20 Things that Bring Me Joy:

I needed to get my mind focused on things that bring me great joy.  While there are so many things, here is a list I did with tangibles and intangibles.  If you need to gain clarity on what really brings you joy, brainstorm a list of your tangibles and intangibles and make sure they are part of your day.  

Intangibles:

-my family
-my health
-my spirituality
-sunshine
-peaceful mornings
-warm breezes
-kindness
-laughter
-the beach
-inspirational words

Tangibles:

-yoga
-good coffee
-good books
-cozy blanket
-our boat
-my home
-trips/vacation
-massage
-spa time 

Those famous words that are said year to year, that have endured changes in style, trends, pop culture, and generations of celebrities.  The Academy bridges our history in Hollywood and our present moment—we walk the red carpet for generations and feeling the glamor and prestige of this event that celebrates our times, our stories, our people.  The Oscars are the Super Bowl for the movie industry and those of us that enjoy Hollywood, celebrity life, entertainment & fashion—while I am not a pop culture junkie, I have an appreciation for it and I especially love the heartfelt moments and humor when it comes to the Oscars.

Viola was beautiful.   We love the dresses, the pretty, the beautiful and the ones we question.  

While her dress is stunning and she is beautiful in this photo, it was her inner beauty, depth, grace, poise, authenticity, and heartfelt speech that made her stand out.  While the dresses are fun and fashionable and the scene creates a “who’s who” in celebrity, fashion and fame, it truly is the messages, the speeches, the depth, the heart that speaks to my ear.  

Grace has a beauty of its own.  Feelings are very on trend, classic and never go out of style—yet we focus all too much on the outside, the dress, the hair, the baubles, the shoes, fun, yes, unforgettable feeling, no, no way.    

Feelings are all too forgotten and underrated in Hollywood and in our everyday lives.   Someday perhaps we will pay more attention to what is on the inside rather than what is on the outside (and this is coming from the girl that loves beauty, pretty things, and all things stylish).  

At the end of the day, we are people.  People for People.   When you have a good heart, do good work, speak truth, speak life into others, do your best (what ever that means for you), you can rest assured you are the Oscar winner in your own screen play.  

You have the leading role in your life.  The best thing you can do is be true to yourself, be authentic, be a better version of yourself and be good to others (and yourself).  The lights do go out and the audience does go home, but you are and will always be there, on and off stage.  Dress for the occasion, but make sure your insides match your outsides.  Make it a good show, life is not a dress rehearsal.  

Viola was only one example of grace, beauty, heart, truth—let her and others inspire you to do the same.  In a gown or in yoga pants, be the star in your own performance.

Little Girls with big dreams, grow up to be women that will be a force in the world.  

Do you remember your dreams as a little girl?  Do you remember the wonder and beauty that you created in your head and in your heart?

Do you remember there were no boundaries, no voice saying why that dream does not make sense or cannot happen?  

As a little girl I know you danced with imagination, wonder, and boundless energy to be, do, and create whatever it was your little heart desired.  

You even declared to either your family, your friends, your dolls, or yourself that you would be __________ when you grew up.  

What happened?   You grew up.  You learned doubt, fear, and the reality of costs and commitments—none of us are immune to these things.

What if you went back to your little girl dreams and gave them an upgrade?  What if you combined the wonder, courage, imagination, and added your interests and passions and created your dreams for your future without any boundaries or obstacles?  

It is never too late to dream and it is never not possible.  Believe that it is possible.  Believe that you can.  Believe that you will.  Believe that any obstacles in your way are signposts directing you where to go.  Always follow your heart, it truly knows the way.  

What would you tell your little girl self?  Sorry darling, but life is hard and you just have to suck it up, make a living, and stay in the box.

No thank you.

Here is what I would and am telling my little girl self.

Baby Girl, you were born to do great things.  Be proud of what you have accomplished so far, but know you have more in you, so much more that needs to be shared with the world.  Never let others bring you down or dull your light.  You shine and you need to shine your light so that others can shine too.  Be brave.  Be bold.  Use your voice to create positive change.  

So, that crazy dream you hold in your heart.  It is time to own it.  Believe in it.  Take action on it.  You can’t abandon your life to make that happen, but what you can do is take that one step.  Take that tiny step forward and then take another step and another.  When you fall down, hear no, are discouraged, keep pressing on no matter what.  You got this.  You can do it.  I believe in you.  I believe in our dreams.  I believe in us.  I believe in the power of women encouraging women (and also the next generation).  So, it is not only your job to take action on your dreams, it is your job also to support all women in theirs—and to help those that are less fortunate and need our voices.

Stand up for your dreams.  Stand up for others.  Stand up for Living HIPP for your generation and those that follow.

Let's teach our little girls not only how to dream but how to treat each other, because when we truly come together, we will change the world.  

Having a daily practice of gratitude can shape your day in a way that shifts everything you think, say, and do.

It is a foundation in which we build our mindset from and comes from a place of humility and positive energy.  Life throws negativity at us and we all have some form of negative thinking (some more than others).  It is the practice of gratitude that relinquishes the old stories, the complaints, the challenges, and focuses us on what we truly have each day to be grateful for.    If we woke up this morning, we should be beyond grateful.   Do we have a roof over our head, love in our heart, and family and friends to love?  Assuming we do, we should be grateful.  Many of us have incredible opportunities each day in our life, perhaps going to yoga or the gym, doing work we love, surrounding ourselves in natural beauty, these are all things to be grateful for.  Things happen during our day that are the opposite force and it is our gratitude that keeps us grounded and helps us to truly appreciate what is, rather than what is not.  

Practice Gratitude Daily.  First thing in the morning think about what you are most grateful for, go to the next step and write these things down.  

Take time to acknowledge, appreciate, and give gratitude and thanks for these things.   They do not always have to be the big things like health, family, home, work.  They should also include the simple things.  The simple things are just as important to our HIPP life.   I write gratitude daily and participate with a small group where we all share five things each day we are grateful for.  It is incredibly empowering and rewarding, even on days I don’t feel like getting online to do it, I just do, and it always makes me feel better.  This helps us from going through the motions of life and getting caught up in the busyness and life demands, to truly being connected to our lives, our feelings, our hearts, our gifts, and the beauty in it all (and yes, the mess too).  

Here is an example of one of my Daily Gratitudes:

1.  Fun date night with Charlie, I am so grateful we take time for each other.

2.  My kids.  While they are teens, they and who they are help me love these teen years (most of the time)!

3.  Coffee.  Morning coffee rocks my world.

4.  My pretty pink chair.  My splurge for my office makeover, can’t wait until it all comes together.

5.  Waking up Sunday morning, being alcohol free is underrated.  Best buzz I have ever had!  

Challenge yourself to write gratitude daily.  You can do so old school in a journal or simply do it on your computer by yourself or reach out to a friend that wants to do the same and share it with each other.  It will enhance your perception and view and truly help you to appreciate what is.  

Fight or Flight?

While we are on our journey in life, while we have many HIPP moments, there are those moments that challenge us to fight or flight.

I grew up in an environment where there was no other choice but to fight, which was usually exercised in a positive way with a positive outcome regardless of how difficult the challenge was. 

We all have our fight moments….

Fighting for what you believe in.  Fighting for your family.  Fighting for justice.  Fighting to make your life better.  Fighting for your health.  Fighting for your happiness.  Fighting for your education.  Fighting for your career.  Fighting for your sanity.  Fighting for others that can’t fight for themselves. We fight.  We show up.  We address the elephant in the room.  It is hard.  It is awkward.  It is unwanted and at times it is ignored and dismissed.  

Whatever it is you know in your heart to be true (not necessary right), fight for it.  Know you are strong enough, smart enough, bold enough, and worth enough to fight rather than flight.  

Nothing great in the world or in our lives happens when we silence our voice.  We need to use our voices to create change.  We need to use our passion to cast vision, our voice to speak up, our truth to inspire others, and our wisdom to educate and inform.   Those days you want to hit the eject button, just be still, think before you act, and be brave enough to fight for what it is you believe in.  

February is the month of Love, and I can’t think of a better time to really explore and implement Self-Love.  For some, this may seem selfish or self absorbed and it is anything but that.  When we love ourself and practice self-love and self-care, we are better able to show up in the world, for ourselves, our family, our work, and each other.   Personally, if I don’t embrace this or if I am not mindful of it, I don’t practice it, and I don’t care for myself.  Also, at times we can be our own worst critic or give ourselves a hard time.  Boy, do I understand that because I do that at times and it is the practice of self-care and self-love that help me shift to caring for myself as opposed to beating myself up or just not paying attention to the importance of self-care.   

Here are tips and ideas you can implement right away to get your Self-Love On:
—Meditate & pray daily.  Self-love is a spiritual process, open your heart & mind to that.
—Breathe. Take time to just be.  Use the breath to calm the mind.
—Write down 10 things about yourself that rock.
—Practice gratitude, truly be grateful for the things and people in your life.
—Eat really well.  Sure cheesecake happens but feed your body with nutrient-dense food.
—Have a skin care regimen and routine, also use body oils & lotions to pamper yourself.
—Read a devotional or spiritual book daily, even if it is only one page.
—Take time for how you look & feel.  That extra few minutes can put a bounce in your step.
—Let it go (this is HARD).  Let go of other people's actions, problems & your worries.  
—Practice simplicity.   Keeping things simple brings such peace of mind.
—Surround yourself with things you love.  Pictures, art, quotes, music & people.  
—Take a bath or hot shower, it makes everything better.
—Snuggle with a pet or person, hugs truly are the best medicine.
—Laugh more.  Be silly. Be You. Don’t take yourself too seriously, enjoy more.
—Those new boots or shoes you want, go buy them for yourself.
—Be generous, give to others, your time, your money, your service (whatever you can).
—Believe in God or a Higher Power, this is incredibly healing and powerful.  
—Know your worth, you are enough and that you are never alone.  Have faith.

Love Yourself More.  In order for you to share your love, you need to give it to yourself first. 
Love is free, costs nothing, and can cost everything when we fail to embrace it ourselves.  

I was introduced to personal Development 15 years ago when I began my career in direct sales.  While I always leaned toward it and practiced it in some way, becoming part of a company that embraced it and having a mentor that preached it changed the trajectory of my life.  I believe with all my heart that we all need personal development and the more we work on ourselves, the more we bring to the world.   

This week this topic has come up in a few conversations and it has made me really explore why I believe this is important to leadership and important to life.  The fact is, we are all born to grow into the best version of ourselves.  We all have a dark side and a light side. It is our job to shine light on the dark, be forgiving, be open not only to ourselves, but to others.  It is hard work.  It is really hard work and when we are brave enough to go deep inside, we are able to sort through what works best for us and work every day to uncover and discover our potential, our beauty, our grace, our purpose, and passion.  

For me personally, this practice has been life changing and this practice has allowed me to emerge as myself, and not a version of someone else.  It is a work in progress and it is a journey, a lifelong one at that.   For years I focused on success principles and learned so much from that, many lessons which I still implement and follow today.    Interestingly enough, the thought leaders were mostly male and while the content is great, it has not addressed issues specific to women and issues specific to being a mom and growing from girl to woman.  In 2009, I experienced my own shifts, as it was the first time in my life that I made personal development & growth a priority in my life.  I walked into a yoga studio and it all changed.  I learned to merge body, mind & spirit, and to grow from within, rather than being focused on the world around me. I tapped into my greatest teacher of all, me.  I still study those around me and I feed myself with books, words of inspiration, motivation, and become inspired by others' examples, but I also combine that with the practice of yoga, the discovery of self, the journey to the heart.  

I believe with all of my heart, when women grow and work on themselves, they are able to show up better in the world.  A better mom, wife, leader, friend, and champion of change, brave enough to change themselves but also brave enough to change something in the world.

While I love nice things, fashion and trends, those are only ornaments.  They are only the shield that covers us and covers the truth that exists.  True beauty lies within.  It is the human spirit and the openness to each other and our desire to be better (not the best) that unites us all and creates community, positivity, comradery, and momentum in living with purpose and passion.  That is all well and good, but it is not always easy, and we are not always feeling those things.  For me, PD (personal development) is the daily plan that creates actions, thoughts, and behaviors that move us in the right direction and help us gain clarity on how we want to live and what brings us fulfillment.  

I am not alone on this topic. In fact, many world class leaders would argue that you have to work on yourself every day to truly emerge into a great leader, and not only that, but a good person.  Leadership is growth.  When you work on yourself, you grow as a leader.   Some of the greatest leaders we all know, teach this and include this in their quotes, writings, lessons, and daily practices.   Here are some that come to mind:  Oprah Winfrey, Elizabeth Gilbert, Maria Shriver, Sheryl Sandberg, Brene’ Brown, Glennon Doyle Melton, Michele Obama, Marianne Williamson, Tony Robbins, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Richard Branson and the list goes on….   These leaders read, write, and work on themselves in body, mind & spirit.    Learning & leading go hand in hand. It is not only learning about our trade or just our profession, it is learning about ourselves, growing our spirit and faith, feeding our body and mind with good things, practicing self-care, and also learning how to work with others and creating the most positive environment to work in and live in.  

Here are a few key things you can do to begin or develop your personal development plan:
—Daily affirmations
—Daily meditation & Prayer
—Cast vision and set goals
—Practice gratitude, write it down
—Journal your thoughts, dreams, and reflections
—Do yoga on and off the mat
—Secure a workout plan each week through: gym membership, home workout, yoga or pilates studio
—Review your nutrition & wellness, are you feeding your body well
—Read 30 minutes each day nonfiction books that expand your belief, mind & spirit
—Serve others, share kindness, be focused on aligning with positive people

Here are some things to stop doing:
—Habits that take you away from your vision
—Comparing yourself to others
—Gossiping (I know this is hard)
—Complaining or blaming
—Thinking you are above personal development (this is not socio-economical or education related -we all need it, there are no exceptions)
—Over scheduling yourself, if you are a workaholic you need this more than ever
—Stop trying to fit in, you need to stand out.  This is not for the “cool kids.”  This is for the brave ones that lead others, not that look for followers.
—Waiting for ______ to happen.   Don’t put this on hold, begin each day, even small steps will move you in the right direction.

When we shift our focus more on this and less on the stuff and fluff that really does not matter, we will bring more collaboration, more positive people, more community and more progress to our lives and our vision and goals.  At the end of the day, besides from good health, don’t we just want to be happy?   

Begin your journey, today.  

Here in New England, we are experiencing snow storms.  While the snow storms are one after the next and it gets old after a few storms, I generally love a snow storm. I believe it is God’s way of getting us to slow down.   Gathering around the fire, comfort clothes, comfort food, family, conversations, and being pulled away from our busy lives.  

The Calm Before the Storm.  It is bigger than the weather.  It is a way in which we live our lives.   We all have our own storms, our seasons of joy, our seasons of growth, our seasons of warmth & beauty, and we have our seasons of storms.   When we have too many storms one after the other we can lose ourselves and we can truly be challenged with one obstacle after the other.  We need to find our calms before and between the storms.  Those moments we are able to gain clarity on what is really important.  Those thoughts that bring us peace, joy, contentment.   The storm always rolls in and there are times we can’t forecast when, where, or why and that can be difficult.   Since we cannot control this, what we can control and invest in is the calm before, the time before, the work that happens outside of the daily grind of our lives.  

Being present in the moment.  Feeding your body, mind, and spirit with things that help you grow, keep you strong and centered, will sustain you as the storm rolls in.

There are times we have too many storms in a row, and we get swept away with the winds of change, challenge, and chaos.   The more we invest in ourselves and in the moments between the storms, the better we can handle this.  There are times we fall down and in these moments of the tornado, we just need to believe, to know that the sun will come up, and there will be a new day.

If you are caught up in a storm of life, be still.  Know you are not alone and that the horizon is there.  Just hunker down and get ready for the sun to shine it’s light on you, your life, and the beauty that exists all around you.  

Never Give Up!

Regardless of what team you were rooting for, the Super Bowl this year was a stellar example and inspiration to NEVER EVER EVER GIVE UP!

When the world turns on you and you are blamed for things you did not do, treated unfairly, penalized and ostracized, you still show up. You still play the game. You still know your purpose, your worth, your dignity and your greatness. You can't control others, their words, their actions, their jealousy & hatred--what you can control is you, your dreams, your vision, your determination, your strength, your desire to bring your best game to this thing called life.   Tom Brady was under fire this year. He could have crumbled but he chose to rise, not only did he show up, but he won, and he proved to the world that winners and champions are not always on top, they too have challenges and in the end, they rise above.  

Prove them Wrong. Not by fighting them, but by fighting for truth, fighting for your team, and your people. When you are the champion, others are going to be threatened and try and take you down. Isn't it time we all rise up and give others credit where credit is due? Don't let them bury you.  Stand up, stand strong, know your worth, and even if it appears doubtful, stay hopeful. Never ever ever give up!

It looked doubtful, until it became hopeful.

Excellence was exercised and possibility became possible.

Grit became Greatness.

Losing Became Winning.

Leaders created Legacy.

Set Backs, Became Comebacks.

Let this Super Bowl be an example for you and the challenges and obstacles you face.  Never ever ever give up!  It is never over.  You always have a chance and when you put your whole heart in, you can’t do anything but win and end up on top!  Roger That! 

There are so very many kind people in the world. I am grateful for all the kind, positive, loving people that surround me.  I feel love and I love very deeply.

I also am reminded occasionally that there are haters in the world. I see them online. I see them in politics. I SEE them and I SEE right through them.

I am convinced a few have come to me to teach me something so that I can teach you something. Let me share more….

At the end of 2016 I received Hate Mail.  Yes.  Hate Mail.  

While I will not share details of the letter, I will share that someone had a lot of hate in their heart and it was directed at me.  

I was told by the author of this letter to not share it with anyone—and "don’t you dare go running to your bitches.”   One thing I know is that a classy person wrote this letter—a real class act.   I was referred to as a “bitch," “disgusting" and “arrogant" (yes, all of those words were used). The letter also included other disparaging commentary but I am not going to publish the letter, as it reflects poorly on more than the author.  As my mother raised me to do, I will act with grace, hold my head high and rather than let this letter get me down, I will stand up and use it as a platform for change, as a platform to use my voice.  I expect more from women, I really do, and when I see this sort of thing, and am the recipient of it, I can complain, weep & feel attacked, or I can take action and do something about it.  I choose courage & action, not fear & silence.  

So, lets break a few things down here….  
Disgusting:   Well, I have never been described that way, nor will I accept that or take that to heart.  I have to say that the letter and the act of sending it anonymously to me was purely hateful and this behavior and act of hatred is truly what is disgusting.  
Arrogant:  Well, this person does not know me very well.  Confident, yes, thank God I am a confident woman who knows her worth, her heart, and her desire to love and to be loved.  I love my life, I love my family, I love myself, and I love my people.  Thank God I am confident because that confidence is what carries me when my self esteem is not as high or as strong as I need it to be at times.  

Dearest hate writer.  Did you know that while I am confident, I too struggle, like you (and every woman on this planet) to know I am enough? You were hard on me, but did you know I am even harder on myself and that is something I am working on?   I live my life daily, trying to do good, trying my best to be good to others, to be vulnerable, and also to respect the gifts God has given me and to share them (because I can point out enough flaws).  

I fall down, I mess up, I am far from perfect. But one thing I do know is that I am caring. I genuinely care about others and I am passionate about being kind to others, even in the face of adversity.  I am passionate about how we (people) treat each other.  

I can say with certainty a few things I know about the person who wrote it.  They are mean spirited and hateful, clearly, someone I don’t want to be associated with in any way.  They are not my brand and will never be my brand—it and they are the opposite of me and I don’t want to do life, business, or anything with this person.   

They are a coward and a bully, sending the letter anonymously and also threatening me if I speak up—such a cowardly act and such a bully!   It is ironic as bullying and mean girl behavior is something I am passionately against and want to stand up and do more about.  Thank you sender, I believe this is a sign for me to stand up and speak out.  Sorry sister, but you messed with the wrong girl—it is not okay what you did and it is not okay that this sort of behavior happens.  It may appear to be an obstacle, and it was so hateful with an attempt to be hurtful, but I see opportunity, thank you.

Fortunately, I was and am able to put this in perspective.  Thank God that is not me.  Thank God I am not the girl sending hate mail.  Thank God I love myself, life, and others.   While there are people in the world I don’t like, I don’t hate anyone and I wish no one ill.  

The one thing that bothered me and really made me ask why and how someone could be so cruel is that it came during a difficult time.  The person that sent this knows me, knows my life, and knows that I lost my mom and that 2016 was a tough year for me.  It really bothers me that they could kick me while I was down. Did it really bring them satisfaction and joy to send such words of hate, such words for me to read, while I have been fighting depression (mostly grief)? I really was speechless and at a lost for words on how someone could be so cruel, another woman, another mom.  

I am fiercely loyal and the way I view this is that they were mean to my mom’s baby girl, and they were mean and hateful to Kaili’s mother, to Cameron’s mother and to Colby’s mother.  Oh no you don’t sister, you have messed with the wrong girl.  I am taking your hate and I am going to turn it around, not for you, but for me, my family, and my desire to create more kindness and happiness in the world. I am taking the stones you threw at me (boulders) and build something beautiful out of it.  

So, to my readers and my HIPP audience….  Please do me this favor.  I want to start a LOVE revolution and turn this hate mail into a love letter revolution. Would you please do me this favor—would you please send a love letter, note, e-mail, or text or public post to someone in your life (friend or foe)? Would you please help me turn this into a positive situation?  You see, my mom’s advice (after she called this girl a few words) would be to ignore her and look at the positive (she would also tell me to have pity on her).   So, lets turn this around, will you help me in doing that?  Write a love letter to someone and/or better yet, write a love letter to yourself.  

While it is not ordinary to get hate mail, I guess when you stand out, stand up, and dare to shine, you are going to have haters.

I believe with all my heart that LOVE is so much stronger and LOVE WINS.  Let's spread some more LOVE in the world, one person at a time.  Write your letter, or post on someone's FB page, or send a text, whatever you do, just share love.  My mom taught me not only to be kind, to be good to others, but also to look at the positive.  My dad taught me not to back down and not to take anyone’s _____.   I am taking both of these lessons and standing up for me, standing up for them, for my family and for you!  XO

A cornerstone of the HIPP brand.  Peace always begins with ourselves.  Our world and our country need more Peace than ever before—it is hard to believe we are not all activists for Peace.  It is not flowery, hippie or crunchy.  Peace is about being Kind.  It is about being Caring.  It is about leading your life with love.  It is about being good to others.  It is about being good to yourself.  

Where do we start?

Peace begins with you.  Do you dedicate each day to thinking about what brings you peace, what brings you joy, and what brings out the best in you?  Do you give thought to removing the things that do otherwise?  Are you kind to yourself?  Are you kind to others.

If you are feeling hopeless or afraid of the world we live in, don’t you dare give up.  Stand up for Peace every day.  It begins with you.  It does not mean everything is okay, it just means you are doing the best you can.  Be kinder to each other.  Be good to strangers, friends, and foe.  Serve others.  Don’t get dragged into the drama of the world, be different, stand for unity.  Stand for kindness.  Do good deeds.  When we each rise up and change our own vibration, we can’t help but inspire that in others.  

I believe that women hold a special power in this.  I believe with all my heart when we stand in unity and for each other, that nothing will stop us and at that point, we will create world peace.

We all need to find the Calm in the Storm.  This might be something personal in your life or perhaps it is the political landscape or trying times we are experiencing as Americans and in the world.   

This I do know….  We have a choice.

We have a choice in how we interpret, react, treat others, and process it all.

Social media makes this worse as people feel the freedom to attack others online and at times it is alarming to see the hate, disrespect, and conflict from grown adults.  

I believe we all have our right to have our opinion and to share our difference of opinions.  Politics is many sides and all are valuable to some degree.  Respect should be inherent in everything we do.  Humanity should be the cornerstone in everything we do.  Being good to others should be more of an issue than it is in our world today.  Just be kind.  It is so simple yet so misunderstood.

In this climate of conflict, find your peace in the storm.  Set your mind on what is important to you.  Here are some ideas to create peaceful moments in your day and to center you mind and heart in a loving & positive place.  Namaste!

—Meditate & Pray Daily
—Begin each day with gratitude.  Start a gratitude journal naming five things you are grateful for.
—Rest.  Take 10 minutes in the morning and evening and just pause, reflect & gather.
—Warm Beverage.  Tea, coffee or lemon water can soothe the mind, heart & soul.
—Do yoga.  It very simply helps you be a happier, nicer, more tolerant, and calm person.
—Breathe.  Breathing exercises calm the mind and relax the body.
—Choose positive thoughts.  Are you blaming, complaining or thinking good thoughts?
—Be of service to others.  Doing good deeds just feels good and gets you out of your head.
—Forgive.  I know this one is hard.  Forgive those that have been less than good to you.
—Praise.  Praise others.  Be genuine in that.  It feels so good and is a gift you can share.
—Exercise.  Movement releases endorphins and endorphins feel good.  
—Create a clutter-free space.  Clearing things out brings peace of mind.
—Let it Go.  Whatever it is for you.  Just let that go.  
—Creativity.  Draw, write, imagine, dance, sing, let your creative self free.
—Write a letter.  Write a letter to yourself or someone you love with kind words & love.
—Laugh.  It truly is the best medicine.

Take time to find the calm in your life and especially during the storm.  When you practice like this, you can’t help but inspire others to do the same.  This is living HIPP and this will in fact change the world.  Let it change yours!  XO

Proud mom moments are the fabric of motherhood and they connect us deeply in a way that we can truly be happy for each other.  

My proud mom moment came this weekend while sitting in the audience at the Showcase of the Stars, waiting with anticipation to see my daughter’s solo and duo and small group number.  I love this time.  It is the kick off to the dance season and seeing my daughter do what she loves and is passionate about, dance.

My daughter walked on stage in this Angelic white costume. I was confused because I thought she was wearing the red one, but I don’t worry about the details, I just wait.  

Ave Maria started playing, my eyes swell with tears,. This song is a favorite of my mom’s. I am touched immediately knowing this is a tribute to her Nanny and a surprise for me.  

I can’t even describe the thoughts racing through my head.   God, how did I get blessed with a daughter so kind, so good, so loving, so angelic?   I also think I came from a woman like that.  My Mom was incredibly kind, warm, loving, thoughtful, and positive.  She would have loved this. I can only believe that she was dancing with my girl, so proud of us both, and sending her love through the feelings that were filling my heart and soul, such feelings of love and loyalty.  

This dance tells a story.  It is not just my story, it is our story.  It is about the love of a daughter, the love of a mother, and the love of a grandmother.  It is about love and it is about loss.  It is our story, all of ours.  While we lose our grandmothers and mothers, the dance still goes on.  The generations of woman represent them on stage and in life.  We celebrate our love, our grace, our beauty, and we dance with life.  

I am touched, and this tribute took my breath away.   These are the moments that matter and these are the messages that are important.  This dance shall forever play in my head and heart and remind me that the beauty and grace in my mother dances all around me and is forever present in my life.  My girl.

Reflection & Renewal

As women looking to live our best life, we need to identify tools that work for us that we can implement each day to make our day not only solid, but enjoyable.  Music is one of my tools,.  It is the lyrics and vibes that cover every emotion I am capable of.  It tells the stories of our hearts, hopes, dreams, fears, and renewal.  Each season I have songs that become my anthem, that give me hope, confidence, inspiration, excitement, motivation, and sometimes just deep moments of reflection and gratitude or excitement and joy.

As we are kicking off 2017, I am sharing with you a playlist I put together for the New Year. It is centered around reflection & renewal.  As you celebrate your life and look to creating great changes but also acceptance of where you are at, these songs might enhance your resolve.   I will be creating lists each month and I promise the next one will fire you up, but for now, isn’t it time we kick off the New Year with some reflection around our life, our purpose, our hopes and our dreams, and also create a sense of renewal.    This list was inspired by my yoga class.  Two of the songs were on a list I heard this month, proving once again how yoga inspires me in every area of my life.   I am grateful to have Yoga as a primary tool for Living HIPP.   I hope you enjoy these songs as much as I do and it is my hope that you take time to reflect, refresh, and renew your spirit as you capture the vibe of your life, your new year and your new day!  If this is not your jam, then create a playlist that speaks to your soul.  It is such a great way to get in touch with that in which sets your soul on fire!

New Year, New Year HIPP Playlist
Reflection & Renewal

1.  Same Old Lang, Dan Fogelberg
2.  Don’t Know Why, Nora Jones
3.  All of Me, John Legend
4.  Wake Up, Harold Melvin
5.  Dogs, Damien Rice
6.  Amazing, One Eskimo
7.  Today My Life Begins, Bruno Mars
8.  Rise Up, Andra Day
9.  Brand New Day, Sting
10. What a Wonderful World, Louie Armstrong
11.  She’s Gotta Be Somebody’s Baby, Jackson Brown
12. Beautiful Day, U2