Each year I struggle with the shrinking hours of daylight as winter approaches. I dread the end of daylight savings time when abruptly the bright afternoon dims early, cutting short my day of working with color in natural light.

While reading my Hawaiian journal for my new book Listening to the Mermaids I come across this:

The peach glow of the sunrise fills me with hope. The light playing across the water changes throughout the day. Living here and looking at the water is like having a color transfusion. To live among this range of blues, to breathe in the silvery teal, is amazing. I do feel a lightness of being from painting such luminous colors every morning. I look lighter, as if painting the shifting patterns of sea and sky have loosened something inside of me.

As I read through these entries on a rainy fall morning back in California, I hear the guiding voice:

Fill yourself with light,” the mermaids whisper. “Light yourself from inside during this dark time.“

The moment I sense the message I feel myself grow lighter and I know how I will sustain my own personal brightness through the winter months.

• I’ll make things. Last month I made five new rich, gleaming lipsticks and created luminous Gemstone Eyeshadow Kits (see below). I’ll make more new colors and delight in the mixing and blending. Creating something always inspires me to create something else. I’m in love with blackberry, eggplant and deep plum worn with slate blue and creme. I’ll build outfits around these new lipstick colors, delicious and color-full.

• I’ll share what I make and the light of others will shine in my direction. The joy of my work is helping women ignite their glow.

• I’ll breathe in the beauty that surrounds me. The brilliantly colors leaves will soon become the poignant ache of bare branches silhouetted against the lavender dusk. Noticing golden foothills backlit against purple-black storm laden clouds, or white vapor trails gleaming in a cobalt blue sky, transforms inner darkness into light. Watching storm clouds build and billow in a great wave is like living inside a painting

• When weather permits I’ll go outdoors and paint and let the colors transfuse me.

• I’ll watch the mermaids swim in the sky at sunset. I’ll wrap my fingers around my tea mug and look up into the twilight, watching for messages in the glowing cloud patterns.

I’ll look for opportunities to turn this season into the richest and most creative ever with color, creativity, appreciation, love, and care. Just as we turn the lights on as we enter a dark room, we can look for ways to fill ourselves with light.

Ask the mermaids. They sparkle even during storms and on dark, moonless nights. I hope you enjoy the products I’ve created and that they brighten your day.