The last month of the year is bleak and barren in most parts of the country, but one step inside of a garden center, retail shop or even grocery store may make you question the calendar. December is a time when many of us add greenery, plants and flowers to our interiors as part of holiday decorating or we give them as gifts. Some of us even put trees inside of our homes this time of year. December is a good time to salute flora in all of its glory and wonder why in the world we don’t do this all year round?

We have heard it said that nearly 1/3 of our lives are spent in bed. That statistic may seem hard to believe when most of us feel there are not enough hours in a day. But the one thing all human beings need is sleep and time spent in slumber can have huge impact on everything from mood to physical appearance and overall well- being. Deficits in sleep can affect our performance at work or school and even impact relationships.

Time off the hamster wheel for one summer quickly turned into fall, winter, spring and another summer. I slowed down considerably and took the time needed to allow reflection on the routines and cycles of my life. It allowed me to reel some things in and expand others, make decisions about where I want to go personally and professionally and travel the globe like a gypsy. Like a much needed closet clean out, it allowed me to decide what should stay in my life going forward and what will be in the rear view mirror. Had I not given myself permission to do this, I may have become a spiritually dead, robotic version of myself going through the motions of the familiar, without passion or meaning. All that started with permission asked (by me) and permission granted (by me).

September was a joyful one for a few of my clients. One happy family welcomed their new baby girl and another, a bouncing baby boy. Yet another adopted a sweet 8 week old little one named Abbey, except she came wrapped in a ball of fur with 4 legs and a wagging tail.

I’ve been waving goodbye to another summer season (sniff, sniff) and reflecting on the experiences I’ve had and the people I‘ve been fortunate enough to meet and spend time with. With the passing of days, seasons and years, I’ve understood that nothing is random or coincidental, and all that is put in our path is to teach, remind, or give us the opportunity to choose where to go next. I’ve also noticed that the universe tends to deliver new ideas, concepts and thoughts for us to ponder with subtle repetition. There is a commonality not always evident in the moment. Sometimes it takes a bit of squinting to see what has been connected with the universe’s invisible thread.

Transformation is the wondrous process by which a desire for change becomes a reality. In its highest form, it transmutes something from one state of being to another. The new state is one of higher positive vibration. Transformation is the reward that happens when we are not afraid to explore the nudges we feel when something no longer works. Those nudges can be asking us to make behavioral, physical, emotional, psychological or spiritual changes. Regardless of what needs to be looked at, the road to transformation takes awakening, awareness and ultimately, a commitment to doing the necessary work.

A very dear friend old mine called to share some amazing news about an exciting opportunity coming his way. As he was talking, I was thinking about his life as a poor boy in Colombia surrounded by the destruction of drug lords, his struggles to pay for his education in London, a major career change during a recession and his determination to build careers for artists that he believes in. All of this has come full circle to his life’s work, where a passion for social justice and art intersect. I asked if he had ever paused to reflect how all those seemingly disparate threads of his life story have come together to sew the businessman, husband, father; passionate human being and wonderful friend that he has become. He said he had not.