Author, Mindfulness Teacher & Coach
When we honor our efforts, courage, and growth—even in imperfect seasons—we teach our nervous system that progress is safe. We condition our awareness to welcome success and train our minds to venture toward our dreams. The result? The setbacks stop looking like failures and begin to reveal themselves as teachers. Reflection allows us to reframe: not what went wrong, but what this season has shaped in us.
“December arrives with a quiet invitation to soften, to melt into a slower rhythm within yourself.” This month arrives with holiday lights, full calendars, gatherings, expectations, and urgency, and yet, beneath all of it, December is your end-of-the-year test.
The last Fire Horse year was 1966. In many parts of Asia, some mothers were so fearful of the intense Fire Horse energy that they considered ending their pregnancies, believing the child might bring chaos or misfortune. Ironically, Fire Horse children are often blessed with strength, brilliance, and a powerful destiny, the very qualities that can elevate an entire family line.
November 13th is World Kindness Day, a perfect reminder that kindness is more than just good manners; it’s medicine for the mind, body, and soul. But here’s the beautiful paradox: when you give kindness away, you receive even more in return.
Although I no longer dress up, I still love sitting on the porch for a couple of hours, watching the parade of costumed children delight in their candy treasures. There’s no pumpkin on my steps anymore; over the years, the Albany squirrels have had wild parties, leaving me with quite the cleanup afterward from October to Thanksgiving.
Most people underestimate how much their bedroom influences their emotional and physical well-being. However, we spend one-third of our lives sleeping or trying to sleep, and the energy surrounding that time affects everything we do when we wake.
