CHOOSE YOURSELF

CHOOSE YOURSELF

 

Many of us need to work on creating more positive inner narrative fuelings toward ourselves. Negative talk will come back to bite us by allowing us think this is the way it will be. When all we must do, is take responsibility for what things are not working in our lives and believe that we CAN give ourselves the gift of love. Take in what it is that we really want in our lives. It can awaken us to a whole new beginning of a more vibrant kind of life. One that we all deserve!

In all of our hustle and bustle of everyday life, we need a reminder that it is ok to choose to focus our attention on what it is that we want and appreciate. Whatever we give our attention to will grow; therefore, we want to be intentional about choosing for ourselves. It is not selfish to practice self-love and follow whatever it is that we need to help us grow as individuals.

There are times that we should be observers as long as we are aware that observers may allow uncertainty to block them. They end up staying where they are, even when they know it is not where they want to be. It is the doers who choose differently. They don't wait for the perfect moment or allow their inner critic to run their show. They almost always choose to connect to what lights them up, to get support, and take imperfect action to create what may be next. If you don't have a specific plan of action, it will be ok. Let it happen. Try new things. Be open to what may come.

Examples that I have read about involve people who retired and thought that their best years were behind them. Many discover a way to launch a new beginning to their lives that working 9 - 5 would not allow before. Now is the time to choose a new YOU to feel more energized and confident within yourself. 

For myself, it happens to be something that I love to spend time on and gives me total relaxation. This happens to be writing and painting. I quickly learned that compared to what I did when I was working, my daily step count lowered considerably. And, we all have heard that 'sitting is the new smoking!' Moving makes us stronger, but writing and painting had me sitting way too much. After some research, I learned that prolonged sitting causes many problems.

Because this is hard on the eyes to read, I will put bullets to list the problems too much sitting can cause:

• Higher risk of depression
• Stagnation in lymph movement
• Low bone density
• Lack of joint lubrication
• Computer vision syndrome
• Increased risk of heart failure and blood clots
• Decreased lung capacity
• Compromised digestive tract
• Sluggish metabolism
• Increased risk of diabetes

After learning all of these possible risks, I decided to set my smartwatch with an alarm every hour to give me a signal to get up and walk. If it is nice outside, then it is outside, which is even better for us. If not my kind of weather, then just a ten-minute walk around the house. Some can be taking the dogs out and finishing up in the house - just movement. Our bodies are meant to move.

The main idea of this blog is to just do it for yourself. Find what makes you happy and always keep the "YOU" in your plans.

SELF-DOUBT

 SELF-DOUBT

If there's something we want to do but our fear and self-doubt keep us "stuck in the middle of nowhere," then what do we do?

I know that I am not alone in this natural human feeling. It can be overwhelming. Like me, I am sure that many of you have your own bucket lists. Some of the things on your list have already been checked off. Other things on that list may not happen if we allow self-doubt to take charge. 

Maybe you want to travel somewhere that you have never been, write that book, learn a new instrument, start your own business, take an art class...the list can go on and on. Trust me, it will if we continue to talk ourselves out of it before we even start. 

Sometimes we must drop the idea of perfection and just go exploring into the unknown. The 'should-haves and would-haves need to be kicked to the side. It really is just a matter of letting go. The possibilities are endless. We can actually discover how creative we are. This alone energizes me, and I certainly hope that it does you, too. There should be no upper limits to following our dreams.

Let practicality go by the wayside. Once we let go and see what invisible thread is holding us back, it becomes easier to carry on. Just recognize that belief about yourself that is quietly holding you back from being the real YOU.

Sometimes it is a matter of taking up space. Go ahead and prioritize yourself, ask for help. Others will need to just "hold their horses!" We need time to find ourselves, and this may mean we will be taking up space to get there.  Don't worry about others judging us or tapping their feet with impatience. We all deserve a moment to refocus to bring the joy back into our lives. Go ahead and cultivate self-love and know what is important to you. Creating our own paths is what makes us our own special humans.            

A BETTER AND HEALTHIER HUMAN

 A BETTER AND HEALTHIER HUMAN

Have you ever stopped to think about all the components of becoming a better and healthier human? It's more than just a few minor things. If that is what you were imagining, it may be time to think about re-evaluating our goals. I will say that I don't usually put these components all on my plate at once. Just for a moment, though, I took time to review ways to make changes to better myself and to become healthier.

If you want to have lots of positive feedback, then it helps to share some of your plans. That extra positive reinforcement (or pressure, as the case may be) might just be what we need to help us follow through. Sometimes it is all about motivation. Find what motivates you.

Surrounding ourselves with others is a wonderful way to learn new things. Keeping an open mind is the key to this step. We don't always know the answers, and getting others' feedback can only help us see new possibilities from different angles.

It is important to be realistic, and it is ok if we fail. That is how we learn. Get back up and try another way. It is not a race but a gradual process to continue to better ourselves. Setting smaller goals along the way as we work on ourselves for the BIG one. Get rid of what does not work for us in whatever way. 

While we are thinking about it, have you ever considered all of the ways out there to become a better and healthier you?

All issues should be addressed in order to have an overall better and healthier human. They all weave together. For myself, I prefer to start with the physical side, which lends itself to eating healthier. That leads right into my mental wellbeing because that is how my brain works. You can decide which way to go for yourself. There is no one way. Then there is my community of friends who help along the way with my social habits. Maybe it is because I am retired, but work did lead me to the financial well-being part of me.

Considering myself as a spiritual human allows my thought process to communicate with my own greater being out in the universe. Talking with God through prayers and meditation, along with having quiet times always guided me through this process.

 

Just taking the time to notice what is going on around you and getting rid of what does not make you happy, and trying to focus on what does make you happy. It helps to see where we are concerning the world around us.

YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH

 YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH

Do you ever feel like no matter what you do or how hard you try, it's never good enough? Just as the picture above demonstrates, you need to burn that thought from your brain. It can be easy to think that you are not good enough, but once you have those negative thoughts, you will start believing them.

It is a mindset to get yourself into, stop being afraid of what could go wrong, and start believing in the question of what could go right. If you continue to focus on how far away your success looks, then you will never feel that it is within reach. Step by step, you will continue to do better than you did before. The big issue is the 'self-fulfilling prophecy." If you think you're not good enough, then you won't be. 

You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress all at the same time. Everyone has a piece of good news within them. The good news is YOU don't know how great you can be and what you can accomplish. And what your potential is. This is paraphrased from the words of Anne Frank. Life offers new beginnings every day, and all we must do is make room for them.

Self-love must come from within, not from outside sources. The excuse of not having enough time needs to be kicked out the window. Not knowing where to start? Well, the easiest way is at the beginning. Slowly. Research what it is that you want to do and take small steps to accomplish your dream. It could be to learn Spanish, to knit, to go for a new career, or to try a new challenging hobby? The list goes on and on. 

It is that brain of ours telling us no! What if? And I say, yes, exactly what if! What if you never find that happiness or fulfillment that you crave? So we need to have a conversation with our brains. Let it know who is the BOSS.

The important thing to remember is that a belief is just a thought that you continue to think over and over. It is NOT written in stone. 

You Can Be a Masterpiece and a Work in Progress at the Same Time

DON'T GROW OLD

DON'T GROW OLD

Right now, I am sure that you are saying to yourself that growing old is inevitable. Well, I am here to say that it is not if you look at in through a different mindset.

Try reading and letting this Irish saying sink in.

 

It makes a lot of sense. Age really is just a number. It is what you make of it. I love a quote from Albert Einstein:

"Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the great mystery into which we were born."

In reality, we should all approach life in this way. The phrase 'age is just a number' implies that age should not be a barrier to the choices someone makes or the things they want to achieve. It emphasizes that a person's abilities and interests aren't solely determined by their age.

It is a reminder used to help inspire us to follow our dreams and not to be constrained by societal expectations regarding age. Zeal and enthusiasm can remain vibrant regardless of how old one is. Age is no barrier. It is a limitation that we put on ourselves, according to Jackie Joyner-Kersee.

We can't help getting older, but we don't have to get old. There are 70+ year olds running marathons and doing so much more than many much younger than themselves. Now, admittedly running is not my thing but if it were, my age should not slow me down in training for it. 

I hope that everyone, no matter their age, continues to make their dreams come true and to try new things. Age indeed has no barrier, and we are never too old to learn. I feel as if I am not getting older; I am getting better. 

Here is another way to look at it:

Someone who is fifteen years older than I am needs to be thinking this same way! ❤️

 

STEPPING OUT OF MY BOX

 STEPPING OUT OF MY BOX

There are times when I feel safe and secure in my own little world. On the other hand, it can also be a bit boring. There are things to see and do, people to meet, and new adventures all around. For me, it takes a little investigating to decide what I want to try next. 

One point to remember is that we are never too old to try new things. I don't think jumping out of a plane with a parachute is exactly for me, but I am not ruling it out. "Never say never," as they say. At this time, I am thinking more along the lines of my creative side. I am already writing a blog and working on some books.

Also, I followed in the path of my grandmother and started painting on my own a few years ago. I did watercolors, acrylics, and still love painting. 

 

Then...I discovered art lessons that were being given nearby where I live. The new adventure was that the painting is in oil paint. The big news is that the artist teaching it was a co-worker of mine. She is a very accomplished artist. I took my list of supplies to the Art Center store, and to be honest, I did not know what some of the items were for. I was most definitely an amateur. But hey! This is where the new adventure comes into play. Stepping out of my comfort zone. After my first lesson...I truly did find out that it was a new adventure. Yet, it was not something that terrified me. It was something that excited me. 

We were to bring a picture that we would like to learn how to paint with oils. I chose my dear sweet goldendoodle but in a whimsical form.

Here is the picture of Maggie Mae that I want to end up with. Well...at least where others can tell that it is a cute little doodle. I am going to work very hard to accomplish this task. And, in upcoming blogs, I will post what my final picture looks like. If it is not exactly like what I expect, my other goal is to learn how to get to where I need to be. 

This creative undertaking can be unnerving. I simply do not want to just stare at a blank canvas. It is a matter of taking the proper steps to move ahead. There really is no particular right first step. The important thing is to take the step. Whew! The first step is accomplished. 

I will grow as a painter. And, I can't wait to continue stepping outside of my box.

LESSONS TO LEARN FROM DOGS

LESSONS TO LEARN FROM DOGS

There are so many ways that dogs are superior to humans. Do they need humans to help them through life? YES! In reality, we humans need them to teach us some of the very basics of life. They have some things "down pat." These are things that we as humans seem to have trouble with at times. Just to name a few, please read on:

• Delight in the simplicity of a long walk...

• Never pass up opportunities to enjoy a nice drive, to romp and play, and to experience the fresh air in your face.
  

• Greeting those who come home with hugs and happiness.

• The best practice of taking a good nap.

• Of course, after napping, it is so very important to remember how to stretch your body out for the full benefit.

• When someone is having a tough day, it is so important to just nuzzle up to them -- no words are necessary.

Dogs are so very loyal and love you just for YOU! No pretending to be something that you are not. Even when they need a scolding, they run right back to you and make friends. They also know when it is not important enough for a bite; a simple growl will work, especially when someone has invaded your territory.

They remember to drink lots of water on hot days and the importance of staying cool, even if it is under a shade tree. 

Best of all? When they are happy they just simply dance around and wag their entire body.