the theme for this week’s part of the journey was all about the mind. and you know what? my mind is fully engaged in my journey as well. in fact, i use my mind, my thoughts, my brain as inspiration. not that i am inspired by my own brain… but i am inspired by others words, thoughts, ideas. and then i use my mind in order to analyze, explore, discover new ways of thinking, new ideas, new information. this is one important part of my journey in life. the part that keeps me growing and changing and learning. no, i’m not afraid of new information or new ways of thinking. in fact, i crave it. i thrive on it.

when i was in seminary, i remember how my fellow colleagues and i reacted to different professors. they say that one of the processes and purposes of a theological education is to break down everything you have learned/believed in the past so that you can reorient yourself and build your own theological beliefs. you know, basically strip away the beliefs that you may have been “taught” and just accepted in order to find your own, true beliefs. by all accounts, i experienced this to be true. and it was a transforming process.

for me, acquiring new information, or new ways to think about things i had always wondered about, was freeing. i completely soaked up the days that my professors blew my mind. of course, i had to go and ponder things before i could reconcile or understand what i was learning, but it made me a better person. it took me out of the box i was in, expanded my world. and now, there’s no stopping me. hehe.

in fact, the teacher in me loves to pass on the torch from my professors and challenge the people i now work with. i love to rock the boat. or blow someone’s mind. i’m not one for being stuck in a box. but, it’s all with good intentions. it’s all because i hope that people will grow to be their own unique person, proud of who they are, with their own beliefs, thoughts, and dreams.

you know, people who favor using their mind often are also logical, organized, traditional, and prepared. i can’t say that i am all of those things (at all), but i most definitely love learning and teaching. and this week’s part of the photo journey has gotten me thinking about being a student again. when i graduated with my master’s, a couple of professors suggested that i study further and get my PhD or Doctorate. that has always sounded amazing to me, but it has not been the right time. i wonder, though, as i make another move in my life and begin again a new chapter, is it time now for me to consider studying again? perhaps not as early as this fall, but within the next year… i know that studying more is something that i will feel that i will regret not doing when i am older if i don’t try. but, i trust the process, i trust the universe, and i trust myself. when it is time, i will know. and just the fact that i am beginning to ponder this again let’s me know that it is time to consider it a possibility…

well, enough of all of that. here are the photos i snapped this week as i thought about what i think about…

day 9 | i am thinking about… moving to asheville and beginning to make a list of all the practical & fun things i need to do!

day 10 | organized. what would i do if my love (my hero) wasn’t all motivated & detail-oriented?! i’ve learned so much from her… and i’ve got more to learn!

day 11 | tradition. i love a saturday morning with breakfast in bed.

day 12 | words. sitting by the river in the sunshine. soaking up rays, wisdom, and inspiration.

day 13 | study. looking over my lines for the children’s musical on sunday. gonna be great! and, yes, my work is fun!

day 14 | motto. nothing more to say.

day 16 | wisdom. on a visit back home to north carolina about 2 years ago, i had the chance to see a dear, amazing friend. she is the wisest woman i have ever known. together, our favorite mantra will always be a quote by Julian of Norwich… “All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well.”

 the journey of self-discovery is an ever-changing, never ending one (thank goodness!). and now, the week i have been waiting for is coming up… the week were we focus on the soul. i have imagined that this is the week that i will connect with the most, but if i know myself and if i trust the process of transformation, i am fully aware that it may not turn out to be that way at all. this journey of life is full of surprises!

join me, if you want!  you can click here to get the word prompts for this week. we begin today with #16. let’s get snapping!! enjoy spending sometime with your soul this week. listen, feel, and dig deep. get to the core of who you are. happy photo journey-ing!

sending you thoughts of peace and love.

do you have a motto? a favorite saying or quote? share it with me!

(you know i can never get enough!)

wishing you words, moments, and feelings of inspiration. peace.

when i think about it, there is actually a lot of stuff going on in my life right now. both good and not so good, or rather, challenging. and when i stop and think back on the past, oh i don’t know, 5 months, i realize that much of it’s not been easy. and the past 2 months have been really weird and tough in some ways. and yet, i have so much hope. i am still so thankful for where i/we am right now, for the life that i have. i realize and accept that everything that is swirling about me is all part of the process. it’s all part of my life. because it is life. and it is beautiful. and light comes from the darkness. i know that even as i walk through the dark times, hands in front of me, groping for anything that will help guide me. there is always a little sliver of light off in the distance. and that makes all the difference.

there are some amazing things going on too, right now. for one, i keep falling in love with my wife over and over again. every day. that woman is amazing. she is my inspiration. a fighter, a lover, and a chaser of life. i cannot even begin to express the respect and admiration i have for her. she is my world. and even though we’re not together all the time right now, the moments and times that we have, i cherish.

and also this: back in january, when we were visiting my family and asheville, we visited an apartment complex and took a tour of an apartment. we loved it. like, totally, man. so, i emailed them as soon as we were back in sweden to tell them we were interested. weeeellll, last week we got a phone call from them that one of the apartments we are interested in will be available in july (and we’re moving in july!). did we want it?! oh yeah. so, we began the process of emailing, scanning papers, printing out papers, filling in applications, copying financial info, etc. it has been crazy trying to complete everything, but we qualify for the apartment & are now waiting for the screening process to be done (background checks, etc.). hopefully we will hear something this coming week and the apartment will be officially ours!! soooo exciting! needless to say, we are now obessed with gathering inspiration and such on pinterest. please wish us luck!

anyway, on with my six senses sunday!

taste: blueberry french toast on saturday morning. a most delicious mocha frappe i grabbed on my way home from work one afternoon.

touch: the warm sun on my face. the bare pavement as i go shoeless! the freezing cold frappe in my hands.

feel: peace & relaxation as i read the wisdom lao tzu. happiness during a glass of afternoon wine while i prepare dinner.

see: my part of the world bursting with my favorite shade of green everywhere. the threes, the sun, the river, the sky. norrköping is lovely right now.

hear: the sweet meows and conversation with our adorable kitty, zola. the hustle and bustle of people coming out of hibernation & sitting in cafes & parks.

smell: the blooms on the pink tree. so fragrant and fresh.

so, my friends, what has perked up your sense lately? anything? do tell!

peace & love.

Filed under: instagram, nature, PHOTOGRAPHY, sweden, urban Tagged: 2013, difficult times, feel, flowers, food, frappe, french toast, green, hear, hope, inspiration, jewelry, light comes from darkness, me, mocha frappe, moving to asheville, my love., nature, new apartment, peace., pink, relaxation, ring, see, senses, six senses, six senses monday, sliver of light, smell, spring, taste, touch, tough times, trees, wine ]]> http://belovelive.com/2013/05/12/six-senses-sunday/feed/ 9 pink tree belovelive industrial landscape fair trade bling trees mocha frappe daydreaming blueberry french toast pink tree zola reading river wine! http://belovelive.com/2013/05/10/why-asheville-is-my-pick-for-beer-city-usa/ http://belovelive.com/2013/05/10/why-asheville-is-my-pick-for-beer-city-usa/#comments Fri, 10 May 2013 18:18:54 +0000 liz http://belovelive.com/?p=8288 Read More →]]>    if you have read our blogs before, chances you know a couple of things about us.

1. we love asheville.
2. we love beer.
3. we love drinking beer in asheville

so, today, while a cold corona sits on our desk in sweden, we’re posting about asheville and beer and rallying for votes for asheville as beer city, usa = the best city with the best beer, best breweries, and best beer-drinkin’ atmosphere. if you have never been to asheville (and you like beer), then i promise you that you will agree with us. the vibe, the diversity, the sheer creative atmosphere of the city not only impacts the visual and creative arts in the area, but even the beer. there are local, micro-brews all over the city. there are pubs and beer places dotted all throughout downtown offering a beer connoisseur an experience not found anywhere else. there are festivals all the time, offering even more opportunities to sample new, seasonal brews. it’s all about local. natural. personal. relaxed.

asheville is small-town enough that you feel like you’re a part of a family, without being so small that you feel smothered. it’s just a bunch of people from all walks of life (literally) gathering together around a common love nature, art, music, beauty, or a cold brew. seriously, why would someone not vote for asheville as beer city, usa? for that matter, why would people not vote for asheville as the best city period. and if you haven’t visited, drop in (after july when we’ve moved there!) and we’ll invite you out for a great beer.

we’ll probably take you to this one place that we love. majorly.

it’s located in the river arts district of asheville… a sort of co-op kinda place for art: clay & pottery(my sister-in-law has her studio there), jewelry, cafes, painting, wood-working, glass, fabric, metal, photography, and… beer.

the wedge is a local brewery in an old warehouse in the RAD (river arts district) which brews its own beer right there. you might wonder about a local brewery that has set up shop right smack dab in the middle of an artsy area. well, the wedge explains it. their philosophy is that “beer is art”. now, that’s passion. think about drinking beer created by people who see the process and product as a contribution to the public as art. super cool, i think.

at the wedge you can sit and sip and chat, all the while seeing the brewing process behind the bar. it’s a simple place. with old brick walls. and only a wooden bar/counter and a few wooden stools. the reason is because there is ample, amazing outdoor space. in this warehouse yard, surrounded by other warehouses filled with fellow artists and the french broad river and railroad tracks, are tables, lights, chairs, and plenty of space to plop your own chair down. it’s just gravel and, again, simple. but, that’s the point. it’s industrial. raw. real. because it’s really all about the beer and the company you’re keeping.

some days there is a food truck that pulls up and sells goodies. and in the summer there is an outdoor cinema once a month. and, of course, bluegrass music makes an apperance too. we have never been there to experience the wedge in all its summer glory, but it’s on our list of things to do… soon!

if you’re interested check out the wedge’s video.

the wedge is only one reason that asheville is beer city, usa. it’s only one of many unique, eclectic, diverse breweries/pubs in the area. in asheville, beer is more than drinking. it’s a way of life. a philosophy. a community.

i know you’re convinced now, huh? and you wanna go right on over and vote for asheville, nc as beer city usa, right? well, click here and you can vote. it’s truly clicking on one button. today’s the last day, so get on it right now!

because now you know the truth… in asheville, beer is art.

cheers!

call it karma. call it the universe. call it whatever. but, seek and will you find. i truly believe that. when you seek with your heart, when you listen to your soul, when you are true to yourself, you will find that all the pieces fall into place. not in exactly the way you had planned or imagined necessarily, but in a way that ends up seeming like it was meant to be when you look back.

right now i am in the midst of a lot of processes. a lot of things that are outside of my control. there are things that i dream about, things i must do in order to make those dreams come true, and then i have to sit back and wait… for instance, my love is still fighting to work on living life and feeling better. we’re applying for an apartment that we loooove and waiting to hear if we get it. we’re waiting on the visa process. i’m looking for a job which pays the bills and satisfies my soul. i’m finishing up work here. there are so many things right now that i am not in complete control of. i do all i can, and then i release it to the universe. and wait. yeah, it’s not easy. not at all. but, i know, i feel, that i am following my soul and my dreams, and so i trust. i trust the universe. i trust the process. and i trust that things will, in the end, be better than i ever imagined. come what may.

so, sit back. breathe. seek with all your soul. and trust the universe. trust life to work out all things our for your good. it is a balance of being, trusting, and doing. in no way do i mean that we just sit back and wait for things to happen. we must be active, co-workers in our life. the sitting back part is how we get in touch with our soul, how we know what our dreams are. and then, we make things happen. we take steps. we make decisions. we put ourselves out there, try new things, take risks, leave our comfort zones. and we patiently (or not so patiently. hehe.) wait for our life, our journey to unfold before our eyes. we trust the journey. and we keep seeking, knowing that what we seek… peace, love, happiness, wholeness, whatever… is seeking us too.

love & peace, peeps.

and join me, you have! i have met new bloggers, new instagrammers, new artists in just one week and my inspiration cup is overflowing. you people are amazing! whether you are posting on twitter, your blog, or instagram, you are growing the belovelive photo journey into something even bigger this month… bigger than it’s ever been! we’ve all got so many more people to connect with. and i am so excited and humbled. what a gift this journey has already become.

by the way, if you have not yet joined in, there is still plenty of time left in may. so, just download and save the may photo a day challenge and begin snapping away. you can go back & do the heart words from days 1-8, or just pick up with the mind words beginning tomorrow. no biggie. you choose! it’s you’re journey, make it whatever you want.

week one of may’s journey of self discovery has been all about the heart. what touches your heart? what’s heavy on your heart? are you a heart person? do you live from your heart?

heart people are the lovers. obviously. if you live life from your heart, then you crave freedom, spontaneity, and emotions. you live in the moment. you laugh and enjoy life. you care about others and are most likely a people person – that doesn’t mean that you are an extrovert in my opinion. only that people, humans, are important to you. you’re passionate and independent. you’re moved by music and beauty. and you can be quite impulsive. how much of a heart person are you? how much am i?

the words for this week were all what i’d like to call “heart words”. they reflect the values and desires and passions of a person who lives life from their heart. it was my intention to use the heart words as a way to let my heart be active this week. to interpret the word prompts and be creative, and to see what touches my heart on a daily basis. i’ve come to the conclusion that i engage my heart quite often. i am quite an emotional person, and while my photos may not stir emotions for you, i guarantee that when i look back on these photos at a later date, i will remember exactly what emotions i felt when i snapped the shot. for me, being a heart person has now come to embody living a life where i feel what i feel. and there are so many things that happen within a day, within a week, that affect my emotions. but, i think that’s a good thing.

here’s a little snippet of what my heart felt every day during the first week of may.

1. selfie: we had to begin here. while a photo does not define or capture the essence of a person, it is a snapshot of who i am. and this photo reminds me exactly who i was, how i felt on this particular 1st day of may 2013.

2. feeling: when i took this picture i was feeling all kinds of emotions. someone had just come by the apartment to photograph it for the next renter…. i felt sadness, excitement, joy, fear, everything! it’s so crazy the adventures that await us!

3. spontaneity: an unplanned day at home with my love. we were both sick… like all week. ugh. but, it was cozy.

4. independent: i stared at this bird building her nest for at least an hour, watching her every move. delicate. strong. determined. living her purpose. i wrote a blog post on my little birdie friend the other day. you can read it here.

5. bliss: pink. blue. may. warm. need i say more?!

6. music: it was another beautiful, warm day, which means only one thing… it was a michael buble kinda day.

7. creative:  i spent some time browsing around one of my fave fair trade stores that sells unexpected, recycled goods made into new & funky designs. so smart. so caring. it’s important for us to love the earth… are ya with me?

8. friends: just 2 american friends having a mexican lunch in sweden. a little crazy fun in the middle of the day.

by the way, here are some of the fabulous bloggers who are participating this month:

pennies in the jetstream

the musings of a lesbian writer

a year of rejoicing

and here are some of the beautiful selfies from all over the world on instagram:

if you would like to “meet” fellow bloggers or instagrammers, just leave me a comment and i will be sure to feature you in my next may photo a day post in a week! and make sure when you post to use the hashtag #bllphotoaday!

it was really good to get in touch with my heart this past week. to feel things. to find something to be passionate about and grateful for every single day. but, now, it’s on to part 2/week 2 of my self discovery…

my mind. hmm…

peace on your journey, my friends.

right now, we’re in a period of amazing, unbelievable, perfect weather. and we went straight from winter to summer. i must admit, all of this warm sunshine and deep blue skies has affected my mood. you know, we also have the super long daylight hours gong on now. anyway, my mood. it’s off the charts. i have so much energy. i feel so alive. i just wanna soak in every little bit of the amazingness that is around me. i’ve even been more social. and i never, ever want to be inside.

today, as i worked in my office, i had the old, creaky windows flung wide open. i could hear the hustle and bustle of city life below me: people laughing, children running, babies crying, bike bells dinging, feet shuffling.

i also had my spring playlist playing as i worked. and i realized that i made a freaking good playlist. hehe. it’s dreamy. organic. happy. sunny. calming. upbeat.

so, i thought i’d pay it forward. i’d love to share my playlist with you. i’d love to share with you the feelings of hope, beauty, peace, and excitement that flutter through me when i hear the music and listen to the lyrics. of course, it may not strike you at all. it may not be your cup of tea. on the other hand, it may inspire you, or some tune may stir something within you. anyway… think of this as me spreading some of the sunny cheer that we are experiencing here in sweden with all of you.

click on the album covers below to access the playlist on spotify. if you don’t have spotify, then leave a comment and i’ll get the list of songs/singers to you, if you’re interested. 

speaking of sunny swedish cheer… there is a word in swedish that i love… vårkänslor. spring feelings.

or if you’d like a more detailed description: the feelings of extreme happiness, giddy expectation, dizzying euphoria, etc. one gets when it finally appears as though spring is coming. 

in other words: woo0 hooooo! yeeeee haawwww! (spoken like a true american. wink wink).

it is a madness that sweeps the nordic nation every year. and it’s happening now. after surviving the long, dark, seemingly never-ending nights, there are signs of life. literally. it may take mother nature until may to show us, but nature is beginning to wake up. the sun has risen high in the sky again. no more 2 hours of the sun barely peeking over the buildings. little purple flowers are popping up in the grass, which has turned green and is thickening up. and, again, the sun. have i mentioned the sun yet? that glorious bright circle in the sky, sending down hot, bright rays to warm our bare skin. the sunglasses come out. every face is turned upwards toward the sky… literally. every time i go somewhere, i cross the street multiple times just to make sure i am walking in the sun as much as possible. the cafes have built all of their outdoor seating spaces. people are everywhere. the ice cream kiosks have opened. parks are filled. even if the temperature is a little chilly and you need to wrap up in a fleece blanket as you sip your coffee outside, it doesn’t matter. as long as there is sun, there is hope. there is life. the time has arrived….vårkänslor!

in the states we refer to this as spring fever. and i’ve dealt with spring fever my whole life. it’s an intense desire for spring. like cabin fever is an intense desire to get out of the house. but, after living in sweden for three years now, and living through 3 winters, i understand that vårkänslor is a much deeper, even more intense, insane disorder that all of swedish society experiences. it is part of the swedish culture. and it is a beautiful thing.

today, after i couldn’t stand be cooped up at work any longer, i packed up my stuff, did a few errands, and headed home on foot. i walked slowly. i breathed in the air. felt the breeze. i didn’t even have a jacket on today. it was not chilly at all. i strolled down queen street, smiling, and perhaps even whisteling to myself. seriously. when i reached a crossroads, i felt my vårkänslor inspire me to go by a friend’s restaurant to grab a late afternoon beer. my friend’s wife (another friend, of course) was there and i asked her to join me. it was a little before the restaurant opened, but since her husband (my friend) manages the restaurant, we were given to ok to park ourselves at a table out back, on their porch. in the sunshine. within minutes, two cold beers were delivered to us and we chatted it up for an hour or so. the perfect spontaneous spring afternoon.

later on at home, my love asked if i wanted to go & sit by the river. on  day like today, it was a must! so i slipped on my flip flops and we walked the one block to the river, sat down, and basked in the sun. chatting. sitting in silence. just being. what a fabulous way to end the day.

yep. vårkänslor. i love them.

peace.

love & peace, peeps.

it’s not my birthday today. or any other special day, for that matter. but, perhaps that’s the point. it’s just a day. a regular day. however, is it really just a day? isn’t any & every day a gift? yeah… a day is a moment in time filled with wonder and awe. a chance to do amazing things, whether that means traveling to some exotic and beautiful place, or staying under the covers at home all day, or going to work to do the same thing you do every day. the point is… it’s a day. and you and i are alive. and breathing. and we have choices. we get to be the master of our days, our dreams, our life. we really do.

for the past week i have either been majorly sick myself, taking care of my wife being majorly sick (thanks to me), or quarantined in our home trying to rid ourselves of all the germs and contagiousness. today, we’d had enough. still a bit weak and tired, we decided that since the sun was shining, we’d make our way outside for a short little walk. we needed to feel the sun, to experience the warmth in the air. and it was a short trip outside, but it felt oh so good. not a grand, mind-blowing day in the eyes of many, but a grand, mind-blowing day nonetheless. any day can be extraordinary.

i didn’t remember that until yesterday, though. after spending the past few days inside, i made a conscious choice yesterday to make a change. i had gotten stuck in my head. but, i also let myself feel and think. i was tired of feeling sick and disconnected. yet, i wasn’t able to leave the apartment yet & begin life again. part of me didn’t really want to. still, i wanted to move on somehow. i needed to reconnect myself with myself. so, i grabbed my headphones, plugged in some music, and did some yoga. and i felt it. my soul. ahhhh… soon, i found myself having a hour long chat with my mom; and then, watching a beautiful bird as she patiently and diligently built her nest just to the right out my kitchen window. i locked eyes with this gentle creature a few times as she flew back up, carrying a stick in her beak. i pulled up a chair by the window and just sat there. i must have watched her for at least an hour. it was amazing. beautiful.

as i followed her every move in the process of nest-building, i was reminded of the beauty of each creature simply being who or what she/he is. and then, i got it. self-discovery is a wonderful (painstaking) process, but it is not one where we must figure out what is wrong with us and what we need to change (what i’ve been obsessing with lately). instead, it is an opportunity to listen to ourselves, to know ourselves as we are right now. it is simply spending time with ourselves and remembering that who we are, what we love, who we love, etc. and who we are right now is exactly who we are supposed to be. we are just fine as we are. we are enough. all we need to do is that which comes natural to us. all we need to be is ourselves. like the beautiful bird building her nest.

yep. my purpose in life is to simply be me. all the details will take care of themselves.

so, on this regular, ordinary day, i want to celebrate the amazingness of life, of being exactly who we were created to be, with you…. by sharing this video. watch it. listen. look. think. dream. be,

here’s to wishing you a great week ahead. embrace yourself and embrace this crazy, amazing life!

peace & love.

~ pablo picasso

may love, light, courage, and peace

be with you every day of your journey.