the hot goddess

Zen and Now in Portugal

Nothing keeps me in Zen mode like a day at a spa. It’s a rare indulgence for this frugal solo retiree and immigrant in Portugal. So I was thrilled when a friend here gifted me a spa day with the girls as a birthday present.

It was mid-April by the time scheduling was coordinated, and a day was booked at a restored 19th-century palace and Portugal National Landmark. Four of us set out on a sunny Sunday morning for the five-star Pestana Palace hotel and spa in Lisbon. It was a fabulous day of pampering, followed by an elegant late-afternoon tea and a bottle of bubbly.

I thought I’d close out the month of April with photos of the picturesque palace, sprinkled with some of my “Zententions” I reminded myself of while in my meditative Zen zone at the spa. Enjoy, and may this weekend find you in your place of peace, wherever that may be.

“I will see others’ unmet needs more than label, diagnose, or interpret their ‘flaws’.“

THG (thank you, Marshall Rosenberg and Nonviolent Communication)

“I will say yes more than no.”

THG

“I will listen more than talk. I will hear more than argue.”

THG

“I will be compassionate more than judgmental.”

THG

“I will be grateful more than wistful.”

THG

“I will be accepting (of myself and others) more than critical.”

THG

“I will believe more than doubt.”

THG

“I will give more than take.”

THG

I’m honored to have been featured recently on episodes of Blaxit Global and Portugal the Simple Life. Check them out here if you’d like.

Source: Blaxit Global

All images are my own.

The Hot Goddess

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36 comments

  12. Zen and now — very clever, Natalie! I love “I will believe more than I will doubt.” That’s a good one. So glad you had a fabulous experience at such a beautiful place – thanks for sharing the pictures! ❤

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  16. Natalie. This is AHMAZING! Please keep these posts coming.

    Also, this quote is a good one: “I will see others’ unmet needs more than label, diagnose, or interpret their ‘flaws’.”

    It really made me stop and think. There is a difference in perspective here, and it can make a difference in how we approach one another.

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    • Oh, Kathy, that is so true. Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication really struck a chord with me and made me rethink my approach to several people in my life. But DOING this thing — seeing unmet needs — is SO HARD for me.

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