Channel Your Heaven
I can see her now, lying on her back in the grass, under the bright blue sky, knees up, book in hand. River flowing gently in and around the rocks five feet in front of her. Songbirds chirping. Kingfishers diving. Magpies scrounging for scraps. Being able to visualize the places that we love and tap into those feelings in our body when stress looms is such a powerful way for us to soothe our nervous systems so we can relax.
Nature's Restoration: 12 Months of Soft Fascination
For 16 years, I've created photo books of our family adventures. This year, I'm sharing my favorite nature shots and the science of why they restore us. From ancient trees teaching resilience to desert landscapes offering spaciousness—these places help me access my lighter side.
The Power of a Positive List
We're hardwired to notice negative experiences more than positive ones, but research shows we can train our brains differently. My daughter's colorful summer list reminded me that the tools for shifting our perspective are often simpler than we think. The effort isn't much, but the follow-through is key and the benefits are huge.
Allowing Joy
When my friend's husband went missing during a week I was co-facilitating a workshop on resilience, I learned that joy isn't something we earn after solving our problems - it's a practice that sustains us through uncertainty.
Play as a Gateway to Deeper Resilience
I was planning a weeklong retreat on resilience and resistance, but something felt off about addressing play and joy only after the heavy topics. So I decided to lead with play instead—and that decision changed everything. By the final day, participants kept returning to the power of play, affirming what I've long suspected: we build resilient communities not despite our playfulness, but because of it.