Jodi Chapman's Blog

I haven’t been feeling well and have needed to spend a lot of time resting on the couch. It gets old really quickly because there’s so much that I want to be doing, especially hanging out at the beach where I frequently see sea lions and harbor seals. But, until my body feels stronger, it will remain on the couch.

One of the things I like to do to help cheer myself up is to visit three of my favorite sea otters through an aquarium’s webcam. I’ve met them all before, and I love being able to watch them when I can’t be there in person. (They were all rescued as babies and aren’t able to be released back into the ocean, so they’re given as good of a life as possible at the aquarium and they all seem pretty content from what I can tell.)

Anyway, yesterday I turned on the camera and saw one of them (Oswald, I think) swimming around. A couple walked up to the viewing window, and I was excited to feel their excitement once they saw him swim right past them. (None of the otters pay much attention to the people in the window – they just swim on by.) Sure enough, as he got closer, one of the people quickly took a picture. I thought they would then put the camera down and be so fascinated that they would have a hard time tearing themselves away from the window as all three otters swam near them so agilely and playfully. However, they didn’t. As soon as they got their picture, they immediately left…onto the next exhibit, most likely.

Now, I admit that it’s very possible that I’m projecting here and writing my own story that is far from the truth. I can’t possibly know what was going on in their minds. Maybe they went to a different window and stayed and watched the otters from there. Or maybe they had already been watching and just wanted one more photo. All I know for sure is that my heart hurt after witnessing this because it was indicative of what I see so often when I’m at the beach, in a restaurant, or anywhere, really: the experience itself takes a backseat to getting the picture. Rather than immersing ourselves in life, so many of us have gotten into the habit of taking pictures of it so we can mark that we were there and then share them on social media as proof. Rather than fully soaking up the beauty and the magic of what’s happening right in front of us, so many are missing it all. And that makes me really sad.

We have some friends who told us that they once went to an art exhibit where a replica of a famous painting was made and put into a separate room because so many wanted to take selfies in front of it, rather than really taking in the beauty of the actual painting. I remember the first time I saw one of Jackson Pollock’s paintings up close for the first time, I was moved to tears. He’s my favorite painter, and the MoMA in NYC was showcasing many of his paintings. This particular one was so grand that you had to step far away from it just to take it all in. I sat on a bench in front of it in complete awe – mesmerized by all of the colors, the emotions, the strokes, the splatters…all of it. I don’t have a picture of that moment on my camera. But I will forever have a picture of it in my mind. And when I think about it, I feel all of the same emotions and awe that I felt then, all those years ago.

Now, I’m certainly not saying that we shouldn’t take pictures to document our adventures and moments from our lives that we want to remember and share with others. I do this all of the time. But what hurts my heart is when the documenting becomes more important than whatever we’re experiencing, looking at, enjoying. Because, in my opinion, the magic lies in the experience itself, in allowing ourselves to fully immerse in it. When we do, we won’t need a picture to remind us of it. It will be etched into our brains forever.

My fear is that by putting the focus on the picture instead of the experience, so many are missing out on life…on beauty. It’s true that Oswald the sea otter doesn’t care whether someone is fascinated by him and fully appreciates him. But I would hope that if the people I saw in the window had spent just a few more minutes watching him, they would have created a memory that they would never forget: seeing how graceful he is in the water, watching him play fight with Schuster and roll over and over again together until one of them decided they’d had enough and swam off, seeing him dive to the bottom to grab a toy or some food and come back up and put it on his belly to play with it or to eat it, and seeing him vigorously clean his body in the absolute cutest way ever. In my mind, that’s what it’s all about. The picture documents the experience. But if you don’t allow yourself to fully have the experience, the picture quickly loses its meaning and gets mixed in with all the others.

I guess to me it’s about slowing down and really being present in the moment. Opening up to it. Embracing it. Being in awe of it. Simply being in it. Making the time to give myself the gift of full immersion and full appreciation. And then taking a picture of it to help me remember this moment in my life and also to be able to share this moment with my friends and family.

As for Oswald, I hope to see him and his friends in person soon. In the meantime, I’ll keep turning on the webcam and appreciating them as fully as I’m able to. They’re amazing. This world we live in is amazing. Life is amazing. And I definitely want to soak as much of it up as possible in whatever way I’m able to. I wish that for us all.

Hugs,

The post Full Immersion appeared first on Jodi Chapman.

Last night, Dan and I were talking about how, as a child, I collected seashells (in the same way that others collected baseball cards or stickers) and would ask anyone who had been to the beach to bring me back some. I grew up in a suburb of Denver and had never seen the ocean, and I couldn’t explain why I felt so drawn to shells. (I now see that my soul was calling me home to the ocean, where I feel the most myself.)

Anyway, my stepsister lived some of the time with us and some of the time in France. She traveled around the world with her mom and had recently found the most exquisite shell that I had ever seen. It was round, about the size of a small sand dollar but spiraled all the way from the outside to the center. It was magical. After much begging and wheeling and dealing, she finally agreed to give it to me in exchange for many of my most prized shells. I was elated.

Soon after this, we decided to set up a stand at the end of our driveway to sell our least favorite shells to anyone who was interested. Needless to say, we weren’t hopping with business. In fact, only one person came by: a classmate who was riding her bike and happened to see us. She said that she had some shells of her own and would bring them by so we could trade. When she came back, we traded a few shells with her, and she went home. I realized then that my beloved shell was missing. I went to her house and asked her if she took it, which she vehemently denied. But I knew that she had. I was heartbroken, and I never spoke to her again.

Soon after that, we moved to California, and I lost touch with most of my childhood friends. So that brings me back to last night when I was reminiscing about all of my shells with Dan. I have no idea what happened to my childhood collection, but since we’ve moved to the coast, I’ve started another one. Each time I go to the beach, I find the perfect shell that will remind me of the time I spent there. It’s become a healing practice, and I love filling my container with shell after shell…evidence of following my soul and creating a life that feels just right for me.

I hadn’t thought about that missing shell for years, and it popped into my mind last night. I wondered about the girl who stole it. I figured her life must’ve been horrible and that karma would have taken care of everything. So I looked her up. Well, she seems to be thriving. She placed 6th a few years ago in the Mrs. America pageant, has a successful real estate business, a beautiful family, and looks like she’s thoroughly enjoying life. At first, when I saw this, I was taken aback and wondered how this could be. Surely she must feel remorse. Surely it must be eating her up inside. I had imagined her being in prison by now…

And then I realized that I wasn’t perfect as a child either. I did things that I later regretted, things that I’ve let go of and have forgiven myself for. And while I didn’t steal someone else’s beloved shell, I realized that there may be others who are looking at me and wondering the same thing that I thought about this classmate of mine. And realizing this helped me release the anger that I’d been holding onto all of these years. We were just kids, and it was just a shell. And it’s time to finally let it go.

How about you? What are you holding onto? What are you ready to let go of? It’s my hope that you’ll find loving ways to do so.

Hugs and love,

The post Letting Go of the Shell appeared first on Jodi Chapman.

I wanted each of you to know that this will be my last monthly soul clarity reading. I know this announcement will come as a surprise to many of you (especially to those who have been part of my community for the eight years that I’ve been offering these readings on my site each month).

And I know that while some of you won’t give it a second’s thought, some of you may feel all sorts of emotions about this – which is perfectly normal. I’m not a huge fan of change, and I know that if I had gotten used to something being a certain way for a while and it was no longer going to be that way, I would need a moment (or two or three) to work out how I felt about it, to come to terms with the new reality, and to express my feelings.

I get it. Really, I do. And I want each of you to know how much thought I’ve put into this decision and how it wasn’t an easy one for me to make. For more than eight years, I’ve spent each first day of the month in front of the computer, pulling hundreds of cards for very grateful people. And for many years, it felt fun and right and like I was doing something helpful and putting goodness into the world in a small way. (And hopefully I was.)

However, as I’ve mentioned in previous posts, my goal for the year is to simplify my life. I’ve been overextending myself and my energy for far too long, overlooking my own needs in order to try to keep everyone else happy. And that’s ended up with my health spiraling downward into a pretty scary place. And it’s from this space of exhaustion and overwhelm that I’ve realized that I have to let certain parts of my business go in order to heal. And that’s hard for me because I want to help you all. It feels good to do so. But what I need more than anything right now is to help myself.

So, over the coming weeks, I’ll be letting go of many parts of my business. And that includes the monthly readings. This will be the final month that I’ll offer the soul clarity readings, and it’s my hope that you’ll feel my gratitude for each of you who have been part of my community over the years and have received messages from me. And it’s my hope that you’ll stay and continue to be on this journey with me…even though I’m not sure where it will lead.

My soul wants me to share with you that while I can pull these cards and give you the messages that your own soul needs you to hear, so can you. Sometimes we forget that we can trust ourselves and know, really know at a deep level, what we need and how to move forward. You really don’t need me to tell you what you already know. We all have the ability to go within and discover the answers inside our hearts. Every single one of us can tap into our inner wisdom at any time. It’s so important for you to know that. And however you do that is up to you. You can pull a card for yourself from my deck or someone else’s, you can meditate, you can journal…whatever feels best for you.

We don’t have many more decks in stock, and we probably won’t have more printed. So if you’re wanting to order one, my suggestion would be do so soon just to be safe. (They’re on the same site as our remaining Soulful Journals, which we’re also saying goodbye to.) Here’s the link to order. 

This is truly a time of simplifying and letting go and allowing my heart and body to heal. My plan is to focus on writing my own books and helping others write theirs. And hopefully within that space I’ll still be able to pop in here and share some inspiration now and then.

My wish for all of us is that we listen to our bodies and then give ourselves permission to do what they ask of us…even if it’s uncomfortable or if it doesn’t make sense or if it has the chance to upsetting someone else. Even then. We have to take good care of ourselves. We really do. I’m just now getting that at a very deep level, and it’s humbling and scary and also exciting at the same time.

I’m looking forward to seeing how my life opens up because I’m finally honoring my body and soul.

So, for the last time…let’s get to the readings.

The Soul Clarity Card deck includes 48 cards to help you get clarity on what your soul wants you to know. They come wrapped up in an organza bag and include an amethyst gemstone (which helps you connect with your soul).

My soul speaks to me in concise phrases, and so these cards were created with that in mind. Each card contains a guided action for you to consider – something to help you live soulfully and mindfully.

I believe that the answers are always within us, but sometimes our light gets covered up by life – all of the to-dos and the shoulds and work and errands and hurt and anger and all sorts of gunk. And it can be hard to sift through all of that and find our way home – back to our soul. These cards are a tool to help you on your journey back home.

Each card contains words that your soul needs you to hear. And whichever card you choose will be exactly the one you need in that exact moment. That’s just how it works!

Here’s how it works: I’ll pull one card for anyone who leaves a comment at the end of the post by 11:59 pm pst today (2/1)! If your comment is posted before then, I promise I will pull a card for you. Each month when I open this up, I receive hundreds of requests, so please be patient with me.

All you have to write is “Yes, please!” or something similar. Please don’t feel that you need to share what you are looking to heal or what you would like guidance for. You are more than welcome to, but it’s not necessary. I know that this can be very personal, and your soul and the universe already know what you need. (If you are reading this via a reader or email, please click here to be taken to the post.)

A technical tip for you: Do not subscribe to comments when you leave a comment below. If you do, you’ll receive tons of emails. Instead, you can go to the comments page and do a search for your name later in the day after I’ve had a chance to pull your card. (On a PC, you press the “control” button + the “f” button.) This makes it super easy to scroll to your name and your reading.

Thank you so much to each of you who have been on this soulful journey with me. It’s my hope that we’ll continue it together…just without the readings.

Big hug to each of you.

The post Special Announcement: My Final Soul Clarity Monthly Reading appeared first on Jodi Chapman.

Like many of us, each year I come up with a word that best embodies my intention for the year to come. As many of you know, 2019 was an extremely hard year for me that was filled with a lot of loss and health issues. Throughout the year, I felt overwhelmed, overtaxed, and oftentimes just over it all. And I wanted to make sure to go into 2020 with a fresh start, a clean page, and a new beginning. I wanted things to flow much more easily. I wanted to give myself the time needed to heal my body and also my heart. So I decided that my word would be Simplify. In fact, just reading that now brings a huge exhale throughout my entire body. And that’s how I know that this is exactly what I need.

So, in the coming weeks, I’ll be taking a close look at each aspect of my life and my business and will be saying goodbye to anything that isn’t essential or that takes away from my own healing in any way. I’ll be making some tough decisions and will need to let go of many things that have been part of my life for a very long time. And I know that I’ll be ending parts of my business that not everyone is ready to say goodbye to. And, as someone who wants to make everyone happy, that’s hard and something that I’m dreading. But I know that doing this is absolutely what’s needed for my own healing.

I’ll share more specifics about all of this once I have the details worked out, but for now I wanted to share some of the books that I’m reading that are helping me come back to myself – back to my own heart, my own creativity, my own strength, my own voice, and my own dreams. (I realize that there are a lot of books here, which sort of goes against simplifying…but I guess old habits die hard. But, I will say that I’m enjoying all of them, and I can’t imagine not reading any of them.)

It’s my hope that if you’re also in a space where you’re recalibrating your life, these books will help you figure out what feels good and what doesn’t. It’s my hope that they’ll help you get back on track and put yourself front and center for possibly the first time in a very long while. It’s my hope that they’ll lead you back to joy and vitality…back to YOU.

That’s definitely what they’re already doing for me, and I’m so happy to share them with you (in no particular order).

A Book That Takes Its Time: An Unhurried Adventure in Creative Mindfulness

This unique book is exactly what my hurried self needs to slow down, get back in touch with my creative side, and know that it’s okay to simply BE. It’s so much more than just a book. It’s loaded with mini books inside, stickers, postcards, collage boards, and so much more. Using the materials provided, I’ve already made a timeline of my life, created a vision board, written down beautiful moments from the day on cute little cards…and I’m just getting started! I can’t recommend this book enough. I believe that it’s a must have for anyone who’s looking to get back in touch with who they are, slow down, and recenter themselves.

Learn more here.

This Year I Will… A 52-Week Guided Journal to Achieve Your Goals

I love guided journals (which is why we’ve written 16 of them!), and this book has already been wonderful in helping me get centered into this new year and recognize what my goals are and how I can stay on track with them to make sure they are realized. Each week contains different writing prompts to help you keep you goals at the forefront of your mind, and I’m truly enjoying it. I love how the questions go deeper than most planners, which is just what I need this year.

Learn more here.

Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One

So many people have recommend this book (as well as all of Joe Dispenza’s work) to me, and I finally pulled it off the shelf and began reading it. I’m a huge believer that our thoughts become our reality, and, due to a variety of factors, my thoughts haven’t been in as high of a vibration as I would like them to be in lately. So, I decided to give Joe and his book a try, and, while it took me a little while to get into it, I’m now really enjoying it and am looking forward to seeing where this knowledge and practice leads.

Learn more here.

The Wisdom of Anxiety: How Worry and Intrusive Thoughts are Gifts to Help You Heal

My thoughts have a way of getting away from me if I’m not conscious of them, and I’ve been anxious as long as I can remember. What I love about this book is its approach in seeing anxiety as a loving teacher, rather than something to feel ashamed about or embarrassed by. And it’s exactly what I need right now to help me welcome this fresh wave of anxiety into my life, rather than try with everything I have to push it away. It’s just so much easier not to resist what our body is trying to tell us…and instead simply listen.

Learn more here.

Know Yourself: A Book of Questions

This book is a Flow Magazine book (similar to the first one I recommended – I love all of their books, by the way!), and it’s been a lot of fun to ask Dan the questions and have both of us answer them. They’ve led to some really great conversations and wonderful self-knowledge and knowledge about the other as well.

Learn more here.

The Self Love Workbook: A Life-Changing Guide to Boost Self-Esteem, Recognize Your Worth, and Find Genuine Happiness

I’ve been feeling lately that I’ve been so busy helping others over the last few years that I’ve forgotten how to help myself. And I love that this book will help me do exactly that: to give myself an extra dose of love while also giving myself permission to be truly happy. I’m looking forward to seeing how I change after completing this workbook. It’s my hope that I feel more grounded and loved and accepting of myself. We shall see!

Learn more here.

100 Days of Actions and Intentions to Create the Life You Wish For

While I’ve only read a few pages so far in this book, it seems to have something magical to it. It just says what I need to hear exactly when I need to hear it. For example, a couple of weeks ago I was in the waiting room for a follow-up ultrasound to make sure everything was okay in my body. I was nervous and opened this book up on my Kindle and the passage that came up was about how much our bodies are teaching us and to honor it and thank it for always having our back. I knew in that moment that I would be okay…and I am.

Learn more here.

2020 My Shining Year: Life Goals Workbook

I make time each year to go through these workbooks. Dan and I do them together, and they’re a great way to get clear about what we want and also what we don’t throughout the next year. It also contains a great section on closing the circuits to 2019, which I very much needed.

Learn more here.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

I hate it when people are mad at me, and I’ll oftentimes do things that hurt myself just to not hurt/disappoint/upset someone else. Well, because this is my year to put myself first, I knew that I would need some help in this department of setting boundaries and being okay with not being liked. This book is helping me do exactly that.

Learn more here.

417 More Games, Puzzles, and Trivia Challenges Specially Designed to Keep Your Brain Young

Dan and I love spending our evenings together solving brain puzzles on the couch while our cat, Biddle, sleeps on our laps. We were coming near the end of the one we’d had for a while and were happy to find this sequel to it! (And we bought a third one that’s pocket sized – perfect for road trips!) These books are a fun way for us to unwind together at the end of a busy day and keep our brains sharp at the same time. They’re a lot of fun (at least we think so).

Happy 2020! I’m so excited about the possibility of this year, and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds for us all. Each month, I pull one Soul Clarity Card for each person who leaves a comment below. This month, please feel free to interpret it as your card for the month or your card for the year. (You’ll know by how it resonates in your soul.)

Before we get started though, I wanted to share a few updates with you!

We’re so excited that our writing program starts on January 15! It’s for those who would like to write a book of their own that helps and inspires others, and we’re truly honored to support everyone along the way.

If you haven’t joined us yet, there’s still time! Registration is open through January 14, so please be sure to sign up before then. We only open the doors once a year for this program, so if you’re feeling called to join us please do so soon! We’re only opening this up to those in our community this year, and we’re offering a special discount just for you!

If one of your dreams is to write a book, we would love for you to be part of our program! In it, we include everything you’ll need to write, finish, publish, and market your own book! We’ll support you during each step of your outer and inner journey of being a writer, offering concrete writing/marketing tools while guiding you through the emotional highs and lows that you’ll experience throughout the process of bringing your soulful book to life. And you’ll be part of a loving community of authors who can support you each step of the way!

Your words matter. Your message matters. Your book matters! It can change the world, touch hearts, and inspire thousands…but only if you write it! If you’re ready to bring your soulful book to life, we would be honored to support you on this life-changing journey!

Please be sure to sign up before the doors close on January 14. 

If you have questions about this program, please feel free to email them to us here: info@yoursoulfulbook.com. (You can also email us to schedule a time to speak to Dan directly about it before signing up – it’s free and there’s no obligation to join!)

You’re invited to Dan’s free online class on January 7th from 5-6 pm pst! It’s called “Write Your Soulful Book in 2020”…and it will help you do exactly that!

In this class, you’ll get more than just a motivational pep talk; you’ll get time-tested tools that actually work – tools that will set you up for book-writing success right from the start…and help you cross the finish line with joy, ease, and (most importantly) a book you can be proud to call your own!

The printed version of our latest book, 365 Soulful Messages: The Right Guidance at the Right Time, came out in November, and we’re so happy to share that it continues to receive such positive feedback. Thank you to each of you who bought it and shared about it – we’re truly grateful.

Our electronic version of this book is now available! And if you order it by Jan 31st, you’ll have access to over 35 bonus gifts!

Each month we offer a new giveaway on DandiSoul.com, and we’re so excited to share this month’s giveaway with you now!

We’re giving one lucky winner our Soulful Love Journal Set!

Whether you’re married, in a relationship, or ”it’s complicated,” these three journals can help you connect (or reconnect) with that someone special, get to know each other better (whether you’ve been together for a few days or many decades), and share your love in fun and soulful ways. And they’re perfect gifts for Valentine’s Day!

Good luck, everyone! We look forward to announcing the winner next month!

Thank you so much to each of you who entered our giveaway last month to win a 60-minute soulful writing coaching session with Dan! We randomly chose the winner, and it’s Gigi F.! Congratulations! We’ve sent you an email with the details.

And now for your reading…

The Soul Clarity Card deck includes 48 cards to help you get clarity on what your soul wants you to know. They come wrapped up in an organza bag and include an amethyst gemstone (which helps you connect with your soul).

My soul speaks to me in concise phrases, and so these cards were created with that in mind. Each card contains a guided action for you to consider – something to help you live soulfully and mindfully.

I believe that the answers are always within us, but sometimes our light gets covered up by life – all of the to-dos and the shoulds and work and errands and hurt and anger and all sorts of gunk. And it can be hard to sift through all of that and find our way home – back to our soul. These cards are a tool to help you on your journey back home.

Each card contains words that your soul needs you to hear. And whichever card you choose will be exactly the one you need in that exact moment. That’s just how it works!

Here’s how it works: I’ll pull one card for anyone who leaves a comment at the end of the post by 11:59 pm pst today (1/1)! If your comment is posted before then, I promise I will pull a card for you. Each month when I open this up, I receive hundreds of requests, so please be patient with me. (If you happen to miss this deadline, please know that I’ll do it again on 2/1.)

All you have to write is “Yes, please!” or something similar. Please don’t feel that you need to share what you are looking to heal or what you would like guidance for. You are more than welcome to, but it’s not necessary. I know that this can be very personal, and your soul and the universe already know what you need. (If you are reading this via a reader or email, please click here to be taken to the post.)

A technical tip for you: Do not subscribe to comments when you leave a comment below. If you do, you’ll receive tons of emails. Instead, you can go to the comments page and do a search for your name later in the day after I’ve had a chance to pull your card. (On a PC, you press the “control” button + the “f” button.) This makes it super easy to scroll to your name and your reading.

(Please note that I start the readings around 10 am pst on the 1st.)

Big hug to each of you.

P.S. We have 2 time-sensitive reminders: 

Dan’s free soulful book-writing class is on January 7th from 5-6 pm pst! You can learn more and sign up here. 

We’ll be closing the doors for our Your Soulful Book writing program on January 14th (for an entire year!), so please be sure to sign up before then. (We have a discount for you, too!) Details here: http://www.yoursoulfulbook.com. 

The post Free Soul Clarity Message! Plus, a giveaway, a free writing class, and more! appeared first on Jodi Chapman.

Happy December! It’s that time again where I’ll pull one Soul Clarity Card for each person who leaves a comment below!

I do this on the first day of every month, and it’s always so much fun to offer these messages straight from my soul to yours.

Before we get started though, I wanted to share a few updates with you!

If one of your dreams is to write a soulful book that inspires others, we would love to help you in our Your Soulful Book writing program! We’ll be opening up registration for it in a couple of weeks, and the program will start in January! If you haven’t already signed up for the waiting list (and received our free ebook: The 5 Essential Keys to Writing, Publishing, & Marketing Your Soulful Book) then please do so right away here: http://www.yoursoulfulbook.com. We’re only inviting people from our community to join us this year, and the waiting list is the first place we’ll share about it!

We’re so excited to open up registration for it and look forward to telling you all about how you can be part of it soon!

Each month we offer a new giveaway on DandiSoul.com, and we’re so excited to share this month’s giveaway with you now!

One lucky winner will be able to receive a one-on-one 60-minute soulful writing coaching session with my sweetie, Dan Teck!

Are you a soulful writer looking for guidance and support on your next (or current) project? Let bestselling author and writing coach Dan Teck help you with any stage of the writing process: whether you’re brainstorming for ideas, writing your first draft, editing your manuscript, or preparing to publish and market your completed book. This 60-minute private video call will be customized to fit your specific needs, regardless of where you are in your writing journey.

Good luck, everyone! We look forward to announcing the winner next month!

Thank you so much to each of you who entered our giveaway last month to win all 5 printed and autographed books in our 365 Book Series! We randomly chose the winner, and it’s Suzanne F.! Congratulations! We’ve sent you an email with the details.

You can learn all about these books here. Also, we wanted to remind you that you’ll receive over 35 bonus gifts when you order our brand-new book: 365 Soulful Messages! You can click here to do learn more.

And now for your reading…

The Soul Clarity Card deck includes 48 cards to help you get clarity on what your soul wants you to know. They come wrapped up in an organza bag and include an amethyst gemstone (which helps you connect with your soul).

My soul speaks to me in concise phrases, and so these cards were created with that in mind. Each card contains a guided action for you to consider – something to help you live soulfully and mindfully.

I believe that the answers are always within us, but sometimes our light gets covered up by life – all of the to-dos and the shoulds and work and errands and hurt and anger and all sorts of gunk. And it can be hard to sift through all of that and find our way home – back to our soul. These cards are a tool to help you on your journey back home.

Each card contains words that your soul needs you to hear. And whichever card you choose will be exactly the one you need in that exact moment. That’s just how it works!

Here’s how it works: I’ll pull one card for anyone who leaves a comment at the end of the post by 11:59 pm pst today (12/1)! If your comment is posted before then, I promise I will pull a card for you. Each month when I open this up, I receive hundreds of requests, so please be patient with me. (If you happen to miss this deadline, please know that I’ll do it again on 1/1.)

All you have to write is “Yes, please!” or something similar. Please don’t feel that you need to share what you are looking to heal or what you would like guidance for. You are more than welcome to, but it’s not necessary. I know that this can be very personal, and your soul and the universe already know what you need. (If you are reading this via a reader or email, please click here to be taken to the post.)

A technical tip for you: Do not subscribe to comments when you leave a comment below. If you do, you’ll receive tons of emails. Instead, you can go to the comments page and do a search for your name later in the day after I’ve had a chance to pull your card. (On a PC, you press the “control” button + the “f” button.) This makes it super easy to scroll to your name and your reading.

(Please note that I start the readings around 10 am pst on the 1st.)

Big hug to each of you.

P.S. – Remember to sign up for the waiting list soon if you’re interested in our Your Soulful Book writing program! We only open up registration for it once a year, and this year we’re only telling those in our community about it! And that’s you! We’ll share the details with you in a couple of weeks! For now, please click here to get on the waiting list and receive your free gift: http://www.yoursoulfulbook.com.

The post Free Soul Clarity Message! Plus, a giveaway, a gift, & an announcement! appeared first on Jodi Chapman.

I remember my dreams almost every night, and while some seem completely random, most contain a message from my soul. Most feel like my higher self is grabbing me by the shoulders and saying, “I really, really need you to hear this – I need you to pay attention to this.” Over the years, I’ve learned to listen very carefully to these dreams because they always help me understand what’s happening deep within – when I may not even be able to put words to something, my dreams can. And when I know what’s happening, I can make changes that are for my highest good.

I had one of these powerful dreams last night. I was at my high school reunion and everyone wanted me to play a game that had been a long-time tradition. You were supposed to take these styrofoam pieces and either put them together quickly or create something unique. I asked them what the point of the game was, and they all said to win. I replied that I was clearly at a disadvantage then because they all had been practicing or preparing and I was just now hearing about it. Reluctantly, I went through the motions, grabbed my materials, and went off to try to put something together.

I started talking to this guy who I barely knew back in the day when I noticed a huge movie screen on the wall behind him. On it, I saw scenes of a flood and people floating through the water’s currents. It was horrific, chaotic, and super sad. I asked him if this was a movie or if it had really happened. And his eyes lit up as he said that, while this was a reenactment, it definitely was true and that many people had died during that flood. I couldn’t imagine why someone had chosen to play this at a party.

He then turned to me and said, “I bet you hear about a lot of people dying each year in that ocean that you live next to.” And I could tell that he wanted me to say yes – that it was true. He was almost like a kid at Christmas waiting for his present.

I said that while it’s true that several people do get caught in the water and pass away, there are many ways to prevent it – and I went on to talk about ocean safety and tips that we can all take to be able to enjoy it while still respecting its power (a total buzzkill, I know). Not surprisingly, he got up and walked away. And I planned to get back to trying to put together something out of the styrofoam. The woman I was sitting next to, however, had taken my supplies while I was chatting with the guy. And she was now using them for her own project. When I asked her about it, she said – very casually – that she didn’t think I was going to use them. So I got up and walked away, relieved that I didn’t have to participate.

When I woke up, I thought about what this dream could mean, and what I kept coming back to was that I get to choose what to focus on. Yes, there will be floods – literal and figurative. Yes, there will be death. Yes, there will be moments when life completely sucks. That’s part of being here on Earth. It’s not all rainbows and butterflies (as much as I wish that were the case). But still, I get to decide what to play on the movie screen. I get to decide what to give my attention to. I get to decide how to spend my time and who to spend it with. Life’s tragedies aren’t within my control, but how much focus and energy I give to them is (to a large degree). So, I think my subconscious was sending me a message to start playing a different movie, to start focusing on the good again, to start shifting my thoughts – even just a bit – toward what I want instead of what I don’t. And while it’s understandable that I’ve been derailed and deflated after everything that’s happened this year, it seems that my higher self is giving me permission to find some light again – even just a little bit. And that feels pretty good.

Remembering our dreams is just one of the ways that we receive soulful messages. Sometimes, we’ll receive them from a loved one – either from here on Earth or from the other side. Sometimes we’ll see signs that help us shift in a direction that feels good or that lets us know that we are on the right path. Sometimes we’ll find messages in nature or from animals. There are so many ways to receive these meaningful messages, and it’s up to us to be open to them – to be on the lookout for them so that we don’t miss them.

I’m so happy to share that embracing our soulful messages is the theme of our final book from the bestselling 365 Book Series, and it releases today! It’s called 365 Soulful Messages: The Right Guidance at the Right Time, and I can’t wait for you to read it. Over 200 authors came together to share message that they’ve received, and we’re so excited for you to get in touch with your own messages, too! You can go here to learn all about it and order your copies: http://www.365soulfulmessages.com.

I hope you’ll order the book for yourself and for your friends and family – it will make such a great holiday gift! I hope you’ll give yourself this gift of feeling uplifted and inspired.

For a limited time, everyone who orders the book will receive our bonus gift package, which includes over 35 soulful gifts (meditations, ebooks, videos, and more) – all contributed by the co-authors!

We’re hosting a launch party on Facebook today from 10 am – 3 pm pst, and we would love for you to join us!

We’ll be giving away tons of amazing prizes, chatting with many of the co-authors, sharing book excerpts, and celebrating with everyone! It’s happening from 10 am-3 pm pst.

You can pop in and out throughout the day – we’ll have new prizes to give away every 30 minutes! Be sure to invite your friends, too! The more the merrier!

Thank you for celebrating this special moment with each of us who wrote from our hearts in this book. We are so grateful to share our final 365 book with you, and we hope that it uplifts each and every person who reads it!

Hugs,

P.S. I hope you’ll order our book today and come to the Facebook party! We’re giving away thousands of dollars worth in door prizes, and it’s going to be so much fun! Please click here to join us at the party.

P.P.S. We’re having a blog tour to celebrate our book launch! Be sure to check out Lore Raymond’s blog today (www.LoreRaymond.com) and Dan’s blog tomorrow! He’ll be sharing a soulful message of his own: http://www.halfwayupthemountain.com.

The post What Movie Are You Playing? Plus, Introducing Our New Book! appeared first on Jodi Chapman.

Rod and Andree at our wedding in New Mexico.

I met Rod and Andree in 2003. After nine months of being on medical leave from my job as an editor and going to physical therapy several times a week and seeing various doctors who didn’t seem to know how to fix my body after a car accident, I decided – with mixed emotions – to leave the city and move in with Dan in a small mountain town nestled in the middle of nowhere in New Mexico.

While I was excited to be with Dan and also just down the road from my mom, I was nervous to be so far away from everything and everyone. I wasn’t sure how the rugged mountain life and I would get along. I liked things a certain way. I liked amenities. I liked cable and fast internet. I liked air conditioning. I liked central heat. And I didn’t particularly like being outside. But, I knew that my body needed time to heal, and I realized that my paid leave couldn’t last forever. And, since I could no longer edit because of my injuries, I realized that it was time to give up my apartment and try something new.

A few months after settling into my new routine, which mostly consisted of lying on the couch and waiting for Dan to come home from work, my mom asked if I wanted to go with her to meet her friend Andree at the bottom of the mountain. I figured it would probably be a good idea for me to get out of the house for a change, so down the road we went and parked at a southwest gift shop.

Immediately upon walking in, I heard dogs barking and even saw a couple who seemed to smile at me through the gate. My mom walked to the counter in the back and said hello to Andree and told her that she had brought me to meet her. While I’m usually pretty shy when first meeting people, Andree immediately put me at ease and welcomed me not only to her shop but also to the area. She began showing me around, pointing out her stunning jewelry that she made with her husband, Rod, and also showing me all of the handmade Native American pottery that they carried. We sat down with her and talked and talked, and I knew that I had made a dear friend.

I began showing up more regularly, and I eventually met Rod, who was much more reserved but equally as kind. Soon, Dan went down to meet them, too, and we were both so moved by their palpable love for each other, for what they did, for their dogs, and for their life. We wanted what they had. Dan was still working an hour away – commuting back and forth. And I was in limbo – not sure what I would do (or even could do) next.

I had always loved crafts, and I wondered if I could make jewelry, too. Without hesitation, Andree happily took out her supplies and showed me the basics – how to make an earring loop, how to use the tools, and how to get started. I was so grateful to have a purpose again and immediately bought my own supplies and let the creativity flow. And with that, the entrepreneurial spirit inside of me was born.

The beautiful rings Rod and Andree made for us as a wedding gift.

Surprisingly, I had not only taken to making jewelry, but I had settled right into mountain life. I couldn’t imagine ever living in a city again – I loved the quiet and the peacefulness that the mountains brought. I loved our neighbor’s dog, Xena, who had quickly become our best friend and spent most of her time at our house. I loved taking walks with Dan, my mom, and her dogs. I loved not needing to wake up to an alarm or stress over work projects. I loved walking across the dirt road to pet the horses. I loved slowing down. So, when my medical leave ended and I knew I couldn’t go back to my job, I decided to stay in the mountains with Dan.

We planned our wedding and asked Andree and Rod to help us design our wedding rings – a love knot to symbolize two individuals coming together. They were thrilled to make them for us, and to our surprise, they gave them to us as a wedding gift. We had a very small wedding in our backyard with only a few close friends, and we were so happy that Andree and Rod were there to celebrate with us.

Our first craft show.

That fall, my body had healed enough to work part time (alongside Dan) as middle-school journalism teachers just a few miles from our house. While the kids were great, we knew that we wanted to work for ourselves. Andree and Rod told us about a craft show that was taking place about an hour away at the county fair, so we loaded up some of their jewelry, my mom’s pottery, and my own earrings into the car and our business was officially born. We made enough to go out to eat that night, and I knew that I had caught the “freedom” bug and could never be happy working for anyone else.

So at the end of the semester, Dan and I both quit and dove into our business full time. We eventually moved onto wirewrapping and modern designs using eco-friendly silver and then added in candles, journals, notepads, and greeting cards to our product line. And, after many years, we decided to write our own journals and eventually our own books. And we’ve never forgotten that we have Andree and Rod to thank for planting that first seed.

One of my jewelry designs.

We left New Mexico many years ago and moved to California so Dan could attend graduate school. We weren’t able to visit often and sadly didn’t keep in touch with anyone there besides my mom. During our last visit, we had plans to stop by the gift shop and catch up with Rod and Andree, but I had altitude sickness so we headed back home early. We eventually moved to the Oregon coast and our lives and business continued to evolve. But we never forgot about this special couple. In fact, every time someone met us and commented on our unique wedding rings, we always told them how our dear friends had made them for us as a wedding present. We were (and continue to be) so grateful for them.

I just found out yesterday that Rod passed away from cancer. And my heart hurts to know that I never got the chance to tell him how pivotal they both were to our lives and how much they mean to me. My mom told Andree this on the phone yesterday, and Andree said that she already knew. And that she loved us. We love them both, too. I know that we are just two people out of many who feel the same way about them as we do. They touched so many lives and helped so many, without ever expecting anything in return.

My mom sent me an article that was written about them several years ago, and in it Rod was saying how before he started making jewelry he was just about to complete his PhD in chemistry and realized that he wasn’t happy. He would come home from work and class and help Andree with her jewelry at night and found that he liked using his hands and spending time together. He knew that this path felt more authentic to who he was, so they took a big risk and moved to New Mexico and created a life making and selling their jewelry.

And what Rod doesn’t realize (or maybe he does if his soul can pop in and read this) is that I’m at a similar pivotal moment in my life right now. I’m feeling a bit lost and am looking for guidance, and once again, he’s there to offer it – in his own quiet, non-intrusive way. The article was filled with the exact wisdom that I needed to hear. Be authentic, he said. Accept yourself, he said. Live a life where you feel free, he said. Do what you love, he said. Be kinder to yourself, he said. Let go of perfection, he said. Allow yourself to be happy, he said.

My heart breaks for Andree, knowing that her love isn’t here on Earth anymore. But I’m so happy that they got to share so many years together, doing what they loved and being with the person they loved. I love that they were brave enough to live life on their own terms. They are still inspiring me – even from afar – all these years later.

And I’m taking their example and their message to heart. I’m holding them both close to me…and I will always thank them for lighting the spark inside of me that brought me to where I am today. And I thank Rod for finding a way to reach me once again to make sure that spark keeps on burning. I feel that, in his own special way, he’s passing the baton. He’s reminding me that I’m in control of my own happiness and that I get to create a life that feels just as good on the inside as it appears on the outside. So that’s what I’ll be focusing on. I’m going to create a life on my own terms…just like Rod did.

It’s my hope that we all do. Because it matters. We matter. Our happiness matters. And our lives matter.

Thank you, Rod and Andree, for helping me remember this.

The four of us at our wedding.

Hugs,

The post Passing the Baton appeared first on Jodi Chapman.

Happy November! It’s that time again where I’ll pull one Soul Clarity Card for each person who leaves a comment below!

I do this on the first day of every month, and it’s always so much fun to offer these messages straight from my soul to yours.

Before we get started though, I wanted to share a few updates with you!

We’ll be giving away tons of amazing prizes, chatting with many of the co-authors, sharing book excerpts, and celebrating with everyone! It’s happening from 10 am-3 pm pst. You can pop in and out throughout the day – we’ll have new prizes to give away every 30 minutes!

[image error]Be sure to invite your friends, too! The more the merrier!

Each month we offer a new giveaway on DandiSoul.com, and we’re so excited to share this month’s giveaway with you now!

We’re celebrating the release of the final book in our 365 Book Series with a HUGE giveaway – just in time for the holidays!

One lucky winner will win ALL 5 printed and personally autographed books from our 365 Book Series!

Here are all of the titles that the winner will receive:  

Each book contains 365 uplifting stories from over 200 collaborators – one page each for quick inspiration! Jodi and Dan will personally autograph the copies for each winner, too!

Good luck, everyone! We look forward to announcing the winner next month!

Thank you so much to each of you who entered our giveaway last month for a 20-minute Emotion Code Session with Heather Dempsey! We randomly chose the winner, and it’s Regan H.! Congratulations! We’ve sent you an email with the details.

We also wanted to share that Heather is offering a special to everyone in our community, which we’re so grateful for: $15 off your first session (which is 20% off)! You can learn more about Heather and her offerings here.

And now for your reading…

The Soul Clarity Card deck includes 48 cards to help you get clarity on what your soul wants you to know. They come wrapped up in an organza bag and include an amethyst gemstone (which helps you connect with your soul).

My soul speaks to me in concise phrases, and so these cards were created with that in mind. Each card contains a guided action for you to consider – something to help you live soulfully and mindfully.

I believe that the answers are always within us, but sometimes our light gets covered up by life – all of the to-dos and the shoulds and work and errands and hurt and anger and all sorts of gunk. And it can be hard to sift through all of that and find our way home – back to our soul. These cards are a tool to help you on your journey back home.

Each card contains words that your soul needs you to hear. And whichever card you choose will be exactly the one you need in that exact moment. That’s just how it works!

Here’s how it works: I’ll pull one card for anyone who leaves a comment at the end of the post by 11:59 pm pst today (11/1)! If your comment is posted before then, I promise I will pull a card for you. Each month when I open this up, I receive hundreds of requests, so please be patient with me. (If you happen to miss this deadline, please know that I’ll do it again on 12/1.)

All you have to write is “Yes, please!” or something similar. Please don’t feel that you need to share what you are looking to heal or what you would like guidance for. You are more than welcome to, but it’s not necessary. I know that this can be very personal, and your soul and the universe already know what you need. (If you are reading this via a reader or email, please click here to be taken to the post.)

A technical tip for you: Do not subscribe to comments when you leave a comment below. If you do, you’ll receive tons of emails. Instead, you can go to the comments page and do a search for your name later in the day after I’ve had a chance to pull your card. (On a PC, you press the “control” button + the “f” button.) This makes it super easy to scroll to your name and your reading.

(Please note that I start the readings around 10 am pst on the 1st.)

Big hug to each of you.

P.S. – We hope to “see” you at our online book-launch party on the 19th! We’ll be giving away so many wonderful prizes and celebrating the final book in our 365 Book Series! For now, please click here and click “Going” to make sure you stay up to date with everything! It’s going to be so much fun!

Happy October! It’s that time again where I’ll pull one Soul Clarity Card for each person who leaves a comment below!

I do this on the first day of every month, and it’s always so much fun to offer these messages straight from my soul to yours.

Before we get started though, I wanted to share a few updates with you!

We’re still busy editing all of the wonderful pieces in our upcoming 365 book, and we can’t wait to share it with you next month! Over 200 authors shared soulful messages that they’ve received, and it’s our hope that it will uplift and inspire everyone who reads it!

Please sign up for our waiting list so you’ll be the first to hear when it’s released. (Plus, you’ll receive our Journaling from the Soul workbook as a gift from us!) We can’t wait to share this book with you, and we’re so grateful to each of you who are part of it. Please click here to learn all about it and join the waiting list. 

Each month we offer a new giveaway on DandiSoul.com, and we’re so excited to share this month’s giveaway with you now!

One lucky winner will receive a 20-minute Emotion Code Session with Heather Dempsey! 

(Huge gratitude to Heather for donating such a wonderful gift!)

Good luck, everyone! We look forward to announcing the winner next month!

Thank you so much to each of you who entered our giveaway last month for a 60-minute Soul Guidance Session with Gabrielle Taylor! We randomly chose the winner, and it’s Amanda G.! Congratulations! We’ve sent you an email with the details.

(If you haven’t already, be sure to sign up for Gabrielle’s free Mindness and Meditation masterclass here.)

And now for your reading…

The Soul Clarity Card deck includes 48 cards to help you get clarity on what your soul wants you to know. They come wrapped up in an organza bag and include an amethyst gemstone (which helps you connect with your soul).

My soul speaks to me in concise phrases, and so these cards were created with that in mind. Each card contains a guided action for you to consider – something to help you live soulfully and mindfully.

I believe that the answers are always within us, but sometimes our light gets covered up by life – all of the to-dos and the shoulds and work and errands and hurt and anger and all sorts of gunk. And it can be hard to sift through all of that and find our way home – back to our soul. These cards are a tool to help you on your journey back home.

Each card contains words that your soul needs you to hear. And whichever card you choose will be exactly the one you need in that exact moment. That’s just how it works!

Here’s how it works: I’ll pull one card for anyone who leaves a comment at the end of the post by 11:59 pm pst today (10/1)! If your comment is posted before then, I promise I will pull a card for you. Each month when I open this up, I receive hundreds of requests, so please be patient with me. (If you happen to miss this deadline, please know that I’ll do it again on 11/1.)

All you have to write is “Yes, please!” or something similar. Please don’t feel that you need to share what you are looking to heal or what you would like guidance for. You are more than welcome to, but it’s not necessary. I know that this can be very personal, and your soul and the universe already know what you need. (If you are reading this via a reader or email, please click here to be taken to the post.)

A technical tip for you: Do not subscribe to comments when you leave a comment below. If you do, you’ll receive tons of emails. Instead, you can go to the comments page and do a search for your name later in the day after I’ve had a chance to pull your card. (On a PC, you press the “control” button + the “f” button.) This makes it super easy to scroll to your name and your reading.

(Please note that I start the readings around 10 am pst on the 1st.)

Big hug to each of you.

The post Free Soul Clarity Message, Plus a New Giveaway appeared first on Jodi Chapman.