Discovering morning...

A reporter at the magazine Vanity Fair asked David Bowie what he considered his greatest achievement. Bowie didn't name any of his songs, video's or performances, but rather, he answered, "Discovering morning."

- Compliments of Rob Brezny

Is it just me, or is this a very calming notion. It's so easy to get caught up in measuring where we're at in life and whether or not we're "successful" enough. It's kind of exhausting. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

The Simple Life...

missing somebody....................call
wanna meet up.......................invite
wanna be understood...........explain
have questions............................ask
don't like something......say it nicely
like something...................declare it
want something..................ask for it
stressed....................................let go
love someone...........................say it

- Unknown

Go for it. Just sayin' ;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Mindful...

Give but don't allow yourself to be used.
Love but don't allow your heart to be abused.
Trust but don't be naive.
Listen to others, but don't lose your own voice.

- Unknown

Experts say, don't be a victim. Altough some things just happen to us, we can choose to focus on what we can control; our thinking, our attitudes and beliefs, our actions. Just sayin' :)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Death of a relationship...

Relationships never die a natural death... They are murdered by ego, attitude and ignorance...

- Unknown

I would add the post-traumatic-stress of upbringing and past relationships, genetic make up, hard-wired personality tendencies, lack of commonality and many more. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Fear criticism? ...

"To escape criticism - do nothing, say nothing, be nothing."

- Elbert Hubbard, a prolific and renowned writer, publisher, artist and philosopher who described himself as an anarchist and a socialist. Hubbard believed in social, economic, domestic, political, mental and spiritual freedom.

Said another way...

Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything,
That's how the light gets in.
- Leonard Cohen

Looks like we need to accept and maybe even embrace imperfection? Just sayin' ;) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

What's mine, what's yours....

"I am responsible for what I say. I am not responsible for what you understand."

- Unknown

We all have our own "stuff" and "trigger" points. It's not always easy sorting out what belongs to us and what belongs to others. Probably worth thinking about though. Just sayin' ;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Pull yourself out of the muck...

When you can pull yourself out of your own muck, by giving your same old stories happier endings, you'll find that rage turns into peace, pain to power, fear to courage.

In his book What Happy People Know, psychologist Dan Baker, PhD. says that joyful people finish their life stories on a different note: appreciation. Instead of going over and over what they've lost, they focus on what they've gained. For example: 'He was a womanizer and a drunk. A real pain in the butt. But we had more love than most people ever dream of.' Yes, you went broke, but people who loved you stepped up to help. True you totaled your car - but in the moment you thought you were about to die, you experienced a peace beyond fear that you've been able to access ever since.

- Compliments of Martha Beck, Oprah Magazine

It all seems to come back to what we tell ourselves. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blesssings,

Chatgirl

Hungry or bored? ;) ...

Dear brain,

Please start being able to tell the difference between hungry and bored.

Sincerely,

I'm getting fat!

- Unknown

Ha ha ha. Seriously, though, we don't always eat because we're hungry do we? We may eat because we're stressed out, or we just like the way something tastes, or (if you're like me) we're hooked on sugar, and yes I'm sure we often eat because we're just plain bored. Or, as the saying "what's eating you" indicates, something deeper and more meaningful may be consuming a part of us and leading us to over-indulge. Food for thought, no pun intended ;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Are you "flawsome" ? ....

Flawsome (adj.) an individual who embraces their "flaws" and knows they're awesome regardless.

- TheMindsJournal.com

I bet we could all ease up on ourselves. (Well, and on others too of course!).  Just sayin' ;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Karma...

Dear Karma,

I have a list of people you missed.

- Unknown

Ha ha ha. I guess we shouldn't expect resolution, justice and fairness in life. But wouldn't it be nice? Just sayin' ;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Heart felt...

"Dear Heart, please stop getting involved in everything. Your job is to pump blood, that's it."

- Unknown

Ha ha ha. Just sayin' ;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Good judgment...

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment."

- Will Rogers

Just sayin' ;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Life lessons...

"Difference between school and life? School teaches you lessons and then gives you a test. Life gives you a test and you learn the lessons."

- Unknown

Ha ha. So true. Just sayin' ;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Interpreting dreams...

30 Common Dream Symbols and Their Meanings by Rebecca Turner

A snap shot....

Animals - often represent the part of your psyche that feels connected to nature and survival. Being chased by a predator suggests you're holding back repressed emotions like fear or aggression.

Being chased - is one of the most common dream symbols in all cultures. It means you're feeling threatened, so reflect on who's chasing you and why they're a possible threat in real life. Lauren Wallace (New York Daily News column on dream analysis) says such dreams encourage the dreamer to face a problem that has been hanging over his/her head.

Exams - can signify self-evaluation, with the content of the exam reflecting the part of your personality or life under inspection. Lauren Lawrence has observed that only perfectionists tend to have recurring stressful test-taking dreams. Lauri Loewenberg (author of three books on dreams and has appeared on Dr Oz and Anderson Cooper 360 shows) believes that these dreams draw parallels between school and a job. Both places see a lot of pressure-filled situations.

Falling - is a common dream symbol that relates to our anxieties about letting go, losing control, or somehow failing after a success.

Faulty machinery - in dreams is caused by the language center being shut down while asleep, making it difficult to dial a phone, read the time, or search the internet. It can also represent performance anxiety.

Demons- are sneaky evil entities which signify repressed emotions. You may secretly feel the need to change your behaviours for the better.

Missing a flight - or any other kind of transport is another common dream, revealing frustration over missing opportunities in life. It's most common when you're struggling to make a big decision.

Being trapped (physically) - is a common nightmare theme, reflecting your real life inability to escape or make the right choice.

Lateness - might be a sign that someone is overwhelmed and doing too much according to Wallace. According to the-open-mind.com's Top 40 Dream Symbols and Their Meanings, being late in a dream can suggest apprehensiveness around an eminent change or feeling overwhelmed or hesitant about an upcoming event.

Interesting stuff! Have a great day :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Got a good sense of humor?...

"Having a good sense of humor reduces stress, helps you cope with pain, creates empathy in social situations, and can even improve our odds of finding a mate."

- Brandon Spector, Readers Digest

6 Signs you have a good sense of humor, compliments of huffingtonpost.com

1. You make laughing a priority, which is said to make us happier and healthier. Studies show that smiling instantly boosts your mood and laughing can soothe tension and melt stress.

2. You practice self-acceptance. Good-humored individuals embrace their flaws and laugh them off (and let them go).

3. You're creative - it takes a lot of mental energy to come up with quick-witted quips that keep grins on others' faces. One 2014 study found that laughter can also lead to a sharper short-term memory.
4. You're conscientious - there's a line between well-intentioned humor and mean-spirited jokes, and those with good humor know the difference (being funny without hurting others people's feelings).
5. You have good physical well-being - giggles can stimulate the organs, improve your immune system and relieve pain. Overall, humor can benefit us physically and emotionally, according to Peter McGrawm Ph.D.

Sense of humor can certainly take the edge off. Just sayin' ;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Honoring emotions or wallowing?...

"It's healthy to share painful experiences-  but there's a difference between honoring emotions and wallowing in them... wallowing only mires us deeper in the pit of despair... repeatedly telling a sorrowful story only lights up your brain's pathways of suffering, so you're essentially experiencing the tragedy over and over."

- Martha Beck

There's another way to go. Stay tuned;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Emotion...

"Emotion is the chief source of all becoming-conscious. There can be no transforming of darkness into light and of apathy into movement without emotion."

- Carl Jung

My favourite therapist says that our emotions give us critical information. We may not like some of the more unpleasant feelings, such as anger and fear, but they tell us when our boundaries are being crossed or when we're over extending ourselves etc . Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Go for it!...

"Don't ever let someone tell you that you can't do something. Not even me. You got a dream, you gotta protect it. When people can't do something themselves, they're gonna tell you that you can't do it. You want something, go get it. Period."

- Will Smith, (The Pursuit of Happiness, film)

Makes me think about the film Eddie the Eagle, a consummate underdog story about a colourful British Olympic ski jumper. The only person who believed in Eddy was pretty much Eddie. Well, and his Mom, Lol ;) Inspiring true story! Just sayin'

Blessings,

Chatgirl

One day at a time...

"I try to take it one day at a time. But sometimes several days attack me at once."

- Unknown

Ha ha ha ;) and said a bit differently...

"A strong person is the one who knows how to be quiet, shed a tear for a moment, and then picks up their gloves and fights again."

Yup, sometimes you just gotta say uncle and take a moment. Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

The seeds we plant...

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but the seeds that you plant."

- Robert Louis Stevenson, a literary celebrity during his lifetime, Stevenson now ranks among the 26 most translated authors in the world. Most famous works are Treasure Island, Kidnkapped, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

It's not easy waiting for things to "happen" because it usually feels like nothing's moving. Delay of gratification! Just sayin' ;) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Tackling worry....

"All I want to do is sit down for ten minutes and not worry about a single. damn. thing."

- Unknown

"Sometimes the best thing you can do is not think, not wonder, not imagine, not obsess. Just breathe, and have faith that everything will work out for the best."

- Unknown

Ever wondered whether worrying is normal? Does everyone worry? If so, how much of the time? According to Karen Swarz, M.D., Director of Clinical Programs at the Johns Hopkins Mood Disorders Center, the average person worries an average of 55 minutes a day. Typical worrying is supposedly a normal way of processing something that's important to us. A clinical case of worry, on the other hand, (Generalized Anxiety Disorder -GAD), is more concerning and involves an average of 5 hours of worrying per day.

How do we cope with the everyday type of worry? According to Helpguide.org, we can reduce our worrying with the following techniques:

* Confine our worrying to one time period during the day (give ourselves permission to worry about whatever is on our minds at this time and declare the rest of the day a worry-free zone).
* Ask ourselves if the problem is solvable (and learn to embrace our feelings, which are likely being suppressed, adding to the anxiety)
* Accept uncertainty (the KEY to anxiety relief)
* Avoid people who feed our worries and fears (we quickly "catch" moods from other people)
* Focus on the present rather than the past or future (mindfulness meditation to stay focused on the present is a simple concept, but takes practice to reap the benefits).

Apparently it is a fact that exessive worrying takes years off our lives, so it makes sense to be honest with ourselves and take steps to improve our coping strategies. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

What's eating us?....

"Gluttony is an emotional escape, a sign something is eating us."

- Peter De Vries, prolific American editor and novelist. De Vries was described as "probably the funniest writer on religion ever" and "a secular Jeremiah, a renegade CRC missionary to the smart set."

We can try to ignore the niggles, but apparently the body knows and our emotions/troubles show up somewhere; ulcers, migraines, weight gain, weight loss? Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Fearful thoughts...

"Fear is not real. It is the product of thoughts you create. Danger is very real, but fear is a choice."

- Will Smith

They say we are what we eat and perhaps we are what we think as well. Just sayin' ;) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

I'm fine... ;)

I'm okay.
I'm not crying.
Everything is okay.
Nothing bad happens.
Do not worry about me.
You don't have to come.
I can handle it myself.
I'm fine.
I'm doing fine.
Come on, I'm not lying.

Fine... I'm lying.

- Unknown

We all need a little help some of the time. Just sayin' ;)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Range of emotions...

"Part of being who you are has to do with feeling your feelings, which means you'll have a wide range of emotions- not just constant sunshiny happiness."

- Janet Gonzalez-Mena, a highly respected early childhood consultant, infant specialist, diversity specialist and writer. She is currently part of the faculty for Beginning Together, a training program for adults working with children with special needs.

My favourite therapist told me that we may want everything to be sunny or sunnier, but there is important information in all of our emotions. They help us interpret what's going on around us and they indicate how we should respond. Just sayin' :)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Say it out loud....

"Loneliness does not come from having no people around you, but from being unable to communicate the things that seem important to you."

- Carl Jung

My favourite therapist says we simply must have our own backs and this requires being honest with ourselves and others. My other favourite therapist says it takes "emotional courage" to speak up, be heard and follow through on what is important to us. Apparently when we do this, we deepen our feelings of self-worth. This brave gesture is also said to show much respect for others because we are trusting them with our deepest emotional truths.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Life is not fair...

"If you expect the world to be fair with you because you are fair, you're fooling yourself. That's like expecting the lion not to eat you becuase you didn't eat him."

- Unknown

Ha ha ha. Seriously though, we can be fair, but we do need to protect ourselves as well. We can't sit waiting to receive what feel we deserve. I've learned this the hard way unfortunately. I'm still learning  to be clear about my worth and the value of what I bring, be it business or personal. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl