Dear Readers,
It's Day Number Six of the Gratitude Challenge.
Today, get out there and partake in this challenge. Tell a friend something you admire about them.
I want to salute my beautiful, creative, resilient writer friend in Tennessee...Ms Lena Reagon.
The link to her books is posted within this blog post. Please support her!! Lena is a kind, authentic and sweet soul!! a major talented not to be missed.
https://www.amazon.com/s?i=digital-text&rh=p_27%3AL.G.+Reagon&s=relevancerank&text=L.G.+Reagon&ref=dp_byline_sr_ebooks_1
You INSPIRE me, lady!!!
For all you have been through, the storms you have weathered...the shifting sands...the trials...loss of your brother, for the horrors you have suffered...I am deeply honored that you have chosen to be my friend and confidante.
The Universe brought me a unique and wonderful blessing in a soul sister like you!!
You have always supported my writing career... and for that, I am DEEPLY GRATEFUL.
May the sun always shine on you, dear Lena.
May you only know joy, love, laughter and boundless riches!!
Love,
RR xo
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
The 100- Day GRATITUDE Challenge -- Day #4 -- Say out loud three of your greatest strengths
Dear Readers,
We've hit day #4 for the Gratitude Challenge!
Today, we are saying out loud THREE of our GREATEST STRENGTHS.
Okay, I'll go first...
1. Resilience
2. Passion
3. Patience
There's obviously much more I can add to the list, but I don't want to overwhelm you (wink wink).
I chose RESILIENCE because it's what I've come to know and acquire in the last few decades. Over losses (my Trent's suicide), two failed marriages, jobs that didn't work out the way I wanted them to, plans that fell through (the move to California --sob!!) or people that revealed their wolf faces after dropping the sheep's clothing...whatever it might be...
I learned RESILIENCE...was forced to...because of changing climates and seasons of my life. Am I sorry? Not really. These shifting sands prepare us for heavier times or for titles and positions we have been called to fill. Without the PRESSURE, how is the DIAMOND supposed to be made? I love the meme My Trent sent me before he passed. "You're a Diamond, dear, they can't break you." That man uplifted and supported me like a world class cheerleader and coach!! I am forever changed by his arrival and departure, but always GRATEFUL for the love of Trent Rigel Gardner. Rest in peace, my magnificent music man. XXXX.
Number 2 for my strengths is...PASSION!! Just as the title of my first published book suggests, it is PASSION that has propelled me forward.
Passion to write my books, get up in the morning (even with hypothyroidism and sleep disorder), motivation to inspire people around me...PASSION to keep smiling! to stay the course...to let the world know that I CAN DO THIS THING CALLED LIFE. Yes, Passion is also something you can bring with you to every job interview. I believe it's the main ingredient that has nabbed me the job. Every. Single. Time.
Now, Patience...the third and final strength. Sigh. Had to learn it the hard way. Many seasons of disappointment. Trial after trial, hill after hill, valley after valley, blizzard upon blizzard....well, you get the picture. What was my takeaway from each experience that I was forced to learn Patience? I'd have to honestly say it was just to DROP EXPECTATIONS. Having things pre-planned in your mind sets you up for failure and disappointment, whether it's for that house you planned closing on, that new date you banked on working out (they never called again) or the job offer that fell through (they chose someone more qualified?). Patience has taught me that even in the messiest, hardest times of my life, WHAT'S MEANT FOR ME WILL NEVER PASS ME BY. Solid truth.
Okay, back to the Gratitude thing. Yes, Patience is a virtue, once you learn just why it is a thing for you and why it's good to learn. Because when you're caught in a frenzy trying to do this chaotic life, you literally CANNOT BREATHE and that's when the CLARITY cannot get through to you. Chaos, worry, rushing, hurrying, or any kind of panic will not bring you anything worthwhile or productive. So let yourself SLOW DOWN...BREATHE into the space. allow the convictions and the clarity to come through. Now, what do you feel? Sense? See? Hear?
Patience. Peace of mind. Serenity. Things make sense. Your whole life is going to fall into place now.
List 3 things you are proud of and that make GOOD STRENGTHS for you! I know you have many...
Cheering for you always,
RR xo
We've hit day #4 for the Gratitude Challenge!
Today, we are saying out loud THREE of our GREATEST STRENGTHS.
Okay, I'll go first...
1. Resilience
2. Passion
3. Patience
There's obviously much more I can add to the list, but I don't want to overwhelm you (wink wink).
I chose RESILIENCE because it's what I've come to know and acquire in the last few decades. Over losses (my Trent's suicide), two failed marriages, jobs that didn't work out the way I wanted them to, plans that fell through (the move to California --sob!!) or people that revealed their wolf faces after dropping the sheep's clothing...whatever it might be...
I learned RESILIENCE...was forced to...because of changing climates and seasons of my life. Am I sorry? Not really. These shifting sands prepare us for heavier times or for titles and positions we have been called to fill. Without the PRESSURE, how is the DIAMOND supposed to be made? I love the meme My Trent sent me before he passed. "You're a Diamond, dear, they can't break you." That man uplifted and supported me like a world class cheerleader and coach!! I am forever changed by his arrival and departure, but always GRATEFUL for the love of Trent Rigel Gardner. Rest in peace, my magnificent music man. XXXX.
Number 2 for my strengths is...PASSION!! Just as the title of my first published book suggests, it is PASSION that has propelled me forward.
Passion to write my books, get up in the morning (even with hypothyroidism and sleep disorder), motivation to inspire people around me...PASSION to keep smiling! to stay the course...to let the world know that I CAN DO THIS THING CALLED LIFE. Yes, Passion is also something you can bring with you to every job interview. I believe it's the main ingredient that has nabbed me the job. Every. Single. Time.
Now, Patience...the third and final strength. Sigh. Had to learn it the hard way. Many seasons of disappointment. Trial after trial, hill after hill, valley after valley, blizzard upon blizzard....well, you get the picture. What was my takeaway from each experience that I was forced to learn Patience? I'd have to honestly say it was just to DROP EXPECTATIONS. Having things pre-planned in your mind sets you up for failure and disappointment, whether it's for that house you planned closing on, that new date you banked on working out (they never called again) or the job offer that fell through (they chose someone more qualified?). Patience has taught me that even in the messiest, hardest times of my life, WHAT'S MEANT FOR ME WILL NEVER PASS ME BY. Solid truth.
Okay, back to the Gratitude thing. Yes, Patience is a virtue, once you learn just why it is a thing for you and why it's good to learn. Because when you're caught in a frenzy trying to do this chaotic life, you literally CANNOT BREATHE and that's when the CLARITY cannot get through to you. Chaos, worry, rushing, hurrying, or any kind of panic will not bring you anything worthwhile or productive. So let yourself SLOW DOWN...BREATHE into the space. allow the convictions and the clarity to come through. Now, what do you feel? Sense? See? Hear?
Patience. Peace of mind. Serenity. Things make sense. Your whole life is going to fall into place now.
List 3 things you are proud of and that make GOOD STRENGTHS for you! I know you have many...
Cheering for you always,
RR xo
Monday, September 23, 2019
GRATITUDE....SPILLING OVER!!
Dear Readers,
By now, you might have realized in my blog posts that I have begun the 100-day Gratitude Challenge.
Well, tonight my heart is SPILLING OVER...with joy! and MASSIVE, MASSIVE GRATITUDE! Yet another thing to add to the ever-growing list of things has happened today, yet another GIFT to be thankful and proud of.
Tears flood my eyes right now. A treasured friend whom I haven't seen in quite a while just messaged me today and said she's taking me to a VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT! By none other than celebrated Canadian Country crooner, Johnny Reid!!!!
Lydia...you've made this woman completely and utterly blown away by your kindness. I never saw this coming. Never expected such a beautiful surprise! This is exactly what I've needed. Thank you, from my heart. It's unbelievable.
Working hard for the past two years at a full time, demanding job and still writing my novels, I've immersed myself in "busyness" I think after Trent passed in 2016, as a survival mechanism. We do what we must, to keep trudging on, blazing the trail, moving forward...etc. If there are friends out there whom I've neglected, please blame my head and not my heart. This loss took a MONSTROUS chunk of my heart and my sanity. The long road back to joy, comfort and serenity has been tiring, but I feel a whole lot better now. Nothing prepared me for losing my soulmate, the One I planned forever with. Nothing will fill the gap of Trent's death, and no one can replace him, this much is true. Yet, I'm finding there are ways to REBUILD the life that was broken down and smashed to pieces. Daily, I've taken stock of everything and every little moment that has brought me beauty....as I rebuilt my life from the ground up. Maybe I'm not where I WANT TO BE just yet...but I am surely on my way.
Bouncing back from a major loss takes its toll. I don't think those around me (loved ones and friends) had any idea how crucial and important Trent was to me in the brief 10 months we shared on this earth. Some might have expected me to "just move on" and find a replacement. "Well, it was long distance anyways, and those things never work out." Some of the justifications people stated to me. I think they meant well, and yet didn't really have a clue what the loss encompassed for me.
Three years and three months later, a lot has changed for me. Nothing looks the same for me, nothing at all. Let's see...family home of 35 years was sold off to developer and torn down (another major loss), I was forced to move away from my safe, comfortable and quaint hometown (loss!)...new job arrived too. New faces, new memories to make, new experiences. You know the thing about SUDDEN CHANGE that irks me? It's just so....SUDDEN. For me, that's never been an easy thing. I'm a Taurus...a "fixed" sign. Steadfast, stick in the mud sometimes, and SOLID. The kind you can depend on. I'm also traditional and wanting to stay in my comfort zone. But then again, no major transformation came from being stuck in the same place for 40-plus years, now has it?
The butterfly had to get her wings. She had to fly, to grace the sky with her pretty wingspan and chart the course by herself and to see new landscapes.
Okay, okay....I shifted gears and went into my gloomy loss story. This blog post is meant to be POSITIVE, uplifting, JOYFUL...
So here goes...
Lydia Jackson, I love you. You're a dynamic woman who has always inspired me to be the best that I can be. I'm not even sure if you realize just how you inspire WOMEN everywhere, but I'm letting you know that this woman has always admired your courage, strength, resilience and creativity. The way you love your family, the method in which you "keep it all together" so gracefully, in spite of life's trials... well, let me tell you, it's a magnificent thing.
Thank you Lydia for being part of my soul tribe. Tonight's gift from you is cherished, and I will treasure it for all time. The hermit in me needs to get out once in a while and experience REAL LIFE, beyond the walls of this cave that holds countless stories and sagas in a writer's brain.
Again, I'm BLESSED with Gratitude. Just in awe, really.
Those who are reading this, I hope you also make your own 100-day Gratitude Challenge and document all the unforeseen gifts all along the way that you acquire. God Bless.
Always cheering for you,
RR xo
By now, you might have realized in my blog posts that I have begun the 100-day Gratitude Challenge.
Well, tonight my heart is SPILLING OVER...with joy! and MASSIVE, MASSIVE GRATITUDE! Yet another thing to add to the ever-growing list of things has happened today, yet another GIFT to be thankful and proud of.
Tears flood my eyes right now. A treasured friend whom I haven't seen in quite a while just messaged me today and said she's taking me to a VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT! By none other than celebrated Canadian Country crooner, Johnny Reid!!!!
Lydia...you've made this woman completely and utterly blown away by your kindness. I never saw this coming. Never expected such a beautiful surprise! This is exactly what I've needed. Thank you, from my heart. It's unbelievable.
Working hard for the past two years at a full time, demanding job and still writing my novels, I've immersed myself in "busyness" I think after Trent passed in 2016, as a survival mechanism. We do what we must, to keep trudging on, blazing the trail, moving forward...etc. If there are friends out there whom I've neglected, please blame my head and not my heart. This loss took a MONSTROUS chunk of my heart and my sanity. The long road back to joy, comfort and serenity has been tiring, but I feel a whole lot better now. Nothing prepared me for losing my soulmate, the One I planned forever with. Nothing will fill the gap of Trent's death, and no one can replace him, this much is true. Yet, I'm finding there are ways to REBUILD the life that was broken down and smashed to pieces. Daily, I've taken stock of everything and every little moment that has brought me beauty....as I rebuilt my life from the ground up. Maybe I'm not where I WANT TO BE just yet...but I am surely on my way.
Bouncing back from a major loss takes its toll. I don't think those around me (loved ones and friends) had any idea how crucial and important Trent was to me in the brief 10 months we shared on this earth. Some might have expected me to "just move on" and find a replacement. "Well, it was long distance anyways, and those things never work out." Some of the justifications people stated to me. I think they meant well, and yet didn't really have a clue what the loss encompassed for me.
Three years and three months later, a lot has changed for me. Nothing looks the same for me, nothing at all. Let's see...family home of 35 years was sold off to developer and torn down (another major loss), I was forced to move away from my safe, comfortable and quaint hometown (loss!)...new job arrived too. New faces, new memories to make, new experiences. You know the thing about SUDDEN CHANGE that irks me? It's just so....SUDDEN. For me, that's never been an easy thing. I'm a Taurus...a "fixed" sign. Steadfast, stick in the mud sometimes, and SOLID. The kind you can depend on. I'm also traditional and wanting to stay in my comfort zone. But then again, no major transformation came from being stuck in the same place for 40-plus years, now has it?
The butterfly had to get her wings. She had to fly, to grace the sky with her pretty wingspan and chart the course by herself and to see new landscapes.
Okay, okay....I shifted gears and went into my gloomy loss story. This blog post is meant to be POSITIVE, uplifting, JOYFUL...
So here goes...
Lydia Jackson, I love you. You're a dynamic woman who has always inspired me to be the best that I can be. I'm not even sure if you realize just how you inspire WOMEN everywhere, but I'm letting you know that this woman has always admired your courage, strength, resilience and creativity. The way you love your family, the method in which you "keep it all together" so gracefully, in spite of life's trials... well, let me tell you, it's a magnificent thing.
Thank you Lydia for being part of my soul tribe. Tonight's gift from you is cherished, and I will treasure it for all time. The hermit in me needs to get out once in a while and experience REAL LIFE, beyond the walls of this cave that holds countless stories and sagas in a writer's brain.
Again, I'm BLESSED with Gratitude. Just in awe, really.
Those who are reading this, I hope you also make your own 100-day Gratitude Challenge and document all the unforeseen gifts all along the way that you acquire. God Bless.
Always cheering for you,
RR xo
100 Day Gratitude Challenge -- Day #3 -- Surround Yourself With Nature and be Grateful For The Sights
Dear Readers,
It's Day Number Three of this Gratitude Challenge which I will be posting about daily!
Today's mantra: "Surround Yourself With Nature and Be Grateful For The Sights."
What in your path today brings you joy when you are out walking or commuting?
I know for myself, it is my absolute FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR -- Autumn -- and incidentally, today is the Autumnal Equinox.
I can't resist those blue skies and fluffy white clouds that seem to float by without a care. The air is cooler and the earth has this wonderful scent of "Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall time." Trees that have been around for many decades are losing their leaves before the younger ones do in early to mid-October. Southern Ontario (GTA) has some really majestic scenery, depending where you are.
Farmer fields and rolling hills with magenta-tangerine sunsets have always been my favorite. The sunrise lately has been a lovely periwinkle-mauve-grey with splashes of hot pink across the canvas. Even if you're in the city, you can glimpse the trees shedding their leaves and some other older, quaint homes with fireplaces are burning logs, creating an atmosphere that is irresistible. I just love the scent of a wood-burning fireplace when I'm strolling past a storybook village or nice community.
I am sharing a poem that I just learned! It's beautiful:
Lord: it is time. The summer was immense.
Let thine shadows upon the sundials fall,
and unleash the winds upon the open fields.
Command the last fruits into fullness;
give them just two more ripe, southern days,
urge them into completion and press
the last bit of sweetness into the heavy wine.
He who has no house now, will no longer build.
He who is alone now, will stay alone,
will awake in the night, read, write long letters,
and will wander restlessly along the avenues,
back and forth, as the leaves begin to blow.
Rainer Maria Rilke
(tr. Cliff Crego)
http://picture-poems.com/week4/autumnday.html
What is YOUR favorite part about fall time and Nature? What are you grateful for this time of year, and what steals your breath away? A few of the pics in this blog post belong to my own past memories of Autumn - October 2013. Hope you enjoy!
Please do share! I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Love,
RR xo
It's Day Number Three of this Gratitude Challenge which I will be posting about daily!
Today's mantra: "Surround Yourself With Nature and Be Grateful For The Sights."
What in your path today brings you joy when you are out walking or commuting?
I know for myself, it is my absolute FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR -- Autumn -- and incidentally, today is the Autumnal Equinox.
I can't resist those blue skies and fluffy white clouds that seem to float by without a care. The air is cooler and the earth has this wonderful scent of "Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall time." Trees that have been around for many decades are losing their leaves before the younger ones do in early to mid-October. Southern Ontario (GTA) has some really majestic scenery, depending where you are.
Farmer fields and rolling hills with magenta-tangerine sunsets have always been my favorite. The sunrise lately has been a lovely periwinkle-mauve-grey with splashes of hot pink across the canvas. Even if you're in the city, you can glimpse the trees shedding their leaves and some other older, quaint homes with fireplaces are burning logs, creating an atmosphere that is irresistible. I just love the scent of a wood-burning fireplace when I'm strolling past a storybook village or nice community.
I am sharing a poem that I just learned! It's beautiful:
Lord: it is time. The summer was immense.
Let thine shadows upon the sundials fall,
and unleash the winds upon the open fields.
Command the last fruits into fullness;
give them just two more ripe, southern days,
urge them into completion and press
the last bit of sweetness into the heavy wine.
He who has no house now, will no longer build.
He who is alone now, will stay alone,
will awake in the night, read, write long letters,
and will wander restlessly along the avenues,
back and forth, as the leaves begin to blow.
Rainer Maria Rilke
(tr. Cliff Crego)
http://picture-poems.com/week4/autumnday.html
What is YOUR favorite part about fall time and Nature? What are you grateful for this time of year, and what steals your breath away? A few of the pics in this blog post belong to my own past memories of Autumn - October 2013. Hope you enjoy!
Please do share! I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Love,
RR xo
Sunday, September 22, 2019
100 days of GRATITUDE: Day #2 - Tell A Friend At Lunch Why You're Grateful for Them
Dear Readers,
It is Day #2 of the "100 Day Gratitude Challenge."
Today's challenge is:
"Tell a friend at lunch why you're grateful for them."
Easy to do, right?
Take a special friend for lunch and show them what they mean to you! Perhaps it's that English major buddy who edited your manuscript faithfully...or maybe a good gal pal who has endured some sob stories in the past, or then again, it could be your mentor who helped you through hard times, encouraged you on a job search, or just lent an ear when your partner suicided.
Whatever the case might be or whomever might be on your mind...go ahead and TELL THEM!! Your people need to hear it. They need to know you LOVE THEM!!!
As always,
Stay Passionate,
RR xo
It is Day #2 of the "100 Day Gratitude Challenge."
Today's challenge is:
"Tell a friend at lunch why you're grateful for them."
Easy to do, right?
Take a special friend for lunch and show them what they mean to you! Perhaps it's that English major buddy who edited your manuscript faithfully...or maybe a good gal pal who has endured some sob stories in the past, or then again, it could be your mentor who helped you through hard times, encouraged you on a job search, or just lent an ear when your partner suicided.
Whatever the case might be or whomever might be on your mind...go ahead and TELL THEM!! Your people need to hear it. They need to know you LOVE THEM!!!
As always,
Stay Passionate,
RR xo
Saturday, September 21, 2019
The 100 Day GRATITUDE Challenge
Dear Readers,
Starting Sept 21st, I am taking part in "The 100 Day Gratitude Challenge."
Each day, I will be counting down and noting what I am GRATEFUL for that specific day.
Day #1 begins:
"Write a list of all the positive emotions you've felt today."
1. Grateful
2. Happy for extra sleep
3. Weekend is here! That makes me smile
4. I love my daughter!!
5. I feel BLESSED that my friend Lena is always there for me!
6. I feel EXTRA BLESSED that my soul sister Janet G is always there for me!
7. I love my other soul sister Carol D and she always gives me a laugh when I need it! I feel joyful about her.
8. Happy for my pumpkin spice iced capp today!! and Tim Hortons breakfast sandwich to fill my tummy.
9. REALLY GRATEFUL that I have full time work that not only provides a roof over our heads, but clothing, beverages, treats, coffee, and miscellaneous other things that females need!! Beauty supplies!!! Earl grey vanilla tea...green tea...chai tea!!! The list is endless.
10. I feel ELATED that I have a wonderful mentor and friend for life who is always ready to lend a helping hand or an ear to listen when I need him. Thank you from my heart, MR KELLY GRANT MITCHELL. XOXO
11. I am breathing. I am productive. I am flourishing. I AM SAFE.
Come on, readers. Let's make your own list and see how may POSITIVE emotions you can list.
Cheering for you,
RR xo
Starting Sept 21st, I am taking part in "The 100 Day Gratitude Challenge."
Each day, I will be counting down and noting what I am GRATEFUL for that specific day.
Day #1 begins:
"Write a list of all the positive emotions you've felt today."
1. Grateful
2. Happy for extra sleep
3. Weekend is here! That makes me smile
4. I love my daughter!!
5. I feel BLESSED that my friend Lena is always there for me!
6. I feel EXTRA BLESSED that my soul sister Janet G is always there for me!
7. I love my other soul sister Carol D and she always gives me a laugh when I need it! I feel joyful about her.
8. Happy for my pumpkin spice iced capp today!! and Tim Hortons breakfast sandwich to fill my tummy.
9. REALLY GRATEFUL that I have full time work that not only provides a roof over our heads, but clothing, beverages, treats, coffee, and miscellaneous other things that females need!! Beauty supplies!!! Earl grey vanilla tea...green tea...chai tea!!! The list is endless.
10. I feel ELATED that I have a wonderful mentor and friend for life who is always ready to lend a helping hand or an ear to listen when I need him. Thank you from my heart, MR KELLY GRANT MITCHELL. XOXO
Come on, readers. Let's make your own list and see how may POSITIVE emotions you can list.
Cheering for you,
RR xo
Sunday, September 15, 2019
FALL TIME IS IN THE AIR...
Can you feel it?
That certain Fall Feeling? There's a slight dampness in the air and the nights are getting a bit chilly. Crisp Autumn nights are right around the corner in a matter of days. Soon, in Southern Ontario, we will bask in the changing landscape of smoky skies, the crunch of leaves under foot.
Falling leaves, in orange, lemony yellow, scarlet...
The sunsets will be a nice shade of baby blue with a fuchsia or perhaps blush pink that steals your breath away as it lingers before the sun dips low behind the hills.
Starry nights and clear skies. Sweater weather. Bonfires with their curling plume of smoke that billows to an onyx sky.
A loved one's arms will wrap around closer than ever to warm you on a chilly night. Perhaps a favorite beverage close at hand? Peppermint tea or Earl Grey...hot apple cider...or Starbucks Pumpkin Spice (my favorite seasonal drink).
Tonight, I felt inspired by Fall time and pulled out some recipes that were perfect for cooler weather. What did I end up choosing, you ask? Well, I settled on a delicious veggie curry with a side of piping hot rice.
The recipe is in the link at the bottom. I hope you enjoy it like I did tonight!
https://tasty.co/recipe/simple-veggie-curry
My hopes for you this Fall are that you find love or enjoy some playtime to the max! Get out there and revel in the exquisite scenery. Perhaps catch a Fall Fair, music festival, or other community gathering that celebrates the season.
Please don't stay stuck inside...REALLY FEEL THIS SEASON...CELEBRATE!! I know I will be. Every day. It's my absolute favorite time of the year. I only wish it lasted longer.
Cheering for you always,
Stay romantic,
RR xo
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