When water flows over a stone it slowly smooths and carves it. It isn't an overnight event. It is something that happens over time. This is what I keep reminding myself as my family navigates a whole new schedule and new routines. 

I love mixing things up but I also love having a baseline routine. Certain times set aside for work, nap, and play help me to be present where I am needed. The routine is still new and in limbo as we try different things to see what helps us all transition most smoothly. But for now it still feels jumbled and a little chaotic.

This is the water from the storm. It is rushing and flowing any which way it can go to keep moving forward. 

Just like the storm water returns to a slow stream, so will my life return to smoother days. Those smoother days will slowly begin to carve a new routine. It will get comfortable.

Sure, there will still be times of storm and rushing water. There will be times the water changes course and has to begin again in smoothing a new path. This is all part of life and I welcome it.

For now I will let it flow in all its chaotic rush. I will take deep breaths and observe. I will watch for places the water seems to flow the smoothest and the routine seems to be working. And I will follow its lead. 

I'm grateful to just pause and focus on nature. I'm grateful to witness the rush feeling and observe it as if it was a river flowing past. I'm grateful to know the waters will smooth and slow again soon. I'm grateful to let it flow as it needs as my whole family adjusts to all the new. I'm grateful to be as calm and steady as possible for my kids in these times of change. I'm grateful to learn from them the art of rolling with it.

Which stage of life is your water flow? Is it rushing and changing? Is it smooth and steady? What visuals do you picture to help yourself stay steady even when life is shifting?

May we be steady as the rock and flowing as the water. May we find comfort in being the observer while still having both feet in the game. Have a beautiful day!

It has been a bright, sunny, and hot couple months. Despite all the rain we received in June, the ground is full of deep cracks in need of water. 

We spent some time yesterday out weeding the backyard garden and edges of the forested area. Some weeds just snapped off, their roots held tight in the dry soil. Other areas the weeds came out with big clods of dirt exposing the rocky surface beneath. 

Last night clouds rolled in and we got some rain. The clouds have lingered all day with drops falling here and there. More is needed but it is a start. 

I'm grateful for an opportunity to sleep to the sound of rain. I'm grateful for the cloudy, calm day. I'm grateful to take it easy and just order food for family lunch. I'm grateful to keep the lights dimmed and just relax with books this afternoon. I'm grateful for these quiet, calm days. I'm grateful for the rain.

When the world can seem so chaotic, sometimes just talking about the weather is a nice reprieve. How is your weather? If it isn't ideal, what is your ideal weather?

May today be simple. May we take a step back from all the politics and agendas and just be thankful for topics like weather. Have a beautiful day!

Some days are great because they are special. There is something special to celebrate or someone is coming for a special visit and it sparks gratitude. Other days are great because they are just ordinary. 

Today is one of those great, ordinary days. I got to wake up, do some stretching, and shower all without drama. I got to spend time with my creative, explorative children. I got to do a little gardening. There was nothing amazing other than it was just a nice, quiet, ordinary day.

I'm grateful for these quiet, ordinary days. I'm grateful to do a little focused playtime with my girls and a lot of kid-led playtime. I'm grateful to spend some time outside. I'm even grateful for the blazing hot sunshine, just to be outside. I'm grateful to let go of the idea of having a vegetable garden this year as squirrels have once again taken my sprouts. I'm grateful to laugh it off and let it go. I'm grateful to BE today. I'm grateful for a quiet moment now to get some work done. 

What are your favorite parts of ordinary days? Is it a slow start or a productive start? Is it time to yourself or spending it with the usual people? What makes your "everyday" special?

May we have plenty of special days. May we cherish the ordinary days just as much. Have a beautiful day!

It happened; today my baby turned two! I can't believe how fast time has gone. I love this stage and I hope time can slow down a little bit. I will forever be grateful for the time at home during the pandemic to slow life down and spend time with her. 

It is amazing how much babies change and grow in the first couple years. They go from helpless and mewing to running and chatting about their own opinions. And they seem to have an opinion on everything at this stage. I love hearing their thoughts on the world.

My daughter is at a great stage of imagination. If she wants to hold something from the book, she scoops her hand and pretends she has it in her hand. If she doesn't know the word for something she will combine two other words that she knows and keep telling you about it until you figure it out and tell her the correct name. My favorite was asking for "buffalo bar" when she wanted a lemon cookie. "Buffa-corn" has become a popular mystery label to animals she doesn't know. 

She is starting to ask tough questions, too. Like, "oh no, Mommy! What if bird eat my armpit?" I mean...what is a good answer to that? She's got the "thinking outside the box" down.

I'm grateful for this beautiful little miracle. I'm grateful for all her sweet, big hugs. I'm grateful for all the laughs and silliness. I'm grateful to watch her finding her own balance between needing me and being independent. I'm grateful for her laugh. I'm grateful that she reserves her smiles so you know it is genuinely earned. I'm grateful for the way her mind works and the way she communicates it to us. I'm grateful for her creativity in finding ways to express herself even if she doesn't know the words. I'm grateful to be her mom and watch her grow. I'm grateful to see where I can add more "growth" in my own life.

What were you doing two years ago? Have you experienced the same big changes that the first two years of life gave you? 

May we always keep growing. May we always be ourselves, no matter what anyone else thinks. Have a beautiful day!

Don't you just love it when you want something and then it manifests. Today has worked out so well for bringing my desires to fruition. It is a wonderful feeling!

I found great outfits for our family pictures next week. I even found them cheaper than I anticipated! It warms my heart to think of the next set of family pictures up on the wall, showing our growth.

Work is going great now that business is actually moving forward. I'm excited to check out a space today even as I know I am moving into another space tomorrow. It is nice to see how many wonderful options there are for us. 

I also received an email for a contract to teach some of my coaching programs again. It has been a few years and I am so excited to get back to this line of work! 

Some days things seem to go sideways. Some days everything seems to finally line up. While I am loving this day of my desires being fulfilled; I'm also so grateful for all the sideways days that it took to get me here.

I'm grateful for all the upheaval that led me to this place and taking control of my life and business. I'm grateful to be manifesting and thriving. I'm grateful for all the wonderful people in my life that have been so supportive. I'm grateful for all the amazing clients that have been so patient. I'm grateful to continue doing the two things I love most and getting paid for it. I'm grateful to be opening a new chapter and all the excitement that brings. 

What do you desire? How do you take action to manifest those dreams? 

May today help us see all the ways the sideways days are blessings. May we bask in the days where things fall into place. Have a beautiful day!

Did you know that physically writing something down is more effective in transforming thought and releasing distress than typing or just thinking the same thing? I don't know why this is, but many studies have been done. 

Typing a blog on my gratitude is great. It is a reminder to come back to gratitude during the day and it is a nice way to share something positive with the world. I hope that it helps, in some way, to bring some positivity to your life as well. 

My actual gratitude practice, however, is not here on the internet. It is in a journal next to my bed. I have debated switching to my reusable, wipe-clean notebook just to give the environment a little break from all the writing I do. For now, my gratitude remains on paper. 

Often I use a pen but I am big on coloring. There is something so soothing to just coloring in a picture. While I love the textures and tones I can make with a good colored pencil set, I still prefer markers. I love the steady streak it leaves. So it is only natural that sometimes I choose to write out my gratitude in marker.

My daughters love to color. My eldest drew this lovely picture for me right before Mother's Day. It is a picture of my standing next to my favorite tree with her and her sister climbing up me to give me a hug. I love the imagery of my love for trees whilst also being climbing tree for my children. 

I love sitting and coloring with them. I love sitting and coloring by myself. I can't help but wonder what physically happens in my body and brain when I color. Is it like when I write out my gratitude on paper? Does it settle deeper that I am doing it physically instead of on a screen? Even if it doesn't I will keep on coloring for my soul's joy. Please hand me a marker!

I'm grateful for this beautiful drawing by my daughter. I'm grateful for all the time we spend coloring together. I'm grateful for adult coloring books. I'm grateful to have a wonderful set of markers. I'm grateful for how coloring makes me feel. I'm grateful to write my gratitude in marker to add a little extra joy. I'm grateful to recognize the importance of still using a pen and paper to write out my thoughts, process my emotions, and celebrate the beauty in my life. I'm grateful for erasable notebooks that can be used again and again to help the environment. 

What brings you joy? When was the last time you colored? When was the last time you sat and wrote something in a physical journal? If you want to start, may I recommend a gratitude journal?!

May we remember to celebrate. May we do the things that bring out spirit joy. Have a beautiful day!

Yesterday I wrote about an opportunity to see the signs and roll with it. It changed up what I had planned for the day but it went well. I wrote how I was grateful for that opportunity.

Well, the Universe was listening. It has offered me ample opportunities to roll with it today. I am laughing as I write this because that had not been my intention yesterday but that is what I drew in.

Our science project didn't quite go as planned but there was enough eruption of mess for the girls to deem it a success. We didn't end up having a friend over which changed up a couple of our activities but we made the best of it. We created a new game instead, called Lava Hopscotch, where you can't touch the spaces that have lava flowing over them. And despite planning to spend the whole morning outside before the rain moves in, we headed the little ones meltdowns and moved inside to play.

Today's opportunities to roll with it were pretty easy. We had a lot of fun and I had to give myself some credit for manifesting a shift so quickly. Maybe tomorrow I'll just manifest smooth sailing. 

I'm grateful for the cosmic laugh. I'm grateful to see how my own words created today's reality. I'm grateful I rolled with it in greater ease today. I'm grateful tomorrow will be smooth sailing (see, see what I did there). I'm grateful to share lots of laughs with my girls today. I'm grateful for my vast creativity that can come up with new ideas easily. 

What are you asking for today? How is your language creating your future? What words would you like to focus on and which would you like to shift?

May we remember our power in creating our reality. May we laugh at our misdirections and gently correct course. Have a beautiful day!

Taking the time to connect with someone can make all the difference in our lives. Whether it is spending time with a loved one, listening to a friend, hugging a child, or even giving your dog a little pet; just a couple minutes can bring a shift. 

When I woke up this morning I did a small workout. I hadn't been at it very long when I heard my dog sigh. Rather than keep at what I was doing, I went over and laid next to her bed. Working out is important to me. It is good self-care. But my dog's days are numbered and I know she is feeling it. During the day I am busy with my kids and she sleeps on the nearest dog pillow. So this quiet, peaceful time was the perfect chance for me to renew my connection with her and feed both our souls a bit. 

As always, she enjoyed the attention. I lay there stroking her fur, feeling how soft it is. We stayed that way for ten or fifteen minutes before she needed to move positions and I got up to research an idea I had. 

I'm so grateful I listened to her sigh. I'm grateful to give her this special time and focus. I'm grateful for the comfort it brought me to snuggle her. I'm grateful for all the years we have had together and for the time we have left. I'm grateful to read her cues. I'm grateful to connect with my kids through some fun games this morning. I'm grateful to have connected with my husband last night through a great conversation we shared. I'm grateful for all the wonderful people in my life and meaningful connections we make. 

What connections do you cherish most? How much time to you commit each day or week to keeping up those connections?

May we take the time for what is most important to us. May we share deep, loving connections. Have a beautiful day!

What if I told you there was a treasure box hidden in your house? What would that mean to you? What treasure would you want to find?

Often it seems treasure is synonymous with money or gold or jewels. But what if treasure was so much more? What if treasure boxes could be filled with love? Then what would that treasure look like to you?

For me it would be moments like yesterday with family. It would look like crafting and playing in the sandbox today with my kids. It would look like a nice soak in the tub with some soft music for myself. It would look like kisses and hugs and joy. It would look like a nice dinner with my husband. 

Maybe it would be filled with notes of gratitude. Maybe my treasure box would be the sounds of my kids when they are saying "I love you, Mommy." It could even be filled with all the kind gestures people have done that help this world be such a beautiful place. 

My treasure box may look very different from yours. We may have different treasures. Even in different stages of my own life, my treasure box would look different. There is no wrong or right to what your treasures would be.

I actually have a small wooden purse that I use as a treasure box of sorts. It has a handkerchief of my grandma's. It has a rosary of my other grandma. It has a worry doll a friend gave me when I was going through a tough time. It holds my most cherished little stuffed elephant from when I was a child. It has a special momento I collected on an inspiring walk I took. 

Perhaps you have little treasures like this of your own. Perhaps your treasure box is stored just in the beautiful memories you have made. Whatever your treasure is; I hope you find it close to home and often.

I'm grateful to help my daughter make a treasure box today. I'm grateful to have a wider view of all the possible treasures life holds. I'm grateful for the joy opening my own treasure purse can bring. I'm grateful for a box of positive notes I wrote myself that is a treasure box of it's own accord. I'm grateful to know treasure can be found anywhere. I'm grateful to seek out the little treasures in each day.

May today ignite our quest to find our own hidden treasures. May they be simple and fill our hearts. Have a beautiful day!

It's National Random Acts of Kindness Day and I will admit I feel a little stumped. Other than sending out a few texts and trying to be extra kind to my family, I'm not really sure how best to celebrate this day. 

In past years I would hold the door for someone, compliment an outfit, maybe surprise a coworker or someone with something small I popped in and grabbed from the store. Between the pandemic's changes to my shopping, work schedule, and just being out in general and the addition of six inches of snow in the last couple days it has been a bit trickier this year. 

I've tucked a couple little treats in my purse in case I do happen upon a coworker that isn't busy with a client. I fed the dog early. I gave my daughter a little extra time before nap. 

The truth is it doesn't really matter what is going on, there are things we can do for people to celebrate. It doesn't matter if we can't do twenty things, even one random act of kindness can make a difference. The more important part is that we try and do at least one positive thing. But why limit it to just one day? Especially right now when statistics are saying more people are struggling with stress and depression than ever reported before; now is the time to do what we can to boost each other up. 

Boost up the people you know. Boost up the people you've never met before. Do nice things for anyone you can and you will most likely find that it boosts you up as well. It feels good to do kind things for others. So why hold ourselves back? Why limit it to one day or one act? Let's let go of the how and just do it.

I'm grateful to see a silly mental block limiting me because of things looking different this year. I'm grateful to Mario punch right through that silly block and pumped up about all the possibilities. I'm grateful for a day of random acts of kindness. I'm grateful to be reminded how even simple little things can make a difference in someone's day. I'm grateful for my mom's text this morning as part of her acts of kindness. I'm grateful for the ability to stay connected to people over text and share positive messages of love. 

What will you do today? How will you make a difference?

May today remind us how easy it is to lift each other up. May we do small acts each day to boost the people around us and feel boosted ourselves. Have a beautiful day!