April 2024 Newsletter

We can use the momentum of this new season to put some pep in our step. 

Are you ready to whip like a spring wind? What is in your dreamland at this budding time of year? 

It’s spring! 

Hopefully, winter’s over where you are. Does it seem as though the seasons are at a standstill? We know the buds are there, just waiting for the right time to burst forth. Often, I’ll feel a new season arrive on a clearing wind. 

Do you ever feel this way, that the right moment has arrived?  

This month, I struggled with low back issues and a cold that wouldn’t quit. I got out the big guns, used all the tools in my green medicine kit, and am finally on the mend. It’s not time to stop remedying. Actually, this is a pivotal point in helping prevent secondary infections such as sinusitis or bronchitis. 

Two nights ago, I had a clearing dream. We were together with cousins and other family members, and there was...

March 2024 Newsletter

Spring is in the air!

What will you do to greet the new Spring season? 

What memories come to mind? 

Let the new season brighten your mood as you replace the snow shovels with a garden trowel. 

Distill Spring's best and soak up the goodness that comes after making it through another winter. 

I love talking about Spring during late winter. 

I know not everyone lives in Zone 3-6 like me, and you may already be wearing your rain jackets, and tulips may be blooming in your garden. Snow has been scarce in Montana, so I'm considering when to plant my radish seeds. Is starting herbs on the windowsill calling to you?

A harbinger is "a person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another." 

What are you looking for in the Spring? Your spring cleaning may involve changing out your clothes. Word has it that we wear only 20% of our clothing 80% of the time. Haven't worn an item in a year? Make space in your...

It’s February. The Love Month. 

Let’s stop and breathe in this thought:  

the body is incredible. 

How can we tap into its healing potential, especially during times of crisis or anxiety? 

We all have stress. 

Get this…

Stress can positively affect the body. 

What, you say? 

Instead of fearing the effects of stress, 

stress can prime the heart for resiliency. 

Stress isn’t necessarily toxic and surprisingly, can decrease the chance of premature death. 

Wow.

Here are two indisputable thoughts: 

• We all have stress.
• A myriad of changes can occur in the heart during aging. 

 These two facts are indisputable. 

In Kelly McGonigal’s TED Talk, “How to Make Stress Your Friend,” she makes the claim:

 stress can be equated with stress resiliency. 

How do you respond to anxiety? 

Do you…

What's your genius?  

Everyone has a zone of excellence to share.

What's yours? How did that come to be? Thank you for being part of the tide that improves the world. 

How do you move your skill set to a new level if you're working, or retired?

Personally, what's your aim? 

Mine is to broaden my friendship circle. When I was younger, I used to have a sign on my wall that  stated, "Preserve wildlife, throw a party." I love to play charades (ask me about Justin Bieber sometime!)

How do you get out on the edge? 

How do you help lift other boats? 

How do you toot your horn?

Where are you outstanding in your community? 

This year, I will be offering Meetups every two weeks. 

On the second Friday of each month at 3 pm, we'll walk (~ 1 hour) at Peet's Hill behind the Bozeman Library. 

Then, let's get together for a themed party on the fourth Friday, also at 3 pm, in the Community Room at the Bozeman...

Checking In

How do we make this holiday season easy and safe so we can be fully present? Let’s take time to prepare and plan what our holidays will look like this year. Journal, meditate and visualize key events. 

The seasons progress without our help. Here we are at the beginning of the holiday season. Halloween is over. Hopefully, there’s not too much candy remaining.

Prep with Grace

How do you prepare for the holidays? Are you looking to freeze recipes before the big events? Don’t overcommit. I love to make a list of goodies I want to eat in the next two months. Then, I removed at least two recipes. Will the occasion be any less enjoyable with fewer desserts or appetizers? No one will know but me.

Soul Connections

We are so grateful to have another family gathering in a few weeks with everyone, especially one-year-old Henry. Granddaughter Baby Smith is due in mid-December. As a grandparent, it has been one of the most...

October 2023 Newsletter

Elizabeth Packard…unsung hero

Read and be changed

Women’s stories are vast, and some are unforgettable, especially when the storytelling is powerful. 

Life-changing moments happen. 

I had one when I read “The Woman They Could Not Silence” by Kate Moore. 

When was your last life-changing moment? How did your life change? 

I just finished Kate Moore’s  “The Woman They Could Not Silence” by Kate Moore, about Elizabeth Packard in the 1860s and her mighty struggles during her life and incarceration in an insane asylum. 

Books that lead me to see the world in a new way are a rare find. 

What was the last book that did that for you, changed your perception of the world? 

I love a long book. When I found this one in the library's nonfiction section, I was unprepared for a thriller that read like one. Unputdownable, that’s how it’s described on the ...

September 2023 Newsletter Spoiler alert: New stunning health-boosting launch

Let's look at three considerations of a coaching relationship.

The first three aspects of coaching focus on what it means to capitalize on a health training partnership.

• Be authentic

When we think about our health, does this thought come to mind? "Something isn't working or needs a redo."

A coaching relationship is often an opportunity of a lifetime. 

A personal health story can take decades to write. 

Many people ask, "Is it possible to change?" 

Working with a coach is a golden moment. 

Let's put our minds to it. 

As a client, lean into the relationship with me as the coach. 

I'm here for you. 

I've been finessing for decades how best to help people deepen their relationship with health and move forward, and over and under roadblocks.

How do we know when we're being authentic?

• Connect 

The coach's job is to...

August 2023 Newsletter

7 Ways to Feel Re-energized for a Fabulous Summer

Take a journey without ever leaving your home this summer as you lean into these heart-healthy recipes. 

The lighter, summery ingredients in the food recipes are easily digested. 

Eat them for dinner, and rise the next day feeling revitalized and ready to make solid, health-forward choices that keep you accountable for your optimal health plans. 

You can use these breathing techniques anywhere. 

Take a break on your next walk or city stroll. 

Set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes, and explore how you feel after using 4-7-8 Breath or Loving Kindness Meditation. 

Rejuvenate this summer using these best practices. 

Chill, knowing the benefit of this trip will last a lifetime.

4 Epic Summertime Recipes

• Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

This Mediterranean quinoa salad is chock-full of fresh veggies that marinate in a bright, new...

What’s the best path to connection? 

As purpose-filled 55+ women, one of our charges is to create community.

Choose the strength of community as often as you may need it.

We all do better together. 

Let's embrace the light

I’ve been noticing how easy it is to go out for a walk after dinner. It stays light so much longer. The temps are finally warming up (sorry, Houston!) I say hi to kids and neighbors out on their porches. I love noticing familiar faces on walking trails, or at the dog park. The next time you’re out and walking by someone, I invite you to say hi and strike up a conversation about the weather, their dog, and the construction in the area. I was just listening to a podcast that stated that people’s perception of you is more favorable than you think. Go into the next social setting and remember that people like you more than you think. Go ahead, say hi, and see what happens. 

How can we be patient and present?

It’s...