a few photos!

here are a few fun photos from the past week or so. one of us doing yoga at our tranquil space foundation pilot program with high school girls, one of louis in the garden back home, one of louis and me during our day off together in rhinebeck, ny, one of my "altar" in my tiny room the first night and one now, and one of the darling knitting room i mentioned in yesterday's blog. doesn't that room just make you want to be juicy and creative!

hip tranquil chick #81: hot mommas

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Bonjour! Welcome to the 81st edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat. Produced at the Pink Palace in Washington, DC. View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

Today’s podcast is a discussion of The Hot Mommas™ Project with Kathy Korman Frey. In 2001 Ms. Frey founded Vision Forward, a consulting firm focused on accelerated, results-based planning. In 2005, Vision Forward established a research arm - The Hot Mommas™ Project - chronicling the best practices of women leaders in professional AND personal realms.

The Hot Mommas™ Project was developed to fulfill an obvious gap in educational materials. Business skills were being taught but few tools were given to instructors to teach strategic management of time and critical issues outside of work. If our future leaders and entrepreneurs are not being taught how to balance their personal lives and their careers, how can one expect them to be successful at either? Kathy noted this need and started looking to figure out just how one could succeed in business and in life. Out of this realization came the Hot Mommas™ Project, a researched based curricula that aims at finding out the keys to doing everything and doing it well, by taking an objective look at women who are already doing this.

Kathy and her team of “Hot Mommas™” have worked with hundreds of companies and thousands of business executives. During her time as a business consultant, a nonprofit executive, and an educator, she was around women who exemplified the idea of success. It was around the stories of professional women who were successful in multiple aspects of their lives that the Hot Mommas™ protagonist was born.

Ms. Frey is an adjunct professor at The George Washington University School of Business where she has a specialty in unique curriculum development. Ms. Frey developed the entrepreneurship curriculum for Visa’s Practical Money Skills website. In addition, one of her cases developed for The Hot Mommas™ Project is the recipient of a 2006 Coleman Foundation case award. Ms. Frey was also a part of creating GW’s Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) curriculum which won a National Excellence in Entrepreneurship Education Award, Model Specialty Program. She is also the current Associate Director of the Center For Entrepreneurial Excellence or CFEE, an initiative through the George Washington University. Prior to teaching at GW Ms. Frey published “Granny’s Goodies,” a Harvard Business School case study, as well as contributing research for the award-winning book The Collaboration Challenge: How Nonprofits and Businesses Succeed through Strategic Alliances.

Ms. Frey earned her BA in English from The University of Virginia and received her MBA from Harvard Business School. She lives in DC with her entrepreneur husband Josh, Chief Executive Toddler Maxwell, Chief Executive Baby Lilah & VP Doggie Relations Foxy.

Resources

Ted Leonsis' 101 Things to Do List
Take the Hot Mommas Survey!
Hot Mommas Case Studies and Toolkits

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sunday, glorious sunday

yesterday was a lovely day off. having beau and my dear pug nearby was so refreshing. this really is like being at camp and craving a letter from home - it's always good to be reminded of my reality. i've turned in my teacher training workbook to my mentor to get graded so i don't have all my notes in front of me to share. therefore, i'll do the past few days from memory - not easy when you have an exhausted mind (i have one of those tired headaches - know what i mean?) and a sore body (first time i've gotten sore and it's after my day off - odd). anyway, here goes:

friday was fabulous - we broke into two groups during the asana practice. once to watch the assists take place and the other to practice. all afternoon we broke down various poses and how to assist. this was my favorite part so far as i love learning how to give more powerful and potent assists. touching is soooo divine and so neglected these days so being intentional and loving with one's touch, especially as a teacher, is a must-have. also, i tried something new in headstand and was able to hold it longer: draw elbows a bit more narrow than shoulders, squeeze hands together with a small opening between wrists and use the forearms more. this was a TREMENDOUS help to my 3-minute headstand (still need a breather at breath 25). then beau and pug came to pick me off to whisk me off at 11:30pm to a dog-friendly hotel - no pets allowed at omega.

saturday, oh saturday. slept in until 10ish and enjoyed galivanting around rhinebeck. such a cute town! i checked out a darling store called bead and purl. went in and snapped a photo of their leopard-print covered chairs at the big knitting table. too cute. will share once i upload photos. now everytime i see "bead" i get all excited. they only had small beads rather than the large gems i'm working with (watch for my creations coming soon to kimberlywilson.com). then back to omega as beau was heading to hang with his law school buddies in the city and i was in desperate need of a massage. next i hit the omega bookstore. yum! got an AMAZING book - Z.B.A. Zen of Business Administration: How Zen Practice Can Transform Your Work and Your Life by marc lesser. ok, i'm only at the beginning of it but so far, so good. then was excited to get online to handle pending e-mails but no access. wifi was down. ugh - i'm sure there is a lesson there. after drafting many, it finally kicked in and i pulled myself back to the room around 11 to unpack the day's loot from the rhinebeck CVS (toothpaste, lavender eye pillow, detergent, etc.)

while i'm here, i'm also rereading bird by bird by anne lamott. i sneak in a page or two when we're supposed to start at 1:45 and we don't start until 1:47. thus, i will literally be reading bird by bird - one small page at a time. if you desire to write, this book is a must-have on your shelf!

today has been tough due to sheer exhaustion and soreness coupled with a pretty intensive day of lecturing on sanskrit (4 hours so far, 3 to go) and yoga philosophy (1.5-2 hours)! i'm hoping to be in better form tomorrow after some good rest.

oh, and here's the report card from my pug's visit with beau's friends last night: "so louis peed on about 3 different things... hopped on tables and sofas (not allowed for their dog)... stole crackers off a plate... he was a basic nightmare. oh yeah, pooed on the floor too." oops! any pup disciplining tips? yikes!

ok, must dash to eat my greens and beets. look forward to sharing more once my workbook is back.

may muse

bonjour! each session ran over today so i'm scrambling a bit to eat dinner, write, shower (it's a must after today's practicing), don my white, and head to satsang, soooooo i'm sharing my muse that i wrote for the may tranquil space newsletter. we learned a TON today so i'll wrap it up into a fun package with a bow during my day off tomorrow. au revoir! tranquil space may muse:

lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu: may all beings everywhere be happy and free and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and freedom for all.

greetings from my month-long jivamukti teacher training in ny. we’re only a few days into it and many of us (110 participants) feel like it has been weeks. the schedule is intense with breakfast at 7am, mediation at 8, practice at 9, lecture until noonish, lunch, four+ hours of afternoon workshops, dinner, and three hours of evening satsang ending at 11pm. i’m getting used to the immersion, but during our first meditation practice all i could think about was how i would be able to get my eight+ hours of sleep, stay in contact with all at home, and shower during our short breaks.

i was a bit panicky as i’d expected at least a few minutes of down time each day and brought books, beading, journals, and an art kit. guess i’ll be saving those for when my beau and pug come to visit on my days off. sure I’d read the schedule but nothing can fully prepare you for a regimented 16-hour day. i’m happy to say that despite the challenges it is all working out perfectly. i’ve honed the craft of utilizing every minute to the fullest to get it all in and still get as much sleep as i can.

during my first full day here i managed to set off the dorm fire alarm by burning nag champa incense plus two candles (shhhh – i’m burning my stargazer lily candle as i write this but have it on the windowsill to avoid upsetting the hypersensitive alarm) and showed up for evening satsang in all black. in case that doesn’t sound odd to you, everyone else was wearing all white. i asked a sweet girl from south america next to me why everyone was in white, she replied, “it’s a satsang!” in her lovely accent. like, duh – everyone knows that. apparently i didn’t, so luckily i brought a soy cardishawl and neckscarf. guess i’ll be donning that every night.

oh, and we were given a neti pot for our shat karma. i couldn’t get mine to work. kept pouring the water with salt into a nostril and it wouldn’t go out the other. the water just stayed there and i felt like i was drowning. who would have thought neti potting could be so tricky? i’m determined. stay tuned.

many people have asked why i’m taking this training. i’m obsessed with learning, grasping, experiencing, absorbing. since i began teaching in 1999, i’ve taken ten other teacher trainings, attended oodles of workshops and conferences, and received certificates from various teachers – all with the hope of becoming the best teacher and practitioner that i can be. my practice and teaching has changed tremendously over the years and will continue to do so as we’re all evolving beings. this one-month training with such an incredibly respected and thorough style seemed to be the next challenge for me. so here i am – cramming in the newsletter muse while others are still consuming their vegetarian lunch, living in a room the size of my office at the studio (yep, that tiny “room” that the electrician thought was our electrical closet), setting off fire alarms, showing up in the wrong color, trying out a neti pot, and embracing every minute of it.

as i was walking back to my room to type this muse out on my iBook, i came across a beaver (or a very chubby squirrel) in the woods and it made me smile. how often do i get to see these little critters in the city or hear the consistent sounds of nature outside my window – sans sirens? i feel truly blessed to be here and i am incredibly excited to share with you what i’ve learned when i return late may.

the sun is shining

more fun today AND we ended our afternoon session one hour early. we were all in shock and i'm elated as i may actually get to shower (i'm sure my neighbors are delighted about that one, too). i'll choose sleep and e-mail over a shower any day, much to my beau's chagrin.

today has been my favorite learning experience thus far as we're touching on sequencing and assists - my two favorite pieces of teacher training - how to lead a class. the metronome of the breath (inhale, 2, 3, 4, exhale, 2, 3, 4), the importance of setting an intention, vinyasa means "vi" - an ordering, "nyasa" - conscious placement, the importance of repeating a message over and over again, and to think of teaching/assisting as a dance - one person leads and the other follows. lovely.

today's sutra is vastu-samye citta-bhedat tayor vibhaktah panthah which means "each individual person perceives the same object in a different way, according to their own state of mind and projections. everything is empty from its own side and appears according to how you see it. the example used was that of a pen. we see a pen as a writing tool. a dog sees a pen as a chew toy (at least my dog does). we see things (and people) according to how we can use it. the thing itself doesn't mean anything, the seer determines what the thing is. interesting, eh?

we got the tranquil space newsletter out today (edited it during lunch) and am delighted to share that, as part of the studio's karma yoga program, we're sponsoring a pig (i LOVE pigs) from the farm sanctuary. how fun to have our own little pig? ok, he/she won't be roaming the studio but we'll be supporting it from afar. gotta dash, the shower is calling.

it's raining, it's pouring

it's dreary outside but spirits are still bright. i have amazing news - i bought a chocolate vegan brownie that is to die for and DIDN'T FINISH THE WHOLE THING. ok, maybe this seems like a small feat to you, but i've never been known to not finish anything sugary. i feel like this is my first breakthrough! maybe next i'll conquer that darn neti pot.

while purchasing my vegan chocolate brownie during a 15-minute break at 4 i snuck online, downloaded 100 new messages, and my pulse went up. why can't i just wait until dinner break? why do i feel pulled to connecting to the outside world? i'm sure my replies and knowing what is happening in dc, et. al. can wait until they let us out to eat dinner. ahhhhh. anyone else's pulse rise when they think about what is in their in box? it's such an odd phenomenon. maybe all this meditation will help.

today we learned a new sutra: Ishwara pranidhanad va which translates to "by giving your life and identity to God, you attain the identity of God." still trying to grasp this one fully - it's about surrender and acknowledging that if your actions are enhancing the lives of others, then you are acting within the divine will.

yesterday's was very good and is a well-known sutra: Yogas Citta Vrtti Nirodhah which translates to "when you stop identifying with your thoughts, fluctuations of the mind, then there is yoga. identify with self which is samadhi, happiness, bliss, ecstacy." those darn thoughts. it's not the e-mails that are the problem. it's the anxious thoughts surrounding the e-mails, what's being missed, what's not being handled, etc.

gotta dash so i can down some greens and don some white! hope these sutras give you something to chew on. would love to hear any thoughts/insights you have on them whether they're new to you or not. let's grow together, girls. isn't that what all this (life) is about?

day two

alright, i'm a bit more stabilized after yesterday's culture shock. i guess that is to be expected but i hadn't really prepared myself for needing to acclimate (kinda like climbing mt. everest - ok, i emphasize KINDA). i woke up well rested, had my cup of green tea, and have been in much better spirits today. knowing what i'm in for helps.

our morning practice involves 75 breaths in shoulderstand (not my fave pose) and 50 in headstand (not easy). in addtion, we learned about kriyas today and i was given my first neti pot. i feel like a neti pot drop out. i tried 5 times and the water wouldn't come through my other nostril - felt like i was drowning. apparently i'm blocked. gotta work on that one. also, we got a skin brush and tongue scraper. all sorts of new toys. learned anatomy all afternoon and 3 hours of chanting, meditation, and lecture tonight. so all-encompassing.

apparently my nag champa incense set off the fire alarm last night. oops . . . maybe burning that plus 2 cotton scented and star gazer lily scented candles was too much! gotta beg the beau to bring real star gazer lillies when he comes up on saturday for my day off. god forbid i go without scents due to an overly sensitive fire alarm!

dashing off for dinner and to throw on a soy cardi shawl. apparently that's what people wear to satsang. i arrived in all-black last night. oops.

check out a fun online interview here. au revoir.

i have arrived!

so, i'm sneaking a few moments of space to write as the past 2 days have been insane. yesterday's drive should have taken 6 hours according to map quest but took 8 long hours due to tons o' traffic. i got to omega at 10:30pm, set up my tiny but oh-so-cozy room, set my alarm for 7pm (instead of 7am as i meant to), and fell into slumber. woke up at 7:03am despite the AM/PM snafu, went to breakfast and the day began. turns out we start everyday with meditation at 8am and go until 11pm. yep, 11pm!

all during meditation this morning i kept worrying about when i would be able to blog, when i would be able to shower, when i'd be able to check e-mails, when i'd be able to read the 10 books i brought, and when i'd be able to write in my journal. all these things that i'm used to (check e-mails and shower) and was hoping to do (like read and write in my journal) are quite limited.

our exciting sessions have consistently run over, creeping 30 minutes into our meal time. thus, i'm pooped. after a very long drive, a crazy week in prep for this month, and running from one thing to the next, i'm exhausted. i hope to replenish as the information is exciting, the people (110 of 'em) appear to be inspiring (although i tend to keep to myself in new groups), and the location is lovely (woodsy with a creek running near my window).

i'll be sure to upload some photos shortly as my room is soooo cozy with all my accoutrements and i was lucky enough to get the corner room so i have 2 windows which is a beautiful perk. ok, gotta dash off to the evening's 3-hour satsang session but wanted to touch base to let you know:

1. i promise to share insights from the month
2. my creativity and online activity is quite limited due to an action-packed schedule
3. i'm honored to be able to connect with each of you (whether we've met virtually, in person, or are simply kindred spirits)

xoxo

hip tranquil chick #80: be amBitchous

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Bonjour! Welcome to the 80th edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat. Today’s podcast is a discussion of ambition with author Debra Condren! View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

While I’m in NY for my month-long teacher training, I’ve got a series of fabulous interviews lined up with some phenom women. We’ll resume our regular format when I return late May. Stay tuned at hiptranquilchick.com/blog as I’ll be musing regularly on my experience and insights during the training. And a reminder that we have a few left for the Hip Tranquil Chick Retreat in June – complete with a holistic health chef, specialty workshops, and more! Details at hiptranquilchick.com.

Debra Condren has coached thousands of women at every level—from those just starting out, to the most powerful female executives in America—and in each of them is the same fear of going after a dream because she’ll be seen as selfish, bitchy, a bad wife or bad mother. But it’s exactly this fear of ambition that has forced women to leave the best part of themselves—their dreams, their great talents—by the roadside, and has made them less able to be the whole person they should be in every area of life. Condren has a new message and mission: To remind women that ambition is a virtue, not a vice. Ambition is the best of who we are.


amBITCHous, by Debra Condren, Ph.D.


Thanks for joining me for the 80th edition of the HTC podcast!

• You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes!
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the summer day by mary oliver

As I prepare for my departure tomorrow, I wanted to share a favorite poem 
that asks a very important question - what is it you plan to do with your 
one wild and precious life? 
Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean--
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down--
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?

80s yoga + prep

ahhhh, another action-packed day at the studio - complete with coordinating a surprise luncheon for our studio director, teaching a class and a fun workshop to 80s tunes, and finalizing some last minute details. 80s yoga was a hit among the 30-something crowd and pour some sugar on me seemed to be the favorite hit of the night. guess that goes without saying - god bless def leppard.

i received some more oh-so-thoughtful goodies today - a batch of homemade ginger snaps that were supposed to be for my journey yet i consumed them ALL today, a bag of chocolate, and a yummy scented candle for my luxe accommodations. guess i'll have to go away more often - goodies are fun!

tomorrow starts with a book signing at circle yoga, my last class at the studio for a month, a run with my supportive running buddy who also hosts graceful edge, podcast prep for the month i'm away (never fear - i've been putting them together in anticipation of being away so you'll still have your weekly dose!), and packing!

i also plan to share my journey with each of you by blogging when i get a free moment. although the schedule is incredibly action-packed, i promise to connect as often as i can.

thanks for all your well wishes as i embark on this exciting experience. xoxo

do-gooding does a body good

i'm soooo excited to share that today i held my first pilot of the tranquil space foundation with a phenom cohort, amanda hirsh! over the weekend 3 fabulous femmes from our steering committee held the very first one while i was in denver. the girls seemed to love it - especially the yoga and journal writing. at the end we had the girls share what they had learned from the brief program and many planned to carry on with the yoga, to use the breathing techniques in stressful situations, and to use their journals as a tool for getting in touch with their feelings. voila - this is EXACTLY what we were hoping for.

this week has been non-stop (do you note a pattern here?). ok, really, more so than others. considering i'm leaving on sunday for a month-long teacher training, there are so many loose ends to tie up - not to mention packing. i plan to bring a new stargazer lily-scented candle i picked up in denver, framed photos of beau and pug, my ultra-soft sheets, feather bed, 6 pillows, fresh flowers, and oodles of books to make sure it feels like home. considering my room looks like this inside and this outside, it is important to make it ubertranquil.

yesterday i walked in to find the sweetest goody bag package filled with scents, lotions, samples, and more from our fellow product lover, julia. what a thoughtful gesture - absolutely made my day! thank you, julia, for sharing your passion for products in such a generous way - you definitely are a southerner.

tomorrow morning i'm off to teach my final chair yoga for seniors at the assisted living center before i go. i can't wait to see their smiling faces. since beau is now self-employed, maybe i'll drag him and louis the pug along to enjoy the fun.

it feels so odd to be wrapping up my affairs (even redrafted my will today) before i dash off for a month. the longest i've been away from my baby (the studio) is two weeks and that was for my 30th birthday. i keep having anxiety dreams that i can't get online. hmmmm, can we say addicted? well, i promise to get online as often as i can while still staying true to the training.

my do-gooding today feels very good. i'm delighted to see that our efforts since july last year are coming to fruition and having a positive effect on the girls we meet. this means so much. now, off to bed so i can see my favorite seniors in the morning. sleep tight and let's go do some do-gooding!

wind shears + deep breathing

happy to be grounded and home after a few fabulous days in sunny denver. yesterday's trek around boulder and sushi with an old high school pal proved to be quite hip and tranquil. this morning began like any other (sipping a cup of rose bud green tea) and packing to head to the airport.

the flight was fairly non-eventful and then the descent began. yikes. my pulse goes up and my breath gets short with minor turbulence. this should have sent me into shock. however, for some reason, i was quite calm while many passengers were getting sick. ever have those moments where you say to yourself, "whatever happens is ok. i've had a good life." well, that's where i was today.

as we finally began to drop the landing gear and head in, the plane did a quick ascent and we were back into the clouds. when the pilot came on, he explained that he'd received a wind shear warning and we had to circle before heading back in. ahhhh, my yogic breathing came in very handy. landed (never been so happy to be grounded), hopped in a cab, picked up louis, home to unpack, and off to the studio for yoga 3. lord knows i needed it after this "event."

life is funny like that. after today's horrific event in virginia, and the treacherous landing, i feel compelled to be extremely grateful for all i have - even the challenges, blemishes, dirty laundry, etc. . . .

yoga peeps interview

i virtually met lara of yoga peeps about a year ago - absolute doll! we recently did another podcast interview focused around my book. to hear us discuss all things hip and tranquil, click here. enjoy and best wishes for a phenom sunday. it's bright and sunny here in denver so we're hitting the road for a boulder day trip filled with yoga, tea, and more.

another addiction . . .

ginger chews. they're like gummy bears but better! so during one of the 3-hour workshops today, i passed out a ginger chew for the girls to savor during a meditation - WHAT a way to practice mindfulness! after teaching 9 hours in the past 24 hours, i'm looking forward to an evening in with some old and new friends. crazy to think that in one week i'll be packed up for a month-long journey in new york. i'm so excited to immerse myself in the practice and philosophy of yoga. tomorrow we plan to do some more colorado exploring - complete with a yoga class and tea house visit.

hope you're loving the podcast with keri smith as much as i did. she's a creative inspiration.

hip tranquil chick #79: guerilla creativity

• click play to hear this episode, or click here to listen to older shows!
• direct download (mp3)

Bonjour from Denver! Welcome to the 79th edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat.

Today’s podcast is on a discussion of creativy with author and creativity extraordinarre Keri Smith, topped of with a look and pose of the podcast, and fun tunes! View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

Keri Smith is an author/illustrator turned guerilla artist. She is the author and illustrator of several books including Wreck This Journal, an activity book for creative destruction (2007 Penguin Books), and the Guerilla Art Kit, everything you need to put your message out into the world (2007, Princeton Architectural Press), Living Out Loud: activities to fuel a creative life, (2003, Chronicle Books), Tear Up This Book (2005, American Girl), Story in a Box-Cinderella, and Princess and the Pea (2001, Chronicle Books).

As a free lance illustrator she has worked for a wide variety of clients worldwide. Most recently Random House, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Ford Motor Co., The Boston Globe, Galison/Mudpuppy Press, and Hallmark. In the last few years she has given lectures and workshops on the topic of "living creatively" for the How Design Conference, the Ontario Graphic Artist's Assocation, UC Davis, and schools across North America. She has been featured in How, Step by Step, Print, Bust, and many more. Having left her home of Toronto in recent years Keri currently lives in Troy, NY. Learn more at kerismith.com.

Pose of the Podcast: Double pigeon

Look of the Podcast: Tube top

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for the book, CD, leopard print scarf, or crystal tee.


Community Corner: Let me know what fun hip and tranquil events around the book and/or philosophy you have going on and I’ll share them here. Check out our desktop, ecards, and forum on our connect page!

Please share your feedback at our hip tranquil survey!

Soirees, Chats, Booksignings & Retreats: Escape with me and like-minded women at our first HTC retreat in upstate NY in June and our first international excursion in Costa Rica in September. Details for all special events at hiptranquilchick.com.

Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com. A reminder that we’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

Have a burning question that you’d like hip and tranquil feedback on? E-mail me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com to have it featured and answered in our dear hip tranquil chick segment found on the blog.

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music by new and independent artists from Podsafe Music Network. Today’s selection is When Pluto Plays Pingpong by Electrix. You can learn more this week's featured artist, including how to get more of his music at electrixmusic.de.

Thanks for joining me for the 79th edition of the HTC podcast. Get your creativity on!

• You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes!
• New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.
• Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.
• Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed.
• Interested in starting a podcast for yourself, your organization or your business? Check out tim-mooney.com!

bonjour from denver!

i'm prepping for my 3-hour hip hips workshop tonight and delighted to be back in the gorgeous wild, wild west! as we flew in yesterday, i realized that it has been ten years since i've been in this amazing city. considering i took my first yoga class nearby (summit county), it's unacceptable to have had such a delay in returning to one of my favorite parts of the country. the vibe here is so much more laid back than what i'm used to, but it's a fun change of pace.

had trouble sleeping the night before last so i got up and hit the computer before the alarm went off at 6:45am. then we drove sweet louis to the puppy sitter (i'm already having separation anxiety), returned home and handled lots of loose ends before dashing off to the airport. the flight was smooth and i'd just picked up a fabulous book - small giants: companies that choose to be great instead of big - so i was thoroughly entertained and inspired. then we arrived at lisa's home (one of our first tranquil space teachers who recently relocated to colorado) to settle into our home away from home for the weekend. the evening ended with a lovely mexican meal out with friends from the local yoga community including the be present founders and om time founders - a lovely clan.

today began with a phenom class at core power, a phone interview, a fab italian lunch topped off with chocolate mousse, a trip to one of the other studios where lisa teachers, and a journey through the tattered cover book store (where i was delighted to find a copy of my book to sign AND fancy nancy's new book!).

gotta run to put the finishing touches on tonight's workshop. i hope each of you are having a fabulous start to your weekend. take a moment over the weekend for an artist's date - a solo excursion that nurtures your creative self. it could be a bubble bath, a browse through an art gallery or book store, some alone time with your journal at an outdoor cafe, playtime with your sketch pad, a class on beading, painting your own pottery, or simply walking the aisles of a nearby craft store. get lost in the moment.

happy friday 13th!

extraordinarily outrageous

just finished a phenom teleclass with some fabulous girls on blooming into spring. the consistent theme we discussed was the importance of being as extraordinarily outrageous as possible. have you ever really thought about that? i mean how you can be your most fabulous, outrageous, glamorous, mindful, and brilliant self? now THAT is something to ponder.

as my favorite marianne williamson poem reminds us, we are all meant to shine. now tell me, girls, what extraordinarily outrageous thing can you do today to ensure you're leading your most vibrant life? enquiring minds want to know!

hip tranquil survey

girls,

we're asking for your feedback on all things hip and tranquil. click here to share your thoughts to help us shape future podcasts, offerings, retreats, and more! merci beaucoup for your time and connection with the hip tranquil chick experience.

cabin fever

beau, pug, and i returned to dc late this afternoon and i was delighted to get online. reconnection. the time away flew by and was filled going through magazines that were long overdue, making a new collage of fun images, coloring easter eggs, taking strolls with pug, reconnecting with my dear best friend and her beau, reading case studies of tranquil space prepared by GWU students, napping, and sipping tons o' tea by fireside. a true treat.

although there were moments where i would begin asking all sorts of questions or push for us to do yoga, play taboo, go on an excursion, collage, and my companions would encourage me to enjoy being. um, ok, but can't we DO something? ever experienced cabin fever even though it is exactly what you need?

so, i woke up this morning to a lip glossed pug. he found some all-natural lip tint that i'd brought with me, pried open the screw-on lid, and managed to get it all over himself. too cute. our little rouged puppy.

hip tranquil chick podcast #78: creativity cravings

click play to hear this episode... or click here to listen to older shows!

Bonjour! Welcome to the 78th edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat. Produced at the Pink Palace.

Today’s podcast is an interview with Gail McMeekin on creativity & more, along with a pose of the podcast, look of the podcast, added community corner, and more festive podsafe music! View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

Gail McMeekin is a national executive, career, and creativity coach as well as a licensed psychotherapist and writer located in Boston. She has over 30 years of experience helping people vision and achieve their personal, professional, and creative goals. She is the author of The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women: A Portable Mentor (Conari Press, 2000) which sold out its first printing in 8 weeks and The Power of Positive Choices (Conari Press, 2001) which won the Living in Balance magazine Award in 2001. She also wrote the 90-minute audiocassette workshop-on-tape Positive Choices: From Stress to Serenity which has been featured in Human Resource Executive, Training, The Improper Bostonian and The Lifestyle Book of Tufts Associated Health Plan. Her work has been featured on television and radio as well as in major publications such as Investor’s Business Daily, National Business Employment Weekly, Boston Business Journal, Redbook, Shape, Woman’s Day, Health, The Boston Globe, One Spirit Bookclub, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was also an AOL Career Center Leader on Success Strategies for five years and she co-created and co-hosted a television series called “Professionals in Transition” in Brookline, Massachusetts. Her company, Creative Success, LLC works with individuals and groups to maximize creative self-expression, the pursuit of fulfilling work, and experience positive living. She has worked on career development and outplacement projects with organizations in a variety of fields, such as New England Telephone Company, Fidelity Investments, State Street Bank, Bank of New England, Boston College, etc.

Gail has a B.A. from Connecticut College, an M.S.W. from Boston University, and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Bentley College. She also completed the coursework for The Coaches Training Institute in California. She has coached and trained clients in executive and career development and outplacement, creativity, positive life choices, stress management, positive management strategies, time management, professional development, and women’s business development. She is a member of the International Coach Federation, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and the Women’s Business Network in Wellesley, Massachusetts. She has helped thousands of people action-plan their way to success and balance.

Pose of the Podcast: Utkatasana Twist

Look of the Podcast: Tres Tunic

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for the book, CD, leopard print scarf, or crystal tee.

Community Corner: Let me know what fun hip and tranquil events around the book and/or philosophy you have going on and I’ll share them here. Check out our desktop, ecards, and forum on our connect page!

Soirees, Chats, Booksignings & Retreats: Denver gals - workshops and book signing at Omtime in April. All gals - Escape with me and like-minded women at our first HTC retreat in upstate NY in June and our first international excursion in Costa Rica in September. Details for all special events at hiptranquilchick.com.


Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com. A reminder that we’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

Have a burning question that you’d like hip and tranquil feedback on? E-mail me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com to have it featured and answered in our dear hip tranquil chick segment found on the blog.

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music by new and independent artists from Podsafe Music Network. Today’s selection is Up All Night by Lee Rosevere. You can learn more this week's featured artist, including how to get more of his music at the Happy Puppy Records website.

Thanks for joining me for the 78th edition of the HTC podcast. Get your creativity on!

You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes!

New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.

Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.

Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed.

Interested in starting a podcast for yourself, your organization or your business? Check out tim-mooney.com!

cabin bound

beau, pug, 2 dear pals and i are heading out to the mountains for the weekend to savor some down time. we planned this in december since it was our next free weekend and can't wait to take some time off. we've got collage making (much to the boy's chagrin), smore eating, hot tub soaking, reading, writing, hiking, and easter egg decorating/hunting on the agenda.

if you're a denver reader (or live in that gorgeous region), i've attached the scoop on next weekend's workshops at omtime. hope to meet you!

best wishes for a phenom weekend. fab podcast with author gail mcmeekin coming this sunday! also, there are a few spaces left for the blossom into spring teleclass next week. scoop here!

tranquil space kudos

we were named as one of the top 25 yoga studios in the world. check it out at here! we're so honored and it is such a treat to see an 8-year-old baby get such recognition.

you're invited: private TranquiliT trunk show tonight

here's the scoop:

when: TODAY from 4:30-8pm
where: at unsung designers
2412 18th street, rear door
in alley
why: because it's fun; we have our new spring palette in (latte and shell) and we'll have vino, cheese, cupcakes, plus a sample sale! stop by and say "bonjour," merci beaucoup.

iPod playlist confession

so have you ever wondered what's playing on someone's playlist? well, the fabulous happy booker asked so here it is. now tell me, what's playing on yours?

dear hip tranquil chick . . .

Q: I have a really good friend that has been at the crossroads of her life because she is turning 30 this year and just finished graduate school. She was very tired of her career but never did anything to take steps to change this. She recently connected with a man that went to the same high school but she did not know well at the time. They have talked everyday via phone or email and totally hit off, they say they are soul mates and he just proposed. She is planning to move across the country to be with him without a job and have him support her financially until she finds one. I want to share my thoughts with her that I feel she should be a little more independent and not rush into marriage. I would like to share these thoughts without ruining our friendship. But if it really is none of my business then I will just swallow up my thoughts and wait for the wedding invites. What’s my role as a friend in this situation?

A: Dear concerned friend, it is hard to determine how best to handle a situation such as this when you feel strongly that a beloved is making a bad choice. It sounds to me (from your second sentence) that you're frustrated that your pal did not work to get herself out of an unfulfilling career and is seeking the passion she longed for in a man she's known a short time - who just happens to live on the other side of the country.

It's always hard to watch a dear friend make a choice that we don't agree with, but sometimes we have to let others explore what they feel is best for themselves. This doesn't mean you can't share your concerns in a gingerly fashion, but your friendship is top priority. Sometimes voicing concerns such as these will push a friend away because they are feeling judged and no one like to feel judged.

She's going through a lot of inner turmoil as switching jobs and moving across the country are high stressors, not to mention becoming involved in a new relationship. This is where she needs you most. Our friends and family will never make all the right choices or the choices that we would make (shocking, i know!) but we must remember that everyone is doing the best they can and it is important for us to be there to honor them along the way (within reason and with boundaries - which is a whole separate post!). Good luck!

hip tranquil chick #77: pilates, do-gooding & novel writing

click play to hear this episode... or click here to listen to older shows!

Welcome to the 77th edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat. Produced at the Pink Palace.

Today’s podcast is on a discussion of pilates, do-gooding & novel writing with Stacy Sims, topped of with a look and pose of the podcast, and fun tunes! View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

In 2001, Stacy left a career in marketing and arts management to finish her first novel. Swimming Naked was released by Viking in 2004 to critical acclaim. The Chicago Tribune called a “fresh, edgy … brutally moving first novel” and Border’s Books selected it for its national Original Voices program. Stacy is also the owner of Pendleton Pilates, which she founded in 2001. She runs a nationally recognized Teacher Training program, has been published in national fitness and yoga magazines and had conducted workshops in the U.S. and abroad. See pendletonpilates.com.

Stacy is at work on her second novel and is a sought after speaker and presenter on the topics of addiction, mind and body alignment, and purposeful leadership.

Pose of the Podcast: Anjali Mudra

Look of the Podcast: Savasana throw

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for the book, CD, leopard print scarf, or crystal tee.

Community Corner: Let me know what fun hip and tranquil events around the book and/or philosophy you have going on and I’ll share them here. Check out our desktop, ecards, and forum on our connect page!

Soirees, Chats, Booksignings & Retreats:

Bloom Into Spring Le Chic Teleclass Chat - you will learn:

o My fave tranquility-invokers
o Creative steps for blossoming this spring
o How to create an action plan to move forward
o Ways to ensure self-care along the way
o Chic and comfy spring trends (including a TranquiliT discount code)
o Yoga poses to assist your journey

We’ll focus on small steps to begin moving in the direction of your hip and tranquil dreams. The fun will be held on Wednesday, April 11 at 8:30pm EST (7:30 CST, 6:30 MST, 5:30 PST). The fee for this class is $29. You can add on a “boost” for a 1-hour 1:1 mentoring session for a total of $150. To reserve your spot, sign up online.

Denver gals - workshops and book signing at Omtime in April.

All gals - Escape with me and like-minded women at our first HTC retreat in upstate NY in June and our first international excursion in Costa Rica in September. Details for all special events at hiptranquilchick.com.

Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com. A reminder that we’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music by new and independent artists from Podsafe Music Network. Today’s selection is Everything Changes by Delaware. You can learn more this week's featured artist, including how to get more of her music at myspace.com/delawareuk.

Thanks for joining me for the 77th edition of the HTC podcast.

You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes!

New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.

Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.

Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed.

Interested in starting a podcast for yourself, your organization or your business? Check out tim-mooney.com!