Kimberly Wilson's Blog, page 81

November in Review

Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.—Lauren DeStefano

Month in Review

November was a beautiful month filled with an array of experiences—celebrating a 10-year “friendaversary” in NYC, honoring Tranquil Space’s 18th year, spending a weekend in a tiny house, teaching a charity class and then enjoying a veg Thanksgiving in the woods, collaborating with clients, hosting a Facebook Live, decluttering my closet (see ya six donated bags and boxes), sipping wine midafternoon at dog-friendly wineries, and doing lots of homework for my memoir course, vet social work program, and positive psychology training.

It’s hard to believe we’re now into our 2017 finale. Earlier today I got excited to pen my 2018 dreams and I had to remind myself to focus on wrapping up 2017 first. Tim likes to call me “ready, fire, aim.”

And in his latest mention of it, he may have been referencing Mr. Gizmo (last photo above). Gizmo’s a one-eyed, 10-year-old pug with Homeward Bound Rescue in Oklahoma—the same rescue who graced us with Mookie and Belle Starr. I fell in love with him on Instagram (don’t judge) and just happen to be going home to Oklahoma in two weeks so I’ll get to meet him. Fingers crossed it’s a fit. Mookie’s the wild card in the whole equation and I think I’ve kinda got Tim’s buy in. Kinda.

I’ve been moving in and out of eating pretty this past month and hope to get back on the bandwagon. I even signed up for a Vegan Master Course with Victoria Moran in August. Breakfast was a green smoothie, but I’m super duper craving vegan nachos now. Hmmm. Guess it’s all about balance.

Also, I have three books to read to complete my Goodreads Reading Challenge. Since I’m reading about 30 books and happen to be on approximately page 40 with each of them, if I focus on actually completing three, surely I can get my gold star on Goodreads. Yes, that’s what motivates me!

Thank you, November, for the memories. I’m excited to see what December has in store and to tie a pretty pink bow around 2017! It’s been a year of uncertainty, transition, and expansive possibility. Bisous. x

December Wish List

Finish 6-month memoir course

Safe travels

Savor Christmas in Paris

Collaborate with clients

Complete more of my veterinary social work program

Host inspiring Yoga + Creativity session {done!}

Host inspiring Yoga + Mindfulness Mini Retreat

Sit with Sharon Salzberg & Sylvia Boorstein {done!}

Meet + maybe adopt Gizmo {the one-eyed wonder in the last photo above}

Enjoy time with parents in Oklahoma

Visit Longwood Gardens

Productive Pigs & Pugs Project Board meeting

Learn lots at positive psychology weekend workshop

Host fun Daybook Playshop for those who pre-ordered

Release info on new Tranquility du Jour offering for 2018 {SO excited!}

Release two podcasts

Savvy Sources

Plant-Based Eating Made Easy

If You’re Tired All the Time {she shares after sleeping 12 hours}

5 Things That Happen When You Put Your Phone Down

I Was a Guest on A Healthy Curiosity Podcast

5 Tricks to Cut Your Morning Routine in Half

The Clarity and Truth in Winter’s Scarcity

4 Mantras to Deal with Awkward Holiday Moments

30 Ways to Take Care of Yourself Over the Holidays

6 Sanctuaries Every Animal Lover Needs to Visit

14 Simple DIY Holiday Gift Ideas

Why Writing About Your Anxiety is Helpful

I Was a Guest on Tribe Grow {Interview about Yoga, Therapy, Animals}

The post November in Review appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

And the Stockings Were Hung . . .

Happy December! It’s hard to believe we’re now in the final month of 2017 and it’s time to jump fully into the holiday season. Hence, the stockings.

To prepare the Pink Palace, last night I did a deep clean, hung silver tinsel, needlepoint stockings, and the family’s initials (note our anonymous future pig hanging with me and Tim) to the sound of classical music and snoring pugs.

I’m experiencing feelings of excitement mixed with “omg, where did the year go?!” topped with a slight dizziness. Anyone else?

This final month of the year will be a sweet whirlwind and finale to 2017. In two weeks I’m off to Oklahoma to drop Mookie with his grandparents for the holidays and in three weeks we’ll be arriving in Paris with Belle Starr. In four weeks we’ll be back to DC to lead the Yoga + Mindfulness New Year’s Eve mini retreat, then drive to St. Louis to pick up Mookie!

My parents have graciously agreed to meet us halfway and we’ll be staying in an old train station turned hotel New Year’s Day. Then back to DC and post-holiday life with a possible newly adopted one-eyed senior pug named Gizmo. Just what we need, right? Yes, I may be well on my way to becoming a rescue pug collector!

Throughout December I’ll be sharing ideas for reflection as we bring 2017 to a close *and* announcing a new offering in 2018!

It’s been a year filled with much transition and I look forward to all that lies ahead for each of us. Wishing you a joyful launch into December! Bisous. x

The post And the Stockings Were Hung . . . appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

Tranquility du Jour #410: Hemingway

Hemingway with New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Reynolds. In this week’s edition of Tranquility du Jour, Nick and I discuss his recent book Writer, Sailor, Soldier, Spy, his longtime love of Hemingway, the writing process, and yoga.

 

Direct download: Tranquility du Jour #410: Hemingway with Nicholas Reynolds

Upcoming Events

Yoga + Mindfulness Mini Retreat in DC: December 31, 2017

Yoga, Mindfulness + Creativity in Costa Rica: February 17-24, 2018

Yoga + Art in West Virginia: June 1-3, 2018

Penning in Paris: July 23-27, 2018

Featured Guest: Nicholas Richards

NICHOLAS REYNOLDS has worked in the fields of modern military history and intelligence off and on for 40 years, with some unusual detours. Freshly minted PhD from Oxford University in hand, he joined the Marine Corps in the 1970s, serving as an infantry officer and then as an historian. As a colonel in the reserves, he eventually became officer in charge of field history, deploying historians around the world to capture history as it was being made. When not on duty with USMC, he served as a CIA officer, most recently as the historian for the CIA Museum. He has also tried his hand at farming, writing a novel, and mountain climbing. One of his proudest moments was making it to the glaciated peak of Mt Baker at the age of 64. He currently teaches as an adjunct professor for Johns Hopkins University and, with his wife, Becky, cares for rescue pugs.

Savvy Sources

Find Nicholas

Book
The Hemingway Society Conference in Paris {July 2018}

Mentioned in the Podcast

Z: The Beginning of Everything TV Show
Z: The Beginning of Everything TV Show Cancelled {sad face}
Z: A Novel about Zelda Fitzgerald
Facebook Live Video
8 Tracks Playlist
Tranquility du Jour Daybooks & Playbooks

 Social Media



Eye candy on Instagram
Pin along with me on Pinterest
Let’s connect on Facebook
Follow moi on Twitter
Watch via YouTube


Tranquility Tips + Tools

Shop slow locally-made, eco-friendly fashion: TranquiliT
Browse my 5 Books
New to Tranquility du Jour? Peruse the FAQs
Tranquility-filled E-courses
Download the Tranquility du Jour Podcast App: iPhone and Android
Sign up for Love Notes and access Tranquil Treasures
Read about my passion for animals

Request

Pen a review on iTunes and/or share this podcast via social media, s‘il vous plaît.
Pen a review of my books on Amazon or Goodreads.


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 download the podcast “automagically” on iOS or Android.

The post Tranquility du Jour #410: Hemingway appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

Launching into the Holidays

When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.—G. K. Chesterton

I hope your launch into the “hollydaze” is filled with gratitude, exhales, and deep connection.

Last night Tim and I curled up fireside with the pups and watched a thriller. Nothing says holiday like a thriller, right?!

Before yesterday’s dinner I created a collage spread about intention (see above image). It feels good to play in paper, washi tape, and pens again. I plan to spend more time this weekend curating—pulling images and words that resonate, then cutting them out to place on a future collage spread.

If you’d like to do the same, the next phase involves creating a collage with the words, images, quotes, paint swatches—anything you find that inspires—and gluing or taping them down.

The final phase is writing on or around the images by answering journal prompts or free writing. Here’s a video I made a few years ago that gives more insight into art journaling and a France travel art journal.

Since we’ve all heard about the benefits of keeping a gratitude journal, a fun spread could be around what you’re grateful for.

This holiday weekend offers an opportunity to shake things up and do things differently. Maybe for you this means sleeping in or traveling to grandma’s. Or maybe it means taking naps and losing yourself in a novel.

Listen deeply to what wants attention and allow yourself to drop into the holiday experience with intention. Set aside the smartphone, roll out your yoga mat, slow down, and savor. Even if it’s only a few minutes and means pumpkin pie for breakfast (my favorite thing about this time of the year).

This weekend I’ll be catching up on online courses while sitting by the fire, writing, reading, walking in the woods, and spending quality time with Tim, Belle, and Mookie. Oh, and art journaling!

Wishing you an ease-filled weekend that nourishes your soul. Bisous. x

P.S. Below is a poem I found a few years ago and thought you, too, may enjoy!

Be Thankful Poem


 


Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire.


If you did, what would there be to look forward to?


 


Be thankful when you don’t know something,


for it gives you the opportunity to learn.


 


Be thankful for the difficult times.


During those times you grow.


 


Be thankful for your limitations,


because they give you opportunities for improvement.


 


Be thankful for each new challenge,


because it will build your strength and character.


 


Be thankful for your mistakes.


They will teach you valuable lessons.


 


Be thankful when you’re tired and weary,


because it means you’ve made a difference.


 


It’s easy to be thankful for the good things.


A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who


are also thankful for the setbacks.


 


Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.


Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,


and they can become your blessings.
—Author Unknown

The post Launching into the Holidays appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Greetings from the woods of West Virginia.

After teaching a charity class for So Others Might Eat at Tranquil Space (thanks for coming out!), Tim and I packed up the pups to head west for the weekend. Tim’s putting the finishing touches on our dinner, so I wanted to say a BIG thank YOU for being part of Tranquility du Jour. I’m honored to be part of your world. Wishing you a beautiful, tranquil, and thoughtful holiday.

P.S. Meet our new “son” Bowie. Isn’t he gorgeous? Loving the periwinkle. You can adopt one of your own here.

The post Happy Thanksgiving! appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

Replay: Thanks for Tuning In

How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.—Annie Dillard

Last night I hosted a brief online show + tell of the sixth edition of the Tranquility du Jour Daybook and the first edition of the Tranquility du Jour Playbook.

In this 15-minute video I gave a peek inside the books to highlight new features and this year’s overall design. I also shared a few tips for finding tranquility this holiday season and referenced last year’s 45-minute video all about this topic.

You’ll note Mookie in the grey hoodie snoring away on the settee the entire time. Midway through Belle Starr decided to join, too.

Thanks for tuning in and sharing in my enthusiasm for this year’s planners. Your support helps a veteran-owned printer in the midwest, a female graphic designer, and this tiny business, Tranquility du Jour. Here’s to reflection, planning, and the infusion of tranquility (and washi tape) in the year ahead. Bisous. x

The post Replay: Thanks for Tuning In appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

Facebook Live TONIGHT

After months of design and edits, the pretty pink and gold lifestyle planners have arrived!

Tune in HERE for a quick sneak peek of the books TONIGHT at 6pm ET {time zone converter} on Facebook Live to see what’s heading to mailboxes this week. I’ll also share a few tranquility tips for the holidays. Hope you can join us!

P.S. If you can’t tune in live, we’ll miss you and the video will be available via Facebook and YouTube shortly. xo

The post Facebook Live TONIGHT appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

Woods Getaway

Going to the woods is going home.—John Muir

With little light left, we pulled up to a tiny house Saturday evening and I snapped the top photo. I’d seen images online, but nothing could have prepared me for our morning view (captured in the second photo). Simply stunning.

Trees remain peppered with yellows, reds, and oranges despite it being late in the season. Surrounded by the colors and musty smell of the forest, this two-day escape felt like rich soul balm.

Sunday’s chill ensured we stayed by the campfire after our morning hike. No complaints here. The pups huddled under faux fur blankets. Tim listened to podcasts and I read with a cup of tea in hand. This lasted for hours until the sky began to darken and the temperature dropped.

When Getaway reached out this fall and offered me an opportunity to try out their new DC location, I immediately reached for my Daybook to find an open weekend and told Tim to save the date. For two months we looked forward to spending time in the woods curled up in a tiny house.

Obsessed with details, the simple touches were a highlight. For example, a Getaway Guide and s’mores kit sat on the table to welcome us. Filled with tips on: building a campfire, forest bathing, identifying birds and trees, questions to ask your partner (ex. name three things you and your partner appear to have in common), how to meditate, yoga poses, poetry (ex. “Stopping by Woods on a Snowing Evening” by Robert Frost, “Where the Sidewalk Ends” by Shel Silverstein), the Guide provided ideas to help turn inward.

Before leaving Monday morning, I reached for an envelope labeled not to be opened until departure.  Inside was a notecard offering tips to survive in the real world such as: always be chipping away at a great novel, put plants on your desk, try not to sit for more than 20 minutes at a time, snack like a squirrel (eat berries, nuts and seeds between meals), and turn off your phone and meditate for 10 minutes a day.

This weekend experience offered the perfect nature-filled recharge complete with cozy linens, a perfect library (ex. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and How to Stay Alive in the Woods), a campfire set up complete with wood, a hot plate for heating soup, making pasta or boiling water for tea, a full bathroom, and jaw dropping views.

As we head into the holiday season, let’s make time to connect with nature. Enjoy a long afternoon walk. Stargaze. Build a snowman. Ice skate. Collect pine cones to make scented pine cones. Sip hot cocoa by a campfire. It’s truly a dose of much-deserved therapy. Bisous. x

The post Woods Getaway appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

Penning in Paris

I’m delighted to announce that registration for Penning in Paris is now open!

Creating and running this retreat the past few years has been a dream. Sharing my favorite experiences in the world’s most inspiring city (yes, I’m biased) while offering the space to nurture creative sparks is an honor.

Here’s what one participant had to say:

“I highly recommend Penning in Paris. It was a lovely experience in a beautiful city. Kimberly is the perfect host. She helped me find the inspiration, direction, and motivation to become a better writer. I appreciated her guidance on finding my voice. It was great to write and share with a group of supportive, like-minded women. I now have the courage to start my own blog. I would do this retreat again!”

Below is all the scoop on our July retreat, along with a discount through November 30. Hope to see you in Paris! You won’t regret it. Bisous. x

Paris is always a good idea.—Audrey Hepburn

Spend five days exploring the City of Light through led writing workshops July 23-27, 2018. This year’s jaunt coincides with The Hemingway Society’s annual conference. The city will be filled with literary love!

Each day will include a leisurely breakfast followed by morning workshops and free time to explore the City of Light. Afternoons or evenings will include outings such as a picnic at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, yoga in Luxembourg Gardens, savory lunch and tea at Ladurée (bonjour rose macarons), jaunts to favorite English bookstores, a champagne cruise on the Seine, meditation in the oldest church in Paris, and additional sensory surprises.

Picture yourself writing in cafés where Hemingway and de Beauvoir wrote, sharing your literary dreams, and deepening your commitment to a writing project. In our workshops you’ll learn writing tools, tips to find your voice, ways to structure your prose, how to share your writing through social media, and more. We’ll also explore writing prompts and the science behind using writing to heal and deepen self-awareness.

There will be daily unscheduled space for exploring the city on your own by tiptoeing through the Tuileries, window shopping along the Champs Élysées, visiting Mona Lisa at the Louvre (or a favorite Monet at Musée d’Orsay), and sipping a cup of café au lait at a sidewalk café.

Our boutique hotel is perfectly located near Luxembourg gardens and, upon arrival, you’ll find a customized goody bag filled with writing and nourishing accoutrements for our journey.

This adventure is for newbies to journalers to published writers—anyone longing to connect with their creative spark and explore an inspiring city with a like-hearted, intimate group of women.

Early registration encouraged due to limited openings. Only 10 spots available.

Investment: $2395, {$2245 through 11/30}

The post Penning in Paris appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.

Tranquility du Jour #409: Orangutan Outreach

Orangutan Outreach with Richard Zimmerman. In this week’s edition of Tranquility du Jour, we discuss our love of red apes, what it’s like to spend time with orangutans, and what we can do to help save the orangutans. This episode coincides with Orangutan Caring Week.

 

Direct download: Tranquility du Jour #409: Orangutan Outreach

Upcoming Events

Thanksgiving Charity Class in DC: November 23

Yoga + Mindfulness Mini Retreat in DC: December 31, 2017

Yoga, Mindfulness + Creativity in Costa Rica: February 17-24, 2018

Yoga + Art in West Virginia: June 1-3, 2018

Penning in Paris: July 23-27, 2018

Featured Guest: Richard Zimmerman
Richard Zimmerman founded Orangutan Outreach in 2007. The organization’s goals are to bring attention to the crisis facing orangutans in the wild due to deforestation and the expansion of palm oil plantations into previously undisturbed areas of forest, and to raise funds for orangutan conservation projects in Borneo and Sumatra.

Orangutan Outreach collaborates with many partners including the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF), International Animal rescue (IAR), the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP), the Centre for Orangutan Protection (COP) and the Orangutan Information Centre (OIC). Orangutan Outreach has been able to successfully build a global grassroots network and help foster awareness of the plight of orangutans among people from every walk of life. This awareness has led to a steady growth in charitable donations and virtual orangutan adoptions. By offering people everywhere the chance to get involved and do their part to help protect orangutans, Orangutan Outreach has brought renewed hope that together we can save the red apes.

Savvy Sources

Find Orangutan Outreach

Website

Facebook

Pinterest
YouTube
Instagram
Twitter

 Mentioned in Podcast

Orangutan Island
Baby Redd at the National Zoo
Adopt an orangutan
HTC10

Social Media




Eye candy on Instagram
Pin along with me on Pinterest
Let’s connect on Facebook
Follow moi on Twitter
Watch via YouTube


Tranquility Tips + Tools

Shop slow locally-made, eco-friendly fashion: TranquiliT
Browse my 5 Books
New to Tranquility du Jour? Peruse the FAQs
Tranquility-filled E-courses
Download the Tranquility du Jour Podcast App: iPhone and Android
Sign up for Love Notes and access Tranquil Treasures
Read about my passion for animals

Request

Pen a review on iTunes and/or share this podcast via social media, s‘il vous plaît.
Pen a review of my books on Amazon or Goodreads.


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 download the podcast “automagically” on iOS or Android.

The post Tranquility du Jour #409: Orangutan Outreach appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.