Positively Present...

As I clicked through the posts I wrote over the past year, I reflected on how far I've come since I started this blog.  So much has happened over the past twelve months. So much has changed, but, in many ways, so much of the good in my life has remained. The past year has taught me a great deal about myself and about the world around me. Every day I'm learning more and more about the person I am and the person I want to be. Every day I'm striving to live a life that is both positive and present. It isn't always easy, but every effort I make ends of being worth it. Thank you all for continuing to read the posts I write and for following me ...... http://hollysworkofheart.com/  as I embark on another year of my life.

work of heart.....

I cant believe how fast this last month has gone and the surprises that came with it.

I am working on moving my blog from this host to a new one, but I have so much going on that it will defintely be a process!  However, it will feel nice to start fresh.  I want to start living more selflessly so that maybe I can give back a small part of all of the gifts I have been given. I think the most incredible honor is positively impacting those around you. I have never felt that I lead an extraordinary life. I’m an ordinary girl and I go on about my days with passion for my life and the people in it. I’ve never been famous for anything and I don’t ever plan on it. I don’t have any exceptional talents but take pride in doing things I am passionate about. Sooo, check back and I will let you know when I'm ready to capture moments in life – immortalizing them, in a day and age where everything changes and nothing lasts forever.

Follow your heart...

Find a way. Take a leap of faith. Pray, dream big, imagine, believe. Follow your heart. If there’s anything I’m learning these days, it’s that life is far too short and far too precious to do anything less.

As much as I love the world of shoes, finding great deals and passing them along, blogging and photographing shoes ...I think all this has sparked a passion that I never realized, led me on a different path, viewing the world behind a lens.

stay tuned......

Wordless Wednesday. . . .

It's not easy being green.

I've recently come to the conclusion that for heathens like me, Green is the new Religion.

Seriously, nothing makes me feel more virtuous (and maybe the teensiest bit holier-than-thou) than refusing plastic bags or buying organic vegetables. Switching out part of my cosmetic arsenal for a product that won't lay waste to the planet or make my face fall off is accompanied by a small, sure glow in my heart. The feeling that I did the right thing.

Opting out of using pesticides in the yard? That's equivilant to 50 Hail Marys, or something. Buying dish detergent that isn't full of sulfates? Never mind love thy neighbour, I love the whole planet. Walking to work instead of driving?

Uh...I'm still working on that one
 
I love wandering through the isles of our local health food market. They have the most delicious smoothies, a fabulous bakery section chock full of goodies made without artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives or trans fats. Their organic produce is beautiful and all the snacks for the kids are all natural with no crazy sounding chemicals in the ingredients.

For the past couple of months I have become a regular and I wish I could shop there for all my groceries. I love the whole experience, and I get a kick out of how mellow all the employees are. So Zen. They move slowly and with purpose as if they are filled with the peace and joy of the Buddha. It's my own little oasis of calm, nestled right down the street.

The only catch.... CHA-CHING!!

As I balanced the checkbook it became abundantly clear to me that my little healthy food addiction is going to put us in the poor house.

The gist of it is that it is just plain cheaper and easier to buy food that is bad for us.


Some possible solutions:

I could give up some things, like the gym, trips to World Market or getting my hair done every six weeks to finance my trips to Earth Fare, but I think we all know that I'm too shallow and selfish to do something that drastic.

I could get another job to pay for my new interest in pure, fresh, flavorful, cruelty free food.
I could build a greenhouse and a barn in the backyard and start growing my own veggies and harvesting my own milk and eggs. This could be big. I wouldn't even need to workout because I'd be so buff from picking strawberries and bailing hay. hahaha right.


or...I could get real and face the fact that I'm going to have to mix it up.

Some days we'll have to throw caution to the wind and eat chemically tainted apples, abused cows and piles of refined white sugar. We won't feel good about it, but at least we will be able to pay the mortgage every month.

When we start to get sluggish and chubby, we'll switch back to the healthy stuff.

I think I'm onto something here.

But Yay for me! Today is Wednesday..think I will head on downtown to the Farmers Market in search of fresh and tax free organic herbs, fruits, and vegetables.   A homeade doughnut or two never hurt anyone either...or did it?  Oh Well. Like I was saying...mix it up!!

In pursuit of being the healthiest girl in the poor house,

My future's so bright...that I live for today.

HellO.  I know I mention quite often about finding happiness in the simple pleasures of life.  I know. But, I also have realized that it's pretty difficult to live happily in the past or in the future. If now is all we.... have, why not Live. Happily. Now.?!?!

One of my daily reads in the blog world is 1000 Awesome Things  which is now a nationwide best selling book! Awesome!

Starting my day off with one thing to be thankful for is both thought provoking and inspiring.


So...this morning I saw this and just had to pass along. . . .



In pursuit of discovering all of the awesome things in my life,




P.S. The 1000 Awesome Things song by Collin Rainey is now on ITunes!! Just sayin...have a good day! : ) One more thing...double click on the video to watch on youtube. I couldn't embed the screen in full view for some reason!!

Spring back to life

Welllll....As promised,  I did some spring cleaning and now have bagfuls of stuff to give away.  I know one little girl who will be very happy.  : )
Spring cleaning your mental & physical clutter regenerates your well being. . it is also an opportunity for removing certain mental clutter such as old fears and worries, side-projects which never came through or thoughts about things you shouldn't be really wasting your time on.

Spring is also a great time to get in touch with nature. 

"An optimist is the human personification of spring."

                                                                                         Susan Bissonette

In pursuit of a fresh outlook,

Improvement begins with I

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not. ~Dr. Seuss

I posted the One Day Without Shoes link to my FB wall yesterday.   Out of my 240+ friends, I was amazed that not even ONE single person commented or even "liked" it.  Perhaps it is my own love for shoes that really makes me want to reach out and help children who go without???

Yesterday, I went on a field trip with my daughters class and became friends with a beautiful little girl.  We were up  in the mountains and it was rainy and a chilly 60degrees.  She did not have a coat and only a thin tshirt on.  She told me she did not own a coat with a hood and we walked together under my umbrella.  Her lunch was a bag of oreos and a drink.  At the end of the day I told her I would go through some of Ky's clothes and see if I could find a coat that didn't fit anymore and bring it to her.  She hugged me and looked up at me with her big beautiful blue eyes and said "Could you go through all of her clothes and bring me what she can not wear?" I almost cried.  I wanted to bring her home.   Driving back, thinking about children in developing countries who go without shoes, about the impact something as simple as a pair of shoes or a coat can make on a childs life......I knew this was MY chance to make a difference in the life of a child right here at home. Here I go.......

In pusuit of doing small things with great love,

                                                                

                                                                  
               

Bare your Sole.

April 8th is not about selling shoes. It is a day of recognition, of awareness, for those children who are hindered on a daily basis because they do not have something as simple as a pair of shoes. Get involved in something bigger than yourself. I'm taking my shoes off on April 8th. Will you? 
One Day Without Shoes

Whether it's part of the day or even just a few minutes,go barefoot, to experience a life without shoes first-hand, and inspire others at the same time.
In pursuit of appreciating the little things,
holly

The Joy of Easter

      

"'Twas Easter-Sunday.

The full-blossomed trees

Filled all the air with fragrance

and with joy..."



Henry Longfellow

All I have to say is.....

That I need to have those $2.99 Easter peanut m&ms because, you know, the red and pink ones from Valentine’s Day are gone and now I need the pastel pink, green, blue, and yellows. I NEED them.
That is all.

May you live all the days of your life. . . . .

Unconditional love.

No strings attached.
  That's what unconditional love means to me. 

At the end of the day, when the toys are strewn all over the floor, when you’ve mopped the kitchen floor a dozen times, spent at least an hour reading your children to sleep, and you are exhausted, all that matters is love. Did you convey to your child today in the rougher moments, that you still love him or her? Did you take a moment out from your never ending to-do list, and really engage your child in a way that demonstrates your love for them?

I strive to demonstrate unconditional love, but I know that I don’t manage it a lot of the time. It is hard. But it is worth continuing to strive for. I hope that if I don’t manage it perfectly, my kids will somehow see through my imperfection that I do love them unconditionally and just struggle with being able to show it while also surviving parenthood.

Sure, there are other things that a child needs, but at the base of everything, all they need is love. Unconditional, no-strings attached love; the kind of love that we all deserve, no matter our age.

Today is a beautiful day for my friend Amy.  She is living a dream come true right this very second!!  She has been on a long tough road and has truly proven what unconditional love is all about.  
Please read her inspiring story below if you have a chance.
The stories and pictures brought tears to my eyes! I am SOOO happy for them!!

Journey To Me

Self-Lovin' Sunday

Most people are passionate about something.   We all have things that we love.  Sometimes we get carried away with our passions and dreams and the lives of those around us and forget about ourselves.  As we enter into a beautiful season , I think it's a good time to remember ourselves and love ourselves first!

I don't know about you, but I spend a lot of time focusing on other people, especially when it comes to the idea of love. I spend time analyzing and thinking and over-thinking situations, instead of really just sitting down with myself and realizing that the love I have for myself should be my focus  It is so, so important to love yourself if you want to experience any love outside of yourself. In order to receive love from others, you must love yourself. In order to give love to others, you must love yourself. It is probably the hardest love to achieve because, we are all our own worst critics, but it is the most important love. If we are able to love ourselves, we are able to love the world.

It's way more tempting to just float along, letting the world move around you, just hoping that someday you will be loved in the way you want to be loved. Why do so many people value another person's love over their own? As someone who has done this, I can tell you for sure that you'll never find what you're looking for if you don't start making some solid attempts to love yourself. There's no better time than right now -- yep, right this very minute! -- to get started on some serious self-love.  :) You know it's there. C'mon. Just be open to it. I'm sure you're just fabulous... I mean, you must be if you're reading this right now, right? ;)




In pursuit of my self-lovin self,
 
holly

Serving up some Socialism.

Hi all! I know I am ALL over the place here lately with my blog.  First off, I'm not trying to impose my opinions onto you. I'm just thinking out loud
I just cant go without saying how worried I am over our current healthcare crisis.  I am mostly conservative but always try to keep an open mind and tend to oppose political extremes. I believe in practical solutions to problems.
I have yet to hear or see anything practical about this bill!
I'm not heartless, I hope someday, all Americans can have access to quality, affordable healthcare. This bill is not the answer.
I think employers should provide health insurance but without government control or intervention.
Government run programs take away from our free trade and capitalism which encourages business to succeed and prosper with hard work. Government mandates will reduce this drive for success and begin to make us complacent and expectant. We should not expect the government to provide us with everything. Believe me, it's a trade off, and nothing in this world is free.

Some people are victims of circumstance and have fallen onto hard times. Perhaps the Healthcare Bill can be reworked to provide a system for those who CHOOSE to participate, for whatever reason, be it unemployment, or severe financial hardship.

I do believe in helping those who need it. I DO NOT believe in forcing everyone else to participate in a plan that doesn't work for us.

And those are just a few the thoughts floating around in my head. Today I am frightened for the future.

life can start again.

this weekend, a shift began to occur... we are on the cusp of spring. the air seems to be buzzing with energy and potential, and soon everything around us will be bursting into life.

I can't think of a better time for a fresh start. every day life can start again... think of the possibilities!


xoxo,
holly

I should've started running a LONG LONG time ago...

Oh beautiful and glorious day, how I've missed you so much!
Being outside is my top priority today.

Did you know that running is awesome?  It is.  Running is fun and exhilarating and it tones your body and it makes you feel ALIVE.  Running makes you float on a layer of  endorphins called awesomeness coated in fury.Yes. Every time you do it. 

Blogging is still a priority also...like running, blogging is healthy and I'm all about things that are good for me right now. today. beautiful day.

So wherever the road may lead...

Don't give up. ( note to self)

Hot Mama

I'm not quite sure what to make of this.

But, man, I'm hot.

On the day you were born.

On the day you were born I felt my heart grow a little bigger

                              On the day you were born I felt it swell

      On the day you were born I heard the angels give a little giggle

                               And I knew that this world was a better place.

Kylah, my first born, my heart swells with so much pride and love for you. I am so very blessed to be your Mommy, and so filled with excitement as I think about the years to come. Happy, Happy Birthday, my love. I adore you.

Music Monday

A tree by any other name...

Leave the light on for me..... =0)

Milan Fashion Week has started today. 2morrow the big guns will show up, including Just Cavalli, Fendi, Prada, Moschino Cheap and Chic! Despite the series of Fashion weeks, it's time to concentrate on shoes again. ....
Heading to one of my favorite places ....Charleston.  Hoping to have a very relaxing time and also be on the lookout for my favorite spring styles and best deals to pass on to you.  Wish me luck!!   I'm soooo looking forward to this!  I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

In pursuit of Spring!!!

Holly

What's a shoe-lover to do?

How was Valentines Day? Overrated? Well, I hope you had a superb V-Day this year! There is so much going on these days, I need the days to be like 48 hours instead of 24…

What about the New York Fashion Week?

Seems we might have some BIG shoes to fill this season.

In other news....Kim Kardashian opened her newest project Shoedazzle in LA last week. Interesting idea.

You can hate/love Kim, you can mute the TV if she’s on (sometimes I do, actually), but you have to admit (I do, actually) she knows a thing or two about style and shoes!

Admiring those who take their passion for shoes and turn them into art.

In pursuit of inspiring shoes,

Holly