30 November: Nancy’s Notes and Anecdotes

The Cozy Issue by Bella Grace Magazine. Have you ever started reading something that is sooo wonderful that you force yourself to slow down because you don’t want it to end?? Well that is what is happening to me as I read this incredible magazine. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy and indulge in the stories and the recipes and the invitations to take things slowly and embrace the “coziness” of life. The piece by Elle Harris invites you to create a bank account of comfort: “We all experience bits and pieces of contentment, but wouldn’t it be grand to chase tranquility the same we run after accomplishments and accolades?

What if you created comfort lists like bank accounts depositing memories of positive associations that you could dip into whenever you needed to enrich a part of yourself?” AND she shares lists of things you can deposit into your bank account of comfort. I hope you share it with important people in your life.

While I was thinking about comfort, I stumbled into this fascinating topic: according to Wikipedia – Hygge is a Danish and Norwegian word for a mood of coziness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment. As a cultural category with its sets of associated practices hygge has more or less the same meanings in Danish and Norwegian, but the notion is more central in Denmark than Norway. There are a few hygge groups on Facebook, FYI. I just joined and am looking forward to joining the conversation.

I can’t wait to watch the ‘a-ha’ moments, the confidence and the plans to turn dreams into reality unfold. This is truly one of the most favorite parts of my job – I get to pass on my umpteen years of experience to help women shorten their learning curve when making this type of special career move. The saying that goes something along the lines of ‘even the expert was a beginner’ comes to mind … it’s not as hard as most people think!

I’d love to tell you more about this exciting new direction we are taking or if you’re interested in attending one of our boutique retreats, message me here.

By the same token, knowing that I am the Upaguru will make me act more intentionally and more gratefully… how about you Natalie, which side do you find yourself on and why? Tell me here.

A little background I found when I was enjoying stumbling from one website to another … I landed on Inspired Yearth and have to share her clear explanation of the concept:

“[guru] broken down, the word actually means going from darkness into the light. So, a Guru is someone who leads you from dark (unknowing) and helps you into the light (knowledge).

The word Upaguru means the teacher nearby. Since everyone and anyone that crosses our path does so for a reason, they all should be looked upon as an Upaguru with something to teach you. Some of our Upagurus flit through our life for but a moment; literally, minutes. Others seem to stick around until we have caught on to the lesson and maybe then they move on.”

Wow, just wow … don’t you agree?!

And there are so many more places to visit and explore still on my list (and I keep adding more~ I’m looking forward to adding pins for all the places I’ve been and will go to!).

Do you have plans to travel this holiday season?? How about next year – have you started to plan it? Where have you visited? Where do you want to go? I would love to hear about it! Tell me here.