Mexican fisherman story

Hi!

I took this off the Internet... you can easily find it by googling "Mexican fisherman story".

Years and years ago (even before FB even existed and we still used email for chain letters)...  what seems like when I was really young and tought I had life all figured out I came across this story... I loved it so much that I printed it and posted on my cubicle wall in my high paying job... it triggered something and it made me see that, in the end, maybe I tought I had figured it all out.. but I figured it all out WRONG!!!

I was working hard at something that was stressing me out, but paying me a quite decent amount of money, with a generous pension plan, figuring out that if I could stick to it until I was 55 I would then be happy!  And I could live the dream life of the rich and famous... I was, at the time not even 30!!!

It stayed there for 5 years...  and I kept on working and reading it every now and then...  I didn't know what to do with it... I wanted to be like that fisherman but had no clue how I can do this...

Well, that was 2002... and we are now 2016... and I can say that I finally became that fisherman...

It was not easy... but so well worth it...

I hope that story will trigger something in you as well...

An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.  Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna.  The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, “only a little while. The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The American then asked, “but what do you do with the rest of your time?”

The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine, and play guitar with my amigos.  I have a full and busy life.” The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually New York City, where you will run your expanding enterprise.”

The Mexican fisherman asked, “But, how long will this all take?”

To which the American replied, “15 – 20 years.”

“But what then?” Asked the Mexican.

The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part.  When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions!”

“Millions – then what?”

The American said, “Then you would retire.  Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”

Be who you are... DREAM your life... LIVE your dream...
namaste

love&peace,

chloe

xox

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Transitioning to doing work you love!

On Dec 31st I wrote a post about New Year's...  You can read it here.

Following that, someone ask me to write a post about how I transition from my corporate job to working at Starbucks.  I hesitated for a while as truly, I was unsure on how it all happened... and the more I think about it, the more I realize that is was a roller coaster and not the easiest thing I ever done...for many reasons.  Do I regret doing it?  Not at all....  However, if I was to do this again, I might do it differently!

It all started a few years back when I realize that my 40h week job earning a salary of 70k was not making me happy... I was not unhappy either...  I was just missing something!  I didn't know what...yet.

Then, they have let go of me...  and I remember that day like if it was yesterday!  I was FREE at last... I had unemployement for a while and we would be OK! I could do anything I wanted!  And I saw many options... Little did I know, a few months down the line I started panicking...  I needed more money... I was not ready to make the switch and options I was looking at that could still make me rich implied having a degree I did not have! To me, a life coach should be someone who has life experience...  someone who lived thru some tough stuff and moved on with his/her life.  Back where I lived then, a life coach was a 25 year old kid with a degree earned in a couple of years at a cost of many thousands of dollars! Theory was  (and still is) worth more then life...  I had life... I didn't have theory nor did I have the $ to buy it!  I was without a job... SO I got discouraged and started looking for a contract job in something I knew how to do... I found something for 10 months which turned into 14 months contract eventually... In the mean time, I published my book and thought this would help with my life coaching thing...  but it did not...  not enough anyway...

I did some more thinking and after my 14 months contract, my husband and I decided that I would use up my unemployement and take time to figure out what I wanted to do when I grow up! We also packed up and move 10000km away in a city where cost of living was much less...  I thought that there I could become a life coach...  However, building a life coaching business takes time and I realize that I didn't want to invest so much time in it!  I didn't want to put in the hours during evening and week end...  Which brought me to do some more thinking...

Why did I wanted to leave my high paying 9-5 job???

1) It was too many hours
2) There was no real purpose to it

Then I followed with "what would I do with the extra hours?" if I had them... and soon realize that, however this may sound like I have no ambition at all, I wanted to take better care of my son and husband because I loved them and I wanted to be the best person I could be for them. I wanted to have more time to cook real food, more time to read, more time to do yoga, more time to write my blog and work on my social media (which in turn didn't really happen because I soon realize this was an "excuse" I came up with to not do "real" work)...  I wanted to have more/better time for myself during the day so that I can have more/better time with them over the evenings and week ends!   It was THAT simple and when I understood that, I also accepted what my real priorities were:  my wellness and happiness to create wellness and happiness for my son and husband - THAT was all that really mattered!

And by doing THAT, I was getting purpose... but still felt like something would be missing... and that I needed to get a part time job to earn some money myself AND to meet people... I love people! And still secretly hope I could help some to turn their life around...

I then started thinking where would they hire a part time employee with no degree or specific qualifications needed?  I also wonder where do I go that makes me feel good?  Where do I spent my money and do not mind doing it? What is one business I really like? And everything was pointing me to Starbucks! I love being there... I spent thousands of dollars there every year for many years...  I love their attitude towards customers... Their values... And although is is not perfect (nothing ever is), I figure this would be a good match for me!  And I applied and got the job...  because I was passionate about it!

Of course I thought this would be temporary... allow me to meet the "right" people to get my life coach business started... but I soon realize that THIS was enough... I didn't need, nor did I wanted to, work more then 15h-20h a week... I could, there, meet countless number of people...  and it was enough. I had the impact I was looking for... I had the purpose I needed in my life.

I have slowly let go of my dream to change the world through my life coaching business and this blog and all social media. I've let go of the pursuit of numbers!  More "like" more fans, more followers, more friends...  All this takes time and for what really??? I don't even think about this anymore... I have closed many of my social media accounts and this blog is really just staying "open" for a few people who told me they really need it... I care for them, a lot,  but if if was just all up to me, I think I could close that too... I have lost so many readers anyway when I had to change the domain name (because I was been harassed and couldn't take it anymore) that  I took this as a sign... I don't feel this is for me.  When you see some people building on-line businesses so fast and you try and try and struggle...  you get the message!  Perhaps THIS is not what I am suppose to do... Perhaps this is not even what I really wanted to do.  Maybe I just loved the idea of having virtual people like me? Maybe I was switching my love of high paid job for high number of virtual people liking me?

I love to talk to people and help them move forward in their life...and will always love doing that.  I enjoy having good deep discussions and sharing my knowledge... but I don't care for getting a financial benefit from it... benefits comes in so many more ways... I also realize that I'd rather help deeply less people then a lot of people superficially.

I also didn't like feeling like I was "stuck" being someone not to displease anyone... I am my own person... it is not a role.... and I change my mind and "rules" and continue evolving...  and planning on doing so.... and that unfortunately means people coming and going around me... not continuously increasing in number.

Of course I do need to earn "some" money and my Starbucks job is perfect for that!  I LOVE it!  I created bonds with some of my customers...  I love going to work in the morning... I make people happy - have you ever seen someone coming out of Starbucks unhappy? OK may be I did.... but most times they are really happy with getting their caffeine fix and more!

I am not quite sure this is what my reader was asking for at this point... I may have gotten lost in all my life story...  BUT I know that it was challenging... I know for a few months I wonder if I was doing the right thing - we had less money AND after all I was not using my biochemistry bachelor degree.... how could I have gone so low???  But you know what, every time I had those moments, synchronicity send me a message that I was at the right place...  and today, I would not go back! If you are looking for a specific "end result", if you know what you really want, just listen to the Universe, it will guide you to that within the easiest path possible.  Sometimes I feel like I lost time trying to build something complex, to make money to then be able to afford time.... whereas time is free!  Just figure out with out little money you can live and then find something you love that provides you that amount of money!

I now have more "me" time.  I can cook, bake, knit, read, do yoga, see my friends during the day (yes, most of my friends also have part time jobs because they know there is more to life then work)... and I am free for my son and husband on evenings and week ends.... THIS matters more to me then anything else... we all are healthier, happier, less stressed out... and it works out for the best! For all 3 of us!

Now, all that said, would I have known better, there is one thing I would have done differently:  PAY of all my DEBTS before I ditch the high paying job...  It is the only regret I have since now, the only way out of this, is to take out some of my pension plan to repay it...  but hey, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do!

Be who you are... DREAM your life... LIVE your dream...
namaste

love&peace,
chloe
xox
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The other way to do things - with finances

When I started my minimalist journey and wanted to get smart with money, I went back to some old financial advice I heard quite often... and that are, to this day, what most people will tell you...

Cut down on daily stuff - that latte at your neighbor coffee shop, lunch with co-workers at the pizza place... regular coffee/outing with your spouse over the week end...

This, to my knowledge is THE number one advice you will ear over and over again...

I tried it...
It failed me...

Because I ended up spending more time at the mall because I didn't know what else to do at lunch time...  or over the week end... so I fed my shopping addiction for clothes instead of that of my soy chai latte at Starbucks!

Guess what?  It turns out a sweater is a little more expensive then a chai!  So is pretty much anything I would buy at the mall because I was saving where it mattered!

THEN... I started thinking about this... what if THAT didn't work for me?  What if instead of saving money where it technically really added up I started saving money on stuff I cared less about?  What if skipping my morning chai with my hubby made me miserable and wanted to compensate by shopping for that extra pair of jeans I really didn't needed?

And realized that making me miserable my saving money where I was told to do so cost me more in the end.... and I came up with my own system for saving money according to my priorities.

What matters most to me:

Living in a clean, well maintained apartment
Living in a safe neighborhood
Eating a vegan diet - but doing it on the cheap side is possible and healthier actually
My weekly splurge on soy chai latte and vanilla soy latte at Starbucks for my husband and I (twice a week)
My occasional outing at my near by sushi place (2-3 times a month)
My random meals at our local vegetarian restaurant (3-4 times a year)
Having clothes I like - but I have enough of that so no spending now
Reading - but I can do library for no cost
Incense - buy once a month good quality ones
Once a month trim for my really short hair

The rest?  I really couldn't care less for it... so it slowly but surely went out the door!

I am talking:  car, smart phone, cable TV, excessive shopping, dye for my hair, hair product (my hair is so short I don't need it), daily shampoo... I am talking outings for every single occasion with everyone who ask...  I am talking that occasional glass of wine or martini... I am talking crazy amount of gifts for my son, husband and his kids as well as myself every birthday and Christmas... I am talking bringing over the most expensive hostess gifts every time I go somewhere (you can bake or cook something) or go moderate with the money spent... and last but not least yearly trip down south during the cold months... and I am sure I am forgetting stuff - Oh like... updating my decor at home to be trendy...  hahaha

All this...  saved me much more money then the sum of our lattes and occasional sushi...
Of course, I have decreased the number of times I go to those places but I still do it, because for me, this is what matters!  And cutting what matters most made me miserable and spend more money on what matters less... ironically! As long as it is in your budget, as long as it makes you happy and as long as you pay cash for it... DO IT!!!  Life is short!

Being a minimalist is not about living in poverty... it is about choosing what matters to YOU and spending your money on that instead of on everything and anything you couldn't care less for!

Be who you are... DREAM your life... LIVE your dream...
namaste

love&peace,
chloe
xox
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Happy New Year 2016

What if less was more?

We live in a society where we constantly feel like we need "more"... more stuff, more clothes, more activities, more projects, more money, more time, more space, more friends, more vacation, more furniture, more outdoor stuff...

What if all this "more" we need were incompatible?
What if all this "need" was not a real need?

What if this poem, "The paradox of time" actually was right?

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, yet more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.
We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things. We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less. These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; big men and small character; steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce; fancier houses but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.

I truly believe this to be completely right...  and I have changed my life around a lot to actually reverse this tendency...  at least in my own life...

So in this time or "resolutions"... in this time where people will engage themselves to loose weight, eat better, travel more, exercise more, buy a house, get into a stable relationship, get a new car, upgrade their computer. find a higher paying job to increase their income, get more "like" or "views" on their social media, increase their number of FB friends... build their own business... you name it.... I will challenge you to do this instead:

Give your stuff away.
Make room in your home for walking around, lying down, doing yoga, sitting on the floor with friends.
Dress with less.  You can wear the same thing 2-3 times in a week.
Anything you did not wear in a season give away - someone will.
Meet new people in real life.
Invite your new real life friends home for tea.
Go for coffee with friends and no one can pull out their phone.
Close your social media accounts - all of them but one.
On the one you kept, clean up your friends/followers list - keep only those who matters.
Downgrade your smart phone so that people can't reach you 24/7 on social medias.
Alternatively, leave you smart phone home once or twice a week.
Read real paper books you get from the library.
Learn how to do grocery shopping.
Learn how to cook.
Eat real food.
Spend less money on food - you eat to much anyway. Yes you do!
Eat more at home and much much less out. Much less...
Walk/bike to places instead of spending money on expensive gym membership.
Play outside with your kids.
Go for a long walk with your lover - no money spent.
Start movie night with your family instead of going out or all watching different things.
Keep only one television set.
Find your passion - your real passion - you can really have only one or two real passions.
Slow down.
Delete some activities/obligations from your agenda.
Get some "me alone" time.
Figure out what you would like to do with your life.
Journaling, meditation, yoga will help. Even if you think you suck at it.
Figure out where your money goes.
Cut expenses that are not really needed from your budget.
Find a job you love even if it means less money - because you don't need that much anyway.

Be honest with yourself cause you deserve it...
Let go of "what will people say?" because you shouldn't care really... it is your life, not theirs.
Let go of society created expectations.  It is all bullshit. You do not need or even really want that life if you take the time to think about it. It leads you to work you ass off to make more money at something you don't like, to spend on things you do not need, to impress people you do not really care for.. to end up sick and broken... way too early!

Be happy.
Be nice.
Be true to yourself and others.
For it is all that matters.

Oh and one last thing... it is OK to be sad... upset... angry... it is OK to let go of people and stuff...  it's OK to have less "ambitions"... it is OK to not follow the masses (take of the m in masses and this is what it's made of)...

Be original as you were born that way!!!
Be yourself cause everyone else is taken!!

And if you need help, support let me know.  I am here for you.  Just comment on what you need help with and I can write more extensively about it.  You can also PM me on FB.

Be who you are... DREAM your life... LIVE your dream...
namaste

love&peace,
chloe
xox
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1 month down... 11 to go... :-)

As I am writing this, I am on the last day of my first month of 367 days shopping ban...

Perhaps the most difficult one as it is believe that it takes 21 days to create a new habit... but mostly because it is the Holidays... a GREAT time of spending!!  Especially for me....  before!

I didn't keep you guys very up to date so far...  but my first month was...

SUCCESSFUL!!!!

And I am really happy and proud of myself for it!  I did not buy anything for me on the last month... and only 2 books as a Christmas gift for my husband... Bought nothing else... food... chai latte... some sushi... and a few restaurants with my husband over the Holidays... also a movie!  I even had a few people over for a lovely get together and it did not drain my budget! So, this is working out so far... because I am not buying stuff, I am actually able to afford experiences!!! Exactly the point of all this...

Now the impact on my finances might take a few months to show up... but at least I did not get further into debts...  which I ALWAYS did over that period in the past.

Now, more importantly, you might want to know how I managed?  And how I feel right now?

Well, it was, in fact, much easier then I expected...  and I loved the outcome...  it forced me to give some stuff away as Christmas gift instead of buying... I also invited people over without them bringing anything as it was my gift to them...  I gave them time, food and my presence...  It was lovely and I think it is safe to say they also loved it!

I did not make a special effort to stay away from the mall or anything...  I did not have to refrain myself that much or return any impulsive buys... I just simple did not feel like buying anything!!!  My worse nightmare as always books and clothes...  Well I used the library for books and I used my own wardrobe for clothes! I have plenty of clothes I love and want to wear so I just reminded myself that if I bought anything more, I would have to wear less what I already own! And it made sense... finally!

I spent time walking.... reading...  and writing...  keep my mind doing stuff I love!

I even tested myself by going to stores I love and looking at items on sale...  but I did not buy anything!  Didn't even try anything! I swear!!!

As for how I feel?  Great!  Amazing!  Like I am doing something good for myself, my family and the planet! I feel, honestly, like this might be it!  I may overcome this shopping addiction... this dependence on clothes... this dependence on how I look instead of who I am...  I may not look as good in clothes as I once did (as per some people's opinion but not my own...) but I feel much better about myself.... more confident of who I am and what I want...  I feel like what you see is what you get... I am not hiding or pretending to be someone I am not by dressing according to what people expect instead of how I feel... The image/impression you have of me is exactly who I am... no surprise!  What you see is what you get.

I am also thinking that this way, because I look like I feel...  because I portrait who I am... I will attract in my life people who have the same vibration as I do... or people who care for the energy I send out... and those people are becoming my tribe and my family...

I use to shop to feel like I fit in... like I belonged to some group...  but always felt left out...  the odd ball in the game...

I stopped shopping and wonderful things started happening... my surrounding changed... and I met awesome people... and I now feel like I belong... like I am loved and appreciated for who I am... not because my net worth in clothes on my body today is over 500$...  My worth is no longer in $ of clothes on my body but rather in smiles and hugs I get and give away....

This shift happen... slowly over time (since I started my minimalist journey) but I can see it happening faster over the last month... and even though I sometimes still "miss" my old friends, I know I never really belonged with them as I was trying to be and/or portrait someone I was not... and never really wanted to be...

I am confident that this year will be a breeze... and I will do this 367 days shopping ban and succeed...

I will grow during this year...

And I am looking forward to it... it no longer scare or worry me!

Be who you are... DREAM your life... LIVE your dream...
namaste

love&peace,
chloe
xox
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Stress reliving during the Holidays

This is a slightly modify version of a 2 year old post....  it still hold true to me... Hope you'll like it!

As magic as they want us to believe this season is...  it is much more than magic!!!  It can actually be quite stressful!  I have rarely heard anyone talk about how magical their holidays were... but rather how busy, demanding, stressful it was...  but it doesn't have to be like that!  It actually CAN be magical!!! Whether you've been a minimalist for a short or long period... or are not even a minimalist, there are steps you can take to make this few upcoming weeks more enjoyable...

1) Clean up you calendar.  More often than not, we are booked day in day out... from morning to late evening...  Clean up some stuff... I am sure not 100% of those planned activities/events REALLY do appeal to you... Be honest with yourself...  what is not appealing is OUT!!!  It is that simple!

2) Make quality time for yourself. Even more in that busy period filled with expectations and "need to look good/interesting/fabulous/etc..." feelings, you need time alone...  quiet time alone... doing something YOU enjoy!  Take a bath... go to a spa...  read you favorite book...  watch your favorite movie... go for a walk in the snow (or not if where you're reading me from doesn't have snow!)... and if what you love is getting your hair/nails done or shopping, please try and figure out something else! You need ME time... not me time in between crazy busy people!

3) Make quality time with your spouse/kids. There is no homework, no lunches... take this time to do what your kids love to do... crafts... take some fresh air... try something new...  just have fun...  be creative

4) Go to bed early and wake up early. It is amazing the benefit you get from getting out of bed before anyone else in your home...  you can take this time to write, meditate, just stare at the sunrise...prepare a nice breakfast for your loved ones... or read the newspaper quietly...  It is like free me time!

5) Eat/Drink reasonably.  I am all for enjoying this period... indulging a little...  but a little is the key word..  if not the next day you'll feel crappie and be upset at yourself... what good does that do?

6) Keep you yoga/meditation/exercise routine as much as possible... this is what will allow you to "recenter" yourself, evacuate any toxins or stress on a regular basis to avoid build ups!

7) Spend only what you have.  This is a time of the year where it is soooo easy to overspend!  Try and avoid it!  You will then not loose countless nights of sleep trying to figure out how to pay the bills.

Basically, this is it... it is not that complicated to get out of this Holiday season without needing months of therapy...  or months to pay off you debts...  I started using those tricks a few years ago and as time passes by, I am actually looking forward this season as it is filled with time for myself, time spent with my son and husband...  relaxing in this crazy winter we have here in Moncton...  time doing stuff we love... rather then stuff we feel oblige too....  At first I was wondering "but what will people say?"... and you know what?  who cares... it is not "people" who have to deal with your stress in January... YOU have to do it... and even better...  those who truly care and love you will understand... and might actually feel compelled to do the same...  You have all year long to meet people you love... why cram everything in one week???

Be who you are... DREAM your life... LIVE your dream...
namaste

love&peace,
chloe
xox
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because we only live once...

Well...  I don't know who came up with that sentence... I can't remember when we started using it...  and I certainly can't remember exactly when we started using it so often and for the wrong reasons!!!

But is seems that today, we justify every silly, unjustifiable things we do/buy with that one sentence!
It also seems like big corporations, marketing people and the like are "using" it to get us into buying things we don't need, with money we don't have.... to impress people we don't like - well.... because we only live once!  So why not????

It seems to me that because we only live once, we have turned every wants into a need...

If I only live once, I really do need to eat that 30$ steak - even if I later get a heart attack! And buy the giant flat screen TV  - even if I need to use credit and loose sleep over it! Buy the latest newest trendy thing - because everyone else has it and I don't want to be left out!!!  And so on...

If I only live once, who needs to care about being healthy? and compassionate?  Who as time to think of the impact their action has on others???

We need to live NOW... because who knows when it will be over???

Well, I think this sentence who can have such a wonderful meaning has turned us into walking nightmares!

Because guess what?

 If you only get to live once, so does all the people who work in horrible conditions to provide you the "cheap" stuff you absolutely need even if you can't afford it!

If you only get to live once, so do the local business owner who can't live because you'd rather buy cheap jeans at 20$ and a t-shirt for 5$ from a big chain abusing workers in third world countries!

If you only get to live once, so do all the animals who endure horrible conditions so that you can eat them!

If you only get to live once, so do your children/grandchildren which will be left with very little to look forward to if we keep on going like that!

If you really only get to live once and want to make the most out of it, I think this is what you should do:

- use less resources to leave some for other generation to come
- buy local to help people in your community
- encourage fair trade
- instead of buying people gifts, exchange stuff you no longer need with the stuff they no longer need
- instead of buying gifts, bake/cook something, offer to babysit, grow a plant and offer it, make something, offer to run errands, ask what people really need!!!
- go to your local farmer's market and get most of your stuff there
- give stuff you no longer use for people in need
- find your real purpose in life
- think about the impact every action you do has on others
- volunteer at the hospital, in an elderly home or you local animal shelter - whatever make your heart beat!
- be an example to others , inspire people to be the best version of themselves
- instead of having a fancy pricey party where people need to dress up and bring a hostess gift invite people for tea and a hug - we need so much more hugs then anything else!
- be honest with yourself and others
- learn the difference between : use, need and want.  And apply it in your life

and I could go on and on.....

But basically, what I mean is:

LIVE A SIMPLE LIFE SO THAT OTHERS CAN SIMPLY LIVE

I read somewhere that "when you are born, you cry and people smile...  you need to live your life so that when you die, you smile and people cry".  I find that very inspiring! I can't remember where or who said it but it does resonate with me! Oprah or Maya Angelou maybe...)

So please, my lovely readers... you do get to live only once... But make it significant and worthwhile... it is so short in the span of humanity you can't leave a mark by buying the biggest flat screen TV ever! You need to do better then that!

And there is so much more joy to be taken out of the non-materialistic aspect of life...

Be who you are... DREAM your life... LIVE your dream...
namaste

love&peace,
chloe
xox
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