Gratitude as Sacred Alignment: Returning to Enoughness

“The pathway to contentment is paved in gratitude.”

I came across this quote recently, and it incited a pause — immediately followed by a long exhale. One of those exhales deeply rooted in remembrance and affirmation. The kind where your body says, yes… this is truth.

Because the pathway to a state of contentment is paved in gratitude, though it’s rarely a straight or effortless one. Often, it’s the most challenging seasons that ask us to surrender enough to consider that there might be gifts waiting on the other side.

Most of us think of gratitude as a fleeting feeling… a moment of thanks for passing kindness or unexpected joy in form — and there’s beauty in that. It’s how many experience gratitude in daily life.

But what if we expanded our definition?

What if gratitude is not just a momentary emotion, but an energetic realignment —
a return to balance, awareness, and presence?

Gratitude has the power to turn the ordinary into something sacred:

☕️ the warmth of a mug in our hands
🌿 the laughter of a friend
🌙 the stillness after a long day

These simple moments become gateways into presence — back into the now, where peace lives. Gratitude softens striving and comparison, gently reminding us of enoughness.

From a spiritual perspective, gratitude is a frequency — one that harmonizes our field with abundance. It whispers:

I already have everything I need to create more.

✨ A Gratitude Challenge

As we enter a season traditionally centered around appreciation, consider this a gentle invitation — a gratitude practice, if you feel called.

Try one each day, or return to the ones that speak to you:

✨ Morning Anchor

Name three things that make you feel supported — not what you have, but what you feel: warmth, breath, comfort, belonging.

🎨 Creative Gratitude

Paint, collage, or journal what you’re thankful for. Let color and texture express what language can’t.

🚶🏼‍♀️ Gratitude in Motion

On a walk, repeat “thank you” with each step — a moving prayer.

🕯 Evening Candle Ritual

Light a candle and honor the day — its sweetness and its lessons — before resting.

💌 Letters of Appreciation

Write a note to someone who shaped you — whether you send it or simply let the energy land.

Remember that gratitude doesn’t require grand declarations.
It thrives in quiet repetition — in the small acknowledgments that slowly retrain our awareness to notice life’s quiet miracles.

As we step into this season of giving and gathering, may gratitude be the lantern that lights your way — illuminating not what’s missing, but everything that quietly sustains you.

“The pathway to contentment is paved in gratitude”… and every step taken with awareness is already enough. 💗

When Shadow Speaks: Honoring the Dark as Part of the Light

There’s something I’ve carried pretty quietly for a while now — not because I’m afraid to be vulnerable, but because I’ve always felt such a deep sense of responsibility for the energy I share with the world. I usually lean toward light-filled reflections, offering words and art meant to uplift and inspire. But the truth is, life isn’t always luminous, is it. Shadow is just as much a part of the human journey as light, and hiding it from others feels like a disservice — both to myself and to the connections I hope to cultivate. Today I want to share something raw: a poem called All Tucked In, written in a moment of deep pain during one of the hardest seasons of my life. I offer it not as a polished piece of inspiration, but as an invitation into empathy…into the beauty of being fully human, even when the edges are jagged.

I once read that the top six stressors in life are death, marriage or divorce, moving, job change, personal injury, and financial strain. I’m sure you could think of a few others to add to the list, as well. What would you say if I told you I managed to check off five of those six in just a few short months during the last year of my life — and not by choice? Yep…forced into my own personal remake of Stranger Things where I found myself looking around vast unfamiliar territory trying to figure out how in the hell I ended up in this whacko upside-down scenario and even more importantly, how to find my way out into some semblance of life that offered one iota of familiarity. To say it was a difficult season doesn’t come close to serving justice to the pain and devastation I endured. And I’m a strong, resilient woman. I’ve been through many hard things in my life, but this…this was the sucker-punch of a lifetime. I would share the gory details with you, but you know what? They honestly don’t even matter. Just suffice it to say, I survived blow after blow for over a year and ultimately, made it to the other side of a horrific experience I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.

Shadow moments can feel absolutely unbearable at times, but they’re also the cracks where empathy and connection find their way in - if we allow them, that is. In the early days of my spiritual journey, I thought shadow was a part of myself that would be best acknowledged and discarded…best to leave that “distasteful” baggage behind in the dark where it belongs while I transcend into some perfected version of self. But, the truth is, shadow circles back. Again and again. And eventually, we learn that it’s as much a part of us as the “good” and benevolent qualities we’d rather highlight to the world. If the goal is wholeness, then it requires us to accept all of ourselves. And here’s a wild reality…when shadow is given a voice, creativity gives it form — and in that form, pain begins to loosen its grip. Whether through art, music, dance, or words, allowing shadow to move through us opens the way for release and transformation. This in no way erases the pain of what happened, but it can transmute it into something that carries resonance, honesty, and even beauty.

The poem below was born from that kind of allowance — a raw pouring of vulnerable, volatile emotion insisting on being heard. I share it with you now as an act of authenticity, honoring the dark within the light:

All Tucked In

by Olivia Praga

All tucked in for a good night’s sleep,
Though sheets laced with betrayal and shame are never quite as comfortable, are they?

Don’t be surprised when those low-count threads start unraveling—
Turns out fabric stitched with guilt and abandonment don’t always hold up through the wash.

Adjust your pillow just right—
You’ll need extra cushion to brace
The heaviness of regret crowding your head.

Might wanna pour yourself a nightcap or three, Just to drown out the echoes
Of something once pure…
But there’s no place for truth
Under layers of baggage
And the absence of self-worth.

As dreams decay into nightmares,
Wrap those blankets around you tight-

Though all the fleece in the world
Can’t warm a cold, delusional heart.

Cuddle up to the old and familiar.
It’s what you know best, after all.

Sink deep into your perfectly made bed of self-sabotage—

Get nice and comfortable.

It takes time to wear in different linens.

But at least
—you’re all tucked in.

“Inspiration doesn’t always come wrapped in light; sometimes it lives in the courage to name the shadow.”

Sharing this piece feels like opening a window into a tender part of my journey — one I could easily have kept hidden. But I believe inspiration doesn’t always come wrapped in light; sometimes it comes in the courage to name the shadow and let others see it. If my words stir empathy, or simply remind you that your own struggles are valid and worthy of expression, then this offering has served its purpose. We are not meant to carry only the polished pieces of ourselves into the world. Wholeness asks us to honor both the ache and the beauty, the shadow and the light. And when we share from that place of honesty, we create space for true connection — the kind that holds us all a little closer.

The Eye of the Storm: Choosing Peace in a World Full of Noise

The World’s Noise and the Eye of the Storm

Everywhere we turn these days, the world is buzzing with noise — political division, fear-driven headlines, and an endless stream of opinions flying at us from every direction. It’s no wonder so many of us feel pulled into the storm. But peace isn’t something reserved for when the storm passes — it’s something we can embody right now, even in the middle of chaos. By learning to release fear, embrace nuance, set healthy boundaries, and drop into stillness, we reclaim our ability to live in a state of calm presence — becoming the eye of the storm rather than being swept away by it.

Fear: The Big Bad Wolf

Let’s jump straight into the deep end, shall we? No tiptoeing around the big bad wolf — the antagonist in this play we call life: fear. Like a malicious virus, it easily worms its way into our system. And let’s be completely honest, there’s a lot of fear swimming around the world at the moment. First it infiltrates our thoughts, then it bleeds into our actions, perpetuating an endless cycle that breeds even more fear, ultimately raising collective anxiety. How devilishly clever…to slip into the fibers of our shared existence and wreak havoc behind the scenes.

Asking the Right Question

But what if we expose this player for what it actually is? What if we had the power to choose a more mindful approach simply by asking one question: What is actually mine to carry? Because the truth is, we are empowered to do this. And quite honestly, not much of any of it is ours to carry. The ability to release what isn’t ours is an absolute game-changer in this whole scenario and you’re more than capable of taking on the task. The best part? No need for expensive retreats or pricey sessions with a spiritual guru (although that could be lots of fun 😎).

Tools for Releasing Fear

The practice of breathwork alone is a powerful ally on this battlefield. Not familiar? A quick search on YouTube will lead you to countless approaches — find one that resonates and give it a go. Visualization is another underestimated tool. Your imagination is more capable of creating new realities and timelines than most people care to admit. When anxiety strikes, nothing calms it faster than a five-minute session where you remove yourself from your current reality, breathe deeply, and imagine yourself in whatever calming scenario speaks to your soul. Try it…tell me I’m wrong.

Quick Redirects: Affirmations

Affirmation is another quick redirect when fear takes the wheel. Here’s one to keep close:
“I am safe to let go. With every breath, I release fear and return to the steady embrace of peace.”
Boom. Mic drop.

Mindset Shifts That Matter

Sometimes, all we need is a little mindset shift (or a big one, depending on where we are in our awareness). Lean into curiosity instead of fear. Instead of assuming worst-case scenarios, consider multiple potential outcomes — including positive ones! Choose presence over projection. Just stop — I can’t even with this one. You know what I’m talking about because you’ve all had to deal with that projector in life: the one who lacks self-control, self-awareness, self-(insert attribute here) and proceeds to vomit their fear and anxiety onto anyone in their path. Breathe, sister…just breathe, and turn the anxiety-o-meter down a few notches so the rest of us can carry on unscathed.

The point I’m making is this: it’s all choice, friends. Really and truly. You can choose to live a life where fear doesn’t lead the way. And just to be clear, it’s not that fear disappears. There will always be opportunities to choose it if you want. What I’m speaking to is your ability to transcend fear and move forward as the empowered soul that you are.

Living in the Gray

Another key piece here is what I call living in the gray. So many people are “black-and-white” thinkers: it has to be this way or that way, with no room for in-between, no space for flexibility. And you know I speak the truth, because we see this playing out on the daily. But here’s the catch: life is not black or white. It never has been. Existence itself lives in the gray — the land of vast possibilities and infinite outcomes, from a perspective so much greater than we could ever comprehend.

So, do yourself a favor (and everyone else, too): go stand in front of a mirror and repeat after me — My thoughts and opinions are not the end-all-be-all. My perspective is only one perspective. Multiple perspectives can hold truth simultaneously. Rinse and repeat until you believe it. You’ll make the world a better place for you and me.

Here’s a pro tip: when you feel triggered, ask yourself, What other perspectives might be true here? Add a dash of honesty and a pinch of humility while you consider it, and you may be surprised by what unfolds.

Setting Healthy Boundaries

Can we just talk about boundaries for a minute? Why is this such a difficult task for so many people? It blows my mind when I see others feeling anxious and overwhelmed by what’s going on in the world, yet they insist on immersing themselves in the very sources that fuel that anxiety in the first place.

News streaming a constant flow of negativity and fear? ✔️.
Social media that generates negative mindsets and spreads propaganda (half the time not even accurate)? Yep, inhaled by the masses all day long.

We push ourselves beyond our limits with all the things that “have to get done” each day, and instead of nourishing and replenishing the body and spirit, we drown them out with mind-numbing tactics of avoidance. It just doesn’t make sense, friends.

Here’s an easy fix: stop. Just stop. Make a pact with yourself to limit news sources that are literally designed to keep you anxious. Step back from toxic social feeds. Be intentional in choosing nourishing content instead — nature, spiritual wisdom, art that speaks to your soul, and voices that lift you up. Small steps in setting healthy boundaries create big shifts in lowering anxiety. This is an act of self-respect, and one we all need on our path to becoming the best versions of ourselves.

Dropping Into Stillness

And finally, we come to the ultimate showdown…the pièce de résistance: dropping into stillness. This is where it’s really at, folks. Mastering your ability to center yourself regardless of the chaos around you is the most empowering act you can choose.

I’m telepathically picking up on your response as you read this: “Sounds great, Olivia…but just how am I supposed to do this?” Well, I’m so glad you asked, my young padawan. Easier said than done, yes — but oh so doable.

Create daily practices that support stillness. It doesn’t have to be dramatic. You don’t need a marathon meditation session lasting for hours (few of us will ever touch that on a regular basis). And thank goodness! We need soldiers out in the field, right?

So here’s what you can carry with you:

•           A morning ritual of hot tea that brings quiet comfort.

•           Walking barefoot on the earth to ground your energy and connect to Source.

•           Practicing gratitude for the blessings present in this moment.

•           Meditation and journaling — dedicated time to reflect and listen.

•           Placing your hand on your heart and breathing deeply, embodying presence in the now.

See? Totally doable. A few minutes of intentional time sprinkled throughout your day can transform your mental well-being, your presence, and the energy you share with others. Believe it or not, it also ripples outward — benefiting the collective simply through your choice of peace.

The Eye of the Storm

At the end of the day, we can’t always control the chaos around us. But we can choose how much of it we let into our bodies, minds, and spirits. Each moment we release fear, each time we allow ourselves to live in the gray, each boundary we set to guard our peace, and each breath we take in stillness is a radical act of remembrance.

Peace isn’t passive; it’s powerful. And when we choose it, we don’t just heal ourselves — we send ripples of calm and clarity into a world that desperately needs it.

So stand firm, stay rooted, and remember: you are the eye of the storm.

Sovereignty & Surrender: Embracing the paradox that awakens our true power

There’s a sacred paradox at the heart of the spiritual path that has often perplexed me—dare I say, challenged me more than once…no, let me BOLDLY proclaim, it has driven me mad a thousand times! Just for the record, this is not due to the nature of the paradox itself, but because it can be incredibly difficult to consistently live its truth in everyday life.

We are asked to rise into the full power of our sovereignty—our ability to create, to choose, to stand rooted in our truth—while at the same time surrendering to the greater orchestration of the Divine, where timing and unfolding are rarely ours to control. For most people, including myself, these can seem like opposing forces. But honestly, they dance together as easily as inhale and exhale…as smooth as peanut butter and jelly…as entwined as…well, you get the idea.

Sovereignty without surrender can harden into control. Surrender without sovereignty can dissolve into passivity. But when held together with awareness and intentionality, they create the sweetest spot of embodied trust—where our human will and divine flow interweave into something luminous, effortless, and profoundly alive. Sign me up, right??

“Sovereignty without surrender can harden into control. Surrender without sovereignty can dissolve into passivity.”

Sovereignty as Alignment, Not Control

When we open ourselves to our true power—as conduits of the Divine—it can be easy, especially in the beginning stages of remembrance, to fall into the “almighty me” perspective. And in fairness, there is truth there. We are empowered, sovereign beings.

But true sovereignty isn’t about rigid control. Are we standing firmly in our truth, making choices from a place of clarity, and honoring our own energy? YES, of course. But authentic sovereignty, in my humble opinion, is more about the practice of a sacred “yes” or “no”—ensuring that we’re choosing what feels aligned while releasing what doesn’t. It’s not about closing ourselves off to benevolent outside forces that hold a much broader perspective for our highest good than we ever could in human form.

Surrender as Trust in Divine Orchestration

The idea of surrender often gets a bad rap being portrayed as passivity, weakness, or “giving up.” But what if we reframed it? What if surrender was seen instead as a cooperative act of trust—like exhaling after a deep inhale?

In my personal experience, no matter what the situation, once I’ve exasperated myself (which is usually what it comes to for this Virgo) and reached the point of total depletion and, finally, surrender—that’s when the most beautiful happenings take place. And they’re always far better than anything I could have ever planned for myself.

Ego Versus Soul Perspective

This is perhaps my favorite one to unpack. What does the ego crave? Certainty. Timelines. Guarantees. (Me, me, me 🙋🏻‍♀️.) And when life doesn’t present that way—well, just watch my overactive, control-loving ego snatch the steering wheel faster than coffee vanishes on a Monday morning!

But the soul? The soul operates in cycles, divine timing, and expanded perspective. It’s not concerned with “facts” when infinite possibilities exist. It doesn’t speak in terms of time because it understands how illusory time truly is.

When the ego gets restless, sovereignty anchors us. When the soul speaks, surrender softens us.

“Sovereignty and surrender are not rivals—they are partners. One roots us in truth, the other opens us to grace.”

Closing Reflections

At the end of the day, sovereignty and surrender are not rivals—they’re partners. One roots us in truth, while the other opens us to grace. When we allow them to dance together, we step into a way of living that is not only powerful but profoundly free.

So maybe the challenge isn’t to “master” the paradox after all (note to self), but to practice it moment by moment. To notice when we’re gripping too tightly, or when we’ve drifted into passivity, and to gently return to the sweet spot between the two. It’s there, waiting for us—in every inhale and exhale, in every step of this luminous dance we call life.

What Will Your Soul Say? How creation reveals the truth we didn’t know we were speaking.

You know the most beautiful and magical aspect of making art?
It’s a tangible conversation between you and your soul. And the most profound part is that you often don’t even know what you’re truly saying to yourself until after the conversation is over.

It blows my mind how every single time I allow myself to open, receive, and tap into creative flow, the most insightful images and realizations emerge.

This is my latest piece, Brahma Nadi: Sacred Bridge of All That Is. Every element of this artwork was divinely orchestrated—meaning that all imagery and the composition itself simply “came to me.” Your average person might call this a Eureka moment, while spiritual folks may refer to it as a “download.” Call it what you will, but at the end of the day, what that moment truly is…is a tangible outpouring of your connection to ALL—a living conversation with the DIVINITY in you… the divinity that is you.

When I began this piece, the only conscious thought I had was that I wanted open hands reaching toward the viewer, tall trees growing from the fingertips, water falling through the fingers, and a feeling of intense energy. That was it. I had no deeper thoughts or specific plans beyond that.

It wasn’t until the piece was complete—until I had allowed my intuition time and space to cultivate that conversation—that I could truly sit with it, feel into it, and ultimately see it from my soul’s perspective. That was the magical moment when meaning revealed itself. When I came to know what this imagery represents, and how it all weaves together to communicate a powerful reminder not only to myself, but more importantly, to humanity at large.

This piece is a visual prayer—an embodiment of the sacred channel that bridges the realms of matter and spirit, Earth and cosmos, self and Source. “Brahma Nadi,” known in yogic traditions as the central energy pathway of divine communion, serves here as both metaphor and anchor.

The hands rise like ancient monuments, steady and receptive, cradling the living pillars of trees. These trees, rooted in fingers and reaching into unseen dimensions, symbolize humanity’s role as conscious stewards of divine energy. Water flows gently between the fingers like the sands of time—fluid, sacred, eternal—reminding us that time and space are not boundaries, but rivers to be crossed with presence and intention.

Through this work, I invite viewers into a stillpoint: a place where the human form dissolves into something more vast and luminous. A space where embodiment becomes ceremony. A moment where the breath of the Earth becomes indistinguishable from the breath of the stars.

We are all conduits. We are all bridges. And through remembrance, we return to the sacredness of our design.

It’s a mind-blowing thought that a truth this profound just “flowed” through my fingertips without me even being fully aware. It never gets old. And I’m not unique in my ability to allow this unfolding. Every single person has the capacity to create soul conversations—you just have to be willing to open yourself to your own intuition and allow.

So, what do you say? Isn’t it time to pick up a pencil or toss around some paint? Don’t get caught up in the details or judging your level of artistic ability. Just remain open…and find out what truth your soul wants to speak through you.

Beneath the Breakdown: The Sacred Spiral of Falling Apart and Rising Again

Have you experienced it yet? That situation or circumstance in life that absolutely breaks you to your core? If not, consider yourself one of the lucky few who’ve somehow managed to elude it up to this point. For most of us, however, it’s not unfamiliar territory. Countless scenarios can play the role of the antagonist: the insurmountable diagnosis, a lover who decides to clean-slate life—including you, a lifelong dream denied, the tragic and unexpected passing of a beloved friend or family member, or perhaps failed finances has taken its toll, costing you far too much in what feels like a less-than-abundant season of life.

I could go on and on, but you get the point. These are surreal, heart-crushing experiences that knock the breath right out of you, bringing you to your knees…requiring the highest levels of coping tactics just to regain some semblance of self and reality. "Heart-crushing" actually feels pretty mild now that I think about it.

And let’s be honest—if given the choice in these less than desirable circumstances, most folks would opt for Plan B: the "let's not go down this path, shall we” option. In a moment of total transparency, I don’t mind admitting that there have been several moments in my life where I clung to that very thought as tightly to my little heart as I could.

But…I also can’t be the only one left wondering if Plan B is truly that appealing after all. I mean, it’s a tempting thought, no doubt—to rewind time and bypass these catastrophes altogether. Avoid the pain, the chaos, the frustration, the life changes.

But considering what awaits on the other side of it all, I’m actually not so sure I’d be as trigger-happy to press that button as one might assume. I mean, let’s think about it for a second. While it's undeniable that hard times can make you question every facet of yourself and life in general, these are also the moments that offer the greatest opportunity to see who you really are—what decisions and direction will prevail in shaping the essence of who you are.

In the end, we all have to choose which path we prefer. Will it be Door #1: don’t look in the mirror and keep reliving the same habits and patterns on repeat. Or, Door #2: take a deep breath, face yourself with a big, courageous look in the mirror, and decide to transcend the old system and expand into higher levels of awareness.

Don’t worry—there will always be new mirrors on the path. And yes, you will revisit those same old stories time and time again in different forms (this one absolutely makes me want to bang my head against the wall some days). That’s just par for the course, though, in this game we call life. The difference is: are you leveling up with each new reflection? Is the mirror so predictable that you already have your Windex ready, or are you meeting new versions of challenge that push you into greater expansion?

Sounds easy enough, right? Put on your battle gear and charge forward. But the million-dollar question is: what sword will you wield? Will you let the ego lead, giving your mind free agency to rationalize your way out of the war zone? Or will you surrender to the soul's broader perspective—breaking constructs and ultimately, laying old habits to rest?

Perhaps, it would help to have an example before you make a final decision…

In my personal experiences, others have always commented on how "strong and resilient" I am, how gracefully I move through heartbreak. Fact is, they don’t see the bad days…the days where I put a sad song on repeat and literally cry it out for hours because that’s what my system is calling for in order to release. Or the moments when I temporarily drown out the heaviness with alcohol, comfort food, or whatever else numbs the ache for a little while. The hour-long salt baths (ok, hour-and-a-half). The Netflix binges. The sleep. You feeling my authenticity, folks? 

It's not that I don't feel. You can’t heal by robotically bypassing your feelings. In fact, feeling it all is one of the most integral parts of the human experience…it’s literally why we came here to experience this crazy ride.

The hard truth is: you MUST feel it to heal it. You have to move through it to get to the other side if healing is the ultimate goal. So suit up, amigo. Choose your weapon. And simply put one foot in front of the other, knowing there is no judgment on the other side. Your spirit team sees you. They walk with you every step of the painful way, shining love, light, and wisdom into your darkest moments.

The truth is, they already know how it ends—and that you, my friend, are the victor.

They’ll be there even when you can't feel them. Even when the loneliness is so overwhelming it makes you question the meaning of your very existence.

So if you need to cry, cry. Wanna throw a week-long pity party? Hey—I’ll bring the wine. FEEL IT ALL…however you need to. Then, release. Start small or go big—it doesn’t matter, as long as you're moving toward healing. For everything you release creates space for all that you inherently are and will be.

In closing, my humble advice: be open to finding the higher perspective. The view's not so bad. In fact, it's pretty damn beautiful. It includes seeing yourself in ALL of your wholeness—the broken turned strong and resilient…the hardened, softened by letting go, impatience and frustration tamed by grace. The true essence of who you really are…a spark of divine expression in form.