Category: Self-confidence

Encouragement, Health, Inspiration, New Year intentions, Self Care, Self Identity, Self-confidence, Self-Esteem

Three Minute Inspiration

Mona Alvarado Frazier
Three Minutes-gettyimages.com
Three Minutes-gettyimages.com

In my Yahoo feed I came across a website called “Give it 100 days: Practice something for 100 days.”

Three minutes was all it took to inspire me to try something different.

Participants chose weight loss, ukulele playing, learning to dance, or sing. I’m sure this “practice something for 100 days,” could extend to writing what you’re grateful for in a journal, penning a rough draft for a novel, cooking, love letters. The ideas are endless. 

On Give It 100 Days, taking and posting a video everyday to their site is required, although you can do your new thing without a public video. If you’re very determined and extroverted you’ll post a video.

What I decided to do is learn to play the piano. (But no video). This idea fit right in with my intention word for 2014: Move.

I have an old Emerson piano that my daughter learned to play on several years ago. I found her old piano practice books ” Prep Course for the Young Beginner,” and flipped through the illustrated book for 5-10 year olds.

The keys now have taped letters “A,B,C,” on them to help me know where to place my hands. Looks a little tacky but who cares. I’m going start on page one of that young beginners book and give it a try-at least for 100 days.I may just learn a whole song or two.

But back to the three minute inspiration. This came after I viewed Lakiesha’s time lapsed video ” Losing Weight and Finding Love in Myself.” This young woman made a 100 day plan for her health and because she loves herself. 

Check it out.

Do you have a 100 day plan inside of you?

 

Art, Chingonas, How to be a Chingona, Latina, Latino culture, Papel Picado, Self-confidence, Self-Esteem, Strong Women, Yreina F.Ortiz

Today I Will be Chingona

Mona Alvarado Frazier

I don’t know if this is a coincidence, or not, but Chingona’s have fallen out of the sky and into my lap. Most of you know the definition of a chingona. If not, here’s last week’s post which gives you an idea. For a practical application you can read the 10 Steps from Sandra Cisneros. 

Yreina Flores Ortiz is a Poeta, Artista Chingona. She used the Mexican folk art craft of Papel Picado to make this artistic piece titled “Today I will be Chingona.” (This is a photo of my own copy).


The designs are cut from tissue paper or by folding the tissue paper and using small, sharp scissors. They are commonly displayed for both secular and religious occasions, such as Easter, Christmas, the Day of the Dead, as well as during weddings, baptisms, and christenings. 


This poem furthers the definition of Chingona.


Today I Will Be Chingona
Today, I will greet the sun as my relative
and give the morning my full attention.
I will say “I love you” into the mirror
and draw my eyeliner extra straight.
I will not call myself fat
because everything in my closet will look good on me.
I will rock my huge Latina hips
like the blessing they are.
Watch out!
I might even wear heels.
Today, I will not hand out one unnecessary apology.
Today, I will be Chingona!
-Yreina Flores Ortiz
You can find this framed piece on Etsy.com. (Please ask for permission to use poem or graphic, it is copyrighted). Click Yreina’s name under the frame to find out more about this talented craftswoman, photographer, graphic artist, and teacher from Indio, CA where the temperature rises to 120 degrees and your chanclas (sandals) melt if you don’t put them in the fridge, like my tia used to do. 

Loving yourself, taking care of you, appreciation for your body, feeling your connectedness to the world, and being your best self is what I find when I read the poem. 

What do you find?