Fall Reflections & A Smile in a Cup 🍂☕️

Fall is clearly making itself known—the tips of the trees are turning golden, and the air carries that crispness only Seattle knows how to deliver. It’s the kind of season that calls for cuddling under a warm fuzzy blanket (mine, of course, is leopard print 😉), with a good drink in hand… maybe a movie, a book, or just chilling to some music.

This morning I woke up and checked the temps, though honestly, my body told me before the forecast did. The chill stirred up my familiar arthritic pain. But this year, I promised myself I won’t claim it to the point of disablement. I’m choosing a different approach.

I will be mindful of the weather shifts, lean into more BreathWork and meditation, and find focal points that bring me peace. I don’t want to rely on painkillers as my only tool this fall and winter. Instead, I want to meet the season with awareness, patience, and strength.

So here I am at work—taking my time, walking carefully, and settling in. I love what I do. Working with patients reminds me daily that I’m not alone in living with pain. And in that, I find a deeper well of compassion—sympathy and empathy intertwined.

Still, this morning my heart longs for something simple: a big chai latte. A smile in a cup. The next best thing to wrapping myself in my cozy leopard blanket.