Weekly Words: "Time is Land for Tilling"

"One of the most important characteristics distinguishing man from all other forms of nature is his knowledge of transitoriness, of beginning and end, and therefore of the gift of time.

In man, transitory life attains its peak of animation, of soul power, so to speak. This does not mean man alone would have a soul. Soul quality pervades all beings. But man’s soul is most awake in his knowledge of the inter-changeability of the terms “existence” and “transitoriness.”

To man, time is given like a piece of land, as it were, entrusted to him for faithful tilling; a space in which to strive incessantly, achieve self-realization, move onward and upward. Yes, with the aid of time, man becomes capable of wresting the immortal from the mortal."

- Thomas Mann

Happy weekend...

Happy Friday! We're in my old beloved city of Philadelphia this weekend, and I'm excited to love up some of my bests and enjoy a gorgeous wedding. I hope you have a nice weekend! Here are a few things that caught my eye this week:

• Spinning Father John Misty's newest album on overdrive. Sure, Josh Tillman was great in Fleet Foxes, and equally as transfixing as J. Tillman, but his new spin has been positively glorious (and he is fantastic live). Check out "True Affection."
• Using my awesome new reusable coffee mug all.the.time, and stepping away from disposable coffee cups when I get my caffeine fix outside the home.
• Thinking harder about fashion and sustainability after learning from Avneet Basi (of the gorgeous jewelry line Krysos + Chandi) that the fashion world is the second biggest polluting industry on the planet, and then reading this related piece in the Times.
• And finally, a gorgeous poem on spring and the renewal that comes again every year:

"Just before the green begins there is the hint of green
a blush of color, and the red buds thicken
the ends of the maple’s branches and everything
is poised before the start of a new world,
which is really the same world
just moving forward from bud
to flower to blossom to fruit
to harvest to sweet sleep, and the roots
await the next signal, every signal
every call a miracle and the switchboard
is lighting up and the operators are
standing by in the pledge drive we’ve
all been listening to: Go make the call."

- Stuart Kestenbaum, "April Prayer"

On Noticing

I've been living in overdrive mode for the past few weeks. Between planning a wedding, working on my coaching certification, traveling, and moving, it's a wonder I've even had time to come up for air. So nothing took me by surprise more when I had a chance to take a leisurely walk one afternoon and ran smack dab into a blooming magnolia tree. The first thing that crossed my mind was..."when did that happen?" The second was a strong reminder that while I was busy, life was still ticking along beside me. The only thing missing? My attention.

So often we get caught up within ourselves and life that we forget the simple act of noticing. Noticing in its simplest form is both a skill and an art. It involves maintaining a general awareness of what is going on around you and paying attention to details that you might otherwise miss if you were just going through your day on cruise control. Noticing, however, makes living proactive. It helps you take a step back, intuitively know where to probe deeper, and bring a greater consciousness to decision-making.

In the workplace, the practice of noticing is invaluable. It allows us to see the whole picture, stay attuned to dynamics, and question things that might be misaligned with strategy or direction. In an article for the Harvard Business Review, Max Bazerman notes that in the business world today, "failure to 'notice' and take action can mean losing an important customer, getting edged out of a market, or even going to jail."

In our personal lives, noticing plays a similar role. It allows us to look and listen to ourselves, seeing every experience as a data point and a lesson to draw from when considering future moves. In his piece for The New York Times, David Brooks highlighted Dwight Eisenhower's humble recognition of his own terrible temper as an example of this type of self-confrontation. He noted that Eisenhower "did silly things to tame his anger. He took the names of the people he hated, wrote them down on slips of paper and tore them up and threw them in the garbage. Over a lifetime of self-confrontation, he developed a mature temperament. He made himself strong in his weakest places."

This type of self-work elevates us to a higher level of extreme noticing. Truly being right-here-right now is the foundation for being self-aware. Want to practice becoming a better noticer? Here are a few things that you can do to bring a greater sense of conscious noticing to your daily life:

• Practice empathy. An excellent way to start becoming a better "noticer" is to mentally remove yourself from a situation, and think about what might be important or how something might affect the other person. Doing so will help you be more conscious of social cues, become a better communicator, and allow you to act with compassion.
• Be enlightened. When posed with a question or an idea, allow yourself to consider a solution from every angle, even those that may not be the final answer. Maintain a sense of intellectual curiosity and tap into lessons learned so that your final decision is a holistic view of the big picture.
• Look inward. Really check in with yourself, even if it's for a few minutes a day. Those moments that you spend considering your thoughts and actions adds up over time, and help you build a more natural sense of noticing. In an interview with Krista Tippett, Seth Godin said, "the only way you get that discernment is by practicing. Is by saying, when I pick this am I right? When I put this in the world, did it resonate with the people I was trying to reach? And then, so then we get to the 10,000 hours and the whole notion that if you practiced noticing enough, you'll get good at it."

Weekly Words: "Become a Source of Light for All"

"The most important thing in life is your inner energy. If you’re always tired and never enthused, then life is no fun. But if you’re always inspired and filled with energy, then every minute of every day is an exciting experience. Learn to work with these things. Through meditation, through awareness and willful efforts, you can learn to keep your centers open. You do this by just relaxing and releasing. You do this by not buying into the concept that there is anything worth closing over. Remember, if you love life, nothing is worth closing over...

...The more you stay open, the more the energy flow can build. At some point, so much energy comes into you that it starts flowing out of you. You feel it as waves pouring off of you. You can actually feel it flowing off your hands, out your heart, and through other energy centers. All these energy centers open, and a tremendous amount of energy starts flowing out of you. What is more, the energy affects other people. People can pick up on your energy, and you’re feeding them with this flow. If you are willing to open even more, it never stops. You become a source of light for all those around you."

- Michael A. Singer

Happy weekend...

Happy Friday! It might be a day full of April showers, but this week was gorgeous otherwise. My sentiments on spring can be summed up by an elderly woman also waiting to cross at a corner, who proclaimed, to anyone with ears: "Here we are! And none of us ever thought we'd get to be out here again." You are so right, sister.

Wishing you a weekend of sunshine, noticeable newness, and Friluftsliv. Before we get to it, here are a few links that moved my week:

• Vibing the new Jamie xx jam "Loud Places" hard. In the gym, on the streets, in my head.
• Dabbling in watercolor painting, as I dream up some pretty things for our wedding and reduce a little stress by creating with my hands.
• Loving David Brook's Op-Ed "The Moral Bucket List," particularly the bit where he talks about how those who radiate inner light "do not find their vocations by asking, what do I want from life? They ask, what is life asking of me? How can I match my intrinsic talent with one of the world’s deep needs?" Beautiful.
• And finally, a quote from Parker Palmer's essay on the poem "Thanks, Robert Frost":

“The past isn’t fixed and frozen in place. Instead, its meaning changes as life unfolds. I once lost a job. At the time, it felt as if I had come to the end of the road. But after a while, I was able to see how that loss helped guide me toward my true life-work. Losing that job was a blessing, not a curse.

I’ve made many mistakes and often failed to live up to my aspirations, but I don’t need to look back with regret. Instead, I can see all of my mess-ups as humus or compost for the growing I needed to do.

I love the fact that the word “humus” is related to “humility.” The good I do today may well have its roots in something not-so-good I did in the past. Knowing that takes me beyond both the sinkhole of regret and the hot-air balloon of pride.

Regret shuts life down. Humility opens it up.”

— Parker Palmer

Spring Soaking

On Sunday, we signed the lease on a new home. It's a sunny, top-floor apartment with bay windows, in a quiet neighborhood with much more space than we have now. But the real deal-sealer for me? A freshly re-enameled clawfoot tub - the sort of thing of dreams, my friends. In anticipation of our move in May, and many many luxurious soaks ahead, I've compiled a list of bath items to bring along.

(Left to right, starting in the top row)

A luxurious natural sea wool sponge, to massage soaps into the skin.

A detoxifying soak, to revive the body and warm the soul.

A new book, "The Untethered Soul: A Journey Beyond Yourself" by Michael A. Singer, to explore inner peace and serenity.

A bathtub caddy to hold my book, a candle and on the most relaxing evenings, a glass of red wine.

A delicious spring soap, with hints of lemon and rosemary.

A sumptuous bath towel, like the one we've placed on our registry, to lock in the warmth.

A gorgeous candle, made in Virginia and for a great cause, to fill the air with earthy scents.

A wooden bath mat, for stepping back into the world after blissfully floating away.

A natural tub brush to scrub down and prepare for the next night of relaxation.

Weekly Words: "The Journey"

"Above the mountains
the geese turn into
the light again

Painting their
black silhouettes
on an open sky.

Sometimes everything
has to be
inscribed across
the heavens

so you can find
the one line
already written
inside you.

Sometimes it takes
a great sky
to find that

first, bright
and indescribable
wedge of freedom
in your own heart.

Sometimes with
the bones of the black
sticks left when the fire
has gone out

someone has written
something new
in the ashes of your life.

You are not leaving.
Even as the light fades quickly now,
you are arriving."

- David Whyte

Happy weekend...

Happy holiday weekend! It's a cozy gray morning, and we're on the train headed down the New England coast to Connecticut for a few days. I anticipate that there will be a lot of good eating and time well-spent with family on Easter. Before we head off, here are a few things that have moved me this week:

• Grabbing some new music inspiration from the always excellent playlists pulled together by Sarah Tolzmann of Note to Self. That March-April 15' playlist is really on point.
• Loving this essay on "The Potential in the Pregnant Pause" from On Being about how breaking free from habituation can open the door to transformation.
• Revisiting some classic thoughts on mindfulness from Jon Kabat-Zinn, and gearing up for a sitting at the Cambridge Zen Center later this spring.
• And finally, some words to close the week from Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh on how understanding ourselves better frees up our hearts to love others:

“ The essence of loving kindness is being able to offer happiness. You can be the sunshine for another person. You can’t offer happiness until you have it for yourself. So build a home inside by accepting yourself and learning to love and heal yourself. Learn how to practice mindfulness in such a way that you can create moments of happiness and joy for your own nourishment. Then you have something to offer the other person...

...If you have enough understanding and love, then every moment — whether it’s spent making breakfast, driving the car, watering the garden, or doing anything else in your day — can be a moment of joy.”

— Thich Nhat Hanh