Note to Self 01: Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
July is passing by way too quickly and I'm finding it hard to believe it's almost the end of the month. In that short amount of time since I last wrote, I've found that my past couple of weeks have been pulled into many directions due to change. Personally, mine has been a mix of obligations and relationships. It seems change likes to poke it's head when deadlines and goals are so close you can touch them. While I like to say that these changes were a surprise, my true self knew all along that they were needed. Now if it was the old me from years ago, I may have dragged my feet to resist them but this time around I ripped the band aid off. Luckily for me, all those self help books and classes are finally paying off. ;) While I once was afraid of the Tower card in Tarot, now I embrace it as a sign of better things to come...thank you Louise Androlia!
No more fear of the Tower card thanks to Lisa Frank + Louise Androlia
So exactly what are those changes and why the radio silence? I think we all can relate that sometimes we need to pause and focus as life has it's obligations. For me this month, I had to change up my mode of transportation. My Fiat 500e was no longer charging at the house due to a couple of factors and let's be real, future Marissa needed more space and flexibility for travel + babies (did I really write that???). Car shopping not an easy task – as I'm sure you know. The time consuming process of comparison shopping required lots of time out of my day. As R&D was essential, apps like TrueCar became my bestie and ally. Thanks to that app, I was able to zero in on what I wanted, the price range and the best way to negotiation. Saying good-bye to the Fiat 500e wasn't as hard as I imagined, as my relationship with Fiat and Chrysler took a nose-dive straight to hell. Their customer service fell way below poor during the last 3 months this year. If you want more information on that, feel free to reach out as google search confirmed for me that there are plenty of people tired of Chrysler.
So this time around it was ESSENTIAL to find a brand that excelled at customer service. Luckily for me friends and family recommended Subaru. My experience with Subaru of Glendale was amazing and now I'm happy to report Mr. B and I are proud owners of a Subaru Outback, which we've dubbed the Berrini Buggie. Good timing too as Double B will be our home on wheels for the next couple of months while we travel across America.
Next up in list of life changes, I officially resigned from my full-time job as Art Director to pursue personal goals which I'll be sharing with y'all next week. This change came at the right time as most are going through their own transitions–the theme for lots of people this year. Making the decision was easy but executing the change hasn't been. My feelings of commitment have me in overdrive giving 120% before I leave, which sad to say, hasn't done much for me on a personal level except take time away from my own personal goals. I've always felt it was important to leave on a good note but the reality is work is work and companies move on with or without you. At least I can say my year and half was filled with lots of celebrations, projects I'm extremely proud of, collaborations I truly enjoyed, a mentor I will never forget and a gift from the Universe on FINALLY understanding the art of not taking things personally.
the universe has my back. a daily mantra thanks to gabrielle bernstein.
Lastly, with so much going on in the world I felt the strong need to revert into a hermit. The news is full of sadness, hatred and chaos lately. Being a sensitive person, I've found the best way to deal with all this is meditation and prayer. Never in a million years would I have thought I'd be doing this practice as my upbringing didn't revolve around God and my private school days left my relationship with God in shambles. The spiritual gap I've had became apparent this year when I've lost friendships and communication with family. Again, those self-help books and classes came in handy. While I'm not meditating on a rock or sitting for hours in prayer, I do find that this little piece of time has been extremely valuable to my personal growth. My relationship with God is now there and my favorite mantra from Gabrielle Bernstein has taken on a whole new definition. The Universe does have my back, as well as yours...living in a light helps when darkness is being broadcast heavily. While the chaos will always be there, it's important to remember and practice the good.
As I tidy up the loose ends with my obligations these items, I'll leave you with David Bowie's epic song Changes. The man sure lived it right...