I'm teaching in Life Book 2019!

I'm delighted to share that I'm teaching as part of Life Book 2019! This is an incredible year-long class created and hosted by Tamara Laporte of Willowing Arts. 

There are 32 incredible artists, crafters, and healers who are part of Life Book! We will be sharing our art, crafting, and personal growth techniques and having a whole lot of fun with you.

In Life Book, you’ll be creating several loose mixed media art journal pages per month which by the end of the year you will bind into a glorious journal (aka a Life Book)! This year you will also be able to try out other art crafts like art doll making & basket weaving, and there will be nurturing and nourishing personal development activities (like yoga and NVC) to support any personal development you’re undertaking. 

And through December 31st, take 20% off with code LOVEBOMB2019.

Life Book is one of those lifechanging courses which gives you the opportunity to experience a year-long creative art retreat from the comfort of your own home. There's even a gift bag with over 30+ offers in the form of free gifts, coupon codes, free prints, classes, coloring pages, and printable collage sheets (with a discount to all of my Tell It courses).

Registration for Life Book is underway and I hope you'll come along. I'll be teaching about art journaling as a mindfulness and self-care practice, and I'll be sharing some prompts you can turn to again and again and even teaching about self-portraits and how I use them in my journal.

AND THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER INCREDIBLE TEACHERS! Head over here to learn more and sign up. And don't forget to use discount code LOVEBOMB2019 for 20% off!

It's going to be so good!

Something really magical happened this week. Here's the story.

The most magical thing happened this week and I'm suddenly hosting one of my Be Present Retreats this November.

Here's the story:

Earlier this week, I had a dream (like a real dream at night while I was asleep). In the dream, I wrote a Facebook status asking if a few people wanted to gather with me in late November for a retreat in Manzanita. So many people said yes! And the dream shifted to the actual retreat. We were gathered together in a magical house with twinkle lights and journals and books and art supplies and beads and plates of yummy food and poems and conversation spilling into the air.

I woke up filled with that magic as though I'd really been there, plus I could feel the deep missing of leading retreat so much (it's been a couple of years).
 

So I wrote a status on Facebook (in real life) and said that I'd had this dream and explained what I'd experienced and that it was taking a lot of willpower not to just start planning a retreat even though it felt unbelievable to go from actual dream to making it happen in real life.

Here's where the most incredible magic happened: There was a chorus of replies saying, "I have this dream too. Can we do it? Can we make it happen?" People said the most amazing things and I started receiving private messages and emails saying, "I'm looking at flights! What times would I need to come in."

And here you are reading these words. We did it. We made it happen! And I so hope you can come along to Water Your Soul this fall. Read on for more details.

At Water Your Soul, we'll gather in a gorgeous ocean-front home in Manzanita, Oregon from the evening of November 28 to the morning of December 2. We'll spend time learning about and experiencing soul care and mindfulness practices. We'll create the beginnings of an art journal, take some photos, share some stories, and even write a poem or two. We're also going to spend time deeply nourishing ourselves with food, walks on the beach, sitting inside by the fire, and maybe even have a dance party (okay, we will have a dance party).

Water Your Soul gives you permission to explore what you most need while in community so you can begin to integrate these practices and take them home with you. It's your opportunity to spend time with the self-care you're longing for while also letting yourself be nurtured by others.

You can read all about it and sign up right here.

Please note registration just opened today! There are just 16 spots and only 9 are left.

this is not...

Lately, I've been feeling like I've run out of words but yet I have a lot to say. It's a spot inside The And Space I find myself in right now.

One prompt I like to use when I feel like this is "this is not a photo of." I use it in my journals and even sometimes over on Instagram like I did earlier this month. I pair a photo with a list of all the things the photo is not and end with what it is. Like this:

This is not a photo of my frayed edges.
This is not a photo of the osprey my mother and I watched as it dove three times - straight toward the ground with incredible speed - rising triumphant with a fish in its talons.
This is not a photo of me asking for help.
This is not a photo of me laughing out loud watching Jerry Seinfeld laugh at Dana Carvey.
This is not a photo of my patience stretched paper thin but somehow I hold on.
This is not a photo of the absolute joy I feel inside when I paint lines of watercolor across a page and hold my journal up to let the colors run together until I see myself reflected.
This is not a photo of my mom solving the problems of the world in a dressing room at JJill.
This is not a photo of 42-year-old brown eyes reflecting weariness in the mirror.
This is not a photo of the best peach I’ve had in several years.
This is not a photo of the moment when I had just enough space to hear the truth behind her actions.
This is not a photo of her climbing onto my lap after just waking up, body warm, face soft, words kind.
This is a photo of a heart rock we found in a driveway today, turning it over, choosing to see the sign of love.

Try it today. Let the words tumble out. See what happens when you let them get unstuck.

PS If you're new to this phrase The And Space, it's the name I've given to this place where we hold the beauty in one hand and the mess in the other, where we hold the joy and the grit, where we honor everything in between. I write about it here and in my newsletter.

secret message bracelet

My wish for you today:

May you remember you are enough just as you are.
May you hold onto the truth that you are worthy. (Honey, you were born worthy.)
May you connect with the light within you and move from the wisdom that rests there.
May you let yourself be open to all that is to come.
May you feel the bravery that lives deep inside and let it lead you.
May you trust that you are loved even when, always when, things don’t go as planned.
May you know in every one of your cells that you are whole.
Always.

These words are the reason why I created The Secret Message Bracelets. 

Because I want you to hold onto your truths no matter what. Because I want you to whisper these words to yourself until they’re tattooed on your heart. Because I want you to know you’re not alone over there.

Why a secret message? Because sometimes you want to wear words close to you that only you know about, so these secret message bracelets are hand stamped on the inside of the bracelet with the “I am” message you most need. You can also choose one of our other favorite Soul Mantras or customize with your own phrase.

To the outside world, you’re simply wearing a very sweet bracelet. 

But you know the truth you’re holding close to you.

I can’t wait to send one with love from my little studio right to you. Find them right here in the Soul Mantras shop. You can also customize them with the words you most need, and we can stamp words on both sides to represent The And Space. 

100 days of what is real

I'm on Day 50 of my 100 day project, and I'm loving it so much.

Each day, I'm creating a journal page inspired by my What Is Real photo project from a few years ago. My only rule for myself is to create a page each day after asking myself, "What is real in this moment?" Sometimes I feel moved to write, other times just create with watercolors, sometimes I add photos. I just listen to what I most need, and I play in my journal for somewhere between 5-15 minutes.

Then I share the page on Instagram.

I'm working in this journal and using mostly watercolors (similar to these), pencil, collage, and photos. Here's a post that includes links to my favorite collage supplies. Along with photos I've had printed professionally, I'm also printing out photos with my Instax Share.

I've gotten some great questions along the way, and I answer them over on IG (and will answer them here too if you want to leave a comment). One question I get is about what prompts I use for my pages. The truth is I've been creating from prompts and sharing them for more than 10 years, so they are pretty much floating around and within me in any given moment. I'm lucky that they just show up when I need them. 

Inner Excavation, the book I wrote a few years ago, is filled with prompts to use for writing, photography, journaling, and general creating. You can also sign up for Tell It: Collage any time. That's my ecourse full of prompts and inspiration for telling your story through the medium of collage (with a side of art journaling). 

You can watch a video in my IG Story Highlights of my setup to keep the supplies I'm using for this project (and other collage projects I'm working on) organized in my studio and another video that dives into more about the journal and other journals I'm using for other projects.

And, I'm having a lot of fun sharing some overhead videos on Instagram that show me creating the page but sped up with timelapse so 15 minutes becomes something like 26 seconds. So. Much. Fun.

The 100 Day Project is inspired by Elle Luna and she shares more on her IG. Although a huge group started on April 2, you can join in at any time. I'm learning a lot about letting go and just having fun with this project. Each day it reminds me of this truth: Creating helps more ideas flow and brings in more joy. Yes. Yes. Yes.

five ways to use a mantra

A mantra is a phrase that can help you invite in mindfulness to your daily life. Mantras were traditionally used during meditation and are still used this way in many spiritual traditions. 

I think of a mantra as an intention. This intention might come from a deep wish you have inside, or it might be a shift you’re hoping for in your life (or even for the world). Your mantra could be more like a prayer or guidance that you’re holding close. You might work with just one mantra for a long time, focusing on it during meditation or moments of quiet. Or there might be a handful of words or phrases you turn to depending on what you need in a certain moment.

I started making my Soul Mantras jewelry because I wanted to wear the phrases that were guiding me to keep them close each day. I found that when I wore “I am enough” and “find your center” and “open up and live” on my body, I was reminded to believe these truths. And I felt less alone as the words themselves became companions in the beautiful and tough moments. 

In our current culture, mantras are used in several ways to invite in mindfulness to our daily lives. Here are five ways to help you get started:

Meditation

You can repeat your mantra silently to yourself as you breathe and let this repetition be a space for your mind to rest while you meditate. The mantra assists you in entering the silence meditation is helping you find by giving your mind something to focus on. 

A mala can be helpful when using a mantra in meditation because it gives you a set number of times to repeat the mantra. A mala, similar to a rosary, is helpful when used in meditation. You slide the beads between your fingers so you can focus on the words of your mantra instead of counting the number of times you’re saying the mantra. Most malas include a “guru” bead that is larger than the other beads so you know where to begin and end your meditation. We don't currently have malas in stock, but you an find some lovely handmade malas on Etsy.

As a touchstone

You can use your mantra as a touchstone during your day. When I want to pause for a moment or two and reboot myself a bit using a mantra, I inhale and think the words, and then exhale and imagine all that I need from the mantra surrounds me. Then I breathe all that in and say it again to myself. Doing this a few times creates some space between whatever is happening in my life and where I want to be. 

As a visual reminder

For me to use a mantra as a touchstone though, I usually have to see it or I won’t remember. So to keep this practice close, I have a handful of mantras and other reminders I need throughout my home. From artwork that includes affirmations (like my friend Lori Portka's work) to a postcard on the fridge to sticky notes on the mirror in the bathroom to a talisman I keep in my pocket, I love to be surrounded by these reminders that help me refocus throughout the day. I’ve been known to even write mantras on the bathroom mirror with a dry erase marker. This is a big reason why I created the Soul Mantras inspiration decks.

As a journaling prompt

Using a mantra as a journaling prompt can help you peel back the layers of how you’re feeling about something. Let yourself freewrite with the mantra as a jumping off point. Freewriting means just putting your pen to paper and writing for several minutes without stopping.

For example, if you’re feeling drawn to a particular phrase, like, “I am enough,” you could use that phrase as a journaling prompt. It could be a question – “What if I believed that I am enough?” – that you then answer through journaling. Or it could be more of a statement like “I know I am enough because…” 

And of course, you can wear your mantra

From writing a word or phrase you need to hold close onto your wrist with a sharpie to wearing a necklace or bracelet with your mantra to getting a tattoo, wearing your mantra is always an option. It keeps it close to you, sometimes feeling like a whispered prayer you carry with you daily. Customize jewelry with your mantra right here.

Photo credit: Top photo by Lauren Oliver Photography, mala photo by Bonnie Albers

what if meal planning could actually support me?

I was part of a conversation during the retreat I attended last month that made me realize having a meal plan doesn’t have to mean cooking everything from scratch but instead could mean just having a general plan for food and eating. And that plan might include ordering a pizza one night etc.

This is seriously a huge aha because the idea of a meal plan always brings up such shame for me. Meaning: meal plans are for people who love cooking for their families and are good at it and always know just what to make and and and and... I had created a whole story around the idea that meal planning is for supermoms who have lists of recipes and love grocery shopping not moms who often realize it is 4:30 and say, "shit shit shit what are we going to do for dinner?" while dreading stopping at the grocery store with a hungry, tired kid.

I don't hate cooking. It's actually that, as I said to a friend at the retreat, I love to cook but I’m in a season of life where cooking can feel impossible some days. Add in the grocery store several times a week and I'm ready to just take a nap and can't we just have cheese and crackers for dinner thank you very much.

BUT this weekend, armed with my new take on a meal plan, I created a general plan and then an actual grocery list. I focused on simple meals we like that don't take much time (love this cookbook) along with deciding I would try the "roast a chicken once a week" method for a while because it has always been a good one when we've done it in the past. (Bone broth! Leftovers that can be used for lunches and other meals!) Then, EJ and I went to Trader Joe’s to make things even easier (especially since we already had several things we needed), and there were peonies!

PEONIES!

With this simple shift in realizing what a meal plan could actually be, I pretty much know what we’re going to eat for the week with wiggle room for my need to be more human than super mom and an internal agreement that it really is okay to get takeout when the day goes upside down and there isn't time to cook. I'm also reminding myself that it's about making one move each day toward the life I imagine; it's not about being perfect. 

How do you tackle meal planning? I'd love to know your tips.

6 ways making lists can be an act of creative and mindful self-care

I love a good list. From lists of favorite things to lists of 10 places you should visit in Paris to gratitude lists to your favorite songs in high school, I love them all.  

List-making can actually be an awesome self-care practice. The act of slowing down and focusing on writing a list pushes you out of the swirling thoughts in your mind to bring your attention to just one thing: writing the list. A list can connect you to the present moment and the beauty and gratitude waiting to be found in your daily life.

It can also be a great writing practice and warm up before you dive into a writing project or it can even be the bones of an essay, a blog post, or a poem. I often encourage women who have the "I want to be writer" dream deep inside them to begin with lists. Get some words on a page because writers have to write and push through just dreaming about writing.

Here are a few list-writing prompts to get you started with your own list-making practice. You can find more in my ecourses including Here: Five Things, a creative, mindful listing course I teach a few times a year.

The "Want To Do" List

When the "to-do" list starts to feel heavy and even overwhelming, it can be helpful to create a "Want To Do" List.  

You can make it really doable and include items like: take-out for dinner, stopping by the park on the way home from school pick-up, taking a 10-minute nap, and reading before bed.  

Or you can fill it with the dreams and desires you have right now and add things like: a weekend getaway, less time on devices each weekend, more whole foods in your diet, or more time with everyone together in the evenings.  

Having a "want to do" list pushes you to notice what you need and separate it out from what must get done each day. You could make this list every day in a simple small notebook (I love Field Notes and pocket Cahier Moleskines) and begin to notice patterns as you listen to what you need.

The What I Did List

When I get to the end of the day and have that "I really wish I'd gotten more done today" feeling, I sometimes make a list of the things I really did today. When I start listing things, I begin to realize that I accomplished so much more than I thought I did. This is a simple one but can make a profound impact on your internal self-talk. Try it and see what you find.

I Want to Remember List

Pausing to pay attention to what you want to remember can be a beautiful daily practice. It invites you to really notice the moments of joy and growth and realness that make your life what it is.

This practice is a great one to pair with scrapbooking or a simple album of photos and words. And it is one that you can do with your family. I love asking my daughter a version of this question that is age appropriate for her, like, "What did you love most about today?" Making lists like these can help you to see the positive moments in your life, which is especially helpful when you're going through a tough time.

Gratitude Lists

Here's the thing: writing a gratitude list every day will change your life. For real. So even though this one has been around for a long time (Remember learning about this on Oprah in the 90s?), it can be a lovely and supportive practice. 

Psychology professor Robert Emmons explored the idea of keeping a gratitude list in one of his studies. He found, “subjects who wrote down one thing that they were grateful for every day reported being 25 percent happier for a full six months after following this practice for just three weeks” (from “6 Surprising Reasons Why Gratitude is Great for Your Health,”). If this isn't a reason to try this one, what will be?

To begin this practice, simply answer the question, "What am I grateful for today?" and make a short list. Try to write down at least five things you're grateful for each day, and notice how this practice makes you feel. You might even want to journal about that very idea once a week to see how this practice affects you. My daughter and I have been making these lists together for a few weeks now (about 2-3 times a week after dinner), and I'm already noticing the ways that throughout our days, we each bring up things we want to add to our lists.

List Journals

My daughter and I also love these "My Listography" journals that are full of fun list prompts that invite you to think about so many things. There are versions for parenthood and lists about the future and books and movies. They are an accessible way to give yourself a few moments of slowing down and thinking about yourself in the middle of your day. And they are simply fun!

A List of Here

Another list I make sometimes is actually one of my favorite poetry prompts. I call it "a list of here," and I literally just make a list of what I'm noticing in this moment. I like to list somewhere between 5-15 observations. This is a really beautiful mindfulness practice as it centers you in the middle of your day and brings you back into your body and heart as you take time to simply observe your surroundings along with your inner self-talk. Over the past year, I've started sharing them on Instagram with the hashtag #alistofhere - feel free to join in!

I hope you'll try list making as a self-care tool in your corner of the world. I really believe that it can help you slow down and notice your life in a new way. And it can help you get to know yourself better, which is a pretty awesome thing, don't you think?