That into which we breathe life, grows . This is especially true for positive and negative mindsets. When we foster positive thoughts and project good things happening, we call in this energy and ask the Universe to bring us more. The same is true of negative thoughts. If we hold space for doubt, worry, the ‘worst’ which could happen, we give life and energy to those outcomes and subconsciously, we are inviting them to happen. Once we realize the weight of our intentions

Recently, a friend shared with me an observation: animals can tell us they are happy, sad, anxious, feeling safe and showing love by their body movements – a wagging tail, pointed or drawn back ears, expressiveness in their eyes. As humans, we rely on communicating these emotions through language. Yet, all too often, we fail to do this. We don’t take the time for a phone call to thank someone and express the significance of receiving a thoughtful gift. We struggle to exp

When we give grace to something or someone or to ourselves, we grant permission for it to ‘be,’ just as it is. This is a form of radical acceptance*. We are meeting ourselves and anything around us exactly where we are, for how we are, without judgment and without expectation. Practicing grace can be a new way of living for some of us. Quite often, we are ingrained with a mindset of ‘being the best’ or striving to be ‘perfect or nothing at all.’ These are extremely limi

Summer breathes in new life and lightness for the spirit and appetite! With the delicious blend of blueberries, almonds and fresh tarragon, this meal is a quick lunch or dinner to satiate your appetite and your senses! I first made this recipe when a friend was following Whole 30 and wanted a simple lunch option for her bachelorette crew - everyone LOVED it! This recipe calls for Ras el Hanout, a traditional North African spice blend which includes cardamom, cinnamon, clov

“We can learn nothing except by going from the known to the unknown.” ~ Claude Bernard When we think about learning something new, it’s easy to forget we first started in a place of unknowing. Perhaps there was something that sparked interest, leading to discovery, or perhaps learning came through overcoming challenge. Regardless of the reason for learning something new, there is a deep beauty and wisdom gleaned from recognizing we must first accept there is something we d

There’s something really wonderful about spending time outdoors. Outside, is, of course, where we all started, at one time in our cosmic lives, with everything we would need available for our basic survival. Plants for food or healing, animals for companionship or food, wood for structures or fire, water in the streams for hydrating or cleansing, oxygen in the air for vital breath and eventually land for agriculture and stone and ore for reinforced structures or self-protec

‘Girl Tribe.’ ‘Boys’ Club.’ ‘Mom’s Group.’ ‘The Crew.’ These are all examples of ways we look to find collective mindset, purpose and companionship as we travel through life. And this quest is a particularly critical part of living fully! It's in our DNA to share in community with people who support us, who give us a place to express ideas, overcome fears, celebrate wins, grieve over losses and turn to for help. As human culture emerged, having tribe and community meant s

There are many diet and health advice tips out there. It’s hard to keep track of what’s a fad or fading… If there’s ONE thing that you decide to focus on, make it about reducing your sugar intake! Added sugars are a silent killer, surreptitiously hiding in many foods and likely contributing to many areas of inflammation, distress and weight gain for you. Consuming naturally occurring sugars is essential to a well-balanced diet and the body relies on these energy sources

Have you heard the term – ‘lean into your edge’? Whether already familiar with this phrase, let’s talk a bit about why the ‘edge’ is a wellness buzzword. First, it’s important to understand what the ‘edge’ is and isn’t. The edge is that place of discomfort, the place where you feel drawn to explore the unknown about yourself because it’s intriguing and pushes you to challenge your beliefs and limits (about yourself and about life). The edge is not a place to live on adre

I always love staying at a hotel and placing the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the door. There’s something liberating about politely telling guests and staff ‘leave me alone.’ We don’t take enough time in our lives to make this same request. It can feel like we are perpetually asked to engage, respond, answer, check email, listen to messages, react. In this digital age, we literally have our world at our fingertips, in the palm of our hands, always at the ready. The cell pho

As you go through your daily life, think about how you’re reacting to situations. Are you responding from a place of anger, fear and want, or are you open, accepting and curious? There are two common mindsets associated with these feelings: scarcity and abundance. For many of us, our overall perception of life and whether we have available resources was instilled in our youth. We either grew up with a sense of lack, constantly yearning for something, or we felt we had th

When you visit your doctor, are you owning your role in your own health care ? Many people don’t speak up with their doctor. There’s a general belief (and rightly so) that doctors are the experts and so we unquestioningly follow their direction. We entrust our care to doctors because they have studied extensively, and they know things we don’t. Yet there is only one person who truly, intimately knows your body – YOU! The body shares information in many nuanced ways which

Each day, the sun is rising a little sooner and setting a little later, an indicator that winter is slowly wrapping up and the dawn of spring is on the horizon. What better time to talk about flowers? Soon, the earliest spring buds will begin emerging from their winter slumber, awakening elements of color against the bland hues of the Earth’s winter rest. Beyond their colorful array, with flowers, we have a glimpse of the deep wisdom of the Universe. Flowers follow a rhythm

In our modern lives, sometimes it's not practical to cook, because let’s be honest, who always has time for that? When time is a constraint, we can often be drawn to prepared foods, yet feel concerned about what we’re eating . There’s a lot of buzz in the health world about not eating packaged foods - and for good reason! So many of the processed and packaged foods in the stores are laden with chemicals disguised as food (and some are not-so-disguised…). Thankfully, there

From my article "All the buzz about 'whole foods'," I shared a few meal suggestions to explore eating whole foods. When we eat foods from the earth, we are giving our bodies natural nourishment, full of macro- and micro-nutrients, all of which contribute to the complex functions of life within us. At the end of the article, you will find the breakdown of all the health benefits for each food featured here. I hope you’ll play with whole food cooking on your own! Your body and

Take a moment and think back to when you felt your best. Breathe into how you felt – did you feel alive? Did life feel easier? How did you feel when you weren’t weighed down by worries or deadlines or commitments? Were you counting calories or counting stars? What was your overall sense - were you happy? Joyful? Peaceful? Taking this reflective moment reconnects you with your inner self, regaining perspective of how you felt when you were thriving. This moment is (like

So, we’re not talking about the store (though, it is a personal favorite of mine for their selection of organics, sustainable products and focus on overall wellness). Rather, let’s start with what are whole foods? The easiest way to remember is that these are the foods that look like they do in nature - vegetables, fruits, unprocessed meats, unrefined whole grains, nuts and seeds. Eating whole foods gives you a clean and balanced diet, and the opportunity to get the maxi

Ritual: ceremonial, customary, rite This is an interesting concept. Practicing something (or several things) in a rhythmic fashion, which is repeated, held with honor, and incorporated into regular life, carries power. Civilizations have practiced ritual for thousands of years, with the intent to come closer to their god, or to understand life around them, or to hold sanctity for sacred objects. Ritual was a means of living in closer connection with the elements and space a

Need to lose some weight? As an answer, most people will consider starting a new diet. There are many different options out there – Whole 30, Atkins, Keto, Paleo, Vegan – a large variety of popular diets which will all tout rapid weight loss. Perhaps there are celebrities endorsing these diets. These diets work, they certainly do. They are also generally restrictive, leaving many people feeling like they can’t wait for their ‘cheat day,’ which inevitably derails all the

So often, when we think about supporting our bodies for a long and healthy life, we easily land on diet, weight management and exercise. It’s just that easy, right?? Beyond these typical areas, something that can be overlooked is brain health . Controlling all functions in our bodies, the brain is an essential component of our longevity. With even a small about of brain deterioration, which is common through aging, the risks for compromised health later in life increase.