The Surprises of Generosity
After just a few days of backpacking on a trail, all hikers crave the same thing: Fresh Food. Ripe fruit or crunchy vegetables become an obsession and motivation to get to the next place, sometimes just the next step. The lofty hope is that a town will have a restaurant, or perhaps a Trail Angel […]
Let’s stay grounded
If you’re anything like me, you’re feeling these days like you are rearranging furniture on the Titanic. Just when you’ve reset the chairs a chandelier goes flying by, followed by a table set for dinner. We are living through a pivotal time in history that seems to spin from hopeful to terrifying on an intermittent […]
Simple steps to help cope with anxiety
S.T.O.P. is a wonderful acronym that when practiced for mindfulness gives us permission to pause and reset ourselves particularly when feelings of anxiety seem to have taken hold. Creating space in the day to stop, come down from the worried mind, and get back into the present moment has been shown to be enormously helpful […]
Holding gratefulness and grief
Let’s face it, as a community and as individuals, we are experiencing a mixed bag of emotions right now. We may be grateful for a paycheck, shelter, friends and family to reach out to, food options and our health. Or we may actually be grieving a lack of income, companionship, and threats to our housing […]
Mindful Speech
Words have power and weight, yet we throw them around like little candy grenades at a parade or rattle and flail them like swords. Sometimes they just take up space to satisfy an itch so we don’t have to experience silence. They also can be a salve to heal or a lift to encourage. We […]
Cultivating an attitude of acceptance
Generally, I’m an optimist; a ‘ Glass Half Full’ kind of person. Now, what is IN that glass is usually the story of the moment. Is it un-drinkable, un-shareable, and toxic, or is it a pleasant and nourishing elixir? I came to the rather settling conclusion recently that life is in general a shitstorm. Some […]
Practice the 3 M’s to make your walk more mindful
Our times of isolation and quarantine are starting to lift us finally off our couches and into the great outdoors! Just taking in some fresh air will do a person tremendous good. These walks are also great opportunities to practice mindfulness in very practical ways that support our mental health too. I’ve guided countless walks […]
Take a Self-Compassion Break
According to compassion research expert, Kristin Neff PhD, “Self-compassion involves treating yourself the way you would treat a friend who is having a hard time.” There are three main aspects to Self-Compassion: Self-Kindness vs. Punishment Mindfulness vs. Over Identification Common Humanity vs. Isolation The following practice will help you remember to evoke the three aspects […]
Take a self-compassion break
According to compassion research expert, Kristin Neff PhD, “Self-compassion involves treating yourself the way you would treat a friend who is having a hard time.” There are three main aspects to Self-Compassion: Self-Kindness vs. Punishment Mindfulness vs. Over Identification Common Humanity vs. Isolation The following practice will help you remember to evoke the three aspects […]
Foibles of the absent minded
Last summer I went backpacking with friends for an overnight sojourn at Janus Lake near Stevens Pass. After a 3.5-mile hike we arrived. A fellow backpacker and his two Golden Retrievers were happily fussing around their campsite at the edge of the lake. We introduced ourselves. He let us know he would be picking some […]
