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Grateful for it all (okay, most!)

Giving Thanks for What Has Come to Fruition… and for the Roadblocks, Too

As the November New Moon settles in, the world around us shifts into a season of gratitude. For many high-powered, high-achieving women (yes, including those of us who’ve navigated the legal world or other relentless professions), this time of year can stir up more than simple thankfulness. It can highlight the gap between what we hoped to accomplish and what actually unfolded. It can illuminate the places where we feel behind, blocked, or off track.

So, here’s a gentle reminder…that every step counts. Every humble reflection counts. Every season—bountiful or barren—has already been shaping you.

And this month, gratitude becomes both a practice and a perspective shift.

Before the mind jumps to the “not yet,” take a breath and acknowledge what has bloomed in 2025 so far.

It may not be the full harvest you envisioned back in January—and that’s okay. The seeds you planted have been taking root in ways you may not see yet. Think of the conversations that led to clarity. Value the unexpected opportunities that nudged you in a new direction. Relish the quiet realizations that shifted your priorities.

Gratitude is not only for the big wins. It’s also for:

  • The small but courageous decisions you made.
  • The boundaries you’ve boldly begun honoring.
  • The moments of rest you allowed yourself.
  • The creative flickers that whispered “try this” and you did.

If you’re reading this, you’ve already survived every challenge thrown your way this year—and you’ve done so with far more grace than you probably give yourself credit for. Give thanks for that.

The November New Moon invites us to see that fruition is not limited to outcomes.
Sometimes it’s found in inner alignment, strengthened resilience, regained presence, or a more compassionate relationship with yourself.

Gratitude for the Roadblocks (Yes, Really)

Gratitude becomes even more powerful—transformational, really—when we extend it to the things that slowed us down.  Roadblocks. Detours. Delays. They’re not always pleasant, but they aren’t signs of failure, either.

Often, they’re signs of protection, integration, or redirection.

Maybe that opportunity didn’t pan out because you needed more information—or because it wasn’t aligned with what’s best for you.

Maybe the delay forced you to reassess your energy levels, your priorities, or your support system.

Maybe the obstacle that felt like a setback is what preserved your sanity, your health, or your sense of professional integrity.

When you practice gratitude for the roadblocks, you reclaim your power. Instead of viewing yourself as “stuck,” you begin to see yourself as someone being repositioned for something better aligned.

This month, consider whispering:
“I trust that what didn’t move wasn’t meant to—yet.”

The New Moon’s Invitation: Gentle Encouragement for the Weeks Ahead

This November New Moon offers an opportunity to:

1. Slow down to get clear.

Instead of sprinting toward year’s end, let this be a moment to re-center. What matters most now? What feels meaningful to nurture, continue, or gently set aside?

2. Choose one thing to be grateful for every morning.

Not in a performative gratitude way, but in a grounding way. Let it be real, simple, and true.

3. Acknowledge the lessons in the challenges.

Don’t force a silver lining. Instead, look for even one small insight. Often, the lesson is: “This path didn’t light me up,” or “I matter, too.”

4. Allow yourself to pivot without guilt.

Grant yourself permission to adjust expectations—for the rest of the year and for yourself. You are not behind. You are right on time.

5. Let your nervous system lead.

If something feels tight, rushed, heavy, or draining, pause. Breathe. Consider whether the task itself needs attention—or whether you need attention.

6. Celebrate the near-wins, the tiny victories, the almost-there moments.

These matter more than you think. They’re indicators of momentum, not failure.

For Your Consideration:

For many, November can feel like a reckoning—a tallying of what we “should have” accomplished. Choose something different.

Choose to honor:

  • the progress you’ve made
  • the clearing you’ve done
  • the truth you’ve spoken
  • the resilience you’ve built
  • the compassion you’ve shown yourself and others

As the nights lengthen and the year winds down, let gratitude soften the edges.
Let it widen your perspective.
Let it remind you that you are, in fact, exactly where you need to be—not because everything is perfect, but because you are present, awake, and evolving.

Okay, your turn:

What are some ways you have gently, steadily, and with a sense of permission, chosen to honor both your progress and your pace?

I invite you to share your observations, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2025 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.

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Being present at work

Being present at work

The Power of Presence: How Being Fully Present Can Boost Your Professional Impact

Let’s face it—between back-to-back meetings, Slack pings, text messages, inbox overload, and that ever-growing mental to-do list (don’t forget to order more dog food!)—it’s easy to lose touch with right now. But here’s the truth: your greatest superpower in any room, any pitch, or any pivotal decision? It’s presence.

Not performance.
Not perfection.
Not hustle.

Presence.

Being fully present in your conversations, leadership, and decision-making allows you to stand out—not by being louder, faster, or flashier—but by being fully here.

And in a professional world that often runs on speed and distraction, presence is a rare and magnetic quality.

Whether you’re running a board meeting, coaching a team, navigating a client conflict, or simply trying to make it through a Monday with grace—presence turns ordinary moments into points of genuine influence.

Why Presence Matters in a Professional Setting

Presence gives you permission to be the most: The most attentive. The most insightful. The most anchored in the moment.

In a sea of distraction, presence is the ultimate differentiator.

Clients. Colleagues. Stakeholders. Direct reports. All humans want to feel like they matter. When you show up fully, you send the message: I see you. I value this moment. I’m not rushing past it.

That matters.

Practicing Presence in Real-Time

So, how do you actually cultivate presence amidst the chaos of your career?

Here are two simple yet powerful ways to honor presence:

“One Window at a Time” Rule

Close the ten open browser tabs. (Yes, even that one with the proverbial rabbit hole you’ve been going down since 9 am.) Give your attention to one thing—one person—one task at a time. Your nervous system will thank you. So will your results.

Weekly Presence Check-In

At the end of each week, ask:

  • When did I feel truly present this week?
  • When did I feel most scattered—and why?
  • What would support me in being more fully present next week?

Presence doesn’t require a silent retreat or a dimly lit meditation room (though we love those, too). It’s available right now, in your real life, as it is.

For Your Consideration:

You already have what it takes to lead with presence. You don’t need to be more. You just need to be here—more often.

This week, pick one moment—just one—to drop into with full awareness. It could be a team meeting, a networking coffee, a call with a client, or even a solo brainstorming session with your journal. Turn down the noise. Turn up your awareness.

Then ask yourself:
What changes when I show up fully?

Chances are, everything.

Your impact doesn’t have to come from doing more.
It can come from being more—present.

Okay, your turn:

  • When was the last time you gave someone your full attention, uninterrupted—even for one minute?
  • Do you feel the need to multitask to prove your value? —Or, are you willing to slow down and trust the power of a focused mind?
  • Are you giving your work your best energy—or merely any leftover scraps after tending to everyone else’s needs first?

I invite you to share your observations, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2025 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.

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Permission granted

The Power of Healthy Permission

After the surge of spring’s bloom and the bustle of early-year momentum, here we are approaching the midway point of the year. View this not as a halt, but a moment to regroup, re-center, and reconnect.

This new moon, what if you granted yourself permission?

Not the reluctant kind that comes with guilt or second-guessing. But full-hearted, grace-filled permission to slow down, take stock, and tend to your inner rhythm.

Think back to the intentions you set earlier this year. Maybe you are nurturing a creative dream, revamping your relationship with sleep, or learning how to better advocate for yourself. Maybe you are still unsure of what is shifting, only that something is.

Wherever you are, May is a natural time to check in—not with judgment, but with curiosity. Let this be your green light to listen to what you need.

There is power in permission. It is not passive—it is intentional. It is a sacred “yes” to your inner intelligence.

So, give yourself permission to rest without apologizing. To say no without explaining. To shift course without proving. To simply be—without the need to fix, finish, or perform.

Recharging is not avoidance.
Regrouping is not weakness.
Reassessing is not failure.

These are acts of radical clarity—

and essential steps on any path

that is rooted in soul truth.

For your consideration:

You do not need to justify realignment. You only need to remember that you are allowed—always—to care for yourself with kindness and clarity.

Let this be your consent form. Not to do more, but to be more present with what feels best in this moment.

And if you are only able to tend to one area right now, let that be enough. If your progress is quiet or nonlinear, let that be enough. If your biggest act of courage this month is relaxing and listening to hear what you need, let that be enough.

This is your month of permission.

Honor it. Embrace it.
And above all, trust it.

Okay, your turn:

When is the last time you cut yourself some slack? Can you do so now, in this very moment? Ease into the day or evening?

I invite you to share your observations, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2025 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.

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