One month left in 2023. A precious year of your life has gone by.

What has mattered to you in 2023? For me, I am more aligned with my True Self. I am freer. I am more aware. I am more connected with my son and his family. I have had fun. I am living more from my core values. I am more grateful.

I am on a continuous evolution to be my Highest – even through the pain, the hard work and focus needed.

I’ve realized that my happiness is a reflection of my level of faith in the Universe. I know that life is for me – even when it doesn’t feel like it, even when I’m struggling and I think things aren’t going my way.

Ernest Holmes shares, “The spiral of life is upward. Evolution carries us forward, not backward.”

I probably resisted this statement at different times in my life, trying to keep things the same. I look back now and think that was for stability. Yet, as I reflect back on my decades, I see where these hard crossroads in my life allowed me to evolve to something higher.

How could you use your highest rather than your past or future as you think about your life? How could that help you live more aligned with your True Self?

As you think about 2023 and what mattered to you. Ask yourself “WHY” those things mattered. Whatever the reason is, give yourself more of that; for example, as my why for being more connected to my son and his family, nothing matters to me more than my kids and grandkids. They are precious to me. So the more open I can be to being with them, being there for them, I’m in heaven. I want to fill my world with them. FaceTime is a huge blessing when you are miles and miles apart.

How are you looking towards your highest when making decisions and having reflections on this past year?

What are you grateful for?

What added to your life?

How is being your highest guiding you?

Did you follow love and God more this year? Did you let go and LET GOD?

Did you add to the goodness in the world and especially to those close to you?

Notice how you might not even be thinking about your Highest guiding you. If you are like me in years past, in my schedule, habits, and thinking, I know how life should go were leading my way.

I was so far away from realizing I have a Higher Power, God, or whoever I follow, that really is in charge based on what I need to become my Highest.

So now I know with greater commitment what’s most important to lead my life.

Know if there is boredom and apathy in your life, you have lost your way from your Highest.

Understand as you deal with the peaks and valleys of life, you can live more, be more, and live from the Highest you today.

If you’ve been blessed to have another year, 2023, bless your life, honor that, and cherish the days you’ve been given.

Decide today to focus on what is your Highest. What is the most alignment for you to be One with your Highest? Once you know that, shift and allow that to guide your life. Base all you have to do from your Highest’s point of view. Lots will be the same, but you are living from a Higher version of you.

Let this time of reflection of 2023 help you find priorities that allow your life to be filled with more love, joy and peace when you are living from your Highest.

The world is in need of people to step up and help.

What’s calling you?

Where are you bothered?

What is capturing your attention and energy?

What’s hurting inside of your heart?

As Ernest Holmes says, “Our part is to be ready and willing to be guided into truth and liberty.”

What story of service do you have to share?

Think about the conversations you are having.

Are they for the good of mankind?

Will they help strengthen the well-being of others?

Can they help open up new possibilities and avenues?

Where’s the light and hope in the words you are sharing?

Think about your part with all the roles you play. I know you are saying I’m just one person. But as Margaret Mead reminds us in her famous quote, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has.

If the wars are capturing your attention, think about the thoughts running through your mind.

Are they ones calling for more compassion, kindness, and concern of others? How can you lead situations with these qualities? Spread more compassion, kindness, and concern for others in your world. Think about a situation in your life that could benefit from you being these qualities or sharing them more. Where could you reach out?

Are they ones of blaming one side or the other? How can this help you become more neutral and hear both sides? Where in your life is this needed? Where do you need to listen more?

As Stephen Covey shares, “Seek First to Understand.” Can you be a mediator?

Your role is to be the most shining light you can be. What is that for you?

Where do you need to heal to shine brighter, to bring more light to the world so you can make a greater difference?

Where can you make a difference? Is it in your home, your work or your community? Your work is needed.

Know in your heart of heart, you are doing your part. I know for me my mission is to awaken people to their greatest life. Because I know when you are open more to the one you were created to be, you will be living from peace, love, kindness, compassion and joy. You will radiate that to the world. Life for you, and all those around you will be in a lighter, kinder space.

You will be sharing your gifts. You will find your way to share with others and make a difference. Think of the craze of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelcie. They have caught the world on fire with their relationship. People are cheering them on. Hoping that love prevails here. Nothing may come of it but in this moment in time, they are lighting up the world. Opening hearts and possibilities.

Are you willing to step up and maybe come out of your comfort zone, to make a difference?

The world needs you now more than ever before.

Something is calling you.

How can you do your part to make a difference?

What you focus on you become.

I have become quite interested in how I can live well, especially as I’m aging. Recently, a couple of articles captured my attention. The November AARP Bulletin’s Super Agers and Dr. Gabrielle Lyons’ new book, Forever Strong: A New, Science-Based Strategy for Aging Well.

How much of your day, week, and life are you paying attention to your health?

Whether you are in your 30s, 40s, 60s or 80s, today is the time to begin taking responsibility for your well-being.

For each person, the need will present itself in differing ways. Often,

Mid-life there is a lot of emotional and mental well-being at risk.

Boomers tend to have more physical and mental concerns.

Where are you right now with your well-being in your spiritual, financial, physical, mental, and emotional self?

Does it matter to you? Are you willing to live your best life and make some changes if necessary?

Being honest with where you are is the beginning of deciding whether you will be a super ager or not.

You choose.

“We have to let go of the past, remove the expectations we had, and keep striving forward so we can move a little closer to our happiness.” unknown

Your past does not have to define your future. Today can be a new day for you to begin living healthier and moving easier.

I know Bo and I talk to our kids about the need to begin right now where they are to take care of all aspects of their health and well-being. They are planting the seeds for their tomorrow. We both feel like because we had been proactive with taking responsibility for our lives, we are living the benefits of that today.

Bo recently found out one of his colleagues has a brain tumor. He’s a great businessman, running a successful company and very involved with that business sector. But, with this diagnosis, his focus has totally changed. He has put his interest and energy in how do I heal, make this better.

You can prioritize your health right now based where YOU are with some practices that make a difference.

How can you take charge to be a super ager before you HAVE to? How can you make the best decision for yourself today because it is BEST for you and the life you have left to live?

AARP November Bulletin has a special report on Super Agers. They define “a “Super Ager” as someone over 80 with an exceptional memory—one at least as good as a person 20 to 30 years younger.” They are sharing how some 80 and 90s stay sharp and have youthful energy. To me, that’s inspiring. Those messages are the ones I’m attracted to – wondering how can I be that or at least the best I can where I am.

Here’s some of the highlights:

“Super agers control their blood sugar and blood pressure.”
“Super agers talk to their friends — a lot.”
“Super agers have a physically and intellectually active lifestyle.”

Where are you on that spectrum?

Where could you begin to change or shift your way of being? As one of my mentors, Dr. Kim D’Eramo says, “Only 2% more willing and 2% shift in what you are doing.” Don’t take an all-or-nothing attitude. Choose one thing and, work for 21 days with it, integrate it into your life. Like only having sweets twice a week instead of every day. Or, call friends each week. Or, take a walk – even just around the block. It doesn’t have to be major.

One of the facts in the bulletin is that more older people are dying from falls. Well, that alerts me. What can I do to ensure that’s not me? I know I do yoga and strength-building to be as strong and flexible as I can. It encourages me to be more committed.

What are you doing to not be that statistics?

Dr. Gabrielle Lyons’ new book, Forever Strong: A New, Science-Based Strategy for Aging Well focuses on doing some weight training. Keeping your body strong. You lose your muscle mass at alarming rates as you age.

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon states in Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper, November 12, 2023,

“Skeletal muscle is the largest endocrine organ system in the body. When you think about it, you go to the doctor and you get your heart checked, your lungs, your thyroid—and yet we completely overlook the skeletal system, an organ system that makes up 40 percent of body weight. We have to measure strength as well, whether it’s via hand grip strength, walking speed, or how many push-ups, sit-ups, or squats one can do.” 

She goes on to say, “Muscle is the organ of longevity. If we shift our paradigm of thinking to focus on muscle, we can change the way that we age and optimize our health and wellness in a way that not just creates physical strength, but creates mental strength as well.” 

How can you begin today building muscle?

Go buy a few standing weights, whether 2 pounds or 10 pounds, depending on your strength. Make a 10-minute routine of using these.

Join a gym that offers senior classes that work on strength, balance, and flexibility.

Find an exercise app – like Carrie Underwood’s, Fit52. She offers LOTS of variety for differing needs. Like 5 minutes or hour-long ones. Even varying levels – beginners, intermediate and advanced.

Keep books and articles around like Dr. Lyon’s or AARP Super Agers to remind you of how important it is to do something about your health.

Find something that works for you. Put reminders in your phone to help you create a habit.

Give yourself the best gift ever. Prioritize your health and well-being as you age. Shoot for the stars to become a super ager whether that’s possible or not. You and your life will be better for it.

Share with me what YOU are doing.

One of the greatest things about being of retirement age is that more of my life is doing what I want.

But not before, I had to search my soul for what was right for me. I’ve realized how much of a people pleaser I am and how much I want to do the right thing. Whew, heavy.

As you begin your day, notice how wonderful it would feel and be if you thought about your day in terms of doing what you love. Think about getting up, imagining looking at your day and what you’d like to experience – even though you know many things need to be done – like work, chores, and fulfilling responsibilities. But how could you shift your focus to be on doing what you want? For instance, I love helping others and being there for them. Let that be my focus when I work, do chores, and fulfill my responsibilities. I still have things to do, but I do it while being on purpose with what I want for my life. It changes the whole perspective. It feels light instead of overwhelming.

Find ways to live your life doing what you want.

Live by your core values. Like joy, fun, connection, peace, kindness, grace, love. Instead of feeling frustrated or resentful, think about your day from your core values. Like instead of being angry, how could you shower those ideas to a core value like grace and kindness? You will see a different person or a different scenario. You will be living in alignment with what’s right for you if those are important core values to you.

I know at one point in my life that I was really angry, I realized I needed something to shift those feelings. It did not feel good. I would remind myself of my mantra, “I can choose peace instead of this.” I wanted a more joyful, peaceful life. I wanted to live differently. I knew I needed to be in alignment with my core values. These other feelings were trying to wake me up to what my soul truly desired.

Know change happens gradually. And, slowly, you find some momentum, and the patterns change to living more from the space of doing what you want.

What one person needs or wants for their life is certainly different than others. I know my generation was a lot about conformity. It would be considered selfish, arrogant, or narcissistic to believe you could have what you desired.

How are you aligning your life with your true desires rather than responsibilities and shoulds? Aligning with what feels good?

Remember, pain can be informative. Usually, that is when you are willing to try something new and different.

As Ernest Holmes states, “ We are here for the delight of whatever it was that created us — just as our whole life exists for the expression of our soul… Life is made to live, a song is made to sing, and a dance to dance.”

How can you begin to live more from the space of having a day full of your wants?

Everything you do in life is to feel good. So, if you believe that is true, think about how much your life is about feeling good.

Notice how many of your choices or decisions are based on your held social values, commandments, or group beliefs.

What rules have you made up that you “have to live by?”

What if, instead, you shifted to live by what you love and want to do? Know what’s important to you. Design your life around that instead of by what others want or think you should do.

“Stay true to yourself, even if other people don’t approve of your decisions. They’re not the ones who have to live with the outcomes of your choices.” (Daily calendar quote)

Figure out how you could live more of your life from inspiration rather than routine, habit, and the known.

As Maya Angelou states, “Courage is the most important of all virtues because, without it, we can’t practice any other virtue with consistency.”

It takes courage and tenacity to have the life you want. You are worth it.

How can you begin with 2% more of your day focused on what you want?

How can you have 2% more willingness to know it is possible to have an easier, more aligned life?

Today is a new day. Give it a try.

Do more of what you love each day.

The older I get, the more I realize the impact of my choices.

As they say, hindsight is 20/20. I can see clearly many ways I could have made healthier choices for myself.

I see where I was obsessed with certain things rather than enjoying them. Like running and exercising

I could have appreciated where I was more than thinking I wasn’t perfect yet. Pushing, pushing, exhausting.

I never thought about honoring myself. That would have seemed arrogant and conceited.

The first question to begin thinking about is what it means for you to make healthy choices that honor you. Healthy based on where you are and what fits most right for you today.

Not what’s the latest fad.

Not for the approval of others.

Not what others are doing.

What does making healthy choices mean to you? Is that with your mind, body, or emotional well-being?

One of the things I have noticed is how much influence the media has on what you choose to do. I don’t watch much TV, mostly sports stuff. When I’m watching, I see all the drug commercials. Whew, the overwhelm of suggestions to take this and take that. If you aren’t careful and awake to your choices, you can be pulled under.

Too often, you are swayed by certain people to do this or that, take this or that. But the truth is YOU must be the decision maker. Is it good for you and healthy for your mind, body, and soul? You know if you will listen inward.

Another consideration is what is healthy for you today. Not what worked when you were 20 or 40. Like what is happening for me in this 70-plus body and soul. Where am I today, and what do I need right now based on what I need to be healthy?

Your body is magical. Think of all the healing and work it does on its own. You don’t have to tell your heart to beat, your throat to swallow, or it to heal cuts. It just does it.

So why don’t you rely on it and honor your feelings more?

Too often, you have given your power away and think others know more about your body than you.

How can you start to honor your body more?

Decide today that you will honor and trust what your body is telling you. If you eat something and feel yucky or bloated, take note. Decide to test those foods and see if they are good for you. Your body will tell you.

You might not like what you realize, like me. I love Mexican food – mostly chips, salsa and guacamole. Well, every time, my belly feels so full and upset, yet what do I do, disregard what I’m feeling. It’s time for me to honor a healthier choice.

You are the guardian of your body. It is a vessel for you to live fully. Your life will be bumpy and unsettling if you aren’t honoring and guarding it. You will have more illness and unhappy moments and situations to deal with.

How can you begin to make healthy choices that respect what you need?

The collective consciousness and ideas can overtake what’s right for you.

Trust YOU!

Right now, there is lots of work needed on how to relieve the stress and worry people feel.

If your mind is on overload, it’s time to find things that can help you relax and slow it down. Meditation is a huge tool. It’s much more acceptable today. You can start with 5 minutes of guided meditation. Or try breath work. Or yoga.

Choose whatever you need today to help you make healthier choices to live more fully and abundantly.

Know that you are always free to change. Habits can be hard to break. But decide you are worth it. Decide to honor you. Then, begin by making healthier choices for your life.

Remember, you don’t have to keep doing the same things you’ve done in the past. Not always the healthiest for you.

Let being healthy guide your choices today.

Begin by looking in the mirror and expressing appreciation for yourself. Always be the first person to love yourself.

Next, figure out how you could be easy and loving on yourself.

How could you be in harmony with your body and soul?

Think about how your decisions connect you with serenity and ease things working out for you. Expect that. Know it is possible for you.

Invite in calm and peace in all you do. Set that as your intention as you begin whatever is before you.

Allow your life to be more effortless.

Ask your body each day, “How are you today?” “What do you need?” Honor what you hear.

Know that YOUR APPROVAL is all that is ever needed. Seek to honor you, not perfection or what is right for others.

You are the master and director of your life.

Honor what is healthy for you today.

See how much lighter and more fun your life will be.

Life is full of choices.

One of my core values is joy. I know now, more than ever, how important it is for me to fill my world with things that bring out that JOY.

Look around at your life and see what sparks being upbeat.

What makes you feel good, good, and goodness?

Life is too hard not to take charge and put things into your life that build you up and keep you at the top of your game.

As the saying goes, you become like the top 5 people you hang out with.

Who are those people to you?

Life is in need of more love and more kindness.

As you think about your life and the world around you, where is there a need that you could be a blessing?

You have special gifts and talents. There are many needs around you. Find how the two can merge. Sometimes, you don’t realize all you have to share.

Think about the birds and their morning songs. How delightful it is to begin your day listening to their songs.

How can you go out on this day and share your wealth your blessings? Remember, The Course of Miracles reminds you, “I am as God created me.” You have something special that wants to be shared. Is it listening, sharing your vision, or making someone’s day?

Remember the saying, “What would love have you do?” How could you use that as you think about all the blessings you could bestow today?

In our local newspaper this week, there was a calling for people interested in being involved in Norman’s Peace Team. The mission is to create habits and skills for nonviolence in our community. They want people who will train, speak, or be involved with justice groups. Is that something you could bless others with?

There are opportunities all around you to find ways to be a blessing for someone. For example, in one of my exercise classes, one of the men had difficulty getting up off the floor after our cool-down. A lady came over with a chair to help him up. He was grateful, and she was honored to help.

How can you be a blessing?

Be on the lookout for blessings. What have you found? Do you see a purpose and see how valuable you can be?

I have a little prayer I recite each day to remind me to be a blessing that is from The Course,

“I am here only to be truly helpful. I am here to represent Him who sent me.
I do not have to worry about what to say or what to do because He Who sent me will direct me.
I am content to be wherever He wishes, knowing He goes there with me.
I will be healed as I let Him teach me to heal.”

How can being a blessing to others enrich your life?

Each day, text out 3 blessings that you shared. Spread the joy. Not to brag but to let others see the possibilities. To encourage others to reach out to others.

Remember, loneliness is an epidemic right now. Who could you call, visit, or reach out to let them know you are thinking of them? Can you take them to lunch? Listen? Write a note or send a card?

Whom can you encourage?

What have you gone through or experienced that you could be a support or voice for another or others?

The more your focus is on blessings, the more you will notice. A crazy one came to me as I was searching for new exercise classes. I walked into this class and felt myself feeling arrogant, like, what am I doing here? I can do more than what this is offering. Then, my vision of being a blessing came to me. Wake up. This situation was showing me how I need to bring arrogance to the light so I can be more loving, more of a light, and more of a blessing. The sweetest lady approached me and asked me if I was new, sharing what I would need for the class. She was a blessing to me as I felt out of place. Taking the class helped me be more in tune with my body because it was way different than what I usually choose. What a blessing this situation was to me in a variety of ways. Physically, emotionally, and beingly.

Life is for you.

Life is full circle. What you focus on, you receive more of. What you give, you receive.

Today, go out and look for ways to be a blessing. Notice how good and fulfilled you feel.

What you focus on, you receive.

Who are you today and every day? Who are you BEING?

Decide to feel empowered with your life and life’s happenings.

Can you show up as the Goddess you are?

How free are you? Realize the beliefs and thoughts that are controlling your choices and ways of being. One of my friends sent me an opportunity to join a 21-day Belly Dance Challenge that she was doing. At first, I had all these judgments about it, lots of resistance. This reminded me that maybe this was something I could participate in – even though WAY OUT of my comfort zone. I joined it. I even got a little skirt to make it more fun. Absolutely hilarious.

Can you move your head side to side, back and forth, without moving other parts? Your arms flow from your shoulder to elbows, hands to fingers, and back up again. Then, alternate from one side to the other. Change the rhythm. Whew. It’s really, really good to lighten things up, to have fun rather than think I need to do it right. (No way with that!)

What guides you?

Is it your mind? How about your heart?

I’ve been focusing more on being goodness and light. Intending to lead more with my heart, compassion, and kindness. It takes work at times, and I surely like it when I’ve been given a reminder or two to get back on track, just like playing with my belly dancing. Oh, the judgments run rampant.

Where on a pendulum are you with negativity or positive happenings? Is that 70% negativity? Hopelessness? Victim? Or, are you living with a more positive attitude about life and your life?

How can you choose the direction of your life? The inner guidance?
Is it habit and routine?

Is the need to be right a priority?

What are you following?

Is it God? Notice if you trust enough to place your future in the hands of God? Are you looking for the light of the Holy Spirit? Or does fear guide you more?

Are you allowing Truth to guide you? How much news and social media are controlling your life?

Is it whim?

Are you conscious of what guides you each day?

A morning routine I have used for years now is to ask myself, “What would I like to experience today?” It reminds me that I AM in charge of my day and my life. I can decide how my day will go – even with interruptions in life. The more clarity and focus I have on what I desire, the more likely I will remind myself to get back on track when I see I’ve let life guide me rather than my intentions.

How much do you believe life is for you, and that is guiding your life? No matter what is happening. It’s easy to believe that when life is rolling along. But where do you travel when things you weren’t expecting happen. On my daughter’s birthday this week, she and her girlfriend were doing an early morning walk before work. This couple, with 3 dogs leased, came walking by. The standard poodle attacked my daughter and bit her. Luckily, she protected herself with her arms, and that’s where the infliction happened rather than her face. What a shock and disruption.

How do you recover and wonder how life is for you? It takes focus on what you believe guides your life.

As David Hawkins says, “Conflict exists in the mind of the observer and not in that which is observed.”

Think about how you could shift your life by YOU being in charge of how you want your life to go.

Not by chance.

Not by letting days go by without consciously creating them.

You are spiritual being. How could you redefine how your life will be by believing in those holy words?

Ask yourself each day, “What is guiding my life today?”

Follow your Highest Self.