Posted by: faultlessfinish | February 25, 2014

The Whole 20/20 Thing

“To paraphrase Oedipus, Hamlet, Lear, and all those guys, ‘I wish I had known this some time ago.'” – Roger Zelazny

The blog prompt in my inbox this morning was as such: “You’re 12 years old. It’s your birthday. Write for ten minutes on that memory. GO.” I rarely roll with these prompts, but every once in a while, one strikes a chord.

To be honest, I can’t remember anything about my 12th birthday, and I have no desire to write about it. I’m sure there was a cake with oodles of icing. I’m sure I was hoping Taylor Hanson would show up on my doorstep to sing “Happy Birthday” (yep, I was one of those). There may have been a couple of friends around. But I know this much: it wasn’t the best time in my life. I don’t pine for those lost days of my youth.

Rather than write about that memory, I’d rather get in touch with 12-year-old Rachel, enlighten her with some of my oldness and wiseness. I know, I know. I’m sensing all the eye rolling right now. I get it. I’ve got a long road ahead, to be certain.

But I’m leaps and bounds ahead of me, age 12.

And I think this girl could use a hug. Maybe you could too. So here are four:

1. When people laugh at your expense, laugh with them. Or smirk and walk away. They’re really just looking to get a rise out of you. Don’t give them the satisfaction. Believe it or not, some of these people will be friends of yours in the years to come. Hint: this strategy works with adult meanies too.

2. As cheesy as it sounds, when you look in the mirror, smile and acknowledge everything that’s beautiful about you, especially the inner stuff. When you tell yourself you look ugly, your brain gets ugly. And it starts making you believe it. And it can be a hard thing to get over. When you get older, every single woman you talk to will tell you that she hated how she looked at your age. She’ll probably tell you that she hates how she looks now. Don’t be that person. Compliment other people, compliment yourself. Life’s too short to get hung up on bad hair days and pimples.

3. Embrace what you love to do, even if it makes you a nerd. Embrace your nerdiness. Spending Friday nights at home with a book (and a glass of wine when you’re old enough!) instead of at a party is pretty cool. And it might just lead you to a career you don’t even know exists right now. No, you’re not going to be a famous rock star or an MTV personality. That’s OK. That would have gotten old for you really quickly.

4. Understand that your life is not going to be “white picket fence.” There is no formula, though it’s hard for you to see past that ideal right now. Hell, it’s hard to see past that ideal when you get older too. Start changing your mindset now. There is no right way — there’s only your way, so start dreaming big, kiddo. What do you want your life to look like?

What would you tell your twelve-year-old self? Are you living the life he or she hoped you’d be living?

Namaste 🙂

Rachel

Yup...

Yup…

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Posted by: faultlessfinish | February 11, 2014

Overseas Experiment

“Don’t be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.” – Emerson

The first time I read this quotation, the words jumped off the page and slapped me across the face. Now it’s written on a colourful Post-it note stuck right above my computer. It reminds me every day of the importance of taking risks, making changes, trying things out, making mistakes.

I certainly have a little squeamishness to overcome right now. Time for a big experiment. Possibly the biggest one in my life to date. I’m moving to London, England, for a year in September, to freelance and travel. The one-way flight will be booked by the end of this week, so there’s no going back. Even when I read what I’ve just written, it still doesn’t seem real.

A brief history of my fascination with England: it started at a young age. Oddly enough, watching terrible British comedies on TV with my mom is among my favourite childhood memories. And with a last name like Small, it’s obviously in my blood.

My visit in November confirmed that the pull I’ve felt to London for years wasn’t just my imagination. The city felt like home, in a sense. For years I’ve considered moving to Europe for school and work, but I’ve always had a plethora of excuses at the ready — some legitimate, some . . . well . . . just plain silly.

Even now I could take my pick of reasons not to go. Much of my time in Europe last year was devoted to the back and forth – should I? Should I not? (Sorry, Sarah!) But in a moment of solitude and clarity, I finally made my decision, knowing that I would regret not going far more than I would ever regret making the move. I’m so excited to immerse myself in something brand new and to expand my network. I’ve never been more grateful for my ability to take my work with me.

This is truly what I had in mind when I started freelance editing, and when I started this blog. This is what freedom looks like to me, and I plan to take full advantage. And I’ll be writing about it every step of the way.

I’m bursting with excitement and scared out of my mind, but that’s the beauty of it, right? I’m looking forward to sharing this journey with all of you.

Namaste 🙂

Rachel

IMG_5573

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Posted in Living the Life | Tags: , , , , , , ,

Posted by: faultlessfinish | January 29, 2014

Ink Blotches

When it comes to keeping track of my schedule, only old school will do. I like to see my week at a glance in hard copy, in blue ink. And it has to be perfectly neat and orderly and organized. Hey, I’m an editor. This should come as no surprise.

Due to my rather *ahem* obsessive tendencies, my day planner is full of Wite-Out, signalling changes in plans. This week has been a particularly unpredictable one, so the page is littered with corrections.

There are only so many times you can try to hide a mistake before you need to admit that it’s there and start fresh on a new line.

“Ink Blotches”

Big white blots and smooth sweeps

consume the ink-blotched page

Either way the cover-up conceals not

the fact of the error,

for it will always exist in that space.

Pen is (relatively) permanent,

but there is always a blank white space somewhere,

somewhere to make the correction

New words, not a cover-up.

Namaste 🙂

Rachel

London

7 Comments

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Posted by: faultlessfinish | January 15, 2014

Go with the Flow

“Every creative art brings you to your innermost being where there is just calmness, utter quietness, absolute silence.” – Osho

A couple years ago, I watched a fantastic documentary on the science of happiness (Happy). The film discusses how the happiest people in the world have three things in common, including the ability to lose themselves in “flow,” or what athletes might call “the zone.”

Loosely defined, flow is being immersed in an activity. All your attention is directed to the task at hand — meditation in action. The documentary lists painting, rock climbing, and playing an instrument as a few activities through which people achieve flow.

I’ve been losing myself in music, both as a listener and a musician, for as long as I can remember, but for the past nine years, I’ve only had sporadic access to a piano. And whenever I play, I’m reminded of how necessary losing myself in music is for my sanity, my clarity. This year for Christmas, my parents surprised me with a guitar. It was, without exaggeration, the most excited I’ve been on Christmas morning since Barbies were on my list (and no, that wasn’t last year). I jumped up and down and screamed like a five-year-old.

Immersing myself in learning the guitar has inspired creativity in other aspects of my life, and when I feel stress starting to mount, I take a break to play, and soon enough I have a huge smile on my face.

I’m inspired by my many of my friends, who find flow through painting, photography, making jewellery, writing stories and poems, and pushing themselves in hardcore workout regimens.

The new year is in fully swing. What do you want to lose yourself in? What hidden passion can you explore?

Namaste 🙂

Rachel

Guitar

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Posted by: faultlessfinish | January 2, 2014

Living the Details

Happy New Year everyone! I love the blogging world this time of year, as I’m a huge fan of recaps and reflective posts. One in particular made me pause: “A Quiet Walk on New Year’s Eve,” a post from one of my absolute favourite bloggers, Bottledworder.

She writes, “Suddenly it struck me how we think of our own lives as a collection of momentous memories. A collection of big events like in a badly written history book. Weddings, funerals, births, big moves, important accolades.

“The everyday disappears within those big memories just as life disappears condensed in a resume of it.”

Her words resonated with me. When I returned to Canada after my trip to Europe, my friends wanted to know the highlights, and I found myself mostly recalling the major places and events. “Florence was amazing! So beautiful!” But in truth, the highlights of that trip were the tiny details – the way I felt when the setting sun cast a warm glow over a sleepy Italian village, the way the breeze caressed my face as I sat on a bench in Rome and made a life-changing decision, the first sip of wine and a smile shared with a friend in Paris.

The details of our lives are often those things that are impossible to describe in words: the way we feel, the way we are moved, the way we react. The details are our daily interactions with people and the world. And these get lost in our larger stories.

As we move forward into 2014, let’s be mindful of the beautiful details that are at risk of being lost in the rapid pace of our lives. Breathe, enjoy.

Namaste 🙂

Rachel

Skating rink in London

Skating rink in London

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Posted by: faultlessfinish | December 18, 2013

Gifting Words

“Probably the reason we all go so haywire at Christmas time with the endless unrestrained and often silly buying of gifts is that we don’t quite know how to put our love into words.” – Harlan Miller

I might possibly be the world’s worst gift giver. Every year I intend to find my family members the perfect gifts to reflect their personalities and tastes. And inevitably …

“Hope you like the wine and gift card!”

Sigh. To make up for sub-par gifts, I put a bit more thought into the cards and strive for the perfect blend of humour and mushy affection. When I sat down to write Christmas cards for my friends this year though, I was a bit stumped. I couldn’t help feeling that I’d said everything before. Then I came across Harlan Miller’s quotation, and the proverbial lightbulb came on. Of course I’d said everything before. I’ve loved the close people in my life for years, and often tell them how I feel.

There are only so many ways to put love into words, but that should never stop us from trying. Because while I’m a big believer in actions speaking louder than words, there’s nothing quite like hearing how much you mean to someone, especially this time of year.

A big Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to all of you – now go shower someone you love with words of affection. Go.

Thanks for all your love and support! See you in the new year.

Namaste 🙂

Rachel

Siblings2

Christmas Past. Sorry siblings, don’t hate me.

 

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Posted by: faultlessfinish | December 10, 2013

Connected Detachment

While away last month, I “re-remembered” the importance of downtime (which in Europe included ample time for sitting and writing and eating croissants, pizza, pasta, gelato – which now means making ample time to put on the running shoes), so I’m now making a deliberate effort to meditate every morning.

During a yoga class this week, the instructor asked us to sit in silence for a few minutes and clear the mind of thoughts. “When a thought comes up,” she explained, “try to view it as an outside observer would, separate from your own mind. Then let it go. Release it.” I’ve heard this advice many times in meditation sessions, but that day, the prompt resonated with me.

A month away from everything I knew meant a lot of time spent in my own brain. And while I was able to “get to know” myself on an entirely different level, I also learned that too much time in your own head can get you tangled up in a mess of thoughts that aren’t necessarily helpful.

That’s where the detachment comes in.

When a negative, stressful, or otherwise unpleasant thought pops into your head, it’s important not to identify with it. By this I mean don’t let it become a part of you or define who you are. Instead, acknowledge it – it’s real and it’s present – and deal with it if need be and the time is right. But remember that it’s just a thought. It doesn’t have a life of its own, and you have the power to bid it farewell.

We are separate from our thoughts. It sounds so obvious, but it’s one of the hardest truths out there to internalize.

How can you let go today?

Namaste 🙂

Rachel

Detachment - Cinque Terre, Italy

Detachment – Cinque Terre, Italy

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Posted by: faultlessfinish | December 3, 2013

Return of the Muse

It’s hard to believe it’s been four months since I’ve posted here. I’ve just returned to Canada after a month-long vacation in Europe. That continent definitely hasn’t seen the last of me! But more on that later.

Travelling always teaches you a few things, but I couldn’t have prepared myself for all the lessons that came my way – some good, some bad, some downright ugly in terms of insights into self, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. One of the most positive things I gleaned from the trip was the return of my muse. I couldn’t wait to get writing again.

Over the last few weeks, it became clear to me, through the help of one of the best friends I could ever ask for, that the main reason I had to abandon my “inspirational” blog temporarily was because I was no longer inspiring myself. Inspiration most certainly can’t be forced, and it’s OK to have “off” weeks or months, but it’s so important to understand why you’re feeling uninspired. Are the factors internal? External? Can you do something about it?

Getting caught in the grind of the mundane was my silent killer. I stopped appreciating the little moments and allowed almost no time for spiritual and personal growth in my life. My month away snapped me out of my haze. It reminded me of the importance of shaking things up once in a while, of reconnecting with your passions, of meeting new people, of having thought-provoking conversations and truly connecting on a human level. And it reminded me to be so grateful for the life I’ve been given.

While it’s always a bit sad coming back home after a whirlwind trip, I’m excited to implement some healthy changes (more time for writing, more yoga, more work-life balance).

What about you? What inspires you enough to shake you out of a slump?

Sunset over Athens

Sunset over Athens

 

Namaste 🙂

Rachel

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Posted in Balance, Inspiration | Tags:

Posted by: faultlessfinish | August 13, 2013

Words in White Spaces

I have officially launched my new blog, Words in White Spaces! I will still be blogging here, but the new space is just for poetry. I hope to see you there!

Namaste 🙂

Rachel

7 Comments

Posted in Poetry

Posted by: faultlessfinish | July 8, 2013

Evolution

“We are the facilitators of our own creative evolution.” – Bill Hicks

I started Freelancing to Freedom in March 2010. I still can’t believe it’s been over three years. Man was I excited at that time. Starting my freelance editing career was such a turning point in my life. I launched the blog as a way to chronicle my journey as a new freelancer and to provide other new and aspiring freelancers with advice and support.

For the first few months, year even, I posted primarily for my own benefit. I was nervous to share the blog too widely, but it was a great way to track my progress in business. The new information flowed from brain right out of my fingertips and onto the keys. I couldn’t wait to write about what I was learning, and in those first few months I learned A LOT.

Gradually, yoga and meditation seeped into my life and then exploded in a big way, causing the tone of the blog to shift. My focus as a writer was no longer primarily on the business of freelancing but on living a balanced, meaningful life. I was excited to share newfound insights into life and how to live it to the fullest; taking my own advice was the biggest challenge in this period.

Recently I’ve become fascinated with poetry. For a month or so this year, I undertook a challenge to write every morning for even just ten minutes, and almost every morning, all I wanted to write was poetry, so I went with it. I now have notebooks and numerous Word documents dedicated to poetry. And the bulk of my posts this year have been poems.

By now I’m sure you’re thinking, “OK, what’s your point? This is starting to feel like one of those sitcom episodes that features all flashbacks for lack of new and interesting material.”

My apologies. My blog is still, more than anything, a place where I come to sort out my thoughts, and my wonderful readers are subjected to the process. In short, life is changing, I’m evolving, and it’s time for Freelancing to Freedom to undergo an overhaul in regards to name, design, and focus. It’s been with me since the beginning, and it needs some clarity. I’ve been posting less frequently lately because the focus is no longer clear.

Maybe this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I know that in the end, a blog is most importantly a space to write, share thoughts, and connect with readers from all walks of life, but I know in my heart that it’s time for a change. Because the last thing I want is to let this blog fade away.

The year is half over, and it’s time to revisit the words I began my year with: “A thrill, to see the three in the crisp corner of the clean page, clean canvas, blank slate.” Blank slate, fresh start.

I can’t say it enough–to all my readers, thank you for your loyalty over the months and years. I’m excited to continue sharing my writing, just in a new, fresh, fun way. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, I would love to hear about your stories of evolution.

Namaste 🙂

Rachel

SKsunset

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