Your Mental Wellbeing

 YOU CAN DO IT ALL...

As long as you take mental breaks

Who wants to lye on their death bed with regrets? Wishing they would've done more but didn't find the time to? Whether we work too hard while neglecting family & friends, or spend too much time with family & friends while neglecting our life-long dreams & goals, people tend to wish that there were more hours in the day to do it all. 

Now... I may not know everything, but I do think that I'm pretty correct when I say that sleep is important for our health. If you've ever been awake for more than 3 days in a row, then you'd know! (The body begins to slow down like an outdated machine.) With that, how do we prioritize our waking hours?

Speaking for myself, I've learned how essential it is to give myself a mental & emotional rest. That's right! Haven't you ever been haunted by mind chatter? Or been surrounded by a group of people stressed out about coordinating a major function such as a wedding, an awards show or a gala, and before you know it, you're ready to pull your hair out of your head because their nervous energy is so contagious? Well, check out my little story... (It's all relevant to how this post started)

This week I performed at the KatWalk Katerers fashion show in Manhattan, making my entrance through a second floor fire escape where I walked up & down steps from building to building with a wireless microphone. Prepping for it was fun, but it took long hours getting ready for hair & make-up, plus rehearsing with 3 other models who accompanied me by dancing on different parts of the fire escape. When it was all said and done, the audience loved it! (Which is the most important part) But being back stage in a room filled with models, make-up artists, designers, and photographers became a little chaotic. 

I've also had an Anthology (A Collection of Short Stories) to edit this week, my novel that I'm still wrapping up; I'm prepping for more upcoming live performances, and I'm still working on new material (music) with other producers - and one more thing, I have additional scenes to film for my next music video coming soon... (Yeah, and that's not all, but I think you get the point at how crazy my schedule can get - like yours, I'm sure!)

Now... with all this going on, wouldn't it be wise for me to stop and take a breather? Of course! But a pause is just a pause; it doesn't mean you stop it all together, or quit one thing to have time for another. (For example, you don't have to choose family over your career, or choose your career over your family) You see, with a pause, we can meditate, take a bubble bath, pray at a temple or church, do yoga, read a book, and/or watch a beautiful movie, etc. And those simple pleasures allow us to let go of it all for just a little while. Throughout that time (let's say while meditating), we can listen to our intuitive voice within that lets us know what needs to be omitted (discarded), and what can stay. This is the process of de-cluttering negativity. which can come in the form of negative projects, negative relatives, and/or negative living environments, etc) Thus, if our little voice inside says that we can do it all, then believe it! All you need are positive projects & people for the energy to flow smoothly like a breath of fresh air! A living example is Oprah who is a one woman empire - with television shows, a magazine, her own network, books on her life, and  even acting roles in movies!!! (Now you're getting to see who one of my inspirations are)

The thing is, there's never too much work. (Nope. I don't believe it's ever too much.) When we say it's too much, we limit ourselves from expanding/growing. I just believe that we should carve out time for meditation by making it a PRIORITY. (Yes, carving out time for a bubble bath can become a priority if it means that for one hour, you relax so when you're finished, you're in a better mood, feeling good and thinking clearly.)  Oh believe me, I'm sure Oprah does it too!

One of the keys to success is that you're at mental peace with yourself & your life. Because if you're not, then you'll become forgetful, irritable, angry, unapproachable, and hard to work with. But guess what? If you're in high spirits, you'll attract people who want to help, more opportunities will present themselves, and even more love (healthy friendships & relationships) will develop because of your strong, clear & positive attitude! If you don't believe me, then read the ZEN list below and see how much better you'll feel just by taking it all in. Here's to taking a break! 

• Zen is more of an attitude than a belief.
   
• Zen is the peace that comes from being one with an entity other than yourself.
   
• Zen means being aware of your oneness with the world and everything in it.
   
• Zen means living in the present and experiencing reality fully.
   
• Zen means being free of the distractions and illusory conflicts of the material world.
   
• Zen means being in the flow of the universe.
   
• Zen means experiencing fully the present, and delighting in the basic miracle of life itself. 

Coffee OR Tea? Is like Writing -VS- Editing

 CHISELING A STORY INTO ITS MASTERPIECE

It's taking me years to complete my first novel. Between writing the first draft which, in its own special right is its own special monster (because you have to unblock fears in order for the story to flow out), you then have to rewrite, rewrite, rewrite, rewrite and den some, which is almost a never ending battle because a perfectionist never thinks their story is good enough when they keep finding ways to make it better. But suddenly, something inside knows when it's time to give birth. Ready or not, the universe propels you to move forward and share your work of art with the world! And so you take your chances. Now... when you send it off, guess what is the last step before putting it into print? Editing!

Usually, an author doesn't edit their own work. They send it off to an extra pair of eyes, and if their that serious, they send it off to a couple of people - the more the merrier! And after their ghost writers or editors finish their job, the publisher has their own in-house editor that gives the book its last shave. But here's the deal: Would you rather write your own novel, or edit someone else's?

To me, it's like choosing between coffee or tea. Both drinks keep you up during long work hours, both are somewhat healthy to digest, and both are faithful companions that will stick with you throughout the entire process - since their addicting. But the truth is that most people prefer one over the other, and rarely drink both. You're either a coffee drinker or a tea lover. Me? Well, I love coffee & and I like tea. (And to be even more specific, I prefer Dunkin Donuts over Starbucks any day - not because of the atmosphere, but because of their killer, delicious hash browns!)

Okay... so here's my coffee & tea comparison to writing & editing. Even though writing my own novel is a super long process, it's also very satisfying because it's my own idea, which makes it my baby. But... when I'm editing someone else's story, the love is a little bit different because I can't change or alter their story since it's their vision. All I can do is enhance it by polishing up the spelling, grammer, and maybe... maybe... maybe rearranging certain scenes in a different order so that their story flows a little bit better.

What I'm learning, however, is that I SHOULD put as much TLC into someone else's story when I edit because that's what I'd want my editor to do for mine. The last thing a writer wants is to send their story off to an editor and it comes back disfigured. So, as I take on this new project, editing an Anthology compiled of other women's stories, I keep in mind that every short story is someone's baby. And so my job as an editor is not to change anything, but to clean it up - give their story a shape up sort of speak.

If you ask me what I prefer, editing someone else's work or writing my own story, I'll say that I prefer writing my own story while drinking a cup of cafe con leche. (caliente) And while there are other writers who enjoy editing other author's stories more than writing their own, there will always be die hard tea drinkers whose taste buds prefer herbal tea drinks over coffee any day. Neither one is better than the other; because it's sort of the same difference.

Check out my Co-Hosting skills!

NEW BEGINNINGS

Online Radio Talk Show With Dhylles

NYC based life coach, Dhylles Davis, hosts her own radio talk show "NEW BEGINNINGS" with Co-host (singer/songwriter) Jasmine Clemente on www.nitelineradio.com In this segment they interview beauty pageant winner, Iris Soto, and wellness health coach, Kalyea Moss, about their experiences, opinions, and advice on maintaining vitality, optimism, grace, and compassion in an unpredictable life. Together, all 4 women discuss this and more, as they laugh about female sexism, raising children, touch on world current events, and share details about their personal passion projects & accomplishments.

 

Live Music Supported by Female Entrepreneurs

 W.I.N.E. 

(Women's Networking Emporium) 

They say that Brooklyn is the new Manhattan... Umm Hmm.. Uh, pretty much ;) With so many artists and cool venues, shows, thrift shops, and booming businesses, these neighborhoods are becoming home to some fortunate souls, especially artists that need the energy of the city, but still not as chaotic as Manhattan. In addition, there's a new company emerging founded by female entrepreneur, Jackie Melendez, Womens Networking Emporium, looking to support, encourage, and build a community of strong women whether they be entertainers, real estate agents, developers, marketers, corporate giants, and/or any kind of leader making a difference for our future. 

Edwin Vazquez Musica & Jasmine Clemente

Jasmine Clemente

One of their first major events was, "Under The Tent", at the Restoration Plaza where they showcased various independent artist (men & women) at a fabulous summer out-door location. I must say, the sound system & microphone was amazing!!! Which I thankfully appreciate because as an entertainer myself, venues don't always carry the best equipments. Most of the time, audiences don't realize what the issues are backstage that contribute or effect a show, but I assure you, having the right equipment is a major aspect to every spectacle! 

Fun times indeed! I sang two of my latest songs, "Everything You Need", which I have a music video for, and "Soul Mate" which was just released on a South African record label. Among the artists were Edwin Vazquez Musica, SOSOON, and more, plus Evan Ginzburg of Legends Radio was in the house filming the event! If you missed it, make sure to visit their next showcase on Oct 19th, 2013 for another good time!