Why coaching? I think a lot of times we get inspired by things and we think it will translate into big improvements in our life. Sometimes we go to an inspiring workshop or read an inspiring book, and then it is over and we make big plans...but in days the impact wears off. With coaching, we have someone fully committed to helping us take action, achieve goals and make change. In Barbara Sher's famous book, WishCraft: How to Get What You really Want, she spoke to having support as the... Continue reading

1. Take time to notice: the stars or moon at night. the flower in your garden. a child playing. the vibrant color of the pomegranate. the comforting taste and aroma of your morning drink. a loved one's smile... Make sure you leave some space in your days to be filled with wonder and awe. 2. In our busy lives, we sometimes take a lot for granted. Reflect on some of the blessings you have received in your life. 3. Appreciate your own gifts you have brought to others and other achieveme... Continue reading

Here are some of my favorite mantras. We are one month into the new year, but its never too late to choose one special word or a mantra to guide you through the coming months. Choose your own or see if one of these resonates for you! And HIPPY NEW YEAR, from HIP Living, LLC! 1. Spread goodness, joy and wonder. 2. Let go, Let God. 3. She believed she could so she did. 4. Respond to the call of your heart. 5. Start fresh over and over in this moment. 6. I will live my life like a prayer... Continue reading

I have always loved old people: their wrinkles, their white hair, their laugh lines, how their eyes sparkle and how they don't take themselves too seriously. What they say and who they are is important...not what they wear or how they look.  It would be refreshing to see a hair or beauty salon that has pictures of all kinds of bodies and faces on its walls.  It would be a salon that had photos of diverse people and of older people with clear signs of aging gracing the room with their trut... Continue reading

It's back-to-school time, so my thoughts are on children right now. My belief is that every adult in the world carries some interest, responsibility and desire to help children and youth to shine and thrive. So while the following article may appear to be written primarily for parents, educators, or anyone who works with children, I hope that everyone might find some idea or thought in this article to ponder. *The saying that it takes a village to raise a child, has never been more tru... Continue reading

May our heart's garden of awakening bloom with hundreds of flowers. - Thich Nhat Hanh I come from a long line of gardeners and flower lovers. My grandfather was a florist and many others in the family worked in the flower business. To this day one of my favorite things is to give or receive flowers. Many of us enjoy the gift of beauty and scent that flowers bring to our homes. Once the Buddha gave a whole sermon based on a single flower. Actually, he apparently did not talk, he just hel... Continue reading

Here are 10 ways to feel more inspired: - Do something for someone else -Get up earlier and start your day with a feeling of spaciousness -Create something -Take a really long walk -Read a book or watch a film that is uplifting -Learn something new -Do something hard or challenging -Watch a sunrise or sunset or other marvel of nature -Read an inspirational or sacred book -Talk to someone older and wiser... Continue reading

Here are some more favorite quotes that are inspiring me today: Even after all this time the sun never says to the earth, you owe me. Look what happens with a love like that, it lights the whole sky. - Hafiz It is the responsibility of every adult... to make sure that children hear what we have learned from the lessons of life and to hear over and over that we love them and that they are not alone. - Marian Wright Edelman If you knew yourself for even one moment, if you could just glim... Continue reading

It all started with the pandemic. Before now, I have never bought t-shirts with words written on them. I tend to like my t-shirts solid colors...no words, no animals, no flowers, no stripes... As a mother I never bought shirts for my kids with words or messages or cartoon figures on them either. Well maybe one big pink peace sign once.... couldn't resist...but generally my selections were pretty plain. I say it started with the pandemic but that isn't really true. It started with my dear ... Continue reading

"Rest and Self-Care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.”~ Eleanor Brown A few weeks ago a wonderful friend of mine sent me to the spa. Okay...I exaggerate a little bit. It wasn't one of those swanky places I splurged on once or twice back in my 20s, surely having chosen the cheapest thing on the menu of services and overstaying my time in the complimentary steam room. Instea... Continue reading

Once I gave a speech and someone teased me afterwards that my speech was overloaded with quotes. Like a lot of people, I just love quotes and I have always collected them. Here are a few of my favorites. I hope you find one that may be uplifting, comforting or inspiring for you today! The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. - Albert Einstein The best thing to hold onto in life is each other. - Audrey Hepburn Fall seven times. Stand up eight. - Japanese proverb I... Continue reading

May your life be like a wildflower, growing freely in the beauty and joy of each day. - North American Proverb Years ago I attended a meditation & creativity retreat. Following a meditation session, we were asked to spend some time out in nature and to find a symbol to focus and reflect upon. I found a spot on a grassy road behind the retreat center, where a beautiful purple wildflower bravely emerged from the dirt and weeds. The road wasn't often used, but I imagined on occasion that ... Continue reading

Many years ago I lived and worked in Eastern Europe and I was fortunate to have a great adventure visiting beautiful Ukraine. There I had a meeting with a woman artisan who I have never forgotten. I do not remember her name, we shared no common language, and I only was with her about thirty minutes, but she was remarkable and memorable. I was there a few days in the Ukraine and a translator had been arranged for part of my visit. This friendly, brilliant (and handsome) young man, took me... Continue reading

Feet what do I need you for, when I have wings to fly? - Frida Kahlo Once I had a friend that gave me a bird. I don't mean a bird that was a pet in a cage, like a budgie or a parrot. It was a real live bird (some kind of pigeon I think) that when I opened a huge box I had been handed (on an outdoor patio), the bird, uncaged, fluttered up and flew away. The message was this: You are free and adventurous like this bird. You can "fly". Keep flying and be true to yourself. You ca... Continue reading

Ever since working through some health problems a few years ago, I wake every morning and the first thing I say silently in my head, is, "Thank you for another day." With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it's timely to talk about gratitude and consider some of the ways we can cultivate it in our lives. It's hard to feel dissatisfied or down, if your attention is focused on counting your blessings. Aesop, the storyteller from 620 BCE, Ancient Greece, is credited with having said, "Gra... Continue reading

Okay. I don't really surf. I did windsurf in my teens and when I consider things that were just sheer fun in my life, it quickly comes to mind. But surfing was something I never had the opportunity to try but always admired from afar - on tv screens when I was a child. Decades later when a dear friend of mine became a surfer, traveling to Mexico twice a year to follow her bliss on the waves, it caught my interest again. She and I, and our husbands were once having dinner, and surfing cam... Continue reading

HIP Living is an acronym that stands for Heartfelt, Inspired, Passionate Living. That is what I want for you and me. Why? Let me elaborate below on what HIP Living means for us. Heartfelt living is about living from the heart with love. Love for others, for yourself, for life, for God or your Faith. Heartfelt living is about responding to the call of your heart and trying to faithfully follow that. Heartfelt living is taking a stand for goodness, caring for others, and stri... Continue reading