Hello TeamConfessioners—as I mentioned last week, today you are going to hear a Summer Submission from my close friend, Christine Toner. Christine is joined today by her visionary partner Lisa Roche. Lisa and Christine are collaborating to transform any space into a healing sanctuary—spaces both within ourselves and our lives. I have to tell you, their business, The Lens of Beauty also hosts weekly calls for women seeking more time in their lives for reflection and self-discovery. If you were hoping to deepen your connection with yourself and others in 2025—please, please check out the links for The Lens of Beauty in the show notes or on my website to learn more about Christine and Lisa’s healing work. 

On a personal note, I met Christine over 20 years ago, and it feels like she’s moved more times than I can count. But, I have to share that I couldn’t be more thrilled that her life has led her to this work. Over the years, our family has been lucky enough to visit many of these spaces. Team, Christine has the ability to create warmth, class, and modern style in historic homes, new builds, and cottages. Hell, this woman can even transform a rental house into a calming oasis. Meanwhile, I’m over here mixing textures and hoping my house doesn’t end up looking like it lost a bet. It never ceases to amaze me what Christine can do to make a space almost immediately feel like a refuge, and now with Lisa by her side—there’s going to be no stopping these two!

So, without further ado, let me turn it over to Lisa and Christine…

It’s been five years, five long years filled with 

cancer, 

heartache, 

covid, 

job losses, 

cancer again (this time our sweet dog), 

a job change and 

4 months ago an unfathomable house break-in /attempted assault in the middle of the night.

Am I keeping score here? 

Probably. 

Seems like a logical thing to do. 

And I also think I am well within my right to feel victimized . . . my whole family was victimized, actually. But then I asked the question. . .

Does it serve me? 

For a moment, perhaps, to get through the anger, and especially for me, to find the anger. 

But does it serve me?

I don’t think so. 

And then just yesterday Lisa posed this question . . . What if you looked for a new mantra? One that says:

 “I do not require chaos in order to pause.” 

She went on: 

SCHEDULE deliberate time every day for stillness 

And then, think of ways to do less each day.

Like REALLY take a look at your “to do” list and remove things. What can happen without you? What can just fall away? 

The lesson here is for you to appreciate calm without ever having to experience the chaos. 

So your priorities need to flip. 

Soooo thank you rental car for not starting. Thank it for creating an opportunity for you to BE STILL. Thank it for highlighting your need for calm and peace.

Your instinct is to always look for solutions…your natural homeostasis is to DO. 

Flip it. 

Your new homeostasis is DON’T.

And then say THANK YOU! 

BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO MAKE ANYTHING WORK.

quite literally if you think those words, “I can make it work . . . MAKE IT WORK” don’t do it.

Instead, from now on . . .make this promise . . . To ponder, “Does that feel easy?”

If you hear yourself saying or thinking “I can make that work” I want you to flip it and say, “Does that feel easy?”

I said ….WHOA…I never think that way. 

She laughed and said I know. You power through. 

EVERYTHING about where we’re headed is about ease. We are building The Lens of Beauty and it’s all about ease. You’re now going to look at the way you function through the lens of beauty…does this feel easy? 

Does this feel beautiful? 

Does this meeting feel easy? 

Does it make me feel good?

Does this person feel easy, does he/she make me feel beautiful?

And by good I mean inexplicably gooey inside. Remember when you sent that picture and said you didn’t know what it was about, but you knew you just had to have it??

THAT’S FLOW!!!

so now that same exact feeling – that’s what you’re seeking IN ABSOLUTELY FREAKING EVERYTHING

Now that is abundance !!!!

Because where we want to be … there is ZERO space for obligation.

And so that text yesterday literally flipped my script. 

Will I get it right everyday? No way . . . but I’m making a promise to myself to pause and sink into ease first. 

Here’s to stillness, always, all ways. 

Again, thank you so much for sharing your wisdom with us, Lens of Beauty Team. And, Confessioners, please don’t forget to navigate to those links to learn more about how Christine and Lisa can help to create more healing spaces in your life. Thanks so much for listening!

Lens of Beauty Instagram
Lens of Beauty Podcast

If this episode resonated with you, please check these out too:
Slow is the New Fast – Learning How to Heed My Speed
Slow is the New Fast – Shifting My Perspective on Speed