T’was the night before Christmas and under the tree,

My hubby and I placed presents and set up a brand new teepee,

Legos, a monster truck, a sleeping bag and more,

The room was filled with presents galore.

Oh, how I love that I GET TO be Santa now, after all these years of wishing and wanting.

As exhausted as I was, I felt nothing but joy and gratitude as we got things ready for the big surprise come morning.

And surprised I was.

For as we lay in bed taking bets on whether or not our four year old son would come in our room first or head straight downstairs to see what Santa had brought, all I could think about was the look of wonder his face as he saw the all presents under the tree.

But what to my wondering eyes should appear,

Was a sweet child who gently whispered in my ear, 

“Mommy, I have something for you.”

Even as I write this, my heart still melts.

“I have something for YOU.”

That my friend, was not what I was expecting to receive Christmas morning, but it was the greatest, merriest, most wonderful gift of all.

I hope your holidays were filled with the joy of giving AND receiving. Although it often feels so much better to give, remember to keep your heart open to receiving those tiny little miracles you didn’t see coming.

For more inspiration, check out The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra who tells us that being able to both fully give AND receive is important to our wellbeing.

Happy Holidays!

Did you know the Winter Solstice is one of the most powerful times for creating a vision of the life you want to have?

On this night — TONIGHT — the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, it is said that the energies align to bring us closer to our true selves.

As the darkness beckons us inward, we begin to hear the whisper of our inner voice. This voice can act as a guiding light, leading us to our deepest desires.

(Note: if you are in the Southern Hemisphere, as I know some of my readers are, then you are celebrating the sun today — the  Summer Solstice — the longest day of the year, and can also tap into the energy that helps you align with your truest self.)

Take some time today or tonight to sit quietly, close your eyes, and just breathe and listen. 

Breath and listen.

Then ask, NOT “What do I want?” but “How do I want to FEEL in 2018?”

Try to pinpoint one word, such as:

LOVED
EMPOWERED
HEALTHY
STRONG
COURAGEOUS
FERTILE
CONFIDENT
RADICAL
HELPFUL
BEAUTIFUL

TIP: Having just ONE WORD helps you get super clear, which makes you more powerful to attract that feeling into your life. 

Next, think about what might make you feel that way.

Say this affirmation:

“Spirit, guide me to make choices
that will allow me to feel (insert your word here).”

(Remember, ONE WORD.)

Then again, breath and listen.

Breath and listen.

If nothing comes to you, don’t force the answer. Just allow your subconscious mind to marinate on those thoughts. You will discover the answer when you least expect it.

The Winter Solstice is prime time to plant the seeds of your deepest desires. Tweet This!

Breathe. Listen. Dream.

Be grateful for this time you have given yourself today. Inspire others by leaving a comment below.

Sweet dreaming,

I’m running late. I forgot something. I have to go back to my house. I trip over a toy I asked my son to put away. I finally make it outside and realize I forgot my umbrella and need to go back again because it’s starting to rain. And I have a ton of things I need to get done today. The holidays are here and I have too much o my plate! UGH!

What’s a girl to do?

Whenever I feel this frustrating scenario overtaking me, I make a point to stop myself in my tracks. Even though it will slow me down even more, it’s worth it. I take a few deep breaths. I close my eyes. And I think of a few things I am grateful for. Although I am in a rush, I allow myself to really feel how lucky and how blessed I am, even in that moment of frustration, anger, and stress.  

And voila! Just like that I am ME again.

Try it. 

Then hop on over to my Facebook page and let me know how it goes!

In times of stress, reach for gratitude. Tweet This!

Here is one of my favorite gratitude tips, found on page 46 of the Gratitude to Bliss journal:

Focus on YOU. Do one thing each week that really makes your heart sing, something you would feel truly grateful for. Know that this act of self-love will nourish you like no food can.

This tip is even more amazing when it comes to the holidays. 

A few years ago I asked myself, “What do I like and not like about the holidays?” as a way to figure out how to ENJOY the holidays instead of rushing to “get through” them year after year.

And what I discovered is that I LOVE the true meaning of the Christmas and Chanukah lights. 

Intentionally bringing light into our lives during the darkest time of the year is a beautiful ritual I find rejuvenating. 

I also love being outside. So every year since then I make it a priority to do outdoor activities, especially tree lighting events.

I check the calendar in early November and prioritize tree lightings. 

This simple act of planning gets me in the holiday spirit and helps me stay focused on the joyful, peaceful and fun parts of the holidays instead of stress and overwhelm (yuck!).

Tweet This:

Filling your own cup is not selfish. It’s essential to living a happy, healthy life. Tweet This!

So what do YOU want to do this holiday season? What would help YOU feel more joy, peace, and FUN this year?

Please share in the comments below or on my Facebook page!

Do you know what the secret ingredient is to practicing Vitamin G, the daily practice I follow and teach?

It’s this:

Focus on the FEELING you have when you think about what you’re grateful for. 

Without this, your focus stays in your HEAD. But where you really need to be is in your HEART.

This key ingredient – the special sauce – elevates your gratitude practice to a higher level. 

A game-changer for sure.

So take some time today, in between travels, mashed potatoes, fourth downs and pumpkin pie to focus on how you feel in your heart when you think of those special people and things that give you joy. And for those of you outside of the States, I invite you to play along. 

Another tip: 

Be specific. For example, instead of saying, “I’m grateful for my family,” which is true, my gratitude list looks something more like this:

I am grateful for my husband for buying and cooking the turkey. I feel so supported in our holiday hosting and that makes it so much more fun.

I then close my eyes and focus on my heart and allow my feeling supported to fill me up from head to toe. 

Special sauce doesn’t take all that much time, just a few extra minutes to nourish yourself with all the perks gratitude brings.

Because too many times we are so focused on nourishing our bellies on this holiday, that we rush around shopping, preparing, traveling, and getting stressed, and we actually forget how much more nourishing gratitude is all by itself.

So eat, drink, love and laugh today, but as you do, fill your heart even more than your tummy.

You’ll be so grateful you did.

Fill your heart even more than your tummy. Tweet This!

To special sauce!

If you liked this post, please let me know in the comments below!