Today’s episode is a top episode from Season 3 discussing how understanding what our signature style is and then owning it with confidence permeates all arenas of our lives. Ultimately, what we wear matters. Without saying a word we communicate our values, our confidence, our expertise, where we’ve been, where we are and where we […]
“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” —Socrates To move forward, we must walk forward. The present is in our control; conversely, the past is cemented, complete and cannot be changed. With January nearing its end, checking on our progress as […]
The new year rolls around and there is much talk about resolutions and cultivation of a life we wish to live. It is old news to share that many resolutions are unfulfilled; however, BJ Fogg argues that perhaps we have had a faulty instruction manual to be successful in our pursue of lasting change. Released […]
The journey of turning a house into a home takes time, but the process is somewhat analogous to how we as individuals learn and grow and come to best understand ourselves as well. Once we begin to learn how to live in a house, the structure with four walls that is our home, and will […]
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” —Victor Frankl When we fight the change that inevitably will occur in our lives — death – of ourselves, of others we love; a shift in our daily routines due to career changes, children growing up, etc. — we expend […]
“By necessity, we late bloomers are on a different, more challenging trajectory. As we travel through life, we encounter obstacles like the push for conformity, the oppression of groupthink, and the pains of self-doubt. But . . . in all these challenges, we find our hidden treasure. We unearth our individuality. We see that a […]
“In bringing about genuine inner transformation and change, the Dalai Lama emphasizes the importance of making a sustained effort. It is a gradual process.” —The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living by The Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D. The resolutions whether you have concretely written them down or potential ideas of what […]
“Times of transition are strenuous but I love them. They are an opportunity to purge, rethink priorities, and be intentional about new habits. We can make our new normal any way we want.” —Kristin Armstrong, three-time Olympic gold medalist – road cycling As September arrives I find myself torn between the schedule I love during the […]
~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #142 ~Subscribe to The Simple Sophisticate: iTunes | Stitcher | iHeartRadio “Individuals can take hold of [style] and make it their own. Style is about an individual and fashion is about an industry and [fashion] runs on insecurity.” —Stacy London New York Fashion Week motors on as I tape this week’s podcast, and for me, it […]
“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” ― Charles William Eliot Much like travel, reading provides the opportunity to open up our eyes to another world, another way of thinking, another way of living that brings us closer to our […]
Part of creating a simply luxurious life is building a sanctuary that is welcoming, comforting and tranquil. One of the highlights of my day is pulling into the garage and walking into my home where I can let my hair down, come a little undone and breathe a huge sigh of relief that I can […]
“Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.” – C.S. Lewis Change can be absolutely exhilarating when we’ve initiated the process – applied for a new job and been accepted, said yes to a wedding proposal or simply decided […]
“Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means.” –Albert Einstein Take a moment and look around the world you live in – in your home, in your community, in your country, in the world. What do you see? Do you like what you see? Are there […]
Over the past year, I have been witness to two different stages of the transformation process when it comes to changing someone’s way of living. Each person is someone I either work with or care deeply for, and so I have keenly observed what they were going through. What I have noticed was something I […]
As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to […]
Mondays. Whether your work week begins on an actual Monday or whatever day of the week your work “Monday” is, shifting our mindset to look forward to this day plays a significant role in the overall quality of our everyday lives. Originating from the Middle English word monedai, from Old English mōndæg, contraction of mōnandæg “Monday,” literally “day […]
Books to encourage you to slow down and become more content and productive (seems impossible, but it’s not!), a new olive oil subscription service, simple decor items that offer great signature style and comfort as well as sales, articles and much more. Books —The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor The essential […]
July arrived before I knew it and flew past more quickly than I could have imagined. For a variety of reasons, celebratory and not so, the month was a speedy one, but thankfully, there were many things to celebrate, and thus moments and events that made me smile. This past Sunday I found myself sitting […]
A feel-good film, an inspiring new podcast, a French film festival to enjoy wherever you call home, summer sales on essential clothing and kitchen tools and table linens, a new cookbook to inspire you to gather, a book for gardeners, book-lovers and much more. Books —Fear is a Four-Letter Wodr: How to Develop the Unstoppable […]
Stepping into my kitchen no matter what the day, no matter who is the company and especially if I am my own company is time I savor and something I look forward to. Delicious dishes can come together quickly if the ingredients are high quality, so when I stopped by my local grocer and spoke […]
Sometimes when a rose that is just beginning to start the blooming process, if it has layers and layers of petals and is hit by a good long rain during the summer followed by subsequent burst of heat, it can become basically frozen for lack of a better word. Gardeners call it balling, but basically, […]
Desired change in our lives can be seemingly elusive when so much of what needs to happen requires more energy, more time, more focus. With already full lives, the desired change remains just that – desired. However, what if you set aside just one month. Why not for only one month institute the change you […]
“The bird that would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings.” -—Kate Chopin, from her novel The Awakening Exhaustion and fatigue can prompt us to question our pursuit. Even when we know with certainty and a clear mind that the quest is just in its intention and long anticipated […]
A book, a soft summer breeze and warm temperatures, plenty of pillows and my dogs sleeping and snoring nearby – a lovely way to spend many moments. Ah, then adding a porch swing would take it over the top. 🙂 When I purchased my home in my previous hometown, it was a French-Norman style architectural […]
