1. Textured Fabrics -- Layer knits, velvet, wool, metallics, sheepskin and other fuzzy or cozy pillows, throws, rugs and even wall hangings. Unify the look by using a limited color palette so that the textures are the focus.

2. Travel Style -- Display accessories and artwork that showcase your global or regional interests and travels. Of course, store bought stuff will work, but original finds with a story are always most interesting; like these Montana river rocks I picked up on a family holiday.

3. Midcentury Modern -- Incorporate midcentury furnishings, particularly wood chairs and metal cabinetry, as accents in more traditional surroundings for an ecclectic but charming look. You can still find some bargains in second hand furniture shops and thrift stores!

4. Handmade Everything -- Go artisanal by purchasing handmade items for your home whenever possible. Resurgent arts like blacksmithing, sewing, furniture making and wood arts of all kinds, pottery, metal, and glass work can be blended in for a beautiful statement in your home.

5. Dark Walls and Brass Fixtures -- My very favorite way to transform a room this fall. Give it a fresh coat of low VOC wall color like gray or dark taupe, and add a brass or gold toned chandelier. Voila!

Happy Decorating!

(excerpt from The Orlando Sentinel "A Better You," january 2014.)

1 ) Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.  - Dr Seuss

2) Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.  - Bernard M. Baruch

3) You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.  - Mae West

4) Be the change that you wish to see in the world.  - Mahatma Gandhi

5) What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.  - Mark 11:24

6) I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of tree, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.  - e.e. cummings

7) The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.  - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

8) A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge.  - Thomas Carlyle

9) Be realistic: Plan for a miracle.  - Bhagwan Shri Rajneesh

10) Onward and Upward!  - unknown author, but one I have adopted as my very own :) 

             

1) Eat clean food. Proper nutrition is a must for sharp brains and sustainable energy at all ages. Local, in-season, farm-to-table, organic whenever possible. Eat breakfast everyday, even if it’s just a bowl of granola, a smoothie, or oatmeal with fresh berries. 


2)  Go for lean proteins with fresh fruits and veges for lunches and snacks. Skip the chips, sodas, candy and empty calories. Vending machines are not an option. Even protein bars that look healthy are often full of sugar and preservatives, so read the labels. It’s best to bring your own food!


3) Look for environmentally friendly food containers now. There are tremendous products on the market that make eating healthy on the go easy and fun, for both kids and adults. Rather than plastic sandwich and snack bags, go reusable...check out Lunchskins and Snack TAXI.


4) Get creative. Scan magazines and websites for new recipes. As an example, cashew, almond or other protein-rich nut butters on a sandwich with a side of banana or apple is so yummy! Plus no refrigeration needed. Consider that the food with the least amount of packaging and ingredients is usually the healthiest.


5) Take a whole-food based multivitamin (at the least) to ensure your body is getting what it needs. You may need extra B vitamins, omegas, calcium, magnesium, niacin...you never know. Read about supplements and don’t be afraid to try natural remedies. 


6) Stay hydrated. Water keeps our brains and immune systems in top shape which is super important during the busy school year. Get a good metal water bottle (like Klean Kanteen or similar) and skip the plastic disposable ones. Filtered water right from the sink is the way to go.  


7) Develop a schedule for exercise and fresh air that works with the school schedule. It may be an early morning walk or a bit of yoga, maybe just some gentle stretching and a few pushups or sit ups. For kids, after-school activities are great, but even kicking the soccer ball around in the yard can release restless energy.      


8) Begin the “early to bed, early to rise” routine now rather than waiting until classes begin. Avoid caffeinated drinks, stimulating activities and TV before bed. Set the mood with low lighting, quiet music, a bath or a cup of tea and a good book. Developing a bedtime ritual can really help settle the brain and ready the body for a restful night’s sleep. 


9) To prepare your spirit for the school year, find a quiet spot and begin slow deep breathing. Get comfortable. Try sitting on a pillow with your back against a wall for gentle support. Next, think about going back to school. Do you feel anxious? excited? Whatever feelings come up, just notice them and allow yourself to experience them. 

Do your feelings relate to certain sensations in the body? Maybe a little jittery stomach or tightened jaw or throat? Again, continue just noticing and breathing. You can use this technique any time you feel stressed during the school year too. Sometimes sitting 5 minutes is all that’s needed to clear your head and find peace of mind. You can guide a child using this simple technique to help them release fear and anxiety.


10) Accept that it is natural to feel uncertain and a little off balance at the start of a new school year. But you can also shift your focus to the positive side of things. Take a few moments each day to feel gratitude for this opportunity for growth and development (kids are naturally good at this, so encourage them too!) Imagine this new school year as a happy, healthy, fun, enriching experience in which to explore and thrive.

Friends, Here are ten great tips for better health right now. Try them on. Mix them up...Make them your own so they work and stick! There’s no time like the present.


1) Eat (and/or Drink) More Produce. We know that fresh, raw fruits and veges are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and all kinds of good stuff. But it’s not easy to get them on our plates (and in our bellies) at the recommended rates. If adding greens to every meal seems boring and difficult, consider juicing your veges or blending them up in a smoothie. 

2) Get Good ZZZs. The golden rule is still 8-10 hours for optimum functioning. Adequate sleep has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, increase productivity, and generally make our bodies run more efficiently. A bedtime ritual (try camomile tea) or journaling can be enormously helpful to settle your body and mind for rest.

3) Exercise Everyday. I know this sounds like a tall order. But consider that dancing to a few of your favorite songs, taking a ten minute walk, doing a few early morning stretches...or even a little lovemaking all count toward your daily exercise quota. The most important thing here is to move your body and sweat a little every day.

4) Develop a Taste for Tea. Aside from the bottled, presweetened variety, tea is categorically healthier for you than soft drinks. Tea contains antioxidants and doesn’t come with all the negative side effects of drinking soda. You might just have to go cold turkey on this one, but you’ll be glad you did.

5) Focus On Gratitude. One of my favorite sayings is “Gratitude is the open door to abundance,” but it’s so much more than that. Research shows a positive attitude helps build a healthier immune system, speeds healing and boosts overall health. Your body hears and believes what you think, so focus on the positive and count your blessings!

6) Keep Great Company. If you are committed to better health, you may need to branch out and find some friends who share similar health-minded interests (think: yoga buddies, healthy cooking class companions...) and of course, making healthy changes with your existing loved ones is great for everyone and can bring you closer together. The healthiest people are those who have relationships with other healthy people.

7) Turn Off and Tune Out. Schedule mental health time by turning off phones and computers for a few minutes each day. Simple deep belly breathing, a few moments of meditation, or writing in a journal can all reduce stress and have a “reset” effect on our busy brains. Check out omharmonics.com or alphadeva.com for great meditation downloads for beginners.

8) Do Something You Love. Play with your pet, go for a bike ride or a swim, build a fort with a kid, or jump on a trampoline. Even just take a quiet bath with a little essential oil. Doing something you love gets you out of your head and can change a bad mood to good, or a good mood to great. Treat yourself right. You deserve it.

9) Focus on Service. When we are using our abilities to help someone else or accomplishing something in the world, we are rewarded ten-fold with a feeling of contribution and satisfaction. Consider volunteering to help animals, the environment or someone in your neighborhood who could use a hand. Giving back reminds us that we are all connected.

10) Don’t Forget to Laugh. Cultivate an open-minded attitude. Be laid-back, Dude! Be adventurous and silly. Don’t sweat the small stuff. We all have responsibilities and challenges, but it’s the attitude we bring to them that determines our level of mental health and happiness. 

And most of all, keep in mind that there will be setbacks on the way to better health. Treat yourself with compassion, and know that you are growing healthier with each small step. 

(As printed in the Orlando Sentinel, "A Better You" 2013.)

There's Something profoundly Exhilarating and profoundly humbling about travel....to EMBARK ON A JOURNEY. 

THe excitement of an adventure unfolding, or the sparkle of awareness that wafts over you when you realize you are experiencing something you may have never expected, and may never experience again. 

...to allow people, cultures, languages and the beautiful land, sea and sky called earth into our hearts, is a blessing beyond measure...

it has been a while since i've had the inspiration to write. i've been tending to my sweetest friend, tucker, in his last days. 

it's interesting to be with a being so evolved, and yet so completely oblivious to technology and gadgetry. 

as usual, he helped teach me something nearly every moment of every day. 

forever in my heart, and all of those hearts he touched. tucker thomas "Bootsie" Bowden...yoga dog.