Anam Nostos House Blog

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It’s BOOK RELEASE DAY!!! I’m so excited for this beautiful labor of love and journey is finally in the world! I hope you all check it out! I’ll have an official release at Dragonfly Book Bar in July!

Calling

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself, ‘What is My Calling?’

How often have we really thought about what we are called to do in this one life we have been blessed with each day when we wake up in the morning, rather than what we are doing day to day to pay the bills?

Ask yourself what brings you passion at the beginning of each day?

I was introduced to this idea in my early 20’s when I discerned a call to religious life to become a Catholic nun. I had always known I was called to be a ‘helper’ as I worked with Youth in Crisis as well as Youth Prison Ministry. At the same time, I was walking with mentors and spiritual advisors who challenged me to take the Called & Gifted workshop from the Catherine of Sienna Institute, which in turn broadened my spiritual life and calling more than I could have dreamed at the time! It brought clarity to the process I had not been able to do prior. While life took many different turns since that moment, I treasure the spiritual gifts I uncovered and live them fully. I weaved these first calls into my life today and never regret a moment.

Do you ask yourself the question of calling regularly?

I believe we come back to it regularly. We have one life. We are not guaranteed tomorrow.

Don’t you want to be living the one thing that brings you passion and life?

While life has offered me significant challenges along the way, as it does with each of us, I would not change a single path I have walked. But I do check in with myself often that I am living the life that mirrors my call. I have had incredible opportunities to live out my gifts, and I look forward to watching them unfold in diverse ways as I continue to walk through different calls and opportunities. Every day, I listen closely and uncover new paths.
I challenge you here to ask the challenging questions for your own journey. Take the time alone, on retreat, a walk to really stop and reflect on your calling.

Go beyond your fear!

Are you living your true passion?

Life is too short to just walk aimlessly and sluggishly through, not honoring the gift of life you have received. 

What calls you?

Coming up on my new BOOK RELEASE I am spotlighting my previous books! Talk a walk into a favorite book of spiritual reflections for daily living.

How do you hold memories?

This morning, I was in my kitchen flowing through my routine without much thought when I hit a pause. My frig is filled with quotes, photos, and memories. I know they are there, but daily they get lost in the busy routine forgetting to look up.

But, lately, I have been reflecting more on holding memories. As a single mom, I have one in college and one entering senior year. So much has changed within these latter years. Traditions play out differently with college breaks and working young adults. I have learned to adapt in creating new traditions and celebrating the lives that are thriving in young adulthood.

Though I still hold my memories sacred and find gratitude. These three jars once sat on our dining table, where daily at mealtime we would take turns picking from each one.

Question Jar; pick a random question to answer.
Tell Me A Story; pick a topic and tell the story about one of our memories.
Affirmations: pick and receive an affirmation. 

This would allow us to remember and share about our stories, our memories and offer a needed peace at the end of the day. It was my most favorite time. I can't even remember when it came to an end. That is the theme of our traditions, and it is ok. For, I am holding these memories always as we create new ones.

Life is a journey to savor daily. It is so easy to run from change and growth, but when we take the risk to embrace each day as a gift, we walk away living our lives fully.

My life started when I found my voice in recovery.
My life started when I turned away from an abusive relationship and owned my voice.

My life thrives when I come back again to the truth in my voice.

I have reached an age where I will not apologize for who I am.
I have reached an age where I will not apologize for what I know to be true, even when those who need to can't hear that truth.

I have reached an age where I trust my voice fully and without apology.

Life is short.
Each day is so precious.
Every road that is calling you, is calling you to be fully alive in your voice, in your story.

Your voice is worthy of being heard.
Your voice is worthy of being loud when you need it to be.

Your voice is your story.

​Let me hear your voice!

How often do you hit a failure on your journey and immediately get stuck in the negative downward spiral?

It's easier to beat ourselves up than to possibly consider the positive in the negative. You read that correctly; a positive in the negative. 

I am one of those people who believes wholeheartedly that everything happens for a reason. What if you were to pause and consider for a moment that a failure is an open pathway to a new beginning?

Every day is a new beginning. You have the power to choose what path to walk. Start looking at what isn't working as a sign to do something else.

While I was working at my desk this past week on many different projects I am juggling, I tend to reach for my favorite pick me ups, DOVE mini dark chocolates. If you know, they have little messages inside. On this day, the same message came to me three separate times that I couldn't just ignore it. I have been really wrestling with something as of late and this just shouted back to me; three separate times. I can't ignore it. So, now it has me reflecting on and considering the bigger picture to life.

What have been the signs on your journey?
Do you ignore them?
How have you taken them to heart?
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​As I have been finishing my book for publishing this month, this quote really resonated with me. I have lived so much of my life thinking it was going to be a particular year, age, or time that life would come together. Most recently with one child in college and one entering senior year as a single mom for those decades, I began to make lists of things I wanted for myself.

Again, always practicing what I preach, I called myself out. Why wait? Who is to say that the story has to pause until all the pieces are in place? Really, the pieces are never exact or perfect.

The story is always being written.

It is important to remember to live each moment, each day as if it could be your last. Don't wait for the 'right' moment, the 'right' moment is now. Share stories, share the light, share the darkness, and share the joy.
The stories are the source of life and the core of what your journey is about when lived fully.

Live your story today.

Love is the most powerful energy in existence.

It is often misunderstood.

Love is in journey.
Love is in grief.
Love is in relationship.

I believe it is often most over looked when it comes to ourselves. Reasonably, we find it difficult to stop and get in touch with oneself on a regular basis. It takes work and it’s scary. One may just find out they aren’t living honestly as they go deeper within their own story. They will inevitably be forced to walk in a different direction.

First, you must be your own best friend, your first child, your first priority.

As they say in the airlines in the safety directions, you must put your oxygen mask on before assisting your child.
If we don’t question and follow our own journey, how can we take care of anyone else, teach anyone else or simply believe in anything else?

Start at home with your body. How well do you nurture your body, spirit and soul with food, books, passions and expressing your sincere emotions regularly? How you do handle your healing energies?

How well do you truly love yourself?

If you can't fall in love with yourself first, you can't see true love in any other aspect of life. The answers will not come quickly, they will not come easily, and they are likely to be another journey to walk. But truth be told, if you don’t start at home within yourself, you will never be able take on what the world is trying to offer you.

There are many gifts to be found in loving you. 

I dare you. Fall madly in love with yourself today!

We have TWO amazing offerings this summer and fall that complement each other in a divine presence to guide you into living authentically; come to one or come to both, each offering unique gifts for you!
When I gather women together in a safe space designed to cultivate authenticity and compassion, what follows is an honest awareness of one's journey. Magical blessings unfold in conversation and community, while it becomes a space of awakening and true self-expression.

Are you ready to own your journey and bring a new passion and enlightenment in each step forward of your personal story?

Our goal is to offer resilience, improve well-being, and allow for growth, acceptance, and a more fulfilling life experience on the journey.

I believe there is grace in presence.
I believe there is beauty in acceptance,
I believe there is personal strength in empowerment.
I believe that we are the authors of our own story.

What will you receive?
Guided Candlelight Meditations
Sound Healing
Reflective Writing and Introspection
Safe Women’s Circle and Non-Judgmental Shared Dialogue
Intuitive Movement & Embodied Yoga & Reiki
Ceremony & Releasing Ritual
Time for Rest & Renew in Beautiful Nature
Community Group Art
Mindful Catered Lunch
And so much more!

Save your spot early, space is limited! Payment plans are available.
Reach out for more info:

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These photos were taken over 20 years ago in San Francisco at the Pier. I set up around 100 scales all over the sidewalk to sign affirmations. You had to walk through, people thought I was crazy. The teen volunteers were amazing and by the days end we were on the news! Why? It was/IS International NO DIET DAY! Every 52min someone dies of an Eating Disorder or from dieting. I know many, sadly, but was blessed to come out on the other side. Please reconsider how you talk to your body, treat your body and MIRROR your thoughts and emotions to others about your body. Words and actions matter. Your body only ever carried you through this life, try loving it in THIS moment, not an unrealistic one defined by a number or shape. IMAGINE where these young women are today after this experience!!!

Silence is a gift.

It is that simple.

When you practice silence, a calm comes over you to bring balance, regulating your nervous system. It may be one of the most difficult acts for some people, and for others it comes naturally. But, the question is, do you practice it?

On my retreat weekends we begin and end the days in silence. I could see immediately how some are incredibly challenged by this request. Questioning and reasoning is at the forefront before they will consider the practice. I can pick out the folks who immediately turn to a whisper, while I have to point out complete silence.  There are moments of humor, there are moments of fear, but by the end of weekend, it is the most popular comment is about how it surprised them. The conversation unfolds with the gifts they had learned in the challenge and how in fact it did allow them to find balance and inner calm changing how they approached their day.

Start small. Begin your mornings instead of reaching for your phone, rather being mindful as you make your coffee or tea. Listen to the noises around you. Take in the peace in your morning surroundings before the computer gets turned on and the phone starts ringing. When evening comes, pull out a journal, read a book, or simply find a breathing meditative mantra as you lay in bed.

When you protect your inner peace, your outer calm will bring the blessings you never expected.

So, I challenged you to come back to yourself. Now, when we go deeper into this thought process, you may want to ask if you are living in alignment with who you truly are? I think it is easy to find ourselves in a position of walking in many different directions or beliefs to please others. We are worried about how others will see or judge us, rather than living what is true for ourselves. But what we forget is that the only one it should to matter to is you. At the end of the day, at the end of your life you are left with yourself. The question may be, 'did I live a full and good life?' But I would challenge you further to ask if you were kind, loving and at peace? Did you give back to those in need? Did you express gratitude when it was important? That is how you become true to you. You are the only one that can determine that outcome.