Authenticity brings inspiration

Emily has inspired me again.

There have been many days when I have not been inspired and had no clue what to write for my blog post. On other days I have published a post and felt timid about putting it out in the blogosphere. It might have felt half-baked to me, or that the topic would not interest anyone, or be inspiring to others. Many times those are the blogs where I will receive a note or comment that my blog post was just what that individual needed to hear that day, or that it brought up memories from their life and my post meant a lot to them.

That is what keeps me going. So when I read Emily’s blog, I was inspired by her honesty, bluntness, and authenticity. Emily shares that she has writers block, but then captures her present moment in such a raw and real way. It happens to so many of us, whether it be writing a blog post, finishing a painting, or coming up with that grand idea for a work campaign. Emily’s post reminds me that we need to be present in our stuck-ness. Stay open and see what comes out of it. You never know – you might find just the idea you need.

Whenever I am in that place where I am stuck, I change gears. It might mean that I go and do something else. I find that often I go for a run, organize, or clean. When I let go of the answer I need, and just focus on what I am doing in that moment, I often find just the answer I need. Sometimes it clears my writer’s block, or inspires me with new ideas. Sometimes it just gets me out of a murky thought pattern, and allows a different story in my mind. Rather than sitting in that stuck place, do something different. Like Emily did, be real with where your thoughts bring you. That is authenticity.

Emily I hope your creativity traveled back to you. I have a hunch that it has returned.

Give a little love…

Posted by random olio

Love. Love. Love. Giving a little love is never too late. I believe that love is truly the answer to so many problems. For those that are depressed, angry, or lost love could be the answer.

Most of the time when we struggle in life, when we feel loved, appreciated, and seen we find the answers we need. If that is true, what could we do to share love more each and every day? What could you do with your family, at work, with your friends? If we knew that sharing love in everything we do could transform others, would we do it? Would you? If it breaks boundaries and removes miscommunications, would you lead the way with love? If you said yes, then how do we do it? I love this quote from Brene Brown:

“We cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known.”

The idea of being vulnerable and showing our true selves has been a recent inspiration to me. If we show our true selves in the most raw and real way, how can love not surround us? Are we afraid that it will not? It is not possible. Love is always around us, we just need to stop and witness it. Most of the time, love is surrounding us in ways we cannot imagine. We just need to open our eyes, look around, and appreciate it. A few friends shared this on Valentines Day and I wanted to share it. When you watch it, I hope it reminds you that love is there each moment of your day.

Do you know about VAWA?

Posted by random olio

VAWA is the Violence Against Women Act. Keep reading. It is important to know for your daughters, wife, sisters, niece, and friends. “The Violence Against Women Act is a United States federal law passed in 1994, reauthorized in 2000, again in 2005, and is up for reauthorization this year.” In my post last Friday I talked about One Billion Rising. A campaign that raises awareness calls an end to violence against women. Last week, the Senate passed the VAWA act providing $659 million over five years for some domestic violence programs. Next week the House of Representatives will vote on VAWA. That means there is still time to communicate with your Representative. This can mean a local rape crisis center stays open. It can mean women’s shelters in your community stay open. It can mean that another woman is safe.

This is an issue that is near and dear to me.

Please support VAWA. It is not something we should take for granted. We need to do what we can to continue to raise awareness and not assume that because VAWA was in effect in the past, that it will be passed next week. We all can remember presidential elections that we thought, oh it is a shoo in, and things happened differently. As I think about the many recent events where we have seen violence in general, Newtown, Connecticut, Colorado Theater shootings, the list goes on, I wonder about the violence happening to women that we do not see on the nightly news.

This Huffington Post article states:

“On average, four to five women are murdered by their husbands or boyfriends each day in the United States as a result of domestic violence. Over 200,000 people are sexually assaulted each year in this country.”

Not a statistic we want to think about, but one we should ponder. This is a no brainer for me. This should be part of being a world citizen, honoring and protecting all humans. It is 2013, we should no longer have to talk about violence against women. We should not have to differentiate between men and women. The reality is we do have to fight for this initiative. Speak up. Let your voice be heard.

Date a girl who reads

Posted by random olio

This quote has been spreading around Facebook. I have to share it here. It is so true. For all those book loving women out there, this post is for you. I am this girl. If you had a little camera or viewfinder into my world, you would find me with a book in the car when Chris is driving, in the bathroom when I am drying my hair, during toilet visits, curled up on the couch, in the bathtub, while I am running on the treadmill, snuggled up in bed before falling asleep, the list goes on.

Chris has lost me many times. I think he has finally given up. He knows there is no competition that can compare to an amazing book. He knows that if I am nearing the end I will want to stay up until I finish those last few pages. He might see tears in my eyes because I am so enraptured in the story, that I feel like I am there with the characters. He knows I may barter with him about something we need to do just so I can find out what happens next.

He knows he has married a woman who reads, and there is nothing he can do about it. He is smitten. He loves to watch the smile on my face when I close the back flap of a book, grinning because I liked the ending and cannot wait for a sequel. He watches for the next book that may come out from my favorite authors. He gets it.

I have copied the above link below so you can have more context for this quote I am referring to from Rosemarie Urquico:

“…If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at two a.m. clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.

You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes.“

~ From Rosemarie Urquico’s “A Girl You Should Date.”

Psst…Chris, I write too.

Belated Blog Birthday

Posted by random olio

Do you know when you get so into what you are doing you forget to look up and notice what is happening around you? That is what has happened to me. My one year anniversary of my blog happened on January 8, 2013, and I missed it.

I was so into life, work, family, friends, and my blog that I did not even realize that a full year had passed. Looking back on the first year of random olio, I have learned a lot. I am excited that I did not give up (I am not one to give up). It is a lot of work to write a blog 5 days a week. I find that writing my blog inspires and challenges me. It requires me to stay on top of my thoughts, inspirations, and ideas.

I am honored by each and every individual who is following my blog, those that comment and ask questions, and those that have encouraged and inspired me. I thank you. It has been a year full of changes, triumphs, set backs, and growth. I am going to continue writing, learning, and making connections with each of you.

What was your favorite post from random olio over the past year?

Happy belated first birthday random olio!