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Posts Tagged ‘inspiration’

helpTwenty days have passed since I started my year-long journey of RENEWAL. Until today, it has been slow going, uninspiring, and almost coming to a screeching halt. I have not accomplished anything much regarding my health and fitness goals for this month, and I was having a hard time deciding how to write about it. I’m stuck! Then two occurrences took place earlier today that has prompted me to move forward. The first was watching a brief video that popped up in my Facebook news feed, and the second was an unexpected phone call from someone  I adore but had not talked to in quite a while.

This morning, while scrolling through my Facebook news feed, I came across a short video of an interview between Oprah and spiritual teacher Michael Bernard Beckwith. They were having a discussion about being stuck (coincidence). His recommendation is going beyond your “little mind” to awaken you: prayer, meditation, life visioning. And, the prayer could be as simple as HELP. For him, HELP means Hello Eternal Loving Presence. I like that! That short exchange between Oprah and Beckwith gave me the nudge that I needed to get started with today’s post.

Shortly afterwards, as I sat down to start writing this post, my Uncle Robert called me (coincidence). My Uncle Robert is awesome! He is intelligent, kind, hard-working, inspiring, and entertaining. We talked and laughed for over an hour. By the time our conversation was winding down, I was feeling less stuck and eager to start writing.

So, between the video pep talk and the phone conversation with my uncle, I am taking the first step to getting unstuck. I’m writing about it. The second step is acknowledging the obstacles that are making me stuck, whether they are physical obstacles or mental obstacles.  Then I need to figure out a way to remove those obstacles, shed those limitations, and release whatever it is that is keeping me stuck. My weight is definitely one of the obstacles. And, that dear reader, is one reason why I want to focus on health and fitness first. I truly believe that if I can shed these unwanted pounds, I will be free to work on other areas of my life and increase my happiness and productivity. I may not have reached all of my health and fitness goals these past couple of weeks (no functional exercises; lousy eating habits); however, I am not giving up. In fact, Andrew and I are heading to the gym right after I publish this post. Happiness!

Do you feel stuck? If so, what do you feel is causing you to feel stuck? What is one action step you can take today to get unstuck?

“Getting stuck is reactive, getting unstuck is proactive.” ~ Sherene McHenry 

 

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flowerIt is the first day of Spring, dear reader. What an absolutely gorgeous day! I wish I could have spent the day outside in a hammock reading a book; however, I do not own a hammock, and I spent a good portion of the day working on school stuff. I did sneak a couple of chapters of a zombie book in between reading journals and creating a quiz.

In four days, I will be on spring break along with my family. I cannot wait to have some time away from work. I will try my very best to get everything completed for school by Thursday, so I can have some FUN.

I want to invite you to go on a meditation journey with me for the next 21 days. Oprah is one of my favorite people. She is connected to some of the most inspiring spiritual teachers of today. She is partnering with Deepak Chopra to present a 21-Day Meditation Experience called Shedding the Weight: Mind, Body, and Spirit. It starts tomorrow, March 21st. You can register now at http://www.oprah.com/meditation and it is FREE. I have already registered! Once you register, you will receive an email to confirm your registration. Then you will receive a daily email with the link for that day’s meditation. This will be my first meditation experience; however, I can definitely shed some weight in all three areas, and I cannot think of two better people to lead this inspiring encounter. Let me know if you plan to join the meditation experience.

Well, dear reader, it is time for me to bid you adieu. It is Sunday night and The Walking Dead is just around the corner. Have a productive and amazing week. Happiness!

“The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.” ~ Harriet Ann Jacobs

 

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“Instead of focusing on how you got where you are, you’ve got to shift your attention to where you’d rather be.Danielle LaPorte

I guess I had too much time to ruminate since the school year ended in May. It kind of had me in a state of paralysis. Regrets, fears, and failures bubbled up and simmered just at the surface making it difficult to enjoy the present moment.

Like many people, I struggle with the past; it creates a holding pattern for me. I stagnate. Procrastination takes over and before you know it, two weeks have passed and I feel quite guilty for wasting the time focusing on my shortcomings and missed opportunities of my past. And, who the hell cares? According to Danielle Laporte in her blog post on getting unstuck, “Sometimes you can’t see why you were stuck until after you get unstuck. Hindsight and high-sight solves a lot of mysteries. In the mean time, you’ve got a new story to write, and it looks nothing like your past.”

I’d rather be writing, scrapbooking, acting, and organizing my home. I’d rather be in shape, healthy, and running/exercising on a regular basis. I’d rather be spending time with my children, family, and friends.

This week I got back on the bike (don’t own a horse) and started doing things I’ve put on the back burner since I went back to teaching last fall. I’m walking again to get my legs ready for running. I’m writing my first blog post since August. I organized my office/scrapbook room so I can start scrapbooking on a more regular basis. (I’ll blog soon about the convention I attended in June.) I’m signed up for an improv class. I met up with friends for lunch.

School starts in four weeks. I must find balance this year; otherwise, I will get stuck again. I struggle with balancing my job as a teacher with other areas of my life. I do NOT like the way it makes me feel. Currently,  I’m reading One Month to Live: Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life by Kerry and Chris Shook. It is teaching me about “living the dash” in a more meaningful way.  The dash represents our life between birth and death. What would you want your dash to say about you?

It feels terrific to be back. I’ve missed blogging. Wishing you, my readers, a wonderful summer. Happiness!

 

“Make the necessary adjustments for your life to become more meaningful.”           ~ Danielle LaPorte

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”             ~ Alexander Graham Bell

I discovered the above quote this morning, and it spoke to me loudly and clearly. For the last few months since I started my new job, I’ve been looking back longingly upon the closed door. On the surface, I’m grateful to have a job; however, when I delve deeper, I must admit I have not fully accepted some of the changes the job has made in my life. I miss my flexibility. And, by focusing on what I’ve lost by taking this job instead of what I’ve gained has put me in an underlying funk. Sure, it has presented some challenges, but it also has provided some opportunities. So starting today, my goal is to at least “accept” where I’m at on my life journey right NOW, in the present. Not where I was a few months ago or where I think I’ll be in a few months down the road. According to Eckhart Tolle, “Acceptance means: For now, this is what this situation, this moment, requires me to do, and so I do it MH900441932willingly….Performing an action in the state of acceptance means you are at peace while you do it.”  I have to adjust my attitude. Tolle says, “The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it.” Whew! I’m happy I spotted the open door before it was too late.

I’m off work today, and that’s no April Fool’s joke.  My little guy and I are going to the movies this afternoon to see The Croods. Afterwards, we plan to work out at the gym. He’ll go to the Fit Kids class and I’ll run/walk. Yep, after two weeks of doing absolutely nothing but exercising my jaw, I’m getting back on the program. This morning I pulled out the scale, my food journal & training log, the club’s exercise schedule, as well as my health & fitness goals. The bad news: I weighed in this morning at 138.5 pounds (gained back 12.5 pounds since December). The good news: I’m getting back on track TODAY.

Two interesting blog posts pertaining to health & fitness: Fool Proof Diet Reboot by Yvette Quantz of Food Therapy and The 38 Best Methods of Successful Exercisers by Leo Babauta of zenhabits.

Whatever the day brings, approach it with the right attitude. In my opinion, this is easier said than done. Remember, I just discovered the open door today. However, strive for acceptance of the situation and don’t let your thoughts about the situation dictate how you will feel. Happiness!

“Breaking old habits and forming new ones always takes time, but it is worth it in the end.” ~ Joyce Meyer 

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