Monthly Mantra 2017: December

For the past few months I've been extremely focused on my goals.  I have been working quietly on building my business, creating a brand, and setting myself up for success.  Once opportunities came knocking on my door however, I was scared shitless.  I thought, "No, I'm not on that level yet!  I can't possibly do that right now, I'm not ready!"  I was afraid of starting something I didn't know how to do.  It was scary and nerve-wracking and I had no idea what I was doing.  I said yes anyway.

During the past month, my items have been showcased in a fundraiser fashion show, I have been featured on a local news segment, and just recently delivered some items to be sold at a local surf shop.  I'm doing the things I had dreamed of doing and reaching the goals I had set for myself much faster than I thought possible because I started before I thought I was ready.  The people who came and presented me with those opportunities KNEW I was ready because they saw potential that I couldn't.  I am so thankful for them and am excited for what the future has in store for me.

Though I'm not where I want to be yet and still have a long way to go, I am confident that I will accomplish my goals by pushing past my self-doubt and seizing the opportunities that come my way.

This is the last month of 2017 and it has been a crazy/fun/exciting year and I cannot wait to enter 2018 with a clear mind and a new set of goals than what I started with in 2017.

Monthly Mantra 2017: November

I've been distant from this blog in the recent months (hell, the last year really) because I've come up short on what to write, what to say, and just overall inspiration to post anything.  I don't even know if anyone still reads this blog or follows my updates, or even really gives a shit about what I post - and that's okay.

When this blog first started picking up momentum a few years ago, I was obsessed with it.  I put my heart into writing posts, coming up with ideas, hosting giveaways, connecting with other people, and actively participating in the blog world.  Since Instagram and Snapchat became popular, the blogging community has turned into something entirely different.  We don't read as many blogs, write as many posts, or comment as much as we used to before.  People seem to prefer imagery over written words and I have given up on trying to keep up, let alone compete.

I've been working on so much in my life lately that I neglected to even write a post at all last month and that's just the way life is sometimes.  I do want to keep this blog active and I do want to continue writing posts, if only to document little snippets of my life and books I've read or poems I've written.  I don't have high hopes of being a professional blogger or collaborating with big brands anymore because it's not my passion but I will continue to write posts when the whim hits me.  Until then, follow your passion.

Monthly Mantra 2017: August

July was a full-throttle roller coaster ride with ups and downs and twists and turns.  My family and I had SO much fun on vacation but it was also so exhausting!  Amusement parks just about every single day, long drives, early mornings and late nights, not to mention ALL the junk food.  We have tons of great experiences and memories to last us for a while, or at least until the next big vacation.

Now we're finally in August, which is the beginning of fall and the beginning of the school year and I'm so ready for it.  I've got some big plans for myself and I'm finally ready to commit to the goals and deadlines that I set in order to make it work.  No more excuses.

This month, I'll be working non-stop on myself inside and out.  Practicing my craft, working out, getting in-tune with my soul, eating healthier, reading (in case you were wondering where my Books Lately post is for July - I did not finish a single book), listening to and taking care of my body's needs, writing, and basically just finding a groove to get into where I will be happy and satisfied with everything that I have, yet focused and motivated to move forward with my plans and goals.

Wish me luck that everything doesn't fall to shit.  Or, if it does, at least that I'll be able to handle it without losing my shit!

Monthly Mantra 2017: July

I touched on "big changes" in my last Mantra post for June and this month is all about the adventure.  We're a spontaneous pair, Joey and I, and we've been back and forth about putting our roots down here on Guam vs. leaving the island.  There are pros and cons to both sides and while we're still not fully committed to a decision yet, we'll be going on a trip this month to help decide it once and for all.  Okay, maybe not "for all".  Probably just "for now" until we feel adventure calling us again next year.

Monthly Mantra 2017: June

Things have been brewing lately that I can't discuss on here yet.  Big changes may be in store for us in the near future and though we've been talking back and forth about it for months now, it may finally come down to putting it into action.  I'm scared out of my mind because it is a big decision and I don't want to do something that we'll regret later on, but it is also really exciting and something I know we can handle if we put in the work.

Cheers to a summer of big changes and new beginnings!

Monthly Mantra 2017: May

Things have been going 100mph in my life since April and I haven't had a chance to blog, read, or clear my mind fully until now.  There are so many things that have been going on and now that things are slowing down (though only barely) I finally have a little time to bring my creative side out again.  

I've done a lot of reflecting during those busy weeks and have learned the true feelings and motives of those around me.  The people who I drop everything for don't appreciate the effort it takes and instead choose to speak unkindly and negatively about me to others.  This realization put me in a bad place for a few days until I decided to quit feeling sorry for myself and letting the actions of others affect me so much.  I've decided that those people aren't important to me anymore and I no longer hold them in high regard because they only bring me down.  Though I can't cut them out of my life completely, I can distance myself from them and not let their opinions and actions get to me because I deserve to be treated better than that.

Monthly Mantra 2017: April

If you haven't figured it out, April's mantra is all about health and fitness.  I was doing pretty good at eating healthy and working out consistently up until my surgery in December.  After my surgery, I allowed my body some time to heal but have been trying to get back into the habit without much success.

This month, I plan to wean myself off the wheat again and start eating small, healthy meals regularly.  I'll also be changing my workout times from lunch to mornings since I've been using my lunches to run errands lately and I don't want that to deter me from reaching my goals.

As far as numbers go, my goal is to run at least 4 miles per week, and workout for at least 30 minutes 3 times per week using my Sweat app.  I'll be weighing myself, but will also be taking photos of myself (yikes!) to document my progress.

And because I like to document things and hold myself accountable to them, I'll be keeping a journal of the things I eat, my runs, workouts, feelings, accomplishments, new goals, etc. to keep myself motivated.

What about you?  Got any health/fitness goals to smash this month?

Monthly Mantra 2017: March

Writing has always been a way for me to calm down and reflect on things when life gets crazy.  It allows me to express my feelings in a productive and positive way and it's just so freeing.  Sometimes, when I'm really angry I'll let it all out on paper and then shred it up and throw it away.  Just doing that makes me feel so much better.

Before smartphones and social media, I would use my free time to read and write.  I used to write poems, short stories and songs just for fun.  When I was a teenager, I'd lock myself up in my room and just write.  It didn't matter what I was writing, as long as I was putting pen to paper.  These days, it's harder and harder to sit down and concentrate enough to write something.

This month, I plan to start writing more.  Poems, lists, short stories, even just little positive affirmations to reflect on.  My goal is to write at least once a day.  One line, one paragraph, one poem, whatever - as long as I'm writing, my heart will be happy.

What about you?  How does writing make you feel?

Monthly Mantra 2017: February

If you didn't know from my past few posts, I've recently started decluttering and reorganizing with the KonMari method after reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo so it's no surprise that February's mantra is all about changing our surroundings.

During this month, I'll be continuing on my KonMari journey and posting about each category I complete in the hopes of having a tidier, less cluttered home.  After completing the first category, (clothes), I felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders.  It was amazing to see how much space I could free up by letting go of things I didn't really, truly love.  Once you get rid of the things that don't spark joy, you'll be left with only the things that make you happy, and that's exactly what a home should be - a safe, secure and happy place.

Monthly Mantra 2017: January

January is the first month of the year so I put my best foot forward by changing my look.  I've never been one to take the whole "New Year, New You" thing to heart, but this year is all about CHANGE for me so I'm going for it.

After much deliberation, I've jumped back on the eyelash extension bandwagon and I also finally cut my hair.  I'm also getting back into makeup by learning new techniques, trying new products, etc.  I plan to overhaul my entire wardrobe as well so I can get back to the basics rather than splurging on trendy pieces that I only wear for a month or so.

And, keeping with the CHANGE theme for this year, I'm going to learn to style my hair.  Hair is where I fail as a girl.  It always frustrated me because I can never get it to cooperate!  This year I'm going to try to style my hair differently at least once a week and do some fun things (like dye) throughout the year.

Now that my body is finally back to normal after my gallbladder surgery last month, I'm able to start working out again like I used to.  I'll be starting from day 1 and rebuilding the habit of exercising consistently with my Sweat app and running every week.  Without my gallbladder, I'm not able to eat some of the foods I used to so I'm still experimenting with what my body can and can't tolerate in order to create a healthy (but still delicious) diet plan.

Also, since we're talking about changing appearances, I'm thinking of redoing the appearance of this blog as well.  Adding some pages, changing the layout, etc.  What do you think?  It's been a while since I've done anything besides post sporadically around here so maybe a re-brand is in order...

So, those are some of the changes happening this month.  What about you?  Are you changing anything about yourself this year?

Monthly Mantra 2016: December

We're finally in the last month of 2016!  Can you believe it?  I can't.  I feel like my mind is still back in mid-October.  Anyone else feel like that?

This month's mantra is basically "Let Go".  All the stress I've felt throughout the year, all the toxic people who I really tried to get along with, the countless times I've had an idea but never went through with it.  I'm just going to let it all go.

 

Speaking of letting go, I'll be letting go of my gallbladder in the next few days.  The doctors found multiple gallstones when I went in after a sleepless night of pain last week.  I'm a bit nervous as I've never had any type of surgery done, but hopefully all goes well and I'm back to work quickly - because I'll need as many hours as I can get trying to pay for medical bills AND Christmas gifts all at once.  Yikes!

 

2017 is fast approaching and I'd like to start fresh.  New ideas, new attitudes, maybe even a new look?  Who knows?

 

What have you got going on this month?  Anything you need to let go of?  Have you had your gallbladder removed?

Monthly Mantra 2016: November

We're almost to 2017 so it's time to buckle down and power through.  Don't lose sight of your goals and do NOT compare your life to anyone else's, especially during the holiday season.  Be thankful for what you've got and congratulate yourself on all the hard work you've put in thus far.  Let's do this.

Monthly Mantra 2016: October

For the past few months I have been a bit depressed.  I've been angry at myself for not reaching the goals I had hoped to reach by this time of the year yet I haven't been pushing myself as much as I should.  I've been lazy and full of excuses as to why I can't get off my ass and do something.  I keep telling myself that once things settle down I'll have more time to sew and draw and let my creative side out again.  The truth is, things won't be settling down for a long time so I just have to learn how to get over my excuses and do something.  I'm only hurting myself more by not trying and I'm over being gloomy, irritable and dull.

Monthly Mantra 2016: September

It's September already.  Another month down, three more to go.  August was busy.  Crazy busy.  Back to school, work deadlines, etc.

September has started with a whirlwind of productivity so far and I intend to keep that train moving.  Overhaul cleaning, lots of reading, killing my runs and workouts, reclaiming my creative side, and just all around bad-assery happening this month.

Let's do this.

Monthly Mantra 2016: August

Seriously, how the hell is it August already?  Is anyone else as confused as I am as to where the year went?

Summer is just about over and it's time to get our goals back in focus and start getting shit done.  July was a crazy month for me and I feel like it really just passed me by without so much as a wave in my direction.  I was forced yet again to deal with situations of fake people and toxic relationships, so now I'm just focusing on myself and my happiness.  I know that karma will eventually come back around for those people, and then I'll be able to rub my happiness and success in their pretentious fucking faces because, why not right?

So, this month, let's focus on working on ourselves and moving forward to prove all those doubters, haters, jealous assholes, and negative motherfuckers wrong.  Bring it on, August!

Monthly Mantra 2016: July

A few months ago, Lisa did a post called Six-Word Memoir where she summarized her life in six-word sentences.  I thought it was such a fun concept and had planned to steal the post from her but then I thought:  why not turn it into a daily thing?  Cool, right?

See, the thing is, as you get older, it gets harder and harder to remember certain things, people, moments, etc.  I mean, I'm only 30 (I say "only" like I wasn't freaking out about it for the whole month of May) and I already find it hard to recall exact moments and memories from my 20's.  When I try to think back on my younger years, it's like memory roulette.  Some things are clear and make sense, while others are just random bits and pieces of moments that happened.  Okay, so maybe a lot of those moments involved alcohol, but I'm still leaning toward the age thing.

So this month, I'm going to write a six-word sentence to summarize each day.  Maybe some days I'll elaborate on that sentence, maybe not.  It's just a way for me to document my memories, moments, and most importantly, the feelings of my life.  Good or bad, happy or sad - I'd like to remember each of them. 

I'm going to post one each day, whether I type it out here in post format, write it on a notepad and snap a picture of it, tweet it, record it - whatever.  Just as long as I have a little memoir of each day documented.  Wanna join me in this little challenge?  No pressure, of course, but it would be fun to see other people's memoirs throughout the month.  This is also a great way for me (and you) to get back into the habit of writing, which I've been pretty horrible at for the past year.

What does the story of your life look like right now?  Do you find yourself struggling to recall certain things from when you were younger?

Monthly Mantra 2016: June

Welcome to June, the beginning of summer, where all our dreams of adventure seem possible.  Unless you're a teacher or student (or extremely rich and don't have to work for a living), chances are you're stuck at work during the summer months like me.  And while it can seem depressing at times since we're busy adulting while the rest of the world seems to be having fun, we can still have our summer adventures and keep our 9-5 too!

I've lived on an island all my life so summer to me is beaches, bikinis, salt water, bonfires and sunshine.  But, I know that not everyone has the opportunity to go to the beach whenever they want or camp out on the sand.  What I do know is that everyone does have the opportunity to soak up some sun this month even if it's just for a few minutes a day.

So, no matter where you are, put some sunscreen on and go out and bask in the warmth and goodness of the sun.  Eat lunch outside, drive with the windows down and let the wind blow through your hair, sit on your roof and watch the sky as the sun disappears.  Do what makes you feel good and take back your summer!

Monthly Mantra 2016: May

It's May!  Can you believe it?  The month of flowers, transitioning from spring into summer, and my birth month!  I'm about a week late on this month's mantra because I had a hard time figuring out what it should be.

Ever since Queen Bey dropped LEMONADE a few weeks ago, I've kinda been obsessed with it.  I also have Rihanna's ANTI on repeat too, along with TWENTY88 and a few other amazing songs.  Music has a way of changing your mood, expressing the things that you don't know how to and can transport you to a different time and place.  Music is therapy.

This month, I encourage you to do more than just listen to the music.  Curate a playlist of your favorite songs and put that on repeat for the rest of the month.  Feel it.  Breathe it.  Live it.

Monthly Mantra 2016: April

Welcome to April, the month of poetry.  This line from Atticus is one of my favories.  I'm constantly on my feet and on the go whether it's running errands, clearing up at home after a long day at work, or going to practices and games for the kids.  My live is usually extremely chaotic and though I do work well under pressure, I also need to allow myself some time to enjoy it all.  Finding a balance between chaos and peace is what I'll be focusing on this month.

What about you?  What is your mantra this month?  Is your life pretty chaotic too?  How do you find balance?

Monthly Mantra 2016: March

Art Credit:  Ancient Latte Stones by Ric Castro

March is Chamorro Heritage month here on Guam and so I thought this quote was perfect for this month's mantra.  We all get so busy with our day-to-day routines, caught up in technology and enjoying the comforts of the modern world that we tend to take things for granted.  We forget how hard it must have been for our ancestors to get this far, we forget the values that made us who we are, we forget our culture.

This month, let's explore and appreciate our own culture and heritage as well as those of others.  Let's learn something new about where we came from, bring back an old tradition, and be proud of who we are!

What do you think about reconnecting with your cultural roots?  What traditions or customs are unique to your culture?