Have many interests...

My little one,

 As you know I have been blessed with the opportunity to explore many of my interests in my life from surfing to horseback riding, from law degrees to culinary, from fashion to painting, from psychology to photography, from writing to EMT, from hiking to scuba diving, and I am constantly finding new interests to learn about...

 I used to be self conscious when people would comment on all the different things I have done in my life. For some reason our society pushes us into a very narrow box of specializing and dedicating yourself to only one thing and if you don't then you are a failure. But I have come to learn that actually when your are a "jack of all trades" you end up being a more rounded person, you gain knowledge that is vital, different ways to problem solve, your horizons expand. I can honestly say that I have truly lived life, I have explored, experimented, and learned new skills that have helped me develop emotionally and intellectually.

I really believe our souls speak to us and guide us through all the things that peek our interest, what we dream of doing, learning about, and exploring. Our souls guide us to those things for a reason, if your heart yearns for it it's because there are vital skills we are meant to learn, its guiding us on our path, helping us find the reason why we are here in the world. When we follow that call we find peace, joy, and fulfillment.

Unless you try different things, explore all your interests, you will live in a very narrow frame of reference. It will only lead to a life of resentment, bitterness, dry, and constant un-ease, you soul will be wrestles. How do I know that? because I have been there and I have witnessed it with many successful people I have met.  When this happens we tend to comment on how life feels like groundhog day over and over, monotonous, something in life is missing, we feel empty. We are feeling those things is because we are are starving our souls, we are too focused on making a living ... not truly living. We forget what our passions are, what light us up. We are not exploring our interests- the things that make us curious, learn, study, try, learning and growing. If that ever happens you have to honest with yourself by asking what are the things you find interesting and are curious about? what do you love? what did you used to love when you were a kid? what did/do you dream about? what did/do you find fascinating? what can you talk about for hours? what lights you up and energizes you? what can you do for hours and hours?

The choice is yours, you can choose to stay in an unhappy rut or you can choose to nourish your soul by going after what you love and exploring new things. Start by reading on what ever interest you (gardening, photography, cooking, etc) ask experts on the field, observe, put in hours of practice, and experiment, learn as you go. And it is quite interesting how when you are excited and learning about something, God places people and more experiences in your life to teach you and guide you. Some times that passion can turn into a career too.

How do you find your passions? by exploring, and sometimes you will explore hobbies and you will realize they were not your thing, but that is ok. Please don't see it as wasting your time, a failure or a mistake, but for what it really was, a learning experience, it gave you new skills, new perspectives, new ways to approach and solve problems, it opened your mind, it gave you new knowledge and it made you a more interesting person over all by adding new depths. You will have a deeper understanding of life than you would have had if you had not tried it. We can make all areas of our lives richer and fuller, there is not one area that doesn't benefit.

So my little one, I want to urge you to try different interests and listen to your soul, one thing will lead to another, it will open new windows. There is not such thing as too many interests, we become alive when we learn and explore things we love. We as living things, find pleasure in the process of discovering what excite us, by going after what we find stimulating. Go explore, watch the world open up, your life to become full and exciting and remember if your soul longs for it its for a reason!

With love,

your mama

My Little Princess,

I have been dreaming of writing you letters with all the things I have learned both in life and in motherhood and I have decided to set it up in a blog. You will get all this in my journals any ways but here it can be easier to read because it will be organized. Also even though the letters are for you maybe they can inspire and teach other women as well, most of it as you know is stuff I have learned from my family, friends, other people, and stuff I learned on my own...

With careful consideration I have decided to dedicate this  to be the first letter to you, my little princess, because I don't want you to ever forget this...

The Royal wedding was this past week and lately mama, along with probably all other women in the world, has been a bit obsessed with it... and it has send me into a path of discovery to why do I care so much? and then I looked up at you twirling in your big beautiful red dress, calling yourself a princess and full of joy with not a care in the world and my heart sank at the realization I was like that once too, as a little girl, we all believe we are princesses and then we grow up. I got sadder and sadder thinking of the day when you grow up, your dream of being a princess begins to shatter, reality sets in, your lights starts getting dimmed by a world that makes women feel we are not enough and feeding insecurities into our soul.

But I want you to know and I hope you ALWAYS have in your mind and never forget that you ARE and will always be A REAL PRINCESS! maybe not in the how the world thinks of Royalty but

You are a princess not because you married a prince like the fairy tales or because your parents are of the Royal Family, but because your true father is God and He the true King, the King of Kings and your soul is Royalty because you have been adopted as His daughter. You have a crown and it was bought by the blood of Christ in the Cross, wear it proudly and with your head up high. And as the daughter of the King always remember to behave like it, dress like it, walk like it, talk like it... and most importantly wait for the Godly man that will treat you like it. 

Although you might not be bombarded with paparazzi, know that the way you behave, dress, and talk in your day to day life is in fact inspiring others, not in because you are in magazines, but because of the way you treat people... So always be respectful, kind, and loving.

The way you dress your body will show that you not only respect God, others, but yourself. Even if you are wearing Jeans and informal clothes be feminine, be elegant and sophisticated. Don't leave your beautiful clothes for a special occasion, my princess, your life is a special occasion. Make sure you wear clothes that fit you right, that you feel beautiful in, and it doesn't have to be Designer expensive clothes.

if you are ever in doubt if you should wear, say, or act a certain way just ask yourself:

"Would I be feel good and be proud of wearing this if I were to see the King today?  would I do this if I was in the presence of the King? would I say this if the King was in front of me?..."

 Just remember that even if you are at home, you are always in the presence of the King!

and don't let anyone tell you  that you are not a real princess because my little one you are and you will always be...

with love,

your mama