Tag Archives: noticing

10 Things I Loved in April 2014

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For the last few months I have been doing these reflection posts after being inspired by Rosie’s. Taking time each month to reflect on the good things that happen each day/week/month has done wonders for my ability to actually stop and notice the good stuff. 

10 things aprilTen Things I Loved In April

Things I/We Did

1.     Used our health insurance. I hardly ever go to the doctor, but when I do I am so happy I have it. Bonus – I absolutely adore my GP and my new behavior medicine doctor. April was one of much contagious coughing in our house, so knowing we were taken care of helped ease part of the stress.

2.     Traveled to Texas. My mom had a stroke in January and is on a long road to I’m not sure where. Thankful for everyone who has reached out with support to me and my family and especially to those who lent a hand with emergency child care and food offerings. The extra long hugs and mid day Skype sessions have really helped me hold it together. People, aging parents is h.a.r.d. 

3.      Binged on Scandal. I think I like it even more than House of Cards. Gladiators in suits and oh what beautiful suits they are! Olivia Pope’s wardrobe is a good enough reason to check this show out.

4.      The Healthy Happy Sane Teacher is back! Last month I told you we’d been working all month to make it a home study program so people can get started right away and work at their own pace. All true and then we had to work through some tech issues and we’re thisclose to launching. So excited! I’ve kept up my HHST practices and once again am amazed at how much healthier, happier and more sane I feel – even when I had bronchitis it worked!

5.     Preschool soccer for my tiny human. I can’t decide if three year olds playing “soccer” is the cutest thing in the world or the most ridiculous, but we started and laughed pretty hard. So far she’s comforted a crying teammate, refused to get on the field and asked the ref if she could blow the whistle. She really likes the post game snacks.

Products and Services I Dug:

6.   MindBodyBliss with Nikki Stern. A cleanse, but one where you still eat. A lot. And the food is delicious – even my Texas living brother said so. The program was exactly what I needed to help me take really great care of myself when I was ill and dealing with travel and ailing mama stuff. I’ve recommended working with Nikki in the past and this gave me even more reason to do so. Nikki helps you take really good care of you in a way that is easy and yet profound.

7.  The Mentorship Coterie with Hilary Rushford. 2014 is the year to invest in myself and my business and working with Hilary has been a dream. She’s smart, she’s funny and she is super helpful in seeing possibility where you haven’t. Plus she’s worked her tail off to create a beautiful community and business – both styling and mentoring. So glad I decided to work with her!

Things on the Internet I Can Highly Recommend:

8.   Mindful Mondays series on Whoorl. Sarah James is a beauty blogger with noteworthy amazing hair (she even did a Pantene commercial), but recently she’s become a seeker of truth. Last year she started having some hard to diagnose health issues and as a result has been on a journey. I am loving her no nonsense style while she’s diving into some seriously woo-woo business. Kindred spirit for sure!

9.    Everyday Snacks series on Shutterbean. You all know how much I love Tracy from Shutterbean and the Joy The Baker Podcast. She is my imaginary new internet BFF, so imagine my delight when I started following her on Instagram to discover a new hashtag in my honor (or so I like to think!) – #shutterbeandinner. Life only got better when Tracy started a series on healthy snacks on her blog: peanut butter filled dates with coconut, roasted strawberries with cheese over graham crackers, heart shaped cinnamon sugar tortilla chips.

10.   Good Life Project with Jonathan Fields. I can’t get enough of this interview series, but I have also seriously been enjoying Jonathan’s “Jam Sessions” with topics like How Do You Stay Motivated Over A Longer Period of Time and Three Things That Will Stop Your Creative Life from Destroying You and The “Hair On Fire” Minus One Method To Getting More Done In Less Time. They are less than 15 minutes and are full of great information.

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So what are you loving lately? I’m always on the lookout for what is delicious in food, drink, fashion, and life. Leave me your favorites in the comments or write a post of your own and link back here.

Image Source: My Instagram!

10 Things I Loved In February 2014

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For the last few months I have been doing these reflection posts after being inspired by Rosie’s. Taking time each month to reflect on the good things that happen each day/week/month has done wonders for my ability to actually stop and notice the good stuff. 

uc davis arboretum

Ten Things I Loved In February

Things I/We Did

1.     Rainy Day Book Club Hike to celebrate reading Cheryl Strayed’s WILD.  Super excited to finally be part of a book club again. I only know one woman, but each time we meet I meet more cool, interesting, smart, funny women. Plus I’m reading books I wouldn’t necessarily ever pick up on my own.

There are few things I find more satisfying than reading a good book and then getting to talk about it.

Are you in a book club? What have you read that you’d recommend?

2.     Showed up. This has been so helpful for me to build my relationship with my family and it sure has helped during my mom’s illness. I’m also reaching out more which can be really difficult in times of need. Progress! 

3.      Rainy day play dates and nature walks. I am still deciding if I am a complete nutter butter or a genius for taking my preschooler out in the rain and to play in the puddles and mud afterward. It is totally gross and a pain in the butt to clean up, but she’s super happy and being outside regardless of weather helps regulate my moods. I guess I’m a genius!

Any other ideas for keeping a super energetic toddler busy? I am seriously open to new ideas. Share your parenting gems.

4.      Prescribed rest. Twice. Permission slip to rest. I napped a lot with the kid in February, and I regularly go to bed in the 9 o’clock hour and this month I slept in as late as possible. And I do feel better when I get more rest.

5.     Connected with our ridiculously awesome neighbors. I had no idea what a great neighborhood I live in until we had a kid and suddenly we were enveloped into this community of like-minded generous and lovely families. It is so comforting to know someone right outside your front door can help if you need it or make you laugh. U Street Gang, you are allright!

Products and Services I Dug:

6.  Sprouts Farmer’s Market. Is now a good time to tell you I’ve been finding a weirdly huge amount of comfort in the produce aisle? Like for real. If you follow my Instagram feed you can watch up close and personal just how I’m eating my life’s savings away in fruits and vegetables.

7.  Amazon Prime. Just keeping up with my status as the last to jump on every band wagon. Free Kindle books, my favorite vegan protein powder, free movies – what is there not to like?

Books I Can Highly Recommend:

8.   Let’s Explore Owls with Diabetes by David Sedaris. Do I need to go into how much I love David Sedaris? Good. This one was not my favorite, but still comforting like my favorite sweater, bowl of soup, cup of tea. He just cracks me up even when he’s not being funny.

My favorite of his is Naked. Then Barrel Fever. If you haven’t read those yet, stop what you are doing right now and get yourself to the bookstore.

9.    Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Jen Corace. One of those random recommendations in the picture book section of the library. The magic words spoken? “My kindergarten class loved this one!” Thanks, Teacher I Wish I Would Have Introduced Myself To.

Do you read picture books? What are your favorites?

10.   Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. I read the first Hunger Games a year ago and then the two sequels in a week. I am so fancy. Also I like reading young adult fiction when I’m sick. It’s really all I can keep up with.

Videos I Fell For: .Pretty much all of the videos from Hilary Rushford of Dean Street Society. So adorable AND helpful.

 

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If you enjoyed this post, get email updates (it’s FREE).

So what are you loving lately? I’m always on the lookout for what is delicious in food, drink, fashion, and life. Leave me your favorites in the comments or write a post of your own and link back here.

Image Source: My Instagram!

Wise Words To Live By

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December 10th’s Prompt: Wisdom.

What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out?

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Work: Not taking it personally was my new school year resolution.

How is it playing out so far?

I am listening more and talking less. I am happy to report I am suffering much less wanting thing to be different than they are.

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Life: I’ve also been paying attention to the details more.

Here are some examples of some hidden treasures around Sacramento this afternoon.

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What wisdom did you find this year?


(Author: Susannah Conway)

Profound Moment – Paying Attention to the Details

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Prompt: Moment. Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors).

My first instinct when approaching this prompt was to retell the stories of the really hard parts of my year. If you’d like to read about them you can – here and here. Oh sadness, why are you so vivid?

My next instinct was to get all “yoga” on you and say something like,<insert breathy voice here> “every moment I feel alive”  – because I’m just that good at being in the moment.

Ha!

Then I wanted to punch myself for being so pretentious and figured that wasn’t the direction this post would take if I wanted to keep my readers.

So I’ll talk about something that has made me all misty-eyed and proud.

Drum roll, please….

I noticed – on several different occasions – the trees changing color.

What the big effing deal about that?

For starters, just about every tree in Sacramento changes from green to Technicolor yellow, orange, red. It is like an explosion of color and so different from the evergreen trees around where I grew up. You would pretty much have to be blind not to notice.

And until last fall (during yoga teacher training), I didn’t ever notice the beauty.

How can that be you ask?

Usually I’m stuck in my head and mired in how to get from here to there or how to get this group of people to do what I want them to do when I want them to do it and for them to think it was their idea – instead of paying attention to the details of life around me.

Not this year.

This year, I am paying attention to those damn leaves.

I’ve even picked out my favorite trees – they are twins.

They live across the street on the corner a couple of blocks down the street from me.

I found out recently they are ginkgo biloba trees. They are at least 10 feet tall, slender and right now have bright yellow flower petal shaped leaves covering them.

There is also a pile of leaves on the sidewalk and street. I’m hoping to see the flurry of leaves falling when the wind kicks in.

I hope I don’t miss it.

Why do these leaves make me so heart-swelling happy?

Because I am finally noticing the little details of life. I think they call it living in the moment. I have heard this is where the peace and the happiness live.

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Has there been a moment that took your breath away this year?


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Today’s prompt is from:

Author: Ali Edwards
Memory Keeping Idea Books
@aliedwards