The D Spot

As we begin the holiday season this week with the celebration of Thanksgiving, I want to express my sincerest gratitude for you by sharing a few thoughts that I hope  you will take with you as you kick off the holiday season and remember as you move towards the New Year!  I guess you can call these the words that I live by; I am sure there are many more, but these are the ones that I keep near and dear to my heart.

Good is not good enough.

Fear is our greatest challenge.

We don’t really understand one another.

Extraordinary love changes everything.

You can have extraordinary love if you choose to have it.

Children have only one mother and one father.

Candles make everything better;  so does chocolate.

A healthy body leads to a healthy mind.

What happens next is 100% up to you.

The fastest way to get what you want is to let go of what you don’t.

Happiness can come from really small things.

Giving feels better than anything else.

You need to love yourself before you can love anyone else.

Sex is absolutely necessary; and it rocks!

Dancing will change your mood instantly.

Children are miracles.

You don’t have to forgive, but you must accept.

Time only moves forward, so we must as well.

Love hurts.

Loss hurts.

Transition is uncomfortable.

You are never alone.

Making friends midlife is hard, but we all want to make new friends.

We are not responsible for anyone’s happiness but our own.

We are solely responsible for our own happiness.

You don’t know what you don’t know so educate yourself.

It is impossible to be our own coach and mentor.

Who you spend your time with is critical and has a tremendous influence on your life.

Love yourself more than you love anyone else because when you do, you can give love more deeply and fully than you can even imagine.

Give of your time, energy, and resources to those who need it.

Never stop learning and growing.

Making friends can happen at any age.

Write daily.

Read daily.

Sleep.

Drink lots of water.

People are not usually what they seem.

There is always a reason why people do and say what they do; and it usually isn’t why you think.

Get curious.

Be curious, not confrontational.

Intentional and strategic communication works.

Honesty always prevails.

You don’t have to be angry to be powerful.

Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it is not there.

It is never too late.

How you do anything is how you do everything.

There is no such thing as perfection.

Vulnerability is sexy.

Softness is not weakness.

Be still.

Find quiet so you can hear your own voice.

Speak your truth.

Live intentionally.

Things can always be worse, trust me.

You are magnificent.

You already have all the answers within you.

Your smile is the sexiest part of your body.

Be gentle; with yourself.

Giggle and find your inner silly.

Kiss…a lot!

Hugging feels so awesome and is free. 

So are compliments.

I love you.

I  truly love and believe in you!

Have a loving, joyous and fabulous holiday!

So this week was the final week of my first ever Are You Ready…for your New Life and Love program and all I have to say is WOW!  What an amazing experience!

One of the things that I love most about what I do is the opportunity to continuously learn and evolve from all of the women that come into my life through my business.  Every email you send me, every conversation we have, and every experience you have teaches me something not only about myself, but also about moving powerfully forward in the creation of life after divorce.

This program allowed me to share five weeks with seven amazing women.  Together we broke through challenges, reconnected with ourselves and designed our new stories.  I was reminded just how powerful it is to come together as magnificent women and support each other in the creation of our ideal lives!  I am truly sad that this first program has come to an end, but I am pumped because I have decided to do it again this fall!!

     Seven women.

     Five Weeks.

     Radical Transformation!!

I wanted to share a little about our experience over the past five weeks because as we all recognized, we are not alone in our journey.  It can feel isolating at times, but once we started talking and sharing our stories, there were commonalities across all of our unique situations.

Your divorce holds the key to unlocking your extraordinary future.

Yes, you heard me correctly.

Through the ending of your marriage and your journey through divorce, you have the ability to learn all that you need to create what you want…IF YOU ALLOW IT!

For so many of us, the exhaustion of the process, the feeling of overwhelm, and the emotions of sadness, grief and anger prevent us from learning what we need to create our new lives.

Instead, we resist.

We defend.

We judge.

We retaliate.

We sabotage.

We do and say many things that in the end, only hurt us.

What was so incredible for me was watching women just like you step out of these limiting behaviors and thoughts, and instead, replace them with MOJO!  With hope.  With brilliant and bold intentions.  With desire.  And with passion.  It was AWESOME!

For those of you who participated in the program and are reading this; THANK YOU!  Thank you for your courage, your inspiration, your magnificence, your depth, your commitment and your energy!  I am a better person for sharing this time with you!

And for all of you…if you are feeling alone, uninspired, unmotivated, sad, angry, overwhelmed, anxious or simply exhausted…know that your new life is right around the corner.  Even if you can’t see it yet.

You are at the beginning.  The beginning of the rest of your life; and it is there ready for you to reclaim it!

I appreciate you indulging me while I brag about the incredible women who shared this time with me.  It was too short…just the tip of the iceberg!

If you are interested in participating in the next Are You Ready?! Program that will take place this fall…just email me at discoverthedspot@gmail.com and I will make sure you get the information as soon as it is ready.

Even more exciting…I am creating an Are You Ready Alumni group so that as you complete the program, you will be able to join the other women in sharing, supporting, and encouraging each other as you move forward!

P.S.  Here are quotes from four of the seven women who participated…I hope you enjoy seeing their transformations as much as I did!

• “I have to say once I started this exercise I felt energized, passionate (gasp!) and alive!  I loved it, couldn’t stop working on it.  Thank you so much for introducing me to this – it feels like I’m on the right track when I’m thinking this way.  It’s so easy to get stuck in the pain of what could have been, the losses you suffer on a daily basis (sharing kids, etc) that your forget how truly amazing your life is & will be.  So, thanks again.  Fantastic!  Can’t wait to work on this some more. “

• “Thanks Laura!!!  Your guidance and posts help me believe I can do this.  Ur program is pretty amazing!”

• “The D Spot has been a huge part of me reclaiming my life and helping me heal and move on with my life.”

• “THANK YOU!  I thought the first session was fabulous and I can’t wait for this process to unfold.”

As we prepare to enter 2012, I wanted to share a few of my thoughts with you.  You are such an incredible part of my life; I want you to know just how much I appreciate you!

Before I do, I would like to ask you to do something for me.  Take a few moments over the next day or so to find a quiet place, close your eyes and think back to this time last year.  What was going on in your life?  What challenges have you overcome this past year?  What accomplishments have you made?  Reflect on all the joyful moments that you experienced!

Now, take out a piece of paper and make a list of all that happened over the past year to bring you to today.

If your experience is anything like mine, you will be amazed at just how much has happened and how far you have come!

I have never been a fan of resolutions.  I find them to be unrealistic, unachievable and often lacking in intention and motivation.  My business background has made me more comfortable with visioning, setting goals and creating a plan for achieving them.  What I never realized before my own divorce, was how critical this planning process is to our personal lives, not just our professional lives.  So, as you enter the New Year this weekend, hopefully you will indulge yourself in beginning this process for your life!

Wherever you are in your journey, you are exactly where you are supposed to be.  And, you have all that you need already within you.  Isn’t that a relief!!!

My hope for you is that this is the year that you acknowledge what is holding you back from your magnificent destiny, and commit to making the changes in your life that will set you free.  You know what I am talking about.  The self-sabotaging behaviors and choices that keep you where you are instead of empowering you to be the woman you are meant to be.

This inner work is not easy, and it can be painful and extremely uncomfortable.  But through this pain and discomfort will come exquisite freedom and unimaginable joy!

You are magnificent!

You are beautiful!

You are stronger than you can possibly imagine!

You are courageous!

You are capable of doing anything you want!

You are not your divorce story.  You are whatever you choose to be.  You can rewrite your story any way that you want.  It is time for you to change it up! Get crazy! Imagine that the impossible is absolutely possible…because it is!  The only thing holding you back…is you.

This is the perfect time for you to step powerfully into being the extraordinary woman that you are!  To reconnect with your purpose, your soul, your truth and your unique talents and gifts!

In 2012, you are free to do, be and create anything you can imagine!

It is all there, waiting for you.  2012 is YOUR year to reclaim a life of abundance, passion, prosperity, wellness, joy, peace and magic!

It continues to be a privilege and pleasure to not only know you, but to serve and support you!  I hope that this year we will enjoy a greater connection and friendship…I am always here for you.  You are never alone!

You can find all of my new events and workshops for 2012 here!

Happy belated July 4th!

So, here we are. Last week marked the halfway point of 2011 and what felt like the official start of summer with the long July 4th weekend.

I don’t know about you, but I found myself in a bit of a funk over the holiday weekend this year.

For whatever reason, my weekend had no “mojo”!  And as I took time to sit with my funkiness and reflect on why I was feeling this way, I was once again reminded of the long lasting effect that divorce on our lives.

I spent last Friday in the car driving my youngest son to a lacrosse tournament in Long Island where at the end of the tournament Saturday, my Ex took my son and returned home where he would have my kids for the balance of the weekend.

I tried to stay an extra night in the hopes that I could have a lovely holiday beach day on Sunday, but Mother Nature prevailed and I headed home only to find myself cleaning the house and doing the mundane tasks of laundry, grocery shopping, and errands….mostly feeling sorry for myself that I didn’t have anything “fun” to do!

I am fortunate to be in a relationship with a wonderful man but this was a funk that he didn’t create, nor was capable of or responsible for getting me out of. As he went about doing some of the things he loves (fishing, gardening…), I found myself feeling extremely sad.

Have you ever felt this way?

By Sunday night I had spent some time writing and was beginning to realize exactly what was going on. July 4th, Independence Day, symbolizes not only a weekend of family get-togethers and BBQ’s, but for me, an emphasis on freedom, independence and my right to live the life I imagine and deserve.

This year, with my children as teenagers and only having them half a week, I have been feeling not only their growing independence, but the resulting decrease in time that I see them, coupled with the recognition that the “right” to create my extraordinary life is sometimes daunting and frightening.

Divorce creates a tremendous amount of freedom, but that freedom can feel overwhelming and frightening.

An entire weekend to create fun and fabulous experiences and celebrations, and I had not planned one thing!!!  Well, shame on me!

After my divorce, many of my friendships changed.  Families I once shared holidays with no longer extended invitations to family and holiday get togethers.  My changing social life has required that I open myself up to new friendships and become the iniater of gatherings and celebrations. 

When my children are with me, I am more inspired to create holiday and social plans.   Without them over the July 4th weekend, I suddenly found myself without them or social plans, and I have to admit, I was feeling a bit lonely.  In fact, I was in a absolute FUNK!

Since my divorce, every so often something will trigger that sad, empty and lonely feeling that inevitably causes me to fall into a funk.   I immediately know when I have fallen into the  FUNK,  however happily, I have learned how and know exactly what to do to get myself right out of it!

So, I immediately took action!  I woke up on Monday morning, took a long and wonderful run outside, called a friend so that we could get together and enjoy the sunny day, and then she and I went out for a delicious bloody mary and steamers!

It is all about knowing what to do when we find ourselves in a funk …a funk that can cause us to remain stuck where we are…even paralyzing us from taking action.

Creating “what comes next” is not always easy, but it is ALWAYS in our control!

If you are finding yourself stuck in the sadness and fear, you are not alone.  However, you don’t have to remain there…there are great tools and strategies for pulling yourself right out of it!

If you have been feeling stuck in a funk, I hope you will consider my Summer Coaching Special so that you too can create the life you desire!!!

This week we reach the end of June marking the middle of 2011. I thought it would be a good time to check in with you about how your year is going?

I take time every June to assess the first half of the year and begin planning for the second half.

So, how is it going?

Have you taken big, bold and courageous steps towards accomplishing the goals you set for 2011?

If you haven’t taken time to assess the first half of 2011, then it is time to do so! To help you do that, I have created a mid year worksheet to assist you:

Mid Year Worksheet

1. What are the goals you set for 2011?

2. What actions/steps have you taken to move you towards achieving each goal? Create a list of all of them!

3. Celebrate your accomplishments!!!!

4. What obstacles or challenges have you experienced that have prevented you from taking action towards achieving each goal?

5. What have these obstacles/challenges cost you?

6. What steps can you take TODAY to eliminate these obstacles/challenges?

7. Commit to taking these steps!!!

8. Are there any of your goals that you would like to revise or eliminate?

9. Are there any NEW goals that you would like to set for the second half of 2011?

10. Re-commit to your 2011 Goals and the actions you will take to achieve them!

Don’t worry if you find yourself on a slightly different path than you originally intended…as long as it is a path leading towards your new and exceptional life!

If it’s not, then it is time to explore where you are, where you want to be, and how you are going to get there. Reaching our goals takes discipline and focus so it important to recognize when we take our eyes off the road and make sure to get back on track as quickly as possible!

After you have completed the Mid Year Worksheet, take time one day to create a powerful vision board with all of your new and revised Goals on it! Decorate the board with images and words that inspire you to maximize the balance of 2011!!

This Friday is July 1st, the first day of the second half of the year.

And, I have good news for you!! July 1st is a New Moon! When the Moon is new, the Sun and Moon are aligned in the same sign, and a powerful energy portal is opened. New Moons are a great time to set intentions for things you’d like to create, develop, cultivate, make or manifest.

Congratulations on all that you have accomplished over the past six months! I command you to take time to celebrate all that you have done!

At the same time as you are celebrating, take a moment to re-commit to all that you want to do, be and create in the next six months. I know that you can make it happen because you are brilliant, bold and capable of doing anything you want!!!

Have you ever experienced your brain going a mile a minute in a million different directions? Well, that is what I am experiencing as I sit here writing to you.

Last weekend I was at a writer’s conference produced by Hay House. I was offered this program by a new friend of mine, Nancy Levin, with whom I connected on Facebook. Nancy is AWESOME! She reached out to me as a Facebook friend because she has just gone through a long and painful divorce and wanted to connect.

I couldn’t be more thrilled that she did.

First of all, we are going to be fantastic friends for life because as it happens, we have so much in common as women. Second, Nancy is extraordinary poet. As we talked about our lives, our journeys through divorce, and our dreams and visions, she shared with me that she has just released her first book of poems. Called “Writing for my Life: Reclaiming the Lost Pieces of Me”, Nancy’s poems take you through the journey of her divorce. As you are moving through or forward after divorce, you will be able to appreciate the meaning and emotion behind the words. You can find Nancy and her book here.

Lastly, Nancy and I share a passion and desire to support women going through the transition of divorce and believe we were meant to meet each other and do great things! So, I’m sure that you will hear much more from us as we harness our passion and energy over the next months!

Anyway, the writer’s conference was fabulous! I went with my mother because as some of you may be aware, we are working on a book together and we were eager to get as much information as possible about the process we are about to embark on.  What I didn’t expect was to be energized in so many ways by spending two days with a fabulous group of women and educators.  This was my first time at a writer’s conference and I learned so much…about myself, the art and craft of writing, and the power of new experiences.

There were probably 300 women there and it was awesome connecting with all of these fantastic, creative and soulful gals! Even more exciting was that Cheryl Richardson spoke and shared her journey as an author.   Many of you know that I LOVE her book The Art of Extreme Self Care and think you should all go and get a copy of it!  Best of all,  I had the pleasure of spending a few minutes with her after the event!

She is as lovely in person as she is on TV, radio, in print… If you don’t know Cheryl or her many incredible books, you can find out more about her at her site.

Although I almost didn’t go because I was so tired going into the weekend, had so much to do at home, and it was hard to clear two full days to be away…I made a commitment to myself that I would do it anyway!! And I am so happy I did!!! I made a few wonderful new friends and enjoyed sharing the entire experience with my mom!  Stay tuned for our book writing journey…it will be quite a ride!!

So, how was your Mother’s Day?  I got lovely email messages from so many friends and colleagues, however it seems as though it was not necessarily a “joyous” day for all of you.

For many, Mother’s Day can bring up sadness and loss, and for others, custody arrangements may not permit them to be with their children.

In the spirit of honesty, I only got to see one of my children on Mother’s Day, the other had a basketball tournament out of state, and Sunday night is the night my Ex has custody of them.  And, despite popular belief, the day I spent with my youngest son, while really nice, was in no way all “butterflies and rainbows”.

In one of the workshops that I did last week a woman interrupted me mid-sentence, and in a fairly contentious way asked how I could mislead the group to whom I was talking.

Huh??

Me, mislead??

She went on to say, “How could you not tell “them” what it will really be like?  That it is unfair, and costly, and challenging, and…..”

Do you get the picture?

I let her finish her thoughts, hearing in her voice the pain of all that she had been through herself.

And for a moment, I thought to myself…do I mislead anyone to think that divorce is somehow all about “rainbows and butterflies”?  That it is easy…or fair?

No.  I don’t.

Just like my own Mother’s Day was not exactly what my ideal day would have been like…it was perfect just the way it was.  It was REAL.

Despite Hallmark’s attempt to lead me to believe that if my children don’t wake me up to a four course breakfast in bed then they are not really good, loving children, I know how much my children love me and they know that I love them…unconditionally, even without a homemade frittata served to me in bed!

Divorce is NOT all about the “butterflies and rainbows”.

It is NOT fair.

It is NOT perfect and surely NOT exactly what we thought our IDEAL life would include.

However, it is REAL.

It is the way it is.

It is also an opportunity to design an ideal life for ourselves.  It is a catalyst for transformation, reclaiming ourselves and deliberately creating what we want our life to look and feel like.

We can cling to the notion that life is unfair and that we are victims of our circumstance…but that is not really true and it will get us nowhere…fast.

We CAN, however, CHOOSE to open ourselves up to what comes next…even if it frightening, overwhelming and uncomfortable!  It is in this journey that we will find the greatest growth, and ultimately, the greatest joy!

I am right there with you…designing what comes next and open to all of the possibilities that present themselves!

So, how was YOUR Mother’s Day?  Was it REAL?!   I am eager to hear how you chose to celebrate the day the incredibly important role you play as a mother yourself or the daughter of a wonderful woman!

I had the pleasure over the weekend of not only attending my friend Anne Garland’s event Women Honoring Women with my mother, but having the opportunity to share our story with the amazing women in attendance.

Anne’s event was designed for women to share their stories of relationships with women that they honor.  I chose to celebrate my relationship with  my mother, but there were girlfriends, sisters, and all kinds of other relationships that were represented.

The keynote speaker of the event was Dr. Dorothy Martin – Neville, an extraoridnary woman with a fantastic story to share.  Dorothy touched on two points that I want to share with you as I have been reflecting on them ever since:

1.  To LIVE life you must take risks, otherwise you are just surviving.

2.  Our relationships with other women are invaluable to the quality of life that we live.

As I sat there with my mother, with whom I share an incredible relationship, I was also struck by how few close….really close, relationships I have with women.

Having gone through my own divorce almost 7 years ago, I have spent the majority of my time and attention focused on securing my financial independence, strengthening the relationship with my children, growing my business which I am passionate about, and finding new love.

Over the past couple of years, however, I have found that my desire to connect more deeply and authentically with girlfriends has been growing, and yet I have not chosen to make this a greater priority in my life.

As Dorothy spoke about her friendships with women that span over 30 years, she reflected on just how much these relationships have meant to her.

The quantity of wine that was consumed over the years, through laughter and tears…

The countless life transitions that she has shared with them….multiple divorces, the death of parents, crises with children, the many professional and personal challenges and triumphs…

The crazy experiences, vacations,  and risks that they have shared, and supported each other through…

To be perfectly honest…I was JEALOUS!

When we open ourselves up to new and deeper relationships with our friends, we also open ourselves up to unimaginable joy.  And as Dorothy so beautifully articulated, when we allow our friends to see our authentic and imperfect selves…we are granting them permission to be authentic and imperfect as well.

What a fantastic reminder!

Divorce can often leave us feeling isolated…alone in our transition.

The truth is, we are not alone.  In fact, we all not only need, but seek out connection with other women.

I hope you will join me as I make this part of my life a greater priority and make a commitment to opening myself up not only to new friendships, but deeper, more meaningful and authentic relationships with girlfriends!

So, I want to thank Dorothy for her beautiful and poignant words and Anne for putting together such a lovely day!

And, a special thank you to my mother, Martha Weisbart, for being the most incredible relationship I have ever had and for joining me at this event so that we could share our story of love.

P.S.  This event was my mother and my “unofficial”  introduction to the book that we have started writing together!  Stay tuned for more information as we make our dream a reality!!

I never imagined that my first full day retreat for women moving through the transition of divorce would be as amazing as it was.

After months of preparing for Anew YOU!, my special one day event, I arrived eager to meet the women who were trusting me to jumpstart their journey forward through and after divorce.

I had my curriculum, notes, materials, exercises, and agenda all perfectly arranged and ready to go.  But it wasn’t until each magnificent woman arrived, that the day was truly set in motion.

There is magic that happens when women come together opening themselves to a new experience and trusting in the universe that they are exactly where they are supposed to be.    And that is exactly what happened on April 2.

16 fabulous women joined me for a day of transformation, taking a massive step towards their new and extraordinary life.

Over the course of the day, I learned so much about each one and they learned about each other.  It took great courage to sign up for an event to talk about something so painful and scary, yet they faced their fears and did it anyway!

How remarkable!

As one of the women said over lunch when I asked her how she was feeling, “I thought a day about divorce would be depressing and that I would be crying the whole time…I had no idea how empowering it would be!”  It was music to my ears!

I had spent so long preparing a curriculum that would be exciting, educational and inspiring for the women…I did not consider that it was them who would be inspiring and teaching me throughout the day!

Having now had time to process and reflect on it, I realize that the first ever Anew YOU! retreat allowed me to clearly identify the  Five Keys to Moving Through Divorce with Grace. And now I am going to share them with you.

1. You deserve an EXTRAORDINARY life.

The first key is to fully own the belief that YOU deserve the life you imagine and desire.  You don’t have to do anything special to earn it, but rather you were born a beautiful, magnificent and deserving woman who can have everything you want!

My clients will often ask me if they really can have what they want or if it doesn’t really exist.  Or, they struggle with if they are being selfish by wanting to have it all.   If we do not give ourselves permission to feel how deserving we are, we won’t ever allow ourselves to have the life we really want.

2. Nothing is more powerful than connecting with women who have a shared experience.

The second key is to open ourselves up to receiving the support we need to move through the journey of divorce.

Divorce can feel isolating and many women feel alone in their new reality.  What always amazes me the most is the support, compassion and wisdom that women bestow on each other when they have the opportunity to connect.  While it may be frightening and uncomfortable…finding ways to connect to each other during the transition of divorce will offer you unimaginable strength.

3. Knowledge is power.

The third key is to arm yourself with as much information as possible.

Divorce can quickly show us just how little we know and how much we have to learn.  It can be humbling.  Rather than step into feeling embarrassed at how little we know or how sorry we feel for ourselves for not having been given or taught what we should know, we can instead take this time as the opportunity to learn as much as we can.  Whether it is regarding finances, legal rights or any other area of life, there are countless resources for educating yourself.

4. Ask the right questions, get the right answers.

The fourth key is to improve our skills at asking questions.

Divorce is an experience that can often cause women to “presume” or “project” what others will do, say or how they will act during this time.  Even when it comes to ourselves.

One of the greatest skills we can master is asking the right questions.  These are questions that lead us to learn more about our relationships, experiences and self-awareness.  When we learn to ask the right questions, we will receive the right answers.

5. Mastering the 3 C’s will propel you towards your new life.

The fifth key is mastering the 3 C’s: clarity, confidence and control.

When navigating the choppy waters of divorce, it is critical to master these three important guiding forces.

Without clarity around what you really want and need, the confidence to own your decisions, and control over your choices and actions, it will be challenging to move forward towards your ideal life.

As with any skills, mastering the 3 C’s will require education, discipline and focus.  Getting the support you need to master them is an investment in yourself that you can’t afford NOT to make.

These five guiding principles became abundantly clear to me as we talked about where each woman is in their journey, where they want to be and how they are going to get there.

Mastering these will provide you with a roadmap for creating your new and extraordinary life.   Are your READY to have all that you want?

Over the weekend I was reminded, again, just how many fabulous opportunities and possibilities come along when we are focused on “what comes next” instead of “what was”.

As many of you know, my first book, The Ultimate Divorce Organizer: The Complete, Interactive Guide to Achieving the Best Legal, Financial and Personal Divorce, will be releasing this June.  Yes, it was supposed to be released March 1st but printing delays have pushed the date back to June.

I will be selling the book on my website, but you can certainly pre-order it through Amazon if you want to get it hot off the presses! Click here to purchase.

For any of you who are contemplating divorce, separated or moving through it…this book will become your BIBLE! It is a step by step guide to moving through divorce and addresses the Legal and Financial Journey as well as the Emotional Journey. You can find out more about it here:
http://www.discoverthedspot.com/book.php

It was such a joy to create a book and resource for women who are moving through the transition of divorce and was a project that has caused me such enormous personal pride and satisfaction, that I haven’t taken the time to sit back and celebrate what a big accomplishment it really was.

Has that ever happened to you? Have you ever accomplished something wonderful but simply complete the task and move on to the next?

I believe strongly in acknowledging ourselves as magnificent women and taking time to give ourselves the credit we deserve for all of the big AND small accomplishments that we achieve in our daily lives. As a matter of fact, celebrating the baby steps we take as well as the significant choices we make along our journey is something that I take very seriously!

Well, I hadn’t done that.

And, although I have been merrily moving along towards new and exciting projects in my life, my dear and beloved cousin, Shami, did not want this to go un-noticed.

So, this past weekend she gave me a small, intimate luncheon with my mother and closest friends to celebrate my upcoming book launch and the joy I am getting from sharing it with the world.

When I arrived at her home, all I noticed was bowls and bowls of HUGE and GORGEOUS lemons all over!  When I asked her why there was an overabundunce of lemons around the house, she informed all of us that the theme of the luncheon was LEMONS and that she wanted to honor and applaud me for moving along my life and always making lemonade out of lemons.

And while it sounds cliché here, her words brought tears to my eyes.

I had forgotten to pay attention to my own life, and acknowledge myself for working so hard, everyday, on focusing on what comes next and what will be….not what was and will never be.

I wanted to share this wonderful experience with you because you, and I, together are on a journey towards our new and exceptional lives. We may face challenges and obstacles, but if we keep ourselves facing forward and focused on the wonderful opportunities and possibilities that will present themselves to us, baby step by baby step we will create the life we imagine and deserve.

And, I want to remind YOU, as I was reminded by my dearest family and friends, that you MUST celebrate all of the achievements, big and small, that you accomplish each and everyday!

You DESERVE it…you are a brilliant, bold, and beautiful woman with infinite wisdom and talent!!!