Kimberly Wilson's Blog, page 103

Week in Review {Pics + Links}

 

Week in Review

Greetings from the lush woods of West Virginia. I’m here to host the annual spring Art + Yoga weekend retreat and the sun has decided to shine after days of rain. The leaves are a vibrant shade of lime green and birds are chirping nonstop—apparently all beings are excited about the rain’s reprieve.

This week felt oddly mishmashed with a glorious visit to the Georgia O’Keefe museum and final days of the Natalie Goldberg writing retreat in Santa Fe followed by  a 3am return to DC Monday and a day of meetings, seeing clients for three days, and then heading here to prepare for a weekend of hosting.

As the wind whips through the canopy outside, I’m putting the finishing touches on the weekend—writing names on washi tape, inserting pink and gold chevron straws into Mason jars, hanging bunting and twinkle lights, planting marigolds, distributing pink peonies and white candles around Tim’s cabin, stuffing goody bags, and readying myself for the group’s arrival.

These final few hours before the first car pulls into Tim’s drive are sacred. It’s my time to ground through yoga and meditation practices and create a respite for the soon-to-arrive city dwellers seeking tranquility in nature.

May this weekend offer you a chance to rest in whatever way you most need. Ask yourself and listen intently. x

Pics in Review

Purple irises
Buddha
Planting flowers
My boys

Savvy Sources

Ted Talk: Why Some of Us Don’t Have One True Calling

Why Self-Compassion Works Better Than Self-Esteem

The Truth About Your Clothing Donations

10 Phenomenal Reasons to Love Pigs

Yoga, Mindfulness + Writing a Book

First Graders Read to Shelter Pets

Thoreau On Defining Your Success

How to Prioritize Your To-Do List

Weekend Wish List

Set up and take down retreat decor

Host inspiring Art + Yoga Retreat in West Virginia

Breathe deeply

Give generously

Write

Read

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Week in Review {Pics + Links}

 

 

Week in Review

Hello from the Southwest. Truly the Land of Enchantment. Filled with grayish sage brush, blue skies, and adobes. I’m here to study Zen and Writing with Natalie Goldberg—a woman I’ve read and admired from afar for nearly two decades. Our days run from 7:30am to 9pm and are filled with 10-minute writing prompts. She’s a big fan of keeping the hand moving. The hours of 9pm to 4pm are in silence. Yep, that’s five hours of talking.

This week has thrown my body and routine for a sweet shift—weekend in PA at a two-day social work licensing prep course, two days in DC, and three days in New Mexico. As I fell asleep Wednesday night after my journey out here, I could feel the swaying of the plane seeped into my bones. Or maybe it was exhaustion from being up since 2:30am Mountain Daylight Time.

As I prepare to dash (or should I say mindfully walk) to breakfast, I’m basking in this truly Zen setting, the silence, and the words that emerge onto the page. May your weekend be filled with pink petals, a good read, and a steaming cuppa tea. Bisous. x

Pics in Review

Pink petals spotted in PA
Scooped them up and let them fall one by one to the ground
More pink petals
Buddha + my tea mug
Santa Fe skies
Meetup with my aunt and uncle who where also visiting Santa Fe

Savvy Sources

Is Busy-ness a Drug? William James on Attention and Multitasking

Why Your Cat is So Weird

Can Reading Make You Happier?

Eleanor Roosevelt on Our Responsibility for Social Change

Video: The Truth About Milk

 6 Tips to Spring Clean Financial Goals

3 Reasons Why You Should Show Your Work

Why You Should Write Daily

Keep the Hand Moving

Weekend Wish List

Soften into the Writing/Zen Retreat

Soak up Santa Fe

Visit the Georgia O’Keefe Museum

Safe travels home

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7 Tranquil Travel Tips

Welcome to May. April showers brought peonies and I couldn’t be happier about it. What a delicate, stunning flower. Have you read what Mary Oliver wrote about them? When I picked up the last remaining bunch at Whole Foods last week, you’d think I’d won the lottery. I snapped the above picture and held them tight as I made my way through the aisles.

Tomorrow I’m off to Santa Fe to study Zen and writing with Natalie Goldberg. Her classic, Writing Down the Bones, was my first writing book and provided the nudge I needed to put pen on paper.

As I gear up for two months of travel for various conferences, hosting and attending retreats, meetings, and family time, I’m reflecting on how best to keep the journey as tranquil as possible. I’ve found that these seven tips can help make travel and a new environment more enjoyable.

1.    Go direct when possible. While layovers help break up the flying time, as a nervous flyer I want it to be over as soon as possible. Also, direct flights lessen the likelihood of lost luggage or missed connections. If you’re driving and not in a hurry, you may want to choose a more scenic route so that you can take in the journey without watching it pass by at 75 mph.

2.    Make it a family affair. Going to a new city for a conference? Invite your partner along and turn it into a mini vacation. I’ll often bring Tim and Mookie on my travels so they get their own time during the day and we have the evenings to explore.

3.    Pack lightly. Since most of my upcoming travels are less than a week, I tote a weekender or carry on versus checking a suitcase. This also challenges me to keep things light. Basics: one pair of shoes, toiletries, clothing, books, writing materials, electronics, creature comforts (see #5). Here’s a downloadable packing list PDF.

4.    Try a capsule wardrobe. A few staples can go a long way to mix and match. Granted I’m an all-black girl so what I wear always matches, but you can do this with your color, too. Choose two tops, two bottoms, and one dress for a weekend away. If the fabric rolls nicely (like TranquiliT), you can pack a lot of pieces into a tiny bag. Don’t forget a scarf!

5.    Tote little luxuries. Creature comforts like bags of tea, ear plugs, lavender oil, easy snacks (almonds, dried fruit, or dark chocolate), a travel candle, a reusable water bottle, pain reliever pills, and perfume can help you create a happy home wherever you roam.

6.    Create buffers. I used to set up meetings or teaching engagements right after I returned from traveling and found myself resenting it, exhausted, and unable to fully show up. Then I started created space without having to be “on” in any capacity for ideally 24 hours after returning home. This helps ease the transition and let’s me reconnect with loved ones.

7.    Notice your natural rhythms. Do you do better with morning or evening travel? Does it take you longer to adjust to time changes? Does traveling upset your system? Once you become more aware of how your body and mind reacts to travel, you can make slight changes to ease the unplanned inconveniences that often arise when out of your daily routine.

As you gear up for summer travel, keep these tips in mind and make tweaks as needed. Do you have a favorite I missed? How do you make sure you’re at ease while on the road or in the air? Share below.

May your adventures offer a respite from the day-to-day and give you the opportunity to hit the reset button, learn, or explore with an infusion of tranquility. Bisous. x

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Tranquility du Jour #369: The Writing Practice

The Writing Practice with Heather Sellers. Hear her story of face blindness, learn about the structure of braiding, and the value of slowing down to see what’s really there.

 

Direct download:  Tranquility du Jour #369: The Writing Practice

 

Featured Guest:

Heather Sellers’ award-winning memoir, You Don’t Look Like Anyone I Know, has been featured by O, the Oprah Magazine, where it was a book of the month pick, Good Morning America, Rachel Ray, NPR, The New York Times, Dick Gordon’s The Story, Good Housekeeping, More, Elle, and many others.

Heather Sellers was born and raised in Orlando, Florida. Her PhD in English/Creative Writing is from Florida State University. A professor of English at the University of South Florida in the creative writing program, she teaches poetry, nonfiction, and writing for children. Awarded an NEA Fellowship for fiction, she published a short story collection, Georgia Under Water, a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. She’s published a children’s book, Spike and Cubby’s Ice Cream Island Adventure, three volumes of poetry, and three books on the craft of writing. Her popular textbook for writers in any genre, The Practice of Creative Writing, is out in its second edition from Bedford/St. Martins. She’s taught at the University of Texas—San Antonio and St. Lawrence University, and, for 18 years, at Hope College in Holland, Michigan.  She’s currently at work on a novel for young readers, essays, and a new memoir.

Savvy Sources


HeatherSellers.com
August Creative Writing Sampler retreat at Kripalu
Heather’s books
“Cat in the Rain” by Hemingway
Bloom into Spring Tranquility du Jour Live
My Latest Book: 52 Weeks of Tranquility Journal
Sign up for Love Notes and access Tranquil Treasures
Podcast app: Tranquility du Jour iPhone and Android



Upcoming Events

Art + Yoga in West Virginia: May 13-15 {1 spot}

Penning in Paris: June 6-10 {2 spots}

TDJ Live {Seasonal Podcast}: June 16 at 8pmET

Yoga and the Animals at Burleigh Manor Animal Sanctuary: June 18

Tranquility Virtual Retreat: July 9

Tranquility in Tuscany: October 8-15 {5 spots}

Writing in the Woods: October 28-30 {6 spots}

 

Stay Connected

New to Tranquility du Jour? Peruse my FAQs.
Tranquility University E-courses.
Broadcasts on Periscope.
Connect on Facebook.
Shop locally-sewn, eco-friendly TranquiliT.
Eye candy on Instagram.
Pin along on Pinterest.
Follow on Twitter.
Read along on Goodreads.
Browse my books.
Read about my passion for animals.
Pen a review on iTunes.

Techy

To listen, click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes.
New to podcasting? Get more info at Podcast 411.
Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast to get the latest episode as released.
Get the Tranquility du Jour apps to get the podcast automagically on iOS or Android.

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Week in Review

Week in Review

On Saturday I biked in the rain to a daylong on mindful habits at the Smithsonian. Maneuvering the city on wheels wearing a clear plastic cape makes for an interesting opportunity to observe one’s habits.

Sunday I started the day camped out at Starbucks with Mookie where he had his very own seat, stuffed pig, and bone to keep him company. Staying joined at the hip we also enjoyed a picnic at Dupont Circle near the fountain where I read. What a delight to have an entire day without any place to be at any particular time.

This week I spent in meetings, with clients, writing, and teaching. Tonight I hop on Amtrak to spend two days in a social work licensing training in Pennsylvania. I look forward to daydreaming out the window the entire way.

Wishing you a weekend filled with daydreams, respite, and peonies. Bisous. x

Week in Pics

Picnic at Dupont Circle
Creative time in the garden
Mookie’s own seat at Starbucks
Writing
Peonies
Another peony pic {snatched the last bouquet at Whole Foods}

Savvy Sources

Secret Formula for Resilience

NPR Notes on Prince

Stop Pressuring Women To Be Moms

George Orwell On How To Make the Perfect Cuppa Tea

How We Find Ourselves By Getting Lost

Taking Notes by Hand

Befriending Change and the Fear of the Unknown

5 Things No One Tells You About Living Alone

How Solitude Enriches Creative Work 11 Off-the-Shoulder Looks

Weekend Wish List

Safe travels to and from Chester, PA

Learn lots at licensing prep classes

Read

Write

Prep for next week’s travel to Santa Fe

 

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Tranquility in Tuscany This Fall

Unwind, restore, and reflect while nurturing your creative spirit. I’m writing to invite you on a week-long yoga, creativity, and mindfulness retreat over Columbus Day weekend, October 8-15 in tranquil Tuscany.

This gorgeous secluded Italian villa is nestled on a hilltop with magnificent views overlooking forests, vineyards, olive groves, and mountains. Our experience begins with intention setting in our opening circle Sunday morning and ends with a heart-centered closing circle on Friday evening.

Indulge in daily yoga and mindfulness practices coupled with creative play sessions. Dine on regional, vegetarian cuisine, and sip local wines.

There’s ample downtime for napping, painting, soaking in a Turkish sauna, writing, hiking, and reading poolside, along with savoring optional spa treatments or excursions to sites such as Cinque Terre.

All yoga classes will be taught at Tranquil Space Open Flow level (late beginner to advanced students) with variations and modifications for your body.

5 spots left. Learn more and save your spot at tranquilspace.com.

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Week in Review {Pics + Links}

Week in Review

Last weekend’s memorial jaunt to the mountains provided a refreshing dose of crisp air, tasty wine, and spaciousness.

I started the week at the launch of Wayne Pacelle’s new book, The Humane Economy: How Innovators and Enlightened Consumers are Transforming the Lives of Animals. Being in a room filled with animal lovers is  energizing—especially with Cory Booker there, too. That night I filled out The Humane Society of the United States’ online volunteer interest form and will be attending their biannual conference, Taking Action for Animals, again in June. Love their work!

Tim’s off biking the west coast again so the week was about juggling an anxious dog who can’t be left alone with daycare hours and clients. We made it work and have only a few days left before Tim returns to help co-parent. Oddly enough I was experiencing anxiety from leaving my anxious dog with a sitter to attend a talk last night appropriately titled Emotional Rescue.

The week consisted of caring for Mookie, working with clients, baking kale chips, gardening, writing, releasing a podcast, attending three book events/talks, sipping tea, teaching a workshop, and mourning the loss of Prince.

Week in Pics

Love Note sent to partner in Jennifer Belthoff’s project
This cat won’t take no for an answer
Week 16 of 52 Weeks of Tranquility = Let Go
King of the meditation cushions
Time in the garden

Savvy Sources

What the Purple One Can Teach Us About Life, Death, and Grief

Get the Most Out of a Tiny Garden Space

5 Things Traveling Teaches You About Entrepreneurship

How to Get Started Writing a Novel

Karma Can be Good Business in a More Humane Economy

Making Raised Garden Beds

5 Ways to Succeed at Genre Writing Switching

How to Avoid the Empathy Trap

A Tiny Home Takes Shape in Brooklyn

Tracey and Jon Stewart are Expanding Their Animal Sanctuary

Weekend Wish List

Rest

Learn at two mindfulness events: Emotional Rescue + Mindful Habits

Read

Write

Garden

Organize

Cuddle Mookie

Long walks

 

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RIP Prince Rogers Nelson

Prince was my first boyfriend. It may not have been a mutual relationship, but this poster hung on the back of my bedroom door in 1984 and was the last thing I saw each night as I crawled into bed.

From exposing fantasy in “Darling Nikki” (I still know every word) and his movie Purple Rain, to helping me choose between two neighborhood boys—Rudy or Raphael (I chose Rudy)—with “The Beautiful Ones,” to dancing into the wee hours to “Gett Off” after one too many libations at a Phi Delt party, to playing “Nothing Compares to You” in yoga classes, Prince helped me come of age.

Although this sexy man wearing white ruffles in the poster was later replaced by Stryper during my Christian rock phase (“To Hell With the Devil” . . . seriously) and then Guns N’ Roses during my rebellious phase, Prince has always been integral to my journey.

Seeing him live in 2004 was nothing short of monumental. While we could only see specks of his flamboyant outfits and high heels from our stadium seats, it felt as if he was playing directly to us. That’s a true gift of an artist and that August night remains a highlight of adulthood.

I got yesterday’s shocking news via text. After clients and yoga, I headed home to sip wine and sing along to Prince’s The Hits past my bedtime. Raspberry Beret, Little Red Corvette, Kiss, I Would Die 4 U, Let’s Go Crazy, 1999, Pop Life, 7. Losing him feels like losing a part of my history.

What is it about losing artists such as Prince that touches us so deeply? Is it recognition of our own mortality? Is it the mourning of a spirit that accompanied our journey through life and somehow made it easier by simply existing?

I’m not sure. But as I fell asleep watching Prince videos with tears in my eyes, I realized it was a much stronger reaction than expected.

Although he didn’t know he was my “boyfriend,” it feels like I’ve lost a first love and I don’t seem to be the only one. Apparently he had many, many girlfriends all over the world who are also mourning a deep loss. Bisous. x

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Happy Earth Day: 8 Ways to Honor Her

Happy Earth Day to you and yours! While we all know the importance of reduce, reuse, recycle, there are numerous ways to honor Mother Earth each and every day. Below are eight of my favorites:

1. Support farmers’ markets. Grab your reusable bag and hit your local market for flowers, fruits, and veggies. Or join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).

2. Skip disposable and tote reusable water bottles and cups. Less waste, more libation.

3. Spread kindness to all beings. Recycle. Pick up litter. Relocate uninvited critters (yep, even spiders) outdoors. Tread lightly. Practice mindfulness.

4. Support slow fashion. Americans toss an average of 68 pounds of clothing annually. Choose quality and versatility. Watch The True Cost documentary. Try TranquiliT (save 20% with code EARTHDAY).

5. Use eco-friendly cleaning products (or make your own). Forgo the chemicals and go DIY.

6. Go veg. Meat production is one of the largest sources of water pollution, greenhouse gases, and loss of biodiversity. 10 reasons why it’s green to go veg.

7. Get your hands dirty. Plant a veggie or herb garden. Add pink impatiens or purple pansies to terra cotta pots. Insert a pop of color with a bright green pothos or philodendron.

8. Spend time in nature. Savor a dose of fresh air and put things in perspective. Einstein said, “Look deep into nature, and you will understand everything better.”

How do you like to honor Mother Earth in your daily life?

Wishing you a beautiful weekend filled with deep connection to the world around you. Bisous. x

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Ashes to Ashes

 

Saturday was April 16. While that may not be a date stamped into anyone’s mind, it’s one that haunts me. It’s the day we said goodbye to Louis last year. I’ve been anticipating its arrival for months and carefully carved out plans to honor him away from home.

Weeks ago I received an invite to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine Leadership Summit for April 16 and was excited to hit “accept,” then realized the date conflict. After receiving a few follow up invites, I decided to make both work. It felt like a sign to be there. Spending time hearing the latest in PCRM’s work for the animals began to also feel like a way to honor Louis.

Saturday I woke up early anticipating the morning’s Leadership Summit and subsequent jaunt to the Shenandoah mountains. I was packed and ready for our overnight adventure. After consuming a yummy plant-based lunch, Tim picked me up with Mookie in tow. There was a Mid-Atlantic Pug Rescue pug meet up happening nearby so we wanted to support it on our way out of town. Mookie lasted exactly eight minutes. Yep, eight.

His anxiety is overwhelming despite meds, behaviorists, and two people that love him dearly. He ran around, appeared enamored by a fawn pug in a tutu, and then came to us barking uncontrollably. It’s his thing. We don’t know what he wants, but we know we need to move on to avoid disturbing others. So we scooped him up, soothed him, and headed to the mountains.

En route I remembered taking Louis to a dog-friendly winery on our last trip and began doing some googling. Although I couldn’t recall that winery, I found one right off 66 that allowed dogs in the tasting room, Three Foxes Vineyards.

We pulled into the long drive and it was packed with a local band covering songs from various decades (hello Supertramp), couples, dogs, and picnic tables strategically placed along the river that bordered the property. We parked and made our way to the tasting room. Mookie was behaved until a woman tasting next to us acknowledged him. He gets upset with too much attention. I picked him up to stop the barking and he gripped on to me for dear life—shaking with nails embedded into my shoulders.

After a round of dog therapy (aka time, space, and lots of “you’re okay”), we purchased a glass of our favorite white, sat outside, and watched the time. 3:30 was fast approaching. At the one year mark we lifted our glasses in honor of Louis and took a moment. Tears rolled down my cheeks and I could feel that I’d come a long way from that day. While the grief is still palpable, it is no longer debilitatingly raw.

We finished our crisp white and headed toward Shenandoah National Park. At the gate we were informed that it was National Park Week, so entrance was free. Happy 100 years National Park Service!

Our special spot is at the first visitor center where we photographed Louis as a three-month-old puppy in a blue and orange striped sweater on top of a rock shortly after we’d gotten him. He looked so tiny compared to the rock and rolling hills behind it. The photo was always known as “king of the mountain.” We took the same photo last year with him.

We made our way to the rock with Mookie and took a seat on its uneven surface. Looking out on the layers of blue ridges, I took a deep breath. Tim pulled out a tiny capsule urn and sprinkled a teeny bit. We watched a few ashes drop to the earth and held one another as the wind carried specks away. After taking it all in, we walked slowly back to the car while a man sang and strummed along on his banjo.

The next day we returned to the park for one final visit before I had to teach. As we approached our sacred rock for the last time on this trip, there was a kid with a stick digging around in the dirt where we’d left some of Louis. Initially I was horrified, then I had to laugh. It truly is ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

While honoring a lost loved one is deeply personal, this experience coupled with the memorial garden currently in bloom with daffodils, monkey grass (his favorite thing to desecrate), and hostas feels right.

Adopting Mookie has helped soothe the pain of losing such a big part of my life. My world has changed in many ways since last April and continues to shift. That’s how life works. I know it and I do my best to honor it despite the raging discomfort. Bisous. x

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