Yesterday I was sitting on my deck eating lunch and as I looked around I couldn’t help but smile.  In that moment, I was completely overcome with gratitude.  I was eating a vibrant, nutritious meal, the temperature was perfect, the view more beautiful than ever and my home everything I could ask for and more.  I had everything I could ever want in that moment.  But my gratitude didn’t...

Last month Mark & I were in Los Angeles visiting family when my cousin asked us “How do you live such a simple life?”.  I stirred on that question for a week and came to the conclusion that there’s no simple answer.  We all have the ability to simplify or complicate our lives and for years now Mark & I have made thoughtful choices in an effort to live the life we desire.  The more I...

My husband and I believe there are three separate entities that comprise a marriage: ME: me as an individual YOU: him as an individual & US: us together as a couple The health and happiness of each entity equally important but their individual needs not always the same. If all my decisions are made with only MY happiness in mind, than the marriage is likely to suffer.  If all his decisions...

Mark asked me tonight if I would be interested in buying a house down the street as an investment property to rent out.  Hell no was my knee jerk reaction.  Then we discussed it for a bit and still, I stood at a firm hell no.  Not because it’s not a great idea.  It is a great idea.  There is definitely an opportunity for income there.  But luckily I know how to look past the income and at the...

Everyday life is a whirlwind of tasks.  Work, cook, eat, clean, pay the bills, go to appointments, walk the dog, call mom, don’t forget to return that text, buy that gift, research that thing.  Sleep.  Wake.  Repeat.  Today, as I was deciding what task to tackle next, something occurred to me:  I put every single responsibility and distraction ahead of taking care of myself.  Thus crafting a lie...

Doubt.  It’s often the one thing holding us back from reaching our fullest potential.  Me and Doubt, we know each other well.  I regularly doubt my knowledge, strength, abilities, worthiness, potential, talent and so on.  On a daily basis, doubt battles for control over the dialogue in my mind.  Doubt is commander-in-chief of the demons that stand between me and success.  Those demons on a...

In life, we have a natural tendency to compare.  Compare ourselves to others.  Compare our present to our past.  Compare our place in society to society as a whole.  Compare our bodies, ours spouses, our houses, our cars, our jobs, our happiness, our health and our wealth.  It’s often how we gauge success, by measuring it up against something.  Whether that be another person or our own...

It’s November 5th and I’m sitting outside on my deck, in my pajamas…and I’m not cold.  I’m completely baffled by this reality.  After nearly a decade and a half in the Colorado Rockies I came to know November as the second month of an eight month long winter.  The ski resorts that surrounded me would open for skiing in November.  Fall would be long behind us and summer would be a distant memory...