I don’t know about you, but I’m not perfect. In fact, I’m far from it. You’ll probably see misspellings and grammar errors here and there. And I’ll admit that some of my posts were 100% mistakes on my part.
I’m pretty ecstatic about it.
And nope I’m not a masochist either.
I’ve just learned something important-you may say life changing-about mistakes over the years.
They are good things!
In fact, I’m almost too thrilled when another error has taken place.
Dear blog(s),
I’m writing you this letter to let you know exactly how I feel about you. This has been a long time in coming. We’ve been together for years-7 to be exact! Seven years of an outpouring of emotions, writing to you about everything that’s been going on in my life. read more »
These cold, winter days and heart-wrenching world news sometimes takes a toll, making faith and hope seem unattainable and impossible. Even as a writer writing this blog, I go through periods of self-doubt and uncertainty. That’s why finding inspirational websites and books are SO important to me! Here is my list of inspiring websites that make me ponder, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
What about you? Any site that you visit for your daily dose of inspiration? If so, share the love here.
The S words I’m quite familiar with as a wannabe writer. Here’s the rocky road of one dream pursuer. It’s not always easy. In the November 2009 issue of O, Oprah says, “What has made me successful is the ability to surrender my plans, dreams, and goals to a power that’s greater than other people and greater than myself.”
The hard part of that beautiful quote is the surrender part. Surrendering to what is and the possibility of what life can be is in great contrast to the shallow and often shaky dreams we believe will make us happy. What I’m learning on this very unpredictable and sometimes heartbreaking path is that success is another falsitude. If I’m dependent on external sources, positive feedback, and even job offers to make me believe that I’m healthy, wealthy and wise, then that happiness will be short-lived.
What an invaluable lesson that is. It is worth it’s wait in unpaid credit card bills, dreams of home ownership, and frequent trips abroad.
Here’s what’s key: There is a big, gigantic even, purpose waiting for all of us. We are here for a reason. There is much truth in what Oprah says. Maybe if we let go of the dream we think we need to be happy, we can surrender to and embrace a bigger dream.
I’m learning to not base my self-worth on the feedback I get from the outside world, which is a hard feat for a writer. But I also realized the harm that it does not only on myself, but on my future self. To get from here to where I want to be, I need to learn how to accept every moment-even if it’s a moment I’d rather not be experiencing.
The result? I feel a whole lot lighter, more hopeful and positive about the future and willing to let life play out for itself. I’m still working as hard as ever but also realizing that I don’t need positive responses to feel positive as a writer.
I used to think that you either were or weren’t a positive person. (Spoken like a true pessimist!) But, after reading an email newsletter sent from Beliefnet.com and written by Chris Widener, I realized that anyone can transform negative thinking by focusing on positive thoughts. And in light of the stress and worries brought on my today’s economy, I thought we could certainly use a bit of positivity.
Widener’s article discussed ways to redirect negativity by focusing on solutions instead of problems and by “keeping your eye on the goal.” What a simple yet somewhat daunting task. It’s easy to get sucked in to the way we wish things were instead of how they really are. Common reactions, “Why me? This couldn’t/shouldn’t have happened.” But it’s often that resistance that breeds more negativity. Instead, remember this moment because you might be grateful for that challenge one day. Learning to focus our attention on what we can do now to get through it, will help make that day come sooner.
So what do you do to stay positive when life is making it hard to do so? Some use prayer or meditation, listen to happy music, take a walk, talk with friends or spend moments thinking about what they are grateful for. Watching Oprah always lifts me up and I also read positive quotes and inspirational stories in books and on websites to keep my positive meter running high. Either way, I’d say, have fun and do all of them. After all, life is short, why not choose to be positively positive!
