Cameron Boyce, to know him was to love him

I’ve been wrestling with my feelings recently, questioning their validity and have been unsure whether or not to share them. After all, I only knew him briefly. I met Cameron a handful of times, but as anyone who knew him can attest, you didn’t need to know him well to be touched by his light.

He was one of a kind, one of those people who radiated joy, genuine goodness, and was always dressed in a smile ready to make you laugh. I first met him at a difficult, transitional period in my life…a couple weeks after my first real, full throttle heartbreak. Karan and he were probably the first people to make me laugh and put a smile on my face in weeks. He didn’t know me, but that didn’t matter, that was just who he was.

He was such a unique soul. At just 20-years-old he already understood what really mattered in life. He loved those close to him fiercely, pursued what he loved, made others feel special, gave back to the world, and encouraged others to do so as well. He was taken from this world much too soon.

As I try to understand life and the very daunting subject of death, the only thing that comes to mind is an article I read about a six-year-old coming to terms with the death of his beloved dog.

His reaction was simple yet profound. “People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life - - like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right? Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.”

I’ve known one other person who passed away at a young age, a friend from high school, Michael, who died shortly after our graduation. He struggled with Leukemia since grade school but maintained his positivity and kindness in the face of a terrifying disease that was slowly draining his life.

While there is no way to really make sense of such tragically young deaths of two beautiful people, it seems as though both Cameron and Michael knew intrinsically how to love. They knew how to spread that love and be kind, so maybe that is why they didn’t stay as long, because they already knew what was really important. They both still left their mark on the world, leaving it a brighter place with a little more kindness, a little more understanding, and lot more love.

In only 20 short years of life Cameron touched the lives of millions of people. He made a difference with his charity work, he spread laughter through his career, and he gave out love freely. My heart breaks for his family, his best friends, and all those whose lives he touched.

Although my time with him may have been brief, just as his time was on this world, I am so grateful I had the honor to know him. His life and heartbreaking death serve as a reminder to try and live a little more like him, with an open heart full of love. His legacy will live on through the Cameron Boyce Foundation and the brightness he brought to this world will never dim.

Cameron's legacy lives on through the foundation his family created in his honor https://thecameronboycefoundation.networkforgood.com/

Tips + Tricks to Work From Home Like a Boss

1. SET A START TIME - Have a set start time for work- a time you have to be at your workspace, changed out of PJs, have eaten your breakfast, and be ready to go. Sometimes for me, changing out of my PJs simply means putting on yoga pants & a tank, but just being out of my sleeping gear starts to shift my mind into work mode.

I personally don’t like having an end time because, for me, it’s not about what time I end, I care about having flexibility and looking at how much I've accomplished that day.  Some days I’m so exhausted and have used up all my creative energy so I might stop working earlier...which is fine because there’s other days where inspiration runs rampant and I work into the wee hours of the morning. Do what works for you. So if you love structure or thrive on knowing what time you’re off work, set an end time too!

My work space! I live in an apartment in LA so my kitchen table doubles as my desk. Space may be tight, but I love the feel...looking up at my gallery wall always gives me an extra boost of inspo!

2. DESIGNATE A CREATIVE WORK SPACE Create a safe space in your home that feels like you…a place where your creative or business mind can feel free to run wild. THIS SHOULD NOT BE YOUR BED.  Ok…I admit I have been known to work from my bed on occasion, however, it is not ideal for productivity…or your sleep for that matter.  It’s important to physically separate work and sleep/relaxation so you can separate them easier mentally . So get up, make your bed, head to your inspirational place to work, and get going. 

3. YOU ARE THE BOSS - You are your own manager of your time and productivity…this can be a blessing and a curse. Remember to stay accountable to yourself (and any other people you are working with.) Set mini goals and deadlines to keep yourself on track, check in with yourself, and determine what is working/what is not and make appropriate changes. Be the boss you always wish you had.

4. MAKE A CHECKLIST - Checklists are so important for me. Mind you, I have never been one of those people who loved check lists and I never understood how people made pro / con lists work...so this is surprising for me to say.  However, I see my productivity increase A TON when I have a list of everything I want to get done all in one place to refer back to. I personally like weekly check lists. I tried daily ones, and for me…they felt too stifling.  I like having the freedom to choose what I want to work on daily, while still staying on track for the week. And hey, if you love checking things off, maybe making a checklist every day is right for you!

5. TAKE BREAKS - Make sure you account for breaks / getting outside / lunchtime.

This is important! While it is crucial that you hold yourself accountable and get the work done that you need to…it is also important to give your mind a break and get outside at some point throughout the day! When you work from home you could literally not go outside all day….which can be terrible for productivity, fry your brain, and ya know...drive you stir crazy. So grab some vitamin D, recharge and enjoy at least 30 minutes outside. I personally love taking my dog for a walk...it’s a great way to get outside, get inspired, and enjoy some quality time with my furry best friend! (Just remember to not let these breaks drag out too long.)

Zoe is a big fan of tip #5. She loves her walks!

Extra tip - Sometimes you just need to get out of the house for more than 30 minutes. Maybe you're stuck, frustrated, and your mind is going in circles. At times like these when I feel like I'm not getting anything done at home or that I am getting distracted way too easily, I shake it up. I either head to a cute cafe with unlimited wifi or get out of my own head for a little while by hiking, calling a friend or something of the like.

So alas, there you have it, my secrets to working at home like a boss. Might I just add, this is what works for me. The most important thing though, is to find what works for you.  What is your personal work style?

If I had to say for myself…I think “organized chaos.” And by that, I mean I love having the freedom and flexibility to go where inspiration takes me, while having just enough structure that I can hold myself accountable, get done what I need to, and not stray too far off track. It took some trial and error to figure this out. I always knew I thrived on having the freedom to be creative and that something too structured stifled me. However, without any structure my procrastination gets the best of me and I don’t get nearly enough done.  

Working from home can be amazing. You have no commute, get to work in cozy clothes, and if you have a dog you legit get to snuggle all day.  However, if you haven’t figured out how to work from home effectively it can be a procrastination nightmare.  So adjust these tips to your personal work style and get going!

Perfection is OVERRATED.

For the past few days I have stared at a blank screen, searching for words. Writing and deleting because nothing felt right. I even referred back to the list of article ideas that I drafted before the launch for inspiration when a block hit. Still, nothing.

So at home, sick, and intensely lacking even the spark of an idea, I tried a different creative outlet. I put on music and let my imagination run wild as I sketched. No plan, no guidelines.

Now, I’ve never shared my rough sketches in any real way, but hey, I'm pushing myself to try new things anyways, right?

So progress, not perfection. We’re all works in progress after all, and striving to improve is essential for growth. The problem comes when that desire shifts into comparing yourself to others and trying to achieve perfection. Something that in this social media crazy world, I think we're all a little bit guilty of sometimes.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words (and while as a writer I'm not sure I totally agree with that) for today, I’m going to let this picture do the rest of the speaking for me.