Category: Events

Musings on Christmas

posted 31st December 2011    Written by: Elyse    CATEGORY: All Posts, Elyse, Events, Family, Life Lesson, Season 5, What I've Learned

I’m taking the bus home for Christmas this year. I usually hate highway 75, because it is so stark in winter. A lot of flat farmland dotted with the occasional grouping of trees, there isn’t much to look at out the window on that ride. But, I do enjoy the ability to think and be by myself for a few hours because inevitably when I go home, I will be surrounded by friends and family, a window into my past. I’ve changed a lot since I moved to Cincinnati, but going home is always a sobering glimpse of the first 18 years of my life.

This year will be different. Grandpa died a week before Christmas last year, and Mom was battling breast cancer. Christmas was sad and not very magical. A year later, Grandpa is still gone, but the pain has gone away a bit, and Mom has been declared cancer free. Hopefully we can inject a little joy into the holiday this year. Dad moved to Pennsylvania and for the first time ever, I won’t see him Christmas Eve. I’ll be going by myself to visit his family while my sister spends Christmas with her finance’s family.

I embrace change every day in my life in Cincinnati, but in my hometown, time is supposed to stop. I see the same faces and have the same traditions, and that is a comforting thought because it is the one constant in life. Now that I’m growing up, everything from my past is changing as people move away, get married, rearrange their lives…I’ll still see family but not everyone. I’ll enjoy the After-Christmas party with friends, but some are married and pregnant and changing every day. Instead of going backward into who I was for a few days every year, I now am confronted with the fluid motion of our lives and forced to reconcile the fact that my life will be ever-changing all the days I have left.  This is how it supposed to be, and every year, Christmas will inevitably change just as the people who celebrate it do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

{Photo Credit: Greatbeyond}

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Tis the Season for Traditions

posted 30th December 2011    Written by: Kristen    CATEGORY: All Posts, Events, Family, Kristen, Season 5, What I've Learned

For me, this year was all about a reset for the holidays in terms of traditions. Even for a family that loves celebrating together and remembering holidays past, we all took an inventory this year of what we wanted for the holiday and how we wanted to spend our time.

This year, my parents, in an effort to try to make things easier and downsize, decided to purchase a six-foot artificial tree. I am allergic to Christmas trees so for as long as I can remember, we have had a fake Christmas tree. My parents’ house also features a living room with twenty-five foot ceilings that is perfect for a large, grand Christmas tree so about twenty years ago, my parents purchased a fourteen-foot tree (that’s without the star). It takes all four family members together to get the Christmas tree up every year; part of that decorating is the same debate we have every year about the order the branches go on the tree, what color lights to decorate with (I always want white & usually don’t win), which garland color goes up first, and so on. The 14-ft. tree involved moving houseplants and furniture; my parents wanted the smaller tree to lessen the disruption of the house. It did not of course- the 6-ft. tree brought as much debate and discussion as the 14-ft. tree, except this year the arguments centered over the small size, not being able to put all the ornaments up, and where the presents would go. In the end, the new tree looks nice in their front window and represents the start of a new era in the Costa Family. Funny as it sounds, not having an argument about the Christmas tree would be a strange start to the holiday season- it has become part of the tradition for us, no different from the rule that “it isn’t Christmas in the house until Mom puts on her Santa hat.”

My mother and I spend the morning of Christmas Eve Day baking cookies to bring to the various houses we visit on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We used to make dozens and dozens of cookies- sugar, gingerbread, chocolate chip, peanut butter, and more. In the past few years, we have cut down on the number of cookies we make and stick to the Christmas favorites. While we still love baking together, each year there are more cookies left over than to give. This year, we stuck to the standards to cut down on our time and waste.

An evolving tradition in my family is when we open presents. When I was small, it was always on Christmas morning, but as we grew older, we frequently opened them on Christmas Eve because my mother often took Christmas Day shifts to cover for other nurses who had young children. This tradition of opening on Christmas Eve has continued now as we all enjoy the opportunity to sleep in on Christmas morning.

For me, this Christmas season has been about spending time on myself and with my family and friends, starting a new tradition to really be mindful of this special, magical time of year and not so much on the stress and bustle of the holiday season. Back in October I was worried I was going to be sad and lonely during the holidays, so I booked my schedule full of parties, drinks with friends, and crafts to make for gifts. Before Thanksgiving even hit, I was tired and wishing I could cancel on many things. And I did- and that was freeing to be able to say no to people to put my sanity and myself first.

I also tried to be mindful of my free time in regards to Christmas too. I was ambitious in wanting to make a few gifts and buy only a few things- it was tough at times, but I found the time to create the special items and buy the few things I needed. I decorated inside my house and cute little Christmas tree with the company of a special friend, followed by watching Charlie Brown’s Christmas. It didn’t involve a great deal of effort and took no longer than thirty minutes to decorate and put things on away, but the night was spent enjoying the special memories behind some of my ornaments and relaxing. The night was perfect and that will be a new tradition for me as I move ahead in life. I hung a simple wreath on the front door and did not decorate the outside of the house with lights because I didn’t want to have to be worried about it come January and have another item on my to-do list to stress me out.

When I was young, Christmas was always this epic thing involving toys, magic, and excitement. As I’ve grown up, I’ve come to see the holiday season, from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, as an opportunity to reflect and celebrate the year. This year has an extra special element added to it as I embraced my new happiness and living situation with open arms. This year I created new traditions for myself as an adult that some day I hope to integrate into my own family. That idea is really exciting and so this year, while Christmas may be about slowing down and taking time for myself plus my dear family and friends, it’s also about a the beginning of something new and how uniquely me the holidays will be from now on.

[Photo Credit: My super cute Christmas tree!]

 

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Hope Is Enough

posted 8th September 2011    Written by: Dusti    CATEGORY: Dusti, Events, Life Lesson, Love/Relationships, Quarterlife Crisis, Season 5

INTRODUCING: DUSTI

“So much going on and so many dreams… But the reality of where I am in this moment is painful..”

I might be 23, but most of the time, I feel like I’m 30.

That deserves an explanation. The gist? All through my childhood I was living for the future, because my situation was so bad. I was the 12 year old learning the finer points of what it would take to get emancipated and into law school. Motivated was my middle name. That would have been fine, except that I thought that meant I needed to live my whole life stuck on fast forward.

That meant hitting big life milestones one right after the other for awhile. I married the first boy (emphasis on “boy“) who ever paid any attention to me. That was a bad idea, as you can imagine. When I moved across the country with the intention of leaving him, I found out I was pregnant. So I tried to make things work.

Feel free to point and laugh, because you already know how this story is going to go. I had a baby girl, Gwenyver, and divorced the boy when I started listening to my heart a few months after she was born. And realized I was in love with my best friend. It was chick flick worthy. That was about two and half years ago.

Things have gone from amazing to awful and back over and over again since then. Fast forward to today, I’ve got a beautiful little girl, a loving partner, a fledgling business, a bachelor’s degree to finish, an impending grad school application, and an ambitious bucket list. How time flies, right?

Rediscovering my love for writing has freed me this year. It was like the passion I kept forgetting about. God forbid I notice there was a place in my life where talent and happiness meshed. This was how oblivious I was; a few years ago, I wrote a grant – with no previous experience – for my college in three days flat.

And I got it. Leave it to me to brush it off as a day’s work.

Reading is another love. Books are like friends with no expectations. My favorite is Chocolat – it’s like my heartsong. Passionate, dark like chocolate, slightly occult, and brazen in its wanderlust. I don’t watch many movies, but I’d have to say Waitress is my favorite there. Deep down, I’ve got an inner foodie waiting to emerge. Maybe embracing it will teach me patience, but that will have to wait. (Pun intended.)

So much going on and so many dreams… But the reality of where I am in this moment is painful.

Right now, I am living on my mom’s couch, awaiting a lucky break from a forgiving landlord or for a place in student housing to miraculously open up. A roommate stole our rent check a few years back, so we have a nice, big eviction on our credit. (Between a student and a minimum wage job, there was no way to avoid it.)

Things don’t look so great right now. A baby on the way and no place to live? Great. Nesting instincts, take a backseat. Good god, where’s my martini? Oh right.

But, I still have hope. I want to be more so desperately. I refuse to just live and let life happen to me. I want to be more than my background or who I’m with. And I will.

This is the year I learn to channel my energy and learn to live in the moment.

Because if you can’t live for the moment, what can you live for?

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Stratejoy Love Bomb Mission

posted 9th August 2011    Written by: Molly Mahar    CATEGORY: Events, Molly, Quarterlife Crisis

Whew! So much goodness going on… We’re in full on work mode getting things ready for Season 5 over here.  I’m absolutely loving the chance to hear more of your story. Have you sent in your application to be a Season 5 blogger yet? Deadline is this Friday, August 12th.

And though I’m in the middle of Adventures in Flourishing, we’re doing a little something different, but incredibly awesome, today. We’re teaming up for a super-big world-dominating mission with Love Bomb to change, brighten, or even save someone’s life.

What is this Love Bomb thing?

Love Bomb was started by Nate St. Pierre to go along with his life mission to “Change the World”.

Fun Fact: Nate writes “Change the World” on his palm every single day.  Just as a reminder.  Which is funny because lots of days I write “Do Good” or “Believe” or “Spread Joy” on my wrist or palm…   Sharpies and Passion. Quite the combo.

Love Bomb has one sole mission: To save lives.

Members of the Love Bomb team nominate people that they know (who blog) to receive a Love Bomb. Whether someone is facing depression, loss of a parent, loss of a child, financial difficulty, suicide recovery, even the Quarterlife Crisis (which we all know can rock the hell out of your world) they’re eligible to receive one of these bursts of love. If they’re having a hard time dealing with this crazy thing called life, and need a pick me up?  Then Love Bomb wants to know about it.

Each week (from hundreds of nominations) someone is chosen and the Love Bomb Team gets their mission delivered to them, which simply consists of taking five minutes, visiting the person’s blog indicated, and leaving a comment of support.

Yep. That’s it.

But it does amazing things.

So, where do Stratejoy and YOU come in?

This week, we’re part of the Love Bomb Team. They’re asking YOU to nominate someone who you know that could really use a little jolt of joy, a burst of beauty, a whole lot of love and hugs.  We get the amazing chance to DELIVER A LOVE BOMB to someone in our Tribe.

KAPOW!!  I’m so excited.

The only requirement? The person you nominate has a blog, that they use it semi-frequently, and that we can comment on their blog. (Make sure comments aren’t closed, turned off, etc.)  And you have to get your nominations in TODAY!

On Thursday, check out the Love Bomb Blog or the Stratejoy Facebook Page — we’ll be announcing the Love Bomb recipient.

To nominate someone you think really needs a little love in the form of hundreds or thousands of words of support, shoot an e-mail to dropalovebomb |at| gmail |dot| com.  Like, now.

Wanna do this awesome mission every week with Love Bomb?  Head on over to the Love Bomb Website and subscribe to receive Love Bomb Mission e-mails.  They only come once a week and it gives you a chance to truly brighten someone’s world.

And because I promised I’d be checking in…

  1. Stop Drinking: 2 days Sober.
  2. Stop Hulu.com:  2 days TV free.
  3. Write in the Morning: 2 days complete.  (Joy Juice today!  I love writing the journal prompts, knowing loads of you will be using them to connect to yourself.)

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On The Road Again…

posted 1st August 2011    Written by: Dee    CATEGORY: All Posts, Dee, Events, Life Lesson, Quarterlife Crisis, Tips & Tools, Travel, Travel/Adventure, What I've Learned

WAIT, IT’S OVER?!

I was flipping through an old journal the other day. The one with an abundance of to-do lists. At the top of the list, with a star next to it to indicate the importance of the goal, it read, “Write for Stratejoy.”

Check that one off the list. In the last six months, as I’ve navigated my own life with this blog as a backdrop and guide, I won’t tell you how I’ve conquered all of my evils, figured everything out, eliminated toxicity from my life, done  everything I said I was going to do, or even changed that much at all. Truthfully, I’ve often found myself in awe of the other women of this season of bloggers (and past seasons), for their tenacious spirit, for the honesty and grace with which they approach monumental life changes such as having babies, managing businesses, planning weddings and getting married, and traveling the world.

Me? Welp. I’ve been kickin’ it in mid-Missouri for the last six months, pretty much getting through the day-to-day chaos and uncertainty of a college student. Truthfully, having nothing huge going on has made me feel inadequate at times…

BUT THEN BAM!

Lesson: Everyday life offers just as much of an opportunity for growth as the big stuff does. 

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’ve made progress thanks to Stratejoy, the Joy Equation, Joy Juice and Deliberate Living Coaching. With Molly and crew, the tribe, family and friends motivating me to shut up and just do what I always talk about doing, I’ve accopmlished some pretty awesome things. I got over my fear of biking in public (yeah, I know), and biked a 30 mile trip to a bluegrass concert. I took my first piano lesson. I filed my graduation plan. I saw a financial advisor and took control of my debt. I registered for a 10K in September. I had a necessary, deeply honest conversation with my parents about my life’s direction and my desire for their understanding and support. I found a sense of empowerment and peace with my spastic dating life as I began to assert myself and command respect. But, best of all, I planned the most incredible adventure.

As we speak, I’m sitting in Miss Molly Mahar’s kitchen in San Diego, sipping some freshly brewed coffee, and in true Stratejoy fashion, I’m thinking about where I’ve been, where I’m going and how they’re intertwined. Obviously, nothing about where I am today and the path I’m on would be possible without this space. After I wrote a post about my goals months ago, an acquaintance from Arizona sent me an email noting my interest in taking a huge roadtrip and suggested we actually do it together.

Lesson: The universe and life are generous givers. They will offer abundance and opportunity if you ask. 

So, yep, I packed my bags and left comfortable Columbia, Missouri this week, flew to Tucson, Arizona, where I met up with our tribe sista Megan, and in the last three days, while soaking up the beauty of the American Southwest, have traveled to San Diego, met the just-as-lovely-in-person-if-not-lovelier Molly Mahar, my truest mentor. As an added bonus I enjoyed a night out in her neighborhood, complete with cocktails and lemon cake, followed by a slumber party in Molly’s adorable home with season 3′s Lindsey.

Adventure, awe, and joy are on the horizon for my traveling partner and me. We’ll drive North up the California coast, stopping off in LA for a party and a tattoo, Santa Barbara for lessons in spirituality, wine, and comfort, continue along scenic Highway 1 to a beautiful hot springs spa, camp in Big Sur, experience the magic of San Francisco with friends, journey through the Redwood forest, donate our energy on a sustainable farm in southern Oregon, couch surf and see what all the Portland fuss is about, travel through beautiful Washington state, take in the sights of Seattle, and head east through Northern Idaho, hitting quaint towns in Montana and Wyoming on the way to our camping adventure in Yellowstone.

Lesson: Set your intention.

It’s just the trip I needed.

Then, though, I’ll return to normalcy in Columbia at the end of August and real life will be waiting. I’ll have to use all of the self-taught lessons I’ve worked through as I’ve written for you to make life just what I want it to be. And then what’ll I be working on? I’ll be remembering that I’ll still always have a lotta goals, be okay with that, understanding that I’m a yearner and that’s something that makes me special. I’ll be reminding myself to live in the present, to avoid bouncing through the moments and only thinking about what’s next, and concentrating on making each day as special as it can be.

“People sacrifice the present for the future. But life is available only in the present.” -Thich Nhat Hanh

Lesson: Enjoy the absolute present, it has so very much to offer.

I mean, it’s all so surreal that I am writing my final post from Miss Molly’s kitchen table. It’s a testament to the amazing, fun, direction life can take you if you pause to reflect on what you truly want and need, and then sit back to enjoy the road trip. It’s a whirl!

“Follow your heart…and see where it might take you.” -Brandi Carlile

BAH! There’s so much left unsaid, so much more I wanted to share here. But, alas, my time is up and I’m on to other things. Signing off, kicking and screaming, owing so much to every one of you.

P.S. Holler at me if you’re in the western U.S. or have suggestions about cool places/travel tips- I wanna see you along the way.

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