound weird but when I have to complete a project I’ll have my favorite Theo dark chocolate nearby. Which is my short term reward, lol. Because my body wants the chocolate but my mind has to complete what it started. Essentially creating a grown-up version of a rewards system.

“Finding your Drishti elevates the soul, trains the mind and strengthens the body.”

— Ho'omālamalama

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consider getting a guide

If it wasn’t for my Yoga instructor I would have failed. Hearing her voice prompting us to, “Stay focused” and “Find your Drishti” made all the difference. After some time I was able to do it alone and enjoy the process.

An invitation

HOW YOU CAN BENEFIT

The purpose of a guide isn’t to control but rather to direct. To help one find their focus or re-focus. Then it dawned on me, my program is THAT guide! I help Women focus on what’s important to them through an eight module online class and a livestream mastermind. I call this creation, “Walk Inn Beauty Mastermind” which consist of an online E-Course and three Livestream sessions. The E-Course is called “The Opening Ceremony” because it lays down the foundation to the mastermind. Think of it as a prerequisite to the “Walk Inn Beauty Mastermind.”

THE OPENING CEREMONY

EIGHT [8] MODULE, SELF STUDY SESSIONS

1. WHO AM I

2. FIVE [5] REALMS OF BEAUTY

3. CLARITY = CERTAINTY

4. SEVEN [7] LEVELS DEEP

5. ONE [1] ATTITUDE TO RULE THEM ALL

6. BOWL OF LIGHT “CEREMONY”

7. ALIGNMENT AND ANCHORING

8. CELEBRATION

   Worksheets [pdf] for each module.

MASTERMIND GROUP

THREE [3] MONTHS OF LIVESTREAMS AND COMMUNITY

• One LIVESTREAM session per month.

• Private facebook group.

• Instagram spotlight.

• A “focused-session” to get stuff done!

Member’s special

3 Months of “WALK INN BEAUTY MASTERMIND”

And “The opening ceremony”

3 for 1

[Three months for the price of one month.]

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examples of the pdf’s

“AT THE HEART OF EVERY SUCCESS IS THE ABILITY TO FOCUS.”

— HO’OMALAMALAMA

Mother Nature's Beauty Secret

One of my favorite things as a child was playing in the mud. My siblings and I would search for the perfect mud puddle or creek with a clay embankment. It was messy and heaven at the same time.  Forget play-dough, our clay was 100% organic without any harmful dyes.

“100% Organic”

Today I'm grown, slightly mature and a mother but I still enjoy that cool mushy feeling of wet clay. Naturally I would like to indulge in a facial mask but the prices at many of these high-end spas are interesting. After all I use to play in this stuff for free!

“Beauty is a diverse force made up of birth, imagination and self-care. ”

— Ho'omalamalama

I actually checked out a spa and many of the items in their mask are in my kitchen. Products like honey, oats and vitamin E. (I have a supplement shelf.) All I needed was the clay to make my mud mask. Fortunately I know of an organic shop called Ubiquitous Journey that sells herbs, loose leaf teas, spices and a beauty DIY section. (Do It Yourself.)

I chose three different types of clays, each with unique mineral content and played around with various combinations. It's so easy to use that I brought some to the ladies in my Zumba class. The picture above was taken after my Facebook lifestream session where I showed them how to mix and apply  the clays.

There are countless blogs, vlogs and articles about these amazing clays. My purpose is to show you a few of the combinations that you can duplicate.

The main ingredient is the clay and you can start using it with little prep time. All you really need is purified, filtered or distilled water to mix and make your mud mask.

As you can see from the picture below my na keiki (children) wanted in on the fun too!

TIP #1 - This is a fun way to explore self care for growing preteen and teenagers.

BASIC MIX

1. One tablespoon clay (a little can go a long way)

2. Purified H2O (add slowly for a pasty texture)

3. Few drops of almond oil (indulge in the nourishing feeling)

4. Mix and use (I prefer to make it when I need it)

5. Leave on for about 5 - 8 minutes

TIP #2 - Create a Pinterest Board with recipes to try. You can check out mine here.

In classic kiddie fashion they had to make faces to go with their mask. I'm super happy for my young teens who can benefit from the clays at an early age. Preventing that horrible teen acne problem that I remember going through. The best part is that it has ZERO chemical content and totally organic.

Mini breakdown...

• Rhassoul Clay - suitable for daily use.

• French Green Clay (and others) - about once a week or on targeted areas.

• Fullers Earth Clay - about once a week.

TIP #3 - Try it!

It’s not enough to read this post, you must try it.

Pull out your trusty planner and schedule each step. I’ll help!

1. Choose a clay.

2. Shop at your local organic store or online.

3. Pick a self-care day and stick to it.

4. Create the environment, like candles and music.

5. Do it and journal about the experience.

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Want to learn more about beauty?

In 2017 I wrote an eBook that explores Beauty in a multi-dimensional way. Imagine a diamond with many sides and angles. That is Beauty… one part of many experiences.

Have you ever heard of the “5 Realms Of Beauty?”

To explain Beauty’s diversity I thought of a web with five anchoring points. Each one representing a piece of wisdom, a secret revealed through the eBook.

What is this eBook called and how will I benefit?

For those of you who are hearing about this for the first time it’s called, “Walk In Beauty, Unlock it’s secrets & uncover your potential.” The benefit is that each eBook sold come’s with an eClass and PDF sheets that you can use. It’s basically an eBook + Tutorial = Walk In Beauty.

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Teaching children to cook, healthy.

If you think about it, children are natural cooks. They're always mixing and experimenting. We often see this as a disgusting habit but we can train them to use their curiosity in a good way.

I'm going to share with you five [5] easy tips that you can use right away. And I'm sure one of these will work for you. 

So what makes me an authority on this subject? Well I'm a foodie that became a registered nutritional consultant practitioner, blah blah blah... Okay, I have seven [7] children who like to eat. That's a lot of Na Keiki [children] to cook for, which is why I needed to teach them.

“If you give a child a meal, you feed her for a day.
If you show a child how to cook, you feed her for awhile.
If you teach a child to plant & harvest, you feed her community.”

— Ho'omalamalama

Above is a snapshot of me and my seven babies on Mother's Day. The meal you'll see below was prepared by my oldest, Wharehuia. [Maori for house of the song bird.] I have two daughter's and five sons. Life is full. I actually published Walk In Beauty because of my children.

5 Easy Tips

Step away from fast-food.

Connection happens in the kitchen and fast-food robs you of that time. You don't have to do it often but you'll want to do it regularly. Start with one day, like Friday night. Make it together and have fun.

Magic happens in the kitchen, allow your children to take part in cooking. Especially when it's their favorite dish and they get to taste the food as it's being prepared.

Make a playlist or subscribe.

I made a YouTube playlist of some fun recipes and purchased Jamie Oliver's travel & food series. I also asked them about their favorite foods and we explored a bunch of YouTubers who are also food bloggers.

The number one boost is the Master Chef Jr. competition on tv. We all enjoy that series and learn as we watch. Those children are amazing and inspire us all.

It started with Usborne.

My friend was an Usborne book consultant and I enjoyed hosting book parties. This particular brand has a wonderful kid's cookbook selection. Their books have brilliant step by step pictures that's perfect for all learning levels.

Eventually I started adding to our cookbook collection. Let's just say that it's an investment that's paying off. Purchase books that have wonderful pictures & examples.

Make the connection

The saddest thing I see is a disconnection from the growers, their food and our mouths. This all boils down to r-e-s-p-e-c-t, or should I say lack of respect. If you ask a child where their food comes from they'll usually answer, "the store, duh!" [eyes rolling]

Taking them to farmers market opens their minds and heart. You're exposing them to the value of seed-time-&-harvest. This will help them connect the money you earn & the food the farmer raised. Now that's RESPECT.

Self Empowerment to the 3rd.

Mind, body & soul... growing something that they will enjoy embodies all of these wonderful elements. It's both holistic & fulfilling to harvest then eat.

Start simple. My Na Keiki grow green onions for their noodle bowls. It's so easy to start and requires little care. Save the green onion bulbs & let it rest in some water. Roots will sprout, plant then enjoy. 

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Fit Foodie

2 Pot Recipe

1. Soak the chickpeas the night before.
2. Boil the chickpeas, allowing a little of the soup base to remain.
3. Chop sweet potatoes, celery & cilantro. [onions optional]
4. [Separately] Stir fry the protein.
5.  Add the chopped ingredients to the stir fry.
6. Once cooked combine the stir fry to the chickpeas.
7. Mix and season to taste. [she added a curry paste to her dish]

If you're not a part of my inner circle I hope you will join me today. Click on the link below to see what it's all about. I look forward to swimming with you in the Mermaid lagoon soon.

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BEAUTY

In 2017 I fulfilled a promise to a mentor, who passed away suddenly in freakish plane crash, and a friend, who died after overcoming a disease to only contract something else. Yet all the while I thought about my children and the next generation. What do I want them to know about BEAUTY? How can I teach them to Walk In Beauty.

My mentor charged me with a simple goal back in 1999, "Write a book." Then my friend inspired me by asking, "How do I know if HE's the right one?" [She was dating at the time.] I created the outline back in 2001 but my heart couldn't see it through. Until now.

I'm finally content with this creation, as I was able to combine a mini E-Class with the E-Book. It's part observation and memoir. To learn more click on the images below and see what I created for you.

Nature's 5 Secrets to Walk In Beauty

What can we learn from nature? After all we are the masters of this planet! However sickness is on the rise, mental illness is growing rapidly and many things are left untreated or misdiagnosed.

So what can we learn from nature?

Have you ever watched a caterpillar or millipede in wonderment? All those tiny legs moving in unity.  Perhaps you fell victim to the lull of a flowing stream and stared aimlessly. Either way nature is calling for you to observe and learn how to WALK IN BEAUTY. 

It's a fascinating past time, observing plants, clouds and animals. Here are 5 things you can learn... 

“Our footprints have the ability to become a sad reminder or joyful celebration of our time here on earth.”

— Ho'omalamalama

Keep in mind that these are my views and I would love to hear your observations. In fact you can always comment below. (wink, wink)

To learn more about NATURE'S ability to teach us, check out chapter 9 & 10 in my eBook, "Walk In Beauty." Click here.

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FIT FOODIE

Main Dish

Tomato salad, Sesame Oil, Yakima Smoked Sea Salt, Alfalfa [Kimchi in the other dish.]

Protein

Canned Salmon (made by my friend) resting on a bed of Kale. No seasoning required.

Dessert

Steamed Sweet Potato with Furikake seasoning and Sesttle's Theo Chocolate. 70% cacao. 

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NATURE MOMENT

What if you don't feel like it!

I BELIEVE in your potential which is why I'm sharing these five tips you can do to stay MOTIVATED. I call it building your "Nest Of Positivity." It will support you during the volatile changes of a weary world, while offering you a place of refuge.

QUESTION: Have you ever hit snooze on the alarm [10x's] because you really don't feel like it.

No fitness, no meal prep, no nothing! Just lay in bed and cozy up with your PJ's.

What if you don't want to go into work? Well, then you don't get paid or worse... you get fired. So what does one do? If there's money or job related responsibility involved we often push past our feelings and drudge on!

But what if you don't get paid to workout or eat healthy? Now what?! That's when you need serious MOTIVATION, and it should happen daily. [Why] Because you're building a nest of positivity.

“Your “Nest Of Positivity” is a refuge from the volatile changes of a weary world. Whose purpose is to drain you of your vibrancy. ”

— Ho'omalamalama

HOW TO BUILD A NEST OF POSITIVITY

Imagine every branch, stick or twig as a positive thought or inspiration. You are building something for the future, and that's how motivation works. It's a curated collection of good-thoughts. And when the winds of persecution, hate, drama, negative thoughts and the like come to destroy you, you have nothing to fear. All they're blowing against is a nest fortified with twigs of thoughtfulness and branches of beauty.   

[Speaking of beauty I know just the place to start click here.]

There are two things you can do right now to start building that nest; Evaluate & Eliminate.

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HABIT TRACKER

Start a good habit or track one you want to change.

You can grab a free Habit-Tracker printable and get started right away. Don't forget to watch the tutorial.

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FIT-FOODIE

I often treat my quinoa like rice. Growing up in Hawaii we were heavily influenced by Asian cultures. So it's not uncommon to have a rice bowl. Now I substitute rice for quinoa & I usually have kimchi with it.

How strong is your WHY and will is stand the test of time?

WHY and WILLPOWER, which do you need first?

What if I told you that willpower is nothing and your why is everything. First of all willpower is defined as self-control. Secondly, what if you don't have self-control? Yet?

Back in the day, I was trying to drink more water. I had a habit-trackers, water drinking app and an accountability partner. Yet I couldn't be consistent. 

Then one day I started doing some serious cardio, as in perfuse sweat and sloppy hair. As a result I consumed water. The motion [serious cardio] triggered the emotion [NEED water] and as a result I found my WHY. 

I needed the water because I created a WHY not a WILL. Does that make sense? Stay with me I'm adding more to this equation. 

Eventually...

My WHY turned into a WILL, becoming a habit, a natural part of my lifestyle.

The WILL came after I anchored my WHY through movement which linked to a feeling. There you go! My unofficial, official theory of WHY & WILL. [Now I can stop italicizing why & will.]

Below are five steps to developing your WHY. I've also included the original post that inspired this message here.  

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5 Steps to a strong "WHY"

#1

Movement solves a plethora of problems. First of all it helps you circulate and secondly it repositions you physically. In other words, if you sit in the problem you become stagnant. Movement allows you to gain new perspective by simply changing your physical point-of-view.

#2

Loss of focus has so many consequences. Most of them are felt after the situation has passed. Imagine the winning lap for a runner and they turn to look back. Taking their eyes off of the focus, which was the finish line. It might have been a split second but it caused her/him to fail.

Taking a time-out from mobile devices, digital expectations like social media, can help you find your focus and reconnect to your WHY. Nature is especially great at this task. Read: Fit to listen. 

#3

Your WHY will also go through seasons of change. It's important to notice how you feel because it can effect the strength of your WHY. 

Example: Around May I felt melancholy and rarely worked out. My WHY shifted, but how?  After deep reflection I remembered that May had some residual sorrow.

After realizing and releasing I changed my movement. As a result my fitness routine included a lot of outdoor adventures. It allowed me to workout, drink water and honor my feelings. 

#4

If you tried 1-3 and sense a wall of disconnection then this will be your best option. Seek out inspiration and guidance. This can be in the form of a book, YouTube channel or podcast.

Reaching for a solution is the perfect "ask" because it adds motion to your quest of creating a strong WHY.

#5

Most of us stop at number four but in all honesty it might take more. I purchased every book on the creative business topic and learned a lot. However once I engaged with an expert, their level of excellence gave me such a boost. 

A coach and mentor allows you to ride on the wind-of-their-wins. A good coach can outline steps but a great one will help you draw the blueprint, giving scope to your imagination. 

“The only difference between willpower and why is the emotion behind it. And emotion is triggered by motion!”

— Ho'omālamalama

I'd like to close with a comment from a Native American Elder, "You were given the gift of life, now you have to earn your living." [Below is an exerpt from another blogpost I wrote.]

In other words we don’t wake up winding a dial that’s attached to our heart. The heart has its own intelligence, that’s the gift of life. Yet how we take care of our heart is an example of us earning a living.

Your why is the emotional connection between appreciating the gift and earning it. It’s your anchor  into everything you do. This is the secret sauce to having a powerful why, the type that moves mountains. 

How to stick to your plan. PART 1

We live in a world of mass distractions. Some of them become part of a crazy cycle based on an un-finished TO-DO list.

Imagine waking up in the morning and you have a clear picture of what has to be done. Than life happens... it's the evening and you find yourself laying on the pillow wondering, "Where did the time go?" By the way, did you complete that single task? No, because something got in the way. Day after day and night after night we feel the pressure of INCOMPLETION. 

Don't worry you're not alone. We live in a push-notification era. Our unlimited data lifestyle bombards us with so many distractions. We crave success but we really need is the ability to focus.

Forget about planning for a minute and think about your ability to focus on your goals. How often do you have to stop what you're doing to help someone else? Have you ever had to put your work on-hold because of a text you received? Do you find yourself locked into FaceBook trying to respond to people?

Well you my friend are dealing with distractions. Keep reading, there's hope.

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The theme: HOW TO STICK TO YOUR PLAN 

I realized that it has nothing to do with planning but everything to do with what's going on around us. Our environment is why we fail to succeed at anything. It's like Resolutions. The idea of making a Resolution isn't wrong but it often gets a bad rep. We surround a Resolution with so much unfair expectation. I personally like resolutions but I keep mine pretty simple. For instance: Read positive words. Easily done because everyone I follow on Instagram [Follow Here] comes from a positive background. I see positive post by default. Now back to you, I have a few positive things you can do called STICK TO YOUR PLAN [STYP] SECRETS to share along with a few tips that you can use when scheduling.

STYP SECRET #1

Learn your habits. Track what you do. 

STYP SECRET #2

Break down your plans into tiny task.

STYP SECRET #3

Learn to make adjustments as you flow.

Habits - Habits are what we do when we're not paying attention to ourselves. It's in our nature and part of our everyday choices. You don't have to think about it because it happens. For instance if I wanted to stop eating dairy I should look at the habit that I've formed around eating dairy. Perhaps I always walk down the ice cream isle, that's a habit, and grab a container as I shop. If you're failing at a particular part of your plan look at your habits. I suggest using a Habit-Tracker. It's just a way to mark your activities as they happen.    

Tiny Task - It's a psychological thing. We have to trick our minds into accepting the task and not sabotaging our efforts. For example: I plan to practice yoga at 6am three times per week but I can't seem to follow through. I did stick to my first day but the second and third session didn't happen. WHY? Because I stayed up late thinking I could manage it but when my alarm sounded I clicked the 'sleep' button for five more minutes. Realizing later that I over slept and decided to roll over and enjoy the extended nap. After all I'll get to it tomorrow... but the same scenario happens and I eventually give up the plan. *What I should have done is set up small task such as plan to attend one 6am session per week for a month then add a second next month and so on. Eventually reaching my goal, succeeding in my plan and adopting a NEW HEALTHY HABIT.

Adjust - Much like my Tiny-Task example you'll notice that there was a an adjustment to the nature and flow of my yoga schedule. The plan wasn't bad but my execution needed some tweaking. As I've said before, "Tweak not twerk." Lol. Anyway, I had to train my self into a new habit by breaking down a big task into tiny steps. By accomplishing them I'm able to build my confidence and eventually tackle other projects and plans.  

Want more ideas on how-to-STYP?

For PART 2 check your inbox. Not a member? Click on the link below. 

We save the best ideas, tips and content for our subscribers. 

PS: Our subscribers are called MERMAIDS because they're mysterious, marvelous and magical. They can do anything!

part 2

• Learn the process to track your habits.

• Learn how to categorize your priorities.

• Learn the creative way to de-clutter the mind.

8 Characteristics of BEAUTY

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The secret that will...  

Unlock your potential and give you wings to soar over obstacles.

I grew up believing that Beauty was a physical feature you were born with. Than I became a young adult and was convinced Beauty was in the soul of a grateful human being. However this changed when I met someone who shared a profound insight that I reveal in my ebook.   

I pondered for twenty years [yes 20 years] thinking about this question, "How do I walk in beauty?" In the mean time I traveled the world teaching Polynesian performing arts, working in cultural and holistic careers but never forgetting those words, "Walk In Beauty." In all honesty I was compelled and inspired to write my observations into a book from 1995 to 2001 but I couldn't. 

Eventually I got married and had a few kamali'i - little ones in Hawaiian language. By a few I mean seven [yes 7 children] who were about a year to two years apart. Motherhood and my career as a holistic fitness instructor kept me busy but when my oldest daughter was about to turn thirteen I remembered a previous endeavor. To write, edit and publish, "Walk In Beauty." After all, thirteen is a huge step away from childhood and my baby/big girl would need this book.  

So in 2016, during a year of extreme hardships [I'm saving that for another day] I decided to buckle down and write. The goal was to create a manual that would unravel Beauty's Secrets while combining creativity and self expression [aka: journaling]. I published it on March 15, 2017 on my youngest son's fourth birthday. Through much prayer and a bunch of edits the 5-Realms of Beauty existed in the form of a mobile friendly ebook.  

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After publishing the book I started to define characteristics that seem flow among each and every realm. I picked out eight that really stood out to me. It was kind of a checklist for "Walk In Beauty" or what I call the WIB-Checklist.

Which of these 8 characteristics do you identify with?  

• Self-Love: the ability to care for and nurture yourself.

• Infectious Joy: happiness comes from within you, you manufacture joy.

• Peaceful Mindset: because your foundation is built on self-love you can weather life.

• Patient: time is a teacher and the journey is more important than the destination.

• Kind Nature: because kindness is the most attractive commodity in any culture.

• Consistent: diligence and perseverance are key factors in everything you do.

• Self-Mastery: the number one attribute and this is why you walk in beauty.

• Harmony: maintaining a sense of community in every arena of your life.    

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I'll leave you with a little bit of my daily holistic practice of art-journaling. PEACE Be the Journey.