Essence Blog

As the holiday whirlwind settles, I know some of you may be feeling like me- a sense of depletion -physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And even if you’re not, winter has wisdom for us. ❄️  

During the Winter Solstice ritual I led for the Reflection Ritual, I spoke about how winter asks us to release not just the year itself but also the old fears, beliefs, and identities we've outgrown. 🌱 Winter is a time of death and a sacred pause before rebirth. In this in-between time, we wait and res...

This week, I’m sharing some of my favorite things with extra items in the product section since so much is on sale this week. I'm sending lots of love your way this week.

This Poem: 

These Podcast Episodes: 

Unlocking Us: Brené Brown with Dr. Mary Claire Haver on the New Menopause

For the Love: Jen Hatmaker interviews Tim Shriver on Building Bridges

This Recipe: 

Thai Red Curry Chicken: I also make this with red lentils!

✨This Holiday Tradition ✨
The Reflection Ritual is back!

It...

This email is a bit later than planned. Like many of you, I've been feeling a little overstretched this week. Yesterday, there was a seven-hour internet outage that added to the chaos. I’m fully in the end-of-year holla-daze. 😵‍💫 And I'm also leaning into the goodness of the season. Speaking of...

Beloved holiday memories, traditions, and feelings of connection and good cheer around this time of year aren't because of Santa’s Elves. It’s because of the effort and expertise of the kinkeepers. (...

I had an amazing weekend celebrating my friend Linda’s 50th birthday! 🎉 We’ve been friends for almost 20 years despite living miles apart—she’s in Massachusetts, and I’m in Florida. I was reminded once again about the power of something I’d taught about for many years and had felt disconnected from lately. The power of play and our inner magical child.  ✨

Despite what has been going on in my world and in my life lately, hanging out with seven other women and “playing” was incredibly restorative...

The season has officially shifted. Depending on where you are in the world, you are either in Autumn🍂 or Spring🌸 for the last quarter of the year. 

I led a Fall Equinox ritual on Monday, and during that time, we looked at what we wanted to do, accomplish, shift, or complete before the end of 2024. And while thinking about that is important, what is more critical is identifying your real priorities for the season. This cannot be a 📝list of 15 things because then they aren’t priorities! 🤪 

It's a throwback Thursday email. I found this writing as a journal entry from many years ago, and I don’t remember if it ever became an email or a blog on my old website. 

Regardless, I thought the wisdom was still applicable and hope you will, too. 

I made a video.

Actually, I made about 22, but that’s what it took to get my first video up on my website. I thought the best way for you to understand how passionate I feel about my new course would be for me to talk directly to you in a video. ...

Who remembers Susanna Hoffs singing Manic Monday with the Bangles? BTW she’s rocking it on Instagram!  

I used to dread Mondays.  The weekend fun was over, and Monday symbolized the week's long to-do list of work. It often felt heavy and looming as it was overscheduled, trying to both catch-up and get a head start on the week. 

But as I began architecting my life, creating more flexibility in my schedule, I decided to make Monday more meaningful- you might even say sacred.  

The biggest shift...

As a “Thursday Thoughts” reader, I imagine you understand the power of our language and mindset and know that we can rewire our brains. So today, let's practice a quick tool you can use when feeling annoyed, grumpy, or self-critical. 

Think of something in your life that you want to shift or change, especially if you feel somewhat resistant.

 For example-  

I’m scrolling on my phonetoo much. I don’t want my phone to be the first thing I wake up to in the morning.  

I’m feeling the impending...

We are headed into Labor Day weekend here in the US. I count this holiday as the unofficial end of summer and back-to-school weekend that will lead us into fall, which is my favorite season.  

If you don't know, September 1st is when I make pumpkin waffles , start putting cinnamon in everything, and attend my first Halloween event .  

Yes, I’m one of those people.  

I LOVE this season. With all the unsettled anger, fear, and division in our world, I like to go all in on the things that make...

One night, Matt was painting his new office space upstairs while I went downstairs to start dinner. While cooking and listening to my latest Audible book, I heard a bang followed by profanity. Concerned for my carpet (and my husband ), I ran upstairs.

The paint 🎨had gotten knocked off the ladder and onto a part of the carpet that wasn't covered in plastic. It was not a lot, but enough to send us both scrambling to clean it up as fast as possible before it dried.

After doing all we could, I wal...