Today is just one day. No matter what obstacles come my way; it is just one day. This will pass. Tomorrow is a new day!

I'm grateful to remind myself this simple fact. I'm grateful to know I am stronger than anything one day can bring. I'm grateful to have an amazing track record of surviving obstacles. I'm grateful to know this is one more lesson in thriving and that I will thrive. I'm grateful for all the wonderful people in my life.

Today is just one day. When things seem hard, may we always remember this simple fact. Have a beautiful day!

Today I took my kids to do something we haven't done for a year and a half. We went to the local petting farm and fed the goats. For my older daughter it brought back one of her favorite activities that she has missed during the pandemic. For my younger daughter it was a whole new world she has never experienced.

Even with masks on, it was a return to some normalcy. It was a fun outing and a chance to get reacquainted with friends, in person. There were even moments that I forgot how much has changed.

The goats seemed just as excited to see us. Perhaps it was just the fistfuls of kibble we had for them, but it was nice to be welcomed all the same. 

I'm grateful for these moments of normalcy. I'm grateful to see my wonderful friends. I'm grateful to see everyone respecting each others' boundaries and choices as we walked this public area. I'm grateful for a fun, cheap way to get out. I'm grateful for all the excitement on my girls' faces. I'm grateful to see how much their friends have grown and reconnect. I'm grateful to see happy little goats nibbling out of my kids' hands. I'm grateful to just walk around outside and see the animals. I'm grateful for this day.

When was the last time you fed an animal that wasn't your pet? What have you done lately that you hadn't done in a long time? What are you grateful for today?

May today show us glimpses of the return to normal. May we celebrate each moment we get to share with the ones we love. May we take the time to give love and care to a sweet animal. Have a beautiful day!

For the duration of our relationship, my husband and I have left post-it notes around for each other with little love messages. Some of the best ones have become a collection on our bathroom mirror. It is more than just a shrine of love notes, it is something I read each morning as I stand at the sink, along with my personal mantra, to remind me I am loved and ready to face the day. 

Recently we have begun doing morning mirror mantras with our oldest daughter to help bolster her self-talk. We decided we needed to make some colorful post-it notes of her own to keep on her mirror. 

Even though this practice of kind little notes is common, I found one on my computer today that surprised me. Rather than writing the usual thank you for something specific or "I love you" note, he had written "I am loved!" This note, on this day, felt like a powerful message.

I know I am loved. Yet finding it on my computer today reminded me that I am not loved because of the generosity of the people who love me. I am loved because I am. I exist and that is enough reason to be loved. 

Life has been pretty stressful the last month or two. My husband and I are a team and we will make it through this together, there is no doubt. We love each other. Yet the note today touched on a different level of need. I am seen. I am loved. No matter what is going on in life, I am enough. 

I'm grateful to share our love one square note at a time. I'm grateful for the surprise of finding these little notes around. I'm grateful for my husband for more reasons that I could possibly spell out in a blog. I'm grateful to feel a deeper impact from these three small words. I'm grateful for the reminder at a deeper level. I'm grateful to reaffirm this to myself and to my family. 

You are loved. There is no question. You are loved.

May today remind us of the deeper messages we may sometimes forget. May we know we are loved no matter what and may we share that love with the people around us. Have a beautiful day!

There is no shortage of frustration to be found when finding myself on hold again and again or waiting to be called back. It does not appear this Monday is meant to be a productive one. The one benefit to finding myself once again on the other end of elevator music; plenty of time to reflect. 

It is allowing me plenty of time for all my fears to creep in and be sorted through. It is giving me time to find the root of where these fears originate. It is giving me that precious gift of time to have nothing else to do but listen to those fears and work through them. 

Being on hold is giving me the chance to really form my questions. It is giving me the opportunity to clarify for myself what I need to learn once I finally reach a live person. And it gives me a chance to take a breath and remember that the live person I will get has no control over this long wait, so I can speak to that person calmly and kindly. 

While these gifts were not what I was asking to receive today; it's clear the Universe felt they were needed gifts. So I am here...listening, processing, breathing.

I'm grateful for these gifts. I'm grateful to pause to reframe and take a breath. I'm grateful to know that everything happens for a reason and my questions will be answered...in the order they are received. I'm grateful to know my fears are guiding lessons. I'm grateful to see truth in some and false insecurities in others. I'm grateful to know I will take the next steps anyway. I'm grateful to know what is new and a little scary today will be routine in the future. I'm grateful to reflect and proceed.

What gifts were you given today? What fears or insecurities are asking to be addressed? 

May today remind us we have made it through every challenge in our past. May we take time to reflect and then move forward with confidence. Have a beautiful day!

This weekend was Mother's Day. I just want to send a shout out to all the amazing moms out there. The moms I know never cease to amaze me. I feel truly blessed to have such a wonderful group of supporters, role models, and confidantes. 

I have two little ones at home. They are amazing! I adore them. But mom-ing is hard work. It takes a good amount of patience even on the best days and a quick-thinking, creative mind. I wouldn't trade this adventure for anything.

To all the moms out there, I hope you had a beautiful day. I hope your children had one less argument than a normal day. I hope you got a few extra hugs. And I hope you know that you are so very loved! 

I'm grateful for all the big bear hugs I got from my girls today. I'm grateful for the beautiful necklace and earrings my husband got me. I'm grateful to have received my one childhood dream- to be a mom. I'm grateful to have a great system of friends and family. I'm grateful to remember that doing my best is enough. I'm grateful to be human in front of my girls both in silliness and in apologies. I'm grateful to have an amazing mom. I'm grateful for all she does for me and for my children. I'm grateful to be so close. I'm grateful for an amazing mother-in-law. I'm grateful for her amazing strength and support. I'm grateful to have had a fun-packed weekend. I'm grateful to snuggle in to wind down a little early tonight.

What is your best memory of your mom? What are you most grateful for in the relationships with women in your life?

May today remind us we are here because of amazing women. May we take the time to honor them and celebrate them more than just once a year. Have a beautiful day!

We grow through challenge. Think back to the last time you took a life changing risk or made a huge change. Most likely there was some kind of challenge or stumbling block that set that into motion. 

It is easy to get caught up in the stumbles. It is easy to focus on all the things that need done or that the missteps that we have taken along the path. 

I often talk about focusing on gratitude or changing my perspective when I get stuck in the previous thought patterns. I talk about prioritizing what is important, like family. What about the combination? I think it is time to prioritize high fives. I think it is time to prioritize all the things we did right over the last year, decade, or even just in the last hour. 

We may make some mistakes but we also have a lot of successes. I think it is about time we started patting ourselves on the back for some of our wins. 

I'm grateful for high fives. I'm grateful to prioritize family. I'm grateful to see how even little successes can lead to big steps forward. I'm grateful to keep doing my best to model self-kindness for my children. I'm grateful to get to celebrate their wins with them and that they get to celebrate my wins with me. I'm grateful for an amazing husband to cheer me on and give me those high fives. 

When was the last time you actually gave out a high five? When was the last time you patted yourself on the back for all the successes you have had?

​May today remind us that every little step moves us closer to the goal. May we celebrate each little win, each little step, no matter how far the goal still seems. Have a beautiful day!

I love a good, sunny day. I can just hear Ella Fitzgerald crooning "blue skies smiling at me". I can hear John Denver, "Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy". And it is true; blue skies and sunshine bring me happiness. 

Luckily, my happiness is not limited to blue sky days. In fact, from my kitchen this time of year I can barely even see the blue sky. As I searched out the window this morning for hints on if it would be a sunny day or rainy day there was just not enough sky for a clear answer. My backyard is a forest with tall trees and a thick underbrush of honeysuckle. Even with the steep incline that tends to draw my eyes up toward the sky, very little of it can be seen through the canopy. 

I got a little chuckle to myself this morning as I sang "green skies smiling at me". I love the shade of our back deck. I love the mature trees towering overhead. 

I began thinking about the other types of sky I enjoy. I enjoy when the sky has big puffy white clouds that shift into shapes. I enjoy watching to see what I can create out of them with a little imagination. It is one of my family's favorite car trip games. 

I love when the clouds look wispy, like there was just a little white left on the paintbrush and someone tried to wipe it off. It reminds me of the beautiful creation that is this planet. 

I love when dark storm clouds move over and make colors of flowers and trees more vivid. If it comes with the soothing rumble of thunder, all the better.

As strange as it is to say, I even enjoy the slight greenish hue the sky gets sometimes during a storm. It is something you don't get to see everywhere and it reminds me I'm home...even if it also signals the need to get inside.

Last but certainly not least, I love the night sky when it is deep black with the twinkle of stars and planets far above. It makes me feel so small and yet also a part of something so vast. 

Blue skies are great. But the truth is, I just love the sky. I love looking at it whichever way it is that moment. 

I'm grateful to be in love with the sky. I'm grateful to appreciate her beauty no matter how she is feeling or looking each day. I'm grateful to be reminded this is how love is meant to be, even with our fellow humans. I'm grateful to see the beauty in each form. I'm grateful to try to apply this to the people in my life, even the stormy ones. I'm grateful for the view from my windows and for the clear view outside. 

What skies do you love? What songs speak to your heart? How can you find beauty in each person around you?

May we remember there are blue skies, clouds, and storms in all of us. May we be willing to see each other's rainbows. May we take the time to enjoy the beauty that is this amazing place called Earth. Have a beautiful day!

I have a tendency to set the bar high for myself. I don't want to do something if I can't do it my best. Sometimes I overestimate where my best will land, however. 

I am at a crossroads. The path less traveled is calling to me. As I find myself trying to step forward I am realizing that rather than just walking it; I am trying to pave it. I am trying to get every paver stone leveled and lined up perfectly. 

This is my nature. Perhaps it comes from my parents but I have a feeling it is a long line of ancestry. Measure twice, cut once. 

I appreciate a job well done. I appreciate doing my best. But what about when these goals stand in the way of moving forward? Maybe it is time to lay down my pavers and get reacquainted with the dirt. 

I'm grateful to feel the earth beneath bare feet. I'm grateful to lay down the weight of the pavers. I'm grateful to know I can find a balance between my best and progress. I'm grateful to take some time today to just sit quietly. I'm grateful for the wonderful sounding boards I have in my life. I'm grateful for honesty.

Where do you find your balance between doing your best and getting the job done quickly? What are you grateful for today?

May we each walk the path that suits us. May we do our best and without perfection and hesitation to weigh us down. Have a beautiful day!

Today was my chance to get clear on what I want. It was my chance to have my voice heard and my wishes put out into the universe. 

It is interesting to witness the emotions that came up as I sat down to really lay it all out. "Am I being greedy?" "Is that possible?" "Can I ask for that?" But I did. I asked for what I wanted and was proud of myself for only making one small adjustment to my original outline.

Today's exercise was only focused on one small aspect of my life. I want to sit down again later and get clear on what I want for the bigger areas of my life. I want to get clear. I want to make my wishes known. I want to take this first active step toward them.

I'm so grateful for these little exercises. I'm grateful to really start digging in to what I want and what little voices are holding me back. I'm grateful to know that this is a big step for me. I'm grateful to find beauty even in the challenging parts. I'm grateful to celebrate what this will bring and the new beginnings it will create. I'm grateful to feel heard.

What do you want? What areas could you be more clear in declaring your wishes? What things may be holding you back?

Today is a great day to take the next step. May we allow ourselves clarity so that we may voice our wishes and needs to the universe. Have a beautiful day!

My brain has checked out for the evening. It has been on overdrive for a few weeks. The last few days I pushed it even harder trying to make things happen that are outside my control and weigh and reweigh each alternative. 

This weekend I took time to be present with my family as we did a barefoot hike challenge together. I took time with my best friend to catch up and to hear the story I am living spoken out loud. 

This is one small chapter, only one beginning of a new chapter. This chapter is not going to be driven by stress and lack of sleep any longer. I am pushing restart. Tomorrow I will step back into my role as writer. This is my story. 

I'm grateful for the beautiful, intentional moments this weekend. I'm so grateful to have my family and friends by my side. I'm grateful to hear about the wonderful things happening for the people I love. I'm grateful to feel the dirt and rock trail beneath my feet. I'm grateful to share a meal with someone who has been my friend for over twenty years. I'm grateful to reset, regroup, and take control of my next steps.

When was the last time you pushed the reset button? When was the last time you needed to quiet your mind? Who is writing this chapter of your life?

May we take time to reset often. May we write each chapter with intention. Have a beautiful day!