what inspires me...

these are just a few things that i find inspires me daily - sometimes without noticing it, i'll catch my breath when i'm looking out into the ocean, or having an insightful talk with my loved ones and catch something that inspires me or makes me want to be a better person. sometimes i can pinpoint each moment, and other times just the fading memory takes me by surprise, though with each passing moment i know it's keeping me motivated, creative, inquisitive and grateful.

vintage jewelry, and a style to call my own

{it's taken me a long, long time to finally find a personal style, but i think i've finally found something thats representative of me and not just a commercially reproduced image of the world we live in!}

a great book, blog post or article

{surprising enough, i often have trouble reading my own work, but get the giddy excitement of a young school girl when i know someone else has read my stuff; the blogging world, thanks to many experts and newbies like me, have opened up my eyes to some amazing new things}

giving my time for free, to those who need it and deserve it

{i'm working toward the San Diego 3 Day in November - i'm terrified of walking those 60 miles but i know it's going to help so many people, and it's something i can afford to do, and have the time and capability to do}

my family, which includes both my blood relatives and my friends

{these are the people that have made me who i am - i couldn't be where i am without them today. cliche as that sounds, without the encouragement of my love i wouldn't be writing this blog post, without the push from friends i would never have traveled abroad and seen amazing things, and without my family i would've have been able to love others with such strength}

the sun, sand and waves; a pad of paper and a pen

lots and lots of color, in any form possible

& love

{love via}

thank you to Victoria of sfgirlbybay for organizing this lovely blog it forward event - it was my first adventure in the blogging world! - and check out the lovely author from yesterday, Surfs Up Buttercup . I'm the last in the group :( but since I only have ten fans i'm pretty excited that i was part of an event that included 300 bloggers out there!