tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35937976927958911892024-03-17T18:05:40.406-07:00djmilestonesdjmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.comBlogger539125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-40556848043053043552024-03-16T13:39:00.000-07:002024-03-16T13:39:23.318-07:00HOLD ON TO YOUR WONDER<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>HOLD ON TO YOUR WONDER</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGb-nmTuR-BbBz925C3rMNwMg7aGHXkdv80Z4msibp9udtGxxPK0Clyb6WNsV9DiFVE2YEIdYVwrjPQW_Yc0nlIaJdFPK4RGpvOVF_lOrOBNdUvnwtOQz-JyO1cV7emNyAwC1iv86AMRXQKZR81yL5YFZ7lsavhlwZsaEYuYp0qjNYeKCCfGySgpjpk6-X/s264/wisdom%20brings%20wonder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="264" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGb-nmTuR-BbBz925C3rMNwMg7aGHXkdv80Z4msibp9udtGxxPK0Clyb6WNsV9DiFVE2YEIdYVwrjPQW_Yc0nlIaJdFPK4RGpvOVF_lOrOBNdUvnwtOQz-JyO1cV7emNyAwC1iv86AMRXQKZR81yL5YFZ7lsavhlwZsaEYuYp0qjNYeKCCfGySgpjpk6-X/w400-h273/wisdom%20brings%20wonder.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">After reading some different research articles about always holding on to our wonder, it started to make be wonder...WHY? I found a quote to use on my daily milestone quote on Facebook that was not attributed to anyone. It simply said, "Hold On To Your Wonder." That resonated with me. I never want to give up my wonder. It is almost as if I enjoy and need to wonder in my wandering.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvcU0Y0Z_kKAtoKt551OMTWzF-qDH4u8RJTPQ1kuZZHZIBHZ7nBwv0BEZHLay09HMLSctMAmK0cUWB-1991FNez2QbilWl44piBcNAASA0dCtFUl9Uavf199PXIV4I1GvdrkO8AzE-8RUN-mwQ4brrSwAf_7oh1LWrSz5aE8hPDgzLWgDxFj6_o-GDj2A/s180/wonder%20as%20you%20wander.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="180" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvcU0Y0Z_kKAtoKt551OMTWzF-qDH4u8RJTPQ1kuZZHZIBHZ7nBwv0BEZHLay09HMLSctMAmK0cUWB-1991FNez2QbilWl44piBcNAASA0dCtFUl9Uavf199PXIV4I1GvdrkO8AzE-8RUN-mwQ4brrSwAf_7oh1LWrSz5aE8hPDgzLWgDxFj6_o-GDj2A/w400-h400/wonder%20as%20you%20wander.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;">Experiencing wonder can leave us feeling inspired and energized, along the lines of gratitude and curiosity. A psychologist defined awe as the wonder we feel when we encounter something so powerful that we can't easily explain. Many times these things that bring us wonder have a vastness and complexity, such as a starry night, a special act of kindness, or the beauty of something small and intricate. Such things as the colors of the leaves or an act of virtuous behavior of others: an act of dedication, skill, or courage. It seems to always be the most simple things.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcR98MRFNsdFkmPafSrNrFT5kREHdMCRvZ-Ihi74ENFw-Zn5ucN1-GGlPW1mylaPlaArsJhgk7Aez2p5wlyHJyyBpZ89cDRU-xK_siZ-E-ChAm6WhkaLYwNUSv3ObFGec5mk4ZSxl8UvSnXCzUs1d4bjCshN1zKJXm98Y8GXCwN0Wz-Z6W28Y_4bA59teg/s270/bird%20singing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="270" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcR98MRFNsdFkmPafSrNrFT5kREHdMCRvZ-Ihi74ENFw-Zn5ucN1-GGlPW1mylaPlaArsJhgk7Aez2p5wlyHJyyBpZ89cDRU-xK_siZ-E-ChAm6WhkaLYwNUSv3ObFGec5mk4ZSxl8UvSnXCzUs1d4bjCshN1zKJXm98Y8GXCwN0Wz-Z6W28Y_4bA59teg/w400-h267/bird%20singing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is important to cultivate these experiences as they give us hope for our future. Besides the tingling goosebumps or lower heart rate - it may affect us emotionally. A desire to connect with others and our own sense of self may shrink.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Besides reducing stress, research has shown that experiencing something bigger than us helps us frame our reference by stimulating new ways of thinking. This increases creativity and innovation, along with ethical decision making.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDdkuP1bb3RXKW_85e6Y5EscWfiJy_GnfEWlnnQgnR-LMob6kfb97zzjoaXC447dB4vsoRHlR9wH8114Dr9KQH5AXEWoPveWCGT4CzaFGa2Gdcl92gN7JPAFtB_YqAnh050YAHyqLfFmt2l51C-Yhnj2FxwMpiZj3kfgd2tMLk-04tR3fB_zdAL4fn7iM/s180/hmmmm%20I%20wonder%20if....jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="180" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYDdkuP1bb3RXKW_85e6Y5EscWfiJy_GnfEWlnnQgnR-LMob6kfb97zzjoaXC447dB4vsoRHlR9wH8114Dr9KQH5AXEWoPveWCGT4CzaFGa2Gdcl92gN7JPAFtB_YqAnh050YAHyqLfFmt2l51C-Yhnj2FxwMpiZj3kfgd2tMLk-04tR3fB_zdAL4fn7iM/w400-h400/hmmmm%20I%20wonder%20if....jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The feeling of wonder and awe frequently happens in solitude but with that being said, it also helps us to build relationships. It helps to provide social connection. I remember when my husband worked for a very large corporation he would take walks on the paths among the buildings for informal meetings. Another name for these walks could be named the "awe walks." Sometimes he even went alone and would take twenty minutes of his lunch time to wander and just be curious and observe the everyday beauty around him instead of rushing by. Things like a buzzing bee flitting from flower to flower. After a wonder walk, I am sure that most of us would feel inspired. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9CJYOXb243VECSX_MTdJqZfFOnZH8-h-kAEpGtfCmblOqTvCXvtqIsbs5hV5sJzRJJbxza-_MKEa5Ij7ZxuOPRd3hF_7T7UlV517uGeWYs_PCNZFPCVPnYyPbbvDv1QKVDUdfGMtnxhyphenhyphenXx0EZAtXgpAJ0EmWfJ9IvEzU6eJ3uq_TzAxp8acORe_bqhCc/s180/quote%20on%20wonder%20vs%20doubt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="180" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9CJYOXb243VECSX_MTdJqZfFOnZH8-h-kAEpGtfCmblOqTvCXvtqIsbs5hV5sJzRJJbxza-_MKEa5Ij7ZxuOPRd3hF_7T7UlV517uGeWYs_PCNZFPCVPnYyPbbvDv1QKVDUdfGMtnxhyphenhyphenXx0EZAtXgpAJ0EmWfJ9IvEzU6eJ3uq_TzAxp8acORe_bqhCc/w400-h400/quote%20on%20wonder%20vs%20doubt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">If you are not able to get outside, use the internet and find some happy good news, music to inspire you, or even a simple story of one person making a difference can inspire others around the world. Journal writing about something that took my breath away or just plain made me happy to be on this planet can cause wonderment within me.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtbesEmyeDIjSoB7cgncFa3_EFeIQn-EP69HC05n7Nz0KEWRBYxOqbIL3YbyoGhn2iQ7URxxuSSr41H0mShO4n8jXHuYXmLYSfXPzG5tFfIXbyZSLMzOjvVFocDqYfUYV_yymBTXwDkvir0mqykhDfRDOd7c7NwsPHW8MzmoX7lmvSvloeFx-ckMz0Zxv/s344/share%20the%20wonder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="344" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtbesEmyeDIjSoB7cgncFa3_EFeIQn-EP69HC05n7Nz0KEWRBYxOqbIL3YbyoGhn2iQ7URxxuSSr41H0mShO4n8jXHuYXmLYSfXPzG5tFfIXbyZSLMzOjvVFocDqYfUYV_yymBTXwDkvir0mqykhDfRDOd7c7NwsPHW8MzmoX7lmvSvloeFx-ckMz0Zxv/w400-h209/share%20the%20wonder.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes we spend much of our time trying to stake our claims out to be heard and at times it almost feels counterintuitive to engage in something that might stimulate feelings of our own "smallness." Doing so through a positive experience of wonder can bring us that sense of grounding that we all search for, along with the benefits of energy, inspiration and resilience for ourselves.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgum5ZsQrordJA29f30s1LiTJvgrBUFbbFzEPkJhk87a2J8AyD-X-3BtRzo1ch9n6cnrs1nlcO1OFdPEuaXnHiWOukRHsmtBMbU2-DSLJC6kmzZ50DwT90MTOWyvh591vXr9Vl0QcZSL2FlM-HWz63nqaQ8H8heMB1sKTow_LVhymz8oRMtijGdF7mfDc5n/s180/keep%20calm%20because%20it%20makes%20me%20wonder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="154" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgum5ZsQrordJA29f30s1LiTJvgrBUFbbFzEPkJhk87a2J8AyD-X-3BtRzo1ch9n6cnrs1nlcO1OFdPEuaXnHiWOukRHsmtBMbU2-DSLJC6kmzZ50DwT90MTOWyvh591vXr9Vl0QcZSL2FlM-HWz63nqaQ8H8heMB1sKTow_LVhymz8oRMtijGdF7mfDc5n/w342-h400/keep%20calm%20because%20it%20makes%20me%20wonder.jpg" width="342" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-43640299437401900822024-02-27T15:36:00.000-08:002024-02-27T15:45:25.769-08:00OUR OWN UNIQUE GIFTS<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>OUR OWN UNIQUE GIFTS</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTLn8kCmqxxRpeHBqZZktUhicrBiKI80IYzJRGH5d19ShWx-wT6JVCuU8WhyK5hUds591cN-csoRWum1QO4RjshnpSy_p-Y-vyv4TSwcmPK0IG3A12HbkVZxQfBlx3nfXBCdxv5iURF5tqosbBFFlPXPjjgtXqoXt6T88CDUSfYtX30L00hJLbytUidGZ/s121/your%20unique%20gifts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="121" data-original-width="121" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTLn8kCmqxxRpeHBqZZktUhicrBiKI80IYzJRGH5d19ShWx-wT6JVCuU8WhyK5hUds591cN-csoRWum1QO4RjshnpSy_p-Y-vyv4TSwcmPK0IG3A12HbkVZxQfBlx3nfXBCdxv5iURF5tqosbBFFlPXPjjgtXqoXt6T88CDUSfYtX30L00hJLbytUidGZ/w400-h400/your%20unique%20gifts.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Imagine for a moment that we spread our own wings to help spread our own unique gifts with the world. I have that picture in my mind when I think of self-care. Self-care is all about taking care of ourselves so that we are able to help care for others who need a bit of help from others.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjikaEND6utaAoeklSf3vtSsn-OI4TIfhsTZDgJVPpY1Vr3rB4srHWRF-b5GfromkM9cV52r4qHcOeMprlH9mtv4nJs-kQfAjzALuUWDSfCCW9Ga0nZDGOJBzF4hFrIMimZ3cIiYtpEehfx0NQJwpSFpCcP4rMHzOpR8jOaT42Hc61QDsGWyt97BOgROz/s135/spread%20your%20wings%20and%20ly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="108" data-original-width="135" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjjikaEND6utaAoeklSf3vtSsn-OI4TIfhsTZDgJVPpY1Vr3rB4srHWRF-b5GfromkM9cV52r4qHcOeMprlH9mtv4nJs-kQfAjzALuUWDSfCCW9Ga0nZDGOJBzF4hFrIMimZ3cIiYtpEehfx0NQJwpSFpCcP4rMHzOpR8jOaT42Hc61QDsGWyt97BOgROz/w400-h320/spread%20your%20wings%20and%20ly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I like to imagine that if I continue to spread my wings and fly that the unique gifts that I may have can reach others by sharing. Let's face it. Being human is hard. That is just that way life is. There is no sense in digging a hole and hiding our heads in the sand just to pretend that issues are not all around us to handle. </span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Instead of looking at it as "handling" the issues, I like to look at it as thriving. A good motto could be, "Thrive and not just Survive." </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3UX-zlEHBhhWP5o7vV-VRYyuCRMdiUzpHbBjrjNAPKBUTAjPaKRHbHhjsfhfAybzM2OVG_Ldc0Nnim80KJkJFn95-8IHzTNgphi6wvh4fGT_LOx1OusiD4eqoa7eEbS17K9k7FJCdtWsCYkmWnFtqABg4izaXld2MHEODw-XFfVakfo2OBfSJ4krMmQ_/s356/thrive,%20not%20just%20survive.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="356" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3UX-zlEHBhhWP5o7vV-VRYyuCRMdiUzpHbBjrjNAPKBUTAjPaKRHbHhjsfhfAybzM2OVG_Ldc0Nnim80KJkJFn95-8IHzTNgphi6wvh4fGT_LOx1OusiD4eqoa7eEbS17K9k7FJCdtWsCYkmWnFtqABg4izaXld2MHEODw-XFfVakfo2OBfSJ4krMmQ_/w400-h203/thrive,%20not%20just%20survive.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Thriving for me is the ability to handle challenges with less struggle by being aligned with my own unique gifts and sharing these gifts in ways that feel joyful.</span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">There is no good reason that I can think of for anyone to hold their breath and wait until things get calmer or easier. Life happens. For me, I can say there are ups and downs and the word on the street is to just go with the flow. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI49SaD808GFXp_KWJqD1xCAvC7wByboOVED-Pn9vvowp78F_nnLtPMe7dA1NHQClZ4uKSEfdRa5baLwBWqKiRq9g9ub_YRrlapegq6yeHQFWmVV1KAfMniCdXIlIfJ3mJQA5w_D90AcVIS4YR72dLs5U5WhrWmyC9hFGVzY8gIYXMn1XloXd_foLBaTSz/s180/go%20with%20the%20flow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="154" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI49SaD808GFXp_KWJqD1xCAvC7wByboOVED-Pn9vvowp78F_nnLtPMe7dA1NHQClZ4uKSEfdRa5baLwBWqKiRq9g9ub_YRrlapegq6yeHQFWmVV1KAfMniCdXIlIfJ3mJQA5w_D90AcVIS4YR72dLs5U5WhrWmyC9hFGVzY8gIYXMn1XloXd_foLBaTSz/w342-h400/go%20with%20the%20flow.jpg" width="342" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Being able to thrive and go with the flow actually fills me with positive energy and gives me a magical feeling of being alive and on this earth for a purpose. Life is just too short to dread our day or just to 'get through them.' LIVE THEM WITH GUSTO. I can agree that some days are livelier than others. I may lean more to the positive way of looking at life but I also am realistic. We are all human and I have my moments. The smart thing is to give myself these moments and pick myself up and start again. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Instead of worrying about stuff that I could not control, I discovered that by focusing more on how I could share some of my gifts with others. Just the very fact of sharing another way to look at a problem or issue that we all go through in life. This helps to shift worry into creative actions.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Taking care of ourselves is not being selfish. In order to help others, we first must help ourselves to be stronger. Love ourselves. This in turn can be shared with others to witness how it works. It is a continuous circle of caring.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-EInOjsj-dhiqjSgQIBtRGCCafLJ8GSpgXSISTCIGGkB3TO9Iew42elaNKMzIMj-avEu-3RrgeUgi0sEhYYOV78o9y1eTix62Wl4w1IJymj4mZxWg-AnY6EtdLVDmn68u24vndS9_7YgpZOpfE-5UWCgaeSePzHPqJse3W_cKXDuU4uUg7R8XQuMaqNW/s249/deserve%20happiness.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="249" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB-EInOjsj-dhiqjSgQIBtRGCCafLJ8GSpgXSISTCIGGkB3TO9Iew42elaNKMzIMj-avEu-3RrgeUgi0sEhYYOV78o9y1eTix62Wl4w1IJymj4mZxWg-AnY6EtdLVDmn68u24vndS9_7YgpZOpfE-5UWCgaeSePzHPqJse3W_cKXDuU4uUg7R8XQuMaqNW/w400-h289/deserve%20happiness.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">We all deserve happiness. This must become a self-belief. You really can't help make everyone else feel happy and feel good if we ourselves are not happy. This means to not put ourselves on the back burner. This will make us feel drained and less able to handle stress.</span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Practicing self-love and self-respect, as well as self-compassion is what will guide us to be able to help others and share our own uniqueness. Remembering that self-love isn't conditional. It is not earned. We are all a being - not a doing. We are deserving as human beings.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Doing things that make us feel good and fuels us is basically what life is all about. It is not ever the time to just put it off for later. Never stop dreaming. There really is more beyond out there for all of us. I never want to coast through life. It really is more fun to be a little bolder and to be daring. Find what brings you most joy, go for it and share it. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78yfuxkaizd2on2DAKJ12mwb2Bp7VPtgls0MDeaVM_NH3lV7jogd1FznFDhLGaNingoKf0j8E4_xx_6ntg4QvK7CsOgZba9BFvOwIGfBhrVfZ3POh2sEeDlXT5loS7h-ianpwE9i1e6VKHmxt18s5rV8FWbmOvF738T2dwuckAuoE4hGZ_gxKFhZN-v8e/s180/th.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="180" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78yfuxkaizd2on2DAKJ12mwb2Bp7VPtgls0MDeaVM_NH3lV7jogd1FznFDhLGaNingoKf0j8E4_xx_6ntg4QvK7CsOgZba9BFvOwIGfBhrVfZ3POh2sEeDlXT5loS7h-ianpwE9i1e6VKHmxt18s5rV8FWbmOvF738T2dwuckAuoE4hGZ_gxKFhZN-v8e/w400-h400/th.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-80569700228252797142024-02-11T13:56:00.000-08:002024-02-11T13:56:54.612-08:00LIFE IS TOUGH<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>LIFE IS TOUGH</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuM9seSSX1c7Uhwjtk0hd7HCtc_eaxWKQzG3W9oLW8vv3ZWXfJP61Z4v3FW6QNhQ14nbva4HVNG2YyT5JqhheRRTw7w7mEn4kowWFchLjwmQWthJWEdnCJMb3_nT2F-jtqJfEvmzNbXl_YlBaQO9QvPuCCkPBxJ8mYvzFSI3NU7aTRDxtbv-hycud5adg0/s352/life%20is%20tough%20but%20so%20are%20you.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="352" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuM9seSSX1c7Uhwjtk0hd7HCtc_eaxWKQzG3W9oLW8vv3ZWXfJP61Z4v3FW6QNhQ14nbva4HVNG2YyT5JqhheRRTw7w7mEn4kowWFchLjwmQWthJWEdnCJMb3_nT2F-jtqJfEvmzNbXl_YlBaQO9QvPuCCkPBxJ8mYvzFSI3NU7aTRDxtbv-hycud5adg0/w400-h340/life%20is%20tough%20but%20so%20are%20you.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">It is so true that the hardest part of healing after losing someone you love is to recover the "you" that went away with them. So many times I have to remind myself that yes indeed, life is tough. But dang it...so am I. I can actually hear Steve saying the words above to me personally. Sometimes it is not always easy to give myself accolades so I use my collection of mantras to read and write about; such as I am amazing. I have made it work thanks to a wonderful family and great friends. And I will not leave out my willingness to ride the wave of life.</span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivs33C9rYhtqEzQpYPwZAv3oEWbh8HJa_gAojEgwwPk4pQo0yZ34CX-jyH2jsdfP-DDERvtysuIFqdDS1IKreSwgDsuth_G_YBz_-j5jLoO7ZUC91eWsT3P-2SuC6kYrbs8FzgZe-RXzhB_0pBwocD1TM5ac6YtTnnODFED1cdC80hiCrcarpgLNrpRrCu/s354/you%20are%20amazing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="354" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivs33C9rYhtqEzQpYPwZAv3oEWbh8HJa_gAojEgwwPk4pQo0yZ34CX-jyH2jsdfP-DDERvtysuIFqdDS1IKreSwgDsuth_G_YBz_-j5jLoO7ZUC91eWsT3P-2SuC6kYrbs8FzgZe-RXzhB_0pBwocD1TM5ac6YtTnnODFED1cdC80hiCrcarpgLNrpRrCu/s320/you%20are%20amazing.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtCv4bHw5_gtEy5dw7FXaiML47wRXBrelpQw-lT3bKsBwFMigpwprQeaow49Nw_aQ_x0i-fgOcI7e_mCrzONdkSNQZLNQkRTzQaHjG4uy6DImbJQq6vfxtQsYljoNwio8LQ0dYWhS_Tij7ifGbAo7enXN3hN12PptUbN_AEr6oZvXIgr9vTQtPfzTUla4/s375/ride%20the%20wave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="249" data-original-width="375" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtCv4bHw5_gtEy5dw7FXaiML47wRXBrelpQw-lT3bKsBwFMigpwprQeaow49Nw_aQ_x0i-fgOcI7e_mCrzONdkSNQZLNQkRTzQaHjG4uy6DImbJQq6vfxtQsYljoNwio8LQ0dYWhS_Tij7ifGbAo7enXN3hN12PptUbN_AEr6oZvXIgr9vTQtPfzTUla4/s320/ride%20the%20wave.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">It is so very important to just keep right on growing.</span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4zTsK3XwJGbsTt1ANwmsCn0XYv1vcJqWGNSLlg9-D5qKLlsDy27plrKCSfmo1AR1C5paZ_CH4Jj-9cvVkfcJzvvlQPboStInnw2-ywYV3e62fkPuaN6yN5-3mfx4mOAGvjINs1XcpL91hrw11ZiTBDJPbPa_kZ5Rj6BWoHjhdEPlHlxq2iCo5jXsTW1z/s283/keep%20growing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="283" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo4zTsK3XwJGbsTt1ANwmsCn0XYv1vcJqWGNSLlg9-D5qKLlsDy27plrKCSfmo1AR1C5paZ_CH4Jj-9cvVkfcJzvvlQPboStInnw2-ywYV3e62fkPuaN6yN5-3mfx4mOAGvjINs1XcpL91hrw11ZiTBDJPbPa_kZ5Rj6BWoHjhdEPlHlxq2iCo5jXsTW1z/s1600/keep%20growing.jpg" width="283" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It is so true, that I would rather be growing with Steve. Believe it or not, I am still slowly taking care of some of his treasures in his drawers and boxes. It is a way of feeling closer to him. There are so many times that I do not feel alone and I can feel him around me. However crazy you may think that sounds, it is true for me. And for me? I plan of doing more of what I love. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQnYNZOYNhoIrgvD6yIE2bv8MxL61EedTXOayQh3k_mQzRjWGEducdrbRpaDD6VzJTWI1F5A3uCWtOs-sKmFVWpjdeIM2mzYhUBTkSx0n0QcpJqN0xf9Tnx0h4Vp8Q7f_hZ6Zc_Z1rTghGIZjJnR535CD3CarqssrxZmbOOnh-bFQpDWAFGYipbsyR-Ez/s304/do%20more%20of%20what%20you%20love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="304" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQnYNZOYNhoIrgvD6yIE2bv8MxL61EedTXOayQh3k_mQzRjWGEducdrbRpaDD6VzJTWI1F5A3uCWtOs-sKmFVWpjdeIM2mzYhUBTkSx0n0QcpJqN0xf9Tnx0h4Vp8Q7f_hZ6Zc_Z1rTghGIZjJnR535CD3CarqssrxZmbOOnh-bFQpDWAFGYipbsyR-Ez/s1600/do%20more%20of%20what%20you%20love.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBys5mSBY2K9JVZeI3_dQdFfhSyStURh6Cku7A0cDhglPL0yAayPX_VvGG8M9RL57jkMGHkrjEEAT5og5KvQZynh98VAuTTYv766sOMKfezf136rhlGfXAhzGpBqEI5rIQYDuWrEQlbtpoxZQ4beRoG2IzjgZWnpmNaAo6TofkXcz0qGQ5NwK-IQ1Qsh3z/s234/be%20conscious%20of%20your%20treasures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="158" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBys5mSBY2K9JVZeI3_dQdFfhSyStURh6Cku7A0cDhglPL0yAayPX_VvGG8M9RL57jkMGHkrjEEAT5og5KvQZynh98VAuTTYv766sOMKfezf136rhlGfXAhzGpBqEI5rIQYDuWrEQlbtpoxZQ4beRoG2IzjgZWnpmNaAo6TofkXcz0qGQ5NwK-IQ1Qsh3z/w216-h320/be%20conscious%20of%20your%20treasures.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Definitely, I am conscious of my treasures. There are so many treasures that Steve helped me to discover when we met and the 20 + years afterwards. That is how I know that I am not alone. As The Beatles song of <i>Now</i> <i>and Then </i>states, "And if I make it through, it's all because of you." He really did make me a stronger person and continues to do so. I know that he would be so proud of how I finally took hold of my life after losing him and took a healthy journey for me. That alone has given me the courage to know that adventure awaits; always keep the doors always open. Don't just survive, THRIVE! I can hear him giving me this advice.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBFX4QjrE5bPBgk0qVisUj5eABEXRu4g7RUm6GTMdlORpda1y_ZAVvLu5CStBpKfIvd9zxlgE0KQve-6R78rFmSMkdh9xxXRhHtgki7-Oviht2b2MFjAPyO26QO6T6aNgr7Nl6StDhXAxUvy9iNU1QTz_DF11QYXeCVAgPbnfNu-ij9xr18seAIcGwd8r/s335/adventure%20waits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="243" data-original-width="335" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPBFX4QjrE5bPBgk0qVisUj5eABEXRu4g7RUm6GTMdlORpda1y_ZAVvLu5CStBpKfIvd9zxlgE0KQve-6R78rFmSMkdh9xxXRhHtgki7-Oviht2b2MFjAPyO26QO6T6aNgr7Nl6StDhXAxUvy9iNU1QTz_DF11QYXeCVAgPbnfNu-ij9xr18seAIcGwd8r/s320/adventure%20waits.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Y1ZvYOG8CVSL3uraDYELv6oxlo9e5OfQIoiLBr4welAi9MNLf-BwXHdvQzbMmh0OK_1dJEpdGULHEotiC6uU9033t-H8dE2nrRn8BOFzxsX9JHtDlnLV0TV89pIA4Q7fXme72U3tLRKJLlLp55_sEM6QoS99NC2lxY3EcTX_MryGC3a5uaPXP35l1Vsh/s249/survive%20to%20thrive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="249" data-original-width="249" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Y1ZvYOG8CVSL3uraDYELv6oxlo9e5OfQIoiLBr4welAi9MNLf-BwXHdvQzbMmh0OK_1dJEpdGULHEotiC6uU9033t-H8dE2nrRn8BOFzxsX9JHtDlnLV0TV89pIA4Q7fXme72U3tLRKJLlLp55_sEM6QoS99NC2lxY3EcTX_MryGC3a5uaPXP35l1Vsh/w320-h320/survive%20to%20thrive.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">If you have read my blogs before or followed my Facebook page you definitely know by now that I believe in quotes and mantras to get me through my day in the positive manner that I wish. If I woke up feeling like a 'Debbie Downer' than it would not be worth getting up and being a grumpy bear all day. I post the mantras on my page more for myself than anyone else. When I was working, I shared one a week with the staff that I worked with and called them djmilestones. I never knew how they were accepted until I noticed in some classrooms that teachers put these little colored strips of paper with the weekly milestone quote around their rooms. WOW! That was powerful. So I knew that it was not just me that felt that way. Even through my FB page, some friends write that they really do enjoy reading the positive quotes or sayings that I post. If it helps someone else then great. It makes me happy.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Some other mantras that I have picked up along the way and are still my favorites, I will share with you on this blog:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">~When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure. ~</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." Dr. Seuss</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." Winnie the Pooh</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">"What we once enjoyed and deeply loved we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes part of us." Helen Keller</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">~ Those we love don't go away, they walk beside us every day...unseen, unheard, but always near, still loved, still missed, and very dear. ~</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">This one truly gave me meaning and helped me understand what I was going though. We all are different and we all walk in different shoes. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Please allow me to share that for the longest time I felt that moving on meant forgetting about my life with Steve. This alone made me NOT want to move on. <i>Finally</i>, I learned that moving on does not mean letting go. It is from the following quote by Mary VanHaute:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>"You will survive and you will find purpose in the chaos. Moving on doesn't mean letting go."</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b> </b> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">In memory of our wedding anniversary on Valentine's Day 2/14/2002:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-cqQFUy8YZmE15dFi1sJSzc3Cytrb_9HmWjPwg4k3nJ1FztdJqH-1ckduhmW4Mqg0eRBOAcFNsF_S9e4zNOnD7UoqxA9pCrGHMrEauigOrPreJRkoJaXXbTONadWsLOyk1N9jj-JqMwDSVkd3-zGEOCHSsm0OBZYY3qgI9ZjblzFDa4EPWoKPQrMF2v3/s5000/heart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4599" data-original-width="5000" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-cqQFUy8YZmE15dFi1sJSzc3Cytrb_9HmWjPwg4k3nJ1FztdJqH-1ckduhmW4Mqg0eRBOAcFNsF_S9e4zNOnD7UoqxA9pCrGHMrEauigOrPreJRkoJaXXbTONadWsLOyk1N9jj-JqMwDSVkd3-zGEOCHSsm0OBZYY3qgI9ZjblzFDa4EPWoKPQrMF2v3/s320/heart.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-5230981397308695832024-02-02T15:27:00.000-08:002024-02-02T15:27:48.784-08:00THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO: HMMMMM!<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO: HMMMMM</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">There are some things swirling around in my brain that for whatever reason, I just think about asking myself if I should even be doing these things. Most of the time, for me, the answer is a great big loud, "NO!" That does not mean that it is not right for another person. We all have our own certain characteristics. What fits one does not always fit another. Some of these things still make me go: hmmmmmm. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7hxaNxPML_I_F4iv17TLhwAiKwHeDkXxjfvxOqi4lriGNV-MQM3UKADB8ZgcLKzazLim-iQVfyuVxT_qr5C_aPvUOVMeesH2eFsJu2mq3Xtq4eSk0QQFeCPSGUJHQ6Gi2vvVags_y_b8o7AwGlRXr_X0i-5Xhkv-0b9-E6EbkfV9XpwgAqQBHDPMbxioC/s474/things%20that%20make%20you%20go%20hmmmm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="474" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7hxaNxPML_I_F4iv17TLhwAiKwHeDkXxjfvxOqi4lriGNV-MQM3UKADB8ZgcLKzazLim-iQVfyuVxT_qr5C_aPvUOVMeesH2eFsJu2mq3Xtq4eSk0QQFeCPSGUJHQ6Gi2vvVags_y_b8o7AwGlRXr_X0i-5Xhkv-0b9-E6EbkfV9XpwgAqQBHDPMbxioC/w400-h251/things%20that%20make%20you%20go%20hmmmm.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: left;">Some of these things are:</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b>Arguing with other people </b> - Why? If they say </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="text-align: left;">2 + 2 =5 then just say, yes, you are correct. (Unless I am a teacher with students or on the debate team). Adults seem to form their own opinions and there is no point in trying to convince them otherwise.</span></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSE2b4tw7TnBqF6-TFDuxUT8A8kLhWAwOzbKUga7yp6X4XVhZfdCuugZbw_UuxtjJSRTjFgpIHbwXuSxvzwhA2lpsgUXjI8tOnwIy8-e3PNg-GAHb6Nil4dvD5JRSJdr34odaZhuBR-8NkwzsApkQintPVZ5-7jHNbgLBKgOIPHst53VFYNpWS2TsYny4/s205/arguing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="137" data-original-width="205" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSE2b4tw7TnBqF6-TFDuxUT8A8kLhWAwOzbKUga7yp6X4XVhZfdCuugZbw_UuxtjJSRTjFgpIHbwXuSxvzwhA2lpsgUXjI8tOnwIy8-e3PNg-GAHb6Nil4dvD5JRSJdr34odaZhuBR-8NkwzsApkQintPVZ5-7jHNbgLBKgOIPHst53VFYNpWS2TsYny4/s1600/arguing.jpg" width="205" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b>Drama</b> - There are some people who have mastered the art of their own personal drama and live for it. I don't have to participate.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HU0-Zts_crkjGxhrUmx59TpCFsVMG88Gg1OFhIbIPIZ8CDEKulmCojSk2xNxjRiwLgOSfw7XB0hF36wbIYcIQMV_Wdxb5SQTCu4PPKYXu0JEFr-X-RiQapk8Z-XfTT9nmERrtX7zVmol3EAFu7z_xZzw29KW6N9aMm3yvRHY0EdGf2Q-mHw0U6zd6MT2/s414/drama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="253" data-original-width="414" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0HU0-Zts_crkjGxhrUmx59TpCFsVMG88Gg1OFhIbIPIZ8CDEKulmCojSk2xNxjRiwLgOSfw7XB0hF36wbIYcIQMV_Wdxb5SQTCu4PPKYXu0JEFr-X-RiQapk8Z-XfTT9nmERrtX7zVmol3EAFu7z_xZzw29KW6N9aMm3yvRHY0EdGf2Q-mHw0U6zd6MT2/s320/drama.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><b>People Pleaser </b>- At one point, I had to come to the </span><span style="text-align: left;">conclusion that everyone does not have to like me so I do not have to try to please every one. In fact, there is no way to try to please everybody. I just do what I feel is right when I must make decisions</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDCkUpTg3uCoUUCXL4zlb2DuBu7GrN1e0nKPE26q6TpuNzptV3R3NbuUUdO6tfnamukoQQYU-nYrFtiUDi0vQSMt5bV1WBiVaM5FDaMJGOfo8Q8XtvJjgSw5szjVzqcN4MGiSW2WflqyJ8lpdsoyyC05cGZ435uU-ZBitILp5N2nWbdD0aqTIU1rIrCGH/s239/people%20pleaser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="239" data-original-width="239" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuDCkUpTg3uCoUUCXL4zlb2DuBu7GrN1e0nKPE26q6TpuNzptV3R3NbuUUdO6tfnamukoQQYU-nYrFtiUDi0vQSMt5bV1WBiVaM5FDaMJGOfo8Q8XtvJjgSw5szjVzqcN4MGiSW2WflqyJ8lpdsoyyC05cGZ435uU-ZBitILp5N2nWbdD0aqTIU1rIrCGH/s1600/people%20pleaser.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="text-align: left;"><b>Sitting on the floor</b> - Yes, I can sit on the floor. It is the getting up part that is tricky (basically due to my knees - a little noisy and a bit painful, so I just choose a chair or a low stool.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1Ee8Cn1-FPdvTxGyQ1ZDldx9eNgbkzqBunZPQnf_lIP6bOP9uNAmx5kY7UtaWNZ_zHFl7TdAFTkw-jUjXzLNxTkk_dFAqBBfGaLzfWqZeK0dG0e3eQOsFrDyYRPL6yS4wNRXXL8qJiJhukzMesE9Z1Q2-vVkKCkPHmgtetmQoMn3v5GbzOucaB2lc5xq/s363/sitting%20on%20the%20floor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="363" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1Ee8Cn1-FPdvTxGyQ1ZDldx9eNgbkzqBunZPQnf_lIP6bOP9uNAmx5kY7UtaWNZ_zHFl7TdAFTkw-jUjXzLNxTkk_dFAqBBfGaLzfWqZeK0dG0e3eQOsFrDyYRPL6yS4wNRXXL8qJiJhukzMesE9Z1Q2-vVkKCkPHmgtetmQoMn3v5GbzOucaB2lc5xq/s320/sitting%20on%20the%20floor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Excuses</span> </b><span style="font-size: large;">- I have come to realize the if the truth be told in the very beginning, then there is no need to ramble on and on with excuses.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-KMXeQTnjw5cNwBreZJ85YxWPTbZyzIPIhvO8POWFbDML6_DF3evWq6bnMcaq49bpaXtDFeDQyOjjPrn8v5zPwftvwVVi_vNBnA756gi_SznXC6IhcUY9y7S5RplOYTJBCAyTN5ELoceMWcRG_N88foDG06IO2SD6BppR0_2ZE_-jhjBlmn9WJbcfq64/s432/excuses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="243" data-original-width="432" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc-KMXeQTnjw5cNwBreZJ85YxWPTbZyzIPIhvO8POWFbDML6_DF3evWq6bnMcaq49bpaXtDFeDQyOjjPrn8v5zPwftvwVVi_vNBnA756gi_SznXC6IhcUY9y7S5RplOYTJBCAyTN5ELoceMWcRG_N88foDG06IO2SD6BppR0_2ZE_-jhjBlmn9WJbcfq64/s320/excuses.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Eating food that is not delicious </b>- Now that I am on my own healthy lifestyle journey, one of my questions to myself is why waste calories if it is not delicious? It is a matter of picking and choosing what I find to be delicious and healthy. And if it is not exactly on my program, then portion control becomes very important if I believe it to be worth the calories.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: verdana; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7Td9NZR1zc4Far-QJiRKbBIVISdpObNqakPADxrqGrJ9XhG41fh0oCcFA4UiU4TdpODIayRM18agCuTS0UAWpvHxZA1-iiMjl2QItqvZMtDXBkyTNMFKQqyizoXsIw8gZiZPE4sES6KYpIg0eMfR51cVqSqGrbWVo4PrjLMxR_onCLzTBMzZGNm1KPDy/s258/you%20are%20what%20you%20eat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="258" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7Td9NZR1zc4Far-QJiRKbBIVISdpObNqakPADxrqGrJ9XhG41fh0oCcFA4UiU4TdpODIayRM18agCuTS0UAWpvHxZA1-iiMjl2QItqvZMtDXBkyTNMFKQqyizoXsIw8gZiZPE4sES6KYpIg0eMfR51cVqSqGrbWVo4PrjLMxR_onCLzTBMzZGNm1KPDy/w400-h367/you%20are%20what%20you%20eat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Partying, staying up too late, and hangovers </b>-</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some of these things go together and for me the question comes up of why? Yes, I like to party just like most others, but I must be the one to chose for me the time to go. I am not in a good mood the next day if I stay up too late. Then having a glass of wine is great. My college days of waking up with an occasional hangover has long passed me by. I had to learn the hard way. (and painful with the headache)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVHbq62DQ34HINOXGZ15CJdIy7eVoTQrwY7Mf25ZkHnaxhF_Q8mw7_EkTSo-_9Py5YxcvVP2hGL7eHOoZZbDHf2CaoRJESHv3C0Fyw0wuwCqPP-FVe4mhljyv6ezdyLHk4reCTEm-vV7TYOwISrlY-t8vNmDldB5osy5ACFcbmliwLgtSYO-62AsNlNZE/s313/staying%20up%20late.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="313" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVHbq62DQ34HINOXGZ15CJdIy7eVoTQrwY7Mf25ZkHnaxhF_Q8mw7_EkTSo-_9Py5YxcvVP2hGL7eHOoZZbDHf2CaoRJESHv3C0Fyw0wuwCqPP-FVe4mhljyv6ezdyLHk4reCTEm-vV7TYOwISrlY-t8vNmDldB5osy5ACFcbmliwLgtSYO-62AsNlNZE/s1600/staying%20up%20late.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">Perhaps you have your life guidelines too. And maybe they are totally different from mine. No two people are ever exactly the same and that is ok! </div><div style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">Whatever we all go by to live a happy life (as long as it is not harming others) is great. Find your own way! I am finding my own way and it changes here and there along the way. To me, that simply means that I am always evolving. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZZjIprLuSpWxxjRjf8R2rEq2jOxglx6jArbFP6yEYDz5cJvdU_M5-KSnRlBqfJ945xry_EWLpCkiA4rPJi9YCWHp_Yj_gha8eBET0h3B056aizG8RCjc19WXQ1OlxTcmWFbgBMDF5yp2ORnoU4XR21SFZ93JG2AqX3c0jprUomVKjiA6uoRNP4jjOaXQ/s237/find%20your%20own%20way.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="204" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZZjIprLuSpWxxjRjf8R2rEq2jOxglx6jArbFP6yEYDz5cJvdU_M5-KSnRlBqfJ945xry_EWLpCkiA4rPJi9YCWHp_Yj_gha8eBET0h3B056aizG8RCjc19WXQ1OlxTcmWFbgBMDF5yp2ORnoU4XR21SFZ93JG2AqX3c0jprUomVKjiA6uoRNP4jjOaXQ/w344-h400/find%20your%20own%20way.jpg" width="344" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>HMMMMM</b></span></div></div></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-12509327537918823002024-01-29T10:03:00.000-08:002024-01-29T11:19:34.123-08:00QUESTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>THE QUESTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR</b></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The New Year is a fresh start and a new chapter waiting to be written. We write our own book.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #111111;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">In reflecting on the past year I have to imagine what excited me the most? What made me the happiest?</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXlF9V3z0P73tHM62P8F5h6AU1QGu64i3KefUIROSf3VtBKA75O756Xq3xUeG2lJClZKVY1rOM1ODsGqiYYV8puR7ci3DWrz0m4G5WIPKnx2ia_3_7sL3eGZBxK6UGvlzKzwle8gIXyGQSmitk2b5GzUanwPind1BLs5updwnOlDCpItv9PZkd-I2HLmw/s432/glowing%20when%20lit%20up%20with%20happiness.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="243" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXlF9V3z0P73tHM62P8F5h6AU1QGu64i3KefUIROSf3VtBKA75O756Xq3xUeG2lJClZKVY1rOM1ODsGqiYYV8puR7ci3DWrz0m4G5WIPKnx2ia_3_7sL3eGZBxK6UGvlzKzwle8gIXyGQSmitk2b5GzUanwPind1BLs5updwnOlDCpItv9PZkd-I2HLmw/w360-h640/glowing%20when%20lit%20up%20with%20happiness.jpg" width="360" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">I believe that we all glow when we are at our happiest so it only seemed fit to think back on what happened to actually get me excited last year. I used my journal from 2023 to read my own words about the people, my habits, and choices that I made that helped to bring me joy. From that point, it was easy to continue and expand on those ideas. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">One of the best decisions that I made was to take a healthy journey and learn great nutritional habits that will be with me for my lifetime. It was amazing as the weight started melting off. Even more impressive was how much better that I felt within myself. I had so much more energy, my joints did not ache, my closet and drawers were cleaned out slowly but surely of clothes that were WAY too big for me. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJri3n09iQRCpvbIOrKMmfH6_ebb6OrvFqdPOOQoy_Q1XQvISJJ0D6rot7S1OCvmDL14Dmz5GwTaRD0c4-hv6dXUZvOQd1vO9fGefYc-Fed_don66z1Mae8J-JpVba8V3uG2aGHRXdb2H0WDZ5HNg1iUoFvQvW2AS95ASNPFG0s2NNrYoM9jKuUB6v25Yg/s4032/Before%20Pic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJri3n09iQRCpvbIOrKMmfH6_ebb6OrvFqdPOOQoy_Q1XQvISJJ0D6rot7S1OCvmDL14Dmz5GwTaRD0c4-hv6dXUZvOQd1vO9fGefYc-Fed_don66z1Mae8J-JpVba8V3uG2aGHRXdb2H0WDZ5HNg1iUoFvQvW2AS95ASNPFG0s2NNrYoM9jKuUB6v25Yg/s320/Before%20Pic.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">Which in turn, I did have some older clothes that I loved and did hang on to hanging in the back of my closet and drawers. Guess what? Now they fit! As time goes on, some of these are even too big and I am now buying a few new things along the way. Being a clothes horse, it really makes me happy that I now enjoy getting new clothes in regular sizes. This picture is in a new and fun sweatshirt about my feelings of Winter. I am 83 pounds down when this one was taken.😃To say this makes me happy is definitely an understatement.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhABfDn8FOPNrWiFOLqzPQZgPUS0-n9XLWlNpY_zYIvAuswhFnw6ld5-FfpQTwzCtJs-9YrPohQ4fKJZHd8rBLBKKteOZSAfkPbABCs_OJfnHhorg9KDA7oWgt3U0Ge1ftCpxZKXhVUuySFFDvOsfJvpOjJOAumefBy8-HLIYnznW6Ly4yWJKPUWYEZz9YN/s3088/winter%2083%20pounds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhABfDn8FOPNrWiFOLqzPQZgPUS0-n9XLWlNpY_zYIvAuswhFnw6ld5-FfpQTwzCtJs-9YrPohQ4fKJZHd8rBLBKKteOZSAfkPbABCs_OJfnHhorg9KDA7oWgt3U0Ge1ftCpxZKXhVUuySFFDvOsfJvpOjJOAumefBy8-HLIYnznW6Ly4yWJKPUWYEZz9YN/w300-h400/winter%2083%20pounds.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></p><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The people who brought me joy were my family; both those that I live with and those that live away and we all visit each other from time to time. Also, my good friends - those that I see on a regular basis and those that I don't get to be with except on social media. The person who helped me get on my healthy journal - My COACH! She is the best support system for me and is always there to answer my questions and help me along the path. I am almost there and then she will be there to get me through maintenance and beyond. She is more than a coach; she is a very good friend!</span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEMzpq0YsC2scNQpojM2dCsxge8ho-LfUPtRrhcPv3tdeXjgOuNBtNkL2fFk5OYyzJRBVxRBNsiBJ7-uEdU8kpGX6xoXCwg4x7EMO7FndzEoEk2dBqnKqoiYeRvQULBJoPciOsHKe0izdhhxVQ9rAWpMNNv24-feJIiqLS9-w0YLXepPxImhqp4hMSv8f1/s383/find%20what%20can%20bring%20you%20up%20when%20you%20are%20drained.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="263" data-original-width="383" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEMzpq0YsC2scNQpojM2dCsxge8ho-LfUPtRrhcPv3tdeXjgOuNBtNkL2fFk5OYyzJRBVxRBNsiBJ7-uEdU8kpGX6xoXCwg4x7EMO7FndzEoEk2dBqnKqoiYeRvQULBJoPciOsHKe0izdhhxVQ9rAWpMNNv24-feJIiqLS9-w0YLXepPxImhqp4hMSv8f1/w400-h275/find%20what%20can%20bring%20you%20up%20when%20you%20are%20drained.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The next question that is important to reflect upon is to think about what it was that drained me. Things or people that brought me down. Events and situations can happen that may be totally out of my control. Some of what seemed to drain me, if I allowed it to, would be situations when out driving, or coming face to face or on the phone with a rude customer service representative (that is an oxymoron). Luckily, that did not happen often but when it happened, my ticket out of being sucked down the drain with them was to just think of one reason to remain joyful. Something that I am grateful for. OK - to be totally honest with you, there are times that I must think of more than just one reason to remain joyful. Imagine? It is not that hard to think about what I feel grateful for in my life. Those reasons are all around me and always swirling about in my head.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLE5z7Y23j_opGRFMlDlRVtdttg9T4T-3_BxJJOOxtkP6WJR54Ue3jsaTiDByx1Htn3POxrpCl36qChkz_R2J3IjZ5KjwfxKPFCvuXvIG8JfdyzYlLGI_6zJoWfbMTQSXtLa67ZUQvSasRefk6-lLMI8Qy1btwlXh2JolX7bmVjlaDV213H3KXMWunnBNt/s413/what%20do%20we%20want%20out%20of%20life.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="413" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLE5z7Y23j_opGRFMlDlRVtdttg9T4T-3_BxJJOOxtkP6WJR54Ue3jsaTiDByx1Htn3POxrpCl36qChkz_R2J3IjZ5KjwfxKPFCvuXvIG8JfdyzYlLGI_6zJoWfbMTQSXtLa67ZUQvSasRefk6-lLMI8Qy1btwlXh2JolX7bmVjlaDV213H3KXMWunnBNt/s320/what%20do%20we%20want%20out%20of%20life.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqIpbKq-g_4FSQyZ1c0XIoM0Ml-IuDUZg5HryZ4cv1lEi91RrnKf6O5DK8MMMDY5WoLCGSytD2cfW-K_x3E1DatrNpckmtYaVDruvmAGYbljc8CecmHgK76qXm7tpVunePa2Rr1Rdp-WcGtnhLA5kMydrhwZIQXz2MqAdWdGI6SwOhCon4ip7IICmXkSM/s234/less%20of.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="219" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqIpbKq-g_4FSQyZ1c0XIoM0Ml-IuDUZg5HryZ4cv1lEi91RrnKf6O5DK8MMMDY5WoLCGSytD2cfW-K_x3E1DatrNpckmtYaVDruvmAGYbljc8CecmHgK76qXm7tpVunePa2Rr1Rdp-WcGtnhLA5kMydrhwZIQXz2MqAdWdGI6SwOhCon4ip7IICmXkSM/s1600/less%20of.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The third and fourth questions for 2024 go together. What do I want more of and what do I need less of for this upcoming year? I definitely want more of the good way that I am living my life. To continue to stay on my healthy journey, definitely to continue to shop for new clothes (without going overboard - which kind of fits in what I need less of, such as shoes, handbags and just general clutter). One question that I now stop and ask myself before purchasing something is if I already have something similar, where am I going to put this new item and is it really necessary? </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Spending more time in the kitchen being creative makes me very happy. I miss spending my time cooking with Steve so very much. Many times, I can feel him with me as I add a little of this and a little of that to my recipes. Or even as I search for new recipes. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">After reading a book called, <u>The Gifts They Left Behind</u> by April Rohde really opened my eyes and allowed me to feel what I was truly feeling. It validated my thoughts about Steve being all around me. He seems to come to me in the form of a cardinal. I got busy getting the bird feeder ready outside my window after the snow and rain left our area and every day the same cardinal comes to get the special seed that I put in it. My daughter gave me a cardinal snow globe that lights up and one of my granddaughters saw a page of cardinal stickers when she was out shopping for other things and she thought of me and cardinals/Steve (or as he is known to all of the granddaughters - Smiley). I have a picture of the cardinal outside of my study window through the shutters. So it is not exactly perfectly clear. The windows need a good cleaning when Spring Time comes but I am sure that you get the idea.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfdFSGCpgLGOxM57XkO_9QK_CoemnZenP7WB4A6RF84BGGvjuAgwtfqPg_Nt38dS4d6EZhFwa6ljT2F-NYlmgGOJeR5A6pDtL7l9nY0XxkTiD2lfCin17YfsBmF88Ry0hp6oQy1jbt9FSIBGPQLiGd9NxIbvXVSIOs86hQK4mCWv5B-OJUq3VBLyFQ0n2/s4032/cardinal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyfdFSGCpgLGOxM57XkO_9QK_CoemnZenP7WB4A6RF84BGGvjuAgwtfqPg_Nt38dS4d6EZhFwa6ljT2F-NYlmgGOJeR5A6pDtL7l9nY0XxkTiD2lfCin17YfsBmF88Ry0hp6oQy1jbt9FSIBGPQLiGd9NxIbvXVSIOs86hQK4mCWv5B-OJUq3VBLyFQ0n2/w300-h400/cardinal.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana;"><br /><br /><div style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;">When cardinals appear, angels are near. This is my belief and for me, my cardinal is very special to me. The book that I mentioned above reminded me that when I believe beyond what I can see, signs from heaven show up to remind me that love never dies.</div><div style="font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">This is my story and I intend to always make it beautiful.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8uMPfh1YZbhhyphenhyphen1NizbGj3topygYWDcfdOZ7trkcaMnDLWa9np3tPv2hiAKcUV9Gx5xSasoJvhBNW1mXK8Z8NNmzOFz9GkAqYuK4a8wGyGBPqo9lewS9awzx0eX5c6kliasGSpB9iLIs8Olq06cH33NxLNfgM8QYnXwmytVdfb13wQBW34xV320L_kXT-/s4032/snow%20globe%20cardinal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8uMPfh1YZbhhyphenhyphen1NizbGj3topygYWDcfdOZ7trkcaMnDLWa9np3tPv2hiAKcUV9Gx5xSasoJvhBNW1mXK8Z8NNmzOFz9GkAqYuK4a8wGyGBPqo9lewS9awzx0eX5c6kliasGSpB9iLIs8Olq06cH33NxLNfgM8QYnXwmytVdfb13wQBW34xV320L_kXT-/s320/snow%20globe%20cardinal.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li></ul></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p class="pantry--label desktopnavigation_sectionName__7ncqA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: nyt-karnak, nyt-stymie, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.4rem; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.08em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 16px; text-transform: uppercase;"></p><ul class="desktopnavigation_sectionLinks__mIzli" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/90084-best-zucchini-recipes" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/26770618-sweet-potato-recipes" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/2974811-best-eggplant-recipes" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/tag/cabbage" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/15068076-best-asparagus-recipes" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/topics/our-best-tomato-recipes" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li></ul></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p class="pantry--label desktopnavigation_sectionName__7ncqA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: nyt-karnak, nyt-stymie, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.4rem; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.08em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 16px; text-transform: uppercase;"></p><ul class="desktopnavigation_sectionLinks__mIzli" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/22792-best-tofu-recipes" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/tag/lentil" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/2692288-chickpea-recipes" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/tag/bean" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li></ul></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p class="pantry--label desktopnavigation_sectionName__7ncqA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: nyt-karnak, nyt-stymie, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.4rem; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.08em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 16px; text-transform: uppercase;"></p><ul class="desktopnavigation_sectionLinks__mIzli" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/topics/our-best-pasta-recipes" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/475694-easy-weeknight-noodles" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/54961-best-rice-recipes" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/tag/quinoa" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/1001962-best-bread-recipes" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/tag/couscous" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li></ul></div></div></div><div class="desktopnavigation_globalNavCategory__JoHFc" style="box-sizing: border-box; height: 49px; padding-right: 40px;"><button style="appearance: none; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-color: initial; border-radius: 0px; border-style: none; border-width: initial; cursor: pointer; font-family: nyt-franklin, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; height: 49px; margin: 0px; outline: inherit; padding: 0px;"><p class="pantry--ui-lg-strong desktopnavigation_navigationCategory__a1PmS" style="border-bottom: 4px solid transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.8rem; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 9px 0px;">Occasions</p></button><div class="desktopnavigation_desktopOpenMenu__Lr7ul desktopnavigation_occasionsMenu__FjOUb" style="border-radius: 0px 0px 8px 8px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08) 0px 8px 8px; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: row; gap: 80px; left: 325px; opacity: 0; padding: 32px 60px; position: absolute; top: 49px; transition-delay: 0.2s; visibility: hidden;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p class="pantry--label desktopnavigation_sectionName__7ncqA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: nyt-karnak, nyt-stymie, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.4rem; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.08em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 16px; text-transform: uppercase;"></p><ul class="desktopnavigation_sectionLinks__mIzli" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/864096-lunar-and-chinese-new-year" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/43447550-best-super-bowl-recipes" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/839100-valentines-day-dinner-ideas-and-recipes" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/21273-mardi-gras" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li></ul></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p class="pantry--label desktopnavigation_sectionName__7ncqA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: nyt-karnak, nyt-stymie, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 1.4rem; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.08em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 16px; text-transform: uppercase;"></p><ul class="desktopnavigation_sectionLinks__mIzli" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 16px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/tag/birthday" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/44345642-brunch-recipes" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/44281363-date-night-recipes" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/topics/entertaining" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a class="link_link__7WCQy link_default__lKxiG" href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/68861692-nyt-cooking/2975650-our-best-summer-picnic-recipes" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; display: inline-block; text-decoration-line: none;"><p class="pantry--ui" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></p></a></li></ul></div></div></div><div class="desktopnavigation_globalNavCategory__JoHFc" style="box-sizing: border-box; height: 49px; padding-right: 40px;"><button style="appearance: none; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-color: initial; border-radius: 0px; border-style: none; border-width: initial; cursor: pointer; font-family: nyt-franklin, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; height: 49px; margin: 0px; outline: inherit; padding: 0px;"><p class="pantry--ui-lg-strong desktopnavigation_navigationCategory__a1PmS" style="border-bottom: 4px solid transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.8rem; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.45; margin: 0px; padding: 9px 0px;">About Us<span style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; letter-spacing: 0.01em; text-align: left;">The people who made me feel the happiest were my children, my granddaughters, the crazy furballs that run around the house, great friends and a wonderful COACH who helps me on my journey. I just could not do without any of these people and they all bring me joy! So I want to continue on this path and make it grow even more</span></p></button></div></nav></div></header></div><span style="color: #111111; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-59346024498930954322024-01-20T13:40:00.000-08:002024-01-20T15:09:56.167-08:00WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT MEMPHIS<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>WHAT IS GREAT ABOUT MEMPHIS</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSR0piJxWMDvyCvGyTa1RY3o5v4bcfUR7mT093yL9q_NhQMCqRmZs8-5LzTIALOmgARK7kGSuSGwOwURlBAhiO87tqNCOGLikHB_IYCpW2SPrfM5FDAzJmBGKwjvRYGcmqAPlKnF_iiRG_GTbl_2N06SYxgd6d7Obxuil9zZzCTw1QZt9-XOcbhnhoQklk/s395/m%20BRIDGE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="263" data-original-width="395" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSR0piJxWMDvyCvGyTa1RY3o5v4bcfUR7mT093yL9q_NhQMCqRmZs8-5LzTIALOmgARK7kGSuSGwOwURlBAhiO87tqNCOGLikHB_IYCpW2SPrfM5FDAzJmBGKwjvRYGcmqAPlKnF_iiRG_GTbl_2N06SYxgd6d7Obxuil9zZzCTw1QZt9-XOcbhnhoQklk/w640-h426/m%20BRIDGE.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">What exactly is great about Memphis? There are a lot of nay-sayers out there but I am not one of them. In fact, I am of the belief that they are most definitely in the minority. Look at that beautiful "M" bridge that looks so majestic lit up over the Mississippi River. There are so many good things about Memphis and some things that need work on. There also are some things that we do not need to take too seriously. Let's be real and be able to laugh about some things.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Things like when there is a rumor of snow coming everyone goes out and stocks up on bread and milk. I have always wondered if they were going to make themselves a milk sandwich?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-hErBCbTlkhYEUfWsAgHVp3QpWVjBlU4M-Yy7LGbEs41G8YEXway4xeA5EPq-QRsnYwo5a3bDZV1jL04-NfzfiEL8299iSsnh4il6wa4P_wDpour1j0R0XQTsi07D0pGAazTTMXsooM48AEUDr4sQ2M4W-QEs3ke6SUSDE-IaBfIt_gL-svjb1I_Zt8v/s321/rushing%20to%20grocery.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="321" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-hErBCbTlkhYEUfWsAgHVp3QpWVjBlU4M-Yy7LGbEs41G8YEXway4xeA5EPq-QRsnYwo5a3bDZV1jL04-NfzfiEL8299iSsnh4il6wa4P_wDpour1j0R0XQTsi07D0pGAazTTMXsooM48AEUDr4sQ2M4W-QEs3ke6SUSDE-IaBfIt_gL-svjb1I_Zt8v/w400-h291/rushing%20to%20grocery.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">This is rather amusing. The past few days it actually happened. We did get about 6 - 8 inches of snow which pretty much paralyzed the city. We do not have the equipment to handle that so everything shut down.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyW2O_5QC2RYkXkwcJyiyZBJKnUyZwDRGkA1Jeq8BQtkgOm2ItpDcWxO-_GmN8ey7Qu27a_9UOeyIv9x8XXca6IymWmvxTMOhUMGoK0EC507glnd45rdghsDoYo4ffXk_OAdt1AN0XDZ_dmhsrCXbcuE45mJwrU55nsLSqcEFTnbBmnTWhRlrTIkKJUckw/s422/snow%20in%20memphis.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="422" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyW2O_5QC2RYkXkwcJyiyZBJKnUyZwDRGkA1Jeq8BQtkgOm2ItpDcWxO-_GmN8ey7Qu27a_9UOeyIv9x8XXca6IymWmvxTMOhUMGoK0EC507glnd45rdghsDoYo4ffXk_OAdt1AN0XDZ_dmhsrCXbcuE45mJwrU55nsLSqcEFTnbBmnTWhRlrTIkKJUckw/w640-h354/snow%20in%20memphis.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">The few who braved it (for whatever reason) were stuck or in fender benders or just slid right off the road. It did finally get a little better but it has been a week since many businesses have opened and when groceries did open their shelves were bare. Big trucks could not get in to deliver the food and there were not enough workers who could drive in to stock the shelves. In other words, it was a big mess. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Throw in the fact that the temperatures were below freezing - like single digit below - and now we have water pipes bursting for many people. We were instructed to let all faucets drip water and open the cabinets so that pipes did not freeze. This in turn led to low water pressure with all of the city water mains and pipes bursting so now we all were instructed to not drink the water. We must boil the water for at least a minute before drinking it or using it for cooking. It makes it hard for a family but think about the restaurants. Most of them have no way to get that much water in order to wash produce and to cook, much less to wash dishes, have ice for drinks, etc. It sort of boggles the brain to just think about.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">That is where we are right now. So to move on to other things about Memphis that is great - there are people out there setting up places to distribute free cases of water and delivering food to those who can't get out for it. Along with warming centers opening for those who are homeless or living without electricity during these cold and unbearable circumstances. People helping people. We are known for that.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some other things that Memphis is known for are:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNkuM0V4fiwr00JX5suKfXfCuYMVWrtWK34bIDEv-D46iDcFoSK_nuEDrEnRe-Fk5Poq3tsy3HXUsKv6IDd5hezupGO-RvzXr4i0hrvikQBQJUc0GR4zvhW_l5kSrL10fyEmpPptgDWModB_Pvm5eaA50EbQg9gNJMxf1DcANs90py7lmBZlNfg7IAybdC/s448/best%20bbq%20in%20memphis.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="448" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNkuM0V4fiwr00JX5suKfXfCuYMVWrtWK34bIDEv-D46iDcFoSK_nuEDrEnRe-Fk5Poq3tsy3HXUsKv6IDd5hezupGO-RvzXr4i0hrvikQBQJUc0GR4zvhW_l5kSrL10fyEmpPptgDWModB_Pvm5eaA50EbQg9gNJMxf1DcANs90py7lmBZlNfg7IAybdC/w400-h209/best%20bbq%20in%20memphis.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Ahhh...the BBQ. I am not going to put it out there of which is my personal favorite. We all have favorites and no matter where you go - no BBQ is quite like Memphis BBQ.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">There there are polls for the BEST of and let's just say Memphis may have the BBQ but it is not where one would expect to get fresh seafood. We are landlocked. However, let's think about this one. For several years in a row Red Lobster won the best seafood restaurant. I am not putting them down, really, I am not. I just am not so sure that they have fresh seafood brought in. The one thing that I do remember about them is that they had the best Cheddar Biscuits ever. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQ6sCEC3Vloy303GmnOcFWH_E9PnBa4QgYQYXGzgmYzI0XFov-q3ljS9v6PE2RXRaC3ONHyDGn71C1GSqOz1N5KsQnOOzAG9vfA_pMjMvvhH_l38Hw151zt2PmEXdkm78N4oAJoEj5Qe4c0_REJnhC5M66vgH25JjQNLc-ztklnLE74GXO5euRC9Pf-Pq/s179/red%20lobster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="179" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQ6sCEC3Vloy303GmnOcFWH_E9PnBa4QgYQYXGzgmYzI0XFov-q3ljS9v6PE2RXRaC3ONHyDGn71C1GSqOz1N5KsQnOOzAG9vfA_pMjMvvhH_l38Hw151zt2PmEXdkm78N4oAJoEj5Qe4c0_REJnhC5M66vgH25JjQNLc-ztklnLE74GXO5euRC9Pf-Pq/w400-h331/red%20lobster.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">There are some restaurants in our city that get fresh seafood and serve delicious seafood entrees and appetizers, such as Coastal Fish Company, Tsunami and I am sure others that I have not had the pleasure of dining in yet. There is even a trailer that comes in to a large parking lot with fresh Gulf seafood catches. Paradise Seafood will even give you tips on what is the best way to prepare the seafood that you purchase from them. They send out e-mails in advance to let you know what they have and the days they will be in a particular location. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some tourist interests could be the giant pyramid that is amazing looking and and at one time was a venue for sports, concerts and other events. It went on to become a pyramid with a big fish on it. Bass Pro Shop bought it and have an amazing store within the pyramid. There is a pond where you can fish to try out rods, along with other outdoor sporting events. A luxury hotel and a restaurant at the top with a view of the city top it off.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_plWRmYkaYlMffJuicfe32_uJiVJ8nTqSclUBcLy2NZ2uiATH3cCJd2-J2jLDTNI9yUflkANaH_xto0rzdUAS1UZZ2KMq0_OacMTchNkLAC2NNDf3hlUArf_-XfVUKibY8ky4vGLBo7zM37f6j1cAG1oNhAWYTVS4hC8kM37TOdvySoZ9jj-Ykkn_KxOe/s1500/pryamid.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_plWRmYkaYlMffJuicfe32_uJiVJ8nTqSclUBcLy2NZ2uiATH3cCJd2-J2jLDTNI9yUflkANaH_xto0rzdUAS1UZZ2KMq0_OacMTchNkLAC2NNDf3hlUArf_-XfVUKibY8ky4vGLBo7zM37f6j1cAG1oNhAWYTVS4hC8kM37TOdvySoZ9jj-Ykkn_KxOe/w640-h426/pryamid.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">If you notice, there is also a duck below the Bass Pro Shop sign because Ducks Unlimited have joined the outdoor theme at the Memphis Pyramid. Did the Egyptians have all of this?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Memphis also has the Memphis Redbirds, affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals, we have 901 Soccer, and our NBA team of The Grizzlies. The University of Memphis (formerly known as Memphis State) has a wonderful following for both their basketball and football teams. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let's not forget that Memphis is home to Graceland.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-pIhbLNpSQLkCoxemEioId2R1MS4JGU9Pu-s7PhdPJxmmcJamI0beTO7eDv86o1GKCkBkPQccejPx-TThQP-ROfuLq_8cxMhcsZY3NNfw6ImAzQZZ3qc5pk5UocDYngzoJ0FY5g8W6kJAL9ClGMuQdUI0iRjO-ASkNOrSr-f4w3DUUkvP2-C0ai6HCAV/s374/graceland.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="374" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe-pIhbLNpSQLkCoxemEioId2R1MS4JGU9Pu-s7PhdPJxmmcJamI0beTO7eDv86o1GKCkBkPQccejPx-TThQP-ROfuLq_8cxMhcsZY3NNfw6ImAzQZZ3qc5pk5UocDYngzoJ0FY5g8W6kJAL9ClGMuQdUI0iRjO-ASkNOrSr-f4w3DUUkvP2-C0ai6HCAV/s320/graceland.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Many visitors come daily to go through the Elvis mansion and other attractions there. Probably, I get most frustrated at tourists who believe this is the only thing to see in Memphis. There are so many other worthy sites like Sun Recording Studio, The Civil Rights Museum, STAX Records, Gibson Guitars, The Peabody, and the list goes on. I sort of lose my patience with locals who say there is nothing to do in Memphis. And let's not even talk about the wonderful theaters and museums that we have here in Memphis. PLUS it is a city of the ARTS! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some seem to think that literally everyone in town has been shot and/or robbed. And yes, Memphis does have a problem that is being worked on and trying to solve, especially with a new team of leaders coming in. Let's give them all of the support that we can. The crime rate is high. We all must be vigilant when we go out and be aware of our surroundings. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">As far as rush hour traffic, the lack of using turn signals, Union Avenue with that left lane and Poplar Avenue that is just way too narrow in most places and the right lane is as bad as the left lane on Union. If those complaining have ever driven daily in rush hour in Houston, Chicago, Boston, Dallas or other larger cities then there would be a whole new meaning of rush hour. Speed is definitely a problem. The number of police officers is a problem. All problems that are being worked on. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Working together instead of complaining would be a great start. The quote about being a part of the solution, not the problem definitely fits here. We don't want more people to leave Memphis. So let's make a good city GREAT again! The city of Memphis, as well as the suburbs need to come together and help find solutions to these problems. They are more prevalent in the city of Memphis but as we all know, they are in the suburbs also. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Playfair Display", "serif", helvetica, arial, verdana; text-align: justify;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: inherit;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney</span></b></span></em></div></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-30773410101036819712024-01-14T14:38:00.000-08:002024-01-14T14:38:41.836-08:00TRAIN YOUR BRAIN<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>TRAIN YOUR BRAIN</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0BKkFNsdEsvnNWV7QDySLmhMC5Tei3ttEJIowVZwQ4xGIHXrW4lLjpaquwWLg_4Nknzn9cHXVstIMIix-DCZi5ufkMxdgd_YLuHcxDj_bwIcyvjZel6fGt1QTvswXtYcqyf8WgQiLOuJ4NQ3-DOIKO5IDDbRwZ5F3fIgqG6xf2Rmq-M15_HGJlkQFf5r4/s474/train%20your%20brain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0BKkFNsdEsvnNWV7QDySLmhMC5Tei3ttEJIowVZwQ4xGIHXrW4lLjpaquwWLg_4Nknzn9cHXVstIMIix-DCZi5ufkMxdgd_YLuHcxDj_bwIcyvjZel6fGt1QTvswXtYcqyf8WgQiLOuJ4NQ3-DOIKO5IDDbRwZ5F3fIgqG6xf2Rmq-M15_HGJlkQFf5r4/s320/train%20your%20brain.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">There really is a way to train our brains to help whenever we find ourselves becoming increasingly frustrated when things go wrong. Because, let's face it. "STUFF" happens. It can be as simple as spilling coffee over our white shirt to our flights being delayed or even canceled. There actually are some ways to work on training our brains to cope better when difficult things happen. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLglUrckUWWP77MAeIOntYH2cyUaxAvwk61zSSU79Jmupd29S03noPml7ifuXYbQPH6Xh7SMCUjnkeSraLaJaj2_sYoCJ0FJpQv87b_jPO-YEZEOe8R0ipgV0PdPRrrq2AMSEqRegyPxv6pkHfKSLGwnC5-Gsy_LybU3c7qTErIAEPhM-AA60XStn-W3Je/s236/coping%20skills%20and%20strategies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="236" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLglUrckUWWP77MAeIOntYH2cyUaxAvwk61zSSU79Jmupd29S03noPml7ifuXYbQPH6Xh7SMCUjnkeSraLaJaj2_sYoCJ0FJpQv87b_jPO-YEZEOe8R0ipgV0PdPRrrq2AMSEqRegyPxv6pkHfKSLGwnC5-Gsy_LybU3c7qTErIAEPhM-AA60XStn-W3Je/s1600/coping%20skills%20and%20strategies.jpg" width="236" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Reading about some of the coping strategies helped to make me more aware of what I was already using, as well as some new things to go about coping. One new way in particular was called the 'Rule of 12.' Dr. Daniel shared this trick when things don't go as planned. The trick is to remember to write down on paper or jot it down in the notes on your phone each thing that irritates you as it happens. Where the trick comes in to play is that you express anger only after the 13th event happened. That way we are saving ourselves from the exhaustion of constant frustration. This helps us to stay psychologically healthy and mentally strong. The very fact of knowing that we have the power to change our negative thoughts by being aware of them rather than consumed by them.</span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you think about it, just a ten mile drive to work can cause things that irritate us. That guy who is honking his horn because you did not start up the very second the light turned green, or the guy who butted in front of you on the interstate with barely enough room between you and the car in front of you...the list can go on and on. Not to mention things at work or going in the grocery store, or completing tasks on the computer. We all come across frustrating events. The trick is to get the right mindset to deal with these events. Taking a step back and asking ourselves what exactly is going through our minds at the time that we felt that emotion. Asking ourselves what would a specific, positive friend say in response to the situation and then ask whether it will really matter that much in a day, a week, a month or even in a year. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkKK1CgRYG3DHkyctzGrMzkYdTvnpBCxgzE8Pj9SUWHQ8AD34xBk92Vs1QWpVESHRPnm9OoUBBYggqOc9_qTiCUSLQiTLYpklrm7_X5jVmdg8AQOJMp5t1fJD-EHVvXgkiFCnJC3hVYXb54dnOASiu2Tu0l8SUBVtURdOCNiNkebHPlf9FKW6OqacyAszM/s323/stay%20calm%20in%20the%20storm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="323" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkKK1CgRYG3DHkyctzGrMzkYdTvnpBCxgzE8Pj9SUWHQ8AD34xBk92Vs1QWpVESHRPnm9OoUBBYggqOc9_qTiCUSLQiTLYpklrm7_X5jVmdg8AQOJMp5t1fJD-EHVvXgkiFCnJC3hVYXb54dnOASiu2Tu0l8SUBVtURdOCNiNkebHPlf9FKW6OqacyAszM/w400-h400/stay%20calm%20in%20the%20storm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Challenging our negative thoughts, rather than accepting them is a way to work on training our brains. I, for one, must remember that it may just be my perception rather than reality. Our brains get in the habit for looking for the bad in each day, so we need to look for the good instead. Looking for opportunities instead of seeing frustration always seem to help my thought patterns. Believe and Hope were my words to live by in 2022 and 2023. This year it is Imagine. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">This helps me use the right vocabulary to get through my days with less frustration. Instead of saying, "Get through my days," I like to think of it as being able to choose what I give my attention to and set my own boundaries. Choosing what is really important and what I can just let go of. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqhu0dU2bEbf8nRatQg8bF9xFow2__EdjpLU3TbyctBaUwg7TM7WOcWzTSXSFkWAgOlMJAec0r9H7fQjvy8-qEjIaz8gaAEq_wrEUSRQae_nsgS-EqRcdKvHmmJdKO-lQ7kt4uA1Vqvd8fUKW1bSZ6hwKaqkQBvugEnfhJdAGSZbFoHFHILkLVAYDxDJw/s325/mindfulness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="325" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqhu0dU2bEbf8nRatQg8bF9xFow2__EdjpLU3TbyctBaUwg7TM7WOcWzTSXSFkWAgOlMJAec0r9H7fQjvy8-qEjIaz8gaAEq_wrEUSRQae_nsgS-EqRcdKvHmmJdKO-lQ7kt4uA1Vqvd8fUKW1bSZ6hwKaqkQBvugEnfhJdAGSZbFoHFHILkLVAYDxDJw/s320/mindfulness.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Another way to look at it is accepting my emotions and stop judging them. Always look for that dose of HOPE! And then IMAGINE!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlGEVtClxn-0YPVCeloP8H_4Vm81p7XuygE8xuqqaaE9_ejB6d1JVO1nvE6AhXid5zHbLzC_pk_fV6a_yXWT9yAi3j44Ug5Ur51su_naBphHzWESyh04Lh7G0FOQa4kXqTAxZ4vjFkhesfaHF6te9YH5DB05z83pDrAKSUqTVpvSz0N6Yz_JYGsnO4FoA/s1500/set%20boundaries.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlGEVtClxn-0YPVCeloP8H_4Vm81p7XuygE8xuqqaaE9_ejB6d1JVO1nvE6AhXid5zHbLzC_pk_fV6a_yXWT9yAi3j44Ug5Ur51su_naBphHzWESyh04Lh7G0FOQa4kXqTAxZ4vjFkhesfaHF6te9YH5DB05z83pDrAKSUqTVpvSz0N6Yz_JYGsnO4FoA/s320/set%20boundaries.png" width="256" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">For me, the key is HOPE!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgJ7gFr1yIA7AEZFgl9ciJGYmisK030-TLZjfNtWa3ZJ7p91gb9N1PjIBKkn0zObymdDwkQr6hhqtNxFyetOugGfCB64-7ZEbn8h_NzRhnE01rgh7fmcCRxgHP3TotZkpsl8LLNA07fjG7ptOYd2Jabvq7COJNWgs6UD0EZaIaK_y10Wg12ycafT4MlYV/s383/hope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="254" data-original-width="383" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgJ7gFr1yIA7AEZFgl9ciJGYmisK030-TLZjfNtWa3ZJ7p91gb9N1PjIBKkn0zObymdDwkQr6hhqtNxFyetOugGfCB64-7ZEbn8h_NzRhnE01rgh7fmcCRxgHP3TotZkpsl8LLNA07fjG7ptOYd2Jabvq7COJNWgs6UD0EZaIaK_y10Wg12ycafT4MlYV/s320/hope.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Just IMAGINE!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0LaWvjUGrdGyRK_joORcdUWSlEXxCJPnaiflQEuEkT5AhIPoL9KI3SU5sR5OFFbvDYgbrxWOyAU2JdePC0ROnuAzKy5SFDdi2iOir8kQChgsPSZNnWEl75Pp7su7QkK6W9w1o8pjQ3YbvnwUaBLALDypAjA3RY64zFJfYkvt7OfwGDkicg7bg9gj8AmXk/s179/imagine%20rainbow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="179" data-original-width="179" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0LaWvjUGrdGyRK_joORcdUWSlEXxCJPnaiflQEuEkT5AhIPoL9KI3SU5sR5OFFbvDYgbrxWOyAU2JdePC0ROnuAzKy5SFDdi2iOir8kQChgsPSZNnWEl75Pp7su7QkK6W9w1o8pjQ3YbvnwUaBLALDypAjA3RY64zFJfYkvt7OfwGDkicg7bg9gj8AmXk/w400-h400/imagine%20rainbow.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-28944690869401405612024-01-07T12:46:00.000-08:002024-01-07T12:46:30.032-08:00WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywFv689sr63gRkuq2WlZcpVs2JkWl9Al5ayVEgVjtySO93Ly9cASQpxvpnK0ez93sjVKEn2OzzJ231s-C4rJroLDE1XLM8km0wgrFCfgWvwJUW9OOVm7K6F-LzdZQ08-E3TrguOohAVbIT3nRAAIVsUxaRWM-V3yaNPYAPx26mp1MYlXb9Z8nF0ACj1Kj/s356/the%20image%20of%20weight%20loss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="237" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywFv689sr63gRkuq2WlZcpVs2JkWl9Al5ayVEgVjtySO93Ly9cASQpxvpnK0ez93sjVKEn2OzzJ231s-C4rJroLDE1XLM8km0wgrFCfgWvwJUW9OOVm7K6F-LzdZQ08-E3TrguOohAVbIT3nRAAIVsUxaRWM-V3yaNPYAPx26mp1MYlXb9Z8nF0ACj1Kj/w266-h400/the%20image%20of%20weight%20loss.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">This quote struck a bell with me because until I found my special weight loss journey, it was exactly how I felt. Up until I made my decision to take a life long journey for my health and started to see actual results, I never knew the feeling of the release of that weight. And, I might add, I am not talking about just the release of pounds. That is a big release but there is so much more involved.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"> Up until the time that I made my decision, I was feeling like nothing would ever work and this is just how I would be for the rest of my life. It seems that I had tried everything. I was the typical yo-yo dieter.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EPRq6YhCkmEuk7WTniKHkG9oNkfnrp-Oca9WLORuZlyxetOXD8lcZYLS28nVRwoJN_Qnlzr8EhIVsnWsd6REdw4oKsTbWWCXm9DhQ6AxBTReg8gGYjtB3xKhhkGcZOZv8GT8-m7v2pXi-WtVx6qf9KsibcND5UKbSeV3etthKfWoZvd5JSVE7H0n00rg/s104/yo%20yo%20diet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="104" data-original-width="104" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EPRq6YhCkmEuk7WTniKHkG9oNkfnrp-Oca9WLORuZlyxetOXD8lcZYLS28nVRwoJN_Qnlzr8EhIVsnWsd6REdw4oKsTbWWCXm9DhQ6AxBTReg8gGYjtB3xKhhkGcZOZv8GT8-m7v2pXi-WtVx6qf9KsibcND5UKbSeV3etthKfWoZvd5JSVE7H0n00rg/w320-h320/yo%20yo%20diet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Finally, after much research I found a healthy plan for me. It is not a diet. It is a lifestyle. It is the way that most people eat who do not have a weight problem. It was a big decision.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyBUM3vcgcRqoYfIVONePqjUVzcQf-mF2HPFNaLAWJWMV_Dy1sNBwrgJmbJoiyUa6hGLOcfOxY1nzfn35Qfl560NGlgljX7K91d6rEy4olQTbLTfGHQ8bKyOr9k1LpBETSZT2fACnIZ-DqhgTDyuxeaLz18ZV2xxi2AEgSdgeGCS-B231dcGGRtTSWL9iz/s711/being%20fat%20or%20not.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="711" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyBUM3vcgcRqoYfIVONePqjUVzcQf-mF2HPFNaLAWJWMV_Dy1sNBwrgJmbJoiyUa6hGLOcfOxY1nzfn35Qfl560NGlgljX7K91d6rEy4olQTbLTfGHQ8bKyOr9k1LpBETSZT2fACnIZ-DqhgTDyuxeaLz18ZV2xxi2AEgSdgeGCS-B231dcGGRtTSWL9iz/s320/being%20fat%20or%20not.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Yes, losing weight is hard but for me being fat was harder on me. My joints, my energy, my attitude - none of which were in a good place to be so I had a BIG decision to make.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyg4Ub2aLcIHL3jAvr0gqV2UbK87RjWubI6nhimu0Um_RBLtueIgS7ZqMCm5yDiDGsMoKbR1OyLh_G48ntMZiUmWRctHjNQ8dNvhqCbalNClMuu21InLdUnDxzq98asrSq_Yk-UTuhKFlYhej3wZkY7jwUfjvQK0xiBmWjfuMOzspH1tVfDcGwAog4OLk/s414/healthy%20diet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="227" data-original-width="414" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyg4Ub2aLcIHL3jAvr0gqV2UbK87RjWubI6nhimu0Um_RBLtueIgS7ZqMCm5yDiDGsMoKbR1OyLh_G48ntMZiUmWRctHjNQ8dNvhqCbalNClMuu21InLdUnDxzq98asrSq_Yk-UTuhKFlYhej3wZkY7jwUfjvQK0xiBmWjfuMOzspH1tVfDcGwAog4OLk/w400-h219/healthy%20diet.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">My journey had to be healthy. After doing my own research several things kept coming up over and over again.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Calories matter most for weight loss. To be honest, I don't do well with counting those calories. I just want to be in a calorie deficit so that I can lose weight. I found my journey that gives me that.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Protein and fiber are important - It helps to read up on which ones are better for you and how much you can eat to keep you in a calorie deficit.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">High volume eating helps - for me this means eating healthy food with low calories often throughout the day. Basically eating in spaced out time frames so that I don't get hungry and grab something that I should not have.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Exercise is not as important as you may think for weight loss. It is healthy to get up and move. Yes. But hard core exercise was not the answer for me. My recumbent bike works perfectly. </span></li></ul><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2kb8PkYjLALg4ZYNm0pWjFaA_6BekKMf-kowTwSRVwxJIq0EAJe5Qem-UD0GsFMnl7b-NOlj8qS_65M8Hwuw2jiD72PYIzI1ZJpX5MWRZ7RATzqBgoxeX3OmPDyqn64U0rlORPUo_FMX-u9Z64VFDXMp5lvtSX0GmrQ8aMQM5sFPeSxAARXOd9WjQJB8/s399/exercise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="263" data-original-width="399" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH2kb8PkYjLALg4ZYNm0pWjFaA_6BekKMf-kowTwSRVwxJIq0EAJe5Qem-UD0GsFMnl7b-NOlj8qS_65M8Hwuw2jiD72PYIzI1ZJpX5MWRZ7RATzqBgoxeX3OmPDyqn64U0rlORPUo_FMX-u9Z64VFDXMp5lvtSX0GmrQ8aMQM5sFPeSxAARXOd9WjQJB8/s320/exercise.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">When I chose other "diets" it was true that I lost. Remember that 'cabbage' diet. But just as soon as you go back to normal eating, or whatever one believes to be normal, the weight will creep back on. If it can't be maintained then the results won't be maintained. And who could live on cabbage forever?</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Weighing myself once a day or even once a week may not be the best approach for me. My weight fluctuates so much that weighing monthly is my new way of checking out how I am doing. Truly, I can tell more in my clothes and how they fit than what the scales say. I have noticed that I feel happier and my emotions are not tied to that number on those scales.</span></li></ul><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKpOoenMl7yzzM9hn1nPlzf-3YirUSMxhMAdvQ3W31SsCcnUHE-HfIYerCgiSGpJfYDAA3PMTO5BUwXHo6HMsGkDYyXwz3kGCVkFr3yUG49waJvzqv07u3xq52aQEeZqriz_zDadYFDArJjZy-piRJ2xl62Z9Xl7jiZjiWjOl6kyd9TXRONkrHqivqIH1/s900/scales.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlKpOoenMl7yzzM9hn1nPlzf-3YirUSMxhMAdvQ3W31SsCcnUHE-HfIYerCgiSGpJfYDAA3PMTO5BUwXHo6HMsGkDYyXwz3kGCVkFr3yUG49waJvzqv07u3xq52aQEeZqriz_zDadYFDArJjZy-piRJ2xl62Z9Xl7jiZjiWjOl6kyd9TXRONkrHqivqIH1/s320/scales.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Getting back on track after 'slip-ups' and thinking long term is a MUST. I had a good plan for the holiday season. Something that I thought would work for me. Then, I became ill with what finally was diagnosed as a bacterial sinusitis and ear infection. I was placed on a very strong antibiotic. I had positively no appetite. No energy and spent 5 days in bed sleeping and resting. When I did eat and drink, it was a half a mug of chicken noodle soup and ginger ale plus some water. One would think that when I did start to feel better that weight loss would have happened. NOPE! It took me a while to get back on track. My first light meal consisted of a grilled cheese sandwich with the soup. I then made my goal to get myself back on track on New Year's Day. I won't say it was easy. Getting back into drinking my 8 cups of water each day has been harder this time around. My small meals were working but having the energy to make salads to go with my protein took a little more effort. I am proud to say that I am now back on target. With my motivation, getting enough sleep and seeing my energy levels returning to where they were is what has helped to work for me. </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The big thing to remember is what works for me might not work for you. We are all individuals so it is important for each one of us to find what will work for us. </span></li></ul><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjms4mbgRg5KKBsWc4DsKfqksjJkWBoPoot102sv5x8Y5V-Pti1M0tl2FyrkCuos9vNIxTzvD1vzid0hpe6fM2XR1H3lQ0q-i_Pwu71YHUGTNfiivPok4rByIubVmdsob0F4sf6ZPw_X_0IdlQR7PZMFjPJUevYl8gZn8mAlDfJmONkDHh14eUIsybSWRHD/s356/losing%20weight%20and%20not%20finding%20it%20again.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="237" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjms4mbgRg5KKBsWc4DsKfqksjJkWBoPoot102sv5x8Y5V-Pti1M0tl2FyrkCuos9vNIxTzvD1vzid0hpe6fM2XR1H3lQ0q-i_Pwu71YHUGTNfiivPok4rByIubVmdsob0F4sf6ZPw_X_0IdlQR7PZMFjPJUevYl8gZn8mAlDfJmONkDHh14eUIsybSWRHD/w266-h400/losing%20weight%20and%20not%20finding%20it%20again.jpg" width="266" /></a></div></div></div><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-68411275247673136982024-01-01T15:14:00.000-08:002024-01-01T15:14:59.680-08:00IMAGINE<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>IMAGINE</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-Q_5lRgBwnoQOW3CcWDq4D1_bsYJwljPVqfgP-KcrSLusGzAyMDEe_wwb9v3RNfpFBNP5neAUVno-T9FQYIQp7aD6Nv4YPlicBGCluxVlV4P2iiQIaUpcWU5KqO3KE-vcKWfSnd9kXTECzYjXmT1xPwsWrFVSLls6ON76KD17n_RzgMSYGc71INFdO5z/s234/john%20lennon%20caricature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="150" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-Q_5lRgBwnoQOW3CcWDq4D1_bsYJwljPVqfgP-KcrSLusGzAyMDEe_wwb9v3RNfpFBNP5neAUVno-T9FQYIQp7aD6Nv4YPlicBGCluxVlV4P2iiQIaUpcWU5KqO3KE-vcKWfSnd9kXTECzYjXmT1xPwsWrFVSLls6ON76KD17n_RzgMSYGc71INFdO5z/w410-h640/john%20lennon%20caricature.jpg" width="410" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">Imagine is my word for 2024. I stopped making resolutions quite a few years ago and began choosing a word that would mean something to me throughout the year to help me become a better person all around, hopefully. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">First of all, I love John Lennon's song. It has so many levels of creativity and does make me think that if we all could imagine all of the people living life in peace it would be a beautiful world. He even goes on to say in his lyrics that some may say he is a dreamer but he knows he is not the only one. So many of us wish that the world will live as one! What a wonderful place that would be. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">In my own opinion and in my own little world, I know that more and more people need to come together to make things better in our world. Starting small is not being overly optimistic. Just do what we each can do in our own ways. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">Setting goals for yourself to make this a better world is just one place to start. For example, I plan on saying, "Good morning or good evening or even, have a great day," to at least 3 strangers every day that I am out and about. Also, giving a smile as I say it. A smile is free. Being kind is free. It can snowball to other people.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihApzr9MCtc-VkmhnxpSRPEKmWX-F2wIIh-z7KehcgErzNyNhaKhTxEv3gzbvkR4sihW-pivcVg801R66IwEUYmSRDAtjR0ECelWxxrQAxqwjXut3LbibESvFPD4y9vaNYUmyOfbLgLGWi1K7fwoBlIK8FA85Fj5Fz18nAHOD6KZLJK6UWIHzEgBDtTd5K/s380/imagine%20and%20create.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="380" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihApzr9MCtc-VkmhnxpSRPEKmWX-F2wIIh-z7KehcgErzNyNhaKhTxEv3gzbvkR4sihW-pivcVg801R66IwEUYmSRDAtjR0ECelWxxrQAxqwjXut3LbibESvFPD4y9vaNYUmyOfbLgLGWi1K7fwoBlIK8FA85Fj5Fz18nAHOD6KZLJK6UWIHzEgBDtTd5K/s320/imagine%20and%20create.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">If I can imagine then I can create. Create a great story, a beautiful picture, a delicious dinner, a stylish room decor...the list can go on and on. Anything that I can imagine is real. It can take me to another world because the world of imagination is boundless. The world of reality has limits. I have decided that I do NOT want to live with limits.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">Today is the first day of 365 days that I can work on using all of my gears. I know that I have some gears that I have never used but I plan on trying them out - step by step. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">The good news is that I actually have started already. With my word from last year (<span style="color: red;">hope</span>) spurring me on to take a healthy journey for myself - it was then easy to move on to my word 'IMAGINE'.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">With my goals in place, I can totally picture and imagine my health continuing to improve, feeling better and better and working on finding and accepting all of the signs that Steve leaves for me that he is still around me. Whether it be the red cardinal looking in and staring at me when I am sitting at my desk, or a ladybug that lands on my car windshield or the robin in the yard singing. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">Also, there have been little things that have happened in our home that have no reasonable explanation except that Steve must had a part in it. One example is the kitchen clock. Twice my daughter saw both hands spin around backwards very fast and then stop after a couple of minutes on the exact time that it was. By the time someone came in to see it, of course, it had stopped. Except one time I was in with her when it happened. We both were watching in awe. It never has happened since then but what is the explanation for that? </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">There have been a few other examples and just as the lyrics to John Lennon's song, "You may say I'm a dreamer," and you may. Meanwhile, I will just keep on imagining a better world and saying yes to new adventures. I want to make every day count and to always be curious, embracing my journey. There is so much to see.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMtMnEDkxp11fc4djswFbilMIxK_D6Chv4HUDYCOb-Th0qiZ98xdqcnoXMsDrtMkJiR8cxMcCi_0c3p3Z386ED0aECPKGn8c7D8bo0ZP-g7MLu5t7fgL20XuMVgBs9if4nRqxP27HARkka7GYel8sme7Euuke7BlDB-HDz1jt5XwQqRNBdFykcWAe1iMA/s3000/quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2381" data-original-width="3000" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMtMnEDkxp11fc4djswFbilMIxK_D6Chv4HUDYCOb-Th0qiZ98xdqcnoXMsDrtMkJiR8cxMcCi_0c3p3Z386ED0aECPKGn8c7D8bo0ZP-g7MLu5t7fgL20XuMVgBs9if4nRqxP27HARkka7GYel8sme7Euuke7BlDB-HDz1jt5XwQqRNBdFykcWAe1iMA/w400-h318/quote.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </span></span></div><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-68649495658690836192023-12-18T10:19:00.000-08:002023-12-18T10:19:22.978-08:00HOW'S YOUR PERSONALITY?<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>HOW'S YOUR PERSONALITY?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXBLk1rJ_D13EwcsTLwk4SymxZvMeVPJdVv3eGurhLj9WPVdCSEA80DhGmzJQd1AuwNDgdogYmV9b5nwR4ls7eKO0crfFVUKMxWzQ89SCdzMnhYznDeyv40c8J9rcS5bqPTfYAs9MtZL1ARM-nzTen7XMxa39mCha_qo2AJ2xyq2e-_ECet2rue26cgjB/s245/Beatrice%20Potter%20quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="245" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXBLk1rJ_D13EwcsTLwk4SymxZvMeVPJdVv3eGurhLj9WPVdCSEA80DhGmzJQd1AuwNDgdogYmV9b5nwR4ls7eKO0crfFVUKMxWzQ89SCdzMnhYznDeyv40c8J9rcS5bqPTfYAs9MtZL1ARM-nzTen7XMxa39mCha_qo2AJ2xyq2e-_ECet2rue26cgjB/w400-h382/Beatrice%20Potter%20quote.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Everyone has a personality made up of unique patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that set you apart from others. This set of traits is a result of our biology and our life experiences. All of us have traits in our personalities that are considered "good" and "bad." </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Research has shown that having more of the good traits can prevent disease and help us live longer. On the other hand, the so-called bad traits tend to have less healthy lifestyle habits and more stress. This can lead to the development of certain diseases. There is good news though. Research also shows that personality traits are flexible and can change over our lifetime. lt is a matter of recognizing these traits and working on changing or modifying them.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYazsxNxO3yYzfdZTlE7upLOgXZ_FQ27L53XlQJdjS122q2QrrdkVYEzuVxa53phRj_ReQos355-tjfo9giDA5Ki3OoAWiYmuJ0mfZA9op2-lyQZM9zsLB7S7Sm3lGW6JMEcuND2XNuIv5u56jNyUZdVj_VBkm2XlIFT8_9f9GVGpnaNEzr61EIaNbVqMo/s3840/883544-top-optimistic-wallpapers-3840x2160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYazsxNxO3yYzfdZTlE7upLOgXZ_FQ27L53XlQJdjS122q2QrrdkVYEzuVxa53phRj_ReQos355-tjfo9giDA5Ki3OoAWiYmuJ0mfZA9op2-lyQZM9zsLB7S7Sm3lGW6JMEcuND2XNuIv5u56jNyUZdVj_VBkm2XlIFT8_9f9GVGpnaNEzr61EIaNbVqMo/w400-h225/883544-top-optimistic-wallpapers-3840x2160.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Optimism is a positive outlook on life that has a strong influence on our health and well-being. The National Academy of Sciences discovered that people with self-rated high optimism tended to lead healthier lives and had a higher likelihood of reaching 85 years or older. The reasons have not been specifically determined but the hypothesis seems to be that optimistic people have lower inflammation levels, healthier cholesterol profiles and tend to have healthier habits. Therefore, they cope better with illness and recovery and are more resilient. Genetics that play in that optimism is about 25 - 35% heritable. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Conscientiousness is a trait that is characterized by a person's tendency to be organized, responsible, and diligent in their actions. In general, they are more reliable and have a strong sense of duty. Research shows they also have better health and live longer based on a study in <i>Health Psychology.</i> They are more proactive about their health and getting regular check-ups with follow-throughs. Conscientiousness also leads to a healthier brain which improves cognitive functioning and lowers the risk of dementia or Alzheimer's disease.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjPOzwHH4dprfGPsQWDHcoDPj7VziO6uE5FPAnSBybwdKEQK434gUgGda1GnY4Qd1um0-1xHwTaf9i7AdDSSq4GH9wjPjaHz3nWTmOv_EG7jOrxWjKobid-V7tqBqn53We-t5qsms0zOnNsSEd-_W72gYuT6yFQbdcTTe2xjRRAAt81wt_PmqmP0KbMpg/s334/conscientious.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="334" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyjPOzwHH4dprfGPsQWDHcoDPj7VziO6uE5FPAnSBybwdKEQK434gUgGda1GnY4Qd1um0-1xHwTaf9i7AdDSSq4GH9wjPjaHz3nWTmOv_EG7jOrxWjKobid-V7tqBqn53We-t5qsms0zOnNsSEd-_W72gYuT6yFQbdcTTe2xjRRAAt81wt_PmqmP0KbMpg/s320/conscientious.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Extroversion is a trait where people tend to thrive in social settings and gain energy from interactions with others. Whereas, introverts tend to like the solitary environments and they recharge by reflecting inward. It is not that one is better than the other, as long as they are balanced. It always helps to be open to new experiences. That involves curiosity and a willingness to explore new ideas. Happier people tend to have lower stress levels.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97Uan7yZhqp0PLNaieOJp69ftfWjd3lxHyo3uBOk2f20Cm4KQBbSjz8Rc003c4asFazpegnmfg09TduFtoi6zOMRV4CKCjzePi92mxWNlR4DTEYQC_fAxZPeoDgb-_hAQz7cbIvfVwj0rvuZqDUApdP_fhltcWI3tu2H7l1WKC13gDD7XuL0PJ8VqyJAW/s2560/introverts-vs-extroverts-personality-traits-scaled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="2560" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97Uan7yZhqp0PLNaieOJp69ftfWjd3lxHyo3uBOk2f20Cm4KQBbSjz8Rc003c4asFazpegnmfg09TduFtoi6zOMRV4CKCjzePi92mxWNlR4DTEYQC_fAxZPeoDgb-_hAQz7cbIvfVwj0rvuZqDUApdP_fhltcWI3tu2H7l1WKC13gDD7XuL0PJ8VqyJAW/s320/introverts-vs-extroverts-personality-traits-scaled.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Agreeableness does NOT just mean saying yes to everything all of the time. It is more of cultivating harmony by being cooperative, compassionate, and considerate in our interactions with others. It shows that you value interpersonal relationships more and are more empathetic to the feelings and needs of those around you. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv__oKnUbJFdbSoKNB19fuVXWIt7HApmbYvXMefCmBumNzv1l4MiHKHie4EvxSxhH_NNVsGhyFt64le4V__heQ-aUYaDFusClDfB4RtInq5ES0qYLPJHdqhjscycdvPCqndK0idBLALNOVLOpxFUrmoJYXsOd0SWMyz0o2jaNjhlID_ZavanBKhzYbMBLN/s1280/agreement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv__oKnUbJFdbSoKNB19fuVXWIt7HApmbYvXMefCmBumNzv1l4MiHKHie4EvxSxhH_NNVsGhyFt64le4V__heQ-aUYaDFusClDfB4RtInq5ES0qYLPJHdqhjscycdvPCqndK0idBLALNOVLOpxFUrmoJYXsOd0SWMyz0o2jaNjhlID_ZavanBKhzYbMBLN/s320/agreement.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">All of these traits can be worked on individually to help maintain a healthy personality. And yes, there is such a thing. The more that I have read about people living long lives the more it is evident that they are on the more optimistic side of life. That is how all of the traits that I have listed fit together. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Just like the song from the Monty Python movie says: </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRW8FW7IUVS9yOvNiCToiSdq-KMXVxzCbOFCzAkszYwXOuxAIsTkVFqxwkudae0ouIh0RlCjdkKswxm__tTwDI5T9_XDhWMmJ1xK5JJWHBPd8MPOGf2yD5FqxP7rqJCKepMf22Atef3MD8d_9J7gNs04F0Aff1PazpufKLpbhTX2jlD3WmBvT3_XSFzOyh/s243/bright%20side%20of%20life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="243" data-original-width="243" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRW8FW7IUVS9yOvNiCToiSdq-KMXVxzCbOFCzAkszYwXOuxAIsTkVFqxwkudae0ouIh0RlCjdkKswxm__tTwDI5T9_XDhWMmJ1xK5JJWHBPd8MPOGf2yD5FqxP7rqJCKepMf22Atef3MD8d_9J7gNs04F0Aff1PazpufKLpbhTX2jlD3WmBvT3_XSFzOyh/s1600/bright%20side%20of%20life.jpg" width="243" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></i></span></div></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-35923927114327070392023-12-03T10:02:00.000-08:002023-12-03T14:56:52.860-08:00START YOUR DAY WITH A SMILE<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>START YOUR DAY WITH A SMILE</b></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6ch7jtFWpr_inpMGardKmxBCFynjMHKD0Cxeof9Vd9AR7hEos3xX-graRCgnfjFknUuHcdRFFuzvkuNkFTaHUdy89uyXz9ainZaHSwWUk18Fug5q6kiao4VrNc_IwjOMBnlWIXnGajM3Dk55bITY9wOjOtV3anG3R6bsHnxZM8NgwCxImD-vDke21aFN/s397/LIFE%20IS%20LIKE%20A%20MIRROR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="265" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk6ch7jtFWpr_inpMGardKmxBCFynjMHKD0Cxeof9Vd9AR7hEos3xX-graRCgnfjFknUuHcdRFFuzvkuNkFTaHUdy89uyXz9ainZaHSwWUk18Fug5q6kiao4VrNc_IwjOMBnlWIXnGajM3Dk55bITY9wOjOtV3anG3R6bsHnxZM8NgwCxImD-vDke21aFN/w428-h640/LIFE%20IS%20LIKE%20A%20MIRROR.jpg" width="428" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">This statement is so very true. Sometimes, I must be reminded of it by making myself just stop and think about what it is saying and all that I have to be grateful for and exactly why I not only 'should' be smiling but what happens when I do.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The example that I am going to scribble down today happened to me early Saturday. I was up and ready to be on the road to get to the train station at 6:45 AM. So happy to be riding The City of New Orleans down to see all of the Brownies. (This is my nickname for my son and his wife and my precious twin granddaughters.) Lucky for me, my SIL mapped out the route to avoid the closed roads for the St. Jude Marathon. We had no trouble at all. That helped to put a smile on my face even though I had lost something that I really needed to take with me the night before. My sweet youngest granddaughter searched everywhere at our home with her Mom after we left and crawling on the floor she found it. Jenni called me to tell me on our ride to Central Station but there was no turning back. I thanked her profusely and I knew that it was not the end of the world to wait until I returned to take care of this issue. Plus, I told her that she would receive a reward for her Piggy Bank for finding it. So the smile went back on my face.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Craig and I made it to approximately where the train car was that I would be riding in and my suitcase handle that made it easy to pull the wheeled luggage along did not want to cooperate. Finally, he got it out but when we got to my car, the attendant, nor Craig could get the long handle to go back down. The accommodating attendant, with a SMILE on her face, said there was no problem even though it would not fit with the long handle opened in the luggage compartment. She took it to an empty room where it would be safe. All I needed to do was to remind her where it was when I arrived in New Orleans.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrE4c0pXSilPBhfGhRMWJVDPaAxSTjcw5bcbnVOJFLBJULMdnY6GeivP6OP5B4UILbzm3HumIWnA8dISMR55GUBpLj2tDTz5x3zFnOTG5GRURrzumNWmOwl9kcUmuhvkEXvjwJ-3bNhxH96aNIiqUI6iOC_mu4am8RZlAQdN5elrTJ8MKGq5S0s5sxFIWK/s960/KID%20SMILE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrE4c0pXSilPBhfGhRMWJVDPaAxSTjcw5bcbnVOJFLBJULMdnY6GeivP6OP5B4UILbzm3HumIWnA8dISMR55GUBpLj2tDTz5x3zFnOTG5GRURrzumNWmOwl9kcUmuhvkEXvjwJ-3bNhxH96aNIiqUI6iOC_mu4am8RZlAQdN5elrTJ8MKGq5S0s5sxFIWK/s320/KID%20SMILE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I was still smiling, like a kid in a candy shop on my peaceful train ride to see the Brownies. The one thing that was on my mind is that the last time I was on this train ride, my ticket was marked assistance needed for the disabled. I had crutches that I needed at times for my arthritic knees. This time, I was so grateful to be able to step up on the train, tote my own carry-on luggage (a backpack that held my small handbag too). Also, the bedrooms and roomettes were all the dog-legged steps to the top of the train. I always get the bedroom, that is a little more private plus has the bathroom in the room. That is very nice to not walk down the aisles of the moving train to the public bathroom that sometimes has a line. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Getting to my room and getting settled felt really good. I had about 20 minutes before the train would be moving along. My attendant told me where the coffee was just down the aisle if I wanted some before breakfast was served. I walked down to get my coffee. I passed the car restroom and commented that I was so thankful that I had my own. She politely told me that not one single individual or public restroom on my car was working. She repeated to definitely NOT use any of them. By then the train was moving slowly. DANG! I figured that I had better follow her directions down the aisleway to the next car where there was a line to use the bathroom. REALLY? By the time I made it close to the door a man in front of me saw that I was leaning on the wall and let me go ahead of him. He was waiting for his son to come out. A woman behind me told me that she and her husband got the bedroom with the bathroom in it due to him having stomach issues and needing to be close by a restroom. (Good luck with that one!) </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Already, just a couple of hours from starting my day, I had been given so many reasons to smile and to be grateful. I had a choice to make. Be grumpy and use extra muscles to frown and be a Debbie Downer, or to count all of my gratitudes and smile to share with the world. It is so true that if you start your day with a smile then the day will smile back at you. There would be time to talk to Customer Support on Monday when they opened. I remember listening to Steve solve issues and his motto was that you catch more flies with sugar. No employee on this train could solve this problem. Time to deal with this when I call on Monday.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Everyone in the car that I was riding in were all were moaning and groaning. I actually closed my sliding door to drown them out. Taking a cue from my attendant as she smiled and was pleasant through all of the passengers' complaining: 'Be strong. You never know who you are inspiring.' She definitely inspired me. I, in turn, wanted to be an inspiration for others also. Sometimes it works and if it doesn't then that is just the way that cookie will crumble. At least I know that I tried. The bonus was that it made ME feel better. Call it 'cheesy' if you wish. But this meme is how I was feeling. What is the point of getting an attitude about this situation that no one could control at this moment.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNZs5o9uWGmSrXDthsWe-UYVX7QGkNhYMp51iom-tJVFI9jmaHe4-XSm8LdVEgEAYOAcA7_3Fbh4d4roj9xu5sl0fB1zc-9eKyWU8827NSnHN-yLcMmLyZqRiBhyjzEo_KyqO_ZOYiH3lNJDMpDJhgjiGFIDSNYI_MZLYADFoPdjkjGRJhDs6TFyASKqd/s156/CHEESY%20SMILE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="156" data-original-width="156" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYNZs5o9uWGmSrXDthsWe-UYVX7QGkNhYMp51iom-tJVFI9jmaHe4-XSm8LdVEgEAYOAcA7_3Fbh4d4roj9xu5sl0fB1zc-9eKyWU8827NSnHN-yLcMmLyZqRiBhyjzEo_KyqO_ZOYiH3lNJDMpDJhgjiGFIDSNYI_MZLYADFoPdjkjGRJhDs6TFyASKqd/w320-h320/CHEESY%20SMILE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I made it to New Orleans, walked the length of the train up to the station instead of being taken in golf cart with my luggage and crutches only to meet up with my son, Doug, Emma and Hazel. What a wonderful start to being in New Orleans with my family. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Home to unpack, freshen up and amazingly still have enough energy to change clothes and head out to a fun Christmas party with Doug and Lizzie. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6QQH_jogS4cBkZHUUaVAx1rR1YW_OWlEv_r9mmPLw84LpJpjRyZL1chwpw5ecZMGJ3danVy8AjT5vYguwgj9ziL7vsfOR1Nbn3PPaGslCwj14RmmgqylNvHdHkXfBEhmwp9F15POQoKlvSL0Ism4RH9vlTWOU9H8sRhSk_6_xHgSiinbUJTz2jpCpGRF/s252/PRETTIEST%20THING%20TO%20WEAR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="249" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6QQH_jogS4cBkZHUUaVAx1rR1YW_OWlEv_r9mmPLw84LpJpjRyZL1chwpw5ecZMGJ3danVy8AjT5vYguwgj9ziL7vsfOR1Nbn3PPaGslCwj14RmmgqylNvHdHkXfBEhmwp9F15POQoKlvSL0Ism4RH9vlTWOU9H8sRhSk_6_xHgSiinbUJTz2jpCpGRF/w632-h640/PRETTIEST%20THING%20TO%20WEAR.jpg" width="632" /></span></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>ALWAYS!</b></span></div></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-55714220799174692942023-11-26T19:13:00.000-08:002023-11-26T19:13:58.610-08:00WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">What exactly is Thanksgiving all about? In general, I would think that it is a large group of us in the United States that believe it is a long list of things such as:</span><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">food, food, and more food</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">football</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">family</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">friends</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Macy's Day parade</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">decorating for the holidays</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">resting</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Black Friday shopping</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Those are some of the things that come to my mind. I do remember my first Thanksgiving with Steve. I asked him, quite innocently, about what did his family do for the Thanksgiving. Without a blink of an eye he said that they celebrated because they sent all of the 'Yanks' off in ships to America. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I fell for that one BIG TIME. He graciously always celebrated Thanksgiving with me and my family. Sometimes it was just the two of us and other times it was a very large crowd. He even joined in by making some of his own unique British dishes, such as real roast potatoes. They quickly became one of the favorite dishes of everyone at our gatherings. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Over the years we tried many different ways of celebrating. Some traditions we kept, while others were tweaked here and there. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqDTtzMZEybmWNep89uyXHE9RjghFMS_gQnkqb-9dzVuEUOV13j2MxJSDEqS81Sx-dsqFuJqR-SCrz5jD0Znxm-OCFYjEe93j_ADYgsYrgSw7mnuKksvr9P5xgwjQvz53jXFh5dwvbLyLb567KK0Y4YzB_nC4ki9Y71xYdKVZDpaCM7v7kZvknP22QJ_x/s1936/little%20turkey.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1936" data-original-width="1936" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqDTtzMZEybmWNep89uyXHE9RjghFMS_gQnkqb-9dzVuEUOV13j2MxJSDEqS81Sx-dsqFuJqR-SCrz5jD0Znxm-OCFYjEe93j_ADYgsYrgSw7mnuKksvr9P5xgwjQvz53jXFh5dwvbLyLb567KK0Y4YzB_nC4ki9Y71xYdKVZDpaCM7v7kZvknP22QJ_x/s320/little%20turkey.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I miss our Thanksgivings together. I miss being with him - just plain and simple. All the times together. Now we have new celebrations in different ways. Still good and I still hold him in my heart always. Thinking how he would get a big kick out of his granddaughters and his daughter and sons. His granddaughters all remember him and mention him in such sweet ways and their own memories. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKXEfDRCHb9RfQ_1iuNqTHvl1wbaKhVqPzRJKm9KXoxzJYbLOD1sxm94xu4tXYJidGFBAmV6dZBdRU4Nh4REURSXmXhGc8rzCGUk9uwvOW8pm_tMsm-ARKStdHVXKe07ESPqr6DGS1a1FG3dHx328LTql3zvnGgMgGiSx6wUIz9z20TsMgZyttVNBu8aa/s4032/monster%20golf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKXEfDRCHb9RfQ_1iuNqTHvl1wbaKhVqPzRJKm9KXoxzJYbLOD1sxm94xu4tXYJidGFBAmV6dZBdRU4Nh4REURSXmXhGc8rzCGUk9uwvOW8pm_tMsm-ARKStdHVXKe07ESPqr6DGS1a1FG3dHx328LTql3zvnGgMgGiSx6wUIz9z20TsMgZyttVNBu8aa/s320/monster%20golf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">He would have enjoyed watching the four granddaughters playing outside when the weather permitted. Going on the long walk with them around the lake with the dogs. On the rainy day we all headed for Neon Memphis Monster Miniature Golf. Inside neon monsters based on the Memphis music scene - right up his alley. Probably he would have joined me staying home when they headed to the new Troll movie. I enjoyed just having a little quiet time and preparing a pot of chili for the rainy gray and chilly day. We also had quite a few good leftovers so it was a free for all kind of night for dinner.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmnsQ8Nw_44IUYbGQFr_ACyJxUTPImQEbg0tHhK1NfHZrT6qBq0_N-kc1Belvu9GUp0Q299_dRuHy1cR1qrYfoDqKl_qgKW4NmX0k8idyG5VdYJMWRkJBz9HOZYEkhvROBls1YvfyFCs_wZExYf1ICAiP5c6hsioEP2V62_Sol-YPegSlJVGJCHIyNwSU/s4032/girls%20having%20fun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmnsQ8Nw_44IUYbGQFr_ACyJxUTPImQEbg0tHhK1NfHZrT6qBq0_N-kc1Belvu9GUp0Q299_dRuHy1cR1qrYfoDqKl_qgKW4NmX0k8idyG5VdYJMWRkJBz9HOZYEkhvROBls1YvfyFCs_wZExYf1ICAiP5c6hsioEP2V62_Sol-YPegSlJVGJCHIyNwSU/s320/girls%20having%20fun.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0dNqGq5z2z54yFB0sWXfnqA43Ug4_aN1TVO3ib33g5OGJKLo5fYC717d32pg3bSmYe0i3qMciIj03LdK4o3RpE3ZYBrqvZGSBUueTcRXXSQ073PZuEIJDkXWB1HyOVDrcU2dBzqjmK7pugNFpN5HggihCkalVqj_FT1_7W3jtd0MMgHOi5sajV4wkx32/s4032/walk%20around%20the%20lake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0dNqGq5z2z54yFB0sWXfnqA43Ug4_aN1TVO3ib33g5OGJKLo5fYC717d32pg3bSmYe0i3qMciIj03LdK4o3RpE3ZYBrqvZGSBUueTcRXXSQ073PZuEIJDkXWB1HyOVDrcU2dBzqjmK7pugNFpN5HggihCkalVqj_FT1_7W3jtd0MMgHOi5sajV4wkx32/s320/walk%20around%20the%20lake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Lots of football to watch. Kids played games. And then by the actual day of Thanksgiving they had to get back home to New Orleans and we headed out to even more family for a big get-together. This time there were eleven humans and six dogs. We brought our two and others were there also. The food was wonderful and everyone was having a very grateful Thanksgiving. We all had a lot to be thankful for. Blessed? Yes! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It was a gorgeous Fall day. So most of us were outside enjoying the sunshine, with our lightweight jackets. The dogs were totally having the time of their lives, just running around and being happy in the big fenced yard. However, we all witnessed a crazy little "love" thing going on. One very handsome golden retriever named Finley seemed to fall totally in love with our goldendoodle, Maggie Mae. He followed her everywhere, kissing her on her ears, watching her every move and never leaving her side. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vKorGmQ8rPmW-5khNtV2Fm6HC_8-7KJdE3nR5dhB8JUYI9rDUmE1nkusL2p4iCsBRAloWQP91KKfGV24Eh3LJlzSSvvi7sML4OtnkPP8eNagKek3dRWRJBmym4_sL3gLCsU_g6jf5pLS8hwV23rL1U22ROVo7herYwkKc0x5jYL-sYtIc2O3umeV9iSJ/s960/Finley%20loving%20MM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vKorGmQ8rPmW-5khNtV2Fm6HC_8-7KJdE3nR5dhB8JUYI9rDUmE1nkusL2p4iCsBRAloWQP91KKfGV24Eh3LJlzSSvvi7sML4OtnkPP8eNagKek3dRWRJBmym4_sL3gLCsU_g6jf5pLS8hwV23rL1U22ROVo7herYwkKc0x5jYL-sYtIc2O3umeV9iSJ/w300-h400/Finley%20loving%20MM.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">After eating, watching football, watching the dogs and kids playing we headed home for some quiet time. The next day we planned on decorating and decorating we did. Everyone got involved. Craig took care of the outside lighting and we worked on the inside.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUuhFYv95Ou34BfiOXwMMROwMdHrTtUgkPDOqKTZTJD1EqLS-NuoM9tIMrWIaBl2MRdrlknUGzYR_SfvEECUH_AukuoaPGwpJNSJUiAsM9OaWl06aOQwbgH2VnZxWmD8LVWg4in5K86jRwwSOR0Xt1ZXnPv87eFh4BwldKuuZ_tV_Z9pU_UIUeesIDC2On/s4032/tree%202023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUuhFYv95Ou34BfiOXwMMROwMdHrTtUgkPDOqKTZTJD1EqLS-NuoM9tIMrWIaBl2MRdrlknUGzYR_SfvEECUH_AukuoaPGwpJNSJUiAsM9OaWl06aOQwbgH2VnZxWmD8LVWg4in5K86jRwwSOR0Xt1ZXnPv87eFh4BwldKuuZ_tV_Z9pU_UIUeesIDC2On/w300-h400/tree%202023.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhml7ds9PAJxEzlAV6bwzmpJrYVbD3N46YXuvuwH1CrpoNmYD4_CxgPOE5NRqZxvIQ2ajwBlZiewdg7sXwG2EZF2NhOFbmUY0qCn7YrH4wj79T-xgGhG-bWBu5-N4JeZU_sttzx4A91doT0c3Ke-h8jGTZTwvwlW01xA16K-GCWdNLcK8qSj7vspdFpk0Pa/s4032/stockings%202023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhml7ds9PAJxEzlAV6bwzmpJrYVbD3N46YXuvuwH1CrpoNmYD4_CxgPOE5NRqZxvIQ2ajwBlZiewdg7sXwG2EZF2NhOFbmUY0qCn7YrH4wj79T-xgGhG-bWBu5-N4JeZU_sttzx4A91doT0c3Ke-h8jGTZTwvwlW01xA16K-GCWdNLcK8qSj7vspdFpk0Pa/w400-h300/stockings%202023.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulIXC2Npx1eUgkAVH-zHJSLHkxZnQIkEJDnfnPVbZ-SpmnvWkLhUX6aW-h1jP_Ikm2E2cNGc0v7mFgzIb3D4ToiYejEaqwCaZoD7ijB8cDbArwbKpRCehCfHR6skn-VkL8-PYtpfFsSGWJbZDuDTuAfuhUPM4Glws2XWAHn4kNGWMSOd7AfF6iSGhw-1M/s960/stockings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjulIXC2Npx1eUgkAVH-zHJSLHkxZnQIkEJDnfnPVbZ-SpmnvWkLhUX6aW-h1jP_Ikm2E2cNGc0v7mFgzIb3D4ToiYejEaqwCaZoD7ijB8cDbArwbKpRCehCfHR6skn-VkL8-PYtpfFsSGWJbZDuDTuAfuhUPM4Glws2XWAHn4kNGWMSOd7AfF6iSGhw-1M/w300-h400/stockings.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuhZ9bKQhoClJAcWAO7SKgLuuq5wxhbJxrBp6nbJyTGFi8aYLKL-kJKu6QgdRCS38uvMEp55vNYrtVyWYwG_AZKAKQZMfkOPY_NhnHktaf3cuUaaf8HuhSAy88-OD3hFtawU4w-UbuTpR3ke4KcDGgz58Yc0-NrVYeZn5vQpRqyEWxwl-FdXgKehbKfLO/s4032/dog%20stockings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuhZ9bKQhoClJAcWAO7SKgLuuq5wxhbJxrBp6nbJyTGFi8aYLKL-kJKu6QgdRCS38uvMEp55vNYrtVyWYwG_AZKAKQZMfkOPY_NhnHktaf3cuUaaf8HuhSAy88-OD3hFtawU4w-UbuTpR3ke4KcDGgz58Yc0-NrVYeZn5vQpRqyEWxwl-FdXgKehbKfLO/w300-h400/dog%20stockings.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Just as we had a special place for Steve's stocking with our Moms' stockings, we decided to put Davis' stocking on the stairs with the other two dogs. He was with us last year but we lost him not long afterwards. It really brings tears to my eyes when I think about the wonderful memories of the holidays before they left us. And, that is how Steve would want it...tears of joy and happiness in remembering and celebrating...no sadness. Easier said than done but I am working on it. The good memories are easy. Wanting more? Yes, I do. Is that selfish? Maybe. But these are my honest feelings. To still want hugs and kisses and talks and hearing and saying I love you...They must be in my heart and dreams and they always will be.</span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b>When we lose someone we love, we must learn not to live without them but to live with the love they left behind.</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b>AND WOW - STEVE and DAVIS LEFT LOADS!</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><b>💕</b></span></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-91802902841995253062023-11-19T12:51:00.000-08:002023-11-19T12:51:36.414-08:00BE PROUD <p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>BE PROUD</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTTKqvKiNRybPfNCnoCOmJZsRzpvwfkBLKB5-uW2tR-vXED1r-jdHyiCtH0gM9wwjNIRJOU3KQoKo4_WRPvqaxhMnxHLCpaZmbqnmfI4OTI7mQQxCeCIoPAb__HbXJykRzeKU7FJNbZeeBWHbJ3QCPfzK9gPCME3fuKv_7dyhS-XmD9-JO_wvOUdvc1hJ/s271/HAPPINESS%20IS%20BEING%20PROUD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="245" data-original-width="271" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTTKqvKiNRybPfNCnoCOmJZsRzpvwfkBLKB5-uW2tR-vXED1r-jdHyiCtH0gM9wwjNIRJOU3KQoKo4_WRPvqaxhMnxHLCpaZmbqnmfI4OTI7mQQxCeCIoPAb__HbXJykRzeKU7FJNbZeeBWHbJ3QCPfzK9gPCME3fuKv_7dyhS-XmD9-JO_wvOUdvc1hJ/w400-h362/HAPPINESS%20IS%20BEING%20PROUD.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">At this time in my life, I know that I am making my tomorrow self proud with what I am doing today. It is totally awesome to feel this way. Why? It makes me happy. Happiness in all of our lives is so very important. It has been proven as a factor to help in living longer. Add that to what I am working on for my own health? Now, I am hoping to at least be more comfortable within myself. Losing 80 pounds is a really good start. Not only do I feel happier; let's just say I feel the weight of the world off of my shoulders...and my knee joints, and my back, and my feet. The list goes on and on.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">If I start from the beginning, about 7 months ago I made a commitment to myself to do something about my weight. It was making me so UNHAPPY. Finally, the clothes that I had in my closet no longer fit. I was needing to go up to the next category - what I called the 'Big Mama' clothes. I can say that for me it was a wake up call. I do not mean to offend anyone who is in that category of clothing. It just was not for me. I will never judge anyone else and I expect the same from others concerning me. Others never know about what may be going on in the lives of other people unless they have walked in their shoes.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">For me, I had a little weight to lose before the love of my life passed away unexpectedly. Not a whole lot of weight. I knew that I could work on it and actually had already started watching the carbs and such to work on. Without even realizing what I was doing, I went into an emotional eating disorder. Those are my words now as I look back. If anyone had said anything to me, I can assure you that I would not have listened and would have been in total denial. It took me, myself and I to finally see the 'LIGHT.'</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">It took me a while to get on board with my journey for the rest of my life. I had a very good friend who took the journey three years earlier and looked fantastic. I never realized that she had 45 or so pounds to lose. She did not appear to be overweight to me. Of course, I was looking through my rose colored glasses. Plus, the second amazing thing was that she had kept the weight off now for over 3 years. That was the key. Learning a lifestyle of eating habits. It is a matter of not living to eat but eating to live.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yes, I agree, that it is nice to enjoy a good meal of some of our favorite foods. Spacing those 'good foods' is the trick; along with portion control. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_rbJHNmYPdsBI165S1uglAPdrUsUfyXDCA5Fdsk7V-Y89oOLXzi1tZQL3lokzzg1fuQYLDbXIyQhDzvyvsalD1bJ74ezWusMjfe_w_tGrWA76voAfuGHxsCsGpotu-m72HgQluXK3B0XU-G2geQ5O3lVCzv9pqWaNc-Jq6Y3-ggZDmGadcfBIy86fiGI/s325/portion%20control.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="325" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_rbJHNmYPdsBI165S1uglAPdrUsUfyXDCA5Fdsk7V-Y89oOLXzi1tZQL3lokzzg1fuQYLDbXIyQhDzvyvsalD1bJ74ezWusMjfe_w_tGrWA76voAfuGHxsCsGpotu-m72HgQluXK3B0XU-G2geQ5O3lVCzv9pqWaNc-Jq6Y3-ggZDmGadcfBIy86fiGI/s320/portion%20control.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">One way that I try to make my tomorrow self proud is by working on something challenging to me (such as taking this life journey of healthy eating and losing extra weight). All the while focusing on my purpose for doing it vs. indulging in self-doubt. It can be a matter of practicing gratitude and reaching out to connect with others. I have discovered there is a whole community of others who are following this journey that I have chosen for my health. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the end of the day, what really matters isn't what others think of me. What matters is how I feel about me. That is when I know that thinking about my future self is helpful because it changes my perspective and increases the timeline so that I am able to see the impact of my actions. I know that I want to be healthier so is it worth it to drive my car through the drive-thru window and get some fries? My tomorrow self shouts out a big fat, "NO!"</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Words such as create, inspire, balance, smile and progress, along with so many others are words that I reflect on as I think about continuing my journey and are what help to make me proud of me.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxJ5fAne1ENMLUwHngSYk0T-pUJ5k3B5Z8983P80v4eqUVvkqF67ad6ECozs6Esdji3mA5wOwFQfsbSTIEsd0-MjOzp_ZVslmWsFac_aE5szVsLetfZbh1m93kV2C88uK99as12nnzd9BKG-MJvPpm9p-jVh8EzkPwd6RPVI8EsD6FDd5RS1CfCB_VxEm/s397/BE%20PROUD%20OF%20YOUR%20CHANGES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="265" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxJ5fAne1ENMLUwHngSYk0T-pUJ5k3B5Z8983P80v4eqUVvkqF67ad6ECozs6Esdji3mA5wOwFQfsbSTIEsd0-MjOzp_ZVslmWsFac_aE5szVsLetfZbh1m93kV2C88uK99as12nnzd9BKG-MJvPpm9p-jVh8EzkPwd6RPVI8EsD6FDd5RS1CfCB_VxEm/w268-h400/BE%20PROUD%20OF%20YOUR%20CHANGES.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">It is all about changing up my overall lifestyle. A new mindset, so to speak. And then to be proud of the changes. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_FW99UARx6FC_VLjVkRm-S4gHwnzNoKnG0Bl2GWJiv5mNXR-lwOMC5eyHL8BaW-e5-b_AMQhj9KFAdnGXbEnMdsJhmPeIrl7-wnxWKZJR_lHQ20YJVHPLU5DYEArN7HdQdkAO3FlBKXBB_TDCm_y4gcB9auwMFRnT5VkwUf6y81InCvrJCUq3OnQdP4F/s160/quote%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="160" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_FW99UARx6FC_VLjVkRm-S4gHwnzNoKnG0Bl2GWJiv5mNXR-lwOMC5eyHL8BaW-e5-b_AMQhj9KFAdnGXbEnMdsJhmPeIrl7-wnxWKZJR_lHQ20YJVHPLU5DYEArN7HdQdkAO3FlBKXBB_TDCm_y4gcB9auwMFRnT5VkwUf6y81InCvrJCUq3OnQdP4F/w400-h400/quote%203.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div></div></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-6792879480282299522023-11-12T11:50:00.000-08:002023-11-13T04:46:45.563-08:00WHERE IS YOUR EMOTIONAL ENERGY LEVEL?<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>WHERE IS YOUR EMOTIONAL ENERGY LEVEL?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OymrLZB9sieQu4_MsOJMb-jHPEMrAgPjQ8vjPlBZqKrNDekd7tV6humRMa964fshHcJYjKPk__n486SRE4hHMNtX5l6P-k6qcFdwR8Vimvr_BIY-wqrNPPVIgF__angaKbHuoqpoc2XeXOZ_yT7bX2Ug2IzHKbRiSshepBZGSt8kDlS7yiMLv6AhhVSD/s320/th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OymrLZB9sieQu4_MsOJMb-jHPEMrAgPjQ8vjPlBZqKrNDekd7tV6humRMa964fshHcJYjKPk__n486SRE4hHMNtX5l6P-k6qcFdwR8Vimvr_BIY-wqrNPPVIgF__angaKbHuoqpoc2XeXOZ_yT7bX2Ug2IzHKbRiSshepBZGSt8kDlS7yiMLv6AhhVSD/s1600/th.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">There are people in all of our lives that just fill us up with positive energy. They uplift us. They are fun to be around and give us support and love. I am sure that everyone could name at least five people who have this characteristic. They can be people that you work with, people who are neighbors or friends. They can be people in your family. </span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">These people all have similar traits such as being understanding of your feelings, always looking on the brighter side, quick to forgive, understanding and encouraging.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">In other words, they build our energy levels up high. We want to be around them. It is always good to share in this endeavor. Why? Because we do live in a self-serving, self-centered, and self-obsessed modern day society. Everyone rushing here and rushing there. It is always a good idea to try to differentiate ourselves in this kind of world. If we all try to become more people oriented then I believe that is where we will start to build a better world - one person at a time.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpQXlmXy0h-lF_kKMmuJwvHChUNHZXr6MZ_02bOsGFKWuwUVEVPkMuv4V_vThJDbZrN6ODnCXfn_-XQyeRFcYZVpP-plzn9pXIrq2aO06rYay_x009iwrq6QSj9RMJMS4qYGnaLQhbbnWy4w-ehgpRhkiGO8hsNDT2widmV7W4IdleUMc0ruLerI5HDPe/s288/be%20around%20happy%20people.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="288" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpQXlmXy0h-lF_kKMmuJwvHChUNHZXr6MZ_02bOsGFKWuwUVEVPkMuv4V_vThJDbZrN6ODnCXfn_-XQyeRFcYZVpP-plzn9pXIrq2aO06rYay_x009iwrq6QSj9RMJMS4qYGnaLQhbbnWy4w-ehgpRhkiGO8hsNDT2widmV7W4IdleUMc0ruLerI5HDPe/w320-h200/be%20around%20happy%20people.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Start with working on learning how to be happy yourself. Once you are then you will not want to be around people who make you feel anything less.</span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_cihek__9e17OmIQ20O5IHF6D4OekCpZ5C23JzyWy0c02h-RuveacO_VnJiPxfQyENvIngmBLD6FkADY56zSvTQfRarVrgEff3msIsoBz03iEAdpk1SsLB4tLsU8xfX5A0Uzl6njYD4robwydTCawRxQkU5tcf8ivQ_Sa256KB5ex4VCRL2gZbJWam8C/s180/being%20around%20friends%20who%20support%20and%20love%20you.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="176" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht_cihek__9e17OmIQ20O5IHF6D4OekCpZ5C23JzyWy0c02h-RuveacO_VnJiPxfQyENvIngmBLD6FkADY56zSvTQfRarVrgEff3msIsoBz03iEAdpk1SsLB4tLsU8xfX5A0Uzl6njYD4robwydTCawRxQkU5tcf8ivQ_Sa256KB5ex4VCRL2gZbJWam8C/w391-h400/being%20around%20friends%20who%20support%20and%20love%20you.jpg" width="391" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">People who support and love us make us feel happier. It is a circle of happiness. These are the kinds of people that we all want to be around. It also is what each of us should strive for. Our inner atmosphere either fuels others with energy or drains them. Which would you rather be?</span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">We all have known people who are like a dark gray cloud hanging over us. It almost seeps inside of us if we allow it to. It is much nicer to feel the sunshine.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">To do this it is important to know what signs to look out for when others are energy vampires.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_K_L-A5NcOyTeKTv2Z-0_wu7VrXGm14hKCI6UIQRinGy2JSmxF_6CgQ7LCUHsmPhpeXpDfssuWDYdqixCDzSFcfdgHPYwj200iDoyNx1qKojJKw330YN-mSNyuamP0LKqrQcazTT0P4VZh2_-yQN5eRLXA7Ovnt0UDMeDO4pc1wC0XmAEkDqC0yUoGRK/s180/energy%20vampires.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="180" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_K_L-A5NcOyTeKTv2Z-0_wu7VrXGm14hKCI6UIQRinGy2JSmxF_6CgQ7LCUHsmPhpeXpDfssuWDYdqixCDzSFcfdgHPYwj200iDoyNx1qKojJKw330YN-mSNyuamP0LKqrQcazTT0P4VZh2_-yQN5eRLXA7Ovnt0UDMeDO4pc1wC0XmAEkDqC0yUoGRK/w320-h320/energy%20vampires.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">How do we survive energy vampires? First, look out for those who don't take any accountability. Often, they are very charismatic and know how to slink out of trouble with their charm. They tend to always be involved in some kind of drama and find themselves in the middle of a major catastrophe quite often. They try to drag others around them into the drama with them. Know anyone like this?</span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Another type of energy vampire just never seems to have good news. If you asked them politely, "How are you today?" Don't expect a short answer. They will go into lengthy health details of everything that is wrong with them. If you allow it to happen, they will drain your energy levels and cause you the stress that has built up in their bodies and minds.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIG_gP70Ou0b5yyHkFPiB4ZuibC3tEIcDvTJ8jdAp5mqqsyyLLEaFefyHTg7QkXSV2SP_kZZ6cmjtDy3CjQxHbDBQYHkI-6x92P7o1VhpI2dFkgJa0tCn7gkzya4m-jD5WtPthKR57IWBJ-Ikuj9B9I96lFbn2tVN7TGx6lqzo6ElCBs8Oh8CFp1uoIXyk/s360/zapping%20energy%20vampires.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="360" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIG_gP70Ou0b5yyHkFPiB4ZuibC3tEIcDvTJ8jdAp5mqqsyyLLEaFefyHTg7QkXSV2SP_kZZ6cmjtDy3CjQxHbDBQYHkI-6x92P7o1VhpI2dFkgJa0tCn7gkzya4m-jD5WtPthKR57IWBJ-Ikuj9B9I96lFbn2tVN7TGx6lqzo6ElCBs8Oh8CFp1uoIXyk/s320/zapping%20energy%20vampires.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The bottom line is that we all need to be able to recognize these behaviors in others and put an end to it in order to protect our own health and well-being. We all have choices to make and their burdens are not ours to bear. Adjusting our expectations will help and establishing the boundaries. </span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Have you ever had a check in time with yourself just to help you to know where your own energy level is? That let's us know if we need to adjust it. Asking ourselves whether we wish to be the uplifting friend or the energy zapper vampire - then choosing who it is that we want to be around. It sets it all into motion.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Here is a quote that is a great reminder:</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyRgcV3-O26p_vwIPw_gfEebcwRdZstNLS-Gl1DioEUVs4_CKnDAP0Y6nnZEA9_1wLx9j4rUcC8Gd2VLBnG2mD6q2SPuq6WlVaqycZWaimmue_JIGRUpl8sQHhG_LXU9b_Q8V-FvmloiGOuxqAaHWjVP5T7lfFcB1hJLh9BgAfjmtlfkxdXv7OBC1Ft5A/s1500/jack%20canfield%20quote.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyRgcV3-O26p_vwIPw_gfEebcwRdZstNLS-Gl1DioEUVs4_CKnDAP0Y6nnZEA9_1wLx9j4rUcC8Gd2VLBnG2mD6q2SPuq6WlVaqycZWaimmue_JIGRUpl8sQHhG_LXU9b_Q8V-FvmloiGOuxqAaHWjVP5T7lfFcB1hJLh9BgAfjmtlfkxdXv7OBC1Ft5A/s320/jack%20canfield%20quote.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-87876735207620444392023-11-05T18:39:00.001-08:002023-11-05T18:39:14.254-08:00HAPPINESS<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>HAPPINESS</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw7trOyn0hX7re0zhaYKlJJoa_ZsMu3xWEIGzH1iLGkC-gRaoXJkVt5viTzBUdzAMyaTtzxgHtlphHfOj9H_ksgTUh0_gaK8fTAdBG0PxNNFL4rf-ckxYbhXWOSBgp0RJG0YnoMynP2u0KQZccI_-uQPBnDypmbgJRRpoU3RD8tdzmXCIkW2QNbfL5bI_Q/s386/swhat%20makes%20you%20happy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="386" data-original-width="273" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw7trOyn0hX7re0zhaYKlJJoa_ZsMu3xWEIGzH1iLGkC-gRaoXJkVt5viTzBUdzAMyaTtzxgHtlphHfOj9H_ksgTUh0_gaK8fTAdBG0PxNNFL4rf-ckxYbhXWOSBgp0RJG0YnoMynP2u0KQZccI_-uQPBnDypmbgJRRpoU3RD8tdzmXCIkW2QNbfL5bI_Q/w452-h640/swhat%20makes%20you%20happy.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">That statement seems to be very positive. And it is. It also is sometimes easier said than done for many. Really, it is all about knowing what has been found as the key to happiness. A Harvard study that has been going on for 85 years discovered that it is not money, not achievements, not success, and it is not even about where you live or the number of sunshiny days that we have. There may be some people who would argue that last point. There are therapists who see people who have legitimate depression and are prescribed seasonal therapy lamps for those who need help through depression based on lack of sunshine.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The study found that the #1 contributor to happiness is having strong positive relationships in your life. When I stop and think about it, my happiest moments are when I am with other people. The people that I love. The people that make me feel good. These people can be people in my family or neighbors, or co-workers. In general, they are people who make me feel good and hopefully being around me makes them feel good too. It reminds me of the song that Barbra Streisand sings: <i>People Who Need People Are the Luckiest People In the World.</i> And who is going to argue with those words. Why? Because it is true.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCg6OdwWTfek80DUkMErCy5PSvo4w7MazQBs-Hhe7OvkXkqs6lU-A9gqfMG4GQximTMg0BDgnHm-S75w22H5Ayb4RqM5I3sFbe5bI620KhSYEy8hl_QRMmRjnj3e7evbLyHSJzxVGON2zv2yUDkDUte49vGxQvPl1pIYmESqt12rKRBUQaKnFg6iZxR-Yz/s609/50929-Those-Who-Make-You-Happy%20Surround%20Yourself.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="596" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCg6OdwWTfek80DUkMErCy5PSvo4w7MazQBs-Hhe7OvkXkqs6lU-A9gqfMG4GQximTMg0BDgnHm-S75w22H5Ayb4RqM5I3sFbe5bI620KhSYEy8hl_QRMmRjnj3e7evbLyHSJzxVGON2zv2yUDkDUte49vGxQvPl1pIYmESqt12rKRBUQaKnFg6iZxR-Yz/w391-h400/50929-Those-Who-Make-You-Happy%20Surround%20Yourself.jpg" width="391" /></a></div><br />Some of my most happiest moments were most definitely with the love of my life. It could be alone time with him or together with him and others who made us happy to be around, whether it be family or friends. When we were going through the pandemic, we were together constantly, as many families were. It definitely was better than being home all alone. At least we had each other. And it made us happy to be together. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTTTgDSpbnqStdq7c2Ws9wUbqWChZEx8a2wi1q5cnTPICEgb_KwXDGvqeci690Xg-HCEMj3cM8KN_0zD9PVbRKnq8fAXoGIm2GsSQgXk7Wqh4PBVV6P1nJ-e78E3FRFA7c_ihtGBCS6z9P10vPRcKwnaqlXninbbUmDMh8D5IPFfH8YO517iEqX55u0ze/s297/The%20ones%20who%20give%20you%20peace%20of%20mind.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="297" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrTTTgDSpbnqStdq7c2Ws9wUbqWChZEx8a2wi1q5cnTPICEgb_KwXDGvqeci690Xg-HCEMj3cM8KN_0zD9PVbRKnq8fAXoGIm2GsSQgXk7Wqh4PBVV6P1nJ-e78E3FRFA7c_ihtGBCS6z9P10vPRcKwnaqlXninbbUmDMh8D5IPFfH8YO517iEqX55u0ze/s1600/The%20ones%20who%20give%20you%20peace%20of%20mind.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;">When you are with those that make you happy, of course they give you peace of mind. Not so much 'the things' that will make us happy but 'the things' that people bring to the relationship. That is the true feeling of peace of mind. I know that when I no longer had Steve in my life, physically, the hardest part of healing was working on recovering "the me" that went away with him. In order to be happy this was something that I had to work on. It is a part of the grieving process. It is different for everyone. No time limits on each step of the way. It is important thought to eventually get to finding the 'you' and being happy. Our loved ones would want it that way. So let's just end on that note:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsawc7gBvT_5ApB3llRMo1mKXsnBNNg_XwV5DKIo5o6XU4R4i1RV2GeIx5jsfzWxj_hNJ7kmrB6VBtgIBGDZBCws1UA6abUIQzl9fYf7qWtUp_MykGkfPlvfe3_Wz3IVD7owBbojZrNTo1N9Yy6FrRdEjRuMzk3CEhpWOpFVHD28h8YsSNPsOLGT_CtrX5/s241/Do%20More%20of%20What%20Makes%20you%20happy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="171" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsawc7gBvT_5ApB3llRMo1mKXsnBNNg_XwV5DKIo5o6XU4R4i1RV2GeIx5jsfzWxj_hNJ7kmrB6VBtgIBGDZBCws1UA6abUIQzl9fYf7qWtUp_MykGkfPlvfe3_Wz3IVD7owBbojZrNTo1N9Yy6FrRdEjRuMzk3CEhpWOpFVHD28h8YsSNPsOLGT_CtrX5/w284-h400/Do%20More%20of%20What%20Makes%20you%20happy.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><br /></span></div></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-2798616241361852472023-10-28T18:47:00.000-07:002023-10-28T18:47:05.998-07:00GOING FORWARD - NOT LOOKING BACK<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>GOING FORWARD</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>NOT LOOKING BACK</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxEFaNXym4TPO_X7KHAi_G1GNGfgC4_m8TsZMNyrYZ7qU3mlPHgTigchi3wyKSsyBdj2TRusWhWMVuJdQnTN4QKTH11VXpnOPXmJdJ7BpwmoFUjmBCY-7NlBwSmPH-bWGlT1kcEQwFQTCMW1X3LpSnfqZkt7H_ulJvBPs-DdbVmnY7oBa0SD1px5jLmL8/s377/mary%20engelbreit%20quote%20don't%20look%20back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="377" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYxEFaNXym4TPO_X7KHAi_G1GNGfgC4_m8TsZMNyrYZ7qU3mlPHgTigchi3wyKSsyBdj2TRusWhWMVuJdQnTN4QKTH11VXpnOPXmJdJ7BpwmoFUjmBCY-7NlBwSmPH-bWGlT1kcEQwFQTCMW1X3LpSnfqZkt7H_ulJvBPs-DdbVmnY7oBa0SD1px5jLmL8/w640-h398/mary%20engelbreit%20quote%20don't%20look%20back.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p style="font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mary Engelbreit said it well. But how do we move our lives forward? Sometimes, it seems overwhelming just trying to decide what direction to take when it comes to making decisions in our lives. It does not come easy for most of us. I know that I watch others around me and it seems to be 'second nature' to them. As if they have an innate sense of where they are headed, such as their career or where to live or even whom to marry. I did not know until the third time. And as for my career decision? That is a whole different blog. From a high school senior all the way through college, I changed my mind at least ten times. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you are more like me (and many others,) then join in the group that a research team called 'dabblers.' This group never seems to be able to stick to just one choice. We travel through life changing lanes and taking up new interests on a regular basis. We seem to skim the surface of things. For me, it is to be able to enjoy as many different experiences as possible. I have noticed though, that it is hard to get things completed in this mode of operation. There are ways to overcome this so that we can move forward in our lives.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">One way is to go ahead and totally commit to the decision for a month. Each day for a month schedule 30 - 60 minutes to work solely on the project. This can be a job search or research on different opportunities. Or it could be painting techniques to use, even a neighborhood or city that you may be interested in moving to. Then, make a list and pick the one idea that stands out the most. Here is where the dabblers have trouble. Flip a coin if you must. The idea is to just choose something. If the idea is only in our heads, there is no way of knowing if it is for us or not. I am the famous 'list maker.' I do pros and cons list on my decisions on whether to go this way or that way.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is important to not rule things out totally too quickly. If something isn't working or making me happy it is easier for me to just ditch it than to spend time thinking about what I</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> would need to make it work for me. The important thing for me is to remember not to bail out too fast before giving it a chance. Become a problem solver, so to speak. Not always easy for me to come up with other possible solutions to what I had already planned and set into motion. Even if the plan was not working. It is just more simple for me to scrap it than to revamp it. That is definitely something important for me to work on. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">Really, it is a matter of being flexible to go to Plan B and then Plan C and maybe Plan D? I am ready to jump out and bail before giving things a chance. I must remember that I can do almost anything if I do the work, but it is worth remembering that some things are much more difficult and competitive than others'. WOW! Do I ever know that? Example? My novel writing. And no, I have not given up. I am only rethinking and doing the problem solving myself. I feel confident that I will accomplish my goal.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes people fear that when they commit to one option that they are stuck with it forever. There is such a thing as a compromise. As my novel has evolved, I have added compromises...many, many times over and over and over. So now, as of the writing of this blog, I am ready to move forward. There is no looking back and saying, "I should've, I could've, if only I would've." JUST DO IT!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNC7EVsBksdlSdXOF2Gk2vx0rmro3Jv9wxDqvN5oMsRMvorl08CG0CXLYFz6P6y6FJQy5YHkX3LHzF5ywYGNQnDMIus7qWyx9hGMwfFy0qeDHsD-t89YYB_JPLQ4Jop3QmPyPT-rj8RtSW3kQKa-nVS63aCjaMUeD3D7QVpt8f8_odbFeUXzQtLMiEutVW/s305/can't%20go%20back%20only%20forward.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="305" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNC7EVsBksdlSdXOF2Gk2vx0rmro3Jv9wxDqvN5oMsRMvorl08CG0CXLYFz6P6y6FJQy5YHkX3LHzF5ywYGNQnDMIus7qWyx9hGMwfFy0qeDHsD-t89YYB_JPLQ4Jop3QmPyPT-rj8RtSW3kQKa-nVS63aCjaMUeD3D7QVpt8f8_odbFeUXzQtLMiEutVW/w400-h307/can't%20go%20back%20only%20forward.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b style="font-size: xx-large;"><br /></b></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-50144333496915816742023-10-22T14:14:00.000-07:002023-10-22T14:14:08.705-07:00A LOVE LETTER<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>A LOVE LETTER </b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_n5agXzV9F9ARTjmnxyjUOwbXsxaxcyUNSaRtQtUvzDG-owobCUGeBmJxlnv2vtS3xhdLXEnMhfKSMiR32hLjf33HGC_9U3j0l9_mnznu2XUPzA8TkPdk2Qv0oZzoALEFBBXbI7ijQpazNkl1rDkxApTxFySqrGysOyxlHEpvHYEy06HeVeKIobpVIQJ8/s260/AS%20I%20SIT%20AND%20SAY%20I%20MISS%20YOU....jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="195" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_n5agXzV9F9ARTjmnxyjUOwbXsxaxcyUNSaRtQtUvzDG-owobCUGeBmJxlnv2vtS3xhdLXEnMhfKSMiR32hLjf33HGC_9U3j0l9_mnznu2XUPzA8TkPdk2Qv0oZzoALEFBBXbI7ijQpazNkl1rDkxApTxFySqrGysOyxlHEpvHYEy06HeVeKIobpVIQJ8/w300-h400/AS%20I%20SIT%20AND%20SAY%20I%20MISS%20YOU....jpg" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Steve,</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It is very hard for me to grasp the fact that as of Monday, October 23rd, you have not been in my life. It was all so sudden and so unexpected. There is not a day that goes by that I do not talk to you or write to you in my daily journal. I have tried to keep the same routine that you and I had of writing in our journals as our dinner was cooking. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">So much of my life has changed without you. Missing someone who passed away is a whole different type of heartache. You would be so proud of your daughter and her family who have stepped up and tried living here in our home to help me get through the grief. Then we discovered that yes, this will work permanently. I know that you hear your granddaughters, especially the youngest one, as she puts her hands together and prays to you out loud, her "Smiley." You will forever be in their hearts. Even our granddaughters down in New Orleans, who we did not get to see nearly as often, still talk about their "Smiley." It does my heart good.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And, I believe that you had something to do with how things worked out in our home. It is now a home of 5. We do things a lot differently than when it was just the two of us. There are now two children living here. This alone makes our home such a happy place. From the saxophone playing (sort of, kind of - she is a beginner in the Middle School band) to the youngest one who is now the Karate Kid! Very active lifestyles with volleyball, drama clubs, etc. Truly, I know in my heart that you knew this is what I needed and helped to make that all happen. Luckily, this house works perfectly due to the size of it for them to live upstairs, just as Tom did before he moved into his own place.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I know that I have to let go of having you by my side. Holding your hand, talking face to face. But I will never let go of loving you, remembering you, honoring you and missing you. It's hard missing you. But, I know that missing you means that I was lucky. It means that I had someone so very special in my life, someone worth missing!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">My mind still talks to you. My heart still looks for you. My soul knows you are at peace. But I still miss you. When I lost you, I have never gotten over it. I am slowly learning how to go on without you but you are always tucked safely in my heart. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">You were taken from me much too soon. I think of you all the time and talk to you. What I wouldn't give to hear your voice, just one last time. I miss your laugh. I miss everything about you. I will always love you deeply. A quote from Cindy Adkins in the book <i>Angels at My Door</i> sums it up well.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZEFrKDn06bT5DGdLxA6fWK47j5eAkSinkEHlxBSQXOUcEgl2dkIcGN1hFeuWNMaGVSo_6aATtrvMErNZplsHUeDt2dOURqLVtT2YRroUJFrLg-wWScF7YYlRF-7l0mWgxRFM5h0ktHL6Pw6YfuOV2_PRnkAnvLQiBYsipEkhombLYH2f82UlHOocguX1/s234/YOU%20WANT%20ME%20TO%20GO%20ON.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="232" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZEFrKDn06bT5DGdLxA6fWK47j5eAkSinkEHlxBSQXOUcEgl2dkIcGN1hFeuWNMaGVSo_6aATtrvMErNZplsHUeDt2dOURqLVtT2YRroUJFrLg-wWScF7YYlRF-7l0mWgxRFM5h0ktHL6Pw6YfuOV2_PRnkAnvLQiBYsipEkhombLYH2f82UlHOocguX1/w397-h400/YOU%20WANT%20ME%20TO%20GO%20ON.jpg" width="397" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Mahatma Gandhi</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-80735890425828567692023-10-12T15:20:00.000-07:002023-10-12T15:20:17.969-07:00SEABILITATED<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>SEABILITATED</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiookE35MV9iPVTSyUiJHgI2CUDuKNQS9evOIQVQ9ci2uhrtLtA7Cx8jS43DNAE2C9vxpuw8OT4BJ_C4iSP37H8Q-EN9uaCmOlpEdhndl9zeeHfxn4UumVrmLvWgxeYzVF6BkOke5TT98GEELe2EmQxC_mMUKDdhGKiS4rb7bi_QZgRIuDb_Lean_Ea4S9k/s960/seahabilitated%5B616%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="759" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiookE35MV9iPVTSyUiJHgI2CUDuKNQS9evOIQVQ9ci2uhrtLtA7Cx8jS43DNAE2C9vxpuw8OT4BJ_C4iSP37H8Q-EN9uaCmOlpEdhndl9zeeHfxn4UumVrmLvWgxeYzVF6BkOke5TT98GEELe2EmQxC_mMUKDdhGKiS4rb7bi_QZgRIuDb_Lean_Ea4S9k/w506-h640/seahabilitated%5B616%5D.jpg" width="506" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="text-align: left;"><p style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">This is a true statement for me. I am quite sure that it is for many others as well. It is a fact that if it ever became possible, I would have my own place on the ocean - just as long as my daughter and her family could come along with both of our furbabies. It would be very large and we would all have our personal spaces like we do now - only larger. I have the picture in my mind right now.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCN0vDLBdab2GnwtCM3lUmrhVbuP37gOjbGafBeZLNQphNzxRsOoRz33TojpkoKvqCQPGrkCMxUX8xhopGQf8Nfh2_9Zx5YUEP9AmrHtVlhQqvOsrEYvUew3SPW6XJyjFIJ0MJV8r5Mw5P7P18zKtM2zMhGnom2Y3TORr51BJqkeH6DAH0W_pFZ7PyLtq/s256/dream%20house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="256" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCN0vDLBdab2GnwtCM3lUmrhVbuP37gOjbGafBeZLNQphNzxRsOoRz33TojpkoKvqCQPGrkCMxUX8xhopGQf8Nfh2_9Zx5YUEP9AmrHtVlhQqvOsrEYvUew3SPW6XJyjFIJ0MJV8r5Mw5P7P18zKtM2zMhGnom2Y3TORr51BJqkeH6DAH0W_pFZ7PyLtq/w400-h377/dream%20house.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">We would engage our senses in new sights, smells, tastes, and sounds, which would continue to improve our mental state and increase feelings of relaxation - all of the time. The sea is known to restore good mental and physical health through SEA therapy. Not just for a week or two of vacation. But, always.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PlM3g3LCkB5XWGEe_sH_mYG_a8I6j4e6TYV_cnLb0ML7Wyk4YJu2Wp8vzlNDufSBq7oYuetQ2dbBq5-qP6hdSCnQ2Cz0cYqqzuKhhcTZ4-OWaVQ-1am2doLBJgcRdkHQ31_qSgy2hS8CYDN2az4wc_aSx3SM1bxD5S4u3VvVw1y77K9O5smMfX-m-dpU/s330/water%20and%20sand%5B617%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="330" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_PlM3g3LCkB5XWGEe_sH_mYG_a8I6j4e6TYV_cnLb0ML7Wyk4YJu2Wp8vzlNDufSBq7oYuetQ2dbBq5-qP6hdSCnQ2Cz0cYqqzuKhhcTZ4-OWaVQ-1am2doLBJgcRdkHQ31_qSgy2hS8CYDN2az4wc_aSx3SM1bxD5S4u3VvVw1y77K9O5smMfX-m-dpU/w400-h266/water%20and%20sand%5B617%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">It is a matter of calming the mind with the meditational ebb and flow of the tides, which lowers anxiety and stress, thereby reducing headaches and lifts depression. The brain receives messages that cause changes that leaves us feeling happier, more relaxed, and full of energy. This, in turn, encourages physical activity, which has a very positive effect on the human mind. It encourages the body to produce the happy hormone, serotonin, which makes people feel happy and stress-free. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZKIfWbm1Up6PsPKH8x3hg_ztc1GW-vQcW5d_fkmyvEhBw1RkQ-xfb93x7nCccRYAWAttAF48QyLgmVxQBmF_6xjAhcGDZYt7ULmTjp4lnYUy496k0gr4A2rqpc9PKxUbcvlLqhbTvj38K5gSUcg3T6StKx3Z1-cR9J-luMi3DDelnRGK4X3bc6pe34SEq/s330/relax%20and%20enjoy%5B613%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="330" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZKIfWbm1Up6PsPKH8x3hg_ztc1GW-vQcW5d_fkmyvEhBw1RkQ-xfb93x7nCccRYAWAttAF48QyLgmVxQBmF_6xjAhcGDZYt7ULmTjp4lnYUy496k0gr4A2rqpc9PKxUbcvlLqhbTvj38K5gSUcg3T6StKx3Z1-cR9J-luMi3DDelnRGK4X3bc6pe34SEq/w400-h266/relax%20and%20enjoy%5B613%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;">It would be a place where we would could live permanently because it truly is just what the doctor ordered. It is a great way to unwind and relax always. The sound of waves crashing has been shown to enhance relaxation more than any other sound. Even walking along the shoreline can make one feel less isolated and happier. This would be grand to live day to day in this state of mind. Even though, let's be real. Life happens and there will be those moments. I just feel that those kind of moments would be short lived if the beach was our permanent residence. </p><p style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi40yx9uoMhDKF5F5azko18Xoq6E2aGEldzvZjEYj_5P01tN_A3qquBNiJXzzjH1ZFV4uQtZ8O1n8NUGksuBCEouFHku2a8P5HxK1QF_22SaNF0LSM-zYYRtkZ9pLTkLQVpkjH2gnrVGoadsTQ_k8T0hRBDwGWHLIMRqShmufLM4r1K-kQ7clb2xyk6HVsN/s323/sand%20writing%5B615%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="323" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi40yx9uoMhDKF5F5azko18Xoq6E2aGEldzvZjEYj_5P01tN_A3qquBNiJXzzjH1ZFV4uQtZ8O1n8NUGksuBCEouFHku2a8P5HxK1QF_22SaNF0LSM-zYYRtkZ9pLTkLQVpkjH2gnrVGoadsTQ_k8T0hRBDwGWHLIMRqShmufLM4r1K-kQ7clb2xyk6HVsN/w640-h436/sand%20writing%5B615%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcUbmLDwlhWD-PJcIJQ2-_uVLfRppSTYhx9qAGL_j1W5zuJETHmLbhLc7XJFscz-0NPVWY9oWUBlubl6VoP3w29grMFo3hY7xF0ITnTgEM5Xdv_D52x_rAEClGu0HNeQFcK43VTmj6JGDs8rhAZ_AQ07Gf85wAY8__nHxeYdUEvLw-T7pJZVzdxuZ3iYf/s393/quote%20beach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="262" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcUbmLDwlhWD-PJcIJQ2-_uVLfRppSTYhx9qAGL_j1W5zuJETHmLbhLc7XJFscz-0NPVWY9oWUBlubl6VoP3w29grMFo3hY7xF0ITnTgEM5Xdv_D52x_rAEClGu0HNeQFcK43VTmj6JGDs8rhAZ_AQ07Gf85wAY8__nHxeYdUEvLw-T7pJZVzdxuZ3iYf/w426-h640/quote%20beach.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">This is most definitely my point of view. </p><p style="font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></p></span></span><p></p><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-75748155501176662962023-09-30T17:14:00.002-07:002023-09-30T17:14:57.669-07:00LIFE IS LIKE A ROLLER COASTER<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>LIFE IS LIKE A ROLLER COASTER</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOP5AKBQ7FSI1LmNWG92tT1byTeDDEW6VJ8XsF0EAAmT9eSAIG1lw36HIh8KCCtqNOhcbZGKrgm7_-jsNuWBgWmPakwyX4PIRGBzgG-FuYpyKEh0wk7dO6PRtfjcUtU2eIiOSr306OeDhUS0D-q3Hob56v8CWgdyTYBx_313nGvYGxyaqBz3v_4uDDSGcW/s265/1%20life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="265" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOP5AKBQ7FSI1LmNWG92tT1byTeDDEW6VJ8XsF0EAAmT9eSAIG1lw36HIh8KCCtqNOhcbZGKrgm7_-jsNuWBgWmPakwyX4PIRGBzgG-FuYpyKEh0wk7dO6PRtfjcUtU2eIiOSr306OeDhUS0D-q3Hob56v8CWgdyTYBx_313nGvYGxyaqBz3v_4uDDSGcW/w400-h353/1%20life.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is a really good visual of life for most of us in general. Let's face it. None of us have all highs, nor do we have all lows. I know there are times that it may feel that nothing is going our way and that it is a long climb up to get to the next high point. To me, it is a matter of getting my mind set on where it is that I want to go and push the pedal to the medal and just <b>GO! </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yes, there are times that it helps to close my eyes and have some faith that it will all turn out just fine. Just hang on and enjoy the ride where our lives take us. It may not always be what we thought it would be. That is where plan A and plan B come in to play. There are 26 letters in our alphabet, so the plans can be as flexible as we need them to be.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid1hdLVSPjRLz5QoD5yVldLE3DV6i24FPPJC-VpRsM0ApX-HTSIzzC9k1NjnaY_ydQWXBLxEXqyo1FDwZI4r1KxGflsXMaOONYy-4PSpomgBLPs6BzTZLPzN7Lslgo_UHm1xSKG_9SNXeZ3rBFeQsjHIV4N_KK6MU8_SmPYWc6g5kEO2uzy388VPupj3Wl/s250/2%20best%20to%20just%20close%20eyes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid1hdLVSPjRLz5QoD5yVldLE3DV6i24FPPJC-VpRsM0ApX-HTSIzzC9k1NjnaY_ydQWXBLxEXqyo1FDwZI4r1KxGflsXMaOONYy-4PSpomgBLPs6BzTZLPzN7Lslgo_UHm1xSKG_9SNXeZ3rBFeQsjHIV4N_KK6MU8_SmPYWc6g5kEO2uzy388VPupj3Wl/w400-h400/2%20best%20to%20just%20close%20eyes.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">There will always be ups and downs in our lives. Those things that we have no control over. What we do have control over is how we choose to respond to enjoy the ride or to scream and whine all the way? In my mind, I would always try to choose going the positive road and just enjoy the ride. Make the best of it. </span></div><br />It is not always so easy in certain situations. I have learned to wrap my mind around memories of my lost loved ones in order to ride the roller coaster of life. That is what our precious loved ones would want for us. Not to be trying to learn how to live without them but to live with the love they left behind. That is such an important lesson of life. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGM1GJc__ZQ0MoHzRUzdA-SXUFi6CWHFDR94ESJRfsah9AvJqyuhaFZanAjJxgFCG7G_qcaVsPEUxsY-NtHqO4YxLAv-hAijDkf4gXSfW2nfrMlofaeGRv0Vek9QaGRPGJlo-Ng4_wx6EzCW7RMaGJxsYSSSdMsB3FV1wFSN8oXmZv_7RjRKFViaqdVwGl/s250/5%20scream%20or%20learn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGM1GJc__ZQ0MoHzRUzdA-SXUFi6CWHFDR94ESJRfsah9AvJqyuhaFZanAjJxgFCG7G_qcaVsPEUxsY-NtHqO4YxLAv-hAijDkf4gXSfW2nfrMlofaeGRv0Vek9QaGRPGJlo-Ng4_wx6EzCW7RMaGJxsYSSSdMsB3FV1wFSN8oXmZv_7RjRKFViaqdVwGl/w400-h400/5%20scream%20or%20learn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Another way to have support can be from family and/or friends or perhaps even seeing a therapist to be able to talk out your own roller coaster rides. I have found that family and friends are the best ever. They listen to be, they feel for me, and sometimes they have to just help to point me in the direction that I need to be going. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjngHyKYWwk8uyIePBbL-iFHBtLX4oKmjp5cXD4Kdg1mdBz2VNJ_u3A6V8FpQ6wP37LT4z6T9uF8PdeMaDXwGJhLhOZcUB_veG-tR_9WrXrsAbGLbhtIgcDi_iqhngV4n2WJj6hHWQodD2JLKXC9nunGpoo9o1DXTb3pN8g2Wo08cNrjKHtje15VtVq8go/s275/4%20friends%20support.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjngHyKYWwk8uyIePBbL-iFHBtLX4oKmjp5cXD4Kdg1mdBz2VNJ_u3A6V8FpQ6wP37LT4z6T9uF8PdeMaDXwGJhLhOZcUB_veG-tR_9WrXrsAbGLbhtIgcDi_iqhngV4n2WJj6hHWQodD2JLKXC9nunGpoo9o1DXTb3pN8g2Wo08cNrjKHtje15VtVq8go/w400-h266/4%20friends%20support.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">At this time in my life, I have decided to paint my life in a healthy way. Both in exercise, eating habits and mentally. Meditation works well for me. Sometimes it is a matter of closing my eyes and just clearing my mind. Other times it is all about journaling what is going on in my mind with words or with sketches. At one point, I was painting more and writing more in my novel so that I could get it off to an editor in hopes of publishing it. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Finally, it has happened! I am now ready to move forward with both of those goals. There are events in our lives that can slow us down; the lesson for me here is to never give up. Keep on keepin' on!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0XoeASDBHvGEZVM-eRR-gYYP5hR0ZwmBpkJ-Fvi-_ZMZ8Vvtge0N8kjfMya4tdbC4DpHiKT76NhDi9jJuB_QxOu-9bcQqahA8tR92R_luThUPCreBfFQjxufGpe-3XNtO9j3hDNN-K9wHyLshR3BT9uZM9-FxB_ttf6ZQ_Lil6m8po8JgnDgtOuzV7Igb/s234/6%20just%20ride%20it.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="213" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0XoeASDBHvGEZVM-eRR-gYYP5hR0ZwmBpkJ-Fvi-_ZMZ8Vvtge0N8kjfMya4tdbC4DpHiKT76NhDi9jJuB_QxOu-9bcQqahA8tR92R_luThUPCreBfFQjxufGpe-3XNtO9j3hDNN-K9wHyLshR3BT9uZM9-FxB_ttf6ZQ_Lil6m8po8JgnDgtOuzV7Igb/w364-h400/6%20just%20ride%20it.jpg" width="364" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-6496580476474740712023-09-22T14:21:00.000-07:002023-09-22T14:21:14.968-07:00FOLLOW A PATH OR PAINT YOUR LIFE?<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>FOLLOW A PATH OR PAINT YOUR LIFE?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEy7tLGbNRC-_6uPFpl_sFJqDJu60LV6VCLARR5TQ6GlEToLipbwhvCzpdzsYSmhlwTBm_wnrt3s1Qr5aRsoD0OhQPHP0JRAt9nj5Ni4TxhxUv4m2bklJ9-ouIhtwoJqwIELHzxuw38PVFUQ1gL46EblAaKmriyEqlQa0_1jDJKWb4vPnpFeCDQkP6FHWG/s352/follow%20your%20own%20path.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="352" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEy7tLGbNRC-_6uPFpl_sFJqDJu60LV6VCLARR5TQ6GlEToLipbwhvCzpdzsYSmhlwTBm_wnrt3s1Qr5aRsoD0OhQPHP0JRAt9nj5Ni4TxhxUv4m2bklJ9-ouIhtwoJqwIELHzxuw38PVFUQ1gL46EblAaKmriyEqlQa0_1jDJKWb4vPnpFeCDQkP6FHWG/s320/follow%20your%20own%20path.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">How many times have heard and even used the expression myself that I am following my own path. That is not all together a negative thing. After reading what a motivational speaker, Nataly Kogan, had to say on the subject, I have revisited that expression. I know that when I am finding myself in trouble trying to decide what my next step should be I can get totally stuck. Or I feel regrets about choosing the wrong path and making the wrong decisions, then it becomes such an inner struggle for me.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is when I flip it around inside my head and visually see a blank canvas which is representing my life.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXIXaOnuj5g-scZ5aKL4k7duzF00ky-vyZmKvKrOVwJbAImFCbKuIqZvZjO3SDimTw6iE6ZIrGo-EWE_pOYGczaRUvzZZY2HinkiMqutH23fDdZBhoqr0m8II_7Lc1zdvrLSIIc5-0l9XqE6L8YntMWK9oLIKdEgGhoLS4RTmmfKlS5RQcGrudsLsl1VUz/s292/blank%20convas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="292" data-original-width="292" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXIXaOnuj5g-scZ5aKL4k7duzF00ky-vyZmKvKrOVwJbAImFCbKuIqZvZjO3SDimTw6iE6ZIrGo-EWE_pOYGczaRUvzZZY2HinkiMqutH23fDdZBhoqr0m8II_7Lc1zdvrLSIIc5-0l9XqE6L8YntMWK9oLIKdEgGhoLS4RTmmfKlS5RQcGrudsLsl1VUz/s1600/blank%20convas.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><br />When I think of my life as a painting, it frees me from worrying about decisions of going down the wrong path. I choose. I make the choices. Just as an artist makes the strokes on the canvas with the paint using his paintbrush. Each step is like a stroke that teaches me something, which in turn helps me make the next decision based on what is most meaningful to me. I get the right perspective because I am looking at the "decision" of what is the best way to move forward. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">By painting the canvas of my life I feel powerful and motivated to help me enrich and grow with each stroke that I make. I know that the strokes can always be changed or altered based on what my own needs are.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">To give a personal specific example, I was using the term that I chose to go on a journey, down a path to become healthier. Because I am such a visual learner, it helped me imagine that all of the choices that I was making to help me get there were being painted on a canvas by ME. How I would accomplish my lifetime healthy goal will always remain in a picture that I have painted. Actually it is my own art gallery. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvZYvMMb4SesZMHOU82AR7zdH0uMXULp8jT4cCKvcIDJwUYsDmCft-6xzwY3ckP_mX79PeLxZzqtQJssU9_EQgqGGCCCZ27zNUwh4hIXRiuw_zxLBEOWCdULbPI5KXe2r8Xtt3uU6N8zPtWrNhXNK-j1K15Ke7cOtf6hmX6wXrANpPHiQx1eF-K4zyNex/s271/Life%20is%20Art%20Paint%20your%20life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="271" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvZYvMMb4SesZMHOU82AR7zdH0uMXULp8jT4cCKvcIDJwUYsDmCft-6xzwY3ckP_mX79PeLxZzqtQJssU9_EQgqGGCCCZ27zNUwh4hIXRiuw_zxLBEOWCdULbPI5KXe2r8Xtt3uU6N8zPtWrNhXNK-j1K15Ke7cOtf6hmX6wXrANpPHiQx1eF-K4zyNex/w400-h345/Life%20is%20Art%20Paint%20your%20life.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">At first, I did not know which way to go. Sometimes after the first stroke, the picture falls into place. Other times I never know how it is going to turn out and I must admit that is frustrating for me. It is easy to forget that according to research, 99% of decisions in our lives aren't final or permanent. We always are able to adjust and choose a different stroke; just like painting a canvas.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The way that I look at this way of thinking is that it allows me to just let it go...everything that "should be" needs to be kicked out. This gives me the power to create and evolve in the way that I want my life to go. Not all things I am in control of. None of us are. What I am in control of would be the choices that I make with what is put in front of me. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloIOCrM9pPOLo_sPPDSMMb5qBpaw4SOZ34PoaXIaRgJxoZKTjSEH-T5Xvrp1oaqL3XJVprIjAC5L5K8PTlsSBx_04YpKFjneHxggQRBTZRF4j2if2xA6xqyfXGJ2Y5Kqo68452yofTiF8ufBIXX2xB_I_XMcYqlq4ddqZGHe8hd9S8lbTOLOoubRojTe1/s267/paint%20your%20life%20beautiful.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="267" data-original-width="267" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgloIOCrM9pPOLo_sPPDSMMb5qBpaw4SOZ34PoaXIaRgJxoZKTjSEH-T5Xvrp1oaqL3XJVprIjAC5L5K8PTlsSBx_04YpKFjneHxggQRBTZRF4j2if2xA6xqyfXGJ2Y5Kqo68452yofTiF8ufBIXX2xB_I_XMcYqlq4ddqZGHe8hd9S8lbTOLOoubRojTe1/w400-h400/paint%20your%20life%20beautiful.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-46265915117028305942023-09-20T11:49:00.001-07:002023-09-20T11:52:01.588-07:00ADULTING IS HARD<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>ADULTING IS HARD</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDoteXnYd_Q0Ri159zskru3ShDNb5xBbqvwZIZ262eqvrytEIhTrmoCt50UwUZv0DszHwvcGTnIPVr8vyQKPBJ-JCXoSwRocTqx46WvTH3NSo6bvMCTr71BoF4eUSd6WCLG3_fvyd5YjVFzfrYIjDqPGC-N3CuGGZCOozUEOd_JCEPd5O_ebdmnqGtytN6/s640/ADULTING%20IS%20HARD%20-%20FLOWERS.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDoteXnYd_Q0Ri159zskru3ShDNb5xBbqvwZIZ262eqvrytEIhTrmoCt50UwUZv0DszHwvcGTnIPVr8vyQKPBJ-JCXoSwRocTqx46WvTH3NSo6bvMCTr71BoF4eUSd6WCLG3_fvyd5YjVFzfrYIjDqPGC-N3CuGGZCOozUEOd_JCEPd5O_ebdmnqGtytN6/w400-h400/ADULTING%20IS%20HARD%20-%20FLOWERS.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">No one ever said that becoming an adult was easy. Yet when we think about it, almost all of us could not wait to turn 21. Once we are out on our own and paying our own bills by working for the money all of a sudden things start to feel overwhelming. Life is challenging. Life is not always ok. We do have choices though. We have choices as to what to notice and pay attention to. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Instead of wallowing in negativity, take a step over to the more positive side. Our brain focuses naturally on the more negative aspect, and we can decide to make a choice to wring our hands and say, "Oh, woe is me." OR we can take action and find some joy along the way. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTgQBJNxvd9EHNgLG-Qi6Q9sKHXWuhrHP5XqFbrtDcthztg2LT9t8UKeOSBtVfrGd5MBqGe1YiiAu05h47losi8aVm7D7V8HEIv4VunacSbJcJqNlljSCzzpDY7bl9jAAlkIXAXSnoB3powl13opTzd7I-qEBXTJiJxwYaM9OXxaZWNYGpCIesqZYLTYT/s405/TWO%20EMOTIONS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="405" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTgQBJNxvd9EHNgLG-Qi6Q9sKHXWuhrHP5XqFbrtDcthztg2LT9t8UKeOSBtVfrGd5MBqGe1YiiAu05h47losi8aVm7D7V8HEIv4VunacSbJcJqNlljSCzzpDY7bl9jAAlkIXAXSnoB3powl13opTzd7I-qEBXTJiJxwYaM9OXxaZWNYGpCIesqZYLTYT/w400-h231/TWO%20EMOTIONS.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Believe it or not, we can feel both emotions together.<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table>We should not let what we are going through define us. It does not and should not become YOU! Go back to that choice as to what there is to notice and pay attention. It is ok and not wrong to go through grief or sadness. It is natural and can be small or major. Even when it is a major event in our lives, there is a way to find some joy along the way. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">My experience of a major event that happened in my life is the loss of my soulmate. Steve was my everything, the love of my life. His passing was so sudden that I know my brain and body were in shock. I felt so blessed that I had family and friends to help me to get through my grief at that time. Am I still going through it? Of course I am. It does not just disappear. There are so many steps to take and there were ways even at that time to help me to start on my path. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">First of all, Steve and I both had discussed things that we wanted to happen when one of us passed. It helped me in knowing that I was following to the best of my ability to meet his requests. There were two major things for me to focus on for him, yet in the end, it was for me also. I had to make the decision that he signed for...to not have him live the rest of his life hooked up to machines keeping him alive when there was no chance of him returning as himself. I had to honor his wishes when his organs were shutting down. I was so blessed to have family there with me.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The next step was that neither one of us wanted a 'funeral.' Not in the term that most people think of when someone passes. With the help of my daughter and one of my sons, plus my brother we were able to set up a "Celebration of Life" for Steve. lt was positively beautiful. There was sadness, of course - yet the majority of the day was celebrating all of the wonderful things that Steve did in his life. People that he worked with at FedEx, </span><span style="font-size: large;">as well as those where I worked. He played a huge role in being the Adopt a School representative for many years and all spoke of how he always did so much for others. Some of the family and friends got up to say how Steve affected their lives. I did not need to know just how special of person that he was. I knew that and witnessed it daily. WOW! Did that bring joy to my soul to hear those words on that day? Yes, I had tears of sadness and joy, all at the same time. IT IS POSSIBLE.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Our brain likes to focus on the short-term rewards, which is why we can stay in a circle of negativity, even when positive things are happening all around us. I chose to focus on all of the inspiration that was all around me. Did I have break-downs here and there? Yes, I did. I am human! It is natural. Integrating my grief and sorrow with some inspirational joy just happened along the way. I am sure there are those who feel that it is wrong to feel joy when you should be grieving. It is a choice to experience BOTH!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">There were two quotes that struck a chord in my heart. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">"A memory is a photograph taken by the heart to make a special moment last forever."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">"When we lose someone we love we must learn not to live without them but to live with the love they left behind."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Feeling sorrow is an action. It is a verb. Just as feeling joy is. Choosing to step away from sorrow and have some joy is ok. It can be small. Such as taking a walk, reading, painting, writing. Do it for yourself and become a mirror for others. I can't change how others feel, however I can work on paying attention to my joyful senses even when I am feeling sorrow. We all deserve that. No matter how small the joy is.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBhHEt_jWra1dYMJKKZE1U64Xz5r6TyvN9Txk24WLE1Bmx6RnuXirh22yJf5Xdnr8ejo_SHNFKFf_OFvRP6AjunGDbXC-YQQ24Aq3glqparsmkU-K1rbwmh1-gK8b_sMVSAnWyAHfGlhAaAZtp9xicCD3J5tE7qw1JyTHPt6ATycN-1cj4CiP1mViPDToa/s2998/COFFEE%20AS%20A%20JOY%20DURING%20ADULTING.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1999" data-original-width="2998" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBhHEt_jWra1dYMJKKZE1U64Xz5r6TyvN9Txk24WLE1Bmx6RnuXirh22yJf5Xdnr8ejo_SHNFKFf_OFvRP6AjunGDbXC-YQQ24Aq3glqparsmkU-K1rbwmh1-gK8b_sMVSAnWyAHfGlhAaAZtp9xicCD3J5tE7qw1JyTHPt6ATycN-1cj4CiP1mViPDToa/s320/COFFEE%20AS%20A%20JOY%20DURING%20ADULTING.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">A simple concept yet powerful to always find some joy by weaving sparks of happiness together with sadness because this is how healing begins.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"><b>JOY DOES NOT SIMPLY HAPPEN TO US. WE HAVE TO CHOOSE JOY AND KEEP CHOOSING IT EVERY DAY.</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-47786631380019391482023-09-12T09:00:00.000-07:002023-09-12T09:00:46.485-07:00TAKE A LOAD OFF<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>TAKE A LOAD OFF</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">There are some people who never, ever have to worry about taking a load off of their bodies. In other words, losing weight. How many of us do have the worry? LOTS! I am definitely not in the minority. Here is a picture of me with six bags of sugar - each bag weighs 10 pounds. At that stage I had been on my incredible journey for almost 5 months and lost 60 pounds. Being a very visual learner, all I had to do was look at all of those heavy bags and think to myself that I no longer am carrying that baggage along with me. No wonder I am walking better, have more energy, sleeping better. I am just all around healthier and it feels wonderful. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfy6fxa4Wwt-rXlFPLM0WXIj3i498fRCdc7cTTQANkFSiqrxTVTqqToc3Qf17x54_WtGzYCkMXnVyTMR6e4_jY2xKEO6rgFmHtTP81ojuTaO9T2Y_qlCGlxhUG5QSXXlnvD40lRNgutlp4GwrOcos78VboJxt3wIXIYdETvAPIqLt1ThwJmAPlqIoIUGuJ/s4032/sugar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfy6fxa4Wwt-rXlFPLM0WXIj3i498fRCdc7cTTQANkFSiqrxTVTqqToc3Qf17x54_WtGzYCkMXnVyTMR6e4_jY2xKEO6rgFmHtTP81ojuTaO9T2Y_qlCGlxhUG5QSXXlnvD40lRNgutlp4GwrOcos78VboJxt3wIXIYdETvAPIqLt1ThwJmAPlqIoIUGuJ/s320/sugar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Everyone must find their own path toward their goal. This is what worked for me. One thing that I know is that we must be careful in choosing the right plan that fits our own lifestyle. Plus, I know that I am in it for the long term weight management when I reach my goal. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">There are advertisements out there that tell the reader that their plan is powered by the psychology that will unlock the secret to weight loss! Or that you are able to eat whatever you want. Just forget the carb cutting and the point systems. Even saw one ad that stated, "Ditch the diets and still get results!" Let's get real.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">There are millions of everyday people like me that have 'yo-yoed' through diet programs that just did not work. Then there are some famous people who have lost weight and so far are keeping it off. Think about Oprah Winfrey who was on her daily TV show and had to go through the ups and downs of losing and gaining weight on national television. She did not give up. Finally, she found what works for her.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmk69OeATGxoPlfShHaHJ2k7hJAQ3aLdomcCtraxPgT9b6IQ98TVfUE1VZzaT9AjidL6SoBRjna_EsySMZbse0a5YFr1SKAT1abBRcsURq-By84HZU7Izq9PglmbNsq2oqpWkfVzXufdiX4vS5rgDtF1ymqjXwnFzpl_Y6Dj1y0yuCFXv7zXNxYmBz8pSs/s357/Oprah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="357" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmk69OeATGxoPlfShHaHJ2k7hJAQ3aLdomcCtraxPgT9b6IQ98TVfUE1VZzaT9AjidL6SoBRjna_EsySMZbse0a5YFr1SKAT1abBRcsURq-By84HZU7Izq9PglmbNsq2oqpWkfVzXufdiX4vS5rgDtF1ymqjXwnFzpl_Y6Dj1y0yuCFXv7zXNxYmBz8pSs/s320/Oprah.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Oprah joined WW (formerly Weight Watchers) and is now eating more healthy than ever before. As she has said, it really is not about the number on the scale. It is more about how you feel in yourself spiritually, emotionally and physically. She does do advertisements for WW. Why not? She has some guidelines that she follows that work for her. She has shared her success and mental attitude with a fellow friend, James Corden.</span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-N-CIJrQmesqWI_Ckv2Um7OFI92w7bp6muLrYqVc9J8WngX9Ef-CLejkuXCDNXkIKPubZb0Gd52vJ-dW9ALqnrqkWkAnJkvEHuR3K14D7eqpv-mATwn7f00NIZv143N7btg2zzZlKo_d0HEbWG8PfPhrfhBYKvQyNl_fDC5tU5-zF4Pm7eKF071WpC-BO/s1440/25f259368367-james-corden-weight-loss-z.jpg.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-N-CIJrQmesqWI_Ckv2Um7OFI92w7bp6muLrYqVc9J8WngX9Ef-CLejkuXCDNXkIKPubZb0Gd52vJ-dW9ALqnrqkWkAnJkvEHuR3K14D7eqpv-mATwn7f00NIZv143N7btg2zzZlKo_d0HEbWG8PfPhrfhBYKvQyNl_fDC5tU5-zF4Pm7eKF071WpC-BO/s320/25f259368367-james-corden-weight-loss-z.jpg.webp" width="213" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br />James also joined in the WW mindset. Eating healthier and working through his former bad habits, he managed to lose 85 pounds. It is a matter of working on our brains to think more positive thoughts instead of negative. He says that he has never felt better. That is a good place to be.</span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Before I chose my journey I did some serious research. I came up with my own strategies for being successful in my journey.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Making sure that I was ready because it takes time and effort. Asking myself if I was really motivated enough to lose the weight and not be distracted with other pressures and stress going on around me. Most of all, I had to be sure that I was willing to change my eating habits and to spend a certain amount of time making these changes.</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It is a matter of finding our own inner motivation. Everyone is different. It must be pleasing to you! Taking responsibility for our own behavior. Just because it is a major holiday or going on vacation is no reason to throw everything healthy out the window. It is a matter of using our own motivational factors during those moments of temptation. Always have people around you that support you in positive ways. You chose to be as private as you want about your own journey. That is unless you are a world renown person and in the spotlight. For me, I have a wonderful Coach that I can go to for questions and concerns and always for inspiration!</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Be sure to set realistic goals. I actually believe that I did that and once I was getting close to my goal and saw that I could be happy and healthy on this journey, I reset my goal to a lower number on the scale. It still is achievable and I WILL get there. There are little tricks that I have learned to help me during weight plateaus. Everyone learns what works for their own body by observing, as well as listening to those who are on this journey.</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Since the beginning, I have discovered that I truly enjoy healthier foods. My calories are lower, even though that is not what I am counting. It just comes up with my on-line eating journal. This is a plus in that I am able to have many choices of proteins and vegetables and there are times I want to try to stay at the lower end of my calorie count.</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">With the weight loss, I have more energy to be more active. I am able to ride my recumbent bike for my physical therapy and do my other exercises that help my knees. WIN-WIN!</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">This has become my way of life in a short 5 months. My whole perspective has changed. Changing my life style has not been an overnight 'thing.' It will take time and effort and keeping a positive attitude. The results are most definitely worth it.</span></li></ul><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Eliminate the mindset of can’t — because you can do anything.</span></b></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-7757852646586859442023-09-03T05:08:00.001-07:002023-09-03T05:14:03.485-07:00Learning From Our Furbabies<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>LEARNING FROM OUR FURBABIES</b></span> </p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbciUQFTU3u2Kwotef1cRTa5MgbY4G3gwH3yBpFXxb36UqWk-W4ZLYxnxKe_AFkWLaRUF567BPjTBgVtYkwZQbVlZNzTWShyJRfFBYYT2F-E0kMrVJqfuZ_NOH_UVa_825gfQObZ6JqNKsqjYTXa1tEYrOmmZsQi-VXkRG7OgZoOuBlj_tI89qlgTsJBfL/s326/If%20people%20had%20hearts%20like%20dogs%20the%20world%20would%20be%20a%20better%20place..jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="191" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbciUQFTU3u2Kwotef1cRTa5MgbY4G3gwH3yBpFXxb36UqWk-W4ZLYxnxKe_AFkWLaRUF567BPjTBgVtYkwZQbVlZNzTWShyJRfFBYYT2F-E0kMrVJqfuZ_NOH_UVa_825gfQObZ6JqNKsqjYTXa1tEYrOmmZsQi-VXkRG7OgZoOuBlj_tI89qlgTsJBfL/s320/If%20people%20had%20hearts%20like%20dogs%20the%20world%20would%20be%20a%20better%20place..jpg" width="187" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Sometimes, we as humans, just need to step back and be very observant of our furbabies. I totally believe that if people had hearts like dogs the world really would be a better place. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Dogs do have super intuitive powers that most humans do not. Until it happened to us, I never even realized or thought about dogs grieving or going into a depression over losing another furbaby in their household. Possibly, because we never had more than one dog in our household. But, when Davis was only two, we decided to go back to the same breeder where we got Davis and see if one of the puppies in the litter she had bonded with Davis and if Davis bonded with one there. We already had observed just how special Davis was and thought that he would love having another playmate just to share his joy for life.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">At first, we thought that it was not going to happen...finding the perfect mate for him was at the top of our list...then Kim brought out the last puppy of the litter that she had and BOOM! That one was the keeper. Both of their tails were wagging. Davis seemed to pick up on the fact that this little furball was his special playmate.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqa_enDlfNaX8IGL3JG8S-rXP7-w5u3c6rr-Rl1YUfGUTCPm7YDa-3R4Bi1NUQo9TcFi0Y1cT6biFhTsNRNhFfheu9rAY8pUDOq_2OGiQ52qtDzKLFZnOzi4Pt5t21RjXikg_g4Iux9CcF7n8jfIjTqLlbhuAYuB22cJ3voWgz-9pt5jQvrNyNs6EubsQ/s4032/Dv&%20MM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqa_enDlfNaX8IGL3JG8S-rXP7-w5u3c6rr-Rl1YUfGUTCPm7YDa-3R4Bi1NUQo9TcFi0Y1cT6biFhTsNRNhFfheu9rAY8pUDOq_2OGiQ52qtDzKLFZnOzi4Pt5t21RjXikg_g4Iux9CcF7n8jfIjTqLlbhuAYuB22cJ3voWgz-9pt5jQvrNyNs6EubsQ/s320/Dv&%20MM.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">And that was that. We now were a two doodle family. Davis and Maggie Mae.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEuSBmVZfpIQLLkhkzr1Yugbal3ShSd5i86g3-FkZOY3maJq2Q25lBqLIFNo6qzXTAX4sJvL_NDTpb1w31jacWSSjU9V99nPLwp1rwX-FAU8QnHsodLlFmmZ5yYEZgIujV-zPKIXZWLLUvASLtibu9R0_1ECLQ9vnT4Pp3K2uy9depSI7ABHcOP8FMzhg/s960/drive%20home.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEuSBmVZfpIQLLkhkzr1Yugbal3ShSd5i86g3-FkZOY3maJq2Q25lBqLIFNo6qzXTAX4sJvL_NDTpb1w31jacWSSjU9V99nPLwp1rwX-FAU8QnHsodLlFmmZ5yYEZgIujV-zPKIXZWLLUvASLtibu9R0_1ECLQ9vnT4Pp3K2uy9depSI7ABHcOP8FMzhg/s320/drive%20home.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">They were truly hard to separate. Not that we ever tried. Davis watched over her and was a gentle giant with her, even though he was always a lot larger than she ever grew to be. He even gave her pillows to take a nap on. Now that is devotion to a baby sister. Before Maggie, he would steal a pillow and run with it to try to get one of us to chase him down. He enjoyed that game. Now, he used the pillows in a different way.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJKWDYFBOKyNB_iNatFBdeAh41EJRM5Zxhs0lRI1LiFMXwFaxVE7bnann3N6IT0PEomC6Obwy-uablra54FhlsFQhsChtTmybtEL563lFg6Z2qb_1ffpj9kNFZY-_q-d72ehrRjj9NBuZtERJIIfK67dqiSpIWpMFhFbzxCuVXsMdWVx6tVMz0lc-Zbnf/s4032/Davis%20Brought%20a%20Pillow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJKWDYFBOKyNB_iNatFBdeAh41EJRM5Zxhs0lRI1LiFMXwFaxVE7bnann3N6IT0PEomC6Obwy-uablra54FhlsFQhsChtTmybtEL563lFg6Z2qb_1ffpj9kNFZY-_q-d72ehrRjj9NBuZtERJIIfK67dqiSpIWpMFhFbzxCuVXsMdWVx6tVMz0lc-Zbnf/w300-h400/Davis%20Brought%20a%20Pillow.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy0oqx9FyNVV9qPmecxIJVdpDBGtgY-rjilKs44bDyIlFiVz3J8El6IiMUxLtQUXg49YExeLwIIzUUktajN4wNU4NT7n6ZzBqZ7zUz2T4rLsPfk0l516yZLzXlSHo4PcqE9bGHCQhy0fvryZfDlRnXuBL67HWRbLw-rDbR9k-s3bX4C7TMq9b5vevyq_6k/s960/Davis%20and%20Maggie%202020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy0oqx9FyNVV9qPmecxIJVdpDBGtgY-rjilKs44bDyIlFiVz3J8El6IiMUxLtQUXg49YExeLwIIzUUktajN4wNU4NT7n6ZzBqZ7zUz2T4rLsPfk0l516yZLzXlSHo4PcqE9bGHCQhy0fvryZfDlRnXuBL67HWRbLw-rDbR9k-s3bX4C7TMq9b5vevyq_6k/s320/Davis%20and%20Maggie%202020.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Side by Side Always</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Jyz74TnNuqFI3BUUGs-Kzhh5Wkj6lvItDgtqfdEaxk44UIaSYpWv4PYNdFFNHFh5KUmuWM7jGj3PQrZ5f9vYUPc812AchMjy4t9xKpnpA_98du66JwM73agtoiKp-bG5fOskqoHbw5DzMOuvxXe5Kpwimm26VBXeEsdET_EJQb9SqanYzfOYGUhsgCE5/s4032/Brother%20and%20Sister2020.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Jyz74TnNuqFI3BUUGs-Kzhh5Wkj6lvItDgtqfdEaxk44UIaSYpWv4PYNdFFNHFh5KUmuWM7jGj3PQrZ5f9vYUPc812AchMjy4t9xKpnpA_98du66JwM73agtoiKp-bG5fOskqoHbw5DzMOuvxXe5Kpwimm26VBXeEsdET_EJQb9SqanYzfOYGUhsgCE5/s320/Brother%20and%20Sister2020.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Davis was the older one by two years but he had a little puppy in him always. He chased reflections along the backyard fencing when the glass door was opened and the sun caused a reflection. He loved going after a ball and bringing it back to whoever threw the ball, all the time with Maggie watching as if to say, "Why are you going after that ball? They threw it!" It was way beneath her to do such a thing. Way too prissy for that sort of game. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">However, one day months after Davis passed away and she was coming out of her grieving for him, she went after a fish and would come back in the room carrying this fish by the tip of the tail. Sort of saying to us that she could do something like Davis did but would do it her own special way.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbovn6w9dipZHhdFFG3mASjfNnDMLpRkGmHq0Z-Ctj7srxwPrLyVf2DbbKRiPBm8BBA3r9bilCWyEzP4QCVLfN0Pp1FZOfeNBwy_HXNEUDGC9rpZ8efMW_O3pjdyc3MKdJrEsR-SQBDqLvMf0sT0LrPKydoMw_yX5MurB1XerqNAt6lPEWDcQLXVpct262/s4000/Maggie's%20Catch%20of%20the%20Day!.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbovn6w9dipZHhdFFG3mASjfNnDMLpRkGmHq0Z-Ctj7srxwPrLyVf2DbbKRiPBm8BBA3r9bilCWyEzP4QCVLfN0Pp1FZOfeNBwy_HXNEUDGC9rpZ8efMW_O3pjdyc3MKdJrEsR-SQBDqLvMf0sT0LrPKydoMw_yX5MurB1XerqNAt6lPEWDcQLXVpct262/s320/Maggie's%20Catch%20of%20the%20Day!.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">She was even a big prissy about holding that fish. She used the fish to just put beside her and love on it...her lovey toy. Davis had a blankie that he would pick up and carry around like a human toddler would.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESQNUmobgjBReyvG3Zv2v7NA_7UCczuJgF-Nyb3vWranVxrbArMZoRkRo9q_JgE0b1gCD1R2vka60lkJGPKkZZPyHVEB-Ya4fP1YwGorXO_g5y13JdzyWYW4pFwwyDgRxuce1y7QoIH3olWqqY2_7NGedhTL-SyvuNIY1rm9hdlXMtVbuDK65yC2TBzdB/s4032/Davis%20and%20blankie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESQNUmobgjBReyvG3Zv2v7NA_7UCczuJgF-Nyb3vWranVxrbArMZoRkRo9q_JgE0b1gCD1R2vka60lkJGPKkZZPyHVEB-Ya4fP1YwGorXO_g5y13JdzyWYW4pFwwyDgRxuce1y7QoIH3olWqqY2_7NGedhTL-SyvuNIY1rm9hdlXMtVbuDK65yC2TBzdB/w300-h400/Davis%20and%20blankie.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now Maggie just loves to lay on that blankie. I only vacuum it and never wash to scent of her brother away. The crates are still here but the doors are always open and the blankies are always inside. It is her safe place...her go to place when she just seems to want to take a little quiet spell. We all need those moments.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Dogs are amazing creatures. I came across a story that I can't find now but I did save the picture. A family adopted a puppy from a breeder. He seemed happy and they definitely were. But they noticed he seemed to need a cuddle toy all of the time. The breeder had another puppy that a different family adopted. This first family reached out to the breeder to find out if the brother puppy could be reunited to see if this was the cause of their puppy needing a cuddle toy all of the time. The other owner agreed to the meeting.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Once the two puppies came together, it was love at first sight. They just did not leave each other's side. The first family paid the other family for the mate and agreed to be the family for both puppies. On the ride home in the car this was the picture that they took of their puppies.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HqZLfZmJJmOxNjXFTBhGMr_BnQml5MqVHo2c-PwLHA2T7SmTGwri0Kv35ZTFWvsiU3FlsssUkpRKk3rtgGtvXcJKEh2LyP4g4zgJejfNfpH-LsgvMSR9h0TDVqiXIyqEnTODEPEs16I_1jhTDsyj3ufs9c5nZkPTXvVKC8LTXPz8su05GCJ9umhf692t/s206/animals%20have%20feelings.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="155" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HqZLfZmJJmOxNjXFTBhGMr_BnQml5MqVHo2c-PwLHA2T7SmTGwri0Kv35ZTFWvsiU3FlsssUkpRKk3rtgGtvXcJKEh2LyP4g4zgJejfNfpH-LsgvMSR9h0TDVqiXIyqEnTODEPEs16I_1jhTDsyj3ufs9c5nZkPTXvVKC8LTXPz8su05GCJ9umhf692t/w482-h640/animals%20have%20feelings.jpg" width="482" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Talk about love for one another. They made a heart without even knowing. True LOVE!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">So, I rest my case of how I opened this blog:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHkj6BTISiyJ2zMg8HlX6dXnJRnPvKuRQC539neeJbtVKBYqcyMaAtXq_7_s5DwODMp3IAWpnA5tvZGaaeSklJNPlElGkEjh4OHVxz8NBlEcOLOTtKKsc3ZVcI71DJ-n0JafD2sCXchzoIxSI-sjKrLNlOwttJj8DMt_Lg0GFHDkBUjBrNCS6IuzbuEih/s326/If%20people%20had%20hearts%20like%20dogs%20the%20world%20would%20be%20a%20better%20place..jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="191" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHkj6BTISiyJ2zMg8HlX6dXnJRnPvKuRQC539neeJbtVKBYqcyMaAtXq_7_s5DwODMp3IAWpnA5tvZGaaeSklJNPlElGkEjh4OHVxz8NBlEcOLOTtKKsc3ZVcI71DJ-n0JafD2sCXchzoIxSI-sjKrLNlOwttJj8DMt_Lg0GFHDkBUjBrNCS6IuzbuEih/w374-h640/If%20people%20had%20hearts%20like%20dogs%20the%20world%20would%20be%20a%20better%20place..jpg" width="374" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">TRUTH</span></b></div>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-15111567534600336102023-08-22T05:54:00.004-07:002023-08-26T08:24:56.350-07:00DOGS DO GRIEVE<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>DO DOGS GRIEVE OTHER DOGS?</b></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQ55crRSEP6axCYbvJnjDQ8y0uungrfB4zuosrP4BjLO72onhZ9RdR-mM4OvjiPv_e42yRDQ3KXcmcqHDlvCH78S4MnxxHx-XDm-i4yy_tjTnfLkF0ac4SgqIMCbA1NFace6QSTt2Tf9HvhzJBx8bnW6E5fEdz0r--9uZDR_rbG2rcx1EXHfGnLChyB8A/s304/grief%20in%20dogs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="304" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQ55crRSEP6axCYbvJnjDQ8y0uungrfB4zuosrP4BjLO72onhZ9RdR-mM4OvjiPv_e42yRDQ3KXcmcqHDlvCH78S4MnxxHx-XDm-i4yy_tjTnfLkF0ac4SgqIMCbA1NFace6QSTt2Tf9HvhzJBx8bnW6E5fEdz0r--9uZDR_rbG2rcx1EXHfGnLChyB8A/s1600/grief%20in%20dogs.jpg" width="304" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Yes, it is true that we can't just ask them and get an answer, we must observe them and most all of the evidence seems to point to the answer of, 'Yes!" They do experience some form of grief in some way or another. It is very likely that they feel all of the emotions that go along with grief when they lose both human and/or canine companions during their lives.</span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">There are many instances of dogs grieving over the loss of their owners, some of which have been made into movies. One example is the movie Hachi. It is a true story and is well worth your time to watch it if you missed it. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Also, there are studies that show that dogs grieve for their close canine companions as well. I have included some tips for identifying their grief, just in case you may have missed it. Also, in my research, I found some ways that we can use to help our furbabies after the loss of their pal. This is from an article by Barbara J. King in <i>Scientific American</i> that revealed how dogs experience behavioral changes after the death of a fellow pup.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-yUwfVvG7OhubXnJYEk50_5B8yEiTgaQdf0MRrFKY3WlAgmgpNOcJDJEpQDD7Eq7ZXj4CQXKWF35ys7iT6GkN-sf_YUEA2kZ5bUQCgUs44kKOj1C3cbS1NqtUCMDnHzWebFktjtnVUELBsnPNL8t4m3bsStvtUlpC-Xh1s_CG2dqfgTMZbk56ISQwse-_/s417/dog%20grief%20of%20lost%20owner%20or%20other%20pets.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="215" data-original-width="417" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-yUwfVvG7OhubXnJYEk50_5B8yEiTgaQdf0MRrFKY3WlAgmgpNOcJDJEpQDD7Eq7ZXj4CQXKWF35ys7iT6GkN-sf_YUEA2kZ5bUQCgUs44kKOj1C3cbS1NqtUCMDnHzWebFktjtnVUELBsnPNL8t4m3bsStvtUlpC-Xh1s_CG2dqfgTMZbk56ISQwse-_/w400-h208/dog%20grief%20of%20lost%20owner%20or%20other%20pets.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Dr. King is a professor emerita of anthropology at the College of William and Mary and explored the topic in her book <u>How Animals Grieve.</u> She states that we can only evaluate what we can see in the dogs' behavioral changes. Something may show up quickly, such as a social withdrawal. He could decide not to eat or drink normally and even continue to search for his companion or vocalize his stress.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPWNypKQINvjAAQPEwZ4JIhWjwRp2Y8_OCAP6Qq2Ir-saWbnKfxC5OtowvES2Hu_xnZ5atQedvzi5TLNNQsYK7hj2Y0oqdTAftt9NneYyBTK-oPedFBjhC1QwqS2OJ8s1zo_h2haqEj4iQBkuQil7RwBA55aZQUbYSGvd1i8eH1k9xqnHittbDItkooLF/s254/do%20dogs%20grieve%20when%20another%20pet%20dies.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="254" height="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPWNypKQINvjAAQPEwZ4JIhWjwRp2Y8_OCAP6Qq2Ir-saWbnKfxC5OtowvES2Hu_xnZ5atQedvzi5TLNNQsYK7hj2Y0oqdTAftt9NneYyBTK-oPedFBjhC1QwqS2OJ8s1zo_h2haqEj4iQBkuQil7RwBA55aZQUbYSGvd1i8eH1k9xqnHittbDItkooLF/w400-h369/do%20dogs%20grieve%20when%20another%20pet%20dies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Of course, they may not fully comprehend the concept of death and all of its metaphysical implications, they do know that another dog in their life is missing It is a situation where they have lost the companionship when the other dog is no longer around. Some other examples of grieving may be lethargic behavior or sleeping more than usual, possibly aggressive or destructive behavior, inappropriate elimination in their home, or calling out/howling in an unusual way for their companion. Possibly even continued searching for their friend or becoming extra clingy to their owner.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbXa36ZwbGA3nQEgG9nc6cOjtyhXG_-cCpFYHuP7Zil46W8A0gtU89n0PaSqbypEqOUxfcn_xYf_hj7iN1i7ET7nwWlu_2IHg8mefaoVult9_H-SiHCFrjeb8pklYG7J7Qgeg8rTJuRsVWTo13rPfHO0ViY--ul8edvHHM8raX0biTmY3ZSMzdA-OWhS_/s234/searching%20for%20lost%20friend.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="174" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbXa36ZwbGA3nQEgG9nc6cOjtyhXG_-cCpFYHuP7Zil46W8A0gtU89n0PaSqbypEqOUxfcn_xYf_hj7iN1i7ET7nwWlu_2IHg8mefaoVult9_H-SiHCFrjeb8pklYG7J7Qgeg8rTJuRsVWTo13rPfHO0ViY--ul8edvHHM8raX0biTmY3ZSMzdA-OWhS_/w297-h400/searching%20for%20lost%20friend.jpg" width="297" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">These are all normal behaviors and should not be harshly punished. Instead, our furbabies need reassurance with lots of love and praise and gentle discouragement from destructive behaviors, including redirecting them.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">It has been noted that dogs can form emotional attachments to people and to other dogs. Just as with people, not all dogs react the same after the loss of another dog in the household. If there was a close bond, the dog may react with the behaviors that indicate depression. They may lose their 'spark' and seem less perky, attentive and active. Each dog, just like people, will grieve differently.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Dogs also pick up on our grief. They watch our facial expressions, moods, postures. Dogs are smarter than we give them credit for. They know when their human is feeling stressed. There is nothing wrong with giving your furbaby an extra treat, or an extra hug or walk or just to cuddle with you.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The length of time also varies from dog to dog, just as it does from person to person. Typically, it has been shown in studies that it lasts anywhere from two to six months.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Sometimes the answer is to eventually look for another dog companion. Just don't be too quick about it. Allow your dog to grieve and have some alone time. No one, not even a pet, can be replaced but if your furbaby needs a companion to play with and cuddle with while you are at work, another dog just may help. At least try to set up play dates with other dogs, even a doggie day care to play and start to enjoy life again.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The most important thing of all is to just be there for your pet and to give them all of the attention and love they may need to recover from the loss of their friend. That, in turn, will help you recover from the grief too.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I am speaking from experience. Our Davis was 2 years old when we brought Maggie into his life. We actually took him with us so that he could help pick out a playmate. They chose each other. Davis loved her and protected her from the very beginning. They were never apart from one another.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKL9nVuxNz2xQMtfhT-SikAAl9OQ_8eAILaJHACrMsBa42tjNpLZOsK-TPiaHeEguFdzpQ3zeQW5MGEcB8iQ2QF7TT6i830sxYPUoPEnpgll6jI_cLUF54C7YoBBSI7XraiCmQpqmhvrJUvtRxJNa1t9yGue6c5rnT304rA4zcXbX2_0aztNMm02F9sYkV/s4032/Little%20Sis.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKL9nVuxNz2xQMtfhT-SikAAl9OQ_8eAILaJHACrMsBa42tjNpLZOsK-TPiaHeEguFdzpQ3zeQW5MGEcB8iQ2QF7TT6i830sxYPUoPEnpgll6jI_cLUF54C7YoBBSI7XraiCmQpqmhvrJUvtRxJNa1t9yGue6c5rnT304rA4zcXbX2_0aztNMm02F9sYkV/w300-h400/Little%20Sis.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBg6buTxwWDce8ALuyjNG9FRFufE4rj-09jkAiGFPMs_aYA9XFzVdwxw7NzRaDce7fO2bOlJVWuTKe3lJJXgd86BLBwYAkgNlKPCjbdWkhfvNjvanPSYZO6yH1nPAVj1-RDHeO7-GJl0pp4klB_pM9Y-ldXCk2CoVLBSBQC6Xc4fCvOzdF1QLT1oykgT8H/s4032/IMG_0438.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBg6buTxwWDce8ALuyjNG9FRFufE4rj-09jkAiGFPMs_aYA9XFzVdwxw7NzRaDce7fO2bOlJVWuTKe3lJJXgd86BLBwYAkgNlKPCjbdWkhfvNjvanPSYZO6yH1nPAVj1-RDHeO7-GJl0pp4klB_pM9Y-ldXCk2CoVLBSBQC6Xc4fCvOzdF1QLT1oykgT8H/w400-h300/IMG_0438.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">When Davis was 6 he became very ill very quickly. We went straight to the specialist vet and we had no choice to make except to make him at peace. When they carried him in to me he put one paw on my foot and rested his chin on it and looked into my eyes with his soulful look that told me he knew that it was time and that he loved me. I also knew that he would be crossing the rainbow to be with Steve. Steve loved both of our doodles but Davis was definitely just like Steve. Such a jokester! It was such a sad day and I believe with all of my heart that Davis missed Steve so very much when all of a sudden he was not around. He did have Maggie here but I did not notice some behavior issues. He was such a sweetheart and continued to play catch me if you can jokes on all of the family members. I feel like he was trying his best to somehow get Steve to show up again. Just my thoughts on how he was behaving.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">When I came back from the vet clinic with no Davis -- I know Maggie picked up on my grief and sorrow. She went to Davis' crate where the doors were always opened and just plopped down on all of the blankets that had his scent on them. Davis carried his blankie around, sort of like a toddler does. Maggie never did but she went in to have some alone time and just get his scent. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I noticed her perkiness was not there. She was always so prissy and sassy. The one very good thing that seemed to help her some was that my daughter, son-in-law and granddaughters moved in to help me deal with Steve's passing. And then a few months later, we lost Davis. They had a little dog and he came along too. Ryder was simply the best thing in the world for Maggie. Even for me. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Continuing with routines with Maggie and loving her with all of my heart, as well as her new live-in family and dog companion, Ryder, helped her finally come out of her depression. I can say that she now is very close to the Maggie she has always been. She really is connected to this new routine, a new furbaby companion and the life as we now know it.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXR1X5eCv6BoO7DnZkaIlOIsgT6ovQ-YPWPaTOdsQ2IW4UQN7DTS_K2rTJauOeyZ8sLOZPjkqdoqjvEBawDCu1wIgfHj8tszGhrRuEd0jzYtwNWFeMvl9SBkDw746wMHN3-fSHlbHdqpIEk9NdPGkiT8QNDGIPMs8WLNnJwfwFMdx-dUQ1PsvJm7NO3PH/s4032/IMG_3854.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXR1X5eCv6BoO7DnZkaIlOIsgT6ovQ-YPWPaTOdsQ2IW4UQN7DTS_K2rTJauOeyZ8sLOZPjkqdoqjvEBawDCu1wIgfHj8tszGhrRuEd0jzYtwNWFeMvl9SBkDw746wMHN3-fSHlbHdqpIEk9NdPGkiT8QNDGIPMs8WLNnJwfwFMdx-dUQ1PsvJm7NO3PH/w400-h300/IMG_3854.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">FRIENDS</span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRvnATQQ4E15tMc23oWI3VTnPg_etMscKgtdy9ZiG9nwxracvHPN9yra8fa5Gwds_FCB1tiXZpXMbEYk9QMcZ0w3XqZH2LObNpQfiztaq1cIFmtdqtxlF8e_uJnRlUQtcOfUB7zZxbSPF0oHTGws-RyADwq8JGJNexIfLyRXaW5gwa-xDF9UGFPfKyUFC/s220/you%20left%20and%20forgot%20to%20tell%20my%20heart%20to%20go%20on%20without%20you.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="217" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRvnATQQ4E15tMc23oWI3VTnPg_etMscKgtdy9ZiG9nwxracvHPN9yra8fa5Gwds_FCB1tiXZpXMbEYk9QMcZ0w3XqZH2LObNpQfiztaq1cIFmtdqtxlF8e_uJnRlUQtcOfUB7zZxbSPF0oHTGws-RyADwq8JGJNexIfLyRXaW5gwa-xDF9UGFPfKyUFC/s1600/you%20left%20and%20forgot%20to%20tell%20my%20heart%20to%20go%20on%20without%20you.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3593797692795891189.post-82644694297462806662023-08-13T14:51:00.000-07:002023-08-13T14:51:25.708-07:00MAKING POSITIVE IMPACTS FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><b>MAKING POSITIVE IMPACTS</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4DZOzfWO8T4g0PtDbDG7Xx4p0O6Zw8-BV4bVT0NtrjRKxgPLw2zvVOn3yUxWy0jNLfQOBb4hSU1xwUfaj_8hmZ5eZseaD5AlMM6JRQ5S0heFnvFPJZoX5I1Nm38okQCn4cJu2T5AwYLgOOiUsn22qCnuTsYJnB3xQlnpdregQ5ONFAiOGeMKlEDak9L9/s250/our%20lives%20are%20defined%20by%20positive%20impacts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="249" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4DZOzfWO8T4g0PtDbDG7Xx4p0O6Zw8-BV4bVT0NtrjRKxgPLw2zvVOn3yUxWy0jNLfQOBb4hSU1xwUfaj_8hmZ5eZseaD5AlMM6JRQ5S0heFnvFPJZoX5I1Nm38okQCn4cJu2T5AwYLgOOiUsn22qCnuTsYJnB3xQlnpdregQ5ONFAiOGeMKlEDak9L9/w398-h400/our%20lives%20are%20defined%20by%20positive%20impacts.jpg" width="398" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Positive impacts that we have on others will in turn have reverberating effects on ourselves. We all need to share our unique gifts and contributions with people in our lives in a way that will positively impact them in some way. It is the "big why" of why we are on this earth. In a big way, it is what helps us to feel that our lives have meaning and purpose and that our sense of purpose is the essential ingredient in feeling fulfilled and therefore - happier. In previous blogs I have written about 'the bigger why.' Little steps lead up to the bigger why of why we choose to do what we do; for ourselves and others. This quote by Barry Manilow is so very true:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2eHXFCAZymrguiIAWndg_S_1bBqy8s6vtPfPGT_eRUrMu76DhK2DTN4rBfFOkLBPq6qQ0OEgRKkTx7lRoUB5kThVX6Ry4ml0cU8zvWu1J_2AoNFwf-XMiZX6uqBj971G5D4A1jR70nGUBS78_tRUcKRxr8WAJwwEB7C32JFwtCrm3UFpUkc-nGa5DWMx9/s234/barry%20manilow%20quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="178" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2eHXFCAZymrguiIAWndg_S_1bBqy8s6vtPfPGT_eRUrMu76DhK2DTN4rBfFOkLBPq6qQ0OEgRKkTx7lRoUB5kThVX6Ry4ml0cU8zvWu1J_2AoNFwf-XMiZX6uqBj971G5D4A1jR70nGUBS78_tRUcKRxr8WAJwwEB7C32JFwtCrm3UFpUkc-nGa5DWMx9/w304-h400/barry%20manilow%20quote.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">It would be grand if we all evaluated our days not by how much we accomplished or how productive we were, but whether we positively impacted one other person. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are many ways to accomplish this. Listening to others by giving them your full attention. Eye contact shows that you are interested in what they have to say.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXTJLKP3XpfIWPOHSZmwegssifsaKZV4WfbfBnHiKlVbUYrENO4zGdOCVTFxvNikc9VUWvjEVXM8YTqJp3Ib2Rfng9Otu1E7NEJUj2VvTlJ9T2Naqs77kIBzo2F7LCf9fMsMgRED1cyub2CjQfzKKBikrQTFJ1KzSiQueeej06Fp1PAq7M1gUb2E1YYO_/s241/give%20your%20full%20attention.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="149" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXTJLKP3XpfIWPOHSZmwegssifsaKZV4WfbfBnHiKlVbUYrENO4zGdOCVTFxvNikc9VUWvjEVXM8YTqJp3Ib2Rfng9Otu1E7NEJUj2VvTlJ9T2Naqs77kIBzo2F7LCf9fMsMgRED1cyub2CjQfzKKBikrQTFJ1KzSiQueeej06Fp1PAq7M1gUb2E1YYO_/s1600/give%20your%20full%20attention.jpg" width="149" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Helping to cheer others up is a major way to impact others in a positive way. It can be through a smile, a compliment, lending a helping hand or a simple hug or hand pat.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirn4s71ssEbld4eOMhS6aHw9UZUjpu8WC3zXQwNafIAPRcpFcEURK6Jp571zo8Bx-K7TAV0lCT3cioCSL3UdzUgZlTiWmYa-yCbm_KcuqAZHjMSbJI5QRUvI0gRngYXPoaI0y77yIH5ok8eOn-1RNO5scFccwo1S5svp_C8-rtBZsBYhtAphWgQxe30Iwj/s332/cheer%20others.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="332" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirn4s71ssEbld4eOMhS6aHw9UZUjpu8WC3zXQwNafIAPRcpFcEURK6Jp571zo8Bx-K7TAV0lCT3cioCSL3UdzUgZlTiWmYa-yCbm_KcuqAZHjMSbJI5QRUvI0gRngYXPoaI0y77yIH5ok8eOn-1RNO5scFccwo1S5svp_C8-rtBZsBYhtAphWgQxe30Iwj/s320/cheer%20others.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;">Another way to make tremendous impacts on those around us is by sharing a simple ritual. One that has already been established and that perhaps you are helping to carry on or else starting a new ritual totally. It can bring happiness to others when they are included in rituals. It is part of a together gift. Rituals can turn the simplest thing into something special and beautiful. We all know too well that in our busy and rushed world that we live in, we can all use more rituals to help us find meaning. Some examples may be from the holidays related back to times with our grandparents or great-grandparents or maybe a new one that your own little family came together and made.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1CGLwtCvXFVR-A03aLSbAht1dSAdz6GVWWeUDMjutABVF60gcZF-t2lnz1ZN2iJa5QBjQyH95uy-l0JWpNXlinJq1BXz2gW2XjQADwy5IgzTPJpTa6qOCJO015VDGj9H5lR8fr9mSIenNHxES_JnuNUmlC9q8J8YajnpKOG9CpIIFK9YdmQj7l-b6wWgz/s349/family%20ritual.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="349" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1CGLwtCvXFVR-A03aLSbAht1dSAdz6GVWWeUDMjutABVF60gcZF-t2lnz1ZN2iJa5QBjQyH95uy-l0JWpNXlinJq1BXz2gW2XjQADwy5IgzTPJpTa6qOCJO015VDGj9H5lR8fr9mSIenNHxES_JnuNUmlC9q8J8YajnpKOG9CpIIFK9YdmQj7l-b6wWgz/s320/family%20ritual.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSSoQPMg26CbWQmSMh4Zils_LcG7gUtdxblppuidB4evIm2Bf-uDod4eTH2xCFcY0MQasPw-LnY3qZLIMY-6HEivri2mYadVEN227ZhCTicYpgutzVVdyMRKxjkpDyMzsCRUuT3X-6Djoo98ib1Am1_ZLsog3w7CMg8sMJ_Mi_Zq_cqRfa64R2gCEBc1Nm/s386/holiday%20family%20rituals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="257" data-original-width="386" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSSoQPMg26CbWQmSMh4Zils_LcG7gUtdxblppuidB4evIm2Bf-uDod4eTH2xCFcY0MQasPw-LnY3qZLIMY-6HEivri2mYadVEN227ZhCTicYpgutzVVdyMRKxjkpDyMzsCRUuT3X-6Djoo98ib1Am1_ZLsog3w7CMg8sMJ_Mi_Zq_cqRfa64R2gCEBc1Nm/w400-h266/holiday%20family%20rituals.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6YU8cn1yL-JCm4yY2ajNJ_iWGyhoATtLBNGbJWcHtvDFubpoThEkZ1nspWpbmxpHoyU7csVPiSJqPXFGpaNPHuj7kLUXwLi_8KwmJxhwAZ-3jLSz5aZbRTYUOTiL1HTIA_zFtynpjxYchQBO8gD4SWhFZ65VzBAn960QDjw1D74wT63x_8P9owsNZaSk/s234/easter%20family%20ritual.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="156" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6YU8cn1yL-JCm4yY2ajNJ_iWGyhoATtLBNGbJWcHtvDFubpoThEkZ1nspWpbmxpHoyU7csVPiSJqPXFGpaNPHuj7kLUXwLi_8KwmJxhwAZ-3jLSz5aZbRTYUOTiL1HTIA_zFtynpjxYchQBO8gD4SWhFZ65VzBAn960QDjw1D74wT63x_8P9owsNZaSk/w267-h400/easter%20family%20ritual.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtA6iUc4Qei2E4nim32zd5gUTkWOO9FKwA_zrBbiAuf25ifGN8kPklOKmoVAfq7NVZeGHPJgZRkZTNIpOwPSgB70cjfM4Fs1jSwWBfn1Krui_ZoaSnmw0iOec9t2vS1WnuCALFkQLT46ZZiah87JWITfuGT2yKLYA-JDfvu3r5QFEeG2VkC1L8bQozl3xO/s269/bedtime%20family%20ritual.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="269" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtA6iUc4Qei2E4nim32zd5gUTkWOO9FKwA_zrBbiAuf25ifGN8kPklOKmoVAfq7NVZeGHPJgZRkZTNIpOwPSgB70cjfM4Fs1jSwWBfn1Krui_ZoaSnmw0iOec9t2vS1WnuCALFkQLT46ZZiah87JWITfuGT2yKLYA-JDfvu3r5QFEeG2VkC1L8bQozl3xO/w400-h348/bedtime%20family%20ritual.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: center;">In order to give yourself one of the greatest gifts of all time and to feel that tingle of gratitude that happens when you somehow make a positive impact in someone else's life...think about how you can make it happen even with simple acts of kindness such as giving a smile to someone who needs one.</div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61DZkto7GrXrWiKm_x0APPEsrqqDI5Gy41eytGekddjK7_ezvQKVXn1w7tS6hgvk3e2WoaxbbD3OY8c-CxY7UUVZv5ieWIEoHu3YOmZA3pkoaGkbyimNxFEdkub9k-rj6ZZzJCdABRzo7IpSMoKAfs6gPKDQNciK0gZLtsy-C5H8W0zoUXjpjgXn-vaGr/s314/positive%20impact%20on%20others%20gives%20you%20one%20also.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="314" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61DZkto7GrXrWiKm_x0APPEsrqqDI5Gy41eytGekddjK7_ezvQKVXn1w7tS6hgvk3e2WoaxbbD3OY8c-CxY7UUVZv5ieWIEoHu3YOmZA3pkoaGkbyimNxFEdkub9k-rj6ZZzJCdABRzo7IpSMoKAfs6gPKDQNciK0gZLtsy-C5H8W0zoUXjpjgXn-vaGr/w400-h298/positive%20impact%20on%20others%20gives%20you%20one%20also.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div></span><p></p>djmilestones.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890574913645538612noreply@blogger.com3