One Year Later Of Blogging

I realised this morning that today marks the anniversary of my first blog post (which was not on Blogger) but it's sort of weird how one year of blogging catches up with my train of thought today.

You know I wanted to start a blog for a number of years, I had been thinking about it and then last year I decided to just do it.  I was reading about three or four blogs when I started and had no idea what blogging actually entailed.

A year later and I am a little disappointed in myself, because I find that although I have a blog and I love it at times I've felt myself not be me at times.

Now my fellow bloggers are probably  thinking well of course you're not because you have to do what your readers want and blog about what they want to read about and while I love the people who read my ramblings for visiting my little piece of the World Wide Web but I have also recently taken some time to reflect and remember that I still want my blog to be very ME. You see, I didn't start this blog because I wanted readers or stats or prizes I just wanted a space where I could say what was going on with me or what I was doing or what I was thinking and if it resonated with other people then GREAT, if not, I think I'll survive.

Also I've noticed that a lot of bloggers give away things for their Blogiversary but I haven't figured out what that could be so who knows when I'll figure it out.

It's also kind of incredible to realise how much my life has changed in the last 12 months and while I'm trying to figure out what's going to happen in the next 12 months of my life, my blog is going to reflect the changes too.

So I am just going to continue being me in life and my blog because I like my brand of me! I want to continue to be honest and true to myself and you.

What has happened in the last year of your life?

PS: Thank You for reading my little world! Happy Dance!

Soulful Sunday : Our Greatest Fear

Our Greatest Fear —Marianne Williamson

it is our light not our darkness that most frightens us

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of
God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

I am feeling these words this week, a lot. What are your deepest fears? Because I think Marianne Williamson has hit my greatest fear on the head.

A Resolution? I think not...

For those who know me outside of the blogging world, you know I have the tendency to reflect on the past - a LOT. It comes with the fact that I am an over-thinker, at times to my detriment so this year, while I have made a list of resolutions I've decided to keep them to myself.

Last year, without planning I aimed my year against a search for "SERENITY" and while it wasn't complete success I definitely moved closer to living a more serene life.

Therefore this year, I gave this some thought and I decided the thing I needed most this year is to " BE PRESENT". To the best of my ability, I need to keep in the present and stop harping on the past and what could have been.

I know just about everything is going to change this year and I want to enjoy it.

If you could pick one word or term you would aim 2014 around, what would it be?

Also, I wanted to say I wish that the best moment of 2013 be equivalent to your worst of 2014. Expect greatness, it's coming!

Soulful Sunday - Just Try

So often people will tell me " Just try it" whether it's a new food, new restaurant or new genre of music. Often I would just say no but in the last couple of months years I have honestly tried to push myself out of my comfort zone.

Whether it was new friends or food I have slowly pushed myself and sometimes it really has paid off with me being introduced to something new and meeting new people and finding new interests but what I really wanted to convey in this post... is that it is completely OK for you to try something new and not like it. I think the most important thing is just putting yourself out there.

While I am not about to go bungee jumping (just yet) I am willing to meet new people... put myself out there... start a blog (which still scares me) and definitely trying out some new music.

Also, I think now that I am well into my twenties I feel like I really want to enjoy my youth and embrace it and as time goes on I slowly make peace with the fact that I am who I am ~ a work in progress.

So I am seriously working on my bucket list and it gives me so much pleasure everytime I cross something off it.  But my point is simple, sometimes you will push yourself and try new things - and not like them but the way I look at it, at least I tried.

When last did you push yourself out of your comfort zone?

When a Loved one says F U

I had (have) a friend who repeated this saying " Each to their own" over and over again in her quest for independence and for people not to judge her. But the truth of the matter is that she said it in order for her to do and say what she wanted and for people to leave her be.

In recent weeks I have had a loved one disappoint me so much that I honestly had to take a mental time-out before actually typing up this post.

This person is someone who I have always been there for and in all fairness is someone who has always been there for me but the way in which this situation has been handled has left me with a sour taste in my mouth. It is so sad that people who you allow into your life can easily turn around and you basically spit in your face.

People who love you should always be honest with you and you should always remember that those who love you will only give you their thoughts or opinions based on protecting your best interests and here's MY life opinion - IF I do not agree with some of your choices then fine, live with it and I will do the same but do not go and badmouth me for not condoning your pathetic life choices.

This person has acted in a way which is disheartening and although there will be a time when I will be in this person's life but the truth is just like a cheating man, you'll take them back into your life but you will never look at them the same way. I think you can forgive and forget but there is no need to replay.

What are your thoughts? How do you forgive someone who has completely shattered your faith in your relationship?

Soulful Sunday : On my mind

Soulful Sunday : Good things come to those who wait

As much as this is a lifestyle blog I try to keep a lot of my personal happenings private because I haven't figured out what exactly I want to allow into the public but I suppose it's one of the things I'm learning as I continue to grow my blog and myself.

So what I want to say is that things this year have been challenging to say the least and very little has gone according to plan but I must be honest, just letting go and allowing God to choose my path has been the most gratifying thing.

I have previously mentioned that I own a racehorse, Uptothemoon and I promised I would be blogging about her more in the future.. well the future is here! Yesterday she ran a handicap race and she WON :) And yes, today I feel like a proud mama!

Uptothemoon is beautiful and I know she is not a pet in the conventional form but she is somehow so deeply connected to me that we just get one another. We often joke in our family that she has my personality which is a good and a bad thing. You see, she can be extremely warm hearted - which is what her usual temperament but I think over time I have spoilt her with lots of visits and pictures and quality time so in recent months when I have failed to visit her she felt sad, neglected and angry. So yesterday I missed her race, through many dramatic moments, but Candice and I got there just before she could be paraded into the winners circle.

Initially she was ok but then when her adrenaline calmed down for a bit she realised it was me standing in front of her and she lost her cool. I have NEVER seen her react like that. She was angry and tried to bite me to make me let go which I did. Now you must be wondering what this has to do with Soulful Sunday but the thing is she was written off by a lot of people, gamblers or just spectators which said she was injured and would never come back to form and I am so proud of her that she has proved them all wrong.

Also, I need to schedule time in to go see her because the truth is, I miss her. I think she may be my twin animal soul... if there is such a thing?! Am I rambling? This feels like rambling....

Well, point of my story is

1.) I hurt Uptothemoon but she still won ;

2.) Even when people write you off, you can always show them that they were wrong to count you out before they got to three ; and

3.) Life will not always go your way but the earth is round so if you just bide your time.... your turn to be on top will come because things can only get better.

Either way I am really glad to have a little time to myself to blog and to read my blogs because I miss reading about what's happening with everyone. This will be another intense week because I will be going away for a few days so let's hope I get some posts in! What's happening in your life? I've missed hearing from you!

Unfortunately I have lots of pics but they aren't uploading... so be warned, some time this week I may have a post dedicated to Uptothemoon .....

Soulful Sunday : Life is Short

Yesterday I had thought about my next post for today but then I woke up to the news that Cory Monteith, of Glee fame as Finn Hudson, had passed away and to be honest, all my other ideas are now simply blurred out.

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While I am Glee fan, I have followed Cory's story from a distance. I remember thinking it was sad to hear that he was struggling with addiction but that it was encouraging that he was seeking help.

I wish I could articulate what's going through my mind about this whole situation but it just got me thinking about how many celebs have been dying at young ages or from 'no foul play' deaths (Whitney Houston, Heath Ledger and Amy Winehouse to name a few) and just how sad it is that fans from all ages are constantly mourning.

I suppose that death is always something that catches us by surprise but when it is a young person, with so much potential and love in their lives it really seems to hit a different spot of your heart.

While I know, Glee, has taken America by storm in South Africa it hasn't caught on at the same level but those that follow it, do love it. Cory's character, Finn is central role within the Glee club but his and Rachel's love story on screen was soon the popular love story that everyone was rooting for.  The best part of Finn and Rachel is that there onscreen love story translated into a real-life love story between Cory and Lea Michele.

 

They look so in love

 

I think that love story, although equally as odd as the onscreen couple, makes Cory's death that much more sad. I found this under a twitter feed for #RIPCoryMonteith and #PrayforLea and it truly is heart-breaking to read.

 

 

A lot of his old cast mates have been posting on twitter about their loss. It is a sad situation and I wish there was something more soulful to include in this Soulful Sunday post but the most I can add is:-

 

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On a slightly different note, I have a few busy weeks ahead and I hope my blogging doesn't get put on the back burner but I will be working on other aspects of my blog. Have a good week everyone and in case I don't say it enough, THANK YOU for stopping by my little bit of the cyber world!



June Book Review : The Alchemist

I am happy to report that I have managed to get somewhat back on track by finishing Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist" within this month. I must be honest with you I thought I would have finished the book much quicker due to the length of the novel but looks can be deceiving and I really had to work to finish the book.

Don't get me wrong, it's not that the book is difficult to read but I do think you need to be prepared for the mental task. As I mentioned in my previous post the Alchemist was not the sort of book I was intending on reading this month and there was little to no light-heartedness which was my intention for the June book.

The plot of the book is that a boy, although I have no idea how old he is, has a dream - a literal sleeping dream - about him going in search of treasure. The book takes you through his journey and his emotional growth.

While I will not give you a run down of the book and spoil the surprise for you, I will admit that this is a book that all people should read. The themes throughout it can teach any person, young or old, that you can only benefit in forging your own path in life. 

Yes, it is difficult to make decisions but in retrospect, your hardest decisions have more than likely shaped you to be the person you are and if you have in fact chosen to not make a decision, that in itself is a decision.  Everything that we do, every step that we take leads us to where we need to be, at the right time. We have to take responsibility for the decisions we make, even if our options are unattractive - we should pursue our destiny.

While we may continue on a path in life that our parents or teachers or spiritual leaders have taken us to... it is essentially our own mind (or soul) that shapes us to be who we were meant to be.

I found an article which you should read if you have time to expand the themes I have mentioned.

Have you read this book? If you have, tell me what you thought about it? I'm intrigued to hear different people's opinions.

Soulful Sunday : Wishing

No matter who you are, no matter where you come from or how much money you have there is always something (or someone) you wish/long for. 

For some of us wishing may just form part of our day to day routines like "I wish I could travel the world"  or "I wish I could have had more time with him/her" or "I wish I could land my dream job". However, let's be honest our wishing doesn't necessarily have to be so serious but it's incredible how our thoughts become our words and ours guide our actions. 

Today in church, the sermon was somewhat similar to what I'm talking about - at the beginning of the sermon he said "be careful what you wish for because you may just get it" and while I won't go into further detail about what the sermon was..  it helped develop my thinking which I went into church with.

You see, when I woke up this morning , I was feeling really despondent about a certain situation where I felt like luck just was not on my side and I felt... uneasy. 

But in church, I was told about this lady, Helen Keller* who was born(or at a very young age) was blind, deaf and mute yet she still manged to obtain a degree and lecture to others. I don't know the full details but I plan on looking up her background online the thing is that amazes me is that against all odds she accomplished what a lot of able bodies persons cannot. How? How did she manage to do that?

 

I think she wished on it... Then did whatever she needed to do to get there.

The question is, how far are we willing to go out of our comfort zone to get our heart's desire?