freshly picked

[singh farms goodies]

this path

Yep, there are a lot of routes.
Many many from which to choose.
Guess what?
There’s something quite special about the path you’ve chosen today.
Don’t let all the other paths distract you from that truth.
Embrace it. Experience it. Enjoy it.

gratitude

You know what’s annoying and amazing?
All that talk you hear about gratitude being the way to transform your life –
it’s spot on.

share it

Ah yes, that’s the missing key.
But, that requires vulnerability…
Eek.

savor

white space

More white space means more room for…
experimenting in the kitchen (yes, please).
meandering at the farmers market.
dancing to Radio Paradise.
real conversations with friends.

Which means the white space is invaluable. Protect it.

present

Where are you going?
 
Maybe that doesn’t matter in this moment.
Maybe I’m just enjoying the present.
Yes, that is enough.

words

Power in words.
There’s something to that.
Words on the page.
Words spoken aloud.
Words in the mind.
Whatever the words, they alter reality.
Which means, we’re tasked with creating reality daily.
That’s amazing.

stronger

I think I'm getting stronger.
The voice still pops up all the time,
but I don't react like I used to.
Instead, I invoke the truth.

the day

This day is ordinary

and magical

all at once.

nevertheless

Just now I heard that voice. I was writing words on the page.

The voice told me the words weren’t good enough to keep going.

The voice was right. The words weren’t all that good.

But, the voice was also wrong. I must keep going nevertheless.

play

Let yourself play.
Let yourself roam.
It may seem foolish, my dear,
but that's where you've got to go.

texture

instead

Instead of resenting, I'm listening.
Instead of enduring, I'm enjoying.
Instead of packing it in, I'm leaving space.
Instead of giving shame, I'm embracing grace.

[photo: Pt. Lobos]

present

The question shouldn't be -
what's all of this amounting to?
That's merely distracting
from the moment in front of you.

mystery

Armed with analysis,
we attempt to decode
a life that never asked to be understood.

[Hat tip to Parker Palmer]

judgment

I do this thing where I judge my thoughts and actions.

Maybe I should post this quote on Twitter.

... Posting on Twitter to prove your worth to the world, eh? 
Lame. I thought you knew better than that.

Often, that discourages me from following through on said actions.

[No Twitter post, obviously]

The result? I'm endlessly absorbing information with no healthy release. Not good.

So next time, maybe I'll just post to Twitter... without all the judging.

release pt. 2

If you're going to consume, you must also release.

Otherwise, the lack of balance is damaging.

release

Write for the process. The experience. The unfolding. The release.

The product? Don't make that the thing you seek.

output

Observing. Absorbing. Reading. Learning. Lots of input.

Think: Balance. Release.

Be brave enough to make space for the output, my dear.

messy

I like to organize life. Separation. Categories. Boundaries. All valuable things.

But, sometimes the organization becomes an unnecessary imposition. Maybe instead of forcing it upon my life, sometimes I'm meant to let it stay messy.

See, the lines between work and life? They're getting blurry. Perhaps that's quite a good thing.


PS - Thank you Elizabeth Gilbert for the reminder that we can make space in our souls for the paradoxes of life. Otherwise, the contradicting notions in my head and writing lately would make me feel extra crazy.

sharpening the axe

Little glamour. Not much show.

But, is there value there? Absolutely.

growth mindset

Where's the product? What's the outcome? Where's the result?

Drop those questions.

Instead, enjoy the process. Think progress, journey, growth.

not my job

I know. It's not a popular phrase. It invites much critique... words like lazy, apathetic, selfish. But maybe it's worth examining under a different lens.

For instance, I've learned that it's not my job to change the consumerism of our society. If I believe that it is my job, I attempt to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders with every decision I make. I feel shitty about buying much of anything... even more so if it's not something I'll use to it's fullest capacity or if I haven't researched the company's efforts toward corporate responsibility. Given the ridiculous number of decisions I'm faced with each day (thank you, modern living), that quickly becomes paralyzing. My frame crumbles in despair, and I'm unable to offer any actual help.

But, I see that it is my job to live above the bar of blind consumer. I can be intentional in my life and decision-making. I can ask questions like -- what I'm supporting with the purchases I make? -- but, each decision doesn't need to be perfect or induce guilt. For a perfectionist like me, "not my job" is a reminder I need. It's a healthy statement to make and hear. Without it, I operate under a delusion that I need to play the role of God. But he's got that covered without needing any assistance from me.

these days

I feel compelled to hide what my life looks like these days. It feels so rich. I'm still coming to terms with it. My nose isn't to the grindstone 24/7. I go to yoga or on walks amidst my workday. I take time as I make my smoothie and lunch. In the evenings, I actually have time to breathe, read a good book or do other things I enjoy.

Every moment isn't filled with racing.

I dare say, I'm more present in my life. More pleased with it. More grateful for it. And yet, I feel compelled to hide it. Because though these are simple things, they all feel like such luxuries... like things I don't deserve. I tell myself -- I'm not working hard enough. There are far too many hours in which I'm doing nothing to actually prove my worth.

But, then I remember the path I've chosen. I recognize that I'm doing serious soul work. It isn't glamorous. There's not much to show. But I'm battling false beliefs and making room for invaluable growth. To do so, I must keep trusting... trusting that it's okay to throw on my sneakers and go for a little walk... trusting that I'm encouraged to take that extra time making lunch... trusting that my worth doesn't need to be proven... trusting that I am enough.

vocation

“Vocation does not come by willfulness. It comes from listening. I must listen to my life and try to understand what it is truly about—quite apart from what I would like it to be about—or my life will never represent anything real in the world, no matter how earnest my intentions.”

          - Parker Palmer, Let Your Life Speak

central ca coast

endless hues

mustard seeds

Faith comes forth in the small things,
so trust in the seemingly insignificant moments.
Yes, you want your faith to grow, evolve and expand,
but don't discount it if it doesn't look flashy or sexy on the outside.
Don't dismiss it as 'not enough' if obvious markers
of radical faith aren't apparent to others.

This isn't about the others.
That's not selfish to say.
There's a humility in faith -- not seeking
to earn favor, respect or praise from people.
Know that God cheers when he sees the small moments --
the faith victories that no one else sees.
The world doesn't know what to do with that.
But you do.

Rest in his love, his presence, his peace.
Continue to seek that humble faith.
It may not win you accolades here and now,
but it's transforming your soul,
bearing gold in eternity.

better by day

Don't strive to get perfect overnight.
Strive to get a little bit better every day.

working

to the fullest

"Everyone there was seeking perfection in whatever they were doing, whether it was the way they tied up the trash or made the best souffle they could ever hope to make, or polished the silver just so. I could see how every task, no matter how trivial, was being done to the fullest, and that's when I began to feel right at home."

- Samin Nosrat on her experiences working at Chez Panisse
  from Michael Pollan's Cooked

shame

who are you
to think that you'd
be welcome round these parts
thought i told you
we're through
and i have had enough

ever inspired

vibrant food from kimberly hasselbrink

yellow eye beans from rancho gordo

understated

off the menu

What you need might not be on the menu.

Ask for it anyway.

taste the rainbow

 

colorado

  

without judgment

It may not need analysis.
It may not need explanation.
It may just need listening --
space without judgment.

pitting

further

What if going further
actually looks like doing less?

the moments

These are the moments.

Drizzling olive oil over a salad.
Walking the neighborhood at lunch.
Nestling up in the armchair with a book.
Laughing with a couple of friends.

There's nothing significant about these moments.
And yet, everything is significant about them.

mood board

surrender

There's a tape on repeat:
You need to do more. 
You need to do more.  
You need to do more.  

It's shattered, rather unexpectedly, by:
You need to... heal.

the simple life

You are enough just as you are.
There's no need to pack in
still more,
and more,
and more.
 
It is enough
to sit,
to pause,
to move at a slower pace,
to see how much you can appreciate each ordinary moment.

Do this
instead of racing
through as much as you possibly can hold.
Instead of resenting your capacity,
listen to it.

And, I daresay, you may find yourself
enjoying this simple life,
far more than you thought possible.

golden glow

frameworks

There is no one framework.

At first, that realization may terrify you. It means you have no hope predicting or controlling things.

But gradually, you'll see -- it gives you permission to craft your own path. That realization is so beautiful... so freeing.

clarity

breathe

 

desktop wallpaper download: 

click to open full in new window, 

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cease

Stop running
the race of the world around you.
Yes, it takes courage,
but it will save you.

invaluable

When those days in which you question your value come - and come, they will - know that you are, and will always be, infinitely valuable.

the illusion

How do you do it all?

You don't.

space

Space is beckoning you. That feeling of overwhelm is declaring to you: Don't be afraid to create the space you need -- time uncommitted to much of anything, time to simply be.

Don't try to apologize or rationalize. Be courageous enough to simply make that profound need an immediate priority. Soon after, you will find unexpected beauty - for the decision you've made will encourage others to also make space to simply be.

choice

I know you're afraid of choosing wrong,
but maybe there isn't a wrong here.
Maybe just choosing is right.

capacity

I do care.
But, I can't care
all the time
that much
about everything.
It's draining.

easy

this is life

Somewhere along the way, you start to realize the ordinary moments are actually quite significant. Perhaps you’ve known it all along and heard others proclaim it as such. But now, you actually act as if it’s true for you. Instead of rushing through laundry, you find ways to appreciate it, gently folding each crease and stowing each item away. Rather than begrudgingly make another meal, you see the veggie chopping as therapy, admiring the vibrant colors as a smile surfaces on your face.

Maybe this is maturity. Maybe this is wisdom – this choosing to appreciate the ordinary moments of life. It is indeed a choice and a countercultural one, at that. It’s a choice not to take any of this for granted. A choice to accept the present as the gift that it truly is.

Yes, that’s such a cliché. But when you finally experience it for yourself, it’s far from one. It moves you deeply. It challenges you to slow your pace… to listen… to experience… to stop saving it all for some later day. It compels you to courageously recognize the fact that you can celebrate now. That success you’ve been racing toward? It’s already present. You simply couldn’t see it through all the striving.

In light of this, the journey feels different. You keep moving forward, letting go of the good so that you might experience the great. But your journey toward the future doesn’t deprive your present state of its due respect. Because, this messy path… the day to day… this is life. And, it’s completely transformed when you finally see it this way.

dos

[AM smoothie: parsley, fennel, green apple,

blueberries, cinnamon, cardamom, 

ginger, pink himalayan salt]

[PM smoothie: mint, banana, cauliflower,

almond milk, cacao, shredded coconut, 

coconut oil, pink himalayan salt]

create

... simply because you feel so compelled.


"When I make creating a priority, everything in my life works better."
- Brene Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection

[black bean spaghetti, roasted kabocha squash, 

radicchio, microgreens, nutritional yeast, 

evoo, apple cider vinegar, pink himalayan salt]

generosity

Accept the generosity of others. It propels you forward.

Don't let pride or the myth of self-sufficiency stand in the way of that.

quiet now

Quiet the mind.
Be present here.
No haste needed.
It's okay to be still now.
Content in the moment.
Not concerned of the future.
No chasing what if's,
Trying to predict or control.
Be calm. Be still.
Be quiet now.
Mind, you can rest.
In this moment
Everything is okay.
No need to rush.
No need to spring ahead.
Here. Now.
Savor bites. Savor aromas.
Honor this moment.

graceful flow

Choose graceful flow over haste-filled hustle.

   

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click to open full in new window, 

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perfection

The perfect way will indeed fail you...
because there is no perfect way.

the lens

You choose the lens.

Choose the one that will make this day...

worthwhile.

opportunity-laden.

fruitful.

my truth

[more from oprah]

a season of smoothies

[blueberries... and some other goodness I meant to write down...]

creating life

There's no shame in pursuing what you need. It's up to you to create the life you desire for yourself. Just lean in as you do so.

Yes, it takes courage. Yes, it takes trust. But know-- it's possible.

When it all feels so uncertain... in those moments when you only half know... that's okay.

Accept the not knowing. Pause when you need to. Take action to explore when you can.

The future is full of hope... even, or precisely, as you explore the unknown.

life

 What a continual dance between simplicity and complexity.

redeem the day

questions

There will always be more questions than answers.
Life is filled with uncertainty, and that is okay.

vulnerable

You will meet resistance when you open up your world.
Resistance within yourself tells you the vulnerability is too much.
Resistance beyond yourself reminds you it's impractical to take such action.
Regardless of resistance, that opening up is a must.

golden

[sweet potato, brazil nuts, 

turmeric root, coconut water]

within

No one holds the answers--
not even to those things that seemed so concrete
you felt sure that they would.
So, the truth instead becomes--
you cannot trust those inputs too deeply
and lose track of the voice within you.
That voice within may not have all of the answers either,
but it can indeed listen for truth.

your way

There is no perfect life... no "right" way of living either. So much is a mystery.

Even the so-called experts know so little about their own domains. Everyone is just giving it a go.

So, no need to worry whether your path is right or the best. It is the best if it seems the right one for you.

It may change along the way, indeed; but, you need not fret.

ways

Her way of living is not wrong.

But for you to live by her way of living -- instead of your own -- is.

powerhouse

[butternut squash, kale, parsley, banana,

brazil nuts, protein powder, maca, cinnamon, 
pink himalayan salt, coconut water]

one-size

Be wary of blanket advice.

We're far too unique of people to assume that there's a one-sized-fits-all approach to facing life's challenges.

a season

You may not understand this time. You may ask what it's supposed to look like.

Maybe there's no "supposed to." Maybe whatever it is, it is. Maybe whatever you choose to make of it must be.

to the brim

The day the achiever celebrates so -- each hour filled with a task -- may, in fact, be the body's biggest nightmare.

So, tune in and breathe.

so smooth

[banana, tahini, cinnamon, maca, 
coconut water, pink himalayan salt]

humanity

Lack of hyper-productivity? That's part of being human-- a beautiful thing.

Thank goodness you're more than machine.

intuition

Trust your spirit.
Trust the half hunches when they come.
They won't seem rational.
They may shift day to day.
But, don't neglect them.
Explore them you must.

simple morning

[hardboiled eggs, spinach, cilantro, 

sea salt, black pepper]

abundance

Burn the candle.
Drink the smoothie.
Wear the shoes.
Drive the car.

Choose abundance.