How you act...

You are always responsible for how you act, no matter how you feel. Remember that.

- Unknown

Digging a little deeper.... My favourite therapist says we get "triggered" at times by a type of post-traumatic stress from our history, upbringing, culture etc., so our emotions and reactions can get the best of us. Sure, we can work on these sensitivities, but apparently some things are our legacy and we may need to accept them as a part of our make up. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Words you speak...

The words you speak become the house you live in.

- Helal Hafiz (A Bangladeshi journalist by trade, whose famous verses were seen in wall writings, posters, leaflets and chanted at university campuses. Hafiz is considered a true representative of poets of his generation in an age when his nation was heading toward an independent Bangladesh).

Many wise people say that what we focus on expands. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Decide...

Decide.
Commit.
Succeed.

- Unknown

There's one thing I've noticed about pursuing that dream job or perfect lifestyle. What we initially envision may not turn out as planned, kinda like life in general. To get started, I read a number of books on following your dreams; Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway, Do What You Love and the Money Will Follow, The Artist's Way and many more. Many of my passions fell permanently into the hobby category for one reason or another, and maybe that's ok. In conclusion, I've realized there is a distinct through line in the things I love doing, and that skill set seems transferable in creating the perfect career path and lifestyle for me. Just sayin' :)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Too much past, too much future...

All negativity is caused by an accumulation of psychological time and denial of the present. Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry - all forms of fear - are caused by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of non-forgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence.

- Eckhart Tolle (Author of The Power of Now and A New Earth)

E. Tolle's words of wisdom offer quite the perspective shift. Helping professionals from all walks of life talk about managing our thoughts and moving away from a victim mentality. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Small acts of caring...

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

- Unknown

I heard a few beautiful lines of dialogue in the fabulous show Call the Midwife. The narrator and lead character (I think the show is based on this woman's memories) talks about how perfection is often found in the simplest and smallest of moments, rather than in an individual's qualities or in grand occasions. I love that. Just sayin' :)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Re-writing history...

You don't remember what happened. What you remember becomes what happened.

- John Green, Author of The Fault in Our Stars

They say we make terrible witnesses because our memories are imperfect. They also say we only remember about 10 % of what we hear or see. We'll remember more if we've written or acted on the information we're trying to recall. Then there's the whole filter thing. Our opinions and values affect how we absorb information. We also have a hard time admitting certain truths because we often disappoint ourselves. I'm not sure why this is so painful, but we end up feeling ashamed. I wish we could be kinder to ourselves. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

What you feel...

Trust what you feel, not what you hear.

- Unknown

My favourite therapist says to check in with how the body feels because our brains don't always know about our emotions. Just sayin' :)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Exactly as they are...

Go and love someone
exactly as they are.
And then watch how quickly they transform
into the greatest, truest
version of themselves.
When one feels seen and
appreciated in their own
essence, one is instantly
empowered.

- Wes Angelozzi, soulwritings.ca

A lot of us have the opposite experience, don't we? Criticism and judgment hit hard and can take years to overcome, especially from family and/or loved ones. Studies show that we respond better to positive encouragement, than we do to negative feedback. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Sad's bodyguard...

Angry is just sad's bodyguard.

- Liza Palmer (International best selling author of Conversations with the Fat Girl, plus five other novels. An Emmy-nominated writer, Liza lives in LA and works for BuzzFeed).

My favourite therapist spends a great deal of time on this principle. He says the angrier we are about something, the more deeply hurt we are. Apparently, if we have the stomach to look at some of our  core issues, the lighter and more joyful we may feel. Just sayin :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Being alone...

Being alone has a power that very few people can handle.

- Steven Aitchison (Author of 4 books, 10 guides, more than 150 Guided Meditations and UK's #1 personal development blogger).

This gentleman offers a lot of wisdom and kind honesty. Very inspiring. Just sayin' :)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Stop thinking...

I think 99 times and I find nothing. I stop thinking, swim in silence, and the truth comes to me.

- Albert Einstein

Apparently our "mindless" moments can produce very creative results. I think that's cool. Makes me feel better about needing breaks, ha ha ha. Just sayin' :)

Blessings,

Chatgirl

When you were younger...

Be who you needed when you were younger.

- Unknown

My favourite therapist says that at some point we need to pick up where our parents left off and "parent" ourselves. Hm. We do tend to spend a lot of time thinking about what our parents neglected to do or what they did wrong. I wonder what would happen if we poured that energy into fun and enriching activities? Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Life is messy...

It's all messy.
The hair.
The bed.
The heart...
Life.

- Unknown

My favorite therapist says that none of us do relationships in a tidy, perfect way. There's no such thing. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Happiness...

When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down 'happy'. They told me I did't understand the assignment, and I told them they didn't understand life.

- John Lennon

Ha ha ha. Seriously though, I think on some level we have to juggle our wants and needs with those around us; parents, partners, friends maybe? It's not easy to do what we want no matter how this affects others. My favourite therapist says it's okay to do things out of duty and obligation, as long as we make the decision consciously, sort of like a donation of our time and energy. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Genius...

Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.

- Albert Einstein

I don't know about you, but this one really hits home. Parents, teachers, managers and partners can make us doubt ourselves, can't they. Apparently one of Frank Sinatra's teachers told him he couldn't sing. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Wholly alive...

Try as much as possible to be wholly alive, with all your might, and when you laugh, laugh like hell and when you get angry, get good and angry. Try to be alive. You will be dead soon enough.

- William Saroyan

My first thought is that it may be a normal response to tune out or feel numb for a moment as well. As Ekhart Tolle says "do not resist." My favourite therapist says there is important information in each and every one of our responses and the most important thing is to identify what the body/mind/heart are trying to tell us. Are our boundaries being crossed? Is there some action we need to take for our health and well-being? Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

The extra mile...

Go the extra mile... its never crowded.

- Unknown

I was inspired to go the extra mile (in all aspects) after a painful breakup. It is interesting that the most upsetting and difficult experiences in my life have led to the most remarkable and beneficial outcomes. My favourite therapist is bang on. Have your own back and see what happens. (Ps. what does it actually mean to have your own back? For me, it's meant commitmenting to a better personal world; working with a coach/therapist on some long-standing pain points, eating healthier, working smarter and harder, spending more time on personal passions, choosing a more compatible, present and available partner). Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

From within...

To win let the power come from within.

- Hans F Hansen

Do we believe? Many of wise people say this is crucial to our success and/or happiness. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Stand alone?...

It takes nothing to join the crowd, it takes everything to stand alone.

- Hans F Hansen (professional athlete and coach)

Makes me think all the way back to high school. I do think it takes strength and courage to stand by our thoughts, feelings and opinions. I also think it's possible for others to respect our convictions when we do. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Our people...

People inspire you, or they drain you - pick them wisely.

- Hans F Hansen (retired football player and manager)

This is easier said than done though isn't it? Some of these people are family and/or long term friends. On the other hand, we only have so much time and energy, so maybe we're entitled to focus on our own health and well-being. Just sayin' :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

To understand...

"Any fool can know. The point is to understand."
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't understand it yourself."
"I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious."

- Albert Einstein

Interesting snapshot of how a genius thinks. I wonder what we could be capable of, if we follow our passion and curiosity? Just sayin' :)

Blesssings,

Chatgirl