Look a little deeper

iPhone

I had a conversation with someone today that was pretty awesome.

He was super excited about a BIG goal that had been met and some dreams that are coming to life!

(I have probably mentioned this before, but it is so inspiring to me to meet people who are passionate about goals of theirs! I love seeing that light in their eyes.)

He told me that above fame and success, his ultimate goals is to let people know that they too can dream a little bit bigger.

It was an energizing conversation that left an impression.

 

What I love is that when you come down to it, everyone has a story.

 

We’ve all gone through things that have shaped us and changed us.

 

Every day people are dreaming of things that are life changing.

 

No one need be confined by their circumstances as they are right now.

 

There are a lot of really fantastic people around us with amazing stories of where they’re going.

 

Inspiration is out there, and it doesn’t always present itself the way you might be expecting.

 

Just look a little deeper.

 

xx

Charin

On being who you are, and being ok with it.

 

 

For as long as I can remember I’ve been a little unsure of myself and have had more than my fair share of battles with low self-confidence.

 

I have regrettably turned down some fun experiences because I was too self conscious to let loose and have fun. (Nothing too crazy I should add. Things like dancing with friends or riding an elephant at a circus, or playing a sport when I am NOT athletic at all. What if I messed up and someone stared? It turns out, that would be ok, and I’d have some fun along the way!)

 

I stayed in a physically abusive marriage for years too long because, while I knew in my heart I needed to escape, I also was torn by the thought of “What will everyone think of me if I file for divorce?”  and even worse, “What If I deserve this?” This need for approval kept me from ever voicing a word about the abuse, even to those closest to me, until I was out of it.

 

I have definitely made faces at myself in the mirror when I see a woman who is a little curvier than she’d like to be. ;)

 

I have made some seemingly far -fetched goals and almost gave up on them because I started questioning whether I was being self-absorbed to think that someone like me could achieve them.

 

Thankfully, I’ve made some changes along the way. I have learned (and I am still learning) that it’s ok to be who I genuinely am. Really.

 

Who you are at your most liberated and freed state of being is a God given gift. We all have our own talents and passions and goals and that’s a good thing!

 

I think a mix of things have helped me along the way…the myriad of life experiences that I’ve had over the past 5 years have definitely shaped me. Having a husband who loves me exactly as I am and encourages me every day has definitely helped me be ok with who I am. :)

 

Being a mother, especially to a daughter, has made me realize how very important it is to pass down a gentle self- confidence to my children. My daughter needs to know that there can be girls and women who are comfortable in their own skin and beautiful in their own right. She needs to know that you can be a confident woman without being arrogant or hurting people along the way.  Is it just me, or can women be really catty and judgmental to other women?!  Let’s break that cycle and be encouraging and uplifting to each other!

 

I can’t mention being a mother without adding that when you are raising children who are beautiful and funny, kind and smart you need to realize that they’re looking up to you. Instill in them all of the things that you wish you hadn’t struggled to find until you were much older.

 

I hope that you will celebrate all of those things that make you uniquely you. This isn’t about deciding that you’re done improving and are a finished product. :)

This is about listening to your instincts and being who you are. Don’t let self doubt and low self esteem stop you from being the amazing person that you are designed to be!

There are some really important things out there that will only come to pass through you.

When you realize that, the magic begins.

 

<3

Charin 

  

I like winners! :)

Thank you to all of you who entered to win the package of inspiration from Compendium! I appreciate all of you who commented here on the blog and on Facebook.

Michelle Lopez, you are the lucky winner!

Congratulations! :) Shoot me an email with your address at charinkellie(at)yahoo.com and I will get that in the mail to you.

And for everyone reading, if you'd like another chance to win stay tuned!
*hint*
My next giveaway just might have the cutest project for the littles in your life that I've ever seen!


Have a happy day,
Charin

Giveaway time!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love being a Brand Ambassador for Compendium for a lot of reasons, but today that reason is because I just might be giving you these fun products!
Their pop-up cards are the perfect little bit of inspiration in a small package. I like to leave these in unexpected places.

 

Here are a few ideas of how to share them:

*leave them on tip trays in restaurants

*put them on your colleagues desks for a Monday morning pick me up (or mid-week inspiration!)

*include them in a letter to friends and family (bonus if your letter is handwritten. That is becoming a lost art!)

*hand one to your drive thru attendant (at your bank, at a fast food restaurant…you don’t have to say a word, just see them smile when you drive off!)

*give one to your cashier the next time you’re shopping

*add one to paperwork you’re returning for your child’s school

*carry some with you, you never know when you may come across someone who needs an encouraging word

These are just a few ideas from me, I know you’ll come up with some other creative ways to share!

Get out of your comfort zone a little bit, everyone loves and can use some extra inspiration to brighten their day.

 

I’m also including one of Compendium’s pretty journals! Writing things down on actual paper can be so much more meaningful than typing/texting them. (See my blog post here with more thoughts about journaling.)

 

My winner will also receive the brand new book 99 things to do when you have time.

I love this book! Perfect for your coffee table. This is one you can pick up when you have a minute and take one, two, or five of the prompts as you can! So fun.  

 

Just leave a comment for your chance to win! (You don’t need a blogger ID to comment) I will announce the winner soon.:)

Please check out Compendium’s full line of inspiring and amazing products here.

I will never forget how happy I was when I found their company! They have such a great message to share with the world.

 

Happy weekend :)
Charin

 

 

Nothing is permanent

Nothing is permanent.

Feel the sunshine on your face. If it’s raining use it as an excuse to stay inside. Give your children and lover an extra hug and kiss and say “I love you” once or twice more. Or five times more.

Put your phone away and laugh a little more with friends over dinner. Don’t be too busy to say “yes” to relaxation and fun. Toast to success. Make time for family game nights. Have cake (with candles!) and ice cream just to celebrate today with your children. (Mine loved it when we did that one night! So fun.)

There’s so much joy in this life!

 

And then there are days that feel like they’ll never end. Days filled with stress, with tears. Sickness hits you, or someone close to you. You have a bill that’s due and you’re not sure how you’re going to pay it. You get a flat tire on your way to work. A misunderstanding leads to words being spoken a bit too loudly, and now you both are hurting. You’ve had a crazy busy week and are exhausted.

 

Nothing is permanent.

Life is constantly growing and changing. You can enjoy and really appreciate the great things, and you can stay peaceful knowing that the not-so-great things won’t become your new forever. ;)

 

{I wrote this little blog last week, the day before my son Colin (4) fell and had to be rushed by ambulance to Children's Hospital. He has a broken leg and will be in a spica cast for the next 6-8 weeks. I just might have been writing this to myself! We are taking it day by day, and I'm thankful that this won't be forever. And there's joy along the way :) Real life perspective to solidify something I was already thinking about.}

 

I hope you have a wonderful day filled with moments to cherish! <3

 

Charin

Thoughts on being positive!

Via

 

 

 

 

For as long as I can remember, my heart’s desire has been to share happiness and positivity with everyone I meet. My friend Sarah recently called that being a sunbeam catcher. I love that!

I’m a work in progress, and believe me I have days where I am grouchy (my sweet, silly son Colin waking up at 3 am and not.going.back.to.sleep is one example of a day where you can find me a little bit lackluster and dull! That was today, by the way. Haha) ;) but I have found that as I go along there is one thing that is so crucial to being happy. Stay positive, and be thankful. Simple, really, we all know that. :)

 

What does being positive mean to you? What are some of the things you do that help you?

Just focusing on the good in a situation and not giving a minute of your time and attention to the negative will mean that you have more good coming your way than bad! The Law of Attraction is a real thing. <3

 

I can be positive by remembering that hard times and difficult situations have a purpose. I’ve been learning the hard way through a difficult situation that won’t seem to go away that the less I focus on it, the happier my life is. When I do think about those negative situations, I try to focus more on the lesson than the actual event or circumstances. This is especially true for things that are out of my hands. Have you ever noticed someone who seemed impossibly happy, in spite of their circumstances? They’re focusing on the good things in their lives.  On the flip side, when I have found myself caught up in the negative, everything seems darker. Thankfully, those moments don’t come often. No one wants to feel that way! Don’t let one bad thing make you feel like your day, or week, or life as a whole is negative. You are worth more than that. :)  

 

I can be positive by being thankful for all of the things I have been blessed with. And I am very blessed! I love this month because so many people have been posting their “30 days of thankfulness” on Facebook. Seeing people voicing their thankfulness for the big things, the little things, the every day things, makes me happy! Positivity is contagious. And I bet that everyone posting these have found themselves happier lately, because they’re attracting more good things to themselves just by being thankful for what they already have.  (I really believe that if you’re not mindful and aware of what you already have, you may be “stuck” and not see yourself moving forward towards goals and growth in your life.)

 

I can be positive by taking the time to just be. To enjoy each moment and season as it passes..it won’t come again.

 

I can be positive by encouraging someone else to see their own light and worth. One of the greatest things is to see someone else come alive and filled with purpose. If you can be a small part of that by encouraging them you will also be tremendously impacted!

 

I can be positive by realizing that I, in turn, have a purpose that I am here to fulfill. It’s really humbling and exciting to think about that. What difference can we make while we’re here? The truth is, you and I can make lots of positive differences in our world. 

 

I would love to hear from you! If you have any practices in place that have helped you be more joyful and spread it to others please share! You can comment below.

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

 

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”

Inspiration

Some pretty inspiration for your Friday. <3
I'm a lover of a good quote! You can find a lot more that I've collected on this Pinterest board.

And one more quote. Because today could be the day that you start something amazing. <3

"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, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?"
-Marianne Williamson