The Essential Meditator 002: An intention for a low-key summer

For years I wore my busy-ness as a sort of badge of honor.

A weekend with lots of plans was something to look forward to. A day where I rose with the sun and kept on going until late into the night was something I thought a “successful” summer day looked like.

There were hours of research, strategizing, and coordinating with the goal of architecting my ideal summer days.

One summer a few years ago, I wore my poor brother out with a 3-day, non-stop Boston itinerary.

We whale-watched, toured Fenway, Duckboated, and visited every single landmark on the Freedom Trail.

Ate our fill of cannolis at Mike’s Pastries and pizza at Regina’s on the North End….

….Chinese barbeque, Japanese shabu-shabu and Vietnamese pho in Chinatown.

Zoomed through all the shops on Newbury Street.

It culminated with ascending the Bunker Hill monument (294 steps up...and then down!) the afternoon before his flight back home to Tennessee.

He said he could barely move his legs and that it was quite possibly the most painful plane ride home of his life….(sorry, Jay!).

And it was like this with all the “fun things” I planned. All action, no rest in between.

Sure, there were some fun moments. But it was so rushed that we lost out on the opportunity to fully appreciate each event.

Overall it was, honestly, exhausting. The trip really could have been broken up into two or more separate visits!

When I think deeply as to why I worked hard to fill my days, the truth of it is that I felt like I was missing out on something if I paused to be still.

How many of you have felt (or feel) the same?

As the summer kicks off, I’ve been doing things differently and keeping it low-key. Some of my favorite things lately:

-Spending the early part of the day lazily kayaking one of the many beautiful springs near my home

-Cooking simple, yet delicious meals like chicken and veggies on the grill

-Daily morning walks with my husband Phil, watching the sunrise

And if I do take the time to plan an adventure, I’ll choose one or just a few things to explore.

How about you? What does an ideal summer look and feel like for you nowadays?
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Here's What I Want to Share This Week:

A Guided Meditation for Deep Rest

Feeling stressed or fatigued? This gentle, 20-minute guided meditation will trigger deep rest in the body and expansion of your awareness.

​Click here to access the audio recording of Meditation for Deep Rest

Here's Who We Are Celebrating This Week: Rodolfo Carrillo

This week I'm celebrating my dear friend Rodolfo, Conscious Leadership Shaman and the creator of SER. He developed the powerful SER model for achieving leadership of the fullest potential as well as, deep-sustainable personal mastery and organizational growth.

I've known Rodolfo for several years now, and have had the honor of having him as one of our amazing facilitators at the Hearing Expert Alliance retreats Phil and I hosted through the years in Costa Rica.

I just signed up to take part of his upcoming silence retreat, which will take place amidst an abundant tropical beach in Playa Grande, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. If you are seeking to take a break from excessive mental activity so you can de-stress, nurture your body, gain clarity and expand our Self-knowledge on retreat, come join us!

​Connect with Rodolfo and his team at SER here.​

This Week's Curiosities :

Bote Tandem Kayak (link)

Before I moved here, I had no idea that Florida was home to many beautiful and extraordinarily clear springs like this one.

This inflatable kayak is super portable and makes exploring the springs easy and enjoyable.

A calendar for joy

When I remember to, I'll jot down my favorite joyful moment of the day into a monthly calendar.

I've been doing this since 2017, and it's a fun and easy way to record your favorite memories throughout the years.

The best lemon chicken

Back in 2003, I was old school and keeping track of recipes on 3x5 notecards. Fun fact: I got this one from the back of a bag of frozen chicken breasts. No lie.

I still use it to this day.

Even though its origins aren't the most glamorous, the marinade consistently yields tender, perfectly seasoned chicken.

It really is the best.

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Memorable Quote :

"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of nonessentials." - Lin Yutang