“Fortunately, it is not required for happiness.”
7 words to re-focus your mind on what matters.

 
 

My foot is crooked & tucked on top of the opposite knee.

My knuckles are pressed into the floor.

My nose? Grazing my shin.

Resistance burns in my belly.

My thoughts turn (as they so often do) to thoughts of cornmeal-blueberry pancakes & maple syrup — which I’ll soon be enjoying, once this ‘ordeal’ is over.

Just another Saturday morning yoga class.

The teacher — a rail-thin yogi with ginger hair & a soft-spoken timbre — makes a gentle announcement.

“If you’d like to take the pose a bit further, here is the next option.”

 
He gracefully tilts into a masterful arm balance that I’m sure must be called “Boneless Levitating Pigeon Pose” — nonchalantly defying (by my count) all three of Sir Isaac Newton’s Laws of Motion.

Beams of enlightenment radiate from his crown.

Somewhere, a choir of angels sings in perfect harmony.

The class falls (even more) silent than usual. The collective sentiment? “Um, that looks hard. Not in this lifetime, dude-friend.”

The teacher unravels himself with ease, noting:

“The pose I just demonstrated is a wonderful challenge — something to work towards, if it calls to you.”

A nearly-imperceptible smile crosses his face.

“Fortunately, it is not required for happiness.”

Oh right. Not required for happiness. Optional, encouraged, impressive — but ultimately, un-mandatory.

Forgot about that.

My mind immediately starts racing (I know, how un-yogi of me! somebody slap me with a patchouli stick!) to all of my other lofty ambitions that are “not required for happiness.”

“I’d sure love to hit 5,000 mailing list subscribers & 7,000 Twitter followers by June. Fortunately, it is not required for happiness.”

“Damn, it’d be amazing if both of the books I’m launching this fall become instant bestsellers. Fortunately, it is not required for happiness.”

“I should really start drinking cold-pressed kale juice every morning. I’ve heard it’s, like, the thing to do. Oh wait … Fortunately, it is not required for happiness.”

Once you start thinking about it, it’s incredible how many of our focal points are, ultimately, “not required for happiness.”

And once you filter out all of the “not required’s” — what’s left?

Everything one might suspect: food, sleep, H20, intimacy, touch, sunlight, moonlight, music, a little bit of mystery & magic. OK, fine — and high-speed wifi.

I’ve spent the last week releasing a few of the most tiresome “not required’s” from my to-do list, inbox & mind. (And let me tell you, there’s no discernible downside.)

Now, it’s your turn.

Fill in the blank (and breathe a siiiiigh of relief):

“It’d be really amazing if I could __________________. Fortunately, it is not required for happiness.”

Annnnnd … go.

XO.

p.s. photo of me by jenn kelly.

 
 

On simplicity, night visions & doing what you damn well please.

 
 

When Andrew was a little boy in Jamaica, his mama gave him a six-string guitar.

 
He didn’t know how to play it, and nobody was willing to teach him, so he hid it under his bed.

But all he wanted to do was sing & make music.

Then one night, he had a dream — a vision of an old man giving him a new guitar, big & yellow.

But this guitar was different — it had only one string. In his dream, Andrew played his one-string guitar, while lions & elephants whooped & cheered.

When Andrew woke up, he popped the strings off his guitar: six-five-four-three-two … one. He was jazzed. He was thrilled. He was making his dreams become real.

His uncle laughed & told him, “there’s no such thing as a one-string guitar.”

But Andrew started to play that one string, anyway.

 
And play.
And play.
And play.

Until one day …

 
 

 

In time, Andrew earned a nickname — Brushy One-String — and began to travel the world, delighting audiences from Japan to England to New York City, securing national radio coverage & even a significant role in a documentary film.

There’s a lesson here, so clear & pure that I barely even need to articulate it.

But I will.

If you have a simple dream, simply do it.

If you have an un-simple dream, strip it down to one string.

And play.
And play.
And play.

XO.

 
 

So. Many. Splendid. Things.

 
 
Sweet friends,

I’m writing to you from my Besk (aka, my Bed + Desk), donning my favorite lounge-wear ensemble.

After an uncomfortably packed + intense week, I’ve been enjoying a weekend of hula-hooping, yoga-doing, magazine-perusing, letter-writing, cookie-baking and wholly inappropriate amounts of Netflix-streaming.

I have a veritable treasure-trove of treats for thee. Oh yes. I’ve been savvvving ‘em up.

Here’s a cavalcade of weekend inspiration, encouragement + surprises.

Behold …
 

ϟ HuffPo, yo!

 
I made my debut on The Huffington Post a few days ago. (Totally surreal!)

Here’s my first piece — how to say ‘no’ to everything ever — plus a collection of ideas on how to de-stress your spirit + find a sliver of serenity, every day.
 

ϟ MindBodyGreen

 
I also made my debut on MindBodyGreen, this past week. (Muy cool.) Here’s my piece on how to deliver criticism without breaking anyone’s heart — or your own.

I’ll be writing a series of pieces on compassionate communication for MindBodyGreen, in the weeks to come. It’s a tremendous honor to see my scribblings featured alongside some of my personal heroes (um, hi, Pema Chödrön). HUGE thanks to Kerry over at MindBodyGreen for inviting me to play!
 

ϟ The Daily Love

 
I LOVE being a contributing blogger at The Daily Love! What an extraordinary community of dreamers + doers.

Here’s my latest piece: 30 mini-love notes for someone you appreciate + adore. (Say … your momma?)
 

ϟ Speaking of moms …

 
My mom is kinda awesome. And today is Mother’s Day!

Let’s harken back to this vintage post: A year’s worth of wisdom from my momma.

Prepare for such inspirational, emphatic, all-caps gems as:

“LIFE IS UNCERTAIN BUT TAKE HEART LEST YOU DESPAIR, IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN. DO YOU THINK IT WAS EASY FOR THE CRO MAGNONS? TRUST ME, THEY WEREN’T JUST DRAWING IN THOSE CAVES ALL DAY!”

Well put, mom!
 

ϟ You’re (more than) ready.

 
If you’ve got a new project you’ve been keeping a “secret” because it’s “not perfect yet,” I wrote a little script to help you unveil your work, with pride.

Because waiting forevvvvver doesn’t make you better. Just later.
 

ϟ Multi-Passionate Must-Haves

 
As Mae West once said, “Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.”

If you want to stuff your gullet with $1,379 worth of e-books, courses, resource kits + other highly-useful delights devoted to writing, self-discovery, career development + creativity — all for $97 — this is your lucky week.

Starting at midnight on Tuesday, May 14th, there’s going to be a ridiculous 72-hour sale hosted by my dear friend Michelle Ward, aka The When I Grow Up Coach.

Prepare for a sumptuous cornucopia of treats for multi-passionate souls — including my latest wee-book, How To Describe The Indescribable.

Wait until midnight on Tuesday (oh, the suspense!). THEN, head over here + go buck-wild.
 

ϟ My book!

 
Boom shaka laka! My first print book — 50 Ways To Say You’re Awesome — is now available for pre-order on Amazon.

(The release date is September 3, 2013. OH. MAH. GOD.)
 

ϟ The great I AM worksheet

 
During my last trip to NYC, I spent a blissful afternoon at The Breslin, whipping up a fresh worksheet for y’all.

I call it The great I AM worksheet.

It’s designed to help you create a simple one-page declaration of who you are + why your work matters. And it’s meant to be completed in 20 minutes, flat.

Because when you write fast + loose — and STOP over-thinking — magic transpires. (Trust me on this.)

Right-click here to download the worksheet (for free), set your stopwatch and GO.
 

Have a beautiful week, friends.

High fives + hip-hip-hoorays to one + all.

XO.

 
 

How to unveil a new theory, philosophy or project, proudly — even if it’s not “ready” yet.

(Also: what “ready” really means. ‘Cause it’s not what you think.)

 
 

The word “ready” has its roots in the Old English ræde, meaning “ordered + arranged.”

 
Which is interesting.

Because somewhere along the etymological line, we’ve drifted away from that original meaning. Instead, we’ve started using the word “ready” as a synonym for “perfect.”

When we say:

“Don’t look — it’s not ready!” or “I can’t talk about it yet — I’m not ready!”

What we (usually) mean is:

“Don’t look — it’s not perfect!” or “I can’t talk about it yet — I’m not perfect!”

And statements like that are undeniably sucky + creativity-squelching.

So.

I vote that we bring back the original meaning of the word “ready” — and keep it that way.

 
Because “ready” is good. “Ready” is solid. “Ready” is totally respectable. All systems go!

With that said, onto some practical lingo …

Here’s a script to help you reveal your latest theory, philosophy or project — and invite folks to see it / dig it / try it / love it, too.

 
Even if it’s not perfect.

Even if it’s not pristine.

Even if {fill-in-the-blank}.

Because waiting forevvvvver doesn’t make you better. Just later.

 

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

 

Hey.

Have you ever struggled to figure out how to ________________?

Me too. And then I had this neat idea.

What if it was as simple as ________________?

That idea stuck with me.

And then, after a few cycles of trial + error, it bloomed into an even better idea: ________________.

Over time, that even-better-idea turned into a new game / program / class / spiritual practice / philosophy that I call: ________________.

It’s not completely perfect.
But it’s perfectly complete.
And it’s ready for public consumption.

So: I’d love to invite YOU to beta-test it, with me.

Here’s what to do next: ________________.

(And here’s what’ll happen when you say YES: ________________.)

Thank you for your willingness to play + explore.

Ready. Set. Whoa.
And awaaaaay we go!

 

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

 

XO.

Fill-in-the-blank, if you please:

“Even though it’s not perfect, I’m ready to announce / unveil / start publicly talking about __________________. Like, today.”

 
 

Lightning bolt panties, power-positions & promises kept — 30+ Confidence Vitamins to pump you UP!

 
 

Sometimes, it feels like the entire world is designed to make us feel terrible about ourselves.

 

Not fit enough, not rich enough, not smart enough, not quick enough, not fresh, new, hot or “original” enough.

And sadly, there are many, many industries that profit … when people loathe themselves.

I’ve had mega-low-confidence days & weeks — just like everybody else. Hell, I’ve had low-confidence years! Like that one time I enclosed myself in my dreary concrete apartment with my laptop, my World of Warcraft account (Night Elf Rogue, if you’re wondering) and un-classy bottles of cream-flavored booze. (Dark times.)

Here’s what I’ve learned about confidence, self-esteem & the art of liking yourself.

At a certain point, you have to decide:
 

“From this moment forward, I am choosing to believe that I’m PHENOMENALLY AWESOME. I will eat, sleep, write, speak, work, play & conduct my affairs accordingly.”

 

And once you’ve made that decision, you’ve got to fuel that powerful new belief — with a potent regimen of Confidence Vitamins.
 

Confidence Vitamins =
little mood-boosting gems, with no harmful side-effects.
To be taken daily. Twicely. Or thricely.


 
Chew them. Swallow them. Crush them up & mix them into salted caramel ice cream, if necessary. But take them.

Because it’s OK to be awesome. And you know it.
 

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #1: Memorize a killer joke or parlor trick. Perform it, often. Bask in the applause.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #2: Swing on a trapeze. Or {insert-astonishing-feat-of-equivalent-insanity} here. Show yourself that you can.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #3: Do one more push-up, sit-up, or lunge than you think your muscles can handle. You’re so crazy-strong.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #4: Make a promise & keep it. Do it again & again & again.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #5: Mentor a teenager or child — even if it’s just for five minutes, at the “kiddie table” at a dinner party. (Remember: to somebody else, you’re a hero, a champion and a fountain of knowledge.)
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #6: Pull a random Tarot card from a deck & write a 60-second poem in response. (It’s a game I invented called TAROT-ETRY!). You can do it. Look, you’re practically done.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #7: Knead dough. Assemble a couch from IKEA. Make something tangible with your capable hands.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #8: Sign up for a daily IV drip of confidence-boosting reminders — like Jen Louden’s Self-Trust Kit, Gala Darling’s Radical Self-Love Bootcamp, or the #Trust30 Challenge.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #9: Sweat, stretch & holler out inspiring affirmations — “I can feel my pooooower!” — with the ridiculously foxy Erin Stutland.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #10: Send Danielle LaPorte’s classic Ask-A-Friend survey to three people who adore you. Watch the love & encouragement tumble in.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #11: Have a talented human take a gorgeous photo of you, looking your best. Frame it & look at it. Lots.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #12: Take a cue from Goddess Star Monroe and groom thyself. Thoroughly.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #13: Find a confidence wing-woman or fella. Instruct them to gently nudge you out of your security-zone (“Oh yes, you WILL sing karaoke!”). Even if you whine.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #14: Change someone’s flippin’ life. Write that destiny-altering email introduction — or send an anonymous gift, in a desperate time. Damn, you’re powerful.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #15: Throw a Self-Confidence Soiree! Gather together a few friends, form a witchy circle, and spend a few hours complimenting one another until everyone has run out of happy tears. Best. Party. Ever.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #16: Make a “So, THAT Happened…” list of everything good & remarkable you did, over the last 30 days. Good lord, you’re productive!
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #17: Steam a pile of spinach. Eat the whole plate, and imagine that every bite is filling your cells with pure confidence, Popeye-style.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #18: A very wise woman once told me, “I just assume that everyone is attracted to me & wants to ask me out on a date. All the time.” Experiment with thinking like THAT.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #19: Travel to a foreign land. Bonus-round: LIVE THERE. You’ll feel capable of anything-and-beyond.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #20: Stop. Giving. Away. Your. Finite. Time. And. Brilliance. For. Free. If. It. Makes. You. Feel. Bitter. And. Resentful. Just stop it. Saying “no” — and feeling good about it — is the Ultimate Confidence Vitamin.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #21: Choose a project & rrrrrrrreally focus on it for three hours, flat. Give it your ALL. Flabbergast yourself.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #22: Ask 10 friends to record a 60-second message for you, touting your awesomery. Create a playlist & keep it on your smartphone, for emergency playback. Make sure the final track is “The Eye of the Tiger.”
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #23: Two-ish words: Lightning-bolt panties. That is all.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #24: Four words: temporary inspirational mantra tattoo. Correct.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #25: Assume the position. (No, not the fetal position.)
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #26: Work with Erika & find your Pocket Superhero. (Mine is named Voltaic Victoria!)
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #27: Give “terror” a sexy new name, like these smart scientists recommend. “I’m not nervous, I’m just electro-beam alive!”
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #28: Sit in the front row. Raise your hand. Allow yourself to be seen.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #29: Join Kylie’s Itty Bitty Adventure Club. Do small & wonderful things, often.
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #30: Throw a faux-TEDx (FEDx?) conference in your living room. Invite your friends & neighbors to deliver a ten-minute talk on something they know TONS about. Give a talk of your own. Film it. Be amazed.
 
 
And one more, for good measure …
 
 
CONFIDENCE VITAMIN #31: If all else fails … TAKE IT TO THE DANCE FLOOR LIKE MR. ROGERS!!!
 

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

 
XO.

 

Feeling thoroughly pumped? Me tooooo.

Let’s keep this list rolling.

What are your favorite Confidence Vitamins?