It is the inside, not the outside that counts, right? That is what we hear but what we see around us is totally different.  Every day, we are inundated with images of so-called ”perfect” physical beauty and we feel pressured to measure up.  These two concepts of beauty seem to contradict one another.  If beauty is on the inside, then we should be putting our energy into cultivating ourselves to be the greatest possible versions of ourselves.  If beauty is on the outside, we need to head to the gym, the spa or the mall!

Do you know how great you are?  Are you aware of the gifts you possess, of the difference you can make in the lives of others?  Do you embrace Who You Really Are – your strength, your love, your grace, your beauty and your brilliance?  Are you connected with that part of yourself, or are you hiding?

We all have two lives; the one we are living and the one we dream about.  Sure, the life we dream about may include many aspects of the one we are currently living, but there is always something more we dream of.  It could be gaining material wealth or creating a more solid foundation for ourselves.  It could be starting a family, or having a richer experience of the family we already have. It could be realizing success or simply loving the person looking back at you in the mirror.  We all have a life we dream of.  We always want something more – it is part of being human.

Every so often, I get an inexplicable surge of random domesticity and am driven to engage in new projects such as creating elaborate gourmet meals, exotic floral arrangements or homemade lotions.  Generally, these projects are inspired by an approaching holiday and this time, I was inspired by one of my mother’s traditions. Each year, my mother would have my sister and I make pomanders by studding oranges with fresh cloves, attaching ribbons and hanging them around the house. To this day, the smell of orange and clove evokes memories of warm fires on snowy days, time spent with family and the excitement of the holiday season.