"We've all had Heavenly moments on earth, usually at our mother's breast or at someone else's. There is a feeling of inner peace that comes from total relinquishment of judgment. We don't feel the need to change others, and we don't feel the need to be different than we are. We can see, for whatever reason, the total beauty of another person, and we feel that they can see the beauty in us as well.

The world sees the special relationship, whether romantic or otherwise, as the only valid context for such an experience. That is our primary neurosis, our most painful delusion. We keep looking to the body for love, but it is not there. We 'embark upon an endless search for what we cannot find'--one person, one circumstance that holds the key to Heaven. But Heaven is within us. It has nothing ultimately to do with the thoughts of someone else, and everything to do with what we choose to think ourselves, not just about one person, but about all people. So forgiveness of mankind, of everyone in every circumstance, is our ticket to Heaven, our only way home."   -Marianne Willamson  [via: A Return to Love]

what would you do?

"When you get those rare moments of clarity, those flashes when the universe makes sense, you try desperately to hold on to them. They are the life boats for the darker times, when the vastness of it all, the incomprehensible nature of life is completely illusive. So the question becomes, or should have been all a long... What would you do if you knew you only had one day, or one week, or one month to live. What life boat would you grab on to? What secret would you tell? What band would you see? What person would you declare your love to? What wish would you fulfill? What exotic locale would you fly to for coffee? What book would you write?" 

via: the movie One Week

bridesmaids

 

If you haven't had a chance to see this movie yet, it is one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long time. Support women in comedy and go see it! I saw it two nights in a row, that's how good it is.

Trading caffeine for sanity?

I recently decided that cutting out coffee might be beneficial for my health. It was a disaster to say the least. You see, I just decided one day last week to not drink any coffee for awhile, and if you know me, you know that I typically drink about 2 cups a day. So quitting cold turkey was probably my first mistake.

I began my day with an emotional, grumpy breakfast where everything out of my boyfriend's mouth was responded to with, "what's that supposed to mean?" Of course, being caffeine deficient, I assumed he was being an utter jerk and I had every right to question his every word. I preceded with my day at work, stumbling into everything and wanting to dump food on customer's heads (i am also a waitress in a restaurant besides my photo gig).

I couldn't handle it any longer, and after just a half cup of coffee, I had an enormous smile reaching from ear to ear, an instant text to the boy with multiple apologies, and a vow to never go cold turkey again.

Moral of the story: be gentle to yourself. If you decide to cut coffee from your diet and your body is as sensitive as mine, do it slowly. Replace it with tea (which typically has less caffeine) or cut down the amount you take in. A little caffeine every now and then won't kill you, but guzzling mass amounts of coffee and then crashing is definitely not the healthiest. I realized that listening to my body and slowly making changes that feel good is positive, and torturing myself for giving in is ridiculous. Life is short, and it is okay to indulge, because I completely believe in the motto: everything in moderation.

[image via: my fish eye 35mm film camera]

the yellow brick road

I know I haven't been writing as much, but I have been so busy lately with lots of changes. We only get one chance at this life, and I plan on living it to the fullest. I have been making some amazing lifestyle and mental changes that have been fueling my heart (and body) in the last couple months.

I am considering beginning a "series" (what have you) from what I have been learning from some amazing texts, mentors and doctors. That would include some daily (or every other day) inspiration and tips for how I have been turning my life around to be the fullest me, including everything that I am learning from people who have made it their profession, and what I have been learning on my own as well.

I would love to use this blog as a learning tool for others to join me on the journey to bettering yourself. I am curious what others think about this, and possibly what I might call this "series." I would really love some tips and inspiration from readers, as you would (hopefully) be the ones involved. I would include anything from diet changes, breaking mental habits, exercise, following your heart for career and location changes, getting over major obstacles that plague all of our lives, etc.

It will still be my writing and come from the heart, with hopefully lots more of my creative work involved as well (my photography, art, etc.) It may even be a little more personal in hopes that others might connect more deeply with my words and my heart.

Let the journey begin!

[image via: a recent wine tour trip taken with girlfriends, after our bus broke down 6 miles from the first winery! don't worry: we made it after an hour long delay and some help from friends]