Letting Go

   Hi there! I've been thinking a lot lately about expectations. Expectations are things we hold on to, both good and bad, and often times they tend to result in frustration, disappointment and anger. We expect things to go a certain way or people to behave in a manner we've imagined for them, and when they don't, then we feel let down. But the truth is, if we didn't hold onto expectations so tightly, we could live a lot more freely and lightly. Not only that, but we could give a lot more grace to those around us. 

  The scripture reminds us in James 4:13-15 that despite all the plans we make, we "do not even know what will happen tomorrow." The truth is, we all want to be in control. We want our children and coworkers to behave in the manner we expect will work best for us. We want our days to go according to our set pattern. But often, that's not the case. If there's anything this last several years should have taught us, it's that we are not in control. And in fact, while that may sound disheartening, we can take heart if we know the One who is in control. 

  We can plan for our days, and I believe we should. But we must teach ourselves not to be so attached to our plans and ideas. When we're willing to change, to bend, and to go where the moment takes us, we just might find a better more beautiful plan than the one we could have imagined. I'm not saying we shouldn't expect the best, but we need let go of things that don't meet our expectations and realize everyone is on their own journey, and their timeline may not line up with ours. When the disruptions happen, we need to learn to take a deep breath and go with the flow. Don't let a change of direction throw you off course. 

  One of my favorite things my yoga instructors say is, "Let go of all that no longer serves you." It's a reminder not to hold onto things which aren't working for us, and that includes our expectations. Today, be willing to live more flexibly and more gracefully. It makes the journey more enjoyable. Enjoy the bends in the path and look forward with joy to what lies ahead. I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.L.W.  

Spring Cleaning

   Hello Friends, spring is finally in the air. The sun is shining; the birds are chirping, and it seems as if the clutches of winter are loosening. Now, don't get me wrong, I know there is still cold snowy days and a few rainy months ahead, but this break from the frigid temperatures and darkness of the past few months always gives me a boost of energy. And I was reminded recently that it's time to start spring cleaning. I know, often times the thought of cleaning can be a bit arduous, and if you're like me, you probably have a basement full of stuff you've been piling up for when the weather gets nicer, but there's just something about spring cleaning that puts a little life in my step. 

    Spring cleaning carries with it the promise of fresh newness, like that first breath of outside air when the flowers start to bloom. And with that thought in mind, I want to give you a few spring cleaning tips. Now, spoiler alert, we are almost a quarter of the way through 2022, and if that frightens you to think about, join the club. It seems to have snuck up on us. But this quarterly mark is a great time to hit refresh. And on that note, here are the three best ways I know to refresh from the inside out. 

1.  Detox your schedule

    Take some time to sit down and really analyze how you're spending your time. Are you doing the things you want? Or are you coasting through on auto pilot, turning on the tv after dinner, trying to forget the long day of work, and dreaming of the weekend when you can maybe get caught up? The truth is, most of us have more time in our schedules than we realize, and most of us aren't doing the things we really want to be doing with our time. We say we want to take a walk outside after dinner, but instead we hit the couch. We say we want to get coffee with friends, but we don't seem to make it happen. Doing a time audit and refreshing your calendar can help you see what things you're spending time on that you don't want to be, and what things you can replace those with. Toss the things on your calendar that weigh you down, and make a little room for some fresh habits that will bring you more joy. 

2.  Detox your body

    Most of us set some type of new year's goal to be healthier, but truthfully, for a lot of us, after a few weeks that goes out the window and we return to our same old, poor eating habits. Take the time now to hit refresh on your health. Ask yourself if you are eating, moving, and feeling the way you should, and if not, make a plan to change it. Set a goal to get back to the gym or make that healthier grocery list. Or pick a date and do a full reset. Eat only fruits, veggies and meats for a week and see how you feel. You just might be surprised at all the junk food that snuck it's way back into your life. Seasonal markers are a great time to reevaluate our goals and our calendar, so make the most of this reminder and get back on the healthy train. After all, summer is just around the corner, and you know everyone will be talking beach bodies then. Why not beat them to the punch and get healthy now?

3. Detox your home

    Now that the cold weather has broken, it's a great time to start cleaning out all the winter clutter that seems to build up. Fill up a box of clothes you aren't wearing and donate it. Clean out the garage or the basement. Eliminate all the extra appliances in your kitchen and (Gasp!) get rid of those Christmas gifts you didn't really want and haven't used yet. Don't be offended. You know you have some. If you're looking for a mood boost, find someone who can appreciate the things you aren't using and make their day by giving to them. Or, if you need some extra cash to fund your new calendar or health habits, post those items for sale and see how much you can make from your unused stuff. 

  As spring approaches, now is a great time to refresh our habits, our bodies, and our homes. Do some spring cleaning this week, and see if it doesn't just put you in a better mood. Don't let the seasons just pass you by. Make the most of every opportunity to hit reset. I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.L.W. 

Where to Start

   Hello Friends. I’ve been thinking about the world lately, about life, about struggle, about the constant overwhelm and fatigue that seems to be plaguing so many of us right now. Life was already hard, and then we added two years of a pandemic, and now a war. It’s difficult not to feel overrun by it all. Maybe you’re looking at your life, at your days, at the world, at all your goals and dreams and wondering where to even start. So much is different now than we all imagined it. But don’t lose hope. 

  If you know anything about me and my journey over the last decade, you probably know that I was a person who was overwhelmed, frustrated, wanting more, but having no idea how to get it. I went to bed every night thinking, “Tomorrow, I’ll figure it out.” I was waiting for that one big cataclysmic moment that would change everything. And day after day it didn’t happen. 

  But something changed all that for me. And that something was learning about the power of small consistent steps compounded over time. I learned from a book called The Slight Edge that change doesn’t happen overnight. Instead, it’s in the little, tiny actions we take each day. This was a great relief to me, because while I had struggled and failed over and over to make some big crazy change and fix everything in my life, I could take one small step, and another, and another. And ya know what? It worked. The person I am today has changed so much for the better and accomplished so many goals and dreams I never imagined would happen. 

  So that brings me to today, to the frustration and overwhelm we’re all facing. Too many of us are looking around at the world and wondering how to fix everything. And the truth is, we can’t. At least not all at once. But I was reminded recently of something we can do. And it goes back to that one simple principle I learned almost ten years ago. Arthur Ashe said it this way, “Start where you are with what you have.” 

  If you're struggling, overwhelmed, and frustrated by trying to solve it all, just start with one step, right where you are, with what you have. You might not have the time energy and money to change everything, but can you change one tiny thing? Because one thing is all you need to do right now, from right where you are, using just what you have. Take the step. I can't wait to see you succeed. 

~K. L. W.

P.S. If you need a little help knowing which step to take, come join me on Patreon!

Something Deeper

  

 Good morning, Friends! I've been thinking and talking about self-care this week, about the idea of loving and nourishing ourselves so that we can be filled up enough to go out into this big wild world and pour forth that love onto others who are deeply hurting and in need. But what does it really look like to love and care for ourselves? Culture has created this "self-care" trend to be something consumeristic, the so called, "Treat Yo-Self" mentality. And while I love Parks and Rec, and a good splurge as well as the next, I wonder if there's not something deeper to self-care than the retailers would have us believe. Sarah Wilson says it beautifully in her book, This One Wild and Precious Life. "What if instead of self-care we focused on caring for our souls?"

  Caring for our souls is something different entirely. It requires us to work from the inside out. No more buying a facemask and a mani-pedi to make everything alright. No, caring for our souls requires us to dive beneath the surface, to unearth the thoughts, feelings, emotions, and mindsets which are helping or hindering us, and to sit with ourselves for a while in all of our humanness. 

  Caring for our souls means seeking out truth, growth, and life. It means we must do the hard work of uprooting what is holding us back. And unfortunately, a new handbag or pair of shoes won't do that for us. Now, I'm not judging here. If anything, I'm speaking to myself. For a long time, my go to when things weren't working in my life was to buy something. I would go to the store in a frenzy looking for that one thing that would fix my life, a new set of running shoes, a new outfit, the perfect makeup, a vitamin that would make me feel great all the time, a new planner that would ensure I hit all my goals. But the truth is, none of these things made the problem go away. Society has taught us that if we just buy the next right thing our lives will be perfect. But, while there are helpful tools, books, and items for sale, none of those will do the work to create the life we want and need. Only we have the ability to do that, and it requires us to do the work of caring for ourselves enough to get tough with ourselves. 

  Here are a few of the things I've found are often hindering me when I start to feel the need to look for a quick fix:

1.  Fear - Too often we (and by we, I mean me) let the cares of this world pile up. We start to worry about how we will pay the bills, or if we should be preparing for food shortages, or how we can save the planet, or how to make sure our kids end up as decent human beings, and we start to shut down. We live from this place of fear and scarcity, and those are never good places to make decisions from. 

     Whenever I catch myself living from a place of fear, I have to come back to the truth. "There is no fear in love. Perfect love casts out fear." (1 John 4:18a) I have to remind myself that I was not created to live in fear, and the only way to truly live is from love. I have faith in a perfect love from my creator, and by extension, I can live fully in that love without fear. When I approach the world and my decisions from a place of love, the scarcity and anxiety mindset goes away, and I can get back to who I need to be. 

2.  Selfishness - Often times when we find ourselves living small and encumbered, it's because we have gotten tunnel vision. We have become so focused on "I, me, mine" that we forget we aren't the only people in the world. It can be easy to get on Instagram and look at everyone else's picture-perfect lives and start to feel pretty sorry for ourselves. But all it takes is a homeless person on the corner, a picture of a refugee child on the television, or a glimpse into the lives and struggles of our neighbors to help us see that most of the time, things aren't as bad as they seem. Ironically enough, the cure for our souls in this case is to be with, listen to, and love others. We have to get out of our own yard to see the grass isn't actually greener on the other side. 

3. Ungratefulness - I'm sure you've heard the expression, "count your blessings." And while it's easy to say that, often times we forget to do it. I was reminded of a beautiful quote this week from Albert Einstein. "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as if nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is." 

     Too often we fall into the first camp. We cease to be amazed by a sunrise, a bird chirping, breath in our lungs, and instead we complain. Gratitude truly is the cure for all that ails us. Training ourselves to be in awe of life and all that we've been given will truly change our perspective. Here's some things to consider: 178,000 people die each day around the world. If you're reading this, be thankful. Here's another one: 43 million people in the world are living with blindness. If you can see these words, be thankful. The list could go on for days of all the things we have to be thankful for, running water, food, homes, electricity, education, etc. Often, we simply need to take the time to appreciate what we have. It puts things back into perspective. 

  This week, if you are needing a little self-care, you can buy the latte, get the massage, or shop til you drop. But while you're at it, take the time to truly care for your soul. Dig deep and see what you need. It probably doesn't come from a store. Most likely it is rest, love, perspective, and gratitude which will heal us from the inside out. Take the time to get quiet and ask yourself the deep questions. You might just find some truth which will set you free. I love you friends, and I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.L.W. 

Enduring the Loss

     Hello Friends. This week I have been thinking a lot about loss. Yesterday was the 14 year anniversary of the loss of my daughter, Chelsea. And so, my mind has been drawn to this idea of what it means to lose those we love, but not only those people we love, but places and things. I have been wrestling with the idea of change and of letting go, and of how we endure, move through, and even thrive with loss. 

    You see, loss is a part of life, at least on this side of eternity. Death and decay are a constant force in this world. And they are forces we were never made to live with. When God created this world, everything was supposed to live on eternally. It was perfect. There was no pain and loss. But after the fall of mankind, the introduction of sin and death brought with it the continual pain of loss in our lives in some fashion or another. (Genesis 1-3)

    I am young by most standards, and yet I have suffered the loss of numerous family members, close friends gone too early, pets, jobs, relationships, and places and things I have loved. Each loss takes a toll on us, and I believe that grief is a healthy and necessary process to our healing. However, after we have suffered the pain of loss, we are left with a choice to make. We can grieve what was and become bitter and shriveled, refusing to move on, closing ourselves off to the world. Or, we can choose to accept loss, move through the process of grief, celebrate what was and remain open and loving to the world and what will be. Natalie Goldberg says it this way. "If we look at the state of the world, shutting down seems logical. But to truly live we have no choice but to keep unfolding, even in the face of devastation." (The Great Spring) 

    And so, I want to encourage you. If you have suffered loss, of a loved one, of a dream, of a way of life, as so many have in these last few years especially, don't shut yourself off. Don't give up. Keep moving forward. Celebrate what was, remember and reflect, but keep your eyes on the horizon. The temptation is to believe the whispers that everything good has died, that the best days are behind us, and only pain lies ahead. But when we spend all our time looking back, we forget that there are beautiful places on the road ahead. We become stuck in the dense fog and mired in our own sadness. We must look forward. We must cling to our belief that the future is better than the past. But even this comes with the realization that there will be more loss and pain ahead. And even so, the journey is still worth it. 

    Today, reflect on and celebrate those people and seasons you have loved. But don't forget to move forward, with arms and heart wide open to the people and places that will be. The best is yet to come, and as long as you are still here, there is more life to live. Celebrate what was, embrace what is, and look forward to what will be. I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.L.W. 

Keeping in Step

     Hello Friends! Have you heard the old adage, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." While that piece of sage advice may be true, what it fails to mention is, the journey of a thousand miles does not end after that single step. It requires taking that step, and then another, and another, and another, and another. 

    You see, we are all on journeys. Maybe it's a health journey, a relationship journey, a growth journey, a parenting journey, or a career journey. And even after we take the steps to get started, if we want to succeed and ultimately reach the destination, it demands that we put in the necessary footwork to get there. 

    Too often we think when we begin on a new endeavor that we can just take that first giant leap, and suddenly arrive where we wanted to be. But the truth is, anything worthwhile will require us to put in time and effort, over, and over, and over again. You can't just tell your spouse you love them once and assume that will carry forward for a lifetime. You must demonstrate it day in and day out if you want a relationship to remain strong. You can't eat one salad and lose fifty pounds and be healthy forever. You have to put nutritious food in day after day and move your body consistently to achieve results. 

    Our society has tricked us into believing in fast food results for everything. We think overnight success is the norm, and we get frustrated and discouraged when results elude us after one or two steps. But if we begin the journey with the vision of it being a journey, we will not grow weary and give up after the first five steps, or ten steps, or twenty. We will know that the thousand-mile journey requires 10,000 hours and even more steps. We will know that the joy is in the journey AND in the destination, and so we will press forward, one baby step at a time. 

    Today, no matter what you are journeying toward, and whether you have just taken the first step, or if you have been traveling for some time, keep the thousand-mile journey in your mind. Life is an adventure made up of a lot of steps. Don't give up. Keep moving in the direction of your dreams, day, after day, after day. I can't wait to see you succeed!

Galatians 6:9 - Let us not become weary in doing good, 

for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 

~K.L.W.

106 Things

   Hi Friends! I hope you got a chance to watch my video this week and have been taking some time to think about the things you would like to accomplish in your life. You see, too often we get caught up in the mundane and forget to challenge ourselves, to look for excitement, and to make the most of this beautiful life we've been given. I'm not a country music fan, (I know, I know, please don't unfriend me), but I want to remind you of a popular country song, "Live Like You Were Dying" by Tim McGraw. 

    The truth is, a lot of us forget that we don't have to be dying to live to the fullest. We can seize every moment and every day, because in reality, we all will die someday, and none of us knows when that day is. So why not live each day like it's our last? Today, I want to challenge you to do two things. The first, is to write out what you would do if today were your last day on earth. Really take some time to sit with this idea and ask yourself what you care the most about. Chances are, many of the things you would want to do on your last day on earth are things you can do right here and now. Things like time with friends and family, maybe taking a trip, maybe just going for a walk and savoring the moment. We would all be much more satisfied with our lives if we invested our daily time and energy into the things we care most about, those "last day of our lives" items. 

    The second thing I want to challenge you with today is to make yourself a Life List. My list started as 103 things back in 2016, and it has grown to 106. This is a list of big and little accomplishments. These are things to get excited about, to work toward, and to grow and stretch for. I wrote about my list in 104 Things. And today, I want to give you some updates, and maybe some ideas for things you can put on your list. 

     Here's a few things I haven't accomplished yet, but I am working towards:  Speak fluent Spanish, Take my son to Egypt, Ride an Elephant, Swim with Sharks, Have a star named after me, Visit St. Judes and give books to the kids, Take a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Live abroad for a year.

    And here's the ones I have accomplished. (Some pictures included). You'll just have to trust me on the ones I don't have pictures of. 

    Publish a Book - April 2019 (I have three published books, and more coming soon!)

    Get some Tattoos - July 2019 (I have five now)

 

    Ride a camel - July 2019

    Own a hot tub - October 2020

    Make good cookies - December 2017

    Successfully grow a plant - June 2020

    Enjoy our wedding and reception - October 2016

(Photo credit: Yacqueline Hoefler)

(Photo Credit: Barns and Bows Photography)

    Start a blog - April 2018 (Here we are 4 years later!) 

    Ride the banana boat - August 2017

    Help out at a soup kitchen - September 2017

    Try sound bathing - June 2020 (I highly recommend checking this out. I went to Center for Sound Therapy)

    Take Aden to Disney - January 2019

    And many more to come! I hope my list inspires you to make a list for your own life of big and small things. Things for others and things for yourself. Big dreams and little goals. Put them down. And then start checking them off. It's a beautiful life if you make it that way. I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K.L.W. 

    

The X Factor Depends on Why

   Hi Friends! I hope you are diving into the new year and making progress on your goals. However, if you are flagging, studies show you aren't alone. According to an article on inc.com, 80% of people have given up on their goals by the second week of February. Ouch. That's not a great statistic. So how can you make sure you stay in the 20% who stick it out? Well, for starters, you need motivation. But not just any motivation. 

    There are several types of motivation, and each one will only take you so far. Perhaps you've heard of external motivation. Using some sort of a reward to motivate yourself, such as a trip, a new pair of jeans, or a day out with friends can help you to stick to your goals short-term, but ultimately, extrinsic motivation will not get you through the long haul. You might be all about the "revenge-body," but when the rubber hits the road, something outside yourself probably won't be enough to keep you moving, even if it is the stunned face of your ex-lover. 

    The second type of motivation you may have heard of is internal or intrinsic motivation. This will take you a little farther, because it comes from within yourself. It is usually based on a strong feeling, and this can propel you to stick with it longer. The problem is, we all only have so much will power, and if you are solely relying on your internal motivation to keep you going, there will come a point where that will peter out. You will be too tired, get decision fatigue, and probably quit somewhere along the way. 

    So if external motivation works for the short-term, and internal motivation won't carry us through the toughest days, what is the answer to building unstoppable motivation? The key is something called "Why." Having a why melds the external and the internal. A why is connected to your very core, your passion, your desires, what you care most about, and this will drive you forward. But a why is also connected extrinsically, because your why should be service based. Therefore, not only is your passion and purpose on the line, you have other people at stake too. 

    Finding your why truly gives you the x factor you need to move forward and stick to your goals even when the going gets tough. Compounding your goals by the power of why will bring you exponential results, because you are motivated by your deepest purpose, values, and desires, and you are driven forward by the understanding that others depend on you to succeed. If you aren't sure what your why is or how to discover it, you can check out the video I made for you this week. You can be in the 20% who stays on the path to victory. 2022 is the time to conquer your goals and dreams, and I can't wait to see you succeed!

~K. L. W. 

Photo courtesy of Christopher Hoefler

A Fresh Take on the New Year

   Hello Friends! Welcome to 2022! I hope you are off to a good start. I know these first few days have been so exciting for me, and I believe the best is yet to come. 

  Recently I heard someone talking about the fact that she does not like the term "New Year, New You." Because this implies there was something wrong with you before, and she doesn't like that people feel they have to change themselves when the new year starts. And while I can sympathize with that idea, and I do think you should love and appreciate yourself no matter where you are at on your journey, I actually love the "New Year New You" movement, and here's why. 

  I believe that each and every one of us is on our own unique journey, and we are in the process of growing. There are always areas we can be better in, new ways we can stretch ourselves, and new milestones to reach for. But often times, we get caught up in the daily grind, slugging it out, trying to get ahead. We get bogged down with our habits and routines, or we get bored with where we are at. But the new year gives us an opportunity to change all that. 

  The new year offers us an opportunity to see ourselves with fresh eyes again. It's a chance to reset, refresh, build new habits, change directions, or simply see your day to day with a new sense of wonder and excitement. No, you won't be a brand new, perfect you when the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, but you do have the opportunity to turn the page, take a deep breath, and dive into a new adventure. 

  Realistically, every day and every moment, we have the ability to reset, but we don't often take advantage of it. That's why the new year is the perfect time, when the whole world is thinking about becoming fresh and new. So, whatever you are taking on this year, whether you are making some major changes, or just embracing your every day with a fresh perspective, I hope that you will take joy in the new year and in the new you you get to create every day. Happy New Year! I can't wait to see you succeed!

Proverbs 4:18

"The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day."

~K. L. W.

Give and Receive

   

Hello Friends! I read something recently which caused me to pause and reevaluate my stance on giving. You see, giving is one of my core values. It’s something I believe very strongly in, and something I want to encourage other people to believe in. It’s my belief that the more we all give, the more we can help each other, and the better we can make the world. 

  But Brené Brown said something which made me take a step back and really question myself and my motives in giving. In her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, she delivers a truth which stopped me in my tracks. It goes like this, “Until we can receive with an open heart, we are never really giving with an open heart. When we attach judgement to receiving help, we knowingly or unknowingly attach judgement to giving help.” 

  Wow! I never thought of it like that. But when I read it, I knew she was right. I had been giving from this somehow self-righteous point of view. I always wanted to be the one giving help, never the one asking for help. It’s as if I felt it was a shame to be in need, and by thinking this, I was subconsciously shaming those I was giving to. 

  Perhaps you, like me, need to become a better giver by learning to become a better receiver. I had to let go of my pride, humble myself enough to ask for and receive help when I needed it, and by doing this, let go of my unconscious prejudice against those I was giving to. 

  In order to make the world a better place, we all need to become better givers of our time, talents, and resources, but we also need to become better receivers, accepting help when we need it, and not looking down on ourselves or on others for being the one in a position of need. None of us are islands. We all need help, and the sooner we learn to accept what we need from others without shame or judgement, the sooner we can give wholeheartedly without shaming or judging those we give to. 

  Today, make the commitment to better those around you by being a giver. But do it with the humility and recognition that you are also in need. Get good at offering someone a hand up, but also, reach out and accept the hand that’s being offered to you. Become a judgement free giver and receiver. We will all be better off for it. I can’t wait to see you succeed!

~K.L.W.

Holiday Dilemmas

   Hello Friends, and welcome, officially, to the holiday season. Earlier this week, I addressed some of the ways to keep the holiday season from passing you by in a rush of too many events with too many people and too many things to do. But today, I want to talk about the dark side of the holiday season. 

  You see, for many people, the holidays might be a difficult time of year. Perhaps you are estranged from your family, and this season brings the pain of past holidays. Maybe you struggle with disordered eating, and this time of year throws your progress into question as you try to navigate holiday parties and extra office treats. Or perhaps, you are facing mental health challenges, and this season amplifies your feelings of anxiety or depression. 

  If this time of year isn’t ideal for you, I want to encourage you by first saying, you aren’t alone. And it’s ok to not be ok right now. That being said, there are some things you can do to make this time of year, if not festive, at least tolerable. 

  The first is to surround yourself with those who support you. Maybe that’s booking an extra few sessions with your therapist on days or weeks you know will be touchy. Maybe that’s making arrangements with a friend who knows your story and will call to check in on you periodically. Find you tribe of supporters and make sure they know you might need them a little extra right now. 

  Secondly, do the holidays on your terms. You don’t have to say yes to every event you’re invited to, and you don’t have to feel guilty for protecting your peace of mind. Be willing to say no and only commit to those things you can. Maybe that means you don’t go to your aunt’s party where you know there will be people you are uncomfortable with. Or you stay home from the office gift exchange because you want to avoid the temptation to break your sobriety. Caring for yourself and your values is one of the most important gifts you can give this season. 

  Lastly, find things that do give you joy and help you celebrate, even if they aren’t what everyone else is doing. Maybe that’s making a hot chocolate and taking a peaceful drive to see the local holiday lights. Maybe it’s just sitting with your significant other by the tree. Perhaps it’s volunteering behind the scenes at a local food bank or shelter. Find the things that make you want to celebrate and that bring you light this season. 

  Holidays can be tricky, but no matter where you are mentally and emotionally, there is opportunity to find joy and meaning this time of year. Make a conscious choice to celebrate what’s important to you, and let go of what isn’t. You don’t have to live up to anyone else’s holiday expectations. Give yourself the gift of really making this the most wonderful time of the year for you. I can’t wait to see you succeed! 

~K.L.W.