Travel
Esther Swaty
Moving to Austin, Texas

It’s hard to believe I from Seattle in Austin, Texas on August 8, 2019 and now I’ve almost been here for two weeks. In a way it feels like so much has happened and so little at the same time. The story of how my partner and I ended up in Austin is long and short.

Moving to Austin, Texas
Learning, Social Media
Esther Swaty
Today’s Citizens Must Equip Themselves For The ...

Today, data and algorithms have influence over everything from our democracy, to our homes, to our work. We are in an era of seemingly unlimited technological progress and the speed of innovation requires citizens to be engaged in non-partisan learning and discussion. We don’t have to know everything but we need to know enough to think critically and ask questions about the technologies being developed, as well as be able to hold accountable the individuals and organizations creating them.

Today’s Citizens Must Equip Themselves For The Technological Future

Meditation

Develop A Morning Ritual

My favorite mornings begin with a steaming hot shower followed by the whistling of a boiling tea kettle. I make a cup of my favorite tea (you can order some for yourself here), then with a match I light some candles and sit in my sacred space. There is something about beginning my day in this way that puts an imagined armor or protective bubble around me. Because let's be honest just surviving your day, much less being empowered to make it something amazing can be a lot of work. In order to be fully alive, to be deeply in touch with who we are, so that we can infuse it into all we do -- we must dedicate some time. YOU are worthy of investing in. I have found that these quiet moments anchor me and prepare me for the day ahead.

“But this is what I’ve learned the hard way: what people think about you means nothing in comparison to what you believe about yourself.” ― Shauna Niequist

Typically as I sit sipping my tea I also journal about the previous day, processing whatever may be on my heart or mind. If I have nothing to write, or feel like I'm in a weird place, then I will read something which I think will light the fire within. There were months where every day I would read a page of two from Big Magic, and recently I have been soaking up Present Over Perfect. There is a power that can come from reading the right words, at the right time. So when you are choosing a book to incorporate into your morning ritual, make sure it is one that resonates with where you are in the season of your life.

To be quite honest, there are some seasons where I am really good at having a morning ritual and other times where this ritual has been utterly neglected. I went through a year of having very inconsistent quiet times and it truly had an affect on me. When life gets busier is when our rituals tend to fall by the wayside, but those are the times when we need them to root and sustain us the most. Our energy affects the people around us, so if we are not taking care of ourselves we will be a conduit of anxiousness, stress, etc. instead of being a source of calm, love and joy.

“Everything we do is infused with the energy with which we do it. If we're frantic, life will be frantic. If we're peaceful, life will be peaceful. And so our goal in any situation becomes inner peace.” ― Marianne Williamson

Perhaps it's time to revisit your morning ritual. It's ok if it's not the same every day, the really important thing is that your morning starts in a beautiful way, so that you are filled with a brilliant calm and happiness which will spill onto others throughout your day. Don't let your days run you, instead be intentional -- it's amazing to watch what will happen when your perspective is light and hopeful from the very start of your day.

“When a woman rises up in glory, her energy is magnetic and her sense of possibility contagious.” ― Marianne Williamson