And the Oscar goes to.......

photo credit: Rob Tobin

This is Inocente in the limosine with the Oscar after last Sunday's Academy Awards.  This is a pinnacle moment for a girl, some amazing film makers, an incredible non-profit called A Reason To Survive, and myself for being part of something so inspirational.

On Sunday, Inocente was awarded the Oscar for the category Short Documentary.  I am honored to be part of this story and I am thrilled to see Inocente herself come to this place on a journey from homeless youth on the streets of San Diego, to walking the red carpet last Sunday evening, and ultimately the recipient of this award.

Inocente, the movie is a documentary created by Sean and Andrea Fine.  They are amazing film makers and have received numerous accolades for both this film and the documentary War Dance.  While I was on the Board of Directors of A Reason To Survive (ARTS), a non-profit for children with adversity, Sean and Andrea were shooting footage for this film.  Inocente was attending ARTS as a homeless youth while attending high school in the vicinity.  At the time she was 15 years old and her school friends were unaware she was homeless.

Inocente

Inocente's story is incredibly inspiring because it speaks to great resilience in the face of horrific circumstances.  Her strength, perseverance and outlook are exemplary to each and every one of us.  She shines brightly despite the circumstances of her life.  Through ARTS, Inocente has found an outlet for her amazing artistic talent and creativity.  And because of people's belief in her, she is now no longer homeless, has a college fund to attend art school, and is thriving.  She is a shining example of POTENTIAL.

It was not on my bucket list to be in an Academy Award winning movie, but life can be funny at times and present you with gifts of providence.  I got involved with ARTS in 2007 because of my love of art and my belief that artistic expression can heal all kinds of deep wounds.  I started at ARTS as a volunteer teaching afternoon classes to gang members.  I fell in love with this organization and joined the board of directors and have been a champion of it ever since.

This movie touches on so many issues facing our nation at this time, including homelessness, immigration, and domestic violence.  But it is a Cinderella story with a shining outcome.  Inocente herself walked the red carpet in a Cinderella-like gown by a renowned San Diego designer Zandra Rhodes.  She joined the filmmakers Sean and Andrea Fine on that stage when they received the Oscar  symbollically standing between the two of them.  She was embraced by the world that evening and everyone fell in love with her.  She was finally able to feel part of something that even she cannot describe.

I think the expression on Inocente's face in the limosine says it all.  Pure joy and exuberance!

I truly hope that if you have the opportunity to watch this film that you do so.  It is a powerful testimony as to what the human spirit can and will endure.  Her circumstances do not define her, her dreams do....

Congratulations Inocente!!  We love you!

Please visit the ARTS website to find out more about the amazing programs they offer for children:

http://www.areasontosurvive.org/

Mid-Week Tune Up: Mastery at Work

The wind howled all night long and I woke up expecting  that I might see debris all over my yard this morning.  There is nothing of the sort, only big whitecaps on the ocean and gusts of wind as this storm pushes on through southern California.  The sun is shining brightly amidst big ominous clouds.  Yes, the storm always passes and the sunshine returns.

I am in disbelief that Wednesday is already here.  I have been in the flow of my work all week as time passes effortlessly.  This is not always the case, however it is becoming more of the norm as I align my effort with my interests and passion.  Although I have always sustained a high level of work ethic and drive, I haven't always put love, heart and intention in my work.  I strived to do my best, but work was WORK.

It was not until I read the book, Mastery at Work by Nicole Grace that things really shifted for me.

This book is transformative regardless of what profession you are in.  The subtitle of this book is 18 Keys for Achieving Success, Fulfillment and Joy in Any Profession.  Here is a passage from the book:

"Don't let other people's choices concern us or temper our glee. 

Love life whether it rains or snows or we are bathed in sunlight.

Live in the world, but don't be owned by it.

Spend time with other people, but don't lose touch with yourself.

Work Hard, then rest.

Give yourself to tasks fully, but find every opportunity to laugh.

Take your work seriously, but not yourself.

When you have become an expert at something, teach others.

There will always be hard days.  There will also always be beautiful days.

Remember that no experience is lasting.

Learn from everything.  Be grateful for everything.

Spend as much of your energy as possible in service to others."

This book is always on my desk for daily reference.  It reminds me that you can thrive rather than strive in your daily profession, even when the work itself is mundane or unfulfilling.  There are certainly some teachings from mysticism woven into the Nicole's writing.  The book itself is a "three-fold path to mastery to provide an enlightened approach to life and work."  They are the fundamental principles of service, detachment, and humility.  Regardless of your spiritual path or what level of self-development you aspire to, you certainly will find pearls of wisdom throughout this treasure of a book.

My favorite takeaway from Mastery at Work is the notion that we are each a guest in each other's lives.  You have been invited into someone else's workplace or life, perhaps for a limited time to accomplish a particular task.  Act like a guest, be polite and respectful, make a great impression, be of value and service, have gratitude, and perhaps you will be invited back...

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Blessings,

Jacquie

In Restrospect

photo credit: Cultivated Divine

I am a creature of habit. Daily and weekly rituals create the foundation and tether lines of my life; which otherwise would be a wild wacky ride. My Sunday morning ritual is my favorite which starts off with my hubby Mark waking me up with a smile and a vanilla latte to drink in bed, and my sweet twelve year old cavalier Harry propping himself up by my bedside to say good morning. I am so grateful for my welcome committee. After out leisurely morning coffee and conversation (which by the way is a luxury with our busy schedules) I usually write.

On Sundays, the subject matter of my writing is usually retrospective in nature as I reflect on the experiences of the prior week. This ritual helps me calibrate whether or not I am on track with my goals and dreams and gives me the opportunity to reflect on how I dealt with the unexpected potholes and experiences that life throws our way. in doing so I find I can adjust accordingly and move forward.

This week, in retrospect I am reflecting on a week of LOVE. I started off my week last Sunday with the intention of reflecting more love towards myself, my loved ones, and the world around me. I created a visual reminder for myself by wearing seven days of RED. Trust me I got a little carried away with this. I poured love into my week, my self care, my interaction with strangers (hint: lock eyes and SMILE! ) and my work. Smack in the middle of my week of LOVE was Valentines Day, an enhanced opportunity to express in words to my loved ones how much I love them. I also found great joy in the sentiments expressed by others. Of note was a man driving a VW bug bursting with red balloons. The only visible part of him was his face! Every square inch of the interior of that car was filled with red balloons. Now that's a joyful gift for anyone who saw him.

As I reflect back on this week, by naming it "week of LOVE" and setting an intention to take action, I realized that it did take on a deeper meaning for me. I felt connected to the word in my actions and deeds, I felt lighter, AND not by coincidence the week really did have a miraculous flow for me. Some great unexpected things occurred for me this week, I met a few really cool people, and I came to the realiization that the "week of LOVE" was also the week of "YES".

Naturally, after reflecting on my week, I gaze out at the horizon and ask myself, "What's Next?"
Hmmmmm.....what to name this coming week??

photo credit: Cultivated Divine

Share a comment about how you cultivate love in your life or your experience with setting intentions for yourself. I would love to hear about YOU.

Blessings,

Jacquie

Show Some LOVE!

Photo Credits:  Cultivated Divine

Happy Valentines Day!

xoxo