Snowy Sunday

“Snow isn’t just pretty. It also cleanses our world and our senses, not just of the soot and grime of a Fife mining town but also of a kind of weary familiarity, a taken-for-granted quality to which our eyes are all too susceptible.” -John Burnside

We got a little snow after all. My girls have been fighting a cold for the week and they are both starting to feel a lot better. Thank goodness. I hate to see my babies not feeling well. The snow is a great Sunday evening event. I’m grateful that we are all home, warm, and safe.

Flow State

“Is there something in my life that makes me forget time while I’m doing it?”

Editing lately has been interesting. I have some writing sessions that when I look at the clock, I’m shocked it’s only been 10 minutes. Then there’s other times when I’m just chugging along and I look, two hours have gone by! Creative states are so weird but I like weird so it works for me.

Upside Down

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” -Henry David Thoreau

Perception is everything. The great thing about life is that everything is always changing. We get to expand our perspectives and grow with the world around us. This is what makes reading and learning so much fun. I get to see the world in a million different ways.

Tried a New Food

Ok, so I tried a new food. I’ve been seeing people add these to healthy recipes all over the internet. I finally found them! I tried pitted dates. They are way better than I assumed. I don’t know why, but I thought they were going to be a cross between a raisin and a prune. I don’t think I’ve ever had a prune, so then I automatically connect it to an apricot. Hahaha, don’t ask why, my brain connects things in a weird way. So, anyway, dates, in my opinion, taste nothing like any of those. I think they remind me more of Fig Newtons.

Anyways have you tried any new foods lately? Have you tried dates? What did you think?

Home Sweet Home

“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” -Marcus Aurelius

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately; minding my thoughts. Recognizing which ones are beneficial and which ones are dangerous to entertain. Years ago, I wasn’t comfortable in my skin because of my thoughts, but after getting to know myself, it not only made me feel at home inside myself, it helped me better understand those around me. Mental health, mental exercises, mental discipline—it all shapes the world you reside in.

Are you at home in your skin?

Mind Your Thoughts

Empower yourself by choosing kind thoughts. It’s worth the effort.

Don’t let negativity take over your brain. It’s your brain. You have the keys. Taking control of your thoughts is one of the greatest things you can do. Sometimes my thoughts attempt to shame me or make me feel bad, but one of my greatest weapons is my words of affirmation. I’ve been using them so long they come naturally. This makes it so I can disconnect from the negativity, which is perfect because it isn’t mine to hang on to.

You Did That!

“Treat every small victory like you just won the Super Bowl.” – Lewis Howes

I always try my best to do this! It really is easier said than done. But small goals are worth celebrating all year round. Don’t push off your small wins waiting to celebrate the big win. Step away and celebrate every little goal you meet. This post is really for me. If you’re doing it, let me know how often and in what ways you celebrate.

Today I reached a goal I was proud of and rewarded myself with a super healthy spread of fruits and veggies annnd a homemade chicken Caesar salad wrap. It was everything I’ve been wanting lol.

Overcoming Insecurities in Writing and Speaking

“The style of an author should be the image of his mind, but the choice and command of language is the fruit of exercise.” -Edward Gibbon

I used to think I was a better writer than a speaker. But then I thought, maybe I’m better at speaking than I am at writing. It was, and maybe in some ways still is, an insecurity. I used to care very much what people thought about my skills in both areas. Now I don’t care too much what anyone else thinks about my skills in either area. I care more about how they feel when they walk away. If they feel defeated and less human after they’ve been around me, my skills have failed me. But if they walk away thinking, “Wow, maybe I am capable,” then my skills have done their duty. That’s really all that matters to me in the end.

Right Brained

“I write lustily and humorously. It isn’t calculated; it’s the way I think. I’ve invented a writing style that expresses who I am.” -Erica Jong

I have a hard time writing things that I don’t learn from. I am a fiction writer who writes with depth and intention filled with symbolism. So, things that are just black and white are very hard for me. Some might say my writing is very right-brained. I enjoy reading deep philosophical writing that’s rich in symbolism very much. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good textbook, but I learn from a textbook because I can apply it to the universal symbols I’ve already learned.

What’s you style?