Mindful Living – The Mindful Librarian

Leave Me Be. I Am Wintering

I am tired. I am hungry. I am unmotivated. Even as I type this, my fingers feel as if invisible weights are taped to each sluggish knuckle. My hair sits in a messy, unbrushed, balled-up twist; a “messy bun” if you will, which is slowly becoming my creepy, new “signature style.” As I slouch in…

Aerodynamics of Sisterhood

Women. Goddesses. Mothers. Daughters. Sisters. It is the beginning of April and the vernal freshness in the air inspires action and new beginnings. Reflecting on the past month, I definitely recognize the powerful role that women have played in preparing me for a leap forward. During the “wintering” months, my energy and attentions were drawn…

Yoga: Gaining and Letting Go

Yoga?! Meh… It’s too slow to be a great work out. I could never twist around and bend like “that.” I’ll break my neck trying to do a headstand. I can practice mindfulness without hitting the mat. I’m too (shoulder slump) old… Wrong, wrong, wrong, and oh-so-very-unbelievably wrong. As it turns out, my deep dive…

To Be a Dark Horse

I am a reader. I read to expand my worldview, to expose myself to new ideas and ideologies, and to share in the experiences of other people who have journeyed before me. In short, I read to grow. Whether it is fiction or nonfiction, I read between the lines to see the motives, learn the…

Grammar for a Full Life: How the Ways We Shape a Sentence Can Limit or Enlarge Us, by Lawrence Weinstein

So what in the world do the rules of grammar have to do with living your best life? This is likely not something you have ever asked yourself. At first thought it seems like one of those “What does ___ have in common with ___?” jokes. I was therefore surprised and delighted by Lawrence Weinstein’s…

The Beach: Earth, Air, Water, and Fire

I am often amazed at the restorative power of nature. Any metaphorical weight on my shoulders… any stress, confusion, sadness, or anger manages to lift and drift away (sometimes a little, sometimes a lot) when I spend quiet time outside. Whether I am walking, biking, kayaking, or simply sitting, a little time alone in nature…

The Butterfly Effect: Mindfulness and Our Role In a Bigger Picture

Feeling insignificant? Powerless? We all do from time to time, especially when situations large or small seem to be spiraling out of our control. Our inability to make things the way we want right now, or the helplessness we feel when reading about current events can make us feel like specks of dust being tossed…

Tricks to Enhance Your Mindful Walk: Identifying and Naming

Ah, language. Isn’t it great? Through speech and through writing we convey complex messages for infinite purposes. Words help us inform, comfort, instruct, warn, entertain, question, and commiserate. But first and foremost, it is through language that we label and name. Classification: /klasəfəˈkāSH(ə)n/ noun. The action or process of classifying something according to shared qualities…

Learning Versus Unlearning- A Takeaway from Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover

I recently finished the New York Times bestselling memoir, Educated, by Tara Westover. It is a book club’s dream title, as there are multiple themes and topics for discussion. The author delves deeply into family relations, mental illness, women’s roles, off-grid living, holistic medicine, and more. Like any good book, it made me think… A…

Summertime Hygge: The Perfect Picnic

Hygge. The Danish word may not have an English equivalent, but the concept resonates strongly and wordlessly in my American soul. It’s a brilliant little term; a single word which manages to describe a mood, vibe, mindset, atmosphere, and belief system in just five letters. “Cozy” is a word often used as an English synonym,…