Toto

On her quest to find the Wizard, Dorothy had a constant companion named Toto.  Throughout her journey, Toto was there to talk to, warned her of impending danger or imposters, all by barking of course. The saying “Man’s best friend” couldn’t be more true about our furry sidekicks. There’s nothing in this world that will love you as unconditionally as your dog.  Like Toto, they are more loyal, more dependable and more happy to see you when you get home than many people are.

On Christmas Eve 2015, I received an incredible surprise! My own Toto. A ball of fluff disguised as a 1lb Morkie (Maltese and Yorkie Mix).  I named her, Nike. Here's why...

Nike and I on Christmas Eve

Years ago on an amazing trip with my mom in Europe, we traveled through a few cities in Greece, as well as the ancient city of Ephesus, Turkey. There I learned about the Greek Goddess of Victory, Nike.  Most people only equate the name with the popular athletic clothing brand, but even that brand was named after the Goddess herself. It is believed that Nike would reward victors with Glory and Fame, symbolized by a wreath of bay leaves. I was already a fan of the clothing brand, but this story made love Nike even more. On that day, I told my mom that I would like to get a little dog and name her Nike someday. The Goddess again showed up in my life my senior year of college in Art History class when I learned about my favorite sculpture Nike of Samothrace, or Winged Victory of Samothrace. She kept showing up in my life, until Nike finally made her way into it for real.

Since that Christmas Eve, just as I expected, Nike has become my constant companion. She has given me more love and loyalty than I could have imagined. She has made me step outside of myself and take care of another living thing. She has encouraged me to relax and enjoy walks around the neighborhood.  I didn’t name her after the famous “Swoosh”, I named her after a powerful Goddess who is all about victory and “winning” in life and it fits perfectly, on her and in my life.

Toto was also a physical representation of Dorothy’s intuition. She knew when someone was faking. (Yes, she.  Did you know that Toto was actually a female Terrier named Terry?)  Much like our instincts. Sometimes our gut just tells us something is "off."  Sometimes we know what is right, even if we don’t want that to be the case. Like Toto, our instinctual mind knows… we just have to listen to it bark a little. 

Like Toto, Nike has kept me in check in many ways. It’s crazy to say, but I truly think that she showed up at the perfect time in my life… to love me without question, to help me get on the right track, to start enjoying life more and to continue “winning”. It’s amazing how a pet can enrich your life so much.

So Nike, we may not be in Kansas anymore, but we are going to have fun wherever we travel… together.

Love, 
Dorothy in Sin City

Nike has grown lots! She is now 5 months old and 4.32lbs!

Somewhere Over The Rainbow...

Rainbows often come after a storm has passed. They symbolize hope or show that beautiful things can come from something not as beautiful. When those magical rainbows show up in your life, they're worth stopping for a moment and basking in its light.

Often times we are stuck in the storms that rock our foundation. It seems as though when one storm ends, another begins almost instantly. When will the clouds part? When will we see that rainbow once again? When will the storm settle down? 

The truth is that the storms are never going to fully stop. The only thing that will possibly change is how you see the storm. Do you realize that the storm is bringing new life? Do you realize that even though the storm may not be what you want, it will bring greater things for your future and the world you live in? Do you realize that there is beauty within the storm? Do you step outside and feel the rain on your skin? Or do you bury yourself beneath false ideas of protection against the storm?

It's been two years since I moved to Las Vegas. Storms have come and gone. I've seen rainbows and experienced spectacular beauty. I've had the courage to step outside and embrace the storms like never before. I've never once questioned the purpose of the storms in my life... I've always known there was a reason, but naturally I have asked "When will I see the rainbow?" Sometimes it comes sooner than expected, other times I am made to wait. But it ALWAYS comes, and always will. 

The storms can drown you if you let them. I am choosing not to allow them to define me, but to refine me. So that when that rainbow illuminates the sky, I can take that moment to reflect and thank the storm for the gift of clarity that it has provided me.

The Wizard

I've been thinking a lot lately about the people in my life. Specifically my mentors, or as I'd like to call them, my wizards.  It is incredible to me to see the amazing people that have been placed in my life. How did I get so lucky? 

Although I've been learning much from all of them about life, business and specific fields of work.... I'm learning so much about myself. The thing about these wizards is that they can teach me everything they know along my yellow brick road, but ultimately it's up to me what I do with the information that they so willingly give me. 

My wizards believe in me. My wizards know me well, and know how to help me. My wizards show up for me, encourage and challenge me. My wizards are honest with me. My wizards hold me accountable. My wizards care about me. 

Although it may seem like your life is determined by the opportunities you're given, rather it is determined by the opportunities that you give yourself and the ones that you take. So in reality, the great and powerful one is not the wizard, it is you... Just a regular person, who can accomplish great, powerful and wonderful things if you give yourself the chance. It is all in your mind... Will you let another determine your future? Or will you realize that only you have the power to create it? It's time to step out from behind the curtain and give all that you are to everything that you do. 

There’s No Place Like Home

Home is not just where you’re from, the house you lived in and the yard you played in… it’s the people who made you who you are today. The ones who shaped your life and taught you by their example. The ones who stood behind you to support you, in front of you to protect you and beside you to help guide you. It’s not about the place you dwelt, but about those that you came in contact with who forever changed your life.

I’ve been blessed in my life with the quality of people who I have been surrounded by. It’s church leaders like Wendy Morris and Darci Evans who were amazing examples to me of the kind of woman that I want to become. It’s life long friends like Kristen Moss, who have always been there to cheer me up, give me advice, make me laugh and experience life with me. It’s caring teachers like Maura Landers and Michele Weith who believed in me from the beginning and sacrificed for me so that I could be where I am today. It’s my siblings Rhen, Spencer, Keaton and Krissy who remind me to laugh and not take life too seriously… but who also face life head on and create amazing things to show for their hard work with flair and pizzazz! It’s my parents who remind me who I am, what I’m capable of and what I want to become. Who sacrifice everything they have to make me happy and who have shown me that no matter what you’re given in life or what you deal with, you can always make something better of it and get to where you want to be with hard work and persistence. It’s my grandparents who have shown me that no adversity should hold you back and that life is about your loved ones and cherishing the time you get to spend with them.

It’s sitting around in the living room surrounded by your family on Christmas Eve, watching everyone laugh and interact with each other and just thinking to yourself, “This is it… This is what life is about”.

There are so many more people who have influenced my life, but these are just a few that I was able to see and hug once more while I was home in Kansas. 

There truly is no place like home to remind you who you are and why. No one succeeds in life because they did it alone. They succeed because of the people behind the scenes working on their behalf. Thank you to my behind the scenes crew! Love you all!

XOXO,

Dorothy in Sin City

Let's RiSE

We all have a movie scene that from the moment we saw it, we’ve wanted to live it out in real life. For me it was the scene in the movie Tangled where Rapunzel was surrounded by thousands of floating lanterns. This past weekend I got to live out that scene at the RiSE Festival.

R- is for Rapunzel of course! I got to feel like a Disney princess for a night. What’s cooler than that?! Dream come true.

I-Inspiration. My mother and I were inspired to use our first lantern to write all the things that we wanted to let go of… “our crap” is what we called it. Our second was for our dreams. The whole event was full of inspiration. Seeing thousands of people writing on lanterns to release them into the sky... kind of incredible.

S-Surrounded and Speechless. The entire crowd lit and released their first lanterns all at once. In “3… 2… 1…” thousands of lanterns were released and the sky lit up with dreams of those that I was surrounded by. It was truly magical. I was in awe and completely speechless.

E- Emotions. It was a surprisingly emotional experience. As my mother and I wrote on the lanterns, the things we wanted to let go and the things we were dreaming of, tears filled my eyes… Here I was, being given a chance to physically let go of what has been holding me back. You could feel the energy of everyone in the crowd. It was one of the most spiritual and tranquil feelings I’ve had. After the first lantern release, my mother and I stood there, crying happy tears, trying to take in this incredible moment that we had been given. We hugged each other and she said to me “This is so cool!” then we cried some more happy tears.

As incredible as the night was, one of the most tangible emotions was Gratitude. As I stood watching thousands of lanterns float higher and higher above my head I was overwhelmed with gratitude... grateful that the woman who has supported me through the toughest of times and the happiest, was standing beside me to experience this moment with me. Grateful that she knew how much this event meant to me, so she extended her trip to make sure that she could accompany me and make it special. We lit a few more lanterns and released them. Each time just as magical as the previous.

THANK YOU!

When we were preparing our final lantern my mom looked at me and asked “What do you want to write on it?” I smiled and said “I kind of just want to write ‘Thank You’”. She smiled and nodded, because she had had the same thought. Thank You to the Rise Festival for making my dream come true! Thank You to the universe for the abundance of gifts! Thank You to God for giving me such a spiritual experience! And Thank You to my mother for sticking beside me!

THE LESSON:

I’m vowing to let go of my crap and chase my dreams. It’s time that we all take a moment out of our hectic lives and purge ourselves of those things that no longer serve us. It’s time to let go of the guilt, the self-doubt, the judgment and let yourself live in a higher state of mind where only the good can thrive. I was able to physically write my “crap” on a lantern and “let it go” into the sky, where it is no longer attached to me. Whatever works for you… just do it. Let yourself live! Stop holding yourself back.

It’s fall, the season of letting your dead weight fall to the ground. So what are you still holding on to? Is it serving you? No? Then let it go. Allow yourself to live in freedom from the things that don’t serve you.

Together we will RiSE.

XOXO,

Dorothy in Sin City

Courage VS Confidence

“You have plenty of courage, I am sure. All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid and that kind of courage you have in plenty” -The Wizard of Oz

This quote caught my attention a while back and has been on my mind recently. 

Sometimes I feel like I have tons of courage and, other times I feel like I have very little, but is it COURAGE that I’m lacking, or the CONFIDENCE to use that courage? I had the courage to move to Las Vegas. I had the courage to go cliff jumping (which was huge for me, by the way.  A year ago, I don’t think I would have done that). I had the courage to take risks and make huge life decisions. Then again, sometimes doing the smallest thing makes me feel vulnerable and seems to completely paralyze me.

So that must make it more about confidence, which I think most people struggle with on some level.  Sure, there are a few people in the world who are 100% confident in themselves and their abilities, but I think most of us often underestimate ourselves and what we are capable of.  The question I keep asking myself is, WHY?  It could be because of our childhood experiences, traumatic events, societal “norms”, our own wiring-of-our-brains, etc., but how long do we allow these things to dictate our future before we realize and recognize our own self worth? Personally, I know that I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t realize mine on some level, but I still wonder why I'm not always able to confidently and comfortably do exactly what I set out to do.

I think it starts with the belief that I can. You cannot passionately change your life without first, believing. You cannot step onto the stage wanting to give your most perfect performance without even a small part of you believing that you have the ability to do so.

Over a year ago I posted a photo on Instagram that said “What if, all of a sudden people discovered their true power and shed the shackles of a system that enslaves them?”  What IF everyone did start believing in themselves, their power and abilities? This world would change immensely! But I cannot change the world, so I'm starting with me to be better, be more confident and discover my true power.  I may doubt myself along the way, but I know that I’m capable.

Even though I'm beginning to realize that I may have more in common with the Cowardly Lion than I'd like to admit, I am also understanding that, in the end, he found out that it’s not that he didn’t have courage, but just that he didn’t fully believe in his own abilities.  He didn't trust in himself enough to use the courage that was innately within him. So maybe it's okay to have a little Cowardly Lion in me, maybe we all have some, we just get to believe and know that we have plenty of courage to face our fears.

XOXO,

Dorothy in Sin City

Up, Up and Away

Shortly after I made the move to Sin City

A year ago today, I boarded a flight to Las Vegas from Kansas City to start my new life.  It was, by far, the scariest thing I had ever done.  It felt surreal.  As my parents drove me to the airport and walked with me inside the terminal, I couldn’t believe what was about to happen.  We sat outside the gate until the last possible moment.  Then, I slowly got up, burst into tears, hugged them both and walked through the doors with tears still streaming down my face.  I boarded the plane feeling like I was experiencing an out-of-body moment.  The flight seemed like the longest three hours of my life.  I was anxious and scared, but I just wanted to get to Vegas as soon as possible to get settled and make it all seem more real…which I’m not has sure has fully happened to this day.  I remember lugging my two huge suitcases to the taxi line and getting in the taxi.  The driver asked me, “Are you from here or just visiting?”  As strange as it was to hear myself say it, I replied, “I live here.”   As scary as that day was, I always knew that I was doing the right thing.  On the plane I wrote in my journal, “I have full faith that I’m where I’m supposed to be, but it’s scary. The unknown is scary, but everything will work out.  I just want to be happy. I’m anxious to see what awaits me in Sin City.”

It’s crazy to look back and see how much my life has changed since that day.  My surroundings have changed, my day to day life has changed, my friends and relationships have changed, my comforts have changed and even I have changed.  Do I regret that drastic move?  Never.  It’s become the best decision that I ever made.

In all honesty, I’m really proud of myself for what I’ve accomplished and learned his past year.  I know I still have a lot to learn and haven’t begun to realize all I am capable of, but for the year I’ve been here, I’ve done a lot.

The first few months here in Vegas, I was really unhappy.  I was having a hard time fitting in and finding where I belonged.  I missed my family and the comforts that I had in Kansas City.  I allowed myself to wallow in self-pity instead of changing it, because I was afraid of stepping outside of my comfort zone to make a difference in my life.  When I finally got over myself, took a step back, humbled myself and really looked at my life and where I was, that’s when things changed.  I made moves that needed to happen and I put my life in better order.  THAT’S when I finally became happy and THAT’S when my life here in Vegas started falling into place.  I can honestly say now that I am so happy here in Vegas.  I have great friends and supportive people around me, who I know will always be there for me. I have jobs that I love, a roof over my head, a car to drive and food in my fridge. I’ve been incredibly blessed.

I’ve learned a lot (you can read about some of those lessons in my last post.)  I’ve grown a ton and I feel like the same person, but a better version of me.  Every year around January 1^st, I always think about how awesome my year has been and never expect the next one to top the last, but it always does. If this first year in Vegas is any indication of what my next year will be, I better buckle up and hold on! This hot air balloon's fire is still burning and the basket’s going higher and higher. If I just keep finding my courage, following my heart and using the lessons I’ve learned… I know It’s gonna be an awesome ride!

XOXO,
Dorothy in Sin City