destination : strategy challenge

there are challenges that inevitably crop up throughout our days and years that are wow bang surprises.  those that we are faced with at the sudden death of a loved one, a natural disaster, an unexpected windfall, coping with the decisions of others.  all are opportunities for personal and public leadership. there are moments in these situations where choices are made to raise oneself to the occasion, to do better, to defy previously imagined limits, and to exceed expectations.
sometimes we get to choose our challenges and achieve what we might have only had we been thrown off course unexpectedly. the strategy challenge. planning and cultivating our challenges allows us the opportunity to decide in what direction we wish to grow our branches and what areas we wish to prune.  it is our approach to the strategy challenge that is the game changer.
one of my strategy challenges is quitting smoking.  i am making the choice to take up a new lifestyle, not because i have been forced to and must then learn to adapt and thrive, but because i know that embracing life-positive habits will put me in alignment with my true self.  to choose the challenge itself is to adapt and thrive.
we are able to consciously choose our challenges and our behavior even within situations that feel overwhelming or hopeless.
the knowledge of individual choice empowers us all to radiate our light in the world.
what challenges can you choose to work through in order to be the person that you want to be and to live stuff of legends?

happy tuesday!

p.s. - did you forget about daylight savings time too?  as my friend chris g. would say, 'suck it, darkness!'

happiness well truth : abundance

there is enough for everyone.  really, there is. no, really.  your neighbor's happiness, success, health, wealth, beauty, abundance, does not come from a drain of yours. your sister's good fortune is not a sign that you have to hope for scraps of blessing.  it is a truly bottomless well. abundance never stops flowing, ever, for you, unless you actively choose to refuse it. fear of scarcity is a primal fear, but by bringing awareness to the truth that you no longer need to hold on to that fear, transcendence happens. light bulb moment! we have access in every moment to true authentic abundance. 

xo

p.s. i'm bringing mindfulness to my nutrition by incorporating super-happy-yahtzee good mood boosters into my diet, like salmon, berries, green tea, bananas, and turkey. (all foods i eat all the time anyway, but now when i eat lunch i imagine all of their bliss-inducing elements soaking into my cells. yeah, i'm taking this blissology project very srsly.) spring project #1, gluten free elle, also dovetails nicely into my happy nutrition mindfulness, and more can be read on that here.

gorgeous painting by belinda paton.

ability : utility

today i am amazed at how strong my body is.  i'm thankful that i can run and hike trails at the park and move about space as i will. my body heals itself, for the most part, again and again. often i believe, we take for granted that our bodies will work for us and follow where our mind goes, but that is not always the case for everyone. today, i'm thankful that my mind and body are on board the boat together.  i imagine
running, jumping, laughing, stretching, breathing, 

and i am empowered to act out any or all. i imagine fueling my very own perfect machine with fresh air, nourishing foods, and sunlight. how strong our bodies are!

xo

project planning : blissology

spring 2012 project #2: contentment research and implementation, aka, the happiness well. bubble up.

'Bliss can be 

a state of profound satisfaction, happiness and 

joy, a constant state of mind, undisturbed 

by gain or loss.'

today's homework:

1. hot green tea and dark chocolate

2. sketching on the bus

3. eating lunch outside

4. watching the sky

5. smiling

fine tuning the art of happiness, one drink from the well at a time. 

 what's your happiness homework?

xo

signature breakfast smoothie/milkshake/frappuccino

this week's breakfast obsession. (it's good, i swear.)  i get so excited about this when my alarm goes off in the morning. i seriously woke up at 5 o clock this morning wishing it was time to make this.  this whole week i've thought, my god elle, you're a genius. and while i still might be, i've learned of late that this talented lady has a concoction quite similar. that's ok, great minds....

in a blender goes:

handful of ice
1 cup of coffee
1 cup of almond milk
1 frozen banana
1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon of chocolate cocoa mix
      i use this. - it's all natural, 0 sugar, 0 calories, organic, also awesome.

 blenda blend blend blenda..... oh my so good.

enjoy!

xo

from the desk of: why didn't they have these when i was a baby.

yes, yes, this is one of those things that only a woman would post, and yes, i'm aware my only two (2) actual blog followers and both are men (hi readers, you know you want to follow my blog), and no, i'm not having a baby. but...... this, from haptic lab, is too awesome not to share.  behold! bringin' the treasure mapper into the crib, yo.

i think they're beautiful.

(the great lakes)

(new york)

(paris)

hey y'all, it's march!

xo