The lovely Jess at makeundermylife.com interviewed me about some of the most important rules that I live by. Here's a few that I came up with!
Be Creative
It's important for me to express myself creatively every day. I have all of these fun ideas in my head and if I don't get them out I'm pretty sure my mind would explode. Realistically, I'd probably just get frustrated and fall asleep. But explosion or no explosion, doing something creative acts as a form of therapy for me. I feel better after taking photographs, making street art, painting, or making wall sized collages. The messier and more sweatier I get, the better I feel.
Don't grow up
Well, not completely anyways. I think it's important to keep that little kid inside of you. I see a lot of people turn into grumpy old men that just complain about everything. I know that we're all adults and we have important adult-like things to do but that doesn't mean we have to let go of that playful side of ourselves. I'm still all about blowing bubbles, running around in the rain, and playing with my food and I always will be!
Break your routine
I hate the idea of getting up, eating breakfast, and going to work the same way every day. It eventually gets boring and I will not stand for boring! I want to wake up to a day that is always new, so I make sure I change it up a bit. First of all, who made this rule that for breakfast we should eat cereal? If I wake up and want spaghetti, I'll make spaghetti. Whenever I leave the house I go a different way each time. I walk down a new street, ride the bus, take a different train, or hop on a forklift if I can find one! Even if it'll take me longer to get there, I don't care. I just always want to see something new.
Be Optimistic
It's raining again? Wonderful! It'll make the flowers grow. I got paint on my favorite coat? Great! I can turn it inside out, sew on new buttons, and make it better than before. There's always a way to find something positive in a situation you would normally think was negative.
Give yourself a gift everyday
There are some days that can feel so long but it makes it a lot easier to get through if you give yourself a gift. I always like to give myself something little like a cupcake, a flower, balloons, or an iced coffee at my favorite cafe. It's not expensive and it's a lovely little pick me up during the day.
Be yourself
I'm not perfect, I know that. I have this thing where I trip at least once a day and somehow my dress will always find a way to fall down at the most inappropriate moments. I say the wrong things at wrong times and only get the giggles when I'm alone on the train, which makes me look like a crazy person. I used to be really embarrassed of myself when I was younger but now I find all these little things to be funny and they make me who I am. The next time my dress accidently falls down at a funeral, it'll fall with pride!
So now I'm curious, what are some of the ways you live your life? I'd love to know!
62 comments:
You and your photos completely inspire me. I often find myself overwhelmed with creative ideas too and instead of expressing them, I often just give up. I'm going to start taking chances and making mistakes anyway!
Katie,
This world would be a better place with more "Katies" in the world :)
You are an inspiration. Thank you for the big smile I get every time I visit.
Have an adventure each day & be alive
What wonderful words of wisdom! I always enjoy your blog and hope that I can be half as creative as you someday!
my word, I LOVE you ... thanks for all these reminders. All things we already know to do in our heart, but thanks for being an example.
xo
My mum intorduced me to your blog a couple of weeks ago. I smile everytime I visit. Thanks for sharing your talents with the rest of the world and bringing a smile to my face.
You're so inspiring, Katie! I especially like "Break your routine" and "Be yourself" because I need to do those things MORE! Thanks for sharing! I would add "WRITE IT DOWN" to my list of rules to live by. I guess "Take a picture" would work, too, but I ALWAYS have to record something beautiful that I fall in love with when I'm walking down the street or just sitting alone with my thoughts. Words and pictures are my favorite things! :)
this is fantastic!
who cares what other people think! if they think i'm ugly that makes them ugly! if they think my outfit is stupid, well boo hoo for them!
Nice to share this optimism and your creativity!
Thanks a lot from france
Great rules to live by, thanks for your words of wisdom!
nice wall collage!!! i love it!! =)
that's perfect advice!
Totally true. A lot of people give up their little kid inside because its such a serious world (or something like that :O)
When I think about it, the most creative minds were the weird ones, the ones that did not fit in the thought of society properly. :P
And the ways I live...
- Be weird, normal tends so plain
- Be open for everything new and strange
- Never stop doing what you like, in the end we're all gonna die and at least I lived it the way I wanted it (no society restrictions as far as possible?)
And...there are more but I don't wanna repeat you or sound tacky :P
Btw, this is something that inspires me, maybe you like it, maybe not :P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuvHDAF_bjU
My grandma always says, Don't sweat the small stuff... and its ALL small stuff.
Helps keep my perspective on the world in check.
I love that Rae!
Smile everyday. Without a smile your in between emotions, smile at other people, let them know you are happy, smile at the person frowning make their day.
S- simple
m- motion
i- inspires
l- lots of
e- emtions!
Your photos inspire the whole world........
Katie, you are wonderful!
Here's how I live my life: I make myself happy with other people's dogs. I take silly, sneaky pictures of dogs in my neighborhood and post them on my blog (chicagodogcity.blogspot.com), so that other people can enjoy them too. Dogs are the happiest thing I can think of.
your blog is always putting a smile on my face! I love your words of wisdom, and I hope that I can be as creative and optimistic when i get older!
You are such a lovely person, Katie. I hope you never, ever lose that spark which makes you so special. I try to live my life with empathy, depth, and joy. Those are really the most important things to me.
Hi! I'm new to your blog and I just wanted to let you know that I love it. Your posts are very enjoyable. A real good 'feel good' blog! I live my life by being true to myself. My motto? I am who I am and I'm OK with that!
if i ever saw you down the street i surely would kneel as if you were royalty or something.no, for real, you have such an amazing way of seeing life and i admire you. i truly wish i could think that way and make look life like a rainbow with pretty pictures. :D
To me...
Take Challenges - Do it without being told by someone else that you can't. Some people like to watch us going down...
Don't give up! - Use the capabilities to achieve our goals!
Optimistic - I always believe there other ways to do it better in life. I too like being different!
And be yourself of course - No one else does accept for you. =)
Well it seems my way of life is almost the same as you Katie and it makes me more happy that I have someone that shares the same interest as I do (that's you) even though we're far apart!
I think you should do the 100 photos of fans around the world! Will love to submit my photo to you!
some of the ways i live my life:
1. life has a way of working itself out... if you let it. every time i jump into a different line at the grocery store that i think will be faster, i inevitably end up taking longer than if i'd just stayed where i was. this isn't to say i never rock the boat, but it's a good reminder that in some cases, it pays to sit quietly and see where life is taking you.
2. the hard things in life suck, but they are also very good teachers if you listen closely.
3. at the end of the day, remember at least one thing that made you smile and hold that in your mind as you fall asleep.
I just stumbled upon your blog and have been reading your past entries and watching the videos. I just wanted to thank you for sharing your art. I feel completely inspired with the stuff you do, and how you overcame your shyness through your projects.
I'm so happy I found your blog. Every post makes me smile. :)
Some of my rules:
- Smile at a stranger every day. A genuine, looking-them-in-the-eyes smile. Maybe even a hello, if they're in earshot.
- Don't indulge in anger over petty things. If a guy cuts you off in traffic, take a deep breath and let it go. There are more important things to spend your energy on.
- Don't put off doing your work. It only makes you feel guilty and more stressed. Get it over with so you can really enjoy yourself.
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I'm trying to be a happy, optimistic enjoyer of the moment, but it doesn't always work out that way...
But as long as there are people like you to inspire me, I'm convinced I will get closer eventually!
Some of my little tricks to keep me happy:
let go of the have-to's and listen to that inner voice that tells me what I need
be open for new opportunities to do something creative, or make someone happy
when I'm down:
remember some really bad times and realize that now is not as bad as then
enjoy a memory of some really good times, and tell myself that it will be like that again, eventually
do something that will make me laugh :-)
Vivien
this post was awesome! and so are the other ones...
I´m still thiking about how I live my life, heheh..
I love reading through all these comments. You guys are so inspiring!
I just got out of hospital. Thank you for reminding me that life is in fact still beautiful. You are a joy! :)
So true! All of it. In fact those are all things which make all people happier according to studies (I'm currently in grad school to be a therapist), but so few people allow themselves those experiences. Kudos to you for living life to the fullest and inspiring others to do the same!
I have a little blog that's all about this topic: how I fill my well (or live life to the fullest): fillyourwell.blogspot.com
Lovely...
Awesome...
Inspiring..
i really love your blog!
Katie, you remind me so much of my friend Marta, who is also a happy and positive soul. I think you might enjoy her blog http://justcallmemarta.blogspot.com/
It's a cooking blog, but she also shares her views on life.
i totally agree with all of your "rules" katie and really think this is what keeps people young. you have to focus on the good things in life or you will be weighed down. dont sweat the small stuff is so true. your blog is the best!
I wish I had a friend like u!! U inspire me in so many ways! I always forget to be optimistic and have fun when things get too difficult and everything seems to be hard. I realized it after reading ur interview, we shouldn't worry so much its so true! You're so special. :)
These rules are so authentic and inspirational. I love the pursuit of creativity and positivity you have through these rules. And I think it's so important to find the good in a situation and seek laughter.
-Tawney
http://achichilife.blogspot.com
i am a designer - so dress like one; laugh at myself silly; eat milk biscuits; wear shoes that clash with my clothes; live radically; break all rules; only read non-fiction cos alternative worlds should be self-imagined, not imposed upon
Katie,
Stephanie up there is my good friend from forever! I'm so glad she blogged about you. You have truly changed my life. I've been ignoring myself so much for who knows what reason and you, you know! I feel so blessed to read your blog and remember who I am. Please, from Salt Lake city Utah feel my love. You have helped me see myself and the world more clearly; rosy ;)
I would add to your list: laugh! and sing WHENEVER you feel like singing.
I take public transportation all the time and always want to sing along to my ipod. I just recently started :)
You are my favorite blog to visit. Thanks for always always always making me smile!
Somewhere in my teenhood, I decided to never stop doing the fun things that I did as a kid. The things that got my heart racing as child.
I'll be 35(!) in a couple of weeks, and I've still kept my teenaged promise to myself... I still go down slides, play on swing sets, flip over bars and hang upside down. I still love to do cartwheels in the park or on the beach. I do all this without having kids of my own around to do them with.
I wanna take a forklift to work too!!
Amazing advice ! :) <3
I was having a crabby morning (not enough sleep! I am dogsitting a dog who decided 3:30 a.m. was time to get up) and so I read some of my favourite blog, http://happiness-project.com/ She pointed at your blog and wow - I am so refreshed! Thank you so much for bringing such beauty, joy, and fun into the world!!
One of the things that I have been consciously trying to do in the last little while is get out of my comfort zone. I like routine, but I can also get a little stuck sometimes. Remembering to get out of my comfort zone every once in a while sure helps with that stuck feeling. But mostly, it ends in fun! This weekend I went to a costume party and instead of playing it safe, I made a silly hat to go with my outfit. It was a big hit, and it gives me the confidence to try to make an even sillier outfit next time!
I just came across your blog through Gretchen Rubin's site. It's absolutely fantastic! I can't wait to see what comes next. You're truly an inspiration.
This is a wonderfully inspiring post! Certainly looking at the lighter brighter side of life:)
Hi Katie!
I'm new to your blog and your art. I love the happy energy you're putting out into the world. Found this on Oh Joy! and thought you'd like it.
:) Jesse
Thanks for this Katie! That was a really inspiring way to start the day. And I liked abcgirl's 'rules' too, it's so much easier to fall asleep at night if you're not reliving the bad moments of the day :)
I love this post! Thanks :)
Just found out about your blog!!looks really good!very colorfull
My rules:
Listen to your heart
Follow your first instinct
Help in any way you can
Be unique
Look for love
Find joy in everything
Surround yourself with color and beauty
Question everything (creeds and schools in abeyance)
Practice nonviolence, selflessness, and other disciplines of yoga
Always be open-minded
Never be afraid
CONNECT WITH THE EARTH
Wow Katie,
I have no words. I thought I! was a positive person, but found your blog and realized I could improve even more. I wanted to create a blog to give people positive ideas for our daily routines... and you've done that and much more. I thought I! was creative (I love photography too) but again, looking at your site makes me realize I could do much more! I saw in one of the posts that someone asked: are you a real person? haha I believe in always being yourself, but now I want to be like you! haha... meaning I'd like to inspire others the way you do. I've never seen someone who lets their ideas flow as amazingly as you. I think I'll learn something from reading your blog. I'm posting your link on my favorites! Blessings
Marcela
Your blog is amazing!! And so are your photos...I am inspired and will keep following your blog...thank you!:)
wonderful to have you around! :)
Wow, just wow!
This was such an inspiring post! Thank you!
Very inspiring! Reminds me of my favorite quote by Helen Keller
"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do. "
Excuse me ... Are you sure you're not my long lost daughter? These thoughts ring SO true to me. C'mon... sure you're not my daughter?;-) Seriously, I'm with you on all counts and think this post is wonderful!
Just found your blog via Twitter RT...this is wonderful! I loved it! Thank you!
Yes, spaghetti is a breakfast food sometimes. Sometimes pie is as well. I learned that from my MA born grandfather, who says it is a New England breakfast.
I found your blog this morning and I've been reading it all day! You are seriously my idol now, I absolutely adore your outlook on life. I want to be as optimistic and inspiring as you are. You're really helping me get there :) Thank you for being so amazing, the world needs more people like you!
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