A to Z Challenge the letter R= Respect and Responsibility

I have a few letters left in this challenge and though I will finish the last few letters for my own peace of mind and prepare better for next year.

Number three on the Dalai Lama’s “Instructions for Life” (which I am sure appear in other religions as well) are the three R’s:

Respect for self. Respect for others. Responsibility for your actions.

As part of my mindfulness practice, I am trying to stop and correct my thoughts when I think or say anything that is not respectful. Yes, I am a person who just blurts things out at times. I also have a habit of saying things that are negative about myself  that do not show respect.  Who needs enemies when we can damage ourselves with all of the negative self talk?

 The Dalai Lama has said that the only way to work out a problem is through dialogue. For dialogue to be successful however, we have to respect the other person’s point of view. We may not agree with it, but we should be respectful of their view as we would wish them to respect us. He also urges us to have a sense of compassion in resolving issues:

“There is no other alternative, only to talk, that’s the wisdom side, then respect others interest, genuine sense of concern – concern of others well-being that’s the basis." - Dalai Lama   Source: LYBIO.net 

A to Z Challenge Q for QUEST

I am still straggling in this challenge but I do want to finish it! I have chosen the word QUEST for today’s post.  

I realize the picture above is of Johnny Quest, a cartoon character from my childhood. I also hated that he did not have a sister, but then again a sister may have stolen the show. I was always in awe of his adventures.( The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series also fascinated me.) I came across this blog posting “How the World’s Most Ambitious Animated Series Came to Television” .

The whole point behind this Johnny Quest reference though is about following quests or adventures as I call them,  of our very own. I follow a wonderful blog by Pat Bean about her travels in an RV with her dog. I so want to be able to do that when I “grow up”. 

A friend stopped by my office to tell me about an outdoor boot camp fitness class she had joined. She was nervous about going alone as the only person she would know there would be the instructor. I challenged her to look at it as more of a quest and not as some sort of social event. She went, enjoyed it and did the work out.  I believe most girls grow up in an environment where they do things as a group.  I do recall a few times where I did not attend some function purely because no one I knew would be attending.  I started going to Zumba with a friend because she did not want to go alone. (I am the faithful, stand-by, ready to go type of friend that jumps at the chance to try something new!)

Over the years, I have become accustomed to doing things on my own. If an opportunity to do something I want to do presents itself and others do not want to participate, I will forge ahead and try to enjoy the experience. I think my quest this weekend will be to start cleaning the pool area for summer. Believe me that will be an adventure I will end up doing alone. Funny thing though, once the pool is cleaned and sparkly, I will then have plenty of people around. J

A to Z Challenge: N and O and May Events

I am running very far behind in this challenge, but I do want to complete it before the next awesome Challenge : A Story A Day. I will have a page there just to post my daily stories throughout the month of May. 

Don’t forget to submit your story here for the Writer Wednesday prompt. Also, you will not want to miss the fun coming in May. I will have several surprises for my blog followers, thank you for hanging in here with me. I will be hosting some book tours, guest authors and  a couple of giveaways are planned for May! 

Today’s letters are N and O and relate to the words: Nobly and Optimistic

I think this quote pretty much sums up the action of being noble. I thought about this quote for a few minutes to let the meaning really sink in. My interpretation is to give to those that have redeeming qualities but may be poor and to give as well to the poor who do not seem to care about improving their situation. My parents have been a good example of this quote. They were occasionally taken advantage of,  but I now see how helping others has also enriched their lives.

"Give nobly to indigent merit, and do not refuse your charity even to those who have not merit but their misery."

-Philip Dormer Stanhope Chesterfield, 4th Earl

Optimistic is a good word for me to focus on at the moment. Elizabeth Scott has an article here that states Optimism can be taught and learned.   She states that: ”Optimism is measured by your explanatory style, or how you define events.” There are some very good tips there and the first thing that really caught my attention is to stop and take notice for a moment when something good happens. I have really been trying this lately and at the same time showing gratitude for these things. I have two quotes here from Winston Churchill that I found over at Feed Your Optimism: 

"If you are going through hell, keep going." and "The pessimist see the difficulty in every opportunity; and the optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." 

I also want to leave links here for one of my favorite websites: The Phrontistery.  I can just see some of these words appearing in books like The Game of Thrones, a current favorite of mine. (I just finished book 2.) One of my favorites is: necrographer, which is a writer of obituaries. (I have a friend whose job it was to do that for the daily paper once.) 

Wednesday Writing Prompt and A-Z Challenge Letter = M

I have not posted in the A-Z challenge past the letter L except for the Letter W here. I also missed last weeks Wednesday Writing but here is a link to my previous attempt.

Today's Letter is M for Melancholy or Malady, Mayhem and also Madness. 

The Malady of Melancholy often leads to Madness and Mayhem in my life. In modern vernacular, it's just plain depression. I prefer to call it the malady of melancholy because it sounds so Jane Austen. I also read where Hamlet was known as the Melancholy Dane so I suppose this could make me the Melancholy Jane.

Depression can really suck the life out of you and it is very hard to explain to those around you who may have never had any experience with it. I have had years of therapy, which I love (check back for letter T), and have read so many self help books I should have some sort of honorary degree. I am sure of the root causes of this depressive episode but my challenge is to now attack each of those points individually and deal with them or just sleep in my crappy mismatched pjs for a few days.

And NOW - Welcome to our Creative Wednesday Writing Prompt!
It's a chance for you to get those creative juices going and share that creativity with fellow bloggers. And the co-bloggers joining me are - Carrie K Sorensen at Chasing Revery and Jane Bussey at A Writer's Muses!

So, here are the rules:

1) There will be one photo, and five words - both of those elements must be a feature in the brief story you create.

2) There is also a 500 word maximum.

3) You have until the next Wednesday to create your post.

4) When you have finished your post, come back here and link up below and let me (or whoever your blog host is) know in the comments that you have done so!

5) I was going to tell you to not take this too seriously, but reconsidered it because I know full well asking writers to write something means that they will take it seriously. So, take it seriously, but don't fret/panic/pass out/hyperventalate/lose sleep/run in fear over it.




The Photo












The Five Words (Taken from This Link)




Steering Wheel



Corner



CD



Video



Diving Board



So, get those creative juices flowing and once you have your story together, post your link below!

A to Z Challenge the letter W = WARRIOR

I know I am about a week behind here, but I had to skip ahead to the letter W in honor of the Warrior Dash I participated in this weekend. This 5K run/obstacle course was one of the most empowering and physically demanding challenges I have tried recently. Though it was a competition, I decided to do this at my own pace. I slogged through mud, stopped to speak to volunteers at the water stations and obstacles, and thoroughly took my time to enjoy the scenery. I tried running and even jogging, but they were not enjoyable in the sense that I felt as if I were missing things in my surroundings, so I ended up with an almost leisurely walking pace.

I am sure there were competitors trying make the fastest time or beat their own time. I enjoyed observing others as the crawled up the climbing wall, some as quickly and sure footed as a cat. The obstacle that fascinated me was the rope crawl. The purpose was to crawl up a rope and then cross a large net of rope about 6 or 8 feet above the ground and then down the other side. I was intrigued by how it was built and wished I could build one in my back yard.

I suppose I am one of the only participants that did not care how long it took me to finish this course. The fact that I accomplished it and enjoyed myself while doing so, it what truly mattered to me. I was reminded by the Buddhist teachings of being aware of the moment. I enjoyed the foliage, the view of the river, and even all of the mud. I was not thinking of the end of the race, but where I was at that very moment. I suppose I will never be a Warrior Dash winner (I do plan on participating in more), but I am truly okay with that. I am sure the winners and those that completed this in very little time, feel as if they have accomplished something in their own way as well but, I wonder if they had the chance to marvel at the glorious scenery, thank a water station worker, cheer on someone going slower than themselves, and just be grateful for being able to be there.

Today, I do feel like a Warrior and a Winner.

A to Z Challenge the letter L = Limitations

“Another reason we don’t see opportunities is that we limit ourselves by the way we think. We must be willing to think outside our limitations.” Dr. Robert Anthony, “Beyond Positive Thinking”

Once again, I am turning to my favorite book on positive thinking for today’s letter.  We each have goals we would like to reach and sometimes life can throw unexpected changes our way and block progress on achieving those goals.  This can result in frustration and maybe even giving up on ever seeing that goal realized. When frustration occurs so does opportunity! If this goal is something you absolutely believe in, there will be a way to achieve it. We often spend more time thinking about the things standing in the way.  This time could be better spent thinking about ways to make them happen.

In my life, finding the solution has proved more challenging and more worthwhile than sinking into the “why is this happening (or not) to me?” mindset.  Often the solution may require work or sacrifice on our part to achieve that goal. The learning process can also prove beneficial in the long run and the victory is so much sweeter and dearer when you actually have to work toward the goal.

This intriguing website has a list of 9 steps to help break through limitations. 

A to Z Challenge the letter H = Happiness

In researching this post, I came across many websites touting “10 Keys to True Happiness”, “5 Laws of Happiness”, “You can be Happy Forever”, well that last one I just threw in, but you get the general idea.

The psychology websites tout words like validation, statistically testing, neuro-scientific studies and so on. I have read where your birth order can affect how happy you are and all sorts of probably very sound research initiatives but that does not give us a simple answer.

My opinion of happiness may differ drastically from scientists, psychologist and just everyone else in general. As someone has experienced depression, I can vouch that it can be harder work to feel happiness at times.  I came across an author who decided to chronicle a year of experiments and following different paths to achieve happiness. Her blog is divine and just reading the posts can lift your spirits. I just ordered her book and I will review it here later this month.

I am at my happiness when I am doing something for others. This almost goes back to the Five Languages of Love post, but my language of showing love is acts of service. (Receiving love however is a whole different language.) I have always been a volunteer of some sort throughout my life. Scouting, 4H, and other community related events can count me in. Though I am an unpublished writer, I volunteer to host blog hops, twitter chats, etc. whenever an author I know has a project going on. 

For the word Happiness today, I am going to suggest Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness Project website and also challenge you to do a small act of random kindness today. I sometimes leave change in a vending machine or drop a quarter into a gumball machine for a lucky kid. I like to do things anonymously though, as I am doing it to help make someone else’s day as well. Being anonymous just gives me a greater satisfaction.

If you want happiness for an hour ? take a nap.

If you want happiness for a day ? go fishing.

If you want happiness for a year ? inherit a fortune.

If you want happiness for a lifetime ? help someone else.

Chinese Proverb 

A to Z Challenge the letter G = GRATITUDE

Wikipedia defines Gratitude as: “Gratitude, thankfulness, gratefulness, or appreciation is a feeling,emotion or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive.”  The article went on to discuss studies that suggest people who cultivate an attitude of gratitude are more often happier and less stressed that others.

As a interested student of the “Law of Attraction” , I understand gratitude is one of the keys to living a happier and more balanced life.  It is hard in this modern age to get bogged down by the “don’t haves” and forget to be thankful for the “haves”.

Most major religions practice a form of gratitude, but even for those who do not have a religious background, gratitude is a universal practice.   As children, we are taught to say thank you when someone does something for us. We grow up automatically saying it, but how often do we really feel it when we say it?

There is no way for me to come close to summing up the practice of Gratitude as did Leo Babauta,on the Zen Habits blog. It is a marvelous piece that I have printed and have hung it on my vision board.

I also have a truly inspiring and helpful application on my phone. It is called the GratitudeJournal. Daily quotes and the ability to add a photo of something that I am grateful for that day really help keep me stay focused on cultivating the Attitude of Gratitude. 

Whether you record your gratitude for today in a journal or not, I challenge you to think of the things you are thankful for right now this very moment. 

Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.

William Faulkner

A to Z Challenge the letter E= Energize

Meditation Banner from : Mandela Arts

How often have you started to take a photo and realized the battery in camera was dead? In the middle of a cell phone call, the battery goes dead or your laptop shuts down due to low battery while you are in the middle of an important piece of writing.

It stands to reason, if electronics lose their power due to low battery life, why can’t our “batteries” run down as well? We all know we need sleep to relieve tiredness and food to refuel our bodies, but what about our minds and spirits?

I have read that religious people who attend worship services of some sort feel their spirits are recharged afterwards. I feel that way when I go camping for a weekend, away from phones and demands of everyday life. I am sure everyone can think of a place that offers them the activity or even non activity that allows them to feel recharged and relaxed and energized.  An evening at the gym participating in a latin dance class, a poetry reading at a coffee shop or maybe even a Saturday morning writer’s group meeting have often been places I have sought to energize my mind, body and spirit.

We all have demands on our time and most of us to tend place others ahead of our own well-being. One friend says she has a playlist of upbeat dance music that plays while she is doing her house work. Another friend attends a weekly yoga class. My own recent energizing experience came during a busy work day when I simply went to a quiet restaurant with a good book for an hour. Losing myself in a world of historical fiction for those few minutes helped me conquer the busy afternoon with a little more energy and enthusiasm.

Take a few moments today to discover what makes you feel energized. Here is a link to an Instructable about How to Calm, Relax and Re-Energize Yourself in Five Minutes.  Feel free to leave suggestions and tell us what works for you!

A to Z Challenge the letter F = Five and a Quiz

A friend told me about this book several years ago and how it had helped her better understand the fellow she was dating. After a particularly horrifying breakup, I decided to add this one to the collection of self-help books I was reading.  I read it and took the quiz and it really brought out the differences in me and my former boyfriend. There were other factors involved in the demise of our relationship, but this book did explain some of the ways we were thinking.

Dr. Gary Chapman has written several of these books target at certain demographics, such as singles, teenagers, married couples and even children. I hope to read The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace soon.  He has a wonderful with a quick survey that will give you a better understanding of the language you prefer for communication.

The five languages he writes about are:

Acts of service

Physical Touch

Receiving Gifts

Quality Time

Words of Affirmation

After reading this book, I realized I am a huge Quality Time person and my ex was an Acts of Service person. (He even fixed my sink and took out my trash once when he was in the neighborhood to visit way after we broke up)

Today, if you get a few moments, take the quiz just for fun and see what the results are!

A to Z Challenge the letter D = Daring

“Faith is not trying to believe something regardless of the evidence.  Faith is DARING to do something regardless of the consequences.”  Sherwood Eddy

I remember when my son was little and my sentences often started with, “ Don’t you dare….” I was young and probably could have phrased “Don’t you dare drive the lawnmower until you are older” in a more positive manner, but keeping up with him was exhausting. Granted he was a very precocious child and I never dreamed he would stick a key in the electrical outlet or drive off on the lawnmower before he was two year old. He was a very DARING child and observant. He studied people and their actions (sometimes too closely J) and was convinced he could do whatever they did.

So many of the women I admire had a DARING spirit. Amelia Earhart, Josephine Baker, Mae West, and the list goes on. Most if not all of the daring women of history suffered hardships in their pursuit to express themselves. If you firmly believe in something however, you do so with the understanding that you will face hardships.

You need not fly around the world to trek all over the globe to be daring. DARING can start in your own back yard. It could be as simple as trying a new food, taking up a sport, or standing up for a cause. I took up roller derby and today I wore a small tiara to work. Yes, a tiara. It resembles a headband somewhat but it is still a tiara.  I have also gotten comments from women my age who say they would not DARE to try to skate, much less play roller derby.   I DARE you to do something today that is different from your normal routine.

This is my favorite bumper sticker quote of all time and it is one of my mottos:

The A –Z Challenge: CONFIDENT

From Dictionary.com: Sure of oneself; having no uncertainty about one's own abilities, correctness, successfulness, etc.; self-confident;bold: a confident speaker.

I love this photo. I think it pretty much describes most cats in general. I have also seen little dogs that weighed 4 pounds and were absolutely convinced they were the equal of a great dane. On the other hand, my sister has a Labrador that weighs about 110 pounds and he is convinced he is a lap dog. He has seen the terrier and yorkie sit with her in her chair, so why can’t he?

When I look in the mirror and see myself as put together well, I feel confident. I have an awesome pair of Italian pumps that I don’t get to wear often because of the color. I found an extremely discounted pair of pants last week and I am determined to wear those pumps until the pants or the shoes wear out. Those pumps boost my confidence and make me feel like a powerful strong woman for some reason.

What helps you feel your most confident? 

This little girl exudes confidence! What a cool skating photo.

A –Z Challenge: BELIEVE

I think this is truly my favorite word. I love the definition from Dictionary.Com “to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or thereliability of something, although without absolute proof thatone is right in doing so: Only if one believes in something can one act purposefully.”

I would also like to recommend a great book that deals with Positive Thinking. “Beyond Positive Thinking: A No-Nonsense Formula for Gettingthe Results You Want” By Robert Anthony.  I was gifted the audio version and listen to it quite a lot on my commute to and from work. The audio book is almost like having your own cheerleader in the car with you! I knew I had to purchase the Kindle version to be able to reinforce what I was hearing. (I hope I am not violating any copyright laws here, but I really do want to recommend this book for anyone wanting to boost their self-confidence.)

Chapter 3 “ What Are You Telling Yourself”, was really informative for me. Two points that I remember well are how children from the same family and growing up with the same experiences can perceive those experiences differently and this quote “Other people can hand us opinions about ourselves.”  This chapter really goes into detail and discusses several important topics such as : Building a Self-Image, Increasing Performance, Attitudes, the importance of Self Talk.

Chapter 4 “Believing is Seeing” discusses concepts for helping you to see the person you want to be and Chapter 5 discusses “Write Your Own Script”.

As we grow into adulthood we are conditioned into believing things about ourselves that are simply not true. These are the perceptions of other people and if we are not careful, they can become how we perceive ourselves. I wish I had had this book in my twenties to explain some of the ingrained self-beliefs I grew up with.  As a child, being compared to siblings or cousins even if at times somewhat favorably can be detrimental. I have one sibling, a sister that is two years younger, and she was referred to as “the pretty one”.  I can laugh at that now, (therapy does wonders lol) but imagine the effect it had on me as a teenager. 

Today, I BELIEVE things like: I will finish my Work in Progress, I will not only skate my 25 laps but make it to 27. I BELIEVE I will make it through all 26 letters because, after all, there are way more than 26 wonderful things to discover and write about!

The A-Z Challenge: Affirmations

Graphic from: Finerminds.com

Can you count the times during the day when you have been told something positive about yourself by another?  How often through the day do you tell others something positive about themselves?  

Affirmations are statements that declare truth within it. Take a moment to think about the things you said to yourself today. Were they positive or negative? Removing negative statements about ourselves from our thoughts is extremely difficult. Keeping a journal and recording those random thoughts will help as we learn to reprogram the negative into a positive experience.  I firmly believe we can be our own worst critics when in fact we should be our best cheerleaders!

How often have you heard someone say, I wish I had more money or I wish I had a better job? The key to making these wishes happen is to believe in our words and to go out there and use the resources available to make these wishes come true.  I have personally experienced affirmations that came true. I believed that they would happen and trusted that somehow the money would appear to make them happen.

I am passing on some links here that have been meaningful to me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg – This little girl knows who she is and I hope she keeps this confidence throughout her lifetime!

http://affirmart.blogspot.com/2009/05/power-word-for-action.html - Awesome affirmations and motivational art.

http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au/2012/02/are-you-positive-how-and-why-affirmations-work/ - Jessica Ainscough from the Wellness Warrior and her story of how affirmations have helped her.

http://www.kindovermatter.com/2010/03/kind-over-matter-spring-collboration.html - This is an awesome free collection of printable affirmations along with a printable envelope.