Month: December 2023

Sunday, December 31

Today is Sunday, December 31, 2023. The last day of the year. A time to pause and reflect.

DGoV (Daily Gift of Vitality) Activity: This week, you get to start fresh. Reflect on what you have learned in the past year. Writing it down is helpful. Then turn the page to start your new year.

Set your aspirations, for the year. Remember to include the real reason this aspiration is important to you. This is about setting the course in the direction you’d like to go, big picture and remembering your why. Write everything down so you can return to it when you find yourself distracted or off track.

While the path forward may need to change throughout the year, you can continue to make progress by returning the focus to your aspirations for the year. Aspirations stay constant even when the goals and the path towards those goals may change due to changing circumstances.

Pull out a fresh calendar and every day that you state your intentions out loud, or take action towards your aspirations, give yourself a win and mark it on the calendar.  

A quote by Susan Sontag, “Pay attention. It’s all about paying attention. Attention is vitality. It connects you with others. It makes you eager. Stay eager.”

Thank you to Nicole Siparsky, MD for sharing this photo, “Sunset Lake Michigan in Winter.”

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Sunday, December 24

Today is Sunday, December 24, 2023. Think of all the love in the world that is possible with all the people in the world. It can spread and generate even more love.

DGoV (Daily Gift of Vitality) Activity: This week, look for all the ways we can send out love and joy: creating and sharing art or music, laughing together, holding hands, talking together, experiencing a new location or cuisine with another, teaching, mentoring, recognizing, and appreciating someone else. There are so many ways.

A quote by Vera Nazarian, “Sometimes, reaching out and taking someone’s hand is the beginning of a journey. At other times, it is allowing another to take yours.”

Thank you to Nicole Siparsky, MD for sharing this photo, “Farm/Garden, Garfield Conservatory.”

An extra gift from Nicole Siparsky, MD, Dahlia, Chicago Botanic Garden.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Sunday, December 17

Today is Sunday, December 17, 2023. The squirrels seem to go with the flow and enjoy the weather.

DGoV (Daily Gift of Vitality) Activity: This week, pause and make a list of all the people who have had a positive impact in your life. The list might include family, friends, loved ones, teachers, students, mentors, coaches, colleagues, and so on. Then, continue by adding the people who you might not know, the person who paved the road, the customer service rep, the farmer, the utilities worker, the engineers who designed your transportation, etc. Appreciate how connected we are to each other and how we can add to others’ lives too.

A quote by John Lennon, “A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is a reality.”

Thank you to Nicole Siparsky, MD for sharing this photo, “Townsend’s Solitaire, Montana.“

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Sunday, December 10

Today is Sunday, December 10, 2023. It seems so cozy when it is warm inside and the outside is chilly.

DGoV (Daily Gift of Vitality) Activity: This week, practice considering balanced perspectives. Whenever you find yourself feeling negative emotions or seeing things in a negative light, see if you can find the sliver lining or what good might come of it. For example, ask yourself, “what can I learn from this?” “What’s another way to think about this that gives me hope, that empowers me?”

A quote by Francis Bacon, “Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.”

Thank you to Christine Kozak for sharing this photo.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Sunday, December 3

Today is Sunday, December 3, 2023. Remembering long-distance friends.

DGoV (Daily Gift of Vitality) Activity: This week, send a note, a photo, a postcard to a friend or relative or previous acquaintance who lives far away. It is a nice surprise when someone thinks of you and reaches out.

A quote by Sogyal Rinpoche, “True spirituality is to be aware that if we are interdependent with everything and everyone else, even our smallest, least significant thoughts, words and actions has real consequences throughout the universe.”

Thank you to Rémi Bertogliati for sharing this photo.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP