Inspiration

A Year of Renewal: Reflecting on Change, Courage, and New Beginnings

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A Year of Renewal: Reflecting on Change, Courage, and New Beginnings

Every year, I choose a single word that becomes a thread woven through my life—my sankalpa, my heartfelt intention. This year, my word is Renewal, and as I close the door on another chapter, I can clearly see how life has been guiding me toward this exact moment of rediscovery.

2024 was unlike any year I’ve ever lived. It brought deep healing, unexpected shifts, and a powerful invitation to grow in directions I didn’t anticipate. After decades of helping others reconnect to themselves, this was the year life asked me to reconnect to me.

And I said yes.

Letting Go: Stepping Away After 18 Years

One of the biggest shifts—one that still feels surreal—was ending my 18 years of traveling to more than 50 assisted living homes. For nearly two decades, I poured my heart into teaching adaptive yoga, holding space for elders, and building community through mindful movement.

It was sacred work.
Beautiful work.
Exhausting work.

And it was time.

Pulling back to only a small handful of homes wasn’t just a schedule change. It was a soul-level shift. It was an act of honoring my body, my healing, and the next evolution of my service. For the first time in years, I allowed myself to loosen the grip on what I had always done and create space for what could be possible next.

A New Path: Becoming a Qualified Behavioral Health Assistant

This year also brought a huge professional pivot—one that aligned not only with my gifts but with my capacity.
I stepped into my new role as a Qualified Behavioral Health Assistant, helping people recover from trauma through skills, connection, and compassionate support.

This work is meaningful in a different way.
It requires less physical demand, but a deeper emotional presence.
It allows me to live my values without compromising my wellness.
And most of all, it lets me continue serving others in a way that honors my own healing journey.

Sometimes renewal doesn’t look like starting over.
Sometimes it looks like redirecting your wisdom where it can thrive.

Welcoming Rosie: Joy Arrives on Four Paws

Another bright spot this year?
I got a new puppy — sweet Rosie.

She arrived exactly when I needed a spark of uncomplicated joy, and she brought just that.
There is something magical about how animals help us stay present, soften our hearts, and remember to play. Rosie has been a daily reminder that renewal can show up in wagging tails, muddy paw prints, and early-morning snuggles.

She is a gift of pure delight.

The Big One: I Wrote My Book

And then there’s the part that still makes me say, “Did I really do that?”

I wrote my book.

After years of teaching, thousands of classes, countless conversations, and decades of lived experience… something inside me said now.
The words poured out—not from obligation, but from an inner knowing that it was time.

This book is the culmination of everything I’ve lived, learned, healed, and held.
It is a tapestry of wisdom and wellness, a snapshot of my heart in this season of life.
It is my offering.
My renewal.
My beginning again.

Writing it stretched me, surprised me, and awakened parts of my creativity that had been sleeping under the weight of survival mode. More than anything, it reminded me of my purpose—and my voice.

As I Step Into 2025

Renewal is not a return to who I used to be.
It’s an unfolding.
A softening.
A reclaiming.

This year brought endings, beginnings, and a lot of gentle in-between moments.
It taught me that clarity often arrives only after the letting go.
That healing isn’t linear.
That courage can be quiet.
And that renewal is a choice we make every single day.

As I step into 2025, I do so with gratitude, openness, trust and renewal.

My sankalpa of Renewal has been eye-opening and just rich. What is next? Stay tuned as I reveal my word for 2026! It is going to be a good one!

Supporting Small Businesses: Why Choosing Local Makes a Big Difference

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In a fast-paced world dominated by big-box stores and massive online retailers, it’s easy to forget the incredible impact of small, local businesses. But when you pause and consider the story behind every handmade item, every small boutique, and every self-employed service provider, you begin to see that shopping small is about so much more than convenience—it’s about heart, connection, and community.

Why Supporting Small Businesses Matters

Small business owners are the dreamers, the creators, and the problem-solvers who bring unique ideas to life. They invest not only their time and money but their passion and soul into what they do. Every product they make, every service they offer, carries the imprint of their dedication. When you support them, you are directly empowering real people to continue pursuing their passions.

Here’s what happens when you choose small businesses over big chains:

  1. You Support Hardworking Entrepreneurs
    Behind every small business is someone who has taken a leap of faith, often investing their life savings, time, and energy. Your support keeps their dream alive and allows them to continue doing what they love.
  2. You Strengthen Your Community
    Money spent at local businesses circulates in your community, funding other local services, creating jobs, and supporting neighborhood initiatives. Small businesses are the heart of local economies.
  3. You Experience Soulful, Meaningful Shopping
    Shopping small isn’t just a transaction—it’s an experience. Many small business owners offer personalized attention, unique products, and a sense of connection you rarely find at large retailers. Every purchase becomes a story, not just a receipt.
  4. You Encourage Ethical and Sustainable Practices
    Many small businesses prioritize sustainability, ethical sourcing, and quality over quantity. Choosing local often means supporting practices that are better for people, animals, and the planet.

Mindful Shopping as a Practice

Supporting small businesses can also be a mindful practice. When you slow down to choose thoughtfully, you engage more fully with what you buy and why. You begin to notice the quality, craftsmanship, and intention behind products and services. Your choices become aligned with your values, making every purchase more meaningful.

This Saturday, I invite you to explore local shops, studios, and markets. Taste handmade treats, browse unique gifts, and connect with the people behind the products. Every purchase tells a story, supports a dream, and nurtures your community in a way that online giants can never replicate.

By choosing to support small businesses, you’re choosing more than a product—you’re choosing connection, care, and community. You’re helping dreams flourish and bringing more soul into your everyday life.

Shop small. Support local. Make a difference.

Breaking the Cycle: How Repeated Complaining Drains Us — and How Repeated Gratitude Heals

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We’ve all been there—caught in the loop of saying the same frustrating things over and over. The stress, the pain, the overwhelm, the “why me?” moments. Repetitive complaining is surprisingly natural… and surprisingly draining. It doesn’t make us bad or ungrateful; it just means we’re human.

But here’s the truth I’ve learned through mindfulness, yoga, and healing:
What we repeat becomes what we reinforce.

And while complaining might feel like release, gratitude is what creates actual relief.

Why We Fall Into Repetitive Complaining

When something is hard — your body hurts, life feels heavy, you’re tired, or you’re juggling more than anyone realizes — the mind wants to loop. It’s trying to make sense of discomfort. But when we repeat the same story too often, it keeps us stuck in the same emotional place.

Repetitive complaining can…

  • increase stress hormones
  • shrink our perspective
  • drain our energy
  • make challenges feel bigger than they really are
  • prevent healing (emotionally and physically)

The hard moments deserve acknowledgment — absolutely. But they don’t deserve ownership over your entire inner world.

The Shift: Replacing Repetition With Intention

Instead of repeating the pain, we can repeat the gratitude.

Not the toxic positivity kind.
Not the “pretend everything’s fine” kind.

But the grounded, honest, heart-centered gratitude that reminds us:

There is still some good here.
There is still something working.
There is still something steady beneath the struggle.

This shift isn’t about silencing your pain — it’s about changing the soundtrack of your inner world.

Why Repeated Gratitude Works

Practicing gratitude repeatedly — especially in small, simple ways — can:

  • soften emotional tension
  • support nervous system regulation
  • expand your perspective
  • create new thought pathways
  • bring your attention back to what is supporting you
  • help you feel less alone
  • anchor you in hope, even during hard seasons

It’s the repetition that matters.
Just like complaining reinforces stress…
gratitude reinforces resilience.

A Simple Daily Practice to Try

If you catch yourself repeating a complaint (it happens!), try this gentle shift:

  1. Pause.
    Notice the loop without shame.
  2. Acknowledge the truth.
    “This is really hard right now.”
  3. Add one small gratitude.
    Just one.
    “And I’m grateful I’m learning to take better care of myself.”
    “I’m grateful for the support I do have.”
    “I’m grateful for the strength I didn’t even know I had.”
  4. Repeat the gratitude instead of the complaint.
    This is where your healing gains momentum.

A Repeated Gratitude Mantra to Use All Week

“Even in the hard moments, there is something supporting me. I choose to notice that.”

Say it as many times as you need.
Let it become your new repetition.
Let it anchor you back into compassion — especially compassion for yourself.

Closing Reflection

We all slip into repeating our pain. But with awareness and intention, we can choose a new pattern — one that restores instead of drains, one that lifts instead of weighs down.

A life rooted in gratitude doesn’t ignore the hard things.
It simply refuses to let them be the only things.

Living Mary Oliver’s Wisdom: Paying Attention, Being Astonished, and Sharing Your Story

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Living Mary Oliver’s Wisdom Through Healing, Teaching, and Everyday Wonder**

There are some quotes that stay with us, not because they’re clever or inspiring, but because they feel like a compass pointing us back to ourselves. Mary Oliver’s simple yet profound guidance has been one of those touchstones for me:

“Instructions for living a life:
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it.”

I return to these words again and again — especially during seasons of change, healing, or uncertainty. They’ve shaped the way I teach, the way I write, and the way I share my story with the world. And the more life I live, the more I realize how true they are.

Pay Attention

Paying attention is an act of devotion.
It’s choosing presence over autopilot.
It’s noticing the way your breath settles your nervous system.
It’s honoring the wisdom of your body — even when it’s hurting, even when it’s asking you to slow down.

In my own healing journey, paying attention has been my teacher. It’s also what inspired so many of the reflections and weekly practices in 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness. When we pause long enough to notice the subtle shifts within us, we create space for renewal.

Be Astonished

Life asks us to be astonished — not in a loud, dramatic way, but in the soft moments that catch our breath.

A sunrise after a difficult night.
The way community gathers and holds us.
The resilience that keeps rising even when we feel worn down.
The capacity for joy that still lives in us, quietly waiting.

Being astonished is not about pretending everything is perfect. It’s about allowing ourselves to be moved, touched, awakened by the small wonders that sustain us.

Tell About It

This is the part of the quote that has shaped my work the most.

Telling about it — through writing, teaching, mentoring, or public speaking — is how we weave connection. It’s how we share our healing in a way that encourages others to find their own. It’s why I wrote my book. It’s why I continue to speak to caregivers, yoga teachers, and communities who need support.

Storytelling is healing.
Storytelling is service.
Storytelling is how we whisper to one another, “You’re not alone.”

Every time I stand in front of a group, turn on a camera, or sit down at my keyboard, I carry Mary Oliver’s words with me. They help me stay rooted in what matters: presence, awe, and truth.

A Gentle Reminder for Your Day

Wherever you are in your own season of life, may these words remind you to slow down, breathe deeper, and return to what is real and meaningful.

Pay attention to the small things.
Let yourself be astonished.
And tell your story — because your voice, your wisdom, and your lived experience matter more than you know.

Seasonal Essential Oil Blends with Gemstones: A Perfect Companion to 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness

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Revealing My New Seasonal Essential Oil Blends and Gemstones

A Beautiful Companion to 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness

As I’ve been writing my new book, 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness: A Year of Mindful Living, one guiding truth has woven itself through every chapter: our bodies, hearts, and spirits respond deeply to the rhythm of the seasons. Each season brings its own emotional tone, its own energy, and its own invitation for how we might move, breathe, and live.

This is why I created a set of intentional seasonal essential oil blends, each paired with a gemstone, to complement the journey of the book. These blends aren’t just lovely scents. They are seasonal anchors, helping you tune into the themes of renewal, radiance, gratitude, release, rest, and reflection as you move through the year.

Spring Blend: Renewal

Gemstone: Green Aventurine
Theme: New beginnings, emotional softness, gentle growth

Spring corresponds to Weeks 1–13 in 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness, where the focus is on healing, compassion, returning to the body, and creating space for new energy. Spring is an invitation to soften, open, and begin again. The blend supports uplifting the heart, releasing heaviness, and stepping into fresh possibilities.

Essential oils: Lemon, Geranium, Eucalyptus, Frankincense 

Summer Blend: Radiance

Gemstone: Citrine
Theme: Joy, courage, vibrancy

Summer aligns with Weeks 14–26, a time focused on presence, energy, confidence, and living with intention. This season encourages expansion and warmth. The Summer Blend supports vitality, creativity, courage, and grounded enthusiasm.

Essential oils: Wild Orange, Jasmine, Lime, Ylang Ylang

Fall Blend: Gratitude and Release

Gemstone: Tiger’s Eye
Theme: Appreciation, clarity, letting go

Fall corresponds to Weeks 27–39. These chapters explore gratitude, grounding, awareness, and gently releasing what no longer serves. Fall invites us to simplify and return to the essentials. The Fall Blend supports emotional release, inner steadiness, and the practice of gratitude as the season shifts inward.

Essential oils: Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Orange, Clove 

Winter Blend: Reflection and Rest

Gemstone: Amethyst
Theme: Stillness, intuition, restoration

Winter aligns with Weeks 40–52. These final chapters center on reflection, deep rest, quiet healing, and reconnecting with inner wisdom. Winter is a season for listening, softening, and tending to the inner world. The Winter Blend supports nervous system calm, deep rest, and spacious reflection.

Essential oils: Myrrh, Sandalwood, Lavender, Juniper Berry  

How These Blends Connect to the Book

The book is intentionally structured by seasons, with 13 entries for each, inviting you to move through the year with presence and mindfulness. These blends were created as sensory companions to those themes, offering a grounding ritual as you read each week.

You can roll on the seasonal blend before beginning your weekly chapter and let the scent become a reminder of your intention for the season. This creates a layered, embodied experience of the book through touch, scent, breath, and awareness.

A Year of Wellness, One Season at a Time

My hope is that these blends help you feel supported as you move through your year. Whether you begin with Week 1 in spring or choose to start during another season, each blend offers a simple ritual to connect you back to yourself. They are gentle reminders to pause, breathe, and honor where you are.

They Also Make a Beautiful, Meaningful Gift

These seasonal blends and their gemstones make a thoughtful gift for anyone who values mindfulness, essential oils, intentional living, or emotional wellness. Paired with 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness, they become a year-long offering of support, encouragement, and self-care.

This is the kind of gift that feels heartfelt, personal, and deeply nurturing. Perfect for holidays, birthdays, caregivers, teachers, friends, or anyone entering a new chapter of life.

The Power of Authenticity: Staying True to Yourself in a World of Comparison

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We live in a world that constantly invites us to compare — our bodies, our homes, our achievements, our happiness. The quiet scroll through social media can easily become a spiral of self-doubt, leaving us wondering if we measure up or if we’re enough.

But here’s the truth: you are not meant to be a copy of anyone else. The beauty of your life lies in the uniqueness of your story — your rhythms, your seasons, your way of seeing and being in the world.

Authenticity Over Approval

At our core, we all crave acceptance. It’s part of our human design — to be seen, to belong, to be loved. Yet, the line between being accepted and abandoning our authenticity can blur easily. We start shaping ourselves to fit expectations, dimming what makes us different in hopes of being liked or understood.

Authenticity asks something much deeper of us. It asks for courage. The courage to stand in our truth even when it feels uncomfortable or uncertain. It’s the willingness to show up — imperfectly, honestly, and wholly — and to trust that who we are is already enough.

Balancing Belonging and Being Real

Being authentic doesn’t mean rejecting connection or community. It means participating fully as yourself. It’s the sweet balance between honoring your truth and allowing others to honor theirs.

When we practice mindfulness, we learn to witness comparison as it arises — not with judgment, but with compassion. We can acknowledge the part of us that longs to belong, and gently remind it: belonging built on pretending isn’t belonging at all.

True connection comes when we bring our full selves to the table — our stories, scars, and quirks included.

Mindful Reflection: Coming Home to You

Take a quiet moment today to reflect:

  • When do you feel most like yourself?
  • Where in your life are you trying to fit in rather than be real?
  • What would authenticity look like — even in small ways — this week?

Allow your answers to guide you toward alignment.

The Freedom of Being You

When we stop comparing and start embracing, life softens. The noise quiets. We begin to live with more ease, purpose, and joy.

Authenticity doesn’t require us to be perfect — it simply invites us to be present and honest. And that is where peace truly lives.

Authenticity as a Yoga Practice

Yoga teaches us to return to our breath, to our bodies, and to the truth of the present moment. On the mat, there is no need to perform — only to feel and listen. Each breath becomes an invitation to come home to ourselves, just as we are.

When we carry that awareness off the mat, authenticity becomes a way of living — a mindful practice of choosing truth over image, compassion over comparison, and alignment over approval.

So, as you move through this season, may you permit yourself to be beautifully, unapologetically you. That is the most authentic gift you can give — to yourself and to the world.

The Beauty of Homemade Gifts: Simple Ways to Share Love and Meaning This Season

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The holidays often bring pressure to buy more, spend more, and fill our carts with things that don’t always hold lasting meaning. Yet some of the most cherished gifts are the ones made by hand — crafted with time, thought, and love.

It’s time to normalize the beauty of homemade gifts. Not because they’re cheaper or easier, but because they hold something money can’t buy: presence and intention.

The Heart Behind Homemade

When we take the time to make something for someone, we infuse it with care. It’s a quiet way of saying, “You matter.” Whether it’s a loaf of bread, a handwritten note, or a jar of bath salts, each handmade offering carries a little piece of your heart.

Homemade gifts remind us that love doesn’t come from the store — it comes from our hands, our creativity, and our willingness to give meaningfully. Neighbors, teachers, friends, and family can all enjoy timeless gifts that are made from the heart.

Simple Homemade Gift Ideas

Here are a few thoughtful, easy ideas that invite creativity and connection:

1. Essential Oil Blends or Sprays
Mix your favorite oils into a simple roller blend or room spray. Try combinations like wild orange and clove for comfort, or lavender and frankincense for calm. Add a handwritten note with the emotional benefits or a short affirmation.

2. Baked Goods with Intention
Bake a loaf of sourdough, a batch of pumpkin bread, or scones wrapped in parchment and twine. Include a card sharing why you made that recipe — the memories it stirs or the comfort it brings.

3. Cookie Mix in a Jar
Layer dry ingredients for your favorite cookie recipe in a mason jar, then attach a simple tag with baking instructions. Add festive ribbon and a handwritten message like “Made with love and sweet memories.”

4. Homemade Bath Salts or Body Scrubs
Combine Epsom salt, a few drops of essential oils, and dried herbs like lavender or rosemary. Package them in a glass jar with a simple label that reads “for slowing down.”

5. Potpourri Simmer Pot
Create a simmer pot mix with dried citrus slices, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Add a little note with directions: “Simmer in a pot of water to fill your home with cozy holiday scents.”

6. Gratitude Jars or Affirmation Cards
Write uplifting notes, affirmations, or reasons you’re grateful for the person. Place them in a small jar tied with ribbon — a daily reminder of how loved they are.

7. Crochet Headband or Scarf
If you love crafting, crochet a simple headband or scarf in cozy winter colors. These handmade accessories are thoughtful, practical, and full of heart.

8. Tea or Spice Blends
Create a signature blend of loose leaf tea or herbal infusions. You can also make custom spice mixes for cooking — a fun and personal gift for food lovers.

Why Homemade Gifts Matter

Homemade gifts invite us to slow down and give from the heart. They encourage mindfulness, creativity, and a return to simplicity.

They remind both giver and receiver that joy doesn’t come from how much we spend, but from how much love we pour into what we give.

When we choose to make something by hand, we choose meaning over material — and that’s the kind of gift that truly lasts long after the holidays have passed.

If you are looking to give some homemade gifts but aren’t crafty I can help. Check out my gift giving guide here!

Why 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness Makes the Perfect Holiday Gift

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Finding the right gift isn’t always easy. The best gifts are those that stay with us — the ones that remind us to slow down, breathe, and appreciate life.

That’s exactly what 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness: A Year of Mindful Living was created to do. This book offers more than words on a page. It’s a gentle guide for anyone seeking to live with more awareness, gratitude, and balance.

A Gift That Keeps Giving

Each week brings a short reflection, a mindful practice, and an affirmation. These simple moments of awareness encourage readers to pause and reconnect. The practices are inspired by the changing seasons and the wisdom of nature.

In spring, you’ll be invited to explore new beginnings.
In summer, you’ll find joy and expansion.
In fall, you’ll reflect on letting go and change.
In winter, you’ll rest and return inward.

Through these themes, 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness helps you stay grounded in life’s natural rhythms.

Simple Practices for Everyday Mindfulness

You don’t need much time or space to begin. The book offers easy practices like mindfulness practices, wekly affirmations, and relfections. Each one helps you notice beauty in everyday life and cultivate presence with ease.

These practices are not about doing more. They are about being more — more aware, more open, and more connected.

A Meaningful Gift for Any Season

This book makes a heartfelt gift for:

  • Yoga and mindfulness lovers
  • Caregivers and healers
  • Friends seeking calm or clarity
  • Anyone ready to begin a mindful journey

It’s also a wonderful gift for yourself — a reminder to take time for what truly matters.

Give the Gift of Mindfulness

52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness is a year-long invitation to live with intention, gratitude, and joy. As each week unfolds, readers discover simple ways to feel more balanced and inspired.

This holiday season, share a gift that lasts. Give someone you love the opportunity to find stillness, connection, and meaning through mindful living.

Find 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness: A Year of Mindful Living here.

A year of wisdom begins with one small act of mindfulness — perhaps this book is that beginning.

Want to explore more mindfulness practices? Visit the Yoga and Wellness section of my blog for simple, seasonal ways to nurture your spirit. Would you like to add my top selling Gratitude Blend to your gift giving? Here it is!

Staying Grounded This Fall: 3 Soulful Lessons from Nature’s Wisdom

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As autumn unfurls her golden shawl and the air turns crisp with change, nature invites us to slow down. The trees whisper ancient lessons in letting go. The wind hums reminders to breathe deeper. The earth softens, making space for rest.

If we listen closely, fall becomes more than a season — it becomes a teacher. Here are three soulful ways to stay grounded this fall and to walk in rhythm with nature’s wisdom.

1. Practice the Art of Letting Go

The trees do not mourn their leaves; they release them with grace, trusting the cycle to bring new life in time. Let your practice this season be one of gentle release — old expectations, heavy emotions, the endless striving. Take a few quiet moments each day to breathe out what no longer serves you.

Try this: Stand beneath a tree and imagine your worries as leaves drifting softly to the ground. Whisper gratitude for what they taught you, then let them go.

2. Root Down into Ritual

Just as roots reach deeper when the air grows colder, grounding rituals can anchor us during times of change. Light a candle at dawn. Stir cinnamon into your tea. Walk outside and feel your feet press into the earth.

Consistency in small sacred acts reminds the body that it is safe — that stillness can be a sanctuary.

Try this: Begin or end your day with one slow, intentional breath of gratitude. Feel your breath connect you to everything that is steady and alive.

3. Rest in Rhythm, Not Resistance

Nature never rushes. The sun tilts earlier into twilight, the soil gathers its quiet strength for spring. Instead of pushing against the darker days, allow yourself to move in harmony with them. Rest more. Reflect. Dream.

Let your inner pace match the pace of the season — slow, rich, and full of unseen growth.

Try this: Keep a “slow journal” — write one sentence each night about something beautiful you noticed, no matter how small.

As the world turns inward, so can you. Let fall remind you that surrender is not weakness — it is wisdom. The wisdom of knowing when to pause, when to soften, and when to simply be.

May this season root you in peace, and may you trust that even in stillness, you are growing.

The Week After the Book Release: Gratitude, Growth, and Grace

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The week following the release of my book has felt like a dream I once whispered quietly to myself that finally came true. There’s been so much joy—messages from readers, kind words from friends, and a deep, steady sense of gratitude that continues to unfold each day.

It’s funny how something that begins as a simple intention—a quiet goal set in the corner of your heart—can grow into something that touches others. I remember the early mornings when doubt was louder than belief. I remember pushing through moments of resistance, showing up even when I questioned if anyone would care. But what I’ve learned through this process is that staying accountable, even when no one’s watching, builds a kind of inner trust that no outside validation can replace.

Releasing this book has not just been about sharing my words; it’s been about becoming the kind of person who finishes what she starts. I’ve discovered a deeper layer of confidence that comes from commitment—from choosing to keep going even when imposter syndrome whispers that you’re not ready or not enough.

Action Makes It Real

This journey reminded me that we don’t have to wait until we feel perfectly confident to take action. Confidence comes from taking action. From showing up, again and again, even when the outcome is uncertain.

As I sit here reflecting on this first week of sharing my work with the world, my heart is full. I’m grateful for every person who has read, shared, or reached out. I’m grateful for the years of learning, unlearning, healing, and creating that led me here.

Dreams and Goals

If you’re holding onto a dream—whether it’s writing a book, starting a project, or simply taking the next brave step—trust that the process will shape you just as much as the outcome. You don’t have to be fearless. You just have to begin.

Because sometimes, the most powerful transformation happens not when the world sees what you’ve created, but when you finally see what you’re capable of.

If my journey resonates with you, I’d love for you to explore my new book, 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness: A Year of Mindful Living. It’s a reflection of the lessons, practices, and heart-centered truths that helped me stay grounded through the seasons of growth.

Holiday Gift Guide 2025: Handmade Gifts, Artisan Bakes & Mindful Living Treasures

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Soulful Holiday Gift Guide: Handmade & Mindful Treasures for the Season

The holidays are a time of connection, reflection, and giving from the heart. If you’re searching for thoughtful holiday gifts that carry meaning and intention, handmade treasures are always the answer. This year, I’m excited to share my Holiday Gift Guide filled with soulful offerings that nourish body, mind, and spirit. Every gift has been created with love, care, and mindfulness — because the best presents are the ones that carry a story.

Handmade Skincare & Wellness Gifts

  • Whipped Body Butter – Luxuriously rich and hydrating, perfect for soothing dry winter skin.
  • Bath Salts & Bath Bombs – Infused with essential oils for relaxation, stress relief, and a spa-like experience at home.
  • Essential Oil Blends – Custom-crafted aromas to inspire calm, focus, or joy throughout the season.

? Artisan & Homemade Food Gifts

*baked goods local people only

  • Christmas Jam – A seasonal favorite made with care, ideal for sharing around the holiday table.
  • Artisan Sourdough Bread – Hand-crafted, crusty, and perfect for gifting or enjoying with family gatherings.
  • Scones & Muffins – Tender and comforting baked goods, baked with love.
  • Homemade Cookies – Classic, heartwarming treats that bring a smile to every bite.

Mindful Living & Inspiration

This year has been a journey of resilience, gratitude, and joy. Out of that experience came my newest release:
52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness: A Year of Mindful Living 
This book is more than words on a page — it’s an invitation to weave rituals of mindfulness, presence, and gratitude into everyday life. A meaningful holiday gift for anyone seeking inspiration and healing in the year ahead.

Why Handmade Gifts Matter

Handmade gifts aren’t just things you buy — they are extensions of love, intention, and care. In a season that often feels rushed, they bring us back to what truly matters: thoughtfulness, connection, and joy. Whether it’s a jar of jam, a hand-blended oil, or a book filled with mindful practices, these gifts are created to be cherished.

 Order early to ensure your handmade treasures are ready for holiday giving! Every purchase supports my healing journey and allows me to keep sharing mindfulness, movement, and soulful creations with you.

See the entire holiday gift guide here!

Shop Here

And, thank you so much for you continued support and well wishes. xo, Stacie

Finding Healing Through Mindfulness: How Rituals, Recovery, and My New Book Can Inspire Your Journey

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When Healing Becomes a Path to Sharing

Recovery isn’t just about the body—it’s about the spirit. After enduring three hip surgeries in twelve months, I discovered that mindfulness and ritual were more than coping strategies; they became lifelines. Simple practices like lighting a candle before surgery, whispering affirmations, and pausing to breathe in moments of fear became the anchors that carried me through. These same tools inspired the creation of my new book, 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness: A Year of Mindful Living—a guide to resilience, presence, and the healing power of mindful rituals.

Resilience and Mindfulness

Three hip surgeries in twelve months. I can still feel the weight of those words even as I type them. The body has an incredible way of holding pain, but the spirit has an even more incredible way of seeking healing.

For me, mindfulness and ritual weren’t just practices during that season—they became lifelines. Lighting a candle before each appointment, whispering affirmations before anesthesia, pausing to breathe when fear crept in. These small, sacred moments of presence carried me through what felt impossible.

Finding Peace During Recovery

In the stillness between surgeries, I began to notice something profound: these tools weren’t just keeping me afloat. They were medicine for my mind, my spirit, and my heart. And they were too powerful to keep to myself. What began as survival slowly transformed into teaching, writing, and, ultimately, the creation of my book.

My new release, 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness: A Year of Mindful Living, was born from these very moments of surrender and strength. Each page carries with it the lessons I leaned on—rituals that steadied me, affirmations that lifted me, and reflections that reminded me that healing is not only possible, but inevitable when we walk gently with ourselves.

This book isn’t simply a collection of words—it’s an offering of resilience, hope, and the quiet but profound healing power of mindful living.

May these practices meet you where you are and carry you, as they did me. If you’re navigating a hard season, I invite you to open its pages and find your own anchor.

Order your copy here!

Grab Your Copy of 52 Weeks of Wisdom and Wellness