Category: TOVAS BLOG

I have the key to happiness. I’ve had it all along.

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Last week my younger brother got up in front of 200 or so people and made a speech at his newborn sons Bris. He talked about a bunch of things I won’t bore you with. The thing that knocked me on the forehead and said “Hello!” is what I’ve sat down to share with you today.

My brother is actually my half brother. My mom married my stepdad when I was 5 years old and together they had 3 kids. 2 younger brothers with a sister sandwiched in the middle. This was the older younger brother. The younger younger brother’s baby boys Bris was on sunday. 😀

My stepfather died when I was 14. His kids were 2, 5 and 7. Both of my new nephews were named for their grandfather, my stepfather. Baby boys receive their names at their bris and hearing them call their sons by their father’s name was really beautiful.

In my brother’s speech he spoke about a magnet my mom, who’d been widowed at 35 with us 5 kids, has had on the refrigerator for just about as long as I can remember.

It reads:

Just-about-as-happy-art

“Most people are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

This is a sentiment which, when life is in the middle of shitting on you, can make you wanna take a magnet and hurl it out a window.

But somehow, after years of reading that line over and over and over again, every time we reached for a soda or an apple or a roasted chicken leg, it seems to now truly define a large part of what believe about ourselves as adults.

The Muchness was born from my decision to make up my mind to be happier. All the self-help gurus and happiness coaches in the world always basically come back to this core belief.

“Most people are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

Sure, they each provide different tools to get you there: affirmations, meditation, gratitude, kindness towards others, goal setting etc. etc. etc. My tool? Sparkle. To each his own. And yes, it’s possible that other stuff kinda works too….

But ultimately, it boils down to this: It’s not about waiting to be happy, it’s about making up your mind to be.

Thank You mom for the lesson. I want to teach it to my kids, every time they reach into the fridge for a chocolate pudding, because I see now how well it’s served us. So I made a muchy magnet and because I love to share what makes me feel muchy. you can get one too.

Click for it. 

How Muchtastic is that?

judt-about-as-happy-fridge-pic

Miscarriage, Muchness and finding time to write a blog post.

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“….I miscarried like 2 weeks ago…thought I was over it but had a doc appt today…just finished bawling…well maybe not finished”

I receive that text message from a friend today. 🙁

I replied- “OOOOh- I am so so sorry… You should not set your goal as getting “over it”…. that’s just a false perceived endpoint and an almost impossible spot to get to…. and actually, not a logical spot to want to get to”

if i dont put it out of my mind i’ll be a wreck

It doesn’t work that way.

…but hey I’m listening

you can’t just “put it out of your mind” and expect it to be out of your mind. you kinda just have to let it flow through you. it will. and you will eventually come to a place of peace with it.

k

If there is one thing I know—- time does not pass any quicker or any slower just because you tell it to…. and the ONLY thing that will help you deal with it is time…. the second thing is what you do with that time. If you spend that time “putting it out of your mind” it’s gonna find it’s way out in ugly ways and you won’t know how to process your behaviors.

k

heeh muchness! …hey u just wrote a blog post!

I know…. I write effing blog posts all the time in private convos with people…. I never get a chance to rewrite & post them ‘cuz I’m so disorganized.

copy paste n edit yo!

done. Thanks for letting me share it!

cool but not with a name

never with a name…

36. whoa.

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Yesterday I turned 36.

Thirty six.

36!!

Ya know who’s 36? Adults.

I remember when my mom was 36. Damn, she was old. At 36 she was widowed with 5 kids, the oldest of which was 16. I was 14.

But here’s the thing…. I feel really good about being 36. It feels like an important age. Like, when I was 15, 16 seemed like and important age. At 17, it was 18. At 19, 21. And after that, well, I didn’t really have an important age in my 20’s. I thought, at first, 24 would feel important. Like that was in my mind, the age of official entry into adulthood. Like, an appropriate age to start thinking about marriage. It wasn’t. Then I thought it would be 27. Nope. That wasn’t it either.

Somehow, 36 feels like an age I should have been looking forward to. It feels like a year when good stuff’s gonna happen…

…Maybe this should be the year I start lying about my age?

Hmmmm…. that’ll never work.

Muchness, X-Factor Style

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So, remember when I posted about Paige Davis on The X-factor, and how she lost her Muchness? Well, I’m back for round two. Girlfriend has officially found her Muchness.

Ya think? I thought people only used rhinestones on their lips for photos. Not for singing extravaganzas!

Other notes of interest:

Love this Diamond chics jacket. And her name. Daimond. I mean really?

and that 13 year old Carly Rose is un-friggin-believable. Her voice and talent is what Muchtastic about her. Holy crap, she’s good.

The Minute of Muchness Prizes!

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Tomorrow is the big day!

The 2nd ANNUAL MUCHNESS DAY!!! (and my birthday- tee hee! Thank you, thank you all…. it’s nice to finally be able to drink legally! 🙂 )

Are you working on your Minute Of Muchness video? I hope so, but if not, don’t worry! The whole thing shouldn’t take you more than 90 seconds to do, soup to nuts!

Don’t think too hard, just go with your gut. It could be anything from happy clothes, cooking, reading, connecting with friends, creative outlets, even inspiring others with your honesty and voice, – whatever puts that feeling in your belly that lets you know you’re connecting to your inner Muchness! Be yourself and if you feel nervous or weird about talking into the camera, do it anyway! Feel the rush and then congratulate yourself on stepping out of your comfort zone to share some of the beauty that makes you, YOU!

Aaaaaand…. I got Prizes!

For the very first person that posts their Minute Of Muchness Video – it’s a Muchy water bottle! Ya know- staying hydrated is very important to a Muchy state of mind!

What else? Someones gonna win this adorable, fun, colorful and sparkly bracelet!

It’s the kind of thing you can throw on on a dreary day when you feel like crap and decided to wear all black and then  immediately, as if by some form of Muchness magic, you will be in a better mood. Results Guaranteed!

And, because I’m feeling generous, I decided to throw in this other prize… BUT, it will only be rewarded if we meet our goal of posting TEN – Minute Of Muchness Videos.

Check it out:

Pretty Muchtastic, right? It’s a three piece make-up pouch / clutch set – Brand new with Tags, from Nine West. It not only has sequins and shine and animal print, it’s also got the inspiring words Cherish • Treasure • Precious on each of the bags. Love it!

Wanna see MY Minute of Muchness? Check it out!

Upload your video to Youtube titled “Your name’s Minute of Muchness” and then share it on our FB wall!

Kablamo! You’re in!

Here’s the pretty looking directions for reference!

 

A Minute Of Muchness….

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Ya know that feeling when you know you have a great idea but then something holds you back from acting on it? Maybe it’s procrastination, that you then beat yourself up over, or maybe it’s that voice in your head that tells you it’s gonna be so bad you just shouldn’t bother to start, or that fear that it’s gonna be so good you just won’t be able to handle it? Yeah. You’re not alone. I’ve been plagued by all three of those lately.

I had an idea forever-ago and acting on it is really scaring the crap out of me.

Reasons I’m scared include:
– I’m gonna look like a big loser.
– Nobody is gonna participate.
– I wasn’t clear enough in my “how-to” so people will tune out.
– Ummmm…nobody’s gonna participate and I’m gonna look like a big loser.

But then, I realize that is so. not. muchy. Seriously, I just have to remember, it’s not about me. It’s about helping people find their Muchness.

When I think about all the people who have found their MUCHNESS just by sharing what makes them feel muchy, I realize I just gotta feel the fear and do it anyway.

So here it is. I’m starting something new and it’s called A Minute of Muchness!

I want you to create a 1-minute video and share 3 ways you tap into your Muchness Moments.Three things that make you feel Muchy.
Because I want you to think about it and be inspired, and because I want other people to hear it and be inspired. And because I want to give away sparkly prizes to people that participate. and because I don’t want to be the only one with an awkward video on my site.
minute-of-muchness-screenshotClick to watch it!

So head on over HERE and see what it’s all about!
I plan to start posting them on November 15th – International Muchness Day.
By November 30th I expect to have at least Ten Minute of Muchness videos to share on the site!
Can we do it? I think we can!
My next goal? Get Ellen DeGeneres and Katy Perry to make Minute of Muchness videos. And why not??
CLICK …. CLICK…. CLICK and make a super easy and inspired Minute of Muchness Masterpiece!!!! 🙂
loveandmuchness-1

Muchness Chat with Joni Lowe!

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I recently had a great opportunity to meet a really inspiring woman named Joni Lowe. Joni teaches dance and body movement classes and what I LOVE about her approach to teaching is that her whole purpose is to help women connect with their bodies, appreciate the vessel that they were given to travel this planet, and learn to love it through dance and physical self-expression. At first, I wondered if I, who hasn’t really danced since shaking it on a podium at a dark and strobe light filled night club-circa 1995, and feels incredible clumsy and self-concious at the gym (which I never go to) would have anything in common with a woman who teaches self-love and signs her emails “Shake, pop, shimmy, -Joni” or “Hip rollin’ all day, -Joni”

But then, we got to chatting. Joni is so super fun and down-to-earth! I decided to record a bit of our conversation and share it with you because I think her story is like, the very essence of Finding Your Muchness- in a totally extreme way!

Before I introduce you to her, I want to let you know that I got so inspired by Joni’s story and personality that I invited her to NJ! I’d been wanting to organize a Girls night out that combined an awesome, fun activity with some Muchy inspiration and Joni’s classes were clearly a perfect fit! Click on through to check out our Muchness BELLY DANCING event!! It’s gonna be a BLAST and I hope you (Yes, YOU) can make it to this EPIC event! haha 🙂

So now. without further ado, Meet Joni!!

Awesome, right? Head on over to Jonilowe.com to learn more about her and some of the classes she gives. As you heard, one of the unique things she does is one-on-one private Molton Motion sessions. I took a session with her and it was really amazing. Just really connected me to my concious being and stretched me mentally and physically in ways that I seriously needed.

Here’s a snapshot of our session together:

Like My Shirt? Yes, It Does say IN TOUCH WITH THE MUCH. Want one? GO GET IT!! 🙂