To Try...

I read an article and was thinking to myself - "I totally say that!"

Don't you love when your actions are affirmed with published support?! 

:-)

 When I was in college, I had a boss of mine tell me that I need to cut the work "try" out of my vocabulary.

Either you do, or you don't

There is no try.

She actually said me:

"To try is an act of nothingness"

Think about it...

When you say you 'tried' to do something...
What does that mean?

Usually, it means, you did it, and it didn't work

{or something like that)

Right?

Everyone should cut the word "try" out of their vocabulary

It really isn't a word that is necessary for us to use

It doesn't spice up our conversations

It doesn't make us sound strong and educated

Next time you catch yourself saying the word "try"

Stop and rethink how you could say the same sentence without it

Baby Steps!

Happy Tuesday!

Article

Can-Do Challenge- Always Do Your Best

On a Side Note:

I am running out of Can-Do Challenges

I am asking all of you to give me some ideas!

Is there anything that you want to add to one I had already posted?

Do you have one you want to share?

Please email me!

The most recent book that I read that has absolutely changed my way of thinking is called The Four Agreements written by don Miguel Ruiz.

This is the last agreement ... enjoy :-)
(I have decided that I am going to share a quote from the chapter and the information from the inside panel so that I don't give away any juicy information!)
I would absolutely recommend this book! I have been wanting to do a little personal make-over recently, so this book really helped me!

I would absolutely recommend this book! I have been wanting to do a little personal make-over recently, so this book really helped me!

The Four Agreements written by don Miguel Ruiz shows its readers what self-limiting beliefs we have that restrict us of experiencing joy and creates suffering. The Agreements are based on Toltex wisdom which offer powerful codes of conduct that can allow us to experience freedom, true happiness and love.

I hope that you all have the opportunity to read this book, and if not, please read my posts because they really do help :-)

Always Do Your Best

Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

"Under any circumstance, always do your best, no more and no less. But keep in mind that your best is never going to be the same from one moment to the next."
"If you always do your best there is no way you can judge yourself. And if you don't judge yourself there is no way you are going to suffer from guilt, blame, and self-punishment.:


This week, do your best. Remember that we are incapable of doing more than our best and if we give our best to everything that we do, we can't say that we failed.


Enjoy your Sunday!

Can-Do Challenge- Don't Make Assumptions

The most recent book that I read that has absolutely changed my way of thinking is called The Four Agreements written by don Miguel Ruiz.

The next two Sundays will list the remaining agreements and give a little snippet about each one :-)
(I have decided that I am going to share a quote from the chapter and the information from the inside panel so that I don't give away any juicy information!)
I would absolutely recommend this book! I have been wanting to do a little personal make-over recently, so this book really helped me!


I would absolutely recommend this book! I have been wanting to do a little personal make-over recently, so this book really helped me!

The Four Agreements written by don Miguel Ruiz shows its readers what self-limiting beliefs we have that restrict us of experiencing joy and creates suffering. The Agreements are based on Toltex wisdom which offer powerful codes of conduct that can allow us to experience freedom, true happiness and love.

I hope that you all have the opportunity to read this book, and if not, please read my posts because they really do help :-)

Don't Make Assumptions

Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

"Often we make the assumption that our partners know what we think and that we don't have to say what we want. We assume they are going to do what we want, because they know us so well. If they don't do what we assume they should do, we feel so hurt and say 'You should have known'."
"We make all sorts of assumptions because we don't have the courage to ask questions"
"We make the assumptions that everyone sees life the way we do. We assume that others think the way we think, feel the way we feel, judge the way we judge, and abuse the way we abuse."

This week, do your best not to make any assumptions. I know that I am definitely one to say "you should have known." Making assumptions isn't fair to anyone, so do your best not to make them. Say how your feel, ask for what you want and ask questions if you are confused and remember that everyone has their own reasons for feeling and thinking the way that they do!


Enjoy your Sunday!

Can-Do Challenge- Don't Take Anything Personally

The most recent book that I read that has absolutely changed my way of thinking is called The Four Agreements written by don Miguel Ruiz.

The next three Sundays will list the remaining three agreements and give a little snippet about each one :-)
(I have decided that I am going to share a quote from the chapter and the information from the inside panel so that I don't give away any juicy information!)
I would absolutely recommend this book! I have been wanting to do a little personal make-over recently, so this book really helped me!


I would absolutely recommend this book! I have been wanting to do a little personal make-over recently, so this book really helped me!

The Four Agreements written by don Miguel Ruiz shows its readers what self-limiting beliefs we have that restrict us of experiencing joy and creates suffering. The Agreements are based on Toltex wisdom which offer powerful codes of conduct that can allow us to experience freedom, true happiness and love.

I hope that you all have the opportunity to read this book, and if not, please read my posts because they really do help :-)

Don't Take Anything Personally

Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

 

"You take it personally because you agree with whatever was said. As soon as you agree, the poison goes through you, and you are trapped"

"Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves."

This week, do your best not to take things personally. It is so much easier said than done, I know this! Remember that when you find yourself taking something seriously to remember that it isn't about you, it is about them.


Enjoy your Sunday!

Can-Do Challenge- Be Impeccable With Your Word

The most recent book that I read that has absolutely changed my way of thinking is called The Four Agreements written by don Miguel Ruiz.

The next four Sundays will list the four agreements and give a little snippet about each one :-)
(I have decided that I am going to share a quote from the chapter and the information from the inside panel so that I don't give away any juicy information!)

I would absolutely recommend this book! I have been wanting to do a little personal make-over recently, so this book really helped me!

The Four Agreements written by don Miguel Ruiz shows its readers what self-limiting beliefs we have that restrict us of experiencing joy and creates suffering. The Agreements are based on Toltex wisdom which offer powerful codes of conduct that can allow us to experience freedom, true happiness and love.

I hope that you all have the opportunity to read this book, and if not, please read my posts because they really do help :-)

Be Impeccable With Your Word

Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love

"Your word is the power that you have to create."
"Tell yourself how wonderful you are, how great you are. Tell yourself how much you love yourself. Use the word to break all those teeny, tiny agreements that make you suffer."

This week, do your best not to tell yourself anything negative...using your inside or your outside voice :-) Also, do your best not to use your words against anyone else.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Can-Do Challenge- Accept What You Cannot Change

As I mentioned a few Sunday's ago, the next few Can-Do Challenges will be coming from a book that I bought as a result of a college class that I ended up dropping and I was unable to part with this book!

I hope that these are as helpful and beneficial for all of you, as they were for me!

Stress Free For Good, written by Dr Fred Luskin & Dr. Kenneth R Pelletier, is a book that has seriously changed my life and how I manage myself :-) I hope that you all have the opportunity to read this book, and if not, please read my posts because they really do help :-)

The tenth and final life skill written about in this book is: Accept What You Cannot Change

"Deep peace of the running wave to you.
Deep peace of the flowering air to you.
Deep peace of the quiet air to you.
Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
Deep peace of the gentle night to you.
Moon and stars pour their healing light on you.
Deep peace to you" (204)

Purpose:

~To earn to choose battles you have a chance of winning
~To learn to practice peacefulness whenever you can
~To learn to accept things you cannot change

Practice:

~Remind yourself that to solve the problem you need serenity and wisdom, not anger and dispair

~Ask yourself, "If I can't change this situation, what can I do to make peace with it?"
~Fully accept your life in body, mind and spirit

Tips:

~Trying to change a situation that isn't in your control leads to frustration
~Your mind and body suffer when you get angry
~Feeling less frustration allows you to focus on the things you do that might make a difference-if not to the circumstances, then at least to your response.

Application:

~When you find yourself getting frustrated by a situation that won't go away
~When you find yourself getting frustrated by a friend's or family member's irritating behavior
~When you have a financial setback
~When yo don't get the promotion you feel that you deserve
~When you're experiencing changed circumstances, such as retirement or a move
~When someone you love dies

Life Skill:

"In the words of the Serenity Prayers, 'Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference'" (207).

Again, all of this information comes straight from the book...I have paraphrased and generally it is not verbatim-I only chose a few items that have really helped me, that I hope will help you :-)

Can-Do Challenge- Just Say No

As I mentioned a few Sunday's ago, the next few Can-Do Challenges will be coming from a book that I bought as a result of a college class that I ended up dropping and I was unable to part with this book!

I hope that these are as helpful and beneficial for all of you, as they were for me!

Stress Free For Good, written by Dr Fred Luskin & Dr. Kenneth R Pelletier, is a book that has seriously changed my life and how I manage myself :-) I hope that you all have the opportunity to read this book, and if not, please read my posts because they really do help :-)

The ninth life skill written about in this book is: Just Say No

Purpose:

~To remind you that you have choices
~To highlight the fact that, because you can say no, your yes is real and not forced
~To remind you that you're responsible for the choices you make

Practice:

~When someone asks you to do something that you don't want to do:
1) Take two or three slep, deep belly breaths.
2) Ask to get back to them
3) When you offer your response, choose one of the following:
"I've thought about this, and unfortunately I'm not going to be able to help you this time"
"I'm not going to be able to help you out in the way you asked; maybe together we can come up with a solution that works for both of us"

Tips:

~At first, practice saying no with people you trust
~Remember that you can choose to say no. Give the answer you want to give.
~You don't have to do something just because someone asked you to
~You don't have to say no, any more tahn you have to say yes; the choice is yours.

Application:

~When you're asked to take on extra work
~When you need to resist the bad habits of your peers
~When someone wants you to come over and you are exhausted

Life Skill:

"Just saying no is a way of setting limits, being assertive without being angry, and communicating what you do and don't want to do to yourself and others" (192).

Again, all of this information comes straight from the book...I have paraphrased and generally it is not verbatim-I only chose a few items that have really helped me, that I hope will help you :-)

Can-Do Challenge- Stop Doing What Doesn't Work

As I mentioned a few Sunday's ago, the next few Can-Do Challenges will be coming from a book that I bought as a result of a college class that I ended up dropping and I was unable to part with this book!

I hope that these are as helpful and beneficial for all of you, as they were for me!

Stress Free For Good, written by Dr Fred Luskin & Dr. Kenneth R Pelletier, is a book that has seriously changed my life and how I manage myself :-) I hope that you all have the opportunity to read this book, and if not, please read my posts because they really do help :-)

The eighth life skill written about in this book is: Smile Because You Care

"Something that didn't work that first 100 times it was tried isn't likely to work the 101st time" (174).

Purpose:

~To learn to recognize when what you're doing is not successful and to stop
~To learn to try new strategies that may have better results

Practice:

~When calm ask yourself if the way you've handled the problem so far has worked.
~If the answer is not, ask the relaxed part of you for a new solution to the problem

Tips:

~Feeling stressed isn't your major problem; it's your frustration over not knowing what will solve your difficulty
~You will never know which solutions work if you keep repeating ones that don't
~Have patients
~Solutions that don't work add a second problem-a bad solution- to the first problem of a difficult situation

Application:

~When you're frustrated
~When you feel that you've tried everything
~When people tell you that you need to change
~When you're judging yourself harshly
~When you have a bad habit

Life Skill:

"When what you're doing isn't working, calm down and find a better solution" (176).

Again, all of this information comes straight from the book...I have paraphrased and generally it is not verbatim-I only chose a few items that have really helped me, that I hope will help you :-)

Can-Do Challenge- Smile Because You Care

As I mentioned a few Sunday's ago, the next few Can-Do Challenges will be coming from a book that I bought as a result of a college class that I ended up dropping and I was unable to part with this book!

I hope that these are as helpful and beneficial for all of you, as they were for me!

Stress Free For Good, written by Dr Fred Luskin & Dr. Kenneth R Pelletier, is a book that has seriously changed my life and how I manage myself :-) I hope that you all have the opportunity to read this book, and if not, please read my posts because they really do help :-)

The seventh life skill written about in this book is: Smile Because You Care

"Try a smile right now. Think of the love you offer, and smile. Hold that smile for about 10 seconds. Every person that we've asked to do this has reported feeling better. In other words, not only do you smile when you feel happy, but you feel happy when you smile! Apparently you can't have one without the other. So if you want to experience a moment of happiness, smile" (156).

Purpose:

~To reflect on the positive reasons you do most of the things in your life
~ To remind yourself that you care about people

Practice:

~Think of something you did today and ask yourself why you did them and when you remember why, smile
~Think about how much you care about the people you do things for-and smile

Tips:

~Remember that often we do things because we want to help
~Reflect on how much you care for all the people around you and how much of a help you are to them
~Smile at people, and they'll more likely smile at you

Application:

~When you are feeling discouraged
~When you are feeling overworked
~When you're being photographed ;-)

Life Skill:

"When you smile, your body and mind move into a healing state of peace and well-being-so care, and then smile" (162).

Again, all of this information comes straight from the book...I have paraphrased and generally it is not verbatim-I only chose a few items that have really helped me, that I hope will help you :-)

Can-Do Challenge- Appreciate Yourself

As I mentioned a few Sunday's ago, the next few Can-Do Challenges will be coming from a book that I bought as a result of a college class that I ended up dropping and I was unable to part with this book!

I hope that these are as helpful and beneficial for all of you, as they were for me!

Stress Free For Good, written by Dr Fred Luskin & Dr. Kenneth R Pelletier, is a book that has seriously changed my life and how I manage myself :-) I hope that you all have the opportunity to read this book, and if not, please read my posts because they really do help :-)

The sixth life skill written about in this book is: Appreciate Yourself

This is a really important life skill!
And it is the most difficult.
I can promise that if you do your best to make this a priority, you will have a high self esteem and feeling of self worth!
 

Purpose:

~To notice the many good things you do
~To learn to appreciate your talents and skills
~To remind yourself that you work hard and are worthy of praise

Practice:

~Think of one or two things you did that were helpful or that you were good at
~Appreciate yourself for your talents and willingness to help
~Realize that offering kindness, help and support are all positive choices that you make
~Even the little things need to get done. Appreciate yourself for not having blown them off.

Tips:

~It's easy to forget how much good we do
We're often criticized for things we do wrong rather than praised for things we do right. Look for your own virtues if all you're hearing is complaints
~Remember that appreciation is not the same as conceit

Application:

~When you feel inferior at a social or business meeting
~At the end of the day, if you are wondering what you accomplished
~When you feel that your abilities aren't being appreciated

Life Skill:

"Learning to appreciate your own worth and value isn't an indulgence; it's seeing clearly your own unique character and gifts" (147).

Again, all of this information comes straight from the book...I have paraphrased and generally it is not verbatim-I only chose a few items that have really helped me, that I hope will help you :-)

Can-Do Challenge-Slow Down

As I mentioned a few Sunday's ago, the next few Can-Do Challenges will be coming from a book that I bought as a result of a college class that I ended up dropping and I was unable to part with this book!

I hope that these are as helpful and beneficial for all of you, as they were for me!

Stress Free For Good, written by Dr Fred Luskin & Dr. Kenneth R Pelletier, is a book that has seriously changed my life and how I manage myself :-) I hope that you all have the opportunity to read this book, and if not, please read my posts because they really do help :-)

The fifth life skill written about in this book is: Slow Down

Purpose:

~Put less strain on your body

~Free up more energy to accomplish your tasks
~To allow time to appreciate your life

Practice:

~Do a common activity slowly, carefully and with focused attention

Tips:

~Sometimes speed up what you are doing so that you can notice how uncomfortable that feels
~Practice doing something the usual way and then slow down and practice again
~Observe that food tastes better when eaten slowly
~You will find that family and friends will appreciate you more when you slow down to talk and listen to them.

Application:

~When waiting in life
~When rushing to an appointment
~When you notice you are driving too fast
~When you feel impatient
~When you feel bored

Life Skill:

"Slowing down and being absolutely focused on what you're doing is one of the most effective ways to manage stress and manifest both health and happiness" (132).

Again, all of this information comes straight from the book...I have paraphrased and generally it is not verbatim-I only chose a few items that have really helped me, that I hope will help you :-)

Can-Do Challenge- Visualize Success

As I mentioned a few Sunday's ago, the next few Can-Do Challenges will be coming from a book that I bought as a result of a college class that I ended up dropping and I was unable to part with this book!

I hope that these are as helpful and beneficial for all of you, as they were for me!

Stress Free For Good, written by Dr Fred Luskin & Dr. Kenneth R Pelletier, is a book that has seriously changed my life and how I manage myself :-) I hope that you all have the opportunity to read this book, and if not, please read my posts because they really do help :-)

The fourth life skill written about in this book is: Visualize Success

"When you have thoughts of good things, when your mind pictures loving scenes, your body has no need for tension and high blood pressure.  In fact, loving thoughts and the emotions of gratitude are as good for the bosy as a relaxing massage on the beach in Hawaii" (p.82).

Purpose:

~To find better ways to achieve your goals

~To feel successful about the things you do
~To create better choices and options

Practice:

~Imagine an aspect of your life at which you feel that you are not successful
~Picture in your mind succeeding at your chosen activity
~Describe to yourself what the successful picture showed you about how to succeed
~Think about how success was different from the things you usualy do
~Plan how you can put into practice what you saw

Tips:

~Start small and gradually move on to bigger challenges
~Practice this at least three times for any one problem
~Write down your ideas

Application:

~Before going to an important meeting

~Before an important conversation with a friend, family member, or colleague
~When dieting or changing your exercise routines
~When you are looking for a win-win outcome

Life Skill:

"Research shows us that when we picture ourselves being successful, we're more likely to accomplish our goals and dreams" (115).

Again, all of this information comes straight from the book...I have paraphrased and generally it is not verbatim-I only chose a few items that have really helped me, that I hope will help you :-)

Can-Do Challenge- Tense to Relax

As I mentioned a few Sunday's ago, the next few Can-Do Challenges will be coming from a book that I bought as a result of a college class that I ended up dropping and I was unable to part with this book!

I hope that these are as helpful and beneficial for all of you, as they were for me!

Stress Free For Good, written by Dr Fred Luskin & Dr. Kenneth R Pelletier, is a book that has seriously changed my life and how I manage myself :-) I hope that you all have the opportunity to read this book, and if not, please read my posts because they really do help :-)

The third life skill written about in this book is: Tense to Relax

"When you have thoughts of good things, when your mind pictures loving scenes, your body has no need for tension and high blood pressure.  In fact, loving thoughts and the emotions of gratitude are as good for the bosy as a relaxing massage on the beach in Hawaii" (p.82).

Purpose:

~Know the difference between muscle tension and relaxation

~Be able to relax deeply and fully

Practice:

~On your 3rd deep belly inhale (more here) tighten your right arm from your shoulder to your hand and hold it tightly for 2-3 seconds
~On the exhale, relax fully and let your arm drop
~Repeat on your other arm, both legs and entire body
~As you repeat these steps, repeat relaxing affirmations to yourself

Tips:

~When you tense your muscles...really tense them and when you relax, really relax
~Remind yourself of your positive and relaxing affirmations

Application:

~Before going to sleep

~Before physical activities
~When you need to wake up
~When you are stuck in traffic

Life Skill:

"When you tense your muscles, letting go allows you to relax deeply" (102).

Again, all of this information comes straight from the book...I have paraphrased and generally it is not verbatim-I only chose a few items that have really helped me, that I hope will help you :-)

Can-Do Challenge- Live in the Present

I am a planner.

I need to have a plan for everything.

If I have no plan I get very anxious and I have a terribly unnerving feeling in my tummy.

At CCD last week, we had an Astronomy and Physics professor from the local Catholic College to talk a bit about Science and Religion and bridge the gap a bit.

He made an interesting statement that I won't ever forget:

You are always living in the past because it takes the human eye 0.37 milliseconds to register what you see, so technically what you see is in the past and what we think is the present is actually in the past.

Anyway, he said it much more eloquently than I did ;-)

I have started reading a new book and there is a quote inside this book that I thought tied to what the professor said.

"The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause"

- Henry Bergson

Is that an interesting way to think about what happens in our lives?!

I sure think so!

This has helped me to realize that what happens in the future is out of my control.

What is in my control is all of the details adding up to the future.

This weeks Challenge:

Do your best to live in the moment and remember this: 

"I have to live in this moment, here and now, to prepare for any and all future moments."

Aloha!

Can-Do Challenge- Knix the word "like"

Who else uses the word "like" way more than they should?! 

I am digressing {this week} from the Stress Free For Good book because I have noticed that I have been using the word "like" frivolously...

I don't think that I can go a conversation without saying it...

"she was like..." I was like..." "and then like..." 

like like like like

I know that I say it so much because my brain thinks faster than my lips...or my lips talk faster than my brain thinks..who knows!

What I do know is that I say it more than I would like to {ha! not that kind of like}

So here is the challenge:

Cut down the amount of "Likes" you use. I know that it is hard. Remember to speak slower and think before you speak.

I know that it is hard, so lets work on this together!

Can-Do Challenge- So Much to Appreciate!

As I mentioned last week, the next few Can-Do Challenges will be coming from a book that I bought as a result of a college class that I ended up dropping and I was unable to part with this book!

I hope that these are as helpful and beneficial for all of you, as they were for me!

Stress Free For Good, written by Dr Fred Luskin & Dr. Kenneth R Pelletier, is a book that has seriously changed my life and how I manage myself :-) I hope that you all have the opportunity to read this book, and if not, please read my posts because they really do help :-)

The second life skill written about in this book is: So Much to Appreciate

"When you have thoughts of good things, when your mind pictures loving scenes, your body has no need for tension and high blood pressure.  In fact, loving thoughts and the emotions of gratitude are as good for the bosy as a relaxing massage on the beach in Hawaii" (p.82).

Purpose:

~Help acknowledge the good in your life

~To improve your relationships

Practice:

~When taking your deep belly breaths (from last week) think deeply on someone your love, a beautiful place or an act of kindness done for you

Tips:

~Appreciating positive things is enhanced when combined with belly breathing

Application:

~When stress and difficulties pile up

~When making a difficult decision

~When you feel unappreciated, lonely or issolated

~When you are talking with someone, remember how much that person means to you

Life Skill:

"Appreciating other people, the beauty of nature, and joys of everyday life may be the simplest and more immediate way to create both health and happiness" (89).

Again, all of this information comes straight from the book...I have paraphrased and generally it is not verbatim-I only chose a few items that have really helped me, that I hope will help you :-)

Can-Do Challenge-Breathe from Your Belly!

When I was in College I signed up to take a Holistic Health class...just for fun. It ended up being too much for my schedule so I ended up dropping the class even though I hung on to one of the books. The book is called Stress Free For Good, written by Dr Fred Luskin & Dr. Kenneth R Pelletier, and if you know me, but at all, you know that I live by this book! I will recommend this book until I am blue in the face and everyone around me has read it, it is that life changing! So, the next few Sundays will have challenges, that actually double as Life Skills, from this book.

The first life skill written about in this book is: Breathe from Your Belly

Purpose:

~The simplest form of stress management

~Belly breathing helped you think in more productive ways

Practice:

~As you inhale, imagine your belly is a big balloon (yes, take that big of a breath)

~As you exhale, make sure your belly stays relaxed

~Take at least two or three more slow and deep breaths, making sure to keep your attention on the rise and fall of your belly

Tips:

~Practice every day

~You can practice even if you are not under any stress

Application:

~When you feel angry

~If you get nervous

~When you need to think before you speak

~When you need help falling asleep

Life Skill:

"Breathing slowly and deeply into and our of your belly is a signal to your mind and body to let go of stress and improve your health and happiness" (73).

Again, all of this information comes straight from the book...I have paraphrased and generally it is not verbatim-I only chose a few items that have really helped me, that I hope will help you :-)

Can-Do Challenge-No Buts About It!

Good Morning to All!

As promised yesterday, here is my first Can-Do Challenge!

There will be a couple of challenges in this post because I bunch all of these words together!

"I'm sorry"

I am a very apologetic person...I am always saying "I am sorry" etc for things that I am not really sorry about, or don't need to be sorry about.  When you say you are "sorry" about something you basically are telling yourself that you are a burden to someone else..and lets face it...we are not burdens, everyone is lucky to be around us! ;-)

"I tried"

My old boss once told me this: "To try is an act of nothing-ness". Isn't that an interesting way to look at that word? It totally makes sense!! And ever since then I do my best to use a different phrase (do you see..I just did it!)

"But..."

When we say something and then say "but" we basically negate everything that we said before the "but". Not saying "but" is probably the most difficult word to cut out of my vocabulary. (i.e. "I want to do this but we can do this" -ok, maybe that wasn't the best example...you get the point!- What was the point of saying the whole first phrase if you are just going to go with the second? Right?!)  In doing this, I feel like what I have to say has so much more meaning behind it because I say what I mean and it is teaching me to communicate better with others. 

The Challenge

Really think about what you mean and what you want to say before you say it or type it ;-).  Do your best to cut these words out of your vocabulary where they are unnecessary and do not add to your conversation. Speak slower and you will notice that this isn't as hard as you may think!

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Blogging 100!

Wow! I have 100 followers (ok, 109...still, over 100)! 

Who knew this day would come!!

Thank you all for taking an interest in my life!!!

I have decided that I want to take this blog on a couple of different tangents...are you all with me? Ok, GREAT!

1) I want to start something every week called "Can-Do Challenge" Basically what this entails is every week I will post a new personal challenge that I want to work on myself, or have worked on in the past, and I want you all to link to it by posting stories on how your have completed the challenge, how the challenge is going and what you have experienced {feelings, emotions, etc}while fulfilling the challenge!  The first one will be posted on Sunday and I will posted them on Sundays in the future! If you have any challenges that you want to overcome, let me know and I will post it!

2) I went to Italy in the summer of 2008 and I miss being there every day! I kept a journal and I wrote emails to my Sweeter every day with what I did and what I saw and who I met. I want to share those with you! I will do these once a week and hopefully it will give you inspiration to write about your own travel journeys and show all of us new places that we all dream to visit!

Thanks again, to everyone! I am really enjoying this new world that I am diving into! Thanks for reading :-)