Better not bitter...

"The difficulties of life are intended to make us better, not bitter."

- pinterest.com

I must admit, I had to be told once (by trusted friends) that I'd turned into bitter/angry girl. I didn't realize how transparent my anger and frustration were at that time and I took the feedback to heart (after three people told me the same thing!). I think it takes a lot of courage to tell a good friend something like that and I'm a big believer in the statute of limitations when it comes to angsty energy. Even Bill Gates says "Life is not fair. Get used to it." Just sayin' ;) 

Blessings,

Chatgirl 

Good choices...

"I choose to live by choice, not by chance; to make changes not excuses; to be motivated, not manipulated; to be useful, not used; to excel, not compete. I choose self-esteem, not self pity. I choose to listen to my inner voice, not the random opinion of others."

- illuzone.net

Mental health professionals and life coaches will say that we need to own our choices and take full responsibility for where we find ourselves in life, both good and bad. This can be a tough paradigm shift, but they say in order to manifest the life of our dreams, we must believe that we have a big role to play. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl 

Hang in there...

Sometimes you just have
to stop worrying,
wondering, & doubting.
Have faith that things will
work out, maybe not how
you planned, but just how
they're meant to be.

- quotepix.com

I think the hardest thing is not knowing. Sometimes we just gotta hang in there and be brave even if we aren't feeling as strong and confident as we might wish. Just sayin'  ;) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

One small change...

I read a quote that says something like "We change when someone special leaves our lives or when someone special comes into our lives." No question when someone significant dies, we feel it and we are often compelled to make big changes. For example, I've seen co-workers quit and start a passion project after a work-aholic parent has died. I wonder what would happen if we made even the smallest of positive changes just because we want to feel better? I've been impressed by changes I've seen friends make; deciding not to speak ill of others, eating more healthy, volunteering. Personally, I gave up sugar two years ago, which I think was a wee bit of a crutch, and this has led to many discernible benefits. It's so easy to observe others and want them to change, but maybe that change should start with us. Just sayin' ;) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Minimizing drama....

"Please cancel my subscription to your issues."

- Anonymous

Just say no, Lol. But seriously, I think there's a time to throw in the towel, move forward and focus on healing, inspirational and joy promoting actions. Just sayin' ;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Good with the bad...

"You have to take the good with the bad, smile when you're sad, love what you've got and remember what you had... Always forgive but never forget, learn from your mistakes but never regret, people change, things go wrong, just remember, life goes on."

- Unknown

Life is such a mixed bag and unfortunately things do go wrong, glitches happen, disappointments find us. I guess we just have to remember, this is all a part of life. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatigirl

Walk lightly...

"There are quicksands all about you, sucking at your feet," he ruminated, "trying to suck you down into fear and self-pity and despair. That's why you must walk so lightly. Lightly, my darling... Learn to do everything lightly. Yes, feel lightly even though you're feeling deeply."

- Aldus Huxley, author of Brave New World (a dystopian vision of the future), nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in seven different years and widely acknowledged as one of the pre-eminent intelluctuals of his time. Later in his life, Huxley came to regret one thing: how "preposterously serious" he had been when he was younger.

Just sayin' :)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

At the core...

"As you get older you will understand more and more that it's not about what you look like or what you own, it's all about the person you've become."

- Anonymous

Money is great. "Succeeding" feels good. A beautiful relationship is a definite plus. At the end of the day though, how we feel about ourselves can be either a source of contentment or ongoing angst. Just sayin' :)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Love...

Love

Is not something we give
or get, it is something that
we nurture and grow,
a connection that can only
be cultivated between two
people when it exists within
each one of them - we can
only love others as much
as we love ourselves.

- Brene Brown

My favourite therapist says a lot of us do not know what love is. We only know "not love" from our upbringing. It's never too late to learn. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Being there...

"You are not required to set yourself on fire to keep others warm."

- Unknown

Wonderful to be there for others. We may need to check in with ourselves and make sure we have the necessary time/energy/resources to do so however. Oxygen mask on us first, right? Just sayin' :)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Take a breath...

"Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths."

- Etty Hillesum

Life is an enduring series of ups and downs. Makes sense to take a moment once in a while. Just sayin' ;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Love yourself first...

"Love yourself first, and everything else falls in line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world."

- Lucille Ball

A good reminder to be kinder to ourselves. After all, nobody's perfect. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Delicate balance...

"Life should be touched, not strangled. You've got to relax, let it happen at times, and at others move forward with it."

- Ray Bradbury, one of America's most celebrated authors

Sometimes the best and hardest thing to do is nothing. Just sayin' ;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

What lies within...

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I think we have more strength, courage, ability than we may realize. We can do it! Just sayin' ;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Be who you are...

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

- Dr Seuss

My favourite therapist says we should never do things out of duty and obligation (unless we consciously choose to knowingly do so) because on some level we will be betraying ourselves and others.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Tending the mind...

Food for thought...

"The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another."

- William James (American philosopher, physician and first educator to offer a psychology course in the US).

"No matter where you go or what you do, you live your entire life within the confines of your head"

- Terry Josephson (Motivational Speaker)

"You and I are not what we eat; we are what we think."

- Walter Anderson, (The Confidence Course)

"The person who sends out positive thoughts activates the world around him positively and draws back to himself positive results."

- Norman Vincent Peale (American Minister and Author of The Power of Positive Thinking)

"The law of attraction attracts to you everything you need, according to the nature of your thought life. Your environment and financial condition are the perfect reflection of your habitual thinking. Thought rules the world."

- Joseph Edward Murphy (American New Thought Minister, Ph D Psychology)

Just sayin' :)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Self-acceptance...

"To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don't need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself."

- Thich Nhat Hanh

Self-acceptance means having our own backs. This takes emotional courage because we might have let others down and that feels super crappy. If we abandon ourselves by people pleasing and putting others first, however, we may end up dissatisfied and unhappy. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Ongoing issues...

"Please cancel my subscription to your issues."

- Unknown

Lol ;) ... But seriously, though we all have our issues, if they are constant and ongoing, maybe we need to consider real and lasting change. There is no shame in seeking professional help. Just sayin' ;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Common enemy intimacy....

"A lot of times we share things that are not ours to share as a way to hot wire connection with a friend. You know what I call that? COMMON ENEMY INTIMACY."

- Brene Brown

Interesting...

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Bygones...

"You can't start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading that last one."

- iliketoquote.com

The experts say, put a bow on it and stow it in the proverbial attic as an experience to learn and grow from. Just sayin' ;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Longings...

"Do not leave your longings unattended."

- Unknown

I guess we can avoid or deny what we really want, but we may end up with a general sense of dissatisfaction in the end. Just sayin' ...

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Daring greatly...

Daring greatly (v.)

The courage to be vulnerable,
to show up and be seen.
To ask for what you need,
to talk about how you're feeling,
to have the hard conversations.

- Unknown

... and to spend time with people who allow us to do this. Just sayin' :)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Self-protect...

"Perfectionism is a 20-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it's the thing that's really preventing us from being seen and taking flight."

- Brene Brown

Why is it that we don't allow ourselves to be a work in progress and get better over time? We expect so much of ourselves. Just sayin' ;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl