Mindset

Holidays  ·  Inspiration  ·  Productivity  ·  Relationships  ·  Success Skills  ·  Wellness
What if we’re not that different?

Hey!

On this sacred Sunday, I’m thinking about our world’s interconnectedness.

How, if we pay attention, we find so many connections and commonalities with each other despite different religions, traditions, cultures, and environments.

We have so much to learn from each other, and if we set aside our biases and truly looked at the world through the lens of commonality, we would find much more that unites us than divides us.

I’ll give you an example.

This week I got to learn so much about Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year and this period they’re currently celebrating called “The 10 days of Awe.” So much of what the Jewish people are practicing in their faith right now is aligned with the “Close the Loop” theme I chose for this October.

While at first glance, I chose the theme from a time management, productivity standpoint, learning more about the Jewish faith inspired me to dig deeper into the theme.

By learning about their practices, it has enhanced the way I will approach the rest of this month for myself.

That’s what I’m exploring on today’s podcast, including some reflection questions to help you close the loops in your life and welcome a fresh, renewed version of yourself.

Plus, I’m sharing some uplifting news about my sister’s road to recovery from her recent amputation.✨

Tune in and have a great Sunday.

Bliss’n Up Podcast

P.S. Our five-day RejuvaFAST challenge is starting on October 20th. This fast, which mimics the effects of a full fast while allowing you to eat, is an excellent reset for your mind, body, and soul. It aligns beautifully with our theme of October and offers a chance to enhance your emotional and spiritual well-being. Plus, the first participants will receive an “I survived rejuvafast” t-shirt! 

October 7, 2024

Inspiration  ·  Productivity  ·  Relationships  ·  Success Skills
Do you have too many open tabs in your brain?

Happy Sacred Sunday!

Are you the person who has a million tabs open in your web browser at once?

Do you ever feel like that’s exactly what your brain looks like?

Same here. 🙋‍♀️

The entire month of September, I looked at my life, habits, and circumstances with “simply soulful” eyes.

If you don’t know what this means, every month I choose a theme for the month and I use that theme as my north star.

By the way, if you find this a little whacky, you’re not alone!

Funny story, our five fingers were hanging out in our living room talking about something. I can’t remember what it was.

But I said something like “oh, yes, we should do that. That’s perfect for Simply Soulful September.”

My husband glances at me, then at the kids, and with his dry tone says replies, “No one talks like that, Caro.”  

Orlando cracks me up because he knows I’m so quirky and he’s always making fun of me for it … but I know I plant seeds in his head and he’ll be doing something and suddenly think, “this is simply soul-full” 😂😂😂😂
The whole dynamic makes our marriage so fun. (by the way, if you haven’t read our 17 Tips for a Bliss-Full Marriage, I share tips to create this kind of dynamic in your relationships.)

I digress.

The point is, the simply soul-full September theme was an invitation to slow down your life …and that invitation sparked a realization for me …

It’s hard to slow down and savor life when you feel you have too many tabs open in your brain.

Those tabs are what I call open loops.

Every open loop is a decision, task, or project that is pending and consuming your energy.

Even if you try to ignore the loop — its lingering nature soaks up energy.

That’s why the theme I chose for October is …

Close the Loop October.

October often feels like the part of the roller-coaster ride where the suspense and anticipation before the big drop builds. (The big drop being the Holiday season).

Wouldn’t it feel great if you could close all those energy sucking pending loops now before you’re in the chaos of parties, traveling, and end-of-year planning?

That’s what I’m talking about in this week’s podcast episode.

This episode is going to light you up and help you be way more productive!

I’d love for you to write back to me and let me know your takeaways from this one.

With love and intention.

Bliss’n Up Podcast

P.S. On to some exciting news! It’s time to close the loop on the raffle we hosted this week by announcing the winners!

🎉 Congratulations to Yazmin Moraleda, our first winner, who will be joining the RejuvaFAST experience from October 20-25! I can’t wait for you to experience this reset and feel the incredible benefits firsthand.

✨ Next, I’m thrilled to share that Idy Nieto will be joining me at my VIP table for Luly B’s Spark event on November 5th, 2024. It’s going to be a day filled with inspiration, transformation, and meaningful connections!

🌟 And last but not least, the winner of the Spark of Bliss coaching session is Christine Madrigal! Christine, I’m so excited for our 60-minute deep dive into mindset, wellness, and relationships. It’s going to be a powerful session, and I can’t wait to work with you.

Thank you to everyone who took part in the raffle! Your support means the world to me, and I look forward to continuing this journey together as we close loops and create space for a more bliss-filled life.

Here’s to closing loops and opening space for what matters most

September 30, 2024

Inspiration  ·  Success Skills
Sharing the aha moments today

Happy Sacred Sunday!

Although I’ve been mentally and emotionally stepping into the fall season since September 1st, today is officially the first day of fall, so welcome to this new season!

Last week, I shared that I was heading to LA for Lewis Howes’ Summit of Greatness event, and I promised to bring back some nuggets of wisdom from my experience.

The speaker lineup this year was incredible: Joe Dispenza, Esther Perel, Muniba Mazari, Codie Sanchez, David Goggins, and Rory Vaden. Each one shared powerful insights to reflect on.

But my favorite moment was the performance by singer Rachel Platten. She opened the conference sitting at the piano, playing and singing while also sharing her personal story.

Her energy touched my soul.

In the midst of a serious battle with postpartum depression, Rachel discovered breath-work and crafted a powerful song called “Bad Thoughts,” where she incorporates a simple breathing exercise right into the song.

It was powerful, and I highly recommend listening to it if you’ve ever experienced dark or negative thoughts in your life. (I included the direct link to her songs on the shownotes of my podcast)

Today, on the podcast, I’m sharing my biggest takeaways from Summit of Greatness this year.

This episode feels like a chat with a good friend that happened to be recorded.

I had some big aha moments about my own life and the transformation I’ve experienced since I first attended Summit of Greatness in 2019 — and those aha moments will help you think about your life and your transformations.

What I’ve learned is that your life can change in an instant when you hear something that shifts your thinking, alters your perspective, or expands your beliefs.

But it could take years before you fully realize the impact of that moment.

The change is immediate, but the results aren’t.

And often, it takes even longer for you to connect who you became in the process. When it hits you though, it’s mind-blowing!

So, tune in and let’s have a meaningful conversation on this Sacred Sunday.

The concepts we’re discussing today might just change your life—in this instant.

Bliss’n Up Podcast

September 23, 2024

Raffle Entry  ·  Relationships  ·  Success Skills  ·  Wellness
Bliss’n Up Raffle Giveaway

Hey!

I’m doing something so fun, and I want YOU to be a part of it! 🎉

I’m hosting a raffle where you could win ONE of these amazing prizes:

  1. A FREE RejuvaFAST Experience with Caro and Dr. Sanchez – join me from October 20th – October 25th, 2024 for a 5-day mimic fast that will leave you feeling refreshed and reset!
  1. A VIP seat at Luly B’s Spark event – join me on November 5th, 2024 at my VIP table for an unforgettable experience filled with inspiration, transformation, and connection.
  1. A Spark of Bliss Coaching Session with Caro – a powerful 60-minute walking or zoom session designed to help you get clear on your path and ignite your personal bliss.
Pretty exciting, right?
Here’s how you can enter the raffle ✨

Simply leave a rating and review for the Bliss’n Up Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and email me a screenshot.

That’s it!

This only takes a minute, but your review helps others discover the show and find their own spark of bliss. Plus, I love hearing what resonates with you! ✨✨✨

RAFFLE DEADLINE

  • Deadline to submit your entry is Thursday, September 26.
  • Winners will be announced on Sunday, September 29.

Instructions for those of us who aren’t techie or have never done this before👇 😁:

On Apple Podcasts:

  • Open the Apple Podcasts app.
  • Click on Bliss’n Up Podcast.
  • Tap “Follow” at the top right of the screen above the Podcast’s name
  • Scroll down to the “Ratings & Reviews” section.
  • Tap the stars to Rate the podcast.

  • Tap “Write a Review” and share your thoughts


On Spotify:

  • Open the Spotify app.
  • Click on Bliss’n Up Podcast.
  • Click Follow under the Podacast’s name.
  • Tap the 3 dots next to gear icon and tap Rate Show


Your support means the world to me, and this is my way of saying thank you.

Let’s make this fun and help more people discover the bliss they deserve.

September 22, 2024

Inspiration  ·  Relationships  ·  Success Skills
I love this question

Happy Sacred Sunday!

September has been such a beautiful month so far and it’s because I’ve had one question on top of mind the entire time.

But before I share with you what that question is … let me give you some context.

Every month, I choose a theme to approach that month with intention.

The theme I chose for September was: Simply Soul-full September.

I came into the month feeling the desire for simplicity, order, coziness, and essentialism.

Normally, monthly themes inspire me to take certain actions. Example: Since I want Simply Soul-full September to feel warm and cozy, I planned to light candles regularly, add a pumpkin or butternut squash soup to my weekly menu, and tidy up the house.

But the theme this month inspired an action I wasn’t expecting. It inspired the action of NOTICING. And this action leads us back to the question I’m carrying:

What’s Saving my Life this season?

I didn’t come up with this question. I heard it from someone who heard it from someone else, etc.

But the question resonated with me the moment I heard it.

How often do we think about the things in life that are “killing” us?

We say things like:

“This cold is killing me.”

“This commute is killing me.”

“This job is killing me.”

“My teenagers are killing me!”

There is never a shortage of things that feel like they are nudging us toward the edge of our cliff.

And yet, it’s easy to overlook the things that are SAVING US.

My Simply Soul-full September theme prompted me to look for the things that are saving me right now. The exercise has been life-giving.

It made me realize that in the years I’ve been doing this work, I’ve been creating habits, rituals, and practices that nurture a simply soul-full life.

Interestingly, it doesn’t feel that way all the time.

There are cycles when I feel like I’m doing the bare minimum to keep my head above water, other cycles where a specific goal or challenge consumes my energy, and also cycles when I’m uncomfortable or ungrounded.

But this simple question of What’s Saving my Life this season has inspired me to NOTICE the things I’m already doing that inspire simplicity and soulfulness.

It’s inspired me to listen and be grateful for the life I’ve created, even amidst the challenges.

I’ll give you a quick example that just happened. My sister recently had a health setback and was transferred from her rehab to ICU. I wanted to go see her. As I went through my calendar, I realized my only window was Friday — but I’d have to drive to Ft Myers and back the same day. I rearranged the schedule to allow myself to go. Friday morning, I dropped off the boys at school and headed for the hospital. I spent a much-needed day with my beautiful sister, and got to speak with all her doctors, assess the situation, and give her my undivided attention. By 6pm it was time to drive back. As I headed home, I looked up and noticed how beautiful the skies were. The sun was setting behind me, casting a beautiful glow through my rearview mirror. The dark blue skies ahead of me and orange skies behind me were beautiful.

“This majestic drive is saving my life,” I thought to myself.

That simple thought led to the following analysis:

Although shuffling my schedule around, driving to and from Ft. Meyers in one day, and spending the day in a hospital might seem like a major inconvenience, I pondered how it fit into my simply soul-full September. What came to me was how grateful I was to have the life that allowed me to take that trip. I had my mother-in-law who could pick up the boys and usher them to and from their activities; a husband who could do groceries and make dinner for me to have when I got home, a flexible business that gives me the freedom to adjust my schedule to show up for my sister, and the organization to have my affairs in order so I could prioritize her when necessary.

I wish my sister wasn’t in the hospital and I so wish she wasn’t so far away. Her health crisis has been difficult and sad in so many ways and it’s taken a huge toll on our family.

And yet, that simple moment on that drive brought beauty and a spark of bliss amidst such a difficult situation.

That is the power of living with intention. It doesn’t change the circumstances, but it can certainly change your focus and perspective.

So now I ask you?

What will you NOTICE if you ask yourself, “What’s Saving my Life this season?”

That’s what we’re talking about in today’s podcast episode. Tune in and learn more. I hope the episode feeds your soul and nurtures you on this Sacred Sunday

Bliss’n Up Podcast

September 15, 2024

Inspiration  ·  Parents & Families  ·  Relationships  ·  Success Skills
Fighting for Your 20%

Happy Sacred Sunday!

Have you ever heard of the Pareto Principle?

The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, discovered by Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, stands for the proposition that 80% of outcomes come from 20% of causes for any event.

Well, what if someone turned the Pareto Principle on its head and told you that all you had left was a 20% chance of success at the challenge you were currently facing?

What would you do?

Would you go all in and hope for the best?

Or would you give up and quit because the chances are just too low?

That’s the situation we faced recently when my sister was told if she opted for the smallest amputation possible (half the foot), she only had about a 20% chance of healing from that surgery.

What was her highest chance of success? Amputate to just below the knee.

When you’re at the lowest point in your life — you’re beaten and bruised and all you want is the pain to stop — do you take the safer bet, or do you fight for that 20%?

That’s what we’re talking about over at the Bliss’n Up Podcast today.

And here’s the reason I want you to listen:

Because there may come a time in your life when you’re down to your 20% and you will need to have heard this episode.

But more importantly, there may be things in your life you’re NOT yet prioritizing because you’re not down to the last 20%.

Today’s episode may be exactly what you need to hear to shift the momentum in your life before it takes on a life of its own.

Tune in and share with someone who needs this message. The project is big and you’re a part of it.

Sending you so much love on this Sacred Sunday.

Bliss’n Up Podcast

September 9, 2024

Inspiration  ·  Parents & Families  ·  Relationships  ·  Success Skills
A practice to slow down your life

“…January resolutions are about will: September aspirations are about authentic wants. What do you want more or less in your life, so that you can love the life you’re leading?
 
Autumnal resolutions don’t require horns, confetti, and champagne. September asks only that we be open to positive change.”
 
— Simple Abundance, by Sarah Ban Breathnach

Happy Sacred Sunday!

Is it weird that I felt a little spark of bliss when I realized September 1st landed on a Sacred Sunday?

Yea, maybe it is a little weird, but I still want to share it with you. 😂

There’s something about September that warms my soul. I love that the beginning of this month is met by Labor Day weekend (a.k.a summer’s last hoorah), a long weekend offering us the opportunity to say our goodbyes to the energy of summer and get ready for the coziness of fall.

Interestingly, it wasn’t until I began the practice of living with intentions that I noticed nuances like the Labor Day Holiday transition.

Before that, the days, months, and years folded into each other, only becoming relevant on particularly noteworthy events like birthdays or Christmas.

When I was a kid, this didn’t matter because time passed slowly. But as I got older, and the years began playing at 1.5 or 2.0 speed, those milestone moments would creep up on me and rarely was I ready for any of it.

Although it’s still hard to fathom the speed at which our kids are growing, the years are passing, and the world is changing — I have discovered a practice that helps me catch my breath in between the sprints.

This is the practice of noticing, naming, and nurturing seasons and rhythms.

The practice is simple:

It was a spark of bliss — and I felt it in my bones.
The next day I sat at my computer to write. I had my weekly planner open in front of me, but I was too busy staring at my computer. Until I looked down and noticed the only words on the page:

1. NOTICE – Where are you and where do you want to go?

At the end of the month, reflect on the month that has passed and the one that’s coming.

  • What did you celebrate and enjoy, or grieve and endure?
  • What were the successes of the month? What were the disappointments?
  • What energy and flavor did the month produce?
  • Are you entering a new season, a new year, or a new phase of your life?
  • What do you want to let go of, hold on to, or create in the upcoming month?

2. NAME – Set your intentions and your North Star to keep you on path.

  • Come up with a theme/label/name for the month. You may already have a word of the year, so this name is complimentary to that word of the year.
  • If everything went your way, what energy and flavor would you enjoy this month? This is your time to be optimistic and hopeful.

3. NURTURE – Put your intentions to practice

  • What habits or rituals will you adopt, continue, stack on, or resume this season?
  • Think about your environment, community, support system, schedule, and routines. What changes/shifts can you make that will support you? What can you delete, delegate, or complete?

This exercise has allowed me to slow down and savor the seasons and rhythms of my life. It’s not perfect and sometimes life takes a completely different turn than what you expected. That’s why you must leave room for the surprises and focus more on progress than perfection.
And that’s what we’re talking about in today’s podcast episode.

Tune into this week’s episode to learn more about this practice and discover my theme for September.

Will you adopt mine or create your own?

Hit reply to this email and let me know ❤️.

Bliss’n Up Podcast

September 1, 2024

Inspiration  ·  Parents & Families  ·  Relationships  ·  Success Skills
Have you ever taken the wrong bus?

Happy Sacred Sunday!

“If you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. Follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.”
– Joseph Campbell

It’s funny how I found this quote.

The day before, I had been sitting at the dock of the summer lake house we were living in, and had experienced a feeling that I immediately identified as bliss.

It was strange because that word wasn’t in my regular vocabulary.

I commonly used words like joy, sheer happiness, or being ecstatic — but bliss? Never.

And yet there was no other word that could adequately describe what I felt in that momentico.

It was a spark of bliss — and I felt it in my bones.
The next day I sat at my computer to write. I had my weekly planner open in front of me, but I was too busy staring at my computer. Until I looked down and noticed the only words on the page:

Follow your bliss?

What is happening right now?

It was a moment of synchronicity and felt like a message from the divine.

Those 3 words started me on a path that eventually led me to its origins – that quote by Joseph Campbell.

“If you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. Follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.”

– Joseph Campbell

It’s a great quote — but it prompts a powerful question you may have after reading it …

How can I follow my bliss if I don’t know what “my bliss” is?

Therein lies the rub.

It’s not always easy to connect with our bliss — because we don’t know how to listen for it or identify it.

THIS concept is what I’ve been called to study, explore and teach about ever since.

On this Sacred Sunday, I want to share this:

You may not always know what “your bliss” is — but the path often starts by realizing what is NOT your bliss.

There may come a time in your life when you realize the path you’ve been on is no longer the right path for you, even if it felt like it was the right path for a while.

It’s like you’re not sure if you took the right bus or if you’re headed in the right direction, but you already paid the fare and you have to decide if it’s wise to get off at the next exit.

Deep in your heart, you may know the time has come to step into a new identity that better aligns with your soul.

And when you come to that realization, you may think it’s too late for the change and you’re stuck with the reality you have created for yourself thus far.

In this week’s episode of Bliss’n Up, I’m sharing a personal story about my son’s courageous decision to step into a new identity that better aligns with his happiness.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re on a bus that’s taking you in the wrong direction — make sure you listen to this episode.

It may just be exactly what you need to understand how you, can begin the journey of following your bliss.

Tune into this week’s podcast,

Bliss’n Up Podcast

August 25, 2024

Inspiration  ·  Relationships  ·  Wellness
The paradox of the human experience

Happy Sacred Sunday!

When I ask people to tell me what they think of when they hear the word bliss — I can almost see them transporting themselves to a mountain, a beach, a picturesque location, or a memory of something extraordinary they experienced.

That’s because those are the most obvious.

We often think feeling bliss can only be experienced in the rare and precious extraordinary moments.

But what if bliss can be found in the ordinary moments, too?

This week, as I drove my kiddos to school in the morning, I was surprised with a euphoric feeling of peace, joy, and butterflies in my stomach.

A spark of bliss.

There was nothing extraordinary about my morning commute, but the feeling showed up.

The following day I was on the phone with my financial advisor. He had an extraordinary summer full of trips, travel, and fun.

But on that Monday morning, as he took a few minutes to write in his journal, he was struck by the deep sense of gratitude he felt for resuming his simple morning routine.

He, too, was surprised by the spark of bliss he felt in something as simple as having a piece of banana with peanut butter before his morning workout.

This got me thinking about the paradox of being human:

✨ How we need certainty and variety.
✨ How we can experience bliss in extraordinary and the ordinary.
✨ How life doesn’t have to be all or nothing — it gets to be a dance between the alls and the nothings.

And that’s what I’m discussing on today’s podcast.

After you’ve listened in, I’d love to know what sparks of bliss have surprised you lately? Whether ordinary or extraordinary. Reply to this email and share with me! ☺️

Bliss’n Up Podcast

August 18, 2024

Holidays  ·  Inspiration  ·  Parents & Families  ·  Relationships
One of my favorite nights of the year

Happy Sacred Sunday!

I’m so excited for tonight because it’s one of my favorite nights of the year.
Tonight, we celebrate School Year’s Eve.
School Year’s Eve is a tradition I began in 2019 to commemorate the true “New Year” for my kids. Do you remember those nights before your first day of school when you were in grade school?
I do! And that’s why I started this practice.
Every year, on the night before school starts, I lay out the fine china, decorate the table with candles, books, paper, and pens, and get ready for a sacred evening of setting intentions.
I keep a Ziploc bag with the boys’ intentions from the previous year. As we review them, we take time to reflect on our successes, remember what we may have already forgotten, and evaluate where we are now.
Then, we’re ready to set our sights on a brand-new adventure. Since the kids have gotten older, I’ve started sharing with them the notes from all the years so they can reminisce about what their priorities were when they were younger and see how much they’ve grown and evolved.

This year is the first year we are celebrating two School Year’s Eves. The first one is tonight for my two younger boys, and the next one will be next Sunday for my older son, who will be on a school retreat this week.
I offered to host School Year’s Eve on Saturday this year, but the three boys turned down the suggestion. “It has to be the night before school starts, Mom, or it just won’t be the same.”

That’s the thing about rituals and traditions—sometimes we hold on to the specificity of the ritual, and that makes it even more meaningful.

Although this tradition and its rituals will not last forever, I know we’ll remember these evenings as bliss-FULL moments for our five fingers. Maybe one day, my boys will host School Year’s Eve for their kids and keep the legacy going.
Okay, I’m getting ahead of myself and am already in tears, so I’m going to stop now.

But hey, on today’s podcast, I’m sharing all about how traditions and rituals help create a life that sparks bliss. And not just School Year’s Eve, but all sorts of traditions and rituals.

Tune in, and let’s dive deeper into this topic.

Sending you lots of love!

Bliss’n Up Podcast

August 12, 2024

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