Birthdays

 

Birthdays

Birthdays are a time to not only celebrate but to reflect. It gives us time to pause and take inventory of our life. What is going well? What haven't we accomplished? What do we need to do differently? What do we need to stop doing altogether? What do we need to start doing that we have been putting off? Birthdays, just like New Year's (or truthfully it can be any day you choose) is a time to take inventory and plan a path forward that continues to support your growth, your goals, and your dreams. 

Remember ...

You are never too old to to create the life you have always dreamed of. 

You are never too old to leap for that dream. 

You are never too old to pick up that instrument.

You are never too old to make new friends.

You are never too old to join a supportive group of people.

You are never too old to try the spin class ... just start slow :)

You are never too old to fall in love.

You are never too old to create new habits.

Birthdays give us the opportunity to let go of the past, embrace the present, and forge a new future - one full of curiosity and awe.

Choices

 

Choices

Our lives are filled with choices from the time we open our eyes to the time we shut them again for the night. Choices present themselves all day long from what we wear, to what we eat, to who we spend our time with and everything in between. Sometime life just feels like one big choice and we get so tired of having to decide which way to go. If you really stop and think about it though - well that' the real beauty of life isn't? It's all a choice so if you are not happy with a part of your life, realizing you have a say in the matter is soul shifting. The revelation that you are not stuck, that you can alway make different choices will change not only your perspective but your life. These changes can be small or significant but either way they are impactful. Maybe for today, you just make one different choice and see how your life starts to shift. 

Exhale

Exhale

Have you ever held your breath for a few seconds and then deeply exhaled? What do you instantly feel? That would be relief! For a second your body relaxes, your shoulders soften and you realize the only thing you need to do for the next few seconds is just breathe and be in the stillness.

Life is like holding your breath at times. The pressure can slowly build and if we don't release it, it can get to a breaking point, well let's be real honest, YOU will get to a breaking point. Most of us live our lives releasing just enough pressure to not boil over but not enough to really bring us back to calm. We run from thing to thing, task to task, putting out as many fires as we can either in our personal lives, at work or most likely both while never taking moment to release the pressure ... and then we do it all again the next day.  

But there is always a moment to choose to exhale, fully and deeply exhale.  Let this be your moment ... and just maybe allow yourself to lean into that.

Grief

 

Grief

The dictionary defines grief as deep sorrow, usually from the loss of someone or something.  Grief is more than just deep sorrow though, it's feeling the deepest part of your soul in an aching anguishing pain that takes your breath away at times. It's feeling the fear of what comes next not knowing how to even focus on anything, no less the moment in front of you. It is all encompassing, it takes away your ability to taste food the same, hear sounds the same, or feel the same in spaces that once gave you comfort. It's a numbness that flows throughout your body like the waves in an ocean carrying everything from uncertainty, sadness, calmness, uncontrollable tears, and even anger.  There is no roadmap to grief. The only thing you can do is be gentle with yourself and others experiencing this level of loss. Understand that grief looks different for each person and give room for that, especially when it comes to your own feelings and emotions. Don't let other people's definition of grief and how to handle it become your own definition. Maybe if we allowed ourselves to take the time to truly grieve a loss, we would understand the love that was there at an even greater capacity.