And feeling a lot like this: 

 and this:

 and this:

Soak it in, friends.

Speaking of Bon Iver and epic covers and love, have you heard Justin Vernon’s take on this classic?

Adele has a wicked good version too!

Not the pretty ones that change for the Spring lines. The ones that are ingrained into our daily living so well we just don’t notice them anymore. The past several days have illuminated a few of mine. Isn’t it great how life does that? Rather than doing what I usually do, this post is a bit of a meditation to let it really sink in. 

It goes something like this:

When something doesn’t seem to be working, my tendency is to keep searching, keep reading, keep researching, keep thinking, keep inquiring, keep trying to figure it all out. In short, I just want to know what I’m doing wrong and “fix” it. This is all wonderful in theory, except that doing so rarely fixes or changes anything and rarely gets me closer to my concrete goals. If anything, it just serves as the perfect distraction from really getting down to business. And while going to Meetups and gaining new web skills and learning Spanish are all goals of mine, none of them are currently #1 on my list. And in the case of my #1, all that’s necessary is good old focus.  

Focus. My Achilles’ heel. Nemesis. Whatever. Greek mythology aside, I just want to do it all, have it all, and be it all. But…

“If you chase two rabbits, both will escape.”  
―Author Unkown

I think many of us have at least five or six different rabbits we’d like to catch and I think a lot of us struggle with zooming in and balancing ideas with their execution. So what gives? I know a handful of people who make achievement and progress look really easy, and the more I observe them the more I see the simplicity, but what specifically works about their approach?

the99percent recently discussed self control and how it relates to productivity and achievement (I highly recommend anything they publish by the way). The part that really stuck out to me was this:

“Way back in 1926, a psychologist named Catherine Morris Cox published a study of 300 recognized geniuses, from Leonardo Da Vinci to Gottfried Leibniz to Mozart to Charles Darwin to Albert Einstein. Cox, who had worked with Lewis M. Terman to develop the Stanford-Binet IQ test, was curious what factors lead to “realized genius,” those people who would really make their mark on the world. After reading about the lives of hundreds historic geniuses, Cox identified a host of qualities, beyond raw intelligence, that predicted “greatness.”

Okay fair enough, that makes sense. But what about the other five proverbial life rabbits? When ideas and inspiration flow I get pumped up and motivated and should ride that wave, right?

Not so fast.

The stories we tell ourselves about creative achievement nearly always focus on the holy grail of inspiration, and leave out the rather important bits about perspiration.  
―Jocelyn K. Glei 

My high school art teacher gave us print outs of two quotes. I never wondered why she specifically shared these, but I taped them in my sketchbook and have the very copies with me to this day. I am now connecting the dots.

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” ―Calvin Coolidge

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back― Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.” ―Goethe 

I don’t really have any brilliant conclusion yet, but it’s becoming clear to me that the ability to be present in life is directly tied to the ability to powerfully choose and then subsequently act with intention. And as time goes by, our goals and desires will also shift and change. As for me, it’s a practice. A practice in quieting the noise in my head, letting go of the need to figure it all out, giving up the idea that if I don’t chase rabbit A then I’m missing something, and detaching myself from the need to understand and control things. It sounds so hard but it actually requires much less energy. I will definitely be sharing anything useful as I go. For now, I’m going to go focus on the beautiful simplicity of absolute silence and a long awaited cupcake :)

xoxo

So in this never-ending search to find a method to the madness…here we go!

Make a “May-Do” list.

This gem comes from PersonalityDesk.com and is particularly great for us “Perceivers”. 

“Rethink lists. You’ve probably been taught that a to-do list is a good way to structure your tasks and make sure everything gets done. If you’re like most Perceivers, this little sales pitch makes you want to run far, far away! Nothing undermines a Perceiver’s motivation more than the concept of having to do tasks methodically, in a pre-planned order. However, lists can still be of tremendous help if you rethink their purpose.

Perceiving types should have a long list of tasks, large and small, long and short-term. This is not a to-do list; think of it more as a may-do list. Although everything on the list has to get done, you’re not required to proceed through it in any particular order. Rather, when it’s time to get to work, you’ll choose the task from the list that you feel most motivated and inspired to work on. In the absence of a strict schedule, Perceivers too often find themselves wasting time deciding what to attack next. Having a “may-do” list helps you to be productive on your own terms.”

I started doing this and lo and behold, getting stuff done is much more enjoyable. This method won’t work for everyone, but I highly recommend doing some investigation of your own to find out what will be best for you.  

For other ideas, click here, here & here!

Photo Sources: 

poorlydrawnlines.com via Kunal on Pinterest

Assorted Library Card Set - www.PinkOlive.com

Also, I recently made this “Productivity Desktop Background” and figured I’d share it. You can download it here. More sizes coming!

Okay fine, perfection would be much warmer, but the sun was shining and people were out and about. As for me, I had a good night’s sleep, good coffee, and I scored an ideal spot at Think in less than 20 minutes. Booya. Apparently this is all I need to finally crank out a new post…

I’ve been devouring ZenHabits, specifically Leo’s post, ‘20 Things I Wish I Had Known When Starting Out In Life‘ and he has me thinking about mistakes. For starters, there is exquisite beauty in being able to turn our lives around and then inspire others to do the same, but we need the mistakes as a place to move from. I’ve struggled a lot with my mistakes, especially since moving to New York. I have it that everyone here is perfect (i.e. always ambitious, always hard-working, always wakes up at 5 AM, always on time, always succeeding, always making bank, etc.). The danger in this is, 1) I’ve defined perfection as everything I’m not and, 2) “always” and “never” rarely leave space for anything else. I recently voiced this to some ladies in a seminar I’m in and not only did it turn out that they feel the same way, but they said most New Yorkers feel like they’re not quite measuring up. I guess that’s where the drive to excel comes in, and I guess that means we’re all fundamentally the same. I guess that means I’m doing okay ;-P

I thought I’d share a list of things I’ve learned in the last year. Many based on mistakes I’ve made. Some of which I’m still working out. Some of which are crystallizing just now as I write them. Here goes:

• Regardless of what you want to do, conditions will rarely be perfect. Don’t let reasons get in the way of doing what inspires you.
• It’s amazing what happens when we put an intention out there and then take corresponding steps to make things happen. The universe will arrange itself. 
• Some things take time no matter how much we want it right away. Learn to love the delays in life. They’re usually there to teach us something and the more we fight them, the longer they tend to take. 
• Ignoring what doesn’t work in our lives won’t make unfavorable circumstances go away. If something keeps showing up, it will probably keep showing up until we work it out.
• It is surprisingly easy to lose sight of ourselves. For some of us, it might take a daily effort to stay centered. I suspect this is the case for me.
• Habits are hard to make and easy to break.
• Having the patience and foresight to see things through can lead to beautiful outcomes.
• We’re not that different from one another. We all learn things at different times to varying degrees and no experience is the same, but I believe that we all get to experience the fundamental elements of the human condition. 
• I for one, seem to meet the perfect people at the perfect times in my life. They are my greatest teachers, help me fill in the gaps, and see what I couldn’t see before. I don’t think that’s any coincidence. It’s magical and I’m beyond grateful for them.
• Turns out, it’s really easy to track finances. Fun actually. Who knew?
• Maturity has less to do with age and experience and more to do with responsibility.
• It’s cool to be whoever you are. I’m stealing this gem from my rockstar boyfriend who caught me trying to play it cool and said, “‘Cool’ is being you, and accepting that, and loving yourself, no matter what other people think. THAT is cool.” So simple it hit me like bricks. I’ve inundated him with my sappy ways ever since.
• I wish I would have listened to my dad all the times he sat us kids down to set goals and 5 year plans. He was right. I was 12. But it would have been valuable to start back then.
• There are very few things that can’t be solved by taking a deep breath or a short nap, shedding some tears, drinking some water, and/or having a good laugh.
• Staying present might be the key to everything.

Apparently many places are offering free coffee in celebration so check with your local faves. I already paid for both of mine today so I will celebrate with photos!

I will never forget being in the back of that cab, staring up at the twin towers and marveling at the brave window washers while we discussed whether or not to stop and go inside. We eventually decided that they weren’t a must-see…our logic being something along the lines of, “they’ll always be there”.

You know the rest of that story.

Ten years has brought a handful of experiences I never could have imagined and life lessons I didn’t know I needed. It has rounded out the edges of that sharp idealism into something more malleable, and now that I live in this great city, I am humbled everyday and only hope that I keep earning my right to be here.  

I don’t know much but I know this for sure: Nothing is permanent. Family dynamics are not. Friendships are not. Love is not. Home is not. I suppose it’s true that living in each fleeting moment is the only concrete thing any of us ever really has. And instead of entitled, we’re fortunate to share these moments with the people who make our coffee, the people we sit next to on the subway, the people who lend a hand when our bike falls apart, the people we work with, and the people who love and inspire us (just to name a few).  

Carpe Diem, ma babies.  

*All photos were taken by my parents in August 2001, on film!

I’m sitting at a window enveloped cafe in the West Village watching every kind of fabulous person walk by.
A photographer is in the middle of the street shooting photos of a beautiful girl on a bicycle in a sheer floral pink tunic.
Everyone else is coming, going, exercising, shopping, dining or dog walking.

New York City is many things but this kind of scene is what I have craved year after year. I (like everyone else) want to live in this part of town and I fully intend to someday. I think it’s important to surround ourselves with the sights and sounds we want our reality to consist of.  That’s how I justify the trip from Bushwick anyway :)

“New York is the biggest collection of villages in the world.”

-Alistair Cooke 

For installment #2, I feel like much more of a New Yorker than I was last time. So what kind of wisdom can I impart on you?

I went to Burning Man in 2007 and have since described it as just an amplified and exaggerated version of real life, but I think that label is more appropriate for New York City. We (yes, we!) have every extreme here and it’s grand.

A few tips:

Footwear

• Flip flops just won’t do. Though, I do see people wearing them all the time, I personally have tried and failed painfully. 
• Urban Outfitter s flats won’t really work to your advantage either. 
• Rain boots are a must. Granted, hurricane Irene doesn’t happen all the time, but on more than five occasions I have found myself wishing I had a good pair and I’ve only been here for about three weeks.

Commuting

• MetroCard if you intend to call any of the five boroughs home, don’t waste any time getting a monthly unlimited. A friend made this suggestion and I’m very glad I didn’t put his advice to the test. 
• Manhattan seems to be far more bike friendly than I expected. I have yet to try this out myself, but I see cyclists everywhere which I assume is a good sign.

Expense

• Laundry detergent is mad expensive here. 
• So are almost all sandwiches worth eating. 
• Cabs really aren’t necessary. Avoid them and your days will be significantly cheaper. 

“Manhattan is a narrow island off the coast of New Jersey devoted to the pursuit of lunch.”

-Raymond Sokolov

Caffeine 

• This city is known for many things but coffee isn’t one of them. If you re a coffee snob like I am this is an adjustment you might just have to live with (sigh).

Art & Opportunity 

If you’re thinking of moving here, I implore you to IGNORE any commentary about how competitive and difficult it is. While New York doesn’t coddle anyone, and while it is more competitive all across the board, the opportunities for networking and collaborating with other artists are worth every penny of rent. I have had more opportunities for my own business and livelihood in a few weeks here than I ever had in years of living in Salt Lake. Just sayin’.

“You come to New York to find the ambiance that will evoke your best. You do not necessarily know precisely what that might be, but you come to New York to discover it.”

-Dr. James Hillman

Appearances

Beautiful and skinny here are in a league of their own. Utah happens to be known for its attractive folks but damn, Gena. It is easy to lose sense of your self esteem here because no matter what you wear, how many pounds you lose from walking constantly, how fabulous you feel in your jeans, or how much money you make, there will always be someone five steps away who is skinnier, more attractive, better dressed, more talented, and more successful. As a side note, I was recently consoled by Garance Doré’s post: N.Y. skinny versus Paris skinny.

Upon moving here, all of these facts shocked me a bit. Especially coming from a place where there is so much inherent sameness that I never felt I fit into very well. I will admit that packaged carefully inside the eleven boxes I moved here with was the expectation that New York would understand me better that I wouldn’t feel like such an outsider and so in my head all the time. Ha!

The beauty I’ve learned is this:

• We really are who we are, regardless of where we reside. You can never escape yourself and thank God for that. 
• There are over 8 million 6 billion people in this city the world and if you try to keep up with any of them you’ll drive yourself mad. 
• All of these people coming and going also experience insecurity, self-doubt, fear, and the pressure to make it . No one is exempt. 
• Every one of us is unique in our own way, which is way more exciting than it is overwhelming.

These are obvious points but I think they’re important to remember and I’m grateful to be in a city that forces me to everyday.

“It wasn’t until I got to New York that I became Kansan. Everyone there kept reminding me they were Jewish or Irish, or whatever, so I kept reminding them that I was mid-western. Before I knew it, I actually began to brag about being from Kansas! I discovered I had something a bit unique, but it was the nature of New York that forced me to claim my past.”

-William Inge

“The city is not a concrete jungle, it is a human zoo.”

-Desmond Morris

“A hundred times have I thought New York is a catastrophe, and fifty times: It is a beautiful catastrophe.”

-Le Corbusier

“Sometimes, from beyond the skycrapers, the cry of a tugboat finds you in your insomnia, and you remember that this desert of iron and cement is an island.”

-Albert Camus

Well where to start?  Since my last post I have moved to New York City.  
Brooklyn to be specific.  
Bushwick to be more specific.  

No amount of coffee has helped me get focused so I’m hoping writing will help.       

A few observations and lessoned learned so far:

• The rain here is how I imagine rain in the Amazon to be.  No umbrella is enough to keep you dry.  I love it or hate it depending on the task at hand.    
• The subway system is easier than I expected.  Except on Sundays.  After my jaunt to Target yesterday, I might opt to just stay close to home on Sundays for a while. 
• Riding the M train is a great way to see Brooklyn because you’re above ground and literally cruising past the tops of buildings.  

1) They will be playing here tonight!

2) One of my besties just sent me this song

3) My niece’s name is Avery :)

Enjoy!