Just as sea glass is smooth and polished by the coursing of the waves against the shore, YOU are shaped and polished by each changing season, ocean tides and changing shores.

At the very heart of who you are is your authenticity. It starts in your heart and is your most precious commodity. It is the spark you are born with. To be in connection with your true essence is to honor the spark within, often dimmed by past hurts or living life on autopilot. It is the awareness of your beliefs, needs and values and making decisions from that place. 

"Authenticity is a collection of choices that we make every day. It's about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen."  ~Brene Brown

When we are being true and authentic, we are able to live wholehearted lives, holding nothing back. We let no one else define us and become the curators of our destinies. Only when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable can we feel our emotions, believe in our strengths, and express ourselves freely. 

Think for a moment about what being authentic feels like to you. Chances are you have made time for yourself to stop and smell the roses, to slow down enough to quiet the noise of a busy world – to listen to your needs – and ask yourself what it is you really want. 

• When do you feel most authentic?
• How can you check in with yourself daily?
• What have you allowed to be in your way of doing what it is you want?
• How can you be even just a little bit more authentic?
• What emotions are you resisting?
• Who can you be your truest self with?

May the following be gentle reminders of living your most authentic life:
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• Explore your values
• Know your wants and desires
• Say goodbye to perfectionism
• Know and embrace your strengths
• Express yourself – Speak from a place of truth and positive intention
• Open your mind  – Silence the inner critic, let go of judgment and have compassion for yourself and others
• Open your heart – Let down the walls you think are protecting you
• Allow yourself to be vulnerable
• Don't allow goals to interfere with your values

It takes courage to live authentically and grow into the best version of yourself. Keep going!

"When you get older, you realize it's a lot less about your place in the world but your place in you. It's not how others view you, but how you view yourself." ~ Natalie Portman

I'm continually reminded to practice being fully present and to keep making space for the things most important to me so that each moment is lived, not lost or simply forgotten. Being present is not possible when we are chasing random thoughts or rushing from thing to thing. Big joy happens when we can be fully present in the little moments. 

The best gift we can give ourselves and others is our presence. When we can be fully present in the moment, we open ourselves up to life's greatest treasures. One moment, one word, one smile can change an entire day. Yet we are often moving so fast that we miss those moments. 

Is there something you can let go of or scratch off your to-do list so that you can be more present in the here and now of your life?

When we hold space for ourselves, we are truly present. Space for yourself means allowing yourself to be who and how you want to be. It can be as simple as giving yourself ten minutes of quiet or as big as not letting the world come in and tell you who you should be or what you should be doing. Know how you want to feel and help yourself feel that way.

Only you can give yourself the space necessary to meet your needs. Learning to hold space for yourself is one of those foundational things you need to be doing in order to live your best life. It means first checking in with yourself (taking those 3-5 slow deep breaths) and honoring your feelings and changing needs. Remember, this is a practice. You will forget over and over, but you can also return to it again and again.

We're nearly through the first month of the new year! Each day is an opportunity to hold sacred space for yourself so that you are free to be YOU in your curiosity, discovery, commitment and passion for what lights you up.  

Here are some ways to hold space for yourself

• Remind yourself (all the time!) that you matter 
• Remember that you hold the key to your inner peace and wisdom
• Think about the ways you'd like to create and hold space for yourself
• Be intentional with your time management and stop overbooking yourself
• Imagine what it would feel like to be loyal to your joy
• Say no to things that don't help you move toward where you want to be
• Think very carefully about whether or not something truly serves you before you say yes to it
• Turn down the volume on social media
• Turn up the volume on your own intuition
• Take in the fact that NOW is the most important moment

I encourage you to practice being in the now to create support in living your most authentic life because you are so worth it!

"We cannot stop the spring or fall or make them other than they are. They are gifts from the universe that we cannot refuse. But we can choose what we will contribute to life when each arrives.." ~ Gary Zukhav

January's winter season, the marking of another year, always holds significance no matter where we find ourselves in life. It can be celebrated as an opportunity to begin again, a time to close out the past year and also for reflection. 

As pouring rains and blustery winds whip outside my door, I cannot help but feel that nature is reminding us it's time to retreat! She's sending us a reminder to slow down, find peace in the stillness and allow ourselves this special time to envision. To envision giving every day a chance to become the most beautiful day of your life. 

Listen to Your Heart

When we listen, we are reminded of what matters most and where we find true joy. You and I were born for joy, though we often forget it amidst the noise, news and chaos of the world. 

Our job in this life is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be but to find out who we already are and become it. Trust that your true purpose is being your true self.
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Affirmations for January

• I begin this day with a sense of what's possible and good in my life
• I see in the world what I carry in my heart
• I embody the work that is most important to me and find ways to share it with the world
• I nourish my mind with loving thoughts
• I live this day with purpose and intention
• I am learning how to respond to challenges with an open mind and heart
• I own my mistakes and move forward with grace

"I have everything I need. From the mountains to the sea, all of this is within me. I have everything I need." ~ Trevor Hall

Listen to your heart. What are you dreaming of today, tomorrow and for the rest of this precious year of your life?

As 2022 comes to a close, I pour a cup of tea and begin to write. A warm crackling fire is my favorite invitation to savor these quiet moments. This has been a year of fresh starts and challenges, both big and small - that gives me all the more to meditate on and share with you. Setbacks seem to be a time to pause and be with things just as they are, whether we like them or not. I think the key is not staying there too long but long enough to learn from each particular experience. 

It's said that life doesn't happen to us but rather for us. What a powerful sentiment and a reminder that we have the innate wisdom to see through the lens of truth and, to that end, live the one life that is meant for us and no one else. 

When I share with you, my messages derive from one of my many big artist journals filled with quotes, meditations and inspirations. The pages begin like a blank canvas, then are colored with thoughts, images and ideas that paint meaning into my world. 

This week I made a list of my wins and treasured memories that filled the past 10 years – things that stood out to me the most – particularly goals I had set for myself. I would like to share it with you. Don't worry! I've kept it brief for the sake of this letter. I have a much BIGGER version in my personal journal.
  
What became very clear to me by writing everything down over that period was that I could see a perfect pattern – like seeing the front side of a quilt for the first time, rather than the painstakingly detailed stitches, knots and mistakes from the working back side. For the first time, I glimpsed a beautiful work of art like a path that continues to build upon itself, lit by following my heart and pursuing what I love. 

As most of you know, I divorced in 2010 after being in a long-term marriage, which is hands down one of the most significant turning points of my life. At first, it felt like I was free-falling from a plane, yet I knew I held the parachute and was flying to more beautiful places. With outstretched arms, my world opened up with the gifts of unconditional love and infinite possibilities. A world I could finally be a part of as "me." Fully, unapologetically me! I had never imagined a world where I could finally paint with all the colors of the rainbow – vibrant, warm, sparkling, happy and true. 

Each of our journeys is unique to us, and what I have learned is that the more we can know and understand about ourselves, the better life is. I think this is Oprah's trademark, and I love her for it.

"I've come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that's as unique as a fingerprint and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others while allowing the energy of your life force to lead you." ~ Oprah Winfrey

I invite you to take a look at the past 10 years of your life and write down your wins and memories. Hopefully, your list will look nothing like mine (I was rebuilding from the ground up). Your list will be unique to you. So I encourage you to set aside some special time and try this practice. And if you would like support, I am here for you, so please feel free to reach out!

Please pay close attention to the details, as everything we do has value. To get you going, I am sharing my list where I actually reviewed the past 13 years of my life as an example:  

2009 

• Pilates teacher training – growth, learning, health, wellness, passion
• Precious time with my father – connection, belonging, joy

2010 

• Dermatology front office and medical grade skin treatment, acne surgery – growth, challenge, service

2011-2017  

• Moved back into my first home with my 3 Labs with repairs underway –environment, resilience, grace, independence, commitment, friendship, community
• Worked hospitality at Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa – learned the true meaning of service, communication, friendship, commitment 

2018       

• 200-hour Yoga Alliance Teacher Training – growth, fulfillment, education, joy, friendship, wellness, spiritual practice

2019       

• Yoga teacher at 3 lovely studios –  awareness, discovery, community, growth, fulfillment, joy, health, wellness

2020 

• 300-hr Yoga Alliance Teacher Training – commitment, education, growth, joy, health, wellness
• Led my first corporate Yoga retreat workshop at Santa Barbara Hilton – dreams do come true!

2021  

• Yogic writing online – personal development, discovery, friendship, community, growth, joy, wellness

2022 

• Living Your Courageous Life online coaching program towards living your best life – awareness, self-discovery, communication, intimacy, wellness, connection, vulnerability

Now it's your turn!

Find a cozy spot, light a candle or fire, pour your favorite drink and start writing. If 10 years is hard to remember, write down the years and enlist the help of your partner or friend. Spend as little or as much time as you like on this. You're simply recording a passage of time you otherwise may not acknowledge how much you've accomplished. Let the record become a tool moving you forward towards creating your best, most fulfilling life – the life destined for you and only you! 

I hope you gift this to yourself and begin by celebrating your authentic journey!

Plan in decades  •  Think in years  •  Work in months  •  Live in days  •  Enjoy this very moment!

Here's to many more accomplishments and milestones. May you have a glorious new year!

Christmas is here to stir up the magic within, connect us to the past and guide us forward to a new year.

As a young girl, I believed in the spirit of Christmas when days were no longer ordinary; rather, they were wrapped in celebration, tradition and remembering. Each year my father would string blue lights on the entire roofline of our house, and I would gaze up in awe as they glimmered and gleamed in the night sky, radiating peace and calm.

My little spirit seemed to soar as, one by one, shiny golden boxes appeared from the attic, and I would open each glass-colored ornament as if for the first time. There was a magic that could only be felt as I held another memory from a Christmas past. I loved when the special china came out, and the table was set in linens, candles, crystal and silverware that sparkled on this magical winter's night.

Remembering the past year is a time-honored tradition that gives way to opening our hearts and embracing the light within so that we may share it with others. Once again, we are reminded of our greatest gifts – the gifts of:

Light
    Peace
        Joy
            Faith
                Family
                    Love
                        Hope
                            Friendship

May you hold them dearly, and may this special season fill you with the power of believing!

As the boxes come down from the attic, and the lights are strung throughout the house, there is a peace that settles into my spirit as I remember everything and everyone I have ever loved. . . and that to me is believing in the spirit of Christmas!

​I wanted to share some holiday cheer, so if you have time, make sure to watch Kerry Hart's "Celebrate the Season Together" and Postmodern Jukebox & Vintage Andrew Sisters' cover of Wham's "Last Christmas" (don't miss the dance at the end).