Put Some Spring In Your Step!

“Eat your veggies”

“Put some spring in your step”

“Because I said so, that’s why!”

“You better change that attitude”…..

By a certain stage in our lives, we all have come to realize that moms are usually knowledgeable in what they tell us or shout at us.

 

Spring is in the air and I know all of you are feeling the spring in your steps.  Here is a little secret (not really), that might motivate you to step a little more.  Carrot! ….come on now Toya…carrot!??  That’s right, Carrot!  I have been using this app called Carrot for a month or two and I have been collecting points for my walking.

Yes, with a little effort you can catch a movie, purchase gas etc.

Current Reward participating cards:

Drop Points

Petro-Points

Scene-Points

More Rewards

Aeroplan Miles

The app doesn’t just reward you for being active; you can also gain points by participating in their offers.  These are usually mini questionnaires on mental health, finances etc.

So, what are you waiting for…..go put some spring in your steps.

 

Until next time…..walk good

“Whatever you choose to do, do it with a smile”

Comfort

“This is no time for ease and comfort.  It is time to dare and endure”  Winston Churchill

Happy New Year!!!

Can you believe it’s already 8 days in the New Year!  Question …..did someone ask Jack Frost to come take a vacation???  I mean I could feel the cold in my bones.

All jokes aside, the cold weather led me to the topic on comfort.  Having a cup of hot chocolate and curling up on the couch with a blanket sounds really great right about now.  But being in a comfort zone can hold you back from experiencing life.  Why do we get so stuck in the ‘familiar’?  Usually familiar routines or things doesn’t bring us closer to our goals or make us happy.

My challenge for my readers/subscribers (side eye….including myself):  challenge yourself to step outside your comfort zone…..”Feel the fear and do it anyway”.  Everything has an opposite….opposite of love is hate  …..opposite of happiness is sadness  .….opposite of fear is also happiness (smiles).

I believe each person’s New Year starts when they decide to start walking in their truth or purpose.  This challenge is not a January resolution conversation piece, it’s a year round challenge.

So, what’s one of your fears….leave a comment in the comment section.

Until next time…..walk good

“Whatever you choose to do, do it with a smile”

OUT WITH IT!

“No wishes are silly, no dreams remain dreams, for those committed to clear and definitive goals.”  Maximillian Degenerez

 

Hello, I hope you all had a chance to spend some time with your friends and family over the holidays and packed in some fun and relaxation.

Can you believe it! We are about to say goodbye to 2017 and what better way to say hello to 2018 by clearing out clutter for a fresh start.  Yea, you know what I am referring to…..all those papers you have been holding on to for years or even clothing you keep putting back in your closet with hopes of finally wearing them again.

I have spent this last week of 2017 clearing out stuff that I should’ve gotten a ticket/fine for holding on to for far too long.

How are you spending the last few days of 2017?

 

The New Year is upon us ………Happy New Year!!!!! 

Until next time…..walk good

“Whatever you choose to do, do it with a smile”

 

Connecting

I know I have been MIA for some time:  I was in a nomad state of mind for a while.  As the year draws closer to the closing paragraph and the Christmas /holiday season is on us, I was compelled to post this blog.

As we Rush to the mall or these days online to do last minute shopping,

As we decorate our houses,

As we board our flights,

As we make our lists and checking them twice;

Let’s not lose sight of what’s important about this time of year.  The magic doesn’t only come from the Christmas lights and decorations but also from Giving.  I don’t know about you but I feel really good inside whenever I give (that fuzzy feeling that brings a smile to your face and heart).

 

It’s the season of love, giving, connecting and reflecting.  I don’t know who wrote this quote but it fits perfectly for this message: “To give up one’s very self – to think only of others – how to bring the greatest happiness to others, that is the true meaning of Christmas”.

“Start where you are with what you have” ….a quote I have been holding close to my heart lately.  Whether your gesture is great or small, reach out and touch someone even if they will never know you did.  This could be a donation to a charity you relate to, a smile or even a phone call to someone you have lost touch with.  It amazes me as I grow how small gestures can make the greatest impact.

 

May this season brings you happiness, peace and warmth.

Merry Christmas

Happy Holidays

Tis the season to be jolly……

 

Surprise yourself this holiday season by doing something you have never done but have always have it in your heart to try.

Thank you for following my blog for the past 6 months.

Until next time…..walk good and….

“whatever you choose to do, do it with a smile”

 

ME! or WE?

“Forget all the reasons it won’t work and believe the one reason that it will.” – Unknown

 

 

When was the last time you truly live?

Live without fears

Live without worries

Live without filters

Do what you truly feel is best

Be a friend just because

Help someone because it’s just a nice thing to do

 

If you haven’t live like that since your childhood there is hope.  Just take a moment and watch, you will be inspired by individuals that you use to be…A child.  They take risk, they show kindness, they try new things and they are unapologetic about it.

Kindness, when was the last time you did that freely and not for the rewards it brings.  It seems like these days kindness comes with an agreement, that you have to pay back later to the person who was kind to you.  Why is that???

Somewhere along our journey we all will lose the drive to think and perform outside the box.  It’s like at certain check points in our journey where our motivation gets depleted.  Oh yes! Life will knock you down, spin you around, kick you, annoy you and sometimes even throw you off your path/plans.  But the beauty about life is:  along the journey, you will be inspired by the tiniest of things or being.  This brings me to my next point.

A tiny being such as an ant or even a plant can inspire and motivate you.  Take for instance; when I was in Banff, Alberta Canada, I saw tiny plants breaking through the cracks in the mountain.  This sight lifted my spirit because if those tiny plants can fight for to live, why shouldn’t I fight to live as well.  This was a welcoming insight.  (Side note: Banff Alberta should be on your list of must see)

 

Another welcoming insight I had two months ago, was an inside look at what kids and teenagers are doing in our society to make the world a better place.  They went from Me to We.  Wait a minute Toya! (from me to we)??? …..Yes, they went from Me to We by doing small things and big things in their communities and the communities that’s not close to them and making big impacts.  It had me thinking ‘What am I doing with my life?’  I mean the event sent me in deep thoughts, to the point it is constantly on my mind, especially on my drives when I am all alone.  The event also left me with: to start where I am, with what I have.

 

If you haven’t heard about WE DAY please check out their website at: https://www.we.org/.  Make sure you: READ, WATCH AND YOU WILL SURELY GET INSPIRED.

 

We expect to be inspired or motivated by something big but if you truly look around, we can find something that will inspire, push and motivate us.  I have heard and read this quote many times “BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THIS WORLD” and I usually nod my head in agreement but do nothing after (or maybe I am).  WE DAY Toronto have inspired me, and let me tell you this, ideas are flowing (remember those alone time on my drives I mentioned above….yes…its flowing).

 

 

Until next time…..walk good

“Whatever you choose to do, do it with a smile”

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TICK! TOCK! ….You Know What Time it Is

 

“Time is Free, but it’s Priceless.  You can’t own it, but you can Use it.  You can’t keep it, but you can Spend it.  Once you’ve lost it, you can Never get it back.”  Harvey Mackay

 

I know it’s been some time since I upload a post.  The other day I was inspired to write this poem and it’s based on Time.  Yes, that thing that we all wish we have more of.  My thoughts draw me to question: do we all have enough time?  Could our time management be better?  Or are we just distracted by all that’s pulling at our attention: SOCIAL MEDIA, WORK, FAMILY, FRIENDS, and KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES etc.  Most of these have been factors throughout history so why we are calling for more time?

 Let me know what your thoughts are in the comment section.

 As promise here is the poem I wrote…….

They say time heals,

What lifetime is that?

Blame you,

Blame me,

That’s the part that breaks me

Time, it’s everything

It flows and never stops

Time, wrong

Time, right

On time,

Not on time

I have ask myself many times,

Was it the wrong time?….

The right time?….

I close my eyes,

But the tears still fall,

My heart still aches

Time, and time and time again

It’s the wrong time,

The right time

Time; you are not ready

Time; I am ready

Time; I want to be ready

Time; what do you mean?

I should understand,

I am spirit first

I am human

Time takes

Time gives

Time

No beginning

No end

And somewhere in it,

Time will tell

What lifetime is that?

Blame you,

Blame me,

Time

Can’t hold you,

Can’t touch you,

Tangled in my fabric

Time

The master healer

The master giver

The master taker

The master storyteller

 

Until next time…..walk good

“Whatever you choose to do, do it with a smile”

 

 

 

 

Is It Really? What’s The Catch?

“I will tell you the secret to getting rich on Wall Street. You try to be greedy when others are fearful. And you try to be fearful when others are greedy”  Warren Buffett

 

Yes, there is a catch….but your bank/Pay Pal accounts and pockets will like this catch of the day, week, month or year.  The catch is Ebates.

Well, well, well….who doesn’t like to spend while getting cash back on each purchase?  I don’t know about you but I do….I do…I do.  So, the other day, I sent some friends a link to get cash back.  Yes, cash back and I was surprise at some of the reactions (side eye).  When it comes to sharing ways to save or gain something of benefit, I am not one to keep it to myself.

With that said, I won’t keep you guys waiting…..here goes

 

Warning!!! The number 15 will become your new favourite number if it isn’t already.

 

How does EBATES work?

It’s very simple: Do all your online shopping through Ebates and on each purchase you earn cash back.  After each purchase you will get a notification on your cash back posted to your account if you have the app.

Every quarter Ebates will send you a cheque or deposit your cash back balance in your Paypal.

 

Benefits:

• Membership is FREE!
• You get cash back on every purchase; cash back range in percentage for each store. Example:  If your purchase was $300 and the cash back percentage is 7%, you will receive cash back of $24.

This might seem like a small amount but if you are like me, the consumer, you don’t just shop once per year.  These cash back will add up throughout the year and each quarter will bring you a nice catch (chi chi ching).

• Over 2,000 of your favourite stores
• Daily discount coupon to use on your purchases

 

Tools to maximize your cash back:

Ebates Cash Back Button

•   Allows you to view your cash back balance
•   Automatically applies promo codes upon check out
•   Ability to search for your favourite stores and discovers new ones on your shopping trips

In Store Purchase Cash Back

•   You need to link your credit card to your Ebates account and link the online discount to your cards.

Ebates Visa Card

•   You earn an extra 3% cash back when you purchase through Ebates online at your favourite store
•   Earn 1% cash back whenever you use the visa card
•   No annual fee

 

What to look out for:

Sometimes your balance is not updated, if this is the case, notify Ebates via email and they will update the balance.

Payment Schedule:

4 time per year (Quarterly)

May 15 – August 15 – November 15 – February 15

Road to cash back…..

https://www.ebates.com/r/toyamo

 

Until next time  …Walk good(be safe)  …..and “Whatever you choose to do, do it with a smile”

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Photo is trademark of Ebates Inc.

 

 

Check Point…. “I am a field of all Possibilities”

“Know Thy Self” Socrates

 

I went into this 21 day meditation thinking I am going to master the art of quieting my mind.  Hmm hum …well, that didn’t happen but I gain something else.  During each meditation my focus drifted off on different topics ….(what’s for breakfast?, who I should call back and other things that’s on my mind).  Throughout the 21 days of meditation, I found the art of forgiving myself.  Yes, your mind will still wonder off but you can shake it off and re-focus again.  In my Challenge blog, I noted that “Practice Make Perfect” and that quote still remain.  Each time my mind wonders off I didn’t get hard on myself, I forgave myself and get back on track.  I have heard a quote (yes I am sharing another quote…just don’t ask me where I heard it) that stated, “we never lose, we learn from each experience”.    But this depends on how you view each situation…..what are you speaking to yourself?   How open minded are you?  Are you thinking from a vantage point or a narrow view?

 

This 21 day meditation series was teaching me to forgive myself.  Wait a minute Toya!, the title of the meditation series is “Desire and Destiny”; yes that was the focus but I gain something else.  Maybe it’s what I needed to be able to tap into my desires and destiny.  In order for us to go after our desires or dreams, we can’t hold back.  Maybe self forgiveness is what is holding me back from my desires and destiny.  I listed some of the benefits of meditation in the previous blog and one of them was, ‘Self-awareness’.  Self-awareness improves one’s emotional intelligence.  It’s about understanding your needs, habits, desires, what makes you tick etc.  When you are self-aware, the better you are at making changes in your life.

 

My self-awareness during this 21 day meditation:  Self Forgiveness

…..If you participated in the “Desire and Destiny” mediation, what was your take away?

 

Until next time …walk good(be safe)  .….and “Whatever you choose to do, do it with a smile”

 

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Photo by: D Morris

 

 

SsSshhhh …. Can You Handle It?

 

“Quiet the mind, and the soul will speak” Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati

Ah Yes! It’s the end of the work day and time to hit the road.  I buckled myself in and in the blink of an eye (as it seems), I am home.  Yes, I said home  ….how did that happen???  Well, this is how it all happened:  you buckled yourself in your car and as soon as you put the car in drive your mind start thinking at a pace that could out perform a top sprinter.  Usually these thoughts are negative or something that lives in the past.  They consume you to the point that you miss the view of the drive home, you miss the now, while somehow ending up in the present. Are you scratching your head yet about ending up in the present without travelling the journey? (I am). If you are scratching your head as I am, fear not! I bring you good news.   Yes, you can live in the present and quiet the mind or at least control it enough to find peace. The secret is MEDIATION (inhale slowly  ….and exhale ….doesn’t that feel good?).  But Toya! I can’t meditate, I have tried it and my mind is still racing with thoughts I am trying to shut out. You are not alone, I too have tried mediation and have fallen off the horse but I also experience some of its benefits.  The key thing to mediation is to keep practicing. If you want to become good at or the best at anything, you must put in the work and keep practicing.  “Practice makes Perfect” a quote I have heard throughout my childhood in my household.   

My meditation journey involves breaking up and making up; the benefits keeps me coming back.  But my problem is lack of consistency.   Research shows that to form or break a habit, it takes between 18 – 66 days. 

 

There are many benefits to mediating.  Here are 7 benefits of mediation that you can ponder about while joining me on a 21 day mediation challenge.

Benefits of Meditation

o   Enhances Self-Awareness

o   Improves Sleep

o   Increase Attention Span

o   Promotes Emotional Health

o   Reduces Stress

o   Control Anxiety

I will be joining Oprah & Deepak for 21 days of mediation on “Desire and Destiny”, please come along for the adventure and share your experience in the comment section.  It doesn’t take much to meditate:  Create a quiet spot or find a quiet place away from interruption and set your intention. 

Please sign up for “Desire and Destiny meditation @ https://chopracentermeditation.com/experience

 

Let’s Do this ….and take control of our minds.

Until next time   …walk good(be safe)  …..and “Whatever you choose to do, do it with a smile”

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Photo by: toya_mo

References:

https://www.liveanddare.com/benefits-of-meditation

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mindful-musings/201605/3-research-based-reasons-start-meditating

Canada’s 150

 

“It’s so good to be home”

So, the festivity of Canada day long weekend came to an end and leading up to the day and on the day I have been reflecting on what it means to live in Canada and being Canadian.  To live and celebrate 150 years since confederation in a country where freedom and inclusion is deeply rooted in our DNA (i.e. culture) is amazing.  Though not my birth country, Canada have shaped my mind, perception, opinions and acceptance.

It is here that I started to question my humanity and asking myself: how do I know that, I am thinking that I am thinking? and what’s my purpose?  It’s here where I have met first love, experience heart breaks, disappointments, amazing opportunities, met life-long friends (even if we don’t see each other often) and experience the world with just one step outside my door.  Canada’s diversity has blessed me with the world’s cuisine, cultural festivals and a peak into cultures that seems foreign but is a part of the Canadian fabric.

Another love I have about my home among many is, we recognize and embrace each Canadians, no matter where we meet around the world.  We know each other by our love….yes; you will know us by our love and politeness.

Happy birthday Canada …..Yes I am still shouting happy Canada Day even though it’s 3 days after.

 

Until next time….walk good (be safe) ….and “whatever you choose to do, do it with a smile”

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Photo by: toya_mo