29 Gifts, What Can I Say? I'm a Giver

It all started when I stumbled across a book, "29 Gifts In 29 Days, How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life" by Cami Walker. I was just cruising the bookstore. I didn't plan on buying anything because although I love to read, I had new books in the cue, waiting for me. None of that mattered though. I picked it up, bought it, took it home, and read it in a day. I started the 29 day challenge, the very next day. The rest is her-story. :)

For those of you that read through my 29 day challenge thank you. I really appreciated having you come along with me. It has changed my life. I shared it with you in the hopes you would be turned on by this movement and add some goodness to your life too. If any of you were, please share. Publicly or privately, I'd love to hear how things are going for you. You can reach me here via a comment, or at www.29gifts.org, look me up!

I am now on the 6th day of my 2nd round. I started again after an 8 day "break." Break is in quotes because giving is now a regular part of my life, I only broke from blogging about it. ;) I plan on sharing a lot of goodness with all of you so you can expect to hear about this again although it may not be as regular as when I was doing my first round. Because I have been blogging more, I have also been reading more blogs and some people are so self defeating with their stuff. I am not that person. I am not ashamed or weirded out by saying something is great! As a matter of fact, I consciously choose things I can say that about. So cheers! Cheers to the good life, to love, prosperity, wonder, joy, amazement, blessings, passion, excitement, confidence, giving, receiving, and ALL that jazz.


Love to you! 


xo

Letting It Go and Letting It In

Last time I wrote I was going through the depths of it. Questioning everything. Myself, my decisions, my path in life, my values and the things I hold dear, it was TERRIBLE. Since then I have prayed. I have sought council from my dearest, (husband, friends, family.) Slowly, the doubts fear and anguish started lifting away... Then I was gifted with this past weekend.

This past weekend, I went to Santa Barbara for a friend's wedding.The experience was a gift to me from God. It seemed as though everywhere I turned I was delivered either a sign of the path I am on or a reminder/encouragement for where I am going. Here is what I mean...

1. Hubby took forever to RSVP (it was his friend getting married) and I didn't think we were going to go but then not only did he pull the trigger but he had the idea for us to rent a room and enjoy the weekend.

2.Although we had been to S.B many times, it just so happened our usual Days Inn was not available leaving us to enjoy a new piece of town we were not familiar with. :)

3. This new Days Inn was nicer and larger than where we normally stay.

4. It "just so happened" that there was a lovely market like a privately owned smaller Trader Joe's filled with inexpensive healthy foods & drink right across the street. :D

Then we got to the wedding....

1. We arrived late along with another couple that "just so happened" to be friends of ours which was an unexpected delight.

2. After a short and gorgeous ceremony, we walked over to where the reception was to be held where we were greeted with a wonderfully talented group of musicians playing Brazilian music. The very next song they played upon our entering? My favorite, "Agua de Beber". :D

3. As we entered the main area and found our table, it just so happened a new band was playing another one of my favorite songs that has been very poignant for me these days "If I Ever Lose My Faith In You" by Sting. We were also seated with the greatest company. A motivational speaker and his wife, our friends that I referenced earlier, and a powerful man in TV who is the spitting image of President Barack Obama. :)

4. As the night progressed, there was love filled speeches, praise, dancing, delicious foods, drinks, wonderful music, and FUN. It had been a long time since I'd had some fun.

There were other gifts blessings miracles,

5. Our friends fiancee had come to me later in the evening and said to me, "as an Artist, you can't give up. You must keep going. It may seem tough but everyone who is mainstream today started out not being well known. We each have gifts and you have to share yours with the world." She had no reason to tell me this. I had never met her before and did not mention anywhere in my conversation with her what I had been feeling in my heart the days before this outing. How on earth could she have known that I was contemplating quitting? *Gift

6. When we pulled up to this beautiful venue I found out it was valet parking only much to my dismay. I like to have quick access to my car and wasn't sure if I would need my coat later on. One thing I DID notice however was that in the front of the venue there were nothing but luxury cars and I made a comment to my husband about how THAT is the company I love to be in. ;) It just so happened as we left the wedding after a delicious stroll in the full moon light I came to find my car amidst all it's luxurious friends. :D

Can you believe that even on the way home there was very limited traffic and I had cars just move out of my way on more than three occasions? If you live or are aware of Los Angeles 101 traffic you will understand what a true miracle this is indeed. :D

I'm here to tell you that I believe in miracles and I think they happen every day. I believe that gifts and blessings swirl all around and are available to all of us. The days before this outing I felt broken, heavy, and lost. These things and feelings happen. But if we look around us and believe. All the things that make us happy and the people that make us feel strong are there too and they're just waiting to be given a chance to lift us up.

"There are only two ways to live your life. 

One is as though nothing is a miracle. 

The other is as though everything is a miracle." 

- Albert Einstein

Wishing you an abundance of miracles. Love to you,
Tee

The Extraordinary & Ordinary Intertwined

This weekend I was in and out of consciousness. My cold had me relegated to my home (mostly my bed.) Not by force (thank goodness) it was my choice. What can I say?! I tend to highly value maximum health. Amidst the sea of dreams, I experienced many firsts:

*I put my needs first & turned down a family invitation because it didn't feel right.

*I created the most luxurious spa experience in my bathroom complete with candles, lavender bath salts, extremely hot water, & a private showing of Eat Pray Love. Thanks to Netflix & my MacBook.

*I made the decision to, & began learning Italian.

*I claimed my space without guilt once & for all & now refuse to let my cats sleep with me in my bedroom anymore.

*I let my faith guide me through yet another extremely big change in my life. A person I love very much and have dedicated a good portion of my life to is no longer in my regular picture. Their departure from my every day has been surreal yet serves as another sign of what I "knew" the moment the clock marked 12am on New Year's Day 2011. I'm stepping into a whole new life.

The more I allow it the more I see the beauty of the extraordinary & the ordinary intertwined. It is beautiful, succinct, delicious. It is gorgeously intimate. I feel I am becoming a better person. This excites me. I've never experienced peace like this before, faith like this before, it is amazing.

I guess you could say cold and all, my weekend was great. Somehow 85% of the time spent in my room connected me even more to myself, the world, and you. Extraordinary & ordinary, indeed.

Today I Step In To My Newest Title, Philanthropist.

It's sunny outside, the weather is warm, I am energized, refreshed, grateful, excited. This is after over a week of gloom and rain, metaphorically speaking it couldn't be more perfect. This week has brought about a massive amount of change. Consolidated. In your face. The kind of change that even someone like me who loves change, has to pep talk her way through it. Truthfully speaking, like all extremely hard things in my life, God got me through. I've experienced extreme lows and highs. Outpouring of support from fans, friends, and family. I will never be the same.

Amidst this process I have been enlightened to dreams I didn't know I had, to possibilities I hadn't seen before. To things that are now my new life's path. I am alive.

The first section of my life was about survival. The second section about me finding and expressing myself through the arts and my talents. This new phase is about the world.

Listen, I'm not out of the woods yet. I've had major unexpected financial things come up, (a move, parking tickets, ding in my windshield, medical & vet expenses, people I trusted and thought were on my team try to take advantage of me) some of these are still pending.. Sometimes I get scared and it hurts but I've also been extremely blessed. To be honest the only reason I am mentioning this to begin with is because I want you to know I'm a real person. A human being, making my way through this world, trying to be the best I can. Any hints of greatness come from something much higher than me, I call it God.

Please know I am not here to blog about religion, I am not religious. I am simply sharing with you this amazing wonderful metamorphosis I have experienced and the joy I have to be able to step into it TODAY. I dream of being a millionaire on the "Secret Millionaire" show. Until that day comes I will take cues from my mentors Oprah, Neale Donald Walsch, Rhonda Byrne, Robert & Kim Kiyosaki, God... and I will go out and make it happen. It started with making more donations and tonight/tomorrow night I start in deed.

If you are reading this right now, have connected with me at any of the social networks I use, thank you. I can't even begin to express how much I appreciate you. I really do carry you in my heart. This is my longest and my second most personal blog to date. I hope to continue to interest you. May you have a blessed and productive day. You are amazing.

Cheers to all of us, living out our dreams.

Feeling The Love

80's hits pump through my iPhone / Hi Fi system, filled with love as I sit at my home office desk. I just shared something BIG on facebook & it feels so good. I'm married!!!

I am so blessed to have a wonderful man in my life and it feels great to share it with all of you.

As a female in the Entertainment Industry, I've wondered about how much I should share... To be completely honest, I've worried. But the more I grow I realize that the beauty is in the fullest truth. I have heard that the best marketing attracts what you want and repels what you don't want. This statement has been profound for me. As I have applied this philosophy to my business and my life any doubts I may have had have melted away.

Life is too short. Let's celebrate every minute, every victory, every person that shows us love, every circumstance that allows us to be our highest self. I am so grateful to have quite a few of these things, and if I may be completely honest, one of the greatest has been my husband Tony.

So if I may take a minute, Tony I love you. Thank you for being my best friend and soul mate. Thank you for being my partner every minute. I am honored to be your wife and I look forward to making you proud the rest of our lives.

Cheers to love, life, and being our fullest selves. Have a great day!

Your job is to do what??? I'm an Actor.

Heyo!! LOL If you know where that comes from and comment it, you will get a prize. For now though, I can't help but chuckle... Heyo!! LOL Here we go.

I had asked a few friends via facebook whether or not I should blog actor tales and after a resounding yes, here we are, my first one. As an Actor, there are many stages of victory and or defeat. Like anything else, your outlook will determine a lot of your success and or failure or at least that is what my experience has taught me... Then again, one could argue that even our experiences are dictated to ourselves by ourselves via the subconscious. So what about acting? Well....

I tend to take the glass half full approach and am currently experiencing what I categorize as wins.

1. My Commercial / Print Agency is absolute genius for me. I feel so at home with them and they work so well for me. I do alot of auditioning with them and am glad to have such a perfect fit.

2. My Management has been awesome. I've gotten a few audition calls from them recently which has been a cool bonus.

3. Auditions have been a blast! Whether improv, voice over, script memorization, reactions, or just a "look", I been having such a good time. :D I also feel like I'm getting to know some of these casting directors and some of my fellow actors.

Tomorrow I have 3 auditions to look forward to. Today I had 2. The other day was the first time I'd had auditions scheduled I didn't really want to go to. After going and then hearing a Casting Director complaining, I shrugged it off and figured I had just had an off day. Low and behold, I got a call back and hold from that audition!

What I have been taking from these experiences is a real "seize the day" approach to life. Not only when I'm in the room auditioning and scheduling auditions throughout my day but also when I am not auditioning or "off". It's been really great. Hence all the nature & uplifting blogs below.. :)

Anyway, this is a snapshot into my life as an Actor, cheers to success for us all and joy along the way.

To the moon!! Financially speaking...

What day is it Tuesday? Gosh February 8th huh?? Here we go! I have been so excited to be working towards my new found goals that I have been focused in like a LASER! There has been a big shift in my world having to do with finances and the like. Since I have been so inspired, I wanted to share this info with you, that is of course, if you could stand to earn and keep more of your money.

Now there are many practical things I am up to in the world of business and money. I hope to open up a dialog that includes that information for those truly interested but you'd be surprised how so much starts with your state of mind. So I figure a very good place to begin is within...

My first highly recommended read:

While I make no guarantees of anything, I have personally read and I personally endorse this book as being what I think to be a great start on your path to financial success.

So let's go TO THE MOON! Financially speaking that is, who's with me?!

Let's Get Our Zen On!

If you're new to the blog, welcome. I have just had a big move and now live near the ocean for the first time and it's amazing. Every day, there's is something different to take from it and I figured, why not share the love??

No matter where you are, now you have a bit of the ocean with you whenever you want! So go ahead and get your zen on! There's no wrong way...

Sending you full expressions of health, wealth, and happiness. Ommmm..... ; )

In with the new, on to the next

Hip Hop on the radio, I sit and type this blog to you with a full upheaval going on in my world. I have been going through all the items in my home as of late. Passing things on to interested people I love, donating, and throwing things away. I am shocked at how good this feels. Really, I'm finding it quite addicting.

#1. I'm finding things I had forgotten about.
#2. It brings me great joy to pass on items to someone else that could use them.
#3. It feels so much lighter to get rid of things you aren't using and truly cherishing.
#4. Seeing and living with everything so organized afterward is awesome!

If you have the chance to do this, give it a go. It feels so good! I personally like to donate to The Salvation Army but there are plenty of ways you can donate, there are even collection bins for clothes posted in various shopping centers! Believe me when I say you will be surprised to find out how rich you are right now... I'd love to hear if any of you took up this challenge! The good feeling you get is priceless and if that isn't enough for you, you can also get tax write offs. Double bonus!! If you already donate regularly, feel free to let me know how and where you donate to as well. Cheers to full and bountiful lives. You are awesome.

I'll be posting another blog soon... until then, love and light.

My goodness, where'd September go?

Geez, I can't believe it's been over a month since I've blogged. Where'd the time go?! What have you been up to??? For me, it's been quite a whirlwind.

I've enjoyed intense heat & delicious rain. I captured rainbows and a sunset with my iPhone. I realized my dream of filming at Universal Studios. I've gained confidence in my Acting. I spent time and built memories with my girlfriends. I enjoyed time with my favorite girl in the world, Andrea. I got a new tattoo. I've faced some of my fears and allowed myself to be more vulnerable. I celebrated a birthday. I had a really great, cleansing cry. Mostly I've been letting go and letting God. I've also been learning a whole new way of being. Being busy but not busy. Investing my time in things I truly want, love, and are inspired by, and then letting myself be still, guilt free the rest of the time. I must say it's quite interesting.

I got hooked on the hustle. Sitting still, investing time and money, going for the long haul instead of the instant reward was hard at first. But it can be learned. So if you don't have this now, don't despair. I've been learning, living, and enjoying this concept and trust me when I say I'm not perfect but then again, who is right? Just last night into today I found myself struggling with a nervous energy. A restlessness of sorts and it affected my mood. I got grouchy. If it happens, it's ok. For the most part this new way of being has brought me a great happiness, focus, and quite a bit of success.

So, that's it. That's what's been up for me. Now what's been up with you???

Let's get out of here!! Continued.

Hello there!!!

If you read my previous blog you know I talked about getting out, exploring and the possibility of doing it no matter what your budget or time restrictions. So last week I went on an adventure and I'd like to share it with you like I promised.... Most of this will be in pictures. Away we go!!!!

The first destination was a 7 hour drive & that alone was so impressive. There were many beautiful sights but the craziest things were the weather variations.

Beautiful and strong. There was a torrential rain that had me slow to 30 mph on the freeway at points and there was a gorgeous lightning display. I wish I could've captured the lightning...

Then before you know it, our first destination! A small town called Williams were we had booked our hotel.

And some local BBQ for dinner. It was so cold out!! I was amazed knowing that while we were eating dinner and shivering (it was my fault I wanted to eat outside to enjoy the guitarist) it was hot enough for air conditioning just hours away at home.

I had already seen beautiful weather, amazing desert scenes, and a cute little town. But nothing could prepare me for.....

THE GRAND CANYON

This next picture shows the magnitude.. See the people?

The beauty of The Grand Canyon was overwhelming and humbling. I was scared at times but mostly completely in awe. I know my pictures can't capture it all, really it took a few days to comprehend. Still, I hope you're enjoying it. : )

Then as people made their way back.

The day drew to a close.....

Thank you Lord for the beauty you have made. Truly I felt blessed to have witnessed it.

A new day a new location! Here's some beauty we stumbled upon on our drive out....

Now on to Las Vegas! I'm stoked!!!

After days of fun in Sin City, we found another cool thing on our way home. A ghost town... : O

This 5 day trip for 3 filled with good food, brand new sights (except for Las Vegas), tons of fun and inspiration, not to mention memories that will last a lifetime, cost less than $1,000!! Can you believe it!?! I really hope you enjoyed the pictures please do share your adventures with me as well. I'd love to see what's going on with you.

*For those of you that appreciate photography/technology, these photos were captured with my iPhone 3GS and edited on my Macbook using iPhoto. ; )

That's it for now! Remember how fantastic you are and that anything is possible. Blog ya later! :D

Ask and you shall receive, is it really this easy?

Here I am amidst some amazing happenings and although I have been hard at work doing everything I can to make these things happen, I have also been doing something very different this time around. I've been asking. *Gasp =O

I'm not sure if it was my culture or upbringing, or just plain 'ol pride but somewhere along the way I got the idea it wasn't good to ask for things and so until recently I never did. I am here to tell you friends that this is a big mistake. I am not saying that anyone should relinquish their power by expecting others to do for them, I am simply saying that when you supplement your efforts with asking for what you lack or don't understand, it will be delivered to you.

When I took a film class recently, I asked my coach & fellow Actors some questions and ended up making some great connections, changing my course regarding representation, and finding out about some new classes I want to take!

Want another example? For a long time now I had been looking for someone I can swap clothes with because I do a lot of events and wear things once or twice then never again. I always donate to Salvation Army but figured swapping clothes with a girlfriend would be fun and a really green way to give/get new clothes. After putting this out there for a while I found my swap buddy! Turns out, it was great girl that has been in my circle for years just not intimately.

So friends if you're trying to figure something out, make a connection, live out your dream, whatever.... Do all you can and make sure you don't forget to ASK!

PS: A book I have been reading that has a lot of great resources in it is called The Other 8 Hours. It deals with making the 8 hours you are not working or sleeping, work for you. Check it out at www.other8hours.com

Now go out and ask for somethin' LOL :P

Love ya, have an awesome weekend.

GO BIG OR GO HOME!

So here I am amidst all my plans and goals just plugging away and time as it should passes. Suddenly, I am faced with emotional challenges because not everything always goes according to plan. Top that off with a bad dream I had this morning and WHAM! Just like that, I let in some doubt. I consider myself a cheerleader of the human spirit. Positivity and encouragement are my weapons against moments like these but alas, I am only human and sometimes I get rattled too...

So what did I do? I discussed my feelings with my best friend and partner, let my feelings out on my facebook fan page, then I kept going. This may sound easy, but I assure you it isn't. It's scary to step out of what's comfortable and do big things so if you are having your scary moment it's ok, you're NOT crazy.

Soon I will be able to divulge all details of what exactly I was working on but for now, just know that anybody that we consider great went out on a limb. The true measure of faith is doing so knowing that all is taken care of. So, I'm going BIG.

If you have something you're considering going big on, if you had your faith challenged and made it to the other side, or if you'd just like to say hi, I welcome your comments. Life is always best when other people are in it so I hope to hear from you.

Until next time... <3

Goodies for your spirit

Hello guys and dolls!

I've been thinking a lot about what my second blog would be about. There is so much love I have to share I was like a rant or personal anecdote just wouldn't do.. not at this stage, at this stage I felt like a gift was in order. Then it hit me!

Listen, we all have a lot going on in our daily lives and depending on where you're at financially, emotionally, or stressfully <-( is that even the right way to use that?! ) well you may really benefit from some spirit goodies. What's a spirit goody? Check it out!! And hey, feel free to share your thoughts or share with friends if you approve. After all, sharing is caring. ; )

# 1
Rev Run will always be known as a member of rap group Run DMC but lately he has made a name for himself as a motivator with his positive MTV shows and his daily "Words of Wisdom." I subscribe to his daily posts and follow him on Twitter. Here are some examples of what he shares:

If ur dreams turn to dust, vacuum.. move on, dream again! -Rev Run
Dont be sad too long, its a sign of giving up -Rev Run
Your haters actually hold you in a very high regard - Rev Run

#2
If you don't know about The Secret, it is a movement centralized around the Law of Attraction. Once hailed by Oprah, it sparked a phenomenon & really if you take a look, you'll see why. I subscribe to their once a week Secret Scrolls. Here's an example of what you'd get by following suit:

Every single day, no matter who you meet in the day - friends, family, work colleagues, strangers - give joy to them. Give a smile or a compliment or kind words or kind actions, but give joy! Do your best to make sure that every single person you meet has a better day because they saw you. This might sound like it is not connected with you and your life, but believe me it is inseparably connected through cosmic law.

As you give joy to every person you meet, you bring joy to YOU. The more you can give joy to others, the more you will bring the joy back to you. -Rhonda Byrne The Secret... bringing joy to billions

#3
Last but certainly not least is Joel Osteen. I came across Joel Osteen while flipping channels one day and was amazed by his style of preaching and uplifting people in Christ. I now subscribe to his daily word. He is funny, modern and doesn't make me feel beat down by religion. Here's an example:

When I think of being filled, I think of being satisfied. I think of having more than enough to meet my needs so that I can be a blessing to others. But it all starts with our level of expectancy. My question for you today is what are you believing for? What are you expecting? You might say, "Well, Joel. I don't think I'll ever meet my sales goals this year with the economy like it is." Or, "I don't think I'll ever get promoted. I'm not that qualified." "I don't think I'll ever get well." The problem is you're not looking for those good breaks. You're not expecting increase. You're not positioning yourself for God to fill you, and unfortunately, you won't be disappointed. Jesus said in the scriptures, "According to your faith it will be done unto you." He might as well have said, "If you've got a cup, I'll fill you with a cup level of blessing. If you've got a bucket, I'll fill you with a bucket level of blessing." But if you'll take the limits off of God and believe for supernatural opportunities, if you'll go out each day expecting far and beyond favor, you won't be disappointed. He will fill you and satisfy you with His goodness and show His favor in ways beyond your wildest dreams! -Joel Osteen

Friends, it is my goal to share a lot with you through my blog and hopefully you too will share with me. I hope that you find yourself in high spirits and good health. No matter what your circumstances are though, know YOU ARE AMAZING. With love! Talk to you soon...

*waves