Cheryl Richardson's Blog, page 18

The making of a good day

I was enjoying a lazy afternoon strolling through the aisles of our local Marshalls department store looking for a set of bowls for our kitchen. Over the years I’ve found lovely dishes at this store and it always feels like I’m embarking on a treasure hunt when it’s time for something new.

Dishes are underrated. When you think about how often we grab a drinking glass, enjoy soup from a bowl, or decorate a table with dinner plates, it just feels like good self-care to have something beautiful on ...

Look up!

I was sitting on the deck writing this morning in a small corner still blanketed by shade when I looked up just in time to see two Great Blue Herons take flight from a nearby oak tree. As I watched their long, flowy wings carry them over the house, I said out loud, I’m so glad I looked up!

I’m so glad I looked up.

Funny, I thought as they passed out of sight, this is my focus these days. Looking up. Not in the “be optimistic” kind of way – although I believe that’s important. But more in a spir...

The last lazy days of summer

“Good morning,” said the sun with its splash of golden light on the sturdy spine of the oak tree outside my bedroom window. “Time to rise!” I pulled on my favorite wool socks, dragged the crisp summer-white sheets up over the pillows, and tucked the corners of the duvet under the mattress. Straightening the books on the nightstand before reaching the door, I walked out of the bedroom and into the day.

Rituals lead the way to a satisfying life, I thought to myself as I headed downstairs to make a...

Here’s what to expect

This week I had an opportunity to visit the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) – the office where you get your driver’s license renewed every five years. Before you read on though, stop for a moment and notice the thoughts associated with a visit to the RMV.

Okay, now read on…

My license expired last November on my birthday and I’d been remiss in getting it renewed. Now and then I’d make a mental note to go, but then forget about it. Well, Wednesday night, on my way home from dinner with my husban...

Telling stories

While on vacation, I’m sharing a favorite memory – a blog I wrote about our cat, Poupon, when we were lucky enough to still have him with us. He was a dear companion… and a wonderful teacher.

~*~ Telling stories ~*~

While making tea this morning, my cat Poupon got upset when he didn’t get his usual treat. We share a ritual. When I add almond milk to my tea, I always mix a little with a bit of warm water and give it to him in a small dish. He looks forward to it and gets all excited as soon as I ...

The catnip caper

In the morning when I come downstairs I let our cats, Wednesday and Berty, out of their room as I get ready to feed them. Rather than risk chronic back and shoulder problems, something we struggled with after letting Poupon sleep in our bed, we’ve done things differently with these two. Our new kids spend the night together downstairs and during the day they have the run of the house.

When I opened the door to their room this morning, I discovered that sometime during the night Berty and Wednes...

Bring on the discomfort!

It was 6:30am when the early light hit my eyes and I woke to another dog day of summer destined to reach 100 degrees. Challenging weather provides a wonderful opportunity to see how cranky the mind can be. Rather than listening to its complaints, I got up, threw on my bathing suit, and drove to the beach to meet my mermaid sisters for an early morning dip.

The water was cold, frigid really, and in no time my legs and toes were numb. Breathing steady and deep, I looked around at the women who ha...

Who do you think you are?

I’m going through old blogs and came across one I wrote in 2010 after Sandra Bullock won the Oscar for “The Blind Side” and then discovered her husband was cheating on her. It contains an important message about claiming agency over our lives and I thought I’d share it again with you this week.

Who Do You Think You Are?

Once again the tabloid media has taken to plastering their covers with a celebrity who, at the height of her career, has been taken down by a personal tragedy in the form of betr...

What were you thinking?

I’ve been making myself crazy since yesterday looking for a custom color palette my friend Ginger designed for me back in late May. It’s a tool that makes it easy-peasy to buy clothes and I love it because I hate to shop. (To see how it works, go here)

I lost the palette somewhere in the house and as I’ve been searching high and low for it since yesterday morning, I discovered something far more valuable: How skilled I am at annoying myself with my thoughts.

I went through the same drawers thre...

To the women I love

Twenty years ago, after giving a keynote speech about self-care to several thousand women in Houston, Texas, I stood in line signing books and talking with guests. After more than an hour, I greeted the last woman in line with a warm smile. I knew from experience that those in the most pain would often wait until the end.

Well-dressed, hair neatly in place, and boasting a sweet smile, I learned that she was a married mother of three in her fifties who was clearly in distress. Shy and vulnerable,...