I love to make decisions. Sometimes decision making is scary with all the questions they include: what will actually happen, what will I think of myself and, in some cases, what others will think. With that in mind, I love to make decisions I feel good about (and that sometimes means dealing with others' negative opinions of me).
I love trusting that I know me and my situation best. I love to struggle over a decision and take my time, and I also love making spur of the moment decisions (these are more so about temporary things like hair cuts, but I still love them).
I am grateful to be able to make decisions for myself.

I am getting a little behind the band wagon on postings recently, but this blog is all about love. I think a big part of love is understanding, and I am working on that aspect in self-love. I am trying to take the time I spend on trying to understand friends on trying to understand myself... there aren't any huge barriers, but I think people can always be listened to more in a loving and understanding way and I am spreading this to myself. I am loving myself and grateful for me.

I love to trust people, and I love when people trust me.
There are a lot of applicable circumstances in my world these days of functioning trust.
I am so grateful for trust and the ability to trust.
To us, 2011!

I am grateful for sleep and I love to sleep... I love sleep so much that I fell asleep last night and forgot to post! Oh well, here's to a beautiful 2011 with enough sleep for all!

COMFY PANTS!
Goddess praise the glory of COMFY PANTS!
No, seriously. I just got some new comfy pants and have been looking forward to getting home for the sole reason that I get to put them on.
I love comfy pants, and I am so grateful for them.

I love encouragement.
I think that supporting myself and supporting others, and having others support me is one of the greatest things in the world.
I am so grateful for the encouragement I am receiving in my life right now from a number of different places.
Love and Gratitude,
Arielle

I am grateful for love. Seems odd I haven't said this yet because it's an idea that is so essential to this blog (the idea which started this, my mom's calendar, was all about being grateful for love). Love takes hold in many forms: self-love, friend love, family love, romantic love, feeling love from other sources ( I like to think that the sun sends me love!)... Love is all around me (and us!--but I was trying not to get too preachy, oh well). I am grateful for the ability to create and send out love to others, and am grateful for being able to receive love.

Best,

Arielle

I love celebrations, from the Friday afternoon "I'm done!" to the "Wow! I can't believe I've been alive for this many years!" and all the exclamations in between.
The extra "This is awesome!" really pumps up my day (or week or...) and makes me grateful for where I am!
Here's to celebrating life in all its wonder, love and challenges!
And to us, 2011!

Today I am grateful for random acts of kindness.
I both received and gave today in this sense.
Love to the guy who gave us a ride when we ran out of gas on a highway.
Love to the gal whose car I helped jump.
Best,
Arielle

I am grateful for laughter.
And I love to laugh.
I once heard Maya Angelou speak, and I credit her when with the best advice I've ever been given.
She said "Laugh."
No matter what, keep laughing.
Today included much laughter, and that is just the way I like my days.
With Love and Gratitude,
Arielle

As I've said before, I live in northern Minnesota, and this morning when I headed for the bus stop it was negative 31... which translates to 63 degrees below freezing.  Now that we've hit the afternoon we're up to only six below.
All of this makes me grateful for long underwear.
I'm not sure who first thought of wearing an extra pair of comfy pants under regular pants, but whoever they are, they have my love for today!
To the inventor of long johns, and to how beautiful Lake Superior is in this kind of weather!
(Photo credit, Charles Curtis, Duluth News Tribune)

So yesterday was the first day I down right forgot to post (not bad for 20 days!) which means I'll be posting twice today.
I had, however, thought the day before about what I was going to be grateful for yesterday.
I'm grateful for slowing down. This is similar to my post from earlier about getting caught and having to slow down, now I'm talking about simply realizing how fast I'm going through life and stopping to appreciate myself and my surroundings a bit more.
All of this was brought on by chocolate cake.
I was bustling about doing laundry, doing homework, cleaning... all the usual multi-tasking habits I have when I remembered the chocolate cake in the kitchen. I really wanted some of this chocolate cake, so I finish up whatever task I was on, and went down to the kitchen. I didn't even grab a plate. I had the piece of cake in my hand and was on my way to go check on the wash when I asked myself "What's the point of  eating this cake I wanted if I'm not going to take the moment to enjoy it?"
I didn't have an answer.
And so I stood there half way out of the kitchen, with the cat staring at me, and really enjoyed that piece of chocolate cake.
I love this story. And am grateful for the moment I shared with myself and the chocolate cake (and the staring cat).
Best,
Arielle

I am really grateful for washing machines.
This is another one that I haven't thought about before, but as I was putting in laundry today I realized how convenient it is to just add clothes, add soap and push start, then come back later and it's done! In the time that my laundry is getting done, I have made lunch, chatted with a roomie,  am writing this blog post and will get some school work done, too. I love the ability to do multiple things at once when I am trying to be productive. I can instantly double what I have done. And yes, I take credit for the machine's work, and someday when the robots take over I will be on their list of silly humans.
At least they won't be able to call me ungrateful.

I am grateful for education.
I'm a student and I love school.
Today was the first day of a new semester and I'm really excited for all my classes to get underway.
I think learning is constantly happening throughout life, not just in the classroom, but people coming together for the purpose of education is wonderful and unique.
Here's to an excellent semester and a 2011 full of learning!
Best,
Arielle

My yearly tradition for MLK Day is to listen to "I Have a Dream."
This year I'm adding a bit: I'm thinking about the dreams I have today and how his work laid a way for so much social justice work.
Love and Gratitude to Martin Luther King Jr., for all he did and all his legacy continues to do.

Musical theatre is one of the great treats in my life.

So deliciously absurd, and wonderfully absorbing.

I wish I had the time to choreograph each excerpt of my life, and if only I had a rocking melody to carry me from scene to scene (Granted I do dance randomly, and make up songs about my life as I go through my day-to-day, but all of them are impromptu and not nearly so polished as musical theatre).

I love all aspects of this special breed of entertainment and enjoyment.

Here's to a song (and dance!) filled 2011!

I'll be doubling up on today's posts as yesterday I was not able to.
I am grateful for tenderness.
The extra 'I love you,' the softness of lips on my forehead, the sound of someone's heartbeat from their chest: I love these moments.
And the person who I share them with.
To us, and to 2011!

Today I am grateful for pain meds.

I love adventures.
I think in my world, almost any outing can count as an adventure (read: "I'm going on an adventure to the grocery store!).
That being said, I had an adventure today with two of my favorite people in the entire world that included books, ravioli, escalators, theatre and coloring--what's not to love?
Here's to all of my adventures, both big and small, which I am so grateful for!
To us,  2011!
Arielle

Today I am grateful for Roller Derby!
I am off to practice in a few minutes and am way excited that we are scrimmaging tonight.
I have only been skating for a few months, but am already so in love with the sport.
I have never been athletic, but Derby is definitely changing that.
I feel so accomplished when I am skating.
I love how it feels to play the game, getting hit and staying up or blocking others out of the way, just feels good. I think a full contact sport on wheels is probably one of the greatest ideas. Ever.
It's fun to have something that isn't serious, is a blast, and gets me moving.
Here's to you, me and Roller Derby, 2011!

I love lunch dates.
My mom is in town for the night, and she and I just ate a late lunch out.
A glass of wine and great food with awesome company is the perfect middle of the day treat.
I'm grateful for all the lunch dates we've shared.
Best,
Arielle

I am grateful for warmth. I feel like--when broken down--everything seems so simple.
As a person living in northern Minnesota, heat is a necessary part of existence.
I have never stopped to consider the option of having no heat.
That seems pretty simple, too.
I just checked the thermometer, and we are at 19 above zero (which is kind of warm for this time of year).
Here's to taking that extra time to be grateful, and send out love.
To us 2011.

I love doing hard work.
Physically, mentally, emotionally hard work.
Work that challenges me and makes me ask questions.
I actually like the feeling of not getting the answer on the first go around, and having to try again.
I am also grateful for these experiences. I think a large part of who I am comes from the time I have spent not getting the result I want at first.
Best,
Arielle

I love made beds.

I don't typically give myself this simple pleasure.

I always think I'm in too much of a hurry... when in reality, making my bed takes three minutes.

I love that there are such simple things that make me quite happy.

I think part of making this year one of love and gratitude means giving myself the simple things that make me happy.

It's like Robin Hood: take from the time-rich (what I spend too much time on) and give those minutes to  the time-poor (what I don't spend enough time on). Easier said than done, but this year is all about goals, and that sounds an awful lot like balance to me.

(Here's to Love, Gratitude, Balance, Appreciation and Year-Round Christmas Cookies!)

Best,

Arielle

"Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth." --Pema Chodron
"Love your sense of fear if you feel you're still alive." --Me... at 17.
I divide fear into two categories: good fear (or productive fear) and bad fear (or unproductive fear).
Bad fear makes me question myself and my abilities without any real consequence other than making me give in sooner than I otherwise would. But, any bad fear can be changed into good fear.
Good fear feeds me. It gets me to step on a stage to read my words, to tell someone how I feel, to try something for the first time, or to hold up a sign at a protest.
I love that feeling: the burning in my limbs and chest that washes away with action in waves of courage and energy.
I love fear in this sense, the fear that leads to something great.
--Arielle

I know this seems a little behind, but I found a tray of them on sale last night and couldn't resist.
I love Christmas cookies.
I'm not religious, but there's something so sweet (get it? I'm talking about cookies!) surrounding the time of year.
Whether they are sprinkled, chewy, chocolatey, nutty, frosted, crunchy, jellied, drizzled or sugared, I love them all.
Christmas cookies bring me joy, and I think this joy would permeate throughout the year if I made Christmas cookies year-round... and so my list grows!
To Love, Gratitude, Balance, Appreciation and Year-Round Christmas Cookies!
What an awesome 2011 this is shaping up to be!

I'll be doubling up on the posts today as some technical difficulties made yesterday's posting not possible.
Yesterday I decided I am grateful for the moments life makes me slow down.
I frequently find myself over-scheduled and dreading my to-do list, and in this situation, the last thing I want is to get stuck waiting somewhere longer than I have to... but I have come to realize that these are the moments that I am to take as a little extra me time. If I'm in my car stuck in traffic, at a light, or behind a train, I pump the radio a little louder and dance in my seat. Or turn off the radio and just breathe. If I'm in a waiting room of whatever sorts, I help myself to the free coffee and chill. When my gut reaction is to freak out and stress over whatever it is I'm not getting done, I take the time to remind myself that this is a moment for me. And for this I am grateful: the moments life makes me slow down and for the perspective to see these moments for what they are.
Best,
Arielle

"I want you sleepy-eyed in the morning..."

"I want you sleepy-eyed in the morning..."
--Andrea Gibson (she's one of my fave spoken word artists, from the poem "Wasabi")
This morning I am grateful for waking up next to someone I love.
I am definitely the cuddling-type and don't think sharing a bed is awkward in the least. Whether the lucky person is my significant other, a best friend or my mom, I love waking up next to someone who I think is totally rad, and thinks the same about me.
(And I am grateful for all the people who are on my cuddle list, too!)
May your 2011 be full of cuddles and love!

Idea Exchange or the Way Appreciation Came to Be.

Today I am grateful for the exchange of ideas.
Similar ones, contradicting ones, disembodied ones: all of them.
After good conversations with coffee at a corner table, I was reminded of how much I love talking with people. I don't sit and appreciate others ideas--or my own--and the exchange that takes place with untimely caffeine in dimly lit cafes enough. I feel like my list of goals (resolutions) for this year is growing... love, gratitude, balance and, now, appreciation.
To us 2011!

Me Time and We Time: Balance.

I love hanging out with myself. Whether I'm chilling in my room writing and listening to music, taking myself out to dinner and a movie or simply sitting alone and thinking, I'm a cool person to be with.
That being said, I also love spending time with people. Whether we are all sitting and reading in our worlds, cooking together or off on an incredible adventure, I dig the time I spend with people.
I truly believe that too much of any good thing can be bad, and so I am grateful for balance.
Balance is something I am constantly striving for, enough Me Time in correspondence to We Time, enough sleep in correspondence to awake, enough organization in correspondence to stress... this will be a theme of my 2011... So, 2011: a year of love and gratitude (and balance!).
Best,
Arielle

People and Words: The Loves of My Life.

I am going to start simple. When asked what I love, I respond "People and words, the rest is secondary." Or that has been my response recently.
I love the people in my life. I don't know how I have come across so many amazing people, but I have.
I am grateful for the love and the adventures. The late nights drinking coffee in the corner booth. The support we give and receive. All our laughter. There are so many stories...
Stories are next, because stories are words. And with words, I can do anything.
I love words because they are my chosen way of dealing with the world, and loving the world (and all matters in between). Words flesh out and make physical where it is that my brain sees itself.
And for all of this I am grateful.
With Love and Gratitude,
Arielle

January First... the First of Many, and an Introduction of Sorts.

I am setting out with quite a daunting task ahead of me: a year of love and gratitude. This started from an idea out of a class; the title was "Mothering and Motherhood: Institution and Experience," and what I learned was how much my mom rocks. After a tough year in 2010, I wanted to make my mom a gift. I don't like living in a different place than my mom, but the fact is I am very happy living where I am (which is two hours away from my mom).
I know my mom's aware that I love her, but I wanted a way to have her feel that love everyday. And so I made her a calendar. Thinking of 365 ways I love my mom got me thinking: I spend a lot of time not loving and being ungrateful.
For someone so keen on self-love and happiness I haven't really been living my talk. I spend a lot of time pissed off and complaining.
So here's the goal: to make 2011 a year of love and gratitude (call it a resolution for the New Year if you want).
Each day I will set aside time to love.
I intend to post about what I love each day.
I want to inspire myself and others to take the time to consciously love and be grateful.
This seems more simple than I anticipated, but that's okay. I think there's something to be said for positive energy getting sent into the air. There isn't enough positive energy just for the sake of happiness, and I think any love being expressed is good.
So this is a challenge to myself, and you, if you'll take it, to set aside some of each of the coming 365 (or now 364) days for love and gratitude.
Best, Arielle