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How often do we let ourselves make mistakes as adults? as parents? as people who are considered responsible in the society? When do we have the ability to say, "Well, hey, we were allowed to make mistakes and stuff at school. We're allowed to make mistakes when we're kids. Why aren't we allowed to make mistakes when we're adults?”

It's this thing that we're holding on ourselves and we hold each other up to that and it's a very strange rule that this society has seemed to hold on to for people who are older. The last time I sent an email out I forgot to add the ’t' at the end of the word ‘thought.’ Some of you may have noticed that. I noticed it after the fact and I hesitated sending something out saying, “Oops, forgot the ’t' but then I was like, “well everyone knows that I'm talking about. The phrase is Food For Thought. Why did I worry about that?

Do we worry when we are parents who have all these details to think about? Yes, of course!

I totally gapped out this week and didn't send my people the regular email that I send out. Oops! 

It got me thinking about forgiving myself and also how, when life comes at you, distractions are everywhere and things just don't get done that are in your regular wheelhouse.

Milestones are another one of these things that really get me frustrated. Why does everything have to be on time?! 

I understand why milestones are there and how our little babes are watched. I am grateful for the care that comes with some of the voices. But when a practitioner is pushy about it and not forgiving or not adjusting to the birth v. corrected ages and you're already stressed and exhausted and overwhelmed... Why does being "on time" have to take so much precedence?! 

Our preemies have come into this world on their own schedule and have showed us a different way right from the beginning. Watching them grow in their own ways and having them teach us on what patience, Love...

How often do you get frustrated because someone is being a twit or not doing exactly what you wanted them to do?

Sometimes these annoyances are totally legitimate and other times a glimmer of recognizing your part comes into view. 

When you find yourself in a longer lasting state of pent up frustration, annoyance, disbelief and all of the emotions that come with those states, it is seemingly easy to point fingers and say that someone else is solely causing the problem. And yet, you too are in the situation somehow, somewhere. So what?

Redirecting the focus onto your part of things is a big job. Other than gurus and teachers who have been working on themselves for many moons, most of us do not like dissecting how we too are a player in the happenings of our life.

Doing your own work is powerful and painful.

Not everyone is equipped to do the hard work, look within and figure out how to dance with the constant flow of annoying or sad situations that they are faced with.

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When our lives get turned upside down and the unexpected lands on our laps, we have different parts of us that rise to the surface. It may be reactionary, we could withdraw or a person can even get angry because they are afraid.

We can have all of these emotions and reactions, and more, when what we're used to, like a tradition around the holidays, falls away or doesn't get accomplished.

Whether you're still in the NICU or at home having to adjust your routine, finding space in your thoughts to redefine some of your traditions might be in order. The act of looking at something you're used to and have been doing for a long time in a certain way, forms new creativity and spawns a renewed light within that activity. 

- How could you do that family gathering while you are still back and forth to your baby in the NICU or Special Care Nursery?

- Where can you place that special stocking that was sewn for the newest addition to your family?

- When will you find time to...

Too often we try to do everything on our own and then we get overwhelmed, cranky, snippy and not the person we want to be.

This is so common, not just with us NICU parents, but with everyone! 

For some reason, our society has forgotten about the village mentality. We have allowed ourselves to try to do everything on our own and, for goodness sake, we even make our newborn babies become instantly independent by having them sleep in a crib or bassinet right out of the womb!! What is that all about?

This fierce independence needs to be redesigned. It is somewhat of a downfall for everyone because we honestly are not getting the support and love that we rightfully deserve and can thrive with. Most of us decline help at moments when we really do actually need that help.

This stops here!

Let's rework support for ourselves right now and learn how to accept that village back into our lives so we can settle in to more of who we are inside our souls and in turn who we need to be for...

Honestly, we all have anxiety at one time or another. Some live with it as a constant that balloons up and then recedes again. And others have it burst out as if to say, "Remember me?"

You experience anxiety differently than I do, and we all lead different lives. Figuring out how to build a relationship with anxiety for our own good is key. 

‘Try and try again’ it’s said.

‘Keep going until it feels right’ they say.

I didn’t really connect with these concepts until I had Skye.  Why should any of us go along with decisions that we don’t feel good about? The situation might not be as you had envisioned in the beginning, but the outcome might actually fit your life better than you expected.

Giving yourself the options to keep trying for something that you know deep down means a lot to you and your future, or your child's future, is never a waste of time.

When you try to do something that you think is good for you and all you get is pushback, resistance, or frustrations, you might just want to give up right then and there. Throw your hands up, your head goes back and you make some sort of comment that tells the energies around you that you’re just done!

Let me ask you, if your neonatologist or nurse did that whenever a block came up in the NICU, would that be okay?

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 Unexpected things happen all the time in life and often we're good to manage them. Other times, these events occur and sweep us away with the unknowns and uncertainties that our brains will produce. The emotions become big and often and it's sometimes difficult to manage where we're at, let alone support other people through what's going on.

My Vlog today is about this. 
I talk about the first steps that can be taken to figure yourself out as you try to manage a difficult situation AND have to parent at the same time.

Skye is a great mirror for me and the first time I realized he was expressing how I was feeling was a huge shift for all of us! It's a tough job, not for the faint of heart to be a parent, and with unexpected events it can become even more overwhelming.

Listen in, tell me what you think and remember, we're here for each other!
Love Leanne Rose 

It’s springtime where I am which means we get the spring cleaning fever. Looking around us and at our own bodies and connecting to what we can now let go of because it’s not going to serve us going into the summer months.

I definitely got stuck in some victim thinking and a headspace that I can finally say I’m seeing more of the Light in. It has not been an easy ride and yet I’m doing so much work and giving myself space and time to figure out how these experiences will serve me and the people I hold space for in the future.

Listen to my video where I talk about vulnerability and how those of us who are heads of households, or bosses, or entrepreneurs have a hard time letting ourselves be vulnerable so we can grow too.

Where are you stuck? And what would you like to let go of?

Love always,
Leanne Rose 

Expansion, joy, awareness and Love…

Finding one’s own path on this often bumpy journey called life isn’t always easy or seen as allowed. We expand when we do something nice for ourselves or others. We find joy in the small and big things. We grow awareness when we ask questions and give space for learning. And we feel Love when we can define it for our own life.

I’ve started a new tradition for myself and I’m loving it! I connected you last time with a bit of the history around April 1st and the concept of the New Year.

In this new video I celebrate and share my thoughts for the beginning of my new New Year! :)

I just love hearing from you, so click the button below and once you’ve listened in a bit, let me know what you think!

Sending happy new New Year hugs and Love,
Leanne Rose