Gratitude. Moustaches. Love.

Happy November to you and you and you!

Rocktober has closed, life has been lived and here we are, Movember uno.

Here they are, the updates:

1)  I am in the midst of training for the Malibu 1/2 Marathon!  10 days to go.  And yes, the boyfriend signed up!  Like I always say, a couple that runs together, stay together.  Or, we are just going to wing it and have the best brunch November 11 has ever seen.  Yes, the sub 2 hour goals still lives!

2)  Fall Soiree.  Happened.

3)  3 day cleanse = fail.  However, I rocked a one day cleanse with JuiceCrafters.  And, I found my accountability partner in my rad friend, Kristina Gong for a 3 day cleanse post 11/11.  She is rocking the Malibu 1/2, too!  Post run, bring on the juice!

4)  Chris and I did not make 2 dates.  Shoot!  Travel schedule, life, sweatpants + flannel… however, we did have one amazing date with delish food, red wine and an impulse purchase including blue leopard print jeans!  I just love love.

5) My blog friends challenged me to not accept any plastic bags for the month.  I can happily say, DONE!  I even carried broccoli in my backpack!  #gogreen

Recap:  October was absolutely unreal.  I goal coached at Yoga Journal Conference in our future life state of Colorado with the boyfriend in the audience, I cheered on one Ironman of a goal crusher at KONA 2012 and swung in a  hammock in Maui, I rocked Seattle with my team of 2 and ran with my sweet pup along the Pacific Ocean often.  I lived a full life this past October.

Let’s do it again!

In the beautiful month of November that is full of gratitude, my favorite people’s birthdays and family love; let’s get intentional here and now:

1)  I raise 500.00 for Movember with my team, “All the Eggs and Bacon You Have”.  Check it:  here.

2)  I am feeling some ink.  #tattoo

3)  I complete the Malibu 1/2 Marathon in sub 2 hours.

4)  Photo Shoot.  Charlie Brown lights.  Holiday Cards to PRINT.  Must happen.

5)   jackicarr.com goes LIVE by November 30, 2012.

6)  How will you know November?  Tell me about how we can rock gratitude, let’s get accountable!

Inspire me in the comments and share, share, share what you are going to get up to this month!

Let’s live life bigger.  Go!

Gratitude. Moustaches. Love.  November.

gentle reminder:

 

Adventure: Hashtag Honesty

A friend gave me notes to consider for my life this morning.  He got honest, stated how I was showing up in our conversation, and gave me the real dirt.  See below and borrow if needed (the notes, not my friend):

1)  When was the last time you sat still – maybe read for 3 hours?  #slowdown

2) Have gratitude for what you have and step back and look at the big picture.  #celebrateyou

3)  Stop over-analyzing.  Period.

4)  Search for that sweet spot that is compassion.  #loveyourself

5) Stop rushing to and looking for what is next, enjoy the journey.  #bepresent

6)  Buy a journal – write what you are grateful for every morning.  #gratitudejournal

7)  “Call me more”, he says.  Rad communication = Rad friendship.  #pickupthephone

8)  Comparison KILLS.  #createYOURlife

9) Expectations versus reality.  #thinkaboutit

 

Note:  we were only together for some 4 hours.  Rad friends cause radical vibrations in your life.  Find them, ask them, thank them. 

Shift.

Beautiful.

 

#tellthetruth

Adventure: Smile

I work for a radical company you might have heard of, lululemon athletica.  Today in my Outlook calendar was an appointment titled:  Gratitude Call with Brian Tracy.  I was so excited and inspired; a company wide phone call with the gratitude king,  BTracy himself!  #joblove

Now, amongst the many juicy nuggets I took away, wrote down and  have been reflecting on every other minute, as I sit here still vibrating from the conversation, one that resonated with me this evening was how we are able to communicate and appreciate one another as humans via smiling.  A smile as a way to show gratitude, love and respect.  Beautiful.

So naturally, I put it to the test.

It was a gorgeous day in Southern California and I had a hankering to get outside the entire work day.  I finished up my last interview and rushed to the bedroom to put my running clothes on for an evening run with my energy monster of a rescue pup, Bear.  We sped out the door in a hurry to literally race one another down the blocks to catch the sun dip into the ocean reflecting over the beach.

Now, while running I made it a point to smile at passersby and if someone wanted to chat, I pulled out one ear bud blasting Pandora radio of Florence & the Machine (highly recommended) and gave them the time of day.  Albeit a longer run than planned, every smile returned and every conversation was bliss. 

I met a man named Ron cleaning his RV who said I have a happy dog and shared the benefits of my running with him.  Smiling. 

While stretching, I talked to an out-of-towner and a local watching the sun set on a grassy knoll off the Venice Boardwalk, as we exchanged our mutual appreciation for the beauty of the sky literally looking as if it was on fire.  Still smiling. 

I made eye contact with an older man riding his bike on the beach path that laughed out loud at Bear’s gregarious running style in the soft sand.  Big smile. 

I passed a young gal with her tiny pup and we laughed as I yanked Bear away from her little energy monster.  

On my return home, I met a dude named Beau with a Frenchie named Addy.  He was a handsome young fellow that asked me out for a drink, although I kindly declined and shared I had a hot boyfriend at home.  But nonetheless, told him he was very cute and enjoyed talking to him.  Secret smile. 

And finally, I met the owner of the market on the corner that is literally 27 steps from my front door.  His name is Hawk and he is now looking into how much he can get a case of coconut water for me at a good price – as I am there at his counter every other day for my individual purchases of the Unsweetened Natural Isotonic Beverage that is Amy & Brian Coconut Juice. 

 And as I walked into my house smiling, I realized that I have never had such an enjoyable time with my community and how I absolutely loved that run.  And, I swear when I looked down to remove the leash, Bear was smiling, too.

So, what of this smiling thing? 

Well, it rocked my Universe.  If you had any thoughts on this, I say put it to the test! 

Especially to all of my single friends out there:  go rescue a puppy and SMILE your heart out!

Run to the Sunset

Adventure: Thank-FULL-ness

Sometimes, life hits you with gratitude like a lightning bolt. 

BOOM … BANG … TEARS

Let me set the stage for you:  I had just left the Yoga Journal Conference, driving along in my rental SUV, Dodge NITRO through the winding roads that take you from Estes Park to the Denver Airport.  The views were unreal – lake on my left, montain peaks to my right, and people playing oustide everywhere along the way.  On the radio is blasting Pitbull’s, ‘Give Me Everything’ featuring Ne-Yo; I know, random.

And all of a sudden in this very moment, my body just filled up with gratitude. 

My heart starts to swell and beat a beat faster and tears dive down my face.  I’m literally wrapped in a moment of thank-FULL-ness.  I think about and mentally thank my loving boyfriend, who deals with more personalities than any human should, my there for you any time, all the time family, and my radical friends who call me, invite me on adventures and offer high fives daily.  I look at where I am driving, this insanely gorgeous landscape that I get to drive through for work, how lucky am I?  So happy I left the heels and slacks to feather earrings and strech pants.  More tears.  The amazing people in my life, a job that I love to wake up to every day, my happy hamstrings open and free, as I had just rocked out three juicy days of yoga….Could I very well be the most grateful human right now in this moment?

I smile at the dude in front of me in the red SUV dancing to his music and waving his left arm out the window in the wind.  I turn Ne-Yo up and breathe it in, too.

Here is the kick, in that moment, I let go.  I let go of everything and felt the monster rush that was the gratitude lighting bolt.  I allowed myself to cry…by myself… in the car.   I gave myself permission to feel love and be thankFULL. 

When was the last time you allowed yourself to feel loved?  Feel insane gratitude?  Love your life?  Cry in the car by yourself?

Well, I highly recommend it.

From my Car Window!

Project Inspiration: my Mother, Marti Carr

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 mother, Marti Carr has inspired me and been a part of my life evolution. You probably have one of these: the do-everything-talk-through-anything-ridiculously-good-looking-super-woman-best-friend-rockstar of a Mom. Let’s compare notes.

Dear Mom,

You are the beginning. There for the first breath, to the first step, my first dance recital and as my PE teacher, from boyfriends to the mother/daughter talks to friendship.

You’re my hero, Mom.

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

You love what you do and you do it damn well. You are a great teacher. And you are a teacher not only to your students, but your friends and family, as well. You teach from your heart, you teach for greatness and you are ones of this life’s greatest leaders. The passion you have inspires me to live a passionate life in all domains, even when it is not easy.

Mom, you cry at everything. Absolutely everything. Your tear ducts are on overload and it is a beautiful thing. Some people see crying as a weakness, relate it to pain or sadness. I look at your tears and see you feeling life. Allowing life, people, love and conversation to move you to an emotional state, and it is so empowering. I used to be naively proud of ‘never crying’ because I am so ‘macho’ or ‘hardcore’. Lame. Now I look to feel, be and have more moments in life that rock my emotions. Thank you for being open and feeling the World around you; it inspires me to do the same.

My life evolution has been so interesting, as I am sure most can relate when their relationship with their parents begins to shift to a radical friendship. I recall watching you teaching when I was young as one of your many students during Lap Day standing for kids’ health, watching you at 6am when we used to work out together before school and we were quite the mother/daughter duo, and watching us now in conversation for possibilities at the kitchen island in our home. You are there for it all, you are my Mother, my teacher, my hero, my friend. The ability to shift and transform in relationship is one that takes patience, listening and kindness. Noted and you are appreciated to the infinite.

I am in love with your relationship with Dad. Quite the pair, I am grateful for the life I have, the family you both built and foundation you have paved for me. You both hold hands, kiss in public and smile at one another. I hope that Chris and I are as much in love as you and Dad are 28 years later.

And finally, Mom, I love you. As I sit here thinking of my final note to type out – I cannot put words together. Tears scurry down my face behind my horn-rimmed thick glasses, my heart beats a beat faster and I sit here in such gratitude and amazing peace for a mom, a family and a life that moves me to tears. I am you, crying over something I cannot explain. And that is beautiful. Thank you.

Thank you for giving me life and loving me, Mom. I am inspired every single day by you, your work for possibility and greatness, your stand for your family and your ability to shift and cry over the unexplained in this beautiful life that Mom built. You are my mother, my teacher, my hero, and my friend and I am forever grateful for you.

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

Your Inspired Daughter,
Jacki Carr

Mom + Dad = LOVE

Family

Happy Mother’s Day!

Project Inspiration: Alex Christensen

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 best friend, Alex Christensen has inspired me and been a part of my life evolution.  You probably have one of these:  the always-there-for-you-voice-of-reason-eat-everything-and-stay-thin-perfect-coutnerpart-super-organized-travelling-adventure-seeking-crazy-big-hearted best friend.  Let’s compare notes…

Dear Alex,

You are a once in a lifetime best friend. 

We met our first day in college, you had bangs and braces and I had an ego and mismatched outfits.  It took us a year or so to come around to best friends, and once we did we were inseparable.  Same classes, studies abroad in Australia, moved to California together, shared living space, and thus shared life space.  I am forever grateful for that college encounter on our dorm floor and the countless memories we have shared.

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

Your life is an ultimate adventure.  Spending a year in Australia to currently hopping around Europe – your ability to dive headfirst into life is inspiring.  I love reading your writing, sharing with my friends that you are my best friend wandering around the World and I am so proud of you for living the life you want.  I triple dare all of you to read Al’s radical adventures here, and I wish you luck to try not to pack your suitcase to meet her in the upcoming romps across Africa, Italy or Greece.   Al, you remind me daily to live the life I really want and remember that life’s too short not to make it happen.

You are the voice of reason, the organized part of my brain that is missing, and you tell the truth.  Thank you for standing for me in all these years, for staying on this friendship rollercoaster even when the drops and turns got gnarly, and for telling me how it is like it is.  True friendship is honesty and that is something I have learned from you. 

As my own travel agent and organized to the hour planner, you are the master.  I literally bow down to your ability to organize a group trip, plan the daily activities and crunch those dreaded numbers.  I am truly in awe and so lucky to have you on my life team.  My ideas are mere thought bubbles of fun until you sit down and book a flight, find an adventure and say “hey, let’s go”.  You inspire me to get into action.  Have an idea and plan it out, Jacki!

You are just fun.  If we are together, I have no doubt in my mind that it is going to be a damn good time.  Always.  Dance moves, funny voices, laugh till tears,  memories relived, movie quotes and more; you’re energy and radical spirit is something I always want to be around.

To be honest, you are always right … and in the right way.  You think things through while thinking of others.  The compassionate side of you is what always makes you right.  I honestly feel for the husband you wrangle – he will undoubtedly 87% of the time be wrong, lose that knowledge battle and apologize later.  Its your intuition, your core values and knowing yourself.  I am inspired to be right…like you, in the right way.

You are a teacher.  A life teacher.  You are never one to just give the answers away.  Whether you know it or not, who you are provides lessons to all those around you.  I am inspired by your ability to drop the ego and allow someone else to step forward, find the answer and succeed in a spotlight.  True grace. 

As I look back in my memory files, flip through my photo albums, and click through facebook of our 244 pics, I smile.  Filled with gratitude for a best friend like you.  Thank you for loving me unconditionally and sharing life space with me.  Alex, thank you for inspiring me everyday to live  an adventure-filled life, to know my values and keep me in check, and for leaving me to hop the World.  I have never learned more. 

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

FUN? done!

World Wander-er

Jump for life