069/100

Bless 2020 in your own unique way. Every one of us, whether we step out into the world today, walk around our neighborhoods, or stay indoors, has the ability to bless our surroundings and bring in joy. I appreciate each and every one of you.

💗 K.

068/100

Bless 2020 with a list of 30...

💗 K.

~Don't think too hard, just pick up a pen and scrawl the first thirty things that come to mind when you ask yourself, "What makes me smile?" Come back to this list often. Here are mine:

Campfires on the beach.

Walking through the woods.

Swimming in Lake Superior with my daughter.

Peanut butter on toast.

Cozy blankets.

Caribou coffee.

Beautiful yarn to knit.

Silly messages from friends.

Mailing a letter.

Getting a letter!

When my make-up looks just right.

Being barefoot.

Riding in convertibles.

Hiking on the SHT.

Whenever my kids walk into the room.

Snowmobiling at night with Wade.

Helping brides.

Mary Oliver.

Creating art.

Dancing in the kitchen for no reason.

My dog's face.

Jackson. (Ellen and Andrew's puppy)

Joking around with my mom.

Reminiscing with my sister.

When Amy calls.

Driving to Wisconsin Point.

Keeping promises to myself.

The view from Palisade Head.

Remembering my successes.

A clean swept floor.

Snoopy.

Okay, that's 31. Now it's your turn.

067/100

Bless 2020 with all your senses. Sights, sounds, fragrances, taste, and textures, these are instant anchors to the present moment--where serenity lies.

💗 K.

 066/100

Embrace 2020 because you have friends!

💗 K.

065/100

Embrace 2020, it's Thanksgiving!!

💗 K.

~I give thanks for this tradition, for a meal like no other, and for a country that I love. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! May you feel the blessings of your life as you pass the mashed potatoes today, may you know that you are loved.

064/100

Love 2020 by asking your Grandma or Grandpa to tell you a story.

💗 K.

~Family and story go hand in hand for me. The oral traditions are the most enduring and worth preserving. Connection is key in all its forms.  

063/100

Bless 2020 by appreciating what's out your front door.

💗 K.

~I am lucky enough to live in the north, near the magnificent Lake Superior. Going down to the shore, or even gazing out my window on my way to work, never fails to lift my spirits. You may not live near a vast inland sea, but we all have something just outside our door to fill us up. Look around your community with fresh eyes and see what's there, what buzzes with beauty. Take it in with gratitude.

062/100

Bless 2020 with patience.

💗 K.

~I had a dream two nights ago that I was in a large waiting room with my son and we were both surrounded by joyous, laughing people. The energy in the room was infectious! I couldn't understand why I was so happy in this room full of strangers, and what were we waiting for? Then I realized that none of us were wearing masks. It was over. We were free to smile, whoop with joy and hug one another. We'll get there. Sometimes it's very, very, very hard to wait.

061/100

Bless 2020 by saying YES to a trip you've been longing to take.

💗 K.

~I am planning a trip to Scotland in 2022. I'm saving up. I am going to find the land where my Great-grandma Mary lived as a child, stand before the house where my Grandpa Alex was born, breathe in the air, walk along the coast, close the distance between myself and the country that held my ancestors.

060/100

Embrace 2020 by listening to water run.

💗 K.

~Whether it's the trickle of a tiny stream, like this mini waterfall making its way to the lake, or a river, or even rain, water is life. It is a soothing soundtrack to a worried day.

059/100

Bless 2020 with a nature-inspired mandala. It's so much fun!

💗 K.

~I can't recommend this practice enough. Every day I head outside (with my little bag of acorns) I lose myself in this activity. It takes no time, and yet some days an hour goes by before I know it. I am discovering how leaves change after they have fallen, how I can still find green if I know where to look, and how hard it is to create in the wind. I started this one when I found the bright leaf on the left and placed it against dark mud on a nearby trail. The rest came together after that. Like I said--so much fun!

 058/100

Embrace 2020 with a cup of  Tension Tamer tea.

💗 K.

~While pregnant with my son (twenty-four years ago), I was offered a cup of this deliciousness by a friend. I've tried many other teas, but this one never disappoints.

057/100

Bless 2020 by mailing a card to someone who's lost someone this year. Use your best handwriting and pick a pretty stamp.

💗 K.

~I am an avid letter writer. There's nothing better than going to the mailbox and seeing a letter from a friend. It takes little time to add thoughts to paper and pop it in the mail. Think about what you would write in a text message, it's that simple.

056/100

Bless 2020 with laughter.

💗 K.

~ My first job was waitressing at Walgreens Restaurant in the Miller Hill Mall. My sister also worked there, and when we were together inevitably we would carry on, as sisters do, laughing. It was said they could hear the Ramsay sisters coming. 😄

 

 055/100

Bless 2020 by being open to advice. Take someone's book recommendation, try a new way of eating, calmly listen to critics and take what works.

💗 K.

 054/100

Bless 2020 by letting go of anger.

💗 K.

~These black leaves were a surprise. Every possible color exists out there, just as every emotion flows through us. Anger can be necessary, and productive, but destructive if we let it stew. 

 053/100

Love 2020 for the miracle of water turning to ice .

💗 K.

~This incredible circular swirl of frozen foam sat waiting for me at the edge of The Baptism River, near one of my favorite spots to swim. 

 052/100

Love 2020 for all its celebrations. Birthdays! Engagements! Promotions! Babies!

💗 K.

~Life keeps moving, regardless. Our gatherings may be different, but look at the opportunities we now have for creativity. Small and intimate can be richer and more meaningful, it's all where we put our heart and time. 

 051/100

Bless 2020 by finding elephants in the clouds, or tigers, or mice, or bluebirds.

💗 K.

~Not only is looking to the sky a calming thing to do, but it stretches your neck muscles and eyes, relieving them from the strain of constantly looking down at devices. 

 050/100

Bless 2020 with silliness. There have been far too many mask covered scowling faces. Stick out your tongue, throw some confetti into the air (fallen leaves work too), click your heels on the way to your car.

💗 K.

 049/100

Love 2020 by being kind. Start with yourself. Put clean sheets on the bed, buy expensive coffee, give yourself a scalp massage. The day, and those in it, will thank you.

💗 K.

~Taking time to wander near the river and find leaves like these (they look like feathers!) this is a kindness I give myself and it's available to us all. I look forward to the day when I see another soul arranging something beautiful atop an old stone wall.

048/100

Love 2020 for all its faults.

💗 K.

~None of us are perfect but we all deserve LOVE. This year has been challenging, but it too needs LOVE. We have this capability and it's the only way to get through. 

047/100

Bless 2020 by sharing a favorite childhood memory.

💗 K.

~I remember seeing Snow White and the Seven Dwarves with my Dad when I was really young. He took my sister and I to the Norshor Theater in Duluth. At the time it was struggling to stay afloat, but when he was a kid in the 40s it was the place to be. He talked about seeing movies there for a nickel! Many decades later, my Dad has passed away, and I toured it as it was being renovated and brought back to life. I tried to concentrate on the fund raising speeches, but I was having my own private moment, back all those years with my Dad, and that big screen of dancing color and song.

 046/100

Bless 2020 by creating art. The world needs the beauty only you can give.

💗 K.

~We are all artists. We are all creators. It's all about expression! Let your inner groovy weirdo out to play.

045/100

Bless 2020 at sunrise.

💗 K.

~Walking out my door, bare feet in cold grass, coffee in hand, the smell of fresh morning air, greeting the sun, greeting the day...nothing better.

044/100

Bless 2020 when you don't recognize the world by listening to a river, gazing into a forest, savoring the ancient sounds--the familiar view.

💗 K.

 043/100

Bless 2020 with gratitude. It's the quickest route out of worry. Notice three things in your life that support you, lift you, nourish you, and sink into them.

💗 K.

 042/100

Bless 2020 by acknowledging the good in the people holding your opposing political views. Cross the aisle in your own way.

💗 K.

~We are all one family. We all have the ability to see the love in each of us, to see the humanity in each of us. My prayer today is that we remember this.

041/100

Embrace 2020 by taking responsibility for your happiness.

💗 K.

~One of my favorite quotes from Mary Oliver is this: 

You must not ever stop being whimsical. And you must not, ever, give anyone else the responsibility for your life. Upstream by Mary Oliver 2016

 

 040/100

Embrace 2020 by listening to the wind.

💗 K.

~You may have noticed a theme to my mandala blessings. Our natural world is worth blessing, especially during a difficult year. The earth, water, and sky are constants--always there to offer solace.