It’s been a week. The New Moon brings both promise and tension while we transition those energies. Something’s in the air besides… could be election anxiety, could be the tilt of light in the sky that comes with seasonal change, could be shifts in energy that are back-to-school and Friday Night lights.
For me, it’s anticipation… of a new quarter of projects. First there’s the fall garden. Then there’s the winding down of the book launch. I need to get back to revision of a wealth of new stories and submissions out to magazines. Finally, there’s planning for a trip to Chicago to see old friends, and autumn itself, with its spooky themes and events which include several with me in them.
Here’s what I sought comfort in this week: nature, familiarity, and boundaries.
SEPT 2, 2024—Gardening by lunar cycles
It’s not nearly as witchy as it sounds, but I do find that following a moon calendar, which makes gardening suggestions during different phases of the moon, can be helpful for organizing plans as each growing season comes and goes.
- Why is this hi-vibe? Keeping my eyes on the skies and my fingers in the dirt helps keep me grounded and creative. Little helps like a moon calendar make intentional living a lot easier to manifest. Working in tandem with nature is always a hi-vibe way to be!
SEPT 3, 2024—Golden milk latte
Is it a milk drink? Or is it a coffee drink? For me, it’s both! I make a version of a latte at home which incorporates the spices found in a golden milk hot beverage. Golden milk is a kind of anti-inflammatory concoction rich in the spice, turmeric, which adds some zing to your morning, clears your sinuses, and changes things up with your first cuppa joe. I like it better than pumpkin spice!
- Why is this hi-vibe? I’ve had quite a spell of inflammation these last couple of weeks, and leaning into an anti-inflammatory diet—which for me includes more raw foods and mineral water, lots of spices, and less processed products and sugar—generally boosts my energy and alleviates pain. Less pain means more activity, better sleep, and higher vibes!
SEPT 4, 2024—Taking social media off my phone
Yeah, this week has been one for the books in socials. There are migrations between platforms that create a kind of upheaval and some of my favorite timelines are all but wrecked. Also, the weird bandwagon mentality can really ruin the energy there. I finally removed all but one of my social media apps from my phone this week and began culling my accounts of certain others who do not support things I care about, like inclusivity, community, service, kindness, and fairness.
- Why is this hi-vibe? We’ve all done it… stepped away from social media because the noise machine became so deafening. Digital burnout it real. I took one look at my phone stats on where I was spending my time and decided it’s time to walk away, and maybe for a long while (like, after the election?) because self care matters to this girl and I’m definitely in need of hi-vibe energy right now.
SEPT 5, 2024—Pollinators
I discovered while enjoying breakfast out on my patio my Bluebeard (caryopteris) bushes fully bloomed and buzzing with bees. I love when they pop with color like that (and the low hum of the pollinators is delightful). Not only is it pretty, but it marks the beginning of the Seahawks football season!
- Why is this hi-vibe? I still don’t need to put out hummingbird feeders because of my fall garden, which is more than just Bluebeards, but crocosmia, clematis, Shasta daisies, rudbeckia, calendula, agastache, many varieties of sage, nasturtium, and more). The attention my flowering plants receive (even the cucumbers and zucchini and blooming herbs!) from hummers, wasps, butterflies, bumblebees, and moths keeps everyone vibing well into the fall.
SEPT 6, 2024—Campfires
I got a whiff of smoke today that didn’t come off a wildfire. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t an open woodfire (we’re still in a ban) but the scent from a neighbor’s smoker, and it made me savor the days when burn restrictions lift and I can burn a few logs again.
- Why is this hi-vibe? I’ve always found staring at flames (from both candles and campfires) to be a great creative meditation. Even the silver-dusted embers as the flares die down seem to pull story ideas, character sketches, and setting details from my mind’s recesses. Supporting creative wellness is my fast pass to living a hi-vibe life, no doubt about it.
It’s more important than ever for me to remember how much good there is in the world. To that end, I’m going to try to post 5 cool things I encountered recently. Weekly? Maybe. Or maybe just occasionally. However frequently I do it, my goal is to brighten your day and help me cleanse my own timeline of all the toxicity that current events and social media can bring. With so much happening in the world, we all just need a link-love break, y’know?