Kristi Ling Spencer's Blog, page 10

My New Podcast Has Launched: Happy, Free & Wild!

Hi Friends!  I hope your summer’s off to a fantastic start! I’ve got great news to share! My brand new podcast, Happy, Free, & Wild with Kristi Ling – is now available on iTunes!

I’ve been working on launching this for quite some time. You can help make it a success by listening and subscribing – I think you’ll really enjoy it!

Listen subscribe here – it’s FREE

In the premiere episode, you can hear my interview with the inspiring Queen of Disco, Gloria Gaynor, about divine timing, making it through challenging times, and the story behind her iconic song, I Will Survive! (I was so thrilled to interview her). Who has not belted that song out at one point or another?!

Hear the behind-the-scenes story of her legendary smash hit song, her new album, and get the scoop on her awesome new book, We Will Survive – True Stories of Encouragement, Inspiration, and the Power of Song.

Enjoy the premiere episode, as well as episode #2, which is up too! (I wanted to start things off with a bang.) Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode by clicking on “view in iTunes” and then hitting the “subscribe” button.

Listen and subscribe here Free

Be sure to leave a rating/review in iTunes as well to help share the news.  So much great stuff coming up! It’s going to be an amazing summer!

Much Love & soul freedom,

xo Kristi

Time Does Not Heal All Wounds – Here’s What Does!

Hi Friends!  It’s been beautiful lately here in L.A., so I’ve had tons of opportunity to work in my garden.  It’s one of those things that totally lights me up!  Here’s a picture (left) of the peaceful new seating area I just finished.

While building a fence over the weekend (yes, me with hammers, nails, wood, and wire!), I had a powerful thought about happiness, grief, and our ability to heal that I wanted to share with you.

I was happily hammering away at a fence post when I felt familiar pangs of pain yanking at my heart.  They came on suddenly, as they sometimes do. I felt a little frustrated that a loss occurring nearly two years ago in my life was still stabbing at me at the most random moments.  Can you relate?

Even the happiest, most grounded people aren’t immune to pain from devastating grief and loss, which everyone will experience at some point.  But, I grew up believing that old saying, “Time heals all wounds.”  I heard it from my family, from the media, and from my teachers.  However, I’ve come to know the real big truth about that…  Time itself doesn’t heal anything at all – WE DO – it just takes time to do it. (Click to Tweet!)

And, sometimes it takes quite a while.  And we need to push forward, even when we don’t want to. Cut ourselves a break for the time it’s taking.  Continue actively taking steps to get better.  Every single day.  Healing, just like happiness, does not take place without action.  Action is what heals.  Effort.  Practice.  It may not be what we want to hear, but it’s the truth.  And, it’s where our power to thrive and shine again resides.

So, what I want to share with you is that if you’re hanging out waiting for time to heal your heart, your spirit, or even your body… we all need to remember that it’s not time’s responsibility to do that… it’s ours, and action is required if progress is going to happen.  Time is just a friend to help us along the journey.

We heal our heartache, grief, and regrets through action, growth, forgiveness, and gratitude…and through frequent, deliberate steps to move forward and step into the awesomeness and light that is here in this moment, and always waiting for us around the next corner if we allow.

Have you ever read The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett?  It’s my favorite novel of all time (if you’re a Game of Thrones fan like me, you would also dig this book). There’s a great analogy for this message in there.

In the The Pillars of the Earth, it takes the builders of 12th century England decades to build the massive, majestic cathedrals.  Everyone talks about how long it took. But, time did not build the cathedrals, the builders did.  Their effort, sweat, creativity, and action… and just look at the amazing result.  They powered through and made it happen, no matter what life threw at them.

So, I invite you to join me in recognizing that we are always the ones with the power.  While time is a factor (a broken bone, for example, takes a certain amount of time – but also care – to heal), it’s not the driving force.

What healing actions can you take today to expand your happiness and health?  Step forward, break out your best moves, and make room for the amazing things that are waiting.  Here we go!

Love, sunshine, and healing action,

Kristi

 

P.S. Leave me a comment on this post and tell me what you think with the hashtag #springcleanyourspirit, and be entered to win one of the fab gift bags packed with goodies from my Spring Clean Your Spirit retreat!

When You Feel Like Something’s Missing – Here Are Some Answers

Do you ever feel like something’s missing in an area of your life?  Relationships, business, passions… it’s something most of us experience at one time or another.

Long ago, I learned from A Course in Miracles that when you feel like something’s missing in any situation, the answer is what’s missing is what you’re not giving.  I’ve found this to be powerfully true in so many instances.  It’s an idea that’s changed the way I show up in many areas of my life for the better, and keeps me focused on always doing the best I can, asking, “What more can I offer?”

But, I’ve recently learned there’s something else that can help us shift that feeling that something’s missing — connection.  Deep, soulful connection – to other like-minded people, the Universe, nature, a higher power.  It’s something so many of us cruise through our days on autopilot without paying much attention to or consciously inviting into our lives.  But that’s the thing… it must be consciously created.

What happens when we go without this for too long is that our soul starts to feel there’s a gap – like a vitamin deficiency of the spirit.  Lack of deep connection in our lives can feel like driving a car with partially deflated tires.  The result can be that familiar, empty feeling that something’s missing.  It can cause us to feel a bit sad, stressed, hollow… even depressed… without really being able to pinpoint the cause.

It takes conscious effort to nurture that part of us that is in need of deeper connections.  It takes reaching out, deliberate effort, mindful communication, precious time out of our day… but when we create the habit of seeking and nurturing these connections, the empty feelings fade and those spaces are filled with powerful joy, peace, happiness and purpose.  If we shift to live this way regularly, we can reduce or eliminate that “something’s missing” feeling, and become more connected to Love, the Universe, to each other, and to community at the same time.

Deeper connection can mean different things to each of us, and the connections we need can sometimes change.  It’s all about going within and listening to what kinds of connections your own soul is craving.  Deep conversation with friends?  Prayer?  Meditation?  Brainstorming with people who share your passions?  Art?  Touch?

A few areas I’m looking to create deeper connection in my life are with nature (I’ve been working in my garden TONS and it really lights me up!), with friends (It’s so easy when you work from home to go weeks without seeing loved ones), and with the ocean.  The ocean, to me, is such a powerful place of magical connections and reminders of things far bigger than we can imagine.  I plan to spend much more time there.

So, I invite you to join me in seeking and creating deeper, more meaningful connections.  What’s your soul longing for?  Maybe it’s a more regular spiritual practice, or maybe it’s simply spending more sacred time with a beloved friend or pet.  Let me know in the comments section.  Whatever it is for you, always be seeking… always be making the time.  Connection – to Love, passion, and to higher energetic vibrations – is the master key to filling life’s empty spaces. 

Much Love & soulful connection,

Kristi

 

TWEETABLE:

Click to Tweet: Connection – to Love, passion, and to higher energetic vibrations – is the master key to filling life’s empty spaces. – @kristimb

Join me in Los Angeles on May 18th for Spring Clean Your Spirit!

Hi Friends!

I’m hosting a 1-day retreat at my private home & urban farm space in L.A. on May 18th – it’s the Love. Your. Life. Spring Clean Your Spirit Retreat.  Would love to see you there!

This will be a small group (space is very limited), and the day will include workshops with me on happiness & living a dream life, vision board creating, a fantastic veggie brunch, gift bags, and new friends!

If you’re outside the L.A area, I can recommend a nearby hotel that’s affordable and very nice.

Click here for all the details

Hope you can come hang with me!  See you in May!

Much Love,

Kristi

How to Reduce Stress and Anxiety Fast

In my new video, I share 3 of the top causes for stress and anxiety, and some tips for zapping them both. Reducing stress & anxiety is essential for our health, energy & best life.  These tips and perspective changes will help you kick those joy suckers to the curb.  Check out the video & let me know what you think in the comments.  xo – Kristi

P.S. – Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel here to catch all my videos

 

My Name Has Changed! + Free Teleclass!

Hi Amazing Friends!  I hope you are loving my new website as much as I am!  I’m writing this post for three reasons, the first of which is to say THANK YOU and how grateful I am that you’re part of my community.  Everything I do – the classes, blog posts, events – is for you and because of your amazing support.  And, many times the posts (especially on Facebook!) are just as much for me!

The second reason is a personal announcement.  My last name is changing back to my birth name of Ling.  This was a decision that I considered very carefully for a very long time.  I feel very connected to my birth name and am excited to return to it!  Psyched to share the new look of my website and logo with you!  Let me know what you think in the comments – would love to hear!

Random Ling facts: It’s both Norwegian and Chinese, and has much history in both cultures.  It’s also the name of a meditation Mudra (hand position) that is said to help warm the body and assist with clearing sinus congestion (many of us could use that this time of year, right?!)  Google “Ling Mudra” – it’s pretty cool!

I’m super excited to share everything that’s coming up with you – from the launch later this spring of my online course, Happiness Bootcamp, to many more new videos, a brand new podcast and more!  Be sure you’re on my newsletter list (sign up to the right and you’ll receive a free copy of my Empower Your Day eBook!) to be the first to know about all the good new stuff!

Also, to celebrate all this awesomeness, I‘m hosting a FREE teleclass for you on March 25th called 3 Incredible Keys for Lasting Happiness ~ Finally!  This class is packed full of great tips, tools, and huge perspective changes that will rock your foundation.  If you can’t be on live, no worries – you’ll receive a link to the replay via email.  Thanks so much to the over 100 of you who have signed up already!  Register free here.

Thanks again for being here!  Leave me a comment below and let me know what you think of the new site!  Looking forward to sharing awesome, life shifting goodness with you on March 25th!

Much Love,

Kristi

Are You Shrinking To Fit? Why The Uncensored You Is Awesome!

Shine like a peackock! It’s all good!

I’ve become very clear on something lately.  That much of the damage and frustration that occurs in any relationship or situation in our lives comes from one thing: making ourselves smaller to fit into it.

Playing it small and safe in life and in relationships can be like a low-grade fever or a slow moving infection.  You don’t really realize it’s happening until you actually go for a check up and discover it’s there.  You’ve been puttering along just fine as is.  But the damage is happening and something must be done before it gets serious.

If you’re holding back and dimming your light out of fear that you may be too bold, say or do the wrong thing, be rejected, or rock the boat, you’re shrinking yourself and your life, as well as denying the world – and yourself – your true, amazing light.

A few years ago in a past relationship, I totally did this.  I would bite my tongue to avoid conflict, turn down opportunities that I thought he wouldn’t approve of and the worst of all: avoid taking risks and chances in my business because of fear that if I failed I would disappoint him.  And none of this had anything to do with him.  It was all my doing.  In fact, it was so unfair to him because the person he wanted to be with was ME.  Not a smaller version of me.  Not the PG version of me.  He didn’t want the lite version of me, he wanted the LIGHT version of me!

So, here’s the deal.  You are good enough.  You’re amazing, in fact. Click to Tweet: Your thoughts and dreams are valid and powerful. Express and pursue them daringly. @kristimb  The greatest change makers are the ones who aren’t afraid to ruffle a few feathers along their path.  What you’re capable of if you free yourself to be the complete, uncensored you may blow your mind.  This is also the path to your happiest, most peaceful self.

Forget the critics.  Let go of the fear of screwing up – know that it’s part of making great things happen.  Be willing to step out of your own way and take chances.  Trust that the Uni-verse is there to support you.

The world and the people in your life are in great need of your light.  You, in all your YOUness, is exactly why people will want to work with you, be in relationships with you, and support you.  If you begin to play small, purposely downplay your dreams and desires and label yourself as “shrink to fit,” you’re not doing them – or you – any favors.

I believe what we all need to do is train ourselves to regularly check in with our inner voice to be sure we’re being true to our whole self and what we really, truly, deeply desire.  Shrinking ourselves to fit into different situations can be a defense habit that comes to us automatically and can be a tough one to recognize and take charge of.  It sure was for me.  What I finally realized was that I was more concerned about the approval of others than I was about achieving my own dreams and desires.

The good news is that just like shifting any habit or pattern, by becoming conscious of the tendency to fall into the shrinking state of being, we can change the direction of our sails and head back to where the sun is shining.

Creating this shift may mean that some of the people and situations in our lives that are not in alignment with our best life and highest purpose fall away.  That can be hard very at times.  The key is to fully trust that what’s truly meant for you will remain, and that space will be created for the awesome.

By fully committing yourself to be your brightest, follow your dreams, and be your authentic, passionate self in every area of your life, you’ll naturally attract the relationships and opportunities that will lift you up, back you up, and empower you.  Awesome doors will begin to fly open and invite you in.  Life will flow with much more ease and clarity.  This is the cycle of an authentic, powerful, joyful life.

Where in your life are you shrinking to fit?  Playing small?  Containing your voice? It’s time to set your full, beautiful, wild, dynamic self completely and totally free.  Your soul and the world will be grateful.

Love,

Kristi

Reprinted from The Daily Love

This Week’s heART Candy

 

 

Sometimes the best way is to light your own way. xo

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Go Ahead and Feel Free to Wander

In case you’ve been wondering, it’s okay to be a wanderer. It’s okay to not know what you want to be when you grow up – no matter what your age. It’s okay to deliberately create totally new chapters of your life any time you feel inspired, to explore, to marvel, to desire.

Love everything and everyone, make your art, plant your seeds. Live with amazement, passion, and a sense of wonder. Shake things up. Let go of the tendency to compare yourself to others, and of other people’s opinions.

Free yourself from the idea of what you thought your life would be or should be, and be enlivened by what is and what can be.

You are a radiant, gifted being of light. Embrace the now and be ready and open for what might be next. Go after that dream your heart’s been longing for. Seek adventure. Anything can happen!

xoxo Love, Kristi

This Week’s HeART Candy

 

Expect amazing things and they will be. xoxo Love, Kristi

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