A Little Bit About Me

 “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes,
but in having new eyes”.

~Marcel Proust

Welcome to My Blog

My intentions for carving out this little space on the world wide web are simple: to use it as a mechanism to focus on things that bring me joy and happiness; to follow my heart; to have a lot of fun; and to simply enjoy every step along my journey here. In the process, I hope to offer a place where there is always an inspiring image or an uplifting quote; a place to find something that surprises or delights, a place to find something to laugh or smile about; a place where perhaps one can find something that gives pause for thought.

Call me Pollyanna if you wish–I’d consider it a compliment; I think the world can only benefit from more Pollyannas­–I do my best to see the glass at least half full. To see it full would be even better. I fully admit I’m not always there–I’m a living work-in-progress and life is a process. I know it’s not possible for anyone to be positive all the time. What I think is more important is maintaining a desire to want to cultivate a general proclivity towards positivity. Like a camera zooming in on the best parts of the picture, I want to make choices that focus upon the goodness and the beauty all around me.

I’m not saying that other stuff doesn’t exist. I know it does. I’m just saying that I’ve made a personal and conscious decision to lean towards optimism and to hold steadfast to the belief that somehow things always turn out alright, even if in any given moment it might not look like it–because, in my experience, things do somehow always turn out alright.

By the way, Pollyanna triumphed. How her character ever came to be considered absurd mystifies me. Absurdly positive? Relentlessly optimistic? That’s what I am unapologetically aiming for.

My Creed

I choose to focus on the beauty all around me. For me, sharing my perspective is about adding to this world’s amazing and valuable diversity of perspectives. I appreciate the incredible variety of creative expression that currently exists on this beautiful planet, and I value everyone’s unique point of view, especially those that differ from my own. I believe that diversity is the  life blood of creativity and growth. I think this is a glorious time to be alive and I am madly, madly, madly in love with this world and madly in love with life.

I believe that life is supposed to be fun. I believe that life can flow with ease and that it should feel good. And I believe that it can. I believe there is nothing in my life or your life that cannot change for the better. I believe it’s never too late. I believe that it does not matter where we’ve been, how long we’ve been there, or where we are now. I believe that our future has nothing to do with the past, that all of our power is now. I believe that everything in our lives is much more malleable than we know.

I believe in eating delicious food, in dancing under the stars, and in opening to all the good and beautiful things in life. I believe in having fun, in being lighthearted, and laughing, laughing a lot. I believe in the value of listening to my own heart, and in doing things that bring me joy. I believe in looking for the good in everyone and everything and in making the best of wherever I stand. I believe there are no mistakes, just experiences. I believe in the wonder and beauty of life and see perfection in the inherent contrast and diversity of life. I believe things are good and only getting better.

I believe that my life is what I make it by virtue of my thoughts, attitudes and beliefs, which form my unique perspective on life, and that my only limitations are in my mind. I believe in my power and capacity to create the life I want. And I believe in the power and capacity within all of us to create the lives we want.

I believe that anything is possible and that our dreams are beautiful and utterly achievable. This is the powerful vision I hold for myself and for all who cross my path.

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Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right doing, there is a field.

I’ll meet you there.

– Rumi

A few things about me:

• You can call me Jeannie.
• I live in Calgary, Alberta.
• I am truly, deeply, madly in love with my partner.
• I can make him laugh any time I want to.
• I’m a dreamer.
• I love music.
• I love the natural world—rocks, plants of all kinds and all creatures, big and small.
• I love whimsy and a bit of quirkiness.
• I love to dabble in photography and digital art.
• I enjoy writing poetry.
• One of my favourite things to do is cook with my partner.
• When I’m not in the mood to cook, I love ordering in some take-out (especially Indian and Thai).
• I love to philosophise.
• I’m a hopeless anthropomorphiser.
• I’m happy to know that you read all the way down to here!

 

“Appreciation is the highest form of prayer, for it acknowledges the presence of good wherever you shine the light of your thankful thoughts.”

~ Alan Cohen

Image Credits:

The Visionary, original art by madlyinlovewithlife;
© 2014 madlyinlovewithlife

Swallowtail in an Old Moleskine Journal by madlyinlovewithlife;
© 2014 madlyinlovewithlife

Mountain Wildflower Meadow by BJC
© 2014 BJC (published with permission)

Canola Fields, by BJC
© BJC (published with permission)