The Idea of Letting go

Books

“Morita explained the idea of letting go of negative feelings with the following fable: A donkey that is tied to a post by a rope will keep walking around the post in an attempt to free itself, only to become more immobilized and attached to the post. The same thing applies to people with obsessive thinking who become more trapped in their own suffering when they try to escape from their fears and discomfort.”
― Hector Garcia Puigcerver, Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life

I once was trapped in my own suffering, I picked up this book early in the year. But didn’t feel called to finish reading it until after I had a chance encounter with a lovely young woman. She had Ikigai as her screen saver and a tattoo on her arm, I took this as a sign to continue reading. So I did and the wisdom within was ready for me to digest.

Reading this excerpt in particular really helped me realize that although I am committed to living my purpose, to do so fully requires letting go of any need to suffer. The desire to let go significantly outweighed the part of me that’d been in a loop, repeating past energy and mindsets connected to this unwanted need to suffer. Since reading Ikigai, negative feelings I’d ignored resurfaced and this time I was able to face them. Acknowledging ones feelings is the first step to letting them pass through. This is a lesson I am still learning, each day I practice letting my energy move through me. Releasing what is not wanted with one breath at a time. Practicing what I love and focusing on what brings me joy keeps me from the past. As my mind has shifted so has my environment and the people in my life. Like attracts like, those who are also walking the path of less suffering have joined me in my pursuit.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it left me feeling lighter and inspired. To know there are communities thriving off of love and a natural rhythm to life lets me know my dreams are not futile. Some day I’ll be living off of life and what it brings to me, suffering long gone and a part of my past.

The idea of letting go kept me in a loop. The act of letting go has given me release.

Music That Lifts You Up

Music Reviews

This weeks sounds are all aligned with Positive Affirmations; words meant to make your spirits high when you feel low and that serve as a reminder for times when you may forget just how amazing you are. I have been listening to these since the start of this month, so I wanted to move away from the Sounds of the Week(check out my previous blog series) which focused on weekly tunes. Now I’ll be sharing music every month that is both enjoyable and I feel has a great message over all.

That is the wonder of music, sounds and messages can hold a different shape for every being who listens to it. All of these songs have given me something to look forward to each day, sounds that resonate and put me in a good mood. May they do the same for you!

GRATITUDE- Londrelle

First up we have “Gratitude” by the lovely Londrelle. This is the first song I have ever heard by this artist and I immediately went for the full album experience after hearing this song. With Positive affirmations layered on top of a melodic saxophone, Gratitude opens your heart and brings you to a space where appreciation can be felt. I believe in being within a spirit of Gratitude, giving thanks where thanks is due. Even for the mundane or things we may take for granted; like the shine of the sun and the breath in our lungs. Listening to this song made me feel so happy and calm.

Everything deserves Gratitude, thats my everyday attitude
Londrelle

LOOSE MY COOL-070 SHAKE

Next we have a favorite here on the blog; the lovely 070 Shake’s Loose My Cool. I love this song because at first glance it is a feel good, feeling yourself type of beat. Then you listen to the lyrics and it makes the song even better. I enjoy listening to music that keeps my mind right, a lot of what you consume stays with you under the surface. There lies your subconscious and so much lives in our subconscious mind, why not consume music and content that tells your brain “I am confident and looking forward to growing more into the best version of myself”. 070 says it more elegantly, not wasting anytime to speak light over the mic:

I’m shooting for a higher self, a higher frequency
and you don’t gotta to touch me I can feel your energy
070 shake

This song reminds me to focus on being my best self each day and the important lesson of being aware of the energy that surrounds you. Whether that be energy within another being or the vibes within an environment, being mindful of either can protect you in so many ways. Energy carries and you don’t have to physically connect with someone to catch it. Food for thought for real, I love this song.

TIME (YOU AND I)- Khruangbin

Last (but never the least) we have Khruangbin’s Time(You and I). This song takes me to a place where my heart is glowing and I can really feel the groove. It’s an uplifting gem of a love song thats for sure. The kind of love song that reminds you of your inner child and can usually be brought out when you’re with that special someone. This songs gives just the right amount of reality; we will indeed grow old but hey THAT’S LIFE!

I love the nostalgic feel to this song as well, hearing it actually makes me excited to grow older. Khruangbin is surely becoming one of my favorite bands, their music can fit any vibe or atmosphere. I personally enjoy listening to them while I am working, cooking, or going for a walk. You name it, Khruangbin can set a great tone to your day that is sure to keep your spirits high.

Thanks for reading, for more music reviews check out my other blog posts called Sounds of the Week!

Till next time, Lee Sunshine

The Realization period

Podcast

I Saw Things I Imagined
Solange, Things I Imagined

I have began to think of my life within frames of seasons, periods of time shaped with purpose. In the past I wasn’t super aware of what these seasons were, my life just seemed to move along. Throughout it all journaling has been a part of my life, speaking out loud to myself has always been a part of my life. As early on as 7 years young I knew that there was an importance to capturing my thoughts and feelings. Even now I feel that importance in a new way. Capturing so much of what I have thought of has given me reminders of different parts of my life and the things I value for my lifetime. Things like a safe home, genuine love, and freedom. Reminding myself of the things I’d imagined over and over again helped bring them closer to me as time past. Now I have so many aspects of living that I’ve desired for awhile; all from these reflections of the past and coming into awareness of what it is that I truly want. No guilt or shame associated with desire either, that mentality had to go so that what I imagined became real.

The current season of my life feels like the beginning of a new transition; the part where I choose to show up as myself and be in a state of receiving. It took a great manifestation just for me to be sitting here typing this. The first season of my life that brought me to this awareness of personal seasons is aptly named The Realization Period. During this time I felt very much so born again, with a new found sense of being alive fully. It was like I’d slowly woken up from a long restful slumber. My childhood and adolescents had a new color to them, I began to innerstand why I’d come to be who I was and why I didn’t recognize these shadow parts of myself. As I went along realizing, each day bringing forth some deep belief or memory, I felt lighter and more aware than I had in a long time. Probably since before I could recollect my thoughts.

I have since developed a fondness for all the beings I witnessed during this time, who helped me realize and let go of a lot. Listening to self-love and self-help podcasts has become one of my favorite things to do. So much so that I began my own podcast last year! YouTube has since become one of my go to places to witness people who I relate to and want to learn from. Listening to people talk about their lives brought up memories that I hadn’t processed fully and helped to move past them. Plus it was a nice way to not feel alone on the days where loneliness felt abundant. Receiving personal realizations as a result of reading or listening to someone else reflect on their life is a blessing. Now I wish to share in the same way, so far it has been interesting to step into this realm of sharing virtually. Having outlets like these is such a cool aspect of the 21st century though, to think billions of beings are connecting and relating across bounds!

Writing is a daily practice that has allowed me to be where I am today. Much gratitude for the power of words, thought, and expression. Thank you for reading, I am trying to get back into the practice of blogging consistently so hopefully this helps! Check out my podcast for more @youtoo arealoveleebeing

Peace and Blessings Lovelee Being,

Lee Sunshine

Its all love over here

Podcast

Introducing You Too Are A Lovelee Being Podcast

I wanted to start a podcast… so I did. I’m following my faith and doing what I love, that love has brought me here. I will share many thoughts within these episodes. My hope is that I can inspire at least one person to do what makes them happy and BE the Being that they came here to be. We all deserve to be happy and free to Create, Express & Love.

Below you’ll find the introduction to my podcast. In it I recite a poem and set the tone for what I hope to be a long series of reflections. Speaking aloud and listening to others speak has always been healing to me. Hearing words that resonate can trigger changes within or even just a simple perspective shift. With this in mind I began sharing my words on this blog and through my podcast in September 2021. The next few blog posts will be spot lights on my previous podcast episodes from this year. In 2022 there will be many more!

Do you have a favorite self help/self love/inspiring podcast? Comment below!

Thank you for listening to my podcast, feel free to share.

Love and Sunshine, Peace 🌞

-Lee Sunshine

Reality Check

Podcast

Episode 7: You Too Are A Lovelee Being

Sometimes, you are the only one who can give you the reality check that you need. In this episode I share some more quotes from The Untethered Soul by Micheal Singer, a book that helped me a lot in 2021. Especially during the time of this recording, I was reflecting on what letting go means to me and honestly trying my best to not give into the trauma responses I was so use to relying on.

Unlearn aspects of self so that you can be the YOU that YOU want to be

I know I don’t have to hold on to hurt or negative feelings, and that letting go is a lifelong learning process. As I play this episode back, listen to my tone and the thoughts I shared, my heart is happy. Two months has gone by since this recording and I can say that Reality checks have gotten much easier. I welcome them now, It is refreshing to be ok with the reality of life. Living with as many blurred edges and out of sight, out of minds as I did left me at point where reality felt too terrifying.

Now I embrace my reality more and more each day, the joys of my life without running away from what is. I started saying new positive affirmations in the rising. Listening to this episode reminded me of one of my old favorite positive affirmations:

My Mind Serves me it does not work against me

Here are some of the quotes I mentioned from the book during the podcast. They each brought up so many feelings for me and made me realize how far I’ve come in my journey of self rediscovery. Reading words like these resonates now more than ever. I really love books, I am so grateful for their ability to capture thoughts for lifetimes.

Untethered Soul quotes

“Ask yourself “who am I” more often, you are not your thoughts”

“Talking releases energy”

“Reality is too real for most of us, so we temper it with the mind”

“True personal growth is about transcending the parts of you that need protection”

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast and everywhere podcast stream!

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the episode! For more things You Too Are A LoveLee Being you can follow my blog and Spotify.

As always Love, Sunshine, Peace

-Lee Sunshine

Affirmations to lift you UP

Podcast

Episode 2: You Too Are A Lovelee Being

Saying kind words to myself everyday is one of the ways I have transformed my life. I am a firm believer in the power of spoken word, in this episode I share some of my own affirmations and reflect on why I chose these words to lift me up everyday. For some fun context I recorded this episode in a local park near my home in West side Chicago, IL. As I was sitting in the park a family of ducks were migrating to the other side of the land and it really added to the moment for me.

This year involved a lot of firsts in my life and saying affirmations on a daily basis, even when I didn’t feel like it, was a major first. I consider myself an optimistic person so saying positive things seemed easy enough but I quickly learned that there is much more to affirming ones self than the words alone. All of what we say, our words, have strength and the intention behind them is what really makes the impact that is felt. Wether you believe what you are affirming to be true or not, starting with the words and then flowing into the embodiment of what they mean can create a whole new world of meaning.. This flow is what carries the affirmation from our mind and into our hearts. I am still in the practice of really accepting the flow for what it is. Below I included the affirmations I discuss in this episode. I hope they lift you up and inspire you to create some affirmations of your own.

Affirmations

I am that I am, nothing more nothing less. I am me, blessed. Bless

I can inspire others just by being myself, I am enough

Everything happening now is happening for my ultimate good, everyday I am growing

In this moment and in all moments I am exactly where I am supposed to be

Available of Spotify, Apple podcast, and more!

As Always love and sunshine, Peace

-Lee Sunshine

Sounds of the week: Arthur Russell

Music Reviews

ARTHUR RUSSELL

Calling out of Context

This week’s sounds of the week we have the eclectic Arthur Russell. I came across the ’08 documentary Wild Combination: A portrait of Arthur Russell by Matt Wolf last week and was so surprised by what I saw. I was even more surprised by what I heard. Through a mirage of different home videos, clips from the artist’s past, and photos served as the introduction to a musician who seemed to embody what it meant to be a creator. In the documentary it was made clear that Arthur’s life revolved around music and the creation of sound. From the instrumentation to the signature echo in his voice, all aspects of his music involve a wild combination of sounds. Sounds that turned into songs which captured intimate and feeling driven moments in the artist’s life.

Trailer for Wild Combination Documentary

As I write I am listening to the Calling out of Context album, released posthumously by Arthur’s estate in 2000. An original compilation of sounds from what appears to be a multitude of sources, the 1 hour project takes you through seemingly honest renditions of the artists’ thoughts and experiences at a point in time. My favorite song from this album is That’s Us/Wild Combination. I really like how simple the songs appear at first, but once I listened a few times the layers to the song became apparent. The nuance of his singing, paired with the unpredictable melody, created a sound like none that I have heard before. One minute into the song I find myself dancing along to lyrics like:

Hard as I can be,
 it's never too hard
With this our love to see, by it's own light
Love inside of me, it's working at night

The sentiment of feeling love for another and ones self is relatable and touching to hear. This was a cool introduction to an artist I’ll be listening a lot going into this new year. It’s fascinating to learn how he created an abundance of music during his time. All despite not being chosen as a mainstream artist of his generation. A real testament to following ones passions in life with a faith that may appear blind to some, but at heart is what you came here to express in a way that is true. Thank you Arthur Russell, a truth sharer and inspiration to all artist out there. And Thank you Matt Wolf for making the film that brought this sound to my awareness.

Give it a listen for yourself and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Love and Sunshine, Peace

-Lee Sunshine

Value: Lessons from an artist

Podcast

Episode 3: You Too Are A Lovelee Being

There is a lot of greatness to be believed and a lot of greatness to be had in this world.
Lee Sunshine, YouTooAreALoveleeBeing Season 1 episode 3

Streaming on Spotify, Apple podcast, and more!

In this weeks episode I share some of the lessons I learned in the past week when it came to being a full-time artist. I speak about valuing yourself, your gifts, and being in a state of gratitude. Throughout the episode I share some of the positive affirmations I use to reaffirm myself during times of self doubt. 2021 was the year I started to believe in myself in ways that I never have before. I use to rely on external validation to motivate me to go after anything I wanted. It took ample time alone and lots of reflection to realize there is much more value in self validation, especially for talents or personal gifts. I mean who else knows better than YOU, of what YOU are capable of? Learning to accept help even though I have gotten use to, and comfortable with, accomplishing things on my own. It is vital to ask for and accept help while we are on this journey called life. Accepting these aspects of life have helped me step out of my way slowly but surely and allow more blessings to find me. Below you will find the affirmations I discussed in this weeks episode. May they help you when you are in need of a reminder 🙂

AFFIRMATIONS

I will step out of my own way today and I will seize all the opportunities meant for me

There is an infinite amount of potential for your life to be as great as you want it to be

I can do anything I set my heart to do, I know my worth and I value myself

Living in a state of gratitude is the gift that keeps on giving

The little things make all the big things matter, the little things are just as valuable

I will uplift people with my art

As always love and sunshine, Peace.

-Lee Sunshine

Sounds of the week: Top 5 of 2021

Music Reviews

#1: Love by Kryptonyte

Not surprised at all that this was my most played song of the year. Spotify blessed me with what has become one of my favorite songs; Love by rap group kryptonyte, and rappers Lord Byron and Pink Siifu. The whole song is a vibe straight from the 90s, it sounds like they went back in time and had a studio session with some west coast favorites of the time. The title does the song justice, each bar hitting a different perspective of ways to show love. The song starts with this bird whistle; a sound hinting at the start to a nice day. Wether helping out a little homie or chilling with your girl and watching Charmed. It is the little things that can show Love the most sometimes.

#2: GEMINI BY PRINCESS NOKIA

In case you were wondering, I am indeed a gemini. Princess Nokia never misses with what she puts out. I just knew once I listened to this double album I’d be a fan for life. After listening to this song everyday for months I earned myself a spot in Princess’s top 0.1% of listeners on Spotify. Listening to this feels like I made the song myself, rapping along to each line, I feel heard when I sing along to this song. The combination of astrology, self portrayal, and poetry creates a song that any gemini can be proud of. The flute sound really does it for me.

#3: EYES WITHOUT A FACE BY BILLY IDOL

I’d heard Billy Idol before, but this quickly became my favorite song of his. My favorite thing about this song is the french lyrics as the hook and the guitar. I imagine how awesome it must have been back when this first came out and people were listening to this live or at clubs. I always end up playing the air guitar at the ending. After a few months of hearing the song I wondered what the meaning behind it was, so naturally I Googled it. Turns out Eyes without a face is based on an old black and white film about a girl without a face. Not only was she faceless but her father spent most of the movie taking the faces of other people to craft a new one for his daughter. Creepy…yet inspiring?

#4: THIS PAINTED WORLD BY SILK RHODES

If I had to choose a song to be the opener to the coming of age film about my life, this right here is IT. I’d never heard Silk Rhodes before hearing this song and it blew my mind. The groovy yet melancholy guitar accompanied by the dreamy lyrics made me seriously reevaluate my reality. I heard this song at a time in my life where I was in need of a perspective change, listening to this everyday gave me that perspective change.

This painted world, life is a dream of reality
now is the time
anything you wanna be

These words helped teach me that I, and no one else, got to decide who I am and what I wanted out of this life. Deep I know, but music is like that. I heard this and had an epiphany, someone else could hear it and it makes them cry. Regardless, the impact will always be there. I am grateful for this song. Thanks Silk Rhodes.

#5: LET THE DRUMS SPEAK BY FATBACK BAND

During my percussion deep dive at the start of the year, I came across this gem. A funky and soulful classic from Fatback Band, Let the drums speak takes you away to a time when music was always performed live. The horns, the drums, the keys, they all speak on Let the drums speak. I love to play this when I want to dance around after sitting for awhile or if I just need a pick me up. The chant in the song are so lovely:

let your love flow to a sweet and simple tune 
let your love flow , let your love flow

I love love and any song that encourages me to affirm love is a great song in my book. Let your love flow freely and enjoy the healing that music can bring. Joyous and upbeat, Let the drums speak speaks straight to the spirit and is sure to get you into the groove.

Thanks for checking out my top 5 of the year, till next week. Peace

-Lee Sunshine

Mind, Body, Spirit: The connections that make us

Health is Wealth

10/28/21 a dreary Thursday, looking for balance

Being a human being feels like a lot at times. We must take care of ourselves on so many levels. Levels that I am just now discovering as I learn more about who I am. This week I felt off. It took me until today to realize this feeling was because I’m lacking on my me time. The time I spend alone allows me to recharge, to reconnect with me. I am getting familiar with what its like to live comfortably in my solitude, without anticipation. The feeling of being interrupted has always created a sprout of disturbance within me. I realize now that this is because I have not yet grown use to having a safe and peaceful place to just be me. I have had this change in my life, only two years since the time in my journey where I was genuinely lacking in a safe space to just be. I love the space that I have now, I’ve tried to get here and am steadily taking my time to experience and just be with myself.

When I am alone I am able to connect with myself in ways that I am not yet able to when I am around other people. As an empath it usually takes up until I am feeling the unbalance that comes with being a human sponge for all things emotion and energy. My mind feels so expansive, my body feels light today, my spirit feels heard because I am expressing. When I suppress the way I feel the alignment amongst my Mind, Body, & Spirit is compromised. It usually starts in the mind, a preoccupying thought or feeling that I choose to ignore yet think of constantly. Then it affects my body and I push back eating or forget to all together because I am Thinking so much, the mind begins to surpass the body. At this point my spirit is very much alerting me to the disease that my mind and body have now welcomed, this is when I start to grow quiet and turn within. I’ve found that when you speak to your heart and just listen, truly listen to yourself, it will tell you everything you need to know. Our hearts are the center of our Mind, Body, Spirit connection. This week I felt off balance and now I know why, I needed alone time to restore myself and rest in a way that allows silence to open my heart.

I find that lacking expression leads to suppression, to suppress is to help balance become undone. I will take care of myself, health is about more than just our bodies and neglecting one for the other can be harsh in the long run. I am trying harder each day to just let myself be, life is for being. I will be calm,