 Dear Ones,
I recently read that the reason why hearing birdsong and the buzz of insects is so good for our nervous systems is because it signals to our bodies that we are safe. That there is no "threat" nearby, as these creatures tend to go silent when predators or forces that may cause harm are sensed. And while I don't sit on my deck waiting for the warning signs of physical danger from nature (I mean sure, let a gal know if a bear stumbles into the yard, but more-so because I need to grab my camera than to activate fight or flight mode…and also I just laughed out loud typing “fight” as a plausible response for me meeting a bear), I do know what it's like to live life in a state of constant hyper vigilance. I know what it’s like to lose trust in others, in truth, and then in self; to walk untethered on the proverbial eggshells, trying to stay ahead of the next possible hurt. I know what that does to a person, body, mind and soul. I know what it’s like to feel as though you’re making progress towards steady ground, only to be looped back in to familiar hurts. I recently discovered, through my daughter’s accidental sharing, that the kids have been having playdates with their dad’s new girlfriend and her children, despite a (legal) custody stipulation that states we agree to suspend introducing them to a significant other until after one year of dating. A stipulation that was included after weeks of painstaking research on my end, into what’s best for young children when it comes to new relationships after divorce. Yet due to the he said/she said nature of these things, despite any legalities at play, there’s basically nothing I can do about it. This kind of loss of control is not something I’d wish on anyone, because instantly, nothing feels safe. Being gaslit is truly its own particular brand of hell. The flaring of one’s nervous system in regard to wanting to protect our children, including from unnecessary “grown up stuff”, is one that probably burns most within me. And it’s the one that cuts the deepest, and paralyzes me the longest. It’s the bear stumbling into my yard; it’s the threat that continues to offer me AFGO (another fucking growth opportunity) and honestly, I’d like to formally request on behalf of all of us: can we just throttle back on the AFGO’s for a while? So, as part of my forever healing process, I try to maximize my quiet time in nature. It’s been a go-to tool in the past few years. This, with the comforting addition of my soul’s familiar (ahem, miss Ivy girl and her silky soft coat), some early morning sunshine-produced vitamin d, and the caffeine that threatens to undo it all but oh how I love it….is true medicine. It’s the literal OG “pill” for the nervous system, without any known negative side effects. This kind of medicine is what I try to cultivate with my coaching clients, too. This is the energy I aim to establish in the space of our conversations, regardless of the topic at hand. One that says, above all else, you are safe here. You are safe with me. Because I know what that does *for* a person, body, mind and soul. I know how this can help carry us onward, beyond fight or flight, back to a nervous system lulled by the reassurance of birdsong. We all deserve this. grace & peace, trish
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we didn’t travel anywhere further than a 2 hour drive. we didn’t host (or attend) big parties. we didn’t make any large purchases or splurge on big events. yet i am choosing to believe that when the kids and i reflect back on this summer together, it won’t be a memory with feelings of lack (them) or financial stress (me) or continuing, challenging shifts in family dynamics (all of us). it’ll be the one where we spent most of our time outdoors, especially in or near water. we spent hours upon glorious hours splashing and jumping and floating…sometimes including Ivy, thanks to generous friends with gorgeous pools. this summer will be the one with a LOT of ice cream…with barefoot races on the lawn, bubbles on the driveway, bug investigations out back, magnifying glasses in hand. of declaring each vibrant flower or detailed spider web we find as a “beauty emergency!” to show one another. it will be remembered as a summer of giggly cousins playdates and movie nights on the couch, cuddled in close surrounded by the scent of freshly bathed toddlers. it’ll be the one where the kids truly became great friends. of this i feel very sure. and for me, i am choosing to believe that when i reflect back on this particular summer i’ll remember how nice it was to be…really *be*…with friends, old and new. how decadent it felt to devour new books. how much the companionship of my dog kept me steady, how being alone for longer stretches of time didn’t make me want to numb or hide or panic. which makes this a pretty damn good summer, if you ask me. Dear Ones, She’s here! These beautiful, 100% handmade, concrete moons are now available for purchase in the Home Again Studios shop. Paired with both a citrus-sage tealight (hand poured!) and homegrown, organic sage leaves (fresh from my kitchen-deck garden!) for a mini gratitude cleansing ritual, it serves as a reminder of all we have to be thankful for. This special collaboration means so much to me. One, because the moon is the most divinely feminine symbol of love & light that I know. I recently had two tiny moons, in the phases of the nights each of my children were born, tattooed on my forearm. The kids love it, regularly asking to see “their moons”, pointing out “this one is Saylor’s moon, this one is G-mans!”. It makes me so happy.  Two, I’m always looking for ways to stretch my creative muscles. Learning the process of mixing, pouring, sanding, glazing (this is not the real term but Julie said I can call it that, woot) the concrete AND growing/drying my own organic sage was pure, curiosity filled pleasure. And the biggest blessing of working on this fun project has been my deepening friendship with Julie, whom I met during the thick of a tumultuous time (both personally and professionally, if I’m being honest). Our shared experience with a specifically troublesome work scenario could have trauma bonded us over a heavy dose of common “enemy” intimacy, but I am proud to report we both worked to move past all of that and actively chose to connect with one another in much more joyful, supportive ways. (Also, she has two gorgeous Bernese Mountain Dogs, so getting to snuggle those furry hippos each visit was a total bonus. Hi, Holley & Tilley!)…  Julie teases me about my favorite scent she makes, still solidly being her Vanilla Pumpkin Marshmallow. She claims it’s a total seasonal vibe that no one else buys past winter, but I wholeheartedly disagree that one can only enjoy it half the year! It fills my home with a not-too-sweet note of freshly baked yumminess. I’ll proudly burn it well into summer :) We hope you’ll consider purchasing a moon for yourself or a loved one, or sharing this product announcement with someone whom you feel might be in need of a little moon magic – you’ll be supporting TWO small businesses in one click! Cheers to a shared love of nature, friendship, and the lights that find us in the dark… “because it is spring; In Deep Gratitude, Trish ( + Julie!)     Hi, I’m Trish!
I’m a Life Coach, writer, mama of two. And I support small businesses with meaningful, affordable content creation and communication design. A few things we'll work on in collaboration for your brand...
My clients (both local and from a distance) include chefs, artists, stylists, makers, instructors, thought leaders, nutritionists and more. I truly love supporting each unique business in its most soulful, authentic purpose! Please reach out if I can help you/your business :) Dear Ones, I never claimed a word for 2023. I was so consumed with grief at my experience of loss, that if you’d asked me, I probably would have muttered something like “survive”. Reflecting on the year now, however, I’d say I most tried to consciously move within a heavy rotation of patience, acceptance, and peace. I also raged against each of these. Like…raged. Refused to believe them possible, or even “right” and “fair”, at times. But ultimately, they were the words (and energies) I needed most. 2023 ended up being the year I let go of fighting for anything that did not treat me well; of those who did not want to be fought for. I wish I could say I came to that decision from a space of higher patience, acceptance, and peace, but the reality is that the choice was more thrust upon me than carefully chosen. The discovery of one last humiliating betrayal will do that to a woman. When someone goes too far, and is too far gone, you know? While I do not respect those who hurt me, I now respect their right to love or not love me. I respect that we all have that choice in general, and when someone chooses to change course on love, it often has little, if anything, to do with anyone but themselves. I respect my right to love my own life, and being, too. I respect my kids right to have healthy, loving relationships; to not be denied the dignity of their own processes, while walking with them, hand in hand, through hard changes and necessary boundaries. I respect my right as both an autonomous woman and their mother to make choices that reflect all of this. Because with a steady practice of patience, acceptance and peace, unexpected new gifts are not just a possibility, but a guarantee. ———————————————-- This year, I easily chose a word. Wonder. Wonder like the longing with which Grayson looks at a puddle, when he’s not wearing his rain boots. How Saylor will exclaim “mom, quick quick, beauty emergency!!” when she spots our neighborhood fox doing his yoga-esque stretches, or a group of fluffy white wishers blowing in the wind, or a vibrant cardinal snacking at our backyard feeder. Seeing Ivy, eyes closed, lifting her chin to sniff the breeze, while bathing herself in a patch of sunlight on our deck, each tiny black hair on her snout shimmering with invitation to be stroked. Wonder when finding bits of sea glass on a quiet beach stroll, watching the tiny, quick footed sandpipers scuttling along the shoreline, making the most delicate footprints in the sand until the next wave bubbles at their delightfully bitty toes. Wonder at the clean, hot water that flows with the turn of a knob from my shower, any day of the week. Wonder at the rich flavors of a warm, home cooked meal. Wonder at the artistry of music, all of the feels it draws out when I listen to old favorites, how my body moves in rhythm without much conscious thought. The sound of my son’s laugh. The kindness of my daughter’s soul. The weight of their bodies pressed against each side of me as we read books before bed, wrapped in a hand knit blanket from a cherished friend. Wonder as magical form of gratitude. “And if the whole wide world stops singing And all the stars go dark I'll keep a light on in my soul Keep a bluebird in my heart” - miranda lambert Having trouble selecting your word for the year? Let’s connect… In patience, acceptance & peace… Trish   If you're trying to avoid the hype of big-box Black Friday mayhem, but still wanting to thoughtfully purchase gifts for the holidays...I've got you covered! These are just a few of my personal favorite, local, woman-owned and run businesses I hope you'll consider supporting this season. 1. Suzy Is An Artist. I like making my own gift bags of tiny treats using Nichole's pouches, bags or baskets as a more personal, reusable alternative to disposable bags. She always has such fun patterns to choose from! Each one is beautifully sewn and can be used in many ways ~ great for diaper bags, travel, toiletries, school supplies, purse organizing, etc.. Nichole chooses high quality fabrics - including a cork from Portugal! - and adds delightful details in her designs. 2. Ink & Owl Designs. Rae makes the most luscious blankets, hats, gloves & more. I have been coveting her "The Mountain Blanket" this season and hope to be snuggling up with one all winter long (hint hint, Santa). Rae is also a talented writer, local high school teacher and adorable bunny mama. She's a gem, and you'll be glad to wear her work. 3. Planet Sprinkles. My kids are obsessed with Heather's bath bombs. This xmas one lights up in water so they will each get one in their stockings :) Her scents linger in their bathroom for days after use - not in an overpowering way, but in a super pleasant "the kiddos just took a tubby" one. Each season Heather comes up with fun soap & bath bomb designs, so follow her to see the latest! 4. Shelley's Table. Full disclosure: Shelley is a dear marketing client of mine, and a really talented teacher & chef. She hosts cooking classes in New Hope, Lambertville, and internationally. A gift card for her classes is such a great date night/parent gift! She also hosts private classes in homes, which I've had the pleasure of attending and can absolutely vouch for. Quality time + Learning new skills + Delicious food = the perfect way to celebrate the important people in your life. 5. LilacStacks. Erin is a dear friend. I love her gorgeous bracelets and wear them every week. She has many style options to suit any taste...and even does a PENN STATE stack (shoutout to my fellow nittany lion alums). She makes every single piece by hand, selecting and inspecting each bead to ensure the best quality. 6. Home Again Studios. Any candles or match strikers from my gal Julie will be a crowd pleaser. She hand pours all the concrete, and mixes the scents without using harmful chemicals; each are crafted with 100% pure, plant-based soy, quality ingredients and all-natural oils. Plus, once a candle is burned down, the container can be turned into a planter using her seed-pod labels! Her Vanilla Pumpkin Marshmallow is probably my favorite smelling candle of all time. I often have headache issues with scents, but Julie's offerings fill my home without issue. Tell them Trish sent you (and let me know what you snag!)...  Working with Kristen at @kmichaelstudio has helped to bring my brand to new levels of ALIVE! I’ve always felt the soul of what I wanted to accomplish in my coaching work, yet struggled to articulate it (and honestly, promote it) in a way that could be officially branded while still preserving the spirit. Doesn’t this brand board just feel like Trish?! Although I have been a practicing Life & Goals Coach for seven years, I have lacked a true brand map until now. As a small business owner, it felt like something I could focus on "down the road"...versus understanding how it could make the road much more clear in the present! Kristen's coaching helped me dig deeper, and I feel empowered to grow my practice using the focused brand tools created with her services. Kristen committed meaningful time to understand the soul of my business, honoring my process with patience and gentle encouragement. She is creative, thoughtful, honest, open and kind. Kristen has set me up with the ability to continue creating appropriate, consistent content (and MERCH!!) on my own, which brings me immense joy and confidence (and relief!). Thank you, Kristen, for the beautiful branding work! More to come, friends...... - trish  Dear Ones, Last week, I shared a few details about a space of suffering in my life with a friend. As I described some of the feelings attached, and the ways in which I am attempting to navigate them inside the present circumstances, I found myself pulled to also share what was feeling right. She said: “You know the old saying "the only way out is through"? I was just struck by the realization that the only way through is TRUTH. whatever happens, you know? and it sounds like that's where you are – sharing with friends, asking for help, not walking on eggshells. which is all to say: even if it doesn't feel like it all of the time, this is what making it through looks like.” (Thank you, LJT.) Truth often looks like an acknowledgment of what scares us. Working with our fear is an act of remembering the survival-role of its voice, and deciding time and again to forgive its little, insecure messages like you would a small child. When your mind is flaring in hyper-vigilance, it usually means you are fearful of something. And if we are feeling even the slightest bit fearful in regard to living in greater alignment with our purpose and values, it must mean we are really going for something right for us -- tuning our vulnerability frequencies to high, and freakin going for it. And when working with our fear feels like too much, we can practice noticing. Noticing, to me, opens the gates of wonder and the subsequent recognition of tingly magic all around. Wonder leads the way to owning what is feeling right. This can be so small, so “mundane” in our daily lives, we miss it all together…regularly. Maybe it looks like noticing the delicate details of a woman’s dress. Noticing the way your toddler scrunches her nose in concentration. Noticing the feel of a hot cup of coffee on your chilly dog walk, or the warmth of soapy water on your hands. Noticing the crisp smell of the changing seasons or the top of your son’s sweet head; Counting the sea of tiny birds chirping in a backyard tree, the patterns of freckles on our hands, the fullness of our breath as we take each step . In making it through with truth, we live, honeys. We keep adventuring, and activating every cell of curiosity and gratitude in our beings because that's what inevitably gives life to the best stories -- you, living yours. Time offers new perspectives, even if we never fully recover. This is the nature of getting through. In an essay from Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper emails (which I recommend to anyone looking for weekly kindness in a sea of negativity online), author Monica C Parker writes about Wonder as a powerful antidote to suffering: "But we are so poor at knowing what makes us happy. Frequently what we end up chasing is hedonic happiness: the thing, the drink, the shoes, the Viagra to give us a sense of happiness. Yet that is directly oppositional to wonder-filled happiness. So eudaimonic happiness [having meaning and purpose] is richer, but it's still not to the point of wonder… I honor your spaces of suffering. And, I invite you to stay open to wonder. I honor your journey through. And, I invite you to stay close to your truths. in gratitude, trish  ask, listen. learn, believe. accept, surrender, trust. be curious. be open. we learn through play. you are not the judge. you don't need to be. be freed by this. even when you want to run away, life has to go on. especially then, onward.  In the quiet warmth of our family bathroom, a pink sun just about set behind half closed blinds, I watch as my daughter gently washes her brother’s back. She swirls the lavender scented soap in soft circles while he sits patiently, calmly, relaxed in her care. She lifts a toy cup filled with water to pour onto his shoulders and down his arms. He sighs an exaggerated ahhh in response. All of this is unprompted by mom, who just happened to look up from folding the laundry pile of clean clothes at the right moment.
This act of love catches in my throat to witness, and again now, as I write it out. This exchange of trust roots into my bones that perhaps I am doing *something* right as their mama; that the work I put into this role nurtures connection even when it feels like motherhood is a lot of correction… Fall has arrived, as promised, once again. Physically, it looks like longer morning walks with Ivy, books upon books stacked high on my nightstand, hot coffee sipped from comforting, old mugs and organizing cozy sweaters in preparation for cooler days. It has elements of cleaning out the old and exploring a simpler way of being. Emotionally? It is praying, listening, connecting with intention and integrity. It’s letting the rest fall away, guided by the example of changing leaves outside my windows. It’s choosing what is in service, over what is simply taking up unnecessary space. It is acts of love and exchanges of trust, starting in relationship to self. Recently I was chatting with a dear friend on the phone while she tended to her garden. We were speaking about the nature of difficult decisions and change; on the art of letting go. “It’s like these flowers, Trish”, she said, “We dead-head to redirect the energy, so that new life can grow.” How beautiful is that? And how very organic to the way of the earth, knowing the leaves will model life/death/life cycles. Knowing they fall in service to the new blooms of Spring. In this, it is safe to trust. In trust, we are freest to love. in gratitude, trish |
