My daughter is in town and you are hearing from a happy Mom! She is upstairs sleeping while I do my thing and it is the best feeling. The house is full, the fridge is full, and my heart is full to the brim. We got our nails done, we went to see the Barbie movie, and then we just hang out. It's so easy. It reminds me that life gets to be easy, joyful, and full without all of the trying, the push, the struggle. Where else can I add a little easy in my world?

It's one thing to work hard and to show up, create, and share with the world and another to push and pull and make something work. If you are riding the struggle bus then this is where you can bring in the vibe of allowing, listening, and feeling. 

What's something in your world that feels easy?

What makes it easy?

My daughter who is 26... we talk on the phone...a lot. I have consciously made space in my schedule and shown up for these calls. I love the banter and I love how we connect!...

You can set out to try something new, shift feelings of discontent to feeling more at ease, and give yourself the time and attention to heal. Yes AND be sure to bring it home with that follow-through. 

How do we get the follow-through? It's gonna take longer than you think. Your brain is gonna tell you that you can't do it, it doesn't matter, and who are you to think you deserve more?

So again, how do we get the follow-through?

You build credibility with yourself.

Credibility with ourselves is the key to showing up for ourselves and when we start showing up for ourselves in the way we want, we are building trust and accountability. Integrity. This can soften the voice in our head that says we are not enough, too broken to heal, and are stuck in the world of stuckity stuck.

So how do we build credibility?

This is so important I am teaching this and more at my next women's circle! (Sign Up Here :-)

One beautiful...

Space...the final frontier...and...a big sign that you are healing. You go to the grocery store and you notice as you get in the car that you didn't think about your back once. Space. Your friend asks you how you are doing and instead of feeling cornered between lying with a fine or dumping with the whole story of all that isn't working, you notice the connection. A friend checking in. Space where we can be with ourselves...content and at peace. You notice the blue clouds on the way to work. Your body starts to crave real food, a call with your bestie, and instead of tossing and turning all night you wake up feeling rested with a lingering hint of an epic dream.

Giving yourself the space to heal gives you more space to be, see, and do. Add a little la de da to your week and the whole world slows down. You get to know yourself and when you know yourself, know what you love, you get to be your biggest advocate. Create the space, and joy is right there waiting for you....

There are a few things you come away with when you grow up on a farm. Ways of being that are ingrained in your world like brushing your teeth. One you might not know about is you always close the gate. Even if the horses aren't in that pasture, you close the gate. I didn't realize this was a thing until living with another who does not close the gate. And then that brought me to a place of pondering what else is in there, a part of me, that I don't even realize.

A great way to get to know yourself is to notice what you love, what's important to you, and what gives you that warm fuzzy "all is well" feeling down to your toes. When you examine your values, you can really zoom in on your gifts and what you get to bring to the world. 

The dictionary definition of value - a person's principles or standards of behavior: one's judgment of what is important in life.

It's something I haven't really put into words. It's like a compass that I...

Catchin' that summer vibe? The kids are out of school and the tank tops and maxi dresses are coming out of the bin from the basement. I'm switching out my wool yarn for cotton in the realm of knitting, and the fresh greens from my brother's garden are filling my fridge. (Thanks Johnny!)

I'm not on vacation yet but I am stepping into all things summer, like afternoons of sitting in the sun, eating grilled zucchini, and watching my perennials pop!

You don't have to be on the beach or at the music festival to make the most of your summer. It's all about the vibe. Put on those sassy sunglasses and roll down those windows on the way to the grocery store. Shazam!

Finding your vibe is like finding your new favorite pair of purple pants, a song that feels like it was written for you and your moment, or meeting a friend that feels like your newest bestie!

Here's a hint...look to stretch yourself a bit.

Your brain might say those pants are too bright, the songs are...

You can do hard things...that's what my PT told me last week as I balked at the lunge on a reformer. I've been recovering from Covid since March 2020, otherwise known as a long hauler. Without going into the details of that fun ride, I do love myself a great recovery or what I refer to now as the COMEBACK. I'm working on my Comeback!

Healing doesn't happen all at once and neither does the comeback. Just like a scratch on your arm, the body heals. The comeback happens when you start to enjoy the ride. 

   You don't have to rust out. This is just how it is...is not the slogan for my clients recovering from their breast cancer surgeries and treatments. That three-year slump of not feeling like yourself can be the starting point for getting to know your new favorite self! This can be hard but like my PT says, you can do hard things, and first and foremost...you don't have to do it alone.

Looking beyond what is offered is advocating for yourself and...

I love to knit and if ya didn't know already I love to play guitar and write songs. I used to ride my bike in my cool bike shorts and shirt with all the pockets and music in my ears as I rode down Grant's Trail. Once a year I would do a small triathlon and a few 5k or 10K runs. Especially the Halloween ones where you get all dressed up. I got my best time dressed as a granny in my housecoat running in downtown St Louis! Since I got sick in March 2020, like so many people, my body cannot do what it used to do. After that first year of Long Haulers, I decided that since I can't ride my bike...I was gonna get really good at the guitar.

When you lose something or someone or a part of yourself, it can put you in a place where you don't know what to do. This is when you let yourself grieve and sit with the loss...and you go inside and you meet yourself. You sit by the fire like there's nowhere to go. You fiercely love like you'll live to tell.

It can feel...

I got on a plane. It's been ages and I had to do a lot of sweet talking to myself and of course, it was no big deal but try telling your nervous system that it's no big deal. Bracing for the what-if comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes pushing through the feels, just like pushing through pain, is not the way through. 

Knowing your edge and honoring where you are is how you find your way and as you find your way, you are discovering the best parts of yourself.

All that sweet talkin' is really bringing in empathy and compassion...for yourself. Try that on. That voice in your head that might be heckling you, pushing you to do more, do better, can be reprogrammed to be your biggest cheerleader, and who couldn't use a little more cheerleader in their world? Imagine a day that is full of ease and grace and as you climb into bed and turn off the light you know, deep down, that in all that you did, all that you...

That's some beautiful blue sky out there. The light that lingers on at the end of the day...bring it!  I'm so ready for spring and yet here's the sweet spot. Change is in the air. Anticipation of what is to come. Whether you are looking forward to that call with your bestie, the yellow of the forsythia in your backyard, or your next pajama day, the moment, right now, is full of what is to come. And what is to come can be anything you set out to bring. What are you calling in this spring?

Knowing what you want is quite different than asking for what you want...and just like the seasons, what brings us joy shifts and changes along the way. 

What if you don't know what you want? It's not always so crystal clear and that's ok. Start with the little things...what brings you joy? That cup of tea, the walk in the woods, that song that you like to play in the car....that's your map. Start there. 

If you've got a biggie want that seems so far away or out of...

I took a break. I'm swimming in ideas. There is so much I want to do and yet sometimes the body says wait. Sometimes the timing is different than we think. Whether you are healing, working on your comeback, or actively creating a life you love, the setbacks and flare-ups can be the hardest to manage. Heavy on the heart as the brain creates the banter that is not exactly wishful thinking. Noticing where you are in that moment is a key pivot point in not just healing but LIVING with a capital L!

Feeling great and feeling ick are not the only ways to get to know yourself. There is a magical space in-between. The pause, where you get to recover. The space to process your day, your week, and even the ick. The moments where you sit in the "feeling great" and "all is well".

This is where you find trust.

The wait is like a pregnant pause full of life to come. Trust the healing process. Trust the ebb and flow of life. Trust your body and note...is this a...