- The numbers 108. They appear in my birthdate (see above picture) and if you subscribe to Jeff Kober’s Meditation emails, you’ll come to know 108 as mystical numbers. The magical gist is, some say 1 stands for a higher truth/ God, 0 stands for emptiness/completeness and 8 stands for infinity. So every New Year’s Eve I write down 108 things I am grateful for alongside Jeff Kober’s meditation community and it thrills me that my family joined in this year (after much coaxing and explaining how at some point in the list you tap into an energy that carries you forward and how satisfying it is). Living from a place of gratitude is where it’s at! What you’re reading is this year’s list.
- Spending my 40th birthday in Marrakech, Morrocco, with the love of my life. Big one on my bucket list.
- New book section at the library. I’m pretty neurotic with my books. No dog ears in this house! That new book section is a siren’s song calling me over and it never disappoints.
- The Book Sale section at the library! The gift book section with seemingly brand new books (No dog ears! Tight spine! Clean pages!) for 25 cents has birthed my obsession with SARK! She’s a succulent wild woman and I love her so. I now own 5 out of her 16 out of print(?) bestseller books. Let’s see how many I find by the end of 2022!
- Discovering Austin Kleon and his “Show Your Work” and “Steal Like An Artist” processes. I bought one book full price (Keep Going), keep borrowing one (Show Your Work!), and found one for 25 cents for the library gift book section (Steal Like An Artist). Now I am obsessed with his blog and am pushing myself to start my blog and be more open about my processes. He’s also inspiring me to start playing the piano again. Let’s see what I report back for 2022.
- Discovering songs I can’t help but put on repeat. Some song highlights: Distance by Yebba, Right On Time by Brandi Carlisle, Pretty by COl3trane & Malia, etc etc…
- Debuting my one-woman play on stage at the Whitefire Theatre, albeit virtually, but wow, achievement unlocked for sure.
- Figuring out the best morning mindset processes that work for me.
- Cameron Jordan who took pictures of me backless on a sand dune in Malibu… way outside my comfort zone but she made me feel safe and like a queen! One of those pictures ended up being the poster for my one-woman show.
- Jo Allen aka Dirty Eraser. Watercolor Illustrator extraordinaire. She and I connected on a deep profound level through FaceTime and she helped craft all my hand drawn illustrations for the show… now available as temp tattoos! (come see my show and get a tattoo sheet).
- My celestial Scorpio birthday twin, Serina Morris, who graciously took time in her busy schedule to help me out with the design elements of the posters/ tattoos/ playbill etc etc! Not sure what i would have done without her!
- Another Scorpio darling, Eileen Rosete, from Our Sacred Women… staying up with me in the wee hours of the morning and helping me craft the words to my synopsis and first show press release. She is magic with intentional words and helped me get out of my safe zone!
- Natalie Alcala, from Fashion Mamas, for being the catalyst and providing the amazing community that brought me the above 4 women into my life. Any time women come together with a collective intention, it’s a powerful, magical thing. 🙌🏽 you feel me?
- My director for Naturally Tan, Jessica Lynn Johnson! My show would have never come to be if I had never committed to meeting up with her weekly in 2020, and taking the plunge to debut the show virtually 2021.
- My sunroom studio.. where I auditioned in my whisper room, booked some voiceover gigs, rehearsed my show and looked out to my god forsaken backyard in need of some TLC… hoping to update in 2022!
- My outfits in Morocco! I planned my days like a travel blogger and that was a game changer. No more wondering what to wear!
- Sunsets at Riad El Fenn’s rooftop in Marrakech with drinks in hand.
- Breakfasts at Riad El Fenn! I’m drooling just thinking about the Amlou (almond butter, honey and organ oil) spread on the gluten free bread they made for us every morning. Divine!
- Feeling like I am on the cusp of something epic.
- Having a great support system in my parents in Singapore, my brother’s fam in Perth, my husband, kids, and in-laws.
- Seeing angel numbers and looking up the significance.
- Danica Patrick’s Pretty Intense 90 day workout. A library find from 2019 that serves me till today.
- My dad’s smile when I FaceTime him.
- My mom always ready to talk and listen… even in the wee hours of the morning!
- My acting heroes, Jeff Kober and Bill Smitrovich, coming to see Naturally Tan at the Hollywood Fringe!
- Receiving my design magazine subscriptions in the mail.
- Seeing more body positive images in magazines and social media.
- Finding Aanika’s (my 6 year old) long lost sketch book from Kindergarten. She had written “BOY, A GIRL IS A FEMALE!”. She has many funny quips and that definitely cracked me up.
- My free Hollywood Reporter subscription. They obviously see me as a valued member of the industry and I’m going to continue believing that till they cancel it.
- Zellige tiles. Handmade, imperfect, light reflecting off them like diamonds. My obsession with them had me fantasizing about Morocco and so we went to Morrocco… the birthplace of zellige tiles!
- Tye dye matching sweat suits. Lived in them during the pandemic and now they are my staple airport attire.
- Sweet sweet neighbors.
- Knowing in my heart that the best is yet to come.
- Bouchra Bouchra pots. Hand carried that home from Morrocco. I’m obsessed.
- Volunteering in my kids’ classrooms when I can.
- Seeing my children do well in school.
- Copper bathtubs.
The Blog
108 Things I Am Grateful for from the Year 2021
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