Mindy

There are some people that come into your life
And upon meeting them you are never, ever the same
Mindy is one of those individuals for me

When I traveled to the Oregon Coast in 2009 I had no idea that the course of my life was going to be altered forever.  The way I viewed myself would be shattered.  And slowly over time I would be able to pick up the pieces, examine them, and for the first time see clearly who I really was.  The lack of confidence that I traveled with to Oregon would be tossed into the ocean and swept out to sea.  Boarding the plane back to NJ I was taking with me tools that I needed to forge ahead on my journey.

The journey of finding yourself is not an easy one to undertake or figure out.  There is no right or wrong way to do it.  It is just about showing up and living each day.  I struggled through some dark nights as tears poured from my eyes.  My inner demons shouting that I was not good enough, did not deserve happiness, and had nothing to offer this world.  There were moments that were incredibly tough.

But the beautiful part about life is that you do not have to ever travel alone.  As human beings we need each other and feed off of one another.  It is tough to show up and say: "I do not have the answers" ~ "I am hurting inside and am unsure why" ~ "I do not know what to do"  It is really difficult to shed our tough exterior and show the world our vulnerable pieces.  To admit our past mistakes and let them go.  Understanding that our past does not define our future.

When we do this.  When we we forgive ourselves, show up and just be who we are, exactly as we are ~ we are enough.  Magical things happen.  You meet people you never thought you would meet.  Experience a whole world of things you dreamed about.  And you get submerged into the life you are meant to be living.

Mindy opened me up.  Encouraged me along with each shaky step that I took.  She never let me believe those demons that tried to force their own opinion on me.  She gently shed light on the gift that I have inside of me and encourages me to share it with the world. If my path had never crossed Mindy's I am unsure of where I would be standing today.

It is amazing what individuals can do for each other.  There are times we do not even realize we are touching another's life, but we are.  And it happens because we allow ourselves to be seen and we show up in the world.

I am so incredibly grateful to know Mindy.  To stand here and watch her spread her wings and fly.  She breathes so much goodness into the world and inspires so many individuals.  She is one of the kindness, most gentle, and caring individuals that I know ~ with an incredible accent.  Her paintings are stunning and her heat filled with love and compassion.  I honor her courage to keep stepping forward on her journey.

I hope you have a minute to stop by and view her space at Timsally.  I just know you will adore her just as much as I do.  I have to warn you though, one minute of listening to her speak and you will want her to continue talking all night.

This is what a keeps me moving forward in life.  Incredible connections that transpire between individuals. Opening people up.  Feeling comfortable to shed the hard exterior and appreciate the "neat" things in life.