love notes virtual dock

The first round of the Love Notes Postcard Project (#lovenotesjb) for 2016 has just begun.  If you missed it do not worry as I will be hosting it three more times this year.  

I love this project for it's simplicity.  3 postcards + 3 stamps = 3 weeks of happy mail!  Plus, I provide a writing prompt so there is never any questions as to what to write about.  

When I first began this project I had no idea that it would expand to all over the world  This round we have individuals participating from:

• Australia
• Bahamas
• Canada
• Denmark
• Iceland
• Ireland
• Italy
• Japan
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• United Kingdom 
• United States 

It is incredible to me how one simple note in the mail can change a persons day for the better, bring happiness, and begin friendships.  But that is what Love Notes does.  It ignites sparks of love and kindness and spreads them throughout the world.  The world could always use a little more love and kindness!  

I wish there was a way for me to wave a magic wand and have everyone who is participating together.  It would be so lovely to see be gathered around one very large table chatting about our lives, sharing our dreams, and gushing over our mutual passion for snail mail.  But since that is not physically possible I invite you to join me on our virtual dock where you can stop by people's digital front porches and say hello.  Get a peek into their world and see where they are writing from.  Stop by and say hello.  

Love Notes Postcard Project {14} *some* Participant Blogs
(in no particular order)

• shannan ejoys life!
• thoughts along the way: musings of a pilgrim
• faux toes - joy captured by Kristen Roedner
• judy around the corner
• lori's kreations
• randisch
• crash your stash
• everything jenni
• studio neela
• gypsy heart and soul
• {grace} rejoice in the beauty that surrounds you
• little scraps of magic
• cynful musings
• a myeloma widow's journey
• debra fillingim
• color me happy by melissa
• jess witkins
• jerseytaurus143
• unraveling my heart the write way
• createology
• alelisima
• angela heather
• britta gene
• littlest finch
• mary janes studio
• lunch hacker
• asphalt and air
• story girl art
• the geeky shopaholic
• something from nothing
• the creativity caravan
• mindy tsonas
• gentle threads
• the mountain mermaid
• janet crosby.

In our social world of facebook, instagram, and twitter we forget that so many people are sharing more of their hearts on their blogs.  But they are still out there, and I know they would enjoy if you popped over for a visit and you would totally make their day if you left a comment.  

But if you are looking to stay social you can find Love Notes:

• On Facebook - stop by and join a community of love
• On Instagram by searching  #lovenotesjb

dear 2016

Dear 2016,

I have big plans for you.  It is time for me to dare greatly and put into action many of the dreams that are living in my heart.  I can see how all of the work I have done thus far has lead me to here.  I am exactly where I am meant to be.  I know I want to stretch further, reach higher, and take incredible risks.  I don't want to play it safe.  I want to try even with the possibility of failure.  You never know unless you try.  

I am on a journey and I know where I want to go.  

• I want to connect in person with my blog readers.  I want to see their smile, hear their stories, and encourage them to take their own brave leaps forward
• I want to move my body & become certified to teach yoga
• I want to introduce more people to the powers of writing
• I want to gather
• I want to laugh
• I want to spread joy

I know doing each one of these things requires me to put my heart out there.  I am ready for this.  I am ready to be seen.  It is my time to shine and there is no reason for me to be living small.  

I am going to pursue my dreams.  I am going to chase after them with my whole heart and see where they take me.  I am going to invite people in and encourage them to open up.  I am going to create a safe space for individuals to gather.  Yes, I am.  

Never in a million years did I think that I would be where I am today.  But here I am with my heart wide open.  I sought out what moved me, I found my way, and came home to myself.  I have carved my own path and want to continue to do so.  

2016 I hope you are ready because now is the time.  I am ready to shine.  Let's do this!  

Love,
Jennifer

Check In

How about you?  What are your hopes and dreams for 2016?  What do you want to reach towards?  What do you hope to learn?

Love Notes Postcard Project

The next round of Love Notes begins January 10th! 

All you need is:
   * 3 postcards
   * 3 stamps
   * an open heart

Kick the year off by sending a little bit of snail mail love.  Click HERE to say YES!

happy notes

Gratitude is a very important part of my self care practice.  I have tried to keep a gratitude journal but was never very good at showing up to it each day.  When I would remember to write in it I would see how long ago I was there and feel discouraged for not sticking with it.  Then the incredible idea for a happiness jar passed through my feed from the wonderful Elizabeth Gilbert.  It was simple -- one jar and tiny slips of paper.  Each day you write one thing that made you happy and drop it into the jar.  Easy peasy!  

This was the perfect solution for me because if I missed a day I never noticed and therefore my inner critique never got the chance to jump in and speak negative words.  I definitely missed many days but my jar still filled up with so many wonderful memories.  Simple moments that make this life extraordinary.  Like:

• Sharing sushi with Dustin
• A fun evening at the car show, lots of laughs, plenty of shine, and good people all around
• The sweet smell of wild orange as she rubbed it on my forehead and shoulders while in shavasana

Simple everyday moments that make this life extraordinary.  What a love about the happiness jar is how ordinary the moments are, yet they fill my heart with so much love!  

I have taken the time to read through each one of my happy moments from 2015.  It was fun to go back and read about moments that I forgot about.  I was also able to see how much happiness there was even during such a tragic time.  Each happy moment is filled with love, connection, and so much goodness.  

The jar is now empty and ready for a brand new year of happy.  I am excited to continue this tradition.  I usually write out my note before I slip into bed.  It is the perfect way to end the day.  

If you are interested in doing this I encourage you to go for it.  Any jar and slips of paper will do.  One thing I do recommend is including the date on each note.  This way when you look back you know exactly the day it happened.  You can begin a happiness jar any time of the year, it doesn't have to happen on January 1st.  And if you miss a day or a bunch of days, no big deal ... just pick up wherever you are.  Fill that jar with loads of happiness.  

word of the year 2016

Since 2009 I have been choosing one word to guide me throughout the year.  One word {or phrase} that I can tuck into my pocket as a reminder of the direction I want to go.  Sometimes the word chooses me and other times it takes a bit of digging to determine what that word will be.  The one thing that always remains the same is that the word unfolds in ways I never dreamed of and takes me places that I really needed to go.  

My previous words have been:

2015 - Connection
2014 – Build
2013 – All the Cards on the Table
2012 – Soar
2011 – Love
2010 – Connect
2009 - Wings

I thought I had my word for 2016 all figured out.  I was even journaling about it the other day.  But as I sat down to write this post another word came up and I can't seem to shake it.  

My first choice was a phrase :: Daring Greatly.  To me this means standing in the arena, taking risk's, being seen, being afraid of failing but trying anyway, standing in my power, showing the world who I am, going after what is in my heart, speaking up, and letting my light shine bright.  
At this moment in my life this feels like exactly what I need to do.  I have worked hard to get to this point.  I have pushed myself.  I have learned who I am and what I want.  I have discovered my inner strengths and have made my way out of the shadows.  I am ready and prepared to be in the arena and let my light shine.

These words have been percolating inside of me since first reading the below quote:  

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

— Theodore Roosevelt

In order to make great things happen I must take the risk and understand that it might not work out.  I must try even when I am scared.  I must put in the effort.  There is no magic fairy want that will make things happen for me.  I have to do the work.  I have to dare greatly.  

It is time to shine.  To step outside of my comfort zone.  I do not want to live small.  I want to make an impact.  I want to show up, reach, and learn.  I want to inspire others to do the same.  I want to seek out adventure and live more intentionally.  I want to live big!  

As I write this now I see that my secondary word fits in perfectly with "daring greatly".  This word is "gather".  Deep in my heart I feel a call to gather in person with women.  To break bread, share stories, allow ourselves to be seen.  Shifts happen when women come together.  Hearts open, love pours fourth, and we are able to see our inner beauty and learn how to shine our light.

I know deep in my heart that this type of work is powerful, necessary, and life changing.  When we learn to love who we are and take time to work through our old stories and inner daemons the world opens up to us.  Our heart shifts, happiness flows through, and we learn how to seek out the good and appreciate the moments.  

In order to lead a gathering I need to dare greatly and take the risk.  I need to put it out there and trust that individuals will be called to it.  I need to be willing to fail and open to the possibility that it could be better than I even expected.  I must take the chance.    

I have never chosen two separate words as my word of the year, but there is no reason why I can't.  So I am jumping in and going for it.  This year my words are:

Daring Greatly & Gather

How about you?  Do you choose a word each year?  If so, what is it?  I would love to hear about it in the comments below.  

visioning into 2016

Creating a vision board is one of my many self care practices.  It is this cutting and pasting that I slow down and become more centered.  Day to day life tends to have me running at a quick pace but when I sit down in front a stack of magazines my energy shifts and I am ready to explore.  

When I sat down to create this vision board I had the intention and focus of 2016 and how I want it to look and feel for me.  What came together on the paper surprised me.  There was more than one image of a beach and  women gathered together.  A long table inviting others to sit, break bread, and share their stories.  Beautiful exploration.  And an invitation to change your story and enjoy the ride.  

Everything about this vision board feels comforting and aligned.  I know that I want to dig deeper into connection; not just through the computer but in person as well.  It is time to step away from the screen and see each others faces.   The beach is my sacred space.  It heals me and fills me up.  And finding the magic and sparkle in my own backyard is something I am really looking forward to as we continue to take steps towards building.  

This vision board is a road map for me.  Inspiring me to take those steps forward, step out of my comfort zone, and leap!  I have chosen to hang it in my kitchen so that I can look at it every single say.  I want to be reminded of the dreams I have in my heart so that I can take the small steps in making them come true.  

Have you ever created a vision board?   They are really simple to do.  Grab a stack of magazines, any ones will do.  Set an intention for what you want to vision.  Then flip through the magazines and cut out the images and words that are aligned with that intention.  Do not labor over each image, let your heart do the deciding.  Some things may surprise you but go with it.  Once you have all of your images cut out, past them down onto a pieces of paper and hang it up where you can see it each day.  This visual reminder will help you set your wheels in motion.  Go ahead .... see what dreams emerge for you!  

happy wishes

Sending you wishes of love and light  and we inch closer and closer to a brand new year.  Thank you for being here with me on this journey.  I am grateful for this community and the love and light you shine on me.  I enjoy sharing my moments here and it is a comfort to know that you are on the other side of the screen.  

I have big dreams for 2016 and one of them involves connecting deeper with you.  I want to hear your stories, see your faces, and give you a giant hug.  It is these connections that push us further and help us along on our journey.  Without them we are lost.  For it is love that get's us through, always.  

As the year comes to a close I look forward to spending it with family.  Sharing memories and keeping the light of my mom burning bright.  I know she will be looking down on all of us.  

I wish each of you love and light as you make your own plans for how you want 2016 to look and feel.  Dig deep into your heart and know that your inner light is there and the world wants to see you shine.  Now is a chance to write the story you always dreamed of.  Pick up the pen and write away.