Wordless Wednesday: Good Luck & Positivity in AsiaTown CLE!

Wordless Wednesday: Good Luck & Positivity in AsiaTown CLE!

 

Want some extra luck?

Budda says,  "Rub my belly."

 

Here's to hoping for more luck and good fortune in CLE! Rub-a-dub!

 

But wait, there's more...

Taken in CLE's Asian Town Center

 

Get lucky yourself by visiting this giant Buddha (and many more) in the Asian Town Center in the St. Clair Superior Neighborhood and AsiaTown CLE. And spot the "Year of the Snake" Public Art Project on several street corners too.

 

According to the Chinese Zodiac, it's the year of the Water Snake. "Snake is a great sign, a positive one, with energy that can help us face all of the challenges ahead of us."

 

Good luck, positivity, and the energy to face the challenges ahead of me?

 I'll take that for a Wednesday, AsiaTown CLE! Thanks!

Wedding Shower Weekend!

Whacky weather lately, huh? On Saturday, despite the unpredictable weather, the day was made extra bright when we celebrated Julie and Ryan's Wedding Shower with friends, family and fun bridesmaids!

I am so honored to be a part of Julie and Ryan's special day, and this weekend we kicked off the festivities!

Bridal Party!



The Happy Couple!

Her pink and black color theme carried throughout, from table cloths to pink lemonade!





JP looking like the beautiful bride-to-be
Me being a creeper winking at someone in the background

Adorbs and Delish!

The wedding shower included sweet treats, beautiful flower surprises from the groom, and fun "how well do you know each other" couples' quiz. They looked happy and relaxed and it gave the bridesmaids a chance to catch up and get to know new faces too.

 

Later that evening, we headed down to W. 25th to have some girls-only fun at the bachelorette party! It started with dinner and drinks in the private room at Bar Cento.  *Shout out to Moira for taking care of us!* :)

OMG! JP is getting Married!

Best Bachelorette Party Gift!

After dinner, we had a whirlwind of a time at Market Garden Brewery, awkward encounters at

ABC Tavern and finished the night with an unexpected rain storm on the patio at Nano Brew. It was laughing, fun, not-THAT-obnoxious-party, time. I must say, I'm thankful that Julie is such a laid-back, witty,  sweet, and go-with-the-flow gal. Call her anti-Bridezilla! Yes, I am one grateful bridesmaid (and taking notes for future reference!)

And big thanks to the co-maids of honor Gina and Emily for throwing a rocking wedding shower/bachelorette weekend! Pyaw!

Color me bad!

What was your best/most memorable bachelorette party? Have any fun/cool bridal party tips or traditions I should note for the big day?  Share your positive thoughts!

YP Pantry, Cleveland Foodbank

How did 1 year fly by so quickly?! Yes... YP Pantry, Cleveland Foodbank is officially a year old! Gasp! 

Me too, kid, me too...
Image source: womenunlimitedworldwide.com

Last July I became involved with forming a group of young professionals to start a YP networking group in affiliation with the Cleveland Foodbank. Never did I imagine what a tremendously eye-opening experience, adventure, and friendship forming time it would be!

Not familiar with the Cleveland Foodbank or YP Pantry? No problem!

Here's a little history and my top 5 reasons why you should consider getting involved!

The Cleveland Foodbank supplies a majority of the food used in local hot meal sites, shelters, and food pantries throughout Northeast Ohio. In addition, they provide food to child care centers, group homes, and programs for the elderly.

The most astonishing thing I learned after getting involved with the organization is that there IS enough food in Cleveland. Let me reiterate that point, there.is.enough.food.in.Cleveland.for.EVERYONE! The issue or challenge, which the Cleveland Foodbank certainly advocates to overcome, is that we need to reconsider and revise the way food is distributed throughout our community.

So who does the Cleveland Foodbank serve? Are people really going hungry in Cleveland? Well, chew on this...

Image source: Cleveland Foodbank

WOW! So what can you do to help? There are a variety of ways for you to get involved and contribute. Learn about 5 ways you can help fight hunger here. And if you're a young professional, between ages 21-39 and looking for a group to get involved with, here are my top 5 reasons why you should consider joining YP Pantry, Cleveland Foodbank!

1) Get hands on experience! Unlike some YP groups, where you pay annual dues, slap it on your resume and occassionally go to social outings at local bars, this group encourages you to roll up your sleeves and get involved! I dig being a part of YP Pantry because there are so many opportunities to volunteer at the Cleveland Foodbank warehouse and assist with repack events.

New YP Pantry members packing their first pallet in the warehouse!

Actually sorting food, organizing crates, checking labels, and visually seeing the food to be distributed to local pantries makes a huge impact. and raises your awareness of how much need is right in our community!

2) Make a difference in our CLE community! Several YP Pantry community events take place at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lakewood. The produce you may have just recently sorted in the Foodbank warehouse is delivered to the church for hot meals and produce distribution. As a Lakewood resident myself, I was completely blown away after attending the first YP Pantry there.  Serving nearly 200 people, who are quite likely your neighbors, is very eye-opening and truly humbling as it magnifies the incredible need right in our own backyards. Make a difference, and feel good serving someone a tasty meal or hand out fresh fruits and vegetables.

Photo Source: YP Pantry Facebook

Peanut butter and jelly pros!
Photo Source: YP Pantry Facebook

Average produce distribution line
Fresh sweet potatoes, onions, potatoes, cucumbers, and apples
from the Cleveland Foodbank
Photo Source: YP Pantry Facebook

3) Volunteer in lieu of dues! As I mentioned before, I really appreciate the hands on experience. So in lieu of dues,  members are required to volunteer 24 hours of their time over the course of a year. And there's plenty of ways to earn it too, doing a repack in the warehouse, assisting with an on-site agency distribution day, and more--check out all of the current event/volunteer listings by visiting the YP Pantry Facebook events page and registering on Eventbrite. If you're just starting out in your career, or paying off student loans--your time is just as valuable as money! So come out and volunteer, and save your due money for other expenses ;)


4) Make new friends! Over the course of the past year, I've met some AMAZING people that I can now call friends. Our common interest was volunteering, but some of those initial volunteer experiences developed into friendships.

Meet other young professionals who enjoy giving back, having fun, and making new friends. The YP Pantry Social Happy Hour events have included some of CLE's best restaurants such as Noodlecat, Bier Markt, and Grovewood Tavern.


Slurp-a-licious time at YP Pantry Social at Noodlecat!

Ale, Cookies, and Ugly Christmas Sweater Party at Bier Markt
with YP Pantry Core Council Members, Tracy and Kate

Register for the next YP Pantry Social Happy Hour on July 30 at Light Bistro and see what it's all about. And the best part? Donate 2 boxes of your fave cereal at the event, be entered to win a pair of tickets to the Taste of the Browns, andddd 15% of your bill that evening will be donated directly back to the Foodbank too! That's a major win!

5) Stay updated! So maybe you've attended a few YP events, maybe you're new to the city. Find out other fun things happening in CLE too. Cleveland Foodbank offers other fun ways to volunteer like at Cleveland Indians games too. Fill out an application to be added to the YP Pantry monthly e-newsletter list,  check out other YP Pantry Core Council members awesome blogs all about CLE, like Amanda from Clue Into Cleveland and Jen from Why? CLE, or follow YP Pantry and Cleveland Foodbank on Facebook.

So, hope to see you at an event or volunteer opportunity soon to help support the Cleveland Foodbank mission!

*Full disclosure: I am a YP Pantry Core Council member and volunteer of the Cleveland Foodbank. All opinions expressed are completely my own.*

 

26 Things I'd Tell Myself On My Sweet 16

So, two of my blogging beauty gal pals recently wrote posts about things they would have told "their younger selves" Sarah from Our Journey recently wrote this awesome post called "20 Things I Would Tell My 17 Year Old Self" and Katie from Call Me Trouble wrote "25 Things I Know (or Don't) Before I Turn 25" I LOVED their lists and thoughtful advice!

Welp, today is my last day of being 25 and I took the day off work and I'm being a bit nostalgic. I remember the day before my 16 birthday (scoff, a whole decade ago!) and how I literally was going nuts to turn 16 and "be an adult..." Oh, Lil Jessie! So, inspired by these other ladies' posts, here are 26 things I learned the past decade that I wish I could have told myself on my sweet 16:

1. I know you're jazzed about getting your license, but be careful. A garage door opener will prove to be your nemesis (swear to God), you'll wreck your Mom's car, and have some serious issues about reversing for the next 10 years. Don't worry, you'll get a sweet car eventually with a back-up camera and your reversing/parallel parking skills will significantly improve. You'll laugh at this story someday.
2. Be kind to your body, it's beautiful and the only one you get!
3. Liking school and loving to learn IS actually cool. The guy you're dating now and a couple after that will tease you about it, and you'll try to hide your bookworm tendencies. Own it. Being smart IS sexy and eventually you'll believe it and find a man who loves this about you most. 
4. I know you've missed your sister while she's been away at college, but you'll get the chance to live with her again.
   
   

   

   Halloween '10

   It will be fabulous and your relationship will grow closer and it will be some formidable years as a young adult.
   
   
5. Keep writing. You've been writing short stories and poems and essays. Be thankful you've already discovered this passion that will stick with you. Keep writing. It will serve you well in college and in your career. Keep writing.
6. Your family will heal itself. This is a really tough time for you and the whole family, I know. Next year, things will start to get better once Dad has his first surgery. It will be a rollercoaster, but it will get better and your family will heal and become stronger and closer. Which leads me to my next point...
7. Family first. I know you think your friends will always be there for you, but most of them will lose touch with you or grow in other directions or turn out not to be good for you. So appreciate your family and always put them first. Stop being a little wiener.
8. Drink lots of water. It'll make your skin prettier.
9. Your dance moves will only continue to improve...
   
   

   

   From the freshman year lean back belly rub...

   

   To the senior year hair swing raise the roof!

   
   
10. Your empathy is your best quality and worst quality, choose wisely. You have a kind heart and feel for others, but don't let them take advantage of you. You're extraordinarily loyal, but don't lose a sense of self by trying to help others solve their problems. Help others who help themselves.
11. Stop obsessing. Your mind is like a hamster on a wheel, always spinning. Your thought habit of worrying and catastrophizing scenarios in your head are useless. So stop now...
12. Okay, so you didn't listen about worrying about things that will most likely never happen... Now you have to deal with anxiety. And that's okay too. It will not kill you--it may feel like it will in the moment, but I promise the panic attack will subside. "This too shall pass" will become your fateful mantra, so learn to love it and live it. 
13. You'll forgo a high school graduation party in exchange for a trip to NYC to celebrate your graduation and 18th birthday with your sis. Great decision.
    
    
    It will be an adventure and you will meet a guy and it will be a whirlwind romance. Bet you didn't see that coming! But you'll learn a lot and what it feels like to be treated like a lady and develop a special place in your heart for NYC.
14. You'll get big boobs. 
15. Don't lose your sense of humor. Once a goofball, always a goofball. If you can laugh during a difficult situation, you win.
    
    
16. I know you're rolling your eyes at your Dad's advice now, but seriously, the guy's a trained clinical psychologist, and has got some years of life experience. "Push yourself. Don't take anyone's shit. Remember your breathing. Count your blessings. Say your prayers. Keep your spiritual light on."
    
17. You will never grow into your big feet. Sorry to burst your bubble kid, but 5'5 will be as good as it gets. 
18. There will be a monster hurricane that hits New Orleans as you begin your first week of college. It will haunt you and nag you. You'll write a paper about it, and become committed to finding a way to help. You'll get to the chance to go down there and build a house.
    
    
    
    
    It will forever impact you and open your eyes to the tremendous poverty, need, passion and resilience that the people of the Gulf Coast have in our own country. Be thankful.
    

    

    Miss Carolyn here personally knew 44 people
    who died in the storm
    yet had the most jovial spirit of anyone I've ever met.

19. Be authentic. Being yourself will make you far happier than trying to fit in or being someone you're not. It will help you navigate many future interactions and life decisions.
20. Fart jokes and people tripping or falling will still make you laugh 10 years from now. 
21. Trust your intuition. Your gut will prove to be right nearly 9 out of 10 times.
22. Everyone grieves differently, be kind to yourself. Haters gonna hate. This will be a tough lesson for you to learn after you lose one of your best friends but will make you stronger.
    

    

    Remember his love and light and laughter

23. Your Mom always encouraged you to appreciate the simple beauty, the awe of nature, the creativity of art, and the magnificence of ancient architecture. It sounds corny now, but you will come to realize what a wonderful appreciation she passed along to you.
    
    
24. The girl you met on your first day of high school is your homegirl by age 16. She's a good egg and will stick by you through the best of times and worst of times. She'll still be your best friend 10 years later and many more to come.
    
    
25.  You'll start a blog when you're 24. It will revolutionize your world and finally give you another learning challenge post-schooling. You will make amazing friends, push yourself to be more adventurous, satisfy your hunger to begin creative writing again, and have awesome opportunities along the way.
26.  Your journey is unfolding exactly as it should be. Reread that once again. One you believe in this, your entire world will open up. Keep JAMmin!
    
    

Monday Meditation: Laughter & Lightness



Do you ever one of those days/weeks/years where it seems to be one challenge after the next? Yep, we've all experienced that feeling! I had a few instances recently of gravity punctured by lightness. What a difference it makes to pause and bask during the moments of lightness.

 

I was having a deep conversation with someone about eating and nutrition habits for IBD. I suggested "to avoid all dairy products, including eggs." ....Where is that food pyramid from grade school again? ... Well, evidently eggs are categorized as dairy in my book. My silly slip up prompted a belly laugh for both of us and an ongoing joke that helps break up the challenges of combating stomach issues. Hey...

 

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What I'm saying is, don't take yourself so seriously. Life is full of serious challenges, so relish in the moments you can laugh at yourself, at mistakes, at fear, at frustration, at adulthood.

 



Lighting up the laughter with some glow in the dark/neon glasses :)

 

Get a good laugh in when you're physically exhausted too. Like this weekend, when I spent 3 hours cursing that stubborn pachysandra I tore out from the garden and cathartic relief as I beat the crap out of the shoveled mounds to shake the dirt from the roots. Pyaw! Take that!

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So whether it's a heavy situation with health, work, family, life, or even gardening--be sure to counter it with some laughter and lightness!

 

Monday Meditation: The Seasons of Adversity and Prosperity

 

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This quote carries so much weight with all the events that have been going on in the news and in my own personal life this past week. The contrast in this quote sharply draws parallels between the seasons of change within the peaks and valleys of life.

 

 

photo by JAMinCLE

Would we appreciate the glory of a blossoming tree without enduring a seemingly endless winter? Would the yellow of the daffodils and the spring green of the grass be as vibrant without the slate gray that has painted our city this winter? Would we know the pleasant feeling of prosperity without having the sour taste of adversity? Would we count our blessings without experiencing loss or grief?

As we emerge with resilience in the face of a harsh winter or tragedy, adversity, exhaustion, etc. let's take a brief moment to acknowledge a new season of heroism, prosperity, and rejuvenation. A simple welcoming song of hope.

Photo by JAMinCLE

Wordless Wednesday: Big Developments in CLE!

Have you seen/heard the exxxxxciting development projects in CLE?  One massive project in the works and another on its way. Believeland CLEVELAND!!! Read all about the big things happening in our own backyard!  Positive, revitalization, business, redevelopment, and attractions *swoon with pride*
 

(news & images courtesy of cleveland.com)

 

 

East Bank of the Flats Coming Back!

 

Dimit Architects, image source: cleveland.com

 

Plans to Turn Public Square into Green Space



James Corner Field Operations, image source: cleveland.com

Monday Meditation: Welcome Spring, Savor the Sunshine

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This Wednesday, we will usher in a new season...SPRING! The weather always proves to be unpredictable in CLE but I love this quote for Monday Meditation. Spring will finally pop its head here shortly and soon we will be trading snow squalls for thunderstorms and digging out weeds from the garden rather than digging out of snow. But we all know CLE weather is just as tempermental as the lake effect in our lives. Where will the storm hit, here, there, when, how long, how hard, how much? And on and on. It's easy to be sucked into impending storms or potential gloomy days. Well I say...

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The trials and tribulations in life are inevitable and will often catch us off guard; so how do we prepare? How do we shake the winter blues and renew our hope for spring? We store up the sunshine! Focus and invest in the people and events and love in life that brighten up the seasons of your life. The real question is, when you reflect, will you be counting your rainbows or your thunderstorms?

Will you let the figurative rain of life wash away your good days? Or will you store up some sunshine to cherish on the gray days?


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Do you feel an internal shift when the seasons change? How do you handle bad weather? Share your thoughts!

Monday Meditation: Start Before You're Ready!

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I love this quote and philosophy. It scares the crap out of me, but I love it. I think that's the exact point... we build up these fears, hurdles, or timelines in our head about the way life is supposed to unfold. "As soon as I start saving money then I can do this, or once my schedule lightens up I can commit to working out, as soon as I hit this milestone in my bank account/relationship/career/education/fitness plan, etc. I will be able to start my journey towards XYZ goal." Sound familiar? Ahhh, I totally admit I am guilty of this! Why? Because we love to think we have control over everything. It's very intimidating to let go, put ourselves out there and take risks without a guarantee of success. But...
 

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Now, I am not encouraging you to push yourself to your maximum capacity or disregard the consequences of your actions or start a plan to please someone else's expectations--but what I am encouraging you to reflect on is how and where you can step outside your comfort zone in your life to take one step closer toward your life goals? What actions can you begin to take "before you're ready" or how can you have faith in yourself and the world that everything will work out when you decide to take the leap?

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It begins by traveling in the direction of our fears, not away from them! Completely counter-intuitive and entirely necessary! In order to challenge ourselves and grow, we have to step outside our comfort zone to make space to grow. We have to take the risk and start before we're ready, without knowing the definitive outcome, but TRUSTING in it and our own strength. Realize this:

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So what areas of your life can you "start before you're ready?" How can you make space for expansion by stepping out of your comfort zone and into the face of fear and achieve your dreams? What small step can you take TODAY, even if you think you're not quite ready?

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Get your JAM on today :)

Monday Meditation: Give Your Soul Some Love and Be Your Self!

"Who you naturally are is FAR more inspiring than who you pretend to be. This is the fact. And what ELSE is cool is when we stop pretending to be someone and just start being ourselves, we are no longer BSing ourselves and so we actually take our power back, instead of giving it away by pretending to be perfect. And as we start to respect ourselves more, we take more action and as we take more action grounded in self-respect, really cool things start to happen and a positive cycle of momentum is created." -Mastin Kipp via The Daily Love

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I love this quote AND this visual. It really helps show the parallels and implications of choosing to listen to our EGO or our SOUL. When we are struggling or going through a period of growth it can be easy to listen to the ego: I'm not strong enough, brave enough, cool enough, beautiful enough. STOP. You ARE enough! The ego is that dark side buried in your sub-conscious that tries to convince you of negativity or self-doubt. 

I had a conversation with a girlfriend this weekend about the importance of  loving ALL aspects of yourself--the good, the bad, and the ugly...whole-heartedly...in order to give any part of yourself to another. Ah-ha!

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I struggled with this a few years ago as I suffered with severe anxiety. (I know, the social butterfly, wow!) I was going through a period of tremendous loss, change, and growth and was trying to manage my silly ego:

• I can handle this on my own, chin up, keep smiling
• People will think I am nuts if I explain what's going on
• I wish I could change what happened in the past
•  I am misunderstood/alone
•  Ego, ego, ego! 

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Everyone has their own battles, fears, or issues. It may not be anxiety or grief, but certainly everyone can relate to trying to silence a nagging ego, or trying to fit in, or denying some facet of ourselves that we wish wasn't there. But the more you resist, the more it persists!!!

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When I finally began to listen to my soul/inner JAM/true Self, my whole world began to open up!

The experience and challenge significantly changed me... for the better! It's all about what you choose to make of it, yes, make something of it! I hope by me sharing my experience will help some readers be themselves and give their souls some love and embrace the challenges they are facing!

Am I more forgiving of others now? Yes, everyone's facing a battle you may not know about! Did I learn to be grateful for each moment and appreciate my support system? Certainly, I am incredibly blessed! Do I still hear my ego? Sure, but it doesn't win when I simply listen to my authentic Self and stay present and positive!

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But most importantly I learned:

• Build on the positive and be productive
• Be true to my Self and not judge my Self so critically
• Be open and vulnerable around those I love and trust; I don't have to give everyone an explanation
• Surround my Self with those who lift me higher
• My family loves me unconditionally
• Everyone deals with loss and grief differently
• Getting help shows strength and humility!
• Be passionate about life...YOLO! I can only live in the Now
• Don't just talk about it, BE about it!
• I love ALL aspects of my Self!

So.......

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• How can you let go of your past?
• How can you be more gentle to your Self?
• Are you trying to impress others or are you being honest with your Self?
• How can you respect your body more?
• Are you listening to your ego or your authentic soul?
• Are you surrounding your Self with people who love, accept, and encourage you to be your Self?
• Are you being proactive and growing?
• Did you tell your Self today that you're awesome!

I say, give your soul some love and meditate on being your Self!