Yep, it’s true… I’ve moved Live Inspired to another site! 
Head on over to: http://live-inspired.org to catch up with us and see what you’ve missed!
We’re Artists Because… – Guest Blogger!
I’ve been running my own crochet business Kawaii Crochet for 2 years via Facebook and my own website Kawaiicrochet.com
Recently I’ve also opened Alisha Ann Illustrations to display my artwork in hopes to start selling prints in the future.
I have been interested in art since I was a child, especially in the area of Japanese anime. My family has Japanese heritage and I was raised watching movies like Totoro and Princess Mononoke. I took art classes throughout school and continued drawing and painting in my own time. I had a lot of support from my family and friends (and still do!) whenever I had a new idea or project.
I began cooking for myself after high school in order to lose weight and discovered I also had a love for the culinary arts. I pursued this into college for a few years before working in several kitchens and trying to find something that fit me as a career. Starting with pastries and then moving into cake decorating, and finally aspiring to be a chef. Unfortunately, a few bad experiences led me to switch paths away from cooking. I still cook at home and enjoy it but a poorly run kitchen is a complete nightmare.
After my mother learned how to knit, I took up crocheting because it seemed easier. I quickly grew to love this type of art as well. Within weeks I was making and selling hats and gloves at local art shows. Not long after I opened kawaiicrochet.com and started gaining a Facebook following. With the help of my husband, a web developer, we created an inviting website with online ordering and custom items. The name Kawaii Crochet was created with a few things in mind. First, I am a quarter Japanese and kawaii means “cute.” But I also wanted to create cute crocheted items called amigurumi, which are crocheted plush toys. That style has been popularized in Japan, so the name kawaii just seemed to fit.
I have been to Japan on 3 separate occasions and even purchased yarn to take home and crochet with. I was very excited to finally be able to do what I loved and make money at the same time. The next 2 years I stayed strong on the same path and continued to build and popularize my website and business to more and more people, even worldwide. If you live in Michigan, you may have seen me at Ferndale’s DIY Fair or at The Rust Belt Market at 9 Mile and Woodward. I even shipped out a ton of items to California for the I Am 8-Bit show and sold out! The shoppers and other artists are incredibly helpful and supportive at these events. If I had the stock to do this all the time, I would.
However, the nature of handmade crochet items makes it a very seasonal venture. Sales during the winter and colder months were drastically better than the rest of the year. Because of this, I decided to go back to my roots of traditional artwork this year. I’ve learned a lot about the power of social media and am hoping to have some success with prints of my work at Alisha Ann Illustrations, which I’ve named after myself. At the same time I also made contact with Shana of shanalogic.com and we partnered together so I could sell a couple crocheted items through her website. They are completely customized for her and not available anywhere else.
My preferred mediums at the moment are watercolor and acrylics, but I will be experimenting with everything I can get my hands on. I have always wanted to draw realistic portraits and am hoping to conquer that in the coming years.
My favorite artists right now are Agnes Cecile, Kendra Binney, Kristiana Parn, and Kristin Tercek. I have a long way to go but with inspiration like this there’s no telling where I may end up. With hard work and dedication I hope to lead the same example and inspire other artists down the road.
I think the most important thing artists share is a sense of community and understanding for each other. We understand the difference between buying it handmade and buying it from a retail store made in a factory. There is a person tied to that item with a passion who deserves recognition for something they can craft with their own talents.
We aren’t artists because it’s easy, high paying, or risk free. It’s the complete opposite in most cases. We are artists because we live to create. We will work without stopping for hours on end to complete a project.
It’s the only career in which you can truly take your heart and pour it onto a canvas to display to the world who you are and what you stand for.
Better.
I want to be better. I want to do more. I want to do this, this, this and maybe that.
All of these wants and desires are fine until I realize that I’m human and I can’t actually do it all.
Well… Correction – I COULD do it all but it wouldn’t be done well and honestly, that would annoy me more.
I’m trained in advertising/marketing, so I know that my generation was the generation who grew up with “You gave it a great attempt!” ribbons and “You’re still great even though you got last place!” trophies. Our parents took us to dance lessons on Mondays, Karate lessons on Tuesdays, flute lessons on Wednesdays, etc. We were always going, going, going, and then going some more.
We gave the Energizer Bunny a run for his money… I get it.
But when does the pressure become too much?
The other night, I was laying in bed and wondering why I had this nagging feeling that I was actually unhappy. Like I previously mentioned, my life has been fantastic lately – I have a wonderful boyfriend, a job I love, and an adopted (new) kitty; however, something was missing.
That’s when it hit me… I had the “I can do better” syndrome.
When I stopped to think about it, it became obvious to me. I spend MANY hours working from home at the job I love (and the job that pays the bills), then I realize that we could raise more awareness of our company by starting a marketing tumblr account. Then I think about how I could do more with Live Inspired which brings me to working more on my novel. That’s when I decide that writing for Live Sigma Kappa isn’t necessarily enough, and I could branch out and look for other websites to contribute to.
I want to do this, this, and then I want to do that. I realized that I have this innate drive in me to do it all and I realized that I could never ‘truly’ be happy until I reached some unattainable and invisible bench mark in life.
This unattainable and invisible bench mark symbolizes every single achievement that I have ever set for myself and have yet to accomplish (regardless if I’m working towards it or not). This mark keeps raising up higher and higher… It makes me believe that if I just add ‘one more thing‘ to my plate, I’ll be both accomplished and happy – yet, once I do ____, _____, and _____ it says, “Just kidding! Now that you’ve done those things, you can do _____, _____, and ____ THEN you’ll be accomplished and happy!”
Does that scare you like it scared me?
With this sort of mentality, I couldn’t win. I was pinned up against this unrealistic version of myself where time, inspiration, and motivation didn’t exist.
I had to change my mentality… I knew that I would never blow past this unrealistic mark I set for myself. Not because I didn’t want to but because no matter what, I would always strive for more and to be better.
This thought process becomes toxic when you keep raising the bar without noting when you hit the previous bar…
I realized that sometimes you have to sit back and take inventory… You have to think about where you were last week, last month, last year and pin that person against the person you are today.
If you’ve come farther towards your goal than you were then my goodness, you’re doing it. You’re getting SOMEWHERE and that’s a big feat! Even if you take little steps towards these big, bad, intimidating goals you’ve set for yourself then you’re farther than not moving at all.
If you’re happy then for just one moment… STOP… Stop and take it in.
Stop treating each accomplishment you reach as “whatever” and instead, be proud! If you want to lose 10 pounds, take notice when you lose 5. If you want to write a novel, take note when you decide to write a page each night. If you want to do _________ then pat yourself on the back when you __________ and be proud of yourself.
I know it’s hard to take every little accomplishment in and accept it for what it is but believe me, you’ve got to. You’re getting somewhere. You’re moving forward. You’re not forgetting about your dream. You’re doing it.
Stop thinking that you need to do more and more and more.
Just stop for one moment, take a deep breath, and realize that this world is pretty fantastic and you’re working damn hard for what you believe in.
Nobody said it was an easy journey but darling, nothing worth having ever comes easy. Just don’t give up and realize that you’re doing something amazing… Keep going.
You’ve got this.
Stop Searching… Start Doing.
I spent most (blatant lie… probably 2.1% or less) of my childhood looking for four-leaf clovers.
I distinctly remember (once) searching all around my grandparents’ backyard for these little good luck symbols.Because I wanted to make absolutely certain that good things were headed my way, I would scour the entire yard. Well, okay… most of the yard. I wanted to avoid the area near the fence because the neighbor’s dog would yap and bark at me. As a small child, I liked to play it safe.
I looked and looked (for approximately 5 minutes) for these gosh darn clovers, but I neveractually found one. I know that for a fact because I remember thinking I could tape another leaf onto a three-leaf clover and no one would know.
It’s hard to say WHY exactly I wanted a four-leaf clover, especially given the fact that this memory was from when I was a small child, but I KNOW that I wanted one. Truthfully, why WOULDN’T someone want a well-known thing that symbolizes good luck, happiness, and at this age… most likely new Barbies. Things weren’t bad… I just wanted proof that my future would hold bright, shiny, happy, new things.
The point of this seemingly pointless story is to say that even though I never found one of those clovers, it didn’t mean that the year ahead of me (approximately year 8 of my existence) wasn’t great and Barbie-filled. It meant that I just didn’t have a good luck charm to blame my good fortune on.
It’s easy to rely on our own personal four-leaf clovers, lucky underwear, rabbit’s foot or certain penny for our good fortune.
Why?
Why can’t we take responsibility for the good things that come by and smack us in the face (preferably figuratively, not literally)? I’m going to venture out on this imaginary ledge and say that a lot of us work hard for the relationships we cherish, the money we make, and the love we receive. There is a cliche that “nothing worth having ever comes easy.” And it’s true.
Whether you’d like to admit it or not, you’ve worked hard to be where you’re at.
Realize that you’re an amazing person with an amazing opportunity to attract good fortune – donning your lucky pair of underwear or not. With a bit of perseverance, a dash of dedication and a whole lot of hard work… I truly believe that your future can hold bright, shiny, happy, new things.
Create the future you want, and don’t wait for this four-leaf clover to give you permission to have a wonderful day/week/month/year/decade.
Taken directly from my post on Live Sigma Kappa
Grace Face Designs – Guest Blogger!
To live inspired is to me as frosting is to a cupcake.
My whole world has always been spun into some sort of creative web. When I was younger, it was through interpretive dance and lip syncing to Pat Benetar’s Hit Me With Your Best Shot or various types of clubs you create while growing up in a neighborhood filled with kids your age (i.e. bird house building club, firefly club, tent making club, kite flying club, dance club and many more to boot). As I got into high school, I became interested in photography. I found out, in order to take photography, we had to take art&design for one year and then a whole year of drawing. Then, and only when I passed these two classes, would I be able to take photography (Granted, I was very lucky to be living in a world where so many classes were available to me in high school).
I waltzed into my first class of art&design, declaring “The ONLY reason I am taking this class is to take photography”. At the time, I did not know I would be eating these words for the rest of my life. My mentor, Ron Frenzen, will NEVER let me live those words down. Not only did I NOT take Photography, I took SIX art classes my senior year and declared ART as my major at Grand Valley State University and went on to graduate with my Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Metalsmithing and Jewelry. All the while, never having taken a photography class.
Thus started the inner workings of what would later be known as Grace Face Designs.
GFD started as a college ‘craft project’, that now keeps growing more and more every day. I found a bunch of old school bottle caps at a thrift store out in the middle of no where, MI (for the life of me, I will never be able to find that thrift store again). At first, I had no idea what to do with them. I wanted to manipulate them out of context. I did not want them to be your “typical bottle cap” crafts. I wanted to make it into a conceptual design (pssst that did not work either). Everything looked too crafty to be able to turn it in for a grade. Then, one day, I made a pair of earrings, (or should I say beerings?) and I kinda liked them, “crafty” and all!
I never turned them in for a grade, but they stuck. I sold a few pairs here and there, gave them away as presents and art traded with them. I sat on the idea of these so called ‘beerings’ for about two years. It was not until I moved to North Carolina and quit my first job (as a studio photographer, might I add), that I really started to take it seriously. A wise woman told me, “do not limit yourself to just this one design, do not be afraid to branch out“. That got me thinking. I needed more than my original designs, (two)beers for your ears. So I started to experiment. I now have five designs total, with more to come (especially now that I am unemployed at the moment). I have tried to come up with fancy titles for them, ones that will catch your eye, like, (four)play, MORE (four) play, Did I Hear a (NINE)r? and Cluster(truck).
The name Grace Face comes from a nickname I was given as a baby. My face was SO round when I was little, everyone thought it was cute to call me Alaina Grace Pumpkin Face (OR it could have been from the pumpkin costume my mom dressed me up in for my first official Halloween as a trick-or-treater). Either way, my grandma still calls me that today when she is feeling extra sentimental. Not only that, but I had a friend in college who would always call me Alaina Face, unaware of my nickname as a child. Grace Face just feel into place. It had a nice ring to it, not to mention my middle name is Grace and I was named after my Great-Grandma. She meant the world to me. Naming my business Grace Face Designs, means I am carrying a bit of my great grandmother with me every where I go.
With GFD being an up and coming success (fingers crossed), I do not want to limit myself to just that. I want to create more and I feel like I am starting to do just that. I have recently taken up painting, making greeting cards and I am an avid amateur photographer. Since my move to North Carolina, I have worked as a photographer at two different studios (see how life comes full circle?!) and I was a nanny for a sweet little boy in between. I am now, in the process of moving back to Grand Rapids, to invest in the city and in my future.
With all of that being said, I still have a great deal of skills to learn. I wish I would have been more grounded in my studies while I was a student. I have learned so much more discipline living outside the comfort of school. Is that not the point, though? I am much more confident in who I am, what I want and where I want to go because of my “real life” experience. So I guess, now I will just gleefully trudge along and continue to look for inspiration everywhere, learning and making along the way.
Note from Kate: Check out Grace Face Designs on Facebook or head on over to her Etsy shop!
Patience.
I’m an instant gratification kinda girl. Good things come to those who wait? Pssshhh. Challenge accepted.
I want to snap my fingers and/or twitch my nose (I can multi-task) and magically make Jason Mraz appear in the corner of the room, sitting on a golden throne and holding a gallon of ice cream just waiting for my consumption. Okay, so I’m aware that I would have to snap REALLY loudly or you know, dislocate my nose and move it around to make a a huge dream like that happen but hey, it COULD happen. (Cliche – never say never!… Wait, is that a cliche or a Justin Bieber movie? Crap.)
This idea of instant gratification is what was stressing me out lately aka. why the blog post before this one went live over a month ago. I usually take what’s going on in my life, analyze it, then magically make the ideas flow from my brain, down through my fingertips which in turn, smash appropriate keys to convey my specific message. However, I just couldn’t make it happen these past few weeks.
It was odd because it’s not like my life hasn’t been exciting or at the very least, interesting because it has! I went to Philadelphia, Florida, I adopted a cat, I started dating a wonderful man, etc. So why in the world couldn’t I get 500-700 words down to talk about it?
Well, it’s because life wanted to smack me in the face and teach me something. *Shakes fist* Stubborn life lesson stuff…
Like I mentioned, as I was struggling to write something/ANYTHING (and debating on whether or not to shut down my blog), some pretty fantastic things were happening in my life.
Someone I dated a few months ago suddenly reappeared in my life. After A LOT of careful consideration and A LOT of communication, we were able to talk through what happened/why/and we decided to work on fixing things. We needed time apart to find out what we both truly wanted and how important the other was. It’s true - you never really know what you have until it’s gone… And now? Well, now things are absolutely wonderful and I’m happy… My goodness, am I happy.
Sometimes things must fall apart only to be put together once again with an even stronger foundation. If we had tried to get back together after the breakup, it would’ve been one big, bad, ugly train wreck… We needed to be patient and give ourselves time apart to learn more about ourselves and what we wanted.
Then, I got a cuddly cat which I adopted from a pet rescue. It was a little random because even though I sent everyone I know approximately 35 cat pictures each and every day, I didn’t think I’d actually get one of my own.
I think it’s safe to say that both her and I were scared out of our minds… She was crying the whole way back to my house and I was on the verge of tears myself. I’m a mature, responsible, adult but I’ve never had to actually take care of anything else for an extended period of time… and what did I just do? I just adopted a friggen cat on a whim (yes, I did yell ‘commit!’ when I made the choice to get her).
Once I set her down and opened the cat carrier up, she booked it. She immediately ran under the couch but believe it or not, after a few minutes she was ready to snuggle. I was shocked! I figured she would be terrified and skittish but nope, the exact opposite. That is, until night fell – That’s when she turned into a crying ball of fur.
I made it through that night (barely) but the next 3 nights to follow weren’t any different. I needed my sleep – I decided I had to return her.
The next day came and I was supposed to take her back but my heart wouldn’t let me. This previously abandoned cat just wanted to be loved and cuddled… How could I deny her of that?
So, I kept her.
I decided I would power through some sleepless nights to let her know that she was safe and loved. I payed so much attention to that cat… Keeping her on my lap, petting her like crazy, playing with her, rubbing her on my face (okay that was weird and I didn’t do that… I swear) etc. and guess what? That night she cuddled with me in bed and barely meowed at all…
I just needed to be patient with her and not give up. She just needed some time to adjust to both her surroundings and her new home here. I couldn’t expect her to instantly fall in love with me and my apartment… Time was all that was needed for her to relax.
Which brings me back to this blog post… Patience. I just needed time to take it all in and not to rush these sentences. I want to be able to do everything and have everything instantly but that’s not life - Not everything can be rushed.
Patience isn’t my strong suit but life wasn’t about to let me rush into anything. It gave me multiple instances where I had to sit back and relax (and by relax, I do mean stress out). It needed to smack me in the face and say, “Look at all of these good things going on! You wouldn’t have this blog, a boyfriend, or a cat if you just wanted things to happen immediately! Stop being stupid and just slow down for a minute…“
Fear.
Now, I pride myself on liking really great things… Fantastic music, adorable kittens, etc. BUT if there’s one thing that I love, it’s crappy television. Oh my goodness, give me disgustingly tan fist pumping Jersey Shorians and high heeled Kardashian sisters any time, any day. Tonight – for once – this love of terrible TV has paid off. This shameful love has inspired me to write a blog post… Stick with me on this one.
I watched American Idol tonight (judge me <- heh… See what I did there?) and then I watched a re-run of Modern Family. Both of these shows struck a chord with me because both of these shows had the common thread of “Fear” woven into them. I do believe you can probably guess why people who are on American Idol are fearful (that the judges won’t like them, they won’t win, etc.) and on this episode of Modern Family, Claire admitted that she didn’t want to run for office because she was afraid to fail.
While I do love talking about how life happens once you step outside of your comfort zone, I can also admit that living without fear is easier said than done.
Of course, I’m afraid to fail. It’s not something I like to admit but tonight, I will confess it to you on this semi-permanent blog post that can be deleted and/or edited at any time. Okay, seriously though… The fear of failing is one of the reasons that I’ve been holding myself back from finishing this and starting that. I’m afraid to reach out to some people for fear that it will only end in heartache. I’m afraid to finish my novel for fear that nobody else will like it.
I’m pretty sure that it’s normal to be afraid of not succeeding. You can be afraid to start a project for fear that no one will appreciate the time it took you to create the finished product or that they don’t understand your passion for it. You can be afraid to talk to that cute boy or girl across the room. You can be afraid to take out your nose ring to switch it out for something smaller because you’re pretty sure you’re going to pass out in the process… You didn’t exactly think ahead and realize that you would have to slide this metal object out of your own face by yourself while you were conscious… Hmm… Just me?
Yes, all of this is normal and no, nobody will judge you for failing. If they do judge you then I give you permission to silently hate them.
The thing here to remember is that dammit… You tried.
Plus, there are SO many benefits to failing! 
- You TRIED
- You don’t have to play the “What If” game
- You TRIED
- You know how NOT to go about it the next time around
- You TRIED
You know that you gave it your all and if it didn’t work, then it didn’t work. No harm done and I can guarantee you’re a better person for trying; however, please keep in mind that even if it didn’t work this time, that doesn’t mean that you’ll never succeed!
Live a little. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. Don’t be afraid to fail. Don’t be afraid to try again.
If you’re afraid of looking dumb then stop it. That’s silly… I look dumb all of the time! Heck, if you think looking dumb is the worst thing in the world… I’ll prove you wrong. I’ll do something stupid, video tape it, and share it with Live Inspired if it will convince you that looking dumb is not an excuse for not trying something.
- Side note: If this happens by some odd reason, I’m putting a disclaimer right now that I need proof that you actually did something you were afraid to do… haha -
In the American Idol episode tonight, one girl auditioned with an Aerosmith song and she sang it for Steven Tyler! Yep! She sang it to the original singer!
Do you know how frightening that must’ve been?!
But guess what?
She didn’t pass out. She didn’t pee her pants. She didn’t die.
She’s just fine and she’s going to Hollywood.
You’ll be just fine too
Planned.
Confession: I’ve started this post approximately 4.5 different ways within the last week. I’ve read articles about how to rid yourself of writers block. I’ve bashed my head against my computer twice (that’s a lie).
About 45 minutes ago, I said… “This is it! I have coffee, I have loud music, and I have motivation… I WILL win this battle, writers block!”
Now, since boldly and confidently mouthing that statement to myself in a packed coffee shop… I didn’t actually write anything else; HOWEVER, while sitting here staring a blank screen, I thought to myself, “I’m really awesome.”
Yes, I’m aware that’s fairly conceited but hear me out – I was listening to some great rock music, my hair is as big and fro-like as humanly possible, and my mind was beginning to wander. My thought process went a little something like, “Wow… her jacket is great” to “I wish I had a jacket… I’m freezing” to “Stop thinking about that jacket and how cold you are and get to work.” Instead of working, I let my mind wander…
I began to think about how much I’ve grown lately and my recent accomplishments and that’s when I felt it – That happy spark.
Do you know the one? That spark of joy when you sit back and take a good look at yourself and your accomplishments. The spark you feel when you just know that everything is falling into place just the way it’s supposed to. It’s when you feel as if all of the hard work you’ve put into your life is finally paying off. It’s that moment where you feel comfortable in your own skin and proud to be who you are.
Sometimes, I get stressed out and caught up in the fact that I’m 25 and as a small child, I thought that when you were in your mid to high 20s… you were old. I thought that I’d be skipping merrily along the “married with kids” path at this age and I would have it all figured out.
Sometimes, I need to remember that the plan I conceived when I was 10 years old doesn’t work years and life experiences later (A little reevaluation goes a long way). I need to remember that everything happens for a reason. At least, that’s my personal opinion and I’m sure it’s not a surprising opinion if you’ve been following my blog.
Sometimes, you just have to sit back and realize that things are pretty gosh darn great, whether you planned this life a decade ago or a day ago. It’s still a beautiful life. (I’m perfectly aware that that sentence is incredibly cliche but it’s true… I can’t help it).
Spend a hot second to take inventory of all of the great things in your life and realize how awesome YOU are.
For me: I’m lucky enough to be able to follow my dreams of writing (for things other than this blog haha), I have great hair, I have a job that I love, I’m surrounded by people who love me and better yet… who have a great sense of humor, and I’m lucky in all of the ways that truly matter.
Yes, I might get writers block every now and then and go a few weeks without a new post (oops) but look at what comes from that? Something even better than a forced post!
I feel as though we all get caught up in the whirlwind of life and forget to stop and look both at the world around us and at ourselves. Stop it and realize how awesome you are!
These sentences and paragraphs may be a little scattered and are maybe not as polished of a post as I would’ve preferred but that’s okay. Not everything has to be perfect and planned out…
Willpower.
There are a few different reasons to pretend as if you’re suffering from amnesia… there aren’t A LOT of reasons, but there are a few. For example, it’s best to pretend that you’re suffering from memory loss when your boss … Continue reading
Word Choice: The Breakdown of Resolutions – Guest Blogger!
I have to admit: I’m incredibly iffy on the term “resolutions,” when it comes to the New Year. Maybe it’s the cultural connotation, but every time I hear that word in its typical context, all I think about are boundaries.
I HAVE to exercise at least 5.27 hours a day until February, if I want to fit into this dress I bought.
If I don’t get all A’s this semester, I’m never going to graduate college, and I’ll have to sell unsharpened pencils on the street corner to earn a living.
I’m going to make a bulleted list of all the ways I can live in the moment each day.
OK, maybe I exaggerated a little, but you get my point. Starting a new year with the weight of the solar system on my shoulders does little to inspire me—even without Pluto in the mix, that kind of bulk can’t be good for anyone’s posture, so I’ve decided to change up my vocabulary.
I’ve always thrived in situations where I’ve had to work towards something, versus against something, which is why I’ll be using the word “goals” to describe my 2012 to-do list. I like goals—it’s persuasive without being over-the-top, and motivating without being soul-crushing. It gives me hope for the things I wish to achieve, no matter how big or small. Size doesn’t matter—this is more than an overused euphemism, my friends. When it comes to goals, I truly believe it.
A few of mine:
1. Apply to grad school. I just graduated last April with a BA in Creative Writing, and I already miss school; I miss the community and the conversations. All my professors have advised us students to wait—live a little—but I want it now, so I’m going to try for it now.
2. Read more. Pretty easy, right: Buy book, sit down with book, open book, absorb. My problem is everything in between the “buy” and “absorb.” I adore reading, but it’s finding the resolve to chain myself to one spot long enough to do it.
3. Eliminate unnecessary tunnel vision. Your dear LiveInspired Blogmistress, Kate, is all too familiar with this trait of mine. When I see something I want, I need to get it now (See #1). This is especially annoying when we’re playing Super Paper Mario, and I jump off a cliff because all I see is the extra life and not the ledge. I’m not a big-picture thinker, so I need to learn to use my peripherals.
4. Find medium. I know two speeds in life: Speedy Gonzalez and bear in winter. If I’m not constantly on-the-go or stressed out to the max, I hibernate—you know, the kind of hibernation that doesn’t involve changing out of pajamas or showering for days. It’s not pretty. Finding that medium will be better for my health—and social life, most likely.
5. Be happy. No explanation needed.
One of my favorite writers, Annie Dillard said, “Consciousness itself does not hinder living in the present…self-consciousness, however, does hinder the experience of the present. It is the one instrument that unplugs all the rest.”
So, no matter how you choose to live in 2012, I hope you do it BIG, do it bold, and do it without fear of the present.
You deserve it.
Note From Kate: Meghan is the Empowerment Editor at Khloe Magazine.
“Khloē Magazine is unlike any other media outlet out there– we are entirely reader contributed and will be featuring real models of real sizes. The hope and dream of launching Khloē Magazine is to change the face of women’s media, one issue at a time.”
Please check out their website and their Facebook page to learn more!
