The LMBI Goddess Gang — on retreat earlier this year, at Indian Springs Resort

Gratitude is not a once- or twice-a-year practice for me. It is a daily practice.

And it isn’t just making a list. It’s stretching, reaching, welcoming. Gratitude is an orientation towards Life, like plants turning towards the sun for nourishment.

Actually, that is the natural state of plants. Is it possible that it may be ours as well?

I am feeling very humbled right now by the events of the world.

And I am putting my attention where it feels most nourishing to my being.

This past weekend, I explored the question with my daughter Jett: What does it mean to thrive vs. survive?

Here’s what we discovered: Surviving is the energy of contraction. Feeling closed, pinched-off from Source, judgmental, addicted to certainty, reactive, defensive, tense, uncomfortable, tired, anxious. Fearful.

Thriving feels open, generous, resilient, kind, curious, accepting, courageous, brave, willing. In other words, connected to Self and Source.

In any moment, we are either surviving or thriving, contracting or expanding. One creates a welcoming, fluid, joyful life. The other creates a defensive, fearful life. Or as my brother likes to say, “Am I choosing Faith or Fear?” It is a choice. Every morning when I wake up, I need to remind myself that I am a person who desires expansion and thriving.

What does this have to do with Interior Design?

In my life, all the time, I am stringing together as many beauty moments as I can, with every day that I am gifted to live. In my work, I help create beauty for my clients; I help them string together their beauty moments.

Beauty is the expression of the Divine. Beauty brings people back to center, back to Source. My deepest gratitude is that I get to be a beauty-maker.

And in order to become this channel for beauty and grace, I had to work on myself. Whatever we are called to do in this life, we are often called to grow in order to become that. Growth is our nature.

I am grateful for how my whole life has shaped me into the person I have become. Starting a business in the design industry has forced me, multiple times, to uplevel and grow into even more of who I am, so I can serve more.

I am grateful for the relationships with colleagues, staff, and clients; and that many of those have also become deep and sustaining friendships. I am grateful for the ones that come into and out of my life briefly, and the ones with whom I have conflict and get to learn from; as one of my spiritual mentors says, people are with us “for a reason, for a season, or for a lifetime.”

I am grateful for the opportunity to mentor younger designers. I am grateful to be of service through philanthropy.

I am grateful for the amazing team of women I get to work with at LMB Interiors.

I am grateful for the powerful women who support me so that I can do what I do: Dr. Liz Dobbins and Anna Scott.

I am grateful that I have practices that connect me to Spirit, and that I am called to share my spiritual, earthy, hippie nature with you all, along with my gift for beauty-making.

I am grateful to you for being here with me in this moment and reading this blog post.

What are you grateful for? What practices do you have that bring you home to your Self?