To my partner and my job. My relationship went through a few rocky months and we are slowly emerging from that in to what I hope is a better understanding of each other. It doesn’t come naturally to me to perceive another’s needs and feelings….but if I focus my attention, then that might lead to a greater understanding.

The birds chattering and chirping. A perfect blue sky. Green leaves on the trees. A slight breeze. My flowers growing on the fence.

Trying not to take anything too personally and remember that everyone is dealing with their own life stuff.

I keep a daily journal on my phone. I try to check in with myself every hour – how am I feeling? What’s going on at this particular moment that’s worth noting? What thoughts are popping in to my mind? I’m not perfect about doing this all the time, but the point was to help me focus more on the positive things in life- to slow down- to increase self awareness- and to remember the gifts of the day.

Sunshine & Nature. I experience this love when I’m sitting outside reading, relaxing, listening to the birds. I also experience this feeling when I’m hiking- taking in the forest around me. I enjoy photography- and how finding the perfect shot helps me appreciate and love the world around me.

Travel. Reading. Asking questions. Changing things up. Moving. Trying new foods. Slowing down….

A happy person.

What hinders? Too much clutter — that’s both actual things as well as thoughts cluttering the mind. Acting on pure emotion.

What helps? Having clear goals and a path ahead. Focus. Gratitude practice or anything that slows down the mind. Love.

Kindness, quite simply. Often in difficult situations our words are emotionally charged- we want someone else to see where we are coming from, to be heard. Maybe it’s just all about showing kindness, thinking about how we would want to be treated. Gratitude reminds us of the good- conflict breeds stress and unhappiness. Gratitude can help to balance this out.

Pay attention to the details. Slow down. Think about your intentions, your thoughts, the words you speak. Notice the less obvious. It matters because so much of the time energy gets misdirected and mishandled. Things we think are super important really aren’t.

I’m actually trying not to have any expectations and go with the flow.

Showing up in service of the world…. I love all the different ways this can be broken down. I’m not sure what my unique contribution is, but I’d like to focus on the idea of giving and helping others (people, animals, nature…) so often I find myself focused inward…and I’d like to change that.

It’s quite obvious that what is happening for me right now offers an opportunity to learn and grow — if I believe that it can only lead to greater inner peace and happiness.

The future. The idea that this right now isn’t all there is too life. The idea that there Is someone or something else out there waiting to be discovered. Life in general. Music. Sunshine. 🙂

Me too 🙂

Early morning is my favorite time of day.

Getting the vaccine took a bit of courage for me too – first shot of any kind that I’ve gotten in over 20 yrs.

I love this metaphor. Thank you.

I hope your cat is feeling better —- he will get used to the meds and it will get easier as I’m sure he trusts you <3