
Perspective
Self-Care
Last Saturday while I was at Esalen--a beautiful, legendary 40 year-old retreat center in stunning Big Sur, CA--leading a women’s retreat, I participated in a writing exercise that I assigned to the women in my group.
As I lay on my belly…

Why Do I Lead Retreats?
Self-Care
Driving back from a yoga class this morning, Stephen Cope’s quote flitted across my mind: “Retreats don’t change our lives as much as they change where we stand in relationship to our lives—and our capacity to see the hidden possibilities…

Do You Need to Reset?
Self-Care
In the mid-seventies--as part of a radical move to simplify their lives--my parents hauled my four brothers and I from bustling San Antonio, TX to a remote area of Northern California. We lived in the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains near…

How’s Your Heart?
Self-Care
Friday, March 30th was the 12 year anniversary of my mother’s death.
I’ve lost three family members prematurely and these anniversaries always affect me--even if I don’t remember the dates until after the fact.
My healthy and active…

I Am a Social Activist
Women's Empowerment
This past Sunday my son and I stumbled upon Lady Gaga's new Born This Way initiative, launched recently at Harvard, which focuses on heightening understanding around bullying and promoting a more compassionate society. It spurred a great…

Slow Down You Move Too Fast!
Life Balance
This weekend I found myself frequently humming, "Slow down, you move too fast ..."
Lately, it feels like life is moving too fast. A month feels like a week--a week, like a day.
Saturday night we really felt the effects of this.
My…

Why Can’t I Sit Still?
Self-Care
I finished the first draft of the manuscript for my new book on Friday (more to come on this fruitful journey and the gifts that came from the last several months). In many ways, the work is just beginning, but I’m committed to stopping…

Curiosity
Life Balance
Last month my husband and I had a session with a parenting coach. My almost ten-year old has hit adolescence and it's taken us by surprise (we thought we had a few more years before he started asking for the car keys!).
She shared that…

A New Simplicity
Life Balance
I attended an awesome women’s retreat yesterday with the fabulous Anita Johnson and the divine Elissa Shapiro.
What came through loud and clear for me at the retreat was a desire to yes, simplify and do less (read more), but also to use…

Gifts from 2011
Mindfulness
As we move into 2012, I find myself feeling more quiet and at ease than I have in many years past. While there are many wonderful things coming to fruition around my work, more than anything, I'm just content with being with what is. And…

Reflecting
Work Life Balance
It's Thursday morning, December 29th. I'm sitting in front of our fireplace in my floral pajamas with a mug of chamomile tea and an inspirational Osho Zen card deck.
I've arranged for my son to attend an all-day winter nature camp so I can…

What Really Matters?
Women's Empowerment
Yesterday morning I found myself standing at my open front door staring out at a beautiful oak tree. Bathed in sunlight, I held a cup of lemon ginger tea in one hand and my to-do list in the other.
I was waiting for a friend that I was helping…