theme of the day = get lost. in a book. down a dirt road. at a new coffee shop. in a thrift store. on a walk down a new path. or…?
when we put ourselves in new situations or different situations, we grow. our tendency is to seek comfortable spaces. when we plant ourselves in new soil different blooms are nurtured and formed.
“Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weakness.”
Brené Brown, truth seeker
so, get lost. even if it is by closing your eyes for a few minutes of meditation. go to a new space. allow yourself to seek peace and be at ease.
get lost and give yourself permission to grow into you… 🌱
the spin of life whirls us around in want of more stimulation, more information, more progress, more, more, more everything. 🌪
it’s time to slow down. let go. breathe. be.
“realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have.”
Eckhart Tolle
tomorrow is not granted. the reality we know today – the one we are constantly trying to improve upon – may not be tomorrow’s reality. it all can change in a flash. ⚡️
“there are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. one is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow. today is the right day to love, believe, do, and mostly live.”
Dalai Lama
rather than being preoccupied with how to control the outcome, we must let go. always, we must do our part to fulfill our roles in life. meanwhile, we must simultaneously let it all go to allow the Universe to control our destinations.
be present today wherever you are. you may never be in the same place again. so, let go and live. 🦄💟✨
i listened to a business speaker once who wore all pink. he also mismatched his socks on purpose. these fashion selections were notable – different – desirable.
what if we all approached our lives and the people we meet by embracing the differences? different is good and welcomed and honored rather than the homogeneous approach the world sometimes seems to try to mold us into.
so – today as you meet people you know and don’t know – try a reset in your thinking process. those who are different from us can teach us so much about their different perspective in life. staying open to the different around us can make us more compassionate, aware, and full of acceptance.
“i’m not strange, weird, off, nor crazy. my reality is just different than yours.”
Lewis Carroll, English author & poet
embrace the odd, become the weirdness. it is in the weirdness that we all become our truest selves. the oddities, the eccentricities. the imperfections we hold are the keys to our life’s work of achieving greatness.
energy vampires! things tasks people – any time drainer that sucks the energy right out of you is an energy vampire. 🦇
i realized that through the process of trying to simplify my life and relationships that many things suck our time. this keeps us from doing want we really want to and enjoy doing.
what are some of your energy vampires?? mine can be social media & online dating apps. both of which i spend time on to cure the lonely but maybe it would be good to go out alone and meet a new friend at a cool activity?!
“what you think, you become.
what you feel, you attract.
what you imagine, you create.”
Buddha, eastern philosopher
what do you really enjoy doing? if you could have one extra hour per day, what would you focus on?
don’t let the energy vampires control your life! take control and do the things only you were meant to do!
meanwhile, can we give a 👏🏽 for quite possibly the world’s first #vampacorn and #baticorn ??? lol 🦄💟✨
update! so we are the second vampicorn in the world and apparently baticorns are sort of a thing! 👏🏽
someone asked today how i came to the idea for my shop. i think it’s a culmination of life and a love for art and a desire to make the world a better place.
vision – when i went through a divorce, i had a really tough time going to the mailbox because i was a) depressed, b) raising four kids on my own, and c) worried about what bills i might owe that would come in the mail. a trip to the mailbox would cause me a ton of anxiety. so i started to send my kids and even myself postcards so i would have something to look forward to in the mailbox. my kids began to live in a different state in the summers which also was a catalyst to create fun cards to send them. the idea grew and here we are.
art & design – i draw the animals and add different elements to the cards to create fun and unique designs. the point of “the unicorn city” idea is to create a place where everyone is welcome with their unique selves. i also really enjoy kawaii, studio ghibli, and other such cuteness in art. i enjoy adding the occasional oddity to keep it fun and support the thought that weirdness is cool.
poetry & writing – rhyming poetry has been my thing since i was young. i love dr. suess and other such fun writings. i have written all sorts of poetry through the years – it is fun to have landed on this current project.
creating mental health awareness is a goal of mine – especially amongst teenagers. i have four teenage children of my own – i understand the challenges our youth are facing.
diversity & inclusion – i want to create a safe space for all races and my lgbtq+ family. every person deserves to feel seen for the person they are. i will always hold space for all genders and any race.
thanks so much for taking time to stop by my site today! it would be an honor to include you on my next batch of postcards.
ever feel like pushing the slow mo button on life?
sometimes all the things whirl together to seem overwhelming. but really, all we need to do is take charge of the wind funnel by slowing down all the distractions around us. 🌪
today’s mantra: i am in control of my day.
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unicorn city project update:
i’ve been studying the structure, rules, and benefits of non-profit organizations to determine the best route to go for this little project.
the july postcard is in the works…wrapping the design and sending to print.
“if you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. i’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.”
John Wooden, basketball coach
the reddit pen pal group has been a fun place to meet people in want of postcard companionship. i have really been enjoying meeting new people through that avenue.
trying to stay true to my goals of spreading love, awareness, and cute critter drawings with mental health messages. 💟✨
are you feeling #lonely this holiday season? stressed? feeling #sad when you think you should feel #happy? wanting to crawl in a cave and come out January 2nd, 2022?
i am feeling like this at moments. we feel societal pressure to keep the smile going and press on. sometimes it’s okay to curl up and regenerate our energy. sometimes we need to kick ourselves in the tail and get out to enjoy purposeful social time. and then we need to regenerate our energies again. 💯
Christmas will always be as long as we stand heart to heart and hand in hand.
Dr. Suess
for me, holidays can be tricky. i am a single parent with shared custody. i won’t have my kids for a few days this Christmas and i get sad about that. i want to ‘cave up’ as i like to call it. usually i decline invitations for the big day bc i am usually in a general funk for holidays without my kids – but this year i said yes to a couple invites! i am focusing on the gratitood i have for people who think i’m swell enough to invite to the Christmas festivities. 🎄
👉🏽 holiday challenge for you: allow yourself space to recharge. at the same time, participate! acknowledge the space you are in but don’t get stuck there if you can help it.
👉🏽 spend your time and energy in positive ways this holiday season! recharging the battery and renewing relationships are BOTH positive spaces to spend time in.
👉🏽 realise that holidays look different for everyone. not every person has a traditional holiday experience. be sensitive to all persons who may be smiling big on the outside but feeling #depressed on the inside.
👉🏽 if you have a soul full of cheer and love and you are feeling strong, INVITE! be the invitation giver! your joy is contagious. your talent is needed. you will be rewarded for your kindnesses.
remember, life is a fleeting moment – you never know when it may melt away like this snow person here. enjoy your moments with loved ones. 🤍 time is short. regret is long.
today’s mantra: i will allow myself to progress towards my goals in a step by step time frame – no pressure to achieve the world’s timeline.
So exciting to see folks out there receiving and enjoying their postcards! I am definitely learning A TON. For instance, the last postcard referred to being beautiful. As I was writing them out and sending off, I realized than not every guy out there would love being referred to as a beautiful hooman. LOL. Noted for future postcards. ✅
The process of building this little hobby has been a one day at a time thing over here. I like drawing the characters and thinking up verbiage and generating new personalities. I love when folks comment and enjoy. And that’s that! When other people enjoy the creations – that is the reward for me.
If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you will make progress.
Barack Obama, former United States President
My little project just grew another step forward today! I dropped off postcard sets to a little independent bookstore. The store owner reviewed and I was called tonight to chat about signing a little contract for my profit share of the revenue. 💯 I AM SO EXCITED!
You have to do risky things sometimes to achieve success! The #fear of #rejection and/or #failure can’t hold us back from trying to progress towards our cause. JK Rowling’s Harry Potter manuscript was rejected 12 times. Walt Disney was fired, told he lacked imagination, and told he had no good ideas. Stephen King’s most famous book was rejected 30 times. Oprah was fired from being a tv reporter. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. Albert Einstein was expelled from school for failure to learn at a speed congruent with other peers. Vincent Van Gogh sold only one painting his life – month’s before his death. Steve Jobs was a college drop out. And the list goes on…
Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
Calvin Coolidge
If you want to progress on any goal, you have to put in the time. Baby steps daily will result in big progress in 6 months, 12 months, 5 years.
the unicorn city 