The One Thing that Will Turn Your Day Around

A few nights ago, I was in agony. I needed to revise my bio and get it out to the organizer of an event I'm going to be speaking at. But I just couldn't get the feels going to talk about myself in any way that seemed genuine and not rose-colored glass focused. It just all seemed too much.

Have you ever felt like that? Like all the hype about yourself can't possibly be true and that eventually someone's going to figure it out and go "oh, she's not all that".

Or this one gets me often - the "so what". So what that you've done this and that. So what that you care about this and that. What difference does it make. Who cares.

Yeah, so I was in a tizzy of a place to say the least :-).

But today I woke up and though the going was slow, I carefully chose my thoughts. I had a moment in bed where I had the choice of thinking something good or thinking something depressing for instance. And I *chose* the good thought.

I had countless moments throughout the beginning of the day where I could have folded into a "see this is how it is all the time - woe is me" space or chosen the "okedoke, how do I rock with this and move through it" space. At each turn, I chose the work through it option.

And by the middle of the day, don't you know that I was rocking it out on all levels! I mean I gave my dogs a bath, I cleaned my refrigerator, I mopped two rooms, packaged some makeup, had two fun phone calls (one with a totally new guy and the other with my mentor soon to be new coach!), AND confirmed a speaking engagement for this weekend. And I even made myself dinner.

5 days after surgery..."Dusts her shoulders off ;-)".

So I'm saying this all not to brag, lol but to let you know that sometimes it takes conscious effort but the conscious effort is *always* rewarding. Every single time :-D.
 

Where are you going to put your effort today? 

How to minimize stress and overcome anxiety

Hey siStar,

I want to tell you a story. It’s a story about me and it’s fairly recent. It’s a story about how I could be devastated and heartbroken, yet still be balanced and focused enough to keep hold of my hope and faith. It’s a story about what it has taken to move from a place of letting every upset, stress and discomfort throw me off track and convince me that the unspoken fears in my mind just might be true to a place where I can admit sadness and still see the bright glow of the sunrise of my dreams and goals on the horizon.

How is this possible?

It’s because of the work I’ve done to love myself deeply. It’s because of all that I have learned and put into practice about what that truly means. I had to learn what it really meant to take care of myself. I had to learn what it really meant to *listen* to myself and *hear* all the layers of what I tell myself. I’ve had to learn how to see through to the truth of who I am at my very core and begin to understand why I’ve taken on so many other versions of myself that just aren’t true.

And then I had to begin the work of telling myself something different. And then doing something different. And then finally - through a lot of trial and error and *patience* - I began to feel something different. I began to feel like life *was* working out for me. That I was *just* as entitled to a happy road as anyone else. And that in fact, I could create it with a lot more ease than I thought.

Getting to this place is nothing short of magickal. Magickal is truly the best word to describe it. The sense of potential that I have now about life is magnetic - figuratively and literally. I’m constantly bringing in experiences now that can only be explained by coincidence or serendipity and I choose to believe in the latter.

I want to help you experience this and I know that if you are sitting in a cesspool of anxiety, overwhelm, and stress (could this be you?) the first steps have to be about cleaning up the muck and putting an immediate halt on those feelings. Immediate relief is the step before the step of peeling back the layers and making the permanent changes that get you to the magickal place of peace, calm and sanity.

That’s why I created The Mighty Overwhelm MInimizer Course. My first version of this course was a mini introduction to how to immediately reduce the feelings of overwhelm, stress and anxiety (usually followed by our friend depression). I felt strongly compelled though in the past month to expand and fill out this course so that it isn’t just an introduction, but a true guidepost for you in taking these transformative steps forward.

In this course I will teach you:

** The power of gratitude and why it’s essential to your foundation

** The gift that aromatherapy gives in combatting anxiety and depression

** How to choose the right self-care actions for yourself and customize your own *effective* self care plan

** How to diffuse overwhelm from the viewpoint of self-love

And so much more!

I’ve designed this course to be powerful, transformative and life altering. And furthermore, I’ve designed it to be easy to digest, powerfully effective and simple to implement. If you’ve been feeling on edge, out of whack and in desperate need of some type of break, I encourage you to make this investment in your peace, calm and sanity.

I am so excited about sharing this course with you that I made it extremely affordable for you at $197 so you can experience the same results as me. In fact, I’ve packed this program with an incredibly valuable bonus to support you in your transformation. I wanted to make this available to all participants, but I knew this no-brainer would usher an influx of participants who would be eager for personal time to explore particular blocks. I incorporate the help of the Tarot and look into concrete ways to overcome them energetically and tangibly. Due to the amount of time and energy I invest personally into my “clients”, I truly have to limit that number.

You not only get the Mighty Overwhelm Minimizer Course, but you get an in depth, 90-minute, one-on-one intuitive coaching breakthrough session, valued at ($250).  This package, including our interaction together is easily worth more than $600, however, I want to make it completely accessible and cost-effective for you at $197. However, the bonus is only available through midnight tonight, CST.

Simply press the button below to get access. If you’re anything like me, I know you want to embrace a moment to exhale and release anxiety and the guilt and pain it causes  and gain peace of mind, calm and sanity.

Don’t worry. You have support in the journey. In fact, if you have any questions, I am here for you. Just click here to message me <3. 

Bachata, Livestreaming and Clarity...

Hey siStar!

How has your week been? Mine has been filled with the ups and downs of life. I've had some very low points and thankfully some ecstatically high points and my week is ending settled somewhere nicely in between. Lots of gratitude for that :-).

I have a busy weekend ahead of myself also with judging and teaching in Memphis. I'm judging a bachata contest tonight and tomorrow I'm teaching a ladies styling workshop. And the most unique thing happening is that after my workshop, I'm going to have a little informal talk with the attendees about how dance can be a powerful form of self-empowerment for women. I always imply this and if you've been with me for a while, you probably already know that I feel this way. However I've never combined both my dance world and my personal development world in the same offering. 

It's what I've been wanting to do though. So when the universe dropped this opportunity for a workshop in my lap in a place where people already know me well, I knew I had to take the chance to move the vision forward just a bit. 

So I'm curiously hopeful and expecting of a really gratifying experience and I will of course report back about how it all goes. (And if you are wondering will I mention MOVE, of course I will! Sweatproof, natural makeup is absolutely empowering, especially for dancers.). 

Before I say adieu this week, I want to leave you with my latest livestream on my personal Facebook page. Yesterday eve I talked all about the new direction that I'm boldly headed in with my coaching work. It's what I've always been doing but just hadn't realized. Watch it here and let me know your thoughts in the comments. I would love to hear what you think about it! 

The Gift of Gallstones

I’ve been sitting down to write this blogpost for a few days now and each time, have either just felt uninspired or actually ran out of time. There’s so much going on in my life, tons of lessons and insights I want to share :). Tons of growth opportunities and ways to make powerful choices in the moment.

But so my message doesn’t get too long and you can get on with your day without feeling stressed over reading for ten minutes, let me tell you about one of the most impactful things.

Just about a little over a week ago, I found myself in the emergency room in NWA in immense pain afraid that something was really wrong. Let me backtrack to a few weeks ago, about a month and a half to be exact. That’s when I first started to feel nauseous all the time. I was feeling nauseated every day almost without fail. At first of course, I wondered if I was pregnant, then my cycle came and I just thought it might be a factor of getting older and my PMS symptoms changing. Then I realized that it just wasn’t going away and that’s when I went to the doctor. He couldn’t figure out any causes so he prescribed acid reflux medicine and told me to basically wait it out. I had one bad night of vomiting but I just chalked it up to too much pizza and wine.

At the emergency room is where I found out that I have gallstones. Insert a sad face and a surprised face. Are you thinking what I’m thinking - that is, if you even know what gallstones are?

That’s right, how do *I* have gallstones?

I’m not overweight. I eat healthier than most. I’m active. I’m constantly working on my emotional blocks (because all physical ailments are rooted in emotional space).

It just honestly doesn’t make much sense.

Yet we know that there are tons of things in our lives that make little sense. The joy of life comes in accepting what is with gratitude and moving forward expecting that things are already getting better.  

So after an initial few shaky days after my diagnosis feeling afraid to eat and like it was unfair that the universe would give me this to deal with too, I’ve been able to get my bearings and my perspective back. I’ve been able to easily choose to see the gift in this diagnosis instead of the burden.

Remember a few weeks ago when I said I was committing to getting my health back on track the way I feel best? Well now I have major motivation! The age old saying is that pain is the most effective motivator. The pain of a gallstone attack is something that I pray to the Universe that I never experience ever again.

It’s been SUPER easy to say no to cookies, fast food, ice cream, treats, processed foods, etc. All of the things that everyone should be eating in moderation at the most, I can’t eat at all now (save for maybe once a year and that’s only if i take the right precautions before and after).

I admit that It’s been a challenge figuring out what I can eat and I’ve had some real shaky moments at checkout counters where I was close to tears trying to order what I thought would be ok.

But I feel like I’m getting my balance back. I can say that this week, I’ve mostly felt pretty good. The all-the-time nausea has mostly subsided and although some foods bring on that uncomfortable feeling, I’ve been able to manage it and make note. The best thing is that I have NOT had another attack. And another little happy - I’ve lost about 7 pds already. Who knew that my occasional cookie or Chick-Fila meal was having such an effect!

So I am determined to manage this with being even more mindful about my diet and keeping up with my commitment to exercise. I do have an appointment with a surgeon that removes gallbladders on Tuesday because conventional  medicine says once you have gallstone problems, you always will and you must get it out. I’m going to do my best to hold on to mine though unless the doctor tells me it truly is damaged. I feel encouraged however by how much better I’ve been feeling already.

I’m willing to continue walking my path with this new addition without letting it change my stride :-). And at the least, it will definitely give me more interesting things to share with you down the road.

---

Have you gotten your copy of 3 Beauty Rituals for Phenomenal Self Care? If not, click here to request it!

Inner/Outer Beauty Activation Package

A few days ago I was hit with some wonderful inspiration around creating an offering that would provide a solid foundation for activating both inner and outer beauty. You know I'm all about how we want to match up our outer enhancements with a beautiful inner self that shines through no matter what!

SO my inspiration has resulted in the Inner/Outer Beauty Activation Package!

It's 3-fold. This is what I will do for you:

Firstly, I want you to know what is blocking your ability to shine confidently. What's holding you back from stepping fully into what you are being drawn to? What hidden doubts, secrets, worries and fears lie right beneath the surface waiting to be seen and resolved? I will do an intuitive tarot reading for you shining the light on these things so that you can finally take the steps forward that you've been wanting to for so long.

This reading will be the basis for what comes next. What comes next is the assembly of your special MOVE Makeup Inner to Outer Beauty makeup set. You'll receive your confidence building basics - full-size foundation, concealer, and veil. More importantly though, you'll receive a specially customized eyeshadow set designed to address the blocks that came up in your reading. If you haven't read my article about how eyeshadow can be used for empowerment, go do that now (http://www.bestkeptself.com/whats-your-color-eyeshadows-for-empowerment/).

Lastly, you'll receive an essential oil blend that I customize just for you to enhance and anchor in your reading and to inspire within you new courage to shine confidently.

The investment for all of this is $97.

I'm excited about this. I'm excited to see who takes me up on this offer and truly if *anyone* takes me up on this offer. I'm excited to see how the inspiration to create this package leads me to the next thing for me.

I have no idea if I will offer this again. I have no idea how many of these I will actually accept doing. I don't have a fancy page created for this offering or even a listing in my store or jazzed up picture (I'm working on that though ;-)). I've just felt inspired to do it and this is how that inspiration is manifesting <3.

Thank you sistar for your awesomeness! If I can serve you with this, message me (on mobile you might have to copy and paste info@leahpatterson.com) and we will get started!

What I learned from Maxwell

Maxwell is hands down one of my favorite artists. Easily. I’ve been listening to this man for over 20 years and this past Thursday, I made that realization as I sat at his concert here in Little Rock. Just watching this amazingly charismatic man so comfortable in his own skin rock it out on stage was magickal.

It  made me think about all the reasons that I appreciate Maxwell so much - especially since I’ve been fortunate to see him in concert now twice :-D. My favorite crooner has some awesome life lessons for you if you pay attention ;-).

In reflecting, I believe the number one lesson he offers by example is this: Be comfortable in your own skin at all costs.

Happy Me at the concert!

Each time I’ve seen Maxwell, he has been his quirky, slightly goofy, dancing crazily but with abandonment self on stage. It’s like he is having the time of his life engaging with us and we just happen to be watching. Pay attention to that statement. He is FULLY engaged with the crowd - totally into them - but not at all concerned whether they are digging him or thinking he is a nutter butter. It’s like he is in his own little world that we are in too. It’s really an amazing thing to behold and be a part of.

I wonder if he learned this early on in his career after his first round of black college tours opening for the Fugees - or if he always had it. Taking you back a bit in my own history, I remember when he came through town during Howard’s Homecoming. People booed him right off the stage. I mean vehemently booed him. I think someone might have even thrown something. It was horrible (and embarrassing to me as a Howardite that we’d act that way!).

I wonder if experiencing something like that multiple times (sadly ours was not the only campus that booed him) created within him a resolve to enjoy who *he* was no matter what and at all costs.

I ask this because Maxwell has not changed. The same bubbly, quirky dude that was on stage back when I was 20 something is the same one that was on stage this past week - just happy to be himself, happy to be doing something he loved, happy to be in that moment with us. Yes, his look has changed (as mine has from the hippy, witchy granola, engineering/viola-playing, hip-hop flowerchild that I was in my early 20s) as he’s grown up and evolved, but his essential essence is very much the same. And that my friends, I can only imagine is no small feat in his industry.

So that, in addition to the pure awesomeness of Maxwell in concert, is what I took away from my experience last Thursday.

The gist is this: You are going to have haters and naysayers. You might have some people that try to push you right out the door with shame and ridicule for what you are trying to do and who you even are at your very core.

The bottom line is that you can’t let it stop you dear. Yes, you can rest. You can recoup. You can even lament (I remember that there was a time when everything was angsty with Maxwell). But past that, you must keep it moving. Your world depends on it and what’s even more magickal is that *THE* world depends on it.

Just like Maxwell inviting us into his world but not being too concerned about whether we liked it or not created this wonderful over 20-year career of his, welcoming others into your world by being unapologetically yourself BUT not really giving too many cares about what someone thinks about it - that’s the difference maker between 20 years of continued, growing awesomeness...and 20 years of misery- pointe blanke. And 20 years of you living in your awesomeness instead of your misery - imagine what kind of ripple effect that would have on the world?

Which one are you going to choose?

Maxwell Concert, Little Rock, Ar