Last night I had a stress bath. I started worrying about something completely out of my control and rather than nip it in the bud as I usually do, I allowed myself to run in obsessive circles until I was swimming in stress hormones.

The chemicals released during this worry frenzy made me feel sick. I tossed and turned for most of the night and my body and head literally ached.

It has been some time since I allowed myself to sink into this sort of senseless behavior. Normally, I am vigilant about monitoring my thoughts and replacing them as soon as they become irrational.

Today I am on the mend. I meditated and wrote in my journal and have forgiven myself for allowing my thoughts to poison me. I even think there is a silver lining, in that I taught myself - once again - how powerful thoughts are. I also realize how pure my thoughts have been, and consequently how blissed out I feel most of the time.

I don't plan to take another stress bath anytime soon. I'd rather swim in clear waters where I feel refreshed, calm and at peace.

Merry Christmas!

On my bulletin board I have a note that says "Stick or Quit" from a book called The Dip by Seth Godin. The idea behind this little book is quite profound. Godin says that everyone who achieves greatness in an area falls into a dip prior to succeeding that looks like the calm before a storm.

During the dip many people quit and move on to something else, yet the people who know in their hearts that they are good at what they do will endure and pass through the dip into great success.

He says that sometimes quiting is the right thing to do however - and that is when you cannot be the best. Godin recommends finding something that you love so much that you can be the best in your class while letting mediocrity go.

I heard Hannah Montana, the young singer that has every girl under 12 singing her songs and watching her Disney show, say that she threw up while on stage during her first audition. Even though she thought show business wasn't for her after that incident, her heart knew that she had something to offer so she persevered.

Stick or Quit. Are you feeling tempted to give up something that you know in your heart is right for you? Or, do you need to quit something that is taking your energy, but is perhaps not your exact path?

I love Christmas. Every year I spend hours in the evenings listening to my favorite Kenny Loggins holiday CD (December) while gazing at the Christmas tree. It's a time when I think of everyone and want to tell them how much they mean to me.

Last night I was wishing I could send everyone I know a Christmas card and then I thought to do a Christmas Card blog! So here it is. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours. I hope your holiday season is filled with peace and joy.

Love, Kim

It is raining in Arizona today, which is rare. The dry earth is soaking up nourishment and the desert is even starting green up from several days of rain over the past couple of weeks.

I think those of us that live here can almost feel the relief coming from the earth below. It's as if the ground is finally able to exhale, to relax, or "chilax" (a word my hip L.A. friend taught me over the weekend that combines relax+chill).

It is a striking metaphor to what happens to us when we allow ourselves to be nourished from within. Once we fill ourselves up with oxygen and energy, we are able to let go of tension and toxic emotions that accumulate from rushing around in fight or flight mode.

It can be challenging to stay chilaxed over the holidays - as I experienced yesterday when several people stepped in front of me in line at a store. Rather than get irritated about the fact that I could very well miss my yoga class due to the injustice of it all, I took a few deep breaths and coached myself into keeping it all in perspective.

I ended up getting to class on time with the gift in hand - thanks universe! I'm hoping that, like our beautiful desert, we can all absorb the abundant life around us during this busy time of year.

I'm more political this year than I've ever been, which I'm sure is true for a lot of us who are ready for some much needed change. As we come closer to narrowing down the 2008 presidential candidates, the collective web of consciousness in which we live is once again coming to the forefront.

I'm witnessing false rumors about emerging candidates spread like wild fire for the purpose of igniting fear. The majority of people don't take the time to rise above the web and think for themselves, or to research the facts. It is much easier to find oneself in the mold of consciousness and gel into whatever is floating around.

As Bright Ones it's important to rise above this web, not just in politics but in all areas of life. The web would have us believe that it's supremely important to have boat loads of money, to be stick thin if your a woman and perfectly lean and buff if your a man. It would have us reject ourselves over and over until we fit the web's idea of perfection.

Getting out takes awareness and determination - believe nothing and question everything against your own inner wisdom. Each one of us who has the courage and strength to rise above this sticky web can offer a hand to help someone else do the same.