Caretaking

bon_vivi_ant_eats • Location: Boulder, CO

♥ Love is fragile, much like us humans. We are not always the best caretakers of each other. The most important work we do is within the walls of our home. A great partner brings out your triggers, wounds from the past, fears, insecurities, and limiting beliefs. I discovered that a heart of compassion is really acceptance. The better you accept others and yourself, the more compassionate you become. As you practice compassion, you set boundaries to hold people accountable for their behavior. A secure and healthy partnership will provide you with a safe space to work through those things and become the best version of yourself. To this day, I still take responsibility for me, nurturing and worrying always about my well-being. I simply am being a caretaker on God's behalf. Life is too short to be a caretaker of the wrong details.

One Plus More

Birthdays remind me that you don't get the same moment twice in life.

Birthdays are, should be, a huge celebration of my parents, myself, and the people in my life. Birthdays remind me what "I love you" means to the core. Acceptance for the person that you are and that they do not wish to change you into someone else. It means they will love you through the worst of times, loving you even when you're not in the mood or too tired to do the things they want to do. They love you when you're down, not just when you are fun to be with. It means that they care enough to nurture what we have and cherish it enough to not let go. It means they think of you, dream with you, hope with you constantly. Birthdays reflect the love I give away and the blanket of love that covers me.

• Birthdays are wonderful, especially the one I just or perhaps still celebrating.

• Location: Ocean Restaurant in Five Points South District - Birmingham, Alabama

The reason I stinkin adore birthdays is simply the call to pause deeply. Another year… full of revelations, accolades, joy, loss, triumphs, exhaustion and… this next part is much longer. It’s the rise. The comeback. It’s the birth of the new you. And it’s not easy.

I have strength. I am a risk taker and worth it.

I left a lot of myself behind, letting go of all the parts of me that I’ve outgrown. I no longer make myself small anymore. I no longer bend to fit where I don’t belong anymore. This year is about going all in. My soul is whole and here, all for this moment. Right here. Right now, this version of me, who knows exactly who she is, who she’s not, who she will never be again.

I stop apologizing for who I am. I’m not sorry for what I had to do to get here, and I’m not sorry for the time it took to learn my worth. I don’t belong in the box of who I am supposed to be according to everyone who wasn’t me. I am a woman comfortable in her own skin. It’s time. I earned it. I no longer wear the expectations of anyone else and I no longer let anyone else decide what I am worth.

Nothing is taken for granted. Every thing is a gift. And now it’s time to celebrate it. Life is about collecting wonderful people who see your magic and help you spread it. If you lend me your eyes, I can change what you see. Expressing joy returns it to you and has the wonderful effect of attracting even more.

Be who you needed when you were younger. So I am just going to spend the rest of the next 365 adventures laughing. And probably eating. A LOT. Someone once told me to not bite off more than I can chew. I rather choke on greatness than nibble on mediocrity because I am my BEST with full chipmunk cheeks. Happy birthday plus one and more (to meeee) ♥

Acting Defiantly

bon_vivi_ant_eats • Appetizers: Grilled Octopus l Carb Count: 25g • Gambas al Ajillo l Carb Count: 14g • Spanish Charcuterie l Carb Count: 64g • Burrata l Carb Count: 12g

Cocktail: Piggyback l Carb Count: 9g • Location: The Stetson Social, Peoria, AZ

** Nutrition facts are estimates only**

♥ Sometimes the greatest act of defiance is smiling and sometimes asking for help is the most meaningful example of self-reliance. Sometimes the best medicine is just to laugh until you cry and sometimes the greatest wisdom comes from accepting you will never know why. Sometimes just going to bed is the best antidote to trials and tribulations. And sometimes just being blessed to get up again and face it all, for one more day, is worthy of celebration. The biggest lesson, prioritize yourself. Do not make yourself an option. You have to, because that is when you truly start living. That is when you look forward to every day. Be kind to your body. To your mind. To your feelings. And even kinder to your beautiful heart. Have a beautiful weekend my friends.

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