how do you get inspired

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a piece of advise for most any woman

A lot of people, whom I’ve had the pleasure to know through my life (so far), come to me for advise or consultation. Not because it is my profession, but because for some, cool reason, I happen to be one of those people easy to talk to.  So…

When a person with regret voices her concerns to me, I reply:

When a woman shows signs of discontent with her self

When asked about the difficulty of raising children

When asked why they can’t find a partner

When told about the dissapointments in life

 

Have you any good advise? Please feel free to share

seasonal inspiration

As many of you may know, San Francisco, mostly outer, is probably the worst place to be during the summer months if you happen to be a sun worshiper.  It’s foggy, cold and somewhat uninspiring.

This past weekend was the first reminder of how summer may very well be in the city, when I sat the entire weekend, working on my book, in my sweats, blanket, thermal socks, drinking hot tea.  Believe me I wasn’t happy.

So, for those of us, stuck in this wonderful city, mostly in the avenues, I recommend, escaping at least one day out of the weekend, just to get inspired, while frolicking in the sun.  I’ve already planned my list of things to not my spirits go dow.

1. Drive to Napa for a day to picnic in V Satui Winery- here
2. Spend a day at Burlingame Avenue shopping and enjoy lunch  in an outdoor cafe – here
3. Drive Inland, South or East anywhere there is water, sun and grass – here and here
4. Visit Muir Woods – here
5. Trek and picnic in Redwood City here

the need to tone my body

I’ve been watching what I eat for years. This is of course, after turning 40 and realizing I’ve started to finally put on some weight. But in talking to friends, about the best method, over a few cocktails mind you, they suggested diet pills. I refused naturally, since every single addiction, has an adverse affect.

Then I read the book French Women Don’t Get Fat and learned a few things, but realized I didn’t have the luxury to follow it (due to my hectic schedule).  I decided to go with Weight Watchers ready to eat meals. After losing over 17 pounds in less than 2 months and hating every bite I ate, I stopped losing weight, because I got sick. High blood pressure and ailments I had never experienced before in my life. I was completely over it. The diet food, the idea of pills, not eating, eating too much fiber. I even tried vegan and gluten-free. Some worked, others were misleading. I know what you are thinking, this is sounding too much like an infomercial. Haha, oh but wait.

Recently, I’ve decided to do my own thing. Eat healthy, meaning the recommended daily allowable foods, cooking more at home and cutting down my portions. It seems to be working, slowly, but that’s a good thing. Now I need patience.

In addition, I decided to sign up with a personal trainer to tone my body and have now, religiously, gone to two weeks of training. I am very happy with the results so far and actually am looking forward to the next 8 more weeks of hard-core training and then I am left on my own to follow what I have learned.

I’m hoping by end of July I’d have nothing but good things to tell you and even can share photos of the before and after of myself.

The reason for this blog entry, is to hopefully inspire the unmotivated, the sluggish, the women with many excuses and those who just need to know, that you are not alone. Ask me anything.

interior decor: bathroom plants

I’ve always had plants in my bathroom, no matter how small the space or how big. I just think, its therapeutic and a nice color to add to any decor. Mostly leafy greens that is.

Recently however, I’ve tried several plants in my space and for some reason, they haven’t bloomed as I had hoped. Either it’s too moist for the plant or too dark a space.

However, when I saw this idea here, I couldn’t help but consider copying the suggestion. It’s  simple, clean and hopefully will work. I don’t even mind seeing the roots. The only set back (maybe) is the fact,  I’d want to change the water perhaps. Either way I am going to duplicate the suggestion and see what happens.

Have you any ideas you’d like to share, about plants in a bathroom and what works and what doesn’t.

finding time to yourself: a must for every woman

Occasionally and as expected, women feel overwhelmed by all the things they need to accomplish or take care of on a daily basis and based on that fact, tend to be considered moody or emotional. I suppose the opposite sex will never understand.  But to cope with a hectic schedule or a lifestyle without losing it, every woman needs to take a few hours, even if just one day a week and pamper herself.  Not only does it feel good to do it, but it is almost a requirement.

 When I get “emotional or moody” I stop whatever it is I am doing and plan out how to recharge, regroup or revive and here’s what I do:

1. Walk in my favorite neighborhood on Sunday morning by myself here
2. Pamper myself with a facial and a body massage from here
3. Go to brunch with my mother here, here or here
4. Watch old classic films, curled up on my bed on a Saturday night from here
5. Create something with my hands here, here, or here
6. Go to a café, a drive away from home and disappear in a book here, here, here, here

How do you recharge?

how do you live your life?

I have always been an advocate of living life to the fullest, without waiting for anyone else to give me the happiness I know I deserve in life.  I learned this  a long time ago, when my family immigrated to the United States and I realized through  hard times and the hard way, the grass wasn’t greener on the other side of the fence.  So I chose the positive lifestyle, the happy-go-lucky attitude and the less I know, about some things, the better I feel method and this way of thinking has made me a better person, a happier individual and one who lives life to the fullest.

This doesn’t mean that I don’t occasionally stress out or feel like the world is coming to an end, but then immediately after feeling that way,  I find a way to snap out of it and go back to the way I choose to live.  It has worked and comparatively to other members of my family, I feel I am stronger, more durable and open to everything life has to offer, even in the worst of times.

How do you live your life?

 

month in a nutshell

The month of April, almost over, was the busiest month for me, even though I thought last year this month was, when one of my favorite people got married.

Although I spend the month, rekindling family get togethers, bridal showers, business lunches and company after work happy hours, not to mention moving friends across the state,  I had enough time to think about what I foresee in the near future – meaning the next 6 months remaining for 2013, for myself.

I had set goals, like everyone else at the beginning of the year and one by one, the daily challenges, altered my course or direction.  However, I haven’t forgotten what I needed to do still and so, I wrap up this month with a laundry list of things yet to achieve.

1. Launch book to kindle and other electronic reading tools
2. Work with a personal trainer to sculpt my body
3. Manage a garage sale in an effort to downsize
4. Donate entire wardrobe and revamp my style
5. Travel with those near and dear to me – even for a week
6. Re-establish Sunday afternoon tea time with my mother
7. Consider renovating the bathroom
8. Open an Etsy account to sell my paintings.
9. Recharge my blog(s)
10. Partake in events surrounding the America’s Cup in San Francisco

why blog when you have a thousand things on your mind?

Just last night, while overwhelmed with all that I needed to do in the next month or so, I decided in order to stay sane, to make a list and cross out all the things that may be considered trivial. Blogging was on that list. So I put the list on the nightstand and fell asleep. When I woke up this morning and had the typical opportunity to ponder over everything, while commuting to work, I realized there was no way on earth I could give up blogging. No matter how challenging and how low on the priority list. 

The reason for this insight is  the fact, most of the items  on my list were doing something for others and there were only two items which were for me, that I was willing to give up, just to  fit everything else into my hectic life . Blogging and pushing to publish  the novel I continuously revise. I decided not to give up on either of them because it wouldn’t be fair for me, not take care of me, no matter how  difficult or challenging life can be. Writing is my passion, blogging is my therapy.

I’ll be fine.  I just need to breathe and accept everything as they are and persevere and you my friends should do the same. Never give up on anything which make you feel good about yourself, even in the darkest hours of the day.  

 

 

adult quotes to live by

If I had known quotes would be so popular in the 21st century and nearly a guideline for everything we do, I would have kept my notebook filled with quotes I came up with, while growing up.

Because of this craze, I have included some of my favorites, which often times are a basis of girl’s night out conversations, in a Sex In The City kind of way.

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