Gratitude, like mindfulness, is a practice. It requires time, effort, and consistent attention to be cultivated. All of that seems near impossible if you are a busy parent, but the practice of gratitude can be sown in the briefest of moments. It starts with being aware and having presence. Being aware of our present moment creates the opportunity for gratitude, even when that moment might be a challenging one.
“Breast is Best”. “Breastfeeding is Natural.” As accurate as these slogans may be, breastfeeding doesn’t always come easily for many women. From latch challenges to supply problems, any mom – first time or not – can run into hurdles when it comes to breastfeeding. Our culture and the lack of support around breastfeeding can exacerbate the situation and make staying the course even harder. Without the pillars of support and community, moms face both obstacles and social pressures that often deter them from nursing their children. As the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) rightly notes, moms need support every step of the way.
We all know the general issues with single-use plastics, but it is always staggering to revisit some of the statistics, and good to share solutions we can implement personally, and within our communities. One of the Holistic Moms Network’s Guiding Principles is teaching our children to respect and care about the natural world. Another is living more simply and consuming less in an effort to reduce our impact on the environment and to emphasize non-material values. Teaching our kids about the issues with plastic, and how to reduce our use, as well as how to help bring change, is an important piece of these principles.
The Holistic Moms Network (HMN) has recently seated a new Board of Trustees and named three new officers to lead the organization. Board Members include Barbara Arango, CAE, of Palatine, IL, Michael Connolly of Glen Gardner, NJ, and Megan Strauss, LMSW, of Salida, CO. Ms. Arango, a current Executive Director in the association space, has assumed the role of Chair. Mr. Connolly, retired VP-Treasurer of Tiffany & Co, was chosen as HMN Treasurer. Mrs. Strauss, a current Executive Director and Founder of a Colorado non-profit has been named Secretary.
by Nancy Peplinsky, Founder, Holistic Moms Network “Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.” -Khalil Gibran If there can be silver linings for the pandemic […]
May is a month when moms are celebrated. At HMN we celebrate moms every day of the year! Join us as we strive to be that space full of mamas and families who are… open to learning and sharing knowledge, who are accepting of others’ wisdom, who understand the immense benefit of belonging to something you are invested in, to building a village that is a safe space, a respite from the division, a comforting space of understanding. We welcome you wherever you are on your journey. We invite you to join our nonprofit organization as a supporting community member… to be a part of the space we provide for intentional holistic community to share a piece of yourself with […]
Tell us about your family: My husband and I have 3 children, my stepdaughter who is 14, my son who is two and a half, and my daughter who is 9 months. How long have you been a co-leader of HMN? I have been a co-leader of the MN-St. Cloud HMN Community for only a little while but look to getting more involved. What brought you to HMN? Wanting to connect with the local community and like-minded families My holistic passions are… Supporting local, community connectedness, and making informed choices I’m a chapter co-leader because… I want to help those in the community get connected and supported Get to know Kari: “Fear of the unknown. They are afraid of new […]
Tell us about your family: I have been married to my husband for 4.5 years. We have a 2.5 year old daughter and a 7 month old daughter. How long have you been a co-leader of HMN? I was originally a member of the St. Cloud chapter, but recently moved closer to the cities and became a co-leader for the Twin Cities chapter. What brought you to HMN? Since having children I have become very passionate about living a more holistic lifestyle. It can feel isolating at times not having a support system that understands questioning and not choosing to do everything the “mainstream” way. I’m grateful to have found the HMN community where we can all nonjudgmentally […]
I was born a “not enough” person. I’m not sure where it all began but my parents would recount stories of my utter distress in kindergarten when I didn’t earn a gold star from the teacher. In high school, they repeatedly told me to fail something so that I could learn that my world would not end when I did. I was a born Type A – highly motivated, always striving, and never getting to enough.
“Hope is a seed.”
I found these words in one of my favorite gardening catalogues because gardening is the ultimate metaphor for life. Every seed embodies the very essence of hope. Hope for the first sign of those little green seedlings poking through the dark soil. Hope for the budding on growing plants reaching for the sun. Hope for a beautiful, healthy harvest of color and richness.
