Welcome to my first newsletter! This marks the beginning of an exciting new experience. Through the newsletter and here on the blog, we will stay connected in community and in support of each other as we engage our hearts in acts of joy, kindness, courage and calmness. Every two weeks, we will explore topics that encourage us to be present and mindful of our energy and our well-being.

I like to think of this newsletter as an invitation to discover and share ideas on our path to authenticity. I hope it inspires a feeling or an action that serves your purpose. I will share intimate questions with you that I ask myself as I journey through life. Please feel free to use the questions as journal prompts, creative entry points or conversation starters in your life.

What does connection mean to me?
For me, connection is the experience of coming together in a loving way without expectation or judgment. True connection happens when we stop comparing our lives and start sharing our stories. It is in sharing our stories and experiences, within a safe and supportive environment, that we learn to value and care for one another.

How do we connect in a loving way?
One of the ways I find loving connection is by following four guiding principles of love: joy, kindness, courage and calmness. These principles, or values, are the energy sources that radiate from your heart space. I visualize these four points on my heart, like a compass. No matter where you are or how you are feeling in any given moment, these four points direct you toward love every single time. You may be angry and need to shift your attention toward kindness for yourself or for someone else. Or perhaps, you feel alone or scared and you need to access joy or courage to help you return to a feeling of love. Whatever it is that may be causing a feeling of upset or disruption, try using the four points of connection – your heart compass – to help guide you. When you feel stuck in a hard situation, ask yourself which direction should I move? What would serve my well-being and the well-being of others in this moment? Is your heart pointing toward joy, kindness, courage or calmness? Follow your intuitive direction and help restore a sense of balance within yourself.

Your heart’s journey to authenticity is one of continual change. As the path twists and turns, so must our energy, to meet changing emotions. Our heart’s energy must flow with the changes in order to effectively manage challenging conditions.

Over the last few months, I have been accessing my joy and courage often as I prepare to launch my debut children’s book, Your Heart Compass. Thanks to the support of an incredible team at The Self Publishing Agency, the book will be published and available for pre-order in April!

It is in sharing my story and trusting the TSPA team with my feelings that a meaningful connection has been established.

There is an abundance of wisdom to be discovered in the stories of others. Sometimes, wisdom is found in a children’s book that gently reminds us that joy and magic exist in everything. Other times, it is in the pages of a memoir where we see ourselves. From books, we gather tools and insight to help us travel safely on our journey.

It is my heartfelt belief that we connect with others on our path when our hearts are open to receiving the stories, perspectives and experiences of all people. With love, I offer you some books that inspire my practice of connection:

• Women Who Run With The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
• Wild by Cheryl Strayed
• We Are More Together Than Alone by Mark Nepo
• The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
• Listening With My Heart by Gabi Garcia

These books encourage me to step into my truth and out of my comfort zone. This is the journey to authenticity and well-being.

Thank you for being here. Next time, we’ll explore creativity on our path to deeper connection.

Let’s journey together.

Our community is rooted in love and we love sharing stories and ideas. Please feel free to share book recommendations and thoughts with others in this community so that we can help each other keep moving on our path to authenticity. Connect with us on Instagram too! #yourheartcompass | @meganlammam

With love,