Conjuring

We didn't go to any barbecues this year for the 4th. We didn't go to any firework shows or light any real ones off for that matter. Instead, we took the pups to the city to visit Sterling's sister and her kids. We hiked in the dark to a nice little summit and watched the city. We saw all of the firework shows all at once in different areas of the city.  We listened to soft meditative music and shared quiet stories as the wind put dirt into our hair. Later that night we headed home to play with sparklers of our own. 

We didn't have the typical holiday. Instead we did exactly what we wanted to do. We conjured up magic of our own. We practiced our own individual freedom. The freedom to do what we want, dress how we want, and the freedom to make our lives exactly what we want. Sometimes people forget the power they have to create their life. I know that I do. I often forget how powerful my own thoughts are.. how hard it is to get stuck in a rut, because the thoughts get too comfortable. I often forget that I can make the life I want, exactly how I want it through my own magic.

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Riding The Wave

I can't believe this year is half over already. My goal and word for this year was "One." A chance for me to focus on myself, and slow things way down. I've taken each day as it is and focused on myself and being whole and One. I've been doing things that make me happy. Like buying myself flowers, and a new yoga mat... dipping my pretzels in nutella, and adding mint to my water. Wearing my paintings clothes all day, and doing what makes me happy all day... because if I don't do it today, when would I do it?
I've been focusing on riding the wave of life, and taking the ups and downs as they come when they come. Enjoying each moment, and not dreading the falls, or looking forward to the rises.. seeing the beauty in the falls and enjoying the climb back up.
I've also been working on my body, loving it for how it is, accepting it, but still finding room for improvement. I exercise more now than ever and love my body more each day as it get healthier and healthier.
In these last 6 months I've noticed substantial improvement in my life. My mind has been cleared of every day stresses. My life is simpler, yet my days are full and enriched.
Life is simple, and life is good.



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Doing More..

On my weekend adventures these last few  days, I stumbled onto this beautiful wall. I snapped a picture just cause, but looking through my phone later was very glad I snapped that picture.. 

Because we all deserve to be happy. We deserve to live the life we want to live. We shouldn't waste a single minute of our lives being anything but happy.  And sometimes we just need that little reminder.. 

The reminder to surround yourself with people who make you happy. 

Things that make you happy, hobbies, creations, and of course lots of little things to laugh at. 

 (Like Wicket's never ceasing ability to get stuck in the couch when I run errands.) 

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Inspiration For Today

A bit of inspiration for this Saturday.. 

Being Authentic

This life is about treating yourself 

and others with authenticity.

It is about learning how to be the person you truly are.

 It is about creating your self and your life from the inside out.

This life is about following your passions.

 What are you passionate about? Honestly? Do you even know?

 What is it that ignites your heart? What inspires you?

To be authentic, you have to be living in line with things you are passionate about. Living passionately is living with a purpose... If you don't know what you are passionate about,

 why are you even here? 

You don't know your purpose? Find it. 

Sit down, and figure out your passions.

 Free your heart, start writing. Think onto paper.

 Why are you here? What makes YOU feel alive? 

How aware are you of yourself??

How do you act when no one is around? 

What masks do you wear? 

Do you feel you have any value?

The first step to being authentic, creating beauty and changing your life, is to figure yourself out.

Be curious about yourself. What do you believe in? What kind of person are you? What kind of person were you? What decisions and experiences have you been through that shaped your life? If you don't know who you are, get out and go experience the world. Let your mistakes shape you. Get a past, then learn from it.

Stop living someone else's life, 

stop mirroring someone else's identity. 

Get your own. 

It's impossible to live an authentic life, if you do not know who you are.

But of course there are no plateaus in life.  

Knowing yourself isn't enough. 

You have to experience who you are. 

Take risks, try new things, create, destroy, connect, feel, act, love.

As you feel connected with yourself you will feel inspired to act in new ways. 

It's the new things that will continue to define you, change you, make you.

Remember, there are no plateaus in this life. 

There is no end, only the journey.

Things either keep growing, or they decline.

That's okay.

Sometimes it's totally okay to give up people

 and things in your life.

If something isn't working for you, it's working against you.

People are the same way.

Stop worrying about pleasing others, 

and stop worrying about what other's think. 

You can't live an authentic life if you are trying to mould yourself to the opinions of others. 

You can't be your true self if you are trying to be someone else. 

If you are continually trying to live your life for or around other's, you are not being authentic. 

Be true and real. 

The people that truly love and care about you

 will support you no matter what.

And if they don't? 

Leave them, or let them leave you. 

Be free from other's. 

Be yourself. 

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind" -- Dr Seuss

Darkness And Stars

(Source)

I've learned that waiting for someone else to make you happy is the best way to be sad.

And though little things can suck you into depression, gathering the little happy things can help you climb out.

Laughing is really good medicine. Always.

So is talking.. no matter how hard.

And it's beautiful to find someone who loves you no matter how dark things get. 

I've also learned that it takes a certain darkness to see the brightest stars. 

A Reason Why

There's a path outside your door..

a sky outside your window.

Waiting for you to soar,

seeing where you will go. 

And a reason why. 

See the future, dream the future.

Go back, and create your own... 

Because we can't be saved by any one person.

So, receive the world, take the journey.

And your reason why.

Because, to be a star, 

you need to shine your own light. 

And it's only in the darkness,

that the brightest star shines. 

And it's not jus coincidence.. 

any more than it's coincidence that you are reading this.

Be a reason why.

Be Thankful, Improve Your Life

Just this week I woke up at 3:30 from Wicket who was thirsty and just wouldn't go back to bed. I checked my bank account and was astonished at the low number. I was tired and didn't get much sleep, but in the morning I had to get in my car with the near empty gas tank to go to work. I'm back at the school for a bit while I'm as broke as I am. I'm sad I don't get time to do art as much, and I'm stressed about how fast life is going. That day was off to a rough and sad start. 
But, how cute was Wicket lapping up his water at 3:30 am? How adorable is he when he snuggles and kisses me all night? 
How lucky am I to live in a warm home with the things that I need? With the knowledge that my bank account will be full again. 
How lucky am I to have a car that drives both forward and back? A car that's warm and gets me where I need to be. 
How lucky am I to have a part time job that fuels my creativity? It creates that urge to be creative every free moment. 


Everyone deals with bad news and misfortune.
It is time to shift our thinking and it's time to start celebrating even our small fortunes. 

“We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” ~Cynthia Ozick

A growing number of medical scientists are looking at how a positive lifestyle can lead to better physical health and well-being. 

Much of the research focuses on what gratitude can do for us. Of course focusing on the good things in life will make us happier overall. It gives us an optimistic view on life. 

But, the Law of Attraction says that we receive what we pay most attention to. So, focusing on the things we have will just bring more of it to us. When we are thankful or grateful we are generating feelings of joy and bliss in the body that attracts  more of whatever we are focusing on.

Many people do not understand the Law of Attraction, or the Law of Oneness because they thing there is an external power controlling them.. But, we are the most powerful beings. We create our reality with our thoughts, feelings and words. We are so powerful that our world forms around us by what is inside of us.

If we are positive, we attract positive events and places. When we are angry we attract negative events and surroundings. Many people don't realize how powerful they are, so they don't both changing their circumstances. So, they complain and get sucked into more unwanted circumstances.

Bound

I'm having a bit of a frustrating day today. I'm frustrated with bills, and when my printer doesn't work, and why my bank account just won't stay full and as soon as I get some money in, bills come out of no where.. and then the printer jams, then runs out of ink as soon as it works. Then there is no gas in the car to get the ink, and by dinner time, I've forgotten to defrost the food to cook. And the house is a mess, and my mind is a mess and I'm wondering how much of this is actually worth it. Maybe I'd like to just crawl under the covers for a while and wish I could just disappear because this is just getting too hard. And I would love to nap for a long long time, but I'm just too busy even for that.  I'm working way too hard to be this stressed and poor.  I know that I'm not alone in this, but I am feeling like a one woman show and I'm so so tired.  

These thoughts are making my mind clouded and my heart very heavy.

And quite honestly, I'm feeling very bound..

tied up, limited, trapped. 

Bound

Acrylic on Canvas

8"x10"x.5" 

$125.00 

I guess I'm just feeling very low lately.

 Maybe it's all catching up to me, or it's that time of the month, or the moon..

 Or a combination of all of that. 

But, I do know, this is all natural. 

It's a natural part of growing.

 I know I'm not the only one who ever feels this way, 

and I know it certainly won't last. I know I'm way too stubborn to give up. 

But, the funny thing with the word bound, is that it has two meanings. 

Sure one meaning is to be limited and tied... 

But here is the definition I like best. 

bound  (bound)

intr.v. bound·ed, bound·ing, bounds

1. To leap forward or upward; spring.

2. To progress by forward leaps or springs.

3. To bounce; rebound.

n.

1. A leap; a jump.

2. A rebound; a bounce.

So, I'm working on changing my perception.. from being binded and feeling 

I will break from the ties that bind me, and I will bound forth. 

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.

Aristotle Onassis