Archive for ‘Inspired Life’

April 15th, 2013

Use Magic to Find Meaning In Your Life

There is something magical about this moment.

It’s the only one you’ll ever have.

Whether you’re grieving over a loss, bored out of your mind, or simply enjoying the ordinariness of this moment, if you can take the time to appreciate how fleeting it all is, you’ll find meaning in your life.

As I sit here on the bare floor writing pen in hand, I am listening to the rain while observing my 7-year-old mini lop bunny hopping around me and pushing his soft nose in my chubby knees. It’s a thing to marvel at. Maybe you don’t find anything magical about a person and their rabbit journaling maybe self-indulgently about their life. But that’s just because you don’t see what I see.

Magical moments are not simply ones that make dreams transpire out of nothing, but being able to notice the moment without being so busy you let it all pass you by.

When life feels uninspiring and void of meaning it’s because you’ve drained it of its magic. You tell yourself:

“I know everything.”

“I’ve seen everything.”

You’ve become closed to age and time. And being the weary-traveler, you shut yourself out to anything new, any potential for possibility in your life.

When you shut out magic, you open the door to a meaningless life.

Your life isn’t meant to be strictly a huge to-do list of insurmountable tasks and brag worthy accomplishments. It’s meant to flourish, to savor, to share love and joy, to teach and to live. When you’re closed off to chance and live by the book, you leave little room for all the good things in life like hope, courage, and faith.

According to Dictionary.com, magic is:

“the art of producing illusions as entertainment by the use of sleight of hand, deceptive devices, etc.;”

What appears to be deceptive is our own mind. In order to allow magical moments in we need to adopt the child’s mind, the ability not to know everything. And be okay with it. When we assume to know everything and make our way only with numbers, statistics and research to back it all up, we don’t leave room for chance. And chance is where things like magic, luck, serendipity and pure joy comes in.The reason why we won’t move forward unless we got a lot of left-brained thinking to back it up is fear. Being vulnerable reminds us of being shamed as a kid or foolish as a teen and no one wants to regrettably say, “I should have done that instead.”

But the only way to build up a meaningful life is to open yourself up to vulnerable moments. It’s walking in the rain without an umbrella. It’s moving courageously in the direction of your dreams rather than waiting for the “right” time.

If you’re truly searching for more meaning in your life, you’re going to need to get good at listening within. You’re going to have to forgo the outside chatter that says, “You’ll regret that,” or “You’re making a bad decision,” or “You’ll never do it,” and you’ll have to do it anyway.

You’re going to have to sit still enough to hear and appreciate that inner voice. You’re going to have to take chances when you were to fearful to do so in the past. It will take courage, patience and a lot of doubtful moments. But if you continue on the path despite all obstacles, you will find it. You will again return to the space that I’m currently in-quiet moment, wave of acceptance, gratitude and an unwavering openness to the unknown, fear on your back and eyes set forward.

It’s no way an easy place to be. But I promise you this…here you will find meaning.

CategoryDaily Inspirations, Dealing with Fear, Inspired Life | CommentNo Comments »

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April 3rd, 2013

The Power of Creativity

{Queen Anne Lace Settee from Joss and Main via Pinterest}

{Baxton Studio chairs from Amazon.com}

 

{Boja pendant lamp from Ikea}

I’ve been in the process of buying our first home so forgive me if this platform has been sparse lately. But don’t forgive me for neglecting creativity.

Creativity is the undercurrent of this blog. It is the root of anything worth its beauty and within its process contains the very essence of life itself. It doesn’t matter if you’re uber creative and masterfully write, paint, or craft for a living. It matters only that you try.

Every person is creative. The need to make something out of nothing stems from a sacred place. We were all “created.” Anyone who has temporarily put down a paintbrush and taken up their computer instead has nostalgia for the first time they created something.

For you who sit and work and live and tend to your children, but do not tend to your own creative garden, this post is for you.

If you are harboring fear, anger, resentment, jealousy, discontent, boredom, lack of meaning in your life, you may be neglecting your creative self.

There have been many people I’ve met who are creatives at heart. They are dramatic and over-the-top, fun to be with, energetic, passionate. But the energy that could be spent on their creativity gets transformed into obsessively worrying, overworking, or an unhealthy focus/obsession on others.

Why would we miss the chance to paint or draw or be out in nature? We deem it unimportant. The older we are, the more we lose the voice that tells us this is important too.

I love what author and speaker Dr. Brené Brown says about creativity on her website and in her book The Gifts of Imperfection:

 “I’m not very creative” doesn’t work. There’s no such thing as creative people and non-creative people. There are only people who use their creativity and people who don’t. Unused creativity doesn’t just disappear. It lives within us until it’s expressed, neglected to death, or suffocated by resentment and fear.

What have you given up as a result of neglecting your creativity?

Is it your life, your freedom, your sense of meaning, your self?

I’ve learned that when I choose to watch TV or internet surf instead of create, my personal and professional life takes a hit. The only way I can continue to grow, to feel purposeful, to feel grounded despite the chaos of daily life, is to partake in an act of creativity.

I vow to take up a creative task daily.

What will you start to create today?

CategoryCreativity, Daily Inspirations | CommentNo Comments »

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March 26th, 2013

The Importance of Play in Inspiration

{Etsy art by spunkyfluff}

{Etsy art by spunkyfluff}

Many people get caught up with words like, “progress,” “certainty,” and “maturity.” They worry when they don’t know what they want to be when they grow up. They beat themselves up when two steps forward leads to one step back. They are self-critical and ashamed when they are “acting immature.”

But it’s all part of the process. According to Care of the Soul author Thomas Moore, it’s neglecting the complexities of our inner child (the part of us that is playful, creative and spontaneous) that hurts us most. He says progress and growth are prioritized in our society, but they are not always necessary or relevant. Sometimes in order to grow or heal we need to take a step back. Sometimes in order to know what we want, we need to honor the child. To go forward, it’s imperative that we look back. He believes that taking care of your soul requires that you accept, nurture and pay attention to all aspects of yourself. And in fact, ignoring or attempting to deny your childhood desires, your inner joy, spontaneity, and your creativity can cause significant suffering.

Who you are right at this moment is a conglomeration of who you were, who you are and who you are about to become. To neglect any part of your soul in disgust, distaste or disdain will work against you. It’s like a critical and demanding parent who controls you into being the person they want you to be. You will never know your true purpose or calling if you continue on that path. The only way to awaken the part of you that asks the following:

Who am I?

What do I really want in life?

What do I want to be when I grow up?

…is to listen.

This means prioritizing play in your life. Respect the time you devote to reading, playing, creating and protect it as well as you protect time spent working. Embrace your inner child’s wants without judgment, criticism and reprimand. You’ve had enough of that in your life and that’s the reason why you are where you are in this moment. I’m afraid the only way you can free yourself from the hold of a stifling past is to release your fears and finally respond to the part of you that you’ve been hiding for so long.

It’s a frightening, but worthy cause.

For today, let yourself be immature,

open your eyes to life as if you’ve never explored it before,

and be okay, just for this moment, with not knowing what’s through that unopened door…

CategoryCreativity, Daily Inspirations, Dealing with Fear, Finding Your Purpose | CommentNo Comments »

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March 21st, 2013

Inspiring Ideas for a Relaxing Retreat

Monterey

Usually it’s not until days or even weeks later when people lament the end of a trip. They gaze teary-eyes out the window about umbrella drinks and shorts wearing weather after they’ve settled comfortably albeit coldly back into their normal life. But for me, I anticipate the end of a trip while I’m still in it, the hours of time I get to idle away, the luxury of building out a day based purely on fun. I’m always looking for ways to freeze every moment in my memory as if it were my last. This past trip I closed my eyes and actually sang along to Christina Aguilera’s newest song, “Feel This Moment,” in the hopes that it would remind me to live fully and as completely as I could.

After returning from what will be my last trip in awhile, I decided to find ways to bring the vacation home to me. It’s not always possible or necessary to devote a fat amount of money or time to a spendy or luxurious vacay. But it’s very doable and I might add important to sprinkle a little pleasure, joy and ease into your every day. Here are a few ideas that may inspire your own retreat, debt-free.

1. Do what you would do on vacation.

When we’re indulging in a little R&R, we take time to sit and read, sip a cup of cocoa, and daydream that we would otherwise label as “wasting time.” But is relaxing a waste? I think not. Devote a few moments a day or even a week to just be and breathe.

2. Pretend you’re a tourist.

You may be like me and think you know your hometown like the back of your hand. But there are always unexplored adventures to seek. I realized that after my husband took me to a park I hadn’t been to, scheduled a comedy show for us to see, and planned a dinner at a restaurant I’ve never been. There are newness and adventure to explore wherever you are. Perhaps, you just need to give as much time and energy to it as you would if you were planning a “real” vacation.

3. Plan a stay-cation.

Just because you’re unable to travel afar, doesn’t mean you can’t pretend you’re far away. Book a hotel room at a nearby city and have fun playing by the pool and savor the sweetness of being away from home, but not really being away.

I was upset as the last rays fell upon another perfect vacation knowing that I would eventually have to return to the daily doldrums that followed every day life. But since returning I’ve found a ray of sunshine follows me whenever I set aside time to be on a pleasure trip, an inner retreat, or a sacred moment to bring all the joys and revery of a vacation home to me.

CategoryDaily Inspirations, Travel | CommentNo Comments »

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February 12th, 2013

The Bad News Is You’re Discouraged. The Good News is You’re Discouraged!

{Etsy print by rachelmarvincreative}

{Etsy print by rachelmarvincreative}

When I started blogging, I was in my late twenties. Things were different then. I was energetic and enviously ambitious, even naively so. But time changes things. Your priorities shift. Where relationship and career were my own two motivations in life, now a growing family, my health and owning a home seem to take center stage. You too might be surprised by what life unfolds.

Maybe on your path towards your dreams you hit a roadblock, an obstacle so great that you don’t expect to survive it. The weight of time, financial pressures, familial obligation are squeezing you so thin, you feel like the only road worth walking these days is the one toward practicality. Your dreams will have to wait.

Maybe that’s your life right now. And that’s okay. I think the biggest concern is not that you’ve stepped off the plate for awhile, but that you never return.

Discouragement can be the murderer of your dreams or it can be its greatest advocate. It’s normal to hit roadblocks, to want to quit, to believe it’s time to give up. But if your dreams begin to haunt you after awhile, don’t ignore them. Find a way to re-introduce them in your life. They may look like a different being. They may come in a different form. But listen to them and they will guide you back on purpose.

Moving to Hawaii changed a lot of things for me. The high cost of living and low paying jobs were disconcerting to say the least. I began to feel a palpable wave of discouragement from people whose dreams were long buried and who settled for a half-lived, but safe life. Being around desperation can damper your own sense of motivation. I too longed for the freedom we felt in California. Not only the financial one, but the sense that you could do anything and be rewarded for it.

What I realized is that some people believe it’s easier to embrace “get rich” schemes than follow a dream. A dream seems impractical and fantastical like fairy dust and the Kardashians. Only a handful of people in life are fortunate to get one. Everyone else needs to make a living.

I have to say even after living here and seeing how hard it is, I still believe in dreams. I think discouragement isn’t a sign that you should give up and quit. I think it’s a sign you’re on the right track. It means you need to pump up your enthusiasm, energy and courage to become encouraged. It’s requiring you to think harder, to dig deeper, to be everything you were meant to be. Adults forget that as babies and kids every stepping stone was an inconceivable task. We get lazy and comfortable in our ways. But we were not meant to be kids forever. We are challenged because we were meant to do great things.

If you are reading this and feel like you’re slipping off that dream cliff, hold on. Hold on to dear life for the dream you’ve been dreaming all your life. Even if you can’t articulate what it is exactly (maybe you have a desire to write, paint or create, but not sure how to do this as a career), don’t give up. I started with a BA in English and ended up with a Masters in Counseling Psychology. Not as a therapist, but as a self-help/psychology writer who occasionally writes about writing, pets and the environment. I’m still not done and you’re not either.

Do what you must to take care of yourself and your family. But remember this: Never, ever give up on your dreams. Doing so will do much more damage and disservice to your loved ones and yourself than you think.

CategoryFollowing Your Dreams, Inspired Life | CommentNo Comments »

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January 22nd, 2013

Returning to the Freshness of Childhood

 Waikoloa Picture

Do you remember when you were a child? Everything was new and exciting. A trip to the pool was a deep sea adventure. Going to the mall was a journey into the unknown. Every moment held within it a jewel of wonder, a moment of unlimited possibility.

And then you GrEw Up!

On a recent vacation to the Big Island, my husband said something to me that made me think about the loss of childhood. We were at this fabulous pool with slides and waterfalls and I told him the following:

“I don’t know if I’m going to go in. The water’s cold and once I get in there what will I do?”

He said, “Funny when we’re kids we don’t have that problem.”

It’s true. If I forget, I only need to spy on the kids next to me and see how their imagination never fails to make use of every moment. Me? Bleh. I need to have a plan or else I’m wasting time.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Even though we might have lost the magic of many “first-times” as we get older, we also have the ability to rethink the way we see our lives. It just takes a little imagination and perspective.

How to Refresh Your Life

1. Take a class in something extraordinary. Or at least something new. I signed up for a watercolor class several months ago and this month? Embroidery. That’s how you keep your childhood enthusiasm up. You jump into things you’ve never done before and you go in with open eyes. These days there are tons of Groupons, Living Social and Bloomspot deals so you really have no reason to try.

2. Go on a date with nature. It’s hard not to feel small when you’re looking up at the twinkling sky, swimming in the deep blue ocean or walking amongst tall vast trees. That’s how kids feel too. They are amazed at the wonder of the world and you will be too. Spend time with nature and nature will reinvigorate you.

3. Go from multi to single sense. These days I don’t enjoy going to the movies. The loud speakers and intense action are overwhelming. Over time, they work to de-sensitize. But returning to childhood also requires a return to simplicity. Pick a sense and fully immerse yourself in it. Take a wine tasting class and remember what wine really tastes like. Bring your camera out hiking and zoom in on the visual work of art in front of you. Focusing on one sense at a time instead of multitasking can return you to a state of peace and mindfulness. Suddenly, what felt like a tedious, monotonous task feels new, exciting and extraordinary.

Is it sailing, biking, reading that does it for you? What do you do to bring excitement and adventure into your life?

CategoryDaily Inspirations, Travel | CommentNo Comments »

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January 4th, 2013

People Who Inspire Me

2013 has already started with a few unexpected surprises.

One started with this little comment I wrote for O magazine. It was the second Q&A comment that got selected in the past few years only this time I was writing from Kailua instead of San Jose. And that’s not the only thing that was different. The first piece got a sweet compliment from my mom who generously bought a copy. But not much else.

This time, however, I was overwhelmingly surprised.

When it got published, I didn’t even know it made it to the January issue. In Hawaii, magazines take longer since they got to come all this way to a little island. It was the comment from a stranger, someone named Jan who left me this comment on my writing site:

“I am reading the current “O” mag and if you are the Brandi-Ann on page 20, I’d just like to say that your wish for a superpower that would allow you to respond to any situation with complete compassion had me saying “YES”, that’s the one I have been looking for also. Thanks for putting it so beautifully.”

The idea that this person took the time out to find me on the internet to leave me a note like that brought tears to my eyes. It meant that someone actually read what I wrote. But not just that. It meant that someone got what I was trying to say and was affected by it. As a writer, you couldn’t ask for a better response. I was so grateful for Jan, the random stranger who made my day!

And then yesterday, I got another love bomb. A personal card came to me via snail mail. It was written by a woman who also read my short letter. She wrote about how reading it was an “ah ha” moment for her and how it changed the way she saw her business. This was my favorite part:

Thank you card thank you card inside

“Thank you for the courage to be open enough to share with the rest of the world your innermost thoughts…Thank you again for helping change my life!”

I don’t know if the short paragraph I compiled for O really had that much of an impact on the lives of these two women. But I know this for sure. Their letters changed my life. I wish I could thank them the way they took the time to thank me. It reminded me why I write and it inspired me to keep going.

Has anyone inspired you lately?

CategoryDaily Inspirations, Gratitude, Inspiring People | Comment4 Comments »

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