But I have learned more recently that slowing down and looking around brings an even richer adventure. Blooming where we are planted means to be intentional about embracing the season you are in and resist the urge to look ahead. This is easiest to do when, “everything is coming us roses” in our lives and we want to soak it in.  However, slowing down is most difficult when we are in a challenging season. We just want to get through it and move on to happier times. But always looking ahead dulls our senses and lures us away from sharpening and enriching ourselves.  Intentionally being present, even during hardship is a gift. When the headwinds are strong, and the waves are crashing down around us we can take a lesson from nature.  

I’ll admit, the word “No” has a bad rap. It carries a lot of negative baggage. Our first encounters with it go back to early childhood when we are learning about our environment and how we are to behave in it. It set limits on our actions and often squelched our desires. And if challenged, usually came with some unpleasant consequence. As toddlers, it became one of our favorite words to express ourselves and try often not met with a good outcome. 

But as adults, “No” can be one of the best tactics for supporting your overall well-being by helping to create space for your mind body spirit balance.

Living your best self requires understanding the mind-body-spirit connection.  Your body is a physical presence and your mind controls how your body moves and functions. We teach a lot about fitness and nutritional habits to support your physical health. Your mind also controls how you think, which is a powerful force.

Mel Robbins is brilliant! Her white hot book, The Let Them Theory is a game changer. She has discovered a simple truth, based upon ancient philosophies and offers tools and practical advice that will change your life and improve your health and your relationships with others.

These days, as I turn each new jar of healthy peanut butter upside down, I’m reminded that unity and perspective are choices. Every day, I choose to envision a better world—a world where we blend our differences into something that works for everyone. It’s not always easy, but it’s possible. And sometimes, all it takes is a little shift in perspective—just like with that jar of peanut butter.

So the next time you grab a jar, remember: we all have the power to stir things up and make something better. Whether it’s in the jar, or in the world around us, the choice to blend our differences into something good is ours to make. It’s that simple.

I was thumbing through my bible in the early morning hours this week and was prompted by my daily devotional to spend some time in Ecclesiastes Chapter 3. The chapter opens with, “To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).