Miss Moon's Musing About: My "Just Joan" Christmas...

My Christmas was very much inspired by the "Just Joan" episode of the television series "Girlfriends":

When Joan complains about the dating scene and her social life, Maya challenges her to empower herself, accept her singleness and go out to a trendy restaurant alone.

I decided that being newly single during the holidays did NOT have to be something to feel sorry for myself about! What better gift to give myself on Christmas than the gift of empowerment?!?!? So I got myself all dolled up and headed out on Christmas afternoon.. complete with my new favorite lipstick!!!!

Yes, y'all... I was rockin' a red lip on Christmas!!!!!!! I couldn't afford to dine at a fancy bistro, so I decided to do something within my price range.

So I took myself to the movies. I saw "The Darkest Hour" in 3D... It was actually a pretty good movie. I had a blast sitting in the front of the theatre with my popcorn and soda... dressed up to watch this adventure.

After the movie I walked around Downtown Brooklyn... And it didn't feel awkward, or pathetic to be walking around by myself on Christmas, in fact I saw a lot of people doing it.

It was an amazing day, and one I am very proud of myself about. There's a stigma with many women about going out by themselves to the movies or even to dinner, as Joan expressed in the episode of Girlfriends. Even my Mum who is in her 60s remarked that she had never dined out or gone to the movies alone before. She looked at me with a bit of pride, I think... as I decided to take the holiday into my own hands and set out on my own adventure that day.

Do I feel tremendously empowered? I will say this... I did have a kick ass Christmas, and that alone is empowering!!

Music Therapy with Miss Moon

Yesterday, I wrote about making a clear and conscious choice to feel good everyday. For those of you that decided to join me in the challenge, I promised that this week's Music Therapy with Miss Moon choice would be a song that would serve as a soundtrack to your choice-making. I am a woman of my word!

I've had this song as a part of my Practice Smiling Wake Up Mix for over a year now, and I've found it to be a powerful anthem/affirmation when making the choice to feel good. So much so, that the title of the song is in fact, "Feel Good"! LOL



I hope you all will enjoy this empowering song by Lira and that it will inspire your choices today!!!



I just wanna feel good everyday
I wanna wear a smile upon my face
I wanna feel the joys of the day
I wanna feel alive in every moment
Said I won't waste time on feeling blue
I won't waste time on things I can not change
I'm gonna live these days as best as I can
Doing everything that feels right

Singing la la la lala la...

I wanna hear the laughter of a child
I wanna feel the hug from a loving friend
I wanna hear "I love you" every now and then
I wanna show somebody that I care
Cause feeling good is a choice that we all make
Just like a smile is a small effort you make
I love to feel the nudeness of a brand new day
Happy to be alive today

Singing la la la lala la.....

Joy within my soul
I feel good today
Yes I do

Be Blessed: And CHOOSE to feel GOOD

"The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live." ~ Flora Whittemore

"To decide is to walk facing forward with nary a crick in your neck from looking back at the crossroads." ~ Betsy Cañas Garmon

"Your attitude is everything. What you came intending to focus upon in this life was your level of joy. When you click upon and set your tuner to wanting joy, everything else falls into alignment."
~ Abraham-Hicks



One of my favorite lines from the movie "Cousins" (with Ted Danson and Isabella Rossellini) is from Lloyd Bridges' character, Vince: "You've got only one life to live. You can either make it chicken sh*t or chicken salad. ". I don't know about y'all, but I'd much rather have me a chicken salad! LOL

Every morning, when we wake up and start a new day, we're presented with a choice: Will my day be a good one, or a crappy one?

We often ignore the opportunities that can come for making the choice to feel good, simply because we think that the choice is not ours to make. That's not the case!

No one has the power to make your day unhappy if you've made the choice to feel good: not that dude knocked you out of the way to get a seat in the subway, not your boss, not your landlord, not that gum-poppin' teller at the bank, no one. Just you.

When you've made a conscious choice to feel good and respond only to energy that makes you feel good... encounters with people who aren't joyful will be few and far between. And if any grumplestiltskins should try to venture onto your path, you can just shake, shake, shake, shake...shake them off (Like Mariah Carey! LOL).

Try it tomorrow! Monday is the perfect day to start a pattern of feeling good (I also promise to provide you with a Music Therapy Song to help accomplish this goal, so visit tomorrow morning!) Wake up in the morning and think to yourself, "Today.. I am choosing to have a good day!"

Music Therapy with Miss Moon

Last year, I posted an edition of Be Blessed, highlighting a poem, Time-Tested Beauty Tips, written by Sam Levenson, but commonly attributed to actress, icon, and my namesake... Audrey Hepburn.



Inspired by these "beauty tips", Chrisette Michele's (Featuring Lem Payne) "Dear Miss Audrey" encapsulates the message that true beauty comes, not from what you wear, but how you love yourself and the world around you. What better choice for "Music Therapy with Miss Moon"?

Despite my eagerness to share this message, I couldn't find a good video online of the song. Undaunted, I decided to take matters into my own hands, and created a slideshow that showcases the unmistakable beauty that was Audrey Hepburn: iconic images of her at her most lovely - wearing beautiful clothing, and most importantly, images of her humanitarian work for UNICEF in the latter years of her life.

I hope that the song and the video will inspire all of you to find your beauty within, and in finding that beauty... do all you can to make the world around you a better (and more beautiful) place.

Dear Mrs. Hepburn
Good afternoon
I hope that heaven is kind to you
But a question -
How can I be lovely as you?
I got a poster in my bedroom
And I got a little black dress or two
(Dress or two)
Tell me what real ladies do?

Chorus
Excuse me Audrey how'd you do it?
She told me there was nothing to it
She said: Just let your soul shine (repeats)
Let it shine
Excuse me Audrey how'd you do it?
She told me there was nothing to it
She said: Just let your soul shine (repeats)
Let it shine

I wake up early every morning
To find my picture painted beautifully
So beautifully
Right on the mirror on my wall
I take a brush up to my hair again
To find a brand new style for me... yeah
What makes me different from them all?

Chorus
Excuse me Audrey how'd you do it?
She told me there was nothing to it
She said: Just let your soul shine (repeats)
Let it shine
Excuse me Audrey how'd you do it?
She told me there was nothing to it
She said: Just let your soul shine (repeats)
Let it shine

So sad, so bad, so sickening
And all they wanna know is where the rich n***as is
Short skirt with thighs out they killin’ it
But that ass the only reason we feelin’ it?
What a shame she thinks he gon give into it
But he only wants to get all up into it and get rid of it
Sex ain't love, friends don't need benefits
He’s full of lust baby, I know the sentiment

Chorus
Excuse me Audrey how'd you do it?
She told me there was nothing to it
She said: Just let your soul shine (repeats)
Let it shine
Excuse me Audrey how'd you do it?
She told me there was nothing to it
She said: Just let your soul shine (repeats)
Let it shine