gratitude Archives - Page 4 of 12

Vernette September 12, 2016

7 for SEVEN

September has always been a roller coaster for me. I always see it as the hump before the slide to the end of the year. It usually marks the beginning of a new school year and the sucky part is all these years later, that still has some importance for me….because mature student!

To say I am in a funk is putting it mildly. This roller coaster September has been mostly down and twisty and I keep thinking I need to get off this ride, I need to get off this ride! But then I also think that it has to end soon anyway, so I might as well just suck it up.

And this my dear reader is the reason for 7 for Seven. It is the reminder, that even in the crappiest of months, you can always find seven things to be grateful for.

…every Monday, we post seven positives from the previous seven days of the week as a reminder of what we have so that the week starts out on an upswing. There is much truth in the belief that happy people attract good things, so it is important to start the week out right. Sometimes it’s the more grand, but other times, it’s the simple things.~Key + Arrow

7 for Seven originated at Key + Arrow and now let’s get into my 7 for this week:

Saying ‘YES’ to the Universe. Mercury in retrograde? Messed up communication? Shit hitting the fan? Yes. Yes. Yes. Bring it Universe. I take the good with the bad and say Yes! This is my life. I can work with it, I can work through it.

Catching up on The Walking Dead. You guys, sometimes your potential is to binge watch three whole seasons of one your favourite show in one sitting. I kid you not. It was an epic couple days of zombies, blood, gore and crazy one-liners thanks to my new favorite character Abraham. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while you’d know that I love everything zombie. And I have been planning my zombie apocalypse survival strategy for a long time just in case… anyways I’m caught up and ready for season 7.

Surviving another week. Remember when I shared about how things just kept going downhill but the week ended and things started to settle down? Yea…no that didn’t happen. So here I am being grateful for surviving another week and trying not to jinx it.

My cohort of Awesome. A dear friend messaged me asking how I was and what’s happening with the blog. She said she missed reading my posts. I said I was just super busy and just couldn’t find the time. We caught a bit with each other and that was that. But the conversation stuck with me and she is the reason that this post was written and published today. Thank you, Carolyn.

Discovering a coffee roaster near me. On Saturday I got lost trying to find the pop-up coffee sampler at a coffee shop in a magical land far far away called Charlieville – okay that’s not true, the directions they put on Facebook was incorrect and I wasn’t the only person who got lost trying to find the coffee shop and Charlieville isn’t that far – 25 minutes driving without traffic. But I got lost in an unfamiliar place so I gave up trying to find the coffee shop…obviously. I eventually got on to the roaster who was doing the samples of his coffee. It turns out, he lives and roasts in my neighbourhood. Score for me! So *fingers crossed* next week’s 7 will be all about the delicious Ethiopian blend that I had the privilege to brew.

Getting better at my latte art. I’m still practicing and I’m happy to report that I am getting better. You can follow my progress on Instagram. This is the reason I’ve been running low on coffee beans and this is why the discovery of a coffee roaster near me was so fortuitous.

And finally, I am grateful to my newest earworm James Bay – Let it go. I love the music…I love the words. I especially love the opening bars…gets me every time. What are you listening to? Let me know in the comments below. I love discovering new music.

I hope that by continuing to pay attention to the little things, the mundane details that make up all the blessings in my life and by sowing the seeds of faith and gratitude, I can truly carry with me and reap the rewards of “positivity + balance + bliss” throughout the days ahead.

Thank you for reading, I appreciate you! This is me blowing some glitter and confetti on you because you’re super blessed to have received the gift of another 86,400 seconds today, to spend any way you desire. Make those seconds count!

I love hearing from you…what are you grateful today? Feel free to share below!

Vernette August 22, 2016

7 for SEVEN

August is winding down and the FOCUS this month has on starting and moving forward…and not worrying about the destination. It has been about “taking the next little step” rather than where those steps are leading me. And I am proud to say that progress – though small – has been made in the directions of my dreams.

…every Monday, we post seven positives from the previous seven days of the week as a reminder of what we have so that the week starts out on an upswing. There is much truth in the belief that happy people attract good things, so it is important to start the week out right. Sometimes it’s the more grand, but other times, it’s the simple things.~Key + Arrow

7 for Seven originated at Key + Arrow and now let’s get into my 7 for this week:

I am thankful for life. I got into a bouncident over the weekend. I have had a stress headache since. The best advice I got was that we take a risk every time we get on the road. Things happen and you thank God that it wasn’t worse and you move on. So now I have a bill I totally did not expect but I am grateful that it wasn’t any worse.

Baby S continues to be the joy of my life. So he has learned to roll over. He hasn’t quite learned the logistics of it as yet, his trailing arm gets stuck under his little body and then his face gets all red concentrating on getting it out. When he discovers what his knees are for…there will be no stopping him. I cannot wait for his shenanigans.

I am grateful for finding this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” A poignant reminder to be thankful for the little things that make up this life, because in the end, that’s all that matters.

My family. My uncle celebrated his 75th birthday yesterday to much dancing and happiness. He is the most lighthearted person I know and I suspect that has something to do with his longevity in relative good health. He continues to inspire all of us, to be better and do better.

The book I’m reading – The Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes. This book had me nodding and reflecting on my own life. I totally recommend it.

Sticking with my fitness plan. June 2016 I was at my heaviest weight ever. I am happy to report that I got my shit together and I am down 12lbs and counting. There is no easy solution, it is all about your lifestyle – diet and exercise. And I’m not going to lie, I fell off the wagon and rolled down the hill, hence the weight gain but I’m back in the gym and planning my meals. Some days it is a bitch to work all day and then go work out but I’m sticking with it. I feel better when I do.

Coffee with friends. I consider a well-made cup of coffee a treat. It’s an extra special treat when shared with good friends. This week I was blessed to have a nice cuppa and catch-up. These are the moments that make for a good life and I am grateful that I am able to recognize them and appreciate them.

And finally, I am grateful to be living in the age of the G.O.A.T. Caribbean pride abounds for the achievement of Usain Bolt.

I hope that by continuing to pay attention to the little things, the mundane details that make up all the blessings in my life and by sowing the seeds of faith and gratitude, I can truly carry with me and reap the rewards of “positivity + balance + bliss” throughout the days ahead.

Thank you for reading, I appreciate you! This is me blowing some glitter and confetti on you because you’re super blessed to have received the gift of another 86,400 seconds today, to spend any way you desire.

Make those seconds count!

I love hearing from you…what are you grateful today? How is 2016 shaping up for you? Feel free to share below!

Vernette August 5, 2016

#BlogHer16 starts today and I’m missing out

#BlogHer16 officially gets going today in LA and I am missing out. It’s not from a lack of trying though – my ticket was bought early, hotel booked around the same time. As soon as flights opened up I secured mine. I was ready!

And then life happened and plans changed. And I’m here watching all the conference updates trying to be happy for all those bloggers out in LA about to have the conference of their lives when all I really want to do is be there enjoying the experience with them.

I’m consoling myself by trolling Instagram knowing that it would never be the same as being there and that there are quite a few things I’m going to miss. #BlogHer15 was my first everything in blogging conferences and I was fortunate to be attending with two other bloggers from my island in the sun.

We connected through our blogs months before and travelling, attending the conference and living together for a few days, not only sealed our friendship in blogging but moved it beyond that as well. I will be forever grateful for that.

This year I planned to attend by myself and while I knew I would miss my friends, I was extremely excited to navigate the conference no longer a newbie but still very much new to blogging conferences and it definitely would have been my first time in LA.

What I will miss

I will miss the energy. If you’ve been to a BlogHer conference you know what I’m talking about. The air is alive with hope, love, excitement and just enough fear of the unknown that if it were a alive it would probably look like a unicorn…it’s that’s amazing.

I will miss the opportunities for learning. Not just the sessions – if you choose the right ones for you and where you are at with your blogging journey it can definitely make a difference. I will miss the meet-ups, the random coffees and the in-the-hallway-chats. That’s how I met Tiffany of the The Mrs. Tee, through a random call for a dinner date. Tiffany is a VOTY honoree this year! Congratulations to her.

I will miss the opportunity to explore a new city. I think what made my conference experience so great last year, was that I saw NYC with two friends. While, I wasn’t new to the city it was my first time getting to show other people some of my favourite spots and it was just so cool. We had fun.

Some tips and lessons

A tip for those considering attending a blogging conference is to get there a day or two before and get to know the city you’re in. It’s a also a priceless opportunity to connect with bloggers BEFORE the start of the conference, especially for newbies.

You will meet your favourite bloggers and they will turn out to be normal people. You will have blogger groupie moments. And it will be amazing. Yup. That happened and I went over and introduced myself and it was like I said…amazing.

My biggest lesson was letting go of my expectations and surrendering to the experience. The best things happen when you least expect it. This is how I met and connected with a blogger I admire. We had just boarded the bus to head to the closing party. I was sitting in the front because we were the first ones on. Behind me, sat Elan…I could not believe it. She wrote this post and it really resonated with me. It’s one thing to leave a comment on a blog post but to meet the writer and express exactly how much what she wrote echoed your own feelings and fears. That was truly priceless. And it happened on the bus, on the way to the closing party.

After, after party #BlogHer15

You will find your tribe. BlogHer offers this unique opportunity to connect with women and men who are your brand of crazy or normal. Same difference. Like my call for other Caribbean and international attendees to meet up in the hotel lobby after the closing party at last year! That turned into the best lime this Trini could have asked for. 2 Jamaicans, 1 Bahamian, 1 Bajan and 3 Trinis and 2 honorary Trinis. We had fun!

I’m gonna miss all the swag! I kid you not, BlogHer has the best swag and you have to be smart about packing before you get there, or you will need an extra bag for the stuff you get over the course of just 3 days.

Self-care while at the conference is important. I had a mini implosion which lead to an explosion in my room by the Friday afternoon of #BlogHer15. You need to take regular breaks. Please don’t be like me. You cannot do all the things. Because there is just too much to.do.see.experience. Breathe. Go for a walk. Skip a talk. It’s okay.

Oh that reminds me re-entry is a thing. And I am definitely NOT going to miss that. Life after a BlogHer conference can be difficult to assimilate. I went back to work on the Monday after #BlogHer15 and by the Wednesday I crashed and burned. Hard. It was too much. My brain needed the break to just get all the ideas and connections out without the distraction of work.

Great things happen when women and men support each other. And that was been my best experience at #BlogHer15 and what I was hopeful for this year. Ah well. #BlogHerFood16 is in Austin *fingerscrossed* that’s where I’ll be headed in October – hopeful but mindful.

I’m going back to stalking Instagram for #BlogHer16 updates.

Now I want to hear from you. Have you been to a BlogHer conference or blogging conference before? What was your experience like? Do you plan to attend a conference in the future?

Vernette April 26, 2016

Finding My ‘C’ Spot

As life gets more hectic, getting four friends together for an evening of wine and some painting took some coordinating and the patience of our awesome facilitator Simone.

Last Saturday after many stops and starts, we finally made it to CSpot Studio for some painting and sips.

Click here for more info on CSpot.

The target!

My thoughts at the start: There is no way my painting is going to look like the original.

Aaalll the burshes!

So many choices.

Photo credit: Ruhi F.

At this point, as the painting started shaping up…I was amazed.

My Masterpiece! Never mind the wonky bird.

Our facilitator Simone, kept things lively. A genius idea, this “finding your C-Spot”. She had everyone chuckling with many veiled references to techniques on finding your creative soul. The laughter certainly helped ease the anxiety about perfection or questions about skill.

She has only been running the sessions since July of 2015 but already the idea is catching on here in Trinidad. Sessions run for two and half hours and can be tailored to your needs – private sessions, birthday celebrations etc. She also runs creative sessions for kids – of course tastefully tailored for the audience, which I think is a great idea for family fun and if you’re already thinking about things to do during the August Break.

An artist herself, Simone said that she wants to enjoy what she does as much as the creatives who come to the sessions. Thus, she would not paint the same thing two days in a row and there was evidence of quite a few options in rotation. Here are some other options available for creatives:

An evening well spent discovering our creative spots, definitely next level girls night out ish! I certainly recommend this session and will be back, as soon as I can synchronize watches with my friends once again.

Cheers! Girls Night Out was a resounding success!

Vernette February 29, 2016

7 for SEVEN

As February began…so it ends…on a Monday!

20160228_120322 HAPPY LEAP DAY EVERYONE! I hope you made the most of this “extra” day.

This has been the best February of my life! I’m going to share with you in photos some of the things that has been happening this month. All of which has lead to some amazing experiences, great connections and plenty plenty love.

The FOCUS this month was on starting and moving forward…and not worrying about the destination. I was more concerned about “taking the next little step” than where those steps are leading me. And I am proud to say that progress – though small – has been made in the directions of my dreams.

…every Monday, we post seven positives from the previous seven days of the week as a reminder of what we have so that the week starts out on an upswing. There is much truth in the belief that happy people attract good things, so it is important to start the week out right. Sometimes it’s the more grand, but other times, it’s the simple things.~Key + Arrow

7 for Seven originated at Key + Arrow and now let’s get into my 7 for this week [with some photos to add some perspective]:

The little light that is now shining for all the world to see. I AM OFFICIALLY AN AUNTY! I am one big ball of happy right now…because our family has been blessed with this pure light. It’s been 4 days of amazement and I am feeling aaaall the feels. Because I cannot share the photo I really want to share, I will share one that kinda says how I feel.

IMG_20150716_133529

Taking back all the bad things I ever thought about over-eager parents who over-share about their children on social media. I.get.it.now. I want to show off our little treasure. I want the world to see and echo a collective “awww” when they see that cute little face that I just want to love up. I get it parents. I get it aunties. And I am officially sorry for all the bad things I ever thought about your kiddie pix.

This Love I feel. I have never felt this way before – excited, awed, protective, joyful, hopeful with a healthy dose of fear all bubbling together for this tiny human. The thing that amazes me about the depth of this feeling is that…I’m the aunt. Not the mother. So I can only imagine what THAT feeling must be like. And I am looking forward to it.

Learning to make peace with colouring outside the lines. Soooo one of sweetest people I know gave me a colouring book with crayons as a Christmas/New Year/Galentines Day present. By the end of the first weekend with the book…my thumbs were sore from colouring. I forgot how much fun that activity was. And just how much I enjoy bringing a page to life with colour. The downside with “adult” coloring books…is that the designs are intricate. Tiny lines and fat crayons can make for some frustrating moments. But…I’m learning to let go of the need to stay in the lines and I’m pretty happy with my result.

20160229_204404 Still sticking with my fitness plan. So proud of that myself that two months into 2016, I’m still making good decisions when it comes to diet and exercise. I’m not going to lie…some days it is a bitch to work all day and then go work out but I’m sticking with it. I feel better when I do.

Which brings me to (because random and I deserve it for sticking with my sensible eating plan thus far) – Homemade Coconut Ice Cream. An extra special treat is homemade ice cream…but there is something heavenly about homemade coconut ice cream. When it is made well…it’s the perfect mix of coconut (real coconut) milk and sweetness. That’s a two-scoop cup below. I had all of it and I’m satisfied to report that it was fantastic.

20160228_135545

And finally, I am grateful for my very own blue bird of happiness.

I hope that by continuing to pay attention to the little things, the mundane details that make up all the blessings in my life and by sowing the seeds of faith and gratitude, I can truly carry with me and reap the rewards of “positivity + balance + bliss” throughout the days ahead.

Thank you for reading, I appreciate you! This is me blowing some glitter and confetti on you because you’re super blessed to have received the gift of another 86,400 seconds today, to spend any way you desire.

Make those seconds count!

I love hearing from you…what are you grateful today? How is 2016 shaping up for you? Feel free to share below!

What I will miss

Some tips and lessons

POLICY OF YES