Today’s guest post is from D. Takara Shelor. She is a bestselling author, speaker, engineer, and mystic. You can find her online here where thousands of people from over 100 countries across the globe enjoy her monthly newsletter.
Many experts insist that a person’s level of success is often a direct reflection of the five people they spend the most time with. I wholeheartedly agree that the people in your life play a monumental role.
However, I find that women often require much more than a great paycheck to feel their life is successful and worthwhile. They are often incomplete unless they have a job they love, good health, thriving children, loving friends, and a happy marriage. In short, the goddess within wants it all.
Her Oasis
In many cases it is the totality of their environment, not just the people, that determine how healthy, happy, and successful they feel.
A woman who lives alone can create the perfect environment within which to thrive. Acknowledging and indulging her unique style, her own personal form of alchemy, she can combine the colors, aromas, sounds, and 4-legged friends that bring her the greatest level of joy. This beautiful safe haven of a home that she creates for herself allows her to face the hustle and bustle, the unexpected deadlines and stresses of everyday life, in a much more balanced, and centered way.
For homes with many inhabitants, the feeling of serenity and unique style can sometimes become lost. In it’s place is often a sense of warmth and belonging.
Regardless of the home environment, once a woman heads out into the world, she is faced with environments of every kind and must learn to thrive in each one despite how inhospitable or foreign some may seem. From rude waiters to ice covered roads and bosses with unrealistic expectations, she has to develop a way to stay centered and balanced regardless.
Adorning the Goddess
Hence the need for jewelry. I’m serious about that!
The things she adorns herself with, including the accessories she chooses, offer the opportunity to recreate that perfect home environment wherever she finds herself. Just like the beauty of her home can make her feel loved and nurtured, the clothes she wears and the jewelry, purse, and other accessories she chooses, can give her that perfect environment as well.
When she chooses her clothing and jewelry, even her hairstyle, in a way that she finds uplifting and empowering, she is enveloping herself in the “right” environment to go out there and thrive in the world. The beauty of the design, the specific colors in her clothes and jewelry, the texture and feel of the fabric, and the empowering energy of the crystals and gems in her necklace, earrings, bracelet(s), and rings are the personal alchemy she needs to create a mini version of her beautiful nurturing environment at home.
~ Debbie Takara Shelor
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Comments 80
I loved this post we definitely need to honor ourselves. This puts me in the mood to redesign a bit to make my oasis!
I’m glad you found this post inspirational Jovanhanna. Have fun creating your oasis
The minute I get out of bed, I’m thinking about how I’m feeling and how I want to feel. That simple thought alone helps me “put myself together” in the morning. If I want to feel a bit bad-***, I’ll wear my black skinning jeans, tank top and burgundy leather jacket, with metal jewelry and studded boots. Hair will be styled with a bit of funk. If I want to feel casual with a touch of sass, I’ll wear my acid washed jeans, tank top, denim jacket and some type of gemstone necklace and earrings (blue if I’m feeling creative, pink if I’m feeling more sexy). Hair will be styled casually.
I feel empowered when I go through the day, just by starting it off on the right foot.
Gisele Grenier, you are our kind of woman. You get it. I can picture you in all your different outfits & accessories to express & convey how you are feeling. Most importantly, a key point you made it you decide how you want to feel & you get yourself prepped for it by your clothes & jewelry. Great contribution to the conversation.
I like the thought of my own oasis. I have always believed we make our own path and choose how we feel.
Good to know this is something that resonates with you Rebecca.
The inner goddess is always speaking to us, it is a matter of if we are listening . How we express “her” to the world is definitely reflected in our dress and how we adorn ourselves. For me, as you know Roslyn, I cannot imagine a day without wearing jewelry. Maybe this of all things is what expresses me the most consistently as I venture into the world. And people seem to notice my necklaces especially, as they are most visible. As far as how I dress, I love comfort, for many reasons. I also love colour so express myself each day by the colour I choose to wear. Bold colours like turquoise and red or blue or purple, seem to be my favourites.
I like your thought that the inner goddess is always talking to us. She is always guiding us & yes, we just need to listen.Thanks for your contribution Beverley Golden to this conversation.
What an inspirational post. Sometimes we just need a reminder to slow down and reminds us what makes us happy.
You are so right Ron. Just slow down to get in touch with who you are.
I’m totally loving this guest post! I can’t put it into words but I’m loving it!
Well Leslie you just did. Sometimes when at a loss for words because we are touched, just saying that is more than enough. Thanks.
I love the part about “Many experts insist that a person’s level of success is often a direct reflection of the five people they spend the most time with”
Will Cross, I just read that quote in another blog, so it must be so. I started looking at my 5 people & it seems right.
Yes, self care is so important.Doing things to feel good just help everything in your body feel better.
Jessica, no one knows exactly what you need to feel good than you yourself.
I love the idea of jewelry as a way to empower yourself and remind you of your inner peace throughout the day. Now to just find that special adornment.
Christy, welcome to our blog. We actually make one-of-a-kind jewelry so in future blogs, you might find your perfect adornment.
I love this post! I need to work on my 5 people and creating a sanctuary for myself.(my house can use some real love) I never really thought about what I adorn myself with(which in my case is not much) something for me to ponder:)
Andrea, happy to give you good stuff to ponder. Sometimes we just have people around us but they weren’t hand selected. I have people I can reach out to and that counts too. Perhaps you want to start thinking about your own needs & oasis.
I tend to find my meaning and joy in God. He is our creator and therefore knows how to fill the void that no amount of money or material things can fill.
Miranda, yes faith can do that for people who believe in it. I’m happy for you that it brings you serenity.
Great post. I think we all need to work on our Goddess. And I agree that money is just the tip of the iceberg.
Thanks for your comment Lori. Money ca’t bring happiness. Inner refletion, peace with oneself & the people you choose to be around. Those count.
I hadn’t thought of my jewelry being uplifting or powerful, but this made me recognize how much it actually does! I love when I’m jazzed about what I’m wearing, and it does empower me.
Great post!
Susan Mary Malone, you are so easy to influence. I love your reactions to posts. Proof that your openness to ideas & the world around you contributes to your being a great writer.
Living with my two 4-legged friends (I call my babies) Debbie is my idea of paradise. There are moments when they chase each other up and down the hall, into the living room, around the coffee table, and right back down the hall again. They spread their toys all over, proving to me that I’m NEVER alone.
As a past pet owner during my single years, I know how right you are. Pets bring unconditional love & warmth to our environment.
I love this post! It shows how women can take care of ourselves. I love this statement and totally agree with it. “She finds uplifting and empowering, she is enveloping herself in the “right” environment to go out there and thrive in the world”. This is a great way to take care of ourselves. Thanks for sharing.
So glad this guest post resonated with you Sabrina Quairoli.
Speaking of jewelry — I wore my fabulous cranberry freshwater pearl necklace to my networking meeting today. It made me feel special and powerful.
That is a great example of this post-Jackie Harder. I love that you wear your cranberry freshwater pearl necklace to your networking meetings but mostly, it is the way it makes you feel. It gives you that extra confidence to deliver your powerful presence.
I really like the idea of taking some of our environment with us when we leave home. We’ve set it up to please ourselves and it is lovely to take something from it with us at all times.
Agree with you Beth Niebuhr. It is a point I don’t think many women consider when selecting what outfit or accessory to wear. It does have an impact.
Love the goddess oasis and adornment suggestions. I like to call these my feminine rituals and include self care practices and spiritual practices – which all help with those external world challenges you mention. Thank you for an enjoyable read.
Teresa, Seems women like learning new practices to create rituals or an oasis, all designed to support a woman’s self-confidence.
Irony.. someone else also recently posted about the 5 people around you or maybe it was a tweet I shared. lol Anyways, even though I don’t jewel up as much as I could (just a nice plain/simple necklace, not big into rings as I pee/wash hourly and lotion up then wear gloves for cold hands or bracelets as I am at a computer all day)… I still feel naked w/o my silver hoop earrings and silver 1 charm necklace that my honey bought me.. it does complete the ensemble. 😉
Kristen Wilson, always wearing your hoop earrings & charm necklace from your honey, is taking or keeping your oasis with you.It makes you feel better- secure & loved-great reminders.
I really enjoyed this post. I resonated with its truth.
So glad you enjoyed it Krista Kelly & it resonated with you.
Women really are complex beings, aren’t we? Many things contribute to our general sense of happiness. Including our environment. How we all dress may look differently, but it’s an outward expression of an inward feeling. This can of course be just as true on my dress-up-in-a-new-outfit days as it is on my not-getting-out-of-my-sweatpants days. 🙂 I definitely know which choice makes me feel the most feminine and confident!
Appreciate your contribution to the conversation Meghan Monaghan. Yes, we do know that what we don has an impact on how we feel. Our choice is usually a reflection of our feelings, so on days I stay in sweats, I wear a brightly colored top to get my spirit peaked.
Love this! I need to remember to identify with my inner Goddess on a regular basis!
thank you!
So goid Kimberley you know you have an inner Goddess to connect to.
My house is definitely in the full of warmth and belonging category. I’ve decorated it just how l like it though. After 18 years of marriage my husband has decided to roll with it. It usually feels peaceful and clean for about 10 minutes after we clean. . .then kids happen. 🙂
Brenda, I used to think I had to keep our home tidy as kids were playing. I wish I just let it go until night clean up time. A home is to be lived in & enjoyed. It is important to me to surround myself with colors I love, art, beauty, pottery & order. We all have different priorities. Thanks for adding to the conversation.
Adorning the goddess is such a beautiful way to celebrate who we are and to nurture and pamper ourselves. More than that, I love the idea of creating an environment we can take with us anywhere. I can leave the house without make-up but I really feel unsettled when I forget to put on some earrings.
Tamura, Knowing you call your granddaughters goddesses, I couldn’t wait for your take on this post. I knew Takara would bring an interesting perspective and she did. Most of us wouldn’t leave home without earrings or bracelets, like Beverley, and what I appreciate is that prior to the blog, we hadn’t viewed that as taking a piece of our environment with us.
Great post Roslyn. I found it very inspirational. Thanks for sharing 🙂
You are welcome Stephanie D’Laroy. Thanks for your comment.
I’ve experienced the living alone in my sanctuary with my furry friends and living in the loving embrace of my family, Roslyn, and both have their pros and cons. Thank God for jewelry and accessories that help us recreate the feeling that we want to take with us when we step out of our house. I will not be caught dead without having my earrings on and many times I choose the earring first and then decide what I will be wearing. My gems speak to me.
You Vatsala are one of the women who I knew would relate to our gemstones connecting to our inner Goddess. The jewelry we choose to wear each day is a reflection of the space we come from & the feelings we have. Appreciate your contribuion to the conversation.
Just when the post started to get interesting, it stopped! More, please!
I know what you mean. Anything in particular you would like to read more about Carol Rundle?
Love this Roz! Taking care of all elements in our lives – relationships, work, exercise, spirituality – keeps us balanced, happy, moving forward. And, yes, jewelry and clothing tell the world we are ready to engage! If I’m wearing a gray sweater, I make sure there’s a pop of color somewhere: no blending into the background for me. Thanks to artists like you, we’ve got a variety of jewelry to add just the right note to our personal presentation!!
Not all women get that our jewelry and clothing sends messages to the outside world. Just one of our many goals to help women see what is possible thru their choices. Thanks Deb Nelson for stating it so clearly.
Oasis and serenity sound great to me! I’m another who wears jewelry everyday, primarily rings and earrings. My hubby gave me a couple of necklaces for Christmas, so I’ve also started wearing one of those, depending on what clothing I have on. Since I work from home, I’m usually dressed casually, but I still like my jewelry and makeup!
Isn’t it nice to wear your jewelry even if no one else may see it? You feel good knowing your husband chose it for you. He feels good seeing you wearing it. A win-win all around.
I love to choose jewelry based on how I feel that day. I so agree that we make our own oasis and even though circumstances may make it less of a serene place some days, we can only breath deeply and let it go. And… change the jewelry for a change of mood 🙂
Delia, you so got it, changing our jewelry, colors of our clothing, can change how we feel. It also is a statement to the world. Before I made jewelry, I chose what went best with my outfit. Now I start with what jewelry d I want to wear.
Adornment really is powerful! It increases confidence and makes you feel beautiful. Great article!
Glad you appreciated it & of course Indira Pierrot you would know about women’s beauty and what contributes to it.
Adorning the Goddess…love that. I just finished reading Dr. Christiana Northrup’s book Goddesses Never Age so this resonated with me.
Absolutely Karen. I am familiar with Dr. Northrup’s work and it has inspired me in my series about Aging Gracefully.
Being a woman is so much fun. We can adorn our environment with beautiful things, a rainbow of colors in our wardrobes, shoes galore and jewelry that would make queens of old envious. Yet, as I get older, I find myself being more selective, still beautiful but I find I need less. I think the inner goddess is becoming content.
Oh Joyce, you are a reflection of my own thoughts. I always had to have tons of new clothes every season. Now 1 or 2 new tops will suffice. I do feel an inner contentment. Thanks for highlighting this point.
So many of us mom are so busy giving that we forget to nurture ourselves. Nuturing ourselves allows us to give the best of us to others.
Self-love is a big topic today and of course, we have been contributing to it. Hopefully, the women who need the support to embrace themselves will find their way to all the great posts available.
You know I’ve always appreciated the value of a good haircut when it comes to boosting my confidence and sense of personal space, but it never occurred to me that jewelry could serve a similar purpose. I’ve never been much for wearing jewelry, but reading your article I realized the two pieces I wear all the time both have great significance for me. One is a custom made gold ring that was left to me by my late grandmother-in-law who is my role model and all time shero in life. The other is a pendant that is a gold doubloon that was actually part of a sunken treasure and symbolizes to me that there’s so much more to life than the obvious. Thanks for reminding me about these things Rosyln!
Appreciate your contribution to the conversation Marquita Herald and pleased it gave you another reason to love wearing your special jewelry.
Hi Roslyn,
Really enjoyed this guest post, thank you for sharing 🙂 Just doing the littlest things can make us feel like we are like a goddess. Enjoying that part of us is so important!
So right Joan Harington. We are all goddesses.
We have an interior designer who has worked with us for years and our home is now the a serene, beautiful environment that I love to spend time in. We didn’t have to break the bank either. She helped us with colors, utilizing the items we already had to make our home flow and have a unique look that we thoroughly enjoy. One change seemed to bring on others, as I finally ‘broke up’ with a hairdresser who totally didn’t get my hair and now have someone who has transformed my fine, straight hair into a cut that is flattering, easy and makes me look younger. Because I HATE to shop for clothes, I have discovered Stitch Fix and now have a personal clothing stylist. This has helped to complete the picture for me so that I feel put together with ease and no frustration trying to find just the right outfit by going to multiple stores, and still feeling like a frump. I am a goddess!
Molly Stevens, you are indeed a Goddess. Love how you have taken care of your environment, interior and on self. They sound like wonderful solutions. Appreciate your comment and sharing how you treat yourself as a Goddess.
The day that I learned and accepted that I have/am a goddess within was my freedom day! Thanks for spreading the message.
Isn’t it wonderful for women to support women?
What a wonderful post! I’ve been slacking off taking care of me since becoming a mom and this was a great reminder!
Areefa, we all need reminders to return to self-care. Glad this helped you.
What a beautiful guest blog- thank you Debbie! I’m all for adorning and honoring the goddess within each of us. I know for me, I do need both time out in the world and quiet time; time to connect with my body and time to connect with friends. Holding my goddess energy allows me to choose everything, from the necklace with which I adorn myself to the food that eat to reflect self-love.
Hope, you are the epitome of the Goddess and I could have asked you to write a blog n this topic only you generously wrote one in December. Appreciate your contribution to the conversation and you do make very concious choices about your time, energy spent, food, clothing, jewelry, friends. Proud to be a friend.