Upon recently losing a loved one very near and dear to your heart, you can’t help but reflect on your own life. This has recently come to mind due to the unexpected passing of a family member of mine whom I loved and admired very much. In light of this event, I thought it would be nice to write about the importance of the things that matter. Call me a hippie, but for me, it’s all about LOVE.
If I were to tell you that life is very simple, would you believe it? In my opinion, life IS very simple. Life is simple when you love purely, authentically and completely. Life is simple when you surround yourself by those that make you happy and don’t put you down. Life is simple when you accept yourself for exactly who you are and live on fearlessly. Life is simple when you don’t sweat the small stuff. Life is simple when you live with purpose. Continue reading “The Things That Matter”
Holy $!&% At any time now, my life could be forever changed. I can become a mother in the blink of an eye. One day I’m just doin’ my thing and the next, I have a son. This is mind-blowing to me and unreal.
I can’t complain. I’ve had a really good pregnancy. It’s been a wonderful journey and now I’m 38 weeks and nearing the end if it all. I have to admit that while I am looking forward to the rest of our lives with our future son, it hasn’t really hit me yet and it won’t until that baby is in my arms and life suddenly takes on a new meaning.
It hasn’t been the easiest several months though. Life has a way of coming at you like a freight train at times and you just have to go with the flow and deal with it.
Since I haven’t checked-in in a while, I’ll give you a brief summary of each trimester (from what I can remember)…
First Trimester
Finding out I was pregnant was funny and exciting. We didn’t believe the pregnancy test at first because we needed more than blurred pink line. So when FF went out to get another pregnancy test he decided it was a good idea to buy 4 more just to be 100% sure. lol! Hunger and sleep took over my life during my first trimester. I wanted food at all times (at least 5 big meals a day) and I was falling asleep at 7pm and then waking up at 4am with insomnia on some days. I didn’t get tired during the day, but by the time I got home I was out like a lamp. My nose would bleed every now and then and I was thirsty all the time. Morning workouts were fewer and much shorter. Forget about nighttime workouts. I was too busy eating and falling asleep on our apartment couch. My bump was not evident at any moment during my first trimester. We also didn’t announce our pregnancy until the end of the first trimester and of course, everyone was excited.
About 2.5 months pregnantOur Baby Announcement during Thanksgiving weekend
Well hello there! It’s been a very long while!! Lots to talk about and wonderful things to share.
This blog became a huge part of my life for about a year and a half and after starting a new job in June of 2014 I purposely stopped blogging. Why? My priorities shifted and blogging was not in the forefront. That leads me to this post’s topic…
Priorities and goals can change. Have you noticed that sometimes we insist on focusing our time and energy on following through with certain goals that no longer make us feel excited and happy? Instead they feel like an obligation. This can happen with small situations like making green smoothies on a daily basis, to more significant life-altering events such as a career change. The instant you feel that pressure weighing you down, then that’s the moment when you have to decide if continuing to pursue that goal is worth your time and energy. While your answers may vary, it is only you who can make that decision.
About a year ago, I attended the Women’s Success Summit in Miami with the intention to create connections, learn about the event’s production and find some inspiration. There, I met a wonderful young woman who was telling me all about her vintage furniture rental company. I was initially captivated. We had lunch together, sat next to each other and later met her business co-owner and husband at the cocktail party. We had a few laughs, exchanged business cards and that was that. Fast forward to today, that same woman will become my new boss. Whoa networking!
It works people! You just have to go out there and do it. If you’re the type that fears it, I’ll tell you my secret… Be yourself. That’s pretty much it. You are your own business card. Job opportunities, leads and connections are primarily driven by your personality and then by your knowledge. You may be a genius at what you do, but if you don’t tell people about it, you’re not going anywhere. Or you might tell people about it, but you sound like you are bored to death. No one wants to work with a bore! I’ll tell you a little more…
Have you heard of vision boards before? If you haven’t, a vision board is an actual board meant to help you organize your goals in the form of images. You can use these boards in reference to anything: your life, a business, a specific event or project…the list goes on. You can make one at home or on your computer, with just about anything that you can imagine. If you Google “Vision boards” you will have thousands of examples at your disposal!
What do you want? Joy? Love? Abundance? A restaurant? A pet ladybug? Your board can have whatever you want on it! By putting this board together, you are turning your thoughts, intentions, and desires into concrete images. And in turn, by seeing these images on a daily basis, you can then have a clearer focus towards attaining those results.
I am a very visual person; therefore, making a “life” vision board for myself made complete sense. So I finally sat my bubble-butt down and made it happen! I’m very happy with how it turned out! Here it is (in no particular order). I have also provided explanations below. (I numbered the images from left to right). Maybe this can help you get your vision board started! Continue reading “My Vision Board”
The response to my blog post about Becoming a Baseball Wife was astounding! It really is incredible how showing vulnerability and imperfection openly manages to reach deep into the soul of others. This is especially true in an age where every #selfie and Facebook profile picture has been carefully tweaked to show your “best self” (I’m no exception). It’s impossible not to think that everyone else has got it together and you are the only one that’s dragging behind (again, I’m no exception). This is why I want to share the following story with you.
My birthday was this past Sunday March 30th. The Monday before my birthday, my husband comes home with a gift bag and a Happy Birthday song. He then says, “I don’t know if I’ll be here for your birthday, so just in case, I want to celebrate with you today!” While some would feel devastated to hear this, I, on the other hand, melted in his arms. That’s incredibly thoughtful of him and I was not expecting it at all. He went on to explain that he suspected his upcoming work trip would be extended and he didn’t know when he would return home. I gladly agreed to our Monday pre-birthday celebration without hesitation and with the same giddiness as if it were the actual day. We ordered pizza, watched Disney’s Frozen, drank wine, talked and of course I sang “Let it go” and “First time in Forever” a million times while pirouetting through our living room. Typical.
Are you possibly going though a point in your life where you need a new start? Maybe it’s a change in lifestyle, perhaps you want to switch careers, or you simply want to move out of your current city in search for inspiration or new opportunities. These are all big changes that, if you’re willing to work for, might be absolutely rewarding.
It was exactly a year ago that I put in my two weeks notice at my corporate job in search for a more purposeful career and life. I can tell you that my transformation has been phenomenal. I’ve been able to meet more people, make better connections, laugh more and enjoy my time doing the things that I love the most. Has it been easy? Absolutely not. I’ve cried and panicked at times, but thankfully I’m able to remember exactly why I’m doing this.
It’s time to check in on my quest for life’s purpose. Maybe you can relate? The last time I checked in was on August 13th 2013, and you can read that post HERE. Some things have changed: ones have gone better, while others not so much. It’s to be expected. I still have my “freak my freak” moments here and there about work, life and money…but it comes with the territory. Every one of my friends (and my mom) has said, “Better make those big changes before you have any kids, because once they’re in the picture, those decisions become much harder.” Noted. Check.
Here’s a list of the good and the bad since I last checked in. No sugar coating!
I’ve only been called for 3 auditions after I booked that commercial. I was actually flown to NYC for one of those auditions, but in the end I didn’t get it. No need to feel sorry for me. I learned from the experience and moved on.
I’m still writing on this blog, which I’ve discovered I love to do so much. Now I’m looking into monetizing the blog, while finding more opportunities for growth and development within the content, the design and my skill set. I also surpassed the 50 blog post mark! This is post #73!
We shot the second season of Miss Ideas for Yahoo! En Español, but haven’t been renewed for another season. Aww!! I really, really enjoy doing this, and if they don’t renew us at all, I will make my own DIY videos for you.
My new music video was recorded and now I’m just waiting for the final copy! Yay!
I started my business as an interior decorator: Interiors by Zania.
Part of my Services include E-Decorating! Go check out my Services Page above for packages and pricing! Affordable, professional design via the Internet! Can’t beat that!
I still need more clients to make a steady living doing what I love!! I’m working on that strategy as we speak.
One of my first projects was creating and developing the set design of Tr3s Top 20. See the Before & After HERE.
I helped a friend plan a Christmas Bazaar (which I had never done before), and it ended up being fun (plus I made some extra cash!).
Attended 3 women’s events where I networked a lot!! They were: “Yo Soy Poderosa”, “Hispana Leadership Summit” and “Women’s Success Summit“. So many fellow female entrepreneurs supporting each other! Love it!
Since it’s the Holiday season, I’ve had the best ever “Coquito” selling season yet. I finally figured out the exact recipe. Watch this fun and short video on my coquito process (sans some ingredients, because I don’t want to give the secret away!) Just in case you didn’t know, “Coquito” is a traditional holiday drink from Puerto Rico.
I have to admit that I’ve had fleeting thoughts about giving up and going back to work in corporate America…but then I laugh at myself and say “that’s not even an option”! So far, my spirits are higher and my energy is brighter. I wake up so energized! (Can you say “annoying morning person”?) That part of me was non-existent before. I was a little robot with a strict schedule. Now I’m an alert human with a conscious routine that I love. I wake up earlier, work out more often, work with passion, eat healthier and rest better. Mega lifestyle change. Totally worth it.
I leave you with this quote from one of my favorite authors, Elizabeth Gilbert:
Credit: Elizabeth Gilbert Facebook Page
Have you checked in with yourself lately? How are you doing? What’s your path in life? Tell me. I’m here to listen and support. Hope you have a lovely day! Don’t forget to follow me on instagram for lots of fun pics!
Every once in a while it’s good to check in with yourself to see if your goals are in alignment with your efforts at work and in your life. Nineteen weeks ago I left my corporate job to embark on a much needed journey in search for significance in my career and these weeks have been a whirlwind of emotions and challenges (not surprisingly) that have helped me shape the life I want. I knew the transition to freelance & self-employment was going to be difficult but I can’t even begin to tell you how much I’ve loved this period in my life. That leap of faith hasn’t failed on me yet.
So far, I’ve been able to do everything I set myself to do including some ups and downs. Below I highlight my personal milestones:
Getting a talent agency that will actually call me for auditions and boy have they hooked me up! Check!
Got booked for my first TV commercial last week. Check!
Set out to write a blog and I’ve loved it! Now I’m writing from the heart, learning more about blogging and growing an audience. Check & Working on it! (Thx to you)
Participated in another blogger’s blog. You can view my entry about turning 30 HERE. I was crying while writing that entry. So happy I could share it with you.
Miss Ideas is going strong on Yahoo! En Español in Latin America and the US Hispanic market. GOOD NEWS: Miss Ideas got renewed for 7 more episodes! YAY! Check!
Spending more time with my husband. Check!
Working on posting more about my music projects and songs. Pending!
Styling the stage for my very own music video! Details soon!
I completed my Interior Decorator certification. Check!
Started the planning stage of a very awesome project in Puerto Rico for women. Details soon! So excited!
New pics for myself to go with my new marketing strategy (like the one seen on this site) By the talented Gaby Sanchez. Check!
And so much more!
Writing these down makes me feel so happy and accomplished. Work never felt so good! Needless to say, I do get what I call ‘freak my freak’ moments here and there just like the picture on this post (I found this on a friend’s wall in her office and I thought it was fitting for my situation). I think it’s very important to tell you that my life is not glamourous. It might look like it, but my hubby and I have had to cut back on a lot of spending to adjust to our change in financial situation. (Shout out to my hubs for his unconditional support. Love ya’) There’s a difference between ‘needs’ and ‘wants’ and we are seriously practicing this nowadays. However, life could not be simpler and more rewarding. Finally, I feel like I’m working with a purpose. Gotta love that.
Have you checked in with yourself lately? Tell me about it! I’d love to hear how you are doing and what makes you thrive! Leave a reply to this post and let’s get the conversation going!
Remember to sign up to receive my posts via email by clicking on the “Follow Zania.net” button on the top right of the page. Also, vote for your favorite Miss Ideas episode right HERE.
Hello beautiful readers!
For some time now, I’ve been very intrigued by the Huffington Post’s Third Metric initiative to transform the definition of Success. Not so many years ago, success was defined as Money + Power = Success! After a recession that made us reflect our true needs for survival and truth, the definition of success has taken a turn and is not completely seen as the result of Money + Power anymore. We are slowly but steadily shifting the meaning of success. Would you agree? Take a look at the infographic below for example:
Credit: HuffingtonPost.com Third Metric Infographic
Isn’t it interesting? I bet you hear lots of people say that achieving happiness is their ultimate definition of success. However, don’t you think that attempting to reach happiness is somewhat unattainable if you can’t be happy NOW?! If you want happiness in life, then you have to live happy everyday. Look around you and notice the things that give you joy. That’s where you find happiness! I look around and see success in my loving husband, my cute apartment, my morning green tea, the nice breeze and the fact that I am alive. I believe I’m already successful but I must keep working at being successful, at being happy, to remain happy. Just remember, we can only use the present moment to change or improve our future. Now a question for you: How do YOU define success?
Attached are a few links that I found interesting:
