Powerful

The two most powerful words I've ever said:

             My daughter. 

Wanderlust

I just finished watching the series Top of the Lake on Netflix (incredible & disturbing) which takes place on the south island of New Zealand and it has me longing for grandiose silent places like these...wish I could grab my family and run to the mountains for a week. Or a month.

The Softer Side

Having a baby feels like someone is suddenly holding up a mirror and asking you to take a good look at yourself. All the things I was ever conscious of not liking about myself are at once drawn into sharp focus and put under a magnifying glass. I realize I don't want my daughter to inherent these bad habits (she'll certainly inherit plenty of other characteristics I'm less aware of) but for the moment I'm owning the things I have a power to change. 

One of the biggest things I've become aware of is being softer and more patient toward infuriating circumstances and people.

I've been working hard to catch my inner dialogue and counter my negative habits by thinking about the scenario or the person with a different perspective. Compassion has not always been my strong suit, I'll be the first to admit it and having a daughter is real inspiration to clean it up and change. It's not hard to look at her perfectly innocent face and think of how much she will pick up by my example.  If I expect her to be compassionate, kind and patient then its time I behave accordingly.

Learning to be a kinder, gentler person is a pretty sweet lesson and really why wouldn't I want to show her my softer side? I have a hunch this is the first of many, many lessons this little sage is going to teach me. 

Reminder.

Leave room for a little mystery.

Rose colored glasses.

There's something about just having a baby girl that has made me fall in love with colors my pre-baby self would never had considered. Suddenly I feel drawn to pastels in a way that my former self would cringe upon seeing. Now I lust for soft lavenders, pale peach and subtle pinks. It's a beautiful new world.