If a puzzle piece isn't fitting we try it in a different spot. If there is a wall, we walk around it. Every day in a dozen or more ways we adapt or change our plan to get something to work. So if the routine isn't working, why not try something new?

I'm trying to mix things up a little this week to see if some little changes to routine can help my routine go more smoothly. Perhaps just a small change is what is needed to provide that little bump of self-care. 

I'm grateful to try some new habits. I'm grateful to let go of some that may not be serving me as well as I thought. I'm grateful for dark showers. I'm grateful to let go of "time". I'm grateful to move through the morning with trust and listen to my body. I'm grateful to put other priorities first.

What is something new you have tried lately? How did it feel to change something? Did you end up incorporating it into your life or let it go?

May we always be open to trying something new. May we explore and learn. Have a beautiful day!

Last night a friend shared a podcast link with me. This morning I listened to it while I was working out. It was about happiness and adding more play into your life. Obviously this resonated very well with me and she touched on two specific things that really stood out to me. 

The first thing she said that really grabbed my attention was that even though she was a happiness expert, she was feeling like she was in a slump. I have been living my own version of this. I am a gratitude coach that writes a gratitude blog and yet there have been quite a few times over the last couple years that my own practice hits a slump. Even experts are human who go through ups and downs.

The second thing that grabbed my attention was her talking to an author about his essay writing on delights. Delights can be anything that catch your attention and bring you joy. That spark of good feeling something brings is delight. The challenge the podcaster was giving herself was to find at least one delight every day.

By this point I had finished my exercise routine but I wasn't ready to pause the podcast. I wanted to hear more from the author and from this speaker. I also know myself enough to know I hear better if I am fidgeting with something non-distracting. (I realize to some this may not make sense...but to some people it will completely make sense.) So during the podcast commercial I asked myself, "what would bring me some delight as I listened?" Out came my markers and owl coloring book!

As I colored I listened to more about delight and the ending thoughts. I enjoyed the tip that when you find a delight you say "delight!" out loud. I can also see the benefit of their suggestion to write down a quick blurb by hand about what the delight was each day. There is actually real benefit (shown in studies) in writing things with pen and paper for processing emotions, building self-esteem, and growing gratitude and joy in your life.

Thankfully I already take time in the morning to write four gratitudes in a journal and then in the evening write at least 4 gratitudes about my day as well as the best thing to happen that day in another journal. It would take a mere few seconds more to write my day's delights!

I'm grateful for a new word for expanding my daily practice. I'm grateful for the word delight. I'm grateful to find delight in coloring this morning. I'm grateful to have woke early enough to work out and still have time to color! I'm grateful for my friend sharing this podcast and for the woman sharing her vulnerability and process with the world. I'm grateful to also find delight in the stop light turning green the second I arrived, the colors beginning to change on the trees, and deeply defined clouds in the sky this morning. I'm grateful to share this message with you in hopes you find some delight in today as well.

What brings you joy? What delights may be waiting for you to discover today? 

May today inspire us to look for the beauty in each day. May we be delighted by the little things. Have a beautiful day!

"Two roads diverged in a yellow road..." We are blessed to have so many choices each day. As adults we can choose what to wear, when to go somewhere, how to get there. 

For kids a lot of the decisions are made for them. My husband and I have been making a conscious effort to give our girls more choices over all the regular ins and outs of the day. We give choices for them to tailor their meals within reason. We give a window of time for them to choose to head to bed. And I have begun letting my little one pick what we do for an entire morning at least one day a week while her big sister is at school.

Most the time they make really great choices even without set options. Today was waffles for breakfast. My youngest chose to spend the morning on a long walk at the park followed by a little playtime at the playground. Lunch was black bean nachos with black olives and avocado. They each chose two books before their quiet time and they both went without a fuss. 

Will it always be this smooth? No. Most of these things they have always had some say over anyway so it isn't a major change. But the focus on how we are wording things helps to show them their opinion really is respected and they do hold power over their day. 

Isn't that what we all crave? We all want to be heard and to have a little control. As adults we have that...sometimes we may even want to give a little of that back. Kids are no different. 

I'm grateful for the fun we are having with letting the kids have more say. I'm grateful for the way it helps transitions go more smoothly. I'm grateful for a beautiful morning walk with my little one. I'm grateful she is happily content just wandering along a path and exploring where it goes. I'm grateful to hear her speaking up for what she wants. I'm grateful my oldest has always had a strong voice and opinions about things. I'm grateful to practice giving her more choices and watching her grow into that role.

What choices have you made today? What will you choose differently tomorrow? Which choices brought you joy?

May our choices be conscious and intentional. May we make choices that lead us toward joy. Have a beautiful day!

In the busy schedules of the day it is easy to feel like I don't have time. I don't have time to do that one more thing off the list. I don't have time to read one more book to my pleading kid. I don't have time to actually SIT and eat with my family. But mostly this feeling of "not enough time" is not true.

I have been trying to be more conscious of how I am spending my ten minutes. I don't like to be late so often times I arrive ten minutes early. But ten minutes early could have been five minutes early and five minutes of reading a book. So I am observing where I can adjust and where I can use ten minutes in a more productive way. 

We bring books in the car so as we wait in the carpool line, early as always, we can spend the time reading together. When we walk through the store, does it really hurt to stop for those few minutes so my kids can be in awe of the lighting section? Do I really want to model eating on the run or do I want to consciously choose to sit with my kids and slow down? As it turns out, I have plenty of time for ten minutes in my day to connect, to slow down, to be in the moment. Some days I even have time for multiple ten minute adjustments and other days I can add in a handful of two minute adjustments to get to ten by the end.

I'm grateful to give myself these little challenges that help me grow. I'm grateful to see what a difference it makes for all of us when I can take just a few minutes here and there. I'm grateful my girls love to read as much as I do. I'm grateful to keep seeking balance. I'm grateful to recognize my own mindset and bring in the woosah when needed. 

Where could you make ten minutes in your day to consciously connect? How can you add a few minutes here or there to keep your day more balanced?

May we never stop learning and growing. May we choose connection over chaos and always seek balance. Have a beautiful day!

Yesterday we gathered to watch football with the family. It has been a while since the family got together like this. Even though our team lost it still felt good to spend the day together.

Family is a big part of my life. I know not all families are that way, but I am still very close with mine. I hope to raise my girls the same way, with celebrations at each holiday and lots of time shared laughing together. 

It is good to have a family, whether born into or found later. It provides security. It gives you people to lean on when life throws a curveball. Win or lose, family has your back. 

There are people whose family has not acted like family. Hopefully everyone can identify some person that has become their family; someone who has their back no matter what. 

Maybe the place to start with world peace is right there with the idea of family. If we treat each other as family should, always there to help someone up or offer love rather than judgment; that is a good step toward peace. I can't say it is always easy. I can't even say I am great at doing this for people outside my family. But I can try. I can put in that effort and so can you.

I'm grateful to know that win or lose my family is here for me. I'm grateful for all the love and support I grew up surrounded by. I'm grateful to have a large extended family. I'm grateful for the wonderful family I gained through marriage. I'm grateful to give love as often as I can and keep watch on judgments that I feel creeping in. I'm grateful for a day spent with family yesterday. I'm grateful for many more of those days to come.

Who is in your family? How can you take steps today to treat those you meet as family?

May today bring less judgment and more love. May we love each other and always support each other. Have a beautiful day!

When I was young I struggled to find and use my voice. I did okay around my immediate family but if there was anyone else around it often disappeared.

As I watch my girls I am amazed at their strong voices. My oldest has always had a strong opinion and been fully open to sharing it. I admire her boldness. My youngest is more "shy" and doesn't say as much around new people. Yet when it comes to expressing her opinions to family, she makes sure to be heard.

The last couple years my oldest chose our whole family's theme for Halloween costumes. One year was Madagascar, the Moana, and last year PJ Masks. This year she decided right off that the girls and I were going to be deer... and my husband a hunter. (I found this both funny and a little disturbing.)

No matter what she said to try to convince her little sister, the little one just replied, "I be a dinosaur." She had seen a blue and green dinosaur costume and had set her mind on it. My oldest tried a number of tricks and threats and pleading. I offered the alternative that she could be a puppy, a hunting dog in training. Nope.

So I hopped online to see this dinosaur costume again to see if it was something I could recreate. Then my oldest saw it and said, "I changed my mind! I want to be a dinosaur too!" And that is how my two-year-old let her voice be heard and chose the family theme this year...Jurassic Park. 

It may sound strange to some but I am completely tickled by this turn of events. I am so happy to see my little one sticking to her own choice no matter what anyone else said. I hope both my girls keep their strong opinions and strong voices through all life's adventures. And even when it makes me pull my hair out in frustration as a mom sometimes, I truly cherish this powerful gift.

I'm grateful for all my daughters' teach me every day. I'm grateful to watch as they grow together and figure each other out. I'm grateful for my oldest's bold and cunning personality. I'm grateful for my younger's sweet but sassy personality. I'm grateful for how they compliment each other, support each other, and challenge each other. I'm grateful for the ways they challenge me to grow and see a new way. And I'm grateful to be a scientist for Halloween rather than an animal being hunted! I'm grateful for my cute little dinosaurs.

How would you describe your voice? When do you speak up? 

May today be an exploration in voice. May we speak up for the things that truly matter and inspire growth all around us. Have a beautiful day!

Over the weekend I was not feeling my best. Stress and lack of sleep had overtaken me and my body rewarded my efforts by getting a little sick. I say rewarded because in hindsight that would seem to be what I was subconsciously asking for by my imbalance and the Universe does love giving us what we ask.

Needless to say, once I had manifested it I changed my mind. Thankfully my husband was right there to offer some extra care. These are the moments my husband really shines. 

He cooked all morning to make me some homemade chicken noodle soup. It was amazing! And just a serving or two already had me feeling ten times better. 

Later he made croque-monsieur for an extra delicious dinner. He went out and bought my favorite, fresh basil and mozzarella and made it into a cute kabob with tomatoes. It wasn't just the extra effort, it was the extra mile! 

Today I am back to health but I can tell my "cup" is still refilling. Even as I take time to care for myself and get my own cup full again, I can't help but think "where can I go the extra mile?"

One of those places is here. Often I sit down and rush through a blog based on my day and the gratitude I find. But once this blog was a little deeper and farther reaching. 

Somedays I wonder if this blog still reaches the audience that needs to hear it. I wonder if this is worth my daily effort or if I should let it go and go back to journaling my gratitude in private. Where can I go that extra mile in my life to bring joy and gratitude to people? Is it here? Is there a new calling waiting to be heard? 

I do not have the answers yet. But I am open to the questions. I am opening myself to where I can go the extra mile to make a difference. I am opening to where I can go the extra mile to care for myself and my family. I am open to the answers. 

I'm grateful for my husband's loving care. I'm grateful for him going the extra mile to make food to help me back to health. I'm grateful for whoever first found basil...yum! I'm grateful to be bringing myself back to health and focusing on manifesting more positive things. I'm grateful to open myself to possibilities of a pivot coming. I'm grateful to ask myself these questions and focus on making a difference. I'm grateful for my amazing kids and family that give me ways to help and grow each day.

What is the extra mile for you? Who takes the time to give you a boost? What are you manifesting? 

May we take the time to ask the important questions. May we never be afraid to pivot to something new. May we take care of ourselves and those who need us with balance. Have a beautiful day!

You know how some weeks just seem to have a common theme. Well this week seems to be all about dividing, divvying, and allotment. It is important to note that "fair" is not part of that theme.

To some extent this is the theme of parenthood in general and with two young kids I am definitely in the throws of parenthood. Yet the theme has also been playing out in work, chores, and just time management in general.

How will I divide my time to get things done? How much time can I give to each child individually and still get XYZ done? Time is a big element to the theme of dividing this week. Divide. Divvy. Allot.

How much laundry can I cram in this load so I only have to divide the laundry in two not three loads? How will that change the division of time so I can add my work laundry in tonight too? Divide. Re-divide. Divvy and allot.

Which accounts do I need the money in? How will I divide it up so the the bills get pulled from the correct accounts with the correct amount of money? Divide. Divvy. Allot. 

Who got their books read and how many? Make sure the other gets the equivalent. Who got a snack and who needs one? How much time can we spend eating and still get to school or work on time? Divide. Divvy. Allot. Time to go!

There is enough for all of it. There is enough to go around whether it be snacks or money or time. The question is how will we choose to spend it, use it, divide it. And all the while my mind says, with all this dividing I think I could use some apple pie.

I'm grateful to see abundance in each divide. I'm grateful to know there is enough. I'm grateful to be pretty good at managing both time and money. I'm grateful to have time for my kids. I'm grateful for time to myself as well. I'm grateful for all the settings on the washer that can be tinkered with to adjust how long a load will take. I'm grateful for all the modern conveniences like washers, dryers, dishwashers, and so much more that allow me to have more time to focus on other things. I'm grateful Autumn is nearing and with it, more opportunities for pie!

How is your "pie" being divided today? Is there enough to go around?

May today be a celebration of abundance. May we divide in ways that support and inspire gratitude. Have a beautiful day!

Today I find myself caught between it being the first day of the school/work week and it really being the second day of the week with twice as much to get done. Thankfully it is early in the year so we are still rising early and able to take plenty of time getting ready. A slow, chaos-free morning really helps set the tone for the day.

The second week of school kicked off smoothly. I carved out that time to spend some one-on-one time with my little one. It was nice just letting go and following her lead and she already has a request for what to do tomorrow! 

I'm still adjusting to the schedule changes that school has made to our day, namely having lunch much later than usual. It will take some time to figure out how this new afternoon and nap schedule will look and when I will be able to sit down to work. For now I am trying to just take it as it comes...as best I can.

I'm grateful for a smooth start to another week of school. I'm grateful my daughter is loving it. I'm grateful for how much she seems to have matured in just a short time. I'm grateful to spend some time with my little one. I'm grateful to witness her joy in getting to lead. I'm grateful for the picture of the goat above; how it is reaching to eat a leaf from a tree while all the rest of the goats happily much leaves off the abundance of weeds on the ground. I'm grateful to feel a kinship there. I'm grateful to reach for the stars. And I'm grateful to keep mindful of not stretching myself too thin.

How is your week starting? What are you reaching for this week? What is going well and what has caused a few bumps?

May today be beautifully normal. May we cherish the simple days. Have a beautiful day!