When life presents unexpected events and daunting challenges we can sometimes be at a loss as to how to proceed. It doesn’t feel right to continue to live as we always have, and events may be so disruptive, we can’t anyway. Suffering through hard times, whether externally imposed or internally developed, often depends upon finding a new way to manage our lives and this, at a time, ironically, when we feel particularly vulnerable and unsure.

Yet, from the darkness of suffering many things may come to light. A deepening sense of compassion and a strong feeling of immediacy may come to bear, as described by Joan Halifax. We may discover previously unknown depths from which we pull up new strength. Insight into our own behaviors and understanding about our priorities may come into sharp relief. And in order to grow from these times rather than be defeated by them, many of us turn inward to find refuge from “the shore of our not-knowing,” from our spirits. These can be times that grow our souls in profound ways that deepen our connection to life and nurture a more mature understanding of our nature as soulful beings.

There are many ways to nurture our souls once we put our bodies, minds and spirits to it. One way to grant yourself and those you care about the gift of precious moments of reflection is with the Soul e-Gift Basket from Going SOULo. This most entertaining e-Gift Basket is filled with delightful music, inspirational quotes and interactive activities that will provide helpful information and ideas on how to nurture yourself and those you care about through challenging days. Some call it a “spa for the soul.”

The Soul e-Gift Basket features a beautiful song called “A Song From Your Soul,” performed by Grammy award winning vocalist Patti Austin. Because the song comes as a download, you can come back to enjoy it over and over again. To learn more about this e-Gift Basket, go to onlinegiftbasket.org. While you’re there, check out the other products, including CDs, books, journals, DVDs and spa products that can further your soulful connection and support the spiritual journeys of those you love.

Another way to deepen your soulful connection is to start a journal where you can record your inner most thoughts and feelings and give voice to your soul. Create a special journal just for your soul expression and experiment here with the easiest, freest and happiest ways to express yourself. There is no censoring here and there are no rules in this journal – other than the ones you create for yourself. Take some risks – author a poem, draw a picture, create a collage, and doodle in a soulful way – whatever connects you with a sense of inner calm and stillness. In her book “The Artist’s Way,” Julia Cameron advises soul-seekers to start each day with the practice of filling up three pages of a journal with free writing about your thoughts and feelings, as a warm up and check in with your inner world before the day takes you off. See if that works for you!

And another strategy to try is one developed by noted author Wayne Dyer who reminds us to repeat this statement: “My life is bigger than I am.” Take this statement and post it all around you – in your car, in your home, and in your office. Repeat it often. The “I” in this statement refers to your ego, fed by all the physical, material, emotional, psychological and personal worlds that comprise our daily lives. Your inner life, however, is fed by the soul and the life force flowing through you, if you only get out of its way.

As Dwyer reminds us “the I that identifies you is a fleeting snippet.” Let this handy phrase become your mantra. The more you frame your life as an adventure to grow your soul, the less widely you’ll tilt with the inevitable ups and down of life. Every day offers a new opportunity to practice soulfulness and to deepen your connection to life. And don’t forget to breathe along the way!

Peace,
Laurie

Just Because Baskets is a truly unique, family-run company based in Littleton, Colorado that specializes in creating and delivering custom gift baskets. Their mission is simple: offer the highest quality gift baskets, plenty of choices, and unparalleled customer service to deliver the best gifts that make a lasting impression.

Each of their baskets is made to order in our own facility ensuring freshness and quality and is backed by their 100% satisfaction guarantee. Their custom build-a-basket feature makes shipping online easy and fun. They’ve sourced an amazing variety of gourmet items, spa products, and stylish home goods to fill your baskets with, and also offer dozens of expertly-designed basket ensembles ready for any occasion. Whether your gift is for a birthday, thank you, anniversary, or just because, their baskets are the perfect choice. Shop Now!

Just Because Baskets also specializes in corporate gift programs. If you are shopping for business gifts, see their Corporate Accounts section for details.

Remember the excitement you felt as a child when your birthday cake was carried into the room? Bake Me a Wish!, believes we all still have some of that child inside of us, and their goal is to help you recreate that excitement and experience for your friends, clients or loved ones.

Bake Me a Wish! is the premium nationwide service for delivery of gourmet birthday cakes. Their cakes are made with only the finest, freshest ingredients by an award-winning family run New York bakery that also supplies pastries to some of Manhattan’s most elite restaurants.

Through careful cost control and air-tight delivery systems, they bring you their fine cakes at an extremely affordable price. Now, whether it’s your son in college, your trusted associate, your old friend, or your granddaughter across the country, you will always have a simple and wonderful way to remember them on that important day of the year.

Plus, with our Bake Me a Wish! Calendar, they can keep a record for you of any and all important birthdays so that you never accidentally forget the special people in your life. We will automatically send you a reminder asking if you would like to deliver a cake each time one of your selected dates is approaching.

They believe there is no better way to celebrate that special day of the year than to send a little indulgence from someone who cares.

Kosher.com is seamlessly connected to one of the largest kosher supermarkets in the United States. With over 20,000 items on their shelves and more being added every year, Kosher.com is a one-stop kosher supplier. They service wholesale accounts as well, which gives their the buying power needed to keep prices competitive. You will find over 5000 products on their site and we are adding more every day.

They are continuously on the search for new and exciting kosher products requested by you their customers, and are always adding new areas brimming with useful and important information regarding kosher food and food in general, along with kosher recipes, tips, and news.

Identity Direct is one of the world’s largest personalized children’s products website. Their customers place more than 600,000 orders every year. They provide a unique range of over 500 personalized gifts for children and the family and have been in business for more than 15 years. At Identity Direct They offer the hugely successful My Adventure Book series where children are featured in their own personalized adventure stories. Over 400,000 personalized books are sold every year with My Special Christmas Adventure, Disney Princess and Disney Cars being the most popular.

Every year they add hundreds of new personalized gifts to our range which now include personalized clocks, poems, placemats, lunch boxes and towels, to name a few. They have created a selection of personalized children’s gifts featuring Disney characters such as Cars, Disney Princess, Nemo, Winnie the Pooh, Fairies, Toy Story and more. In addition our new characters include Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants, Sesame Street, Spider-Man and Hulk.

giggle isn’t just a baby store: it’s a new parent store. When stocking a nursery, there’s a lot to take into account, and the choices can be overwhelming. Their goal is to make your job a whole lot easier — not by offering everything out there, but by offering the best of everything out there.

In other words, they’ve done the homework for you. Their collection includes all your must-have baby items, pre-sorted to include only the most healthy, stylish and innovative products available — from fun, bright bedding and furniture to gear, toys, baby care, cleaning products, and more.