Friday, July 6, 2012

The End is Just the Beginning

Our lives are constantly consumed with "do this" and "do that's."  What often seems to follow, I think, is "what if?"  What if I take that promotion?  What if I break up with him?  What will happen if I don't go across the bar and say hi to that drag queen I've worked with before?  Will she think I'm a bitch?  (chances are, Yes...just kidding).

I saw myself doing this a lot.  I was consumed with the "what if's" and senseless worrying. 

Over the past few months my husband and I have embarked on a new journey in our lives; one that will continue until we take our last breath.  A few friends and family members do not know what to think, or how to act around us or feel weird being around us; as if we have become these new people.  Well...in all honesty, we have.  We have changed a few things and ways in our lives.

We will celebrate our 7 year anniversary later this fall; the longest either of us have ever been in a relationship.  We certainly have given each other a run for the money, but each time we grow stronger and stronger!  Wholeheartedly I could not imagine my life without him....  He is my rock.  My best friend.  My #1 fan.  My voice of reason (when I reeeaalllyy don't want to hear it!).  We balance each other out.

Back in January we started this change, but I think we have always wanted to better ourselves, we just never stuck to it or gave it a valiant effort.  But something happened to each of us individually and as a couple that woke us up....  It was time to go forth and become the people we were intended to be.

I love this quote "You were made for more than this...."

We all are.  Some of us are just taking longer to realize that awesome power.  One might say that we are more reflective, more calm (maybe?), more "'with it."  I say, I am just living out loud.  I am living with love.  We are living ON PURPOSE!  We all have a purpose.  We all are meant to be this incredible force to be reckoned with!

Backstage at one of my shows at Charlie's one weekend some of the performers and I were chatting about life, etc.  After awhile is was getting a little too in depth (since we were all in drag waiting to go on stage) but nonetheless an amazing and inspiring talk!  One of the performers could not believe that I meditate in silence every day (I try to every day; I'll get to that later).  She kinda laughed and scoffed at this realization.  She added "I could never do that.  That is just way too hard.  I would never be able to do that."  My response to her....  "Then you never will."  She looked at me surprised.  "What?" she asked offended.  I said, "If you say you never will than you won't.  You have already put that out in the Universe.  You have already shut down that possibility of doing that action before you have even given it a valiant effort."

(this whole conversation happened literally within 5-8 minutes, backstage, while changing costumes and waiting to go on stage)

Further inquiries wanted to know how I do this and what exactly I do during this.  For me I believe there is no right or wrong way to meditate (*note some people seem to be uneasy with this word meditate.  We all do it.  Some of us call it prayer.  Others call it talking to yourself.)  The one thing, though, I explained is that a negative thought or idea can never come across your brain.  She (again I say "she" for those of you who aren't familiar with the drag scene....this is actually a guy....a female impersonator.  We just call each other that.... among other names!), really thought this was impossible.  I told her it was for awhile.  Try this.  Simply sit for 5 minutes and try to not have a negative thought, worry, negative action come across your brain.  It is a little hard, but with practice you will be able to do this.

How long do I do this for?  All day long I explained.  Really, you might ask?  Yes.  For 20 minutes, 35 minutes or an hour a day I sit in silence, usually with very soft, quiet meditative music on in the background and release all thoughts.  I open myself up to all possibilities for that day and that day only.  Not worrying about tomorrow.  Not concerned with a fight I had with my partner last night or with a friend 2 months ago.  Negativity is EMPTY Energy and I have no place for it in my life!  It is wasteful  But all day long?  Yep.  I continually meditate throughout my day.  And if I can't physically sit in my living room, candles lit, music on quietly and meditate in the privacy of my own home, then on my way to school I turn my music on and listen to it; meditate and open myself to all possibilities - good or bad.  I do not try to predict how my day will go. I do not try to know how someone will react to me when I walk in a room, whether it be friend or enemy.  On another note, it is none of my business what you think of me.  Novel concept or one we have heard for years?  It is none of our concern what other people think of us; none of our business!

The more I consciously do this everyday, my days fly by, I seem to feel happier, better and more reflective.  I have not entered the game of being bitchy, gossipy, mean and spiteful.  I consciously send out Love, Light and Energy to all.....even those who have done me wrong in my past.  Yes, it is hard.  Yes, at times I want to yell or Tweet or update my Facebook with a negative comment or something that  just happened to me; someone pissed me off.  But why......  What is the point in that?  YOU are not making yourself any better by doing so.  You are not in control of your life when you are doing that.

At a dinner party just a few weeks ago, I sat with five other people.  Some were friends whom I hadn't seen in a long time and have not had the chance to sit and chat outside of a bar.  I met a knew friend who just seemed to be beaming inside and out!  The majority of the conversation seemed to revolve around our lives, changes, challenges, etc.  And also what my husband and I have been going through and how we have changed our lives for the better.  At one point it felt as if I was in an interview!  But it was a great conversation; we all learned from each other.  From this, the new person I met that night gave me some amazing books to read he thought I would enjoy per our topic of conversation!  I was absolutely touched by this.  And a lovely gesture.... I mean, how many times do you go to a dinner party, not gossip, not spread negativity, but learn from each other, share, inspire one another and someone gives you books to read that they liked and thought you would???  I must say that was a first for me.  Rockne, I am super pumped to read this books - thank you!

I read a lot.  A lot of different books and topics.  Yes, I read self-help books!  I read books on Kabbalah, the Tao, empowering oneself, Buddha, Eastern cultures, etc.  Anything that seems to inspire me; so that I may interpret it for myself not by what someone else's opinion on it is.

The truth is.... I can no longer participate in the negativity game anymore.  I fold.  I hand in my chips.  I am giving you back the $200 for passing "GO."  And I am certainly not one to judge, because believe me, Allah, God, Buddha, etc. I actively participated in that game and initiated it many times....spreading hate and lies and negativity.  It never did me any good.  

I read that the end is just the beginning.....  The more I researched this and learned about this concept it made total sense to me and my hubs.  A parallel life/Universe is happening.  If you want and wish for things, good things, to happen to you and your friends and family, hell, even enemies....put it out there.  Give it to the Universe with Love, Light and Energy.  The concept is basically all the things you want in you life, all the things we wish would happen; jobs, boyfriends, marriage, etc. All of these things have happened.  I no longer think or say "I wish I was or had...."  I say, "I Am...."  The things in our lives have already happened.  It is up to us to learn, battle and fight our way to catch up to those events if we truly want those things.

I was explaining this to a family member who was a bit skeptic due to just fear and the unknown of this.

I summed it up by saying this....

"All things are possible.  Not some.  Not A through D. Not just a few.  Not just these things.  All things are possible.  I was made for more than this."

What are the possibilities you want to take?  Why do you think you are not worth it?

You were made for more than this.....


Always Love, Light and Energy,

Justin xo 




































Thursday, May 10, 2012

What are we grateful and thankful for?

As my vacation and I guess "hiatus" comes to an end soon here in Fargo, ND, I have learned a few lessons that at times were unexpected.  I cannot begin to find the words that will ever describe what this time alone meant for me or the experiences I am taking home.  However I can say that from now on my life will be forever changed and everything I do from now on will be too.

I am re-inspired by the events that have occurred!

I have a new found respect for my parents!

I have realized things about my sister and her magnificent boyfriend, things that I never knew about them; and in that aspect they have taught me a few things about myself  and the kind of relationship I want with my husband.

I have a thirst for knowledge.  One that I have never known before.  It is something at this stage in my life that I am not questioning "why this is happening" or "Why now?"  I just know that I must do it!

I truly believe that if we live our lives from a state of gratitude, from a state of being thankful for what we have at this current moment in our lives, unexplainable things will begin to unfold.  This is something I personally have experienced.  It is a state of being where we do not dwell on the things we don't have or the things that did not happen to us.  It is being thankful and grateful for what we do have.  Sounds "oh so simple" but something we will always have to work at and be conscious of. 

I started a gratitude journal many years ago.  Yes, Oprah herself is part of the reason I began it, but before I had hear this term, to me, it was just a journal I was writing in.  The passages were nothing more than everyday junior high and high school drama and trials and woes of the average teenager.  I certainly was not writing a New York Times Bestseller let's be honest about that.  But one thing I did notice over the years of looking back on my entries was a lot of "bitching and complaining."  I wrote some horrible things.  Things that I now would never think were that big of a deal, all the while not realizing the tremendous things I possessed in my life; the people, the home I lived in with my family, the schools I attended, my health.

I stopped journaling for many years.  It wasn't until I moved to Las Vegas that I began writing again.  However, I was still bitching and complaining and cursing those that had done me wrong; plotting a way to get even, revenge.  "What an awful person I had turned in too," I thought to myself.  I also noticed I was complaining pretty much about the same stuff, nothing new or Earth shattering.  How could I change this pattern.  That will be answered in a future post, but until then.....

Fast forward to present day and time:  Thursday May 10, 2012 2:14 a.m. in Fargo, ND (as I glance to the bottom of right screen on my laptop).

It is important for me to live in a state of gratitude and thankfulness in a world of much chaos and mess and drama and misplaced blame.  So I will share just a few things that I am currently grateful and thankful for in my life, at this current moment in time.  I hope that this will inspire you to share either with me or just simply with yourself in your own gratitude journal.  These can be things that are major forces in your life or just simple everyday things as you will read.

I am Grateful/Thankful for:

- my husband who works tremendously hard for us

- the person who invented coffee

- my dad for buying me this laptop a year ago for school (the one I am currently typing on)

- my sister and her safe arrival to Greece

- the freedom to express my thoughts and publish them

- the girl who made my Starbucks coffee today

- my cousin Luther for giving me the biggest hug and saying "I'm proud of you."

- my grandmother for telling me I could become "the next Dior" (one of her favorite designers I found out).

The main thing I try to focus on is to never ever use a negative word or a pharse like "I hope" or "I did not get..." or "I wish I had..."

It is so easy for us to complain about things we do not have or the things we wished we had or the thing someone did to you.  Let's really be honest, most of us do not want to hear about your problems or woes or the bullshit someone did to you or "that it's not my fault."  However, this does not mean we should not care about mankind and our family and friends and that their feelings are not justified.  Think of it in this term:  Wouldn't you want to hear only the amazing things and positive experiences in our friends' and family's lives?

Try to live in a state of being grateful and thankful for what you have right now at this exact moment in your life.  You will be surprised as to the events that will follow in your life!

Love, Light and Energy,
Justin












Tuesday, April 3, 2012

On A Continuous Journey for Joy and Fulfillment: Just A Quick Note!

On A Continuous Journey for Joy and Fulfillment: Just A Quick Note!: Hope all is well with you this morning!  Up with coffee and watching our lil one Swift play (he is an 11 month old Cairn terrier/Chihuahua m...

Just A Quick Note!

Hope all is well with you this morning!  Up with coffee and watching our lil one Swift play (he is an 11 month old Cairn terrier/Chihuahua mix puppy).  So adorable!  I will have to post pix of him soon!  Anyway, we are up and at 'em and he's going to have a puppy spa day!! 

I have much to do and it always seems I never know how to prioritize what needs to be done first.  I have taken classes on this and I am bad at implementing them into my daily life.  I am a work in progress (but aren't we all).  I write lists almost everyday; does anyone else do this?

I am excited to watch last night's Oprah's Life Class with Tony Robbins!  I taped it, so today I will be doing that at some point (get out pen and paper and take note!). 

For now, I leave you with this:

Practice compassion today.  Transform your ego into humility.

Love and Light,
J.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Day 1

Well, I am on this journey in life.  The one to find continued joy and fulfillment; which is everyone's ultimate destiny I believe, right?!  I just started my Google account and so far am liking all of the features.  I live in fabulous Sin City Las Vegas.  Emphasis on the "sin" LOL!  I want to create a better world for me, my partner, family, friends; for all!  I hope that I can write about things that are fun, amusing, thought provoking, inspiring and maybe, just maybe, make you think and open your mind a little more than the day before!

I love sharing stories with people; finding out where you came from, background and how we are all in some way connected to a greater Being.  I have sort of turned a "new leaf" in my life, at the age of 33.  It's a little long and in depth but overall for the best!  I stopped smoking Jan. 16, after smoking for nearly 15 years of my life, and March 6th I quit drinking, which if you "know me" I'm sure you are thinking "What the hell?!" 


I also gave up meat, well, not all together.  Growing up a Midwestern boy I don't think I could ever go 100% vegetarian.  But I do not eat meat nearly as much as I use too.  Mainly from a thought provoking movie called "Forks Over Knives."  Watch it and make your our decision.  However, I loved seafood, especially sushi!

I write "know me" in quotations because I think many people or "friends" think they know me in Las Vegas, simply because of a persona they may see....  You think you know, but you have no idea.....

I have been with my partner for over 6 years!  Something, in my life, a major feat.  It has also been the longest relationship I have ever had!  He is truly thee love of my life (along with our baby boy Swift) and my rock, my BFF, my partner in crime and the one who gets me.

I love to read inspirational books; Kabbalah, meditation, the so called "self help" books.  I am currently watching Oprah's Life Class tour, Monday nights, and it has put sooooo much into perspective, even with the first episode!


I sit at my dining table, with coffee (you will soon learn that I, too, am addicted to coffee), as the sun in Vegas is shining brightly.  On this Sunday, looking out my window, it seems peaceful.  Not many cars on the road this early morning, like a normal Vegas morning.

I currently go to school full time for fashion design; my passion in life!  I have lots of projects that keep me busy all the time so I will try and write as often as I can, even if it's just a thought.

As I read and watch these life lessons, I take away many things especially quotes and thoughts.  I'll end with one for now:

"When you don't show up as who you are, people will fall in love with who you are not." - Iyanla Vanzant

Light and Love,
Justin