As this Monday morning arrives, we are winding down the month of October, with Halloween just five short days away. 🎃

What has October brought your way that you can carry forward through the last two months of the year and into 2027?

It seems almost surreal to be talking about 2027 being so close, but time indeed marches on.

And with that comes the opportunity to reflect on what we've grown, what we've learned, and what we're ready to carry forward.

Think about it. When we see the moon (which I love in all its phases), we often celebrate the delicate crescent moon at the beginning of its cycle or the brilliance of the full moon. Rarely do we see a celebration of the half moon.

In all my years as an entrepreneur, the beginning of any new endeavor was exciting, and when the goal was reached, the celebrations happened.

First and foremost was the reason I went there. To step onto a stage with 11 other people. Some I knew from my weekly Improv group, and others I met and had the opportunity to connect with for the very first time.

Together, we felt excitement, fear, and that familiar anxiety that comes right before stepping onto a stage in front of a live audience.

Sometimes all we need is a chair, a new perspective, and a place where we feel we belong. — Cheri Ruskus

While it may be too late to start growing outdoors here in Colorado right now, you can still claim your seat at the table by imagining what you might grow next spring.

This morning, I woke to leaves beginning to turn outside my window and a glorious sprinkling of snow up in the high country. What a beautiful start to the week.

Today’s quote feels especially fitting for the video I’m sharing with you: a walking tour I recently took through Denver Dry Garden, a beautiful home garden of native and drought tolerant plants. Heidi Harris is the gardener and curator behind this amazing garden.

And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter.

— Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, Stairway to Heaven

As this day passes, a new season is headed our way tomorrow. And with that, we wave goodbye to summer and hello to Fall or Autumn, whichever way you choose to call the season ahead.

A reminder this morning that our lives are full of choices in how we move through the seasons. Some love Fall the best. I am a summer lover, so I’m a bit sad to say goodbye to this season today. Some love Winter. And then there is Spring, always full of possibilities.

Which season do you love best?

Over the weekend I was reminded of this great quote from one of my favorite sales coaches from back in the day, Zig Ziglar.

What I loved about Zig was his energy and wit. A born salesman for sure. He had you believing by the end of one of his seminars that you could sell anything to just about anybody.

Last week we had to sadly say goodbye to another woman who helped change what was possible for women.

I met Gloria Steinem about 20 years ago at a book signing. She was gracious and lovely, and she made quite an impression on me.

I think about women’s rights when Gloria first came onto the scene in the late ’60s and how much has changed since then. My mom divorced my dad around that same time, when women still faced enormous barriers to establishing credit and financial independence in their own names.

The final tomatoes of the season are ripening, and we are all imagining a world without the sunshine of Dolly Parton. However, she left plenty of sunshine in her path, that is for sure.

Her departure is a strong reminder that our time here is limited and that creating happiness is up to each of us every day. I talk a bit more about this in today’s video.

Today I recorded an idea that has been playing around in my head for a long time—bringing meditations to my YouTube channel every morning.

I started doing this last week in a format called ASMR, which stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. It is a style of video that uses gentle sounds and visuals to create a calming, relaxing experience. Basically, an invitation to allow your mind to get quiet and just be.