What holds your life together?

Pause, one or two words, let’s keep it simple. Reflect.

For all of us it is different. What is the thing that keeps you moving along? Getting up out of bed and doing the next right thing.?

When we are able to identify it and articulate our beliefs and values, we are able to use it to fuel actions and yield results. Make Things Happen!

We do not often take the time to check in with what is holding us together, so we feel like we are not together. We feel like we are not moving in the direction we want to or meant to.

As I think about this for myself, I know that it is the simple idea of hope. It is at the center of my belief system. It is the essence of how I run my life. Many people call it faith, spirituality, God even. Hope for me is about having the faith that if I work, show up, something will happen. It is a natural law that I ascribe whole heartledly to. I have seen the results of work in my life and in my clients. I see results happen when we are able to flesh out a vision, plan the steps it takes to get there, and then get busy taking action. It really is not that complicated. We like to make it complicated. That keeps us from taking action. That is the easy place.

Hope comes in the form of a potential client sitting next to me in a coffee shop, a potential friend standing in line at the post office, hope for me is people and making the most of each moment. When I am able to integrate my basic beliefs in to my life each day, I feel happy, content, connected to the world around me.

A client answered this question with the word light. She spoke about how God comes to her in light and it is in this light that She is a color consultant. When you see her work it reverberates with this notion. The mix of of colors and how she creates palettes for homes is in response to the light in the space. She sees the light in people around her. She tunes into peoples light, their finest qualities. When she is able to tune into the light in even the darkest situations, she is transformed and able to move on and take action. It is amazing to be able to use these linkages to values and beliefs move through life in a peaceful and mindful way.

What is holding your life together? How may you use this information to shift your views on a challenge you are facing?

Are you surviving or thriving?

Each day I wake up and spend time in prayer and meditation. I allow it to set the tone for my day. I allow it to give me the nutrients and the love I need. Often times I am sitting out on my patio watching the sunrise. I can hear the pounding of the ocean and the cars heading off to places unknown. It is a world coming to life after slumber.

This morning in my readings I came across the word flourish. I have been meditating on thrive and was struck by the juxtaposition of the words in my life.

Flourish is to come to life and thrive to to continue to grow and develop. Love it!!

Several months ago I met a new friend down on the beach. A beautiful, wise woman, full of life and serenity. As we shared the basics of our lives, divorce, retirement, careers, kids, I felt so at ease. I was so happy to meet a new friend in my new home. I could see she was a dedicated beach. Her skin, her eyes were full of the sun, the ocean, of love.

As we shared our lives, our friendship began. Several evenings later, as I was telling her about how hard it was for me to recreate my whole life she made a powerful statement that has deeply affected me these past months since she said it. She stated, "I know you have always been this full of life, what I see for you now Florence is that now you get to thrive, instead of just survive."

I share this story with you because I want you to thrive too. Not just survive! I want you to have the hope, the joy, that comes with loving yourself exactly the way you are right now. While allowing yourself to grow and evolve.

Yesterday a friend forwarded me a powerful Rosh Hashanah reflection. It reminded me to remember “we are not here to be good people, we are here to be better people” WOW. Just love the thought. It speaks to me of the ongoing evolution of our lives and the willingness to grow in mind body and spirit.

I ask you, what are you surviving?

What do you need to thrive?

What is tethering you?

Yesterday was a big day for me. I signed the final papers for my divorce. As I reflect on where I want my life to go at this turning point I find myself contemplating the possibilities of my life.

The negative energy of the past is done tethering me. Over the past months while waiting for all of the technicalities to be taken care of, I have felt weighted down. Today I am choosing to move forward with a new sense of freedom. Lightness to my step feels good.

Often times we find ourselves tethered to ideas, people, places that hinder us form moving forward from achieving the things we dream of. Each of us has a choice to loosen and move away from unnecessary ties. Finding the courage can happen one step at a time, one small action at a time. I did not loose 140 pounds overnight, nor did I start a business, or get a divorce overnight. Each big change took many small changes to make happen.

I have found that the gradual steps are easier to maintain. It is the small steps that allow for assuredness of path as well as stability in the doing. Each step I made allowed me to know that I was doing the right thing and following the right path.

What tie needs to be loosed? What step needs to be taken?