Tag: lifelessons

dare to be different

What Goes Around

2chicksandapen

Do unto others as you would have done to you.

Treat others the way you would want to be treated.

What goes around comes around.

You get what you give.

There are many ways to phrase this fundamental principle of the world. From the Bible to modern day, it’s pretty much the same. Basically, you will generally get back what you put into your life (or other lives). This goes for all kinds of resources: attention, investment, energy, whatever.

Imagine this: you check your bank account only to find that your employer has paid you double what they owe you. What do you do? Just consider it a lucky gift in your favor and splurge on something fun? Keep it (and keep it quiet) but just save it for a rainy day? Call your boss and let them know what happened? No one will see, will they?

Imagine if you lost your wallet in a store. You get to the checkout only to realize you laid it down somewhere. What do you hope happens? It’s gone forever, or some kind person turned it in to customer service and you get it back and move on with your day? If someone sees a lost dog, should they just keep it or make a sincere effort to find the owners?

Does the reward you seek come back immediately? Not always. Not even usually. Cue the cries of unfairness. Poor, poor pitiful me. Yes, it does seem like nice people finish last sometimes. We can all point to examples of people who are dishonest, distasteful, or just plain disgusting getting the rewards that pass good folks by. We also see good people suffering for what seems like no reason. It can be a huge challenge to let those things go. But in the end, I also believe in…

Karma.

The universe will take care of things. And…

doing good is its own reward.

I try to let these be my guide when I feel that poor, poor pitiful me creeping in. When petty troubles pull me down and life seems to be the thief of joy. I tell myself to trust that things will work out. If I continue to put positivity and uplifting effort into the world, it will return to me. It may take time. It may be repaid in ways that surprise me, but it will return.

“Choose daily” has been a theme since the early days of this blog. What would I choose if you ran across the lost wallet or dog? What energy is my choice putting out into the world today?

I’m sure it sounds cheesy or trite or even naive. In the end, I just try to choose positivity, joy, giving people the benefit of the doubt, and trusting that they are doing their best with what they know at the time. This walks me back from anger and frustration. I focus on what I can control.

Regardless of what I may be faced with, I always have the choice to be kind, generous, and understanding. I’m not perfect at this, but I am getting better. There are still many days when it is easier said than done. My energies and daily choices create the world and return to me over and over.

adventure

Staycation

2chicksandapen

I had a staycation this spring break. It was amazing. I didn’t need an expensive beach trip. I didn’t need the crowds of Disney. I didn’t need to figure out travel restrictions from state to state.

Instead I opted for easy. Simple. No frills. Just a local staycation. I stayed and played. Lunch dates sitting outside enjoying the sunshine and company. Outdoor activities with friends and family. From bike rides to hikes to just playing fetch with the dog in the yard.

A little catch-up on the home to do list. A little planting. A little too much shopping. Some driveway car washing. Home cooked meals some which were good and some not so good. That is funny in itself.

Slept in a few days because I could not that I should. A little mix up in the routine and mundane. Let the laundry sit in the dryer an extra day. Spent some time visiting on the spur of the moment. A little thing I missed during the pandemic.

No rules. No have tos. No timelines. Come and go as I please. Something as simple as camping in your own yard or toasting marshmallows over a fire pit can seem like a vacation. Whether you stay or whether you go is up to you. You can make memories either way.

For me a staycation was just right for me. Now my family may say otherwise but this Chick enjoyed the stay. As simple as it was.

fitness and nutrition

What’s your motivation?

2chicksandapen

Walking toward the back of the gym, the question came out of nowhere:

“What’s your motivation?”

A newish member of the class. I’d only really exchanged hellos, good jobs, and smiles with him and his daughter. So the question caught me off guard.

“What’s your motivation?”

I must have looked puzzled. So he went on…

“You work harder than anyone in here. I talk about it with my daughter. I want to know what motivates you.”

My heart kind of swelled in that moment. what to say? I told him I used to weigh 313 pounds. Both my parents died too young from choices they made. I’m trying to live longer to be there for my family. To change that history. I told him I also work out to bust stress.

He smiled and said congratulations and keep at it.

I often feel like I blend in. Hide in plain sight. I don’t lift the most weight by a long show. I can’t do the advanced gymnastics movements. I figure most people notice me when I’m dancing or singing or tripping over something (often!)

I may never get those fancy coordinated movements. I may never lift as much as most do. But to be noticed and seen as someone who works. Who tries. Who puts in the effort. There are few greater compliments I could receive.

It was also a great reminder of my “why.” These dragging-on days can make it easy to forget my purpose.

This was also a reminder to give someone that compliment. Pay attention when others strive and just say it. You never know who might need to hear that verbal applause. I walked a little taller the rest of the day and remembered that I never know who is watching.

Keep doing the work. Someone notices. someone sees. Someone is inspired.

What’s your motivation?

nature

Rain, #2

2chicksandapen

The forecast was rain all weekend. The breaks in the clouds would seem to be at odd times in the midst of the storm(s). It’s the raining season yet the to-do list grows. Off we go to battle the elements.

Day 1 seemed okay. Not too much rain on the humans however the puddles and mud were abundant from the days and hours before. Thank goodness for some mud boots. We put in yard work where we could. We played a little too because we could.

Day 2: 100% rain. How disappointing! We wake early to the sounds of roosters. Off to walk the dog and feed some peppermints to the horses. It’s so cute to hear the horses crunch on the hard candy mints. They may even like the hint of fresh breath in the morning. The mints are just as refreshing to them as they are for me giving them.

I opted to be beat the rain storm from point a to point b. It worked. I was about an hour or so ahead of the eye of the storm. The cute little pup and I decide to take a little nap by the window on this rainy day.

Ah how the rain can just drain even the most energetic pup and say it’s time to nap. Zzzz  zzzzz to the sound of the rain and its anthem. A little thunder. Some big booms. The large drops of rain. Then the fierce and fast rain that goes on for a long time. Reduced to a little soft spit of rain. I watched the storm from my window. Dozing in and out of sleep. Now it’s time to rise.

The sky still appears grey but the sun wants to poke through. The birds are back to chirping. The trees are being quiet although the leaves are on the ground from the winds that just shook them about. My crew snoozed while another crew entertained themselves at the other end of the rain storm.

It’s funny how the rain can hit one’s day. This was my rainy Sunday. Hoping for sunshine and lollipops next Sunday.

challenges

Frustrated 2.0

2chicksandapen

I started this post a few weeks ago and then stopped. Just stopped mid-stream. The post was negative. I don’t like to write about negative attitudes. However, here I am a few weeks later and I’m crotchety again. Go figure.

I’ve been dealing with chaos for a couple of months on a few projects. One stalled for this reason. Another sidelined for a different reason. Lack of human capital on another. Just one roadblock after another.

I’ve kept my calm. I’ve committed to endure the test of time. What I have little tolerance for is ignorance, laziness and stupidity. When any of those factors hinder my progress I want to bang my head on the wall. Literally and physically.

Sometimes I just don’t get how something so simple seems so challenging for others. Am I a details snob? Weather has been rain rain and more rain. This hinders outdoor projects. Supply chain issues hinder renovations on the home front, even something as simple as getting a fence put in.  Transportation issues arise. Add in price increases due to supply and demand. Thanks Corona. Thanks for complicating life on a whole different level.

Some examples to note for my review in the future when I revisit my blog time capsule: I went to Best Buy it was closed at 8pm on a Saturday. Wow. I went to a furniture store for a need and guess what they close at 7pm on a Friday. Places are still buttoned up tight from Corona. I hadn’t seen it as much as I’ve been on the home front a bunch. Just a big wake up call I suppose.

All these small things keep adding up and boom stupidity hit. Lack of preparation on somebody’s part causing an emergency on my end. Should life work that way? Most days I bend and flex but some days I draw a line in the sand and say no way. Solve your own issues. I have enough of my own.

When I look back 20-25 years, I had to lean on myself for problem solving or engage resources to help in shortcomings. Today’s younger generation is just not built the same way. If google can’t fix something you might as well call in the marines.

Maybe we need to go back to the card catalog and encyclopedia days and do some leg work to get answers vs. having google supply a cheat sheet.

I am cranky so this is my cranky pants post. You may see one or two of these a year. So sad to say the first one is already in the books.