Tag: #inspiration

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Brave enough to be vulnerable –

Emy Minzel

“There is no greater measure of courage than vulnerability.” Brene’ Brown, PhD

There are people who can mask their emotions under even the most stressful of situations. I call this ability a poker face and we all have worn it from time to time.  We wear this unreadable expression when we want to keep our cards close to our chest and don’t want others to know our true feelings. We mask those emotions with a very neutral facial expression.

We cover our vulnerability. As humans we have become good at reading facial expressions, it’s a survival skill. A twitch of an eye, a tear or maniacal smirk can give us a warning when the situation is about to go in a negative direction. Just the opposite is true also; laughter and smiles can let us know it’s okay for us to be at ease.

Although humans share this planet and we all should be on the same team, we know this isn’t true, for everyone seems to separate themselves by their beliefs. Still others will use your vulnerability to manipulate you or use it against you. There are even some situations in which having a poker face is necessary for success; as a lawyer, a business person making deals, or even a politician.

Yet, even with all that, there are those who wear their hearts on their sleeves and everything they are thinking is as plain as the nose on their face. What I don’t understand is why showing our emotions is considered weak. As a woman, I swim in my emotions every minute of every day. I find them very useful actually. These emotions grow my strength.

If a sunrise makes my eyes tear up with gratitude for another day or if a Kleenex commercial makes me cry with sentiment, why is this considered fragile? If I am vulnerable enough to feel all these emotions, I am also strong enough to process them and use them to my benefit. Doesn’t feeling our emotions and willing to share them, make us stronger than those who chose to keep sentiment under lock and key? Emotions get things done; they make us act, move proverbial mountains and even change the world.

Being emotionally invested in an outcome, helps us to see alternate routes and options for solutions. Being passionately invested in the results makes me very creative in finding solutions. I don’t buy into the two choice only options always given to us as a society. False choices of having to choose between the right or the left, masculine/feminine, right/wrong, environmental preservation or economic growth… just doesn’t always fit the need.

Who decided it is the emotionless, poker faces of the world that get to choose what is right and wrong? I’m calling BS on how ‘strength’ is depicted. The way I see it, emotions, covered up by a neutral mask, only means you are not brave enough to show the world your real face.

It is our beliefs that separate us and make us give others the choice of my way or your way… when really, our world is full of options and solutions and hardly ever is there only two choices.

As American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge.”

I believe we are currently in a “times of challenge” part of our history. There are still so many people who think that maybe women are not ‘strong enough’ to lead because we are emotional beings. I disagree. To choose to wear your heart on your sleeve or your emotions all over your face, is brave and profoundly human. To show your vulnerability is to show your courage and what you stand for. It is those with the poker faces you should be wary of.

Emotion like this can even be seen in the little details of life. Like the strength of a mother who brings her 6-week-old newborn into the clinic for vaccinations. Knowing she is about to subjecting her infant to the pain of the injection. She too cries with her baby, as the shot is administered. Holding in her arms the embodiment of unconditional love. She knows this act is for a greater good and protection… There is the emotion of love streaming down her face. There is strength.

Strength has a face and it is not what Hollywood tells us. It is not a poker face or an angry face. It is in the emotion and courage to be brave no matter what. If society is going to heal, we need to change the way we view strength. Because if anyone knows how to heal, nurture and grow; it is a woman with the courage to be brave enough to show her strong emotions to all.

It’s our time to show up and be our true selves. Know it is okay to be vulnerable and that being true to ourselves is the greatest measure of courage.

“There is no greater measure of courage than vulnerability.” Brene’ Brown, Ph.D. from her book Rising Strong. It’s a great read and I highly recommend it!

*Picture take on the Mississippi River, my daughters first canoe ride. (She was scared but brave. I am so proud of her!)

Wishing you love and blessings,

Emy Minzel

https://emyminzel.com

@EmyMinzel

 

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Starting seeds!

Emy Minzel

A purposeful and metaphorical act of hope –

There is currently about two feet of snow on the ground here in Minnesota with more forecasted on the way. Even though it is very wintery outside, it is time to think Spring! I love to start my summer flowers from seeds, and these must be planted in the winter.

Starting my petunias, echinacea flowers, asters, and other colorful blooms, are important to me, because I care very much about the environment. I want to give the bees, flowers to pollinate, that have not been sprayed with pesticides often found in store-bought flowers.

I also have other plants that I can start right outside in the ground, after the frost clears and I plan to do that in the spring. I’d like to create a whole area of wildflowers native to Minnesota this year. I’ll use a native blend of prairie flower seeds, known to nourish beneficial pollinators, that are imperative to our food supply. Bees and butterflies are not my only reason for starting seeds and growing flower gardens though.

I believe there is a certain amount of optimism and joy that goes into starting seed. It gives me the opportunity to nurture my environment into a space full of color and beauty. I get to be a friend to the environment and enjoy the beneficial blooms all summer long. Planting any seed is a sign and manifestation of your hope for the future!

Photos 3_17_2017 1703

Planting can also be an investment of beauty and abundance – last year I crafted a pretty and productive flower box for the deck. I planted jalapenos with my petunias, which offered beauty all summer and jalapeno poppers all fall. Plants also test your nurturing skills. How well do you care for your plants and does it correlate with how much attention you give yourself?

A small investment of time can pay off for several years, if you pick a perennial plant. I love to play in the soil, and dig in the earth, to plant my seeds of hope. Sometimes I even bury little notes and prayers under my plants before I put them in the ground. It can’t hurt to give your plant a little encouragement, right?!

During the long Minnesota winter months, I like to take time to tend to house plants also. Feed them, prune them, and transplant if needed. It’s a great time to get my hands in the soil and nurture the plants, that offer clean air, life and beauty to my home.

House plants can also be functional and purposeful, you can grow kitchen herbs like thyme and rosemary, to harvest when cooking or sage for clearing your space. I also like to plant flowers and herbs like echinacea and lemon balm to make my own tea for the winter.

Planting, growing, and nurturing the seedlings of what I want my future to look like, helps me get through cabin fever winter can bring. It’s a purposeful and metaphorical act of hope. A manifestation of the beauty and abundance I want my future to bring.

I am a person who enjoys the simple things in the world, I love tea and flowers! So even, if ‘all I get’ is surrounded by the beauty of flowers and to enjoy homegrown tea; it’s totally worth it to me.

What get’s you through the long winter months? I’d love to hear from you.

 

Wishing you an abundance of peace, love, and flowers,

 

Emy Minzel

https://emyminzel.com

@EmyMinzel

 

 

 

 

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5 reasons to foster furry friends!

Emy Minzel

Have you heard of animal rescues?

There is a local animal rescue in my town called Ruff Start Rescue. It’s run by a young woman with a heart as big and radiant as the sun. Since starting the rescue in 2010, they have grown to over 600 volunteers and have saved over 5,500 animals. I do my best to volunteer when I can, although it is not nearly as often as I wish I could. So, I donate dollars and I foster animals in need, as often as possible.

I love our local rescue because they are not like other shelters or rescues. Ruff Start Rescue sets dogs and cats up for success in a home-based atmosphere by asking volunteers to foster them in their homes as part of their family. This allows the animals to learn manners, be potty trained and get vetting needed; while giving the animal the opportunity to be loved by the family that hosts them.

I have learned so much from the dogs I have helped find forever homes for. Some of them broke my heart. Yes, I cried and wished them well on their journey into their new lives. It was all worth it though; all the tears, all the messes, vet visits, laughs, cuddles, slobbers and love. All worth it!

We have had such great, heart opening experiences, that I just had to share the top five reasons you should foster too! The number one question/statement I get from friends when they find out I foster is: “I don’t think I could foster because I would fall in love and it would be hard to let them go. How do you do it?” Here is what I tell them.

1. “You” get to choose the right family – Ruff Start Rescue lets you, the foster, pick the best family for your foster animal. They trust, that since you have been loving and caring for the animal, that you will know what kind of atmosphere it will thrive best in. If you don’t think the dog will do well with little kids, then the dog does not go to a family with little kids. The point of the rescue is to give the animal its best chance for success and not to put it in a situation destined for failure. You get to go through the adoption applications and interview the families. It it’s much safer for the animal then just allowing anyone to pick and purchase them from a website.

2. You will fall in love – The truth is, as a foster family, we do fall head over heals in love. That’s the point! To show love, compassion and consistency to the dog/cat that may have never been loved before. This is a soulful connection that doesn’t just make emotional growth and stability possible for the animal, it helps you too! To love another living being enough to let them go to a forever family where they belong, is selfless. Helping them find their forever family is much like raising your kids to be prepared for the world. It’s the right thing to do and so rewarding to see them happy and healthy; living their best life.

3. Be fully prepared for the possibility of a foster failure – Foster Failure happens when you foster and end up falling in love with an animal that just fits your family. Then you decide to adopt the animal yourself. I have done this twice. The most recent foster failure was our dog Hank, who was found as a stray. He was held in impound and his time was up. I saw his face and plea for help and I just knew we had to help him. He was almost like a wild animal when we got him home, he needed lots of training and love.

4. It’s hard but worth it – We even had to do a couple weeks of shutdown acclimation before Hank got to meet my resident dog Gus. Hank got to sleep, eat and just decompress in my daughter’s bedroom until he got comfortable and relaxed with his new living situation. It took him a couple weeks, but I believe allowing him this time to feel safe, made all the difference when we introduced him to our family dog. It was hard keeping everyone separated at first, but we were dedicated to Hank’s success. Hank has paid us back for not giving up on him with love and loyalty and he is a wonderful addition to our family!

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Hank in Impound

Handsome Hank Hank after adoption

5. Letting go –  I like to think dogs are like people, although I love them all, some are easier to get along with then others! So, this means some are easier to let go then others! There was a little dog named Rosie,  we fostered several years ago, who had contracted Parvo. Parvo is a disease that kills puppies. This little stinker beat Parvo but the battle was scary and heartbreaking.

There were sleepless nights and a whole week where all we did was just cuddle her, while praying she would live. We had to hydrate her by injecting fluids subcutaneously, which it hurt her to do so. Listening to her cry, while we tried our best to keep her alive, was just as hard as letting her go to another foster family.

We nursed Rosie through Parvo and our resident dogs helped to potty train her and teach her manners, while we loved her very much. She was the coolest little dog I have ever known. But, one day out of the blue, we had to let her go to another foster family on very short notice. One of my dogs, Penny, started to get aggressive towards my other big dogs while playing catch. We felt that it was just not safe anymore for little Rosie, in a house of big dogs that just became unpredictable.

So we called the rescue. They came and got Rosie immediately, because they are dedicated to keeping their foster dogs safe and healthy. It was hard for me to love Rosie for so long, only to have her gone in a flash because of my own pack. It was the best thing to do for Rosie, but it was hard on all of us.

Rosie Rosie

It is true that not every story ends on a happy note, but most of them do! Rosie found an amazing family soon after leaving our home. We have had foster dogs who’ve had Cancer, Parvo, broken limbs, worms, and broken spirits but have gone on to live great lives. The rescue we work with understands that life and animals can be unpredictable and have helped me through many situations throughout the years. I think of the starfish story when I think of fostering animals. You may not be able to help all that need rescuing, but you can help one at a time, and that is better than none.

If you have the time, energy and enough love to share; I recommend you try fostering too. It is such a wonderful experience that I keep going back when our family has the time to dedicate to a rescue animal. I keep going back to Ruff Start Rescue because they have always been there to help me when I need them. They are local hero’s in my mind and this is a cause and crew I love to support. Maybe you would consider opening your home and heart to a furry friend in need.

Please donate if you can to a wonderful and deserving organization! http://www.ruffstartrescue.com

Wishing you an abundance of blessings and love,

Emy Minzel 

https://emyminzel.com

@EmyMinzel

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The purpose of changes and transition –

Emy Minzel

There have been some major evolutions happening in my life this past year. I feel like every single facet of my existence has been touched by change. All of it! There’s been so many evolutions that I believe I too have changed because of them. As humans do, we tend to appreciate our blessings and situations a little more after we’ve had an opportunity to see them in a different light. Sometimes we must first come very close to losing something we cherish, before we can see how valuable it really is to us. Is this true for you too?

I have been blessed with many opportunities to see just how wonderful my life is, after several lessons through joy allowed me to realize this! After experiencing a whirlwind campaign life; I am much more inclined to thoroughly enjoy quite weekends with my loved ones and evenings to myself. I now have time to make a home cooked meal, clean the house and even exercise, now that my schedule isn’t jam packed with campaign responsibilities. My life was like a soup. It was up to me to add spice to a dull dish, since I am the cook, right?! When I decided to add more excitement and flavor to my days/life, I changed the dish and it changed me.

Having the experience of being excessively busy, has helped me re-find the joy in my everyday tasks that once seemed boring. My perspective of working from home has shifted. I always knew I was blessed to do so, yet after this last year, I feel like my definition of work has changed and that my career has benefitted from my attitude adjustment. I very much enjoy my routine and the peaceful life now; when not long ago, there were days it made me mad with monotony! My career has allowed me to help others in my community and this brings me much joy and fulfillment. It just took me a bit to realize it!

My one and only child, moved out last Summer and that was also a huge life changer. I always knew she was going to go! After all, that’s why we raise our children the best we can. So they can be their best when they go out into the world. Yet, I miss her so much sometimes that I find myself texting, calling and making up silly questions just to hear from her. This has allowed me to appreciate the time we get to spend together much more, and I make it as special as I can.

The truth about my marriage was that we weren’t doing so hot, for a bit, last year. I mean that’s marriage for you; some years are easier than others. There is always love, but the friendship and bond we had built needed maintenance and I wasn’t able to give it the time it deserved for a while. The campaign was a wonderful distraction from our problems, but it also kept us from resolving our issues sooner than we did. I cannot blame the election for any troubles, that would not be fair or true.

It just so happened that the election occurred during this life lesson in marriage. I considered this time challenging, but we came out stronger for it. That was worth the experience and change of perception as well. I love my husband dearly. He is my best friend. This experience has helped me see just how much I treasure him and our relationship. This was a blessing inside the lesson through joy.

Even my friendships seem to have been touched by my change of perspective over the last year. I have learned to allow others leeway for humanness and I now freely give the benefit of the doubt. I have learned to love others as they are, unconditionally and without trying to push my ideals upon them. I have come to see my own quirks as something that may seem eccentric to others, but i’ve also learned to accept and love myself because these qualities are what make me special. I have learned this is what makes my loved ones special too!

I have learned that with age comes wisdom and that I have a whole lot of learning left to do! I believe I was also learning to love myself as I love others. This last year of my life has been a year of transformation, movement and growth that needed to happen. I am so thankful for all these lessons through joy, even if they may not have always seemed joyous at the time. Life has a beautiful way of bringing you full circle, to want what you need that helps you become who you are supposed to be.

I am love. You are too.

Wishing you the magical soulful healing you need right now to be the best you can be.

With love,

Emy Minzel ~ I am love.

https://emyminzel.com

@EmyMinzel

*Photo taken in Princeton, MN – homegrown old fashion vining petunias!

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Lean into it.

Emy Minzel

I have been writing a lot lately about taking responsibility for the energy we share with the world around us. I talk about sharing joy and being the light of happiness for yourself and others. Yet there are times when it is okay and even imperative to lean into your sadness, anger, frustration or any other feeling that may not resemble the usual sunshiny picture.

Life likes to hand us tough times once in a while. We are only human, and we all have limits of how much stress or BS we can or are willing to take. We have the right to get angry at that insulting thing that someone said. We are justified to be sad over the loss of a loved one or for any reason actually.

Sometimes the best thing we can do is lean into these feelings and let them in.

When we are too busy denying our true feelings; the Universe and the people around you will know. You aren’t doing yourself or anyone else any favors by pretending otherwise. You are not as good of an actor as you may think you are. Fake happiness still vibes at a lower frequency than real joy and I believe you’re unable to fake it for a reason. That reason is that you are supposed to feel your feelings so that you can heal them.

Now, I don’t mean you have to wallow in misery all day, but you know what? If you need a day to just be as miserable as you need and to let your despair come out your eyes and run down your face; then you really should allow yourself the time to do it!

Sad movie Saturday here you come! It can be a therapeutic release to let those tears out!

If we keep denying our hurt; it will not be possible to bring it out into daylight for the healing it needs. It’s okay to say, “You know what? I am sad today. I just don’t feel like my best self. I need time to heal my spirit and it may take a bit.”

Your loved ones will understand your need for space. They will most likely try and help pull you out of your funk though and this may work for you. You may decide to let them try and help lift your spirits! I know it helps me to get out of the house and hang out with my friends to shake up my routine a bit. My friends and loved ones are a great source of joy.

I just wanted to remind you that it is always okay to feel all your feelings! Just be aware that learning to navigate the healing of them is where the work is all yours too. Lean into that anger, sadness or frustration, really feel it, to find the source.

We must heal ourselves and the source of what brought on those feelings. It’s our job to do the work and ask ourselves; “What must I do to change the situation making me feel this way, so those feelings can leave?” If you need help, ask for it. Those around you cannot read minds any better than you can. There are as professionals who will be glad to help you as well.

Go within to dissect the situation and disolve the source of the pain. It’s still our job to take ownership of our thoughts, feelings, words, and actions. The best way to do that is to lean into them, look in the mirror, stare yourself in the face and say “I love you. I believe in you. You are going to get through this.”

Give yourself permission to lean into those emotions and then make a choice to lean into the healing as well. Do you need to find forgiveness for yourself or another? Do you need to change thoughts of judgment to thoughts of love and compassion for someone or yourself? It’s up to you to find your truth on where you need healing.

You are worth the investment of time and effort to mend your mind, body and spirit. I am writing this to let you know you are not alone on your down days. There is nothing wrong with you when this happens. You are perfect the way you are, and if you don’t feel so, you have the power to change too.

You matter and I believe in you and love you.

Wishing you the magical soulful healing you need right now to be the best you can be.

With love,

Emy Minzel ~ I am love.

https://emyminzel.com

@EmyMinzel