My #1 Sanity Saver for 2017

I saw a statistic on the morning news today about how a record number of Americans are currently suffering from stress, depression, and anxiety. Though I found this dismaying, I didn't find it surprising. Because, on and off, I've been one of those Americans.

Toward the end of last year, I found myself trying to stay afloat amidst waves of stress, frustration, and pessimism about the world at large. My day job was getting on my last nerve. My patience at home was as thin as ever. When I looked around myself, I saw unfinished projects, an uncertain future, an unstable country.

So when the New Year arrived, I decided to resurrect my favorite mood-altering habit: writing in a daily gratitude journal.

It was working okay, but after hearing about a new, more structured gratitude journal while listening to a podcast, my husband challenged me to up my game. He bought each of us a copy of The Five-Minute Journal and dove right into it with his signature gusto. I, on the other hand, resisted the new book. I thought my old methods were just fine—I didn't need some fancy new fill-in-the-blanks book to help me craft my practice.

Oh, how very wrong I was.

People, this book is life-changing. And I'm not being dramatic. And I'm not getting compensated in any way to say this.

The journal truly does require only 5-10 minutes of your day. A quick entry in the morning, another at the end of the night, and you're done. But the transformation it can spark has been downright remarkable to me.

My stress levels feel lower than they have in probably a year. My optimism has returned. Though the future does still seem a little shaky to me, I see so much goodness when I look around the world.

I'm not saying everything is 100% rosy all of the time. I still have blips of overwhelm and frustration, but on the whole, I feel like a different person.

Shifting my focus to look for things I appreciate—it's magic. Opening and closing each day with gratitude—total path-paver to long-term happiness. And then the book has extras like weekly challenges and inspiring quotes that just crank the positivity dial even further in the right direction.

I've now gone on to purchase this book for more than one person and recommend it to pretty much anyone who will listen. I'll have to report back on others' results because I really am astonished by my own.

If you're looking for a way to save your sanity and change your outlook, I would highly recommend giving The Five-Minute Journal a shot. After all, a little gratitude never hurt anybody.

Zen Gardening

A couple weeks ago, two of my life coach pals were staying with me and very aptly pointed out that I have a tendency to spend too much time focusing on the future rather than being in the present. I love planning—and come from a long line of highly anxious individuals—which is the perfect combo for projecting about 80% of my thoughts into future goings-on instead of those that are happening right in front of me.

Do you spend most of your time grounded in the past, present, or future?

Cultivating mindfulness has a myriad of benefits, some of which can actually help protect your brain against mental illness. But for many of us (or is it just me?) staying present is about as easy as keeping ice cream from dripping down its cone on a summer day. Sure, it's possible, but it requires commitment.

The good news is, we're probably all practicing mindfulness already and we just don't realize it. 

As I contemplated my own forward-thinking nature, I realized (thankfully) that there are times I'm fully present in the now. When I'm gardening, I'm wholly devoted to what's happening right in front of me. I use all my senses—eyes scouting out dandelions that need to be pulled, ears tuned to the sound of my garden gloves rooting in the dirt, nose engaged by the scent of damp earth and cut grass, hands gripping my trowel to move dirt and gravel.

Who knew that weeding could be so Zen?

The more I can allow myself to approach other day-to-day tasks like I approach gardening, the closer I'll get to maximizing my mindfulness. (I'm feeling the keyboard right now as I type this, as a start.)

What opportunities in your do you see in your everyday life for grounding yourself in the present moment? And what activities already keep you in the now?

20 Ways to Show Yourself Some Love

Love is in the air this week. Or at least that's what Hallmark would like us to believe. 

But I'd like to invite you to shift the focus away from the lacy, red underwear you may have purchased to wear for someone special, or the paper hearts you've promised to help your child cut and paste to make Valentine's for his or her class. I'd like you to stop and think about yourself.

How are you showing yourself love these days?

Amidst the hustle of everyday life and the stories a lot of us have on repeat in our heads (I don't have time, everyone else's needs have to come before mine, my thighs are too fat to deserve love) we lose sight of the first place love needs to start: inside ourselves.

We can't really love each other if we're not loving ourselves. 

So here's a little primer to get your love pump flowing again. It's based on a question I encountered when doing some Tony Robbins work back in the day. Tony told me to ask myself, "If I really wanted to prove to myself that I loved ME, what would I do?" It was fascinating to explore the answers. I encourage you to come up with your own answers, but here are a few I think might also work for you...

1. Replace self-criticism with self-kindness (I'm talking to you, thigh comments).
2. Buy yourself flowers. Even the cheapest bouquet at Trader Joe's feels good.
3. Wrap up in a cozy blanket or wear really soft socks or slippers.
4. Spritz your pillow with lavender spray at night to help lull you to sleep.
5. Take yourself on a date. Go see a movie, read a book at a coffee shop, visit your favorite museum, drive to a pretty spot and look at the view—whatever makes you feel loved.
6. Stand up for yourself (including TO yourself if it's you who's doing the mistreating).
7. Accept love from others without feeling like you have to go overboard to return it. Just enjoy it.
8. Treat yourself to something silly like a Hello Kitty pencil or clown ice cream sundae or a balloon animal at the farmer's market.
9. Buy a head massager. Trust me. It's life changing.
10. Do that thing that makes you feel sexy (not THAT thing...but go ahead and do that too)—wear your favorite lipstick, blow out your hair, put on heels. Allow yourself to bask in the confidence boost.
11. Congratulate yourself on a job well done. Write yourself a note about it and heap on the praise.
12. Push yourself a little—stay on the treadmill for a minute longer, speak up even if you're feeling nervous, try the recipe that seems too complicated—and then reward yourself for going further than you planned.
13. Quit comparing yourself to other people's social media feeds. No one is as perfect as their profile appears. So stop it. Go outside and do something fun.
14. Massage really yummy lotion into your hands and feet.
15. Make that doctor's or dentist's appointment. Caring for your body is a huge piece of self love.
16. Take a bubble bath or a hot shower with some nice bath gel. It may sound cliché, but it really does do the trick.
17. Allow yourself to sit in silence, with no demanding bosses, hungry kids, or stressed friends in sight. Just sit and let your body relax and breathe.
18. Say hi to yourself in the mirror. Love starts with acknowledgement.
19. Ask for what you want and need. Use your voice.
20. Let yourself daydream. No rules, no restrictions. Fantasize about Clooney or the convertible or whatever it is that floats your boat and enjoy the deliciousness of what your mind creates. You never know—it could come true. 

Wishing you lots of love this Heart Day. And hoping most of that love comes from within yourself.

5 Places to Find Abundance in Your Day-to-Day Routine

Harvest is in full swing in the valley where I live, which means gourds and pumpkins and apples and grapes are abounding around every turn. Cornucopias can't hold all the plenty going on around these parts.

It's a good reminder to focus on abundance rather than scarcity. 

Where our attention goes, we go. The more we focus on something, the more of it we attract. 

So if your focus is on lack of love, finances, fun, shoes, whatever, you're sending a signal into the Universe that boomerangs back a whole lot more lack in that area.

How do you shift your vibe from not enough to a whole lotta lotta? Practice looking for abundance. You may not be with the love of your life right now, but where else can you feel love around you? Or if your bank account isn't as full as you'd like, where else do you feel rich? How are the things you want most already showing up? How do you already have what you're seeking?

Even if you don't zero in on a specific area of your life, it's great to practice looking for abundance in your daily routine. Here are 5 place to find it as you start your morning.

1. In your closet
I would bet that most of us have enough clothing to stylishly cover a small village. How many jackets and sweaters do you have to keep you warm? How many memories come up when you look at your dresses and cute tops? How many places have all your different pairs of shoes carried you? Our closets and dressers are often bursting with bounty. We just have to stop and notice it now and again.

2. In the shower
Talk about a treat for the senses. How good does your shampoo smell? How much better does your voice sound when you're singing between those tiled walls? (Everyone sounds like a pop star in the shower. It's a proven fact.) How many body parts are feeling the warm tickle of the water? Notice the sensation of it against your skin. How many delicious scenarios can you daydream up while you're under the shower head?

3. On your breakfast plate (or in your lunch bag) 
We are so fortunate to have such an abundance of food available to us in this country. Taking the time to actually taste your toast or coffee or pb&j sandwich lets you experience all the flavors and textures your food has to offer. How does that latte feel when it hits your lips? What do your tastebuds detect when you chew a bite of your bagel and cream cheese? Food doesn't have to be gourmet to offer an abundance of satisfaction.

4. Outside your front door
Again, the path to more abundant experiences often starts with sensory perception. When you walk outside, what do you feel? Sun on your face? The nip of cool autumn air? What do you smell? Can you hear birds chirping or planes flying overhead? Do you see neighbors or new flowers budding in your yard or leaves starting to change color? How much activity is already in the works around you as you're just getting out to start your day?

5. In the car
Car stereos and ipods have to be some of the most abundantly packed items on the planet. Yes, I know sometimes we scan the radio stations and can't seem to find any songs we like, but I would bet that somewhere most of us have a killer playlist overflowing with great tunes—or even a stack of great CDs—we can use to fill the air around us with melody. How many great songs do you hear on your morning commute? How many interesting facts or funny stories do your favorite DJs share? And how lucky are you to even have enough money to be driving a car? You're prosperous enough to keep gas in your tank. And I bet you even have the luxury of going to the car wash now and again.

If we make it a point to look for it, abundance can be found in all different areas of our lives. And because abundance is gratitude's faithful sidekick, it makes a great starting place for shifting into a mode of increased thankfulness.

Where can you see abundance in your life today?