2019 Calendars Ready To Ship

2019 Mindful Living Wall Calendar

It’s an exciting time of year here!  Our 2019 Calendars have arrived at our warehouse and are ready to ship!

2019 Live With Intention Wall Calendar by Renée Locks

I’ve always said that the most challenging part of working at Brush Dance is getting one’s mind around the production schedule. Our 2019 Calendars have been in production since 2016.

Ours is a labor of love – and when new items finally, finally make their way to the warehouse, everyone here is excited beyond belief. Finally, we get to have, hold (and use!!) the items we have envisioned.

Thich Nhat Hanh Wall Calendar for 2019

I’m showing just a few of our most popular Large Wall Calendars today. They measure 12 x 12″ when closed, and open to 12″ x 24″. We print on FSC-certified paper, the quality is top-notch, and we couldn’t be more proud of our line.

Below are links to our other products. I’ll be back soon with more specifics!

Mini Wall Calendars

Karma Planners

Monthly Planners

Weekly Planners

 

Happy Birthday Renée Locks

Renée Locks – Live With Intention – Karma Planner 2019

Take a moment to remember how special you are and how lucky the world is to have you in it. 

Happy Birthday, Renée Locks!

Renée Locks has been creating art and calligraphy for Brush Dance products for more than 25 years.

Today we celebrate her.

 

Live With Intention Wall Calendar by Renée Locks

In the seeds of an apple there is an orchard.

Here’s a little of what I wrote about Renée last year on her birthday:

She is a kind environmentalist who is quick-witted and honest. She is political and doesn’t mind sharing her opinions with those around her. Renee raised her family largely on her own in the San Francisco Bay Area where she still lives. She is a yoga devotee, a teacher, an optimist, and – of course – an artist.

Renée Locks Journal

Happy Birthday to Renée – an artist, calligrapher, mom, grandma, great-grandma, wise woman, and friend.

 

Father’s Day!

Dad Joke Socks

WARNING:  Dad Jokes Ahead!

Dad: You shouldn’t trust those trees.  They seem kinda shady.

Oh Dad.

If you’re a male and you’ve parented, guided, supported, raised, or loved a child: Happy Fathers Day!!

Dad: What do you call an alligator in a vest? An investigator.

Baseball Socks

Dad:  They say the person who invented Lifesavers made a mint.

What’s better than a dad joke?  Showing the men in your life how much you appreciate them.  Sunday, June 17 is Father’s Day. Brush Dance has loads of gift ideas – and they are all under $25.

BBQ Socks

Dad:  I’m reading a book about anti-gravity. It’s impossible to put down.

Daaaad.

Other great gift ideas for the man in your life:

Field Notes Memo Books – available in a variety of styles, these pocket-sized notebooks are made for on-the-go note taking. Our current favorite.

Half the Pressure, Twice the Speed

For Your Coffee Loving Man

Leuchtturm 1917 is Always The Right Answer

And, finally, please remember that you shouldn’t trust atoms. They make up everything.

Thanks, Dad.  Happy Father’s Day!

Graduation Gifts, Part II

Fill In The Love

Graduation season is in full swing. Caps, gowns, pomp, circumstance – it’s an exciting time of year for so many people.

Brush Dance has gift ideas for all of the graduates in your life.  Here’s what we’re loving right now:

Gift Boxed Mug – Black Cat Poppies

Ready to gift, this beautiful Black Cat mug is available for under $15. Thinking your graduate would prefer a panda? or maybe they dream of Paris?

Leuchtturm Dot Grid Notebook

We can’t get enough of Leuchtturm Notebooks here. With a handy pocket, useful index (numbered pages!!), and two ribbon page markers – it just doesn’t get better than this. Affordable luxury – around $20 each.

Lihit Lab Zippered Folio

Be sure to click-through to see all of the features of this versatile pouch. It has a number of pockets, snaps, and zippers to help you keep everything in one place. The best part? Perfectly sized to hold any A5 Notebook.

Get Your Shit Together Notepad

And sometimes, you just have to say it like it is. Dear Graduate, it’s time to get your $#!+ together.  Want to say it more gently? This Daily Intentions Tracker may be just the thing.

Visit our site to see all of our Graduation Gifts

We know many of you are waiting for our 2019 Calendar release – it’s on its way! See all of our 2019 Calendars and Planners.

 

 

 

 

Graduation Season

Kept Going Pin

All graduates (and the people who provided them with support!) have earned this Everyday Bravery pin – they kept going, even when it was hard. Congratulations!

Patience, persistence, and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.   – Napoleon Hill

We’ve put together some great gift ideas for the graduate in your life.  And . . . everything is less than $26!

Here’s the package I’m putting together for under $50 . . .

Pilot Metropolitan Roller Ball

The Pilot Metropolitan has won the respect of writers around the world. The price is amazing (under $20), and the quality is impeccable. Affordable, elegant, and arrives in an attractive box, ready to give.

Leuchtturm 1917 Special Edition in Copper

We only have a few of these Special Edition Leuchtturm Notebooks remaining in stock. These books feature a handy index, numbered pages, and an expandable pocket. The paper is high-quality 80gsm – luxurious enough to use with nearly any pen (including fountain pens and fineliners). Here a link to all of our Leuchtturm Notebooks – there’s a color and style for everyone.

Congratulations to the Class of 2018!

P.S. Click to See All Graduation Gifts

P.P.S. We have a preview of our 2019 Calendars – click here to see them!!

Mindful Monday – Yoga Anyone?

Yoga Silhouettes

Do you practice yoga? We’d love to hear your tips for beginners!

I’m not sure what took me so long to realize it, but I’m not nearly as bendy as I was a few years ago.  This has me thinking about adding yoga to my daily routine.

Beyond increasing flexibility and building strength, regular yoga practice can be the foundation of a more healthy lifestyle. It can:

• improve your posture and balance
• reduce blood pressure
• help you sleep better
• relieve stress
• boost your mood

Other great things about yoga?

• you don’t need any fancy equipment to get started
• all body types and ages are welcome – big, small, different abilities – it’s always possible to modify a pose
• there are a zillion videos available online FREE

Here are some resources to get us started slowly. Most of these take fewer than 20 minutes – just enough to see if yoga is something you want to pursue.

• Chair Yoga Video
• Standing Yoga for Beginners
• The Basics (she brought her dog!)
• Yoga for Older People

Before you know it, we’ll be doing some insane yoga poses. (Well, maybe not, but we will be more flexible, healthier, and happier.)

People have been doing yoga for thousands of years, but you should consult your healthcare professionals before beginning any new-to-you exercise programs.

Namaste.

 

 

 

 

 

Mindful Monday: Dream a Little Dream

View this post on Instagram

Even the smallest goals are important in the big picture. 💚

A post shared by Brush Dance, Inc. (@brush_dance) on Apr 2, 2018 at 6:32am PDT

Oh my goodness, I love to daydream. When I was a younger person, I dreamed of a happy marriage and having a child. I dreamed of a career with meaning, home ownership, and living a life where I didn’t have to worry about having enough money to get food on the table.  At some point, I also dreamed of being a singer, writer, an attorney, an astrologist, of living in San Francisco, and I dreamed of traveling the country in an RV.

The point is this: our dreams (big and small, realistic and fantastical) help shape the direction of our lives. Every time we dream, we expand the possibilities in our life.

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Which of your daydreams do you keep visiting? First we dream, then our actions become aligned with those dreams, and then we’re living the dream. Of course, it’s not always as easy as 1-2-3, and it could take literally decades for some of those dreams to come to life.

Energy and persistence conquer all things. 

Benjamin Franklin

Having dreams, exploring the possibilities, and pondering the vast universe of promise is absolutely a joy in itself. The excitement of my husband, dog, and me criss-crossing the country in an RV, lingering in towns we love, visiting friends and family is a dream I’m not quite ready to replace with something else. I don’t know that I’ll ever do it – but I know that if I stop dreaming, I definitely won’t.

Dreams are true while they last, and do we not live in dreams?

Alfred Lord Tennyson

Have your dreams become murky over the years? Did you have dreams and gave them up because . . . life happened? Maybe it’s time to get back in touch with those dreams. What would you like to do? What would you like to experience? Start simple and expand as far as your mind can travel.

Dreams are today’s answers to tomorrow’s questions.

Edgar Cayce

 

 

 

Mindful Monday – People Pleasing

Everyday Bravery Pin

You don’t want to disappoint anybody, but you know, you lose your voice by trying to please everyone. -Diego Luna

Are you a people pleaser? (We all are to some degree!) Do you have trouble saying no? Do you need the people around you to be happy? Even if it comes at your own expense?

We all enjoy feeling appreciated and that feeling of being needed. It’s easy to see how we can fall into the trap of putting the wants of others before our own wants and needs. That external validation feels so good.

How are you going to reach your own goals if you’re so busy pleasing other people? 

Start Small – a chatty friend asks you to lunch, you know this could turn into a multi-hour session of her telling you all about the trouble with her kids, husband, in-laws, and dog. “I can’t meet for lunch, but I could do a quick coffee at 2:00.”

Delay Tactics – stop yourself from immediately agreeing to whatever is being asked of you by replying with some version of, “I’ll get back with you on that.”  Do you want to make 100 cupcakes for Little League this week? Pausing before answering gives you the opportunity to think things through completely before giving a definite answer.

Set Priorities – decide what is important to you, make it a priority. You’re worth it. “I’m working on my novel this weekend and can’t help you start your garden.”

People pleasing is a habit that we get into because we win the adoration of those we are pleasing. Unfortunately, it’s also a trap that can keep us from getting what we want.

The following articles may be helpful. And, of course, if you’re finding that you are pleasing others so much that you’ve lost yourself, talking with a professional can help you sort through everything and set boundaries.

• Unhealthy People-Pleasing Behaviors
• Pleasing People and Low Self-Esteem
• Ten Signs

Mindful Monday – Patience

 

 

 

A friend once told me, “Patience is for other people.” I’m pretty sure she was (mostly) joking, but it got me thinking . . .

Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet. – Aristotle

It’s easy to be patient when we’re not in a hurry. Being able to wait peacefully, though, when the pressure is on? That’s another thing altogether.

Long lines at the grocery store, traffic jams, slow service at a restaurant, dawdling children. In today’s world, with so much going on, so many places to go, things to do, it’s easy to become impatient.

This article from Mindful.Org asks, “Does your indignation toward another person feel good?”   No. No, it doesn’t.

Our impatience doesn’t make us feel better  – and it doesn’t improve the situation at all. Think about it – the last time you were in line behind someone taking an hour to unload their cart at the grocery store, were you helped at all by your frustration? Did that line move any faster?

What happens if we reframe the situation, though? We might feel compassion for the person who is slower to move and we might even offer to help him with his load. We might feel grateful that we are able-bodied and that we have food to eat.

Compassion and gratefulness feel so much better than indignation. 

When we’re feeling impatient, we are not living in the present moment. We are looking forward to being done, moving on, getting another item crossed off our list – so we can move on to the next item.

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Stop. Take a deep breath. Notice everything going on around you. Practice compassion and gratefulness, and you’ll soon be a more patient and peaceful person.

Patience is not simply the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.

For more inspiration, follow Brush Dance on Instagram and Facebook.

Mindful Monday – Difficult Times

View this post on Instagram

"Remember when life's path is steep to keep your mind even." – Horace . . . #qotd #quoteoftheday #brushdance #mindfulliving #mindfuldays #mindfulness #wordsofwisdom #quoteswelove #mindfulmonday #mondaymotivation #mindfulness #horacequotes #horace #buddha #zen #philosophy

A post shared by Brush Dance, Inc. (@brush_dance) on Feb 12, 2018 at 4:33am PST

Welcome to another Mindful Monday.

Here are some ideas for a rainy day. For the days when nothing seems to be going right, for those periods of time when everything seems to be going wrong. How can we maintain mindfulness in the face of difficult times?

Acknowledge The Situation – Stay present, acknowledge that things are challenging right now. Pay attention to your body, to your feelings. In short, don’t abandon yourself during a crisis.

Just Breathe – Focus on your breathing – inhale, exhale. Close your eyes, relax your body. (Pro Tip: do this just a few minutes every day and you’ll be able to draw upon it during difficult situations.)

Daily Practice – During rough times, it’s easier to give up your daily practices – and it’s more important than ever that you don’t.

You usually cook healthy meals, but the stress of the day has you heading for the nearest drive-thru. Resist. Keeping up with daily practices (exercise, meditation, creative endeavors) during times of challenge is another way to be kind to yourself.

Remain Grateful – Gratitude is one of the foundations of joy. Find and acknowledge the small positive things in your life even when everything else has gone to trash.

Get Support – Call on others to help you through sticky situations. Friends and relatives are great. Enlisting the help of a mental health professional or church clergy can give you a fresh perspective and offer healing in a non-judgmental setting.

Want to learn more? I found this great article: The Science and Practice of Staying Present Through Difficult Times

 

Leuchtturm Journals and Notebooks Available at Brush Dance