#ThankfulThursday Endings and Beginnings

Sunday afternoon — the day I wrote this post — I found myself chased outside into breezy 52 degree weather to satiate my urge to write a week’s worth of posts. I wanted this week to be squared away so that the rest of my week could be devoted more towards self-care and less towards feeling guilty about not scheduling posts while I had the urge and ideas. And while I shivered and typed quickly to keep myself as warm as possible, tucking the blanket tightly around myself, I couldn’t have felt more thankful to have found myself comfortably settled on our old, defunct futon listening to the sounds of birds singing and the creek flowing. I spotted mocking birds and orioles flitting through the tree branches. The orioles may have actually been blue birds, though, but I don’t claim to be a knowledgeable bird watcher.

In addition to be treated to such pleasant sights and sounds, this has been a week of endings and beginnings. The first three days of the week were spent in January’s end, while the last four days are being spent in February’s beginning. Today we look to the groundhog as our weather forecaster, wondering if he’ll see his shadow or not, predicting an early spring or a continued winter. Given the mild conditions we’ve experienced so far in 2012, I doubt we should expect anymore wintry weather in Northwest Georgia. And while I may be disappointed by the lack of solid, sticky snow this winter, I’m still thankful that we’ve enjoyed cooler temperatures than we dealt with in Florida. I’ve had the pleasure of wearing scarves and gloves, cuddling up in fuzzy socks and pajama pants, and sipping warm cups of tea and hot chocolate on chilly nights. I may not exactly be cold-tolerant physically, I’m mentally enjoying this weather.

I also happen to know that the end of a chapter is fast approaching, as is a new chapter — a new beginning. It may not have happened on scheduled, but we’ll be moving soon enough. The odds of our financial situation clearing up for us to mark our calendar for March 1st or April 1st have increased, and I’m cautiously optimistic. Things are looking up, and the groundhog may very well be predicting the end of this winter. Our spring is right around the corner, and I can’t wait to embark upon the new journey.

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#ThankfulThursday Another List

Let’s chase away the crummy mood with a list of things to be grateful for!

  • A simmering pot of ground turkey chili, bubbling away in all its beauty
  • A day off — meaning time to make a fresh hot batch of cornbread to accompany said chili
  • Making peace with the rainy weather and calling it a pajama day
  • A page filled with pink-inked ideas for a conference close to home
  • Warm tea to soothe tight, inflamed airways
  • The knowledge that I do not, in fact, need to hurry up about dinner — it’s my day off!

Even when a bad day comes to call, a nice little list always helps brighten my perspective.

 

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#ThankfulThursday Living the Gratitude

I’d been riding the day’s many joys so much that I had nearly forgotten to write. My shift was short and smooth. The grocery shopping afterwards went equally smooth. I came home, put everything away, reorganized the pantry (which had gotten a bit cluttered and out of control), and prepared one of my signature dishes. I baked a cake mix I got for Christmas (and it came with an adorable cake server), then I frosted it with some fancy new frosting dispenser. Cute edging on my cake made easy? Yes, please!

And to top everything off, I received news from my good friend Nicki that her baby girl Kenna’s defying odds like her brother did before her. Baby Kenna was born on Monday at 24 weeks gestation due to fetal and maternal distress. Nicki had been suffering from pre-eclampsia and had been desperately adhering to bed rest in the hopes to keep her baby girl in as long as possible. Luckily, the high risk doctors foresaw a premature delivery and administered medication to help Kenna’s lungs develop faster. Today Kenna underwent her first surgery, and she came through beautifully. I’m so incredibly thankful for medical advances that make this possible, as well as for the power of prayer and positive thinking. Whatever your religious (or non) alignment is, I’d say it’s easy for everyone to appreciate the miracle of a tough preemie.

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#ThankfulThursday #Cultivate2012

It probably sounds too egotistical, but I’m incredibly thankful for my inner brilliance showing through finally. Maybe it’s all the Hemingway literature I’ve been devouring, maybe it’s the inspiring new people I’ve been reading, or maybe it’s the inspiring people who are encouraging me. Whatever the reason, I’m grateful that I conceived of the Cultivate project, and I’m grateful that you’re following me down this path. Life feels like a good story at this moment — you don’t know where it’s going next, and you can’t wait to read on to find out more. I’ve got two days off in a row tomorrow, and you can bet that I’ll be spending some quality time with my family making memories and crossing items off of our lists. I haven’t felt this good about the start of a new year in a while. The last time I felt this good about the start of a new year, I ended up doing something epic. Considering how awesome that turned out, I have a strong sense of hope for 2012. I’m exceedingly thankful for the fresh start this year has offered me. While to some it’s an arbitrary change, to me this feels like a second chance to seize hold of my dreams — a second chance to build that better life, starting right now.

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[Thankful Thursday] Thanksgiving 2011

While I may be going to work today, I’m still bursting with gratitude. Here’s why:

  • I don’t have to work tomorrow — which is Black Friday, the craziest shopping day of the year.
  • I’ll be eating a free plate meal. Mmm, soft, fluffy roll, you are mine!
  • We’ll be celebrating the occasion tomorrow with a full spread (check back tomorrow for a run-down, and perhaps some pictures of items I can prepare ahead of time).
  • My family has a place to live and plenty of food to make us all feel disgustingly bloated.
  • The weather is perfect for turning on the oven all day. In years past, it was a toss up. Usually, we’d have warmer temperatures that left us feeling stuffy and sweaty.

May your plate be filled with delicious, home-made food prepared with love. May your cup be full of a cheery beverage. May you be surrounded by those who bring you joy and comfort. May you have many blessings for which to be thankful. Happy Thanksgiving!

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[Thankful Thursday] A Return to Gratitude Lists

Due to my preoccupation with NaNoWriMo, I’ll be returning to my trusty gratitude list format for Thankful Thursdays. Today, I’m thankful for:

  • Crisp autumn air
  • Gorgeous foliage as it finishes out the last bits of the season
  • Another lovely paycheck in my bank account
  • An uptick in my business
  • And an afternoon (mostly) for myself

Happy Thursday!

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[Thankful Thursday] Multiple Ideas

Friday night I intended to go to bed early after writing my three pages. Of course, the three pages — which are usually meant to decompress — got my synapses firing with creative ideas. Simply by observing what others do with their own enterprises, I’ve realized that I can creatively maximize my time and expertise. (Sorry, details are under wraps for the time being.) Let’s just say the power of multiplication definitely intrigues me, and I grew much more confident in my ability to reach the goal of earning $45k by 2013 and $90k by 2014. Why do these numbers matter so much to me? First starters, I have a family to care for. If my business endeavors are to take center-stage in the bank account, then they need to replace the need for commuting to another boss. Secondly, I’m all about building a firm foundation in life, and you don’t get any firmer physical manifestation of a foundation than a house. I thrive when I can dig my roots into the ground, securely supporting myself through all seasons. I want to do what I love, but what I love needs to do for me as well. Building financial stability will only further enable me to focus on teaching others to use their words and language properly. So today I’m thankful that I’ve finally figured out the how: how am I going to make this a viable business venture? Simple! With a little thing called multiplication.

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[Thankful Thursday] Balance and Recovery

Today I’m incredibly grateful to have gotten some semblance of balance back into my life — why, Mount Washmore’s actually been kept in line! I’ve learned how to organize my time on work days, squeezing in whatever chores need completion before leaving for a full day’s work. During my meal breaks, I also know how to make that hour into my own. Mr. Hemingway’s literature takes me away to Europe. It doesn’t hurt to know the bills will get paid. I’m relieved to say Christmas will be reasonable, and a February move date looms on the horizon. Life is going mostly my way right now, and I’m thankful that I can finally say that again. It’s been a very difficult past year, but everything’s beginning to fall into place.

Can I also say how glorious it is to have autumn temperatures beginning to roll in? After 14 years in Florida, it’s nice to see a cool down in September instead of December.

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#ThankfulThursday Internet Inspiration

If it weren’t for this lovely tool we call the Internet, I don’t believe I’d find even half the inspiration I’ve found that feeds my soul these days. I’m filled with appreciation for all the wonderful people who inspire me to achieve my goals and live a life worth living. Today, I’m going to show some love by linking you to some wonderfully inspirational people who will change the way you live your life.

Gwen Bell
Nicki A. M.
Jeanne Hewell-Chambers
Kaileen Elise
Cali Harris
Patrick Rhone
Brenda Della Casa
Ashley Ambirge
Teresa Deak
Kelly Gurnett
Diana Rosenfield

I’ll let their words tell you more about them. They’re all very eloquent, wonderful people who will encourage you to reach for higher meaning and creating a life worth living. Yes, I say that a lot: a life worth living. We only get so many seasons here before we are recalled to wherever you believe we go after we cease to be. Thank you to all of these people who keep me feeling optimistic, who make sure my dreams stay alive.

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