Day 16 AND 17: Year 27

Day 16 and 17: Love is realizing how much people care about making your day. I am beyond blessed at the amount of support, prayers, birthday wishes, and most of all love that you all have shown me. It really makes a girl feel like she is glowing!

Yeah I know I am full of sappy appreciation and gratitude however you all are simply the best! Never ever forget that! ♥

From my sister planning dinner, staying up WAY past her bed time to make me a relished iced cake, and surprising me with friends who are near and dear for my birthday….in addition to the pouring of Book of Face messages, chocolate covered strawberries, money, and Starbucks!  It just makes a girl feel like she is on fire!  I needed this encouragement.

It is for that reason alone, I am simply amazed.  Year 27 started off to an amazing start.  Just simply so blessed with the people God put into my world!  This is the fuel to which keeps me going…Thank you all!!!

❤ That CatMan girl….

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Age gracefully……

As a woman, I feel this extreme pressure to constantly feel like I need to look younger.  Tone up, if you will.  Make sure that I am in “perfect” condition for everyone.  Sure we all might feel like we are at our best when we look our best, but where do we draw our line?

I am young.  I am happy with my body as far as I recognize I have my problem spots and I know what I need to do to get them back in shape.  It is MY responsibility to get my body to the shape that makes me feel the best…not someone else’s expectations of “you should be as skinny as a rail, 100 lbs, your stomach’s getting pudgy work it out, you should wear make-up to the gym because heaven forbid you actually run into someone you know there, oh and your hair…um yes…grow it longer because short hair it just isn’t what women should do…it makes you look like a mom.”  I am tired of the pressure frankly.

Why is it so hard for people to face their music?  Why are we dragging our feet? Why do we feel like we have to look younger all the time?  Why is it so hard to find a wrinkle and be proud of it?  Well maybe it is a sign of people’s lack of appreciation for their age.  Do you fully embrace where you are at in the present moment?  Do you say, thank you for making me 25 years old at this very moment in time?  Or maybe your 10 or 70 years old in some cases!  No regrets, right?

To me, it is a lack of personal gratitude and appreciation for life’s journey when we force ourselves to “look” younger.  We start off as children and we “wish we were older” always….then we hit a point where we wish we could go back to that innocence.  We sit there and wish our lives away.  Seems rather silly doesn’t it?

I want to offer a little bit of “natural” solutions to looking and feeling younger (not found in a bottle of anti-aging cream or diet pills).  In no particular order:

1.  Surround yourself with people who care about you.  They support you.  They genuinely love you.

2.  Smile more.  If you smile for no good reason, I guarantee you will find a reason.  Plus, smiles brighten other’s days.  It might actually change someone’s bad day into good!

3.  Never actually act your age.  My good ol’ friend Herb taught me that.  Surround yourself by young people and you will forever feel connected and youthful.

4. Make sure that you wash your face, brush your hair and don’t smell like body odor.  One of the best ways to feel good about yourself is just simply keep good hygiene.

5. Try to make a point of doing one random act of kindness for someone daily.  When you give your effort and time to others it really pays back.  That little act could mean the world to someone.

6. Keep in touch with your friends.  Keep in touch with those who are distant old friends more so.  Just call to see how they are doing.  It makes a world of difference in your appreciation of that person in your life as well as talking about your past times keeps you youthful.

7. Talk to people of all ages.  There is someone always that has either been in your shoes, is walking your walk right now, or will be in the future.  Learn what they did, are doing, or what they might do to make the situation a little better.

8. Keep things in perspective always.  Is this really a big deal?  Is this really something that I need to worry about?

9.  Take care of our body, mind, and soul and seek balance always.  If you need to work out more to keep yourself in balance, then do what YOU have to do…keep your mental and physical health in check always.  Remember no one is perfect, so find what works for you!

10.  Pray daily and keep your God and creator at the center of your focus.  He will point you in new and amazing (sometimes amusing…) directions which will keep your mind off the aging process.  🙂  This part is the liberating part!

11. Love others genuinely with all your heart.  Keep your pride down and really work on looking past one another’s flaws.  It makes life so much better!!

Source: http://www.beliefnet.com/Health/2008/09/8-Steps-for-Aging-Gracefully.aspx

I would like to end with this article I came across that I think will shed some light upon how to embrace growing older…http://www.psychologies.co.uk/news/how-to-embrace-growing-older/.

How are you going to embrace where you are at and in this very present moment?  How are you going to embrace this aging process that people consistently fighting today?

❤ The CatMan

Get to know yourself

As I sit at work and listen to my Pandora “Duffy” station, I realized we haven’t heard about or heard any music from Amy Winehouse in a while!  She is one that is so talented but, has let her addiction and lifestyle take over her.  How sad is that?  Such and amazing beautiful God-given talent she has!   Ironically I have found an article on her…or about her, rather?  http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-11-16/features/sc-fash-style-news-hells-angles-amy-w20101116_1_alexander-mcqueen-hells-angels-motorcycle-club-zappos

 

Yes...they tried to make her go to rehab...and she said no, no, no....

Travesty.  My little brother Mix and I were talking about some things that might pertain to this entry.  He is a very observant 11-year-old and asked “What the heck is this world coming to?”  He was amazed at the amount of “crazies” as he called them.  Reckless fame doesn’t teach these talented little ones to love and respect themselves for they are a special.  They fail to see they are a beautiful little gift of life that is capable of doing so much with a little love and respect!  🙂

Just interesting is all…hope and wish Ms. Winehouse the best!

Now today!  This morning…. I had a brilliant idea!  “I actually might think I am on to something my dear chap!”  (HORAY!)  I found new appreciation for my marketing passions.  I think I hypothetically figured it out….but not there quite yet!  🙂  Funny how idea flow in and out daily, hourly, minute by minute (as Michael McDonald might say…)…it is nice to know ONE might pan out!  Hope is a good thing.  Hope gets you through the darkest times…AND it is also hope that makes the darkness bright.

This period in my life is challenging to me.  I feel like I am just caught in the middle of ten crossfire’s and nothing is really of any productive manner either way I turn.  I am combating a million forces, blocking the negative and embracing the positive, karate chopping the ties of attachment to which I don’t need to have.  Life is confusing now, but good.

The other thing that I noticed this morning was the perspiration and moisture on my car this morning.

beautiful...

I try to notice at least one thing everyday that gives me wonder.  There is so much on this earth that is beauty right in front of our face!  We just choose not to pay attention to it with our hustle and bustle of life.  It stinks.  Just look around you…anywhere, where ever you are and look at what beauty surrounds you!!!  From little sprouts to dew drops, sunshine to shooting starts, a smile, a world of just simply beautiful moments!

Get to know yourself.  Respect yourself.  Then let yourself notice the beauty around you.  Once you are able to find love and respect for yourself, it will be so easy to find and locate the beauty around you!

Unfolding of a Peony 🙂

Back to reality, OP!, there goes gravity…

Back in the office after a really great week in Orlando.  I am back to reality.   Stacks of papers and projects line my desk and work area.  It is funny how being gone for 4 days will do this to a person when she comes back:

See what I mean???

Last night, I realized that I am a connector person.  I have a way of affecting people just from being around them, and I realized to that this is all the more reason I need to be more positive.  This week was about discovery.  Self discovery, self exploration, and business.  It was through the trade show interactions, airport random conversations, and most of all getting to know the people I was surrounded with that I realized I live for connecting with people.  🙂  It really makes my soul burst!  I also came to the conclusion that I cast a lot of judgements.  I need to not do that.

I was reminded to sit in observation mode.  Who am I to tell others how to conduct and live their lives?  Who am I to say that the outfit so-and-so is wearing doesn’t match and definitely doesn’t flatter their body type?  I am not the one to say that.  I need to be in observation and discernment mode.  What I can tell you is this:  By looking at how a person acts, dresses, and carries themselves you can learn a lot about them as a customer, client or just a passer-by.  Everything they do whether they recognize it or not, has an indicator about them.  Someone who smiles all the time, are they genuinely happy?  OR, are they a great actor?  Sometimes the phrase, “you can see it in her eyes” holds so true.  You can tell a lot from looking someone directly square in the eyes.  Try it and watch for a reaction!  Do they turn away or do they look right back?  🙂  Peer into their soul!  Find out what makes them tick and just take it all into account.  Why are they so happy? or sad? or just looking like they could use a hug?

Observation mode is one of the most interesting positions to be in most of the time.  You sit, non judgmental and just watch.  It’s actually more enjoyable than a movie!  This is why I love traveling!  What a great eclectic culture of people in such a concentrated area!  It is just so fabulous to me and brings me great joy.

"don't judge us!" hehe

You can learn a ton about a person just from observing them.  It is not being creepy….well…….

(Not like this!) 😉

It is just literally a better way to reach out to others when you are a little more informed.  🙂  You may find that you enjoy people more when you stop looking for their flaws and just go with it!

The CatMan