 While spring sweeps us towards the long days of summer, I hope this finds you well and gearing up for a season filled with all that you love and deserve! While times are a bit (very) crazy it's all the more reason to deeply care for ourselves and each other. My recent trip to Portugal was all the reminder I needed to slow down and tune into the rhythm of a city not ruled by urgency. In true Portuguese fashion I took time to enjoy all the beauty and miracles life is made of and the ways in which I will implement them into my daily life. Waking up to the light reflecting off the edge of the Douro River each morning was a natural reset to my sleep and waking cycles. I awoke feeling refreshed and restored. The sheer beauty of the river and the surrounding countryside filled with ancient architecture were awe inspiring and soothing all at once. Traversing the old cobblestone streets walked and traveled upon for hundreds of years filled me with a sense of living history and curiosity – who were the laborers who built these stone walls by hand, they were not tall, more like garden perimeters that lined entire towns and farmers tending to their crops of terrace upon terrace of steep rich green hills bursting with fruit; the sheer excitement to explore the many passages, hills, shops, chapels, cathedrals and quintas. And the ring in my heart with each toll of the cathedral bell. There is a natural sense of adventure when traveling where you've never been– an opportunity to experience life in a new way and see things through a new lens. It can be so easy to see life through the same lens and become complacent within our own lives. Portugal with its warm and caring people remind me of life's simple pleasures – Awe the first espresso in the morning, the freshly prepared meals and warm hospitality of "all are welcome here" only to rediscover that kindness and welcome exist everywhere, waiting for us to notice. Let this be my invitation to you – That each morning we awaken is a brand new opportunity to approach life with fresh eyes, and through a new lens. I began this practice after a really tough time when I couldn't reconcile how the world we live in has become so divided, non inclusive and violent. And like a light switch turned on, I got my answer – "Be the light you wish to see in the world." And that my friend is why you and I are here at this very moment in history.  In true Portuguese fashion, focus on what brings you the most joy, peace and comfort so that you may extend that which fills you to those around you. Begin by setting the tone for your day – no matter where you're at in the world. Take the time to go inward in the quiet peace of the morning – honor where you're at and choose a focus for your day – it can be anything big or small. Maybe it's a word that empowers you, maybe how you'd like to feel, or make someone else feel, or it could be an action. Today mine was a simple action. I wrote a letter to a loved one and put it in the mail– and it got sent, only because I set it as a priority for my day. I encourage you to try this simple yet potent practice each morning while waking and still resting in bed:
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