"Everyone knows somebody that needs to read this book (Perseverance) !" –Kathie Lee Gifford, Live on NBC’s Today Show
"Perseverance offers… profound insight for all of us seeking to lead a meaningful life." –Daniel H. Pink, New York Times bestselling author of A Whole New Mind
Buy Perseverance
April 2nd, 2012 | 3 Comments »
I heard this week’s quote while watching the trailer for the movie, People Like Us. The words struck a chord with me and I thought they may for you as well :). I’ve also embedded the movie trailer below so you can hear the quote if you would like.
I created the image using a fun geometric pattern created by August Empress (recently released in her online shop).
–> The quote can be heard around the 1:55 mark!
March 30th, 2012 | 4 Comments »
I originally posted my Mighty List and the concept behind it in October. Since that post, I haven’t looked at the list. However, I’ve noticed myself thinking about it on many occasions. Today I thought it would be fun to revisit the original list and see what I’ve completed to date.
A little refresher on the mighty list:
I was inspired to create my list after reading Victoria’s (of SFGIRLBYBAY) post about her own list. Victoria’s description:
I encourage you all to create your own mighty life list — 100 or so things you’d like to accomplish in your lifetime. putting it all down on paper makes all those dreams just a little less daunting, and sharing them with others, one step closer to accomplishing. you never know who might be able to help you cross something off your list, or who you might be able to help cross something off of theirs — that’s a pretty swell feeling, too! have you got a great group of women to round up and create some mighty life lists? do it – think of it as book club, but where you get to write your own happy ending.
carolyn’s mighty list
launch a gorgeous paper pop-up shop1 | attend new york fashion week with my mom and sister | host a glittery zen retreat/workshop (think yoga, glitter, and champagne) | practice yoga everyday | learn to knit | take a watercolor class (for super non-creative beginners) | commission a custom illustration of my wedding dress to hang in my home | create a blurb wedding coffee book | have a date night with my hubby once a week forever2 | create a line of jewelry with my sister | attend the national stationery show | host a workshop/event in my dream space in miami | learn how to use photoshop3 | donate my book to at least one cancer center/support group in each state (book genies?!) | join a book club | adopt | build a dream home | write a handwritten thank-you note everyday | teach a journaling workshop | learn to bake | have a regular girls’ night with friends | attend a yoga retreat | be a vegetarian for a week | give mindfully for 29 days | appoint an email genie so i can go on email sabbatical | write and publish a second book | create a unique coffee table quote book (beautiful nourishment for the eyes and the soul) | sip champagne along the seine in paris with my hubby | learn how to create my own perfect iced coffee4 | throw a holiday party | create a signature gift wrap style | host a “just because” soiree | be a correspondent for a national news show | wear anything but jeans for 30 days | design a custom charm for my mom’s charm bracelet | take a trip with my brother and sister | be a mentor | help someone learn how to read | help to de-stigmatize psychology and mental health | get regular massages | learn how to do a cartwheel | take a photo-a-day for one month | go on a picnic in paris | publish a blog-post a day for seven days5 | organize evernote so it’s a complete digital sanctuary of information and inspiration | write a guest post for 100 different blogs | train for and run a half marathon | change my twitter username6 | be a calm traveler (create self-care rituals to help with this) | create a tiny line of exquisite candles | tackle 50 things that i think i can’t do.
carolyn’s mighty list updates!
1. (a thought, not really an update) launch a gorgeous paper pop-up shop — this mighty item would be fun to do with my paper partner in crime julie after I launch my little paper dream!
2. have a date night with my hubby once a week forever — we’ve officially started doing this once a week and LOVE it!
3. learn how to use photoshop — check! (thanks to blogshop)
4. learn how to create my own perfect iced coffee — I can’t take credit for this one, but my husband can! he has perfected the art of iced coffee. I am now even more addicted to caffeine than ever :).
5. publish a blog-post a day for seven days — check! (thanks to reverb11)
6. change my twitter username — check! (it is now: @carolynr)
- – -
I’ve officially tackled five items on my list in five months! I’m pretty proud of that number and can’t wait to see what I can do in the next few months. Have you created a mighty list of your own? If not, I highly recommended you get started! It’s a ton of fun.
Happy Weekend and Happy Life List Dreaming!
March 29th, 2012 | 4 Comments »
First, I want to thank you for the kind comments, tweets, and emails in response to yesterday’s post (about my little paper dream!). I read only the first couple of comments and then needed to step back but will be reading and responding to everyone within a few days. It was scary posting my thoughts on this little paper dream, but am so grateful that I did. The support you provided helps me feel a little less vulnerable and alone as I embark on this journey. I’m excited to continue sharing the process with you!
I approached today’s “Color Me Happy” post a bit differently than usual. I was pulled towards one image full of pink and orange. Every time I looked at it, I felt my spirits lift. Rather than find other images to go with this captivating one, I decided to jot down some cheerful thoughts associated with these colors. Together, I think it forms a lovely little color story. I hope it brings you a moment of joy :).
I am going to put the “pin it” button below as many find it useful. However, I’ve heard from a few people who receive posts via email that the button is giving them issues. If you are having issues, please let me know so I can collect data and figure out a solution!
top image: found via beautiful things tumblr (original source: unknown)
… more color inspiration: color me happy on pinterest
March 27th, 2012 | 2 Comments »
Choosing a quote to post each week has become a little ritual for me. The practice feels a little bit like a treasure hunt. I browse through books of quotes until one pops off the page (usually while sitting in a big comfy chair with a cup of tea!). It’s telling to look at when a quote resonates most with you. Have you noticed that you are drawn to different types of quotes depending on your emotions/current mood? Also, just a note, I’m consciously not keeping track of the quotes I post each week so there may be some repetition [would be interesting to see if that happens :)].
… more inspiring quotes: quoted on pinterest
March 26th, 2012 | 4 Comments »
Welcome to this month’s Pen & Paper: Living Between the Lines written by the amazing Hope Wallace Karney. To learn more about Hope and the column, please check out the announcement post!
My good friend’s daughter has always loved looking at my daily journal. Whenever we were together she would ask to see the journal I keep everyday. Not being one to hide my journal or its contents (if I have something I do not want to share I journal it in envelopes or under flaps, etc) I love showing it to her.
When she mentioned that she wanted to start a daily journal of her own, I was thrilled. I helped her find a good journal to use and encouraged her to start. By then I was invested in her journaling—so I started to check in with her every now and then. And eventually we agreed to share our journals with one another each week.
We got in the habit of texting each other photos (as shown in this post)—either of full spreads, or spreads in the works. It is especially fun when we did something together, and have the same ephemera and memories, to see how we each record that day in our journals.
Some weeks I will send my finished weekly spread, and it will help jumpstart her to catch up. Sometimes she sees how I incorporated something into my journal and she tries it in hers—which is a great way to play with techniques and find your own style.
I find that not only does it inspire her to journal, but also keeps me at it too, so we both are journaling regularly, but without pressure. Not only that, but it has strengthened our relationship outside of journaling as well. I look forward to seeing her spreads and equally enjoy sharing mine with her.
March 23rd, 2012 | 5 Comments »
Lisa Belkin wrote an incredible article about Anne Lamott this week for the Huffington Post. It really resonates with my current mindset and focus on simplicity. Belkin describes the inspiration behind the title of one of Lamott’s most popular books, “Bird by Bird.”
It comes from a moment when her brother was sitting at the dining-room table decades ago, surrounded by stacks of books for a report about birds. He was overwhelmed and drowning. So much to do. So far to the completed product. “Son,” she quotes her dad as saying, “just take it bird by bird.”
I have said that to my children often over the years, not about research papers, but about life. It has become shorthand at our house for break the problem down and tackle it in manageable pieces. I say it to myself even more frequently. No one moment, or one decision, or one mistake is an overwhelming whole, I remind myself. It is just one bird.
This knowledge is so rudimentary. Yet, amidst the trenches of overwhelm, it is so hard to remember.
In this post, I want to share two people that embody the beauty of simplicity. It is no secret that I crave structure and can barely function without it. If these two women could magically appear in my apartment, I would be one very happy lady :).
Arianna Belle Organized Interiors
Arianna’s blog is filled with beautifully organized spaces and stylish storage. She shares lots of simple tips that allow you to organize your space in bite size stages (or bird by bird!). What I love most is how she kicks your organizing butt into gear with her drool worthy images. Spend some time reading how you can recreate these images and you will find yourself sorting, purging, and organizing like a pro.
Annie’s creative ideas and eye for unique organizing solutions keep getting better and better. I really adore everything she pins and posts. This week she broke down the scary task of organizing your closet into manageable (and fun) chunks. It’s inspired me to tackle my new closet before it gets out of control! Like Arianna, Annie’s images are breathtaking.
While the images shared by both ladies are unbelievably beautiful, I don’t find them to be “perfect.” For the most part, the images depict beautiful organizing systems that can still work in our messy, chaotic, and imperfect lives. Their tips are actually achievable which for me is a huge relief.
I hope you enjoy these sources of inspiration as much as I do. As you enter the weekend and the upcoming week, remember to take things bird by bird.
images: 1. action organizing clips (via arianna belle) 2. this video (via arianna belle) 3. vanity tray (via live simply by annie) 4. desk photograph (via live simply by annie)
March 22nd, 2012 | 4 Comments »
I have a case of the blues this week. While it would have been easier to focus on dark moody colors, I chose to reach towards a color associated with lots of happy memories. Lilac has been one of my favorite colors for quite some time. It feels so light and airy that it’s hard not to feel a bit of weight lift off your shoulders when immersed in all things sprinkled with lilac. What color helps you combat the blues?
sources: flower headband (sunshine and carousels) | easter egg cookie (citrus and orange) | hexagon note card (angie allen) | turkish towels (istmus)
What color has been inspiring you recently?
… more color inspiration
March 21st, 2012 | 4 Comments »
Have you ever had one of those moments when you feel so sick that you beg some higher power to help you feel better? And during these moments, do you ever find yourself bargaining with this higher power by promising to NEVER EVER do X again?
If you’ve ever promised to NEVER EVER do X again, how long do you tend to keep this promise? What do you think these promises mean? For example, do you always promise the same thing (insert vice of choice here)? I had one of these moments earlier this week and began pondering my own NEVER EVERs. Below are a few of my NEVER EVER items—some fun/silly, some serious.
… choose tomorrow rather than today
… speak without listening
… go to sleep angry
… give up before you’re ready
… forget to breathe
… drink wine on an empty stomach
… hide when you could seek
… settle for less than you deserve
… believe your glory days are behind you
… let others determine your self-worth
… drink or eat something that makes you sick over and over again (but tastes oh so good)
… believe it’s too late to begin
… dim your sparkle
… leave the house without your keys and phone
… complicate what you can simplify
… make all or nothing promises :)
What would be on your NEVER EVER list?
March 16th, 2012 | 5 Comments »
Recently, I’ve been tweeting less and spending more time reading blogs (yes, i’m an introvert!). As I come across online resources, I always email them to myself with the subject, “share!” Typically, I tweet a link to these resources—but less tweeting=less sharing. Well, today I’m going to fix that. Below are a few of my favorite (relatively new) sources of inspiration that I don’t think I’ve shared with you yet!
Hopeful World is a global classroom where wisdom, knowledge and stories seed the ground of personal transformation and social change. Our online classes and digital offerings encourage personal growth while creating revenue for development projects around the world. Hopeful World is an economic experiment in transforming our drive to learn into a source of revenue and funding for emerging leaders uniquely positioned to make a difference.
We’re energized by the idea that we can help ourselves and one another at the same time and that real transformation happens when we learn the power of “we.”
The Everygirl is the newest online resource helping shape the creative, career-driven woman to experience her life better lived. It is the inspiration to help you achieve your dreams, whatever they may be. Whether it’s how to incorporate a little creativity into your day or motivating you to seek out your dream job, The Everygirl is for you. It is our mission and hope for you to use The Everygirl site to be inspired, but also to take action to become the woman who believed you could, so you did!
sisterMAG is a new digital magazine for widely interested, active women. Regularly we will cover topics ranging from Career, Technology, Future Trends to Fashion, Lifestyle, Traveling and DIY. Women’s magazines have always mirrored social movements and developments in their content and foci of coverage. With sisterMAG we want to target a group of females which has been neglected by traditional publishing houses and editorial departments: the many up-and-coming, well-educated, very active and independent women, which are enthusiastic for the digital world and want to be presented with new and exciting content in a visually appealing way.
“Why do you wear makeup?” the eight year-old asked. “Because it’s fun!” we inevitably answer. But when we really get honest, that’s simply not the truth. We both work for organizations that promote a message of inner beauty, empowerment, and self-confidence, and we still engage in Beauty Habits – like makeup, shaving, and wearing uncomfortable feminine clothing . We’ve believed for years that these habits would enhance our appearance. After much discussion, we found the difference between what we preach and how we choose to act on a day-to-day basis troubling.
We’ve often said, “I need to go fix my face,” but really – what is there to fix? This is our journey to explore what happens when we start living in complete alignment with the message we encourage others to live by. We do not know where The Naked Face Project will take us. We do not have a hypothesis we hope to prove or know how we will feel at the end of sixty days. We’re not trying to make a political or feminist statement. We simply want to live in our own space of authentic beauty and be more intentional in our actions. That’s why we’ve chosen to completely commit ourselves in the project for sixty days. It is only through this total immersion that we believe we will come to a more authentic answer for the hard questions little girls ask.
Honestly, we expect The Naked Face Project to be very uncomfortable for us because we’ve engaged in these Beauty Habits for so long. We feel like we’ve only approached feminine beauty in one way for our entire lives. What might reveal itself when we give ourselves the opportunity to experience another way?
What resources/projects have you recently been inspired by?
image: ello lovey
March 15th, 2012 | 4 Comments »
I am finally beginning to think about what accessories to bring into my new apartment. While the big pieces are essential for living (e.g., sleeping, sitting), it’s the little personal items that really transform a space into a cozy home. This week, we bought a regular black chalkboard for our kitchen. I love the idea of writing notes and drawing doodles in this not so fun (in my humble kitchen phobic opinion) area. However, I’m thinking of adding a little spark to this piece via some gold contact paper on the plain frame (possibly some tiny polka dots—inspired by joy’s studio). My eye has been pulled towards all the creative ways to turn ordinary store bought items into something more extraordinary—in particular, items dipped in gold! Have you transformed any ordinary items recently? What color is inspiring you this week?
sources: watch (kate spade) | earrings (a merry mishap via etsy) | gold leaf bowl (living the vintage life via etsy ) | gold shoes (found via paris hotel boutique journal) | gold sequin stars photograph (paper antler)
… more color inspiration
