Fifty days smoke-free today! 50 is a pretty big number don’t ya think? But I’m not gonna lie, the road to get here has not been an easy one. There has been an exorbitant amount of overwhelm in my life over the last 50 days. Many days I’ve wanted to “quit” quitting smoking, many days I’ve walked by second hand smoke and inhaled it, only dreaming of lighting up myself but the cravings are getting less and less each day and so too are my triggers.
Addiction of any kind is difficult to maneuver and is a constant battle; kudos to everyone who conquers their quest every single day. I don’t know if there will ever be a day where I don’t think about smoking but for today I choose to crush my cravings and not give into temptation!
So for today can I get a Woot Woot or a high five please!! đđ¤đ¤đâ
What do you want to be when you grow up? Well at 48, close to 49 years old I am still searching for the answer.
When I was a child I had big dreams of becoming a veterinarian because I loved animals but the problem was I sucked at science, refused to dissect a frog and not to mention that I was way too sensitive to work with sick animals.Â
At one point during my days of baton twirling I wanted to become a professional baton twirler if that’s even such a thing! But after winning the Miss Congeniality award and twirling my baton in a local Santa Claus parade I was hooked.Â
Of course there was the time I dreamt of becoming a cartoonist. I had sketchbooks upon sketchbooks of cartoon characters I had created and cartoon strips to go along with them. I was pretty darn imaginative and maybe even a bit funny.Â
Then there was the time I really wanted to become a hairdresser (and to be honest it’s still something I long for). I would play with my doll’s hair for hours on end, styling it and giving them some pretty cool haircuts too, that was of course until I started practicing on real human hair, (I had some pretty brave friends I must say) and I was the queen of french braiding which I still am to this day (or at least my girls think so).
Oh man the list of what I wanted to be when I grew up was endless; a model, a fashion designer, a social worker, an art therapist and even a journalist. Yes almost 49 years now and still searching for what I want to be when I grow up and feeling very inadequate in so many of my life choices but if I have learned anything along my journey over the last 6 years it’s that growth is an ever-changing process and that it’s okay to keep changing and that it’s okay keep growing and that it’s okay to keep pursuing your passions, your purpose and your reason why even if it takes a lifetime and even if you have to go through hell to get there first.
Tomorrow will be exactly 1 month (Jan 14, 2020) since I quit smoking (time sure flies when you’re having fun!). That’s over 300 cigarettes I haven’t smoked, that’s nearly 250 dollars I’ve saved and that’s a whole lot of Self-Love! Having the ability to feel Self-Love is something I struggle with daily as you’ve probably noticed by now.
To feel Self-Love takes a lot of ongoing and continual upkeep of a person’s body, mind and soul in order to help maintain a more fulfilling life. Simply put, it’s not something money can buy you because Self-Love isn’t a feeling of instant gratification you desire in order to fulfill a pleasure in the here and now.Â
Well seeing as tomorrow just so happens to also be Valentine’s Day maybe it’s a sign from Cupid, maybe he is willing to guide me toward true Self-Love but maybe in the meantime he can guide me toward some of that instant gratification! Afterall, 30 days smoke free surely deserves a gift in the here and now too; wouldn’t you agree? â¤đđđđĄ
Twenty five years ago (give or take) I received a gift which I have held onto all these years later. It was a book called âAll I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergartenâ, written by Robert Fulghum. When I was given the book I was just beginning a new career path (one of many regrets I have) and I was also a newlywed (25 years this spring!) and the book was a perfect celebration of both events even if at the time I didnât know just how significant this book would truly be to my life.
As a child we are taught very simple yet very valuable rules but by the time we become an adult we often think we know better and seem to forget the importance of these rules somewhere along the way. But these rules continue to follow us along our journey well into adulthood and in one way or another they will be tested and they will be a constant reminder to us through our failures, our tribulations, our practices and even through our triumphs and successes.
If only we continued to embrace the world around us as we once did in Kindergarten with optimism, adventure and like there ainât nothing thatâs gonna stand in the way of our dreams then maybe by the time we reach adulthood we could appreciate or be bold enough to practice some, if not all of Fulghumâs very important lessons he mentions in his book starting with learning to live our best life by ensuring we create a well balanced life. That means we need to âlearn some and drink some and draw some and paint some and sing and dance and play and work everyday some.â Â
I know I feel like I lost my way sometime after I reached adulthood and I would give just about anything right now to be able to live a well balanced life by adhering to the same simple rules for which we teach our children to in Kindergarten. For far too long now I have been playing an adult version of Hide-and-Seek which Fulghum describes as âWanting to hide. Needing to be sought. Confused about being found.â A perfect metaphor for where I am in my life and that maybe, had I learned back in Kindergarten that it was okay to colour outside of the lines or that it was okay to colour the sky pink or the grass purple I may have been better prepared for what lay ahead. But for now I am slowly learning to embrace a life where “warm cookies and cold milk are good for you” and that taking a nap is all part of good mental health.
No-one can really know for sure what their future holds but this book can encourage us and teach us that no matter what we do or where we end up in our life we must hold on tight to our creativity, we must be open to exploring new boundaries, we must grasp our arms tightly around our imperfections and we must remember how important it is to step outside of our comfort zone in order to live a well balanced life. And we must also never forget that we are not alone and that âwhen you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together!â Â
***Read the book if you havenât already and read it again if you already have!
Last week was a pretty damn crappy one. I experienced some of the most difficult and trying days for me and without so much of the incredible support in my life I wouldn’t have made it through. I was reminded the other day of a blog I wrote over 3 years ago called “Make Your Bed”. It is one of the very first blogs I ever wrote and to this day is still one of my favorites. I thought since many of you probably didn’t see it the first time around and even if you did originally read it, we could all still use some good ole fashioned motivation before we start the new week ahead. I also highly recommend you watch the video too; it actually inspired my kids to start making their beds every morning!
Recently I watched a commencement speech given by Admiral William H. McRaven, a retired U.S Navy Seal, in 2014 to the graduating class at the University of Texas. I was so intrigued listening to his speech which recounted 10 lessons he learned from his 6 months of grueling, demanding, tiring and debilitating Navy Seal training. These 10 lessons not only apply to life as a Navy Seal, but it equally applies to the challenges that each and every one of us endure as human beings living in an uncertain world.
After giving his speech in 2014, which went viral, Admiral William H. McRaven decided that he still had so much more to share with the world from his 37 year career as a U.S Navy Seal (which included the capturing of Saddam Hussein). He felt a responsibility to expand on how those 10 simple lessons helped shape his life and did so by publishing a book a few months ago titled âMake Your Bedâ. It is a small but extremely powerful, compassionate and optimistic book that I was able to read with ease. It is subtitled âLittle Things That Can Change Your LifeâŚAnd Maybe The Worldâ. That for me was what caught my eye as I am always looking for inspirational and relevant words that pertain to my life.
Each of the 10 chapters recounts stories of perseverance, suffering, determination, courage and humbleness. Even through all of the hardships he endured, he still finds a way to motivate and captivate his readers with his knowledge and experience. He reminds us that life is not meant to be attempted alone, that we all need a strong team behind us, cheering us on and picking up the slack when times get tough. He teaches us the importance of respect and to never ever caste judgement on others. He conveys to us that life is not always fair and that sometimes bad things do happen to good people. He proves to us that failure IS an option and it will only help build character and strength. He shows us that we all must take risks in order to get through the toughest obstacles that may be standing in our way. He tells us to never back down from our fears, that it is better to face them straight on in order to find the courage to move forward. He emphasizes that no matter what darkness may be thrown our way at some point in our lives, and it will, make sure to find the hopefulness and power within us to never ever give up.
The title âMake Your Bedâ which is in turn, the first chapter of the book is also the foundation for which all the other chapters are built on. How many times as a child did your parents tell you to make your bed, and how many times as a parent yourself have you mimicked those words to your own children. My kids can attest to this as I am constantly bugging them to complete this task, but I am continually let down in my efforts.
The Admiral drills into his readerâs heads how important it is to accomplish this task, no matter how small or senseless it may seem to many it can actually change the way you approach your day. He believes that if you want to change your life or conquer the world, it starts by completing this task first thing every morning, igniting a positive tone for what challenges may be thrown your way that day. It helps lay to rest the struggles you may have encountered the day before, giving you fresh opportunities to face another day productively and ensure you complete many more tasks throughout your day. As silly as it may seem, developing this good habit can also help reduce your stress level and de-clutter your mind, as when you walk into your room with a well made bed the aura of cleanliness will always make you smile and not to mention the satisfaction you feel when you get back into your tidy bed at the end of the day. Lastly, by completing this simple task at the start of every day can help to reinforce the importance that its the little things in life that truly matter and who in this world doesnât need a healthy dose of that. I for one do, and from now on, the start of every day (whatever time that may be), I will be completing this task, maybe with hospital corners and allâŚand maybe just maybe, it will inspire my kids to followâŚya right, who am I kidding?
*I encourage everyone to watch Admiral William H. McRavenâs commencement speech on YouTubeâŚor read his book!*
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