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Fill Your Cup—Self-Care Sunday

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Hello from Kansas Friend;

Delaina here, I returned home from a road trip from Gilbert, Arizona yesterday. There is something nurturing about a road trip. Maybe it is because I have spent most of my formative years moving and road tripping but I find the experience lifts my soul. I’m sure it helps that we traveled through Colorado and Northern New Mexico, two of my favorite places. Here is a photo from Cumbres Pass.

 

Anyway from the Kansas plains to south/central Arizona traveling with my Mom and sister we witnessed so much beauty. The golden aspen leaves contrasting with the dark storm clouds; the saguaros poking the remnant clouds that trailed behind the hurricane’s storm were dramatic demonstrations of our gorgeous planet that inspire poetry in me.

While I was gone Kristin started sowing the seeds of a new activity book—The Gardener’s Getaway. It is going to be so much fun! I’m so excited to share it with you.

Also, Kristin was inspired to create a new Christmas book that will bring new joy to an old classic. More on this soon.

As for me I am ready to tuck back into my upcoming poetry book with new energy—The Wild Song We Sing. This chapbook sized book includes twenty-one poems, a lyric essay, my photography and a couple of surprises, all brought together in celebration of the life we share together walking each other home in this glorious life. We are so close, and I am finding it hard to be patient. But wait we must.

In love, light, and self-care,
Delaina and Kristin

This weeks newsletter was brought to you by the Cozy Winter Picture This! book.

PS: Would you rather: road trip or fly?

 

a graphic with plant sprigs in two corners on top of fall orange color and the words self-care September; Create moments of joy in the center.

Sunday Self-Care: Ups and Downs

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Self-Care September

Hiya from Kansas where we have gone from the high nineties to the low seventies overnight. One of the advantages of living in the midwest, the weather is a constant reminder to be adaptable. I mean, I’m still sipping a warm cup of tea like usual but I’m also thinking about how much ebb and flow is in our lives and how we can use the changing currents to strengthen our self-care routines.

a graphic with plant sprigs in two corners on top of fall orange color and the words self-care September; Create moments of joy in the center.
We are reading an amazing book called Art Cure by Daisy Fancourt. This is a fantastic book by the way, where Daisy shares information from studies proving that the arts have healing properties both emotionally and physically.

One suggestion mentioned in the book is how music that breaks from predictability helps our brains handle changes in our lives. How powerful is that?!

When I perform live it is mostly in the company of adults caring for people with dementia or people living through dementia. I’ve noticed when playing the handpan, there is a physical change in the audience. As I start playing, the energy in the room starts to relax. Everyone’s breathing deepens. And  when I break from one pattern to bring in different sounds the audience shifts in their chair or will wake a little. Sometimes a foot tap will become a hint of a smile or the other way around. I can see how these small shifts cause a physical change in body language.

I can’t tell you what is going on in the minds of those listening but I can say that I feel a shift in my body as well. It is so easy for me to get in a trance-like state playing. When I notice my mind starts talking, I will shift the sounds to shift the thoughts. I benefit just as much as everyone else in the room. My free-verse style of playing is just one of the reasons I love the voice of the handpan. I feel better and I can tell the small group feels better too.

By the way, Kristin and I will be opening Handpan Magic: A free 5 Day Self-Care Series soon. If you would like to be notified when the doors open, please jump in and  join the waiting list here.

Take a moment today and break from your routine by doing something different that brings you joy. Or simply catch yourself when the negative self-talk starts and change the script to something slightly more positive. Personally, we have found creating moments of positive self-talk can change how we feel about the harder moments. 


Whew, this was a long one today.

We hope you turn a moment into a celebration as a form of self-care.

In love, light, and soul-care,
Delaina and Kristin