Having Less. Making Room.

A letter to close out 2022 and to open 2023.

Reading a novel, the end always seems more important than the beginning. Even as you read the first few words, that last page beckons. That is why you keep reading. I am now in the early stages of a story within the story of my life. There is a sense of nervous anticipation about what the next page will hold. I try to fully experience what is happening now, knowing that this subchapter will have a happy ending.

Shakespeare wrote that "time goes very slow for those who wait. Very fast for those who are scared. Very long for those who lament. Very short for those who celebrate. But for those who love, time is eternal."

Know this, you can be content with small steps. That is all life is.

Small steps that you take every day so when you look back down the road, it all adds up and you know you covered some distance. It is very true. You just need to have patience.

The year in 2022 has been about vital transformation in my life, about being by myself... having space to allow me the time to heal and room in order to finish the process undisturbed. I did not want to cheat myself out of this precious moment, precious time, even during the heart break and loss. It was a year about balance between being comfortable in my skin and happiness. I lost a great deal in love. I did not want anything else to take more away from me. All I can say is that in the midst of packing, detaching, simplifying and uncluttering, a quiet space can inhabit the virtues one needs in order to be safe, loved and happy in life. What a year. I have an incredible life. I wish you look back upon yours and share the same sentiment. 365 days that totally changed me. Thank you 2022.

• Dear eyelashes, wishbones, dandelions, shooting stars, 11:11, birthday candles and 2023, I will do my part. Do your job. Happiest cheers to 2023 • Location: Denver Botanic Gardens

Life is seasonal. You see, fill yourself up with art, books, knowledge and experiences. But mostly, surround yourself with people who have nothing but love to give. This is very important. That's how you replenish your soul. It is a reminder to me how each of us are gifts to one another. No matter how big or small, if you yearn sincerely enough, you will find it. The universe will shift and your path will soon intersect with the path you need.

Sometimes, we do not know yet what we deserve. And still maybe you won't fully know what you deserve.

Different people will awaken different things inside of you.

Some people have glossy hair that doesn't tangle, never gains weight, never had their hearts broken. An easy, pretty life is lovely. A difficult life with broken hearts, loneliness, rejection letters, creditors calling, and darkness makes people funnier. You can survive a hurricane-force heartbreak. I know. So hug your friends alot and be driven to cheer up, the way people are driven to make money, get thin, or get married.

Love is not perfect. Sometimes, it is messy and hurtful, and it does not always end the way you want it to. But it is a love story all the same.

The one who works to become better deserves my love. The one who will do everything for me that I would do for them and expect nothing in return. The one who will care for me as if I were an extension of him. The one who compromises, sacrifices, and fights for me. This person, this man, deserves my love. Entirely. Completely. Wholeheartedly. Raise the standards you have for yourself and those around you.

A close circle is a very important practice. It allows you to live your daily life in a way that you never lose yourself. You can get carried away with fears, worries, cravings, anger and desire. The practice of always going back to your intimate circle is a wonderful vehicle. You don't have to buy gas because they refill you.

Some things I won't trade the world for and the memories I have. At the end of the day, the definition of greatness is an illusion. Just love the person in front of you, including yourself. Maybe they will come back and tell you it mattered. Most likely they won't. My life won't appear in history books and ESPN may not cover me but it will remain in the hearts of those I have loved. I couldn't ask for a better legacy. Minimalism is not about having less, it is about making more room for what matters. New Year. New You. Just put back the pieces differently. Happiest cheers to 2023 ♥

Vacant or Occupied

There are only three things a man should want to change about his woman - her last name, her address, and her viewpoint about men.

The difference between "like" "love" and "in love" is the same as the difference between "for now" "for awhile" and "#forever."

My last relationship failed and I want to do better next time. To do better, you are going to have to try... That means being ten times more magnamious than you believe yourself to be capable of being. You will learn a lot about yourself if you stretch in the direction of goodness, of bigness, of kindness, of forgiveness, of love. Your life becomes a thousand times better for it. I believe when once you allow yourself to be ready to give and receive love, put your best self out there with as much transparency and sincerity and humor as possible. Both online and in person. Inhabit the beauty that lives in your body and the beauty in others. It is up to you to create a better love story. A bigger love story.

It is of no surprise you have such doubt in this moment. Countless people have been heartbroken and devastated for reasons that cannot be explained or justified in reasonable terms. Sometimes, we feel pinned in place by our suffering. Without knowing your story, I have nothing to give you but my kind words, along with the amount of compassion, empathy and hope that I am thinking of you. I hope knowing someone out there is thinking of you when you most needed it can float you in your darkest hour.

Gloria Steinem said " far too many people are looking for the right person, instead of trying to be the right person." I think a lot of people do not understand what real romance is. The journey we take to find love is not going to be average. You have to be fearless to let love transform you. You do not need another human being to make your life complete, but let's be honest, having someone love on you is the most calming thing in this world.

You have to take risks and fail. I am sure love will come back. Love can come back but not if you remain on the wrong track.

We accept the love we think we deserve.

So set healthy boundaries. Communicate mindfully. Take risks and work hard on what actually matters. Trust that inner voice that speaks with love and shut out the inner voice that speaks with hate. Be fearless with our hearts. You can allow someone in and occupy space or let them stay in the doorway waiting to be invited until vacancy is available.

For me, it's easy to give love when someone shows me their soul. This world is so #guarded and #fearful. I appreciate rawness so much. We all have so much love in our hearts that we shouldn't keep it to ourselves. Your actions will either make it a gatekeeper or the gateway to your heart.

I can tell you that when you come across that person, the tiny and everyday things surrounding you - the leaves on the ground, the shade of light in the sky, the #flowers on the table, the background music, a bowl of carrots, a message on the phone - suddenly shimmer with a kind of unreality. You know, when the tiny details take on such #significance. The hours, days change you. Suddenly, the food, #humor, conversation, people and sports, alter in your life. We all experience it differently. For me, I feel love intensely...it makes me giddy, euphoric, and content, centered. It changes the books I read and how I think about them, the amount of sugar I eat, the miles I run, and how often I sleep in my bed, even changing zip codes. Everything changes ♥

[The original article was published on WordPress but has been updated since December 2021]

Big. Small. None.

• Never met a sunrise or sunset I did not like • Location: Daniel's Park, Sedalia

No matter how much you practice #gratitude and manifest #positivity, life has moments that sucks. They can be big. Small. None. It is crucial to acknowledge if you are #depressed, #angry, #bitter or sad. Be real. Because if you acknowledge those emotions, they will come and go. As I have said it before, what pains you now will surely pain you less. If you start with this moment, your heart will know what is right for you.

You can either let go or you can be unwiling to let go. One is peaceful and the other is teaching us how to be peaceful.

I am deeply emotional because I feel intensely. I have never been one shy of crying. Over the past year, I met #impermanence over and over. So many things lost...selling my beautiful home, the departure from corporate life, disengaging from friends afar, disconnecting from someone I planned a future ...loss after loss, one can become brittle. I believe tears are a way to replenish our soul so that you have nothing left but to refill with happiness. Think exponentially. Some human behaviors that seemed acceptable or at least insignificant in the past might now be most unwise. We have no idea when a little change can make a big difference.

It is why we need to be reminded of all the reasons we are special. Those who love us best know our hearts. 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 worse of times, loving you even when you are not in the mood or too tired to do the things they want to do. They love you when you are 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. When we may be feeling unappreciated at work or in certain friendships or relationships, they put things in perspective.

Just because things are not going so well in one area does not mean that we can not take stock of the joys that exist. Life really is not that serious. We make it hard. The sun rises. The sun sets. We just tend to complicate the process.

Hang out with people who fit your future, not your past. Really surround yourself with good people. People that are good for you, good to you, and good for your soul. Being with loved ones will remind you how treasured you are. It is nice to know you matter. For me, these people reflect the love I give away and the blanket of love that covers me ♥