Do Good For Others, Do Good For Yourself

Hi friends! Hope things are stellar in your world today. No matter what the state of things, I know of something that can usher good in immediately!! Ready for it? Helping someone else. I know it may seem hard to even think of this if you are very busy, have limited resources, or find yourself not feeling very well. If that is the case for you, I'm sending you a BIG digital hug right now! But I assure you, that I have compiled a list of ways you can do good for someone else no matter what your situation may be. So take a look and see if anything here strikes your fancy...

Give a free mammogram with a click of your mouse

Play multiple choice crossword games online for charity

Shop online through this site & a percentage gets donated to your charity of choice. Some stores offer coupons too!

Sign up, register and volunteer in Los Angeles

Sign up, register, and find a place to volunteer in the United States

Be a video mentor to a child in Africa

Already a volunteer? Give your charity kudos and share your experience with others here

Come up with ways to give and see what transforms for you, by taking a 29 Day Giving Challenge

Doing good for others can bring immediate feelings of joy and can help to bring the blessings you wish for. For what we give, we also receive. Multiplied abundantly. I hope you liked the offerings listed above. 

Here is one more idea for giving back.... 

In a previous post, I mentioned my love for magazines. Then I got a great idea! A couple months ago while driving I noticed a Dialysis Center. I realized that the people that go there do so regularly and for extended periods of time. So I figured, I could go and drop off my magazines once I'd read them and spice up the experience a bit for people with fun and current things to read. I have been doing this once a month for the past two months and have actually compiled a small stack for January. 

I just pop in with my stack of magazines and put them in the magazine rack in the lobby. The reception is always thankful and it only takes a minute to do. 

Let's go get our give on! Cheers to giving and receiving life's treasures. xo xo xo 

The Magic of Christmas, 2011

This Christmas was absolutely amazing for me. I felt the magic all around me in the most unexpected ways... Coming out of childhood and straight into parenthood, I never strayed from the traditional ways of celebrating. You know, the lights, the decorations, the tree, the presents. These were things I have always loved, surely. This time though, none of those things were included in my experience. 

You see, my babies are no longer in my home. Faced with this, and my extended family's situation (Grandma's cancer has changed the certainty of gatherings at her house) I let my heart lead me and decided to feel Christmas and be Christmas without the outer showings we usually employ.

Christmas Eve I DJ'ed for a place called Hillsides. They are a kid's home that provides everything necessary for kids that do not have family. Being with them was an absolute joy. it was nice to bond with them and focus on giving them a good time. Afterward, I had planned to go to church which is something I had never done on Christmas Eve before. Amidst the beautiful decorations, the telling of the story of Christ's birth, the singing, and the candle lighting, I was touched to the core. On the way there, I had noticed a homeless set up near the freeway on ramp. Although I didn't see the people, I immediately was touched and felt the need to give. On the way back home I left some Christmas cookies I had been given at the Hillsides party along with 5 dollars and a prayer. The thought of them coming back to a small surprise made me happy and I hope it made them happy too. Once home, hubby and I got comfy. Watching Christmas movies we'd never seen before on Netflix and eating the Christmas turkey I had made earlier that day. We even fell asleep to a digital fireplace video! It was wonderful.

The next morning we arose to a pumpkin pie & coffee breakfast. What a treat! We then took off to Disneyland which was a first for both of us as we had never been at Christmas time, let alone on Christmas Day. There was much magic there, it took only 30 minutes to arrive which is about half of normal time. Upon arriving, we were told where to buy tickets where there was no line, we were gifted a fast pass to the 1st ride we were in line for by two lovely strangers at random, we were unexpectedly given a 10% discount on lunch, we even got to see the fireworks show from right in front of the castle! It was a grand day. 

My family was not left out of the equation. I spent time with my hubby's side earlier this month on the 16th at a gathering they planned. I sent every one of my family members cards and then texts on Christmas. I spoke with my daughter, and I reached out to my Dad which was big for me because I had had cut off communication with him a couple of year's ago after getting really hurt and angry at him.

Being Christmas this year, really being it in my heart has been the most profound experience. It has left me longing for Christmas to last. Now, I will look for ways to keep it going. 

How was your Christmas? What was your greatest gift? Your favorite new memory? I hope to hear from you...... xo

Tee-riffic: International Baby!

Goodness gracious I am feeling so blessed, so happy, so excited. Life is good and God is GREAT! So many of my dreams are coming true and I am just over the moon about it all. For some time but especially this year I have been dreaming about travel. I have been blessed with quite a bit throughout the United States. I've been to some places in Mexico and got my 1st and only passport stamp to date when I went to the Bahamas but my visions have been set on going International.

Next week is my birthday and I have gotten the loveliest gift. I have been booked to DJ in Malaysia!!! I will literally be DJing the night before my birthday and I can't help but feel that this is such a special gift. No need to worry, all of you are invited. I'll take you in my heart and be sure to capture as much of the goodness as I can to share with you. I am so intrigued with all of it. Everything about this trip will be new to me, I've never been on a flight that long, my lay over is in Hong Kong, the food, the currency, the sights, the sounds, I can't wait to drink it all in! Just thinking about it fills me up with giddy and I don't take off until Monday!

There was a time in my life when having a car seemed big, let along thinking about planes and passports and the world beyond L.A. As a very young mommy there were so many times I felt on the sidelines, many times I sacrificed for my family. Sometimes things are tough that's true but if there is something you dream about, keep going! Believe, always believe because you can and will do it. Open yourself up to the magic and blessings all around you. I promise you that there is a big heaping bunch of goodness with your name on it. So keep on reaching for it. I'm right here, cheering you on!

I would like to thank Johnnie Walker Malaysia for this opportunity. This Black Circuit event is going to be amazing! Find out more about it HERE. Below is my shout out to Malaysia.

29 Gifts in 29 Days. Day 29. It's a Wrap.

If you have been following along with me, I thank you, but most of all I pray something inside of you ignited. Opening my journey was always about you & the chance that you'd be inspired to join and discover the magic that I now know. Regardless of what you choose, there is no right or wrong. You are magnificent just the way you are & I'm grateful for you just the same. If you have been touched by this, the FREE community is at www.29gifts.org you can join this challenge, blog, & interact with the community there. To buy the book that started this movement, click here.

I would be lying if I said I'm done with this. I cannot stop now. I am forever changed. Now though it's outside of a challenge. It's a way of life I am proud to choose.

Wishing you all of the absolute best. Always. And now, here's my " last day."

29 Gifts, Day 29....June 22, 2011 at 11:39pm

I am in the middle of a huge receive. Seattle, Washington. Here to shoot a national commercial. 1 of 2 I just booked within the last couple weeks. Just got in from dinner. Beautiful hotel room. Delicious seafood meal with fellow actors all flown out for this same purpose, one of which I hope to know the rest of my life. I feel full, blessed to the utmost, connected. As I write, my eyes swell with tears, I don't want it to be over. Also because I know it never will.

This challenge, this message, all of YOU have changed my life forevermore. I can't say thank you. I cannot gift you to equal what you have given me. There is a purity and fulfillment. A peace, a knowing I have never come across before. I used to wish for the ability to hug God when I died. Now, I am grateful for I hug God everyday.

Today I gave smiles, laughter, gratitude, prayer. I gave happiness and my full attention. I gave a small monetary token to a man on the street along with the cab fare for four of us back from dinner to our hotel. Most of all I gave my heart. To you. To 29 Gifts. Today, tomorrow, forever. Whether we are giving or receiving we are a part of the divinity that is life and connection. The divinity that is we. A beautiful collective, a collage of miracles. You are all beautiful and I'm so grateful to be blessed by your presence. With love forever. Tee....

"Blessed are we engaged in this, these 29 days, where we give gifts."

Thank you so much. <3<3<3 Goodnight

29 Gifts, Day 26. I Can't Believe I Only Have 3 Days Left...

Time flies when you're having fun. xo

29 Gifts, Day 26 I can't believe I have 3 days left....June 19, 2011 at 11:56pm


Hello there friends, today's giving was centralized on my husband. He is a wonderful man and my best friend. Not to mention he also has been a great father to my children. It being Father's Day, and current relations with our children being what they are, I had to let him know how special he is to me and them. After all, I know they love and appreciate us even if they don't fully understand or express it yet. As I have been adjusting to my new daily life without my kids it has become clearer and clearer to me that they cannot possibly "know" what we provided or did yet. How could they possibly understand a love, commitment, and sacrifice like what a parent provides for their kids at this stage? They are just kids yet themselves. ;)


Anyway, today I presented my hubby with his card and took him shopping. It was what he selected from the options I gave him to celebrate the day. I chose breakfast and lunch for us, spent time with him watching TV here at home and made him a healthy dinner. All in all it was a stellar day. <3


I also shared a great interaction with a "stranger" at Macy's while paying for my husband's items. It was great to connect with the man (David) and his daughter. In addition I cleaned up the stall a bit when I went to use their public restroom. Nothing major just put all the trash on the floor in the corner of the stall with my foot. I also left the water running for the woman who was waiting to use the sink after me with soap on her hands. 


I have been getting so much from this beautiful challenge. I feel connected, happy, and at peace most of the time. I feel increased confidence and I find that I remember people's names a lot more than I ever have in my life. I used to think I just didn't have that great a memory, I would remember interactions and stories but not names. But now, I remember peoples names and I'm sure it is because this experience has taken me out of myself. There is so much freedom in that. I have also experienced so many material blessings. I feel so blessed and grateful for everything. 


I hope that all of you had a great weekend. Having you as part of this experience means so much to me. I look forward to our interactions every day. Thank you for taking this journey with me. I can't believe I'm already on day 26. Love to you.. goodnight. 

29 Gifts, Day 20!!! The Gifts Are On Me!

Here it is my milestone day! Thank you for reading. To purchase and read the book responsible for this movement, click here. To join this FREE amazing community and challenge, click here. May you be blessed in all you do. <3

29 Gifts, Day 20!!!! The Gifts Are On Me!June 13, 2011 at 11:48pm

Oh em gee, I can't believe today is my 20th day! Can I be honest? I stopped counting some time ago. Every time I put up a new post, I just check my blog to see what the day before was. Jeepers, had I known today was day 20, I would've done more. but then again, maybe this milestone day is what made it so magical...

At breakfast today our waitress gave us some delicious special cherries from a small farm near her mother's home in Fresno. That alone was a total gift and surprise but then she put some in a to go cup for us to take home! :D

A DJ gig I recently booked scheduled for July 9th had requested a special edited mix that I had agreed to do. Then their request turned into much more than specified. When I replied I reminded them of this but let them know I would do what I can to work this out for them asking them to be understanding with the finished product (it being way out of the scope of what was agreed upon) Today they emailed me both of the mixes, giving me a much easier way to satisfy their request. YAY! I love it when things go smoothly and easily!

Lastly, and this is a BIGGIE, I booked another national commercial!! This one is for Ford and will be shooting next week in Seattle! I am over the moon happy and excited. Praise God, praise 29 gifts, praise giving, praise all of you. 

I maintain that this experience truly is life changing. Whether I am blessed with tangible gifts or amazing feelings and connections, I am always blessed with something even when the farthest thing from my mind is getting anything for myself. 

As for my gives today, I purchased some scratchers (lottery tickets) for a gentleman I have been wanting to gift for some time. I took out the trash in our apartment (one of the chores I usually leave for the guys)  and I also bought dinner for my hubby. 

Prosperity, abundance, love, and connections to ALL of you. This is my wish. Forevermore. <3

29 Gifts, Days 16 & 17. I didn't lie, I lagged...

Hey there, today is my 18th day on this challenge so, when I write and post that blog to the 29 Gifts community I will also post it here to get it all real time like I have been promising. I am happy to report I have been super busy so my apologies for having the back log of these two. This experience is magical and I hope you're inspired and happy at taking this journey with me. I appreciate having you and welcome you to get it on it for free if you wish. If you'd like to buy & read the book, that's here.
  

29 Gifts, Day 16

June 9, 2011 at 9:19pm

Today has been wonderful! I'll get right into it. My intention? "Today I give my love." 

My apartment building has a cleaning lady that daily makes everything nice for all of us. She does a stellar job and always does it with a beautiful attitude. Aside from stopping to talk to her and letting her know how much her service means to me, I also gave her a scratcher (lottery ticket) as a gift. I thought it would be a fun little token with the possibility of some cash. This made me happy although I'm not done with her yet. I will see to it that all her bosses know how awesome she is. ;)

I told the waitress how lovely she is at breakfast. She was so polite, attentive, and courteous. Like a warm hug incarnate. Looking straight into her eyes and telling her how wonderful she is, I could tell she understood how much I appreciated her. I tell you, pages of communication could pass through a connected gaze. 

I gave my husband the gift of fixing up his cables and putting away some items he had left out when he got and set up his new desk this week. He was so happy to receive this. I know it was a relief for him to have it done and not have to think about it. 

I vacuumed and mopped my room mates bathroom and rearranged an item he has in the hallway. I don't plan on telling him unless he asks, Hopefully, he'll be able to get into his room easier. 

I called my Mom because I knew she was going to see the oncologist today and even though she said she would call me and let me know, I let the "office hours" pass and once I was sure she would be out of her Dr.'s appt. I called her. This turned into a wonderful conversation. I let her do most of the talking and shared some laughs with her at the end. I also opened up a possibility for her to feel relief in regards to my Grandmother's cancer. That's in the works, but at least she knows it as a possibility. 

I also screamed out a "Thank you for your service" to some firemen I saw while driving today. I love firemen and al they do. 

I've gotten a lot today. I feel great, have been breezing through items, and I got an unexpected opportunity to earn some $ doing some car market research. I LOVE CARS!! I've done this once before and was able to test drive a bunch of vehicles for 2 hrs and earn some cash but this is something you don't call on, they call you. So, getting this opportunity made me happy. I hope to seal the deal tomorrow as we played phone tag today. 

Cheers to another day of great giving. Love to all of you. Goodnight. 

29 Gifts, Day 17

June 11, 2011 at 3:21am

2:46 am I almost forgot to post!! Today's been amazing everyone! Can't wait to let you know what unfolded.. my intention, "Today I give my all." 

I woke up with a sense of purpose and quickly got ready. Heading out to one of our favorite breakfast spots, I gifted a woman with a compliment on how well she was put together. She was surprised and pleased commenting, "My goodness what a nice thing to hear first thing in the morning." I told her to stay exactly as she was all day cause she looked BANGIN'! That gave me and her much joy. I also gifted a "bus girl" (she clears plates and helps with drinks but isn't a waitress) named Griselda a scratcher (lottery ticket) and wished her a happy Friday. She is always so nice and does her job so well. I hope she won something.. :)

I shared a laugh & short convo with an artist on the street. There was a mutual benefit to this. Smiling & laughter are magical.

I went straight to a business meeting for the charity I now work with regularly and happily showed them what I've done so far to set up their web presence and marketing. I ran the meeting, met new people, and informed them of some revenue generating ideas I have. They loved it and I was happy to do it. What I got from this was a sense of accomplishment, pride, and confidence in this area. I also got a chance at passive income from setting up their credit card processing. It will be nominal but that is still a blessing to me and I am grateful.

I came home briefly and rushed out to a DJ gig where I gave my all by going beyond the scope of what was initially discussed. Not only did I earn good money, I felt great, and got a lot of compliments and thank yous. I also had fun.

The last 3 ways I gave my all were responding with a thank you when my son sent me a scathing email, calling my brother to show support for some crazy news he just received, and writing this blog right now to be honest. I've had a gloriously long day and am tired.

But there has been so much magic friends.. like I said earlier I made money twice today. I have the focus group opportunity pending, I also got a callback scheduled this weekend and I booked an Orbit commercial!!!!

Prosperous abundant wishes to all of you. Big love! 

29 Gifts, Days 13-15

This is it!! After today we are all caught up which means shorter, real time, 29 Gifts blogs! Thank you for your patience and readership up to this point. I hope you are seeing how magical this challenge really is. There is nothing to buy or sign up for which makes it a wonderful low pressure thing to be a part of if you are inspired to do so. The community is here, the book here, and for those of you that are new, you can read the previous days of my journey by scrolling through my blogs. They are all entitled 29 Gifts with the corresponding days following. OK! May you all be blessed with the absolute best people, places, and things in your lives today and always. Any subscriptions, comments, and sharing is greatly appreciated. Love to you. Thank you for reading!

29 Gifts, Day 13. Goodness!!June 6, 2011 at 11:11pm

Hello there! Today has been outrageously busy and fun and cool. I'm sorry to report that I again did not have an intention to my giving I just had the overwhelming urge to give. This shows me that I am fully in the challenge although I do prefer having an intention behind it simply because it then seems to color my day in that feeling... Anyone else experience this? Anyway, here's what I gave and here's what I got. 

I gave a fellow actress the full low down on my haircut when she asked about it. I consider this a gift because some girls are so secretive about their stuff. Ladies, you know you've experienced this before.. ;) What I got from it was a wonderful experience sitting and gabbing with this girl like old friends even though we'd just met. 

I shared lots of smiles and hellos today. What I get from giving this gift is such a warm and wonderful feeling. It also makes me feel so connected, happy, and confident. Sure, there are some people that don't smile or answer but it happens very rarely and even when it does, I am still left feeling good inside. 

I paid for treats from Canter's deli. Some rugula and black & white cookies that my husband was craving. 

& lastly,

I got up and got some napkins for a man that was coughing his poor heart out. I'm talking watery eyes, drool, just having a rough go at it. In the past something like this would have freaked me out because I like things clean and turn away from germs. However, what I got and am getting from this is that people and our connections are everything. Those hang ups I had have been diminishing if not fading away completely. His look of gratitude really spoke to me. As have the other touching moments I have experienced so far. Sometimes, most times, a moment the duration of the blink of an eye transcends the universe. Everything makes sense, in that connection. 

I am happy to report I have been auditioning my butt off and I have a callback tomorrow. That's one step closer to a booking. YAY! I have felt great and before where I was feeling stuck and confused with all of the things that had been going on in my life, I now feel energized and filled with ideas and purpose. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Love to all, goodnight. <3

29 Gifts, Day 14. Saddle up!June 7, 2011 at 8:47pm

Egads friends today has been a doozy. My giftly intention today was "I give my service and I give my faith." This came to me and felt perfect after I struggled coming back home from my callback audition today. Sometimes things don't appear as we'd like them to and so I had a moment of uncertainty (for the story please go to my O.G. blog) but once my intention came over me it allowed me to stay in the game and keep pushing. Here's what I gave today....

I stopped what I was doing in mid preparation for my day and went over to give my hubby a long hug and kiss good morning. I woke up before him and was not only not trying to bother him but in the swing of things. He gave me something right back by showing such love and his undivided attention even though when I walked over to him he was checking his phone. 

I gave my contact info to a fellow actress signed with my agency. This was upon her request based on our agent's recommendation. What I got from it was a possible connection and a good time spent in the moment. 

I shared the news about a courageous little girl and her amazing family via my blog in hopes that her message would be passed. They are awesome people and I came across it while in a funk this morning. What I got out of this was getting to know them a little bit and a huge dose of much needed perspective. 

I prepared my husband a healthy lunch when he started feeling like having a mid day coffee. This is usually a sign he's getting hungry so I whipped up something good and healthy for the both of us. This gave me a chance to sit with him and enjoy a meal and he gave me a wonderful sincere compliment when he tasted his food. 

I gave tears of joy to a friend and tears of gratitude to the Lord for the miracle I witnessed today. Even now I'm getting emotional thinking about it. Remember the friend I sent the necklace to on Day 8? She text me to let me know she'd gotten hired as a receptionist today!!!! 6 days ago she was facing eviction and everything was upside down. No job, no prospects. Now this!! Praise God.

I want to share some more miracles with you. This morning's financial worry was eradicated with news of more money in our accounts than we'd thought, 2 auditions and another callback for me tomorrow, and an opportunity (if approved) for me to DJ another event beginning of next month! All of these opportunities came in a flurry this afternoon. I am humbled, grateful, and amazed by this experience. I am sharing it with people via my original blog in hopes they get in on this too. May we all get miracles in our lives. Today and always. Love to you!

29 Gifts, Day 15June 8, 2011 at 10:53pm

Today has been sheer magic friends. I will try to make it short because there is so much to share. My intention for the day was, "Today I give my best." This is what that looked like. 

I spent extra time preparing for my day's appointments. Made it to all of them on time or early. Gave my all at my auditions and callback. Spoke to fellow actors in the room and genuinely wished them well & I thanked the casting directors and session runners. This made me so happy and it seemed to have the same effect on them. My energy was way up and I made a new friend today in a fellow actress. 

I smiled and talked to people throughout the day. Giving as much positivity to others at every opportunity. This included while driving and walking around my fair city. I got a great feeling out of this and felt connected to others. 

I sent love via text to 2 of my girlfriends, called my Grandmother to give her my love and support, and texted my brothers to let them know how much I love them and am here for them.

I gave my most professional, attentive, expeditious service to a client of mine. They are frazzled due to their upcoming event and my goal is to put them not only at ease but to go above and beyond to please them. This is the DJ opportunity I spoke of yesterday... It's been confirmed!!! :D

I finally got to visit the church that Cami references in the 29 Gifts book. It's near my home and I had been meaning to check it out since I read about it. My visit today was premeditated but the timing couldn't have been more divine. I felt at home there and will definitely be returning.

Lastly, I called my Mother back immediately. Her and I have never had a close or good relationship. For example, when my son left home, I was going through the ringer. I sent out an email to my "family" to inform them of what had happened. She didn't even answer me. I could go on but let's just say that when it comes to a mother daughter relationship, the only one I know of is the one I have created with my daughter. This is part of the reason I cherish all of you beautiful angels so much. Aside from my close girlfriends, my grandmother, and my daughter, I haven't known much about the female bond. Because my son leaving was recent I could've chosen to not answer her or postponed calling her back. Plus, I was rushing from my day's events to this new church I had been planning to attend. But with my giftly intention in mind I called right back. It turns out she was just diagnosed with throat cancer. Naturally overwhelmed at this news I took a deep breath quickly swallowing my up and coming tears and remained poised and collected offering her any and all help I could including my prayers for her health. This news seems ironic and strange because the only female caregiver and support I have ever known which is my beloved Grandmother (her mother) was just diagnosed with multiple myeloma (cancer of the blood) in May. I stayed on the phone with her until she was done, giving her my full attention, love, offers of support, and then went into the wonderful church and filled out a prayer request in both of their honor. 

I did my best today and one of the things I got from that was a wonderful feeling that is still with me. A feeling of peace, a feeling of love and a faith that anything else that might be needed although out of my hands, is taken care of. 

Let's please cherish every moment. Love to you. <3

29 Gifts, Days 10-12

Hello lovies! Here are days 10-12 of this life changing 29 day challenge I am on. Tomorrow will be the last long post because we'll be all caught up and then you'll be with me real time. YAY! I am doing this from my car as I await my scheduled time to come up for a callback audition and my Macbook battery is about to die so forgive the lack of links to the other 29 Gifts posts and 29 Gifts community. If you are new to this and inspired please read along my blog and you will see that info in my other blogs. Ok, love and light to you. Have an empowered blessed day!! xo


29 Gifts, Day 10. Double digits!!June 4, 2011 at 12:07am


Another great day. I noticed there have been a couple days I have not had an intention outside of the intention to give. Not sure how I feel about that. I do prefer when I have a clear cut intention but I am still grateful to be thinking of giving regularly and so I chalk it all up to goodness. Today I gave the following....


A surprise visit to one of my best friends. It was great to show up and chat for a while. 
My thoughts, prayers, and suggestions for a girlfriend I referenced in an earlier post who has been going through serious struggles lately. This felt so good as she appeared to be affected positively by this and it felt good to show her I care. 
I treated my husband to breakfast at one of our favorite restaurants.


& then there was the greatest give, the one I'm MOST excited about. The merging of my blogs and letting my people know about this community, experience, and movement here at 29 Gifts. My intention with this is to facilitate people getting into the giving spirit as I know it is a life changer and so many can benefit from this beautiful thing. The possibility of my friends and followers enlightenment, along with the growth of the 29 Gifts community and movement are just beautiful tips of the iceberg! Let alone the amazing ripple effect of things I can't even think of or imagine. Mbali and Cami started an amazing thing and if I can pass it on I'm happy to do so! I pray for goodness to rain down on all of us. :)


As for what I got? Happiness, strength, confidence, peace, excitement, purpose, energy, and feelings of love. Another audition on Monday, a bag my husband got for me while at an event today, & a brand new subscriber at my original blog. Yay!


29 Gifts, Day 11June 4, 2011 at 11:53pm


Today my giftly intention surrounded my family. Both of these gifts were premeditated. One for my son and the other for my husband.


Hubby has a big birthday coming up and his wish is to have a big party so I gave him half of the party budget. I'm so glad he accepted it. :)


The biggest one was for my son. Today is his birthday. He's 17. I wish I could say that my gift involved some great big party, family outing, shopping trip, or well wrapped goodie. Instead it was a facebook comment and a message telling him I love him along with a gift that would help him get some enlightenment and support via a free tele-seminar with some amazing spiritual teachers focused on masculinity and a message geared especially towards men. You see, my son doesn't live in my home anymore. It's been 2 months, he is my baby, and me being "o.k" with this has been HARD. Since he left we've had one phone conversation. We both expressed our love for one another but the issues that caused his departure were left untouched. Stuck between supporting detrimental behaviors and standing up for what's best for him, I chose the latter. Tough love in-deed. Now with his birthday here, I was stuck at a crossroads. I chose giving. I chose to give my love. I would do anything for my children. Today that anything involved me reaching out, forgetting even just for a moment about the problems, my worries, and the pain I have felt. He replied "thanks Mom" with a smiley face. I can only hope my gesture gave him a glimpse of the magnitude of my eternal love for him. Perhaps this is a wonder all of us parents share in raising our kids.


Introspectively, Tee


29 Gifts, Day 12June 5, 2011 at 6:50pm

Today my gifts were just for me,
Gave myself rest to be the best I could be,
Handled some work to get a jump on the week.
Showing off midriff in a cut off tee and jeans.


Today I let my mind roam,
I played with my cat,
I didn't pass judgements or let myself detract,
I allowed the experience to be what it is, 
and trusted my heart to let me receive the give.






29 Gifts, Days 7-9

Here we are! Another 29 Gifts post. I can honestly say that this experience is amazing. I sincerely hope that you feel it too. If you would like to read the book that is responsible for starting this movement click here. To be a part of this wonderful FREE community, click here. If your new to this blog here are the introductory post and Days 1-3 and 4-6. Your readership means the world to me as do comments, subscriptions, and sharing. If you are not moved to do any of these things that's ok too. I appreciate you being here and wish you all the best life has to offer. Blessings!

29 Gifts, Day 7May 31, 2011 at 11:26pm

I am so filled with wonder I don't know where to begin. It's been another magical day, praise God! There is so much I suppose I'll just start at the beginning. Today the only intention I had was to give. I woke up early and full of energy. Ready to tackle my day and all my tasks. Perhaps due to the long holiday weekend or yesterday's slow day, I was fully ready to take on the world so I hit the ground running and managed to give the following.

*I gave hubby a surprise by getting ready in 5 minutes (literally) so we could go to breakfast together. 

*I gave a fellow driver the greatest surprise. While she was waiting to turn left out of my cross street, I was waiting for the light to turn so I could turn right. During this time she sneezed and so as the lights changed, and I was able to make my turn and pass her, I blessed her. It was so funny to see the surprise in her eyes. It was a sheer look of surprise & "How did she know I sneezed???" AWESOME. It was so great I couldn't help but chuckle out loud from sheer delight.

*I also gave 6 boxes of records to Goodwill. This was great because as I turned them in to the donation center attendant she expressed such joy just by seeing the first record in the box. She shared with me how happy record buyers would be at my donation. This felt so good to hear because I learned to DJ with these records and imaging them making someone else happy meant a lot.
*Lastly, I continued give to Carriage Hope which is the charity I had signed on to help with their website, etc. 

As for what I've received, the gifts have been tremendous! So far I have 3 auditions this week. In spite of my fantastic agent it had been slow for me so this is a true blessing and a chance to get a part and make some money. I also had the great fortune to have a really positive outcome on some items I put up on eBay. Not only does it make me happy that those items were wanted and will be enjoyed but the extra cash is a real bonus. To give you an idea, my husband listed one of the items for $1.00, it ended up selling for $90. Lastly and certainly the most profound is hearing from my brother whom I haven't spoken to via facebook. I had been thinking of writing him a letter this weekend and even spoke about it here with Angelique Hollingdrake then today I log into my facebook to find he has added me and in that moment I was reconnected with him. Blessed with his presence right in front of me and the knowledge that even though we had fallen out of touch he missed me too. I'm getting emotional just writing about it. 

This challenge to me is unquestionably a life changer. I have my own little blog and was going to wait until I completed this before posting about it there but after today's events and the great love I feel for all things 29 Gifts, I had to merge the worlds. So I've posted an introduction and will be getting my other blog up to speed on Friday thereby increasing the chances for this movement to be spread. Sending big hugs to all of you, thanks for reading. 

29 Gifts, Day 8June 1, 2011 at 7:55pm

Why lookie here, I've accomplished a first! I believe this is my earliest blog YET. :D Hello friends, how was your day? Things here have been moving. While I feel very accomplished, I am quite tired & looking forward to some reading or maybe a little getaway via Netflix. This morning's auditions & business caused me to find my intention a little later in the day, but I did! Here's what I came up with. "Today, I give with love."

This manifested in a number of ways:

I found myself on the Westside today and instead of rushing home to get to business from my office, I called a friend who lives near that area to see if we could have lunch together. While she wasn't able to get together today, it still enabled a great conversation and an opportunity to be a part of each other's "regular" days without needing a special occasion. 

I called another friend when I saw one of his company trucks on the freeway. This was cool because since he was my hubby's friend originally, we wouldn't normally just call each other up. 

I wrote my brother (who I reunited with via facebook yesterday) an email letting him know how much I love him and how sorry I am if he ever felt anything opposite of that due to my previous opinions and statements. 

I told a girl coming down the stairwell at my apartment complex to "break a leg" which is the actor's way to wish good luck. I noticed she had sides (a script) in her hand and like a young child I just blurted it out... Break a leg! That was magic for both of us, she smiled said thanks and then mumbled, "wow, how cool." :)

My last 2 gifts for the day are for my girlfriends. One of them, is the girl I called today for lunch. She is a wonderful person and really brightens up my life. I decided to send her a thank you card, she should be getting it in a couple of days...

                

The other is for a friend in trouble. She has been going through the ringer, everything in her life is struggle. She has a lot of baggage and is doing her best to make her way out but it's hard for her to see outside of her circumstances. She has been out of work for some time now and has recently resorted to doing something for money that concerns me.  I decided to write her a letter and then Mbali's challenge to Cami came to my mind. I went into my jewlery drawer and got a neckalce that is very signifigant to me, something I had not planned on parting with but seemed very poignant. You see, this necklace was given to me by someone I loved very much. Someone who saw a Goddess in me at a time when I was unable to see past my circumstances. I didn't even know the term "self esteem." When I saw the necklace I knew instantly to pass it on but not before wearing it one last time and praying over it. My hope is that she always feel loved and cherished. That she find her way to confidence strength, love, peace, and abundance. 

With that said, may we all find our way. Love to you. Until tomorrow...

29 Gifts, Day 9June 2, 2011 at 9:23pm

Hello, today will be short and sweet. Today's intention, "Today, I give my best." This came to me after trying to come up with an intention while staying focused on preparing for today's audition. Sure enough, as soon as the intention was set, that's exactly that came tumbling out... here's what that looked like:

I gave the room of Models a laugh as I struck up conversation while waiting to audition. 

I gave a particular Model a compliment on her awesome pair of pants. 

I shared a smile with a man who was waiting to cross the street.

While shopping for groceries I engaged in numerous conversations with people, praising and thanking them for the various tidbits we exchanged. Doing the same for the stocker and the cashier that rung me up. 

I took my cart back even though the employee charged with the task was out and I thanked him for his service. 

I called/texted numerous family members letting them know I love them and am grateful for them. 

I cleaned the house fully and paid all the bills. I also praised my husband for his accomplishments and contributions. 

What I got from all of this was a sense of love and connection to all of those around me. I felt happy and blessed all day. My actions were filled with purpose and I felt grateful at being able to get everything done. I have also been seeing some wonderful financial blessings as well as opportunities. I am happy to report I have another audition tomorrow, I hope to land something soon as my husband's birthday is coming up and I would like to surprise him with something great. 

Didn't I say short and sweet? Ah well, it's filled with love. :) Thanks for reading, blessings to you. 

29 Gifts in 29 Days

My darling friends, I have been up to something and I'm afraid to say I have kept it from you. My intention originally was to complete before sharing as it is important to me to always speak from experience but this is so unbelievable that I just cannot delay telling you about this any further.

On May 24, 2011 I read a book that has already changed my life. This book I came across by happenstance, hubby had invited me to a closing Borders and I went along not intending to buy because as much as I love to read I currently have approx 4 new books in the cue waiting for me. Then, I saw it and just like love at first sight I was not only attracted, I was committed. I not only bought the book, I was compelled to read it immediately and in a day I had consumed all of it. The very next day, on May 25th, I put those words into action and have been doing it ever since.

Today is my 7th day in this challenge. I have been blogging my experiences each day. On Friday, I will be posting those experiences here so that my personal blog will be up to date and you can follow along without having to worry about going to another site unless of course you want to. I am experiencing a magic and beauty that is life changing. A series of blessings that are undeniable. I am so humbled and I feel a sense of deep gratitude at the opportunity to let you in on this. If you have been reading my blog, you know how seriously I take the uplifting of myself and others. I have love for you and wish you all of the greatness I wish for myself.

With that said, let me introduce this amazing book to you 29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life

May we all realize the gift we are to each other, the gifts we have to give, and the gifts we are destined to receive.  With love, Tee