From November, but still a good read this holiday season:

How We Can Deepen Our Sense Of Gratitude

I can never forget the last twenty minutes of my final graduate course. My professor asked us to pull out a piece of paper and pencil in seven descriptions of how we would like to be remembered this lifetime. Not only did he share his list, but he also left us with some thoughtful encouragement. He reminded us to turn on our blinkers and be mindful of the times where we may drive ahead. Most importantly, acknowledging those allowing us to pass through - our family, friends, coworkers, and those with whom we come into contact.
November is a time of giving thanks and it prompts us to ask, “Who or what am I grateful for?” The challenge in deepening our gratitude is that we are often busy. The distractions and worries of daily life can consume us and leave us possibly asleep to the real riches of our lives. To cultivate an engaged and grateful heart, we are asked to create intentional time and space. As a photographer, this thought illustrates and reminds me of one of the basic principles of every single art form, which has not to do with what is there, but with what is not. In visual arts, this is called negative space. The blank space allows us to see the nonnegative space in all its hues, shadows, color, mystery and light. What is not there gives what is there meaning.

"I don't have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness. It's right in front of me if I'm paying attention and practicing gratitude." - Brené Brown

What if cultivating time for reflection is our negative space to experience a living, breathing encounter in our daily interactions? What if we allowed gratefulness to exist in simple words of compassion others offer to us? What if love is the way it feels to lay our hand on a dear one’s shoulder? What if the greatest beauty of the day is the shaft of morning light? By seeing with our eyes, listening with our ears, and receiving with an open heart, there becomes a simplification and familiarity with gratitude as an orientation and attitude towards life.
For the last five years, I have adopted a ‘gratitude training’ into my evening routine. I spend five minutes to ask myself, “What am I grateful for today?” To deepen my reflection, I ask the following questions:

• What inspired me today?
• What do I take for granted?
• What advantages have I received in my life?
• Who has supported me along the way?

By integrating these questions into my everyday life, I am able to observe a situation from another perspective, one that is more generous, reasonable, forgiving, loving, and big-hearted. It trains the heart and mind to another set of eyes and creates space for a sense of wonder. It reminds us to not take for granted the simplest pleasures, our health, senses, the love and friendship that surround us, and the gift of life itself. In my experience, those sorts of revelations help. It is the consciousness we bring to our lives which constructs meaning and how we choose to respond in any given situation.
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Tam Lontok is a lifestyle photographer based in Southern California. She enjoys writing and coordinating retreats to empower young adults in remembering they are loved and created whole. Her superpower lies in her compassion, but Trader Joe’s Chocolate Coconut Almonds continues to be her daily kryptonite.
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"Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude."  —Denis Waitley

Life is weird

Things have gotten so weird. Life is so freaking weird.
I can't go into details, cause some of it is about my job, and some of it is just...like, things that could only happen by cosmic connection and so then I'll sound nuts. But, at least I'm never bored.

Walking continues. I'm slacking too much on exercises...the ankle is a bit stiff...but I am so grateful to be able to walk. I am so blessed.

Happy 2014!

HI!
I'm still alive!

How are you?!

Sorry for the M.I.A. I have been really, blah. It actually all started on my last post, WAY back on December 7th and it has slid nice and steady into the crapper. Well, almost. Actually right then I had tons of GOOD news, and then it went into the crapper.

What did you miss? Dec. 7th was my mom's birthday, and I saw my sisters to mark the occasion, and we had a pretty nice visit. We had bought the Xmas tree the weekend before and were super excited for Xmas cause it was the first one with SD living with us, and it was gonna be great. We all hung out and it was nice. I felt hopeful.

The next day, December 8th, I BOUGHT A CAR!! The first time I have EVER bought a car. It took me till I was 31 and was gonna have no way to get to and from work over the holidays, but I did it. I was so happy.

The day after that, December 9th I received the good news that the X-rays no longer showed a fracture line in my talus bone in my ankle and I could begin to walk again!! OMG! YES! These 2 things happening back to back was amazing and a huge buoy to my self-esteem and hope for the fast approaching new year. The last month I was not able to walk was hard, and I had become rather depressed and despondent. Things were looking up!


The next week and a half went by WAY too fast as I eagerly tried to restrain myself to only putting a set amount of weight on the ankle (I was told 30 pounds day 1 & 2, 60 pounds day 3 & 4, 90 on day 5&6 ect. till I was up to my full body weight and could start to walk. I did this by putting the bathroom scale on the floor, sitting in a chair in front of it and rocking forward till there was the right amount of weight on the scale), getting used to the new car, getting ready for Xmas, and working really hard on making this the year I was not a depressed, Grinch-mess for this holiday season. I really wanted to forget the past years; I had my own little family to be there for and I was gonna make it great damnit!

Then some family drama went on, SD spent Xmas with her mom, Xmas eve and actual Xmas were nice...New Years eve  was nice. Though, I didn't want to go out...I had a panic attack about another year gone and getting older and blah, blah, blah...I was late to the party that night, so it actually went by really quick. We arrived at like, 11:30pm. Though, I regretfully made some people wait on m, then New Years! Whoot!

Then I was rear ended in my new car...Then SD moved out, then depression, then physical therapy, then back to belly dance, then I joined Tumblr, then out of the walking boot, more physical therapy, then stayin' alive...ah, ah, ah, ah, stayin' alive. Then it was Lunar New Year and I'll totally post for that! Nope, spaced out and dropped out for that too...Then SD wants to move back in. Then ankle swelled up. Then I missed belly dance tonight, BUT! I stayed home and edited an end of year photo shoot I was Way, WAY too behind on...and now it's Feb. 12th 2014...

So, I think you're all caught up. Which is really good cause I don't wanna keep catching people up. Things are moving along, and I am mostly walking again except for the small setback of ankle currently being a little swollen and irritated. I probably have overdone it. I have been excited about it.



♥

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Monday Robert hotness

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Let's start this week off right by worshiping the golden GOD that is Robert Plant. 

 

*moment of silence*

 

AHHHH, Don't you feel better now? I do. ;)  ♥

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♥

Busy, busy - Solstice blessings late

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I meant to wish you a happy Solstice on Friday and didn't get the chance. :(

I hope it was wonderful. It was a very busy day for me,  long walk, went to Universal Studios with my family, dinner, movie, basken robbins . So blessed to have had such a wonderful day. I passed out early, couldn't handle it.

SO, though I realize it's 2 days late now, Solstice blessings to you for a very happy summer.

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First song on new Black Sabbath album

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In case ya hadn't heard cause you're living under a rock, Sabbath is getting ready to tour, and they have released a sample of the new album. I have been living under a rock, so I only recently heard it. Whatdaya think?

Throw a little glitter on it

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"It doesn't matter what you look like! I mean if you have a hunchback, just throw a little glitter on it, honey, and go dancing."  ~James St. James

I approve of myself

Hi.
Happy Tuesday.

I think...and I don't want to jinx it here...but I think I am actually recovered from all of my various illness'. It's only day 2, but I think I might be ok now. *fingers crossed*

Anyhow, I am grateful that this happened at the start of the week and that I can try to make the most of it from the start. Yesterday was pretty well rounded, I got some exercise by doing half my usual walk ( I was still not ready for Bootcamp Mondays yet, I am planning it for next Monday by hopefully building toward it this week), I ate well, pretty well, I slipped when I got home...I was able to concentrate better at work and I went home and was able to concentrate on playing Ukelele and  reading! I went back to Louise L. Hay's You Can Heal Your Life as I abandoned it when I got sick last month and couldn't focus. The exercise was very interesting and I have put it into practice today and would like to share it with you:

Exercise: I Approve of Myself
I have given this exercise to hundreds of people, and the results are phenomenal. For the next month, say over and over, “I APPROVE OF MYSELF.”
Do this three or four hundred times a day, at least. No, it’s not too many times. When you are worrying, you go over your problem at least that many times. Let, “I approve of myself” become a walking mantra, something you just say over and over to yourself, almost nonstop.
It is a guaranteed way to bring up everything buried in your consciousness that is in opposition.
When negative thoughts come up, such as, “How can I approve of myself when I am fat?” or “It’s silly to think this can do any good,” or “I am no good,” or whatever your negative babble will be, this is the time to take mental control. Give these thoughts no importance. Just see them for what they are—another way to keep you stuck in the past. Gently say to these thoughts, “I let you go; I approve of myself.”
Thoughts have no power over us unless we give in to them. Thoughts are only words strung together. They have no meaning whatsoever. Only we give meaning to them. Let us choose to think thoughts that nourish and support us.
Excerpt from You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay. © 1984, Hay House.
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Friday finally

Made it.
It's Friday.

First 5 day work week in weeks and I made it.

Thank the heavens. I am grateful. I am feeling better than I have since December 8^th and have hope that this weekend will be productive. I have a bunch of cleaning to do. The Christmas tree is still in the living room. Dying a little more each day and it’s really got to go. I haven’t meditated since last weekend and I want to do some yoga and some dance practice. I have however practiced ukulele 2 nights in a row and was brave enough to show my amazing musician friend Mia how far I’ve gotten in “Sea of Love” when she came over for dinner last night. Which also indicates I’ve felt well enough to have a friend over for dinner, so, that was a win as well. The Man has a 7 pound ham that he and Pink are not gonna be able to finish, so he’s having people over to help him. I really like this idea, of impromptu dinner parties focused around destruction of ham before it spoils. Though from what I understand it doesn’t spoil since it’s cured. I really have no idea. I’ve been vegetarian since I was 6 years old, and while I’ve had several moments of wanting or trying or wishing to just join the masses in their carnivorous ways, at this point I don’t feel the need. 

There is also hiking on the menu for the weekend. I look forward to this as well, because I look forward to feeling better about the human form I exist in. Cutting out the sugar and not eating anything else after 9pm has helped to flatten out my belly this week, so, that’s nice. 

I’ve learned, in many very painful examples, never to let my guard down, never to pat myself on the back, never to sigh with relief. But, still, I am so glad I feel a little closer to physically normal than I have in a month.

I’ll go back to posting pretty pictures with quotes under them now for your viewing pleasure.

Favorites this week

Marilyn Monroe as Clara Bow, photographed by Richard Avedon, 1958

♥ Gala Darling

♥ Cheryl Strayed (I'm about half-way through, LOVING IT)

♥ Gretchen Rubin 

Progress - Definition of:

prog·ress  (prgrs, -rs, prgrs)n.

1. Movement, as toward a goal; advance.

2. Development or growth: students who show progress.

3. Steady improvement.  as of a society or civilization: a believer in human progress.
4. A ceremonial journey made by a sovereign through his or her realm.

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The cheerful are seldom attacked

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I will not break

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Happy 100!

It's my 100th post!
Yay! I can't believe I have stuck with this silly little blog for 100 posts. It's turning out to be a pretty great little outlet actually. It's still a little all over the place, but, it's turning into a tiny shrine of all the things I love.

To those that read this, thanks for sticking with me. It's one long commentary on my life, all the things that make it so great. I started here, a year and a half ago, and I gotta tell you looking back on this I have a much brighter outlook on life! I remember this day, but, I don't remember many like it lately. Starting during that same time back in November I also started reading How to Win Friends and Influence People, Happiness Project, Think Simple Now, and The Positive Life. I actively started looking for the best part of every day and focusing on that. Counting the blessings each day holds is a very powerful mood enhancer. I have of course followed amazing people like:  Gala Darling, Nubby Twiglet, Richard Castaneda, Hunter S. Thompson, and Violet Blue for awhile. People doing what they want with their lives and loving it can teach you a lot.

A year and a half, and 100 posts in I am having a great time and loving my life a lot more than when I started. I still have off days, but we all do. I have resolved to learn from it and do better in the future, creating a stronger, wiser person each day.

Here's to the next 100 posts!