Finding Your Voice

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Here’s the thing about voice, you first need to find it.

Last month, I experienced this first hand.  It started with a coffee clerk’s very effective up selling skills.  They influenced me to purchase an overly sugary drink that I couldn’t enjoy.  Moments after the transaction, I felt off.  It felt like I was bullied by the coffee clerk  and had to settle for something I didn’t want.  The situation could have been trivial, but I was baffled by how much I thought about it.

Then I asked myself: ‘Did you lose your voice’?

I now realize that, for one tiny moment, I did.  It didn’t feel right at all and this surprised me.

It can be challenging to express ourselves fully while contributing to a community.  It’s confusing, complex and full of surprises.  When do you lose your voice?  How do you know that it happened?  How do you get yourself back on track?

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Photo retrieved from http://www.livingwithwolves.org.

Embracing Change

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It has been a quiet few weeks.  Sometimes it feels very low-key.  At other times, it really feels emotionally full.

My daily habits are being repatterned.

Currently, I’m working really light part time hours.
I’m moving towards a new job.   This will happen even faster once I find one.
I’m doing research, reading and writing.
I’m cooking and eating a lot of meals at home.  This consists of a surprising amount of delicious, crispy kale chips.

I’ve been attracted to intimacy and quiet in all my relationships.
I’m considering quitting drinking altogether.  Not in the way you do after a night of too many jager-bombs, but as one of those healthy lifestyle changes.

I’m living a taste of the life I could have if there was unlimited time to do what I want.  Thankfully, I’ve realized that my ideal life doesn’t involve watching TV all day or drinking a lot of booze.  It also doesn’t involve over-working myself, or ignoring those annoying things that I can change.

These past few weeks have felt like a retreat, only at home, in the city.   At times, it’s an intense but refreshing lesson on embracing and appreciating exactly where I am right now.

Write a Love Letter Today

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The Love Letter Project is now designed, built and travelling!

It is part of the Field Trip Project, a free-standing mobile exhibition that is a humanitarian, community building and international exchange project.  All works made by artists in the Field Trip Project must travel in a Japanese school backpack which will be carried by people all over Japan.

By coincidence, there are fortune dispensers in Japan that look similar to the finished Love Letter Dispenser (photos below).  I hope that a sense of familiarity encourages people to participate in writing love letters.

As I was building the letter box, I was happily surprised by the number of people who wanted to participate and write love letters.  Whether the box visits your city or not, you can always write a love letter to someone you care about.

Stay tuned for updates as it travels throughout Japan.  The tour includes cities such as Tokyo, Ongawa and more.

Blank letters in backpack.

Letter box with directions in front. Love letters in sealed envelopes go in the slot on top, and then you take a love letter for yourself from the bottom.

an O-mikuji, or Japanese Fortune Vending Machine.  Although many give out Japanese fortunes, this one happens to give out fortunes in English.

Previous posts about the Love Letter Project:

• Love Letter Dispenser – Field Trip Project

Positive PSA for Same-Sex Marriage (and marriage in general)

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Boing Boing, one of my favourite blogs, featured this public service announcement (PSA) a few days ago that addresses gay marriage in Maine.

I was so happy to see this video pop up in my wordpress reader.  My eyes got a bit misty when I saw the video and it inspires me to reconsider my beliefs around marriage and family.

Make Space to Live More

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There was a great horoscope awhile ago in NOW Magazine.  It read,

“If I had my life to live over,” said Nadine Stair at age 85, “I would perhaps have more actual problems, but I’d have fewer imaginary ones.” 

It is exciting to prioritize real, actual living.  I recently received some advice to stop worrying about karma and doing the right thing, and to just focus on doing what’s right for now.  I was also advised to sit under some trees and let it all go.

It is a good month to practice this.  Personally, I have a lot of space from work before starting a certificate program at school in the fall.  Toronto is also in the middle of a heat wave which surprisingly makes me move a bit slower than usual.

Sounds like today is a great day for some yin yoga and ice cream.

Planning to go to Arte Gelato and Caffe tonight.