Kimberly Wilson's Blog, page 138

tranquility du jour #320: mindfulness

Welcome to the 320th edition of Tranquility du Jour. Today's show features Emily Bennington on Mindfulness. You'll learn tips about cultivating awareness, mindful leadership, and why spaciousness is important.


Direct download of Tranquility du Jour #320: Mindfulness (mp3)


Featured Guest: Emily Bennington is a bestselling business author and founder of AWAKE EXEC Conscious Career Design. Her work deep dives into what Stephen Covey famously referred to as “the space” between stimulus and response where she challenges professionals to choose intentional, values-centered action. 
Emily has led training programs for numerous Fortune 500 companies and has been featured in press ranging from CNN, ABC, and Fox, to the Wall Street Journal, Glamour, Marie Claire, and Cosmopolitan. Her blog on mindful leadership – www.emilybennington.com – was recently included in the Forbes list of “100 Best Websites for Women” and is read by thousands of professionals seeking a holistic, yet practical approach to career success.
Her online programs – including the popular Ready To Lead: Mindful Wisdom @ Work course – have helped hundreds of women around the globe learn how to lead more effectively through mindful awareness and emotional resilience. As a result, Emily has become a go-to resource for businesses and individuals who want real tools for marrying a calm mind with high performance. 
Emily is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and is currently training to receive coaching certification from the International Coaching Academy. She lives in Charleston, West Virginia.

Savvy Sources:
Website: emilybennington.com/
Facebook: facebook.com/EmilyBennington
Instagram: instagram.com/emilybennington/
Twitter: twitter.com/emilybennington
Seasonal online book club pick: 10% Happier
Summer Tranquilosophy Seasonal Podcast
Penning in Paris {3 spots left}
Tranquility du Jour iPhone and Android app
Find moi now on Goodreads 

Stay Au Courant:
New? Peruse my FAQs.
Join moi for a retreat, workshop, e-course, or seasonal podcast. 
Connect on Facebook.
Follow on Twitter. 
View pics on Instagram @tranquilitydujour and @tranquilitecoluxe.
Browse my books.
Join the Tranquility du Jour weekly museletter.
Read about my passion for pigs.
Write 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.

week{s} in review

 sipping vino at roosevelt hotel in nyc  tarot card reading  rose petal jam for freshly baked croissants  sending kisses  at sweet stephen's play with kimberly  the way to my heart from tranquil space yogi, doctor + violinist joel facetime with le beau in the redwoods
week{s} in review {7/26-today}
taught 8 classesdinner + concert with girlfriendshosted intimate macaron + bubbly gathering at chez moiwas gifted the above laduree macarons penned snail mailsample meetings with TranquiliT seamstressbrunch + play with girlfriendtranquil space foundation programming worksaw clients at the women's centerreleased podcast with amanda cook on natural beautyrequested beta readers of tranquility du jour anthology {thanks for all the responses!}
 facetime with le beaudinner and late night tarot card reading with girlfiend tranquility du jour anthology editingsent two love notes to museletter subscribers penned wednesday well-being: dreamingwriter's digest conference in nyctea with girlfriend in nyclate night wine with girlfriend in nycbus travel to and from nycpenned bonjour august packed for weekend trip to londonheaps of yoga classeslots of gym jauntsolive garden lunch date with girlfriendpenned muse for tranquil space newsletterlate night dinner date with girlfriendonline writing class effortsread labyrinth of desire + loved it! shared things i love and things i lovepenned mindful monday around anaïs nin quote mani pediwaxlots of pug walking + lovingmeeting with social work supervisor
weekend wish list safe flight to londonsavor phantom of the opera at her majesty's theatrehigh teaenjoy gardens
et toi? what's on your weekend wish list?bisous. x

wednesday well-being: dreaming

august dreams penned. check.

travel booked. check.

deep breaths. check.

creating monthly dreams is a regular ritual. i can't fully immerse myself into a new month until this process is completed. on monday i pulled out a magazine to find the perfect image and message, a black sharpie, washi tape, and a glue stick. within minutes i had august's dreams in place.

while this ritual may feel rote to some, it helps keep me in check. it offers the chance to review the previous month's dreams, let some go, pull over what remains, and add new ones.

dreams keep me feeling alive. this state of looking forward, setting intentions, and striving to infuse life with simple pleasures.

as you reflect upon your own current state of well-being, how would you rate the following categories on a scale of 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest): spirituality, home, body, mind, adventure, work, relationships, love, creativity, spaciousness? if these categories don't resonate, add your own.

what actions can you pen into august's dreams to increase satisfaction in areas that feel lower than you'd like?

for moi, i'm focusing on mindful movement, relationships, and adventure at the moment. it's august, after all. bisous. x

seeking anthology beta readers

Bonjour beautiful readers of Tranquility du Jour.

As you probably know, I've been working on an Anthology to celebrate our 10 years together. Before I pass it along to my designer, I'm seeking 10 beta readers {definition: read a written work with the intent of looking over the material to help improve elements and the story}.

If interested, please send me answers to 1-6 via email by Thursday noon ET.
Full NameEmail AddressPhone NumberDo you have any experience in editing other people’s writing? If so, please describe.Why does this project interest you? Why do you want to help? How long have you been reading Tranquility du Jour? Has it impacted you in any way?If chosen, I'll send a 50,000-word PDF and list of broad stroke feedback questions to answer due back by Sunday, August 17 noon ET.

In exchange for your time, completion of the questions, and meeting the deadline, you'll receive a complimentary copy of the final work plus tons of gratitude for being part of bringing it to reality.

Merci beaucoup for being part of this next project either in person or in spirit. I can't wait to share the final product with you this fall!

Happy 10 years, Tranquility du Jour. We've come a long way together. Bisous. x

things i love

image + recipe courtesy of jessiker bakes1. yummy strawberry salsa

image + how-to courtesy of tasty yummies2. infused water ideas

image + how-to courtesy of the house that lars built3. a pretty balloon arch

image + how-to courtesy of the crafted life4. handpainted bowls

mindful monday: anaïs nin inspiration

ever since jewel's song with the lyrics, "you can be henry miller and i'll be anaïs nin, except this time it'll be even better, we'll stay together in the end," i've been slightly obsessed with their relationship. actually, this song was my first introduction to them.

curious? there's a movie henry & june that may intrigue.

during my daily metro commute from virginia into a dc law firm nearly 20 years ago, you'd find me curled up on the vinyl train seats with a copy of anaïs nin diaries. devouring them like a fine wine and dreaming of paris in the 20s and 30s.

while in nyc for the writer's digest conference last weekend, i came across anaïs nin's above quote and paused. even texted it to a few friends with a "whoa!" attached. 

ever sense you, too, may be hibernating? sometimes i refer to this stage as germinating. you know, that feeling of something brewing underneath but not quite ready to come to fruition? "restlessness" and "absence of pleasure." what might awaken you?

in the hotel bar post-conference, i devoured a birthday gift, labyrinth of desire by rosemary sullivan, while sipping my favorite wine, chateau ste. michelle riesling. this also brought about a pause. juicy and well worth the read. she writes, "love is a necessary obsession. but is it another we are searching for, or the missing half of ourselves?"

sharing the anaïs nin quote and labyrinth of desire within "mindful monday" feels apropos. why? questioning whether things feel stuck or safe is necessary. it's more risky than status quo. is there a place, a person, a book, or a song that beckons you to awaken? 

only you know the answer. bisous. x

tranquilosophy: bonjour august

August is upon us. Is it just me or does it feel that 2014 has flown by? I mean, I vividly recall penning new year's dreams fireside with snow on the ground. Now, it's time to write August's dreams.

There is something tranquil about August. Almost as if we're given a pass from living in a state of overwhelm. Photos of feet on the beach with rolling waves in the background are the norm. Emails take slower to get a response. And when you do get one, it may just be an out of office reply.

It's a chance to exhale and even if you're not escaping the city, you, too, can take advantage of this slower pace.

As I prepare to pen my August dreams, I'm reflecting on how I'd like to feel beyond the perfunctory checking off of various projects and to-dos. Despite accepting a therapy position at The Women's Center, teaching five weekly classes at Tranquil Space, and working on the Anthology and new Daybook design, I'm feeling a sense of spaciousness that is permeating everything I do.

From choosing which get-together invites I accept to the way I plan my day, it's all feeling lighter. Bedtime by 10am has become the norm. Up at 6am, too. Writing is a daily practice. The gym and yoga mat call me daily. Quality time with my pets is priority. While Le Beau is biking the west coast, I'm experiencing a subtle, slower shift.

Maybe it has to do with a deepened connection to mindfulness, more realistic expectations on what can be accomplished, or it's simply a slower time of the year. Either way, it's feeling good. And I'd like you, too, to have a taste of slow.

Here's what I've found that's working well for me at the moment: lots of dates with girlfriends as a strong social support increases happiness and health. Ample downtime after social gatherings (a must for us introverts). Making fresh food, less sugar, and daily exercise a priority each day. Early to bed, early to rise. Hosting a simple, elegant affair to bring together close colleagues for a couple hours of socializing. Time with my journal. Reading before bed. Packing up bags of clothing and trinkets to donate. Booking spontaneous trips using miles. Biking around town. Batching errands and tasks to minimize extraneous output. Lightening overall expectations of what will be completed in a day. Saying yes to late night dancing with a girlfriend. Combining multiple events into one.

Have I figured it all out? Not at all. But I am grateful for this new found sense of spaciousness and I'm hopeful August takes it even further.

If you, too, are experiencing a lightened load of emails and expectations, take advantage of it. Sometimes we keep ourselves so busy to avoid what's percolating within.

And if you're not experiencing a lightening because it's your busy time, do your very best to make self-care a priority. And remember, exhale. Bisous. x

things i love

  scene from breakfast at tiffany's 1. this image makes me smile
image courtesy of bead and cord2. DIY pink fluff

 image courtesy of blog lovin
3. washi tape paper clips

image courtesy of etsy
4. vintage typewriter skeleton keys

image and how-to courtesy of style me pretty
5. DIY gold crown gift bags

tranquility du jour #319: natural beauty

Welcome to the 319th edition of Tranquility du Jour. Today's show features Amanda Cook of Vintage Amanda on Natural Beauty. You'll learn tips her favorite projects and recipes, how she healed her low thyroid, and gained more energy.




Featured Guest: Amanda Cook is an certified holistic health coach specializing in natural health and beauty.  She teaches women how to look and feel naturally radiant through whole foods, natural beauty and herbal remedies on her website, VintageAmanda.com.  Amanda's advice has appeared in The Huffington Post UK, MindBodyGreen, TinyBuddha and Bliss.com.

She teaches in-person and online natural beauty workshops, and works with women one-on-one in her Natural Radiance Coaching program. Amanda is an American currently living in London, UK.  Connect with Amanda at VintageAmanda.com.





Savvy Sources:
Website: VintageAmanda.com
Facebook: facebook.com/vintageamanda
Instagram: instagram.com/vintageamanda
Seasonal online book club pick: 10% Happier
Summer Tranquilosophy Seasonal Podcast
Penning in Paris
Tranquility du Jour iPhone and Android app

Stay Au Courant:
New? Peruse my FAQs.
Join moi for a retreat, workshop, e-course, or seasonal podcast. 
Connect on Facebook.
Follow on Twitter. 
View pics on Instagram @tranquilitydujour and @tranquilitecoluxe.
Browse my books.
Join the Tranquility du Jour weekly museletter.
Read about my passion for pigs.
Write 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.

week in review

pretty in pink   le pug had his own seat on the plane  home sweet home
week in reviewflew back to dc from new mexicohosted tranquil space foundation mid-year check-in sessiontea with guest teacher unpacked suitcase for first time in two monthsmet with seamstress re: fall designsmet with social work supervisorpicked up fresh flowersfinancial paperwork taught 6 classestook 4 yoga classes2 gym jauntsbegan at the women's centerbrunch with girlfriend tea with colleagueanthology editsstudio directors' meetinghosted 3-hour yoga + writing workshopwaxhair cut/color
shared things i love
penned wednesday well-being
shared deux images of inspiration
weekend wish listtime with girlfriendsdancing with girlfriendhost gatheringplay and brunch with girlfriendgym writing and editing
et toi? what's on your weekend wish list?bisous. x