What is Working?

I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.

Thomas A. Edison

“I’ve fond 10,000 ways that won’t work,” sounds like a really great place to give up. Let’s reframe that. In the 10,000 ways that didn’t work, what did work?

One of my I-give-up lines is “I don’t know.” What I’ve learned to do over the years is stop myself at “I don’t know,” and rethink it. The next question I immediately follow up with is “What do you know?” You may not know the answer to one question, but I can put money on the fact that there is something else you do know. So when I read this quote, it automatically makes me stop and immediately ask, but what did work?

What’s is working in your life?

Candy Room

Willy Wonka and Chocolate Factory: Pure Imagination

Yup, I’m sharing my favorite part from Willy Wonka again. I know I know you want new content and I swear I’m watching new movies. But this one right here has a special place in my heart. I’m sure it has a lot to do with there being a candy room and a song about ultimate freedom.

If you could, would you build a candy room?

I would!

5 Date Night Reminders

My husband took me out out! And I loved it so I’m writing about so I don’t forget about it in the future. What I was reminded on my date night

  • I like to feel pretty and be fed yummy food.
  • Knowing what to wear helps out a lot
  • It’s really nice to have a babysitter
  • Date night significantly improves the connection I have with my husband especially when I feel pretty and eat yummy food
  • Seeing my husband laugh is always the highlight of my night

Date Night

For a dinner date, I eat light all day to save room, then I go all in: I choose this meal and this order, and I choose you, the person across from me, to share it with. There’s a beautiful intimacy in a meal like that.

Anthony Bourdain

Tonight is date night for me and I’ve been preparing myself for it all day. I even took a beauty nap. We are all taught to keep dating our spouses. It seems easy and fun. But you know what’s even easier, forgetting. Prioritizing other things over dating. Things like careers, parenting, homemaking all easily slip into the top priority slot. So dates like these mean so much to me especially because we are very much lovers of solitude and self study. We’re going out!!

What’s the best dating advice you ever received?

Take the Ride

Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.

Victor Hugo

Tonight I went out with the intention of laughing and having fun! And it worked. One of my favorite quotes from Hunter Thompson is Buy the ticket take the Ride. We were gifted tickets to a comedy show by vets for vets. Of course I said yes! Which meant I got the chance to be part of an amazing fundraiser put together by Homes for the Brave a non profit that supports veterans. (Click the link to check em out). I’m really out here living my best life and I’m so glad I got the chance to say yes to another great experience.

Don’t forget to take the ride!

Faith and Friendship

“Friendship is an act of faith in both each other and the future. You don’t have to be prepared, you just have to be willing to do something.” This is what my astrology said at the end of the day. And I’m grateful for this inspiration.

There’s quite a bit of uncertainty when you place your faith in someone. I think one of the greatest things a friend can do is believe in all the unseen successes. I also think it’s amazing when you’re in a friendship and you just know it’s going to last forever. There’s no hard evidence that you’ll be besties forever. There’s no knowing what’s to come but you step into the friendship knowing the risk. It’s not easy as an adult trusting someone enough to call them a friend. It’s not easy as an adult having faith in the unseen. But the brave ones do it anyway and I think what blooms from faith and friendship is one of the most valuable things you could gain in this life.

There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.

Thomas Aquinas

Coffee Chat

I’m exploring coffee. Today (thanks to my amazing coworker) I got to try Mardi Gras King Cake flavored coffee. Community Coffee makes this flavor. I brewed a fresh cup and added Silk’s Vanilla creamer over the top. It was a lighter roast than I prefer but it was sweet. And look the packaging is so fun!

Doesn’t it look like a party?! I mean it is Mardi Gras.

Have you tried it? What new flavors have you tried?

For Those of Us Who Were the Quiet Kids

I know you know but you keep quiet to keep the peace. I know you know because you’re an observer which has served you well.

Respect your mind and the unique ways that it does its thing. If you stayed quiet, trust that you stayed quiet for a reason. If you spoke up, trust that you spoke up for a reason but don’t belittle yourself for the choice you made. It is not okay to insult your own intelligence.

But that’s not what I wanted to say. I wanted to say, it’s ok to know. It’s ok to express that you know. This doesn’t mean you’ll never be wrong or that you’re way is the only right way. It does mean that you’re allowed to know things. You’re allowed to be smart and well read and skilled at something that others are not.

For some reason the world likes only certain types of people to know things. It’s quite strange to me that we limit genius to a small portion of our population.

 Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.

Monday Reflections

Grace

Grace means finding peace in the storm so that others can benefit from your calm, from your faith, and from your belief that we are all doing the best we can.

Funny thing is that the grace you give has nothing to do with whether they are calm, faithful, or doing their best. They could be angry and frustrated. They could have lost faith long before they met you and they could believe that they are doing the bare minimum. But what you have is something new and exciting and adventurous -you have calm and faith and you’re in a place where you shine. Which is why you gift them, for this moment, this minor exchange, a chance to feel it all too. And that, is grace in all it’s glory.

Just think about that one time your best looked and felt like a whole wreck but someone saw more beauty in your circumstance than you could see at that moment. They accepted you that moment and said this is ok. This works perfect and you’re right on time.

If you haven’t had a moment like this keep your eyes open for one. While you wait, don’t let your lack of experience keep you from gifting grace to someone else.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, 
the courage to change the things I can, 
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Reinhold Niebuhr