Pure Life

Pura Vida, which translates to "pure life", "plentiful life", or "full of life", is a phrase widely used in Costa Rica by the locals. The phrase also is used to mean "cool" , a greeting or farewell, or even sometimes to say "thank you". "Costa Ricans use the phrase to express a philosophy of strong community, perseverance, resilience in overcoming difficulties with good spirits, slowly enjoying life, and celebrating good fortune".

The country of Costa Rica is situated in Central America, really close to the equator which makes for a tropical paradise, abundant with life. Here you will see some of the prettiest beaches, biggest views and greenest plants but also you can meet some of the most amazing people. The "Ticos" are welcoming and make me feel right at home. Everything about Costa Rica is awesome which is why the country has exploded with tourism. It is the "Pura Vida" that separates it from the rest of the world.

For me, Costa Rica is a place where I am the most at peace with myself because I feel and see the creations of God all around me. The true beauties of life are everywhere in their purest form. It really is pure life. Maybe it is the incredible surroundings that make the attitudes of the people so great! It's hard to wake up without a smile on your face when you are overlooking the ocean, that's for sure. Pura Vida!

Costa Rica is a part of my life that I am so proud of. I believe with all my heart that everyone should experience the "Pura Vida". God created this country and this life as a gift for us and if you ever have the opportunity to see it first hand, jump all over it!

Bloggin by the sea!
-EC

Taking a step back

So as I am sitting in the plane, headed out of the country for a much needed sabbatical, I could not think of a more appropriate blog post. Over the next few days I will be taking a step back from it all and visiting my "tied for first" favorite place in the world! : )

With so much going on in my life, each day is filled to the top with a million things I feel like I need to get done. It's so easy for me to get caught up in the craziness. Often times I fail to realize that I am so caught up in my own busy life that I never stop and take a look at it all from the outside. Each new idea at work piles on to the list and it becomes ever so difficult to give deep thought to my priorities and to develop my plans and strategies further. My passion for my work doesn't really help with it all.

When I planned this trip I really put very little thought into it and simply bought a plane ticket a few month's back. Up until the beginning of this week it hadn't really hit me that I was getting this time away from my every day life. As the trip got closer and closer I could really see how much I was craving this time to myself; time away from the daily routine. This is going to be a time of reflection as well as a time to plan for what's to come. I feel like a little kid because I am so excited and I don't really know what I am excited about because I don't have any plans or places to be; maybe it's just that I am excited about.

I truly believe that it is so important to take a step back from everything and just have a good look from the outside. For me, the place I go to retreat is Costa Rica. Costa Rica is a place with the perfect environment because my cell phone dos not work which means communication with the outside world is limited. The environment is beautiful, peaceful and full of life. This where and how I recharge my battery. I plan to work out really hard, get some great sleep, do a ton of reading and really dig deep into my current ideas and thoughts about faith, work, and life in general. I will come back with new ideas and a plan of attack!

So don't "try and find the time" but rather MAKE time to take a step back from it all and get your mind right.

#doit
-EC

#boom

You may have seen me using "#boom" quite a bit lately. Its a wonderful expression so I thought I would write a little something on what #boom means and some good examples of when "#boom" can and should be used!

"#boom" is an expression I use to signify a super awesome or exciting moment. It is an expression of passion, an expression of enthusiasm, something that I say when great things are happening. The "#" sign is a hashtag which is used to create groupings on twitter or tag tweets. I use "#boom" to tag awesomeness.

Here are some good examples of times when I use "#boom"

-When I walk out of church on a beautiful Sunday with a smile on my face because God met me right where I am and stirred something in my heart. #boom

-When I get a call from a potential client that is excited to work with our team. #boom

-When I finish a long run on a Saturday morning by 8am and know that I have the rest of the day ahead of me. #boom

-When one of my real estate agents does 11 deals in 1 month while being a full time student. #boom

-When I work really hard for something and it pays off. #boom

-When an offer gets accepted for my buyer and they are so excited about their new home. #boom

-When I invite a friend to church and on the way out I can tell by the smile on their face that they are so glad they attended. #boom

-When I wake up for another morning and realize that I get to live another day in Austin, Texas. #boom


As you can see #boom can be used in so many different instances. Please add "#boom" to your vocabulary and use it when appropriate. How do you know when to use "#boom"? You will just feel it, trust me!

Please leave a comment and share an instance when a "#boom" is appropriate