Every once and awhile, we need to return to the unencumbered, worry-free, wilds of our youth and become playful, curious, care free and excited about life again.
This is where we remember who we really are. This is where we plant our dreams.
So in the very wise words of your mother,
GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY
☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
Toni O’KEEFFE 🌹❤️
We break stuff, loose stuff, forget stuff, burn stuff, say or do the wrong stuff. We’re human. We make messes. It’s how we learn.
When we do mess up, we have to fix it, find it, clean it, own it, apologize for it, and get on with the day.
So much damage is done in the uncomfortable void created between human hearts, when our ego can’t own “our stuff.”
Sometimes it really is you (or me) and not them. “I’m sorry,” just own it.
Toni O’KEEFFE 🌹❤️
From the day we’re born, we’re programmed to, two-step, side-step, hop, skip, jump, twist, twirl and boogie, between the demands and expectations of family, school, career, relationships, society, our human emotions, our quest for happiness and ultimately “our purpose.” It’s quite the dance.
The music is continually playing and changing. We bump into others, trying not to step on toes. We slip, fall, break a heal, or break a leg. Some days we dance alone but still, we dance.
And even though we all have different dance moves, different tastes in music, wear different colours to the dance and none of us knows when this life ballet will end, we still have to show up, get along and dance whether we want to or not.
So what’s the point of this little song and dance? It’s this; ~ Life IS the dance.
Our purpose is to make the most of every step, every misstep, every song, every partner, every blister, every moment, every “thing”.
No matter how well you dance, what songs you dance to, how fast or slow, you move, who you dance with, how often you change partners or if you dance alone, find the music that’s in harmony with YOU and tap, waltz, jig, jive, polka, salsa, hip-hop, twirl, tango, do-si-do, or plié and enjoy the insanely beautiful rhythm of it all.
Regardless of who you are, what you do, how much money you have, who you voted for or who you worship, we’ll all get sore feet, the shoes will come off and the music will stop, for all of us.
So while you’re here, get those moves on
and, enjoy the dance.
Toni O’KEEFFE 🌹❤️
That emptiness you sometimes feel?
You’re not alone, we all feel it from time-to-time.
Perhaps it’s our souls creating space for;
~ new things,
~ new ideas,
~ new adventures,
~ or new people,
to arrive.
This emptiness may feel like loneliness, sadness, a sense of wanting, or disappointment.
Don’t try to fill it with busyness or inconsequential distractions. Be mindful of it.
Sit with it, walk-ride-hike-paddle-sail-jog, with it. As you do, visualize your heart opening up to receiving the things that are meant for you.
There’s a season for all things and all people, to come in and out of our lives.
Let them come and,
Let them go.
Toni O’KEEFFE ~🌹❤️
The secret to happiness is to;
“Stop looking for the secret to happiness.”
You know what makes you happy. Do that.
Do things and be with the people who bring you to life, lift you up, make you feel “happy”, make you laugh, make your heart dance, your soul sing and make you a better, more grateful, human being. Or, if you enjoy and are happy, doing things alone, do more of that.
Stay away from things and people who bring you down, make your heart ache, your soul heavy, your mind crazy and your body unwell.
If nurturing a positive attitude serves you better than harbouring a negative attitude, then stay positive and, stay away from those who are toxic and have a negative perspective on life.
Even if you’re in a situation, such as an unhappy relationship or an unhappy work environment, you still have options, one being, you can make plans to move on.
Happiness isn’t something we look for.
“Happy,” is something we choose to become. It’s an attitude about ourselves and life, which will look different for each of us.
Beautiful soul, go get your happy on, because you my dear, deserve to be oh-so-beautifully-happy.
Toni O’KEEFFE 🌹❤️
This might be a good day to put it all down.
If you’re carrying the weight of the past,
you’re not living fully in the present.
Whatever he, she or they, did or said to you, let it go. You are NOT the pain or burdens others placed upon you. Nor are you the opinions anyone has of you.
Put it down. Put it all down.
This weight is no longer yours to carry.
Some of it was NEVER yours to carry.
Toni O’KEEFFE ~🌹❤️
———————————
~ Happiness is YOU!
It’s ;
~ YOU not judging and comparing yourselves to others and you accept yourselves as YOU are.
YOU seeing and appreciating the blessings (big and small) all around YOU.
YOU realizing happiness does not come from stuff, but from the attitude we (YOU) have about life.
YOU making the choice to be happy.
Happiness isn’t something we look for. Happiness is YOU.
Toni O’KEEFFE ~🌹❤️
——————————————-
A wise soul will exercise curiosity
before judgement, ask questions
before criticizing, and attempt
to understand before making assumptions.
We all have it in us
to be wise, funky,
beautiful souls.
So let’s be funky!
Toni O’KEEFFE ~🌹❤️
—————————————
That emptiness you sometimes feel?
Perhaps it’s your soul creating space for;
new things,
new ideas,
new adventures,
new people,
to arrive.
This emptiness may feel like loneliness, sadness, a sense of wanting, or disappointment.
Don’t try and fill the emptiness, sit with it, feel it. Then invite it to leave. Use this feeling as an opportunity to open your heart, your mind to receiving something new.
There’s a season for all things and all people, to come in and out of our lives.
Let them come, and,
Let them go.
Toni O’KEEFFE ~🌹❤️
——————————
In the
right light,
even the
darkest of
storms cast
a beautiful
light.
No matter what
you’re going through,
there’s light
behind this storm.
Toni O’KEEFFE ~🌹❤️
———————————
We miss so much
as we rush through life.
If you knew
everything you
love today, would
be gone tomorrow,
including your family,
friends, your stuff,
your home, your pets,
would you slow down and
live differently?
would you look
at the world differently?
would you act differently?
It all will be gone, all of it,
love it all exactly like that.
Toni O’KEEFFE ~🌹❤️
——————-
“Thank you for the good times, the bad times and the learning and growing we did together. I’m wiser, stronger and kinder because I had this time with you.”
Let these be your parting words as you walk away from ANY personal, professional or intimate relationship that’s come to an end.
If they you hurt you, let you down, caused you pain ~ forgive them. Learn from it.
The hate, disappointment, anger, fear, or regret you carry, feeds your pain, not theirs.
Walk away with a grateful heart knowing you’re wiser, stronger and kinder because of the time you spent together.
Even if it was painful, be grateful that this lesson is over.
Toni O’KEEFFE ~🌹❤️
——————————-
Life will hurt.
Nature will heal.
If you want
to hurt less,
you know
where to go.
Toni O’KEEFFE ~🌹❤️
————————————
Look at you,
enjoying life,
finding joy,
laughing, spending
time with people
who lift you up,
loving yourself,
letting go
of all that
toxic stuff.
Way to go!!!
Oh, this isn’t you?
Why not?
Toni O’KEEFFE ~🌹❤️
—————
Pain has purpose.
let it hurt,
let it heal
then,
let it go.
Toni O’KEEFFE ~🌹❤️
———-
At any moment,
in any day,
you can stop,
and decide to
do things differently.
to live differently,
to love differently,
to care for yourself
or others
differently.
You have more
control over this
grand adventure
than you realize.
Toni O’KEEFFE ~🌹❤️
—————————-
Want to heal
the heart,
the mind,
the body,
the soul.
slow your pace,
slow your breath,
Step into nature
Toni O’KEEFFE ~🌹❤️
—————-
Don’t waste your energy creating anger, hate, doubt, jealousy,disappointment, physical pain
Use it to create warmth, kindness, tolerance, self love
When I was a child and became overwhelmed with any large task or homework assignment, my father would say “pull one weed at a time.” He was referring to his approach to weeding the garden.
If he looked at all the weeding to be done as one large task, it would’ve been overwhelming and never gotten done, so he approached it one weed at a time.
Fast forward to today, I was out walking and came across two young men standing in front of an enormous mountain of rocks.
I stopped to chat as they Ooh’d and awed over my little dog and I asked them what they were doing.
They were building a stone wall.
The rock for the wall had been delivered, but had been dumped in the wrong spot, now they had to move it.
One of the young men jokingly asked me if I knew how to move a mountain?
“Yup” I said, “one weed at a time.”
They were both confused, so I explained the analogy and they got it.
Whatever lies before you, take it one minute, one hour, one step, one day, one page, one breath or one weed at a time.
In fact, you can move mountains,
when you move them, one stone at a time.
Toni O’KEEFFE ~🌹❤️
If life doesn’t excite you once and awhile,
you’re doing it wrong.
That thing, that makes you feel alive, tickles you in all the right places, gives you joy, sets your soul on fire, and allows you to live fully in the moment;
whether it’s riding, gliding, running, singing, sailing, climbing, performing, paddling, or something equally amazing, find that thing, and do it, often.
Despite this wildly weird west coast weather, I hope the week ahead is an absolutely wonderful one for you!!!
Toni O’KEEFFE ~🌹❤️
Sometimes, you don’t know which way to go.
Pull yourself up anyway, hoist those sails, and trust that the wind knows where to take you.
Wherever it takes you this weekend,
I hope it’s fabulous!
Toni 🌹❤️
Your past has shaped you, taught you and led you to places and people that helped you grow. Some of those places and people have hurt you, pushed you down or left you with scars.
But, you my dear, you are not your past. You are NOT the opinions others had, or have, of you. You are NOT the things you did or the things that were done to you. Nor are you the mistakes you THINK you’ve made.
You have never made a single mistake, ever. There are no mistakes, only lessons. What you do with those lessons is up to you.
You are the sum of all your experiences and the learning these experiences brought you. You get to decide how to build upon all that.
So, take a deep breath, forgive yourself for the mistakes “you think” you’ve made, give thanks for the lessons and celebrate how far you’ve come, because wow, you’ve come along way my friend, and here you are, still standing❤️
Now, get out there and build something, anything you want, upon everything you’ve ever done, and enjoy this one big amazing life you’ve been given.
Toni O’KEEFFE ~🌹❤️
The Whimsey Angel 