Do you realize that each decision you are making is moving you more towards expansion or contraction? Think about that.

Think about the thousands of decisions you make in a day. Which direction are you going?

Are you happier than you ever dreamed of?

Are you espousing lots of gratitude for the blessed life you are living?

Are you more in wellness or illness? Notice how you are feeling and what you are telling others.

Where are you with expansion and contraction in your life?

What feels right about expanding?

I believe the ultimate goal is to live from love. Loving your life, loving yourself, loving others, loving what is.

Ask yourself, “How can I love more?” “How can I do more to serve and care about others?”

Be love.

Love in your thoughts, words, and deeds.

Focus on the ways love is showing up for you.

As The Course of Miracles says, Everything is love or a call to love.

Love is expanding. Fear is contracting.

I know for me, this has been a huge awareness and growth. I lived more from fear and doing. Fear – Was I doing it right? Who was I disappointing? What will they say? On and on.

Nowadays, I’m aware of what I am doing or have done. I notice when it doesn’t feel good. I’m willing to dig into that. I’m more willing to forgive my transgressions. I’m open to listening to what’s going on, what pattern is there, and what’s needed to shift this way of being. Just like one of my husband’s friends was in a quandary. He was acting strange around one of their friends and had been for a while. He realized how uncomfortable this was making him. He chose to do something different because he didn’t like this contracted feeling. After he did, he felt happy and relieved. Expansive.

Pay attention to the contractions in your life. If you are like most people, quite a bit of your life is played out here. What if you decided to shift that? Simple ways.

How much of your day and life are spent in contraction? Resistance? Judgment? Wishing it wasn’t this way or that?

Where are you spending lots of energy protecting yourself and reacting to life?

Do you know that when you feel contractions, it is affecting your body? You are holding, constricting the flow in your body. Stress, outrage, and being upset are all ways you are contracting and affecting your body.

Are you willing to release these old ways and patterns so that something greater can come into your life?

Are you ready to move out of some of the contraction in your life?

The other day, my calendar quote was, “I no longer need any negative drama in my life. I choose only good experiences from now on.” How does that resonate with you?

Are you willing to catch yourself when that negative drama and conversations begin?

Do you realize you have a choice?

Begin noticing all the ways you are contracting in your life. Awareness is the first step to change. Your health will thank you. Your spirit will be grateful. Others around you will thank you for not being so grumpy and negative.

Where are you with living in expansion? Notice the peace, joy, and childlike behaviors you are feeling. I have some of those MacKenzie-Childs Christmas reindeer. I LOVE them. I giggle nearly every time I pass them.

Begin today thinking and perceiving more goodness and kindness.

As Abraham-Hicks says, “If you will let your dominant intention be to revise and improve the content of the story you tell every day of your life, it is our absolute promise to you that your life will become that ever-improving story. For by the powerful Law of Attraction—the essence of that which is like unto itself is drawn—it must be!”

Start breathing deeper into your body, down to your belly. Reach your arms high into the air and ask for the highest white light be brought down through your body to every cell and atom. Breathe into that. Open up channels. That’s expansion.

Choose simple mantras to remind you – like “Something amazing is going to happen today.” See what shows up for you. Does someone call you? Or does another hawk come swirling by? Smile, be thankful.

Notice the ways your choices are in expansion or contractions with your:

Physical Being – Are you listening to what your body is telling you?

Emotional Being – Are you paying attention to your feelings and emotions? Or stuffing them?

Mental Being – How kind are you to yourself? Are you holding grudges or resentments? Is your world full of judgment?

Know that you won’t always behave in the most open and expansive way. But be willing to release the contractions by 2% more today and tomorrow. You can release the holds and open up to a whole new way of being.

Life is lighter and brighter when you open to expansion. As my pilates teacher is always telling us, “Open up your collarbone as if it were smiling big.” Just the words feel good, but also your chest and body do too.

How can you be more open today? Whether with your body, mind, or spirit?

Let 2024 be an expansion for you.

Allow yourself to be lighter, kinder, and more loving.

Stay open to life.

Each moment is offering you an opportunity to expand. Are you up for it?

You are on your own journey.

How can you be a messenger of God today? How can your words be of light, love, and joy?

Find ways to become more aware of the messages you send verbally and non-verbally.

Are you an auditory learner and can hear clearly what is being said and received?

Are you intuitive, and can feel or sense what is being sent from the messages you are receiving?

How clear are you about what you are sharing or broadcasting? Your words might say one thing, but what is your energy or vibration saying?

Are your messages positive? Or do you tend to be more pessimistic?

I know many people talk about having to be realistic. Is that a scapegoat for not believing in yourself, or what is possible for you? Yes, today, a certain scenario might be real, but where is the trust or hope for something more?

I know my mission is to awaken people to a life of possibilities to live healthy, vibrant, and abundant.

I hope my messages are aligned with that.

I hope I stir up some curiosity in you to question what might be possible for you.

What are you speaking? Is it in alignment with what you want to share?

Are your messages critical? Do you hear lots of criticism like:

The weather is awful today.
The traffic is terrible.

Are you making sure that your messages are ones that only good comes through you?

I love the example of the University of Oklahoma’s football coach, Brent Venables said in the Sunday, Oklahoman ”I love relationships.” “I love finding great people that also align in the values and the respect and appreciation for all the great things that Oklahoma has to offer.” … “It’s not easy, but no one is going to feel sorry for this program either. “It’s all hard. But it’s all good.”

What are your messages saying?

My husband, Bo, wants to send a message of light and celebration during this holiday season. He makes sure each morning to turn on the Christmas tree lights. That way, the lights shine brightly for us to see all day.

What bright light are you shining through your actions and words?

Does your message say to think about more hope more optimism?

One of the ways to help you know what message you are sharing is to define your “one word” for the year. It’s like a goal but more open. Like choosing “listening.” Then, you would align all you do with ways to make sure you are listening.

You would notice how attentive you are when people speak. You won’t be waiting to speak.

You would reassure others you heard what they were saying.

Another way to think about the messages you are sharing is to think about who are you being in this moment. Is that one of being compassionate, thoughtful, and generous?

Notice what messages you would be sharing by whom you are being. Who is that for you?

What do you want your messages to say? It’s more than the words you speak.

Decide to take charge of what you want your messages to say. Then, align all your actions, words, and deeds.

Kindness can go a long way.

Life can be hard. Let your heart open this holiday season to be kinder, more attentive and more involved with those in need.

Reach out and open up with kindness in all your daily travels and chores.

How could you give thanks?

Who needs your smile or attention?

One of the wonderful things about working in schools is that you see a reflection of society. You see all the ways people need each other.

Kindness is one way to make others feel valued and important.

Take time to notice how much kindness you give to yourself.

Give yourself permission to be kind to yourself. Find ways throughout the day to honor and acknowledge yourself even when you mess up or forget something.

Kindness is free. It doesn’t cost a thing but a willingness and commitment to share.

Who will you share your kindness?

Where will you reach out?

Think of all the ways you can share kindness this holiday season.

Give praise to others.

Share appreciation for what others in your life do for you.

Acknowledge the helpfulness of all the service workers you encounter.

Donate your time or resources to help out others.

What would be the greatest gift of kindness you could give? What’s in your heart that is wanting to give?

Notice how someone or something appears for you to reach out and help; be kind.

The more you pay attention to how the Universe works, the more you notice you receive just what you need to do.

Everyone needs more kindness.

Is someone you know in pain, whether from illness or hardship? How could you reach out to be there for them? What is it they need?

A listening ear?

A helping hand?

Moral and emotional support?

Kindness wins.

Develop a generous heart this holiday season.

Notice where you are grateful in your life. How can you help that happen for someone else? Spread your wealth.

Tis the season of giving.

Let kindness lead the way.

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?