I just recently saw the national tour of “If/Then” in San Francisco, starring the amazing Idina Menzel. This tony award winning musical tells the story of one women and what her life would be like if she took one route in her life vs. another. It was deeply moving, (I wish I had thought to bring Kleenex!). It also poignantly pointed out that no path we choose is perfect. Part of being human is experiencing the contrast of life’s ups and downs. I actually believe this is what makes life interesting. Would the sweetness of life feel so sweet if it were sweet all the time? I believe there is a gift in every experience we have – whether it is a joyous moment, a seemingly mundane one, or another that’s deeply tragic. Seeking that gift is part of my process and it has helped me feel tremendous amounts of fulfillment even during some extremely challenging times.

At this time of Thanksgiving, it is a great reminder for us to look for the gifts in our lives and for what we are truly thankful. Each one of us has our own unique recipe of blessings in our lives. How often do you stop to think about the blessings in your life and in your business?

Where do you spend more time? 1) Thinking about the blessings and gifts in your life or, 2) Thinking about the parts of your life that aren’t working and you wish were different?

Both of these are useful in their own way. Where you focus your attention gets your energy. Are you focusing on the parts of your life that creates more energy, sustains it, or drains it?

Thanksgiving is about bringing intentionality to celebrating life and family and focusing on our blessings. It is always such a joyous occasion for me. I love to go around the table and hear from each dinner guest what they are thankful for. It’s such a heartwarming and expansive experience.

I try to weave the Thanksgiving essence into my business every day. As an example, I start each coaching call with “What can we celebrate about your business today?” When I start working with people, sometimes this question takes them off guard. They know what they want to change (that is why they hired a business mentor and coach), and it’s sometimes hard to find the celebrations at first. It is engrained in our culture to always focus on the next thing or what needs to be “fixed”. I ask this question in this way, very intentionally, to help foster an essence of celebration and gratitude in my mastermind group and with my clients. No matter what is happening in your business, there is always something to celebrate and acknowledge. How can you weave celebration into your business every day?

I want to celebrate having an amazing community of followers. You being one of them! I am grateful you are part of my community! I am truly blessed that I get to work with amazing entrepreneurs and help them step into their dream of having a joyous, prosperous, successFULL practice. I revel in hearing the stories of celebration from my clients every day and the huge impact they are having on the world.

I am also grateful for having a wonderful and loving family. My awesome sister in law, Marlo, playfully refers to our side of the family as “Team Butler” when we rally around a challenge. With that type of support and love, there is no challenge that is insurmountable. Although “Team Floch” is much more compact (just me, my husband, and mother in law, Val), I know we all have each other’s backs.

As I head off to Carmel by the Sea with part of “Team Butler” and all of “Team Floch” to celebrate this joyous Holiday, I’ll get to also visit the spot that Eric and I got married 3 years ago (on October 22^nd) there on the beach. So much life has been packed into our 3 short years of marriage and I am truly grateful to have found a partner who loves me through all the ups and downs of this human experience and vice versa.

I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope it is full of celebration, gratitude, and joy!

With appreciation,