A thank you to a few Facebook friends for sharing a few interesting links yesterday.  It is not a coincidence to me that they are all from different folks, yet the theme is all so similar.

First off, I was a Barbie girl growing up.  I wanted the next best and greatest Barbie.  I was known to cut their hair (a horrible idea if you ever want to ever have them not look freaky).  Their hair grows in rows, so when you cut it, all you have left is 3 or 4 rows of hair sticking up.  I loved dressing them, brushing their hair, and yes even having them have sex to the only cassette I had at the time: Daryl Hall and John Oates.  At the time, I was a ‘pink’ girl.  I loved putting on the eye shadow my grandma had in her cabinet, a bright blue color that looked hideous on me, but she still let me leave the house looking horrible.  I wonder why she never wore it?!

Later in college, I ranged from the other end of the spectrum.  I had a shaved head, did not wear make-up (I guess the blue eye shadow got it out of my system).  I guess being a ‘pink’ girl did not stay with me.

So when I watched this video of Riley, well she just made my day.  I wish every little girl could have such passion, eagerness and questioning conviction for their toys!  We need more discussions with children about how completely okay it is for boys to play with dolls and pink things and girls to play with space ships and super heros.  It allows girls to learn qualities of strength and adventure, and boys to learn to nurture and enjoy beauty.  Riley ROCKS!

If only our lives were all so balanced later in life!  What led me as a little girl towards Barbies? Hall & Oates/Barbies/Sex? Blue Eye Shadow?  How do we learn these things?  Which leads me to the next article I read by Lisa Bloom, it is a bit older going back to last June, but it is still just as important today.  Lisa Bloom’s new book is going on my reading list!  I love how she describes how she talked to Maya about her mind instead of her pretty face or dress.  I will definitely be trying doing that when encountering little ones in the future.

On sidewalk in Amsterdam

Close up of sticker

In honor of this from Lisa’s article: “You go on with your bad self, Maya.”

I am going to take my bad self and dive into the next book I am reading.

1. Waking up next to my husband everyday
2. Family and friends
3. Being present, in the NOW
4. Reading a good book
5. Creativity (painting, pottery, writing, knitting…recently Photoshop)
6. Laughter
7. New adventures and opportunities
8. A good hard run
9. Health
10. Traveling to a new place

Even on those “third alarm” days we can still jump out of bed, enjoy the sunshine, and be ALIVE with gratitude.

Boat in San Francisco

I’m off to go dabble in watercolor.  What makes you feel ALIVE?

I subscribe to a daily newsletter called: Daily Om. Yesterday’s email was on the topic of releasing resentment.  Recently I was laid off from my job and have been asked numerous times if I resent the situation I was in.  There are times I have felt that way, and there are times when I have felt extremely grateful to be in this new experience and adventure.  I have bolded below what I have been especially pondering today.

“Hanging onto resentment in our hearts does not serve us in any way. Successfully divesting ourselves of resentful feelings can be difficult, however, because doing so forces us to mentally and emotionally confront the original source of anger. When we cease assigning blame, we realize that our need to hold someone or something responsible for our feelings has harmed us. We thought we were coping with our hurt when in fact we were holding onto that hurt with a vice grip. To release resentment, we must shift our attention from those we resent back toward ourselves by thinking of our own needs.”

You can read the full newsletter here: Daily Om 1/10/12.

So can we stop thinking about what has been done to us, and start looking at what we need to do for ourselves?  Are you holding any resentment today?  Have you been holding resentment for someone for a while?  If so, take time out to shift your attention so you can move forward.

Time to go for a nice long run resentment-free!