Inspiration

I love love love this quote, but I think it should apply to things we think as well as what we say.

Wise words via Cup of Jo: “We don’t see ourselves reading a book, eyes fluttering and glowing. You don’t see yourself looking at someone with love and care inside your heart.”

This new music festival in Ontario looks pretty cool.

This week’s episode of This American Life about policing was really fantastic but also pretty upsetting.

A great post on redefining success: “How do I feel when I settle into bed each night. Am I proud of what I put out into the world today? Have I been respectful to and appreciative of the people and things that mean the most to me? Am I able to support myself and contribute to my family’s well-being? Am I, along with my family, happy and healthy?”

Artist Paul Ferney is doing a really amazing project offering to sketch anyone who posts to the hashtag #drawmepaulferney. The portraits so far are so beautiful and I’m praying he gets to mine.

Dylan introduced me to Bleachers last week and I’ve been obsessed this week.

Katie and I are going to Vietnam in a couple months (!!) and how about this video?! It’s getting us jazzed.

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I cannot believe it’s mid-February already. Time is absolutely FLYING which is a little bit scary but also so exciting. I’m still making travel plans and trying to make the most of my last weeks in Korea.  This weekend will hopefully be low key, spending time with some friends here who are leaving soon. It’s bittersweet, but focusing on the sweetness. Hope you have an excellent weekend!

Also: Happy Valentine’s Day! Be good to yourself. I love you all! xo.

Life is about to get kind of crazy in a couple of months, so the idea of taking on this 30-day minimalism challenge is really appealing.

Advice from a guy about finding a partner who meets your needs. This article was interesting too.

One of my favourite creatives was interviewed on a new podcast called Creative Start. The podcast is great and I am obsessed with the simple, beautiful website design.

This. “You have found your X. You are here. Let yourself be here, and let the Y be there. Now, get to work.”

My one wish in life is to avoid small talk.

Great tips on making your own decisions yourself. Has there ever been a bad MarieTV episode??

Good Morning Journal looks really cool so far – weekly interviews with cool people about their mornings.

The new clothing line by the creators of Lululemon looks dreamy, if a bit pricey.

Seth Godin in all his wisdom: “There’s always a shortcut available, a way to be a little more ironic, cheaper, more instantly understandable. There’s the chance to play into our desire to be entertained and distracted, regardless of the cost. Most of all, there’s the temptation to encourage people to be selfish, afraid and angry. Or you can dig in, take your time and invest in a process that helps people see what they truly need.”

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Lots of inspiration this week and tons more not shown here. I’m reading a lot, trying to be productive and get ahead on my favourite projects (the blog and the podcast), planning for my trip and keeping in touch with my fave people back home. The week has felt a little dull but looking back on it I know I have so much to be grateful for and so much to look forward to. This weekend we’re having a big goodbye party for a bunch of friends who are leaving Korea at the end of the month. It should be a happy/sad thing. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

I’m reading A Path Appears this week and it’s blowing my mind. In a nutshell it’s about how we can donate our time and money to good causes most effectively but it explains and describes so much more than that as well. I first heard about the book in this wonderful interview.

I was excited to join the new Passport program through Pencils of Promise. They invited me when it was still under wraps and I found out later that I was member #111 (a very auspicious number, so I thought that was cool, like the dork I am). It’s basically an automatic recurring donation program, plus a few perks. Learn more and become a member here! They also have donation matching set up for your first month for the first 1000 members.

I used CheapoAir to book my flights to New Delhi and then later Toronto and got an absurd deal. I’ll write more about the “return” tickets on this site soon but until then, check it out!

I have been loving the new NPR podcast Invisibilia after hearing previews of it on This American Life and Radiolab. Really good stuff.

In other podcast news, I thought that this episode of the Lively Show about small business fears and struggles was so relatable and down-to-earth and refreshing.

I thought this video of Korean girls trying American snacks for the first time was hilarious. It was cool to see exactly what they were saying and really get a sense of their personalities – that’s sometimes lost when people speak their second language.

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The last weekend of January and the first one of February (technically): time. is. flying. I booked my flight home this week (I’ll be back late July!) so everything is starting to move much more quickly. I’m excited about all my upcoming plans but trying, of course, to stay present and enjoy my last two months in Korea. This weekend I’m planning to go shopping in one of my favourite areas and then get a lot of work done. I won’t have a computer on me while travelling so I have to try and get ahead. Enjoy your weekend!

Ps. The photo is a little throwback to my lovely summer days in Kyoto.

I knew about Lululemon’s Give Presence holiday campaign but I didn’t see their sweet video until this week.

I absolutely adore these Word of the Year graphic prints. If I was going to have a fixed address at any point this year I would order one saying my word for 2015 but as it is, it would just be another thing to ship home in two months. They’re gorgeous though.

This month I donated to Book Aid International and Grace in the Philippines (via Kiva). I also joined a really awesome new giving program that’s still in beta but I’ll be sure to talk about it once it’s no longer a secret! You can see all the organizations I support here.

9 ways to add more adventure to your weekday.

How beautiful is this idea and print?

Planning to make this kimchi pancake and this French onion soup pasta next week!

I signed this petition to make conversion “therapy” illegal – you can learn more about it here.

Girls is back! That is all.

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Oy, another hectic week. Luckily I’m back to my preferred afternoon schedule next week so I’ll hopefully feel a bit more rested and less rushed. This weekend I have a consultation about LASIK eye surgery (!!) and plans to meet up with friends. I’m looking forward to both relaxing and working. Hope you have an awesome weekend!