Stories (23/0)
The Art of Loving Yourself — Part 1 of 8
The Past What does it mean to have self-compassion? It is to smile at oneself. It is being supportive, kind, and caring, honoring and respecting my needs, and holding myself in a safe and loving space. It creates ease in living.
By Annette Kim4 years ago in Motivation
The Magic of Dirt
Texas Smells Like Summer Camp Since living in Elgin, a town 40 miles east of Austin, Jim and I have been tending to a little garden and I am in love. The plot lies at the front of the house, adjacent to the road and shaded by a line of bushy trees. The entrance to the garden is through an iron-wrought fence that’s rusted quite prettily and is draped in grape ivy from one robust vine. The bunches of grapes are numerous. They feel velvety and cool to the touch and hang heavy with a beautiful weight to them.
By Annette Kim4 years ago in Motivation
Vision Quest: An Encounter with Me and Myself
Sacred Ground Two weeks ago, starting on Monday night, I entered a fast that lasted through Thursday. In March, I made a commitment to fast the first three days of every month for the year. Each time it comes up, dread swirls with lack and craving and desire. This feeling is tempered through the fast and yet, that moment in the beginning when the three days stretch forth from me ages away creates this deep dislike in my bones that curls my toes. I embrace the suck and do it anyway. In some ways it is a masochistic part of myself that is massaged. Type 2 Fun, like hiking a steep mountain - painful and yet full of pleasure.
By Annette Kim4 years ago in Potent
Life as a Housesitter: From East Coast Suburbia to Texas Countryside
The Porch I love this country life. I love it so much I’ve been waking up at 4:30am for the chance to appreciate it dressed in its early morning garb. It is nice being alone in my solitude, the morning chill lying just outside the window, the darkness and silence settled like a blanket covering the world that lies in a murmuring sleep. The land is absolutely beautiful and we live in a farmhouse that is just the perfect size: nothing more, nothing less.
By Annette Kim4 years ago in Wander
An Orgasm Without Touch
Breathing This morning, we did Mike Chang’s Flow exercise, Day 15 of his 30 Day Challenge. The breath work at the end was the standard 3 minutes, in and out through the mouth, focusing on the inhale over the exhale structure. Then, at the end, instructed to inhale, hold, I did so.
By Annette Kim4 years ago in Filthy
Letting Go of Darkness Into Light
Changing Seasons The last week in New Hampshire was an intense one. There were a series of revelations that led me to where I am now – in an era of a new spring, where the buds are budding, their tiny leaves plaintive and unfurling. The practices that I’ve been learning this past year: mindfulness, meditation, listening/communication, presence, and awareness, are finally beginning to fruit and I am discovering peace that I’ve been searching for.
By Annette Kim4 years ago in Psyche
The Creature in Pawtuckaway Lake
The Thaw The barely there sunlight tickled her eyelids open that first morning on the lake and they fluttered prettily in the still air of the bedroom. The right side of her face mashed against the pillow, she stared lazily out the window at the serene lake.
By Annette Kim4 years ago in Horror
5 Badass Book Reviews
Why I Read When we arrived at this house sitting gig in New Hampshire, our host introduced us to the house and gave us the lay of the land, including the guest room with a bookcase full of random, interesting books. From pop fiction to how to win poker hands and the stock market, to the Holy Bible and more, it seemed to have something for everyone, including me. He recommended The Book of Joy and I, recognizing a sign when I hear it, immediately dug in.
By Annette Kim4 years ago in Geeks
I'm Moving Cross-Country During the Pandemic
The News Jim and I are moving to Austin at the end of April. Although it’s coming up in a little over a week and we’re well into making plans, it still seems distant in my mind. What adds to the surreal feeling of it all is COVID-19 and its associated measures.
By Annette Kim4 years ago in Wander