Love is one of those intangible things that we feel so deeply it seems to have a tangible substance. It feels so heavy (in a good way mostly) that we often think of it as something we can actually touch, taste, smell, hear, and see as if it were right here in front of us, sitting on a table or in a box. 

When I was younger I was so sure that Valentine's Day was important. That it was the one day of the year when I could prove that someone loved me. I look back on the younger me and feel sad for that time in my life. As we wrap up Valentine's day here in the states, I'm often left feeling rather conflicted about the holiday. 

Years ago, on Valentine's Day, I said to my hubby (Damon), "Listen, I'm really okay if we don't celebrate Valentine's Day the traditional way. Are you?"

He was a little shocked but after letting me explain why, he agreed that we could just demonstrate our love for one another throughout the year instead of on one day. So now, we treat everyday like Valentine's Day -- loving each other as much as one can love another without losing sight of self. Just that little shift in the way we show up for one another each day has done amazing things for our marriage and our friendship. 

It's our way of loving with intention everyday instead of once a year. It's not about the gifts or the flowers or the fancy restaurant dinners. For us, it's about how we show up in our relationship each and every day. The way we celebrate each and every moment.

How does your love live beyond one day? 

This Thursday I am thankful the time. It's such an elusive part of our lives. Sometimes I feel like there is not enough of it. Sometimes I complain because it moves too slowly. But today I am happy that it is what it is and that it does what it does. 

I got to spend some time with my best friend and soulmate today. We ditched our typical day-to-day routine and found ourselves out in the world laughing and finding the beauty in the most obscure places. We intentionally left home in the middle of the day so that we could enjoy TIME without work demands and cell phones ringing and emails dinging. Instead, we took our TIME, had lunch, and enjoyed each other's company. 

So today I am thankful for TIME!

What are you thankful for in this moment? 

I don't remember when I started using a planner, but I can say with all certainty, I've been using a planner for as long as I can remember. In middle school (6th to 8th grade), I ran track, played the flute in band, attempted to play basketball for a short minute, religiously attended 4-H meetings, was active in my youth church group, and played softball on a weekend, non-school related team. In short, I was busy!! 

That didn't change when I went to high school, in fact I think I got busier and it just kept going like that. Fast-forward to today and I'm still a busy bee, but I've learned a lot of strategies and tools to keep me productive as I move through the world.

From client calls to online meetings, mastermind groups, artist's circles, and running e-courses and webinars, my online life stays full. That's not even considering my offline life that includes lots of face-to-face time with folks taking live workshops with me, a few local clients, spending time with family and friends, my personal-creative-practice, and my love for traveling. Yep! I would be lost without my planner. And YEP!! I still treasure my paper & pen planner (and also use my iPhone as well). 

So this is the beginning of my planner journey conversation. I hope you'll join me. Here is a video I did to share my many planners and notebooks. There will be more to come. 

My main mission in my planning is to do it with intention. I have lots of rituals and routines I've established over the years to help me stay the course. I'll share those as we go deeper into the discussion. Stay tuned. 

So, you know I have to ask: 

1. What kind of planner are you using? 
2. What are your must-have planner tools? 
3. What else can we talk about around planners + productivity? I'm always looking to share a good strategy and try a new one. 

Let's plan...