Challenge Accepted

It’s been a long while since I took to the written page to share.  It’s way passed time.  I lost both of my parents in 2011, and my world was turned upside down. 

It took a long while to adjust to the changes that come from being basically alone and truly owning that I am responsible for my own path and every decision that is made.  Growing up I ran decisions by my parents for input and wisdom.  You don’t realize how much you depend on that, until they are gone and that option is no longer available.

Now, 8 years later, I can say that I have come to terms with life and decisions being in my hands.  God is my guide.  My brother and his wife, my kids and my friends are my family.  The future is up to me and what I put into it.  Life up until now has been challenging.  To say that it was a bumpy ride, is like saying the Grand Canyon is a big pothole.   Yet, the sun rises, every day.  Each day is a gift and I take a moment each morning and evening to be grateful to still be here.  I am currently living by the grace of God and the kindness of friends.  I have lost almost everything as far as material possessions.  I must start completely over.  Yet this is exactly where I belong and where I need to be.  The sun is rising.  Opportunity is there and waiting and I am ready.  My mind is open to the new direction before me.

So, if you too are struggling and feeling overwhelmed.  Pray for insight and guidance.  Be prepared for the answers you receive may not be what you expected or even considered, but that is how God and the universe works.  You cannot always choose what happens to you, but you can control your attitude and your response.  Life offers opportunities and lessons, don’t miss them by letting your attitude and busy life get in the way.

The sun will rise again.  The darkness will lift and your path will once again become clear.  Hang on.  Just hang on and pay attention.

Cherry Coley (c)

 

Oh December! You are Almost Here!

This year started on a stressful note and has decided to try to end that way as well.  This has been a very challenging time for a lot of people.  2017 has been a year of losing friends and loved one’s.  Yet, there is no path, no time so dark that light cannot break through.

I have thought a lot about mindset and what it means to me.  We have a choice on how we look at things and how we respond.  Never forget you have this choice, it is yours alone.  Me?  I am a spiritual being on a physical journey.  Knowing that helps me get through the tough times.  Everything in this life is temporary, both good and bad.  Knowing that keeps things tolerable and enjoyable.  Keep your head up through the tough times and realize that no matter what difficulty you are facing, it’s temporary.  Take time for the good things.  More importantly, take time to notice the good.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the struggle we forget to appreciate the sunrise or sunset.  We forget to notice that gentle breeze, or the color of the leaves this time of year.  Oh to absorb even a part of the excitement a dog feels when he see’s you walking toward him again.  Whether it’s been 5 minutes or 5 days, that dog doesn’t care.  They are ready to run around, wag their tail, bark, and show you how excited they are that you are there with them.

Take a moment to breathe.  Take a moment to be thankful.  You are still here.  You still have a purpose and as long as you don’t quit, there is still time, still hope.  December is going to be a good month.

Cherry Coley (c)

Book Review – Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind

 I picked up this book because…who doesn’t want to better manage their day to day routine, find better focus and sharpen their creative mind?  Ha.  This is a typical book for this type of book.  It has a lot of good points about how to regain focus and create time to be creative.  It even mentions another of my favorite books – “The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron.  It talks about the Morning Pages which is something that I ran across years ago in “The Artist’s Way.”  It was a brilliant idea then and still is a great idea to get the creative mind going.  I am thankful for the reminder.  The author of this book also exposes the myth of multi tasking and elaborates that multi tasking is really not possible.  You can multi task by walking or driving and listening to music at the same time, but unless it is something along that line, you are really not multi tasking.  What are you actually doing is chopping small pieces of your time up and giving it to several things at once.  Before entering into trying to multi task always take a moment to look and see if it would be better and more efficient to do one thing, do it well, complete it and move on.  Good point.  I recommend this book for the insights it offers.

Cherry Coley (c)

The Draw of Netflix

I confess over the last year I discovered Netflix.  You know that feeling when you settle down to watch “a little” television then realize several hours have passed.  It’s addicting and I hear it call to me at times.

As a single mom struggling to stretch funds as far as possible, our little family went years without cable.  So signing up for Netflix has led to the discovery of many series that I had not ever watched, but had heard others talking about at work.  It also led to going back and watching childhood favorites and getting to watch the entire series of some shows where I had missed many episodes.  At first this seemed great!  We could finally catch up and know what others know and understand references to shows that we now had seen as well.

However, (you knew that was coming) Netflix, while wonderful when you have a cold or just need a break, is also very addicting.  Why?  I’ve watched some series more than once and then wondered why I was sitting and watching something I’d already seen.  Why am I spending my valuable time watching other people?  The answer is that Netflix fills a hunger, a void.  It can be entertaining when there is nothing you want to watch on regular cable or television.  It can be funny, horrifying, mind boggling, informative, or sad depending on what you choose.  In essence, Netflix is like a visual book.  What?   Yep, I said that right, Netflix, Hulu, HBO, all those streaming services are like a visual book.

Why are we so drawn to watch series on Netflix?  Is it because we are spoiled and want to watch the entire thing without the break from week to week like we get on television?  Partially, but mostly I think the essence of binge watching is caused by the need to feed your mind an ongoing story.  We get more attached to the stories when we watch them in succession.  The characters pull us in closer, we crave more until we reach the end and then, there is that same feeling as when you put down a good book, a good story, and it’s ended.  We are a little sad that our time with the characters is done.  Sometimes a little upset because it didn’t end the way we thought it would.  It’s the same.  What do you do if you want more?  You either pick another book – or series, or you go back to revisit or reread so you can be in that world a little longer.  This is why Netflix and Hulu, etc. are so popular.   So why not choose to read instead?  The imagination is so much more adept and better equipped to create that fantastic world the writer has in store for us than pictures and actors on the screen.  We say we don’t have time to read.  That’s not true.  There’s always time to read.  Reading is portable.  Oh, I know, with smart phones, tablets, watches and gizmo’s the shows we watch are also more and more portable every day.

So, it’s up to you.  You don’t have to choose one or the other, but it would be beneficial to switch things up at times.  Remind yourself of how much fun reading is.  How nice it is to let your mind be linked to another creative mind through the magic of pages for awhile.  You can read outside and decide to put the book down and take a walk.  Something that doesn’t really occur to you when you’re inside binge watching.  You choose.  Aren’t we all connected and stuck with taking in someone else’s interpretation of what they perceived something to be enough?  Take some time to do things to exercise your imagination.  Get lost in a good book and let your mind wander and explore.

Cherry Coley (c)

 

 

 

 

 

Burning Bowl Ceremony – Make a Positive Change!

The Inspiring Blogger Award

I posted this article a few years ago.  It is a great way to start out the New Year.  Let’s make 2015 a better year  with a positive outlook!

Someone asked me about burning bowl rituals the other day, what they were and what the purpose is.

I actually love burning bowl rituals.  What a great way to let go of things that are bothering or hindering us.  It’s a great way to clear negative thoughts and energy and make way for a new, positive start.  What better time than the start of a New Year!

I started doing burning bowl rituals at a young age, though it wasn’t initially with a bowl, just a candle.  It’s really quiet simple and something that is generic to any belief system according to how you make it.  I liked the idea of something I didn’t need in my life anymore burning and going up in smoke.

 Find a bowl preferably metal or glass (you don’t have to have one, but it makes it nice and neater), fill it up a third of the way with rock salt or salt, and stand a white candle in the middle.

 Simply take two sheets of paper – on one sheet write all the things like bad habits you want to get rid of, excuses for things you haven’t done, weaknesses, temptations, things that are bothering you or you would like to be gone in your life; including negative ways of talking to yourself, or beating yourself up for things that go wrong.

 On the second sheet of paper write down all the things you want to take place of the things you are getting rid of in your life.  If you are getting rid of negative ways of talking to yourself, then write that you will find daily affirmations that will work for you.  If you often beat yourself up when something goes wrong, write that you will celebrate when things go right.   Once you have this list written, fold it and put it in an envelope and attach it to a month on your calendar – say December since that is the end of the year.

 There is no right or wrong way to do this, it is totally up to you what you are making a point of letting go of in your life whether it be emotions or specific things.  Take some time to really contemplate this, then either roll the paper, or tear it into pieces and feed it to the flame and let the paper burn out on the salt by the candle.   (NEVER leave a candle unattended).

 As the paper is burning see and visualize the things you wrote down going up in smoke, take a moment to meditate and say a prayer of gratitude and forgiveness.  Recognize that you are letting go of the things that are clogging your creativity and holding you back from who you want to be, and where you want to be.  Choose to be thankful that these things no longer have a place in your life and you are making a point of letting them go and deciding on another direction right now.  It can be as elaborate or as simple as you want to make it.

 Have fun releasing all the bad things and things that just seem to linger and never really do any good.  Feel the stress go up in smoke, when the air clears breathe in the fresh new start. Remember to write down and set your goals, take small steps to reach them each day.

Later in the year, check your calendar and in the month that you attached the other envelope or reminder – take out the other list and see how successful you were at implementing the changes you wanted in your life.  The important thing is to move forward.  You will be pleasantly surprised how small acts of faith can make things happen.

 Cherry Coley ©

A New Beginning

Here, at the end of 2014, there is a chance to begin again.  We make our own decisions, create our own opportunities, and our own obstacles.  We decide whether to begin again, or to keep going down the same path and in the same direction.  Sometimes a break, a time to stop and get our bearings is necessary.  A time to reflect and sort through the events and actions that brought us to the place we are now.  Taking a break, a time of reflection, is beneficial and important to assess the situation before deciding which way to proceed.  Just don’t take too long a break or you will find yourself becoming complacent and settling for less than you want or intend.

Major life changes such as losing a loved one, losing a job, ending a relationship, changing residence, or making a career change can leave us feeling lost and uncertain.  It is at those moments it’s important to remember the things we’ve already come through.  Life offers a variety of challenges along the way.  Our ability to navigate and survive is directly related to our perspective, our attitude, our wits, and our faith.   However, we are not meant to survive this world alone.  We were designed to socialize and interact with others.  Choosing our friends wisely is important.

Why not make plans this year to get out of your comfort zone? Why not make 2015 the year you reach for more in yourself and expand your horizons?  Do something you’ve never tried before, like painting, or learning to play the guitar, or learning to drive a motorcycle.  Why not extend a hand of friendship to someone new and see what happens along the way?

In just a few days we will be saying goodbye to 2014 forever.  It’s important to remember that not only does the year-end, but time passes, moments pass and they can never be regained once they are gone.  So stop rushing about and wasting precious time.  Think about your days, hours, minutes and how you are spending that time.  What can you do different this year?  What actions can you take starting now to make a difference in where you are compared to where you want to be?  Don’t settle. Don’t fumble your way through and go with the flow.  Instead make your steps and actions deliberate and take charge of your own path.  Set goals that are reasonable and attainable, then plan the steps to reach those goals and set up a time line.  Most important find a buddy to work on your goals with you.  We all need a helping hand at some point, someone to encourage us and to hold us accountable.  Reaching goals is easier with a buddy to offer a little push to keep going and to keep us from beating ourselves up if we get off track.

Let’s say goodbye to 2014 on a positive note and look forward to 2015!

Cherry Coley (c)

Save One

I love animals.  My daughters and I used to volunteer with Kittico Cat Rescue to help cats find homes.  At any given time it seems there’s a surplus of animals and not enough homes to go around.  It makes me sad.

My dad was a big animal lover.  I guess I get my love of animals from him.  I brought home cats and there was the occasional dog that would follow me home growing up.  He didn’t turn them away, though he probably should have.  He wound up feeding a lot of stray cats in the neighborhood.  It was an expensive chore, but I loved him for it.

pic by Cherry

Back in May I stopped and picked up a puppy that was trotting along on a busy street in our neighborhood.  I couldn’t let it go, he was so pretty and by himself.  I didn’t want to see him get ran over.  So, I picked up the little guy and brought him home.  He is a husky – great Pyrenees mix.  He looked tired and hungry.

We named him Scout though I have often thought I should have named him Forrest because he reminds me of Forrest Gump.  He is a big baby that thrives on gentle love.  He hates to get in trouble and doesn’t respond well to harsh discipline.

He has sky blue eyes, but his left eye is brown on top and blue on the bottom.  Scout howls now and then and even says a few mumbled words.    He has grown into quiet a character and a wonderful addition to our family.  I am glad no one ever claimed him.

Through the years I have loved on many pets and only actually paid for one dog for my daughter.  Other than that they have been the cast offs and strays that I have found along the way.  Cats, dogs, one bird, and once a few hamsters.  Animals are simple creatures to figure out.  They need love, food, water and protection.

Here is a picture of Scout now at approximately a year old.  He’s a great big boy at 85 pounds.

I used to have the same philosophy with people.  I thought people were generally good at heart, circumstances and events happen that sometimes change them over time.  I thought it was my role to help and save them.   People and animals must want to be saved in order to be helped.  You cannot force an animal to trust you.  If they have been hurt or abused, trust will take time and patience and there’s the real possibility that you will never be fully trusted and will be permanently kept at a distance though tolerated.

People are the same way, if they have had bad life experiences, others that have betrayed their trust, hurt or abused them, then trust is proven and grown over time with the real possibility that you may never get as close as you wish.

The important thing to remember is we each have opportunities that are specific to us and our environment.  You can think about someone you know and tell yourself that “someone” should help them, but they are in your reach – you may be the someone who needs to act.

Take the time to appreciate the people and animals in your life.  Take a moment to notice those around you that need you, reach out, you may be the person that can save one more life today.  Every human touch of kindness counts no matter how small.

Cherry Coley

Spring Forward

    It’s time to move the clock forward again.  We watch the sunrise many times on the way to work in the morning now.  Bright hues of orange  and yellow streak the sky as the sun comes up and signals the start of another day.

I love this time of year.  Even though I like winter with the cold and snow blanketing things in white and adding an icy coat to the trees and streets, I love it when spring comes bringing sunshine and warmth to wake up the sleeping trees and plants.

I look forward to Spring this year.  It’s a time for renewal, a new beginning.  A perfect time to start writing again.

I welcome this new phase in life.  This year is proving to be more challenging in some ways and more fulfilling in others.  Each year we live is filled with different experiences and opportunities waiting to be taken advantage of if we have the courage to step forward and the willingness to try.  I am thankful there are new things to learn.

So tonight, don’t forget to set the clock forward.  Take advantage of the longer daylight hours to come.  Time is a precious resource, once it’s spent you cannot replace it or relive it.  Spend your time wisely.

Cherry Coley

“Lift” A Great Little App for your Phone

The world of smart phones has come a long way in a short time.  I confess to being fairly new to smart phones and their tricks and uses.  I have an iphone and have been enjoying finding new, creative and useful apps each week.

I download and explore a lot of the free apps, though I do have a few that I liked so much I upgraded to the paid version.

One of my favorite apps I just started using is called “Lift.”  They have a website you can check out at  https://lift.do/

Lift is designed to be like a coach in your pocket.  It is a designed to help people build and keep track of better habits.  There are 3 simple steps:  Set Goals, See your progress, and Get support.

There is a list of goals to choose from, but you have the option to add your own as well.  Once you set that up, it moves the goal to a list for you.  On the list you “check in” daily when you complete your goal.  A Frequency chart appears beside the Check in button that keeps track of your progress.

Lift

Wait! There’s more!  When you “check in” it is posted on a status board showing how many times you’ve checked in and you can (if you like) put notes on your check in describing a bit more of what you are working on.

For instance: on the board for checking into “reading” you could put a note about which book you are reading.  Others on the board will see your “check in” and note (if you put one) and have the option to offer “props” with a thumb’s up sign, or to comment on your note.  I must say, it’s pretty cool to “check in” then have others come behind you with “props.”  It’s like getting a pat on the back or an “atta girl.”

Lift also offers 21 day habit training.  These are goals that are designed to help you form good habits.  The 21 day challenges come with instructions and inspiring quotes to encourage you along the way.

With Lift you can choose your goals and tasks, you can add people to follow and gain followers, invite your friends and have fun meeting your goals and encouraging others.

As an added benefit there are groups you can join like “Daily Good Deed Challenge”, complete with instructions for doing good deeds, what it means, suggestions for what to do, interesting tidbits of information and daily challenges.

Finally, on the web you have the option to export your progress to an excel or google spreadsheet for better tracking purposes.

So, if you’re looking for a free and easy to use app to keep track of goals and act as a mini-coach, I recommend “Lift.”  Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Cherry Coley ©

The Smell of Fall

I love the smells of fall.  The smell of pumpkin bread baking, chocolate chip cookies, and cakes.  I love baking when the weather gets cooler.

Fall brings with it the prettiest colors.  My favorite colors decorate the trees: orange, red, brown, yellow, and even some lingering greens all grace the trees around the area.

The leaves shimmy and rustle in the wind, there’s a chill to the air that wasn’t there not long ago.  The air smells different, cooler days are coming.

This morning I went outside while it was still dark. The air was crisp and the sky was clear.  The stars twinkled brightly in the darkness above.  There’s something so comforting about watching the sun come up.  The day has started again and with it comes the promise of new opportunities, another chance to change or make a difference.

I love the smells of fall the most, both inside and outside.  There’s something in the air that is different.

Cherry Coley (c)

Related articles

• ‘Tis the season for a ridiculous amount of pumpkin (chelseygreen89.wordpress.com)
• Pumpkin Bread (lorischulz.wordpress.com)