You Look Like You Need A Hug

It's Monday...You look like you could use a hug.

The World Owes You Nothing...

This world doesn’t owe you a happy romantic relationship.

This world doesn’t owe you an amazing, healthy body.

This world doesn’t owe you success and all the richest in the world.

This world doesn’t owe you anything.

Once you learn this you’ll start to find happiness...maybe even find you already have so much to be happy about.  We have to work for happiness. 


I often hear of people becoming frustrated over life and really, maybe, they should be.  Sometimes, life just isn’t fair.  Your co-worker gets promoted over work that you completed.  Your heart has been broken over and over again.  You discover you have lung cancer without having a single cigarette in your life.  You’ve lost it all.  You’ve hit rock bottom.

I have a little story for you...There once was a single mother, on her last penny.  She had no idea of how she was going to put food on the table or support her family.  Within five years of her hitting rock bottom, a “failure” as she has said in interviews, she became a millionaire.  Her name?  J.K Rowling, she's now a billionaire, just so you know.  She went on to write a Book Series that would change her life and her family’s circumstances forever.  You may know it, Harry Potter?  It wasn’t an easy journey, multiple publishing houses rejected her manuscript.  I bet they are kicking themselves on that one.  But she powered through, didn't she?  “And so rock bottom became a solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” J.K. Rowling in 2008.

We are all one moment away from greatness.  Greatness can be found in smiling at every single person you meet through out your day.  Greatness could mean curing cancer or just beating it.  Greatness could mean loving someone everyday for who they really are.  The world doesn’t owe you anything but you do owe the world something...What will it be?  You may never write a best seller.  You may never be someone that people look to for help.  You may not even be of any great importance. That’s not the point.  The point is to stay true to yourself.  To find out what you can contribute.  What are your talents?...The world doesn’t owe you anything...But you do owe the world just one small piece of yourself.

Want to know what my greatness moment will be?  When I finally learn to spell,  have correct grammar and punctuation...Sadly someday...Until then, you'll just have to be patient with my short-comings.

***This video is of a acoustic session with one of my favorite music artist, James Morrison. I adore him.  One Life is a new song off of his new album. ***

How Are You Today?

My mind is in Barcelona today...This building is apart of Park Guell...Beautiful Gaudi Designs and Architecture.

***First, just a quick update...I have been under the weather so I have not kept up with my Yoga Challenge.  I have completed Day 1...I will post to Facebook in the Notes section the Yoga Challenge updates.  Thank you.***

I would like to discuss 'Checking In'.  No this is not what we're all doing on our iPhones when we get to whatever bar or restaurant.  This is checking in with yourself.  A good friend of mine recently walked me through his daily routine.  First thing in the morning he takes a walk to clear his mind and wake up his body.  During his walk he asks himself, "How am I doing today?"  This 'checking in' with himself is a great tool and leveler for everyone to use in their everyday life.

Ask yourself today how you're doing?  If you're happy, play off of that.  If you're upset about something, get to the bottom of the problem, so that you may focus on the good in life.

How are you today?

Holding Hands Is The Bee's Knees

Why I Deserve a Dream Vacation - A Mother's Story

A photo of everyone this past Christmas.  (Just missing So-Crazy, my sister's boyfriend)

I receive daily emails from my Family, which includes; two parents, six siblings, one brother-in-law and two boyfriend-in-laws...And sometimes grandmothers, aunts, uncles and cousins are included in our discussions.  The subjects are endless.  It's a photo of my nieces here, a story from a brother or sister there...or It could be a funny forward...It's nice to know that no matter where each of my siblings may be in the world, we stay connected.  This past email going back and forth between the family was based on something my sister, PopTart, posted on Facebook.  Here is the letter my Mother forwarded to each of us.  I remember this time very well...It made me cry for two reasons;

..."I Got All My Sisters With Me"...

This photo was taken a few years ago when we surprised my Mother on Mother's Day.

Just a quick update before I get into today's post...Next month is February, The Month of Love.  Most girls and some guys when they hear the word February will automatically think Valentine's Day.  Don't get your thong/briefs in a bunch about February.  Sure, it's nice to have someone to celebrate the day with but it's not everything.  Many girls do put a lot of stock into the day and it's pointless.  You may or may not have someone in your life.  Reality is, it's a wonderful excuse to remember and celebrate your relationship.  It's also a very helpful reminder that you may not be in a romantic affair or have any prospects on the horizon.  Whatever the case may be, I want to bring more love into your life next month.  My hope is that my readers have a fun, love filled February...I have a few posts that I have been working on.

-How and Where to approach a girl
-Fun date ideas
-Love Recipes
-Holding Hands : Why it's the bee's knees
-Opposites
And much, much more...Travel...New Work-out Routines...Meditation...Now onto today's blog post...Sisters.

There is a special bond within the family tree, especially in regards to sisters.  I come from a large immediate family.  I have two big brothers and I fall in the middle of three sisters.  I am lucky enough that my family continues to grow.  I have gained a brother, a sister, two nieces and my sisters have boyfriends that my family considers apart of the group whether they like it or not.  It is truly wonderful to always be surrounded by so much love and I feel blessed in every way.  This past Christmas my Grand-Mother stated while trying to sort through gifts, “This family can’t get any bigger...I’m losing track of everyone.”  My Mother quickly rebutted, “Oh it can and it will!”  This growth just reminds me of the closeness that occurs between sisters.  It’s a special bond.  Having three sisters that are each unique allows me to be grateful that Life has brought them into my world.  My sisters enrich my life to no end. 

BigSis is older than myself by a few years.  Growing up she was the serious one, while I was a bit wild to say the least.  There is a photo of the two of us that really is a great example of our personalities; We are peaking our heads out of a cardboard gingerbread house.  BigSis looks very presentable with her brown soft curls perfectly placed on her head.  She has a sweet smile while looking up towards the camera.  She resembles a beautiful China Doll, porcelain and perfect.  I on the other hand look like a wild animal.  My hair a rugged mess with the help of static electricity.  I’m not smiling but I do appear to be happy and excited with my mouth fully open and my head tucked to the side.  I resembled a mix between a happy monkey swinging from a branch and a slobbering dog with it’s head out the window.  This photo for sure represented BigSis and I.  Opposites.  I couldn’t imagine my world without her.  She’s the person I call when I need some wise advice.  I have cried into the phone, while she sang to cheer me up.  Yes, she is my older sister.  She does everything first, I learn from her and sometimes copy her.  When we were younger, if she worn her hair in a side ponytail and I would soon follow. Sisters are always helpful and supportive.

Dewey is the free spirit of the sisters, a hippy if you will.  Very in touch with nature and being natural.  When she was younger my Grand-Mother asked her one day what she was doing outside, to which Dewey replied, “Playing in the forest.”  My Grand-Mother still thinks this was the cutest answer a little girl could say.  Yes, this is my little sister Dewey.  In my mind, the way I see her is frolicking in a wooden area, spinning around, arms out and catching fairies.  I remember her and I playing outside for hours as children.  I would make her do the dirty work since she was not afraid of bugs and insects.  We would climb trees, skin our knees, make nests for birds out of grass clippings and get into mischief.  One of my favorite memories growing up, was of the two of us trying to catch kittens.  There was a colony of feral cats up the street from our house.  I remember a double fence that the cats would hide inside of.  There was just enough space for us to fit within the fence walls.  I made a plan with Dewey...You run down one end of the fence and I will run towards you...We’re bound to catch at least one kitten.  And we did.  He was small, black and white tabby cat.  My sister and I carried him home and on our way home I continued the plan of action on how we were going to be able to keep this kitten, “We will tell Mom he followed us home and he needs our help.  She won’t be able to say no.”  Did I mention at this time we had multiple cats, a dog, two birds, a few fish and hamsters?  So what’s one more little kitten?  Dewey and I hesitated when we entered the house with the little kitten.  We walked right up to my Mother, whom was having a cup of coffee with a friend.  Dewey and I could see in my Mother’s face her already saying no but we spit out the words anyway...”He followed us home.”  We quickly found ourselves going back to the fence up the street and placing him where we found him.  We cried together and decided that it was our new mission to convince our Mother for one more animal.  For months, I would say to Dewey, “Lets go cat hunting!”  We would go back to the fence and the cycle would start all over again.  Sisters are always there for each other.

PopTart is the baby of the family.  She was born a few years behind the rest of the sibs and so she was always well taken care of by everyone.  She didn’t have to say a word for anything she wanted.  PopTart would point her adorable little finger to whatever she wanted and we would all play the guessing game of what she was pointing to.  She was our baby as much as my parent's baby.  I remember the first time I held her.  She was barely a day old and I, only six years of age.  I sat in the hospital chair and waited for my Father to hand her to me.  She was crying so loudly that the room shook.  I was scared.  What was I about to hold?  She is my new little sister and I have been waiting months to meet her.  My Father placed her in my arms, I looked down and into her beautiful, little face.  She stopped crying and I announced to the room, “She loves me!”  And I thought to myself, "And I love you."  From then on I knew I had a job to do as an older sister.  I had to always be there and protect my baby sister.  PopTart is all grown up now but she will always be a little baby to me. Sisters love each other just because.

I love my sisters not just because they are family but because each sister is so much apart of me, I wouldn't know me or how wonderful life is without them.  Sometimes we are far away from one another but because love knows no borders or time zones, we are always close by the other whether it be in our memories of each other, a phone call or an email.  We will always have each other because we are sisters.