Happy Sacred Sunday!
Iām writing this to you on Saturday night instead of Sunday morning because Sunday morning Iāll be walking with my friend, Bruce.
Iām at NSA this weekend. National Speakers Association. Today we had a fellow speaker and friend, Ross, deliver a keynote on the main stage about 5 things heās learned about the speaking business since he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.
He got up there and delivered a heartwarming talk, sharing his behind the scenes of being a speaker while fighting cancer and going through chemotherapy.
When he was diagnosed, exactly one year ago this weekend, he immediately thought his business was over. Meeting planners donāt want a risk when planning an event, and a speaker with cancer is definitely a risk.
But in spite of this possibility, he was honest about it. He told everyone, kept showing up, and refused to let cancer define him.
He still managed to deliver 80 speeches this year, which is a ridiculous amount of traveling and working, FYI.
This was a stark contrast from my fatherās approach to his cancer journey.
My dad, too, had the fear that a cancer diagnosis could cost him his career. Because of this, he chose to keep the diagnosis private until he was near the end. Not a word to almost anyone, for years.
He, too, was resilient. He, too, never allowed cancer to define him. He, too, continued speaking, traveling, and living to the fullest. But unlike Ross, he didnāt have the community rallying for him in support and sending him love.
After Rossā speech, someone asked me if his talk triggered me. It didnāt. But it did make me think about how incredible it is that two men, with similar circumstances, designed their life so differently during that time.
I wonder how I would design my life given these circumstances. Iām not sure, to be honest, because you never know how youāll react unless youāve walked in their shoes. I think Iād lean toward Rossā approach, because I have witnessed the blessing of community and support during difficult times.
As we wrap up the month of Design July, Iām noticing how important it is to consider that your choices lead to a life design. Thatās why it is important to choose intentionally.
Now Iād love to know. If you were in my dad or Rossā shoes, which one would you choose?
To tell or not to tell.
Hit replyĀ and let me know.
Sending you love today and always,
Living with intention
Happy Sacred Sunday!
ThisĀ week on the podcastĀ I shared one of my favorite reflection questions: whatās saving my life right now?
I recorded it thinking about the small, simple things saving me this summer, and how one little thing can completely change how much you enjoy your life.
And then the weeks turned heavy.
People very close to me have been facing so much loss. A parent, a child, a friend, a family member. Some have had multiple deaths close together, the sadness compounding. And other friends are deep in the aftermath of the tragic earthquake in Venezuela, knowing people they love are still trapped under the rubble, still not rescued.
My friend Luly B. said it best yesterday: āThereās a lot of heaviness around us right now.ā
In seasons like this, I sometimes feel guilty talking about finding bliss and living with intention. It almost feels silly to talk about this when people are suffering. I said as much to Luly during our conversation.
But the truth is, this is exactly when the work matters most.
I donāt believe we are meant to live in a perpetual state of bliss.
The human experience is meant to be lived in contrast.
Deaths happen every day. Tragedies, storms, earthquakes, accidents cause pain all over the world, whether we hear about them or not.
And miracles happen every day too. Births, celebrations, laughter, reunions, acts of kindness bring joy all over the world, whether we hear about them or not.
The contrast always exists, no matter which part of the cycle youāre in. No one is exempt from their turn with grief and loss. But no one has to be exempt from joy either.
Thatās why actively noticing whatās saving your life is such a valuable practice. No matter what season youāre in, there will always be something to hold onto. And when your world is crumbling, itās those little things that bring you back to the light.
So thatās my question for you today:Ā whatās saving your life right now?
Hit reply and tell me. I read every one.
Sending you so much love today and always,Ā
Happy Sacred Sunday!
Greetings from the sky! I am currently on a plane flying to Austin, Texas to surprise my son.
Do you ever do something that feels like the truest expression of yourself?
Last night, as I packed my carry-on for a one-day trip, a visualization popped into my mind. I saw myself entering the airport, going through security, and boarding the plane. It was like replaying a movie I have watched many times before.
But the vision stirred something deep in me.
A spark of bliss.
Youād think the joy was because I was going to see my son. And I am so excited to surprise him. But that wasnāt it.
It was genuinely coming from the travel itself. Which, at first glance, makes no sense.
So I asked myself: where is this feeling coming from?
There is something about traveling alone that feels deeply, unmistakably like me. Maybe itās because I grew up with a father who traveled solo so much of his life. Not sure, but I do know that my soul recognizes this as an important part of my human experience. The freedom to jump on a plane. The choice to honor that desire. Every step of the process feeling authentically mine.
I feel independent. I feel at peace. I feel at home.
What fascinates me is that I am such an extroverted person and I love people. I do not consider myself a loner in any way. And yet, that movie of walking into the airport, going through security, and boarding the plane alone feels the most like me.
I realize I may have just shown you how weird I am š¬
But hereās why Iām sharing it. One of the practices I have in Living with Intention is to choose a theme for the month (for myself and our Blissān Up Community). The theme is one tool we use in re-aligning each month and making sure we are heading in the right direction. This month, I chose the theme: Ask April.
Ask April is dedicated to the questions worth sitting with, getting comfortable with, and worth asking.
Hereās one: Notice when you preview a moment about your life that sparks a deep emotion. Then ask yourself: what is it about that moment that is provoking that feeling? Because the more you notice those moments and name them, the more you can nurture a life that feels authentic and true.
That is what I want most for you. A life that feels like the truest expression of your soul.
And it starts by asking good questions.
This week on the podcastĀ Iām sharing three questions that may be keeping you stuck and how to reframe them. Iāll give you a little hint: if youāve ever struggled with finding your purpose, this episode will meet you right where you are. Listen to it, then come back to this email. I think youāll see these true expression moments differently.
As for me, Iām signing off to go give my boy the biggest hug and kiss and enjoy one more adventure in his teenage life.
Sending you so much love, today and always.
Ā
Ā
P.S. This month Iām offering complimentary Life Audit calls, and the first round filled faster than I expected. More dates are coming later this week. If you want to be first to know when they open, comment LIFE AUDIT below and Iāll make sure you hear about it before anyone else.
Happy Sacred Sunday!
Iāve been thinking a lot about intention lately.
My son got in trouble at school the other day. When he told his teacher that they had misunderstood his intentions, she replied to him, āNo one cares what your intentions are; what matters is how your actions are perceived.ā
She was right.
People donāt care about your intentions. They care about your actions and your results.
But I decided to dive a little deeper with my son on this nuance. I asked him some clarifying questions about what happened, what his intentions actually were, and if he could understand why they were perceived the way they were.
The conclusion we came up with was that his behavior wasnāt intentional ā¦ and that was the problem! He acted mindlessly. He didnāt think about his actions or about how someone may perceive them. His behavior was short-sighted.
Intending something (or not intending it) is not the same thing as being intentional.
š„Having good intentions is a passive process that occurs in your thoughts.
š„Living with intention is a proactive process that dictates your actions.
The former is irrelevant without the latter.
Now, you could argue that there are times when you have good intentions and behave intentionally, and still your outcomes arenāt what you wanted them to be. Maybe your intentions didnāt produce the results you aimed for. Maybe someone didnāt perceive your actions favorably.
And youād be right. That can happen.
But that is dipping into territory that is often out of your control. Life is going to ālifeā even if you do all the right things.Ā
Thatās why I live by the mantra:Ā Do the work, Surrender the outcome.
Because I believe that in that process, there are lessons for you. There is growth for you. There are outcomes that are even better for you than the ones you were working toward.
My son had to pay the consequences for his incident, and I didnāt try to save him from those consequences. This was a huge opportunity for him to realize the difference between having intentions and living with intention.Ā
I want him to learn early on that simply having good intentions will turn him into a drifter, making him a victim of his circumstances āĀ while being intentional will turn him into a leader, making him a victor over his circumstances.
This week on the podcast,Ā Iām talking about this distinction between having good intentions and living with intention, and Iām sharing the story I previewed for you last week about my mom and her home office.
You wonāt want to miss the lessons we gleaned from that story and the perspective shared in this episode. It could literally change what your life will become 1, 5, 10, 20, 30 years from now.
As always, Iād love to know where this lands for you. Hit reply and tell me: where in your life are you having good intentions but not quite living with intention yet?
Sending you so much love today and always,
|
P.S. The first 10 women who join The Well get an automatic upgrade to VIP at no extra cost. That means four private quarterly calls with me throughout the year to make sure you are on track, supported, and building the intentional life you came here to build. This bonus closes the moment the 10th woman joins. No deadline extensions.[Join The Well] |
Happy Sacred Sunday!
Itās taken me all day to write this to you today because Iāve been consumed by remembering the sparks of bliss I experienced all weekend.
Bliss can happen in 3 ways:
When you dream of a future you believe would spark blissĀ
- When you experience a moment that sparks bliss, and
- When you remember a moment that sparked bliss.Ā
The dream doesnāt always coincide with the actual moment. I have found sometimes the dream sparks more bliss than the actual experience. (Think of a time you planned for something but on the day it actually became a reality, it didnāt produce quite the joy you had expected.)Ā
Likewise, you often experience sparks of bliss in moments you could have never dreamt of. Little moments. Unexpected moments.Ā
But every once in a while you have a moment that hits all 3 categories.Ā
That was this weekend for me.Ā
I promised last week to share with you the story of my son fulfilling his dream of being Usnavi in his schoolās upcoming production of āIn the Heights.āĀ
It was a huge deal for him, but the experience had its own significance for us as his parents.Ā
The years between 2017-2020 were particularly special for our little five finger family. We had these 3 little boys at their yummiest age. They were big enough to be somewhat independent, but young enough to live with childlike wonder.
It was around that time that my son discovered his love of acting. We spent a lot of our time in theater. (The 3 of them loved going to shows.) Orly developed a special love of Lin-Manuel Miranda and his shows.
At 9 years old, heād dress up as Usnavi from In the Heights anytime weād go see the show. We even took him to Broadway Con in New York because the original cast of In the Heights was presenting.
Heād also dress up his brothers as his supporting actors and on two different occasions he invited 2 girls that he was friends with (one from a theater program he did and another one who is a Cuban cousin) to dress up with him.
I savored every minute of these years and dreamt of the day my son was a young man playing this role on a main stage.
Well, if youāve been with me for a long time, then you may already know that at some point my son made a move that I thought might be the beginning of the end of his acting journey. I spoke about it on episode 17 of the podcast, Getting Off the Bus.
But as it turns out, not all detours take you off path. When you take aligned action and trust your intuition, life leads you to what was meant for you all along.
Orly joined the theater class at Westminster High School in 10th grade, and shortly after their spring show the director announced that their 2026 play would be In the Heights.
This weekend, the kid finally got his chance to play Usnavi at 17 years old.
As I sat in the front row watching my son perform, my heart felt as if it would explode.
His talent. His presence. His hard work. It all came to life before my eyes.
Our theme this month is Mastery March, and I witnessed my son master a role that he has loved for so long.Ā
This weekend he didnāt dress as Usnavi.
He became Usnavi.
And by the way, you may think, āWell, itās not like he played on Broadway.ā And youād be right.Ā
But you know what, he might as well have been on Broadway, because it made no difference to us.Ā
Maybe one day my son will be in a big movie or on a big stage ā¦ and that will be a moment all on its own .., but this moment we had right now. This was everything to us.Ā
When he was 9 rapping with Usnavi in the lobby of the theater.Ā
When he was 17 rapping as Usnavi on the mainstage of his highschool theater.Ā
Those moments are etched in my heart forever, and will spark bliss in my memories for years to come. And they both leave room to dream for the future also.Ā
Life is both, and:Ā
This is the best itās ever been ā¦
and the best is yet to come.
This is a life craft my son has devoted more than half his life to, and I am so incredibly lucky to have been chosen to help him steward the gifts he got in this lifetime.
As for this weekās podcast episode, Iām talking about a different kind of mastery. The kind of mastery that helps you build sustainable results in the areas that matter most to you (and how to use a team to help you build sustainable results in the areas you donāt want to master).
Thank you so much for going on this journey with me today. Iām absolutely giddy.
Sending you so much love,
|
P.S.Ā Want even more support?Ā The WellĀ is my intimate coaching community where your vision becomes your lifestyle and we are now enrolling new members. |
Happy Sacred Sunday!
I woke up this morning so excited to share this weekās podcast episode with you. Itās a live interview I recorded last week with my friend Nikki Novo, in front of a beautiful audience.
This entire week has been filled with #sparksofbliss: dreams realized, moments savored, energy riding high.
I couldnāt wait to bring you into that energy today.
But when I went to check the podcast this morning, it wasnāt there.
Cue: frantic texts, voice notes, and calls to my podcast producerā¦ only to find out there was a glitch in the system and the episode may not be live until later today, or even tomorrow.
I went from full-blown #insoportable unicorn mode š¦Ā to disappointed and disillusioned in five seconds flat.
Mind you, I recognize that this is not a tragedy or a big deal. I wasnāt even sure if itĀ merited sharing this message with you.
But I decided to, because thisĀ isĀ the work.
Like I often say, this hurts like a paper cut. Paper cuts may be tiny but they still sting.Ā
And this is life.
Some days, you ride the wave of bliss.
Other days, the undertow drags you down unexpectedly.
And sometimes both hit at once and leave you wondering what the hell just happened!
This morning felt like all the magic of the week vanished in a single moment.
But hereās the invitation:
ā”ļø To surrender what I canāt control
ā”ļø To take responsibility for whatās mine
ā”Ā To act on what I canĀ control
ā”To notice what Iāll do differently next time
This is anĀ N2 momentāa chance to be intentional, to recalibrate, to meet whatās next with clarity instead of chaos.
I refuse to let disappointment go to waste.
So hereās my plan:
Iām going to feel my feelings.
Iām going to regulate my system.
And when Iām grounded again, Iāll come back and share all the magic this week brought me. And when the episode is ready, Iāll let you know also.Ā
Because the bliss is still within you, even when you canāt find it.
This is what we do in real time in 1:1 coaching and inside my group program,Ā The Blissān Up Hub.
If youāre ready to ride the bliss wavesĀ andĀ do the deep work when things crash unexpectedlyā¦ letās talk.
With love,
Happy Sacred Sunday!
Itās that time of the month again.
The day weĀ NoticeĀ andĀ NameĀ our monthly intention so we canĀ NurtureĀ a life of meaning, aligned action, and progress.
Last night, I was at a friendās 50th birthday celebration, and a group of us were sitting in a circle, chatting.
At some point in the evening, one friend turned to me and said,
āOooohhhh I canāt wait to see what Novemberās intention is going to be tomorrow.ā
(She was referring to my podcast.)
Then, in the midst of another conversation, someone else perked up and said,
āThatās it! Thatās what Iām naming my theme for November!ā
My heart almost burst seeing how this practice has become such a cherished part of peopleās lives.
When you train your mind to think with intention, you build a life of intention.
And that, my friend, changes how you move through the world.
It makes your months more memorable and slows your fast-paced life just enough for you to trulyĀ feelĀ the moments instead of rushing past them.
So, without further ado,Ā tune into todayās podcastĀ to discover what weāre namingĀ NovemberĀ for the collective.
And if yours is different from mine, thatās beautiful too. There are no rules, only rhythms, and this isĀ your unique life.
Sending you so much love,
Blissān Up Podcast
Happy Sacred Sunday!
Can you believe today is the last Sunday in October? Today is a beautiful day to carve out a little time for reflection so you can move into the new month with clarity and purpose.
Here are a few simple ways to pause and notice what this month was all about:
Go through your calendar for the month. How did you spend your time?
Scroll your camera roll. What moments did you capture?
Skim your texts and emails. Who did you connect with?
These three actions help youĀ NOTICE.
Notice your successes. What are you proud of? What worked? What do you want to do more of?
Notice your challenges. What was overwhelming? What didnāt work well? What do you want to let go of?
And since this Sunday lands just before November begins, itās the perfect opportunity to tie up any loose ends from October.Ā
Is there anything you want to make sure you complete to end the month strong?
For example, our theme for October wasĀ Orderly October.Ā One thing I noticed had fallen out of order was my garageāit had been accumulating boxes to toss, clothes to donate, and random items that needed to be put away. I finally got around to it last night and, in just a couple of hours, got it back to order. It was a small spark of success to add toĀ Orderly October.
Remember from last weekāsĀ podcast: itās not about perfection every day, but those moments of progress that matter.
This is the art of living with intention:Ā Noticing, Naming, and NurturingĀ a purposeful, meaningful, and aligned life.
Once youāve moved through this reflection, you get to the fun part: you get toĀ nameĀ your intention for November.
This weekāsĀ Blissān UpĀ podcast episode is all aboutĀ the power and science of naming; why the words you choose shape your identity, your energy, and even your outcomes.
Itās a short and powerful listen that will give you a full week to reflect on how youāll name your November.
I came up with the Blissān Up theme for November this weekend, and Iām a little obsessed with it.š¤
It captures exactly the energy I want to embody for the month ahead. Iāll share it with you next week, so you can decide if you want to join our collective theme or choose your own.
This is also the work myĀ Blissān Up HubĀ community will be doing live in our coaching circle tomorrow. We get to dive deep into reflection and then emerge in alignment.
This is the most important work you can do in your life. It will forever change you.
Thank you for walking this journey with me. Itās an absolute privilege to support you in living with intention. Iām feeling a spark of bliss just writing this email to you!āØāØāØ
Okay, now itās time to get to work.
What will you name your November? Iād love to hear your intention so reply and share if you feel called.
Oh, and by the wayā¦ if youāre ready to dive deeper into living with more intention and alignment, Iām opening a few private coaching spots in November.
šĀ Book a consult here. to explore whether one of them is meant for you.
With love,
Happy Sacred Sunday!
This week on the podcast, Iām sharing a story about a bottle I let linger on my countertop even though it didnāt belong there. That little bottle became a symbol of how clutter and chaos weigh us down when we procrastinate making small decisions. This is the second week Iāve explored what I callĀ āthinking energy,āĀ one of the biggest threats to creating a life of order.
This morning, I chuckled at the irony of releasing that story on the very day I was hosting our annual family Halloween pumpkin carving party.
Why ironic? Because this is the messiest day of our year.
On this day, countertops are buried under food and drinks, toys are sprawled across the playroom, and sticky little hands from pumpkin carving threaten every wall and door. (scroll down to see some pics of our day!)
Youād think by listening to my episode that my house is always pristine, but that wasnāt the point. (And it isnāt!).
Today, despite the chaos and clutter, I felt a deep sense of order.
Order in my priorities.
Order in the rhythm of our traditions.
Order in the purpose behind hosting my family.
You see, the episode wasnāt about pristine countertops. It was about misplaced procrastination ā the mental clutter that piles up when we assign too much weight to decisions that donāt deserve it.
So today, as I looked around my house at the kids jumping, grandparents smiling, and moms picking up after everyone, I felt a spark of bliss.Ā
This is the kind of mess I welcome. The kind that reminds me Iām living in alignment with what matters most.
If youāve been craving more order in your life, maybe the first place to start is in your thoughts.
š§Ā Tune in to this weekās episode of Blissān UpĀ to explore how to clear the ābottlesā cluttering your mind.
Ā
Happy Sacred Sunday!
Itās the last day of #AnchorAugust and the time has come to notice what this month has looked like and name the one thatās coming. Donāt you just love when the first or last day of the month lands on a Sunday, making it the perfect end/start to a new cycle?Ā
Am I the only one who geeks out on these nuances? š
Today I am sending you this love letter from a cozy coffee shop in Portland, Maine. We came here for my cousinās wedding.Ā 
For me this was a very special wedding, because this is my fatherās sisterās daughterās wedding. Iāll give you a minute to read that again. š My aunt has always lived in the northeast, so I donāt see her often. But growing up, I always noticed how much my father went out of his way to stay close to his sister. When he had business in New York, instead of staying at a hotel nearby, he would stay at his sisterās house in Connecticut and take the train back and forth just to spend quality time with her, her husband, and their daughters. He taught me that distance doesnāt have to mean disconnect.
Iāll admit I havenāt always been as good at this as he was.
But August was all about Anchoring and Iāve been extra mindful about anchoring into my relationships. It felt quite synchronistic that my cousin was getting married the weekend after his birthday. He wouldnāt have missed this wedding for anything, and although he couldnāt be here physically, it was important for my Five Fingers to be there to represent him.Ā 
At the reception, Ryan was showing his little cousin magic tricks, and I knew my dad was smiling down. He was always the one doing magic tricks for kids at parties.
Thatās the power of naming your intentions. The Universe has a beautiful way of giving you opportunities to live out your intentions if you choose to pay attention.
I was always going to come to this wedding ā¦ but anchor august intention allowed me to connect the dots and show up in a more meaningful manner.
I hope this reminds you that the facts donāt have to change to make your story that much more beautiful.
So as I sit here enjoying the crisp weather and small-town charm, Iām closing the Anchor August loop and opening September with an open heart.
š”Ā Hereās a little hint: Septemberās theme is all about strengthening your foundation so you feel unshakable heading into the fall.
Want the full story and how to apply it to your own life?
š§Click here to tune in to this weekās podcast
Now itās your turn: Will you adopt Septemberās theme with us, or are you naming your own? Hit reply and let me know. (I read every single note!)
Sending you so much love as we close one month together and step into the next. Itās a privilege to walk this intentional life alongside you.
With love,
Blissān Up Podcast
P.S. If this message made you think of someone, would you forward it to them? A simple āthis made me think of youā could be exactly the encouragement they need today.