Now more than ever I love traveling! My boys are older so I am more inclined to get up and go, with or without them to get away from home and get some downtime. We all need it. We need to be able to remove ourselves from the “every day” and refill our tanks. Even if we take a day off, I don’t know about you, but that day off from work is just a day off from work. I can find a trillion things to do at home that will make me think I should have just gone to work.
I have been taking yearly vacations now for about 6 years and I need it! It is like breathing for me now. And at least one vacation is a cruise. Actually, I will be going on one soon and I cannot wait!! I love seeing new places, trying new dishes that I never would have tried at home, and getting to know a foreign culture. Now that I started this, I do not know how I did life before. I have a wanderlust spirit now and it gets stronger with every new adventure I take.
Here are some reasons why you should take at least one big vacation a year…
- You will get to know yourself better. You get a chance to think in your quiet times and the opportunity to see how you react when you are in different situations. I journal during my vacation to check in on my feelings and think about my life. I also record things that happen that I may forget when I return home to the craziness.
- You become smarter. Going to all of these different places helps you to gain more
knowledge about the world, maps, geography, cultures, and languages. I definitely have a better sense of direction after all of my travels so far. - You get to experience something new. Nothing can really surprise you about where you live. It is different when you get out there and travel. There will be plenty of culture shocks…and it is a beautiful thing. Staying in one spot for me is boring…might as well travel and get out of that.
- You make wonderful memories. Nothing compares to that! Collecting special moments will always be better than collecting things. I mean, after a while, where will you put all of that stuff? If you spend your life in one place, every day seems the same.
- You may just find out what the meaning of life is. I believe the meaning of life is a little different for all of us because we are called to different things and we have different gifts. While I travel, I spend time with me and think…write…pray. I always think about my purpose and the things I want to work on or change about me and my life while I am away. Almost looking for a fresh start in some areas.
You sometimes get to see places that you have only seen in pictures. When you step into a foreign land that you have looked at on Google or Pinterest, it seems so magical. It is such a gorgeous feeling to actually BE in the places that you have dreamed of being in, knocking things off of your bucket list.- You will inspire others to travel. Even though traveling is not a hard thing, it can be hard for someone to begin doing it. When you decide to get out there and make your dreams come true, you will inspire others to go and do the same.
- You will have exciting stories to tell. Our passports tell some exciting stories! When you have gone out there and experienced other places, you will have hundreds of stories to tell. Each day of travel brings something spectacular to your life.
- You meet some amazing people.
Every person on vacation has a beautiful and unforgettable story. You learn and you are reminded of the fragility and the intensity of life. I will never forget the awesome people that I have met on vacation, some of them are now great friends of mine and we plan to travel together in the future.- You will become a better person. When I travel, I see a different perspective on life. Since I have been learning these new cultures, I feel like it is easier to be more tolerant. I am more compassionate, understanding, forgiving, and definitely more at peace.
These are just some of the benefits of travel. Every time I pack my bags, I am deciding to create another adventure and leave my mark in those special places. I am no longer afraid to step out of my own little world and see what is out there. Memories and excitement are out there waiting for us…I am actually getting ready for my next vacation as I write and I can’t wait. See you out there.
I cannot tell you how many bright ideas that I have had that have yet to pass the starting position. I am honestly quite busy but I know that I have the time to put more than a thought and a journal entry into a few of those ideas. I admit that I try to put as many things on my plate as I can so that I stay busy and it can make a girl crazy! The things that I do attempt get finished, it is just that I am completely worn out after them and I have little time for anything else. Time management and learning to say no are going to be at the top of my list for the New Year, that is for sure.
believing that (my hand raised). It is very rare that we have all that we need within ourselves to accomplish our goals. We need help! And so what if others know we cannot do it alone. We have to network. There are few things that we can do without meeting others who have been there so that we see those dreams of ours as a reality. Talk to people that are where you want to be or read about their journeys. For the most part, there is a person or a group that is already doing something similar to what you are trying to do and not getting paid for it. Join them and bring value to the people that you are meeting with. If you don’t find that group, create it.
Whatever it is that you are planning on trying or doing in the upcoming year, do it! Do it afraid. Do it with boldness…just do it! If you are like me, you may be tired of creeping your way to the place you want to be. Tired of letting someone’s opinion make you back away from the idea. Get in your quiet place and make a plan, set a goal, journal your dream. Get ready to have the time of your life on a journey to everything that you want to do/be. Celebrate yourself with every small accomplishment along the way. Love on yourself with every little failure as well. Write it down…make it plain…get it done!
I used to feel like I got cheated because I did not have a daughter when I felt like I was done having children. I wanted 3 children because for some reason my life always included that number so it feels pretty lucky for me. I wanted a GIRL!!! I mean why not? Growing up I was a little on the tomboy side but after becoming a mom, I began to embrace my diva and I felt like I should have a mini-me. I did not receive one and I am definitely not bitter about having the young royalty that I was given, but it would have been nice.
I was given the pleasure of being a godmother to a sweet little girl a few years ago. Not my mini-me but my sweet little sugar cookie nonetheless. Spending time with her is fun. Little girls are so different from boys!! Boys are easy. I just throw my boys around a little and play some sports, watch a few cartoons and play video games. With girls, you tend to not be as rough and I had to learn how to play with dolls and little kitchen sets. Of course with my sons, I look for teachable moments in it all. I don’t want them to think there is ever a time when I am not being mom…even when we are hanging like friends. I do the same with her when we spend time together.
be all about her but still have a god-mommy (or Cookie, as she calls me) stamp on it so Tea Party theme is what it was! I am a planner as far as things like parties, vacations, and such goes in my life so I started the planning 5 months before her birthday. I wanted to pull out all of the stops. I did all kinds of research because I did not have a tea party as a young girl, nor had I ever been to one. I wanted to do it for her….my sugar, so she could have an experience that I did not have as a child. (I also wanted to do it for me!!)
Pinterest, on Amazon and in the thrift and antique stores searching for my pots, cups, and other things to decorate the party just so. The menu, the drinks (appropriate for young girls), tea pots, tea cups….cucumber sandwiches! I cannot even begin to tell you how much fun party planning is. This one, in particular, took me back to being a little girl and the innocence of being a princess, and remembering to be soft, feminine, and pink! Everything from the invitations to the party favors were all about being elegant and girly. Their party favors were decorated boxes that had candy, white gloves and pearls. I had parasols and hand-made flowers everywhere!
attached to. We have to remember to be soft and feminine too, even though we have to stand strong at the same time. We have to remember that we have curves and emotions, we are delicate and beautiful. We have to have and be all of these things and be confident and bold enough to demand our respect and honor all at the same time. We cannot allow ourselves to be walked on and stepped over.We have to own our flaws and dare someone to say that we are not what we say or think we are. Prove it!! Walk and talk like it, speak like a lady and smile
at that beautiful face when you look in the mirror as you admire the beauty you see before you. Every curve…every crazy emotion, how soft and feminine you are. Someone was made to love every inch, every emotion, all of your femininity! Your job is to love you first!! Show the world that you love you by treating you like a princess, a queen in fact! Show them how to do it! Teach them what is acceptable and what is not. Know that you deserve the best, the very best. You make your world better simply by being you and being present. I love being feminine. It was easy when I was dressing like a tomboy, but there is nothing like putting on a dress and seeing how it brushes passed all of my femininity. 
I love being a woman! It is not easy but it has been a pleasure to bring life into the world and be responsible for rearing human beings. We have so much power, even in our softness. We can make or break us and/or them, remember that! Embrace your femininity every once in a while. I know you are running around after children all day or working in a career field that does not call for it, but you will have a day off. Don’t stay in your pajamas all day. Take a shower and get dressed, something sexy, even if you are staying home. You will feel sexy and your spouse will enjoy seeing those legs before we get to no-shave November. I am just saying…I practice that one!
If you have little ladies in your life, teach them to love their hair, their softness and crazy emotions. Embrace their femininity and not to be ashamed of their curves. Self love is paramount in raising confident women that do not attached themselves to someone that may possibly abuse them, physically or otherwise. Be the example. Embrace yours…watch them follow.
So I recently chose to ride on a train to go to New York. I was not just attending a family member’s wedding, but this lady is my best friend and cousin. She is super special to me so I was not going to miss it. Along with the fact that she asked me to be the matron of honor.
Bring snacks!! They do have a cafe on the train but you do not know what car you will be in and how far you will have to go to get that $2.00 bag of chips so bring some snacks, a sandwich or something to get you through the trip. Of course, have a couple of bottles of water. Keep in mind you are sharing 1-2 bathrooms with a car load of people and the bathrooms aren’t always in good working order.
For some of us, it is not a problem to be alone. We like ourselves and the company we keep. This is not to say that we do not like being around others. It is just that we have taken the time to get to know who we are as an individual so we do not always need others to make us feel wanted, needed, or loved. Its a good place to be, honestly. There is a special feeling you have when you are alone and content with it. But we need our girls!! I have to admit that. I have to share my day, my “girlie” conversations, my woes and all! I mean, can you imagine a life without true friendship? I cannot and would not want that for anyone. Whether you are single, in a relationship, engaged, or married, you need a regular standing girl’s night with the women in your life. Friends add color to our lives. They lift our spirits, and are there when we have special moments and dark times. We should celebrate each other often and get together for a good time.
