15 years of L-vi...

And the importance of our feel-good habits.

My love and admiration for fashion were always there. I remember being a child and having firm opinions on what I would wear. I mean, I got a lot of "hand-me-downs" from my older brother, which could have potentially influenced my love for the color blue, and my Tomboy-ish lapsus, also extreming into my love for dresses.

The blogger phase was something that silently built up for years, until in 2009 my then-boyfriend gave it a bit of encouragement when he very vividly shared his love for blogging about music, entertainment, and mainly gaming. I know it sounds geeky and cringeworthy, but so were we at the time...wait quite possibly still are.

As I mentioned here, this blog was an ode to fashion, personal style, and creativity. In a way, it was by my side through thick and thin, even in those moments in my life when personal style and overall hobbies were such a vanity! ...That almost made me feel ashamed given the hardships I was going through in "real" life.

Just like Coco Chanel famously said in September 1939, facing the closure of her atelier in Paris "these are not times for fashion". Still, weirdly enough, I kept the blog, or it kept me! It kept me distracted, it kept the things and people I admire, within reach... and many times with the minimum effort only, given the pressing priorities of adult life.

Doing what pleases your soul: vanity or necessity?

Uff! That question sums up many sleepless nights and idle moments of my recent adult years.

Imagine you had a long day at work, and your boss - whether it is the case of an office chief, or a toddler requiring your love and attention- is giving you a hard time. The idea of laying on the sofa a binge-watching series consoled you until you remember your laundry basket is full, while your fridge is as empty as your wallet at the end of the month. You snap out of the downward spiral of stress, and again think of a nicer way to spend the rest of the day: “Maybe I can go the movies”, “or I could pour some wine and read my book”, “or I can finally join that fitness class”.

You get quite far in your initiative of doing something for yourself and then... you ruin it by thinking in your to-do list. Do you know that feeling?

Somehow at some point in adult life, we convince ourselves that our mental and physical health can be squished into a tiny compartment of our time, while we allow stress to take the prime time of our lives.

So no, personal health is not a vain matter. Adequate rest, having hobbies, getting enough sleep, spending time with your loved ones, recuperating from a stressful week and just being lazy are just as important as all those other activities that get the top credit for paying the bills.

Next time you find yourself enjoying the comfort of your sofa while taking a well-deserved break... or next time you find yourself failing at enjoying the comfort of your sofa due to your mind circling on your errands, or worst in your insecurities, or fears... Please remember that even the pizza dough has to rest before becoming a delicious dish.

Though blogging or creative writing may not be the typical physical recovery retreat, it spiritually does the trick.

On the surface, sitting and writing about fashion, or personal style, or my favorite architects, the last series I watched and whatnot, may appear quite trivial, but as long

So if you are reading this, take it from a common offender when it comes to second-guessing, and allow space in your life for whatever brings you joy.**

"Ready to be ready" or the magic of enjoying the ride

As a kid, one plays with toys, draws without caring if it is good or not, runs even if there is nobody to race with, and finds entertainment in simple things. The purpose is to explore new things, to imagine, and above all, have fun.

A couple of years ago, I came to the shocking realization that as an adult I had to remind myself to enjoy life again. As stupid as it sounds, I had to “teach” myself how to have fun again. Or basically to dust off the internal archive containing my hobbies, my interests, the songs in iPod -yes I have such a device that still works! - my Pc games, my favorite clothes, and of course a whole lot of memories and fuzzy feelings.

Abraham Hicks explains that to manifest what you want, you must first match the vibration energy of what you are wanting to achieve. Whoa! Whoa! Let's back up a little...

Let's say you are wishing for a good-paying job, better health, love, time with your loved ones, going on vacations, or owning a house! They are all marvelous things, and as per Abraham, you should feel as thrilled and energized as if you already had them..." in other words, it is all about having fun!”

Ever heard of the phrase: “It's not the destination, it's the journey”? The American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson said it, to illustrate how the process behind achieving what you want is just every bit as important as arriving at the destination.

Therefore going back to Abraham's teachings, it is important to have fun, to be grateful, and to enjoy the present, regardless of whether you are just starting the journey towards your goals, or how far along the road to them you are already standing.

L-vi has been a companion in yours-truly life for 15 years already, and seen under the light of manifestation, and in the words of Dr. Wayne Dyer, has been my channel to "not die with my music still in me".

As a hobby that has been monetized in the past, L-vi is a safe space to ramble about the beauty of life, let it be interesting places to visit, enjoy nature, take in the message behind a movie or TV series, and focus in the understated beauty of daily life.

Inadvertently L-vi has been a constant window of alignment, and for that I am grateful.

Do you have a hobby or activity that you like to do? Or a cheer-me-up ritual?

** Given that it is not a crime or something that might cause self-harm, or endanger anyone.

#LviBlog #Blogger #Creativity #Expression #EnjoyingLife #Hobbies #Alignment #AbrahamHicks #RalphWaldoEmerson #DrWayneDyer