5 Soulful Ways to Bring Holiday Cheer This Year

Do you struggle with feeling the traditional holiday cheer this year? Many people do – this Christmas is going to be nothing like before. So how to tune into the holiday spirit in these hard times?

I was relaxing on my couch last night watching something on YouTube. Unrelated to anything I was watching, I felt these words in my heart: breath is grace. 

I think this made an impact on me since I’ve been feeling the weight of the typical holiday cheer looking so different this year. It feels weird living in a world that’s normalizing face coverings in the grocery store; with local shops and businesses closing down because of the economy.

It feels un-human: Social distancing. Face coverings. Nose swabs. Everything.

I’m not saying this because I disagree with the protocol—I don’t—but merely because I am trying to live a normal life in a very abnormal time in history.

But then I remember: every breath I’m given is a symbol of grace. The grace to be alive. The grace to be present. And the grace to choose hope. So even amidst times that feel a little bit lonelier and quieter, there is grace.

How to Be More Mindful and Bring Holiday Cheer This Year

Below are 5 interactive ways to step into this “space of grace”—by slowing down and being more mindful:

1. Create A Mindful Journaling Routine:

Before writing anything down, close your eyes and take an inventory of yourself. Are you feeling tense anywhere? Is your jaw clenched? Are your eyebrows furrowed? Howʼs your energy? Just observe, connecting within, before jumping into action.

When you feel centered, begin writing whatʼs on your mind: how youʼre feeling, your goals, dreams, stressors, something youʼre grateful for. Once youʼve finished writing, close your eyes again and take a brief inventory. Do you feel more clear-minded? Did you drop any tension during the exercise?

When you keep a journal, youʼre able to see patterns in your own self. I recommend reading what youʼve written once youʼre finished as this will help you process. Deep desires in your heart rise to the surface more easily. Things that are causing extra stress will be brought to your attention as they recur in your journal entries.

It’s easy to roll out of bed or take any spare moment and scroll on social media. But make time—preferably morning or night—to connect within. Remember: this is a time to connect with yourself.

Donʼt put pressure on yourself to write anything profound or deep. You could simply jot down how you slept and what youʼre grateful for. Keep it simple. Let your heart guide you!  

2. Try Something New:

Try a new recipe. Start learning the guitar. Make your own candles. Listen to a new genre of music. Paint a picture. Engage your mind with something new that sparks your innate creativity.

You heard that right. Your innate creativity! Whatever appeals to you: go with that. Try and stay off social media while you do your hobby (unless youʼre googling fun things to do ;).

It never ceases to amaze me how trying something new—whether itʼs a new recipe or learning a new song— creates more space inside me. A new sense of clarity and ease. Itʼs like a cup of tea for your soul: cozy and uplifting. And it may help you feel the holiday cheer too.

3. Find Deeper Ways to Connect:

I’m aware that not everyone is as obsessed with the Enneagram Personality quiz as I am (I swear it read my soul!), but consider ways you can learn more about yourself and connect deeper to those around you in an interactive way. Maybe take a personality quiz with a friend and then read each otherʼs profiles.

Or, if youʼre rolling your eyes at the thought of doing a personality quiz, think of a few deeper questions that you can ask a friend, significant other, or family member.

Connecting deeply and having meaningful relationships is all about the quality of the time spent, not the quantity (especially during these times of social distancing and masked faces). Make those memories count!

4. Choose a Quote, Prayer, or Mantra:

Words are powerful. Words can inspire, ignite, and remind you of simple truths. Pick out a quote, mantra, or prayer that speaks to you. Write it down somewhere you will see it and read it every day. Pick out a new one when you feel the need for another reminder. My go-to is the ever beloved “Serenity Prayer.”

The Serenity Prayer has helped guide me through many different life seasons. It goes:

“Grant  me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the  things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.”

You can be as creative and fancy with how you write your quote, prayer, or mantra or as simple as you like. The key is: choose something that speaks to you.

5. Stretch:

As a certified yoga instructor, I may be a little biased as to why having a stretching routine is so beneficial. But donʼt take my word for it—try it for yourself. Even 5  minutes first thing in the morning not only tunes you into your body but also awakens your mind in an easeful way.

Try this:

Sit up in bed (or on a yoga mat) with your legs crisscrossed. Slowly start rolling your head to the right. Repeat 3 times in each direction. Then make loose fists with your hands and circle your wrists 5 times in each direction. On an inhale raise both arms to the ceiling and on an exhale bring them back down to your side.

Repeat twice more. Placing your right hand on the surface beside you (whether itʼs your bed or yoga mat), lift your left arm to the ceiling and reach it towards the right, lengthening out your left side. (Tip: be sure to keep your shoulders away from your neck as you lean).

Hold for 2-3 breaths and repeat on the other side. Fold your chest forward and place your hands on the floor in front of you. You may feel the stretch in your lower back. Keeping your hands planted on the ground, you can sway left and right if it feels good. Stay here for 2-3 breaths. Come back up to the center.

Ta-da! Stretching routine complete. This not only stretches your body but connects you to your breath—that breath of grace inside you!

I hope these tips find their way into your heart and home this year. Not every moment feels sparked with magic and joy, but remembering the grace tucked into each breath can help bring holiday cheer back into this season.

This article was featured on Life Advancer. Check them out here: https://www.lifeadvancer.com/soulful-ways-to-bring-holiday-cheer/

Smile, breathe, and go slowly

I find November to be a difficult month. The air gets chillier. The evenings get darker. The sun feels a bit further away.

Recently my work hours changed and my mornings are very early. I find myself yawning a little bit more. I feel my body call for rest, but the motor in my brain—which never seems to slow down—says, “Keep going. You’re not going fast enough. Do more. Be more.”

It’s tiring.

With my busier schedule, it becomes apparent that I can’t do everything all of the time. My energy is limited. My time is limited.

I am limited.

But here’s the thing: I am not made to be limitless; and neither are you. My fatigue and exhaustion remind me of this truth. Being limited doesn’t mean not being “enough.” Being limited is a reminder that I am not meant to do everything on my own. And that’s a beautiful thing.

Flowers can’t grow on their own, either. They need sunlight and soil. Water and wonder. Time to grow.

So do I.

In case you need the permission from someone else, here it is: It’s ok to be exhausted. It’s ok to take a step back today. It’s ok to lean on a friend or loved one for a little extra comfort.

Take a moment to look out the window. To breathe life in. Sip your coffee slowly. Savor the small moments of slowing down. There is beauty all around.

”Smile, breathe and go slowly.”

Thich Naht Hahn

Slowing Down.

Recently I’ve found myself waking up in the morning with the feeling of urgency. A sense of rushing. My mind is already 10 steps ahead of my body as I still lay under my covers. I’ve been in constant fatigue, feeling like I can’t quite keep up with life. Finding I’m too drained by my self-imposed to-do list, that I no longer have the energy for creativity and music… for the things that enrich my life and make it beautiful.

My body is tired. My mind is tired. I find myself thinking, “Once I finish my certification, my life will slow down.” But will it? Does life actually ever slow down? Or is it we who have to slow down?

I don’t want to be carried away.

So today, instead of fighting my fatigue, I put down what I was doing, made myself a cup of tea and went onto the front porch and wrote this reflection on rain. I felt calm and centered after. Grateful and alive. I hope you enjoy :-)

Rain

I sit here on the porch listening to the pitter-patter of rain

I hear the distant call of a bird across the tree-line

Nature is harmony

A quiet calmness

A sweet surender

The wind blows softly, nuzzling the leaves of our crabapple tree

Gracefully

Wistfully

I feel soothed by the wind

My attention draws back toward the rhythmic rain as it tap-tap-taps

I feel myself draw inward

A reminder to slow down

Ahh…

I reach for my mug of tea only to realize I’ve already sipped the last sip

Lost in the moment of the sweet wonder of rain

Pleasantly awakened.

November Reflection

The November air is settling in; the crisp freshness fills my being with each breath as I walk along the canal . I don’t typically go on walks so close to evening in these cooler months, but there’s magic all of its own. The colors of the sky are gray and blue but the golden light of the crescent moon peeks through. Stillness. I glance over to the water and notice ducks wading; their swimming make small waves in the quiet water. A sense of joy overcomes me. An energy fills my being. These little moments remind me of the gradual beauty in the changing season. There’s a calmness.

Ahh, I feel my heart say.

Typically I dread the cooler weather. It makes me think of cold fingers and toes. Icy roads. Stuffy noses and dry throats. But this year, as the chill air nestles itself here in Rochester, I’m filled with a renewed outlook with the changing seasons. Cozy socks. Hot tea. Snow angels. Warm sweaters. Although the evening gets dark sooner, the moon comes and reminds me of my own inner light peeking through the darkness—an inner light that we all have.

As someone who struggles with anxiety, sometimes it can be hard to untangle myself from my thoughts. Oftentimes in these moments, I turn to the wisdom of nature to let it speak to me in a profound way revealing the message I need to receive.

I look around me. The birds fly in the open sky. The leaves skip across the sidewalk. The smell of autumn infuses the chilly air. These are all reminders to stay grounded in the present moment without feeling the need to change anything. Nature teaches me patience. It teaches me that there’s a time and place for everything; there’s no need to rush.

I watch the clouds cover the moon like a curtain closing. I remind myself that my thoughts are like the clouds that pass by, sometimes hiding my own inner light. And as I watch the clouds gently waft onward, the golden glow comes shining through on the other side again. I smile to myself because I tend to grasp at my thoughts. Clinging. But just as I can’t grab hold of the clouds—thin air—there’s no need to cling to my thoughts. I’m reminded: the inner light never left; it’s merely hiding behind the gray.

Nature is a beautiful example of surrender. The trees surrender to the wind, swaying softly. The water rests calmly under the evening sky. Snow falls gently, tenderly to the earth—no rush.

I continue to learn the same lesson over and over. Be present. Stay attuned. Embrace the simple beauty. Discover calmness by surrendering to the seasons. Allow the discomfort to pass by like the clouds. Trust. The barren trees of winter will soon be clothed in blossoms. The flowers of spring trust the rain will bring them life. It’s the process, a dancing of time.

I come inside from my evening-lit walk, the air inside feels warmer. My cheeks are rosy. My spirit feels awakened and enriched. Gratitude fills my heart.

Remember: Even when the clouds in your own life—whatever it is for you—appear to cover up your inner light, know that your golden glow never left. It merely hid behind the gray, but will reappear again. Just like the moon.

Stay cozy!

Serenity and love,

Colleen

How Anorexia Has Changed Me Over The Past 6 Years (As featured on "The Mighty")

October feels like an anniversary to me, but not in a happy “congratulations” kind of way. October is when the little whispers of my eating disorder began to take control of my life. I had no idea what road this would lead me down. A road that was twisty, dark and seemingly unending.

6 years ago I began to be afraid of my own body.
6 years ago I started to believe food was an enemy coming to invade me.
6 years ago I began to distrust my instincts.
6 years ago the noise in my head began to drown out the voice in my heart.
6 years ago… I look back and think “that’s when it all started to change.”

There’s a beauty and a sorrow in realizing I will never be the same as I was before anorexia. In a sense, I lost part of my innocence. A youthful part of me that didn’t understand pain, shame, and fear to the extent that I do now. Although I see anorexia—and the emotional roller coaster that followed—as my greatest spiritual teacher and a catalyst to living a more authentic and meaningful life, it didn’t come without a price. Experiencing darkness invites us to search more deeply for the light. To become that light for others. To become that voice of hope. To search within for the strength we all have.

The thing about painful experiences is that we aren’t meant to be the same as we were before. I don’t believe that’s what the healing journey is about. Wholeness is a way of living and being—it’s not a destination. The lessons I’ve learned from my own trials have led me to deeper compassion and understanding for others and myself. It has led me to deeper connection with the world around me and my own fragility. I believe that is the purpose of pain and healing. It comes to expand our hearts and sift anything that stands in the way of our truest self. When we surrender to the inevitable set backs in life, we create space within to transform.

Our fear becomes courage.
Our weakness becomes resilience.
Our loss becomes appreciation.
Our loneliness becomes connection.
Our despair becomes hope.

That is the journey of the human heart.

It is a gut-wrenching, soul-igniting, powerful, magnificent, whirlwind of a lifetime.

Some days I wish I was further along in the journey—somewhere else rather than where I am right now. The eating disorder still whispers in my mind, but the voice in my heart grows stronger because I’ve learned to listen to it and trust its guidance. As I continue to embrace my own path of becoming whole, I look back with a reverent gratitude for all of the lessons that my darkest moments have taught me. My humanness connects me to every other person. Some days are harder than others; some months trigger certain memories and emotions, but I’m gradually learning to…

Laugh more. Forgive faster. Run freely. Speak up. Listen deeply. Show up for others. Be present. Appreciate everything.
On the days when it feels more difficult to accept myself and when my mind is spinning in the chaos, I remember that the beauty of life is that our pain creates a depth in our hearts that allows us to love more deeply and be loved in return. May life’s precious moments take our breath away. May the simple joys create a grateful heart. And may the difficulties remind us of the strength we have within.

Serenity and love,

Colleen

This post is published on one of my favorite mental health sights, “The Mighty.” Check them out!

home.

I’ve felt an aching nostalgia for home lately.

A homesickness I’ve never experienced before.

A yearning for less responsibility and more rest.

A yearning to make peace with the people I left behind.

A yearning for my little self who needs to be revisited by my older, wiser, more compassionate self.

A yearning for the fresh smell of earth as I drink my morning tea on the front porch.

Home.

I close my eyes and I envision myself surrounded by the trees that sway softly and root strongly into the earth. Those trees are the same ones I grew up climbing. I hear the sweet singing of birds. These birds are different from the city birds I hear when I walk down the street. Don’t get me wrong, I love the cheerful sound of birds wherever I can get them, but there’s something special about the birds I knew back home.

Their song is sweet and pure and joyous. Their song evokes a bliss and gratitude within my heart. Oh, the sweet sound!

Of course any emotion I feel deeply inside is best expressed through music. The little hiatus I’d taken from songwriting after finishing my previous album fizzled to an end as these feelings of homesickness began to arise within me. It’s as if my heart was speaking to me:

“Hello, we have some more healing to do. It’s time you bring out the guitar.”

I didn’t fully understand this yearning for a place that felt strangely unfamiliar even though I’d known it all my life. A place that reminded me of hurt and chaos. A place I tried to escape for a long time. I knew writing would help me to process what I was feeling.

”A guitar. Writing on a guitar?” I thought to myself. It had been YEARS since I wrote on my guitar. I picture my 12 year old self sitting on the edge of my bed playing the guitar (which, might I add, was perpetually flat). I’d written on the piano for my two previous albums but something inside me was calling for the guitar. So I listened.

Picking up the guitar, my fingers find the chords that feel right. These lyrics flow out:

”We’re going back to the days we didn’t know where we’d go on this life-long road
We’re going back to the days we didn’t care, hands in the air, we were flying free
We’re going back, going back to the roots we left to find ourselves
Now we find ourselves on the road back to our roots.”

A-ha.

Reconnection.

I need to reconnect with the little girl inside me who is carefree and happy and light… and I feel in my heart the desire to go home and make peace with the loved ones I haven’t loved so well over the years. I feel a place of acceptance in my soul. People don’t always change and it’s not in our control to make them…but I can change. I can accept and make peace within myself. And with this, I can learn to love them more deeply.

I’m so thrilled to be recording this digital EP in September. A collection of 4 songs reuniting me with my younger self and reconnecting with my roots…and finding acceptance and forgiveness for a place that hasn’t felt like home in awhile.

And finally it is starting to feel like it again.

Home.

Rising From Rock Bottom: 7 Tips to Turn Your Pain into Your Purpose

Have you ever hit a low and felt like nothing good could come out of it? You’re at rock bottom, nothing is aligning in your favor, and you fall into a deep, dark depression. There’s nothing more isolating than feeling alone in suffering. There’s nothing harder than fighting a fight that doesn’t seem to have an end or a purpose.

But I’m here to tell you this:

If we allow it to, our deepest pain can lead to truer versions of ourselves and guide us to our greatest potential and purpose. For this reason, I believe in rock bottoms. I believe rock bottoms come to break us open. To break us into place.

When I was 17, my mental health hit an all-time low. It was the whole shebang:  family issues escalated, the friction around me added to the anxiety I already struggled with, and to cope, I started starving myself. Within two months, I had lost thirty healthy pounds and was diagnosed with anorexia. My life was consumed with doctor appointments and weekly weigh-ins;  my social life shriveled to nothing. I don’t have the words to describe the spiritual emptiness, loneliness and the hollow ache I felt inside during the years that followed as I fought to find my way up from rock bottom.

It was during this time that I heard a quiet, yet firm, voice inside that said:  “Keep going. This is preparing you for a greater purpose than you can imagine. Pass through this pain and cross this bridge. Trust. Have courage.”  I didn’t see a way out of the darkness that consumed me during this time, but I knew I had to give my life a purpose because I felt utterly dead inside.

I began to write music as a way to express myself and dig into the endless pain I felt inside. For the first time in years, I started to feel emotions again. I felt I was falling apart. I felt like a stranger to myself. But in reality, I was breaking into place.

I had one of those “meant to be” experiences when I had the opportunity to work with a music producer and sound engineer who took me under his wing and began to mentor me in songwriting. Although my feelings of defeat and worthlessness felt all-consuming, he helped draw out not only my singing voice—but more importantly—my inner voice.

This is the voice we all have inside. The song of our soul. It is our duty to find this “inner voice”—our true selves—which often rises to the surface after hitting an all-time low. This is why rock bottoms can become our greatest gift even if it appears to be the darkest alley. I believe in you and your inner voice. It’s time to tune in to that strength inside.

Here are 7 steps to rebuild yourself from rock bottom and turn your pain into your purpose.

1. Be Vulnerable.

Many of us have inner walls that divide us from our true selves. We feel entrenched in shame and we lose connection with our hearts. We need to get inside these walls so we can heal. In order to do this, we need compassion and self-honesty. Songwriting helped me because I was able to grapple with my strong emotions in a creative and expressive way. I recommend doing something that has the same effect on you. Something that engages you with yourself.  I’m not talk about watching TV and vegging.

Go play on an empty basketball court. Journal. Walk in nature. Listen to music and cry. This is part of the “breaking open” process. Get gritty. Find the mess. Connect with your emotions. Don’t run from the pain.

2. Let Go of Toxicity and Pressure.

Life changes direction. We’ve all experienced this. Oftentimes, we hit rock bottom because life has a greater purpose for us and we need to reset our course. During this time we may come to realize the “life-plan” we had for ourselves wasn’t up to par with what our true potential is. Living out our greatness requires us to have courage. Let your heart speak and follow your intuition even if it seems counterintuitive. When faced with important decisions, don’t base them off outside pressures:  listen to that inner voice.

Let go of anything and anyone that brings negativity into your life. Evaluate who and what these things are and let them go.

3. Find Your Tribe.

I’m 100% in favor of finding what works for you and never settling for mediocrity.

Hate your job? Figure out what it is that’s not working and take action. Dissatisfied with your relationships? Evaluate who you feel most yourself around and who you feel the need to build those walls up in front of. Your authenticity will naturally attract your tribe. Community is huge. Cultivate meaningful connections.

4. Embrace Your Imperfections.

There’s an ancient Japanese word--“kintsugi”--used to describe the method of mending broken ceramic together with a beautiful, gold lacquer. The philosophy is that the very pieces that were once broken—now mended together with gold—are more beautiful than the original, untouched piece. This applies to us. The parts of you that feel broken are the very areas where your strength, courage, and compassion come from.

Don’t be afraid of your imperfections. Instead of judging yourself for them, get curious about that inner critic. Negative self-talk is a sign that there’s some unaddressed issue and it’s time to tune in with compassion. Consider seeing a therapist. Call a friend. Allow others to uplift you when you feel down.

5. Let Go of Who You Think You Should Be.

In order for us to be rebuilt, we need to let go of the illusion or “idea” of who we think we are supposed to be so that we can embrace who we actually are. This does not mean settling for a less-than-you-can-be version of you. It means meeting yourself where you are and not where you think you should be. When we allow ourselves to be where we are, something magical happens. You’ll be surprised by how much you can enjoy yourself when you come into who you really are. Outside pressure and insecurities within are exhausting.

Spend time alone to reconnect with your soul. Pray. Meditate. Read. This will bring serenity into your life.

6. Align With Your Values.

Evaluate your values, your priorities, and what’s most important to you. When our mind and heart are in harmony, we naturally find where we’re meant to be and how to live out a more meaningful life.

Do the inner work—allow yourself to break open—and trust that you are falling into place.  There is beauty in surrendering the things closest to your heart. Be specific about what you need to release control of. For me it’s battling the idea that I need to make money off of my music in order to be "legit.” When you let go of the outcome or your fixed idea of what you think you want, you make space inside for the greatness that is yours to come.

7. Be Patient.

Healing takes time. The road is not straight, but the reward is invaluable. You may find that as you work through your pain, unaddressed issues from your past come up as well. This is an important part of the process. I believe in you. The words I felt so deeply whispered into my heart when I was at my sickest—empty and alone—I repeat to you:  “Keep going. This is preparing you for a greater purpose than you can imagine. Pass through this pain and cross this bridge. Trust. Have courage."

Hitting rock bottom is our invitation to rebuild the pieces of who we were, into the transformed person we are called to become. It’s not about putting the pieces back in the places they were, but realizing our imperfections add to the masterpiece that we already are.

I’d love to hear from you! What’s your favorite way to cope during difficult times? Comment below!

What my heart needed to hear today.

Life caught up to me over the past couple of weeks. I’d been go, go, go with work, relationships, and releasing my new album and I felt my inner self deteriorating. My energy was suffering. I felt less patient and more irritable. This is always my inner self speaking to me. Slow down, I’m falling behind it seems to be saying.

Yesterday, I canceled most of my plans because I knew if I didn’t slow down, I would continue to deteriorate. Alright, self, we’re going to spend some time together. I went on a walk around a beautiful reservoir nearby to where I live and felt these words whispered into my heart; a reminder:

You don’t need to strive.

Ever since battling anorexia and everything that came after that dark time, I’ve kept my eyes laser focused on healing, recovery, and inner-growth. But even this desire for greater well-being sometimes came from an unhealthy and exhausted place of striving for my sense of worth and resisting my inevitable human, imperfect self. Yesterday on my sweet, serene walk, I needed the reminder that sometimes stepping back is a form of growth.

During the season of writing Brave, I took a HUGE step back from life and made time, space and energy for solitude, silence, and stillness. I was pretty unapologetic about it. This is what my spirit needed, although it wasn’t always comfortable. A certain amount of noise and distraction is inevitable in today’s day and age—at least that’s what we’re conditioned to believe. But creativity is directly linked to our spirituality, and what my soul needed was alone time.

This was lonely at times. But absolutely necessary.

After releasing my album, I realized I needed to connect more with my relationships, so that’s what I’ve been focusing on the past few months. It’s been lovely, and fun, and rejuvenating…but with this new fast paced way of living, I slowly became exhausted.

Hence, yesterday.

We all need time to step back and reflect and nourish our souls. I make time for stillness every morning, but even still, I need a day here and there to further that connection. It is on these days that I’m often given the message I need to hear most.

You don’t need to strive.

Learning to accept that sometimes I feel deeply imperfect without feeling unworthy and ashamed about it is the journey I’m on. The word “imperfect” broken down literally says “I’m perfect” and although I do not reinforce being “perfect” and I know I am far from it, I do believe I am perfectly made. So every time I hear my mind tell my heart, “I’m imperfect, I’m not good enough”, my heart speaks back: I am imperfect, but I’m perfectly made and that is good enough.

Imperfection is a gift.

I would rather have imperfections that teach me to be kind and compassionate and look out for others. I would rather be vulnerable and able to create meaningful connections than never need a shoulder to cry on at all. My imperfections invite me to live more fully. The same goes for you.

What about you? What message or reminder do you feel your heart needs today? Share it below! :-)



Cultivating Stillness... (the inspiration behind the title of my album "Brave)

We live in a world that sees living bravely as some outward thing. Being big, bold, bright. Willing to stand out. Willing to take risks.

Yes. All of those things could be under the list of “brave" and when I originally started writing the album, I thought that was my goal: authenticity rather than perfection. But over time, I realized this journey was much more profound.

Life is technicolor. Messy. Imperfect. Uncertain. The bravest thing we can do is to live through all of life's fragile beauty from a place of inner stillness--a deep surrender and awakened presence.

Living from a place of inner stillness can feel like a paradox when life throws storms our way. But it is not about the water always being still. It is not about avoidance or resistance, or running and hiding from pain, either. Stillness is what lies underneath our thoughts and emotions; it's beyond the noise surrounding us. We must merely tap into it. This requires that we sit with the discomfort of silence. Connecting with this grounding source within becomes a wellspring of strength that carries us through life's highest waves and deepest lows.  

Breathe. Trust. Surrender.

That is the journey of brave.

Pain, I feel you, and I will stay with you. I will not run. I will embrace you.

Fear, I see you. Thank you for showing me what I need to overcome. You’ve helped me to become strong. Hello old friend, you are welcome. Come be with me.

Shame, I feel your shadow hovering over me. I hear you whisper words of inadequacy. I know you come to protect me from feeling vulnerable. Thank you. You are no longer needed.

Peace, you are the light that comes from deep surrender. Abide with me.

Joy, you're the song of my soul. You transform deep sorrow and grief into song and strength.

Stillness, you are the unwavering strength within. Like water, you reflect the light of the sun and the moon. Ever present. 

Healing - it all starts with stillness.

When I began writing this album, I thought the journey was solely about dismantling my heart and expressing myself authentically. But as I dove deeper into this process, I realized being brave is not so much an outward endeavor. It's the quiet journey inward to the stillness that lives beyond fear.

I hope these songs help you discover your own inner stillness and inner strength!

Remember: you, too, are brave.

Serenity and love,

Colleen

How to get a copy of “Brave”?
Email: colleenbartlettmusic@gmail.com ($10+shipping/handling)
iTunes: Click here
CD Baby (hard copy or digital): Click here

ALBUM IS FINISHED!!!!

I’m SO thrilled and excited to say that the album is FINALLY finished and ready for listeners! It’s available through the links below, however, I would LOVE to be the one to send you a copy (there’s a dedication on inside cover of the CD. I don’t want you to miss out on that! :).

How to get a copy?
Email: colleenbartlettmusic@gmail.com ($10+shipping/handling)
iTunes: Click here
CD Baby (hard copy or digital): Click here

LET’S BE BRAVE!
Serenity and love,
Colleen