Don’t Drown Your Rescuer

Britannica Drowning and Life Saving 2

I meet twice a month with a small group of ladies and we eat and write.  Oh, there’s  a lot more to it than that, but I’ll cover at a later time.  At our last meeting it was suggested that we select a word for the week and keep a log of when the word is brought to mind — through conversation, thoughts, other visuals, etc — to help us be aware of what is around us. Although I haven’t yet decided on my word for the week, I had previously selected a word for the year which was “change”.

Boy, let me tell you … that might not have been the right word to choose !!!!  Continue reading

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Adversity and Challenge

Coffee Beans

Coffee Beans (Photo credit: amanda28192)

The other day, the link to this great video was on my Facebook feed.  Check it out …  then share a comment or two …

Carrots, Eggs or Coffee Beans

 

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Time to Get Sandbagged

Here in Florida, hurricane season will be starting soon.  In other parts of the country, that means flood season (if it actually rains).  I remember seeing pictures last year of houses with sand bags stacked around them to protect the property against rising water.  Most houses don’t need protection from normal amounts of rain, but when there’s too much or when it’s constant and can’t drain off, it washes in and takes over … sometimes destroying the home and/or it’s contents.

Sandbags

Sandbags (Photo credit: ChristopherTitzer)

The same is true for stress.  Our bodies can handle a little bit of stress in our lives but when there is constant drama or too much at one time … “fight or flight” becomes a way of life and we then live in a perpetual flow of adrenaline.  A constant adrenaline rush from ongoing stress is unhealthy (potentially leads to heart disease, Continue reading

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Thanks, Mom

My mom and both grandmothers have moved from earth and are, hopefully, watching over us and guiding us.  But there have been other “moms” in my life too and many of them are still here.

We can learn not only from the moms in our families, but from the moms we come in contact with … some of them may even be close to our own age.  What we learn can be positive or negative, but every experience is a learning experience.

What will you learn from the moms around you?  What did you learn from your mom or grandma?

My mom was a caring, nurturing person who tried to make those around her comfortable.  She was encouraging despite the pain, depression, and frustration she often felt.  I know that not all folks have a positive relationship with their own mom but I hope there is a woman in your life who is a positive role model.  If you need a role model, seek one out … most people are glad to help others and would be glad you’ve asked.

A mentor can be a great asset to your life even if things are going well … we all need encouragement on a regular basis and often times we just don’t get it.  Find a person or group which you feel can support your endeavors and get connected.

Whether you have a positive or negative relationship with your mom, call her on Mother’s Day just to say “hi” and keep it light.  Let me know how it goes.

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I Want My Blankie

Crochet blanket

Crochet blanket (Photo credit: ejhogbin)

Did you have a favorite blanket when you were growing up?  I don’t remember a blanket but I remember a stuffed tiger I got when I was in grade school — our team mascot was a tiger.  More than 20 years later, I still had that tiger.  It wasn’t huge but wasn’t small and when I curled up with it, everything seemed to be better.  Even after I was married, I kept the tiger and all too often it was more comforting than my husband … if you’re thinking the marriage wouldn’t last, you’re right … it didn’t.  Tiger finally fell apart and I figured I didn’t need him much any more.

When I divorced my second husband after being married almost 25 years, one of the first things I did was go get another big stuffed animal.  My Bear was bigger and softer and just rubbing it’s fur was soothing.  One night as I was laying with Bear contemplating the future, Continue reading

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What’s for Dinner?

 An attractive dinner setting

So, What’s for dinner?????

I don’t know about you, but that’s become one of the top 5 things I really dread hearing. When I didn’t work outside the home (aka — I was unemployed), it wasn’t too much of a big deal as I really like to cook and bake. When my kids were little and I worked, I used the crock pot and methods like Once-A-Month Cooking where you fix most of your meals in a weekend or fix a double batch every time and put half of it in the freezer. Meals were still pretty quick.

The past couple of years, I’ve gotten used to eating out … a lot … and I’m not so “into” meal prep any more. I like being able to decide at the last minute what I want and have someone else fix it and be served. I also like experiencing variety in the spices and seasonings as well as new dishes. I always hated fixing a meal that appealed to me Continue reading

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Explaining Fibromyalgia

I have fibromyalgia.  I am very thankful that I’ve learned to moderate my life so the condition isn’t all-consuming, but it does affect what I do and how I do it.  Gone are the days when I could run all day and half the night too.  I am so very thankful that my boyfriend seems to understand.  My heart goes out to friends and family who have a much more debilitating level of it than I have.  My daughter’s level of pain, discomfort, and inability to fully participate in life is much more severe than mine.  I happen to be in a “fibro-flare” today — how does it feel?  I’m confused and feel like a truck ran over me while I was sleeping.  I’m fortunate that I am able to work full time — many cannot — but I have to trade off my work time with Continue reading

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Go Ahead … Throw That Temper Tantrum

Most of us are adults here … but do you ever find yourself wishing you could just throw a nice big temper tantrum?!?!?!?  Today is one of those days.

I hadn’t really thought about the tantrum thing for a while (my kids are way past that) but I was reading a book last night on reducing stress and it talked about acceptable adult versions of a good ol’ “temper tantrum” and how beneficial they can be in helping us reduce stress.

In our effort to control ourselves and the world around us, we often stuff those feelings of anger and frustration as they don’t look good to other folks.  I can see that point.  But stuffing them just builds up until the volcano wants to erupt and then it’s usually someone who truly doesn’t deserve our wrath that gets the brunt of it.

A far better way is to have your own private tantrum and be as loud as you want and beat that pillow, mattress, bean bag, etc until our “steam” fully escapes and we no longer see red.  So, today is one of those days when every turn brings another frustration despite all my affirmations to the contrary.  Almost every phone call and email at work is another straw added and I would love to erupt right now.  I can’t go anywhere right now and just scream as the neighborhood would think I was being killed and send the cops (or at least I hope they would).

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Don’t Stop Believin’

Just for the record, I don’t believe in coincidence — everything happens for a reason and in the perfect timing of the universe (yes, our CHOICES have an effect on events).

I heard two “believe” songs (Don’t Stop Believing, I’m a Believer) on the radio this morning as I drove to work and it’s a pretty quick drive.  Gee, maybe I need to pay attention and “get it”.  I discovered a few years ago that I’d ditched my dreams so long ago that I really didn’t know what they were any more.  I’d simply “existed” for so many years that I wasn’t hoping for anything other than some tranquility in my life, let alone doing any dreaming.  I was barely getting from one day to the next without losing my sanity.  There were no dreams so really nothing to believe in.  Now that I’ve started dreaming again, I need to re-learn how to believe in myself again as well. Continue reading

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