WORDS OF ART!

This is your special Saturday dose of SUPERFINE DESIGN!

Check out these very cool & colorful 

WORDS OF ART

My motto? As with everything else... 

Have fun. Get creative. Be inspired. 

And surround yourself with art that inspires MOJO manifestation.

XOXO

FUNK THAT! Top 10 tips for an instant mood makeover...

This post was inspired by the horrendously stressful morning I had yesterday, and my commitment to regain my MOJO and not let it ruin my entire day.

We all have those moments and sometimes it's easier to work our way out than others. It takes energy, focus, and motivation, which we usually lack when we're in that head space.

Surprisingly, sometimes we even find it easier to indulge our funk than put in the effort to get out. It's easy to get comfortable in a cycle of negativity. If you're prone to depression, that can be dangerous territory.

A bad mood can turn into a bad day, a bad day into a bad week, and pretty soon you're under the covers with a pint of Ben & Jerry's on a sunny summer afternoon. FUNK THAT shit!

Instead, rip off the bandaid and do what you've gotta do to get back to yourself... ASAP.

Here are my top 10 tips for an instant mood makeover... Comment below to share yours!

BAD MOOD BLASTERS
1- change your tune - Music feeds the soul. Put in your earbuds and listen to your favorite upbeat songs. You may not feel it right away, but keep listening and you'll find the switch hard to resist. Have a stash of inspiring go-to music on standby (or turn on Pandora - Bob Marley and U2 work or me.).

2- schedule a 30-minute massage - This was the turning point in my day. You can find virtually anything in Manhattan at any time. If you're at work, use your lunch hour to rejuvenate. If you can't find a massage place, try a nail salon... even a 10 minute hand/neck/foot massage can give you new life.

3- animals & babies - I can literally feel an instant physical change in my state when I pet a dog, or engage a smiling baby or playful kid. If you absolutely can't stand babies, kids, or animals, connect to something else that makes your heart happy. Otherwise, umm this blog might not be for you.

4- get outside of yourself (i.e., your head) by engaging in a focused activity. Sometimes we need to break a negative cycle of thoughts by putting our attention elsewhere. The idea is to get out of your head... just be careful not to become an escape artist who doesn't deal with their shit. It'll keep coming back up anyway.

5- go for a walk, preferably someplace serene and/or invigorating - the process of walking tends to clear the mind and gets the blood flowing. Just stay away from Times Square. Get moving, get present.

6- be nice - chances are if you're feeling shitty, you could use some compassion. The best way to get is to give. A lady complimented my sweater as we passed each other in the subway yesterday. So nice! I immediately smiled. Do the same for someone else - smile, say hello, offer a compliment (the non-creepster kind). Force yourself to engage someone else when you're feeling bleh. You'll take the attention off yourself and adopt a more positive attitude. (Ever notice how feeling shitty breeds more shitty happenings?)

7- meditate - I strapped on my headphones and did a 10-minute breathing exercise in the middle of Starbucks. No one seemed to notice and it was actually a great challenge to focus despite all the chaos around me.

8- exercise - spin class, an intense run, the batting or golf range, or even a brisk walk will get the endorphins flowing. Sweating out the stress feels great and gives you an immediate feeling of accomplishment. It also takes the focus from your racing thoughts to your body. Sex counts ;)

9- connect with nature - walk barefoot in the grass, lay under a tree, sit in the sun for a few minutes, look closely at a flower. It's impossible not to appreciate the beauty and calmness in nature.

10- phone a friend - call someone who will both support you and call you out on your shit. Good friends will listen without judgment and encourage you to dust yourself off... not allow you to go on and on with your sob story.

BONUS
11- treat yo'self - have some mac and cheese or a warm chocolate chip cookie (as I did yesterday), buy yourself some flowers or a fun magazine. Do not... I REPEAT, DO NOT indulge in irresponsible retail therapy. Sorry ladies (and gents). I'm guilty of it too, but it always comes back to bite you in the ass.


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Have an amazing weekend!

xoxo

Natural stress relief just a click away!

We've all discovered ways to blow off steam and alleviate stress, but some methods only add fuel to the fire.

With all the noise going on around us - especially in our heads - it's no wonder we're constantly longing for an escape.

In lieu of packing up and moving to the tropics, there's meditation.

I've found the best way to achieve balance and focus, relieve anxiety, and de-stress is to  give my mind a micro vacation each day.

Meditation can have profound effects on your health, mental awareness, clarity of thought, and stress levels.

It's a practice that dates back thousands of years and is finally staking out territory in the landscape of our mainstream Western culture...

...with the help of respected proponents like Deepak Chopra and celebs like Howard Stern and Russell Simmons. 

There are countless types of meditation, some stricter than others. 

The most fundamental link between them all is the importance of relaxing your body and quieting your mind.

We all get distracted and consumed by our constant stream of thoughts. 

Meditation teaches you to detach from all that noise so you can actually relax, be present, and sharpen your mind.

Like anything else, it requires practice, patience, and persistence. Your brain is a muscle and meditation is a method of strength training.

Most of us are grossly over-stimulated and out of shape when it comes to being mindful, so it can be challenging at first.

But rest assured that if you stick with it, you will see results. 

KEEP IN MIND: being attached to getting it right, doing it perfectly, or seeing results will have the opposite effect. 

The whole idea is to let go and just BE.

Since we live in such an instant gratification culture, I figured I'd post a few very basic meditations I found on Youtube. 

You can also order CDs and download a 21-day meditation through the Chopra Center, a wellness and holistic healing center/website established by world renowned doctors Deepak Chopra and David Simon.

It's great to know that natural stress relief is just a click away. 

There's a ton out there, but these guided meditations are a great place to start until you figure out a practice that's right for you.

It's pretty amazing once you get into it. Doing just 10 minutes a day will make a difference.

Try it... nothing to lose but your stress!!!

20 min

10 min

Have a stress-free week! 

xoxo

Mojo Monday: Let the games begin!

When you start to feel like things are getting a little status quo, the best way to spice things up is to find something new and adventurous to get into.

No, I'm not referring to sex... at least not in this post. 

I vowed in the beginning of the year to find some interesting new activities that didn't break the bank. 

Although I loved the Russian baths, I haven't been back since, so I've been itching for something outside of my typical social schedule. 

The goal was also to be spontaneous and say "YES" to things popping up unexpectedly that might lead me outside the box.

Well, it just so happened that my friend invited me unexpectedly to take a ride and hang in the park in our neighborhood.

It was a gorgeous day and I had no set plans other than to get some work done, so I said yes.

We sat in the sun drinking beer out of paper bags old school style, and I was so happy to be outdoors.

We noticed some people walking over to the empty field nearby and my friend pointed out that it was an archery field. 

Archery on Staten Island? Really?

I was surprised I never knew it was there or knew anyone who had done it before. 

I watched through the fence, seriously impressed as they shot their bows and arrows Robin Hood style.

Finally one of the guys yelled out for us to come over and try it. I hesitated for a second, and then said YES.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I was SERIOUSLY excited. I felt like I was getting to experience a part of history. 

Maybe it was the fact that I'd seen The Hunger Games, Braveheart, and Robin Hood in the two weeks before, but I was like a kid in a candy store. Who knew?

These guys were no joke. They had some serious gear and some more basic stuff for beginners like us who wanted to try it out.

A "quiver" used to hold arrows behind your back

beautifully crafted bows, which can be pretty pricey

They were using traditional bows and arrows...

NOT the more modern compound bows common in hunting today. I was told those require less skill and effort than the traditional versions.

There's a whole subculture linked to archery, and although they were laid back, they definitely took it seriously.

I asked about a million questions and learned that they each had pseudonyms, and there are huge events where people set up tents, dress up in medieval garb, and represent their "kingdom" in competitions.

Yes, it was all a little "dungeons and dragons" but these guys were so cool to let us try it out. And because they had extra equipment, it was free!

I got a quickie lesson on safety, form, and mechanics before strapping on a leather arm band, finger tab glove, and taking my first shot. So exhilarating!

I was nervous at first, but it was actually a pretty calming, meditative experience once I got into it.

I definitely shot better than I expected to. The arrows flew straight and quick, just a little to the right of the target board. Eventually I hit it, and naturally, I did a cheesy celebratory dance.

I was very proud of myself. It was so fun, I felt like Katniss! (That's the girl from The Hunger Games in case you've been living under a rock.)

Ironically, the next day I got a Groupon for archery lessons on Staten Island... pretty strange coincidence. 

A few hours after that, I opened a People magazine right to an article about an actress who is into archery. Weird.

Then I had a dream someone was trying to kill me and I was defending myself with a bow and arrows, lol.

Clearly all signs were pointing in that direction, so I went with it.

They invited us to come practice any time, so I went back again, making a lot of my shots on the target board. Three or four even hit the blue!

Apparently there's a whole points system and ranking procedure. I'm not there just yet.

It was honestly one of the coolest things I'd done in a while. It's not often we stumble onto activities that are new and exciting.

It was definitely outside my comfort zone, but well worth it.

Admittedly, I'm a GINORMOUS geek. And while I might not meet the man of my dreams at the archery field or become a grand master bowman with a pseudonym like Angel Heart Demon Slayer, it sparked something in me that made me feel like a kid again.

I'll be on the lookout for other things that ignite the kid in me, and I encourage you to do the same.

So next time you're on the fence and someone asks you to cross over and try something new, do yourself a favor and just say

  YES!!!!!!!!

Mojo Monday!: Fortunate Wisdom

Those fortune cookie people are pretty wise.

I love finding simple statements that are so profound... and so damn true. 

We often assume people will just know where we're coming from, as if they have access to all the things going on in our heads. 

But just as we can't read their minds and can only judge their words and actions, they too can't read ours. 

Make your intentions clear. Act. Don't assume others know anything other than what they hear you say and see you do.

You can have the best intentions, but intent isn't seen or heard or felt. All anyone knows is what you actually show them. 

In the same respect, there's likely more than meets the eye going on behind someone else's action or inaction. Take a moment to consider that and inquire before you rush to judgment.

Hmm, if only the laws of clear communication were emphasized in our learning the way multiplication and the periodic table are, the world might be a more peaceful, loving place. 

Just saying. 

Travel Thursdays (5): Comunicación

The first thing I had to do after settling in was buy a phone. Apparently there was no reasonable way to adapt mine to be used abroad. This, of course, was before I had my beloved Iphone.

They use a completely different system in Europe so even global plans can have issues with data and roaming charges.

The consensus was to buy a local phone that worked on a SIM card. On a suggestion from a fellow traveler, I went to the post office to get one. So weird.

Had to stop several Barcelonians to help me find my way...99% were super friendly and even the ones who didn't speak a lick of English tried to help and apologized if they couldn't.

Found the post office and the challenge continued - I don't think anyone in there spoke English - but somehow I walked out with my pay-as-you-go, itty bitty Bic phone...yup, Bic, the same company that makes disposable razors. Bizarro.

Took everything but a chainsaw and blowtorch to get the plastic off, but once I got there, it worked. 

I could refill my minutes at any Orange store, their equivalent to Verizon or AT&T...or at most news stands. Pretty cool.

Of course, the first call I made was to my mother to tell her I hadn't been kidnapped by human traffickers. She tried to get me to watch Hostel and Taken before I left, two movies about travelers who get tortured, kidnapped or killed abroad. No thanks mom.

The second call was to an old high school friend. A few weeks before leaving, I reached out to her on Facebook. I knew she was living in Barcelona with her fiance while he finished international business school.

We agreed to meet up later in the week and it was really comforting knowing she was there. Doesn't matter who it is or how long it's been, when you're traveling to foreign places, anyone you know becomes a lifeline.

That first night in Barcelona was awesome. On a recommendation, I went to dinner at a warm, cozy place not far from the hostel.

It was great just to sit there, sip my Spanish wine and take in the fact that I was really there. 

The waiter recommended a cheese plate with fig spread and honey...amazing! Never made the connection before but I now drizzle honey on cheese all the time. So damn good. 

When I got back to the hostel, I met a few travelers hanging in the entrance area and made some fast friends. 

Great people, most traveling alone...pretty reassuring to know I was among like-minded people. Bonds form quickly between travelers. There's an unspoken rule of camaraderie.    

Besides being a melting pot of different people from different places, hostels are wells of information.

You get the inside track on where to go, what to do, and what might not be worth your time, just by listening to other travelers sharing their stories.

When the beer and wine were all gone, a few of us agreed to meet the next morning to go to La Boqueria, the most famous market in Spain and one of my favorite places on the trip.

After that, we'd spend the day at Le Parc Guell, one of Antoni Gaudi's masterpieces. I didn't know anything about Gaudi before Barcelona except that he was an eccentric artist.

It's one of the most enchanting parks in the world and part of the UNESCO World Heritage List.

That's next!...

Have a great weekend!

xoxo

Steve Jobs changed so many lives. He changed my life.

Kinda weird to say but the truth is I was never a computer person before I bought my first Mac. No one would ever accuse me of being tech savvy.

I literally hated computers. Now I can't live without one.

I have an appreciation for technology now that would not have been possible before.

I'm a huge advocate for Apple products because they make it relatable and even fun for someone like me - meaning ANYONE - to dive into.

My family's joked that I should work for them. Yup, I'm a dork. But Apple made it cool to be a dork...and to integrate your entire life with technology...or vice versa.

As a creative person, nothing comes close. Over the last few years I've spent time taking countless workshops at Apple stores.

For $100 you get a 1 year subscription to personal tutorial sessions that cover anything Apple. It's been like continuing education for me. They also offer free seminars on different topics depending on the location.

At a time when I was struggling to pay off my SUNY education, that accessibility was absolutely priceless. 

Despite my love affair with Apple, I didn't really know much about Steve Jobs the man. And then I watched his commencement speech at Standford University back in 2005. 

It's one of the most beautifully poignant speeches I've ever heard. Whether you're a Mac or PC person, as long as you're human, it's worth watching.

So here's to you Steve Jobs...thank you for following your dreams and for inspiring and encouraging us to follow ours.

xoxo

Just press send!

First things first...

A very special thanks to all you beautiful people who showed your love for my launch last week!!!!

I can't explain how nerve-wracking it was to go through with it.

It took 3 days after publishing the post to muster up the chops to announce it on Facebook.

After a few encouraging conversations with some friends who know me best, I decided to be bold and brave and just press send.

Even since, I've questioned the whole thing. I kept thinking, "Yup, I might be crazy for sharing such personal things with so many people."

That feeling will probably pop up every time I blast a new post. Like now. But so what?

I'm learning to let go of my fear of judgement...something that's weighed on me for a long time, in so many different ways.

It was really incredible to get such positive feedback and encouragement from people I hadn't seen or spoken to in years, and from some I don't know at all.

It made the whole process beyond worth it!

I guess I didn't set my expectation level very high. I realized how much I'd been holding myself back by fears and judgments that weren't necessarily based in reality.

Perception is a tricky thing.

We experience our judgments as real but sometimes they're nothing more than a bunch of BS in our heads.

We all have beliefs about people in our world, and about ourselves.

We make decisions about who we think they are and then we experience everything they do or say through that filter (He doesn't care, she's a bitch, they won't get it, etc.).

Sometimes we're on point, but a lot of times we're assuming and adding things to the mix that aren't necessarily there...or that were there before but might not be there now.

It's a subtle habit that has a huge impact on how you experience everything, especially your relationships with people.

Case in point: Two friends lose touch for a few weeks. Each thought the other was pissed about something, a story was born and a friendship lost. Then five years later they run into each other only to discover it was all a misunderstanding.

Person A: I wasn't mad at you.
Person B: I wasn't mad at you either.

OK, it's not always that dramatic, but seriously consider how much credit you give to the stories in your head. Are they really real or just assumptions?

People are not static. They're always changing. So even if you were right about someone yesterday, it doesn't mean you will be today.

Ask yourself whether your beliefs are based on fact or filter. And what kind of filter are you using?

 

Hmmm. Something to think about.

I'm learning to give people more credit and I've been pleasantly surprised to watch them step up to the plate.

It makes me wonder what else is possible and reminds me about one of my favorite posts...

Blasts from the past

Reminds me that I also need to be less judgmental and cynical...yes, I am a recovering cynic. Hard to believe with all the empowerment stuff I spew, but it's true.

It takes work, but life is just better with optimism. Realistic optimism.

Thank you, thank you, thank you again to everyone for your support, encouragement and love. This process hasn't been easy, but it's been an amazing learning experience and, I'm happy to say, a lot of fun.

Have a great week!

xoxo