Monday Mantra: Use Your Energy Wisely

A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that is considered capable of "creating transformation".

Every Monday I will post a new thought, idea, or focus for the week. When you need a breather from life, when you need a little inspiration, or when you're about to jump over the conference table and strangle your co-worker, remember the mantra.

Monday Mantra: Do something productive with your complaining/worrying/stressing out energy

Society6
Elysiancreations

For a few weeks now I've been stressing out over wedding dress shopping. It is one of the stupidest things to stress out about, but I'm doing it nonetheless. Why? Because I'm a dummy. Because I live in a first world country where I have the luxury of worrying about things like this. Because I forget about the people who actually have significant things to worry about, even in my first world country.

It's odd how quickly our priorities change, thanks to advancements in technology (and time) and how that impacts what we consume ourselves with. If we're keeping it real here, which is always the goal on this blog, we worry about really stupid things, you guys. We worry about the wrong things. We are so consumed with ourselves and what we don't have in life that we forget about all the good things we do have. We forget that other people in the world genuinely have reason to worry.

The other day I saw something on Instagram that unnerved me. Someone who runs a fan page (of which there are hundreds of different fan pages of this celebrity) apologized to all the followers that they wouldn't be able to post anything for a few hours while they went into surgery. But, once they were out they'd be back at it. Are you kidding me?! The world is not going to end if you don't post something for a few days, let alone a few hours. Your followers should not expect you to live your life only for Instagram posts. This infuriates me and saddens me simultaneously, because this is the world we live in.

There are men, women, and children starving each and every day, and we stress out over the calories in a french fry while we drink a diet soda, all because we can. Because we have endless food options.

There are people struggling to make ends meet working 15 hour days, every single day, bringing in practically nothing for all of their efforts, and yet there are those of us who walk around complaining about our jobs for no good reason. Our jobs that pay not just the bills, but give us plenty of money to waste on things we really don't need. We complain about our jobs and then do nothing about them. We are ridiculous.

There are people in this world that are treated cruelly, unfairly, terribly all because they have different beliefs or colors of skin or preferences in life partners.

But many of us walk around complaining about things we completely have the ability to change. Many of us stress out over things that have no real value in the big picture. Many of us worry incessantly about nothing, nothing of importance.

Here's my suggestion: Next time you have something to complain/worry/stress about, really weigh it out. Give yourself some parameters by taking a bigger look at the world. Does this thing compare to the actual problems happening in society today? Will this thing matter in the future? Is it really that big of a deal or is it a big deal just to you?

I'm going to wager that nine times out of ten you'll find you were about to waste your time and energy on something of little value. Doesn't that feel better, when you shift your perspective like that? When you save yourself from, well, yourself?

Now, instead, if you must worry, worry about things that matter. Worry about animals being tortured and people starving and how we can all change the discrimination happening in the world.

Stress out about inequality happening today, right now, right this second to someone who needs your voice to help change that.

Complain about- nothing. Complaining doesn't help anyone. Instead, take action. You don't want the gun laws to change but you also don't want people being shot? Come up with an alternative plan. Take it to your senator. DO SOMETHING. Actions speak louder than words, right? Right. Do something.

We're all guilty of this. We are, even the best of us. I'm not trying to beat us all up, I'm trying to wake us up. Perspective. Shift yours and the world might end up being a better place. Because of that, because of you. Because you might be the one who thinks up a way to solve things. How cool would that be? Super cool, friends. Super cool.

Use your energy wisely.

The Reflection of Shadows: The End of the Beginning

The Reflection of Shadows

A collection of moments

Society6

The End of the Beginning

The end of the beginning

Is nearing still, I fear.

I had my choice, I made my move-

My thoughts were so unclear.

My time to start all over,

To have just what I need,

My love, my life, my future,

A chance to grab my dreams.

But I missed, I tripped, I fell-

I lost my perfect sight.

The end of the beginning,

A chance missed in this life.

SaveSave

Random Ramblings

Society6
LouiJoverArt

1. Sometimes it's more fun to write like this. Random, yet structured. Sometimes the creative juices flow better. Sometimes it gives me ideas.

2. I used to have a Facebook page called Random Ramblings on Nothingness. I don't know why.

3. I strongly dislike #hashtags.

a. I use them, because I understand what they're intended to do, but I only use them occasionally for #fun or #strategically. 

b. I think hashtags have gotten out of control. They're running around wild on social media like teenagers without parental supervision. #makinguprandomhashtagsallthetimejustbecausewecan 

c. All of that being said, I appreciate and get a kick out of funny hashtags, such as what this gentleman did:

#YouMakeMeLaugh #ThankYou #ThisIsAnExampleOfFunnyHashtagUse
#Otherwise #Quit #Hashtagging #Everything #Because #It's #Pointless

 4. Everything changes, even perception.

a. Kate Winslet was considered fat when Titanic came out. I just watched the movie the other day. She was (still is) gorgeous. What was the world thinking back then? She was breathtaking.

b. This is how we treat ourselves. We look back at old photos and think, "I was so thin, beautiful, perfect." You were. You are now. You never realize it in the moment. Change is what makes us realize these things.

5. Lesson of the Day: In Chinese, Chi Ku means: To eat bitterness, the ability to go through difficult times.

6. My favorite shape is quatrefoil. It reminds me of India, of certain places in Asia, of far off places that have gorgeous buildings, spicy food, and kind people. If my heart had a shape, it would be this. You know, outside of the normal shape it actually has in real life.

7. I don't have a favorite color. I have many colors that are my favorites. Cerulean, mink, cobalt. Almost any shade of green. Most shades of gray. Lavender. Red.

a. I also enjoy the absence of color. Black and white are spectacular.

8. Authentic. This is one of my favorite words. It means: genuine, true, reliable. It goes right along with honesty, which I value above most other qualities in a person. Kindness, too. Kindness is King, honesty Queen.

9. Being Internet Famous. That's such a weird concept to me, yet what am I doing with a blog, right? What are any of us doing when we care about how many likes, re-tweets, or favorites we get? Ten tiny years ago none of that mattered. What will matter in ten more?

10. I just found out I have a mutated gene. Guys, I am an X-Men. I'm waiting for my powers to surface.

a. My super power of choice would be: being fluent in every language known to man. Maybe the ones not known to man as well. All languages everywhere. I want to speak, write, understand every single one of them.  

b. Did you know there are cases of people who wake up and can suddenly speak other languages? How many times do I have to get hit in the head for that to happen? Because I've got to be at least half way there. 

c. My defective gene is the MTHFR. You know what's fun? Blaming everything on it. "I'm tired. It's gotta be that Mother Effer! Tripped again, doggone Mother Effing gene!" See what I did there? 

11. In the year 2016 we still have racism, inequality, discrimination, gangs, rape, and now we have a problem with people shooting everyone just because they feel like it. Is this how you pictured the year 2016? It seems like so much of this should be ancient by now, past tense, resolved. Things we read about in books and ponder, wondering how in the world people lived during these times, got away with these crimes, why it took so long before change happened. I wonder what 2030 will look like.

12. "A man without tattoo's is invisible to the Gods." - Iban Proverb

a. Tattoos: one of the greatest things ever created, in my opinion. I love their origins, where and why they started. What they used to stand for religiously, culturally, spiritually. What they also stand for now: rebellion, fun, art. I find it odd and amusing how misunderstood they are, we are, those of us with the tattoos who are judged by those without. 

b.  I've loved tattoos my entire life. When I was a little kid I begged my mom to buy me the fake Lisa Frank glitter tattoos - the Easter edition, specifically. I very clearly remember being at the store, certain my entire little kid life would end if I didn't get those fake tattoos. After I finally wore her down and she got them for me, I spent the next several weeks debating over where those tattoos were going to go on my body as if they were real, permanent, forever. As if the glittery little easter bunny would be on my ankle until I died. 

c. I have seven. They're mostly quotes or poems in different languages. I'm getting a few more this year. This is how they hit me, in waves. Nothing for years, then a few at a time. Placement - where I'll be wearing this piece of art forever - is as important to me today as it was way back then. Placement is crucial. 

13. Passion; noun. A strong and barely controllable emotion.

a. Whenever I get really passionate about something, I either learn everything I can about it or, like in the case of the gluten free taquitos that I just found at Some Burros, I eat them allllll the time until that passion subsides and I go back to being a normal person again.

b. Fangirling is like that. Fandoms, in general, are like that. The psychology behind why we become obsessed with people (or movies, characters, etc.) is interesting business, friends. Do you really know why you're a fan? 

c. The Fiance took me to an Andy Black show the other night for my birthday because I recently became a fangirl of his. We had special meet and greet passes and, up until I actually met him, I was a completely normal, calm, collected human being. The second I met him everything went to hell in a hand basket. I don't remember making eye contact, I forgot everything I was going to say, and I'm pretty sure I was the weirdest I could have ever possibly been. I also looked like a mess because we'd been standing out in the heat for an hour and it had rained the day before, so my naturally crazy hair was doing special spiral swirls everywhere.

I should mention the room was filled almost entirely with teenage girls- that only talked about Andy and how good looking he was and how blue his eyes are and how awesome his hair is. Not that I blame them, he's a babe. There was a lot of screaming, like, a lot. At one point, my own inner fangirl lost her damn mind and screamed along with them when he announced a song he was going to sing. I scared The Fiance. I scared myself.

Never have I felt more ancient in my life. It's cool, I made friends with a sixteen year old. We hung out. She's infinitely more cool than I ever was at that age and probably will ever be.

14. Sometimes the answer is in the absence: Of sound, thought, action. People.

15. History is important. It isn't always told accurately, honestly, or factually. We hurt not only ourselves when we forget and/or alter what has happened in the past, we hurt the future- our future. The generations to come. We learn from mistakes, the ones we make personally, professionally, as a society. If we try to conceal them, we risk repeating them. We've already done this, over and over and over. History is important.

The Reflection of Shadows: 16

The Reflection of Shadows

A collection of moments

Society6

A little #fbf to sixteen year old me who contemplated the lives of candles.

16

Sixteen candles on the cake,

Briskly burning, all aflame-

Waiting,

Anticipating,

Death by breath.

Make a wish, they all yell out,

I breathe in, deep and proud-

Exhaling,

Prevailing,

Smoke fills the room.

Swirling, twirling all about,

All the candles cheer and shout-

Listen

For the sound

Of the candles crying out.

SaveSave

All Around the World: Costa Rica and Nicaragua (Plus Some Engagement Photos...Wooo!): PART 2

Wanderlust: A very strong and irresistible impulse or desire to travel the world.

Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

Trying to create a resource manual at work when you're going on vacation to a place called manuel really messes everything up. Anyway...

To get to Manuel Antonio you have to fly into Quepos (I'll fill you in on all of that fun later). We stayed at Arenas Del Mar while we were there, a rather expensive resort. We'd heard it was the best of the best and had tried going a year prior, but it's so popular that it was booked solid. Therefore, this trip was a full year in the making. But if a resort books up that quick it must be amazing, right?

Upon arrival you're given their "Welcome Drink." It's this ridiculously good pineapple-mint-coconut drink that I then had to order every single day like some coconut crackhead. The day I came home I recreated it because I was kind of, sort of, maybe addicted. Here's the recipe- you're welcome. Arenas Del Mar is a sustainable luxury hotel, which means they're all about saving water, eating organically and healthfully, and being a good, responsible hotel line. Right up my alley!

At the resort you have two beaches: one public and one private. The rooms are very comfortable and the mini bar food/drinks are free- wooooo! There are two restaurants on-site and they are expensive, however, they have a ton of gluten free options. Unfortunately, the food was very hit or miss for both gluten free and "normal" food. One meal would be awesome, the next would be pretty terrible. That being said, breakfast was pretty kick ass aaaaaand it's free! With breakfast every morning you also get a huge tray of fresh fruits like pitaya, pineapple, mango, and berries.

Public beach

Private beach

I have to give a round of applause to the staff because those folks were super sweet and crazy hard workers. Seriously, the staff made the place. There was one older gentleman, Luis, who I just adored. He was our server most of the time and he always had something interesting to say, not to mention a huge smile on his face.

All in all, I must say the resort is gorgeous. Views for miles...

Now, here's the trick about the rooms: You don't need the ocean view, so save your money. We did one night ocean view and then the rest of the time in a regular bungalow, which was $100 cheaper and three times the size. Sure, the view was nice, but we were out and about the whole time anyway enjoying the view in person and up close.

Your activity options in this tropical paradise are endless! Water activities, hiking, and shopping are just a few, but one thing you should do is visit a rainforest- a rainforest with suspension bridges. Costa Rica is known for these gloriously green forests, however, not all rainforests are created equal. Some are cloud forests, other wet forests, and then there are true rainforests. To get to a real rainforest (and the suspension bridges) you're going to need a tour. We booked a rainforest hike through the resort. We had a private guide and spent a great morning hiking, learning, exploring, and swimming in a mini-waterfall.

Suspension bridges

Looks scarier from this angle, right? 

You know what else you should do while in rainforest country? Go ziplining! We had a full day of zipline and ATV adventures and, honestly, it was amazing. There were more waterfalls and whooshing through the forest and then, the must, the Superman line- a full minute of endless ziplining awesomeness!

Ziplines

Rappelling

The Superman zipline

A true Superman

ATV rides + Being covered in dirt = This

Waterfall time

The wildlife in Costa Rica is pretty impressive. We saw iguanas, monkeys, a cutie Toucan Sam, and two sloths! You've seen the movie Zootopia, yes? Sloths really are that slow. 

Example: This dude who was crossing the street because he saw a tree he liked better on the other side. I know it looks like he's waving at us, but he's really saying "Come...at...me...dude."  Makes me think of a joke. Why did the sloth cross the road? We'll never know, he's still crossing it! JK, LOL. Stand Up Comedy career, here I (do not) come. Don't worry, this little fella is fine. We stayed to make sure no cars would hit him while he made his slow, slow journey to the other side of the street. 

We also spent a day in Quepos, which is an awesome little town with good food and plenty of shopping. Here, you can find all the goodies your little shopping heart desires. There's also plenty of shopping in Manuel Antonio, but it's more expensive.

Overcome with shopping joy

As mentioned, we took an opportunity to have some engagement photos done at a beach because we're never at a beach. Plus, if I'm being totally honest here, we're awkward and we need all the practice we can get. It was a great idea, until we realized it was super hot with tons of humidity, so we ended up just being more awkward with frizzy hair. I make awesome decisions, clearly.

And just because this place is so doggone beautiful, here are a few more pictures.

This was high tide. It was hilarious to walk through- try it

 A bear on a beach

My favorite shot

Before I can end this story about this lovely, lovely place, as promised I must first prepare you for the flight you have to take to get here (and to the San Jose airport to fly home), because holy hell...it is terrifying in fresh and new ways. But, um, don't let that scare you...

To get from Nicaragua to the Quepos airport, which is the closest one to Manuel Antonio, it only takes about one hour. Unfortunately, you have to take a teeny tiny 12 seater plane. I'm sure on days when there's no wind the flight(s) are perfectly fine, but when there is wind it's like being on a roller coaster in the sky. A gust comes this-a-way and the whole plane lifts up suddenly. Another gust comes that-a-way and WHAM, the whole plane moves to the right. My butt literally lifted out of the seat entirely several times. There were screams of terror followed by delirious laughter, then more screams- over and over. 

"AHHHHH!!! Hahahah! We made it, we ma- EEEEEEEK!!!! Oh no, ohnonononono...HAHAHA! We're alive!"

Like that.

The flight(s) home was worse. The first plane that we were supposed to take had landing gear problems, so we had to hire a private plane with some other folks because we were desperately trying to catch our other fight. (Didn't make it, for the record. Worst flying day ever in all of my traveling life) The plane we hired was a six seater, mind you. Landing was the most terrifying part of the ride because it's important to, you know, ensure you land smoothly and not all lopsided so one wing doesn't break off on the tarmac.

I should mention that at no point on any of these flights were any of the pilots scared. Nope, not even a little. Just us tourists. The most exciting/terrifying plane ride(s) of my life, I tell you. You thrill seekers will love it! Also, the airport in Quepos is the tiniest, most adorable airport you will ever see. It has two whole terminals all housed under one building the size of a three car garage. Enjoy yourselves. *wink wink*


Some of these pictures can be found on my Society6 page.
SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave