I want to remember

Last month, EJ and I visited my mom in Texas, and just before we boarded our flight home, I wrote down these words.

I want to remember the moments of softness and joy found as we watched the sunsets.

I want to remember when she found the shell and carried it in her pocket until she saw me and slipped it into my hand.

I want to remember the laughter, the singing, and the way she cuddled up next to Grandpa after her big fall.

I want to remember the way she yelled, “I love you” one more time to Grandma after we gathered up our bags and headed into the airport.

I want to remember the moments of ease and love in the spaces between the challenges that squeeze my heart.

I want to remember the ways I kept taking deep breaths and asked for help and tried to keep sloughing off the feelings around what I cannot control.

I want to remember that my mom and I laughed so hard we were both crying.

I want to remember that I can just tell the truth.

I want to remember all of it.

Gathering evidence like this is how I make sense of The And Spaces I find myself in as I move through my life. Putting the words down, pairing them with a photo, becomes the way I see through all the stuff when it bubbles up inside.

yes.

A few of my favorite past words of the year. I like to write them sometimes as reminders, as prayers. They help me remember that I’ve been on this path all along.

(Sometimes I forget. {Maybe you forget, too.} But then I remember. I’m always beginning again. Yes. Yes. Yes. And that is a beautiful gift - the gift of knowing I can just take a deep breath and then the next step and begin again.)

My word this year is “yes.” It’s March and I’m wondering what I was thinking some days. And others, “yes” finds me like a prayer, like an old friend, like a trusted companion who deeply gets me.

Mary Oliver

I’m always surrounded by Mary Oliver’s books. Constant companions that help me right myself in the midst of all that a day can hold. No matter the collection, I can open up her books and find just the poem I need.

Her words remind me, save me, push me, delight me. And even though my heart is still so sad she’s dead, I’m really glad we get to live in a world where her words remain to shine a light.

Yes. Yes. Yes. 

Start here. A collection that has many of the favorites you’ve seen shared over the last few weeks since her death. Maybe make it your homework as we countdown the days until Spring.

the sound of your voice

The sound of your voice is almost lost to me most days.

Yet, I hear you in every chirp, every tulip, every breeze that brings spring back to me.

---

Come along for my ecourse, Tell It: Color, and enjoy 14 days of creative play as we take back the gray days of late winter and fill them with color. 

• Because playing with color opens us up to the beauty and joy around 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 noticing the colors around you can be an act of mindfulness that shapes your day positively.

Tell It: Color helps you practice self-care through the act of being inspired by the everyday joy of noticing the colors around you. It is an ongoing class and you can sign up at any time. Learn more here.

a whispered wish for you (for me)

May you seek the quiet and notice.

May you listen to the brave truth within.

May you remember that each moment is a slice and not all of who you are or what will be.

May you feel each of us surround you with love as you find your way.

(Yes. Yes. Yes.)

a studio self-portrait

The And Space of:

Knowing and trust

Who I used to be and what’s become

The smallness I’ve created to survive and the longing inside

Guiding and faith

Patience and exhaustion

Missing you and letting it be

Gratitude and back in the thick of it

Wondering and being present

Showing up and rest

Cravings and action

This is me.

Feeling into the edges of all of it.

Hoping you know you’re not alone in your own And Space over there.

this is my year :: from the Soul Mantras studio

I'm so excited about the This Is My Year Manifesto and the ways you’ve shared how you’re using it and gifting it! It is part declaration and part prayer, and I hope you will find yourself within its words. It's available over in my Soul Mantras shop. And this year, the manifesto has a fun new element to it: I've chosen several of the phrases inside the manifesto and highlighted them in different designs (see the photo for a few examples). I will choose yours just for you and invite you to trust that you'll receive the one you most need for 2019.

You can also find the manifesto as part of the This Is My Year mini bundle, which includes a necklace and talisman with your word/intention of the year and the manifesto. Because I deeply believe in this practice of wearing your word and carrying it with you, I've priced this bundle at more than 15% off in the hopes that these pieces will be a beautiful companion for you. You can find it right here.

Other word of the year designs are available here including the heart talismans that so many people order every year to honor the word they are carrying with them.

If you're thinking about choosing a word of the year but need some ideas to help you brainstorm, here's a post to help you begin.

Thank you for continuing to support my shop. This time of year is such a gift to me as your words arrive in my inbox and I have the opportunity to be part of this special practice.

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!