Kristina Rienzi

Certified Professional Coach

Kristina Rienzi’s Blog

Trust the Universe

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Here I am, in my home office, repping my philosophy!
(Shirt by Spiritual Gangster)

Angel necklace.

Check.

Lipstick.

Check.

Trust the Universe shirt.

CHECK!

I was ready to go for my interview with Christina Castenada on The Savvy Creative Podcast. Even though it was audio only, getting my head in the right place was everything. We talked ALL about our loves, writing, the Law of Attraction, passion, and believing in ourselves as part of a much BIGGER plan. Essentially, trusting the universe. Take a listen on Apple or Spotify for an hour of insight and inspiration from the two (K/Ch)ristinas!

What does Trust the Universe Mean?

In simple terms, it means, trust there’s a bigger plan for your life, for all our lives. You’re here for a reason. You have a purpose in life. You have gifts to give, experiences to learn from. Even though many of us go through the motions in life, totally clueless as to what these concepts truly mean.

For example, we make tons of decisions from the seemingly automatic to the painstakingly complicated on a daily basis. When we feel stuck, our mind and our emotions may be in conflict. We may feel a certain way, but our mind is telling us the opposite. We’re unable to make a decision and cannot move forward. Many times, we end up making a decision that costs us more time, money, or angst because we chose out of alignment with who we are and what is right for us in our lives. Even then, we will learn and grow from that decision, so it’s useful in its own right. However, I think there’s a less stressfull way to live…when you trust the universe.

No matter your beliefs, if you’re willing to surrender to a higher power or energy, the universe (for the purpose of a universal term), finding peace and comfort, and ultimately happiness is only one decision away.

The decision to LET GO.

Ask for Help

I’m the worst at this. When times are tough, I try to get tougher on my own even though I often need the help of others. I’ve learned over the years to ask for help, and it has been a blessing. Most people want to help, they just don’t know how. So asking them is the first step to opening yourself up to the idea that you can’t do it all, and shouldn’t.

The same goes for life’s big decisions. You’re not alone. Help is an open mind away, if you’re willing to let go of your expectations and detach yourself from the outcome. Easier said than done, but so is everything in life! If you let go of the stress and angst about figuring things out and surrender to what is meant to be, what comes for you is meant for you. It doesn’t mean what comes makes immediate sense, or even seems fair, but it’s a step in a direction you may not have taken had you not been open.

When we focus on only what we want, we lose sight of what’s there for us. We may miss the REAL opportunity while focusing on the one we think we want. We’re closed minded. Opportunities and experiences in life seem limited. When we open our mind to whatever may be, we can have a limitless life experience.

When you want to ask for help from the universe, do it in a way that is most comfortable for you. I use the phrase, “Show me the way,” even if it’s just an intentional thought in my mind. It’s affirming that I’m open to exploring whatever comes to me, be it in my mind or in the physical; a sign to go one way or another, or ability to acknowledge an opportunity that I may have otherwise overlooked. Sometimes the sign or opportunity is there for me to TURN DOWN. When I’m open, they way to know which is which is to trust my gut.

Trust your Gut

Trusting the universe goes hand in hand with trusting your gut. You need to rely on your inituition and how you’re receiving messages to know if they’re right for you. Just like you know what colors look good on you, or what food will make you feel like junk after you eat it, you really DO know what’s best for you. The key is tapping into that knowledge by getting your judgment out of the way; in other words, not worrying about what others might think or what you believe you SHOULD do. Instead you’re getting in touch with what you really want, no holds barred.

I believe the more you practice asking your version of “show me the way” and listening to the answers you recieve be it from the universe or your subconscious, no matter how surprising, you will naturally become more aligned with who you truly are and what you truly want.

Sometimes it’s hard to get there on our own, that’s why coaches are so helpful! It also helps to ensure your support systems isn’t only there for you, but they inspire and challenge you to be the best you, and love you through it all.

I hope my words on trusting the universe, and yourself, become helpful tools you can use in your life, as needed.

No matter what you find works for you, or not, know your life has meaning and purpose; you are a uniquely important person needed in this life. Embrace your life. Embrace YOU!

Courage over Fear

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The choices we make in life are so important. Many of us are in crisis, be it financial, mental, emotional, and so on. Choosing courage over fear isn’t easy. It requires vulnerability, which isn’t comfortable and can seem super scary. The reality is the most courageous act we can take in life is to be vulnerable. 

Pandemic life has tested my limits of reasonability and anxiety. Every decision I’ve made has resulted from a delicate balance between its risk and its reward. What am I willing to get COVID-19 for, is the real question I ask myself. A trip to the grocery store? A haircut? Lunch with a friend? NOTHING is the answer, the ONLY answer. I don’t want to get sick. Forget me, I don’t want to get the ones I love most sick, especially not my baby girl or any of my immune-suppressed family members. It’s simply not worth it. 

Since March, I’ve been living in as tight a bubble as I can, barely breathing. Everything was sterilized from top to bottom. Whenever I came home from leaving the house, I had significant anxiety and even went through the drive-through at my local CVS to pick up my allergy meds.

Here’s how it went down: Window down—mask on—glasses on, for extra protection. Don’t forget to hold your breath. Window up. Sanitizer on…my hands, the steering wheel, the shifter. Everything. I pull in my driveway. Sanitizer again. Psych myself up to just walk in and hit the bathroom. Don’t touch anything! Wrap a tissue around my hand, open the door to the house. Take off my shoes, leave them there. Race to the bathroom. The tissue in the garbage. Wash my hands. Wash my arms. Wash the mask. Rewash my hands and arms. Hand sanitizer EVERYWHERE. Disinfect the sink. Whew. Almost done. Run upstairs, rip off all of my clothes and toss them into a bag I will throw into the laundry. Change into my non-COVID-19 clean clothes. Wash my hands and sanitize everything AGAIN. Go downstairs and sigh. Then, the horror hits. I should have showered. Now I’ve contaminated everyone! What is wrong with me? 

Finally, COVID-19 begins. First, the sore throat, then the dry cough, and the headache follows. No fever…YET! 

In an hour or so of being distracted by the busy of home, my symptoms are gone. Of course, they were all in my head—just my mind playing tricks on me. Although I did leave my protective-sanitized-bubble and exposed myself and (Dear God, No!) my family. Did I really need those allergy meds? Indeed, I could have survived without them. What have I done?! 

STOP. It had to stop. I have anxiety on a typical day. Add COVID-19 into the mix, and I’m screwed. I stop living. So, what did I do? I take Brene Brown’s Dare to Lead class. And guess what? It helped! 

We dove into vulnerability, courage, fear, anxiety, grief…you name it. And we did it with grace, safety, openness, and love. We took long hard looks at ourselves and made choices about who we were and who we wanted to become. And I decided I was DONE being a victim of my anxiety, to COVID-19. Something had to change before I lost myself this year. So it did. 

Granted, it’s not perfect. I still have my bouts with anxiety and fear because (Shocker!), I’m human. But it’s much better now. And now, six months later, it’s time to emerge, sanitizer in hand. 

Here’s how I shakily took three MAJOR steps for me to choose courage over fear:

  1. Outdoor dining on my anniversary! I hadn’t been out to dinner since my anniversary LAST year. It was time. I said to my husband, “I can’t believe we waited all summer to eat out. We should’ve started in June.” To which, he replied, “We weren’t ready in June.” So true. You have to do things on your terms, your timeline.
  2. I got my hair done in a salon. Okay, mega-anxiety there. My gray roots were six inches long, and I couldn’t handle the brown root-spray bottles I was going through weekly. Besides, I felt like an old, worn-out hag (new mom, no sleep), and it was depressing. It was time for a lift. And again, it was fine! They were super safe and even had the virus killing lights installed. Confession: I have one in my home, too. 
  3. The scariest of all, however, isn’t about COVID-19. It’s something Brene Brown’s Dare to Lead class fired up in me. Writing non-fiction. It’s been a secret desire for years, as long as I’ve been a fiction writer, for sure. But the courage to do so? Nope. Not even after my year-long coach training to become a CPC (certified professional coach). No certificate could make it possible. That is until I took Dare to Lead Training. Mind you, I’ve read the book, listened to the book, and followed the podcast. Something about coming clean to my peers in a virtual class, a safe place, about things I wasn’t comfortable talking about with anyone, opened up something inside me. It became my mission to go down the non-fiction road. 

Soon enough, I will be ready to share my non-fiction with the world, in all of its e-book, print book, and audiobook formats. COVID-19 challenged me. Brene Brown inspired me. Choosing courage over fear is all about being vulnerable. You can’t have courage without vulnerability. Being vulnerable is the ultimate act of courage. This is a new territory essential for my growth for someone who was once driven by anxiety and fear. As it turns out, I learned in my Dare to Lead class that growth was one of my two top values. Thank you, Thank you, Brene. 

No matter what you want, if fear is holding you back, I say go for it anyway. Do it on your timeline. Your terms. It’s your life, your story. Be vulnerable. Choose courage over fear. I’ll be here to cheer you on, all the way!

Caterpillar to Butterfly

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I have to admit, writing regularly feels GOOD. I used to love sharing inspiration, but when my fiction ramped up, I needed to shift my focus to my books and author life, taking away from writing to inspire for the sake of inspiring.

With my fiction on the back burner (although still a part of my life and love), I have the energy to devote to my true writing passion: inspiring YOU.

While writing fiction is a craft authors work their lifetimes to hone, one thing is a constant: story. Simplifying story the best way I know how is that it’s about the caterpillar to butterfly transformation or CHANGE.

In fiction, the main character begins in the story as a caterpillar; they go through a mega transformation throughout the story, until the end where they emerge a beautiful butterfly. Change isn’t always pretty. For the caterpillar (and many characters in books) it means death. Then rebirth.

Butterflies are super meaningful to me for several reasons. My mother LOVED them. Going through her things after she passed I found so many butterflies on everything from stained glass to notepads. All of her butterflies now live with me, many of which adorn my daughter’s bedroom, which the theme is (SURPRISE!) butterflies.

The butterfly journey isn’t only meaningful to me because it reminds me of my mom, and writing fiction, but also because it reminds me of our growth in life.

The caterpillar to butterfly story is also mine. And yours.

Through my life’s work, I hope to help you transform into the person you truly are inside, awakening the light inside of you, igniting your inner spark, so you can be who you were always meant to be.

No longer is my full focus on transforming my characters. I’ve leveled up. I want to transform YOU.

I hope you join me on my journey. We’ll light up this world, together!

For a daily dose of inspiration and support, join my private group, IGNITE YOUR INNER SPARK, here: https://facebook.com/groups/igniteyourinnerspark

Journey to Inspire

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As many of you know, my journey as a public figure began as a fiction author, where I published seven books over the last six years, with (confession!) several unfinished stories STILL on my laptop. While my writing focus is now on non-fiction, fiction still sparks so much joy for me and will always be a part of my life.

My calling

Truth is, my life has been dedicated, both in my education and professional work, to helping others. I have always known my CALLING was to motivate and inspire others, and I’ve tried to do it in every interaction – whether at work, home, or the grocery store.

If you know me personally, you know my life has shifted tremendously in the last five years. From an all-time low of losing my mom, to an all-time high of having my baby girl…I’ve run the gamete of emotions and soul searching. Through it all, I’ve never lost sight of my purpose in life: to learn, grow, empower, love, and inspire.

Me & my miracle

My goal will ALWAYS be to leave you better off for having encountered me, be it online or in person. That doesn’t mean I’m perfect. I will fail, A LOT. In fact, I’m super IMPERFECT, which is what I love most about myself. Uncovering who we are and being honest with ourselves about that person is so important. I’m flawed, but REAL, and always open to developing into a better version of myself. I work on this every day and often fail, but I get up in the morning and try again.

If you are still on your pursuit of happiness, looking for inspiration, willing to be open to the flawed, imperfect, beautiful YOU, join me on this journey. I know we will inspire each other – something the world needs more of right now.

Ignite your inner spark

The one thing I find myself saying when things are low is that I don’t want to lose my spark, the light that makes me ME. When it’s lit, it’s an energy that’s palpable. It’s light in the darkness. Our sparks are everything. And it dawned on me, that’s EXACTLY what the world needs. MORE LIGHT. And I want to help each of us ignite our inner sparks until the whole world is lit up. There’s no room for darkness. Only light. It’s in you, just like it’s in me. We’ll find it and we’ll ignite it. That’s the secret to happiness. That’s our purpose in life.

To share our light with the world.

Are you ready to light up the world? Of course you are! Let’s do it…one SPARK at a time, TOGETHER!

What ignites your inner spark? I’d absolutely love to hear from you! Drop me a note at [email protected].

Until next time…BE WELL!

For a daily dose of inspiration and support, join my private group, IGNITE YOUR INNER SPARK, here: https://facebook.com/groups/igniteyourinnerspark

AMONG US Press Release

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mickey Mikkelson, Publicist, Creative Edge, 403.464.6925 [email protected]

 Avery Olive, Publicist, Creative Edge, 403.505.6090 [email protected]

 

 A thrilling new-adult sci-fi chosen as an Audible Editors Select Pick for April 2019 and featured in the 2018 ACX University webcast series.

 Danger lurks in the unknown and knowledge can kill. An out-of-this-world collision of new-adult sci-fi and edge of your seat thriller, Among Usby Kristina Rienzifeatures alien conspiracy and the clandestine government agency set out to silence truth seekers and believers.

When Marci Simon, conservative English professor by day and controversial extraterrestrial blogger by night, is given a classified document her life is thrown into chaos. When it becomes clear Marci knows too much, the Extraterrestrial Security Agency (ESA) sets out to destroy her and the secrets she’s sworn to share with the world.

Rienzi’s attention to detail will have readers of Among Ustransported, not just to a fictional location of the authors creation, but to New Jersey. Her writing style and descriptions are accurate, allowing readers to feel just as at-home to the surroundings as the characters she’s written. The action starts and doesn’t stop, and as the thought-provoking themes unfold Rienzi may just make a believer out of anyone. 

Chosen as an Audible Editors Select Pick for April 2019 in the Thriller category, Among Uswasalso spotlighted by ACX in 2018 to help educate authors on choosing the best narrator for their audiobook. Directly from the control room with Audible Studios’ director, the audience was given a glimpse of the exciting process of choosing an audition script and building a profile to seek auditions on ACX, bringing the story to life.  After the video was released, ACX held an open casting call to help Rienzi find the perfect narrator for Among Us. She chose narrator Lewis Arlt, a veteran actor for 35 years, performing on Broadway, regional theatre, and on television, as well as penning numerous scripts for daytime soaps, and has been both a Daytime Emmy and Writers Guild Award winner.

 About the Book:

Danger lurks in the unknown…

Marci Simon lives a double life: conservative professor of English by day, and controversial blogger of aliens by night. But when a classified document lands in her lap, her two worlds collide in an explosive revelation of shocking and deadly secrets.

Despite imminent danger at every twist, Marci embarks on an unstoppable quest to expose the terrifying truth. Only she never anticipated the entangled nebula of dark lies, nor the never-ending wormhole the government would spiral through to silence her forever.

Knowledge can kill.

And Marci knows too much. With global security at risk, no one can be trusted. To debunk the stratosphere of deceit, Marci races at the speed of light to escape the grips of the clandestine Extraterrestrial Security Agency (ESA) hunting her before she vanishes like all the others. But Marci is unique. Despite being the ESA’s prime target, she’s also the skeleton key to the deadliest truth in the history of the universe.

The nightmare is real, and it’s only just begun. Marci must take a nefarious leap of faith before her options, and her breaths, evaporate into a black hole for all eternity.

About the Author:

Kristina Rienzi is a Jersey Shore thriller author, writer coach, and the former president of Sisters in Crime-Central Jersey. An INFJ who dreams beyond big, Kristina encourages others (and herself) to embrace the unknown through her stories. When she’s not writing or drinking wine, Kristina is spoiling her fur-beasts, watching true crime stories, singing (and dancing) to Yacht Rock Radio or rooting for the WVU Mountaineers. She believes in all things paranormal, a closet full of designer bags, manicures, the Law of Attraction, aliens, angels, and the value of a graduate degree in psychology.

Kristina is available for interviews, media appearances, speaking engagements, and/or book review requests. Please contact [email protected] by email or by phone at 403.464.6925.

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