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Mandy Hale

I’ve been following her ever since my marriage went down South. She has plenty to say about broken relationships and how to weather the storm that follows afterwards. I’ve followed her advice and I must admit that most of her advice or quotes did help me when I was caught struggling and navigating the choppy waters of divorce and all that it entails..

Who is she? She is a blogger and New York Times bestselling author and speaker. Mandy Hale is inspirational and she cuts to the chase or rather to the heart of the matter when she talks about life and love.

Here are some of her quotes, the ones that made me stop and to think twice about the path I was on.

“If you don’t love yourself, you’ll always be chasing after people who don’t love you either.”

Absolutely true. Learn to love yourself first and when you do, you won’t put up with the nonsense that comes across as love.

“Stop giving people the power to control your smile, your worth, and your attitude.”

I learned this one the hard way!

“I would rather be alone with dignity than in a relationship that requires me to sacrifice my self-respect.”

This next one I LOVE!

“A season of loneliness and isolation is when the caterpillar gets its wings. Remember that next time you feel alone.”

However, I’m doing the loneliness and isolation part but I haven’t got my wings yet. I’m sure it is on its way!

She has a massive Twitter following and she inspires every single woman to live their best lives. What’s not to like?

She is my favorite blogger.

Daily writing prompt

Who is your favorite blogger to follow?

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Fully Capable of Handling Anything!

Photo by Thái Trường Giang on Pexels.com

This was a hard lesson to learn. I usually have a hard time accepting things as they are and often I try to do battle before I decide that it is time to give in and see what I can do with the situation.

The two cats moved in and my first thought, I can’t do this! I added more to that and it became the fuel that was needed to ignite it into an impossible situation. It only got better when I stepped back and took each problem as it came along. I find out now that I am fully capable of handling the two cats plus my own and they seem to be doing fine. We have a routine going and WE are happy or so it seems!

Then came the move. My son was moving away and I wore sackcloth and ashes for days on end. I told myself that I can’t go from being the “helicopter mom” to the empty nester! Guess what? It wasn’t up to me. The move took place last weekend and his things have been moved to his new place. I watched him go with tears in my eyes but that didn’t change anything. I had to deal with the aftermath. After a day or two of moping around, I decided that I am fully capable of handling this as well. We are into Day 5 after the move and I am seeing daylight again. I realize that I am learning to let go without holding on too tightly. Perhaps, that is the secret. I haven’t let go fully yet but I’m sure, it will come soon enough.

The lesson I’ve learned recently that shifted my perspective is that I am fully capable of handling problems and I am stronger than I think I am! Still hard, but I am on my way and that is the important part.

Daily writing prompt

What’s a lesson you’ve learned recently that shifted your perspective?

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LOL!

An elderly couple went to the doctors because they were concerned about memory loss. The doc put them through some tests. He told them they didn’t have to worry too much yet, but it would help if they wrote things down.

That afternoon they were sitting on the front porch enjoying the lovely June weather. The husband decides to get a bowl of ice cream and asks his wife if she would like one too.

She says, “ I would love a bowl of ice cream, but you better write it down.

“Naw – I don’t have to write it down. How would you like chocolate syrup with your ice cream?”

”I would love chocolate syrup, but you’d better write it down.”

“Don’t need to. How hard can it be? ice cream with chocolate syrup. How about nuts and whipped cream on top?”

“That sounds delicious. I’d love that, but you’d better write it down.”

”Nope. How hard can it be? Ice cream, chocolate syrup, nuts and whipped cream. I’ve got it.”

So he goes into the kitchen and she hears him rattling around for a bit. Pretty soon he comes out with two plates of bacon and eggs.

She says, “I told you to write it down. You forgot the toast!”

Looks like they are on the same wavelength! 🤣🤣🤣

My Evening Ritual

I’ve learned along the way that good sleep doesn’t come naturally. You’ve got to work at it to get your 8 hours of undisturbed sleep. Even though I eat healthy, workout, and do the right things during the day, it doesn’t mean that I can slide into bed and go to dreamland at a drop of the coin. It was easier when I was younger but now that I’m on my own and handling things by myself, good sleep needs work and I’m hell-bent on getting it!

The first thing I do is to have a nice shower. Then I change into a big roomy t-shirt, the bigger the better! Before that I slather on a good mosturizing cream but I’ve had to let that go for the past week because of the heatwave. It just made me feel sticky.

Then I make myself a cup of Ayurveda tea. It is soothing and helps to calm my nerves. Most days when evening rolls around, my nerves are on edge! Sipping warm tea and having my eyes closed for about 10 minutes helps to bring the cortisol levels down.

Some days, I do some light stretching, a short meditation, and or some deep breathing. These three get me ready for bed in no time. If that doesn’t work, I cuddle with Chachi, the Little Macho, although he has lost his pants now. Shiro, the white Persian, is wearing them with pride and she is holding a whip as well!

If I’m still buzzing after that, I watch TV for a while. It doesn’t always help to soothe but after a while it gets boring and then sleep comes rushing in!

Those are my tried and true methods of improving my sleep. It works but not always. It just depends on how stressful my day was. Some days nothing helps, I’ll just have to grit my teeth and bear it. That too is part and parcel of my evening ritual, like it or not.

Goodnight and don’t let the bedbugs bite!

Daily writing prompt

What do you do to improve your sleep?

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No Problem!

Hitting 5,ooo steps today is a breeze since I do more than that each and everyday. Working out is a must and my weight hasn’t shifted in three years! Some call me skinny and others just right but the thing that matters is not what “they” say, it is about how it makes me feel.

Exercise keeps me on track. It puts me in a good mood, it gets rid of negative thoughts and it gets the happy hormones going and it is the fountain of youth. If you want to stay young, keep your body moving.

Let’s see. I’ve already done 2,500 steps since breakfast. Just a quick walk with intervals of strength training. I’m feeling good! The next 2,500 steps will come in after lunch. Then it will be a HOP, SKIP, and a JUMP away from the 10,000 steps I aim for each day.

Thanks for the cheers. I’m making my way up the mountain top, see you there!

Daily writing prompt

Hit 5,000 steps today and drop your achievement here — we’re cheering you on!

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Pep Yourself Up!

Some of the best ways to deal with negative thoughts is to motivate, energize, or cheer yourself up. Be your own cheerleader. Psych yourself up and get moving.

My best method to overcome or to deal with negative thoughts is to take a walk. It doesn’t matter if it is just a 10-minute walk, it gets my blood pumping and those negative thoughts fly out the same way they came in!

Engage in positive self-talk. Not the ones that we do to put ourselves down so that we go further down the rabbit hole but the kind that boosts your self-esteem. How about, “All those workout sessions are really showing. You’re looking good!” Or, “You handled that problem well, like a pro I must say!” Pep yourself up because you are worth it.

I love listening to my favorite songs. Nothing loud or crazy, just soft and easy on the mind. It usually helps. Meditation is actually my go to method for dealing with negative thoughts. I shut everything down, clear my mind, and go to this place where everything is perfect and no negative thoughts are to be seen. I spend about 15 minutes there and come out feeling like a winner!

If all else fails, grab a slice of cheesecake, a cup of coffee, sit outside, take a deep breath and dive in! It works every time. The problem, I can’t stop at one slice! The nice part, those negative thoughts are nowhere to be seen!

Daily writing prompt

What’s the best way to deal with negative thoughts?

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I Can’t Think of Anything!

The heat must have scrambled my mind but for the life of me, I can’t think of anything that I hated when I was younger and love now. Hmm…..I was an easy kid except for my forays into the forests behind my place. It was a mesmerizing place filled with magic and there I spent a lot of time commuting with nature. It didn’t set too well with mom who wanted to raise a “lady” and not a little rascal!

However, I was easy compared to my brothers and sisters. They had their quirks, their likes and dislikes. One brother loved to cuss which was a no no in my family so there was trouble there. Another hated eating vegetables and yet another just loved having her own way! I, on the other hand, was the who gave no trouble, did what was asked of me, and towed the line.

So no I can’t think of anything that I hated. Hate is a strong word and I don’t think that I really hated anything. I had a great childhood and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Next question please….

Daily writing prompt

What do you love now, that you hated when you were younger?

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Gut Feeling or Intuition

I would like to think that a gut feeling and intuition are the same but it seems that there are subtle differences. They are closely related and a “gut feeling is typically an immediate physical and emotional reaction driven by survival instincts and past trauma. Intuition is a calmer more cerebral knowing that subconsciously synthesizes experience to offer wise guidance.” I don’t know guys, it seems like it is the one and the same to me. Basically it is that feeling within that tells you you’re going the wrong way! Quite often we choose to ignore the voice that wants to do right and we walk our own path knowing full well that it is the wrong one.

I’ve done that many times over. I remember a time when my “gut feeling” screamed, “STOP! You’re headed the wrong way, he’s not the right one.” I heard it loud and clear, I saw the signs being paraded in front of me and still I ignored and carried on heading into the danger zone!

However, the journey of self-discovery I am on has taught me to pay heed to those gut feelings and to take them seriously. Not too long ago, I dated someone who seemed to be the perfect guy. Let’s just say, he ticked all the right boxes. It started out like a dream. We connected, we had the same interests, and it felt like HOME! However, my gut was telling me something else. It said, “Watch out! Things are not as they seem.” This time around, I chose to listen and it turned out for the best.

The loser was a cheater just like my ex. He played a good game and it looked like he had done it many times before. The good part, I walked away before more damage could be done. My gut feeling was exactly right and I did right by following its advice.

So the next time your gut tells you something is not right, pay heed. It has your best interests at heart just like intuition does.

Daily writing prompt

What’s a time you followed your gut and it turned out to be exactly right?

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This One Speaks The Truth

LOL!

The old man and the beautiful young blonde.

A balding, white-haired man from Sherman Oaks, California walked into a mall jewelry store on Friday evening, accompanied by a much younger woman. He told the jeweler he was looking for a special ring for his girlfriend. The jeweler showed him a nice ring for $5,000.

“No, I’d like to see something more special,” the man replied.

The jeweler then presented a stunning $40,000 ring. The woman’s eyes sparkled, and she trembled with excitement at the sight.

The old man smiled and stated confidently, “We’ll take it.”

When the jeweler inquired about payment, the man replied, “By check. I realize you’ll want to check on the funds, so I’ll write it now and you can call the bank on Monday. I’ll return to collect the ring.”

On Monday morning, the jeweler furiously called the old man. “You have only $25 in your account!” he shouted.

“I know,” replied the old man with a laugh. “But let me tell you about MY GREAT WEEKEND!”

You must admit the old man knew what he was doing and that blonde didn’t stand a chance! 🤣🤣🤣