Good morning SLAYER! Nothing lasts forever, the good, and the bad, so enjoy the good when it happens, and know, the bad will pass, especially when you focus on the good.
New blog goes up Tuesday, until then…SLAY on!
Love
Carrie Genzel talks ‘Supernatural’ fans and her State of Slay
Many thanks to fellow SLAYER Carol Hansson for this interview and for talking to me about my inspiration and hopes for STATE OF SLAY. SLAY on!
To read interview, click link: Movie TV Tech Geek: Carrie Genzel talks ‘Supernatural’ fans and her State of Slay
This Too Shall Pass
Nothing lasts forever, but when I’m sitting in the muck of my mind it seems I’m doomed for all eternity, my mind likes to tell me that anyway, and I used to believe it. When we seem to be living under a dark cloud it’s like time slows down, and the crap just keeps piling on, our legs get heavy, and so does our head and our heart, and it’s hard to move. But let me tell you a secret, you can move, you can move from all of that, you just have to…well move! We have the power to make a dark day turn bright and to walk away from the crap that’s holding us down, keeping us back, telling us that we’re meant to drown in the muck we find ourselves in. We fight, we scream, we stand up and know this place, this darkness, will not last forever, it never does, unless we let it, but like a thunderstorm it rolls through, reeking havoc, and then passes on it’s way, our personal storms are no different.
The trick is to remember that when you’re in it. Sometimes that can be hard, because the darkness is so deceptive, so relentless we see no end in sight, but it’s there, it’s always there, and just knowing it’s there can help us navigate through the dark until we find our way out. Our thoughts can lie to us, they can lead us to dark places and keep us there. Mine did for much of my life, and I believed the lies it told me, the lies that said that I wasn’t good enough, that people wouldn’t like me, that it was better, and safer, to isolate and stay alone, and the longer I listened, the louder the thoughts got. It took a lot of fight to quiet them down, but I did, and so can you.
This goes back to a lot of what I’ve talked about already, it goes back to self love, self forgiveness, and self care, that’s a lot of self, but, we need to take care of our own needs to make sure we’re in tip top SLAYER condition when things come our way, if we are it’s much easier to navigate through those murky waters, and to not believe those negative thoughts when they come up. When we think back to the dark times in our lives, they always passed, or at the very least, got brighter, life ebbs and flows, and there are always going be times when we’re riding high or clawing our way back, the trick is to remember, and believe, that you will be back on top, and that you deserve it! Don’t believe the negative hype! It won’t always be like this, it won’t, the sun will come back out and shine bright, as will we. It’s easier to weather the storm when you can stand up against it with a brightness from within, light your own way on your own path and find your way out. Sometimes it can be just as simple as laughing it all off, not taking it seriously and walking away, waiting out the storm, but some in cases it’s more serious than that, so, we trudge our way forward, doing the necessary footwork that may be needed to resolve what we can resolve, and then smile, oh yes smile, and let it pass, it will pass, the sun is just on the horizon.
Even though you may feel beaten down, in the darkness, alone, and tired, you have the strength SLAYER to get up and fight, you have it within you to walk through the darkness and find the light by using your own unique beautiful light to light your way, and use all of ours if it’s still too dark, we’re all with you on the same path shining bright. Don’t be afraid, don’t despair, don’t let it tell you it’s won, it hasn’t, unless you let it, and you’re a SLAYER, so look it right in the eye, pick up your mighty sword, smile, and say to yourself, this too shall pass and I will win, and so it will, and you will win.
SLAY OF THE DAY: When in your life have you gone through dark times only to see them pass over time? When have you managed to work your way out of a dark time? How did you do it? When you are in a dark place, is it hard for you to see or find the light? Does it seem like it’ll last forever? Does it? If you are in a dark place now SLAYER sit quietly and envision yourself surrounded by white light, a light so bright it lights up the room and all around you, take that light with you to shine in the dark areas of your life, let the light in and the darkness will fade away.
S – self L – love A – appreciate Y – you
Slayer Say
Good morning SLAYER! It’s important to celebrate each win, no matter how small, if it’s a step in the right direction, that’s a step that needs celebration! Be loud and proud, you are on the winning team SLAYER!
New blog goes up Sunday, until then…SLAY on!
Slayer Say
Good morning SLAYER! What’s preventing you from letting go? Don’t drown in the past, let go and free yourself from people, places and things that no longer serve you, letting go is a far more powerful act than defending and holding on.
SLAY on!
Letting Go
I can already sense some of you tightening your grip as you read the title. Let go. Letting go is an art, a skill that really lets us SLAYERS soar when we set it in motion, it’s what lets us fly to new heights and lightens our hearts.
I never used to let anything go, my grudges ran deep, they were ugly, revengeful, epic, but they only fueled the darkness in me, the anger, hate, and resentment, and ultimately weighed me down and held me back. I would live the incident over and over again, stewing in it, I wasn’t evolving, growing, opening myself up to new experiences and people, I was living in the past. I’ve already talked about forgiving ourselves, how’s that going by the way, finding forgiveness in our own behavior and missteps from a time when we didn’t know better, or, we did but chose not to act better, lets let that person go, release our old sevles into the abyss of the past, we are not those people anymore, and we don’t carry the baggage of our past with us, we are SLAYERS, we move forward leaving our old selves behind to stare anew. And, same goes for people of our past. Those who have hurt us, betrayed us, lied to us, let them go, we’ve learned what we needed from them, and we let them go, we don’t need to carry their extra weight.
Easier said than done right? Well, it can be hard, even on my journey there are certain people, or things, that seem harder to let go of than others, so know, that sometimes it is a journey, letting go, and let yourself go through your process, but ask yourself, why it’s so hard to let it, or them, go, those are typically the situations or people who really got us at our core, shook our foundation, but why, the answer to that will help you in your decision process as you move forward, those answers will give you a warning in the future when we invite new people or things into our lives, we have to ask ourselves if we are safe, we have to ask the questions and find out the facts to keep us safe, so we don’t harm ourselves, or get ourselves into harmful situations, like we’ve been harmed in the past.
How do we let go? Well, for one I look at what I learned. If it really stings, I’ll write it down in my journal, a process, I’ll write down the pros and cons of that situation or relationship and really examine it, especially the cons, remember those, those are what will stop you from doing the same things over and over again, because what’s next is asking yourself what your part was in those things, taking responsibility for the actions you took, you’ve taken part trust me, and then looking at those things, forgiving yourself and making a commitment to yourself to do better for yourself, you deserve better, you do, so remind yourself of that. Now look at other person, the cons, and with forgiveness in your heart let them go. Yeah, I totally just said that. With forgiveness in your heart, I know, it may be a stretch to actually forgive them, hopefully that will come over time, but with forgiveness in your heart for yourself, and them, let them go. When I’m struggling to do that I will pray for that person. No, I haven’t gone completely nuts, I pray for them, or wish, that they receive all of the things I would want for myself, and I will do that every day for two weeks, it totally works. After that two weeks I have to let them go, or at the very least, don’t want something dastardly to happen to them. Don’t believe me? Try it SLAYER.
At the end of the day we’re all sick in our own ways, and some are sicker than others, we were probably drawn to these people because we saw something in them that we see in ourselves, maybe our intentions were self motivated, or we saw a weakness we could exploit, speaking for the old me here, so in thinking about the other person and what they may fight themselves makes it a little easier to let them go and to let them fight their own battles as you continue on and fight yours. As SLAYERS we walk with love in our hearts, not hate, letting go of the past let’s love in and helps us to heal our broken hearts. I love you SLAYER!
SLAY OF THE DAY: Who are what do have trouble letting go of? Make a list. What’s your part in that relationship or situation? Are you able to forgive yourself for your part? If not why? Why are you still attached to this person or situation? How is it serving you to hold on? How is it hurting you? Let it go. Let them go. Pray or wish that that person receives everything you would want for yourself, do it SLAYER, every day for two weeks, it will change things, shift them, and maybe even give you the relief of letting them go. SLAY on.
S – self L – love A – appreciate Y – you
Slayer Say
Good morning SLAYER! Learning to celebrate our flaws, loving them, and turning them into strengths makes us flawsome! We have the power to do that. Loving ourselves and embracing our uniqueness gets us on the road to flawsomeness, as we continue to accept and love ourselves we work towards finding a place where we stop judging ourselves and start to shine, and that, is true perfection!
New blog goes up Tuesday, until then…SLAY on!
I’m Not Perfect, I’m Flawsome!
The photo that accompanies this post is one I never thought I’d share.
I’ve had it since 2003, and aside from the person who took it, I showed it to only one other person for years. Before I stepped onto this journey, there was no way I would have let anyone see it. In truth, it’s taken me more than a decade of healing to feel ready to share it at all.
That photo isn’t a picture of someone who had it together.
It isn’t the version of me I worked so hard to present to the world.
It’s a picture of a woman in pain.
In fear.
Holding on by a thread.
I look at her now and I recognize her immediately. She’s still inside me. But today, I feel compassion for her instead of shame. I understand what she was carrying. I understand why she was afraid. And I appreciate her—because she didn’t stay there.
She kept going.
And that’s what made her flawsome.
What Flawsome Really Means to Me
Flawsome isn’t pretending we don’t have flaws.
It’s not polishing them up or hiding them better.
Flawsome is learning to celebrate them.
It’s letting go of the impossible standard of perfection and choosing something real instead. Because perfection doesn’t exist—and chasing it only keeps us stuck in self-judgment.
Flawsome is turning the parts of yourself you once hated into sources of strength. It’s living authentically, loving yourself fully, and recognizing that who you are—right now—is already worthy.
Perfection isn’t attainable.
But flawsomeness is.
How I Learned to Become Flawsome
This didn’t happen overnight.
It came from learning who I actually am, not who I thought I needed to be. From loving myself unconditionally—even the parts I wanted to reject. From letting my freak flag fly instead of trying to tuck it away.
And yes, it came from forgiveness. Again.
Forgiving myself for the choices I made when I didn’t know better.
Forgiving myself for the years I spent believing I was unlovable.
Forgiving myself for thinking my flaws made me less-than.
Letting go of that judgment freed me in ways I never expected.
Loving Yourself Is the Work
I had to learn to look at myself with love—the same love I so easily offered to others.
To stop living in the past, replaying mistakes that couldn’t be undone.
To stop living in the future, chasing a version of myself I thought I had to become.
The only place healing actually happens is now.
I learned to focus on what I’m good at. To celebrate my strengths instead of obsessing over what I thought was broken. To build on my talents and share them with others.
One of the most powerful parts of being flawsome is letting other people see it. When we own who we are, we give others permission to do the same.
The Woman in That Photo Didn’t Stay There
There’s nothing flawsome about the woman in that photo—except this:
She didn’t give up.
With every bit of strength she had, she fought for herself. She started a journey toward healing and self-love. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t fast. And yes, she put herself through hell for years after that picture was taken.
But she got there.
And now, that woman is me—writing these words.
That’s flawsome.
If You’re Struggling Right Now
If you’re feeling lost, empty, beaten down, or hopeless—please hear this:
Today can be the first day of the rest of your life.
You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to decide that you’re worth fighting for. The journey won’t be easy, but I promise you—it’s worth every step.
And you don’t walk it alone.
You have all of us SLAYERS walking beside you.
So go out there today and be flawsome.
SLAY Reflection
Let’s reflect, SLAYER:
S: What parts of yourself have you labeled as flaws?
L: How have those “flaws” actually shaped your strength or resilience?
A: What would change if you looked at yourself with compassion instead of judgment?
Y: How can you begin turning what you’ve judged into something flawsome?
Make a commitment today to stop judging yourself. When something comes up that you usually criticize, pause. Smile. Ask yourself how you can respond with love instead.
You’re learning.
Be kind to yourself on the way to SLAYDOM.
And never forget—you are flawsome.
Intentions: The Truthseeker
Oh yeah, there’s no hiding from this one. Intentions. Just as important as it is to know someone else’s intentions it is also important to know our own, and to own it! Before stepping foot on this journey my intentions were always self seeking, they were, looking back it was always all about me because I was the victim, I was the one wronged who was owed something from life, and even though I would twist my intentions in my mind and always have a favorable answer to make myself look better, the truth of the matter was, my intentions were always self motivated, whether to try to manipulate the outcome or to tear someone else down to make myself look and feel better. Yup. Pretty huh? But, that’s the honest truth. The good news is I’m not that person anymore, and neither or you. When we decided to walk on a path of self love and living as our authentic selves we left our old selves behind, and even though they may run up behind us sometimes wanting in on the action, and sometimes might even get in on the action, we now have the power to tell them to take off, we don’t need them anymore, and quite frankly, they’re dimming our light!
Intentions can be tricky, especially when the heart or ego get involved, we may tell ourselves we have the best of intentions but we have to look at the cold hard facts. I’ve mentioned before that feelings aren’t facts, feelings like to come in and muddy up our thinking, and they’re really convincing at times and talk a good game, but what we need to do is ask them to step aside, they’ll probably get their feelings hurt, they’re feelings, that’s what they do, but what we need to to do is look at the facts of the situation. Whenever we are in doubt, we need to ask ourselves, what are my intentions in wanting to do this, or for doing it? If they are self-seeking, manipulative, or damaging to us or anyone else, stop, do not proceed, step back and take a breath. You should not be doing what you are doing. If you are doing something only to get a response, stop. Do not proceed. Step back and take a breath. You should not be doing what you are doing. For example, if you are telling someone you love them just because you want or expect them to say it back, your intentions are off, you should only be telling someone you love them because, well you love them, and you want them to know it, regardless of how it’s received or if it’s returned or not. Those are the right intentions. On this path we should only be doing things we want to do, because we want to do them, OK, there are some things we don’t want to do, taxes being one of them, but that’s something we are required to do by law, so do that, but I’m talking about the choices we make every day to engage with other people, who we engage with, what we decide to get involved with, those acts, acts of “charity,” friendship, love, encouragement, etc, all of those things that can be disguised as good things, but can have ulterior motives. Be honest with yourself. Why do you want to do those things? Why do you want to get involved with that person or group? Why are you volunteering? If your intent is because you want to do it and not because of the result or how you could benefit, then you have the right intention. Anything else, abandon ship. Living as our authentic selves we want to keep “our side of the street clean,” to be honest and transparent with those people in our lives, it’s how we cultivate trust, and if we can trust ourselves with our intentions, we can start to trust others, and trust that we are also picking the right people and situations in our lives. A part of that, and the second part to intentions, is knowing, or asking what the other persons intentions are. I know, scary right? But, here’s what we’ve already talked about, when we know the facts, we are safe.
If we are clear on someone else’s intentions then we know why the other person is involved with us or the situation, and what they are willing to contribute, and if that isn’t in line with what our intentions are, then a conversation needs to happen, and perhaps, things shouldn’t move forward from there. I, myself, used to get into many awkward, or angry, situations because I would “assume” that everybody had the same intentions that I did, or knew mine, without ever asking or expressing them. As much as we are not mind readers, neither is anyone else. Speak your truth! You may not always hear what you want to hear, but at least you know the truth, then you can make the best decision for yourself. You are safe.
Intentions can be difficult, cunning at times, but if we are honest about why we’re doing something, and have the courage and self respect to ask others what their intentions are, we don’t run the risk of problems or disappointments down the road. We also don’t carry around guilt or are deceiving others about why we are really there. What are your intentions?
SLAY OF THE DAY: Before you agree to do something or take on a new project, do you ask yourself what your intentions are? Are they self-seeking or manipulative? Are you hoping to get something out of it? Are you afraid to ask others what their intentions are? Why? Do you do things to look good to others? Why do you do that? My challenge to you SLAYER, is to do something nice for someone today without them knowing about it, or telling anyone else what you’ve done, if they find out, or you tell it doesn’t count and you have to try again. SLAY on!
S – self L – love A – appreciate Y – you
Slayer Say
Good Morning SLAYER! Learning to take care of your own needs is the ultimate expression of self love, when you show yourself respect and honor yourself you are better able to share that love, honor, and respect with others, and it gives you a strong foundation to handle what life throws at you. Self love is like a spell of protection from the outside world, it cushions us from life and all it’s bumps and scrapes, it gives us strength, and it teaches us a gentleness, bringing us a new-found compassion for who we are and honoring were we’ve been.
New blog goes up Friday, until then….SLAY on.
