DO

Hey Guys,

The idea for this post sat in my mind for a while before I was able to fully express it and when I did, it just sat in my drafts waiting to be better.  When I stumbled across this video on Youtube, I knew it would be exactly what I needed to inspire me. It did. Lately, I’ve been mentioning doing things that make me uncomfortable and mindfully living my life. As I listened to this Shonda Rhimes TED Talk, I resonated so much with every piece of this video and if you’ve been reading my posts for a while now or know me personally, then you know , just like her, I’m not good at playing. I like to work, I love to work but I want to play because it does make me feel very alive.

So today, I’ll be sharing some pictures taken by the amazing Simply Kech. Sharon and I had the best time this past weekend where we finally got to take part in a color festival, which we’ve both anticipated for a while and Kech was able to capture really good pictures post – color splash.

Unknowingly, I’ve been in my ‘year of yes’ for longer than I’ve known. I have been trying to actualize my plans. I have been trying to live a lot more outside my work, my structure and endless planning. All my life, I’ve been a planner, so I make lists obsessively and plan everything to a tee. For the past year however, I’ve been learning to be more flexible, more spontaneous. I’m trying to do less obsessive planning and more doing, when I can- even when it’s uncomfortable, even when it’s scary, even when it’s a little difficult. I’m saying yes and ensuring that I don’t let the things I love wither away because of my structure, my workaholic nature or my comfort.

“Do the hard thing, 

it’ll make you softer.

Do the fearful thing,

it’ll set you free.”

-Q. Gibson

The color festival, in this case, is something I’ve always wanted to attend but always made excuses for not attending. Sharon and I were having such a lazy day on the particular day, but we pushed ourselves anyway and incredibly enjoyed ourselves. I finally got to tick color run off my bucket list and got to listen to such good performers as well. We ran, smiled, laughed, threw color dust on each other, sung along to great music and felt really alive.

I’m in a continuous process of learning to do things I want to do, saying yes to new experiences and living fully- mindfully. Sometimes this doesn’t have to be in big ways, even in small experiences, being fully present in whatever situation. Sometimes the strength, maybe even the courage, to say yes to being far outside my comfort zone will be minimal so pushing myself anyway will have to do.

I’m continuously opening myself up to new experiences. To living fully, bravely and boldly.  This was one of the things at the top of my list to continue practicing this year and I’m glad I’m making progress. I hope you are too, I hope you have been open and if you haven’t we’re not yet at the halfway mark of the year. There’s so much more time left. Re-evaluate your goals, look at how much more you’ve experienced and then do. Act. Live.

“I hope you find the kind of moments that take your breath way. The kind of moments that change you. I hope you travel to places that cleanse you, I hope you go to concerts that ring through your bones and make you feel alive. I hope you connect with the small things- I hope you live. Truly. I hope you don’t hold back. There is so much to feel in this world. I hope you feel it all.”

– Rainbow Salt

“God will carry you.” Isaiah 46:4

Be Love and Be Light,

Michelle.