 Dear Friends,
I was telling you about my plum tree bursting with fruit last week, and the new perspective it gave me…which is all true and good, but that whole blog post on perspective last week didn’t actually start with an overly abundant plum tree or a deer. Last week I was having a dilemma…and I didn’t know what to do about it. I went back and forth, mulling over what I should do, with zero clearer perspective on this particular issue. So I reached out to a friend…a friend with whom I knew had experienced this exact same dilemma, but on the other side of it. I needed her perspective and wisdom, I needed to see things from her side instead of my own, because I wasn’t getting anywhere on my own. And, my friends, she didn’t tell me what I wanted to hear, but she did tell me what I needed to hear. She gave me that perspective I needed for this particular place and time. Sometimes we just can’t get that perspective on our own, but if we’re willing to reach out, stay curious and open, and listen to the wisdom of those around us, sometimes we can get that perspective we need. And while that plum tree is still bursting with plums, in addition to plums both moldering in my yard and feeding some very grateful deer, slowly by slowly we’re making some of those plums into jam. Have an amazing week, my friend. Love Krista
0 Comments
 Dear Friends,
I have this sand plum tree in my front yard that is just bursting with fruit. I came home the other day to an adorable deer, having the time of their life under said tree, chomping away at the various plumbs on the ground When I moved into my house in November I got all excited about the thought of planting multiple dwarf fruit trees in my backyard so that I could harvest the fruit in season. I reached out to my brother-in-law, asking for tips and tricks. I told multiple people excitedly about my plan. I was all set on executing as soon as I could. And, let me tell you, a few weeks with too many ripe sand plums in my front yard has completely changed my perspective on this matter…while some have time, at this juncture in my life, I am not one of those who has time for harvesting one fruit tree, let alone multiple. Now, the deer on the other hand, they for sure appreciate all the extra fruit in their lives, and I am happy for them…but certainly not willing to provide more. I was all set to go…it took tangible experience and perspective on this matter to change my mind…and boy am I grateful for that experience to help shape my perspective. I know there are areas in life where we can see the way forward with ease, and then there are areas where we need that tangible experience and perspective to find our way forward. And my friend, I hope if you need that tangible experience you can experience it with growth and gratitude. And if anyone needs any sand plums, don’t worry, I’ve got your back. Have an amazing week. Love Krista  Dear Friends,
My mama and I were on a walk along Sligo Creek earlier this week. She and my dad are visiting from California this past week and next…so in-between classes and a client she and I went for a lovely walk along the creek…admiring the trees, the birds and the charming bridges and the stunning views of the creek along the path as it meanders. As we arrived home it started to rain, and as I left for my client the rain increased to a downpour that continued for most of the hour and a half I was out. As I drove home from my client following the same creek we had walked along just an hour and half prior, I noticed that the creek had changed from its regular size, abet slightly elevated from the raininess of the past few weeks, to a roaring, muddy river, overflowing its banks and moving at great speeds. I was thinking, on the way home, about how there are times when, just like that creek, unexpected changes are almost instantaneous…but learning to breathe, move, and find grounding in the world around us can help us move through those unexpected changes with a little more grace and ease. Have an amazing week, my friend. Love Krista  Dear Friends,
I was walking through Brookside Gardens and Rock Creek recently, thinking about one being beautifully curated, one in its natural state, and the beauty in both. I was thinking more about our tendency to present the curated version of our lives instead of that natural state. As I said last week, I don’t particularly think there’s anything wrong with presenting a version of the truth, while choosing to improve areas that we are presenting…so long as we also deeply know our worth. I think we do have a tendency to view that airbrushed version of us as the “more valid” version of ourselves, when it’s simply not. Our worth is not tied to what we look like, what we do or how we present ourselves. My dear friend, if you find yourself tying your worth to a presentation of yourself, I wonder how it might feel to practice telling yourself how worthy you are, just as you are…no pretense, no airbrushing. It does take practice. It’s not like we’re going to wake up one day knowing our own inherent worth, it takes telling ourselves and reminding ourselves that our worth is not what we do, what we look like, or how we present ourselves…we are worthy no matter what. My dear friend, I hope, this week, you are willing and able to practice telling yourself how worthy you are, even if it feels awkward and uncomfortable. Have an amazing week. Love Krista  Dear Friends,
All the airbrushing in the world…it might change the way we look, but, my friend, it doesn’t change our worth. This past weekend I had the privilege of spending the weekend with dear friends from far away. At one point in the weekend one of my friends took a picture of me in front of a monument, and then showed me how he can, on his phone, erase people and things that were not meant to be in the picture. The next day, after I took a picture, I tried, to no avail, to take a pile of trash out of said picture. We all airbrush our lives to a certain extent, right? Whether it’s with good make-up and nice clothes, getting braces or changing our bodies in other ways, controlling what photos get put up on social media, or taking people and things out of pictures that were not meant to be there…or a gamut of other ways we airbrush our lives…we all do it. And, my friend, I don’t necessarily think there’s anything innately wrong with the ways we airbrush our lives….so long as we also know, deep in our bones, that those airbrushed parts of us are not where our worth lies. We are worthy even with zero airbrushing…we are worthy simply because. My dear friend, I hope you can see and feel your own worthiness, deep in your bones…your very real, non-airbrushed self. Have an amazing week. Love Krista  “Spend the afternoon, you can’t take it with you”
Dear Friends, Sometimes you take connection when you can get it, even when said connection is short and brief. Last week I had this little window of time…both my boys and a friend happened to be at my house at the same time even though they had to leave post-haste, we were all up for it, and so we spent 40 minutes taking a little afternoon walk…we jumped over rocks and I showed them my favorite spot by the creek, we spent a bit of time bothering some adorable ducklings. We enjoyed the trees, the water and some spectacular weather. It was a brief moment in time, a brief moment of connection. If we’re being real honest, I had other things I needed to be doing during that time, life, work, things I was behind on that I needed to get caught up on. But, my friend, we can’t take that afternoon with us, we must spend it. I think sometimes it’s hard to justify taking a pause and connecting when there are other pressing needs to fulfill, but my dear friend, that pause, that connection is so very important. So if you have an opportunity to find connection this week, however brief, I would encourage you to take it…spend that afternoon my friend, you can’t take it with you. Have an amazing week. Love Krista  Dear Friends,
Sometimes you just have cows blocking your way, right? A group of us were walking into the closest town, Liscannor, during our “break” day on retreat a few weeks ago. Now, town is a pretty generous word. This adorable town had a church, a school, an art gallery, a gas station, 4 pubs, and a few other businesses. The first day on retreat our guide Patrick showed us the easiest way to walk into while avoiding the main road…part of that walk was directly through a field. He said it was fine to walk through it, but to avoid the cows, especially the mamas with the babies. So, as was predictable, when we got to said field those mamas and babies were directly in our path. Seeing no way forward except through, we got into the field, and then just made a nice leisurely U shape around the cows, giving them a wide berth as we walked through the field. My friend, perhaps there aren’t cows, but sometimes there are things in our way…and there are times when the correct solution is to simply walk on through. But sometimes taking the leisurely way around might be the best way forward. I hope if something blocks your path this week, you will have the wisdom and discernment to know whether to walk on through or take the long way around. Have an amazing week, my friend. Love Krista  Dear Friends,
This past week I had the great privilege of leading a retreat to the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, Ireland. It was an amazing week of connection, adventure, beautiful country, a gorgeous retreat center, delicious food, a few fabulous musical performances by our cook and a few of our retreat attendees, and, surprisingly, the best weather ever…sunny and beautiful every single day of our trip. Our first full day at the retreat center, our tour guide Patrick picked us up to head over to the Cliffs of Moher. He had chosen a special spot, away from the crowds, where we could hike and learn about the area where we were staying for the week. He had received permission from all the right people for our adventure. And yet, when we got to the trail, we were unable to continue on our way and had to quickly change course and plans for our adventure that day. But, my friend, we still had an amazing and wonderful day, seeing the cliffs and the beauty around us, and learning about the history and culture of the area we were standing on. We might have had a slight change in our plans, and yet our day was not ruined by our slight change. I’ve been thinking about how life sometimes throws us slight, or less than slight, changes…those changes are a part of all of our experiences as we walk through life…and I do think there are areas where we can choose how we are going to show up in those inevitable changes. We can see those changes and find a way forward even if it looks a little different then we were anticipating, or we can find ourselves stuck in what we think “should” have happened. My dear friend, if life has thrown a change in your path, I hope you can see that change, find a way forward, and continue on your adventure. Have an amazing week. Love Krista  Dear Friends,
I was thinking about the different seasons, and how we are in a season of rapid growth and change in the world…when a few short weeks ago the world around us was bare and stark, now we can see new growth all around us. But even in those stark months, when we couldn’t see the change happening around us, change was still there. It was still happening. The world was shifting and preparing during that time for this time of growth and change. I think there’s a tendency, when we’re in the middle of that space of stagnation, to assume we are not not shifting and changing…but we are, my friend. It might not feel like change is occurring, it might feel frustrating because we can’t see the changes in our own lives, but change is a constant. My dear friend, if you’re feeling a little frustrated and stuck, I hope you can lean into this space you are in right now, you can see it as the important preparation for something new. Have an amazing week. Love Krista  Dear Friends,
If you’re in my area, clearly we all can see the changes in the world around us right now, with spring and the bright green leaves creating a canopy around us that a few short weeks ago was nowhere to be found. One thing I love about the changes in seasons is that tangible reminder in the physical world around us that we all go through rapid changes and growth at various times in our lives. There are times when change is slow, steady, so minute that we might not even notice it’s happening…and then there are times when we can feel the changes occurring….like the leaves on the trees at the beginning of spring, where growth is happening so fast you can practically see the change with your eyes in real time. Whatever season you happen to be in right now, I hope you’re able to notice and embrace this season as you journey through life. Have an amazing week, my friend. Love Krista  Dear Friends,
My son, a friend and I were at the National Arboretum this past weekend, enjoying spring, the azaleas, and the beautiful weather when we stumbled across this tiny old neoclassical garden structure moldering in abandonment. It looked like it hadn’t been touched in 30 years and was being taken over by the brush and weeds surrounding it. My son shimmied across a tree over some water to get to said structure and investigate. He found it was placed there, I’m sure with love and care, by a ladies garden club back in the 1950’s, but for whatever reason had been left to slowly disintegrate in some forgotten corner of the arboretum, slowly consumed by the vines surrounding it and returning to the earth. I was thinking this week about that structure…and how it mirrors our intentions at times. We have the best of intentions, and yet life, time, space gets in the way and sometimes our good intentions begin to molder in some forgotten corner of our mind. My dear friend, if there are intentions that feel correct to get back to in your life right now, I hope you can bring them out of the corner of your mind…and if there are intentions that are best left to molder, I hope you can let them go without judgement. Have an amazing week. Love Krista  Dear Friends,
Here we are, weeks later and while all the cherry blossoms have fallen, there sure are a bevy of blossoms, flowers, now azaleas showing off their stunning colors. I’ve been thinking a lot this past week about our inevitable periods of life intensity, and the burn out that sometimes follows said life intensity. I don’t know about you, but I personally have a hard time delegating or shifting responsibility off myself in times of intensity. Sometimes I simply choose to trudge through instead of asking for what I need from those around me There is a deep vulnerability in asking for help, in asking for what we need, it’s not easy for many of us. There’s an amount of fear and embarrassment that at times crops up when we do need help…and yet, there’s beauty in being willing to step into that deep vulnerability and ask for what we need. And I think, when we’re willing to step into that vulnerability, we not only allow ourselves to shift and grow, we also allow those around us to step into their own vulnerability a little more fully, in turn allowing them to shift and grow in their own lives. My dear friend, I hope, this week, you are able to ask for what you need. Have an amazing week. Love Krista  Dear Friends,
It has been just a bevy of spring flowers, blossoms, bright green bursting into life all around us this week. It seems like everywhere one looks is a different spectacular color and display. As I’ve been noticing the colors, the trees, and the world around me this past week, I once again started thinking about our very short Cherry Blossom season this year. Yes, the blossoms were beautiful, even with a very short season of life this year…yes, they were spectacular…and yet, with the intense heat they burned out in a very short period of time. We all do that at times also, right? This period of life intensity, followed by the inevitable burn out. But I wonder how it might feel if we try to take a step back when we start to feel that intensity. I wonder how it might feel if we recognize that intensity and take steps to slow down, to be more intentional in the areas in our work or life that are beginning to feel intense. I wonder if, when we get really busy, we make it a point to treat ourselves with kindness and respect. I know it’s easier said than done, for all of us…but I think, with a little bit of intention, we can begin to step back and notice. I hope you have an amazing week, my friends. Love Krista  Dear Friends,
There’s this neighborhood in the DC area that happens to be the most magical neighborhood in the world this time of year. Every year, a few days after the Tidal Basin cherry blossoms reach peak bloom, the Kenwood neighborhood in Maryland bursts into life…stuffed to the gills with cherry trees lining the streets making tree tunnels everywhere you look. Canopies of blossoms all around. Get there in the right week during the year and anywhere your eyes land is surrounded by the puffy light pink branches filled with blossoms. I was walking through the neighborhood earlier this week and as I walked a big gust of wind blew and suddenly the world was a snowglobe of cherry blossoms surrounding me on all sides, absolutely filling me with joy. This year’s cherry blossom season was particularly short. A burst of intense heat coupled with wind and rain right after peak bloom made for sparse blossoms within days of blooming. The season was short, but just because it was short doesn’t mean it was less beautiful. My dear friend, I hope we can take in and enjoy the beauty around us, no matter how long it lasts. Have an amazing week, my friend. Love Krista  Dear Friends,
This past weekend I had the privilege of traveling to California for a quick trip to meet my “bonus” niece and nephew, my former husband’s niece and nephew. It was a wonderful weekend full of connection with people I just absolutely love, and I left California with a heart full, feeling all the warm fuzzies and gratitude. As I was staring out the window on the way home, watching a spectacular sunset and reflecting on the weekend…feeling all the gratitude for the fact that, even in this changed state of relationship, I have been able to keep these people who have always been precious to me in my life, the statement that kept coming into my mind and heart was “lead with kindness”. Now, leading with kindness doesn’t always mean staying in relationship with people at all costs. There are times when leading with kindness means walking away from relationships that do not serve us. There are times when leading with kindness means creating firm boundaries in our lives. I think there are times when leading with kindness might not look or feel so kind to folks around us. Even so, I think we all have a choice in how we show up in our lives, and we all have the ability to reflect on our own actions and lead with kindness…and I think, when we are willing to lead with kindness, we can have a richer and fuller life. My dear friend, I hope if given the opportunity this week, you can lead with kindness a little bit more. Have an amazing week. Love Krista  Dear Friends,
Yesterday was the Spring Equinox, the marking of the official beginning of spring, when the day and the night are equal all over the world. Yesterday might have marked the specific day, but there have been signs of change these past several weeks. The birds have been more active, singing and foraging for food. The snowdrops and daffodils have sprung up these past several weeks. My favorite little yellow flowers have begun to blanket the floor of the park, making me smile as I meander past them. The days have gotten warmer and brighter. This past week in my neighborhood, droves of cherry trees have burst forth in blossom, lining streets and showing off their colors with bright pink blossoms. This season change has felt good, correct, needed in my own life personally. But, my friends, I know not all change feels good, correct, and needed right now. My dear friend, if you have change in your own life that simply doesn’t feel good right now, like many of us do, I hope you can continue to see and feel the change that does feel good, you can embrace the spaces in life that feel correct and stable, and you can breathe a little deeper and find a little more grounding in the spaces that might feel a bit more destabilizing today. Have an amazing week, my friend. Love Krista  Dear Friends,
This past week my older son has been home for his spring break…and one of the fun and exciting things he got to do over his break this year was…wait for it…getting his wisdom teeth pulled. Now, I don’t know about you all, but when I got my wisdom teeth pulled years ago I was laid up and swollen for several days after said appointment. Not this kid. After a nice long nap that afternoon and a bath with epsom salts, he’s been totally fine. Minimal swelling, taking it a bit easier but mostly up to normal activities. Obviously his food has had to be modified, but other than that, the rest of his week has looked fairly normal. He and I were on a walk yesterday, enjoying a spectacular spring day by the creek, and as we were walking I was thinking about how different we all are. We might have the same or similar outside stimulus, and yet totally different reactions in our bodies and our minds. But, my friends, just because my son had an easier time with his surgery and recovery, doesn’t make my own lived experience less valid, and vice versa. We each get to have our own lived experiences. I think there are times we have a tendency to diminish our own experiences, or the experiences of those around us based on the erroneous conception that, because our stimulus was the same, our experiences must be also…but I think it’s important to let ourselves and those around us have our own, unique, lived experience. I hope you have an amazing week, my friend. Love Krista  Dear Friends,
I stumbled across this picture a few days ago, taken down by the wharf in DC after my kids jazz concert several years ago. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the world at times, and, I think for many, now is one of those times. I’ve been thinking about this picture over the past few days…and the thing that I keep coming back to is the fact that no one person can do everything…but everyone can do something. Everyone can do something. We can all do something to make the world better and brighter, we all have that ability. So, my dear friend, I encourage you to spread love, be a light, be a brightness in the world around you. When you’re feeling overwhelmed and scared, when you’re feeling like there’s nothing you can do to help the world around you, know you can make a difference. There are ways we can show up in the world and make it even a little better. And speaking of overwhelming times, please know, if you find yourself financially unstable, but want to keep or start a movement practice, please reach out. I feel so wildly grateful for all my students who allow me to keep doing this work that I love, and I value the work I do and I know you all value the work that I do, but please know all you need to do is reach out and we can work something out together. Have an amazing week, my friend. Love Krista  Dear Friends,
Cultivating carefree in our lives doesn’t have to be big and transformative, it can be small and every day. The little things matter, they add up, they make a difference. This week, cultivating carefree for me looked like getting a couple of bird feeders so my cat and I could sit and watch the birds in the front and the back of the house. Cultivating carefree meant intentionally going for a walk in the woods with a friend, and exploring an art museum with my son. It was purposefully sitting and watching the sunset one night. Cultivating carefree looked like cleaning my house so I could sit and relax without thinking I needed to do something. It meant making enough food so I’d have leftovers and therefore wouldn’t have to think about food very much this week while still feeding myself well. None of those cultivations solved anything that is going on in the world right now…and, my friends, the anxiety surrounding us is real and oppressive…and for many directly affects lives. And yet, while those cultivations may not solve anything that is going on in the world, I do think they allow us as individuals to show up for ourselves, those around us, and the world at large in a fuller and healthier way…and it’s really important to show up for ourselves, those around us and the world right now. My dear friend, I hope, this week, you can be a little more intentional about finding ways to bring joy to your life, cultivating a bit more carefree along the way. Have an amazing week, my friend. Love Krista  Dear Friends,
This past week I had the deep privilege of leading a retreat to the beautiful Costa Rica for a week. It was a fabulous week of connection, adventure, rest, yoga and movement, fantastic food that appeared magically and just plain fun. Mid-week, as I was floating in the pool with a few other ladies, one of my retreat goers said this week was the most carefree she thinks she’s been since she was a child. That statement has been turning over in my mind ever since. Obviously we can’t live in a state of carefree all the time, we have responsibilities and daily tasks that have to get done. We have a life that has to be lived. We have to feed and clothe ourselves and those with whom we’re responsible for. But, my friend, I think there is a deep benefit in finding spaces of carefree…and I wonder how it might feel in our minds and our bodies if we spent a little more time stepping away and cultivating carefree spaces even in the midst of our very real responsibilities. I do think that, while it might help, we don’t have to exit our lives to cultivate carefree spaces. I think we can cultivate those spaces of carefree while living in the here and now, even in the midst of times that feel overwhelming and stressful. I hope, this week, that you are able to find a little more carefree in your own life, my friend. Love Krista |
Hi, I'm Krista!Krista Mason is a movement instructor based in Washington DC. She founded an online strength, yoga and movement studio, teaches group classes, hosts both local and overseas retreats, hangs out with private clients, and absolutely loves the work she gets to do. Archives
July 2025
|
RSS Feed