Tag: Self Realization

Friendship · Living with Intention · Motivation · Relationships

Let Go of Those Who Are Already Gone

AuroraLeave a comment

10 years ago I posted this, and felt inspired to share it now since it popped up recently.

Positivity can come in all forms, even if it’s masked at first as feeling a bit yucky.

I think it’s really cool to know that some of the most incredible relationships you’ll ever have may not have even started yet… and that others you treasured most maybe weren’t meant to last forever. The journey of life is really amazing, because it all unfolds as it should 🤎

This is posted on my Facebook page that is solely meant for inspiring, connecting, making those who follow think a little deeper, and maybe even laugh. It’s been 8 years of inspo, and I’d love to have you join 🙂 You Can Join It Here ✨

To the adventure 💕 Cheers

Aurora

Appreciation · Journaling · Living with Intention · Motivation · Self Realization · Uncategorized

Wearing Gratitude Glasses

AuroraLeave a comment

Having a gratitude filled perspective isn’t something many of us learn in life. If you have grown up this way, you’re ahead of a lot of us, and I’m jealous of you! If you’re like the many of us who need to work at this, or even have to realize the need to work on it, this is for you!

As someone who is primarily a positive person, I get asked sometimes how I do it. If I could answer this question and give away some kind of magic secret in a 2 minute conversation, I would, but that’s not the reality of seeing your world through a grateful lens. Or as I call it, seeing the world through your Gratitude Glasses.

Having a heart full of gratitude helps you see your cup as half full! When you start going down Complaint Road and Woe Is Me Lane, it’s easy to snowball and get to a place where nothing feels good enough. This is where negativity lies, self doubt lives and the feelings of “why doesn’t anything go my way,” overwhelm you.
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The truth is, it’s a practice to have a grateful heart; you have to work on it and it takes time. When the negative thoughts start creeping in, you need to actively remind yourself of the blessings that surround you, and the cup that’s currently half empty slowly shifts to becoming half full.

Mental Exercise time 💡💪: Doing this helps me remain present and reminded of the blessings in my life- when you wake up each morning, say 3 things to yourself that you’re grateful for. It only takes moments, but it starts your day off on the right foot and with a grateful heart ♥️

I’ll start: I’m grateful for 1️⃣ The health Baby Brunovsky has and the positive visits we keep having about her 2️⃣ My relationship with my husband and how in sync we are 3️⃣ That today is the last day of work until 1/4/21! Wooo! ✨✨

Now it’s your turn! What 3 things are you grateful for today? Can you try to start each morning this week with this exercise? It’ll start your day off with reminders of how blessed you are, even if in a tough season, and give you the opportunity to proceed into the day wearing your Gratitude Glasses.

Cheers to living the glass half full life!

Xo Aurora

Community · COVID19 · Expectations · Housekeeping · Living with Intention · Self Realization

The Internet Kind of Sucks Right Now

AuroraLeave a comment

… which is why we need to bring the Positive Vibes more than ever! 🙌✨

The internet is a crazy and beautiful place…

Let me start by saying that I love social media and the internet for so many reasons- for me, I love the immediate connection to those I care about, as well as having the world at my fingertips.

What’s amazing is how generations before us never had this, and generations after us will never know anything different.

But just like with other positive things, for how great it can be, there can always be negative that comes from it. And while I think some of that is based on perspective, I also know the importance of trying to mute some of that if it’s effecting you negatively. {Hellllooo unfollow button} 👋

The world we’re in now is one that is more vocal & divided than ever before. It’s so hard to come on online and not get flooded with the arguments, bashing, negative comments, aggressive viewpoints, disrespect and most of all, hate. Some days, I literally log off because within my first few minutes of being online, I feel overwhelmed by all of the negativity and hate I’m seeing on my screen, and I feel it sucking the life out of me.

While in Quarantine, I’ve spent a lot of time seeking out pages and people that act as light during this time (and always) and leave me feeling good when I leave their page. Unfortunately, some people or pages have gotten unfollows, just for the fact that their contributions to my feed aren’t pleasant ones. If you need to do this, DO it. While everyone deserves the right to share as they’d like, you have the right to only view what you like- there’s no shame in the un-follow game! 🙌

With all that being said- this is why no matter what, I’ll keep coming back to social media, I’ll keep posting on The Weekly Sparkle Instagram, Facebook Page & my blog. I love being able to spread a little positivity or laughter to those who stumble across my pages or stories, and God knows our world is going to continue to need that 💗

So thank you for being here, reading to the end of this & following along. What positive things do you like to see online? Any accounts you’d recommend we follow for some fun/positive content? Mine is Courtney Shields 🙏 She’s a rockstar Mom, fashionista & legit feels like a friend!

Cheers to spreading Good Vibes Only! Xoxo ✨✨✨ -Aurora

Dreams · Faith · Family · Friendship · Goals · Living with Intention · Motivation · New Year · Self Realization · Tribes · Uncategorized · Valentine’s Day

Love Yourself This Valentine’s Day

AuroraLeave a comment

Happy Valentine’s Week friends!

Ahhh I love, love. Valentine’s Day is always one of my favorite holidays because we’re taking the time to acknowledge the love in our life in a way that’s more than we typically would. I am one of those people who believe we should ALWAYS celebrate the love in our life, but I also love the day that’s devoted to it– Valentine’s Day! ❤️

There is something though, that I know many people can relate to, and feel this time of year, and that’s being alone on Valentine’s Day.

So how do you celebrate a holiday that’s focused on love, when you’re not in it?

I think an alternative to throwing a SICK Anti-Valentine’s Day Party is that you can also celebrate the love you feel in your life and the love you have for yourself. I know, not as fun and less of a party- BUT the day itself celebrates love, so why not celebrate the love you have for others (even if not romantic), and the self love you have (or need to work on) for yourself?

I think it’s so important to ALWAYS practice self-love, whether you’re in a relationship or not, so why not use the day as a treat-yo-self, love yourself, remind yourself– day that you’re worthy of love?

So to my single friends and readers, Happy Valentine’s Day- I hope you spend the day remembering that the day is about LOVE and not necessarily about being in it. I think it’s important to remember that this day is going to change meaning throughout all of our lives, so while you’re waiting for your person to enter your life, love yourself a little bit extra and remember that love surrounds you always.

To my friends and readers in relationships– I echo the above message 10 fold, and also want to remind you to use this day and appreciate, love on and reflect on the love in your life. Love is magic, and all too often, we don’t treat it each day like we do on Valentine’s Day.

On a personal note…

I’ve seen the meaning of Valentine’s Day evolve over the years in my own life. And year after year, I become more and more grateful for the love I have with my husband, our incredible family and the love we receive from close friends and people in our lives. I’ve had this day pass where I didn’t feel much love at all, and days where my heart is bursting. So this year, I’m tearing a page from all the above and just appreciating all the love I feel in my life. I know I’m surrounded by it, so that’s what I’ll celebrate this year.

My dear friends, Happy Valentine’s Day. If it makes a difference, I LOVE YOU and am sending it to you no matter where you are.

To you & your Valentines… ❤️

-Aurora

 

PS, Xerox also has these addddorrrrabblleeeeeee FREE card print outs if you want any for your friends or loves!!!

Counseling · Dreams · Entrepreneur · Faith · Family · Friendship · Goal Digger · Goals · Housekeeping · Journaling · Living with Intention · Motivation · Networking · New Year · Paying It Forward · Sandy Hook · Self Realization · Tribes · Uncategorized

Pause & Be Grateful

AuroraLeave a comment

The last few months I have been researching gratitude and prayer journals because I knew my life had been:

Go Go GO

… and I wanted to slow it down. I’ll be the first to say I know I have a blessed life, so stopping and being grateful for the goodness around me is something I wanted to make a priority. I wasn’t looking for anything fancy, just a few pages where I could visit each day and jot down what I was most grateful for. The other thing I wanted to be more intentional about, was my relationship with God & taking a few moments each day to write out what I was praying for, focus on a verse that stood out to me and lastly, write out what I’d like God to help me learn/work on in my life.

Guys- I found the jackpot!!!!

These journals serve as both my person gratitude check and check in with God… & um, they’re GORG!!!! 😻

They’re perfect! I plan on using them both starting tomorrow morning as a way I want to start my day. Beginning each morning with a grateful heart and open conversation with God is something I know will start my day off on the right, positive note. If you’re looking to increase the happiness in your life, you can start by looking at all the blessings you already have!!

The Good Days Start With Gratitude Journal & My Prayer Journal are two great (and inexpensive!) ways to begin your daily gratitude journey! Do you already practice doing daily gratitude? If you don’t and you’ve been thinking about it, here’s a nice way to get started:

I think it’s so easy to fall into negative patterns and lead a life that feels pessimistic and like there’s a rain cloud constantly over your head. Sometimes I find myself going deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole of negativity, self doubt and gossip. I believe that when you have a grateful heart, put God first and are open about your struggles/needs/imperfections, you can truly begin to see a change in yourself. This is my hope anyway, since this is going to be a practice I start today in search of that!

Don’t have a relationship with God (or any higher power)? That’s okay– if it’s for the simple fact that you don’t know where to start, I’d say this journal is a great beginning mark. I also downloaded This Bible App, because it’s free, offers daily verses and inspiration and sends you daily notifications to remind you it’s time to get your God Time in! ☑️ Honestly, it’s great.

I know we’re all on a journey to better ourselves (I’m sure that’s how you made your way to my page), so gratitude is where I want to focus next. It’s all a part of my wanting to Live Intentionally and form a life of gratitude, reflection, growth and living my best life.

I’d love to hear if you use a gratitude journal or practice gratitude in your own way in the comments! I’ll be sure to write a follow up on how the journaling is going…

To being grateful for (and aware of!) life’s blessings,

Aurora ✨

Counseling · Dreams · Entrepreneur · Faith · Family · Friendship · Goals · Housekeeping · Living with Intention · Motivation · Networking · Paying It Forward · Self Realization · Tribes · Uncategorized

Me… 10 Years Ago Vs Now #10YearChallenge

AuroraLeave a comment

Happy Sunday friends! I went along with the other couple million on social media and completed the #10YearChallenge a few days ago. If you have been hiding under a rock don’t know what I’m talking about- the concept is simple: you find a photo of yourself from 10 years ago and one that is current, and you post the side by side views.

WOW

The intention of this challenge was to show how different we all look after 10 years. At 31 however, I found myself looking at the girl on the left, and thinking: “WOW, if I could talk to this girl, the things I would tell her about her life to come.”

So I posted this photo on My Instagram (Click to follow) and I wrote the caption:

What would I tell Aurora Boo 10 years ago if future me had a chance to speak to her? YOU LOOK AMAZING, STOP THINKING YOU AREN’T GOOD ENOUGH AND THAT YOU NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT. Oh, and THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE IS ON HIS WAY, HANG TIGHT GIRLFRIEND❤️ {& keep your signature picture pose- it’s gonna be a hit later down the road}! I can’t believe the #10YearChallenge just inspired my next blog post! See you all on Sunday! 😘

So here we are…

THINK about this, where were you 10 years ago and what did you think of yourself? Were you in school? Were you in a relationship? Did things feel awful? Did things feel perfect? Now I ask… how different does it look than you thought it would?

Did you think you’d be married? Did you think you’d have kids? No kids? Did you think you’d be advanced in your career? Or are you in a career you never thought you’d be in? Did you think you’d be retired already? My friends….

This is called, LIFE!… & growing up/ growing old

BUT!…. I have to laugh when I think back to myself at 21. Didn’t we all think we’d have kids in a few years and consider our 30’s being OLD? I certainly did. Never did I think that at 31 years old, I wouldn’t have at least 2-3 kids. Why did I think that? Because my parents had me and my siblings when my mom was in her 20’s… and we’re supposed to be following the footsteps of our parents, right? Man, I’m literally sitting her smirking thinking about what I thought life would be like and how it is.

I truly, wholeheartedly, love my life. Every aspect of it: the people in it, my marriage, my relationship with God, my career, my accomplishments, the life lessons (difficult and positive), and where my life is headed. It just looks so different than how the girl on the left thought it would look.

So, what would I tell the girl on the left at 21, that I know now at 31?

I would pat her on the back and tell her she’s doing a great job, even though sometimes she doesn’t feel good enough or that she’s on the right track. I would tell her that it’s okay to challenge people you love, even though you worry it’ll be perceived as disrespectful and that growing up comes with forming your own beliefs, non-negotiables and boundaries… but that kindness is imperative. I’d tell her that one day the people she’s challenging will actually appreciate her for that, and thank her for helping teach them a thing or two along the way. I’d tell her that it’s okay if you’re not 100% confident that your current relationship is the forever relationship, and that what you’re feeling in the relationship is valid, and should be heard. I’d tell her she can have more than one deep love in life and that her soul mate is out there. I’d also tell her that she’ll find him soon and to go with her gut. Lastly, I’d tell her it’s okay to say NO sometimes.

Things I would want to tell her, but I wouldn’t, because they gave her the best life experience and growth: Don’t take out more student loans than you need- future Aurora will thank you. Drop the friends that make you feel bad about yourself, or cause too much drama in your life- they’re using you for your energy, and this will eventually burn you out.

It’s amazing how this fun internet challenge really inspired me to think a little more inward. What I gained by looking back is something I will take with me looking forward: Things that are paining me now, or keep me up at night, will all iron themselves out over time, and stressing about them now, and feeling negative about them, won’t make them go away- they’ll just continue giving me stress and worry. So, looking into my next 10 years, I will try harder to shake the things that worry me, and instead focus on and LOVE the heck out of the things/people in my life that bring me joy.

Did you complete the 10 Year Challenge? If so, what would you tell yourself 10 years ago if you knew what you knew now? Would love to hear it in the comments!

Love,

Aurora ✨✨

Goals · Motivation · Self Realization

Move. You’re Not A Tree.

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You Are Not A Tree

” If you don’t like where you are, move. You’re not a tree.”

What a quick reminder of reality. Sometimes we think we’re stuck in a situation or worry about circumstances, and don’t realize that they are just that- situations and circumstances. Too often, I think we forgot that have have power over both of these things in all aspects of our lives. This sits most recently with me, as I’ve come to the realization that things I am currently unhappy with, can change… and that I have the power to make that happen, when I want. That’s the key to getting what you want, deserve, are looking for… you make it happen by flipping the switch.

Do you want to lose weight/create healthier habits? Are you in a relationship that you feel you shouldn’t be? At a job where you know you need to try something new? Or maybe you’re looking to start a relationship, get on the dating scene, or take up a new hobby- YOU have the power to jump-start all of these things and to make them happen for yourself-NOW.

That’s what this means… YOU, ARE NOT, A TREE. The only thing rooting you down is yourself. The things you want to change, can change, you just have to hit the start button.

From one former tree to another,

Aurora Beani

Community Giving · Goals · Motivation · Paying It Forward · Self Realization · Uncategorized

New Year, New You, New Goals

AuroraLeave a comment

Happy New Year!

How are you? It’s been one heck of a new year so far for me and we’re only 2 weeks in! I hope the year thus far has brought you some luck as well as hopes for a great year to come. Each year, I propose a challenge to become my best self by trying harder to meet goals I set for myself. This time last year, these were the goals (New Years Resolutions) that I come up with:

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I put my resolutions next to my bed, on my night stand, as a reminder each day of what I’ve promised myself for the upcoming year. This eliminates the possible out of site out of mind dilemma that gets many of us off track when setting new goals. Try this. I’m telling you it works, as I’ve had a successful year with each one of my resolutions! I’ve increased my water intake immensely, having multiple glasses daily and substituting other (unhealthy) beverages for it! My website went from zero to 60, rounding to almost 8,000 views, showing me that spreading positivity is possible {and enjoyable}! I’ve worked hard on becoming more punctual {but will continuously work on this during 2014} and set time aside to plan my days, priorities, etc. I did this by utilizing daily planners, calendars and communicating better to my family, friends and co-workers. Lastly, I feel that this year was one of the strongest years where I came into myself.

Let me go more into this one, as it was one of my biggest realizations and had one of the largest impacts on me in 2013.

I set the goal in 2013, to “Be YOURSELF.” In reading it, I see that it’s a bold statement with a potentially broad meaning. The truth is, I wasn’t exactly sure what I meant at the time, but I knew I wanted to make some positive changes to feel better about myself, and what I was projecting out to others. I discovered through 2013, that where I really lacked “being myself” was in my confidence. While I knew I was a good person, treated others with respect and had a good head on my shoulders, something just didn’t feel right. It’s one thing to have accomplishments and be successful, but it’s another to know your worth and not being afraid to put it out there. In 2013, I put Aurora out there, which was scary, nerve wracking, unpredictable and uncomfortable. But the best part I discovered, is that these feelings are essential as you head down the road to becoming what you want. Every change in your life is going to bring some kind of discomfort, because it’s not natural– that’s why it’s called change. So that being said, while I continue to put my best self out there and work on all goals from the previous year, here are my new goals for 2014::

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What are you going to do to become your Best Self in 2014?

To a New year, 🌟✨

-Aurora Beani