What lights you up? What is that thing you really want to do but haven’t done yet? Maybe it sounds something like this…. I am going to quit my job and start a biz. I am going to book a trip to New Zealand. (I highly recommend NZ by the way) I am going to stand up for myself. I am going to get a new job that lights me up. I am going to tell that special someone I love them. I am going to sign up for that race. I am going to get in shape and feel healthy. I am going to improve my relationships with my partner. I am going to do that thing I keep talking about. Does this sound familiar? What are you not moving forward in? Maybe it’s one thing, maybe its a few. Write them down on a sticky note. We all have things we want to do, dreams, beautiful visions for what we want our life to look like. You know, the ones that light us up and get excited about. Then there are the blocks, the stops, the delays in not going forward with our visions. Maybe it’s that little voice you hear- I’m not ready, I’m not enough, I don’t deserve that thing, I can’t do it. Write these reasons on another sticky note. I like sticky notes. Look at this one next to your dreams and take a look. So, what do you see? Amazing life on one side and BS stories we tell ourselves on the other. The BS stories are made up, they don’t define who you are and the life you live. The stories will keep you from the life you want to create...if you choose. I get it. Been there. I remember all the fears and doubts coming up when I started my business, the reinvention of my career, my first time traveling internationally solo and my first race. It went from “I’m so freaking excited” to "what the hell am I doing?” One story is totally disempowering and the other is more empowering and way more fun! It was also my choice of which place to come from. Post that sticky note of what you want to create somewhere where you can see it daily. Recycle the other one. This is your life to create…dream big and take action! If you need a little support getting there, reach out to me! PS: Picture from a backpacking trip in Peru on our way to Machu Picchu after climbing our highest peak at about 16,000 ft. elevation!
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Somehow we learned to have date expectations on what we will accomplish and what's supposed to happen in our life. It starts off as a child- we will walk by age 1, have a drivers license at age 16, go to college and graduate by age 21, get married and have babies in our 20’s etc. The list goes on. I went to college and graduated relatively “on time”, went to graduate school, graduated and gained employment. I met my future husband, got married in my 20’s. Then in my early 30’s...divorce. Wait, that wasn’t the plan! I thought I was supposed to get married, have babies and live happily after? Ok that was what I thought in my 20’s and that there was a certain path I thought I needed to follow in order to be successful. Although I was devastated by divorce and the stigma around it, this event set me on a new trajectory. I had the opportunity for reinvention and this time, on my terms. I challenged old belief systems of what I thought had to do and traded it with what I want to do. Right after divorce, I went to Costa Rica and traveled. I adore travel and adventure and love seeing the world. I always had dreams of being self-employed, so I started my own business- a counseling private practice. Through having my own business, I gained a greater sense of self-confidence as I was making it happen and doing it on my own. I followed my heart and went for it and 12 years later I am still self-employed! I went on to travel the world and have been to some amazing places. I developed my original love for the outdoors and began hiking a lot more. I have hiked all over the world. I began running and challenging myself through races. I developed my passion for my hobbies and met some incredible people along the way. So a couple years ago I hit a plateau in my life. So I hired my own coach and then followed a long time dream of mine- to become a coach! I enrolled in a rigorous one year program and here I am, building a new business…at 45! Reinvention again! So, not everything happens on an unexpected time line. I let go of societal expectations and limiting expectations of myself. By setting aside these expectations, I discovered that it gave me the mental space to realize that I AM far greater and deserving than the limited expectations I had once put on myself. Belief systems of what I “should be” were now squashed by what I “could be” and “would be”. I also discovered I am far greater than the expectations others have put on me. Let me tell you, this hasn’t happened with out fear. I had a ton of fear, anxiety. I had grief of my divorce and the loss of my dad. I grieved the loss of my in-laws that I adored. It took some time, but I allowed myself to feel all the feelings I needed to feel- anger, sadness, grief, and joy and excitement. My life shifted when I really let go of those expectations and began trying new things. As I said above, I am far greater than the expectations myself or others placed on me. When I think about all the experiences over the years, I get excited because I made them happen....I did it! Every time that I hiked a mountain, tried something new, traveled a new place, ran a race, the old version of me dissolved giving way to a far more integrated me. I chose to stretch myself mentally and physically, placing Unlimited Potential for my new life and growing in ways I never thought possible. I have dreams and visions of what I will create next. I want to be me, I want to give back, I want to inspire others, I want to love hard, I want to see more of this amazing world. I get to reinvent myself at any age…. on my own timeline. What would reinvention look like to you if you push your limiting beliefs aside, get adventurous, and see what is possible?? I can’t wait to hear!! We often don’t talk about what we really want from a friend or what kind of friend we want to be. Many happily married people will tell you, the reason why their marriage is successful is because of their strong friendships. As many happily single people will tell you, the reason why they're happy is because of their solid network of support. A truly like-minded and like-hearted individual with whom you share that special alchemy — is a gift. Just like one of the keys to a successful partnership is to learn about what it means to give love, one of the secrets to attracting and sustaining meaningful and rich friendships is to become the friend you wish to have. I love the thought: Be the person you wish to attract. So, I have given it some thought about what kind of friend I want to be and what qualities I would like in a close friendship. So for me, these are a few things that stand out. A good friend: 1. Listens with empathy and presence This is, perhaps, the most important is being present and listening without interruption or offering unsolicited advice. A great friend listens with an open heart, is fully present and asks follow-up questions that indicate the she was, in fact, really listening. 2. Holds space for other When someone is talking about trouble at work, for example, a great friend doesn't turn the conversation to talk about trouble at her job unless it's completely in service of supporting the one who initiated the conversation. There are times one person may be in need of support, and other times you may need support and the space held for you. A great friend is mindful of time and space and acts accordingly. 3. Has good boundaries A great friend is able to keep secrets and is honest. If someone shares something private with you, a great friend doesn't share it with anyone else without explicit permission. 4. Supports others' successes A great friend is a cheerleader. If your friend strikes a book deal, you take her out to lunch. If your friend meets the woman of his dreams, you make time to hear every detail. You take genuine pleasure in others' joy, even if you're struggling to find your own at times. 5. Is vulnerable A great friend doesn't only share what's working in his or her life, but is also willing to share the "shadow" elements. This doesn't mean getting stuck in a victim mentality where you're always complaining, but it does mean not falling prey to the cultural injunction to "put on a happy face." Even if all your friends think you have a perfect marriage, for example, you make sure you share the struggles as well. 6. Makes time to connect Love is action in all relationships, which means it's not enough to say I love you; you need to act in loving ways. A great friend makes time to remain connected through telephone calls and in-person dates (if it's not a long-distance friendship). And texting isn't real communication. It serves a function to communicate perfunctory information, but it doesn't build or maintain true intimacy. 7. Honors commitments If you say you're going to be there at 3pm, be there at 3pm. If you can't make it by then, a great friend communicates that she's going to be late. Being regularly late sends a clear message that your friend isn't important enough to honor a time commitment, even if that's not what you're trying to communicate. 8. Can tolerate another's pain Like #1 above, being able to tolerate your friend's pain is a rare quality. I mean being able to hold a wide and compassionate space for your friend to go through his or her grieving process, no matter how long it takes. A great friend is able to listen to a friend crying without having to say or do anything. The silence communicates profound respect for the depth of vulnerability that your friend is trusting you enough to share with you, and a great friend holds it with care. A great friend is a gift to cherish for a lifetime and is often the lifeline that gets you through the rough patches of daily living. If you've even one or friend who embodies these qualities, count your blessings! Last week I was out on my morning run and stumbled across a huge branch on the trail. So I climbed over it and so gracefully got my foot stuck and fell down in the mud! So it had me thinking about having goals and visions then hitting an obstacle on my path and my own relationship with obstacles. From time to time, we all have setbacks, blocks and obstacles on our path to achieving success and living the life of our dreams. We’re told that we just have to be determined, push harder, and strive to overcome these landmines. But does it ever feel like you’re forcing a square peg into a round hole? Like no matter how hard you try, you’re completely blocked? How I faced that branch on my path is typical of how I tackle roadblocks. I climb over them and push my way through them. Yes, my persistence does work sometimes and I reach my goal. I also sometimes fall down in the mud because I pushed too hard. I noticed the times that I stopped forcing and started allowing is when things really started to move for me. This doesn’t mean I don’t take action steps and face the obstacles presented, it’s simply done with less push, force and angst. Blocks can be a great teacher. If you pay close enough attention, you might just be able to create a breakthrough. Here are four ways that blocks can actually lead to success: 1. Blocks point out where things aren’t flowing for you. When you can’t write anymore, your inspiration is gone for the day. When you can’t run any longer, your muscles are exhausted. When you can’t think anymore, your productivity for that meeting plummets. Blocks pop up in areas of our life where energy just isn’t flowing. It warns us that something just isn’t working here and it’s time to take a break, or go a different route. Sometimes that pause can help you reconnect to what your vision is, and sometimes we realize the original goal no longer serves us. 2. It feels unnatural to you. Most blocks come about because we’re forcing something that was never a good fit to begin with. We’re trying to do things the way we’re told they’re supposed to be done or we’re trying to hide certain parts of our personality. So maybe traditional marketing isn’t your thing, but hosting fun parties is and focusing on connection is. Whatever the case, blocks point out when things feel unnatural and encourage us to be more authentic. 3. Sometimes the best way to get through a wall is just to walk around it. We can be so obsessed with an obstacle that we forget why we were trying to overcome it in the first place. Maybe you want a book deal because it will help you get more clients. If the book deal isn’t working, that doesn’t mean you’re doomed to never get more clients. Forget the obstacle and find a new path to your ultimate goal. Many times, obstacles point out that one tiny part of the plan isn’t working, not the whole thing. 4. Lack of resources teaches you how to be resourceful. When you’re unable to move forward, you have no choice but to get creative. The advantage of being pushed to the edge of the cliff is that we learn how to fly. Blocks teach us things about ourselves that we never thought possible and push us to blow our expectations out of the water. So the next time you come up to a block in your life, consider that maybe it’s there for a reason. Maybe it’s there to teach you what comes naturally to you or where things flow for you. Maybe it’s there to help you figure out just how much potential you really have inside. Maybe it’s there to help you stop taking on other people’s blueprints for success and start building your own. Once you realize what you can really accomplish, good luck to anything that tries to get in your way. If you are feeling blue in the winter, you're not alone! Lots of people feel a bit low as the days get darker and colder. But while many experience the winter blues, there are some who experience seasonal affective Disorder(SAD). SAD can be quite debilitating and can cause feelings of sadness, irritability, sluggishness, and eating and sleep disturbances. Although it's likely to be caused by multiple factors, seasonal affective disorder and winter blues have been closely linked to lessened exposure to light since the days get shorter and darker throughout fall and winter. This could lead to a cascade of physiological changes, including a disruption of the circadian rythyms, lower vitamin D feels, dysregulation of serotonin, and overproduction of melatonin. Couple this with post-holiday blues and a dislike of cold temperature, and you many find yourself longing for warmer, longer, sunnier days. 1) Notice Your Patterns As the fall sets in, I've made a habit to ask my clients about their mood patterns over the past several fall and winter seasons. Upon reflection, many people can start to recognize that their moods worsen during this time frames and this knowledge is powerful. It enables us to work proactively to structure their winters and plan ahead of time to combat their seasonal blues. 2) Rule out medical causes Haven't gotten around to that annual physical yet? Now might be a good time to visit your doctor. Various medical issues, including viral illnesses and endoncrinologial disorders such as thyroid disfunction, can disguise themselves as a low mood in the winter. A lack of certain vitamins can also contribute, as seen below. 3) Check your Vitamin D levels Low Vitamin D levels particular have been associated with depressive symptoms. Further, vitamin D levels notoriously drop during the wintry months. For this reason, many physicians will test your Vitamin D levels and may suggest vitamin D supplementation to help boost your mood during the winter. 4) Rethink the winter Reframing your thoughts about the wintertime can be quite powerful. Many people in the darkest, most northern cities view wintertime differently. It's often seen as a time that is cozy, a time for celebration and togetherness with loved ones. I look at winter as a period of rest for the spring, summer, and fall. 5) Soak up the natural light Exposure to natural light can help with low mood. Bundle up and try to get out of the house, even on cooler days, to get ample exposure to natural light. While in your house, open your shades to allow natural sunlight in. Perching yourself by those windows will give you a little boost from the natural light. 6) Create your own sunlight Lightboxes are widely recommended by physicians in the treatment of winter depression. Designed to mimic the sunlight, medical-grade lightboxes also come with UV filters that block out harmful UV rays that are damaging to the skin. A short but consistent 20-30 minute exposure to the light created by these light boxes every morning can be high effect with minimal side effects for most people. Since light boxes are not consistently regulated, it's important to seek out a physicians guidance when choosing one. 7) Connect with others As the winter wears on, many of us can feel like withdrawing from our social lives. While enjoying cozy time at home may protect us from braving the cold, it can also result in avoidant and isolating behaviors that can leave us feeling lonely and sad. Reaching out to our friends and make sure our social calendar remains active and fulfilling is a great way to combat those winter blues and help us feeling connected and supported. 8) Get moving Exercise is known to be protective for our mood, can lower levels of stress, and, for many of us, holds a strong association with mental and physical well-being. While exercising outsides gives you the dual benefit of natural-light exposure and physical activity, sometimes the weather can make that impossible. On those days, hitting the gym, and choosing equipment closer to the window is ideal. I love a warm yoga class on a cold day too! 9) Stay Structured Fight the urge to snooze in bed for that extra hour and instead opt to stick to your normal routine. Having regular sleep-wake times and sticking with your schedule can help structure your day, keeping you feel productive, and combat the sluggishness that often occurs with the winter blues. It's tempting to sleep for longer hours during those darker days, research has shown that excessive sleep is neither medically or mentally healthy. 10) Stay away from certain foods Certain dietary choices are linked to an increased risk of seasonal affective disorder. Maintaining good health through eating balanced and nutritious meals is essential in protecting yourself against SAD. Specifically, SAD, is associated in increased carbohydrate cravings, so being mindful of carb intake and limiting refined sugar could help curb irritably along with eating anti-inflammatory foods can support good mental health at any time of the year. Drink alcohol moderately as it is a known depressant and can affect your mood, behaviors, and sleep cycles. Staying hydrated can be helpful too. 11) Self Compassion and Self-Care You may not be feeling on your A game right now, have compassion for where you are. What are some things you might need right now? A long hot bath? Catching up with a good book? Is there anything you can let go of right now to create space for yourself? Take time for you and what you need right now. 12) Seek professional help It might be one of the reasons above, but there could also be other explanations for low mood this time of year. The holidays can stir up difficult family dynamics or feelings of sadness that we are left to contend with after the busyness of the holiday season ends. It can be incredibly powerful and effective to seek a therapist's assistance in helping to explore and work through these emotions. While the above-mentioned tips are highly effective for most people, if you find yourself still struggling with your mood, it may be time to be evaluated by a physician or schedule an appointment with a licensed a licensed therapist. While the above information is helpful to know, it should not be taken for medical advice. Spring is coming shortly!! :) Anytime we are stepping out of our comfort zone and trying for something, whether that be asking someone on a date, starting a new business, climbing mountains, changing jobs, etc., we are going to feel some degree of fear. Our minds want to keep us safe and it's easy to confuse the fear with whether we should take the next step or stay in our safe, comfort zone. I remember when I started my business(14 years ago this week!), I remember thinking: How risky is this? Is it worth it? Can I really make this happen? Do I have what it takes? I remember being super nervous and fearful, but excited too. Someone recently told me that I was fearless. No, I most definitely experience fear. I also spend a lot of my free time hiking, trail running and mountain biking. There have been big falls that created some fear when I did my sport again and there are times I've walked along a cliff and felt my heart race. I arrived in foreign countries and felt panic initially when I didn't speak the language. So what are the pros? Doing something I loved. Turning a passion into a career. Building my confidence when I faced my fears and did it anyway. The cons? Making mistakes. Taking on significant emotional and financial stress. Giving up a stable job. I may trip and fall down again and get hurt. Ultimately, I decided I couldn't live forever in fear of the cons. Yes, there are risks involved with owning a biz. Yes, I may fall again when I trail run or mountain bike. There could be a root I trip over, I may have a slow month in my business. I may still have fear but I don't dwell on those fears. Instead, I acknowledge my fears, but I don't let them be in the driver's seat of my decisions. I continue run my business and I won't stop climbing or running mountains. I created a mini road map of tools that helped me manage my fears of failure and to embrace risk. Whether you're starting your own company or trying to achieve another goal, these tips are highly relatable no matter what mountain you're trying to conquer: 1. Be honest with yourself Before embarking on a risky endeavor, assess your strengths and weaknesses. What are your necessary hard and soft skills to improve the likelihood of success? If you don't, how can you acquire them, or whom can you bring on board to help? 2. Commit to the endeavor Once you decide that you're equipped to take on the risk, commit and go for it. Wavering only increases fear and doubt. Don't look back. Stay focused on the end goal. You are more like to get what you want when you make a strong commitment to it. I love when I set out on a hike or a trail run, I have no choice but to find my way to the trail head. I can't quit or I will be stuck in the middle of the woods without food or water! 3. Stay grounded. As you barrel toward your goal, it's easy to feel out of control and ungrounded. Fear is going to get triggered and you may want to run in the opposite direction! Learn to fight that feeling. Take small steps to remind yourself that you are taking action. I find it helpful to practice breathing exercises when my fear gets triggered or repeat a mantra about being calm, confident, and in control when I feel anything but that. This grounds me —and even embrace—the stress and chaos that comes from taking a risk. Eventually, you'll be able to climb your own mountain with both speed and finesse. 4. Trust Yourself When you embark on this risk, some people may try to talk you out of it or tell you to change course. In those moments, you have to trust yourself and war's best for you. You've committed to it. No one knows the vision behind it better than you do, so stay true to your gut. I don't mean that you shouldn't be open to advice, but make sure that your decisions are aligned with the direction you've laid out. Sometimes a run feels totally effortless—every force and condition is in sync That's the sweet spot I seek out in decision-making. 5. Embrace your successes and learn from your mistakes It's important to embrace your successes and the feelings of excitement, confidence, or power after taking a risk. Take time to acknowledge your accomplishments. However, remember there will definitely be mistakes, too—and maybe moments of regret and self-doubt. Don't let them stop you. Learn from them and continue going forward. Every day I'm learning from new challenges. While I hope for more epic runs than crashes, I'm aware that there will be plenty of both along the way. Just know, though, I don't for a second regret taking this crazy entrepreneurial risk or partaking in any of my outdoor adventures —so look down the mountain, take a deep breath, and get after it. Has anyone been told they are too much or feared you were too much for others? Have you ever not shared or downplayed your strengths because you cared what others thought of you? I have and choosing to come from a more empowering place and share what empowers me. •My voice and laugh carries across a room. I'm vibrant, full of energy and value humor. I also know when to sit back and listen and observe, I learn a lot that way. •I earned every bit of my education, certifications, and licensure. I’m proud of my hard work, determination and my commitment. I’m a lifelong learner and love to learn, be challenged and grow. I’ll be the 85 year old in class! •I love deeply and I have a full range of emotions and feelings. I love big hugs. I’m a passionate human! •I’ve managed my business for almost 12 years, I earned every penny with the work I put into it and 100% supported myself. Many times I wanted to throw in the towel but so glad I haven’t. My biz is in service of making a difference in other people’s lives, I’m lucky to have worked with some incredible clients. •I’ve traveled the world and sometimes alone because at times I need that and I love it. I meet cool people that way. I’m an avid outdoors girl and love the challenge of climbing a beautiful mountain, trail running or biking. Some of my best conversations are on a trail or the middle of a lake. •I appreciate my friendships and love connections with others. I also value my time alone to just be. I value my mind and body, and take care of myself. •I’m resilient and strong. I’ve lost, I’ve grieved. I have been knocked down and life doesn’t always go my way. I make mistakes and make an effort to learn from them. But I get back up and go forward. •I live by my terms not how someone says I should live. I like kids a lot, but perfectly fine not having my own. Although I want another dog. •I’m single and live a full life, a partner will only add to my happiness. I am totally open to love, partnership with an incredible guy who loves me for who I am, and encourages me to be my best self. I have not given up on big, juicy, epic love. I will wait until it feels right.❤️ Live out loud, be you, be too much. Be your powerful amazing self. There may be people that will think you are too much, be true to you. You don’t have to play small, the right people will love and appreciate you for all of your greatness. Xoxo To live fully and presently, it's noticing all the moments and when we are in default mode. Do you automatically whip out your phone when you see an incredible sunset? How about when you’re at a concert and your favorite song is being performed? I'm guilty of both.
To authentically enjoy it, whatever “it” may be, is to pay attention. To be engaged. To be enthusiastic. To be present. We can choose careers out of default because our parents wanted us to. We sometimes get married then have kids because it's what society implies we do. We have belief systems that we learn from childhood and don't challenge them because "that's the way I was raised". Default mode is doing what we think we should do without thinking through what we may truly want for ourselves-even if it does not fit the status quo. We could make a huge impact on our life and other lives if we shifted our default modes and our habits. How often do we use the typical greetings: “Hi, how are you?” and “Have a good day" or "I'm well, and you?". These automatic phrases we say to strangers and even loved ones strips us from having a real connection, and connection is the thing that matters most in life. Turn off autopilot so we can make life more interesting and genuine. Try tea instead of coffee one morning. Instead of checking your phone right after you wake up, just sit there for a few minutes and listen to the morning. When you do, maybe you’ll notice some really incredible moments unfolding, like the birds chirping out your window singing to you. We may find that when we are totally present, we notice the colors of the sunset in all of it's vibrance. We can hear our favorite song performed at the concert so much more intense. To ask how someone truly is could impact someone's day. It's not just showing up, it's being present to the special moments life presents. Sing loudly, laugh fiercely, clap hard, dance, and most importantly, show your compassion and emotion. Open up your heart and allow yourself to be sensitive. There’s nothing wrong with expressing love and gratitude, but our culture is so keen on making sensitivity seem like a negative thing. To be alive, to really feel intensely, to say things like they matter—that’s the best part about the human experience. If we treated every day as a celebration, how would our lives look? How would the people around us feel? How would we transform and impact our community? Life is constantly changing whether we like it or not. We grow older, we find ourselves living in a new city, we find new jobs, we learn more about ourselves and evolve, our friends and loved ones evolve, relationships change, the seasons change. It’s a constant cycle of movement and there’s nothing that can stop it. Take advantage of the fact that we have the power to shape our realities, which is how this change continues. Get messy, get bold. Weed out those moments of mechanical motions, repeated phrases, and half-assed hugs and kisses. Life is too short to live and love only half way. Zeal is contagious, and the energy and light you reflect out can only be reflected back to you. The holiday season is upon us once again. While others are hanging lights, baking Christmas cookies, and getting excited about the season, you may not be feeling as sparkly about the holidays. All of the cheer and merriment of the holidays can shine a bright light on whatever issue you might be facing—a loss of a loved one, the loss of a pet, a year that didn’t go as planned, a relationship ending, or a personal challenge—and you’d rather stay under the covers and wake up when it’s January. It’s tough to be down in the dumps or going through a tough time when reminders of Christmas are all around you. Going into hibernation til January isn’t practical (or healthy), so I put together some practices for you to utilize through December and the winter season. These are suggestions, do what serves you and brings you the most comfort and joy. 1) Connect with others When you are faced with an obstacle, it’s your support system that matters most. Lean on family and friends. Reach out. Talk to them. Our relationships make us feel like we are all in this together. Your relationships contribute greatly to your overall well-being. Let others lift you up. Even better? Grab a friend and take a walk or go to a group fitness class. Moving your body and connecting with friends are two ways to greatly enhance your overall well-being. I love my run club and yoga classes for this! 2) Scan for the things you like Maybe you aren’t going through a loss or a specific problem right now, you just don’t like the holidays because you don’t like where your life is at right now. For me I don't love the cold and dark evenings. Remember, your life doesn’t have to be perfect for you to enjoy it. Is there anything you like about this time of year? You don’t have to put your happiness on hold just because you have some personal goals still in progress. 3) Pay Tribute If you are experiencing a loss that has you feeling sad, an idea is to use your emotions to pay tribute. For example, if you lost someone special this year, you can do this by working on a photo album, writing a personal tribute, or sharing stories and memories of the person you lost. If your loss is a relationship ending (divorce or a break-up)you can switch the focus and pay tribute to your own life. What are some things you could do for just you that would restore your spirit? If it’s a beloved pet that you lost, you can pay tribute and donate some of your time to the local animal shelter or create a positive memory by framing a picture of your cherished pet. Take some small steps that create a feeling of comfort in you. 4) Gratitude Whether times are great or times are tough, gratitude is an instant mood lifter. Notice what’s going right. Even if you are going through a difficult personal challenge, there is always something to be grateful for in your life. Think of three things when you wake up in the morning or make a list of all the things you are grateful for when your day ends. You will be reminding yourself to pay attention to and spend some time with the positive. I just started a gratitude jar in which I write what I am grateful for that day and put in a jar. I will read a year from now or when I need a reminder. 5) Do something kind for someone else The best way to get out of your own head—especially when it’s a painful or sorrowful place to be—is to redirect your focus to someone else. Giving back to someone else is not only kind, it’s a great way to feel better about yourself. 6) Create your own traditions If people or circumstances in your life have changed to where you can’t have the same holiday that you like to have, simply start new traditions. It might be hard to do things differently if you liked how things used to be, but you have the power to create new traditions to cherish. Start with these questions: 1. What do you want your holiday to be like this year? 2. How can you make that happen? 7) Find some laughter and humor I love the feeling of laughing so hard you get tears in my eyes? Sit down with your super hilarious friend, or watch a funny movie. Whatever makes you laugh, immerse yourself in it for a little levity and an escape from what’s weighing you down. Laughter really is one of the best medicine. December might be painful for you because of what you are going through, give yourself lots self-compassion and kindness. I hope you can discover some magical moments of joy this holiday season. I was out on my morning trail run run and noticed the colors on the leaves were more muted and many have fallen off. I noticed how magnificent nature was, exactly as it was with no enhancements. There is nothing to change, nothing to fix. What if you saw your own magnificence for just being who you are, for simply being you? The best gift you can give others and yourself, is to be you. That doesn't imply you do not grow or evolve, it simply means the essence of you shines through...beautifully. |
AuthorLife and Leadership Coach, Licensed Counselor, outdoor enthusiast, yoga lover and passionate about wellness. Archives
May 2022
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