Day 28: Acknowledge yourself

Congratulations for completing another 30-Day S.P.A. Challenge. Even if you didn’t complete every challenge, you have set an intention to S.P.A. and that says a lot about your commitment to personal growth.

Your challenge today is to acknowledge yourself.

Look forward to spending the next 30-days with you.

I’ll see you tomorrow!

Day 27: Identify new opportunities

Yesterday, your challenge was to take action on your new insight. What did you do? How did it go? What did you learn about yourself, your situation?

Your challenge today is to identify new opportunities that have opened up as a result of taking action. 

If you recall, I talked about how my frustration at work led to discovery of my personal value to set people up for success, to ‘shine’? Well, the action I took was talking with my co-workers about what makes them ‘shine’. This experience opened up the opportunity for me to connect with my co-workers on a deeper level. As a result, I felt empowered and inspired. 

I’m excited to hear about how this challenge impacts your life.

I’ll see you tomorrow!

Day 26: Take action on your new insight

Yesterday, we talked about how your frustrations can help you clarify your personal values. This led to an insight that can have a positive impact on your life. Add action to the insight and that will lay the foundation for a breakthrough. Here’s the formula, Insight + Action = Breakthrough! 

Your challenge today is to take action on your new insight. Here are some things you can do to lay the foundation for your own breakthrough:

• explore your feelings in your journal
• say what needs to be said (to the person involved in your situation)

I also recommend that you record your feelings and the outcome in your journal.

I’ll see you tomorrow!

Day 25: Bless your frustrations

Does something really frustrate you about your job, a relationship, a situation or even yourself and you’re having a hard time letting it go?

What I’ve realized about frustrations is that they are blessings in disguise. They are an opportunity to clarify your personal values - your highest priorities and deeply held driving forces. 

Here’s a example - I get frustrated at work because of the lack of communication, so I asked myself, “why does lack of communication drive me so crazy?” Here’s what I discovered about myself: communication in the workplace is about setting people up for success - it gives people an opportunity to ‘shine.’  Bingo! My frustration revealed that my personal value is having the opportunity to ‘shine’  and the lack of communication at work suppress the expression of that value.

Your challenge today is to bless your frustrations. Pick one that is really ‘getting under your skin,’ get really curious and ask yourself ‘why’. 

We'll continue this exploration tomorrow!

Day 24: Feel your feelings

Have you ever noticed that when you are feeling blue, people want to cheer you up? What’s wrong with feeling blue? Of course I’m not suggesting that you stay blue, I am suggesting that you feel your feelings.

Your challenge today is to feel your feelings. 

Here are some ways you can feel your feelings:

• have a conversation with yourself
• talk with a trusted friend
• write in a journal
• meditate (walking or sitting)
• cry
• scream

Share some ways you feel your feelings.

“Our feelings are our most genuine paths to knowledge.” Audre Lorde

I’ll see you tomorrow!

Day 23: Do something that makes you uncomfortable

I thought I was going to die! Okay, maybe I’m doing a little dramatic, but I was definitely outside of my comfort zone. Here’s what happened, I volunteered to participate in a role play, to be in the hot seat. Although the space was safe for me to learn and make mistakes, I felt very vulnerable.

At the end of the role play, I got feedback that was life-changing for me. I learned how to be more authentic and ask powerful questions. I’m so glad I did something that made me uncomfortable. 

Your challenge today is to do something that makes you uncomfortable.

“If we’re growing, we’re always going to be out of our comfort zone.” John Maxwell

I’ll see you tomorrow!

Day 22: Make a list of reasons why you are already enough

Do you hold off on starting something because you don’t think you know enough? Do you search for the perfect book, program or workshop in the hopes that once you complete it,  you will finally know enough?

“YOU CAN NEVER DO ENOUGH TO FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ENOUGH! Slow down and fall back in love with who you really are. You're already enough!!”

Your challenge today is make a list of reasons why you are already enough. Add to this list everyday. 

I’ll see you tomorrow!

Day 21: Go to bed with gratitude

Yesterday, we talked about waking up with gratitude. Today, your challenge is to go to bed with gratitude.

Insread of counting sheep, count gratitudes.

I’ll see you tomorrow! 

Day 20: Wake up with gratitude

Have you heard the saying, what you appreciate appreciates? Look at an area of your life that feels good, that is working. Now, think of an area of your life that frustrates you, cause you pain. Which life area do you spend more time being grateful? I bet it is the area in your life that is working. I know this is true for me.

Having a grateful heart is critical in feeling deepy fulfilled in your life. 

Your challenge today is to wake-up with gratitude. You can do this by:

• waking up and saying thank you
• writing 3 things you are grateful for
• listen or read something inspiring

Remember, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ~Melodie Beattie

I’ll see you tomorrow! 

Day 19: Offer constructive feedback with compassion and gratitude

Have you ever gotten feedback from someone and were left feeling annoyed, offended or even a little hurt? I know I have and it doesn’t feel good.



A recent experience inspired this blog post, so I outlined a 4 step process for offering feedback:


Step 1: Have compassion in your heart. Consider how your words will impact the other person


Step 2: Start with something positive. If the first thing we hear feel like ‘attack words’ we are less likely to listen to the feedback. I also encourage you to avoid saying, “What you need to do is…” No one likes to be told what to do

• statement of gratitude
• “Thank you for…”
• “I appreciate…”
• ask permission to share – a sign of respect
• "Can I share with you…?”
• “Can I offer a suggestion?”

Step 3: Offer your feedback


Step 4: Close with something positive


Your challenge today is to offer constructive feedback to someone.
I’ll see you tomorrow!

Day 18: Listen to your favorite love song

Music has a magical way of transforming you to a different place and time. It can evoke deep emotions that move you to laughter and tears. 

With our ‘love’ theme this month, what is your favorite love song. A song that speaks to you and inspires you to believe in yourself. One of my new favorites is I Hope You Dance, by Lee Ann Womack: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV-Z1YwaOiw.

Your challenge today is to listen to your favorite love song.

In closing, “take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons. You will find it is to the soul what a water bath is to the body.”  ~Oliver Wendell Holmes.

I’ll see you tomorrow! 

Day 17: Reach out to a friend

“A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.” 

During the past week, I had forgotten to the words and my friend, my husband, was there to sing them back to me.

Who in your life is there to sing back the words when you have forgotten the words? Who do you sing the words back too?

Your challenge today is to reach out to a friend.

I’ll see you tomorrow!

Day 16 :play your music

"Many people die with their music still in them. Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out.” Oliver Wendell Holmes.
What music are you waiting to play? In what areas of your life are you getting ready to live? What are you waiting for?


Your challenge today is to play your music.

I’ll see you tomorrow!

Day 15: List 3 ways you express love for yourself

As women, we are often giving and doing for others and tend to forget about ourselves.

Your challenge today is to list 3 ways you express love for yourself that don't require spending additional money. This an opportunity for you to be creative as you come up with ways to nurture yourself. One more thing, your expressions of love don't have to be huge, they just have to have meaning for you.

Here are some ways I express love for myself:

• taking a long, hot shower - a way to allow the healing power of water to bring me comfort
• closing my eyes to day dream - a way I give myself permission to escape fom the craziness of the world
• going on a walk - a type of moving meditation that is always soothing
• reading a book - a nice way to curl up in the bed and get lost in a story
• spending time with Bronson and my kitties - a way for me to ask for receive love

I'll see you tomorrow!

Day 14: Who in your life gives meaning to the word love?

"Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning." -Author Unknown

Who in your life gives meaning to the word love? Think about this and share your reason with that special person. It is sure to make her/him smile.

I’ll see you tomorrow. 

Day 13: List 5 things you like about your job.

“Find a job you like and you add five days to every week.” H. Jackson Brown. You spend at least 1/3 of your day at work - doesn’t it make sense to be happy at work?

Your challenge today is to list 5 things you like about your job.

I’ll see you tomorrow. 

Day 12: Do something that makes your heart sing

“It is essential to our well-being, and to our lives, that we play and enjoy life. Every single day do something that makes your heart sing.” Marcia Wieder, America’s Dream Coach.

What does it mean to you to do something that makes your heart sing? How does ‘play’ show up in your life?

Your challenge today is to do something that makes your heart sing. Here are some common things women like to do:

• sing 
• dance
• go to the theater
• garden
• girls night out
• spa day
• curl up with a good book
• bubble bath
• date night with your sweetie
• do out to dinner
• see to the movies and watch a romantic comedy
• crafts
• spend time with your children
• shopping

The key is to give yourself permission to do these things, without feeling guilty. Remember, when your heart sings, the joy in your heart overflows to others.

I’ll see you tomorrow!

Day 11: Contemplate what you want to change in your life

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” Barack Obama. 

Your challenge today is to contemplate what you want to change in your life? Remember, you are the one you’ve been waiting for.

I’ll see you tomorrow!

Day 10: Shine

“Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves.” James M. Barrie. 

Think about it for a moment, what does it mean to shine? To me, it means having an inner glow, showing up as my authentic self and genuinely connecting with people. It’s radiating joy and lighting up a room with my presence, allowing people to see my heart. 

How do you bring sunshine into the lives of others? To mean, I bring sunshine by simply doing what I love, by expressing myself in a creative way that inspires others to reconnect with themsleves and their dreams.

Your challenge today is to shine. Show up in your life and bring sunshine into the lives of others and allow that sunshine to bless your life.

I'll see you tomorrow!

Day 9: Celebrate you

You may never know the difference you make in someone’s life. You may never know how something you said changed the course of someone’s life, saved someone’s life. So, when you’re feeling down and like no one cares, remember that you do make a difference.

Your challenge today is to celebrate you. Celebrate the fact that you are special and your presence makes a difference in this world. The world would not be the same with out you.

I’ll see you tomorrow!

Day 8: Contemplate the difference between practicing selfcare and being selfish.

Day 8: Contemplate the difference between practicing selfcare and being selfish. 

As women, we tend to put the needs of others above our own needs. When we do make time for ourselves, we are often plagued with guilt, feeling like we are being selfish for taking care of ourselves.

Your challenge today is to contemplate the difference between practicing selfcare and being selfish. Do you feel guilty when taking care of yourself? Do you want your definition of selfcare to be a guide for the women in your life that you love?

I’ll see you tomorrow!

Day 7: Decide what you’re willing to do

“To achieve what you’ve never achieved before, you need to do what you’ve never done before.” Unknown.

What are you working to achieve? What keeps you up at night? What gets you out of bed in the morning? What fuels that fire in your belly?

Your challenge today is to decide what you’re willing to do to achieve your dream. Going after your dream, with an open heart, is a form of self-love. Think about it, if you put your heart and soul into a dream, you are telling yourself that you are worth the effort it takes to achieve that goal.

I’ll see you tomorrow!

Day 6: Listen to your favorite love song

Music has the power to inspire intense emotions, it can make you laugh you laugh, cry. It can bring you back to that special place in time or project you into the future you are creating. 

Your challenge today is to listen to your favorite love song. It can be a song that makes you think of your special someone, empowers you to believe in yourself or connects you to your higher power.

Here are a few of my favorites:

A song to empower me

I Believe I Can Fly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK2ZuescJGA

A New Day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaGLVS5b_ZY 

A song that makes me think of my husband

Hero: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUePPJmfUOE 

A song that makes me happy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPUmE-tne5U 

I'll see you tomorrow!

Day 5: Write your own definition of success.

“The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it’s the same problem you had last year.” John Foster Dulles.

How do you measure success? Being clear about your own definition of success allows you to be able to measure it and make adjustments or changes based on what is truly important to you.

Your challenge today is write your own definition of success. Based on your definition, are you successful?

Day 4: Shake it off

Sometimes people say things to us that hurt our feelings, make us angry or leave us feeling confused. When that happens, it's easy to stew in these feelings and allow the situation to carryover into other areas in our lives. Before you know it, you're in a bad mood and people don't want to be around you.

One technique that I have found helpful in this situation is to shake it off. It is important to give yourself time to feel your feelings and then it is healthy to move on.

Your challenge today is to  shake it off!

Here are some ways you can shake it off:

• talk it out with a friend (be careful that this doesn't turn into a full blown venting session
• talk to the person that caused the upset and calmly share your feelings. This isn;t permission to make the other person wrong mind you. Share your feelings using this model: 
• when you...
• I felt...
• take a walk (if you're at work, move away from your desk and get a cup of water or seek solitude in the bathroom or outside)
• breathe
• listen to a song that inspires you
• actually shake your body as if you are shaking off the bad feelings

I'll see you tomorrow!

Day 3: Take yourself on a date

In Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way, she recommends that you take yourself on an artist date - time you dedicate to spending with yourself, once per week. You are encouraged to schedule the date on your calender just like you would a doctor’s appointment.

During the date, you do something that you enjoy. You don't have to spend a ton of money either. Here are some examples:

• go on a walk / nature hike
• garden
• read a book 
• take a nap
• go to your favorite coffee shop and hang out
• go the park
• go to a museum
• meditate
• go to the bookstore
• soak in the tub

The goal is to just spend time with yourself, doing something you enjoy. You know your life better than anyone, so you decide how much time you can invest on your weekly date. Maybe you can enjoy an hour of ‘me time’ one week and can barely squeeze in 15 minutes other weeks. The key is to be consistent.

Your challenge is to take yourself on a date. Where will you go? What will you do?

I’ll see you tomorrow!

Day 2: Do something nice for yourself

We great so busy doing nice things for other people and we tend to put doing nice things for ourselves on the back burner. “Don’t put off tomorrow joy that can experienced today.” Excerp from Day 2 of the MAP: Fully Engage at Any Age: Live Courageously (My Life Compass). 

Your challenge today is to do something nice for yourself. By the way, you deserve it!

I’ll see you tomorrow!

Day 1: List how you demonstrate your love for yourself

Welcome to the February 30-Day S.P.A. Challenge. The theme this month is love. Valentine’s Day brings the focus to romantic love, yet this challenge is about self-love. “You must love yourself before you love another. By accepting yourself and fully being what you are, your simple presence can make others happy.” Anonymous.

Think about someone you love. Now, make a list of things you do to show your love to that person. Here are a few examples of things you may have on your list:

• share your time
• express gratitude
• do nice things for that person
• give compliments
• encourage them 
• listen to them
• send them happy thoughts
• stand for their greatness
• forgive them

Your challenge today is list how you demonstrate your love for yourself. Do you show your love for yourself as genersouly as you do for other people?

I’ll see you tomorrow!