"We cannot cure the world of sorrows but we can choose to live in joy."

-Joseph Campbell

Hello Sheila,

Happy December, the final month of the year, and what a year it has been for us all collectively and also in our individual and community lives.

As you open this month’s newsletter, I invite you to pause for a moment and take a deep breath followed by a long exhale. How did that feel? Not quite enough? Then do it again. Allow yourself to feel just a little lighter. The pace of life really is accelerating and there's such a sense at the moment of a need to pay attention to our central nervous systems.

I began writing this newsletter back in the spring of 2020 to offer encouragement to others as we were all going through a hard time. It’s fair to say that as we progress through the decade we continue to be on a journey together with varying levels of turbulence along the way.

Read this newsletter and take notes of what resonates with you. Print it out and highlight the parts you want to explore. That’s what I do. I go back and read them (yes, really I do!) during the month as a reference for important dates, when I need a quick menu idea, or when I feel the need to reconnect and tune in to the focus of the month.

Recent events in the world, including the U.S. election, particular wars, and dramatic weather have left many filled with a range of intense emotions.

My work as a health coach started more than a decade ago when healing mental and behavioral health challenges that our young son was experiencing. It was a tumultuous time to say the least and many low days of confusion, despair, and concern over an unknown outcome.

While the first tangible steps to healing were dietary and lifestyle changes, there was a lot of spiritual work going on too. It's difficult to explain in words, but ultimately, I made the decision, that as long as I was in charge of my son's care I would do whatever it takes to ensure his best outcome. I refused to believe that there would be any other outcome than a full recovery. I never really doubted that we would get to the other side. Day after day, week after week, month after month, and eventually year after year, we did the work.

We woke up everyday and engaged in our story to make it the best it could be, just for that day. We are the most nourishing food available to us at the time and chose activities that were more likely to bring in the positive growth. And we did it again the next day. And when it got crazy, we learned to try again and make the next hour better than the last. And miraculously with the power of grace and of love, the days got a little better and a little lighter. We expanded and tried new things and kept on the journey. Miraculously, after a decade long journey, he was healed, and now the sky's the limit. He is free to live his life to the fullest without being defined by a diagnosis.

For me, the most important and inspiring part of this story is that in order to arrive at a point of healing we had to change, and be willing to change. We had to change our beliefs and ideas of what was possible and how to get there. I had to tune into my intuition and pursue an unconventional path that wasn't well understood at that time. There was no pill to offer a cure, no quick fix.

The "cure" was to become empowered with understanding of our own fortitude and gifts and compassion for one another. To recognize that we can choose to live our lives in a way that our differences are by design what makes each of us unique and important to the whole. And while we are beyond thrilled at the healing of the situation, we continue to move forward each day; with a new outlook, a new lens on what is possible which continues to expand.

The goal here isn't really to get to a place where things are always and comfortable (as we have been told and often believe), but rather to become stronger in courage and confidence and even calmness that the same situations don't impact us and we move into new growth experiences.

The focus of December is JOY.

Joy is the serious business of heaven. -C.S. Lewis

It’s more important than ever that we each cultivate joy in our lives. For some that may sound impossible, especially with all difficult situations ongoing around the world. It’s a choice each day to take steps each to live your own best life or get swept away in the waves and deluges of fear, worry, negativity, and even hate. But we have a choice every day. And when we notice we are getting swept away, we have the power to choose to reset and make a new choice. Grace is a wonder to experience.

Start with the intention to discover joy, to create joy, to experience joy, to receive joy, to feel joy, to be joy. Focus on joy and it will appear in unexpected places, that's often the case. Maybe you hear a favorite song playing while shopping or receive a message from a loved one. Maybe it's your favorite dish on the menu or a long embrace and tender words from a partner.

With intention in place, we must be mindful of our thoughts and words. Thoughts and words direct our reality. Are we thinking and saying that we are having a joyful day or speaking of our fears and worries. Our words are steering our days and our lives. This doesn't mean to never talk about challenges; but when talking and sharing about challenges, we must be willing to take action and explore solutions. That's the journey.

Allowing joy is an expression of freedom. In his book, Man's Search for Meaning, Victor Frankl, chronicling his accounts as a Jew in a German concentration camp during WWII, reminds us that "Our greatest freedom is the freedom to choose our attitude."

Helen Keller is further inspiration who again all odd of birth found joy and shares these words of wisdom: "Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties."

This December, choose joy in your actions and in your words. Despite all of the noise and maybe even chaos going on around us, the joy we experience is a model of inspiration and possibility for everyone around us. By choosing joy, we choose to be the light in our communities and in our families.

Be sure to have a look at the announcements section and share with friends who. you think would be interested in this content.

As the last month of the year, we start thinking about a review of the year and making goals and plans and revisions for the new year. We started the year with a focus on focus and moved through Purification - Balance - Discipline - Beauty - Curiosity - Home - Laughter - Grit - Alignment - Gratitude - and now Joy!

Click Here to go back and review past newsletters.

What a great year of growth, exploration, and discovery! I am so proud of each and every one of us. Honor your journey by lighting a candle or finding a moment to yourself. Connect with others and share your experiences together.

This month, I am looking forward to festive celebrations with friends and our family being all together at the end of the month. May you, your families, friends, and loved ones experience a month of blessings and joy as we move through this final month of 2024.

Cheers,

Sheila

sheila@sheilascoaching.com

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy. - Thich Nhat Hanh

Featured Blog Post: Origins and Symbolism of December Traditions

It's darker and colder as the sun moves south. The landscape becomes more bare as trees shed their autumn leaves. Some animals go into hibernation. And there are many traditions that we celebrate as well.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

New Client Intakes: I have two spaces available for new client intakes before 23 December. If you've been ready to take the next step, don't hesitate and get a head start on your new year goals. This process starts with a free consultation of approx. 20 minutes to discover what will work best for you.

Click here to schedule your Consultation

Country Walks and Days Out

Getting out in nature and our of your daily routine is an important element of wellness so much so that I am offering walks and outings uniquely curated just for you and your group.

--> Reply to this email to learn more and get started on planning your own's group's next day out.

Exciting news coming in the new year! I've been working on some exciting new projects and look forward to sharing more with you in the new year. In the meantime, keep connected to the monthly challenges and seasonal menus. I can't wait to share more with you.

Local Outings and Monthly Chats will resume in January.

All calls are confidential. I have extensive personal experience with mental health like anxiety, depression, or mania, family wellness, inflammation, weight management and pre-diabetes, stress, and hormone balance.

DECEMBER - JOY

A flower blooms for its own joy. -Oscar Wilde

December begins in Sagittarius season with its expansive festive energy. As we move beyond the days of the Solstice, we enter Capricorn, a cardinal sign that may trigger us into thinking about new things we want to initiate in the new year.

We also begin the month with a new moon and Mercury into it's final retrograde of the year. This offers opportunities to revise and reset starting now.

21 November - 21 December Sagittarius Season - Fire sign, Festive occasions, optimism, and light heartedness abound. Expansiveness, boldness, and playfulness come into action.

1 December - New Moon - The new moon is a time of clearing out and setting intentions for the weeks ahead. As this one is on the first of the month, it's an auspicious time for a reset.

6 December - St Nicholas Day - A gift giving tradition dating back as far as the 4th century in Germany. To prepare for the visit, children would tidy their rooms and clean their toys. 

13 December - St. Lucia's Day - Also tracing back to the 4th century, a festival of lights celebrated in Sweden, Norway, and parts of Finland.

15 December - Full Moon - The full moon each month is a reminder to be grateful for the abundance in our lives.

15 December - Mercury retrograde ends - Take the lessons learned from the retrograde and move forward in confidence.

21 December - Capricorn Season begins - Earth Sign. Get more grounded and settled into the winter season. A great time to start something new and make solid plans for the year ahead

21 December - Global Solstice - The sun has dipped to its most southern point on the horizon indicating the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere and longest day in the southern hemisphere.

25 December - Christmas Day - A celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ whose teachings have come to symbolize a light to the world in the Christian tradition.

25 December - 2 January Hannukuh, Jewish festival of the lights celebrating the miracle of the oil represented in the Menorah with one light for each night.

26-1 January - Kwanzaa Celebrations - A weeklong celebration honoring African heritage in the African American community. The seven principles of Kwanzaa, in order of celebration, are: Unity (Umoja), self-determination (Kujichagulia), collective work and responsibility (Ujima), cooperative economics (Ujamaa), purpose (Nia), creativity (Kuumba), and faith (Imani). Candles are lit each day to remember and reflect.

30 December - New Moon - A bonus new moon this month to bring in the new year fresh and clear. The new moon is a time of clearing out and setting intentions for the weeks ahead.

31 December - New Year's Eve - final day of 2024 ushers us all into the new year 2025!

Resources & Links:

Blog posts:

Forget Exercise - Move more!

Books:

• A Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl
• A personal account of experienced in a German concentration camp in WWII coupled with a theory of psychotherapy
• The Book of Joy by Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu with Douglas Abrams
• The conversation in this book explores the manuy attributes that foster joy.
• Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
• Sleep expert Matthew Walker digs into the deep science of sleep and what happens when we neglect to prioritize adequate sleep.

Featured Blog Post: 5 Simple Steps to boost your Immunity

Let's face it folks, we need to have a strong immune system to live life to the fullest each day. Especilly during the sometimes busy festive season be sure to have the basics in check.

Challenges of the Month - JOY

Gift yourself with filling your cup rather than depleting it this month by choosing one or more of the monthly challenges to keep your energy present and positive cultivating joy for yourself and others during this festive season.

December is time of celebration and community. In that sense, I have chosen December to add a new category to the challenges of the month which will now include COMMUNITY.

The challenges are generally listed this month as focusing on one area has a knock on effect to other areas. For example, getting enough sleep lends to having fewer sweets cravings and ensures sufficient cognitive fuel to make good decisions for yourself.

These challenges are general to the collective fostering of wellness. When I'm working with 1:1 clients, we get very specific on goals that are completely customized to the individual situation. If you are ready to fine tune your own situation or support a younger or older family member, reply to this email and we ill work out a convenient time for a free consultation.

BODY

• Get enough sleep.
• Move! Moving helps regulate blood sugar. A walk after a meal is a great place to start.
• Eat sweets last. No sugar on an empty stomach.

MIND

• Find a moment to be quiet and still every day, preferably first thing in the morning before connecting to devices and other outside influence.
• MOVE! Moving help clear uncomfortable energy. Go for a walk, move to some music, do some stretches and move intuitively.
• Do analog activities like read a book (the actual physical book), do a jigsaw, hand-write holiday cards.

SPIRIT

• Schedule down time or unscripted time.
• Create a Joy Journal. Write out all the things that bring you joy and set an intention to experience that in your life.
• Move! Moving helps release energetic impact from external influences which may include events, people, places, or even memories that bring discomfort.

COMMUNITY

• Find a community event that interests you. Attend with an open mind and take joy in new connections.
• Alone or together? - Most of us either crave either more company or more alone time depending on our current situation. Recognize which one will make you feel better and take the next step to take necessary space or reconnect with friends, family, and community.

Monthly challenges are about being in a state of continual renewal and restoration. Maybe its the right time to reach out for a a couple of Jumpstart Sessions to discover the best challenges unique to you and your own growth.

It's important to remember that our body, mind, and spirit are all connected. Many things will support more than one simultaneously. Also, when we focus on one area we may find ourselves uplifted in other areas as well.

FAMILY/COMMUNITY CONNECTION: Share the monthly challenges and ask family members which one they are most interested in trying out. This is a great way to connect collectively or individually. You can get a pulse on how everyone is doing while strengthening honest and open communication which gives everyone the opportunity to support one another. That's a WIN - WIN - WIN in my books!

I love focusing on just a couple of things at a time. Remember this is about building strong foundations one brick at a time. Continue to stay well hydrated, get plenty of movement throughout the day, don't skimp on sleep, and practice gratitude.

MENU OF THE MONTH:

We all look forward and are often comforted by the seasonal "treats" found in abundance in December. Choose those which you enjoy the most and enjoy them.

The weather changes dramatically in the northern hemisphere as we have fewer hours of sunlight and the weather may be unpredictable.

This is a season to choose sour and tangy foods that will build a strong immunity to deal with the fluctuations. Additionally, citrus fruits come into season to to season to further bolster the system with vitamin C.

This month's menu includes an homage to the tradition of our family trips to Ireland at Christmastime and the soups and stews that kept us warm.

Remember that eating protein before something very sweet reduces blood sugar fluctuations which lead to unstable energy.

These menus, like my coaching sessions, are made for you to customize them according to your likes and preferences and what fits best into your life and your regular meals. They are a framework meant to be adjusted.

Get in touch if you would like more menu support or would like a specific recipe.

Email me at sheila@sheilascoaching.com

Breakfast:

Avocado Omelet

Half Grapefruit

Lunch:

Seared Salmon Salad with roasted squash and red onions

1-2 pieces of chocolate covered ginger

Snack: Clementines

Dinner:

Beef Stew - (I like Nom Nom Paleo's recipe) or Vegetable Stew

Garlic Bread or Biscuits

Evening Drink:

Ginger or Cinnamon Tea

Remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day and listen to your body's hunger and fullness cues.

May you find peace in

the promise of the solstice night, 

that each day forward

is blessed with more light.

That the cycle of nature, unbroken and true,

brings faith to your soul and wellbeing to you.

Rejoice in the darkness, in the silence find rest,

and may the days that follow be abundantly blessed.

-Winter Solstice Blessing

*** There are dozens of routes you could take to navigate health challenges, and you need to know which one will work best for you and your situation. I work with clients to find the smallest changes within the context of each lifestyle that will make the biggest positive impact.

In my experience, it's the simple tweaks that can really move the needle here and they might be in your blind spot.

Get in touch to discover what will work best for your unique self! Also available for families ensuring each member gets their needs met.

sheila@sheilascoaching.com ***

1:1 Health Coaching, Certified and Insured Health Coach

A Health Coach is an expert at sorting through the details to identify the source of the challenges and works together with you create a plan towards an obtainable solution.

All 1:1 clients get fully customized support to find the most simple adjustments to reach their health and wellness goals through a variety of holistic modalities.

GROUP COACHING:

Want your family to be in a better mood or your team to be more productive? Or do you just want to team up with others towards better health and increased energy? Diet and lifestyle choices make a huge impact especially in terms of longterm vitality.

This can range from a one-time workshop or talk to a full extended program with weekly sessions.

All of my work is totally bespoke to you and your group. Email me at sheila@sheilascoaching.com to discuss how we can work together.

Want to receive this weekly email directly into your inbox?

Sign up here and you'll be on the list!