Surviving the holidays is not enough, let’s thrive this year and take care of ourselves. Anybody want to be my personal shopper?

6. Get a pedicure, manicure, hair blow out or all three – nothing feels better than getting a little pampered and “finished”.

7. Pause before you eat – Take your time ( ideally twenty minutes) to finish at least one meal of the day. And really try to do this one meal with no cell phone, laptop or TV. Savor each bite and give thanks.

8. Listen to music you love or are in the mood for – Maybe you want to listen to Christmas tunes you grew up with or relax in an armchair with a classical symphony playing – or maybe you want to heat it up with rock or techno – maybe jazz or spa/instrumental is calling your name. Just get into it.

9. Pray – Ask for help from the Universe and let go of the outcome. See what shows up – you will be surprised.

10.Use Scent – Lavender calms, rose inspires and vanilla comforts. Peppermint energizes.

Have you ever noticed that some people translate your kindness into a weakness and then try to take advantage of you or treat you like you are less than?

Well….to those people I say…

Kindness does not mean one worships another nor is subservient. So kindness to self is knowing one’s place in the world, one’s limits and one’s center of gravity.

Kindness does not mean one takes responsibility for another’s choices. So kindness to self is to have clear demarcation of what’s one’s business and what isn’t.

Kindness does not mean one tries to “fix it” or take on another’s emotions nor react to them. So kindness to self would encourage one to pause and calmly respond.

Kindness does not mean one is expected to be of service. So kindness to self asks one to weigh one’s availability or possibility at that time and it is always a choice.

Kindness does not mean one always says “Yes”.  So kindness to self is balancing one’s platter of activities and knowing “NO” is a complete sentence. And no explanation needed.

Thank you J for this lovely lighted mirror and the personalized artwork on the cover.

When it feels surreal is when it is the most real. You are scared and in shock. You cannot in any way, shape or form wrap it around your head.

You feel raw. There is a certain blinding clarity. Yet you plead it isn’t true. Yet it is final, true and imminent.

You move under duress. You take small every day actions in a daze.

It is immediate and profound pain. It is death at the door. You may not shower or eat.

It is family and bonding. It is unraveling then reconstructing your world at a dull pace.

Things fall apart and it comes back together different.

It is dire – it is grim. You aspirate another breath with consciousness of your life. You have never been here before.

You perspire and you eat. You are blaming, you are furious.

You do, you love, you care and you wail.

And… Then… Time to be determined only by a dismal space that is lit by a tiny spark. Like a miracle of sorts…

The slightest help or good news is welcomed and appreciated. You open and you allow and receive again. You fill up on kindness.

You are a new lucid and a different sharp. You evaluate and go on, just another scar.

You become available for others, you hear and can listen without awful images crowding your brain.

You catch up on work and daily tasks. You relish the silence in small, teeny increments.

The quality of your life comes back yet in forever altered, layered hues.

Peace comes and goes.

May all the prayers be heard for only fate and God know what may happen next.

I suppose Western life and thinking is what these terrorists are so mad about.  I am not sure. I really do not understand the underpinnings or the motives yet. Someone please explain.

What I do know is that my modis operandi will remain about seeing with love beyond my reasoning, the universal law of equanimity.

“The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren and to do good is my religion.” – Thomas Paine

“Our ultimate freedom is the right and power to decide how anybody or anything outside ourselves will affect us.” – Stephen Covey

I think I need to be alert and not let down my guard, but I refuse to live in fear.

Granted, this is easier said than done when the world just seems to be melting into a hot pit and people are eager to cause harm and heartache.

A solemn heartfelt sadness fills me as I grieve for the state of the world.

In one week, a plane with innocents, Beirut bombings, and now Paris, the city of Lights, is changed forever by pure evil forces that want nothing but chaos and fear to exist.

Yes – That is me at a Parisian Florist Shop, smelling the flowers. I remember the aroma was intoxicating. My heart goes out to all victims of violence.

It’s always a waiting, unpredictable and oftentimes frustrating thing to go through a house redo. One person is late, another never calls and materials need to be shipped. I have to throw up my hands and say, “It is what it is” and “All will be well.” Who knows why but most times even delays work out for the best.