Tanna Marshall

Tomorrow is my father’s birthday – he would have been 105!

He was a wonderful man and he’s still around, making his presence known, which gives me great comfort.

What can I say about my Daddy that I haven’t already said?

He was so loving, kind, generous and often made sacrifices for others, disregarding his own wants and needs.

I was always aware of his generosity and expressed my appreciation often.

One thing that makes me sad – he had a spiritual side that he rarely expressed or shared.

I found Edgar Cayce books in his things after he died. I wish I had known – we could have had so many great conversations.

I miss my father terribly, but it’s nice to know he’s still around. Especially in the car – a medium once told me that he always rides with me and he’s proud that he taught me to be a good driver.

The past few weeks have been a bit challenging and it’s times like this when I miss my parents the most.

Every Sunday was spent with them, watching classic movies and snuggling.

My father had a recliner with an armrest that lifted, so I could squeeze in and feel safe in his arms.

I know how fortunate I was to have these amazing parents - not everyone got the same amount of love and affection I did.

Although I don’t have their physical affection now, I still feel the love.

This weekend I’ll be thinking of my Daddy on his birthday and possibly honoring his memory with something chocolate, and an abundance of affection with loved ones around me😊

He loved Brad, so I know he’s happy that someone wonderful is continuing to love me and take good care of me.

If you’re missing a loved one - especially on special occasions - know they are still around watching over and loving you, and you can still celebrate with them.

Happy Heavenly Birthday to my Daddy!💝

Enjoy your weekend🌟

What’s your mantra?

If you think you don’t have any, you do – you just may not be aware of them.

Self-talk occupies much of our 60,000 thoughts every day and most of it is negative.

Notice what keeps coming up…

Do you praise and encourage yourself?

Or do you constantly berate yourself?

I think there are some that we all entertain from time to time:

What’s wrong with me?
Why did I do (or not do) that?
I feel like I’ll never be/do/have ___.
____ already has ___ - why don’t I have it yet?
I haven’t ____ yet, so I feel like a failure.
I am such an idiot!
I am not ___ enough to deserve ___.

“I Am” is an affirmation, so watch how you use it!

They run so silent and so deep we may not know what’s constantly running in the background - and subsequently, running our lives and creating our experiences.

We all pick up on each other’s energy, so we want to be sending off good vibes to attract good stuff.

This is why I do my best to remember to speak positively to myself.

My default affirmation is from Louise Hay – “I love and approve of myself”.

Many years ago, I tried an experiment – I repeated this over and over all day every day to see what would happen.

Lots of little miracles happened!

Then I was derailed by the 1994 earthquake.😕

I still use this phrase often and I’m aiming to make it my default again on a loop in my mind every waking moment.

It’s easy to get distracted, so I have affirmations all over to remind me to be kind to myself.

We wouldn’t talk to our loved ones the way we talk to ourselves, so doesn’t it make sense to give ourselves the love and approval that we want from others?

It helps to have reminders around where you can see them because there are constant distractions pulling us back into negative thoughts.

Now more than ever, we need to be kind to ourselves so we can shine more love into the world, everywhere we go, to everyone we meet.💗

Positive self-talk is the gift that keeps on giving – to you and to everyone fortunate enough to be around you.

Now go forth and speak kindly to yourself.

I’ll get you started –

You are amazing!

You are F****** Awesome!

Remember that and enjoy your weekend🌟

Have you ever done a cleanse to detox your body?

How about emotional clearing?

And these days regular clearing of spam emails, calls and texts have become necessary🙄

But I digress…

I’ve been doing an intense cleanse for almost a month and although sometimes it was a challenge, I feel good.

In the self-help/personal development world, emotional clearing work is just as important.

A physical cleanse is best done periodically, but the mental and emotional clearing is ongoing.

I’ve done SO much clearing over the years.

With each new program or process, I think it’s going to be the one that finally clears things out for good.

Nope - there’s always more.

The emotional stuff is like dust – it’s always accumulating, requiring regular cleaning.

Emotional Swiffering, if you will.

It can feel endless – doing all this work and feeling like it’s still not done.

When we realize that regular clearing is necessary, we can relax knowing it’s just a part of life – and maybe even find processes that we enjoy.

I’ve been using EFT Tapping on myself and with friends and clients for over 20 years and it’s incredibly effective.

I’m learning another modality, The Compassion Key, which is also very helpful.

Sometimes things get cleared quickly, others need to be worked on repeatedly.

You may experience clearing symptoms - that means it’s working.

Hang in there. There is always improvement and that’s the goal.

I’m grateful that the physical cleanses are best done only once or twice a year.

The other stuff needs daily work.

It can be enlightening to find the source of underlying crap that’s been there for years and finally move past it.

It’s not always fun, but as Louise Hay said – You can’t clean your house if you don’t look at the dirt.

It feels good to let go of what’s not working and allow more good stuff to flow in.

Remember that you’re never done, and relax into the ongoing, occasional need for clearing and cleansing.

Most importantly, appreciate the peaceful, fulfilling, feeling-good in-between times😊

Enjoy your weekend🌟

Recently a close friend received some very upsetting news and was understandably shaken.

Of course, I wanted to do and say anything I could to comfort and support her, but in that initial few hours, I knew she just needed to cry, freak out and feel her feelings.

I could feel that something much bigger and better was in store for her, but it wasn’t the time to shower her with visions of the positive outcome I could see from my perspective - that was impossible for her to even consider at the moment.

She just needed time to process things.

It made me grateful that I was in a good place energetically to be there for her.

Even though I had the high energy to hold space for her, there have been times – and there will be times in the future – when I’m the one who is upset, needing someone else to be there to hold me up.

When that time showed up for me recently, I reached out to my support system for help. (You know who you are – thank you!)

We all have highs and lows, good days and bad days.

How wonderful that we can support each other through all those times.

I often sit in gratitude for the honor of being there for those having a hard time, seeing a brighter future full of infinite possibilities for them, when they can’t yet see it for themselves.

Conversely, I am so grateful and feel so much appreciation for the people I can lean on during my own challenging times.

If you’re going through a tough situation, get the support you need from people you trust who make you feel safe.

Give yourself time to process things and trust that things are always working out for you.

And if you’re in a great place emotionally and energetically, be there for anyone who is not💗

Enjoy your weekend🌟

What’s your favorite thing about yourself?

Is it something physical? Or a personality trait?

We’re raised to focus so much on appearance—to compare ourselves, strive for perfection, and constantly find something to change.

Not as much attention is given to character and the qualities that truly make us who we are.

Let’s face it—when you look good, you feel good.

I was your classic ugly duckling growing up: tall, chubby, braces, glasses, acne…

I was often described as a “nice person” with a “good personality”—code for “not pretty.”

I blossomed the summer I first became sick with lupus at 15. I had no appetite and was constantly fatigued, so I spent a lot of time resting in the sun.

I went back to school thinner and tan—and weak and limping.

Like most girls, I wanted to lose weight and change parts of my body.

Except for one thing: my lips.

In elementary school, I felt like a giant next to all the pretty, petite girls.

One day, a girl said to the other girls, “Look at Tanna’s lips—they’re perfect.”

I was NOT used to compliments from these girls—quite the opposite—so it took me by surprise.

But I never forgot it.

Over the years, I’ve heard the same compliment from different people, and it always makes me smile.

Later, at Capitol Records, a designer even asked for my lip print for an album sticker for a band I’m sure you’ve never heard of.😂

I’m glad I learned early that relying on your looks isn’t a sustainable way to live.

I had to develop my personality, people skills, and ability to connect with others.

I also became addicted to personal growth—one reason why I’m a life coach today.

I love who I am, imperfections and all. They make me, me.

Yes, I’m perpetually trying to lose five pounds and stay healthy.

But I also love my body and am grateful for this amazing vessel that carries my spirit around.

So, what do you love about yourself—inside and out?

It’s not arrogant to appreciate yourself. That’s confidence.

Look for the things you love about yourself. Focus on your best qualities. Appreciate who you are. Let your beautiful light shine.

Even if you start with one small thing…

Like your lips💋✨

Enjoy your weekend! 🌟

Today is Disneyland’s 71st Birthday!🎉

Many of you know that I am a huge Disney fan and hopelessly addicted to Disneyland.

My first visit at three in 1969 was for Police Night – the first Sunday in October the entire park was closed for police and their families. (Thanks, Daddy!)

I remember the night before, my father talking to me in my crib, telling me all about this magical place where Mickey Mouse lives, getting me all excited.

I’ve stayed excited.

Police Night was our annual trip until the 1980’s when they only offered a discounted ticket and not a private event.

By the age of six I had progressed to several trips a year to the park.

By 13 I was able to pay for the park and a night at the Disneyland Hotel - and buy a Mickey phone with my babysitting money. (Mom was a nursery school teacher – I had lots of business😉)

At 14 in 1980 I attended the 25-hour party celebrating Disneyland’s 25th year. The ticket - $12.50.

Check out the girl wearing a Heaven shirt in the 25th TV special with Danny Kaye!

I always visit the wishing well, (except during the castle renovation…I was not happy) throwing in quarters for more wishing power and leaving coins around the edge for other people to make their wishes.

That’s where Brad proposed💖

Regular trips saved my sanity while caring for my mom full-time (So grateful to my neighbors and our caregiver for their help!)

I can’t explain the deep joy I feel when I’m there.

I love Walt’s inspiration behind the park and I appreciate every tiny detail that went into creating this magical place.

When Covid prevented me from visiting for two years, you can imagine the overwhelming emotions I had when I finally returned to the park. (Thanks Jill, for sharing the experience!)

Not everyone enjoys it and that’s fine – fewer people in the park😉

I am beyond grateful to Walt Disney for creating this magical place that has shaped so much of my life.

We all need a happy place that brings us joy, relief, escape from daily life - and fun.

Where is your happy place?

Although I’m not there today, I’m there in spirit and I’ll be back soon.

Enjoy your weekend🌟

Are you getting enough hugs?

You may not realize it, but we need a certain amount of physical contact for our overall physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Babies will die if they don’t get enough physical touch and affection.

I’ve always been a hugger. I had very affectionate parents, and I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by affectionate people most of my life.

When I was at Capitol Records, we were like a family so there was a lot of hugging all the time, especially as our morning greeting.

After being laid off, there was a big drop in physical contact for me.

I was caring for my mom so fortunately, there was plenty of affection there.

And I have my husband, but our time together is limited to the weekends.

Just as important, if not more – cuddles with our fur babies🐾

Or a furry monster at Disneyland💙

Petting your dog or cat (or whatever critters are in your home) can relieve stress, lower blood pressure, and increase Oxytocin (the cuddle hormone, not the opioid drug😉)

There’s nothing like the unconditional love of an animal and the joy they exude just from being with you.

Affection from humans or critters provides a feeling of connection, being loved, belonging, and contentment – feelings we all crave.

If you don’t have pets or you’re in between fur babies like I am, get some surrogate pet love from your friends’ critters😻🐶🐴🐹

For years I’ve recommended to friends and clients who are not in a relationship to get plenty of hugs from loved ones, or get a massage.

Even if you’re not a hugger, a simple handshake, touch on the arm or being near someone you care about can be enough.

So, I’ll ask again – are you getting enough love/hugs/affection?

Remember that a hug is the gift that goes both ways – when you give one, you receive one💞

You can even just hug yourself😊

Notice how you feel when you up your affection quota - I'm sure your feeling of well-being will increase significantly.

I’m sending you a big virtual hug and wishing you a weekend full of love and affection🤗

Happy 4th of July weekend!❤️🤍💙

When I was younger, I had three requirements for July 4th:

🌭BBQ
😎Pool or beach
🎇Fireworks

And Twilight Zone marathon, much to my husband’s chagrin😊

I love this holiday because I love this country and I appreciate our freedom.

Unfortunately, things have become so strained and muddled that patriotism can sometimes feel unsafe.

So, I’m focusing on the fact that we are still land of the free, home of the brave.

It may not always feel like it these days, but that’s why we need to hold on to those ideals while things sort themselves out on the way to a brighter future.

Although I love my friends who hold different beliefs than I do, I will not discuss politics and create separation between us.

I choose to stay in appreciation of all the good that’s in my life and in the world – if you look for it, you will find it…

In other people, in good deeds being done, in expressions of love and compassion that happen every day.

We just need to make the effort of looking for it because it’s often hidden, buried or overshadowed by all the other stuff.

But the good stuff is always there, just like the sun that is always shining, even when it’s hidden by clouds.

Two good things I’m enjoying - our Heaven American flag tank and S’mores Cupcakes! 🧁

My suggestion for you this holiday – regardless of your beliefs – look for the good in your life and in others.

More importantly, be kind and be a source of love, positivity, appreciation and good vibes wherever you go.

That’s how we all can individually contribute to a better world💫

Enjoy your BBQ, pool or beach, fireworks, Twilight Zone or whatever you do to celebrate this weekend.
🌟

Do you fill your precious free time with more work, feeling like you need to stay productive?

On rare occasions that time becomes available, I often find myself distracted by other busyness.

Even when I set time aside for personal growth, other things pop up that I feel I should be doing instead.

We all do way too much “shoulding” all over ourselves.

Recently I’ve been asking myself why I get so easily distracted with busy work.

We all have so much going on and many of us are totally overwhelmed by daily life and everything going on in the world.

There’s a general feeling of unrest that I believe adds to the resistance to slow down to get quiet.

Our minds can be a scary and overwhelming place.

I used to be so good at devoting time to spiritual growth –

In my 20’s I would spend hours reading, listening to tapes, meditating…

But as life went on I got busier and more indoctrinated in the corporate mindset of working hard.

I was laid off from the corporate world 18 years ago this week, and although I now make my own schedule, I’m still recovering from that corporate mentality.

By Sunday I’m exhausted and I need a no-make-up-do-nothing day.

So what’s with the distractions?

Is it fear of doing deeper inner work and what might surface?

Maybe.

When I do spend time doing inner work – which is equally if not more important than any outer work – it feeds my soul in ways I can’t put into words.

We’re so programmed to be busy all the time and exhaustion is rewarded as being productive.

So this takes some reprogramming.

And ironically, I’m “working” on that😉

I bet you can relate.

Do you have a hard time allowing yourself to slow down and do something that feeds your soul?

Staying aware of how we spend our time and allowing more space for what fulfills us is essential.

Celebrating exhaustion will not add joy – or years – to your life.

Let’s remember the importance of reconnecting with ourselves and rediscovering what we need.

Figure out what feeds your soul and allow more time for that.

That is the most important work any of us will ever do.

Enjoy your weekend🌟

Happy Father’s Day weekend!💙

I once saw a sign that read:

“Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a Daddy.”

That was my father, Bob - and although he’s been gone for 23 years, I still consider myself a Daddy’s Girl💖

I mentioned many of his wonderful qualities in my previous message about Peace Officers, but obviously I want to celebrate him for Father’s Day.

He was an incredibly generous and affectionate father, and I always felt loved, adored and safe.

I know part of that was because I was an unexpected surprise. (My parents didn’t like when I referred to myself as an “accident”)

I believe one aspect of my life purpose was to give back and take care of them at the end of their lives.

My father had been having various health issues and was in and out of the hospital and rehab facilities for several years.

When things finally calmed down for him, my mom had a freak accident and lost the sight in her left eye.

I did my best to be there for both of them through all of that.

Then in 2003, I fractured my foot and was staying with my parents because it was too difficult to get up and down the stairs of my apartment building on crutches.

While I was there, my father’s health took a turn, and we knew we were approaching the end. He declined treatment and opted to stay comfortable at home.

How fortunate I was to have the opportunity to spend every day with him the last few weeks of his life.

It was during that time he asked me to move in with my mom to take care of her after he was gone.

Of course I had to honor his dying wishes, and I’m so glad I did.

I’m grateful I was able to give back to Daddy at the end of his life and continue that by caring for Mom for the remainder of her life, making her feel as safe, loved, comfortable, and happy as possible.

When you have parents who have done so much for you, how can you repay them other than living the best life you can, inspired by their example?

I aim to do that every day.

I wish that every girl has a Daddy as wonderful as mine and always feels his love, even beyond this life.

Enjoy your weekend🌟