Moderating the panel “Privacy Lines and Over-Sharing” at Vida Vegan Con – this was probably my highlight of the whole weekend. (with Susan V, Dreena Burton, and Joanna Vaught, oh em gee)

Hey guys, happy Friday! I’ve had a busy week, waking up in Portland at 530 am Monday morning to fly back home to SoCal, reunited at the airport with my baby boy and got to spend the whole week with him. Now I’m down in LA again for some more relaxation, exploration, and awesome vegan food. Lots of travel these days – work hard // play hard, amiright?! That’s just how I roll . . .

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So hey, let’s take a quick detour! As most of you know, I was certified last February by the Main Street Vegan Academy as a Vegan Lifestyle Coach (VLC). As soon as I finished blogging the re-cap of my experience, I was sort of flooded with emails inquiring about my practice and how it all worked. And, well, let me be honest – I had no idea! It was all new to me.

But people were eager and I was enthusiastic, so I put together a set of packages, which I then offered at a discount to my “test tube” group of initial clients. Again, I’ll be honest – I didn’t really know what to expect from all this. And I didn’t even know if I’d be any good at it. Or if I’d enjoy it. Or . . . anything!

Well, that was a few months ago and I’ve since worked with a number of clients, and I’ve found the entire experience to be nothing short of thrilling. Helping people realign their lives to more authentically express their truth – whatever that truth might be – is the most rewarding work I’ve ever done. I adore coaching, and as you can probably guess, I’m ready for more!

“I loved my vegan coaching experience with Sayward. She really got the heart of the issues I was asking about – she really heard what I was struggling with. Once she identified my core concerns, she went out and got me exactly the information I was looking for. She totally nailed it. I feel so much more empowered now, with the knowledge she was able to give me.

Equally important, my work with Sayward was totally a judgement free zone. Never once did I feel belittled or criticized for not being as far along my path as others may be. Sayward responded to any question or concern I had with compassion and understanding, and then followed it up with rock-solid knowledge and education. My experience working with Sayward was so positive and I feel really lucky to have found her!”
-Emily, VLC client

If you’re at a place in your plant-based journey where you feel yourself teetering on an edge, if you’re curious to dip a toe, or if you wonder what the next step might look like, well I would just love to work with you!

I am now accepting clients, so shoot me an email at info AT bonzaiaphrodite DOT com. Let’s chat!

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I don’t have any music to share today, but I couldn’t not share this incredible talk by one of my very favorites, Amanda Palmer. She just released this video a few days ago, and on the heels of Vida Vegan Con, it couldn’t have come at a better time.

Yes, it’s a half hour long. Please don’t let that deter you.

This is one of the most inspiring things I’ve seen in a long, long time. If you are an artist, a writer, a Creator of any kind, and especially if you share your work on the internet – I implore you to please watch this video (or at least listen to the audio). You will NOT regret it.

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And now it’s time for the fun stuff, our delightful Friday ritual. The time when we take a moment to pause and reflect on all the little ways in which life shows us the beauty of the world. This week there aren’t three major things that stand out for me, so I’m just going to go with a tidal wave of tiny joys. I hope you’ll join me!

spending time in Portland; remembering why I love that city; but really, remembering why I left .|. seeing Waits’s face light up when he saw me, and hearing him say “Mommy I love you” over and over again .|. snuggling with Waits a lot a lot a lot .|. late night phone calls and marathon texts .|. quick phone chats with dear old friends .|. Tuesday night family dinner at a mama friend’s house .|. Waits locking my keys in the car when I stopped by my godparents’ house – “making lemonade” and whipping up an impromptu dinner together while we waited for AAA .|. early morning earthquakes! So fun. (and Waits’s first!) .|. ash falling from the sky, because there is another fire on the mountains, which reminds me how everything is fragile and precious .|. stopping by a friend’s house and finding her on the floor, making art with her daughter. Because she lives art and I love her .|. afternoon baths with Waits, splashing and playing .|. late night baths by myself, relaxing and dreaming .|. sometimes even a simple trip to Whole Foods can be a splendid affair (company counts for everything) .|. figuring out how to de-glutenize my very favorite meal at Veggie Grill and oh, the glee when I ate it! .|. picnic dinners on the beach because, hello, we live in SoCal! so good. .|. being exactly where I am right now, in this very moment. Present.

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Alright guys, now it’s your turn – let me know what you’re loving this week!


This happy little post will stay at the top of the page all weekend, so stop by any time to leave your Love List, ask a question, or offer some feedback! Or if you’re new, feel free to just introduce yourself and say ‘Oi!’! This is your community, so get involved!


I hope you all have an amazing weekend that fills a million love lists with a million little things!

♥