Summer of .....?

I attended a beautiful intimate dinner on Friday evening hosted by a dear friend/mentor/sister. The theme of the gathering: nourishment.

She invited a few close friends who deeply nurtured and nourished her to her gorgeous Mexico-inspired, art-filled home in downtown Austin. We dined on an amazing green curry with fish, basmati rice, green goddess salad (prepared by the beautiful Meg with Spoon) and had the opportunity to really slow down and be with one another in a way that is rare and beautiful.

The experience re-affirmed for me how important play, pleasure, enjoyment, heart-felt connection and contentment are in my life (I’m reading the wonderful Big Leap by Gay Hendricks right now where I’m exploring the concept of “expanding how contented” one can feel; I highly recommend this book).

These experiences have inspired me to come up with my list of things I intend to do this summer (check out my June newsletter for support on creating an intentional summer).

I’ll share this in case it might inspire you to create your own list:

*Host an intimate house concert with the huge-hearted, deeply inspiring, ever-so-beautiful Sara Hickman
*Give—through creating and offering a supportive, empowering You’re the Master, Not the Slave yummy small business workshop for close friends—many of whom are newbie entrepreneurs
*Cook a lot—using my herb garden, lots of fresh local berries, trying new dishes, with my sweet son, for friends and people I love
*Intentionally build a strong, beautiful support team for my business so that the fall is joyful, easy and prosperous (and of course, fun!)
*Take my son to visit lots of natural areas, lakes, rivers, springs and off-the-beaten path swimming holes, including early morning kayaking on our nearby lake
*Attend a wonderful, women’s retreat in a beautiful, cool and spirit-filled location (heading to Kripalu in July)
*Be extra loving to my body, enjoying lots of Nia classes, walking, yoga and resistance training--that build my inner and outer strength
*Carve out time many evenings throughout the summer to enjoy my partner’s sweet company-- talking, relaxing, walking, meditating and laughing together
*Sign up for this wonder community supported agriculture program and spend some time working on this farm, harvesting veggies with my seven year-old
*Hear, experience and enjoy lots of music—thank God I’m in a community where this is possible daily!

If you filled in the blank “Summer of ___________,” what is it you most want to experience in the next 12 precious weeks?

P.S. MARK YOUR CALENDAR: I invite you to join me in a virtual living room to experience a taste of a Personal Renewal Group (PRG) for women and learn about the Power of Self-Care. Register today for our free June 11th PRG Sampler class—it’s interactive, but you’re welcome to just drop in and listen.

Thousands of women around the world are gathering in small intentional self-renewal circles each month, learning to Live Inside Out (become a fan on the Live Inside Out Facebook page). Join us!

The Journey, a blog about coach/author/entrepreneur Renee Trudeau’s personal journey to life balance and living life from the inside out, comes out weekly. Subscribe here. For more information on Renee’s upcoming events, click here.

Photo: Renee Peterson Trudeau, standing on a fishing pier in Port Aransas in the Gulf of Mexico watching an unbelievable storm roll in. Going to the beach always reminds me of how much I love summer.