Good Monday Morning- and Groundhog Day! Here in PA, our most famous prophetic rodent is named Punxsatawney Phil. He resides in western PA and draws lots of people to this small town every February. Apparently, Groundhog Day stemmed from an ancient Christian holiday called Candlemas- basically a halfway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox. I love how this has become a fun tradition at a time when most of us in PA are getting tired of the cold winter weather. Traditions and rituals help us to keep going and have something to look forward to. Rituals can also be personal things that we do to honor a lost loved one’s life or birthday. A new tradition/ritual that I started this year to honor my sister’s birthday was to buy a “Carvel Cookie Puss” cake complete with her name, Erica, written on it. It was a good way to remember her and the laughter and joy we shared over this simple thing. What are some of the things that you do as traditions to remember and honor your loved ones? Week 7 of the 12 week program is dedicated to creating Traditions and Rituals based on memories of loved ones. 💝 Julie

I finally got around to putting Christmas away. This made me think that we often live life on auto-pilot and are literally just going “through the motions.” I came to this realization when I sat down to take a break and actually looked at the ornaments on my tree a little closer. My focus went to the beautiful one honoring my sister- “Always my sister, forever my angel”. On the surrounding branches are a red cardinal that symbolizes signs that I got from her after she passed, and a little angel that says “Joy” on it. What a great reminder from the little angel that was just put there, without thought, to fill a spot on the tree. We need to stop just going through the motions. Some days we need to slow down and look at things in a mindful, reflective way. It’s easy to be on auto pilot and just get through the day. It’s hard to slow down, but if we do that, and actually look around to purposely notice things, it can change our moods and perspectives. It doesn’t take huge things, rather the little ones that actually can bring us some Joy- just like the little angel on my tree says. 😇j

Good morning🌅! Here in the U.S. on the East Coast, we had a major snowstorm come through Sunday to Monday. We had about 12 inches of snow where I live in Pennsylvania. We are still digging out and trying to clear roads. Winter is a hard season here. I am daydreaming about warm weather and beaches. I am also thinking about how this relates to grief and grief journeys. There are a few connections to make here: 1. After the cold, bleak months of winter comes the promise of new beginnings when Spring and then the warmer weather of Summer arrives. Just like a season of grief, we can move into a season of healing and peace. This one seems pretty obvious. 2. Looking at the water and my pictures from different locations I have visited, the locations are different but the water looks the same. The connection to grief journeys is not as obvious with this one. As I look at the two pictures- one was taken in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and one was taken in Lambertville, New Jersey. I know they are very different, unique locations. Just as everyone’s grief is different and unique to them, but how we heal ourselves and get better has a universal thread. Being intentional about appreciation for nature, and noticing the beauty around us, is one way we can start to heal. Even if you don’t live by water, just looking at a pond nearby, a screen saver/picture or book with scenes of water or nature- soaking it in automatically starts to reset your brain and body.

One Free Soul Grief Journey: Grief Coaching Reimagined At One Free Soul, I understand that grief can feel overwhelming, isolating, and complex. My mission is to create a safe and nurturing space where individuals can explore their feelings and navigate the intricate journey of loss. I believe that grief is a universal experience, but each person's path is unique. Through personalized coaching and compassionate support, I aim to empower individuals to find solace, healing, and freedom amidst their sorrow. I am here to help you process your emotions and reclaim your narrative. Together, we will work towards cultivating hope, resilience, and a renewed sense of purpose.