Making the most of your next art gallery visit (with kids)!

Posted on January 22, 2023 by Bhanu Misra Marya

The kids had a PA day on Friday and we decided to go to the AGO! PA days can be hard to accommodate as a working parent and our usual PA day is some form of winter activity and lots of TV. But we decided to change things up and I took a day off to spend time with the girls!

It’s been about 12 years since the last time I went to the AGO (embarrassing!) And in hopes of not repeating my 12 year absence, I got a yearly pass!

The girls had a great time. The big open space, engaging environment and children’s spaces made for a great few hours of culture!

Below are some tips on how to make the most of your next trip with the kiddos to the art gallery!

Plan to spend 2-3 hours at the art gallery. That might mean packing snacks, water or even a lunch
Find out if the art gallery has amenities like coat check, digital passes & free stroller rentals. This will just help you plan your day
Figure out what exhibits you want to check out. Maybe there is a limited time on an exhibit or maybe the theme/topic of the exhibit will resonate with your family (ex: for us it’s Indigenous or anything related to South Asian culture)
View the art in different ways: up close, at at distance, on an angel and don’t forget to read the plaque!
Talk about what you see. It could be as simple as “did you see the bottom of their shoes” or “how many of xyz do you see in the painting” to “what does this piece make you feel”
If it’s a sculpture, copy what you see!
Don’t forget to visit the gift shop :)
Plan your next / follow up visit!

9 Habits to become unrecognizable in 6 months

Posted on December 30, 2022 by Bhanu Misra Marya

I cannot take credit for this. But I really wanted to share it.
(Edit: all pictures are from Pinterest)

I’ve been following @Art0fLife_ on twitter for a few months and I love when people re-share their content. It means 1) it resonates with folks and 2) it needs to be shared more.

The 9 habits shared by @Art0fLife_ are very specific, so I’ll be sharing them with a more consistent mindset as opposed to a “follow this exactly to find results”.

Should preface by this saying, I’m will a Work in Progress. I do do a handful of these, but there are areas where I know I want to improve.

Wake up early at the same time every day: really dependent on what time you go to sleep, but if you know the hours of sleep you need (somewhere between 6-8 for most of us) you can get into bed and get that sleep in consistently. Why wake up early? because you get time to yourself and it ensures you are ahead of everything and anyone
Journal daily: Don’t know what to write? brain-dump, goals, gratitude list, thoughts that make you spiral. Getting things out of your head will dramatically improve your creativity and mental wellness.
Learning/Studying for 30 min a day: This is so important for anyone and unfortunately we do less of it in mid life and beyond. Whether it studying certification material (hello scrum, agile, data or product) or hobby (wood work, coding, knitting, content creation). Learning creates increase neural pathways and can also help you create multiple income streams.
Exercise daily for at least 30 min: not only for the physical side, but also for the mental wellness side. Consider ways to incorporate cardio (swimming, running) and resistance training (weight lifting, resistance or body weight exercises).
Meditate for at least 5 min: Essentially sitting in silence or with a guided mentation will help you practice mindfulness and give your mind a break.
Create a proper sleep schedule: including a wind down routine. This will do wonders for your performance, productivity and mood.
Walk in nature: I love my forrest baths. Nature is a proven way to improve anxiety and increase happiness. It helps to also get the creative juices flowing. I would love to do this daily but it’s only once a week currently. Will be looking to improve this.
Read 20 pages a day: read anything (fiction, non fiction, self dev, poems, history etc). Reading an actual book helps to improve focus and knowledge (even if that is just what a word means and how to spell it).
Drink 2.5-3L of water daily: water is essential to our body and our recovery. So staying hydrated is key.

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Blogmas | Tech definitions for you and your grandma

Posted on December 11, 2022 by Bhanu Misra Marya

I recently listed to Brit Morin explained a few tech buzzwords and I felt compelled to share! Check out the definitions for you and your grandma below!

Web 3.0

This essentially means we are in the 3rd version of the world wide web/internet. But there is a very interesting difference between each version (shout out to all the folks who know how to swith their floppy from read to write).

Web 1.0 was dial up where most of the users could only READ what was posted by government or other professional bodies. Web 2.0 was where people started actually creating content on the internet. Whether that was blog posts, facebook photo albums or youtube tutorials – meaning we were able to WRITE on the internet. Web 3.0 is where it’s tricky. We are still creating content, but we now are starting to realize we do not own any of that data. Like I am writing this post right now, but I have no legitimate ownership of these words. It’s technically owned by the companies that store the data (ie: go daddy and wordpress). When we had floppy disks we could write to it and also share it with others without a real worry that it was going to be stolen. But now because go daddy has got my blog post on their servers I can’t be for sure they won’t use it for their own gain).

It’s an interesting concept that brings up a lot of questions about control and ownership.

Blockchain

Think of block chain as at type of technology that acts like a ledger. What is a ledger, it’s a term used in banking to document all transactions of an institution. Blockchain can be used to track all types & details of transactions (details such as: who made the txn, when, was something bought, was something sold etc). Why does this matter? Well blockchain has the ability to be the bridge between moving society from only writing on Web 2.0 to successful ownership of one’s own data in Web 3.0 (because Web 3.0 was built on blockchain). There are more uses of blockchain like identity and finance but just thinking of it as a book that records all the details of any type of transaction is key.

Want more? Follow my Blogmas 2022 journey here!

Blogmas | 50 ways to level up

Posted on December 3, 2022 by Bhanu Misra Marya

I love reading productivity and lifestyle hacks! But when they are written in the form of lists – they make it easier to follow! It’s almost like a mental checklist that I can create in my head and tick off the things that I am already doing and then plan for the things I want to try.

Sharing a list of 50 ways to LEVEL UP. From accessorizing your outfits to planning your week, this list includes tons of ways to do and be better. And even though it’s not in your face obvious, all of these activities help to nourish your mind and soul so you can show up and be your best self!

Would love to hear if you try any of these out! Or maybe what you’d add to the list?

Practice Gratitude
Invest in quality, not quantity
Read 1 book a month
Develop a skin care routine that works for you
Dress well, always! (even at home)
Pick and use a signature scent
Learning everyday is a must
Focus on your mental health
Plan your day, week, month & year to focus on your goals
Listen to podcasts or Ted Talks
Pamper yourself regularly
Make your home cozy
Prioritize your friendships
Meditate
Wear clean shoes (whitest whites, polished or stained)
Use a silk pillow case
Clean your makeup brushes regularly
Create > Consume
Regular face massages
Cut out toxic people and activities
Take yourself out on a date, be comfy being on your own (without feeling alone)
Have a hair care routine
Get 6-8 hours of sleep
Habit stack, time block and batch create
Work on building your confidence & self-esteem
Organize your home
Watch TV shows/movies that inspire your sense of style/fashion
Build your online brand (personal & professional)
Buy yourself some flowers
Be your own stylist with what you have in your closet (take pictures and create outfits)
Maintain good posture
Don’t think about other people’s opinion of you (it is their own reflection)
Wear a natural make up look
Elevate any outfit with 1 luxury handbag
Do things that you are afraid of
Schedule in “self care days”
Exfoliate your skin
Try one extravagant accessory (gloves, channel broach, beret)
Train yourself to relax without a screen
Wake up before 8am and go to sleep before 11pm
Start a yoga or pilates practice
Challenge yourself
Do 2 face masks weekly
Progress > Perfection
Keep your space tidy
Journal daily
Create a vision board
Build a morning routine
Accessorize your outfits!
Walk & Exercise daily

Want more? Follow my Blogmas 2022 adventure here

Blogmas | Intro & My Why

Posted on December 1, 2022 by Bhanu Misra Marya

Happy December 1st! Long time no talk ;)

I’m one of those (analogue) people who looooooooves scrolling through the archives of a blog. I love seeing the beginning of people’s stories. I find it inspiring.

When it comes to my own blog, I NEVER look through the archives. I find it so cringe that I end up making my older blog posts private!

But at least I have them there, I have the stories and the ideas from the beginning. And really it’s all about keeping up with the practice that I admire in others and even myself.

So I’ve decided to start a BLOGMAS!

What is Blogmas?

For the Tiktok kids in the back, “Blogmas” is a series of posts on a blog leading up to Christmas (Dec 25th). It can be done on any online medium (or even offline). But my first memory of it was watching vlogmas done by YouTubers in 2012.

Why am I doing Blogmas?

I’m doing it for both logical and emotional reasons. Logical because I want to be writing, creating and posting more often – discipline is the name of that game! From an emotional perspective because I want have memories 🙂 Also because I’ve officially reopened my Etsy shop, I want to ensure that I’m aligning all of my online presences and themes: Inspiration, Consistency, Happiness & Productivity.
Lastly, the hope is that I’ll learn something from participating in Blogmas that I can either share here on the blog or implement on my Etsy store.

How can YOU participate?

In any way really! It can be something online or unplugged. You can paint for 25 day. Share a new pic IG for 25 days. Create a youtube channel and start Vlogmas. You can volunteer at a soup kitchen for 25 days or learn a new skill for the next 25 days.

It’s all about staying consistent, creating, learning something & having fun!

And of course, be sure to check back over the next 24 days and follow along with my Blogmas!

5 personal growth quotes that will make you rethink your purpose

Posted on August 30, 2022 by Bhanu Misra Marya

I know I’ve stumbled upon these quotes multiple times, but just recently they hit different.

It made me reflect on my purpose, direction and priorities. And also gave me more motivation. Though, I must say, quotes are flaky and can’t always provide inspiration. On occasion they can make you stand up, re-evaluate and take action.

So please feel free to reflect on the words and enjoy the sunflower pics I took at Robintide Farms

What we fear of doing most is usually what we most need to do.

We cannot become what we want by remaining what we are.

It’s Never Too Late To Be What You Might Have Been

If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.

A goal without a plan is just a wish.