Here's to Asking Beautiful Questions Among Other Things . . .

My favorite 11 and Unders 

In 2015 I resolve to  . . .

Ask beautiful questions - I re-read the book Where the Wild Things Are and wondered in the same vein, where the wild and beautiful questions are.  I miss toddler and preschooler questions and wish I'd had a different mindset about them rather than looking at them as just bearable or tolerable.  My challenge now is to foster not so much the - Why are we here? questioning but more the ambitious questions that can create action or innovation or pursuit or change.  What beautiful questions might you have?

Not interrupt - if there's one thing that gets to my core it's when a question or comment is directed to me, and some other adult answers for me.  My first inclination is what? I'm so beneath you and you're so entitled that you have to cut in and take away my voice?  I resolve to let you have your voice and not interrupt or speak for you. 

Remember my values - values trump rules.  Period.  I mean, we need rules but lets face it: rules are coercive and there are loopholes, and no rule ever created any kind of inspiration in me or the kids I'm around every day.  But sharing beliefs through direct expression like "In this family we value everyone's opinion, that's why we listen to each other's ideas," or by saying, "I value conscious independence which is why you can't say 'Mama' or 'Ms. Naputi' for the next 15 minutes." Values lead to just showing up and doing the right thing.  

Be bold - I used to ski really steep runs and make big hop turns on all kinds of terrain and I'm pretty sure it's how I learned to be bold.  I've been missing that in my life lately.  I have my husband Brad Werntz who never lets me down - always the one to go big even when the vision seems really small to outsiders, to doubters, to the disloyal or the cynics.  Somehow, even if there's a modicum of risk related failure, he fires with a stubborn hope that creates possibility.  That kind of boldness could change my running and climbing performance and definitely, I'll be bold enough and learn to double dutch!  

Get strong(er) - All things matter but what matters most to me are the mental and physical strength required for fierce and fun climbing.  I've been changing it up a bit - working out and training with others in different environments and always always with that Red Bull attitude. 

Remember it's not about Me -  It's about hip hop and soul and Motown and community and purpose and believing that equity requires action and that #blacklivesmatter is deeper than you think it is and that contrary to what people think, #chamorrosarenotasians.

I'm raising my glass on an empty stomach to you all - my precious family and my friends near and far - we're in it together so Happy 2015!

New Years 2015 from Vera Naputi on Vimeo.