A Letter to My Younger Self

Dear past me…you can do this, love me. I have been writing in journals since I was 10. Writing always made me feel calmer, was a way to release my feelings and once it was down on paper I could let it go and close the book. There was something special about picking the perfect journal pen, finding the journal that spoke to me and completing the pages. And now I’d like to write a letter to my younger self.

Have you ever thought about what you would say or how tight you would hug yourself or try to show pictures of how your life would turn out? And then I remember, I might not have listened…even to me.

In my twenties, I wanted to figure it out by listening to my own heart and picking the right road. Bella, did you ever just jump in? I was cautious, caring and tried to lean on others for their experiences. Probably because I lost my mother at a young age. Which made me grow up really quickly AND have to find a different circle to bounce ideas off of. Because your Mother, no matter the relationship, is your person that guides you.

I was always looking to fill that huge hole left. Sometimes I got it right and other times wrong.

Which is why the advice I would give to my younger self is... Trust Yourself. Trust that the ups and the downs are a part of learning & growing. That not everyone you meet will become family and stay in your life, BUT you can learn from them and give back.

If you decide to leap off the cliff (I did by moving to San Francisco without knowing anyone at all) it will eventually be OK. Not without blood, sweat and tears, but without that it can’t pay off in a glorious way that you never saw coming. And that’s the point…you can never see the end of the tunnel because you aren’t in control of it.

Follow your heart as one day a little one will be following your every move.

Positive thinking, love and hard work is the only way to move through that tunnel. So, younger self take a deep breath, it will all be OK and different then the worries that are keeping up at night. Listen to your inner voice, surround yourself with amazing people and smile Bella. And one more thing... Ahi Poke is amazing, addictive and can be found in so many countries!

Retro Writing and Blogging 101

I love finding ideas in my every day to blog about. I am also in love with photography. And, once I discovered the term retro blogging, I was hooked. Retro blogging is exactly how I feel. I can tell a story through my words or guide readers through pictures. But what do I do if I hit writer's block or blog burnout? Let's enter my Retro Writing and blogging 101 class...

What works best for me? First, I like to use a blank word document and write any ideas that come to mind. I try to remove all judgment and criticism. If I like an idea then I start to create or search for pictures.

Next to prove my thoughts, I might jot down a couple of lines and then walk away from the computer and let the ideas sink in and form.

And sure sometimes, I really should be wearing this T-shirt while listening to friends and family tell stories. Once in a while I hear myself saying out loud, "Now that would make a great post."

Between you and me, I miss the color and feel of pens for when I used to write my short stories. Now it’s the clicking of the keyboard that tells me I'm home, feeling creative and ready to blog.

Coffee shops are amazing for my creativity, especially if I have some music to rock out to. The coffee shop is not my work or home and the smell of coffee let's me know it’s time to create.

I get asked by friends, family and followers how do I come up with so many topics. My response is, "How can't I?" I have so many thoughts, ideas and experiences bubbling inside. To write it all out is a gift.

I love this blog advice, to become a success you need to live, eat and breath your blog...and I do. It has become a joy to work on and other times I just stare blankly at the screen. So the next time I start to feel writer's block, I will remember to go the coffee shop and think retro blogging 101. What tips do you use when you feel writer’s block?