Take action: Don’t let life pass you by

The “C” word: I abhor it. My parents, others I know, myself. Today, two dear friends battle cancer’s insidious intent. The reality: I’ve slept through too many days and nights, living on the sidelines. But now my eyes are wide open. My heart, at first numb—a coping mechanism to anesthetize oneself from acknowledging the pain, I suppose—begins to thaw, pump out a pulse. Each one stronger than the one before it: Mocking cancer. Choosing life. This, following inaction, allows for action—for rote. A meal, a visit, a thinking of you card, divine petitions as automatic as breathing. Loving. Yet, the fist-sized organ in my chest deceives as I find myself back on the sidelines. At a loss, unsure of the role I’m to play. Helpless, I observe as others fill my shoes. A bitter concoction of anguish, dejection and rejection wash over me. Or maybe this is the feeling of life as it passes by.

What will you do today to take action, live life?

Image courtesy of Greenleaf Designs at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Battle of the yawns: 5 tips to combating fatigue

 

For the past couple of weeks, I haven’t logged in enough Zzzs. Although I sleep all night, I don’t schedule enough slumber time. I tend to overbook my evenings, thinking I can accomplish more than humanly possible. Even extra caffeine in the mornings barely takes the edge off my exhaustion. The day after a recent 90-minute acupuncture session, however, I felt refreshed from morning until evening and wished I could harness that energy on days I feel dull, drained and unmotivated. Which got me to thinking about quick pick-me-ups to help revive and refresh the tired soul, short-term, when we don’t get the amount of sleep we should: 1) take a power nap—no more than 10-20 minutes; 2) eat a handful of nuts or a snack that combines protein with slow-burning carbs; 3) take a brisk walk; 4) drink a glass of water and/or 5) soak in a few minutes of Vitamin D. Better yet? If time permits, take a hike.

How do you battle the yawns?

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Club 50: it just keeps getting better (wear the tiara)

 

My daughter called me the other day and said she’d read an article that seemed like something I’d write: “50 Life Lessons Written by a 50-Year-Old Woman.” I wish I could say I had penned it because it was that good. And perfect. The cool thing is, I’ve already discovered most of these lessons and apply the majority in my own life. There are others I plan to put into practice, and even more that I’d like to add: 51) Pamper yourself often: buy the flowers, new dress or new shoes; splurge on a fresh “do” or mani and pedi. 52) Find something you’re wildly passionate about and pursue it, fearlessly. Or reignite an old passion, boldly. 53) Love others and love yourself; be kind always. 54) Cultivate a healthy body image. But my all-time favorite is the author’s closing tip: wear a tiara whenever you want to (and not just on your birthday). I think this might be my life’s new motto.

What is your life’s motto?

Never the perfect time: sticking to our priorities

You know when you plan to do “the thing” and there’s always another thing that comes up? Because life. Last year I devised a plan to apply for my MFA in 2017. My goal was to apply by Feb. 1. Then life happened and pushed out my application to May 1. Now it might be July 1. I mentioned this to a friend who said, “It’s like having kids… you are never really ready for it, just adapt when it happens and, surprisingly, it usually works out just fine.” He’s right: because life. Another friend is embarking on a new adventure of her own, denoting a big change in her life—which means conquering her fears. Change and fear are often synonymous with life, but we do our best to adapt, or to overcome. With that in mind, after work I didn’t pass go or collect $200 but, instead, drove home, stopped procrastinating and made significant progress on my application paperwork. Because life.

What must become your priority?

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

(Re)writing your story: happily-ever-now

If you ever find yourself in the wrong story, leave.
~ Mo Willems

Everything we might’ve been taught says running away isn’t the solution. That we should look adversity in the face and show it we’re stronger. But what about when quitting means leaving a situation where we’ve tried over and over yet nothing changes? In her post, “You’re Allowed to Leave,” Rania Naim invites us to let toxic friends go, to surround ourselves with love—people who encourage and nurture us—and to pick the kind of energy we need in our lives. “You’re allowed to forgive yourself for your biggest and smallest mistakes and you’re allowed to be kind to yourself, you’re allowed to look in the mirror and actually like the person you see.” Leaving might not mean physically. Letting go could simply mean releasing ourselves from the expectations of others and those expectations we’ve adopted as our own. Don’t wait for Someday to be happy. Be happy now.

What does your happily-ever-now look like?

Image courtesy of dan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.