Wednesday Motivation

I saw this and was inspired... 

Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.

These words are something I am going to hold on to from now on. Life and our parents and our teachers, they all teach us that nothing worth it is easy, and seeing this was a friendly reminder! Sometimes we all get stuck in wanting to get 'there', that we forget what made us want to get there in the first place... So for all my creative friends, you writers, poets, photographers, fashion heads, etc... This one is for you. 

Have a fabulous Wednesday! 

Lu3Lu

Xx

Hey! it's okay...

The past couple months have been a lil hectic for me. I am in the final months of my honours year and everything just seemed to be piling on at once, deadline after deadline and not to mention these random moments I experience from time to time JUST because I am a girl. (Yeah, I said it.)

Today, or rather tomorrow, that all ends. I hand in my thesis and I say 'see ya later' to all this. I. Can. Not. Wait.
However, today as I was dusting up my thesis and reading emails I said to myself: 'You know what, I may have felt all sorts of ways about my life and where it was heading these past couple of months, but hey... It's Okay'

This list is really for those who like me sometimes find themselves stuck with their lives.

Hey.... It's okay to not really know what tomorrow holds, you have today and if you make that work, chances are you can make tomorrow work too. 

Hey.....It's okay to feel like no one gives you the credit you want for the things you do, timing is everything, do these things for yourself and not for someone else's benefit and what you deserve will surely be yours. 

Hey....It's okay to admire someone else's work and talents, but admire yourself more, it's easy to lose sight of you and what you have to offer when you are too busy thinking someone else's life is better than yours. 

Hey.... It's okay to take a few steps back. This is not a sign of failure, it is only then that you can ever really see the full picture, and you know what they say, 'Retreat to move forward' 

Hey....It's okay to panic, it means you actually care about something. 

Lu3Lu

xx

Violent Lips

Have you ever just wanted to do something simply because it is so not you? Something that will even suprise you if you did it? Lately, that's all I want to do. If it doesn't sound like me, I am doing it!

If my friend PJ is reading this, he is probably shaking his head right now because he is all 'Why you gotta do that? Just be you, you're awesome!'

Any way I have recenlty come across this thing that I am dying to try out. Violent Lips!

As stated on their website Violent Lips is:

'The ultimate form of self-expression, the Violent Lips Collection offers a statement-making line of Lip patterns that range from bold animal prints and fun polka dots, to sexy fishnets and picture-perfect Glitteratti sparkle.' 

I've only recently started wearing lipstick and let me add not too often either. The only colour I have ever dared to try is red, and that to me was skipping a couple of grades already. There really is nothing wrong with lipstick, or red lipstick to be precise but because I am so safe with everything I always end up feeling like I am way too over dressed or something. But.... with all that said, I love my red lipstick, I am so glad I tried it and it really is one of my prized possesions.
Now....
Violent Lips, My. My. My.
This is definitely next level stuff...  The 'Future of Lipstick' as stated by Allure Magazine.
Whatever the case, who wouldn't want to play around with this

Bedazzeled lips anyone?

I can be your sailor!

 Let's rep our countries shall we?

Animal print clothes, pssshh try animal print lips!

 What do you guys think? Yay? Nay?

 all images from their website www.violetlips.com 
Lu3Lu

xx

Blogger Challenge: Day 14

Day 14: A Picture of You Last Year--- How Have You Changed?

Considering last year was only just 29 days ago, this challenge is a bit tricky. But here is a photo that was taken of me early last year, I think it must have been in August or something.

Unfortunately it is black and white, but this is one of my favourite photos, it reminds me of a day I kind of stepped out of my comfort zone. I was ambushed into a photoshoot by one of my friends for this clothing store called Krush Culture, and even though I was reluctant to do it, I had a lot of fun at the end of the day.

They have such amazing clothes, but not clothes that you would normally find me wearing. This is why I like the picture, because I stripped myself off normal and tried extraordinary, and it worked. (",)

What has changed about me since?

Hmmmm, this is so hard, because I feel the same, and I look the same but I know I have changed.

One thing I have difficulty with is pinpointing things about myself {whether good or bad} but talking about myself just doesn't come easy. Which is one of the reasons I chose to do this challenge, it is all about me and it is something I really need to learn. 

But for now, one thing I am certain of, is I don't think the same. A lot has happened in my life since last year that has caused me to look at certain situations differently. Not all bad though, some situations have really changed me for the better. :) but I just don't see life the same way anymore. As my sister would say "It's not that serious"

Don't get me wrong, life is the most serious thing I have ever come across. But we have a habit of making it even more so than it actually is. Life is good, and if we see it for the goodness that it is, all this petty stuff won't even matter much anymore. We will see the petty for the petty and just move on.

And that is where I am at.

{here}

Lu3Lu

xx

Sunday Truths #1

Happy Sunday!
Hope everyone had an amazing weekend.
I know I did, it was the most relaxing I have felt in awhile just being around family that I haven't seen in ages.
Anyway, I'm jumping on a new bandwagon that I have been seeing around lately called Sunday Truths. I absolutely love the messages behind them, and I thought that maybe I can also spread some Sunday cheer.

Hope you enjoy.





{images from we heart it}

Be. Inspired.

Hope you had a fabulous weekend.

Lu3Lu
xx

If youre lucky and you know it clap your hands

"No I'm not lucky I'm blessed......
YES!"

I don't really believe in horoscopes or lucky stars or fortunes and wishing wells or even the secret but I do find them harmlessly entertaining.
I mean we all want to believe in something right?
So sometimes (for the hell of it) when things go wrong, I may wish upon a star, or look for an answer from my horoscope, or throw a coin in a pond or something. Well, on Monday I ordered Chinese. This can't be complete without a fortune cookie right?
Make that two (desperate times call for desperate measures)

This is what they had for me:


Isn't it weird that both are about luck? :/

Now, I don't really believe in luck, I used to, but now I just believe that things happen for a reason, even though sometimes you may not know what the reason is.
I welcome luck though, oh hell yeah, Lord knows there have been a time a two that I needed it. So when I saw these fortunes I was thinking 'yes yes yes!!! but what could this possibly mean?'

It's funny because today I have heard the word 'luck' about five times.

1st time someone said I was lucky
2nd time someone said my boyfriend was lucky,
3rd time Jim Carrey said on TV that he was lucky
4th time people were talking about how lucky some people are to have stable marriages in this day and age,
5th time Billy Ray Cyrus expressed how lucky he thinks Miley Cyrus is.

What's with this word luck all of a sudden?

I don't really know if 'I am the chosen one' :/ or if 'luck is with me' but if I had to look at my life now and do a check list, I would definitely be counting more blessings than I would anything else. So hey maybe I am lucky, lucky to have a supportive family, amazing friends, countless opportunities, and life.

How do you feel about luck? Yay or nay?

Lu3lu
xx

Full Assed Weekend

I kinda borrowed, stole, (po-tay-to, po-ta-toe) this title from one of the blogs I follow, Simple Dude In A Complex World, every weekend he writes, half assed to say the least. No, this does not mean half drunk, so don't go follow him now because you think you will get to see stories about how he drunk dialed his mum thinking it was his ex baby mama who he decided to tell on that specific day, at that specific time that he does not want to be a daddy anymore only to hear his mothers voice at the other end of the line saying "sonny, you have a child?"

fun? Leave it in the suggestion box.

No, this means that every weekend he puts half the effort into blogging (oh so he thinks) because at the end of the day we get half the comments and half the hits on weekends anyway.

I guess my weekend lasts seven days. Score!

However, and now I finally get to the point of this post, I had a full assed weekend. I really felt like my dreams were coming true.
Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be a princess, and then a singer, and then a dancer, and then back to being a singer, and then a lawyer, and then a writer, and then a writer/journalist and now an event planner. Guess which one came true?


The princess? I wish! Charles won't take any of my calls. And if you were to see me booty shaking while dropping a tune, you would want to kill yourself, I can't win an argument to save my life, everyone is right except for me. Shows how much I know. Definitely not the writer/slash journalist either, I mean look at what a swell job I am doing here. So that leaves tum tum duh dum!

YES! I finally got to plan ,help plan, assist in helping to plan, stand around and watch people party, but who is taking notes right?

This is a pic from the event I worked for, if it wasn't for my battery playing hide and seek with me I might have had more *sigh*

I got a taste of something I really wanted to do and it felt good. And although what I had to do wasn't huge, you know like plan Prince Charles wedding to her, *moment of silence*

*moment done* it was a message that I can do it, if I really want to. And I really want to, so I am going to do it.

In the words of Charlie Sheen, "Nike said Just Do It, they did not say Try Do It."

So to all those who want to do something but are afraid they are not good enough, or afraid that it will not work out any way so why bother, well............ I'm not going to feed you that whole you can do anything if you put your mind to it stuff, firstly because I just did, but mainly because if something means a lot to you nothing will stand in the way of that, or at least nothing should. Not even fear. Even if it is just asking your crush out to coffee, or sending that business proposal through to the bank, or writing to companies you would love to work for, just do it.

Its worth it.

Lu3Lu

xx

Somebody almost walked away with all of my stuff

I've watched the movie 'For Coloured Girls' about six times already, that's how much I love it. I could watch it again and again and not run out of emotions to use. I've always said, this is one movie where ALL your emotions are at risk. You get hurt, angry, upset, confused, judgemental, happy, relieved and some more. So if you're really looking to take your emotions to the gym, watch the movie.

With all the lessons that it teaches, there is one sentence that keeps playing in my mind:

"somebody almost walked away with all of my stuff."

At first I had no idea what stuff this woman was referring to, all I know is, she was far from impressed and I remember sitting there thinking wow, this woman really likes her things.
Then it hit me, her 'things' were not physical or materialistic, her 'things' were her memories, dignity, hopes, dreams, happiness, and her love, and this man was walking away with them.

No wonder she was pissed.

A lot of us have been there. Where someone almost walked away with all our stuff. Where we gave everything we had and didn't have, and people just waved their hands, said adios, and walked away with our stuff.
As people we give much of ourselves to the person we are with, and nine times out of ten they are not worthy of such a gift. They seem content in receiving all we have to offer until they decide they don't want it anymore. And where does that leave us?
Exactly.
Well, if you were thinking, duped, cheated, and all alone then exactly to that.

This has happened to me, and left me with a condition called 'brick wall' (its real, look it up.) Details unnecessary, but I can say that it was not a good look. Being left feeling duped, cheated and all alone doesn't breed any room for positivity, all you are is now a negative person, that doesn't trust anyone, that's sceptical about everything and that feels like there is no one out there for them. Thankfully I crawled out of there fast (not fast enough) but fast nevertheless. *smiles just thinking about it*




People tend to build brick walls around themselves and their hearts once they've been hurt. They become afraid to let anyone in and most importantly afraid to give away an once of their stuff. Who can blame them? Being in a relationship, is sharing love, time, space and a whole lot more of yourself, if one person is not doing the same there is bound to be someone walking away with stuff that does not belong to them.



You can give and give but you cannot give up all of your stuff. That's not to say you should always hold yourself back from the experience of love, personally I am happy to pamper, spoil, nurture, adore and support the one I love but they have to be worthy of receiving that. I'm not just going to give my stuff all willy nilly. Sorry wrong number I won't.
Giving until it hurts in a relationship is a red flag.
You can't share yourself with someone to the point where when you are faced with them leaving, you find yourself with a lot less than you did when you started the relationship.

Be wise about who you give your stuff to and how and when you distribute it.

As the poem said.. You "needs" your things, you need your heart to love again, you need your mind to understand and you need your entire self to be strong enough to walk away and start again.

Lu3Lu
Xx

Expect the unexpected

"Where is it written that others must act the way we want them to. It may be preferable but not necessary" - Albert Ellis

I have heard a lot about expectations in relationships (this is not to say I am an expert, its just I'm a girl... I have a lot of girlfriends.... And we talk) and from my personal opinion the main reason for many break ups is un realistic expectations(even though people may not know it). We go about having unrealistic expectations of the people in our lives, and sure enough we always end up disappointed. I can raise my hands to this one.

I have expectations of everyone, from my family, friends, boyfriend(s) even teachers, in fact the only people I have zero expectations of are people I don't know and have never met before. Its just the way the world goes round, no matter what kind of relationship you have, whether romantic or platonic, it is going to have some kind of expectations.

Now I don't think this is wrong, I mean besides the fact that I think expectations are ingrained in us from birth with expecting our parents love and take care of us, I also feel that how else are things going to happen (our way) if we don't have a blueprint of how we want them to happen? Right? Wrong.



Having expectations of others is a dangerous pursuit. I think too often we fall in the trap of expecting the people in our lives, especially the ones we date to act and behave a certain way, and become frustrated, angry or hurt when they do not. But see, this is because expectations are one sided. YOU expect something from someone which THEY at no stage agreed to. It is as if we are trying to mould them into the 'perfect match' rather than trying to figure out if they are our match to begin with, and moving on if they are not.



Expectations, whether stated or hidden frequently create all sorts of drama, like communications break down, relationship conflicts, distrust, misunderstandings, emotional distress and a whole lot of other problems. When a person fails to deliver MY expectation I am hurt, disappointed and resentful, THEY didn't stand a chance. They were blissfully unaware that I even had such expectations from them. See how that works? Yeah, not so well.

Remember, the only person you can control is yourself. You may want a perfectly scripted relationship but happily ever after only exists in books and movies (you can read more of this in my post Not In The Real World) relationships are a continual work in progress, keeping your pride and ego at bay, accepting certain things and learning to pick your fights. Not sending you roses just because its wednesday is surely not a battle worth fighting. Not doing what he\she says and not keeping their word--> well now that's worth pursuing.

If you want your relationship to be what it could and should be rather set realistic expectations or better yet toss it away all together and go with no expectations at all. Expect the unexpected, after all expectations are really just planned disappointments.

"Happiness is living without expectations" - Peter Cajander

Lu3Lu
Xx

There is always someone worse off than you

I usually find myself saying phrases like 'I'm so depressed' 'I wanna kill myself' 'this is the worst day of my life' usually followed by '... Because I lost my phone' or '... Because I failed an assignment' or '... Because I stepped in a pile of dog shit, and the water at my house has been turned off, and my lap top shutdown meaning I can't watch Vampire Diaries and skype my boyfriend'.
That surely is nothing to take anti- depressants over. This is not to say that my life is so rosy that I have little to be depressed about. No, it just means there is someone out there worse off than me who would really put good use to words like 'depressed, kill myself and worst day of my life'

So maybe your boyfriend\girlfriend broke up with you, you trying to quit smoking is proving harder than quantum physics, your best friend walked away from you over something small, your family is driving you up the wall because they just won't let you grow up, or they are working you harder than a lab rat at your job. (Sorry about that, no really I am) but here is the bigger picture: chances are its not the end of the world.
Unless of course you are going through a nasty break up and the rapture begins and it really is the end of the world. Then you're unlucky.

People never really believe this though, until you actually meet this "someone worse off than you" someone with more problems with love, someone with problems with family, more problems with friends, more problems at work\school, just more problems. I mean, we have people losing their homes and loved ones to the floods, we have people being victims of human trafficking, we have young children being abducted and forced to work as child soilders, we have people living with and dying from HIV\AIDS, we have people living in poverty unable to get an education.



Being sad, angry and hurt about things is a natural reaction for us, and more than allowed, so yes, wallow, cry, punch a wall, pretend to be britney spears for the day (hey, to each his own) but no matter how bad or stressful things may seem there is someone out there who is having a much worse time and are still managing to keep their head and hopes up.



When I'm having a bad day, I'm having a BAD day, I make it about everything that is so wrong with my life, forgetting that I have a lot to be greatful for. The world is an unfair place and I've gotten the lucky-ish roll of the dice, (I'm no beyonce or anything) and I should be greatful for that. So should you.

Be thankful for the little you have got.

#ImJustSaying



Lu3Lu
Xx