Let's Give Thanks Together....

As we approach Thanksgiving, I would love to give thanks with you.... my family....my friends... my readers....  join me here and let the whole world know what you are thankful for today and every day. 

I would be honored to start our Thanksgiving thread ........

I am so very thankful for my God....the one and only reason I am here sharing thoughts with you today.  I am thankful for my health so that I can be the best I can be in service for others.  I am so very thankful for all the love in my life.  It makes me the richest woman alive......allowing me all the wonderful joy and light anyone could ever ask for.  I am thankful for all the wonderful opportunities I have been given.  With them, I have been blessed with learning and growth....

Awwwww…… I could go on and on..........  BUT, it's your turn!!!!! 

Who's next...... come on... don't be shy...  :-)  

The Journey..... (conclusion.....or just the beginning...... )

When we stop fighting with our inner voice and start speaking it........ when we stop talking so much and  begin to really listen and hear ..... when we let go of the things that hold us back instead of hanging on to what hinders our journey and when we accept the path that is laid out before us instead of challenging it ........... that feeling comes.... that peace... that comfort... that moment in time when we just know...... really KNOW that we are right where we belong.....

With this new and exciting way of thinking, I became rich in diversity, the ability to be everything I want to be................ not limiting myself to the restrictions and ideas of others as to what I should and shouldn’t be………….   It’s not about being different … it’s about just being who I am.  I am like no other.  I am unique.  I cannot lose myself to those who try to mold me.  Being strong in that brings me here…….

Hello World! My name is Mary Elizabeth and I am a real woman living in the real world!  I am diverse, intelligent, confident, educated, creative and independent!  I am also absolutely in love with life! I am so very grateful for all the wonderful things I have been blessed with and I appreciate all the challenges I have faced that gave me strength and determination to be here writing this for you today!  I am good enough!  I am strong enough! I am a writer … a builder of stories that I hope will inspire my readers!  I am happy!! And……most of all…….I am aspiring to be the greatest person I can be……….by just being ME!   Join me!! It’s absolutely incredible!!!

The Journey... (more)

When I began cleaning out my closet, I learned that my time is precious. Every moment matters and it’s up to me to decide how to use my moments.  We only get them once…….

I’ve been told by many people that I am so “full of life”……………..I guess that’s because I made room!  Making room involves a lot of hard decisions….

One of the first decisions I had to make was to get rid of the negative energy in my life!  I had to enhance my life with uplifting and positive influence and with that, I had to determine what in my life I was allowing to steal my sunshine!….. what was I enabling?  First I had to own it and then I had to act!

I decided to surround myself with uplifting and positive influence……people who encouraged my dreams and supported my ambitions! It was up to me to protect my space! When people approached me with negativity, it was up to me to say “STOP! This is my life and I need to do what is right for ME!”   

This new way of thinking allowed me to bring back memories of all the poems I had written over 25 years ago…..when I didn’t let people take the ME out of who I was.  I pulled out those poems, those saved pieces of me and I started reading all about what I saw and how I felt all those years ago.....

Little did I know that day,  I would be here with you unraveling the intricacies of timing, purpose, passion, conviction and just listening to that inner voice  guiding me to the place where I find the most peace and comfort ………where things feel so right………… right where I belong….. writing, sharing….just being me….

The Journey... (cont.)

And, then…one day, I just woke up!  I realized I was the culprit!  I was allowing all the ideals of other people to control ME.   After being so unfulfilled for so long, I finally decided there was no way for me to find true peace and happiness unless I found myself again…the real ME.  I needed to find that little girl who longed to write…. to share stories with the world…. to help people…. that’s who I was and that’s who I am.     

After years of being polluted, I STOPPED and looked at myself for the first time in a long time!  I took the time to figure out what I needed to do in order to be happy and to live my life to the fullest…… yes! My life!

Have you ever looked in the mirror and “owned” what you saw!  By that, I mean, have you ever taken the time to STOP and take a close look at who you are and if the person you see in the mirror is the person you want to be?  Well, that’s what I did.  And, WOW!  How eye opening it is when you really see the reflection.  It’s hard and it’s raw……….. and,  it was just what I needed to get back to me!!

I realized that I was a person who spent way too many moments trying to live up to the expectations of everyone else….having very little regard for my own personal goals. I felt programmed into believing I had to be a “certain” way in order to be the person I was destined to be.  Have you ever felt that way??  I know, now,  in order for me to be the best mom, the best partner, the best friend and the best employee, I must be the best ME….. and,  unless I am true to that philosophy, there is no way for me to reach my potential happiness and fulfillment in this life….my life......

The Journey.... (cont)

I don’t remember the day it happened but I do know that, out of the blue, before I knew it, along came life……… the real world……….a world of social stigmas…… cynicism…. people trying to tell me I wasn’t good enough, my dreams were out of reach……..transforming me……making me think we can only be great if we follow suit……hiding ourselves….. losing ourselves to what others believe to be great! 

For years, I doubted myself, my appearance, my strengths and the way I felt about life in general..............I made it all about other people and what other people dictated in regard to what I should and shouldn’t do in and with my life.  I felt like I had to follow the lead of others who knew more about me, seemingly, than I knew about myself.  I felt like my ideas ….my BIG dreams, were considered a waste of time and there was no need to even think about pursuing them.  After all, I would only fail and look like a fool to all those people who loved me so much and were only trying to help me.  After a while, I was so lost and fearful to go against this controlled society, I just gave up….went along with it…………..became trapped in a world outside of what I dreamed of for myself.........      

The Journey Back to ME

Aww…..fairytales…. make believe… all the wonderful things we grew up thinking about…. the happily ever after…. dreaming of all the things we wanted to be when we grew up….…playing dress up…. being pretty…. being loved just because we are who we are…hummm………such fantastic sandcastles we built and the grand visions of sugar plums from yester year lingered so softly in our unpolluted minds…………..remember those days....... 

Approaching Life with Gratitude

I was talking with a good friend yesterday and she spoke of approaching life with gratitude!  This was so inspiring to me and I felt compelled to write about it here today....

Are you dwelling on the things in your life that limit your mind to negative energy.... targeting thoughts of complaint and dread.......despair and pain?  Are you so focused on the things you feel are "bad" that all the good things about your life don't seem to exist?  Are you filling your space with influences that generate these kinds of thoughts and encourage this barrier in your life??

We all get down and out sometimes and we just don't know why so many bad things are happening to us!  When this happens to me, I just think about my health.  I am in good health when so many others are stricken with illness.  I think of my family and friends .......the ones I turn to during the low times in my life.  Some people don't have anyone.  They don't have that support system that we all need for encouragement ....... no one to lean on.  I feel so very lucky and blessed and grateful..........    

I always try to channel my energy toward the light.... the good .  When I do this, the bad things just don't seem so bad.  When we give them the power, they take take control.  When we focus our attention of all the great things in our life, being thankful for those things, the bad things seem to lesson and become much easier to deal with. 

I'm sure you have heard "Don't worry... it's going to be okay!"  Well... guess what!!!  It is!  It is!!  Some how .....some way... it all works out exactly the way it's supposed to!  Negativity doesn't change it!  It makes it worse than it really is.

Approaching life with gratitude reminds us how rich we are in all the good things in life and it strengthens us to get through the things that aren't so good. 

Think about it...........smile and be grateful for all the wonderful things in your life.... and remember "It's going to be okay!!!!" 

Time to Share

It’s the first day of November and the holidays are right around the corner!!  Are you getting excited?   Are you planning a Thanksgiving feast in your mind?  Do you have visions of turkey and dressing and stuffing and pie????  

Have you started thinking about how you can help someone during the holiday season? 

There are so many families out there, maybe right next door to you, that have a need.  Times are tough.  The economy is so soft and no relief in sight really.  I wonder what we can do to help.  Do you?

I’ve heard many people speak negatively about the recipients of holiday food donations… you know those can food drives they do during this time of the year?  Some wonder why we would collect food for people we don’t know…. How do we know they aren’t just trying to get a free meal?  It’s a shame really… that we would be compelled to be so skeptical. 

Many years ago, I knew a family that did not have the money for a big Thanksgiving meal. In fact, on many days, this family did not have the money for any kind of a meal.  Without the kindness of strangers bringing in food donations, this family would have had nothing during many holiday seasons.

Think about helping others…………….who knows, you may just help a little girl, longing for a chance to grow up and share stories with you….....