Kimberly Wilson's Blog, page 110

Tranquility du Jour #357: Mindful Eating

An interview with Annie Mahon on Mindful Eating: Things I Did When I Was Hangry. Learn how to figure out what’s eating you, evaluate your activities and habits, and have  a more peaceful relationship with food.

Direct download: Tranquility du Jour #357: Mindful Eating

Featured Guest

Annie Mahon founded Circle Yoga in 2003 in order to bring mindfulness and yoga to people of all ages. She is the co-founder of DC Yoga Week and Yoga on the National Mall and the Opening Heart Mindfulness Community, and she is active in much of the grassroots community yoga and mindfulness activities in the Washington DC Area. She is also a writer and published her second book, Things I Did When I Was Hangry: Navigating a Peaceful Relationship with Food with Parallax Press in 2015. Read Annie’s mindfulness blog at rawmindfulness.com.

Annie holds masters degrees in both Computer Science (University of Michigan) and Religious Studies (Howard University). She is also trained in massage therapy.

Annie teaches mindfulness in the tradition of her primary teacher Thich Nhat Hanh and yoga in a mixed Anusara-mindfulness style. Other teacher and influences include Philip Moffit, Alan Watts, Jack Kornfield, Kate Miller, her four children, and the monks and nuns of Plum Village. In October 2009, Annie was ordained into the Buddhist Order of Interbeing with the ordination name True Blue Lake.

Annie is an ERYT-200, having completed an Anusara 400-hour training in 2004, and is also one of the first certified Children’s Yoga teachers in the country, holding a C-RYT.

She is certified as an Inner Relationship Focusing professional, and has studied and practiced non-violent communication (NVC) for over a decade, including with Marshall Rosenberg and Robert Gonzales.

Annie has a strong interest in using mindfulness, yoga, focusing, NVC, and therapeutic touch to help support reduce suffering in herself and others. She also pioneers community-based business and programs that foster shared decision making, rather than typical hierarchical structures. Toward that goal, in 2012 she gifted the equity in Circle Yoga to the workers, making it the first Cooperative Yoga Studio in the area, and one of the very first in the country.

Savvy Sources


Website: rawmindfulness.com/
Twitter: twitter.com/rawmindfulness
Facebook: facebook.com/rawmindfulness/
Book: rawmindfulness.com/book
Former Tranquility du Jour podcast with Annie on Everyday Mindfulness
Join my complimentary 52 Weeks of Tranquility Program
New Year, New You Seasonal Podcast
Fall’s online book club pick: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Sign up for weekly Love Notes and access Tranquil Treasures
Podcast app: Tranquility du Jour iPhone and Android



Upcoming Events

Mini Retreat in DC: December 31

2016

Art + Asana in Costa Rica: February 13-20
8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in DC: Starts February 26
Art + Yoga in West Virginia: May 13-15
Penning in Paris: June 6-10
Art + Asana in Tuscany: October 8-15
Writing in the Woods: October 28-30

Stay Connected

New to Tranquility du Jour? Peruse my FAQs.
Tranquility University E-courses.
Read along on Goodreads.
Connect on Facebook.
Follow on Twitter.
Pin along on Pinterest.
Eye candy on Instagram.
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.

The post Tranquility du Jour #357: Mindful Eating appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

Week in Review {Pics + Links}

Bonjour

Greetings from the sunlight-filled Pink Palace. A beautiful day in Washington, DC. I’m gearing up for a 2-hour photo shoot to capture TranquiliT’s Capsule Wardrobe on two lovely ladies.

This week’s highlights include three podcast interviews {hello repeat guests SARK and Jennifer Scott}, seeing clients, getting my hair did, eating pumpkin pie for numerous meals {uh oh}, coming home to a freshly-painted home, donating books and furniture pieces, releasing the Tranquility du Jour Daybook e-course, setting up Italy 2016 {now open for registration}, savoring vino and tapas fireside with friends, and chatting with pal Britt about my astrology chart reading {interesting synchronicities}.

Over the weekend I also did most of my holiday shopping online —herb wreaths that can be used for cooking, wreaths made with bird seed to hang outside for winged friends, playful books, handmade bath bombs, scented soaps. So love gifting {and receiving} consumables. Truly, the perfect items to help avoid the overwhelming accumulation of stuff.

We recently had our living room floors replaced due to water damage from a burst hallway pipe and last weekend all our walls were repainted. This meant we either boxed up everything and moved it to another room or moved items to the center of the room {tough in a 600-square-foot place}. Despite lots of decluttering and donating binges over the past few years, it’s times like these where I see how much stuff I own {and rarely use}. It’s shocking.

Wishing you a weekend of savoring, simplifying, and honoring your energy. Rest, sip tea, do yoga, read, write, make homemade treats and know that to-dos will be waiting for you when you’re rested and ready.  You are beautiful.

A Peek Into This Week

Morning light in the Pink Palace
Christmas tree hunting with Mookie {who often appears confused}
Cozy Monday night by the fire at Tranquil Space

Savvy Sources

The Secret Weapon to Help You Stick to Your Good Habits

10 Reasons to Say No to Animal Gifting Hunger Relief Organizations

2016 Pantone Color of the Year

Joan Didion’s Favorite Books of All Time

10 Ways Creativity Can Totally Change Your Life

Addicted to Distraction

Small Changes in Diet Can Make Big Difference to Greenhouse Gas Emissions

How to Make Clementine Mimosas

Weekend Wish List

Fun Capsule Wardrobe Photo Shoot

Host Inspiring Mindfulness Teacher Training Workshop

Write

Edit

Rest fireside with Mookie

Plant daffodil bulbs

Yoga

Et toi? What’s on your weekend wish list? Bisous. x

The post Week in Review {Pics + Links} appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

Tranquilosophy: Move Mindfully

Week 48: Move Mindfully
Decked out in a camel-colored velour tracksuit, I crossed the Army 10-miler finish line with a big grin and achy knees. This was November 2003 and one of my proudest moments.

I’d started running earlier that spring with a friend who coaxed me as I huffed and puffed around the monuments with “You can do it!” After 15 minutes, I collapsed into her sedan ready to rest.

To say athletic inclination has been a struggle for me since childhood is, well, an understatement.

In elementary school P.E. class I’d run to kick the ball . . . and miss. Every time. I signed up for soccer because I understood it to be cheerleading and cried each time the ball came at me.

The clincher was a 4th grade softball game where our class played the faculty while the rest of the school watched. My dear mom called in sick for me while I stayed curled up in the fetal position with no audience to observe my inability to hit the ball.

Then there was the trauma of choreographed step aerobics classes. As I fumbled on and off the step in my white high tops, I decided it was best to stick with putting one foot in front of another on a treadmill without feeling that a class of spandex-clad ladies were silently judging me. I’m still in recovery for that one.

When I found yoga in my early 20s, I was grateful for a way to move my body that felt intuitive. It also didn’t involve an 8-count or a scary ball being thrown at me. Just a sticky mat, stretchy clothing, compassion, and my breath.

Read the rest of this piece by signing up for Love Notes. Already signed up? Unlock Tranquil Treasures and click on the 52 Weeks tab.

52 Weeks of Tranquility

This complimentary program is designed to help us stay motivated and engaged in 2015. Only 4 weeks left!

To find support and community, join our private Facebook group and use hashtag #52weekstranquility to create additional online connections.

Connect live in our Tranquilosophy Seasonal podcasts. Our next one is New Year, New You on Thursday, January 7, 2016.

Can’t join us live? Recordings are available.

The post Tranquilosophy: Move Mindfully appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

Tranquility du Jour #356: Uncovering Happiness

An interview with Elisha Goldstein on Uncovering Happiness. Learn how to release natural antidepressants in the brain and take back control of your mood, your mind, and your life.

Direct download: Tranquility du Jour #356: Uncovering Happiness

Featured Guest
Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D. is co-founder of The Center for Mindful Living in West Los Angeles. He is a psychologist, speaker and author who has published numerous articles, chapters, and blogs, including Uncovering Happiness: Overcoming Depression with Mindfulness and Self-Compassion,  The Now Effect: How This Moment Can Change the Rest of Your Life and co-author of  A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook , foreword by Jon Kabat-Zinn and MBSR Every Day . He synthesizes the pearls of traditional psychotherapy with a progressive integration of mindfulness to achieve mental and emotional healing. He has his private practice in West Los Angeles, California.

Savvy Sources


Website: elishagoldstein.com
Twitter: twitter.com/Mindful_Living
Facebook: facebook.com/ElishaGoldstein
YouTube: youtube.com/user/ElishaGoldsteinPhD
Former Tranquility du Jour podcast with Elisha
Join my complimentary 52 Weeks of Tranquility Program
New Year, New You Seasonal Podcast
Fall Seasonal Podcast mp3
Fall’s online book club pick: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Sign up for weekly Love Notes and access Tranquil Treasures
Podcast app: Tranquility du Jour iPhone and Android



Upcoming Events

Mini Retreat in DC: December 31

2016

Art + Asana in Costa Rica: February 13-20
8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in DC: Starts February 26
Art + Yoga in West Virginia: May 13-15
Penning in Paris: June 6-10
Art + Asana in Tuscany: October 8-15
Writing in the Woods: October 28-30

Stay Connected

New to Tranquility du Jour? Peruse my FAQs.
Tranquility University E-courses.
Read along on Goodreads.
Connect on Facebook.
Follow on Twitter.
Pin along on Pinterest.
Eye candy on Instagram.
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.

The post Tranquility du Jour #356: Uncovering Happiness appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

Forget Black Friday? Today’s YOUR day.

Don pajamas, sit fireside, and skip the crowds. Shop TODAY* with code GRATITUDE and save 20%.

Want to pare down? Try our 10-piece Capsule Wardrobe and play with all these combos.

Spend lots of time on the road? Print this Tranquil Travel Checklist.

Hope to stay tranquil despite the hustle and bustle? Try these 8 tips.

Curious about the collection? Here’s this season’s look book.

A little (her)story: Launched in 2002 with yoga pants and tees (that’s where the name TranquiliT(ee) originated), I fantasized of chic and comfy clothing to align with an on-the-go lifestyle–moving from yoga to business meetings to café writing. I dreamed up designs, found a local seamstress and lush eco-friendly fabrics. Voilà, TranquiliT was born.

Thank you for supporting small and local. May your hollydaze be merry, bright, and tranquil. Bisous. x

*Enjoy 20% OFF full-price and sale items through Sunday, 11/29/2015 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Discount reflected at checkout with code GRATITUDE. This offer does not apply to previously placed orders or lifestyle items and cannot be combined with any other discounts.

The post Forget Black Friday? Today’s YOUR day. appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

Week in Review {Pics + Links}

Bonjour

Greetings from Tim’s cabin in the deep woods of West Virginia.

After teaching a charity class at Tranquil Space yesterday {we raised over $2600 for So Others Might Eat!}, we gathered our 4-legged boys and headed northwest. Being in the city and on the road Thanksgiving Day is always a treat. So. very. quiet.

This week’s highlights include taking yummy yoga classes, Thanksgiving for the Turkeys at Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary {where I gleefully tossed pumpkins to happy pigs}, finalizing a new AMAZING tea blend I’ll be offering shortly, teaching a charity class, seeing clients at The Women’s Center, being featured in Start DC, prepping the Pink Palace for a fresh interior paint job, updating my New Here page {anything you’d like added?}, getting Tranquility du Jour up on Bloglovin’, and prepping for the Daybook e-course release.

Next week is the release of week 48 of the 52 Weeks of Tranquility program. Only five muses to go until we tie a bow around 2015’s adventure together! My wish is that it provided a welcomed dose of tranquility into your overflowing inbox each week. I’ve loved sharing it with you and am compiling a workbook of the essays {plus a few bonuses} for release mid-December.

Wishing you a tranquil launch into the holiday season. May you find time to get outside, sip tasty tea {or vino}, eat pumpkin pie for breakfast, warm fireside, read an inspiring text, practice loving-kindness, watch a favorite film, and take deep breaths.

You are a beautiful being.

A Peek into this Week

Table set up for Daybook e-course shoot
Mookie savoring a Thanksgiving treat
Time with the animals {PIGS!} at Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary
Mookie’s new “Dear Santa, Define Good” Christmas sweater from Gma
Savoring tea, the new Bella Grace, Daybook planning, and journal time pre-Hospice volunteering

Savvy Sources

Art Journal Basics

The Evolution of Simplicity

Veganism and the Holidays

Problems of Output are Problems of Input

The Beautiful Writers Podcast

Holiday Cards Made Easy

One Letter Can Change Your Life {Letter writing templates}

Weekend Wish List

Soak in the tub

Sit fireside

Choose and decorate a tree

Sip lots of tea

Call home

Finish {+ edit} 52 Weeks of Tranquility essays

Put finishing touches on Daybook e-course

What’s on your weekend wish list? Bisous. x

The post Week in Review {Pics + Links} appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

Holiday Tranquility Tips

Despite the festivities, garland, and twinkle lights, the holidays can sometimes leave us feeling a bit, well, less than tranquil. Here are a few tips to help your holiday season feel more tranquil inside and out:

1. Get outside. Fresh air helps us stay in the moment. Time in nature is grounding and enhances a sense of interconnectedness to help keep things in perspective.

2. Center yourself. During the hustle and bustle it’s extra important to take time for self-care. Keep up your favorite centering practices such as sipping tea, sitting on the cushion, writing in your journal, practicing on your yoga mat, or soaking in the tub.

3. Gift experiences and consumables. Rather than the standard hat and glove combo, consider gifting your loved ones a batch of homemade jam, a beloved book, an artisanal treat from a small business, a box of their favorite tea {or whip up your own blend}, or tickets to see an art exhibit.

4. Be kind to yourself. This time of the year can be hard on some. Be gentle with yourself and know you’re doing the best you can. Practice loving-kindness. Honor your growth, lessons learned, and dreams.

5. Breathe. When you notice your shoulders creeping up toward your ears, your heart racing when stuck in traffic, or stress building, tune into your breath. Inhale to the count of four, exhale to the count of four, repeat. Again and again.

6. Travel lightly {and off-peak}. Print and save this checklist to help your travels go smoothly. Save space by easily rolling your TranquiliT pieces into your luggage. It’s perfect for mixing and matching, dressing up {pearls and heels} or dressing down {clogs and denim jacket}. When possible, choose off-peak travel to avoid congestion and chaos.

7. Express gratitude. Take time to appreciate the little things: a warm bath, a steaming cuppa tea, a cozy bed, a devoted pet. Studies show that expressing gratitude can lower stress levels, help you sleep better, improve self-esteem, enhance empathy, and adjust your attitude.

8. Get moving. Exercise releases endorphins, reduces stress, and helps offset that extra piece of pumpkin pie {confession: I had one for breakfast}. Put on your hiking boots or tennis shoes and get hit the trails. Roll out your yoga mat and do a few sun salutations. Grab your bike and begin pedaling.

What are your favorite ways to stay tranquil during the holidays? Wishing you a holiday filled with loved ones, warm fires, and hot cocoa with marshmallows. Bisous. x

The post Holiday Tranquility Tips appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

Tranquilosophy: Gratitude

Week 47: Gratitude

This weekend I went to an animal sanctuary to feed pumpkins to pigs. As hundreds of people tossed the round, orange fruits over the fence, the pigs came running and snorting across the fields with eyes locked on their conquest.

Their joy was contagious. I, and the many onlookers, watched them devour their treats and my heart filled with happiness. Seeing someone engaged in what they love has a ripple effect and leaves us both grateful.

Sitting around a beautifully-set table with loved ones offers the opportunity to hit the pause button and practice slowing down to reflect and express gratitude.

A study from The Wall Street Journal claims, “Adults who frequently feel grateful have more energy, more optimism, more social connections, and more happiness than those who do not.”

Recently I read a beautiful quote from Sarah Ban Breathnach’s book Simple Abundance, “You have no idea of the countless lives you touch in the course of your lifetime.”

Read the rest of this piece by signing up for Love Notes. Already signed up? Unlock Tranquil Treasures and click on the 52 Weeks tab.

52 Weeks of Tranquility

A complimentary program is designed to help us stay motivated and engaged in 2015. Only 5 weeks left!

To find support and community, join our private Facebook group and use hashtag #52weekstranquility to create additional online connections.

Connect live in our Tranquilosophy Seasonal podcasts. Our next one is New Year, New You on January 7, 2016.

Can’t join us live? Recordings are available.

The post Tranquilosophy: Gratitude appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

Takeaways from Cheryl Strayed

image courtesy of Cheryl Strayed

Last week I biked through the dimly-lit city streets to see Cheryl Strayed in person. You may know her as the author Wild or Tiny Beautiful Things. She was in DC promoting her new book Brave Enough.

After the standard introductions and logistics from the hosts, Cheryl walked down the aisle to a roaring crowd. She hugged a few students en route, then took her seat on stage.

Below is a smattering of quotables from the event:

“Writing ‘pours’ out of you when you’ve spent years apprenticing your craft. It poured out of me after spending 20 years apprenticing how to write.”

“A word after a word after a word is power,” quoting Margaret Atwood.

“The first line of a writer’s job description is to tell the truth.”

“You absolutely will fail. Failure is part of success. What do you do in the face of failure? You keep trying to succeed.”

“Books will save your life. Remember that.”

“You have to decide what to do with the ugliest thing in your life,” referencing the death of her mother.

“You are defined by who you become in the face of suffering/fears.”

“Let in beauty, truth, light, and love.”

“Shift your story and tell a new one.”

“Ask yourself: ‘Did I do the work?’ and ‘Did I do the best I could?’ In art if you can say yes, you’re a success. Don’t rely on money or fame as artistic success.”

I found her insight on the writing process to be real, her struggle to pay off student loans raw {she did so after the success of Wild in her 40s}, and her emphasis to define success as showing up and doing your best a good reminder.

I’m now looking forward to devouring her latest work, Brave Enough.

Additional quotes by Cheryl:

“Don’t surrender all your joy for an idea you used to have about yourself that isn’t true anymore.”

“Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves, and so I chose to tell myself a different story.”

“Whatever happens to you belongs to you. Make it yours. Feed it to yourself even if it feels impossible to swallow. Let it nurture you, because it will.”

“The best thing you can possibly do with your life is to tackle the motherf***ing shit out of it.”

“Be about ten times more magnanimous than you believe yourself capable of. Your life will be a hundred times better for it.”

“How wild it was, to let it be.”

The post Takeaways from Cheryl Strayed appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

Tranquility du Jour #355: Restorative Yoga Therapy

An interview with Leeann Carey on Restorative Yoga Therapy. Learn about her yummy style of restorative yoga, the many benefits of this type of practice, and how to get started at home with your own restorative set up.

Direct download: Tranquility du Jour #355: Restorative Yoga Therapy

Featured Guest
Leeann Carey is the author of Restorative Yoga Therapy and has a network of Yapana Way mentors throughout the United States and Canada. She is ERYT-5000 certified and has studied with masters including Kofi Busia and Judith Hanson Lasater. She lives in Redondo Beach, California. Visit her online at yapanayoga.com.

Savvy Sources


Website: yapanayoga.com
Join my complimentary 52 Weeks of Tranquility Program
New Year, New You Seasonal Podcast
Fall Seasonal Podcast mp3
Fall’s online book club pick: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Sign up for weekly Love Notes and access Tranquil Treasures
Podcast app: Tranquility du Jour iPhone and Android



Upcoming Events

Mini Retreat in DC: December 31

2016

Art + Asana in Costa Rica: February 13-20
8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in DC: Starts February 26
Art + Yoga in West Virginia: May 13-15
Penning in Paris: June 6-10
Art + Asana in Tuscany: Fall TBA
Writing in the Woods: October TBA

Stay Connected

New to Tranquility du Jour? Peruse my FAQs.
Tranquility University E-courses.
Read along on Goodreads.
Connect on Facebook.
Follow on Twitter.
Pin along on Pinterest.
Eye candy on Instagram.
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.

The post Tranquility du Jour #355: Restorative Yoga Therapy appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.