Why Take The Difficult Path For What You Want

On September 13, 2012September 13, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Now, I’m starting to see why this year had to happen. Nothing seems to phase me now. I’m surrounded by nature, hummingbirds, sun, I have my own yard, I live alone. I have personal space.

Every adversity is a stepping stone to who you want to be. And what you want.

Guess what? They are not stumbling blocks or even obstacles to your dreams. The adversities, the discouragements are only stepping stones. You step on them to get to the next stair steps. When you feel discouraged, you focus on your goal, you focus on the goodness of life.

I did not want to sit on my butt for 8 hours aday, so I had to create something mobile. I had to quit, I traveled, I saw the world, I started selling jewelry and clothes. After going to South America, I was stumped again. I was broke again, I had to reinvent the wheel. I started posting my private lessons on Craigslist, I started building my clientale. I started to hone my skills, now I teach sewing, mandarin, piano…

The great thing about being a creative entrepreneur, 2 days I can be on the road teaching. Today, I get to wake up and sit in nature, work on my online business, and write. Tonight, my friend and I are hosting our first meeting of Fashion Shares, a community of women for the purpose of empowering each other!

Question of the Day: How do you find out what you want to do in life?

Answer: You don’t, you live and learn. You try and learn from mistakes, but you can always have a big vision. For me, I always wanted to empower people, so I delved into things that allowed me to be with people. I also love managing my own time, and I didn’t know this until someone else started managing my time. That’s when I knew I couldn’t continue being controlled. There are very strategic ways to weed out options- if you have questions comment below! 🙂

Remember: The difficult path IS messy, you will cry many times, you will be frustrated even more, but the pay off is….after the messiness of trying things out, figuring out what works and what doesn’t, you’ll come out of it wiser and you’ll know MORE of what you’re good at and want to do.

Should I live alone?

On August 9, 2012August 9, 2012 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….

My First Photo Journal – Mi Nombre Es Rebekka

On May 3, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

My First Photo Journal entry! ….the end says “but I have FAITH!” You can contribute to my volunteer trip here.

I just had this ingenious idea right now and decided to share my journal with you. I’ll be posting doodles as I go to Ecuador and Brazil. I won’t be bringing my laptop due to safety and well, my mac is my life, so I’ll be handwriting all my experiences. These doodles will eventually become a little book that I’ll sell and all individual doodles will be for sale on Etsy!

Today, I went to Healthy Traveler in Pasadena to get my yellow fever vaccination. I had a moment of squeaking before I had to sit down and get the shot. I was anticipating a long drawn out shot, but it literally was a stab in the arm and VOILA it was done! Cha-Ching $154 please. Throw-up. Yep, the cost of traveling to a 3rd world country is much higher.

Furthermore, I found out I actually leave ON Mother’s day, the night of (1:30 ish am). Here’s a poem for ya’lls.

Push and pull, our story goes. I’m holding back, a flood of emotions, allowing the gift that is me, space and time. The essence of doing nothing, waiting feels like a suffocation. Though, each moment, I’m breathing, being in the present. He once said, breathe and pull yourself to the present since all you have is now.

In the gift of space and time, trusting that love is true even when words are not spoken. This is my dilemma. Why is it so hard to just be? To give up trying and receive. To give up pushing so you can push forward. To let go and breathe, letting love be free, flowing, not suffocated or silenced. Now I know that love was never easy, love was never just admiration and immature play…love is, more complex, more present, more simple. It is a dichotomy that can only be learned through experience.

Reclaiming Our Feminine Energy, The Forgotten Beauty

On March 6, 2012March 7, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn Uncategorized2 Comments

In honor of International Women’s Day on Thursday!! Feminine Energy- The Forgotten Beauty.

After almost half a year of turmoil, success, defeat, disappointment and essentially paving a NEW PATH, I have come to a few IMPORTANT life lessons. I quit my full time job to pursue my dreams. It was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. Quitting was easy, but the journey of starting a new path was difficult. I lost all sense of being, but reclaimed it with even more meaning, identity and beauty!

What is Feminine Energy?

In my definition, Feminine Energy is everything that is compassionate, loving and nurturing. Feminine energy exudes grace and mercy. I think of Mother Teresa and her undying faithfulness to care for the poor. Her feet were mangled because she gave the best shoes to other people.

In the 50s, women started working and had to put on this “masculine energy” to fight for equality. They had to be the productive, rational, goal-oriented, American go getters. I believe that all of us need a balance of the two. I believe as human beings, we must be in touch with our emotions because our emotions are the KEY to directing our paths in life.

What does that mean? Why do we do things we hate? Our inner being tells us to “I’m NOT NURTURED by this work”, we get stressed out and pop pills in order to “get through things” or “get over things”. What happened to listening to how we feel? I know that our rational mind (thanks to the Puritans) help us get things done, accomplish goals, but we have gone too far.

It’s time to nurture our inner child.

Nature Reflects Feminine Energy

Have you heard of mother nature/earth? Well, lately after moments of just being, waiting and relaxing…(after much discipline, because our practical minds tell us to keep doing), I realize that WE ARE just like nature.

We need time and space to grow. Our inner being is like a beautiful rose that needs the nurture and care to be healthy and fruitful. Everything we DO comes out of WHO WE ARE.

If we keep pushing ourselves to be productive, we will reach the ends of ourselves. We will not even understand WHY we are doing what we do.

Exercises FOR YOU To Nourish Your Being!

+ Sit in a park or in nature- close your eyes and breathe. Silence all voices in your head and let the smell, the senses, the sounds wash over you.

+ Ask yourself questions- “Why am I stressed?” Don’t stop there. Keep asking until you hear the very truth. You will most likely ALWAYS answer honestly to yourself. “What’s tensing up my muscles?”, “Why am I angry?”…etc.

+ REPLACE LIES with TRUTH– When negative voices tell you “you’re not worthy, you’re nothing, etc”-SAY OUT LOUD to yourself “I am beautiful, I am worthy, I am lovable, I am someone important”. Write a list of positive truths that you can read each day. What you say into the atmosphere will become real.

Our minds create our reality. If you feed your soul with toxic lies, you will live those lies out. However, if you feed your soul with nurture and care, you will become a beautiful person.

Germany. Follow what’s beautiful and your wings will be shaped in hearts. 🙂

On a more personal note:

I have been receiving the message that I am CALLED to greatness. I know I will be someday internationally known, because I am paving a new path. As a Taiwanese woman, I have decided to move out (without being married), quit my secure job, and become a Renaissance woman. In the arts/fashion/entertainment industry, there are A LOT of games to be played. There are people that will screw you over, take advantage of you, not pay you for your work, etc – but take heart (I’ve gone before you).

I have talked to a lot of young people, collegiates, high schoolers recently.

The common themes I see? Fear of the unknown.

Don’t worry, Rebekka has gone before you! I am here to support you, whether you are going against your parents wishes and want to become a struggling artist or whether you are wanting to do something NEW, something different, SOMETHING RARE. I’ve already gone. I’ve already experienced ramen noodles, finding coins on the street, not having toilet paper, I’ve gone to the extreme to go before you and pave the way. And f*** I’m ASIAN! FOR GODSAKE!

So take heart. Because this movement is NOT about accomplishing big things, it’s about BECOMING GREAT people who do big things.

Your Pioneer,

Rebekka Lien

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Check out my latest article as seen in VISION MAGAZINE (MARCH 2012) – Change Is Our Only Consistency

The Unstruggling Unstarving Artist

On February 9, 2012February 9, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn Uncategorized2 Comments

I admit, I couldn’t sleep because for 30 minutes this fiery, common thought came to my mind “I’m 24, I’ve worked hard, how come I’m not getting paid what I’m worth?”

2:11AM- my birthday (2.11).

My thoughts suddenly ran wild, sparked by the madness of the question-“should I get paid minimum wage to work at a boba shop, something I’ve always wanted to do (work at a boba shop- NOT get paid minimum wage)?” This question trickled into the question of “wow, I paid $50 per hour for 10 years to learn the cello and then I paid another $23,000 times 4 to go to fashion design school”. What is my return on investment- I’m not sure…being under-appreciated, underpaid?

I decided to throw off my covers and blog before my thoughts drove me mad. Suddenly my body craves the coffee I didn’t drink during the day.

Let’s do a rundown of how much an artist would spend……

1. Cello lessons- $50 for 10 years. 48 weeks times $50 -$2,400 times 10 years= $24,000

2. fashion design College tuition- $23,000 times 4 years- $92,000

Of course you have to take into account all the gas and supplies. But $116,000 estimated in my case. Thank god I was a good writer, this got my tons of scholarships.

Proverbs 31:31 says- “Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

I believe it’s time for artists, women to stop complaining and demand a fair wage, fair pay for their art which they have toiled and spent tremendous amount of money to develop. Thanks to a friend I recently met- he told me “I see a lot of talent in you, you need to capitalize on your strengths, you shouldn’t have to struggle”.

Nothing, nothing is impossible
No one can hold us down
We, Yeah we are unstoppable
Cause nothing is impossible
ohh ohh No nothing is impossible ohh ohh
oh nooo oh noo

If the door doesn’t open
Don’t wait use force to knock it down
Ain’t no time for mopping,
No, the moment is right now

Real talk you can touch the sky
Make no doubt about it noooo
Real talk you can sit pan high
make no doubt about it nooo
Real talk we do it for the youts, another generation
You are strong enough to meet your destiny say

Dreams, I Know About Dreams

On January 27, 2012January 27, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Dreams.

Yah, I know about dreams. I dream about my dreams. I wake up with a story in my head, about my dreams.

I am a dreamer, I am a doer, I listen to my spirit and when the season says to wait, I wait. This is with extreme hardship of NOT getting off my ass and doing, cuz I’m a doer. Oh, I know about dreams. I know what it feels like to bleed for my dreams.

I know the discouragement and depression of jumping out the box, the norm of sanity.

Oh, I know about dreams. I know about insanity. I know how it feels like when people look at me with the expression of “she’s insane, why she be doing that?”, the feeling of being questioned, interrogated, misunderstood. Babe, don’t tell me I don’t know about dreams.

I know how it feels to bleed for my dreams. I know how it feels to work out of little resources, to feel the humiliation of not being able to afford food. To say “hold up”, I can’t meet up cuz I don’t have a penny to spare. Don’t tell me I don’t know about dreams.

I bleed for my dreams because I believe in it, I believe in myself and the potential my dreams have. I gave birth to them, everyday I am giving birth to new ideas and I aint letting them fade. I grab onto my ideas with my whole being, I may despair and lord knows (my friends) know my daily ups and downs, crying one minute, laughing another (the joy of being human- emotions).

I know about dreams, the world is so big inside my heart, it’s bursting forth, unable to contain itself. It’s creating worlds around me, atmospheres and people are influenced by them.

The seasons are changing and dreams are birthing, it was not an easy child birth- trust me.

I bled for them.

The best dreams are bled for, not handed to you.

Thank you to all those that have supported me during this birthing stage. You will be blessed 10 fold, I promise- the child is a world changer.

Do you have any dreams that you are willing to sacrifice and bleed for? If so, what and what is stopping you? Remove all obstacles (fear).

When You Start To Lose Hope & Passion

On January 18, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

How many times have you lost hope, lost passion, lost direction in life?

I can say I’ve lost passion and hope numerous times….actually numerous times in one week.

My aunt passed away this week, I went into a time of mourning, but also frustration. My life seems to be so hopeless and with each day that goes by, I am constantly worrying about my bills. Even though I had reached an epiphany of peace, I realize that “sometimes the hardest things are difficult because they’re worth fighting for”. Thus, peace is hard to keep because it’s something you have to fight for.

Sales have been painfully slow too. Yet, I don’t want to revert to a pattern of endless scrambling…when will that day come, I ask myself?

On the phone with my close friend the other day, I complained “I just feel like my life is getting boring, so what that I have my own business, so what if I make sales, what’s the point. I don’t feel like I’m doing anything epic”.

She replied “Epic, well you can’t expect to do epic things everyday. Everything you do is building up towards what is epic, but everything is an important step to it“.

“Oh, you’re right”. Thus…epic things are boiling, but they have not come into fruition yet.

Even though I haven’t reached that so called “success” yet- I want to share some tips for you, those that are toiling away hopeless and feeling defeated in life.

1. Do have supportive friends that encourage you- do not hang out with negative friends.

2. Find inspiration– read a book or talk to inspirational people that have similar hardships or have ALREADY overcome

3. Leave your normal surroundings– I’m going to Norcal tomorrow, I think I really need to get away and be refreshed

4. Believe in yourself– recite mantra “anything is possible”, “I can do this”, “If Einstein did it I can too”, ”

5. Have times of reflection and meditations– I like to burn candles, light incense and play reggae. Endless striving will only lead to burn out, so reflect each day.

6. Eat, Play and Be Merry– Yes, eat good food and your soul will be nourished. Do what makes you feel alive & what makes you feel alive will lead you to where you need to go next.

As my friend said “luck is preparation meets opportunity”.

SHOP- http://myworld.ebay.com/gugibabu & http://rebekkalien.storenvy.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rebekka_lien

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rebekka-Lien/206081989431609

When you are used to being the queen, it is hard to consider democracy replacing lone rule

On January 16, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Me in Germany

“when you are used to being the queen, it is hard to consider democracy replacing lone rule”- tracks

“For many outback people, the effect of almost total isolation coupled with that all-encompassing battle with the earth is so great that, when the prizes are won, they feel the need to build a psychological fortress around the knowledge and possessions they have broken their backs to obtain. That fiercely independent individualism was something akin to what I was feeling now- the stiffness, the inability to incorporate new people who hadn’t shared the same experience. I understood a facet of Alice Springs, and softened towards it, at that moment”- tracks

I tend to read books that happen to mirror my thoughts, my season of life. Robyn Davidson was a heroic woman who set out into the outbacks of Australia with camels by herself. I can’t tell you what happened in the desert yet because I’m only on page 75. However, the quotes above hit home for me. I live in this very environmental, hippie, vegan lifestyle, conserve everything neighborhood called Silverlake. I love meat and I don’t hug trees, but I have become used to living a communal lifestyle of sharing and living simply. Because I’ve started my own business and have to pay bills, I pretty much live month to month.

When I walk into grocery stores and shopping malls, I feel like a foreign alien. Some of my thoughts include “omg, why are people wasting money on nonsense?”, “I feel like an alien right now”, “so many people walking around”, “why do the same race congregate together”. I have slowly become some type of modern monk, but a woman. I haven’t bought groceries for 3 weeks and I borrow all my books.

Sometimes I feel myself relating to this: “That fiercely independent individualism was something akin to what I was feeling now- the stiffness, the inability to incorporate new people who hadn’t shared the same experience.”

But when I’m eating with friends that don’t live the same lifestyle, enjoying music, dancing to house music with them- I realize, we are all the same, just human with feelings and a spirit. You can choose to be prejudiced or you can choose to dance the music of life with people who are vastly different from you.

My 3-4 months of cleansing, building a new identity in being, and conversing with God has been taxing at times. Sometimes I find myself oversleeping, sometimes mad and impatient of waiting, sometimes bored, sometimes overwhelmed with my business, sometimes wishing my business was doing better, sometimes wishing I had no debt, sometimes worried and depressed from loneliness, yet…I know that nearing 24, this is a pivotal time in my life. This cleansing process is worth the journey. It is it’s own reward and hopefully (cross my fingers), next month I’ll be a better person, a more soul-filled, settled, rested, peaceful person who can love and BE better. I’ll be a better person for the world.

The Life of An Atypical Third Cultured Taiwanese Woman- “Freedom Begins in Your Soul, Not in Your Circumstances”

On January 4, 2012January 4, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

It’s been almost 3 months since I’ve come back from Australia.

A lot has changed, pre – Australia and post- Australia.

I knew that every time I got on the airplane for a trip overseas, seasons of my life would change, pages in my book will flip. None of the changes in my life are subtle, they are drastic, refreshing, sometimes slow…yet, still always huge and intense.

I’ve been 3 months into my jewelry business
I’ve met tons of people randomly, at the copy shop, on the streets, in cafes, online, you name it…
I worked for a gifts company freelance, at times working 9 hours straight and meeting lots of people through it
I’ve danced a lot coming back
I’ve sort of settled into stable relationships and learned to nestle instead of bounce around
I’ve been living month to month for the last 3 months, at times suffering, yet most times, gaining wisdom from my circumstances.
I’ve found PEACE in “being”, instead of finding identity from “doing”. Out of “being” I have been able to rest even when I don’t know what’s coming next, even when all I have is this feeling that “something big is coming”, an opportunity ive been waiting for…this is contrary to what our society tells us…”waiting is bad”- says modern aged Americans. Waiting can be daunting if our identity is in “what we do”- but once we realize we are worth “THE REST”, we will live an overflowing life. It really hasn’t been that long since my freelance “free life” has begun, I’ve subbed taught violin, taught sewing lessons, baby sat, sold clothes on ebay, sold jewelry, sold clothes at consignment shops, hunted for coins (found 20 plus dollars in coins!), gotten lots of miracle money, brought “my trunk store” to parties and gatherings, and met tons of people that are vying for the life I now live.

Even though I have a few cents in my bank account, no health insurance, and no savings. Am I scared? No. I’ve never been happier! I’m going to prove to people that the American Dream isn’t what gives you happiness and that freedom can’t be bought, freedom begins in your soul, not in your circumstances!

At a goth club, I don’t fit in.

Now we fit in.

Follow my adventurous life- you won’t be disappointed. https://twitter.com/Rebekka_Lien

To continue reading my blog and see me succeed in life- shop ze store- http://rebekkalien.storenvy.com/

Adios! Rebekka

Munch, Munch, Stare, Stare, One of Those Days

On December 18, 2011 By Rebekka LienIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

The man wore a knit sweater, his two kids bugging him for some tacos.
Another lady, with pulled back pitch black hair, staring into space, eating a bowl of rice and a chicken salad. Another man with a blinged out snoop doggy jacket walked with his tray. Days like these, I can hear their thoughts. Munch, munch, stare, stare- what is my life worth and what is the meaning of life?
Munch, munch, stare, stare- wow, I’m bored, I’m zoned out, or what the hell am I doing with my life.

I can hear their thoughts loud and clear in my own mind.

Sometimes it’s just way too easy to give up. Especially when you’re thinking about getting food stamps and your business is growing exponentially slow. You have great relationships, but you still feel like you’re floating.

Munch, munch, stare, stare.

Such is the rhythm of life sometimes.

Of course, after some positive energy being exchanged by my ninja friend, I am starting to munch, munch, look look. I’m going to start putting positive quotes on my graffiti wall and write daily goals on it as well. I’m looking forward to this. 🙂 You should do it too!