For a number of reasons, I’m asking myself the following questions right now. I wondered if some of them might feel relevant for you too.

How do I want to spend my days? (And how do I want to feel as I live them?)

What are my priorities right now and are the choices I make in alignment with them?

What can I let go of to make space for those priorities and those desired feelings?

What mindset or self-talk needs to shift in order for my life to feel more spacious?

And inspired by Brittany Maynard’s deeply touching story (alongside so many others) I’m asking myself:

If I had a year (or less) to live, what would I do?

As I sit with these questions, the words dancing through my heart and mind are

Let It Be Simple

because gosh, we humans like to complicate things, don’t we?

I married into a Catholic family. My husband was not much of a churchgoer when we met so I’ve only attended a handful of services over the dozen years we’ve been together. A wedding here, a baptism there, a rare holiday when we’re all gathered. Whenever I’m in a church, I am aware of my residual discomfort with organized religion, so I sit and do my best to listen to what’s happening under the words and formalities that are second nature to those who’ve practiced them for a lifetime.

My favorite moment is always when the priest utters the words, Peace be with you, and the entire congregation responds, And also with you.

This year I’ve tried on a new practice of consciously blessing those who tug on my heartstrings (or my judgement, or my jealousy) the moment I feel the pull. It helps me remember that we are each responsible for our own journey and that the universe is abundant, even if it doesn’t always look that way on the surface. I’ve experimented with different words, from a simple, “Bless you” to a lengthy wish, listing everything I can think of that I hope for that person.

This week I’m trying on the simplicity of “Peace be with you” because it is what I deeply wish for all of us. If success brings you peace, I wish it for you. If love brings you peace, I wish it for you. If roaming the streets with all of your belongings brings you peace then I bless you in that and if it doesn’t, I wish for you to find what does.

This doesn’t absolve me of responsibility to make the world a better place. It doesn’t mean I will stop sponsoring a little girl in Haiti or micro-lending through Kiva or standing up for the change I wish to see. But it does help my heart hurt less when there’s nothing I can do to “fix” someone’s circumstances. It helps me remember that I wouldn’t trade my life or my problems for another’s, even if she seems more successful, more pulled-together or better able to juggle the demands of motherhood and business than I.

And so on this warm October morning, as I listen to the waves and wonder what the week has in store, I put my hand on my heart and send my wish out to the world…

Peace be with you

then I gently turn it around and with deep reverence, wish it for myself…

and also with you.

May we all find our moments of peace this week.

When your to-do list is running off the page and time is slipping through your fingers, press pause, slow yourself down and feel into what really matters.

When the phone finally rings and it’s the person you’ve been waiting for with the news you’ve been hoping for, press pause and let this moment sink into your bones.

When you’re headed for the chocolate stashed on top of the fridge or find yourself flipping mindlessly through your Facebook feed, press pause and ask yourself what you’d rather be doing (or what you’re avoiding).

When you feel yourself pushing too hard…
When your head (or heart) is about to explode…
When you’re tied up in knots and don’t know where to turn…

Press pause.

Breathe.
Listen.
Just for a moment.

Let the stillness change you.

Press pause.

I am constantly awed by my daughter’s ability to make things fun.

Playing a board game, while I’m focused on whose turn it is and how quickly the pawns get moved because bedtime is fast approaching, she’s delighting in different ways to roll the dice.

She’s constantly finding new ways to flip over the arm of the couch while walking from the dining room to her bedroom.

Instead of sitting still and waiting for something, she’s making shapes with her hands, or funny faces, or me laugh.

I think I was always a fairly sensitive, serious child but somewhere along the path to adulthood I lost touch with my sense of fun. I’m putting focused attention on finding it again. In my own responsible adult, to-do list filled life. (It’s easy to find the fun when I’m playing with my girl. It’s harder when I’m scrubbing toilets and folding socks.)

Last week I bought myself a pack of multicolor glitter stars. I’m using them in my calendar to add some sparkle to getting things done. That feels fun to me.

This week whether it’s making dinner, doing the dishes, plowing through my email or cleaning off my desk (again) I’m looking for the fun. I plan to make a new (fun!) habit of it.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to do the same.

And if you’re someone who naturally finds the fun, or the silly, or the goofy in life, I’d love to hear about it. Stories and tips are welcome.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to put on a red clown nose and have breakfast.