It's funny how things just seem to pop up in your mind when you least expect it. Three almost four years ago I lifted myself from an almost perfect life and threw myself into an African Adventure that was on my bucket list of things to do. I came back to more chaos then I can imagine, but tonight as I came across my old blog from my african school days I realized just how parallel my life is to that exact moment.
Reading through the entries, made me see that a lot of the lessons I had learnt then, I lost in the chaos of getting trapped in the life of a running shoe era child once I returned. Its funny how your moments of clarity can get lost in the chaos of life, and then hit you one day like a tonne of bricks when you realize WHAT THE HELL I ALREADY LEARNT THAT!!!! WHY THE HELL DIDN'T I LISTEN TO MYSELF THEN!! Regardless, just like I said in my last post - life is like a circle and I'm making mine an African one, since clearly the Lion King sound tracks is one of my favs :)
As the seconds, minutes and hours get closer to my next adventure, I am clutching my new favorite journal in hand getting ready to return to the old school way of writing - with a pen and paper :) As I sign off I promise to come back with lots of funny stories, tales and of course life lessons. But in the interim I leave you all with the link to the blog that started it all off - Arti's African Adventure (yes I know the title lacks serious creativity!!).
http://artisafricanadventure.blogspot.ca/2009_09_01_archive.html
Happy Reading, Laughing and Living
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
ATTTENTION!!!!! 31 IS NOTTTT THE NEW 51...
So it came, my 31st birthday. And while I woke up feeling this pain of "ARGHHHHHH AM I REALLY THIS OLD!!!" I forced myself to get out of bed and face the world. As I stood in the bathroom brushing my teeth, I began analyzing everything I could see. DO I HAVE WRINKLES?!!?! OR WHITE HAIRS??!?! ARE MY NON-EXISTENT BOOBS SAGGING ALREADY?!!?? DO MY ARMS JIGGLE WHEN I WAVE???? The faces and stances I took and analyzed while I brushed my teeth were in the millions, but the more melodramatic things I did, the more I actually couldn't help but start giggling uncontrollably. OMG, WAS I REALLY DOING THIS? WAS I REALLY THINKING THAT 31 WAS THE NEW 51? It was insane, but when I finally caught my breath after giggling so much, I realized that 31 was / is pretty amazing.
I mean at 1, I could barely talk and was pretty much a blob that moved from adult to adult being cooed at. At 11 I was chubby, nerdy and awkward beyond belief. At 21, i was starting to get cute, but was so lost and confused with who I wanted to be and where I wanted to go. And now at 31, I can talk more than I ever could, I have lost that final 15 and can wear things that my 11 year old self dreamed of, and best of all I have been found - I know who I am, where I want to go and what I want to be. Amazing, simply amazing. 31 is a number that was meant to make feel grateful beyond belief.
And so in random me style as usual, I set out on a little path to spread the love I was feeling inside. It all started with a birthday tradition I started years ago that I had taken a hiatus from, I hosted a birthday brunch, where i cooked a full spread for my closest and most favoritest besties. Candied bacon, scrambled eggs, gluten free muffins (that most spit out, lol), fruits, mimosa's, cupcakes, and candies filled my apartment as people arrived. And it was once everyone was fed, that i took out this mini carrying case and began explaining what and how I was feeling and what mini activity I wanted everyone to partake in.
My mission -To spread happiness / joy / smiles / love / etc
My method - Writing notes / cards / letters / etc full of positivity and spreading them around the city
My staff - WELL DUH!!! EVERYONE THAT CAME TO BRUNCH!
So I opened my carrying case that exploded with pens, stickers, cards, paper and envelopes and everyone got writing. And it was amazing. Not one person looked at me like I had gone absolutely mental. Instead people begged to write more as they spread around my apartment looking for quite spaces to write. IT WAS SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL.
And once we were done, the fun began. With jackets, hats, boots all on and with letters in hand we left my apartment in search of little pockets and places within the city we could leave our notes and well wishes. From grocery carts, to people's bags, to park benches, to flower pots and news stands, all the letters were released and all the joy was spread :)
And soo if any of you are lucky enough to come across one of these notes, I ask you to pay it forward. Take 5 minutes to write a random note to someone else, and leave it to be found. I know that it could sound absolutely mental. But the truth is until you try it, you really have no idea how addicting it is to spread all that love.
At 31 I have learnt that life is a circle (insert cheesey lion king song here..lol), and that love is what keeps it going round and round and round. So what do you have to lose by spreading some of it? Because we all know that in the end it all comes back to us :)
And with that I leave you all with one of my most favorite passages.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Happy Easter Y'all!
Up next - The Running Shoe Diaries goes INTERNATIONAL!!!!!!
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I mean at 1, I could barely talk and was pretty much a blob that moved from adult to adult being cooed at. At 11 I was chubby, nerdy and awkward beyond belief. At 21, i was starting to get cute, but was so lost and confused with who I wanted to be and where I wanted to go. And now at 31, I can talk more than I ever could, I have lost that final 15 and can wear things that my 11 year old self dreamed of, and best of all I have been found - I know who I am, where I want to go and what I want to be. Amazing, simply amazing. 31 is a number that was meant to make feel grateful beyond belief.
And so in random me style as usual, I set out on a little path to spread the love I was feeling inside. It all started with a birthday tradition I started years ago that I had taken a hiatus from, I hosted a birthday brunch, where i cooked a full spread for my closest and most favoritest besties. Candied bacon, scrambled eggs, gluten free muffins (that most spit out, lol), fruits, mimosa's, cupcakes, and candies filled my apartment as people arrived. And it was once everyone was fed, that i took out this mini carrying case and began explaining what and how I was feeling and what mini activity I wanted everyone to partake in.
My mission -To spread happiness / joy / smiles / love / etc
My method - Writing notes / cards / letters / etc full of positivity and spreading them around the city
My staff - WELL DUH!!! EVERYONE THAT CAME TO BRUNCH!
So I opened my carrying case that exploded with pens, stickers, cards, paper and envelopes and everyone got writing. And it was amazing. Not one person looked at me like I had gone absolutely mental. Instead people begged to write more as they spread around my apartment looking for quite spaces to write. IT WAS SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL.
And once we were done, the fun began. With jackets, hats, boots all on and with letters in hand we left my apartment in search of little pockets and places within the city we could leave our notes and well wishes. From grocery carts, to people's bags, to park benches, to flower pots and news stands, all the letters were released and all the joy was spread :)
And soo if any of you are lucky enough to come across one of these notes, I ask you to pay it forward. Take 5 minutes to write a random note to someone else, and leave it to be found. I know that it could sound absolutely mental. But the truth is until you try it, you really have no idea how addicting it is to spread all that love.
At 31 I have learnt that life is a circle (insert cheesey lion king song here..lol), and that love is what keeps it going round and round and round. So what do you have to lose by spreading some of it? Because we all know that in the end it all comes back to us :)
And with that I leave you all with one of my most favorite passages.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Happy Easter Y'all!
Up next - The Running Shoe Diaries goes INTERNATIONAL!!!!!!
Sunday, March 17, 2013
TO THIS DAY...I still have my inner child tell me TO GET MY SHIT TOGETHER!!
I’m not the only kid
who grew up this way
surrounded by people who used to say
that rhyme about sticks and stones
as if broken bones
hurt more than the names we got called
and we got called them all
so we grew up believing no one
would ever fall in love with us
that we’d be lonely forever
that we’d never meet someone
to make us feel like the sun
was something they built for us
in their tool shed
so broken heart strings bled the blues
as we tried to empty ourselves
so we would feel nothing
don’t tell me that hurts less than a broken bone
that an ingrown life
is something surgeons can cut away
that there’s no way for it to metastasize
who grew up this way
surrounded by people who used to say
that rhyme about sticks and stones
as if broken bones
hurt more than the names we got called
and we got called them all
so we grew up believing no one
would ever fall in love with us
that we’d be lonely forever
that we’d never meet someone
to make us feel like the sun
was something they built for us
in their tool shed
so broken heart strings bled the blues
as we tried to empty ourselves
so we would feel nothing
don’t tell me that hurts less than a broken bone
that an ingrown life
is something surgeons can cut away
that there’s no way for it to metastasize
Growing up wasn't easy let's face it. And while many of us can put on a facade and giggle about the days on the playground, school yard and class room where we got picked on, tormented and belittled, we know deep down that some of those very words that were used still sit deep inside, harboring our greatest fears and anxieties. These are things we never talk about as we get older, these are the things that 20 years later, still make us question who we are when we look in the mirror, these are the things that even on some of our bestest days make us feel more insecure than our 10 year old selves.
Why? Why can't we let those things go? Why can't we look in the mirror and fully wave goodbye to those times and see our worth staring back in front of us? WHY IS IT SO HARD?
Is it because we can't help but look in the mirror and see that 10 year old version of ourselves staring back at us? Or is it because the names, the phrases, the everythings in between still echo in our heads and hearts creating doubts in those moments in our lives where we think "HOLY SHIT, I GOT EVERYTHING I DREAMED OF AND MORE?
No matter when it is that these insecurities step in did you ever stop and think, "what did I do when I was 10, 12 or 16 when I was being tormented, or made to feel like I was worthless?" I know what I did, I cried over and over and over again and then I got up, looked at myself in the mirror and told myself to get my shit together. And then I went out and lived life like those dark moments never existed. I was fearless, literally. Aiming for the top, no matter what those around me thought. I didn't care that I was a chubby, nerdy, weirdly dressed adolescent, I knew I was going to become something fabulous one day and that I would show all of those people that doubted me.
And then what. WELL I BECAME SOMETHING FABULOUS, DUH! LOL, but even in all my fabulousness, I still get caught up. I look in the mirror and see that chubby, weirdly dressed little girl and wonder if they were right and if I am really all I have cracked myself up to be. Like most of you, that may not admit it out loud, I still harbor those same fears and anxieties that Shane Koyczan's spoken word poem - To This Day - addresses.
The difference is that now when I get overwhelmed and caught up in those insecurities, I look in the mirror and have my 10 year old self stare right back at me, and tell me to GET MY SHIT TOGETHER, BECAUSE I AM FABULOUS AND WORTH IT.
So you see sometimes we just have to listen to our inner child and realize that life is too damn short to live in fear of what could, when we should just be enjoying the greatness of what is :)
Have a watch, a reminisce, a cry, a whatever you need and THEN GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER :)
Happy St. Patty's Day! ANNNND HAPPY FASHION WEEK TORONTO!!!
- Til next time
And then what. WELL I BECAME SOMETHING FABULOUS, DUH! LOL, but even in all my fabulousness, I still get caught up. I look in the mirror and see that chubby, weirdly dressed little girl and wonder if they were right and if I am really all I have cracked myself up to be. Like most of you, that may not admit it out loud, I still harbor those same fears and anxieties that Shane Koyczan's spoken word poem - To This Day - addresses.
The difference is that now when I get overwhelmed and caught up in those insecurities, I look in the mirror and have my 10 year old self stare right back at me, and tell me to GET MY SHIT TOGETHER, BECAUSE I AM FABULOUS AND WORTH IT.
So you see sometimes we just have to listen to our inner child and realize that life is too damn short to live in fear of what could, when we should just be enjoying the greatness of what is :)
Have a watch, a reminisce, a cry, a whatever you need and THEN GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER :)
Happy St. Patty's Day! ANNNND HAPPY FASHION WEEK TORONTO!!!
- Til next time
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Staying motivated, WHO / WHAT IS YOUR DRIVING FORCE?
WHAT / WHO MOTIVATES YOU? WHAT / WHO GETS YOU OFF YOUR A@* AND MAKES YOU WANT TO BE RANDOM, SILLY, FUN AND THE INNER DAREDEVIL YOU KNOW EXISTS????
I had a list of things I wanted to write about and then yesterday morning in the midst of being a hot, sweaty and uncoordinated mess during a fitness class I haven't done in years that list got mentally thrown out. I have no idea how and what point it happened considering I was too busy trying to figure out when I was supposed to jab, hook and jump kick and then put it all together miraculously, but it did. And instead that list was replaced with this idea of motivation. I watched the very pregnant teacher put 100000% into her class and her husband (who stood next to me), push his way through every single move she screamed out. And through all the chaos they seemed to just keep looking over at each other smiling. I knew based on those smiles that I caught in between the sweat droplets stinging my eyes that they were what kept each other motivated. Motivated to keep going and not give up, motivated to look absolutely ridiculous in attempting to stay coordinated and motivated to continue challenging each other regardless of how painful the outcome could be.
And all these thoughts of motivation got me thinking. Remember when we were kids and we were motivated by all those little rewards we could get - the stickers from our teachers, the candies / money / gifts from our parents, the good old posting of the test on the fridge, and so on? I giggled to myself thinking about the little things that got me so pumped to do things when I was a kid and then started to trail off thinking about what it was or has been that has got me going since all those little rewards faded away. DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS THAT KEEPS YOU GOING STILL?
As I started to think about the things that have motivated me through out all these years I realized that with the times they have changed. I mean in high school, while I was motivated by my own desire to do well, i knew not wanting to let my parents down kept me going with my studies and I knew that my desire to be considered pretty or popular kept me experimenting with my looks and attempting to get fit. In university I was driven again by my parents, but more so by my desire for self-discovery. I knew university was a chance to really reinvent myself and start becoming the woman I wanted to be. I was surrounded by a million new faces, which to me meant a million new opportunities to really find out what inspired me.
And just as it was coming to an end I entered the workforce, where the idea's of being pretty or popular or the top of the class seemed to fade away and instead get replaced by this thought of racing ahead in my career, which over those first few years never seemed to be as motivating as the failures I kept experiencing with my accounting exams. This desire I had to prove to myself that I was capable of passing and succeeding is really what kept me going. And 3 years after when it was all done, I did become overwhelmed with this thought of - WOW I REALLY CAN DO THIS S&** AND I COULD BECOME REALLY SUCCESSFUL. And then it happened, I was hit by the motivation to just continue to succeed, to get ahead in my career and not at all costs but at the cost of isolating myself from a lot of the world so that I could live safely in my own bubble and do what I needed and wanted to do.
Now in light of what you all in cyber space could be thinking. The real reason for the isolation bubble, was because I have always felt really different from the norm. I am completely random, goofy, nerdy, outgoing, quite, crazy, silly, insecure at times, yet confident, serious, scared, fun, sure of myself, caring and big-hearted all at once. The truth is I have never felt like I fit into that single crowd or box. You know like the ones we had in high school - the cool kids, the dancers, the athletes, and so on. I have always felt like I'm square trying to fit into a circle. So it was always easier to really stay motivated by my 50 shades of personality, rather than try to fit into a box and be motivated by others.
And then that all changed. And I was lucky enough to come face to face with a person that for the first time, really got me (shockingly and surprisingly). And likely because they too had about 50 shades of personality that are like mine all over the place, lol. Regardless it was refreshing to finally be surrounded by someone who I felt comfortable enough to be all 50 shades of me around, especially knowing that I too served as a breath of fresh air by being different. And so I realized that those multiple faces and hats that I continue to wear are what make me uniquely me :) And so that isolation bubble changed. And now the motivation I have comes from a place that I can't even put into words. All I can say is that watching a very pregnant fitness instructor and her big and tall south African husband yesterday made me remember what keeps me smiling and motivated every day and in every sappy sense of the world it continues to be simply beautiful, worth it and life changing for me.
SO I ASK AGAIN, WHAT GETS YOU MOTIVATED? AND WHO / WHAT MAKES YOU WANT TO DREAM WITH YOUR EYES WIDE OPEN AS YOU LIVE A LIFE YOU NEVER IMAGINED POSSIBLE? Think about it and then make sure you hold onto things for dear life. Because no matter what the days may bring - good, bad, ugly, ups, downs, situations you think are far beyond your control - your motivation will always help you get through it!
Happy Sunday and week ahead :)
Sunday, February 17, 2013
NeRdY hObBbIEs ThAt HAvE sOmeThInG iNteRestIng 2 sAY - From YoUrs tRuLY, A NeRd AT hEarT :)
Its official I HAVE BECOME OBSESSED, obsessed with the idea, thought and activity of reading. And I realize how nerdy, I could potentially sound. But truth be told that at my inner core lies a true nerd. That's right, behind all the stylish clothes, stiletto heals, glasses, crazy hair and make-up lies a nerd. A nerd that thrives off of learning and reading about new things. And while I am also obsessed with mediums like Ted Talks and YouTube, I just can't shake the thrill I get from cracking open a fresh new book and turning the pages as I forge forward through the book and get closer to the end. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU OPENED UP A BOOK FOR FUN? YOU KNOW A LEISURELY READ? AND WHAT WAS IT?
I think back to the days of being a kid, when my dad would drag me to the public library every other Sunday, so I could pick out books to read in my "spare" time. You know outside of the time I had beyond school work, my dad's extra homework he always seemed to have for me, kumon and house chores - WHERE WAS THE TIME I WAS ALLOTTED FOR BEING A KID, I ALWAYS USED TO ASK? I think that's why I still love to dance my heart out at any given second and play in the snow and sandbox, I'm clearly making up for lost time, lol.
Anyhow, like most things in my life at the time, those trips to the library were structured. I was allowed to pick 1 history book, 1 geography book, 1 science book and 1 "fun book". I used to scroll the sections of the library for hours, and really only because I was staring at the kids who got to read and pick all the "fun books". Regardless, I would always admit defeat in my multiple attempts to pick only fun books and return home from the library with a stack of books that seemed to be much taller than me. WHY, WHY, WHY? WAS I FORCED TO READ ALL THESE BOOKS?!??!?! In those days, i would just stare at the ceiling on those Sunday's when I returned home from the library and think to myself, this is it, this is who I am destined to be "The Fat Smart/Nerdy Kid", C'est Le Vie, at least I will make billions (which I am still waiting for, lol).
But regardless of all the reading that was forced upon me, I still found hours during the day to hide inside the library at school sneaking reads of all the "fun books". No one was going to stop me from learning all about the babysitters club, the choose your own adventure stories, Nancy drew and Goosebumps. NO ONE, NOT EVEN THAT STACK OF GOD FORSAKEN BORING BOOKS!!!
Now as I have gotten older, I have made time on vacations and some spare moments to pick up a "fun book" and read. However I will admit that over the past 10 years most of those "fun reads" have been replaced with a stack of mile high text books, accounting and tax acts, GMAT books and life. My love for reading as much as i have vied for making more time for it just always seemed to get replaced with the next thing on my to do list that was getting me closer to being a successful running shoe era kid.
However, as of late, I have taken an approach to living that boxes work into a 8/9-6/7 zone and life in every hour outside of it. It has taken a lot out of me to not care, to not check email and to just let it be, but the new life I live is simply amazing. AND now with all the spare time I have allotted myself, I have had the chance to read as many books as I want :) And I have to admit that the more I read - regardless of the book - the more I realize that the mere act of reading is teaching me so much about life. It's teaching me to dream with my eyes wide open and to enjoy the journey to the destiny that I know will eventually be. In so many ways along with my meditation practice, it's caused me to slow down, breath and just let things roll of my shoulders. CRAZY RIGHT? AND ALL THIS FROM READING :) Told you that life teaches you things ALL THE TIME. SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GO GRAB THAT BOOK THAT YOU HAVE BEEN STARING AT FOR DAYS, WEEKS AND MONTHS AND JUST START READING IT :)
And with that I end with my latest book suggestion - The fault in our Stars (a new york times bestseller) and ASK YOU ALL OUT THERE TO MAKE SURE - YOU DEVOTE AT LEAST 15 MINUTES AT THE END OF YOUR DAY TO READING SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING FUN AND SOMETHING THAT WILL PUT YOUR MIND AT REST AND EASE :) Let yourself dream with your eyes wide open and enjoy the journey - because IT WILL ALL WORK OUT, I KNOW :)
- Happy long weekend and week ahead, tootles :)
PS. Have a book suggestion? I'm looking to add to my list! If so leave a comment with the name and author of the book :)
I think back to the days of being a kid, when my dad would drag me to the public library every other Sunday, so I could pick out books to read in my "spare" time. You know outside of the time I had beyond school work, my dad's extra homework he always seemed to have for me, kumon and house chores - WHERE WAS THE TIME I WAS ALLOTTED FOR BEING A KID, I ALWAYS USED TO ASK? I think that's why I still love to dance my heart out at any given second and play in the snow and sandbox, I'm clearly making up for lost time, lol.
Anyhow, like most things in my life at the time, those trips to the library were structured. I was allowed to pick 1 history book, 1 geography book, 1 science book and 1 "fun book". I used to scroll the sections of the library for hours, and really only because I was staring at the kids who got to read and pick all the "fun books". Regardless, I would always admit defeat in my multiple attempts to pick only fun books and return home from the library with a stack of books that seemed to be much taller than me. WHY, WHY, WHY? WAS I FORCED TO READ ALL THESE BOOKS?!??!?! In those days, i would just stare at the ceiling on those Sunday's when I returned home from the library and think to myself, this is it, this is who I am destined to be "The Fat Smart/Nerdy Kid", C'est Le Vie, at least I will make billions (which I am still waiting for, lol).
But regardless of all the reading that was forced upon me, I still found hours during the day to hide inside the library at school sneaking reads of all the "fun books". No one was going to stop me from learning all about the babysitters club, the choose your own adventure stories, Nancy drew and Goosebumps. NO ONE, NOT EVEN THAT STACK OF GOD FORSAKEN BORING BOOKS!!!
Now as I have gotten older, I have made time on vacations and some spare moments to pick up a "fun book" and read. However I will admit that over the past 10 years most of those "fun reads" have been replaced with a stack of mile high text books, accounting and tax acts, GMAT books and life. My love for reading as much as i have vied for making more time for it just always seemed to get replaced with the next thing on my to do list that was getting me closer to being a successful running shoe era kid.
However, as of late, I have taken an approach to living that boxes work into a 8/9-6/7 zone and life in every hour outside of it. It has taken a lot out of me to not care, to not check email and to just let it be, but the new life I live is simply amazing. AND now with all the spare time I have allotted myself, I have had the chance to read as many books as I want :) And I have to admit that the more I read - regardless of the book - the more I realize that the mere act of reading is teaching me so much about life. It's teaching me to dream with my eyes wide open and to enjoy the journey to the destiny that I know will eventually be. In so many ways along with my meditation practice, it's caused me to slow down, breath and just let things roll of my shoulders. CRAZY RIGHT? AND ALL THIS FROM READING :) Told you that life teaches you things ALL THE TIME. SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GO GRAB THAT BOOK THAT YOU HAVE BEEN STARING AT FOR DAYS, WEEKS AND MONTHS AND JUST START READING IT :)
And with that I end with my latest book suggestion - The fault in our Stars (a new york times bestseller) and ASK YOU ALL OUT THERE TO MAKE SURE - YOU DEVOTE AT LEAST 15 MINUTES AT THE END OF YOUR DAY TO READING SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING FUN AND SOMETHING THAT WILL PUT YOUR MIND AT REST AND EASE :) Let yourself dream with your eyes wide open and enjoy the journey - because IT WILL ALL WORK OUT, I KNOW :)
- Happy long weekend and week ahead, tootles :)
PS. Have a book suggestion? I'm looking to add to my list! If so leave a comment with the name and author of the book :)
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Happpppy LOVVVVEEEEE WEEEEEKKK!!!!!!!!!!
Is it February already?!?!?! The holiday season seems to be but a distant memory, the cold weather seems to get worse and then suddenly there it is, that dreaded week, day and time of year dawns upon us. You know the week when chocolates, flowers, candies, jewellery and everything in between sell for a premium, the week that guys seem to dread the most and the week that girls seem to swoon over and count down on their calendars. YESSSSS THAT'S RIGHT FOLKS - ITS LOVE WEEK!!! VALENTINES DAY, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT :) and no matter what you say or do, we all must live through it.
Now being the female that I am, of course I live and breath for this holiday much in the same way that I do Christmas. But it's not what you think. I am not the big expensive gift expector, nor do I ever shell out millions of dollars to wish those closest to me a happy Valentines Day. So I don't buy into this whole retail craziness that seems to spread like wild fire around this week. I simply love this holiday, only because in lives as crazy as ours we get to take one day out a year to make sure that we tell those closest to us how much we love, appreciate and respect them. And so while gorgeous jewellery, bouquets of flowers and chocolates that will only allow my butts to enlarge are nice, why not get into the true Valentines spirit and just buy a card, write a letter or a note, send a text message, pick up the phone or show up and surprise someone and just spread the message the old school way :)
As a kid I think back to my most favourite Valentine's memory - my parents surprising my sister and i with a massive heart shaped cookie from Mrs. Field's that had Happy Valentines Day scripted on it - and think, whatever happened to all those simple things. You know, like the cute little Valentine's cards we exchanged in school that were full of all the cutest characters and cartoons of our times, the single stem roses we used to exchange in high school and the chocolates that used to circulate the halls of every school no matter what age or grade you were. Those were the best Valentines Days EVER! Wouldn't you agree?
That's why I have set out on my own Valentines Day mission :) Curious? Well in one of my first posts on my blog, I wrote about this amazing Non-For-Profit called MoreLoveLetters that had started out in NyC. Their mission - to spread love through letter writing - has inspired me to take it back to the old school and spread some Valentines Day Love in my most favourite way possible- VALENTINES DAY CARDS!!!! So I took a trip to a local shoppers drug mart and my most favourite paper store and stocked up on supplies to begin my VALENTINES DAY CARD GIVING MISSION! So how does this mission work you ask. Well I have hand written on about 20 of the cutest Valentine's Day Cards (picture below) and addressed them to "lucky random strangers who get to find them." My job this week is to leave these cards in random places in the city. You know like on the streetcar, at the gym, in my office building, in the underground, in my favourite coffee shop, and the list goes on. I have left my blog handle on all the cards, hoping that the lucky finders of these cards will leave a comment or two. But really I have no expectations of ever hearing back from these random strangers, I just want to want to spread some love and make sure that everyone gets to smile this Love Week :)
It's plain old crazy if you ask me, this mission of mine. But at the same time rather exciting and fun. I only wish I could stalk the millions of places I leave these cards to watch people's reactions when they open them :) All I can hope for is a smile, a giggle and good old fashion heart warm that will make their day, week and Valentines Day.
And with that i leave you all. May you all take some time out this week, to really think of those you love, have loved and will love and let them all know how much they mean to you. Over the past bit I have really come to know about how short lived some of our times are together, and you just don't want to let the moments pass you by, thinking you will be able to tell them someday. This week - don't wait :) Make it your Valentines Day and Love Week Mission to open up your hearts and embrace your inner Valentines day child :)
Happy Love Week :)
Monday, February 4, 2013
The FORK in the ROAD with the path that sounds absolutely CRAZY, but that you know WILL BE INSANELY AMAZING :)
So there the day was. Friday February 1st, I woke up feeling like I knew the day had a weird symbolism to it and as much as I wanted to hide from what it was, I knew i had to look myself in the mirror in the morning and say "Happy 3 year anniversary lady, you have survived". Survived the crazyiness of the concrete walls that you retort to everyday, the monotone answers and facial less expressions that people seem to exude when they respond and the political battles of trying to reach for the top of that corporate ladder. Man do I feel exhausted just thinking about it all. I felt like I could have laid on my clean condo floors at 7am and just slept for about 3 years so that I could recover from the battle wounds ensued since my career at this place began.
When I signed on that dotted line for this gig, I had no idea what doors it would open. And while the wounds seem like they will be permanent, I am beyond grateful for everything I have learnt, done and met. Being part of the running shoe era, meant that I was suppose to be part of the rat race I currently work in, because only then could I truly realize, THAT I AM DONE, DONE LIKE DINNER. And no, I did not walk into work on Friday and quit my job. I just walked to work that morning with a bounce in my step knowing that the stress, the anxiety, the pressure that I put on myself to fit in this neat little box was all gone. And it's not that I don't care anymore, it's just that I finally have the confidence, heart and strength to admit, THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANT TO BE, WANT TO DO AND WANT TO LIVE. Is what you do, what you truly want to do? And does it make you happy?
The structure of the concrete jungle is intoxicating. It pays the bills, it buys me stuff, it lets me spoil the ones I love and see the world. And for that I am grateful, but is all this structure and stability really worth it? I know it makes my family happy knowing that I am structured and stable, but that isn't me and that isn't our running shoe generation. We are the kids that dream big dreams, the kids that want to make the money by changing the world or coming up with the next biggest and brightest idea.
For so long, I have tried to figure out what steps make sense and I kept fitting myself into this consulting, MBA, typical business like bubble, and for what? To be a fashionably dressed female cookie cut out that walks amongst a million others to that concrete jungle everyday. WHO AM I KIDDING? That isn't me. The me i know, has big dreams, she is a jack of all traits, she likes to do it all. So what if i want to be a successful business woman, who owns a yoga studio where she teaches, writes in a blog about everything she wishes, saves the world, does make-up for weddings and events on the side, teaches determined and strong chartered accounting candidates and plans events such as birthdays, showers and themed parties and still gets to have an amazingly love filled social and family life, that includes being a best friend, a wife and a mother. Why can't I do it all? And if not all at once, at least in my lifetime? Why should I have to settle into a box? Is it to make me more marketable as a life partner, to make my family happy or to just be seen as successful in this world? I don't know. I don't know the answer and I don't think I ever will.
And that's okay, because there is one thing I do know. And that is that In your lifetime you will have at least 3 careers, and I am pretty sure the first phase of my first career is coming to an end. And what the second will bring, scares the absolute crap out of me. But that feeling that I get when I think about where it could head because of this next big thing makes me want to immediately spring out of my bed and run to school like I did when I was in first grade :)
And with that I leave you all with THE MOST AMAZING 3 MINUTE TED TALK YOU WILL EVER SEE!! He's just a kid, kid president that is (who happens to dance just like me, lol), but he has the best way of making you re-evaluate your life and listen to what he has to say. http://www.ted.com/talks/kid_president_i_think_we_all_need_a_pep_talk.html
Here is to following your dreams and surrounding yourself with the ones that support you no matter how crazy, ridiculous and insane you may sound at times.
Happy week ahead :)
When I signed on that dotted line for this gig, I had no idea what doors it would open. And while the wounds seem like they will be permanent, I am beyond grateful for everything I have learnt, done and met. Being part of the running shoe era, meant that I was suppose to be part of the rat race I currently work in, because only then could I truly realize, THAT I AM DONE, DONE LIKE DINNER. And no, I did not walk into work on Friday and quit my job. I just walked to work that morning with a bounce in my step knowing that the stress, the anxiety, the pressure that I put on myself to fit in this neat little box was all gone. And it's not that I don't care anymore, it's just that I finally have the confidence, heart and strength to admit, THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANT TO BE, WANT TO DO AND WANT TO LIVE. Is what you do, what you truly want to do? And does it make you happy?
The structure of the concrete jungle is intoxicating. It pays the bills, it buys me stuff, it lets me spoil the ones I love and see the world. And for that I am grateful, but is all this structure and stability really worth it? I know it makes my family happy knowing that I am structured and stable, but that isn't me and that isn't our running shoe generation. We are the kids that dream big dreams, the kids that want to make the money by changing the world or coming up with the next biggest and brightest idea.
For so long, I have tried to figure out what steps make sense and I kept fitting myself into this consulting, MBA, typical business like bubble, and for what? To be a fashionably dressed female cookie cut out that walks amongst a million others to that concrete jungle everyday. WHO AM I KIDDING? That isn't me. The me i know, has big dreams, she is a jack of all traits, she likes to do it all. So what if i want to be a successful business woman, who owns a yoga studio where she teaches, writes in a blog about everything she wishes, saves the world, does make-up for weddings and events on the side, teaches determined and strong chartered accounting candidates and plans events such as birthdays, showers and themed parties and still gets to have an amazingly love filled social and family life, that includes being a best friend, a wife and a mother. Why can't I do it all? And if not all at once, at least in my lifetime? Why should I have to settle into a box? Is it to make me more marketable as a life partner, to make my family happy or to just be seen as successful in this world? I don't know. I don't know the answer and I don't think I ever will.
And that's okay, because there is one thing I do know. And that is that In your lifetime you will have at least 3 careers, and I am pretty sure the first phase of my first career is coming to an end. And what the second will bring, scares the absolute crap out of me. But that feeling that I get when I think about where it could head because of this next big thing makes me want to immediately spring out of my bed and run to school like I did when I was in first grade :)
And with that I leave you all with THE MOST AMAZING 3 MINUTE TED TALK YOU WILL EVER SEE!! He's just a kid, kid president that is (who happens to dance just like me, lol), but he has the best way of making you re-evaluate your life and listen to what he has to say. http://www.ted.com/talks/kid_president_i_think_we_all_need_a_pep_talk.html
Here is to following your dreams and surrounding yourself with the ones that support you no matter how crazy, ridiculous and insane you may sound at times.
Happy week ahead :)
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