Do you struggle with making big decisions?

Do you find yourself caught up in thoughts like "Is this the right choice? What if I mess up? What if it isn't successful?"

And in that struggle, do you end up making no choice at all?

image by emma gossett via unsplash

Last week I wrote about finding one’s center. This week, let’s look at what it means to be rooted.

What does being rooted mean to me?

It means feeling at ease with myself, my body, my thoughts, and with my life direction. It's a feeling that…

The Winter Solstice is a time to renew, to remind ourselves of the need for both light and dark, and to tap into our inner reserves of creativity.

Some days I feel quite frantic with all these responsibilities, and I wonder how I might try to lighten my load...

But then other days, I feel completely peaceful and at ease with all the tasks that are to be completed. Sometimes, I even wonder what other offerings I could add to the mix.

I have noticed that this mental shift is entirely dependent on

Sweet potato is one of my very favorite vegetables. My quick go-to easy vegan lunch is a simple baked sweet potato. I pop a potato in the oven for about 45 minutes and I have a satisfying and nutritious meal. I can easily bring a baked sweet potato with me on a road trip, since it comes in its own packaging!

It is no exaggeration to state that my mom makes *the* perfect vegan pumpkin pie. I have served her pumpkin pie at many celebrations with friends and family, and it is always the star dessert offering. I have had many other attempts at vegan pumpkin pie that left me longing for more. They are usually too runny, or too soft, or lacking in that good pumpkin-pie flavor.

When was the last time you were bored?

I mean, most of the day, not sure what to do, stuck in the silence, really bored?

When I was a child, I was bored on a regular basis. But my mother, strangely, never seemed to be nearly as bored as my younger brother and I. Perhaps all that opportunity for boredom was a gift I didn’t fully appreciate at such a young age.

photo by @priscilladupreez

The burden of recent human tragedies and atrocities seems to be reflected in the very sky, at least here in Vermont, with the near constant gray clouds and rain. I know all things cycle and spiral, from the weather and the seasons to personal emotions, family dynamics, and socio-political circumstances. In these times, it is so essential to remember that the quality of our minds reflects the quality of our lives.

photo by @kilarov345

When the weather gets colder, and the sniffles arrive, I always reach for a ginger concoction to keep me warm and nourished. This tonic recipe was recently shared by the Little Herb Shop in Littleton, NH, and I felt compelled to pass it along to you. I hope you try it out. Photo via Unsplash

For a period of time, our family was obsessed with the show Cupcake Wars on Netflix. Admittedly, I am seriously behind in my pop culture. The only reason I knew about the show was because one of my favorite vegan chefs, Chloe Coscarelli, won an episode of the "Wars" several years back.

What a frantic mess of a show! I couldn't pull my eyes away from the chaos in the kitchen

Do you get upset when your phone, computer, or other app updates, and then you have to figure out how to navigate the new version? Recently our small credit union, that I have been a member of since I was a child, merged with a larger credit union, and all my banking details changed. It offered me lots of opportunities for growth!

When looking for ways to build your strength, stamina, and physique, you can always find the best nourishment and energy sustenance in whole grains.

Our family enjoys taking a daily walk in the woods near our home. On this particular evening in early June, the heavy Vermont rains had brought a dampness to the ground and trees all around us. The small brook near our house was flowing again with a bubbling song. The forest colors after the rain were deeper and darker, and even the body of the trees held a rich dark umber tone. Sometimes after a summer rain, we are able to find unique edible treasures if we look carefully. On that damp evening,

I am wearing socks and baking things in the oven again. It is a sign that summer is ending, and autumn is just around the corner.

It has been an incredibly rainy summer, and the rain just keeps coming down. The difference now is as the sun slowly sets each evening, the cool air sweeps in and we reach for those extra layers, both inside and out.

Sometimes I fantasize about the time before email and the internet.

Can I remember what it was like to only receive paper mail? What was it like to go out into the world without a phone in my pocket, before anyone could contact me at anytime? Was I more free and spacious? Did I have fewer worries and concerns?

I can barely remember. Email and internet have filled up so many tiny spaces in my life and in my mind, I can only imagine what it felt like.

When we are truly present with the self, not just the human-body-self, but the self that belongs to the environment we sit in, to the earth we stand on, and to this very place and time, then we are truly grounded in a sense of companionship with the world rather than struggle and alienation. We can remember that we are never really alone in the world.

There are many paths to enlightenment. Be sure to take the one with a heart." ~Lao Tsu

One of the first homework assignments I offer my new Yoga teacher trainees is to write out a definition of yoga.

So I ask you to pause, grab something to write with…

Photo-Unsplash, Vladislav Babienko @garri

My personal stress level dropped at least 75% this past weekend.

Why??? Because we wrapped up our 2022 taxes with our Tax Accountant, and we are actually getting a tiny refund this year (which we will just apply to next year's taxes). We've also

On Monday mornings, I start my day with a green smoothie and a cup of tea, then I move right into my weekly bookkeeping followed by a few hours of newsletter and blog writing.

Actually, the truth is, first I procrastinate.

Photo-Unsplash, Aleksandra Sapozhnikova @rruprrup