what to expect (or a new era of chookooloonks)
Toward the end of last year, I mentioned that I wanted my work to focus on the concept of thriving. And while on my October sabbatical, I came across the following quote:
"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour and some style."
~ maya angelou
I haven't been able to stop thinking about this quote since I first read it: it encapsulates everything that I want Chookooloonks to be about. In my mind, it's an evolution of The Beauty of Different. It's the detail behind "look for the light." And it's a personal goal for how I hope to live my life.
And so, going forward, I'll be using Maya's words as a sort of guide for the kind of content you'll be seeing here in Chookooloonks:
passion
I've mentioned before that my passions are public speaking, writing and photography -- and of course, I'll continue to do all three. In addition, I'm passionate about travel, and sharing the beauty of the world and its people. So expect to see more of this, always in furtherance of my mission.
compassion
I remain a proud member of the ONE Girls & Women Advisory Board, and of course, I hope to continue to work with them -- they're a great organization. But I want to do more. Recently, I saw this video, and it has me thinking about the ways that I can be of service -- because, after all, I believe this to be what we're here for.
Happily, a few weeks ago, I was contacted by the folks from 100 Good Deeds*, and have since received the special bracelet you see in the image above. The bracelets are made by vulnerable women in Uganda, Zambia, South Africa, Rwanda, Haiti, Bali, India and New York, and come with a challenge: to perform 100 acts of kindness for others, anonymously. It even includes a special counter that helps you keep track.
I love this idea, and it couldn't come at a better time: it's a great way to keep me mindful of determining ways that I can serve with compassion. And while I plan to keep most of what I do anonymous, I do want to be able to share ways in which we can all be of service to the world.
(And to that end, if you'd like to get your own 100 Good Deeds bracelet, click here for more info.)
humour
Hopefully, you'll see some humour throughout the site -- because let's face it, it's often the best way to get through life, amirite?
STYLE
On a personal front, since September I've been taking better care of myself -- both physically and spiritually -- and I'm starting to see the results. In addition, by now you've probably seen my Togs posts (which I'm having so much fun doing, in an effort to explore how I can use clothing as a form of self-expression). But I'm also hoping to continue my journey by sharing and featuring women I've met who have the concept of thriving down pat -- including, but not limited to, a confident sense of self-expression, style and an exhilaration for life. I've already started photographing and interviewing some who really inspire me in these ways, so stay tuned.
So that's what I'll be about going forward, friends -- an attempt to mindfully pursue a life of flourishing and growth, and record and share what I learn here. As always, thanks for joining me in this new evolution. Let's own 2015, shall we?
Here's to thriving.
Song: Suddenly I see by KT Tunstall
* Thanks so much to the folks at 100 Good Deeds for my bracelet. I love it, and the concept behind it so much, I was only too happy to mention them in my post here today.