Musings – Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION.

Musings…Letting Go

Letting go… those two words feel like a slow exhale after holding your breath for too long.

They conjure up images that are both luminous and ominous. We can experience both simultaneously and it isn’t always graceful.

We’ve all been there… about the many things we choose to let go of, and the many things we must let go of. That balance between the deliberate and the inevitable produces two very different kinds of release. I believe that depending on the circumstance, one teaches us to act, and the other to learn to accept. Deliberate letting go is a choice. Inevitable letting go arrives uninvited. Balance is found in the grace to move forward whether with intention or acceptance, and to trust that either way, we’re being reshaped for what’s next.

Letting go of old grudges and resentments once we realize they cost us peace of mind is a good thing. Also; habits we’ve outgrown, and of course, relationships that no longer align with our values. It comes with ambiguous moments when it’s not always clear whether letting go is right, or whether we’re abandoning something too soon.

Then life hands us endings we didn’t choose. People we lose through passing, change or distance. Losing someone you love through death is the worst kind of ending. There’s no controlling that outcome and no turning back. Sometimes it’s health related, although I’m a firm believer of being able to control our health to a large extent through diet and a stress-free lifestyle. There are the opportunities that vanish before we have a chance to change the outcome. The only things beyond our control are youth and time. Everything else is negotiable.

Sometimes letting go feels like being pulled apart, only to be stitched together again with completely different threads. But it’s almost always a kind of rebirth, even when it’s messy. The feelings of estrangement and unfamiliar clarity that come with new changes can also open doors to resilience and reinvention.

Through all the letting go in my life that has come from either a great loss or the relief of a welcomed new beginning, I’ve always had a knack for re-inventing myself to accommodate the new circumstances. Some people are better at this than others. It doesn’t take away the pain, it just gives you an opportunity for a different kind of freedom.

For me personally, for where I’m at right now, letting go is about making space. It’s about making room for something better aligned with who I am at this moment in time.

Space for new people, fresh ideas, ~~clothes~~ …growth. An overall feeling of lightness and freedom. I want my inner world to feel as rich as my outer one. I feel like I’m stepping into a new version of myself. A stronger, healthier version, albeit with a quiet acceptance that doesn’t need fixing or forcing. There’s more of a flow and a trust that life will unfold the way it’s supposed to organically, rather than trying to bend it to my will. That’s what I’m telling myself and since repeated thoughts can form beliefs, and beliefs influence actions, over time they become reality.

Here’s something that resonated with me because it’s not always easy to let go of something beyond our control (I’ve had it for a while but cannot remember where I found it).

We spend our lives trying to anchor our transience in some illusion of permanence and stability. We lay plans, we make vows, we backbone the flow of uncertainty with habits and routines that lull us with the comforting dream of predictability and control, only to find ourselves again and again bent at the knees with surrender to forces and events vastly larger than us. In those moments, kneeling in a pool of the unknown, the heart breaks open and allows life; life itself, not the representation of life, that comes from control, to rush in.

Let your heart be broken: Life and Music from a classical composer – Tina Davidson

Notes:

“If you’re already familiar with my blog, thank you for checking in. I do appreciate it. These “musings” from the margins of my mind, give me an opportunity to share a deeper side of myself that does not always (or ever) come through in my regular blog posts revolving around style, food and fun. This is, after all, a Life and Style blog. From the in-betweens of everyday life, this space holds thoughts that wander, questions without answers, and reflections on what it means to simply be. It’s unpolished, personal, and often quietly profound. I hope you enjoy exploring the challenging depths we all carry. On another note:

In my Vancouver book club, we were all on the same page (pun intended) so to speak, by choosing books that would help provide some grounding wisdom and direction when life felt uncertain or overwhelming. We were going through similar feelings and it was good to share thoughts and pages with like-minded people.

For instance; our first book BITTERSWEET by Susan Cain – helped to get us through a grief period. Next came LETTING GO: The Pathway of Surrender” by Dr. David R. Hawkins – to help seek emotional healing. The book blends clinical insight with spiritual depth, making it useful for everyday challenges like stress, relationships, and self-worth. It was a great follow-up after “Bittersweet.”

One of its most quoted lines is: “Letting go involves being aware of a feeling, letting it come up, staying with it, and letting it run its course without wanting to make it different or do anything about it.” (Easier read than done).

Then we had enough of all that self growth re moving forward. We graduated to a book that explains us all: SAPIENS: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari – a fast-paced journey through human history; from ancient foragers to modern-day tech. It’s a mix of history, science, and philosophy, all wrapped in a thought-provoking narrative.

Now on to the next chapter…

How about you? Is there something you’ve had to move on from recently?

THINKAboutit

Musings…Textpectations

Texting has changed the way we communicate. Think about it!

Once upon a time, we made phone calls, using those boxy, bulky things that we had to speak into and said “hello”when we answered, and a human responded… out loud. We used to talk. Then texting happened.

Now we Type. And somehow we all agreed that communicating in cryptic abbreviations, passive-aggressive punctuation, and emojis was more efficient. So entire conversations started happening without a single full sentence. I have some grievances around it. For instance:

Lost in Transmission

We say “lol” when we’re not laughing. We send thumbs-ups to end conversations we don’t know how to finish. Just the letter“K” can mean “cool,” “okay,” or “you’ve just ended this relationship.” And don’t forget to read through your text before sending, because auto-fill does some weird things. This happens a lot. One small typo can summon up quite the unexpected meaning.

Text: “Running late! Be there soon, just kidnapping some coffee.” Translation: “just grabbing some coffee.” Autocorrect had… darker plans. Not meaning to start my morning with caffeine and a felony.

“I had a long day… can’t wait to get home and seduce on the couch.” (meant; snooze)

All this compressed form of language prioritizes speed over meaning, which changes how we express feelings or resolve misunderstandings. Without vocal tone or facial cues, texts can be misinterpreted. Emojis have become crucial tone indicators so what used to be grammar, is now emotional context.

I detest texting for that reason. Many times I’ve made errors in judgment and have been confused (and have confused others) via texting.

Oh; and how about those awful looking ear buds that I still refuse to wear? The ones where you forget that people don’t really talk to themselves (although some do) and where people don’t pay attention anymore. I just said hello to an acquaintance twice and he didn’t even respond because he was deep in earbud mode.

Then there’s the expectation for instant replies. Silence gets interpreted as disinterest. Can You Hear My Silence? Relationships can feel more connected, or more exhausting because of constant availability.

Sure, it’s faster. But is it better?

Texting has made us more available than ever, but strangely, it also feels like we’re more alone together. We edit ourselves mid-thought. We avoid discomfort by ghosting. Even our deepest feelings come with a character limit now.

I’m not anti-text. I’m just more pro-connection. I just wonder if we’re trading clarity for convenience and if someday, we’ll look up from our screens and realize we’ve forgotten how to really talk.

Don’t get me wrong; I text like everyone else. It’s convenient. It’s fast. Sometimes, it’s even sweet.

But I do wonder if we’re editing ourselves into oblivion. If we’re saying less and interpreting more. If being “reachable” 24/7 is making us feel more distant, not less.

Just things I’ve noticed. Through the tiny glowing rectangle we all keep glued to our palms. Apparently, as a collective, we seem to be all fine with this.

Have you any pet peeves of your own regarding this?

THINKAboutit

Musings…

on INSPIRATION & COURAGE

Aside from having written about Style, Art, Food, Beauty and Health, I want to include sharing some thoughts and exploring different ideas and possibilities which I believe embodies the word “Musings.” In between regular daily activities and invites to theatre openings and wine tastings, I’ve been working on some new projects which I hope to share with you at a later date. I’m forging ahead and pushing myself a little outside my normal comfort zone. It’s a new era.In the past, this blog used to be posted daily, but now I write when the feeling strikes or after having attended certain events for the purpose of a review. For now, let’s explore the origin of the word “musings.”

MUSE – in a creative sense, a muse is a person or force that sparks inspiration, often for artists, writers, or musicians. In Greek mythology, the Muses were nine goddesses who inspired literature, art, and music.

MUSES – Some famous muses throughout history include Yoko Ono for John Lennon and French photographer/painter Dora Maar for Pablo Picasso. Andy Warhol had a fascinating array of muses; people who inspired his art and shaped his creative world. Some of his most famous muses included socialite and actress Edie Sedgwick, singers Debby Harry and Grace Jones, and legendary fashion editor Diana Vreeland.

MUSINGS – “Musings” refers to thoughts, reflections, or ideas often deep, wandering, or contemplative. When someone shares their musings, they’re offering a glimpse into their inner world, whether it’s philosophical ponderings, personal reflections, or just daydreams about the meaning of life. In the space I’m in right now, I’m focusing on Inspiration and Courage; both help to shape my world which is always evolving.

INSPIRATION is that spark that ignites creativity and motivates us to pursue new ideas or take action. It’s a powerful force that can come from a variety of sources like:

Nature: The beauty of a sunrise, the tranquility of a forest, or the power of the ocean.
People: Role models, mentors, or even stories of individuals overcoming challenges.
Art and Culture: Music, literature, paintings, and other creative expressions that evoke emotions.
Experiences: Personal moments of joy, sorrow, success, or failure that shape our perspective.

COURAGE is a powerful force. It’s that moment when you trust yourself enough to take a risk, speak up, or embrace uncertainty. It’s not the absence of fear; it’s facing fear and choosing to move forward despite it. It’s also about the awareness of serious risk. Facing courage doing something right, good or best. In these cases, an individual must face internal challenges (be they emotional or cognitive) and push through despite potential harm or personal loss. And then, sometimes simply getting through the day when life feels overwhelming takes courage. It also takes some bravery to either confront or walk away from someone who you considered a good friend when that person all of a sudden turns a 180 and shows complete uncaring and disrespect.

A friend of mine emailed me a website called THE POWER HOUSE. Their forecast for the current month really resonated with me so I’ll share a couple paragraphs and if you’re interested, you can read more at the link below.

COURAGE: Mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.

It takes courage to try something new. It takes courage to change a familiar pattern. It takes courage to speak your truth. It takes courage to heal. It takes courage to take a risk or take action where the outcome is unknown. It takes courage to open your heart. It takes courage to see everything as spirit. It takes courage to be neutral and not judge. It takes courage to be flexible. It takes courage to say no and it takes courage to say yes. It takes courage to ask for help. It takes courage to be yourself. It takes courage to be disciplined. It takes courage to face an uncharted future. It takes courage to let go of the past. It takes courage to release attachments to how things should be or should have been. It takes courage to stay present. It takes courage to stay out of fear. It takes courage to dissolve old structures of security making way for something new. It takes courage to trust. It takes courage to do what you know is right for you and others.

We chose “courage” as the theme for the month since all of the above will manifest in some way this month as we navigate yet another interesting time of potential that has its ups and downs. This is not about whether change is afoot or not, it is about how you handle it. Everyone has something they need to be more courageous about. For some, it may be about being more adventurous with relationships and opportunities, for others it may be more internal, facing old patterns of dyfunction that need to change. Whatever you are personally faced with this month, it will help to tap into more courage, trust and personal power in order to handle the challenges as well as the opportunities.

There is an underlying theme of “power” what it means to you, how you feel about your personal power, what your beliefs and attitudes are about power, it’s use, abuse, and balance. Watch your reactions around this theme and keep your focus on how you can heal your own issues around personal power instead of fretting about and judging what you witness happening “out there”. Remember this is a year of artisan creativity with lots of opportunity to reinvent and recreate both our belief systems and our structures for manifesting the life we want.

This does not have to be a time of strife and struggle. There are plenty of influences this month that can support tremendous abundance, prosperity and success in manifesting. The key will be to access your courage as well as your inner confidence and intuition that confirms you are on the right track.

I am on the right track. How about you?

I AM MY OWN MUSE

The Power Path website focuses on shamanism and indigenous wisdom, offering teachings, retreats, and training programs. It was founded by José and Lena Stevens, who have studied with shamans from Mexico and Peru. The site provides monthly forecasts, remote shamanic healing sessions, and courses on shamanic practices.