Scrapbook Sunday: I am a World Traveler

Happy Scrapbook Sunday!

xo

-Liz

Conquer: My Word for 2017

I have always loved the start of the new year because it feels like a fresh start, a new beginning.

Normally I would write down my goals and resolutions for the year and share them here, but this year I'm trying something a little bit different. While I will write down a to-do list for the year, I do not intend on sharing it on this blog. Instead, I will just share the word I have chosen for 2017 which is Conquer. This word will be my point of focus for the year and I will incorporate it into my life as much as possible. I have already put it down in my notebook as shown above, but I want to make it visible to me in other areas too like my office and bedroom so that I see it every single day, multiple times a day even. I have shit to conquer dammit!

If you're unfamiliar with this idea I invite you to check out this video by Ali Edwards where she explains her One Little Word® concept.

Do you have any resolutions, a to-do list, or a word for 2017? Whatever it is that you have in mind for this year, I hope your 2017 is filled with productivity and fulfillment. I now that's what I want in mine.

Until next time!

-Liz

Scrapbook Sunday: Chichen Itza

A look back at my Chichen Itza trip from 2003.

Thanks for stopping by!

-Liz

My (Post Election) Feelings One Week Later

It has been one week.

One week since we learned who the president elect would be and even though the lump in my throat and the knots in my stomach have dissipated, there is still some poignancy lingering over me like a dark cloud.

For me this election has been personal especially as a woman. A Latina. A daughter of immigrants. It wasn't about Democrats vs. Republicans or Liberals vs. Conservatives. It was about doing the right thing. It was about not letting hate win. There is so much at stake for us that my heart is aching and I'm feeling scared.

No, not scared, petrified.

And no, I'm not just petrified that climate change will be put on the back burner or taken off the agenda altogether.

And I'm not just I'm petrified that members of the LGBTQ community may lose equality rights.

And I'm not just petrified that women may lose reproductive rights.

And I'm not just petrified of the uncertainty of the state of our economy.

It's just that I'm also petrified that the most vulnerable members of our society have been made even more susceptible to hate and mistreatment. It's also that the floodgates of hate have been opened and it seems that the racist, misogynistic, bigoted people of this country who perhaps were once closeted have been given permission to come out and openly spew hate towards Latinos and Hispanics, people of the LGBTQ community, Muslims, Black Americans, and people with disabilities, among other minority groups. Then there are the children. I cannot even fathom being a parent and having to explain this to your children or prepare them for what may come. I am petrified for the children and the parents. And while I remain hopeful that I'm wrong about a lot of these things and that the checks and balances in our government will work the way they're supposed to so we can keep some of the freedoms that are in effect today, I can't help but feel like we are taking a huge step backwards, but above all I am sickened at the thought of the most powerless people in our communities being attacked.

I am trying to see the other side of this and how people who feel let down by the system and are tired of career politicians feel, but frankly I'm having a very hard time justifying the outcome of this election solely on those things. I cannot wrap my head around why people feel that electing a person who was born into great wealth and privilege could possibly understand them, and worst of all, a person who not only condones, but also promotes hateful behavior.  All I can say is that I'm glad my dad isn't alive today to see this, I know he would be heartbroken to see this happening in the country he loved so much.

My only consolation is that I know not everybody has this hate in their hearts. I know that the closest people in my life do not have this mindset, not even a little. I also try to remember that nothing in this life is permanent, nothing lasts forever. Worse things have happened before. Our ancestors have endured much worse and yet here we all are. We are the product of the most resilient of our predecessors. So I hope as we process and grieve this loss, which by the way we are allowed to do, that we also hold our heads up high and stand with each other and for each other.

These are just my thoughts.

-Liz    

P.S. I found Episode '602: The Sun Comes Up' of the This American Life Podcast helpful in processing the outcome of this election a little more. It has stories from different perspectives of this election and it may help you too.

Scrapbook Sunday: Live Love Create

It has been quite a while hasn't it? I thought this scrapbook page went hand and hand with my last blog post. Interestingly enough, Big Magic is about creating, see what I did there, huh? huh?

I'm very proud of this page by the way. It's really nice to see how my scrapbooking style has evolved.

Happy Scrapbook Sunday!

-Liz

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

Big Magic Instagram Photo from @thelizdiaries taken at Union Square Barnes & Noble in NYC

Can I just take a moment to say how much I love Elizabeth Gilbert? I freaking love this woman!

Ok now that we got that out of the way can we talk about her last book called Big Magic? I freaking love this book!

I'm all about following your dreams and living your best life possible and the main reason I love and admire this writer so much (can we say girl crush?) is because she is such a huge advocate of those things. In Big Magic Elizabeth Gilbert talks about how living creatively is not only important, but necessary. As she says, "a creative life is an amplified life, it's a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life and a hell of a more interesting life. Living in this manner continually and stubbornly bringing forth the jewels that are hidden within you is a fine art in and of itself because creative living is where the big magic will always abide." 

The best part about this book is how realistic Elizabeth Gilbert is about living a creative life. Doing so does not mean quitting your job, your family and your friends to go live in seclusion to write or paint or do whatever art it is you want to pursue. You also don't have to get yourself into debt by getting a degree from some fancy Liberal Arts college. Nor does creativity have to be painful or torturous. All of these romanticized ideas of what a creative person is suppossed to be are not always true and one key thing to also keep in mind is that there is an endless list of things that fall under the creativity spectrum. In the book Elizabeth Gilbert gives an example of a friend of hers whose creative outlet is ice skating.

The second best part about this book is that Elizabeth Gilbert explains that although fear is an inevitable part of our lives, it is not a bad thing necessarily. She brings this up fairly early in the book because people come up with all kinds of excuses of why they are not creative and more often than not what really lurks under those excuses is fear. Just plain old fear. It is ok to acknowledge fear and even welcome it, however, it is not ok for fear to control any part of your creative process as she puts it. 

I was lucky enough to see Elizabeth Gilbert on the first day of this book's tour last September in New York City and it was a dream come true. Unfortunately, she did not do any book signings, but I was able to purchase a pre-signed copy of Big Magic and listen to Elizabeth Gilbert speak about creativity and then do a Q & A and let me tell you that she is just as amazing and authentic in person as she is on TV and in her books. Fortunately, Barnes and Noble recorded a part of that evening as you can see in the video below. (I freaking love the internet!)

"Your own reasons to make art are reason enough. Create whatever causes revolution in your heart." 

So what will you create?

Thanks for stopping by. Until next time!

-Liz

My Handbag Obsession Goes Way Back

This isn't the best photo of me, but I have so few childhood photos of myself that I treasure what I do have, at any rate, this is all the proof I need to show my obsession with handbags goes waaaay back to the 80's.

Happy Friday!

-Liz