Hi friends, 

I think as long as I have kids of school age, December will remain more of a time of school finals and less of warm seasonal vibes. I don’t know who started this exams-in-December thing, but I think they hated Christmas or did not know that the days leading to Christmas are better than the occasion.

 

As a family, we try to work around this by installing the Christmas tree, wearing our Christmas PJs, and attending related local events at the end of November. I also try to remind myself that it’s worse in my head than it actually is with shorter school days in the coming two weeks, which will allow for studying and spending time together. Good luck to all parents out there, we did it before, and we can do it again.

 

Yesterday, my eldest daughter celebrated her 11th birthday by inviting a few of her friends to our house. Not long ago, this would have been a hugely anxiety-provoking event. However, thanks to the decluttering progress we made this year and finally having a helper at home—both of which I’m deeply grateful for—it felt enjoyable. If decluttering is a goal for you, keep going—you’ll get there. By ‘there,’ I mean making decluttering a habit and having clutter become the exception, not the norm.

 

Speaking of goals, yesterday also marked the 9th and final meeting of the year with the participants of my “All Year Goals” program. This group of women is the most encouraging you’ll ever meet—they are my goal companions, not just my coachees. During our meeting, they surprised me with a heartfelt gesture: a video where each participant wrote the top things she gained from being part of the program. The kindness and thoughtfulness behind their gesture left me deeply moved, and I can’t wait to share some of it with you soon!

 

If you’re interested in joining this goals accountability program in 2025—where instead of simply asking, ‘Did you walk today?’ I ask, ‘Did you do what you said you would do?’ ‘Did you complete your weekly review?’ ‘What is your goal for the day?’—keep an eye on your email in the coming weeks.

 

Snapshot from my week: Churros during a nightly visit to the Boulevard with friends

Here is your weekly dose of The Sunday Spark ⚡️ a newsletter listing 3 sparks that I thought were worth starting your week with: 

 

1. ️  📹 A year ago, I started Thursday movie night with the kids. While I haven’t been sitting and watching as much lately, with the new baby, IF, a 2024 release, has become my favorite. I highly recommend you watch it soon—it’s truly a movie for the books (Tip: Don't watch the trailer).

 

2. 🌱🍂 Ladies, it's as good a time as any to remind you to respect your monthly seasons and plan your tasks according to the season you're in. If you plan seasonally it will make tasks effortless. Here is a visual guide for my #1 podcast episode. 

 

3. 💬 Yesterday, we talked about surrender a lot in our final "All Year Goals" meetup for the year, this quote is a perfect reminder:

 

“So what if you look at your life right now without any judgment and ask, Which quality am I learning? Which crown jewel? Whatever comes to mind first is your curriculum. For example, let’s say you recently lost a job that you were very attached to. It could be a chance for ishvara pranidhana, or surrender into what is. You’re not having to accept it forever, only for this exact moment. By opening to Divine Source, something superior can come next.”

― Tosha Silver, It's Not Your Money

 

Happy 4th Anniversary to the Sunday Spark! This is Sunday Spark issue #210. Some of you have been here since the very beginning 4 years ago! Thank you!

 

 

 

 

Calendar love: This is week 50, day 345 of the year… A fresh start is around the corner!

Still reading? I'm flattered! Here are some cool resources I personally use, love and recommend:

 

 

Note: some of the links above may be affiliate links, but always keep in mind that I don’t endorse anything I don’t use and love myself.

In case you missed this on Instagram…

 

See you next Sunday First name / my dear friend

 

* Note: To the best of my ability, I am trying to share content by authors who have not disappointed me, and they are hard to come by! Please let me know if any author I share about was disrespectful to Palestine.