Author: C

First Snow Fall of the Season

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There is something so magical to me about the first snowfall of the season. Mother nature is dusty us all with this beautiful white blanket. A new canvas to start again. No two snowflakes are alike. It wipes the landscape clean with all the white glow yet also creates an entirely new view of the world around us. It slows us down. It creates a stillness we so often don’t get to see. Especially in urban areas. It is just pure magic. There is so much joy seeing the snow from a child’s eyes too. It just looks like a huge playground of adventure. I hope you find joy in the snow this winter and not just angst due to traffic, snow shoveling, and difficulty parking. Celebrate the magic of it too! Bundle up, enjoy some hot chocolate and be a kid! Let it snow. Let it snow. Let it snow! (*Pictures from my iphone in Jan 2016)

Filling Your 2017 Jar

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  Awhile a back I shared I have a worry jar. A place where I write down my worries and place them in a jar so I can let go of them (especially the one’s out of my control). And in doing that, it helps free me  of that worry. I also recently came across an idea from my friend Dawn that I am going to do this year as well. Todd agreed to do to it with me too so I’m excited. We are going to do each month so it is more realistic that we will complete this. Here is how it works: Each month, we are going to write down a memory of that month that we love. And put it in the jar. And then on New Years Eve of next year (2017), we are going to open them up and read the great memories. And celebrate the last year. I hope to make this an annual tradition. Does anyone else want to try this?! You can do every week or …

2017 Sunrise

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* Sunrise in Wyoming during a hike (picture from my iphone) As you start 2017, I suggest trying my annual exercise reflecting on the past year. Look back, to learn from your success and failure and set some realistic goals for the year to come. It is a great exercise and highly recommend doing it. Start the year by refueling and re-energizing for the year to come! A sunrise to the year….a time to start over or redo or repeat. Here is the link: http://yearcompass.com/  

Restorative Yoga: Great during the holiday season

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Every Sunday I go to a restorative yoga class. And it transform me to another place for 60 minutes. A place of calm, serene, and total connection to my body. You stretch, mediate, and re-set for the week. It creates a calm and overall peace that is a wonderful way to both end and start the week. So today, as you are looking to refuel your mind, body, and soul….check out a restorative yoga class in your neighborhood. This is a great activity amongst all the noise and excitement of the holiday season. It allows you to escape for those 60 minutes to a different place, away from stress, food, shopping, and all the hustle and bustle. What other things do you do to re-charge in the holiday season? A good book? Cooking? napping?

Joyful Moments (bonus blog today)- Making sure you identify and appreciate when things are good

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So as I was journaling today, I realized how darn good my life is in this moment.  I know what bad times feel like. We all do. Between illness, death, depression, bad jobs, bad luck, break ups/heartbreak, money issues, etc…..most of our life we always can remember the dark times and tend to wallow in them. But how often do we acknowledge and really celebrate the high moments to? Like really stop and be joyful during them. Close your eyes, soak the feeling in, and make sure you have these memories to get you through the dark times. Life is so amazing too. And no matter how dark it gets, you can always find light and joy again. That resiliency and excitement of the unknown is what keeps us going. So today, I am joyful for this moment. It may not last long or it may be a long moment in time. But regardless, I know what it feels like and I am so thankful and joyful for it. I hope if you are going …

Holiday Dress Up- Party Dress, Party Shoes and Dance

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I realized today as I sit in my favorite nook of the house drinking tea/eating xmas cookies and reflecting on the week that I really love dressing up. And how much it affects your mood.  And for some reason on these cold winter months, dressing up is more important at certain times (other times a good warm sweater and a blanket are perfect). Even if you don’t have a fancy party to go, it made me realize, we should all have more dinner parties that require dress up. Dressing up really does change your mood. It gives you more confidence and sass. Think about how your favorite party dress and heels just makes you feel better. And for men too. A nice custom suit totally gives you a different attitude. So my advice today is….find a way to dress up this holiday season. It really will allow you to feel good about yourself and makes for a more festive season. I know this one is a superficial post but yet so true. Taking pride in …

Home

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“A comfortable home is a great source of happiness. It ranks immediately after health and a good conscience.” — Sydney Smith I realized that one of the reasons I have adapted to moving so much in my adult life is that I have the ability to create a home quickly. To create my safe haven that is comfortable, warm, and peaceful. And my home in DC is my safe haven. My peaceful place. My place where I can curl up on a couch, smell my favorite candles and flowers, read, sit in silence, and just be myself. As I go through the holidays, I decorate no matter what place I’m in with a tree and cozy little winter blankets. And the smell at fresh cookies in the oven. And a warm tea. And I realized through this quote, how important all these little things are to me. They calm me and give me a safe place to just relax. They provide me happiness and contentment. How do you create a home where you live? What …

I am thankful I have a cup

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As we enter Thanksgiving, I am hoping you and I remember how lucky we are. Not matter what is going on, we are given the gift to wake up in the morning and start again. And every morning is a new opportunity. “Gratitude helps us see what is there instead of what isn’t.”– Anonymous I love this quote. I read a book recently on how you can think about everything you don’t have or be upset with your friend or partner for everything they are not doing. Verses understanding how you view the situation is as much of a problem as they are (if not more). They are human and have their own internal and external struggles. Focus on being thankful they are in your life and the wonderful things you love about them and your frustration vs gratitude/appreciation balance completely changes. Sometimes we focus on what we don’t have and let competition, jealousy, a future desire outweigh what we have today. If you have a few friends, food on your table, and  roof over …

Refuel: Moving past the election

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I am struggling, admittedly. I am struggling to escape social media, the news, fear, ignorance, and the balance of not putting my head in the sand vs. not being so angry that is ruins relationships.  Trying to unite us yet make it clear I do not believe in hateful words spoken by our next president.  I go from being fucking pissed off, to being accepting, to being hopeful, to being scared, to being exhausted….and then wanting things to go back to normal. As I have written many times, it is all about balance and perspective. So, I do believe that time will answer a lot of the questions. Yet, I don’t know how to balance this with a need to act in some way. I have people I care about that voted for Trump (and Clinton). And while I love those individuals and I don’t think you are racist…..it is hard for me to imagine anyone ignoring such hateful words in order to see a different America. I have so many questions yet I don’t …

Changing of the Season

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Time change last night and I look outside and see the season changing as well. And I wonder, what else should I work on changing as we end 2016? What changes did you make this year? Which changes do you wish you could take back? Or do you wish you would have done? I think how much I have changed in this last year. Living with my boyfriend (a first for me), really settled into a new job, settled into a new apartment, visited lots of new places, and made some memories. I’m thinking it is time to add a new addition to our house. A puppy. A big life change for me and I hope one of many to come. Should I do it? I’m a bit nervous. Still trying to convince Todd. Change is the only constant. It keeps us young, open minded, and re-energizes you. It is also exhausting and scary. Are you holding back from a change you know you need to make? Or did you take a leap? You still have …