My dad came to visit a few weeks ago. It was his first time seeing my house completed. As I watched him take in the surroundings, my heart swelled with pride and excitement. 

But then, reality hit - he didn’t realize where he was. My dad has Alzheimer’s.

In that moment, I found myself crying two very different types of tears.

Tears of gratitude welled up as I reflected on how blessed I’ve been to have the best dad.

Simultaneously, tears of sadness fell as I watched my dad fade away, no longer remembering my name.

That’s the thing with gratitude. It’s not always the pure, joyful emotion we often associate it with. Sometimes, it comes hand in hand with sadness, creating a bittersweet cocktail of feelings that’s hard to describe but deeply human.

As we approach Thanksgiving here in the United States, I find myself in this space between gratitude and grief. I’m thinking about all the blessings in my life - my home, my memories, the love I’ve experienced. At the same time, I’m acutely aware of those who have lost so much this past year.

This experience has taught me that gratitude isn’t about ignoring the hard parts of life. It’s about acknowledging the full spectrum of our experiences. 

It’s possible - and sometimes necessary - to hold both gratitude and sadness in our hearts.

So, this Thanksgiving, I encourage you to embrace all your feelings.

Be thankful for what you have, but don’t shy away from acknowledging your losses.

This, after all, is the journey of life - a beautiful, messy, complicated journey that deserves to be felt in its entirety.

With a heart full of gratitude (and a touch of sadness),

The Art of Noticing

The art of being happy lies in the power of extracting happiness from common things.

~ Henry Ward Beecher

In our quest for remarkable moments, we often overlook the quiet beauty that surrounds us daily. Recognition begins with the simple act of noticing - seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary, the sacred in the mundane.

This week, practice the art of deep noticing. Observe how sunlight plays across your morning coffee, the way your child’s eyes crinkle when they laugh, or how your favorite sweater brushes against your skin. These seemingly small moments hold profound beauty when we pause to truly see them.

Life’s greatest gifts often come disguised as ordinary moments. By cultivating the art of noticing, we transform everyday experiences into treasured memories.

MIISTA Black Malene Boots

I knew the moment I saw these boots that they were something special. The butter-soft leather, contrast stitching, and stacked heel of these MIISTA Black Malene Boots speak to a level of craftsmanship that’s becoming rare in our world.

They’re the kind of boots that catch your eye across a room – demanding recognition not through flash but through quiet elegance. Like a woman who knows her worth, they command attention while remaining understated.

Uncommon Gratitude

This week, we’re going beyond the usual gratitude practice to explore how recognition and appreciation can transform even our most challenging moments.

I’m sharing intimate stories about finding beauty in unexpected places and how to practice what I call “uncommon gratitude” – the kind that shows up not just in life’s highlights but in its shadows, too.

Learn practical ways to develop a deeper recognition of life’s gifts, even when they come wrapped in difficult packages. Plus, discover how this practice can reshape your relationship with both joy and sorrow.