you are a divine human being

Take time to give thanks for who you are
And all you have created in your life
You are stronger than you realize
Braver than you know
And perfect the way you are
You bring a unique gift to this world that no one else has
Know this
And stand in your own light
Continue to reach for your dreams
Celebrate your successes
And push yourself to keep on growing
Give thanks for everything that surrounds you
And know that you have the power to create your own destiny
Trust your path
Even when it doesn't seem clear
Or feel like the direction you should be traveling
Believe in yourself
Always
You are a divine human being
Never forget this

braving the darkness blues

Here on the east coast we have fallen behind with the clock.  We gained an hour of sleep but I feel as if I have lost my way.  The time change in the fall is always hard for me.  I know the cold is coming and leaving work in the dark fills me with the blues.  All I want to do is  curl up in bed.  It is this time of year I know I need to push myself harder than I usually do to stay active and motivated. 

There is much beauty in the world.  The leaves change to vibrate yellows and reds.  The sunset lights up the sky.  The morning darkness provides a moment of quiet reflection as I ease into the day.  Even through the cold I need to push myself out the door.  Fresh air fills my lungs with hope and wakes me up to the world.  

I know that this is a hard time for me and so I need to lean in deep and ask for help from others.  I need to let them know when I am struggling and not allow myself to fall down the rabbit hole.  When I talk about it I feel much better and it doesn't feel so hard.  I need to be more vocal.  

It has ben a while since I have spent hours in the coffee shop writing.  The fall and winter months are the perfect time for me to get back to this.  I miss those moments of collective togetherness hand in hand with solitude.  It is time for me to get back to the page and spill open.  Maybe, just maybe the book that is living and breathing inside me will begin to take shape.  

It is time for me to embrace this darkness.  To give it space to breathe inside me.  For when we stand in the darkness the light becomes that much more beautiful.  One of the reasons I love living in NJ is I get to experience all four of the seasons.  It brings an opportunity for me to reflect as I shift into the change in the weather.   

And so we begin, another shift.  Another moment to begin again.  

How do you handle these transitions?  Do you have any tools in your toolbox that help get you through?  Together let's brave the blues.

moving beyond

Making your way through this journey called life can feel hard at times.  There are moments of pure joy and elation and other times when you feel as if you cannot pick yourself up the floor.  And then there are those moments when you are floating in the space between.  Blindly going through life.  Moving from one thing to the next without truly feeling or experiencing it.  

How do we move deeper into the moment?

Each day I wake up and follow my morning routine.  I drive the same way to work.  Go in and out of the same doors.  See the same people and have similar conversations.  Every Monday we ask what the other has done over the weekend.  Every Friday we talk about what we are going to do with our time away from the office.  I eat a lot of the same meals.  Go to bed around the same time.  

I feel as if I am living my life on autopilot.  

How can I break this cycle?  Do I need a monumental change or can small things shake it up?  I want to feel this life more deeply.  Be present in the moment and take in experiences and interactions I am having.  I do not want to just have a conversation with you about the weather.  I want to get to know you more deeply and I also want you to get to know me.  

We have to be willing to show up and share our stories.  Letting your guard down invites others in.  When you show up and allow yourself to be seen you give others the permission to do the same.  This is where connection blooms.  This is what takes us off autopilot.  

You don't have to move to a new place to experience new things.  You my just have to take a new route home.  There is a world out there right around your block that you have never experienced.  Go ahead and explore it.  What is there might change you.  You never know until you give it at try.

We get comfortable in life.  We know what to expect.  We know where to go.  But in order to grow and develop we have to move past that comfort.  We have to do something that scares us.  It is going beyond this fear that forever changes us.  

What one thing can you do today to take you out of your routine.  To push you to connect with someone new, nature, yourself?  How can you challenge yourself to go beyond?  

This is your one wild and precious life. Live it wide open.  Explore.  Grow.  Expand. 

it's more than the marathon

The NYC Marathon holds a special place in my heart for so many reasons.  There is a history with my family that I am forever grateful for.  It started long before I showed up to the starting line.  In fact it started with my aunt and uncle, years ago, and the tradition has carried on. 

I am grateful for all the marathon has brought me:

• Connection with my family
• Inspiration to push myself further than I ever thought I could
• Electric energy running through me -- as a spectator and a runner
• Feeling like NYC was my city
• Pride for humanity and watching people come together
• Watching all walks of life making it happen
• Learning that I am so much stronger than I ever thought I was
• Meeting like minded souls
• Hours on the road
• Cheers from strangers
• A freedom that I never felt before
• Pushing through really hard times
• Watching the sunrise
• Feeling that first rush of cold air hit my lungs
• Running together
• Running alone
• Hearing the cheers from family and friends
• One foot in front of the other
• The feeling of pure joy and elation crossing the finish line

This list could go on and on.  The marathon has brought more to my life than I ever have imagined.  I am grateful for the strength in my legs, carrying me through not only 26.2 miles but the endless amount of training.  I am grateful for the hills I struggled up for they made me stronger.  I am grateful for my courage to say yes.  And grateful for everyone who supported me along the way.  

The marathon is a solo journey.  For it is only you who puts one foot in front of the other and crosses the finish line.  Yet, you are never ever alone and you can't go at it by yourself.  You need the support of those around you to push you when you feel like you don't have the strength to go on.  I am grateful for that support.  

Live big.  Go after your dreams.  Know you can do anything you put your mind to.  I never thought I would or could run a marathon.  And yet I did.  One foot in front of the other.  One step at a time.  And somehow it all comes together and happens.  

the world is waiting for you

Right outside your window is a world filled with possibility
It invites you to come out and play
To explore and discover
It wants you to navigate your own path
Unearth what lights you up
It is waiting for you to say yes
It is ready for you to show up
It wants you to claim what you truly desire
But it won't hand it all over to you
You must step forward
Take the risk
Put in the hard work
You must push yourself forward
Use your voice
Speak with strength and courage
And find your own way
Deep inside your heart knows what it desires
Listen closely and hear what it has to say
Be willing to risk
Be willing to look foolish
Be willing to fail
Face the fear of the unknown
And go for it
You never know where you will end up
But you always have to try to get to where you want to go
The world is waiting for you
You have precious gifts that only you offer
Go ahead and share them

love notes fairy secret note

Each month I host the Love Notes Fairy Project.  It is one of the most favorite things I do because it is wrapped up in pure magic.  Strangers come together to send snail mail love to those who need it most.  Without expecting anything in return they take time to reach out, let someone know they aren't alone, and open up their heart to share love.  

Magic indeed!  

I am grateful for the community that continues to grow, and for the way they show up.  They understand the power of words and the human need for connection.  They know that as human beings we all go through the same common emotions.  We may not be in the same exact situation, but we have felt the same feelings.  And so we reach out a hand, a hug, a word.  And we connect.  

Last week was a long and crazy week for me.  Life in some ways has been flipped around and I am learning how to show up.  I know I need to live with courage and in doing so it may cause a bit of discomfort.  But I need to step into that discomfort and claim my own voice.  

I need to rise up and allow myself to be seen.  

I arrived home from work on Friday completely deflated.  My heart heavy, my soul tired.  But a surprise was waiting for me.  A note from a secret fairy from Canada letting me know that I am not alone and that the way I show up in this world matters.  This single note flipped my emotions and filled me with so much love and happiness.  

It is truly amazing how one little card changed my day.  It reminded me of how important it is for me to keep showing up.  Keep hosting the Love Notes Project.  Keep putting myself out there.  Because even if we cannot see the effect we have on the world it is a ripple and it is changing things in positive ways.  

What you say to others matters.  What words of kindness can you share with someone you know?  A simple hello, thank you, or I appreciate you goes a long way.  Take a moment today to reach out to someone and let them know how much they mean to you.  It will make there day!