Subscribers and Followers will be entered for a chance to win in our monthly drawing! New features on 2HG including our new advice column, Let Me Have It! and 2HG's $2 Classified ads.

Our Mission

To help women of all ages, races, religions, financial means, and backgrounds to realize their full potential by providing links to useful resources online and by encouraging social networking with other women.


Welcome 2 Higher Ground!

In all of our lives, we have been influenced by others who either made us take stock of ourselves and improve or who failed to support our dreams and, in turn, knocked the wind out of our sails. This site is dedicated to helping women recognize one another as guiding forces who have helped shape our direction in careers, life decisions, etc.

Focusing on the importance of nurturing Body, Mind and Spirit, I will provide links to other sites geared towards helping women succeed. Also, I will provide insights into the areas of self that I believe should be the focus of every woman's existence. These areas include self-esteem, self-defense, self-sufficiency, self-actualization and self-awareness. After much consideration, I'm also adding a sixth "S" to the mix; self-centeredness. Not the kind of self-centeredness that people often see as bad, the kind that shows that you have love and respect for yourself so that you may give love and respect to others.

Find your "self" at 2 Higher Ground. I sincerely hope you will enjoy...and use the resources provided here!

September Spotlight

September Spotlight

Jan Goff-LaFontaine

Jan Goff-LaFontaine

Jan Goff-LaFontaine

Jan Goff-LaFontaine is a social worker, photographer and author whose ongoing work is dedicated to creating awareness and healing through her art.

Jan has published two books in her pursuit of helping others to heal. Her first book, Reflections Between the Lines; The Healing of the Vietnam Generation examines the post-war experiences of 55 women and men who served in Vietnam.

Her most recent book, Women in Shadow and Light; Journeys From Abuse to Healing, was awarded Book Of The Year in Women’s Issues by the Independent Publisher’s Association, and was a finalist for the prestigious Nautilus Awards. In this powerful book, Jan focuses on the healing journeys of women who are survivors of sexual and physical abuse. In this book, she helps women to see and celebrate their beauty, and discover their strength, both through the interviews and the beautiful black and white portraits she created for each woman as an expression of their healing.

When Women in Shadow and Light was released, Jan began getting requests from women all over the country to create ‘healing portraits’ for them, as she had for the women in her book. After doing this for several women, and seeing the powerful effect the process has in helping women to heal, Jan started pondering how she might be able to offer this service to help even more women.

This led to the creation of her Healing Through Creativity workshops designed to support abuse survivors and those who work with them, such as advocates and counselors. In this workshop Jan works with one of the women from the book, Jeanne Kuhns - singer, songwriter, painter and Registered Nurse, who has written several songs specifically for these workshops. Through a series of meditations and journaling exercises, Jan guides the women in these workshops to a place where she can create healing portraits for each woman.

After discovering that it was not just abuse survivors who had body image issues and were unable to see their beauty, this workshop evolved into doing retreats for women titled Manifest Your Magic. The creation of essence or healing portraits for each woman is still a major component of these retreats, but they also include lots of deep sharing, laughter, fun and chocolate! And they are held in magical places as well, like the next one, in Hawaii.

Jan believes that every woman, no matter what her age or dress size, is beautiful; she sees all women through this lens, and her portraits reflect that. She feels that we can hold a new vision of who we are and what our lives can be, and experience in our bodies the healing power we have within. Her goal is to help women discover how our past wounds can become doorways through which we emerge as whole, healed and a gift to the world. She loves helping women to heal, and to live life from a sensual place, allowing more passion, awe, joy, and gratitude.

Be sure to subscribe or follow this blog for your chance to win a copy of Jan's book, Women in Shadow and Light; Journeys From Abuse to Healing!

This Month's Thoughts for:

Body-Don't forget to stretch. All of the tensions of the day can build up over time and we need to stretch away the stress! Sitting at your desk or on the floor, reach for the sky and let your body relax!
Mind-Keep working on quieting your mind. As we head into the first big kid's holiday season, Halloween, don't forget to work on settling down each day. Parties, trick-or-treating, costumes, candy, it's all floating around in there so make sure you make time to push it aside and just be.
Spirit-For me, looking at the leaves as they turn in the fall is such a spiritually soothing activity. I truly enjoy walking at the park and taking in all of the beautiful patterns created as Mother Nature paints upon her canvas. It's hard not to believe that there is some Higher Power guiding the universe when you are watching the seasons change.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Without Regret

In honor of National Poetry Month, I'll be posting a variety of poems throughout the next couple of weeks. Don't forget to get your entry in for the First Annual Higher Ground Poetry Contest. Just write a poem about what it means to be a woman and you could win a nice prize package which will include a $50 gift card to Bath & Body Works. Deadline is April 30th, winner will be announced on Mother's Day!

And now, for the poem...



*****

Without Regret

It is without regret that I have chosen to walk this particular path.
Without regret that I have chosen these lessons to learn.
Without regret that I have looked in the wrong direction at times.
Without regret that I chose to feel the fire burn.
For sometimes in my life I have needed proof that there was a reason to go the right way.
And that proof came in the form of pain felt as a result of making a mistake.
Or taking a wrong turn.
Without regret I have done these things.
And I stand undefeated in the face of all that life has brought.

Rebecca Benston

*****




Get your contest entries in today!

Submit Entry


Good luck!


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Posted by Rebecca Benston, Author, Speaker, Advocate at 5:29 PM 0 comments
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Thursday, April 2, 2009

First Annual Poetry Contest

2 Higher Ground is holding its First Annual Higher Ground Poetry Contest! Submit your entries by sending in a poem about "What it means to be a woman." The winner will receive a $50 gift card to Bath and Body Works! There is no entry fee and you may enter as many times as you like!

This month is National Poetry Month, so seek out your muse and send your poems to 2HG! Be sure to include your name and your city and state with your entry! Contest ends on April 30th. The winner will be announced on Mother's Day, May 10th!

Submit Entry

Good luck!

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Posted by Rebecca Benston, Author, Speaker, Advocate at 8:47 AM 0 comments
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Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Reflecting on Women's History Month

As March comes to a close, we need to take a moment to think about the women in our lives. Our mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts, grandmothers, friends, etc. are all people who influence us in ways that we may not even realize.

The mother whom you watched as you were growing up. The way she spoke to you, her messages to you helped you determine your worth and for better or worse, she helped shape you into the woman you are today. Even if we try all of our lives not to be like our mothers, chances are that we will often catch ourselves doing something just like our mothers would have done. It's human nature. As women, we reflect what we see in the important women in our lives.

What about the sister you watched grow up or the sister who took care of you as you grew up. Where do we learn our interactions with our friends or our boyfriends? Did you have a sister who always picked the wrong guy? The wrong job? Or even the wrong outfit? How is she doing today?

Your daughter, if you have one, will be looking to you in the same way you looked to your mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, etc. for guidance. What would you have her do? How would you direct her through these troubled times? What example would you want to set for her?

It is important that we never forget that other women need our help. Other women, even if they look like they have it all together, need each other to make it all make sense. Sometimes, in all of the struggle to be a good wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend, etc. we get lost. This is the time to help the women in your life find themselves. If they are lost, help them get back on track. What will you do to empower a woman today?

Have a wonderful day!

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Posted by Rebecca Benston, Author, Speaker, Advocate at 10:18 AM 0 comments
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Sunday, March 15, 2009

Special Author Spotlight: Maureen G. Mulvaney, The Women's Millionaire Club

We're proud to be a stop on author Maureen G. Mulvaney's blog tour through Nikki Leigh's Promo 101 Virtual Blog Tours!

Years ago, Maureen G. Mulvaney (MGM) arrived in Phoenix, AZ… Flat Broke, Jobless and Licking the wounds from a divorce. If she can Make It…So Can YOU. Let her show you 'HOW'.





Author of The Women's Millionaire Club

MGM set out to answer the simple question: Why do some women make a fortune and others don't? She assessed, surveyed and interviewed 21 'Ordinary' Women who started their home based businesses with NO Prior Experience yet they each did the 'ExtraOrdinary'-- MADE MILLIONS while MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

MGM wanted to give YOU the ingredients and recipes to learn 'How To' Do the SAME whether you are a veteran, 'newbie' or 'wanna be' Home Based Business Entrepreneur.

Discovered the Closely Guarded SECRET RECIPES of Millionaire Women for Building and Owning a Million Dollar Home Based Business.

Entrepreneurial Success Coach

MGM teaches small business entrepreneurs 'How To Attract Paying Clients, Who Become Lunatic Fans, That Refer Others.' MGM has over 25 years as an entrepreneur and small business owner. She teaches, consults, coaches and speaks to Women Entrepreneurs about the country. Call 480-759-6251 to enroll in MGM's next Intense Weekend.

Professional Speaker

MGM is:

* An internationally known speaker
* Who has graced the stages from Finland to Malaysia & every corner of the USA
* Has spoken with everyone from Norman Vincent Peale to Ann Jillian
* Is a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP).
* (Less than 10% of the 5000 plus members of National Speakers Association have ever been able to attain this Earned CSP designation because one must have both longevity in the speaking industry plus outstanding skills.... MGM has both!)
* Her Clients include Amway to Arbonne, AT&T to MCI, Hospitals, Schools, Banks, USArmy and hundreds more.

Our Mission for The Women's Millionaire Club is …To help Home Based Business Women become Millionaires by creating an Abundance Conscious Community to Support Each Other through Education, Empowerment and Caring Energy!
To Book MGM Call 480-759-6251 or email: mgm@mgmsuperstar.com



The Women's Millionaire Club, by Maureen G Mulvaney, is being offered beginning on March 17th, 2009 at 12:01 am. We invite you to go to this page - http://mgmsuperstar.com/wjtc/exclusive.html - to access the order page and then go back to this page to access the bonus page. On the Exclusive Private Invite page, enter your order confirmation code. That will allow you to gain entry to the FREE Pot o' Gold Bonus Items.

For more information about Maureen G. Mulvaney, please visit her wonderful blog.



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Posted by Rebecca Benston, Author, Speaker, Advocate at 8:39 AM 1 comments
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