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Turning 40 with the Gift of 40 Miles: Why I’m Taking Myself on Walks This Month

Filed Under: Contemplative Practices, Everyday Feminism By 1 Comment

Here a teal-blue hiking backpack (lighter day-pack with thermos visible) sits against a stone bench.

May is both my birth month and a time of transition (when the school year ends and summer begins). For as long as I can remember, I’ve looked forward to May and its potential for renewal. This year I’m celebrating my 40th birthday and wanting to mark the occasion with extended time on trails. Specifically, I’m setting a goal to hike 40 miles on my own this month: miles that I’ll walk toward understanding how to be independent within interdependence. Why This ... Read more ...

It’s More than End-of-the-Year Exhaustion: Semester Rhythms and Recurring Burnout

Filed Under: Emotional Literacies, Higher Education By Leave a Comment

This image from the Inside Higher Ed article (credit: Istockphoto.com/malchev) represents seasonal change. A single nature scene (life of a tree) is divided into quadrants: moving clockwise from the lower-left through a snowy landscape to pink blossoms to green leaves to fallen autumn leaves.

Today Inside Higher Ed published my article, “Semester Rhythms and Recurring Burnout,” reflecting on the exhaustion that many educators and academics face at the end of each school year. This article weaves together multiple threads of feeling, thinking, and doing (heart-head-hands) from my past few weeks, including: attention to my body’s fluctuating energy levels, seasonal changes, and continued recognition of semester rhythms; ongoing reflection on career ... Read more ...

Roasted Red Cabbage: A Simple and Delicious Veggie

Filed Under: Recipes By Leave a Comment

This image shows slices of red cabbage (purple and white in appearance) slightly overlapping with each other atop a white cutting board.

Ingredients: Red cabbage (I use a head of cabbage or less: what’s left over from other meals) Avocado oil or other high-heat oil (up to 1 tablespoon, rubbed into cabbage) Sprinkle of salt and pepper, seasoning salt, or other desired seasonings Instructions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice cabbage into strips (roughly ½ to ¾ inch each). Rub oil into the cabbage strips, covering both sides. Sprinkle salt or other seasonings onto the top of cabbage ... Read more ...

Responding to Injustice: Why Settling the Nervous System and Slowing Response Times Matter

Filed Under: Contemplative Practices, Emotional Literacies, Racial Justice By Leave a Comment

Book cover for My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem (2017, Central Recovery Press).

Recently, I’ve had several moments of witnessing first-hand the links between settling the body (that is, settling the nervous system) and showing up more mindfully, more open, and more like the “best self” that’s needed when striving for social and racial justice. In contrast, moments when my nervous system is “keyed up” (from exhaustion, from unresolved tension, from disappointment, and more), I find myself having knee-jerk reactions and being short with ... Read more ...

Lentil Not-Soup (Or Lentil Soup in Solid Form)

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This photo shows the final meal: a mixture of lentils and veggies topped with green onions—in a blue bowl against a white tabletop.

This week I’m sharing a simple recipe combining lentils with chopped carrots, celery, and onions for a quick and tasty meal. It’s essentially lentil soup in solid form: a stir-fry of the basic ingredients that make lentil soup. This creation (perhaps like many) arose from necessity—from facing hunger during and after hiking and needing high-protein food to take on the trail or to prepare in minutes afterwards. Now this dish is also a reliable option when I’m too busy or ... Read more ...