While we’d all love every Friday to be joyous (and every day for that matter) life happens, and we all face dark days, hard times and scary moments where wearing a smile on your face doesn’t come naturally. 

The good news? No matter how melancholy your mood, there are real things you can do to feel even a tiny bit better. Here are five of my favorite go-to’s…

I find it inspiring to see people taking time each week to practice self-care and to share it with others. Too often, we crowd our days with busy-ness, chores, and give so much attention to work and family, and rarely celebrate taking special time for ourselves.

If you’d like to take a few minutes this Sunday to practice self-care, here are five ways you can show yourself some love:

My dog Harper and I returned to California from living on the island of Kauai last month because she needed knee surgery (and there are zero vet surgeons on the island or anywhere close by). 

Life can change suddenly, and after seeing two island vets and having a virtual consultation with the top vet surgeon for canine knee surgery in California, it was clear that we would need to relocate so Harper could get the care she needed.

Today, we’re excited to invite you to join our brand new workshop, Love Yourself More!

This special workshop is jam-packed with inspiration, practical tools, big A-Ha’s and gentle reminders to help you appreciate yourself more, go easier, and let go of self-judgment and criticism. 

Our past is an important part of our history, it shapes who we are today, after all. But it can also hold us back from growing into the person we truly want to be, and living a life that’s calling us.

So many of us have dreams and set big goals, but our hang-ups from years ago can keep us from realizing them. Past disappointments, failures, or beliefs in ourselves can keep us stuck, telling us painful things like…

“You’ve never been organized, so what makes you think you can be organized now?”

No matter how upbeat you feel when you start your day, chances are at some point your sunny mood will get challenged. 

There’s the driver who cuts you off, the call from your children’s school to come pick them up because of yet another illness, or perhaps a friend mentions that you look tired even though you had the best night sleep of your entire life. 

The bad news about any given day is no matter how great we feel at the start, we’re bound to encounter inconveniences, setbacks, and rude people at some point.

Truth time… How long has it been since you tried something new? 

Whether it’s walking into a new fitness class, signing up for language lessons, trying out a new hobby or activity, or even attempting to cook a new meal, breaking from routine and trying something new makes us come alive. 

Trying new things makes us step outside of our comfort zone (which isn’t always easy!). But doing so not only spices up our day, but reminds us of just how capable we are.

We all have goals and dreams for our lives. Chances are you’ve been chipping away at something important to you. Perhaps it’s writing a book, organizing your home, connecting with a forever partner or committing to being healthier. 

Even when we have the best intentions, life happens, and it’s easy to find ourselves feeling like we’ve gone off track or fallen behind. We may even be tempted to throw in the towel and give up on something completely. 

Life doesn’t always go as planned. We all face uncertain times where we feel like everything is pretty much up in the air.

If living with more questions than answers makes you feel uneasy, you’re not alone. All the wondering and wishing for something definitive can drive you crazy, and leave you stressed, depressed or worried sick.

So how can any of us feel better when facing uncertainty?