We have made it to the finals days of the challenge! I want to first start by expressing gratitude for all whom have participated. I am inspired and filled with joy watching everyone’s journey. From our in person sessions, to the daily posts, and our live (sometimes technology challenged) sessions, I’ve been truly blessed by this community. As we wrap up the challenge, I want to post a couple questions for the group. Please use the comment section below to answer. 1. What has been your biggest takeaway? 2. What has been the biggest hurdle to overcome? 3. Did your “why” change through the practice? 4. What would you give as a tip or suggestion for someone starting back at Day 1? Again, thank you all so much. Let’s enjoy these last couple days of the challenge! Also the 30th day lands on a live class session if everyone can make it?! See you on the mat, Daniel

Today, I was inspired by the sight of dedication from the gym goes and class attendees. The gym was a brisk 49 degree F. this morning when I got to the gym, ultimately forcing the cancellation of our in-person class. The gym, eventually warmed up, but we still had to honor the class cancellation. But, what I witnessed come class time was a group of participants that wouldn’t let the situation stop them from their practice. Life, much like the furnace at the gym, is going to throw some issues our way. What we do and how we respond, is on us. There will be, and probably already have been days like this. We have every reason in the book to not practice, yet we show up anyway. This discipline and intrinsic motivation is what will carry us to new heights in our meditations, stretches, and or breath work. We can’t wait for our practice to be perfect, all we can do is focus on one breath, stretch, or mindful second at a time. I can’t wait to hear of the results as we enter and move through week 4. Thank you all, Daniel.

Just as stacking therapies can amplify their individual benefits, stacking intentional practices can deepen our inner experience. Many of us are familiar with the calm that settles in after stretching, breathwork, or meditation. Others have felt the subtle lift—the inner smile—that comes from expressing gratitude, whether spoken aloud or captured on the page. Today, I want to invite you to explore the power of combining these two practices. The order matters less than the intention. What’s most important is that meditation and gratitude journaling happen in close proximity to one another, allowing their effects to blend and build. One approach is to begin with meditation and follow it with a gratitude journal entry. From a quieter, more centered inner landscape, you may find it easier to recognize what you’re grateful for. Clarity replaces effort. Gratitude flows more naturally. The second approach begins with gratitude journaling and transitions into meditation. In this case, many people notice their meditation deepening as the feeling of gratitude becomes the focal point. The heart opens first, and the mind follows. Gratitude journaling, as many of you have discovered, is a quiet superpower. It shifts perspective, softens resistance, and gently redirects attention toward what is supportive and meaningful. Meditation, in its own way, offers profound peace—an opportunity to rest in awareness rather than thought. When we combine the two, something unique happens. Perspective meets presence. Reflection meets stillness. The practices don’t compete—they complement. Today, I invite you to stack them. —Daniel

The week has been mixed: some days went well and some days the busy mind won. Ready for Challenge Week 2!

Where we meditate is just as important as why we meditate. Now, most would assume that we should meditate in places that embody the destination or goal of where we want to go. Most picture a serene river side, a beautiful mountain scape, or a yoga studio. The truth is, these places are all external to the internal beauty we seek. Let me expand. The goal is a serene, calm, and peaceful inner landscape. The home we live in, our entire life. Our meditation practice is a visit to the inside of the home. Just like a home, inside we may find clutter, we may find chaos, or maybe we find a place of tranquility. So how do we change the where of our practice? Today, I invite you to take yourself to a place of more peace. This can mean, imagining a place where you feel the most amount of calm, like the mountain top. Or, picture, sitting at the end of your dock at your cabin. Or, sitting by your favorite view on your daily walk. Or, maybe it’s a specific location you visited on a vacation. Wherever it is, take yourself there. By doing so, we will remind ourselves that, no matter where we practice, we can always return to the calm inner landscape. In fact, I would encourage we take this practice into the external environments that would normally be more challenging to meditate. Let me know, where you go, Daniel.