Every time I saw my father-in-law Tom, his parting words were “think good thoughts,” said with a big smile.

He embodied that phrase – always upbeat, loving and generous. His eyes sparkled with Irish spirit, and lit up when he saw you. Tom regularly broke into song, remembering all the words to songs from the 40′s and 50′s. He loved to laugh and make other people laugh, and had the gift of gab.

Someone once compared his energy to a leprechaun – a fitting description of the fun-loving Irishman.

I’m grateful that I knew him. He passed away in September, and is sorely missed. His lasting legacy is his favorite phrase: think good thoughts.

I believe that everyone is the keeper of a dream – and by tuning in to one another’s secret hopes, we can become better friends, better partners, better parents, and better lovers.

~Ophrah Winfrey

What are you grateful for today?

We all have that spark of divine healing power. We can use it any time for ourselves or people we love.

When we get together and focus that energy – magic happens. That’s what a healing circle is.

Individually we connect with the healing energy inside. Then we join together to focus that energy.

Three types of courage:

The swift courage of the horse,

The ancient courage of the salmon,

The noble courage of the stag.

~Celtic wisdom

I love the runway metaphor. Making money for money’s sake is an empty endeavor. But living a full life is vital. Combined with your personal energy, money is the fuel for that life.

But think about all the baggage we carry around about money. The language we use: Mean green, money is the root of all evil, filthy rich, fat cats. Even the term “saving” money has a negative connotation. It implies denying yourself immediate gratification for your future good.

All that negative thinking about money is another way of giving your energy away. At the very least, these thoughts about money lower your frequency. Just try this experiment: instead of saving money, decide that you will “build wealth.” Does that feel different?

I played a trick on myself to change my thinking about money. Tom brought home a funky old traveling trunk and asked me if I wanted it. I was drawn to it, and knew exactly how I’d use it. My meditation space doubled as my office, and the trunk was the perfect filing cabinet/table. Pretty soon I began to think of the trunk as my treasure chest, holding all my important papers. Then I decided to make bill paying part of my gratitude practice. Yes, it was a stretch, being grateful to pay my bills every month. But really, I was grateful to have the money, since I had been through a very scarce time. I’d sit down by my trunk, light a candle, and say a little blessing for myself and the people  I was paying. I visualized the flow of money around the world, including through me.

Here’s to extending your runway.

May Spirit help you keep your eyes and ears, and all your senses, open to a new connection.

It might come any moment-
In the shower, while you’re driving, or when you hear that certain song.
It’s a flower, or a smell, a butterfly, or a dragonfly or a bird.
And recognition gently reminds you.

Your love will always be.
Let it sustain you when sadness rises,
When grief wells up and overtakes you.

May you find healing and peace.

This time of year can be filled with anxiety and stress, even though the ads on TV show happy shoppers and functional family get-togethers. When you focus on your stress, it tends to grow. So give yourself a break for a few moments to appreciate the positive in your life.

Take a deep breath and relax. Invite your mind to be open to gratitude. What drifts in?  Loved ones, pets, home, work, play? Now stay open to more – gratitude for your heart, goodness, love, humor, style, brains, talents and gifts. What else are you grateful for?

Notice how your body feels when you’re in gratitude. Breathe it in so you remember.

Repeat again soon. May it become your new habit.

* See more on gratitude.

I found myself “confessing” to everyone. Was it so I could get sympathy? Or hear their stories about how they did the same thing? Or just to share a funny story? I think it was all of the above. The first call I made (after the locksmith left) was to my husband, Tom. I was definitely looking for sympathy with that one, and fortunately he gave me the response I was looking for – care and concern. But when he said “poor baby” I realized that I may have overdone it.

Next I told a friend, with a little more drama in the story. She gasped when she realized I was locked out in the snow storm. Very satisfying response. I was beginning to have some fun with it. So the next time I related the story, it was to get a laugh.

As I watched myself, I wished I would just shut up about it already. So I started writing instead. And I realized what was happening.

I started out in victim mode. And that is not a loving place for me or for the people I told about it. What I wanted was to control their reaction to give me what I needed: sympathy. What else could they say? And that kind of sympathy just helps me stay in “victim.”

As I got more of a sense of humor about it, my energy changed to sharing a story. That kind of energy helps connect with other people  - we’ve all done something like that. It requires no particular type of response, but opens the door for another story or conversation. That energy is loving and respectful rather than negative and manipulative.

Now it’s your turn – what do you need to confess?

Yesterday I was listening to heartbreaking stories of remembrance on the radio, and I realized I had to turn it off for my own sanity. I felt a little guilty – maybe I “should” listen out of respect for those who died…

But there are countless ways to respect and remember.

Consider turning off the news and taking some time to reflect in a way that feels right.

I went out on a hike and found solace here: