there was a time when i considered a personal retreat to be quite a luxury. but i have since discovered a well-kept secret that i can not help but share (and honor on a regular basis): solitude and silence awaken an internal awareness that abolishes external longings. occasionally removing myself from the all-too-familiar territory i call home for a few days does wonders for me on so many levels.

i drove up to santa barbara (a place i fall deeper in love with every time i visit) last week to spend some time in nature and reconnect with the soft-spoken voice inside that so often gets drowned out by all the noise in the world around me. after a few days alone and an abundance of quietude, my senses catapult to new heights, my mind clears, my heart opens, my ego diminishes and my energy awakens. these subtle transformations shift my perspective and encourage a deeper awareness that breathes vitality into my life, where colors appear brighter, faces (both familiar and unfamiliar) become more beautiful, relationships deepen, intentions return to purity and truth rises up out of the darkness.

going away for a few days to sleep outside, under the stars, is something i always long to do this time of year and i am loving these bohemian-style “shelters” that so seductively call my name.

(photos via visualize / sweet home style)

with earth as her canvas and paintbrush in hand, spring has arrived. could she be more lovely? i captured some of her most stunning works of art yesterday on my walk (all in my sweet little neighborhood).

i love the change of season, and spring feels especially exciting this year for some reason. i want to spend my days barefoot in the sun, frequent the farmers market for fresh produce, watch love come about in the form of spring flings, camp out under the stars, gather around the campfire over some music and laughs, road-trip to a beach town i have yet to visit, wear tank tops and flip flops, plan a summer vacation, dance my way into the hot summer nights…

AND climb on the back of a motorcycle on some far away tropical island.

i love those two hour, life-changing naps that slowly remove the foggy spectacles distorting my view, as i drift off to dream of all the magical places my gypsy soul longs to be, while curled up under the many blankets spread across my bed after spontaneously deciding to lie down for just a few minutes to rest my eyes. when i awake, all is right in the world.

i LOVE those kind of naps.

my sweet and lovely friend, sara mednick, who not only gives the best hugs in the world, but also shares my love for this type of slumber, has written a book about the beautiful effects of sleep called take a nap.

you can visit her website here.

last weekend, i attended a screening of the science of inspiration, which is a full-length presentation that sheds light on the world of diabetes and the people who live with it. the documentary, put together by triabetes, followed a group of diabetic individuals training for a triathlon and recorded the tremendous challenges they face and admirably overcome.

triabetes, a project of insulindependence, aims to “shatter preconceived notions of what people with diabetes can do, revolutionizing the way people approach diabetes through inspiration, education of the patient and medical communities about diabetes and exercise, and exploration of the physiological and social foundations of successful diabetes management.”

i have not (up until this point) been aware of the powerful effects this debilitating disease has on millions of lives nor have i experienced it firsthand with someone in my own life. after watching the movie and listening to the touching stories that these brave beings chose to share, I left the theater feeling heartbroken and inspired at the same time.

peter nerothin and nate heintzman are the two very beautiful souls and amazing men behind the movement. to learn more, please visit insulindependence.

words by anais nin

photos via visualize

happy birthday to a woman who has been inspiring me for years.

i have never considered myself a fan of this woman, but i am somewhat mesmerized by her mind and the daring artistry that comes pouring out of it. this song has been stuck in my head for days now simply because the video is so captivating. if it does not get your body moving, i’m not sure what will.

as the most soul-stirring voice that has yet to find its way into my ears, toni childs can take a few words and transform them into an electrifying event that evokes pure emotion on every level.

through her music, she will take you to those obscure places hidden beneath the surface without letting you know she is heading in that direction, while holding your hand just long enough to give you the courage to stay long after you have seen the darkness and felt the intensity of the unavoidable heartache sheltered inside your tiny house of hope, only to emerge with clarity and an overwhelming sense of love that fills up every inch of your being.

a few years ago, while teaching an expressive dance class, i choreographed a piece to her album, union, which turned out to be one of the most soulful, heart-opening experiences of my life that still holds the power to create little (and not so little) spiritual and emotional shifts every time i listen to the songs.

i’ve got to go now (the first song of hers i ever heard and one of the most powerful that she has performed) is about a woman, in love with an abusive alcoholic, who is yearning for the strength to leave and struggling with the process of letting go. hush opens pandora’s box, unleashing my deepest secrets every time i dance to it. let the rain come down, one of my favorites, is absolutely beautiful, asking for truth and the solace that follows. toni sings of love, pain, struggles and lessons that we all meet (sometimes with open arms) in this life.

art by curly girl design

a few weeks ago, i posted a blog about the uniform project, a charitable exercise benefiting children living in the slums of india. i went back to the site to check out some of her innovative outfits and picked a few of my favorites for fun.

i have always been inspired by rooms that combine bohemian flavor, cottage coziness, charming eccentricity, whispered romance and whimsical flair with a mulititude of rich colors, soft lighting, pin-drop silence, fresh air, lovely scents, thick cushions, warm blankets and piles of cushy pillows that seduce my body into resting for hours upon hours as i lose track of time, without distraction from anything going on outside this quaint space.  

 photos via living the poem