Years ago, I read a book about money, called “The Latte Factor,” by David Bach. One of his standout themes was how, if you divided your daily income by the hour, most of us would use hours 1 to 3 to pay for rent, hour 3 to 4 to pay for gas, hours 4 to 6 for groceries and hours 6 to 8 for your car, while leaving little to nothing to invest or enjoy. His whole point was, rarely do we actually take the time to pay into ourselves first! Instead, we’re just draining our well before it even gets full.

No, this is not a post about money, haha, I’ll leave that to the experts, but Mr. Bach’s theme got me thinking recently about my own life. There are so many days where I feel exhausted and yet, I haven’t stopped doing. The list seems to be endless with unexpected things showing up and piling up, and somehow no matter what I do, it still doesn’t feel like enough. I start the day depleted and I feel too uninspired and overwhelmed to get to the things that really light me up. Like I’ve signed into this rat race without reading the disclaimer. But…. What if we paid into ourselves first?

What if you paid yourself, not with money (although that’s also a great idea), but with your energy and your time. A little self love and self care, to set you up on the right track, first thing, each day. Something that lights you up and sets you up for success, and allows you to feel accomplished, no matter how many things you end up crossing off your list. Choosing you, first and foremost, reminds you that you’ve already won the life lottery and it’s not about how many socks you fold, emails you reply to, or errands you run. Whether you choose to walk your dog, read your book with coffee, or do some gardening; feeding into your passions before getting into the mundane will inevitably spill over into everything else you do.

It will feed your soul, invigorate you and give meaning to what once felt meaningless.

Do it for you! Investing in your life will fertilize your personal vision, grow strong roots, and create a rich and full filling existence. When you give this way of being a real shot, you won’t want to go back to how things were because the moment you do, you’ll feel like something is missing. The missing joyful part of you! When you are connected and dedicated to yourself, the world around you changes because you bet on you and that’s the greatest payout of all.

XO, Cindy

Long are the days of sitting in my living room with a pile of Seventeen and Cosmopolitan magazines, flipping through the pages and looking at what spoke to me. Whether it was a photo of a teen heartthrob, clothes, or my dreams of becoming an actress, I always loved making collages and vision boards as a teenager. I guess it was a means for me to see something greater for myself. I would use scissors and cut out piles of photos that inspired me and tape them to a Bristol board, my mirror, or even my closet door (much to my parents disapproval). I loved visuals and found it therapeutic to see pictures that made my heart swoon come together with the hope that they might become a reality. I mean, I know dating JTT (a beloved hunk of the 90s, Jonathan Taylor Thomas) was far fetched, but hey, you never know, hahaha).

I remember when I was in theatre school, during my 3rd year rehearsals, I found a pile of books and magazines in our old, dusty and dingy theatre on Notre Dame street in Montreal (the Dome Theatre) and making a collage on the wall within the boarders of the moulding in the girls dressing room. I was so proud of the finished product and some of my friends wondering what the heck I was doing. HAHA… I wonder if it’s still there? That Theatre has since closed.

Nowadays, with the internet around, magazines aren’t as popular, and as much as I consider myself “old school”, I’ve found that “Googling” photos that I have in mind allows me to be more specific in my efforts. I can choose the exact look among thousands of options, which I admit can be overwhelming, but in those instances I always go with my gut feeling. I follow the joy and once I find the image, I save it in a folder. Then I filter through them all and transfer my 30-40 top images onto a PDF document that I then print out in color at my house or the closest printing shop. Now the magic happens; I create the final product! I’ve used a cork board in the past but my latest preference to create my masterpiece is to use a big frame (something you would put a poster in) that I can then put up in a special place in my house. I recommend somewhere you look a lot but that is also your own private sacred space. This is your personal creation after all.

So today, I invite you to make your vision come true. No matter your age, or how silly you may think this is. Drop the judgement and find your inner creator and without boundaries or limitations create something special for yourself, whether it’s the perfect house, a loving partner, your dream job, a feeling, or everything all at once, go for it! Find your childlike joy of making your very own vision board! It’s your dream, your world, and your masterpiece. Do it alone or do it with your partner and see things come to life beyond your wildest dreams.

BEWARE: Dreams and visions may come true. Don’t say I didn’t warn you :)

Things to keep in mind while creating your vision board:

• Be specific

• What are you creating for yourself?

• What mood are you looking for?

• What feeling do you want to feel when you look at you photos?

• Is this just your vision or one you share and will create with someone?

• Images can be; words, colors, exact images, experiences, places, things, etc.

• Do you want to create it on a cork board, bristle board, in a frame, or maybe do what I did and put it on your closet door.

• Take a moment everyday to look and feel your board. Close your eyes and see it!

• If things stop resonating for you or something comes true. Interchange the photos. There are no rules! Do what feels right! Enjoy the play!

Enjoy!!

xo, Cindy

Here are 10 days of Christmas Lessons:

1. You can’t make everyone happy, and sometimes old habits die hard. The truth is, you can only create your own joy and everyone else is responsible for their own. Focus on that and let the rest go. Breaking these familial habits will be a struggle at first, but the long term positive impact is far greater.

2. You’re gonna want to recreate fun times of Christmas’s past. That’s not possible. Let go of expectation and allow room for new moments to be created.

3. Give yourself and those around you grace during the holidays. It is an emotionally charged time and not everyone will express themselves in the way you expect them too. Remember it’s not personal. Just keep showing up for you.

4. No matter how hard you try, perfection CAN’T be attained. Perfectionism means you care and that’s a beautiful thing, however, it’s important to remember that perfect doesn’t exist. Everyone’s fictitious version of “perfect” is different and you can’t please everyone. Maybe ask yourself, why you want this external validation and who asked for it anyway?

5. Give yourself the space and self care you need after all the celebrations. You may feel drained and overwhelmed. Take things slowly and remember to listen to your body.

6. It’s tempting to over do it, but just cause the food, drinks, and late nights are flowing, doesn’t mean you have to indulge in all the ways always. The holidays can feel like a consumption overload, and remember that it’s ok to say “NO”. It’s not always easy, but you’ll thank me later.

7. Go for walks and get some fresh air. This may be the only time you get to take a deep breath, realign, and get your thoughts together. Plus, it’s great for digestion. Even if you’re in a cold climate, bundle up and get moving.

8. Have the conversation. It can feel heavy to say the thing you’re thinking and feeling but it can also bring forth clarity and closeness. You’d be amazed how many of us are holding back from having this intimate and deep conversation, but really, that’s what we’re all craving more of. It feels uncomfortable, like growing pains, but the more we do it, the more it can feel freeing and the easier it gets. There’s no better time than now.

9. LISTEN. We all want to be heard, and surprisingly, sometimes it’s the person you least expect. Lend an active ear, be present, and don’t try to fix it. Allow those around you to share with you, you may just learn something you never knew about them. Listening offers inspiration, compassion, and opportunity.

10. Say I Love you!

    

Now is the perfect time to take a much needed breath and reflect on what truly matters. Reconnect to yourself, get grounded, and most of all, have fun with it.

This special Guide is filled with daily self-care prompts, activities, and tools to help you find courage to explore your inner creativity. Join me in taking time each day to prioritize your well-being, celebrate achievements, and explore parts of yourself you may never have before.

I’ve included journaling prompts and fun activities to help you connect with loved ones and appreciate your own inner magic! Enjoy!

with love, Cindy

xo

PS: You may also share this 30 day adventure with a partner, co-worker or friend to discover together, while keeping each other accountable.

30 Days of Self Care Guide