Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Part Of Something

I see my phone light up, glancing over to see what it is a smile crosses my features. Meet Evangaline. Approximately age 70. At a glance you see a tired, hard working woman. Though her stride is slow and labored her face is soft and inviting. As if her heart was directly connected to her smile, you could not help but the moment she was in your presence feeling comfortable and soon mirroring her smile.

She has lived an extraordinary life. She lived through racism and segregation. An African-American woman residing in the south for most of  her life. She told me stories of being treated like a second rate person. My heart felt for her. I asked her so many questions, wanting to learn everything I could about her and all of her experiences. I found myself taken back at how with such ease, she spoke of how it never hurt her. She knew who she was and her worth and therefore simply never minded.

She did not speak it with cockiness or the tone that we all can get when we are trying to be strong, this was organic and peaceful. I decided to take her to dinner that evening and her story began to unfold in ways that I never anticipated.

Later in her life she moved to New York City. She spoke of how she was going to work via the Subway one early Fall morning and how she got stuck on the subway. It turned out that it was September 11th and the shop she worked at was located at the World Trade Center. She was less than one hour off from working a very tragic shift. The shop she worked at never recovered and many of her close friends that she worked with were in the same state. She still to this day does not go to that part of town as it is too much.

In case her stories did not already teach me about perspective and life the last story she shared with me took me the most back. She had lost her grown son a couple of years ago. So fresh in her mind she spoke of him and how she believes that she will see him again. She works so hard, on her tired feet full time, walking to and from work all for the love of her grown children. Helping them find their way, making sure that they are taken care of. Single handily she gives her all so that they might have some.

I spent three days in San Francisco with Evangaline. We were paired together as roommates for a meeting from our company. I go to San Francisco often, I meet many roommates for the duration of the meetings. I remember some, I forget some, I liked some and some I wanted to smother with the crisp hotel pillow. Evangaline is different, she gets her own category. I will never forget her, she will always touch my heart. To this day, she texts me almost daily. Words of inspiration, sometimes simply to send her love. No matter what happens, no matter how amazing my life is, or how hard it is..when I look over to see a text from her it changes me. It inspires me. She inspires me. She reminds we that we all can learn from each other. That we are all here to support one another. She is special.

Part of something.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Say Okay

Sometimes, it is easy to be a complete glutton to your selfish desires.  It is easy to live for your needs and your needs alone. In fact, with very little effort we all can tap into a self-satisfaction that is easily manufactured within us. We know our likes, our dislikes. We see our daydreams first hand and know what drives us better than anyone. So yes, it is indeed easy to be a glutton to yourself.

On the other hand, it can be just as easy to get wrapped up into the service of others. There is nothing in this universe like connecting with someone and being able to give them what they need. Knowing that you played a part in their happiness and satisfaction. As you are reading this you may feel that one of these categories speaks to you more. Some find it their nature to think only of themselves and others find it so gratifying to serve others that they seldom put themselves first. Neither is wrong. Neither is right but are either completely fulfilled and happy?

My pendulum swings from one scenario to the other in seasons. I can go a long span of time where I live for me and me alone. Then I will go through a period where I want to be there for others and build connections. I am finding in this point in my life that I can never truly be fulfilled so long as that pendulum continues it's motion.

The majority of last week I was constantly on the go. So much so that even minor details in my life such as rest, nourishment, even sitting down for a moment to rest were set aside so that I could continue the momentum that was placed before me. This morning as I woke, I dreaded the day. A day of extra work, tasking and mixed with my already exhausted mind and body I honestly did not know where I would harness the energy to get through this day let along my week until my next day off.

So as I departed from my meeting at work, I knew that on Mondays I go to the gym. As I drove I almost made the decision to pass the exit to continue with my task list for the day before I stopped. Well, I did not literally stop my car..I am not insane. I just made a clear and conscious decision in my mind that I needed to say, "Okay. Enough already. You can not afford to not take care of yourself."

As I turned off on the exit to my gym with a new focus I abandoned all of my plans prior and knew that I needed to take today and just enjoy it. Take care of myself. Take care of others. It was quite difficult at first. My mind was racing with the things I needed to be doing, how tired I was and yet I did not allow myself to quit. I ran harder than I had in weeks. Pushing myself in the hopes that this simple run would bring me back in touch with myself again.

It worked. A burst of energy shot through me and a smile broke on my lips. It was all I could do not to giggle and look like a crazy girl as I ran on the treadmill. I walked out of that gym with clarity once more.  The delicate balance. If you take care of your mind, body and spirit first then you will have so much more to give to everyone else. I could still do all the things I needed to do for others, my work, my life but only after I nourished myself.

I spent the rest of my day still doing my tasks but throwing in moments where I would stop and say, "Okay. What do I need to feel good?" I spent the day enjoying taste, massage, smiling, laughing, feeling. I did not get all of my work done but it will get done in due time. It truly is a delicate balance. You need both self preservation and dedication to others in your life. It is how life and community were designed. Stop the pendulum. Balance. Take care of yourself and others.

Say okay.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Arithmetic

"We are all here for a reason on a particular path. You don't need a curriculum to know that you are part of the math."

The biggest mistake that any of us can make is to believe that to be relevant in life we need to be grandiose. So many of us think and believe that our paths must lead to somewhere designed with gold plated bricks and a land that is more majestic than Oz. That to be something and to be somebody that means we must have stature and recognition.

That simply is not so. We all are apart of a bigger puzzle. Some people are the corners, some people  have the design on their piece that stars in the puzzle and the eye gravitates to, some people are large pieces, others small. We all have a role whether it is to be the design or simply support the design and each piece is viable and filled with purpose. 

So when you look at your life and you recognize and take in what your role is in this equation and puzzle, be proud. Feel confident and strong that there is only one you out there and no one else can quite fulfill the role needed to complete this world like you do. We all have different talents and gifts. We all impact the lives of others in a way that is completely unique to only us.

Know who you are and live each day to do your best at whatever your role in the equation is. Are you a good parent, friend, caretaker to an animal, mastermind of business, artistic creator, musician, listener, thinker, comedian? It all matters, it all counts. Be who you are and bring yourself to the table to the best of your ability, knowing that it does make a big impact whether it begins small or large.

 If you are uncertain in who you are or what it is you are here for, that is more than alright. You are not always supposed to. Be open to the journey and get to know and be proud of the things that you do day to day that make you amazing. Share those traits with others in any way that you can.

We are all here together to do our part, to make life that much more complete and amazing for one another. My puzzle piece would not be the same without all of you just as much as your equation would not be complete without me. We all have a path and all of these paths merge together. Be proud of that. Be proud of you.

Arithmetic.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Closer

I could feel it in every fiber of my being yesterday. I knew that today was going to be a turning point. A game changer. I walked around with this feeling of hope and anticipation for today. I did not know how or when or what but I knew that today was going to be one of the first days where I was in the rest of my life.

Last year was a year of change for me. My life as I knew it had transformed in the direction that I knew it needed to go. I changed the way I nourished my mind, body and spirit. I changed the way I viewed life by getting in touch with the core of my being. I ventured out in this new world for me alone and single. Ready and willing to see what it was that I was meant to be and do.  I simply changed and I feel as though I am more myself than I have ever been.

The difference though between yesterday and the day before is that I was still a little unsure of myself ever so slightly. I was happy, centered, strong but once in a while I would have doubt in my ability to find my way. I knew what I wanted, I knew what I thought but a little bit of uncertainty crept in with regards of how I was going to get through my journey. My choices last year lead to loneliness and sadness at times. As liberated as I was to find my path, there was always a part of me that feared. The most sacred and private dreams of my heart each day were whispering to me what I wanted and where I hoped to go. I was just so unsure as to how I was to get there.

This new chapter in my life is so new to me. To be in my thirties and starting fresh in the things that I had only known and experienced in my early twenties felt alien to me. It is not like riding a bike. Actually, whoever came up with that phrase has never actually gone a long period of time without riding a bike because let me tell you..I bought a bike 2 years ago and after not have riding one in over a decade I can assure you that Lance Armstrong I was not. I could not remember how to ride it and once I kinda began remembering I was so terrible that I am sure a 2nd grader missing a leg could have shown me up.

Things change. So when you try to go back in to things that you once did before when you were a different person and in a different stage in your life it does not fit and feel the same. I would not want it to. So, I learn. I learn something new about myself every day. I learn something new about other people every day. I make mistakes. I get defeated and then I get stronger.

I know more about myself than I ever knew before. I learn from trial and error. I learn from humility in knowing my strengths and my weaknesses and most importantly, I learn from being myself and being okay with myself. If we knew all the answers, what fun would the journey be?

So today, I woke up..feeling closer. My mind was strong and confident and more ready to take on this new journey in my life than ever. Today was a game changing day for me. I can do this. I can dare to dream and do it without reservation or question. I am one step closer to being the me that I was intended to be.

Nothing has been more rewarding than the decision last year to be true to myself. Be the best person I can be to others and to myself. I still have so much to learn and I hope that never changes. I hope I am always humble enough to continue learning and growing. As for now, today is a celebration. Small and yet so large. Today was a spiritual game changer.

Closer.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Better Late Than Never

Better late than never but never late is better. There is a moment in all of our lives where we will know we have arrived. We are doing what we were born to do and doing it well. We are making a difference in our life and the lives around us. It is the moment that our dreams and hard work become a reality. Be it your career, your relationships, your overall happiness. Arrival is where we were designed to all be.

So what if you are still en route to your arrival? Maybe you are unsure of your place or even you know where you want to be but you are unsure how to get there and what you will need to do. It is easy to get caught up and focus to much on the destination rather than the experience you get on the journey to meet your arrival. We as a human race want instant gratification, answers and our expectations to be met now. We prefer speed, even if it means the quality of the end product is not as full. We prefer prepackaged foods lacking in nutrition over the amazing taste of cooking a meal from scratch with delicious and whole ingredients simply for lack of time and energy. We walk fast, ignoring the day around us simply because we are consumed with getting from point A to point B. We want the fast, express and cliff notes version of everything.

What I challenge you to do with me is to slow down. The journey to your arrival and taking the extra time to get there will only make it richer and fuller. You will learn more, you will feel more and most importantly you will enjoy life. Take the time to engage in the world around you. Take the time to care for your mind, body and spirit rather than just picking one aspect to focus on.  Listen to your intuition. You have a compass within that intuition that will get you safely to your destination and it will pit stop you along the way when you need to take note or learn a new lesson to take with you on your journey.

Make life just as much about the journey as the end result. If you have arrived to your destination, make the most of it. Don't stop there..elevate. This life has so much to offer. Good, bad, pain, joy, enlightenment, education and beauty. Honor each day whether you have arrived or whether you are still finding your way. Decide that today and every day hereafter will be your day to be fulfilled with the circumstance you are in. With that, you will feel satisfaction in the process and the arrival will be that much sweeter.

Better late than never but never late is better.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Diversion

 I was getting married tomorrow and had managed to not have tried on my wedding dress that I ordered yet. I had a relaxed attitude as I began gathering my things to get ready to marry the next day. I threw my hair in a poorly done side bun, I must have jammed like 30 bobby pins at random in my updo..or rather my updon't. Added a little bit of lipstick on and threw on my dress to try it on.
At once my lax attitude changed. The dress was 4 times too big. Had i actually lost that much weight this year! Yay..oh wait..no! This is bad..very bad. What a terrible time to celebrate that when I need that dress to fit tomorrow! Maybe I can gain 40 lbs today? Where are the donuts?  I also realized that I was ill prepared with no shoes, my hairstyle was all to hell and I needed to get married the next day somehow! My adrenaline kicked in as I gathered my keys and flew out the door. Going from tailor to tailor trying to find anyone available to take in this dress of mass proportion, calling around town to see if I could get an appointment to get my hair styled and to all no avail. It was not so much that all this time I was being lazy before but more so that I was comfortable that it was going to work out. Now, in this panic I realized that this was not how it was supposed to turn out. This was not how it was supposed to be! I had a dress that did not fit, looked a hot mess and was now all worked up.

As I finally find a tailor that is willing to work through the night to take my dress in, I look down and noticed that there is dog pee all over the front of the gown! Is this really happening? Seriously? Ahhhhhhh!!!  After a huge panic attack, I wake up.

I woke up this morning to that dream. Now, for those of you who know me well know that this would never happen to me if it were reality. I have acquired and almost OCD about planning aesthetic things over the years and even more, I am a makeup artist for a living and a trained stylist so there is no way I would shove 30 bobby pins in my hair aimlessly, apply one lipstick on and call it a day. However, my dream interested me. It unsettled me. I could hear my internal dialogue in my dream shouting.."This is not how we are doing this over again!"

I am in the process right now of getting a divorce. That sounds so horrible to some and as many people always say to me "That is so sad, are you okay?" but the reality is that we are such good friends and will be for the rest of our lives. That is a blessing. It truly is. As time is moving forward however we are building our own lives. Moving in new directions slowly and I am beginning to really think about my future and what I want, where I want to be someday. Wondering what my next relationship will be like if I am to have the opportunity again in the future. What do I want to do differently? What am I leaning about myself?

 What I am taking away from this dream is that I need to prepare. Not even for marriage but for life. Each day I need to be actively doing something that gets me closer to my goals and ideals. I can not just let life happen to me but I need to work hard for the things I want. I have been on that path this year as is but am constantly learning how only I can drive my experience and get to the places I want to get to and in the way that I will find satisfaction and fulfillment. The younger version of me believed that everything was up to fate. To let life happen and it will all be perfect. I worked hard in my career then as I gained a few years but my emotional and spiritual life I somehow thought did not require the same strategic agility and focus to have an amazing experience. So driven in one aspect of my life while the my emotional self was just left to let the chips fall where they may.

This dream taught me so much about what i had already been pondering this month. In this chapter in my life, I am going to put just as much focus and just as much drive in my mind, heart and spirit as I do in reaching my career goals. I still believe in fate. I still believe that there is a path for all of us, I am now seeing though that there is also work and preparation that goes into that as well if you want your life and experiences to be fruitful and fulfilling. What you bring to life should not be a diversion to the experience life has laid out for you but an enhancement.

Diversion.

Understand The Power Of Your Beauty

I met a woman today that changed my life. Kind, telling eyes, a sweet smile that did not come from confidence but only a pure heart. She had booked an appointment with me to analyze and prescribe the perfect chemistry for her aging and tired skin. As I took in her features I thought to myself how beautiful her skin tone was and upon asking her questions of what she needed and wanted she began to unravel a list of so many things that she did not like about herself before finally stating, "I just can't look in the mirror anymore without crying."

My heart sunk as I listened with compassion. My logical mind already going to work on what chemical components I would  gather to fulfill each concern as my heart saddened for how she truly viewed and felt about herself. I learned that she was 68. A natural beauty in my perception. It was obvious that she was a woman of maturity but the years had looked kind upon her appearance to me. She was an Art History professor, surrounded by youth and beauty. A keen eye for detail and having spent much of her career restoring art pieces, she was almost trained to look for blemishes and imperfections. She saw herself in a way that I could not relate to or agree. Where as I saw a beautiful and mature woman, she saw a worn and tattered shell.

She was so hard on herself. It was apparent that the way she felt about her appearance was affecting the very core of how she felt about herself internally. I decided at that moment to change course. As I gathered the ingredients I knew could bring about change and revitalize the look and feel of her skin I applied each ingredient with care and love but knew that this was more than skin deep. My job would not be over until I made her leave appreciating how beautiful she was and knew how amazing she was inside and out.

Giving her a hand mirror as I worked treatments on her skin, pointing out each feature that I saw and admired. Letting her open up and speak of everything she was feeling, letting her just go through the process of what aging meant to her. Soon I saw a small glimmer of hope in her eye. A small appreciation for her inner beauty and outer beauty.

This experience changed me. We will all be there someday if given the opportunity. It is the cycle of life. I live and drive a business that is just as much placebo and hope in a jar as it is tangible science and chemistry. I have always looked at my industry more as a scientist. I learned biology and cosmetic chemistry so that I can supplement and resurface what is lacking in the skin cells. I rarely ever stop to think of the psychological point of view that the clients of my industry might be carrying with them.

Every woman is beautiful and has something distinctive that makes them striking to me. Everyone has a feature that makes them attractive and unique. As women, we are not even held to a higher standard of models or media that is our biggest threat. Our biggest enemy is ourselves. So I say this now, knowing that I am responsible to ensure that every client that comes my way will leave feeling more empowered about her appearance and her internal beauty no matter what it takes.

Young, old, different features, different skin tones and looks. You are all beautiful. You all have a spark and a life that lives inside of you that does shine through to your external being. Love your internal beauty. Love your external beauty. Just love and appreciate you. Be proud of who you are and how you look. Be proud that you are the only you that exists. Walk tall for no one else can be a better and more beautiful you, than you.

Understand the power of your beauty.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Who Is It For?

We were born into this world as organic to our true selves as we ever have been. We stay this way for quite some time. We cried when we were hungry, needed affection. We smiled when we were engaged in something, stimulated or felt happy. We slept when we felt like doing so, we loved when we felt prompted to from within and we closed away and hid when we did not like something or someones behavior towards us.

Then slowly, each year a bit of that self preservation and selfishness eroded away. Soon we learn the things to say and do to get approval from our parents, from our teachers and elders. Next integrates classmates and children. Learning that if we are to ever get along in society we need to reserve some of the things that we love and compromise to coexist with what others need and want.

We learn what is socially acceptable, we learn that to gain love from others we need to become their ideal. This is necessary. If not we would all be walking around self-centered and lonely, no regard for the gift and experience it is to share your life and world with others. However, there must be a point where we take a moment to gain insight into what things bring us joy. What drives us, what makes us true to ourselves and gives us happiness.

So I sit here thinking..what in my life am I doing for the acceptance and love of others that I could easily make small changes to and be true to myself. I might be surprised at how deep friendships will still remain and how some people will dwindle out of my life. We all face this paradox on a daily basis..the question is..are you ready to live for you? Are you ready to take a moment and be yourself to your fullest so that your life can be richer and more fulfilling without fear of rejection or acceptance?

I am. Now, I am not saying be ridiculous or selfish. I am simply saying live with the intention to impress yourself, not those around you. Be strong enough to love yourself with the faith that if you are a good and compassionate person you will get love in return. Live for you so that you can support others fully to live for themselves. Leave this world more in touch with what you need and want better than when you first arrived. Accept and love others to feel comfortable enough as they deserve the same happiness in their lives.

Who is it for?

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

The Definition Of crazy

You know how people always say to you when you are being redundant in your life and making the same mistakes. "You know the definition of Crazy is to do the same things over and over again and expect a different result?"

First off, I have dished that exact phrase to many a friends in my life and managed to do it with a cheery disposition of that of a Care Bear on a high horse. However, upon just Googling the definition of crazy it states no such thing. So..I jump down from my high horse, dust my pants off and stow my Care Bear stare away for another date and time. Nonetheless, this is still good advice and advice I have been giving myself this year in a constant flow but also extend you.

So, though not the actual definition of crazy..you must admit that there is a huge pump of truth serum to that statement. Don't we all do that? Live the same way, think the same thoughts, retrace the same footsteps on a different pavement over life and expect that somehow magically there is going to be a result we like better? Of course we do that. Being who we are is as easy as breathing. Our steps that we have walked our whole life take no work, no thought anymore. The only problem with that is there is no progression with that.

So now is the time to think. What in your life are you wishing to be different? What are you hoping will bring about a new result? If you could have one wish come true, what would it be? You can have it, you can achieve it but you will have to try new ways to expand your thoughts. Explore new avenues that live within you to open new doors that you never would have discovered if you had continued to do the same things over and over and yet still expect a new result.

That is my challenge for myself. I love routine. I am very in touch with who I am and yet sometimes that can stand in my way. I need to realize that I am in touch with myself as I stand today but life is about evolving and elevating ourselves and the world around us. So, if that is the mission I simply must learn from the steps I have taken prior and try a new way so that someday I can get the results I desire.

This is a huge year for me. A turning point. You all know that, I speak freely of it. So do I want a different result? Yes. So, I must open up my heart and open up my mind. Observe what I do that is right and what I have done that did not work. I must try new ways to obtain it.

The definition of crazy.

Rewrite Our Own History

When something is new to us, it is as if we can't get enough of it. Newness is all consuming. You taste a new flavor, it's all you crave to eat. You hear a new song, it is the only thing in your head. As humanity we are addicted to the swift rush of something we have not experienced before. A new career path, a new love, a new friendship, a new discovery..it occupies every last drop of your energy. Life was designed to be this way.

We have a long life if we are granted that opportunity and it is on average filled with lulls, peaks and lows. It is the rush of newness that drives us to the lovely peaks of  happiness and gives us the stamina to continue on through the lows and lulls. This is a cautionary tale however because it is a cheap fix at times and with all new, shiny toys comes wear and tear over time.

So how do you sustain your love and appreciation for something that inspires you so after the wear and tear of life and the newness is gone?  Sustainability and endurance can only come from balance and moderation. Live in the rush of that excitement you get when you are discovering this new thing, appreciate it for all the things it inspires in you but don't let it take over all of the things you once loved when they were new too.

This is my focus in this act in my life. I am addicted to newness and discovering, learning, tasting, feeling new things. I was that child that adored every new toy as if it were going to be the only toy I ever needed and then discarded it once the new model came out. I am making a conscious decision to end this pattern. I will continue growing, learning and enriching my world however I will not get so consumed in it that I lose my balance. In hindsight I could have loved my old toys and appreciated them all as I welcomed in this new toy that would teach me new ways to think and feel.

It is too late for me to go back and rediscover everything that once inspired me in my past. There were too many phases to count. What I can do though is appreciate all I learned and each talent and bit of elevation I took from each step along the way and carry it with me throughout my life. I will take caution and be cognisant when discovering new things to not get lost in them but to allow them to enhance my life, not be my life. Most importantly, with all things in moderation I will connect with them and my experience with them and it will create longevity. I am reprogramming who I am by nature so that I can rewrite my history in a way that will be more successful and set the stage for a long and beautiful experience. So I can grow as a person and make a change from who I was all those years before. So I can get the very most out of all the flavors, feelings and  learnings that life has to give me. It's never too late to recognize what you need to do to be a better person and make the change.

Rewrite our own history.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Smoking Gun

Evidence. We all leave behind evidence good or bad of our existence. Each step we take leaves an imprint on the universe big or small. Each breath we take changes the world around us as we know it. Take a breath, take in the oxygen as it infuses you with life. Now exhale, the carbon that rushes from your system now moving to provide a breath to a plant or other life form.  You make an impact whether you realize it or not. Your very existence creates a ripple effect.

What do you want to do with that power? You matter to someone, your mind and talents are unique to only you. This is your day. Leave evidence you will be proud of. Impact your surroundings and the lives of others for the better. Every breath counts. Every act is recorded. Make your evidence count.

Smoking gun.

The prequel to a dream

It is oh so quiet. Dark as well. People were simply not designed to be awake in these hours, I am sure of that. The melatonin in our body by nature wishes us a deep and restful slumber so our body can recharge and process the events of the day and prepare us for our next adventure.

It is far too lonely at this time of day. After a day of excitement and stimulation, socialization and creativity you would think that sleeping would come easy for me tonight but I am not so lucky to experience that. For the most part I sleep well. I live well all through the day and I rest an almost perfect rest through the night. As of late however I find pockets of insomnia taking me.

You see, I daydream. I live in a world where daydreaming comes so freely to me. Every night, before I fall asleep I daydream of lovely things. My hopes, my ambitions, romantic stories and sweet things. This is how I fall asleep every night. However, there are times when try as I might I simply can not conjure up a daydream. Tonight is one of those nights.

Tonight is a night where my head and my heart are stubbornly in reality. I sit in a dark, quiet room rather than the top of a mountain under a blanket of stars. A simple teddy bear cradles under my arm keeping me company rather than a hero from a lovely fairy tale. Reality is necessary, it is honest and pure. It is the very meaning of our life as we know it. I want to live in my reality and I am grateful for each day that I can..however, that does not stop my thirst for daydreaming and living in a lovely story each night before I slumber.

So I wait..and write..and then close my eyes tighter. Waiting for my mind to quiet, waiting for just one simple daydream to show and sweep me into slumber once more.

The prequel to a dream.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Action

We all get to a point in our existence where we require movement and momentum to be who we were meant to be. There is something inside of all of us that whispers to you what you were meant to do. It is not always grandiose, sometimes it is as simple as when you do something it just feels like it fits and other times you will do something and it will just feel a small discord.

That was my life. Each thought I had, each step I took, each breath I inhaled all just felt..wrong. I was surviving at a minimal.There is nothing wrong with surviving. Sometimes there is so much to have gratitude for just to have the gift to breathe but nonetheless, it all just felt wrong. What started out as a whisper soon turned into a louder prompting. Each day it got louder and my need to fulfill my destiny was all I could think about. All I wanted.

You all have experienced this. Some of you hear that whisper every day and have no idea how to break free from the life that you are simply surviving in. Perhaps it is your job, your relationships, your location or not following a talent or dream. What I want to do is give you permission to break free. Listen to that still, quiet voice that is trying to guide you and prompt you into your home. The place you were meant to be and reside. To do the things you were designed to do. It is scary, overwhelming and lonely sometimes in your quest for greatness but it lives in all of you. It lives in me. I believe this to my very core.

So I invite you to join me this year as I enter the second act of my life. Following and listening to my heart. Falling in love with myself once more after years of falling out of love. Falling in love with life and all of the amazing things it has in store for all of us. Join me as I learn what this still, small voice is whispering to me. I want to find my home, I want to make my mark, I want to fall in love again. This act in my life will be filled with so much joy, so much learning, so much sorrow and so much life. I want you with me through it all.

"The greatest love affair started with "hello",
the greatest love song started with a note and
the Mona Lisa started with a stroke.
You and me could be one of those."

Action.