let it be simple

Bonnie snapped this photo last week of a corner of my desk in the studio, and it just sums up the mantra I need right now. Today, I'm alone here at home for a few hours, and all I want to do is just sit in the quiet and be still for a while. No work. No people. No social media. No business strategies. Just quiet. Just me. 

My list of posts I want to write and things I need to do is long. And I'm excited about so much on that list. But there is also the piece of needing rest. Of needing space. Of needing to let it be simple.

And I don't mean suddenly deciding to declutter or try a capsule wardrobe or make a big change that actually isn't simple at all (for me) but seems like it should be, which is a move I often make when these feelings arrive.

No.

I mean listening even more closely to the deep desires within me and moving from there.

Letting it be simple by continuing to shed the shoulds and the "who do you think you are" stories that try to crowd back inside my brain and heart even when I think I released them long ago.

Letting it be simple by opening up and sharing more of the stories here even if it's hard to know if anyone is actually reading them because we're so focused on scrolling and likes and social media strategies these days.

Letting it be simple by recognizing that I'm only one person but that I can ask for help.

Letting it be simple by making one move toward the longings. (Just one move today.)

Letting it be simple by saying no.

Letting it be simple by saying the deep, true "Yes" when it calls to me.

Letting it be simple by showing up and letting the words just come out onto the page even if they're clunky.

Letting it be simple by just being me.

That doesn't mean it is easy. 

No.

It means that so often we look for the answers outside ourselves when we simply, truly, need to step back and find that quiet and simply look within.

And listen.

So I'm off to sit in the quiet for a bit this morning before diving back into the juiciness this afternoon.

When your soul is saying you need to be alone in the quiet, I've learned that you should listen honey.

Because that's the kind of should that isn't a should at all but is instead your own wisdom guiding you.

Yes.

i see you

self-portrait, Taos, July 2014

I see you there heart beating in your hand, words pour from it amid tears, old stories, and new-found wisdom. I see you choosing, building, stepping forward to claim the path. I see you loosening the grip on the envy, the misunderstandings, the way it shoud have been. I see you sloughing it off (sloughing so much off) so you can feel the light upon your new-grown skin. I see you stepping forward onto this ready ground.

And you are so beautiful.

*****

We're just finishing Chapter 4 of Inner Excavation as part this summer's Inner Excavate-along. That chapter steps into self-portraiture as a way to tell your story and rereading it inspired me to want to tell more stories using this tool that is so dear to me. This week, I've been sifting through my archives finding self-portraits I haven't edited or shared. A series I took last summer in Taos pushed me to play with the prompt "I see you" and uncover some truths from then and from now. It's felt like I've had a lot of stories I've wanted to share in this space but they have remained close to me or shared in snippets in conversations here and there for months. But I'm ready to let them start dripping out in poem notes and stories and photos.

If you'd like to play along and join in the Inner Excavate-along, you're invited to sign up at any time. Learn more right here.

five {really} good things

a card from my new One Move mini-deck

It's been a while since I did a five {really} good things post. I'm trying to get back to more blogging and more sharing here, so when the muse pulled me to want to share these things today, I listened.

1) I'm starting my days with lemon water over here (and drinking it throughout the day), and it has become a really good thing for my belly. I've done this in the past, but am trying to make it a daily self-care move.

2) I gathered up 10 of my favorite books to help you practice self-care in this article. I could add a lot more, but these give you a really good start. (And I just ordered a stack of new ones, so I'll be writing some book review posts here over the next few weeks too!)

3) My Week in the Life kit arrived! I'm so excited to participate in Ali's Week in the Life project next month. I'm one of those on-again mostly off-again want-to-be scrapbookers and this project and the kit that goes with it is helping me make this manageable for me. I've spent too much time "shaming" myself around how I don't do Project Life every week (or ever these days), and I'm ready to get off that train. If these words resonate with you, think about joining in. Learn more right here.

4) I'm delighted to be a contributor to Jessica's Summer Slowdown next month. It's a free daily email that invites you to take a deep breath and be present every day. Love this!

5) My Kata Fringe earrings from Lynzee Lynx make me so happy! Her shop is full of so many good things.

+1) The image above is from my new "One Move" mini-inspiration deck that I created for the beautiful souls who attended my One Move Retreat and who are joining me for Back to the Basics. I couldn't stop myself from ordering extras, so there are 15 sets in the shop right here. The mini-deck is just $8.

7 favorite coloring books for adults {screen-free time together}

While I was planning June's One Move Retreat, I began to think about the Bold Moves I wanted to make in my own life. One move that fell into the "everyday life" bold move category was "Making Dinner and Eating Every Night at the Table." As I took that Bold Move through the process that I taught the women at the retreat and began to feel the weight of somehow figuring out how to make that happen, I realized the feelings and desires under this declaration were summed up better by "More Screen-Free Time Together." 

And when I say "screen-free," I'm usually talking about me. Ellie's only five and we haven't yet had a problem with her wanting to be on an iPad more than wanting to do things with us. She does watch TV, but often says, "I'm ready to turn this off now." This doesn't mean that we don't have issues with it all from time to time, but I'm the one who is running several aspects of my business from (almost) every device in the house and I'm the one who has trouble implementing "business hours" when it comes to my Facebook groups and customer emails. So sometimes I have to be pushed to set aside time without the phone. Jon's on his phone more and more these days, so it is good for him to put it away too.

As parents of a little one, it is so easy to feel like we're taking a few moments "for ourselves" when we look at our phones while they are busy playing, but sometimes, not always but sometimes, we are disconnecting from our lives, from the beauty in our homes, from noticing the little nuances in our child's and family's life when we just quickly check to see if anyone has liked our cute photo of our kid on Instagram.

So a few months ago, I began gathering a few "go-to" moves that we could do during some screen-free time together. I'm going to share them in a series of posts in the hopes that they inspire you to take some screen-free time for yourself whether you have kids or not.

First up: Coloring!

You might have noticed that coloring is in. And by in, I mean it is EVERYWHERE! You can't walk into any bookstore or even a gift shop without seeing coloring books for adults and kids. 

A few months back I wrote about the mindfulness of coloring, and since then, it's gotten even bigger.

Coloring has become one of my family's current favorite activities. In the summer, we're spending time outside on quilts in the backyard and coloring and doing other crafts, and we're using coloring as a way to quiet down in the evenings. Bed time has been a struggle some evenings. I find that it we turn off the tv and say no to a special movie night even though it's summer and it sometimes feels like every night could become movie night because no one has to get up early for school the next day, we all feel a bit more centered and less grumpy the next day. Having a family activity before bed seems to be helping this. (Of course we don't do this every night. But the ease that we find when we do is something I'm noticing.)

Usually we each choose a coloring book and then take our plastic tub of colored pencils to the table or backporch and play some music and quietly color. And again, of course it isn't always full of ease. But we are getting into a groove with this one.

Here are my current seven favorite coloring books for adults that we're having fun with over here. Ellie sometimes colors in these books and sometimes colors in her other books. We find that the books with more details, like most of these, are better suited for colored pencils or a very fresh box of crayons. 

1. Creative Coloring Inspirations by Valentina Harper

We just call this one the "Today is going to be awesome" book because of the image on the cover. I love Valentina's artwork and was completely delighted to find her series of coloring books. I highly recommend them especially if you want to color really intricate designs. With this specific book there are encouraging and inspirational phrases throughout that you can hang on your wall when you finish. We're also sending some in the mail to friends and family. The pages are easy to tear out, which is another awesome feature.

2. Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book by Johanna Basford

This book is so gorgeous inside. It has quite a few details but they aren't super small, so I found it really relaxing. I also like that the pages are cream, which makes me feel like I don't have to color in every bit of white space. It includes a little treasure hunt inside, like a Look and Find book, and Ellie loves this part.

Note that this one is temporarily out of stock on Amazon but it looks like you can still order it. I found mine at our local Barnes and Noble. And it looks like you can find it at Paper Source and Urban Outfitters has the Enchanted Forest edition.

3. Just about any mandala coloring book

Jon loves coloring mandalas, and his current favorites are Mandala Designs from Peter Pauper Press, Creative Coloring Mandala Expressions also by Valentina Harper, and Mandala Design Coloring Book by Jenean Morrison. Next on his list is 

4. Just Add Color Botanicals by Lisa Congdon

This coloring book is gorgeous. The pages are nice and thick so you could easily use fine point markers or even watercolors to color the pages. The designs are detailed but not tiny. And you can easily tear out the pages. This is one I'd take with me to a coffee shop to color for a while before picking Ellie up from school and sit there with a few colors and just have fun. It's temporarily out of stock at Amazon, but available at Barnes and Noble online.

5. Calming Colouring: Patterns by Graham Leslie McCallum

This one is great for all ages. Ellie has claimed it as hers, and the repeat patterns actually do seem to center her as she chooses her colors and gets into a rhythm. Some of the patterns aren't as intricate as other coloring books out there, and I think that will appeal to those who want to finish a complete page in one sitting. The designs are a bit more streamlined too. I also like the Nature Patterns edition in this series.

6. Flow Magazine's Coloring Book by Helen Dardik and Carolyn Gavin

I stumbled across this one in the magazine section of Barnes and Noble. It's published by Flow Magazine. It's a very sweet coloring book full of images that just make me smile. Ellie loves it too. You can order it from Flow Magazine here (and see examples of pages).

7. Dapper Animals by Thaneeya McArdle

This one is our newest coloring book and it just makes me so happy. From an octopus playing a guitar to a llama in a winter hat, it is full of so many delightful characters to color and make your own. Fun for all ages because while there are a lot of details, the patters aren't too intricate.

Of course you do not need this many coloring books to get started. Just choose one! And have fun! I'll be bringing these to my next retreat so that the ladies can enjoy diving into this world of coloring and learn first hand how it becomes a really beautiful self-care pracitce.

Note: Most of these links are to Amazon, but I've also had a lot of luck finding several of these on sale at Zulily from time to time. Most of these links are affiliate, which means I receive a small commission if you purchase through the site. 

in case you need some encouragement {i heart makers}

Love this quote print from Parada Creations

One of my favorite things to pin is quotes (and products with words) because they are like little whispered truths (or loud reminders when needed) that invite us to think about the ways we really want to live. At least once a month, my {i heart makers} series is going to feature items with quotes and words that I hope will shake things up a bit for you and invite you to pay attention or, like this week, remind you that you're not alone.

A few people in my life are going through "stuff" in the way that happens from time to time. Maybe you have some people in your world having a hard time too or maybe that person is you. Here's a handful of my current favorite items that are handmade or designed by makers that fall in the "words of encouragement" category.

This "you are loved" mug from pinkoliveinc has been a favorite of mine for years. So sweet. And would make a beautiful gift.

Love this reminder that "you are part of something beautiful." Such an awesome t-shirt from Perusha People.

Because sometimes we just need to be reminded to keep believing (and to sing Journey). Love this print from Virginia Kraljevic

The Instant Comfort Pocket Boxes by Kim Welling are one of my favorite things on Etsy. Simple. Delightful. Heartfelt. Yes.

I don't think we can hear "you are enough" too often in our lives. When I first started hammering versions of "i am enough" and "you are enough" into lockets years ago, there was just one other shop using that phrase on Etsy. Now you can find these words on so many products, and I think that is so awesome. These two caught my eye this week.

Love the happy colors in this print by pen and paint (and you can choose a colorful version when you order).

And this mug from LilyAndVal is really lovely. 

And finally, this print from Read Between the Lines just makes me happy. I can just imagine seeing it every day in my home knowing that someone in the world feels that way about me. Would be pretty awesome.

An invitation: Are you a maker? Share a little about you and your shop with a link to your site in the comments so I can visit. Would love to possibly feature you in a future post.

Note that some of these links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission if you purchase through the link.

Camera Craft: The Art of Seeing

I'm so excited to share that I'm one of the guests in Galia Alena's Camera Craft Class called The Art of Seeing. As Galia writes: 

Camera Craft is designed to help demystify your camera and the technical side of photography, empowering you to follow your inspiration, and make expressive and beautiful images. It is photography 101 and it is so much more.

I love that the goal of this class is to help you understand the technical side of photography while also inviting you to find (or rediscover) your own creative voice. Yes!

In The Art of Seeing, Galia will cover the basics of camera equipment, help you learn about exposure (which means aperture/shutter/ISO), teach you how to begin to process your photos, and inspire you along the way.

And I'll be sharing a lesson about my experiences with taking self-portraits and how they've helped me feel deeply seen by the one person who knows me best of all: Me.

This class is full of so much juicy goodness, and I can't wait to take it alongside you. It starts August 31st, and you can sign up right here.

Note: Photos (other than the two of Ellie and me) are copyright Galia Alena. Links throughout are affiliate links, which means I receive a commission when you purchase the class through my links.

building a bridge in the space between (2)

I so deeply appreciate the way Tracee Ellis Ross just puts it out there with these words because even though I sometimes say that the space between where I am and where I want to go can feel overwhelming, the truth is that if I stand back too far to look at it, sometimes it can actually feel like it kisses the edge of terrifying.

But this is when I have to remind myself that I'm building the bridge one move at a time within the real daily life I live over here.

I'm not putting everything else on hold to suddenly start building that bridge 24 hours a day with a crew of 150 people.

No.

I'm also not putting everything else on hold to try to build it alone.

That plan doesn't work either. I've tried it with many a "decluttering" attempt over the years. I know me. I know what happens when I stop everything and dive into something by myself (or even with a little bit of help). I am excited and have so much motivation in the beginning so I make the project about five times bigger than it should be. Then at the halfway mark, I get exhausted and lonely and overwhelmed and new piles of emotional and physical stuff start to puddle around me.

So here's what I am doing: Taking one step, then another, and then another and making it happen at a pace that works for this crazy, full, beautiful life.

And on the days when I step back and think, "Shit. There is a lot more to go before I get to the other side," I ask myself, "Okay so what small move could you make? Just one little move."

This is why I take photos to gather evidence of these moves. This is why I want to talk about this idea over and over again right now. This is why I make lists of the moves I need to make BUT ALSO lists that celebrate the moves I've already made.

This is why I push myself to see that the goal isn't actually to get to the other side and stay there forever and ever and leave everything behind. Really, what I'm trying to do is build a few bridges where I can go back and forth between everyday life and the longings inside me.

Between the place where I'm making lunches and taking Ellie to school and doing the mom thing and living where we need to live and the desire to spend more time on the coast where I'm playing with paint and paper and walking for hours alone.

Between the longing of wanting to travel and do more retreats and see you gorgeous souls reading these words face to face and the reality of being in a season of life where I need to be here more than there.

Between the tiny desire to just go back to bed and ask someone else to run this business for the day and knowing that listening to your stories and telling mine feeds my soul.

It's knowing that the really good days are going to be filled with more pockets of time spent sitting down on a quilt in the space between and coloring and reading and resting and gathering with loved ones and feeling all the feelings and maybe even eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and letting myself really sink into the knowledge that this life is a pretty darn good one.

I've come to understand that it's really about creating a space where I can deeply know that this is the life I want to live as I find ways to build those bridges and walk back and forth and rest and play and live.

Yes.

To really see the beauty and feel the possibility in your bones, you have to let what you're building inspire you to keep building. You do this by paying attention and noticing how you feel, really feel, in your life.

If it doesn't inspire you, then honey, you might be building someone else's bridge.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, having conversations about how you build this bridge one move at a time are the conversations I'm really interested in having these days. If you're interested in more stories around this idea, sign up for my (almost) weekly newsletter. 

a summer caprese salad

This is my current go-to summer meal that often involves a bit of cleaning out the fridge meets a few summer favorites meets one of my best friends: balsamic glaze.

Caprese salads are something Jon and I really love, and I like to riff on the caprese in several ways from putting it onto skewers (that look like this) to turning it into a pasta dish to adding in grilled portabella mushrooms like the Edgewater in Culver used to do when we lived there years ago.

My current favorite involves whatever tomatoes we have, basil, baby mozzarella (which I believe is called bocconcini), watermelon, and all the berries. I sometimes add in avocado or guacamole. And I drizzle balsamic glaze over the whole thing. Yes, it looks like chocolate syrup, but I'm here to tell you I love it even more than chocolate syrup. For real.

My favorite balamic anything is made by Fini (and World Market has the best price I've seen). I love their vinegar and their glaze. Try it on watermelon with a little bit of sea salt and maybe add in some mint. Oh my goodness you will thank me.

Making your own glaze is super easy too. I'm thinking this recipe is next on my list.

What summer foods are you enjoying over in your corner? I'd love to know.