Fresh flowers returned to the house this week after an absence due to unexpected events, and just adding a simple fresh touch of Mother Nature in the home reminded me of how simple additions and seemingly simple shifts can improve the quality of our days. 

So too in the garden, just a month ago, the peach and cherry trees were full of their green foliage, and now, in seemingly a blink of an eye, they don their yellow, orange and red show leaves that dazzle. 

Change, whether wanted, expected or undesired can bring with it something that contributes positively to our lives. As I mentioned, the change above of adding something as simple as flowers to the house made a significant positive difference in the mood of the home. Similarly, Mother Nature's expected shift brings beauty even though it takes away something we love - being able to work in the garden, seeing plants offer their gifts. And believe it or not, unwanted change can give us something wonderful as well. Let me explain.

In the midst of the unwanted change, feeling rattled, unsettled, and discombobulated are nearly forgone conclusions. When I find myself in the midst of such life moments, once I catch my breath and understand what is making me feel unsettled, I begin to look for the gift. Sometimes plowing ahead with a dream in the manner we had planned cannot work, and even if we think it is the only way it can materialize, we are given an opportunity to see another way, and perhaps a better way than we thought possible. 

While in the middle of our life journey we don't always see what surrounds us, all possibilities or even what we are doing that inhibits even more potential. I share this recently-realized truth because as the end of editing TSLL's 3rd book nears, a book that contains far more personal anecdotes and reflections, I am grateful for the clarity I now have to better understand why certain events unfolded as they did. I can honestly say, I am grateful for the unexpected changes and reroutings and detours even though some did not make sense at the time. 

Perhaps you are in the middle of an unwanted life change or are just barely on the other side of a life shift you prefer would not have happened. Take a moment today to sit with the change. Look for the gift. It is there. Maybe to deepen your appreciation, maybe to reveal strengths you didn't realize you had and can now apply in a way never before thought possible. Whatever the gift, when you find it, celebrate it and move forward with your newly discovered self-knowledge. 

Welcome to the end of one month and the near beginning of a brand new month that begins the holiday season. I shared the picture above of the chocolate truffle advent calendar from La Maison du Chocolat because one lucky TOP Tier Member will be receiving it just in time to begin opening the dates and savoring the chocolate on December 1st. If you are not a TOP Tier Member yet, be sure to explore becoming one. There are many benefits (one being you will be able to enjoy the blog ad-free and read all of the content as much as you want each month - I just shared three, but there are still more!), but the most recent benefit will be shared tomorrow in November's A Cuppa Moments w/Shannon video chat - the giveaway above!

October was an incredibly full month of posts. Not only did The Simply Luxurious Kitchen cooking show wrap up (you will find five episodes below), but three Petit Plaisirs are shared, one additional recipe for fall that I expectedly stumbled upon and wanted to share, two Outfit of the Month posts, an extra exclusive TOP Tier member post detailing 14 rituals savored in my Sunday Morning routine, and FIVE This & That posts. I am sure I missed a post somewhere because as you will see below, there were many.  

I do hope this past month has gone well for you and on this Halloween day, you are settling in as you wish to wrap up the weekend well before a new month begins. 

Thank you for choosing to subscribe to the monthly newsletter. To explore every post you wish to read, be sure to become a member/subscriber to one of the two tiers - BASIC or TOP as non-members/subscribers can only read five posts a month (it will reset on the first of each month - tomorrow!). 

Until Tuesday November 30th, I will see you on the blog.

—Shannon