I recently had an a moment that reminded me it was time to stop waiting and start living.

It all began not too long ago when I saw a beautiful sundress online…

The sundress was way more expensive than I would usually spend.

Yet for a week I left it in the shopping cart and opened the tab nearly every day.

Several times my hand came close to pressing the purchase button, but I kept stopping myself. 

Truth is, I’m more of a TJMaxx and thrift store kind of shopper.

And yet, something kept drawing me back to the dress. 

“It’s hand woven and made by local women in Greece,” I whispered to myself. 

And then the little voice in my head said, “Go for it.”

And before I could think any further, I had pressed purchase.

Time to Stop Waiting

The sundress arrived and I carefully opened the cardboard box to reveal the dress.

It was green and flowy and I knew right away I loved it.

It was perfect!

And then… 

…it hung in my closet with the tags still attached ever since the day it arrived. 

The Day Finally Came to Stop Waiting

I was meeting a dear friend for coffee, looking through my different sundresses.

My new dress caught my eye, but I thought, “Oh no, I couldn’t.”

What if I spill something on it? What if my pooch, Georgie Girl drools on it? It’s too special just to wear out for a cup of coffee. Plus, I have physical therapy after, so I’d have running shorts and a tank top underneath!

Then as I turned to reach for my old go-to sundress, the words of one of my dearest friends ran through my head. 

Years ago she’d been diagnosed with an advanced illness. Today, many, many years later, she’s healthy and well, but a particular moment from that time always stands out for me. 

It was soon after she’d gotten the all clear and we were getting together for a cup of coffee. 

She showed up just as she had done so often those days; dressed up in a great skirt, blouse, wearing lots of jewelry, and looking totally amazing.

“You always look so incredible these days,” I said to her. 

And her reply is what I want to share with you today.

“Kase,” she said, “One day I was standing there looking in my closet and saw all those clothes just hanging there, waiting for the party.” She waved her hands up in the air and looked right at me. “Then I realized, this is the party,” she said.

This is the party.

I still get chills. 

Stop Waiting and Start Living!

So this morning with my dear friend’s words ringing in my ears, I cut off those tags and I’m off for coffee in my new special dress! 

Because this is the party!

And every day that we get to be here is reason to celebrate, right?

So how will YOU celebrate?

I’d love to hear!

And if you want additional support, check our my Transformational Life Coaching Practice. 

***A reader recently reached out and said, “How have I been missing all your inspiration on social media?”

Her kind words meant so much to me!

If you’re on social and looking for uplifting messages, follow my posts on Instagram and Facebook. 

Lately, my thoughts and focus have been on the idea of how you can find your safe space within your day to day life. 

I’m always on the lookout for life lessons – those little magical moments when I have an ‘ah ha’ and think – Oh, yes, that’s a good one!

Well, our teachers come in all shapes and sizes and the latest one of these ‘ah ha moments’ came from my dear pup, Georgie Girl.

We were having a glorious late afternoon thunderstorm here in New Hampshire – well, glorious to me, but not so much to my dear Georgie, who is afraid of thunder!

As the rain was coming down hard on the roof and the thunder really starting to peak, I was in the laundry room folding sheets, and Georgie Girl soon ran in panting and shaking.

I was in the midst of folding a queen-size sheet, and Georgie ran right for it, tucked her head in the middle of the sheet, like she was saying, Mama, please wrap me up and let this be my safe space.

I adore my girl, but these sheets were white and my favorite, so I swapped out the sheet and picked up an old faded towel from the bin beneath the folding table and held it out for her.

She immediately tucked in her head, and I wrapped the rest down over her big body.

I held my hands still on her back practicing Reiki and we stayed that way for several minutes until I felt her panting subside and her whole being relax.

Connecting to Recent Thoughts

No surprise, that moment came right on the heels of what I’ve been thinking a lot about lately – finding safe moments and spaces within our own day to day lives.

Places and spaces where we can step away and give ourselves that sense of security and comfort, just like I had for Georgie Girl.

Lately, my serene, safe space has been my office. I close the door, stream tranquil music, sit for a few minutes in stillness and then take a few minutes to read a passage or two from one of my favorite spiritual books.

Outside of the house, I find safe, tranquil spaces in the woods, implementing the Japanese method of Forest Bathing, which I wrote about ​here.​

Not all of you have the luxury of a quiet office, or wooded trail, but those quiet, safe moments are available if you intentionally look for, and create them.

Find Your Safe Spaces

~ Put on a pair of headphones and tuck into a corner of a couch with a blanket wrapped around yourself.

~ Set up a folding chair outside under the shade of a tree.

~ In the car, shut everything off, and just sit and breathe for a few quiet moments.

~ Create a little ‘altar’ with a some of your favorite books and mementos on a small table or stool in a corner where you visit for a few moments of quiet contemplation each day.

Many of my coaching clients, especially those with young children and/or demanding jobs, set an alarm 15 – 20 minutes early each morning to get up and create that sacred, quiet space in their days.

The beauty in giving yourself those few extra moments of comfort, kindness and care, is the impact it has on the rest of your day, and in turn, those you encounter as you move through your day.

You become the ripples on the pond, spreading your positive energy to others.

So…

Do you have a favorite space to which you retreat?

Are you ready to find one?

I would so love to hear!

I also know first hand that a notebook, scrap of paper or any writing devise of any sort, can be a safe place as well.

With that in mind, here is the latest writing prompt for you.

I feel safe when…

The trees are budding, flowers are blooming, and I am feeling inspired by the beauty of nature around me. And… as I tend to do about this time every year, I’m looking around my home and wondering – “Where did all this stuff come from?” Which prompts me to know it’s time to pull out my favorite decluttering tool!

In the past, spring clutter-clearing usually led me feelings of overwhelm and despair, but one I discovered my favorite go-to decluttering tool, I felt empowered and ready to take charge of my home and life!

It’s a simple, yet powerful Feng Shui technique, which I share in my book, A Mom’s Guide to Creating a Magical Life.​

Here How it Works

​The basic principle is this: For 9 days in a row you get rid of (donate, throw out, consign, recycle) 27 things.

Yup, that’s it.

The 9 X 27 technique

What I love is the daily limitation of the 27 items.

Because as we all know, what often begins as decluttering enthusiasm, can quickly devolve into exhaustion and piles of stuff in each room, creating more of a mess than before you began!

We’ve all been there, right?

If you want to give it a try, keep it simple. Check your calendar and carve out 9 consecutive days. Start in one room, maybe with just one drawer.

And if you want to hold yourself more accountable, if you skip a day along the way, reset the calendar and start over on day one!

Most importantly, keep it light, have fun, and as with everything I recommend, do it without judging yourself.

This is not meant to be an exercise in beating yourself up. (Which is why I will practice what I preach and not beat myself up about the Christmas decorations still covering our dining room table!)

If you decide to give it a try, let me how you’re finding it. Or if you have your own favorite method, please share!

In the meantime, visit my Coaching Page and schedule a Discovery Session if you need additional support.

A Writing Prompt for Internal Decluttering

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What are you creating space for in your life?

I am deeply honored and excited to be the speaker at this year’s Women Who Make a Difference Luncheon at Colby Sawyer College in New London, New Hampshire. If you happen to be in the area, it’s sure to be a day full of joy and connection!

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I recently went through the poignant and often painful process of letting my adult children go as they forge their own paths out in the world. Facing an empty nest can be a confusing and conflicting time. As always, it’s helpful to know you’re not alone on this journey. Here’s a bit of mine…

Facing An Empty Nest

Letting children go is the part of parenting no one can fully prepare you for.

As I witness my beloved children fly from the nest, this new year brings feelings of excitement, and at the same time, feelings of deep melancholy.

Of course, my children’s exciting new beginnings are exactly what I as a parent have hoped for!

Yet the heaviness in my heart, and occasional leaky tears, speak to the ongoing inevitable aspect of parenting – letting go.

Empty Nesting and the Deeper Grief Beneath the Surface

I’ve also come to recognize there’s a deeper element of sadness beneath this particular moment of letting go.

A grief of sorts, which I’ve come to see is the grief of losing the younger versions of my children. 

This newly empty nest, brought about the realization that my children are never going to be those little ones again.

The little ones I made mud pies with, baked morning pancakes for, and read nightly bedtime stories to.

I adored those days.

“Makes sense,” my hubby recently commented. “You taught kindergarten and second grade for 10 years.“

Indeed, he is right. I love the innocence and inherent wonder of those ages.

And yet here they are, my grown children, these beautiful young adults, carrying those amazing, younger versions of themselves within, prepared to share themselves with the world.

Leaving me with this empty nest and the opportunity for my new beginning.

I adore the wisdom of this quote on parenting from Khalil Gibran –

“You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.”

That quote is exactly the reminder of what is most important for me in this moment – Trust.

I must trust and let my children go as I continue to hold them close in my heart.

An Empty Nest is also the time and opportunity for me to turn my focus back on myself. What about you?

Empty Nesting and Doubling Down on Self-Care

As I move into this new arena of empty nesting, I recognize that now more than ever it is a time to  practice what I preach in my coaching practice . 

I must meet myself where I am and honor all that I am feeling – the uncertainty, the grief, the worry, the possibility, the loneliness and any and all the other emotions that arise during this time of transition. 

Also, I’ve come to recognize that this is a time to double-down on my self-care practice.

What does that look like for me?

Daily walks in the woods, meditation, writing, reading, rest, lots of water and nutritious foods, connecting with my incredible coaching clients and of course, all of you.

Most of all, as I move into this new world of empty nesting, I intend to focus on all that I love that brings Magic into my days.

Are You Facing an Empty Nest? Now, or Sometime in the Future?

If so, what does self-care look like for you?

Remember, you don’t have to wait to move into the empty nesting phase of parenting to focus on self-care!

Everyday is an opportunity to focus on You and invite more Magic into your days! 

So…how will you take the best care of YOU as you move through this new year?

I would be so honored to hear.