Weekly Mantra - The September Issue

With a one-two punch, summer is (almost) over.

My sister's face above (as we kid around at a wedding over the weekend) says it all. As another summer wraps up, I find myself complaining along with the rest of the "adults," that it went by too fast.

As a child, those two months felt like an eternity; the only event signalling the end of the season were trips to Staples (previously known as Business Depot) to buy school supplies with my sister and cousins. We'd insist on separate carts, and speed in and out of the aisles, selecting colourful pens, and binders (depending on our grade) and then watch our mothers' faces recoil in horror as the totals appeared on the cash screen.

"But I neeeeeeeeed those markers," one of us would whine, while the other kids would nod in agreement.

Anyone still out there?

"But the thing about rising is we have to continue upward, the thing about going beyond is we have to keep going"- Cheryl Strayed

Hello readers!?

I feel like I owe you an explanation.

It's pretty apparent I've taken a hiatus from the blog. This is the longest I've gone in five years without writing something on this platform. As summer approached, I became consumed with work, friends, weddings, events and freelancing.

I was also plagued with a bit of social media fatigue, as my recent job involves a lot of content creation. I became stuck in my own head, with a scrolling screen repeating: I have nothing interesting to say. My life isn't aspirational. Instagram is all people really care about anyways. Blogs are dying.

There are always reasons why we stop doing something we love.

Weekly Mantra - Let certain things go..

This week's mantra is about being brave enough to turn over the sheets. Wait, maybe even throwing them out the window. As our North American cities thaw, ain't no thang like spring cleaning one's life!

“That is why it is so important to let certain things go. To release them. To cut loose. People need to understand that no one is playing with marked cards; sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Don't expect to get anything back, don't expect recognition for your efforts, don't expect your genius to be discovered or your love to be understood. Complete the circle. Not out of pride, inability or arrogance, but simply because whatever it is no longer fits in your life. Close the door, change the record, clean the house, get rid of the dust."― Paulo Coelho via Goodreads

New Weekly Mantra - The Crawl

Lately, I've been thinking about crawling.

Baby Kate has recently learned. I watch her zip around the room, and then swivel and sit around in her new location. We're all careful that she doesn't get hurt, or bump her head on coffee table poles, or couch ends. 

Although I learned to crawl many years ago, this month, I had to learn again. There was no one to protect me from the bumps, except that perhaps I needed to slam into a few things before getting to my destination. (And I'm still not there).  

These days, I use my apartment sliding doors to write notes, quotes, To-Do lists, and other things I find inspiring, so when I wake up, I see where I need to be. I've been reading Nymag's "Ask Polly" advice column for awhile now, and this week's mantra comes from it. 

Here it is, as scribbled on my walls. For more Polly, visit Nymag.com. Enjoy! x

Weekly Mantra - Don't try to hold on to the wave..

Last week I found myself a wee bit stressed.

Stress is something that can easily be handled, or spiral out of control like a roll of toilet paper a toddler carries around the house. This week's mantra comes from the first page of a book I have, but haven't read, Ali Smith's Artful. I opened the page, and there it was, the answer I needed.

The interesting message in this quote, is that as long as we are here, there will be always be something else that comes along, if we're open and willing to receive it. There will be another opportunity, another love, another bus to catch. We just have to give up trying to control the outcome, and let things be.

Enjoy!

Weekly Mantra - Feelings We Can Never Get Back

via Pinterest

This week's mantra comes from author Haruki Murakami, and I found it interesting, especially when January seems to be a month of renewal. Enjoy!

"Lost opportunities, lost possibilities, feelings we can never get back. That’s part of what it means to be alive. But inside our heads – at least that’s where I imagine it – there’s a little room where we store those memories. A room like the stacks in this library. And to understand the workings of our own heart we have to keep on making new reference cards. We have to dust things off every once in awhile, let in fresh air, change the water in the flower vases. In other words, you’ll live forever in your own private library." - Haruki Murakami

Book Club & Weekly Mantra - Wild

On my bedside table is Wild by Cheryl Strayed.

The popular true story follows Strayed's journey as an adventurer who after some tough personal events decides to walk the Pacific Crest Trail alone.

The memoir (which I am more than half way complete) brings you to a point of your own self-discovery. I find myself applauding Strayed's bravery, as I can't even look into a dark forest without  getting shivers. The book has also been adapted into a film starring Reese Witherspoon.

Below is a quote from Wild, and this week's mantra. Enjoy! x

 “I knew that if I allowed fear to overtake me, my journey was doomed. Fear, to a great extent, is born of a story we tell ourselves, and so I chose to tell myself a different story from the one women are told. I decided I was safe. I was strong. I was brave. Nothing could vanquish me.”

― Cheryl Strayed, Wild via Goodreads

image via the great discontent

New Weekly Mantra - We think too much about what goes wrong..

I realized that I've been acting ungrateful lately. I'm quick to point out all of the things that aren't right, from the littlest things, to the larger life items. It is always when I read international news, or look up for a second from my own world, that I realize that I have much, much, much more than I'll ever need; even if everything is not quite where I want it to be.

This week's mantra relates. Enjoy! x

"We think too much about what goes wrong and not enough about what goes right in our lives. Of course, sometimes it makes sense to analyze bad events so that we can learn from them and avoid them in the future. However, people tend to spend more time thinking about what is bad in life than is helpful. Worse, this focus on negative events sets us up for anxiety and depression. One way to keep this from happening is to get better at thinking about and savouring what went well." - Dr. Martin Seligman via Brain Pickings 

New Weekly Mantra - Tay Swift

My old roommate Nisha is a Taylor Swift fanatic.

We'd have debates about her sweet persona, her hair changes, her award show speeches, and her music. (I always played the offensive, even though I enjoyed a good Taylor song)

And yet, living with Nisha for one year, slowly converted me into a super fan. Every time Swift released a new album, I vowed that this time I was going to outgrow her music. And then within a few days, I was nodding my head, tapping my toes, dancing around, or crying in my car? (Okay the crying is probably from her 2009 Fearless album. I was young, okay?)

1989 is her first pop album, and since I purchased it, I can't stop listening. I don't usually buy full albums anymore, as most are streamable online, but Swift doesn't abide to steaming services. With my album purchase, I received the digital booklet, also known as the album jacket that comes with physical CDs.

I read a quote from her foreword that really resonated with me. Enjoy!

"The debate over whether people can change is an interesting one for me to observe because it seems like all I ever do is change. All I ever do is learn from my mistakes so I don't make the same ones again. Then I make new ones. I know people can change because it happens to me little by little every day. Every day I wake up as someone slightly new. Isn't it wild and intriguing and beautiful to think that every day we are new?" 

 quote via Taylor Swift / image credit via we know the dj.

New Weekly Mantra - Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta passed away last week at the age of 82. He was one of my favourite designers, and I wanted to start the week off with a quote from him. Enjoy! x

“I really hate nostalgia. I don’t look at the world today and say, Oh, what a pity there are no Babe Paleys around. That’s not how to live your life. And the only manners I am interested in are the manners of the heart.” - Oscar de la Renta via The Cut

/ image via Pursuitist  

Weekly Mantra - Emma Watson

image source Getty Images

I remember getting into a debate with a guy I was dating over the word "feminist."

He started off the conversation with, "You aren't some bra burning feminist are you?" I remained calm, but responded that yes, actually I am (but minus the bra burning because bras are expensive, and I need them).

This past weekend, Emma Watson spoke at the United Nations as she is a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador.

Her speech was about feminism, and while it did focus on women's equality, the speech also focused on opening up the stage for men and boys.

The HeForShe campaign is a call for men to be vulnerable, and to be free of gender stereotypes. It is a platform for men to stand up for feminism, because they also believe in the rights of women.

I thought her speech was brilliant, and wanted to share it with you. This week's mantra comes from her, and if you haven't already, watch the full video here. Enjoy!

"My life is a sheer privilege because my parents didn’t love me less because I was born a daughter. My school did not limit me because I was a girl. My mentors didn't assume that I would go less far because I might give birth to a child one day. These influences are the gender equality ambassadors that made me who I am today. They may not know it but they are the inadvertent feminists needed in the world today. We need more of those. If you still hate the word, it is not the word that is important. It is the idea and the ambition behind it because not all women have received the same rights I have. In fact, statistically, very few have." - Emma Watson

Weekly Mantra - Dog Sitting

Last week, I was dog sitting while my parents were on vacation.

Our family dog, Bailey (also known as Bilu) arrived to my apartment so white that people would stop me on the street to ask how I kept him so clean.

"He's a suburban dog," I said.

B hates rainstorms, being alone and loud noises. He's scared of plastic bags, or the sound of my camera clicking. When I would leave the apartment, he'd scratch the door, until the paint chipped away. I could hear his nails clawing at the wood, all the way down the hall by the elevator. I became those crazy dog people who'd shout down empty corridors.

"I'll come back soon! Be a good boy."

Bailey has no shame in wanting to be loved, every minute of the day. He wants to be near you when you watch television, brush your teeth, type on your laptop, make dinner, or stand around naked and decide what to wear. He doesn't judge, or care about mood swings, or clothing choices. He'd want to sit beside me in a $2000 dress, or a sports bra full of holes.

When I'd take him for walks, he had no qualms about rubbing his white furry body up against filthy lamp posts, and cement walls. By the end of the week, he was the colour of a used Swiffer pad. I was getting used to a busy routine with a pet, until I went from writing blog posts, to helping edit an obituary for my uncle who passed away last week.

When someone passes away, everything stops. What remains is how important it is to show love to those around you, and to take care of those who need to be taken care of.

On my last dog-sitting night, I decided not to freak out when my now dirty, city Bilu moved from his blanketed spot on my bed, to my bare sheets, to snuggle up beside me. That's what he needed to feel safe, and I realized I needed the same thing.

This week's mantra is from children's author Shel Silverstein. Enjoy.

“How many slams in an old screen door? Depends how loud you shut it. How many slices in a bread? Depends how thin you cut it. How much good inside a day? Depends how good you live 'em. How much love inside a friend? Depends how much you give 'em.” 

Weekly Mantra - Here We Grow

Thessaloniki, Greece

I have 32, 883 words of a young adult novel that I've been writing.

According to Writer's Digest, the average young adult novel is between 55,000 and 69,999 words, which means that I am halfway to completion.

Will I finish it? I'm not sure. Do I want to finish it? Of course! Sometimes I look for inspiration in photos or words to remind me that all projects (personal or professional) take time.

Above is a photo I took in Thessaloniki of my favourite sculpture in the city. It's called Umbrellas, and the beauty of it made my eyes tell my brain to stop thinking for a moment. I wonder about the sculptor, Giorgos Zogolopoulos. I wonder how daunting this project must've felt at first, and how many people told him it wouldn't make sense.

Lastly, below is a quote from author and entrepreneur, Seth Godin that I also found inspiring and relevant. Enjoy!

"Great projects start out feeling like buildings. There are architects, materials, staff, rigid timelines, permits, engineers, a structure.

It works or it doesn't.

Build something that doesn't fall down. On time.

But in fact, great projects, like great careers and relationships that last, are gardens. They are tended, they shift, they grow. They endure over time, gaining a personality and reflecting their environment. When something dies or fades away, we prune, replant and grow again.

Perfection and polish aren't nearly as important as good light, good drainage and a passionate gardener.

By all means, build. But don't finish. Don't walk away.

Here we grow." - via sethgodin.typepad.com 

Weekly Mantra - Try something different

Sometimes I create change through making small decisions.

Things like buying a new couch pillow; choosing a book genre that I never read, or getting a hair cut. I've mentioned before without getting into too many details, that my routine looks nothing like it did a month ago. These days, I don't have anything in my life quite set. My schedule is made on a weekly basis, and I even work nights. While this change has been significant, I still find myself seeking other ways to alter my surroundings.

I got in touch with Elena, the amazing graphic designer who helped with my blog's redesign last year. I asked if she could send me some of the other logos she made, before I originally picked the final one. She sent me the jpeg, and I immediately changed it. (*Look above! I hope you like it)

Sometimes making a quick change, without focusing on the previous attachment, makes me feel like I'm moving forward in a way. While this blog isn't famous, or read by thousands, it is still a piece of me, and if I'm changing, then this space must also evolve.

For anyone else who's starting over, or contemplating finding a new routine, this week's mantra is for you! x

Weekly Mantra + Plant Love

Say aloe to my new roommate! jk.

My latest plant addition obsession is a green, prickly, curvy, aloe plant. (Let's see how long this lives). As this week comes to a close, I also wanted to share a book I'm reading and this week's mantra. I found it at my favourite Chapters location in Toronto, which is shutting down tomorrow. When I went to their closing sale, it looked like the book apocalypse.

Under the piles and piles of leftover books, I found the hardcover version of Susan Sontag: The Complete Rolling Stone Interview. Sontag was an author, intellectual, filmmaker, activist, and professor. Her collection of work spans from novels, to thought-provoking pieces on writing, love, beauty, photography and illness.

This book features her full interview with journalist Jonathan Cott. While reading, I came across this quote and thought it would be a good mantra. See below. 

"Look, what I want is to be fully present in my life -- to really be where you are, contemporary with yourself in your life, giving full attention to the world, which includes you. You are not the world, the world is not identical to you, but you're in it and paying attention it." 

For more on Susan Sontag, check out Brain Pickings' collection of her work. Happy Friday! x

New Weekly Mantra - Spread Love

It's (almost) the end of a short week for Canadians, and the beginning of a long weekend for Americans gearing up for Memorial Day. I don't know about you, but this week feels like it's quite long despite the lost day.

Below is an (end) of the week mantra and it comes from The Chalkboard Mag, an online wellness magazine from the founders of Pressed Juicery. I read it daily, and it provides tips on all areas of health; from recipes, to chats with yoga instructors, doctors and celebrities. Below is a quote I found on their Instagram and it is a great life reminder. Enjoy! x

New Weekly Mantra - No Happy Ending

Grabbing my phone first thing in the morning, and scrolling through feeds of information is one way I wake up. The other, is reaching for a book.

I love mini books as they don't require an extensive time commitment. They can be shoved in a purse, and opened at random to provide wisdom, in the middle of the day. 

Lately, I keep my pocket book of Pema Chödrön on my night table. Chödrön is an American Buddhist nun and bestselling author whose teachings focuses on developing patience and kindness; while breaking old patterns, and unlocking joy. Each page takes under a minute to read, and has a different heading like, 'The noble heart,' or 'Right here is a good place to start.'

This week's mantra comes from Chödrön's pocket book in the chapter, "No happy ending." Enjoy!

"In one of the first teachings I ever heard, the teacher said, "I don't know why you came here, but I want to tell you right now that the basis of this whole teaching is that you're never going to get everything together." I felt a little like he had just slapped me in the face or thrown cold water over my head. But I've always remembered it. He said, "You're never going to get it all together." There isn't going to be some precious future time when all the loose ends will be tied up. Even though it was shocking to me, it rang true. One of the things that keeps us unhappy is this continual searching for pleasure or security, searching for a little more comfortable situation, either at the domestic level or at the spiritual level or at the level of mental peace."

Not A Model Weekly Mantra - Hillary Clinton

I interrupt my New York recap blog posts to bring you this week's mantra.

It's from the indomitable Hillary Clinton, as she gives advice for young women.

Clinton spoke at Tina Brown's Women in the World Summit. After reading the highlights of her speech (found here), this part of the conversation felt as if she was speaking directly to me. It features some of the best advice on understanding criticism.

Enjoy!

"Too many young women I think are harder on than themselves than circumstances warrant. They are too often selling themselves short. They too often take criticism personally instead of seriously. You should take criticism seriously because you might learn something, but you can’t let it crush you. You have to be resilient enough to keep moving forward, whatever the personal setbacks and even insults that come your way might be. That takes a sense of humor about yourself and others. Believe me, this is hard-won advice I’m putting forth. It’s not like you wake up and understand this. It’s a process."Hillary Clinton (via The Cut)

New Weekly Mantra - Actions, not words

It's as simple as it gets. You've probably heard it before, but lately, it is single-handedly the only piece of advice that I give to others when they need counsel.

In a word heavy communication environment (read: text, email) the below advice is more important than ever. When you find yourself analyzing words, or saying, "But they said or wrote this," remember the following:

image via HQlines

When winter asks for another glass of water

I can feel winter lingering beside the front door, chatting like an overzealous guest that doesn't seem to get the hint that he is unwanted. The host twists Winter's scarf in her hands, and eyeballs the watch on her wrist. 

"May I have another glass of water?" winter asks.

The host politely pours some water into a glass and hands it over. Winter slowly slurps the last bit of wetness from the glass, and makes an ahhh sound. He sits by a bench near the door, but doesn't put on his shoes. He continues talking. The host shuffles her feet from side to side. 

It's coming, she thinks. Once he walks out that door, everything will be better. 

Spring inspiration is everywhere. It's in the Madewell lookbook; it's in advertisements like this black and white ad from Banana Republic. It's in the two packages of tulips I bought for my apartment.

My last post I wrote about my Pinterest travel board, but this week I want to share my real pin board. I recently bought a framed pushpin board for my apartment where I could pin photos, words and things that inspire me. From my old MetroCard from my summer in New York, to the eternally cool Daria Werbowy; it's a visual space I can look to for inspiration, in real life.

Below (and tacked onto my board) is this week's mantra. It is from Kurt Vonnegut and the quote came inside a Christmas card that I received from my old coworkers. I find it particularly useful right now while waiting for spring. Hope you enjoy it! x