,

As a child did you ever have a favorite toy, blanket or stuffed animal that you would always bring to bed. For some reason, sleep was easier to find, comfort easier to feel if our favorite blanket (no matter how tattered) was with us. Linus' blue blanket in the Peanuts comic strip always comes to mind when I think about a security blanket. It was his safe spot, what he knew and what brought him ease. 

Lately, I've been thinking about this idea of a safety net we bring with us into our adult years. And the truth is, we often bring something with us from the past that is hindering our ability to move forward into the present to embrace what we wholeheartedly and for so long have been dreaming and working toward. 

This week on the Why Not . . . ? post I shared seven ways to continue the love with your partner all year round, and one component was to let go of your past. Here is the unexpected discovery I made while researching for that particular post: Often what we assume is our intuition trying to help us, protect us and prevent us from getting hurt, is actually our limited experience pulling us away from what we think we know, so that we will at least know what to expect (even if it's wrong). Does that make sense?

Our mind is comforted by knowledge. The unknown freaks us out. And even if we simply recognize a similarity (but know nothing else), our mind lurches at what it recognizes. It grabs onto it because it wants to find certainty because that is where it finds comfort. Never mind that the similarity is akin to why stereotypes are so detrimental: based on one small coincidental shared trait taking into account nothing else. 

By no means am I suggesting if you have gathered up more information and after attaining that information, you trust your intuition to flee or walk away. I am talking about the tickles of similarity, the by-chance similarities that we often use as an excuse to stop seeking something better, stop seeking the potential for change, the change that will in fact lead us to the something we've been hoping for. 

So instead of grasping for your tattered blanket, thank it for protecting you up until this point and then, put it down and go about the business of doing the homework, having patience with life and gradually exploring the new opportunity that has presented itself. I cannot promise that it will exceed in the best possible way your expectations, but I can guaranteed you won't find out if you don't at least give it try and let go of the past fears.

In this week's newsletter, Valentine's Day has inspired Wednesday's Why Not . . . ?, and as cheesy as the title sounds, the contents are sound principles to incorporate into living a life full of strong, healthy, loving relationships beginning with the one you have with yourself. 

On the podcast this week I was most fortunate to welcome an author some of you may already know and love, a novelist writing about fashion, France and living intelligently, Isabelle LaFlèche. We had a thoughtful conversation about her unexpected encounter which led to her successful writing career, taking a risk and having it all. I think you will find inspiration no matter where you are in your journey.

Also, on a podcast and book signing note: 

For readers who live in western Oregon, I will be signing books on Saturday March 11th in Lebanon, Oregon, at a small family run bookshop, Think Brain Candy. Scheduled in the evening between 5-7pm, be sure to stop in if you are in the area. 

And if you are someone who consumes their media, inspiration and information on YouTube, The Simple Sophisticate podcast is now available on TSLL channel. Tune into each episode (audio only), and never miss a new episode as they will upload each week when the latest episode goes live. 

Well, the weekend has arrived. As the east coast snuggles in and stays warm during their big winter chill and snow days, the west coast is finally unthawing a bit (I can see green grass in my yard and the cement of my driveway!). However you are planning on spending the weekend, I want to thank you for choosing to enjoy TSLL's weekly newsletter. May your upcoming Valentine's festivities be full of love and gratitude and may the weekend be restorative and invigorating. Until next week, I'll see you on the blog.
​​​​​​​