Here are 15 found along the path of life. It's that time for a yearend review. So, I recently settled in with my cocoa, er coffee, er wine, to reflect on my year that was. "Balanced action" was my theme for 2023. Here are 15 of the gems I discovered and pebbles I followed along the way: 1. Ask for balance. My sister and I took a life-altering trip to Europe this summer. One reason it was so glorious is that we honored one another’s core desires. We discussed before the trip how we often vacation differently, focusing on different things. She is an extrovert, deriving her energy from external things—adventures, and being with and around people. As an ambivert (extroverted introvert), I get my energy from bouts of solitude and quieter moments. So, we honored both and enjoyed both. And we crossed things off our bucket lists—me, the Sound... Read more →

I sat on my patio watching the clouds roll across an amber sunrise as the birds sang their morning revelry. A peaceful moment as the thought came to mind, "I belong here." I belong. It was my birthday and I was reflecting, as I do every year, filing through recent thoughts on what I've learned over the last year. A question popped up. What's profound at this juncture in life? Shedding skin? Endings? New chapters? Initiations? Quiet moments? Surprising disruptions? Sure, all those things. But, there was something more. I pondered this as I gazed back at the horizon behind my house. The sky was active, the clouds in steady movement. I thought about how life rolls like clouds, moving in constant flow, sometimes stormy and tumultuous, sometimes clear and transparent, light, and fluffy. The air was still, spacious. My eye caught the resident bunny in his routine, back and... Read more →

Life’s teachers are literally everywhere. If you’re looking. "Thank you, Teacher." I had a beautiful conversation with a dear friend this week. We were working through something together, something that had found the space in our open hearts to discuss and resolve. Not the easiest thing for two people who avoid conflict. We'd made the commitment to one another years ago to be a safe place for telling the truth, for pushing each other to dig deeper, and after this conversation, we're closer than ever. We also talked about how challenging relationships and situations often are our greatest teachers. She reflected on her children, how they have taught her to be a better parent, and often it wasn’t the sunshine and roses moments that elevated her skills. It was the resistance, the conflict, the smart pushback and exchanges from and with her engaged, independent kids. Because she does the inner... Read more →

I was staring at the blank page of my journal, wondering where to start. Thoughts swirling, the to-do list fighting for attention, and annoying headlines that I read while still in bed dampened my plan for an early morning calm (for which I was still beating myself up). So, I slowed my breathing, took a sip of coffee, and turned to a favorite journaling technique I like to call, "Open Sesame." I reached for the top book from a stack on my coffee table, Robin Sharma's "The 5 AM Club," asked my guides for inspiration and, allowed the book to fall open where it may. Open sesame. It couldn't have been more divine. The first thing my eyes landed on was this Ayn Rand quote: "Do not allow your fire to go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the not-quite, the not-yet, and the not at... Read more →

I’ve been noticing something lately. It comes on softly, and often, so much so it usually slips by unnoticed. Fleeting. Little rushes. A vibration running in the background. Backup singers in my daily soundtrack. It’s the small rushes of gratitude and love. So rich. Richer than a gold rush. The thing I noticed is that they literally happen all the time. It’s tiny moments that trigger them. My cats, endless rushes of love that sprinkle my day, with his curious fascination as I do yoga, her kiss to my forehead, his headbutt nudge against my shoulder. Rushes. Text, calls, and time spent with family and friends. Rushes. Things I've taken for granted around my house, things I love that make me smile, like Grandpa's ashtray that's now a candy dish. Rushes. Most often you don’t notice or take the time to notice the tiny feeling that lasts a fraction of... Read more →

The dampness seeps through my cotton joggers. I don't realize it's raining until I sit on the patio chair, its cushion cool and moist. It’s not rain, but a soft mist so fine it looks like fluctuating pixels on a grainy live photograph. Constantly moving, shifting, changing. There must be fifty shades of green in the thicket of woods behind my house. Those early Spring greens. Fresh, young, budding baby leaves, lapping the nourishment of the dew. Wondering if it's the appetizer or the dessert. Finding strength in the anticipation. The wild daisies and lacy purple tansies carpet the yard's floor nearby. They appear to stand on their tiptoes with their faces prone as they capture the tiny moist droplets in their mouths. They seem at ease like there's enough to go around. Seems a fitting personality trait for wildflowers. The mist hits my face. I breathe it in. Best... Read more →

Often, when I open my journal I have no idea what I will write. Often, it's a question entering my mind that will get things started. Often it's surprising, seemingly out of left field. But, I know it's coming from an inner inquiry, something that begs my attention. Like this question that floated in recently: Where am I complacent? Not something I ponder often. And, after some digging into the notion of complacency, it became clear to me as to why. And, when I started to record some areas in my life where I am indeed complacent, it was a huge wake-up call. One worth heeding. What do you think of when you hear the word complacent? Complacency is a state of being satisfied with the status quo. More the point, stuck in the status quo. It can lead to a lack of motivation, boredom, decreased productivity, and a lack... Read more →

It’s been a whirl of a year so far. Already, and it’s only mid-January. And I asked for it! Here's how. Prior to the end of last year, as I do every year, I took a few days to reflect and renew. Reflect on the year that was and what I wished to leave behind. Then, renew by focusing on the year to come and where I want to expand and grow. It was with curiosity and not judgment that I ventured into this inquiry. This was in important part of the process. A conscious choice. Judgment mires you down to where you were stuck. It keeps you focusing on the negative, judgy self-talk. Curiosity sheds light on things. It creates wonderment and a growth mindset. So, with curiosity, I pondered it further with an exercise of 'more-of-this, less-of-that.' Such as: Less stagnation, more action Less hesitation, more just the... Read more →

The sun was a glowing orb framed by dark-rimmed clouds. Ever present the sun. The light. I was reminded again about how the light of the sun is always there. It doesn’t have to try, it’s ready to show up, to shine through as the beacon for all that is and will be. It's comforting. Light was my word for 2022. As I was filling the dishwasher about a year ago, the phrase flowed into my mind: 2022, the year of light. My intention for the year was to seek the lightness of being, to follow the light of my spirit in all areas of life. Today, there is much to ponder and reflect on. To share. So, what has come to light? In random order, here are a few things that have bubbled up and stayed with me. Perhaps it will spark in you things that have come to... Read more →

Sometimes a happy accident appears in your day that sets thoughts and motions in different directions. If you're paying attention. I was scrolling through my email when the subject line, "Your must question," caught my attention. "Your must question." At least, that's what I thought it said. Looking closer, it was actually, "You must question." Ah, that made sense. It was a directive by Ryan Holiday in a discussion about how, based on Stoic philosophy, it's important to continually question ourselves and the world. It's the way we grow, learn, pivot, and change. Couldn't agree more. But, I kept thinking about the other, what I thought it was. Your must question. That little happy accident lit me up! It got me thinking about passion and purpose and soul work, and dedication, devotion, and commitment. Must. What must I do? It feels driven. A definition for the word that resonates in... Read more →