Message on a Bottle.

It was the middle of June. I was deep into #the100dayproject at this point, watercoloring illustrations of journal entries that I had chosen to share with the world. During this time I was also doing The 90 Day Impact Challenge- inspired by Don Reed- which involves not having any refined sugar or alcohol. So naturally, kombucha became my 'drink' of choice. 

I love GT's kombucha, and often noticed they had a special 'words of enlightenment' section on the bottle with inspiring quotes. One day I was painting and thought, "Wow, that would be really awesome if MY quote could be on a bottle!"

And a tiny voice whispered, "Why can't it be?"

The quote was taken from a journal entry I'd written back in February- "There's no reason to feel stuck. Good ideas are like the sunrise, they happen everyday. I just have to wake up, know which direction to look, and notice them." 

So a few months later when Don and I went to Safeway and I turned the bottle of GT's Raspberry Chia kombucha around in my hand and read my quote there, it was a completely surreal moment. He looked me in the eyes and said, "This is manifestation in its clearest possible form. You can apply exactly what you did in this situation to larger and bigger things in your life."

This is true for you as well. What you envision and imagine and take action towards can, in fact, become your reality. Try it for yourself.

New Beginnings.

#kanzakicards

A lot of people (myself included) are entering a new season. For some, it's a new beginning involving a career or work project, and for others it may be motherhood or relocating to a new city. Some are beginning a new relationship, others are entering into a new season of singleness. There is magic in each one of these new beginnings. Look for it, be grateful for it, trust it.

I created this card to celebrate this season, the magic it contains, and the beauty of new beginnings. Available for purchase HERE.

Close to Nature's Heart.

“Keep close to Nature’s heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.”
— John Muir

Secret Garden of Sambangan, North Bali.

One of the main components of The Kanzaki Method is getting outside into nature. Breathing fresh air, seeing new sights, and moving your body outside. It's important for our mental and physical health to disconnect from our devices and experience the world in a tangible way. How can you get close to Nature's heart this week? It may be as simple as taking a walk outside during lunch, playing with your kids at the park, or hiking on the trails instead of going to the gym. Stay close to nature, and you'll find yourself more physically and mentally refreshed.

Bali.

Yesterday I rode for two hours in the pouring rain on a motorbike through the winding roads of North Bali to reach waterfalls I had only seen pictures of. My new local friend and I, thoroughly soaked upon arrival, hiked down long and steep flights of stairs, crossed through small rivers, climbed over rocks, and marveled at the sights before us. 

Sekumpul Waterfalls in North Bali.

Standing barefoot at the top of rock with the water pelting down on me from the sky and from the waterfalls surrounding me, I thought, "I'm WAY out of my usual element here. But this- THIS is my TRUE element." Nature. Water. The wilderness. 

This past year I've tried many new things and stepped outside of my comfort zone in my work, my art, and in my relationships. But Bali has challenged me to step outside of my comfort zone in a different way.  A few weeks ago after getting physically assaulted by a random stranger while riding BART, my defenses were WAY up. I became distrustful of people and was on-guard at all times, not wanted to engage or make eye contact with anyone for fear of  what they might do to me. 

Last Friday, a local driver picked me up at my guesthouse. It was 1:45am. It was a 1.5 hour drive to the base of Mount Batur. I slept in the car while a stranger drove me in the dark to a location I was unsure of, to meet a local guide who I'd never met. We arrived, I was greeted, handed a walking stick and a flashlight, and we started up the mountain in the dark. The path began to get very steep and slippery, so my guide held my hand 80% of the time during the uphill trek so I wouldn't fall backwards. I placed complete faith in a stranger who was true to his word and kept me safe. This was blind trust at its finest. 

At the top, I was escorted to a warm tent, where water was boiling and I was served hot Balinese coffee, banana sandwiches, and fruit. Someone was playing "When You Say Nothing At All" on the guitar, and we sang and harmonized together and watched the sunrise. It was because of the kindness of these locals that I had even safely made it up here and able to experience this magical moment.

Sunrise at the top of Mount Batur.

The crater rim of Mount Batur.

Sights from our descent as the fog lifted, revealing Lake Batur.

Being here in Bali has opened me up again to trust people. The locals here are friendly, generous, and smile first. Not knowing my way around town or where to go, I had to depend on the help and kindness of strangers to keep me safe, take me on adventures I'll remember for the rest of my life, and open me up again to the world, and to myself.

Words of Enlightenment.

During #the100dayproject, I became used to sipping on GT's kombucha while painting. I noticed each bottle had a special "Words of Enlightenment" section that included quotes ranging from Henry David Thoreau to everyday citizens who were inspired to share their thoughts. I stared at the bottle and imagined my quote on the bottle. What would it look like? What would it say?

As a result of #the100dayproject, I became used to sharing my innermost thoughts with the world. Phrases pulled straight from my journal entries were paired with a watercolor, and I shared each one consistently for 100 days. 

I'm so thrilled that my quote will appear on the Raspberry Chia flavor hitting the shelves very soon! This quote was part of a longer journal entry that was written when I felt particularly stuck and frantic being newly self-employed. It was a reminder that opportunity and new ideas are always there, just like the sunrise. We just need to see and notice things and make sure that we're always looking in the right direction. 

 

 

The Peace of Wild Things.

“When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my
children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water,
and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief.
I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.”
— Wendell Berry

Doin' Good.

This past weekend I attended Yellow Conference 2017, where I gathered with 500 other entrepreneurial-minded creatives to learn and discuss how we can roll up our sleeves, step out in courage, and use our creativity for social good. For social justice. With the belief that together, we can use our unique talents and gifts to spread goodness and bloom. We can make an impact on the world for something bigger than ourselves.  

You don't have to quit your day job to contribute to the social good. You can start with your dollars. You can be a conscious consumer and support clothing companies like The Shine Project and Krochet Kids International, a non-profit social capitalism brand that provides jobs, education, and mentorship  for women in Uganda and Peru. Or on a larger level, you can build a conscious business that works to solve problems related to human rights, the environment, or other global social issues. 

Whether you're a web designer, a writer, a jewelry maker, a musician, an intern or a CEO, you have the opportunity daily to be doin' good for the world in big ways. Ways that benefit those who don't have a voice and aren't seen in society. If we're not adding, we're subtracting. Now, more than ever, it's imperative that we come together and use our voices, our resources, and our dollars to do work that uplifts and supports the kind of world we all desire to live in. A world where everyone is seen and heard and valued, regardless of age, sex, gender, or race.

Breaking Bread.

Testing Trader Joe's cauliflower crust pizza with Nima Sensor.

Grateful for the recent feature sharing my story and how technology like Nima Sensor is reshaping the landscape of food. This portable gluten sensor is changing the dining out experience of those with gluten sensitivities and allergies. It allows them to experience vacations, weddings, and meals out with more enjoyment and less anxiety- all because they can securely know if the food they're being served contains gluten or not. 

Read the full article HERE.

Cultivating Deliberate Space.

Sunrise meditation.

“Always find time for the things that make you feel happy to be alive.”
— Lao Tzu

It's 6am. The sun is beginning to peek over the mountain as we walk. The world is waking up.

"Can we meditate together?"

"Yes."

I lead us slowly down the stairs from the trail to the end of the dock and we both take a seat overlooking the lake. Birds fly overhead. We close our eyes, inhaling and exhaling the fresh, crisp morning air. We practice present-moment awareness in each breath.

It is both a reminder and a practice. Long after the meditation ends, we will be confronted again and again with opportunities and choices. In each moment, we have the choice to react or respond. As Victor Frankl said, "Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom."