Lately I've been slacking on both my blogging and my gifts. I have had a lot on my plate lately, and even more recently have been devastated by an unfortunate misunderstanding and lack of trust with someone I love so deeply and sincerely. I made a foolish decision which sparked the distrust this person had for me, and it has been so hurtful and unbelievable for me.
However heartbreaking this situation is for me, I am using it as blocks for me to climb higher on and am thanking God for this gift. I know that the love I shared with that person was so wonderful and beautiful and true, and I can only be grateful for that. Its not so often we find that and are allowed to experience it, and for a while I was filled with it. What a gift that is!
Sometimes we lose things we love, but we have to know that even the loss itself is a gift. We are put through trials and are broken down so we can rebuild and come out stronger, wiser and more capable of love, giving and humility in the end. We learn from our mistakes and make choices that will help us become better people with more open hearts and more conscious minds. I'm looking forward to learning from the mistakes I have made and making new and healthier decisions for me.
Speaking of making new decisions, I am going to give myself the gift of doing more things that better me as a person. The first thing I am going to do is quit drinking alcohol all together. Even though I don't do it much to begin with, lately its caused me to make unhealthy choices, and I've not been responsible. I don't want to be that person. I am better than that person. In addition to this choice, I am also going to drive the energy I have built up for my sorrows and channel it into working out and volunteering. I'm excited to begin volunteering! There are so many wonderful causes I can get involved with, and I'll be sure to keep you all updated on what I decide to do!
The reason I want to volunteer is because it helps you step outside of yourself, of your own problems, when you give your time and care to someone else. It humbles you and grounds you, causes to see things on a bigger scale and have a clearer mind. These are definitely things I could use right now!
I'll be sure to update. Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and to share in my experiences. :-)
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Give and Share Love
I've been slacking on the gifts lately. The past few days have been pretty crazy for me, and I've not pushed myself to write or take time to exercise as I should be. However, I have decided to quit something that is hurting me more than helping me, and hope this will increase my energy and make me more active. I'm looking forward to being more productive!
Sometimes, actually a lot of times, people are so kind as to give to me. There are many ways to give to someone, as I've discovered and have explored more recently. Material gifts can say and mean a lot, depending on the relationship with the person and the gift itself. I' had trouble with a family member in the past years, which was troubling and painful, and I prayed for it to be resolved. When I came into contact with that family member recently, I decided it was best to act normal and just give the greatest gift: Love. So I did. And what I got in return was wonderful, unconditional love. I didn't expect it, and was surprised and felt how strong family love is. When I said "I love you" to this person as I was leaving, they looked at me with an expression of surprise, and returned the phrase. Although they were surprised, I could see how happy they were.
And I meant it. I do love that person, and I think its silly and selfish for me to keep that to myself when I can be sharing it with them. After all, Love is truly the greatest gift anyone can give!
Now that's something right there. The gift of love. When you decide to give your love to someone, you have to do it with no stipulations, or else it can't be genuine. Giving love is often difficult, as the emotion is so strong it feels as though it will eat you if its kept to yourself, or you risk the possibility of not having it returned once you give it. That's the thing, though. You can't give love expecting and asking for it in return. You just have to love them for all the reasons you love them, and let them have that love.
Of course, there are times when people stomp on you, manipulate you and take advantage of your love. I've heard people say, and have said myself, that you're wasting your time, energy and emotions on people who do this. In a way I'd say I still believe this, but then again I feel when you love people who are willing and continually hurting you, then you are not loving yourself, which is most important. If you can give your love to someone with no conditions or expectations, then you have to just leave it as that. Love for them, love for the sake of being love, something wonderful and powerful and joyous to have and to give. Right?
Please, share your thoughts! Oh, and spread the love :-)
Sometimes, actually a lot of times, people are so kind as to give to me. There are many ways to give to someone, as I've discovered and have explored more recently. Material gifts can say and mean a lot, depending on the relationship with the person and the gift itself. I' had trouble with a family member in the past years, which was troubling and painful, and I prayed for it to be resolved. When I came into contact with that family member recently, I decided it was best to act normal and just give the greatest gift: Love. So I did. And what I got in return was wonderful, unconditional love. I didn't expect it, and was surprised and felt how strong family love is. When I said "I love you" to this person as I was leaving, they looked at me with an expression of surprise, and returned the phrase. Although they were surprised, I could see how happy they were.
And I meant it. I do love that person, and I think its silly and selfish for me to keep that to myself when I can be sharing it with them. After all, Love is truly the greatest gift anyone can give!
Now that's something right there. The gift of love. When you decide to give your love to someone, you have to do it with no stipulations, or else it can't be genuine. Giving love is often difficult, as the emotion is so strong it feels as though it will eat you if its kept to yourself, or you risk the possibility of not having it returned once you give it. That's the thing, though. You can't give love expecting and asking for it in return. You just have to love them for all the reasons you love them, and let them have that love.
Of course, there are times when people stomp on you, manipulate you and take advantage of your love. I've heard people say, and have said myself, that you're wasting your time, energy and emotions on people who do this. In a way I'd say I still believe this, but then again I feel when you love people who are willing and continually hurting you, then you are not loving yourself, which is most important. If you can give your love to someone with no conditions or expectations, then you have to just leave it as that. Love for them, love for the sake of being love, something wonderful and powerful and joyous to have and to give. Right?
Please, share your thoughts! Oh, and spread the love :-)
Friday, January 15, 2010
Smiles and Dollers
Hey peeps! So, lately I've been trying out giving smiles to people as gifts. Yesterday I gave one to every stranger that came my way whom I made eye contact with, and if I had an interaction with them, I also added the most genuine, "have a great day!" that I could come up with. This is definitely a fulfilling way to give gifts to people! With each smile, I could tell it was brightening up people's day, and it was making me feel better as I did it. I guess the whole endorphin thing that happens when you smile really is true and makes an impact. By the end of the day, which I should mention was a REALLY busy one for me, I felt so light and happy! These are gifts that when given, also give you something back. So with each smile...I was giving to myself!
Today I had another exhausting, busy day. But, I did something for myself, by going to an audition that lasted 2 and a half hours, all of improv, which was so much fun and got me feeling so alive. I absolutely love this work! My gift today was a humble dollar given to a man by the freeway asking for assistance. I actually really like helping out the homeless by giving them some change, they always seem genuinely grateful and often touched. Its pretty cool, actually. I mean, I'm not saying I'm going to go around giving all my monies to all the poorest of the poor - then I'd be right there with them. But, I am saying that its something that I am okay with doing from time to time, when the situation and time is right.
Tomorrow is another really busy day for me, but I'm looking forward to it as I have auditions to go to which I can only be grateful for. Please share your stories with me! All the best :-)
Today I had another exhausting, busy day. But, I did something for myself, by going to an audition that lasted 2 and a half hours, all of improv, which was so much fun and got me feeling so alive. I absolutely love this work! My gift today was a humble dollar given to a man by the freeway asking for assistance. I actually really like helping out the homeless by giving them some change, they always seem genuinely grateful and often touched. Its pretty cool, actually. I mean, I'm not saying I'm going to go around giving all my monies to all the poorest of the poor - then I'd be right there with them. But, I am saying that its something that I am okay with doing from time to time, when the situation and time is right.
Tomorrow is another really busy day for me, but I'm looking forward to it as I have auditions to go to which I can only be grateful for. Please share your stories with me! All the best :-)
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Appreciating What We Have and Giving Love
A day behind....again! But yesterday was another day to remind me of my riches in life. First, I went to work, which I must always remember to be grateful for and when I'm there I try my best to stay positive and enjoy my situation, because there are so many people who don't have jobs! Even though I'm only working there two days a week, its better than not working at all! Afterwards I made it to dance class (barely!) to learn the fox trot, fairly easy compared to the Salsa, not as spicy but still very fun.
Yesterday, I gave the gift of love. Probably seems like a cop-out, but it came from a genuine, giving place, which is what this giving journey is all about. I expressed my appreciation for someone I love very much and who gives me wonderful, good love. And don't we know that love is the best gift anyone can give!
My gift to myself yesterday was the time I spent with the person who loves me. Being with someone who loves you truly and cares for you is really an amazing gift, and should never be taken for granted!
Today I'm working on lots of little gifts. I'm giving the gift of smiles all day to strangers everywhere. Don't you think that if everyone did that, the world would be a little cheerier? :-)
Yesterday, I gave the gift of love. Probably seems like a cop-out, but it came from a genuine, giving place, which is what this giving journey is all about. I expressed my appreciation for someone I love very much and who gives me wonderful, good love. And don't we know that love is the best gift anyone can give!
My gift to myself yesterday was the time I spent with the person who loves me. Being with someone who loves you truly and cares for you is really an amazing gift, and should never be taken for granted!
Today I'm working on lots of little gifts. I'm giving the gift of smiles all day to strangers everywhere. Don't you think that if everyone did that, the world would be a little cheerier? :-)
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Yay for Friends!
Oh man, I was a lucky girl today! I got the gift of friendship in large amounts! First, I went to dance class today (today was TANGO!) which was awesome. Next, I met up with my friend Jenna for a hike, and we made it to the top as the sun was setting, which was fantastic. This was my gift to myself.
After the hike I ran home for a quick bite before heading off to my friend's apartment who was not feeling so well yesterday and today. She said she felt better, and seemed okay, but I brought her some vitamin drink with vitamin C, as my gift to someone else for the day. At least I can try to help, right?
Its always awesome to spend time with people you care about. I leave feeling filled with blessings, rich with love. Even though I have my struggles in life, I have so much love, so much genuine love. And its amazing!
After the hike I ran home for a quick bite before heading off to my friend's apartment who was not feeling so well yesterday and today. She said she felt better, and seemed okay, but I brought her some vitamin drink with vitamin C, as my gift to someone else for the day. At least I can try to help, right?
Its always awesome to spend time with people you care about. I leave feeling filled with blessings, rich with love. Even though I have my struggles in life, I have so much love, so much genuine love. And its amazing!
Why We Must Give to Ourselves
I wanted to say something about why I feel its important to give to yourself everyday. You may already see reasons, but I want to clarify a few things.
First, I should again be clear that this gift to yourself is not necessarily a material gift, not a new shirt just for the fun of it, but something that contributes to your overall well being, your betterment. Why I see the importance of this daily gift comes from a time in my life 2 years back when I was dealing with some difficult issues and became very ill. In order to get better, I did a lot of searching for myself and took time off in order to take care of my mind and body and become a healthy person that would stay healthy. Some days, I would sleep almost the whole day. Other days I would do more. But every day I was recovering, I made a point to do one thing for myself every day, one thing that would help me and humble me at the same time. Most of the time, this one thing ended up being yoga. Yoga helped me think outside of myself, out of my own problems, and find a peace with my body and mind in this world. It helped quiet me. And as I was doing it, I became healthier, physically and mentally. Some days were harder than others to get myself moving and do this one thing, others I was excited to. But once I was doing it, I always felt the same sense of healing and peace.
I hope you wil consider the power of giving to yourself, and discover how it can be simultaneously fulfilling and humbling. Please share with me your journey!
First, I should again be clear that this gift to yourself is not necessarily a material gift, not a new shirt just for the fun of it, but something that contributes to your overall well being, your betterment. Why I see the importance of this daily gift comes from a time in my life 2 years back when I was dealing with some difficult issues and became very ill. In order to get better, I did a lot of searching for myself and took time off in order to take care of my mind and body and become a healthy person that would stay healthy. Some days, I would sleep almost the whole day. Other days I would do more. But every day I was recovering, I made a point to do one thing for myself every day, one thing that would help me and humble me at the same time. Most of the time, this one thing ended up being yoga. Yoga helped me think outside of myself, out of my own problems, and find a peace with my body and mind in this world. It helped quiet me. And as I was doing it, I became healthier, physically and mentally. Some days were harder than others to get myself moving and do this one thing, others I was excited to. But once I was doing it, I always felt the same sense of healing and peace.
I hope you wil consider the power of giving to yourself, and discover how it can be simultaneously fulfilling and humbling. Please share with me your journey!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Giving Time
Every day I thank the highest power of Love for all the wonderful gifts I have in my life, and I am often overwhelmed with the incredible joy of having people who love you. And I also notice that the more I give my love to others, the more I get it back, genuinely. Which is a big part why I am making this conscious decision to GIVE every day. I already am seeing changes!
My gift today was time spent with a friend. Make that quality time. A friend of mine texted me asking if I wanted to meet up in the evening, and I figured it would be a good opportunity for me to give my time and energy to my friend for a little time. I stayed longer than I expected and it turned out to be a gift for myself as well! I had a great time milling around with him, and then having a wonderful, rich and open conversation. My gift to him was also my gift to myself!
As I'm doing this, some days I get worried I won't have time to give. But then I remember when I was reading about the 29 days of giving, how the gifts can be as small as a hug or a smile or a phone call, as long as they come from a giving place. I'm seeing how being conscious about giving is helping me see people more, notice them more and look at them with a more open-heart. People I may not have noticed before I'm looking at and feeling their energy. It's definitely allowing me to connect better with those around me - something I'm always happy to grow on!
I hope you guys who are reading are thinking more about giving in your life and will take the 29 day challenge. Also, give to yourself. And let the gifts come from love!
All the best :-)
My gift today was time spent with a friend. Make that quality time. A friend of mine texted me asking if I wanted to meet up in the evening, and I figured it would be a good opportunity for me to give my time and energy to my friend for a little time. I stayed longer than I expected and it turned out to be a gift for myself as well! I had a great time milling around with him, and then having a wonderful, rich and open conversation. My gift to him was also my gift to myself!
As I'm doing this, some days I get worried I won't have time to give. But then I remember when I was reading about the 29 days of giving, how the gifts can be as small as a hug or a smile or a phone call, as long as they come from a giving place. I'm seeing how being conscious about giving is helping me see people more, notice them more and look at them with a more open-heart. People I may not have noticed before I'm looking at and feeling their energy. It's definitely allowing me to connect better with those around me - something I'm always happy to grow on!
I hope you guys who are reading are thinking more about giving in your life and will take the 29 day challenge. Also, give to yourself. And let the gifts come from love!
All the best :-)
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