Kicking Stones…

Posted on October 8, 2013 by Gigi in Inspiration, My Life, Well-Being 4 Comments

Big Stone…

For me the inspiration for a post usually begins with something that I observed, read, heard, experienced or felt. Today I was thinking about milestones and how easy it is to get caught up in when certain events should happen in our lives. How you feel like a loser if you have missed some “stones” or stumbled on a few or maybe you are just starting to creep up on a one or two. There is always that someone who is doing more, has a thriving career, perfect kids, etc., but the truth is we have to accept where we are and know for whatever reason that is our plan for the moment.

For me two years ago I did not know at the ripe young age of 54, I would be launching a photography business, one where many photographers my age are well established, some world renowned, while I am just mastering really understanding my complex camera and my flashes. Instead of harping on the “I have so much catching up in my field” syndrome, it is easier for me to evaluate what I have to offer, for example I am an expert on photographing women over the age of 40, I know that demographic very well or that I bring to my business a brain that has scoured magazines for the past 40 years and so many beautiful images are permanently imprinted in my brain.

I have learned to be at peace with my life and where I am and accept that there will be adversity, and as painful as it is everyone is not going to embrace you or support your choices, some may even criticize you and ask you questions such as “Are you doing that as a hobby” or ” really…someone going to pay you for that” and that is OK-it will make you a stronger person.

So where ever you are start jumping over those stones or better yet put on a pair of steel toed boots and start kicking them out of the way…

Happy Tuesday!

Xoxo,

Gigi

Photographer Gigi

QUOTE

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Gigi in Inspiration, photography, Quotes Comments Off

Love this Quote …

YES!

You may get tired of this reoccurring theme in a lot of my posts, but it is so true, and once you embrace this concept you will see how life changing it can be. It does not have to be a different career, it could be something simple like going to a show by yourself, taking up a new hobby, a yoga class, going back to school, just as long as you are doing something that you have “always wanted to do”. The real beauty of this is that if you do something and realize that perhaps it “is not all that” at least you tried and you had that experience.

I always loved photography, and always had my little point and shoot camera with me, nothing sophisticated, just an inexpensive camera I kept in my purse and pulled it out daily to capture moments and observations of my day and the kids and all the “cute” things that they did, btw this is before digital, so I have boxes and boxes of snapshots for each year…another project I need to address one day.

When my brother was alive we took a photography class together about 13 years ago, I remember because Amani was 10 and Reggie was 4 and at the time I could not juggle everything and it was not my time, so I dropped out of the class, however my brother became a professional photographer and changed his life. He departed earth almost 4 years ago, so I know it was my time to pick up where he left off, I know he is smiling looking down on me saying something like “You got this Sis, you can do this”…

GiGi

So my friends, go do something YOU always wanted to do…let me know, I’d love to hear from you.

XOXO,

Gigi

To Do Lists…

Posted on September 16, 2013 by Gigi in Inspiration, My Life, Well-Being 3 Comments

I don’t know about you, but there are so many things I want to do, places I want to go, experiences I want to have-before I am to old or in my case “older”. My daughter Amani turned 23 yesterday, as I looked at her birth announcement that I have framed along with all our yearly holiday photo cards that each year are retired to a permanent montage on the wall, as cliche’ as it sounds ” time really does zoom by”. I am reminded every morning as I glance at my “family” life.

Birth Announcement

The Wall

Everything on my list really is doable-the fantasy things, such as living in a foreign land are just that fantasies, and I don’t focus on the “have it all” list either. For the most part I’m content where I am, not Jones-ing for a new car or a bigger house, or another designer bag, OK maybe a pair of shoes but I’m good where I am. Going to Brazil, Madagascar, Bali, New Zealand are just a few destinations on my long list, I know I will get to those eventually, it is the day to day lists that are sometimes overwhelming. I often feel as though there is not enough hours in the day to do everything, perhaps it is because I am always bombarding my brain with new information, and like my MAC it starts going real slow and of course my friend “time management” is always at my backdoor.

I’m a list writer and before I go to bed I jot down my “to do” list, you know the usual suspects, go to the cleaners, bank, store etc. or clean this up, email and such, those lists I handle pretty well. The list that challenges me is the one that has items like this:

1. kids need to be responsible adults and be able to take care of themselves.

2. We need to be healthy – so we can “see” item 1.

3. keep spiritually grounded

4. don’t let the small shit, get to me…

5. take quality time for those that are important to me–tomorrow is not promised…yeah another cliche-but this year I have learned the hard way

6. continue to take a stand-even if it means fallout

7. have a desaster plan in place – ie. if Reggie’s stroke really would have been bad- What was my plan?

8. keep working on having that “jamming” beach body- never give up

9. apply lotions and potions every night-and when that fails go for the big guns–

10. Every day live a FULL life- take time to do something SPECIAL

Happy Monday and let me start on my lists…

XOXO,

GIGI

Gigi

LOVE WHAT YOU DO_

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Gigi in Quotes, Well-Being Comments Off

LOVE WHAT YOU DO_OR FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO WHAT YOU LOVE…

Photographer Gigi

It is easy to let an array of external forces get in your way. You know the typical culprits, like wanting everything to be just so…so much that you end up spending a lot of time in the “preparation phase” that you never do anything. Sometimes we spend time planning and perfecting instead of “doing” for fear of failing. We have blocks, especially if we typically follow traditional conventional ways of doing things.

Personally embarking on my new passion is scary at times, I think, “will anyone really hire me?”. hmmmmmm I don’t have a nice website, or a clever business card, it would be easy to say, let me work on those things and then I will move forward. At my age it is now or never, I just have to trust my gut and go forward now, and see what happens, the worse that can happen is I would join the ranks of struggling artists, and as long as I am happy, that is what matters.

True, we all want to present the best image of ourselves as possible, but trust me things have a way of working out. I shot four events for my family this past weekend, my cousin “John” and I were presented with a host of obstacles, but I just let my instinct guide me and I kept moving around and shooting from different angles with a smile of my face, delighted to finally be doing something that I LOVE!

If you are not doing something that you LOVE keep exploring, until you do, and remember some of us are late bloomers and that is perfectly OK.

Orchids

Xoxo,

GIGI

http://youtu.be/4mLrm1cuhWM

WEDNESDAY QUOTE

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Gigi in Inspiration, Quotes Comments Off

YES!

Do you have days where you feel like this sometimes? Or is it only me? I saw this circulating on facebook and thought about what would it be like to leave my “life” as I know it and go away and never come back. Reggie and I, especially when we travel often think about selling our home, business, and material possessions and setting up a kite surfing shop on a remote beach on the other side of the world. Or maybe a juice bar and a photo booth…or a fitness business, leading bike tours, or organized hikes. Just getting away from the rat race. Since his health scare we really have had that dialogue about what does the next ten years look like for us, twenty? Do we really want to do the same thing forever?

We have met people on our travels that have done this. There was a couple we met when we traveled to the San Juan islands who took an early retirement from their corporate jobs in the bay area, sold everything, bought a little house and started a lavender farm. We met lots of americans in Costa Rica that have set of various businesses, everything from musicians performing at the hotels, to wedding coordinators, to tour operators.

For us that magical place would be somewhere tropical on a beach. A place where little would be needed to live comfortably. A place where fresh food was abundant, the climate was consistent, and days end with beautiful sunsets. Where would that place be for you? Share your fantasy? Maybe we will all end up somewhere together…You never know.

XOXO,

Gigi

Black Sand Beach Costa Rica

MY BOOK ONE PAGE AT A TIME

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Gigi in Inspiration, Well-Being 2 Comments

PAGE 1

This quote was circulating on FB. Being a closet writer this really resonated with me. Page 4, in my “book” would be a page turner already Drama, Drama, and more Drama, but if things were dry and predictable would life really be interesting? We all are creating pages in our “books”, surprising plot twists, disappointing endings, scandals, and other bazaar occurrences. Some pages we have no control over. My book will be full of cozy parties with interesting characters and lively conversations, travel to some exotic places and some familiar places, and creating quality memories with my family. Beautiful interiors, good food, glamour, fashion, curly hair and age defying feats will be sprinkled throughout. Of course there will be a few weddings, birthdays, and some surprise celebrations to keep things interesting and to introduce new characters. A little Mystery, a lot of fiction, a few jaw dropping cliff hangers, some magical realism and of course lots of fantasy. I am looking forward to my book and delighted to share most of the pages here with you.

What will your book look like?

A mystery, novel, nonfiction, fantasy historical novel, or maybe a thriller?

Remember you want your book to captivate your reader and take them away.

HAPPY FIRST WEEKEND OF 2013

Xoxo,

Gigi

Searching

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Gigi in Quotes, Uncategorized, Well-Being Comments Off

Better to start up a thousand wrong roads that to spend your life going nowhere because you know the way~Robert Brault

Each one of us is searching for something. May it be a job, home, relationship, new outfit, body, happiness, a destination, approval, sanity, youth, or maybe you are just searching for your keys. Searching is a part of our lives, part of the journey that keeps us moving forward with a purpose.

Right now I’m searching for balance in my life. I tend to have to many things going on at the same time, which makes it difficult to complete projects. Everyday is a “search” day for me, either a workout, a photography project, a meal to prepare, a pair of shoes I’ve misplaced, the book project, and always a dreaded piece of lost “paper”, either a receipt, bill, coupon, invitation, statement, etc..

Searching is a critical part of achieveing our goals, whether it’s a personal goal or professional, we start with a search of some sort.

Google

If only it was as simple as “googling” a topic and finding a million hits, our life search would be so easy. Some searches are more difficult than others, like those of us who may be searching for “youth” which is slipping away so quickly compared to some who may be searching for directions. Regardless of what you are searching for, I came up with this list they may help you on your quest.

1. Don’t believe or be discouraged by the “haters”.

2. Take the time and make a list of the steps needed for your search.

3. The future is yours it has not be revealed, therefore anything is possible.

4. Yes. You can “search” for happiness-change your existing state, figure out how to move forward, get rid of the negative things in your life.

5. This is your search, not anyone else-you are on your own timeline.

6. Let your search lead you to the “best” you.

7. Be an example and help others with their search.

Never mind searching for who you are. Search for the person you aspire to be.~Robert Brault

Always loved this song.

searching…

What are you searching for?

Xoxo,

Gigi

What are you Passionate about?

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Gigi in My Life 8 Comments

Came across this article about passion written by Amy Spencer, in the July/August issue of Health magazine. I was intrigued by this list of five signs that you have found that “special thing”.

You’d do it for free…and, uh, probably do.
You’ve lost track of time while doing it and only noticed when you smelled dinner burning.
At a party you could talk about it until the hosts are sweeping up at the end of the night.
You don’t mind if you aren’t good at it…
…but the more you do it , the better you get at it–because you enjoy it so much.

Read the entire article here.

When I read this article I could not help but, reflect on my own life and ask myself what am I passionate about.

Relaxing on the beach (Photo credit: virtualphotographystudio)

Of course we are passionate about our families and loved ones, but I am referring to what gives your life purpose? My passions have been varied and most have been really simple. I have to be passionate about something, it is what keeps life fulfilling and interesting.

Here is my list of passions past and present. To make the list I have had to stay up all night, do it for free, talk to strangers about it–facebook counts, not necessarily be good at it and eventually get better at it because I keep doing it .

Yoga-I have not been practicing that long, and I am not one of the “gumby” girls in the class, but I love it and I keep going back even though there are days where I feel I am regressing. I get a rush from going to class and I feel at peace when I am done. I know there are asanas I may never do, but the desire or the thought that one day I may keeps me going back for another back bend.

Music-In another life I know I was a DJ. I can stay up all night searching for music and listening to random bands. In our living trust I have a provision that states, if something should happen to me and it appears that I am not aware of my surroundings I want to have the latest “ipod” or listening device attached, so that I can listen to music.

ipod shuffle loja online leilao (Photo credit: sucelloleiloes)

Shoes-I have always had a facination with shoes, perhaps it is because I had to wear corrective shoes as a child. I can enter a shoe department and feel my heart start to flutter. I love looking at beautiful shoes, wearing them, and nothing gives me greater pleasure than finding a “dream” shoe on the sale rack with an additional mark down. Right when I think I am content and happy with my collection I see something else that makes me drool. This is the current shoe I’m lusting for:

Brian Atwood

Traveling-I love going places. It does not have to be an exotic destination, it can be an exit off a freeway that I have never taken. I love going places near and far. I can enjoy a beach thirty minutes from my house or one around the world. I love planning trips and finding off the beaten path things to do.

Travel Guides (Photo credit: Vanessa (EY))

Blogging-It’s 3:00 am, no explanation needed. Oh and when I’m not blogging I’m reading other blogs.

English: Monkeys Blogging Español: Simios bloggeando (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Past and reoccuring passions: knitting (I go on binges where I knit nonstop), triathlon-ing (becoming obsessed with everything connected with the sport joining clubs etc.), raw veganism (embarrassing my kids when ordering in non-vegan restaurants), natural hair (always searching for the holy grail of products), photography (the need to take pictures of every and anything), and skiing (planning my winter around snow reports and justifying another jacket).

What are you passonate about? What makes you stay up like a fiend?

xoxo,

Gigi

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