I’m a proud Alanis Morissette fan. Jagged Little Pill came out during a particularly formative time in my life about 20 years ago, and some of her songs have really stayed with me through interesting times. Many of her albums resonate.

21 Things I Want In A Lover is a song on rotation in my running playlist. It’s got just the right tempo and is actually quite a profound list of traits we should look for in lovers and friends. And when I run, I subscribe to freeform mind flow- that is, I let my mind work out issues and gorge on the highs of whatever’s most demanding of my psyche. Lately it’s been work and leadership. So, in homage to Alanis, here is “21 Things” with only slight modifications to quiet my mind when I’m running and pensive about management issues. (Please sing along with me.)

21 Things I Want in a Lover Leader

Do you derive joy when someone else succeeds your people succeed?

Do you not play dirty when engaged in competition?

Do you have a big intellectual capacity

But know that it alone does not equate wisdom?

Do you see everything as an illusion

But enjoy it even though you are not of it?

Are you Do you support both masculine and feminine,

Politically aware, and don’t believe in capital punishment in public?

These are 21 things that I want in a lover leader-

Not necessarily needs but qualities that I prefer.

Do you derive joy from diving in and seeing that

Loving Leading someone can actually feel like freedom?

Are you funny, á la self-deprecating,

Like adventure and have many formed opinions?

These are 21 things that I want in a lover leader-

Not necessarily needs but qualities that I prefer.

I figure I can describe it since I have a choice in the matter my endeavors.

These are 21 things I choose to choose in a lover leader.

I’m in no hurry, I could wait forever.

I’m in no rush ’cause I like being working solo.

No worries and certainly no pressure- in the meantime

I’ll live work like there’s no tomorrow.

Are you uninhibited in bed on boards more than three times a week?

Up for being experimental?

Are you athletic? Are you thriving in a job that helps your brother?

Are you not addicted?

These are 21 things that I want in a lover leader.

Not necessarily needs but qualities that I prefer.

I figure I can describe it since I have a choice of the matter my endeavors.

These are 21 things I choose to choose in a lover leader.

…I think you’re curious and communicative…

Bethany Miller is an explorer in life and in business. She’s an airline pilot, businesswoman, veteran and world traveler. Fascinated by global issues and the business of business, Bethany is a doctoral candidate at Université Paris-Dauphine in Paris, France, and is researching extraordinary employees in chaotic work environments.

www.GoodGlobalCitizen.com

Elizabeth and Ficre. She a poet and he an artist create a life and a family together enjoying Eritrean fantasia food, art, literature, travel, dinner parties with friends, and ordinary errands.

“The story seems to begin with catastrophe but in fact began earlier and is not a tragedy but rather a love story. Perhaps tragedies are only tragedies in the presence of love, which confers meaning to loss. Loss is not felt in the absence of love.” These lines from the opening of Elizabeth Alexander’s new memoir The Light of The World pull us into the lives of Elizabeth and Ficre.

With beautifully poetic language and raw vulnerable honesty the author shares the story of losing her husband, Ficre, suddenly and only days after his fiftieth birthday. She writes about how death deepens the experiences we have on life’s journey, about how art is her religion, and about how she determined the passage of time based on how much her two sons cried each day in the year after their father’s death.

As Alexander carries on her life without her husband and establishes home in a new place, she grieves her loss and relishes the tangibles keeping the memories of her beloved husband alive. She shares with readers complete recipes of dishes Ficre cooked, lines of poetry they enjoyed, and visions of paintings both complete and incomplete.

From the images of Ficre growing up in East Africa to details of their life together in New Haven to her life with her boys in New York City, the author’s story reminds us of words her husband etched on a painting for their bedside.

“I wake up grateful, for life is a gift.”

Renee believes we all have a story and advocates continuously for sharing & improving these stories. An educator and activist for eradicating inequities in our world, Renee believes access to quality education is a right for everyone. On the C&W blog Renee explores her creative side by offering thoughts on a variety of books from her book a week reading list. Renee lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her husband and two sons.

Twitter: @renee_boss  Blogger:www.reneeboss.blogspot.com

Growing up, I was the queen of grudges. I felt like I was in control, morally right, and the better person if I dragged out my anger against another person. In it’s own twisted way, it felt good to have a perception of power.

By studying A Course in Miracles, I discovered these habits had become unhealthy cycles of grudges, guilt, and judgment that breed just that, and only that. A lot of my past romantic relationships and friendships ended in a heat of blame. My self-esteem would chip away. I was ready for those cycles to end.

An A Course in Miracles mantra is, “Forgiveness is the key to happiness.” Through the text’s exercises, I began to learn how wonderful it was to release my resentments and grow in deeper love with everyone that I loved.

The course teaches that when you are attacking another person, you are actually attacking yourself.  A daily practice of acknowledging another’s behavior and choosing to see them with love instead of attack has not only given me compassion for others, but more compassion and willingness to forgive my very self…which is more of what EVERYONE needs.

When I find ways to forgive and take care of myself, my anxiety and tension tend to slip away. I give myself permission to realize that I am doing my very best, and that my best is beautiful.

FeMeditate: Practice Forgiveness

1). Become a witness to your judgments and resentment against others, no matter who they are. Committing to this alone for a full day will help you understand where you need to practice forgiveness.

2). Realize that there is a better way to think – with love. Anyone who desires compassion can call upon it easily. This is a simple choice. Recognize that you want to feel differently.

3). Be Still. Oftentimes these negative feelings are a sign that we aren’t in tune with a general place of peace. Sitting in stillness, meditating, or doing yoga are the best ways to let love and happiness come forward in a natural way.

Meagan Roppo has been a student of meditation and yoga, as well as a 60-hour trained advocate for women, for the past four years. She has dedicated her time and passion to women’s crisis shelters, feminist studies, and writing on women’s issues. By founding She Enlightened in 2014, Meagan hopes to encourage and empower girls & women to bring forth their gifts, voices, and light that are undoubtedly inside of each them. Meagan currently works as Chief Operating Officer of Young Professional Women in Energy, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that works to employ more women in the energy industry. 

Website: http://www.sheenlightened.com   Twitter: @SheEnlightened

There are various and conflicting definitions of “A Real New Yorker”, many of which imply that prior to that point one was only pretending. I’d always held that it took ten years of living in New York City to be considered official, but recently have heard it’s only eight years, or even as few as five. Apparently some people have done away with length of residency and think that being a New Yorker is an attitude, an outlook, a state of mind.  The cynic might argue that being a New Yorker just requires a superiority complex.

New York is a mythic city. It is legendary, literary, cinematic. It has an unavoidable intensity, a throbbing pulse to its rhythms, a constant cycle of creative destruction. It has a subway system that baffles visitors, and social mores that can come off as cold or rude upon first brush (but really, everyone is just trying to preserve a bit of space between eight million souls). This city also has beauty that can surprise you, showing up unexpectedly in verdant pockets of dense neighbors or being unfurled so grandly in Central Park.

New York has been my home for the past nine years, so if I haven’t earned the title yet, I’m getting close by any definition. I’ve never lost a sense of awe upon seeing the skyline, which is now mixed with a sense of pride. New York is home to so many people who came from somewhere else (my Midwestern self included), some of whom only stay briefly before moving back, or moving else where. I’ve come to believe that becoming a New Yorker happens when you make peace with the city. When you’re at ease within it, and you plan to stay awhile.

While she’s almost an official New Yorker, now that she has spent the past eight years working for a large investment bank in New York City, Jean Blosser still cherishes her Midwestern roots, growing up in Columbus, Ohio. She is an alumnus of Boston College and enjoys her whiskey neat. You can find her blog here: http://www.skylineblossoms.com/ 

I love social media and the internet. I couldn’t live without Facebook, Instagram, and my favorite blogs and websites. The internet is humanity laid bare and I find this stimulating and disturbing in equal measure.

I have a lot of friends who are doing amazing things and changing the world, and the internet provides information about their accomplishments on a daily basis. I get to celebrate someone’s success every day. I hate to admit this, but one of the emotions that I feel when I read about the victories of others and the praise that comes with doing something great is a little bit of envy.

Everyone has a need for recognition, especially overachievers who are often working hard to further passions or promote causes, and I certainly get my fair share of praise. Often, though, I walk around with the sense that I have no expertise, and that, somehow, I’m letting all of my potential go to waste. I compare what I know I could do with what other people are doing, and I don’t measure up.

I told a friend about this feeling, and, not surprisingly, she said that she often feels that way, and some of the time she feels envious of me, just as I feel envious of her. It’s difficult for many of us to believe we are doing enough or creating enough or making enough of an impact. It’s not a feeling that is comfortable to admit, but talking about it gave me both a boost and a reality check. What is it that I need to be doing that I’m not? Is there an untapped skill or passion that I’m ignoring? And why do I undervalue my own achievements? Most important, how do I change my perception and support my friends who often feel the same way?

We are all doing something praise worthy just by being here, being ourselves, and being both interesting and interested, and it’s time we all own that and feel good about it.

Tanzi Merritt has made a career out of words. She spent several years working as an academic reference librarian and a community college library director, teaching students how to locate and evaluate information as well as to choose reading materials purely for pleasure. A career shift landed her in the position of sales and marketing coordinator for a technology consulting company, where she translates things written by software engineers into words that the non-developers of the world can understand. In her free time, she sits on a number of nonprofit boards, reads, knits, crafts, listens to (and sometimes makes) music, obsessively watches documentaries, buys art, and frequents lots of local restaurants and craft breweries. Pinterest: pinterest.com/tanzimerritt  Goodreads: goodreads.com/tanzimerritt  Instagram: tanzimerritt  LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanzidmerritt  Twitter: @tanzidawn

I once heard a speaker say, “I love beginnings; they are so full of promise.” I had always shared this sentiment, but it was not until she put it into words that I fully realized the importance of promise in a beginning. Now, more than ever, I am thirsty for that promise. As a senior in college, I am being ushered into the end of something fierce, vivacious, and wonderful. I am required to seriously pursue and investigate life post-grad, the time of life that seemed so distant just three years ago. I am finding myself in a constant, emotion-driven quest for where I might be living in just a few short months, what might I be doing on a daily basis.

Being in college has taught me how transitional life is. Nothing stays the same for long. In fact, I find myself thrust into a new change just as I have begun adjusting to the previous one. Change is difficult. Sometimes it comes out of nowhere, and other times it’s like a car in your rearview mirror getting bigger and bigger as it approaches. As I anticipate the next change in my life, this time in the form of a diploma, black robe, and square-shaped hat, I cling desperately to the fact that change doesn’t come alone. I like to think that change always enters with two friends: end and beginning. In my life, end tends to bear sadness and nostalgia. However, beginning comes with a different ally. Beginning brings the guest of honor. She dances into the room glittering and celebrating. She is warm and people cling to her for comfort and rejuvenation. She cares deeply and laughs with her head thrown back and light in her eyes. Her name is Promise, and she will inspire you and help you to embrace life for all that it is.

Hello there! My name is Elaine Bailey, and I’m from Kentucky. I’m currently a full-time student majoring in Writing, Rhetoric and Communication. When I’m not working on papers or crossing assignments off of my to-do list, I’m typically with people. People are one of my deepest passions, and I indulge in this great love through a number of activities: I work as a tour guide for my cherished university; I devote time, commitment, and heart to my wonderful sorority; and finally, I find true pleasure and fulfillment in simply spending time with my family and friends. The passion that also occupies much of my time is travel. I am in love with every corner of this world, and I end each adventure wondering when the next will begin. No matter what I find myself doing on a given day, it is my hope that I am recognizing God’s beautiful and personalized touch in my life. I find much joy in living, and I wish to radiate that joy, zest, and excitement to anyone who may be needing a reminder that life is a glimmering gift.

Demi Lovato’s mic was unintentionally turned on backstage before the 2015 VMA’s. The next week, links and articles blew up social media newsfeeds and trending topics. What was she caught saying? Clicking on the link, we expected to hear something we could laugh at, or a piece of Hollywood gossip. Instead, Lovato, not knowing the audience could hear her, said the words:

“I am enough. I am enough.”

This sentiment resonated with so many viewers that the recording went viral; Demi Lovato continues to be an even more amazing positive role model than the week before.

Positive self-talk and affirmations can alter our thinking, our attitude, and the state of our day in just a few words.  I can do this. I am beautiful. I will be okay.

But, as Eckhart Tolle teaches in The Power of Now, there are actually two of us – the surface-level being that is freaking out, has low self-esteem, and can be easily knocked off-balance – and the observer.

The observer is the you in the back of your mind that can watch the surface you lose your cool, make irrational decisions, and upset others around you. It is the you that does not mentally engage in its surroundings.

Try it for a minute. Stare at something that is stressing you out. Then watch your mind be stressed, as though your stress is a car driving by and you are sitting on the side of the road.

Now bring affirmations into the mix. If we’re repeating “I am enough. I am enough…” are we reaching our surface-level being? Our observer already knows that we are enough. Our observer is already calm. Our observer is already empowered. In other words, our surface-level being is hearing conflicting views, and may be hesitant to believe the good stuff.

Just recently, I had a meeting with a difficult CEO who was insulting my beliefs. Instead of reaching for the instinct to calm myself, I imagined a friend holding me and saying, “Don’t listen to him. Don’t listen to him.”

Our peaceful, happy observer, can be that friend.

You are powerful beyond measure. You are an undeniable force of light. You are beautiful. You are enough.

 I challenge you to find what works for you, and I want your thoughts! Should we begin talking to ourselves as though our observer is coaching us, or should we dig deeper into the surface-learner?

Meagan Roppo has been a student of meditation and yoga, as well as a 60-hour trained advocate for women, for the past four years. She has dedicated her time and passion to women’s crisis shelters, feminist studies, and writing on women’s issues. By founding She Enlightened in 2014, Meagan hopes to encourage and empower girls & women to bring forth their gifts, voices, and light that are undoubtedly inside of each them. Meagan currently works as Chief Operating Officer of Young Professional Women in Energy, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that works to employ more women in the energy industry. 

Website: http://www.sheenlightened.com

Twitter: @SheEnlightened

I couldn’t stop myself. I had to order the Champagne and fries. Maybe because my late dinner plans felt excruciatingly far away. Maybe because it was “the thing to get” at Sylvain. Or maybe just because it was New Orleans. I was visiting the city for a food conference and taking every chance I could to squeeze in stops that weren’t on the itinerary. Alternating a piping hot fry with a sip of bracing, dry bubbly while making conversation with locals, I savored one of the most delicious moments of my trip. (I’d figure out how to make it through my five course dinner later.)  While admittedly, New Orleans is the kind of place that lends itself especially well to that sort of indulgence, it needn’t be the only one.

And so, along with a few party dresses and a “Call me Old Fashioned” t-shirt, I tucked into my suitcase a good helping of joie de vivre to take home.  For why not spoil yourself with Champagne and fries before dinner? Why not zip into a vintage-inspired dress that makes you look like a 1950s debutante on a regular Thursday? Or hit that funky music joint nearby, with its raw talent and seedy clientele? I found no good reason not to do any of these things in my own city. In our overcommitted lives, our eyes may well glaze over at the prospect of another day of work drudgery and personal obligations. Which is why it’s critical to wake yourself up and escape the blasé: wear a colorful outfit. Make a date at your wine bar and learn about a new vintage. Pull up a chair at that out-of-the-way dumpling joint.

And if you somehow find yourself transported to New Orleans, absolutely do not turn down the Champagne and fries.  Live every day like the special occasion that it most certainly is.

Elizabeth Roach believes in balancing a sense of possibility with the art of savoir-faire, and is not above diving into a slice of cake while on a conference call. A graduate of Furman University and the Columbia University Publishing Program, she has worked in Kentucky government and politics for more than seven years. She is currently Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear’s scheduling director, and has previously served as his assistant speechwriter and as First Lady Jane Beshear’s press secretary. Based in Lexington, Kentucky, Elizabeth is a frequent traveler who writes freelance articles about bourbon, baking, and culinary adventures. She has contributed to The Bourbon Review, The Local Palate, and TheRecoveringPolitician.com, for which she pens a food column (http://therecoveringpolitician.com/category/friends/lizr). Check out her website at elizabethroachwriter.com, and follow her on Instagram @LizRoach7 and Twitter @LizRoach.  

I am unperfect.

Somewhere between deficient and flawless lays a status of simply being in the process.

How can we be perfect if we are not yet finished becoming who we are to become?

In this state, my state of TODAY, I believe we must be “un”perfect because my being is “un”done.

I have not yet arrived; I am still in the process. Should I be fully formed- of body, of mind, and of spirit, I fear I would be “im”perfect. And as embarrassed as I am every day of my failings, I should hope that these hours are not defined by inadequacies and oversights on the part of my living. I long that my everyday existence is just another step in the journey. Another day of growth and learning. One more brushstroke of my life’s work.

Tomorrow I will work towards learning more ways of the world. Tomorrow I will push my mind to acquire more knowledge. Tomorrow I will stretch and nourish and rest my body. Tomorrow I will seek to self-actualize. Tomorrow I will mentor and listen and pray and work and dream. Again. Better than today. And better yet again the next day.

No, I hope I shall never be finished developing. There is too much to learn. My body will age without (and even despite!) my intervention. My soul reads:  “work in progress”. My unperfect soul.

Bethany Miller is an explorer in life and in business. She’s an airline pilot, businesswoman, veteran and world traveler. Fascinated by global issues and the business of business, Bethany is a doctoral candidate at Université Paris-Dauphine in Paris, France, and is researching extraordinary employees in chaotic work environments.

www.GoodGlobalCitizen.com

I sometimes wish that the English language accommodated the ornate specificity of German compound words or the poetic ability of a single Japanese word to communicate a complex experience. For example, I recently learned the Japanese word tsundoku, which means the act of buying a book and leaving it unread, often piled up together with other unread books. Oh yes, I know that phenomenon well. That word resonates — it speaks to a reality in my life.

I am guilty of tsundoku, but only with the best of intentions and due to an abiding love for books. Maybe that’s why, despite my guilt, I don’t feel convicted. I purchase each book in a spirit of optimism, delighted by the opportunity to explore or escape, to read another classic. I maintain that hopefulness so completely that a cadre of unread books has followed me through various moves, even when I’ve jettisoned other unused possessions with cold-eyed discipline. There are great books in my life that I’ve been meaning to crack open for years, and more still that were gifts or recommendations.

It turns out that even the books that I haven’t read, the ones that cascade around my nightstand, have the power to make me happy. I am content to know that any day now, really, I can open one up and begin to read.

While she’s almost an official New Yorker, now that she has spent the past eight years working for a large investment bank in New York City, Jean Blosser still cherishes her Midwestern roots, growing up in Columbus, Ohio. She is an alumnus of Boston College and enjoys her whiskey neat.

I’m a recovering Resist-and-Persist Writer. It’s an affliction that strikes many creatives – this need to simultaneously satisfy and squelch our Urge to Art. Because making art is scary. It’s a tangible manifestation of our insides – our thoughts, our feelings, our deepest and darkest places. It’s making ourselves seen, making ourselves known, making ourselves open to critique and condemnation as much as to accolade and acclaim.

For years, I’d feel a burning urge to write and resistance would flare up, though in a fairly functional-looking way: I’d sign up for a writing class. I’d join a writer’s group. I’d attend a writer’s conference. All in the name of deadlines, accountability, networking, and feedback. But instead of giving life to the art inside me, I’d find myself hammering out writing exercises, reviewing other people’s work, and listening to lectures – distracting from the oh-so-vital Urge to Art.

Now when I feel an idea burning a hole in my brain, I settle the flames by giving into it. The art lives inside me, so I go there to bring it forth. I open the laptop and write. You may need to grab your instrument and play. Get behind the lens and shoot. Grab your paints and put brush to canvas. Then, once the art is made, you can seek others to help you shape it, shine it, share it with the world.

But first, the world needs you to indulge your Urge to Art.

Nicole Christie is a writer and storyteller who splits her time between Seattle and Montreal. She is also the principal and creative director of NICO, Inc. – a one-woman firm specializing in fresh, honest, engaging employee and marketing communications for Fortune 500 corporations, leading-edge creative firms, and rapidly growing new technology companies. She adores food, wine, long walks, comedy, inspiring podcasts, and traveling the world with her trumpet-player love. nicolechristie.com.

After running a popular and anonymous blog about observations on race, culture, immigration, and class. Nigerian born Ifemelu leaves America to return to her roots in Lagos. When she steps off the plane Ifemelu, the protagonist of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel Americanah, breathes the dense hot air and knows she is home.

Often when we read stories of immigration from Africa, we learn of refugees fleeing to escape war or poverty, but not in Americanah. Instead, Adichie writes about middle-class people seeking choice and status they believe they will find in America or England. Two such middle-class individuals, Ifemelu and Obinze, fall in love in Nigeria. Both hope to live in America–a land of opportunity. Though Ifemelu arrives on partial scholarship and Obinze plans to follow, the story of two young people in love takes many twists and turns as both characters strive for upward mobility and stability.

Obinze never makes it to America and instead lands briefly in England under a false name. Ifemelu travels to America and makes desperate choices in the early months as she works to survive the despair and loneliness she encounters.

Over a decade after her arrival in America, “her blog was doing well, with thousands of visitors each month, and she was earning good speaking fees, and she had a fellowship at Princeton and a relationship with Blaine….” However, it wasn’t enough; the life she longed for did not exist in America after all.

Even with sensory reminders such as jollof rice and fried plantain, Ifemelu’s successful life in America could not replace the “amorphous longings, shapeless desires, and brief imaginary glints of other lives she could be living.”

The life Ifemelu could be living is in Lagos, and if you enjoy reading this work of fiction as much as I did, you can follow more stories on Adichie’s blog The Small Redemptions of Lagos.

Renee believes we all have a story and advocates continuously for sharing & improving these stories. An educator and activist for eradicating inequities in our world, Renee believes access to quality education is a right for everyone. On the C&W blog Renee explores her creative side by offering thoughts on a variety of books from her book a week reading list.

Renee lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her husband and two sons.

Twitter: @renee_boss     Blogger:www.reneeboss.blogspot.com

It’s time to look with fresh eyes on the work we do.

Why? To gain a better insight into how the job is coming along, to know whether we’re reaching our goals, to understand whether our work is purposeful and on track. Or to, if nothing else, appreciate our performance.

The wheel is the wheel. This circular tool is necessary for a myriad of functions. It’s also the perfect representation of success:  to come full circle, to go ‘round and ‘round, to circle back, to roll downhill. The circle is used in nearly every function in everyday life. Its engineering strength is undeniable. Its beauty is steadfast. There will never be a successful reinvention of it. Hence the illustrative humor of the phrase “to reinvent the wheel”.

The artist Giotto drew the perfect circle for Pope Boniface VIII. With nothing more than a brush full of red paint, Giotto drew one curved line. This simple red O was a masterful representation of skill and precision. It causes us to rethink mastery.

How shall we look at success? Perhaps it’s not the number of achievements we accrue. Perhaps it’s not our hard-earned expertise. Success may even disguise herself as fatigue from working so hard. Or can it be less ambiguous?

Maybe, just maybe, success is a perfect circle. Simple. Birthed of our innate talents. Embodied by our natural gifts. Can it be unassuming, yet immaculate? Recognized by children and elders alike. Perhaps we should reframe how we look at success. No need to make it more complex than it is. No need to reinvent the wheel.

Bethany Miller is an explorer in life and in business. She’s an airline pilot, businesswoman, veteran and world traveler. Fascinated by global issues and the business of business, Bethany is a doctoral candidate at Université Paris-Dauphine in Paris, France, and is researching extraordinary employees in chaotic work environments.

www.GoodGlobalCitizen.com

As I develop a new meditation circle called Manifesting Miracles, the little voice in my heart keeps repeating, not everyone knows what a Miracle is. Teach them. 

The best definition comes from A Course in Miracles, a self-guided text on the very subject of miracles. It teaches that we are born into a beautiful, unbounded love, and that through living in this world, and by our perceptions of it, we learn fear. Through the practice of forgiveness, recognizing how we separate ourselves from others, and calling out our fear, we can return to love.

Every miracle is equal. Showing love to a stranger for insulting you, forgiving a past lover, or forgiving yourself for making a little everyday mistake – all of these choices are essential in our journey back to love. Each one of these instances is a miracle.

Whenever you find yourself choosing light over dark, be grateful to yourself. When you don’t make that choice, recognize it, and forgive yourself.

Above all, be on the lookout for miracles, and you will notice that they aren’t as rare as we all thought they were.

I choose to see again.

I choose the light inside of me, the light that never ends.

I choose to see this with love.

Meagan Roppo has been a student of meditation and yoga, as well as a 60-hour trained advocate for women, for the past four years. She has dedicated her time and passion to women’s crisis shelters, feminist studies, and writing on women’s issues. By founding She Enlightened in 2014, Meagan hopes to encourage and empower girls & women to bring forth their gifts, voices, and light that are undoubtedly inside of each them. Meagan currently works as Chief Operating Officer of Young Professional Women in Energy, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that works to employ more women in the energy industry.

Website: http://www.sheenlightened.com     Twitter: @SheEnlightened

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” – Mary Oliver, poet

What do you want that you already have, Megan? I’ve been mulling over this self-imposed question for weeks.

I’m in a season of reflection. As a rule, I’ve always been a reflective sort of girl, but this go-around I’m digging deeper. Asking myself tougher questions. Dusting off some old boxes of the heart and taking a peek inside so see what I had hidden away. I’m on my hands and knees, scrubbing clean the tiles of the ideals and hopes I have let diminish in beauty over time.

Its dirty work, I’m not gonna lie. And it takes seemingly for-evvvvver.

But, that question might just be revolutionizing my life.

What do I want?

• In my relationships with my kids, my husband, my friends?
• From my daily routine? My career?
• For my future?
• My goals to achieve?
• My body to look like? Feel like? Move like?
• My spiritual life to be?
• My reputation to reflect?
• My influence to impact?
• My legacy to be?

Answer them truthfully and the deepest desires of your heart emerge. In the answers is where I’ve found the most hard-hitting truth of all.  That I’m often complaining about and wishing for things that are already right here with me.  Every single day.

Of course I have ‘wants’. Plenty of them. I am human, after all. Stuff that I long for, need, hope for and strive towards that I don’t already have. And having those keeps me curious.  Because what is life if we have it all, all right now?  Give me some mystery and adventure, I say!

Right now, I desire more from life than I ever did. I’m paying closer attention to my fantasies (tsk, tsk…mind outta the gutter), because in them I’m finding the wonder and playfulness and passion of a life that is possible. I am believing in seemingly insurmountable things more than ever too. Because when I let myself dream (and believe) the impossible, there is where I find my tipping point for motivation. And that is power. Motivation keeps us going through some pretty tough stuff. Motivation is the manifestation of someone who is fully alive.

What do you want that you already have? List it. Speak it. Stop complaining and start embracing.

What do you want that you don’t have but yearn for, hope for, need to be fully alive? Chase those with fervor and tenacity. Destiny is possible but not probable. I’ll always error on the side of creating my own.

So.

What do you want?

Megan Smith is the founder of CAKE&WHISKEY. Her work and ramblings can be found here:

meganpsmith.com and homemaking101.com 

photo credit: Sarah Jane Sanders. 

I’ve always been anxious. When I was younger I was afraid of big things. What if I hated college, or people hated me? What if I ended up unemployed, got a divorce, was diagnosed with cancer? So many bad things were possible. I saw these things happening to others, and I saw them move on with their lives, but I never believed I had the moxie to be a “survivor.”

Eventually things I was afraid of happened, and I handled them. I now have more faith in my survival skills, and am no longer as afraid of major life events.

Unfortunately, anxiety must go somewhere, and I’ve developed an unusual list of fears. Things like severing a finger off while cooking and bleeding to death in my kitchen, or having my face bitten off by an angry dog, or cutting my foot off with a lawn mower, or riding in an elevator when the cable breaks. All feature in my nightmares.

Many of my fears are ridiculous, comprised of things that are so unlikely to happen that it’s laughable. But one of the more real fears I’ve developed is of flying. I’ve flown a lot, and long distances, but these days when on a plane, every noise, shudder, and bump leaves me sweaty and my breathing shallow, sure that the plane will immediately fall out of the sky.

My job requires me to travel, so I can’t just stay on the ground (as some have suggested).  Instead, I get on the plane and go. It’s become a model for how I want to deal with other fears as they arise – be afraid, but do it anyway. Don’t stop living life when life is scary. I wish I could say that the anticipation of fear is scarier than the thing I’m afraid of, but I can’t. I’m still terrified of flying, but at least I’m going somewhere.

Tanzi Merritt has made a career out of words. She spent several years working as an academic reference librarian and a community college library director, teaching students how to locate and evaluate information as well as to choose reading materials purely for pleasure. A career shift landed her in the position of sales and marketing coordinator for a technology consulting company, where she translates things written by software engineers into words that the non-developers of the world can understand. In her free time, she sits on a number of nonprofit boards, reads, knits, crafts, listens to (and sometimes makes) music, obsessively watches documentaries, buys art, and frequents lots of local restaurants and craft breweries.

Pinterest: pinterest.com/tanzimerritt     Goodreads: goodreads.com/tanzimerritt     Instagram: tanzimerritt  

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanzidmerritt      Twitter: @tanzidawn

When it comes to entertaining, we could all learn a thing or two from the French. They produce of some of the most beautiful wines in the world, are masters of their famed cuisine, created Champagne (what would a celebration be without Champagne) and they do it all with effortless style and grace. Recently I traveled to Aix-en-Provence in the South of France where I sampled some of the most delicious wines and cheeses I have ever tasted (in one of the most beautiful settings I’d ever seen). This trip inspired me to re-think the traditional cheese and charcuterie plate I use for entertaining friends and take a cue from the French experts. So, pour yourself a glass of Rosé and enjoy this Provence inspired cheese plate perfect for entertaining all summer long.

TOOLS:

Olivewood cheese boards: I prefer to use various board sizes to keep my cheese, meats, and bread separate. Here’s a beautiful trio of olivewood boards: http://www.houzz.com/photos/13993494/Olive-Wood-Cutting-Board-Giant-rustic-cutting-boards

Small dipping bowls: Dipping bowls are great for serving snacks to accompany your cheese boards including: olives, cornichons and nuts. These bowls are the perfect size for all your little nibbles (and they’re pretty too): http://www.rosannainc.com/kitchen-tabletop/bowls/farmhouse-pantry-small-hobnail-bowls/

Jam Jars: Serve your jams, chutneys, mustards and honey in simple glass jam jars of various shapes. Use beautiful spreaders to add an elegant or rustic touch to your table. See some of my favorites here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/106897726/6-15/oz-mini-glass-jars-for-diy-wedding?ref=market

Spreaders

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/34695189.jsp?

http://www.bambeco.com/flatware-and-serving-utensils/bambeco-olive-wood-set-of-four-spreaders

Honey Dipper

http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-1920404

CHEESE:  When choosing cheese, I always aim for a variety of tastes and textures. Below are some of my favorite French cheeses that your guests are sure to love.

• Langres (Sheep)
• Roquefort (Sheep)
• Comté (Cow)
• Époisses de Bourgogne (Cow)
• Chèvre (Goat)

CHARCUTERIE: These salty French meats are the perfect compliment to any cheese plate.

• Jambon de Bayonne (French Prosciutto)
• Saucisson Sec (French Salami)

JAMS & CHUTNEYS: These Provence inspired jams, chutneys and honeys will transport your party guests right to the French countryside. Try your hand at homemade Lavender honey like this recipe from Martha Stewart: http://www.marthastewart.com/315494/lavender-honey

• Lavender honey
• Apricot Jam
• Quince paste
• Sour cherry preserves
• Carmelized onion chutney
• Maille traditional Dijon mustard
• Maille whole grain mustard

FRUITS & NUTS: Fresh fruit adds a pop of color and a bright note to any table. Try choosing seasonal fruits specific to your region like the below South of France favorites.

• Fresh Figs
• Cherries
• Almonds

SAVORY SNACKS: Small nibbles are a great way to keep guests eating and conversation flowing.

• Cornichons
• Picholine Olives

BREADS: Do as the French do and always choose a fresh baguette.

• French baguette
• Grissini (pencil thin breadsticks)

Enjoy!

*Photo from Pinterest

Colleen Kennedy Cohen is an event planner and certified health coach living in New York City with her husband, Daniel, and daughter, Charley.

Colleen has been planning luxury events throughout the U.S. and Europe for major fashion houses since 2006.  She began her career as an intern at Vogue magazine before going on to manage events in-house for renowned brands such as Donna Karan, Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino and Cartier. After the birth of her daughter, Colleen launched Colleen Kennedy Events to bring her luxury brand experience to private clients

With a love for all things beautiful, coupled with an eye for design, Colleen brings a versatile and fresh approach to each project she takes

on with the hope of making every day a beautiful “event.”

Instagram: CKCohen    Pinterest: Colleen Kennedy Events     Website: www.ColleenKennedyEvents.com

It was supposed to be a big night for me. I was going to meet the famed former New York Times restaurant critic and Gourmet magazine editor Ruth Reichl. As a freelance food writer who had pored over Reichl’s work, I had to admit I was nervous. I had also recently completed a publishing program at Columbia University and was eager to see if we had any mutual contacts in New York.

At the reception, one of the guests and I mustered up our courage, and walked over to meet Ruth together. I immediately tried to disarm her, hoping to find a connection. She chatted politely and charmingly, while my acquaintance grinned widely. Ruth smiled back, then quietly asked, “Can I tell you something?” The lady, awestruck, said, “Of course.”  With a slightly pained look, Ruth said, “You have something in your teeth.” Sure enough, there was a mammoth piece of lettuce wedged between her front teeth. I cringed. Why hadn’t I noticed earlier? And was it just me, or was Ruth giving me a silent reprimand? My acquaintance, with a panicked expression, reached for a napkin, while I was struck dumb.  “How about a picture?” I squeaked to Ruth.

Picture was acquired, but chummy connection talk was not. Because if your idol is too distracted by a wayward hunk of canapé, you may lose all hope of gleaning sparkling advice. But seriously, while we are trying to make a good impression, let’s not forget everyone around us, whether it’s reviewing a résumé or rescuing a friend from an uncomfortable conversation. And remember to check those teeth!

Elizabeth Roach believes in balancing a sense of possibility with the art of savoir-faire, and is not above diving into a slice of cake while on a conference call. A graduate of Furman University and the Columbia University Publishing Program, she has worked in Kentucky government and politics for more than seven years. She is currently Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear’s scheduling director, and has previously served as his assistant speechwriter and as First Lady Jane Beshear’s press secretary. Based in Lexington, Kentucky, Elizabeth is a frequent traveler who writes freelance articles about bourbon, baking, and culinary adventures. She has contributed to The Bourbon Review, The Local Palate, and TheRecoveringPolitician.com, for which she pens a food column (http://therecoveringpolitician.com/category/friends/lizr). Check out her website at elizabethroachwriter.com, and follow her on Instagram @LizRoach7 and Twitter @LizRoach. 

Soon, I will be returning to my university for my senior year where I will be serving as an orientation leader for the incoming freshmen during the month of August. I am ecstatic to have this opportunity because I care deeply for people who are younger than me, which interestingly enough stems from my admiration of people who are older than me. As the youngest child in my family, I was surrounded by older siblings and their friends. When they allowed me to tag along on their adventures or invited me into the inner sanctuary of their conversations, I was on cloud nine. It was in my senior year of high school that I finally felt I was in a position to bestow that same gratification. Now I could be the older one, the go-to person, the mentor.

Although I may be just three years older than the students I will be meeting in the fall, I have much to offer them. I have an in depth understanding of what they are about to experience. They don’t need to be nervous or intimidated about starting college because they can see that I’ve nearly made it through the journey on which they’ve just started. And I’ve survived. I will be able to assure them that the journey is good. It’s worth the time and effort, endurance and growth that it takes to complete. I trust that the young friends I will make will know these things already, but it is my job to serve as the reminder when they lose heart.

Now to my older ones, the ones whom I still look up to with fascination and excitement, thank you from the bottom of my heart for investing in me and my journey. Thank you for allowing me to be the younger, wide-eyed girl. Thank you for guiding me with your life experiences. I only hope to provide my mentees with the same inspiration and passion that you have shown to me.

Elaine Bailey is a full-time student majoring in Writing, Rhetoric and Communication. She also works as a tour guide for her cherished university. She’s in love with every corner of this world, and I end each adventure wondering when the next will begin

I’m a no-growth, order-taking solopreneur.

And proud of it.

But in a business world that tells us success arrives when we lean in, work ON the business not IN it, and scale rather than sustain, “no-growth” and “order-taking” are shame-inducing entrepreneurial dirty words.

So what if we reframe this a bit? What if we expand what it means to be a business owner, with success defined by our passion, work style, and desired lifestyle? For example, I’m a writer who loves to work alone and has never wanted to be anyone’s boss or business partner. I just want to write – from anywhere in the world. For me, success looks like hunkering over my laptop in my home office, a cafe, or the deck of a beachfront cottage.

And what if we give solopreneurs permission to lean back and reap the rewards of blood, sweat, and business development? I spent the first seven years of my solopreneurial decade drumming up business and refining my craft. Those efforts resulted in lasting relationships with clients who call on my expertise when they need it. It might look like order-taking, but to me, it’s my business running itself – allowing me to focus on doing the work and living my life.

There’s nothing wrong with growing your business. There’s nothing wrong with selling, scaling, hiring, and outsourcing. That’s the right strategy for some businesses and some business owners. But there’s also nothing wrong with working hard to build your business, and then working hard to sustain it – especially if you’re a creative who’s passionate about what you’re making. So if you’re lucky enough to find yourself with a nice little pod of repeat customers and you’re living a life you love, feel free to stop the growth and start taking orders.

You’ve earned it.

Nicole Christie is a writer, storyteller, and the principal and creative director of NICO, Inc. – a one-woman firm specializing in fresh, honest, engaging employee and marketing communications for Fortune 500 corporations, leading-edge creative firms, and rapidly growing new technology companies. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and at nicolechristie.com.

“I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.”

~~Henry David Thoreau

Spider monkeys, bananas trees, butterflies, and kids playing soccer like pros.

Poverty, lack of running water, hunger and illness.

Juxtapose the two images and you have a view of the experience Dee Williams portrays when she shares her work in Guatemala helping to build a schoolhouse.

From this life changing trip in a developing country to a life changing health diagnosis of congestive heart failure, Dee Williams makes a decision about the way she lives. In her book, The Big Tiny: A Do-It-Myself Memoir, Williams writes about that decision as she contemplates her mortality and seeks simplicity.

Williams builds herself an 84-square-foot tiny house on wheels using largely recycled materials and her own muscle power. Then she pares down her possessions to 305 items and moves her home to the backyard of friends in Olympia, Washington.

Because her house is so small, Williams has to step outside of it and find community with others. Williams lives deliberately, connected to the natural environment and other people. Written with raw honesty and humor, Williams’s memoir speaks to anyone wishing to slow down, scale back, and pause to pay attention to the important things in life.

“Letting go of “stuff” allowed the world to collapse behind me as I moved, so I became nothing more or less than who I simply was: Me.”

Renee believes we all have a story and advocates continuously for sharing & improving these stories. An educator and activist for eradicating inequities in our world, Renee believes access to quality education is a right for everyone. On the C&W blog Renee explores her creative side by offering thoughts on a variety of books from her book a week reading list.

Renee lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her husband and two sons.

Twitter: @renee_boss

Blogger:www.reneeboss.blogspot.com

There is nothing that could happen that could make me forget my first heated vinyasa yoga class.

Not knowing any better, and with no one to tell me otherwise, I opted to practice next to the vent where the steam is released – and the thermometer.

I watched the numbers climb…97 degrees, 98 degrees, 99 degrees…and had no sense of how I was supposed to breathe while in a constant flow, a type of yoga I had never done before.

I ended up taking child’s pose and laying there drinking my own sweat, thinking: people actually think this is a fun workout?!

I am about a year into a consistent heated vinyasa practice now, and my attitude and breath – and my pouting face – have changed forever. Here’s what I learned from the best push of my life.

1). Heat creates Conviction. When you’re in hot water, when you’re feeling pain, when you’re dwelling, when you need a change, there is nothing left to do but take action. Action is filled with intention, purpose, and meaningfulness. One class, when I wasn’t sure I could make it, a thought bubbled to the surface of my mind: what if I practiced solely with intention? My limbs became stronger, my breath more powerful, and I only felt the flow. Being at the bottom of a cliff is only a motivation to start climbing back up.

2). Self-forgiveness is the Most Important Forgiveness. When you screw up, or can’t keep up, the person next to you won’t care. The class keeps moving. Society keeps moving. No one will dwell on your mistakes or temporary weaknesses but you. Don’t let yourself dwell on them. Be in the moment.

3). Your Inner Stillness Does Not Leave You.  It’s at the corner of your Body and your Mind. When you use your breath as a tool for synchronicity and transformation, you can get there, every time, any time. This is the only for sure thing, as long as you live. To access it is self-realization. To access it is self-acceptance. To access it is peace.

Namaste.

Meagan Roppo has been a student of meditation and yoga, as well as a 60-hour trained advocate for women, for the past four years. She has dedicated her time and passion to women’s crisis shelters, feminist studies, and writing on women’s issues. By founding She Enlightened in 2014, Meagan hopes to encourage and empower girls & women to bring forth their gifts, voices, and light that are undoubtedly inside of each them. Meagan currently works as Chief Operating Officer of Young Professional Women in Energy, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that works to employ more women in the energy industry.

http://www.sheenlightened.com  @SheEnlightened

An artist? You? Indeed.

If you love your work, you have a good job. But if you put love INTO your work, you are an artist.

Art is a creation of intent meant to provoke thought and feeling. Don’t you do that with your work? Shouldn’t we all?

Great masters spend countless hours toiling, perfecting, WORKING on their art. Some use canvas; some use storytelling; and some use the dance floor. I use my machine to make art.

As a pilot I was taught the skills to start the engines of the plane, to configure the systems for proper operation, to use the controls to get where we should go. There are lists of items to complete during each flight, and prescribed movements to turn and land the plane. But a pilot doesn’t use force. An elegant flight is an artistic endeavor. I ease the craft off of the runway. I look before I turn and maneuver with care. I vary the bank angle and the rate of turn to put her on course. I select switches with intent. I think ahead. I think through the motions of the landing, and then I adjust based on winds, distance, and environment. A wet runway is different than a dry runway. A high altitude field is different than a sea-level airport. They’re all beautifully challenging, and I adjust to the conditions. I work on my art.

I have found the difference between work and art is the following:

1. Art requires a great deal of detail and careful attention to the circumstance at hand.
2. Your own voice is important in your art. Work can be done by anybody. But you are different- unique and unmatched anywhere in the world. Your art will reflect that.
3. Love creates art. Work is done. Works of art are done with intention, kindness, preparation, and care.

Be artistic. It’s so much better than work.

Bethany Miller is an explorer in life and in business. She’s an airline pilot, businesswoman, veteran and world traveler. Fascinated by global issues and the business of business, Bethany is a doctoral candidate at Université Paris-Dauphine in Paris, France, and is researching extraordinary employees in chaotic work environments.

www.GoodGlobalCitizen.com

“Really? You drink Scotch?”

I’ve often surprised people when they discover that not only do I enjoy Scotch, but I prefer it neat. It doesn’t have the soft sweetness of bourbon. It’s more austere and sometimes smokey. The truth is that I gained an appreciation for Scotch in my early twenties, aided by a sense of adventure.

I spent a week traveling on my own around the UK, during which I stayed with family friends in St. Andrews, Scotland. My hostess took me to Edradour, a small distillery near Pitlochry in Perthshire. If you imagine what a whiskey distillery in Scotland should look like, this is it. Edradour’s quaint buildings, sturdy and functional, are nestled beside a small river. There is a sense of purpose and of pride.

It was enchanting, and I’ve never forgotten the deep, earthy smell of malting barley. I tasted a dram and was pleased to discover that I liked the stuff. I also became an instant purist, having heard so recently that ice burns the delicate flavors of a good whiskey. How could I undercut all the effort and the bit of magic that went into the drink I’d just learned to sip and savor?

Over a homemade dinner of Scottish salmon that night, my hosts brought out various types of Scotch to sample. Fine food and fine whiskey, perfectly matched. That day was my ideal introduction to a drink that some find intimidating. Traveling had given me a willingness to explore, and it didn’t seem so farfetched to like Scotch. It also didn’t hurt that I started with the good stuff.

While she’s almost an official New Yorker, now that she has spent the past eight years working for a large investment bank in New York City, Jean Blosser still cherishes her Midwestern roots, growing up in Columbus, Ohio. She is an alumnus of Boston College and enjoys her whiskey neat.

“I don’t like to cook, I wish I did.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this phrase uttered from the mouth of someone who has just found out I’ve dedicated my professional life to food and cooking. I’ve learned to pry into the cooking habits/attempts of these individuals to suss out the reason for their dislike of time in the kitchen. It’s almost always the same reason…they don’t consider themselves good at the task.

Here, in a few easy steps, is how you can put away the excuse and become a brilliant home cook.

1. Choose quality equipment. I cringe when I see a home cook using a dull knife on a cutting board that is slipping all over the place. Of course you hate cooking if you have to battle with your equipment! Investing in a few essentials will make your kitchen a happier place. Prioritize a sharp chef’s knife, a sturdy cutting board, one heavy-bottomed pot with a fitted lid, and one heavy-bottomed wide-mouthed pan.
2. Define what you like to eat. I love roasted vegetables, particularly sweet potatoes and beets. They’re easy to make, yet any meal they appear in seems special to me.
3. Make it a point to have leftovers. Those roasted vegetables I like so much will taste great in the green or grain salads, soups and stir-frys I make throughout the week.
4. Learn a few basic recipes by heart. Start with roasted chicken, basil pesto, salad vinaigrette, sautéed mushrooms and an egg dish such as omelette or Italian frittata. You’ll be amazed how much your cooking improves with these techniques under your belt. And, you’ll find yourself falling in love with cooking in no time.

Marci Cornett is a (mostly) plant-based chef who promotes health-supportive cuisine and the development of sustainable food systems. After graduating from the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York, she worked in several professional kitchens including the renowned vegetarian restaurant, Cafe Paradiso, in Cork City, Ireland. She develops and publishes nourishing recipes and writes about the latest thinking concerning nutrition and food issues on her blog, marcicornett.com. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter

“How are you?”

“Busy. So busy. Crazy busy.”

Sound familiar? I feel like it’s the refrain of our times – the theme song to the twisted perception that the more we’re juggling, the more we’re on the run, the more we’re scheduled to the millisecond, the better we are. Yet how often do we stop to ask ourselves, “Why am I doing all of this?”

Instead, we approach life reactively. We say yes without thinking, run errands willy-nilly, jump when our devices chime, and take on way more than necessary. But if, like me, you’re on board the S.S. Stop the Madness, it’s time to put an end to busy and a start to productive. And that means getting intentional about what you’re doing and why:

• Reflect and Introspect: To get clear on your intentions, you have to make time to process. For me, that’s walking three miles every morning to mull over what I’m doing and whether it aligns with my priorities: writing (both my business and passion projects), relationships, and well-being (exercise and quiet time).
• Rule of Three: Aim to schedule no more than three key projects/events per day. Maybe that’s work, errands, and date night. Or an outing with your child, a client meeting, and a passion project. (Yes, just three. You can do this.)
• Less Yes, More No: Run every request through the intention filter. Do you want to do this or do you feel obligated? If you want it, is it good for you? If it’s an obligation, is it necessary or just people-pleasing?

There are always things we can’t dismiss (work, family, the ever-diminishing supply of toilet paper). But when we’re clear on our intentions and we act accordingly, we’re not busy – we’re productive. We’re not exhausted – we’re pleasantly spent. And we’re not frantic – we’re fulfilled.

Nicole Christie is a writer, storyteller, and the principal and creative director of NICO, Inc. – a one-woman firm specializing in fresh, honest, engaging employee and marketing communications for Fortune 500 corporations, leading-edge creative firms, and rapidly growing new technology companies. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and at nicolechristie.com.

In an agency with wood paneling and thick draperies reminiscent of twentieth-century office design, a young college graduate finds herself seated at a desk with a Rolodex and an enormous IBM Selectric, typing form letters for hours on end.

Tasked with processing J.D. Salinger’s voluminous fan mail, Joanna reads heart-breaking letters from around the world and grows weary of sending the agency’s form response, so she begins writing back. In doing so, she develops her own humorous voice as a writer.

Joanna Rakoff’s memoir, My Salinger Year, is a tale of self-discovery and a desire for happiness. The book reads like a coming-of-age novel with a protagonist finding her way in the old literary publishing world of New York City before the digital revolution transformed the book publishing industry.

Part of the beauty in Rakoff’s memoir is that her love of reading for pleasure is restored as she sheds her academic approach to literature. She picks up Salinger’s works for the first time and learns to appreciate the effect literature can have on one’s life.

Whether we are experiencing our first job, are mid-career, or are retired, our professional lives as women evoke universal ideas. We learn to cope and thrive and develop a tougher skin. We delicately balance our personal and professional lives and are reminded as Rakoff aptly states in her memoir “in literature, as in life, sometimes there are no right answers.”

Renee believes we all have a story and advocates continuously for sharing & improving these stories. An educator and activist for eradicating inequities in our world, Renee believes access to quality education is a right for everyone. On the C&W blog Renee explores her creative side by offering thoughts on a variety of books from her book a week reading list.

Renee lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her husband and two sons.

Twitter: @renee_boss, Blogger:www.reneeboss.blogspot.com

I close my eyes and imagine myself as a seven year old girl, running barefoot through the backyard grass, my movement a joy. Pausing in the patch of dandelions, I stretch my hands up and over my head slowly reaching back, walking them down the air until I palm the dirt. I find myself in a backbend, today known to me as wheel pose, the world upside down. I breathe deeply then reach my right foot high, flipping myself over.

Things look different.

This season I am moving towards fearlessness and freedom, reaching for inversions in my yoga practice, yearning once again for those afternoons of flipping over freely. Summer has settled in my life, teaching both in the classroom and in the studio paused for a moment as I simply rest on my mat, honoring my own practice. There are many kinks to be worked out, many stuck places to move through, so telling of the places in my life that need work.

As I desire to get back to the root of my practice this season, I am reminded of how important it is to offer up grace. So often my practice manifests itself in my life.

Grace in my practice.

Grace in my everyday.

Caitlin Lore is a storyteller and adventurer. By day she is a junior high English teacher, and by night a Holy Yoga instructor. She also wears the hats of wife, entrepreneur, marriage retreat maker, and aspiring novelist. After a jaunt with endurance racing, she now specializes in yoga for athletes, and restorative yoga seeking to bring soul-care and freedom to those feeling constrained by anxiety, depression, and stress through the avenue of Holy Yoga.

Website: www.caitlinlore.com, Instagram: http://instagram.com/caitlin_lore, Twitter: http://twitter.com/MsLReads

I have a dream to own a business. I’m working on this dream now, and while it’s exciting, I’d be lying if I said that it was all rainbows and butterflies. One of my biggest challenges is loneliness. I am the only one working on my business right now and I’ve entered a new type of work environment in which I can’t turn to a colleague at 5pm on Friday and say, “Hey, let’s grab a glass of wine; we worked hard this week.” I have no one to ask except my cat.

As a result, I have adopted a new habit to help me adapt to my new work environment: podcasts. Podcasts are online radio shows hosted by someone about a specific topic. They can be streamed and downloaded via iTunes, or through an app such as Downcast. Here are my top three favorite podcasts to listen to for motivation, inspiration, and business-know-how. I think you’ll like them, and if you’re a solopreneur like me, then they may help you feel more socially engaged during the workday.

• The Lively Show – After a few years of running her own jewelry business (which she started before graduating college) and doing business consulting on the side, Jess Lively entered into a new phase of life and began to focus on what she called “uppercase-V Values.” These Values are what Jess believes define our life’s intentions and allow us to live a life of joy, peace and uniquely-defined fulfillment both personally and professionally. She interviews guests from all walks of life and business; the theme is that all live in accordance to their values and have gone through great personal transformation to do so. I listen every week to be inspired and reassured that what my goals are possible.

• The Fizzle Show – Three hilarious gentlemen who all make their living in online business created an online community called Fizzle to support budding creative entrepreneurs. Their podcast is free for everyone (you don’t have to be a Fizzle member), and I’ve gotten a lot of value from it. Topics range from how to define and identify an audience, how to build a product, and how to know when to move on from a project that isn’t going the way you had hoped. You come for the business advice but stay for the laughs with this podcast.

• Market Foolery – This podcast focuses on that lovely m-word: money. By wanting to start my own business, I have to be comfortable with the language of money and though I took finance classes in school, they taught me about theory rather than real-life situations. Enter Market Foolery. This podcast is hosted by “fools” who work at Motley Fool, a company that analyzes the stock market and teaches people how to invest better. Market Foolery discusses the top business and investing stories of the day and does so in easy-to-swallow language. These podcasts motivate me to dream big. All companies listed on the S&P or NYSE started out small and likely with the idea of one or two people. If they can do it, why not me one day?

Call me Meghan. As I sit down to introduce myself, I can’t help but wonder why I named my blog, megbollenback.com.   Perhaps it was born out of a moment of rebellion or just a symbol of change and trying something new. To bring you into my world, in Fall 2014 I effectively retired from my corporate career, running operations for a high growth healthcare start-up company. Prior to that, I spent some time working in the hospitality industry. Since the fall, I’ve started my latest journey and adventure as a writer and creative professional in Washington, D.C.  I blog about food, life and am starting to discuss the process I’m going through to intentionally craft a lifestyle and career that I value and find joy in. I’ll be sharing thoughts on that process here at CAKE&WHISKEY and look forward to sharing my perspective on the sweet and spirited side of business.  And honestly, I answer to Meg, too.

Blog: www.megbollenback.com, Facebook: www.facebook.com/megbollenback, Instagram: MegBollenback, Twitter: @megbollenback

When I was a child I was an unbridled dreamer. I didn’t think of winning or losing or pros or cons in my quests of discovery. I simply moved in tandem with my soul.

This was not a selfish period of my life….rather the opposite. I believe our hearts are naturally bent towards others; serving, bringing joy, making someone feel as if they are accepted fully and loved unconditionally when they are with you. And so it was for blue-eyed Megan Wilson.

I dreamed only of harnessing the non-tangibles~ friendship, love, generosity, curiosity and happiness. I giggled for hours with my best friends while painting our fingernails. I bought my first toaster when I was nine years old at a yard sale with my next door neighbor Robbie so we could set up house together. I spent weeks painting a picture to gift to a family member. I sat on the floor in front of my deaf grandmother, letting her soft, wrinkled hands wrap around mine, forming my fingers into the letters of the alphabet so we could talk. I wrote letters to my pen pal in Egypt. I learned recipes so I could bake for my mom. These were my goals. My dreams. Simple, I know. Yet, they filled this girl’s soul to the brim with purpose and joy.

Of late, my heart beats faster, racing to find that place of unbridledness again.

I cherish a business mind. I’m surrounded every day by some of the most creatively charged, highly motivated brains God has on Earth right now. And it’s awe-inspiring. I too have been said to have a business mind. On paper, I guess this is the case. But I really don’t. Not really. I don’t have the fight in me for the win or loss. Because the greater vision means more.

In the midst of building a career, I had forgotten that until someone recently reminded me.

Big things loom on my horizon. Some may play out and others may never fully develop and I’m unphased by the outcome. Because, if I can stay close to my soul~ it tells me to serve, bring joy and create a sense of home for everyone I meet. Everything else is icing on the cake.

I need to get back to those non-tangibles. I want everything I do to not be guided by a fear of losing or anticipation of gaining but for long-term reward that cannot be measured by man. That’s what my heart beats faster for.

The kisses of the wind pull the currents of the ocean back and forth. And on one night not too long ago. the ocean and the wind brought with it a mist. A kiss to my cheeks.  Soon the mist became tiny droplets of rain, which steadily gave over to a downpour. I took shelter under an alcove, large enough only for a small stone bench. And there I sat. And breathed deep the sounds and smells and unexpected treasure life had given me in that night. And my soul was filled.

“There is one spectacle grander than the sea, that is the sky; there is one spectacle grander than the sky, that is the interior of the soul.” ― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables

Without notice, my grandmother moved two states away to help attend to the proper care and recovery of my grandfather. Much to our surprise, he did not make it, but what came out of the 24-hour whirlwind trip to say farewells and support my grandmother is a moment that I will carry in my heart forever.

When embarking on the trip, my grandmother fully expected to return home within a day or two and jump back into normal life. But, three months went by, and during that time she had nothing to wear except her matching jogging suit and sneakers. When it came time for the funeral, my grandmother was torn: she didn’t feel she could honor her husband of nearly 70 years, presenting herself in sneakers.

With the little makeup bag I always keep in my carry-on and some extra help from my dually equipped mom, we set our sights together to pamper my weary grandmother. We offered little touches of affection and together styled a wardrobe to help soothe and renew her confidence.  Gathering our suitcases, we pieced together an outfit.

With my new little one exhausted and strapped to my front in her carrier, I set to work moisturizing, applying, laughing and giggling at the rare girls’ moment the four of us were sharing. Four generations of women loving one another the best we could.

How could a moment of such loss afford the four of us to share something so beautiful? The beauty of the heart, the care of a finger’s stroke across tear riddled cheeks, or the laugh as my little one snuggled on my chest and swayed with my every brush stroke: this is true beauty.

Through a moment’s pause in our daily rush, we can help love another.  Remind that friend, family member, or even a stranger that they matter; it is a gift that ripples in effect. Smiles, unexpected hellos, a hand held, a phone call to remind someone you were thinking of them: this is how beauty is shared.

Grace filled beauty is something I challenge us all to pause and breathe in. These are the moments that take years off your soul and enrich your spirit.

Vanessa Elese is a NY based Emmy Award Winning Celebrity Makeup Artist and Beauty Expert. Vanessa’s most recent work includes Amazon’s “Alpha House”, the highly addictive “Orange is the New Black”-Netflix and Discover’s “Deadly Affairs” working with the ever lovely Susan Lucci. Previously, Vanessa has worked with FX’s hit TV show, “Damages” (Glenn Close and Rose Byrne) and ABC’s “All My Children” helping to manage their conversion to HD-TV, while demonstrating new high-def makeup techniques and products. Additionally, she has had the unique opportunity to work as part of the hilarious and hard working team at Saturday Night Live, a group with multiple Emmy Awards under their belt. While Vanessa continues to work as a full-time makeup artist for a select celebrities as well as television and film, she also maintains a private clientele. Additionally, Vanessa serves as the Executive Producer/Co-Host for a reality makeover pilot and considers it an honor to dedicate her time and energy to Child Crisis Organization of Arizona, a charity near and dear to her heart. Vanessa is featured as a beauty expert in numerous editorial articles, serves as an on-camera beauty/fashion expert as well as her blog, “The Beauty Fairy Diaries”TM. With each of her endeavors, Vanessa focuses her efforts to encourage and nurture a healthy inner beauty before focusing on the exterior. It is her mission to truly ignite women to perceive themselves with grace and beauty

As a younger professional, I was blessed with a number of mentors. I found these women through my involvement in internships, volunteer positions, and professional organizations. These mentors taught me not only how to be a professional, but how to navigate the business world. I’m grateful that now, even as an established professional, new mentors appear in my life just when I need them.

These days, I find myself feeling like a proud mama bird. I’ve had the great privilege of both employing interns from and participating in a formal mentoring program at my alma mater, and this month I will watch four amazing mentees of mine graduate, leave the nest, and move on.

What surprises me most as a mentor is that I learn just as much as I do as a mentee. I have learned that there’s not that much difference between 40 and 20. At 40, I can be as unsure of myself as any 20-year-old, and sometimes these 20-somethings have it way more together than me. By asking questions that stumped me, they taught me that I can’t ease up on my own education. And they reminded me that I have valuable life experiences to share. My mistakes have become their cautionary tales, although I am sure they will all repeat some of them anyway; tis human nature and some lessons have to be learned first-hand. Our relationships have transcended the professional and are now friendships, and I am proud to have had a hand in making these women who they are and who they will become.

Teach something and learn something. Share what you know, and grow as you do.

Tanzi Merritt has made a career out of words. She spent several years working as an academic reference librarian and a community college library director, teaching students how to locate and evaluate information as well as to choose reading materials purely for pleasure. A career shift landed her in the position of sales and marketing coordinator for a technology consulting company, where she translates things written by software engineers into words that the non-developers of the world can understand. In her free time, she sits on a number of nonprofit boards, reads, knits, crafts, listens to (and sometimes makes) music, obsessively watches documentaries, buys art, and frequents lots of local restaurants and craft breweries.

Pinterest: pinterest.com/tanzimerritt

Goodreads: goodreads.com/tanzimerritt

Instagram: tanzimerritt

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tanzidmerritt

Twitter: @tanzidawn

Traveling over 3,000 kilometers from their home in Pátzcuaro, Alma and Arturo leave behind a comfortable life where lunch often consists of bowls of cubed papaya and mango topped with coconut juice or cotija cheese in exchange for boxes of oatmeal and canned goods from a convenience store. Hope and optimism drive them forward.

The Rivera family treks to the United States in search of a school to provide special services for Maribel, recently injured in an accident. “I wanted her to have the full, long life that every parent promises his or her child by the simple act of bringing that child into the world.”

The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez quickly captures your attention, drawing you into the compelling stories of the lives not only of the Rivera family but also of their neighbors in a run-down apartment building in Newark, Delaware. Told in alternating points of view (11 total), the stories of the lives of immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala, Paraguay, Panamá, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Costa Rica unfold throughout the novel. Henriquez weaves the stories together, conveying the experiences of individuals struggling in a new land but also of people caring about other people.

Whether we read fiction to escape life or read to learn about other cultures and ideas, we have an opportunity to listen to the stories of fellow humans through Henriquez’s work.

Renee believes we all have a story and advocates continuously for sharing & improving these stories. An educator and activist for eradicating inequities in our world, Renee believes access to quality education is a right for everyone. On the C&W blog Renee explores her creative side by offering thoughts on a variety of books from her book a week reading list.

Renee lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her husband and two sons.

Twitter: @renee_boss

Blogger:www.reneeboss.blogspot.com

When I approached the 3-month mark with my twins, a period of time that characterized a reasonable maternity leave, it symbolized that I should have been “ready” to go back to work. Yet I was feeling less ready than I ever had.  The twins were my 3rd and 4th children so I knew the tenuous relationship with ‘readiness‘ a mother can have going back to work. This feeling was as bloated, as ‘2X’ as my twin pregnancy.

For each of my returns to work, I had a series of memories of expectations gone awry – naive thinking that proved so off base, it distanced me from reality. I expected my work clothes to magically slip right back on, the baby’s sleep schedule to suddenly lock in place, complicated email threads from prior to my leave to have been solved and tucked away into the ether, important, “mission-critical” stuff to happen from 8-6 to justify precious time away from the baby. The more these things didn’t happen, the more distance I put between me and the rest of the world. I figured I must be alone.

No one talks about these things. These details. These imperfect moments. These instances of expectations gone awry and affective forecasts miscalculated. We talk about them to ourselves, often late at night, when we feel like we and the babies are the only ones – besides robbers, ghosts and monsters awake.

In her beloved TED talk, Brenee Brown reports findings from her research that the people who feel most fulfilled are those who are comfortably vulnerable. If we could admit to these vulnerabilities – the unvarnished truths where we question and laugh at our realities, would we be more fulfilled? If we could rely on the solutions others just like us have devised to balance (juggle) our complicated relationships with work, romance, friendship, body, mind, family, parenting, could we be more engaged in each pursuit?

I’m finding I am. Summer of Sooth is a chance to try it out: to find fulfillment in our shared vulnerabilities and strength in our reliance on the advice and wisdom of our peers in these same admittedly shaky boats.

Kate Niederhoffer founded Sooth two years ago with a desperate, simple need to get advice as she navigated the turbulent waters of returning to work after the births of her third and fourth children (twins). She wasn’t just compelled by her own situation — her background in both social psychology and social media gave her a hunch this was a bigger human problem.

summerofsooth.com

As a creature of habit, a proponent of ritual, and someone with mild OCD tendencies, I’m obsessed with routines. There’s loads of research linking morning routines to success, and it’s fascinating to learn what entrepreneurs and artists do every day to tap their innovative and creative muse (check out this and this).

However, as a solopreneur, I have the luxury of NOT following a routine. At least not one typical for someone with, say, a family or a 9-to-5 job. For many years, I woke up whenever and slept whenever – and for a long time, this worked for me, as I wrote prolifically for clients and passion projects. Then something known as Approaching Middle Age happened and I couldn’t stay up past 11:00 or sleep beyond 7:00. While my body forced me into a morning routine, it was cemented when I got into a relationship with a successful, disciplined musician who rises before dawn (!) to practice.

These days, my morning routine isn’t just key to creating, it’s vital self-care. I love to wake slowly, so I read from bed for a half-hour. Then I make the bed, put my contacts in, brush my teeth, wiggle into workout clothes, and head out the door for a three-mile podcast-narrated walk, followed by a healthy breakfast, before diving into email and deadlines around 9:30.

I’m not one to criticize night owls as I was madly productive by moonlight for decades. But I get pretty jazzed over how much I accomplish – mostly for my well-being – by an hour when I would once have still been asleep. Mornings are when I get centered, move my body, and feed my belly, mind, and soul. As a result, I’m more intentional, creative, and productive. That’s the power of routine – and it’s a gift only I can give myself.

Nicole Christie is a writer, storyteller, and the principal and creative director of NICO, Inc. – a one-woman firm specializing in fresh, honest, engaging employee and marketing communications for Fortune 500 corporations, leading-edge creative firms, and rapidly growing new technology companies. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and at nicolechristie.com.

It’s nearly that time of year in the south when a glass of iced tea becomes a daily requirement. Here are 3 recipes to stir the (tea)pot on summer’s idyllic beverage.

Cardamom and Coconut Black Iced Tea

For those overcast afternoons of summer showers, perfect for long chats with good friends.

3 cups Water

3 teaspoons Black Tea Leaves

3 tablespoons Coconut Sugar

2 Cardamom Pods, crushed to loosen seeds

Ice

½ cup Coconut Milk

Boil water then cover tea leaves and steep for 5 minutes. Strain and discard leaves. Stir in coconut sugar and cardamom pods. Allow tea to cool to room temperature before straining then placing in the fridge until chilled. To serve, divide the tea between 2 glasses filled with ice. Top with coconut milk.

Ginger-Orange Rooibos Iced Tea

For the day-long recovery after a big, satisfying BBQ.

3 cups Water

3 teaspoons Rooibos Tea Leaves

¾ cup Coconut Water

½ cup Ginger or Plain Kombucha

Squeeze of Ginger Juice (from freshly grated ginger)

Squeeze of Lemon Juice

Squeeze of Orange Juice

Ice

Sliced Orange

Boil water, then cover tea leaves and steep for 5-7 minutes. Strain and discard leaves. Allow tea to cool to room temperature before placing in fridge until chilled. Once chilled, stir in the coconut water, kombucha and fresh juices, adjusting the juice quantities to taste. Divide between 3 glasses filled with ice and garnish with sliced orange.

Strawberry-Lemon Honey Muddled Green Tea

For quiet afternoons with your feet propped up and a good book at hand.

3 cups Water

3 teaspoons Sencha Green Tea Leaves

½ pint Strawberries, quartered (no need to destem)

½ Lemon, sliced

2 Tablespoons Honey

Ice

Boil water then cover tea leaves and steep for 3-4 minutes. Strain and discard leaves. Allow tea to cool to room temperature before placing in fridge until chilled. Meanwhile, combine strawberries, lemon and honey in a small bowl and mash with a fork until the fruit starts releasing its juices. Allow to macerate at room temperature at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour. Combine chilled tea with muddled fruit and give it a good stir. Pour yourself a tall ice-filled glass of tea and relax. Serves 2.

Marci Cornett is a (mostly) plant-based chef who promotes health-supportive cuisine and the development of sustainable food systems. After graduating from the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York, she worked in several professional kitchens including the renowned vegetarian restaurant, Cafe Paradiso, in Cork City, Ireland. She develops and publishes nourishing recipes and writes about the latest thinking concerning nutrition and food issues on her blog, marcicornett.com. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter

We take vacations to escape the discomforts of life: of an office chair or a suffocating schedule. We crave crisp white linens, crystal blue waters, and infinity pools blending seamlessly into oceans far from our own. We seek charmingly exotic cultural references but not too much, and ancient traditions preferably in the form of ancient massage.

But there is another way to vacation, one that provides us with everything we sought in the first place; to come home changed, recharged. When planning this kind of vacation, there is one simple rule:

Make yourself uncomfortable.

So often we travel cautiously, dipping our toes in the current of a new culture without ever looking down to see what lies below the surface. What a pity to travel to Mexico and be served churros con chocolate on a square, white plate. To explore the treasures of Morocco in air-conditioned shops and meet locals dressed to play the part.

Instead, wander down the boardwalk to the rhythm of mariachi and children playing “fútbol” in the streets, stand shoulder-to-shoulder with locals tossing pesos for a bite of the golden pastries still dripping with oil, and force your tongue to make the sounds of gratitude while being handed your churros in a napkin. Gracias.

Instead, join the crowds and experience what it must feel to be an ant as you’re herded through the tarp-covered stalls, getting glimpses of the same crimsons, azures and intricate handiwork that represent hundreds of years and cultures combined. Step aside and experience the calm of escaping the rush, and take a moment to touch the fabric that has been transformed from dust-worn wool to a tablecloth by a man whose worn down fingers are guided by generations of experience.

Instead, experience your differences alongside the people who call this everyday life.

You’ll have better stories, better souvenirs, and a better understanding. You’ll connect with people, experience authenticity, and be able to put things in perspective. By learning to deal with the little things – a surprise rain storm, or a missed bus – the big things will become more clear; family, health, love, fun, career.

As in travel, as in life – the experiences that change us are the ones that require a leap of faith.

I believe in travel, not only because it takes us out of our comfort zones and pushes us to face fears and discover interesting facts about the world and ourselves every step of the way – but because it forces us to change the ordinary. I jumped into travel in college, now having lived and traveled in 12 countries, and have accumulated a colorful resume with everything from “cupcake decorator” to “marketing manager” with plenty of outdoor adventures to fill in the gaps. I currently live in Costa Rica and can’t wait to share this country with readers through sensory snapshots of the pura vida lifestyle.

Twitter & Instagram @chelseyenroute

Pinterest

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou

 On a recent day, I had a routine phone call with an aide in another elected official’s office. While our respective offices have different priorities and partisan backgrounds, I have always interacted well with this person.  We both sighed and made a joke about our hectic jobs, and then she did something surprising: she thanked me. For always being friendly and easy to work with. I was taken aback. Because isn’t everyone like that? Isn’t that part of being a professional? In short, the answer is no: courtesy and respect aren’t all that common on a harried work day.

People remember the way you treat them. If you are positive and patient, they will appreciate it, particularly if it is after they make a mistake or pass along a difficult message. If you are rude or condescending, they will remember that too.

Since that conversation, I’m reminded of just how meaningful (and easy!) it is to be considerate toward others, and not just in the office. Before you take your next bad day out on an innocent victim, pause and think: what if I made that person’s day better instead? You might be amazed at how it lifts your own state of mind.

Elizabeth Roach believes in balancing a sense of possibility with the art of savoir-faire, and is not above diving into a slice of cake while on a conference call. A graduate of Furman University and the Columbia University Publishing Program, she has worked in Kentucky government and politics for more than seven years. She is currently Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear’s scheduling director, and has previously served as his assistant speechwriter and as First Lady Jane Beshear’s press secretary. Based in Lexington, Kentucky, Elizabeth is a frequent traveler who writes freelance articles about bourbon, baking, and culinary adventures. She has contributed to The Bourbon Review, The Local Palate, and TheRecoveringPolitician.com, for which she pens a food column (http://therecoveringpolitician.com/category/friends/lizr). Check out her website at elizabethroachwriter.com, and follow her on Instagram @LizRoach7 and Twitter @LizRoach. 

A couple weeks ago, I stepped away from my laptop, put my phone on airplane mode and walked into the National Portrait Gallery by myself in downtown Washington, D.C. I’ve lived in the D.C. region for four years now and this museum has been on my “to see” list for that length of time. On that day, I purposefully moved it onto my “to do” list. Two hours spent wandering long hallways gazing at portraits dating back to the time of Queen Elizabeth I, all the way up to the current U.S. Supreme Court Justices, was fascinating and a wonderful creative release. This visit inspired me to take mini “stay-cations” more frequently and continue to cross off sites and activities that are on my hometown bucket list.

Here are my tips on how to be a tourist in your hometown and make these “trips” a regular occurrence:

Make a List

What places have you wanted to visit in your hometown? Perhaps it’s a park, museum, restaurant, hiking trail, or a festival.

Mark it on Your Calendar

Block time for one trip on your calendar and pick an option from your list. Write out the details of your future visit on your calendar including the day, time, place, and who you want to invite (if anyone). Remember that the length of your visit doesn’t need to be a full day; a couple hours may do the trick!

Don’t Back Out

The week before your visit, re-commit to your decision. It’s easy to push a stay-cation off, saying that __x__ (kids, work, cleaning, etc.) are more important. But refrain from crossing this trip off your calendar! Mini stay-cations are equally important to make time for, so allow yourself the break.

Unplug

Commit to unplugging on your visit. This may be tough to do, but it’s important. It’s easier to turn the phone and computer off when you travel to a far-away destination, but I really encourage you to approach these mini stay-cations with the same attitude. The world will not come to an end because you didn’t check your email for a few hours and, in fact, you’ll probably feel more refreshed from the break.

Repeat

After your first visit, determine whether you want to make these stay-cations a regular occurrence, and, if so, schedule more time blocks out on your calendar to commit the time.

Call me Meghan. As I sit down to introduce myself, I can’t help but wonder why I named my blog, megbollenback.com.   Perhaps it was born out of a moment of rebellion or just a symbol of change and trying something new. To bring you into my world, in Fall 2014 I effectively retired from my corporate career, running operations for a high growth healthcare start-up company. Prior to that, I spent some time working in the hospitality industry. Since the fall, I’ve started my latest journey and adventure as a writer and creative professional in Washington, D.C.  I blog about food, life and am starting to discuss the process I’m going through to intentionally craft a lifestyle and career that I value and find joy in. I’ll be sharing thoughts on that process here at CAKE&WHISKEY and look forward to sharing my perspective on the sweet and spirited side of business.  And honestly, I answer to Meg, too.

Blog: www.megbollenback.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/megbollenback

Instagram: MegBollenback

Twitter: @megbollenback

I close my eyes and imagine myself as a seven year old girl, running barefoot through the backyard grass, my movement a joy. Pausing in the patch of dandelions, I stretch my hands up and over my head slowly reaching back, walking them down the air until I palm the dirt. I find myself in a backbend, today known to me as wheel pose, the world upside down. I breathe deeply then reach my right foot high, flipping myself over.

Things look different.

This season I am moving towards fearlessness and freedom, reaching for inversions in my yoga practice, yearning once again for those afternoons of flipping over freely. Summer has settled in my life, teaching both in the classroom and in the studio paused for a moment as I simply rest on my mat, honoring my own practice. There are many kinks to be worked out, many stuck places to move through, so telling of the places in my life that need work.

As I desire to get back to the root of my practice this season, I am reminded of how important it is to offer up grace. So often my practice manifests itself in my life. In all that I have learned, all that I dream or desire to do as a woman, this is what deeply resonates.

Grace in my practice.

Grace in my every day.

Caitlin Lore is a storyteller and adventurer. By day she is a junior high English teacher, and by night a Holy Yoga instructor. She also wears the hats of wife, entrepreneur, marriage retreat maker, and aspiring novelist. After a jaunt with endurance racing, she now specializes in yoga for athletes, and restorative yoga seeking to bring soul-care and freedom to those feeling constrained by anxiety, depression, and stress through the avenue of Holy Yoga.   

Website: www.caitlinlore.com

Instagram: http://instagram.com/caitlin_lore
Twitter: http://twitter.com/MsLReads

A “Renaissance Man” is a colloquial term for a well-rounded gentleman; one with developed skills in academics and a multitude of other areas. The Renaissance Man endeavored to reach his full potential. He was smart and savvy. He had many talents and knew no bounds.

Boundless? Sounds like the businesswomen of today.

Are we so different from the Renaissance Men of the past? Women in business today are artists; creative in the way they design and run their beautiful undertakings (hello Sarah Sproule, C&W Issue 2). They are virtuosos in social affairs; their networks are large, and close (hello Shama Hyder, C&W Issue 1). They are physically skilled, whether for pleasure, balance or work (hello Misty Copeland, C&W Issue 4). There is an appreciation of craft, a love of learning, and a zest for life.

Renaissance women are made, not born. They live a life of appreciation and constantly seek to enhance their skills in all areas. They read great books and pass them on to friends. They take time for themselves, because they know it’s important to reflect. They foster a sense of peace and know that they can change some things, and other things are best left to flourish as-is.

Well-rounded gentlewomen we are.

Bethany Miller is an explorer in life and in business. She’s an airline pilot, veteran, and world traveler. Fascinated by global issues and the business of business, Bethany is a doctoral candidate at Université Paris-Dauphine in Paris, France where she researches extraordinary employees in chaotic work environments.

www.GoodGlobalCitizen.com

*photo by Jacklyn Greenberg of JAG Studios

Today there is an app for EVERYTHING.  Whether you’re ordering groceries, sending an invitation or hailing a cab, technology has made it easier than ever to never leave your couch. So, when it comes to planning your next soiree, leave it to these experts to take care of the details.

1) APPLE REMOTE

store.apple.com/us

Thanks to Apple Remote, the music will never skip a beat as you simultaneously play DJ and work the room.

2) CONFETTI SYSTEM / SWEET LULU

http://www.confettisystem.com/shop

http://www.shopsweetlulu.com

Looking for fun, colorful (and disposable) party decor to add a personal touch to your event? Look no further than Confetti System and Sweet Lulu for all those Instagram worthy finds!

3) FOOD & WINE COCKTAILS

http://www.foodandwine.com/cocktail-recipes

No summer soiree is complete without a signature drink.  Browse hundreds of unique recipes from Food & Wine and serve a festive cocktail at your next party like this delicious Champagne Mojito: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/champagne-mojitos.

4) GLAMSQUAD

http://www.glamsquad.com

With all this planning you probably forgot to take care of the most important thing…YOU. Leave it to Glamsquad to get you looking beautiful before your guests arrive with their in-home beauty services.

5) H.BLOOM

http://www.hbloom.com

A subscription for flowers? Sign me up! Whether it’s a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly delivery, H.Bloom will ensure your home is party ready.

6) HOMEPOLISH

http://www.homepolish.com

Nothing says “entertaining” like a well styled home. So, whether you’re in need of a little refresh to your decor or a complete home makeover, look no further than Homepolish. This pay-by-the-hour interior design service will have your space the envy of all your friends in no time.

7) KITCHENSURFING

http://www.kitchensurfing.com

Thanks to Kitchensurfing, private chefs are no longer just for the elite.  For as low as $25/per person you can eat like a king (or queen), impress your guests and… they do dishes too!

8) MINIBAR

http://www.minibardelivery.com

Save yourself a trip to the liquor store with the easy to use Minibar app and have your liquor and mixers delivered to your front door.

9) PAPERLESS POST

http://www.paperlesspost.com

Although nothing will ever compare to receiving a paper invitation in the mail, Paperless Post has made digital chic. Choose from one of their many designer collaborations with brands such as: Mr. Boddington, Happy Menocal, Little Cube or Crane & Co. and  “mail” all your invites with a click of a button.

10) POSTMATES

http://www.postmates.com

No matter how prepared you are as a host, there will always be something you forget. For this, we use Postmates!  They deliver just about anything from anywhere. Does it get any better than that?

After beginning her career as an intern at Vogue Magazine, Colleen Kennedy Cohen went on to manage events in-house for renowned brands such as Donna Karan, Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino and Cartier. She has been planning luxury events throughout the U.S. and Europe for major fashion houses since 2006.  After the birth of her daughter, Colleen launched Colleen Kennedy Events to bring her luxury brand experience to private clients. Currently, she lives in New York City and works as an event planner and certified health coach. With a love for all things beautiful, coupled with an eye for design, Colleen brings a versatile and fresh approach to each project she takes on.

Follow her: Instagram: CKCohen; Pinterest: Colleen Kennedy Events.

“Most of the things we need to be most fully alive never come in busyness. They grow in rest.”  ― Mark Buchanan

The silence of my morning is split by the whistle of my tea kettle, signaling it’s time for me to bloom the coffee grounds. I am old fashioned in my mornings, brewing my coffee in a French press. But the first moment when I sit down in my white winged chair, curtains open to the sunrise, my notebook and pen ready to be filled with the first stories of my morning, is a moment I deeply need in this season of life.

I’ve begun to learn among the many roles I carry that if I don’t allow myself a moment to reawaken my soul, I am bound to become chained to all that I am doing.

My passions squelched, my mind fragmented, my soul sore.

And so, in this season of busyness and deadlines, I find myself diligently waking before the sun to set apart a few moments just for me. Impulsively, I’m a let life rule me kind of woman instead of a woman who lives the art of life: a woman who, among any season, can find rest, give grace, seek self-care, and sit in peace.

We, as women, need moments to reclaim ourselves in our busy seasons.
We need moments of restoration: of digging deep into who we are as women so that we can be that woman.

We need moments that remind us how to come alive.

________________

When I need to reclaim myself and my dreams during a season, I tend to do three things, an awakening plan of sorts that leaves me refreshed:

1. Sit with a cup of sweet coffee, my notebook, and a good book, the windows open and the world quiet.
2. Slip away for an hour to meditate and practice Holy Yoga.
3. Go for a simple bike ride.

What would your awakening plan look like? What is it that restores your soul and makes you come alive again, ready to dream once more and enter your season refreshed?

Caitlin Lore is a storyteller and adventurer. By day she is a junior high English teacher, and by night she is a Holy Yoga instructor. She is also a wife, entrepreneur, marriage retreat maker, and aspiring novelist. After a jaunt with endurance racing, she now specializes in yoga for athletes and restorative yoga seeking to bring soul-care and freedom to those feeling constrained by anxiety, depression, and stress through the avenue of Holy Yoga. 

http://caitlinlore.com/

For those who thrive on flux, flow, and fluidity

Reformation of business doesn’t happen overnight. It comes in slow waves, evolving and building until it crashes on the shores of society. This is how the Renaissance took place―centuries of innovations that changed the way we understood science, the way we looked at art, and the methods of governing people and business.

It’s happening again, this time with women in business. We’re changing the way we look at occupations. More women are in combat roles than ever before. Women as angel investors get a lot of press. Female CEOs, though in short supply, populate the headlines and cover stories. The wave is growing. It may take centuries before it crashes on the shores of society, but the momentum has begun.

So how do we keep this renaissance moving? Barriers are down, but egalitarianism is scant. Stories of women facing adversity in technology, politics, law enforcement, and other areas of business still abound. The solution: networks. Women are finding power, support, and connections through various organizations that champion women in their fields of business. It’s the good ol’ boys’ club redefined. It’s a rebirth of the power society.

Pamela Ryckman (C&W Issue 2) unveils how women leverage connections in her book Stiletto Network. She articulates why women networks are important for personal and professional support. Academic theory calls this phenomenon “strong ties/weak ties.” A network of strong ties takes time and energy―they are very important to your success. But the people who are your weak ties network give you diversity, inspiration, and access to a larger network. Both are crucial. And in this business renaissance, the female ties are bridging gender gaps in the workplace.

Business is reborn, and she’s wearing heels.

Bethany Miller is an explorer in life and in business. She’s an airline pilot, veteran, and world traveler. Fascinated by global issues and the business of business, Bethany is a doctoral candidate at Université Paris-Dauphine in Paris, France where she researches extraordinary employees in chaotic work environments. www.GoodGlobalCitizen.com

Imagery by Janet Hill.

Spring cleaning isn’t just for your home. The cold winter months leave our beauty regimens yearning for a fresh take, making spring the ideal season to re-assess your cosmetic bag. Try these steps with me to eradicate the cluttered, clumpy, crusty and funky beauty items from our lives.

Step One: Toss

What items do you need to toss? Use your senses: Does it smell funky? Toss! Does it have a stick to it that isn’t supposed to be there? Toss! Bottom line, if you’d be embarrassed to show it to your coworkers or friends, it’s time to bid adieu and move on!

Step Two: Tweak

For the items you’re not willing to part with, consider giving them some TLC so they can remain front runners in the beauty bag.

Sharpen and Sanitize any eye, lip and concealer pencils. I like to do due diligence when cleaning any item, especially one that touches the eye area which is the most bacteria ridden area of our faces. This means sharpening the pencils and spritzing them with alcohol. It may seem like a bit much, but isn’t a little hygiene worth it when it comes to preserving our beauty?

For a dreadfully crumbled eye shadow, bronzer, powder or blush, ask first, “is there enough of the cosmetic left to make it worth saving?” and “Did the crumble happen inside the packaging?” If you’ve answered “yes” to these questions, then let’s set out to save it! Pull out your handy alcohol spritzer and your broken compact. First, slowly saturate the powder with the alcohol. Using a clean plastic spoon or knife, mix the alcohol and powder until they are a paste, even it out within the package, and press the product firmly back into place. Allow the compact to air dry overnight and wake up to find your favorite product fully restored (and sanitized)!

Step Three: Trade

The beauty industry upgrades products and launches new favorites before you can blink. It can be overwhelming, but there are some great reformulations and innovations that allow us to better care for our skin with the introduction of features like SPF and antioxidants. I am a huge advocate of the multi-purpose formulas like BB & CC creams, which can help minimize the number of items we use while maximizing performance. Pairing natural ingredients with lasting results is a win-win in my book.

Step Four: Breathe a Sigh of Relief

You’ve taken the challenge, tackled it with success, and now have a fresh start to maximizing your beauty more healthily and simply.

Vanessa Elese is a NY based, Emmy Award winning celebrity makeup artist and beauty expert. Vanessa’s most recent work includes Amazon’s Alpha House, Netflix’s highly addictive Orange is the New Black and Discover’s Deadly Affairs. Above all, Vanessa focuses her efforts to encourage and nurture a healthy inner beauty before focusing on the exterior. It is her mission to truly ignite women to perceive themselves with grace and beauty. http://www.thebeautyfairydiaries.com/

Imagery by Kristina Hultkrantz.

The dread of planning and preparing a meal for a group of friends should never keep you from entertaining. By following an outline, it will be just as easy to entertain for 12 as for 2. Stick to the basics (but do them very well), serve foods that work at room temperature and don’t require too much additional effort to multiply.

A Girlfriend Springtime Lunch:

1. Cheese board: 3 to 4 nice cheeses arranged on a cutting board with nuts, dried fruit and honey. If artisanal cheeses aren’t available or affordable, a simple log of goat’s cheese from the supermarket can seem special when presented this way.
   Portion size: 2-3 oz per person
2. Meat: Cured meats, smoked fish or even a plate of soft-boiled eggs halved and sprinkled with coarse salt.
   Portion size: around 1.5 oz per person
3. Leafy Greens: A big bowl of bright salad greens dressed in a simple vinaigrette.
4. French Lentils: Flavored with garlic, sea salt, pepper and lemon juice. Any dried bean or whole grain is delicious served this way.
   Portion size: 1/4 cup dried lentils per person.
5. Bread: For layering the cheeses and meat into miniature open-face sandwich bites, and for mopping up the last of the vinaigrette. Buy more than you think you need; leftover bread freezes well.
6. Spread: Avocado (my favorite), butter, hummus…anything that holds its own when spread on the bread but also complements the cheeses and meat.
7. Extras: A scattering of bowls filled with various treats to be eaten alone, or added to the lentils and salad. Options: segmented oranges, pistachios, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, crudités…

Result: a meal that’s elegant, pleasurable and simple.

Marci Cornett is a (mostly) plant-based chef who promotes health-supportive cuisine and the development of sustainable food systems. After graduating from the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York, she worked in several professional kitchens including the renowned vegetarian restaurant, Cafe Paradiso, in Cork City, Ireland. She develops and publishes nourishing recipes and writes about the latest thinking concerning nutrition and food issues on her blog, marcicornett.com. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

When did I become qualified to give career advice, especially to my family? Each time one of my siblings asks for my insight on career decisions, I’m both deeply flattered and slightly surprised.

I’m the oldest of the four of us, so perhaps being the frequent trailblazer for life milestones naturally adds gravitas to my professional perspective. At the same time, as adults, we are all carving our own paths and I sometimes wonder if my experiences are really relevant to their decisions. The weightiness of counseling my nearest and dearest can feed an imposter syndrome, and I worry about passing along bad advice.

And yet, they keep asking: will you critique my resume? What do you think about this job offer? Can we discuss the merits and pitfalls of one field versus another? I take this to mean that any guidance so far hasn’t been detrimental and our conversations might even have been valuable.

Considering all of this, I asked my siblings why they place confidence in my professional advice. They told me, yes, being even a few years older provides a longer view on work and life that’s helpful for early-stage career choices. It also matters to them that we have shared values. Any conversation about our careers can start from an understanding that we want to prioritize life beyond the office even when pursuing our professional goals.

I’m still humbled that my smart, accomplished, and uniquely talented siblings seek out my advice. I’m grateful that I get to play the role of the wise (slightly older) sage on work matters for people whom I love and admire.

While she’s almost an official New Yorker, now that she has spent the past eight years working for a large investment bank in New York City, Jean Blosser still cherishes her Midwestern roots, growing up in Columbus, Ohio. She is an alumnus of Boston College, enjoys her whiskey neat, and blogs regularly at http://www.skylineblossoms.com.

If you’re a solopreneur, I’m willing to bet you started your business to gain more control over your work, your process, your clientele, and your time. And that you dreamt of more fully pursuing a personal passion, once you weren’t squished under the thumb of The Man. I’d also wager that somewhere along the solopreneurial road, you were hijacked by your business―and your passion was taken for ransom.

I’m not the betting type, but I am a solopreneur. And I know my kind. We tend to be All About the Work―which, admittedly, is part of the deal when you run your own show, especially early on. But here’s another part of the deal: all work and no passion makes for a dull (and possibly grumpy/exhausted/disengaged) solopreneur.

In my case, while I’m a corporate communications writer by trade, I’m a storyteller at heart. And for years, I desperately tried to give this passion an outlet. I’d block an hour during the workday to crank out an essay, but client work would take precedence. I’d vow to write on Saturday or Sunday, but the last thing I want to do on the weekend is camp out behind my laptop.

Finally, on New Year’s Eve 2014, I made one resolution: to really, truly, no-excuses carve out time for passion projects. I crunched some numbers and figured out that I could write for clients four days a week and dedicate the remaining workday to writing for myself.

Since January 1st, “Passion Project Fridays” have produced a short play and eight essays. And they’ve reminded me that solopreneurial life should not be All About the Work. My business may have kidnapped my passion, but I paid the ransom and got it back. We’re finally reunited―and it feels so good.

Nicole Christie is a writer and storyteller who splits her time between Seattle and Montreal. She is also the principal and creative director of NICO, Inc.―a one-woman firm specializing in fresh, honest, engaging employee and marketing communications for Fortune 500 corporations, leading-edge creative firms, and rapidly growing new technology companies. You can soak up her solopreneur wisdom at http://nicolechristie.com/.

“Our playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.” -Marianne Williamson

Raise your hand if you’ve ever said something like this: “Well, it’s not as big of a deal as it sounds,” or “Anyone could do it; it’s nothing special.” In the interest of modesty and politeness, there can be an impulse to downplay your job title or level of responsibilities. The reality is often much different than how we portray it. No, not just anyone is committed to working late nights or deftly handling complex data like you.

It can be especially tempting to tone down your strengths when you are around those who are insecure or easily intimidated. Many a professional woman has struggled to contend with a colleague or acquaintance’s inferiority complex. A passive-aggressive aside at a networking event or a brash remark in a meeting can give even the most confident of us pause.

More than once, well-meaning strangers have peered into my office and asked if I am an intern or how I ended up in such a nice office suite, as if it were surprising for someone young and female to serve in an influential position.

Here’s the thing: when you are in a situation where there is pressure to tone down your capabilities, don’t do it. You’re not helping anyone by dimming your light. Take ownership of your worth, and don’t shrink from the ugly glare of envy.

Furthermore, when you encounter an accomplished person who has an impressive career, don’t eye her with resentment; take notes. Ask questions. Learn from her hard-earned lessons.

Most importantly, don’t play it small. By sharing your dedication with others, you will inspire them to carry out achievements as amazing as your own.

Elizabeth Roach is a graduate of Furman University and the Columbia University Publishing Program. She has worked in Kentucky government and politics for more than seven years and is currently Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear’s scheduling director. Based in Lexington, Kentucky, Elizabeth is a frequent traveler who writes freelance articles about bourbon, baking, and her culinary adventures. elizabethroachwriter.com

She tells stories, runs a business, inspires women young and old, encourages people to spend time outdoors, and hikes long distance trails at record-breaking speeds. Jennifer Pharr Davis offers insightful perspective and chronicles a transformational journey of her five-month hike of the Appalachian Trail, a 2,185* mile footpath that stretches from Maine to Georgia, in her first book Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trail.

Her thru-hiking adventures began immediately after graduating college as a classics major. Suitably, Pharr Davis selected the trail name Odyssa when she started her hike because she thought about what the name meant and considered that maybe she was a wanderer on a long journey back to her home. She spent the next five months hiking, listening to others tell their stories, telling her own story, gaining confidence, exploring her options in life, and deciding she needed to spend her life doing something she enjoyed instead of sitting behind a desk. She figured out what she wanted to do and “knew that something deep within connected with nature, hard work, and simplicity.” She started an outdoor hiking company.

Pharr Davis recaps each section of her 2005 journey on the Appalachian Trail with one-word. This collection of one-word chapter headings ranges from ‘love’ to ‘perseverance’ to ‘optimism’ to ‘homecoming’ in the final stretch. This isn’t just a book about hiking; it’s a story of a young woman finding and transforming herself from the naïveté of Jen to the experience of Odyssa. “I knew that I was beautiful, despite what other people said, and I appreciated my body based on what it could do instead of on how it looked.” She describes home not as a physical place but a state of truly knowing self and feeling at peace.

Following this epic adventure, Jennifer Pharr Davis went on to claim the women’s speed record for hiking the Appalachian Trail in 57 days and then later set the overall record hiking faster than any man or woman by completing the 2180 + mile trail in 46 days 11 hours and 20 minutes in 2011. Read about the record-setting hike in her book Called Again: A Story of Love and Triumph.

*The exact number of miles varies slightly from year to year when the Appalachian Trail Conservancy paints fresh white blazes (small white rectangles) on trees and posts denoting the path each year.

Renee Boss is an educator and activist who believes access to quality education is a right for everyone. She is also a book lover, who has made it her goal to devour a book a week. She lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her husband and two sons. www.reneeboss.blogspot.com

I recently had a dear friend come to me for advice, because she was feeling bogged down by the weight of her everyday routine. She could catch only a glimpse of the beauty of life, and that did not satisfy her.

But I did not feel adequate to impart wisdom, because so often I, too, feel lost in a world of stress, meetings, and obligations.

Regardless, I offered her this: As cliché as it may be, notice the world around you for everything that it is. Savor this season of life.

And when we met last week for dinner, she and I did just that. We joined another sweet friend and sat in a little restaurant, brimming with character. We ate succulent avocados and juicy sandwiches. Our conversation was real and relatable. We talked about problems and shortcomings but also about triumphs, successes, and joys.

When I recognize that dinner for all that it was, we were sisters, embracing and navigating this unpredictable season of life together. This is what it means to take notice of life. Appreciating the small things doesn’t have to be some gushy, crying affair. It happens in quite the sincerest form when the voice in your head says, “Cherish this,” while laughing with your friends between bites of avocado.

Elaine Bailey is currently a full-time student majoring in writing, rhetoric and communication. When she’s not working on papers, she is spending time with her family and friends or pursuing her passion for travel. She lives life joyfully and wishes to radiate that joy, zest, and excitement for life to everyone she meets.

There’s one day a year when we lose all our inhibitions – we drink, we gamble, and we wear ridiculously big hats. You’ve guessed it, it’s Derby Day. Whether you’re celebrating at Churchill Downs or at home with friends, nothing says “derby” quite like the mint julep. This year I’m giving this Southern classic a fresh twist and serving up the perfect trifecta – mint, sage and thyme juleps. Get these recipes below and start placing your bets. Cheers!

Classic Mint Julep

Mint Simple Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 bunch fresh mint, torn into pieces

Ingredients
1 ½ oz Kentucky bourbon whiskey
1 sprig of fresh mint, for garnish
1 oz mint syrup
Crushed ice

Directions

1. In a pot over high heat bring water and sugar to a boil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until sugar dissolves. Muddle mint slightly to release natural oils, stir into the syrup mixture. Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
2. Fill an 8 oz julep cup with crushed ice. Pour whiskey and stir. Top it with mint simple syrup and sprigs of mint for garnish.

Sage Julep

 Sage Simple Syrup
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
10 fresh sage leaves

 Ingredients
2 oz Kentucky bourbon whiskey
1 tablespoon sage infused simple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 sprig of fresh sage, for garnish
1 splash club soda

Directions

1. In a pot over high heat bring water, sugar and sage to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow the mixture to cool completely for 10 minutes, then remove sage.
2. Fill an 8 oz julep cup with crushed ice. Pour whiskey over ice, add the sage simple syrup and lemon juice. Top it with a splash of club soda and a sprig of sage for garnish.

Thyme Julep

Thyme Simple Syrup
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 bunch fresh thyme

Ingredients
2 oz Kentucky bourbon whiskey
1 tablespoon thyme infused simple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 sprigs of fresh thyme, for garnish
1 splash club soda

Directions

1. In a pot over high heat bring water, sugar and thyme to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and allow the mixture to cool completely for 10 minutes, then remove thyme.
2. Fill an 8 oz julep cup with crushed ice. Pour whiskey over ice, add the thyme simple syrup and lemon juice. Top it with a splash of club soda and sprigs of thyme for garnish.

After beginning her career as an intern at Vogue Magazine, Colleen Kennedy Cohen went on to manage events in-house for renowned brands such as Donna Karan, Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino and Cartier. She has been planning luxury events throughout the U.S. and Europe for major fashion houses since 2006.  After the birth of her daughter, Colleen launched Colleen Kennedy Events to bring her luxury brand experience to private clients. Currently, she lives in New York City and works as an event planner and certified health coach. With a love for all things beautiful, coupled with an eye for design, Colleen brings a versatile and fresh approach to each project she takes on. Follow her: Instagram: CKCohen; Pinterest: Colleen Kennedy Events.

Imagery by Charlie Juliet Photography.

As a yoga instructor, I have come to love my breath. When I was an endurance athlete, I understood the importance of the respiratory system, but I never truly grasped the gift of my breath. Through my yoga schooling, I have learned that we often only use one-third to one-fourth of our lung capacity daily.

We aren’t breathing fully and deeply into our everydays.

Our breath gives us life―it is the life within us. Breath replenishes our systems, aids in our health, and can calm us―literally―in that moment of fight or flight. Breathing helps slow the production of cortisol, the stress hormone, and brings us back to a calm state.

During this seasonal change, I often find myself more busy than usual, which in turn manifests as stress. Spring is the season where I need to come back to my breath; to breathe into my full capacity of loving and living; to learn to inhale grace and exhale the things that aren’t priorities.

To learn to breathe in life, deeply and fully.

A Breath Exercise

• Find a comfortable, seated position bringing your back straight and gently placing your left hand on your belly and right hand on your chest.
• Begin by taking a few slow, conscious breaths through the nose, inhaling and exhaling deeply with a slight pause in between, simply observing the breath.
• Slowly begin to bring your breath in control. Make the breath a little deeper, longer in both the inhalations and exhalations. Try to expel every little bit of breath on the exhale before you begin another inhale. Keep focusing on the breath, listening and noticing.
• After a few rounds of breath, allow a brief pause at the top of the inhale, as well as after the exhale. Let your body move freely with the breath.
• Allow the belly to expand outward, while the ribs expand to the sides, and visualize the breath rolling up through the lungs, the chest rising at the top of the inhale. As you exhale, the body deflates: the chest dropping and belly coming in.
• After about five minutes of this focused, belly breathing, let go of the conscious control of your breath. Notice how your energy, thoughts, and emotions have changed during this time, the moment peaceful and purposeful. Your breath full.

Caitlin Lore is a storyteller and adventurer. By day she is a junior high English teacher, and by night she is a Holy Yoga instructor. She is also a wife, entrepreneur, marriage retreat maker, and aspiring novelist. After a jaunt with endurance racing, she now specializes in yoga for athletes and restorative yoga seeking to bring soul-care and freedom to those feeling constrained by anxiety, depression, and stress through the avenue of Holy Yoga. http://caitlinlore.com/

If you are community-minded, it’s energizing to get involved with a project or nonprofit and use your abilities to successfully reach the organization’s goals. However, as someone who does creative work, I’ve noticed that I am asked far more frequently than my counterparts in, say, the legal or accounting fields, to provide my skills and knowledge at no cost.

It’s tough, because when I am excited about a project I want to do everything I can to move it forward. And as a board member for a nonprofit am I not supposed to do money-saving work to better the organization? The things I do best include writing and editing, research, project management, and creating communication strategies. I like doing these things. I also get paid to do these things, and I know how much each is worth. Where do I set the boundary? Where do I draw the line and avoid giving away too much of my expertise?

Creative work is undervalued by those who can’t do it. It surprises me how often I hear people say that they hate writing marketing copy or they don’t know how to organize web content, but when they find that I can do these things, a switch is flipped and suddenly the work is so easy that, surely, I’ll only need a few minutes to do it. They’ve forgotten that affinity doesn’t automatically equal speed or ease.

If you are a creative, my advice is to determine what your time and talents are worth, and only give away the amount you consider reasonable. And if you aren’t a creative, stop asking those who are―writers, artists, musicians―to give you their time, talent, and intellectual property for free. They have worked hard to develop their skills and talents and deserve not only to be respected, but to be compensated.

After spending several years working as an academic reference librarian and a community college library director, Tanzi Merritt shifted her career to become a tech company’s sales & marketing coordinator. She sits on a number of nonprofit boards, and, during her off-hours, obsessively watches documentaries, buys art, and frequents local craft breweries. Connect with her: www.linkedin.com/in/tanzidmerritt.

Too often I find myself hearing what a person is saying but not really listening to what she is saying. As a social worker, part of my education was learning how to actively listen to clients. Although it’s something I struggle to practice in my everyday life, I notice such an improvement in understanding when I do. Because of this, I wanted to share with you a few ways you can be a more active listener to your loved ones.

Empathize – Attempt to understand and share their feelings. The old adage still stands: “Put yourself in their shoes!”

Ask Questions – Participate in the conversation. Replace the usual “mm-hm” or “yeah” with pausing for a moment to ask a question that lets the person know you’re really interested in what she’s telling you.

Clarify – One of the reasons that asking questions is important in active listening is because it helps us clarify. Clarification is finding out what exactly someone means, and helps to prevent one of the biggest barriers in communication: misunderstanding.

Body Language – Last, but not least, body language is crucial. Making eye contact with the person speaking to you and having an open posture towards her has proven to engage a longer, and probably a more meaningful, conversation.

Listening with your heart to what someone is telling you and responding with real compassion or genuine feedback is the gift that gives back. You will be amazed at the difference active listening really makes in getting to know a person, or in simply being there for her.

Haylee Smoot is a social worker currently pursuing an MSW at the University of Kentucky. She is a Kentucky Proud foodie and passionate about her heritage, her pug Dodi, and helping others. 

Photography by Lupen Grainne.

There is something very exciting about building or renovating your own home. My boyfriend, Josh, and I were thrilled the day we drove our home, a 1978 Georgia Boy Cruise Air, to my parents’ farm.

I took some photos, we introduced the dogs to the RV (they didn’t want to leave), and we took it to Natural Bridge in Kentucky to test it out at the campgrounds. We donned our rose-colored glasses and charged forward like nothing could stop us.

When we began the demolition of the 1970s interior, however, we had no idea what 30 years meant in RV life. Deconstructing the existing cabinets was like solving a nonsensical puzzle. There were hidden screws that we didn’t find until frustration had led us to brute force. There was electrical wire hidden in walls, found only after they were already cut. The glue and adhesives holding the walls together were meant to last past the human race, and I have never seen so many ladybugs in such small spaces!

Needless to say, it has been an adventure. Not the rose-colored adventure we painted in our heads, but an up-and-down rollercoaster of an adventure.

The image of our perfectly aged RV started out surrounded by rainbows and butterflies, and sparkling surfaces. Now, the RV has a few scars, and a few more nonsensical designs because, well, that’s the only way we could get the closet as big as we wanted, or the shower in the right spot.

While our expectations have become a little more “realistic,” it is still very exciting to pick out handles to drawers, and curtains for windows. And we still smile really, really big about every single step. Because the magic of creating your own home is that it is yours, every brilliant bit of it.

Christine Williams is a Lexington, Kentucky-based photographer who prefers to think of herself as a storyteller. She loves surprises, imperfections and happy endings. Most of all, she loves days that give memories.  Goldieandchristine.com

Imagery provided by Christine Williams

I’m what you’d call a jetsetter. For the past three years, I’ve been based in Seattle with a musician boyfriend in Montreal. The reasons are complicated and frustrating, but from an outside perspective, it all looks very glamorous. Especially because, as a self-employed writer, I’m able to spend the bulk of my time with him, both in Montreal and touring the world (so far: Austria, Spain, Barbados, Hawaii, Toronto, Vancouver, at least a dozen cities across the U.S., and soon―New Zealand).

Suffice it to say that I’m no stranger to the phrase, “I want your life.” Because, just as social media tempts us to compare our lives to the news feed, the assumption is that if you’re a jetsetter, your days are filled with champagne in first class, productive workdays in exotic cafes, and layovers spent sipping free cocktails in airport lounges.

But nothing is Instagram-perfect, so most assumptions about this lifestyle are false. And truth be told, I never wanted to be a jetsetter. I’m a nester and a homebody who spent eight years building a business so I could work from home―not from all over the world. Then again, I also spent eight years in disastrous relationships, wondering when someone good would come along. Eventually I found him and felt I’d been offered an incredible gift, though the packaging wasn’t what I expected. But my choice was this or nothing―board the plane or disembark the relationship.

So I got on board. And I grew stronger and braver. Eventually, I replaced grousing with gratitude. I learned to appreciate the opportunity to see the world with someone I love. I learned to want the life I have. And I learned that it’s not about the packaging―it’s what’s inside and what you do with it that makes it a gift.

Nicole Christie is a writer and storyteller who splits her time between Seattle and Montreal. She is also the principal and creative director of NICO, Inc.―a one-woman firm specializing in fresh, honest, engaging employee and marketing communications for Fortune 500 corporations, leading-edge creative firms, and rapidly growing new technology companies. You can soak up her solopreneur wisdom at http://nicolechristie.com/.

One of my favorite and earliest cooking memories is of baking a cake with my grandmother. My little sister was bouncing around our feet, jabbering away to us. Grandma, in the patient way she could admonish without belittling, told my sister to leave me alone because I was a new cook who needed to concentrate on the recipe. I wasn’t happy with this remark; even at 10-years-old, I didn’t want to be thought of as a novice in the kitchen.

Since then, food has transformed my interest into a passion, taking me to culinary school and jobs in professional kitchens. Through all this, I’ve never forgotten that afternoon with my grandmother. I wish we could cook together one more time.

This Apple Stack Cake is very different from the one my grandma used to make. My recipe is vegan and calls for nourishing ingredients such as spelt flour, unrefined sweeteners, raw coconut oil…plus a little bourbon (I couldn’t ignore its affinity for apples). Best to get started the day before serving to allow the apple butter filling to moisten and infuse the dark, rich layers of spiced cake.

Bourbon Apple Butter

2 tablespoons unrefined Coconut Oil
8 medium Apples, cored and chopped
8 Medjool Dates, pitted
Good pinch Sea Salt
1 tablespoon ground Cinnamon
1 tablespoon Blackstrap Molasses
2 tablespoons Bourbon, or to taste

1. Place the oil, apples and dates in a large pot over med-high heat until they begin to sizzle. Stir in the salt and cinnamon, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cook the apples, stirring occasionally, until they’re completely tender.
2. Once tender and cooled slightly, use an immersion blender or food processor to puree the apples. At this point, measure out and refrigerate 95 grams (about ¼ cup and 2 tablespoons) of the puree. This will be used in the cake batter.
3. Return the remaining puree to the pot and place over medium heat then stir in the molasses. Cover the pot, leaving the lid ajar, and cook the apple puree for 1.5 to 2 hours, until it’s reduced, thickened and darkened. Stir frequently and adjust the heat periodically to prevent the bottom from scorching.
4. Once the apple butter is thickened, remove from heat and stir in the bourbon to taste. Store covered in the fridge up to 1 week.

Stack Cake

½ cup (125 milliliters) Plant-based Milk (I used a mixture of almond and coconut)
1 tablespoon White Vinegar
½ cup + 1 tablespoon (170 grams) Blackstrap Molasses
1 ½ teaspoons fresh Ginger, grated
1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons (184 grams) Light Spelt Flour
1 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons (184 grams) Whole Spelt Flour
½ teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons ground Ginger
¾ teaspoon Sea Salt
1 tablespoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
½ cup (113 grams) unrefined Coconut Oil
½ cup + 1 tablespoon (113 grams) Coconut Sugar
¼ cup + 2 ½ tablespoons (95 grams) Apple puree (see above recipe for instructions)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the plant-based milk and vinegar then set aside for at least 10 minutes to sour. After 10 minutes, whisk in the molasses, fresh ginger and vanilla extract.
3. In a large bowl, sift together the flours, cinnamon, ginger, sea salt, baking soda and baking powder.
4. In a stand mixer, use a paddle attachment to beat together the coconut oil and coconut sugar until fluffy. Then, mix in the apple puree.
5. Change to a whisk attachment on the machine. On low speed, whisk in a third of the dry flour mixture. Once incorporated, whisk in a third of the soured milk mixture. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Continue alternating between the dry and wet mixture for two more batches, until everything is fully incorporated.
6. *To bake, divide the batter into 3 mostly equal portions. Use a small spatula to spread one portion of the thick batter evenly across the bottom of a small cast iron skillet, coated with coconut oil. Bake each layer for 17-20 minutes, or until the edges are slightly crisper than the middle and a toothpick inserted into the cake’s center comes out with dry crumbs attached. Allow each layer to cool in the skillet for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire cooling rack.
7. Since this is a rustic dessert, there’s no need for the layers to cool completely before spreading the apple butter between each layer and on top of the cake. The cake’s flavor and texture will only improve over the next few days. Store covered in the refrigerator, but bring to room temperature before serving.

*You can also transfer the entire batter to an 8” round cake pan, coated with coconut oil and dusted with spelt flour. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it passes the toothpick test. Allow the cake to sit in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before cutting into 3 layers with a serrated knife.

Marci Cornett is a (mostly) plant-based chef who promotes health-supportive cuisine and the development of sustainable food systems. After graduating from the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York, she worked in several professional kitchens including the renowned vegetarian restaurant, Cafe Paradiso, in Cork City, Ireland. She develops and publishes nourishing recipes and writes about the latest thinking concerning nutrition and food issues on her blog, marcicornett.com. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Imagery by Sarah Jane Sanders.

My family and I are fortunate enough to live near a large reservoir. No one is allowed to swim in it, but we are allowed to sail, row, and play on the beaches.

The mountains peek through the view in the distance, teasing and calling us like Sirens. With the city circling our backs, it only takes a moment to heed their call. At our feet lie the rocks carved from the mountains and left behind as the water journeyed from the reservoir.

One of our most simple family activities is to go and throw rocks in the water. The handfuls the kids chuck make a not-so-quiet PLOP! PLOP! PLOP! as they break the surface, while we adults work hard to skip the not-actually-flat rocks.

We don’t talk much as the rocks fly. Everyone is in quiet contemplation with the rote nature of rock-flinging. For a group of people who have about as much spirituality all together as a yogini has in her baby toe, this is as close as we get to meditation.

Ultimately pointless, rock throwing can be done just about anywhere―the beach, a stream, a puddle in the back alley or the slough at a farm. Rocks plus water, that’s all you need.

The same effect can be had from gathering pinecones, looking for four-leaf clovers, searching for sea glass, and picking out pretty fall leaves. Being out in nature, in contemplation, engrossed in a repetitive activity, is indeed spiritual. It answers the Sirens’ call to leave the city behind. Even if you can’t actually do that.

Cheryl Arkison is a writer, quilter, and mom. She writes and teaches on quilting, craft, creativity, food, and family—all from her dining room empire. From this space she wrote her first book, Sunday Morning Quilts (co-authored with Amanda Jean Nyberg) and her second book, A Month of Sundays. Her third book will be released in 2015. A proud first generation Ukrainian, she is committed to not letting the artistry of food and craft from her heritage pass by unnoticed in the modern age. Cheryl is the mother of three kidlets and wife to her entrepreneur husband. www.cherylarkison.com

Imagery provided by Cheryl Arkison

It was girls’ night, and I was the first to arrive at our favorite cozy, dimly-lit bar (Beecher’s, of course)…which gave me more time to study the cocktail list. As Kate settled in, I mentioned that I had debated between two cocktails before ordering a French 75.

“Of course you did, Jean,” Kate said, laughing. “Ten out of ten times, you pick the gin cocktail.”

She was right, and a little light of recognition switched on in my brain. While I knew that I enjoyed a good gin cocktail, I hadn’t realized how often I chose them over something else. Which, as Kate pointed out, is nearly every time.

It was a moment of clarity that still makes me smile, because a dear friend helped me recognize something very consistent (although admittedly minor) about myself. I think that is friendship at its best.

Good friends help us see ourselves more clearly and can nudge us (sometimes gently, sometimes with a firm but loving push) towards knowing ourselves better. They can highlight our strengths and skills, the things we take for granted because they come so naturally to us. And they can pinpoint our favorite drink order, sometimes before we’ve even laid claim to it ourselves.

For the record, Kate never orders the gin cocktail.

While she’s almost an official New Yorker, now that she has spent the past eight years working for a large investment bank in New York City, Jean Blosser still cherishes her Midwestern roots, growing up in Columbus, Ohio. She is an alumnus of Boston College and enjoys her whiskey neat.

Imagery from CAKE&WHISKEY Issue 2 by Sarah Jane Sanders

For those who thrive on flux, flow, and fluidity.

The Renaissance was a period of awakening after the Middle Ages. What began as a cultural movement of perspective manifested itself in artistic expression, educational reform, and yes, political, religious, and societal change. Actions reflected changing thoughts about the way we live life.

It’s happening again. And I find myself a part of it. I’m a woman in STEM, and I advocate for more women to pursue careers of technology and adventure. This starts with access to and love of learning. I applaud Malala Yousafzai’s advocacy for female education. I discuss Sheryl Sandberg’s plight for women in the workplace, from Lean In to writing about closing the gender gap with Adam Grant to creating Board Bootcamps with Marc Andreessen. I follow Chelsea Clinton’s work at the Clinton Foundation in championing women and girls globally.

Is there progress? Well, yes, but we won’t close the wage gap immediately. There won’t be 50% women on boards next year. All girls won’t go to school tomorrow. But we are talking about it. More people are becoming aware, and supportive. It’s fluid. And the direction it flows is up to us.

Let’s reimagine the balance of power. Let’s ask what it means to be an equal partner in our work, in our homes, and in our society.

Gently.

Because shaking the foundations and screaming demands rarely achieves harmony. And it’s not my style. A good chance it’s not yours either.

Bethany Miller is an explorer in life and in business. She’s an airline pilot, veteran, and world traveler. Fascinated by global issues and the business of business, Bethany is a doctoral candidate at Université Paris-Dauphine in Paris, France where she researches extraordinary employees in chaotic work environments. www.GoodGlobalCitizen.com

Imagery from CAKE&WHISKEY Issue 6 by Jacklyn Greenberg

Kathrine Switzer began running at a time when “cool girls looked great all the time; they did not run.” In fact, commonly accepted myths and stereotypes led people to believe athletic women developed manly, muscular legs and moustaches and risked their uteruses falling out if they ran too far. Undeterred by the naysayers, Switzer ran wearing earrings, a headband and lipstick.

Switzer made history in 1967 by becoming the first woman to officially register and run the entire Boston Marathon. Her participation angered race officials who tried violently to eject her from the race as depicted in the now iconic photograph (see above).

Kathrine Switzer’s memoir Marathon Woman: Running the Race to Revolutionize Women’s Sports portrays the story of the infamous race that ultimately changed the course of women in sports, specifically women in running. Throughout the book, Switzer shares her story about overcoming what seemed impossible and changing lives. With the same determination and courage it took for her to run the race, Switzer went on to organize women-only races, and she effectively petitioned the IOC to make a women’s marathon part of the Olympic Games while also launching a successful career in journalism and business.

Switzer’s memoir isn’t just about running and her professional career. She offers inspiration for women around the world, as she explores issues faced by women in numerous countries. She inspires us to face naysayers, heartbreak, hard work, and risk of failure. She also encourages us to accomplish tasks by strategizing, setting goals, and tackling difficult tasks bit by bit: the same way her dad taught her to run one lap around their yard at a time 50 years ago.

Renee Boss is an educator and activist who believes access to quality education is a right for everyone. She is also a book lover, who has made it her goal to devour a book a week. She lives in Lexington, Kentucky with her husband and two sons. www.reneeboss.blogspot.com

Do you have an inspirational sports story like Switzer’s to share? In our upcoming Sporting Issue, CAKE&WHISKEY is celebrating the powerful women in the sports industry: the players, of course, but also the women working behind the scenes. We want the encouragers, those who help young women and girls build self-esteem through sports. We want the physical therapists, the product developers, the corporate iron-women, and the after-school tennis coach. Tell us about the innovative thinkers & inspiration-givers in the sports industry today. We would love to hear about them. Send thoughts, proposals, and submissions to editor@cakenwhiskey.com.

It’s funny how you can walk past a thing hundreds of times but not really see it.

Last week I admired—for the umpteenth time—the mystery tree we have in our paddock that is covered in clumps of Dr. Seussian turquoise, blue, and fuchsia berries every autumn. Although I’ve been wondering about it for the past four years, it wasn’t until this month that I finally asked Greg, a friend of ours with a decidedly green thumb, what he thought the tree was.

As he peered up into the leafy canopy he declared, “That’s gotta be pepper.” Pepper! Never in my wildest imaginings…

Although I am a self-sufficiency fan and love growing weird and wonderful things in my gardens, I had never thought about growing pepper, or any other spice, save for ginger and turmeric. Excitedly, I gathered a cluster of the vivid berries and photographed them, then searched online to see if they truly were peppercorns. Sure enough, they were.

I am thrilled with our discovery and have had such fun learning how to ferment the colorful peppercorns, dry and get them ready to fill our pepper grinders with.

The no-longer-a-mystery Peppercorn Tree now serves as my reminder to inquire, not just admire.

Krista Bjorn is a wood-burning artist, goat farmer, author, writer, and photographer. Although she was born in Canada, raised in the USA, and shaped by her European roots, she now lives on a goat farm in Queensland, Australia with her husband, Bear. There, she celebrates anything that leads to healing, thriving, and loving. http://www.ramblingtart.com/

Imagery provided by Krista Bjorn

If you’re anything like me, you love nothing more than to host your family and friends whenever you get the chance. But let’s be honest, hosting is hard work and can bring out the good, the bad and the ugly in us all. So I’ve put together my five foolproof tips for perfecting the art of hosting while avoiding all the stress.

Tip 1.

A welcome tray: A welcome tray is simple to do and will make your houseguests feel simultaneously spoiled and right at home. You can place the tray on their bed or a nearby table so they have easy access throughout the weekend. I love to include water (Pellegrino and Aqua Panna are my go-tos), beautiful glassware, fresh flowers and a light snack, like these homemade nut bars, to ward off hunger after a long day of traveling. You can find a similar recipe here.

Tip 2.

Flowers: You can never go wrong with fresh flowers! Place them next to the bed, in the kitchen or in your bathroom to make the living space feel fresh and homey.

Tip 3.

Stock up: Be sure to stock your fridge and pantry with plenty of food options for your guests. If you can, find out their favorite foods in advance and always be conscious of any allergies. Also, meal plan! Try to plan at least one meal at home and the others out at your favorite local spots.

Tip 4.

Cocktails: After planes, trains and automobiles, your guests will definitely be ready for that cocktail. Make sure you have all the staples on hand along with any mixers you might need. In our house this means beer, wine, vodka, bourbon and, of course, Champagne. Also, try offering a seasonal cocktail to make the weekend feel extra festive. Moscow Mules, anyone?

Tip 5.

The Essentials: It doesn’t matter how organized you are, even the most efficient packers forget something when traveling. Make it easy on your guests and have some of the essentials laid out for their stay. This can be as simple as placing a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap and a razor on a beautiful tray. Just remember that presentation is everything!

Enjoy!

After beginning her career as an intern at Vogue Magazine, Colleen Kennedy Cohen went on to manage events in-house for renowned brands such as Donna Karan, Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino and Cartier. She has been planning luxury events throughout the U.S. and Europe for major fashion houses since 2006.  After the birth of her daughter, Colleen launched Colleen Kennedy Events to bring her luxury brand experience to private clients. Currently, she lives in New York City and works as an event planner and certified health coach. With a love for all things beautiful, coupled with an eye for design, Colleen brings a versatile and fresh approach to each project she takes on. Follow her: Instagram: CKCohen; Pinterest: Colleen Kennedy Events.

Photography provided by Charlie Juliet Photography 

On the day I left to study abroad for a semester in Cork, Ireland, my uncle said to me, “Do things there that you can’t do here.”

With his words still ringing in my ears, I signed up for Irish dance classes. I stumbled my way through dance routines and tapped along clumsily to rhythms that my classmates already knew so perfectly. My teacher worked with me patiently. My friends did not let me falter. Together, this team of newly formed, kindred spirits pulled me through Irish dancing. And it was a triumphant thrill.

My friends and I “performed” our Irish dancing a few times at various pubs. We summoned the courage and pulled each other along to stomp and turn and shuffle. We found validation in our boisterous, Irish audience. It was a mutual appreciation of Ireland, music, and tradition that led into conversation with the locals about the wonder of life. I learned quickly that interacting with the people of a culture is the sincerest way to grow your love and knowledge of that culture.

Dancing in a pub was not like strolling through a gallery of priceless paintings. It wasn’t a steaming hot shepherd’s pie with a pint of Guinness to guzzle down (although these experiences were worth having!). It was so much more than that. It was real and timeless and heartfelt. It was Ireland embracing me and whispering, “Thank you for trying.” And it was me saying right back, “Thank you for letting me.”

Elaine Bailey is currently a full-time student majoring in writing, rhetoric and communication. When she’s not working on papers, she is spending time with her family and friends or pursuing her passion for travel. She lives life joyfully and wishes to radiate that joy, zest, and excitement for life to everyone she meets.

I work in an industry that is almost entirely reliant on personal connections.

And, given that I am tormented by the same anxiety as every other twenty-something in an uncertain post-graduate environment, I constantly ask myself: if everyone is keeping the same professional and pseudo-social calendar that I am, how can I be sure that people remember going to Starbucks with me, when they also were meeting with other twenty-somethings in the West Village for drinks on Thursday and have a mixer on the following Monday?

Of course, I’d like to think my sparkling personality and wit endear me to my colleagues, but if I need a little help (and, let’s be honest, who doesn’t need a little extra help here and there?) sending physical thank you notes is my go-to. And it’s not just thank yous, it’s thinking of yous, and happy holidays, and congratulations. It’s showing people that they are just as present in your mind as you want to be in theirs.

So hop over to your favorite stationery store, buy three or four sets of notecards that are undeniably you (pretty pictures and funny sayings, for me) and start writing. Because everyone wants to feel special sometimes, and connecting personally with colleagues and mentors can help build a supportive foundation of career-advice givers and problem solvers to help you advance in your industry.

Ashley Collom is a Texan 20-something who now resides in NYC. She works in book publishing, lives with her pet tortoise Maxwell House, and has a soft spot for craft beers and pint-sized ice cream. You can follow her on Twitter @ashohley and contact her for freelance writing assistance at http://ashleyscollom.wix.com/freelance.

“Do not leave the arena to fools.” –Toni Cade Bambara

What a beautiful thought. And a powerful message.

To not just participate in the conversation, but to shape it. To bring your skills, knowledge, and heart to the table to do good.

The arena can take many forms: the workplace, a nonprofit organization, the kitchen, or a public office. The challenge is to step into it with assurance, not trepidation.

This can be intimidating, especially if it’s a new arena. In 2007, I entered a particularly intriguing one. Politics. An English major fresh out of college and out of a rocky break-up, I decided to explore unfamiliar territory. The girl dreaming of writing a novel signed on as deputy finance director for Steve Beshear’s Kentucky governor campaign. (Writers take note: there’s lots of good material to be found on campaigns.) With zero experience in fundraising, I was initially paralyzed by the fear of being unqualified.

Soon, however, I got my bearings, helped along by long hours and wise-cracking colleagues. Lesson after valuable lesson followed, and by the time the team poured celebratory bourbon on Election Night, I felt like I had earned it. It has now been seven and a half years, and I am still working for Governor Beshear, having served in roles from assistant speechwriter to scheduling director.

As I enter the Capitol building in the mornings, Bambara’s words echo in my mind.

Whether we wield a gavel or a wooden spoon, we’re meant to do it with courage and aplomb. Have you abandoned your arena? Or are you seizing it?

Elizabeth Roach is a graduate of Furman University and the Columbia University Publishing Program. She has worked in Kentucky government and politics for more than seven years and is currently Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear’s scheduling director. Based in Lexington, Kentucky, Elizabeth is a frequent traveler who writes freelance articles about bourbon, baking, and her culinary adventures. elizabethroachwriter.com

The last period bell shatters my eardrums as my sixth graders file out the door, and I begin to feel a heaviness settle in my chest. The “school day” was over, and I suddenly feel the silence. My prep hour begins to wash over me; my thoughts bursting forth: copies to make, stacks of quarter end grades to mark, PARCC meeting after school, two yoga classes to plan and teach, and Eowyn…my story…dances in my head, waiting to be written.

I close the door stepping over to my carpeted library corner, a makeshift yoga studio, allowing my dreams a moment to live.

Coming down to all fours I sink my hips to my heels, forehead to the floor, arms outstretched, finding my breath. The work before me beginning to dissipate while my Ujjayi breath centers my thoughts. Like a child, I let my worries go disappearing into my own world where I bring my story forth―my imagination powering up as I unwind.

In my fifth inhale, I root into my palms and, exhaling, lift my hips up and back, drawing my heels towards the floor in downward facing dog. I am no longer in a classroom worried about meetings and plans, but lost in the power of story, swept away in the characters I am creating. Walking my heels to the rhythm of my breath, I allow my heart to be vulnerable as scenes vividly play out on the backs of my eyelids, my characters coming to life.

After many breaths here, imagining now where my story is headed, I sink my knees back to the floor, letting go, and gently roll to one side as I work my way to Savasana pose, resting and breathing. The heaviness of the day―of my responsibilities―leaves me as I come to the place between dreaming and awake.

The place my story comes alive.

I allow my dreams to burst forth, beckoning me to chase them.

Caitlin Lore is a storyteller and adventurer. By day she is a junior high English teacher, and by night she is a Holy Yoga instructor. She is also a wife, entrepreneur, marriage retreat maker, and aspiring novelist. After a jaunt with endurance racing, she now specializes in yoga for athletes and restorative yoga seeking to bring soul-care and freedom to those feeling constrained by anxiety, depression, and stress through the avenue of Holy Yoga. http://caitlinlore.com/

Imagery from CAKE&WHISKEY Issue One by Andrea Hillebrand

I love how birthdays are celebrated in the workplace here in Germany. Every single person in the office, even the ones you don’t see very often or talk to but once a year, come to visit you, shake your hand, give you a hug, and wish you a happy birthday. Honestly, it is such a nice gesture and something I hope to bring back to the workplace in the states. In my office of 30 coworkers, we have a calendar of birthdays hanging on our bulletin boards to make sure we don’t miss anyone.

Oh, and did I mention? The birthday boy or girl brings the cake or doughnuts for everyone to eat. Every. Single. Time. Having a decade birthday? Then the celebration just got better. Several times a year we have huge lunches for my coworkers turning 40 and 50, and the birthday boy or girl pays for the whole meal! Complete with a celebratory small glass of Prosecco or beer.

Also in Germany it is considered bad luck to wish someone a happy birthday before their actual birthday. Same with baby showers. No baby showers until after the baby is born. And instead of asking “How old are you today,” in my office they say, “How young are you today”?

I’m curious: How do you celebrate birthdays at work? Do you keep a list as well? Take the birthday gal or guy to lunch? Would you consider treating your whole office?

Mandy Byron is a budget analyst, climber, DIY addict, and world traveler who was born in Germany and moved every three years thereafter with her three sisters. She blogs weekly at www.wethreemothers.blogspot.com.  After getting her MPA and working as an environmental consultant, Mandy decided to pursue her passion for traveling and started a federal career in Bavaria, Germany. A few years later and a few moves later, she and her husband, Frank, have returned to the Bavarian countryside with their children, Cooper and Lily.

Once upon a time, I was the girl who hated group projects.

I believed that if I wanted something done right, I should do it myself. Truthfully, a part of me also wanted to make sure that I got all the credit, and the best way to ensure that was to cut the “group” out of the equation altogether: No one to share my spotlight with.

But I realized completely owning and controlling every project on the committees I volunteered to chair meant that the best work wasn’t getting done: other people’s good ideas and energy were wasted, and I was tired. I made myself the responsible party for every aspect of every project, and, in doing so, I stressed myself out. I was also paranoid that others were trying to overstep me, which didn’t win me any friends or gain the respect of my colleagues either.

So, I decided to share the reins. Being in charge didn’t mean I needed to make every decision. If someone had an idea, they were free to run with it. It wasn’t always easy to do, but people appreciate their ideas being considered and want to be allowed some responsibility, otherwise they wouldn’t have gotten involved with the project in the first place.

This little shift in perspective has resulted in better work from the group, less stress on me, and a sense of camaraderie that comes with true collaboration.

I even found that at times I preferred to be just a committee member, and in charge of nothing at all.

I still fail at times but I keep working at working with others, and the rewards continue to be worth it.

After spending several years working as an academic reference librarian and a community college library director, Tanzi Merritt shifted her career to become a tech company’s sales & marketing coordinator. She sits on a number of nonprofit boards, and, during her off-hours, obsessively watches documentaries, buys art, and frequents local craft breweries. Connect with her: www.linkedin.com/in/tanzidmerritt.

“Is anybody hurt?”

I had a yoga teacher in college who started every 8:00 a.m. class with this question. Students were hesitant to respond, understanding an injury as a weakness.

Through this question, however, I became more aware of my body. And through this new awareness, I developed an exuberant gratitude for it that has allowed me to take better care of myself in the way of a healthier diet, more rest, and a more grounded sense of self.

Here’s a good meditative exercise to help develop healthy body awareness. I call it FeMeditate.

1) If it is the end of the day, reflect on the moments you were ungrateful for your body or treated it without care. Did you listen to society’s beliefs about what your body “should” look like instead of listening to the love inside of you?

If it is the morning, start your day anew. Let your commitment to love and peace of the body be known.

2) Next, find a place to sit in stillness. If you cannot find a quiet space, allow the background noise and listen to the silence in between.

Take time to repeat each of these mantras today. Do not be discouraged if you struggle with them at first―we are hardwired to believe awful lies about our bodies. If you can return to love, even just for a moment, opening that door will move mountains for your inner work. Have faith.

Gently close your eyes. Become aware of your surroundings and the positive, loving energy around you.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Inhale: I accept that I have placed false illusions upon my body.
Exhale: I release these harmful expectations.
Inhale: I am aware of my body. I listen to my body.
Exhale: I honor my body.
Inhale: I see my body for the light that it is.
Exhale: I am grateful for all my body has given me.

Meagan Roppo has been a student of meditation and yoga, as well as a 60-hour trained advocate for women, for the past four years. She has dedicated her time and passion to women’s crisis shelters, feminist studies, and writing on women’s issues. By founding She Enlightened in 2014, Meagan encourages and empowers girls & women to bring forth the unique gifts, voices, and light shining inside each of them. Meagan currently works as Chief Operating Officer of Young Professional Women in Energy, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that works to employ more women in the energy industry. http://www.sheenlightened.com

Have you ever seen a status update or tweet and thought, I can’t believe someone would share that online? As a communication studies doctoral candidate, the bulk of my research interests lie in how we decide what to disclose online and why. Overshare has been declared the word of the year twice now (2008 and 2014) and is defined loosely as sharing an inappropriate amount of information about one’s personal life.

A fascinating study about Facebook use (that I suspect would be true of other social media as well) actually found that most users tend to underestimate their audience by nearly seventy-five percent. What this means is that when you log online and post something, you’re imagining just a quarter of the size of the audience that actually sees the post. The readers we imagine are the ones we already communicate with regularly – closer family, friends, and maybe even coworkers. But we may forget that our network extends out pretty far, and we end up “oversharing” details about our lives to our extended networks.

Different sites set up ways to deal with this concern about context collapse (having multiple different networks in one place) online, but ultimately it is your choice what you do. You can choose to take the least common denominator approach and share very little, or use barriers on the site to disclose to some but not all of your network.

Understanding that broadcasting out to everyone risks anyone seeing your posts is the first step in managing your online presence.

Natalie Pennington is a doctoral candidate at the University of Kansas, where she will graduate with a PhD in Communication Studies in May. She studies computer-mediated and interpersonal communication, with a particular interest in social media use. You can read more about her research on her website nataliepennington.com and hear more about her thoughts on technology on Twitter and Instagram: @natpenn.

It happens every time. The inexplicable pull towards the top of a waterfall, a white pillar becoming layers and lines that explode into droplets. There is magic in experiencing water like this―water connecting earth and sky in one perfect display of power. There is uncertainty too; a second on an unsteady rock, or a limb pulled into the surging water’s core and suddenly beauty is transformed into fear.

Careers and waterfalls. In Costa Rica, the latter is easier to find and tends to be more gratifying.

In times of stress I seek out waterfalls. I seek them out for their beauty and for the inevitable explosion of green that results from living so close to water and energy combined. But I seek them also to reflect, to make sure that I am still choosing this life instead of the other way around.

These months, I am grappling with the urge to follow a dream, the pull to create instead of follow. I am struggling with questions like “what is a career?” and big topics like passion, fulfillment, and purpose.

It has happened several times―a hand pulled back after reaching too far into the current, encountering something infinitely more powerful. There is always room for awe and doubt. In the best moments— experiencing careers and waterfalls—there is room for both.

Chelsey Perron believes in travel, as it forces people to change their ordinary. She began her travel journeys in college and has now lived and traveled in 12 countries. Her resume is quite colorful, including everything from “cupcake decorator” to “marketing manager,” with plenty of outdoor adventures to fill in the gaps. She currently lives in Costa Rica. www.taproottravel.com. 

Imagery provided by Chelsey Perron.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved to scour antique shops and flea markets in search of one-of-a-kind vintage pieces. So when it came time to plan my wedding, it seemed only natural to incorporate these finds into our special day. From vintage china that could be re-used on every anniversary to 1970s coupe glasses from my parents’ wedding, I wanted our table to be more than just plates and glasses: I wanted it to tell a story. This love affair with vintage tabletop accessories led me to the beauty that is Casa de Perrin.

Casa de Perrin is a curated boutique rental company located in Los Angeles, California, specializing in tabletop and decor. The company was founded by husband and wife duo, Josh and Diana Perrin, who believe “that a certain magic that takes place across a dining table, with good friends and good wine, becomes infinitely more magical when decorated in 24K gold flatware and drop-dead heirloom treasures.” Josh and Diana realize, however, that magic does not come easily. For the past several years, they have scoured the globe to build their collection of vintage gems that have meticulously stood the test of time. Did I mention that they also have flawless taste? From delicate lace china to colorful crystal goblets and salt cellars, there isn’t a single piece in their inventory that won’t make your jaw drop.

So whether you are hosting a lavish fête or an intimate dinner party with friends, take a cue from Casa de Perrin and set your table with more than just plates and glasses. Add a pink crystal goblet or an heirloom dinner plate and bring a little magic to your table.

After beginning her career as an intern at Vogue Magazine, Colleen Kennedy Cohen went on to manage events in-house for renowned brands such as Donna Karan, Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino and Cartier. She has been planning luxury events throughout the U.S. and Europe for major fashion houses since 2006.  After the birth of her daughter, Colleen launched Colleen Kennedy Events to bring her luxury brand experience to private clients. Currently, she lives in New York City and works as an event planner and certified health coach. With a love for all things beautiful, coupled with an eye for design, Colleen brings a versatile and fresh approach to each project she takes on. Follow her: Instagram: CKCohen; Pinterest: Colleen Kennedy Events.

Imagery provided by Casa de Perrin

For those who thrive on flux, flow, and fluidity.

Hello artists. Hello businesswomen. Hello re-inventors of modern living.

If you’ve turned your profession into a masterpiece re-imagining how business is done, you’re in the right place. Because you are a Renaissance Woman. Your vocation is to tame the ocean tide of “business as usual.” You thrive on forging the way, and you’re a magician in your industry. This is what the Renaissance, the rebirth, of business is about.

The number of women-led business initiatives is growing. It’s inspiring to see venture capital firms, business incubators, and authors writing about and focusing on women in business. Small or large, these visions are empowering commerce in many ways.

What makes this adventure “new again” is the way that we’re employing our opportunities. Renaissance Women are enterprising―they produce beautiful content and are released from the ordinary. They are creative and impassioned.

Women like India Hicks (C&W Issue Three) are the enterprising multi-hyphenate magnates that embody the fluidity necessary in today’s modern world. India tackles issues that are important, adds artistic vision to business ventures, grows wholeheartedly with her family, and empowers others around her. In essence, she flows with the abundance that life sets forth.

Ingrid Vanderveldt is on a mission to empower a billion women by 2020. Her EBW2020 vision includes partnerships that marry expertise, clients, and companies to focus on women’s business issues. Talk about Renaissance.

Aspiring women live again during evolving and transformative times. The “classical” ways of government, business, and life are changing, made contemporary with every flux of global change.

We are explorers again, stretching ourselves in new ways of thinking. Renaissance Women meet this challenge and help one another to thrive because of it.

Bethany Miller is an explorer in life and in business. She’s an airline pilot, military officer, and world traveler. Fascinated by global issues and the business of business, Bethany is a doctoral candidate at Université Paris-Dauphine in Paris, France where she researches extraordinary employees in chaotic work environments. www.GoodGlobalCitizen.com

Imagery from CAKE&WHISKEY Issue 3 by Brittan Goetez

When I started working for myself, I said yes to everything―every client, every project, every time I was asked to cut my rate. I was so afraid of not having enough work and not being able to pay my bills that I repeatedly sacrificed my own worth. But I also couldn’t forget this advice: “Always find a way to get to yes.”

There’s a lot of hullabaloo around the power of “Yes.” And saying yes can be very beneficial, especially when we’re in transition―between jobs, after ending a relationship, starting a business. These are times when it’s good to explore and experiment, as we shed one skin to make room for another, one that’s more aligned with who we are, who we’re becoming, who we want to be.

In my early entrepreneurial days, a whole lot of yes wasn’t a bad thing. After a while, though, always saying yes was no longer necessary, and I was at risk of becoming an entrepreneurial tart―giving it away without regard to my vision for the business, much less the value of what I had to offer. Eventually I understood that getting to yes is about negotiation, about creating a win-win.

So I started saying “No.” No to projects that aren’t a good fit. No to clients who don’t feel right. No to anyone who asks me to cut my rate. Recently, I shook my head no twice in one week. After all these years, there was still a flutter of panic. There was still disappointment. But there was also faith that something better would come along. Because when we eliminate options, we create focus. We close the wrong doors so the right one can open. And it always does―if we sit with the fear, believe in our worth, and flat-out refuse to accept anything less.

Nicole Christie is a writer and storyteller who splits her time between Seattle and Montreal. She is also the principal and creative director of NICO, Inc.―a one-woman firm specializing in fresh, honest, engaging employee and marketing communications for Fortune 500 corporations, leading-edge creative firms, and rapidly growing new technology companies. You can soak up her solopreneur wisdom at http://nicolechristie.com/.

There’s a part of me that wishes I’d never sat on a horse.

It’s a small part, deep down: a cold spore amongst an entire being of burning passion. But still it’s there.

Sometimes the burning passion and the icy doubt come crashing together in a perfect storm, and I find myself on a plane, flipping through pictures saved on my phone.

Nearly all were of me and my horse, whom I had just made the decision to retire. But this isn’t just a horse. He is eleven years of my life: a scholarship money purchase that became my travel companion. He made me a professional equestrian. I always referred to him as my first husband (a phrase that my soon-to-be ex-husband never really grew to appreciate).

The struggle of now running a business around fragile, unpredictable animals, and the end of my best friend’s competitive career hit me with a feeling of regret. Yet my job as a C-Horse Equestrian LLC, training and competing horses, is to make sure I do right by the horses put in my care, and it’s a passion of mine that never wavers. Although the competitive chapter of my career may be closing, I have a feeling there are many more lessons for my tall, dark, handsome, and four-legged man to teach me.

Suddenly, I couldn’t wait to get off the plane and onto my horse.

As a third-generation equine professional, Cassidy Sitton has horses in her blood. After working in public relations and marketing for a time, her four-legged friends called her back. Now she finds herself newly single, running a business, and figuring out what “life after thirty” is supposed to mean. She is the owner of C-Horse Equestrian LLC and serves as the Communications Chairman for the North Carolina Dressage and Combined Training Association. She is also the mother of one very enthusiastic yellow pup named Peter Pan.

There are great benefits to taking time off. Truly off. Most professionals, especially entrepreneurs, find it extremely difficult to put the phone down, walk away from the computer, and forget about work altogether. But it can be done.

As a creative entrepreneur with a home studio, it can be so easy to sneak away for a bit of sewing or get up early to write on the weekend. It takes serious effort to not do it, actually. Aside from leaving my phone and laptop “off,” here is my trick for slowing down.

Brunch.

It might be an urban cliché, the weekend date over eggs. But, for me and my family it isn’t that at all.

While we sit down nearly every night together, at brunch we are so much more relaxed. From the food served―butter and jam on bread some days―to our attire (pajamas preferred), brunch is chilling out together. The conversations are sillier, the meal is leisurely, and the winter sunshine fuels us as much as the adults’ caffeine.

Even if we go out to brunch, our spots are casual (but take reservations so we don’t have to wait in line with kids). The kids are given my sketchbook to entertain themselves while we wait for oysters. My husband and I intertwine our fingers under the table and don’t miss our phones.

It may only be an hour, but brunch is the hour that sets us up for dedicated family time. It is the hour that shows us we can indeed turn off and tune into others. It is the hour that it takes to give us the rest of the day.

Cheryl Arkison is a writer, quilter, and mom. She writes and teaches on quilting, craft, creativity, food, and family—all from her dining room empire. From this space she wrote her first book, Sunday Morning Quilts (co-authored with Amanda Jean Nyberg) and her second book, A Month of Sundays. Her third book will be released in 2015. A proud first generation Ukrainian, she is committed to not letting the artistry of food and craft from her heritage pass by unnoticed in the modern age. Cheryl is the mother of three kidlets and wife to her entrepreneur husband. www.cherylarkison.com

“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” – Sylvia Plath

Recently, I have been struggling with self-doubt, which plays a tug-of-war game with the butterflies in my stomach: Doubt pins down their wings. The butterflies fight back and try to remind me that yes, the change they’re leading me to is valid and right. But the struggle leads to frustration and immobility: I make little progress on my goals.

In a moment of frustration last week, I looked up the meaning of the word “doubt” and discovered that it has both Latin and French origins. The French definition goes back to the word doǔter, or to fear.

By doubting myself, I was fearing myself.

Then another quote came to my mind, this one by Maryanne Williamson: “Our greatest fear isn’t that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us most.”

This resonated along with my new understanding of the word doubt and resulted in a new sensation: self-trust.

By leaning more into the light and realizing that I do trust, not fear, myself, I quiet the doubt. To face it dead-on and add my strength and desire to the butterflies, I can quiet the self-doubt.

It’s time to start.

After effectively retiring in the fall of 2014 from her corporate career running operations for a high-growth healthcare start-up company, Meghan Bollenback reinvented her professional life by becoming a writer and creative in Washington, D.C.  You can join Meghan as she navigates this new stage by following her blog www.megbollenback.com, where she discusses the process of intentionally crafting a valuable and joyful career.

My personal network developed quite innocently in Beecher’s handmade cheese kitchen; this is where my college girlfriends and I began to discuss our careers. It started with my request for advice about a difficult coworker during a girls’ night get-together in what became our safe haven, a room of our own. The Cellar, their wine and cheese cave, to this day envelops us like a secret hideaway and the shared plates encourage conversation.

In our late twenties and at the dawn of our thirties, our careers blossomed. No longer green shoots fresh out of school, we had earned the larger responsibilities and our professional decisions felt weightier. Our discussions also became weightier, talking through how to manage teams for the first time and exploring what we each fundamentally want from our careers.

Together we’ve faced setbacks and disappointments, we’ve faltered and then carried on. Through it all, we’re growing in our respective fields: banking, law, consulting, and marketing. Most recently, we gathered to toast a new job (congrats, Mairead!) and a promotion (that one was mine).

I am proud of these women, and ever so grateful for their support and advice. I wish for everyone a tight, trusted network that provides a place to vent, to find encouragement and honest advice, and to learn from one another. You can cover a lot over a good glass of wine and some of the “world’s best” mac and cheese.

While she’s almost an official New Yorker, now that she has spent the past eight years working for a large investment bank in New York City, Jean Blosser still cherishes her Midwestern roots, growing up in Columbus, Ohio. She is an alumnus of Boston College and enjoys her whiskey neat.

Even in my active pursuit to cherish life, I still get annoyed when I can’t find a parking spot, defensive when someone offers me constructive criticism, and mad when I don’t meet my goal in the gym. But what really burns me up is that I let these minor upsets, these silly grievances, these everyday this-is-life occurrences sour my mood.

Daily annoyances do not deserve my heartache. In my opinion, they do not even deserve my nod towards the negative. I’m trying (almost desperately) to change how I view these little bits of the imperfect in my life. I’m trying to take them for what they are: unavoidable and unimpressive. They aren’t worthy of emotional turmoil or frustration. They should be acknowledged only to push me into cultivating and pursuing my coping method: the thing that allows me to brush off red lights, printers without paper, and no creamer for my coffee.

Perspective is my method, making good times glow like the wonder of fireflies sparkling on a summer night and adding clarity to the bad times.

Don’t wait until a life-threatening car wreck or the loss of a job for perspective to serve its purpose. Use perspective now. Right now. Use it to show that the irritation of everyday this-is-life moments can be stomped out simply with a zest for life.

Save heartache for when your perspective determines that it is a time for heartache. Until then, listen to beautiful music in traffic and giggle that the restaurant gave you regular soda when you asked for diet. Perspective has the power to bring joy to these moments.

Elaine Bailey is currently a full-time student majoring in writing, rhetoric and communication. When she’s not working on papers, she is spending time with her family and friends or pursuing her passion for travel. She lives life joyfully and wishes to radiate that joy, zest, and excitement for life to everyone she meets.

Monkey mind. That relentless chatter that fills your head when you’re snug in bed and all you want to do is sleep. Yet, all you can think about is tomorrow’s big meeting, the kids’ schedules, making plans with your husband, your shopping list, what you’re doing with your life…

My sister Laura and I thought we were destined to a lifetime of sleepless nights. Thankfully, we were not. Our answer was meditation.

Meditation isn’t some magical, mystical thing that’s hard to do. Laura gets out her meditation pillow, settles in and just pays attention to her breath, flowing in and out. “I immediately feel calmer, more grounded.” she tells me. “If I take just five minutes to sit with my breath in the morning, I feel a real sense of clarity. At night, it helps me wind down.”

I’m a fan of guided meditations. I love the self-hypnosis that happens in guided meditation. It really takes me to a place where I can relax at night, or turn on the focus and concentration during the day.

As women, we are so busy taking care of everyone and everything else that we don’t often take time for ourselves. Meditation allows us to nurture ourselves, and ignore all else. In the process, we’ve become calmer, saner, more able to attend to the daily distractions of life with ease.

Best of all? It’s free. We can meditate on the road or at home. No gym membership is needed, no fancy running shoes. Just us. One breath at a time.

Laura Pils was born four minutes before her sister Linda Mastandrea and has always considered herself the “big sister.” Attending the University of Illinois together, the twins developed their independence with Linda majoring in speech communication and Laura in marketing and business administration. Laura went on to work in the corporate world, got married, had two wonderful boys, then started her own extremely successful marketing company. Linda became a Paralympic gold medalist in wheelchair racing and attended law school. She is a well-known public speaker and writer. Together, they’ve launched a women’s wellness blog to share their journey toward health and wellness with women everywhere. www.womenswellnessminute.com

Early last week my husband, Bear, and I received a phone call from our friend Oma inviting us to help pick her bumper crop of luscious plums. We donned boots and hats, hurriedly packed up our buckets, and headed out.

I love Oma and Opa’s farm with its babble of turkeys and chickens, friendly dogs leaping about in greeting, and dirt tracks meandering around old barns. Mostly I love it because Oma and Opa are there. Survivors of World War II and the Hungarian Revolution, they are feisty, hilarious and wise, full of the commonsense wisdom that helps one survive wars and economic upheaval. When I arrived in Australia, knowing nothing about farming, they welcomed me into their family and opened my eyes to their incredible world of self-sufficiency.

They’re in their 80s now but are still planting fruit trees and butchering gigantic pigs, making their own hams and sausages, cheese, bread, and preserves. Their prodigious skills are surpassed only by their generosity. I’ve never left their house without a load of homemade preserves, bottles of Oma’s eye-popping home brew, a new recipe, or books I simply have to read.

We had a marvelous time out in the plum orchard, swapping stories and sharing recipes for plum brandy, cordial, jam, and cobbler. When our buckets were full to overflowing we joined Opa at the house for a good visit and icy glasses of homemade raspberry cordial.

As we drove home, my eyes stung with tears as I thought about Oma and Opa’s journey. A journey of hardship and of rebuilding amongst the plums and Australian sun. They start fresh every day, as we all should, building a beautiful, productive life.

Krista Bjorn is a wood-burning artist, goat farmer, author, writer, and photographer. Although she was born in Canada, raised in the USA, and shaped by her European roots, she now lives on a goat farm in Queensland, Australia with her husband, Bear. There, she celebrates anything that leads to healing, thriving, and loving. http://www.ramblingtart.com/

Imagery provided by Krista Bjorn

The first time I opened the heavy white doors to the courthouse, I was terrified. The January air was cold and thin and every click my heels made on the marble floor sounded like the ticking of a cartoon bomb. I was Wylie Coyote about to run over a cliff with a bouquet of dynamite. I could tell from the eyes that greeted me in the hallway not one of them understood; no one who knew me before my divorce was okay with the fact that I NEEDED to change.

With my mother’s voice echoing in my head “Ami, a closed fist can receive nothing,” I sat with my hands open on my lap for the next 3 hours. Like a yogi in meditation. I had to let my past go.

I wish I had known then how many good things were in store for me. I still fail (a lot). BUT I have mastered the art of how to not let failing shatter me. I have learned to live in the moment and not concern myself with anything else.

There is a theory that time is immutable; we can try to change its course, but it WILL reach its destination regardless. So while I enjoy my adventure and navigate the ripples, I will prepare for the possibility that one day I’ll get everything I ever dreamed of.

Maybe I already have.

Ami Needham is a recovering traditionalist who now proudly carries a Bohemian banner. She grew up on the Oklahoma plains before moving to Kentucky almost 15 years ago. She has served on multiple nonprofit boards benefiting the homeless and art education for youth. She is happiest spending time with her boys on the water and suffers from an incurable wanderlust. @thepreppybohemian

These tacos impress in name and with their contrast of bold flavors and textures, but they taste like they require much more effort than they actually do.

For a family supper, I like to serve them with a side of mixed roasted veggies (Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, beets and parsnips are my winter favorites). Since the recipe easily doubles or even triples, they’re a great option for the gathering of friends. A “taco bar,” providing an array of choose-your-own toppings: sliced avocado or guacamole, Greek yogurt, grated cheese, lime wedges, cilantro, “quick-pickled” red onion (method below), brown rice, and fresh greens like arugula or dandelion greens makes even weeknight entertaining doable.

And a few beers fit into this mix quite well.

However I serve them, I like knowing that the meal is packed with nutrients: calcium and vitamin K from the kale and cauliflower, protein and silica from the chickpeas, more protein and magnesium from the pumpkin seeds. That’s not to forget the anti-inflammatory properties of the turmeric and garlic.

Though I’ve long been a believer, this recipe is a strong affirmation that healthy and delicious are one and the same.

 Roasted Cauliflower and Crispy Chickpea Tacos with Winter Salsa Verde

Serves 4

• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons Pumpkin Seeds
• 1 14-oz can Chickpeas; drain, rinse, pat dry with a kitchen towel
• ¼ cup + 2-3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon ground Turmeric
• Dash Cayenne (bit more if you like it spicy)
• 4-5 large leaves Tuscan Kale, stems removed
• 1 head Cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1-2 tablespoons Chili Powder
• 2 large Garlic Cloves, unpeeled
• 2 teaspoons Capers
• 1 Lemon
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Serve with:

• 8 small corn tortillas
• “Quick-Pickled” Red Onion (simply slice a red onion and marinate in enough raw apple cider vinegar to cover for 30 minutes)
• Cilantro

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Toast the pumpkin seeds on a large baking tray in the oven during this preheating time, then use the same tray for the chickpeas. It takes 10-15 minutes until the seeds are browned, puffed and nutty. Set aside for later use.

2. On the baking tray, toss the chickpeas with 1 tablespoon of oil, turmeric, cayenne, and a generous pinch of salt until evenly coated. Roast for 30 minutes, stir, then continue roasting another 15-25 minutes, until they’re dried out and crisp.

3. Place the kale in a bowl and gently “massage” it with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt until it wilts. Set aside. This process tones down the bitterness of raw kale.

4. Next, spread the cauliflower on a large baking tray and toss with 1-2 tablespoons of oil, enough chili powder to coat, and a generous pinch of sea salt. Place the unskinned garlic cloves on this tray. Roast 30 minutes then remove the softened garlic and set aside. Stir the cauliflower, then continue roasting 10-15 minutes until all sides are darkened and crispy.

5. Finally, the salsa verde. Coarsely chop the wilted kale, ¼ cup of the toasted pumpkin seeds and capers before adding to a food processor. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins and add to the machine along with a good squeeze of lemon juice, a large pinch of sea salt, and some cracked black pepper. Pulse a few times to incorporate, then let the machine run while drizzling in ¼ cup of oil. If the sauce is thick, gradually blend in 1-2 tablespoons of water to loosen. Taste and adjust seasoning with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Serving notes: Though not necessary, it’s nice to toast the tortillas in the oven (place directly on rack for a few minutes per side) before serving. To serve, spoon a thick line of salsa verde directly down the middle of a tortilla. Pile on a few roasted cauliflower florets and a small handful of crispy chickpeas. Top with the “quick-pickled” red onion and cilantro leaves then sprinkle with a few of the reserved toasted pumpkin seeds.

Make Ahead: The crispy chickpeas can be made 2 days in advance if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The salsa verde can be made the day ahead and then stored in a covered container in the fridge.

Marci Cornett is a (mostly) plant-based chef who promotes health-supportive cuisine and the development of sustainable food systems. After graduating from the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York, she worked in several professional kitchens including the renowned vegetarian restaurant, Cafe Paradiso, in Cork City, Ireland. She develops and publishes nourishing recipes and writes about the latest thinking concerning nutrition and food issues on her blog, marcicornett.com. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

Imagery provided by Marci Cornett

“I want to run a nonprofit someday.”

I spoke these words with confidence every day my senior year of college, when family, friends, and professionals alike asked my plans for the “big, scary future.”

I may not have sounded so confident had I known I’d step into this role at age 22.

Being COO of Young Professional Women in Energy is enlightening, empowering, and about 50 million associated synonyms. It even inspired me to launch my side business, She Enlightened, which brings meditation and peace to women and girls.

Out of all of the qualities I’ve had to acquire to keep a growing nonprofit afloat, the one I had to learn the quickest is confidence.

Here’s How To Open Up to Your Confidence:

Close your eyes, and spread yourself out. Let your shoulders relax, sit firmly on the ground, and spread your arms to rest on your knees.

Taking up space releases hormones of power and confidence into your body. Sitting with intention will evoke a surge of power.

• Call to mind an area of your life where you are holding yourself back. Any career, relationship, financial or living situation. Where can you step into your confidence?

• Remind yourself, “I have the strength for this. I am whole. I am hopeful. I am ready.”

• Find a deep cycle of breath. Breathe in and out around the words as you recite them internally.

• Take the next five minutes to envision the end result of your goal. Where do you see yourself succeeding?

• Sometimes, writing down what you see during this time helps to affirm it.

A clear intention and a peaceful moment can go miles. You can do this.

Meagan Roppo has been a student of meditation and yoga, as well as a 60-hour trained advocate for women, for the past four years. She has dedicated her time and passion to women’s crisis shelters, feminist studies, and writing on women’s issues. By founding She Enlightened in 2014, Meagan encourages and empowers girls & women to bring forth the unique gifts, voices, and light shining inside each of them. Meagan currently works as Chief Operating Officer of Young Professional Women in Energy, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that works to employ more women in the energy industry. http://www.sheenlightened.com

Mornings have always been fraught for me. I have distinct memories of my dad being my “alarm clock,” clambering into my sister’s and my room, pajama-clad, and flipping the lights on and off repeatedly while making siren noises. All in the name of timeliness.

Although my mother’s approach, the shoulder-tap-say-name-sternly, was certainly gentler, neither really charmed me to mornings.

So I went off into the wide world with a disdain for mornings. But recently I’ve been waking up, without an alarm, almost daily. And it’s not just that I’m awake in time for work, but with ample time; time that is free and unscheduled.

I wake up and sit with a cup of coffee and The Times. I meditate. I listen to Freakconomics and apply eyeliner.

I’m starting to realize mornings don’t have to include sirens and dashing out the door after all.

Ashley Collom is a Texan 20-something who now resides in NYC. She works in book publishing, lives with her pet tortoise Maxwell House, and has a soft spot for craft beers and pint-sized ice cream. You can follow her on Twitter @ashohley and contact her for freelance writing assistance at http://ashleyscollom.wix.com/freelance.

I love a lot of things about living here in Germany, but one thing I’ve never learned to love is the winter weather. In order to beat the winter blues, I try to get as much Vitamin D and light as possible, but most importantly, I stay active.

Because I have two little ones and work full time, getting active involves working out with the entire family. Fortunately, we’ve come up with quite a few fun ways to get as much exercise as possible during these cold, wet months.

1. Bouldering and climbing in indoor gyms. This has been a long-time passion of mine, but my kids enjoy it as well—even my two-year-old. My five-year-old goes hard at climbing for an hour. Plus, with all the squishy mats meant to catch falls, we mess around doing gymnastic tricks and playing tag until we’re all good and tired.
2. Indoor swimming. If you have an indoor pool nearby, it’s the perfect thing to do on a cold day. Pack some goggles and snacks to fill up an afternoon with your kids in a heated pool.
3. Play in the snow. When the snow does come and stick, we take full advantage and go sledding, build forts, create funny snow creatures and run around the yard having snowball fights.
4. Dance parties. Since it is dark by the time I’m home with the kids on winter work nights, we have fun lighting candles and turning on upbeat music. We dance all around the living room in the dark. For extra special dance nights try using glow sticks.
5. Take a stroll. Even on wet, dark afternoons, I’ll bundle the kids up and we’ll take a stroll through town to pick up fresh veggies or bread for dinner, and then make a stop at the park to feed the ducks. The fresh air and short walk make us all feel happier.

Mandy Byron is a budget analyst, climber, DIY addict, and world traveler who was born in Germany and moved every three years thereafter with her three sisters. She blogs weekly at www.wethreemothers.blogspot.com.  After getting her MPA and working as an environmental consultant, Mandy decided to pursue her passion for traveling and started a federal career in Bavaria, Germany. A few years later and a few moves later, she and her husband, Frank, have returned to the Bavarian countryside with their children, Cooper and Lily.

Imagery provided by Mandy Byron

Because I teach a class about communication technology and also research it for a living, I have an excuse to be connected. But my research also makes me aware of how important it is to step away from my smartphone and reconnect with those around me. In fact, there’s a lot of research on the topics of “absent presence” and “perpetual contact” that tells us being too connected can actually have a negative effect on our interpersonal relationships.

I was recently reminded of this while on a date night at a new Indian restaurant with my fiancé Joe. We were sitting at the table, already raving to each other about the service (they gave us pakoras on a platter the second we walked in), and Joe pulled out his phone to tag us and make a comment on social media. The server approached right as he was doing so and teased Joe for being on his phone instead of talking to me. As Joe sheepishly put his phone away, I was glad that I had not scratched my initial itch to reach for my own phone when he did.

We survived the meal phone free, and both declared it one of the best dinners out together we have ever had.

I’ve started to remind myself that I can share my memories of the atmosphere, food, and company of my fiancé with others at a later time. I don’t need an immediate announcement to Facebook or a picture on Instagram to document my good time.

Being well connected is important for your business, but, on a personal level, don’t forget to power down for some real connection time.

Natalie Pennington is a doctoral candidate at the University of Kansas, where she will graduate with a PhD in Communication Studies in May. She studies computer-mediated and interpersonal communication, with a particular interest in social media use. You can read more about her research on her website nataliepennington.com and hear more about her thoughts on technology on Twitter and Instagram: @natpenn.

Time is energy.

Often when I tell others that I don’t have time for something, what I really mean is that I don’t have the energy. Although it seems that an extra five hours in the day would solve all my troubles, it honestly wouldn’t. I would still use those extra hours expending energy on petty tasks that don’t reap the same mental rewards as spending time with a good friend.

I tend to invest a tremendous amount of time in the details. Details I know I could forfeit and no one would ever know but me. Cue the montage of nights spent whipping up last-minute baked goods for the next day’s birthday party… and spending more time perfecting the icing and packaging than it should ever take anyone.

It would be better if I could make my to-do lists in order of importance, putting family and friends at the top of that list. Is it really critical to the upcoming week that I have the mats of my car vacuumed? No, it is not.

Next time you’re considering canceling that night out with girlfriends, why not skip spinning class and save the energy for those who make it all worth it?

Haylee Smoot is a social worker currently pursuing an MSW at the University of Kentucky. She is a Kentucky Proud foodie and passionate about her heritage, her pug Dodi, and helping others. 

My knife slides through the velvety flesh of an avocado, while the aroma of freshly ground coffee wanders out a window and steam rises silently from an old tin cup. The morning sun illuminates the intricacies in leaves bigger than my head, and I wonder at how the chorus of birds have convinced me that 5 a.m. is the perfect time to wake up. Every morning now seems to begin the same: roll out of bed, rest bare feet on smooth wood, and repeat to myself, “the jungle always wins.”

With that mantra in mind, I can take in the beauty and start to shrug off the little things, even the fist-sized spider that somehow found its way to the wrong side of my bug net. I can put the beans on to warm, fluff up last night’s rice, look out the window, warm cup in-hand, and forget about my phone since its battery is drained and paradise doesn’t seem to favor tech. I’ll lean forward into a deep bend and prep my body for the trek to find the old logger’s pony, the one with the long shaggy mane. I’ll saddle up like I used to in Kentucky, but this time I’ll be on my daily commute.

Somehow, it will all feel ordinary.

The thing about extraordinary experiences, I’ll realize, is that they can’t stay that way.

Soon, the passion flowers and toucans will feel like a neighbor’s dog, the pony’s slow trot like the rhythm of traffic on my old morning commute. As amusing as it is to imagine, it’s the best way to relay this experience to folks back home.

I’ll take a deep breath, throw on a raincoat, and thank God for the chance to change the commonplace, if only for a moment.

Chelsey Perron believes in travel, as it forces people to change their ordinary. She began her travel journeys in college and has now lived and traveled in 12 countries. Her resume is quite colorful, including everything from “cupcake decorator” to “marketing manager,” with plenty of outdoor adventures to fill in the gaps.  This post was written as an imaginative response to receiving a job offer at an off-the-grid community in Costa Rica. Since being offered that job, Chelsey has changed her plans and taken a position as a travel agent in another Costa Rican city. In this new role, she is “excited to practice gratitude for the simple things and continue to experience the incredible scenery and culture of Costa Rica.” http://www.girlenroute.com/

The last few months have been a whirlwind. In addition to my work life being in overdrive, my personal life has quickly taken a turn for the better: I went on my very first date at the tender age of 26, and the last 3 months have been the most romantic of my life.

Needless to say, since I now have a significant other, I’ve had to seriously up my game in the kitchen. I know how to cook simple things for myself and have even cooked some for my family, but I had never cooked for a romantic interest, and with my hectic schedule, trying my hand at a new recipe can be problematic.

After a long day at work, forgoing a traditional dinner/date night for a meal at home is definitely appealing to me. And although I’d love nothing more than to cook for my new man, the task seemed insurmountable for this girl who is used to eating something quick and easy.

The legendary cooks in my family: my mother, grandmother and aunt, thankfully have come to the rescue. After combining their suggestions, tips and expertise with my online searches and still limited knowledge, I constructed a menu for the first dinner date in-house:

Chicken, Stuffing and Gravy Casserole
Green Beans
Mashed Potatoes & Gravy
Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet Buttered Corn
Rolls
Apple Pie (Mom’s Specialty)
Rum Cake (Dad’s Specialty)

A meal to impress. One I took immense pride in and my boyfriend is still raving about.

Who has inspired you in (or into) the kitchen recently?

Hillary C. Wright is a full-time legal assistant at a law firm by day, and a writer and blogger the rest of the time. She loves to write about general news, career news, lifestyles and women’s issues. When she isn’t working, she loves being active in her ministry, networking and spending time with friends, family and her significant other. https://hcamillewright.wordpress.com/

It was August 2013 when I decided to move to the big city and start a wedding photography business. I was so excited to build a website and order business cards. I made sure to have a flexible job lined up, substituting at a local school, in case my business idea didn’t pay the bills. Safety nets are sort of my thing.

However, I did not account for snow days. I was barely substituting enough days to pay bills. I kept telling myself, “If I just get a normal job, I wouldn’t have to stress about bills.”

But I’ve always dreaded the idea of a normal job. I knew that a full-time job would extinguish all the dreams I had of owning my own business.

So, I refused. I reconfigured my viewpoint on what success and happiness was worth sacrificing. Did I need to live in the city in order to feel successful? No. Did I need to continue doing photography? Yes.

When I finally figured out what I cared about most, I threw out every conventional idea I had previously known about success. I bought an RV and asked around to see if anyone was willing to let me park in their backyard. Viola! No rent. No stress. And the freedom to go absolutely anywhere, whenever I felt the desire.

This solution may not be suitable for everyone. My RV is not for the claustrophobic. But, I had to rid myself of conventional views of success. I had to develop my own terms. And in the end, that’s how my business survived a snowstorm.

Christine Williams is a Lexington, Kentucky-based photographer who prefers to think of herself as a storyteller. She loves surprises, imperfections and happy endings. Most of all, she loves days that give memories.  Goldieandchristine.com.

Imagery by Christine Williams

Have you ever grocery shopped…in the woods? I have and am doing more of it as the seasons go on.

My first experience was years ago. I had the privilege of going with a very experienced forager. I learned about the plants that our Pennsylvania woods yield, ones that can nourish us, and how to cook them.

I’ve also learned a bit about hunting; this year marks my third. Fishing & hunting help cut down on our grocery bills.

In deer season I have been able to put pounds of venison into my freezer, reducing our purchases of meat by about 25%. As for the white meat, I put a fall turkey and pheasant there yearly.

Then comes the fish; more than 40 pounds of fresh salmon made it home from our trip to New York this year. That was over 16 meals my husband and I put on the table.

Nothing about hunting and fishing is easy. It’s hard work, but when you are rewarded with a harvest, it’s incredibly gratifying. I am proud when I bring home my game. I put in the time, the work to track, pattern and wait for those animals, to forage for what the Earth gives us, and I am always grateful for what is provided.

Jessica Welshans has a deep love for conservation and wildlife. She is an avid hiker, camper, kayaker, snowshoer, bird watcher, hunter, and gatherer. She also enjoys bee keeping, gardening, agriculture and caring for all types of animals from pets to livestock.

For those who thrive on flux, flow, and fluidity.

Welcome to the new Renaissance.

Renaissance means literally “rebirth,” or reexamination. We typically associate it with the grand period between the 14th and 17th centuries, but culturally today I argue we are experiencing another Renaissance: the rebirth of the woman.

The characteristics that typically define the 14^th-17^th century Renaissance period are realism, humanistic introspection, scientific inquiry, and exploration: this was an ongoing search for enlightenment.

Scholars and writers are noticing similar trends in the today’s women’s movement. Many articles and news pieces focus on women as great visionaries. Sheryl Sandberg boldly spoke up for women at the table. Wharton professor Adam Grant writes about gender stereotypes. Journalists Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn valiantly tout the Half the Sky Movement, advocating opportunities for women worldwide. This is a time in our history where women’s issues (health, business, balance) are safe to talk about and discussion is expected. Is that not a Renaissance? A rebirth of humanistic introspection? A bold exploration?

I think so.

The Renaissance woman of today thrives on the flux of life, like Selena Rezvani, author of Pushback (and profiled in C&W Issue One). Selena grasps the ups and downs of life and business and harnesses them into tools for executive women.

The Renaissance woman is in flow with her talents, whether they be in the home, in the board room, or elsewhere. Like Candan Yazar (featured in C&W Issue Seven) who used her talents of storytelling and translation to start an Alcoholics Anonymous program in Turkey, saving thousands of lives.

The Renaissance woman recognizes the fluidity of art, science, and business and how they blend into what we know is our genuine contribution to this world. Like Elizabeth Kizito (pictured above), a Kentuckian from Uganda who was interviewed in C&W Issue Four. Elizabeth mixes her African heritage with her mad baking skills to not only run a thriving business but to share her inspiration and joy with people. She makes the distance between continents much smaller.

Renaissance Women are artists of life. They are boundless. And they are being reborn.

Bethany Miller is an explorer in life and in business. She’s an airline pilot, military officer, and world traveler. Fascinated by global issues and the business of business, Bethany is a doctoral candidate at Université Paris-Dauphine in Paris, France where she researches extraordinary employees in chaotic work environments. www.GoodGlobalCitizen.com

Imagery from CAKE&WHISKEY Issue 4 by Meagan Jordan

As the steam began to rise, I stepped into the shower—my phone radio as loud as it would go.
The minute the water hit my body, I began to shake with deep sobs.

My husband and I had plans to meet with friends for a dinner party in thirty minutes. Yet, I had come home late from work, rushing around in the kitchen trying to finish my contribution to the dinner, and I still had to shower to get ready, clean up the mess from a freezer mishap, and pack up the food.

As I inhaled the lavender infused steam, I placed my right hand over my heart and started to deepen my breath moving into ujjayi breathing.

For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted my own business, only recently settling on owning a yoga studio. Yet lately, I have been struggling with balancing a 40-hour work week as a first-year school teacher, following my passion as an entrepreneur, and keeping home.

In the moment that my freezer spewed out cans of bone broth, I realized I simply could not balance life anymore, especially as my discussions with my husband lately have turned to house hunting and children.

I felt my soul start to give, my years of yoga practice giving me mindfulness: I could recognize the effect that too much stress would have on me.

Ujjayi breath or victorious breath is meant to induce mindfulness. Its audible sound helps one to be aware of how her body is using breath.

My desire to finish my Master’s degree and write a business plan pulled against my desire to have children.

My soul felt torn.

All I knew to do in that moment was to turn on a hot shower, add a few drops of lavender oil, and breathe in the stillness.

I can work. And I can dream. I whispered to myself on the inhales.
I can keep up my home and marriage. I whispered on the exhales.
My soul can be filled in the waiting space. I inhaled.
Keep dreaming. Pause. Breathe.
You are not alone. I exhaled.

Caitlin Lore is the founder of Wildly Free Life, a space dedicated to living wild freedom, practicing presence, experiencing restoration, and finding adventure. She is a wife, Holy Yoga instructor, writer, holistic wellness educator, entrepreneur, and marriage retreat maker. She specializes in yoga for athletes, restorative yoga, and power yoga classes. www.wildlyfreelife.com.

As a rule of thumb I always bring a gift for the hostess of the party. It could be my (slight) obsession with flowers or my love of entertaining, but I believe nothing is more perfect and easy than a simple floral arrangement. Whether you scour your local farmer’s market for the perfect blooms or purchase them at the nearest grocery store, here are a few tips to make any store-bought florals look “giftable.”

1: Keep it seasonal. If you aren’t familiar with what flowers are in season you can always use the simple “color rule” for your blooms. Spring and summer florals have bright and vibrant hues (pink, purple and yellow) while fall and winter florals tend to have more muted tones (orange, red and burgundy). Stick to these color palates and wow the hostess with your seasonal taste.

Tip 2: Keep it simple. If you feel overwhelmed by the number of floral options, I recommend playing it safe and selecting one variety in a single color. My personal favorites are peonies, ranunculus, anemones and tulips. If you feel a little more daring, try adding herbs (e.g., lavender or rosemary) or other foliage to give your arrangement extra texture.

Tip 3: Keep it clean. Even the most beautiful flowers need some love. First, remove any dead (or dying) leaves and petals. Next, trim the ends (tip: always cut stems on the diagonal for optimal hydration) and place them in the refrigerator or in cold water until you are ready to arrange.

Tip 4: Keep it chic. Finish off your arrangement by wrapping it in butchers paper found at any local craft store or beautifully printed wrapping sheets (some of my favorite designs are from Rifle Paper Company). Tie it off with ribbon or twine and add a handwritten tag. Voila! The perfect gift for any hostess.

After beginning her career as an intern at Vogue Magazine, Colleen Kennedy Cohen went on to manage events in-house for renowned brands such as Donna Karan, Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino and Cartier. She has been planning luxury events throughout the U.S. and Europe for major fashion houses since 2006.  After the birth of her daughter, Colleen launched Colleen Kennedy Events to bring her luxury brand experience to private clients. Currently, she lives in New York City and works as an event planner and certified health coach. With a love for all things beautiful, coupled with an eye for design, Colleen brings a versatile and fresh approach to each project she takes on. Follow her: Instagram: CKCohen; Pinterest: Colleen Kennedy Events.

Imagery: Colleen Kennedy Cohen

I have a serious psychological problem: I am addicted to saying “yes.” I have a full-time job and am involved as a volunteer in a number of organizations in my community, and I have family and friends and hobbies. I’ve pretty much always operated with the same M.O.: get excited about things and say yes to new projects until I reach critical mass, feeling stretched too thin and slightly resentful of not having enough downtime.

I would like to believe that this tendency comes from being such an interesting person that I am passionate about many things. Yet I fear that it actually means that I don’t really have a true passion for anything. I’m the community involvement equivalent of a puppy in the park, switching my attention to every new squirrel that runs by. Honestly, it’s exhausting. But worse than that, I often feel that there are so many things I have signed myself up for, that I don’t have the time to do any of them very well.

Lately, I’ve been paying close attention to women I admire, who are known for being the kind of women that get things done, well. What I’ve noticed is that they stick to two or three things, aligned with what they are really passionate about and say “no” to other opportunities. But… how do these women say no to so many good ideas and exciting projects?

This year I’m going to finally get a handle on this growing problem in my life. I plan to rediscover my passions, and structure my after-work activities to best cultivate those. I’ll try to say no to things that may be wonderful causes, but don’t quite align. To focus on my purpose.

What steps to recovery would you suggest to this “yes” addict?

*This post was written to the sounds of the Oxford American Southern Music CD Volume 16, featuring the music of Texas.

After spending several years working as an academic reference librarian and a community college library director, Tanzi Merritt shifted her career to become a tech company’s sales & marketing coordinator. She sits on a number of nonprofit boards, and, during her off-hours, obsessively watches documentaries, buys art, and frequents local craft breweries. Connect with her: www.linkedin.com/in/tanzidmerritt.

In October 2011, Occupy Wall Street was going gangbusters – and so was my business. But while the protesters were filled with passion and purpose, I was exhausted, in pain, and half-bald.

This was my entrepreneurial crisis, the kind that results from growing your business so rapidly, you can’t keep up. Medically speaking, it was adrenal fatigue – after working 16-hour days for months on end, those cortisol-popping pods atop my kidneys simply went on strike, leaving me with searing back pain, hives, acid reflux, anemia, hair loss, and a foggy brain.

I wasn’t proud of this. I know some entrepreneurs think it’s really badass to work yourself into a physical or mental breakdown, but for me, it was clear my priorities were askew. Yes, I was proud of my success – particularly as a single woman and a self-employed writer. I’d won Fortune 100 clients, made six figures, and bought a house all by my lonesome. But then there was that: my lonesome. I had no life and no love.

I went back to why I started my business: I wanted to write to live, not live to write. I wanted to do great work, but I’d never wanted to scale the business – or my life. So I scaled back. I sold my house, donated half of my belongings, and let go of toxic clients. Suddenly, I could breathe. I didn’t have to take work that drained me. I could focus on clients who were a great fit. I could have time for a run, a read, a rendezvous (in case you’re wondering, yes, I found love).

These days, I run a business filled with passion and purpose – on my own terms. I don’t rule the world, but I rule my life. That’s what success means to me. And I think it’s pretty badass.

Nicole Christie is a writer and storyteller who splits her time between Seattle and Montreal. She is also the principal and creative director of NICO, Inc.―a one-woman firm specializing in fresh, honest, engaging employee and marketing communications for Fortune 500 corporations, leading-edge creative firms, and rapidly growing new technology companies. You can soak up her solopreneur wisdom at http://nicolechristie.com/.

I was fortunate to work with Chedly, the woman who became my mentor, as a junior analyst starting out in a new firm. She was patient and knowledgeable; she taught me the technical skills I needed to succeed. Chedly also gave candid advice on how to navigate our workplace culture as a woman, and her example still informs how I present myself at work and what I choose to share (or not) about my personal life. That said, we laughed together over dating stories (mine were recent, hers older) and Chedly doled out pearls of wisdom on life and love and being young in New York City.

The most important thing I learned from Chedly was that, in my relationships and in my career, I would have to ask for what I wanted and needed. Five years before Sheryl Sandberg was encouraging us to lean in, Chedly’s ardent message to me was: “Jean, you have to ask. Women don’t ask. And you absolutely have to ask.”

There was a yearning in her message, imploring me to understand how much this would matter. Chedly was right and I took it to heart. Her example and her advice gave me the courage to ask – very directly – for the compensation I deserved, for the promotion I felt I had already earned, for exactly what I wanted in my relationships.

It is advice that has served me well, and now I pass it on to you.

Go on: be bold & ask.

While she’s almost an official New Yorker, now that she has spent the past eight years working for a large investment bank in New York City, Jean Blosser still cherishes her Midwestern roots, growing up in Columbus, Ohio. She is an alumnus of Boston College and enjoys her whiskey neat.

How do you decide when you need to change something of significance in your life? Do you get a feeling low down in your stomach? Or is it a more mental, mulling-over process?

For me, it’s a full body experience. The pending change typically manifests as an idea in my head. It is then supplemented by a head-to-toe feeling of either excitement or anxiety, depending on whether it’s a change that I look forward to or one that seems frightening at first. If the latter, I tend to ignore the signals for a little while. I try to convince myself that I’ll get over whatever brain-butterflies I have and don’t need to listen to them.

But then something happens; the butterflies move to my gut. When they arrive, I know that they mean business. It is the sign that change is afoot, and I can either fight it longer (which, honestly, I often try to do) or I can accept it. I’ve realized that the longer I ignore the little creatures, the more furious they flutter, acting as if they are at odds with each other within the small pit of my stomach.

On the flip side, the moment that I decide to accept what the flaps of the wings are telling me, they relax. Rather than zip inside me in a nervous pattern, they beat solidly, strongly, and together. They lift me up.

I can tell you that my body has won out every single time I’ve made a significant life choice; from where to move to, which job to take, who to date, marry, when to quit said job, I have 100% listened to my gut. Not always when the butterflies first showed up, but eventually I did. And so far, they haven’t failed me. I’ve floated off of each and every cliff they’ve carried me to.

So I ask you now, what is your body telling you? And if you’re feeling butterflies, what’s holding you back from listening to them?

After effectively retiring in the fall of 2014 from her corporate career running operations for a high-growth healthcare start-up company, Meghan Bollenback reinvented her professional life by becoming a writer and creative in Washington, D.C.  You can join Meghan as she navigates this new stage by following her blog www.megbollenback.com, where she discusses the process of intentionally crafting a valuable and joyful career.