alone and restless towards the things i can not fix

i’m completely helpless when it comes to cleaning mess

i can not change this world around me

or pressing weight that is my stress

so i’ll just speak my mind

and when i can, fight injustice

why do we worry to stand out from the rest

life’s not about what you share or the likes that follow it

we want to hear your heart and see

what makes your passions bleed

people need your kindness, to feel heard, and to be seen

maybe our pain is what truly makes us sing

because in that broken chaos we find we can not win

its freeing really and here i’ve found brand new joy every day

knowing that i have strength found dependent on my faith

i hope they will see that too

and realize something’s lost

then make the change

cry out for help &

accept the freedom granted us

daily trends we could learn from the French 

Slow down 

take a deep breath for a second. 

are you able to do that without thinking of your to do list and feeling guilty for stopping your task? you should. allow time for work, rest and play. allow time for breaks. the way you spend today is the way you live your life. do you want to look back and realize all you did was work? 

instead, eat your lunch without touching your phone or doing a task - just sit there and enjoy your food. then, work hard but after take a full step away. don’t feel bad about it. you’re able to work more diligently and be more present each day when you are actually making thoughtful choices, instead of mindless ones. 

anti-materialism 

in the states people tend to work so they can buy more. here, they work to live, to eat and to enjoy slowing down. not to work more then shop more. you feel truly independent when your things aren’t ruling over you. 

living privately

you are allowed to enjoy the quiet of your home and not feel the need to share your whole life on social media & to every person who asks. you can enjoy the little things without posting about them every 10 minutes. 

walking

it is freeing, life giving, and really slows you down. notice things as you walk. another store closed, a tree started sprouting buds. put your phone down, and you won’t trip. 

biking 

a bit faster than walking but still allows you to recognize the places that pass. also you really feel like you’re in a movie and that’s fun. feel the breeze on your face as you get a little exercise. 

take the stairs

you have to, there’s no elevator. but it also adds to the daily opportunities to stay fit. 

bread & cheese 

daily necessities. don’t feel bad for eating them when you unknowingly work out this much. find joy in eating not guilt. food here is so pure. 

take a break for priorities 

they take quite a few smoking breaks, but what if we took a break for things that were priorities to us? like take a step back from work when your wife or kid calls on the phone or coffee or a walk. 

be real. be authentic. don’t be fake

the last thing french people are is fake. they will tell you exactly how it is. and that’s hard to hear sometimes, but i think Americans tend to be really fake. i’ve been guilty of that. so being authentic doesn’t mean you need to be rude, or completely blunt, but be honest in love, and when asked share how you truly feel. 

speak as who you are, not who you wish you were. 

make time for a cup of coffee 

not in a to go cup, to stay. sit still. for 10 minutes and don’t touch your phone. watch people. look around. listen. 

I love to visit the Downtown Riverside Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings with my friends to get some fresh fruit, my favorite French yogurt and flowers. Last week I had the idea to do a portrait series of the individuals running each booth! I met some super neat people in the process!

Lillie - the Seeds of Xanxadu

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New friends:

Lillie - the Seeds of Xanxadu

Moses- La Bahn Ranch, Eggs

Mark- Adriana FLowers

Salvador- Fruit

Chad- Bonjour! French Yogurt

Alfred- The Tamale Guy

Ahmed- Mom’s Specialty Foods, “the hummus guy”

Anthony and Brooklyn- Old Town Baking Co, bread

Tom- Plants

Mike- Drake Family Farms, Goat Cheese

I had the idea to design stickers based off the songs by Sleeping at Last, written about each of the 9 Enneagram types! You can find his songs and podcasts here: https://fanlink.to/sleepingatlastpodcast http://www.sleepingatlast.com/home-1

Each of Sleeping At Last’s songs are written intentionally, with details hidden beneath each lyric and meaning behind the musicality.  I wanted to create my stickers with the same intentionality and care towards each design choice.   

Here’s my Enneagram type 1 sticker and the reasons behind it:

• -  one’s are known to be perfectionists so I used a perfect shape

• black and white in design, to represent how they are figuratively black and white people in the way that they see the world in everything having a right and wrong answer

• The type is centered because it’s the way that people presume to be right in design

• The check box is to point to how they love to be productive and efficient

I had the idea to design stickers based off the songs by Sleeping at Last, written about each of the 9 Enneagram types! You can find his songs and podcasts here: https://fanlink.to/sleepingatlastpodcast http://www.sleepingatlast.com/home-1

Each of Sleeping At Last’s songs are written intentionally, with details hidden beneath each lyric and meaning behind the musicality.  I wanted to create my stickers with the same intentionality and care towards each design choice.   

Here’s my Enneagram type 2 sticker and the reasons behind it:

• - The sticker is oval because it’s face shaped, and the colors resemble skin tones because the 2s are people centered and focused 

• -  instead of drawing onto the graphic, I erased from the original shape symbolizing how they give from themselves and pour out constantly on others 

• -  the word love is written in, red, on top of the design, however, to represent how 2’s need to allow others to pour into and love on them 

• -  the letters are small and thin in the shape to symbolize how twos make themselves smaller to make others larger and more of the focus

• -  I got to finish this design in the room where I first hear the song, about the enneagram and tangibly about God’s love for me, I’m a two and so the meaning of this sticker is close to me.