Take Five 

Here we are – a bump over the halfway mark through another year with sights on the smashing colorful months of autumn and a week right into the holidays. Trust me, I am not trying to rush it, and neither should you!

This month, I decided to take a break from the norm, and I am asking readers to do the same. Take a moment, take a break, and take a pause in life. Be grateful for what you have – for all that you have and for just one moment, let go of every “want.” A dear soul of mine once shared a statement that has always stuck with me, “How can you possibly deserve any more if you don't appreciate what you already have?”

One of the most profound statements I have ever heard, yet one of the simplest statements to live by. So, I ask you to read it again, to say it out loud, and to embrace the simplicity of the statement. It could possibly change the entire direction of the day, month, or maybe even the year.

I have found great peace in moments of pause. It allows me to reflect on all that I have and to express enormous amounts of gratitude for the simple things in life that so often get passed over. It is this appreciation that serves as the driving force for whatever comes next. The here and now is a gift, which is why it is called the present. Be grateful for your gifts.