Second only to my love of writing comes reading a good book.    When my own pen stalls on the page, I know it’s time to pick up a good book and see what someone else has to say.  There’s always a good tip on style, voice or rhythm that inspires me to keep writing.   

With the season changing, it’s a good time to get outdoors for a healthy brisk walk or bike ride.  You can also bring healthy habits indoors and live more naturally at home.  I visited with Rancho La Puerta’s on-site herbalist, homeopathic therapist and all-around naturalist, Anita Boen who offered these suggestions for bringing healthy habits found in nature into your home.

The late 1990s were a dark time for me.  My mother was in her third round of treatment for a rare form of cancer and her mother, who lived with her, had suffered a debilitating stroke. My job was secure, but an ambitious decision to go to law school at night required me to spend four nights a week in Baltimore.   

It’s a new year and several of my friends have asked me what they need to do to develop a journaling practice.  My first thought:  patience and empathy.  It takes a bold writer to keep a journal but it is the best writing you will ever do.