http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veBNUdw79AI
I really LOVE this song by Lira, a singer from South Africa. The lyrics are beautiful and inspiring. Take a few minutes to hear her message! Feel good today!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Drive
Music often inspires me. I will use it as inspiration for my daily life and in this blog often.
One of my favorite bands of all time is Incubus. Their most popular song is titled Drive. The chorus goes:
"It's driven me before and it seems to be the way
that everyone else gets around,
But lately Im beginning to find
that when I drive myself,
my light is found.
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there,
with open arms and open eyes.
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there."
To me, this is a message about showing up, flowing with life, and being present in the moment. What does it say to you?
One of my favorite bands of all time is Incubus. Their most popular song is titled Drive. The chorus goes:
"It's driven me before and it seems to be the way
that everyone else gets around,
But lately Im beginning to find
that when I drive myself,
my light is found.
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there,
with open arms and open eyes.
Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there."
To me, this is a message about showing up, flowing with life, and being present in the moment. What does it say to you?
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
The Weather
Living in Seattle, I often ponder the weather. Here in Seattle, we get few sunny days and many rainy, grey days. With the constant cloudiness, sometimes my mood is dampened. When that happens, I play some good music to lift me. One of my favorite artists is Amel Larrieux. One of her songs is called Weather. In this song, Amel sings "As long as you have the weather, the dark skies that find us, will send a clear day to remind us."
This lyric is also a metaphor for life. When you're not feeling so great about something- relationship, work, whatever- recall this lyric. Remember that a clear day will come soon to remind you of the brighter side of the situation. What are some of your favorite songs and what meaning do they have for you?
This lyric is also a metaphor for life. When you're not feeling so great about something- relationship, work, whatever- recall this lyric. Remember that a clear day will come soon to remind you of the brighter side of the situation. What are some of your favorite songs and what meaning do they have for you?
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
The Doctor Who Walked Away
I was recently watching a reality television show - you know, one of those "emergency room" shows. One of the physicians featured on the show, was a woman who was in her third year of residency as a surgeon. She spent the last ten years in medical school and has spent over $100,000 on her education.
During the show, she explained how much time her job took away from the other things that she considered important in her life and how much stress it caused her. She valued family and because of her work schedule (60 hours+ straight most days) she was unable to spend time with them like she wanted. So, after thousands of dollars and years in school, she decided to resign from her residency. How brave! Some may not agree but I think that this woman was extremely courageous to make this decision. She made a difficult choice, but she chose to leave behind something that wasn't making her happy.
She decided to put herself first, not her job. Wow! I admire this courage. The woman said "If you're not doing something that makes you happy then don't do it." Sounds easy, right? Yet, so many of us choose to do the opposite. How can we be more courageous like this woman and choose happiness?
Think of your current situation. Are you where you want to be? Are you doing what you want to do? Simply put, are you happy? If you're not, then how can you move towards what makes you happy? How can you move away from the things that sap your energy and your joy? Put a plan into effect and start taking steps towards achieving it. Be happy!
During the show, she explained how much time her job took away from the other things that she considered important in her life and how much stress it caused her. She valued family and because of her work schedule (60 hours+ straight most days) she was unable to spend time with them like she wanted. So, after thousands of dollars and years in school, she decided to resign from her residency. How brave! Some may not agree but I think that this woman was extremely courageous to make this decision. She made a difficult choice, but she chose to leave behind something that wasn't making her happy.
She decided to put herself first, not her job. Wow! I admire this courage. The woman said "If you're not doing something that makes you happy then don't do it." Sounds easy, right? Yet, so many of us choose to do the opposite. How can we be more courageous like this woman and choose happiness?
Think of your current situation. Are you where you want to be? Are you doing what you want to do? Simply put, are you happy? If you're not, then how can you move towards what makes you happy? How can you move away from the things that sap your energy and your joy? Put a plan into effect and start taking steps towards achieving it. Be happy!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
How can you incorporate more PLAY into your day?
I attend weekly yoga sessions at a local Anusara studio here in Seattle. In one of my recent sessions, my teacher discussed play as a theme. We played with our threshold levels for certain poses. I tipped and teetered a lot that day! But I had fun! And I don't know if I would've tried as many poses, if my teacher hadn't reminded me to just play and see what happens.
Play enables creativity, imagination and joy to flourish. Whenever I'm feeling constricted, frustrated or bored, I try to find time to play. I like turning on my Nintendo Wii and dancing or karaoke singing, or I go outside for walks in the park or some other physical activity. These are the things that bring me joy and open my mind up. After these playtimes, I find new ideas come pouring through me.
Try taking a break in your day, each day to find time to play. Play can be dancing, singing, skipping, rolling in the grass with your dog- it's whatever it is that brings you joy and makes you want to create.
How else can you incorporate more play into your day?
Play enables creativity, imagination and joy to flourish. Whenever I'm feeling constricted, frustrated or bored, I try to find time to play. I like turning on my Nintendo Wii and dancing or karaoke singing, or I go outside for walks in the park or some other physical activity. These are the things that bring me joy and open my mind up. After these playtimes, I find new ideas come pouring through me.
Try taking a break in your day, each day to find time to play. Play can be dancing, singing, skipping, rolling in the grass with your dog- it's whatever it is that brings you joy and makes you want to create.
How else can you incorporate more play into your day?
Volunteerism- How do you give back?
I believe volunteerism is a way to give back to my community and, in even the smallest way, to help make the world I live in a better place for us all. I recently began volunteering with the Lifelong AIDS Alliance here in Seattle. Lifelong AIDS Alliance provides services for people living with HIV/AIDS in the Northwest. I chose to volunteer with Lifelong because of their holistic approach to care. They offer services such as case management, insurance, housing, and food. In addition, they have special events throughout the year, a youth program, a clinic, a pharmacy and a thrift store (plus more). Their major fundraising event is the Seattle AIDS Walk which takes place this year on September 24, 2011. Please consider walking or donating. More information can be found here: http://seattleaidswalk.org/.
Volunteering makes me feel better about how I choose to participate in this world. In what ways do you participate?
Volunteering makes me feel better about how I choose to participate in this world. In what ways do you participate?
Book Recommendation- Earn What You're Worth by Nicole Williams
Nicole Williams is the author of Wildy Sophisticated and Earn What You're Worth. My husband purchased these books for me a few years ago and I've recently revisited Earn What You're Worth. This book is easily readable and offers tips and strategies for evaluating and assessing your worth. My favorite parts include chapters on discovering your tangibles and intangibles and tips on selling yourself. She also includes great quotes and success stories of other women titled "wildy sophisticated icons" throughout the book. Her writing is geared towards young women, but I believe anyone can gain valuable insights from this book. Check it out!
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