Top Spiritual Practices the Modern Babe Should Get Behind

Over the last few years I've taken it upon myself to develop a spiritual practice.  It's been a priority of mine to dive deeper into my authenticity and outline exactly what I believe & why I believe it.  In fact, I used to not like the term spiritual or spirituality because it leaned too close to religious for my liking.  But as I've grown through a few things in the last year or so I've realized that personal development and spirituality have become almost synonymous for me.  My personal development has been enhanced by my understanding of many woo woo things.

Today I want to share with you three spiritual practices that the modern, self reflective babe should get behind, but I've also got something else to add:

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First things first - the idea of spirituality, witchcraft, crystals, yoga, chakras, herbs, etc is nothing new.  In fact a lot of the things we're doing belonged to people long before we got here, long before we discovered them, and long before we decided they were something to make money from.  So, while you're walking down your own spiritual path be sure that you're not taking other's practices as your own.  A lot of these things do not belong to us.  There is the quick assumption in the new age community that we are entitled to everything when in fact a lot of the practices we are embracing as our own come from groups of people punished for their beliefs, denied their ancestral heritage, and now monopolized on because it is 'cool'.  Witchcraft is cool is not the vibe we're going for here.  Honest personal development, education, reverence, and activism need to be a part of your spiritual path as well. Similar things we openly practice because they are hip now have been annihilated by colonialism. forced assimilation, and generations of practicing in the dark with sacred ritual dying with the last individual of a certain group. You can read a bit more on my thoughts here in my post titled Cultural Appropriation in my Communities.

With that being said, I still think if you're approaching these few things I list below with honesty, authenticity, reverence, and an open mind your life will be changed.  You can embrace mindfulness and enhance your overall wellness by practicing these things & focusing on your personal development.  So, let's get into it....

Diffusing Essential Oils

Essential oils have the power to enhance our overall well being through the way not only scent interacts with our limbic system, but also how their chemical properties can affect our surroundings.  Scent is one of our most powerful senses and working with essential oils can allow us to enhance our emotional balance.  DoTERRA has a whole Emotional Aromatherapy line to start with but I started with the Balance blend to help me feel grounded and focused during meditation.  

Certain essential oils can help us bring in emotions we'd like to feel & counteract emotions we don't want to feel.  Developing this connection can help us to feel more emotionally balanced as we move through our days.  Read more about creating your own diffuser blends in this post.

Reading Tarot for Personal Guidance

My relationship with the Tarot is that the cards are a mirror.  Reading Tarot, for me, doesn't involve any psychic abilities....it is merely a tool to reflect back to me what I may already know and dive deeper into the solutions.  Reading Tarot for yourself can be a way to understand yourself, situations, and your actions regarding those situations.  I think the Tarot and other oracle or affirmation cards (here are some of my favorite decks) can reveal to us what we may not consciously know or confront us with the things we do know but that we have chosen to ignore.

I talk here about how to combine tarot, oracle, and affirmation cards in a reading to get a well rounded message.  You can download a free set of affirmation cards here!

Meditating with Crystals

Just like essential oils certain crystals have certain attributes that can help us with our well being.  Choosing a crystal (much like choosing and essential oil) that fits the emotions you'd like to bring in or the emotions you'd like to counteract can enhance our meditation.  There are also certain crystal journeying meditations that I love to do to explore not only the depths of my mind & imagination but to tap into the meaning of the crystal.  Angel aura quartz is one of the most fascinating crystals for me to meditate with!

This is another way to develop not only your intuition but your visual and emotional libraries.  You'll know which crystals and attributes you connect with and which ones that may be too much for you.  Carnelian is a crystal that I can't connect with in a way that is positive.  It makes me fiery, feisty, and angry....not what I'm going for in my daily life!

If you're a modern babe who'd like to learn more about herself & her spiritually, these three things can really get you started on the right track.  Personal development is something only you can be responsible for so make sure you're doing it responsibly by honoring where certain acts, practices, and rituals come from.

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If you'd like to know more about using essential oils both practically & spiritually, download the free ebook by signing up for the email list above.  You'll get a few emails regarding using essential oils & other woo woo stuff, too.  If you'd like to join others in support of your spiritual journey check out the Live & Create Facebook group here.

How do you honor yourself & your practices?  In what way do you connect with your spirituality?

xoxo, Moe

Holiday Gift Guide for the Woo Woo Woman

Personal and spiritual development has been an important part of my life this year.  Connecting in with my authentic self comes from a devotion to myself that I've found through various woo woo items & practices.  So today let's do an amazing little gift guide on the perfect gifts for the Woo Woo Woman in your life, shall we?

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I can't wait to share this with you because I love the thought of women cheering on other women to be the best they can be.  Through sharing my personal development journey I have discovered so many awesome women and watched them grow!  Join all the fun over in the Live & Create Facebook group where we talk woo woo and work life creating a space for planner people, mindful makers, and lunar lovers to come together in support of each other. All I want in life is for others to realize they too can do it....whatever the it is!  Every accomplishment - big or small - that puts us on a path towards betterment is worth celebrating.  Ok... on to the guide

Tools for Introspection

One of the greatest ways to connect with yourself is through reflection.  Various tarot & oracle decks can help the querent with a little bit of self reflection.  I've got a whole guide to reading tarot here but you can also find some of my favorite tarot decks in this post.  I've also been loving the Journal Deck, featured above, as an added journal prompt for my self reflection.  There is even a new edition called the Goddess Deck that I want to get my hands on!

Starting Friday 11/23 until Monday 11/26  you can save 25% on the Journal Deck & site wide!  (no code needed!)

Woo Woo Storage

Every woo woo woman needs a place to keep her sacred instruments.  In this post on creating altars in shared spaces I talk a little bit about how creating a sacred space when you share a space with others can be difficult.  If your woo woo woman isn't able to go all out with her altar a little storage box may be just the answer.  I have one similar to this (pictured) but you may be able to find a box that more aligns with here beliefs or vibe better here.  These boxes can be great for keeping tarot or oracle cards as well.  Why not add in a few spell candles, essential oils, or the like so she can get the most out of it!

Quality Correspondences

In my personal spiritual path I use essential oils as a means of personal growth.  Different oils can have different correspondences - for example Lavender is the Oil of Communication & Calm, Rose is the Oil of Divine Love - and when working with these guys, quality is key.  Some of our woo woo sisters may use dried herbs in their practices while others may use incense.  Give the gift of quality essential oils with the Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade oils available from doTERRA.  Throw in some unscented incense sticks & a diffuser so that she can get all those positive intentions going for the new year!  Grab this book to so she can remember each emotional association.

A Place to Keep it All

An amazing way to organize all those woo woo thoughts is in a journal.  While I have a hard time keeping a consistent journal - I have commitment issues and I need a lot of structure! - I love the format of the traveler's notebook.  These guys feature small, bound inserts that make creating different sections in the journal super easy.  Plus there are ton of inserts available out there and you can even make your own easily!  Webster's Pages is my favorite brand because they are so affordable and because of the variety of colors.  This walnut one is gorgeous!

The journey towards self reflection is a great one where the only person you have to be better than is the person you were yesterday.  All of these tools can help you or the woo woo woman you love on her journey.  Feel free to grab the free Intro to the Tarot ebook below (it will be right in your inbox!) and print out a guide for you and your bestie.  Throw it in with your gift and she'll love it!

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Connecting with our intuition allows us to feel strength & confidence.  I can't wait to see what you give your friends this holiday season!

What woo woo gift would your recommend?  What gift would you like to receive?

xoxo, Moe

ps.  Don't forget to snatch up the Journal Deck here to fill up that traveler's notebook!

3 Reasons Why You Need a Planner & You Don't Even Know it

Ever since I've gotten really (and I mean really) into this planner thing others have said "I think I'd like a fun planner like that but I'm not really that busy"  Well I'm here today to tell you that, once, I felt the same way.  It's just me, Zach, & the dog so it's not like I have Soccer practice to keep track of or report cards to sign but I'd dare to say a planner has been very, very helpful for me.

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I'd been blog planning (or creating an editorial calendar) for quite a while and so my planner really started out as a way for me to keep track of that but it evolved into so much more.  Sometimes, it's not necessarily for making plans but four housing all of the things I think about.  So I think of my planner as less of a planning tool sometimes and more as an organizational tool.  When I have an idea I write it down there.  Then I know where I've written it down and it doesn't get lost.  I can also keep all my thoughts organized - I used to have a ton of sections in my planner but now, not so much!  It can be a brain dump area for me, a place to future plan, and place to make sure ideas are organized.  Anything I ever need to know is in there and that's really why I like it.  

Here are three reasons you need a planner, and you don't even know it

You're a list maker

If you are perpetually writing things out, making lists, and making plans - you probably need a planner.  A binder type planner like a Filofax, Kikki K, Carpe Diem, and the like can really help you organize your thoughts.  You can pull pages in & out and add different sections if needed.  You're not bound to the current set up like you would be with a spiral planner.  I loved my Filofax because I could make different divided sections for different needs.  Of course there is the calendar pages but the dividers with lists are the best.  I'm currently loving all the different ways The Happy Planner allows you to customize a set up just for you.

If you're a stationery lover too, you'll love having a planner.  Create your inspiring lists on your favorite note paper and punch it into your planner.  If you are notorious for filling up two pages of a notebook then setting it aside or habitually losing your creative lists - you probably need a planner.  Like I said, you can keep all your ideas in one place.  If you always put your lists in your planner then you'll always know where they are.  The flexibility of a binder like the Filofax or a disc bound system like The Happy Planner is that you have the freedom to clip in, move, remove, rearrange, etc your lists.  You can also dig in your stationery stash to feel like you're actually not a hoarder.

You're creative

If you're the creative type that is constantly having ideas, needing to remember your crochet stitches, always forgetting that amazing idea you had on the train - then you probably need a planner.  A planner can be a brain dump sort of station or a station where you write out your next ideas.  I am a lover of brainstorming and having a section where I can just dump any related blog idea is amazing.  You can refer back to your ideas later and expand on them.

Then there's the whole idea of decorating your planner.  This is unique to everyone.  I started off using sticky notes to add dimension and slowly moved over to stickers.  Currently my planner is functionally decorated.  I use stickers to visually mark events much like one would color code, I use different layouts to achieve different goals, and I make actionable to do lists in a creative way to keep me inspired.  Oh, and don't even get me started on the creativity behind the bullet journal!

Creative planning puts the FUN in functional.  You can still achieve you goals with stickers and washi, believe me.  This is a place to be uniquely you and a place that should inspire action in you.  If you find that you're a creative person, you probably need a planner.  

You want to take care of you

Life can be a busy mess sometimes meaning the only me time you might get is limited to occasional uninterrupted bathroom breaks and the time you're staring at your face brushing your teeth.  Managing and planning your time can allow you to break off chunks to nurture yourself.  By making an appointment with yourself you're less likely to break it! I know it can be hard to put yourself above others but try to focus on yourself first, then you're more full to give to others!

If you're a creative person you can also use planning time as a self care activity! I know for myself the time I spend on my planner really enriches my soul.  I feel more on top of my goals and plans & I feel I've spent time expressing myself.  Bonus is I get to look at what I created everyday which is very inspiring.


Planning, I think, is for everyone.  And just like everyone takes their coffee differently everyone can plan differently.  That is the beauty of it - no one else's planner affects yours, so don't let anyone tell you your planning is less valid.  Forget comparison too!  If you see something you like in someones planner put your own spin on it and put it right on in yours!

If you'd like to get some creative planning & productivity inspiration check out past planner related posts here on the blog but also join the Five Sixteenths | Live & Create group on Facebook.  This group is a place for imaginative individuals to focus on mindful & intentional living through heart centered productivity, creative planning, & personal growth. We talk woo woo and work life creating a space for planner people, mindful makers, and lunar lovers to come together in support of each other. I'd love to have you join!

What ways do you use your planner to enhance your life?

xoxo, Moe

10 Ways to Begin your Personal Development Journey

Becoming a better person.  That's what we all want to do with our lives, right?  We want to be the best versions of ourselves.  We're now quite far into the year and may have found that our goals haven't shaped out the way we thought they would have.  This could be good or bad...but we don't have to wait until the new year to start bettering ourselves!  In fact I think there are 3 times in the year we can start ourselves anew - January at the new year, March/April at the Aries New Moon, and September when we're used to going back to school.

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September has always had the air of a fresh new start - we've got fresh pencils, notebooks, and sneakers, the leaves are slowing turning and nature moves into a new phase.....its just a very magical time of freshness. Plus we'll have Samhain in October which is known as the Witches' New Year. So the Fall in general can be a time of change - to shed the old and prep for the new!

We don't have to upend our whole lives to work on personal development.  Nor do we have to feel pressured to change our entire beings to be these better, fantasy versions of ourselves.  Personal development is a journey where the only person you need to be better than is the person you were yesterday.  It's not a journey of comparison or defeat, its a journey of betterment.  So, here are 10 ways to begin your personal development journey:

1. Listen to Audio Books & Podcasts

Make time to listen to personal development books or podcasts.  This may take some trial and error in finding podcasts/books that inspire you but start off with a hobby or something you're interested in.  I wanted to learn to read tarot as a personal development tool so I thumbed through the tarot podcasts I found on iTunes and queued up a few to listen to.  The other part of this is prioritizing time to listen.  I used my 30 minute drive to work in the morning to squeeze in a podcast listen.  You can listen while cooking, cleaning, driving, running, etc.  Those times in between...those are good times to bust out your book or podcast.

2. Practice Mindfulness

This is another simple task that can be done in those times in between.  Mindfulness is just awareness.  Mindfulness is focusing on the moment and on the task at hand.  When making your coffee in the morning instead of going over your to do list and looking at the dishes in the sink take the 5 minutes you're prepping your coffee to just be aware: what does the world around you smell like?  What does the coffee maker sound like?  What does your mug feel like?  What does the sugar entering the mug sound like?  How do you feel in this moment?  You can incorporate even breathing, etc.  Just be aware of your surroundings.  A great place to start a mindfulness practice is in your skincare routine - you'll hopefully be alone in the bathroom for at least a minute and the act is very tactile.  So you can take a moment to just be.

Mindfulness can help fill your cup so that you can show up for yourself and for others more completely.

3. Meditation

Developing a mediation practice can be as simple as using the Breathe app on your Apple Watch (I do this so often!).  Just like mindfulness, you're taking a moment to be present.  You can have a more intentional mindfulness practice with meditation by creating a space for yourself to spend time with yourself.  This can be a room or space in your home or even one of those times in between - like waiting for a friend to meet you for coffee.  Take a moment while you're sitting in the parking lot at work to drift into a relaxed mindset.  You can use something like visualization or even an essential oil you're fond of to help get you into your meditative mindset.

4. Practice Self Reflection

Often this is outlined as journaling.  I'm not a great journaler - I'll blog somethings and maybe include short self reflective tidbits in my memory planner, but all in all I'm not a good journal keeper.  I think it is more important to be self reflective and to examine myself, my life, and my actions often to see where I'm at.  Creative ways to do this aren't limited to journaling but to creating and keeping vision boards so that you can see how far you've come, keeping planner & expressing your creativity, or even blogging!  Self reflection ensures that you're actually growing and developing.  Sometimes those little time hop things on Facebook are very helpful for seeing where we've been compared to where we are now.  And, if you're unhappy with where you are....then you are able to set an intention to change that!

5. Set Small Goals

Speaking of setting intentions to change, try setting small goals.  I used to set 4 simple goals a month because I realized I just wasn't really working towards anything.  I was kinda coasting through life just hanging out and I really wanted to be doing something (anything!).  Setting smaller goals - go to bed earlier, wake up earlier, clean the living room each week, put the dishes away, make sure you moisturize - can help you develop and over all bigger routine.  This routine can enhance your daily life be reducing the emotional burden you have by needing to make decisions that could be left to routine.  Achieving small goals can also build up your confidence & momentum when it comes to accomplishing bigger goals.

6. Try Something New

Break out of your comfort zone.  Trying something new means you're not keeping yourself in a box.  This box could feel restrictive or destructively habitual.  It is best to do something new as soon as you feel the urge.  I signed up for a watercolor class at my local Micheal's as soon as I found out it was happening because I new if I thought about it I'd chicken out!  If you get the urge, and it's feasible, try something new!

7. Invest in Yourself

Much like the one above, if you've been wanting to try something new make that a priority.  The more you invest in your desires the more you'll find personal success.  Want to start a new hobby? Prioritize that in your life.  Want to go back to school?  Prioritize that in your life.  Need a new set of interview clothes? Invest in that!  You are worthy of your desires and you should invest your time & available resources into the things that will create a better you and better your life.

8. Discover your Personal Mantra

Working daily with affirmations can help shift your mindset.  You may find yourself drawn to certain types of quotes, words, or mantras that help you feel inspired.  Take time to develop a personal mantra to live by and make sure it aligns fully with who you are as a person.  Create a Pinterest board or even a wall of sticky notes with words that speak to you.  Recite them daily until you feel their truth!  I highly suggest you reading my post on self-deprecating here. 

9. Make Small Changes

Small changes in your lifestyle allow you to live more authentically.  For me, I've been attempting to reduce my dependence on single use/disposable items.  Prioritizing using microfiber towels over paper towels, refusing plastic straws, and prioritizing reusable storage over plastic baggies have been small changes that have led to a bigger awareness in my life.  Take the time to make small changes that align with your personal mantra & you will begin to live more authentically.

10. Practice Gratitude

Being thankful for what we have can shift our mindset.  Not only should we be thankful in times of happiness but we should practice gratitude in our down times as well.  If you're frustrated with a situation finding gratitude around the problem can help shift your mindset into a solution.   Take a moment during each day - when you wake up, before bed, at your lunch break, on your drive home - and list three things you're grateful for.  Even the simplest things you can express gratitude for because it allows you to be mindful of what you really have in your life!

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Personal development also isn't extremely linear.  We can have up days and down days, we can have setbacks and comebacks...but overall we just want to be better than the people we were yesterday!  Be sure to sign up for the newsletter above to get creative inspiration for being your best self straight to you inbox.  You'll receive blog updates, essential oil information, creative freebies, and general chit chat.

If you're interested in working towards your personal development goals with a group of creative individuals like yourself, check out the Live & Create group on Facebook.  This group focuses on mindfulness & intentional living through productivity, creative planning, & personal growth.  Request to join here!  You can also join the Printable of the Month club over on Patreon for an exclusive planner printable every month.

What small goals do you set for yourself daily?

xoxo, Moe