Blog – Dr. Danielle Clark

Break the chains of judgement

As an empath and psychic medium, I’m naturally a sensitive person. And you know what? It seems like my sensitivity keeps getting stronger as I get older. So, I’ve had to make some changes to take of myself.

One big change I’ve cut out is alcohol – I need a solid 48 hours to recover from it. Talk about time wasted! When it comes to caffeine, I’ve learned that I can only handle one cup of tea in the morning. If I have it later or go over my limit, I end up with the shakes and a foggy mind. No fun at all!

I’ve also realized that sticking to a strict sleep schedule of 7-8 hours is crucial for me. Bed time is around 10pm and I wake up around 6ish. That’s the only way I can wake up feeling refreshed and relaxed, which is critical for the work I do. I have definitely refined my routine.

Although I do what I can to keep myself running at an optimal level, sometimes external factors break my routine – like my husband Ron leaving for work at 4am.

Ron does what he can to be super quiet in the morning, and I love him for that. He gets ready in the spare bathroom; he turns on as few lights as possible. But at least a few times a month, he will drop a spoon in the sink, or trigger our yellow lab Charlie to bark, or not turn off his alarm quick enough.

Once I’m up, it’s better for my brain to stay up instead of going back to sleep. It used to be that when I woke up, I’d throw a huge temper tantrum, either venting to Ron through text or just stewing in my own head. I’d stay in bed for hours feeling unproductive and grumpy.

“I’m so pissed I’m awake…”

“Today is ruined before it even started…”

“My work is going to suffer because I’ll be exhausted…”

I wasted so much time and energy on rumination and anger. And guess what? My days really did turn out crappy, and my projects suffered as a result. I manifested my own misery.

But about two months ago, when Ron accidentally woke me up yet again (this time dropping his keys on the tile floor), I made a promise to myself that I needed to change my approach. Instead of throwing a fit, I fought the urge and decided to pray: I trust that if I’m awake, there’s a reason for it.

I waited to hear the garage door shut, then grabbed the book sitting on my bedside table and started reading. After cruising through a couple chapters, I noticed the sun’s orange glow peeking through my shades, so I moved out of bed, brewed a nice cup of tea and got a head start on my work. I actually enjoyed my morning and found I could appreciate the time to myself before the day became hectic. Compared to a mental state of griping, I had a clear mind, a full heart and good energy. Plus I got so much done!

The point is, sometimes our minds don’t always know what’s best for us. So why waste time judging the outcome of an inconvenience when we can control our perspective? When we surrender and trust that everything is perfect just as it is, well, everything really does turn out perfect!

Sincerely,
Dr. Danielle Clark | Psychic Medium
drdanielleclark.com

PS – Here’s an affirmation to use when you’re feeling rattled over a perceived disturbance, ‘I embrace life’s unpredictability for my own peace and fulfillment.’

PPS – Do you want to gain insight into shifting your negativity when something unexpected happens? If so, Grab your pen and journal. Reflect on a recent experience where external factors disrupted your routine or plans. How did you initially react, and how could you have responded with more grace and acceptance? Delve into the emotions you would have liked to experience instead. Imagine responding with patience, flexibility, and gratitude. What micro-changes (like in my case reading a book and praying) could you make to your thoughts and behaviors next time to feel these emotions?

Follow the breadcrumbs

Last month, I had a work event at my college where I was invited to have lunch with some local stakeholders.

Although I like networking and supporting my college, I wasn’t feeling too excited about it. It was on a Friday and a 40-minute drive from my home, plus I didn’t know anyone else attending.

I decided to check in with my intuition and asked if I should go. It gave me a strong unwavering ‘YES’, so I decided to trust it and headed to the event.

The lunch was good, with yummy food – salmon with an orange glaze and rice pilaf – and the people at my table were very nice. But these things didn’t quite match with the enthusiastic ‘YES’ my intuition had given me. Picking at the last bit of salmon on my plate I started to wonder, Why am I here?

About 20 minutes later, the college president spoke on institution updates and showed photos of our state-of-the-art, award-winning pickleball courts. She informed the room that our college offered lessons. I paused, the last piece of salmon falling off the tip of my fork. The hairs on my arms stood up and I felt little tingles all over my body. This is why I’m here! I knew very little about pickleball and had never played it but my reaction to the announcement told me I was meant to pursue it.

I rushed home and scheduled pickleball lessons with Chris, the manager of the sport complex. I had my first lesson a couple weeks ago, and I’ve been playing a few times a week ever since. I feel more alive (and sore!) than I have in years. Learning the rules, improving my backswing, and tapping into the competitor in me has brought a much-needed element of play and focus into to my life.

Sometimes, we don’t know why we’re somewhere. That’s okay – honor your intuition and stay anyway. Make sure to keep your eyes open for the breadcrumbs (or in my case the pickleballs). You never know where it might lead you, so stay curious!

Sincerely,
Dr. Danielle Clark | Psychic Medium
drdanielleclark.com

PS – Here’s an affirmation to use to strengthen the connection between you and your intuition, ‘I listen to my intuition and follow it with courage and faith, knowing it will always guide me towards my highest good.’

PPS – Experiencing life fully with enthusiasm reduces stress and gives our life more purpose and fun. When was the last time you felt truly alive and energized? Grab your pen and journal. What were you doing or experiencing? How can you incorporate more of these activities or moments into your daily life to feel more fulfilled and present?

The power of perception

I have two clients named Anna Z. Can you believe it? How lucky am I? They’re both amazing women with unique stories, and I feel privileged to be a part of their journeys.

The other day I had an Anna Z scheduling mishap that left me feeling embarrassed and flustered. Let me tell you the story.

It all started when I had to reschedule a session with Anna #1. I quickly fired off a text to let her know and went about my day. Later that afternoon, my phone buzzed with a reply from Anna Z #2. Assuming it was Anna #1, I quickly responded with some follow-up questions. However, as the conversation went on, I started to get a nagging feeling that something was off.

Anna #2 on her third or fourth message told me she was confused. That’s when I finally realized I had been texting Anna #2 instead of Anna #1. My heart sank. I was mortified, especially since I had already had a separate scheduling snafu with Anna #2 a few months prior. Important side note here: I am not typically as disorganized as I sound. Promise.

As I sat there, feeling embarrassed and frustrated, something shifted. A little voice inside me said, “Danielle, what if this wasn’t an accident? What if Anna #2 needed to hear from you?” At first, I brushed off the thought as wishful thinking, but then I realized that it could be true.

I texted back, “I am so sorry for the confusion,” and explained my mistake.

Her response? “Well your ‘error’ worked out. I had been thinking about booking another appointment but was putting it off. This was the sign and nudge I needed!”

I couldn’t help but laugh. How many times had this happened where my perceived mistake had led to something wonderful?

This was such a good reminder that I wanted to send it to you: Things happen in perfect timing, and mistakes are only in the eye of the beholder. So, the next time you find yourself in a similar situation, take a step back, and ask yourself, “What if this wasn’t a mistake? What if this was exactly what needed to happen?” You might be surprised at what unfolds.

Sincerely,

Dr. Danielle Clark | Psychic Medium
drdanielleclark.com

PS – Here’s an affirmation to use when you’re worrying about making a mistake, “I embrace the unexpected and have faith that everything is working out for my highest good.”

The stories in our bodies

There’s a saying that I 100% agree with. “The issues are in our tissues.”

This means our emotional, mental and spiritual ailments connect to our body. Simply put, if you’re experiencing something in the body, chances are, there is a deeper meaning for what is happening. If you can pinpoint the root cause, you can work to heal your whole self – mind, body and soul – so full and lasting healing takes place.

For example, I get headaches from time to time. There are moments I know exactly where they come from: I jump into my hot car without rolling down the windows and letting the AC do its thing… I have too much sugar… I have too much caffeine…

On the surface, there doesn’t seem to be a big story there, but if I look at the deeper meaning behind my headaches, it can get boiled down to a lack of patience (I know better than to hop into a car that’s been boiling in the sun) and a lack of self-discipline (I know my sugar and caffeine limits).

Other times I get headaches, there’s not an obvious reason, but when I slow down and reflect, it’s usually my soul’s way of saying, “You’ve been in your head too much… You’ve been overthinking, overworking or both… You need a time out.” When I regularly rest and do something creative, I notice my headaches become less and less frequent.

Here’s another example. I have uneven hips, sciatica and other problems that predominantly show up on the right-side of my body. An injury to my pinky toe when I was a little girl caused me to walk funny and I sit too much (I’m not proud of this one, but I am honest). I’ve had to ask myself, “What are my tissues telling me?”

When I am good about regularly attending yoga, going for walks and eating well, I notice less pain. But here is something interesting: holistically, the left-side of our body represents our feminine energy and the right-side represents our masculine energy. I notice that when I am in my masculine energy too much – spending time being structured, assertive and taking charge – I have more pain than when I am balanced in my masculine and feminine energy; the feminine side being creative and nurturing.

I encourage you to consider the concept of the stories in our bodies and see what insights about yourself you can identify. To assist you, here are a few more body and soul connections:

Is your throat sore or scratchy a lot? It could be pollen and/or it could be your throat telling you that you need to speak your truth more.
Do you have knots in your shoulders? Are they sore? Sure, it could be because of all the computer work you do, but perhaps it could also be your body’s way of telling you that you are carrying many burdens and the weight of the world on you.
In general, are your muscles stiff and tight? It could be that you’re getting older or perhaps it’s your body’s way of saying it wants you to loosen up a bit more – to laugh, to have fun and be open to new experiences.

Sincerely,

Dr. Danielle Clark | Psychic Medium
drdanielleclark.com

PS – Here’s an affirmation to strengthen your connection with your body, ‘My body is a vessel of love and information. I am always connected to its wisdom.’

PPS – Showing our body gratitude can help it heal. Grab your pen and journal. Write your body a love letter. Take the time to thank it for all that it has offered you. For example, did your body allow you to give birth, complete a 5k or heal from an illness or ailment? What parts of your body are you most grateful for? Your dad’s coffee-brown eyes? Your grandmother’s strong calves? How has your body matured over the years? What parts are you most proud of watching change? What parts have stayed the same? Once you’ve written the love letter to your vessel of love and information, try reading it aloud. Turn your thoughts into spoken words and feel the positive energy surround you.

Never assume…Get curious instead

Sometimes, my hero complex switches on and suddenly I’m in ‘rescuer mode’ trying to ‘save’ someone or ‘fix’ a situation. This heroism takes on many forms…

Recently, my husband Ron came home upset about something that happened at work. After Ron gave me the details, I jumped into a motivational speech of sorts about how he could have handled the situation differently and how he could do it better next time (I’m sure you know where this is going). When I came up for air thirty minutes later, I could see Ron was more distraught than when he got home. I asked Ron what was wrong and he expressed he didn’t need a lecture – all he needed in that moment was an ear. Not my best “donned my cape and answered the call” moment.

Here’s another example:

A few weeks ago while walking around Dunedin, I noticed my son was chatting with a stranger about 15 feet from me. Looking like he felt trapped in the conversation, I interrupted several times, yelling, ‘Come on Aaron, we have to go.’ When my son finally walked over to me, he was annoyed and told me he was having a great chat – the stranger had seen his wrestling shirt and was talking to him about his own wrestling days.

In both of these situations, I had good intentions. I love my boys fiercely and always want what’s best for them – the problem is, I assumed I knew what was best for them instead of getting curious and believing they knew what was best.

Thinking back to both situations, I picture my good intentions landing differently had I not made presumptions and asked a few questions.

Hey babe. It sounds like your day hit you like a ton of bricks…What do you need from me? How can I best support you?

Hi Aaron. Hi Stranger, it’s nice to meet you. What are you guys talking about?

Self-reflection taught me this: I need to recognize where I can soften, where I need to let go a little bit more, and where I need to trust my boys more. However, I’m not judging myself for my actions either. Jumping into “hero mode” is one way I cope with the chaos of my life and the uncontrollables of our world right now.

And so, I’ll continue to Reflect. Let go. Get curious. Shift. Repeat. All while remembering that when I sense a bat signal shining in the sky, to consider my plan before jumping in.

I’m curious. When have you jumped in to save the day – when the day didn’t need saving? Where in your life can you Reflect? Let go? Get curious? Shift? Repeat? I’d love to hear from you. Reply to this email if it calls to you.

Sincerely,

Dr. Danielle Clark | Psychic Medium
drdanielleclark.com

PS – Here’s an affirmation to help you calm the hero complex within you: ‘I trade judgment for curiosity.’

3 ways to stop self-sabotaging

Procrastinating.

Avoiding.

Using a tone that’s not from our best self, then spending the day feeling guilty about it (I know this one well from my personal experiences. I’m sorry, babe.)

Binging food, medication, alcohol or other… Or trying to be so perfect, we get lost in the minor details and never move onto the next project.

Sound familiar?

This is self-sabotage.

Self-sabotage is when we consciously or unconsciously get in our own way regarding our goals, well-being and overall higher good. The external world didn’t muck up plans, but rather our own internal world did, we did.

We self-sabotage for various reasons: low self-esteem, fear, bad habits, familiarity, and a need to be in control – just to name a few.

Simply put, self-sabotage sucks, but you already know that. My goal is to help you find ways to stop the vicious cycle.

While I can’t claim to no longer fall trap to self-sabotage, I can proudly report I’ve stopped many self-sabotage cycles in my life and I’ve helped hundreds of others do the same. Here’s what I’ve seen work.

Get honest with yourself

This one is hard, painful and scary but so worth it. Your self-sabotage is coming from YOU and before you make a plan forward, you need to acknowledge this. Start by taking a moment for yourself, going inward and reflecting. Then fill in the blanks:

I’m responsible for my words, thoughts and behaviors. I recognize that when I do X, I self-sabotage.
I have a bad habit of X, X and X.
I am scared of X so instead I do X.

Self-sabotage can also be a result of past trauma that has gone unhealed; we develop survival strategies to keep us from further harm. If you think your self-sabotage is coming from a deeper place, seek support through a life coach (remember, yours truly is here to help), therapist or other healer.

Talk + listen to all sides of yourself

Oftentimes, we end up taking an easy win and pooing on what’s best for us because we’re tired or burnt out. This can lead to poor decision-making in the moment. To minimize the chances of self-sabotaging, address the things in your life that are depleting your energy or making you feel emotionally and mentally distant.

You should also embrace your dark side. In those times when we (fill in the blank) – drink too much, shout at someone we love, go silent and detached – it’s a cry for help. That dark side is wanting more of something and it’s rearing its head because it’s not getting it. So rather than letting that dark side take hold of your day, week, year or life – be proactive and find out what that side wants. Typically, if you lean in and embrace your shadow self, you’ll realize there’s not a true ‘dark side’ in there, but rather a wounded inner-child. Ask your inner-child what it wants and then schedule some time for more fun, more chances to express yourself, etc.

Set intentions + reminders

Life is busy. Like really, really busy. It’s so chaotic, so go-go-go that sometimes we can forget who we truly are and what our goals are. This happens because we get sucked up in the noise of our surroundings: news, responsibilities, family drama, etc. To refocus and regain our equilibrium, we need to invest more time in reminding ourselves of our goals. We can do this in a variety of ways. Here are a few suggestions:

Start each morning with an intention ritual. This creates mindfulness and purpose. How this looks is for you to decide. I like waking up, not grabbing my phone first thing, and giving myself a little pep talk: Danielle, be present today. Remember, you are light and love. Get your writing done. And enjoy your writing. Be grateful for your writing gifts.
If you’ve been looking for an excuse to go on a shopping spree, here it is: Buy (or create) things that will remind you of your goals. For example, have you always wanted to go skiing in Colorado but never manage to save enough money because you always spend money on eating out? If so, buy a few Colorado t-shirts to remind you of your true goal. I have a typewriter necklace that reminds me to write.

Join me in spreading my messages of breaking judgment habits and strengthening intuition even further: forward this blog to a few family members and friends. The greater the shares, the greater the impact – They can subscribe here.

Sincerely,

Dr. Danielle Clark | Psychic Medium
drdanielleclark.com

PS – Here’s an affirmation to use when you want to break free of your self-sabotaging ways, ‘I believe in my worth and my future.’

PPS – Self-awareness is critical to preventing self-sabotage. Grab your pen and journal. When you notice yourself complaining or making excuses about why you can’t get something done, write it in your journal. Over time, you may notice a trend of what your perceived barriers are. Understanding your limiting beliefs can help you overcome them.

Signs are subtle

February 6^th was my 38^th birthday, my 38^th trip around the sun.

Two days before my special day, I asked Spirit to send me some special gifts to help me celebrate.

On my birthday morning, I went to Orangetheory Fitness. I figured getting active and showing my body love and appreciation was a perfect way to honor my life. When I arrived, the woman behind the desk said she had assigned me to rower 6. I smiled. Of course she had! Even though rowing is my arch nemesis (OTF-goers, do you share my pain?!), I was still grateful for the synchronicity.

An hour later, after a much-needed shower, I took my yellow lab Charlie out for a stroll. As we walked down the sidewalk, a brilliant red cardinal caught my eye. This majestic bird fluttered his wings and locked eyes with me. Whenever I see a cardinal, I feel it’s a sign from Spirit, a special gift in and of itself.

But there was something especially significant about this sighting: the day before while we were walking the neighborhood, my husband observed it had been awhile since we’ve seen the cardinals out and about. I agreed and he responded, “With the warmer weather here, hopefully, we’ll see them soon.”

As I watched the red cardinal fly across the rooftops and onto the next neighborhood, I paused, thanking Spirit for their gifts.

From my experience, this is how Spirit works. Spirit is artful, clever and practical. They will work with the nature and people in our lives to create these perfect moments of harmony and connection between our physical world and the spiritual realm. We just need to slow down enough to see them and open our hearts up enough to believe and feel them.

PS – Use this affirmation when you want to strengthen your connection to Spirit, “I am divinely created and divinely supported. I am in sync with the love, signs and synchronicities Spirit sends me.”

PPS – When we write something, we amplify its energy. Grab your pen and journal. Write a letter to Spirit. This can be to God, a loved one in Spirit, your Spirit guides, your angels, whoever feels right. Ask them to send you a gift. For the next week, be open to the signs and synchronies you receive (remember, Spirit is subtle – my gentle reminder to you to slow down and observe). Make sure to capture these gifts (like my rower 6 and the cardinal) in your journal. Then, write a second note to thank Spirit for the gifts.

Asking + Awareness + Gratitude = More connection with Spirit.

Everything happens in perfect timing

Last month, I was in Virginia enjoying a meditation retreat at the Monroe Institute. Side note: I highly recommend their Gateway program if you’re looking for a space to reflect, heal and explore your consciousness while enjoying mountain air, exquisite food and a diverse group of like-minded, spiritually connected people. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions about the program.

Okay, back to the story…

On my last full day at the Monroe Institute, all participants were tasked with going outside for a solo no-talking-to-others meditative nature walk before coming back inside for an extended inside meditation.

My ego started talking: Of all the days to have been assigned this activity… Why today? It’s dreary. It’s raining. It’s cold… Why couldn’t it have been yesterday when it was sunnier and—

I interrupted my inner chatter as I remembered the book The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life’s Perfection by Mickey Singer which I had just finished two months before my trip.

In The Surrender Experiment, Mickey specifically talks about the rain, ‘Could it really be so hard to just let it rain when it rains and be sunny when it’s sunny without complaining about it? Apparently, the mind can’t do it…’ Mickey then points out that we oftentimes automatically assume we know what’s best, but we don’t, and instead of wanting to control things and make them different, we should let go and accept things as is and trust universal flow.

So that’s what I did. I took a deep breath, shifted my energy to a place of gratitude and curiosity and went to my room to put on my boots. Next, I grabbed an umbrella and went outside.

Within the first few steps of my walk, the Blue Ridge Mountains revealed themselves in the distance, a panoramic display. I felt small yet seen, as if the mountains knew I was there, embracing me among its natural landscape. A white haze drifted among its peaks which weaved around each other for miles. The pitter-patter of the rain on my umbrella put me into a light, love-induced trance. Fifteen or so people spread out with umbrellas in hand, walking the foothills of the mountains and connecting with Mother Nature and their Higher Selves. The sight was like a crowd of ants working toward the same purpose. A feeling of bliss swept through me, and I couldn’t help but swing my umbrella back and face the sky, enjoying the rain on my skin.

When I came back inside, I felt awe and gratitude. If I hadn’t read The Surrender Experiment, perhaps I wouldn’t have shifted my thoughts and embraced my nature meditation. If I hadn’t decided to visit the Monroe Institute, perhaps I wouldn’t have gotten such a beautiful chance to put my newfound learnings into action and show myself how far I’ve come.

Remember that sometimes you need to give up that initial sense of control, that ‘knee jerk’ reaction to a situation, for you to find a little more flow in life.

PS – The next time something happens that your ego isn’t happy about, use this affirmation, ‘I know everything connects and I know everything happens in perfect timing.’

PPS – It’s incredibly rewarding when we can learn something and then put it into action. Reflect on recent blogs, podcasts, books and conversations where you’ve learned something new. Grab your pen and journal. What are some of those learning lessons you gained? How can you create a situation to apply those lessons to your day-to-day life? For example, did you finally get around to reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo? If so, good for you! But have you actually done anything with your newfound knowledge? Have you gone through your bookshelf to decide what books give you joy? Have you tried out her vertical folding technique? Create a plan to put a few lessons you’ve learned into action.

Manifesting your New Year’s dreams

Welcome to the New Year bright light.

2023 has a bold and accelerated quality to it. No doubt many people, including you, are looking to turn dreams into reality – but before you set out, let’s focus on approaching your dreams with the best intentions and manifesting methods possible.

The tips below will help you to create or enhance a manifesting rhythm. Incorporating these techniques will provide more ease and potential as you work towards owning the New Year.

Intention setting

When setting an intention, I recommend leaving room for beautiful unexpecteds to flow your way. To do this, don’t get too specific with what you want and when you want it. Instead, give the Universe some space and autonomy to co-create with you and work its magic. Who knows, the Universe may have something even better planned for you than you thought.

Below is an example of how you can give your intention more opportunities for possibility and expansion.

Original intention: “I want to find a boyfriend by March 1^st that meets my criteria of: a non-smoker, spiritually connected, and wanting kids within two years.”

Intention with room for unexpected possibilities: “May a new partner find their way to me in 2023 in perfect timing. May they be a beautiful fit for my soul and share many of the same core values and wants as I do.”

Bonus tip: Phrasing an intention as if it’s already yours and adding a dose of gratitude can up its vibration, giving it more energy to find you and come true. For example:

Intention with gratitude for it already being yours: “Thank you Universe for connecting me to a new partner in 2023. I am grateful that they are a beautiful fit for my soul and share many of my same core values and desires.”

Believe it’s yours

Once you’ve crafted an intention that feels right to you, it’s essential you fully believe you are worthy of receiving your intention. If you are holding doubt, fear, a lack of self-love, or any other low vibing feeling around it, be sure to work on clearing that energy. You don’t want negative energy blocking your flow of positivity.

Here are some ideas on how to clear negative energy: meditation, energy healing sessions, positive affirmations, journaling, therapy sessions, yoga and more. Select what’s right for you.

Focus, focus, focus

When we manifest, we pair our energy with Universal energy to create something and draw it to us. This takes an incredible amount of energy, dedication, and focus. That said, you’ll want to add energy to your intention every day. This will grow your energy, building it bigger and higher so that Universal energy can find you.

To grow your energy “ball” so to speak, I recommend visualization exercises. Investing a few minutes every day meditating, seeing and experiencing yourself living your intention (as an example, picturing yourself on a date with the new boyfriend and really feeling all the feels) can work wonders to bring your dream closer to reality. Creating and looking at vision boards and affirmations is also a good way to give your intention the focus and energy it needs to manifest.

Take action

Until this point, most of our manifesting efforts have been inwardly focused. Let’s chat about external efforts – You have to make a change, take a risk and get yourself out there in support of your dreams. You can take action in a variety of ways depending on what your dreams are.

Wanting to be more active? Join a fitness club or yoga class. Feel like your writing deserves some love? Submit your work to a journal or a writing contest. In the search for a soul mate? Create that dating profile. When taking action, set up a consistent schedule for your efforts so they build momentum — doing something once won’t give your dream enough energy to come true.

Bonus tip: Many people freeze when it comes to taking action because they are afraid of doing the wrong thing. From my experience, doing something, anything that shows yourself and the Universe you are trying is better than nothing. Just because you get rejected or make a mistake doesn’t mean you’re not creating positive energy to get you where you want to be.

If you’re feeling stuck on what you want 2023 to feel like and bring, schedule a 1 x 1 with me. I can psychically connect with your higher self to help uncover what your soul wants more of. I’ve already offered several of these sacred 2023 sessions, which have provided my clients with new considerations, clarity and comfort.

You may also want to check out my recent guest appearance on NBC’s Bloom TV where I sit down with Gayle Guyardo and offer insight on goal setting and staying committed to your goals.

PS – Before we part ways, I’d like to debunk a few manifesting myths:

If I say something out loud once or twice it will come true. This is false. As you can see from the above, manifesting is a process. Do not worry if you’ve ever asked for something that you don’t really want, but remember: if you feed it a lot of energy it will grow and may come true.
If you work hard at manifesting, you’ll always get what you want. This is false. I believe that we will get what we need. We have pieces of our controllable future we can influence (afterall, we have free-will), but that doesn’t mean everything we want is always in our destiny or in the highest good of our souls.
The more time I focus on manifesting, the faster my dreams will come true. This is false. Manifesting is about finding the sweet spot between dedication and trust. Too much time focused on your dreams will more than likely result in obsession, fixation and other lower energies which won’t support your goals. A little time and love go a long way.

Your ordinary is extraordinary

Two weeks ago, after a long day of teaching business to my undergrad students, I stopped at a fast-casual restaurant for comfort food. Even though I love teaching, sometimes between the commute, the stimulation overload (questions popping, emails flying), and talking for several hours straight while on my feet, it’s overwhelming.

The cashier’s warm smile and the restaurant’s local family vibe instantly shifted my energy – my headache began to fade and I felt relaxed, almost at home.

As I sat down and waited for my lunch, I enjoyed watching the owner in playful banter with the cashier. The owner had dark features, maybe forty years on him; the cashier was younger, deep brown eyes and hair that bounced when she laughed. I wondered if they were father and daughter. She couldn’t find a pen and threw her hands up in joking fashion as they talked about how funny it was they couldn’t spot one – Isn’t that always the way? It’s the same with socks. Where do they go?

Experiencing the adoration the owner and cashier had for each other warmed my heart. Lightheartedness and camaraderie flowed between them. Even though I wasn’t a part of their conversation, I felt like I may as well have been with them behind the counter.

When my rice bowl was ready, the owner brought it to my table – a pleasant surprise at a counter-service restaurant. He said with a smile as he extended his hand, ‘I noticed you were charged for chicken, but since yours is vegetation, here’s some money back. Thanks for your understanding and I hope you enjoy.’ His eyes crinkled at the corners.

My gratitude was overflowing yet all I managed to get out was a smile and a simple, ‘Thank you.’

For the next few moments, as I appreciated the flavors of fresh salsa over local greens and Spanish rice, I forgot all my problems. I sat in bliss, enjoying the hope and promise I had in humanity.

And that’s it. That’s the story. And here’s why it matters – the ordinary was extraordinary – the ordinary is extraordinary.

Customer-focused interaction, genuine human connection, and saving a few bucks significantly impacted my mood and day.

How does this impact you?

I want you to know (and to feel it in your heart) that ‘the little things’ you’re already doing in your day-to-day life – cleaning the house, holding the door for a stranger, helping your client with an issue, offering lunch to your colleagues, giving the Starbucks barista a compliment or extra tip – are having an extraordinary impact on others, even though you may not realize it.

Hopefully, you take this in and realize that you’re enough and that you don’t always need to do more to make a difference. Especially during the holidays, many of us feel we need to give more, volunteer more and be more. My story is proof that isn’t the case. Just be you!

You are enough. You are extraordinary.

PS – Here’s an affirmation to use when you feel like you’re not adding enough to the world, ‘I am not here to do, I am here to be.’

PPS – When was the last time you thanked yourself for all that you do and all that you are? If it’s been a while, grab your journal and pen. Start ten sentences with your name and then ‘I am thankful for…’ Then, complete the sentence. For example, one of my grateful sentences is: “Danielle, I am grateful for the way you don’t let rejection derail you from your goals.” For an extra dose of self-gratitude, consider writing a few of your favorite sentences on post-it notes and posting them around the house, reminding you how wonderful you are.

Category: Blog