Nurture relationships

Mindset  ·  Parents & Families  ·  Productivity  ·  Relationships
The method behind “Sacred Sunday”

Happy Sacred Sunday!

It’s been quite a tense week in the United States, hasn’t it? Many people are grieving, while many are celebrating; some people feel hope, while others fear.

Emotions are elevated, and it’s probably been one of those weeks when you’ve been more glued to the tv or social media than usual. The media takes every opportunity to capture our attention and there is no time like election time to fall prey to their tactics.

In moments like these, it’s important to find moments of peace and reflection. One strategy that has become a grounding force for me, and hopefully for you, too, is the concept of Sacred Sunday.

This week on the podcast, I’m sharing why I named Sundays “sacred” and the power of using words and intention to enhance your daily experiences.

This practice has become so ingrained in my life that I didn’t even realize I hadn’t explained it yet!

Here are some steps inspired by this episode to help you create your own Sacred Sunday ritual:

  1. Carve Out Your Sacred Time: Whether you’re running errands, attending multiple Zoom meetings, or keeping up with family responsibilities, take some time—be it 10 minutes or an hour—to pause, reflect, and cherish the moment. Light a candle, brew a cup of tea, and settle into a cozy corner of your home.
  2. Reflect and Plan: Use this time to journal about your week, file your successes, and plan for the upcoming days. In the episode I explain “success filing,” a practice she learned from Susan Ford Collins, which involves jotting down your accomplishments. This small habit of reflection can help shift your mindset from focusing on what’s chaotic to what’s working well in your life.
  3. Label The Moments: Give these moments a name that holds significance for you. It could be Sacred Sunday, as I do, or something entirely different that resonates with you. The name acts as a mental anchor, making the moment feel special and meaningful.
 

By leaning into the Sacred Sunday mindset, you can breathe life into your weeks and turn even the busiest or most stressful periods into times of renewal and reflection.

This is the mindset I’ve used to write these weekly moment of clarity emails and record each podcast episode. I hope that when the world gets loud and chaotic, or when your days are busy and overwhelming, you can carve out a sacred time to focus on your mindset, wellness, and relationships so you may create a life that feels more magical.

Wishing you all a happy and Sacred Sunday.

Sending you so much love and light, today and every day.

Bliss’n Up Podcast

November 10, 2024

Inspiration  ·  Mindset  ·  Parents & Families  ·  Relationships  ·  Success Skills
This Investment has had a great ROI

Two days before my wedding, my father made the last hefty payment for the reception venue. A frugal man, I don’t think he’d ever spent as much money on anything as he did on that one event. He tore the check out from the checkbook, looked at me with his big blue eyes and said,

“Listen to me, I need at least 5 good years on this investment!”

He was only half-joking.

My parents combined have been through 9 divorces. Yes, that many. Given the history, you could probably appreciate the low expectations my dad had for my upcoming nuptials.

Every year after Orlando and I celebrated our 5th anniversary, I’d call my dad and congratulate him on his investment. I’d remind him that he was now receiving interest in the form of grandchildren. Each year he’d laugh and tell me how amazed and pleased he was with the family we’d built together.

But we also struggled through some very difficult years. Years where I wasn’t sure if we’d make it. There are times when the best result for two people is to divorce, and that often takes as much courage as staying together. In our case, we pulled through the tough times and our marriage is stronger than ever. In the process, we’ve learned so much.

A good marriage can feel like a long-term investment in the stock market. There are periods with big gains and periods with big losses, but in the long run, the return nets positive.

17 Moments of Clarity

Orlando and I drove to Naples for a romantic weekend getaway to celebrate the big 17.

I wish I could have called my dad to congratulate him once again for his investment. I wish he was here to see how far we’ve come, how much we’ve grown, and how much we love each other and our little Five Finger family. (I like to believe he already knows.)

What I did instead was take advantage of the time I had my husband trapped in the car to force him into pinpointing moments of clarity we’ve learned from our marriage so far. (Bonus tip: timing and sequestration helps you get what you want 😂)

Every day for the next 17 days, I’ll send you one nugget/lesson/tip we came up with. If you want to receive these tips straight to your inbox, click here to make sure you don’t miss them!

Life isn’t perfect; Relationships aren’t perfect; And we’re only 17 years in, so God knows how much we have to learn … But here we are, sharing what we do know for now, hoping it inspires you to find the sparks of bliss in your relationship.

February 13, 2024

Holidays  ·  Relationships
The most important thing to nourish your relationships

Happy Sacred Sunday!

As we get ready for the Thanksgiving holiday, I’ve been thinking a lot about the value of time.

Last year, my husband’s cousins bought a house in Orlando and invited the entire family to spend Thanksgiving there. Although it was a huge house, there were more family members than rooms, so Orlando and I rented a house nearby for our parents, grandparents, and us.

That weekend was filled with nothing but time.

Time to cook and clean up afterward.

Time to sit and chat with nothing else to do.

Time for Orlando, Orlando’s grandparents, and Justin to spend a whole day watching a TV series in the movie room of our Airbnb. (Justin sat through the entire series in Spanish just to share that experience with his great grandparents.)

Time for me and my other two boys to take my mother, stepdad and mother-in-law to visit Epcot and eat at the Space 220 restaurant.

At the end of last year’s trip, my oldest son commented, “I never knew Papi was so funny.” Papi is his great-grandpa.

Being all together in one house for a few days created the opportunity for TIME to work its magic.

TIME AND LOVE

Growing up, I always heard my mother say, “El roce hace el amor.” Loosely, this translates to “friction/touch creates love.”

What it really means is when you spend time with people, you create the opportunity for love to blossom.

We often think we need to force magical moments, but time can spark magic all on its own.

Like when my dad was sick and I spent so much time with him in doctor’s offices and hospitals.

Even though the locations and the circumstances were less than desirable, that time together offered us moments of laughter, deep conversations, and precious memories that I have held onto long after my father passed.

NOURISH YOUR RELATIONSHIPS

Since our November this is NOURISH, I want to offer you the thought that the most important way to nourish your relationships is to give them plain, ole’ TIME.

This holiday season, rather than getting overwhelmed by the to-do’s, the prep work and clean up, and all the other common stresses — use this season as a container to spend time with the people you love.

Wishing you a Thanksgiving holiday filled with soul-full time and sparks of bliss.

November 21, 2023