"A well-designed life is a life that makes sense . . . a marvelous portfolio of experiences, of adventures, of failures that taught you important lessons, of hardships that made you stronger and helped you know yourself better, and of achievements and satisfactions." — Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans At the heart of choosing and the actively living a simply luxurious life, is to live a life tailored to each of us. It will be unique, it w...
Feb 04, 2019•33 min
"Resilence is more than bouncing back from adversity. People who are resilient keep pursuing their goals in the face of challenges. Consequently, learning how to regulate your brain's motivational machinery is a key aspect of resilence." —Rick Hanson, Ph. D, author of Resilient: How to Grown an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength and Happiness Living well and successfully reaching our fullest potential in part resides in understanding what is and is not in our control. Once we understand what we h...
Jan 28, 2019•34 min
"Finding an ease with what you are thinking, feeling, the world as it is, not necessarily accepting it, but not resisting it. This is contentment." —Andy Puddicombe The truth about contentment is that it is different than being happy. We cannot know what it feels like to be happy if we have not been sad, so therefore we cannot feel both simultaneously. The argument may be made that, feeling sad and happy at the same time is possible; that is the definition of a moment being bittersweet. But if y...
Jan 21, 2019•26 min
"When you take control of your mornings, you take control of your days. You get to engage with the world under your terms. You can act, instead of react ." —Hal Elrod, Miracle Morning Millionaires Reflect on those mornings in which you eagerly step out of bed regardless of the early hour. What was to happen in that day? Most likely, it was something you were excited to enjoy or partake in. Most likely it was something you loved doing or felt fortunate to have the opportunity to be a part of. How...
Jan 14, 2019•35 min
If you Google "self-care", more than two billion posts, articles, books and videos pop up. For a variety of reasons, many valid, self-care is topic of discussion in the world, and the reality that stress levels in America have increased for the first time in 10 years is evidence that perhaps we all would benefit from understanding the value of proper self-care. The topic is something that is indirectly discussed here on TSLL blog and the podcast since both were founded. But today I wanted to dig...
Jan 07, 2019•51 min
"In bringing about genuine inner transformation and change, the Dalai Lama emphasizes the importance of making a sustained effort. It is a gradual process." — The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living by The Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler, M.D. The resolutions whether you have concretely written them down or potential ideas of what you wish could improve in this new year are dancing about in your mind, are being considered because you recognize growth that you'd like to see in yourself and in...
Jan 01, 2019•22 min
Dec 31, 2018•41 min
Dec 24, 2018•58 min
Season 5 of The Simple Sophisticate podcast kicked off earlier this year in September. Just prior to beginning, I shared the schedule of the season (see below) so that listeners would know for sure which Mondays they could tune in to find new and inspiring content. But I must admit, as today approached, it was odd not to offer listeners something to begin their week (as only two new episodes were scheduled in December), so I have decided for the remaining three Mondays of 2018, to share with you...
Dec 17, 2018•47 min
"Things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power, power that is easily spoiled and lost when that simplicity is changed." —Benjamin Hoff, author of The Tao of Pooh ~Below is a list of the life lessons shared on today's podcast episode. For detailed conversation about each point, be sure to listen to the audio version as Shannon elaborates on each point. ~Correction 12/11/2018: The copyright of The Tao of Pooh is 1982. The copyright of The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is 1926...
Dec 10, 2018•36 min
"You should read this." "You should do this." "You shouldn't be wasting your time doing . . . " Over the past couple years I have been wrestling with the uncomfortability that piques me any time a friend, family member or even complete stranger states something including the word "should" in the declaration. And after much grappling, I discovered the root of my uneasiness each time the word would be stated/written with such ease from a speaker. Rather than motivating or inspiring one to act in a...
Dec 03, 2018•27 min
“There is nothing that makes me happier than sitting around the dinner table and talking until the candles are burned down.” ― Madeleine L'Engle, author of A Circle of Quiet Dinner parties. I would love to ask the question of what comes to mind when the phrase "dinner party" is expressed because depending upon so many factors - culture, familial experience, region of the country in which you live that you lived in and do now, and many more - we each have a perception of what a dinner party entai...
Nov 26, 2018•33 min
"Heat is the element of transformation. It is was takes raw to cooked, flabby to firm. Pale to golden brown. " — Salt, Fat, Heat, Acid , documentary, Samin Nosrat The topic of butterflies has been abundant here on TSLL blog - in 2011, What Butterflies Have Taught Me ; in 2016 - The Butterfly Moment in Life: Don't Wait, Just Live Well, episode #160; in 2010 - With Balance and Determination - and after reading these past posts, you will quickly see my long-held fascination with this transformative...
Nov 19, 2018•30 min
"I see inspiration everywhere - from the fashion flitting past as I am crossing 7th Avenue to the overgrown flowers exploding from the window boxes of the brownstones of the West Village to the monkeys blinking back at my son and me as we wander through the tropical zone of The Central Park Zoo. It is all waiting to be painted. I often feel giddy, dizzy, overwhelmed by all that there is to paint." — Inslee Fariss In February 2011 I first came across the watercolor fashion illustrations by Inslee...
Nov 12, 2018•43 min
"Becoming Parisian is possible, but remaining Parisian is an art." —Nathalie Peigney, author of Sophie the Parisian: Style Tips from a True Parisian Woman To spend time in Paris is to spend time in a city with a feminine energy. Simply the proper article spoken when saying the city of Paris is la ville de Paris which is feminine. But what exactly does that mean? And we should ask, does it mean anything at all? Perhaps it simply gives us permission to embrace and explore our emotions whatever the...
Nov 05, 2018•33 min
"Just by being a strong and kind, ambitious and likeable, empathetic and decisive, confident and flexible woman, you can help turn around the double standards we all face and permanently change the way women at work are perceived." —Fran Hauser, author of The Myth of the Nice Girl: Achieving a Career You Love Without Becoming a Person You Hate Authenticity is crucial for success, but for some reason, those of us who embody a propensity to be nice (both women and yes, men too) have often been mad...
Oct 29, 2018•37 min
Faith Salie's recent commentary on Breaking News and its meandering into becoming of lesser and lesser importance for the viewers to be interrupted sparked my attention when Salie offered a simple suggestion: more depth, less drama. As soon as she said it, my ears and mind perked up. What a simple approach to living well. An approach to welcome more substance, less stress, more enjoyment, less unnecessary conflict and more tranquility and less anxiety. Could it really be that simple? Let's start...
Oct 22, 2018•32 min
Autumn brings many revelations and rewards. From the harvest of bountiful fruits and vegetables that have been waiting for months to reach their peak of flavor to the brilliant turning of colors seen in the leaves and needles from deciduous and the rare deciduous conifer trees (American Larch or Tamarack). Autumn also reveals how well taken care of, how attentive we have been, to said crops and woods to enable them to reach this seasonal stage of harvest naturally and offer their full expression...
Oct 15, 2018•27 min
Home sweet Parisian home, whether you live in Paris or not. Ines de la Fressange is stepping into the sanctuary with her new book Maison: Parisian Chic at Home (see my profile posts of her previous style books here , here and here ), and along with her co-author Marin Montagut, they are both taking readers inside their own homes in Paris as well as inside 13 other Parisian apartments (the founder of Sézane, the duo behind the French decor and candle company Astier de Villatte , just to name a fe...
Oct 08, 2018•42 min
"Cozy living is about creating an atmosphere of warmth, contentment, and pleasure within your home and in your life. It is increasing your awareness of and focusing on embracing the simple, everyday moments to rise above problems, release stress, enjoy friends and family, and to appreciate all you experience." —Melissa Alvarez, author of The Simplicity of Cozy: Hygge, Lagom & the Energy of Everyday Pleasures Over the weekend, I took a day to spend time doing simple activities I don't always ...
Oct 01, 2018•36 min
~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #226 ~Subscribe to The Simple Sophisticate : iTunes | Stitcher | iHeartRadio | YouTube | Spotify Imagine you are walking upon a balance beam in a gymnastics center. Imagine your core is tight, your shoulders are back, your chin is parallel with the beam and your legs are engaged. And your eyes are focused not down, but at your desired destination - the end of the beam. In this moment, you are engaging your full body and mind. You are breathing deeply and steadil...
Sep 17, 2018•32 min
“Times of transition are strenuous but I love them. They are an opportunity to purge, rethink priorities, and be intentional about new habits. We can make our new normal any way we want.” —Kristin Armstrong, three-time Olympic gold medalist - road cycling As September arrives I find myself torn between the schedule I love during the summer months and the rigorous schedule I know that awaits me with school's commencement. It doesn't mean I don't enjoy what the new school year brings - new student...
Sep 10, 2018•29 min
"One of the greatest challenges we all face is to find a happy balance between the opportunities that are available to us, the media-implanted urge to have them all, and our own desire to keep focused on the things that really matter." —Elaine St. James in Living The Simple Life: A Guide to Scaling Down and Enjoying More Momentum is a powerful source of energy, and even though I am far from being a physicist, I understand the basic concept that since all objects have mass, and if an object is mo...
Sep 03, 2018•42 min
Next Monday, on September 3rd, the fifth season of The Simple Sophisticate podcast will begin. The first four seasons have covered topics on living your best life, whether that was about self-care, lifestyle, health, decor, travel, relationships, or anything that involves living the simply luxurious life, bien sûr ! With now 223 episodes complete, of which there were 22 interviews with guests from the around the United States and France. And of course, each episode concluded with a Petit Plaisir...
Aug 27, 2018•8 min
“The French have a special word for it, La Rentrée; in English it is simply referred to as ‘Back to school’. However we choose to call the September post-vacation return, and no matter how far our schooldays are behind us, few would deny that this really is the moment in the year that shouts ‘new beginnings’, ushering in a renewed sense of resolve and purpose that has far more potency than any January resolution. As grown-ups, the brand new pencil case and shiny new pair of school shoes that sig...
Aug 20, 2018•36 min
~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #222 ~Subscribe to The Simple Sophisticate : iTunes | Stitcher | iHeartRadio | YouTube | Spotify The Earful Tower podcast is hosted by Australian journalist Oliver Gee. Kicking off in early 2017, The Earful Tower is a weekly, seasonal show primarily based in Paris documenting Oliver as he learns about all things French. Currently kicking off his fourth season, he and his bride Lena will be venturing outside of Paris on their honeymoon for at least six weeks, and...
Aug 18, 2018•33 min
~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #221 ~Subscribe to The Simple Sophisticate : iTunes | Stitcher | iHeartRadio | YouTube | Spotify "The endless challenge no matter where any of us lives is to choose what we take from all that our surroundings have to offer and put it together in a way that creates our own happiness. I am so glad I was willing to take it on. A person doesn't have to move to Paris to live an authentic life, and may not have to move at all. But we each do have to let go of what isn...
Aug 13, 2018•40 min
~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #220 ~Subscribe to The Simple Sophisticate : iTunes | Stitcher | iHeartRadio | YouTube | Spotify “It seemed an advantage to be traveling alone. Our responses to the world are crucially moulded by the company we keep, for we temper our curiosity to fit in with the expectations of others…Being closely observed by a companion can also inhibit our observation of others; then, too, we may become caught up in adjusting ourselves to the companion’s questions and remark...
Aug 06, 2018•27 min
~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #219 ~Subscribe to The Simple Sophisticate : iTunes | Stitcher | iHeartRadio | YouTube | Spotify "Your environment, where you live and how you shape your surroundings, is the biggest, most important and most impactful thing you can do to favor your own happiness." —Dan Buettner, The Blue Zones of Happiness Have you ever said to yourself - if only I lived [insert your dream destination], I would be happier? First of all, that is perfectly human, and partially cor...
Jul 30, 2018•34 min
~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #218 ~Subscribe to The Simple Sophisticate : iTunes | Stitcher | iHeartRadio | YouTube | Spotify “A nail is driven out by another nail; habit is overcome by habit.” ― Erasmus While traveling during the past four weeks in France, I found that I was finally able to default in conversation to a handful of expressions to, on the most basic level, demonstrate I comprehended what was being said - bien sur, absolutement, parfait, ouai, je comprends, merci, de rein, à d...
Jul 23, 2018•46 min
