This is me at 3½ — living in pure “I can do it!” energy.
Before the brain developed the circuitry for comparison and self-doubt.
Psychoneuroimmunology research shows:
• Harsh self-talk increases cortisol + inflammatory cytokines
• Kind, reassuring self-talk lowers stress reactivity
• The nervous system interprets inner safety the same way it interprets external safety
• These shifts measurably affect immune function
So when I practice speaking to myself with kindness, it’s not woo. It’s literally neurobiology.
Our bodies hear everything our minds say.
Mine used to hear “I can do it.”
I’m working on giving her that again. ❤️
Living in the Moment with my beautiful friend, Tiffany Schuler! Do you see it the tree creature pointing to the Dawn Redwoods? Dawn redwoods are truly magical — ancient "living fossils" once thought lost to time until they were rediscovered in the 1940s. They`re one of the only conifers that gracefully let go of their needles each year, shifting from bright, feathery green to a glowing copper-orange before standing bare and soulful through winter. Then, just when you`re craving renewal, they unfurl fresh spring growth that feels like a gentle reminder of resilience, presence, and the beauty of letting things cycle in their own season.
Living in the Moment with my beautiful friend, @schuler_tiffany! Do you see it the tree creature pointing to the Dawn Redwoods?
Dawn redwoods are truly magical — ancient “living fossils” once thought lost to time until they were rediscovered in the 1940s. They’re one of the only conifers that gracefully let go of their needles each year, shifting from bright, feathery green to a glowing copper-orange before standing bare and soulful through winter. Then, just when you’re craving renewal, they unfurl fresh spring growth that feels like a gentle reminder of resilience, presence, and the beauty of letting things cycle in their own season.
Rosie & Theo love the forest trails too. They literally cry with joy whenever we begin approaching them. They are great to run with too (especially up hills 😅), I hold their leashes like a sleigh, lol. They love it when I say, let’s run!
Stairs, mountains, yard art, and beautiful friends. ❤️ Very grateful. 🍁 Hope everyone is enjoying a Happy Thanksgiving weekend!
#pdx #portland #pdxrunners
Your body remembers the forest.
Studies show that even short, slow time among trees reduces stress, improves mood, supports immunity, and helps your nervous system unwind.
This is not “just a walk (for us today, slow, easy run/walk)”—it’s therapy nature built for us. Even better with beautiful friends!
“Forest bathing” in pubmed provides 21,391 results as of this writing.
Check out:
Effects of forest environment (Shinrin-yoku/Forest bathing) on health promotion and disease prevention -the Establishment of “Forest Medicine”
Qing Li 1
PMID: 36328581 PMCID: PMC9665958 DOI: 10.1265/ehpm.22-00160
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36328581/
Sunshine, movement, nature, connection, friendship. Blessed. 🌲🏃🏻♀️✨
Rosie & Theo 🥰❤️!
A Barred owl 🦉 appeared around a bend on our forest walk yesterday (with some joyful tree-hugging 🌲🤗 mixed in).
Silent, steady, watching — and so close. We stood there for a long moment in shared awe and adoration.
It felt like comfort and clarity arriving exactly when my heart needed it, and my friends felt it too.
Such a tender, unexpected moment of connection. When the owl finally took its magnificent flight, we all hugged in delight.
Stay present. Stay connected. Trust what you’re sensing.
#friends #barredowl #portland #pdx #hoytyarboretum #forestpark #weddingmeadowtrail #wildwoodtrail #redwoodtrail #forestbathing
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#betterbeauty
“Each day provides its own gifts.” -Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoic philosopher
What a wonderful, free, 5k weekly event that @marysyoungparkrun hosts! Run, walk, or volunteer. All abilities welcome! It starts at 9am every Saturday at Mary S. Young Park in West Linn.
If you don’t live nearby, check out @parkrunusa to find one near you.
Special times with special people. 🥰 I savor every moment with those I adore. And I adore these 2 friends very much!
#loveparkrun #parkrunusa #pdx #portland #pdxrunner #portlandrunner #runner
Pink faced from our jog/hike this morning in Forest Park. Beautiful morning with this beautiful soul, @schuler_tiffany! Here’s a little tidbit of information to encourage those of you who have a tough time getting outside. It definitely helps when you have to show up for a friend, so #1, call a friend or bring a pet and/or family member with you. I am most consistent when I do this. It has many other therapeutic benefits too!
🌲 The Science-Backed Benefits of Forest Bathing (Shinrin-Yoku) 🌲
Spending intentional time in nature isn’t just peaceful — it’s physiologically powerful. Science shows that “forest bathing” can:
✨ Lower stress hormones
Just 20 minutes in a forest setting can significantly reduce cortisol and sympathetic nervous system activity (University of Michigan; Nippon Medical School).
✨ Support immune resilience
Trees release natural compounds called phytoncides. Inhaling them boosts natural killer (NK) cell activity — part of your frontline defense against infections and even abnormal cell growth.
✨ Improve mood + reduce anxiety
Studies show meaningful increases in serotonin and decreases in rumination after time in green spaces.
✨ Balance blood pressure + heart rate
Forest environments activate the parasympathetic “rest and digest” state, helping regulate cardiovascular markers.
✨ Enhance focus + mental clarity
Nature exposure supports the prefrontal cortex and replenishes cognitive resources — especially helpful if you’re feeling overwhelmed or distracted.
If you need a gentle, accessible way to reset your mind and body… step outside, slow down, breathe deeply, and let the forest work its quiet magic. 🌿💚
#forestbathing #portland #pdx #runner #portlandrunner #pdxrunner
Fartlets (Swedish for “speed play”) on the track last night! I love my trail runs but I also LOVE my speed/track workouts!
We run fast on the straights and jog the curbs. It’s also fun and not so boring or taxing while increasing overall pace.
In fact, Fartleks = hormone-friendly speed work.
Short bursts + easy recoveries → better insulin sensitivity, higher growth hormone, and less cortisol than traditional intervals.
A playful way to get faster and support your hormones. 💛🏃♀️✨
Also, the cool thing about Duniway track besides the beautiful setting it’s in is that it’s centrally located for most of the Portland Metro area and a very nice/soft public track. We see everything from elite runners to the nearby residents using walkers to go around the track. Children are often in the middle playing soccer or lacrosse. Sometimes we are kicking soccer balls back and dodging lacrosse balls! It’s really fun to see people from the running community over the years like our friend, Rafael (with us in this photo), training for an upcoming marathon who stopped to say hi to us. Some of us were in a training program with him back in 2018! Lots of great energy here!
Today is my daddy’s birthday! I’m so grateful to be his daughter.
He’s handsome, funny, kind, and honorable. He never stopping learning ,growing , and doing awesome and incredible things. He’s my greatest teacher in not only what he says but how he shows up in the world.
Happy birthday, Dad! I love you to infinity and beyond! 🥳
There was a break in the forest
where the world widened
and Mt. St. Helens stood
in the pale November light—
the kind of view that reminds you
how long the earth can hold a story.
The two of us have weathered
both eruptions and quiet years
- a reminder that some things
endure even after they’ve
changed shape.
Later, under redwoods,
their trunks wider than our worries,
I remember:
you were once my shelter.
My neighbor.
My lifeline in the hardest days of my motherhood.
And still, you are the one
I’d trust with my heart, my story,
even a messy home.
Friendships like this
don’t need tending—
only returning.
And every time we do,
it feels like coming home.
Wellness is so much more than nutrition and exercise. Being around people that inspire you to be better/do better, who lift you up instead of tearing you down, who open your heart and your mind, who get you outside into nature, who make you laugh and cry with happy tears, and who are there to pick you up and dust you off when you are down. These are my people and they fill me up. There are many people in my life who fit this description and are missing from this picture too. I feel so grateful and blessed. Thank you, friends. I love you forever. 🥰🙏❤️🤗
Nourishment for the mind, body, and soul. Literally. Did you know that there are currently 69 studies in pub med about the physiological and psychological benefits of being around trees? I have written about this often, and I know at the core of my being that getting into the forest and connecting with a strong, supportive, uplifting, empowering community is what helped me heal after brain injury.
My friends and I never take this incredible forest for granted. We are in awe each and every time we immerse ourselves in it. Everyday there is something new to marvel over — the light shifts, the air changes, the ground carries new life beneath our feet. It never stays the same, and neither do we. Like trees, we shed, we root deeper, we reach for light. Storms shape us. Seasons teach us. And in our stillness — just like the quiet spaces between branches — we grow in ways unseen.
Location: Wildwood Trail at The Hoyt Arboretum in Portland, Oregon. It’s part of Forest Park. Tiffany and Theresa are hugging a magnificant Giant Sequoia!
Hill repeats up Terwilliger Blvd by the light of this gorgeous moon with these lovely, strong, empowering ladies!
Beautiful run around the Hoyt Arboretum this morning. We hit the infamous Wildwood trail and took a wonderful detour on the gorgeous Redwood Trail where we stopped to take these photos. Such a blessing to have this magical place just 15 minutes from each of us. An even greater blessing to have these wonderful friends in my life.
Colorado! Time with our youngest, Zack, who lives in Fort Collins, with a trip to Boulder and Evergreen, where we hit the trails! Fort Collins is pretty cool - lots of incredible local restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, flowers galore, and really nice people! Of course I found an incredible bean to bar chocolatier, Nuance - I ate the evidence before taking a photo, haha - it was delicious. And if you know us, we found some great tacos 🌮 too!Can’t wait to go back!