Tag: Reflection

Friday Focus – 2/15/18 {What Truly Matters?)

Happy Lunar New Year! For those of you following the lunar calendar you know this is a special time. It’s the turn of a new year following the phases/cycles of the moon and many countries in the East has followed this tradition for years, and still do!

It’s a time, just like our traditional New Year on January 1st, of re-birth and moving forward.

Identifying with both American and Asian culture I loved celebrating this special holiday. It was a time to shed anything still lingering from January 1st, and it was an opportunity to take a second, hard look at what truly mattered.

And while this isn’t a practice that should only be done during the beginning of a new year, the Lunar New Year is another great opportunity (whether you celebrate it or not) to ask yourself – what is it that speaks to your heart? What truly matters to you at the end of the day?

These are the type of questions that really zing at your heart aren’t they? They allow for such clarity to arise so that what occupies the mind 90% of the day immediately falls away,…or at least begins to crumble.

So,what speaks to your heart? What truly matters to you? In this moment?

You may find it’s the simple things. The small moments of stillness, the moments of laughter being shared with someone you love, spending time with your furry friend.

Whatever it may be for you, take a moment to honor the Lunar New Year and do a little more of what it is that brings you closer to your own heart. As I’ve always said on the blog, the more we focus on what we want, the more it expands.

Happy Lunar New Year!

In wellness,

Susan

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

Friday Focus – 12/8/17 {Cherishing The Moments}

Seattle has been absolutely gorgeous this past week, and I hear it’s going to stay this way until next week. This makes my heart skip a beat. If you’ve ever spent a non-rainy day in Seattle you know very well what this might feel like. The fresh, crisp, cool air, the warmth of the sun on your face, clear blue skies, outlined by the evergreens and the cascades everywhere you look. It’s pretty much perfection! Don’t get me wrong, the rainy days can be just as cozy… but as they say you can’t take the sun out of the girl. 😉

Lately, I’ve been cherishing every moment. Finding the good in every moment. Each time I let the pup out in the morning I take a BIG gulp of fresh air. I feel the coolness of the air come into my throat, down my lungs, all the way through to the back of my heart. Then I open my eyes and stare up at the huge evergreen in my backyard and thank God for this moment. I end this small moment in time by standing in awe of what is truly in front of my eyes.

What makes these days even more precious is knowing that these are the last few days of 2017!

I don’t know about you guys but I am all about making each and every moment count; which by the way reminds me of a truly great article by Tim Urban who so eloquently put our time into perspective.

No matter how stressed I am, when I take a moment to truly appreciate our time I am left with immense gratitude. After all, it’s perspective, and a question we can ask ourselves right now is, what lens am I wearing today?

As we approach the end of the year things can get hectic, reallllly hectic. So for this week’s Friday Focus it’s all about cherishing the moments. How can we stay in wonder and gratitude throughout the day? What small, minute moments can we cherish and love knowing this moment is all we have right now?

Here’s to another sun filled weekend, and may we appreciate the stillness that is always present.

In wellness,

Susan

Photo by Zhifei Zhou on Unsplash

Giving Thanks

As Thanksgiving rolls around the corner I wanted to share a bit of what I am most grateful for this year. If you’ve been around the blog at all you know that I don’t reserve gratitude for just the holidays, but I do love how this Season offers a time to quietly reflect on what has unfolded the last few months and re-focus our attention on what matters most to our hearts.

How about you? How do you treat this time of year? Besides the delicious food and pumpkin spice everything that is… 😉

With that said, here’s my list of reflections:

  • I am in constant awe of the immense peace that is present when we allow things to unfold in its own timing
  • I am excited for what the future holds despite not knowing at all what to expect
  • Faith has been an ever present theme in my life and I can only hope to share and instill more of this peace by continuously sharing via this blog
  • Writing has been a gift. As much as I love hearing from you all it is just as much as a gift to myself as it is to others. It’s the gift that keeps giving!
  • I am reminded again and again what is most important in life: health, peace, and contentment
  • If we can learn to use our breath as a way to deepen our experiences and come back to the moment we have achieved a great deal
  • I am grateful for the many creative endeavors and experiences I have had this year

Most of all I am thankful for you and this blog for allowing me to connect and to share. Life is a journey and I am forever grateful for the many souls that I have met.

Wishing you a very beautiful Thanksgiving holiday filled with joy, laughter, and peace.

In wellness,

Susan

The beautiful photo by Kalen Emsley on Unsplash

Summer & Questions To Guide Inner Reflection

There’s something about going back home… While I grew up as an army brat with many “homes”, I consider Seoul and Tokyo my old stomping grounds. It’s where I spent more of my formative years.

As I head back to Seoul for a much needed break I can’t help but be thankful for Seattle. Since my re-entry this wonderful city has been a place where I met the most unexpected people; a place where I grew in ways I never thought I would. Guess it goes back to, “You never know what the Universe will provide if you surrender and let go of expectations.”

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Seattle Summer Nights

I’m looking forward to this break so that I can spend time with family and old friends. It will also be a time for inner reflection, and I won’t lie… there will be a few meetings sprinkled in here and there but when you put your highest intention in them it doesn’t feel like just a “meeting” if you know what I mean 😉

As we close out this Summer I urge you to take time for inner reflection. While everyone’s questions and time for reflection will be different, here are a few you can use to guide yourself:

  • What have been the consistent themes/thoughts these past 3-4 months?
  • What have I done to take action toward these themes/thoughts?
  • Am I in a place where I am ready to take action?
  • Who or What can help me take action? (i.e., books, meetups, teachers, coaches, etc.)
  • As I prepare for Fall, what do I need to close out to complete Summer?

May these next few weeks be filled with last minute bbqs, more laughter, and time spent with our loved ones.

Namaste,

Susan

My Morning Cup o’ Joe

I love watching the rhythm and shifts one goes through. I’ve been enjoying my morning green smoothie bowl for quite some time now and most recently this morning smoothie bowl has shifted to a lunch smoothie bowl ?

I’ve been noticing this subtle shift of slowing down even more and wanting to really enjoy the quiet time in the mornings. For me, this looks like spending an extra 30 minutes for breathwork, sitting, listening to a podcast or a mix of all three.

And since these days I’d rather spend the time in reflection I decided to decrease the amount of time spent in the kitchen (even more) PLUS get the benefits of getting enough calories in to start the day via bulletproof(ish) coffee.

Bulletproofish Coffee

This creamy concoction has many recipes out there but lately I’ve been keeping it simple:

  • 2 tbsp collagen (Great Lakes Gelatin)
  • 1 tbsp Spectrum coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp heavy whipping cream (local & pastured)
  • Pinch of seasalt
  • Coffee (in my case decaf)

It was a drizzly Seattle morning and that always makes drinking this mix extra good!

How have you been noticing subtle shifts or daily routines? Any must dos in the mornings you love to incorporate to start the day fresh?

From my morning to yours.

Namaste.