Inspiration

We started watching Master of None this week just like the rest of the world and are loving it. I also really resonated with this article that Aziz Ansari wrote about race and acting, and his Facebook post about how his father took time off to act in the show.

I find Cheryl Strayed endlessly inspiring, and this interview with her on the Longform Podcast was particularly good.

Wonderful advice on cooking and life in just six words.

Want more energy? Cut the drama. (Also, just follow Elizabeth Gilbert on Facebook for 100% more wisdom and kindness and authenticity in your Newsfeed).

It’s an endless struggle, but it’s important to remember that right now is the most important moment.

“Every piece of art I’ve ever made was because I saw bad and could do better, or saw great and needed to catch up.” Problems of output are problems of input.

I started reading Middlesex this week and am so enjoying it. Excellent!

We should all be trying to appreciate our lives.

Who wants pumpkin pie in a mug??? (All of us. Everyone.)

I’m taking this Skillshare class on Creative Nonfiction Writing and it’s really good. My notes are copious. I should be writing instead, but hey.

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I had a great week. I’m so enjoying my online work and teaching yoga classes, and of course eating solid food again. I feel connected to my loved ones and am remembering to step away from my computer to go for walks or adventures. We had two awesome adventures this week: a daytrip to Quilotoa, a lake inside the crater of a volcano, and we went to the Ecuador vs. Uruguay World Cup qualifier game and Ecuador won! This weekend we’re doing yoga in the park and relaxing big time. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

I love it when the Goodreads Best Books of the year finalists are announced! I can never vote on my favourites because I’ve usually read none of them, but I always get so many awesome book recommendations.

7 ways to deal with creative self-doubt.

I will read anything Cheryl Strayed has written, including the answers to her Ask Me Anything on Reddit this week! Awesome stuff.

Austin Kleon did a wonderful thing and made us a digital deck of cards to help us out when we get creatively stuck.

Let’s talk about how to practice self-love and self-compassion.

From FOMO to JOMO.

Tied for best recipe of the week: this peasant bread and this 10 minute vegetable broth.

I’ve been loving Dear Sugar Radio more than ever these days – my boyfriend and I now listen to it in the car together every week. I also adore Happier (especially their recent series on the four tendencies) and The Lively Show. But when are Serial and Invisibilia coming back!?!?!

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We finally finished our ten day juice cleanse! I know, the word “finally” seems like it shouldn’t apply to any ten day period, but you try not eating solid food for ten days and tell me that by the end, “finally isn’t highly appropriate. Both of us agreed that the challenge was more mental than physical, but either way we were so pleased to have some solid food again yesterday. Our week was mostly relaxed because we were juicing – I tried to do lots of reading and writing and a little bit of yoga. This weekend we’re hosting yoga in the park, cooking at home, and hopefully doing a little bit more exploring of this beautiful country after a week spent mostly at home. I hope you have a wonderful weekend too!

As mentioned in my last post, my boyfriend and I are currently halfway through our 10 day (!!!) juicing adventure. We were inspired by the documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and we are using this free 5 Day Reboot for our juice recipes.

I read Eat, Move, Sleep this week and it was chock-full of simple but powerful insights into health.

The wonderful Elizabeth Gilbert on leading a life driven by curiosity.

Veggie food bloggers’ best recipes. Also, this falafel though.

George Saunders wrote beautifully about his incredible teachers. “Be kind, pay attention, err on the side of generosity.”

I’m gearing up to do a daily writing practice for every day in November, so this post about overcoming your blocks to being creative was apt and timely.

Taza and her family went to Peru! Their photos are so beautiful.

How amazing is Adele’s new song? I mean come on.

File under: Instagram Accounts That Get Me Every Time – Tara Whitney’s In Between Photos.

From me: I updated the blog design this week and added visual buttons to the Archive page!

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So it’s day 5 of juicing and we’re hanging in there! I’m feeling relatively good considering I haven’t really eaten anything all week. There have been some headaches and some irritability, but I also don’t really feel very hungry and I seem to have a little more mental clarity. I haven’t had any real cravings and I don’t foresee us giving up early, but I am sure I’ll be glad to re-introduce solid foods. We’ve been taking the week pretty easy, hanging out at home mostly doing arts and crafts and working on different projects.

This weekend we have yoga in the park and lots of juice to look forward to! We’ve been watching Hannibal (terrifying but very well made) so there might be a few episodes of that too. I hope you have a lovely weekend too. xo

“I am not in the business of hurting myself on purpose.” Liz Gilbert, continuing to be an endless source of inspiration.

I sent this video to my mom because it made my heart feel so full. I am all about ideas that take existing needs and resources and bring them together.

What an awesome Barbie ad! I watched it twice.

My friend and podcast co-host Laura just launched her website Little Black Leggings, a business resource for yogis! I’m always excited about new ventures, especially those of friends. Love her interview with our mutual friend Jess, who just launched the clothing company Free Label.

Simple phrases we can use to gently shift the tone and direction of our interactions.

My friend Adrienne and I have started a weekly creativity mastermind to keep us on track with our writing goals. She sent me this great article full of writing advice after our first session. I sent her Liz Gilbert’s interview with Marie Forleo and Ommwriter.

Some lovely + smart + practical tips on having houseguests in a small space.

Forget finding your passion, because – surprise! – you already have it. Also, it doesn’t have to be the thing that pays your bills. This is an excellent article (with a few swearwords) full of links to other awesome articles (I clicked through to about ten).

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Life is great here in Quito. I taught a couple of yoga classes to friends of Paulo’s, talked to friends in Vancouver and New York and Toronto, updated my website, recorded a new episode of the podcast, did some work for the Red Tent Sisters, and emailed with my family. Canada elected a new leader! I also ate healthier, did more yoga, took more walks, and just today Paulo and I went to some natural hot springs, which was amazing. I’m forever trying to be gentler with myself, accept how I feel and how things are in every moment, and spend more of my time reading books and less time on social media. I am still finding my footing and figuring out my new routine, but overall things are going really well.

This weekend we have our second yoga in the park meetup and we’re hoping for more attendance. Last week we had one lady, and we were absolutely positively thrilled to have her join us. Wish us luck! I hope you have a wonderful weekend.