Category: Uncategorized

Stopping To Breathe

On By Rebekka LienIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Stopping to breathe, perhaps it is the most important thing we can do during our day.

When we lose track, when we lose hope, when we feel exhausted with our own thoughts. When we need a break from the voices that seek to tear our relationships apart.

Breathe. And feel yourself be present. May I feel peace, now. My I feel peace because I live in the now, not in the future where I’m anxious, not in the past, where I am depressed. I only know that I am present, when I feel myself inhale and exhale.

When I can watch the tide come in and let myself be washed, clean and feel the purity of the wind.

I love this video, reminds us that the most important thing in our lives is “time and relationships”.

As I’m heading to Norcal tomorrow- I’ve written a list, may you find your own list as you breathe.

Things to Be and Do In Norcal-
1. Relaxe, like crazy. Relaxe like I have never relaxed in my life.
2. Unplug. Do this in a crazy way too. Only bring notebook, ipod, phone and pen.
3. Read. Read and study, study everything I’m teaching (Mandarin, sewing, art, music even, read books about how to teach these subjects).
4. Sell art, jewelry, accessories from my portable store.
5. Relaxe, again….
6. Write, a lot. Write in my journal, write like facebook never existed. Finish my book, if it is possible….that would be freaken amazing!!!
7. Celebrate my year of self-employment. Reward myself, say and write to myself everything I could have imagined a boss saying to me. “OMG, Rebekka you are so amazing, these are the things you accomplished even though you were broke! Now, you’ve really found yourself eh?”
8. Take control of my finances. Like for real. Stop buying coffee…make my own delicious and cheaply!
9. Be adventurous and have fun, like a young 24 year old should. Pretend I’m 21 and I never had to go through the stress of being an entrepreneur.
10. Breathe like never before.

Temptation of Giving In

On By Rebekka LienIn Uncategorized2 Comments

Sometimes I wonder whether I’m giving in or giving into another season. This constant struggle is called wanting to work full time. It almost seems incomprehensible when I’m sitting at a cafe working on my computer and watching the sun outside. Lately, I have really been noticing people who work hard and get next to nothing. It’s probably because I can feel their struggle. That’s why, after having the best customer service phone call of MY LIFE today, I gave her an excellent recommendations. I hope she gets promoted because she deserves it.

So in the brink of wanting to give in, I was suddenly struck with inspiration and desire. Desire to keep going, to keep believing in my vision. That which used to stop me, I have decided to push, pray until it happens. Push, physically with all my mind and soul. This phrase is posted outside a gospel church on my street “push, pray until something happens”.

I know how it feels to be doing what you love and not getting what you deserve for it. In the end, you push forward until something happens.

You keep persevering when the world tells you you can’t.

Because you really CAN. If you believe that you can.

Lately, I have tried everything that I can, anything that people told me I couldn’t or shouldn’t. I do it anyways. Only to win, only to score, only to get the part. I’m a dead woman walking. Kill me and I’m still alive.

That’s why I’m here to tell you that you can, you really can do what you love, you really can be WHO you want to be. If you don’t want to be a robot, you can be human. You can believe that relationships are at the CORE of your work, not on the side of it. You can believe that life is more than routine, pleasing others, and feeling depressed.

You are meant to be alive.

Peace, Rebekka – your fellow dream doer.

PS. – so you really can DO it, you just got to NOT GIVE UP.

Should I live alone?

On By Rebekka LienIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

I finally moved out! Yes, I did find the place a day before my move, but I did it!! Now I live alone and wanted to tell people how great it is! If you are wondering if you should live alone: I say, YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD if you’re not afraid of yourself.

Check out my flier to speak at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising- FIDM!

Things you can do when you live alone:

1. Walk around completely naked- you start to feel a lot more free not having clothes on all the time.

2. Do whatever you want, whenever –when I go home and am tired, I don’t have to talk to anyone. I’m talking most of the day, teaching or hanging out with people, so coming home to read and organize is a great alternative to talking to another human being.

3. No more cringing when you hear your roommate do something weird.

4. Have friends over whenever you want.

5. No offense, but I no longer have to tell people where I am going. No offense, but I really hate telling people where I am going, why do you care? Seriously.

I have lived alone for 7 days and must say, there was only one day where I felt scared because I heard there was some drug raid by the swat time. The other day I heard 3 gunshots and a hellicopter. Besides that, I have a lot of peaceful times mapping out my goals and plans. Thank God for this week! So many great things happened- such as, I’m going to be on television!!! YES. ME! More to come….

The 3 P’s of Actualizing Your Dreams

On By Rebekka LienIn Uncategorized2 Comments

I had a beautiful day of laying around in Laguna Beach. I suppose most people would be freaking out since I have 2 more days to look for a place to live. The juxtaposition of my life. This whole week was a roller coaster of crazy dumping, posting, donating, walking around neighborhoods, calling and lots more disappointments. The place I wanted initially got rented out. I was also quite relieved because they did not have a stove. OMG. A place without a stove! Lord have mercy, no cooking??

Everyday is a new beginning, new day.

I realize everything that I have been experiencing requires the 3 P’s.

Pain – pain. Yes, pain sucks. Pain could be a really annoying person in your life, a boring job, a difficult situation or anything that is inconvenient. Pain sucks. We all know this.

Perseverance – In order to find a place, I had to persevere, call, look on craigslist, call, visit the place, drive to a million places, call.

Patience – with ALL good things coming your way, YOU must have PATIENCE. Don’t we all HATE THIS WORD. “I WANT IT NOW!!!!” Don’t we ALL scream with our hearts, actions and words? We want that IPHONE RIGHT NOW, that IPAD, that house, that partner, that shirt, that million dollar. We want to win now! But back to perseverance, we need to persevere even when we don’t have it now.

My friends, when we reach the ends of ourselves…patience means resting and enjoying life while you are waiting for the fruits of your work and faith to grow and actualize.

So guess what I did, I took a day off from LOOKING and went to Laguna Beach. Yes, I rested and got a tan. Hells yah. I enjoyed life with my man, ate lots of chocolate and ended the night with some good encouraging prayers with my soul friend. Then guess what happened, I got an email for a lead to a place….it might be it, it might not be. Who cares, I’m going to find a place in 2 days anyway!

I’m featured on Hipswap- shop over 100 items from my house/closet as I prepare to move!

 

Whatever Is To Come Is Already There

On By Rebekka LienIn Uncategorized2 Comments

Hi Friends!

Another day, another 101 items posted on my moving sale website! I hope you will find something you like- I’ll hand write you a special note when you order something!

I have finally cleared out most of my stuff and am simply awaiting the arrival of my perfect 1 bedroom studio. Yes, I have looked, with much vigour and passion, but to no avail. This leads me to believe that the perfect PLACE is not even listed yet! Because I, my friend, have faith that the perfect place for my next season of life IS ALREADY THERE. Somewhere, just not sure where. Yet.

That’s okay.

The more August 1 nears me, the more excited I get now! I’m not anxious anymore, because I’m excited about the perfect place. Yes, it’s 6 days away, and I have no place to go yet!

Psshhh. So Anxiety really has NO PLACE in our lives. Because the next thing, which is better, bigger, richer, healthier, happier is OUT THERE. All we have to do is listen to our hearts. Don’t let disappointment GET to you. Have faith and keep a smile on your face.

Gratefulness is the biggest weapon to fear. There is no such thing as fear when you know that the best thing is waiting for you.

Don’t worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry about itself. Live like you ALREADY have tomorrow down.

 

 

 

Unemployed? Tips From A Self-Employment Expert

On By Rebekka LienIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

My 1 year of self- employment has been a roller coaster ride of fun and not so fun times. But I have learned the art of hustlin’ – in a healthy way of course. I’m going to give you the insiders’ secrets to surviving and thriving for the first year of self- employment.

Tips from A Self- Employment Expert:

1. Do an inventory of your talents and skills– know how to sew, know how to do accounting, taxes, clean, fold clothes, carry babies, mow lawns, play violin, speak Arabic? Guess what, there are people on this earth who needs YOU.

2. POST on Craigslist – Craig is an amazing guy, he will help you reach the clients you need to reach, the people who want your drawers and beds, the people who need babysitters and musicians.

3. Sell stuff on Ebay– Things I’ve sold before: Clothes, shoes, jewelry, old cameras, toys. Guess what? It’s as easy as snapping pictures and posting. You get 50 free listings per month, so no fees up front. Other great sites to post books on are amazon.com and half.com. They let you post it and you don’t need to renew it.

4. Broadcast your services and skills- Social media sites I have used are: Facebook, Twitter, Hipswap,  Craigslist, Texting. If you have a service, CREATE a fanpage on Facebook. If you have items, pin-interest it, twitter it, use free applications on Ebay, Twitter that will automatically update FOR YOU. I do believe in conserving time and doing less.

5. Have a yard sale– The last 2 weeks I had 2 yard sales, I gained some muscle masses in my biceps and made a few bills. Not too bad for sitting out in the sun, drinking soda, and chatting with neighbors and potential clients. Not bad for networking.

6. Need cash fast? Sell to consigment stores or to high end thrift stores– For most girls, we have massive amounts of clothes and accessories. My choices of stores to sell to are Wasteland, Crossroads and Buffalo Exchange. They will select the trendiest items from you and give you 35% of their selling price. If you are a savvy shopper, you can actually make a profit even though you wore that old t-shirt for 20 years…BTW Wasteland loves vintage, so if you have a really old t-shirt they might just pay you $5 for it.

7. Build a Business– after you realize that you’ll never want to sit in an office again, get serious about your business. Whatever it is. I started selling old clothes and then started importing jewelry so I didn’t have to upload 10,000 original pictures. The more you work at something, the bigger your ideas will get. I started teaching cello and piano when I was 14, but everyone quit because of the economy. So I started teaching Mandarin because China is booming economically. Start thinking outside the box- what are services and needs that have not been met yet by other businesses?

8. Become an extra– If you live in LA and NY, you can sign up for Central Casting, which is one of the biggest extra casting agencies in the US. To be an extra, you basically sit or stand around until the film crew needs you.

In closing, I would like to say that there are so many more ways to make a living while you are discovering your life passion….or the more things you try, the more you realize what you hate and what you love. Go for what you love.

 

 

Thank You

On By Rebekka LienIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Image

Learning to Say Thank You

I can hear the ocean breeze

the wind against my skin, your fingers gripping mine, thankful

The human, passing moments,

that make our lives what it is.

Smiles, grins, sometimes frustrations of life, of what nots, of can be’s, of striving

yet, never content, never enough.

We must pause.

For here, now, is all we have.

We often focus on what we don’t have, what we want in the future, never living in the moment.

The street lights were never so kind, my footsteps on the dirty cement floor in Taiwan.

Your kind smile as you protected me from unkind neighbors, now you are, here and now, my mother.

What made me who I am today, backaches, stress, tears, wondering who will take care of me, how would I survive?

Now, here, today- I thank you. I thank those that have ever held me, comforted me,

spoken words of kindness

here, now, today – I slow down and breathe and say, hello and thank you. I am so blessed.

What Does It Take To Pursue Your Dreams?

On By Rebekka LienIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

This week I placed my one of a kind designs at The Machine Gallery in Pomona- it’s a milestone for me.

Today is a HOT HOT DAY! Probably one of the best days I’ve had, everyday just seems to get better ever since I have become grateful, thankful, appreciative at everything.

If you listen to the THE SECRET, Rhonda Byrne talks about letting “THANK YOU” be the first thoughts and words of your day. First thing in the morning, when your mind is awake, think the word “thank you for this new day”.  

When I start to think negative thoughts or start to feel tired, I think the opposite. I think, “WOW I’m so energized, I have all the energy in the world”. This has helped me to continue packing as I’m about to move into another city soon! Though I haven’t found a place yet and I’m moving in less than 2 weeks, I know the PERFECT place is already waiting for me.

SO WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO PURSUE YOUR DREAMS?

After a few meetings today, I thought about how I have come so far from 1 year ago. I never thought I could live the type of lifestyle I live today. I create my own schedule, sometimes I wake up whenever I want, I hang out with friends when the sun is out, I work hard, but where I want and when I want. Though I haven’t seen all the FRUITS of my labor, I know that today where I am- I’m starting to reap the harvest that is coming.

1. You need lots of perserverance to pursue your dreams- I can’t tell you HOW MANY times I thought about giving up. I compared myself to other people and was envious that others could do what I could not because of financial limitations. However, I did not give up.

2. You need to BELIEVE in yourself and your VISION– When your vision starts to blur and when people start putting you down for pursuing your dreams, you GOT to have determination. If what you wanted to do was not really a passion, you’ll know once the fire is turned up. You must be super positive, you must laugh easily, take life lightly, and believe in yourself and the vision!

At first I was comparing myself to others, but I realize, they got their path to walk and I got mine. There is no reason for comparison or competition, competition comes from a spirit of lack. If you know who you are, you don’t need to compare.

3. You need a STRONG support of friends who believe in you and your dreams- I had friends that counted coins with me when I was paying bills, friends who gave me advice, friends who helped promote my jewelry, friends who helped me at fairs for free, friends who listened to me when I needed to vent. Friends are your STRONGEST support. Or if you have a partner, that is great too!

4. You need BALLS to pursue your dreams- yes, ladies, we don’t have balls, but we got invisible inner strength balls. Stronger, mightier sometimes. You need lots of balls, courage, to PROMOTE yourself, promote your work, talk about it, believe in it. You need balls when the idea seems crazy, when it’s never been done.

5. You need to be IN TUNE with yourself to pursue your dreams- you must follow your heart, intuition. When you’re tired, rest. When you feel like something isn’t right, you stop, you rest, you think and you wait. Don’t rush, don’t work out of adrenaline, work out of rest always. Out of the 1 year of self-employment, I had 2 months of traveling in Australia and South America, I had probably 4-5 months of waiting (freelancing here and there), but mostly waiting and resting. It was NOT easy, not that relaxing at times, because I was anxious. Yet, I needed to learn the lessons of waiting.

I know that is contrary to what people teach, but waiting is an active verb of preparing your mind and soul, finding identity, and healing from a impoverished striving mentality. I am currently writing a book about my 1 year, I hope that my learnings will help to serve you in the pursuit of your dreams!

How To Look Like A Teacher When You Look 14

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Hi Friends!

First off, I want to thank you for following my blog! It means a LOT to me, especially since I’m going to publish a book soon (just have to write it since I have no idea what to write about specifically). THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for listening to me talk. I got 49 followers on July 7! Must be my lucky day.

Second, today’s topic is: How To Look Like A Teacher When You Look 14!

If you are young hearted, you probably do look 14 anyways. I look 14 without makeup and the appropriate teacher clothes. Since I am going to teach a sewing camp this week, I wanted to give YOU some tips on how you can look like a teacher.

1. Wear makeup– I surely am a feminist, woman’s rights kind of girl, but without makeup I look 12 sometimes. There were times my 12 year old students had makeup on and actually looked older than me. Yah, kids grow up fast these days.

2. Wear some kind of flowy, business-like shirt– because they don’t wrinkle. When your shirt wrinkle, you are telling the world you don’t know what you’re sayin’. Your students can’t help but stare at the wrinkles.

3. Don’t look confused– yes, don’t look confused. Look like you know what you’re talking about. This is very important, even if you forget something- have the “I know what I’m doing” look. Otherwise, you lose legitimacy right away!

4. Do know you are the teacher, even if the students are older than you- Unfortunately, ageism DOES occur. At first, older students who can be my mom’s age will ask me where the REAL teacher is, or they’ll give me a skeptics’ look. Don’t be afraid. Speak with authority….and

5. Finally, TAKE THINGS LIGHTLY- The great thing about teaching is that you are THERE TO CONNECT with your students, not to just look like a teacher. Thus, whatever age you are, it’s best to know what kind of life your students live, what they like, what justin bieber songs they listen to, and who they are crushing on on tv. It’s better that you’re cool with them, then they are bored by you. That’s my advice anyway.

Most students love me because I like to connect on their level and I believe, treating students like human beings makes all the difference. DUH! Woohoo!

What do you do to look like a teacher?? Comments very welcome!

What Would You Do If TODAY WAS YOUR LAST DAY LIVING?

On By Rebekka LienIn Uncategorized2 Comments

Yesterday I had this huge huge awakening. Something in my mind clicked after watching my Korean drama. I was so wooed by the romance in the drama that I thought to myself, why am I wooed by a drama, and not by life? Why am I not living out how I want to live?

Then I started journaling. I wrote an entry on why I am awesome (you should do that as well, it made me cry).

An excerpt of what I wrote: “I am awesome because I am extremely intelligent. I am beautiful, smart and wise. I am hardworking, creative and unique. I have a mind of my own and a heart of gold because I care for the poor and the oppressed. I’m funny, joyful and optimistic. I don’t let hardships get to me, even when they come, I persevere”.

WHY ARE YOU AWESOME? Write it down and you’ll be surprised how happy you’ll be.

Then I wrote WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF TODAY WAS YOUR LAST DAY LIVING?:

1. Apologize to anyone I ever hurt

2. Forgive everyone who’s hurt me

3. Smile more, laugh more

4. Take things lightly

5. Talk to family, appreciate them

6. Appreciate my friends and bf

7. Go outside more, watch the sunrise, go to the beach, enjoy nature

8. Say what’s on my heart and be thankful because this day IS A GIFT.

Most of us live life like it’s going to last forever. In fact, I do believe our souls live for eternity. However, our lifetime on earth is short. Recently, I realized how much had taken life for granted. I was complaining, discontent, mad that I had to go through so much longsuffering to become a successful artist. I was mad that I had taken such a unconvenient path, not knowing exactly where my money was coming from, living an unstable life…comparing myself mostly, and not ACCEPTING MY GIFT AND DESTINY.

Then I went for a walk. I became thankful for nature, for the silverlake reservoir, for all my friends and family that have been through EVERYTHING with me. I had so many breakdowns, I can’t remember how many times my friends have comforted me. I remember how money showed up in weird places, how my boyfriend took care of me when I was sick, how my mom cooked for me when I was broke, and the list goes on.

I’m truly thankful and I want to live each day like it’s my last, without grudges, being thankful ALWAYS.

What would YOU DO if TODAY was your last day living? (comment below)

Would you dance like no one is watching? Karaoke at the top of your lungs cuz you don’t give a shi#!?