jennifer louden

A fab reader Mindy Essex asked me a fab question and I, in turn, do what I do best: asked other fab people - my heart tribe - what they think. Shaazzam! A post chock-a-block-full of fab-u-licious ideas. If  you read this and aren't inspired, please have somebody check your pulse. You may have died without noticing. But wait! You might ask, what was the question? If you had to relocate to a place in which you ...

Curt Rosengren, Molly Gordon, and I had lunch last week and I could hardly stay in my seat. Now I am a bit of a jumping bean at the best of times but what had me excited wasn't the company or the gluten free pizza – although both of those were super yummy – it was the model that Curt shared with Molly and I. He has one of those magical minds that sees patterns and ...

Archetypes lend energy. Split open limitations. Download ancient truths. Pop you out of ordinary into lush wild what ifs. They can act as personal courage power strips - plug yourself in.  Archetypes give you backbone. And... archetypes can feel removed, remote, fusty. I don't see myself as Athena or WonderWoman or Rosa Park because they don't feel attainable (well maybe WonderWoman's bra...). I know archetypes are not supposed to be attainable but still, I need a bridge between ...

Lissa gave me one of the hands down best astrology/soul readings I have ever received. That was about a year and a half ago. I have read it and re-read it. It is poetry that whispers to the fulfillment of my creative heart. I have no idea how she does what she does - magic??? She's wise beyond wise. Please investigate her world. Welcome Lissa! What are you savoring these days? My husband. Our marriage. I fell in ...

In a large measure, becoming a writer consists of learning to accept yourself, which makes your work personal, and in following your own voice, which makes your work distinctive.”  Art & Fear by Bayles & Orland I know self-acceptance is the key to getting your creative work out - out of you, out into the world, out damn spot. But it's so difficult to access that sweet little truth when I'm having a run of crappy ...

I first meet Lori Deschene through her tweets - she tweets as Tiny Buddha. I wondered, "Who is Tiny Buddha??" Intrigued, I investigated and found a shining soul and a wonderful, vulnerable, wise writer. I also totally fell for her publishing philosophy at the wildly popular Tiny Buddha community she created: "Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just ...

The word "shero" reentered my life at the end of August 2010.  I had taken a month long digital sabbatical - no email, no social media - so I could listen more deeply to what was calling to me. Right at the end of my sabbatical, Kripalu contacted me about my yearly teaching gig. Martha asked me if I would consider doing two retreats with them, my usual Luscious Self-Care Retreat and... what else? The words "Shero's ...

I am writing a novel. Again. Is the 3rd time charm? I shout "Yes! Yes! Yes!" and throw my arms open wide... and then I fold my hands to my heart with a quiet, "May it be so." You see, in a long ago life, I was a screenwriter trying to "make it" in Hollywood. My entire identity depended upon making it. (The very words "make it" are so funny to me now.) I left that world to ...

You know how you "meet" someone through the interwebs, then you really meet in the flesh and maybe you are a little... underwhelmed? Or even a little... aghast? That is so not what happened when I finally meet Tara Sophia Mohr. Instead I felt like so lucky, as in "Oh my, really? A heart friend!" Jump up and down! Then she came to my Taos writing retreat and bam! Cement friends.

I first met Mollie on Twitter and I fell for her wide open optimism, which was good because then I learned how smart she is, how many gosh darn degrees the gal has, and how all around amazing she is. If I hadn't connected with her heart first, I would have never been brave enough to befriend her. Her Master Teacher interview for TeachNow is one of my favorite (and many students) because of her ...