by Carolyn | Mindset
Lockdown 2020: What Will You Do With Your Time?
Well, now here we are, completely knocked off our fast-moving proverbial life roller coaster. What Now!!!!!?
What will you do with this quarantined/locked-down time?
We find ourselves sequestered in our homes and can make limited emergency visits to the store to see if the shelves are re-stocked.
While collecting old mismatched and unpaired socks, just in case the TP does run out.
Time to teach children what rationing means and how implementing this survival skill will keep them from going hungry. When we are out of the food we are used to having around, we will and can become creative at finding comparable replacements.
Now is the time to consider that dream of using your talents or natural abilities to make a living.
Now is the time to completely re-evaluate what we are doing with this miracle called Life. Do a complete Mental, Physical, Emotional, and Environmental Cleanse.
A few things each of us can ask ourselves.
Be honest, write the answers down then really evaluate your responses.
1. What is working in my Life? (only list what is working well)
2. What is Not Working in my Life? (be honest in this response.)
3. What can be changed, in the way I am living, that will bring greater peace, fulfillment, and happiness? (Maybe not re-boarding the rollercoaster you have been on)
4. What do we want to let go of to simplify my/our lives? (too many obligations?)
5. What do we want to keep in our Life and Living Space? (More family time taking more adventures together)
6. What are the steps I am willing to take to make the changes I know would improve my way of Life?
Make a Vision Board, Bucket List, and a Life Map everyone is on board with to begin this phenomenal direction you and your family can now take.
IMPORTANT….. Do not go haywire and try to take on the whole elephant!
One step within the following sections of Life is a positive start:
A. HEALTH (eating smaller portions and make healthier choices)
B. FAMILY (more time together less running from one event to another. Pick one for each child and adult, it will allow them the opportunity to become their best at that event)
C. ROMANCE (implement date night at a minimum of twice a month, with or without a partner/mate. Check in with each other every day)
D. FINANCE (set in motion the discipline of paying off credit cards, as the balance shows up. This alone will boost your money flow)
E. CAREER (is it time to start on that long wanted degree or certification? Is it time to use your God-given talents to make a living?
F. FRIENDS ( is it time to build a new Tribe and let go of a few acquaintances?)
G. SPIRITUALITY ( Define what Spirituality means to you and implement that into your daily way of living.)
H. CONTRIBUTIONS (charity begins at home, then it is easy to help others)
One thing for sure, we all will become much more creative with our meals, the way we entertain ourselves and making use of family time.
A positive in all this, we can get to know ourselves, our spouses/mates, and our family members again.
As serious as this is, I am doing my best to find the positive in each day. I mean, thank the Universe, for gifting me with waking up and being blessed with another day, lockdown or not. I made a lentil soup today and told my family they were having a complete gourmet dinner. Instead of tossing in whole veggies, I chopped them into small pieces. This way, everyone got what they needed to stay healthy in every bite. Which also, of course, stretches our meal out for a couple of days.
If it does get tough, I may need to go back to the days my father had to experience during the Depression. Make water gravy to mix with rice or pour over hardtack biscuits with a side of dandelion greens from the yard. Either way, we will survive.
Once the panic subsides and reason sets in, our thinking will resume to logic and common-sense solutions to this predicament we find ourselves experiencing.
Instead of panicking over toilet paper, we will realize how easy it is for a virus to cripple an entire world. How quickly our government can take control and put us all in lockdown.
My common sense tells me, we can never again not be prepared to survive a disaster, natural or imposed. It is time to take seriously preparing an emergency container of survival equipment, food, personal supplies, and clothing.
We stay protected by standing together, helping each other. It is vital to establish a cohesive governing body that can work together and know that solutions are more important than who is winning for the good of “We the People.”
This virus is a severe threat. There is no room for error.
Take care of yourselves, share if you can or need to, and find the things to be grateful for, even in our time of crisis.
Leave a comment below about how you’re feeling, and what you’re thankful for, or come visit me on Facebook and let me know!
Visit my library for recommended books that can help you through this lockdown time.
by Carolyn | Carolyn's Corner
The Optimist Creed
Note from Carolyn: The Optimist Creed is one of my favorite positivity exercises. As you read, pay attention to your mood and attitude. Do you feel inspired? Let me know in the comments, or come over to Facebok and tell me!
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To think well of yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words, but in great deeds.
To live in the faith that the whole world is on your side, so long as you are true to the best that is in you.”
Source: Christian D. Larson, The Optimist Creed
What do you think of The Optimist Creed? What inspiration can you take from The Optimist Creed? Leave a comment below!
Challenge: Add a contribution to this creed.
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by Carolyn | Carolyn's Corner
WINNERS vs LOSERS
The Winner is always part of the answer; The Loser is always part of the problem.
The Winner always has a program; The Loser always has an excuse.
The Winner says, “Let me do it for you”; The Loser says, “That is not my job.”
The Winner sees an answer for every problem; The Loser sees a problem for every answer.
The Winner says, “It may be difficult but it is possible”; The Loser says, “It may be possible but it is too difficult.”
When a Winner makes a mistake, he says, “I was wrong”; When a Loser makes a mistake, he says, “It wasn’t my fault.”
A Winner makes commitments; A Loser makes promises.
Winners have dreams; Losers have schemes.
Winners say, “I must do something”; Losers say, “Something must be done.
Winners are a part of the team; Losers are apart from the team.
Winners see the gain; Losers see the pain.
Winners see possibilities; Losers see problems.
Winners believe in win-win; Losers believe for them to win someone has to lose.
Winners see the potential; Losers see the past.
Winners are like a thermostat; Losers are like thermometers.
Winners choose what they say; Losers say what they choose.
Winners use hard arguments but soft words; Losers use soft arguments but hard words.
Winners stand firm on values but compromise on petty things; Losers stand firm on petty things but compromise on values.
Winners follow the philosophy of empathy: “Don’t do to others what you would not want them to do to you”; Losers follow the philosophy, “Do it to others before they do it to you.”
Winners make it happen; Losers let it happen.
Winners plan and prepare to win. The keyword is preparation.
Richie O’Flaherty | Elite. [source]
Action Tip: How will you reframe your perspective? Are you thinking like a winner, or like a loser? Try it out! Leave a comment below with your own Winners vs Losers statement.
Your Challenge: Think about the ways you can be more proactive in your life.
by Carolyn | Carolyn's Corner
One of my favorite quotes from Og Mandino:
It takes just as much energy to fail as it does to succeed.
You must constantly guard against the trap of falling into a routine of remaining busy with unimportant chores that will provide you with an excuse to avoid meaningful challenges or opportunities that could change your life for the better.
Your hours are your most precious possession.
THIS DAY IS ALL YOU HAVE
WASTE NOT A MINUTE
The miraculous story of a loving couple, their never-to-be-forgotten friend, a little girl, and a very special teddy bear . . .
Retired from his long, successful career as an agent to many of the most famous and dynamic motivational speakers in the world, Bart Manning was happily enjoying his newfound freedom with his lovely wife, Mary. So why, one morning, did he find himself headed back to the little office that he had never given up? He didn’t know. But as he sat at his dusty desk, he decided to go back into business. If God had sent him there, Bart told himself, he would wait for His plan to unfold.
Then, at a crowded convention, he found his answer in the person of a handsome young man named Patrick Donne, whose deep, commanding voice spoke words of profound wisdom that electrified the audience. With the thrill of discovery, Bart recognized Donne’s short speech as the best inspirational talk he had ever heard. Bart was soon caught up in the extraordinary realm that was Patrick’s ordinary world, where even tragedy and sorrow became transforming experiences and remarkable things happened. . . .
Og Mandino is one of the most widely read inspirational and self-help authors in the world. Former president of Success Unlimited magazine, Mandino was the first recipient of the Napoleon Hill Gold Medal Award for literary achievement. Og Mandino was a member of the Council of Peers Award for Excellence Speaker Hall of Fame and was honored with a Master of Influence Award by the National Speakers Association. Og Mandino died in 1996, but his books continue to inspire countless thousands all over the world.
See more of Carolyn’s recommended books in her library.
Looking for more inspiration? See past Carolyn’s Corner posts.
by Carolyn | Mindset
Finding Balance When You Are Feeling Unbalanced
One of the biggest misconceptions we have of ourselves comes when we humans sink into the ALLOWING of Others to dictate our … Who, What, When, Where, and How. This is how we come to be out of balance.
From the age of 18, the proverbial ball of choices is in our court.
For whatever reason, we do not seem to question this until we become much older. And at this point, we often cannot reverse some of the results that have not only never fit us but, never will. This is when we realize that we need to find balance.
Try this: Find the pristine you, the you before life happened, the you that fits when you say “I used to be, do, believe, want” and so on.
Allow the lessons you have learned to be a positive addition to the Who you are now.
Ask yourself what the lessons were that you needed to learn from every memorable experience you have had, good and bad.
For every year of your life, make a list of memorable events and things for which you were grateful. Start with your first memory. (No, I don’t care how old you are. Make the list. )
Then, ask yourself the following questions and give a brief synopsis of your answer. Do not just answer Yes or No.
“Do I like/love who I am today?”
“Do I like/love what I am doing today?”
“Do I like/love who I have around me today, the tribe I have built?”
“Do I like/love my job/career?”
Do I need more education or training to increase my successes?”
“Do I take good care of myself and allow for me time?”
“Do I handle money responsibly, have a savings account, a rainy day fund?”
“Do I like/love my home, any improvements needed, do I want to move?”
“Do I like/love the personal relationship I have, do I practice good communication skills, take time to be loving and playful?”
“Do I have the friendships I want and need, am I a good and caring friend as well?”
Do I have the spiritual life I wanted?”
If you answered “NO” to any question, that is where your starting point is . This is where you need to “course correct, ” in order to find that balance again.
For each question to which you answered NO, write out how you can change the direction and what choices you can make to go in a more positive direction, in order to restore balance to your life. Being out of balance does not mean you can’t find the balance again.
You must always allow yourself permission to course correct.
