Living Truly
On Thursday, I began Week 1 of a workshop series I created on Cultivating Happiness. I am continually amazed at how quickly people in a room can bond when given the permission to be themselves.
When we are being ourselves–our True Selves, the one beneath our social masks–we share our vulnerabilities, struggles, and deepest desires. Beneath our social masks lies our humanity: the composite of our fears, feelings of inadequacy, hopes, and biggest dreams.
Regardless of gender, race, culture, ethnicity, socioeconomics, life stage, life experience, or beliefs, we are all the same. We are a family, bonded by our common desire to avoid pain and increase our happiness.
When we get too attached to our masks we lose connection to this basic humanity within us all. We lose touch with our human family and we begin to feel separate and different from others. This causes an undercurrent of pain in our lives.
We are happiest when we feel connected. 
Experiment with dropping your mask from time to time and showing up in the world as your True Self. Commit to remembering that beneath the veneer, your fellow human is no different than you. As you do this, your compassion expands and you experience a deeper connection to those around you.
Here is to showing up as our True Selves, expanding compassion and connection, and waking up to the love of our one, big, human family! 
Taking a Moment
Loving this cloudy Sunday morning. Peaceful. Family sleeping. In this moment all is well. 
I have meditated and now I am journaling...there is no place to hurry to, no homework assignment to get done, no meal to make, no start of school, no coaching calls, no guests to prepare for, laundry is in the machine, dogs have been fed and are by my side...
This moment is SWEET!
But without this ritual of stillness in the morning, this moment would pass me by. Without this ritual of stillness first, I would be busy processing email, reading blogs, scanning social media, looking at heartening dog rescue videos, or being inspired by someone else’s journey.
Taking some time to plug into my inside world before plugging into my outside world grounds me. It brings my awareness to the miracle of my beating heart, the blood coursing through my body, and my precious breath. Amidst this wonder, I am connected to something bigger than my rampant thoughts and busy life. I am expanded.
Now, I may read a book or my favorite blog, surf the internet, or look at silly cat videos. As I do so, I will be better able to savor these small experiences because I have quieted my mind and I am grounded in the peace and gratitude that stillness can bring. –I will be able to more fully appreciate this next moment and all the little moments of my day.
Life is sweetest in the moment. I hope you enjoy some sweetness today! 
