Blog – Page 6 – HEAL MY VOICE

Community Support for Writing

By Andrea Hylen, Founder and Executive Director of Heal My Voice

This month Heal My Voice is launching an:

On-Line Coworking Space for Women Writers

A unique, organic on-line space for women writers.

*****

This year I am living out of my suitcase and traveling all over the world to connect with women in person. In the first few weeks, the conversations all revolved around women having a desire to write blogs, books, articles, e-books and programs and needing support to get started, keep going or promote their writing. Many of the conversations happened in coworking spaces in Venice and Santa Cruz, California and in Essex and Frederick, Maryland.

An idea that had been bubbling in Heal My Voice for a few years finally came into a clearer form. In Heal My Voice, we know that women writing, speaking and leading is needed in the world right now. Possibly more than at any other time on the planet. There is so much change happening everywhere.

So, we are birthing a new way of providing support for your voice.

If you are still wondering, “What is an On-line Coworking Space?” Here are some definitions.

On-Line: Connected to a computer or network; Done while on-line connected to a telecommunication system like the Internet.

Coworking: A style of work that involves a shared working environment often an office, and independent activity. Unlike in a typical office environment, those coworking are usually not employed by the same organization.

Space: A continuous area or expanse that is open and available.

(for) Writers: A person engaged in writing, books, articles, stories, etc…

The On-line co-working space for writers is a community of women designed to provide information, resources, inspiration, encouragement and celebration in community. It is an online space to ask questions and discover answers. It is a space to receive community support. It is a space to gather.

New members are limited to 30 new people joining every month. New members are added into the group around the 15th of every month to allow for integration and welcoming into the space.

Limited to 30 new people joining every month. New members are added into the group around the 15th of every month to allow for integration and welcoming into the space.

If you are looking for support around the next step in your writing, here are some of the thing you will find here:

*Ideas for getting started
*Accountability: A place to check in and celebrate
*Construction of your book
*Gentle editing
*Promoting your book
*Ideas for publishing
*Social media
*A community support

This is what you receive when you join:

A 45 minute individual coaching session with Andrea Hylen, Founder of Heal My Voice

3 months of on-line community access to resources and support

Weekly Tips about writing, marketing, advertising, self-publishing, social media, internet radio.

Monthly phone call led by Andrea Hylen includes some tips and group coaching

Sacred Sanctuary Space Recordings: 12 days inspiration and quiet energy space for writing.

$197 to Join.

Includes one individual coaching session ($150 value)

Three months of membership (($81)

Access to Resource Library

Community Connection

Monthly Phone Call

Weekly Tips

After the first 3 months, the fee is $27/month set-up as auto-pay and discounted coaching fees with writing coaches.

On-line Co-working Space

To connect with Andrea and learn about current projects go to: www.andreahylen.com

Andrea Hylen believes in the power of a woman’s voice to usher in a new world. She is the founder of Heal My Voice, a Writing and Transition Coach, Orgasmic Meditation Teacher and co- author of Conscious Choices: An Evolutionary Woman’s Guide to Life. Andrea has discovered her unique gifts while parenting three daughters and learning to celebrate life after the deaths of her brother, son and husband. She currently lives in Los Angeles following the inspiration to collaborate with women in organizations and to travel around the world speaking and leading workshops. Her passion is connecting women to support each other in the full expression of who they are.

Living from the Inside Out: A Primer

By Monisha Mittal, A Heal My Voice Author and Board Member

There was a beautiful half moon gracing the skies outside the other night. We were on the Chesapeake Bay so my husband and I decided to take a walk. It was a special treat to slow down, listen to the summer crickets, the sound of children playing late into a summer’s night and take in that magic spill of white light on an otherwise darkened night.

I am conscious of undergoing a deep expansion. In fact, both my husband and I are experiencing expansion, where some of the opportunities that we have been working hard for are appearing. Expansion to me means that there is more of our selves authentically expressed in the real world; that we are finding members of our tribe, having the conversations we want to have and experiencing enriching relationships. Mine is different from his. I am recuperating from some form of burnout, overexerting myself in the workplace, learning some invaluable lesson. Its clear my soul is ready for me to outgrow some irksome habits that have constrained Her in too small a space. These habits are characterized by over-exertion, giving away my power, pleasing external expectations at the expense of my own. After repeating this pattern for at least the 12^th time, I am releasing these habits and other fear-based long held beliefs.

Giving my soul a chance to spread her wings feels paramount and so I find myself wading deeper into the waters of living from the inside out.

I want to distill some of the choices that went into getting here. How do each of us create (or co-create) more space in the real-world for who we really are? The real question is: are we spending time on the activities and people we care about? Are we having the conversations we care to have? Getting to this precipice took a lot of repeated practice with the steps below:

Invest in yourself – It took me a long time to think of spending money on myself as an investment. Part of it had to do with my relationship to money, but part of it also had to do with my relationship to myself. There are wonderful coaches and healers and other worthy practitioners who are willing to provide you an invaluable service. I know some of us have issues about mixing money and spirituality. Now I say, everything is an exchange and money is the way to take responsibility for what you want and to honor those who are willing to provide that service. And if you need to start with Free right now, which I did for several years, there are wonderful FREE resources out there. But having a coach to work with where I could bring out my fears, hopes and desires and bring out my small voice in a safe place was a crucial first step for me. Time, in addition to money, is another way to invest in yourself.
Make small, incremental improvements in your relationship with yourself – One of the deepest truths I learned in the last 10 years is that when you make a change in how you relate to yourself–whether that means being kinder, more patient, being respectful, more tender, more encouraging…the list goes on…then magically, you begin attracting those type of experiences to your life. Being more generous with myself, means I experienced generosity from work situations, personal relationships or even strangers. This year I am working on changing how I relate to my work –from something filled with pressure for a false sense of achievement something that still produces excellence but is more fun and light. I have learned to take more breaks, structure in time for my nutrition and well being to pay attention to the types of tasks that give me energy, versus the ones I need to let go or ask someone else to do. With each small change, I treat my authentic self with more respect so She feels more free. She trusts me more, so wants to come out more. This is an essential part of making more room for Her in the outer world.
Pay attention to healing emotional wounds – Everything is connected and our feelings are a sacred gift. Like physical pain, our emotions (especially the ones that have a way of repeatedly coming up like the story line from Ground Hog’s Day) are asking for our loving attention. Find a professional, use Byron Katie’s the Work, and make it a constant habit. Knowing we have the power to transform our old wounds into sources of our deepest lessons is very empowering, even electrifying, and provides the proverbial ‘new lease on life’.
Be flexible – When we start paying attention to the emotional and energetic experience we are looking for, we start getting in tune with the different forms that this may show up. I would never have pursued my current job on my own since I didn’t resonate with the position description itself. The opportunity came to me and I said yes because I was ready for a change. It has turned out to be one of the more satisfying professional environments I’ve been in for more than 10 years and might also prove to be the springboard for my life’s true work. So, just remember, stay flexible because our notions of what’s right for us are typically very limited by our human experience. Be open to the larger gifts in a situation.
Spend time just being – The practice here is to enjoy time with your authentic Self, just connecting even if its just 1 minute a day. Like any relationship, your true Self will trust you more if She (or He) feels this is a relationship built on genuine respect and desire. That which you pay attention to grows!

This time, I am freely surrounding myself with professionals and friends who are supporting this transformation. I am nurturing my self and finding my energy returning. This time, I can see, part of the answer is to simply let my soul take up more breathing room (through my breath) and to trust myself to such a degree that I instinctively honor my Soul’s truths, no matter how inconvenient they may be for others or myself. I am, just a tad, scared of the Reality I am consciously calling forth and that might be careening my way. But I am also exhilarated at the freedom that I sense can be mine. Bottom line, the more space there in the real world for who I really am means an easier richer life living from this place.

*****

Monisha currently lives in Fairfax, VA with her husband. She enjoys travelling, writing, gardening, cooking and the companionship of her friends, family and two young cats. She also enjoys being a woman of letters: the proud co-founder and steering visionary for the first literary festival for South Asian writing in 2000, “Raising Voices” (now SALTAF) held in Washington D.C. and a contributor to the woman’s anthology, Inspired Voices: True Stories by Visionary Women. Monisha also serves on the board for Heal My Voice with founder Andrea Hylen.

Monisha Mittal completed a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School. With an early focus on community economic development, her experience includes grass-roots organizational development in North Philadelphia, micro-loan development in rural India, and serving as a Senior Community Investment Advisor at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Since then, she has received formal facilitation and coaching training from Interaction Associates, which has again been named one of the top 20 leadership training companies by Training Industry, Inc. as well as whole brain facilitation and applied creativity training from the visionary Michelle James at the Center for Creative Emergence. For the last 15 years, Monisha has applied the principles of community organizing to develop a highly collaborative, cross-functional approach to problem solving in large organizations, one that identifies creative, high-quality solutions. Those solutions include strategic visions and plans, stronger teams, and more effective business processes. She has extensive experience working with federal agencies, as well as with non-profit and commercial organizations at senior management and executive levels.

Journaling For Health And Well-Being

By Beth Terrence

Heal My Voice Author and Board Member

Journaling or reflective writing is a practice that has been around for a long time. Whether someone is a “writer” or not, really matters little when it comes to personal writing. Journaling is simply a way to express and explore our life experiences and ourselves on a deeper level through the written word or even through art or imagery, too. It doesn’t have to be for anyone but ourselves. And, it is an exciting time as we are now seeing the scientific evidence supporting the benefit of this simple practice for our overall health and well-being.

University of Texas at Austin psychologist and researcher James Pennebaker has done extensive research on the benefits of journaling. He has found that regular journaling strengthens immune cells, called T-lymphocytes. Other research has indicated that journaling decreases the symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Pennebaker believes that writing about stressful events helps you come to terms with them, thereby reducing the impact of stressors on your physical health. He recommends writing for 20 minutes per day.

Additionally, the benefits go way beyond your physical health. Scientific evidence has discovered that the act of writing actually accesses your left brain, which is the analytical and rational part. When you begin writing, your left brain becomes engaged freeing your right brain to create, intuit and feel. So, in a sense, writing takes you out of your head and into your heart. This allows you to use all of your brainpower to better understand yourself, others and the world around you. The act of writing is helping you to access your creativity on a deeper level.

Journaling helps you to:

Clarify your thoughts and feelings.
Know yourself better.
Reduce stress.
Be healthier.
Solve problems more effectively.
Resolve disagreements with others
Practice good self-care
Access your creativity
Release and Express Held Memories & Emotions
Set Intentions

You may be saying to yourself, “But, I’m not a writer, so how can journaling work for me?” There are many ways to explore journaling and many types of practices. Writing offers an opportunity to explore who you are, what are your likes and dislikes, and your strengths and weaknesses. It is a vehicle to find your voice and explore ways you can flow more easily with life.

Here are some ways you can explore writing and journaling:

Stream Of Consciousness ~ Just put the pen on the paper and let whatever words come to mind flow onto the page
List Writing (e.g. Make a list of Feelings, Choices, Losses, Things You Enjoy, Topics for Writing, Triggers, Self-Care Toolbox, Favorites, etc.)
Gratitude – Make a list of everything you are grateful for – this can be a powerful daily practice
Affirmations & Intentions – For the day, month, year or as you feel to
Prayers/Blessings – Write for yourself, family, friends, the world…
Meditations – Pick a topic like peace, love, happiness, etc.
Poetry – Explore haiku or free verse. Write a poem or read a poem and write what it means to you.
Just For Today I will… – Write
Letter Writing (e.g. To Self, Family, Friends, Higher Power, Past/Future)
Holistic Exploration – Do A Check-In or Self-Care Review For Body, Mind, Emotion & Spirit
Morning Pages – Do three handwritten stream of consciousness pages first thing every morning (from The Artist’s Way)
Or, try Dr. Pennebaker’s Basic Writing Assignment:

Here are some books on journaling and writing to explore, too!

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
Journey Notes: Writing for Recovery & Spiritual Growth by Richard Solly & Roseann Lloyd
Writing from the Body by John Lee
Creative Journal Writing by Stephanie Dowrick
The Daily Writer by Fred White
Writing Begins with the Breath by Laraine Herring
Writing as a Sacred Path by Jill Jepson

I hope you’ll take some time to explore journaling for health and well-being. If you don’t have a journal, you may wish to browse around for a journal that feels meaningful to you. Or, just pick up a composition book or blank sketchbook and you are ready to go. If you want to, you can decorate it and use the words or images to inspire your writing. Maybe you want to make one journal dedicated to self-care or gratitude practice. Be creative, explore and enjoy!

If you have any journaling practices or tools that you’d like to share, feel free to drop us a note in the comments below. We love to hear from you – YOUR VOICE MATTERS!

Beth Terrence is a Shaman, Holistic Health & Wellness Expert, Speaker and Writer. She has been working in the field of Holistic Healing and Transformation for over 18 years. This path evolved from her own healing journey through fibromyalgia and the impact of trauma on her life. Beth found that by taking a holistic approach to life and well-being, she was able to achieve of a state of happiness and wholeness that she never imagined was possible. Her mission is to support others in cultivating a heart-centered, balanced and joyful life through discovering the healer within.

Writing has always been one of Beth’s greatest passions. Since childhood, she has written poetry and kept a journal. Participating in a Heal My Voice project opened the door to Beth stepping forward in the world as a writer. Her stories are featured in Inspired Voices: True Stories of Visionary Women and Harmonic Voices: True Stories Of Women On The Path To Peace. Beth joined the Heal My Voice board of directors in May 2013. Additionally, she is the lead facilitator and program developer for a Heal My Voice program that brings writing and creativity to women in addiction recovery at Chrysalis House in Crownsville, MD.

Beth is available for Integrative Transformational Healing Sessions & Programs by Phone/Skype or in person in Annapolis, MD. She offers a variety of classes, workshops and trainings on Holistic Healing, Transformation, Writing and Creativity in the MD/DC/VA area and virtually. Beth also writes regularly on her own blog, The Heart Of Awakening: Searching For A New Paradigm, an online resource for transformation and healing. To learn more about Beth’s Integrative Transformational Healing Services, visit http://www.bethterrence.com.

Beth’s Take A Break Summer Special Offer:

20% Off All Sessions By Phone/Skype Or In Person In Annapolis, MD Summer is a the perfect time to relax, reflect and renew. We’ve passed the Solstice so the days are beginning to get shorter once again but the Fire energy of summer is still very strong through July 22nd. The intensity of this Yang energy can take a toll on our system – it is still very expansive but a part of us is beginning to pull within. With the outward energy of summer, increased social activities and extreme heat and humidity, our systems can more easily move out of balance. It may not be uncommon to experience fatigue, headaches, and intense waves of emotions during this time. I invite you to come for a healing session to support your overall balance and ease of well-being. Take A Break ~ Relax, Reflect & Renew! Integrative Healing Sessions may include Shamanic Healing, Bach Flower Remedies, Zero Balancing, Body/Energy Therapies, Meditation, Holistic Self-Care and other holistic resources to support transformation and healing on all levels – body, mind, emotion and spirit. Learn more about Beth’s Take A Break Summer Special Offer and Integrative Transformational Healing Services in July’s Discover The Healer Within E-News…

Where To Connect With Beth:

Website: www.bethterrence.com

Blog: http://theheartofawakening.wordpress.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/bethterrence

Twitter: @BethTerrence

Contact: beth@bethterrence.com

Blogs by Heal My Voice Authors: July 6, 2014

During the month of July, we are shining a light on the Heal My Voice Authors. Every Sunday, the Heal My Voice blog will have a list of blog posts from some of the authors.

So…it’s Sunday and here it is! Check out the blogs and leave comments. We want to hear your voice, too.

YOUR VOICE MATTERS!

Authors Today wrote stories in:

Fearless Voices: True Stories by Courageous Women

Empowered Voices: True Stories by Awakened Women

In spired Voices: True Stories by Visionary Women

Harmonic Voices: True Stories by Women on the Path to Peace

Authors Today:

Enjoy!

Standing at a Gateway of Transformation?

By Liz Draman
http://www.lizdraman.com/2013/05/15/standing-at-a-gateway-of-transformation/

Spiritual Gifts: Living a Charmed Life

By Andrea Hylen

http://www.andreahylen.com/spiritual-gifts/

You BE You! I’ll Be Me!

By Karen Porter

http://www.mamaporter.com/2014/07/ill/

On My Mind: Getting Energized… and, Its Free!

By Ann Quasman

http://womantalklive.com/2014/07/03/on-my-mind-getting-energized-and-its-free/

My Journey with God

By Karen Ribeiro

www.innerfortune.com/my-journey-with-god/

Bach Flower of the Month: Sweet Chestnut~Easing Anguish and Sorrow

By Beth Terrence

http://theheartofawakening.wordpress.com/2014/07/01/bach-flower-of-the-month-sweet-chestnut-easing-anguish-sorrow/

Why Caterpillar to Butterfly is a Bad Metaphoe For Humans

By Tammy Vitale

http://tammyvitale.com/why-caterpillar-to-butterfly-is-a-bad-metaphor-for-humans/

30 Quotes To Inspire & Ignite Your Writing

By Beth Terrence

Heal My Voice Author and Board Member

One of the tools that has helped me to develop as a writer and to support others in getting their words flowing is to have a toolbox of various writing prompts. A writing prompt simply consists of an idea, word, image, phrase or set of instructions to help you jumpstart your writing. You may want to use a prompt on the days when you just can’t seem to get the words flowing or you may wish to work with writing prompts as a part of your regular writing practice.

One of my favorite type of writing prompts are quotes. When looking for inspiration, I look for a quote on a specific topic or theme, such as love, peace or leadership or I may gather as many quotes as I can on that topic and put them all together on one sheet. Later, I cut them up and put them in my idea box, post them around or save them in a ziploc baggie for future use. Sometimes when looking for a prompt for the Heal My Voice Chrysalis House weekly writing circle, I will bring a bag of quotes; participants will pick one randomly and then explore what inspiration comes from the quote for their writing that day.

I have found that as a writer, it’s essential to have a variety of tools in your toolbox. I find quotes to be a great tool for getting my ideas and words flowing. And, one of my favorite things to do is read quotes by other writers to help me gain insight into the art of writing and the experience of being a writer. Here are 30 quotes by writers to inspire and ignite your writing:

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” ~ Maya Angelou

“There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” ~ Ernest Hemingway

“And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” ~ Sylvia Plath

“You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children.” ~ Madeleine L’Engle

“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” ~ Toni Morrison

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” ~ Stephen King

“Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very;’ your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.” ~ Mark Twain

“You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write.” ~ Saul Bellow

“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” ~ Anais Nin

“You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.” ~ Ray Bradbury

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” ~ Louis L’Amour

“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” ~ Anne Frank

“A word after a word after a word is power.” ~ Margaret Atwood

“Writing is like sex. First you do it for love, then you do it for your friends, and then you do it for money.” ~ Virginia Wolf

“Tears are words that need to be written.” ~ Paulo Coehlo

“Write the kind of story you would like to read. People will give you all sorts of advice about writing, but if you are not writing something you like, no one else will like it either.” ~ Meg Cabot

“The role of a writer is not to say what we can all say, but what we are unable to say.” ~ Anais Nin

“The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.” ~ Albert Camus

“I love writing. I love the swirl and swing of words as they tangle with human emotions.” ~ James A. Michener

“Write what should not be forgotten.” ~ Isabel Allende

“I’ve got the key to my castle in the air, but whether I can unlock the door remains to be seen.” ~ Louisa May Alcott

“The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience.” ~ Emily Dickinson

“Breathe-in experience, breathe-out poetry.” ~ Muriel Rukeyser

“Instructions for living a life:
pay attention
be astonished
tell about it” ~ Mary Oliver

“Revision is not going back and fussing around, but going forward into the highly complex and satisfying process of creation” ~ Mary Sarton

“Writing is an extreme privilege but it’s also a gift. It’s a gift to yourself and it’s a gift of giving a story to someone.” ~ Amy Tan

“If you’re going to write a good book, you have to make mistakes and you have to not be so cautious all the time.” ~ Zadie Smith

It’s better to write about things you feel than about things you know about. ~ L. P. Hartley

My aim is to put down what I see and what I feel in the best and simplest way I can tell it. ~ Ernest Hemingway

“The unread story is not a story; it is little black marks on wood pulp. The reader, reading it, makes it live: a live thing, a story.” ~ Ursula K. Le Guin

I hope you’ll take some time to explore working with quotes as a writing prompt. And, if you have any favorite quotes by writers that you would like to share, please drop us a note in the comments below.

Happy Writing!

Beth’s Take A Break Summer Special Offer:

20% Off All Sessions By Phone/Skype Or In Person In Annapolis, MD

Summer is a the perfect time to relax, reflect and renew. We’ve passed the Solstice so the days are beginning to get shorter once again but the Fire energy of summer is still very strong through July 22nd. The intensity of this Yang energy can take a toll on our system – it is still very expansive but a part of us is beginning to pull within. With the outward energy of summer, increased social activities and extreme heat and humidity, our systems can more easily move out of balance. It may not be uncommon to experience fatigue, headaches, and intense waves of emotions during this time. I invite you to come for a healing session to support your overall balance and ease of well-being. Take A Break ~ Relax, Reflect & Renew!

Integrative Healing Sessions may include Shamanic Healing, Bach Flower Remedies, Zero Balancing, Body/Energy Therapies, Meditation, Holistic Self-Care and other holistic resources to support transformation and healing on all levels – body, mind, emotion and spirit.

Learn more about Beth’s Take A Break Summer Special Offer and Integrative Transformational Healing Services in July’s Discover The Healer Within E-News…

Where To Connect With Beth:

Website: www.bethterrence.com

Blog: http://theheartofawakening.wordpress.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/bethterrence

Twitter: @BethTerrence

Contact: beth@bethterrence.com

An Empowered Voice Knows

An Empowered Voice knows when to Listen.

An Empowered Voice knows when to Speak.

An Empowered Voice knows when to stand on the mountaintop and shout.

~ Andrea Hylen, Founder of Heal My Voice

Introduction to the Book:

Empowered Voices: True Stories by Awakened Women

By Andrea Hylen, Founder of Heal My Voice

In the Spring of 2012, I was immersed in supporting and creating a safe space for the twenty-three authors of the powerful stories in this second, “Heal My Voice” book publication. One vulnerable word at a time, these successful women were reclaiming hidden aspects of their own personal power: writing to heal a story in their lives.

As I settled into my living room to fold laundry one cozy evening, I came upon a replay of an Alfred Hitchcock movie. All in black and white, the camera slowly zoomed in to focus on a husband cooking breakfast for his wife. They lived in a camping trailer and you could see the wife sleeping in the bed next to the kitchen. As the camera followed the husband carrying a tray of eggs, toast and coffee towards the bed, the wife began to yawn with cooing sounds of love and recognition and a soft “good morning,” stretch. He leaned down, carefully balancing the tray and kissing her on the cheek. Nuzzling her with his lips, cheek to cheek, he snuggled up to her ear, whispering softly, “Hey Worthless.”
When I heard those two little words, I froze instantly, with an unfolded bath towel in my hands, standing stock still in disbelief.

What? WHA-WHAT? “Hey WORTHLESS?”

Those words had been offered as a term of endearment and a declaration of love. If I wasn’t so keenly aware of the power of words, I might have missed those two, slippery units of language wedged between the kisses and breakfast food. It was subtle. “Hey Worthless” was spoken with the energy of love, affection, a smile, a soft touch, a stroke of the hair and was accompanied by a tray full of nourishment.

It may seem like I am making a big deal about such a small phrase but the “Hey Worthless” message exploded in my ears like a trumpet blast. While we could debate the genius of Hitchcock and his cleverly disguised insult, the blasting in my ears created a frozen state in my body. This was one of the ways women had been programmed to think they were worthless, less than, not enough or wrong. This is how their voices were shut down. It began with one slippery, biting word at a time; demeaning, dishonoring, invalidating abuse intermixed with food, shelter, belonging, and “love.” From men, from women, from the media and more…

Growing up, we received subtle messages from loved ones and strangers: hey clumsy, she’s such a slob; don’t beat the boys at that game because they won’t like you. You’re too much, too loud, too intense… lighten up, have a sense of humor, get over it, don’t be so serious, go along with the crowd. And underneath the subtle words that were chipping away at our spirit and confidence, many of us had our innocence violated both physically and emotionally with physical and verbal abuse. We were told that we had caused it and deserved it!

It is no wonder that our voices were shut down and that we stopped speaking up for what we really believed in.

NO MORE!

Women have something to say. It is time. We are visible and we are creating a wave of voices!

*****

The authors in this book are a group of powerful women leaders who are passionate about leading, serving and making a difference in the world. Kerri in Australia, Marie in Sweden, Yana in Germany, Fiona in western Canada, Karen in Baltimore, Charlene in Chicago, Lynn in Colorado, Brenda in Oregon. In total, twenty-three women who live all over the United States and Canada and around the world.

These twenty-three women initially met through a coaching program including both men and women, and thus were accustomed to “listening” to one another, practicing the artful trade of supporting and empowering others.

Then, we shifted into a new sacred space. For many of us, the process of writing these stories helped us shed a layer of protection that was so worn, it felt like skin. We began to see each other and ourselves more clearly in the journey of writing our stories, building trust and hearing the wisdom that translates from one person’s experience to another.

In many of the stories, women wrote about the ways they had been diminished in religion, families, relationships, school, work and the world. Their confidence, feelings of worthiness, personal power, and open-eyed wonder had been chipped away and doused with someone else’s fear, manipulation and control. We had turned down the switch to our bright shining lights, to stay safe and hide our power to preserve and protect our hearts.

Sharing our stories with you is the next step in moving so far beyond the insidious “Hey Worthless” that it will hopefully become a notch of completion on our belts. We are carrying our wisdom and strength with us while we leave the rest of the garbage behind.

****

Here is the Truth:

You are amazing. You are beautiful. You are wonderful. Leave the old voices behind as you walk out the door. Do not look back as you enter this book. Let your intuition guide you to the stories with the exact message you need to hear right now, empowering you even more to reclaim your brilliance.

*****

To connect with Andrea and learn about current projects go to: www.andreahylen.com

Writing as a Daily Practice

By Kathleen Nelson Troyer

Heal My Voice Author and Board Member

I have been wanting to establish a daily writing practice for myself for a long time. A few weeks ago I decided that it was time to listen to and act on this desire. I set a goal for myself to write for a minimum of 15 minutes every day without any judgment or editing.

I haven’t missed a day yet. I find myself looking forward to my writing time every day. Most days, I take some time to meditate before I start writing. I find that it helps me to be grounded, connected, and present before writing. Sometimes the writing topic gets decided during the meditation.

I’m feeling good about this new daily writing practice. There are days when I sit down and the words flow freely and before I know it an hour has passed. And there are days where it feels challenging to complete 15 minutes. This writing is for my eyes only, so I don’t feel the need to edit myself. In fact, the less I edit myself, the more freely the writing seems to flow. Almost every day has had some form of automatic writing. The wisdom that has come through has felt playful, expansive and surprisingly nourishing. It is like my soul is speaking to me through my writing. How cool is that??

Since I can write about anything, I am finding myself writing about all sorts of things. Some days I write questions for myself, take a few breaths and then write the answers to the questions. One day I wrote an outline for the book I am writing this year. And several days I have added items to my to-do list after the writing period was done. Most days, my soul reminds me that I am guided, guarded and protected at all times. That is always a welcome reminder…:)

I am a big believer in doing something every day that brings you closer to your desires, goals and dreams. Developing this daily practice of writing supports my goals and helps me to stay connected to my inner wisdom, which by the way is one of my core desired feelings.

I want to invite you to join me in developing a daily practice for yourself. It may be writing or it may be something else that you desire, but haven’t carved out the time and made the comittment to yourself. There is something magical about being so committed to something that you carve out time every day for it.

How often do you write? Do you write daily? Do you have any rituals that you do to establish a writing space for yourself? Any tips for aspiring writers?

Please feel free to share any questions, answers or thoughts in the comments section below.

Here’s to developing a daily practice of your own!

Kat

Kathleen Nelson Troyer is the founder of Gently Moving Forward and CEO of Jigsaw Staffing Solutions Inc. She works with organizations and individuals as a human resources consultant, trainer, career coach and mentor. She is passionate about facilitating aligned connections between people and organizations. Kat coaches her clients to become more congruent in their work and personal lives.

Kat has been studying human potential, psychology and transformation for the past 25 years. She holds master level certifications in coaching, NLP, and Ericksonian Hypnosis. She has an expansive toolkit of holographic, mindset, and healing modalities. Kat believes in the power of forgiveness, love and gratitude to create massive positive shifts in our lives.

She leads intensive individual and group retreats and facilitates family and systemic constellations. Kat lives in a seaside cottage with a magical garden about 25 miles south of San Francisco near Half Moon Bay, California with her fabulous husband John, their dog and three cats.

Kat has participated as an author in three Heal My Voice book circles: Empowered Voices, Harmonic Voices and Voices of Feminine Leadership. She wrote the blessing for Voices of Love. Her experience with Heal My Voice has helped her to step into greater leadership in her business and her life. So much so that she joined our board.

Kat’s upcoming events:

Join Kat for her 4 week tele-class Gently Moving Forward from Clutter to Clarity this coming September. Tell her that Heal My Voice sent you and receive a free extra coaching session to support you during the program.

Journey Into Being Retreat November 2nd through 5th.

Join Kat and and Empowered Voices Author Coach Elizabeth Love in the Outer Banks of North Carolina as we retreat, vision and align with our ability to powerfully move forward and claim the life we desire. We will explore the natural beauty of Crystal Coast and call on our higher selves to bring aligned clarity into our lives. Expect deep connection, laughter and profound growth, in a loving and safe environment. Space is filling up quickly. Reserve your spot now! It is going to be amazing!

http://gentlymovingforward.net/journey-into-being-retreat/

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Twitter: @dailykat

Contact: kat@gentlymovingforward.net

7 Ways to Jumpstart Your Writing This Summer

By Beth Terrence

Heal My Voice Author and former Board Member

Anyone who writes knows that there are times that the worlds flow like waterfalls and times when we find ourselves in the desert hoping to find that next oasis.

Not sure what to write about or how to get the words flowing? Here are 7 Ways To Jumpstart Your Writing This Summer:

Read ~ You need to read to write.

As Stephen King says so eloquently, “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” Summer’s a great time to read more – books, blog posts, poetry, magazines, the Sunday paper, etc. As you read, see what pops out at you, what inspires you and what types of writing you might like to explore. Make notes when ideas come to you for your own writing.

Also, you might want to add a book on writing to your summer reading list. Why not explore Stephen King’s On Writing – A Memoir Of The Craft or Natalie Goldberg’s latest book The True Secret Of Writing.

Create a new journal for your writing.

Having a space to write that you are connected to really helps to get the words flowing. I know nowadays many folks like to type rather than write by hand, but there is a flow that can happen when we create our own sacred writing space. All you need is a new composition book or blank sketch book. Get some magazines and cut out images or words that inspire you. Grab a glue stick and design the cover of the journal and the inside pages, too, as inspiration and writing prompts. Here’s the cover of my recent journal to inspire you!

Make an Idea Box for your writing

Write all of your ideas – for books, articles, blog posts or just phrases on separate pieces of paper. Place them in your idea box and add more as they come. When you are ready to write, just pick one at random or if you feel to lay them all out on the floor and see what bubbles up that day. Start writing! You may wish to review your ideas periodically to see if there are some that go together or certain themes arising.

Start your day doing the “Morning Pages”.

This practice comes from Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way – she calls them “a bedrock tool for creative recovery”. Morning pages entail writing three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind – and they are for you only. Morning Pages are meant to “provoke, clarify, comfort, cajole, prioritize and synchronize” the day at hand. The instruction is to not over-think Morning Pages – simply put three pages of anything on the page, then do three more pages tomorrow. Later you may want to go back and highlight or note anything you want to add to your journal or idea box.

Start a blog or recommit to one you’ve already started.

If you haven’t started a blog yet, what’s stopping you? Summer may be the perfect time. Blogging is a great way to share your words and inspiration with the world. It’s also a great way to connect with other writers through the blogosphere and social media. There are lots of free, easy to use platforms to start your blog such as WordPress.com or Blogger.

Do you have a blog but seem to have forgotten about it? Maybe it’s time to recommit to your blog and your writing. Take some time to review, consider what changes you wish to make or what you would like your focus to be going forward. Is there a post you have written that has a second part or follow up piece? Maybe there is a series to develop or weekly post to keep the juices flowing. Also, consider joining a Blogging Challenge to connect with other bloggers for inspiration.

List Writing.

This is a practice I use in some of my writing circles to get the words flowing as well as to explore a theme. Sometimes people feel too stuck to go straight to stream of consciousness style writing like the Morning Pages, but making a list is something we can all do. We do it everyday with our To Do Lists – so why not take a skill we’re well versed in and use it to stimulate our writing.

There are two ways to do this – one is to just do a download of all the words that come into your mind at any moment; the other is to pick a theme word such as “feelings” or even a specific feeling like “fear”, which may have come from the first list. Later, it can be easy to turn a word list into poem – here is one example by poet Ray Hansell,

Fear
Fear of conflict, fear of change
Fear that our lives
Will always stay the same

Fear of sickness
Fear of the dark
Fear in the heart
That we lost that spark

Fear of the unknown
Fear of something new
Fear is alive and well
Fear lives inside of you

Fear of being alone
Fear of suffering pain
Fear of not knowing
How to play life’s game

Fear of the future
For what it may hold
The fear inside some people
Knowing they will grow old

Fear of helplessness
When things are going wrong
Fear because you know
You’re not really that strong

The fear of never knowing
The fear of facing death
The fear of not knowing when
You’ll take your final breath

Go out into nature and write.

Summer is a great time to connect with the energy of nature. Everything is growing and there is a sense of abundance. Also, if we consider the element of the season in Chinese Medicine – it’s Fire, which is the spark of creativity. Allowing our creativity to be expressed actually supports our overall sense of balance and well-being during the summer season. So get outside – walk in the woods, lay on the beach, sit in your garden and notice what you see, feel, hear, smell and observe. Wherever you go – bring your journal with you and see what words connecting with nature brings to you.

*****

Beth Terrence is a Shaman, Holistic Health & Wellness Expert, Speaker and Writer. She is one of the HMV authors featured in Inspired Voices: True Stories of Visionary Women and Harmonic Voices: True Stories Of Women On The Path To Peace. Additionally, Beth is the facilitator and program developer for a Heal My Voice program that brings writing and creativity to women in addiction recovery at Chrysalis House in Crownsville, MD. She writes regularly on her own blog, The Heart Of Awakening: Searching For A New Paradigm, an online resource for transformation and healing. Beth is available for Integrative Transformational Healing Sessions by Phone/Skype or in person in Annapolis, MD as well as classes, workshops and trainings on Holistic Healing, Transformation, Writing and Creativity. To learn more, visit http://www.bethterrence.com

Storytelling: Women Healing and Inspiring Each Other

Your Voice Matters.

On an altar sits a sacred jar with the stories and voices of women. It is the foundation of the intention and mission of Heal My Voice. To empower and support women and girls globally to heal, reclaim their voice and step into greater leadership in their lives and in the world.

In the Heal My Voice book circles, women write a personal story to explore and find a deeper understanding about something that happened in their lives. In the writing, they heal. In reading their stories out loud others are witnessed as they reclaim their personal power. Connected in a process that takes nine months, women write, speak on Blogtalk Radio and expand their visibility on social media.

Vulnerable. Powerful. Healing. Real. Inspiring.

From Alice Walker, a Pulitzer-Prize winning novelist:

“Storytelling, you know, has a real function. The process of the storytelling is itself a healing process, partly because you have someone there who is taking the time to tell you a story that has great meaning to them. They’re taking the time to do this because your life could use some help, but they don’t want to come over and just give advice. They want to give it to you in a form that becomes inseparable from your whole self. That’s what stories do. Stories differ from advice in that, once you get them, they become a fabric of your whole soul. That is why they heal you.”

So, join us this month! Read. Write. Be Inspired. Heal.

To read the stories of women in Heal My Voice go to Amazon:

Books in paperback and Kindle form