tranquility du jour

tranquility du jour tv: ts10

2009-11-07T23:04:00.000-05:00

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bonjour from montreal. lots of eating, yoga, laughing with dear friends, and oodles of sleeping. since we'll be journeying back to dc tomorrow evening, i wanted to share this week's episode of tranquility du jour tv with you early. it's a glimpse into tranquil space's 10-year birthday bash from friday, october 30. happy, happy birthday tranquil space! xo

indulge in tranquility

2009-11-04T22:32:00.001-05:00

for those of you on the call tonight with the lovely christine arylo of self love studio, you know that the big dare i gave you was to indulge in 5 minutes of tranquility EACH day. in case you need some suggestions on how to make that happen, here are a few of my favorites:

sip hot tea

meditate

do 10 sun salutations

pet your furry friends

take a walk

arrange flowers

light a candle

listen to carla bruni

savor miso soup

take a hot bath

pen a snail mail thank you

call your gramma

read

write in your journal

paint your nails

curl your hair

eat chocolate covered almonds

don comfy togs and do legs up the wall

let me know how *you* indulge in tranquility. i hope you will participate in this challenge and make it part of your everyday. xoxo

slumber and more slumber

2009-11-04T20:36:00.000-05:00

as many of you know, i think sleep is the most *divine* thing out there - next to yoga, style, and do-gooding, that is. however, as of late i cannot get enough of it - even after 10 hours of it. i still want more. hmmm. maybe it is the change of weather. maybe the time change. are you experiencing the same thing? in case you are, i wanted to provide some suggestions for a decadent slumber:

- earplugs

- eyepillow

- furry 4-legged friend

- oodles of pillows

- soft, soft sheets

- pen/paper near beadside for middle of the night thoughts

- journal/pen to capture your early morning or before bed musings

- inspiring books (i'm surrounded by 'em and keep hoping that they will sink in through osmosis)

- bedside lamp for late night reading

- h2o (preferably with a slice of lemon)

- down blankets

additional touches:

- douse yourself in a sesame oil and let your skin soak up the benefits all night

- use a soothing alarm to wake up to vs. BEEP, BEEP, BEEP (boo!)

- pillow spray

- lip balm

- small fan for white noise and air movement

seriously, i feel like the princess and the pea but . . . slumbering is tres important! wishing you a joyful night of zzzzzzs. xoxo

tranquility du jour #165: musings on yoga

2009-11-01T19:54:00.000-05:00

direct download (mp3)

Bonjour. Welcome to the 165th edition of Tranquility du Jour: a guide to bringing tranquility to your every day. Today’s show menu features happenings and musings on yoga with Deborah Bernstein.

Tranquilology Teleclass: Join moi for our next tranquilology teleclass "New Year, New You" on Monday, January 4 at 9pm ET. $10. View petals from summer's teleclass.

Workshops + Retreats: Join moi in Montreal at the lovely Centre de Luna November 7 + 8. Consider the New Year's Gala on January 9 in DC, online creativity circle in January, Hip Tranquil Chick retreat March 26-28, a week long sojourn to lush Costa Rica May 29-June 5, and Kripalu July 5-9. All the scoop is on my soon-to-be updated worksho ps page.

Featured Tranquilista:
Deborah is a yoga instructor, founder of Florian’s Causes and the founder of Roslindale Yoga Studio, in Boston, MA. She now owns and runs the Florian Yoga Retreats on St. John, USVI and leads yoga retreats with her fiance Scott. Deborah is the author of Yoga in America and What is Yoga? After 15 years of working as a management consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers and later running an international corporate finance department for Iron Mountain, she left the corporate world to teach yoga. Deborah has long been involved with community service – while obtaining her MBA from Boston College, she ran a tutor mentor program for high risk teens from Boston’s inner city and later while working at PwC, Deborah began teaching yoga to middle school students from the Boston Public Schools. Deborah’s commitment to supporting the community continues with her work at the Florian Villa on St. John, providing free retreats at the villa to wounded veterans and families of fallen firefighters. Throughout the year, Deborah leads yoga retreats at the villa; her yoga teaching style is an eclectic mix of vinyasa and mindfulness practice, inspired by viniyoga and Kundalini.

Savvy Sources
Blog: florian yoga
Website: 30 day yoga journey
Twitter: @florianyoga
Books: Yoga in America and What is Yoga?
Retreat: Florian Villa

Signature Eco-Style: Fall fashion is luxe. Featured "Look of the Podcast" is 3/4 sleeve wrap dress. Lovely with tights, tall boots, and a heavy scarf. Watch TranquiliT's video featuring oodles of ways to wear. Join TranquiliT's mailing list to learn about sales and new designs. Follow TranquiliT on twitter. Become a fan. Add TranquiliT to your blog and become an Affiliate. Help spread tranquility and join our Tribe.

Stay Au Courant: Create a home practice. Join our Facebook group. Become my Facebook friend. Follow moi on Twitter. Download Tranquility du Jour on demand. Watch bi-weekly Tranquility du Jour TV on youtube.com/tranquilitydujour . Explore mentoring with moi. Peruse Hip Tranquil Chick. Deepen your yoga practice at Tranquil Space. Get your do-gooding on with Tranquil Space Foundation. Sign up for my museletter. Reserve a signed copy of Tranquilista. Join Tranquilista's fan page.

Challenge: Send moi photos of you getting your artist date on and I'll share them with our readers. The most creative artist date photo/write up received by December 21 (the winter solstice) will receive a complimentary mentoring session plus my newest Tranquility-to-Go yoga CD. Create away + do share!

Omwork: Check out 30-day yoga journey. What is yoga to you?

Au Revoir: To close out the show, we’re playing Pick up the Phone by Dragonette from promonet. You can learn more about them at dragonette.com.

You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes.
New to podcasting? Get more info at Podcast Alley.
Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.
Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed.

Interested in starting a podcast for yourself, your organization or your business?
Check out nineball media.

Labels: podcasts

bonjour november

2009-11-01T13:42:00.001-05:00

mums, pumpkins, apple cider, falling leaves, tall boots, restorative yoga, faux fur, warm fires, hot cocoa with marshmallows, pine-scented candles = this time of the year. love, love, love it! last night while curled up on the couch at the cabin, beau + i came across our first christmas commercial. really, on halloween? yep! the holidays are here . . . with jingle bells on!

hope you all had a *delightful* halloween. we headed out to beau's cabin after i indulged in a day-long artist date at a sewing class. made flowy pants and a tunic - photo forthcoming. we stopped at my fave restaurant (yes, you know the one . . . shhhh), a bookstore, and tarjay. NO ONE was out. it was fabulous. i said to beau, "it feels like that night when everyone is watching that silly football game!" he was like, "you mean the superbowl?" yep! it's my fave night to get out and about because it's just me and the store clerks. i've never been shopping or bookstore browsing or restaurant eating on halloween. it will now be tradition because everyplace is empty. loved having the aisles to myself.

i love how many bloggers share their goals for the upcoming month and then revisit ones created the month before to see how they did. talk about accountability. i want to share mine and encourage you to join in. it will be like a way for our virutal community to make magic happen each month!

my november dreams:

1. finish revamp of kimberlywilson.com (check out the darling new connect page)

2. revamp of blog look

3. place items in my new etsy store

4. fun, vibrant, inspiring session on THIS wednesday's self-love studio interview (tune in!)

5. curl hair once a week for flair (picked up curling iron last night - felt so 80s)

6. 10 minutes of daily meditation

7. savor every moment of 10 days in paris (november 13-23)

8. begin work on *big* final paper for human behavior theory

9. call ailing gramma every few days so she knows how ADORED she is

10. choose guest bloggers from *oh-so-impressive* submissions and determine daily inspiration for tranquility du jour 2010

11. informative, innovative presentation on socio-economic status in media for diversity class

12. plan festive holiday party for tranquil space team

13. daily: soaks in the tub, sips of hot tea, expression of gratitude, lighting of candles

14. practice sidewalk yoga and slow down ever so slightly to take in the world around me

15. bake yummy cookies for yogis i will greet at tranquil space on thanksgiving day

16. lead dynamic workshops that inspire in montreal this weekend

17. choose spring TranquiliT palette based on your feedback

18. finalize january - june tranquil space programming

october was one of the busiest months of my life. november promises to be full of inspiration a la paris and a slower pace. now that i have shared my dreams for this sacred month, i'd be honored to hear yours! xoxo

a festive evening: happy 10 years tranquil space

2009-10-31T08:49:00.002-04:00

the energy and celebratory vibe from last night's exceeded my wildest dreams. yay for live music by ps24, yummy cider, hot herbal tea, vegetarian food, soup from souper girl, yoga demos, and more! here are a few shots from our birthday bash. more photos are available on the tranquil space facebook fan page. thank you for your support!

donned faux leather leggings, i heart TS tee (cut off sleeves and hand sewed the shoulders to ruche), faux fur jacket, sparkly necklace, and sequin beanie. had my hair blown out + curled a la rachel zoe. love feeling girly, sparkly, and celebratory! shared a few words on the evolution of the studio and thanked everyone in the audience considering *they* all made it possible. video forthcoming, along with the tranquil space 10-year documentary that beau pulled together.

yesterday was all about the fete. today i'm off to g-street fabrics for an all-day sewing with knits class. i've been wanting to take this class for years but it always fell on a day i was out of town or otherwise committed. taking 10 yards of au naturel bamboo fabric and excited to see what unfolds by the end of the day.

tonight beau, louis the pug, and moi head to the cabin and will savor a stop at my fave eatery . . . the olive garden. love me some prosecco, breadsticks, salad, pasta, and chocolate mousse cake. yum! tomorrow is all about the books: paper to write, presentation prep, quiz to study for, and oodles to read!

wishing each of you a truly festive, flavorful, fun halloween! candied apples, costumes, wigs, playfulness, sugar-coated everything, apple cider, pumpkins, and mums. may today be full of more treats than tricks. xoxo

self-love rocks

2009-10-30T17:15:00.003-04:00

the beautiful founder of self-love studio and author of choosing me before we passed along this glowing endorsement that made me smile from ear to ear:

“Tranquilista is the go-to-guide for any woman who wants style, success and soul in her life. Kimberly Wilson has created a life full of style, success and soul and now she's opened up her personal book to share all her smart, sparkly, and super inspiring secrets, girlfriend to girlfriend.” — Christine Arylo, author of Choosing ME before WE

i encourage all of you to tune in THIS wednesday evening for an interview with moi. last week christine interviewed muriel hemingway and she's having an *amazing* group of ladies share their stories in the self-love studio. please tune in.

here's the skinny:

The Details on the Fall Series

WHAT: intimate, up close and personal conversations with some smart women… sharing with you the real deal on how to stop putting everyone and everything else first … to stop driving yourself so hard that you’re killing yourself. They won’t sugar coat and they will give you their wisdom ladies! Imagine it’s the Actors Studio of Self Love with a whole lot of sass and soul… Girlfriend to Girlfriend! These girlfriends just happen to be some of the wisest women teachers out in the world today!
WHEN: 7 Consecutive Wednesdays* October 28 – December 16. Attend as many calls as you want... the more calls, the more love (we’ll skip 11/25). Live calls are totally free. (Recordings, transcripts and bonus worksheets are available for purchase – once you register for the free series, you’ll be taken to a “Thank You” page with information on our Star Upgrade Packages.)
TIME: 6:00-7:00 PM PST/ 9:00-10:00 PM EST – each call is one hour in length
HOW: Have your fingers dial in to the conference call number and listen in from anywhere in the world. You get the conference call phone number after you register for free via an email from Christine Arylo. Long distance charges may apply.
INVESTMENT: You making you a priority! The calls are absolutely FREE… and they are worth a whole lot more than that. An hour with each of these seven women would cost you well over $1000 each, and the calls alone are valued at more than $697.

tranquil space 10-year birthday bash TONIGHT

2009-10-30T13:02:00.004-04:00

it's hard to believe that it has been an entire decade of tranquil spacing. i recall this time of the year ten years ago vividly. i was having my annual lillian reunion (mum, gramma, moi) in louisiana at gramma's (lillian) home. leaves were changing, we were doing our typical small-town louisiana stuff - browsing boutiques, watching movies, doing craft things, eating at sonic drive-in, and i was getting excited about bringing strangers into my living room to do yoga. i recall checking voicemails from louisiana to see who was calling to reserve their space and getting so excited about what i was hoping to create - a community of like-minded people seeking tranquility.

fast forward 10 years. oodles of typical small-business challenges (ex: working 17-hr days, hiring, creating systems, dealing with DC bureaucracy, building out new spaces), even more opportunities (ex: growing by word of mouth, opening in VA and MD, adding a spa, boutique, teacher training, and organic clothing line), a VERY talented team, and a celebration of our efforts TONIGHT.

we'll be streaming tonight's festivities live on ustream so please tune in from 7-9 ET to celebrate with us virtually. beau worked hours and hours on capturing our history via a mini TS10 documentary which will be debuted tonight and available online tomorrow. join us for live music, complimentary tranquility to go CD for first 50 guests, local food, festive apple cider, yoga demos, and mingling off the mat.

it's been a beautiful ride. i pinch myself from time to time completely surprised at how the tiny seed planted in a living room has grown to an organization that brings tranquility to thousands of washingtonians each week. may we continue to evolve into a socially conscious organization that offers oodles and oodles of goodness to our community. thank you for being a part of it by reading this blog, participating in teleclasses, taking classes at our studios, and/or supporting eco-fashion.

may there be ten more years of tranquility. joyeux anniversaire. xoxo

new CD released: tranquility to go

2009-10-29T16:40:00.002-04:00

dearest readers,

i'm excited to share that my latest CD has just arrived complete with a damask-covered disc (well, of course). it's my favorite practice yet complete with humble warrior, bow, pigeon, and oodles of deep lunging. as always, i offer additional practices in case you don't have 70 minutes to devote to the practice. you may chose from bliss du jour, delight du jour, or let go du jour. all destined to bring you tranquility.

i'm giving away 50 complimentary CDs to our first 50 guests at tranquil space's 10-year birthday bash tomorrow night. the rest will be available in the tranquil space boutique and at kimberlywilson.com. i hope you love the practice as much as i loved putting it together.

green thumb: the paper is printed on 100% green forestry practices certified stock with vegetable-based ink AND the clear tray is made with 100% post-consumer soda and water bottles. plus, a portion of all sales will benefit tranquil space foundation AND i'll plant a tree for each CD sold.

happy 10 years tranquil space

2009-10-28T13:30:00.001-04:00

you're invited!
what: tranquil space 10-year birthday bash
where: 1632 17th street, nw
when: THIS friday, october 30 7-9pm
why: we're a decade old

7-8 live music by PS24
8-8:15 run down memory lane by moi
8:15 - 8:30 yoga demos by melissa + mark, siobhan
8:30-9 mingling

throughout the event there will be:
- chair massage by spa manager brooke
- local veggie food pulled together by susanna + carol
- festive, chilled apple cider
- a mini documentary on tranquil space in the earth studio to watch
- shopping in the boutique at 10% off during the entire event
- mingling off the mat with our AMAZING community

**the first 50 people to arrive get a copy of my latest CD, tranquility to go. bring family, friends, and fans to our special celebration.

follow tranquil space. fan tranquil space.

thank you for your support over the years. enjoy the photos walking us down memory lane. ahhh.

let go and open to the flow

2009-10-28T12:56:00.000-04:00

Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become. - Author Unknown

This past weekend I was blessed with the opportunity to bask in three hours of discussion and practice of mindfulness based stress reduction with the talented Gina Sager. Her words of wisdom have haunted me, in a good way, since Sunday. As a very-vatta-need-some-grounding-doer, I was struck that the simplicity of her statements could be so powerful. I kept raising my hand and asking, "Ok, great tips but how do i practice it now . . . and for how long and how often?" I love prescriptions, five simple steps, or a book that will bring the topic to life and help me embody it now. Unfortunately, this practice is all about, well, practice!

In our fast-paced society we love quick fixes. Yoga and meditation offer impressive results (as many of us have experienced) but we do have to make the time to practice. Ah, work. Practice may have a negative connotation around it especially if it reminds you of your swimming or ballet days when your coach or parent encouraged you to practice, practice, practice. I'd like us to reframe it in a positive light as an opportunity. Ultimately an opportunity to let go. Surrender. Embrace change.

Here are my takeaways from the beautiful Sunday morning session in our bamboo studio:

1. Do this work to benefit those who share our lives - a beautiful reminder of our interconnectedness.

2. It matters what you do and how you do it.

3. Mindfulness is moment to moment nonjudgemental awareness.

4. Obstacles are our teachers. Become comfortable with discomfort.

5. Taking time to create space between thought and action allows us to transform how we react.

6. Everything you do and think matters because it affects others.

7. We sit in meditation to train the mind to become more conscious.

8. Balance effort and surrender.

9. Focus on the exhale = let go.

10. It takes 20 minutes for the mind to settle down.

Wow, sounds so simple, right? Yet is such profound, challenging work. Sit still. Be. Breath. Release thoughts. I encourage you to explore this state of being which is a beautiful complement to doing. Start your day with a few minutes of seated meditation. Take a mid-day break to savor a walking meditation around your office building. End your day with ten minutes of reflection. Todd now offers a Sunday morning 9:30 meditation class at our dupont studio for those who'd like to sit in a group. By taking time to nurture yourself, you are able to be fully present and compassionate toward others. Take five deep breaths and let go. Namaste.

connecting creative entrepreneurs

2009-10-27T15:06:00.003-04:00

The oh-so-lovely Jennifer Lee, Lisa Sonora Beam, Britt Bravo and I were on a call the other day talking about how fun it would be to put together an event for creative women entrepreneurs to connect, create, and learn together. We came up with our own description of what an event like that would look like, but we want to hear your thoughts and opinions, too.

We put together a six-question survey to find out what your ideal creative women entrepreneur event would look like. By providing your feedback, you can enter in a raffle to be one of four winners to receive either a half hour social media consulting with Britt, a copy of the Right Brain Business Plan e-Book by Jennifer, a copy of Creative Entrepreneur by Lisa, or a copy of Hip Tranquil Chick by moi on November 16. Click here to take the survey.

Merci beaucoup for your input. We’ll be designing an experience that caters to you AND is what we wish we had when we started our journeys. That’s why we’re excited to create it and for you to be a part of it! xo

tranquility du jour tv: office organization

2009-10-25T18:00:00.001-04:00

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i was blessed to win a 2-hour office org session with the lovely kacy paide of the inspired office through tranquil space foundation's online auction. always planning ahead, beau and i decided this quick turnaround of my tiny office would serve as a helpful how-to for tranquility du jour tv watchers. i hope these small, but powerful changes inspire you! xo

spring 2010 colour choices

2009-10-24T15:54:00.000-04:00

it's that time again. now that fall is launched, time to dream about TranquiliT's spring palette. as you may recall from a former post, i'm thinking muted, earthy hues for spring. you chose fall's palette of mint, sky, and mauve. now is your time to choose for spring. cast your ballot, ladies. top 3 choices, s'il vous plaît.

blast from the past

2009-10-24T01:44:00.000-04:00

i came across this recently and had to share. ah, this ADORABLE (yes, i'm biased) photo is of beau washing sir louis in the kitchen sink 4 years ago. he's *all* eyes. just looking at it makes me giggle.

it's the little things

2009-10-22T10:38:00.004-04:00

as i was packaging up TranquiliT orders last friday and writing "thank you" or other small notes on the invoices, i got the bright idea to get some french stamps so i could write "merci" instead. headed to the macbook and voila, came across these darling stamps i'd previously seen at the philly art museum. had to have them. they arrived this week and i can't wait to ship orders late tonight so i can get my stamp on. aren't these darling?

it's truly surprising to me what gets me all excited and i must say it is the little things in life that bring moi AMAZING joy. here are a few of my recent joy-inducers:

teacup pigs
these stamps
sequin leggings
stepping onto campus at catholic university and basking in being a student again
sequin berets
the act of getting creative
taking pen to paper and reflecting in my journal
mixed media
crossing items off my to-do list with a sparkly pen
non-violent communication
collaborating with like-minded ladies
prepping for the self-love studio: tune in november 4
setting up my etsy store
sending snail mail thank yous to louis' birthday pals with "L" monogrammed stationery and paw stamp
prepping for today's meeting with office organizer kacy (won this in the tranquil space foundation online auction - woo hoo!)
my new pink office chair
cuddling fireside with my beloved pug
sipping fresh hot cider
returning to my yoga mat after doctor's orders to rest for 10 days
meeting with vibrant new potential adds to our talented teaching team
hearing from you about guest blogging and updating our blog look (more to come)

what un petite thing brings you great joy? may we continue to be nurtured and surprised by the little things in life. xo

endorsement of tranquilista a la sharon gannon

2009-10-20T22:36:00.000-04:00

"The irresistible, hip tranquil and oh so chic, Kimberly Wilson is the ultimate tranquilista—a wonder woman for who the talent of multitasking has been elevated to new heights and dimensions. Like a gorgeous Indian goddess, she must --have eight arms-- cause she does it all with incredible grace, elegance, compassion, wisdom, cleverness and dazzling style--all along the way never forgetting the essential lip gloss!

With her fabulous new book, Tranquilista, she generously shares all of her success secrets in a very practical: yes-you-can-and-I-will-show-you-how-way. I adore Kimberly—she is a true liberated woman who never compromises her femininity or her kindness for animals and all living beings. I place her in the “great muse category” along with Audrey and Coco."

--Sharon Gannon , Jivamukti Yoga

this jawdropping endorsement recently came to my publisher from one of my dearest teachers, sharon gannon. i was soooooo honored and humbled by her generous words. my dream is to have tranquilista live up to the glowing reveiew and for me to live up to her kind association with dreamy audrey and coco! xo

tranquility du jour #164: balancing bebe + 3 businesses

2009-10-19T19:55:00.006-04:00

direct download (mp3)

Bonjour. Welcome to the 164th edition of Tranquility du Jour: a guide to bringing tranquility to your every day. Today’s show menu features happenings and balancing bebe + 3 businesses with Susan Turnock.

Tranquilology Teleclass: Join moi for our next tranquilology teleclass "New Year, New You" on Monday, January 4 at 9pm ET. $10. View petals from summer's teleclass.

Workshops + Retreats: Tranquil Space 10-year birthday bash on October 30. Join moi in Montreal at the lovely Centre de Luna November 7 + 8. Consider the 3rd annual New Year's Gala on January 9, 4th annual Hip Tranquil Chick retreat March 26-28, and a week long sojourn to lush Costa Rica May 29-June 5. All the scoop is on my worksho ps page.

Featured Tranquilista:
Susan Arak Turnock started her first business, What Fun! Inc, making the flagship Soap Rolls on her kitchen stove. Ten years later, almost half a million bath products have been produced, and sold in 1500 stores and on QVC. She paired up with her sister for her latest venture, Gifts for the Good Life, where they create artfully branded custom goods for corporate and social events and gifting programs.

Savvy Sources
Blog: goodlifegab.com
Site: giftsforthegoodlife.com
Soap site: what-fun.com
Baby goods: itsybitsyandbold.com

Susan's Recommendations:
stylemepretty.com (for eye candy)

thebusinessofbeingcreative.com
dooce.com (for fun)
E-Myth (entrepreneurs bible)
The Artists Way at Work (harness creativity)

Signature Eco-Style: Fall fashion is fabulous. Featured "Look of the Podcast" is beloved organic bamboo shawl. Watch TranquiliT's video featuring oodles of ways to wear. Join TranquiliT's mailing list to learn about sales, new designs, and more. Follow TranquiliT on twitter. Become a fan. Add TranquiliT to your blog and become an Affiliate. Help spread tranquility and join our Tribe.

Stay Au Courant: Join our Facebook group. Become my Facebook friend. Follow moi on Twitter. Download Tranquility du Jour on demand. Watch bi-weekly Tranquility du Jour TV on youtube.com/tranquilitydujour . Explore mentoring with moi. Peruse my first book Hip Tranquil Chick. Deepen your yoga practice at Tranquil Space. Get your do-gooding on with Tranquil Space Foundation. Sign up for my museletter. Peruse my second book Tranquilista. Join Tranquilista's fan page.

Challenge: Send moi photos of you getting your artist date on and I'll share them with our readers. The most creative artist date photo/write up received by December 21 (the winter solstice) will receive a complimentary mentoring session plus my newest Tranquility-to-Go yoga CD. Create away + do share!

Omwork: Check out one of Susan's Savvy Sources. Play. Explore. Seek balance. Push your limits.

Au Revoir: To close out the show, we’re playing The Only One by Jazzra from promonet. You can learn more about them at myspace.com/jazzratonart.

You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click on the player at the top of the post or click here to listen to older episodes.
New to podcasting? Get more info at Podcast Alley.
Do you have iTunes? Click here and subscribe to the podcast. You'll automatically get the latest edition as soon as it's available.
Do you use another podcatcher? Use this link for the podcast RSS feed.

Interested in starting a podcast for yourself, your organization or your business?
Check out nineball media.

happy 5 years sir louis

2009-10-19T12:52:00.000-04:00

yesterday was louis' special 5-year birthday bash at the cabin. we were blessed with a lovely group of friends to help us celebrate this "momentous" occasion. here are a few photos from the fete:

louis donning his new handmade sweater a la auntie shizuka and running with her darling son gota, moi watching louis hoard balls (note him directly under me), louis awaiting guests in his signature/way too small "birthday boy" tee given as a gift at his first birthday bash, the facial masks/soy candles/rose tea takeaways for guests, and louis sitting in his own chair by mark hoping someone will serve him.

note the oodles of cupcakes and local apples on the table. louis has a way of standing on his hind legs and extending his tongue to reach items near the edge of the table. he was lucky enough to score some icing from these homemade cupcakes a la auntie michelle.

ample apple cider flowed, festive scented candles were lit, and a fire added a welcoming touch. it was a fun event and a treat to host friends at beau's cozy cabin in the woods.

redux of deux book events

2009-10-18T22:42:00.007-04:00

last week i was blessed with attending 2 book events: 1 planned, 1 spontaneous. the two books were crush it and women, work & the art of savoir faire. i wanted to share my takeaways from both events as lord knows i was there with pen in hand. yep, i'm that girl.

i was super, super excited to head to nyc to see mireille guiliano on the day her new book launched last tuesday. i haven't read her other books but know they are loved by many women. she is coming to dc this week but i was supposed to be heading to oklahoma so i didn't want to miss my opportunity - especially with complimentary bubbly being served! took the bus bright and early, indulged in a yoga class, hit my fave accessory shops, and headed to borders to do some work (and bookstore browse) before the event. it is always exciting to see authors live and in person. mirelle is lovely and presents well. her story is fascinating although i prefer when speakers avoid scripts and speak extemporaneously. i'm still reading her book and find it engaging. was hoping for more catering to entrepreneurs versus corporate settings. it's a thoughtful roadmap for someone newer to the business world. here are my scribbles from her presentation:

life is lived in stages. success is not definted by others' expectations. ask yourself, "what's the worst that can happen?" give yourself 4 anchors: good health, family + friends, good employment, time + space + values. take time each day to live in the moment. take risks. excellence is a habit: practice, practice, practice. manage expectations. set agressive, achievable goals. be realistic, provocative, constantly innovating.

the next day a friend invited me to hear gary vaynerchuk speak at american university about his new book crush it. although i wasn't compelled by the book's title, his message of social media mixed with working your passion was exciting. he was a fun, engaging speaker with quite the potty mouth which i found amusing. i skimmed a lot of his book during the lecture and highly recommend it. here were my takeaways from his chat:

what you do in your spare time should be your business (love THIS notion). if you love what you're doing, you can win at life. no market is oversaturated. spend time with your fans. know who you are, know the key players in your life, and be sure to communicate fully (this was in relation to a question from the audience on how he balances family and a busy career). the message is key, not the mode of delivery so do what feels best - writing, podcasting, speaking, etc. take care of your team. best business question: what can i do for you?

read any fab books lately? any good recommendations? also reading the gospel according to coco chanel and loving it! books, books, books = true bliss.

seeking guest bloggers + suggestions

2009-10-17T10:12:00.000-04:00

after working to organize pending projects, e-mails, and to-dos all day yesterday, beau and moi headed out to his cabin for the weekend. en route, we chatted work, dreams, plans as usual. i currently write tranquility du jour and contribute to additional blogs: TranquiliT, tranquil space, tranquil space foundation, the wish studio. feeling less than fresh and fabulous with my material, beau encouraged me to seek guest bloggers for tranquility du jour. "preposterous," i initially proclaimed.

well, i've been percolating in the possibility and am tres excited about it. there is so much potential with this little blog. it's been around for 5 years, has a loyal readership of amazingly creative and talented femmes, and, let's be honest, we *all* need a dose of tranquility - especially with sprinkles on top.

if you are interested in musing once a week on tranquility du jour, please send moi a one-page writing sample by friday, october 30 musing on:

1. why writing for tranquility du jour appeals to you
2. ideas you have for your piece (ex. tranquil tuesdays, fashionable fridays, etc.)
3. anything else that you think would be helpful for me to know

i plan to "fancify" the blog's look and make some fun changes based on guest blogger's and reader's suggestions over the next few months. if you have an idea, leave it in the comment section or send me an e-mail. submitting a suggestion will qualify you for a *giveaway* of my new tranquility to go audio yoga CD that releases october 30.

merci beaucoup.

tips o' tranquility

2009-10-16T16:54:00.006-04:00

bonjour rainy, chilly day!

i've sat down to write soo many times this week and have been lured away by more deadlines than i care to admit. why do i insist on overscheduling and overcommiting? hmm, one to ponder . . . when i have more time!

today i'm playing catch up and trying to regain composure surrounded by stacks of paper, sequin beanies (my latest obsession), and school books at my home "office" (aka kitchen table). here's how:

1. review planner pad must-dos. highlight time sensitive ones.
2. place paperwork into categories: financial docs, shipping docs, idea docs, need a home docs
3. review upcoming weeks and adjust scheduling to avoid a similar snafu (best for mind/body synergy)
4. infuse fun. i set up my tranquilista fan page, worked with designer on new TranquiliT cards, made red lavender tea, and lit many candles.
5. think BIG picture. yes there are oodles of to-dos but what is really important/pressing/leading me toward future goals? gotta stay connected to this.
6. go through e-mail and handle backlog while listening to jazz tunes.

j'adore this photo. it's from my set up last friday for green fest. note the sparkly letters for TranquiliT, my pink phone, pink tea mug, planner pad, and new damask frame. many of my favorite things.

stay tranquil despite rain and chill: meditate by a fire. sip hot cocoa w/ marshmallows. do 10 sun salutations. soak in a bubble bath. write in your journal. read an inspiring book. pick up women, work, and the art of savoir faire (went to her book launch in nyc on tuesday - love her accent). honor lower energy levels. curl up in bed for a nap. find tranquility within.

summer artist date winner shares her story

2009-10-14T11:11:00.003-04:00

By the lovely Arwa of GemKitty:

I was particularly thrilled to find out that I had won the artist date contest, not only because it was my birthday, but more importantly, because I had almost stood myself up.

The days leading up to my date had been crazy busy. I was working long hours to finally launch a jewelry business that had experienced several false starts. So it felt really difficult to walk away from my endless list of to-do's to "indulge" myself. But on further reflection, it occurred to me that while I had kept every single appointment I had scheduled with someone else that week, I was on the verge of ditching the one appointment I had scheduled with myself. Sad!

Despite my misgivings, I dragged my bum to my yoga mat and kicked off my date with my Get Your Yoga On CD, trying not to fidget as I listened to Kimberly's voice telling me to center myself. (Boo!) At first, I wasn't feeling it at all. But, once I started sun salutations, things started to settled down. My mind calmed and my body slowly opened up. I noticed how neglected my ridiculously tight shoulders were, and realized how much they had been craving a little love.

Post yoga, I felt refreshed enough to finally tackle a project I had put on the back burner for months: to transform the front of my jewelry supply cabinet into an inspiration board brimming with images I had collected. It's a such treat to finally have some color in my creative space!

Truly, the date felt like reward enough, but even better was the mentoring session I won with Kimberly. We chatted about marketing and branding businesses. It was an inspiring conversation and these were some of the takeaways that I wanted to share:

* Think of your brand as a lifestyle, not just as a product(s).
It's really important to think about what your product means for your customer and then to speak to that meaning when you create on-and-offline content for them. This is the best way to ensure you provide them with real value. For example, Tranquil Space yoga is not selling a yoga class, but also the tools to keep you mindful the other 23 hours a day you are off the mat! And so, the Tranquil Space blog supports this by providing tips to finding tranquility off the mat etc.

* Make every customer feel special.
Everyone loves a treat, and and surprising your customers can really make their day. It doesn't necessarily have to be material: a handwritten note is always appreciated. For example, Kimberly mentioned how she will write a note on the packing slip or include a lavender sachet with online TranquiliT orders (mmm!).

* Do your homework.
When you approach bloggers or members of the press to pitch your product, be sure you've done your research. Compliment their work (you shouldn't be pitching them if you didn't respect their work right?), ask nicely, be able to explain why you/your product would be a good fit for what they're doing, and consider offering a benefit to their readers (e.g. exclusive coupon for 10% off). For example, all Tranquility du Jour readers receive $25 off at GemKitty thru 10/25 w/code: tranquil. Enter: tranquil in the gift certificate field during checkout.

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Intrigued? Let this challenge be the push you need to indulge in an artist date. OMwork: Send moi photos of you getting your artist date on and I'll share them with our readers. The most creative artist date photo/write up received by December 21 (the winter solstice) will receive a complimentary mentoring session plus my newest Tranquility-to-Go yoga CD. Create away + do share!

in a new york minute

2009-10-13T22:34:00.001-04:00

pack:
reusable water bottle
reusable pink tea mug
idea book
journal
sparkly pens
camera
1-2 books
planner pad
additional layers
earplugs
lipgloss
perfume oil
notecards to jot thank yous
laptop (on occasion)
mobile
calling cards

do:
catch earliest bus up and latest bus home
slumber both directions
hit H+M and borders by penn station
head to union square
yoga at jivamukti
noodles at republic
bookstore browse at strand
sip tea + browse at barnes + noble
shop accessories at forever 21
indulge in cupcake at cupcake cafe
back to penn station to catch bus
slice of pizza
30-60-minute foot rub
sip tea + browse at borders until closes at 10
hop on bus at 10:30

don:
layers that transition from travel to yoga to fancy fete
comfy shoes
purse plus tote bag for new accessories + must-have books
sequin beanie
mani + pedi
red lipstick
splash of white musk perfume oil
faux fur cropped jacket
armwarmers

tranquility du jour tv: tranquil space foundation 2009 gala

2009-10-11T23:03:00.000-04:00

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here's a sneak peek into tranquil space foundation's third annual gala last thursday night. learn more about our efforts to take yoga, creativity, and leadership into the world - along with our launch of tranquil woman in 2010. hear from receipients of our programming and microgrants. yay for three years of do-gooding with our own nonprofit. here's to many, many more.