The Holiday Reset Challenge: I Double-Dog Dare You! (Video)

December 19, 2011 By TheOrganicSister

Hannah Marcotti and I connected recently around the idea of taking a digital sabbatical and decided to create this improv video.

It’s all on the topic of finding stillness, the importance of prioritizing our own well-being and the work-life balance of raising a family, owning a business and celebrating the holidays in a way that sustains us.

We’ve made a declaration of our own intentions.

And we are offering you a challenge to join us!

(Don’t have time to watch the whole thing? Skip to 31:30 for details on how to join our Holiday Reset Challenge!)

Links mentioned in the video:

My recent interview on Erin Goodman’s blog
Hannah’s Website

Will you join us? Click over to Hannah’s blog post to let us know!

Are you needing to experience mindfulness this holiday?

Dealing with the “mainstream” when you feel so unconventional, handling the comments or the increased energy or the expectations and obligations…it’s pretty much the epitome of “survival mode” and it pretty much sucks.

If you’re ready for a different experience, I invite you here.

Filed Under: Organic Tribes, Organic Wisdom Tagged With: community, digital sabbatical, hannah marcotti, holiday reset challenge, intentions, mindfulness, stillness, videos

Part One: Releasing and Letting Go (Video)

December 12, 2011 By TheOrganicSister

I wrote about some of the inner work my 30th birthday was bringing me.

Here’s where I am 3 days later…and be sure to watch until about half way through to hear what’s in the plans for my hair this week! Eeeee!

Be sure to check out freeplaylife.

Want to read more about my process from dreadlocks to a shaved head?

All dreadlock posts from start to finish are here.

Part One: My announcement video of my decision to shave my dreads

Part Two: A more in-depth, emotional and raw video on my decision

Part Three: Putting The Process of Shaving Them into Words (and lots of photos)

Part Four: A GORGEOUS Video and words from other women who’ve done the same

And lastly: Burning My Dreadlocks: The Final Goodbye

Filed Under: Organic Wisdom Tagged With: Dreadlocks, hair, letting go, personal growth, releasing, shaving my head, spirituality, videos

Father + Son = Oddballs!

November 10, 2011 By TheOrganicSister

I love my guys.

I know that probably goes without saying, so maybe I should say I actually really LIKE them, I enjoy them, I marvel at them and just thinking about them makes me smile with love for Who They Are.

The two of them make the most interesting (sometimes challenging ) father-son duo I’ve ever known.

Do you know the juggling story?

Well then…let me tell you.

Last year, the day after Thanksgiving to be exact, Zeb asked Justin how to learn to juggle.

Justin, never having done it but being fully indoctrinated in Google-School, said, “Good question. Let’s find out.”

Oh, blessed YouTube and how you enrich our lives.

(Seriously, can you believe YouTube is only about 6 years old? How did we LIVE without YouTube before 2005??)

An hour later, and Zeb had satiated his curiosity for how one learns to juggle.

Four or five hours later – somewhere around midnight – Justin’s saying things like “Check it out! I think I REALLY got it now!”

Over the past year, Zeb would pick it up again and then stop.

Over the past year, Justin has juggled an average of TWO HOURS A DAY.

Zeb has spent just about ten hours and mastered how to juggle the three ball cascade, several tricks and passing with his dad (video below).

Justin can now juggle six balls, do countless tricks, and juggle anything from balls to pins to rings to puppies if our dog would trust him.

Zeb’s also dabbled with the Diablo and the yo-yo.

Justin is hardcore with the juggling, yo.

(It makes for some great jokes, lemme tell ya.)

And then this past summer, after some deep connecting with what exactly this juggling thing is all about, this awesome duo decided to go pro.

Justin + Zeb = Oddball Juggling!

Oddball Juggling is all about sharing the love and benefits of juggling with other families by offering affordable, durable juggling balls and inspiration with other families.

That’s their mission statement and it makes my heart go pitter-patter. ♥

Seriously, they are for realz. Check this out:

They figured out what the real benefits of juggling for kids are.
Justin is all about juggling and the brain.
But even more so, he’s all about the juggling meditation.
The dude seriously juggles everywhere he goes.
And Zeb isn’t quite so outgoing about being in front of the camera, but a little birdy tells me he’s going to make a solo video soon.

But it’s more than just having fun and inspiring others. It’s a father-son business!

They are selling two sizes of juggling balls and have several videos to get you started (with more on the way!).

And They’re Making YOU a Special Offer!

Oh seriously, I just love their mad business skillz. They used them to convince me (with payments of shoulder rubs) to share their special offer here.

Just in time for the holidays, you can get you and your family your own set(s) of juggling balls for 20% off!

When you go to order through Etsy, enter the coupon code: organic20

In the meantime, won’t you please Like their Facebook page and share this post with your friends and family, on Twitter, Facebook, your blog and anywhere else to help them get the word out?

Filed Under: Organic Business, People I Love Tagged With: entrepreneurs, father, juggling, Justin, oddball, son, videos, Zeb

October :: Inspiration, Newness + Highlights!

November 1, 2011 By TheOrganicSister 3 Comments

We’ve been in Nashville for the month of October, spending time with family and celebrating my Granny’s 97th birthday.

I’ve loved watching the leaves fall, drinking hot tea in the morning and talking with my Granny. In fact, I finally finished editing and uploading the videos of her talking about her life – all 12 of them!

Here’s the first one:

But it’s the conversation I got to have with her at the end of the last one that I love hearing over and over. You can watch all of them here: TheOrganicSister’s Channel.

October Highlights

October was the month of the video for me.

♥ How I Wash My Dreads (And Other Dreaded Things)

I did a video on how I wash my dreads, for all you dready lovers (and curious folk). But what really made that post hard to publish was the secret I let loose at the end. (Eep.)

♥ Everyone Needs Some Wild Zen in Their Lives

Did you hear the news?? I found myself a gorgeous, free-spirited, oh-so-perfect Organic Support Specialist. Seriously! Watch and read!

♥ Real Women and the Lives We Live

Ever heard yourself say “she’s a real women” based on the fact that she’s curvy and not a ‘stick figure’? Yeah, then you’re gonna wanna watch this video.

♥ Prioritizing Our Kids Over Our Calls

This one got the conversation flowing – and my mom left a comment too!

You can see all the new posts this month by looking over to the right where it says Recent Posts —->

October Newness

♥ Be Kind, Be Organic!!

Amanda and I put together a Q&A video series, answering some of the questions sent to her via her readers. Being organic, understanding fear, handling jealousy, doing what we love despite the disbelief, lighting up the world, what you get to knock off right now and more soon! The fourth video goes up on Thursday, but you can access all published videos at the link above!

♥ Sustainable Baby Steps

Tons of new stuff over there: Cloth Toilet Paper, What is Organic Food?, Homemade Granola Recipe, and soooo much more! Check out What’s New for everything!

♥ Organically Authentic

I did an interview for GirlHabits, a sponsor of Sustainable Baby Steps. What I can’t live without, my favorite happiness habit, my super power wish, and more super fun questions I got to answer!

October Inspiration!

I didn’t spend a lot of time cruising the web this last month, but I did stumble across a few things that I lovelovelove!

♥ Found this here and love it!

♥ Trust in Yourself and Your Tribe: Read this from Jenn. And most especially read her last paragraph. ♥

♥ Would you think me crazy for wearing One Carrot Earrings?

♥ I can’t get enough of Amanda Seyfried in Mamma Mia.

♥ Okay, so not a lot of linky love, but I have been super inspired by the people I’ve come into contact with. I’ve never known so many wonderful, mindful, compassionate and inspiring people in my life before. So, this is me…sending out so much gratitude to the beauty in you.

Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: links, videos

September NEWness, Highlights + Inspiration!

October 1, 2011 By TheOrganicSister Leave a Comment

Fall is here! And as silly as it sounds, I’m very excited to finally be in a climate that will allow me to watch the leaves change.

Currently we’re in Kentucky, heading south to Tennessee to spend time with family and celebrate my great-granny’s 97th birthday (hopefully with a little surprise for her if I can manage my time well!).

NEW Excitement!

♥ THE ORGANIC SISTERHOOD! Wahooooooo! It’s launched! It’s growing! It’s bee-yoooo-tee-ful! Have you received your access code yet?

♥ ODDBALL JUGGLING! Have you seen Justin and Zeb’s new business! They are making juggling balls for families and sharing the fun and benefits of juggling with everyone!

♥ From Sustainable Baby Steps: Oh all kinds of new stuff over there, from Healthy Breakfast Foods to Natural Family Planning Methods and more new stuff in between!

♥ You Are Not Alone: Five Powerhouse Ladies Tell the Truth About Anxiety You can read about my story with fear and anxiety and how I kick it in the tushy over at The Illuminated Truth.

September Blog Highlights

♥ Being a Parent vs. Being a Friend My thoughts on the question as to whether we can or should be the very best friends we can be to our kids. It’s been the one rebuttal that actually got the naysayers thinking.

♥ End of Summer Reflections “Sometimes I forget just how different our lives are from others. We eat when we’re hungry, never raise our hands to get permission to pee, & we don’t have to work when someone else tells us to. We get to love what we do all the time, instead of just holidays & weekends & if we’re tired by the end of the day it’s a fulfilled tired, not an exhausted-depressed tired.”

♥ 4 Things Your Fear of Change Really Means: It’s always deeper than it looks. There are always roots to our fears that can be pulled out, examined and thrown in the compost.

♥ Actually Reading Together Changed My Opinion of It: It’s not about the benefit of reading or a love of reading or learning to read. It’s not about teaching my child or guiding him. It’s about sharing something together – whether it’s books or something else. It’s the bond.

♥ Instability and the Great Stretch: All about my own personal growth and the lessons that come from being on the road.

Inspiration!

♥ Back to (the wrong) school: Seth Godin is probably one of this generation’s most incredible leaders and thinkers. After this post, is it any wonder I love him so?

♥ Scientists Turn Brain Visual Memories into Video: Yes! I’ve been talking about turning my dreams into movies for re-watching for decades! THIS might mean we’re finally close!

♥ Milagro Girl: Have you met the new girl in town? Alicia and her beautiful message are both beautiful and inspiring.

♥ Faster than the speed of light? Scientists have found particles faster than the speed of light! FASTER! This is incredible and seriously freaking out the scientific community, who apparently still hate finding out they don’t yet know it all.

♥ Entrepreneurs: Please Don’t Puke On Me. Love, Ashley. Yup. This pretty much says it all.

♥ Online Marketing Toolbox For you entrepreneurs out there, Dave Navarro is sadly closing up shop. He’s offering all his workshops for the donation amount of your choice! Can’t make a donation? That’s okay too!

♥ Labor of love: Teen doula helps young moms through childbirth Oh my goodness. This brings tears to my eyes. If there is anything a teen mom needs, it’s most definitely the love and care of doula and friend.