Hey there,
It's my final email to you for the year, and...
I am writing to you tonight from my kitchen table. It's dark and slushy outside. I'm sipping a tangerine-flavored Vitamin C beverage because I'm getting over a post-Christmas
flu bug. My boyfriend appears to be unconscious on the sofa. He was playing an intense game of virtual Scrabble, trying to defeat my mom (a nearly impossible task!) and apparently she wore him out!
I love the end of the year because everything in the world slows down to a sane, humane pace. Emails goes unanswered and nobody panics. People stay home and curl into spoon-shaped cuddle positions.
Rolling cookie dough becomes a top priority, as it should be. Old friends pop into your inbox just to say, "I've missed you. What's new?"
And of course, it's a beautiful time of year to think about, you know, your "life" and stuff. How you want it to flow. How you want it to feel. Your vision. Your intention.
My three-word intention for 2016 is...
"Choose to chill."
Which means...
Doing enough. Earning enough. Letting enough be enough. Braiding my sister's hair.
Watching TV and falling asleep on the couch with limbs all tangled together while it rains outside. Washing dishes by hand. Letting typos happen sometimes because they just hapen somtimes. Simple pleasures. Making art projects that feel good to make, regardless of whether they generate money or not. Building my body of work, as best I can, without any hoopla, hype, fretting, or unnecessary force. All love. No rush.
That's my vibe for 2016.
What is yours?
While you percolate on your intention for the new year, and / or meditate on the true nature of chillin', here are a couple of things for you to click through & peruse...
— This was my most-read article of the year. Followed by this. And then this. Interesting!
— This is a vintage article that I recently updated with some new thoughts. (I really love the concept of "Asteya" and I try to practice it as best I can. Yoga power!)
— This is a special section of my Shop filled with lots of free treats for you. I recently added several new things. Download away!
— This is where you can find almost every article I have ever written in alphabetical order, if you're into that sort of thing.
— If you feel sad because you missed the letter-writing & brunch party that I hosted in Portland earlier this month... wipe those tears away because Letters & Brunch is happening again! And again! In fact, it's happening on the first Saturday of every month beginning Saturday, January 2, 2016. Here's all the info. No RSVP required. Just swing on by. And if you don't live in Portland, but you know folks who do, you can direct them here: http://bit.ly/letters-and-brunch-portland (thank
you!)
— In celebration of my 31st birthday (which was earlier this month) I've made my e-course, Unstoppable, just $31 for the rest of December. (It is normally $50). Here's more info. I love this course — especially the audio lessons, which were really fun to record— and I hope you do, too.
—If you find yourself having a bleak moment sometime this week — maybe sinking into those post-holiday blues — please watch these puppies and also this one. You will feel renewed.