On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.
I receive a daily dose of inspiration from bestselling authors and coaches Marc and Angel Chernoff. In yesterday’s email, they shared this advice:
NOTE TO SELF: It’s not what you say to everyone else that determines your life; it’s what you whisper to yourself that has the greatest power.
You know this is true. The happiness of your life greatly depends on the quality of your thoughts.
The mind is indeed your battleground. It’s the place where the greatest conflict resides. It’s where half of the chaos you thought was real, was completely fabricated. There’s no escaping the fact that you are what you think—that you can’t change anything if you can’t change your thinking.
The key, of course, is calming your mind…
As you begin each day in 2021, be mindful and take a second to think about what a privilege it is to simply be alive and healthy. Breathe onto the bathroom mirror just to see how amazing your breath looks. When you start a day in a mindful state like this, you can focus more effectively, step into the day on the right foot and carry the momentum forward.
Easier said than done on most days, but practice always helps. So, practice reminding yourself…
1. The problem is rarely the problem—the problem is the incredible amount of over-thinking and over-analyzing you’re doing with the problem.
2. Many people make themselves unhappy simply by finding it impossible to accept life just as it is presenting itself right now. You don’t have to be one of them.
3. Never force anything. Do your best, then let it be. If it’s meant to be, it will be. Don’t hold yourself down with things that are out of your control.
4. Learn to trust the journey, even when you do not understand it. Sometimes what you never wanted or expected turns out to be what you need.
5. RELAX. You are enough. You have enough. You do enough. Inhale. Exhale… let go, and just live right now in the moment.
Note: I highly recommend subscribing to Marc & Angel’s website.
Cherry resides in the Mitten State with her husband of 19 years and a tabby cat named Caden. A true Michigander, she points at the palm of her right hand when telling people where she lives, drinks Vernors ginger ale when she’s under the weather, wears shorts and a sweatshirt at the same time, and measures distance in minutes, not miles. She also cheers for her favorite football team, the Michigan Wolverines. Go Blue!
Earlier this month, I participated in a WFWA (Women’s Fiction Writers Association) webinar with writer Brigitte Russell. An educator, Brigitte has a PhD in history and has taught at both K-12 and post-secondary levels. In her work for the New Mexico Public Education Department, she has also delivered numerous in-person and webinar trainings for teachers and school administrators.
During the holiday season, if a holiday movie is on TV, I’ll watch. I can’t say the number of times I’ve seen some of them. They are a part of me and my holiday season as much as buying a Christmas tree, baking goodies, and partying with friends and family.
Joanne Guidoccio 