Embracing the Gift of Gratitude in Everyday Life

In honor of my birthday on Sunday, I gifted myself the precious practice of a morning ritual of self-care before stepping into my celebratory day. Yoga, breathwork, journaling, intention setting, and gratitude.

Moving my aging body- creaks, cracks, and all- feels empowering and strong. I notice my muscles, the places that are tight, and those that remain soft. I feel into where I carry stress and where I carry ease. What a gift.

Breathe. Inhale… exhale. Sometimes softly, sometimes powerfully. Bringing attention and intention to this typically unconscious, life-sustaining act. Inhale love, exhale peace. Sending breath to every part of my body, directing it with awareness, imagining it filling me with light. What a gift.

In meditation and reflection on this past year, I felt immense gratitude- that sensation that makes all things feel better. In gratitude, I remembered that my very being is magical.

Curious, I looked up what was happening in the sky on the day I was born — October 19, 1972 — and though I didn’t fully understand it all, it filled me with awe. The Sun in Libra, the Moon in Cancer...a combination that blends Air and Water, intellect with feeling. A reminder of connection to something vast and mysterious beyond the day-to-day rhythm of life.

And then, the flood of gratitude washed over me.

When we are connected with gratitude, there is magic all around. When we are connected with gratitude, we touch joy, ease, and abundance. When we are connected with gratitude, we realize we already have more than enough.

It becomes impossible to feel lack when gratitude fills the heart. The stories of “not enough” begin to dissolve. The cultural narratives- that only hard work earns reward, that receiving is selfish, begin to soften and fall away.

Because when we align with gratitude, we align with receiving. We align with flow, with joy, with possibility. We begin to attract what we vibrate.

A daily gratitude practice can be a gentle anchor. Write down what brings you joy- a kind gesture, a nourishing meal, the warmth of sunlight, the laughter of a friend, the quiet wisdom of nature. And yes, even the hard things.

When we find gratitude for the challenges, we begin to alchemize them. Gratitude transforms pain into purpose, and heaviness into healing. Ask yourself:

What's good about this?

What can I learn from this?

Is there something about this situation I can be grateful for?

Can I trust that even if I can't find anything good about this now, that it's purpose in my life will reaveal itself to me sometime, in some way?

Over time, you may notice that gratitude softens everything- how you move through the day, how you relate to the world, how you meet yourself.

✨ What are you grateful for today? ✨

A Gentle Invitation

Play with these possibilities for a daily gratitude practice:

1. A 30 day gratitude challenge

2. Keep a gratitude journal

3. Write thank you notes

4. Make a habit of paying compliments

5. Challenge yourself to a No Complaining week

6. Take a gratitude walk

I invite you to join our Women’s Circle on Sunday, October 26th- a nourishing space to slow down and connect. Together, we’ll breathe, share, and remember our capacity for presence, gratitude, and ease.

And if you’ve been feeling called to explore personal growth or coaching more deeply, I warmly welcome you to schedule a complimentary discovery call with me. It’s a moment to pause and explore your next steps- whether you’re navigating transition, seeking clarity, or longing for a deeper sense of alignment in daily living.

✨ Join the Women’s Circle – Sunday, October 26, November 9, and December 7

✨ Contact me to book a Complimentary Discovery Call

With gratitude and love,

Marlene

Spacious Living Coaching & Community

The Power of Response-Ability: Choosing Empowerment in a Complex World

Choosing Empowerment Through Response-Ability

In a world that can often feel chaotic and unpredictable, the idea of responsibility offers a quiet kind of strength. It’s the power we each hold to choose how we meet life - not just what happens to us, but how we show up in response.

Every moment gives us this choice. We can react out of habit, fear, or frustration… or we can pause, breathe, and choose to respond with awareness and intention. That pause - that space between stimulus and response - is where our freedom lives.

Just this morning, I was faced with a choice. I had set a clear boundary with my daughter and explained the consequences if she didn’t honor it. Because I had planned ahead and prepared myself, when the time came to follow through, I was able to do it from a loving and grounded place instead of from an emotional, reactive response. Both of us were calm and felt held in the clarity of the situation, which is a great blessing and not always the case.

We have the ability to invite stillness and breath before a response.

The Illusion of Helplessness

It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of life’s challenges - a tough conversation, a job setback, a world that seems to be spinning faster by the day. When things feel out of control, we often forget that we still have choice: in how we think, how we speak, how we treat ourselves and others. Our responsibility doesn’t erase pain or difficulty - but it helps us stay rooted in our inner strength instead of losing ourselves in reactivity.

The Power of Choice

Every choice we make, no matter how small, shapes the story of our lives. When we take ownership of our responses, we begin to move from feeling like life is happening to us to realizing life is unfolding through us.

When we pause before speaking, breathe before reacting, or choose compassion over defensiveness, we reclaim our power. We stop running on autopilot and start creating with intention.

Cultivating Mindful Awareness

Mindfulness helps us stay connected to this power of choice. It’s the practice of noticing what’s happening inside us — our sensations, emotions, and thoughts — without judgment.

When we learn to observe instead of instantly react, something softens. We make space for wisdom to arise. We might still feel anger, disappointment, or fear, but we don’t have to let those feelings drive the car.

Building Resilience Through Responsibility

The more we practice choosing our responses, the stronger we become. Each time we face a challenge and choose to respond with awareness rather than impulse, we build resilience.

This doesn’t mean we won’t stumble or feel discouraged - it means we learn to recover more quickly and with more grace. Over time, this becomes a kind of inner steadiness, a knowing that no matter what comes, we can meet it with clarity and care.

Reflection

Take a quiet moment to ask yourself:

• Where in my life do I feel reactive or powerless?

• What would it look like to pause and choose my response instead?

• What helps me come back to myself when I feel off balance?

These reflections can gently open the door to more spacious living - where response-ability becomes not just a skill, but a way of being.

An Invitation

At Spacious Living, we explore these practices together - slowing down, reconnecting with what’s true, and remembering the power we each hold to shape our lives through conscious choice.

If this message speaks to you, I invite you to reach out or explore a complimentary coaching session.

Together, we can cultivate the awareness, compassion, and resilience that help you respond to life with confidence and calm - no matter what comes your way.

CONTACT ME

Floating or Poolside Sound Bath

Join us for this soothing event coming THIS SATURDAY, on October 18th! Buy one ticket, bring a friend free! Click here for more details. We'd love to see you!

Living Unmasked: The Power of Authenticity

Authentic and True

Do you ever feel like you’re not showing up as your true, authentic self? Like you have to hold back - your enthusiasm (or lack of), your feelings, your energy levels, your beliefs?

Do you ever feel like others are doing the same - hiding behind a mask, suppressing their truth?

It’s exhausting, isn’t it? Exhausting to wonder what’s real, to second-guess, to tiptoe around. And if we’re exhausted, it's likely that the people around us are too.

But imagine this: what if everyone could show up just as they are - unapologetically authentic?

Could society handle the truths of humanity? Could you? I think it's worth giving it a try.

Authenticity in New York City

One of the things New York City is famous for is its wild, vibrant, unapologetic mix of people: cultures, hairstyles, religions, gender expressions, clothing styles, sexualities, languages, and attitudes.

To me, it’s one of the most authentic places in the world. Everyone can find a place in NYC if they want to. People sometimes say New Yorkers are rude. But I see it differently: they’re authentic. And that, in my opinion, is their greatest gift. In New York, you know what you’re getting- the opinion, the mood, the truth. Not the watered-down version someone thinks you want to hear.

I love and genuinely appreciate that.

Because I can deal with truth. It’s the murk - the in-between, the masks, the hidden stories - that’s so hard to swim through. Masks breed suspicion, caution, fear, and a constant sense of walking on eggshells. They drain freedom and connection.

Yesterday, I participated as a sponsor in the first-ever PRIDE-SO Festival in Keller, Texas, and I felt so refreshed by the incredible range of expression in the way people showed up for it. I can only imagine the level of masking that is often required of the LGBTQ+ community- and I feel deep sorrow about the judgment and fear-provoking messages still directed toward them, feeling it in the wells of my own heart and spirit.

Marginalized communities often have to mask more than others. But even those of us who are privileged in so many ways can find ourselves trying to meet community, religious, or social expectations- and losing pieces of ourselves in the process.

I AM Affirmations...A Powerful Practice

Leading with Authenticity

So how do we shift this? How do we become the ones who lead with authenticity?

✨ By speaking our truths, regardless of how they’ll be received.

✨ By expressing ourselves with clarity, love, and respect - while keeping truth at the forefront.

✨ By remembering that authenticity is contagious and that by showing up authentically, we invite others to do the same.

Think about a party where the host encourages wild, playful, creative outfits. At first, you might hesitate… but then you show up in something bold, and suddenly the whole room feels lighter, freer, more fun.

That’s the power of authenticity. What if life could feel like that? What if we all showed up fully ourselves, with no masks, no performance - just real, raw, free?

It would feel less stressful. More alive. More true.

Reflection: Where Are You Hiding?

Take a moment to reflect:

• Where in your life are you showing up authentically?

• Where are you still holding back?

• What’s one small way you could drop the mask this week and allow yourself to be more you?

• Who are the people and where are the places that encourage the truest version of you?

Authenticity doesn’t mean being reckless with words or energy - it means aligning who you are inside with who you are on the outside.

An Invitation

If you’re longing to show up more authentically but feel stuck - maybe afraid of being judged, or unsure how to begin - coaching for authenticity and self-expression can help. Together, we can explore what’s holding you back and create space for you to live, speak, and move through the world as your truest self. Please feel free to contact me for a complimentary discovery call.

Because you deserve that freedom. And the world needs your light.

CONTACT ME