Looking Glass

Something about peering into the Looking Glass again makes my heart full and my head swirl. Many years ago I knew a girl who explored the unexpected and dreamed of the unimaginable. Where has that creative spirit gone? The laughter that wholeheartedly engulfs your body because life is whimsical and carefree? Dreaming in vivid color has turned to watercolor pale. Days become months become years is the true cliche that can sour and age a soul. Music and art, scavenger hunts that take hours and endless dancing and games gave way to solemn candy and word games. While one can never look back to the road not taken, can one entwine the travel to new horizons with a small napsack from the previous trail? Good friends of the heart never fully leave. They simply join the list of family you only exchange holiday cards with and wish them well. Reunions remind us of how we have aged and what other pieces inside us remain timeless.

Preikestolen,The Pulpit Rock; Lysefjord, Norway

Preikestolen,The Pulpit Rock; Lysefjord, Norway
Originally uploaded by Beam3000

I just love this... I feel like this right now in my life

It's time to move it move it!

So... in my never-ending quest to redesign my blog... I have ventured out... into the big bad world...I have set out into the world of Word Press.

I imported everything... I'm still learning the ins and outs... but I would be most appreciative if you would update me in your blogroll to my new home at http://reslience.wordpress.com/.

Friday Finish Line

"Good friends are good for your health." ~ Irwin Sarason

Very ready for Friday. Thank you for hanging with me this week... I promise... I'll return to the regularily scheduled cheerful half-full Kimala starting...

NOW! :)

WOOT!

FINALLY! A light!

So... here... in the recesses of my email... I found this little gem I had to share with all of you today. If it isn't positive, then I don't know what is :) Hopefully it will help you all see that eventually I do dig myself out of my dark place and the trampolene and encouragement from everyone was really really appreciated.

See what you think:

Speaker and author, Jim Cathcart, says that to be at your best, find your zone of optimum velocity by observing the pace and intensity at which you perform best. This is the zone at which you are most creative, unstressed, happy and productive.

Above the zone: First you experience stress and frustration, then anxiety, and finally burnout. At this level you are overwhelming yourself with too much to accomplish at one time. Lighten up a bit to get back on track.

In the zone: You are at your best. Not stressed, going with the flow of work naturally, productive and self-assured, challenged but not overwhelmed, motivated and able to roll with problems.

Below the zone: First you experience boredom, then apathy, and finally depression. You feel useless and artificial; self-esteem suffers. Bite off more and take on a greater challenge to get back on track.

For me the key to managing my energy is exercise. It almost sounds too simple to be important, however, without exercise my energy levels and my attitude "take a hit."

Lastly, protecting and replenishing your emotional energy is critical for every leader. Mira Kirshenbaum, in her book The Emotional Energy Factor, offers a refreshing, down-to-earth approach:

"First, you plug the leaks: learn to recognize what drains your energy - life situations, toxic people, or habits such as worry, indecision or guilt. Second, you identify what fills your tank - pleasure, prayer, anticipation, or fun - and give yourself more."

~ Mac Anderson, Manage Your Energy

And if you have time... enjoy this little clip he offers on the Simple Truths website... (click here... it is worth the time!)

I want something else...

to get me through this...kinda life...



...wish we could get back there... from the place we used to start...

Ok... this tune is from 1997... does that make it old? 11 years? hmmmm it totally fits... the music picks you up... the lyrics remind you to search for something beyond... of course I pick and choose the portions of lyrics I want to remember since pieces totally don't apply. but hey... when you don't write your own tunes.. it is hard to be too picky, right?

I think the reason why my head is in this space these days is I'm grappling with the fact that once you choose a road in life - no matter how bumpy and hard and uphill it is... you have to just keep going... you can't turn around necessarily and there aren't always exits handy. Keep on, keeping on.

When you are one of the drivers on the car going up that hard road, you have to keep a poker face, and an attitude of it will be ok. Kids smell fear, they sense disappointment; they yearn for comfort, routine, structure, positive reinforcement and unconditional love. In a world that requires us to keep driving on that road, no matter how bumpy it is, at a faster and faster speed, on less and less support, sometimes it is hard to find the right route and the right reasons to make pit stops. Kids don't seem to come with users' manuals and parenting must rely so much on faith and intuition.

So... will our littlest keep his glasses on his face or in his backpack so we don't have to buy another pair? Will he work toward being good with the reward system we've put into place? Will our middle son continue on his path of becoming less stressed about school so that the anxiety attacks subside? Will our oldest focus to get all he needs to get done and continue his path of success in school despite the ADHD and learning disabilities challenges? And will our sweet baby girl not get lost in the shuffle?

I love second life but right now my real life has me on overload. Thank you in advance for understanding if I just zip in and out. It's Tuesday... so that's a good thing, right? Tomorrow is hump day... then we are on the downhill of the week. Keep on keeping on... in this semi-charmed kinda life.

So... on that note... I will step back from that ledge...

Commute Blogging with Alanis Morissette

That I would be good even if I did nothing
That I would be good even if I got the thumbs down
That I would be good if I got and stayed sick
That I would be good even if I gained ten pounds

That I would be fine even even if I went bankrupt
That I would be good if I lost my hair and my youth
That I would be great if I was no longer queen
That I would be grand if I was not all knowing

That I would be loved even when I numb myself
That I would be good even when I am overwhelmed
That I would be loved even when I was fuming
That I would be good even if I was clingy

That I would be good even if I lost sanity
That I would be good
Whether with or without you

Some Mondays are harder than others. Today is hard. I needed to post this so I could get it out of my system and start picturing bigger and better things. It is hard to not feel like you measure up. It is hard to feel like you chose a path in the road that was harder than everyone elses... and now there is no turning back.

Half full suggestions anyone?