A few weeks ago, I shared that balance is an inside job. Before we experience the external balance of our ideal time and energy management schedule, we must first acknowledge our heart's desires. Then we must give ourselves permission to acknowledge our desires. Next the goal is to align our actions and choices with our desires. This is clearly easier said than done or we would all be living our best lives, right? But awareness is the first step. Just acknowledging that there are (likely many) places in your life that you deny yourself pleasure gets you closer to saying yes to your desires. I mean, do you even know what you really, truly want? I know I didn’t for a long, long time.

Choosing pleasure begins with something as simple as acknowledging what your body needs and then honoring it - going to bed when you are tired, going pee when you have the urge, eating when you are hungry and drinking water when you are thirsty. These seem so basic and common sense,...

I had a dream recently about my birthday. And how every year, I just act like I don't really want a party because I’m afraid I’ll be disappointed.  When in actuality, I am still disappointed because my birthday felt lame or like I wasn't really celebrated.

The truth is, I have always wanted someone to throw me a surprise party. But I have never told anyone this or even believed it was possible. Again, I didn't want to be disappointed.

The last several years (read: decade), I have not been celebrated by others nor have I celebrated myself. No coincidence, right?

It’s the, “Why try?” defensive mechanism to protect my ego from that potential disappointment. You know the one that says you can't have what you want so why even try.

What might it mean if I invited my friends and family to a party to celebrate me and people I value and love didn't come?

They don't like me.
They don't love me.
I’m not important enough.

But what if they all came to...