The Power of Grounding or Earthing

By Bonnie Durkin -7/11/25

By Bonnie Durkin -7/11/25

Author, Speaker, Energy Alignment Practitioner & Personal Empowerment Coach

The Healing Power of Bare Feet: Why Grounding Matters

One of my very favorite parts of summer is going barefoot. I’ve loved being barefoot ever since I was a child. I have so many happy memories of running through the grass, digging my toes into the sand at the beach, and sitting on the side of the tub at night while my mom washed our feet after long, barefoot days of summer play.

As I write this blog post, I’m sitting under a tree in my yard with my bare feet resting on the grass. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and I feel deeply peaceful. It’s in moments like these that I remember: this is my Summer of Savoring.

For me, summer brings a sense of freedom—freedom to follow my own inner rhythm, to soak in the sunshine, and to be fully present in the natural world around me. This summer, I’m choosing to savor those moments even more deeply. And one of the most powerful ways I do that is through a simple, ancient practice: going barefoot.

You’ve probably felt it too—those magical moments when you’re walking barefoot at the beach, toes in the sand, waves lapping at your ankles, and a warm breeze brushing against your skin. You’re totally relaxed and at peace. Most of us chalk that feeling up to “being on vacation” or just being outdoors. And yes, nature is certainly part of it.

But what you might not know is that walking barefoot is doing something powerful inside your body, too. It’s called Earthing or Grounding, and it’s one of the easiest ways to reset your nervous system, reduce stress, and boost your well-being.


What Is Earthing?

Earthing (also called Grounding) means making direct contact with the Earth’s surface—grass, sand, soil, even unsealed concrete—with your bare skin. It reconnects you to the Earth’s natural electric energy, which is constantly pulsing with negatively charged electrons.

Our ancestors were grounded to the Earth nearly 24/7. They walked barefoot or wore conductive leather-soled shoes. They slept on the ground. But in modern life, we live and work in insulated buildings, and when we do go outside, we’re wearing rubber-soled shoes that block the Earth’s energy.

As a result, many of us are literally disconnected from the Earth. And that disconnection has consequences.


The Science Behind Grounding

You might be wondering—how could going barefoot possibly affect your health?

The answer lies in the fact that your body is electric. Every thought, movement, and heartbeat is driven by electrical impulses. And just like a battery, your body can build up excess positive charge, especially when exposed to EMFs (electromagnetic fields), inflammation, or chronic stress.

The Earth, by contrast, has a natural negative charge, full of free electrons that can help neutralize excess positive ions in your body.

When you walk barefoot on the Earth, those electrons enter your body and act like antioxidants—they help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, which are at the root of many health issues.


Proven Benefits of Grounding

Research on Earthing is still emerging, but the studies that exist are promising. Some of the benefits people report include:

  • Reduced stress and anxiety

  • Improved sleep

  • Decreased pain and inflammation

  • Faster wound healing

  • Better circulation

  • Lower blood viscosity (which supports heart health)

  • More energy

  • Balanced cortisol levels

  • Improved mood and resilience

One of the most powerful effects of Earthing is its ability to shift the nervous system out of sympathetic (fight-or-flight) mode and into parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) mode. This is the state where healing happens.


Grounding as a Mind-Body Practice

In a world full of stimulation, speed, and disconnection, grounding is a return to simplicity. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most powerful healing tools are the ones that cost nothing.

When you walk barefoot in the grass, you’re not just absorbing electrons—you’re tuning into your senses. You’re feeling the textures beneath your feet, breathing fresh air, listening to birdsong. You’re dropping out of your head and into your body.

This alone can create a powerful sense of presence and peace.


How to Get Started with Grounding

The good news is, grounding is simple and free.

Here are some easy ways to practice it:

  • Walk barefoot on grass, dirt, sand, or unsealed concrete

  • Sit under a tree with your bare feet in the grass

  • Lie on the ground (picnic-style!) and soak in the Earth’s energy

  • Garden with bare hands in the soil

  • Swim in natural bodies of water like oceans or lakes

Even just 10-20 minutes a day can make a difference—but longer is better. If you can ground yourself in the morning, it’s a wonderful way to start the day with calm and clarity.

And yes—concrete counts, as long as it’s unsealed (like a sidewalk or patio). Just avoid asphalt, which is made from petroleum and is not conductive.


Savoring the Summer Through Grounding

This summer, I’ve made a commitment to savor the little moments—and grounding helps me do just that.

I pause to stand barefoot in my garden while sipping my morning coffee. I sit in the grass under a shady tree when I need a midday reset. I kick off my shoes at the beach and let the waves wash over my feet.

These aren’t just pleasant moments—they’re healing ones. They’re opportunities to slow down, regulate my nervous system, and reconnect with the energy that sustains all life.

So if you’re feeling stressed, scattered, or overwhelmed… Try taking off your shoes. Feel the Earth beneath your feet. Breathe deeply. Let yourself land—fully—in this moment.

Because sometimes, the most powerful shift happens the moment you connect.

With love and barefoot joy,
Bonnie

The "I Get To Shift!" 7-Day Challenge - experience the power of a mindset shift in just one week! Take our FREE 7-Day Challenge and see how your Perspective & Mood start elevating and transforming with simple daily shifts!

Ready to change your perspective and feel lighter, happier, and more empowered in just 7 days?

What if three simple words could change how you feel… and how you live? “I GET TO…”

I Get To Shift! – 7 Day Challenge 
A gift to help you kick off summer in a higher vibe.

Every day for 7 days, you’ll learn how to shift from “I have to” ➝ “I get to”
…and watch how your mood, energy, and outlook on life transform.

You’ll get:

  • Daily mindset shifts
  • A beautiful printable workbook
  • Simple practices that uplift your emotions + attract more good
  • A deeper connection to gratitude and possibility

Science shows that just 7 days of consistent practice can actually begin to rewire your brain.

How? It all comes down to neuroplasticity—your brain’s incredible ability to change and adapt. Every time you choose a new thought, reaction, or way of seeing something, you’re creating new neural pathways. And when you do that over several days, those pathways strengthen—making it easier to think differently, feel better, and act with more intention.

This challenge is based on the most-loved concept from my book The Appreciation Game: A 30-Day Process to Increase Happiness, Satisfaction & Well-Being. Day Nine – I Get To… This process is the one so many people told me was their favorite and even life-changing. And this 7-Day Challenge is also a sneak peek into my next book, which is all about how shifting your perception changes your life.

I hope you’ll join in this fun experiment in changing perspective & building good feeling momentum!

You get to feel good!

You get to choose your perspective!

You get to start now!

What Percentage Are You Aligned With Your Desire?

Do you have a desire that you want to create/manifest/live? Want to find out how aligned you are with it and how many things are contradicting it that need to be released and re-aligned? Click below and fill out the form to receive your complimentary Energy Alignment Assessment.
Weekly tips, tools, & processes to help you feel better and live the life of your dreams!

Savoring Summer

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To receive the Empowered To Thrive weekly newsletter delivered to your email, sign up below.

Vitamin G = Gratitude

By Bonnie Durkin -6/29/25

By Bonnie Durkin -6/29/25

Author, Speaker, Energy Alignment Practitioner & Personal Empowerment Coach

The Power of Vitamin G: Why Gratitude is Your Daily Dose of Wellness

 Do you know what the most important vitamin is for your health and well-being? It might not be found in your medicine cabinet or on your dinner plate. It’s Vitamin G—Gratitude.

We’ve all heard that we should be more grateful. But what if gratitude isn’t just a nice idea or something we remember at Thanksgiving? What if it’s actually one of the most powerful wellness tools we have—something that impacts our mindset, our mood, and even our physical health?

In this blog post, we’re talking about Vitamin G—gratitude—and why it’s one of the most potent and accessible ways to feel better, shift your energy, and attract more of what you want.

What is Vitamin G?

Vitamin G is a playful nickname for Gratitude—an essential ingredient for mental, emotional, and energetic health. Just like your body needs vitamins to function at its best, your spirit and nervous system need gratitude to stay balanced, centered, and strong.

Gratitude isn’t about ignoring your challenges or pretending everything’s perfect. It’s about noticing what is working, what is beautiful, what is aligned—right here and now.

Why Gratitude Works (The Science Behind It)

Gratitude isn’t just spiritual fluff—it’s backed by science. Studies have shown that people who practice regular gratitude:

  • Experience less stress and anxiety
  • Sleep better
  • Report higher levels of happiness and optimism
  • Strengthen relationships
  • Have lower levels of inflammation and improved heart health

Why? Because gratitude changes your brain.

When you focus on what you appreciate, your brain releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. These chemicals boost your mood and calm your nervous system. Over time, regularly practicing gratitude can actually rewire your brain to be more resilient, positive, and solution-focused.

Gratitude and the Law of Attraction

From an energetic perspective, gratitude is a powerful attractor. When you feel grateful, you’re sending out the signal: “More of this, please.”

Your mood is your magnet, and gratitude is one of the fastest ways to shift your mood. It helps you tune into a frequency of appreciation, abundance, and receptivity. When you’re focused on what you love, the universe responds by bringing you more things to love.

This is why I always say: Gratitude is the gateway. It opens the door to more joy, more alignment, and more flow.

The “I Get To” Connection

If you’ve done the I Get to Shift! challenge, you already know the power of shifting from “I have to” to “I get to.” This is gratitude in action.

  • “I have to do the laundry.” → “I get to care for my family.”
  • “I have to go to work.” → “I get to earn and contribute.”
  • “I have to cook dinner.” → “I get to nourish myself and others.”

This simple shift pulls you out of resistance and into appreciation. It turns obligation into opportunity—and boosts your mood instantly.

How to Take Your Daily Dose of Vitamin G

Gratitude doesn’t need to be complicated. Here are a few ways to make it a daily practice:

  1. Morning Gratitude Journaling

Start your day by writing down 3-5 things you’re grateful for. Keep it simple. Be specific.

  • The smell of your morning coffee
  • The softness of your bed
  • A good conversation you had yesterday
  1. “Thank You” Walks

Take a short walk and, with each step, say “thank you” in your mind. Thank your body, the trees, the sky, your life. This can be a walking meditation that grounds you in presence and appreciation.

  1. Reframe the Mundane

Choose one daily task you normally dread and reframe it with “I get to.” Notice how that changes the energy.

  1. Gratitude Before Sleep

End your day by reflecting on one thing that went well, one thing you enjoyed, or one thing you’re thankful for. Let that be the last energy you carry into sleep.

A Few Final Thoughts

Gratitude won’t erase every challenge, but it will shift how you experience it. It’s not about denying the hard stuff—it’s about making space to also notice the beauty, the progress, the good.

The more you practice, the easier it gets. And the more you focus on what you love, the more love flows in.

So here’s your reminder:

You don’t need to wait for life to be perfect to feel grateful. You just need to notice what’s good right now.

Take your daily dose of Vitamin G.
It’s free. It’s powerful. And it just might change everything.

With a heartful of gratitude,
Bonnie

The "I Get To Shift!" 7-Day Challenge - experience the power of a mindset shift in just one week! Take our FREE 7-Day Challenge and see how your Perspective & Mood start elevating and transforming with simple daily shifts!

Ready to change your perspective and feel lighter, happier, and more empowered in just 7 days?

What if three simple words could change how you feel… and how you live? “I GET TO…”

I Get To Shift! – 7 Day Challenge 
A gift to help you kick off summer in a higher vibe.

Every day for 7 days, you’ll learn how to shift from “I have to” ➝ “I get to”
…and watch how your mood, energy, and outlook on life transform.

You’ll get:

  • Daily mindset shifts
  • A beautiful printable workbook
  • Simple practices that uplift your emotions + attract more good
  • A deeper connection to gratitude and possibility

Science shows that just 7 days of consistent practice can actually begin to rewire your brain.

How? It all comes down to neuroplasticity—your brain’s incredible ability to change and adapt. Every time you choose a new thought, reaction, or way of seeing something, you’re creating new neural pathways. And when you do that over several days, those pathways strengthen—making it easier to think differently, feel better, and act with more intention.

This challenge is based on the most-loved concept from my book The Appreciation Game: A 30-Day Process to Increase Happiness, Satisfaction & Well-Being. Day Nine – I Get To… This process is the one so many people told me was their favorite and even life-changing. And this 7-Day Challenge is also a sneak peek into my next book, which is all about how shifting your perception changes your life.

I hope you’ll join in this fun experiment in changing perspective & building good feeling momentum!

You get to feel good!

You get to choose your perspective!

You get to start now!

What Percentage Are You Aligned With Your Desire?

Do you have a desire that you want to create/manifest/live? Want to find out how aligned you are with it and how many things are contradicting it that need to be released and re-aligned? Click below and fill out the form to receive your complimentary Energy Alignment Assessment.
Weekly tips, tools, & processes to help you feel better and live the life of your dreams!

Savoring Summer

Savoring the Light: A Summer Solstice Invitation to Slow Down and Soak It All In Happy Summer Solstice and welcome to the official first day of summer in

Read More »

Mood Magnet

Your Mood is Your Magnet: How Feeling Good Attracts More Good! Have you ever noticed how some days everything just clicks? People smile at you, traffic lights turn

Read More »

Stressed to Calm

Breathe + Look + Tap = Shift! – From Stressed to Calm in Minutes! We all have days when stress creeps in, tension builds, and everything feels just

Read More »

Why You Procrastinate

The Hidden Reason Behind Procrastination (and How to Move Through It) Have you ever stared at a task for hours—or even days—knowing you need to do it, but

Read More »
To receive the Empowered To Thrive weekly newsletter delivered to your email, sign up below.

Savoring Summer

By Bonnie Durkin -6/20/25

By Bonnie Durkin -6/20/25

Author, Speaker, Energy Alignment Practitioner & Personal Empowerment Coach

Savoring the Light: A Summer Solstice Invitation to Slow Down and Soak It All In

Happy Summer Solstice and welcome to the official first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere!

I have to confess: I absolutely love summer. Always have. Maybe it’s because I was born in July or because I’ve always been drawn to the sun, the water, and the lush green forests that surround my home. But whatever the reason, summer holds a special kind of magic for me—and I suspect I’m not alone.

This morning, as I sat outside with my coffee in hand, letting the warm morning sun kiss my face, arms, and bare legs, I found myself reflecting on why I love summer so much. What is it about this season that fills me with such deep joy?

The first word that came to mind was: freedom.

I remembered being a child, sitting in a classroom near the end of the school year, staring longingly out the window at the bright blue sky. I can still feel that flutter of excitement in my chest, knowing that soon I would be free to play, to swim, to lie under a tree with a good book, and most importantly—to follow my own inner clock.

I was lucky to grow up with a loving family and the kind of summer childhood many dream of: running through the woods barefoot, watching clouds drift by, splashing in nearby lakes, or heading to the ocean for salty breezes and sun-soaked days. I spent lazy afternoons in the air-conditioned library, totally immersed in the magic of storybooks.

That freedom to simply be is what I associate most deeply with summer.

And this year, after so much time spent exploring how powerful our perspective is—and how much the phrase “I Get To” can shift everything—I’ve decided: this is going to be my Summer of Savoring.


What Does It Mean to Savor?

When I looked up the definition of savor the moment, here’s what I found:

“To fully appreciate and enjoy a particular experience, often a positive one, by being present and fully engaged in it. It’s about slowing down, noticing the details, and allowing yourself to experience the pleasure of the present.”

Isn’t that beautiful?

That’s what I want to invite into my life this summer—and invite you to join me in doing, too. To take moments and stretch them just a bit longer. To let the taste of a ripe peach linger. To sit in the sun a few extra minutes. To pause and actually feel the coolness of a breeze, the sound of laughter, the scent of blooming flowers.

Because here’s the truth:

The more we savor, the more we expand our capacity for joy.

When we practice presence, we create space for appreciation. And appreciation is a magnetic energy that attracts even more to feel good about. Just like we learned in the I Get To Shift! 7-Day Challenge—your mood, your focus, and your attention create the energy you radiate out. And that energy? It brings more of the same back to you.

Which leads me to this powerful idea:


The Summer Solstice: A Portal for Presence & Possibility

The Summer Solstice marks the longest day of the year—the moment when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky. It’s been celebrated for thousands of years in cultures all around the world as a time of light, life, and abundance.

In ancient times, the solstice symbolized:

  • The power of the sun and its life-giving energy

  • The celebration of fertility and growth

  • A spiritual gateway for honoring the light within and around us

From Stonehenge gatherings to Indigenous rituals to modern yoga festivals, the Summer Solstice has always carried a sacred sense of renewal and possibility.

Energetically, it invites us to turn toward the light—both literally and metaphorically. It reminds us to celebrate how far we’ve come, to bask in our inner radiance, and to set intentions for what we want to call in for the rest of the year.

And what better way to align with that energy than by choosing to savor the life we already have?


Why Savoring Matters (and How It Shifts Everything)

In a world that constantly pushes us to do more, have more, and rush to the next thing, savoring is a radical act. It says:

  • I don’t need to hustle for my worth.

  • I can find joy right here, in this moment.

  • I get to slow down and receive.

Savoring strengthens our nervous system, calms the stress response, and opens us up to more emotional presence. When we truly let ourselves enjoy something, we feel more grounded, connected, and alive.

From a manifesting standpoint, savoring elevates our vibration. It puts us in a state of gratitude, pleasure, and alignment—and those are the exact emotional frequencies that attract more of what we want.

Remember: The universe responds not to what we want, but to what we feel.

And when we feel deeply present, appreciative, and satisfied, we magnetize more experiences that match that.

As my husband and I often say: Satisfied with where we are, while eagerly expecting more.


Simple Ways to Savor the Summer

Want to join me in making this your Summer of Savoring? Here are a few simple ideas to get you started:

1. Start your day outside
Even just five minutes in the morning sun with your coffee or tea can set the tone for the whole day. Feel the warmth on your skin. Notice the birds. Let it be a slow start.

2. Eat seasonally and mindfully
Savor the juicy peach, the crisp cucumber, the first fresh-picked tomato. Eat slowly. Let yourself taste and enjoy it fully.

3. Walk barefoot
There’s something incredibly grounding about feeling the earth beneath your feet. Whether it’s sand, grass, or dirt—let your body reconnect with nature.

4. Schedule unstructured time
Give yourself permission to do nothing. No plan, no outcome. Just time to be. Read, nap, float, wander.

5. Watch the light
The long days of summer give us golden mornings and late evening sunsets. Watch the sky change. Let the light remind you to slow down and notice.

6. Use the phrase “I get to…”
Just like in our challenge: shift your perception of daily tasks by reframing them. “I get to fold these towels.” “I get to walk the dog.” “I get to water the garden.” Let it root you in appreciation.


Your Invitation

Whether summer is your favorite season or not, the solstice marks a moment to pause and reflect. To realign with what matters. To remember that joy doesn’t always come in the big milestones—sometimes, it lives in the smallest sensations.

So today, I’m choosing to savor this life. This light. This season.

And I invite you to do the same.

Let this be your Summer of Savoring.
Let the sun remind you of your radiance.
Let the long days teach you that time expands when you’re present.

Happy Solstice, sweet soul. You get to slow down. You get to enjoy. You get to shine.

With warmth and light,
Bonnie

The "I Get To Shift!" 7-Day Challenge - experience the power of a mindset shift in just one week! Take our FREE 7-Day Challenge and see how your Perspective & Mood start elevating and transforming with simple daily shifts!

Ready to change your perspective and feel lighter, happier, and more empowered in just 7 days?

What if three simple words could change how you feel… and how you live? “I GET TO…”

I Get To Shift! – 7 Day Challenge 
A gift to help you kick off summer in a higher vibe.

Every day for 7 days, you’ll learn how to shift from “I have to” ➝ “I get to”
…and watch how your mood, energy, and outlook on life transform.

You’ll get:

  • Daily mindset shifts
  • A beautiful printable workbook
  • Simple practices that uplift your emotions + attract more good
  • A deeper connection to gratitude and possibility

Science shows that just 7 days of consistent practice can actually begin to rewire your brain.

How? It all comes down to neuroplasticity—your brain’s incredible ability to change and adapt. Every time you choose a new thought, reaction, or way of seeing something, you’re creating new neural pathways. And when you do that over several days, those pathways strengthen—making it easier to think differently, feel better, and act with more intention.

This challenge is based on the most-loved concept from my book The Appreciation Game: A 30-Day Process to Increase Happiness, Satisfaction & Well-Being. Day Nine – I Get To… This process is the one so many people told me was their favorite and even life-changing. And this 7-Day Challenge is also a sneak peek into my next book, which is all about how shifting your perception changes your life.

I hope you’ll join in this fun experiment in changing perspective & building good feeling momentum!

You get to feel good!

You get to choose your perspective!

You get to start now!

What Percentage Are You Aligned With Your Desire?

Do you have a desire that you want to create/manifest/live? Want to find out how aligned you are with it and how many things are contradicting it that need to be released and re-aligned? Click below and fill out the form to receive your complimentary Energy Alignment Assessment.
Weekly tips, tools, & processes to help you feel better and live the life of your dreams!

Savoring Summer

Savoring the Light: A Summer Solstice Invitation to Slow Down and Soak It All In Happy Summer Solstice and welcome to the official first day of summer in

Read More »

Mood Magnet

Your Mood is Your Magnet: How Feeling Good Attracts More Good! Have you ever noticed how some days everything just clicks? People smile at you, traffic lights turn

Read More »

Stressed to Calm

Breathe + Look + Tap = Shift! – From Stressed to Calm in Minutes! We all have days when stress creeps in, tension builds, and everything feels just

Read More »

Why You Procrastinate

The Hidden Reason Behind Procrastination (and How to Move Through It) Have you ever stared at a task for hours—or even days—knowing you need to do it, but

Read More »
To receive the Empowered To Thrive weekly newsletter delivered to your email, sign up below.

Mood Magnet

By Bonnie Durkin - 6/13/25

By Bonnie Durkin - 6/13/25

Author, Speaker, Energy Alignment Practitioner & Personal Empowerment Coach

Your Mood is Your Magnet: How Feeling Good Attracts More Good!

Have you ever noticed how some days everything just clicks? People smile at you, traffic lights turn green, you get a kind message out of the blue. And other days? It feels like you’re stuck in molasses—frustrated, behind schedule, and surrounded by annoyances.

That’s not coincidence. That’s energy.

More specifically, that’s your mood working as a magnet.

In this blog post, we’ll dive into why your emotional state is the real driver behind what you attract, how to become more intentional about your mood, and simple ways to shift your emotional frequency using practices from the I Get to Shift! 7-Day Challenge.


The Energy You Radiate is What You Attract

Your mood isn’t just how you feel — it’s the signal you send out to the universe.

According to the law of attraction and the science of neuroplasticity, your thoughts and emotions emit energy. That energy is magnetic. It draws back to you people, experiences, and circumstances that match the frequency you’re sending.

When you’re in a good mood — grateful, optimistic, aligned — you are naturally attracting more things that match those feelings. On the other hand, when you’re feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, or resentful, you’ll notice more situations show up that keep you stuck in that same loop.

Your mood is your point of attraction. That’s why it’s so powerful.


Mood vs. Motivation: Why Feeling Good Comes First

Many of us were raised to believe that we have to work hard and earn our way to good things. That we must be dissatisfied in order to justify wanting more.

As children, we had to explain to our parents why what we had wasn’t good enough just to be considered for something new. That pattern runs deep. And as adults, we carry that belief into our lives: If I want something better, I must hate where I am now.

But here’s the twist: That thinking actually blocks what you want.

Why? Because focusing on what you don’t like only strengthens your vibrational match to it. You’re unintentionally asking the universe for more of the same.

Instead, the secret is this mindset:

“I am satisfied with where I am — and eagerly expecting more.”

This approach creates energetic alignment. You are signaling appreciation and contentment (which feel good), while also staying open and excited about future possibilities (which attracts more good).


The Brain Behind the Mood: Neuroplasticity in Action

You’re not stuck with your mood. In fact, your brain is constantly rewiring based on what you practice. This is called neuroplasticity — your brain’s ability to form new neural connections and pathways.

Every time you catch yourself in a negative spiral and shift into a better-feeling thought, you’re doing neural training. You’re literally making it easier for your brain to default to optimism, appreciation, and joy in the future.

The I Get to Shift! 7-Day Challenge is built on this principle. Each day, you shift your internal narrative from “I have to” to “I get to.” This simple language change changes your perception, which changes how you feel, which changes what you attract.


The Universe is Always Listening

Every time you notice something you like, you’re placing an energetic order: More of this, please.

Every time you focus on something you don’t like, you’re doing the same — but not in your favor.

That’s why your attention is everything. The more you focus on what feels good — even small things like the warmth of your coffee, a kind interaction, the sunlight through your window — the more positive momentum you build.

Your mood says to the universe: “This is what I expect. This is what I’m ready for. This is who I am.”

The universe doesn’t respond to your words — it responds to your energy.


Practices to Help Shift Your Mood

Here are a few simple practices from the I Get to Shift! challenge you can use daily to improve your mood and align your energy:

1. Morning Reframe

Before getting out of bed, say: “Thank you. I get to have another day on this Earth. I get to choose how I think, feel, and show up.”

This sets your emotional tone for the day.

2. Breath to Calm and Reset

Use 5-10 breathing:

  • Inhale through your nose for 5 counts.

  • Exhale through your mouth for 10 counts.

The long exhale activates your parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress and shifting your mood to calm.

3. The “Eye Shift” Technique

Move your eyes to the left (while keeping your head still), hold until you feel a shift, then center. Repeat on the right. This activates the vagus nerve and relaxes your body in seconds.

4. Appreciation Rampage

Start noticing what you like — and say so. Mentally or out loud, go on a 2-minute rampage of appreciation.

Example: “I love this quiet moment. I love how cozy my blanket feels. I love that I have a phone that connects me to people I care about.”

Each appreciation thought raises your frequency.


What You Focus On Grows

You don’t have to be in a perfect mood all the time. Life happens. But the more often you deliberately choose a better-feeling perspective, the more magnetic you become to the good stuff.

Let’s be clear: You don’t attract what you say you want — you attract what you feel.

That’s why feeling better now is the fastest way to receive what you want later.

So the next time you catch yourself saying, “Why isn’t it here yet?” try shifting your mood instead.

Tune into something that feels like joy, satisfaction, or curiosity. Your mood is your magnet. Use it wisely.


Final Thought: You Get to Choose

You don’t need permission to feel better.

You don’t need everything to be perfect to enjoy where you are.

And you certainly don’t need to justify your desires by feeling bad about where you are now.

You get to want more and love where you are.

You get to use your emotions to shape your reality.

And you get to decide — right now — to become a magnetic match for everything you desire.

With love and alignment,
Bonnie

A Cup of Calm to Help You Ease Stress & Anxiety & Feel Better Fast!
TTT Tapping to Help You De-Activate Your ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts)

Get some of your favorite beverage and then use the camera on your smart phone to scan the QR Code on the back of this uplifting 11oz., ceramic mug. You’ll be taken to a webpage that holds 3 different guided tapping techniques to help you ease your stress, anxiety & worries and start feeling better fast! Lean your phone up against your mug and settle down for a little emotional hygiene and self-care session.

Includes 3 guided videos to choose from.

  • Tap and Breathe – for a quick 2.5-minute reset.
  • Tapping to Relieve Stress, Anxiety and Feel Calm Safe, Centered & Secure – for a quick 4.5-minute emotional shift.
  • The Emotional Reset Process – a 28-minute guided video, where I lead you through a full Emotional Reset Process session!

Special Offer Price of Only – $20.00!plus 6.99 shipping (US only)

What Percentage Are You Aligned With Your Desire?

Do you have a desire that you want to create/manifest/live? Want to find out how aligned you are with it and how many things are contradicting it that need to be released and re-aligned? Click below and fill out the form to receive your complimentary Energy Alignment Assessment.
Weekly tips, tools, & processes to help you feel better and live the life of your dreams!

Savoring Summer

Savoring the Light: A Summer Solstice Invitation to Slow Down and Soak It All In Happy Summer Solstice and welcome to the official first day of summer in

Read More »

Mood Magnet

Your Mood is Your Magnet: How Feeling Good Attracts More Good! Have you ever noticed how some days everything just clicks? People smile at you, traffic lights turn

Read More »

Stressed to Calm

Breathe + Look + Tap = Shift! – From Stressed to Calm in Minutes! We all have days when stress creeps in, tension builds, and everything feels just

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Why You Procrastinate

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Stressed to Calm

By Bonnie Durkin - 6/4/25

By Bonnie Durkin - 6/4/25

Author, Speaker, Energy Alignment Practitioner & Personal Empowerment Coach

Breathe + Look + Tap = Shift! - From Stressed to Calm in Minutes!

We all have days when stress creeps in, tension builds, and everything feels just a little too much. In those moments, most of us either push through or shut down. But what if there were a way to gently shift how you feel—in just a minute or two—without needing to fix anything outside of you?

That shift is possible. And the tools to do it? They’re with you right now: your breath, your eyes and your fingertips.

In this post, we’ll explore the powerful, science-backed connection between the way you breathe, the way you move your eyes, and the way you feel. You’ll also learn a few simple practices to calm your nervous system, refocus your energy, and create more emotional alignment any time you need it.


The Stress Response and Why It Matters

Your body is wired for survival. When your brain perceives a threat—whether it’s a real danger or just a stressful email—it activates the sympathetic nervous system, also known as the fight-or-flight response.

This response floods your body with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Your heart rate increases, your breathing gets shallow, and your muscles tense. It’s helpful if you need to run from a tiger. Not so much if you’re just trying to write a report, handle a conflict, or make a decision.

Thankfully, your body also has a natural calming system: the parasympathetic nervous system. When activated, this system helps you relax, restore, and return to balance.

The key to activating this calming response is simple: breathe and look differently.


Breath: Your Built-In Reset Button

Your breath is one of the few body functions that is both automatic and under your control. That means you can use it deliberately to shift your state.

5-10 Breathing

This technique involves lengthening your exhale to activate the relaxation response.

  • Inhale through your nose for a count of 5.

  • Exhale through your mouth for a count of 10.

  • Repeat for 1-3 minutes.

Why it works: The extended exhale tells your brain, “I’m safe.” This lowers cortisol, slows the heart rate, and engages the vagus nerve—a key player in calming your entire nervous system.

Balanced Breath

This breathing pattern creates a sense of centered calm.

  • Inhale through your nose for 5 counts.

  • Exhale through your nose for 5 counts.

  • Continue for several minutes.

Why it works: When your inhale and exhale are balanced, your body and mind find equilibrium. This rhythm regulates your heart rate and oxygen flow, helping you think more clearly and feel more grounded.


The Vagus Nerve: Your Body’s Internal Calming Switch

The vagus nerve runs from your brainstem to your heart, lungs, and digestive organs. It’s part of the parasympathetic nervous system and plays a major role in regulating stress, mood, and digestion.

Stimulating the vagus nerve leads to:

  • Slower heart rate

  • Lower blood pressure

  • Improved emotional regulation

  • A deeper sense of safety and calm

And you can activate it through eye movements.


Eye Movement and the Nervous System

Our eyes are an extension of the brain. Where and how we look affects how we feel.

When you move your eyes purposefully while keeping your head still, you stimulate brain regions connected to emotional regulation and vagal tone.

Eye Shift Technique

  • Sit up tall and look straight ahead.

  • Without moving your head, move your eyes all the way to the left.

  • Hold until you yawn, sigh, or feel a subtle shift (usually 30 seconds or less).

  • Return your eyes to center.

  • Move them all the way to the right, and hold again.

Why it works: This lateral eye movement stimulates the vagus nerve and signals your body to exit stress mode. It’s a fast and subtle way to shift your internal state.

Try this next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or scattered. You might be surprised how quickly it calms and centers you.


Tap and Breathe: Combining Tapping + Breath for Emotional Reset

One of the most effective ways to shift your energy is to combine two powerful tools: breathing and EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) tapping.

Tapping involves gently tapping on specific acupressure points on the body while breathing deeply. This combination helps regulate your nervous system, lower cortisol, and promote emotional release.

How to Practice Tap and Breathe

  1. Begin with Centering: Place your hands over your heart. Take three deep breaths using the 5-10 pattern.

  2. Tap Gently: Tap through these points using your fingertips:

    • Side of the hand (karate chop point)

    • Top of the head

    • Eyebrows

    • Side of the eyes

    • Under the eyes

    • Under the nose

    • Chin

    • Collarbone

    • Under the arm

    • Return to the side of the hand

  3. Breathe: As you tap each point, take a slow, intentional breath in and out.

  4. Close with Stillness: Place your hands back over your heart. Take three final deep breaths.

This technique is great for starting or ending your day, or anytime you feel like you need a reset.


Why These Simple Tools Work

So much of our stress comes from feeling like we’re out of control—emotionally, physically, mentally. When you take back control of even one small thing, like your breath or your gaze, you begin to regulate your inner world.

And here’s the deeper truth: Emotion drives action.

When you’re stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed, it’s hard to focus, take aligned action, or make decisions from a place of clarity. But when you calm your body, your mind follows.

These small shifts add up. They change how you feel, which changes how you respond, which ultimately changes your outcomes.


Try This Today

If you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed today, try this simple reset:

  1. Close your eyes and take 3 deep 5-10 breaths.

  2. Open your eyes and use the eye shift technique (left, center, right).

  3. Finish with 1-2 minutes of Tap and Breathe.

It takes less than 5 minutes—but it can completely change how you feel and function.


Final Thoughts

You don’t need an hour-long meditation or a weekend retreat to find your center.

Sometimes, the most powerful shifts come from the smallest actions.

Your breath is always with you. Your eyes are always available.

Use them with intention. Tune into your body.

And remember:

You get to pause. You get to reset. You get to feel better now.

Your next shift is just one breath (and one glance) away.

With calm and clarity,

Bonnie

A Cup of Calm to Help You Ease Stress & Anxiety & Feel Better Fast!
TTT Tapping to Help You De-Activate Your ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts)

Get some of your favorite beverage and then use the camera on your smart phone to scan the QR Code on the back of this uplifting 11oz., ceramic mug. You’ll be taken to a webpage that holds 3 different guided tapping techniques to help you ease your stress, anxiety & worries and start feeling better fast! Lean your phone up against your mug and settle down for a little emotional hygiene and self-care session.

Includes 3 guided videos to choose from.

  • Tap and Breathe – for a quick 2.5-minute reset.
  • Tapping to Relieve Stress, Anxiety and Feel Calm Safe, Centered & Secure – for a quick 4.5-minute emotional shift.
  • The Emotional Reset Process – a 28-minute guided video, where I lead you through a full Emotional Reset Process session!

Special Offer Price of Only – $20.00!plus 6.99 shipping (US only)

What Percentage Are You Aligned With Your Desire?

Do you have a desire that you want to create/manifest/live? Want to find out how aligned you are with it and how many things are contradicting it that need to be released and re-aligned? Click below and fill out the form to receive your complimentary Energy Alignment Assessment.
Weekly tips, tools, & processes to help you feel better and live the life of your dreams!

Savoring Summer

Savoring the Light: A Summer Solstice Invitation to Slow Down and Soak It All In Happy Summer Solstice and welcome to the official first day of summer in

Read More »

Mood Magnet

Your Mood is Your Magnet: How Feeling Good Attracts More Good! Have you ever noticed how some days everything just clicks? People smile at you, traffic lights turn

Read More »

Stressed to Calm

Breathe + Look + Tap = Shift! – From Stressed to Calm in Minutes! We all have days when stress creeps in, tension builds, and everything feels just

Read More »

Why You Procrastinate

The Hidden Reason Behind Procrastination (and How to Move Through It) Have you ever stared at a task for hours—or even days—knowing you need to do it, but

Read More »
To receive the Empowered To Thrive weekly newsletter delivered to your email, sign up below.

Why You Procrastinate

By Bonnie Durkin - 5/29/25

By Bonnie Durkin - 5/29/25

Author, Speaker, Energy Alignment Practitioner & Personal Empowerment Coach

The Hidden Reason Behind Procrastination (and How to Move Through It)

Have you ever stared at a task for hours—or even days—knowing you need to do it, but somehow you just can’t get yourself to start?

Maybe it’s that project you’ve been meaning to finish, a phone call you need to make, or a creative idea that keeps knocking at your door but never gets your attention. You tell yourself you want it. You even schedule it. But when the time comes? Crickets.

That internal tug-of-war is what we call procrastination, and at the root of it lies something deeper than laziness, lack of time, or poor discipline. At the core of procrastination is what I like to call a contradiction of energy.

Procrastination = Contradiction

When you procrastinate, you’re often dealing with two competing emotional energies:

  • “I want to do this.” (It matters to me. I know it will feel good once it’s done.)

  • “But I don’t want to feel uncomfortable.” (I’m overwhelmed. I’m afraid I won’t do it well. I’m not sure where to start.)

This contradiction creates energetic friction. You’re pulled in two directions, and the tension between them is what leads to paralysis.

The problem isn’t that you don’t want to do the thing. The problem is you’re more focused on the resistance you feel around doing the thing.

Emotion drives action. And when the dominant emotion is dread, fear, self-doubt, or even boredom—you don’t act.

So the question becomes: How do we align our energy with what we want, so action becomes easier?

Start With Why You Want It

The fastest way to dissolve procrastination is to bring your focus back to why you want to do the thing in the first place.

Ask yourself:

  • What will completing this make possible for me?

  • What positive impact will it have on my life or others?

  • How will I feel once it’s done?

We spend so much time obsessing over how hard or unpleasant something might feel while we do it that we forget how amazing it will feel to have it behind us.

If you can tap into the emotional satisfaction of completion, you start building momentum.

This is where the concept of emotional alignment comes into play. When you can align your thoughts and emotions with your desired outcome, rather than the discomfort of the process, energy starts to flow toward action.

Visualize Completion Instead of the Struggle

Instead of imagining how hard it will be, visualize what it will be like when it’s done.

  • See yourself smiling after hitting “submit.”

  • Imagine the relief of finally clearing that item off your to-do list.

  • Feel the confidence that comes with doing the thing you said you’d do.

This isn’t just mindset fluff. Neuroscience backs it up: the brain can’t always distinguish between something vividly imagined and something real.

When you visualize a completed outcome and allow yourself to feel the satisfaction in advance, your brain starts to get emotionally onboard.

And remember: emotion drives action.

Build Momentum with Micro Promises

One powerful way to override procrastination is to make micro promises to yourself—small, achievable commitments that you actually follow through on.

When you say, “I’ll write one paragraph,” or “I’ll just open the document,” and you do it, you start building internal trust.

This trust is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets.

And over time, following through becomes your default instead of avoidance.

These micro actions send a signal to your subconscious: “I do what I say I’m going to do.”

Which leads to greater self-confidence, less internal resistance, and more ease when facing bigger tasks.

Self-Trust is the Antidote to Procrastination

Procrastination isn’t just about the task at hand. It’s often rooted in deeper emotional patterns—fear of failure, perfectionism, self-judgment.

Every time you follow through on something (even something small), you chip away at those old patterns.

You show yourself that you’re capable. You build self-respect. You prove that your word to yourself matters.

Over time, you stop avoiding things because you no longer fear your own ability to follow through.

A Simple Practice to Shift Procrastination Energy

Try this quick practice next time you feel stuck:

  1. Pause and notice the resistance. Get curious about it. What are you thinking and feeling?

  2. Acknowledge the contradiction. Say to yourself: “I want to do this, but I’m afraid/stuck/unmotivated because…”

  3. Reconnect to your why. Ask: “Why do I want to do this? How will I feel when it’s done?”

  4. Visualize completion. Imagine the moment right after it’s finished. Let that emotion rise.

  5. Take one micro action. Open the file. Write one sentence. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Just begin.

You Get to Reframe It

Instead of saying “I have to,” try saying: “I get to do this.”

That subtle shift changes everything.

“I get to write this proposal that could open new doors.”
“I get to clean this space so I feel more peaceful.”
“I get to move forward on something that matters to me.”

It reframes the task as a privilege, not a punishment.

Final Thoughts

Procrastination is not a character flaw. It’s an energetic contradiction.

The solution isn’t to push harder—it’s to realign your emotions with what you want to experience.

When your thoughts and emotions are aligned with your goal, action becomes natural. It becomes lighter. Even joyful.

Start small. Keep your promises. And always return to your why.

Because the truth is, you don’t have to do anything.

You get to!

A Cup of Calm to Help You Ease Stress & Anxiety & Feel Better Fast!
TTT Tapping to Help You De-Activate Your ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts)

Get some of your favorite beverage and then use the camera on your smart phone to scan the QR Code on the back of this uplifting 11oz., ceramic mug. You’ll be taken to a webpage that holds 3 different guided tapping techniques to help you ease your stress, anxiety & worries and start feeling better fast! Lean your phone up against your mug and settle down for a little emotional hygiene and self-care session.

Includes 3 guided videos to choose from.

  • Tap and Breathe – for a quick 2.5-minute reset.
  • Tapping to Relieve Stress, Anxiety and Feel Calm Safe, Centered & Secure – for a quick 4.5-minute emotional shift.
  • The Emotional Reset Process – a 28-minute guided video, where I lead you through a full Emotional Reset Process session!

Special Offer Price of Only – $20.00!plus 6.99 shipping (US only)

What Percentage Are You Aligned With Your Desire?

Do you have a desire that you want to create/manifest/live? Want to find out how aligned you are with it and how many things are contradicting it that need to be released and re-aligned? Click below and fill out the form to receive your complimentary Energy Alignment Assessment.
Weekly tips, tools, & processes to help you feel better and live the life of your dreams!

Savoring Summer

Savoring the Light: A Summer Solstice Invitation to Slow Down and Soak It All In Happy Summer Solstice and welcome to the official first day of summer in

Read More »

Mood Magnet

Your Mood is Your Magnet: How Feeling Good Attracts More Good! Have you ever noticed how some days everything just clicks? People smile at you, traffic lights turn

Read More »

Stressed to Calm

Breathe + Look + Tap = Shift! – From Stressed to Calm in Minutes! We all have days when stress creeps in, tension builds, and everything feels just

Read More »

Why You Procrastinate

The Hidden Reason Behind Procrastination (and How to Move Through It) Have you ever stared at a task for hours—or even days—knowing you need to do it, but

Read More »
To receive the Empowered To Thrive weekly newsletter delivered to your email, sign up below.

The Power of Following Through

By Bonnie Durkin - 5/23/25

By Bonnie Durkin - 5/23/25

Author, Speaker, Energy Alignment Practitioner & Personal Empowerment Coach

The Power of Following Through: Building Self-Trust One Promise at a Time

Have you ever told yourself you were going to do something — start that morning routine, drink more water, go for a walk, meditate, or journal — and then not followed through? We all have. And while it may seem like no big deal in the moment, over time, those broken promises to ourselves can chip away at something deeply important: our self-trust.

But here’s the good news: you can rebuild that trust, one small follow-through at a time. And the process isn’t just emotional or motivational — it’s deeply rooted in science.

In this blog post, we’re diving into the powerful connection between keeping your word to yourself, building self-trust, and creating new habits that support the life you truly want to live. We’ll explore the neuroscience behind it, why self-praise matters, and how acknowledging your own effort can radically shift your mindset and momentum.

Why Following Through Matters

Every time you do what you say you’re going to do — especially when no one else is watching — you strengthen your sense of integrity. This builds confidence, self-respect, and internal alignment. You start to trust yourself as someone who can be counted on — by others, yes, but most importantly, by you.

When you don’t follow through, you send a subtle message to your subconscious: “My words don’t matter. I can’t count on myself.”

That message may seem small, but repeated over time, it becomes a belief. And beliefs shape your actions, your confidence, and ultimately, your results.

So how do we shift this?
By making small promises and keeping them.

The Neuroscience of Self-Trust and Habit Building

Your brain is wired to recognize and reinforce patterns. The more often you think a thought or take an action, the stronger the neural pathway associated with that behavior becomes. This is the magic of neuroplasticity — your brain’s ability to change and adapt through repetition.

Let’s say you commit to a five-minute breathing practice each morning. The first time you do it, your brain begins building a new neural connection. Each time you repeat it, that connection strengthens — like walking the same path through tall grass. Eventually, it becomes a well-worn trail: easier to access, automatic, and habitual.

But there’s a second layer to this process: dopamine. Dopamine is the brain’s “reward” chemical. When you follow through on something and then take a moment to acknowledge or celebrate it, your brain releases dopamine. That release signals to the brain, “Yes! This feels good. Let’s do it again.”

Over time, your brain begins to crave that reward. And that’s how habits start to form and stick — not through willpower alone, but through consistent, rewarded repetition.

Keeping Promises to Yourself: Why It’s More Than Motivation

Motivation is great — but it’s not always reliable. Some days you wake up energized and excited. Other days… not so much.

What creates real momentum isn’t waiting to feel motivated. It’s building self-integrity — the ability to do what you say you’re going to do, even when you don’t feel like it.

Think of self-integrity as a muscle. Every time you follow through on a promise — no matter how small — you strengthen that muscle. You prove to yourself, “I can do hard things. I can rely on me.”

This doesn’t mean you have to be perfect. In fact, perfectionism often keeps people stuck. It’s not about doing everything; it’s about doing something consistently and showing up in alignment with your intentions.

The Role of Self-Acknowledgment and Praise

Now let’s talk about something that often gets overlooked: celebrating yourself.

When’s the last time you paused to say, “I’m proud of myself for doing that”? Not in an arrogant way, but in a grounded, loving way. So many people push themselves constantly but rarely take the time to acknowledge their efforts — especially the small wins.

But those small wins matter.

Let’s go back to the dopamine loop. When you recognize your own effort — even just mentally saying, “Hey, I did it!” — you’re triggering the brain’s reward center. This reinforces the behavior and increases your desire to do it again.

Acknowledgment and self-praise are emotional nourishment. They help balance out the inner critic that says “You’re not doing enough” or “You’re falling behind.”

By pausing to honor what you are doing, you shift the inner narrative. You build emotional momentum. And most importantly, you feel good about yourself — which is exactly the kind of energy that attracts more of what you want.

Real-Life Applications: How to Practice This Daily

Here’s how you can begin putting this into practice right away:

  1. Start Small and Be Specific

Don’t overcommit. Pick one or two things you want to follow through on each day. Examples:

  • “I get to journal for 5 minutes tonight.”

  • “I get to take 3 deep breaths before I open my email.”

  • “I get to walk around the block at lunchtime.”

Make it measurable and doable.

  1. Say It Out Loud or Write It Down

There’s power in declaring your intention. It makes it more real. Keep a “promise log” or use sticky notes if that helps you stay focused.

  1. Follow Through – Even If It’s Not Perfect

Progress, not perfection. If you meant to meditate for 10 minutes and you only did 3, celebrate the 3! You still followed through in spirit.

  1. Acknowledge and Celebrate

This is the key. Once you follow through, pause and say:

  • “I did what I said I was going to do!”

  • “I’m proud of myself for showing up.”

  • “That felt really good — I get to feel this more.”

You might even write down your wins at the end of the day. The more you recognize them, the more they grow.

  1. Watch What Changes

Notice how your mood shifts. How your confidence builds. How your energy rises. These changes may seem subtle at first, but they compound over time in powerful ways.

Why This Matters in the Bigger Picture

Following through and keeping promises to yourself isn’t just about productivity or goal-setting — it’s about identity. Each time you act in alignment with your intention, you’re casting a vote for the person you want to be.

You’re not just “doing a thing.”
You’re becoming the version of yourself who:

  • Shows up

  • Follows through

  • Keeps going

  • And trusts herself deeply

That kind of self-trust? That’s unshakable. That’s magnetic. That’s transformational.

And it starts with one small promise kept.

Final Thoughts

If you’re someone who has struggled with consistency or self-doubt, let this be your reminder: you don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. You just need to start showing up for yourself — one small, doable, follow-through at a time.

The shift is in the follow-through.
The magic is in the moment you keep your word — and then take a breath to say, “I did it.”

You get to trust yourself.
You get to celebrate yourself.
You get to create a life built on alignment, confidence, and inner peace.

Let that be your next step.

With appreciation and belief in your ability to get what you desire!
Bonnie

A Cup of Calm to Help You Ease Stress & Anxiety & Feel Better Fast!
TTT Tapping to Help You De-Activate Your ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts)

Get some of your favorite beverage and then use the camera on your smart phone to scan the QR Code on the back of this uplifting 11oz., ceramic mug. You’ll be taken to a webpage that holds 3 different guided tapping techniques to help you ease your stress, anxiety & worries and start feeling better fast! Lean your phone up against your mug and settle down for a little emotional hygiene and self-care session.

Includes 3 guided videos to choose from.

  • Tap and Breathe – for a quick 2.5-minute reset.
  • Tapping to Relieve Stress, Anxiety and Feel Calm Safe, Centered & Secure – for a quick 4.5-minute emotional shift.
  • The Emotional Reset Process – a 28-minute guided video, where I lead you through a full Emotional Reset Process session!

Special Offer Price of Only – $20.00!plus 6.99 shipping (US only)

What Percentage Are You Aligned With Your Desire?

Do you have a desire that you want to create/manifest/live? Want to find out how aligned you are with it and how many things are contradicting it that need to be released and re-aligned? Click below and fill out the form to receive your complimentary Energy Alignment Assessment.
Weekly tips, tools, & processes to help you feel better and live the life of your dreams!

Savoring Summer

Savoring the Light: A Summer Solstice Invitation to Slow Down and Soak It All In Happy Summer Solstice and welcome to the official first day of summer in

Read More »

Mood Magnet

Your Mood is Your Magnet: How Feeling Good Attracts More Good! Have you ever noticed how some days everything just clicks? People smile at you, traffic lights turn

Read More »

Stressed to Calm

Breathe + Look + Tap = Shift! – From Stressed to Calm in Minutes! We all have days when stress creeps in, tension builds, and everything feels just

Read More »

Why You Procrastinate

The Hidden Reason Behind Procrastination (and How to Move Through It) Have you ever stared at a task for hours—or even days—knowing you need to do it, but

Read More »
To receive the Empowered To Thrive weekly newsletter delivered to your email, sign up below.

What You Focus on Grows

By Bonnie Durkin -01/19/23

By Bonnie Durkin -01/19/23

Author, Speaker, Energy Alignment Practitioner & Personal Empowerment Coach

Whatever You Focus On Grows!

The more you pay attention to something the more of it you get!

This is a wonderful concept if what you’re paying attention to is something that you like and want more of; but if your focus is on a problem or an issue that you’d like to change, it can keep you endlessly stuck, frustrated and miserable – wondering why things won’t change for the better!

Here’s a personal story that I think beautifully shows how this concept works.

Many years ago, when I was a young woman, I lived in Arizona. I moved there right after I got married to my first husband who had gotten a job in Phoenix. I thought I would love it because I had always loved summer and warmth and sunshine, and I was ready to leave winter and my small New England town behind. I wanted a new adventure to go with my new life!

I was not prepared for what happened when I got there. I hated it! I mean I really hated it! I hated everything about it. I hated the heat, the barren landscape, the dirt, the dust, the traffic, the houses right on top of each other, the lifestyle, the lack of seasons and I even came to hate the sunshine! It was endless and relentless, and it burned the skin right off you!

I loudly complained every day to my new husband and everyone else who would listen about how horrible Arizona was and how much I hated it! I missed Connecticut. I missed my family. I missed my woods and my green and my water and my seasons and snow at Christmas.

I spent every day for the first 7 years complaining and wishing I was back in Connecticut. With each year that went by I became more and more miserable, more and more unhappy.

It affected my marriage; it affected my health and I started having panic attacks and all kinds of physical ailments.

Finally, I woke up one day and I just couldn’t take it anymore. I had dropped to a whole new level of misery and I remember thinking, “I just want to dig a hole, get in it and cover myself up and never come out.” And at that point I said to myself, “Bonnie, do you want to keep feeling like this for the rest of your life?” My immediate answer back was, “No, I don’t!

Then I said to myself, “Bonnie you live in Arizona, there’s nothing you can do about that right now, so unless you want to keep feeling like this every day you’re going to have to find a way to make the best of it.”

As I thought about it, I realized not everyone hated Arizona, in fact my husband loved it and so did a lot of other people. I didn’t think I could love it, since my current reality was that I hated it, but I decided to make a commitment to start looking for things that I did like.

When I started looking around, the first thing that I noticed was that I never did any real decorating in my house. I hadn’t cared because I wanted to leave. So, the first thing I decided I would focus on was making my house look beautiful and feel warm and inviting.

I jumped wholeheartedly into this project! It stimulated my creative juices which had been unused for the last 7 years and it was a lot of fun and felt good!

The more I focused on and picked up steam with my house beautification, the easier it was to find other things I liked about Arizona as well.

Then a really crazy thing started happening. I woke up one morning and realized I was happy! I felt good and I was enjoying my life even though I was still living in Arizona!

Here’s the point of this story and what you might call the frosting on the cake of my happiness.

After a couple of months of feeling happy and really liking my life, out of the blue, my husband came home from work one day and said he’d been transferred, and we were moving back to Connecticut!

Once I gave up my complaining and focusing on what I didn’t like and found a way to focus on what felt good and what I did like, what I had begged for and dreamed about for nine years just effortlessly happened without me doing anything!

The moral of the story is: you can have 10 things going wrong in your life and one thing going right and if you put your attention on what’s going right and take it off what’s going wrong, everything will start to shift and improve. Conversely, you can have 10 things going right and one thing going wrong and if you dig in and hyper focus on the “problem” you will just start attracting more and more problems into your life.

We all get to choose.

What do you choose to focus your attention on today?

Since your mind is always thinking about something, you might as well think about something that feels good while you are thinking it! – Bonnie

The Appreciation Game: A 30-Day Process to Increase Happiness, Satisfaction & Well-Being!

Want to play The Appreciation Game? It’s not too late to join in the fun & upliftment! It’s free to play and right now there is a big group of us doing it together on Facebook. 

It’s easy and it doesn’t take much of your time. You can play alone, or you can join in with the Facebook group.

You can do as little or as much as you want each day. The concept is to just start looking for and focusing on more things that are already good & right in your life and the world around you and by doing so you raise your mood & vibration.

I guarantee that when you get to the end of your 30-Day journey you’ll feel better than when you started!

When you sign up below you will receive one email a day for 30-Days which will give you the process & concept of the day.

Happy Appreciating! – Bonnie

What Percentage Are You Aligned With Your Desire?

Do you have a desire that you want to create/manifest/live? Want to find out how aligned you are with it and how many things are contradicting it that need to be released and re-aligned? Click below and fill out the form to receive your complimentary Energy Alignment Assessment.
Weekly tips, tools, & processes to help you feel better and live the life of your dreams!

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Your Mind Likes What’s Familiar

By Bonnie Durkin - 01/10/23

By Bonnie Durkin - 01/10/23

Author, Speaker, Energy Alignment Practitioner & Personal Empowerment Coach

Your Mind Likes What's Familiar

You have probably heard it’s important to think positively, but sometimes that’s easier said than done! If you’ve ever tried to monitor your thoughts and change your worrying into optimism, you’ve quickly found out how hard that is to do!

Sometimes it seems like our thoughts have a mind of their own and they are thinking us. Just try to stop thinking about something you don’t want to think about, and you’ll see exactly what I mean!

The harder you try to stop thinking about something you don’t want to think about – the more you think about it!

This is because we all have habitual patterns of thoughts that have a lot of energy and momentum attached to them.

A lot of these habits of thinking were learned when we were kids, and they are based on beliefs that feel true.

Remember the Law of Attraction? Well, it helps you out (maybe not so much) by continually feeding you more thoughts that feel like what you’ve previously been thinking. This makes it almost impossible to just stop thinking about them!

Also, there is something called “Negativity Bias” that comes into play. Your brain is programmed to look for and focus on potential problems and threats.

Our tendency to pay more attention to bad things and overlook good things is likely a result of evolution. Earlier in human history, paying attention to bad, dangerous, and negative threats in the world was literally a matter of life and death.

Those who were more attuned to danger and who paid more attention to the bad things around them were more likely to survive.

This tendency to dwell on the negative more than the positive is one way the brain tries to keep us safe.

  • The human brain has between 50,000 to 70,000 thoughts per day which equates to about one thought per second of every hour you are awake.
  • 95 percent of those thoughts are the same thoughts you had yesterday and the day before and the day before that.
  • 80 percent of those habitual thoughts are negative for most people!
  • Which means that the average person has more than 45,000 negative thoughts a day!

How Do You Change Those Thoughts?

So, what can you do? Are you doomed to keep thinking what you’ve always thought? No! Absolutely not!

But changing your thoughts can be a bit tricky because you can’t just make a decision to start thinking more positively if that has not been your habit in the past. It is too much of a change in the frequencies – you’ll be working against the power of the Law of Attraction and also your mind, which likes what’s familiar to it.

Your Mind Likes What’s Familiar

Your mind likes what’s familiar to it because what it already knows feels safe, and because of the neural pathways that are formed when you do something over and over again. These neural pathways make it much easier to think and do what you’ve always done before.

But you can make what’s been a familiar habit of thought, unfamiliar by focusing on and putting your attention on something else, something new, something you want that feels good when you think it!

When you consistently focus on something new for about 30 days, you create a new neural pathway in your brain which makes the “new thought” feel “familiar” and eventually it becomes a new positive, habitual pattern of thinking.

That is what you are doing with the Appreciation Game. You are creating new positive habits of thought and new patterns of thinking about things

You are creating habits of thought that feel really good when you think them!

Today, become a seeker of what is working and what’s right and what you like best about everything and everyone!

Give your mind the job of seeking blessings, beauty and goodness wherever you are, whoever you are with and no matter what you are doing, look for things to appreciate!

Give it a try and let me know how it goes. – Bonnie

The Appreciation Game: A 30-Day Process to Increase Happiness, Satisfaction & Well-Being!

Want to play The Appreciation Game? It’s not too late to join in the fun & upliftment! It’s free to play and right now there is a big group of us doing it together on Facebook. 

It’s easy and it doesn’t take much of your time. You can play alone, or you can join in with the Facebook group.

You can do as little or as much as you want each day. The concept is to just start looking for and focusing on more things that are already good & right in your life and the world around you and by doing so you raise your mood & vibration.

I guarantee that when you get to the end of your 30-Day journey you’ll feel better than when you started!

When you sign up below you will receive one email a day for 30-Days which will give you the process & concept of the day.

Happy Appreciating! – Bonnie

What Percentage Are You Aligned With Your Desire?

Do you have a desire that you want to create/manifest/live? Want to find out how aligned you are with it and how many things are contradicting it that need to be released and re-aligned? Click below and fill out the form to receive your complimentary Energy Alignment Assessment.
Weekly tips, tools, & processes to help you feel better and live the life of your dreams!

Savoring Summer

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Sing to Calm & Uplift Yourself

By Bonnie Durkin - 11/29/22

By Bonnie Durkin - 11/29/22

Author, Speaker, Energy Alignment Practitioner & Personal Empowerment Coach

Sing to Calm & Uplift Yourself!

Today I’d like to talk about a quick, easy way that you can improve your mood and raise your vibration. Singing!

Music is pure vibration and has been used since the beginning of time by all cultures to set a mood, raise people’s energy and to celebrate. 

Songs, hymns and chanting are used in all religious and spiritual traditions for worship, praise and celebration.

Preschool and elementary teachers know that small children love singing and music and will enthusiastically join in with simple, upbeat songs. It’s a great way to keep them happy and engaged!

When I was a child both my mother and grandmother used to sing regularly. They sang while they did chores around the house, and they sang while they cooked. They would start family “sing-a-longs” when we rode in the car, they sang to us at bedtime and they would get us all singing as we gathered around the piano on the holidays.

I carried on this tradition with my own children when they were small. I used to sing to them and with them every day – we had special songs we sang for clean-up and bedtime. Both of my children and I really loved it! Singing put us in a happy and playful mood while doing tasks and gave us a sense of stability and soothing at bedtime.

It’s been a long time since my children were little and I’ve noticed that as the years have gone on I sing less and less. But lately I’ve been experimenting with singing again. I’ve been singing first thing in the morning, in the shower, while I’m working around the house, in the car or if I’m aware that I’m feeling stressed or down. I’ve noticed that’ I’ve been feeling a lot happier, lighter, and more playful!

The Benefits of Singing

Singing tricks your brain into thinking that you’re happy even if you’re not because it releases the feel-good chemicals called endorphins into your brain.

The military understands this. That’s why they have the troops sing simple, chant type songs while doing unpleasant things like long marches.

Give it a try if you have household tasks that you need to do but don’t really enjoy – it works! Not only does singing increase the “feel-good” chemicals in your brain but the deep breathing needed to sing draws more oxygen into your blood which is really good for your cells and your health.

Also, while you’re singing you are not thinking so it shuts off those ANT’s (Automatic Negative Thoughts) and allows your mind to be in a more positive, receptive state. Which means that it changes your mood to a higher, better feeling vibration!

The other thing that singing, humming, and chanting does is it stimulates your body’s Vagus Nerve. The Vagus Nerve helps regulate the nervous system and activating it this way can turn off the Sympathetic Nervous System (fight or flight) and turn on the Para-sympathetic Nervous System (rest & relaxation). 

If you’re feeling anxious, stressed or overwhelmed, try singing a song or if don’t want to sing try taking a deep breath in and releasing it out in a long hum. Keep breathing in and humming out until you feel relaxed and calm.

So, today I challenge you to give it a try. It doesn’t matter if you can carry a tune or not. Just choose a simple feel-good song or sing along with one! It doesn’t matter how you do it – just sing! – Bonnie
This process comes from my book The Appreciation Game – A 30-Day Process the Increase Happiness, Satisfaction & Well-Being! Bonnie

A Cup of Calm to Help You Ease Stress & Anxiety & Feel Better Fast!
TTT Tapping to Help You De-Activate Your ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts)

Get some of your favorite beverage and then use the camera on your smart phone to scan the QR Code on the back of this uplifting 11oz., ceramic mug. You’ll be taken to a webpage that holds 3 different guided tapping techniques to help you ease your stress, anxiety & worries and start feeling better fast! Lean your phone up against your mug and settle down for a little emotional hygiene and self-care session.

Includes 3 guided videos to choose from.

  • Tap and Breathe – for a quick 2.5-minute reset.
  • Tapping to Relieve Stress, Anxiety and Feel Calm Safe, Centered & Secure – for a quick 4.5-minute emotional shift.
  • The Emotional Reset Process – a 28-minute guided video, where I lead you through a full Emotional Reset Process session!

Special Offer Price of Only – $20.00!plus 6.99 shipping (US only)

What Percentage Are You Aligned With Your Desire?

Do you have a desire that you want to create/manifest/live? Want to find out how aligned you are with it and how many things are contradicting it that need to be released and re-aligned? Click below and fill out the form to receive your complimentary Energy Alignment Assessment.
Weekly tips, tools, & processes to help you feel better and live the life of your dreams!

Savoring Summer

Savoring the Light: A Summer Solstice Invitation to Slow Down and Soak It All In Happy Summer Solstice and welcome to the official first day of summer in

Read More »

Mood Magnet

Your Mood is Your Magnet: How Feeling Good Attracts More Good! Have you ever noticed how some days everything just clicks? People smile at you, traffic lights turn

Read More »

Stressed to Calm

Breathe + Look + Tap = Shift! – From Stressed to Calm in Minutes! We all have days when stress creeps in, tension builds, and everything feels just

Read More »

Why You Procrastinate

The Hidden Reason Behind Procrastination (and How to Move Through It) Have you ever stared at a task for hours—or even days—knowing you need to do it, but

Read More »
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