orange beautiful: motivate series

These prints by Orange Beautiful give the best (un-sugar-coated) advice, don't you think? What it means to me: quit whining and complaining, and just do what you need to do. Simple as that. Because we all have a purpose on this earth, and it's our job to be responsible for discovering what it is and then following our own unique path.

So quit your belly aching and hop to it! (I'm talking to myself, but maybe I'm talking to you, too....? You decide.) :)

For more from Orange Beautiful, check out their etsy shop and fabulous blog!

good morning illustration: by ashley inzer

Ahhhhhhhh, this is how I'm starting my mornings from now on.

I've started a new ritual of waking up earlier this week (I got into the habit of waking up at 6 am to make coffee for my husband and I, and then getting back in bed for an hour! Now I'm making the coffee and staying awake and out of bed. I love the dark early morning, and I'm trying to keep the dark cozy bed from luring me with its magic ways...!)

Anyway, this illustration is by Ashley Inzer. I love it. What a simple and powerful question and a great way to focus your day. Yes.

For more from Ashley, check out her blog and flickr page. There's much more goodness to be had there.

i love you cards

Happy Monday to you, my dear readers. I wanted to share this project with you, which I first came across a while back, but I just rediscovered it last week.

Heidi Geldhauser created iloveyoucards.org. You can order 20 cards for $5.00, and then she urges you to leave them around the world for people to find, to give them to friends and family-- in general, to spread the love far and wide!

Her website is full of images of how people have used the cards-- it's quite inspiring.

I'm going to order some. Yes indeed. I want to be a part of this love spreading.

ps- Heidi has the cards available in a multitude of languages. How cool is that?

The Beckoning of Lovely

I wanted to leave you with something really lovely before the weekend, so what better than 'The Beckoning of Lovely'?

This project was conceived by Amy Krouse Rosethal, as an invitation to the universe. Just watch. You'll understand.

And after you watch the Beckoning of Lovely above, then watch this one:



Amy is making a movie. She needs our help. And the help she's requesting is lovely and simple. Watch it-- you'll see.

Amy has also made many other videos that you can watch on the Beckoning of Lovely website.
We need more Amys in the world, don't we?

Let's go out and be an Amy this weekend. But in our own unique ways. What do you say?

LOVE

LOVE.

How can you love a little more today?

Something to think about.

practice practice practice

Morning!

Last night I was messing around with my wacom tablet, as I really want to get better at using it. I love drawing things in my sketchbook, but I loathe scanning for some reason. To eliminate scanning drawings as much as possible would be ok with me! So, I've been practicing with my tablet, and trying to giggle at my results rather than judge myself too harshly for not being instantly perfect at using it (which I, of course, expect of myself. Sigh.)

Here is what came out of my practicing last night.I like the idea of practice, because somehow it takes some of the pressure off of creating masterpieces. I'm just learning!! How amazing that we get to learn whatever we want in this life!

What are you practicing these days? Are you judging yourself too harshly over something? How do you appreciate the process of practicing? Share in the comments if you'd like!

i am magic

I've had a very contemplative few days. It all began with an evening talk and then a Fire Starter Session the next morning with Danielle Laporte. Then I had a little epiphany in the shower the other night, which is where the idea from yesterday came from.

I realized that I AM the universe. If I can step back and out and see myself from a very far away perspective, then I can see that I am ultimately a piece of this vast swirling energy, whatever it is. Not separate from it, but actually IT. It's one of those pieces of awareness that's now sort-of going in and out of my head-- one minute it makes perfect sense, the next it's gone and I'm confused.

But I realized that we're all part of the magic and unknown that is our universe. It's all just energy. We are made of and came from that energy. And we all have a responsibility to use that energy to move in a positive direction. (Mind you, people don't HAVE to use it to move in a positive direction, but if we don't, then we're helping the entire universe move away from peace and positivity. That's a lot of power and responsibility! Don't you think so?)

I feel a little funny even posting this, because it feels a little lofty and weird to me, as well as a bit vulnerable/scary to put out there (you all might think I'm weird! You might judge me! The horror...), but I've felt really GOOD the last few days because of it. I feel things shifting, and I like it.

So I just wanted to tell you that YOU are magic. Maybe you already know this, maybe you don't. Maybe you have no idea what I'm talking about. Maybe you're smiling and thinking "How cute, she's right at the beginning-- I realized that a long time ago." But I feel like I know it at a deeper level all of a sudden, and it feels important, and that feels like a real gift.

So how are YOU today? Please do tell. I'd love to hear. :)