Summer combined with time off has a restorative effect. I just returned from vacationing in the Finger Lakes and feel rejuvenated. Suspending some of my habits and routines helped clarify what I wanted more or less of.

Our vacation included unscheduled days, almost no email and social media checking, no alarm clocks, and daily kayaking. We ate most of our meals outside, overlooking Song Lake, listening to water rippling, leaves rustling, and birds chirping.

The owner of the house we rented helped make our stay stress-free. The guest binder with essential numbers, house rules, and resources was our go-to guide. Light switches, drawers, and cabinets were clearly labeled. Everything we needed for comfort, like cozy linens, paper goods, toiletries, utensils, coffee, snacks, and condiments, was plentiful and easily accessible.

While I loved being away and exploring a new place, I was happy to return home. We spent part of our vacation organizing and doing home maintenance, which also felt great.

I’m excited about more summer adventures, working with clients, and prepping for this fall’s clutter workshop. What’s on your summer docket? How can I help?

Spring fills me with hope. Each day, I notice something new emerging when I go outside. A burst of bright yellow daffodils, sprigs of grass greening the landscape, or tiny buds reappearing on the bare trees. This beautiful visual feast lifts my spirits.

Possibilities abound. As the air warms and the landscape changes, I feel encouraged to let go of things and thoughts that no longer serve a purpose. I am ready to release what’s weighing me down and embrace what energizes me.

Recently, I spent time in our yard picking up sticks that had fallen during storms.  As I scanned and found each broken branch on the ground, I bent down to grab it.  After gathering each armful, I released them out into the back woods. This simple practice of identifying what didn’t belong, gathering, and releasing was incredibly satisfying. This clearing reinforced the value of noticing and letting go of those things in my life that no longer belong.

What are you ready to release? Let me know how I can help.

As I embrace the start of 2024, I am excited to reflect on what was, learn from what went well or what didn’t, and think about what I’d like to do more or less of in the future. The vast horizon is vibrating with abundant opportunities, surprises, and experiences.

I appreciate the practice of having a word and motto for the year. It helps me focus on what is most important and ground myself when challenges arise. I have also created vision boards for the last two years but decided not to do one for 2024. It worked well in 2022, but the vision board process felt stale and forced for 2023.

I’m doing my year-end review and selecting a word and motto. By the time you read this, I hope to complete that process. Right now, my ideas are still percolating. Look for an upcoming blog post to discover where I land.

I am deeply grateful to you and the connection we share. I wish you a happy, healthy, and joy-filled New Year!

As I walk by the river or through the woods, it’s impossible not to notice.  A burst of red here, a swath of yellow there. The landscape and season is changing. I feel conflicting things with this transformation. On the one hand, I receive comfort in nature’s continuous cycles. However, those same patterns also indicate change. This creates negative and positive thoughts and feelings.

The negative ones look like . . .

• Oh, no! The cold weather is coming.

• The year is almost over.

• How will I accomplish all that I hoped to do?

The positive ones sound like . . .

• These fall colors are gorgeous!

• I’m grateful for the seasonal nudge to embrace change.

• The new season is an opportunity to review, reset, and accomplish my goals.

• Possibilities are abundant.

Let’s change the conversation and choose a positive lens. What becomes possible for you this season? How can I help?

There is a relaxed quality to summer that I’m appreciating even more. The longer days, warmer weather, vacations, and long weekends encourage me to slow down. Why slow down? Changing my pace is no small thing for someone who has a deep need to be productive and not waste this one precious life.

Yet I also recognize that pausing, slowing down, and taking breaks is essential to my well-being. They aren’t a waste of time. In fact, these breaks enhance my time. They yield clearer thoughts and a calmer, restored system.

My husband and I recently returned from a beautiful vacation in Turk and Caicos. We allowed the days to unfold with minimal plans and no to-do list. We spent hours each day floating and swimming in the gorgeous, clear, turquoise water.

What helps you rejuvenate?

While I enjoy all seasons, I feel incredibly hopeful as the magic of spring brings new daily blooms and the return of a color-filled landscape. I hunt for newly blossomed flowers and plants on my daily walks, feeling elated and surprised by each new discovery. It’s a season of growth both outside and within. It’s a season of tending to the garden and extending care to myself. Weeds take over the flower beds if I don’t pull them. If I don’t make time to edit my stuff, clutter can become invasive in my space and mind.

Will you give yourself time this spring to nurture what needs attention? It’s impossible to work on every area at once. Be kind to yourself and select one thing you want to focus on- relationships, home life, work, energy management, self-care, a specific project, or something else. Gift yourself time to tend. Your attention will yield beautiful blooms.