Author Archives: Louise Gallagher

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About Louise Gallagher

I believe in wonder. I believe we are all magnificent beings of divine beauty. I believe we can make a difference in this world, through every act, word, thought. I believe we create ripples with everything we do and say and want to inspire everyone to use their ripple to create a better world for everyone. I'm grateful you're here.

Which Path Will You Choose?

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Perhaps one day, you’ll stand at a crossroads, faced with a choice of which path to take. To the left, the road less travelled, obscured by mist and mystery. To the right, the well-worn path, visible with its straight lines and predictability. You see its potholes and debris, but you know you can navigate them. You’ve done it before. Why would tomorrow be any different?

As you stand at this crossroads, you glance back at the road behind and see all you’ve been through to get here: trials, tribulations, and traumas. So many hardships. They weigh heavy on your heart, but like the road, they are familiar, so you hold onto them.

Standing at the crossroads, staring at the past, you tally up the years behind, noting they outnumber the years ahead. Dare you choose a different path?

You gaze into the distance of the unknown path to the left, shrouded in mist, and then to the one you know so well to the right. Both will lead to the end of the road. But which to choose? The path to the left, full of adventure, mystery, and wonder, or the right, where predictability offers the ease you tell yourself you deserve.

Perhaps, in your indecision, you’ll look again at the path behind you. Instead of trials and tribulations, you’ll see mountains climbed, stumbles and falls over which you triumphed, and lessons learned that enriched your journey. You’ve traveled this road, falling and rising, again and again, until you arrived at this moment where you must choose: to carry the burdens of the past that weigh you down but feel so familiar, or to stand in your brilliance and celebrate your strength hard-won, courage earned, and resilience gathered on the journey.

Which will you choose?

I hope you honour your brilliance. I hope you recognize that through every hardship and triumph, you have grown stronger, more powerful, more vibrant, and magnificent. It is this truth that has brought you to this moment, where you stand at the crossroads of the future, deciding which path to take.

Which will you choose? The road most travelled? Or the unknown path, where your heart dances and your soul sings the songs of the wild. Which will you choose?

art and words by Louise Gallagher ©2024

Not Aging, Becoming: Choosing Celebration Over Limitation

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Over the years, I’ve shared my thoughts on various issues through newspaper Opinion Editorials (OpEd). While many have focused on social concerns like homelessness and domestic violence, I’ve recently turned my attention to the topic of aging.

My first piece on aging in the Calgary Herald, “For Baby Boomers still working, you have nothing to fear but your own insecurities,” focused on being an older adult returning to the workforce. “Defying Age, Embracing Audacity: A Senior’s Manifesto,” my latest OpEd on aging, is aimed at celebrating the contributions of older adults and to challenge the notion that our value diminishes with time.

Being a senior myself, I refuse to believe that crossing an invisible age line signifies the end of our contributions. We have so much more to offer!

Recently, while being interviewed for a podcast about career transitions, I was surprised to hear a woman in her early 40s express feelings of irrelevance associated with her age. It struck me that perhaps we, as a society, are prematurely imposing limitations on ourselves.

Why do we create mountains out of aging, as if each passing year necessitates a decrease in self-worth? We lament the difficulties of getting older, reinforcing the notion that ‘aging is hard’. Perhaps, rather than focus on aging, we should focus on the challenges and joys inherent in being human, regardless of age.

The challenge is, the older we get, the more we seem to congregate in pools of anxiety about our accumulating years, shrinking the vast ocean of possibilities into a puddle of perceived limitations.

What if, instead, we chose to celebrate? To embrace our beauty, our flaws, our triumphs, and our tribulations? What if we reframed aging? Rather than it being a process of diminishment we choose to celebrate it as The Art of Becoming More Fully Human?

Imagine reaching the summit of life’s mountain not with a sack of regrets filling our arms, but with arms wide open, ready to cross over into the vast unknown with a heart full of wonder and gratitude, screaming as we take the leap, “Thank you Life! What a Ride!”

Let’s not let age define us. Let’s celebrate the journey of becoming.

Namaste

The Awakening List

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Have you heard of “Gratitude Lists”? Research confirms that focusing on gratitude increases happiness and joy. I write mine before falling asleep, believing I’ll carry gratitude into my dreams.

Recently, I found a letter my mother wrote to my sisters and me. It was her “good-bye” letter, expressing gratitude and apologizing for any harm she’d caused. “These will be my last words of love you read,” she wrote. “It is time for me to go.” She took her last breath 14 years later.

Life was hard for my mother. As she told me in a visit from the afterlife, “The burdens I carried were too heavy. I never felt free to be myself.” As a child, and beyond, I believed my job was to ‘take the knife out of my mother’s hand.” To be, the good girl, she wanted me to be. Subsequenly, I subconsciously believied I had to conform to others’ will to be liked. Yet, deep within, I knew this was a recipe for a life unlived. Through therapy, courses, journalling, meditation and a host of other self-empowerment supports, I embraced my own agency to live my life on my terms. Yet still, that image of my mother holding a knife to her breast persisted, as did my ping-pong efforts to ‘fit in to be liked’ and to ‘stand out on my own terms’.

Shortly after finding that letter, a dream awoke me to the true power of my freedom. I have long understood that I was never strong enough to take the knife out of my mother’s hand. What my dream awakened was the truth — I am powerful enough to take the metaphorical knife out of mine.

And that brings me to my “Awakening List.” Each morning, I expand my Gratitude List into five Awakenings. For example, this morning i wrote:

  • I awaken to the melody of songbirds. Life is sweet.
  • I awaken to seven hours of uninterrupted sleep. Life is full of lovely surprises.
  • I awaken to my breath filling my lungs. Each breath is a gift of Life and Love.
  • I awaken knowing my dreams have the power to unfold as I step into my own power. I am powerful beyond my wildest imaginings.
  • I awaken to this day with anticipation, excitement, and gratitude. My heart is a joyful place.

This practice opens my mind, heart, and body to the morning’s wonder and beauty, beginning my day with positivity. And, it reminds me of my capacity to be the Shero in my own life.

Do you have a special practice to open each day with wonder and beauty? Please share in the comments below. Let’s ripple out our inspiration to touch the lives of others!

Embracing Imperfection. Living Your Purpose

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If I have a recurring self-defeating pattern, it’s the tendency to isolate myself. Trust has always been a challenge, even before a damaging relationship nearly broke me. Recognizing this struggle, when I first went through the Choices program (the precursor to today’s Discovery Seminars) I crafted a personal contract statement: “I am a trusting woman.” This was less about trusting others and more about trusting myself, believing in my resilience in the face of life’s storms to stand centered in my “I” and not be pulled into the winds blowing all around me.

Over time, my confidence grew, and “trusting” evolved into “brave.” Nearly 20 years have passed since I first learned about the transformative power of contract statements, and still, I recognize the power and need to ask myself in times of fear, confusion, uncertainty – or when the critter voice is whispering “Don’t do that. You’ll make a fool of yourself!” — “What would a brave woman do?” . What a gift to have stayed involved in a program designed to support people in breaking through of limiting beliefs and self-defeating games. Through this journey, I’ve gained deeper awareness of my own self-defeating games as I’ve learned to recognize how they limit my joy and power.

This past weekend, I had the privilege of coaching the final Design segment of the Discovery Program, where participants craft their unique Purpose Statements. It’s a joy to witness their “aha!” moments as they uncover their purpose and put words to the difference they not only want to make in the world – the difference they’ve always naturally been making because of who and how they are in this world. Because the truth is, we are always making a difference in the world around us; where we volunteer, where we play, where we work – where ever we are — because it is in our human nature to make a difference.

I say “aha!” moments because sometimes it takes a bit of effort for someone who is accustomed to hiding their light, to see their difference, and the relief that comes with seeing it is tangible! We’re all human, and our subconscious mind often whispers doubts, telling us we’re not enough, unwanted, or less than those around us—those who seem to have it all together in, what appear from the outside, their perfect lives.

But with nearly 8 billion unique individuals on this planet, how can we define “perfect?” We can’t.

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” – Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

That’s where Discovery Seminars comes in. It’s not about achieving perfection or “getting life right.” It’s about embracing the beautiful imperfection of being human and celebrating our incredible human nature, just as we are.

Since my first experience with the program in April 2006, I’ve coached hundreds of individuals in crafting their unique Purpose Statements. And yet, I continue to learn and expand my own understanding of what it means to be me, the gifts I bring, and the endless possibilities that emerge when I step into my power and shine my light so that I let go of limiting how I live my purpose.

Our world needs each and every one of us to shine our brightest, in our own unique ways, if we’re to dispel the darkness that consumes so many lives.

I invite you to explore Discovery Seminars. You’ll be amazed at what you uncover when you embark on a journey of self-discovery, letting go of limiting beliefs and embracing your inherent beauty and power.

Believe me, the truth is – you are inherently beautiful and powerful!

I am a radiant woman awakening others to their magnificence, beauty, and truth.

Defying the Inner Critic. Learning to Fly.

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“What if you fall?” he whispered. “What if I fly?” she replied.

He strikes again! My inner critic, that sly whisperer of doubt and disbelief, never fails to surprise me, even though I know he’s lurking. “You can’t, you won’t, you don’t…” He knows my weak spots, my insecurities, and he casts his net wide to keep me tangled in self-doubt.

But I’ve grown wise to his tricks (most of the time). I’ve developed some pretty powerful countermeasures to combat his insidious insistence that I stay small, quiet, and still.

Recently, during my “The ReWrite Journey” course, I made a commitment to a fellow participant. It was something I’d been contemplating but hadn’t yet dared to do: submit poetry to the CBC Literary Awards competition. The deadline loomed, and my inner critic was gleefully reminding me that if I stalled long enough, I’d be “off the hook.”

But would I really? If I didn’t take the leap, sure, I’d avoid the fear of rejection and disappointment. But who would win in that scenario?

Definitely not me.

So, I made a pact with another brave soul to simply submit. And yesterday, I kept my word.

The wave of pride and accomplishment that washed over me was incredible. It wasn’t about the outcome; it was about taking action, about defying that inner voice that said, “You can’t.”

This wasn’t my first time facing down fear. When I launched “She Dares” and led my first “The ReWrite Journey” course, I was terrified. Would it resonate with anyone? Would people learn and grow? Would they trust my guidance?

The overwhelming feedback from that first group led me to relaunch the course in May. Six incredible women joined, and together we’re exploring what it means to live unbounded, to uncover the beauty within ourselves – the strength, resilience, wisdom, and so much more that our journeys have woven into who we are today. We’re writing the stories of our lives with renewed passion, joy, and élan!

I never saw myself as an entrepreneur. Yet, here I am, building a business, gaining traction, making things happen.

The truth is, I didn’t know what I was capable of until I dared to spread my wings and fly free from the comfortable cage of my own disbelief.

What about you? Where in your life are you holding back from stepping outside your comfort zone because you tell yourself, “I can’t”?

What if… the possibility of more is waiting for you in the things you’ve never tried?

The L.I.F.E. Process: Embracing Ageless Living

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Aging is inevitable. It’s a journey we all embark on from the moment we’re born. But what if, instead of fearing or resenting the changes, we embraced them as an opportunity for reinvention and radiant living?

I’m here to tell you that at 70, I don’t feel “old.” Not in the way society has conditioned us to believe. And you don’t have to either.

I’ve created She Dares, Radiant Bold Aging to inspire women to cast off society’s outdated notions of aging and step into a life that celebrates ageless living. It’s about honouring our bodies, embracing our wisdom and radiant beauty, and living with wild abandon.

L.I.F.E. – Your Blueprint for Ageless Living

At the heart of this philosophy is my four-step L.I.F.E. process, a nourishing and stimulating container designed to help you create and live the life you dream of:

  1. LOVE: Fall deeply in love with yourself – every wrinkle, every laugh line, every bit of your unique journey. Let love be the foundation of how you interact with the world and everyone and every thing in it.
  2. ILLUMINATE: Shine a light on your inner world, exploring both your shadows and your light. Embrace your whole self – the messy, beautiful, complex human being you are today.
  3. FLOW: Surrender resistance and allow yourself to flow with the current of life. It’s an ever-changing river, full of energy and excitement. Your willingness to ride the waves will make it an exhilarating adventure throughout your lifetime!
  4. EMBRACE: Open your arms wide to change, ambiguity, and everything that makes you, YOU. Each new chapter is an opportunity for growth and transformation. Each new gem you uncover within you adds sparkle and light to the world around you.

Why a Container Like L.I.F.E. Matters

Think of L.I.F.E. as a compass guiding you through uncharted territory. It provides a framework for self-discovery, empowerment, and ageless living. It’s not just a process; it’s a mindset. It’s a declaration that you’re ready to rewrite your story, casting off limitations and embracing the radiant, bold woman you were born to be.

Ready to Rewrite Your Story?

If you’re ready to shed the fear of aging and step into a life of vibrancy, joy, and limitless potential, then the L.I.F.E. process is your invitation. Here are a few ways to dive in and begin your journey of ageless living:

  • Join the She Dares community on FB: Connect with a community of like-minded women who are rewriting their stories and embracing radiant, bold aging.
  • Radiant Bold Aging Masterclass: Join me on June 7th at 10am 9MT or June 12th at 5pm (MT) for an immersive experience where we’ll explore the L.I.F.E. process and unlock the secrets to ageless living.
  • The ReWrite Journey Course: Sign up for my upcoming course launching in June, where you’ll embark on an 8 week transformative journey of self-discovery, guided by the L.I.F.E. process.

It’s time to embrace your ageless spirit and create a life that radiates with joy, purpose, and bold authenticity.

Let’s rewrite our stories together!

Untangling the Threads: Breaking Free from Negative Self-Talk

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Have you ever paused to count the negative thoughts that flit through your mind each day? You know the ones: “I can’t…” “What’s wrong with me?” “I just don’t get it.” “Nobody likes me.”

Our minds are a whirlwind of activity, generating an estimated 60,000-80,000 thoughts daily. The unsettling part? Roughly 80% of those thoughts are negative. Yes, even if you consider yourself a positive thinker, a subconscious stream of negativity likely runs beneath the surface.

But here’s the good news: Awareness is the first step towards freedom. By identifying these negative thought patterns, we empower ourselves to make a conscious choice to disempower them.

Moving from unaware to aware to actively choosing a different path is a transformative journey. It requires self-discovery, vulnerability, and a fierce desire to break through the barriers that hold us back. It’s about moving from “playing small” to living our dreams in vibrant, technicolor glory.

3 Simple Steps to Untangle the Threads:

  1. Identify: Start by noticing your negative thoughts. Write them down when they arise. Look for patterns – What triggers them? What themes emerge? Common culprits include “all-or-nothing” thinking, catastrophizing, and disqualifying the positive.
  2. Reframe: Challenge those negative thoughts. Are they really true? What evidence do you have to support them? Can you think of alternative, more positive interpretations? For example, instead of “I’m a failure,” try “I’m learning and growing through this experience.”
  3. Step Away: Don’t engage in a battle with your thoughts. When negativity arises, acknowledge it, reframe it if possible, and then let it drift away. Try visualizing yourself stepping away from those thoughts or imagine them floating away like leaves on a stream.

Remember, this is a process. Be patient and kind to yourself. Each time you catch a negative thought, you’re strengthening your ability to choose a more positive path.

Are you ready to untangle the threads of your inner critic and embrace a brighter, more empowered mindset?

Join me for my free online Masterclass, RADIANT BOLD AGING, 3 Transformative Practices to Ignite Passion & Joy in Your Life Everyday. June 7, 10am (MT). To Register: RADIANT BOLD AGING

Who Says 60 is the New Retirement? Not Me!

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Who Says 60 or 65 or 70+ is the New Retirement? Not Me! 💥

Forget about “golden years” and endless retirement parties! Did you know the top reasons people over 60 are staying in the game are all about doing work they LOVE and having the freedom to call their own shots? 💼✨

Yeah, that’s right! We’re not slowing down, we’re just getting started. Who wants to sit on the sidelines when there’s so much more to experience, learn, create and contribute? 🚀

Two months before I turned 70, I left the ‘formal’ workplace to cheers of “Enjoy your retirement!” But here’s the thing: retirement wasn’t for me. I craved adventure, new challenges, and the chance to make a real difference doing something that excites and energizes me.

That’s why I created the Radiant Bold Aging Masterclass: 3 Transformative Practices to Ignite Passion & Joy in Your Life Everyday! It’s all about rewriting the rules of aging and designing a life that lights you up. ✨

Are you ready to:

  • Ditch the outdated retirement script and embrace a vibrant, purpose-filled life?
  • Discover your passions, unleash your creativity, and tap into your boundless potential?
  • Connect with a community of like-minded adventurers who refuse to let age define them?

If you’re nodding along, then this masterclass is for YOU. Let’s redefine what it means to age boldly and joyfully! 🔥

Finding Self-Love, Forgiveness and Healing After a Toxic Relationship

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In my MasterClass – RADIANT BOLD AGING, I share what I’ve learned about the power of forgiveness and self-compassion and love in having triumped over an abuse relationship that set me free to love myself completely.

Through a very toxic relationship, I learned that self-hatred is the enemy of freedom, self- denial the path to peridition.

When I escaped that relationship, my priority was to heal myself so I could repair and reclaim the bonds I’d broken with my daughters. Over the almost five years of that relationship, I’d caused them immense pain and betrayed their trust.

In my MC, I share how, while it was easy to want to blame my ex-partner for everything, I knew I was accountable for my actions. The path to regaining their trust and forgiveness started with forgiving myself so that I could be 100% accountable for the pain I’d caused them.

This was a difficult step because I wanted it to be ‘all his fault’. Fact is, to heal myself and my relationship with my daughters, I had to step into my own agency. So, I made a conscious decision to simplify the process of forgiving myself. I repeatedly told myself, “I forgive myself,” without any qualifications or dwelling on past mistakes. It was liberating to let go of the guilt and shame.

Similarly, when thoughts of abuser resurfaced (which in those first heady days of freedom they frequently did), I mentally put up stop signs and redirected my focus to healing and creating a positive future.

The journey to healing wasn’t linear. There were setbacks and moments of doubt, but with each step, I fell deeper and deeper in love with myself AND rekindled the love and connection with my daughters.

Healing is ongoing, and the past still holds some influence in our unconscious, even when we think ‘we’re done with that’. Triggers can emerge enexpectedly. The power is in choosing to step into ‘the mess’ to heal the broken places triggers reveal. I’ve learned to navigate those spaces with forgiveness and self-compassion.

That relationship, though awful for my family and the friends who loved me, strengthened me, my daughters, and all my relationships. My daughter once shared that she didn’t regret it, as it ultimately made us stronger. I agree.

A few years ago, my eldest daughter and I shared our story of healing at a conference. It was challenging but also incredibly rewarding. It was a reminder that I can’t change the past, but I can choose to ‘let it be’ and shape a positive future through forgiveness and love.

This journey taught me to stop seeking fairy tales and to believe in myself. I learned that dreams can come true when we embrace truth, dignity, kindness, and forgiveness.

Most importantly, I discovered the importance of letting go of self-doubt and falling in love with ourselves and our lives.

If you’re interested in falling in love with yourself, in igniting your passion for living free of the past, and instilling more fun and joy into your everyday, join me at RADIANT BOLD AGING, June 7, 10-11:30 am (MT). It’s free and online — you can come as you are — in your pajamas or ball gown!

I hope to see you there.

Embracing the Flow: Lessons from TEDxCalgary

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When you embrace the flow,

the energy of life

comes alive within you.

Last Friday, I had the joy of attending TEDxCalgary‘s event FLOW.

As an artist and writer, I am continually immersed in creative energy—whether I call it the muse, collective consciousness, my creative essence or simple, The Flow.

FLOW is dynamic energy. Quantum physics teaches us that energy exists as either particles or waves. In our daily lives, we mostly function as particles, but in our creative endeavors, we ride the waves.

Creativity is like a river, constantly flowing, shifting, and creating. Every day, I sit at my desk and gaze out at the Bow River, its ever-changing flow reminding me that all life is energy, and energy never stagnates, just as creativity is part of the energy of each and every human being on this planet.

So, where are you in the flow? Remember, you are not the river; you are part of the flow. Are you stuck in a belief that your current state, no matter how uncomfortable or sublime, is the only place you can be? Or can you embrace a belief that celebrates your creative nature which is an ever-moving, ever-changing state of being human in the flow of life?

Be like the river and flow free.

Attending TEDxCalgary’s event reminded me of a powerful moment I shared in my TEDxCalgary talk, Lessons in Love. In it, I retell the story of becoming so lost on the road of life that one day I stood at the side of a river and wished I could unhook gravity’s hold on my body, allowing myself to fall into the river and be washed out to sea. I was not that powerful, thankfully. But I was powerful enough to change my state of being and reclaim my love of life so that I could unhook myself from the trauma that brought me to that moment and flow with grace and ease through all life’s changing moments.

I invite you to watch my talk, where I delve deeper into this experience and the lessons it taught me about love, resilience, and the power of embracing life’s flow.