That Green-Eyed Monster...

Not a fave!

And it always works the opposite way that you want it to.

Oh jealousy. That green-eyed monster used to seem like something completely unconquerable. I used to think that it was just something that was genetically programmed and I had clearly lost that lottery. Ugh, sometimes I would even hear what I was saying or thinking and go, "oh god, I sound soooooooo crazy, what are these words coming out of my mouth, I have NO clue what I am saying!!!" but ask me if that stopped me!

But when you think about it, as much as I believe in what goes around comes around, I have to believe that we all control our future. We control our feelings. We control our fate. What would be the point if we weren't the drivers ofour own lives? (And yes, this from the girl who would rather walk an hour than drive 5 minutes!)

Don't sell yourself short. Why blame others for succeeding when you can do just as well if not better? I find that the things that bother me the most about others are (1) things that annoy me about myself or (2) things I need to get the eff over because I am just jealous!

Choose your priorities. Work at them. Nothing is sweeter than something you have earned for yourself. Why in the world would you think you could actually be happy about something someone else didn't do well? Be happy for yourself. Be happy for others.

My friends, this is not just a relationship thing. Work, friends, life, etc. All applicable. People work hard, and people are lucky. Don't resent their luck. Who knows when it will be on your side. And really, who says you're on different sides? Someone else's success is a reason to celebrate! For everyone! Enjoy the celebrations!

And all that being said, ladies - don't be 'that girl'. We all love 'those girls,' but no one likes 'that girl'. Have some respect, it would be lovely if it were for others, but if only just have some for yourself. Don't kid yourself. We've all been there and trust me. Karma's a bitch.

x's & o's,

Leslie

60 Days...

Makes me happy.

Remember back in the day when 60 days felt like an eternity? Day after day of swinging in the park, playing house and all those fun things?

And then came the years where we couldn't wait to grow up. And now? Time flies. And if you're anything like me, sometimes it feels like life is speeding by so fast that you lose yourself. You forget what you love, you don't take the time to appreciate all that you should.

So...

Time out! I have dedicated 2 months - 60 days - to pure positivity and taking everything as it comes. Here's to finding myself... Once again.

In the next 60 days, here's what I'm doing.

I will..

• Make new friends, celebrate great friends and connect with long lost friends.
• Give back! (aka. volunteer!)
• Learn to sew. A dress for me! A dress for Can Can!
• Make an Inspiration Board.
• Promise to something good for my mind, body and soul, every day.
• Appreciate my family.
• Dance. Dance a lot. Dance to remember. Dance to forget. Just dance.
• Learn a new thing absolutely every single day.
• Make some good choices and some bad choices but make sure to learn from them all!

What would you do with 60 days?

x's & o's,

Leslie

Being Absolutely Positively Silly...

Fave!

Makes me happy!

Sometimes it's not about being insightful, brilliant, deep, intelligent...

Sometimes it's just about the laugh your face off, giggle forever and a day, literally rolling on the ground, unable to breathe, bust a gut moments.

Now giv'er a try!

x's & o's,

Leslie

Just Breathe...

My new mantra.

New Fave.

5 years ago, 1 year ago, 2 months ago, hell 2 weeks ago. Tell me to calm down? Worst thing you could do. I had somehow gotten it in my mind that calm was not productive. Relaxing was not me. I would have dared you to say that dreaded R word.

Stress upon stress would snowball. One email would ruin my day. One wrong step and watch out world.

Sometimes I would get so caught up in one little detail, that everything would loom over me like a rain cloud. And here I thought that was productive.

So I'm trying something new. And I am not saying that it is easy. But now I can see 'happyness' not only at the end of this journey - but throughout the journey. Because that is what it is all about. It's about the journey. It's about the people with you on this journey. The outcome is nice, but enjoying the ride is much nicer.

Be positive. Because everything happens for a reason. And even if it doesn't, then make yourself a reason. Because we all have a choice. A choice to be happy. A choice to be defeated. And it's okay to feel things. You wouldn't be alive if you didn't feel things. But don't let others dictate your feelings. Don't be scared to get out there and live every single moment with all of your being. Because life, is beautiful. Enjoy every last bit of it. Your work, your friends, your loved ones, everything.

And if..

You're nervous about a presentation? Just breathe.

You find out someone lied? Just breathe.

That last rep at the gym seems much too hard? Just breathe.

You've got insomnia? Just breathe.

Got writers block? Just breathe.

Someone's late? Just breathe.

You're scared for the future? Just breathe.

I am a firm believer that if we take care of ourselves, and our loved ones, something out there will take care of us!

Make someone's day tomorrow. Or just make them smile. Either way, it'll come back to you in spades.

x's & o's,

Leslie

Thursday Night Quotes...

Fave!

Oh so tired today so here's a couple little quotes to brighten your day!

"Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplacable spark. In the hopeless swamps of the not quite, the not yet, and the not at all, do not let the hero in your soul perish and leave only frustration for the life you deserved, but never have been able to reach. The world you desire can be won, it exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours." - Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

AND

"What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?"

And today's list of 'happyness'?

• A marathon session at the gym makes me happy!
• A friend who walks the extra block makes me happy!
• Compliments make me happy!
• Cool showers make me happy!
• Waking up after a funny dream makes me happy!
• Being productive makes me happy!
• So you think you can dance makes me happy!
• Quality time with the two best parents in the world makes me happy!
• A healthy savings account makes me happy!
• Eight glasses of water makes me happy!

That's all!

x's & o's,

Leslie

Flip. Flop. Flip. Flop.

So. I wasn't going to write today because, well let's just say I have more than a couple more hours of writing left for tonight! But there are just way too many things going on in my head so here I am sharing.

Flip. Flop. Flip. Flop. And not the summer shoes. More like, the way I have been thinking about decisions lately. Or my lack of decision-making to be clear.

Welcome to my thoughts:

Do you live for today? Or do you plan for the future?

Do you throw yourself out there again? Or grow first on your own?

Do you ride it out? Or do you wallow for a bit?

The thing is, there are no guarantees in life. Wouldn't it be great if someone could tell you yes, if you follow all of these steps in textbook fashion you will be happy? You will succeed? You will get over it? You'll find something you never thought possible? You'll make it?

The reason I share? I think it is for two reasons.

1. Writing clears the head. I am a firm believer that getting something down on paper makes it a little more real, and a little less worrisome.

2. Connecting. I know that as sad as you are, as happy as you are, as unsure as you are, there are people in this world who have and are feeling exactly the same heartbreakingly beautiful way. And it's comforting to know that you are not alone in this crazy thing we call life. So, even if there is only one person reading out there who thinks "yes, that is exactly how I feel. I am not alone." Then it is worth it.

x's & o's,

Leslie

But wait. You still want a smile? Sure! What is Beethoven's Favourite Fruit?... BA NA NA NA.

Ha ha ha

Currently listening:

Matchbox 20 - Leave

Writing in a Diary...

Makes me happy.

Back in grade 6, I started writing in a diary. Nothing serious. Crush on a boy. Drama with this friend. Make up with that friend. Crush on another boy. 

And somewhere along the way, it became a routine. 

So why do we choose to write in a diary? Is it to hear our own voice? Is it to find our voice? Is it to talk things out? Or to get things out? 

I gave it up for a while, took my hiatus from '05 - '09 but baby, I am back in the game.

My question: Does writing something (that you couldn't possibly say out loud and you practically don't believe) get it out for good? Out of your thoughts, out of the way? Or does it set in stone? To live forever in your diary, and also in your mind?

To tell you the truth, I'm not even sure which would be better.

x's & o's,

Leslie

PS.

In the post-script, here are a couple other things that made me smile today, hopefully it brightens your day (or night!):

- Giving cute boys fake numbers makes me happy. Even when you're not sure if you're going to give them the right number until the last digit.

- Dinners with great friends and a bottle of red makes me happy. The kinds of friends, that you can go three years without seeing, but when you get together, it's just like Summer '04.

- Day Two makes me happy.

- A productive day makes me happy.

- Riding out the ups and downs makes me happy. 

- Making lists makes me happy. Pros & Cons. Good Memories & Bad Memories. Just Memories. To Do Lists. Wish Lists. What lists do you write?

- Positivity makes me happy. I think all too often we dwell on the things we can't change, or the negative side of things we can't change. We can't be happy all the time, but we don't need to frustrate ourselves when it is completely unnecessary.

- Self-control makes me extremely happy.

- Flossing my teeth... well at least that makes my dentist happy!

and... to be honest? A mixture of Britney Spears, Eminem and Matchbox 20 is REALLY making me happy.

And there's ten.

Blank Canvas...

Not going to lie. Sitting here tonight, trying too hard to think of what makes me happy is not what I was originally thinking with my 60 days of 'happyness'. 

What I was thinking, was that no matter how sad, or how tired, or how worn down I feel, there is always something that can make me smile. Take me out of my mind for a couple of minutes. And that, I would like to share.

Today, there were moments. An email here, a walk there, a hug here, and maybe even a couple laughs there. But honestly, in between those fleeting moments, I found myself scouring my memories to come up with my "happy place."

Yet, today I heard something that made complete sense. Maybe that happy place doesn't need to be a past memory. Maybe it doesn't even have to be a hope for the future. Maybe it can just be a blank slate. Or in my case, a blank canvas. Knowing that possibilities are endless. Clear your mind. Get things done. Corny, maybe? But just give me this one!

So yes, I have great memories. Memories that make me smile, memories that make me laugh, memories I will cherish forever. But, right now, at this moment, I'm kind of liking the idea that I am in control of my blank canvas.

x's & o's, 

Leslie

Great Quotes & Great Blogs...

Make me Smile.

Fave.

"When you have come to the edge of all light that you know and are about to drop of into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: there will be something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly.”

lifeinaventicup.com

MY pursuit for Happyness...

(and yes the spelling is intentional!)

For the next sixty days, I am dedicating this blog to finding the small things in life that truly make me happy, make me laugh, or make me smile. Stay tuned. First post within the next 24 hours!

Today's thought:

Isn't it great when you randomly stumble upon something that somebody else wrote, as if they were thinking the exact same thing you are, but have crystalized it perfectly? Makes me feel connected to this world, a little less lost, a little more sure that we are all learning together.

"Where does your writing go when it is too personal to be a blog and too relevant to be kept in a folder on your desktop?"

I wish I knew. Does anybody out there?

And for a smile:

Who doesn't love break-dancing babies?

x's & o's, 

Leslie