The season of giving can be riddled with challenges, inducing guilt and stress. What should be a joyous act of giving and generosity can quickly become a daunting task, a persistent concern about selecting the "perfect gift" for someone.

Let's get real for a second: overconsumption is no joke. Most of us are drowning in stuff already, and the last thing we need is more clutter. We're also well aware that our binge-buying habits do no favors for Mother Earth. We're on a mission it seems to pack landfills to the brim with even more junk. 

And, the prices of everything have risen so who wants to go into debt by overspending?

Yet, amid these challenges, the expectation to exchange gifts persists. It's not a matter of reluctance; it's a question of redefining HOW we approach it.

What if gift-giving could be simple, easy, meaningful, and green?

What if we lived in a world where decisions about gift-giving were effortless, gifts were beautifully wrapped, and every gesture bore...

Life is a wonder. And it's difficult. And...there will be dying. There will be heartbreak. There will be despair, and there will be horror.  

Thankfully there will also be joy, forgiveness, love, and connection.

Because this is what life is all about. It's about the range of experiences and the thoughts and feelings about what happens. 

If we can pause for a moment to let ourselves feel the pain and joy together and be with all the feelings, then we will be able to handle more of what comes our way and if we can "be" with the people experiencing sadness and deep loss, then we can be a gift to the people who are going through dark times and we can give ourselves a gift, too. 

Embracing Life's Inevitabilities

There will always be things we can't control. There will be the unexpected, the pain of seeing loved ones die or go through hardship. Yet, in the middle of sorrow comes the promise of hope and renewal. For every despair, there is a seed of joy,...

"Do the thing you think you cannot do: “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face."   Eleanor Roosevelt

Traveling alone as a woman can be an exhilarating and transformative experience. 

It offers a unique opportunity to discover the world on your terms, pushing your boundaries and gaining a profound sense of self-reliance. 

In this blog post, we'll explore my journey traveling alone, highlighting the empowering aspects and offering tips for a safe and enjoyable solo adventure.

Empowerment through Independence

I had traveled alone in Europe, but it had been many years. I was nervous, scared, and aware that I’d make all the decisions by myself…a thing that always makes me nervous.

My solo adventure was for only two days. I left the friends I’d been traveling with for two weeks in Greece and flew to Rome.  I‘d booked a room near the Vatican. The host had...

As women, we face constant scrutiny and comparison, leading us to doubt our self-worth and overlook the extraordinary beauty that resides within us...especially as we age.  But today, we're embarking on a journey to change that narrative and discover the power of self-love. 

Join me as we delve into ten transformative self-love practices that will help you embrace your body, celebrate your individuality, and ignite radiant confidence from within.

Breaking free of cultural expectations

It's time to break free from the chains of societal expectations and unlock the beauty that has always been yours to claim. Are you ready to embark on this liberating path of self-discovery? Let's dive in together and unleash the true essence of your being.

To foster body positivity and embrace our inherent beauty, here are ten self-love practices that can help us appreciate and accept ourselves just the way we are:

10 Self Love Practices you can use right now

1. Start Your Day with Positivity:...

Do you feel your life could be headed in a better direction? Are you wondering what steps you can take to make something happen and take control of your future? 

The power of manifestation can work wonders for anyone wanting to create lasting, meaningful change in their lives.  As empowering as manifesting is, it can be difficult to understand if no one has previously guided you on how the process works. 

If you’ve spent days, months, or even years trying to manifest your dreams and find yourself missing the mark, then it's time to turn things around with the power of manifestation. 

Manifestation allows us to access our innermost creativity and wisdom so that we can bring about amazing changes in our lives. 

Whether it's manifesting more money, having the relationship of your dreams, traveling around the world, or having more energy to keep up with your grandkids, when you learn how to correctly harness the energy of manifestation, anything is...

Honestly, I've used manifesting as a tool to get what I want and it totally works. Though let's face it, it does sound a bit woo-woo, and skeptics might say there's no evidence to back it up.

Well, think again…the neuroscientists are studying what happens when the brain manifests. This might surprise you. 

What Manifestation is

Manifestation is the process of bringing something into your life you desire, whether it be a new job, a relationship, or just an overall feeling of well-being. It can be an incredibly powerful tool to get what you want in life. 

To truly master the art of manifestation, we must first understand what happens in our brains when we manifest. Let's explore the psychology behind manifestation and how different parts of your brain interact while manifesting. 

At its core, manifestation is about creating a positive shift in the way you think and feel. It’s about shifting your focus away from what you don’t have or want and focusing...

It wasn't the clean air or the clear starry sky nights that were the most nourishing. It wasn't the fact that I got to spend 5 days camping with my best friend or that I hiked on smooth flat rock with gorgeous views that made me feel alive. 

All of those things made my heart sparkle and glow. 

But what surprised me the most was the quiet. The stillness. 

It was startling in a way to be in complete soundlessness. I had forgotten about being out in the middle of nowhere how quiet life can be. 

I realized that living in a city or town, the sounds from the freeway are running in the background, even though for me, my house is nowhere near the freeway. 

It was the stillness and deep quiet without the background noise that soothed me the most. 

Canyonlands with Dear Friends

We started in Canyonlands, Utah, with 5 other couples. Now a delightful annual affair, we hiked, ate together, talked and laughed, did yoga up on a...

May is Mental Health Month and we all know it's crucial to prioritize our mental well-being, especially as we age. Yet setting boundaries and saying no are things that we may not think of as essential parts of self-care and it can be challenging to know where to start. 

In this post, I’ve created a fictitious woman who like so many of us knew instinctively that she needed some practical self-care ideas to help her prioritize her mental health. 

I’ve named her Effie who has the same name as my beloved maternal grandmother who never stopped giving to others. A woman whose way of living took a huge toll on her as she ended up with cancer. 

Grab a cup of tea, take a deep breath, and let's get started.

The story of Effie 

Once upon a time, Effie realized she needed to take better care of her mental health. She knew that setting boundaries and saying no were important pieces of taking care of herself but she wasn't sure where to start.

She heard about...

March 2023 satellite photos of both Cyclone Judy and Cyclone Kevin

Vanuatu...the tiny island nation where my son and my 3 grandchildren live has been hammered by two back-to-back cyclones in the past few days. Cyclone Judy and Cyclone Kevin, category 4, cyclones slammed across the island within 24 hours of each other. 

If that wasn't enough to make your head swirl, somewhere in between these two cyclones, the country shook from a 6.5 earthquake. There was a lot of damage. It was brutal. 

The people of Vanuatu are used to natural disasters.

In 2015, they were battered by a category 5 cyclone. Cyclone Pam was ruthless. The recovery took years. 

In 1987 when I lived in Vanuatu, Cyclone Uma was a force and wreaked immense havoc. I remember a sleepless night, trying not to be completely freaked out that the roof was going to blow off while I held my 15-month-old toddler on my chest and my husband held our 3-year-old.

It was a long night to hear...

“And I said to my body softly, ‘I want to be your friend.’ It took a long breath and replied, ‘I have been waiting my whole life for this."             Nayyirah Waheed

As women, we’re taught from a young age to be dissatisfied with our bodies. We’re expected to fit into an ideal of beauty that is impossible to achieve and have so much pressure placed upon us in today’s society because of it. 

This constant battle can leave us feeling emotionally drained and exhausted…as I know all too well. But instead of continuing this vicious cycle, it's time to put down the weapons, stop fighting, and start listening to what your body has been trying to tell you all along.  

My story is not that different than many of you reading this.

I think about the times I’ve been so hard on my body and how I’ve fought to stay thin because, I too, bought into the cultural expectation that thin is...