I have been reflecting on the word "Love" quite a bit lately. There are so many kinds of love that it seems odd we only have one word for it. The way I love my siblings is different from the way I love my parents or spouse or child. There are friends that are like family that I love and yet I hold a form of love for clients and even people I have never met. 

My creative mind wants to define love as some acronym, something bigger than just one word. Let's see what comes...

L- Lean in
O- Open your heart
V- Vulnerability is important
E- Engage with each other

L- Look inside
O- Offer to all
V- Value every life
E- Encircle the world

L- Lasting
O- Offering
V- Validating
E- Empathy

Even giving "Love" four words and even doing that multiple times it barely scrapes the surface of what the word means. What words can you come up with? 

Love is waking in the middle of the night to be there for my girls. Love is cooking for my family. Love is the laughter shared around the table and welcoming parents and siblings even during a pandemic. Love is the little smooches that my husband and I sneak during the day and ignoring the snores during the night. Love is giving even if you don't have much to give. Love is offering understanding. Love is listening even if you cannot fully understand the other person's perspective. Love is a million things from the biggest gestures to the smallest glances. Love is all around us. Love is the best gift that anyone can give and everyone wants to receive. 

I'm grateful for love. I'm grateful to not be able to fully define it. I'm grateful for the magnitude of the millions of things we refer to as love. I'm grateful to love so many people. I'm grateful to be loved by so many. I'm grateful for the fun of using my creative mind even as my logical mind tries to "explain". I'm grateful this word is above the mere words we have to describe it. 

What do you love? Who do you love? Who gives you love? How can you give more love to the world? Love is so powerful and it is free, so let's give!

​May today remind us love is unlimited. May we give it freely and feel the return of that love as it travels all around the world and back to us. Have a beautiful day!

Sometimes I forget just how easy it is to travel without a care. Luckily I have a four year old to help remind me. In a few hours time we managed to visit a bear cave, have a snowball fight indoors, and go camping with about twelve animals ranging from hedgehog to unicorn. 

I have wrote in the past about the studies that show planning a trip can elevate your mood. In the studies it was found that while planning a trip increases happiness, sometimes actually taking the trip decreased that same happiness due to stress and logistics. It is sometimes more fun to plan the perfect vacation that actually take it.

This study suits me well as I do absolutely love planning trips. I enjoy researching what the best off-the-beaten-path activities are and imagining how fun it would be. Yet it is also true that I do tend to stress and overpack in the days or hours before the actual trip. It is always still well worth the getaway but skipping the stressing part is definitely a fine goal for me. 

My four year old has the solution. Even if we are camping on the moon and we forget something, we just grab it. It is like we never forgot it at all. Plus when I camp with her the s'mores are always perfect looking and I never end up sticky. It is no problem to climb a mountain and cuddle in with some hibernating bears. And if something better comes along, you just change the scenery of your mind. 

I'm grateful for a day of play. I'm grateful for our fun snowball fight that didn't even require a jacket. I'm grateful to get to go camping and even get to hold the special lantern. I'm grateful for the delicious s'mores that left no mess. I'm grateful to watch my daughter's mind at work as she spins the story for me and navigates me to which role I am supposed to play. I'm grateful to get to be the "kid" and let her handle all the cooking and camp set up. I'm especially grateful for sweet laughs and hugs shared. 

Where would you go if you were planning a trip in real life? Where would you go if just in your imagination? What wild activities would you dare to do in your fantasies? Which of those things would you be willing to push your comfort zone and try in real life?

May today open up our possibilities if even just in our imaginations. May we remember how important the mind is in creating our life and world. Have a beautiful day!

Today nature was calling. It is rare to get a day in the fifties in January. Even though it hadn't neared its peak temperature and the clouds were heavily in place, we decided to get outside and go to the park today.

My little one woke early so she was pretty tired and mostly observed from the stroller. My oldest cruised the whole time on her bike. Some places were still a bit icy where the shadow of trees hadn't melted it away but really that just added to the adventure. My preschooler really enjoyed trying to ride on the ice. And we all got to take in the beauty of Canadian Geese, Mallard Ducks, assorted other small wildlife, and even saw two trains up close! 

It was a so refreshing to be outside. Usually in the winter I am snuggled up in layers avoiding going out. I'm still not a fan of being cold but I made a mental commitment this year to see if getting outside more in the winter would also help the seasonal affective disorder. It really does seem to make a big difference! There is always a nice warm home to come back to, thankfully, to thaw in later. 

What elevates your mood? What invigorates you? What motivates you to try something new or do something you normally wouldn't? 

I'm grateful to get outside today. I'm grateful to be keeping my commitment to get outdoors this winter. I'm grateful my girls love being outside and the cold doesn't seem to bother them. I'm grateful for warm hats and coats. I'm grateful for a cute knitted hat. I'm grateful for a warm fuzzy blanket now that I am back inside. I'm grateful for strollers that allow tired little ones to cruise along and keep up. I'm equally grateful to slow down a bit when they want to walk and participate more fully. I'm grateful and proud for how well my preschooler is doing with her bike. I'm grateful for the multitude of questions she can come up with that make me slow down and really see things I otherwise would have missed. I'm grateful for so many beautiful parks to choose from in our area. I'm grateful for some that even have some flatter trails for beginner bikers. I'm grateful for the fresh air and feeling the coolness as it went into my lungs. I'm grateful to watch my breath as it curled and floated back out into the world. I'm grateful for these beautiful little moments.

May today be the breath of fresh air we needed. May we choose to push ourselves to grow and love each minute of the process. Have a beautiful day!

This year I have challenged myself to read at least ten minutes each day. It seemed like an achievable goal that would bring me some joy and so far it is working. To add to the pleasure I have chosen a book called A Complaint Free World by Will Bowen. 

I will admit this book has been on my "want to read" list for a couple years now. The Complaint Free World movement started not too far from my hometown which makes it even more special!

The choice to start with this book came from a feeling of not really feeling like a gratitude "coach" anymore. I am great at digging gratitude out of regular days or even rough days but it was feeling like a lot of my words were negative. Even here in this blog I have noticed it goes something like "this went wrong and this went wrong and this went wrong but I am still grateful". While this ability is an important practical step of any gratitude practice, it is better if we focus on what is going RIGHT to begin with; as you may imagine this makes gratitude even easier to find too.

So I am taking the beautiful challenge to make it 21 days without complaining! According to the book this takes people, on average, four to eight months to be able to go 21 consecutive days without complaining. A reminder bracelet is worn and each time a complaint is voiced, the bracelet is moved to the other hand. It trains us to recognize when we are complaining. I imagine this also does a good job of making us mindful of the triggers or situations where we complain most.

Today I have moved my bracelet no less that six times. The eye opening part for me is that a lot of my complaining is actually to my preschooler. I am certain we will both benefit from my commitment to this challenge. I'm excited to bring more positive messages back into my conversations!

I'm grateful for this book. I'm grateful for Will Bowen that started this hoping to impact his community. I'm grateful to hear that so many people worldwide have now taken the challenge. I'm grateful to be learning about my communication. I'm grateful to be gaining mindfulness about my triggers. I'm grateful to see how it plays out within different relationships. I'm grateful to be taking simple steps to be changing my life, holding my power, and voicing my beauty. 

​What goals have you set for yourself lately? Are you interested in raising the vibration of your life? Are you ready to find more beauty, more joy, and more gratitude in 2021? 

​No matter what this year brings, I believe, there is beauty to be found. May we choose to view and voice our story in a positive light. Have a beautiful day!

Today has been a beautiful day! It has been full of some of my favorite "s" words.

It started off with SLEEPing in! This is rare in my family, especially on a day when my husband has to get up for work. 

Then my daughters and I sat on my preschooler's bed and had some SUNRISE SNUGGLES! I love those two words individually anyway but when they are together it makes for a pretty perfect start to the day.

Now that my little one isn't taking a morning nap most days we have had to get a little creative with schooling my preschooler. Luckily the SISTERS were happy to help each other learn today. Overall it went really smoothly!

While we were playing playdoh a deer came walking through our backyard. I think I was even more excited than the kids. We used to have lots of deer come through but it has been a while since we've seen one. I sat there SMILING and gazing out the window. I couldn't help thinking to myself, "it really is the SIMPLE pleasures in life that mean the most." 

When I am in the moment and focusing on the beautiful moments of life, it is easy to SOAR. It makes any little bumps so much easier to just float passed. 

I'm grateful for these wonderful "S" words that help describe my joy. I'm grateful to have enjoyed so many simple pleasures in one day! I'm grateful for the new book I have started reading to help me be more mindful of my words and focus on the positive. I'm grateful to feel my SPIRIT lifting. I'm grateful to witness the sweet bond that is forming between my girls. I'm grateful to have this time with them.

What are your favorite simple pleasures? What "S" words are your favorite? What letter is helping you describe the best parts of your day?

May we give credit to the little things that bring us joy. May we express our gratitude in whatever way fills our cup. Have a beautiful day!

This weekend was a great weekend. It was complete with some quality time with my husband, getting some yard work done, a bonfire, seeing family, and skeeball.

Hands down the best moments were when my four year old beat me at skeeball (my favorite game) not once, but twice! She also won against her aunt! I mean how does that even happen?! We laughed so hard!

Another beautiful moment this weekend was my 18 month old repeatedly asking to play with my Barbie. Yes, yes, I have my own Barbie doll. It is Breathe with Me Barbie and she has been a great tool in mindfulness to use with my four year old during our homeschool time. My four year old is okay with it but the baby LOVES it. She will say "Mommy, Barbie please?" Then she will take a deep breath in and let it out saying "ahhh", just like Barbie. It is adorable and such a good practice to start. 

There was plenty of external stressors that I'm sure were going on but for the most part we just tuned them out this weekend and found our center again. It was much needed and so very gratifying. 

Sometimes we just need a reset. While there may not be a physical button we can push to gain that reset; there are plenty of opportunities to achieve it. 

I'm grateful for lots of deep breaths in. I'm grateful for all the "ahhh"s we breathed out. I'm grateful to laugh some breaths out as well. I'm grateful for such a fun weekend. I'm grateful to take time and commit to resetting. I'm grateful for my kind, caring, and adorable children. I'm grateful to get to connect with my husband. I'm grateful for the smell of bonfire smoke and to get the yard cleared a little too. I'm grateful for Joseph Fourestier Simpson for inventing such a fun, family-friendly game and to my brother for his extensive and awesome game room.

How do you prefer to exhale? What is your favorite way to reset? When was the last time you took time to let it all "ahhh"t?

​May today remind us to take time to re-center. May we find bliss and gratitude waiting as we reset. Have a beautiful day!

I will admit I am finding some humor right now in writing a blog about finding peace as I am working through some seething anger. Yet this is exactly why I have chosen to write about it. 

Yesterday I watched the news as they recounted the Capitol building being breached. I listened to the people in the crowd call for something to be done, that something had been stolen from them, for violence. It was like watching another level of my confidence in humanity being peeled back. And as I felt the feelings of sadness, anxiety, and shock wash over me I felt something else creeping in too, anger. 

Outwardly I balked that this "small" group of people had lost their minds. I tried to convince myself that they are the rare few extremists. Yet over the last few years I can no longer feel confident in that ideal. I have witnessed the blatant racism and acts of violence. I have seen the swarms of people turn out to cause damage and chaos. It is not one side or the other because the violence has come from all around. We are in a war even without giving it the name. 

Why are people so angry? I could list a hundred reasons from at least three or four viewpoints. But only one matters. The only anger that matters is my own. If we dealt with what was causing our individual anger then we would have made great leaps to ending the violence and starting a productive step toward solutions. Anger is a great call to action. But it DOES NOT need to be a call to violence. It needs to be a call to look within.

Anger is often the result of fear or a feeling of lack of respect (a lack of being heard). Perhaps even in saying that I am repeating myself because isn't the feeling of lack of respect the fear of not being respected, not being equal, not being acknowledged? 

When I felt my anger creeping in yesterday I can't say I was surprised. I am not knew to this sadness moving to anger or fear moving to anger transition. I do not like to feel afraid. I do not like to question my beliefs, especially one so core as people being mostly good. (Though I do realize the duality the word "good" creates") I do not like to hear about someone being harmed, bullied, or killed by another person. 

Yet anger is not what solves the problem. Anger is just to get our OWN attention. It is then our job to look at that anger and make an action plan. This action plan is not one of violence, not of insults, not of retaliation. It is a plan to decipher what we need to feel at peace and what channels to go about making these changes happen legitimately and to bring understanding. 

We will not get World peace by pointing the finger. We will not get World peace by judging, accusing, and belittling. Peace comes in understanding. Peace comes in compassion. Peace comes in love. 

If you do only one thing this year, let it be seeking to understand your own triggers. Take the time to look at your anger and see what the root cause is and then start open talks about it. Be willing to hear the whole conversation. Be willing to readdress any anger that keeps popping up. Be willing to be the change. We only change the world by starting with ourselves.

I'm grateful to witness my anger. I'm grateful to see how one trigger can make other much lesser triggers more exposed. I'm grateful to know the things that feel like they are seething today are really the root of something much deeper that was triggered yesterday, and the last several years. I'm grateful to take time to breathe. I'm grateful to take time over and over again today to sit with these feelings and dig into the full scope of its roots. I'm grateful to know that we all have the choice to be kind and loving. I'm grateful to believe people want change and are willing to do so with their voices if they are given the opportunity. I'm grateful to ground and reground today so I can continue to make my own choices based in love. 

What makes you angry? What fears does it bring up? How do you respond when a core belief is shaken? How do you respond when you are not in control of something? How can you dig into the root of your feelings this year? How can you offer space to hear someone else?

May today remind us change starts within. May we find ways to give ourself a green light to flush old fears that are no longer our truth. May we heal old wounds so we can continue moving forward in love. May this year bring positive change and a chance for all voices to be heard without violence. Have a beautiful day! 

If I asked you how full your "cup" is today, what would you say? If I asked you how happy you are with your life, what factors would your look at before answering? How do you choose to measure and how can you increase that measurement?

Is there a cap on happy? Is there a limit on joy? If there is, how can we reach that mark? If there isn't, then what are we waiting on to increase it?

I think the answer is probably a little different for everyone. I know gratitude is a universal way to increase the overall feeling of happiness or satisfaction with your life and situation. Obviously that is one reason I am here blogging each day. But what other factors can contribute?

Studies have shown a big part of it is our social network. The feeling of belonging, acceptance, and love go a long way toward increasing our joy and even the length and quality of our lives. 

Knowing our strengths and being able to use them in our everyday life is another factor I have read. It boosts our confidence and gives us strategies to work through challenges. If you don't know your strengths I recommend searching for a free online VIA strengths test or similar resource. 

Doing the things we love definitely brings us joy. If you love gardening, find a way to make that a part of your week. If you love to paint, ride motorcycles, whatever the case may be; find a way to routinely make time for it. 

Making a difference is huge. Giving to others, whether that be financially or with our time, gives a nearly instantaneous mood boost. We are wired to want to feel like we are contributing. The holidays spark the giving and volunteering effort for a lot of people but NOW is a great time to do your part. Just because the holidays are over does not mean the need is gone. Call up a shelter and ask what they need. Find out where to volunteer. 

There are so many ways we can choose to increase our joy and satisfaction with life. What are we waiting for? Sure, sure there is a pandemic and that alters how some things look and operate right now. Get creative! If you love teaching painting classes, send out some kits and set a time for an online tutorial. If you can't dish out food to the homeless then drop off some cans or offer to prep meals for a delivery service. If you are facing a struggle of your own, look at what strengths you have and find a way to use them in your situation. Find the people who love and support you no matter what and make sure you do the same for them. While your at it, taking a quick peek at what you're grateful for wouldn't hurt either. 

I'm grateful for so many resources and studies that focus on shedding light on joy. I'm grateful for get studies emailed to me so I can learn new fascinating things all the time. I'm grateful to pose questions to myself and anyone who wants to listen to encourage digging a little deeper. I'm grateful for the idea of limitless joy. I'm grateful to know that even if there is a cap, it is more than enough. I'm grateful to seek gratitude each day. I'm grateful to help others find their gratitude. 

Take a moment today to reflect on your life. Where can you add just a pinch more obligation to get a whole bowl of joy? Is your measurement tied to anyone else's measurement? Why? What do you love to do and how can you do that more?

May today remind us that we are in charge of our own joy meter. May we take the steps necessary to build a joyful life and live it daily. Have a beautiful day!

I'm feeling a little weary today as I learn of two more Covid deaths in my circle. Just yesterday someone was telling me there have been four deaths recently in her circle, three from Covid. Is it just me or have we been faced with a lot of death in the last several months? I hope for your sake it is just me but from the growing numbers of deaths recently I can't imagine my situation is uncommon. 

I am a gratitude coach. Shouldn't I be talking about happy stuff? Shouldn't I be wearing rose colored glasses that make everything seem ok? You may be surprised the number of times I hear this. I cannot tell you the number of times someone has balked at me when I have a bad day. I'm human. Gratitude isn't a magic bandaid, it is a practice to to help us focus on what is good. Some days that comes easier than others.

For all the power gratitude can hold, it does not instantly heal wounds. It doesn't make death easy, though sometimes it can help the sting just a little. 

Last year felt like a year of examining what was truly important. It felt like the year offered a lot of opportunities to see alternatives to our normal lifestyle. For my family that meant seeing what a blessing it was to slow down and spend more quality time together.

Perhaps this year is about facing fears, healing wounds, or even saying goodbye. I say this because it is hard to say it. I cringe writing the words and even more so reading them. I can feel my head scrunching down on my neck at the thought that more loved ones may pass before this pandemic is over. It would be easy to let my head swirl in anxiety even as I know it is beyond my control. 

I will never be good at goodbyes. It isn't in my personality. I get attached. I love easily. Most of my clients feel more like friends than just acquaintances that come each month. I take the time to get to know people, to ask questions, to wish them joy. 

In life there are times of growth, times of change, times of rest. Perhaps this year will provide opportunities for growth and reflection. Perhaps we will be offered the chance to heal old wounds or address old fears. I do hope that these opportunities will come gently. 

I am grateful. I'm grateful to  every challenge is an opportunity for growth. I'm grateful to breathe into this. I'm grateful for my health. I'm grateful for the health of my immediate family. I'm grateful to start asking myself some hard questions. I'm grateful for all the safety protocols in place to help keep me and my loved ones from getting sick. I'm grateful to have met these two special people who have passed. I'm grateful for the hope the vaccine will help slow this pandemic. I'm grateful for the reminder to allow my feelings and to be honest, even here.

What could this year's theme be for you? What lessons may be in store? How are you doing with all the changes this pandemic has brought? How is your joy and gratitude? 

This can be a tough time of year, even without the things going on this year. If you are feeling down, please reach out to someone you trust or to someone who can help. If you are struggling with a deeper depression or harmful thoughts, please seek help immediately. You are loved. You are needed. This world needs your light. If you would like to start a gratitude practice to help you find the good, please email me. 

Now, I do not want to close this blog on a heavy note. We will get through this. We all have a role to play and the world needs each one of us to shine our light. Tonight would be a great night for holding space, saying prayers, meditating, whatever you want to call it. Take some time and send some positive vibes into the world. Ask God to give you some comfort. Whatever you need, ask for it. Perhaps we will find we get everything we ask for...until then, feel hope and have a beautiful day!

The snow is beginning to melt as the temperatures climb above freezing. While the Winter storm was much milder than originally predicted we still got several inches. It made for several fun days of outdoor play.

This is the time of year when I frequently hear about generators. Stores run ads letting people know there are generators for sale if they need. I hear about people losing power and being so thankful that they had a generator to use as backup. Generators provide the energy needed when the normal power source isn't working. 

People are not like electronics. If our battery is running low we can't just plug in to an outlet and keep going. If something knocks out our personal power, we can't just drive to the store and replace it. 

Yes food helps or perhaps caffeine if we are talking about physical boosts. It's true that a "power nap" can help give us the recharge we need. But let's take this idea deeper.

What is your generator? What do you use when you are mentally or emotionally exhausted? What practices do you use to boost your energy before it even reaches that point?

What about your personal power? Who do you give your power to and how do you bolster your own personal power?

I'm not here to give you answers. For me finding ways to laugh, doing yoga or meditation, and getting plenty of sleep are pretty key. But everyone is different. I love doing creative art things and that gives me a boost emotionally. As far as personal power, trying new things is a good way for me to bolster that and yet there are plenty of times I give my power away to fears or doubts. 

What works for you? What generates joy and gratitude? What boosts your confidence? What makes you feel your best? Whatever it is I hope you can do more of it this year. 

I'm grateful for generators. I'm grateful I haven't had to use one to supplement my home in many years. I'm grateful to spend some time thinking about personal power and what generates my own energy. I'm grateful to take some time today to just rest my eyes and think. I'm grateful to be getting back into a routine this week. I'm grateful for meditation mondays. I'm grateful to spend time today getting creative with my girls. I'm grateful to recognize my need for more laughter today.

May today remind us to care for ourselves. May we choose generators that support our long term goals. Have a beautiful day!