Today I'm going to try something a little bit different. Instead of me sharing with you my take upon the world, I want you to take some time to think for yourself and practice all those lovely skills your high school English teacher taught you only a few years ago( 'cause you're only 22 right now, correct?). You'll need a few things before you begin, though:
Supplies: a cup of chamomile tea or decaf coffee, a pair of your coziest pajamas, a soft blanket, a pen or pencil, and a notepad. (Sadly, the warm attire is required due to the extreme weather conditions outside my window right now. If you happen to be one of the lucky few that gets to live in California or Florida, make adjustments accordingly.)
Directions:
Step 1: Write today's lovely question (What makes you YOU?) at the top of your page. If you are of the female gender and wish to decorate your paper with glitter, stickers, and the like, please do so. If you are a man, feel free to do the same, but perhaps it would be advisable to do so privately.
Step 2: Ask yourself, how would the ones I love best describe me? And why is it that they would describe me as such? (Keep in mind that the purpose of this exercise is to look at the positive impact you have made in other people's lives. Do not allow yourself to even entertain negativity.)
Step 3: Make a list of your accomplishments and gifts, things you can be proud of. Then, give yourself a pat on the back for being such an awesome person.
Step 4: Free write! Answer today's question in your own words. Do not be intimidated by blank space on your page! Take a deep breath and write as much or as little as you want to.
Step 5: If you so desire, write a comment on this post sharing your experince with this exercise. We'd love to hear how it went for you! To leave a comment simply click # Comments and type what you wish to say in the text box provided. If you do not have a Google account, select that you will be commenting anonymously, but please sign your name at the end of your comment!
Best of luck! Remember to be positive and praiseful of yourself!
Monday, April 15, 2013
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Learning to fly
Goodness! How the months have flown by! I can't believe that it's been nearly three months since I last posted anything. Hopefully I can get back on board with things once summer arrives.
Last evening I enjoyed seeing a performance of the Celtic Women for the very first time. There is something so empowering about their music, between the richness and purity of their voices, to the words they sing, to the energy and joy so plain on their faces. Throughout the concert, they would twirl and dance about the stage as if they were little fairies, and I couldn't help but wonder, had they been given wings, if they wouldn't just start flying above the crowd. Ever since the last notes of their music died away, I haven't been able to shake this feeling of being alive; almost as if I, too, could fly. I wish I could just bottle this feeling and then drink it in again on a day that is less than wonderful. There are just too few days in this life where a person feels this way.
This past summer, my family and I were playing a game kind of like twenty questions, only you had to guess which answer belonged to each player. One of the questions that came up was, "On average, how many good days do you have in a year?" I thought about 25, another thought maybe 40, and yet another guessed it to be about 30. But my brother, who is the energetic and fun-loving member of the family, estimated about 333. We all laughed at how our numbers stacked up, but man, what a thought! To be truly happy and at peace for 95% of the year! I really admire and respect my brother for being able to think like that.
But how to capture these good feelings? How can we create these feelings on a really bad day? I like to refer to this quote by St. Augustine: "If we live good lives, the times are also good. As we are, such are the times." Maybe one finds the most happiness in being who they are. My brother can certainly attest to that. Every day he spends time doing the things he loves and being with the people he loves. Those of us who are quick to get swamped with our work and daily lives, often ignore our body's desire for doing something enjoyable that we have always loved to do. I think part of why I enjoyed last evening's concert so much is because listening to music with good, heartfelt messages is something that brings me joy and puts me at peace.
Try creating some of those good feelings today by setting aside some time to do what you love to do, whatever that may be. And once you're in that happy place, I will be waiting with a pair of wings, made just for you, so you can fly.
Last evening I enjoyed seeing a performance of the Celtic Women for the very first time. There is something so empowering about their music, between the richness and purity of their voices, to the words they sing, to the energy and joy so plain on their faces. Throughout the concert, they would twirl and dance about the stage as if they were little fairies, and I couldn't help but wonder, had they been given wings, if they wouldn't just start flying above the crowd. Ever since the last notes of their music died away, I haven't been able to shake this feeling of being alive; almost as if I, too, could fly. I wish I could just bottle this feeling and then drink it in again on a day that is less than wonderful. There are just too few days in this life where a person feels this way.
This past summer, my family and I were playing a game kind of like twenty questions, only you had to guess which answer belonged to each player. One of the questions that came up was, "On average, how many good days do you have in a year?" I thought about 25, another thought maybe 40, and yet another guessed it to be about 30. But my brother, who is the energetic and fun-loving member of the family, estimated about 333. We all laughed at how our numbers stacked up, but man, what a thought! To be truly happy and at peace for 95% of the year! I really admire and respect my brother for being able to think like that.
But how to capture these good feelings? How can we create these feelings on a really bad day? I like to refer to this quote by St. Augustine: "If we live good lives, the times are also good. As we are, such are the times." Maybe one finds the most happiness in being who they are. My brother can certainly attest to that. Every day he spends time doing the things he loves and being with the people he loves. Those of us who are quick to get swamped with our work and daily lives, often ignore our body's desire for doing something enjoyable that we have always loved to do. I think part of why I enjoyed last evening's concert so much is because listening to music with good, heartfelt messages is something that brings me joy and puts me at peace.
Try creating some of those good feelings today by setting aside some time to do what you love to do, whatever that may be. And once you're in that happy place, I will be waiting with a pair of wings, made just for you, so you can fly.
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