Spirit Animals

“In certain spiritual traditions or cultures, spirit animal refers to a spirit which helps guide or protect a person on a journey and whose characteristics that person shares or embodies. It is also metaphor, often humorous, for someone or something a person relates to or admires.”

Do you have a spirit animal?

Mine is definitely the tortoise.

I have to share my favorite Aesop Fable, The Tortoise and The Hare from Story Arts!

There once was a speedy hare who bragged about how fast he could run. Tired of hearing him boast, Slow and Steady, the tortoise, challenged him to a race. All the animals in the forest gathered to watch.

Hare ran down the road for a while and then paused to rest. He looked back at Slow and Steady and cried out, “How do you expect to win this race when you are walking along at your slow, slow pace?”

Hare stretched himself out alongside the road and fell asleep, thinking, “There is plenty of time to relax.”

Slow and Steady walked and walked. He never, ever stopped until he came to the finish line.

The animals who were watching cheered so loudly for Tortoise, they woke up Hare.

Hare stretched and yawned and began to run again, but it was too late. Tortoise was over the line.

After that, Hare always reminded himself, “Don’t brag about your lightning pace, for Slow and Steady won the race!”

Solitude and I

Solitude is a good friend of mine. I especially love when I’m feeling relaxed and there’s no socializing required for me. Zero communication. Relaxed mind, body, and spirit; now that is Heaven on Earth.

I know that in those moments, I’m in a good healthy place. There was time, I wouldn’t allow myself to reach such a peaceful state unless I was asleep.

How about you? Do you find time to relax? Do you prefer to relax alone or with others?

Dr. Suess

Before I knew anything about Roald Dahl, I loved me some Dr. Seuss. I think I loved Dr. Seuss for longer than I should have. I wasn’t the best childhood reader, but that didn’t take away my joy for reading Dr. Suess.

I’m reminded about Suess because lately my little one has been talking about rhymes and so we had to pull out the Dr. Suess books and talk about what words rhymed and what words didn’t. There’s something special about sharing your favorite books with your little ones.

Thank you for the Dr. Suess Books!!

The timing could not have been more perfect.

Let Yourself Expand

Do you feel the desire to expand in new ways? That is a healthy desire. Do you ask yourself questions like, What can I do to set goals that aid in my expansion? That is a mature response. Side note: You don’t need to be validated to grow, you just do it.

And don’t forget that it takes experimentation to reach new heights! Try different ways and see what works for you. You’re freer than you think. You have more versatility than you think. There’s a million ways to make your own reality a better place. But you only need to figure out one way that makes your reality better right now, in this present moment.

Remember, you’re doing better than you think you are.

Writing Tech

What technology do you use to write?

I’m a Microsoft Word user. I appreciate their “Read Aloud” feature, so I can hear what I write. This feature doesn’t work so well with creative writing like prose and poetry, but it works for most other types of content. I also enjoy using AI. I will quote info from AI here and there and create a post from a variety of different questions.

Some people use Google Docs. Others use apps created for writers like Scrivener.

I’d love to see the most popular writing app used. Let me know what you use.

Writers Life and Uncertainty

I am someone who struggles with uncertainty. I’ve missed many events because I didn’t know or understand what was going to happen. Agendas, guest lists, and syllabi all significantly lower my anxiety. It’s funny, before I realized that those things give me peace, I would get frustrated when people would ask questions about events I was part of. So silly because they knew to ask questions that would lower their anxiety and I didn’t and I was the frustrated one. I will now gladly share plans and explain what’s going to happen to anyone who asks.

Great works begin in the land of uncertainty. In writing, no matter what kind of writer you are, when you first start a piece, you’re writing in the dark. Before the outlines, before the spreadsheets and research, before you even think about the plot, you have a vague idea of something. A lot of masterpieces are never written because “they didn’t know what to write” and so they stopped writing altogether.

But not you!!

When you start to get frustrated about your novel the first way to soothe your nerves is to write on it. Then sleep on it. Then, on a new day with a rested spirit, ask yourself curious questions about your writing. Journaling really helps. One trick I learned that keeps me out of that uncertainty spiral is asking myself a few questions at the end of my writing session.

How about you? How do you navigate uncertainty in your life?

These Hoof Videos

I don’t know what it is but these hoof cleaning videos always grab my attention.

Some of these beautiful animals get long sharp things impaled in their hooves. It causes abscess and it looks to sad and painful. I don’t always have it in me to watch the ones where the animal is hurt but I do enjoy a good hoof cleaning.

Here’s one.

It’s not just me this short has 343k views on YouTube!!

What is it about this? I’ve never seen this in real life and had not much awareness of it until about a month or more ago.

Anyways what videos are you watching lately?

Good Morning

I’m so grateful for my Mother’s Day gift from my husband. I’ve been eyeing that mushroom coffee drink for years now but never bought it because coffee is way cheaper at Walmart. On Mother’s Day he sat and drank it with me. He also made me a cup this morning before work.

This evening he was following up with me and asked how I like. I don’t think he realizes how much I enjoy just having a hot drink with him in the morning. It was amazing. I’d drink it everyday with you.

The Things in Life that Matter Most are Free

Money has its place but the things in life that matter most are free.

I had an amazing day! I had my girls, my mama, and my husband right there with me all day. We had plans with B plans that were just as good. But the truth is as long as my family showed up and showed they cared, it wouldn’t have mattered to me where we went. And I’m glad I could show love to the three mamas in my life. They mean a lot to me. Everything worked out the best way it could. I’m so grateful for my Tribe.