Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!

NaBloPoMo August

Ole ole, ole ole
Ole ole, ole ole…
Feeling hot hot hot…

Nope, not that kind of hot, even though it is pretty hot here on my little island in the Caribbean. Phew!

I’m feeling HOT because I’ve finally decided to take on a month-long writing challenge! YAY ME!

The lovely ladies over at BlogHer issue this challenge every month. NaBloPoMo August’s theme is AYCH-OH-TEE…HOT!!!

So over the next 31 days things are gonna get all steamy over here. You don’t want to miss it!

Oh and I apologize if you have the song stuck in your head now!

The Year Ahead

Choose wisely.

Choose wisely.

A year from now you’ll wish you had started today!

– Karen Lamb

New Year.
Fresh start.
New approach.

Happy New Year to me! I’m all about loving my life to the fullest for the next 12 months and beyond. Most people I know these days have some sort of “Bucket List”, I call mine my “Life List”. Today, as I reviewed this list and I thought about all those experiences I want to have before I move on to the great by and by, I realized that they can only come to fruition when I make the space for them to unfold.

Because according to Napoleon Hill, “there is a difference between WISHING for a thing and being READY to receive it.” BOOM! That’s why I keep adding things to that Life List faster than I can cross them off. I’m just not ready yet. I haven’t created the space in my life for the things I really want. And complaining about all the perceived lack in my life is not helping. In fact, the more I complain or just express a wish for a “better” life and not actually DO anything to turn it into a goal, is the more I affirm to myself and to the Universe that I’m cool with the status quo. I’m cool with wishing and not acting. By complaining and not acting I make mediocrity my “normal” and I’m not cool with that.

Possibility needs space to unfold.

So as I start a new year, a little older and a lot wiser, now is as good a time as any to make a change. Now is the time to unpack that baggage from the past once and for all and clear out all that old, stagnant energy that is no longer serving me. Now is the time to send a signal to the Universe that I’m ready for true abundance in my life.

“Living a great life requires us each to be present and “open” – to have space – to be part of today on today’s terms. An open heart, an open mind, an open spirit, and an open schedule all create room for possibilities – new possibilities – better possibilities”

Sooo for the next 12 months I’m going to ditch the Life List and focus on my Love List. I love lists what can I say! I’m going to share with you my “Lucky 33” Love List, this will be my guide to loving my life to the fullest and my shout to the Universe that I’m ready for abundance:

  • I will stop worrying about debt and spend less.
  • I will forgive myself.
  • I will let go of unfair expectations.
  • I will be thankful for all that I have right now.
  • I will do Yoga every week.
  • I will read two books a month and post a review on this blog.
  • I will intentionally feed someone. Be it a kind word, Saying “I love you” or making a sandwich for the homeless.
  • There is only one step. The first step.
  • There is no perfect plan.
  • Fear is normal. Fear makes me human.
  • Failure is ok because I fail forward.
  • I will remain open to change.
  • The past is the past. I don’t live there anymore.
  • The only person I can change is myself!
  • I have everything inside of me at this moment, to be everything I want to be!
  • EWOP! Everything is Working Out Perfectly!
  • Anything worth having, takes hard work. I am ready to do the work I need to do.
  • I have huge relationship fears and I commit to facing them rather than burying them.
  • I will let Love in.
  • I will communicate clearly and I will act accordingly. In the words of John Mayer “Say what you need to say”.
  • I am in control of my life.
  • I write my own permission slips.
  • I will Plan (because I’m a planner). I will Act. Then I will Let Go of the outcome.
  • I will be present to the present.
  • The life I live is the sum of my choices. I will choose wisely.
  • Time is the only currency I have. I will spend it on the people and experiences that make this journey worthwhile.
  • I will choose quality over quantity. Every time!
  • There is opportunity in every challenge.
  • Now is the time. The time is ALWAYS now.
  • Now is the time to start.
  • I speak truth, I live truth.
  • I am a priority.
  • I’m great at making lists and that’s cool, putting it to use makes it an action plan.

What can you make space for in your life? What can you let go of to allow new and better things to enter?

What would your Love List look like?

Happy Birthday to me!

Thank You, God, for giving me another year of life.
Thank You for all the people who remembered me today
by sending emails, and text/bb messages, gifts and good wishes.

Thank You for all the experiences of this past year;
for times of success which will always be happy memories,
for times of failure the lessons which reminded me of my own weakness and of my need for You,
for times of joy when the sun was shining,
for times of sadness which drove me to You.

Forgive me
for the hours I wasted,
for the chances I failed to take,
for the opportunities I missed this past year.
Help me in the days ahead to make this the best year yet,
and through it to draw to myself light and love,
bring happiness and pride to my cohort of awesome,
and joy to You.

Amen.

Warrior of the Light

Light & Love

Light & Love

ONE helluva ride!

WHOO HOO!!! *doing a one-year blogiversary dance*

WHOO HOO!!! *doing a one-year blogiversary dance*

My blogiversary was actually last week, but hey…I LOVE celebrations so the festivities are gonna continue for a little longer!

How this blog came into being:
My cousin suggested I submit a piece for an online, local magazine and I did. I got positive feedback from the editor but my piece was not the best fit for the magazine. We went back and forth with re-write after re-write and my ego got pretty bruised in the process because I mean really, how could my stuff just not measure up.

When I got my last re-write, I was on my way to Jamaica for a two-week vacation and I told the editor that I would look at the piece again when I got back to Trinidad. But then something magical happened in Jamaica, not only did I get clear on what I wanted and how I wanted to live my life (no marijuana was involved just in case you wondered)…I decided to stop trying to fit into someone else’s mold of what I should write.

While in Jamaica I remembered my failed first attempt at blogging over at Blogger. So when I returned home, I immediately looked for it and decided a revamp was in order. I chose WordPress as my new platform, imported my old blog and then deleted all those old posts save the very first one because I felt they were from another time, a different me if you will…then a hop, skip and a jump away (at least it feels like it) I’m celebrating my first Anniversary!

So what have I learned in a year of blogging:

    1. Blogging is heart work and not about churning out posts.
    2. BE REAL. No matter how ugly real is.
    3. Get permission from family members before you put all their business in the road.
    4. Patience. I’m a Work In Progress; therefore, I can ALWAYS hit the delete button.
    5. Perseverance. Don’t give up. Keep writing.
    And finally…
    6. Humility. Despite erratic posts, I have a cohort of awesome here, who keep reading, commenting and encouraging me.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!