COURAGE TO BE

Life is full of surprises and 2013 truly blessed me with so many OMazing experiences. My chaHAhallenges this year were to:

1.    stay in my pleasure from MOMent to MOMent

2.    have the courage to laugh at myself and;

3.     have the courage to LAUGH OUT LOUD just BEcause I can.

Looking Back at 2013 - I am grateful for:

 

1.    Travel to Ecuador where I met the country’s President in Quito, and visited Vilcabamba, the Valley of Longevity and stayed at an Artist Sanctuary in MonteSuenos.

2.    My first Calle Ocho right here in Little Havana. 

3.    A culinary getaway with LoverBoy to the Dominican Republic. 

4.    A week in Montreal to help my parents after my Dad's surgery (he is now in remission from colon cancer).

5.    A week in Texas to help my sister-in-law after her surgery and hang out with my little brother and my niece and nephew. 

   6.    A romantic getaway to Vieques, Puerto Rico    with LoverBoy.  

   7.    A return to Camp after all these years – five     days of OMazing women at Camp     Empowerment in Orange Springs, Florida.

   8.    A long weekend of pleasure and play in South Beach with 500 SisterGoddesses.

9.    2 road trips to Tampa to celebrate my nieces' birthdays and visit Big Cat Preserve and BooZoo.

10.          A weekend in Washington, D.C. to further my education and immerse myself in Money Yoga with a Sisterhood of Sacred Busyness Women.

This was a year of firsts and major accomplishments:

1.           I organized and led a RawFood Retreat here in Hollywood, Florida where I added laughter stress relief to raw foods education. 

2.           As the Organizer of the Raw FoodMeetups - Fort Lauderdale, I scouted fabulous venues and hosted 10 Raw Food Potlucks.

       3.           As the Organizer of FlashMobs Miami, I                  organized and participated in 7 FlashMobs.

       4.  I took my first flying class and flew a Cessna 172 (that's WSM Noahaha in the back - scared)

   

       5.     I wrote 52 HAhappy Monday newsletters - techniques for healthy habits for a haHAppy mind.

6.           I led 120 laughter yoga circles and participated in 36 more led by our own SisterGoddess Barbara.  (see our pics here)

7.           I laughed with a fabulous group of women at a Breast Cancer Retreat.

8.           I laughed with numerous SisterGoddesses in many different women’s circles (thank you SisterGoddess Ada, SisterGoddess Zeina, SisterGoddess Rachel)  - woohoo

9.           WSM Noah and I participated and laughed at Peace in the Park here in Hollywood, Florida

10.           I led my first two New Moon Goddess Gatherings and have 10 more  scheduled in 2014 (thank you SisterGoddess Lina)

11.       I will have my parents here for the last day of 2013 and for the first few months of 2014.

This was a year of loss:

1.   3 of my neighbors passed away

2.   3 of my neighbors moved away

3.    My cat Zeko, my LittleMan, passed away after 15 wonderful years together

Allen Klein, author of The Courage to Laugh:  Humor in Death and Dying shares:  "no matter what kind of life-challenging adversity people are facing, humor, like prayer, provides hope. In both laughter and prayer, we go beyond the world as we know it, transcending our predicament.  We may not like the situation we are in, but whereas anger may draw us into our dilemma, a chuckle, like a prayer, can help us rise above it."

Laughing reminds us that we can still feel joy.  When coping is overwhelming, communication at a standstill and connecting is difficult - laughter provides us with a means to bridge the gap.   Whether planned or When we laugh - we create a distance from our problem and it helps us keep our balance.  It doesn't change our situation but it does change how we view it.

Laughter takes our mind off our troubles.  It diverts our attention and gives us a break when things get too difficult.  It distracts us and keeps us occupied so that time, if nothing else, can heal our wounds.

This was a year of new:

1.     Meeting peeps with similar interests and like minds

2.     Visiting countries and places that make my 

        soul hahappy

3.     Discovering muscles and strengthening my body

4.     Had professional photos taken with my girlfriends (this was so much fun, we'll be doing it again and again)

I loved going back through my calendar and seeing what 2013 looked like and reminiscing on the OMazing MOMents in my life.  It brought me such joy to see what transpired in my life. 

As another year comes to a close, I can’t help but feel so grateful for all of my blessings. My family, my amazing friends, and of course, all of the peeps who came out and laughed and danced and uncooked with me.   

I am so looking forward to 2014 and shining my light bright and playing big.  I look forward to revealing exciting new things hahahappening to me and WSM NOahaha in the next few months.  

WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE:  When I share ME, I give others permissions to share themselves, delve a little deeper, loosen the layers, scratch beyond the surface so we can truly connect.

The more I am a LOVEcat the more my relationships blossoms and our conversations deepen.   When I have the courage to open up and shaHAhare, the more OMazing my life becomes.

I am so grateful to be able to share myself and my experience and haha and hugs with you.  I love the feedback - the email, FaceBook and text love notes from you that inspire me to keep on shaHAring and being the LoveCat that I am.

We wish you lots of love and laughter in 2014 and a soul nourishing and joyful New Year's Eve however you choose to express yourself.

Wishing you,

Peace & Love, Just Because,

GODDESS & NOahaha