HTC: December 31, 2006 Shownotes




Bonjour, Happy New Year! Welcome to the 64th edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat. Produced from the raspberry and leopard-print embellished flat in Washington, DC.

Today’s podcast is a discussion of Chapter 6 (creativity!), topped of with a pose of the podcast, insights on upcoming events, and groovy podsafe music. View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

Yamilee Bastien is an international business advisor, motivational speaker, and entrepreneur. Her career and life path have been guided by the deeply-held belief that we are here to facilitate the realization of human potential. This belief brought her to the field of international development, where she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin (West Africa) and then worked for 12 years on social and economic development programs in Africa and the Caribbean. Now as her guiding principle is evolving to include spiritual growth and creativity, her activities revolve around conducting transformational leadership workshops, coaching people through career transitions, and leading yoga retreats. She has led 6 yoga
retreats in Africa, the US, and India. When not running to catch a plane, Yamilee makes her own aromatherapy skincare products and raises funds to support entrepreneurship training programs for young people in Africa. She has recently launched an import/export company and is writing a children’s book on the 8 limbs of yoga. Check out Yamilee at suncatcheryoga.com or e-mail her at info@suncatcheryoga.com.

Pose of the Podcast: Lunge. From your standing forward fold, extend your right leg back to a lunge. Line up your front fingers and toes, wiggle your right leg back so that the leg is straight and your heel is above the ball of the foot. Press forward through the front shin. Lift up onto your fingertips if that offers you more space. Breathe here for 1 minute and feel free to rock back and forth to bring more life into the hips.

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for the book, CD, leopard print scarf, or crystal tee. New TranquiliT website is up! Check it out at tranquiliT.com.

Soirees, Chats & Booksignings & Retreats: The step-by-step scoop for hosting a Hip Tranquil Chick Signature ChariTea Soiree is up! The downloadable PDF has discussion tips, a toolkit, yoga sequences, recipes, and more! All hip tranquil chicks who agree to host a soiree in 2007 will be sent a lovely leopard-print headband and scarf as a host gift. What’s not to love about leopard-print?

Complimentary hip and tranquil teleclass coming January 29, 2006 8pm EST. To register, e-mail me with “teleclass” in the subject line. I’ll pass all the scoop and OMwork along shortly.

Local gals – join me for a book club on Hip Tranquil Chick next Friday, January 5 at Tranquil Space or for a 4-week Creativity Circle starting late January. Details at tranquilspace.com.

I’m heading to Charlotte in January and Denver in April to lead workshops and host book signings. Please come see me. Details are here!

Hip Tranquil Times Newsletter coming in the New Year. Be sure to sign up at hiptranquilchick.com.

Escape with me and like-minded women at our first HTC retreat in upstate NY in June and our first international excursion in Costa Rica in September. Details at hiptranquilchick.com.

Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com or leaving a love note in the comments section of hiptranquilchick.com/blog. A reminder that we’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

Have a burning question that you’d like hip and tranquil feedback on? E-mail me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com to have it featured and answered in our dear hip tranquil chick segment!

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music by new and independent artists from IODA Promonet. Today’s selection is Pride & Salvation by Craig De Maio. You can learn more this week's featured artist, including how to get more of his music, at Craig's MySpace page.

Thanks for joining me for the 64th edition of the HTC podcast. Namaste and happy new year!

You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click here to listen to any episode!

New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.

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.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 6:33 PM | 0 comments

after teaching, meeting with a teacher, and interviewing a fab chick on creativity today, i will begin my journey into closet clean-out (beau and pup have been forewarned and are getting geared up). this is my way to journey into more soulful surroundings. chapter 11 of hip tranquil chick offers tons 'o tips on getting our environment in order. tonight and tomorrow is my chance to do my seasonal overhaul. while perusing a lovely blog this morning, i came across keri smith's tips on creating a sacred space and wanted to share. enjoy! happy reflecting, cleaning, and making room for all this new year has to offer.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 12:18 PM | 2 comments

i'm LOVING this book. just a few pages left and i can't get enough of it. wow, i'm actually finishing a book - i have a horrible habit of reading 50 at a time and still buying a must-have at the bookstore. someone please intervene!

the author of amBITCHous asks the following questions on p. 218:

1. how satisfied are you with your career, your earnings, the level of challenge, and your future opportunities to grow and stretch yourself?
2. what are your short-term, intermediate, and long-term professional goals? list at least five goals.
3. in what ways are you moving forward? list five ways.
4. in what ways are you stuck or unclear? list five of these now.
5. how do you maintain your edge? what works to keep your ambitchous dreams fired up? list five ways.
6. in what ways have you gone soft? list those.
7. what is your definition - right now - of what it means, for you personally, to be an ambitchous woman? list seven qualities. put a check by these qualities that you're happy with in your own life. put an X by those that need some work.

copyright debra condren 2006

****************

considering this reflective time of the year, i wanted to share what i came across before dosing off to dreamland last night. i can't wait to dive into this and more during my in-house sojourn saturday-sunday! happy reflecting, girls.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 10:57 PM | 0 comments

have you taken a moment to sit down and reflect on this year, on the season, on the upcoming new year? i encourage you to carve out some time over the next few days (mine is saturday afternoon and all day sunday) to get it all down on paper. if you aren't so linear, draw out your thoughts and your dreams instead. do a collage (directions on p. 85 of hip tranquil chick) of 2007. whatever you do, just get it down on paper or canvas or video - whatever works!

i'm feeling very muddled thanks to a home that needs to be cleaned desperately (due to 3 black animals with all white furniture), a closet that is overdue for its seasonal reorg, a long list of to-dos, and end of year preparation coupled with being away for five days has left me feeling a bit frazzled. however, i relish in the thought that after tomorrow's 12 hours of meetings, i will begin the purging of mind and surroundings by putting away holiday decor, cleaning, finalizing my 2006 lessons and 2007 dreams, pulling together bags of clothes to give away, and writing down what is percolating in my head. THIS will bring tranquility.

how about you, girls, what's on your minds?

posted by kimberly wilson @ 2:27 PM | 1 comments

alrightie girls, you've requested it and i've scheduled it.

save the date: monday, january 29 8pm EST (7pm CST, 6pm MST, 5pm PST).

this is a COMPLIMENTARY 45-minute teleclass on weaving hipness and tranquility into the new year.

to reserve your spot, e-mail me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com and write "teleclass" in the subject line. i'll get the scoop (phone #) and OMwork (yep, you gotta do some reflection) out to you shortly.

merci beaucoup,
kimberly

posted by kimberly wilson @ 8:26 PM | 1 comments

i apologize for my absence from the airwaves. we left for oklahoma on friday and considering my parents only have dial-up, i didn't even attempt to make contact with the outside world. unfortunately, patiently waiting for a connection is not a virture of mine. louis the pug, beau, and i returned to dc at 1:30 this morning. it sure feels good to be home. the past few days were a whirlwind of holiday cheer in oklahoma. we arrived late friday, had a book signing soiree on saturday, headed to oklahoma city to spent time with more family for christmas eve, opened gifts with the grandmas on christmas and then took them both home, introduced louis to bison and long horns during a drive through the wichita mountains on tuesday before hitting the airport 20 minutes before our flight.

although this is a very quick run down, there were a few interesting highlights: reconnecting with phenomenal unconventional women that i hadn't seen in ten + years who resonated with the book's message, taking a hot bath in my parent's claw foot tub (i HIGHLY recommend this), watching the oklahoma sky change from reds to lavenders to rainbow (best sunsets), and reconnecting with numerous college memories thanks to garth brooks' music.

for the past two weeks i've been reading and virtually traveling thanks to eat, pray, love and HIGHLY recommend it. however, while at the houston airport yesterday, i came across amBITCHous and devoured half of it on my way home. again, a total recommend that is HOT off the press - was released on december 26. she poses a question at the end based on a question from mary oliver's poem "the summer day": tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?

as i sign off and begin to pick up the pieces from being away for five days, prepare for year-end, and get things in order for the new year, i promise to reflect on that question and beg you to do the same. thanks for reading, e-listening, and sharing your hip and tranquil souls with me.

(if you sent me a sweet note with "gush over you" in the subject line on the 23 or 24 and one on starting a parenting blog based on the HTC manifesto on the 26th, please resend. some e-mails did not make it to my computer after being checked on my phone and i feel horrible about my inability to respond.)

posted by kimberly wilson @ 11:52 AM | 1 comments

HTC: December 24, 2006 Shownotes




Bonjour and Happy Holidays! Welcome to the 63rd edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat. Produced from the raspberry and leopard-print embellished flat in Washington, DC.

Today’s podcast is a discussion of Chapter 4 Visionary Value, topped of with a pose of the podcast, insights on upcoming events, and groovy podsafe music! View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

1. Determine Values
2. Unveil your Vision
3. Set Goals
4. Create a Vision Statement

Pose of the Podcast: Tree Pose (I had to, 'tis the season!)

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for the book, CD, leopard print scarf, or crystal tee. New TranquiliT website is up! Check it out at tranquiliT.com.

Soirees, Chats & Booksignings & Retreats: The step-by-step scoop for hosting a Hip Tranquil Chick Signature ChariTea Soiree is up! The downloadable PDF has discussion tips, a toolkit, yoga sequences, recipes, and more! All hip tranquil chicks who agree to host a soiree in 2007 will be sent a lovely leopard-print headband and scarf as a host gift. What’s not to love about leopard-print?

Complimentary hip and tranquil teleclass coming in early 2007. Watch for all the details to be announced shortly.

I’m heading to Charlotte in January and Denver in April to lead workshops and host book signings. Please come see me. Details are here!

Hip Tranquil Times Newsletter coming in the New Year. Be sure to sign up at hiptranquilchick.com.

Escape with me and like-minded women at our first HTC retreat in upstate NY in June and our first international excursion in Costa Rica in September. Details at hiptranquilchick.com.

Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com or leaving a love note in the comments section of hiptranquilchick.com/blog. A reminder that we’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

Have a burning question that you’d like hip and tranquil feedback on? E-mail me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com to have it featured and answered in our dear hip tranquil chick segment!

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music by new and independent artists from the Podsafe Music Network. Today’s selection is The Christmas Song by Calvin Owens. You can learn more this week's featured artist, including how to get more of his music, at calvinowens.com.

Thanks for joining me for the 63rd edition of the HTC podcast. Namaste and happy holidays!

You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click here to listen to any episode!

New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.

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.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 12:00 PM | 1 comments

Q: I will be flying around the holidays, and for some reason, for the last few years, my fear of flying has been getting worse and worse. I still fly all the time, but as we're taking off I always am convinced something is wrong and start feeling really panicky, and that fear usually lasts until we level off. I also hate the feeling of just not being in control of my environment, which is the case in closed-in environments like a plane cabin.

I really need to figure out how to deal with this! It gets in the way of enjoying travel. Do you have advice for how to feel tranquil even when experiencing fear or panicky feelings?

A: Oh, honey, I know what you mean. I hate flying. The slightest bit of turbulence and my pulse rises and I start my 3-part yogic breathing. I did some Internet research and found a lot of info out there. Here's a great piece of info! Also, I LOVE roller coasters and that fun flip of the belly when I'm in a car going down a hill. So I've tried to translate that to the plane.

It's a mind game. Sometimes in life, during challenging situations, our minds can go straight to the worst case scenario. Flying is no exception. Play the observor and work to bring your mind back to a state of reality. (Ex., just because your boss has asked to see you, doesn't mean you're going to get fired. Resonate?)

Deep breathing coupled with healthy snacks, good hydration (h2O), and inspiring things to read can assist coping with this fear suffered by many people. Thank you for writing and I hope that this helps you have some smooth and tranquil travels. Happy holidays.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 12:22 PM | 0 comments

yay! each and every day will begin to get longer and brighter from this day forward. today is the darkest, shortest day of the year. take a moment to reflect on today's milestone. we're in the midst of holiday hurrah and life is frenetic. slow down for a moment, light a candle, slip into a hot bath, pull out your journal, and express gratitude for what this year has given you.

*****************
People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, People may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, People may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, They may be jealous; Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway.

~Mother Teresa

posted by kimberly wilson @ 9:26 AM | 1 comments

on monday i returned to the infamous hip hop dance class (accompanied by my lovely web designer and fabulous tranquil space studio assistant), had a book signing at whole foods, and met with a lovely recent mba graduate to chat about all things business. my head is still spinning. she had such great energy and asked me to put together a long list of likes, dislikes, thoughts, questions, and ideas. hmmm. this sounds like fun and daunting at the same time. i plan to carve out some quiet space on wednesday to put some deep thought into this.

as i've noted in numerous podcasts, it can be quite hard to really get clear on what it is one likes to do most. doesn't seem like it would be that tricky, but when you are continually in the mix of life, it can be difficult to determine what truly makes one tick!

during the downtime at yesterday's book signing, i began to explore my 2007 goals and reflect on the highlights of 2006. i hope to finalize this over the next week and encourage you to do the same. bullet points the moments that stick out so that they are captured as we move on to a new, fresh year.

on a totally separate, but equally important note, i received the most fabulous gift from a dear hip and tranquil chick. the book is called fancy nancy. it's a children's book that will totally make you smile. i've been quoting from it all week. enjoy and keep being fancy!

posted by kimberly wilson @ 11:34 PM | 0 comments

greetings all! if anyone lives, works, or shops near the bethesda whole foods, please swing by from 4-6/7 to say hello. i'll be there with bells on signing books and showering holiday cheer.

also, i'm delighted to announce that i have returned to the world of hip hop dance classes. first one was earlier this month (after taking a year hiatus from my "career") and i'm back in business today at noon. it's always a treat to be thoroughly humiliated while enjoying oneself!

happy monday!

posted by kimberly wilson @ 11:24 AM | 0 comments

HTC: December 18, 2006 Shownotes



Bonjour! Welcome to the 62nd edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat. Produced from the raspberry and leopard-print embellished “Pink Palace” in Washington, DC.

Today’s podcast is a discussion of Chapter 7 Refined Relations, topped of with a pose of the podcast, insights on upcoming events, and groovy podsafe music! View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

Top Tips for Refined Relations:

• Thoughtful gestures
• Create a relationship wish list
• Surround yourself with like-minded and supportive pals
• Create a community
• Throw a swanky soiree

Pose of the Podcast: Hips, hips, and more hips from Get Your Yoga On! Music courtesy of Amrita.

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for the book, CD, leopard print scarf, or crystal tee.

Soirees, Chats & Booksignings & Retreats: The step-by-step scoop for hosting a Hip Tranquil Chick Signature ChariTea Soiree is up! The downloadable PDF has discussion tips, a toolkit, yoga sequences, recipes, and more! All hip tranquil chicks who agree to host a soiree in 2007 will be sent a lovely leopard-print headband and scarf as a host gift. What’s not to love about leopard-print?

Complimentary hip and tranquil teleclass coming in early 2007. Watch for all the details to be announced shortly.

Escape with me and like-minded women at our first HTC retreat in upstate NY in June and our first international excursion in Costa Rica in September. Details at hiptranquilchick.com.

Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com or leaving a love note in the comments section of hiptranquilchick.com/blog. A reminder that we’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

Have a burning question that you’d like hip and tranquil feedback on? E-mail me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com to have it featured and answered in our dear hip tranquil chick segment!

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music by new and independent artists from the Podsafe Music Network. Today’s selection is Wishing Well by Razed High. You can learn more this week's featured artist, including how to get more of their music, at razedhigh.com and their MySpace page.

Thanks for celebrating the 62nd edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast with me! Namaste.

You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click here to listen to any episode!

New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.

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.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 12:42 AM | 0 comments

Q: I wanted to ask your thoughts on something we all face on a regular basis: dealing with negativity as we move through the world. Of course we can care for our physical and spiritual bodies by surrounding ourselves with as many positive forces as possible, such as in selecting our circle of friends, but unfortunately we can’t shield ourselves completely from the negative vibes “out there.”

For example, as a copywriter at an ad agency (a job I truly love), I have to deal with criticism of my work on a daily basis, and our clients aren’t always nice about it. As hard as we work for them, sometimes enough just isn’t enough. I try to approach these moments with an enlightened mindset, but sometimes it’s quite difficult.

That said, I wanted to ask if you'd like to share any hip-tranquil perspectives on dealing with these negative forces. Is there a yoga pose you find particularly cleansing? Is there a meditation or mantra you can recommend? I’d really love to hear your thoughts on this subject, and I’m sure others would benefit as well.

A: Oh dearest, this is the PERFECT issue to discuss, especially this time of the year. I've even put together a podcast on relations and a 13-minute hip sequence to boot - all to assist us with dealing with others and the emotions that ensue.

In the podcast, I note two favorite quotes on relations:

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." ~ Mark Twain

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Unfortunately, as we've all realized, we can't change other people. We can only change our reactions to others. I've read suggestions such as "visualize the negative person as an innocent baby" so that you can get past the anger of their actions or comment. That hasn't really worked for me but I have taken good care to release toxic people from my path. Sometimes it isn't that easy and we have to interact with them daily through a work situation such as yours or in family situations (which some of you may experience over the holidays). The best route to take is to observe their good traits, focus on the good, stay strong and filled with integrity, and limit your interaction with them. Avoid letting emotions take over.

As Don Miguel Ruiz states in The Four Agreements, nothing others do is because of you. That negative client is dealing with her own issues, and you just happen to be in their path. Diffuse their negativity with love and I promise it will come back to you ten fold. Karma has a way of making this true. Take action by surrounding yourself with as many positive and supportive people as possible, having a trusted source to vent to, and taking the high road as often as possible.

Finally, observe the criticism that comes your way (from clients, partners, etc.). Is there a common theme? If so, be grateful as this is a prescription for improvement along your journey to become more hip and tranquil.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 11:34 PM | 0 comments

tonight's 7th annual tranquil space holiday soiree was such fun! here are a few photos from the evening's festivities at mark and orlando's. thanks to all who came out for the special event and for supporting tranquil space in its 7th year! i'm incredibly grateful. happy, happy holidays!

posted by kimberly wilson @ 11:17 PM | 2 comments

here's a little image to make you smile. look at louis in his special santa hat near the freshly cut and decorated tree. poor guy looks misreable, but it made us very happy.

i hope that you're making your list and checking it twice as we prepare for the holiday festivities. if you're local, please join us for our 7th annual tranquil space holiday par-tay at mark and orlando's (2 doors down from the studio) on p street THIS sunday from 7-9pm. vegetarian tapas, holiday treats, and gifts for all. it's finally starting to feel like the holidays despite the 60 degree weather.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 11:33 PM | 3 comments

In an e-mail to me, fellow hip tranquil chick Stacey wrote: "During the “self-care” segment on your most recent podcast you mentioned indulging in a fresh baked cookie every now and then… a ritual I enjoy myself… however, I’d love to share a healthier alternative to the slice-n-bakes that can be full of preservatives…"


Stacey’s Make-N-Freeze… A Hip Chick’s Guide To Cookie Indulgence!

Ingredients:
1 Lazy Afternoon
1 great cookie recipe (yes, the kind you make from scratch)
2 sheets of wax paper
1 sheet of plastic wrap or a freezer bag
1 marker or pen

Steps:
- Prepare the recipe up to the baking phase
- Place unbaked dough in the middle of one of the sheets of wax paper
- fold the wax paper around the dough and press into a log shape
- cover the “log” with the second sheet of wax paper and then the plastic wrap (or place into freezer bag)
- Use your pen to write an expiration date three months from today on the outer wrapping
- Freeze
* Now whenever you want a preservative-free cookie(s) preheat the oven…slice off the amount you wish to make… bake according to the original recipe & ENJOY!

*****************************

Thank you, Stacey, for offering this lovely alternative! xoxo

posted by kimberly wilson @ 2:45 PM | 0 comments

i've heard from multiple people that they are going through a hard time right now. does this resonate? the weather and the dark days, coupled with all the holiday hustle can contribute to these yucky feelings. when i don't feel quite right, i can pinpoint it in my body. it's always a queasy belly and i say to my beau, "i feel oogy." and then i'm left to explore what caused this "ooginess." (is that even a word?) if you, too, are among the many who are feeling a bit oogy right now, be sure to bathe yourself in self-care, self-compassion, and self-reflection.

life is a constant rollercoaster and filled with unexpected shifts. take good care of yourself girls and know that you can't always be a rock star. sometimes you have to stay in bed with the covers pulled overhead and hibernate. then you can reemerge as your rock star self - well-rested! sending you good thoughts.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 9:28 AM | 7 comments

HTC: December 11, 2006 Shownotes




Bonjour. Welcome to the 61st edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat. Produced from the raspberry and leopard-print embellished flat in Washington, DC.

Today’s podcast is a discussion of Chapter 5 and an interview with Julie Hunt, topped of with a pose of the podcast, insights on upcoming events, and groovy podsafe music! View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

• Nourishing Treats for the Girl-on-the-Go p. 71
• Soul Restorers p. 75
• $5 “Luxury Items” p. 78

Holiday Quick Fixes:

• sip mulled cider (ok, buy apple cider and heat
• bake cookies (slice & bake count)
• give experiences
• sing holiday carols at the top of your lungs
• wear flannel pjs and fluffy socks/slippers
• soak in a hot tub surrounded by bath salts
• light cinnamon, sugar cookie, and pine candles

Julie Hunt is a free flowing source of hope, energy and inspiration who tells it like it is giving straight forward and simple tips and advice so you can live happier days and obliterate the monotony of life. She is on a self propelled mission to scream, skip, run, jump, shout, dance, and sing with women around the world who want live a vivacious life busting at the seams! Founder of SHE, author of Shout From The Rooftops In Your Stilettos, motivational speaker, improvisational actress, yoga instructor and just plain cool chick, Julie Hunt is devoted to creating pure bliss in women's lives. She splashes streaming tips of happy essentials that are fun and easy to swallow, feel good about, and great to experience. Read her article on home spaing!

Pose of the Podcast: Simply Be Meditation p. 77

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for the book, CD, leopard print scarf, or crystal tee.

Soirees, Chats & Booksignings & Retreats: The step-by-step scoop for hosting a Hip Tranquil Chick Signature ChariTea Soiree is up! The downloadable PDF has discussion tips, a toolkit, yoga sequences, recipes, and more! Send photos from your soiree and, if you’re local, I’d love to swing by!

Escape with me to our first HTC retreats in upstate NY for June 2007 and in Costa Rica in September 2007. Details at hiptranquilchick.com.

Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com or leaving a love note in the comments section of hiptranquilchick.com/blog. A reminder that we’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

Have a burning question that you’d like hip and tranquil feedback on? E-mail me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com to have it featured and answered in our dear hip tranquil chick segment!

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music---by new and independent artists from the Podsafe Music Network. Today’s selection is Subterranean by Artemis. You can learn more this week's featured artist, including how to get more of their music, at artemis.fm or their MySpace page.

Thanks for celebrating the 61st edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast with me! Namaste.

You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click here to listen to any episode!

New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.

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.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 11:01 PM | 0 comments

fresh home from the joys of jury duty. i took my iBook, brand new 2007 planner pad, assorted colored felt pens, and the spark: igniting the creative fire that lives within us all to ensure i had plenty to keep me busy. my number was called, which jolted me from frolicking with felt pens, and off to the courtroom i went. before i was called up to chat with the judge and attorneys, we were all dismissed as they'd chosen those before me. back to the jury pool and we were released mid-afternoon.

leaving the courtroom is a good feeling because you know you've done your duty and are given two years off. although it may not be a perfect day, i made the most of it and got all sorts of appointments into my 2007 calendar. sometimes when life "summons" us for plans other than what we'd prefer to be doing, it can turn out to be a blessing in disguise. and there truly is something noble about jury duty.

i hope you are all taking good care of yourselves. tonight's podcast is on self-care so i plan to pass along some helpful reminders to you on how to practice this great art. in the meantime, i'm going to bask in the joy of being off early and hop into the tub for a nice lavender-filled soak. we were up in nyc yesterday to see a show at radio city music hall so pulling in at 2am plus a tres challenging yoga class has left me in need of some self-care before dashing off to my final french class tonight. au revoir my love. savor those unexpected blessings.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 4:01 PM | 3 comments

greetings all,

fresh home from a delightful evening sipping vino and eating organic food with friends. i wanted to share my new website which just went live tonight - kimberlywilson.com. it still has a few edits but it gives a good overview of my current world - the foundation, clothing line, studio, book, along with workshops/retreats, etc. the pink toile is soooo fun! i hope you enjoy. happy, happy pink toile (and leopard-print) holidays. xoxo

posted by kimberly wilson @ 11:54 PM | 5 comments

over the past few weeks, i've had a few people ask me what was next considering i'd just completed a long-time goal (and 3-year journey) with the book. hmmm, "great question," i've replied. this is a tough one. after the book launch i told a few close friends that i was taking the rest of the year off to focus on this and to take a bit of a break after a very intense year.

however, the past few weeks have been incredibly busy with meetings, phone calls, TranquiliT spring line, new websites, spring teacher training plans, time with my accountant, planning the costa rica retreat, newsletters, book events, and sleeping. where to find time to explore what is next? doesn't life have a way of getting away from you?

tomorrow i'm meeting with a couple of girlfriends for our annual holiday lunch that includes updates and discussion of our goals. it's sooo important to take the time to reflect on these things - otherwise life is sure to take over and leave us little space. take a moment and ask yourself what is next for you. reflect on where you are and where you want to be next year this time? i know this time of the year is incredibly harried but i'm hopeful that take a few moments to explore what's next will have a profound effect. c'mon girls, tell me, what's next?

posted by kimberly wilson @ 11:15 PM | 1 comments

i just finished a podcast interview on self-care and am reved up by this important notion. watch for it out next week. girls, girls, girls, we GOTTA take care of ourselves. in between back-to-back meetings today i stopped off at whole foods to stock up on papaya, parrano cheese (my favorite), pomegrante tea, and soy dogs. this simple act was today's gesture of self-care. finding the time to do simple (and necessary) things are must-haves in our daily routines. can you turn the mundane into sacred acts? for example, can your morning cup of tea be a time where you write in your journal and reflect on the possibilites ahead for you? can your walk to work be time for you to listen to your favorite inspirational tunes? can your lunch time include bookstore browsing in the reference section to help jump-start your dreams of writing a novel?

after i finish this post, i'm off to draw a warm bath and soak in lavender bath salts. even if your world is harried (and whose isn't this time of the year), be sure to carve out a moment of solitude. here are some savvy self-care tips:

• stay in bed with a good book
• light a fire
• roast marshmallows
• add marshmallows to hot cocoa (do you see a marshmallow pattern?)
• simmer hot cider all day long
• bring rosemary into your home
• indulge in aromatherapy oils
• cuddle up in flannel pjs
• do legs up the wall
• surround yourself with flowers
• connect with nature
  

posted by kimberly wilson @ 11:14 PM | 4 comments

HTC: December 4, 2006 Shownotes




Welcome to the 60th edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast: a guide to life on and off the yoga mat. Produced from the raspberry and leopard-print embellished flat in Washington, DC.

Today’s podcast is a discussion of Chapter 8 "Professional Prosperity," topped of with a pose of the podcast, insights on upcoming events, and groovy podsafe music! View our shownotes at hiptranquilchick.com/blog.

Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in our hearts. – Rumi

1. Determine “what makes you tick” on page 109.
2. Ask yourself “what would I do if money and time were not issues?”

Pose of the Podcast: Legs up the Wall

Haute Stuff Shoppe: Shop online for the book, CD, leopard print scarf, or crystal tee.

Soirees, Chats & Booksignings & Retreats: The step-by-step scoop for hosting a Hip Tranquil Chick Signature ChariTea Soiree is up! The downloadable PDF has discussion tips, a toolkit, yoga sequences, recipes, and more! Send photos from your soiree and, if you’re local, I’d love to swing by!

Escape with me to our first HTC retreats in upstate NY for June 2007 and in Costa Rica in September 2007. Scoop here.

Au Revoir: Share your hip tranquil chickness with me, request show ideas, or pass along feedback by e-mailing me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com or leaving a love note in the comments section of hiptranquilchick.com/blog. A reminder that we’re on MySpace and Frappr, so please connect with the community virtually there, too!

Have a burning question that you’d like hip and tranquil feedback on? E-mail me at kimberly@hiptranquilchick.com to have it featured and answered in our dear hip tranquil chick segment!

To close out the show, we’re playing podsafe music---by new and independent artists. Today’s selection is the gorgeous wire-strung harp performance, Valentine Suite IV by Heath Patrie.
You can learn more about Heath, including how to get more of his music, at heath.libsyn.com. Subscribe to Heath's podcast here and enjoy the music everytime Heath uploads a new track!

Thanks for celebrating the 60th edition of the Hip Tranquil Chick podcast with me! Namaste.

You don't need an iPod to listen to the podcast! Click here to listen to any episode!

New to podcasting? Get more info at Yahoo Podcasts.

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.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 10:25 PM | 1 comments

Q: I very much enjoy your blog, podcast, cds, and new book. I was hoping you could give me some tips on an important issue I haven't yet seen you cover: Weight and Body image. Specifically, how should a Hip Tranquil Chick best deal with one of those awful "fat days"-- those days when you wake up and "feel fat," you feel dissatisfied with your body, ashamed of yourself, uncomfortable in your own skin... I have definitely struggled my whole life with "feeling fat" (though, like so many young women I am not overweight, but am ever mindful of how I could be fitter, leaner, "thinner") and though I do my best to take excellent care of myself with whole foods and mindful eating and regular yoga practice, those "fat days" still happen every once in a while, and I would love some tips, or maybe a yoga sequence that would help reconnect to my body and disrupt the cycle of feeling bad about myself and my body's appearance. For me, like many women, "feeling fat" leads to feeling sad and ashamed, which often leads to reaching for food to soothe the negative feelings... It would mean so much if you could design a yoga sequence or offer some tips to help during those "feeling fat" moments, so that instead of turning to a bag of m&ms and ultimately feeling even worse, hip tranquil chicks who are struggling can turn to their mats or use other tips to get out of the negative head space and feel better about themselves and their bodies, rather than sabotaging their bodies by going on a binge. Thank you so much for any help, tips, guidance, or words of wisdom you can provide.

A: Wow, what a raw and real question. Thank you for writing. So many of us have those "fat days" or "yuck days" or "don't wanna get out of bed days" and it is absolutely normal. If you didn't experience these moments, then I would begin to wonder. The key to dealing with these days is to bathe yourself in self-care versus indulging in the downward spiral of peanut m&ms. I recall gaining weight my final semester of college, then backpacking in Europe, and moving to Colorado all within six months. At that point I was up from my usual 110/115 to 130. My period stopped due to the shock to by body and I was obsessed with losing weight. I turned to food for comfort during all these transitions and the more I focused on it, the more it consumed me. It was especially challenging while traveling throughout Europe and being surrounded by stick thin women when I had added unwelcomed curves. Now, ten years later, I joke that I have trouble finding time to eat due to an incredibly picky palatte and a crazy schedule. I'm at my ideal weight thanks to tons of yoga, although I definitely fluctuate at the drop of a hat five to ten pounds due to my passion for sugar. And, as a collegue pointed out yesterday, I have a bit of a belly. I share this with you as a reminder that we're all a work in progress and all experience these ups and downs. Belly and all.

A few tips to help you deal with these normal, yucky days:
1. Recognize that your feelings are normal.
2. Recognize your inherent worth - belly fat and all.
3. Do something good for yourself - get moving, choose herbal tea over a high calorie drink, have fruit nearby to snack on over cheetos, make an appointment for a massage, pedi, or facial.
4. Explore what brings these feelings on - a comment by someone, looking in the mirror, self-talk, a challenging experience.
5. Decide to handle these situations differently - engage in positive and affirming self-talk, be prepared with healthy snacks when going into those challenging experiences.
6. Practice some restorative or yin yoga - restore, rejuvenate, go deep, and nurture your body.

The body is a very delicate machine and it is crucial that we treat it gingerly while also challenging it to constantly grow. Girls, additional words of wisdom? Body image is a critical piece of being female and worthy of discussion. Thank you for opening the dialogue.

posted by kimberly wilson @ 4:42 PM | 8 comments

this weekend was filled with two fabulous events - tranquil space's annual holiday trunk show and a mimosa-filled brunch with urban divas. here are two photos from the two fab events - one where i'm signing my dear friend and sewing teacher's book, rachael of swank creations, and another where i'm giving a presentation at a today's book signing brunch held at a dupont circle art gallery.

it's truly hard to believe that it is already december and that we're in the midst of the holiday rush. this year has flown by (guess that happens as we get older). considering the weekend's events, today's podcast is behind but i wanted to share my presentation [mp3] from today. it's on creating a signature style (chapter 10) and finding some tranquility during this hectic season. i hope that this provides you with respite from any overwhelm you may be feeling. embrace the electric spirit of the season and have fun. i'm returning to hip hop dance class tomorrow after a year long hiatus. talk about electric!

posted by kimberly wilson @ 11:48 PM | 1 comments

costa rica bound

after two years away from the beloved country of costa rica, i've reserved a week to host a special hip tranquil chick international retreat! save the date - september 1 - 8, 2007 (over labor day weekend). with a full week dedicated to yoga, creativity, and renewal in the beautiful mountains of costa rica, we're sure to have a divine experience. i've been to pura vida spa four times and have such magical memories so it is time to return. i'm busily putting together all the details and the journey will include tons 'o yoga for all levels, creative work, dancing, visionary work, excursions to poas volcano and the gorgeous la paz waterfall gardens, and 1 on 1 mentoring sessions. mark your 2007 calendars, girls, and let's play surrounded by coffee plantations, lush vegetation, heaps of papaya, and plenty of spa treatment options.

prices start at $1250 for tentalows and includes two excursions, three yummy meals a day, hip and tranquil curriculum, private mentoring session, plus transport to and from the airport. to register, call 888.767.7375. more scoop to come. happy december!

posted by kimberly wilson @ 3:47 PM | 2 comments