Holy Days. A time for nurturing your spirit. It isn’t about the gifts, or the food, or the decorations. It is about connecting with the best part of ourselves and celebrating our connections.

Everyone has their stories, their memories, their demons and their delights. Emotions run high, and nerves can get frayed. Whether it is your sister-in-law, your kids, your partner, or the clerk at the store, everyone can use just a little extra understanding and compassion. Even you.

• I forgive myself for believing I need to get caught up in the stress of the season.
• I give myself permission to care for myself with enough rest, and quiet time.
• I choose to enjoy this holiday season, creating more peace and joy for the world by creating it for myself!
• I am free to create joy in my heart today by… (go ahead – sing along to a favorite song or phone a good friend! What brings you joy?)
• I know what it feels like to create joy by connecting to my own spirit, it happens when I … (make a list of what makes your heart sing – and consciously create the feeling a couple of times a day)
• I am nurturing my spirit and creating joy!

Turning the ho-hum into HOHOHO for yourself is the best gift ever – it will be the perfect size and be EXACTLY what you want!

Namaste,

Suze

Holy Days. A time for nurturing your spirit. It isn’t about the gifts, or the food, or the decorations. It is about connecting with the best part of ourselves and celebrating our connections.

Everyone has their stories, their memories, their demons and their delights. Emotions run high, and nerves can get frayed. Whether it is your sister-in-law, your kids, your partner, or the clerk at the store, everyone can use just a little extra understanding and compassion. Even you.

• I forgive myself for believing I need to get caught up in the stress of the season.
• I give myself permission to care for myself with enough rest, and quiet time.
• I choose to enjoy this holiday season, creating more peace and joy for the world by creating it for myself!
• I am free to create joy in my heart today by… (go ahead – sing along to a favorite song or phone a good friend! What brings you joy?)
• I know what it feels like to create joy by connecting to my own spirit, it happens when I … (make a list of what makes your heart sing – and consciously create the feeling a couple of times a day)
• I am nurturing my spirit and creating joy!

Turning the ho-hum into HOHOHO for yourself is the best gift ever – it will be the perfect size and be EXACTLY what you want!

Namaste,

Suze

Although it was only 6pm local time, for those of us coming in from Heathrow, it was 1am. Body clocks confused, bodies cramped from being too tight and too close for too long, everyone just wanted to get through the Customs line-up, have our passports stamped and get somewhere we could stretch out and put our heads down. The toddler in her stroller beside us in the snaking queue expressed it perfectly when she went from slightly dazed to full on tears. The woman in front of me turned and with a resigned smile said to me “I think we all feel that way!” The child’s mom was brilliant. Also tired, she could have admonished the little gal to “stop crying and be quiet”, but instead she leaned over, stroked the child’s brow, and congratulated her daughter on how well she had done on the flight. The child immediately burst into a smile and regained her calm. A small amount of recognition goes a long way!

Most of us are now too old for our moms to give us the recognition we need to stay centered in ourselves regardless of circumstances, and when we are tired, hungry and a bit too “peopled-out” we often forget to congratulate ourselves on how well we’ve done. However, just like the toddler, a small amount of recognition goes a long way. Back to the dictionary… Recognition – to know again, to know as before. To acknowledge genuineness or character.

• I forgive myself for believing I can keep going without any recognition from myself.
• I give myself permission to consciously practice recognizing and strengthening who I really am. I did really well on that trip!
• Like that young mom, I choose to recognize my strengths and reconnect with who I really am rather than focus on the challenges.
• I am free to recognize myself and be grateful for who I really am!
• I know what it feels like to recognize the goodness in others – and I practice giving myself this same gift as an act of Thanksgiving!
• I am consciously practicing giving thanks to myself and recognizing and developing my strengths!

 

Rather than admonishing the child within for “acting out”, try digging just a little deeper and find some gratitude for yourself for all the good you do. What we focus on expands, and THAT is worth expanding every day – not just on Thanksgiving!

Namaste,

Suze

Old patterns run deep, and when we are stressed or overtired, the way we speak to ourselves is telling. Are you as kind and understanding as you would be with a friend, or do you judge yourself harshly? One of the blessings of a good friend or a fabulous partner is that they remember who you really are when you’ve forgotten, and hold the space for you to come back to yourself.

•  I forgive myself for believing I don’t deserve my own understanding and kindness.
• I give myself permission to be compassionate with myself – especially when I am tired or stressed.
• I choose to be even kinder to myself in times of stress – just like a good friend would be with me!
• I am free to treat myself like a good friend today by …
• I know what it feels like to be kind and understanding with outers – and I’m giving that gift to myself now!
• I am building a stronger relationship with myself – I’m worth it!

You ARE worth it, and as you strengthen your relationship with yourself, the quality of your other relationships will also deepen!

Namaste,

Suze

I love music. For me it rates right up there with water and oxygen. It is organic, nutritious food for my soul. And some songs are simply my “comfort food”.

Steve and I met in Northern California 30 years ago. Since then, his music has sustained and encouraged hundreds of thousands around the world. He’s a genuine human being, interested in raising the experience of the human condition to “something even better”. And his song “To Be Who I am” is one of my “go tos” when I need a little encouragement to stretch myself a little further, BE more of who I know myself to be, and contribute more deeply to the life experience of others with whom I share this journey!

• I forgive myself for believing that I am defined by others.
• I give myself permission to define myself and let who I really am shine.
•  I can regret what has happened in the past, or I can make a new decision and move forward defining who I really am. I choose to define who I really am!
• I am free to define myself today by the smile I give the next person I meet!
• I know what it feels like to show up authentically in the best way I know how!
• I am being the best I can be, moment to moment, and discovering who I really am!

“Misery was all I got when I tried being what I’m not

The angels cheered from up above when I started doing what I love.

We all have our own roads to travel,

And we all have our own lights to shine

It’s been a long hard lesson, but I’ve come to understand

I was meant to be who I am.”

            Steve Seskin            steveseskin.com

You were meant to be yourself – no one else can do that! Here’s to showing up and playing full-on!

Namaste,

Suze