Lock and Key

 

 

I've got 99 problems and one of my biggest ones is giving the key to my peace, happiness and sound mind to others. I allow actions, words, behavior and the lack of action, words and behavior to unlock. open and dwell in my heart and mind.

I'm positive that I'm not the only one that allows friends, family, co-workers, love interest, customer service representatives and drivers to vacuum out the joy and take full residence. I'm positive that I'm not the only one to dwell on things too long and give my power away.

I'll wake up, feeling blessed and happy and then quickly take a detour when someone's action doesn't follow my expectations. Instead of quickly dismissing and moving on with life, I'll replay the conversation or action over and over AND over again wasting my brain matter on nonsense.

It's something I struggle with big time. It's something I'm working on big time. I want to be "so strong that nothing can disturb my peace of mind" and to be "too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble."

Sometimes the remedy is easy like a great song or other mood changer, sometimes the remedy requires a deep prayerful reflection or removing yourself from a situation, and sometimes the only answer is time.

 

Challenge of the Day:

To be strong so that nothing will disturb your peace and steal your joy.

Song of the Day:

Sia - Chandelier

 

 

Heavy Lifting

 

There I was at the gym minding my own business, contently rowing 30 pounds on the back machine when Alaya (aka my old trainer) yelled out to Kris (aka my other old trainer) in disgust
 about the amount of weight I was slinging around. Alaya happily added 40 more pounds and Kris chimed in "if you don't challenge yourself, you don't change yourself" repeatedly. Like I said, he repeated it over and over while I struggled with 70 pounds.

The whole scenario made me think about my gym dedication. Have I been dedicated? Yes. Have I seen results? Slowly. Do I want to change? Yes.

Kris's pep talk replayed in my head the rest of the workout and since then has been on repeat for all following workouts. The statement has even spilled over and been applied to other areas of my life. Is work challenging me? Are my relationships challenging me? Are my goals challenging? Am I pushing myself? Am I the best me?

 

Daily Challenge:

Find the area(s) in your life that need to be challenged.

 

Song of the Day:

Serena Ryder - Stompa

https://soundcloud.com/nog/serena-ryder-stompa-nog-remix

Innie vs Outie.

It's Day 2 of my meditation series through Oprah and Deepak and I'm telling you this stuff is good! Apparently I needed an extra dose of it yesterday, because I listened to the first message 4xs to help me through the day. What point really hit home is that external influences shouldn't affect our internal state of mind. Our peace and happiness shouldn't be based on a dollar figure, a relationship, a promotion, an address, clothing label, a trip, or anything else external.

It made me think about a conversation I had back in the day, someone was telling me that if they won the lottery that they would donate the entire check to charity. Since I knew this person far too well, I had no filter, said that I strongly doubted that and continued to back up my blurt. My argument went something like this "Do you think Oprah just woke up one day and decided to be charitable? I don't think so, I think she's always been a giver." This person (being one of the most uptight people with their money that I know), in my opinion, wasn't going to just magically change gears and be a giver after three decades of being Scrooge McDuck.

This made me think about my friend Teresa, man is she a giver. Every time I go over to her house I leave like a looter; there is not a selfish bone in her body and that's one of her many beauties.

Back to meditation. If we look for external circumstances to bring us joy, peace and happiness, we are always going to be looking for external circumstances to bring us joy, peace and happiness.

Daily Challenge:

Stop putting the key to peace, joy and happiness in the hands of things or people. Take a fierce look at yourself and your blessings. Boom.

Song of the Day:
THIS SONG. This song right here gets me hyped! I hope it changes your Tuesday.
Diplo - Revolution

I Just Called To Say....

 

 

My buddy Josh had the pleasure of spending three months of his life on the road with me. During that time we learned waaAaay too much about each other and one thing he picked up on pretty quickly was when a certain someone would text me. My face would apparently light up with the hugest smile and I'd spend too much time analyzing the text and then consult Josh for the appropriate response.

Ohhhh the power of a text.

Last night, I was nestled up in bed about to drift off into dream world when my phone rang. It was a west coast friend that I hadn't talked to in about a year. To say that that phone call was a pleasant surprise would be a massive understatement. We spent about an hour and a half catching up on every little thing. Conversation flowed like we hadn't skipped a beat. It was the perfect ending to an already good day.

Ohhhh the power of an actual conversation :)

What's hilarious is the actual use of phones to talk; talking on the phone ranks below sending/receiving messages/alerts, accessing the internet and emails.

His phone call made me incredibly happy and I want to return that favor to an unsuspecting friend that I've lost touch with.

 

 

 

 

Daily Challenge:

Pick up the phone and call someone that you've lost touch with, send a text to someone letting them know that you are thinking of them, get real old school and send a card. Something that small will make a huge difference.

 



Song of the Day:

Never have I been that girl that dreamed up her wedding day or wanted to be a princess, BUT if there was any fairytale that I'd want to come true, it would be to be the girl in the red dress in this video. Enjoy! Enrique Iglesias - Bailando 

 

 



Remember Ghost, Swayze & Moore? Yup, Be That.

 

A friend shared an awesome article about being a creator vs. being a consumer. The article talks about how people will spend hours waiting in line to have the newest technology but spend limited time creating something of their own. The article continues to say that we spend 95% of our lives consuming and only 5% of our time creating.

One of the guys I work with started his position about 2 months after I did. I got to see him learn his position, get confident in his position and then grow in his position. He's been with the company for almost 2 years and I continuously see him improve company/client communication, he creates new ways of doing things, he tries new things out and he implements new systems. I've never seen him grow stagnant and I think that's why his value to the company is so high.

Then there's my cousin, she's a mother of three. During the early years of mommy hood, she was in need of an outlet. She craved to grow as an individual but felt selfish doing something for herself and not with her kids. She has now created an art outlet for parents with preschoolers. The art experience is in the same building, but in different rooms, allowing parents to grow as their child grows.  http://www.metamorphosisaec.com/about/

Then there's my friend from Florida, she has turned her love of flowers into being a successful florist. Her Facebook and Instagram pictures always make me smile because I know that she loves creating new things. http://aflorae.com/

The twins that grew up in my hometown turned their love for refurbishing furniture into District Digs. http://www.thedistrictdigs.com/

I'm not saying to be George Washington Carver and dedicate your entire life to finding hundreds of uses for the peanut, I'm saying to step out of the consumer world for just a little and spend more time on the creative side.

 

 

Daily Challenge:

Get out there and create something! Maybe it's as simple as planting a garden, fixing your deck, trying out a new recipe, or taking a class. Step out there and create.

 

Song of the Day:

I know this isn't a new song, BUT I'm totally obsessed with the music video. http://youtu.be/FOjdXSrtUxA

Ok, Weirdo.

 

Weirdo here, sharing something uber personal. I’m obsessed with Oprah and all things Oprah. When she decided to have a free meditation series with Deepak, I was down. I’ve done three of these free series and a new one is about to start on August 11^th! Woop woop!  In between the free sessions, I have an Oprah void so I take to the free samples (notice all the times I’ve used the word free). There’s one lesson in particular that I’ve memorized every word  and it doesn’t matter how many times I’ve listened and over listened, I always learning something new.  

This morning, when my anxiety hit an all-time high. I took to my zen place.

This is the good stuff, this was the stuff that made me think.  

Oprah starts off with “Want more fulfilling relationships? First you must be full yourself. You can’t attract what you don’t have.” Whole attracts whole. Love attracts love. “  Deepak hops in with “We attract that which we are…..”, he then continues with a quote by Rumi “What you seek is seeking you” and continues with “The act of being love positions us to receive love.”  

There’s a lot of delicious chocolate chip morsels in the meditation series, but the one that’s been swirling around in my mind all morning is the quote by Rumi. “What you seek is seeking you.” 

(insert my inner dialogue) What am I seeking?  

1.       A life lived – Having lost a father to young, my thoughts are always always always about how short life is and how life is such a gift. I’m seeking the good stuff, the not normal life.

2.      Lasting relationships – I want great people in my life. I want meaningful conversations. I want people that I’m deep rooted in love and that I bring love too. I’m seeking awesome people to be in my life.

3.       Travel – The world is massive, beautiful and interesting. I’m seeking to see as much of it as I can.

4.       Passion – Why work anywhere when I can do what I love? I’m seeking a career that’s not my paycheck but my passion.

5.       French Bulldog – I’ll find the right nugget at the right time.  

My mind is still swirling around, but somehow in my ramblings I hope you’ve been encouraged to know that what you are seeking is seeking you and you can’t attract what you don’t have.  

Love,

An Honest Weirdo

 

 

 

 

Daily Challenge:
Join me in getting weird with meditation. Sign up for Oprah's meditation series starting August 11th.

Song of the Day:
Passanger - Life's Worth Living 

Sailing Ship?

The Daily Good Starts haven't been free flowing like days of old. I know exactly the reason why, my mind has been partly cloudy with 50% anxiety and 50% activity. Mix that combination with not being still and reflective and you've got.....blah!

Long story short, I'm going back on the road. Road life and adventure are calling my name. The opportunity to travel the entire country with two close friends, GoPro in hand, adventure being our goal, gets me excited about living. Being excited about living (I think) will brew some interesting stories, opportunities, a travel blog and enough dough in the bank to start my own business.

Scared to give up good? Absolutely. Terrified about walking away from a healthy 401k? You know this. Leaving the comfort of "normal" living is like whoah, but I have faith that really amazing opportunities are in store.

I'm not sure how today's little diddy is going to help you have a good day, but I hope it does and I'd love for you to share what's new and exciting in your world. Maybe if nothing is new and exciting, I'd love to brainstorm on how to change that.

Happy Hump Day Y'all!

 

 

Song of the Day:

Incubus - Wish You Were Here

 

Mildly Obsessed:

I could eat an entire bag of these chips. Lord have mercy they are amazing. O grams trans fat, no preservatives, gluten free, non-GMO, all natural ingredients. Boom.

 

Started from the bottom...now I'm here!

Mornin' Monday-ers,

I've made it. I've FINALLY made it. It's an elite club. It's a prestigious position……. 

Finally three of the front desk personnel at my gym know my name! I’ve been so consistent that they not only say my name, but they don’t even swipe my gym card anymore, they just let me in! It’s like the red velvet rope at a Miami club has been drawn back for me, I’m skipping the line and heading straight to VIP. I know I’m being ridiculous and dramatic, but it is pretty cool that I’ve been so consistent. I’ve set the ground work, now my gym schedule needs to be a habit.

 

Stay consistent my friends!

Daily Challenge:
Get an accountability partner, get an app, get up when the alarm goes off, go to bed early. Set yourself up for consistency by coming up with a game plan.

Song of the Day:
Britney Spears - Work B**ch

Energy Vampires

 

My boss gave me the book Energy Bus by Jon Gordon as a gift awhile back. It's a super cheesy book about leading people and how to share your vision. Like I said, super cheesy, but one part that really stuck with me is where Jon Gordon talks about "Energy Vampires". Energy Vampires are those lovely people that always have something sarcastic or negative to say about any conversation, event or idea that's brought to the table.

I've got one in my life. He has a keen way of making me feel like an idiot, second guessing myself or left wanting his approval.

The whole Energy Vampire got me thinking about my brother. People are now in awe of that fact that he's playing Division I college football, gracing the cover of magazines, has a book coming out, is interviewed by top news reports and was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor and a Purple Heart. What he had to overcome were incredibly close energy vampires (aka close friends) telling him that he was too small, too old and not able enough to play Division I college football. He not only had those Energy Vampires in his life, but also had to overcome the horrific demons from war experiences.

It takes a lot to block out the naysayers, it takes a lot to say I really don't care what you think, it takes a lot to move forward and believe in yourself, it takes even more to use them as fuel to propel you forward.

Stay optimistic my friends :)

Song of the Day:
Lord Huron - Ends of the Earth

Really Zoe?

One friend of mine is doing some really cool things in the music industry. The weird thing is that I've known him for a few years and all this notoriety seems like it happened overnight. He's been an awesome light encouraging me to get more involved in following my interests. We had an incredible conversation awhile back and he encouraged me to meet some people in the industry. I flat out told him, you know I just free lance, I'm faaaaaaar from being a professional writer, I have limited knowledge of the music industry, and I'm scared. He responded "that's perfect". I continued to ask him about his career and connections, and you know what he told me "I faked it, till I made it". I never showed a lack of confidence and if I didn't know something I'd figure it out. Trust me, they'll love your enthusiasm."


A few days ago, I was trolling around Instagram and Imelda had the quote below from Zoe Saldana. It surprised me. I read it a few times. I looked at Zoe and thought man, I think you're perfect. She points out that she's skinny, has a big nose, no boobies and no booty. I looked over her picture a few times and was like damn girl you're kind of right, but you are still gorgeous.


Then I've been thinking about a conversation that I just had with a dear friend. She's dating a hottie and is concerned that she's not all that. I looked at her with that head turned to the side when you ask your dog if he wants to go outside look and stood there puzzled. A million thoughts went through my head and the only thing that I could put into a sentence was What? You're gorgeous!


The last thought about my friend is a whooooole other blog, but the Readers Digest version is if someone is with you, there's something they find incredible which makes them drop everything to spend time with you. Your smile, your laugh, your wittiness, your big booty, your adventurous spirit, your killer kitchen moves, the way you mother your children, your mind, your quirky style, your love for clean eating, your hiking spirit, I don't know...there's a million reasons, but they dig you and be confident in that thought.


Long story longer. Let's have confidence in our ideas, dreams and self.


I'm not a Yale graduate who studied journalism, communications or psychology. I didn't study music theory at Full Sail. I didn't study design at Savannah Institute of Design. I'm not a model off the runaway of NYC's fashion week, but what I am is one scared little chicken nugget that's going to fake it until I make it. I'm going to have confidence in myself and my heart's desires. If someone cool enough decides to date me, I'll be confident that he made a wise choice.

Daily Challenge:
Is there an area that could use a little jump start in the confidence department. Maybe you need to just tackle it one baby step at a time, maybe seek the counsel of a professional, maybe think on all things that you've mastered. I don't know, but what I do know is that you "need to go confidently in the direction of your dreams."

Song of the Day:
Conner Youngblood - Confidence
Conner Youngblood - Australia

Talk about confidence, Conner Youngblood's new EP is titled Confidence. I had the chance to interview him and it was interesting to hear him say that he heard other people's music and thought hey, I could do that. He's humble to say that he only plays 3 instruments well, and the other 20+ he figures out how to incorporate them into his songs. He's the first artist I've met that is faking it, till he makes it all the way to the your iTunes playlist.

Mildly Obsessed:
Mix in a little honey and a little raw sugar and boom, you have a healthy dose of caffeine and antioxidants for your afternoon pick me up :) I'm more than mildly obsessed with The People's Green Tea.