How to start your day

My friend Holly, acupuncturist and yoga teacher extraordinaire, is offering a 3 Day (Free) Yin Yang Yoga Challenge.

I love a challenge!

I also love sleep.

This challenge requires getting up at 7am (almost dawn!) three days in a row, two of which I was planning on, um, not doing that.

Then I saw Holly’s FB live last night, inviting those of us who like to sleep in (me! me!) to consider getting out of bed early to participate live. What could I do?

She had my number, as they say.
Maybe she has yours, too.

It’s not too late to join! You participate from the comfort of your own home and no special props are required—you can truly come as you are. It lasts about half an hour. Watch (and practice along!) with the replay from this morning’s class, “I am worthy”, which is posted in the group. Then join us live this Saturday and Sunday (2/1/20 and 2/2/20)  morning at 7am. Just join Holly Pelletier’s Facebook Group by clicking here: 3 Day Yin Yang Yoga Challenge Keep reading

Balance

Lately, I’ve been crazed and obsessed about the number of Instagram followers I had compared to the number of people and businesses I was following.

Here’s the breakdown:

Followers: 400-ish                       Following: 1200+

It never bothered me before, but for some reason, as we entered 2020, it was the only thing I could think about. I spent days checking to see who was I was following who was also following me, and let me tell you, among those who were not, there were some big surprises. Anyway, it’s been about a week but I have finally finished bringing it all into better balance.

While it felt kind of petty, I also felt very strongly that it was important that I do this, so I saw it through. I’ve learned quite a bit from this exercise. Keep reading

Emily’s writing desk

When I watched Dickinson on Apple TV, I loved how she had her writing desk pushed up against the wall under the window.

Why didn’t I ever think of pushing a writing desk up against the wall under the window?

Why?

What an opportunity lost! I began scanning all the rooms in my house for walls that I might push a writing desk up against with windows I might push a writing desk under. I narrowed it down to three, but one of them was in my daughter’s room, and I don’t think she’d take kindly to my positioning one there.

But I might anyway! Her room has the best light at the time of day that I often write. Also, and maybe more importantly, the wall in her room has nothing in that spot (not true of the aforementioned other windows), thereby officially making it the path of least resistance. Keep reading

My new (literary) girl crush

Emily Dickinson‘s poems have always appealed to me, ever since I can remember.

When I saw Apple TV’s series Dickinson was coming out, I was excited to see it. Thank you, Apple TV, for allowing me to watch the first two episodes free.

I was transfixed. Literally spellbound. I LOVED it. I loved the music. I loved Emily. Actress Hailee Steinfeld plays Emily as if she were a modern day woman living in the 1800’s. The effect of this is incredible. As I watched, she made me wonder how I would have survived if I lived in her time. I don’t think I would have done very well. My heart was full watching Hailee’s Emily struggle to be herself in a world where a woman being brave enough to be her true self was not welcome. [Wait, things really haven’t changed very much, have they?] Keep reading

Everyone’s cup of tea

Probably you’ve heard a version of this at some point in your life:

You are–or are not–my cup of tea

My friend Maritza Parra created Courage Cards and does a free pull every month on her Facebook Page. This is the card she pulled for me:

I was part of an activity last year that Maritza held that included making a drawing of what the phrase meant to me. I drew my picture back in June, 2019, and I still have it.

When she pulled my card, I immediately recalled my drawing. It’s message to me is even more powerful today than it was the day I first thought of it. One person cannot be everything to everyone. We are liked by some people and maybe not so much by others. What we create will resonate with some and grate on others. Keep reading

Determination

I was feeling discouraged about how things were going in my business recently when I ran into a dear friend at one of my favorite local health and wellness shops. After we hugged, she asked me how things were going, and I said something about being stalled–whatever I said, I’m sure my discouragement shone through.

Then she reached into her pocket and pulled out this crystal and put it in my hand.

“Take this. It’s fluorite. It’s for determination,” she told me. Keep reading