moving...

over here: www.mayacollum.com

mxo

monday...

That's how I get through Mondays and annoying days at work. :)

mxo

let go...

Today feels like...

               

mxo

lovely space...

"I think it’s great for two people to be together. That is a good number. 

I think, that to keep it alive though, you can’t spend every day together. It wears out the magic.  Love means nothing to me if it’s not fortified with fierce, painful longing, brief explosive instances of furious passion and intimacy and then a sad parting for a time. In that way, you can give your life to it and still have a life of your own. 

I think some couples spend too much time together. They flatten out the potential for experience by constant closeness. Passion builds over time like steam. Let it rage until it’s exhausted and then leave it alone to let it build up again. Why can’t love be insane and distorted? How can it be vital if it has the same threshold as normal day-to-day experience? Why can’t you write burning letters and let your nocturnal self smolder with desire for one who is not there? Why not let the days before you see her be excruciating and ferment in your mind so on the day you go to the airport to pick her up, you’re nearly sick with anticipation? 

And then when desire shows the first sign of contentment, throw it back in its cage and let it slowly build itself back into a state of starved fury. Then when you are together, it all matters. So that when you look into her eyes, you lose your balance, so that when she touches you, it feels like you have never been touched before. When she says your name, you think it was she who named you. When she has gone, you bury your face in the pillow to smell her hair and you lie awake at night remembering your face in her neck, her breathing and the amazing smell of her skin. Your eyes go wet because you want her so bad and miss her so much. Now that is worth the miles and the time. 

That matches the inferno of life. Otherwise you poison each other with your presence day after day as you drag each other through the inevitable mundane aspects of your lives. That is the slow death that I see slapped on faces everywhere I go. It’s part of the world’s sadness that’s more empty than cold, poorly lit rooms in cities of the American night."

Henry Rollins

my uber-talented, uber-handsome friend paul takes stellar pics

Thanks pd!

mxo

   

perspective...

Happy Friday!
mxo

drama & choices...

Truth: I've been struggling recently with a particular situation in my life. I've been resistant to the changes that are occurring. I've felt stuck and helpless (woe is me!). I've created drama and, not surprisingly, I've been a wee bit grumpy - okay, a lot grumpy.


And then I read this, shared by one of my beautiful friends:

There is freedom that comes with awareness. Rather than thinking we are stuck in a repetitive cycle with no escape, we begin to see that we very much play a hand in creating our lives. Whether we are aware of them or not, our behaviors and choices are ours to make.

Madyson Taylor

Sigh... but of course! The situation I'm in is not the cause of my grumpiness. It's not the source of my stress (more on stress very soon). My struggles are caused solely and completely by my resistance to the ebb and flow of life, my shitty 'tude and the way I've been behaving. Crap. I did it to myself.

BUT, here's the power in the realization, the freedom in the awareness: the only thing that needs to change for me to feel differently is me... just me!

It's amazing how much drama we create in our own lives and how much things can change when we change how we look at them... and how we respond to them!

Happy Thursday!
mxo

relish...

Tummy full of delicious dark chocolate banana treats.
Body full of post-yoga heat.
Heart full of joy.

Tonight, while I waited for my beautiful friend at an amazing new (well, new to me) yoga studio in Toronto - Breathe Yoga - I stumbled upon this:






Relish the ride, not just the accomplishments.

Matthew Sanford

 

 

 

 

 

 

The perfect reminder to read his book, Waking, which I bought, placed on a shelf and completely forgot about.

Happy Wednesday!
mxo

fear...

From the time we're kids, we're taught not to be afraid. It's the one thing we all pretend not to be and it's probably the only thing we all are. I wonder what it would be like if we had never learned to bury our fears but instead, we were just taught to admit them.

Sexy Patrick Wilson's character in Life in Flight

I'm afraid of missing out on all that life has to offer, of arriving at my end regretting things I didn't do and counting the opportunities I passed up.

I'm afraid I won't have enough faith in myself and in life to walk away from situations that no longer serve me.

I'm afraid of not having love in my life. 


That was frightening... but also strangely liberating.

So much love!
mxo

time...

I had the most lovely lunch date today with a good friend.
We had the most lovely conversation about time.

It seems we both realized something profound recently. Mr. Einstein said it best...

I think this is especially fitting with March right around the corner. March is the month most people in Toronto really grumble about. We're sick of winter, it's not quite spring, it's grey and damp. But it's there - we can't fast-forward through it. It's there so that winter can calmly surrender to spring. It's there so that we really, really enjoy what comes after (April... and May flowers... and patios!).

spring!

So as opposed to fast-forwarding through everything and trying to do everything at once, what can you surrender?  What can you save for another day?

My only suggestion - keep the truly important things because there may not be another day.

Kind... to yourself... please be. 
mxo

growing up and making soup...

I fell asleep reading last night. At 11pm.
This has become my new weekend routine.

A few years ago, I used to start my Saturdays at 11pm. I'd stumble into bed at 6am, praying that I'd fall asleep before the sun rose and confirmed by zombie status. Around 2 the next afternoon, I'd roll out of bed, maybe work on an essay for a few hours, and then repeat.

It was great while it lasted and I was very ready for it to end when it did.

Fast forward five years to this morning when I woke up with a slight twinge of remorse for the days that once were. I think that's natural - we all tend to romanticize the past. But whenever that happens, I let myself really stew in those memories until I remember all of the less-than-glorious aspects.

And then I quickly realize that I really, truly love where I am now. I love being a grown-up... and aging is fun! Whether we choose to mourn the past and dread aging OR we say, "that was fun, what's next?!" is totally up to us.

  

Blah, blah, blah... onto soup! :)

I made two delicious pots of soup this week. I made my mom's Sweet Potato Carrot Soup (yum, yum) AND I made a un-creamy broccoli soup (it's vegan) inspired by the most beautiful blog there ever was: Green Kitchen Stories.

 

Here is my interpretation of their recipe, my un-Creamy Broccoli Soup:

• 2 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil 
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped 
• 1/4 tsp dried chili flakes 
• 2 heads of broccoli, cut into smaller florets and slice the stalk 
• 4 cups water or veggie stock to cover 
• 1 x 400 ml can coconut milk 
• 1 tbsp tahini
• Big pinch or two of salt, to taste
• 1 tsp curry powder (optional)
• 2 cups of fresh spinach (optional)
• 5-10 of fresh basil leaves (optional)
• Garnish: roasted pumpkin seeds and cilantro. 

Heat up the oil on medium with the red chili flakes and garlic until fragrant - you don't want to burn the garlic! Toss in the onion and reduce the heat so that the onion sweats (rather than being fried crisp). Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broccoli, cover with stock/ water, bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and let it cook for 20-30 minutes. Remove a few cups of the broth (you can always add it back in). Add coconut milk, basil, spinach, curry and tahini. Blend, blend, blend until creamy (hand blender is best but my food processor works well too, it's just messier). If it's too thick, add in some of the removed liquid. Cook for another 5-10 minutes. Serve with garnish. Enjoy!

It's vegan, gluten-free and totally yummy.

I froze a big jar-full for a quick weekday meal. Also, freeze the leftover water! It makes for an awesome stock for future soups. I can't wait until their cookbook hits the shelves!


Be kind to yourself!
mxo

P.S. I do wonder if we ever feel like grown-ups...

why we breathe...

I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being.

Hafiz

P.S. What you're looking for, you already have...

               

advice epidemic...

I woke on Sunday compelled to box up all of my self-help books. All of a sudden, I had this super clear sense that they were doing more harm than good. Those seemingly helpful words were actually distracting me from listening to my own inner voice.

Then today, serendipitously, I watched this:

        

Minute 14:40 on REALLY hit home.

We are suffering from an epidemic of too much advice. The internet is chock-full of articles, videos and blogs (like mine, ha) with tips and tricks on life, love, fitness, happiness - everything! The self-help business is booming - Oprah has built herself an empire on it. Most of these resources come from people honestly trying to be helpful BUT the sheer volume can be absolutely overwhelming.

Here's the thing: there's no cookie-cutter solution. We are all unique and we all need to live our lives in our own ways. You're never going to know if you're on your right path until you get so quiet that you can hear yourself think (and feel!).

Two bookshelves, packed almost exclusively with self-help books!

Take it all with a grain of salt and set a goal to regularly tune out the world. Tune inward instead. That's mine big goal for the next long while - all I'm allowing myself to read and watch is fiction. Period, of end story. :)

Happy Tuesday!
mxo

P.S. The ironies in this post aren't lost on me... :)

family secrets...

Happy Family Day!

Today's lovely, sunny day off has started with...

... lemon water
... a glorious green juice (curly kale, cucumber, celery, parsley, and a pear)
... yoga with Kathryn Budig on yogaglo.com
... 15 minutes of "time-out" (a.k.a. lying on my foam roller) (a.k.a. meditating)
... avo toast from Crazy Sexy Kitchen 

Avocado smooshed onto Ezekiel bread, topped with olive oil, sea salt and chili flakes.

...  and lots of mulling over my grandpa's way of life.
                                                                                                  
Decades ago, my grandpa figured out the secrets to health, longevity and living life well, and has been applying them religiously ever since. He'll be 84 in March and every time I hear about his recent escapades, they blow me away.

Despite the winter weather, he walks a minimum of 6km each and every single day. Then he rides his stationary bike for 30 minutes. Each and every single day. "It's the most boring 30 minutes of my day, but I do it, and then it's over". Exactly.


His tips for health are simple:

1. Never over eat, but eat everything in moderation. 
2. Exercise, always. End of story.
3. Be consistent with eating, sleeping, exercising, etc. 
4. Throw in the towel on all of the above once in awhile. On occasion, have a extravagant dinner and dance the night away (two weeks ago, he was dancing until 4am!) 

The key, of course, is to practice 1-3 regularly so that you can thoroughly enjoy 4 and not pay for it with your health. You have to work at it and you have to commit... but he's living proof that it's worth it!

My grandpa, Witek, on his 80th birthday.

So on this Family Day 2013, I am channeling the energy of my grandma yet again. :)

Be kind to yourself!
mxo

chapters...

Good morning!

I'm sitting in my pjs, just as I have been for the past several hours, enjoying my tea and the sunshine that's pouring in. After these last few weeks of dreariness, it's perfect.

I am learning how healing these moments of stillness are, even if they seem uncomfortable at first.

I hit the "best before" date on a number of life situations over the past few months and yet I find myself still there, still "stuck", and very frustrated. I've been frantically searching for the fast-forward button.

It doesn't exist.

And then this morning, I stumbled upon this article on the art of unfortunate events + living in the unknown by one of my favourites, Kathryn Budig.

In the same way that you don't want to read the last page of the book before you begin, you have to trust that the story of our lives is taking us to the end of each chapter so it can begin an even more rich and exciting progressive one. There will be acts of our lives that are dreary and frustrating, but these pass onto the third act that introduces new characters, themes and opportunities. I've been wanting to skip this chapter when I forgot that I won't understand the next one if I don't pay attention to the one I'm currently in.Kathryn Budig

To that,  I will add this:

 

Happy dreaming! Happy marinating! 

mxo

snowy quote...

It's absolutely stunning outside - white, crisp and so perfectly sunny. Days like this are why I adore winter.

SNOW!

On this beautiful day, I leave you with this gem:

We are dying from overthinking. We are slowly killing ourselves by thinking about everything. Think. Think. Think. You can never trust the human mind anyway. It's a death trap

Anthony Hopkins  
(Source: that kind of woman)

Much love,
mxo

flu remedies...

Cough, cough, sniff, sniff. Yup, it's that time of year. Half of my office is out with something or other.

I came down with some sort of bronchial disaster this weekend. Late last week, I started to feel woozy. By Sunday night, I was a fevery, coughy, sniffly mess.

A few years ago, I was very prone to a lovely combo of bronchitis + pneumonia + nasal infections. I'd be out for a week and overly-medicated with antibiotics and puffers. Sometimes they were necessary, sometimes they were not, but always they destroyed my stomach for months to follow.  I desperately wanted to avoid antibiotics this time around... so I got to work.

I cured myself (almost!) with these very simple, natural remedies.

Nature's medicine cabinet.

Lemon Elixir: 

• Lemon - juice from 1 whole lemon 
• Ginger - big piece finely chopped or minced 
• Honey - 1 heaping tbsp, the more natural and raw, the better
• Hot water - 1-2 cups
• Cayenne pepper (optional, it can be a bit much for a sore throat)

Place all ingredients in a mug, stir, let sit for a minute or two, and drink! 

This is pretty much all I drank for days. Lemons are packed with vit C, ginger is nature's antibiotic, and honey has awesome antimicrobial properties. Best part: this is delicious! Drinks lots and lots of it!


Grandma's Onion Cough Syrup (version 2.0):

• One whole onion, peeled and sliced into thin, long pieces
• Lots of honey (or traditionally, sugar) - I used raw honey and coconut sugar

In a mason jar, layer onions then a glob of honey/ sugar, onions then glob of honey/ sugar, onions then glob of honey/ sugar, etc. Seal and let it sit on the counter for 6-8 hours (or overnight). Drink 1-2 tbsps as needed to calm the coughing. Use it up in a few days as it's got to be fresh.
 
If you have a Polish grandma, you have probably tried (a.k.a. been subjected to) this deliciousness before! You'll probably also remember that while it smells horrendous, this syrup actually tastes quite nice (I hate onions and even I like this syrup) and it works like magic. Onions contain a compound which helps reduce bronchial constriction and they help eliminate mucus (gross). Sugar is ok but honey is far better as it'll kick bacteria to the curb.


Chicken Soup + Less Junk:
When you're sick, it's important to avoid the foods that cause inflammation (as your body is already trying to fight inflammation). So, no alcohol, coffee, dairy (mucus-producing), sugar, processed stuff, etc (sorry!). Instead, you need lots of green veggies and chicken soup.

Why chicken soup? Chicken contains compounds that thin out mucus so it's easier to cough out (how many more times can I say mucus in one post?!) :) If you're veggie, just have broth with lots of anti-inflammatory ingredients like onions, garlic, carrots, etc. Oh, and did I mention garlic? Yes, eat LOTS of it.

Truth: I'd be feeling much better if I had avoided the home-made cake and chocolate truffles left over from my hubby's birthday this weekend!


Rest:
Ha, betcha didn't see that one coming! :) But really, it's the most essential one. You need to slow down, sleep ridiculous amounts, and stay in your pjs until they start to smell a bit suspicious. The main reason I'm not 100% better is because I made the "daft", to quote my British colleague, decision to go into work today. Don't be me - no one wants sick coworkers around. You're not a brain surgeon and even if you are, you need to rest! I certainly don't want a sick brain surgeon coughing into my open skull!


That's it! And here's the thing, if you try all of the above and they don't work, no harm done. You can always go to the doc after, but I suspect you won't need to.

Happy healing!
mxo

winter...

I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape - the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn’t show.

Andrew Wyeth 

ease...

As I was saying in my last post...




... except she said it better. :)

Much love,
mxo

life = fun (or at least it should)...

My brother-in-law is one of the coolest people I know... by far. Here's why.

Something Jamie wrote in an email last week really, REALLY stuck with me. We were chatting about the concept of following your passion. He said this:
  

"People always ask me how long I will do coco loco and I always say until I don't enjoy it anymore. 
Life is too short to waste time."

Brilliant, and far more prophetic than I think he realized. Here's the thing, it's amazing to follow your passion, assuming you know what it is, but I think it can be much simpler than that.

It's okay to just have fun. In fact, when you stop having fun, you should really consider shaking things up. 

Many of us seem to have forgotten that it's okay to be joyous, that life is supposed to be enjoyed.

Now, the caveats:

Caveat one: define fun

• Fun doesn't have to mean quitting your job and partying away all of your money and sanity. That's not very sustainable.  

Case in point: I don't love my job - as far as jobs go, it's pretty great, but it's not my "passion". Some days it's not even all that fun BUT it affords me a life that's fun. Because of my job, I can travel to see my bro-in-law several times a year. It means I can go to yoga and out for dinner dates with great friends. Etc. My job is actually one of the reasons I can enjoy life as much as I do.


Caveat two: timelines matter

• Every day is not going to be fun. We're human, we wake up on the wrong side of the bed (even in paradise). We have bad days and heck, even bad weeks and bad months. You can't judge the fun quotient of your life on too short of a time period BUT you also can't put it off forever (i.e. "when I retire..."). Watch this awesome TED Talk. You'll know in your gut what timeline is most appropriate.

There's still part of me that thinks this is a selfish approach... but a wiser part knows that that fear is hogwash. Truth is, if more of us spent more time having fun and enjoying life, this planet (or at least the morning subway commute!) would be a far happier place.

Jamie's morning commute...

I end this really, really, really long post (sorry!) with this:  you don't always have to be going somewhere or pursuing some goal. It's okay (and great!) to just be and have fun doing it!

mxo

P.S. Thanks bro!  :)

mindfulness...

This blew my mind today:




mxo

simple...

Happy Tuesday! My body is humming from another sweaty hot yoga class - what a perfect treat in the winter!

A few days ago, in the midst of an email discussion about health and happiness, my brilliant husband wrote this:

"the constant ability for humans to ignore the obvious solution staring them in the face never ceases to amaze!"

 
It's true! We do tend to ignore the obvious and we certainly don't want to hear it. Case in point:

Who wants to hear AGAIN that you should eat more vegetables, exercise and unplug?! It's just so booooring. But, alas, it's also true.

I get it. Trust me, I have looked in every nook and cranny for a magic solution but there isn't one. Health takes commitment; it takes hard work. But eventually, when you start feeling truly awesome, this hard work becomes fun! And the beautiful upside of all of this is that it's also simple - we can feel so much better just by taking small, itty bitty steps.

So, based on the Doc's prescription, what kind act can you do for yourself? What work can you put in towards your health? As for me, I need to ditch my computer!

Be kind to yourself.
mxo

dream...

Happy Saturday.
mxo

eat food...

Today I read this BBC article on the World's weirdest fad diets.  I have a feeling that in 100 years, they will write something similar about us...

We have made eating so bloody complicated. We've convoluted our biological instinct into an obscure game of science. We have turned food into the enemy, reduced it to bare nutrients (omega 3 this, gluten that, carbs this, protein that) and somewhere along the way, we forgot how to eat and how to enjoy it!


Trust me folks, after all of my research and experimenting, I can say with absolute certainty that this is the soundest "diet" advice to follow:

Michael Pollan is brilliant.  In Defense of Food is a MUST read.

food = real, whole, unprocessed food. Nothing "low fat" or "sugar free" (translation: chemical sh*t storm). Nothing with unpronounceable ingredients!

not too much = hara hachi bu, until you are 80% full OR until you're no longer hungry (rather than until you're full).

mostly plants = lots of mama nature's beautiful fruits and veggies, and a sprinkling of other things on the side.


Eat with people you love. Savour each bite. Drink wine. Allow yourself to enjoy food, real food, and I promise it will heal you.

In the words of my brilliant husband, "carrot good, chips bad".


Be kind to yourself.
Much love,
mxo

just be...

I'm back from sunny paradise (a.k.a. Nica)...

... back to this:

But alas, c'est la vie.

Nica is this incredible place where I can truly let my body, mind and soul rest. It's the place where I can really connect with myself and those I'm fortunate enough to spend my holiday with. On this trip, someone said something offhandedly that really resonated:

"you can tell she just let's herself be. she just is."

Hmmm.

This culture of ours is so goal-focused, so driven, so speedily pursuing some future version of something that I think we often forget the art of just being.

How often do you let yourself just ride the subway or bus without checking your phone, reading or listening to music? How often do you just sit there and take in the ride?

How often do you have a conversation with someone when you're truly listening to them, without thinking about what you'll say next or what they might be thinking of you? How often are you just there?


I wrote about this awhile ago, but I feel like it needs to be said again (translation: I need to hear it again). But really, how often do you just let yourself be?


Once you move past the initial anxiety of not moving at 1,000 miles a minute, you might just find that there's something so beautiful in the stillness. It's actually quite joyous.

So much love,
mxo

unstuck list...

Good morning!

I woke up this morning with a bit of a hangover from last night's teary-ness. Rather than wallow, I decided to shift my energy! I decided to practice this joy business. :)

So, I got busy:

• I made the most delicious lemon and ginger elixir, and followed it up with a "Peep in My Step" juice (recipe below).
• I did my exercises and stretches.
• And enjoyed a few minutes of silence.
• I had a super healthy breakfast, and took every possible staircase I could to work.
• And now this, liquid joy:

Americano from Mercatto, made by Alice. Joy.

It's almost three hours later and I feel new. Brand new. It's that simple. :)


OH, and yes, this:

Last night I stumbled upon Robin Sharma's 62 Tips to Get Unstuck in 2013 and absolutely loved it.

Here are the top 25 that really resonated with me:

1. Start your day with 20 minutes of exercise.
2. Stop watching TV. (Bonus points: sell your tv and invest the cash in learning and self-education).
3. Remember that your diet affects your moods so eat like an athlete.
4. Spend an hour a day without stimulation (no phone+no FaceBook+no noise).
5. Write in a journal every morning. And record gratitude every night.
6. Do work that scares you (if you’re not uncomfortable often, you’re not growing very much).
7. Smile more (and tell your face).
8. Do a collage filled with images of your ideal life. Look at it once a day for focus and inspiration.
9. Plan your week on a schedule (clarity is the DNA of mastery).
10. Stop gossiping (average people love gossip; exceptional people adore ideas).
11. Do a nature walk at least once a week. It’s renew you (you can’t inspire others if you’re depleted yourself).
12. Do something that makes you feel uncomfortable at least once every 7 days.
13. Remember that to double your income, triple your investment in learning, coaching and self-education.
14. Achieve 5 little goals each day (“The Daily 5 Concept” I shared in “The Leader Who Had No Title” that has transformed the lives of so many). In 12 months this habit will produce 1850 little goals–which will amount to a massive transformation.
15. Write handwritten thank you notes to your customers, teammates and family members.
16. Use the first 90 minutes of your work day only on value-creating activities (versus checking email or surfing the Net).
17. Breathe.
18. Keep your promises.
19. Brain tattoo the fact that all work is a chance to change the world.
20. Spend more time in art galleries. Art inspires, stimulates creativity and pushes boundaries.
21. Read a book a week, invest in a course every month and attend a workshop every quarter.
22. Remember that you empower what you complain about.
23. Become the fittest person you know.
24. Become the kindest person you know.
25. Know your “Big 5″–the 5 goals you absolutely must achieve by December 31 to make this year your best yet.

Hope you can find something that inspires you this morning.

So much love,
mxo

P.S. My "Peep in My Step" juice involved apples, kale, celery, swiss chard, and lots of ginger. Yum!

quiet...

What soap is for the body, tears are for the soul.

Husband is in London.
Best friend (and office mate) is on mat leave.

Today was quiet, and lonely.

I watched a movie and cried, a lot. I got it all out. I think.

Even in the quiet, in the tears, and in the occasional pain, there is beauty. There is joy.





Much love,
mxo

sunday, soup and heart...

Today has been the most lovely of lovely Sundays.

I woke up early, refreshed.
I called my grandma in Poland. I love grandmas.
I drank coffee and read magazines, and lazily got ready for my day.
Hubby and I went errand-running, which I really, really enjoy.
We got everything done super duper quickly.
And then stunk in a round of golf practice at the Golf Dome. 
I kept to my 2013 commitment to drive one way wherever we go (more on this one day soon).
Then I made soup, and the most glorious lunch for tomorrow, and read some more.
After I finish this, I'm heading upstairs to do some yoga (am hooked on www.yogaglo.com)
Then a light dinner, maybe a movie, a bath and an early night.
Joy, joy, and more joy.


Today I made a version of my mom's Sweet Potato Carrot Soup. Yum, yum.

Ingredients:

• Two big sweet potatoes, peeled and diced.
• Four large carrots, diced (peeled if not organic).
• About 1 litre of stock or water (enough to cover the veggies).
• Big pinch of salt.
• 1 inch piece of ginger, crushed.
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed.
• 1-2 tbsp curry powder.
• 2-4 tbsp tahini.
• 1/2 can of coconut milk (optional, I just happened to have an open can in the fridge).
• Garnish: oranges and/ or cilantro. 

Method:
Now, this soup really couldn't be easier. All you need to do is:

• Dice up the veggies and throw them in a big pot.
• Cover them in water/ stock and add a pinch of salt.  
• Bring everything to a boil then cover and simmer until the veggies are tender. 
• When tender, toss in the garlic, curry, tahini and coconut milk, and any additional salt. 
• Blend, blend, blend. 
• DONE!  

And really, you can completely ignore my measurements - just add things in until it tastes perfect to you.
Happy, healthy, soupy love.



Finally, I leave you with my favourite quote from the weekend:

"Here is my secret. It's quite simple: One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes."  

Says the tamed fox to the little prince in The Little Prince. 

The Little Prince and a delicious almond mylk latte. Joy!

Hope you're having a joyous Sunday!

Much love,
mxo

love...

I'm a big fan of love.

Like a really big fan.

Recently, my hubby asked how I can use the word "love" so loosely. "I don't!" I immediately rebutted, "I mean it when I say it". But he had a point - my love for him is vastly different from the love I feel for my amigas, or for the guy who made me the most amazing Americano today, or Janey B who kicked my butt all the way to New Polynesia during my morning workout. And it's definitely different from the love I feel for my cat.

Then, during today's daily joy of devouring the newest Chaletaine with my favourite highlighter in hand, I stumbled upon the perfect explanation - we simply don't have enough words for love. One?! Really?!! Whose idea was that?!

On this one, I have to side with the ancient Greeks - they had at least three words!

• philia for friendship and affectionate love
• eros for erotic love
• agape for true, deep love of a spouse or a child

Slightly different, but all the same. They're love. Love, love, love!

love!

I leave you with a quote from the article by Sam Bee in the same issue,

"Wouldn't it be great if we never had to feel this way again: "I wish I had just told this person how I felt about them" or "I wish my last words to that person had been loving and kind"?... So when is the right time to tell someone you love and cherish them, or even just like them, and wish you could be friends, or you think they are fabulous? It's right now. Do it!"

So much love!
mxo

P.S. After the chocolate settles in my belly, I will try their ab exercises. :)

the joy list...

Good morning! I have the incredible pleasure of having the whole week off. Joy! I'm currently sitting in my pjs, drinking a delicious coffee, listening to my beautiful friend Emilie-Claire Barlow's new album, and contemplating this joy project of mine.

Next on the joyous agenda is the joy list!

If I want to add more joy to my life, I have to get pretty clear about what brings me joy. The instructions are simple:

1. take a piece of paper and your favourite pen (or some sort of techie device)
2. spend 10 minutes just free-flowing joyous ideas onto the page (or techie device)
3. no judging, no stopping, just writing

There! You have yourself a joy list.



Now go through your list and codify it according to 5 minute, 15 minute, 30 minute, 1 hour, half day or full day activities. Whenever you have 5, 15, 30 minutes, etc, simply refer to your list. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. 

Finally, here is my first daily joy:

Charlie cuddles.

Much love!
mxo

project joy

Hap... hap... happy new year!! 2013, finally! :)

As promised, here are my resolutions. Actually, here is my one and only resolution:

Project Joy!!

Now, let me explain. It took me awhile to arrive at Project Joy. I had several typical-Maya, type-A resolution lists which I kept dwindling and dwindling until two nights ago, in a moment of joyous quiet, I realized what I need most in my life: joy.

I need to slow down and focus on the small things that make life beautiful - the joyous moments that we remember in the end.

In 2013, I want to be a student of joy. I want to seek it, create it, document it and share it.

For now, I'll start by defining it:

: joy          

• : a state of happiness or felicity (dictionary.com)
• : a source or cause of delight (merriam-webster)
• : happiness, an emotion (wikipedia)
• : all of the above. that calm feeling in your heart when things are just what they should be. contentment. glee. smiles you just can't contain (maya says)

Stay tuned... I'm SOOOO excited!
mxo