Real Friends

And tonite, I laughed.

Smiled.  A lot.

Absolutely and truly enjoyed every minute of a quality friendship.

Beautiful.

Project Inspiration: Sarita Louise Moore

As I dig deep and look into who I really am, I look into who I invest my time with and how they have moved me in what I have called Project Inspiration.

I wanted to take this time to tell you how my dear friend, Sarita Moore has inspired me and been a part of my life evolution. Sarita is that drop-in-your-life-like-a-huge-love-bomb-endless-hugs-endless-smile-blissful-being-that-speaks-directly-from-her-heart-and-lives-her-life-dancing type of human being.

Dear Sarita Louise Moore,

Our life paths crossed at lululemon athletica Santa Monica.  My memory bank immediately pulls up the file:  Clean Your Beach, Clean Your Soul event planning.  We were sitting in the backroom, sharing and planning some quarterly plans and you asked me what I wanted to create.  Being about three weeks into my role, I start word vommiting and sharing this whole beach clean up, yoga class idea.  Not one minute later and you say, “okay, do it.  Go. Just let me know what you need from me”.  And like that, you believed in my event, stood for me and rocked my World!  And I feel its been the same conversation ever since, “Go. Just let me know what you need from me”.

What I wanted to let you know is that who you are has and continues to shape who I am every day.

I came into this amazing company of lululemon that was more touchy feely than my past cubicle life might have ever known.  I mean, hugs all around.  And Sarita, I do not even think we can deem your hugs a ‘hug’, you kick it up a notch to a full on, heart to heart, close your eyes ’embrace’.  The embrace goes about 4 seconds longer than any normal hug you may be used to.  Almost to that point of awkward, questioning if this is still happening and why is it taking so long as I will see her tomorrow type hug.  And then you realize that its Sarita, making sure you truly feel loved in a moment.  And you are forever transformed to hug everyone four seconds longer.  Thank you for teaching me the beauty of human embrace and for the extra four seconds.

DANCE!  Sarita, you feel life in a beautiful rhythm that vibrates throughout your body in this radical movement.  Be it yoga, dance, hip hop, breathe…I believe in your goals and hold a space for you to succeed in changing the World through movement and creating a space where everyone dances!  I cannot wait to live in that World.  Be bold and check her out here:  www.saritalou.com

You are someone who wears your emotions on your sleeve, in your smile and in your movement.  If you are lucky enough to have a Sarita Louise Moore in your life, you literally get to visually experience what love, humor and openness look like.  It reminds me and truly inspires me to make sure everyone around me feels love and feels life through me.

Finally, you are a connector in a double threat kind of way.  You meet someone and insanely connect heart to heart.  Then, you connect people with other people so that they can better live their goals and their amazing lives…together.  Running into you is like running into ten amazing people at one time, because all of a sudden you have introduced me to nine life game changers.  I am inspired to stand for people’s goals and keep on connecting heart to heart, and then people to people.

Sarita, thank you for inspiring me from LA to NY.  You are a dear friend, a true human experience and one beautiful and talented dancer.  I am forever grateful that I met you, that I learned the four second longer embrace and that whenever I see you, it feels like just yesterday that we were sitting by a pool in Palm Springs goal coaching one another.  So inspired by you and everything you create.

As you continue to rock in this life, keep being who you are. And I promise that I will do the same.

Inspired,

Jacki Carr

Project Inspiration: Kristina Gong

As I dig deep and look into who I really am, I look into who I invest my time with and how they have moved me in what I have called Project Inspiration.

I wanted to take this time to tell you how one of my best friends, Kristina Gong has inspired me and been a part of my life evolution. You probably have one of these; the World-traveling-smart-Karaoke-singing-tech-saavy-loud-laughing-goal-oriented-cool best friends.  Let’s compare notes…

Dear Kristina,

We met while moving somewhat fast, breathing heavy and in need of water. While training for a marathon in sunny Santa Monica, California, our life paths crossed. My first memory was passing you on the boardwalk and you yelling, “hey, are you a soccer player or something?”. I get that all the time … big quads. Anyways, I yelled back “no” and just kicked it in and sped off.

From there on out, we were running partners. Then marathon finishers. And now, best friends.

What I wanted to let you know is that who you are has and continues to shape who I am.

You are such a commander of your life. Your decision to quit your job and travel the World for eight months the past year was and remains truly inspiring. Keep sharing! Find her story in video posts, here.

Your candid honesty is superior to any fluff some non-friend would provide to smooth a situation and encourages me to be honest in return and in all areas of my life.

You crave knowledge. You are so rich in culture by choice. And that choice is powerful. Thank you for sharing everything you learn with me and inspiring me to search for more.

You are wise beyond your years and you stand up for what you believe in. And wow, you karaoke a mean version of Gladys Knight’s “Midnight Train to Georgia”…nasty mean. In these moments, you are vulnerable, fearless and demanding – and I admire that.

You want to truly experience this life, laugh deep and loud in this life and be madly in love in this life. And that is someone I want to be around, talk to daily on gchat, go with to adventures places, sing far too loud with in the car, roll out my mat to yoga with, and call my best friend.

Thank you for allowing me space in your life. Thank you for inspiring me everyday to be in constant wonder of the World, to be adventurous, to be honest, to seek knowledge always, to laugh and sing way outloud, and to stand for what I believe in. 

As you continue to rock in this life, keep being who you are. And I promise that I will do the same.

Inspired,

Jacki Carr

World Traveler

Life is Yours

Midnight Train To Georgia