Life is very much a school. There are lessons to learn and people in various stages of learning. Some people choose a different "school" or path on which lessons they receive and others walk a similar path to the one I chose. There is no right or wrong school because it takes a variety of people with a variety of skills and experiences to make the World function. 
Each day we are training ourselves in one way or another. Whether it be trying to change a habit we already have, start a new practice, or even keeping the same habits through other changes. Each choice we make is a step in our training yet there are no truly wrong choices. Sometimes we choose to delay choices that may suit us better or be healthier but there are no wrong ones. We are each molding out path through our unique pace of training.
Now that I am married I find myself making choices on which routines (especially morning routines) work best for this new arrangement. Do I wake early to do yoga before the alarm goes off or sleep in and do it after my blog? Do I meditate in the morning and get up that much earlier than our joint alarm or do I meditate later in the day or even just before bed? Or do I let these habits fall and choose to sleep until the alarm to gain some much needed rest from later nights. Each day is a choice.
It takes twenty one days to create a habit. Which means each month you have the choice to establish one new habit into your life, adding a new habit each month. And it is in this theme that today I kick off Project Joy with a great group of people. It is a project to help others (and myself) create more joy in our own lives while giving us a group of accountability partners to help us stay the course. Each month we will set goals and choose what we want to create a habit of in our lives, then go about finding the right choices to create it. I'm so excited and I hope to start more of these groups as time goes on. 
I'm grateful for this school called Life that I am enrolled. I'm grateful to know that each of the lessons is one sent in love and guided by my own choices. I'm grateful to have partners or "classmate" along the journey even the ones who have chosen other courses. I'm grateful to know each conscious choice makes a difference and I'm grateful to forgive myself when I make choices that are not in my best interests. That is part of the experience, right? And I'm grateful for this wonderful experience and adventure called Life!
What lessons have you chosen? How can you find gratitude in the choices you have made? May today bless you with knowing all lessons are in love. May your heart guide you in the choices you make. Have a beautiful day!

On Friday I talked about getting a makeover. I got my hair cut, my toe nails painted, and gave myself a manicure. It was a great way to end the "work week". Saturday I launched in to a different kind of makeover, on the house and yard. Between painting one of my favorite rooms a new, beautiful color and doing about thirteen hours of yard work, I ended the weekend exhausted and sore. 
Today as I woke early to get a last few touches done and style my new hairdo I cannot help but feel overcome with gratitude and excitement! While I am at work today my husband will return home from his travels to find all these great surprises! (And he is probably reading this which is why I'm not being more specific in what I did!)
I'm so grateful today to look out on all the work I did. I'm grateful for the pride I feel in conquering these tasks. I'm grateful for my new haircut. I'm grateful to return to work today for a break, haha! I'm grateful to have a renewed vision on what I want from life, work, and even my surroundings. And I'm grateful for all the wonderful blessings in my life, like family and a wonderful husband!
If there was one thing you could change about your home or living surroundings, what would it be? How can you visualize and put that idea out to the universe for it to happen? What would it take to accomplish this dream? May your day be blessed with joy for what you have and dreams for what you want.

Today is the day of change. Today is (as always) the first day of the rest of my life. And today I will treat myself to a makeover. 
I rarely spend money on myself as far as personal appearance, clothes, etc. Today I will take the time to treat myself, pamper myself, and renew myself. Of course I still have errands to run and work to do but I'm excited to have set aside a whole afternoon and evening just for me. 
I'm grateful to take these steps to give myself extra care. I'm grateful to celebrate my official name change with a new look! I'm grateful to have wonderful friend that is going with me as I make the big cut. And I'm grateful to come home to my own personal spa to finish out my treatment with paraffin and foot soaks. I'm so grateful for this day, well deserved and long overdue.
What can you do to pamper yourself today? How can you give yourself a treat? May today bless you with the love you deserve and may you treat yourself as your best friend. Have a beautiful day and weekend!

When I asked myself this morning, "what am I grateful for?" I couldn't help but notice the love in it being an ordinary morning. Last night my husband and I watched the movie About Time, about a time traveler. He talked about making sure you take the time to see the beauty in all the ordinary. It was such a great message and one that I try to live by. 
Today I will try to slow down from the pace I have been running at and take the time to notice these ordinary things. I'm so grateful for the reminder and beauty found in this movie. I'm grateful to know that I have the ability to slow down and appreciate the little things in life. I'm grateful for my husband unloading the dishwasher as I type away on my computer. I'm grateful to see the sun shining between the houses, lighting just the tiniest sliver of woods. I'm grateful for the orange lilies that are framing the back deck and for the little white flowers surrounding the pond. I'm grateful for the dogs lying at my feet, being so patient as I work. And I'm grateful to make time for them before I leave. 
What are you grateful for today? What ordinary things have you been taking for granted that have beauty and worth to be noticed? May today bless you with the time to pause and take in life. May you find beauty everywhere you look! Have a beautiful day!

There are so many things that I could write about that have been going on in my life. There are so many blessings and things to be grateful for today. And yet the one I am drawn to has to do with the words of a song that have been drifting through my head. It is an old Jewel song that goes, "My hands are small I know but they're not yours they are my own." It has me thinking about how the littlest action, the smallest show of love, can have a ripple effect. She goes on to say, "In the end only kindness matters." It is a song I have not heard in several years and yet after a series of "small" acts the last few days I am beginning to see the ripples as that love spreads. 
While sometimes we do not get to see the way our actions ripple and make an impact, they nearly always do in one way or another. A hug, a short hello, or even just the ability to sit next to someone can make all the difference in feeling connected and loved. And that love is so important!
Today I am grateful to not only have chosen to start a few ripples of love that will hopefully continue and grow but also to have received some ripples back my way. I'm grateful for my hands, though they are small they make a big difference. And I'm grateful for the imagery of a water drop in pooled water to watch how the ripples grow outward. I'm so grateful to give love and to reach out and receive when I need that same support. It is a beautiful circle.
What can you do today to start a ripple of love? What is one random act of kindness you can do today? How can we spread love as a community? May today bless you with opportunities to show love. May you find courage and embrace the opportunities to give and receive. Have a beautiful day!!!

Yesterday I wrote my blog about the use of "I don't know" as a way to either brush something off or stay stuck in thoughts that may be overwhelming. I was writing in reference to the state I was using it in during a weekend of events that I hadn't processed and a situation where I was feeling overwhelmed. The beautiful thing about writing a blog and going with what I feel in the moment is that it can open up new perspectives or remind me of other sides of the story. 
In the case of yesterday's blog, the topic carried over into my monthly Conscious Cup meeting where another take to the "I don't know" phrase was brought up. It was the view of a broader philosophy, much like the saying "the older I get the less I know." We discussed how important it is in some situations to be able to admit you don't know the answer. 
I believe both sides are so important and the difference is all in the energy of it. Because the first scenario happened to me personally, I can truly say without judgment that I was using the expression not from a place of wisdom but of a place of fear and avoidance. It happens. It is part of my human experience and it helps me to grow when I become mindful of these little habits. Yet I fully accept that there are also times, particularly between being a coach and also spending time with children, that is it more powerful and more brave to admit that I do not hold all the information. 
I'm so grateful for such a wonderful group of people that make it out to Conscious Cup. I'm grateful for other perspectives that show me a broader view and even those that challenge my own view. I'm grateful for the growth I feel and the stimulation of the mind through these discussions. And I'm grateful that everyone there speaks from a heart space and holds space for each other whether they agree or not. It is a beautiful and powerful thing to witness and be a part of each month. I'm so grateful to expand my previous thoughts and admit that bit of tunnel vision that shows up sometimes. 
Who do you have in your life that helps challenge or expand your views? What can you admit that you do not know? And does it make a difference who you are admitting it to? May you be blessed with peace and love today. May you find yourself surrounded by good friends and open conversation. Have a beautiful day!

In the midst of several changes being announced this weekend, I found myself saying "I don't know" a lot. "I don't know what I want to do about that." "I don't know how that is going to look." And even "I don't know if I'm ok with this." Even having been an Empowerment coach for over a year, there are times when I need the reminders I frequently give. A beautiful friend of mine stepped up and called me out on it. "But you do know." 
I was giving my power away to stress and fear and hiding in it through my choice of language. I do know. I especially know, for absolute certainty, that I am ok. None of these events and changes will harm me. They are all chances for growth and change. They are chances for beautiful opportunities for me to envision something new for my life. 
When we say "I don't know" it is usually one of two situations. The first is a lack of interest in the subject. The second and more common, at least for me, is that some fear has shown up and hasn't been fully processed yet. One of my favorite questions during this time is, "what would I do if I were brave?" The truth is I am brave. So are you. And we prove it over and over again each day without realizing it. We do know, we just have to take the time to listen to our hearts. 
Today I am grateful for my beautiful friend and soul-sister that reminded me to listen to my own words. I'm grateful to remember my own strength and honor it. I'm grateful to have taken the time to process and listen to my heart. And I'm so grateful to release that fear that had snuck in to my thoughts. I'm grateful to know these new opportunities are all for the best and I'm grateful to change my focus to the blessings within them. This is an opportunity to shine.
What is hiding behind your "I don't knows"? What would you do if you were brave? And now remember all the times you have been brave in the past. You ARE brave and you can handle this too. May today bless you with courage to face what you know. May you find love in taking those actions. Have a beautiful Day!


A little side note, yesterday was Father's Day and I would just like to say how grateful I am to have an amazing father who has always been a great example of courage. Thank you, Papa! And thank you to all the wonderful dads out there that do their best every day.

I awoke early this morning from a long dream full of messages of self-criticism. Or perhaps that was just my interpretation of a dream meant to point out the changes I wish to see. You see, I believe dreams are messages from our subconscious to help us reach our full potential and guide us along our journey. 
Last night my dreams were focused on things that have long become habits in my life. Defense mechanisms that have become built in to my personality. And yet the beauty of personality and how we define ourselves is that it is fluid. It rarely stays the same over a lifetime and, if we are willing, can change in a single day. 
I'm grateful for fluidity. I'm grateful for a dream that showed me how to reclaim a stronger personal power. I'm grateful to know that my old definitions and habits can be released and that I am strong and brave enough to accept this new goal. I'm grateful for self-love and forgiveness and I'm grateful to start this new exciting chapter of redefinition and renewed strength. I'm grateful for this beautiful journey and all the loving, supportive people I have in my life.
Do you welcome the fluidity of life? Are there any changes you wish to make from the heart? May today bless you with self-love for who you are and courage to grow into who you want to be. Have a beautiful day and weekend, my friends!

I'm feeling the love today after several people rallied around me yesterday to help sort out my paperwork issue. It is all settled now and I am so grateful! And watching my loved ones use their contacts and resources to help me really made me think about love. 
We say the word all the time and yet is can be a hard word to define. While love can be an emotion and a connection, it is also an action. We show love by the way we act and treat each other. And the way we show it is not always the same as someone else. 
I love The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. It has been a great source of knowledge for me as I navigate different relationships with different personality types. The book says that we all show and receive love in different ways. For me, knowing I have support when challenges arise is a big one. And I think that is true for many. After all, it's nice to know we have people on our team.
Today I am so grateful to have the paperwork taken care of for my name change. I'm grateful for all those who helped yesterday to sort it out. And I'm grateful to feel so loved and have such a wonderful family. I'm grateful to show my love in return through acts and words. I'm grateful for the reminder of how blessed and loved I am each day. 
What makes you feel loved? What "love language" are you? And how can you find peace and gratitude in knowing you are loved? May today bless you with a million little signs you are loved. May you welcome them with open arms and share your love with the world. Have a beautiful day!

I pride myself on being open and vulnerable in my gratitude blogs. It is not that I am impervious to bad days or that the sun always shines on me. I practice gratitude because it makes my life more joyful and yes, it is a PRACTICE. Today is a great example. This morning is off to a rough start, from not feeling well to a broken zipper on my laptop bag to being denied a new drivers license with my new name because I lack one of the forms of documentation (that I do not have nor do I know how to get). This is a great example of why I usually do my blog when I first wake. But alas, here I am and it is a good example of being faced with a choice. I can choose how I want to feel and proceed with my day and it may not be how you would think. You see, gratitude is not about stuffing down the rough stuff and pasting some happy thoughts on top. In order to work, gratitude has to be genuine. And so I ask myself, what am I grateful for today?
I am grateful to be in the process of feeling all of my feelings. I'm grateful to have learned how important this process is, because it was not always the case that I would allow this. I am grateful to allow myself to cry (and allow myself to be honest about that to you). I'm grateful to admit that I am human; I am frustrated and that is ok. I'm grateful to have learned that it is better for me to allow the tears and feel the frustration than pretend it is just fine. And I'm grateful to know that by allowing this process, it will be ok. I'm grateful to be blessed with wonderful people in my life that can help me figure all this out and navigate a legal system that I do not understand most of the time. And I'm grateful to know that I have a massage waiting for me at the end of my day today that will help my physical body feel better.
Here is a question that I get a lot. How can you accept the day or situation and any feelings that come with it while still being grateful? My question is simply, what are you genuinely grateful for today? May today bless you with the opportunity to allow your emotions and may you find gratitude in that gift. Have a beautiful day!