Hope you are well and settling into the New Year with HOPE and OPTIMISM. Not sure about you but it takes me a while to settle into the quieter winter season. 

Drawing from the wisdom of Chinese Medicine, Winter is the most YIN time of year. Yin energy is all about going inward, stillness, rest, slowing way down. Not easy for a recovering "busy bee." 

I know I'm not alone. Maybe you're an over-achiever too? There's a huge cultural resistance to slowing down and going inward. It's not easy to flip the switch in our predominately YANG culture. Yang is outward energy and all about getting things done. 
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YIN & YANG are BOTH necessary. They're bound together and cannot exist without each other or stand alone. We need to maintain a BALANCE of both energies. Being busy sometimes balanced with rest and renewal. 

It's not easy for many of us to shift gears and move over to the slow lane for awhile but it's important and necessary. It's non-negotiable. It may appear that nothing is happening but trust me, there is. 

The following quote from Albert Camus has been a longtime favorite and I only recently discovered that there are more lines to it than the one about winter that I have loved so much. 

• In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love. 
• In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile. 
• In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm.
• I realized through it all, that....
• IN THE MIDST OF WINTER, I FOUND THERE WAS, WITHIN ME, AN INVINCIBLE SUMMER.
• And that makes me happy...for it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there's something stronger- something better, pushing right back. 

​Here's to keeping your YIN & YANG energies balanced and in harmony! 

I love how Mother Theresa said that she would never attend an anti-war rally but if there was a pro-peace rally to invite her.  It's a choice whether we fight against what we don't want OR actively move toward what we're wishing for.   

A simple shift in mindset can change what we see and how we approach everything! When we focus on what we want, not on what we don't want, everything can change!  
Instead of fighting against the darkness, we can bring Light. 
We can actively be kind, supportive, generous and help whenever possible. 

That's why I enjoy the holidays. There's a shift that happens. 
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Amidst all the hustle and bustle, shopping, baking, parties and entertaining...
We remember. We reflect. We celebrate. We see the light once again. 
I'm sharing a favorite recipe with you. Please give it a try. There's no clean up. You don't need an apron, any pots or pans or even an oven. All you need is an open heart and true desire. 

RECIPE for HOPE 
(by Maria Fernanda Smith) 

• 3 Tbsp. WILL
• 2 oz. BELIEF 
• 2 Tbsp. TRUST 
• 1 tsp. CREATIVITY 
• 1/4 cup COURAGE 
• 1 lb. WORTH 
• 3/4 cup PERSEVERANCE 
• 1/2 cup FAITH 
• Ripe WISDOM 
• Many dashes of HUMOR 
• *use SUPPORT and STRENGTH for taste 

1) Convert 1 oz. of fear and it yields 1 lb. of knowledge. 
2) Preheat your heart to the adequate setting for success. 
3) Mix the wisdom, faith, courage and creativity together.
4) Add the will, perseverance and worth to combine evenly.
5) Stir in the humor intermittently and pour the recipe into your soul. 
6) Spread the belief evenly and you'll see the measuring cup as more than half full. 
7) Bake until you create the sweet smell of victory.
8) Serve to all who need it and enjoy! 

**NOTE: There is no substitute for HOPE.

Wishing you a fun-filled peaceful holiday season and HOPE on a silver platter for whatever it is you're wishing for!

​It doesn't matter how old you are, where you live, or what language you speak....GRATITUDE is the universal language of the HEART! 

That's the big takeaway-lesson I learned twenty years ago trekking in the Himalayas. I brought it hOMe with me and try to remember to carry it with me everyday. 

It was the realization of a dream traveling to Nepal and turned out being a spiritual pilgrimage and life changing experience. I trained for months preparing for the physical demands of hiking 10 plus miles a day and sleeping in tents at high altitudes without electric and plumbing.  
 
But nothing could prepare me for going off the grid and meeting the Nepalese people. Kind-hearted. Sweet. Grateful. Simple. Reverent. Happy. Present. 

I learned a lot as I put one foot in front of the other, moment by moment, day after day....

• We have to simplify to amplify. 
• We have to train our eyes to see what surrounds us.
• Gratitude can change our lives from black & white to technicolor. 
• Gratitude is not a thought- it's a felt sense. 
• Gratitude is a verb and evokes emotion. 
• When our hearts are overflowing with appreciation- we feel joyful and happy. 
• Gratitude should be prescribed: daily dose Vitamin G- more is better! 
• Gratitude is one of the strongest energetic forces in the Universe and has the power to open our hearts, heal us and transform our lives. 
• Gratitude is a first class ticket to living in the Miracle zone. 

Mary Davis said it best: "Through the eyes of GRATITUDE, EVERYTHING is a MIRACLE!" 

Happy Fall! Roger and I recently spent a week in one of the most majestic places on Earth- Telluride, Colorado. Surrounded by mountains over 12,000 feet truly can take your breath away! We hiked, took in the sights and basked in the spectacular scenery and natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Something happens spontaneously when we deeply immerse ourselves in nature. Within a short time, our souls were singing (along with John Denver's Greatest Hits on CD) and our spirits were rejuvenated!  

We got what we needed and then some! An added bonus was a two day retreat led by my brother Todd. With the theme "KEEP CLIMBING," it was an opportunity to step back from our everyday routine, ask ourselves some great questions, reflect and go deep along with 65 passionate fitness and health/wellness pros. 

Some of my KEEP CLIMBING Retreat Take Aways....

• When we come together, we realize that we all have DREAMS & FEARS. 
• Don't allow your fears to prevent you from following your dreams!
• We're all more alike than we are different. 
• We all have challenges and mountains to climb. 
• There will be peaks at times to enjoy and sometimes valleys to endure. 
• But we gotta Keep Climbing! 
• And Never Give Up! 
• Sometimes a setback is a set-up for a comeback. 
• We don't have to do it alone. 
• Perseverance. Grit. Resilience. 
• We're stronger than we ever imagined. 

As we approach the 5th Anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, I'm reflecting on how far we've recovered as a community. 

The Jersey Shore was devastated on October 29th, 2012 and that's something I will never forget. 
But I'll also always remember how people came together.  We were knocked down and together we got back up. We're climbing that mountain together. Little by little, and still recovering....we're coming back stronger! 
Jersey is S.T.R.O.N.G! Starting. To. Realize. Our. Natural. Greatness!  Be grateful for the peaks and the valleys....
Keep Climbing! 

There's a price we pay for living in the fast lane. It's easy to zoom through life and get a lot done but if we don't pay attention, we're missing out. Before we know it, we've shifted onto autopilot and the days pick up speed, flying by without us barely noticing. The next stop is often asleep at the wheel. And that's dangerous! 

What I know for sure is that we can only change what we're aware of. The simple act of NOTICING CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING!  WHAT WE NOTICE WE CAN CHANGE! 

I notice often that I procrastinate. Our monthly newsletter/blog is arriving the last day of the month...oh well, I remind myself that's ok too.

I notice how often I find myself multi-tasking which I know only creates more stress. I remind myself...one thing at a time, over and over. 

I notice how overwhelmed I can get. I remind myself of what's really important and ask 'what can I take off my plate right now?'

I notice how easily distracted I can get with my thoughts, my devices, time on FB, Instagram, TV and the media. You name it...these days it's way too easy to get distracted! 

When it comes to modern day life, Ellen Degeneres says it best....  "Our attention span is shot. We've all got Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD or OCD or one of these disorders with three letters that we don't have the time or patience to pronounce the whole disorder. That should be a disorder right there, TBD- Too Busy Disorder." 

Ellen has a wonderful way of shining the light while bringing laughter and helping us see the human condition more clearly. 

Bottom line, we're often just stuck in too busy mode. But remember...what we notice, we can change. 

Taking a PAUSE to NOTICE can be a big game changer. It's simple and easy. And remember to ALWAYS BE KIND and LAUGH at yourself too! 

​There's no way around this. 

I lost a very dear and good friend last week.  Someone I knew for 32 years. My BFF Donna's husband Gene died unexpectedly and way too soon. He was a very special man and will be greatly missed! There's no way around it. It just plain sucks and hurts so bad. Our hearts are broken when losing someone we love. It feels like we've been knocked down. The rug feels pulled out from under us. It takes our breath away. It's beyond hard to comprehend. It doesn't seem real. It's so final.AND, it's so painful. Raw. Vulnerable. We're BROKEN OPEN. Reminded of what we may have forgotten. 

Garth Brooks said: "You aren't wealthy until you have something money can't buy."
According to Garth, Gene was an ULTRA-WEALTHY man! 
He loved his FAMILY and FRIENDS more than anything. It was the SIMPLE things in life that he pursued and enjoyed. He loved the beach, telling jokes, laughing, music, sports,  having FUN and celebrating LIFE. Gene personified HAPPINESS! 

This morning, I came across a note I had written to myself while on a retreat several years ago and tucked it away in a book. It sums up everything I've been feeling this last week...since losing my friend. 

Many of us make "TO DO" lists. 
But what about a "TO BE" list?

Maybe it's time to give this some thought...How do we wish TO BE? 
This is the list I made- How I want TO BE in my life....

• AWARE and PRESENT-  

There is Beauty and Abundance all around us. 
Everywhere & Everyday- Life is a gift!
EnJOY simple moments! 

• CONNECTION- 

First with ourselves! Slow down. Listen. Be Present. Breathe. 

• SIMPLICITY- 

It's the simple things that mean the most. 
Stop being so busy that we miss them.

• Be GRATEFUL! 

Stop. Reflect. Give Thanks. Pause. 

The Power of the PAUSE. 
We're here to share our gifts and to LIVE OUT LOUD! We all have gifts to share. 
The world is waiting for YOU to show up and share the gift of who you are!
In tribute to Gene Ray who was unique, lived "Out Loud" and we will never forget....

"Everyone has his unique way of stating the Truth as she/he sees it, and that uniqueness is important, because there will be only certain people you and I will touch in this lifetime, and for those encounters, honesty will be the container of all the gifts we will give and receive."  (Hugh Prather)

I'm so grateful for friendship, laughs, good times, and many memories! 
May We Always Remember To Celebrate Each day! 

Most of us Baby Boomers, can hardly forget the Jack LaLanne TV show and the form-fitting outfit Jack wore. Jack was a fitness guru and pioneer who brought health and fitness into our living rooms and mainstream. He passionately preached about the benefits of exercise and eating well. As a young gal, I was right there with him doing leg lifts and jumping jacks. He started a movement that continues today.Living to the ripe age of 96, he became an icon and leaves a legacy of high level well-being for all. 

Last week my youngest brother Todd received the Jack LaLanne Lifetime Achievement Award which is the highest award in the fitness industry. He shocked the audience of 5,000 fitness pros by coming out wearing the infamous Jack LaLanne jumpsuit! 
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Todd is a motivational speaker, coach, trainer and business leader on a mission to inspire and lead others to greatness. He does this everyday with boundless energy, contagious enthusiasm, passion and deep purpose. I couldn't be prouder! 

I tell you this not to brag but to share with you an important lesson. When Todd started college he was a government major and then switched to finance/business. That's what many were studying but he was miserable with these classes.  One day while he was telling me about the kinesiology elective class he was taking, I noticed his energy completely shifted. He lit up with excitement. 
I shared with him advice and wisdom I had received and lived by....

"TRUST YOUR GUT. LISTEN TO YOUR INTUITION. FOLLOW YOUR PASSIONS. FOLLOW YOUR HEART. " It rarely leads you wrong. Sometimes it's hard but ALWAYS trust your internal voice. That still small voice within is trying to lead us. It's our GPS and knows the way. But we must get quiet to listen and hear. 

Todd changed majors to Kinesiology in his junior year and his soul was singing. He listened to his gut and followed his passion. He's living life all-out serving others and having a blast. What could be better?! 

I can only imagine how hard it is to squelch our passions. 
To keep our deepest desires on the back burner. 
To hide in our comfort zones. 
To stay in soul sucking jobs. 
To forget what really matters. 
To keep our greatness hidden. 
It's no fun and takes way too much energy to stay in this mode. Time for another way! 

What decisions are you right now making in your life?
~ Get still.
~ Be quiet.
~ Practice listening to your gut and see where this takes you. 
~ Pursue your passions.
~ Follow your heart. 

This could be the start of an amazing new journey! 
Here's to becoming ALL that YOU are!

The well known mythology professor and author Joseph Campbell spoke into existence one of my favorite quotes of all time..."Follow your Bliss and the Universe will open doors where before there were only walls." 

FOLLOW YOUR BLISS became a favorite mantra when I was in my twenties. I lived by that motto and even had that bumper sticker on my car. 

After graduating college, I wasn't looking for just any job. Some friends jumped right onto career paths. I knew I had a unique "calling" and began a quest following my passions. It wasn't a clear path and often felt like a scavenger hunt as clues turned up in unexpected places that took me all over the world. Looking back in the rear view mirror all these years later, I sure learned a lot. And I discovered my true purpose. :)
In Japanese, the word for purpose is "IKIGAI. It means your "reason for being." Essentially, it's your reason to get up in the morning. Everyone, according to Japanese culture has an IKIGAI, finding it requires a deep and lengthy search of Self. 
It may not always be easy but it'll be worthwhile.

So how and where does one start to discover their IKIGAI? 
If you can't figure out your purpose, figure out your passions. 

• Your passion will lead you right to your purpose. 
• Follow what lights you up. 
• Follow what gets you excited and energizes you. Follow your BLISS!  

I'm reminded of one of my earliest role models and mentors, my  Great-Aunt Bernadine Yunck. Aunt Dean was a health and physical education professor at Columbia University, NYC and in her summers ran a small summer camp for girls in the Adirondack Mountains. She bought Camp Mesacosa in 1914 and was the camp director for 60 years until she died over the winter of 1976 when she was 84 years old.  She taught us how to be "happy campers" and I'm grateful for the eleven magnificent summers I spent there. Aunt Dean was a naturalist and devoted to healthy living. She found her IKIGAI at Camp Mesacosa and lived with purpose, passion and GUSTO up until the end. 

Will I take after my Great Aunt and never retire? It's hard to imagine the future and ever stop doing something that I truly love. I'm forever grateful that I found my IKIGAI and for the journey that continues.

Therapeutic Touch celebrates 28 years this month and my heart is filled with gratitude. Thank you everyone for your support, good will, and friendship over these 28 years! Thank you to my phenomenal team of talented therapists & compassionate healers! Therapeutic Touch wouldn't be what it is without you all. 
❤️❤️❤️

Is it just me or is life too crazy busy sometimes? I have devoted my life to trying to help others make their lives better, more balanced, more manageable, and enjoyable. Like many people (especially Moms) isn't this what we do best?!

BUT NOT WHEN YOU FORGET YOURSELF! 

Taking care of everyone else snuck up on me many years ago and taught me some of the most important and life changing lessons that I now teach and share with my clients (especially women) everyday. 

I was so busy taking care of everyone else and adding more and more to my to-do list. The truth is it feels wonderful, fulfilling and rewarding to help and care for others. If you are a "people-pleasers" or an "over-providers", you know how seductive this can be!

It's a sneaky process and hard to untangle from. Twenty years ago, I had my first bout with burnout. I LOVED what I was doing BUT I forgot myself.  My True Self-Care Healing journey began.  

What I now know is that I must put myself first. Like the oxygen mask analogy....We each MUST tend to our SELF first. 

When you forget yourself by putting everyone and everything else first, your cup runs dry. It's a downward spiral to exhaustion and frustration. AND what I know for sure is you can't give from an empty cup!

I learned that when resentment was high that meant self-care was low. When we're feeling irritable or like a "Cranky Pants," then it's time to check in with yourself and course correct. 

I learned that when I took care of myself first, I HAD MORE TO GIVE and I COULD GIVE FROM MY OVERFLOW!  Imagine that! :) 

I learned self-care doesn't have to cost money. 

• Its simply about paying attention, recognizing and tending to your own needs. 
• Moment To Moment.
• Its not about doing more or adding more things to your already busy life. 
• It's as simple as learning to say NO and taking things off your plate that are draining your energy. 

I learned that NO can be a complete sentence. No explanation needed. 

What I learned is that unless we prioritize our own needs, its too easy to give it all away. It takes awareness to catch ourselves and chart a new course. It takes a mindset shift and giving ourselves permission to create new habits. It takes a new way of being to honor and love ourselves like we truly deserve. 

With Mother's Day around the corner, I hope this inspired all the Mom's out there who give so much & helps shed light for all of us to remember....it's a sacred act and downright holy to love and take care of ourselves....our whole being- body, mind, heart and spirit. ​

Abracadabra....Spring has Sprung here in the northeast! 

Nature is bursting with beauty and magnificence! 
Are you feeling the excitement, joy and renewal that arrive with this miraculous time of REBIRTH?

It's time to not only open the windows and let the fresh air in.  It's time to welcome Spring with ALL of our senses.... 

• OPEN our eyes to SEE, 
• our ears to HEAR,  
• our noses to SMELL, 
• our hands to TOUCH  the magic and beauty of SPRING! 

I've learned over the years to surrender to the extremes of living at and running a business at the beach. It was only after learning to welcome the 'luxury' of the much quieter, much slower winter season and giving myself permission to rest that I got what was needed. There's something to be said for 'going with the flow.' 

I just completed a 40 day (during Lent) News Fast and feel recharged. I was inspired to seriously unplug after a retreat in the Berkshires earlier this winter and being asked three questions that I'll share with you....

• What are you currently saying yes to that diffuses your energy? 
• What are you saying no to that would increase happiness, energy, vitality, and movement toward your best life? 
• What one thing can you commit to either saying YES or NO to bring you closer to that sweet spot? 

With pen and journal in hand, it became clear that too much time was wasted zoning out with TV and social media.  I was craving....more time curled up in my loft, reading, cooking at home and just resting and relaxing. Luckily Roger was onboard and we unplugged the TV except for 3 consciously chosen hours a week. It was just what the doctor ordered! 

We listened. We reconnected. We rejuvenated.  We recharged without a charger!

Thank you Mother Nature for modeling and teaching us this important big lesson....REST is needed to cultivate and sustain energy and vitality. 

This is the essence of what we believe, teach and share everyday at Therapeutic Touch. 

"Instead of focusing on what you can live with, we should be focusing on what we can't live without."  -Ebony Carter