All Work, All Play.

I haven’t written in ages, and it’s actually been really nice because it became a job to me.   Don’t get me wrong.... I loved my job.  I just couldn’t write all day for work and then come home and write to relax.  It just doesn’t work that way no matter what profession you're in or how much you love what you do.

I have always been all work or all play.  I just can’t seem to achieve the two simultaneously for too long.  These past 3 months have gone by in a blur, and that is not how I want to live my life.  I know that there are times in life when you really just need to “buckle down” and “give it all that you’ve got,” but I am ready to learn to live again.  I don’t want to go crazy and leave my job behind or anything, but I am ready to regain a bit of control in my time and how I use it.

So, here's what I did:  I wrote two lists.

One list is all the things that I have to do.  On the other list is all the things that I want to do.

It’s actually surprising how many things were on both lists and the things I came up with when I wasn’t limited to the words “have to.”

It turns out I really do care about a lot of the things on my Have-to list, and that makes me feel happier already just knowing that.   Realizing a list item as something that is driven by desire and not only out of obligation is already a win for me.   Then, there were some really random things I came up with on my Want-to list.  It was fun to feel free and unrestricted from the voices of everyone else and what they think I should do and to finally listen to what I want to do for a change.

I’ve learned in my life that it doesn’t take a huge undertaking to achieve a goal.  All it takes is putting pen to paper and articulating what it is you want.  Once you know what you want (which is the hardest part), the rest will follow naturally as you take small steps to achieve it. 

What do I want?  

Apparently I want to jump on a plane to Thailand and ride an elephant.  I didn’t even know that was even floating around in my head until I wrote it down, but now I have something to take action towards and hopefully one day I will ride that elephant and feel fulfilled in some way or another because I did something that I wanted to do.

A few other things I wrote down…

• To fly away to Thailand and ride an elephant
• To write in my blog (see! it’s already working)
• To take more pictures of New Zealand
• Spend more time at a local pub hanging out with friends
• Have more alone time with God
• Sleep in on the weekends and not feel guilty
• Talk with my family and friends back home more
• Be a better friend
• To feel healthy physically
• To have beautiful clothes that make me feel pretty
• To feel successful at work but also able to leave at 5
• Do yoga routinely – body/mind balance
• Learn how to make delicious, healthy meals
• Play piano
• Write a book
• Help my daddy with his book
• Help mommy with her business
• To feel “at home” somewhere
• Spend the summer in the burger truck
• Explore more of New Zealand

Here’s to our wishes, dreams, and goals! That we may realize their superiority in our thoughts and to treat them with the attention that they deserve.

Letting Go.

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Life is full of changes, some of which we welcome and some of which we fear.  Everyone has their list of fears, although each is unique based on individual circumstances and personality.

For example,

I embrace change, adrenaline rushes, and writing.

I fear speaking in public, commitments, and making mistakes.

While my fears might be your strengths and my strengths might be your fears, it all comes down to letting go.   It’s time to overcome it and live the free life that was meant to be yours.

I live my life challenging my fears.  Whenever I get to a place in my life where I feel stagnant, I take a look at what scares me, and I do it.  This allows me to constantly live a life fearlessly and embrace freedom from the bondage of my fears.

I’m going to admit something, though: It is hard, even for me – someone who loves change, adventure, and a good adrenaline rush.  Every time I face a time in my life where the waves calm and I’m left staring straight into the eyes of the shark, it is scary as hell.  I feel the surge of fear and doubt bubbling up deep in my soul.  I feel weak, shaky, and faint.  It’s a terrible feeling, and we all know it all too well.

So, how do I overcome these fears?  Well, the best way I’ve found is to dive into the deep end.  This can be dangerous, but this has given me a life free of regrets.

• See locals jumping off a 50-foot cliff into the ocean?  Jump.
• Stuck in a toxic or abusive relationship?  Break up.
• Scared of driving on the other side of the road? Get in the drivers seat and go.
• Stuck in a 9 to 5 job and see it going nowhere? Quit.
• Afraid of speaking in public?  Plan an event and speak.

In each occasion, I have had support in my decision.  I have someone standing next to me, someone who I trust, counting.  1, 2, 3… Jump.  I couldn’t do it without that person.  When facing your fears, you must not go about it alone.  Instead, bring people who support your decision to the starting line and let them count for you when the numbers just won’t come out.  Then, make up your mind that however you feel at that moment after 3, you will follow through.  You will fully let go of your fear and embrace the new.

Obviously, you must be wise in your decision making, but this kind of living will open you up to new experiences and a life that you’ve always dreamed of.   If I had passed these fear-injected opportunities by, I would have something way worse than fear: Regret.

I think that’s probably the dirtiest word in my mental dictionary.  Regret.  It even sounds nasty.

I have a life motto, which you may have seen here or there.   It says,

“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving, safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways with wine in one hand, chocolate in the other, shouting ‘WooHoo! What a ride!’”

I’d pretty much say that quote sums up living your life to the fullest, and is the very antithesis of regret.

While my intentions have shifted from selfish to God-given desires as I’ve matured, I still adhere to this concept because I believe that God wants me to enjoy my life.  A lot of Christians take the enjoyment part out of their relationship with God, even though that is his ultimate gift, isn’t it?  To enjoy his creation, the people we love, and, ultimately, Him?

I’m still afraid of speaking in public, but I know that my support system, my friends and family, will all be there counting me down to the moment when I jump swiftly into the unknown, letting completely go of all I know to be true, and let God unfold his plans for me.

Letting go is often required for you to move forward in your life.  I challenge you, if you feel that you’ve become complacent and safe, to take a look at your fears and decide to let them go, one by one.  Each fear is holding you back from your true potential.  Each time you let a fear go, no matter how small, you will gain strength.

Sometimes we fear our dreams, but I’d like to encourage you to challenge that thought and pursue you dreams.  Sweep each fear away like the insignificant reality that they truly are.

Soon enough, you will find that you are living a life of freedom, and feeling more alive than ever before!

I challenge myself, as well.

Challenge accepted.

Now, let's all sing together... Let it go, let it go...

Riddles of the Wise.

I have one month left until I move to New Zealand.  My life has been a whirlwind, which is generally the way I like it.  I saw this cartoon that so perfectly describes me:  "I love routine. Until I'm bored, then I like excitement.  Until I'm overwhelmed, then I love routine." Right now I'm feeling like the latter.

I am beyond blessed to be able to work from home right now, but with that comes a totally different time schedule.  I tend to be a perfectionist, so when I'm making my own hours I literally work all day.  I think I've been working non-stop for 2 weeks now.  Even when I went to Georgia, I was working.  I've noticed that with this new schedule, I have pushed alot of things to the side, including my time with God.  I'm definitely feeling disconnected, especially since I'm not surrounded by my community group at the Rock anymore.

I found this church here in Colorado that I really like called Red Rocks Church.  They go deep, and I love that.  I was watching a past-series online called "Riddles of the Wise," and I found it very intriguing.  Whether you believe in God or not, the principles in the book of Proverbs are a great guide to live life by.  It's a 4 part series that you can watch online here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

So, there are 30 chapters in the book of Proverbs.  I will be reading 1 chapter every day and following this format:
Read it. Write it. Live it.

Then there are devotionals for each day on this website: Riddles of the Wise.

Join me :)

Falling Plates.

Practicing Mindfulness Every Day

Practicing mindfulness is something that gets stronger every time you do it.  I first started practicing it when I was going through a really stressful time in my life, and I don’t know how I could’ve gotten through that time without these practices.  I would listen to “Meditainment CDs” that would help guide me in taking control of my thoughts.  I’ve listened to them so much, that I could literally recite the first 15 minutes.  Basically, mindfulness is taking control of your thoughts in order to enjoy your life better.  Mindfulness is using non-judgmental, precise determination to pay attention to the details of our experiences.  We can get so caught up in our thoughts that sometimes they control everything we do without even knowing it.  So, it is important to regain control and start focusing on the here-and-now.  Once you can control this, you can eliminate negative thoughts, false guilt, and the ailments of stress.   

So, I encourage you to take a step with me to practice one of these each day for the next week. 

 

Monday 

Create a mental list of all the things you are grateful for in your life.  Write them down and look at them throughout the day.  Approach your homecoming and the people you come home to, with peacefulness and gratitude.

Tuesday

Notice your environment: sunlight, rain, the wind, trees, sights and sounds. On your way to work, school, an appointment or your daily errands, be mindful of driving your car, walking, sitting on the subway, arriving at your destination, your state of mind and your thoughts. Are you in the present moment or thinking ahead to what you will be doing next? Notice your body, and let your breathing help you relax your shoulders, soften your face.

Wednesday

Approach meals with mindfulness and gratitude.  Really taste what you are eating. Engage all of your senses. Eat them sitting down, rather than standing up or in your car or on the run. Taste every morsel of food and enjoy the aroma and texture of your food.

Thursday 

Allow yourself to be calm and peaceful. Use daily cues as reminders to be mindful: the doorbell, the telephone, a mindfulness bell on your computer, turning on a light, checking your watch or a clock for the time. Every time you hear a cue, mentally become aware of your breath. Throughout the day notice if you are holding your breath, breathing shallowly or deeply...Focusing on your breath and breathing deeply and smoothly is one of the single most effective ways to be present – if you are paying attention to your inhale and your exhale you are in the present moment, aware, mindful. 

Friday

Notice when you can stop the pressure of pushing to get where you are going and simply enjoy the process of getting there. If you find yourself feeling anxious or impatient, focus on your breathing. Stuck in traffic? Waiting in line? Rather than getting upset, look at this as a perfect opportunity to become mindful, focus on your deep inhale and exhale. You will immediately feel calmer and less stressed.

Saturday 

Commit to taking 15 minutes today to sit and be still. Set a timer, sit comfortably and simply observe your thoughts as they pass through your mind. Become aware of your thoughts and without any judgment, allow them to float, like a cloud out of your mind, coming back to your inhale and exhale. 

Sunday

Whatever you experience in this world, whatever you think and feel, breathe it in, then breathe it out. Be conscious and aware of your experience, without judging. Just be. Just breathe. Live freely in this state of mindfulness.

{list via} {photos via ©WanderWorld Photography}

Are You Letting Your Happiness Get Away?

Have you ever looked at someone and thought, “She is so happy all the time! I bet her life is perfect!” I know that I have.  If you could peek into their real lives, though, you would probably find that they struggle with similar issues that you do.  However, the way they approach life is different.  You’d find that they are not happy because they are given all the right cards, they are happy because they make themselves happy.   They maintain a positive outlook on life and remain at peace with themselves.  It’s one thing to talk about it and another to actually get in the habit of it. 

3 Habits of Highly Happy People:

• Forgive.  Happy people understand that holding grudges within their hearts actually causes dissatisfaction in life.  Why would you want to let someone who wronged you make your life miserable?  Forgive them and don’t let your negative feelings toward them crowd out your positive feelings.  If you get rid of all that junk in your heart that’s full of grudgery and anger, imagine how much more space you'd have to be filled with happiness. Let it out. Forgive, Forget, and let the sunshine in!

• To-Do Today:  Think of someone you haven’t been able to forgive and write them a letter apologizing (yes, you apologizing to them), and release your feelings of resentment and bitterness. Now take a deep breath and breathe in something positive!

• Dream.  Don’t just dream, dream big!  Why is it important to dream big? Big Dreams Come True!  Big things can happen to you if you can just find the courage to pursue them.  You don’t know until you ask.  Sometimes you need to ask big in order to really get something accomplished.  It may be a risk, but it is worth the chance! The best part about dreaming big is that it’s a win, win.  Even if you fall short, you will still gain a lot from trying. 
• To-Do Today:  Write down your biggest dream.  Don’t be ashamed.  Write it nice and big and just sit there imagining yourself in that dream.  What does it feel like?  Hold onto that feeling whenever you are feeling down and remind yourself of that dream daily.

• Absorb the Present.  Happy people do not dwell on the past or worry about the future, they savor the present.  Get immersed in what you are doing when you are doing it.  Tomorrow will worry about itself, so you don’t need to.  Take notice of the world.  Think of your  5 senses and focus on them.  Find ways to make other people smile in the moment.  Be sensitive to the positive impact you can make in your day to day life. Minimize activities that dull your awareness of the moment. 
• To-Do Today:  Choose at least one day a week to turn off your cell phone, computer, radio in your car, TV, etc… Spend that day riding your bike to a café, having a friend over for tea, drawing something you see out the window, cooking yourself something to eat and savoring every bite,  or exploring a new area of your town or city. 

Be thankful for what is.  Whenever you find yourself wishing for someone else’s life or for something you don’t have, remember the potential that is in your own life.  Write a list of what you are thankful for right now.  Don’t miss the beauty and gifts right in front of you.  Change your What IFs into What IS.   If you are thankful for what is, you’ll be happy in the moment instead of wishing your life away.