Cheryl Richardson's Blog, page 13

Sharing history with strangers

It had been nearly an hour of combing through racks of vintage and upcycled clothes when I finally struck gold. Stashed behind a well-worn, olive-green army coat, I spied a sliver of robin’s egg blue that seemed to vibrate with light. I reached for the item only to have my fingers land on fabric that felt worthy of a warm fire and a cozy cup of tea. I gently pulled the garment out of the mix and discovered an intricately knitted cardigan with a lacework collar, fancy front panels, and matching y...

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It was the end of a long, hard workout, and I was exhausted. Everyone in the class had finished the routine and I was the last person struggling through a final set of burpees. In case you’re unfamiliar with a burpee, it’s a strenuous exercise that requires you to jump back into a plank, do a push-up, jump into a standing position, and clap overhead. It’s one of my least favorite exercises even with the modification I make to step back rather than jump.

As I pushed through, critical voices start...

Time for a smaller plate?

I sat crossed-legged on the deck in front of a flowering nasturtium plant carefully removing spent leaves and blossoms. Pruning nasturtiums is tricky. You have to trace the fragile stems back to the plant’s central stalk before cutting them loose. If you have the time, it can be a peaceful, meditative experience – and it gives the plant energy to produce more beautiful blossoms. If not, it can be stressful and frustrating. Rushing makes it too easy to lop off the fresh, sunset-colored faces smil...

Making friends later in life

We piled into the car enjoying the last rays of sunlight before afternoon storms moved in. Heading out on a road trip with girlfriends, we were about to spend a few hours poring over clothes at a massive vintage clothing sale in Boston. As we turned onto the highway, we giggled like school girls about dating later in life, hiking adventures, and how happy we were to be together.

For a moment, I sidestepped the conversation and thought about the gift of friendship and how this area of my life ha...

A ritual that stands the test of time

Mark your calendars! I’ve just agreed to host a retreat at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY the weekend of October 6th-8th called, “Self Care for the Wisdom Years.” This is a chance to experience a retreat at a lower cost in another beautiful part of the world. To get on the waitlist for registration info please use our retreat link, here.

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Finally, free of the gusty warm winds that haunted us for most of the day, the night turned calm and cool. As the sun made its descent, a star appea...

Never postpone joy

I stood at the kitchen sink rinsing plates and putting them in the dishwasher when I noticed a familiar train of thought laying tracks in my head. Let’s see, I told myself, I’m done paying bills, balancing the bank accounts, and cleaning up the kitchen, so now I can make a cup of tea and finish reading my book.

Sounds harmless enough, except that it was the third time in a week that I caught myself acting as if I could only do what I wanted to do once work was done. It’s an old paradigm, a holdo...

Put the brakes on

Nearly every Friday I attend a yoga class taught by a friend who lives in her body in the most beautiful way. It’s yin yoga – a series of gentle postures held for long periods of time, and it’s the perfect way to end the week after walking, hiking, or lifting weights on other days.

This morning, as I watered the garden and tended to the plants, I thought about the yoga class and how it’s helping me to slow down and move more intentionally through life. As I pruned back the squash leaves dominati...

The art of sensual living

No sooner did I sit down in my favorite chair to record a dream in my journal, when a gentle rain began to fall. The sound of water hitting the windowsill provided the perfect melody as I scribbled words on the page. Cozy and content, I folded my legs underneath me and examined the story and its possible meanings. Within minutes the wind picked up and thunder rumbled in the distance. I cracked open the window next to my chair just enough to lose myself in the sounds of the early summer deluge.

W...

My Guardian Angel

Michael and I were away last week, celebrating our 26th wedding anniversary, and I missed the chance to send a blog I wrote about the first post-pandemic Father’s Day. Because my Dad has been on my mind all week, I thought I’d share it again today. It’s called: My Guardian Angel.

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It was early morning and the sun cast rays of light against the wall in my office. I sat down on my favorite chair and signaled for Wednesday, our black and gray tabby, to join me on my lap. As I settled into the se...

The ups and downs of change

A couple of weeks ago, when I wrote about redefining retirement, I received a lot of mail from readers who could identify with the liminal stage of this big life transition – the place between “been there, done that” and “not sure what’s next.”

In Self Care for the Wisdom Years, I told the story of what happened that inspired me to begin questioning the direction of my life. It forced me to ask myself things like: Am I really happy or just going through the motions? Is the way I’m living designe...