If You're Awesome & You Know It, Clap Your Hands

That’s what I always say! Well, actually this is my first time saying it but who’s counting? The point is, if you are awesome, start clapping & give yourself some credit.  

I’ve been working my way through an exorcism a reinvention and I’ve found incredible strength and inspiration in this poem - which I always thought was by Nelson Mandela but when googling for the sake of this post learned the real author might actually be Marianne Williamson:

Our Deepest Fear

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. 

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. 

It is our light, not our darkness

That most frightens us.

We ask ourselves

Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be? 

You are a child of God.

Your playing small 

Does not serve the world. 

There's nothing enlightened about shrinking 

So that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, 

As children do. 

We were born to make manifest 

The glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; 

It's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, 

We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. 

As we're liberated from our own fear, 

Our presence automatically liberates others.

"Your playing small does not serve the world" ~ The entire poem is sheer genius but that line in particular just resonates. I just want to stick this to bathroom mirrors everywhere so everyone will read it....because I'm pretty sure everyone you ask will say they never tire of feeling its power everytime. 

I'm in a good place emotionally, creatively, spiritually, and employmentally (oh yeah, mama got her old job back!) and I just want to holler from the rooftop - err, make that the front porch, have you seen the roof on this place? 

Anyways, I'm not sure if its the fresh start or being around a ton of amazing people all day again or if its my impending birthday that gets the credit for my new groove - maybe its all three. All I know is I've never been this happy while being this broke - LOL, still waiting on that first paycheck to hit my account. Going from a weekly pay period to bi-weekly takes some adjusting when it wasn't planned for. 

But we're low key people, we find entertainment in playing together or even just being near each other while doing separate things. Like when he's on the couch watching a race or golf and I'm at my sewing machine madly working away on valances and curtains for almost every window in the house. I'm like a crazy person now that I can sew window treatments! Two bedrooms and the laundry down, two more bedrooms and the kitchen to go. I won't mess with my living room - I can't  quite top the gorgeous French Country Waverly thats in there at the moment, but I'm working on it. 

Eventually I'm hoping to land a dress form mannequin so I can try my hand at clothes for myself. I'm falling hard and fast in love with the retro 50's housewife dresses - I wonder if I can pull that off? I may be more Ethel than Lucy in the size department so I'll need an adjustable one, but hubby just says I've got more to love on. Awwww....

Wait - rewind! He wasn't supposed to say that, he was supposed to say I'm totally a Lucy. Maybe I'll just start calling him Fred. Or Ricky Retardo. 

I can't believe it, but in a couple of days I will be entering the last year of my 30's. 

INSANE. 

I don't even want to say the number 39, it depresses me. 

I'm looking forward to 40 next year. 

40 sounds cool, I like it. 

But this 39 business is just weird. 

I'm not a girl, not yet menopausal. 

Hit it Britney!