A Roller Coaster Called Life

Roller Coaster – The most dramatic ride in a theme park.

The emotional roller coaster can be tough to manage (especially if you are afraid of heights). We all go through them though. When you are stuck at the top, looking down… just thinking of the drop can cause anxiety, even though the fall only lasts a few seconds and then… it’s over.

Now, consider life. We let ourselves get so worked up over things that really don’t last long. Instead of facing them head on, knowing there is a light at the end of the tunnel, we think of them constantly, thus creating angst, frustration, heartache, and more struggles… but for what? Something that is NOT forever… unless of course, you want it to be. Then, even after all is said and done, we don’t let it go… we rehash the misery over and over.

Roller coaster rides last minutes. The fall only last seconds. Once off the roller coaster, you are off to another ride. Life is all about roller coaster rides. Life has its ups and downs. How we handle them is our choice. Nobody forces us to get back on the rollercoaster, so why is it so hard to let it go? Don’t be a martyr for punishment. Don’t continue to relive the past. Focus on what is right in front of you and embrace it (even with its challenges).

Understandably, fear, worry and anxiety can prevent us from trying to think positive when you have been broken down. I let myself live focused on the past for a long time. It did nothing for me. I allowed all the negatives in my past to shape me, and not all the beauty in my “NOW”. I realized that in order for me to stop dwelling on the negatives, I needed a constant reminder of the positives. It’s so easy to get hung up on the rollercoaster… that is because it is typically the most dramatic ride in any theme park. I began a simple journal. One that travels with me everywhere I go. A journal that I write positive quotes and affirmations in.
My journal boasts quotes like:
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Life the life you have imagined” – Henry David Thoreau
“The only thing holding me back is me! Release and let go, be brave, believe in yourself!” – Shivani Cotter (Trending Mom)
“Be fearful of mediocrity.” – Jonathan Ellery

I read these quotes and many more positive affirmations daily. When I begin to feel down, I open my book and remind myself of my goals, aspirations and why I need to keep trucking! Life is all about the roller coaster. Rather than be fearful of the fall, remember how quick it is and how many more wonderful rides are ahead.

This is my journal. As you can see, I had a little fun with Washi Tape and a bit of bling.

You can get my journal here!

Posted in Daily Inspiration | Tagged journal, living, moleskine, Roller Coaster | Leave a comment

The Fog

Have you ever had “one of those days” you seem to do everything wrong?

“Those days” are rare, but do happen here and there. My “day” happened, and although it isn’t over yet, I am hoping that this post will clear the “curse”.

Although well aware that I was not “on point” per se, I made a conscious attempt not to make mistakes, yet, they worsened as the day progressed. Then came this evening…

I started by cooking the girls scrambled eggs. Being picky eaters, their eggs must be cooked with milk and they love a little cheese added. Tonight’s eggs… well, let’s just say I forgot the milk and the cheese… then decided to add a little milk when the eggs were already cooked… I wanted to add some black bean soup to the mix… Not sure what happened with the soup (actually, I’m too embarrassed to admit what happened), but it ended up an epic fail.

Needing to redeem myself, I picked up a can of potato soup, emptied it into the sauce pan and added water… it called for milk. Another big “F” for FAIL. The list went on. By the time dinner was served in its entirety, the eggs were cold, the rest of the food just didn’t “jive” with eggs, the kids were unhappy and I was irritated.

So… what’s a girl to do? Well, the most sensible thing I could think of was to pour myself a giant glass of red wine (which is exactly what I did). I just took a sip… the wine tastes like vinegar… Fantastic!

Posted in Family | Tagged cooking, dinner, Family | Leave a comment

Flaws

I was happily browsing the web… until this… and then, I felt FLAWED.

Once a week, I take a morning to simply enjoy the internet. We all need some “me-time” and this is mine. It’s one of the easiest ways to escape. Whether I am reading news articles, or inspiring blogs, viewing random pictures, or finding educational things for my daughters, it is relaxing. This morning, my escape brought me to this quote:

“Once you’ve accepted your flaws, no one can use them against you.”

Think about it. Do you believe it?

Wishful thinking is what came to my mind. Although it would be a beautiful reality (if we could live by this thought process), it could also be harmful to society.

An extreme situation: Some psychopath, serial killer may think… hmm, I know killing is a flaw of mine but I accept it, so you should still want me as your neighbor.

Although I don’t believe we should be judged based on our flaws, I don’t necessarily think it is reasonable to expect everyone to accept them. Should they be used against us? I don’t know… should they? In some cases, yes, absolutely. It is a matter of judgement though.

Initially, this quote seemed wonderful. I loved it! That was, until I actually thought about it. It’s more like an excuse to not better oneself. It was a learning experience for me. My first reaction was “yeah, I know I have “x” flaw, but I shouldn’t be judged because of it!” Then I thought to myself… “Wait, why am I not working on fixing it if I know it’s a flaw?”

We all have flaws. I don’t think it is reasonable to accept every flaw. I do believe it is reasonable to understand one another, be kind to one another, not speak ill of someone else because of their flaws, or bring other’s flaws to the surface unnecessarily, but… if you are aware of your own flaws, why accept them if they can be fixed?

Posted in Board Of The Day, Daily Inspiration | Tagged Flaws, inspiration, Quotes, Self-Awareness | Leave a comment

A Writing Tool You Cannot Live Without

A writer (or should I say thinker), typically has a mind filled with ideas (unless of course, they are suffering from the dreaded writers-block (yes, it is a “real” thing)). The incredibly ingenious idea-filled head of theirs is not just prone to writers-block, but what I like to call Internet ADD.

Internet ADD can get in the way of many a great writer from performing to their fullest potential. This can happen for a few reasons:
- The internet has many enticing pictures that you just cannot help but click on.
- The lovely pictures help any writer lose their train of thought, thus lost focus.
- The lovely pictures lead you to even more fascinating/indulgent articles, which then…
lead you to more… and more… and then, little do you know, the day is lost and it is time to pick up your children.

Ok, so maybe I am referring to myself, but I am sure many writers face similar challenges.

That said, the best tool I have found for the writer is a little App called WriteRoom

This app is takes you to a place with nothing but white space (not white light)… The white space offers a clean atmosphere to gather your thoughts, type them, and not have to worry about things like spell check, playing with various fonts or any pop-up ads. Instead, you just write. Really, I mean it! You JUST WRITE and worry about the other stuff later! It’s GENIUS, and my favorite App!

The Best $4.99 I’ve Ever Spent!

Posted in Apps | Tagged Internet ADD, Tools For Writers, writer, Writers Block | Leave a comment

Follow Your Dreams

how true, how true…

Posted in Board Of The Day | Tagged Dreamer, life | Leave a comment

Do You Fit In Or Belong?

“Fitting in is about assessing a situation and becoming who you need to be to be accepted. Belonging on the other hand, doesn’t require us to change who we are; it requires us to be who we are.”
- The Gifts of Imperfection, Brene Brown

The question is, how many of us feel like we fit in vs. know that we belong? It’s easier to fit in than belong and many people don’t understand the difference. Fitting in, is the perfect example of a false sense of belonging.

All of these concepts relate to your authentic self.

To Do: The next time you are with a group of friends, pay close attention to the things you say, and how you act.

Ask yourself these questions:
When you are with your friends, do you say certain things just so they will listen?
Do you nod and act agreeable, yet, don’t agree wholeheartedly about what you are agreeing with?
Do you laugh along with conversations you don’t find funny?
Do you ever find yourself behaving a certain way because of the company you keep?
Have you acted more refined than you typically would because you are spending time with people who are?
Have you ever been swayed to do something you don’t want to do simply because your friends did?
Have you ever turned your nose up at someone you don’t know because of someone elses opinion of them?

I could go on forever with the “do you & have you’s” but won’t. I will bet that anyone reading this can say yes to at least one or more of the above questions. I know I can. It’s not to say that if you did say yes to any of the above that you do not belong but, it is safe to say that if you replied yes, rethink why and try not to going forward.

What stood out most when researching the concept of fitting in vs. belonging was the below quote:
“In addition to the fear of disappointing people or pushing them away with our stories, we’re also afraid that if we tell our stories, the weight of a single experience will collapse upon us. There is a real fear that we can be buried or defined by an experience that, in reality, is only a sliver of who we are.”
- The Gifts of Imperfection, Brene Brown

It resonates with me as it most likely does with many people. How often do we abstain from revealing things about ourselves for fear of being judged? Now, how pathetic is it that anyone would actually judge another based on a single experience? Unfortunately, it happens all the time. Fortunately though, people who are quick to judge based on that one single experience, are generally the same people who are busy trying to fit in, and do not belong, in turn, not being their true authentic selves.

Just another reason to stay true to ourselves.

Posted in Daily Inspiration | Tagged Authentic, self improvement, Self-Awareness | Leave a comment

My Under-Active Thyroid AKA Mean Moth

Today was pretty typical, minus the obnoxious sinusitis like allergy symptoms that are knocking the crap out of me! Oh yeah, and the surprise letter I received from my doctor’s office which read:

I have just received your test results and I would like to share them with you:

We checked how well your thyroid gland was functioning. Details as follows:

TSH: blah blah blah: Normal Range

FT4: blah blah blah: OUT OF RANGE

What???????????????

Ok, so I know I have been extraordinarily tired lately (maybe even borderline narcolepsy), and I realize I have put on a “little” bit of weight (being only 5’2″, every pound makes a difference), and really thought maybe I was going through some sort of depression for no reason whatsoever but THYROID???

When I went to the doctor and she suggested I get tested for a Thyroid problem, I secretly hoped that was the reason for my issues (but I really didn’t want that “hope” to come to fruition). I even joked about it… Well, the jokes on me! Yes folks, caught off guard standing in front of my mailbox, I opened the dreaded letter and the words “OUT OF RANGE” seemed a good 20 font sizes bigger than the rest.

My first instinct: Throw the letter in someone else’s mailbox and pretend you never saw it.

My second instinct: Kick the mailbox.

Reality Check: Deal with it head on and beat the crap out of the monster of an organ that resembles the dreaded moth, (yes, I understand all the medical info states butterfly instead of moth but this is my post) and then kick it to the curb.

The Positive: When I run out of things to write about, I can always tell you stories about the mean moth that lives inside me.

Posted in Women | Tagged Butterfly, Doctors Letter, Lab Results, medical, moth, Thyroid | Leave a comment

Today’s Mantra

Posted in Daily Inspiration | Tagged inspire, mantra | Leave a comment

Being Impeccably French

Do you have a certain je ne sais quoi (you know, an intangible quality that makes you attractive)? It’s something many French women exude regardless of whether they try to or not. I never quite understood why until I started delving further into the characteristics of French women.

The French woman is a mysterious walking contradiction that everyone wants to know about. Here is why:

First, the French woman is brought up to be self-posessed and self-aware, She stays true to herself and is truly committed to herself. Her life is custom-made. She lives from her own center and follows her own trends (Sound familiar? It’s the premise behind my website). It’s probably why I am also so intrigued by the French.A quote I remember from my childhood sums it up best:“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.” – Henry David Thoreau

These are not new principles we should live by, they have just been forgotten throughout the years or corrupted by social strains.

Something else we should learn from the French woman is how to practice discretion. “The French girl wears her discretion like a filter or a screen, and every decision in her life passes through it: what she wears, how she spends her time, who she lets into her life, what she says (and does not say). Discretion is an ongoing act of self-editing.” Entre Nous

I unfortunately, have not always been good at this. For a long time, I wore my life on my sleeve for everyone to see (and even judge). I have slowly made some changes. First, my home. Years ago, my home had an open door policy. People would swing by without calling ahead and I welcomed it. Now, my home is my sanctuary. Most of my visitors are people I have known for a lifetime or friends I have had since childhood. Entering my home is when I open my life to you. We all need a private place in our lives. My home is my families private place where we can be free. It’s our whimsical world filled with our own magic and makes us happy.

I could go on forever about the French but rather, will leave you with this lovely quote from Entre Nous:She lived her life willfully but mindfully and one day, without realizing it, she summed up her French girlishness in one single line: “If you stay true to yourself, you will always remain on track, even if that track takes you off the beaten path, to places you could not possibly imagine.”

Posted in Daily Inspiration | Tagged Entre Nous, French, self improvement | Leave a comment

Set Boundaries And Hold People Accountable

- The Gifts of Imperfection, Brene Brown

Compassion; something many of us believe we practice every day. Until reading The Gifts of Imperfection, I too believed that compassion was a character trait I understood and practiced. Then, I realized that the difference between my version of compassion and “real compassion,” was that instead of creating boundaries with some people in my life, I resented them. Along with the resentment I held, I made excuses for their behavior.

Talk about a lesson learned late in life. Compassion is a trait I hold in high regard. Being truly compassionate is a life-long commitment. It is not something you practice now, and forget about a moment later or, how you act with one person, and not another.

Practice this:

Going forward, instead of cutting people out of your life, set boundaries. It’s easier than creating enemies. Once you set the boundaries, you will notice that the little things that irritated you or cause you frustration, will soon be minuscule. People become more tolerable and you will be happier because of it.

Posted in Bookworm, Daily Inspiration | Tagged Compassion, gifts, Incubus, Self-Awareness, Self-Help | Leave a comment