Scribblings One: 'What Would You Attempt if You Knew You Would Not Fail?'

I was searching the web looking for somewhere where I could get some prompts for my blog. I love posting about my weight loss, my life, my feelings, but sometimes (like right now) I am in desperate need of a deeper, more powerful post to keep my heart and soul open. I hope that makes sense.

So I found, through an avenue of a Google search and two blogs, a blog that is no longer being updates regularly, however it is a blog that was started to offer writing prompts to writers who may be struggling with Writer's Block, for those who journal, for those who seem to need something to write. And sometimes that is exactly what I need.

WHAT WOULD YOU ATTEMPT IF YOU KNEW YOU WOULD NOT FAIL?

This is an age old question... and some people take it and run with it, deep down to the depths of their soul, and some people take it to a silly place, keeping it light and airy.

I want to keep it in the middle.

Before I begin I want to start with a story... Once upon a time...

When I was a junior in college, I realized that I needed to study abroad. Now or never. It was something I needed to do right then or I would never have to opportunity to do it again. So I did a tiny bit of research and (like my college search) picked one place, applied, was accepted, and the rest is history. I was going to Ireland. Only for 6 weeks, in the summer, but it was an opportunity to spread my wings, experience something I never have before, and something that I could use to grow myself in the most magical way possible.

This was something that I knew I would love to do and something that not all my friends had the opportunity to do and something that would make me unique to potential employers, etc. So I decided to do it, packed my bags, and I was off like a dirty shirt (Pretty in Pink reference!).

When I saw this question I wanted to do something silly and not very personal, however, I think there are too many things in this world that are no longer personal. And a blog should be, because I am writing it for myself. There may be people reading it, there may not, but I love writing so much and think this is a great way to work on it. To get that fix that writing sometimes gives me. 

So I would attempt to move to a foreign country on a whim. Specifically Ireland. Perhaps the UK.

Image found on a Google Search for Cliffs of Moher, Ireland.

I don't mean whim, as in decide to buy a plane ticket on a Tuesday and be in the new city, state, country, continent by Friday. However, I mean decide to go for personal and selfish reasons. I wouldn't want to go because a job was offered to me somewhere, or because my boyfriend got a job there, or because I had family or friends asking me to go there. I would want to do it because I had a wanderlust coating on my heart and that I was itching for an adventure. I would want to have nothing to go on but a few apartment guides, the help wanted ads, and the kindness of distant relatives and friends of friends (or even friends of friends of friends; I'm not picky about that).

The job is something that I would struggle with, however, in this perfect world created by this question, I think it is only fair to realize that I wouldn't fail. I would find a job and an apartment. I wouldn't fail in all the things I wouldn't be able to fail in. The basic, human, necessities: food, water, shelter.

I am now taking liberties with this question and assuming that, I wouldn't fail with things that matter, but I would be in a position to face emotional and personal failure. I would still be able to get my heart broken, face hardships when it came to success, getting everything I wanted, living the lifestyle I had only dreamed of. 

I wouldn't call getting everything you wanted easily and readily to be considered not failing. I just mean that the big things can't go wrong, or they can but never without a faith-based back-up plan.

Now that I am looking at this I think this is a possible achievement. I believe that, for the most part, we never actual fail. We have set backs, less than ideal circumstances, but none of those are components to a lack of success. They are simply bumps in the long road of life. Success wouldn't be considered so sweet if we never failed at anything. If everything were handed to us, our expectations would be greater than the universe and would never be met.

So, in conclusion, it looks like the main ideal here is "What would you attempt if you knew you would not fail?" But if you look at the opportunities and the small 'failures' they really just lead to the amazing successes and the things that open us up to much better things in this world.

Embrace the failures. They lead to the most amazing successes.

A Peak and a Pit: One

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN AND PUBLISHED ON MY WEIGHT WATCHER'S BLOG: June 30th, 2014

Because I was so happy about my huge weight loss the first week, I went out and celebrated, and celebrated... and celebrated. And I am down to 1 extra point for the week and I just cannot stop myself. So that was a pit.

Definitely something that I knew would happen for me. Some weeks you just need it, want it, accidentally use it, or whatever. But it's sad that it happened to me so soon into the program. Although, on the other hand, I guess it makes sense that I would do it soon, because taking the amount of food I was in-taking down to 31 points a day, it leaves a lot of room for hunger, or just habit.

But I hope to do better. I think I can. I know I can. It's just a matter or trying a lot harder and planning a lot more!

I am moving soon and will have access to an elliptical and will only have food in the house for me and my boyfriend. Hopefully I won't have to worry about any food that will be a temptation. Because when there is temptation, I cannot say no. I struggle with that a lot.

However, I decided that today, on my lunch break, I wanted to walk around instead of just sitting there doing nothing. And it was so nice. I walked around my building for 15 minutes and enjoyed the sun and just looked around and it was so nice.

So on days where the weather permits, I think that will be a habit for me.

Even though it was only 1 extra point, there is no such thing as small successes!

Happy Monday!

One More Step at a Time...

For your physical health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
It aids in weight loss, promotes healthy skin, and helps with cellulite and discoloration.

2. Eat breakfast like a king.
Eat lunch like a prince.
Eat dinner like a beggar.

3. Eat more foods that grow on trees, plants, and come from the ground.
Eat less things that are manufactured in plants.

For the health of your heart:
4. Don't compare your life to others.
You have no idea what their journey has been.

5. Try to turn negatives thoughts into positives.
Being negative doesn't help anyone grow.

6. Know what your limits are.
Practice keeping them as often as you can.

7. Dream more while you're awake.

8. Smile and laugh more often, with as many people as you can.

For the health of others:
9. Call your family often.

10. Each day, give something good to others.

11. Remember that, what other people think about you is none of your business.

12. Your job won't take care of you when you're sick or sad.
Your friends will.
Remember them and keep in touch.

For everything else:
13. Do the right thing!
You know what the right thing is.
No excuses.

14. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful, or joyful.

15. No matter how terrible a situation;
No matter how wonderful a situation;
Things changes.

16. No matter how you fell,
Get up, dress up, and show up.

17. Your inner most is always happy.
So, be happy!

***I found this on a tumblr post. I couldn't find a source, I couldn't find an author. Seems to be a compilation of a bunch of advice from all over. I am not claiming this as my own, I'm just passing it along.

xxLindsey

The Three Things that Matter Most.

In the end, only three things matter:
how much you loved,
how gently you lived,
and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.
--Buddha

Sometimes we just need a little reminder that the little things in life don't matter as much as they seem. Focusing on your heart and the type of person and energy you are blessing the world with will leave room in your soul for all the things that really matter.

Let Me Paint You a Picture.

Today is just one of those days, finding that you miss when things were more simple.

For me, that's always been summer vacation. You get to sleep in, have no responsibilities, sit in the sunshine, paint your toe nails, have a tan, and go on trips with your family. There's so much nostalgia associated with it.

Maybe the reason I am wishing I could be consumed by those times, is because I am sitting on the floor of my bedroom; the same bedroom I have was brought home from the hospital to. But let me raise you a Boom Box and forty or so mixed CDs I made in high school. Some of the music I still listen to frequently, and some of the songs I haven't heard in years and years.

We are in the day of iPods, iPads, music files, and YouTube. We no longer hope that our favorite songs come on the radio; or call in and request! *cough* Barbie Girl *cough* Instead, we hear a song we like, and we download it. We can listen to our favorites ten million times, learn all the words, and be onto the next song in hours.

But back in the day, mixed CDs were the only way to have the music you wanted when you wanted it. I just put in a CD and "Come Clean" by Hilary Duff was the first track. Followed by "Flavor of the Week" and three [yes, three] Celine Dion hits.

This is like a beautiful treasure hunt; most of these CDs have some obscure title, picture, or simple nothing at all drawn onto the face. No track list, no artist name, no year. Some CD titles I have come across so far: Sad Songs, Signature Collection, Random Stuff but GOOOOOOOD, Encounter [Years 2004, 2005, and 2006], RBL Mix, and one that simply has a heart on it. Other than that, there is nothing written on them.

Exploration of my musical tastes over the years! And I am feeling overwhelmed by the amount of memories that come with the music.
It is said that memories is most closely and accurately remembered with smell, but music is a crazy reminder of certain times in our lives, our friends, our feelings.

What makes this picture more beautiful, and very true of my true nature, is that I have the window WIDE open. The air coming in is crisp and cool, but not too cold. It just rained a little and the smell is overwhelmingly delicious. This is at the top of my list of most loved things in life.

Another one of my favorite things, is hearing one of these songs, one that I haven't thought about or heard in at least eight years, and still knowing every single word. It's enough to make someone [ahem.. me] cry.

So, my picture, that I am suppose to be painting for you.

I am sitting on my floor, next to my bed, boom box next to me, pile of CDs scattered all around, and my computer in my lap. All things that point to a teenager's room. One you may see in a movie or cartoon. However, as it goes, I am a 26 year old, adult woman, with a job, driver's license, and a much better understanding of life than my teenage self. Yet! I sit here and couldn't be happier  reliving some of my teenage afternoons, spent alone, listening to music, and wishing I didn't have homework and did have someone glamourous to go.

One of the songs just skipped, and I instinctively knew it would. These CDs were burned in my memory banks at one point or another and have never left. That makes me smile.

One Step at a Time...

1. Push yourself to wake up before the rest of the world.
Start with 7am, then 6am, then 5:30am.
Go to the nearest hill with a big coat, sweater, scarf, blanket, and watch the sunrise.

2. Push yourself to fall asleep earlier.
Start with 11pm, then 10pm, then 9pm.
Wake up in the morning feeling re-energized and comfortable.

3. Erase processed food from your diet.
Start with no candy, chips, then pasta, rice and cereal, then bread.
If a child couldn't identify the ingredients, don't eat it.

4. Get into the habit of cooking yourself a beautiful breakfast.
A smoothie, scrambled eggs cooking in real butter, cut up fruit, organic oatmeal.
Sit, eat, and enjoy it, and do absolutely nothing else.

5. Stretch.
Start by reaching for the sky as hard as you can, then trying to touch your toes.
Roll your head, gently, from side to side. Stretch your fingers. Stretch everything.

6. Buy a big, fun water bottle.
Start by pushing yourself to drink the whole thing in a day.
Then try drinking it twice.

7. Buy a special journal and a glorious black pen.
Write down everything you do, including dinner dates, appointments, assignments, to-do lists, coffee orders.
No detail is too small, and don't forget the date.

8. Strip your bed of your sheets, blankets, and pillow cases, and dump it all into the washing machine.
Wash on super hot with a few drops of your favorite essential oil and a free and clear detergent.
Make your bed, shower, and sleep well with a clean body and a clean bed.

9. Organize your room.
Fold all your clothes, donate what you don't use, clean your mirror, vacuum the floor.
Light a beautiful candle and enjoy.

10. Have a luxurious bath with candles and your favorite music.
Wash your hair, scrub your body, shave your legs. Lather your body with a luscious moisturizer.
Get familiar with your body again: between your toes, your inner thighs, the back of your neck.

11. Push yourself to go for a walk.
Take your headphones, wear cute clothes, take your dog.
Smile at strangers as you walk; you'll be surprised at how many people smile back.

12. Message old friends.
Reminisce about experiences, jokes, and other friends. Suggest a coffee date to catch up and hug.
Push yourself to actually follow through. Old friends can make the best new friends.

13. Think long and hard about what interests you.
Crime? Sex? Travel? Find a book about it and read it.
There is a book about, literally, everything.

14. Take all of your panties, night gowns, bras, and intimates, and wash them.
Get rid of the old ones, the stained ones, and the ones that don't make your body look amazing.
Wear them with confidence. Even if no one is going to see them but you, you are special.

15. Become the person you would ideally fall in love with.
Let cars merge into your lane. If you see a parking meter running low, throw some change in. Smile and wave at babies. Compliment people on the things you like about them. walk with good posture. Look people in the eye. Talk to acquaintances so they become friends.
Challenge yourself not to ridicule anyone for a whole day, then two, then a week.

While working on these things, lie in the sunshine, daydream about the life you would lead if failure was not an option. Then open your eyes and take small steps every day to make this happen for yourself.

Life is so short, and so many people waste days, and weeks, and months hoping and dreaming of changing, but if we all encourage one another and take small steps, we all can become who we were meant to be.

xxLindsey