Happy Holidays All --

I am soooooooooooo excited about my new life coaching column called Game Plan on Foxbusiness.com! It's a terrific forum to talk about living life fully and passionately. The column runs on the home page Wednesdays and Fridays and on other days can be found on the Lifestyle & Money page under Personal Finance.

Check out the latest installment here.

I hope you'll become regular readers!

I know the official month for giving thanks tends to be November since we have a holiday dedicated to the concept, but I am compelled to write about it now, in December. This is prompted partly by things happening in my own life, but also because of a life coaching client.

Last week I received an email from a client who was very discouraged by her finances after reviewing them carefully. She has been working with a Suze Orman book and, instead of detaching from some hard facts, has been engaging them. That is bound to be painful. I wrote her back and acknowledged her for taking it on.

Her next email made me smile one of those big smiles that takes up your whole face. She had listed the myriad of things in her life for which she is grateful. Wonderful, juicy, meaningful things that she has made happen in her life. That email told me a lot about her, mostly that she is a kindred spirit.

About three years ago I recall telling a minister that I had noticed the first paragraph of my Morning Pages -- a stream of consciousness journaling ritual I do -- had become a series of 'thank yous' for people and situations in my life. I can't pinpoint the exact shift, but I can assure you I was not exactly the most grateful person on the planet for much of my adult life. The minister raised her eyebrows, nodded and gave me a knowing look that said, "You're moving in the right direction."

That is probably why, when my apartment was broken into last week, I had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude after the initial shock wore off. I am safe. Most of my belongings weren't touched. People who love me were there in a flash. Priceless.

That said, was I angry when I realized nearly a week later that the guy took two books of holiday stamps? Yes. And my MP3 player? Yes, that one even prompted some not-so-nice words to fly out of my mouth. I'm human. But overall, overwhelmingly, I feel thankful. So does my client.

There is a way to take on life's challenges, even the unpleasant ones, that is enriching to the spirit. In the thick of this holiday season, when energy gets low and nerves are frazzled, it's a good reminder.

Be thankful this December.

GIVE A GIRL A DREAM:

I have a smart, sweet client named Mirna who wants to be a professional singer. In 2006 she was a finalist at the USA World Showcase in Las Vegas. She'd like to enter again in 2008 and has already begun her enthused mission. The thing is, the contest has a $500 registration fee and Mirna is homeless. She is on track for finding a home soon and is really putting her life back together after an unfortunate turn. If you or a business you know might be interested in sponsoring her for this spring event, please contact me via email or snail mail at P.O. Box 832, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Thank you!