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Welcome to my corner of the world. I'm so glad you're here. Join me in a conversation about how we build a bridge between daily life and the life we're longing for. As you explore, you'll discover stories, some of my favorite things, a whole lot of love, and perhaps even join me in a little lip syncing. Learn more about me right here.

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Entries in creating space (9)

Tuesday
Jan172012

recentering

On Monday morning, I took a few minutes alone in the front yard to just breathe in the fresh air and watch the snow fall. We are in this stage where Ellie so wants to communicate with us but isn't using a lot of words we understand, so there can be moments of frustration and confusion on both sides. As I stood in the front yard with the snow crunching beneath my feet, I began to notice that I felt lighter and grounded and even peaceful as I listened to the birds and felt snowflakes land on my nose.

I took a short video because I want to remind myself how much a minute or two or three outside paired with a few deep breaths recenters me every time.

*****

As I gather a few new tools and stories for this next session of Create Space, I keep coming back to this idea that accessible practices become like handholds as we find our way. Each time I remind myself to get outside for just a minute or two and create space for my own feelings within my family, I practice self-care and am able to come back to the many roles I play from a more centered space. If you feel moved to have more conversations about how we can integrate making space for ourselves and all we experience into our day-to-day lives, consider coming along. Registration for Create Space is ongoing until class begins.

Wednesday
Jan112012

making room for the grumps

jan 11

When I downloaded the photos I took from this morning's "backyard adventure," I was delighted to find this one among the ten or so photos I took of Ellie Jane holding this little dandelion. When we first stepped outside, she went right up to it, plucked it off the stem, and turned and handed it to me. This is the first time she has ever really given me a flower like this.

Of course, my heart melted as she smiled at me and then ran off to play with Millie.

Later, I handed the little flower to her to try to capture her holding it and took several photos before she tried to reattach it to the stem and then threw it onto the ground and stomped her feet on it several times before running off again.

Being one is awesome.

But here is what this photo doesn't show:

This morning, when I saw blue sky through the window, I decided we would bundle up and walk down to the coffee shop and take in the slightly warmer weather and the bits of sun. Blue sky is something to be cherished here, and after almost 8 years, I am learning to get out when I see it because I know I need to breathe it in.

And oh my goodness I need to get out of the house.

As I was getting ready, Ellie started to get a bit fussy as she wanted me to hold her instead of brushing my teeth or going to the bathroom or putting on my clothes. Then, when it came time to change her out of her pajamas, she came very close to all out refusing to put on her pants. I finally said, "But we can't go outside if you don't have on pants." Millie was right there and heard "outside" and started jumping and barking with excitement. When I put Ellie down, she ran to join Millie at the back door, ready to go out. These kids clearly understand the word "outside." But I noticed Ellie was also rubbing her eyes, which is the "I am gonna want to take a nap really really soon" signal.

In that moment, I looked at Ellie and saw her holding "the grumpy tireds" in one hand and "excitement to get outside and play" in the other. In that moment, I knew there would be no walk to the coffee shop where I would find myself in that pushing the stroller while breathing in all the goodness that is getting outside of my house, of my head rythym and then the joy of interacting with another actual adult while ordering coffee experience.

In that moment, I realized I was holding the grumpy tireds and excitement to get outside too. I was feeling disappointment bubble up a bit but I was also really aware of how the grumps were on the outer edges of the moment threatening to take over for both of us.

So we went to the backyard and we gave the grumps some space to run. I took my camera just like I planned to do on our walk. We listened to the birds and ran and danced and found evidence of spring and looked for the sun and watched Millie and picked up leaves and rocks. 

It was still beautiful and real and full of deeply living. It was just different from how I hoped this morning might unfold. And then we came inside and Ellie promptly took a nap.

As I think about this, I keep coming back to this simple thought: Noticing the grumps and then making space for them is part of our daily life.

Sometimes it is as straightforward as a mama and toddler who were up in the middle of the night and didn't get enough sleep so rest is more important than a big adventure because tired grumps are in the air.

Other times it is much more subtle and the grumps arrive wearing t-shirts that say things like "emotionally drained" when we don't set boundaries with people in our lives or "full of envy NOT inspiration" when we spend too much time online instead of living or "drowning" when we don't practice self-care and just keep going and doing instead of being.

Bringing awareness to these simple, but important, "real living" moments is one way I try to stay in the present. When I do this, when I take a breath and really look and listen and let myself feel, I can notice what is in the air around me, around us. And on a day like today, I am able to notice when the grumps arrive.

This evening, I am reminded of what I know: Life is lighter and often full of more joy when I give myself the gift of paying attention

*****

I am so excited to share that registration for the next session of Create Space has begun. This course is a conversation in making room for all that we experience: from joy and beauty to grief and all that is real in our day-to-day lives. It is about giving yourself the gift of creating space within and around you using accessible self-care and being-present practices.

I have tweaked the course a bit since the Fall session, and it is now five weeks long. During the third week, we will take a break from the lessons to create some breathing space to catch up and let what we explore in the first two weeks sink in a bit. There will be inspiration and check in posts throughout this "breathing space" week. There will also be a PDF given at the end of the course so students can continue to explore all that they have learned at their own pace. Read more about Create Space and register here.

Saturday
Oct222011

noticing: wonder

yesterday's morning drive

point defiance pause . october 22, 2011

Yesterday, Ellie Jane fell asleep in the car when we were on our way home after picking up a few things at the store. She had been so fussy, but suddenly, while I was singing to her, I noticed that she had settled and her eyes were closing.

I was so happy to simply have a few moments of quiet to breathe and not feel like I was maxed out on multitasking.

As we got closer to home, I decided to just keep driving and headed toward Point Defiance Park. As John Denver sang about one man finding himself in his twenty-seventh year and a mist of rain fell, I began to notice that autumn really has arrived and the leaves are shedding their green. The pine trees are shedding as well, and the green moss seems to be moving out of the shadows and onto center stage.

The park was beautiful. I lowered the windows a bit to invite in the sound of the rain and slowed down to take a few photos with my iphone. Ellie continued sleeping, John Denver kept me company, and I could feel my body begin to relax. My mind was able to slow down enough to just notice one or two thoughts in my usually swirling brain.

In the middle of the drive, as I came around a curve in the road, I saw one yellow maple leaf twirl toward the ground.

When I say twirl, I mean literally it swirled in a tilt-a-whirl inspired dance right toward the earth. The wonder that came up in me in that moment honestly took my breath away. As a child, maple seeds were often a source of delight as I would pick them up and then watch them helicopter in the air, but I had never seen a maple leaf do this same dance.

I was struck by this idea of the connection between the seed, the beginnings of this tree, twirling toward the ground long ago and how the leaf remembered and followed its ancestor. In this moment, I think about Paul Simon's words in the song "Under African Skies:

This is the story of how we begin to remember
This is the powerful pulsing of love in the vein
After the dream of falling and calling your name out
These are the roots of rhythm
And the roots of rhythm remain

So it is for the maple tree. So it is for us.

And so this is my practice: Creating space in my life to notice the world around and within me. Even in the midst of the multitasking and all that must get done. Even in the midst of the roles I play and the realization that letting go of some need for balance is necessary.

My practice: Slowing down, noticing, opening my heart to what I find...to life. And I am reminded over and over again that the first step is to show up as me. And then take a breath. And then another. And trust.

If you are seeking ways to be more present to your life...if you are seeking ways to simply begin to recognize that this space for noticing your world and what you need exists in your life...come along with a few other kindred spirits and experience Create Space. We are gathering this weekend and will begin on Monday. Find out more here and please email me with any questions.

May your day be full of beauty, wonder, and moments to take it all in,

Liz 

Tuesday
Oct112011

today, i am...

 

heart path . penrose state park, wa

today, i am giving myself the space:

to eat hot biscuits right from the oven while standing at the kitchen sink
to not get to all the emails quite yet
to sit with the beauty that was hosting five retreats this year
to rest during ellie's naptime
to tuck this real, true poem right inside the pocket of my heart 
to listen to music with my eyes closed
to know that it doesn't have to be perfect 
to remember to choose love 

the re-entry part is a bit different each time. this time it has included a pretty thick layer of exhaustion combined with such profound, deep gratitude. i can still hear their laughter and stories and brave truth sharing and silliness. i am sitting with the memories and unpacking them a bit at a time as i also rest and honor all that has been and all that is to come.

more soon...

*****

Create Space is an online experience that invites you to give yourself the gift of being present in this moment. During this four-week course, you will slow down, take a deep breath with intention, and notice what you need. Through video and audio lessons, stories, writing and photography prompts, and weekly creative adventure assignments, we will explore self-care and being-present practices to use in your everyday life.

Come along this fall and connect with the space within you that houses your true nature. Find out more here.   

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