All posts tagged: encouragement

The Gifts of Imperfection x Brene Brown

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What I love about this book, The Gifts of Imperfection, is the perspective it takes on living a “wholehearted life”. The author,  Dr. Brene Brown, is a researcher who has studied things such as shame, fear, and vulnerability. That gives her a highly unique perspective on people and how we choose to live, especially as it relates to perfectionism! Using this unique perspective, Dr. Brown shares several points of wisdom (i call them) that teach us to let go of what we’re “supposed” to say, do, or be… and embrace who we are. Now, this doesn’t mean that she fails to encourage us to learn and grow; rather, she challenges us to do so in ways that we desire, that please us, and that don’t come as result of other people’s expectations of us! Happy Reading!

1.18.15

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Oh Lord, I come before you now thanking you for life. It is the most beautiful blessing to wake each day, to live, to learn, and to grow. As people are in abundance around us, laughing, speaking, crying, engaging, isolating, and [verb]ing, l believe we tend to take the gift of life for granted. We are grateful for it, but I for one sometimes overlook the simple blessings in life. I ask that you’d slow us down, Lord, that we might see the beauty in living, that we might actually experience the natural world and its inhabitants. Allow families to bond, to know and love one another unconditionally, allow friends to recognize not only that, but also why they have chosen one another… For those expecting children, please help them to rejoice in every step, allow them to love their children and to care for them sufficiently. We are not innately good, so please help us to be better people that we might extend our hands to help one another, and not attack. Help us …

Mis|tak|en

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There’s a quote that reads, “Mistakes are proof that you are trying.” I love that quote; it’s encouraging, not condemning. The more I read it though, the more I realize I don’t exactly agree with it. For me, it isn’t the mistakes that prove effort, it’s the acknowledgement, the conceptualization of whatever act as “mistake, and what’s more, it’s the conviction one feels after the f(act). To acknowledge something as a mistake is to admit wrongdoing, to hold oneself responsible for having committed the wrong, and to make conscious efforts to act differently in the future. Whether our mistakes are intentional or unintentional, and we will all make both, reconciling takes on the same process. It wasn’t until recently that I realized the need to reconcile with myself, I always thought  it had to be two or more involved for some sort of resolution. Well, I’ve found that in some ways, there are, even when I reconcile with myself… there’s the guilt-crazed one who made the mistake, the judgmental one who condemns me for having …

Emogical I

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The Internal Have you ever had a friend vent to you about the SAME situation over and over again, until the point you listen without having anything to say. In the back of your mind, you’re screaming “you could do so much better if…”… But, knowing your words are for naught, you listen without hearing a word. Is that an emotional or logical response? One could argue either or both ways. Imagine if you did the same thing to yourself. Chances are: many of us have been there in some way or another. I can think of tons of examples, honestly. As a people pleaser, I’ve had far beyond my fair share of taking on the weight of the world… or the weight of my acquaintances in the world. The biggest ones for me, perhaps, surface in relationships, both romantic and non. With friends and some family, I have had the tendency to drop everything when someone asks me, never mind what I may be doing. The best part is when I actually had the …

Boundaries x Drs. Cloud & Townsend

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I honestly cannot say enough about this book. I’ve read it twice in three weeks, and some chapters even more. It has and will continue to change my life, forever. I don’t say this lightly. I’ve spent time reading this book for content, reading for understanding, and reading for healing. I have cried, I have laughed, but most of all, I have learned. It seems so simple, Boundaries. It isn’t a term unheard of or taboo; for me, however, it has been an all too cavalier practice. Boundaries, written by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend, has engaged me, cover to cover. It ignited a burning flame in me to take responsibility of who I am that I may truly be an adult, by action, or by lack thereof. If you want long-lasting, meaningful practices to intentionally govern your life, boundaries are a surefire way to start! Happy Reading! ❤

01.04.15

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Dear Lord, Thank you for bringing us through and into another year! As we continue to journey on, help us to live slowly enough to experience life. Give us longevity in this year, oh Lord. As we resolve to be better people, to learn more and to grow, give us the strength to endure challenges, confidence to work through them, and courage throughout the process. Help us to have wisdom and spirits of discernment that we may follow only the path that you have designed for us. Even as we pray, let us to be thankful. We don’t want only to ask for things, but to work toward them as well, so long as the work is pleasing unto you. It is so easy to become overwhelmed with goals and changes we desire to accomplish; give us peace; allow us to be mindful of our strides that we set attainable goals. Show us our supporters, too, Lord, that we may not always journey alone. Allow us to support those around us, to uplift and encourage, …

Fall.

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Fall: 1. to drop or descend under force of gravity, as to a LOWER place through LACK of support. 2.to become less or lower in degree, amount, quality, value, number, etc. to decline. 3.to succumb to attack 4.to succumb to temptation or sin, especially becoming unchaste to one’s innocence.   These are just four of numerous definitions that basically say the same thing, only one of which reads that a fall may be voluntary…. But let me be the first to say I ain’t tryna fall in love, no more. I did it before, have you? Tell me what’s good about falling? I mean, the fall itself typically hurts, half the time your knees hurt when you stand back up, everyone around laughs and you’re embarrassed after the fact… but most importantly is the lesson: you are extremely careful when faced with similar circumstances. I can’t tell you all that’s right in love, but i CAN tell you a lot about what it isn’t, and my experience with such. Have you ever been infatuated with something or someone …

The Happiness of Pursuit x Chris Guillebeau

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So this book, The Happiness of Pursuit , I came across after reading Guillebeau’s The Art of Non-Conformity. This one is a bit different. The Happiness of Pursuit encourages quests that are meaningful to an individual. It intertwines encouragement, advice and testimonials in introducing readers to endless questing possibilities. I can honestly say that I struggled to finish this book, not because the content was not good, but I kind of felt I got the point before it was over. Nevertheless, it was a good read. I especially loved its focus on acknowledging purpose in one’s life. Give it a shot. Happy reading!

POTENTIAL.

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I was going to talk past, and I actually have a great portion of that post written. But then I began to consider how much of my past was stifled by a contingent, potential future. I love extremely freely, and I believe in people. I more than believe, I refuse to doubt the potential of humanity… But what about the present reality? Have you ever tried to motivate someone in a direction they weren’t interested in traveling? Have you wanted something spectacular for someone who was content with mediocrity? I learned in the hardest way to stop nurturing infatuation with the idea of what someone can be. Unless the person honing the potential is also inputting valiant effort, it’s a battle you’re fighting alone, a battle you cannot win. No matter how much I believe in someone else and want things for them, they will never attain things they, themselves, don’t believe in, desire, or work for… For themselves. I remember being truly inspired by the conversation I could have with one guy. He was …

12.7.14

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Dear Lord, thank you for your strength, your sacrifice, and your selflessness. You reign over all of us, you are creator, you are mighty and worthy of all glory, honor, and praise. We cannot win a single victory alone, Oh Lord. We NEED YOU. There is not one single challenge we can overcome without you. Guide us, Lord, help us to be dependent on you alone. You deserve all that we have, for we are NOTHING without you. As this country faces so many challenges, I want to pray now that you help us al to act in love. Lord, even as race shows itself an issue in this century, help us to see past it. Help us to live as you do, and to recognize that we ALL matter. Help us to build strong relationships so that you may raise a nation of true believers. No one can do it but you. As we are sometimes fearful of our next days, help us to have faith in you. You are more than able to …