Herein is the the thematic underscore to this site. The mission. The objective. The ideal.
Ready?
That is it.
4 Letters. Believe me if I could have made it 3 I would have.
Ready for the longer version?
BE IN YOUR LIFE.
That is my message.
Go all IN.
Be IN it to win it.
Be happy/content/blissful/thankful/joyous IN the moment.
Be INto you.
Be the central hero or heroine IN your story.
Be IN.
The Why
For far too long I wasn’t IN my own life. I was living a life — a fairly good life — but it wasn’t mine. It took one resounding wake up call where I literally turned around to see who had made the statement in my own head to start me on the path towards change and a better life for me.
It took years to make adjustments and shifts to create a better reality for myself — and that process is ongoing — but I first needed the reminder that I am in control here. I belong IN the driver’s seat IN my own life.
It’s not too late.
You can make the choice to do the same.
BE IN
Under that theme there are the routes: INspiration (coffee), INnformation (books) and INntentional enjoyment (beer).
There is great crossover but generally here is how I break it down:
Moments of INspiration (coffee)
Like the coffee that starts your day, these are the fuels that light your fire. They come in the form of life experiences, lovely images, passionate posts of fellow bloggers, great conversations, great cups of literal coffee, interesting people or the latest workout-high creative inception.
What ignites your heart’s desires and motivate you to be IN and contributing to the world?
Make sure your life is full of them. Treasure them. Use them to kickstart your passions and push you forward.
INformation about varied and various paths (books)
This starts with understanding our own steps forward and steps back. I also love meeting and telling of the INdividuals I meet who are living the Be IN mantra. If I can pinpoint or posit on them, I’ll share the keys to their engagement with their life.
My lit lover self also enjoys escaping into a novel, reading about a different life, and discovering different people, places and events through a good tale. It is this process that further INforms us as individuals and, by looking at others and having an emotional reaction to a story, INforms you about you.
INtentional enjoyment rounds out the triad (beer)
Ah yes, the beer. Drinking fully of life (and beer) but not to excess or to escape reality. The ideal is to be fully engaged IN where you are. To be able to laugh and be merry IN the moment (with or without beer).
I think that you can find experiences, observations, elements, opportunities and simple pleasures whenever that is what you want.
I strive for the positive spin and search for joy unbounded.
(and I like beer)
These three things contribute to a life of being IN.
The objective isn’t to “be different.” The objective is to find our own engaged and happiest normalcy.
We are IN when we appreciate and surround ourselves with the ideas and physical things that we are INto and provide ourselves with happy purpose.
We are writing our own story every day and have the choice to make and mold it to be what we want.
Whatever you are INto, you should be INto you.
I’m Joanna and CBB is let beginning of my process to share my story and be further IN myself. I hope you are able to find inspiration, information and enjoyment here as well.
Now go BE IN YOUR LIFE.
A note from the (future) archivist: After working over this idea in my head for the last few months I finally googled “Be In.” Apparently Be-IN was a cultural phenomena of the 60s (what wasn’t?) that has seen some recent resurgence in the digital sphere. As I don’t disagree with their calls I’m sticking with mine.
Class dismissed.
I slipped back into my city as if returning from vacation instead of dropping in for a weekend visit. The weather is slightly different seven months later but it feels more like only seven days since I left. Conversations break the spell as lots of “what are you doing here?!”s were not part of my daily NYC life.
