I hope everyone is healthy, safe and at peace. While our political climate is none of those things, seeking out small glimmers of hope, kindness and joy in our daily lives provides nourishment for the quiet waters of our peaceful inner landscapes.
This is just a quick note to say hello. Not yet a return to writing regularly, just a moment of presence.
Last Spring I made an intentional decision to step back from writing on Substack to focus on an important professional milestone in my architecture career. I knew it would require attention, discipline, and energy (which, for most of us is always in short supply… thanks capitalism, ew). I’ve been working toward a goal that has asked me to move more quietly. To narrow my focus, work steadily behind the scenes, and trust a slower, less visible rhythm. A goal that I intended to meet a couple decades ago, but life always got in the way.
I’ve missed writing in the Substack space, where there’s room to think out loud and to let ideas unfold. To unburden my racing mind with conversations that live at the intersection of Yoga, social justice, mindfulness and community care.
Though the practice of Yoga hasn’t disappeared, longer stretches of time off my Yoga mat have been necessary. Yoga has been showing up in different ways in my life. It shows up in how I weigh decisions, in how responsibility is held and in how systems are studied from a place of nuance. For this, I’m grateful. One of the main reasons I practice Yoga and encourage others to practice is the magic of the practice and its ability to sustain us in everyday life out in the wild, off the mat.
In this season of life I’ve immersed myself into questioning what mindful design and the built environment mean to me. When the stakes are high and human life is all that matters, questions about accountability, access and safety mean practicing with intention and care. It’s the kind of work that sharpens judgment. The work has demanded a slower, more attentive pace and its allowed me to thread my values of alignment, community and action together in a way I didn’t expect.
I’m still in this focused season so I’m not quite ready to return to regular writing for The Yoga Community yet. For a bit longer, I’ll be quietly building and allowing life to take shape in forms that require grace and patience.
Enough about me… I just wanted you all to know I’m here and I’m beyond grateful for this space and those who enjoy my mind dumps and ramblings. When the time is right and more plentiful, I’ll be back. I’m looking forward to sharing what this chapter has been preparing me for, and I’m excited to take all of you with me as my life’s adventures continue to unfold.
Until then, I wish you a grounded, spacious 2026. Thank you for being here, for allowing room for purposeful pauses and grace, and as always...
Glimmers, the opposite of triggers, are those small moments that spark feelings of joy, peace and safety. As opposed to triggers, which activate our stress and survival responses, glimmers activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Glimmers nurture our internal physical environment in a way that leads our minds and bodies to a state of calm and restfulness.
As we begin a new year, instead of looking back at what was, or looking forward to the unknown, can you live in the moment and look for glimmers that bring you joy and hope? What are your glimmers? Here are a few of mine…
Giggling babies.
Spectacular sunrises and sunsets.
Rain tapping on windows.
Warm laundry right out of the dryer.
Soft blankies.
Fuzzy slippers.
Kind words.
Gentle touch.
Eye contact.
Smiles from strangers.
Music.
Birthday parties.
Snuggs with my furkid.
Time with friends.
Visiting with my mom.
Sand between my toes.
Crashing waves.
Fresh baked cookies.
Deep belly breaths.
Rainbows after the rain.
Poetry.
Books.
Fireworks.
Random acts of kindness.
Whatever your glimmers may be - notice them. Savor them. Sit with them.
