A couple weeks ago I participated in the Women's March in Chicago.  It was a beautiful, moving, soulful experience for me.  It was inspiring to be surrounded by people who were standing up for beliefs that I hold near and dear to my heart.  It was comforting to see and feel that I am most certainly not alone.  Perhaps, most importantly, I felt myself noticing not just who was there but also who wasn't - and contemplating ways to shift my life to be more inclusive of people who are different than me. 

But, I almost didn't go...

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending two performances. 

On Friday night, I hopped over to Hamlin Park Fieldhouse for the super sold out dance piece  A Place At The Edge Of The World To Call Our Own by RE|Dance Group.  Honestly, I was feeling a bit introverted and hoping I wouldn't run into anyone I knew.  I really wanted to see the piece, but I was hoping for a private experience (well, as private as you can get when you're in an audience with rows and rows of other people.)

From the moment I sat down, I was invited in...

I woke up on January 3rd expecting to feel different.  I had spent the previous week reflecting on my goals for the year and gave myself permission to start after the holiday weekend.  I suppose it was silly to expect that I would pop out of bed, 2 hours earlier and with double the energy as usual and proceed to accomplish all of my goals for the year immediately. 

"Dear Diary, It's January 5 and I've already achieved everything I've set out to do for the year.  Boom!"

Over the past few years, I've taken the few days before and after New Years Day to finish... and to start.  I don't have an exact ritual that's the same every year, it's more like I take stock and take action.   (And I make a list, of course I make a list!  Who doesn't love lists?!)

I don't know about you, but sometimes I get a bit carried away...

Do you find the holidays delightful… or dreadful?

Personally, I love the holidays - preparing surprises, family togetherness, practicing old/creating new traditions.  But the holidays can be tough as well.  All routines can fly out the window, leaving you feeling upside down.  There's joy and stress and indulgences and guilt and feelings are flying everywhere.  The holidays can get messy.  So I put together a list of things that help me keep my soul centered during the holiday season.  I hope you find them useful.

Maybe I've been watching too much sappy TV (Gilmore Girls, This is Us, etc) and it opened the faucet of emotions.  Or maybe I felt unappreciated and for some reason it tipped me right over the edge, no longer able to hold it all inside. 

Either way, last night was rough.