Loving Life Blog

Kaleidoscope Heart September 26, 2011

Filed under: coaching,Inspiration — Johanna C. Nilsson @ 10:04 am
Tags: kaleidoscope heart

All the colors
Of the rainbow
Hidden ‘neath my skin

Hearts have colors
Don’t we all know?
Red runs through our veins

Feel the fire burning up
Inspire me with blood
of blue and green

I have hope
Inside is not a heart
But a kaleidoscope

A prelude to the next concert with my a cappella group Keeva, November 11, 2011. Location TBD. [Update: 7-9pm, Unity SF, 2222 Bush St at Fillmore, San Francisco, CA see facebook invite for details.]

Bringing in the symbolism of colors… I wish us all a kaleidoscope heart, filled with growth, abundance, prosperity, hope and playful vibrant green life, blue ability to communicate one’s deepest truths; red physical energy, passion, courage, power, will, and desire – and of course abundant love.

That would be the kaleidoscope of my choice, for all of us.

I have hope,

Johanna

Well, actually – I have expectations. Life is too short not to have a kaleidoscope heart.

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Light Will Guide You Home August 3, 2011

Filed under: Inspiration,Promotion — Johanna C. Nilsson @ 3:25 pm
Tags: #nymo, #oslo, Anna Bergendahl, change, Fix you, heal, Music, swedish stereo, Tv4

July 22, 2011. A day we will never forget. A day that made us all feel like Norwegians.

July 23, 2011. A day that made it even worse. When we understood the scope of it all. And couldn’t understand at all.

That day I went to Katrineholm in Sweden, for a unplugged concert with Anna Bergendahl. Sending love to Norway, she sang this song: “Fix you”. This Sunday she was in the morning news and performed the same song that I just found on Tv4 Play. Read more and play it here.

“Light will guide you home, and ignite your bones, and I will try to fix you.”

Music heals. Music moves. When you feel sad, sorrow… or happy. Music can change the world, because it can change people.

If this will impact just one of you who reads or listens in a positive way – that would make me happy.

Light will guide you home,

Johanna
http://embed.tv4play.se/tv4play/v0/tv4video.swf?vid=1838476

I am sharing this song because I think it is beautiful, and beautifully sang by an artist I think who’s journey you would enjoy to follow from the early years. The only piece I would remove is the “fix you” part. I don’t think anyone need or should be “fixed”. But that is a minor detail. It is just the name of the song…

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Londoners: What are you listening to? July 10, 2011

Filed under: coaching,Inspiration — Johanna C. Nilsson @ 3:16 pm
Tags: ABBA, Finding answers, inspiration, London, Music

Coming back to Sweden and being able to listen to Spotify made me ask around for friends music favorites. I can’t say that I got a whole lot of input. Sometimes it is like that. If you are really curious, and if you really are looking for inspiration or an answer to something – keep looking, keep asking. Ask people you wouldn’t normally ask. You may be surprised. You may get an answer you absolutely did not expect. You may get a very different perspective. You may get to know a different side of the person you are asking.

Listen to the answers people gave in London – would you have expected?

I am just saying: Music rock, ABBA rock, you rock. Go find whatever answer you are looking for. The one who searches he shall find…

Enjoy the process 😉

Johanna

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Londoners: What are you listening to?

Filed under: coaching,Inspiration — Johanna C. Nilsson @ 3:16 pm
Tags: ABBA, Finding answers, inspiration, London, Music

Listen to the answers people gave in London – would you have expected?

I am just saying: Music rock, ABBA rock, you rock. Go find whatever answer you are looking for. The one who searches he shall find…

Enjoy the process 😉

Johanna

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Dance like Frogs June 24, 2011

Filed under: Swedish-American — Johanna C. Nilsson @ 12:53 am
Tags: sma grodorna, small frogs, Swedish Midsummer, traditions

Want to do something typical Swedish today? Find a Swedish Midsummer Celebration – I am sure there is one in your area, if not today, so this weekend if you live outside of Sweden. Then you join the dance around the midsummer pole, and dance and sing the “Small Frogs”. Couldn’t be more Swedish than that.

[Editorial add on: I got a comment on Facebook saying that “this makes absolutely no sense to me?” – Maybe this article from NPR would add some valuable helpful content: Party Like The Swedes On Summer Solstice. It will give you some nice recipes as well. It states one thing: “Swedish midsommar essentially comes down to three things: friends, food and schnapps.” If you have been to one of the Swedish celebrations before, you know that there is no schnapps without singing – I would claim that singing and dancing have an equally important role as well.

AND – yes, it is true. We don’t have a sunset in midsummer. As a matter of fact – right now it is 11.52pm, one hour outside of Stockholm – and the sun has not fully set. June 29, 2011. ]

Enjoy!

Johanna

This video is from our Midsummer Celebration in San Diego a few years back. It got so many views so youtube offered to advertise on it!

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The World of Music June 16, 2011

Filed under: Inspiration — Johanna C. Nilsson @ 3:41 am
Tags: Crazy, Joy, Music, Seal, Spotify

YEAY! Got my Spotify back playing again. Can’t wait for it’s launch in the US.

So, in the world of music – with 13 million tracks to choose from – which one would you love to play? I.e. which one would you add to my Summer 2011 playlist?

Music is joy. Wanna give me some? 😉 I might be able to share it… I know you are supposed to be able to… The playlist that is.

My Spotify is right now playing Crazy by Seal from the album Live in Paris. Do you agree that:

“In a world full of people, only some want to fly,
Isn’t that crazy?

But, we’re never gonna survive
unless we get a little crazy…”?

If so, what will you do today that is a little, just a little, unreasonable? 😉

Bring it on. Enjoy,

Johanna

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Stand By Me June 13, 2011

Filed under: Inspiration — Johanna C. Nilsson @ 3:40 am
Tags: karaoke, Playing for Change, Stand by me

Sitting in Tullinge, Sweden. Working remotely, sort of. And jamming with singers all over the globe.

I got the question in San Francisco last week which song I would sing if I went to karaoke. Now, my answer would be this one. 🙂

“No matter who you are, no matter where you go in your life, you don’t need somebody to stand by you…”

Join the tune. Or another one: Playing for Change,

Enjoy,

Johanna

http://playingforchange.com/player/widget.swf

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Open Landscapes June 6, 2011

Filed under: Swedish-American — Johanna C. Nilsson @ 9:24 am
Tags: Öppna Landskap, english lyrics, June 6, National Day, Open Landscape, Sweden, Ulf Lundell

June 6. The National Day of Sweden. Here is Ulf Lundell’s “Open Landscapes” – the unofficial National Anthem, after the real one and… ABBA’s Dancing Queen 😉

Cheers Sweden! Enjoy…

Johanna

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Which seed are you planting today? June 3, 2011

Filed under: coaching,Inspiration — Johanna C. Nilsson @ 8:21 am
Tags: Earl Nightingale, failure, simple truths, success, The Strangest Secret

Sharing the video of the day from Simple Truths.

The Strangest Secret by Earl Nightingale. I’m wondering though – is it that strange at this point? Either way, it’s a good reminder.

Consciously plant your seed of thoughts and actions. The harvest will be so much more enjoyable…

Enjoy your day,

Johanna

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Ahhh – Goosebumps. May 16, 2011

Filed under: coaching,Inspiration — Johanna C. Nilsson @ 8:19 am
Tags: connection, Eric Whitacre, global, Internet, possibilities, technology, TED, virtual chois

Goosbumps, for so many reasons. Watch and enjoy.

I had a conversation with a friend this weekend about the very first Internet experience. I remember when starting at Stockholm School of Economics 1995, and a friend had organized a business visit to a consulting firm where her friend was introducing us to this rather abstract concept of “The Internet”. Today, almost all of us are walking around with Internet access in our pockets.

Ponder: Given what you know today is possible with the Internet and technology, knowing what is important to you, and add a little bit of imagination – what would you want to create?

Now – share it!Eric Whitacre didn’t have the right technology to do this virtual choir of 2,000 voices when he started. He got it by announcing his project. Online.

Thank you Chris Kawaja for sharing!
Music moves,

Johanna