It's Friday, it's a three day weekend for a lot of us, and it's nearing Summer! I'm feeling great! The sun finally came out after five days of rain, rain, rain. My husband and I recently celebrated our two year anniversary and I'm so excited for all the great things on the horizon. Driving home today I had a moment when I thought - what about this, what about that and I said OUT LOUD to myself - STOP! Stop doing that. Stop allowing doubt to creep in. Stop allowing those "realistic" thoughts to take hold. Stop saying to yourself, well you need to consider this or that and letting the negative be a possibility.
Are negatives a possibility?? Yep. They are. Are they a certainty? NO! I recently taught my kids about probability and I had to teach them those words, impossible, probable, more likely, less likely, equally likely and certain. Turns out - most things aren't certain. Not really. I mean the truth of life is - nothing is for sure. Not even that you will wake up tomorrow. And it turns out that there are a lot of possibilities and probabilities, but outlook makes all the difference. Do you see all the negative possibilities of what could happen or do you see the positive? It's like that old saying - no matter how you look at it or what you believe - you're right!
I'll tell you a big dream killer - telling other people. I love all the people in my immediate family and my friends and some of my coworkers, but I'm telling you from experience be careful. Be careful who you share things with and who you listen to. Stay away from those people that always have something negative to say, a bad story to relate to what you're talking about, and esp. the folks who say, well you have to be realistic about these things.. Limit contact with them - even if they're people you really love - at least stay away for the time that you're trying to remain positive and optimistic. Talk to the people that will say, Oh that's wonderful! I can't wait to share in all the joy of --- with you! Stay with those who encourage, support and give their prayers, positive thoughts and love. Stay with those that nurture your crazy, happy optimism.
Practice gratitude (it really does work) and count your blessings. Write them down. Revisit these things monthly, daily, hourly until it becomes more and more a part of your inner thoughts and eventually your outward speech.
Dare to hope. Dare to be "un" realistic. Dare to step out in faith and dream big! Think of all the WONDERFUL possibilities. Think of what is good, lovely, true and glorious! Speak positively. Dare to be crazy happy - let others think you're crazy - let them say what they will - who cares! If the challenges come or the situations that are less than ideal or not how you envisioned them pop up - deal with it then. Better to envision all the fantastic possibilities than to wait for the doom. Let them say, told you so or whatever "they" want to say - but don't give up on your desires.
There's one thing I've come to know - hope never killed anyone - in fact - for me - hope has made me stronger. I had a hard time believing that I'd marry again, that I'd overcome my childhood abuse and traumas, that I'd ever live to see a day when I walked happily in the sunshine free from sadness, anxiety, depression, but somewhere in my heart there was a glimmer of hope. Some days it was as distant as a faint star in the far away galaxy, but it was always there. More and more, I'm living into this life and loving my days and I believe you can too.
Dare to hope, dear readers. It's not as risky as you think! <3
I must shift my focus to all the good things that are happening and that will happen. I must shift my focus to what I can control and what is possible. Whatever you focus on is what will be and what will consume you. Be consumed by good, be focused on positive. This is a MUST. I keep saying it out in my head and out loud and I'm failing miserably...because I'm burnt out ya'll. Burnt. Out.
This was my day: out of favorite coffee, behind every jerk under the sun on the road, work was work (see "teacher at the end of the school year meme"), I ate three mini candy bars and a mini Reese's and six skittles and everyone in the fit bit challenge is beating me even though yesterday I was in first place and had lost three pounds, came home, hot, sweaty and tired, went to a seminar I was really looking forward to because it's about buying our future home, it was cancelled because the AC went out in the building we were suppose to meet at, to top it allll off I'm doing laundry (which I really hate) and the damn cat SHIT in my laundry....literally took a shit while looking right at me. I'm standing there sorting laundry dreaming of when I'll have enough money to hire someone to do the laundry for me ... and I smell shit. Wasn't sure at first if it was just the smell of shit ... like yeah right, unless I hit the lotto I'll be doing my own laundry for the rest of my life...or real shit. Turns out - it was real shit. What was best is that she buried it at the bottom of the pile so it had to be dug out and I kept praying to God that I didn't somehow step in it or touch it! It was truly amaze balls.
Flip the script....my husband. He took me out for a very good dinner (and relatively inexpensive too). He came in and dug through the clothes with me to find the shit and he cleaned it up. He loves me. Even when I'm screaming like a mad person at the top of my lungs that the cat just SHIT ON MY CLOTHES and I'm gonna kill her!! Running around with dirty clothes in my hand, hair wild and red face and repeatedly saying, "I can't believe she shit on my clothes! I can smell it, but I don't know where it is."
God bless my husband. He's my saving grace most days. He's the one thing on my dream board that has come true. The one, beautiful, thing that is at the very center of my dream board with a big red heart around it.
Thank you Jesus. Please let tomorrow be a better day. Please help us ALL shift our focus to what is good, right and lovely in our lives. Let us know that no matter how much shit we're in - figuratively or real - there's always a silver lining. There's always a bright spot even if we have to squint to find it. There is something good in every day, even if every day isn't good.
Amen and here's to the rest of the night being smooth and to my husband who is awesome and to a new morning, may God grant me another day to breathe and you too dear readers! Love ya.
Have you ever been angry or fearful? Are you worried about what will come next or dwell on past mistakes? Perhaps you're angry and you stay angry, frustrated, and blocked from really enjoying your life. Are you feeling mad at the world and like you just can't get ahead? Anger and fear are the biggest road blocks to success. You've been there or maybe you know someone who has. Try this quick pick-me-up daily. Change your habits, change your thinking, change your life. It only takes ten minutes. If you start your day this way, who knows, maybe you can start to achieve more and at the very least, feel better. Don't reach for a drug (prescription or otherwise) or look for others to give you what you desire, make it happen for yourself. Here's a great video on how to get off the highway to stress and to PAVE that dirt road to happiness!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL9OnmmjkCk
Happy Friday! Enjoy.
HBO aired the induction of Pearl Jam into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday. I was in high school during their early career. I can remember listening to cassette tapes of their music in my old 1984 Honda ... driving with the windows down, the radio UP and hair loose and flying. I'd pick up my boyfriend or friends and we'd jam out. I'd sit in my room and listen to the songs over and over again, dreaming of what it would be like to know an artist like Eddie Vedder (and maybe be his girlfriend) and be back on the West Coast. I was going through all the normal teenage crap and so much more. My life was chaotic, unstable at best, and full of trauma. I longed for the West Coast (where I had grown up) and for a time when I wasn't so acutely aware of the pain around me and the depression slowly creeping up inside me. Listening to them speak tonight and hearing how their lives have changed and evolved along with the band and the music made me cry.
It made me think of my own journey, the life I've lived and my art. My life is chronicled in journal entries, poetry and stories - I don't dare seek those old things out - I cringe at even the thought of what I might find! Eddie said in his thank you speech - I don't think we've even done half of what it takes to get here and receive this type of honor, but we are so grateful (no that's not verbatim, but it's the gist). And so it is with me too, I've only just begun and don't think I've done half of all the good and all of the amazing contributions I'm still meant to give, but I'm grateful for every day and to have made it this far.
It inspired me to write this brief post - to tell you dear readers that I'm not done yet. I've got more to give, more to do, more to see and more dreams to come true. I started feeling "old" and even maybe a little sad tonight when I thought of how long ago I listened to those songs and how long ago it's been that I've been dreaming some of the same dreams that I've yet to see come to fruition. The dream of being a published author, the dream of being a mother to my own children...the dream of being a ballerina (that last one might not be possible anymore..ha ha ha!). However, I've not given up and I've not cashed in. I am still full of life and perhaps, maybe, even a little wisdom. I might even be more free today than I was back then. God's not finished with me yet.
How about you?
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame show was truly amazing. I'm so glad I got to see at least half of it and grateful to have seen Pearl Jam receive that incredible honor. They ended the show with their insane cover of Neil Young's "Keep On Rocking in the Free World."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPIb2uL_wDI
I encourage you (and myself) to keep on rocking!
