Blossom with the right person!

A nature pitstop in a community garden and labyrinth in my hometown will always undoubtedly get me to thinking...or emptying thoughts, clearing my mind - and either way it is a wonderful process!

On this particular day I was too hung up on the beauty surrounding me, that rather than meditate IN the labyrinth, I needed to try to capture some of the essence...and also ran into the community garden next to it as well! Divine!

Thoughts on blossoms, growing, and blooming came to mind as I was surrounded by this beauty, and it got me to thinking about my OWN blossoming, changing, growing and learning in life. In particular in dating! More on dating and divorce in another blog...

What I realized that day was that with the right person surrounding you, loving you, supporting you, communicating with you - we really DO blossom...or are stunted, struggle to see the light, to bloom, to grow, to breathe and simply to BE...when we are NOT with the right person, and most of the time we see that after the fact, through the learning lessons of what doesn't work, what isn't right for us.

The one you spend time with, that you invite into your world can nuture us like flowers - with water, sunshine, support, room to breathe, be, and flourish! Those other people from our past may have served as seeds for things in someone that we know we want, and also to see the weeds - the things we don't want. We do grow and learn the most during the tough times, so I have learned to be grateful for those as well and sift through the soil, the dirt, the muck and mess to figure things out.
So it is so nice that after sowing and preparing the garden, I have room to blossom and grow with someone else too - so thank you my sweet! 

Run HAPPY? Are you KIDDING me?

Never in a million years would I associate running with happy, but here's the story.....

I have been pushing myself for years to live outside my comfort zone – from bellydancing to purchasing my own home, to meeting new people, trying a motorcycle ride when they scare me to death, to most anything!

The latest is RUNNING! I have not run even a mile since high
school gym class (JUST had 20th reunion!), yet have all these amazing friends who run and we tease each other about our style of workouts – me the bellydancer and Zumba gal vs. the running they torture themselves with! I even told my friend that runners do not look happy when they run, so she stopped in my office with a “Run Happy” shirt on just for my benefit!

Well….long story short, in discussions with several wellness runner friends and planning a weekend trip around a MARATHON, I had this nagging thought – “why CAN’T I run even a MILE?” – so I started! First I started with intervals of running and walking, then I tried to run simply a half mile without stopping. That attempt was in June. I decided since a runner friend of mine stretched herself out of her comfort zone and took an 8-hour bellydance workshop from me at least year’s conference that I would find a way to run the 5k race at the conference this year! I did it!!! 3.1 miles after 5-6 weeks of training!

That was kind of thrilling and shocking at the same time! Here I was RUNNING - ok since I am slow, I suppose the technical term is JOGGING...! I literally have never run 3.1 miles in my lifetime! So, now I am signing up for a mini-triathlon in August through the YMCA, and a 10k in my hometown in September in order to push myself outside that box again and to prepare for this HALF MARATHON crazy idea! I just last night ran 5.45 miles.....WHATTTTT???? Who IS this girl? HAHA

So, WOW – I’ve thought back over the years and all that I have tried simply to push myself, to be uncomfortable, to break the mundane, to step outside the routine – all ultimately to grow, to learn, and I ask you the same. What have you done to push yourself? To try new things? To stretch, grow and learn? What have you done for your health and well-being? Creativity? Please share your story and send to tabatha@divadigitaldesign.com
Delightful Daring Developing, Digital Diva :)

Make New Friends, But Keep the Old...

Remember that song from maybe girl scouts or church camp? Well I happen to GO to camp with my friend that I've STILL known since kindergarten! I feel blessed that we are still friends, and have come through a LOT of stuff together!


KINDERGARTEN? We made it through elementary school and then moved across town and our journey did not end. Then there were moves, boy friends, sports, life...and then add weddings, a couple of babies each - yup, still connected, still ticking. Then we have life's harder edges - deaths, divorce, yet more moves. We have still come through connected somehow! YEAH! And it hasn't always been easy - some probably wonder why we are friends - because we seem so different! She is about as shy as they come, and I.....umm....not so much! ;) We don't know either and sometimes we don't 'get' it!

Well this year, we have a NEW addition, since I am dating someone (pretty wonderful!) and we all went CAMPING together! One never knows how that will go - but, meals, campfires, four-wheeling, fishing and chatting all the while - I think it went pretty damn well - and that means a lot to me - because ALL of these people mean a lot to me!

~Daring, Delightful Diva - for more pictures and some great landscapes CLICK HERE and for your own memories captured, Dial the Diva at 406-498-6993, or email tabatha@divadigitaldesign.com

Full Circle in Creative Endeavors

National Wellness Conference - nobody that has not gone can even comprehend what goes on there, but those of us that have??? LIFE-ALTERING each and every year. This year was no different....well it was different, that's for sure - but Miss Sandy Queen that has gone for darn near ALL the 38+ conferences said to me "it's come full circle" and she was right!

I began attending in 2001, and that first year I got to experience the finale Talent Show and was brought to tears it was so inspiring!! Each year after that I would long for a talent and since I didn't have one, nor was I on stage much, I participated in things like David Roth's Instant Angelic Choir in the back row of 40 people! I was doing something - more importantly, that 'something" was my new theme - pushing myself! Or as my friend Shanen and I experienced when someone told us "I love you two, you really push yourselves outside your box" and we simultaneously looked at each other and said "WHAT BOX?" It's my thing.

So, each year I would push myself in some way or another, and in 2009 I took a women's sensuality ALL-DAY workshop with Dr. Deb Kerns - amazingness!!! AND that same year for the talent show, Lisa Medley asked me to take part in her vision of a semi-choreographed free dance called the Movement Choir! WHAT??? No way!! I'd never been on stage, taken a dance class....then I stopped myself!! I said "self? you are AT the wellness conference for goodness sake, DO IT!" Well I did!! It was so moving, that afterward I told the co-dancers that I would do SOMETHING in the talent show next year. Well, guess what I did? I took BELLYDANCE classes for a YEAR and I did perform a solo dance in 2010 at the wellness conference!

The FULL CIRCLE doesn't end there!! I performed more and more, and then in 2012 I even taught an 9-hour all day workshop and I got several ladies to perform what I taught them all day for the talent show!!! It still doesn't end there! This year, at least two people came up to me and said they signed up for the Talent Show, or took a class since last year, or tried something new because of ME!!!! WOW!!! Little ol' ME! That felt incredible that I literally inspired someone! I can cross that off my Bucket Box (yup, it's a BOX/Board on Pinterest! Follow me here).

One additional thing that Sandy mentioned in her FULL CIRCLE was that for her, with years of the conference, she has to learn in time to hand over things to others - and said with my new photography business adventure, that she could see that someday (when I'm ready to settle down at the computer sometimes to do it!) that she could pass the annual slide show of photos and memories to me - and I loved that some of my photos from all week were used in this year's final slide show....full circle.

ONE MORE thing - since my RUNNER friends took a bellydancing workshop from me last year, I've been trying another new thing - RUNNING - so I also ran my FIRST 5k at this year's conference!! More on THAT experience in another blog HERE!

So what have you done to push yourself, to try something new? What can you do today? Trust me, it feels AMAZING!!!!! Let me know! Comment here, or email me at tabatha@divadigitaldesign.com
~ Daring, Delightful Diva ~

Diva in the Making - Gorgeous and supportive!

 

 

Divas are within us - but having it come OUT of us is a whole 'nother story! I get to help bring on the DIVA in front of the camera! Talk about a FUN and crazy experience! I did not know when I took on photography that a 'specialty' would blossom...or DEVELOP....but the Daring Diva line surely has!

I think there are several reasons that I see why this is becoming popular with all my DIVAS - to feel pretty, sexy, empowered, own our bodies, SEE that we are beautiful, divine creatures...in spite of the media, men, each other and the world, with the criticizing, perfection, and expectations. We focus on your favorite parts, we minimize self-conscious elements to bring out the BEST of you all to your own comfort level!
It is delightful to get downright daring with these divas!

I thank this special Daring Diva extra - for her support, encouragement in all things I try to DIVE into - Including DivaDigitalDesign, my new photography business! Thank you, Miss Diva - you know who you are!
~Daring, Delightful Diva~