What Does It Take To Pursue Your Dreams?

On July 19, 2012July 19, 2012 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!

Kicking Some Unwanted Balls & Throwing Up Cherries

On June 13, 2012June 13, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn travelLeave a comment

At the Books Hostel in Rio

I woke up at 5 am today, 4 hours jet-lagged. My computer had crashed last night, so any attempts of writing, contacting potential clients, or any type of freelance search was out the door.

To add, after drinking milk and tea, I felt nauseated. Then I threw up in a public bathroom. Cherries literally included, not on top, but in it.

I asked god why I always had to go through with things like this. Why can’t I just adjust back to life like normal people? Why can’t I be normal enough to have a normal job waiting for me?

Then I’m reminded that I’m supposed to LET GO.

This is a lesson that will take a long time to learn. Especially when the facts in your life don’t seem so stable, a little discouraging at best. Especially when you find yourself comparing yourself to other normal people who don’t go off for a month and experience the most life changing shit ever.

By the way, I’m quitting alcohol for a month. Please keep me accountable. I need to cleanse my body from travel bugs, literally.

I guess it’s easy to be negative, but I’ll try to be positive. I woke up with the most amazing travel story idea. I’m going to write about Traveling Solo As An Asian Woman- Not Your Typical Travel Story. I’ll also write about harassment I experienced being an Asian woman in South America. Scandalous enough for an article, scandalous enough for people to be intrigued. It’s not your typical story. Yet, at the end, coming out a wiser person, knowing how to avoid nasty stares, avoid forced kisses, avoid and kick some unwanted balls.

I didn’t really have an easy life growing up. But it has made me who I am today, I would not be the person I am today if it wasn’t for the hardships. But guess what, I think it’s time I became gloriously awesome and fought for as a speaker, teacher and consultant. Even if I don’t feel like it right now, especially since I threw up just now.

Since I can’t pitch stories to publications because my hard drive just crashed, I’ll wait for the universe to pamper and flourish me, according to the right time. Meanwhile, sitting at the Apple Store, I’ll finish this blog post with some pictures that could erase the image of me throwing up cherries. 😉

Support me by receiving 30% off all purchases (code: summer)- http://rebekkalien.storenvy.com

Guess what, you are part of the universe that is sustaining this blog!

Some exclusive graffiti from Rio, Brazil.

The Painful Journey of Becoming New

On March 13, 2012March 13, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn Uncategorized3 Comments

For awhile I really didn’t understand why people took Xanax and other antidepressants. I had and have many friends that have sudden panic attacks. Yesterday lying in bed, I finally understood.

After moving out and becoming independent, I felt this HUGE gap of isolation. Your “real” family is dispersed and you are really on your own. It’s a sense of liberation and loss at the same time. Your life is constantly changing and with change comes new things.

The reality is: Every season of life requires a time of grieving.

Time is not linear. Time is abstract. Everything is spiritual, everything is connected.

When a season of life passes, when what was “stable” leaves, there is something inside your spirit that grieves. However, the western world is so practical, that this grieving time is looked down upon. Grieving is healthy.

Yet, even lying in bed thinking about my aunt who passed away…I wonder, how did I grieve the loss? I just didn’t think about it.

I am happy, I am mad, I am angry, infuriated, I am happy.

I smile without notice, I laugh and am insecure.

This is what I am now, yet not forever.

I hold onto the little joy I receive, cherish it, hold it wishing those moments will never pass.

Her smile radiating.

Her own pains reflecting mine. Her past like a mirror of mine, noting all the segments of hurt.

I am, you are. Love, intersecting. Intersection of love and pain, bittersweet, life.

Sometimes I cry and feel this deep pang inside of my heart, rising up near my throat. My neck and shoulders tense up and I feel this harsh tenseness that won’t release me. I giving up, letting go, forgiving. I am, a woman, a woman who holds her own.

No one is to blame. It’s time to release myself to the future which awaits a queen of promise. She is like the girl that held onto her teddy bear, waiting for her mother to come home each day. Waiting, her future. Waiting, her parents. Waiting, always, for that which never came. One day she found out that what she wanted was right through the door. All she had to do was walk through a painful journey of accepting, healing and releasing. She realized that no one is to blame, that everyone has their own door to walk through. Her job was to walk the journey in strength and love. All she could ever do was to be herself.

Want To Change The World? Be Good To The Women Around You

On March 8, 2012March 8, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn Uncategorized1 Comment

Yes, ladies. It’s YOUR DAY. It’s your day to shine and be known. This is OUR CHRISTMAS. This is the DAY to celebrate US, our birth, who we are.

This is the day to be recognized for our womanhood, for just being plain awesome.

Yesterday I went to Saving Innocence Launch Party in Santa Monica. Kim, the founder spoke about her passion to fight human trafficking right here in Los Angeles. She said that 11 year olds are being sold right on the streets of Sunset, Hollywood Blvd, from LAX all the way to LA county. Think Human Trafficking is a 3rd world problem, think again.

I couldn’t help but cry. Every time I hear about this backyard, very current issue, my soul lurches and grieves. These are OUR children being raped, kidnapped, tortured so senseless they have no where to go. Most of these children WERE ALREADY vulnerable to pimps (rapists, please DO NOT glorify this word).

Some girls have already been abused in the homes. No, not just physically. Verbally.

How many women grow up in homes that are verbally abusive? Many. Women are often told that we are ugly, fat, too skinny, not good enough, not smart enough, bitches, hoes…the list goes on. Guess what? We do that to each other too.

Ladies, ladies. Admit it. How many times do we gossip and talk shit with our friends? Hey, don’t we all at some point? Yet, our children grow up in abusive homes that tears at their soul and leaves them vulnerable to bad guys, bad people. These bad guys tell them that they’ll give them everything, for once in their life, these girls suddenly feel “safe” and “secure”. But of course, they are abused over and over again- more than we can imagine.

Why do I care SO much for these girls? I could have been one and I know how VULNERABLE a girl can feel when they are not LOVED in the home. I didn’t see my dad for 10 years and felt the emotional trauma of not being loved, not feeling secure, feeling alienated. Somehow I found acceptance and love from a Father, my spiritual Father.

This is not a common story…but it will be if we BE GOOD TO THE WOMEN AROUND US.

Ways to BE GOOD To Women and Change the World. All of us are connected to each other. Not one action goes unwarranted. We are all connected and dominoes effect are happening as we speak.

1. Don’t be so hard on yourself and other women– yes, we are hard on ourselves and thus we manifest the same expectations on other people.

2. Encourage Yourself and Others DAILY– Look in the mirror and say “I am beautiful”. Compliment women generously. Don’t play jealousy games. Yes, another woman is hot, but you are too. By saying “You are beautiful”, you are displaying immense confidence in yourself.

3. Treat children like they are human beings– because, duh, they are! Encourage them generously, wholeheartedly! They are our next generation. Remember that ONE PERSON who said that ONE SENTENCE of encouragement in your life? It was so simple, yet they changed the course of your life; It could have been a friend, a stranger, a teacher, parent.

I remember when I was in High School, I wanted to give up running…I was so tired. My coach said “I believe in you!”. I didn’t know what that meant, it didn’t translate in my brain as English. What is this profanity?

But I believed what he said. Even though I had never heard this before, I knew that someone believed in me, believed in what I can do and who I can and could be. I ran knowing that someone believed in me and somehow got into Varsity by believing that I was someone. Everyday I take risks knowing that I am SOMEONE important. I’ve flown to many places to tell strangers they are important. I do it here and I know ONE sentence of encouragement can change the course of someone’s life.

4. Empower a woman in your life- As an entrepreneur that is pioneering a new path, I can’t tell you how much ish you go through to even get off your feet! I’ve gotten a lot of ish for just doing what I want. SO empower the women in your life, don’t doubt them! People ask me if I’m okay like I’m a basket case.

They want to be able to sympathize with me, but really they are hoping that FOLLOWING THEIR DREAM IS NOT POSSIBLE, THAT IT SUCKS, THAT THEY WILL SUFFER AND IT’S NOT WORTH IT.

That’s why some people ask me if I’m okay and hope that I’m not able to pay my bills. Maybe if they see that following my dreams has led me to my death and destruction that they can feel okay about sitting at their desk for 40 hours a week, maybe if they see that taking a risk is NOT WORTH IT, they can give themselves a pat on the back and NOT pursue their childhood dreams.

Um. Too bad it’s been the most transformative, releasing, freeing months of my life.

IS anything worth living for EASY?

Nope. Anything worth living for is difficult, hard to get, but worth it.

Yet, having come so far, 6 months. I’ve already crossed over to the other side, and my my! The other side is so GREEN! Risk is so easy when you get over the other side. It’s so relaxing, not necessarily because I’m rich, but more so, because I get to wake up and lounge here writing in my pj’s.

Be good to yourself, be good to other women- and see how ONE person, yes, just ONE can impact the whole world. You can!

Two women that have made a difference in my life. Thank you girls for supporting me during this crazy adventure – Clare Angami, Shaina Solomon, Isabel Collin, Jane Chen, Heather Petrey, Nancy Shieh, Chelsea Kasen, Nancy Kuo, Jessica Yamane, Lauren Nanson, Maggie Wang, Annie Wong, Share Lin….list goes on.

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

License of a Higher Order of Beings

On February 27, 2012March 1, 2012 By Rebekka LienIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

The winds are particularly strong today.

Loneliness can be such an unsettling disease. At first you are okay with the things that complicate your life, the art that stimulates your eye, the décor and the clothes. Those exterior fancies seem to come and go, the hand, the human interactions are what resonate in our mind. Someone breathing, smiling, eyes alive compared to a room full of things. It is also unsettling how little I can get rid of.

I keep selling my things off and for some reason, it looks like I have more. The things keep haunting me. For most of us, our lives become more and more complicated, intricate, interwoven, spun faster when we get older. Responsibilities pile, social media boggles our mind day and night, technology tends to complicate rather than simplify.

The rat race is tiring.

Sometimes my brain would stop thinking, but when I’m alone the question of life forces their way into my head like h20 seeping through cracks in wooden doors. Now I realize, work isn’t everything. Without love we are prone to become robots and machines, without affection, we are but heartless creatures. What does silence have to say about us human beings?

A hunger for the good life lies deep within us all. But it requires an honest evaluation of who we are and how we are living. Some manage to avoid these hard questions for years, or even for a whole lifetime- diligently going with each year’s flow without pausing to imagine other possible destinations. With the passing of years, our childhood dreams are pierced by reality. Our daily lives are filled with obligations and pressures. As we grow older, we drift away from “what could be” towrad a life shaped not by personal vision or calling but by circumstance and compromise”- Life Entrepreneur

“You need to understand that the world you see outside of you is a reflection of what you see inside of you. If you see only problems and darkness and despair, that’s all it’s ever going to be. If you are a person who sees hope and opportunity and the face of God, then you can be one with the people who make real change”.

“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexppected in common hours. He will pass an invisible boundary; new, universal, and more liberal laws will begin to establish themselves around and within him; and he will live with the license of a higher order of beings”.

Pictures taken in Australia

+ Take Time to Grow– Herbs and nature take time to grow, so do we! We need time and space to be nurtured into beautiful beings.

+ Live life in truth– without truth we live a lie, we must love truthfully, speak truth in love, and let love guide us.

+ Lean into your pain– do not run away, escape or deny your pain. Those times of hurt, lean into it. Lean all your might, your being into the pain because in pain, you will encounter truth. In pain, you will find again who you were before the lies robbed you of your rights, your inheritance.

Events coming up– Me playing on cello and selling my jewelry (http://rebekkalien.storenvy.com) March 17th (Honey Badger Cafe in Alhambra). This will be an innovative, totally random, fun even consisting of music, fun and art with Justine Tsayfan. More info coming up soon!! Hope to see you there!

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

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/

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Insane Woman, Turned History Maker

On November 7, 2011November 7, 2011 By Rebekka LienIn Uncategorized2 Comments

I like to state my womanhood. I am a woman. I like to state it often because I embrace my womanhood.

They were, perfectly trimmed nails, manicured, perfectly waxed eyebrows, pssssttttt, seniorita, fake tanned, up-tities, gleaming lips with smack of lipgloss and perfect teeth with extra help. Fur lining their coat, fox, animal. Money blinging up and down from their toes, to their shoes, to their dresses, gleaming on their ears. Flash, choke, drown.

Drowning in luxury.

I was this ordinary woman sitting behind the booth watching as flocks and flocks of beautiful aged women walked in with their diamond rings and bags, swaying in their heels. Diamonds could not hide the wrinkles lining their eyes, their fingers, crispy and dried. I tried not to think about it, but suddenly my face froze and I zoned out.

“I can’t imagine being that woman when I’m 80 and I don’t want to be. If all our lives were…were about our outward appearance, and when I’m 70 I have perfect manicures, tattooed eyebrows, money to flood a nation….yet, no purpose, no meaning, no goals and passion…and all I did was get pedicures and have little lunch parties? and attend fundraisers (oh God bless fundraisers, without money we wouldn’t be able to fund many non-profits), but just in that moment, I zoned out and thought this…

I don’t want to be that, whatever that is.”

When I’m 70, I don’t want to spend money on all that. I want to have built orphanages with the money that could have gone to fox animal furs, diamonds, houses, rings…I want to have rescued kids from brothels, women from abuse, men from abuse…I want to have done something greater than just prove that ‘I made a lot of money in this lifetime’.

Later today, I bumped into several Hyatt hotel housekeepers. “I gotta go home now, and tomorrow I come again”- said this one cleaning person. I thought to myself, “to have the discipline and faithfulness to keep going even though you are doing mindless work…that is perseverance”. He helped me get my load off the elevator.

Suddenly, I was struck with a paradox. These well manicured, perfectly curled haired of a women would probably not raise a hand to help an ordinary woman unloading stuff off an elevator….but an ordinary, probably struggling housekeeper would find it easy to serve another human being. I was so struck with an epiphany, I almost zoned out again.

Having struggled for the past month, getting criticism about my choice of becoming a self-starter, shit from people I thought I trusted, eating ramen some days, denying my boba cravings, getting criticism from my buyers, etc….and just getting inundated with shit. I saw many things clearly.

It’s funny how we need to be drowned in dung, criticisms, hardships – to see life ever SO FREAKEN CLEARLY.

I am so grateful for the hardships and tears I went through in the past month. So grateful. There were times I found myself doubting the inkling of my identity, times I cried while walking in downtown LA, calling a friend quick- “I’m in shit, can we talk?”.

Times I thought to myself, “what is the very purpose for which I’m created”.

Things have started to turn around, my 12 readers that do read my blog posts. Perseverance and prayers have paid off. Fate has claimed its way in my destiny. I’m victorious in my little, finding hope in the essence of love. I met people who reminded me of who I am…people who grabbed a hold of my vulnerable heart and whispered encouragement, spoke into it my deepest desires, and pushed me to get up even when blood was dripping out of my nose, my knees were wounded by rocks, back with layers of scabs, head almost insane from hunger and insanity, confusion at times. Some were close friends, some were new friends, but all were in tune with the desires of my soul. Rather than mock me for my insanity, which I am insane 99.9% of the time (1% of the time I’m sane when I listen to naysayers), they joined my insanity and became my risk-taking comrades.

We will destroy the system of conformity and complacency. We will form new beauty and create a society based on love, not profit. We will allow uniqueness to flourish and romance in the specialty of being an individual, yet conspire in being always together in our insanity. We will let the moment take us by the hand, feet with music, not by logic.

Because who said life was logical? In fact, some of the greatest history makers were insane in their own time.

Yes, if you didn’t know – you are reading a history makers’ blog.

It’s a big, huge, claim to make- maybe even a little narcissistic, but I’ve been through too much crap to give up making sense of this beautiful life. I claim what I claim because I know this is true.

What about you?

From the top of a hotel I stayed in Taiwan last year for a night. It was the best solid alone time I ever got.

Intuition told me this photo represents what I’m talking about- you can do the analyzing.

Life The Romance

On October 3, 2011 By Rebekka LienIn art, Fashion, travel1 Comment

I’m pretty upset because I spent a whole 30 minutes or more typing up a blog post and of course, I was impatient and kept clicking publish, but the internet slowed and somehow I closed it without saving it. This is a writer’s worse nightmare.

I had such good words to share, but now I’m not in the mood for it.

I’ll be straight up then- I met a friend in Melbourne who inspired beauty in my heart. His smile and carefree laughs, jumping on the street for no reason made me realize that “Man! I’m not alone!”. Our mutual love for music, dance, street art, and nice areas to lounge sparked a friendship that would potentially last for life. He stirred up beauty in my heart and I will always remember him for it. He also taught me to grasp each moment and cherish the now. This is so contrary to American culture, and I could only have learned that from a French person- to live life with passion and zest.

In America, I feel, sometimes it’s so easy to be talking to another person, and checking your phone at the same time. It’s so easy to bypass another person without a second thought. It’s easy to go from one appointment to another without actually “THINKING”. OMG BIG SURPRISE. It’s so true because I was once like that. I hate that. I really do. How can you live life without being aware of self, others, and your atmosphere? How can you live life without being “here” and in the “now”? How can you constantly worry about the future when “now” is all you have?

I’ve learned that on my trip, I’ve experienced it. You can only experience “just being” by being in the moment, by experiencing being, being aware of the sounds, the smells, the persons, the environment, by being where you are in the now.