For a person who loves to go on adventures, being out and about is what lights up my soul. Whether it’s venturing out on a hiking trail or window shopping and enjoying lunch at a cool cafe – I love the exploration. The spark in my soul has been dwindling
The spark in my soul has been dwindling because of the necessary precautions to slow the spread of coronavirus. I haven’t been bored during this time of “stay-at-home” mandates, but exploring is what makes me feel alive. Then an internet friend posted how she went on a 2-hour walk in her neighborhood using a coin flip to determine her direction on Instagram Story. Color me inspired! I asked Dan if he would be up for a long walk in Long Beach and he was game.
So, the next day, my husband and I put on our masks, brought the dog, and explored the Bluff Heights area of Long Beach.
The theme of this Friday Favorites is “BEAT” because this week had me beat and I listened/watched some great beats. Unfortunately, due to work, I was unable to film a Friday Favorites video this week. And honestly, I’m not so certain about my ability to keep up with creating a series on YouTube because of my unpredictable work/life schedule. At one point this week I had only slept 2 hours in a 24 hour period. But I will commit to weekly uploads and Friday Favorite posts on the blog each week. So let’s get into it….
The Get Down: I totally missed the train on this show. It came out in August 2016 and I was never inspired to watch it. All I knew was that it was about the 70’s and I’ve never been a huge 70’s person, consider me traumatized from the era of That 70’s Show. But I remember hearing a little bit of buzz around it and after reading the show was directed by my man Baz Luhrman, I started watching the show. It’s AMAZING! The music is on point, the acting is fantastic, and the writing is sharp. There are only 6 episodes in season part 1 and part 2 is coming out 2017. Sadly, the show is expensive to produce and didn’t receive optimal ratings, so its future is unknown. But I’m excited to see what happens next. They really hook you and I am totally cheering on the main character Ezekiel, I want to see how these kids turn out. Oh, and the show is about the transition of the Disco Era to Hip Hop and social issues in the Bronx, NY.
Childish Gambino: Now if I’m late on The Get Down. I’m like a lifetime late to the party on Childish Gambino. I attended the Coachella festival Gambino had performed in the past, but missed his performance and never looked him up. All I knew about Childish Gambino was he was the guy from Community. This past week I ended up reading an article on him and finally was curious enough to look up Childish Gambino on Spotify. Man, I was missing out. His lyrics are smart and his beats are unique. I’m a fan and that’s all I can say about that. His latest album “Awaken, My Love” is inspired by the music he listened to growing up and you can hear him exploring and growing as a musician.
*Serge Normant Dry Shampoo: As it was a crazy week, I was using a lot of my favorite dry shampoo by Serge Normant. I love this brand because of its woodsy scent. Most dry shampoos are floral or smell like baby powder, but Serge Normant has a completely unique scent that is more my style. It’s not a cheap dry shampoo but I’ve had the same can now for over two years, can’t complain about that! (* the link is an affiliate link, meaning if you purchase the shampoo through the link I will get a friendly commission)
At the beginning of this year, I started a series on my YouTube channel called ‘Little Things‘. It was supposed to help me focus on the little things that make life great every day and it did for a while. But ‘Little Things’ got derailed in the spring and never had a full reboot until now. I’ve done two ‘Little Things’ videos in the past two weeks and intend on continuing the weekly upload. Instead of one thing a day, which can be daunting when work chains me to the desk, it can just be a mixture of small moments that a brought a smile to my face throughout the week. When times are tough it’s easy to see the whole sum of days as a series of unfortunate events, but the truth is that life is filled with beautiful sparkling micro-moments and if you don’t stop to appreciate those, they will be soaked up by darkness instead. So I hope you enjoy my “Little Things” and reflect on your own mico-moments of happiness throughout the week.
I came across the Jelly Bean “The Time You Have” video this morning and rewatched it. It was originally published in 2013. At that time I was at a toxic job, with no savings in my bank account for a grand adventure I wanted to take, my foot was half-way in multiple side projects, and the only thing that sparkled was the fact I had met the man of my dreams.
I watched this video and it hit me like a ton of bricks (as I’m sure it does a lot of people) and made me re-evaluate my life. I started to leave the office on my lunch breaks and read out in the courtyard. I fully committed to the book I was writing with my sister (that is finished and being pitched to agents). Nine months after this video was published, I started saving for my cross-country road trip, changing how I treated money to make that dream happen. The video changed me.
But now as I rewatch it I noticed something I didn’t see before. As the narrator breaks down the days of our lives into eating, chores, community responsibilities, and grooming; I don’t view that time as wasted but now see it as opportunities for discovery. Walking the dog isn’t wasted time, but the chance to connect with your partner or enjoy fresh air. Community responsibilities like attending church are those peaceful reflective moments one gets to have for themselves, check in with their spiritual self and feel rooted to carry on through rough storms. Showering is my everyday spa experience; I add a few essential oils to the shower steam and massage my head during the rinse and repeat process. Somedays eating is just quick and purely fuel, but other days it’s an exciting opportunity to try a new restaurant, recipe, or enjoy my favorite comfort food.
All those jelly beans made into cute pictures before the giant question mark box are portrayed as wasted time or days, time that is reserved only for those activities. But what the video fails to illuminate is that during those times you are still able to connect and discover. You are still able to live life the way you want!
When Marie Forleo was on Super Soul Sunday she told Oprah how she believes life isn’t about following one passion, but putting passion into everything. Make your bed with passion, cook breakfast with passion, write a letter with passion, put love into everything you do and you will live a passionate life.
Instead of seeing wasted jelly beans with only a small fraction left for yourself, realize all of your other jelly beans are also for yourself. You can color and flavor your jelly beans any way you desire. Even the commuting jelly beans, which are the WORST jelly beans are still an opportunity for something fun or new to discover. You just have to decide how you want that jelly bean to be.
I believe paying attention to the little things during all those activities will help to add more sparkle to the moment. I’d love for you to discover my “Little Things” series and get you to start noticing the little thing in your life more!
The second episode in my Little Things series is live. I am so excited to have started this series and even with a broken vlogging camera, I’ve pushed forward with my camera phone. Little Things is a passion project that has brought daily joy into my life. It’s week three and I’m still afraid I won’t find a “Little Thing” and then I do! I wonder if that fear will ever go away. I hope my little things are helping to bring a little joy into your life. Last week we (my fiance and I) were hit with some bad news, but life goes on and we have to appreciate the little moments that make it sparkle in the darkest of times.
I believe there is something magical and special about each and every day. It might sound cliché but the smallest thing can add a bit of wonder to a 24 hour period if you open your heart and mind to seeing it. When I get caught up in stress, negativity, the hustle and bustle of life it makes me turn inwards and towards self-pity; it makes me miss out on the little moments that add glitter to living. The inner turmoil is a cloud around my head that makes it hard to see the beauty and blessings around me.
When I was in high school it was brought to my attention that I look at the world differently. I’d point out cool things around me or share a random fact I found out and be received with laughter and an “oh Bekka.” I never let it harden me, but till this day I still receive resistance to my love of little things, small measures that sometimes make a big impact on my day.
I’ve decided to start sharing these Little Things in a weekly YouTube series, to be posted every Sunday evening. My sister names my desire and passion for magical moments a love for “life nuggets.” I’ve had a hard time over the years figuring out what I’m truly passionate about, but amidst sister conference calls, it always comes back to “life nuggets,” I’m really passionate about life. Ever since I walked away from acting I realized passion wasn’t how much you loved something, but how much bullshit you’re willing to put up with. Well, life is filled with a lot of bullshit and I still thinks it’s an incredible gift each and every day.
I hope you enjoy my little things and please subscribe to follow the series.
