Living the Dream

"Forget about the days when it's been cloudy,  but don't forget your hours in the SUN...

Forget about the times you've been defeated,  but don't forget the VICTORIES you've won...

Forget about mistakes that you can't change now,  but don't forget the lessons that you've LEARNED...

Forget about misfortunes you've encountered, but don't forget the times your luck has TURNED...

Forget about the days when you've been lonely,  but don't forget the friendly SMILES you've seen...

Forget about the plans that didn't seem to work out right, but don't forget to always have a DREAM."

-Amanda Bradley

I'm staying at my Mom's house, where this artwork and poem by Amanda Bradley hangs as an optimist reminder in the guest bedroom. I love her use of the...A symbol of the neverending process of growth and discovery in achieving our goals and dreams,  while living each day with hope. 

Lately I have been struggling with the weight of frustration and wondering if I will ever fully achieve my dreams. I think sometimes we set these lofty goals and dreams in motion and then we're surprised and challenged by the shift and the shish that comes out. Or maybe this is just me? See how I tend to want to bring everyone into this with me in we? But I do think this part is true for everyone...Each experience and lesson received is a step toward where we need to be. It's all part of the process. 

Looking back while organizing my office this week, I think I have made it much harder and longer by constantly stepping down. I have backed off when encountering resistance and dissapointment. I would retreat to my comfort zone and wallow in my pitty party. I have wasted so much energy telling friends all about who did me wrong or what I am going through, so I could feel affirmed in my position as a victim. At this point I think my friends and family are sick of hearing about it. I too am sick and tired of being sick and wounded, waving the "woa is me I'm a single mother" banner. 

But the lesson and achievement comes through the process...Not what happens to you, but how you choose to handle it! The key is to remember the moments of sunshine, victories and that which you have accomplished, lessons learned and smiles you have seen and shared along the way. 

It's all good. Keep moving forward, living the dream...

Optimism

I found these creeds on my cousin's mirror this morning. Even if you are not a parent, we are all mentors in one way or another and this can also help to understand our own childhood, heal from any past wounds and make choices regarding how we want to live moving forward. Some of us are single parents because we did not want our children to live with hostility. I believe that as we learn from the past and keep moving forward, with healthy boundaries, blessings will come. Even when it doesn't always pay well in this lifetime or follow systematic religious rules taken out of context, I believe that God's love, happiness and true riches are realized when we choose to find the good in all people and all things...
THE OPTIMIST CREED:
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
PARENTS CREED:
If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.
If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to disconnect.
If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty.
If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.
If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love in the world.
Live, Give, Love, Laugh, Learn,
Shawna Ray, today 5/19/13
#optimism, #parenting, #praise, #shawna ray, #open, #love
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

After the Storm, Simplicity is Sacred

"Patience is the kind of character trait everyone wants to possess but no one wants to develop" from Simple Words of Wisdom, by Penelope J. Stokes
I was writing the final paragraphs of my book yesterday afternoon (still in need of some serious editing) when a hot sunny day brewed quickly into a #thunderstorm that has left hundreds of thousands of people without power in #Columbus, #Ohio and surrounding areas this weekend. I had been writing all day so my creative mind was in a daze and startled by this sudden shift in the energy, as if it was somehow related or fighting against me. It was a crazy turn of events that will simply become part of the story, but it was scary for a moment as the winds whipped and twisted quickly through this little town bringing huge trees crashing into power lines and exploding generators with a bright burst of light that then darkened the block. Those of us without generators are SOL this weekend. They are saying it could be 5 to 7 days before power is restored and only a few business' are open in nearby areas.
Something I have noticed is having conversations with neighbors who rarely come out of their homes and some that I met for the first time after the storm. My teenage (sometimes couch potato) son was full of energy and went into town to help clear the trees that were blocking the road. He was out there directing traffic and talking with everyone. Members of the community pitched in to help those with damage to their houses clear the trees and cover up holes. I was thankful that I have a gas stove instead of complaining about the smell and took the time to make a big home cooked dinner last night and breakfast today before food might spoil. We enjoyed family conversation and a game of Jenga and Monopoly at the table without the threat of TV, computers, and video games luring us away from these scared moments. My kids and I have spent the day reading books and having conversations about how thankful we are that our house was not damaged in the storm. We recognized that many families in Colorado and Arizona are being evacuated from major fires that have destroyed hundreds of homes. We talked about how people survived different Tsunami and flooding tragedies and what that must have been like to find ways to endure and rebuild.
Sudden shifts in perspective can be pure reminders of what matters most and can bring communities together in a powerful way. I have other short term means of charging my cell phone thankfully, but this has shown me how dependent we have become on electricity for quick cooking, laundry, electronics, and so many other things. It makes me wonder what we would do without electricity in the event of a major catastrophe? One thing it does require is patience and a willingness to go with the flow rather than get stuck in frustration that we have been inconvenienced.
I choose to deal with what I can control and say, "It is what it is" with acceptance. I will appreciate all that we do have while absorbing this forced down time and lesson in patience. I will keep writing and recognize what comes natural to me with renewed determination in pursuing my passion. And I will enjoy more face to face time with the friends and family that are sometimes missed when we are otherwise distracted by electronics.