We were all gathered around the table: my son, my daughter-in-law, their baby, my 2-1/2 year old granddaughter, my daughter-in-law’s parents, and me. It was one of those ordinary moments that somehow felt extraordinary.

My granddaughter looked around the table and said, “This is fun eating together. We are family”.

I was feeling exactly the same but she put it so simply and said it out loud.

Children don’t worry about who is related by blood, who married into the family, or how complicated life can become. They see love. They see belonging. They see people choosing to be together.

This week, let’s take a lesson from my granddaughter and remember that family is not defined by blood alone, but by love, kindness and the choice to simply be together. 

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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“Everyone shines, given the right lighting.” — Susan Cain 

Sometimes we mistake a lack of confidence, energy, or joy as something being wrong with us. But often, it’s not that we’re failing to shine…it’s that we’re standing in the wrong light.

The right light might be supportive friends, new experiences, a healthier routine, inspiring conversations, or simply spending more time where you feel most like yourself. Part of self-care is intentionally moving toward the people and environments that help you come alive.

And then comes the hard part: trusting. Trusting that your light exists even when you can’t see it clearly. Trusting that growth is happening before the results are visible.

This week: Each day, ask yourself: “What is one thing I can do today to move closer to my light?” Then do it! 

Your job isn’t to force yourself to shine.

Your job is to keep finding the light…and trust that when you do, your shine will naturally follow. ✨

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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Never say never.
 
I never thought I would travel to my favorite place alone: Paris.
But I did! Knowing I had friends who would be there made it feel a little less daunting.
 
I learned so much about myself. First, I really need to learn how to pack less! Second, I found a balance between a few tours, lots of walking, fun nights out with friends, and precious time on my own. I enjoyed all of it!
 
But the greatest gift I brought home is something deeper: a renewed sense of enjoying life. It’s the feeling I recognized even in my twenties that Europeans seem to embrace so naturally. I feel it now too... a greater appreciation for beauty, dressing with intention, lingering over experiences, and savoring everyday moments.
 
This week, slow down and remind yourself, as Paris reminded me, that life isn’t just meant to be lived. It’s meant to be enjoyed! ✨🇫🇷💕

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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Dieting or avoiding alcohol alone rarely creates lasting change. Restricting ourselves often leaves us feeling deprived. 

Real change happens when our choices come from self-care rather than self-criticism. The focus shifts from what we're trying to avoid to the person we're becoming.

This weeks’ practice: Stop at some point each day to check in with yourself. Ask, "What do I need most right now?" Notice whether your answer is physical (perhaps some nourishment, a stretch, a walk) or emotional (a few deep breaths, a little gratitude, some human connection). See if you can respond to that need with one small act of self-care.

The more you connect with and nurture yourself the easier it will be to make any positive lasting changes!!! 💪🏻🫶🌟

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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Joy isn’t something reliant on outside circumstances. It’s something we can cultivate. It grows when we accept life as it is. You may not like what is happening right now, but you can learn to be with it rather than fight against it. Joy is not the absence of difficulty, it is the ability to stay open-hearted within it.
 
Make your life worth living by pursuing what genuinely interests you, nurturing meaningful relationships and engaging in activities that bring you a sense of purpose and connection.
 
Practice: This week take a minute each day and ask yourself, “What in my life, can I appreciate exactly as it is right now,?”
 
Notice one simple thing… a conversation, fresh air, your morning coffee, a moment of peace. The more we practice noticing, the more joy becomes available to us. ✨


To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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Moderation makes everything more appreciated. When we constantly consume, rush, or reach for more, we often stop truly experiencing what’s already here. Moderation creates space for gratitude, presence, anticipation, and joy.
 
This week… pause before reaching for more. More scrolling, more snacking, more drinking, more doing. Take one intentional moment to simply appreciate what’s already enough. Notice how presence can deepen pleasure more than excess ever could! Happy Memorial Day and thanks for reading!!!!!


To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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This Mother's Day I got to sit on the other side of the microphone and be interviewed by my son-in-law, Mosh, for his podcast. We talked parenting, grand-parenting, life coaching, and life in general.
 
What made it especially meaningful was getting to watch him do what he does so naturally and so well. Really fun conversation and a great reminder that some of the best moments come from simply showing up, being yourself, and connecting honestly.
 
Watch the link below↓
 
https://youtu.be/c_1DLUZ1rlU
 

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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Be someone others want to be around, not by performing or people-pleasing, but by being grounded, genuine, kind, and fully yourself.

Your energy, presence, and the way you treat people matter more than trying to impress them.

This week's practice:
Notice who you become in different environments.
Where do you shrink, over-explain, perform, or seek approval?
And where do you feel grounded, open, and fully yourself?
Practice returning to the version of you that feels most authentic: calm, self-respecting, and real.

That energy naturally draws the right people toward you. 

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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Not everything deserves your energy.
 
Discerning what to engage with-and what to ignore-is a superpower right now.
 
Attention is currency, and where you place it shapes how you feel, think, and act.
 
Practice for the week:
Before you respond to anything (a message, a request, a situation) pause and ask:
"Is this worth my energy?"
If it's not, release it without guilt.

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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We think luck just happens.
But it doesn’t.
Luck is built ….through action, openness, and showing up.
The more you try, reach out, and say yes- the more opportunities find you.
This week’s practice: Do one thing that expands your luck.

Ways to Expand Your Luck (inspired by Tina Seelig)

       •     Say yes more often
       •     Start conversations
       •     Follow your curiosity
       •     Share your ideas
       •     Take imperfect action
       •     Change your routine
       •     Reframe setbacks

I’m adding...
*Trust the Universe (have faith)

♥️The more you engage with life, the more life opens back up to you.

Luck isn’t found.
It’s created.

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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We're so used to asking everyone else, (therapists, friends, family), for advice that we forget to consult the one voice that's always with us: our own.

Every time you ignore your inner guidance, self-trust weakens.

Every time you listen, even in a small way, it grows stronger.

This week, take one small step.
Before asking someone else, pause and ask yourself: What do I already know is right for me?

Then trust it. 🩷

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Clickhere.

Sending you so much love!

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In a world that glorifies constant doing, there's quiet power in simply being.

Sometimes the most productive
thing you can do is... nothing.
No pushing. No striving. No guilt.

Rest isn't laziness, it's restoration.
It's where clarity returns, creativity resets, and your nervous system finally exhales.

Give yourself permission this week to pause without explanation.
To sit, to breathe, to just be.

To learn more about the ingredients for happiness, you can purchase my book: The Recipe for Real Happiness, on Amazon!!! Click here.

Sending you so much love!

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