like a visual poem of possibility

A post shared by liz lamoreux (@lizelayne) on Jan 5, 2018 at 10:17am PST

I shared this little video over on Instagram and wanted to share here too (just hover over it and press play).

Because it inspires me so much.

Because this bowl is like a poem of possibility.

Because these little words really will change the world, one person, one brave move, at a time.

A big thank you to Ali Edwards for all that she does to inspire so many of us to choose a word to guide us. 

You can find these heart pocket talismans (along with other talismans, jewelry, and other mindfulness tools) over at my Soul Mantras shop.

2018 Talisman of the Month Club

2018 Talisman of the Month Club subscriptions are open through January 15 this year. 

The Talisman of the Month Club is a monthly subscription that includes a package of inspiration and support delivered to your door. Each month presents a new theme that provides you with lessons, practices, and creative prompts on the month’s theme plus a community of people practicing along with you.

The intention behind this club is to give you tangible practices and reminders to see, hold, and use to help you create space to practice self-care.

You can read all about it over on Soul Mantras, but I wanted to share a little bit here too.

This year there are two editions: 

The Toolbox Subscription

The intention behind the Toolbox edition is to give you a monthly practice + tangible tools you can use to create an altar or other meditative space. It includes:

• A handmade pewter pocket talisman hand stamped with a phrase to support you, infused with love and blessings, and packaged in a bag so you can easily carry it with you.
• An additional item or two that complements that month’s theme that you can use as part of the monthly practice (for example, a gemstone, framable artwork, bowl for your altar, mini prayer flag set, prompt deck, etc).  
• A tiny print with that month’s theme that becomes a reminder to place on your desk or altar (all multiple months create an inspiration deck for you).
• A note from my heart to yours focusing on the monthly practice with creative ideas to get you started.
• Another surprise or two to support your self-care journey.
• Thoughtful packaging that invites you to slow down and create a mindful moment as you open it each month.

The Pocket-Sized Subscription

This offering is perfect for those who want to focus on the monthly practice each month at a smaller price. It is also a good option for those living outside the US (see shipping info below). It includes:

• A handmade pewter pocket talisman hand stamped with a phrase to support you, infused with love and blessings.
• A tiny print with that month’s theme that becomes a reminder to place on your desk or altar (all multiple months create an inspiration deck for you).
• A note from my heart to yours focusing on the monthly practice with creative ideas to get you started.
• Thoughtful packaging that invites you to slow down and create a mindful moment as you open it each month. This edition will come in an envelope instead of a box.

Both editions also include:

• Community, connection, and support via a private Facebook group where we talk about ways to work with the month’s practice, share supportive stories, and so on.
• A few surprises along the way just for 12-month club members.
• A monthly newsletter to help you deepen your self-care practice.
• The opportunity to add on 1-on-1 sessions with me to dive deeper into your practice.
• Discounts for the Soul Mantras shop and some of my other offerings (including ecourses).

Please note that photos show a peek at previous boxes from the 2017 subscription and other goodies similar to what you might receive. The 2018 boxes will be unique with all new practices and all new additional tools inside (for the Toolbox edition).

You can read all the other details, plus the FAQ, over here at Soul Mantras.

52 Lists Project

One of my favorite self-care moves is to make lists. It gives your mind a place to rest and can even become a mindfulness practice when you slow down and create intention around it.

Earlier this week, I came across my copy of Moorea Seal's The 52 Lists Project and decided I wanted to dive back in this year. Last year,  I made it through four weeks of lists, but then dropped off, and I want to start back up again. In her book, there's a different list prompt for every week of the year and some suggested actionable steps to take inspired by your list as well. The book is beautiful and throughtful (just like everything Moorea puts into the world).

I shared my intention of diving back into it on Instagram and Facebook and several people shared that they would love to join in writing a list in this book each week. So we're going to do a "list-along."

I really love this idea of all working through the book together this year. And I love the idea of keeping it really simple. 

Here's how it will work:

We will gather on Instagram and share our lists (or something about the book and our experience with it) on Sundays using the hashtag #52listsSundays so we can find one another.

To share your post in the feed of others sharing about the book (who aren't connected with our list-along), you can use #52ListsProject. You can see lots of ideas and goodness in that feed from people who have been using the book over the last couple of years. 

Some information to answer any questions you might have:

This is a "choose your own adventure" kind of experience with a side of support and connection. Anyone reading this can join in at any time. There are no real rules except that we're using The 52 Lists Project. My hope is that we just have some fun practicing self-care and connecting about it each week on Instagram this year. And if you have the companion 52 Lists of Happiness book and want to use it instead, go for it!

It is easiest to connect on Instagram using hashtags. You can use them on Facebook, but your post has to be set to public for us to find one another. I will be focusing on connecting on Instagram and will also post my photo on Facebook for connection there. I won't be searching Facebook for hashtags though.

You can join in whenever you want to! If you're reading this in March, you can still join in. If you've done a few weeks and want to join in, you can. Like I shared, I have already done a bit of work in the book. I'll be adding to my lists or posting reflections on how they might have changed in a year for the first couple of weeks and then diving into new lists. 

You don't have to share your actual list. Some topics might feel too private. That is totally okay. Take a photo of the page before you write on it. Take a photo of the book closed. Take a photo of something that represents the list to you and share about it. Use the "blur" tool to hide parts of your list like I did above. You can make this as personal as you want it to be.

If you don't have the book and want to come along, just order one when you can and jump in if you'd like. 

If you're feeling overwhelmed about writing in a beautiful book, maybe use a pencil so you can erase! I know this is actually a huge piece that stops many people from using these awesome self-care books that people spend some much time creating and making in the hopes you will get messy and write and create in them. Try to let the beauty of you taking time for you in this simple act of self-care be bigger than the fear of messing up your book. I'm cheering you on over here!

If you can't post on Sundays or forget etc, just post on another day! We'll just always use the #52listsSundays hashtag to keep it simple. 

Again, all you need to participate is a copy of The 52 Lists Project by Moorea Seal (or her 52 Lists of Happiness book if you already have that one and want to come along).

And if you have questions, just let me know. I will answer them in the comments.

Looking forward to listing with you each week!

Big love,
Liz

PS This post and read-along/list-along is not sponsored by Moorea Seal or the publisher of her books. This list-along came up very organically and informally. My biggest hope is that by joining in together, we can keep each other accountable to actually take this time to practice self-care each week. The links above are affiliate links though, which means when you purchase something through them, I will receive a small commission. You can also purchase copies of these books on Moorea's site.

7 Small Self-Care Moves that Can Have a Big Impact

2017 has been quite a year so far, hasn't it? I keep saying the phrase "holy holy holy" as I stand in The And Space daily and keep finding my way. I have quite a few self-care moves I turn to that help me stay grounded, and making a list of my favorites is something I always love doing. Just writing them down reminds me to keep doing them and becomes its own act of self-care.

In case you need some reminders about easy self-care moves to make, here are seven ideas to help you take a few moments to practice some self-care in your corner of the world.

1. Pause the Devices for a Bit

Give yourself a break from your phone, computer, television, and tablet. Stop looking at screens for just a little while, so you can be present to the world around you. Notice when you're scrolling because you feel like you have nothing else to do. From waiting in line to sitting at the dinner table, put your phone down and look up. So much information is coming at you in any given moment, and your body, mind, and heart need a break.

2. Move

From a quick dance party to some yoga or simple stretches, move your body to get in some self-care and support. According to Psychology Today, movement helps not only increase brain function but also helps treat anxiety and depression.

Take a moment and think about the ways you most love to move your body, and create some space in your schedule to make it happen. Because I work from home and can spend hours at my computer, I sometimes set an alarm on my phone that reminds me to move. When it goes off, I ask Alexa to play some Paul Simon and I get up and groove.

3. Get Outside

Getting outside helps you create space to stop the swirling thoughts inside you as you notice the world around you. Whether you're at work or at home, pause and take five minutes or so to just get outside. You might want to sit on a bench, stand and just breathe, or take a short walk. Whatever you do, set an intention to really notice the world around you, so you can get the benefit of your time away from your to-do list

4. Rest

Notice when your body and mind are tired. Let yourself rest. Even schedule it if you have to. This might mean just pausing to do nothing for five minutes in the middle of the day or blocking out an afternoon on the weekend to just be. You could even decide to go to bed just 15 minutes earlier to get more sleep.

5. Stay Hydrated

There's a reason doctors recommend staying hydrated throughout the day. As the Mayo Clinic explains, "Every system in your body depends on water" and even slight dehydration can make you tired and affect your energy level. They suggest about 13 cups of liquid for men and 9 cups for women daily, and they stress that all beverages count. 

6. Stop All that Bedtime Scrolling

How often are you scrolling on your phone or tablet before bed? In the middle of the night? First thing before you even get out of bed? Take a few days off from this habit and notice how you feel. All that information will still be there after you get some rest or let yourself wake up before checking in with the whole world. You might want to get a buddy to help hold you accountable for this one. From your partner to your best friend, ask for some support as this is a hard habit to break.

7. Read Some Fiction

You may have seen studies popping up exploring the idea that reading fiction is good for you. According to Science Magazine, reading fiction can increase our ability to understand emotional cues, which can help facilitate our connections with other people. Also, reading fiction gives you a break from the day-to-day stuff, which is a very good thing. I've been part of the Book of the Month Club this year, and I love it! 

photo by Focus in Photography

Tell It: Collage supplies and other good things

As I continue sharing peeks inside my collage journals, I've been getting quite a few questions about my favorite journaling supplies. So I'm combining the supplies I love using with suggested supplies for Tell It: Collage so you can have all of it in one place.

Suggested Supplies for Tell It: Collage

• Journal: Preferably not lined (see some suggestions below)

• Gluestick (Any glue stick will work - you will need a couple. I'm preferring the Craft Bond from Elmer's for more permanent sticking)

• Pens + at least one black Sharpie

• Scissors

• Magazines/catalogs

• Other optional ideas: Colored pencils, paint pens and/or gel pens, 1-3 colors of acrylic paint, washi tape

A Few of My Favorite Collage + Journaling Supplies

Journals

Right now I'm working in mainly three (okay, really four) journals. I'll share those along with a few other suggestions. The biggest piece for me is that the journal isn't lined. I have seen some awesome collage done in lined journals, but I'm sticking with unlined for the kinds of collage I'm drawn to and will be sharing in the course. That said, lined is okay if that's what you love.

• One of my favorites is a really large Cahier Moleskine that I picked up several years ago. It is very similar to these, which I also love, but mine is even bigger than the XL size and can often fit a full magazine page. The pages are thin, which means heavy marker or pen can sometimes be seen on the other side. I don't let this bother me (and will share tips about dealing with that), but it is something to consider. I don't add wet mediums, like watercolors, to the pages of this journal but I do sometimes add acrylic paint (without using any water).

• Studio Oh! Sketchbook: I love that these are coptic bound so they lay flat. The sketchbooks aren't lined, but the regular journals are so make sure you read the description. I have this one and love it for collaging and journaling. I use only dry mediums (or acrylic paint without water) in it. This is the main journal you've been seeing pop up on Instagram.

• A Stillman & Birn sketchbook: I'm using the 8x10 size that is for mixed media. The pages are like butter. And they are thick enough for all kinds of mediums, which means I can use paint in it if I like.* I found mine at my local art store. It doesn't have as many pages as the other journals, which is actually kind of nice, especially if you want to focus on one topic or complete a journal sooner.

• I love Moleskine sketchbooks and watercolor journals. Both styles have thicker pages, which is nice so pen and marker don't bleed through.

• Tricia Alexander makes gorgeous journals. Highly recommend her work!

• A simple large sketchbook, spiral bound even, also works. (You can of course work smaller, but if you're taking the course, you will probably want something bigger for the prompts we'll be doing. I wouldn't go smaller than something around 10x7.)

*Note, I mention paint several times above but you do NOT need paint for Tell It: Collage. I just share a few tips about how I use it sometimes when I feel the itch or when I want to cover something up etc.

Pens and other writing goodness

• A few of my favorite pens include: Staedtler, Flair Pens, and thin Sharpies.

• I also love colored pencils to easily add softer color to a page: The sets from eeboo are fun because they come in the cutest tins. Also love Crayola and keep some on my studio table all the time.

• Gel pens: You can't go wrong with the Uni-Ball Signo. I'm obsessed with the metallics and of course the white.

• Paint pens

• Metallic Sharpies

• Brush pens

Paints

I love using just regular inexpensive craft paints from my local craft stores. Target has a fun line. I'm also a bit obsessed with these colors from Golden: Iridescent Gold, Green Gold, Quinacridone Magenta, and Prussian Blue Hue.

Magazines

I really believe you can use almost any magazine but you'll want to choose some that have a mix of images and pages with more words etc. A few of my favorites include: Real Simple, O, Vanity Fair, Happinez, Flow, Selvedge, Domino, Marie Claire, In the Moment, Project Calm, Good Housekeeping, The New Yorker, travel magazines, and just about anything I find at the thrift store.

A few of the examples I've listed above are pretty expensive, and I know many lovers of these magazines wouldn't want to cut them up. I respect that. I just made a decision that keeping them on my shelves wasn't as inspiring to me as cutting out the pieces that do inspire me and adding them to my journals. I return to them again and again and bring them to workshops to share etc, so I do feel like the price is worth it. BUT you do not need to use the more expensive magazines for collage. Also, check out your local thrift stores, used bookstores, and even eBay for back issues. 

I welcome questions in the comments, so ask away, and will be adding to this page as I remember other supplies and use new ones.

If you'd like to learn more about Tell It: Collage, head over here. I'd love to have you join us! 

Note: Some of these links are affiliate, which means I receive a small commission if you choose to buy when you click through. Thank you so much for the ways you support my site and small business. 

Tell It: Collage: My new ecourse!

I'm so excited to share the details about my new ecourse Tell It: Collage! 

In this course, I share one of my favorite creative self-care practices that has become even more supportive to me this year. When I've felt stuck, unsure of what to say, in the thickness of overwhelm, this is the practice that has been saving me again and again.

And I can't wait to experience it with you!

Come along for 21 days of collaging, journaling, and connection to help you tell your story. 

• Because playing with scissors and glue and images and words connects us to the creative joy inside us.
• Because we live in a time where the overwhelm can feel tangible, and we need go-to practices to get us back into our hearts.
• Because honoring and telling our stories helps us push through the stacked up stuff so we can fully show up in our lives.

Tell It: Collage is an ecourse that uses the mediums of collaging + journaling (plus a big dose of inspiration and connection) to help you tell the stories waiting inside you.

But it's even more than that.

It sets the foundation for creative self-care that you can do almost anywhere so that you feel supported and connected to your truth and inner wisdom as you move through the world.

And it connects you with a community of kindred spirits who are each finding their way to telling their stories every single day.

YES. YES. YES.

Here's how it works: You'll gather up a journal and magazines + glue + scissors + pens + whatever other supplies you feel called to play with right now. I'll provide prompts, stories, inspiration, and tips.

And then we’ll meet in a private Facebook group and on Instagram to share our stories and creations each day. 

I'll also share peeks inside my journals and how this practice has helped me deepen my relationship with myself, others, and even give me direction with my dreams and business.

Dates: November 14 - December 4, 2017
Cost: $35

Tell It: Collage Includes

• Inspiration, stories, and prompts delivered via email
• A live group call to connect and share
• Connection via a private Facebook group 
• Additional connection on Instagram via our group hashtag
• Breathing space so you can work at your pace
• Accessible, juicy prompts for both beginners and experienced journalers

Why Collage?

• Because the act of flipping through magazines to gather images creates a rhythm that gets you out of your head and back into your body.
• Because this is a creative self-care practice you can do with minimal supplies almost anywhere.
• Because pasting image and words give you a place to begin to tell your story - no more staring at the blank white pages in your journal unsure of where to start.

I'm so excited to offer my first new course in almost two years and hope you'll come along!

If you have any questions about Tell It: Collage, just comment below or send over an email.

Big love,
Liz

the push and pull of motherhood

I spent a week at Pixie Lighthorse's Soulodge Ranch at a retreat last month. I'm still finding the words to explain how that retreat deeply reminded me of my wholeness. I feel a bit put back together as I'm in the integrating phase in my re-entry time at home. I haven't been to a retreat as a participant in a very long time. Oh my gosh I needed it.

As I keep integrating that experience, here are few words today that started out as ramblings on a post on Instagram about motherhood when I got home and became a reminder that I'm letting sink into my bones.

I think about the pieces that are her story, the pieces that are mine, and I know we are here to teach each other.

And yet, sometimes our different personalities make me feel like I woke up in the middle of a busy intersection in a country I've never visited.

And yet, so often she holds up a mirror. 

And yet, even though the initial moments of my return Saturday night from a week away were in the realm of me saying to the universe, "Wait, what? You stitch me back together and throw me into this?" with tears tapping around the edges, we made it to the next day with a renewed sense of softness amidst the sharp edges.

As she said goodbye on her way to camp one day last week, she yelled through the closing door, "I can't wait to cuddle more as soon as I get home."

Yes. Yes to all of it.

Even the holy wow this is harder than I ever thought it could be moments.

Because last week in the sacred meadow I remembered the answers inside me.

I remembered I am never alone.

I remembered I could reach out with an open hand.

I remembered there is still time to teach her so much. 

The truth is: Sometimes I try to convince myself that there is supposed to be a balance. Or that other people know what they're doing while I flail. I try to convince myself that I've failed. That somehow so much that feels hard is my fault. I feel all the feelings all the time.

The truth is: I'm doing the best I can. Sometimes my best is awesome. Other times my best is tired, annoyed, and overwhelmed. 

The truth is: I so often say to others, "All that you need for the next step is inside you. Trust that truth." I say it because I believe it.

The truth is: I'm remembering that applies to me too.

There is a push and pull in this experience of life, of motherhood, of being human. Each day that push and pull is there. Sometimes you find your footing and the sand beneath the surf doesn't swirl away. Other days you realize you can step onto the boat just waiting for you (do you see it right there beside you). Other days are just hard. And other days, you see the open hand beside you inviting you to step out of the push and pull and rest. 

I could go on and on with this image because the push and pull of the waves, of the grief and the joy, of the beauty of every day and the longings inside me...this push and pull is always present within me. 

It's a piece of The And Space that I walk through.*

One reason I practice is to create space inside me that feels more centered, grounded, and better able to navigate that push and pull. I hold onto mantras and poems and minutes outside breathing so that I can pause the swirling thoughts and be present to whatever is unfolding, to whatever is ahead. I sit in meditation, write out my thoughts in my many journals, reach out to you with a story, capture life through my lens to make sense of it all. These are all pieces of my practice.

While standing on a beach with my daughter last week, reminding her, reminding us, that getting outside and just being together can provide a restart, I remembered that I have time to teach her. I remembered that it doesn't have to look like someone else's life. I remembered that I have to keep practicing so I don't get carried away by the push and pull. I remembered I can continue to give us both the tools to come home to ourselves.

Right now, as we continue to be in this part of our time where we walk side by side, each on our own paths, she often reaches out for my hand but also really wants to walk ahead of me. Sometimes at the same time. Sometimes she really wants me to carry her. There is a deep push and pull at times. And I'm seeing that she feels that too. 

So we practice. We practice so we can better navigate and find our way. We practice to find the softness and ease. We practice to find the love.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

*The And Space is what I call this place where we hold onto the beauty and the mess, the joy and the grief. It's this place where we build bridges between the routine of daily life and the longings within. It's where we acknowledge the next steps we want to take. You can read more about it here. 

This is a story I shared with my newsletter list this week. If you'd like stories like this one in your inbox, you can sign up here.

13 poems that just might get under your skin (and change your life)

I love poetry. Poets save me with their truth-telling, getting-right-to-it, you-are-not-alone ways. And lately, I've begun to feel like we need them more than ever before.

Here are 13 poems that just might change your life. At the very least, they will get under your skin and make you think. And if you're new to poetry, they just might make you fall in love with it.

1. "The Peace of Wild Things" by Wendell Berry: My mother sends out emails to a group of us a few times a week. They are dispatches to support the resistance, filled with information and encouragement. I sent her this poem after she sent the last one. It's one we all need. (And you can hear Mr. Berry read it when you click through. The best.)

2. "Enough" by David Whyte: This poem is short, and really it's at the heart of what I hope you most know to be true. If you're new to David Whyte, start with River Flow, which is a collection of his poems from his first five volumes of poetry. I also highly recommend his audio CDs of poetry and non-fiction. 

3. "Forgetfulness" by Billy Collins: When you click through, you can also hear him read it. Go ahead and do that right now.

This is the part where I tell you (and tell me), please make sure all the poets you read aren't white men. So let's dig deeper into the world of poetry, shall we?

4. "won't you celebrate with me" by Lucille Clifton: Love her words here on "where ideas come from" and the importance of attention.  

5. "Kindness" by Naomi Shihab Nye: This poem feels like one of the most important things we can read right now. 

6. "French Chocolates" by Ellen Bass: This poem gets right to the truth of what it feels like when you are going through the shit of life and people keep saying platitudes and you keep wondering if you're invisible. I freaking love this poem.

8. "Persimmons" by Li-Young Lee. Read this one aloud. And then read it aloud again tomorrow. And then the day after. Read it until you can feel the dance of the language and the heartache and the beauty twirling together.

9. "Let America Be America Again" by Langston Hughes: This poem. This poem. This poem. Please read the whole thing. Out loud. And then sit in the quiet, thinking, listening, learning.

10. "I Am Offering This Poem" by Jimmy Santiago Baca: I read this poem through a few times but it wasn't until I head the poet read it himself that I felt it in my bones. Listen to him read it here.

11. "The Powwow at the End of the Earth" by Sherman Alexie: This poem is like a sermon. Pay attention.

12. "Apollo" by Elizabeth Alexander: For a poem to really capture me, there has to be a sense of place - meaning I have to be able to get my footing as a reader. Maybe the reality is that I just need this sense of place to "get" the poem and it has nothing to do with the poet. This poem immediately gives a sense of place while shoving me into a part of the story I'd never have thought of if the poet hadn't written this.

13. "Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver: If you know me well, you are probably wondering how I got all the way to 13 before mentioning Mary Oliver. I imagine I'll do a 13 Things post just about her. Until then, read this one. And even better, listen to Mary read it when you click through. This is one of her most famous poems, and I put it on this list because even if you know it, it is one to read again and again as it sinks into your bones. Also, the collection of poems in Red Bird always bring me home when I'm off center.

What poems have pushed you and gotten under your skin? Please share in the comments.

And if you feel a poem inside you start to brew, to dance, to speak aloud, start writing, dear one. Start writing right now.