Sometimes life calls us to take unplanned yet vital journeys into necessary self care. Shock and bereavement from sudden, multiple losses in my family took me into one of these journeys over the past months.
Those who know me personally or through my work, know I advocate, validate and honour the need for grief, privacy and space for all. Self care is imperative, it is no different when that grief is my own.
Most recently (a few short weeks ago) I lost one of the most beloved people in my life. He mirrored very much the heart I have for this world. We were twin like in that way. Having a birthday (both his, and mine soon) without him, highlights the great space he held in my life and I want to honour that space for a moment here.
He was a gifted singer/musician and incredibly intelligent, loving man, his songs and conversation, his great love for me and this world live limitlessly in my heart and thoughts.
I am blessed to call him my brother, he was my first hero and remains a hero. For all he endured he continued to love deeply and give to others however he could throughout his pain and illness, he was one of the most selfless people I have met.
I have always said life is here and now, this moment right here is our life. More than anything loss is a reminder to live wide and deep in each moment we have. I’ve spoken often on how each moment is also a new years eve. Again loss reminds us to claim and own ourselves, our moments, our lives.
My brother was young, the moments we had together too brief, I cherish each moment and rise with grace and dignity in honour of those who didn’t get the chance to be here long or long enough.
This moment right here, right now, this is your moment, the most precious one you have, love and own them all, stay as present as you can and relish any you get to share with another. There are no time guarantees.
Live out loud.
Live while you’re alive.
Love to you all.
“You are the real warriors and heroes in this world and you deserve immense respect, especially your own. You matter.” ~ Lynika
“So much of the ordinary is extraordinary, we often don’t pause long enough, to see the daily miracles tucked inside our days.” ~ Lynika
“You never know just how precious life is until you see or hear of someone losing the fight for theirs. This moment right now is your life…
As you read this quote you’re holding delicate moments of your own life in your hands and spending them.
Make sure you treasure each priceless, fragile, powerful moment.
Spend them well. Every single one of them is your life.” ~ Lynika Cruz
“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” ~ Lynika
Remember this, it’s what you do with the words after someone has spoken them to you that counts.
That’s where the true power lies.
You are the sole person who gets to say if they’re true and to take them into your life.
I’m here to tell you, it’s not true that you are unworthy of love. It’s a story, but it’s not true. It’s actually a lie.
And most of all, most imperative of all is loving yourself. Gosh, so much has been said on self-love that you may initially wince when you read those words.
I’m not a mushy kind of person. I’ve been new-aged to death like everyone else. But the truth is, REAL self-love is not some soft-coated, flowery coat you put on with affirmations in the pockets.
Real self love is strong, gutsy, ballsy, respectful, take-no-prisoners energy towards yourself that shows up in your life as courage, dignity, repeated-resurrection, humility, compassion, humour and down to the bones living.
As Hemingway said: “A man can be destroyed and still not be defeated’
You can get knocked down by someones words, the song was wrong, sticks and stones can hurt your bones and words CAN also hurt you!
BUT, massive clause here, don’t you leave it at that. No sir! You get back up, smack those words off like dust and remember the truth, sure some sucker can come along and knock you off your chair for a moment but you remember who you are, remember that ballsy self that doesn’t hand over life and truth to someone who thinks it’s okay to knock you.
YOU’RE the driver of your life, kick anyone out who tries to climb up in the rig and grab the wheel. They can get back in their own truck and deal with their own speed bumps. You’ve got a road you’re on and a journey to make. Love the person at the wheel, they’re gonna take you places you never imagined possible, you just have to remember they’re there and don’t let anyone get between you and that kind of love.
That’s one place that belongs to you, one love that won’t leave you high and dry. Period.
~ Lynika
“Live authentically. Why would you continue to compromise something that’s beautiful to create something that is fake.”
-Steve Maraboli
Yes… and remember to teach and guide others to find the longing, authenticity and passion within, how to reach down into the dark bones and draw themselves up.
Like water deep in the well, the rope sometimes unravels a long way down.
But if we trust and reel in, hand over hand what is in the depths of that.. if we lift that weighted bucket to the surface, to the light, then we can truly be quenched.
And we can carry that to others, let them sip from what we truly bring.
And in doing so they learn, how to kneel at their well, how to draw, how to fill and spill their goodness across this planet.
You, YOU matter ♥
Life is happening right this second, this moment.
This very moment right here, right now, is where you are actually ALIVE and living.
We spend so much time thinking and planning ahead that we sometimes don’t realise we have accidentally abandoned our current life and moved there.
Moved to a place that doesn’t have solid, earthy goodness filling you up and sweet, present, ecstatic joy slapping you in the face with a big happy kiss.
Planning ahead is important but be careful not to live there.
We lose precious moments on words and half sentences like these:
*Later..
*As soon as..
Once I’ve/We’ve…
*After..
*When the/he/she..
Meanwhile those lost moments accumulate and turn into days, then weeks, months, years until one day you realise
These moments are my LIFE.
Go outside for a moment, really, get up, look out the window if you’re in a blizzard or heatwave, but LOOK out there, look at life, it’s happening right now around you and TO you.
The loose leaf, the sudden dot of a small bird lifting against the sky, the rustle or stillness of this very moment and your own heart beating in your chest, right now. THIS is living.
And it’s happening NOW.
Be happy in it. Satisfied even.. take one small moment if you will and just LOVE it.
Turn it over for a brief second and say out loud, in this moment, this very moment I’m alive and I am noticing it and feeling it.
Now breathe and breathe and breathe.
Life is brief, live it W I D E and DEEP you gorgeous, magnificent, amazing miracle!
“Live authentically. Why would you continue to compromise something that’s beautiful to create something that is fake.” ~Steve Maraboli
” Yes… and remember to teach and guide others to find the longing, authenticity and passion within, how to reach down into the dark bones and draw themselves up.
And in doing so they learn, how to kneel at their well, how to draw, how to fill and spill their goodness across this planet.”
You, YOU matter