The Beach

January 2, 2022March 23, 2022 AngieLeave a comment

Lately, The Beach has been my temple. Before you think I’m crazy, hear me out.

The beach is a calm place where I connect with: Nature, The Universe, and God.

Do you have a special place?

When I feel lost, lonely, scared, angry, confused, stressed, depressed, or anxious; I turn to nature – most often the beach. Even in my mind, I can picture the sand, hear the waves and the seagulls, feel the breeze on my skin, smell the ocean water. The peace washes over me and a sense of calm is restored. This is when I can here God’s answers most clearly.

New Year’s Day was foggy and wet. Still a walk and the beach was healing and full of hope for the New Year.

I have spent most of my life living on one coast or the other in the USA. For this, I am blessed and grateful. I know this because I’ve spent short stints living in places that were land-locked… and my soul cried out constantly for the sea.

I know not everyone can live by an ocean. Even now, I technically live on “The Sound” which means no BIG WAVES.

Still, I am interested… is water your element? The ocean, the sound, the bay, the lake, the river, or the stream.

Is Earth your element? The woods, the mountain, the prairie, or the desert.

Are you a people-person who needs a building and a congregation? Church, Temple, Mosque.

Are you an Atheist or a Believer?

Where do you find healing? Is it God? Buddha? Hindi Gods & Goddesses? Mohammed? Christ? Nature? Mystical Energy? The Universe/Nature?

For me, I see “God” in all things. I love the teachings of Christ, The writings of Buddha, The energy of Nature, and the Mystery of Native and Celtic Mythology.

Wherever you are in your Faith Journey, I hope you feel the presence of a guiding Spirit holding you close and carrying you through these troubled times.

Random Thoughts

Feeling Cuckoo for CocoaPuffs 🤪

December 27, 2021 AngieLeave a comment

Feeling Cuckoo for CocoaPuffs 🤪

kanvas-e28df20b-7d11-41e5-b9df-094d5ea2f967

Personal Growth

Life Lessons 2021

December 26, 2021December 27, 2021 AngieLeave a comment

Work in Progress…

These are HARD! All the lessons I’ve been learning in 2021 are around self-care and healthy boundaries.

Glad to know I’m not alone ❤️.

WHAT WILL 2022 BRING?

Personal Growth

The Old That Is Strong Does Not Wither

December 7, 2021 AngieLeave a comment

I’ve felt very low of late, and not at all inspired to share.

Then THIS. A beautiful Sunday afternoon at the beach with my loving partner, Don; and the cold, brilliant blue sky. A beautiful walk and time spent in meditation on the beach. Even a RAINBOW (not pictured).

And today THIS. A quote from J. R. R. Tolkien found on Pinterest.

We all know that first line: “All that glitters is not gold.” Personally, I’d never heard the whole quote or knew it came from R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series.

Today I am feeling inspired.

For the first time in quite a long while, I FEEL the sunshine.

I am emerging from the darkness and coming into the LIGHT.

Love and Light to all who are struggling. May you see the Light at the end of your tunnel ❤️.

Food For Thought · Personal Growth

I Am A Recovering People Pleaser

October 7, 2021October 7, 2021 Angie2 Comments

I’m doing it! One step at a time. Sometimes I falter. Sometimes I backslide. Sometimes I’m completely successful and walk away… knowing I will be ok.

This lesson of “I am Enough” is a hard one to learn when I’ve spent a lifetime pleasing others to gain acceptance and love.

Today, I do have unconditional love in my life from the people most important to me.

STILL, I haven’t completely put to rest those voices of my childhood that told me through repeated actions, inactions, verbal and nonverbal cues that I had to earn love, earn attention, earn worthiness.

If anyone feels this way now or has struggled with it in the past, my heart goes out to YOU.

YOU are Enough!

YOU are worthy of the life you want.

You are worthy of the love you want.

You are worthy of the career you want.

Whatever you can dream, you are enough for it!

We are always a “Work in Progress” and at the same time ENOUGH.

We are Enough to meet that challenge that scares us.

We are Enough to take that opportunity we secretly tell ourselves we don’t deserve.

We are Enough to be loved flaws and all.

We are Enough to walk away from relationships and situations that no longer serve us well.

As I type this, I say these things to myself: A reminder that I AM ENOUGH!

YOU ARE TOO ❤️

Food For Thought · Personal Growth

Taking A Much Needed “Time Out”

September 25, 2021September 25, 2021 AngieLeave a comment

I’m in Athens, Georgia for 2 weeks to help family. I love them and I’m happy to have a job that allows me to work from anywhere so I can be here to help when they need it.

Those who are in the Healthcare profession or are caregivers for loved ones know what this means. It’s an act of love, done gratefully and (hopefully) gracefully. It is also emotionally, mentally, and physically draining.

This is a reminder that it’s time to take a BREAK, or as I call it a “Time Out.”

I’ve been here a week and today I needed that “time out.” Luckily, the weather has started to turn for Autumn and the temperature/humidity has let up and cooled. So today, my time is being spent outside.

The Georgia Botanical Gardens has always been a favorite place for me, when I lived here and now when I visit.

Water Feature at Visitor Center Entrance

As I sit by this beautiful water feature at the entrance to The Visitor Center, I feel my stress, sadness, anxiety and exhaustion melt away…

I hope you take a “Time Out” if you need it. Remember: you’re no good to anyone if you’re not good to yourself ❤️

Blessings.

Personal Growth

The Real Me and the “Me” You See

August 2, 2021August 3, 2021 AngieLeave a comment

I’ve been gone a while. From my Blog, from the “Me” I want to be, from having anything I felt I could share. For this, I am sorry.

I know that the writings of others often help me when I feel low, and yet that is when I am least likely to share. I don’t like to show the ugly underbelly of my depression and anxiety and where it takes me. The flip side of that is that I know these are the things that people need to hear and see… my very HUMANNESS.

I only want to share when I’ve figured something out, or had a new revelation.These are important too. Still, others also need to see the struggle. So again, I’m sorry for not being here to share mine.

I promise to do better at showing up. In the meantime, here’s a bit of wisdom (from elsewhere) that struck me recently:

I am posting my picture with this list because:

This picture is not me, and yet… it is me.
The REAL ME needs that second picture. That list of “Reminders.”

I am this picture… sometimes. I am often NOT this picture. I am the same mess you feel like. I struggle to do those “healthy things.”

Some days I can’t get out of my pajamas. Some days I can’t get organized. I don’t have energy or make time for self-care: exercise, Art, journaling, writing that “To Do List” (or doing it!).

Don’t be fooled by this first picture. She looks like she’s doing everything right… all the things you think you “should” be doing.

The ME behind the picture needs people like YOU. You remind me it’s ok to be a “Work-in-Progress” the same way you need ME to remind you that this list of Affirmations are important.

Food For Thought

May Is Mental Health Awareness Month

May 25, 2021 AngieLeave a comment

Random Thoughts

Being A Grownup

May 3, 2021 Angie2 Comments

Anyone else struggling with this Adulting business?

I feel like this way too often!

Where to start?

Food For Thought · Personal Growth

Riding the “Struggle Bus”

April 23, 2021 AngieLeave a comment

There are Days. Weeks. Months. Where the only thing keeping me going is my dark, sarcastic sense of humor… and :

Prayer
Meditation
Gratitude
My Family
Nature

These keep me hanging on when I’m struggling hard with my twin monsters: Depression and Anxiety.

2020-2021 has been a B**** Of a year! The struggle to keep moving forward is DAILY.

I don’t know who else needs to hear this:

If you got out of bed today, you’re wining.

If you kept going despite your trials, you’re wining.

If all you did was move from bed to couch… good for you!

If you made a gratitude list and you felt it for even a few minutes 🎉.

If you reached out for help ⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you showered and got dressed, YEAH!!!

My LOVE and Prayer go out to everyone who is on the “Struggle Bus” with me and doing what they can to not give up the fight! ❤️

HUGS!❤️❤️❤️

Tag: mental health

The Beach

Like this:

Feeling Cuckoo for CocoaPuffs 🤪

Like this:

Life Lessons 2021

Like this:

The Old That Is Strong Does Not Wither

Like this:

I Am A Recovering People Pleaser

Like this:

Taking A Much Needed “Time Out”

Like this:

The Real Me and the “Me” You See

Like this:

May Is Mental Health Awareness Month

Like this:

Being A Grownup

Like this:

Riding the “Struggle Bus”

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this:

SHARING

Like this: