Find Your Therapy

It's Monday, I hope you had a fantastic weekend.

I experimented a little this last weekend.  When a relationship ends and you no longer have the emotional support or excitement from it, suddenly long periods of time like weekends become intimidating.  I found that if I didn't keep myself busy I would end up obsessing about the relationship.  Not healthy for anyone.

This weekend I decided to, well, do me.  The second I would get a destructive thought pop into my head I would get busy doing something.  Anything.  Yes, we have all heard that it's the best way to move on.  For me it turned out to be a lot harder than I thought.

Step #1: Dinner Solo

I went out to my favorite restaurant for dinner, by myself.  Yes it was a little hard to sit there on the patio a lone, however it soon became really nice and relaxing.  With help from my smart phone of course.  I was able to catch up on Facebook and text some friends.  When I left I realized that just because I am single doesn't mean I have to give up the the things I love that make me who I am.

Step #2: Beach Therapy

The beach is where I have always found happiness and a peace I just don't get anywhere else.  My best childhood memories took place at the beach.  I love the smell of the salt water, the humid air, the sand and the sound of the seagulls.  When I look out over the waves and the ocean it is humbling and reminds me how small I really am and in turn makes my problems seem a lot smaller too.  It's impossible for me to not appreciate my life and be renewed there.  I slept in, threw on my bathing suit, packed up my dog and headed out.  That's the nice thing about living in downtown Houston, Galveston is all of 45 minutes away.  I really have no excuse to go as little as I do.  Off Dylan and I went and it turned out to be one of the best days I have had in awhile.  And the kicker is, I had a great time with just me and my dog.  It was a huge step for me and after yesterday I know now that I am finally okay on my own again.

Step #3: Travel Solo

I am attending a conference in Amsterdam for bloggers, Sept. 30-Oct 1.  Come! I am so excited.  Amsterdam is definitely on my travel list, I am 30 and if I don't start my travel now I never will.  What better place to kick off the start of the travel list? Check out the link, there are many talented bloggers going who I can't wait to meet.  I think traveling changes you in a way nothing else does and I am so excited to get going.  I have decided that being single is freedom and not a repressive thing that society would like you to believe.  It's all in your perspective, and I am going to make the best of it.  Cheers!

Find Your Therapy

Therapists are great even though they cost a small fortune.  They are wonderful for the venting stage when you just want to get it all out and don't want to drive your friends away.  However there comes a point when the bitching has to stop and it's time to do something about it.  Then, your therapist can hold you accountable sure but they will likely tell you what you already know to do.  You just haven't had the strength or willingness to do it yet.  The first step is the hardest, it was hard to make myself get out of bed and pack up the dog for the beach.  But once I got there, it was more than worth it.  It also starts a healthy momentum to keep you going in that direction.  Rediscover what it is that makes you tick as a person.  What makes you excited and wakes up that inner confidence from so very deep within.

Keep the art of loving alive,
~Ceci

What Does Homelessness Mean to You?

Hello and Happy Thursday!

    I love Thursday, it's so close to Friday you can taste it.  Since I have taken a much needed break from dating I don't have all the fun stories I used to have, however I have a feeling there will be some coming soon.  My life has calmed down a lot but it's been really nice believe it or not.

    Well today has been a fun day, I started the process of applying for my passport.  And it is a process.  I actually thought all I had to do was show up at a post office with my drivers license and cash, take the picture and that was it.  Not the case! It turns out there is an application, not surprisingly.  You also need a certified copy of your birth certificate (this takes up to 2 weeks ordered online).  THEN you may go to the approved passport location, in my case it is the downtown library, with your drivers license and cash/check in hand.  Good think I checked it out before I went (I had a feeling it was more complicated than I thought).   It usually is.  Especially when the government is concerned.  However just starting the process is so exciting to me.

Italy or Bust!

  I have always always wanted to go to Europe, Italy to be exact.  I'm not sure why Italy, I have just always been in LOVE with it.  Everything about it.  The food, the people, the architecture, the countryside, the history, the language.  Everything.  I even fantasize about moving there.  It would be my dream come true.  Italy just screams romance to me and we all know what a hopeless romantic I am.  And hey, you gotta stay inspired too.  What could inspire more than Italy? That, I don't have the answer to.



What Does Homelessness Mean to You? 

On a side note I came across this article on homelessness and our perceptions of the homeless.
http://techland.time.com/2013/07/09/a-homeless-man-and-his-blackberry/

   It really opened my eyes.  I have heard stories before about how different people became homeless and the thing that I was shocked by was how easily it could happen to any one of us at any time.  It really is just a matter of bad luck and circumstances for some people who never thought it could happen to them.  I always try to keep that in mind when I see someone on the street.  Most of the time I try my hardest not to be judgmental because I don't know their story just like they don't know mine.  It reminds me of the saying, "be kind to every one you meet because you never know what battles they're fighting." It really is so true.  We forget that the grumpy store clerk or customer could be the caregiver for a dying spouse or child.  If you knew that, I'm sure you would be a lot quicker to dismiss their rudeness.

This article spoke to me a lot too regarding our perception of what people are "worth" to our society by what they look like and what they have.  Since when did we become such a materialistic, shallow and vain society (for the most part)? I have seen it reflected in modern pop culture the most.  It is true that the environment we choose to surround ourselves with is eventually how we start to behave and think.  That's just human nature.

Some of it is inescapable for sure and you definitely want to be aware of what is going on in the world and what's trending and popular.  No one wants to live under a rock.  So then what is the answer? I think just be aware of yourself and have a clear idea about the person you want to be and portray.  For me, a getaway to the ruins of Rome and the Italian countryside is a great start. :)

The last thing I want to ask about this whole homelessness argument is, "what does it REALLY mean to be homeless? I think it is different for everyone.  To me, being homeless is being apart from the person I love.  Wherever they are, whether it be in a cardboard box under a bridge, would be home to me because that is where I'm the happiest.  It may not be a brick and mortar building, but where they are is where I belong.  So for me at this point in time I do feel homeless.  I actually feel more transient, on the way to my home I guess.  What is home to you? Is it where your family is? Where your job is? I think it depends on the values of each person.  So really you may know a "homeless" person and not even realize it!!

Something to munch on: Did you know J.Lo, Suze Orman, Jewel, Kelsey Grammer, David Letterman, Halle Berry and Jim Carrey were all homeless at one point? Some for a year or more? Check it!

Keep the art of love alive,
~Cecilia (pronounced 'che-cheelia') l'avventuroso
Yes, I'm already practicing.  Gotta be authentic, right? Let's all pray I actually return from my trip...or maybe not to return wouldn't be such a bad thing...

Modesty=Freedom??!!

Happy Post 4th of July 2013~

I hope everyone had a safe, fun and fulfilling time with family and friends.  I love July 4th, it has all my favorite things: BBQ, beer, and fire :).

The past couple days I haven't been able to stop thinking about this article I read, it was so shocking and interesting to me.  It presented a perspective I never would have considered but now that I have been thinking about it, it really does make sense.  Please read, another short article and my summary just will not do it justice.

There is a girl who lives in my building and I see her everyday on the stairwell enjoying her after work cigarette and daily phone call to her family.  I'm not sure where she is from but she dresses very modestly, she always wears flowy clothes and a head scarf.  I have been thinking about her style of dress more recently because it is summer in Houston and very hot.  More than that I wonder why she chooses to dress this way. It is obvious to me she is alone here and her family is far away.  If she chose to she could dress more "American", if you want to call it that.  Does she do it because it is what she knows and she is more comfortable that way? Or is it a religious preference? I am sure it is a combination of all the above but this article did open my eyes to other reasons women choose to dress modestly.

I thought Lauren's experiment was interesting too in that she stated she did feel more free.  In a way it reminded me of being at summer camp where we all wore our uniforms everyday.  Matching running shorts and tee shirts and all white on Sunday.  It created an equality and made it about who you were and not what you had.  I did feel more free and it was easier to make friends. For her to do this experiment in NYC I'm sure alienated her in some ways because it isn't the norm.  Like she said, it definitely weeds out those superficial people who would normally only give you their time because of your looks or what you have.  It gave her the freedom and confidence to completely be herself without hiding behind designer sunglasses or bags or whatever.

How many of us use those things to almost hide who we are or to actually blend in? I know I do...I definitely don't plan to be rocking a head scarf any time soon, but this article did make me realize that I don't have to look perfect all the time.  I just have to be me and I am no less beautiful or important whether I have a whole face of makeup on or not.

Your weekly WOW!! moment, you're welcome! :)

Keep the art of loving alive.
~Ceci