Living with intention is not about what you do, but how you do it. For me, living a meaningful life after loss has been a journey of self-understanding, self-advocacy, and spiritual maturity. I learned that I needed help, and that it's okay to ask for the help you need, especially when your quality of life is at stake. I also discovered this big truth: life is what you make it.

I originally wrote this Himalayan salt lamp meditation for my third book, Sleep Rituals. Not only is a salt lamp a helpful focal point for meditation, its warm glow encourages the brain to switch into "night mode.” Let's combine the elements of ritual and sensory delight for some well-deserved peace of mind tonight.

When we carry the people we've loved in our hearts, in our conversations, and into the work we do and the actions we take, we bring them forward and allow them to not only be an element in our lives still, but to make an impact. In that same way, they bring us forward, toward them. We do this thing, together. We rebuild, together.

These November affirmations are my tribute to a time of sacred intent and a token of my growing fondness for the journey that links all things. These affirmations are small decisions to carry on with the meaningful and often demanding work you feel called to do. To stay true to the process. To trust in what we love.

What if life is actually everything happening all at once, not compartmentalized and controlled but fluid and full, each task wed to another, each sadness and delight related? This poem is about that sense of wonderment and appreciation. Being in awe of everything is a kind of therapy, an active participation in life.

Letting yourself not just navigate this season, but seeing yourself as inherently part of that process is a radical way of looking at life. It changes almost, if not every single thing. It's a way to find your footing in the world and in this moment, a matter of forgiving yourself and the past enough to move forward.

Before anything else, it’s okay to admit you’re not perfect or good all the time. It’s okay to admit that some days, weeks, and seasons are much harder than others. Hiccups are part of life. So are you. When you feel as volatile as a storm, try using these affirmations for mood swings. So you can get on with your life.

In honor of our loved ones who have passed, I wrote a poem. For me, they speak most clearly through poetry. It also seems like when we put down what we're carrying, let the past rest, and embrace the moment we're standing in instead, we have a better chance of feeling their presence. May this poem help you do just that.

When it comes to your own self-healing, it's critical that you identify what feels supportive, what you should let go of, when you need help, and what you want to carry forward with you. These questions are daily reminders to put your heart into the smaller moments of your life, to fill your life with attention.