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#JOMO

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One of my favorite things in life are catchy new words and I’m already predicting that JOMO will take the cake in 2014 for me. In fact, I even just added a new Urban Dictionary definition because I’m that stoked on it and I couldn’t believe it didn’t already have an accurate one on there. (Pending approval, fingers crossed!)

JOMO

I’ve got a new girl crush on Poorna Bell, the Lifestyle Editor of The Huffington Post, who just published So Long, FOMO-Here’s Why 2014 Will Be The Year of JOMO. This article could not have more accurately pinpointed my views on the damaging effects of FOMO and the merits of JOMO, so I’ll spare you the recap and suggest that you check it out for yourself to see if you agree. And because this blog post will make more sense and have better context if you do. (:

I’ve been battling FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) long before it was actually in our vocabulary, however the acronym is so dead-on in describing the scarcity culture that we’ve created for ourselves and it was such a catchy word that that I overdosed on FOMO. Yep, it’s true. It permeated my language and subconscious and brought about what I affectionately call “the end of 2013 mini-meltdown.” I wasn’t taking care of myself, creating space for the things I love to do and make me Shenna Jean. Instead I was “shoulding” all over everyone, mostly myself, depleting my energy, inspiration, and general zest for life because I was running myself ragged trying to take care of every little thing and please everyone but me. My screws were falling out and I wasn’t “dance party Shenna” as the Yin to my Yang can testify.

I realized that the choices I was making weren’t working out for me. If I wanted to get back to what makes me happy, gives me purpose, and lets my light shine, then I needed to make a shift and clear space in my life and in my head, pronto.

Making the lifestyle jump from FOMO to JOMO doesn’t come with an easy button and something I’ve been working on for a few weeks now. It’s hard. It requires a lot of trust that I’m on the right path and even more compassion for when I stray. Things like loving my quiet night in on NYE, sleeping like a baby for 12 hours on a Friday night in Cancun, and turning off my computer to turn on my piano keyboard are all big wins in my book and hold me tighter to the vision for my life I am creating.

Aaaaand I know that accountability and writing things down make them a billion time more likely to happen. (#Fact) So I’m helping to kick off the #JOMO movement and if you’re so inclined I’d love for you to join me! A one year goal of mine is “I spend at least 30 minutes of #JOMO time a day” so here is a list of things to do in my #JOMO time, that support me being me, doing things that create space, either physically or mentally.

Shenna Jean’s JOMO List:
-Random dance parties, anywhere
-Practice a song on the piano
-Read a book
-Practice handstands and forearm balances, or any pose for that matter
-Cook a healthy new recipe
-Write a blog post
-Work on my map of Vail Mountain puzzle
-Build yourself a fire
-Write a yoga sequence
-Update pictures in gallery frames
-Bake something for my neighbors
-Try a new wine
-Listen to a new music album
-Anything else that supports me being in the present moment, and not what I “should” be doing

See ya later FOMO, don’t let the door hit ya on the ass on your way out, this girl is now chugging’ the #JOMO juice!

-sj

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reflecting + creating

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Creating 2014

Creating 2014

It always blows my mind that the universe knows how to give you exactly what you need in each moment. It’s New Year’s Eve, I’m sick as a dog, and couldn’t be more pleased about it. The past few years I’ve gotten away from the NYE hype, and spent quiet nights in the cave of Loft 5H reflecting and dreaming of what’s to come. And I’ve loved it. Waking up with no hangover to start the year is super fucking rad, and I usually have a few drinks the  day of to celebrate anyway. Not to mention this new tradition has made for some of the most epic years of my life so far.

So hear I am living in an amazing new place where people from all over the world come to celebrate the end and new beginning. Obviously, the choices of what to do are pretty endless. Ride the Minturn Mile to the saloon for Apres, yoga flow with champagne toast, dinner party + cards of humanity NYE throw down, typical bar scene spending scary amounts of money doing wild things with people I’ll never see again, house parties where you get stuck walking home, waiting for a bus that never comes or sleeping in your car…the list goes on. And if you know me at all, you know how easily I can be persuaded to participate in as many of these shennanigans that I can possibly squeeze in.

And deep down, all week, I’ve known that all I wanted is a quiet night to myself. Cue the universe!

-Wake up with a scratch in my throat that I know is not good. Check.
-Go to breakfast with an amazing new friend who blessed me with a gems of excellence body integration and magic potion used to hyper speed me through whatever sickness is coming my way. Check
-Hyper speed magic potion kicks in and my scratchy throat has escalated to ball of sickness that I can’t seem to hawk up and I realize no amount of snowboarding on catwalks to have a few beers will heal it. Check.
-FedEx makes a NYE miracle happen and is able to deliver lost packages after hours that give us a fighting chance against the angry southerner tourists in town for tomorrow…but only if I can go meet them in the village in the smack dab middle of yoga. Check.
-I head to the bar to feed my hungry traveling mate, and order hot water with lemon and soup for dinner; lame. I’m officially sick. Check.
-Dropped off my mate (he’s British) to head to the party, endured some begging and pleading to please come, or at least wait 30 mins and drive us there, and immediately suffered a coughing fit which finally started my ball of sick on the way out and convinced everyone else that maybe it is best if I just go home. Check.

So here I am, post most amazing bath ever, sipping tea and magic potion, spending time on my blog sharing (a big goal for 2014) and reflecting + creating my 2013/2014. CHECK!!!!!!

I’ve had a lot of people ask about the questions I recently posted online, and if you’ve made it to the end of this post your reward is that you can now have them for yourself (: And I must give credit where credit is due: no, they are not my creation. They are some of the amazing content and support you get after creating your Lifebook, some of you may recall it as the game changing program I went through at the tender age of 24 and later brought me back to Chicago to work for them. I can’t say enough about this program, and hopefully these questions give you a small taste of the value they provide to help you create your ideal life. Click on the link below for the full worksheet and enjoy!

I hope you’re having as much fun this NYE as I am! Looking forward to a wild ride in 2014!

xox -sj

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Happy Gratitude Day!

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Best holiday ever? I think so. Epic amounts of food, all prepared with love. Friends, family and loved ones creating space to spend nothing but quality time with each other. Football, happy juice, naps and counting your blessings?? Um, yes please.

If I can point to one thing that has dramatically changed my life, I’m going with the attitude of gratitude. It’s flipped my world upside down and allowed me to see things from a new perspective, all while minimizing my feelings of scarcity and upping the ante on abundance.

Thanksgiving 2010 was the first time I can recall truly being grateful. It was an experience so incredible that I’ve dedicated my last waking moments of each day to recreating it. I call it goodnite gratitude and it’s pretty simple: as your laying down for bed, think of 3 things from your day you’re grateful for, go! It’s been a cozy way to end my day, reflecting on the amazing people, experiences and things that I’ve been blessed with.

This Turkey day, I triple dog dare you to make it about something more. Instead of wishing everyone you come across “Happy Thanksgiving!” or T-giving or Turkey day or whatever clever new thing I haven’t heard of yet, share something that you’re truly grateful for in your life. Or about them! While waiting for the turkey to be carved, play a game of categories naming things your grateful for round robin style. Possibilities? Endless.

Oprah dropped a gem in a meditation challenge recently: “If the only prayer you ever say is *thank you*, that will be enough.” #truth

Things I’m geeked and grateful for: sunshine & snow, friends, family & loved ones, roomies, neighbors & lovas, my work fam, the Vail Valley community, food, fellowship, getting turns brah, football, naps & happy juice, wood burning fireplaces, loose leaf tea, books lots of books, endless adventures, coconut, pepper, chapstick & williams sonoma winter forest lotion, water, yoga, my keyboard, lululemon, salted caramel anything, #smallchangeBIGshift, saunas, wunder unders, Sorels, wool socks, cuties, handstands, music, snowboarding, sparkling water and life with a view.

I’m super grateful you read this, thank you!! xox -sj

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Blowing the dust off

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Forgive me folks, it’s been awhile! Next time I decide to take on a year long pause to Take Myself On, I promise to give you a heads up (: Although my loyal readers (looking at you TWT) know that I’m a come and go type of blogger; always have been and now I’m coming to accept that I might always will be.

The past year has been beyond wild. I can’t say that I wasn’t inspired to write, because I was. But I was more scared shitless to write because what I put out there has a tendency to come whipping back in my face. I was also scared to outshine people. Who? I don’t know, exactly. Anyone who would take offense to me living out my dreams I suppose. Well I’m over that now, and living too good of a life to not share, inspire and co-create with you. They gon judge me anyways, so, whatever. -kid cudi

I’ve learned a lot of life hacks over the past year or two and super stoked to give them away in upcoming posts, knowing the power they’ve had for me. More to come on that.

In the meantime here’s a quick catch up: Remember the My Future’s So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades post? Well it paints a great picture of what I’m up to these days (yep, goal setting works!!!). Living in the mountain tops of Vail, CO, going to band practice with my keyboard on Thursday, visited Vancouver twice since then + crushed my first half marathon, showroom manager for lululemon athletica…let’s skip to what I haven’t gotten done. Improv for Actors at Second City: looking good goal, no longer applies, scratch it off the list. Visit Palm Springs: I’m sorry Mom!! February work for you?! Blog 1x week: eek, holding myself accountable to getting back in action!

In the name of just getting back at it, I’m publishing this immediately, not letting it sit in my drafts box for another 7 months (no joke.) and proving to myself that it feels better to just rip off the band-aid and put it out there then feel the need to perfectly polish every last sentence and justify my absence for all 34 of my followers. Much love to each and everyone of you, more to come, pinky swear! xox

-sj

You know you wanna!

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Flashmob alert!! That’s right, it’s time for anotha one! It’s your chance to cross “star in a flashmob” off your bucket list. This time it’s going down on Saturday June 30, 2pm at the Bean in Chicago’s Millennium Park. Check out the moves in the video below (easiest choreo yet, to enable maximum participation!) and get your butt over there. You’ll be glad you came (; *brought to you by lululemon 900 N. Michigan Ave and their incredible dance ambassador Karim Tonsy*

Just do it.

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Last week was hands down the busiest week of 2012 for me: 40+ hours of work jumping back and forth between two stores, Being Extraordinary dinner and class, a baseball game, hosted book club, chaperoned a Fun Run around downtown Chicago, yoga, crossfit, shopping and dinners to host a good friend in town for the week, a 30th birthday partaay, brunch Sunday Funday, and topped it off hosting a happy hour for my lulu loves and more. Woof.

Needless to say, I’m exhausted. I’m worn out. I need a weekend to recover from my weekend, but it’s already Monday night and we’re full steam ahead into the next week jam packed week.

A friend sent me a pep talk from Danielle LaPorte (one of my most favorite bloggers ever) that I’d like to share with you, as it’s kept me motivated, kept me in my zone and kept me up to something. I hope it does the same for you (:

the grand pep talk: decide to rise (refer to this when in doubt, or sick & tired)

I’m all for mental health days. And gentleness. And I think the world should take the month of December off. And for the love of God, a 4 day work week would revolutionize the collective human spirit and thusly, healthcare. But this pep talk isn’t about taking it easy, this is about another form of self care: doing whatever it takes.

Just got dumped? Lace up your runners and move your body.
 Under the weather? Go in to work any way, wearing your favorite sweater. 
Up to your earrings in deadlines? Go cheer on your friend. Show up at the bake sale. Call your mother.
 Crying before show time? Put some tea bags on your eyes. Say a prayer. Enter stage left.


Push. Turn up the volume. Go hard. Go harder. 
Re-prioritize your aches and pains. 
Infuse your sensitivities with courage. 
Tell fear to fuck right the fuck off. 
Devote to Done.

There are soul-justified reasons to cancel. There are times to just stop. This isn’t one of them. Keep going. Show up. Full on. Full tilt. Full out. Decide to be one of those people who pull it off.

Do what you say you’re going to do. 
Don’t let us down. Decide to rise. Why decide to rise? Not for the reasons you might think. In fact, these are the reasons that will make you sick and tired.

Do not rise out of obligation. Do not rise because of feared consequences. Do not rise because you think being tough makes you smarter (it doesn’t).

Decide to rise because you want to expand — your being, your life, your possibilities. Decide to rise because super powers are meant to be activated and applied in everyday life. Decide to rise to explore your place in the universe.

On the other side of deciding to rise is illumination, ecstasy, insight. And the angel of your strength is there waiting, smiling, applauding, with a goblet of endorphins for you. Drink up.

When you transcend circumstances you get special privileges. You get evidence that you are indeed amazing, and irrefutable proof that what your heart and mind choose is what matters. And you get the deep knowing that life wants you to win.

Decide to rise. Lean in. Listen up. Closely.
It’s your soul speaking and she says, 
Get UP! I need you. I want you. I am you. Choose me.

Flashmobs Rock

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It just dawned on me that I never shared the final product of our flashmob on Michigan Ave! Without further ado, I present Chicago’s Sexiest Flashmob brought to you by lululemon athletica rush & 900 and friends! Yeaaaaa I workout. (That chocolate m&m has nothing on us.)

Bumpin’ Tunes

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In no particular order, here are 5 albums that rocked my world in 2011.

1. Common “The Dreamer, the Believer.” Ok, I lied. In particular order, this is no. 1, a must listen. While always known as a thought provoking lyricist and poet, Common takes it to a whole new level this go around. I mean, who else has Maya Angelou on their opening track? She also backs his new book, “One Day It’ll All Make Sense” which I’m obvi pretty pumped for. (Review of that bad boy forthcoming) Theme of this album: Dare to dream and watch what happens. *Sold. Not to mention, the album art is the perfect visual depiction of how b’d my m feels while listening.

2. The Black Keys “El Camino” Whoasauce, these brothers are so badass. Have been for a while and they definitely do not disappoint with their latest album. By far my fave rock album of the year. I’m still really interested in putting together a flashmob with this guy’s moves. Lmk if you’re down…

3. Foster the People “Torches” If you’re looking for a straight up jammin’ album, look no further my friends. Every song that made the cut is a toe tapper with great lyrics. It’s the kind of album that makes you want to dance around in front of your mirror rockin’ out. (yea, you know I did!) Super sad I was late to the party on the show in Chicago (ON MY BIRTHDAY NONETHELESS)…which means I also missed out on the Do-Good Bus. SUPER sad face ): Fingers crossed they bring it back on their upcoming tour.

4. The Roots “Undun”  The ol’ roots crew has dropped another winner. Usually every other album is a “eh”, but I’m a fan of this character themed record backing up “How I Got Over” (which was pretty awesome). I’m also a sucker for piano based instrumentals of all kinds, so my seal of loving approval has been stamped on “Undun” Also, loving this graphically depicted breakdown of the record from The Fader.

5. Adele “21” I’d have to discount my own music taste if I didn’t include this one. Homegirl is legit, and I swear this has nothing to do with my obsession of English accents. It may have something to do with my affection for pianos.  A youthful old soul with a magical voicebox that reaches deep inside and stirs up some emotions you didn’t even know existed. I think they call that soul shaking and that pretty much sums her up.

6. Gramatik “Streetbangerz Vol. 1 & 2” I lied again, 6 albums that rocked my world. I already did a post on this one, check it out here. And don’t be fooled by the thug life title, I know senior citizens who love this guy.

2012 can’t wait to see whatcha got!