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Progress and Self-Care

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Hello Friends from a chilly Kansas!

What a switcheroo from last week’s warm weather. Today we are sunny and 60 outside- an amazing fall day!

Yesterday Kristin and I volunteered at a Barn Sale (a fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s association). We had a lot of crafty fun creating items for the sale over the last couple of weeks, and yesterday the fun continued as we played the handpan and socialized with friends, the residents and their family members. 

It’s fun to step out of the normal routine now and then, right?   

Possibly due to all the extra creativity, but we had an AMAZING brainstorming session on Friday which resulted in  a few brand new ideas and clarity on some projects that we are noodling on. Success all around we say! 

Meanwhile, like a herd of turtles, we are both working on our current manuscripts and staying cozy. 

Delaina’s poetry book series is really taking shape. We are thrilled with the directions that this book is heading in. If you are a poetry lover, or book lover, or friend or supporter and you want first dibs on publication, click HERE to get on our waitlist for this title. 

Have a wonderful self-care week.

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

The Possibilities With-In—Self-Care Sunday

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Hello Friend;

You know Kristin and I have a cup of warm tea and it is 88º degrees here in Kansas. Typical tea drinkers I guess. Nothing to see here. LOL. 

A photo of two women smiling.
We both find comfort in that warm cup. And to be honest there is a lot going on in our world that has us looking for comfort especially in its simplest form.

How are you bringing comfort into your day?

Beyond tea, we have been pulling from our wells of determination as an energy source, and it’s worked. Kristin is almost ready to send the upcoming activity book The Gardener’s Getaway to the editor. It seems like she just started this book and now we could be looking at a November release date!

And I have submitted the poetry book The Wild Song We Sing to the editor for line edits. What was once an idea sparked by a single poem is about to be a full-fledged full-color poetry book. I am ecstatic!

When we follow the energetic nudges that light us up, we honor ourselves. And listening to our bodies is self-care’s golden ticket. We love ourselves enough to acknowledge our needs and follow our ambitions. No matter how big or small our actions are, we can create an environment to thrive with-in. This is true for all of us.

Think about the last time you felt the urge to follow through with something that would bring you joy. You got a little jolt of energy right? You took that spark and turned it into something meaningful for yourself.

Know the best part about our minds? By just recalling that feeling in your body right now you create the experience again. But I bet this time the emotions are even stronger.

The Gardener’s Getaway Activity book is not ready yet but if you are as excited as we are to get your hands on it click here to be notified. 

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

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

Sometimes Self Care

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Hiya:

Kristin and I are putting more effort into our self care. The caregiver hat is hard for us to take off. And I’m not really convinced that we need too. Afterall, it’s not that big of a deal to help someone get groceries, or to make handmade maracas so residents can play along with a handpan or other little things that are easy for us and not so easy for someone else. But sometimes when the needs of others are high we find it difficult to create space for our own well being.

 Small steps, that is how we are doing it. Sometimes we add, sometimes we subtract. Sometimes self care means going to bed early; sometimes it’s binging a great show (hello Karen Pirie;) sometimes it’s as simple as nurturing our faces with lux-feeling skin care products (hello Norwex).

What are you doing this week to take care of yourself?

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

Nourish Your Soul

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Hello;
Kristin and I hope you find delight today in simple and magnificent ways. That you celebrate your breath. That the warm touch of the sun on your cheek makes you feel all the more alive. That you dress your soul in gratitude for all of your emotions. That when you see the world today: you see your value, light, and love on the tips of butterfly wings.

You are what the world needs now. You, just as you are. Eager and ready to live today in each moment. You are powerful and enough to touch someone’s life in the perfect way. Everything is possible because you dare to be, create, and share. Today is a canvas for your creative-divine art. And we can’t wait to see what you manifest through the magic of you.

Personally this week we have been in caregiver mode, taking care of family while also preparing for two local caregiving events. We are taking care of ourselves: listening to music, meditating, playing with our own creations and finding inspiration in the offerings of others.

Here are some of our favorites:


Inner Light music
Laughter Yoga with Dr. Kataria
Indigo by Ellen Bass

Enjoy, and thank you for sharing your magic.

In love, light, and breath
Delaina and Kristin

Self-Care Saturday & Sunday Too

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Hello!

Make today a Self-Care Saturday. Turn your nurturing vibes inward and claim space for your health and well-being.

Inspiration. We love a good quote and will sometimes search the internet for motivating words when we need a little inspiration. One quote we love is written by Kamand Kojouri. “Forget your voice, sing! Forget your feet, dance! Forget your life, live! Forget yourself, and be!” The quote encourages us to let go of self-judgments and celebrate life. We turned this quote into a printable poster and made it available on our Etsy shop.

Music. Music is a great way to breath in calm and exhale stress. To help you settle into your soul and tune into chill Sunday Vibes which are also Self-Care Vibes. Here is a video Delaina created earlier this year.

Coloring. You might have noticed that we love the calming effects coloring offers. We have published sixteen coloring books that use the meditative magic of mandalas. And we have also created smaller printable coloring pages bundles available at Etsy and our Fourthwall shop.

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

Please let us know what you do to show yourself some care and what your favorite self-care tool is.