I have been told that I was a painfully shy child.  There are some very embarrassing stories to support that theory. I really do not need to indulge you with those stories…REALLY!  However, I do remember at a very young age not feeling like I had a voice; I was always fearful to speak up on anything afraid of not being correct on a topic or that what I had to say was not important…I know now that it is simply a feeling of unworthiness. Yet as I grew into a pre-teen I found my way to be heard…I just imitated Elvis Presley or John Wayne! Well seriously…don’t you all have those "inner coach" voices in your heads?  I realized that if I spoke my opinion with their voices…I was HEARD!  I could defuse any conversation by stating what I needed, in one of my “inner coaches” voices!  I would even get quite a few laughs!  So imagine how that changed my sense of worthiness!  Now don’t get me wrong, I was still quite shy even in junior high school, yet my inner coaches told me I could conquer anything…so I tried out for cheerleading and became quite the amazing little Rah-Rah girl! (And…the best part is I could attend basketball and football games for free!)  Seriously…THIS SHY girl up in front of crowds…yup…John Wayne kicks it! 

So let’s translate that to who I am now…I have had the privilege to do many things in my life! Once my youngest started 1^st grade I became an advocate (a voice) for kids with reading challenges in my kids school. That turned into a paid position in a private school doing the same thing, and then turned into teaching art and drama to middle & high schoolers.  I have taken my passion for young people and became a director of youth at an area church. (YES, that meant public speaking!)  I have used my artistic skills in helping develop websites and create publications for area realtors and businesses.  I guess you can clearly see that I have squelched that SHY Girl and let my Inner coach-John Wayne teach me to “Get on the horse and ride cowboy!” One of my favorite quotes by him is, “COURAGE is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.”   I can honestly say I didn’t know that much about John Wayne when I developed mimicking him, yet now that I do know about him, I am so very thankful he was that voice in my head! (AND still is!)  

Let’s face it…Life is hard. We all struggle with issues not only from our past but in our current lives as well.  I have HAD TO wrangle up the courage to do many things! Currently I am working very hard to create a healthy lifestyle with exercise and food balance in order to take control of the arthritis that desires to be my enemy.  I have realized that the SHY girl in me wants to leave things the way they are…just let me eat the way I do and not work out…(*insert whine here*) However there’s my inner coach telling me, “Get back on that horse and get sh*t done, little sister!” It is tough, yet I know I am tougher!

Part of the idea behind living a Simply Blissful Existence is allowing yourself to be QUIET, disengage your mind for a time (through either meditation, prayer, engaging in art or listening to music) and simply listen to your soul.  Take time to hear that voice that leads you to a blissful place.  While I was visiting LA in January, I was enjoying my coffee on this sweet little balcony overlooking the Hollywood hills, the view was lovely, I was caught up in how pretty of a morning it was and realized I had at least 30 minutes to an hour where I was "disengaged", I had no actual thoughts... I was experiencing a place where I could SIMPLY BE....once I acknowledged that, I entered a new level of BLISS!  I grabbed my journal and sketched out the words SIMPLY BE, here is what I wrote: "Take Time to contemplate all you have, all your desire, all you cherish.  Be a part of the moment you are in NOW, it will tell you all you should be grateful for.  Am I afraid to take time to BE?  What does it look like in my everyday life? How do I walk it out? Can it be a verb?"

So…How did I make this real?  How can you?

• What voice does your inner coach have? 
• Can you hear it?  If not, why not?
• What are you doing in your life that blocks you from hearing your inner coach? 

I Have always been a journal-er. I suggest that you journal your thoughts in order to find your direction and purpose, or better yet use your journal in create art that will assist you in exploring your inner coach.  Check out my sister’s blog to help you discover Art Journaling- http://mewithmyheadintheclouds.blogspot.com/  

When I have taken the time to listen to my inner coach…my soul, I have found who I truly am and who I truly desire to be.  I have learned to be comfortable in the moment, so I do not miss them, big or small. And in that, I have learned to have COURAGE to move through any stage in my life with an attitude of BLISS! It's all about YOUR choice!

PS....So you are wondering....What happened to Elvis's voice?  Well he comes out in the least likely times..."Thank you...Thank you very much!"  

Thanks for stopping by, hope to see you next time!

Simply BE- Art by Anne LaCoss!

SOOOOO...Why Blog in a world bursting with Blogs?  Good question! Well, maybe it's because I have a lot going on in my head & heart and desire to say them out loud? Maybe I have a creative soul that loves to show & share?  AND....maybe I would adore sharing how I have come to the place I call "A Simply Blissful Existence" with you...whoever YOU are! 

SO, I say HULLO YOU!  Happy to have you here!  Let's have a few introductions, I'm Anne. I have the spirit of a 17 year old trapped in a 50+ body.  I get so confused when I look in the mirror because I see the older version of the 17 year old me, yet my heart and spirit has the adventurous younger soul inside,ready to take on the world!  The plus side is that I truly have the wisdom of one who has lived a life full of adventures and adoration's, trials and triumphs, and loads of livin' & lovin' life! In addition to that I am a mom to two amazing grown up kiddos who are married to amazing spouses. They have each given me a grandbug, one girl age 5 and one boy age 1!  I have been married to my best buddy, Tim for almost 35 years! (I will fill you in more as we continue this adventure together!)

Let me begin with an explanation of why I named this Blog SIMPLY BLISSFUL EXISTENCE. I adore the word BLISS! It's simple definition is: complete happiness, great joy. I use it to define so many things, experiences and places in my life.  Seven years ago we purchased a 100 year old farm house on three sweet little acres and we named it Bliss Farm.  We had a simple life of wild flowers, butterflies, bon-fires and amazing family times there. We lived 10 minutes from the city yet when people came to visit they brought an overnight bag and tended to hang out for a while! YET all the while Tim and I always yearned for a place on water.  We had dreamed about it for most of our married life.  At this point in our life we were on house number five and had already thought Bliss Farm was the place we were going to retire. So one day, as we sipped wine on our porch that overlooked the wild meadow we said, "Why not go after our dream, we have nothing to lose!" So...we did! Our friends and family thought we were crazy, one even asking if we were in a witness protection plan! We searched for over a year (well, honestly we had always kept our eyes open...) and finally found Bliss Cottage! 

Bliss Cottage BEFORE remodel!

This home is the most different & unique one we have ever had! And the one that needs the most work!  It is a 1965 post modern timber framed home that was intended to be a summer cottage (More on that story in future posts!) 

Living a SIMPLY BLISSFUL EXISTENCE is not about a home, relationships, possessions, or a career.  It is not a merit badge earned for winning a race.  It is a ATTITUDE in your heart & mind that YOU CHOOSE TO LIVE.  

As I begin this blog adventure I plan to share more insights into what life lessons I have learned (and am still learning) that have brought me to this point! Most of them have challenged me to re-think WHO I am, WHERE I fit in, WHY I do what I do and a choice to either become Bitter or Better in all of my life's circumstances.  Once you intentionally CHOOSE Bliss, it then becomes part of who you are, part of your character!

So, let's get to the point...

• Have you allowed yourself to come to a point in your life, no matter your age or experiences, where you are listening very closely to your inner coach? 
• Where you are intentionally BEING in the moments of life instead of getting to the end of the day only to X it off the calendar with a red sharpie?  
• IS your creative soul coaching you on to express yourself?    

We are ALL given the same gift of ONE life.  No matter what your back story, you have a CHOICE to live a SIMPLY BLISSFUL EXISTENCE and traveling through it alone is no adventure, let's do this together!