My heart is with you as we are separated now because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I miss our in-person interactions, as most of us are staying-in-place to keep everyone healthy and safe. I’ll continue touching base with family, friends, clients, neighbors, and colleagues. I’ve used a variety of tools like FaceTiming with one of our daughters, having a virtual cocktail party with friends via Zoom, or going old school with the phone, email, and texts. There are many stories of struggle, but also of inspiration. And there is so much love.

The yoga studio I go to, like many businesses, has temporarily closed. Getting creative, they began offering yoga classes through Zoom. They also launched “Project Love” that will make practices available to anyone in the world for a $5 fee or free if the cost is a barrier. This community and the practice has been one of my sources of calm, strength, and connection during this time.

Next is a fluid, rapidly changing situation. Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat. Be well. Stay healthy.

I’ve noticed that change seems to revolve around three ideas- letting go, trusting, and embracing. To create change, I have to be willing to let go of what was, trust the process even if I feel unsure, and be able to embrace the new.

When we are used to something, including if it no longer serves us, it can be challenging to let go. But real change requires it. When we feel uncomfortable during transitions because we don’t know what will happen, what “new” will feel like, or issues we might encounter along the way, trust is essential. I remind myself that I’ve successfully navigated changes before. In spite of discomfort, change brings growth and opportunities. Real change requires trust in the self and the process. Then there is opening your arms and embracing change. When I lean in, rather than tense-up, I keep my mind open, creative, and flexible to the wonders before me.

As you embark on this new year and decade, what changes are you pondering?

Wishing you an amazing 2020!

Plunked down on our soft, gray, velvety sofa, I enjoyed some relaxing moments of quiet while looking out of the back window to see the brightly fall-colored woods. It was one of those crisp, sunny days where the color of the medium blue sky contrasted dramatically against the oranges and yellows of the leaves. I soaked in the scenery and the calm while sensing that change was happening. One leaf dropped, and then another. Soon the trees will be bare. The intense hues will disappear from the landscape, and the temperatures will drop.

With this changing view, possibilities arise. Opportunities I don’t yet know about will appear. Decisions will be made about which ones are worth pursuing. Projects that are currently in their early stages, like the website redesign and new organizing workshop, will gain traction as they get energized by ideas and possibilities. 

Let each falling leaf be a reminder to embrace change, ideas, and opportunities that excite you. What are you pondering as you move into the last season of this year? Which projects do you want to begin or finish? What possibilities are waiting for you?

Summer is one of my favorite seasons of the year. There is more daylight, the pace feels slower, and there is more time for relaxing and vacationing. It can also be more challenging to motivate and get things done. After all, we've been doing stuff all year long, and we're ready for a pause. Isn't that what summer is about? We want to lean in and enjoy our well-deserved break.

However, the other way to consider this season is that we actually have more time (and daylight) to accomplish projects and changes we've postponed. One of the things I've noticed that motivates us to act, especially when we're not in the mood is the "too much syndrome." It's when that something has gotten to be a burden. Its muchness causes a negative result. We can tap into that negative state to provide us with just enough oomph to activate.

When we have too much clutter, too much scheduled, too much overwhelm, too much procrastination, too much sleeplessness, too much..., we can use these situations as our seeds and motivation for change.

What's on your "too much" list?

While I love the change of seasons, spring is my most favorite time. Warmth and growth fill each day as clothing layers are peeled away and delightful colors return to the landscape. Each day I discover a new bud or flower, another patch of green grass, or a ray of sunshine. It’s magic time.

It’s also a time to embrace the seeds that I planted.  Those seeds were investments in the future. There were the “yes” seeds that yielded a surprising bouquet of opportunities and adventures. There were “self-care” seeds that have strengthened my internal world. There were “learning” seeds that yielded greater understanding and experimentation. There were “organizing” seeds that allowed me to help people get unstuck.  The seeds were given the space to lay dormant until their time came to bloom. It’s energizing to see what is unfolding. 

Enjoy this amazing season! What are you noticing from the seeds you nurtured?

According to Real Simple magazine, January is "the most introverted month, when we sweep up the confetti and turn our focus inward."  I can relate to that, can you? I'm still uncovering leftover decor from the holiday months. While most of it has been cleaned up, it makes me smile to find a few random sparkles. It reminds me of the warm, happy times spent with family and friends.

This inward focus is an integral part of my days. In winter I want to bundle up, sip hot tea, and stay inside more. Being indoors encourages more time to reflect, plan, sense, and think about what I'd like to include in the coming months and year. While I'm mindful of living in the present, this time of year, I stretch beyond to also reflect about the past and think about the future. What worked last year? What didn't? What do I want more or less of as I move forward into this New Year?

Quiet moments of journaling, thinking, conversing, and meditating all honor my inward gaze. What are you needing now?