Cheryl Richardson's Blog, page 14

Make a wish for something good

There are some days when I feel a sincere sense of weariness at the state of our world and I just want to find a small island in the middle of nowhere – one without internet or telephones – where I can fashion a small hut out of sticks and branches that will shelter me from the sun as I stare at the water for hours on end.

But then there’s reality.

Thursday was one of those days. By late afternoon I felt restless and spent and decided to run an errand in the hopes that a change of scenery would ...

Redefining retirement

It’s a cozy morning with misty rain lingering over the spring-green fields and clouds hovering so low in the sky it feels like Mother Nature has placed a weighted blanket over the day to inspire rest.

“Take it slow” she seems to be saying, “just let the day unfold.”

Speaking of letting life unfold, last week, I had a conversation with a friend who’s retiring from a successful corporate job of more than fifteen years. “How do I go about planning what’s next,” she asked with a combination of excit...

You are not who you think you are

Last year, I published an audiobook with Sounds True called Self Care for the Wisdom Years. In reality, it’s more than an audiobook, it’s a long conversation with the listener about what it means to enter into the stage of life when we begin to reconsider everything – our work, our health, our relationships, and the way we live our daily lives.

Most important, it’s about forming a deep and abiding relationship with the wise part of us that transcends the roles we’ve played thus far.

This morning...

The Elder Wisdom of Women

The traffic crawled, stopping and starting for nearly an hour, but I barely noticed. I was listening to a new podcast by Julia Louis-Dreyfus called, “Wiser Than Me,” and it made my long drive to and from the city feel like an inspirational adventure. The podcast boasts a series of interviews with older women about the wisdom gained from aging. I listened to conversations with activist Jane Fonda, novelist Isabel Allende, and Ruth Reichl, the former editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine.

During th...

The Great Mother

Spring sunshine and brilliant blue skies are the order of the day as I stare out the kitchen window waiting for the kettle to finish boiling water for tea. Already, the six-room house I had installed for feathered guests up on the hill is a kaleidoscope of fluttering wings as a host of sparrows and bluebirds move in and prepare their nests. It’s such a joy to witness nature’s allegiance to new life.

I write about nature a lot because Mother Nature has become my mother, my church, and my playgro...

Souvenirs of Love

I have a little wooden sign on my bathroom counter that’s painted to look like the sun. It reads: “If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.” This message is by Roald Dahl, the children’s book author, and every day when I brush my teeth I glance at the sign and think of my friend, Robin.

Robin left this gift in our home while housesitting shortly after we suffered the unexpected loss of our cat Poupon. At the time I was in tough sh...

Living an unlived life

Who is this woman slicing lemons and placing them in a fancy water pitcher as she prepares for a dinner party with colleagues and their spouses? I laughed out loud as I set the table, adjusted the lighting, and placed fresh flowers on the island close to where I intended to serve the first course. Since when did I become a homemaker, a hostess, and someone who likes to entertain?

For as long as I can remember I’ve been working. I started when I was sixteen as a clerk at a men’s clothing boutique...

You’re so sensitive – a blessing or a curse?

This week, I’m taking a break and sharing a story from one of the most popular chapters in The Art of Extreme Self Care.

You’re So Sensitive

When I was a little girl my dad used to call me Sarah Heartburn – a funny twist on the French movie actress Sarah Bernhardt – because I tended to be a bit dramatic when things didn’t go my way. The truth was that I was a highly sensitive child. I cried easily, felt hurt when kids called me names or made fun of me, and was prone to bouts of loneliness and a ...

You can steal this

Every now and then, when I’m facing a situation that challenges my ability to maintain a calm, peaceful state, I turn to love notes I’ve written to myself that help me get back on track. I modified one recently and thought I’d share it with you in case it might be helpful at some point for you, too. You’re welcome to steal it 😀.

Dear Sweetheart,

If you’re feeling anxious, frightened, or out of control, please remember: You are the master of your experience. No one and no thing can influence how ...

Tiny treasures waiting for you

He followed me around like a pigeon in a park waiting for a treat. Little Berty, our ginger tabby, kept meowing in the way cats do when they want something and it’s your job to figure out what it is.

When I caught him sitting on a nearby table staring me down, I picked him up and held him like a baby. Lounging on his back, rear legs straddling my arm, he looked like a little prince in my arms. I waltzed around the house stopping now and then in the places where the sunlight touched the room. At ...