Hi, 

It has been a while since the last post but here's a quick run down. 

My son got a certificate for Academic Achievement for the year 2020. He has turned 7. I am back into the  work force & my hair went RED. 

But why the sudden desire for RED? 
In mid February 2021, we were hit with a challenge. One we've never encountered before & for reasons I cannot elaborate more on this matter other than the fact that we've had to face this head on. Red not only stands for love & passion but also stands for power & courage. This time round, I've chosen power & courage. Since the position I am in at the moment, is one where I need both of those to fight this challenge we are currently facing. Don't worry, it is nothing criminal or insane, just an issue that has been long overdue to resolve. 

How does it feel being back into the workforce? 
It feels great. I have waited for this moment where I can get some normality back into my life. I have enjoyed the years I have spent being 'full-time mommy' but now it's time for this mommy to get back into the swing of things & continue to make a name for herself. I enjoy meeting new people and making friends. 

There is more to come. A whole lot more. Stay tuned. 

- CJM 

ABS-olutely loving myself a little harder.

 My 6 year old son walked in while I was training and first thing he said was: "Oh mom, you're getting ABS!" and he was so excited! He definitely is my hype man. 

4 months ago, I was in search of something that will get the adrenaline going & would excite me to a whole new level & I did when I enrolled into a fitness academy which specialises in Pole & Aerial. In the beginning of this year, I was committed to adding another skill under my belt & this is one of those skills that I needed to try. 

Pole Dancing? Most people would associate this physical activity with a 'Stripper'. However on the other side of this type of exercise, there is also an opportunity to compete in the championship if you wish to take this skill further. 

At first, as a dancer myself, I knew there are more skills I need to learn to be at a level that I aim to be but let me tell you now - Pole dancing is hard BUT it is achievable. This type of fitness, in my experience will have you using muscles you never knew you had & stretching every part of you. In my eyes, it will take years of training to master at a professional level. 

In my 4 months of attending Gravity Fitness Academy, I have used my upper body strength more than I ever did in my life. I have never seen my body work this hard to be able to lift my body weight up off the ground just by using my arms & core muscles. But through the pain, the tears & the bruises (yes - bruising does happen) I have been seeing results physically & I have been enjoying it. It has also been known that this exercise can & will boost your self esteem once you tackle down some of the tricks and skills, you thought you could never do. 

Any tips? 

Yes, in the months of doing this exercise. I do have some pointers so keep reading. 

1. ALWAYS GO TO A STUDIO FIRST!  (NEVER do this at home for the first time, please find a studio & attend classes with an instructor first. They are trained to give you the proper run down on how to properly execute tricks & skills to avoid damage & injury) 

2. It never looks sexy at first but as you begin to master the tricks & skills, sexiness will follow. 

3. There is no weight limit. Any body shape & size is able to do this type of fitness. 

4. Pace yourself. Some of the skills taught may require many weeks to get right, so don't be disheartened when it takes longer. 

5. Less clothes, the better. The main reason for this, is that you need your skin to grip the pole. Wearing long clothes may cause you to slide off (Hence the attire I wear) 

6. Never moisturise before class. 

7. Expect metal burns & bruising. 

8. POINT YOUR TOES. This makes any pose on the pole look elegant. 

9. Pole Dancing is addictive. You will also feel like trying it on a street pole. I have haha! 

10. Have fun, stay determined, positive & DON'T QUIT. 

I hope these tips can help you in any way. This year, I'm loving myself a little harder. How about you? 

- CJM x 

You're MY cup of tea.

Oh hey! How I miss having this time to write. We are just beginning the month of October but it feels like we've only just started 2020. Maybe this feeling is due to having many months of dealing with a pandemic, it started to feel like we haven't really done much with the restrictions, isolations and such. But in reality, I've actually done quite a lot in the space of 10 months! Home schooled my 6 year old for a while, hosted some gathering events, walked 30m above a rainforest, interviews & party planning, games night, became Wonder Woman for a birthday party, celebrating a milestone, theme park adventures, escape rooms & not to mention joining an academy for Pole Fitness & Dance. (That's only just naming a few)

    And yes eventually, I got my own pole which makes it so much easier for me to practice at home considering I can't go to the studio on Sundays. 

 

Though times as we knew it has changed, for me, this happened in February of 2020 & since then, I have always found more good reasons that came out of the change of events that occurred. 

The title: "You're MY cup of tea" goes to describe everything that has come out of the 10 months of the year so far. Everything that I have encountered, I have taken into account that it is where the course of my life is taking me as new opportunities have opened up for me personally & therefore, it has become MY cup of tea for me to enjoy. 

So, whatever your circumstance in life may be at this very moment, find the good & make it YOUR CUP OF TEA. 

- CJM 

   

The reason behind my PINK HAIR.

April this year, I decided to colour my hair to PINK. The last time my hair went pink was back in 2012. Why the bold, bright colour? Besides the fact that it is my favourite colour, it means something special to me. It's a reminder to make a statement. I usually do this before I do something big or overcoming something that was a difficult challenge for me. 

It's a warm colour, reminding myself to be loving towards myself and towards others. 

It's bright, reminding myself to continue to be a radiant light to others and to myself. 

It's bold, reminding myself to be courageous, fearful & inspiring. 

I've always been true to myself and was always given freedom to express myself and for that I am truly grateful. A warm heart, smile & presence goes a long way. 

If you want to make a statement - do it for yourself. Not in fear of others. Not for others. But solely for yourself. This doesn't mean necessarily to dye your hair or to do something drastic or dangerous but to find something that could inspire, motivate or encourage you to stay strong. Find what works for you.

- CJM 

Stop it.

This global epidemic has shown the worst in some human beings. Surely, you cannot eat 'Toilet Paper' when you run out of food. But it has shown how greedy humans can be when desperate. It has become a "Dog Eat Dog" world. The media has created such a panic storm which outlines more of the negative side to our situation rather than filling social media feeds, television screens and newspapers with a more hopeful approach. An approach that may help uplift mankind than getting them to ransack the grocery store for the sake of fear and show the most ugly side to being human.

It's no secret that what is happening in this era will forever go down in history. We are living in a historic moment or did we indulge ourselves so much into being isolated we forgot to acknowledge it? We cannot help what has happened but we can abide by the government laws given in order to protect ourselves and the ones we love. While social distancing ourselves for who knows how long, we've been told 6 months or maybe longer. Have we ever thought of what we may be like in the future when all these new rules get lifted? If this develops into a habit, would we know how to socially interact with others like we did before?

This pandemic has shown how temporary everything is. Your job. Your freedom. Your entertainment. Your food. Your car. It also shows how much we are slaves to the economy. We cannot survive without money to pay all the expenses we have. If you rent, you need to pay the landlord, the landlord needs to pay the bank or whomever they owe to. If you don't pay up, both parties suffer. 

This pandemic also shows how unprepared we are. But that's not the focus of this post.

What I'm getting at -
You've seen what this outbreak has shown you, everything is temporary. So FOCUS on things worth your time. If you felt unprepared when this outbreak hit your shores, be PREPARED in the future. Find better ways to manage your funds to minimise your expenses.

It is very easy to fall into fear when people around you are in the same bubble and the media shoves all the horrible stories down our throats but stay hopeful, prayerful and positive.

Don't wait for this epidemic to be over and then never take anything for granted.  Start now. Don't take today for granted. Cry if you need to but hold on and stay strong  x 

Stop living in fear.

- Corina Jane (CJM)

My lips are sealed.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Time for that "New Year, New Me" But not for me, New Year but SAME ME. Last year was a roller coaster but through it all, I survived. One of the major things that I did last year was to declutter, take a step back and not explain myself to anyone.  Hence the title of this post: "My Lips Are Sealed"

One of the faults we may have as humans is taking in too much of the outside world. What I mean is, imagine you have a circle around you and yourself being in the centre of that circle, along with your family and those you hold close to you. Then outside from that circle is what you would call "The Outside World" and in that category would be people you're not so close to, those who don't know you on a personal basis. Now outside your circle (referring to the outside world) You may have people who may trash talk you or belittle you in some way (which is a form of bullying and abuse) Their motive is to break your circle. You have to understand that some people will go through extreme lengths to destroy your reputation, this is not a myth. It is a fact.  So you have to be prepared for it. Now you being in your circle, have to think on where to invest your time? Will you:

A. Be focused on entertaining those who seek to destroy your peace and your circle?
B. Be focused on building a stronger YOU and protecting you, your peace and your circle?

If your answer is B. Well done. You chose wisely. 

Not everything that comes your way needs a reaction. So if you are currently in this kind of a situation or you find yourself in one. Assess  it then ask yourself questions like:

"Is it worth my time?" "Am I getting paid listening to the negative opinions of others?" 
"Is it worth acknowledging?"  "Does this help me progress?" "Do I need to prove myself to them?" 

I would personally say "NO" to each of those and I hope you did too. I've developed a habit of being quite selective in who I get close to, what I say and do. Your own choices, decisions and the way you decide to live your life, is your business and yours alone. Be comfortable being your own company. Understand that there will be people who don't share the same view as you. It is always best to be sweet than be bitter. If there are stories about you in a negative light, let people believe what they want to. The main thing to learn is to train your mind to block out all the unnecessary things that doesn't help you grow and continue on your journey for yourself and your circle. Lastly, silence is always best. It literally is. You don't always have to have the last say. Silence is a great way to gather yourself and to refocus on what's important. It's not that you're weak, it's because there are greater things for you to pursue than arguing or letting something destroy the calm environment you have created for yourself. The one who makes the most noise usually is the foolish one, so it is wise to teach yourself to be silent when something doesn't need a reaction.

You don't need to explain yourself to anyone. Make your moves.

- CJM

D.I.Y Project Step by Step

Alot has happened since the last post & when I say alot, I literally mean ALOT! But I'll save that for another time. If you know me, I'm a curious child, a bit of a wild child and well someone who likes to take on challenges. So my team and I worked together to put together our first D.I.Y (Do It Yourself) project starting with a "FIREPLACE" as we come to the Christmas Season. 


What you'll need:

Fireplace:
3 x Big boxes
2 x Brown Paint bottles
1 x White Paint bottle
- Paint brushes/rollers
- White Masking Tape

Fire:
- Red & Orange Cellophane
1 x Himalayan Salt Lamp which lights up, perfect for night time as it gives an illusion of 'fire'
Add: Sticks around 'fire'
Optional: Battery operated string lights in replacement of Salt Lamp for 'fire' used together with Cellophane.

Decorations:
1 x Green and Red ribbon Garland
- Stockings (we had 7 due to 7 children attending our Xmas dinner)
- Thumb tacks to hang stockings up on fireplace.
Extra:
- Photos of memories hanging on a string, zig zagged and placed on top half of fireplace.
Optional: Battery operated candles can be used placed around sides of fireplace etc.

Note: If placing lollies or heavier objects in stockings, use stronger hooks to hang up stockings on fireplace. We waited til the end of the night and did some quizzes for children to fill their stockings with lolly bags at the end.

STEP ONE 

Gather 3 boxes. If you can't find one, ask one of your local stores if they have any unwanted boxes. Tape the flaps down so both ends of the boxes are closed. Do this with 2 of your boxes. 

STEP TWO
Get your paint bottles and brushes. There are two ways you can do this step. (BRICKS) 

1. Paint all your boxes white and then put masking tape around horizontally, leaving a 12cm gap in between each line of tape. Do the same vertically as well.  This masking tape will leave behind white lines (for the brick outline) when you paint the box brown (2 coats preferred)

2. Paint all your boxes brown (2 coats preferred) and with white paint, start painting the white brick outlines on top of your brown paint. Same measurement as above or do your own measurements. 

Paint BRICK DESIGN on 3 sides of all the boxes (leave the back as it will not be seen) and leave the flaps brown.

STEP THREE. 

Putting it together. 

There are also two ways you can do this step.

1. Tape 2 boxes together and with a stanly knife, cut a small square hole in the middle at the bottom of the box, this will be where you will put the "fire" 

2. Put your 2 boxes together leaving a small gap in between the box. With a spare piece of cardboard paint the bricks on it, matching the bricks on the boxes and then measure it to fit in between the gap. Using a strong hold tape (duct tape). Fold the ends of piece of cardboard, so the flaps are facing inwards and tape down the flaps to the sides of the two boxes. That will leave a gap underneath for the 'fire'. 

STEP FOUR 

Top half of fireplace. 

With the 3rd box, lay it out flat. Cut one of the sides off, so there should only be 3 sides. This box should also already be painted with bricks on 3 sides. Leave the box flaps brown. Position this box on top of the bottom half of the fireplace. With the top of the chimney, diagonally cut the corners of the box flaps (like the side of a triangle) and then tape the box flaps together and coat again with brown paint to cover the tape. 

Add decorations. 

FOR THE FIRE

1. With the cellophane, mix the red and orange cellophane together. Lay them on the ground flat and layer each colour on top of the other. 

2. Get your salt lamp (low voltage) and place in the middle of cellophane. 

3. Wrap up your salt lamp with cellophane and design your style of 'fire'. Use tape to secure the cellophane. 

Add sticks to make your fireplace more realistic. 

They're attracted to me

.
.
.
.

"They come around like honey, cause I'm fly like a bee. Man I got 'em all buzzin', buzzin', buzzin', buzzin'. Da da da da da da da. Man I got the  world buzzin'.." - Buzzin' by Mann 

The current song on my playlist as I'm writing this.


In my recent post. I talked about being an empath. I sense people's energy and their vibe, which lets me know of their intentions towards me. Of course, I don't judge them based on it but it does help me keep my guard up and be ahead of things if it were to come crashing down.

I'm not sure if you are aware but the people you surround yourself with can also influence you, good ways and bad. Sometimes, you don't even recognise it at first. If someone likes to gossip, you will often find them socialising with others that like to gossip. If someone is all about business, you will often find them associating with those of the same mindset. If someone is optimistic, you will often find them surrounded by positive people. The same with a pessimist.

So who do you attract?

Think about it honestly.

What to do if you attract the wrong kind of people?

Check yourself. 

The energy you put out there is the same as the one you receive.

I've always believed that we are here to learn and grow. Part of that process is to be surrounded by those that can uplift you to higher places and even if at times you find yourself with the wrong crowd, there is always room for improvement. It's never too late.


- CJM

The hell with everybody

The hell with everybody!

I bet the title is enough to make you wonder what had happened? Well nothing really happened. I just remembered a piece of advice my mom gave me that I use to this day and quite frankly, I am absolutely grateful for it because I’ve used it in every stage of my life. (I do apologise if the word "hell" being used this way is offensive to anyone, feel free to replace it with "heck") 

I haven’t written in a while and the reason being is because I needed a little break from everything to refocus. In between family life and my own personal goals and ambitions, my mind was a little full on. I needed to find balance again. It is quite easy to be distracted. So I took time off from everything and I made this decision after the Dance Festival where I had the opportunity to overlook the performances for this event. From everything, I mean once I got released as the Primary Counsellor, it was time for me to use this time to take a step back completely. In this time, I re-evaluated so much, this included the people I associated with, where my time was put, me as an individual and those around me. I started to distance myself from people for a reason. Being an empath, I tend to feel energy and vibes so strongly and usually absorb their energy which does exhaust me physically. After sorting out the social aspects to it, it moved to the personal goals and ambitions to habits and family and yes, this decluttering process should’ve been done earlier. But there is a time for everything. 

That’s when I remembered my mother’s advice (her actual words): “The hell with everybody” and there are times in life, you need to just say to yourself: “The hell with everybody and everything” and take a step back and D E C L U T T E R. 

My declutter process took me to Sydney. It was a great chance to see my father for Father's Day since he lives interstate. I left with my son and husband for the weekend. It was a birthday present from my two main guys for me. We stayed in a hotel, got room service and went exploring the main tourist attractions and spent time together with my dad.

A part of me, I had missed was being adventurous. I've always had it in me but as you journey through different stages in life, you have responsibilities and priorities which take over other parts of your life. Taking a step back allowed me to re-discover myself, take risks and live a little. I gave so much to others, I never realised how much of me personally was vanishing. I'm still currently in this 'declutter process' and have come to find peace. Alot of that has to do with getting more personal with Jesus Christ and learning about his life and what he endured and how similar his trials were to what we experience in daily life. 

It's okay to leave everything on PAUSE. It's okay to declutter. It's okay to distant yourself from everything and everyone to re-focus. Don't ever feel guilty for taking a breather. You deserve a moment to yourself. Value your peace, protect it and do whatever is necessary to keep YOU close to YOU. 

"The hell with everybody and everything" 

- CJM 

It is never what it is.

Yesterday, I attended a Youth Night. This particular night is dedicated to the Youth to spend time together with their leaders and peers and to learn and grow. Last night the Young Men in Youth got together to learn songs for their upcoming camp. As I watched and listened to them sing, I reflected on how important it is in life to have support.

See, a smiling face doesn't necessarily mean that everything is perfect and tear drops don't only mean sadness. We often just assume when we see either form of expression, we take it as it is. But it never is what it appears to be. The most important necessity to have in life is support, in our triumphs and in our trials.

From a personal perspective, I've always had the right people supporting me through every part of my journey, as a child, a graduate, an employee, a mother, a wife, a leader, a performer and so on. Without the support I have received, I wouldn't know how to handle the challenges that were ahead of me. Life always seemed a bit easier when you have the right team behind you.

I have also seen how having lack of support can affect a person, mentally, socially, physically and emotionally. Someone who received close to little of support usually will doubt every decisions they make in life which will have an impact on their future life choices. This type of person will be comfortable with their own space and may find it hard to adjust to changes or to show themselves outside of their comfort zone. Life will seem twice as hard in their eyes.

Everyone needs someone to be there to assist in any way possible through their trying times or their victory. How can we be their support? Try listening. Try being actively present. Try showing affection. Try complimenting. Try without judgment offer advice that will allow them to see positively. Try serving them by doing a nice gesture. Try comforting them. Be their cheerleader at all times. No one deserves to feel lonely. All deserve to feel loved.

It never is, what it is - so be the first to show support.

Don't forget to ENJOY YOURSELF

For the past months, I have been quite busy with Dance Fitness. I had the chance to also share Dance Fitness with the little kiddies. Through this, they reminded me how much fun life is when you really don't care for the opinions of others. At first when trying something new, we will be a little shy but as we are used to it, we will forget the world and enjoy ourselves.

I'm grateful for this reminder as I travel through my journey in life and will have moments where my nerves may get the best of me. I will most definitely remember this experience and how these beautiful energetic souls reminded me of a very important life lesson.

Love,

Corina Jane (CJM)

Love her inside and out.

First, a massive HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all mothers especially my own mama! The example in my life, the Ghandi and "DR PHIL" within our family. In celebration of Mother's Day, I reflected on my own personal journey as a mother. It has been quite a journey as I'm sure many can relate but as I journeyed through, I've noticed quite alot of mothers who tend to feel overworked, under appreciated, stressed, tired and unhappy. I want to say something to you that may be feeling this way....

It's okay to NOT have everything done in 1 day. It's also okay TO TAKE A BIT OF A BREAK during your day to hit the gym, have a bar of chocolate or watch your favourite show. 

Finding balance is the key. If you are tired, stop. Breathe. Count to 3. Resume. If you get frustrated, drop what you're doing and move onto something else and come back to it later. In this world, we have this whole routine as if we have no other days to finish our laundry or dishes etc.

Not only are you the glue that holds your family together but if you are not taking care of yourself and loving yourself more, it'll be only a matter of time before it will all fall apart. Loving yourself more is giving you time to do what you enjoy, what you love, what calms you and settles you. It's taking time out from a busy schedule to zone out and breathe.

My husband and son know that I love to go to nature parks because to me, it's peaceful. It's a way for me to self reflect and to unwind and relax and today, they took me there for Mother's Day knowing that I love to do this before I start my week. This is all I need and I'm grateful that they gave 'me' that time.

You are a wonderful woman with abilities like no other. Nobody can love a child or family as a mother does. Nobody can ever replace the role of a mother. Nobody can take care of business the way a mother does. You are needed in this life but your soul and your body also needs your attention.

Love "her" inside and out. Meaning, the YOU as a mother, the YOU as a daughter of God, the YOU as an individual, the YOU as a woman.

You owe it to yourself.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! 

- Love Corina Jane (CJM)

If you have it, enjoy it. If you love it then share it.

Many people have asked me when I was going to teach again? dance again? perform again? be on stage again? Many have also asked if I was returning to it?

Truth is.
I've wanted to for a long time but as I grew older, performing was no longer a huge part of me as it used to be. Did I miss it? Yes, of course. But other areas in life start blooming and it required changes. But I knew I had talent and I very much wanted to share it with everyone. Then, an opportunity came around.

In my mind, were 2 questions. 1st was: "Do I have time for it?" and the next: "Can I commit to it?"

I've always wanted to help people in any way I can and this opportunity, I would be sharing my talent to bless the lives of others which is stated in my Patriarchal Blessing as well as helping people lose weight. So I accepted and thus became a dance instructor 4 days a week for free. I don't believe in charging people. God gave me this talent for free, I should also share it for free.

I've been doing this for a week now and I have noticed a change in myself physically. I have also had great feedback from the beautiful people that I am teaching. Their determination is what drives me. I mean, it's easy for people to just stop and give up but doing this for them and for myself with them, strives me to do the best I can every session.

There are many fields of interest that I would like to study as well as hold as an employment but I think what I'm doing now, is what I enjoy most. It's true what they say, you have to DO WHAT YOU LOVE.

For me?
I love dance and I love helping people.


- CJM

SHH! Let me speak.

I'm an advocate for any ANTI BULLYING campaign there is. I honestly think there is no place for such behaviour in our existence. In recent statistics, 3,128 people have died in 2017 from intentional self harm, otherwise known as 'suicide' in Australia. It has risen 9.1% from the previous year (2016). I'm a mother, I've seen another mother grieve over the loss of her child taking her own life. I'm a sister, I've seen a brother grieve over the loss of his sibling who took his own life. And over the years, the numbers keep rising.

An experience I've gone through has definitely made me so much more aware at how certain events that could take place in a child's early life can truly impact the rest of his life. In a confrontation that took place, the actions of another seemed to pass off as a 'small and innocent, non malicious' act, however due to the other child's feelings of being violated, it seemed as if it were pushed aside as ''nothing''. Yet I had to firmly explain to the adult that was present that, these little actions that are often overlooked as 'non malicious' or 'child's play' is the reason bullying takes place. For an environment to be able to be safe, it needs more people to be aware of how 'bullying' starts. The things they may neglect and fail to observe may be the reason a child will continue to be a victim to bullying and in this, have already failed to provide a safe environment. Don't protect the bully, protect the victim/s. Like I stated before, I'm an advocate for ANTI BULLYING. 

If the small, inappropriate acts of another isn't taken care of, corrected and straightened out with consequences, just like a virus - it will spread and as a virus takes over, just like the behaviour of a bully until he has taken a victim and that victim is dead. Starts off little, yet small enough to destroy.

Don't be the reason bullying continues, be the reason it stops. 



Love,

Corina Jane (CJM)

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY!

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY!

A celebration for all women in honour for all that they stand for. I celebrate her, my mother.
She is the reason I am here today. The reason I believe in fighting for what I believe in. The person who inspired me to always be the best person I can be.
Thank you mom! I love you x  

Dan, the South African Man

Tuesday afternoon, I picked my son up from school earlier than usual and headed straight to the hospital for my dad's appointment. I had ONLY just sat down when a elderly man, 76 years old to be exact had sparked up a conversation with me. He had asked where I was from and I told him I was of Polynesian descent but I was raised here in Australia. He then began to compliment the island people as being "big" not as in weight but as in stature and watching them play rugby is very entertaining for him. In return I had asked him of his heritage and he wanted me to guess. Taking a rough estimate, I would say this old chap would be Italian or Greek but I was in fact incorrect. He is of German and Indian descent due to his grandparents but he is South African.

As our conversation went from guessing nationalities to sport, it then went into a history lesson for myself. He is a survivor from the time South Africa was taken over by the white people. Though he is of a tan complexion, it is visible to the eye that he is of mixed race and therefore treated as the 'blacks' were treated. He began to elaborate more on the stories of his childhood being raised in South Africa and it got me thinking of how blessed I am, that I never had to endure the pain and suffering as this man did. I told him that though I never had to experience the life of survival, I could only imagine how it would've been like and I had applauded him on the strength that he had that has made it possible for him to survive this far.

Towards the end of our conversation, he asked for my name. So I gave it and then thanked me for giving him the time. But little did he know that it was I who was grateful for the opportunity to hear a survival story that has not only made me grateful and blessed to grow up the way I did but also to gain more wisdom from someone who has lived in a time where 'freedom' wasn't an option.



Love,

Corina Jane (CJM)

SOMETHING NEW COMING!!!!

Hi Everyone! If you have just joined us, welcome!  I'll quickly introduce myself - I'm Corina Jane. I'm the face behind "DAILY PIECE OF SUNSHINE" . I've been blogging since I was 19 years old. Back then I would write alot about my experiences being on stage and acting and sharing advice on that subject. Through the years, I've slowly moved into the direction of positive living in requests of many who have come to me to seek personal advice on matters they wish to understand. Daily Piece of Sunshine has featured many everyday people whom I have written about, sharing their talents and ambitions with everyone around the world in hopes it may inspire others from all walks of life. This has always been the sole purpose of this blog. I am happy to share with everyone that I have been currently working on a new segment, a new piece that will be featured in "DAILY PIECE OF SUNSHINE" that will be coming soon so STAY TUNED!!! Thank you to everyone who takes a moment to read and I appreciate the feedback I have received. I thank God above for all I have been given to always be inspired by those around me.

With love,

Corina Jane (CJM)

A 'hopeful' conversation with a stranger

I was waiting for my son to finish school and I had an interesting conversation with someone whom I've never really met until today. His daughter passed away and he expressed his feelings of hope and of comfort. I admired him for his courage to speak openly about it, after all - it is when you can openly talk about your feelings that you know, you are reaching the light at the end of the tunnel. But what he said next shows the importance of having a belief, he said:

"Lucky, I went to church back then and believe in God" 

This is what enabled him to mourn but to accept his loss and to keep moving forward and start the healing process. Not moving forward to forget but embrace the life his daughter would've wanted him to live. Having something that gives him hope to believe in, made it much easier to grieve. Even though he may shed a tear, here and there, he was able to feel comforted by having a belief. He then said that he had to be strong for the ones who are living, his other children and family.

I've been around people who don't believe in anything and when disaster strikes, they take it the hardest. I've also been around those who believe in something and when trouble hits, they just dust it off their shoulders.

Not trying to convert anyone but when you are hopeful, you will always find yourself out of the darkness. When you believe in something strongly, you will find that 'that belief', is what will help you push through your trials. Just know that you are loved by someone of a higher power, it may look easy to blame God for everything bad that happens your way, that you forget all that has been given to you that you have been blessed with.

It isn't a bad thing to believe in something many may make fun of, it isn't a bad thing to be hopeful, it isn't a bad thing either to have "Faith". But what those things can do to help you, is to heal, no matter how deep the wound may be.

Love,

Corina Jane (CJM)

Eyeliner-less Still Fabulous.

Eye liner makes a huge difference (I'm pictured without it) This would be one of them days where I just skipped the whole routine and just walked out as is. Except for the brows. I had to do the brows though (the only make up I applied) But greetings!

Because I started off talking about EYELINER and how much it does make a difference to your eyes when it's applied, I'm going to base this post upon it. When eyeliner is applied to your eyes, it accentuates your eyes and defines them, just like your eye brows do for your face. Without it, you will look like plain Jane (no offence to anyone named Jane - don't worry my middle name is Jane) In other words, it'll make your eyes POP! Not literally pop out of your head or explode but it will make your eyes stand out more.

How does this make up product have anything to do with this post? Easy.  Be like an eye liner and stand out and define YOU. When you use this product, you carefully apply and though it may take time to get it even with the other eye, or even make many mistakes in the process of applying - in the end, with practice makes perfect. Just like ourselves.

We are a BLANK CANVAS. We shouldn't be afraid to do what it takes to make a mark in this life. We have to be BOLD. We will make mistakes but no one ever has gotten successful without failing no matter how long it took.

Like we use Eyeliner to make a mark and a statement with our eyes. Use your gifts, talents and personality to make a mark in your life and bless the lives of others.


Love,

Corina Jane (CJM)



Please note: In no way, shape or form, am I enforcing the use of make up to anyone who doesn't wish to wear it. That is up to you. Be confident in yourself, in whatever you choose to do. Please also note that this post is to encourage everyone to be bold while using the example of an eye liner. 

Breaking up with B.C

Yesterday evening, I went along with my husband to his Youth night because he's one of the leaders. It was GAMES NIGHT for his class. One of the games played was one called "HEARING THINGS".  How is this played? One player puts on the earphones which only plays distracting noises and cancels out any noise from the outside. The other player, has a deck of cards which he reads from. The player with the head phones has to guess what the other is saying while the distracting noise plays from the earphones. The one reading the card CANNOT use actions, so if you have a talent of 'lip reading' - THIS IS THE GAME FOR YOU. The team in play has until the timer on the earphone goes off to guess correctly as many cards as they can before they turn it over to the next team to have a turn.

As this game was being played, it reminded me of how "COMMUNICATION" plays a big part in our lives. If we can't communicate with each other, we can't progress individually, professionally or even as a race - the human race. If we are to put earphones on and try to guess what someone is saying over the distracting noises, chances are you are going to FAIL. But if we were to put the earphones down, we will be able to communicate well with the other person and will be able to understand them a bit better.

No one is a mind reader (I mean, unless you have telepathic skills) We sometimes tend to assume alot of what others may need or want without actually approaching them and verbally asking them. We also tend to hold a lot inside and somehow expect the other person to know how we are feeling. This is an example of not having a good communication line. You cannot know what someone else may want or need unless you communicate with them. Someone cannot know how you feel unless you communicate with them. It is what connects us and allows us to know in what ways we can help or what to do.

Make everything as clear as you can. If you don't like how you're being treated, speak up. If you're getting the hint that someone is interested in you but you aren't interested in him/her, tell them straight (not in a rude, offensive way though) If you would like help, let your guard down and ask someone. If your spouse is not satisfying you in the bedroom, let them know of what you enjoy or what could spice it up (don't hold back - they are meant to know - just be careful with what you say and don't be selfish, always return the favour) If there is something you want to say, say it.

We often lose our friendships, relationships, families and even ourselves when we don't communicate well with each other.

Don't assume. Make everything as clear as you can. Take the time to listen. Reach out when you need it. Speak up and choose your words wisely.


With love,

Corina Jane (CJM)


P.S "Breaking up with B.C" = Bad Communication