
“The deepest desires of our hearts can only be discovered by someone who is willing to accept all that they might find.” ~M
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/heart-love-sorrow-emotions-emotion-2719081/
Thoughts and Perspectives From the Mind of a Common Girl
“The deepest desires of our hearts can only be discovered by someone who is willing to accept all that they might find.” ~M
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/heart-love-sorrow-emotions-emotion-2719081/
This past year was not the best year for many reasons, and I think many of you can probably relate. So this year, I decided to make some small changes that I thought might help my overall physical and mental health. Last month I wrote about the goals that I aimed to achieve, and you can read about those goals here. And this month, I just wanted to give a quick update on how things have been going.
Here are the goals I was originally aiming for and the results of my efforts:
1.) Drink one gallon of water daily, which equals four water bottles.
Drinking one gallon of water a day proved to be fairly easy, and I didn’t miss a single day. There were a few times when I’d forgotten and ended up having to drink about half a gallon right before bedtime. When that happened, it made for a very sleep deprived night as I found myself getting up to pee every five minutes. Lol… Luckily I learned my lesson and adjusted my water drinking schedule so that I could finish all of my water earlier in the day.
2.) Lose 5 lbs. a month until I’m at my goal weight, which is 125 lbs.
I decided that weighing myself every day or every week was probably not a smart idea. From past experiences, I’ve always found the results of frequently weighing myself to be defeating at best, and so I decided to only weigh myself once a month. This morning, I weighed myself for the first time, and I am pleased to say that I was able to lose four pounds this month. It’s not as much as I was hoping for, but it’s at least a start.
3.) Eat oatmeal every day to help lower my cholesterol and eat Cheerios as my snack, which is healthier than chips.
I started the month eating Cheerios as my snack but ended the month caving into my cravings for other snacks. I think once I started seeing what seemed like good results; I gave myself a little more freedom to eat more of what I shouldn’t. I did alright with eating oatmeal on the days that I ate breakfast, but when I wasn’t hungry for breakfast, I didn’t eat oatmeal at all. I still don’t know if eating oatmeal has affected my cholesterol levels or not, and that’s probably something I won’t find out until I have repeat blood work done at the end of the year. I plan to stick with this goal, but I also want to be more diligent in my efforts.
4.) Finish reading one book every month.
I surprised myself and actually finished a book this month. I started by rereading “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling. Although I didn’t find the book to be as exciting as the first time I read it, I still enjoyed it, and I realized just how different the book is from the movie. I decided this month to take a break from the HP series and read the book “Home: A Memoir of My Early Years” by Julie Andrews.
5.) Walk at least 10,000 steps every day.
I was surprised to find that I averaged 12,000 steps per day. I’m going to continue with my goal of 10,000 steps a day, but aim for more if I can.
6.) Do a seven-minute workout every day.
I used the “7” App to achieve my seven-minute daily workout, and it was quite a challenge to keep up with it because I loathe any kind of rigorous exercise. But I am happy to announce that I actually stuck with it all month and only missed one day. I still don’t know how I missed that one day. It just completely slipped my mind, and I woke up the next morning wondering how I’d forgotten to do it. I plan to continue my workouts because they don’t take a lot of time, and they seem beneficial.
7.) Journal at the end of each day and keep a daily planner.
This was one goal that I didn’t stick with. I think I made it three days in when I found myself wondering what I could even write about. I’m generally stuck inside without much to talk about, and so it seemed repetitive to write about the same things every day. And the daily planner never got started because I decided not to take college classes this semester. I’ve decided, instead of journaling or keeping a daily planner for the rest of the year, that I’ll write down one thing that made me happy each day. I want to start looking for the things that bring joy to my life so that I can look back on the year and see all the things that made my life so special. Too often, I find myself focusing on the negative aspects and I know that doesn’t help me.
8.) Control portion sizes of food.
I think I’ve been doing reasonably well controlling the portion sizes of my food. I’ve been mostly measuring out my serving sizes, and I’m now better able to gauge how much I should be putting on my plate, even when I don’t measure out my food.
9.) Avoid adding butter, salt, and creamer to foods.
I’ve been good about avoiding all of these foods, but sometimes butter is still getting the best of me because I love it on bread. I also want to start avoiding mayonnaise for the rest of the year and anything that contains large amounts of fat calories.
10.) Avoid soda and alcohol.
I avoided all temptation to have soda or alcohol this month, and I plan to continue this goal for as long as possible. I just feel so much better when I eliminate these two types of drinks from my diet, and so I know it’s important that I maintain my efforts to avoid them.
I plan to continue giving monthly updates on my progress because I think it helps me stay accountable. I hope all of you who have decided to make some changes this year have been successful. We just have to keep trying our best! Cheers to another month of success! ~M xo
Welcome to another month of writing prompts! It’s hard to believe it’s February already. This is a busy month for me since I’ll be celebrating my 27th wedding anniversary, Valentine’s Day, and my 49th birthday all in the same month. I always wonder why I stupidly picked February as the month to get married. It certainly lessens the excitement since all the celebrations are pretty much lumped into one day instead of three separate occasions. Oh well, we live and learn… 😉 Cheers to all of you who are still fighting through these challenging times. Stay safe, happy, and healthy!
Love, ~M xo
If you’re new to prompt writing, and don’t really understand how to use the prompts, please consider the following writing exercise.
Settle into your favorite place in the house with a hot drink to warm your waking bones. Once you’ve warmed up a bit; grab your journal, a trusty pen, and a timer. Then, set your timer for ten minutes and begin writing about one of the prompts. Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation, neatness, or anything like that; just write! Write about anything and everything that comes to your mind, and don’t stop until the ten minutes are up.
I often find myself writing short stories or poems during those ten minutes, but you can write about anything you like. And don’t be alarmed if what you’ve written doesn’t quite make sense. The whole idea behind doing this exercise is to get your mind ready and working so that you can begin your day. Just think of it as exercise for your brain, and once you’ve done your ten minutes of writing, you’ll feel more prepared to tackle the rest of your day.
As always, I will be writing and posting over on my other blog, which can be found here. So please come visit me if you get a chance, and hopefully I can keep up with all of you!
And one last thing before I forget! I made a quick tutorial for those of you who have been having trouble trying to figure out how to Pingback your posts. Please go here, if you’d like to view the tutorial.
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/sunset-winter-pink-blue-frost-5928907/
If you’re new to prompt writing, and don’t really understand how to use the prompts, please consider the following writing exercise.
Settle into your favorite place in the house with a hot drink to warm your waking bones. Once you’ve warmed up a bit; grab your journal, a trusty pen, and a timer. Then, set your timer for ten minutes and begin writing about one of the prompts. Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation, neatness, or anything like that; just write! Write about anything and everything that comes to your mind, and don’t stop until the ten minutes are up.
I often find myself writing short stories or poems during those ten minutes, but you can write about anything you like. And don’t be alarmed if what you’ve written doesn’t quite make sense. The whole idea behind doing this exercise is to get your mind ready and working so that you can begin your day. Just think of it as exercise for your brain, and once you’ve done your ten minutes of writing, you’ll feel more prepared to tackle the rest of your day.
As always, I will be writing and posting over on my other blog, which can be found here. So please come visit me if you get a chance, and hopefully I can keep up with all of you!
And one last thing before I forget! I made a quick tutorial for those of you who have been having trouble trying to figure out how to Pingback your posts. Please go here, if you’d like to view the tutorial.
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/vectors/winter-snow-evergreen-pine-2915085/
We will always have days when we feel unaccepted. The world is full of a zillion ways to reject us. But that’s when you just have to be happy for who you are. Nothing else matters as long as you’re satisfied with yourself.
~M
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/happiness-back-side-woman-young-824419/
I once had a friend who I loved completely. Probably more than I even should’ve. But the thing is, they weren’t there to give, but to take instead. And they took a lot from me. The last straw was when they plagiarized some of my work. And rather than make things right, and give me credit in their book, they decided to instead tell me that I should feel honored for what they did, and they couldn’t guarantee that they wouldn’t do it again.
Needless to say, we are no longer friends, and after looking them up on social media, I proceeded to block every online place I could think of that they might be. In doing so, I discovered just how unashamed they were for their actions because they are out there promoting their book, taking full credit for something that isn’t entirely theirs. I honestly couldn’t believe what I was seeing because I trusted this person for five years, and we were as close as friends could be. But apparently, some people have no regard for others, and they just want to stomp on anyone who gets in their way. I’m quite sure this person will likely steal from me again, and so I’m not sure what I will do if that happens. It’s bad enough when random strangers steal your work, but it’s a whole different story when it’s someone you were once really close too.
Anyway, it’s just good to finally be done with this person and to never have to hear from them again. I think the worst part is that my trust has been broken, and that’s something that is very difficult to get back once it’s taken from you. But I’m moving on, and I’m literally doing so, as I’m just about to move several states away from where I currently am. It’s freeing to know that I’ll soon be starting over, and I guess it’s good I’m not dragging along any drama with me when I go. I’m really excited about what’s ahead, and I think this new, exciting change is just what I need.
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/move-key-new-apartment-catchment-2481718/
For a month full of writing prompts, click here. – Sorrows of the soul
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/achieve-woman-girl-jumping-running-1822503/
If you’re new to prompt writing, and don’t really understand how to use the prompts, please consider the following writing exercise.
Settle into your favorite place in the house with a hot drink to warm your waking bones. Once you’ve warmed up a bit; grab your journal, a trusty pen, and a timer. Then, set your timer for ten minutes and begin writing about one of the prompts. Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation, neatness, or anything like that; just write! Write about anything and everything that comes to your mind, and don’t stop until the ten minutes are up.
I often find myself writing short stories or poems during those ten minutes, but you can write about anything you like. And don’t be alarmed if what you’ve written doesn’t quite make sense. The whole idea behind doing this exercise is to get your mind ready and working so that you can begin your day. Just think of it as exercise for your brain, and once you’ve done your ten minutes of writing, you’ll feel more prepared to tackle the rest of your day.
As always, I will be writing and posting over on my other blog, which can be found here. So please come visit me if you get a chance, and hopefully I can keep up with all of you!
And one last thing before I forget! I made a quick tutorial for those of you who have been having trouble trying to figure out how to Pingback your posts. Please go here, if you’d like to view the tutorial. 😉
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/rose-pink-flower-bright-beautiful-4031153/
Photo credit: Pixabay.com
1. Pouting petals
2. Kansas corners
3. Lustrous lamplights
4. Suburban stays
5. Only resolve
6. Words of rediscovery
7. Beauty and wisdom
8. Times arrow
9. Soup sandwiches
10. The last olive branch
11. Boils, bums, and a humming of drums
12. Sabotaging success
13. Corrupted and claimed
14. Fluctuating follies
15. Mixed greens and marmalade
16. Tripping through the tulips
17. Spontaneous splatters
18. Dream whip
19. He was her moon
20. Sun-kissed sequins
21. That’s a start to something stupid
22. Tangible and tasty
23. The final endeavor of Felicity Frank
24. Conquered convictions
25. Perfect for pulling
26. Single suitcase in the hall
27. The bear under the bridge
28. Watermelon rose
29. Snow donuts
30. The crusades
If you’re new to prompt writing, and don’t really understand how to use the prompts, please consider the following writing exercise.
Settle into your favorite place in the house with a hot drink to warm your waking bones. Once you’ve warmed up a bit; grab your journal, a trusty pen, and a timer. Then, set your timer for ten minutes and begin writing about one of the prompts. Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation, neatness, or anything like that; just write! Write about anything and everything that comes to your mind, and don’t stop until the ten minutes are up.
I often find myself writing short stories or poems during those ten minutes, but you can write about anything you like. And don’t be alarmed if what you’ve written doesn’t quite make sense. The whole idea behind doing this exercise is to get your mind ready and working so that you can begin your day. Just think of it as exercise for your brain, and once you’ve done your ten minutes of writing, you’ll feel more prepared to tackle the rest of your day.
As always, I will be writing and posting over on my other blog, which can be found here. So please come visit me if you get a chance, and hopefully I can keep up with all of you!
And one last thing before I forget! I made a quick tutorial for those of you who have been having trouble trying to figure out how to Pingback your posts. Please go here, if you’d like to view the tutorial. 😉
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/stork-bird-socket-spring-4098979/
Hey everyone,
If you’re an avid reader, lover of poetry, or just plain bored and need something to do, I have good news for you today. I’ve decided to offer my book, Beneath the Canopy, as a free download. My book will be available from 3/20/2020 – 3/24/2020. I hope all of you will enjoy it, and if you do decide to read it, I‘d really appreciate it if you reviewed it as well. Thanks in advance, and happy reading!
Please click on one of the links below to get your free copy today!
Amazon-US Ebook- Beneath the Canopy.
Amazon-UK Ebook- Beneath the Canopy.
Amazon-DE Ebook- Beneath the Canopy.
Amazon-FR Ebook- Beneath the Canopy.
Amazon-ES Ebook- Beneath the Canopy.
Amazon-IT Ebook- Beneath the Canopy.
Amazon-NL Ebook- Beneath the Canopy.
Amazon-JP Ebook- Beneath the Canopy.
Amazon-BR Ebook- Beneath the Canopy.
Amazon-CA Ebook- Beneath the Canopy.
Amazon-MX Ebook- Beneath the Canopy.
Amazon-AU Ebook- Beneath the Canopy.
Amazon-IN Ebook- Beneath the Canopy.
*Please let me know if you have trouble with any of the links. 😉 ~M xo
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/cookies-baking-sprinkles-2000136/
*I got to go to a symphony last night. The theme was a Scottish fantasy, which featured Brahms, Symphony No. 2 in D major. This picture was taken before everyone was actually there, but you can see still several musicians tuning their instruments. It was quite a lovely night and I was lucky enough to get free tickets to the event.
Welcome to another month full of writing prompts! I often write the prompts throughout the month when an idea or thought hits me. These ideas often come from snippets of conversations that I’ve had with family or friends. So essentially, these prompts are representative of my life, and all the fun, weird, crazy parts of it. I know some of you have written entire books based on these prompts, and that always leaves me in amazement, especially knowing that parts of my life are now intertwined with parts of yours. So please enjoy these prompts, which are not always just random words, but rather words which mean something to me. I hope they’ll eventually have special meaning for you as well. ~M xo
If you’re new to prompt writing, and don’t really understand how to use the prompts, please consider the following writing exercise.
Settle into your favorite place in the house with a hot drink to warm your waking bones. Once you’ve warmed up a bit; grab your journal, a trusty pen, and a timer. Then, set your timer for ten minutes and begin writing about one of the prompts. Don’t worry about spelling, punctuation, neatness, or anything like that; just write! Write about anything and everything that comes to your mind, and don’t stop until the ten minutes are up.
I often find myself writing short stories or poems during those ten minutes, but you can write about anything you like. And don’t be alarmed if what you’ve written doesn’t quite make sense. The whole idea behind doing this exercise is to get your mind ready and working so that you can begin your day. Just think of it as exercise for your brain, and once you’ve done your ten minutes of writing, you’ll feel more prepared to tackle the rest of your day.
As always, I will be writing and posting over on my other blog, which can be found here. So please come visit me if you get a chance, and hopefully I can keep up with all of you!
And one last thing before I forget! I made a quick tutorial for those of you who have been having trouble trying to figure out how to Pingback your posts. Please go here, if you’d like to view the tutorial. 😉