practical and meaningful

identify your bliss and make that your life's work

Ask yourself these questions. What motivates me? What am I good at? What is important. What gives my life meaning?

My list is varied but you can see parts of it shining through every thing I do.

Building things. Shaping people's experiences. Providing jobs. Feeding people. Knowing. Working hard. Loving hard. Organization. Seeking. Documenting. Sampling. Doing good. Creating spaces. Encouraging others. Standing back. Family. Details.  Friends. Meeting people. Making a difference. Believing. Soul work. No regrets. For the long haul.

Identify your bliss and make that your life's work.

my secret sauce

There is  a lot of talk when you are an entrepreneur about what "you" specifically bring to the table in terms of your work and your business. My friend Jan calls it your secret sauce.

This past week was busier than usual with  big events, parties, and catering  ON TOP of the usual cafe, art studios, and crafty work.  I thought about farming out the baking of the rainbow cakes since I had so much going on - but ended up doing them myself. As I was assembling them, I was inspired to switch up the order of the layers, so that each girl would have their own different cake. Had someone else made the cakes, I would not have had the insight to ask them to switch up the layers ahead of time. It was in the moment, and I concede, part of my secret sauce.  What did you do today that was done specifically a certain way, because you did it. Do you know what your secret sauce is?

middle aged...how did that happen?

I was basically a kid (25 years old) when I met my husband. I was living in  a loft in downtown los angeles - pushing my steel bathtub down the hall to the community bathroom, traveling the world taking photos, and making plans for how I wanted my life to play out. I spent days in the dark room, hours gardening on the roof, and money on things such as sunday night dinner parties on the roof.

Almost twenty years has passed and I am in awe of how life has played out and how fast the time has flown. We were laughing the other day because I suddenly realized I am no longer a kid and that we are middle aged....how did that happen?  We have built houses and responsibility and college funds and retirement funds, we own businesses, our daughter is a tween and i still feel exactly the same in my heart as I did when I was 25.  I feel the years on my body and I mark the years in my body of work, my heart carries the weight of life, but my spirit still feels 25.

 

things i love most about my husband

it is father's day and i am grateful for all these things about my husband.

this is the day we met, he is directing FIRST DATE on my roof at the loft.

MY HUSBAND Temple....

he does the right thing. he knows how to pack a car. he loves nature. he is not obsessed with watching sports. he is an amazing father. he respects me. he is diciplined. he sings. he is just geeky enough and just cool enough. his blue eyes. he is so smart. he loves to travel. he is egoless. he loves to cook. he can fix anything. he loves my cooking. he lets me fix things too. he is a great driver. he is a good friend. he likes adventure. he is funny. he is practical. he loves pizza and great wine. he respects our daughter. he has a great family. he is strong. he is flexible. he has integrity. he is fair. he has a great work ethic. he is sweet. he is a wonderful husband.  happy father's day!

on our wedding day in 1997 driving the SCOUT at the farm in Texas.

at Petit St Vincent - his friend Stevie owns the island!

gift it forward and other meaningful presents

My favorite kind of gift exchange is where each person brings a gift that is practical or meaningful - it can be something you love (your favorite thing - a book, a candle) , a GIFT IT FORWARD gift - something you own (that you love) that you want to pass on (not a white elephant gift), or you can make something. Anything practical or meaningful.

Affirmations

When I love everything around me, I am constantly inspired.
When I have money in the bank, I am more able to think, feel, and live life.
When I invite people into my home, I am more connected and loving in the world.
When I am taking care of myself and eating right and exercizing, I have more to give.
Creating jobs and making money connects me to my community and my purpose.
Appreciate your life, find meaning in everything you do.
Eliminate what does not support your true self.
Love your life, work hard, play hard, be AWAKE.

painting by Adele Sypesteyn

Happy New Year from Practical & Meaningful

Practically speaking, here are some resolutions for the new year.  Meaningfully speaking, here is what I loved most about last year. 

PRACTICAL Resolutions for 2012 - Tighten up my systems, simplify, & be more organized. Exercise regularly.  Take more photos. See more movies. Spend time with the people I love. Enjoy more music.

MEANINGFUL What I loved most about 2011 - My Think Days. our Valentine's Dinner Party. the movie Crazy, Stupid, Love. My daughter singing at David's 40th birthday party. Bring your dogs and parents to ART CAMP day. Moving Crafty. Hiking the Stairs in Culver City. All the great press I got through HARO. Being a moMPreneur. The Egg Project. my TWEEN.  Going to PSV.

Practical and Meaningful. Resolution and Review. Action and Appreciation. Work and Play. Friendships and Friends. Places and Memories. Systems and Recall.  Happy New Year!

my summer "to do" list

go to the beach. go to trapeze school. read books. have a girls weekend with my friends who I grew up with. drink some adult beverages. get back to the gym. get back to pilates. spend time with friends. teach jack to ride his bike. have an intown retreat with my working mom friends. circle. take photos. go to london.

my great grandmothers glasses

I have the amazing glasses that belonged to my great grandmother. She only brought them out for special occasions (see the Christmas tree in the background) - but I use them every day. They are beautiful, meaningful, practical, and I feel connected to my past every day.

investing in the event

We were throwing a party at the art studio in the midst of a VERY busy week and I needed to feel connected to the event. It was something I was very excited about, but really did not have time to be present for. But I needed to be.

So instead of ordering the food, I took the time to make it. This made all the difference.

By choosing to cook, i invested myself in the party and I had a wonderful time. Next time you are feeling uninspired or too busy, dig in deeper and do something that invests yourself into the event.