Tag Archives: Renaissance Soul

New Year Thoughts

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Each year January (or thereabouts) I try to set a new tone for the year. Not goals or resolutions, but guideposts to keep in mind day-to-day. I save the more concrete goal-setting for my birthday each year. But the new year thoughts are just that – little mantras to keep in my pocket for the coming months to help create subtle but important mindset shifts. There’s still quite a bit to be said about 2016, that deserves a separate post. But I’ve been ruminating on the future lately, so here’s to 2017:  Continue reading →

Make Noise and Take Up Space, or Loud Pipes and Heavy Weights: How changing my eating habits changed my thought process

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Random side note: One thing I miss about grad school is writing papers. Egads, I know. An absurd appeal in writing Literature research papers is titling them, and including a “sexy subtitle.” So today’s post title is an ode to my Literature research days. Thanks for humoring me.

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Remember a few weeks ago when I mentioned that part of my experience with Whole30 was getting comfortable putting my foot down and standing up for myself? That simple 30-day dietary reset proved to be a catalyst for examining how I show up in the world. I started thinking about how I make a fuss, make noise, and take up space.

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Fresh Start.

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2014 Fresh Start
For a blog about personal enrichment, I really missed the mark in 2013. That’s a little harsh; I did revamp the site and start posting more regularly. And, since once of my 2014 goals entails more self-compassion, we’ll chalk it up to the starts and stops that a new endeavor often brings. I’m a sucker for new beginnings. Whole-heartedly. Whenever I hear about people starting new jobs or moving to a new city, I get a little jealous. Every month, every year, every September, every season change feels like new opportunity. Some more so than others. So with that admission, I will gladly jump on the Fresh Start Bandwagon of 2014. (That’s what I’m calling it.) Continue reading →

Books for Igniting Creativity and Inspiring Self Confidence – Part III

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The Renaissance SoulRenaissanceCover by Margaret Lobenstine

This may also be an unusual pick for inspiring creativity or confidence, but it’s a book I have always enjoyed. I’m not sure why I don’t own it, as I think I’ve checked it out of the library something like three times now.  I’ve mentioned here previously about being a “renaissance soul” and this book is where I got the term. Lobenstine herself sums up what that means:

Renaissance Souls love nothing better than to take on a new problem or situation and then dig into it…until we master the challenge we’ve set for ourselves. And then, with fresh enthusiasm, we move on to another passion. We are lucky people who, if left to our own devices, are never bored for long (2).

If you’re anything like me, you’ve struggled with this concept, always being jealous of people who picked a major in college and then just went after it; getting a job with a real-live career path. I’ve always wanted that – to find just one passion and really commit to it. But I’ve never been able to, and evidently, I’m not alone. I’m never really satisfied with one or two hobbies and love discovering new things. Being in a job that doesn’t seem like “me” feels like wearing shoes that are too tight. (I digress…) Continue reading →