March Fun -- Reflecting -- Planning -- Inspiring

The weather is absolutely lovely right now. I am excited about spring - the temperature is pleasant, the festivals and activities are popping up, and more time to indulge in play and work. I hope I can try and blur the lines in a much more inspiring and energetic way -- make work more playful and productive and take my playtime more seriously like it is a job that I must dedicate myself to doing.

There's so many opportunities for artist dates and fun.

+ A much needed cardio session (spinning, biking or running) whatever - I ran once and did home yoga once. I'm ready to bust into the weekend and be more energized and slowly work on my goals (10K for my birthday next month and sprint triathlon for June).

+ Reflecting on How Much Control We Have Over Our Happiness - Since I can't have a series of days of yet? And, don't have the funds for that extravagant vacation yet? What can I do in the meantime? via visioning, collaging, and journaling

+ Reflecting on What Financial Finesse Looks Like again via visioning, collaging and journaling and going to my class

+ Monday Massage -woohoo

+ Festivals and Parks (Menil Arts and Yoga at DiscoverY!)

+ Art Sessions, Looking at Art in the Menil

+ Spring Wedding - I am the maid of honor for my cousin Sheila's wedding! Started to get excited as the date rolls near!

+ Watching a Matinee - woohoo! Alice in Wonderland with Emma

+ Hanging out with family

+ At home spa time - yay for hot baths, smoothies, and rest!

March Musings and Inspirations

Check out this fun website called www.wordle.net!

Facing the Start of Your Week - Boldly and Fearlessly

Back to the Daily Grind... Another Monday!
Typically this can be a sad realization for some, but for others who are inspired, motivated and focused, it can be a great opportunity for them to relish in who they are and start diving in to accomplish much.

Here are some ways to make sure you kick the case of the Mondays in the face:
#1 Bring in an element of your weekend to your Monday. For me today, it was sitting down and eating leftovers from my Sunday morning breakfast. On Sundays, my boyfriend and I like to go out and eat a good breakfast. It's the only morning that he gets to sleep in and it's a nice way for us to slow down and get to talk. Smelling the coffee, tasting the sweet orange juice, and eating fluffy pancakes made by someone else is a simple and beautiful luxury. :) So this morning, I ate my breakfast with a fresh cup of coffee, re-warmed pancakes, eggs and hash browns on a plate with a place mat on my desk. Yeah, it's not IHOP or Barnaby's, but it was a nice reminder of things I'm grateful for - a relaxing morning over a yummy meal with a wonderful beau.

#2 Gratitude journal entry: Reflecting on your weekend. Relish in moment by moment and detail by detail. It will make you feel energized and renewed - ready to produce some good work. You'll be more motivated to dive into your work week when you know your time in the office provides the currency and resources to enjoy a good life.

#3 Incorporate your passion in your daytime work. You spend more time at your desk than any substantial activity you can invest in fully on the weekend. That's the reality. So find some inspiring work that incorporates what you would be willing to do on your free time.

#4 Take breaks. Go for a walk nearby. Take a few stretches. Read an inspiring news article. Review your goals and reflect on why you are here to work.

#5 Be fully present in your work. Dive in because this may be your one chance to do this great work. If that doesn't inspire you today, remember that you are your own brand. What you do is a reflection of your values and aspirations. You may not feel like you have made it, but for today, God put you here to learn, enjoy and face the current challenges and adventures.

Be fearless. Live passionately.

eclectic+electric+energizing

I am using the terms eclectic, electric, and energizing because that's how I feel like my February has turned out to be. First off, I used it because I've recently made a nice mix of music for the the month which has a nice melange of artists: Portishead, Flaming Lips, Moby, and Lusine. I think there are some themes running in my mind that I'm trying to be conscious of these past few weeks:

1) Connectivity to God's grace and gratitude: In order to have a real authentic relationship with God, you have to spend time with him and get to know him. And, I don't just mean indulging in just spending time alone. Sometimes, that just ends up being all about you... I mean spending time thinking about your circumstance, resources, and situations that lead up to ultimately serve, praise, and reverence God. I think we can get trapped into being our own cheerleaders and forget the vastness and greatness of God's grace. We can't do it on our own, and we weren't made to do all of this on our own. Remember that this is all for God through and through...

2) Energy and Electricity from God: In Cameron's "Artist Way," she speaks about affirmations. Some affirmations are very, very hard to face and trust. The following are the ones I grapple with the most:

:: I am a channel for God's creativity, and my work comes to good.
:: My dreams come from God and God has the power to accomplish them.
:: I am willing to let God create through me.

If we don't have faith, have joy, and lovingly accept the providence of God, we will not grow. Period. That's it. No trust, belief, and faith in the spirit leads to staleness. I don't want to be stale. And the result of growing, comes from being in tune with God, trusting God, and facing some ugly things that keep us from God. Again, we shouldn't guilt or punish ourselves, we should calmly accept that we don't do this on our own. We should face our barriers and lean into God even more. That's what character-building and maturity is about.

3) Financial Savvy and Bliss: Three weeks ago, I started the Dave Ramsey class. I heard about this class almost 7 years ago and watched other people turn their lives around. I never listened. I even tried reading up on certain financial tips and incorporating them on my own, but it often just sucked. I am at a point in my life where I had to look in the mirror and realize in order to continue growing I was going to have to manage this aspect of my life better. You can't work hard and just hope for the best. You actually have to plan in order to fulfill your dreams and help others. So, I hope this spring is a time that I can teach myself new habits and better discipline.

4) Serving Women and Being in a Faith Community: Connectedness to God doesn't just happen on your own. We are made to connect to others and be part of the Church. The body is one of God's most important instruments. If we are not part of the body, how can we truly relate to God and experience the beauty of God. Yes, prayer and individual time is crucial, but so is being part of a faith community. I have often wished to be part of a faith community, but lately gave up on trying to be part of one. The opportunity has come up for me to start serving other women. I think supporting women is crucial: as daughters, sisters, mothers, and employees we have a unique insight on the world and oftentimes we are spiritually exhausted because of all the roles we have. I hope that in my service to women I can inspire spiritual rejuvenation and connectivity. And, just have a spot in my life, where I can meet amazing people and serve more.

5) Gratitude and Simplicity: We are so driven to continue chasing carrots and we forget about what we already have. Having a gratitude perspective reminds us of the overwhelming grace God gives and reminds us that extending grace is our role as Christians. Ugh! That's so hard sometimes. We are hardwired to continue going and going and going to the point of exhausting. If we are not doing, we are not accomplishing and we are nothing.

That's a sad perspective to have on life. :(

Start thinking and reflecting on your actions and events that come up in your life. What did you do this past weekend? What were the highlights? Where was God present in those moments? And, where could you have used God's guidance? There are messages from Him if you listen and work with Him.

Reflecting on Things Gives You More Appreciation on the Abundances in Your Life
:: Great conversation with a colleague while enjoying a good cup of black bean soup and veggie sandwich
:: A long yoga session with live music from DJ Sun
:: Being able to watch Hotel Babylon and eat a scrumptious meal cooked by my boyfriend
:: Having a good massage --> getting the stiffness and stress rubbed out of my neck and shoulders and getting some rest
:: Finding a beautiful reproduction of Byzantine artwork for my mother's birthday and knowing that she would enjoy it
:: Watching hockey with friends
:: Belly-dancing
:: Watching Canada kick butt in hockey
:: Enjoying a meal at Tokyo One
:: Being challenged to face brokenness
:: Riding bikes with my boyfriend
:: Getting more sleep
:: A glass of wine and thinking about Montelpuciano
:: Discussing dreams and fears honestly with someone who is willing to listen

Reflecting is so, so, so important. Slow down and experience things. Breathe things in and let them excite your senses. Close your eyes. Feel the warmth and embrace your life.

February Thoughts -- Inner Reflection

Going on the silent retreat at the Cenacle was an awesome experience for me. If you've never been to The Cenacle, I recommend that you go for a visit or at least visit Terry Hershey Park , they are both very beautiful and peaceful places. And, for all of us living in Houston, it's not a very far drive. I only spoke to three people the whole weekend,and for someone who likes to talk, it was a really interesting change of pace for me. Sister Roselle was my spiritual director for the weekend and she asked me to ponder on a few things and spend an afternoon in silence.

:: Be thankful and blessed that you decided to take a time out.
:: Retreats are no just for myself, but for the relationship between me and God
:: I forget that spirituality is a two-way street sometimes -- God is involved in the process. I may have chosen to take a time out, but God motivated me to come.
:: Why?
:: Who is God? What image do I see when I think of him?
:: What would God think of me?

The amazing thing about taking away life's so-called "distractions" is that it helps purify your perspective and you start to feel more present and in the moment. I get so caught up with this multi-tasking mentality that I end up doing a bunch of stuff at a mediocre level.

That afternoon I started to notice things:

:: quiet
:: spending time outside on a swing with real sunshine
:: noticing where I come up short and where I should grow
:: slowing things down and having the courage to be mindful and intentional
:: listening, listening, listening
:: growing gratitude for my relationships with family, friends and bf
:: having what I need

The crazy thing about silent retreats is that during meals you don't talk to anyone. I was partially relieved and partially weirded out by it. On one hand, I was glad that I didn't have to come up with my upbeat persona and tell people who I am, what I do for a living, why I was here. Nobody had to hear it. But on the other hand, I almost felt like I was a patient at a mental facility. I mean, we are humans. God made us to interact. We were all separated at our own tables and forced to face different directions. Yeah, the meals were the weirdest thing.

But, for the purpose of silent retreating, taking away the conversations and creating silence really forces you back to thinking about you and God; your flaws; what your bring to the life God gave you. It was an interesting exercise. You also notice more details in nature, in your environment, in the sounds, and in how things taste and smell.

How can you and I bring retreat elements into our lives each day? We are always on sacred ground because God is within us and in everything even when we are not conscious of it. That's an amazing thing to think about.

woah - I didn't really sign up for all of that

Ugh! Have you ever woken up and wondered how the heck did it all end up this way? I've been having one of those moments, days, months. I think it's time for some spiritual reflection, inner searching and revising.

Out of the blue today, I signed up for a silent retreat for this weekend. It's themed around Lent which is often a good time to think about how you can be spiritually enriched and Christ centered. The problem for me is I've gotten so lazy, lazy, lazy.
I have lost my sense of direction, and I'm hoping that some quiet time on my own can help me get recentered. I've always dog-eared this retreat center as a place for me to go and chill out. And, that was probably more than FOUR years ago....

But, that's okay. Things happen for a reason I suppose and maybe this time I will learn something new, reflect on what's been going on, and feel renewed. Because right now I feel spiritually crusty, crabby, and tired.

2010 - New Moon, Mindfulness and Presence

I'd like to open up my first entry for 2010 with poetry from David Whyte...

Faith
I want to write about faith
about the way the moon rises
over cold snow, night after night.



faithful even as it fades from fullness
slowly becoming that last curving and
impossible
sliver of light before the final darkness.



But I have no faith in myself
I refuse it even the smallest entry.



Let this then, very small poem
like a new moon, slender and barely open
be the first pray that opens me
to faith.


Lately friends I have been struggling with faith. It almost feels like the back-at-home-for-the-holidays food coma I sometimes experience. Ever been home for the holidays and stuffed your face with so much good comfort food you just feel so, so sluggish? Or, ever felt so wimpy - you are so lost in what's going on you no longer feel spiritually revived? During these dreary winter days, I have felt that.

But, like a new moon, there is hope and eventually a new time will come when we shine. Even with a tiny sliver or a brilliant full moon day, we must always feel MINDFULLNESS AND FULLY PRESENT WITH WHAT IS. That is a promise and a commitment that I must make with myself.

At the end of a really good yoga class yesterday, my teacher mentioned the peace, the energy and light that was glowing within us. It's that peacefulness and comfort we sense after doing something good for ourselves and taking care of our bodies. We can always bring that joy wherever we are if we choose to. Through "prayer" and "affirmations" we can move from our suffering. The suffering we oftentimes feel when we dwell in our past, worrying about the next day, or yearn for a better day.

I hope that each moment I won't live with regret and continue to stretch and push past these edges. Mindfulness and presence is what I seek for today.