Keep your passion alive – It will warm you when the world around you grows cold. — Shamaan Ochaum Climbing Eagle There is something extraordinary about having a passion so deeply rooted in your soul that nothing can extinguish its flame. It becomes more than something you enjoy doing. It becomes your purpose, your heartbeat, your reason for getting up in the morning. It is that inner fire that keeps you moving forward even when the road is long, the challenges seem insurmou

“When the eyes and ears are open, even the leaves on the trees teach like pages from the Scriptures.” — Kabir There are moments in life when you just know that something sacred is unfolding. You may not be able to explain it, and you certainly cannot orchestrate it, but you can feel it deep within your soul. Today was one of those moments. Our long-awaited True North Gathering began today in beautiful Virginia Beach, and my heart is overflowing with gratitude. There was l

“Those who don’t look forward stay behind.” Basque Wisdom There is something powerful about having something to look forward to. It doesn’t have to be a huge dream or a life-changing event. It can be a trip you are planning, a new project, a gathering with people you love, a quiet day in nature, or simply the possibility that tomorrow might bring something beautiful you cannot yet see. Setting goals can sometimes feel intimidating because almost immediately that little voi

“He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much.”—Bessie Anderson Stanley I was sharing some stories recently about my sister, Nola, who has just transitioned from her human body. She walked this earth for 92 years, and when I think about her life, these words seem especially fitting. She was a gentle, kind and loving soul. Her family was everything to her, and when it came to her children, she protected them like a mountain lioness. Her faith w

"If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present." — Lao Tzu When you sit and take a gentle breath, closing your eyes for just a moment, drop into your heart and ask yourself a quiet question: Where is my mind right now? Is it wandering back to a yesterday that you’ve polished into a golden dream? Is it pacing the floor of a present moment that feels just a little too heavy

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” Les Brown I was fortunate enough to attend a one-day seminar in Florida where Les Brown was one of the speakers. If you have ever heard Les speak, you know that he has a wonderful way of combining motivation, wisdom and humor. He can have you laughing one minute and examining your entire life the next. During the seminar, he shared a story that has stayed with me. He was rushing to catch a plane and, in

"Ah, September! You are the doorway to the season that awakens my soul." -Peggy Toney Horton September is here, ushering in my favorite time of year—fall. I told myself that I would not complain that my birthday month was over. August was glorious, filled with excitement, unexpected blessings, love, adventure, and moments that have now become beautiful memories. Instead of being sad that it has ended, I choose to stand in gratitude for everything it brought into my life.

“My life is my message.” Mahatma Gandhi What if we woke up every morning remembering that our life is speaking before we ever say a word? We are constantly sending messages into the world. We send them through our words, our actions, our choices, our attitudes, and even through the energy we carry into a room. Every interaction becomes part of the message. Every response, every act of kindness, every moment of patience—or impatience—reveals something about who we are choos

“We are not given a good life or a bad life. We are given a life. It is up to us to make it good or bad.” Anonymous Every life begins as a blank space, filled with possibility. There is something miraculous about realizing that each new day places a fresh canvas before us. Yesterday may have left some marks. There may be colors we wish we had never chosen, lines we would like to erase, and places where the picture did not turn out anything like we imagined. Yet today, the b

“Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.” – William Shakespeare What a wonderful ideal, right? If we humans truly understood the power behind this simple recipe, perhaps we would exist in a world of harmony. It sounds simple enough. But how many times have I followed a recipe exactly and the meal or cake did not turn out as expected? I can have all the right ingredients, measure everything carefully, follow every instruction, and still something goes awry. Maybe I took it