Putting a Ring On It – Does It Really Matter?

Posted on May 17, 2013 by blogadmin

husband and wife, just married

I’m usually behind on celebrity gossip so I’m sure you’ve already heard all the hoopla about Halle Berry expecting baby number two. “So what’s the big deal” is what I was thinking until I read that she is 46 years old!

Yowza sister!

But the thing I’ve been wondering about is, if others take issue or have any opinion about her unmarried status.

As early on as I can remember, I always pictured myself as a mother. I never had any doubts that it was a part of what I wanted and who I was suppose to be. For some time, I pictured myself with many children, living in a happy, loving relationship.

But not married. That part I could not even imagine. I also thought and felt, it didn’t matter and wasn’t something I needed.

Rolling Goldie Hawn – Kurt Russell style, that’s what I used to say anyway.

To my own surprise, I did end up getting married. I’ve actually done it twice now. The first time, at the court house. The second time, in a beautiful backyard ceremony.
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Habits Part II – The Yoga Edition

Posted on May 15, 2013 by blogadmin

21 day yoga challenge sign

Sometimes when you’re really thinking about something, have a strong intention or are struggling with a decision, signs appear.

That’s kind of what I thought of when I picked up a new yoga magazine and was drawn to the above image and message.

A few days later, I was at Do You Yoga and saw this:

30-Day Yoga Challenge with Erin Motz
Free online video yoga classes for 30 days. Sent directly to your email inbox.

Ok universe, I get it.

I have been putting a lot of energy in this direction because I know I really need to get back on track with yoga and will love it but now that I’m faced with the opportunity – yikes!

Because now, my pesky fears and insecurities start up with all the excuses, I mean “reasons” why I can’t do a challenge like this:
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Operation Summer Break

Posted on May 13, 2013 by blogadmin

Children playing at a park with fountain in a city

I realized this morning as I looked at my son’s calendar that today marks the last full week of school before summer break begins.

Gulp.

Time seems to be moving at light speed lately, I guess that’s how the end of the school year was able to sneak right up that way. Needless to say, I don’t feel ready for summer and I am nervous about how to keep Lou busy, entertained and happy for the next three months.

Wait – three months? I have to check those numbers. Can that be right? I’m going to need an assistant. Can moms get assistants? Ok, I mean moms that can’t afford real nannies or assistants.

Sigh.

We really feel in love with preschool this year, both my son and myself. It’s only a half day for three days a week but wow, how sweet it has been.
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Habits

Posted on May 9, 2013 by blogadmin

Keep Calm And Write Something
Image Source – Pinterest of course!

Right now, I’m really glad I’m at my computer working on this post.

But I also don’t want to be here. I really want to be sitting on the couch or propped up in bed, reading the new book I got today.

I know this sounds weird, please allow me to explain.

Since the beginning of the year, something has been off. I have not been writing very much and in fact, have not felt like doing anything, especially in the evenings which is some of the only free time I have, so I’ve been trying to figure out the cause.

Then today I stopped by Sperk* and read her latest post, Off The Cuff.
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Having It All

Posted on April 26, 2013 by blogadmin

my attempt at a home office

I was flipping through a magazine while waiting in line at the grocery store the other day and saw yet another article on women and “having it all”. Nope, I didn’t read it. Because I can’t stand this debate or any more of these articles.

My issue is, isn’t “having it all” a completely personal and individual thing? Don’t we all have our own goals and ideals? And even just different things in life that make us happy? What might be a dream situation to me could make someone else completely miserable and vice versa.

The other thing is, I feel like some of these articles can add to setting yet another impossible standard and making women feel like they are not doing enough, achieving enough, being enough, etc.

Is there something always lacking?

I don’t know about that but I do believe the picture of perfect portrayed a lot of times is bullshit.
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Lopsided

Posted on April 23, 2013 by blogadmin

This afternoon, I was reading an article on healing relationships and was completely awestruck as it told about part of a couples vows from their wedding:

that all circumstances might serve the awakening of wisdom and compassion.

All circumstances – the good, the bad and the ugly. The days when you can hardly drag yourself out of bed, the times when you just want to cry or punch someone in the face and the days when you can’t remember if you’ve ever laughed so hard or felt so happy.

Serving the awakening of wisdom and compassion.

What a thing to strive for. Hard enough just concentrating on yourself, now put this in the context of a marriage or serious relationship. Yowza!

It resonated with me, that’s for sure. And another reminder of what a padawan I continue to be because I’m not even close to this much of the time but I love when I find these kinds of reminders. A beautiful intention, something so worth while to work toward.

Especially while I’m feeling off off track and lopsided and not quite myself.
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What The Prom Girls Taught Me About Self Love

Posted on April 1, 2013 by blogadmin

Love Every Bit Of Yourself

For the past few weeks, there has been a big increase in activity in the formal dress department at work due to all the school proms coming up.

Although it’s a lot of work, I’ve enjoyed working these departments. The dressing rooms get trashed and you have triple the amount of clothes to straighten, hang and get back out on the floor but it’s been really fun watching these girls come in and model dresses for their parent, friends and selves. Even better, the look on their face when they walk up to the counter with “the one” slung over their arm, ready to make the big purchase.

One of the happier things that surprised me from the shifts I’ve worked so far is the amount of fathers bringing their daughters, patiently waiting on big couches outside the dressing rooms and the kindness of some of the comments I would overhear as they gave fatherly opinions or even vetoed a dress as soon as they saw it.

I know what some of them were thinking, “Yea, I remember when I was a teenage boy and you are not wearing that dress!” aka too short, too revealing, etc. I don’t blame them at all.

It almost brought tears to my eyes, hearing one of the dads I had been helping earlier, when he reminded his daughter, “we have plenty of time. Remember, you need to really love it.” Mind you, this was after the sixth or seventh dress she tried on. My own heart swelled.

Unfortunately, the other things I heard were far less happy, loving or kind and came from the girls themselves.
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Opening Your Heart

Posted on March 26, 2013 by blogadmin

stones stacked up along side a stone in the shape of a heart

This month, my post for DoYouYoga is about one of my favorite terminologies used in yoga for lifting your front body and depending on the pose, rotating forward: open your heart.

I wrote about how moving through poses like cobra, up dog and triangle pose with the intention to open and lift your heart not only assists with understanding the physical alignment of the poses but takes us to a deeper place of intention.

Just as being hunched over or feeling closed off is going to make it much more difficult to get fully in to many yoga asanas, feeling this way often has the same effect on us in our daily life. Things seem harder, heaver and far more serious than they sometimes are or need to be.

What I didn’t write about was how difficult this can be, especially off the mat.
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Happiness in Pairs

Posted on March 22, 2013 by blogadmin

Happy Spring – although it doesn’t feel like it here in our 30 – 40 degree weather (and did I mention, we are expecting a possible 10 inches of snow on Sunday?)…..but now that it’s officially spring time and the sun seems to be shining through the clouds a little more often, I feel some of the fog and heaviness lifting.

To help along this lightening of spirits, I’ve been thinking of ways to take the time to see the beauty of right now and appreciate what I have and what is instead of what I wish, want or think should be – which really is, at times, the entire cause of unhappiness and unease.

In the spirit of this, I decided to share some of the little things I’m thankful for and that make me smile these days. Oddly enough, I noticed they are all in pairs.

Not sure what that means for now but like it.
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Honoring My Family, Healing The Past

Posted on March 14, 2013 by blogadmin

Family holding hands together

I’ve always felt I had a “complicated” family and upbringing if not just plain nontraditional, difficult and really tough at times. But, the more I learn about others, life itself and the illusions we confuse sometimes as normal or what’s suppose to be, I’m thinking things really may not be so unusual after all and certainly could have been a lot worse.

For the past year, I’ve proudly been contributing each month to Kim at Sperk* for Wednesday’s Woman, her awesome dedication to shine a light on positive and inspirational women. In all this time, I’ve never written about anyone personal or from my own life.

Although I actually am a pretty private person, for some reason this pained me a little and I found myself really wanting to share something more personal, closer to my own heart.

And if I know my own mind, it was probably because I didn’t think I could.
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