When lightning strikes

Did you ever roll out of bed, pull on those same jeans that you always wear, slip on the same shoes you always put on, start to shuffle un-inspiredly out the door when…

You stopped in your tracks, feeling like lightning had just struck and you thought to yourself, WTF AM I DOING?

Oppurtunity Knocks

I’m a believer. In humans. In the power and creativity and resourcefulness of people.

I am a human.

Ergo, it would be the logical thing to assume that I am always acutely aware of my own power, creativity, and resourcefulness.

However, just as I’m not completely convinced that the human beings that cut me off in traffic by making left-hand turns from the right-hand lanes actually have brains, I’m also not always completely sold on myself.

Just Move

There’s something about the nature of being human that often seems like we’re looking for a fight. Maybe it’s how we’re brought up. Maybe it’s the whole “no pain, no gain” that is spoken so easily without really examining the implications of following that advice. Actually, maybe it’s not really the nature of being human, but the complete opposite. I don’t think it’s our nature to want to be confrontational or combative. And I’m not even talking about with other people, I’m talking about how we are with ourselves.

Shoveling Nemo

We had an insane snowstorm in New England about a month ago. It was so big it even got a name – Nemo. It was crazy. Grocery stores were wiped out of supplies. Wind, white-out conditions, travel bans, blizzarding snow. And when it was all over we were left with 24+ inches of snow…and no where to put it. That’s the problem with living in the city. There are only so many places you can pile up humungo snow banks.

Feel Happy to Be Happy

We are taught many things in our life that we automatically accept as truth.  We are taught that if we work hard/buy a house/make a ton of money/raise a family/drive a hybrid car/etc. etc. that the effect of that particular action will make us happy.

All you have to do is watch any show on celebrities to know HAVING does not equal happiness.  They look so good on paper: they have a wonderful house, children, a well paying job, respect and fame in their industry, the ability to travel all over the world, so you’d think they’d be set to live happily ever after.  But how often do we hear about their mental breakdowns, drug addictions, extramarital affairs, miserable children, and lawsuit happy acquaintances?

Sounds like any regular human being but even more complicated.  And publicized.

So if it’s not the acquisition of STUFF that will make us happy, what will?

New Year’s Resolutions

The last of the Christmas cookies have been gobbled, trees are starting to find their fate curbside, and couch cushions have started to mold themselves to the shape of our backsides.  Right around the corner is a New Year, promising new beginnings, new resolutions, a new YOU.

Right behind it is reality.

Pink Elephants

I was on vacation once with a friend in Seattle.  We rented a car, parked downtown, and walked around for the day.  When it came time to go back to our hotel room, we both looked at each other and simultaneously asked, “Where is the car parked?”

The Great Equalizer

Everyday we are bombarded with all sorts of propaganda and messages trying to tell us what we need.  We need face creams to look younger, we need money to feel sexy, we need to own a house to be a good parent, we need brand name clothes to feel like we fit in.  We need, we need, we need…but do we really?

It’s Not What You Do…

…it’s how you do it.

This is a really simple phrase that may help you not only survive, but perhaps actually enjoy, the upcoming holidays.

Pound the Alarm

I use my cell phone as my alarm clock in the morning.  In the past, it has gotten me into trouble when I’ve forgotten to charge it overnight (whoops!) but I’ve finally gotten it down to a science.  My phone has this cool feature where the alarm first starts off as a vibrate.  Then it turns into a vibrate and a gentle ringing sound.  With each successive ring the alarm gets louder and louder until it is at full blast which I have been able to hear from outside of my apartment.  Most days I wake when the ring is just starting to pick up volume.  Other days I have actually snoozed in my sleep and then woken up after the ringer has already picked up full steam.

We use alarms for a lot of things in our life: to wake up up in the morning, to tell us when our food has been warmed up in the microwave, to let us know if we haven’t buckled our seatbelt/left our door open/left our keys in the car ignition, to let us know when someone is calling us/texting us/emailing us/updating their status on facebook…that being said, even though we have so many alarms, we don’t always choose to pay attention to the task they have been designed to help us with.