Age is not an impediment…
Seasoned, sexy, and self-sufficient women over 50 are not ‘seniors’…
They are the new breed of sparkling, sovereign sheroes who set the bar for serenity, spirituality, and sass. 😉
Love,
Wendy
Month: September 2025
Mirrors – Love, Wendy
Educators…
as the person of influence in the room, our students often sync their emotions with ours.
It is up to us to model healthy interactions with others, while also setting clear boundaries and honoring the many perspectives present.
By respecting each voice and experience, we show our students that differences can coexist with dignity…something imperative in today’s culture and climate.
Most importantly, we must lead by example in honoring our own space, feelings, and values.
Love,
Wendy
Awakened by Love – Love, Wendy
When the world feels so broken and unkind, it is easy to feel disheartened…
and then…
you wake up to the words…”I wanted you to awaken with love in your heart ❤️.”
And I am reminded that there are still some with a loving heart and spirit willing to share love in our often inflamed world…
And I count as a blessing this man’s loving friendship.
Love,
Wendy
Yes, YOU!:Soul Notes – Love, Wendy
He was simply a warm body with a cold heart made of stone and a sharp tongue that cut my spirit, daily.
I traded him in for a heating blanket and reprieve from his self absorbed insatiable urge for attention, and haven’t missed the frostbite since.
Uh…yes, you! 😊
Love,
Wendy
Fear Is A Liar – Love, Wendy
As so many people are finding it challenging to navigate our current culture and climate due to our liberties and freedom being snatched, daily, I have created some easy to use, daily reminders, to keep us focused on our health, wellness and peace using our own personal agency and autonomy through constructive action…because we absolutely have choices…and because “Fear Is A Liar…”
Each morning, I will allow myself 30 minutes to validate how I am feeling, to practice radical acceptance of world events, and to grieve the loss I feel of all that has been stripped of my freedom.
I will then leave it there on the shelf until the next morning, and continue about my day with conviction and purpose in obtaining my goals…unapologetically!
Never at night before bed. Before bed, I will remind myself that my fear is spewing a narrative based on that day’s events and my worst fear of demise, without fact.
Every day, I will remind myself to protect my peace and wellness so that I will be in full health physically and mentally in order to live, laugh, love and learn, and that positive change is inevitable.
I will remind myself that I have no power over helping others in this crisis. I will focus solely on my own well-being and send loving thoughts to anyone else struggling. When my wellness cup is full, I am able and willing to support others. I will not cause myself emotional or physical bankruptcy where I will deplete my necessary innate resources that I need to reach my goals, to live my best life in these challenging times, and so that I may invest in my future, and in the future of my loved ones.
I will use my breath to regulate my emotions, and remind myself that I can always choose peace rather than my catastrophic thoughts. (Breathe in deeply 4, hold for 2, exhale 6.)
Each day, I will choose a word of the day that describes my victories to remind myself of my strong will and mindset.
Lastly, I remind myself that I can always call a trusted friend or loved one for support, and that I am loved by the Universe who is dedicated to helping me to achieve my goals. I will listen for spiritual guidance and ask for spiritual support whenever I need a loving reminder that all is well.
I am never alone. ❤️
Use one or all of the above as a personal mantra to connect to your inner strength and balance.
In these troubling and uncertain times, I am sending my love, hugs and support for your well being…body, mind and spirit.
Take care of yourself. Never give away your power by depleting your mental and physical strength to circumstances beyond what you can control.
Love and blessings,
Wendy
Agency, Autonomy and Action – Love, Wendy
Each day we are given opportunities to decide…will we remain silent, or will we speak up for our bodies, our wellness, and our peace? Self-advocacy begins the moment we choose courage over compliance.
What is self-advocacy and courage when our wellness is at stake?
You protect your body, and you stand in your truth despite the silence and resistance of others who are indifferent to your needs.
It takes tremendous discipline…the kind rooted in self-respect and self-preservation.
Never allow fear of authority stop you from demanding what you deserve…safety, dignity, and humane treatment.
Use your voice with strength and clarity. Speak your truth…
Stand in your power…Use personal agency and autonomy to demand what is rightly yours…
Health, wellness and peace.
Self care is the actions that we take to achieve wellness…and wellness is where we stand in our power.
Love and blessings,
Wendy
Living with Lupus – Love, Wendy
I’m managing chronic pain. You can meet me where I am…or you can keep walking.
Either way…
I continue on my way,
I remain steady.
I practice self care, self love and self preservation…
I stand in my power…
Unapologietically.
Love,
Wendy
Resilience:For Wendy and David – Love, Wendy
I was thinking on my way home from work yesterday that living in chronic pain is so humbling…I can never take one moment for granted…
I live with Lupus and hadn’t needed regular medication in five years as I managed it holistically…until now.
Living with chronic pain makes the small things feel sacred…the details more palatable…every quiet, manageable moment becomes a gift.
Our awareness of our humility is our deepest strength.
Here are four tiny practices that honor this insight without asking for more than you can give while you’re navigating any challenging situation with your health:
- One-breath gratitude once tonight before sleep. Take one long, slow inhale, and on the exhale name one small yet meaningful thing from today that made you feel stronger and at peace (a warm shower, a walk on the beach, a song you liked). That single moment trains the brain to notice tiny graces and successes. It reminds us of our power.
2. A moment of kindness to the body. Put a warm hand over your injured/painful area, soften your jaw, breathe 4 inhale, 1 hold it, 6 exhale…just once, and say aloud or silently to yourself, “I did what I could today. I showed up. I honored myself. I am worthy. I am healing.”
3. A “Humility Journal” (30 seconds). When you have a spare 30 seconds, jot down one word that describes what this day taught you (humility, steadiness, courage, patience). It’s just a quiet record by you, for you, of how you keep showing up.
4. Reflection and Warm Embrace. (From my book, Write Pray Recover:A Journey To Wellness Through Spiritual Solutions and Self Care “Today I am grateful for…”
Offer yourself a hug, a warm cup of your favorite beverage, time listening to your favorite music, or whatever a “self embrace” feels like for you…Love yourself.
You’re allowed to see the grief and feel the frustration, and the lesson at the same time.
I am resilient. I am becoming…
Love and blessings,
Wendy
I Am Not Invisible – Love, Wendy
The “invisible” nature of lupus flares can make it hard for others to understand the severity of the illness, leading to misinterpretations and lack of support.
“Lupus is a disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues and organs, including causing “Lupus Fog/Brain Fog.” It can affect any part of the body. When lupus affects the spine, the immune response attacks normal proteins, leading to joint and nerve destruction, bone loss, inflammation, and swelling. As damage occurs, your spinal discs are less able to absorb shock, which can lead to the pain associated with DDD.” (Degenerative Disc Disease).
And this is my diagnosis…Lupus (SLE), and DDD.
Due to a surgery in July, 2025, Lupus was activated, and I have been unable to recover thus far. Prior to that surgery, I was footloose and fancy free. 😊
Recently I read about a woman experiencing a flare who wrote: “For me, I may see a rash appear on my face and I know this is the beginning of a flare. Friends, family, and co-workers often can’t begin to understand that the rash is the beginning of what is taking place on the inside. You appear okay, aside from the rash, but fatigue and pain can be an overwhelming challenge.“
Recently, I went to an event and I looked like the healthiest version of wellness with my hair, nails, and makeup done flawlessly, and smiling and greeting other attendees. I was experiencing a tremendous amount of pain, and I could literally feel my legs beginning to swell, in fact, you could see my knee swelling through my pants. The burning and sharp pain shooting down my legs and in my back, in addition to my hands beginning to stiffen and swell was obvious. After about 15 minutes, a friend walked over and asked if I was okay as she noticed my demeanor had changed from when I had arrived. I told her that I really needed to go home, and I quietly made my exit, making this disease even more invisible. I always feel that I am making others uncomfortable when I am experiencing pain. I am often told by friends and family that they would have never know I was in pain because “you look so healthy.”
Lupus IS invisible. If I am not limping, one would never guess that every joint, from my arms, hands, fingers, and legs, are so swollen and in pain. I think the lupus community as a whole experiences this invisible pain.
Yesterday I arrived to work at 7:15 am, and felt confident that my Lupus was going back into remission, but by noon, after I had walked excessively, sat, stood, bent down, twisted, (all the things I was told by my doctors NOT to do), I could barely stand up. The pain was so intense, it caused me to feel sick to my stomach. When it was time to leave at 3:15pm, I was completely swollen and could only slide my left leg as I walked to my car because the swelling would not allow me to bend/step…
The great news?…
Today, I begin a new treatment…I pray that my body responds favorably.
I love my work as a Reading Specialist, a Mental Health and Wellness Educator and Coach, and love spending time with loved ones, so I am praying that the excruciating pain and profuse swelling is alleviated with this new treatment. My treatment consists of an integrative approach which is what my book, Write Pray Recover:A Journety To Wellness Through Spiritual Solutions and Self Care, encourages.
The marriage of holistic solutions and traditional medicine offers a variety of treatment tailored to my health and wellness goals.
And please know that Lupus flares ARE invisible. Your smile and empathy encourage me to keep going.
Love and blessings,
Wendy
For more information on Lupus, go to https://www.lupus.org
This Too Shall Pass:Soul Notes – Love, Wendy
Today, I remind myself that it’s okay to cry when the pain overwhelms me…It’s okay to grieve the body I wish I had right now…and I will again.
But it’s also important to honor the fierce woman who has carried myself through Lupus, spinal trauma, and loss…including 13 years of sustained, successful and healthy addiction recovery through holistic practices with a strong mindset of “I can do this,” and still show up every day with love, service, and hope.
That isn’t weakness. That is courage.
I acknowledge the setback without letting it define me, and it roots me firmly in the truth of my ongoing recovery, and the life I choose.
I honor the tears, the grief, and the physical pain without diminishing my resilience or accomplishments.
And so today…I rest and nourish my body as it reminds me that this is just a temporary setback where I simply overextended myself yesterday out of eagerness and love of my work.
“This too shall pass.”
Reflection: “How can I honor both my eagerness to engage with life and the wisdom of my body’s limits, so that my courage and resilience continue to grow without unnecessary suffering?”
Mantra: I embrace and surrender to what my body needs to thrive.
Love and blessings,
Wendy
Write Pray Recover 