Post Vacation Glow

I just returned from an amazing two weeks in the South American country of Colombia. You can read about my two week adventure here:

http://theworldaccordingtoyi.blogspot.com/

Colombia, what a warm and down to earth country!

Be Kind To Others

I am not sure where kindness in one stems from. Is it genetic? Is it the way we're brought up? Is it from the friends we choose to associate with? Or is it just innate?

I read an article today posted in the NY Times and I couldn't help but think about my two regrets in life that I still think of often. It involved two people that I will never see again and even if I did, I would not recognize them, so let me throw out a few apologies to the universe and make some extra luck will come their way.

First.. to the boy who I went to middle school with who was walking home with his older sister, I am sorry for kind of kicking you in the stomach when the mean girls I was hanging out with at the time decided to pick on you and your sister. Second, to the man at SFO who left your jacket on the luggage cart (Nov 2008) as you drove away, I am sorry I didn't tell you that you left your jacket. I just watched you leave it behind, mainly because I was mad at your for smoking so close to me. To this day, I still feel awful about these two events in my life and for that, I am send my apologies and hope the universe forgives. I am happy to report that as I've become older, I've also become wiser and have the full ability to make my own decisions.. about love, life and friendships.

The article is a bit of a read but well worth it: George Saunders Advice To Graduates.

Be kind to others.

Life

A few days after watching the Zack Sobierch video, I found out that a friend of mine, who I had met from my old Team in Training days, in her early 30's, has stage 4 skin cancer. My heart broke for her. She told me today that in addition to the tumor is her abdomen, the melanoma had spread to her lungs. When I found out about her cancer, I couldn't help but think about our mutual friend Joe who had passed away this time last time in a surfing accident. While cancer has nothing to do with a surfing accident, the age of my friends at which these tragic events are happening to them is relevant as I think about this journey we call life. She's in my thoughts every day and every ounce of me hopes that her young spirit and health will pull her through, however bleak her chances are from a statistical stand point.

With every sunrise comes a feeling of promise. Treasure it.

Zach Sobierch.. thank you!

Thank you for reminding us of what is truly important in life.

I Heart Sayulita.

Almost two weeks later and I am finally recovered from a week long trip to Sayulita, Mexico for one of my closest friends' wedding. A week full of sun, ocean, laughter and friends. I finally learned to surf.. much easier and enticing in warm waters.. especially waters full of gold glittering sand. Yes, a beach with gold sparkling sand! Still felt some residual neck pains from my November car accident but loved the experience and just being in warm waters! Below is a group photo that basically sums up a great week!

Introducing...my photo blog.

Hello Readers,

Some of you have been following me for awhile now.. since I started training for my first Ironman back in 2007. For some of my new readers, this blog started off as my training blog. Dating back from 2007 for a few years, my weekly posts were about my training progress, the hours of swimming, running, biking, the nutrition, my mental and race reports. Then, this blog morphed into "All Things Yi's Life" and this is what it continues to be today. However, in additional to this blog and my travel blog, I've started a new one to my collection!

Introducing my photo blog! I know, how does one keep up you might ask? So many blogs! Goes along my daily motto... not enough hours in the day, not enough days in the week and not enough weeks in the years to do all the things I have an interest in doing.

Speaking of mottos... those who know me well know that I am almost a walking book of quotes. I find them inspirational. So, here is my latest one: With low risk, low commitment, comes low reward. With high risk, high commitment, comes high reward.

Ciao for now.

One Of the Cuter Notes I've Read

A Daddy’s Letter to His Little Girl (About Her Future Husband)

After stumbling across destructive advice, licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Kelly Flanagan writes a letter to his daughter about what really matters in a relationship.

Dear Cutie-Pie,

Recently, your mother and I were searching for an answer on Google. Halfway through entering the question, Google returned a list of the most popular searches in the world. Perched at the top of the list was “How to keep him interested.”

It startled me. I scanned several of the countless articles about how to be sexy and sexual, when to bring him a beer versus a sandwich, and the ways to make him feel smart and superior.

And I got angry.

Little One, it is not, has never been, and never will be your job to “keep him interested.”

Little One, your only task is to know deeply in your soul—in that unshakeable place that isn’t rattled by rejection and loss and ego—that you are worthy of interest. (If you can remember that everyone else is worthy of interest also, the battle of your life will be mostly won. But that is a letter for another day.)

If you can trust your worth in this way, you will be attractive in the most important sense of the word: you will attract a boy who is both capable of interest and who wants to spend his one life investing all of his interest in you.

Little One, I want to tell you about the boy who doesn’t need to be kept interested, because he knows you are interesting:

I don’t care if he puts his elbows on the dinner table—as long as he puts his eyes on the way your nose scrunches when you smile. And then can’t stop looking.

I don’t care if he can’t play a bit of golf with me—as long as he can play with the children you give him and revel in all the glorious and frustrating ways they are just like you.

I don’t care if he doesn’t follow his wallet—as long as he follows his heart and it always leads him back to you.

I don’t care if he is strong—as long as he gives you the space to exercise the strength that is in your heart.

I couldn’t care less how he votes—as long as he wakes up every morning and daily elects you to a place of honor in your home and a place of reverence in his heart.

I don’t care about the color of his skin—as long as he paints the canvas of your lives with brushstrokes of patience, and sacrifice, and vulnerability, and tenderness.

I don’t care if he was raised in this religion or that religion or no religion—as long as he was raised to value the sacred and to know every moment of life, and every moment of life with you, is deeply sacred.

In the end, Little One, if you stumble across a man like that and he and I have nothing else in common, we will have the most important thing in common:

You.

Because in the end, Little One, the only thing you should have to do to “keep him interested” is to be you.

Your eternally interested guy,

Daddy

♦◊♦

This post is, of course, dedicated to my daughter, my Cutie-Pie. But I also want to dedicate it beyond her.

I wrote it for my wife, who has courageously held on to her sense of worth and has always held me accountable to being that kind of “boy.”

I wrote it for every grown woman I have met inside and outside of my therapy office—the women who have never known this voice of a Daddy.

And I wrote it for the generation of boys-becoming-men who need to be reminded of what is really important—my little girl finding a loving, lifelong companion is dependent upon at least one of you figuring this out. I’m praying for you.

http://goodmenproject.com/families/a-daddys-letter-to-his-little-girl-about-her-future-husband-aklap/

Life Is One BIG Self Learning Book

..or one would hope that it is.

Sunday mornings is always one of the best although Saturday is my favorite day, there is something about Sunday mornings. I've been repeating a song, Amos Lee's "Violin" on the ipod.  I've always loved Amos Lee but not until recently did I discover his song, "Violin" and wow am I in love with that one! It just might knock David Gray's "This Year's Love" as my all time favorite song.. we'll see. It will be a tough task. David Gray has been long standing.

Some of my favorite moments, the ones that will be etched in my memory bank are the long and deep conversations had with close friends. One of the best things in my life is having friends like a particular one I met up with this weekend... with whom I can sit on a curb, under the sun and sipping on chai talking about all things life. This person is currently going through some changes in their personal life and it's a situation that I can completely resonate with. I think people and relationships come and go in your life for a reason.  Whether it'd be a positive or negative experience, as long as you walk away having learned something and have become a better person because of it, then that's all that matters. That person has done their job in your life. Manly times, the good ones stay and the toxic ones make their exit. Those who know me well know that I self reflect a lot and at the end of the day, life is just one big self learning book. At least mine is.

So, cheers to friendships under the sunshine curb!

All Things Love

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I’d like to start off by saying to the couples out there, I really hope this isn’t the only day of the year you’re showing each other love because you should be honoring each other with TLC every day of the year! Having said that, today, I will honor the chubby kid with the bow & arrow by talking about all things in my life that causes that feeling of love. After all, I am a firm believer that love isn’t necessarily a “thing” but it is a “feeling”.

I love sunshine and how the warmth of sunshine feels on your bare feet.

I love that feeling I get right when I click “confirm” on an airline site to book a ticket abroad.

I love chocolate bread pudding.

I love connections.

I love the feeling after a good run in the rain and ride for that matter.

I love the feeling of knowing someone, your significant other, has your back.  

I love laughter.

I love white chocolate. White chocolate is still chocolate no matter what others say.

I love the feeling I think my dog feels whenever she sees me.

I love peacefulness.

I love lavender.

I love that feeling of being anonymous in a town I’ve never been before.

I love the water and the ocean.

I love Nicholas Sparks movies.

I love creativity through the lens.

I love sports.

I love acts of compassion and kindness.

I love Paris.

I love Kona Brewery’s Golden Ale, champagne and Pinot Noir.

I love the sound of crashing ocean waves.

I love the sunset.

I love the sunrise.

I love the stars under dark skies.

I love tulips.

I loved my time in Africa.

I love putting smiles on people’s faces.

I love simple.

I love kids.

I love Sunday mornings and Amos Lee. Yes, that combination.

I love surprising people.

I love it when I hear my sister use the word “dip shit”.

I love losing myself to a song.

I love creativity.

I love my peoples.

I love the smell of books.

I love, love.