The Gift Of Others

When people ask me how I've got over 900 friends on Facebook, the next question they usually ask is if I actually know that many people. Truth be told - I know just about all but 40 or so. I've been blessed to have come across so many people in my lifetime and I do not take each encounter for granted. Does it sound silly? If not for the opportunity of getting to know a person on a personal level and building a good friendship, at least there's the hope of networking and or possibly helping one another out in a professional way.

I've mentioned in blogs before about how I hold people close to my heart. I'm not lying when I say I would do just about anything for someone I call a friend. And while I know some people I've come across in my life that I've truly cared for would not return the favor, I'm alright with that because I did what I needed to do and what I'm wired to do.

I wear my heart on my sleeve and at times it's to my disadvantage. Yes, I get hurt at times because I do this. BUT doesn't a person get hurt simply by not sharing their life with others too? I was having coffee with a dear friend of mine just recently and she mentioned how I know so many people and how it's so easy for me to just put myself out there - emotionally and physically. She's the opposite, she doesn't tend to do that and she said, she hurts herself by not allowing others to get to know her and by allowing herself to vent and express what's on her heart.

Either way, I'm not encouraging you to change the way that you express your emotion and share life. BUT I am challenging you to allow yourself to get to know the people around you. Go ahead and take a moment to start up a conversation with your regular coffee barrista, ask the clerk at the grocery store how they are doing (and mean it), say hello to the people you see on a regular basis but have never spoken to at school, work, etc. You never know what kind of gift you might unwrap. And even better, you never know if you might be that person that they need in their life at the moment!

You are amazing - go and be it!

The Valleys

It's true, life's not always a mountain-top experience. So what do you do when it's not? Lately I've been feeling very challenged emotionally and physically. Life seems to be kicking my butt. I freakin' hate it! SO, I always know that when I begin to feel this way, it won't be long before I'm back up and running.

The valleys... oh the valleys. I tend to withdraw when I get this way. I don't enjoy being around people, which is so opposite of how I'm wired. All of a sudden it's like someone's put negativity glasses on me and everything around me is completely wrong and lame. I begin re-evaluating friendships and relationships and looking over my life and what I've done and what I've not done. All the evaluating and what not pulls me down even more. It's a pretty bad state of being. However, do you find yourself in the valley from time to time? What do you do to pull yourself out?

If you're anything like me - being that low just doesn't work for me. I love life and I love people. Those closest to me start to worry about me because they know that something's just not right, and it's not.

I'm really grateful for family and friends and my faith. They pull me through every time. Everyone needs that support system around them. If they don't - it's time to start looking around.

Who's gonna be there for you when you are celebrating on the mountain-top? And who's gonna be there for you along life's journey that is often times less emotional and exciting? And then, who's going to be there for you when you are in the valley? Hopefully the same person for all three! And don't you want to be that person to someone else as well?

I encourage you to grasp on to another human being and love them the way you want to be loved. Be the kind of friend to them that you want in return. So much of life is relationships. I've always felt this way. I firmly believe this to my core. We are people and we need one another. Love, laugh, live. I love that - it's so true.

Go - be that amazing person that you are. Share yourself with others and allow yourself to be amazing to them as well. You deserve it... they deserve it. You are amazing!

I resolve to...

Do you make New Year's goals and/or resolutions?

I guess I kind of do in the back of my mind. This year's is something completely new (besides the whole getting healthier thing) - this year I resolve to quit saying the "F" word. F-A-T. Yup, I know it sounds lame and crazy but here's what's going on. I've said it in front of my kids and I've told them that I'm fat and that I don't like the way I look and that I'm on a diet and yada yada yada. So I'm watching "America The Beautiful" (totally recommend it) and I'm convicted about my behavior. All these years I've been putting myself down, because I'd rather hear it from me than from someone else that I'm imperfect. All the while my kids and family are affected from this negative talk.

I don't want my 8 year old daughter to grow up thinking that she has to strive to make herself more beautiful and more perfect when she's already beautiful in so many ways. And I don't want to hear my 6 year old son tell me anymore that he's going on a diet... probably because he thinks that's the right thing to do since Mommy is constantly talking about the diet that she's on. Please don't judge me and think that I'm a rotten parent - it's not like I talk about this stuff on a daily basis around my kids. But I am guilty of saying it none the less.

So here it is... I'm going to work on being more positive about myself - loving myself more (Is that possible some of you ask? Ha ha ha.) - and teaching my children and the kids I work with to believe that they truly are amazing because that's how God created them to be.

I remember in the past I used to see something beautiful in everyone - no one was ugly to me. I want to see that in others again because it's true, everyone is beautiful. Beauty is something that we all possess - but do you and I actually believe this to be true about ourselves? How can we pass this along to the next generation that they are truly beautiful inside and out if we don't even believe this about ourselves?

So --- how about we all strive to love ourselves a little more because when we love ourselves we're able to love others so much more.

Be amazing - you are amazing!

Snow, Snowballs and Life

Colorado was hit with an October snowstorm and we've been snowed in for essentially two days. In only two days I managed to fall into "lazy mode" where nothing looked interesting to me besides food and whatever might appear visually appealing on a TV screen. Last night as I was getting ready for bed I realized that I'd have to get up early to go to work and that started to bum me out. I haven't worked for three days (a beautiful unexpected vacation from above) and I'm bummed about returning to work? What the heck?

So I woke up this morning at 6:30, bright and early. I normally hit the snooze about three times until it's actually 7am, but today I didn't. I awoke feeling happy and inspired and ready to take on the world. This feeling made me feel empowered and I began to think that I could and should have this attitude everyday.

Yes, I realize that stuff happens that I can't control, but the one thing that I can control is my attitude and my response. I couldn't control the snow, but I can control how I'm going to react to it all. SO this morning, while the roads are a bummer because they are icy and it's freakin cold out, I've chosen to enjoy life and this very moment that I am in - and I've decided to make today a beautiful day for myself regardless of whatever might get thrown my way. AND let's just say that a big snowball gets thrown at me, I will get back up, shake it off and move along... with a smile.

Attack the day. Attack today. You deserve it - you are beautiful. You are amazing!

Listen

I'm sitting at coffee this morning with a few friends and as we're sitting there chatting away, I begin to wonder if any of us are actually listening to each other? I'm sure we hear one another, but at the same time we're so desperately trying to be heard ourselves that we're not actually listening. SO I want to challenge myself to actually take the time to listen to others. When I'm with my friends, I want to purposely make the decision to just shut up and to listen to what they have to say.

No big words of encouragement and motivation from me tonight, other than - take the time to listen to those you care about, it speaks louder than words. Goodnight friends. You are amazing. Continue to be amazing!

An Amazing Life

Being a mother is simply amazing. As my youngest is about to turn another year older I realize just how quickly the years pass. I still remember the day I went into labor with him – clearly. I still remember holding him and nursing him for the first time. I still remember my overwhelming emotions I had towards that little guy after laying eyes on him for the first time.

I cherish each day with my husband and my children. I don’t take any moment for granted. It’s easy to take for granted the mundane and boring daily activities for granted – but I just can’t anymore. I treasure walking my children up to the school each morning at drop off. I look forward to seeing their faces at the end of the school day when I pick them up. I get excited about the possibility of joining them for lunch every so often in the school cafeteria. And what makes my heart smile most – is when I walk by their classroom at school and see them smiling and getting into their work.

I can’t take life for granted – as crazy as it might seem. I guess in the back of my head I hold loosely the thought that any and all of it could be taken away in a heartbeat. Eight years ago two planes hit the twin towers in NY – and in a moment our world changed before our eyes. I want to live amazingly – I want to love amazingly – and I want to be amazing. I know I’m dramatic at times and I know I’m emotional as well… but all that pushes me to love people, the moment and life even more. Life is too short – live hard.

Hello self-confidence... where'd ya go?

So here it is, nearly 4 months since I last blogged. The summer blew by and without much regret. Much regret? We had one vacation planned for the summer and it fell through. My only regret is not planning something else. I loved every minute with my kids and my husband and my friends. I am thankful and I am blessed!

What's been on my mind???

I'm sure I've struggled with the issue of not feeling like I fit in at times. I mean, I know I struggled a lot with that in high school. As I got older I feel as though I've left that behind me and become more confident with myself and my abilities. So just recently - almost two weeks ago actually, I was dealt a hand that I wasn't expecting. I was at a social event that I normally feel fairly confident and able to hold my own at. This particular time, I failed - I completely lost confidence and doubted my abilities to carry on a decent conversation with any strangers that might try to strike up conversation. What was my deal? What the heck?

It only gets worse from there. I let the memory of the awful and awkward event remain in my head and in my heart - and for days I stewed over my inability to fit in. I began to see myself in high school again and I began to see myself quickly becoming a social outcast.

Now deep down, I believe we all long to be accepted and to be loved. It's a normal and natural feeling. I'm normal - I feel it. I get it! So what have I done?

I allowed myself to wallow in my own self-pity for about a week. I let myself vent and talk it out with a few close friends of mine, and cherished their sweet loving words of compassion and acceptance. When it all comes down to it - isn't it their opinions of me that should matter most? Not some stranger or acquaintance that I run into from time to time. So I began to change my attitude. I began to look at people differently. I began to ask myself, what if that person I'm so afraid of pleasing - feels the same way about me? How narcissistic of me to think that they would even be thinking about me - good or bad. What if they weren't even placing judgement on me - what if they were just minding their own business and here I was trying to make something more out of it than necessary? The what if's...

Two weeks later and I think I've accomplished it - not completely of course, I think it's a constant work in me. BUT here it is - I'm living my life for me and my family. I'm doing what's best for me and not worrying about what others might think in the process. Forget about them, if they don't like me now - chances are they never did and never will. So buck up - move forward and live confidently knowing that each day I grow stronger building my confidence back up and perhaps even stronger than the first time.

Easier said than done? Don't you know it?!? But I take joy in seeing myself make the most of myself and each moment I am given here on earth. And that's something I'm confident about! Don't let others thoughts or words bring you down. Who knows if those people actually even think or say the things that you "think" they've said?

Move on - move forward - live amazingly - you are amazing!