Magic

I haven't been able to read much lately, but I found this one a couple weeks ago, and decided to go through it finally.  It's been sitting on a shelf, lonely and unread, waiting to work it's magic on me.  

And it has.  

Now, if you've read The Secret, you know it can be somewhat repetitive.  That's not necessarily a bad thing when dealing with a life-changing subject, so it didn't surprise me that this one reads similarly.  You get a small introduction, and then you're set on a 28-Day Challenge based solely on gratitude.  It's not the usual write 5 things each day either.  You're given a different subject every day and a list of to-do's.  

I've tried to do things like this before, and gratitude is always on my mind, but there is something about this book and being ready to really go through the process.  It's different this time, and while I still have some habits to break, I can feel a difference every morning that passes.

I think after so many years of living with my depressing limited thoughts, this is literally a breath of fresh air.  Is it for everyone?  Probably not, but that's okay.  

The one thing I've learned this past year is that what works for me isn't necessarily going to work for everyone.  If there is one thing you can take from my recent posts is that gratitude really can change your life.  How you get there is completely your choice, but this book will definitely help you.  I know I touched upon this in my last post, but never mentioned the book and after reading this morning, I thought I'd share it with you.

And that is my #MondayMotivation for you. 

Happy Monday :)

Happiness is...

It feels like I've been chasing happiness for so long that I was beginning to focus on the chase and not ever realizing that it was here already.  Always looking for the next book that would ensure happiness in 5 easy steps.  Writing about it.  Blogging about it.  Watching Oprah for God's sake.

Somewhere between changing diapers and endless bottle feedings, I have started to feel like myself again.  I'm walking and writing, setting crazy-unrealistic challenges, and above all, dreaming again.  My life feels like my own again, and just like that, happiness isn't something to chase anymore.

What I've learned is that happiness is a work in progress, a never ending intention at the beginning of every day.  For me, happiness comes in and out of my life like a season, or perhaps more like a sunny day in Michigan.  It has always felt as if I only noticed it when the moment has passed.  I haven't always enjoyed it when it graced me.

Life and/or work has always gotten in the way, but now it seems to be the catalyst for my lighter demeanor as of late.  One thing I know now is that happiness is a choice, and when your brain has a moment to slow down and actually make the choice, it comes to you more clearly.

Gratitude is another reason for the mood shift.  Happiness and gratitude should go hand in hand, because where there is one you'll always find the other.  I started a 28-day gratitude challenge 10 days ago (yes, even before the November gratitude month), and have found myself moved to tears most days.

In a nutshell, I am a bumbling idiot.

But a happy and grateful bumbling idiot.

It isn't perfect yet, but I am not worried about it.  My life is unfolding as it should, and I'm not going to miss any of it any longer.

I'm thankful for the messy days, because it makes the other days (okay, my days off) seem so much easier.

I'm thankful for the lazy moments, because I deserve them.

I'm thankful for kids that make mistakes, because that is how they learn.

I'm thankful  to live in a world with Blake Shelton, Ryan Gosling, and Bradley Cooper.

Seriously.  That is a given.

So what are you grateful for?  What happened today that was great, or even so-so?  What did you do today that made someone smile?

Answer these questions every single day.  And don't stop saying thank you.

This world can be a little unforgiving, and we can be really hard on ourselves.  The best thing you can do is start every day over with a grateful heart, thanking God for whatever you can think of.

Yes... even for Zac Effron :)

Who could forget about him?

Now, that is happiness.

For the Love

Every now and again a writer comes along and makes everything you're going through completely normal and almost (gulp) alright.

Every good thing.  Check.

Every bad thing.  Check.

Every embarrassing thing.  Check.

Everything you wouldn't tell your best friend.  Check!

Reading this book is kinda like sitting down and talking with your best friend.  The chapters are basically essays on love, marriage, friendship, motherhood, balance, all wrapped in faith.  Her honesty and logic are refreshing at a time when I seem to need them most.

I've needed someone to tell me (for a while now) that everything is as it should be.  I had a feeling it was, but it's nice to hear it from someone else.

It's funny - I've always believed in book karma... When you receive a book that you need at that very time.  Many times books can speak to us and teach us more about ourselves.

This is that kind of book.

Do yourself a favor and buy this book.   You won't regret it :)

Happy Monday!!

Time

If wasting time was a full time job, then I would get paid over time.

Possibly every week.

I could write books, train for marathons, and have a clean house if only I took my time more seriously.

Now this isn't supposed to be a guilt trip to get you to stop watching the Bachelorette.  Nor will I try to stop you from flipping on Facebook for the tenth time today.  

Just notice it.  Notice the time slipping away every single day.  How many times do you see someone post photos of their kids asking where the time goes?  It happens all the time.  

So, just for today, commit to stopping for one minute and just paying attention to what is going on around you.  Don't try to change or fix anything, just notice it.  The one thing I've notice this past week is that the problem isn't that I don't have enough time... I don't make enough time.  

I don't take my priorities seriously and haven't for a long time.  I'm too busy trying to comfort myself from daily life instead of getting on with what I'm supposed to be doing.  

The best thing about a birthday (or any big event) is the clarity that comes along, and I really try to make each year better.  I know this year's focus is going to be on time management and paying attention to what makes me feel good and what things can go.

It's a little like New Year's Eve for me tonight, without all the winter and regrets.  I look forward to 47 29 again this year and looking forward to making it the best one yet.  

Happy Birthday to me :)

Back to the Beginning with Grace

“Like a blinking cursor on an empty page, it was just the first thing. The beginning of the beginning. But at least it was done.”  ~Sarah Dessen

Back in 2008 I started a blog called Words to Live By, and it was one of my favorite things I had ever done as a writer.  I wasn't writing for anyone in particular - I don't think I even shared the link with anyone - I just wanted to start writing consistently for myself.  

And then something happened along the way.  People started reading, and seemed to like it, and suddenly I was feeling the pressure of writing for other people.  While I was flattered that others liked what I was doing, I also started to doubt the content I was posting on here.

Insert inner critic (I call her Sap after my incredibly mean high school lit teacher.)

Well, that's stupid.  Who wants to know about that?

You just did a post like this last month.

WHY CAN'T YOU COME UP WITH ANYTHING CREATIVE?

Fun fact about myself... I am only driven by positive words, so when I start listening to Sap, I completely and creatively shut down.  When I start writing for other people, even my people, I suddenly become the writer with nothing to say.

So I gave myself a time out and tried to figure out if I even wanted this anymore.  Is it worth the extra time and hassle of putting my heart on the internet for anyone to read... and even worse, judge?

The answer is yes.  The answer is always yes.  

Yes, please!

"Grace is available for each of us every day - our spiritual daily bread - but we've got to remember to ask for it with a grateful heart and try not to worry about whether there will be enough for tomorrow.  There will be." ~ Sarah Ban Breathnach

I bought this necklace in Nashville this past weekend to remind myself to make my writing habit a privilege and not a chore.  Being my birthday week, I often go back and see what's working and what's not.  This past year was one unlike anything I could've ever imagined (or maybe I did), and good, bad, and ugly, I am here now, looking forward to starting a new year and filling it with more words.  Should my words inspire you, well then I am grateful for that.  If not, that's okay too.

Feel free to share :)

Have a wonderful Monday...

Sunday Inspiration

Happy Sunday!

I am not going to bore you with any of my own thoughts today.  I know some of you like them, but lately my thoughts are boring myself.  I need to get out of my own head start something different.  

Youtube to the rescue.  

Here are the things that made this week inspired...

I get to take pictures like this at work.

I saw this in someone's bathroom at an open house.  Consider myself inspired.

This woman is my new hero...

My girl Lori has done it again.  Read this!!

So that's my week in a nutshell.... hope this helps you get through yours!!

Happy Father's Day to all those amazing dads out there :)

Endings and Beginnings

“All endings are also beginnings. We just don't know it at the time.”
~ Mitch Albom

So yesterday was my last shift ever at the rink, and it's just hitting me now that it was the last weekend I'll have to work.  The last shift I'll have to dread.  The last time I'll have to answer the same endless questions.

I know there will be other endless questions in my future, but we have a couple years for that.

For now, I am surprisingly content with the feeding-diaper-make faces cycle I have going on every three hours.  I actually feel like I have my life back for the first time is a long time.  Too long, if you ask me.

The past two months have been a whirlwind of changes.  Changes for my kids, for me, for seasons, and for my family.  Some are good changes and some are a little more difficult, but since I am here to find the #dailyinspiration in life, we are going to find the good in all of this.

The biggest thing I've learned in the past two months is that more than anything I need to write for myself again.  I spent a lot of time last year trying to figure out what anyone needed to hear.  Writing for an audience is the quickest way for me to procrastinate.  I will clean out junk drawers, do 5 loads of laundry, and bake a batch of cookies before I could figure out what to write to you.  (Yes, I've done all of that today).

The best thing you can do is immediately stop worrying about what everyone else expects from you.  Do your best in whatever comes your way and use your own judgement.  If something makes you

happy, keep at it.  If not, find a plan b, c, or d.

Which leads me to the next thing I've learned about change:  There are no rules.  Nothing in this world is permanent, and you can start over at any time.  Sometimes we are forced to start over, but hopefully it's your choice.  Either way, make up your own rules as you go.  Don't let anyone tell you how to do something, because nothing else matters other than how you feel or what you want.

Lastly, take your time.  Good things take time and by forcing or rushing change, you're just making it more difficult to see clearly.  If something doesn't work out, then it wasn't meant to be... trust me on this.  It has taken me years to get to this point where I feel like stars are actually lining up for me.  I'm not feeling that anxiety that says things like, "When this week is over, I'll relax."  Anxiety is a bitch and will always make you feel bad.

I left my anxiety in the left bottom drawer... the one with the candy :)

I also know that life is life and won't always be rainbows and butterflies.  But, for the time being (and a long time coming), I am happy with the changes... even the hard ones.

Are you ready for a change?

credo

credo  /ˈkriːdəʊ; ˈkreɪ-/
noun (pl) -dos
1.  any formal or authorized statement of beliefs, principles, or opinions

I have been slightly obsessed with Danielle Laporte since I stumbled upon her flipping through Instagram.  I immediately bought her book and read it, thinking I hadn't read anything like that in a long time.  Its just different and makes so much sense.

I follow her Facebook, IG, and Twitter.  And by follow, I mean stalk :)

And the reason I do is because of gems like this.  I have watched it easily fifteen times today.  It just speaks to me, and I hope you find something in there too.  Otherwise, I'm just a loon.

Enjoy...

Gracie's Wisdom

How many of you look at this picture and think "Yes!"

You can feel your stomach near you heart, which but the way, is beating madly.  You can feel the wind in your hair and hear the screams of your friends cheering you on.

Can you feel it?

And when you're done, you swim back to shore, probably a little sore in places, but you can't wipe the smile off your face.  You did something crazy and incredible, and now you carry that memory with you for the rest of your life.

How often does this happen in our lives?

Probably once if we're lucky, but more often than not, it's never.

And that's okay, really.  I'm not here to make you feel bad that you don't have million dollar dreams and goals that are unattainable.

But as I was working on my next project, I did realize that the advice one of my characters is giving might be beneficial to you as well.  I know most of us are still just going through the days trying to get to the next one, or the next weekend.  Always something to look forward to, but never focused on the now.  It's time to start living and giving our own lives the attention they've been so patiently waiting for.

Gracie’s Steps to Reinvention

1. Take care of your health.  This is non-negotiable.
2. Find your hobby.  Not a job.  Not a kid.  Something that you can lose yourself in even for a small amount of time each day.
3. Take 24 hours before making any decisions.  Any. Decision. At. All.
4. Journal every day.  Have a place to dump all the thoughts that you can’t say out loud.  It doesn't have to be long or well written.  Just get the thoughts out of your head.
5. Have a connection… a touchstone, a theme song, a prayer that will bring you back to this place of knowing what is most important to you.

No, these are life changing, and they seem so simple, but how many of us are doing these everyday?  I'm here to tell you that numbers 1 and 3 are kicking my ass, while the others are okay for me.  I would love to tell a co-worker that I needed to check with someone before taking their Sunday morning shift.  My initial instinct is always to make someone else feel better, even at my own expense.

Sometimes Usually I regret this quick decision.

Life is a work in progress, a journey, and it's not meant to be mastered by the age of thirty-five.  I actually think that's when it really begins.

So take a moment today and think about what you could (reasonably) change in your life to make it better?  Is there a hobby calling your name... photography, maybe?  Can you fit in a walk, even if it's a short one?  What song would be playing if you were walking down a runway?

Today is about inspiring yourself.  Take the time to do one thing on the list today... two if you're feeling adventurous.  Start somewhere, anywhere, and see what you can do.

Happy Wednesday!!

Winter

I am freezing today.

It could be the fact that I work in an ice rink.

Or the fact that I couldn't warm up since I've been home.

I'm.  Just.  Sick.  Of.  Winter.

But this blog is about inspiration, not hatred, right?

So I'll take the polar plunge into finding good things about Winter, and while I can't guarantee you will all agree with me (except for the whole I hate winter part), you might at least see some good in this dreadful wonderful season.

1. Winter means reading books by the fire.  Writing by the fire.  Eating breakfast by the fire.  You get the picture.  
2. Winter = Award Season.  I'm watching the red carpet for the Oscars as we speak.
3. It's a scientific fact we burn more calories during winter.  Granted it's our bodies desperate way to try and stay warm, but I'm okay with that.
4. Winter is the perfect season for my favorite food group:  Soup.  I love pinning soups... cooking soups.... eating soup.  It's a food group and an activity now.  
5. Scarves.  Not a secret that I have a small, okay big, scarf collection.  I love them, and almost always have them on... even around the house.  
6. Winter leads to Spring.  This one needs no explanation.  “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?” ― Percy Bysshe Shelley

Thats it.  That's all I can drum up for this season that is kicking my butt.  I know you're feeling my pain too, but have no doubt we will be complaining about the heat in no time :)

Until then, stay warm... 

Happy Sunday!

Throwback Thursday

I remember when the words snow day would cause me to panic a bit.  The thought of not sending them to school and to find things for them to do all day would have me mentally exhausted by 9 am.

Now, I'm the one praying for one just to keep them around the house a bit more.  It's crazy what ten years will do to your outlook.

I love a lazy day when there are no scheduled plans.  It's that rare day when only Mother Nature can predict what you'll be doing, or not in this case.  I have learned to find that magic when nothing goes according to plan, but it's still okay.  Even better, really.

When the kids get older, it's a gift to have them around the house even for a little bit.  Between school, practices, social events, school events, and work life isn't the same as when we would wish them to school even on the gift of a snow day.

So, as this wicked winter continues to kick our butts, I hope you have a warm place to be today.  Find a snowy throwback Thursday picture of your own and post it somewhere.

Make hot chocolate.
Pancakes for breakfast!
Read by a fire.
Curl up and watch a movie.

In my case, I'll have two space heaters going in my office :) But that's okay... I had the time this morning to at least write about the snow day.

That's something, right?

Happy Thursday!

#DailyInspiration

Yesterday I found all my writings from Pen on Fire and my original blog.  As I sat there reading through them, over and over again, I realized that I was smiling through most of them.

Are they works of art?  Not really, but they are clearly written with love and honesty, and for the sole purpose to grow as a writer.  I read them and realized that somewhere along the line I stopped trying to improve my writing, and just tried to figure out what you, the reader, would need.

It was so much different when all I had was 15 Minutes and a topic to write about.  The message was loud and clear to me:  Go back to writing for yourself.  The rest will fall into place.

Write about what is going on... or not.

Write about the crazy transition many of us seem to be going through.

Write about anything and everything that inspires me.

So I am going back to the beginning of why I started this in the first place.  I just felt like I had something to say, and hoped you would come back every day to read this.

I'm calling it Daily Inspiration because that's what I hope it brings all of us.

Have a happy Wednesday :)

Inspiration

Inspiration can come from anywhere at any time.  You just have to be open to it, and expect that it will find you.  When we are at our lowest and most overwhelmed state, rarely are we seeking to be inspired... It's more like seeking another glass of wine... seeking an early bedtime.... seeking a Housewives of Beverly Hills marathon.  

No inspiration found there, that's for sure.  

Usually it's a simple text or email that reminds you that life is a journey...a marathon.  The low times are just a bad patch of highway, and if you keep driving or running (or writing!), you will get through it.  And yes, it's always worth it.

So thank you for the inspiration today.  I hope I was able to give it back to you as well :)

Happy Tuesday!

What I know for sure...

I was given this book at Christmas... Oprah's "What I Know For Sure" and loved every word of it.  That was my favorite part of her magazine, her wisdom at the end, and I would always feel like I had learned something from reading them.  Many times it felt like she was reading my mind.

And today I got the nudge to write again, and while it's been a lot of time away, I feel like it was a necessary break.  Sometimes we have to find new things to talk about or we run the risk of falling into the endless black hole of redundancy.

I know I'm getting older, but repeating myself isn't a road I want to go down anytime soon.

So I thought I'd start off this year with my own list of things I know for sure.  It's a work in progress, and I know it might be different next year, but that is how life works... which leads me to my first thing.

1.  The only thing we can count on is nothing stays the same.  Nothing.  If there is anything I've learned lately is that what we have right here - right now, could all be changed tomorrow.  Sometimes they're good changes, and sometimes they're bad.  Rarely is it in our control.  Best to learn to go with the flow.

2.  Friends make the world go 'round.  I think my friends are the reason I can stay sane in a crazy world.  We joke.  We cry.  We bitch.  We protect.  We love.  We listen.  We advise.  It doesn't matter what it is, my friends are there for me.  I am beyond blessed to have the best of them too.  Friends that would bail me out of jail.  Friends that understand I'm not perfect.  Friends that laugh at with me.  Friends that read my blog :) and ask for more.

3.  Creativity > Laziness.  Even the greatest day-long-Scandal-binge-watching-marathon isn't as good as writing one really good paragraph/scene/chapter.  It just doesn't.  Doing something productive always wins.  But if you can learn to be productive/creative while watching Scandal...  Well shut the front door.  You got yourself perfection.

4. You will never be prepared for bad news.   How could you?  We can't be those kinds of people who walk around expecting the worst all the time.  We believe, we hope, we dream.  So when the bad news comes, it usually sneaks up on you flips your world upside down.  It changes us and our reality, giving us a different perspective than we had before.  We will learn to believe, hope, and dream again, but it will always be different than before.  It just takes time.

5.  Resentment will eat you alive.  Raise your hand if you cling to resentment like a fuzzy warm blanket.  Yeah, me too.  I'm learning though, that life is too short, and eventually all that resentment is just hurting yourself.  Like drinking poison and expecting the other person to get sick.  Let it go....

6.  What someone thinks of you is only their business.  This one is a work in progress for me, for sure.  I am the ultimate people pleaser.  If it were and Olympic sport, I'd be a multiple gold medalist.  Constant worrying about what others think is the quickest way to resentment.  See what I just did there?  It boggles the mind!  Anyways, start listening to your self about what you want... or who to be with... or what to write about.  At the end of the day, you are the only one you have to please.  People will naturally come and go in your life... Pretending to be something or someone else is just making you miserable.  Miserable = resentment.

7.  Giving is better than receiving.  Once a month I pay for the person behind me at Starbucks.  It's never a big amount, but the joy I get from doing that one thing lasts me the whole day.  I have never regretted doing or giving something to someone, and I truly believe your heart grows when you do.

8.  There really are some words to live by.  Here are just a few:  Joy.  Calm.  Strength.  Peace.  Courage.  Love.  Laughter.  Gratitude.  Find one word to guide you each day.  It will change the way you think and live.

9.  Being kind is better than being right.  Anyone who's been married longer than a year knows this.  #word

10.  No matter how old you get you will always need your mom.  It's been 11 1/2 years since I've seen my mom.  I know she's there, watching over me, but sometimes that's not good enough.  I need parenting advice in the worst way right now, and relying on myself isn't cutting it.  I know I don't have a choice, and muddling through it is all I've got, but a sign would be really good, Mom.  Just a little sign.

Well that's it.  What I know for sure.  Is it the same as what you know?  Probably not.  But I hope you will take the time to at least think about what your list would be.

That's all I really want... to get you thinking.

I hope you have a great 2015...