Art Director? Who Me?!

So I had every hope of getting back on track with my blog last week…and then I got a call Friday asking if I would take on the role of Art Director for a friend’s short film.

After initial hesitation, I said yes and jumped in full tilt! But did I mention the film was being shot just one week later?

Yup, not a lot of time for me to learn exactly what it means to be an Art Director and then do it...but so far it has been amazing!

You know how sometimes things come together so nicely that it just has to be destined? Well that’s how I’ve felt about this ride so far. I spent most of the weekend sourcing for props and calling friends to borrow their old school items …and everyone has been so accommodating and willing to loan everything I’ve needed (special thanks go to Nicole and her parents)!

Fortunately the script doesn’t call for a ton of props, but everything has come together really well and I’m so proud of myself for what I’ve managed to pull together in five short days!

If I hadn’t been on this journey to Live Love Life Now, I never would have accepted the responsibility because I would have been too intimidated and fearful. But I am so happy that I volunteered for the job because it has given me so much pride and confidence…and I can’t wait to start putting the set together!

We’ll be filming through the long (and very, very hot) weekend so I may be a little MIA yet again. But I will be checking in every so often and as soon as the film wraps early next week, I’m jumping full force back into the swing of things!


What's the last thing you did outside of your comfort zone?

Petition for Cats in the Workplace

Sometimes Wylie and Sami surprise me with a little extra loving.

And I savor that time for all its worth...they are such sweethearts!

Wylie cuddling

Sami snuggling

Breaking Point EQUALS Starting Point

Is it a red flag to spend the first ten minutes of your day looking up anxiety attack symptoms to see if they match what you’re going through?

Yeah? I thought so too, but unfortunately that’s how my day started.

For awhile now I’ve felt like I’m just barely keeping up with all of my responsibilities at work and with Live Love Life Now® and it’s made me feel a bit frenetic and on edge. And ironically, my frustrations at the office make me feel even more stressed about moving too slow with LLLN because that’s my ticket out.

So after a rough 24-hour period (highlighted by the fact that I started crying last night while brushing my teeth for no good reason…yikes!), I was very much anticipating my yoga class tonight because I needed a major dose of relaxation and calm.

But my “breaking point” came when the class was cancelled yet again without apology or notice (I will not bore you with all the details, but these persistent problems go back almost a year!) and I finally decided that I was going to stop the cycle and take control over my sanity by getting myself out of these high stress situations (i.e. my office and the gym).

So "THE PLAN" is to cancel my gym membership and work really hard on my Etsy store so I can accomplish my goal to leave my job by the end of the year.

Those are scary words to write but it’s also thrilling to finally make some decisions and put a deadline out there finally! It’s time that I again take back control over my life, my stress level, my happiness and turn my “breaking point” into the starting point of my life!

Have you ever experienced a breaking point that turned into the beautiful start of something else?


P.S. I apologize for being so absent on your blogs. It is yet another thing that has been weighing on my mind and stressing me out…but you all are always in my thoughts and I will be back soon!

Words to Live By

The following values were engraved onto a plate that my stepmother gifted my father for their wedding anniversary last year:

Achieve happiness • Believe in humanity • Celebrate life • Discover the moment Embrace diversity • Find love • Give unconditionally • Have patience
Inspire others • Judge no one • Keep goals • Laugh often • Manage anger
Notice modesty • Offer understanding • Play for fun • Question everything
Realize dreams • Speak truth • Trust yourself • Understand differences
Visualize peace • Wake curiosity • XXXOOO • Yearn for progress
Zealously live life

She felt that the plate exemplified the way that my father chooses to live his life everyday and I couldn’t agree more! But I also think that they are values for everyone to aspire to embody.

For me, I aim to work on the “have patience” value…I seem to be lacking it more and more these days. Perhaps I’ll post this list somewhere visible so everyday I can be reminded of what to work on.

Which value would you put at the top of your priority list?

Petition for Cats in the Workplace

I still haven’t decided whether I’m offended by the fact that my friends thought of me when they watched this…but seriously, who wouldn’t cry when picturing a basketful of bowtie-wearing cats?!!

Saving the Planet One Grungy Sock at a Time!

I am a HUGE proponent of recycling, repurposing and donating in order to keep as much “stuff” as possible out of the landfills.

So when Miguel and I cleaned our closets recently and filled an entire garbage bag with clothes that were too worn for donation, I was adamant that they not go into the trash.

After much online sourcing, Miguel discovered that Goodwill runs a textile salvage operation where they bale and sell clothing that won’t sell in stores to salvage companies. This keeps the clothes out of landfills while also earning the organization revenue to support their training and placement programs for people with disabilities and disadvantages.

I was so excited by this discovery that I had to share it with all of you! You can find your local Goodwill location here and if you don’t have Goodwill in your area, check out Earth911.com for other organizations that can recycle your old clothes and belongings!

And please encourage others to do the same! We all need to work together to keep our “stuff” out of landfills and preserve our beautiful planet!

Boxed up and ready to go!

The Turning Point!

About a month ago, Miguel and I had dinner with a local artist to talk about a collaboration idea for Live Love Life Now®.

We talked and brainstormed for hours and I left on such a high after receiving his amazing feedback and support.

But the incredible thing is that the feeling has yet to subside! That meeting was truly the turning point in my (entrepreneurial) life and ever since I have felt super motivated and driven to push my dreams into reality.

Since I initially started this blog in order to overcome the procrastination that was holding me hostage in my own life, I feel kind of strange writing that last statement...but in a really good way!

I still can’t believe that the laziness and procrastination hasn’t overcome me in the weeks since our meeting, but I truly just feel a constant push to move forward.

Alas, there are quite a few particulars to still work out…including the not-so-small detail of finalizing a logo...but every day I am getting that much closer!


Have you ever experienced a ‘turning point’ moment?

Petition for Cats in the Workplace

While Wylie and Sami aren’t fans of the Fourth of July because of the loud fireworks, I think they enjoy having me home for the long, holiday weekend.

And you know how much I love to have a Monday off from work, ha!

So in honor of the extra day at home, I am posting two of my most favorite pictures of the fuzzies ever…courtesy of Miguel’s master photography skills!

Happy Independence Day!

Wylie

Sami

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Following is a photo collage tribute to my time at the beach! The highlights of the trip included:

• Seeing a random corn field during a stop for gas
• Getting room #1111 at the hotel (my luckiest number!!!)
• Buying the “Love Bug” from our friend and artist, John Hung Ha
• Eating corn dogs everyday for lunch
• And stopping at the Cracker Barrel for dinner on the way home!