On top of the Chimneys

“Live like nature. Explode slowly, day by day, from the center outwards. You won’t notice how brightly you burn or how big you’ve grown until you look back. And then you will be amazed.“

So much has happened since we last talked! I hope everyone had as much fun over the summer as I did! And I hope you are excited about the cool, crisp fall weather! I cannot wait to share all of my adventures, learnings, and newfound pleasures with you. I think we are  far over due for some PinkMedicine . . . but before we continue this lovely relationship we have going here I must catch you up on one utmost important thing.

The new addition to our family!

Clouds, Age 6 weeks

Ladies, meet Clouds Columbus———————————->                 She is a ball full of energy and curiosity! We started raising her at 2 weeks of age. She was the runt of the litter and so small she could fit in the palm of my hand. Now she is almost 5 months old and man o man is she spunky.

It took a while for Jinx to figure her out, but now they are the best of friends. Clouds loves riding in cars, exploring, camping, drinking Stacey’s beer, drinking my cereal milk, eating chocolate, talking to flies, chasing bugs, aggravating Jinx, playing in the bathtub and biting toes.

She is very entertaining running around with her little soccer ball and picking fights with Jinx. Although I have to say her curiosity brings me the greatest joy.

She reminds me daily to keep my curiosity fresh & keep exploring life. And that my friends is what a learned from a cat.

Hope to write more soon.

Some raw words from my little brother:

We wake up to the world each day
not knowing what is going to come before us,
what He has planned for us.
We have to take it-
bad or good.
It’s planned to do something right
We make mistakes to… teach or to learn.
The next thing is a surprise just as the next.
We live throught it,
we fight
and get through it.
It’s a gift.
-Tucker, age 15

me & brother

I could be wrong, but I don’t think he spent much time on this poem. I’m pretty sure these words just flowed from his brain onto the blank notebook page because it is wrote in a stream of consciousness. As he takes us through his thought process we learn his raw view of life.

Stream of Consciousness is my favorite method of writing. It is so private, so secretive. It is like the writer grants us intimate access to their thoughts and just for a moment we change our perspective and we become inspired. These simple, yet profound thoughts of my little baby brother did just that. Thanks for reminding of what life is about, brother. Today IS a gift from God and you are right we should be thankful for the good and bad days! Life is unexpected and everything happens for a reason. So if you mess up, learn from it and move on. God has a plan, keep your hope.

Thanks Tuck for opening my eyes. I love you and  am so very proud of you.

#Poetry #Brother #life #Inspir #God

You know what is completely and utterly amazing about life? Choice, the freedom to choose between things every minute of every day. You choose what to wear each day and what to have for breakfast. You decide who you spend your time with, whom you share your body, your life, your money and energy with. You select where you will go to school, eat, and shop. You can choose the music you listen to and the books you read. You can choose how you will view unexpected things in life— will they be challenges or opportunities? You can choose the words you use and the tone of voice in which you speak to others. Most of all, you can choose your thoughts.

With beautiful thoughts you can turn your world into a magical place. Learn to control your mind. Learn to select your thoughts like you select your clothes every morning.  Feed your head with happy thoughts, because remember—  you have the power to your happiness.There are many things that are out of our control, but my goodness, there are also so many things we can control!

a favorite happy thought

My favorite “happy thoughts” exercise is writing down all the things that bring a smile to my face. I have countless papers, napkins and post-its covered with themes of words and phrases. Whatever mood I’m in at the moment usually inspires the theme. I’m a romantic, so most of them go something like this: Lace. Paris. Sundresses. Audrey Hepburn. Pastels. Taking pictures at dusk. E. E. Cummings. Fresh fruit. Sun-kissed skin. Napping in hammocks. English tea. Matinee movies. Girl nights. Ingrid Michealson. Peonies. Forehead kisses. Night time runs.

Ok..I think you can get the point.

#Happiness #thinkbeautifulthoughts

So it has been a while… some of you may be wondering why the daily happiness has stopped. I would love to tell you that I was off traveling the world or following my favorite band or even volunteering  at the local zoo; unfortunately, none of that is true. Heck, I haven’t even been that busy with school work. Nope, life has been somewhat average. But you see, that has been just the problem. Average life to me is so completely uninspiring! Doing the same thing each week, seeing the same people, listening to the same music…the same ole song and dance with no break in the routine!!! Which brings me to my truth I re-realized while I’ve been away. 

INSPIRE TO BE INSPIRED

If you are feeling dull and are so bored with your life, well, it is up to you to do something about it! Don’t sit around like I did waiting for a gust of inspiration to pick you up because it may or may not come. We are lucky on days when the world drops inspiration right in our laps, but most of the time it is up to us to search for it.

So where do we look? Where can we find inspiration? My favorite places to find inspiration are people. My oldest source is my best friend, Lillie. She radiates creativity. I  wish I could spend everyday with her. (She is a whole post in herself, I need to put that on my to-do list.) Connecting and sharing ideas with people are my first go-to during my inspiration hunt. I feel my best when I spend time with my creative friends— the writers, the photographers, the idealists, the painters, the musicians. You are all great inspiring people.

Other top inspiration places include (but are definitely not limited to):

1. Places, go somewhere, see things, experience cultures! Get the travel bug.
2. Music- ALL music. (especially live) The saxophone is my favorite 🙂
3. Reading. Poetry, your old journal, biographies, quotes, romance novels. Doesn’t matter— whatever strikes your fancy.
4. Art museums
5. Your neighborhood, these are sometimes the best. Walks around the block are great to clear your thoughts.

So the answer to the question really is, everywhere. You can find inspiration everywhere.

Live with a goal to inspire others and you will be inspired, I promise.

On days when your inspiration tank is running low, try to inspire someone else. I warn you- this is not easy. It takes a lot for you to even realize that you are in need of inspiration. Which is clearly why it is important to stay inspired! Keep doing the things that make life interesting to you. If that is building statues out of your food, do it. If it is writing down your thoughts, do it. If it is driving the scenic route on the way home, do it. Think outside the box, open your mind, create inspiration.

You Can Make A Grey Day Pretty.

Got it?

Lovely.

Get to it then.

Don’t be afraid to show the world your weird side. I think the world needs more weirdness anyway. It keeps things interesting. If you feel like skipping to class instead of walking to class, do it! If you feel like speaking in a British accent randomly, do it! If you fee like dying your hair purple, do it! If you feel like taking your pet rock with you everywhere, do it! Ok…you get the point? Whatever it is you want to do, just do it. Be your weird self.

Thanks for being bravely weird, sis.

My sister has really cut back on her weirdness. She use to do the strangest things and everyone loved her for it! I didn’t get in then, but I do now. She did what everyone was afraid of doing- she was being her true self and because of that, she radiated happiness. She was a people magnet with her anything but normal ways. She wore clothes that did not match, took her school pictures with her stuffed bunny & roller-skated downtown in a one piece bathing suit. Although she has definitely reduced her strange characteristics, she still speaks gibberish quite frequently and eats massive amounts of ketchup on anything and everything. I would love to see you skating in that one piece again, sis. 😉 

My sister is the reason why I’ve come to love my weird side. And now I actually prefer being weird over being normal. To me normal = boring. Being like everyone else and doing the same things every day is so Blahhh. Keep life fun, be weird. Don’t worry about what people will think or say. People are going to criticize no matter what. Who cares!? Not me.

Ways to be weird today!

1. Break your routine. Go somewhere different. Go outside when you usually go inside. Eat a different kind of food.
2. Associate with people who are different than you. Find someone who is not in your “circle of friends” this week and spend some time getting to know him/her. Ask him about his childhood. Ask her about her favorite things to do. Listen.
3. Find something that inspires you. Search Youtube and learn something new.
4. Do something creative. Write a bad poem about sea monkeys. Buy a coloring book. Start a food Blog. Take 15 minutes to create something out of the ordinary. Take a photograph.
5. Turn off the technology. Whoa, this may be a toughie for some of you. Take an hour, a day or a week and turn it ALL off. All of it. TV. Radio. (did I just say radio – who listens to that any more?) Cell phone. Computers. Twitter. All of it. Go somewhere to be alone without it. Or just sit in your house Clear your mind and think. Use a mindmap or your journal or whatever to just think about your life, something creative, anything. Just take a mental vacation. Tackle something you’ve been wanting to spend time thinking about. Just be.

#beingweird #normalisboring #sister

Get out of bed even when you don’t want to.

Have faith in yourself to get through the rough patches.

Repel people you don’t click with.

And the most important thing about being your own hero: Trust yourself. Believe in what you think is right and stop looking for answers from the outside. Take responsibility for your emotions and your actions. Soon, you will realize your life is in your hands.

Every great hero has faced challenges. Overcoming the challenges is what makes them a hero! So remember through your challenges you will get stronger and you will become your own hero.

Stop waiting.

Take action.

Don’t give up.

Be brave.

“Always do what you are afraid to do.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

#bebrave #emersonquote #hero

Yeah, I know she gossips, but so do you.

Yeah, I know she just likes to compete with you, but she looks up to you. I know it’s annoying, but all you can do is accept it and keep truckin on with your life.

Yeah, I know she never smiles back at you, maybe she is hurting so bad on the inside she can’t possibly think about producing a smile.

Yeah, I know she is just plum evil and seems to hate you for no apparent reason, most likely she is jealous of you. Have you ever thought about be-friending her? It will send her into another universe and probably completely change how she sees you.

Yeah, I know she hasn’t said sorry yet, it’s time to be the bigger person. She will realize later how big of a step you took.

Yeah, I know they make you feel like an outcast, then you probably don’t need to be in that click anyway. Smile and move on to better things (people). Don’t hold any hard feelings against them. It will just make you bitter and that’s not attractive.

Yeah, I know they are only trying to drown you, but girls you just gotta kill em with kindness. Something my sister taught me: smile & love on people. Forgive and forget.

Please play nice this weekend. Hold each other up. Stop tearing each other down. Life is hard enough.

“It’s nice to be important. It’s important to be nice.”

#littlemermaidpicture #meangirls #playnice #weekend

If this winter really sent you into a deep slump, then now is your time to rejuvenate yourself! As the tulips and daisies wake up remind yourself that life is good! Because life gives us so many chances to grow and become more beautiful and strong. Here is your chance. Another clean slate, to start fresh…you and the daisies.

3 simple ways to spring forward

Think positive thoughts– the more happy thoughts that consume your mind, the more happy you will feel. Keep the negativity out!

Surround yourself with joyful people– spend your time with people who are happy with life and like doing the things you like doing.

Get outside!– April is “earth month,” a perfect time to party with nature. So hop on your bicycle and catch some rays. Staying indoors will only make you feel more depressed, you gotta get movin!

Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!”  ~Robin Williams

#thinkpositive #spring #april #getoutside #flowers

Source: weheartit.com via Alice on Pinterest

College is kickin my rump this week! Then again, it is partially my own fault. I am a procrastinator at heart. Here is a great illustration of something I know all too well: 

So for all you kids who are in the same boat with me, overwhelmed and stressing over school, this is for you:

Wish I had more time and energy to write something of more substance; but, if I don’t study for my Marketing exam Momma is not gonna be happy. And we all know… to keep Momma happy.

So my lovelies, have a wonderful wednesday. Be good to each other.

#procrastinate #staycalm #stress

As in any relationship, communication is key to making this thing work. The only difference between a long distance relationship and getting to hold hands whenever you want is the fact that ALL you have is COMMUNICATION. And you have plenty of time to get it right. And getting it right is key to staying in this long distance relationship.

Pros:

You learn a lot about each other….fast.

You don’t ever have to worry about whether or not they really like your personality.

You learn a lot about yourself.

You learn how to fight fair.

1. You can’t kiss and make up here people so you need to be fair.

You learn how to say sorry. And you learn how to mean it.

You know his tone…..you know it so well that you know when something is wrong before he even calls. (weird, I know)

You can’t leave.

You can’t slam the door.

You have tons to talk about at the end of the day because you get to recap your whole day.

Cons:

You can’t kiss and make up.

You can’t see their face and they can’t see yours.

You feel distant when things become frustrated because you ARE distant.

If your love language is physical touch, you sometimes feel like you aren’t communicating at all.

You can’t hold hands when saying something that is hard to hear….so it’s just hard to hear.

You can’t hug it out.

You can’t leave.

You can’t slam the door.

You have to recap your WHOLE day.

It’s never as funny because “you just had to be there.” (Ouch)

Don’t waste another second complaining about how crappy your life is. Life is too short for all that jazz. Instead, take control of your happiness and fall in love with your life right now.

1. Win over your inner voice. You know, that little voice always criticizing every aspect of your life. “You’re not good enough for him, those pants are too tight on you, you’re never going to be as fun as her, you aren’t smart enough to do that.” Yeah that voice…get rid of it. It’s overwhelming and self-sabotage. The less you listen to your inner voice, the less doubts and fears will creep into your life.

2. Take care of YOU first. Before you can love anyone, you have to love yourself first. This may seem absurd to some of you, especially those people-pleasers. But remember you cannot please everyone! Learn to take care of yourself so that you feel loved and in return you it will be easier to love others. Putting yourself first does mean being rude. You do not have to be inconsiderate, that is totally optional. You can still please yourself and remain considerate and thoughtful to others needs.

3. Take joy in things you love. What do you like to do? Do that! Who do you feel your best around? Spend more time with them! Who do you want to be? Be that. Whatever brings you real joy, share that. I am a firm believer in surrounding yourself with all your joys. Pictures of Paris, reading poetry, spending time with Stacey and our families, and being outside are all things that bring me real joy. Every little thing can influence our mood, even the clothes we put on. We feel differently when we wear sweat pants than we do when we wear a skirt. So wear the clothes that make you feel your best!

It would be wonderful if we could wake up in utter happiness every morning, would it not? What would the world be like if everyone was completely in love with their life? How about today we make the choice to be happy! And if we are happy there is no doubt that our happiness will carry through to people we come in contact with. Remember, a smile goes a long way. So let’s do our part to make the world a happier place, pass on happiness. Take simple steps to fall in love with your life and maybe others will follow suit.

“Your task is not to seek love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” ~Rumi

May you let loose this weekend!

#befree #letloose #tgif

Let me just start out saying my roommate, Hope “Hoprah” Watts, is a blessing.

We get along famously, and besides my constant bewilderment for her knack for knowing when I need my space and when I need some quality hang out time, she is pretty cool. She basically decorated our WHOLE apartment (which I do NOT have an eye for, I’ve gathered), and she constantly encourages me with my artwork (which is experiencing quite a nasty dry spell lately).

But there is something you need to know about Hope. She loves two things:

1) my homemade peanut butter

2) The Oprah Show

She doesn’t even like Oprah Winfrey, she says defensively. Isn’t it funny how the things we like commonly follow this logic? “What logic?” you ask. Simple. The Guilty Pleasure Logic. The “Oh-I-Don’t-Even-Really-Like-This” Logic. But you do. There lies the guilt. Self-denial commences. It’s this push-pull internal struggle that is delightful, yet dangerous. I never thought the words delightful, dangerous, and Oprah would be in the same paragraph..moreover, one that I wrote.

The peanut butter fetish has been a big deal the past couple of weeks.

Personally, I think Hope needs an intervention. I have made roughly 8 lbs of this peanut butter since December. I haven’t eaten too much of it. Maybe a half pound, collectively.  Hope cannot get enough. I’m worried. That’s a lot of peanut butter I know I didn’t eat. In her defense, this isn’t just any peanut butter. Ohhhh no. This peanut butter is unique because it contains pretzels and white chocolate. Yum? Yum.

But revisiting the logic of guilty pleasures: What is it about something forbidden that makes it so enticing? It’s not “cool” to like Oprah, and I agree. I can’t stand Oprah.

I’ve been in a long distance relationship since October. And when I say long distance, I mean long distance…..15 hours of distance in fact. I’m not talking, “I only get to see my boyfriend on the weekends” I’m talking “I only see my boyfriend for three days every 6 weeks.” As with any relationship there are ups and downs. There are good days and really bad days. The only thing that may be different from a relationship that is just across the street is the physical aspect.

You don’t hold hands, you hold your cell phone.

You don’t kiss goodnight, you fall asleep on your phone or wave bye on skype.

You can’t leave surprises at their house or their office…only in their mailbox.

You pay unrealistic amounts of money to see each other for just two days.

You surround yourself with pictures of them just to feel close.

And you settle.

You settle for a smiley face on a text message when what you really need is a hug.

You settle for a phone up against your ear when what you really want to do is cuddle.

Long distance is….well….inconvenient.

Love on the other hand…..love is worth it.

#longdistance #love #relationships

What a great excuse to over indulge!

Ladies, today is the day to rock your fat pants! I know you all have a pair. . . and if yours are too tight, well…resort to sweat pants. Because today is fat tuesday! Celebrate with me!

Ok for those of you who have never heard of Fat Tuesday (probably my sister, i swear she lives under a rock) here is the a short and sweet explanation:

What is Fat Tuesday?

Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent (40 day season of prayer and fasting). So simply put, it is the last hoo-rah before you give up chocolate and diet coke. . .

After Fat Tuesday

May I suggest making a date with the treadmill.

I hope you all have a scrumptious day!

Every once in awhile, a girl has to indulge herself.~Sarah Jessica Parker

#cats #fattuesday #indulge #video

The Hope Box

The distance between what is and what could be is Hope.

Take colorful construction paper and

Cut it into strips of paper you can write on then

Spend time praying. “Prayer is the central avenue God uses which to transform us” -Foster

Put into a few words the distance between what is and what could be (aka your hopes)

Fold paper

Put the paper in the box

DO NOT WORRY ANYMORE. The God of the Universe holds your request and He wants the best for you and will answer in His time.

(Some of the examples of the ones in my hope box currently are: a friend’s heart, my future husband, kids at Austin Homes, process of graduating, removing dust in my life, etc)

#hope

May you find much time to relax this weekend.

Food for your relationships

Sometimes in relationships we can become complacent and comfortable that we forget to give compliments! This goes for all relationships. Your brother needs compliments just as much as your boyfriend and so does your mother and father and best friend and coworker. Don’t ever assume they don’t need your compliments any more.

For example, I feel like I have said “you look pretty today” to my sister a billion times. She always looks pretty so I think sheesh she knows by now that I think she is pretty. But that’s not the point! Just because I have been giving her compliments for 20 years does not mean I should stop now. She needs my kind words now more than ever!

Often in relationships, you find yourself praising your partner for every little thing. “You are so cute. Oh hunny, you sing so well. You are such a hard worker. I am so proud of you. You are great at doing the dishes. I love the way you open my door.” And the list goes on… But as the relationship goes on, the kind words slow down to a trickle. We get stuck in a kind-word-rut. So if you find yourself in a relationship that is shy of the lovey dovey feeling, then speak a kind word or two. If that seems like too much for you shy folks like myself, then write some kind words! Surprise your loved one with a hidden note…maybe in his shoe??

Perfect the art of compliment

Ok so now that I have reminded you of a simple joy, go and take delight! Speak kind words today. Let love grow.

Be Sincere.

Be specific.

Smile at strangers.

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”- Mother Teresa

#giving #smile #kindwords #compliments #relationships

Don't be afraid to goof off.

I may only be 22 but I have lived long enough to know that age is just a number! [And I hope I never forget that.] So, maybe my imagination is not like it used to be… I can’t transform a tree into a time machine or my bicycle into a horse named Ichabod. But I’m still a kid at heart. I still watch cartoons,  play with chalk, and color outside the lines. I still get excited about Easter egg hunts, and I still eat dessert with every meal. I still feel like a kid, that’s what counts, right?

What does it mean to be a kid at heart?

I think a kid at heart is someone who can still dream. Someone who can still imagine. Someone who can still play carefree. A kid at heart does not mean being immature. As you grow you become wiser, use that wisdom! For example, as a kid I might have ignored my mother’s advice, thinking “she has no idea what 8th grade is like nowadays.” Now, I know better because she is ALWAYS right. Never fails. A kid at heart is being able to be mature and still have a young spirit. Here are some ways to channel your inner kid:

Never loose your sense of wonder.

Did you ever go exploring as a kid? Oh boy, I did! I think me, my sister, and the neighborhood crew went everyday. We usually explored the same places; however, to us it was always a new experience. I can remember being so curious and intrigued by this field behind our house. Exploring was like an itch we just had to scratch. We were determined to discover something- an old bone, a pond, animals, anything we could pretend with. We would spend hours together just wandering around, thinking and planning new adventures. And that my friends, is what being a kid is all about! Exploring the world together. Believing in endless possibilities.

Pay attention to detail.

When is the last time you stopped and took in every second of a moment? I mean really took the the time to inhale life- the people, the smell, the colors, the sky, the noise, the feel, every detail going on around you. Kids are like sponges soaking up every single little thing they see and hear. (remember to always set a good example) Never stop learning. Treat everyone that comes into your life as a teacher. If you get caught up in the hustle and bustle in life, you may miss some valuable guidance! Slow down & pay attention to detail, kiddos.

Think like a Kid.

Adults see things complicated, where as, kids see things in an innocent light. Kids believe inpossibility, when adults grow to believe things as impossible. Adults are fast to assume the worst. Yeah sure, adults have more worries. Heck, kids have relatively zero worries, but most of our worries are not even worth worrying about. Not every thing is easy, but before you go and complicate things, think like a kid would. Think simple.

Oh please note: This does not mean to abandon all responsibility & sit on the couch in your pj’s. Thinking like an adult is not a bad thing, yet sometimes it is good to channel our inner child for guidance.

Live life to the fullest. Everyday. Go! Start a band with pots and pans. Jump in puddles. Get messy. Dream big. Run. Play. Play with your dog. Play with your brother. Play with your food. Use your imagination. Everyday.

While this post involves a recipe involving food, it is a recipe for the soul.

When you are annoyed that apartment refrigerator will only spit out ice chips instead of the cubes it is obviously supposed to provide or our bank account is lower than the temperature outside and rent is due within a few short days, take a trip to Redeemer’s Church in the Yard in Knoxville. It will cure what ails you.

Church in the Yard takes place every Sunday. The congregants are the homeless. During inclement

About 200 people showed up for Church in the Yard. Some of them may find solace in the service. Many are obviously there because it is cold outside and they are hungry. That’s OK. If you’re a

The chili was good. I would be happy to serve it at any potluck supper. But here’s the thing. What you are doing, which is a privilege, really hits home when you walk back through the door of your house. Which is warm and cozy. There is a refrigerator with food in it. You don’t really mind about the ice maker any more. And, if it’s close enough to five o’clock you will not feel guilty having some boxed white wine, which I am doing as I write. Yes, the chili warmed the soul. Mine.

and my favorite chili recipe for my favorite people…

White Bean Chicken Chili

6 cups chicken broth

3 15 oz. cans white beans, drained

4 chicken breast, cooked and shredded

2 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp. of oil

2 -4 oz. cans of chilis, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

3 cups grated monterey jack cheese

1 16 oz. jar of salsa

2 cups of sour cream

salt and pepper

-Saute onion and garlic in oil

-Put in crock pot

-Cook the chicken in the pot and use the juice for part of your 6 cups broth

-Mix broth, beans, shredded chicken and garlic and onions, chilies, cayenne

cheese, salsa and sour cream

-Simmer for an 1 hour.  Serve topped with sour cream and tortilla strips.

#church #food #recipe #whitechickenchili

aetate

Say hello to aetate, the newest writer of Pink Medicine! I think you will find her posts very appetizing… Check out her 1st post tomorrow!

Make a to-do list every monday morning of all the things you want to accomplish through the week. It is a great way to get yourself motivated! Hold your friends accountable.

Have a great week ladies!!

#mondays #totolist

funky dreams

May you do what you want this weekend.

A comfort zone is the working, living and social environments you are used to. It is the place where you feel secure and well, comfortable. Your comfort zone determines the types of people you hang out with and the places you may go. I guess you can say that your comfort zone determines your lifestyle.

Is your comfort zone holding you back?

Our dreams and goals are tied directly to our comfort zone; therefore, in order to change or grow we must be brave enough to venture outside our comfort zone and experience new environments. We can not turn our daydreams into reality without taking that scary first step! For example, you may be stuck daydreaming (fantasizing) about living in New York while working for Vogue, because you are afraid of what might happen if you leave a community where you are well known or quit a well established job. But until you shake your fears loose, you will be stuck daydreaming.

Do you feel discontent with life right now? Maybe you need to do something that scares you…

Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

It all comes down to fear…

The thought of trying something new can cause our heart to race. At the threshold of every new experience looms the possibility of failure and rejection, leaving you wrestling with (or simply giving in to) a healthy dose of fear.

The simple truth– fear robs us of our happiness, causing us to settle for far less than we’re capable of.

Fear, the reason why so many of us stop believing in ourselves, stop pursuing our dreams and stop love from growing. And none of us are immune to it.

It all comes down to the Comfort Zone. It all comes down to Fear.

Find your strength. Step outside your comfort zone. Take a risk.

Note: It does not have to be a HUGE step, for instance, overcoming your fear of heights by bungee jumping. Baby steps can get your heart racing. Go ahead, tell your crush you like him before it’s too. late.

#believe #comfortzone #dreamsandgoals #fear

“Do me a favor… Stand up, walk to wherever the nearest window is, and just look outside. You may not know this, but there’s an entire planet-worth of summers, friends, sunsets, street lamps, songs, late nights, great films, and night skies waiting for you. Your life is as amazing as you want it to be, but first, you have to let it be that way.” Chad Snug

thinking about making some of these flyers...

I hope your week has been fabulous so far! Take time to think about how wonderful life is. Take time to thank God for all he has blessed you with. I have been thinking about how much I take my health for granted. I have yet to be in the hospital, no broke bones, no major sicknesses- not many can say that. There are people all over the world suffering from illnesses, so today I thank God for making me a healthy strong individual! Oh and the weather, this weather is doing my soul good.

Enjoy the rest of your week. And ladies, LET YOUR LIFE BE AMAZING!

#admireyourlife #Inspire #quote #sunsets

Find Your Phrase

Everyone has one…just not everyone has found it yet.

Your Phrase: (n.) A small group of words that you identify with.

This could be through symbolism or events in your past.

It could be spiritual or lyrical. Or both. Or neither.

It could be surface-ish and fun or deep (and still fun).

It can take some explaining or be quite obvious.

It might inspire you or it might remind you.

The one rule is to keep it short! No mission statements or mottos allowed. This is simply a phrase.

The second part to that one rule is BE ORIGINAL. There is a place for “Live Laugh Love” etc. but not in your phrase.

What’s my phrase you ask? It is: Desert Bread and Vineyard Wine.

My reasoning: Hosea 2:14-15 “So I am going to attract her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and I will make  the Valley of trouble a door of hope.” There is just something about the image of being lead out to a place  that seems so deserted and painful only to be given vineyards and hope that connects so deep in my heart and helps me trust when all I see is blowing sand and geckos.

(Other reasons include: Manna in the desert, water to wine,  the temptation of Jesus, He is the Bread of Life, He is the vine, and we are the branches, The Lord’s supper,  wine is used as a healing balm in the story of the good Samaritan,  I personally like bread and wine, and I also have a thing for deserts and vineyards.)

Phrases may take time, or they may come to you all of the sudden. Good Luck!

(Phrases are not to be glorified in themselves, they are to remind us of that which we want to embody.)

Do you wear your mood?

Instead of telling everyone that you are having a case of the mondays, maybe you should just wear a color that alludes to your current state of mind. Today, i am wearing green and feeling kind of lucky. What will you be wearing today?

RED: excitement, strength, passion, speed, violence, and love
YELLOW: hope, happiness, dishonesty, illness, idealism, and imagination
BLUE: peace, cold, stability, depression or sadness, order, trust, and confidence
ORANGE: energy, flamboyant, expansive, and balance
GREEN: luck, renewal, envy, fertility (brides in the medieval ages wore green to their weddings), generosity and inexperience
PURPLE: mourning, royalty, wisdom and transformation
BROWN: stability, endurance, simplicity and comfort
WHITE: purity, reverence, birth, innocence and humility
BLACK: sexuality, remorse, sophistication, death and power

Color: Meaning, Symbolism and Psychology

#caseofthemondays #colors #moods #psycholgy

May you jump at every opportunity to say “I love you.”

#catphoto #iloveyou #jumping #tgif

“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” -Jon Kabat-Zinn

#choice #strength

Ladies, say HELLO to the 1st contributors of Pink Medicine!

kate

AJ

nicole marie

I’m so happy to have these lovely ladies on board. I think you will be pleased with their uplifting spirits as they write about what they are most passionate about. As contributors, one of them will post each week. If you like what you see, make sure to leave a nice comment. You have no idea what a little positive feedback does for us writers.

We have all been working hard to bring you some lovely thoughts. So stay tuned, because the best of Pink Medicine is yet to come!

Thanks AJ, nicole marie & kate for wanting to take part in this lovely work of art with me.

Don’t miss tomorrow’s post, written by AJ.

so others can be brave with theirs.

It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Don’t shut love out of your life by saying it’s impossible to find.

#Valentinesday

Thought this was interesting.

Only 2 days left!

How are you and your loved ones celebrating?

#gift #lame #romantic #Valentinesday

#funny #video

May you make all the right decisions this weekend.

#decisions #dilema #weekends

Does love make you crazy?

Fact or Myth? I think fact. Love bypasses sanity. When in love, you would do just about anything for that person, right? You also.. overanalyze, underestimate yourself, act on impulse, trigger obssesive behavior and create jealousy.

Bottom Line: You do stupid things…

For example, I push myself physically, mentally and emotionally in hopes to become this “perfect person.” Which we all know is impossible. Then when I fail, like all humans do, I start 2nd guessing myself and start evaluating every area of my life.When I finally come to my senses I realize how silly I am being, no one can be perfect! When you feel love, you try to be the best person you can possibly be- which is fabulous! However, trying to be perfect is not so fabulous.

What can we learn about this? Look at the big picture before acting. Take time to clear your head. Set aside your emotions and think clearly. Will this matter in the morning? Is it worth worrying about? Let things roll. Relax and trust. Be slow to anger. Be confident. Don’t 2nd guess yourself or your relationship. Enjoy crazy love. And for me, stop trying to be perfect.

“Love is being stupid together.”- Paul Valery

#crazylove #doingstupidthings #factvsmyth

happy birthday little sister

O my goodness my head is spinning. I have been thinking myself sick about the future. What am I going to do after graduation? Where will I live? Where should I live? How am going to get money to go to Paris? How am I going to get money to open my own business? What will my family think of my plans? How do I mesh mine and Stacey’s dreams together? You see, it is a constant stream of worry! No wonder I can’t sleep at night, sheesh.

I’m a planner. I love to plan. I like having a goal to work towards, but this is a little excessive. My mind is on planning overdrive! Is this hitting home with anyone? Lately, I have had to constantly remind myself to breath, relax and enjoy right now. Or else I will miss life completely if I keep this up!!

Reminders:

Live for Today

Stop living for tomorrow or yesterday, instead live for today. This moment is your life, right now. Whatever is supposed to happen, will happen. There is no need to stress about the future.

Slow Down

You don’t want to look back and ask “where is my life?” Enjoy age 22. Enjoy the freedom. Slow down before it’s too late. Wherever you are in life…take it slow…breathe and live in the moment.

‘Don’t hurry. Don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.’ ~Walter Hagen

If you have a sister

than you know how it feels-

to share your last piece of cake,

your brand new shoes,

and tears from heartache.

If you have a sister

than you understand the word sacrifice.

Nothing is worth more than her,

not even your own life.

If you have a sister

than you are trusted to understand

When Mom and Dad don’t…

she needs you to hold her hand.

If you have a sister

than you know what it’s like-

to lay on the beach for a weekend get-away

just because one of you had a bad day.

If you have a sister…

than you know.

You know what’s on her mind

before she even drops a line.

You know her deepest gut feeling

even if you are miles apart.

Because if you have a sister

you know what its like to share one heart.

Happy 20th my little cupcake!  I love you so much! Remember you have an excuse to eat all the cake batter you want today. 🙂

#Birthday #poem #sister #wishes

guess that’s why cats have 9 lives...

the only way to begin

is to let love in

from head to toe

love from your core

give all you’ve got

and then give a little more

love until your high on love

and butterflies live inside you

love until you are love-drunk

and your head is spinning with emotion

love until you become lovesick

and you are unable to act normally

love until you feel like you are riding the tea cups

yeah…kinda like that.

because it is a phenomenon

to be able to feel that intensity.

The more you give the more you live.

I like living by this philosophy. Not only does it stand true for love, but also the other areas of life. You can give in sooo many ways. For example, you can give your time, your money, a helping hand, you can even give compliments! I don’t know about you, but giving makes me feel more alive. And that is the whole idea! Give, Give, Give!

Live a life of meaning

Let’s live, not exist. We are on this planet together. Let’s help each other, give a little and take a little. Or maybe give A LOT and take as it comes 🙂

I need to work on giving more love even when I don’t have the stomach for it. I forget that the people who are hardest to love usually need it most. I could also give way more compassion than I do now. Sometimes I underestimate people’s misfortunes and neglect their feelings.

We all need compassion when we are fighting our dragons. [gotta make a mental note of that]

Hope you ladies are having a lovely week so far! We’ve got some good stuff coming soon, stay tuned!

#livelife #philosophy #themoreyougive

Here is love according to my boyfriend:

(he didn’t know this would turn into a post, whoops)

Some raw, real thoughts about love on a normal Sunday evening.

by: String Bean (Stacey)

“Love is calm.

Love is being lazy.

Love is teamwork.

Love is laughing at each other.

Love is companionship.

Love is easy. . .I think. . .loving you is easy.

I think you should never force love.

Love just comes… when you least expect it.

I feel like love has lost it’s meaning. Now love is a ring or a new BMW. What happened to playing in the woods together kinda love? That’s my mushy side.

Love is bringing you apple juice & pretzels.

Love is about letting stuff fly. Like when you listened to my voicemail and called me fat. . . I let that role.

Love is understanding.”

#Loveis #StringBean #Thoughts

#kisses #love #tgif

wish I had the time and talent to create these

Today, is my boyfriend’s birthday! Sorry hunny, but all I could afford was a jar of the world’s greatest marbles. Hope that is ok…

Look, I know Valentine’s Day is set aside specifically to celebrate love, but why not celebrate everyday! I mean love really is the greatest gift ever given. [this is a fabulous reason to bake a cake today]

Ways to Celebrate Love

Express love– Let all your loved ones know how much they mean to you. (call, letter, text, in person is best)

Give love- Help someone that is in need. Even if that someone is a stranger. (random acts of kindness are my favorite)

Receive love- Maybe you need to open your heart. You have no problem giving love, but accepting love is tough. Let someone in today.

Think LOVE- In everything you say and do, may it come from your heart. Be kind, love all, think love.

Now go! Purify the air with love today. Happy Celebrating, Cheers To Love!

#celebrate #cupcakes #love

Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none- Shakespeare

What is Love?

Possibly the most difficult question to ever answer. I think love is the answer. Love just might be the answer to everything, but what is it? When I got to thinking about what love is, I couldn’t define it in one sentence. Heck I couldn’t define it in 2 or 3 or even 4. Come to find out, love is many things and it comes in many different forms. So is there a universal definition of love that everyone can agree on? This required extensive research…Here is what I found:

Love According To:

Webster-

1. a (1) : strong affection for another  (2) : attraction based on sexual desire (3) : affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests b : an assurance of affection 

2 warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion 

3 a: the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration

4 a: unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another

5 a god or personification of love

6 an amorous episode :love affair

7 the sexual embrace :copulation

8 a score of zero (as in tennis)

Google-

a 1993 song by Haddaway

The Bible- Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.Love never ends.

Psychologists–

intimacy, commitment, and passion

My 15 Year Old Brother-

a fairytale

Ancient Proverb-

a high form of tolerance

Alice (me)-

the stuff that comes from your heart, travels through your soul, convinces your mind, and motivates your body.

3 Types of Love

Friendship Love– This is the type of love between yourself and someone you can be completely honest, open, and comfortable with. (your best friends) You may have many friends, but I’m talking about the love you share with your best friends. You will probably only have this bond with a few people.

Romantic Love– This love covers everything from warm fuzzies to a deep emotional attachment. It is the most anticipated kind of love! You may experience romantic love many times in your life.

Unconditional Love– Also known as agape love. This love is above all love. It is love that is selfless and sacrificial. It is the love you give someone even when it doesn’t benefit you. It is the love that can never be destroyed no matter what goes wrong. (a mother’s unconditional love) Although the highest form of unconditional love is only found in God. It is divine unconditional love.

In essence, this makes up of the three fundamental elements of man: mental (friendship), physical (romantic) and spiritual (unconditional).

Note: These are just my personal views. You may may have many more different types and definitions. ��

Conclusion

What I can conclude from this mini session on what love is? Well I think it is safe to say love is simple. Love is not complicated. People complicate love. Love simply is.

Now it’s your turn. What is your definition of love?

#meaningoflove #typesoflove

How was your January? Have you had a good start to this year? I hope you made some lasting memories and stories. However, if you didn’t, now is your chance to run like the wind! It’s a new day, a new month, a clean slate for you to start fresh. What will you do with it? Think about where you want to be by the end of the month and get there! Say goodbye to January & hello to fresh February… hello new me.

The Plan

I suppose this month Pink Medicine will focus on Love. It just seems right, ya dig? So let’s embrace this month of love with an open heart and open mind.

And all you love haters be prepared to have your cold heart melted. (hopefully)

Thank you all for a fabulous month of support and positive feedback! I’m looking forward to some lovely February writing! Keep on spreading the love!

#February #newbeginnings #freshstart #love #helloandgoodbye

This Might be Your Time

We all have dreams in our heads, words in our mouths & stories in our hearts. And sometimes I think we forget that.

We all have problems, but there are times when all we can see is our own. We become selfish. It’s easy to do- we are humans.

Maybe you know someone that is completely wrapped up in themselves. Each time you have a conversation, you talk about their problems, their dreams, their boyfriend, their weekend plans. Usually nothing to do with you, unless of course, you are apart of their weekend plans. And hey, maybe that is OK with you. Maybe you like being the person who just listens in the relationship and that is fine. But then again, maybe not. I think most of us want a 2 way connection in a relationship.

Step back and look at yourself. Are you someone that is constantly thinking about yourself? (this might be your time to “lose yourself”)

The Golden Rule

We should never forget about The Golden Rule: Treat others how you would like to be treated.

Let people share their hopes and desires with you. Give them a chance to speak.  You might just learn something new about your best friend

Reach out a hand. You never know what people are going through. Ask them how they are doing.

Put yourself aside. Become selfless for a change. Open the possibilities of connecting with another human being.

Farewell January.

#thinkingofothers #thegoldenrule #loseyourself #problems #listen #thoughtfulness

“To be nobody but yourself
in a world that’s doing its
best to make you somebody
else, is to fight the hardest

Follow God and be your own person. Life is too short to be anyone else. Play with your individuality.

Stand for what you believe in. Even if it’s having dessert after every single meal. 🙂

Never conform to other’s standards or compromise your beliefs. For all you people who find it easy to follow the leader, don’t! Stay true to you and don’t change for just anyone.

Never stop fighting. Find your strength and hold tight to your morals and values.

#conform #standforwhatyoubelieve #beingyou #individuality #eecummings

Click here to take surveyAnswer 10 questions about yourself.I promise it won’t take long.And it’s for a good cause. 🙂So please take the survey.

Thanks to everyone who has been reading Pink Medicine!

Really, I am blown away by all the support and love. Continue to pass the word on. Let’s keep this thing going. It’s a good thing.  Meet me here tomorrow, bring a friend or 2.

Stacey

I am so deeply, madly, head over heels in love with this guy—————>

Everyday our relationship grows more and more stronger. Although, together we are learning that love is not easy.

Falling in Love is easy.
Staying in love?
That’s the real challenge.

It takes everything you have and then some more. It takes energy, time, patience, compassion, sacrifice, acceptance,compromise, commitment … everything, your whole heart.

[What I learned about Love this weekend]

I believe staying in Love is an Art.

Love is being there. I learned that presence is a key ingredient to loving someone. Just having someone sit with you while you cry over worries and discontentment speaks volumes. I am so lucky to have a boyfriend who listens with his heart and his ears.

Love is understanding. You are not always going to agree, but you can always understand. It’s not always easy but you find a way.

Love is romance. The little things are what keeps me on my toes. Stacey makes me feel like little ole me can make the big ole world a brighter and beautiful place.

Love is open. Gut-level, open and honest communication will keep you in love. Being completely seen by someone, completely vulnerable & committed to the moment. This is really tough for me. I like to keep all the bad feelings and emotions inside. The problem is it doesn’t take long for my inner conflicts to turn into mood swings. So before all of our worries, fears and doubts rob us of any more sleep how about trying to talk about them? I’ve learned it’s the way of love. 🙂

Love is a commitment. “Love that lasts is a commitment of one imperfect person to another imperfect person. It means that no matter what, I am committed to you and to your growth. I will be what you need me to be – not necessarily what you want me to be. If you need me to be loving and affectionate, I will be loving and affectionate. Or, if for your growth you need me to be tough and firm, I will be tough and firm.  I will always strive to do and be what is best for your growth.”

Love is spiritual. Physical and emotional connection are not enough. If you want a lasting relationship, then spiritual connection is vital.

Loving relationships don’t just happen: they grow.

I have tons of respect for my parents who have been married for over 23 years. They have shown me what love is all about. And now I am experiencing it first hand with all of the ups and downs. Yeah, relationships are not always easy…actually relationships are extremely tough. They are physically and emotionally draining at times. But when you find someone that means that much to you, someone that is worth the challenges, someone that makes you want to grow stronger, someone that you can tackle life with…then I believe you will master the Art of staying in Love.

“A day without laughter is a day wasted.”- Charlie Chaplin

Have a laugh today, it’s on us.

Sis, sorry for kicking you in the face…twice.

Hang in there Ladies! It’s almost Friday!!!

#GirlsNight #Laughter #video

Summer Sun Is On The Way

Ok Christmas is over, the New Year is here, school has started so that means one thing…it’s time for Spring Break to consume our thoughts!! Haha, no I’m kidding. Really though, it is just right round the corner! So in order to prevent crash dieting and splurging on new swim suits, flip flops, tanning bed visits and pedicures let’s talk.

If you are anything like me, you let your body “rest” through the winter. I mean who doesn’t like a good 3 months of laziness and indulging in bad food. Big sweat shirts hide that extra weight gain, right? BUT then you hit panic mode as soon as it starts to get warm and you see the 1st girl in shorts. This is what we want to avoid this year.

There are things you can always be doing to make you feel comfortable in your skin.

Get Off the Couch

Eat Your Vegetables

Here’s the thing- we all know we need to eat healthy. So let’s do it.

1. Break Away from fast food- Anytime I want fast food I weigh the pros and cons. Pros: cheap, fast, sometimes yummy. Cons- the amount of fat content (yahoo cellulite), the amount of grease (yahoo pimples), the possibility of unclean hands touching my food (yahoo germs), the amount of preservatives (yahoo feeling like 50 at age 22). Cons outweigh Pros every time. Sorry, if you know me, then you know thats a soap box of mine. Don’t get me wrong though, I treat myself to some Taco Bell from time to time. Just please do yourself and limit your fast food runs.

1. Don’t Forget breakfast- Everyday this meal seems to become more important. Breakfast jump starts your metabolism and wakes your brain up!
2. Eat Your Vegetables– this reminds me of my boyfriend’s Mom. She is always encouraging her sons to eat their vegetables. I think vegetables are a food that require encouragement. I mean who eats vegetables in college? No one. (excluding vegetarians and my roommate) Here’s the skinny, veggies are low cal and packed with nutrients! So there is no reason we should forget them. Load your plates with them! Have veggie parties in the dorm! Encourage your friends to eat their vegetables. If you are like my sister and don’t like the taste, drink V8.
3. Cut Back on the sweets- oh how I dislike those 5 words. Trust me though, you gotta do it. Sugar gives us instant gratification but we seem to always forget about the crash after a sweet sugar high. Save your teeth!

Take Care of Your Skin

A few things for healthy skin:

1. Dry Skin Brushing- removes cellulite, removes dead skin, tightens the skin preventing premature aging, and cleanses the lymphatic system.
2. Moisturize- repairs dry skin, restores elasticity.
3. Take Vitamins & Eat Your Veggies
4. Avoid Tanning Beds- everyone is pale in the winter there is no reason for you to buy a fake tan and destroy your elasticity. If you want some color try Jergens bronzing lotion, works for me. And if you are brave enough- spray tan.
5. Drink Lots of Water

Note: Although Spring Break is a great inspiration to make changes, you need to remember taking care of your body year-round is important. Exercise and eating healthy should be a lifestyle, not just something you do to lose your winter coat or your freshman 15. Sometimes we just need a little pep talk, this is yours.

Got it?

Lovely.

Get to it. Spring Break is on the way!

Do not wait; the time will never be “just right’. Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.- Napolean Hill

#fastfood #SpringBreak #eatinghealthy #skin #exercise #lifestyle

Search high and low

Find Happiness in Nothing

I saw a painting at Bonnaroo that said “Find happiness in nothing.” It really made me stop and think– How do you find happiness in nothing? What does that even mean? Well it’s funny, ever since that day if I’m having a blah moment the bonnaroo  painting pops in my head. I smile because even though it’s just an average day, there is no reason I should not be happy! Don’t waste time being gloomy. That’s no way to live life.

Find Beauty in Everything

I find everything so darn interesting. I’ll be walking down the street and point out a piece of trash because it is in the shape of a tree, then I will proceed in photographing it. Sometimes it is annoying to find the world so intriguing, but most of the time it is just fun. I really think you can find beauty in everything with the right mindset.

See Things Differently

Think differently today! If you can learn to change your perspective, you can find good and beauty in everyone. For bitter old woman are full of passion and crying children have beautiful eyes. Once you start to think like this you will radiate with happiness. Your glow will inspire people.

Give it a try, take the time to stop and look at things around you.

“It isn’t our position but our disposition which makes us happy.” -Unknown

#Perspective #disposition #beauty #findhappiness #discover #bonnaroo

Keep Your Friends In Line

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn

Think about the 5 people you spend the most time with. . .

These are the people who have the most impact in your life. These are your influences– how you speak, what you wear, how you spend your time. It’s true- you become who you hang out with. Gosh, I used to hate when my mom would tell me that. Think about it though. If you are always around optimistic, high energy people, chances are you will become an optimistic, high energy person. If you spend most of your time with joy kills, then it will be pretty tough to become an optimistic person. And sister of mine, if you are always hanging out with people who don’t do their homework…well, you are never going to do yours.

Please note: If you are truly grounded in yourself maybe it isn’t hard to be around negative people. Maybe you are strong enough to be around negativity and still keep your smile on. Good for you. But think about how much better you could be if you were around positive people who share similar views as you do!

Are your peeps holding you back?

You want to spend limited time with people who are holding you back and the most time with people who can elevate you. No, this does not mean to call your best friend and say “sorry I can’t hang out with you tonight, you are just too negative.” It just means to be cautious of how much contact you are having with the people who do not enable you to become a better person!

So what if you can’t escape negative people? (Such as the workplace or a sports team) Well, sometimes, yes, we might have to spend our work days with a Negative Nancy, but we can still limit our contact with them. Try not to let them influence your mood. I would also suggest  to surround yourself with other positive things, like photos and verses, or maybe uplifting quotes. Something that will make you smile when you see it and remind you to be happy despite our grumpy coworkers.

Stay away from sleepwalkers!

My personal opinion of the worst group of people are the “sleepwalkers.” Ya know, the people who just live day to day without any real meaning. It’s like they don’t care about anything, they just want to get by. No goals, no dreams, not worried about anyone besides themselves. I find this to be the tricky group, especially in college, because it’s easy to fall into sleepwalking and not realize it. Maybe this is you.  Have you lost your zeal for life?

Life has meaning! Find it! Stay clear of the sleepwalkers and surround yourself with positive people who love life. Get excited and passionate about life.

Make Changes

Ok, now it’s time. If you are surrounding yourself with people who are not bettering you as a person, then it is time to change things up. Do yourself a favor! Search for people who love life, search for responsible people, search for openminded people, search for supportive people, search for Godly people. Surround yourself with good. Be inspired and become inspiring.

Good Luck Ladies.

#positivity #negativity #surroundyourself #friends #life #influence

Have  a sweet and colorful weekend.

celebrate being you

Play with possibility. Your life is your greatest work of art.

Do You Ever Feel Lost?

I have. And it might just be the worst feeling in the world, right beside heart-ache. You get to experience a bad combination of emotions- depression, confusion, hopelessness, anxiousness, disconnection, but mostly FRUSTRATION.

I think college is overflowing with “lost people.” And that makes it worse! Because you are just swimming along with a bunch of lost fish. [Beware: if you are a so called “follower” it is easy to be lead astray.] Whether it is deciding what to study, facing our soul-sucking jobs, debating where you should live, wondering where your happiness went, figuring out relationships, or even struggling to find a reason to get out of bed in the mornings…we all have dragons to fight.

Feeling lost can be healthy!

What?! How is not knowing what I’m doing with my life healthy? Because it wakes you up that’s why. There is no map telling you which way to turn. And that’s the beauty of it. YOU have to reach deep down in your soul and search for the answer. You have to ask yourself- What do I want out of life?

I finally realized feeling lost is normal and started living by this philosophy when I turned 21. Now, I view feeling lost as an opportunity to grow and learn more about myself. Feeling uneasy and unhappy forces me to evaluate and change what I don’t like about my life. Why do I feel lost? Where do I want to be? What do I need to change?

Wearing Masks, a warning

I wear masks. It’s true. I have a closet full of them ranging from Artistic Hippie to Classy Business Lady to Earth Friendly Hiker to Glamorous Model. Think about it- you probably have different masks that you wear from time to time. Another example, I know my roommate can be a super preppy girl today and extreme soccer player tomorrow.

There is nothing wrong with experimenting with different styles and personalities. That’s how you create yourself! By taking pieces you like from each.

The trick with masks is that sometimes we get lost in them. We become so wrapped up in trying to be an all star or glamour model or whatever it is that we lose our true identity, which causes us to experince that lost feeling. Find Yourself, Lose Yourself & Repeat Forever.

Bottom Line: Be your own person.

#findingyourself #identity #losingyourself #masks

Like what you see in the mirror.

Is it one of those days for you? Or maybe one of those weeks?

Welcome to adulthood!

I like to blame a little thing called hormones. Not only do they cause us to be an emotional train wreck, they surprise us with physical changes! (like we need more to stress about) At our age our bodies are going through so many changes…be calm. This is perfectly normal.

Your hips are widening, your face is covered in blemishes, your body is a bit curvier, your hair is flat, your down right exhausted and you just feel gross. Plus maybe you are bloating and none of your clothes fit…

I don’t know about you but this throws me into an emotional whirlwind. And then I begin to focus on all of my imperfections.  Sound about right?

How do you forgive your imperfections?

I think the older you get the more you realize everyone has imperfections and you are just stuck with yours. People always say “Learn to love your imperfections.” But I find that very difficult. I have learned not to hate them. I have learned to be OK with them and accept them as a part of me. But love them? Hmm…maybe one day.

I think we just need to remember we are perfect in God’s eyes. He created us with our lovely imperfections.

Be Confident

We’ve got to be strong and confident, girls. Practice looking in the mirror and liking what you see. Embrace your body changing and know that it is all going to pass. This is normal and you are beautiful. Confidence looks so good on you.

Here’s an idea!

How about giving someone a compliment today. Sometimes it is hard to see past our imperfections that we miss our beauty. Point out how great your friend, sister or mother looks today. Build each other up, that’s what Pink Medicine is all about.

Got it?

Lovely.

Now go do it!

‘Be Content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.’ ~Lao Tzu

#bodyimage #changes #imperfections #reflection

Because she is ALWAYS right.

She has been there, done that. So go ahead and pretend you know more than her. Soon you will realize, you don’t. Or you can do yourself a favor and listen to her, take her advice and then tell her thanks. Remember, she is always looking out for your best interests. 🙂

Here are a few life lessons from my mom:

1. No guy is worth your tears.
2. Always be honest.
3. Document everything- photos, videos, words.
4. Profanity is “so unladylike.”
5. It is OK to be indecisive sometimes.
6. Lifetime movies mean serious relaxation time.
7. Keep family close.
8. Trust in God.
9. Breathe, don’t give up.
10. Don’t put limitations on your possibilities.

Love you Momma.

#advice #lifelessons #mothers

Sometimes Mondays get the best of us…

#comfort #feelbetter #mondays

Anticipation

They were hoping to fall in love...

“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”- God

After hours of searching for inspiration, I finally managed a decent post but all it said to me was “blah blah blah something about finding happiness.” I wanted to write something raw, something real. So in a completely frustrated state I took a break from blogging and called the boyfriend. (It’s nice to have someone who can help sort out your thoughts.)

After deep conversation, I was inspired.

Sometimes we just need to be reminded of 2 virtues- Faith & Patience.

What is Faith?

The unconditional belief in something. Whether it is faith in God or faith in people, you’ve got to hold on to it. Faith is easy to lose. It slowly fades away from you until one day you wake up and realize it’s gone.  And without faith you can feel lost in the world. There are so many things to sway you from your beliefs and if your faith is not strong enough you will crumble. Be brave, there will be doubts and fears. Believe in your dreams. Believe in your God. Believe in your sister. Believe in your boyfriend. Believe in yourself. And your world will be a happier place.

What is Patience?

I like to define it as the art of hoping. Everyone has hopes and dreams and we want them right now. But sometimes, we just can’t have them right now. Therefore, patience is required. I remember how much I prayed for patience when I first met Stacey. I liked him so much and just wanted us to already be boyfriend and girlfriend. I wanted to fast forward and know everything about him. But mostly I wanted to know if our relationship would last. And then one day, it hit me. Enjoy the anticipation, I thought, have patience. Take pleasure in the butterflies and the mystery. Now, looking back, I’m so glad we both had patience. We took things slow and enjoyed getting to know each other. Patience is something I struggle with daily so I have reminders that say “Practice Patience” everywhere, one at work, one on my mirror at home, one in my car and even one on my phone. If you need to relax and practice patience, maybe you should make yourself some reminders too.

Hold On

It is inevitable- you are going to experience ups and downs. So hold on and enjoy every minute of it.  Life is a crazy fun roller coaster, but it’s even better with some faith and patience.

Whatever trials you may face today have faith and practice patience.

Happy Monday!

#patience #faith #mondays #relationships #anticipation #God

May you feel like a princess this weekend!

Designed for the whimsical girl at heart.

This dreamy rose chiffon dress arrived for me in the mail yesterday and I absolutely cannot wait for my boyfriend to take me out so I can wear it! New clothes make me feel like a princess.

Side-note: I am a firm believer in treating yourself to new clothes from time to time. Don’t worry if you are on a budget. (most of us are) Thrift stores, goodwill & yard sales are great bargain places to spiff up your wardrobe! Actually they make up my favorite places to shop.

But where did this lovely addition to my wardrobe come from? . . .  ETSY!

You may or may not have heard of this little piece of heaven. (If you haven’t, please have a look  around,  maybe even purchase something!) ETSY is a wonderful way to support independent artists and gain unique style. 🙂 It is defined as a “vibrant market place where you can buy or sell homemade and vintage items.” Here is their mission statement:

We are anthropologists of commerce. We’re curious about people and what they make, exchange and consume. By looking around at the stuff that matters to our lives, we believe we can understand more about what moves us as human beings.

Around the world, there’s a new clamoring to know the story behind what we buy — who made it, how, what route did it travel to our door? We’re here to tell these global stories, to introduce you to makers and collectors and the history of their goods.

In a perfect world I would quit my day job, start an ETSY shop, blog all day and consume lots of coffee. Who is with me?

#Etsy #supportingartists #weekends #Princess #thriftstores

Thankful for Ketchup

Studies indicate that even pretending to be thankful raises the level of the chemicals associated with pleasures & contentment. Live as if you feel gratitude and soon the real thing will come!

I remember reading somewhere that 25% of people felt happier after writing a list of the things they were thankful for. So now, whenever I feel a spell of discontentment coming on, I think of all the things God has blessed me with. I immediately feel satisfied and almost foolish for feeling gloomy because I am so lucky to live the life I live. But it’s perfectly normal to feel down from time to time. Just remember, you hold the power to your happiness.

Start a list of all things good.

Today, make a list of the things you are thankful for. Don’t just think about all the good things in your life. Write it down! That way you can add to your list and watch it grow! (Maybe even start a gratitude journal) Try to be specific. You will be amazed at how great your life really is.

Don’t forget the little things.

Those are the most important ones. For example: high waisted pants, receiving “just because” text messages, ENDORPHINS, seeing people enjoying the outdoors, good smelling candles, snow days, caffeine, etc, etc.

Good Things in my Life

1. A supportive family
2. Beautiful girlfriends
3. One loving boyfriend
4. Jinx, crazy cat
5. Colorful dreams
6. Everyday opportunities
7. Music that inspires me
8. Finding peace in the mountains
9. Chocolate (a given)

And list goes on…goodness what a good life! What are you thankful for today?

#Happiness #blessings #allthingsgood #life #grateful

Are you the girl that waits around all day long for a text message from that certain someone before you can have a good day? Are you so dependent on other people that you forget how to help yourself? Then it is time you learn a thing or 2 about self reliance.

What is Self Reliance?

Self Reliance is a strong belief in your own capability to achieve success and happiness. It is having the courage to act by yourself instead of letting other people and events decide what you should do.

The Importance of Self Reliance

Stop giving other people control of your life. You will never find happiness that way. What happens when you never get that text message or call? Your whole day is ruined, am I right? What happens when that person you are always turning to for help isn’t there when you need them? You feel helpless. Don’t misunderstand me- Getting help is OK, we all need help and advice sometimes, but when you become solely dependent on someone else you forget how to help yourself. And girls, let me tell you, no guy wants a clingy helpless chick. Com’on you are better than that. Also, when things are going good, you see the person you are leaning on as responsible for your happiness; however, if things get bad, you begin to blame that person. Being self reliant means taking responsibility for your own happiness AND failures.

Becoming Self Reliant

1. Realize the need to gain personal power so that you can steer your life in the direction you want.
2. Cut the strings of dependency and stand on your own two feet. (warning: this isn’t easy)
3. Trust yourself and listen to your own instincts.
4. Do not depend on other sources of funds, work!
5. And my favorite- Be an individual! Do not conform to the world. As a self reliant person, you know to rely on your own strengths, your own dreams and your own interests. BE YOU.

Now go out in the world fearless. Stand on your own, but don’t be surprised if you fall. This gives you a chance to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and stand again. I promise you will get stronger, and it will get easier.

I highly recommend reading Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson for further reading.

You’ve got to find someone in the world to be strong for.

Here is my someone.

Someone needs your support right now.

Someone needs you to listen.

Someone needs you to say “It’s going to be ok.”

Someone needs you to see through the rain.

Someone needs you to smile for them.

Someone needs you to understand.

Someone needs you to just be you.

#hope #smile #strength

I know, I know. We all hate mondays. Poor Mondays, nobody likes them. (unless Monday is your day off) The thing is we are wired to dread Monday mornings. Usually late Sunday afternoon, I suddenly remember: dang tomorrow is Monday, the weekend is over and now I have to face a long week of school and work. Goodness that’s so depressing. Of course I am going to hate Mondays if I think like that.

Have no fear, Ladies! Because today is the 1st Monday of 2011 and this year we are making changes. Remember? We are starting fresh. We are no longer dreading Mondays; instead, we are excited about a new week, a new beginning, a new you.

Kick start your day!

I have been on an orange juice kick lately. It’s a healthy alternative to coffee with lots of vitamin C! It’s also full of zing and energy that help kick start your day. (exactly what you need on Mondays) I suggest going to the store and buying some. Or better yet, buying oranges and making your own! Yum!

Tea is another choice of breakfast drink. My boyfriend makes English tea in the morning that is soooo delicious. There are also a ton of varieties to choice from. And you can also feel cool when you say “I had a cup of tea for breakfast.” 🙂

If you aren’t a fan of orange juice or you are just addicted to caffeine, then grab your cup of mojo!

Think Positive

Now for the rest of the day your job is to think positive! Put on your charming smile and brighten other people’s day. Together we can kill the Monday blues.

Have a great positive week!

“Smile, breathe, and go slowly.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Let’s face it- it doesn’t take much for our day to start bad. You wake up and discover you have no clean underwear, it’s a bad day. You wake up and remember you have unfinished homework, bad day. You wake up and realize it’s monday, bad day. You wake up and it’s raining, bad day.

I think we all know that mornings set the mood for our whole day. That’s why it’s important to develop a strong morning practice. It doesn’t have to be anything complicated or even take up much of your time. It can be anything as simple as 5 minutes of meditation or prayer. Just something to get you in the right mindset to face the world. Remember, it’s a jungle out there and we need to be ready physically and mentally to smile for the debbie downers.

What is a Morning Practice?

I like to think of mine as a set of rituals I do between getting up and starting my day. I have a long commute to work so I use that time to meditate and talk to God. I know you are probably thinking how the heck do you meditate in the car? Honestly, it’s the best and only time I have to clear my head. On the way I drink either coffee or orange juice. After I’ve had a good 10 minutes of God time I listen to music that makes me happy. This playlist changes very often. I highly recommend a merry morning playlist.

Yoga is a popular morning practice. One day I will love yoga. I have this serene image of waking up and doing yoga on the beach and feeling amazing afterwards, but right now I am too impatient for yoga.  Exercise is the best way to wake up your body. Although, for some people (myself included) exercise before lunch just sounds far too ambitious. I have always been envious of the people who could wake up before dawn for their morning run. If you can do this, power to you! Start your day off with a cup of endorphins. I’ll start mine with a cup of coffee. 🙂

Creating your practice

If you do not currently have a morning practice, start small. You don’t want to attempt something you can’t handle and eventually give up after a week. Begin with a manageable chunk of time. I would suggest 5-15 minutes and then add more time as the year goes on. If you can try to create a blend of physical and mental activities. Build your practice.

Now is your chance. Don’t let it pass you by.Blow a good-bye kiss to 2010 and look straight ahead. What do you want out of 2011? The sky is the limit!

Some New Year’s Resolutions to ponder over:

1. Update your humble abode- each month treat yourself to new home decor- throw pillows?
2. Change your style- accessories say a lot, think outside the box
3. Stay organized- color coordinate your closet, it looks cool
4. Career move- burnt out?
5. Learn something new- piano, astrology, ballet, French
6. Better nights rest- this will also help you get good grades…
7. Eat your veggies!- a good idea for you taco bell fans
8. Keep in touch- grandpa won’t be around forever
9. Get fit- spring break is right around the corner
10. Start a blog – or just follow mine 🙂

Ok ladies, there is ALWAYS room for improvement. These are just a couple of suggestions to get your wheels turning. And remember, a resolution does not mean depriving yourself of all things good. Such as “This year I am not eating any sweets.” That is just foolish- girls need their chocolate! So how about “This year I promise to reward myself once a week/month.” Also, a resolution absolutely does not have to cost you anything. Think simple. Like this year my Mom is promising to laugh and relax more.

However, a resolution does need to be specific for you to succeed in making a difference in your life. Instead of “reading my bible more” think more like “read my bible every morning for 10, 20, 30 minutes.”

I hope this helps and encourages you to push yourself to be better! Let’s motivate each other to start fresh! Share your own New Year’s Resolution with the world. Help start the Pink Medicine Movement.

E-mail me with ideas. paintbycoffee@me.com