master's in social work bound: twisting to life's transitions

after shipping oodles of online TranquiliT orders into the wee hours last night, i dropped off my loot under the mailboxes and checked my personal mail. voila, my acceptance letter from catholic university was awaiting my opening! nothing like ending the day (or starting the day) with great news that means oodles of upcoming transition.

this summer has been full of transition: gramma's passing, beau's brother's wedding, move of TranquiliT showroom, repainting and new floor at chez moi, beau's cabin completion, rotator cuff physical therapy + thumb splint for repeated stress injury = no yoga or boxing for 10 days. all this over the past six weeks! needless to say, i am craving a long-term crawl under the covers for some beloved, stable rest and relaxation. alas, dashing off to teach at kripalu sunday - friday so no long-time bed days . . . but a change of pace in a beautiful setting always does one's spirit good!

as i prepare to undertake my second master's degree and first return to school since 2004, i am blissfully excited. j'adore learning new things. the irony is i was contemplating a one-month sabbatical and struggling to find a new yoga teacher training. i haven't had much time off in the past decade of builidng tranquil space and try to do a new teacher training each year to strengthen my skill set as a teacher, but i couldn't find one that hit all the bullets i was seeking: buddhist-focused, intense vinyasa practice, meditation. i will find it, but in the interim i will return to grad school on august 31. many friends have asked what i plan to give up to make this transition and i don't have an answer. there is nothing i want to give up but i anticipate having to lessen my degree of involvement in various projects. i'm hopeful this will carry me through the next four years of MSW work. we'll see.

i view the MSW degree as the ultimate in do-gooding or at least the next big do-gooding step for moi. i'm eager to learn ways to deepen my work, facilitate other's growth, and make as big of a difference as possible. promise to share my experience along the way. merci beaucoup for your support and oh-so-encouraging words thus far!

transitional twists with tranquility:
take deep breaths, regroup regularly through journal writing + meditation + yoga, focus on priorities + deadlines, get your rest, eat healthy with a splash of indulgence (strawberry rhubarb pie), stay hydrated, surroung yourself with beautiful things (candles, flowers, music, furry 4-legged friends), never loose sight of the big picture, find a comfortable routine to help stablize the change happening around you, take more deep breaths.

fun features:
un: julia of all about the pretty mentions TranquiliT in the houston chronicle
deux: new book review of hip tranquil chick
trois: 48-hour 40% off sale happening at TranquiliT through midnight tonight ET