There is a distinct, quiet magic to a Monday morning walk along the coastline in Ocean Beach—especially when the air is cool, the streets are peaceful, and the day stretches out wide and full of possibility. Moments like that have a way of clearing the static and bringing people, phrases, and perspectives sharply into focus.
Recently, on one of those crisp mornings, a familiar refrain came to mind, courtesy of a remarkable woman named Jacqueline.
Whenever anyone asks Jacqueline how she is doing, her response never wavers:
“I’m too blessed to be stressed.”
It is a simple phrase, but it carries an immense amount of lightness, resilience, and intentional joy. It’s an immediate shift in perspective—a deliberate choice to look past the friction of daily life and anchor oneself in gratitude.
That Monday morning, as I walked, the reality set in that I was carrying quite a bit of heavy weight and stress. Yet looking out at the Pacific, the truth of Jacqueline’s words broke through: in reality, I am far too blessed to let that stress take root. Heading into the second phase of that walk, I decided to accentuate that exact realization, letting the heavy burden lift with every step.
It also made me reflect on our own verbal footprints. Since the mid-1990s, my own signature sign-off has been a quiet internal or external nudge: “Onward and upward.” But at this later stage of life, looking back over the journey and ahead to the horizon, it feels like it’s time to expand that compass. Perhaps now, it should be:
“Onward, upward, and heavenward into the day.”
These little phrases—the greetings, the sign-offs, and the automatic answers we give when people ask how we’re doing—become the soundtrack of our lives. They shape our mindset more than we realize.
What’s Your Tagline?
When someone asks how you are, what is your go-to response? When you close out an email, a conversation, or a chapter of the day, what is your personal sign-off? Do you have a positive affirmation or a guiding tagline that anchors you, lifts your spirits, or simply reminds you of what matters most?
Savoring that quiet realization on the walk—feeling too blessed to be stressed—and watching the horizon open up, it’s time to move forward. Thank you, Jacqueline, for always inspiring this thought process and positive affirmation every time we talk.
Onward, upward, and heavenward into the day.