Kimberly Wilson's Blog, page 83
October 17, 2017
One Spot Left: Writing in the Woods
We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.—Anaïs Nin
Long for writing space and time in nature? Join us next weekend, October 27-29 for the annual Writing in the Woods retreat. There’s one spot available.
This tranquility-filled weekend is for the writing curious to the published author and immerses you in a writing and yoga connection. Practice yoga (not catered to brand new yogis), pen responses to writing prompts, learn inspiring writing tools, and explore the path to publication.
We’ll roast vegan marshmallows around a campfire, dine on homemade vegetarian cuisine, write what bubbles up, practice yoga and mindfulness, reflect on where we are, and renew our sense of connection to the muse.
Here’s a peek into former Writing in the Woods retreats: 2015 and 2016.
If this experience is calling to you, click below for more information and to register. The woods are waiting.
The post One Spot Left: Writing in the Woods appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.
October 14, 2017
My Week of Eating Pretty
Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.—Hippocrates
Last week I came home around 10 to nosh on a leftover piece of pizza and the last 1/4 remaining in my tub of non-dairy Ben & Jerry’s Peanut Butter & Cookies ice cream. As I stood in the kitchen eating my exhaustion, I scrolled through Facebook and stumbled upon a friend’s invitation to join a group cleanse. I looked down at the now empty tub as my belly began to ache and sent her a text, “I’m in!”
You may recall the not-so-successful 10-day cleanse I tried in January. I was determined to do better since I’ve been semi-successful at cutting back on sugar this year. With Tim away on a bike trip, I figured I’d be living on green smoothies and cold cereal with almond milk anyway, so why not nix the wheat chex and add in salads instead?
The 7-day cleanse started last Sunday and ends today. Basically it’s no animal products, no caffeine, no alcohol, no gluten, no added sugar, no processed foods—hello, plants! Plus skin brushing, journaling, baths, exercise, and 12-hour fasting from dinner to breakfast (ex. last meal by 8pm, breakfast after 8am).
The photos above show my week’s colorful buffet: green salads, green smoothies, warm water with ground flaxseed and lemon, kale chips with nutritional yeast, brown rice with broccoli and Bragg’s liquid aminos.
My main indulgence has been an entire tub of Crazy Richard’s all-natural (only peanuts) chunky peanut butter eaten by the spoonful and often smothered over apples. Honestly, probably not allowed, but I ignored that one. My cheats have been a few dried apricots and a tiny bag of pretzels leftover from a recent Southwest flight.
For the past two years I’ve suffered from chronic headaches and semi-regular migraines. Today I realized I hadn’t reached for an Advil all week and definitely not those hardcore migraine pills that kill the headache and create a ripple effect of other issues.
I’ve dealt with eczema since I was a little girl and while it comes in waves, I’m usually treating some irritation. This week I noticed the tiny spots on my wrist and calf had cleared up without the use of my steroid ointment.
I’ve definitely felt lighter and cleaner, too. All in my mind? Maybe, but I’ll take it.
Oh, and other than a dinner date at Fig & Olive with a girlfriend (I had a salad), I only purchased food out once—a $3 miso soup. Typically I get tons of food at various spots like Sweetgreen, Starbucks, and Teaism. Instead I hit the grocery store twice and had plenty of fresh produce to sustain me.
I’ll complete the cleanse tonight with a salad or smoothie and probably reward myself with a Trader Joe’s mini croissant (or two) for breakfast.
The book Eat Pretty in the top image also served as inspiration for this cleanse. Over the past few months I kept eyeing it in bookstores and specialty shops, so I picked up my own copy. I’m loving the reminder to let wholesome foods be the tool for an inner and outer glow and to nourish from the inside out.
While we know this, it can be hard to remember when tempted by that not-so-healthy treat. As we feed our souls, may we choose to eat pretty . . . with occasional indulgences, of course. Bisous.
The post My Week of Eating Pretty appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.
October 10, 2017
Love Notes
More than kisses, letters mingle souls.—John Donne
Receiving a handwritten letter in the mail is a true delight. I rip it open with a big smile on my face and typically sit down to drink it in. Since the sale of Tranquil Space, I’ve been privy to more snail mail than usual and it’s meant so much. I have a stack on my desk that feels like a shrine.
Since childhood I’ve been a letter writer—thank you notes, get well cards, condolences. My beloved Gramma and I communicated via snail mail for nearly four decades. I have an entire basket dedicated to stationery waiting to be written upon along with pretty floral postage stamps, piles of washi tape, and a personalized rubber stamp with my address to I dip into pink ink.
Writing a letter is a sensory experience. Typically there’s a cuppa tea nearby and a candle burning. I love the feel of the paper and pen in my hand, the sealing of the envelope with washi tape, and the dropping of the letter into the big blue post box.
Yesterday I stuffed 20 envelopes with lavender tea, a 5×7 photo from our Team Thank You Soirée, and a handwritten love note sealed with gold polka-dot washi tape. Later I created 125 goody packets shown above for Shape Soiree {where I’ll be speaking on 10/20}. All of these hand packaged goodies were dropped at the Post Office today and I’m eager for them to make their way into their new homes.
Within the next few days I’ll be sending a Love Note out to all newsletter subscribers. If you’re not yet on the list, please feel free join. It gets you access to Tranquil Treasures and occasional updates straight to your inbox. While it’s not the same as snail mail, I treat it with the same loving care because . . . letters mingle souls. Bisous. x
The post Love Notes appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.
October 3, 2017
September in Review
Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.—Albert Camus
Month in Review
First off, sending so much love to Las Vegas, Florida, Puerto Rico, Houston, and beyond. I’ve linked to various ways we can offer support right now. What a tough few weeks it’s been across the U.S. and the islands! Please take good care of yourself and share what you can with the many who are suffering right now.
The transition from summer to fall has always been my favorite. While I like the sunshine and activity of summertime, I adore the slower pace and reflective nature of fall. I guess as a highly sensitive introvert, it simply fits me better.
September brought an excursion to the National Arboretum, a dog-friendly winery, and two weekend trips to celebrate Tim’s birthday in Montreal and to attend a writing workshop near San Francisco. During the San Francisco trip, I hit City Lights Bookstore and Vesuvio cafe—two literary hot spots of the Beat Generation. I also did a tour of the Beat Museum and picked up a tee with a vintage Underwood typewriter on it. I have my Gramma’s vintage Underwood so it made me smile!
Saturday Tim and I attended a yoga with the pigs and volunteer event at Whispering Rise Sanctuary where we cleaned out six huts’ old straw and replaced it with broken up bales of fresh straw. You’ll see the photos toward the bottom. The last pic is me trying to lure a senior potbelly out of the hut so we could clean it. He was having none of it.
Since the transition of Tranquil Space to YogaWorks, I get a lot of questions about how I feel or what I’m doing now. I don’t feel like I’ve yet settled into the “new normal,” but I sense a shift on the horizon. Honestly, I still don’t have a good answer to the first question and I’m becoming more okay with that. Maybe I don’t need to have the answers, especially when I’m living it. Those will, hopefully, come later.
This makes me think of Rilke:
Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.
Wishing you a glorious, colorful October filled with living the questions. Bisous. x
September Blog/Podcast Wrap Up
Transitions Podcast
Scenes from Tranquil Space’s Team Thank You Soiree
Everyday Tranquility
Creating with Purpose and Saving the Elephants Podcast
Daybook + Playbook Pre-Sale
October Wish List
Release two podcasts
Host inspiring luncheon talk at Shape Soiree
Collaborate with clients
Read, write, and practice yoga daily
Write 5,000 words of memoir
Tea dates with friends
Dive into Veterinary Social Work curriculum
Spend a full day in declutter mode
Host inspiring Writing in the Woods retreat
Start Certificate in Positive Psychology course
Picnic with friend for Opera Outside
Visit the Renoir and Friends exhibit
Savvy Sources
What I’ve Learned (and Unlearned) About ‘French Girl Style’
End Factory Farming Podcast
Cheryl Strayed is Fed Up with Memoir Bashing
8 Budget-Friendly Ways to Update Your Space
World’s Best Bookstores
Introverts Don’t Hate People, They Hate Shallow Socializing
Do You Want to Be Known For Your Writing, or Your Swift Email Responses?
A 5-minute Mindfulness Practice
James Baldwin’s Advice on Writing
Aimless Walking Meditation
I Went Vegan Like Beyonce: Here’s What Happened
The Transformative Power of Writing
The One Less Straw Pledge
The post September in Review appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.
October 2, 2017
Tranquility du Jour #406: The Story Behind Shape Soiree
The Story Behind Shape Soiree with Kelly Kostecki and AnnMarie Grohs. In this week’s edition of Tranquility du Jour, we chat about their inspiration to pull together a 3-day event in Richmond to shape lives, the importance of self-care, helpful tips and resources for finding balance.
Direct download: Tranquility du Jour #406: The Story Behind Shape Soiree
Featured Guest: Kelly Kosteki + AnnMarie Grohs
Born and raised in the Heartland, Kelly grew up an Indiana Hoosier with a love for all things sports, travel, and school. The thrill of adventure and lure of new cultures soon led Kelly away from her Midwestern roots to soak up the sun and Southern hospitality of the South Carolina Low Country. It was there, while competing as an Athlete at the College of Charleston that her drive for peak physical performance led to injury and she first found herself on a yoga mat. Admittedly, at first, yoga was simply a way to ease and loosen her overworked and burned out muscles. However, soon she was overtaken by the stillness awakened in her mind and the spiritual connection encountered by her heart, which ultimately hooked her for life.
Since those early years Kelly has kept her passion for the practice as a focal point in her life, allowing it to shape the very essence of who she is, what she loves, and how she gives back to her community. Her continued deep devotion and belief in the transformational power yoga provides, eventually led Kelly to receive her 500 hour RYT from Tranquil Space in Washington, DC, the home of all things goddess and glitter. She then went onto open her own yoga studio, Om On Yoga, in Richmond, VA in 2010. Through this venture, Kelly is deeply honored to share her experience and provide a nurturing space that offers a warm and inviting community to those who yearn for the beauty of yoga in their lives. Kelly is also the creator of Shop Om On, a hip online boutique offering consciously curated fashion and goods for the active and holistic lifestyle.
When she’s not on her mat, a Raspberry colored Manduka to be exact, Kelly can be found globetrotting to far off and sometimes exotic but mostly laid back destinations, burrowing deep in a good book, relishing in the quiet solace of the outdoors, or savoring the pure goodness of a great acoustic guitarist. Richmond, Virginia is where Kelly calls home. She lives there with her incredible husband, and fellow yogi, Ken, and her sassy Schnauzer, Miss Gracie Mae.
AnnMaire Grohs ran her first 10k in college. And she came in dead last – behind a team of 8 people carrying a Santa sleigh.
AnnMarie
Ever since then, AnnMarie has challenged herself to do better – to do more – always striving for one goal: wellness. And to never again be bested by a gaggle of people carrying a large prop.
AnnMaire’s journey to wellness has taken her many places – to Chicago where she learned to appreciate the outdoors when she could; to D.C. where she learned the limits of – and ways – to challenge her body; and to Richmond where she learned the effect that food could have on her overall.
It all ultimately drove her to open Boho Cycle studio, a Richmond, Va.-based indoor cycling studio focusing on fitness, nutrition, and health.
Today, AnnMarie continues to explore her commitment to wellness, keenly aware that wellness isn’t a fraction of life: it’s the whole of it.
“The most important thing is fun,” she says. “You’ve got to have fun – and know what does your body good: whether that’s a run, a salad, yoga, reading a book, or knowing what clothes look good on your body.”
And AnnMarie continues her wellness journey. She still partakes of all the foods she loves – in moderation – and is aware that she’s constantly evolving. What worked for her 10 years ago may not work for her today – or 10 years from now. But she’s committed to sharing that journey and knowledge. And she hasn’t been beaten by a team of people carrying Santa’s sleigh again. Yet.
Upcoming Events
Daybook + Playbook Pre-sale: through October 20
Shape Soirée Talk in Richmond: October 20
Writing in the Woods in West Virginia: October 27-29 {2 spots left}
Yoga + Mindfulness Mini Retreat in DC: December 31
Yoga, Mindfulness + Creativity in Costa Rica: February 17-24
Yoga + Art in West Virginia: May, 2018 TBA
Savvy Sources
Find Kelly + AnnMarie
Shape Soiree
Om on Yoga
Boho Cycle Studio
Mentioned in the Podcast
Miracle Morning
168 hours {interviewed here #199, #263, #306, #343}
Slow Down + Shed blog post
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 #406: The Story Behind Shape Soiree appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.
October 1, 2017
Bonjour October: Slow Down + Shed
October by Robert Frost
O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away.
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes’ sake, if they were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost—
For the grapes’ sake along the wall.
Welcome to a brand new month and a season aligned with slowing down and shedding as exemplified by the natural world. Leaves change and fall. There’s a crispness in the air. Energy turns inward. A deep desire to nest falls upon us—sit fireside, curl up on the couch with a book, sip mulled cider.
This is my most favorite time of the year! Yesterday I picked up pink mums, a knit beanie with faux fur, and fire logs. Bring it on, October!
I came across this minimalism game on an Instagram post (thanks, Gina!) and, considering I already have an entire day set aside for decluttering, I think I’ll try this.
Last weekend I was in Northern California for a memoir writing intensive and had one free day with a simple goal of getting into nature. After a hike among the redwoods and their intoxicating earthy and musty aroma, we hit Point Reyes Station where I, of course, had to wander into the bookstore on main street. Then I, of course again, had to pick up the book World Enough & Time: On Creativity and Slowing Down after I found it waiting for me face up on a side table. It felt like a sign.
Anyone else want to join me in the intention to slow down and shed? Here’s to October, where Frost encourages us to “begin the hours of this day slow.” Bisous. x
The post Bonjour October: Slow Down + Shed appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.
September 29, 2017
Daybook + Playbook Pre-Sale
How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.—Annie Dillard
Infuse your days with tranquility. I’m delighted to announce Tranquility du Jour Daybook 6.0 *and* and the NEW Playbook. Sprinkled with love, creativity, and productivity, this year’s edition comes in TWO options. Pre-sale begins TODAY through Friday, October 20 and includes THREE bonuses. Both will ship late November. Limited quantities available, all former editions have sold out.
DAYBOOK 6.0
This 200-page dateless Daybook is a pink and gold planner, lifestyle organizer, and wellness guide all in one. 6.0 has been updated with more Tranquility Tips to assist with infusing the 32 Tranquility Tools into your day, more space for daily to-dos, an additional row for weekly projects, new colorful photos from travels and daily life, and more! 8.5 x 8.5. Gold spiral bound. See sample pages.
$49 + S+H, available globally. {PDF $29, available soon}
PLAYBOOK {NEW}
A 100-page dateless Playbook has all the pieces of the full Daybook *except* the 100 pages of 55 weekly layouts. This is ideal for those who use another planner system or prefer a digital calendar and want to have space to dream, reflect, and review using the 32 Tranquility Tools. 8.5 x 8.5. Gold spiral bound. See sample pages.
$29 + S+H, available globally. {PDF $19, available soon}
Your purchase helps support petite female-owneded businesses, a veteran-owned printer in the Midwest, rescue animals in shelters and sanctuaries, and the planting of 500 trees. Together we can make a difference while staying connected to our dreams and practicing tranquility through our Daybook or Playbook. Thanks for your support! Bisous. x
The post Daybook + Playbook Pre-Sale appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.
September 28, 2017
1 Day until Daybook + Playbook Pre-Sale
Tomorrow is the pre-sale launch of the latest Tranquility du Jour Daybook *and* Playbook complete with THREE tranquility-infused bonuses.
I’ll also be sharing sneak peeks into the interiors and a sweet video on the inspiration behind this project. I can’t wait to share the latest edition with you! x
The post 1 Day until Daybook + Playbook Pre-Sale appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.
September 19, 2017
Daybook 6.0 Scoop + NEW Playbook
Infuse your days with tranquility. I’m delighted to announce Tranquility du Jour Daybook 6.0 *and* and the NEW Playbook. Sprinkled with love, creativity, and productivity, this year’s edition comes in TWO options.
DAYBOOK 6.0
This 200-page dateless Daybook is a pink and gold planner, lifestyle organizer, and wellness guide all in one. 6.0 has been updated with more Tranquility Tips to assist with infusing the 32 Tranquility Tools into your day, more space for weekly projects, new colorful photos from travels and daily life, and more! Gold spiral bound.
$55, includes US shipping. $75, includes international shipping.{PDF $29}
PLAYBOOK {NEW}
A 100-page dateless Playbook has all the pieces of the full Daybook *except* the 100 pages of 55 weekly layouts. This is ideal for those who use another planner system or prefer a digital calendar and want to have space to dream, reflect, and review using the 32 Tranquility Tools. Gold spiral bound.
$35, includes US shipping. $55, includes international shipping. {PDF $19}
Pre-sale begins Friday, September 29 through Friday, October 20 and includes THREE bonuses. Both will ship late November.
The December 30 2pm ET Playshop is an intimate online gathering showcasing my favorite tips and tools for making the most of your Daybook/Playbook. A recording will be sent out within 24 hours of the event.
The Daybook Story
As a long-time lover of planning, papier, and pens, I struggled to find the perfect planner to help organize my life and projects. For years I worked with stodgy black-and-white calendars stuffed with pink Post-its and ephemera dreaming of something more feminine and creative.
Seeking to blend function and style, I released the first colorful Daybook in 2012 and continue to enhance it with a new edition each fall. The weekly layout has space for your intention, projects, to-dos, appointments, Most Important Tasks (MITs), gratitude, wellness planning, plus daily and weekly Tranquility Tool checklists.
The Daybook is chock-full of tips and checklists for living productively and tranquilly—plant-based recipes, reading lists, a budget, packing lists, yoga and mindfulness mp3s, blank inspiration pages to invite your inner artist to play. Daybook supporters also have access to a private Facebook group and a private webpage with additional downloadable resources.
Start anytime and this dateless Daybook will guide you through a calendar year with daily doses of tranquility. Reflect weekly as you pen your week’s MITs, monthly while crafting your intention and dreams, and seasonally through the Wheel of Life.
My vision for the pink planner is to serve as a catch-all for your dreams, day’s events, and deepest thoughts—a chance to pause and find pockets of tranquility within life’s busyness. May this Daybook evoke joy when you pen plans, satisfaction when you check the boxes, and inspiration to get creative with ephemera, colored markers, and washi tape.
Save
Save
Save
The post Daybook 6.0 Scoop + NEW Playbook appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.
September 18, 2017
Tranquility du Jour #405: Creating with Purpose and Saving the Elephants
Creating with Purpose and Saving the Elephants with Diana Argueta. In this week’s edition of Tranquility du Jour, Diana and I discuss her move to Nepal, work for the elephants, and activism through art. Learn how you, too, can help captive elephants in Asia and beyond.
Direct download: Tranquility du Jour #405: Creating with Purpose and Saving the Elephants
Upcoming Events
Shape Soirée Talk in Richmond: October 20
Writing in the Woods in West Virginia: October 27-29 {3 spots left}
Yoga + Mindfulness Mini Retreat in DC: December 31
Yoga, Mindfulness + Creativity in Costa Rica: February 17-24
Yoga + Art in West Virginia: May, 2018 TBA
Featured Guest: Diana Argueta Sinclair
Born in 1979, Diana grew up in Guatemala City, Guatemala. She obtained a BA in Political Science from Universidad Rafael Landivar and a Master’s Degree in International Politics and Law from Universidad Francisco Marroquin.
Diana worked for multinational companies and international cooperation agencies until 2012 when she married a career diplomat and moved to Nepal. As a teenager, she dreamed of joining an organization that saved wildlife. That longing became real when she started volunteering for Nepali non-governmental organizations that help endangered wildlife and protect nature.
With a passion for travelling and photography, Diana has visited over 30 countries throughout her life. After surviving the Nepal earthquake of April 2015, an unexpected change took place and Diana found solace in creativity and art. She now dedicates her time to her small business project and animal welfare activism while sipping tea and listening to her favorite podcasts.
You can check out her creative work on Instagram at Elephant Soul Crafts.
Savvy Sources
Find Diana
Etsy {Save 10% with code TRANQUILI10}
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 #405: Creating with Purpose and Saving the Elephants appeared first on Kimberly Wilson.
