In the past week we've spoken about 5 principles of success as described in "The Rhythm of Life" by Matthew Kelly (more here : day-1-purpose; day-2-priorities; day-3-balance; day-4-discipline; day-5-growth). Today we delve into the sixth principle: Faith. (Just a small but important note, the term success here can be applied to many areas of life, and ultimately, it's really just about intentionally becoming the best version of yourself.) Principle 6: FAITH "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.": – Martin Luther King, Jr. In The Rhythm of Life, faith isn’t presented as certainty or emotional intensity but rather as fidelity/loyalty to committed action over time. Just as love is a verb, faith is also a verb...Faith grows similarly with how trust grows in psychology: through repeated, consistent choices aligned with values, especially when feelings fluctuate (and the feelings will fluctuate). It's not so much about feeling our way into faith, but rather practicing our way into it. (gulp on this one....man...) Psychologically, faith functions as kind of an organizing principle-making sense of things. It can provide a system for giving meaning to challenges, it can give direction to effort, and also a way to be regulated even amidst uncertainty. It's not blind. It is NOT just intellectual belief but rather a dynamic, living relationship, encompassing trust, loyalty, and a transformative way of life. Without it, the mind defaults to control, anxiety, or perfectionism. With it, uncertainty becomes tolerable. Just a note...faith doesn’t remove doubt but it can help so that we're not ruled by it and it can help us to ask the 'right' questions for clarity.

Live webinar - healing trauma! Not sure if they'll have a free playback in the future but this is great so far! Thank you so so much @Christopher LaManna for this share!! https://go.mentorshow.com/offers/healing-days-new-york

This past week we stealthily crossed the 100 member milestone and I'm so so excited for it! A couple of you reached out about it (thank you!!) and @Chris Wendt 's post here100-members means so so much to me... This milestone belongs to all of you! It truly does! Thank you for showing up, contributing your voices, sharing your experiences, and helping create this space into what it is today. I never anticipated how this little corner of skool was going to take shape and I am so so truly thankful for it and for you all. A gift that I never knew was needed and didn't see coming. My heart is overflowing with joy. The connections formed and nurtured, the conversations sparked, and the growth truly wouldn’t exist without your willingness to engage and support one another and me. This community is possible because of you-your presence, insight, and energy matter more than you know. Thank you for making it the special space that it is. Here’s to what we’ve built together so far, and to everything still ahead!!!!💛 Excited!!!!!

For those celebrating: Merry Christmas! :) While not everyone is celebrating Christmas on the same day or in the same way, the message of hope is still there. :) Funsies calendar facts: Most of the Western world follows the Gregorian calendar, placing Christmas on December 25. Many Eastern Christian traditions follow the Julian calendar, where December 25 falls in early January. Same feast. Same meaning. Different ways of keeping time. (funsies fact: the gregorian calendar was introduced in 1582 and slowly shifted over the next few centuries; prior to this, the world operated under the julian calendar. some churches--to keep aligned with the liturgical life/component, maintained this 'older' calendar). Beyond dates, celebrations vary too. Some mark Christmas with quiet liturgy and fasting, others with family gatherings, music, food, and gift-giving. Some are in the middle of Advent; others have already arrived at the feast. Whether kept by the Julian reckoning (what a word!) or the Gregorian, Christmas proclaims the same mystery: the Eternal entered time, and the Word was made flesh. May the Light that came into the world shine upon you. Merry Christmas friends!!!! So thankful for you all! :) :) :) Do you celebrate Christmas?

I've been thinking about other people's lives a lot this past week--especially as we encounter the holiday season. Sonder is the realization that every person you pass has a life as complex and vivid as your own. The 'main character' of their own stories but also the 'side characters' of many more. Strangers in a strange land. Each person is carrying unseen stories, responsibilities,grief, joys,hopes, disappointments... Perspective taking is the skill of holding that awareness without losing yourself. It does not mean excusing behavior but it does mean understanding context. When we practice sonder, we soften assumptions and we interrupt our reactivity and postpone our judgments. We make room for curiosity. This shift can change how we interpret conflict, misunderstandings, and silence. It can change a moment from aggression/reaction to something more peaceful. It can help us step outside of ourselves. Question to ponder: What might shift if you paused to consider that someone else’s behavior is shaped by a story you cannot see? Poll: How do you manage interpersonal challenges?