Spread A Little Joy

Some days are hectic and you find yourself taking a much needed break with a little social media for a distraction; Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Then there are days when you hit a lull in your schedule and you turn to social media to pass a few minutes while you're waiting for an appointment. Either way social media can drag you in. Maybe you just cruise the Internet to check the baseball scores or read the latest Covid numbers, it's entirely up to you. Social media though, like anything else in life, has it's pros and cons. There are YouTube videos that can explain anything from installing a light fixture, fixing a leaky kitchen faucet, to opening up a kid's stroller (don't judge me but I looked up this video when my oldest granddaughter was a baby and I was watching her - let's just say the strollers today are WAY different than when my kids were babies). There are also going to be letdowns with social media; bad stock reviews, disheartening headlines, and trolls that post unnecessary comments on just about anything. Suddenly people declare themselves both judge and jury on topics they know absolutely nothing about.

So how do we direct the social media we take in? By learning to make important choices for ourselves. We choose what we want to read or watch. People will always post negative items and simply justify it by saying, 'If you don't like it, don't read it.' True enough, that choice is on us. Sometimes those choices can be difficult though. You may not want to 'unfriend' someone right now because they may need you (or vice versa) someday, but you can choose not to comment and add fuel to their fire. 

Choose to follow the sites that make you healthy, happy, and want to see or hear more. If nothing else, it will help to create a balance for you with the pros and the cons.

I've come across a few Facebook groups that I chose to follow because when I contribute something it will be positive, the posts I read are mostly uplifting or give me productive ideas, and I've had the opportunity to meet people that inspire me. Choose sites that talk about things you like to do or always wanted to do, but lacked the motivation.

Here are a few Facebook groups I follow. They may not be your cup of tea, but there are surely ones out there that will work for you.

• Addicted To Mackinac Island (my absolute favorite place for vacation time)
• My Paint By Numbers Support Group (for those of us who have discovered the joy of adult paint by numbers ... great new hobby)
• Creative Gardening (people sharing pictures of their DIY home gardens; everything from color and plant suggestions to making accent pieces)
• 8:28 Photography (a young lady I had the pleasure of meeting a few years ago for some professional headshots directed her photography business into focusing on newborn and maternity photo sessions. HER WORK IS AMAZING!)

You can follow sites from your favorite author, musician, chef, travel group, or business; not to mention there are ones for horse lovers, cat lovers, dog lovers, etc.

When you have so many positive choices available at your fingertips, try not to dwell on the negative ones. It's just not worth the aggravation.

What are some of the sites you choose to follow that help you center yourself, relax, or feel inspired?

Don't Lose Sight Of Yourself

It's the time of year where when you run into someone you haven't seen in a while they ask you, 'How's your summer been?' Lately when asked that question my husband and I have been responding with, 'We're hoping next summer has a little less drama and chaos.' Our last two summers have been filled with a lot of good, but also a lot of 'life'. Primarily we've been dealing with the needs of our mothers; their medical care, their residences, etc. Needless to say, we've had a lot on our plates for two summers in a row.

 

When 'life' happens and hits you smack dab between the eyes you do what you do best ... you deal with it. You put a lot of yourself on hold and you take charge. You put in long hours, you handle the new responsibilities, you try to cheer them up when they need it, and you grab some sleep when you can.

 

It's easy to lose track of your own life when things like this happen. You tell yourself that YOU can wait; your laundry can wait, taking care of your yard can wait, grocery shopping can wait, and vacations can wait. But is that a good idea? Probably not. There's a lot to get done; a lot with deadlines. You get done what you can and add the rest to tomorrow's To Do list.

 

A few months ago my mother broke her hip, had surgery, and went into physical rehab. Unfortunately she did not get the outcome she had hoped for and made a move into nursing care. At the same time that all of this occurred I was approached to participate in a special project. I was barely keeping my eyes open during the day due to the lack of sleep and added stress, but the more I thought about it the more I still wanted to participate in this project. The timing may not have been the best, but timing has never been perfect or predictable.

 

This year marks my 10-year anniversary of being cancer-free. In the midst of everything else going on in my life right now I didn't want to miss out on this chance to celebrate. I didn't want to lose sight of the goodness. So I jumped in with both feet, literally.

 

I am participating in a 'Dancing With The Survivors' fundraiser on October 8, 2016 for The Pink Fund; a local non-profit organization that assists breast cancer patients currently going through treatment with non-medical expenses. Fighting cancer takes a toll on people physically, mentally, and financially. I'm stepping out of my comfort zone (and learning ballroom choreography no less) to raise funds for this event, help people I can personally relate to, and celebrate life!

 

Whatever curve balls life throws at you remember to keep your eyes open and duck if necessary. There is a lot we cannot control on a daily basis, but there are some things that we can. We can keep a positive attitude, we can focus on the good, and we can try our best to make a difference.

 

If you'd like to support the 'Dancing With The Survivors' event please click on the link below.

 

http://crowdrise.com/jennifer-meyers/

 

Acknowledge the Good

We all have our ups and downs, our happy and sad, and our good times and bad. We have the times when we feel uplifted and the times when we feel dragged down. It's normal to at some point feel like you have the weight of an anchor tied around your feet pulling you down deeper. We wouldn't be human if we didn't have a mix of emotions all throughout our lives. If you ever feel envious of someone else because they 'appear' to have everything under control - look again and look closer. None of us are that perfect and none of us are without blemish, BUT we do have the ability to look for the good in almost every situation.

If we are lucky others will be there to support us in our less than good moments; when we're not feeling well, we're feeling sad or anxious, or feeling lonely. On the same token we'd hope to be able to share the good times with those around us. When something good happens don't keep it to yourself - embrace it and share it. Don't be afraid to be grateful and happy. Others won't be jealous or think you're gloating, as long as there is a balance. Show your vulnerable side from time to time and they'll genuinely be thrilled for you when the good things happen. Don't just share the good without the bad; likewise don't just share the bad without the good.

Whatever obstacles life throws at you, look for the good in them or at least the good that can come out of them. I never asked to come from a divorced family, BUT in doing so I realized what I wanted to strive for in my own marriage. I certainly never wanted to have breast cancer. I can stand here today as an 8-year survivor and say that my having cancer was probably the worst and the best thing that ever happened to me. The worst being I was scared and really sick for the better part of a year. The best being that the experience showed me the love and support of family and friends and helped me get my priorities in order. Some things we just have to learn the hard way, but in the end we are stronger for having endured it.

Try to look for the good in every situation, even if it's not overly obvious at first. Be persistent. Look again and again and again if needed. You or someone else could ultimately learn from your obstacle, your less than desirable experience, or your pain and discomfort.

What's been one of your toughest moments that went full circle and turned into something good?

Are you the windshield or the bug?

Do you feel overwhelmed today? If you do, you're probably not alone. There's a lot in the world that can cause stress. Perhaps you're not feeling well. Perhaps you're still searching for a new job. Perhaps you're dealing with an unresolved conflict. Perhaps you've been working feverishly on a new project and it just hasn't taken hold yet the way that you'd hoped. And if you're like me your 'magic wand' is probably rusty and out of commission.

I read a blog entry this morning that said 'Some Days The Dragon Wins'. How true is that? I remember a song by Mary Chapin-Carpenter that had a line 'some days you're the windshield, some days you're the bug!' Very similar thought process don't you think? Not every day is going to be perfect and not every day is going to get the results that we want, but that's just 'one' day. Tomorrow is a new day. Wake up tomorrow morning, start fresh, clear your head and think positive. As long as you keep marching forward you can defeat the dragons! Hang in there ... I'm rooting for you.