While working as a first year high school English teacher in the Lone Star State, I truly came to value the importance of instilling an extensive vocabulary in my Junior and Freshman students' word bank. Each week, as a whole, we would focus on select new words. Overtime, it was so incredibly refreshing to watch students use their own skills and talents to teach each other ways to better understand and utilize the new words each week. My heart would swell when they would incorporate a new word in their journal entries or use one to help express themselves better. It was truly a gift to watch them navigate words and language and grow each day.
One weekend, while doing research for upcoming vocabulary strategies, I somehow stumbled upon the word Meraki. It was almost instantaneous that I felt a connection with the word. I felt as though it epitomized everything I strived to pour into every day, each role, and each aspect of my life.
Looking back, I truly believe that the resignation of this word formed from the circumstances and events that were all simultaneously occurring in my life at the time. While teaching was a huge part of my life, my heart was also pouring into other areas as well. I had recently become a wife to an incredibly supportive and loving husband, was working towards my MBA, was a daughter, and sister to two amazing younger sisters. My cup was filled to the brim with blessings and roles I was called to at that time in my life.
The word Meraki, summed up in words the way I wanted and strive to approach each day. It verbalized my understanding that despite feeling stretched and limited at times, I had the ability to choose how and what I would put forth and dedicate towards everything I did. I had the ability to decide how I viewed by circumstances and wanted to seek something good as I approached each day. This in turn, lead me to try to seek ways to further pour love, soul, and creativity into areas I could.
When we invite ourselves to pour our talents and selves wholeheartedly into something and do so with soul, creativity, and love, something magic happens. Your light has the ability to shine through and manifest itself in all you do. To me this is beautiful. It goes beyond pertaining to your job or career and can apply to anything from cooking yourself or your loved ones a healthy and nutritious meal to looking at a duty or role with a new perspective.
Furthermore, it enables you to leave behind your gifts, talents, and a piece of yourself so that the beneficiaries of your gifts and all who encounter what you do will be inspired and forever feel your presence.
Despite recently moving from the Lone Star state to Pittsburgh, my hope is that I left a little piece of hope behind for the students I worked with back in Texas. I hope that they could see their potential, their worth though my eyes and that they felt inspired going forth.
Approaching a new city, a new career, and a new adventure ahead, I have strived to focus on continuing to strive to pour love, creativity, and joy into what I am doing. No matter what obstacles are in your way or what path you are currently on, I hope that you can see the beauty from finding areas to apply Meraki. Even if it just comes from taking some time to do one single thing that you are passionate about or even if you simply replace one meal a week with nutritious ingredients that will fuel your body (because you deserve it!).
I love the idea of sharing inspiration with others and hope that you can see and find joy, creativity, and love here at glowwithmeraki.com. Sprinkled through this site you will find recipes that are simple, fresh, and good for you as well as other ideas that I hope will inspire you.
May all of your agendas today, this week, and this year ahead glow with Meraki so that your talents, gifts, soul, love and creativity can shine!
One weekend, while doing research for upcoming vocabulary strategies, I somehow stumbled upon the word Meraki. It was almost instantaneous that I felt a connection with the word. I felt as though it epitomized everything I strived to pour into every day, each role, and each aspect of my life.
Looking back, I truly believe that the resignation of this word formed from the circumstances and events that were all simultaneously occurring in my life at the time. While teaching was a huge part of my life, my heart was also pouring into other areas as well. I had recently become a wife to an incredibly supportive and loving husband, was working towards my MBA, was a daughter, and sister to two amazing younger sisters. My cup was filled to the brim with blessings and roles I was called to at that time in my life.
The word Meraki, summed up in words the way I wanted and strive to approach each day. It verbalized my understanding that despite feeling stretched and limited at times, I had the ability to choose how and what I would put forth and dedicate towards everything I did. I had the ability to decide how I viewed by circumstances and wanted to seek something good as I approached each day. This in turn, lead me to try to seek ways to further pour love, soul, and creativity into areas I could.
When we invite ourselves to pour our talents and selves wholeheartedly into something and do so with soul, creativity, and love, something magic happens. Your light has the ability to shine through and manifest itself in all you do. To me this is beautiful. It goes beyond pertaining to your job or career and can apply to anything from cooking yourself or your loved ones a healthy and nutritious meal to looking at a duty or role with a new perspective.
Furthermore, it enables you to leave behind your gifts, talents, and a piece of yourself so that the beneficiaries of your gifts and all who encounter what you do will be inspired and forever feel your presence.
Despite recently moving from the Lone Star state to Pittsburgh, my hope is that I left a little piece of hope behind for the students I worked with back in Texas. I hope that they could see their potential, their worth though my eyes and that they felt inspired going forth.
Approaching a new city, a new career, and a new adventure ahead, I have strived to focus on continuing to strive to pour love, creativity, and joy into what I am doing. No matter what obstacles are in your way or what path you are currently on, I hope that you can see the beauty from finding areas to apply Meraki. Even if it just comes from taking some time to do one single thing that you are passionate about or even if you simply replace one meal a week with nutritious ingredients that will fuel your body (because you deserve it!).
I love the idea of sharing inspiration with others and hope that you can see and find joy, creativity, and love here at glowwithmeraki.com. Sprinkled through this site you will find recipes that are simple, fresh, and good for you as well as other ideas that I hope will inspire you.
May all of your agendas today, this week, and this year ahead glow with Meraki so that your talents, gifts, soul, love and creativity can shine!
SoulWhen we grown older, those enchanting outdoor moments we cherished as children often dissolve into adult responsibilities. However, our enthusiasm of being outdoors does not have to lose its luster. Read one of glowwithmeraki.com's latest posts about feeling refreshed in the joy from nature.
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LoveSometimes, following a prompting in our hearts can be difficult to do. Read more about our decision to pack up our belongings and pets, leave the comforts of the life we had in Texas, and our journey of following our hearts to take up our abode in Pennsylvania.
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CreativityWhen I stepped out of the taxi cab onto the street in Monterey Bay, California, I couldn't help but realize that the components of this place truly were a miracle. I welcome you to try a version of the recipe that brought me there.
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