Life, whether planned or happenstance, tends to unfold in seasons. How you respond to these changing seasons profoundly impacts your mood, attitude, alignment, and, most importantly, your overall quality of life.

In this moment, be kind to yourself. Take a deep breath. In this present moment, find the peace you deserve. Calm your brain with gratitude and give your body the intentional action it deserves.

In practicing mindfulness, we allow our minds to focus on the five senses and our current emotions, therefore helping us to further settle into reality. In moments of overwhelm, this is easier said than done. When anxiety kicks in, our outward focus begins to shake and panic.

Since Align & Inspire, not only have I been able to help others working towards similar goals, but I’ve been able to prioritize my own goals. Peace and alignment were no longer a goal, but a motivation within my work and passions. This work has forced me to define what peace means to me. When I am at peace, these are the actions I’m taking and the rules I live by.

Living in truth can be a terrifying task. From the day we were born, there have been expectations and norms pushed upon us that can force us to stay hidden. Whether you hold a giant truth, like hiding an integral part of your identity, or something small, like falling to peer pressure, these forced narratives will never serve us.

Trust and comfort are at the center of fulfillment. We often forget that self-growth doesn’t only mean a focus on the self. This internal work is powerful and life-changing, but without the help and love from others, we’ll miss out on other parts of growth. When you trust and find comfort in others, you’ll reap not only your personal benefits, but the benefits of your team as well.

They say the most growth happens when you push yourself to be uncomfortable. While I do agree with this, there’s always a risk when moving into discomfort because you never know what kind of change could happen. Will this discomfort push me into a positive or negative change?

One of the hardest things for me to do is ask for help. In moments of darkness, I know that I need to use my resources and coping skills to find the light, but getting the flame to light is easier said than done. Rest, take risks, keep yourself safe and also take control of your life.

As we approach the end of the year, we find ourselves engaging in vacation, tradition, celebration, and community. Or maybe these winter months bring stress, sadness, burnout and anxiety. Perhaps we find ourselves acting in obligation rather than intention. In these moments, I challenge you to grow. Here’s how you can honor yourself during the holidays.

When facing any obstacle, we are told to lean into our strengths and use them to solve our problems. While that may be the most efficient way to find solutions, focusing on our strengths is easy. Using our weaknesses is hard, but it will always lead to growth.

“The perspective of understanding a situation or event after it has occurred.” The ability to look back and reflect is a privilege. It means you are no longer at the bottom and the past is actually behind you. Finding hindsight is sometimes a guessing game, as we know that our journeys are not linear. Hindsight can be one of the most useful tools in your self-love journey.

Service is fundamental to personal growth. The ability to step outside of yourself and give requires compassion, patience, and temperance. Our human experience demands interconnectivity, thus presenting opportunities to serve one another. By serving others, we put our intentional skills to the test.

Perhaps you’ve been challenged before to “find your why”. I promise I won’t do that. But instead I will challenge your “why”. Align & Inspire accessible programming focuses on purpose. Finding your purpose and living that is attainable.

You deserve to live your dreams. Your day dreams are well-earned and valid. As human beings we are blessed with complexity ingrained into our experience. We exist both externally and internally. Managing both experiences is a lifelong commitment. What really is alignment?

As you work towards your personal goals, changes will only occur when there is a sense of discomfort. These uncomfortable moments and feelings can be difficult for many. Anything that is new and unfamiliar takes time and patience to accept and learn. While on your self-growth journey, it’s important to pause, reflect, and evaluate so you can identify what you're feeling and where to go from there. If you’re feeling this discomfort, then leaning into it could be the key. During this form of life-shift, grace is needed.