How Joining a Women’s Circle Has Changed My Life!

women's circle. Mary Kate Kopec. Love and Big Hugs! My reflection art from one of our recent circles!

How Joining a Women’s Circle Has Changed My Life!

 Why I even joined …

I needed positivity.  Reaffirmation.  Self-care.  Connection.  Happiness.  And I got it!

What we did …

She, along with a one of her inspirations and guiding lights, Deb Namara, were offering a 4 week Zoom-mediated Soul Circle.  We’d meet once a week for 4 weeks, and during the 90 minutes of wellness and positivity, Leonie and Deb talked about coping and healing – finding a way to do more than just survive the pandemic, but to come out the other side, better, more improved.  With self-care and positivity and light and love!

In a time, when everyone was talking about “can’t wait for things to go back to the way they were,” Leonie and Deb introduced the notion that perhaps things weren’t so great before.  Maybe instead of trying so hard to get back, maybe we could use this time to create and grow a better place, a better future. … And I bit onto that bit of inspiration with all my might … I definitely wanted to create a better, brighter, more hope-filled future!

Each week, we’d come together to listen to the beautiful, uplifting, positive, reaffirming, encouraging words of Leonie and Deb. Then Deb would guide us through an amazing meditation – another thing that until this experience, I’d never done – and then we’d be given the opportunity to creatively reflect on our medication through art or journaling (On my goodness, I can’t even tell you how much I loved this, but ever since, I’ve been using art and journaling to grow my wellness!).  Before closing, we would be given thought provoking questions to help guide us toward our brighter lights.

Every moment was bright.  Light.  Positive.  Caring.  Empowering.  I felt refreshed and renewed! I felt hope!

So, when the month came to an end, and Deb offered the opportunity to continue our Soul Circle meetings, I was in!  Hooked.  Enthusiastic.  Jubilant!  Waiting with giddiness and wanting for more goodness in my life!  Happy to be a part of something so gorgeous and healthy feeling!

Where we’re at … (the true beauty, beyond anything I could have imagined!)

So it’s been a year!  For those of us who have continued our time with Deb, we’ve taken life changing to a whole new level!

There’s about 20 of us now.  We’re smaller.  We still use Zoom.  We come from the US, Canada, UK, and Australia, … I think we might even have a New Zealander in there.  And every month, we are so excited to see each other and be in each other’s light!

Every month is different.  We always have Share and Support time.  Sometimes we have a guided meditation.  Sometimes we art/journal.  We have our opening and closing prayer.

Every month we listen with open hearts and live and grow in each others’ goodness and individual gifts and uniqueness!

It’s amazing!

It’s a no judgement, share zone.  We feel love and acceptance.  We hear and grow.  We connect.  We come together to feel each other’s brightness and to share and support each other!

It’s amazing!  I know I just said that … but seriously.  We are the embodiment of those little memes that tell us to be the woman who supports other women.

We ARE beautiful, bright souls supporting other beautiful, bright souls!  Sharing times with these incredible women is growing me, helping me, loving me, and for the first time in my life, truly accepting me for who I am with love and respect.  And it feels AMAZING!

So amazing in fact, that I feel compelled to write to you about it.  To encourage to join or start your own women’s circle.  To invite goodness into your life!  To brighten your days with love and support!  To feel the positive, reaffirming wellness of organic, juicy, healthy relationships!!!

And for this reason, I am including this post as a link back to “My Body Is an Alien” (a women’s hormone health blog series) … because on the list of things you can do to grow wellness into your life and your body is to join a women’s circle!

It’s what you make of it!

Think of the possibilities!  You can talk about your painful periods.  The challenges you are facing in your life and relationships.  Loss.   Work challenges.  Trying to combat toxic, negative thoughts.  Being peri-menopausal/menopausal and the challenges and health difficulties you are coping with.  The truly delightful nature walk you went on, and how you feel inspired.  The stars.  Crystals.  Art.  You can talk about whatever you and your beautiful group of women are called to talk about!

No judgment.  Only kind support.  Shared ideas.  Shared lessons learned.  Shared light and love.  Acceptance.  Connection.  Gentleness.  No longer feeling alone … like you are the only one in the world with this crazy shiz happening to you.

Hell, in our most recent Soul Circle, one of our gorgeous blossoms talked about how she gets so angry at the TV – all the shiz coming out of it – that she finds herself yelling at her TV.  Another beautiful soul is suffering the loss of a dear family member and trying to find ways to cope and move forward.  Another bright light talked about how her hormonal body is such a debilitating challenge it makes her feel abnormal, like a freak of nature, and it impacts her self-confidence.  I suspect we all feel these ways, at least sometimes.  It’s amazing be there for each other, and knowing we are not alone!

Each of share what we are called to share.  Each of compassionately listen and support.  Each of feel the love of our circle of bright lights shining!

And you, too, can have this.  You can join or start your own group.  Give it time.  Nourish and nurture each other.  Your relationships will grow in goodness!  You will feel better.  More light and wellness in your life!

I am compelled with a full and bright heart to share this goodness with you!

Also … I want to say … as part of my contribution to our group … I started giving a big, virtual hug (you know me and my hugging!), and now … before we end our monthly meetings, there are always big, loving hugs!

I wish this goodness for you!  And I hope you can grow, nourish, and nurture this positivity, reaffirming happiness, self-caring wellness into your life in a way that is absolutely positive and life changing for you!

Loving and Big Hugging you SO BIG!!!

Love and Big Hugs Mary Kate

We are Complementary Beauties!

We are Complementary Beauties. Mary Kate Kopec. Love and Big Hugs.

We are complementary beauties!

But for all the world, you wouldn’t know it. Not with how media, culture, our employment, and even our friendships pit us against one another.

I find myself having this conversation with every single one of my beautiful coaching souls. My friends. And I’ve had this conversation with my therapist. All of us are women … chicks of big hearts, open minds, … and feeling the negativity waged against us.

Seems like we’re never quite pretty enough, smart enough, do enough, help enough, give enough, go go go enough.

In the media we are told we need to drink more coffee, work out more, squeeze in more time to be better moms, wives, girlfriends, friends … cook more, clean more, get to work faster. It seems like our clothes are never nice enough. Our houses are never big enough. Our kids will only be happy if we get and buy them everything they want. So … of course, we’re going to need more money …

If only we would buy that cologne we could all smell sexy and be as beautiful as Charlize Theron, cuz without it, we’re just not as good.

You get the idea … the judgement negativity is everywhere, with the bottom line being, we’re never quite good enough if we don’t … do whatever it is they want us to do.

We lose our self-esteem, self-respect, self-love, self-worth. We learn to hate ourselves and the other lovely ladies around us, especially the ones who seem to be doing a better job at being Perfect.

Maybe she’s thinner. Maybe her hair is more lustrous. Maybe she seems to be able to do it all. And we loathe her for it.

You are glorious!!!  You are beautiful!!!  You have gifts, the likes we’ll never see again on this earth!!!  You are unique and special!!!  You are amazing!!!

You bring to us magic! And delight! And wisdom! Lessons learned. Experiences. Strength. Even in your moments of unstrength, your gifts are there, shining through, helping you cope in ways best suited to you. And we learn from you. We grow and flourish in your light. In your unique perspective. In how you see the world and brighten it. And for all that you do for us, we do it for you, too!

For we are strong and beautiful, and together, with our love shining so very brightly, our gifts complement each other making our lives and this world a brighter, more beautiful place to be!

Together, no longer judging … no longer criticizing, no longer stuck in the negativity structures forced upon us, together in love, kindness, compassion, caring, gratitude-giving … we see the goodness, the beauty in each other, and we know the truth:

Your beauty does not diminish my beauty, as my beauty doesn’t not diminish your beauty. Together, with love, our gifts complement each other making our lives and this world a brighter, more beautiful place to be!

Love and Big Hugs Mary Kate

PS: If you and your heart are moved by the loveliness of this digi-painting and you would love a copy for yourself, click here.

What you give power, has power …

What you give power has power.  Mary Kate Kopec.  Love And Big Hugs.

Hello Gorgeous Loves,

I haven’t always been strong.  For a very long time, I wasn’t very strong at all.  And there are still times when I don’t feel strong.

But there’s this thought in my head, this guiding principle I use to grow:

What you give power, has power.

This guiding thought is an offshoot of a quote:

“It all begins in your mind.  What you give power to, has power over you.”

Leon Brown

Thank you Mr. Brown!  I find his original quote helpful to me when thinking about facing my anxieties, and I am grateful for his words.  To me, they tell me my anxiety is in my mind, and I can control it … which I try very hard to work on.  This quote is a part of my Happy, Healing Place Toolbox of Goodness!

But today, I want to talk about my offshoot thought … What you give power, has power!  To me, this version isn’t about something having control over you.  This version is about growing.  Taking something important to you and investing in it, so that it will grow and grow and grow. 

What you give power, has power.

And I’m talking about you!

Me.  You.  All of us!

  • If you grow your love, your love will be powerful!
  • If you grow your self-confidence, your self-confidence will strengthen and become powerful!
  • If you grow your ability to self-care, your self-care will be powerful!
  • If you grow your self-worth, your self-worth will be powerful!

When you invest in you, you invest in your values and what you can do for yourself.  You make yourself stronger, more self-reliant, more capable.  Better prepared to handle life and its obstacles and challenges.  You will be more open to the gifts of life.  The goodness for you!

It doesn’t mean you won’t stumble or even fall, ever again.  But that’s okay.  You keep investing, learning, and growing.  What you give power, has power.

When you give yourself power, you will have power!

It doesn’t mean you will always have to stand on your own if you don’t want to.  You can surround yourself with people who will love you, care for you, grow with you, support you, and who will bring you up and walk forward with you.  That way when life throws the hard curve balls, you don’t have do it all on your own.  That’s just you being strong and knowing what you need, when you need it, and doing your best to be prepared for when life happens.

What you give power has power.  Mary Kate Kopec.  Love And Big Hugs.  POSitude
Live with POSitude!

We aren’t born knowing how to be strong, but as we face life and learn the lessons it is teaching us, we can grow our strength.  We learn who we are and what we are capable of.  We learn what we need and want to grow – what we want to be better at or stronger at.  This is all good!

In the process, we’ll fail, make mistakes, and need time to heal and grow.  That’s okay.  It’s how it works.  What’s important is not letting our failures or mistakes bring us down (at least not for too long).  Look at them for what they are, life’s learning and growing moments.  Learn and grow, and become stronger.  Also, it’s vital that we give ourselves the time we need to heal and grow.  (No one else gets to determine what that amount of time is.  It’s up to each of us.  It’s individual.  And it happens when it happens.)

The bottom line:

What you give power, has power.

So … will you give YOU power, so YOU have power? The power to love, laugh, be happy, be kind, find joy, feel gratitude, be healthy, be strong, be confident, be whatever you value … be your best you.  It’s up to you, but for sure, what you give power, has power!

Ready to take my Arting It Up for Happiness and Healthiness: Color Me Happier 7 Day Challenge?

Arting It Up for Happiness and Healthiness Color Me Happier 7 Day Challenge Mary Kate Kopec Love and Big Hugs
Arting It Up for Happiness and Healthiness Color Me Happier 7 Day Challenge Mary Kate Kopec Love and Big Hugs

Each day support your healthiness with feeling less stress, less anxiety, more happiness and more positivity!

Easy, fun, happy, silly, adorable, and totally supporting you!

7 days of Love and Big Hugs!

Delightfully cheerful & colorful art will lift & brighten your smile!

11 loving, big hugging, and supporting pages include proven happier and healthier promoting strategies:

  • Smile-making, positivity-promoting, happy coloring blocks
  • Gratitude Acknowledgements
  • Self-acknowledgement Reaffirmations
  • Includes “how to get the most out of this challenge” intro page & a summary reflection page
Arting It Up for Happiness and Healthiness Color Me Happier 7 Day Challenge Mary Kate Kopec Love and Big Hugs get button

You can also check out my new ETSY shop!!!

Get Your POSitude On!

Feel happier! Supported! Loved! Hugged!

Bring brightness and goodness into your day, and into your life!

Get inspired every day with a deck of my new POSitude cards! Available in my Etsy shop. Check them out and learn more, now!

Promo Image of POSitude cards on Etsy

Thank you for being here – my heart is bright with joy for you! May your day be powerful with you and filled with love and happiness!!!

Love and Big Hugs,

Love and Big Hugs Mary Kate
What you give power has power. Mary Kate Kopec. Love And Big Hugs.