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I keep coming across words from Rumi lately. And I keep nodding my head and feeling less alone. Because here's the thing, there are simply little and not-so-little wounds that we all have. Sometimes they fade. Sometimes they reappear. But somehow even in the grief, there can be light. So much light. I trust this again and again. I hope you can too.

Here are a few things from around the web that have been hanging out in all those tabs I keep open:

This post from Ali brought tears to my eyes. In a good way. In a yes, this kind of way.

Checking out this list of memoirs from Jen Louden. Awesome!

I'm going on a weekend trip in a couple of weeks and am trying to find the right carryon tote to fit over the handle of my Baggalini roller bag. So far I like this and this and this and this. I dream of getting the OG but wish it fit my 15" laptop. Do you have any recommendations?

I'm pretty much in love with this apartment.

I  have homemade poptarts and frittatas on the brain. Thinking I might actually try to make both this weekend. Hmmm...

Let yourself rest. Yes yes yes. Awesome free wallpaper from DesignLoveFest. Serious love for these quotes.

When I'm in my studio by myself, I'm usually listening to the Dolly Parton Pandora station. And you guys, when Luckenbach, Texas by Waylon Jennings comes on, it's like I'm home. I'm not kidding. Something about his rich voice plus the way I can sway to the beat...Home. It is becoming my favorite song ever. For real. It might be next on the "learn for kareoke" list. (Don't you have one? You're gonna need one if you come to the Fall Retreat.)

When I saw Leonie's notes from Growth Summit 2015 on Instagram, I was totally intrigued. And then she put them all in a free download that is totally awesomesauce and I'm curling up with it this weekend.

From me:

There's a new sale section in the shop! You'll find several Where the Forest Meets the Sea necklaces + the intention necklaces on sale over there.

I'm sharing six ways to infuse your selfies with joy over here. I had so much fun writing about self-portraits + am loving sharing photography prompts in Water Your Mama Soul that I'm planning several more posts about this self-care practice that has changed my life over the last ten years. 

Hope your weekend is full of ease and joy. Yes.

Blessings,
Liz 

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Sometimes I can see these moments Thich Naht Hahn is talking about with clarity and there is so much light and I know I'm right where I'm supposed to be. Other times, the chatter inside pushes me away from what I know. This is why I practice...why I take self-portraits, why I read poetry, why I pause and take five deep breaths. This is why I know I have to fill up my own well first - so I can recognize which choice I want to make.

Here are a few things that caught my eye this week + things I've been thinking about:

This interview with Oprah has been online for months, but I just watched it for the first time last week and I wanted to cheer several times during it. She talked about how your real work is to figure out where your power base is and to work on the alignment of your personality and your gifts with the real reason you are here. Yes.

This Carl Sandburg poem kind of says it all.

A question: Can you relate to staying up late into the night scrolling through fonts to see which one might be the perfect fit for your new website? Me too. We should start a club. (My eyes are blurred by looking at Liz Lamoreux in script, in all caps, in all lowercase...)

I keep meaning to try Alicia's lasagna rozale recipe.

Everything about this pin (and Elise's awesome article it links to) is pretty much perfection to me.

I'm a wee bit obsessed with this Wonders of Washington patch set, and I'm tempted to get them and have our family "earn" them this summer and maybe sewing them to a fun bag we fill with tools for our adventures.

I'm dipping my toes into the world of Zentangle and taking some classes from Ellie's art teacher. I'm getting out of the house during the week! During an evening! It feels huge. Just two classes so far, but hoping to take more soon. (Oh and if you're local and want to join me, let me know!) I'm going to get this book and start playing with a few new tangles. Watch for them to appear over on Instagram. It feels like a new kind of mindfulness practice that this mama of a four year old really needs.

Do you use a feed reader? I use Feedly. But lately, I've been receiving several emails from people wanting to subscribe to my blog so posts come in their inbox, and I'm wondering if people just aren't using feed readers anymore. (Google Reader, we are still fighting. Although it's a silly kind of fight since you aren't even around anymore to know how annoyed I am.) Anyway, if you would like to receive my blog posts in your inbox, I've started a new MailChimp list just for posts (not my newsletter). If you prefer, you can subscribe through Feedburner as well here. I'm also on BlogLovin' over here where I dip my toes in sometimes to see if I like it better than Feedly. Jury is still out.

And this is the part where I'm saying I feel moved to share that doing these link posts on a Friday is nothing new. I've done them on and off for the (almost) 10 years I've been blogging, but have never really chosen one day to always do them. I love (love!) reading these kinds of link posts from other bloggers (like elise, susannah, and a cup of jo). And because I curate so many things over on Pinterst these days, it makes me super happy to have one series of blog posts to "file" some of my favorite favorites. I hope you're enjoying them.

Happy weekend beautiful souls!

xoxo,
Liz 

PS A couple of the links above are affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission when you buy from their site.

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These words have burrowed into my cells. This is how I want to live...deeply embodying the width and the depth. Always. Even when it feels very very hard and I just want to watch bad tv instead.

I'm about half of the way through Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed. I read it on the plane while Ellie slept on my lap. And I ugly cried. A lot. It was very cathartic in that way where you feel like you're not alone in seeing the beauty and the grit of life. Yes. And if I'm really honest, it makes me want to start an advice column of sorts one day a week on the blog. Where you ask questions and I answer them. For reals. (If you have a question, send it over and we'll see where, if anywhere, this sentence takes us.)

Vivienne's Be Your Own Beloved ecourse starts tomorrow. It is one of the best courses out there. And I've taken quite a few my friends. If you haven't taken it yet, I really encourage you to. And her post "Your Selfie is Enough" is one of my favorites I've read this month.

The article "Lottery Tickets: Grieving for a Husband" by Elizabeth Alexander is one of the most moving, beautiful pieces of writing I've ever read.

I went into the rabbit hole of youtube this week and came across episodes of Dinner for Five, which was a great show on IFC. I watched this one and found out that JJ Abrahms wrote Regarding Henry, which is one of my favorite movies of all time. If you haven't seen it, it's your homework. I mean, I love it so much, I want to make a movie club and make that our first one. 

I want to figure out how to make this with white lights in my living room. I love it!

This week I wrote about five mindfulness practices you can start doing today and I think you might find something on the list to try this weekend.

So this print makes the Star Wars geek in me giddy.

I want to make this glitter paint with EJ soon.

And the Trust Love chocolate over at Storypeople makes me very very happy.

I hope you have a beautiful weekend dear one. Remember to get outside and breathe in the beauty around you. 

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As I continue to brainstorm and dream about future retreats and online offerings, I'm holding this quote close. Yes. I love Madeleine L'Engle.

When I was doing a little research about this self-care article, I found this Mayo Clinic piece about how laughing is good for your health. So bring on some more lip synch offs and clips from Graham Norton.

Hindsight. Are you watching it? Just watched the two episodes this week and I can't wait to see the others. I kept saying to Jon that this was such a well-played nostalgia move by VH1. (And that moment when she says, "oh my green razor!"....so I still have mine. Since high school. I love that thing.) 

So this is the part where I admit I finally watched Gone Girl. I've been meaning to read the book forever. But didn't. And then I somehow missed every possible spoiler that crossed my path. Thank goodness because OMG I really did not see that coming. I mean I saw somethin' but not like that. Oh and this is where I also tell you that one way to know the age difference between Bonnie and me is that when we were working in the studio and I told her I finally saw it, she said something about almost not watching it because Ben Affleck was in it. Sigh. She doesn't know Ben like we do. Next up on the studio must-watch list: Good Will Hunting.

This recipe was repinned more than 2000 times on my YES board in just a few hours, so I'm thinking you might want to pin it too. (Crazy. I mean it looks good, but I did not expect that response. So fun! Totally want to make it, which is why I pinned it of course, but now I know chocolate covered bananas + peanut butter are loved by all!)

This article completely captures why I'm a Swiftie too. Big. Time. (And I might have started following TS on Instagram. Yes, I am that mom.)

I read Ellie the The Velveteen Rabbit for the first time recently. Oh my gosh I love that story. And I love that we're able to read it from my copy from when I was a kid.

We also watched Swiss Family Robinson while Ellie was home sick this week and I remembered as a kid realizing, "Oh I'm supposed to have a crush on the older brother even though the younger one is cuter." Like a Disney version of the "ahhh Han Solo is the hot one...I get it now" moment. But now that I'm almost 40, I'll take the dad please. He adores the mom in the cutest most earnest yet wee bit sexy way.

And now for something really good: Ellie and I head to Disney World tomorrow. We're meeting up with my dad and stepmom. We're staying at the Wilderness Lodge. And Ellie is about to overflow with excitement. She's been wanting to go for so long and now that day is almost here. (And if you've been reading for a while, you might know that I'm kind of a really big fan too [yes i did just link to that incredibly cheesy early blog post]. I haven't been in seven years and I'm really excited too!)

I've scheduled some blog posts for next week while we're gone. For months, I've felt like I want to get more posts up on the site and it feels good to just get the ideas out of my "blog post idea" notebook and onto the blank white space here. Hope you enjoy them! And when I get back, I think there will be several posts about Disney World and traveling that far on a plane with a little one and so many other good things. Including how the heck my feet make it with my plantar fasciitis. And be sure to follow along on Instagram for some peeks of our trip!

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oh how my word of the year is teaching me | shown here on the whole heart talisman

I recently decided I wanted more pineapple in my life. Seriously. Added it to a smoothie last week, and it was so good! And then I ran across a pin that led me here. Bring on the pineapple people!

Ellie and I are meeting my dad and step-mom in Disney World in TWO WEEKS! And I'm so happy I found these Dansko sneakers. Even though I am not a sneakers person, so figuring out what in my closet goes with sneakers is all kinds of something over here...more on that soon. If you're someone who wants free shipping and free returns, Nordstom carries a few other colors here but not the blue/orange that I have and linked to above.

Sweep your street well from Alexandra Franzen reminds us (me and you) to focus on our work and how we want to make a difference instead of fretting about how many people are reading our work. Love this post.

This storypeople story from Brian Andreas had me nodding and feeling that deep yes inside. Getting the daily stories in my inbox is awesome.

I'm so excited about Elise's Get to Work Book I can hardly stand it. She shares awesome sneak peeks and behind the scenes info here. It feels like it might be the system this crazy idea brainstorming but wait work has to get done too mind needs.

Speaking of behind the scenes, love this series of posts from Emily McDowell about the growing pains and awesome moments she and her business experienced last year. And this post from Katie Daisy that has an undercurrent of "Will you still support me when I'm no longer a struggling artist?" had me literally wanting to cheer.

And I'm going to dive into the world of homemade bone broth this week using this recipe. Do you make your own? I keep reading about it and am totally intrigued.

Me elsewhere: I'm over on ebay sharing a few ways to Beat the Winter Blues

New in the shop: The "I love you" postcard with the sweet little brass envelope is back in the shop in time for Valentine's Day! One of my favorite things about this set is that it is made here in the US. Most of the charms and brass pendants in my shop are.

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print by Dawn Smith Designs

Elise's new podcast "Elise Gets Crafty" is awesome. Period.

Between Kelly and Hannah sharing their projects on Instagram and in-person at Your Story, I'm drooling over the crochet projects over here. Seriously considering a stripey blanket.

In another life, I'll have one of these tents.

This make a journal from a paper bag DIY is being added to my "crafty things to do with Ellie" list. While the DIY itself is too advanced for a toddler, she would love decorating the paper bag before I make it. (Might be a great Mother's Day gift to make for the grandmothers and aunts out there.)

This radio from Anthropologie is kind of perfection. Especially because it includes a spot to plug in your MP3 player. Wouldn't it be perfect for a backyard picnic this summer? I'm dreaming of many a backyard picnic as the rain comes down today.

This is a mug that I would want to drink from while lounging in this bed while writing poetry. Yep.

Inner Excavation is on sale in my shop this month. 40% off the list price (which makes it just under $15). It ships right from my studio, so I sign it for you + include a few little love notes tucked inside it. Find it right here.

And a huge thanks to Dawn Smith who sent gorgeous prints for each of the Your Story Retreat participants. Putting one on each of their pillows made me so happy. Her Birds in Flight print is above and you can check out more goodness in her Etsy shop. 

Read other file drawer posts here.

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This comic by Yale Stewart all about Superman and Batman and other superheroes if they went to school together when they were kids...well, it is awesome on every level. Seriously. I am obsessed. My current favorite is the one where they pretend to be Spiderman as they walk down the hall. I think he posts two new ones each week. Again, awesome.

This article by Ron Suskind about reaching his autistic son through Disney movies is interesting and really thought-provoking.

These blue eggs pretty much take my breath away. For real.

We went to a rummage sale/craft show this weekend and I fell in love with the purses and pouches from Atlas Past. Check out Brooke's Etsy shop right here. 

Want to meet in LA for 24 hours? (I am kind of not kidding.) The Design*Sponge "24 hours in" series is brilliant.

This beaded tank from Anthropologie is pretty fantastic. Perfect with jeans but also can be dressed up. It is flattering on my curvy body and falls longer on me than the photo. It's going to be my date night top (please remind me to actually schedule date night).

And while I was at Anthro I realized my favorite glasses now come in a lot more colors. I resisted the temptation to buy more but gosh they sure are pretty. (I have one of the dark green ones.)

Social Media Manifesto by Heather Platt has me nodding. (My friend Alana sent this my way on a day when I felt really overwhelmed by Facebook and the way it sometimes feels like people share things before even digesting their own feelings about what they are sharing. That's happened to me a few times late at night. In those moments, I send an email to a friend with the subject "things I won't be tweeting..." and share with one person who will get it and reply "totally hearing you.")

I'm so grateful for the ways Meredith Winn shares her stories through her words and her photographs. This post is raw and real and gorgeous.

I've been thinking about joy lately. What it feels like inside me when I really notice it. How I can share more joy with those around me and with you. The Rumi quote above is a favorite, and I'm trying to create space to live from this place more. Yes yes yes. 

Read the other file drawer posts here. 

Note: A couple of the above links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission when you purchase from that online store.

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My best ideas come in the shower. Always. Something about the rhythm of the water and the time to just let my mind rest in the ritual of bathing creates just enough space for ideas to rise to the surface. Some days I'm dripping wet as I grab a dry erase marker and scribble the idea on the bathroom mirror. Other days I just keep repeating it to myself until I'm dressed and can write it in my idea journal. 

The idea of this new blog series came to me in the shower last week. Because I spend part of my day curating good things over on Pinterest, I come across some really wonderful things that I want to share with you. So often, I also want to share articles and videos and blog post and poems too. So this series will be my way of gathering these finds in one place like a file drawer of happiness, wisdom, silliness, thoughtfulness and other good things I don't want to forget. I do this already from time to time, but I'm going to try to share these lists weekly.

Several bloggers I adore do these kinds of link posts and I have to admit that I love them every single time. It is like we get to meet up for tea and say, "Hey, did you know about this?" Hope you enjoy!

Now on to the first installment:

Loving Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. But with this one, Paul Rudd stole the show. Oh and this is now my second favorite version of "Let It Go." (My favorite part is that they are just having fun. And it isn't perfect. And that puts a big smile on my face. And gosh that girl can sing. That last 30 seconds. Wow!!)

Because some days really are a hot mess (and that is okay honey).

Mister Rogers is one of my heroes. (I actually have a lot to say about that simple sentence but will save it for a longer post soon.) I came across this article from the filmmaker who made "Mister Rogers & Me" that lists 46 things he learned while making the film. A must read.

Love that is thick. A call to action. Yes.

This sweatshirt is on my wish list.

Eight unexpected ways to use your Smartphone is full of really good ideas. A screenshot of your e-ticket might be my fave.

I keep trying to pretend this isn't true over here, but sometimes I am totally losing sleep because of my iPad. (Sigh. Working on it. Can we try to work on it together?)

My favorite owl mug from West Elm is on sale!

I really want to bake these cookies. (Well, mostly, I just really want to eat them.)

I love Wil Wheaton's blog. I've been reading it for a few weeks now. I've become a big fan.

And that quote at the top of this post had me saying a big YES when I read it. I'm already anticipating the laughter that will surround me when I gather with kindreds at my next retreat later this month. I cannot wait.

Hope your weekend is full of good things and rest and laughter. Yes.

Note: A couple of the above links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission when you purchase from that online store.