What Makes You Tick? Talk To Me...

A DAY IN THE LIFE

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My day starts with coffee. I'm talking, before I can even speak, before my vision starts working, coffee. The stronger, the better. I am a self-proclaimed, full-blown coffee addict, and I'm not ashamed to say so. That's where my day starts, and that pretty much gets my day ticking, but why would you want to sign up for my Patreon just because of that?

Here's the Scoop...

I do a lot. And I mean A LOT! My day is full with such a variety of diverse activities, that it's sometimes hard to keep up, even for myself. I have a hundred tabs open 24/7, and I somehow manage to manage them all. I am...

• An Over-50 Nude Model
• An Indie Writer of Nonfiction Books
• A Social Justice Advocate
• A Blogger
• A Photographer
• An Artist
• A Motivational Speaker
• A Belly Dancer
• An Entrepreneur
• A Hiker 
• A Recovered Anorexic
• A Yoga Junkie
• A Website Designer
• A Coffee Addict
• And More...

A Typical Day in My Life Looks Like This:
I usually wake up very early in the morning on the couch in my studio, because I work all night long. I nap, I don't really sleep-sleep. I get up and stumble over to the coffee maker and brew a pot. I guess you could say I'm a nudist because I prefer being nude most of the time, when I can. Naked Coffee always tastes better.

Meditation is essential first thing. Without it, my day spirals out of control. Not that I'm in controlof anything, but you get it. My morning practice balances and centers me. Soft music plays while I create my day. Today's Music:  Larisa Stow and Shakti Tribe (mostly mantras).
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I decide what I want my day to look like. I do this through visualization during meditation. If that doesn't make sense to you, maybe this will:  I sit on a pillow on the floor of my studio, close my eyes, take deep breathes in and out and see my day as I want it to be. I make a conscious choice as to what I want to feel today. It really starts there - the attitude I choose. Gratitude quickly follows. I make a mental list of the things I am grateful for today.

I live my life one day at a time. All we really have is today, this moment. So, I don't think about the past or the future. I make myself my first priority. What does that look like? It looks like a healthy nurtured body, mind and spirit. Once I get myself prepared this way, then I move on with the rest of my day.

I keep my ego in check. This is important. I've worked hard at this and it is the only way I know how to live, not only in my personal life, but with work also. I check on myself throughout the day, making sure I'm living in a humble way. That means reminding myself that I am just like every other person on this planet. We are ALL special, gifted, talented, beautiful, amazing creatures. That quote "I treat the CEO and the janitor of a company the same way" rings true for me.

After I eat a bowl of oatmeal with strawberries and blueberries, I throw on some clothes, kick on the computer and sit at my desk. Next:  open some tabs and get to work.

I'm a one-woman-show. The majority of my time is dedicated to marketing. Right away I check the calendar on the blackboard behind my desk to see what is scheduled for today. The past couple weeks was a mixture of artists coming in to install their artwork, meeting with a new website client, a big Art Opening with live music, prepping my studio for a photographer for a private shoot, a City Hall meeting, getting ready for weekly interpretive dance classes in my studio, a board meeting with an area homeless organization, a few hikes with my camera, editing photos, meeting with a videographer to go over my latest motivational talk, blogging, getting together with my editor for lunch, playing in the river, meeting with a prison aftercare group, traveling between Jerome, Sedona and Flagstaff. 

My studio is an old classroom in an old high school that was built in 1923, on the top of a mountain. The high school closed down in 1975 and reopened in the early 1980's as working art studios. There are 2 large wall-sized blackboards, 5 tall old-schoolwindows on one wall, and hardwood floors. It's literally untouched from when it was built. I love it. It's a nostalgic place, historic and unique. 

Between meetings, classes, art shows, marketing, photographing, modeling, writing and dancing, there's the daily stuff that we all do, and I am no exception - laundry, dishes, groceries, making the bed - you get the idea. 

I run from yoga class, which is across the hallway in my building, to a meeting 20 miles away, to a video chat with a client, to responding to messages from photographers and models for my next workshop, to checking my bank balance on my phone, to taking a few photos on a short walk, to emailing my newsletter, and the list goes on and on. I do it all on the fly - in my car, at the coffee shop, walking along a hiking trail, at my desk in my studio - wherever. 

I'm quick to share my personal story with others, because I believe in the power of words and actions. Who knows who I might meet today, that may need to hear something I have to say, and vise-versa. I am a grateful member of a 12-Step Program, a recovered anorexic with body dysmorphic disorder, a self-motivated, uncomplicated woman. Basically, I am a survivor. 

What I'm offering here on Patreon is an intimate communication with you. Sure, you can find me on social media, see what I'm about on my website, but there's things I don't share with just anyone. I journal daily. I'm offering a peek into my personal life, along with my daily quotes, videos and what I'm working on next. My life is always evolving and I am always transforming. 

Take this journey with me. Tell me who you are, what makes you tick, what your day looks like. And in the process, help support an independent author, model, blogger, photographer, and sign up for the rewards that you're comfortable with. 

I am incredibly grateful for this life I have, and for your support in me. I'm looking forward to sharing my adventure with you. Thanks for reading. Now, it's time for another cup of coffee.
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Zushka