A Note from Jen: A “Whole” Approach to 2020

I invite you to join me in this moment.   Right here. Right now. Breathing in and breathing out. Breathing in and breathing out. One more breath. In and out.    And, Hello! Welcome to February!     2020 is the year of whole living at Mind Body Align. It’s an entire year of exploration and […]

Focusing, Re-branding, and Including

In March 2018, I was one of 15 people from Mansfield who went to the South by Southwest Conference (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. The original intent of the trip, which was funded by a grant from the Richland County Foundation, was to come back with ideas on how to continue the revitalization of the central […]

Looking at the Big Picture

In the year-plus since our journey to Austin, I’ve been asked numerous times about the experience.  The questions drive at both the experience itself, as well as the post-Austin endeavor to write the Mansfield Rising plan and the post plan experience related to implementation.  Looking back, I easily point to three main takeaways I’ve had […]

Every Child is Potentially the Light of the World.

“Every child is potentially the light of the world—and at the same time it’s darkness; wherefore must the question of education be accounted as of primary most importance.” Bahai writings The keywords in the above quote are; potential light, darkness, and education. Throughout history, education has been a fundamental factor in the advancement of civilization. […]

Transforming the World, One Mindful Student at a Time

Imagine you are a bear hibernating for the winter. When bears hibernate, they take long, slow, deep breaths in and out, through their noses. Take a long breath in through your nose, and let it all the way out. Take another long breath in through your nose. Let it all the way out. Keep breathing […]

The Power Of Owning Your Story  

Confession time: I used to be kind of a snob about journalism. When I was earning my degree at The Ohio State University, social media was just beginning to take off. I only made a Twitter account because it was a requirement in one of my journalism classes. We were only just starting to understand […]

Meet Me at The Table: Food is Tradition, Art, and Love

Remembering Close your eyes and imagine the food of your childhood, deeply breathe in that remembered scent, more importantly that feeling. Perhaps it’s the sweet smell of an apple pie baking or the slow cooking of a marinara sauce. Picture the moment when you throw open the door on a cold crisp day to be […]

Paving New Roads To Be The Next Comeback City

It was a cold December day, 20 years ago.  The plane had landed on the tarmac of JFK airport an hour ago and now I stood nervously, clutching my passport tightly, waiting to be signaled by the immigration officer to his window. When it was my turn at the window, the officer sternly asked me […]

Paving New Roads

Paving these new roads is simultaneously exciting and exhausting labor. However, keep in mind that change is hard at first, messy in the middle, and gorgeous at the end. If the City of Cleveland can go from “The Mistake on the Lake” to “Believeland,” I have no doubt in my mind that the City of Mansfield can change its perception as “Danger City” to “Dreamfield” in the not too distant future.

Women and Philanthropy in Richland County Ohio

Two Richland County Foundation funds are available for women to support women via philanthropy; the Women’s Fund and the Mind Body Align Charitable Fund. The MBA Charitable Fund Established to support projects that support women and empower them to lead happier, more fulfilling lives. Examples include, but are not limited to: alternative wellness, women’s entrepreneurship, […]