Tag: middle age

Make It Stop

Without getting political, this is why I can’t wait for this election to be over:

+According to the battling commercials, no matter who wins, we are doomed to the worst fates which any of us have ever endured. Having been through most of 2020, that says a lot. I don’t do well in waiting rooms, let’s just get it over with. 😉

+The national “Do Not Call” list does not work. I get several calls (landline and cellular) every single day from every single state which I have ever lived in, telling me who to vote for in the upcoming election, including all of the different various state representatives and local sheriffs and tax collectors (where I no longer live).

+I am sick of people telling me to vote. I voted. I always vote. I don’t think I have ever missed voting. I don’t like the presumptuous assumption of not voting, when people use the phrase, “Vote.”

+I am completely over having to carefully weigh my every word ,when it comes to any political “issue”. I am a Sagittarius. Sag’s number one fault is constantly putting our feet in our mouths. We are known to drop brutal truths on the daily. Lately I feel like I have to use my mask as a gag, in order to avoid upsetting or offending anyone, from any side of the coin. (I am guessing some of my friends and family think that the gag/mask idea is a good one for me.)

+Election years tend to highlight the worst in all of us. I am eager for us to come together and to start showing each other what is the best in all of us. I understand that when the election is over, this isn’t going to instantly change people into healthy collaborators with the ability to see all of the good in each other and in each other’s intentions, but at least there won’t be the huge national platform exacerbating everyone’s most angry, hateful, suspicious, demonizing sides, everywhere you look.

If you choose to add to my rant in my Comments, I welcome that – please just keep it general and apolitical.

Tidbits

+ I wrote a blog post when I first started blogging about my love of throw pillows. To this day, it remains one of my most popular posts. Apparently those of us who love throw pillows are en masse, so much so, that the latest Progressive Insurance commercial pokes fun of that love of throw pillows in their latest segment of “you are turning into your parents” commercials. My family loves to give me the side-eye with sly smiles on their faces when that commercial comes on the TV. I pretend to not notice as I closely hug one of my gorgeous, soft, luxurious throw pillows into my body, with careful contemplation of how hard to throw it at the family member who dares to chuckle too loudly. They are called “throw pillows” for a reason.

+ I start mentoring my two mentees from last year again this week. The mentoring sessions will still be via Zoom, which is not my favorite, but it is better than nothing. I can’t wait to hear all about their summer adventures. I kind of expected to continue mentoring with my elementary student. We’ve bonded and I have met her family via Zoom. The volunteer coordinator at her school is very involved and dedicated. However, I honestly didn’t know what would happen with my high schooler. The mentoring program for her is more of a box that needs to be checked, so that she can keep a scholarship opportunity available to her, that will help her pay for college expenses in the future. Unfortunately, the volunteer coordinator at her school retired due to the coronavirus situation, and no one has been hired to fill the position yet. So you can only imagine how touched I felt yesterday, when the county-wide volunteer supervisor contacted me saying that my mentee had sought her out, asking for me to mentor her again!! Friends, that made my day! When I first met my mentee, I was told that she was shy and hard to connect with, but that was not the case for us. We connected immediately and when my very talented, artistic, empathetic and observant mentee, herself, told me that she was shy, I corrected her. “You are not shy, you are reserved, and that is a big difference,” I said. I distinctly remember her sitting up a little straighter after that conversation. We also talked a lot about going after what you want, and getting what you deserve. It seems that the lessons paid off and I am overjoyed that something that she wants, and made the effort to go after, is for me to mentor her again. My heart is filled.

+ I read something this morning about the term “emotional labor.” Emotional labor is usually used in the context of a work situation, such as when a customer service agent has to keep a smile on their face and a calm demeanor, with a frothing-at-the-mouth, beet-faced, candidate for anger management classes who is snarling at them, ferociously. Still, there is a broader sense of the word. We all have been putting in more hard emotional labor than usual, in this year so filled with anxiety and animosity and fear and divisiveness. We all have probably spent more time than usual, with false smiles on our faces (even when covered by masks), desperately trying to live with “the fake it ’til you make it” mantra, in many situations. There’s a reason why it’s called emotional LABOR. Labor is work. After you do hard physical labor, your body is exhausted. After you take a big exam or finish an intricate, puzzling project, you are mentally taxed. When you are having to work hard at keeping your emotions constantly in-check and regulated, due to circumstances outside of your control, that is when you have to realize that you are doing extensive emotional labor. What do we do when we are physically spent or mentally overloaded? We rest. So, remember this also applies to emotional labor. If you are emotionally fatigued, it is important to keep healthy boundaries with temperamental people, or overwhelming experiences, or overexposure to the news and social media, or to limit exposure to other kinds of upsetting circumstances, beyond your control. When we have spent a lot of energy on emotional labor, we need to rest. We need to prioritize and to do the actions which bring us to a peaceful, calm, balanced, centered state of being. Mind, Body, Spirit. All three elements are equally important for our overall health and well-being.

Monday Fun-Day

Image

Happy Monday! Happy Fun-day from Florida, the capital of lawn flamingoes!! Now before getting on with your day, and on with your week, think of 3-5 things which you are grateful for, right in this moment. Next, think about why you are so thankful for these things, people, happenings, pets, etc., and feel how good you feel. Pause and bask in it. This is the good, warm fuzzy feeling that you are aiming for all week. You are meant to feel this good, all of the time. This good feeling is what being aligned with the Universe is all about. Any time you start getting frazzled or angry or sad, use this activity to get back on track. Have a great week!!

Soul Sunday

Good morning friends and readers. Sundays are devoted to poetry here at Adulting – Second Half. On Sundays, I either write a poem or I share someone else’s poem and I would love to see some of your poems, too. I consider this spot to be a Doodle book, a poetry workshop where we just let the words and the emotions spill on the page, as they care to land. Here is my poem for the day:

Two Words is All

There is a reason why the pen is mightier than the sword.

The pen has a penchant for words,

While the sword just clumsily goes for blood.

Remember there are two words that are more powerful than anything.

The best prayer, the best spell, the best energy director in the world,

is found in two words. Get your most elegant weapon,

And write this phrase down:

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Carry these words with you in your sacred sheath, and wield them often.

Direct them towards all of the bounties and all of the blessings,

Which create the arrangement of your every day life.

And then feel your energy and your power,

Soar to heights that you didn’t know were possible.

It really is that simple.

Two words: Thank you.

Use the incantation often and always and sincerely,

And feel, and soak, and marinate in their immense power,

And then submerge in the transformation of your own lasting peace.

Signs

What are things that you see or you experience in any one day, that make you feel protected and connected and loved and fulfilled, not by just what and who you love here on Earth, but by everyone you have ever loved, and by spiritual forces that don’t even exist on this plane? Here are some of mine:

Butterflies (blue in particular), cardinals, owls, lucky pennies, a flower seemingly blooming out of nowhere, softly tinkling windchimes, finding long lost items, dolphins, coincidences and synchronicities, the right words just at the right time, hawks, realization of living prayers answered, rainbows, constantly noticing 11:11 and 12:16 on the clock, luxurious smells that don’t seem to have a source, white feathers, the right books recommended to me just at the right time . . . .

These are just a few things that came to my mind, off hand. Take today to be on the lookout for your favorite signs and hugs and winks from the Universe. Let that be your scavenger hunt for the day, but don’t try too hard. Let these signs come to you. When you do see one, which I’m sure that you will, your whole day will seem to become even more magical and miraculous than you ever truly realized. Make looking for the signs a habit, and your weeks and your months and eventually, even your years, will become walking meditations of the sublime.

“Slow down, vow to do what’s best for your well-being at every moment of the day. Have a good understanding of where your attention goes.” – Valencia (Twitter)

Quotes about Energy flow (100 quotes)

Witness to My Own Life

Unfortunately, instead of coming together during this pandemic, in some ways, there has been a fair amount of divisiveness and judgment and anger, coming from every angle, towards and against each other. Perhaps this is just a way to release a lot of pent-up angst over this very difficult year and the people around us, are our most easy targets. I know that many people have felt judged for being too carefree with their actions and their responses to the virus, but I also know that at the opposite side of the spectrum, many people feel judged for being too careful or too fearful. This post by C. Joybell C. made a lot of sense to me, for those of us who have felt judged for being cautious, at times.

Image

Soul Sunday

Good morning, friends and readers. My regular readers know that Sundays are devoted to poetry. I either write a poem or share a poem by a different author and I ask you to do the same, in my Comments section. Visualize this space as a very peaceful (and socially distanced) hip café, where we have gathered together to do a poetry workshop, a free-for-all of release. Our souls are thanking us for this experience. Our spirits like to release themselves without the rigidity and the structure and the tattered stories that are so much a part of our regular lives. My poem for today (by me):

An Autumn Morning

Why do I love this morning so?

Rested body, last night’s sound sleep, deeply resonating.

Trickling, comfortably purring pond water,

background music as I write.

Sunshine illuminating the good side of the yard.

Dogs playing joyfully, underneath a perfectly constructed spider’s web,

(Note to self: I will leave that industrious little one’s masterpiece untouched).

As the day melds on into the week, and then into weeks,

I must listen to my inner voice,

the quiet voice which will ask me to bring myself back to this very moment.

How do I store this moment in an easily accessible memory bank?

A picture, a video, not even a gallery masterpiece will do this moment justice,

to the overall calming (yet at the same time equally energizing) sensation,

which this tranquil morning has gifted to me.

Perhaps if I bathe in the moment, lather in every sensation.

The residue of right now, won’t wash away and it will stay for keeps,

Like a layer of protection, a security blanket,

To soften any blows that may come my way,

when I inevitably forget that life can be, and often is,

as peaceful as a beautiful, softly decaying Autumn morn.

The Game

Image

Sometimes, when I am bored, I think of crazy scenarios in my head, and then I tell myself, “Someone has done, or will do, exactly the insane storyline that I have playing in my head,” and then I crack myself up. It’s like my own little sit-com, playing in my brain. So when I saw this meme this morning, I giggled to myself, realizing that I am not alone in my fun little game. But then I thought, someone else is thinking, “Someone out there is weird enough to think of crazy things which people could do, and then thinking that someone probably has already done the said crazy antic.” Remember, I write this blog from Florida, home of “Florida Man.” Nothing is too crazy for Florida Man.

Friday Loads

Friday, viernes

Hi friends! Happy Friday!!! Happy Favorite Things Friday!!!! New friends, Fridays are light and breezy. We keep it on the surface here at Adulting – Second Half, on Fridays. On Fridays, I typically list three favorite books, songs, products, food stuff, etc. that just makes life a little bit more fun, and I strongly encourage you to tell us about your favorites in my Comments section. Please see previous Friday listings for more good stuff. With the holidays around the corner, we need good ideas for gifts and pleasures. On that note, my friend who is a grandmother, just got her Amazon Prime Wish book in the mail. Her granddaughter can put stickers (that are included with the wish book) on the toys that she would like Santa (and her doting grandparents) to bring her. I love this “blast from the past”! Remember those days of drawing circles and stars on the toy catalogs?!

Today’s favorites (mine):

Medisafe app – As you know, our youngest son is epileptic and it is crucial that he takes his medicine regularly and around the same times, each day. (and keep in mind that he is a 19-year old fraternity boy . . . yeah) This app for his phone has made a world of difference for making sure that he takes his meds on time, and that he is not confused about having taken them or not, because of the way it reminds him with friendly, repeating messages and alarms. (It’s like me, his mom, in app form) It also requires him to check off that he did, indeed, take his meds. It has been a game changer in his medicine management which gives all of us great peace of mind. If you or your loved ones have medications which are needed to be taken regularly, check out this free app for your phone. It can literally be a lifesaver.

Snyders Pretzel Rounds – I am a total sucker for the next new thing. These pretzels are about the size of marbles. They are adorable. They don’t taste any different, but they are damn cute. I think big crusty pretzels can be messy and crumbly to eat. These Rounds eliminate that element of pretzel chomping. They also look adorable in a bowl. It’s a safe way to try something “new” to snack on. Don’t get yourself in a twist to enjoy some pretzel fun. (not everyone agrees though – my husband calls them “dust balls”)

Theorie Pure Professional Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner – According to every hair stylist I have ever gone to, I have a lot of hair, however, it’s a lot of very thin-stranded hair. I am always trying to get more volume in my hair. This shampoo and conditioner has given me more success than the myriad of other brands which I have tried, without much success. This is my holy grail shampoo and conditioner, to get my Marge Simpson bouffant rocking.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Friday vibes I hope you have a replacing and restful weekend! repost from my girl @jasminehemsley But really as a business owner are you ever "out"/finished on Friday? #workontheweekends...