Have you ever had a back ache? A sore back that inhibits you from doing what you've always been unconsciously doing without realizing how and what your body needs to move and move well?

Hopefully you have never had to feel the subtle, yet excruciating pain that slows down seemingly everything in your life and especially interrupts a full nights sleep, but if you have, you know that until your back heals, so many other aspects of living the life you love aren't fully experienced or enjoyed. 

It was the ache in my lower back this past week that gave me pause and reminded me of a life truth regarding symbolic "back aches". When we haven't dealt with something, when we keep avoiding something or denying a conversation or choosing not to correct something that requires our attention until we can move past it, the quality of everything else in our lives is put on hold. Sometimes we recognize this fact - we can't fully engage because our minds are wrestling with something that is nagging at us - but sometimes we don't know how our lives are being hindered until we take the time to be honest with ourselves. 

The good news is that when we do confront what is limiting us, bothering us, impeding our ability to progress, our world becomes brighter, our responsibilities are now doable and the hope that returns is empowering. 

If you have been feeling as if something is holding you back or holding you down or preventing you from truly engaging and savoring your everyday life, ask yourself what you need to heal. Whether it is literally your back by taking the necessary steps to allow it to rest and return to its optimal state or addressing the skeleton in your closet that upon truly facing won't be as scary as you've built up in your mind, start anew this month as November commences and walk toward it, do what needs to be done and then walk through it to the life you wish to be living. 

This weekend I will be found resting up, taking time to continue edits on TSLL's second book and finalizing the episode of the podcast I have been patiently waiting to share with you (episode #182). As I mentioned in last week's newsletter, David Lebovitz joined me in conversation recently as part of his book tour and our chat covers how he navigates the markets in his neighborhood in Paris, how the butter shortage in France has affected his baking and so much more about his new book. You won't want to miss it as it was a true pleasure to have him on The Simple Sophisticate (in fact, did you know his best-selling book The Sweet Life in Paris (kindle format) is now $1.99?).

Another partnership I am excited to share with you this week is with an online clothing destination that is founded on the same principles as the simply luxurious capsule wardrobe concept: top quality, beautiful, timeless clothing. Halsbrook invited me to pick out 10 of my favorite items from their current collections, and boy was it hard to narrow it down to just 10. Be sure to check out the post as I share ideas regarding each item as to how to incorporate it into a capsule wardrobe.  

And lastly, don't forget to take advantage of the limited low price to subscribe to TSLL and view the blog ad-free. If you subscribe by Tuesday November 7th, you will only and forever pay $5/month instead of $6.99. 

 Okay, let's get to the weekend, shall we? Until next week, I'll see you on the blog.​​​​​​