tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37009291147363627032024-03-13T11:12:10.536-04:00positively b.e.e. by Beth Wojiski
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger135125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-36265586635347892522020-12-31T18:33:00.001-05:002021-01-01T10:48:13.786-05:00Reflections on 2020<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br /><div><br /></div><span><h3 style="text-align: left;">It’s finally here: the end of 2020.</h3><div><br /></div><div>Insert a collective sigh of relief: We made it. </div><div><br /></div><div>2020 is a year that will probably live in infamy in our minds, what with civil unrest, contentious politics, and a pandemic that has negatively impacted finances, overwhelmed hospital systems, and devastated families, either through loss of life, loss of income, or loss of health (such as for COVID “long-haulers").</div><div><br /></div><div>It can be kind of hard to feel positive through all that.</div><div><br /></div><div>This year challenged my mental and emotional state, admittedly. I've had to dig deep many times. I usually take stock of the past year and talk about good stuff and challenges, what I was grateful for and what I learned, but I’ve been sitting here for the last few days, aware that I wanted to make an end-of-year post but not really sure what to say about it. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think I'm just kind of "done" with this year, you know? </div><div><br /></div><div>So for me, when I take stock of this past year, it’s not about finding the bright spots. It’s not about being positive. Or grateful. I do all those things most days, anyway, but I think for a particularly difficult year such as this one:</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">It’s important to acknowledge we survived it. </h3><div><br /></div><div>We may not have thrived. </div><div><br /></div><div>We may have felt lonely or depressed or upset or disempowered. </div><div><br /></div><div>We might have worried, stressed out, and felt anxious. </div><div><br /></div><div>We might have felt like we were riding one of those mechanical bull rides at a bar, getting thrown repeatedly.</div><div><br /></div><div>But if you're here reading this, then you might be able to relate to the idea that while we may have taken some hard knocks this year...</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">...we <b><u>survived</u></b>.</h3><div><br /></div><div>And right here in this moment, that’s enough for me. </div><div><br /></div><div>So if you're just not in the most positive mindset right now for whatever reason...</div><div><br /></div><div>It’s okay.</div><div><br /></div><div>Give yourself some care and comfort. It’s been a really wild ride. Acknowledge that we’ve been through some shit. Know that things WILL get better eventually.</div><div><br /></div><div>I won’t villainize 2020...</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">...But what I WILL do is close the book on 2020 and look forward to the new year, whatever it will bring. I will clean-slate it, not judging 2021 on what 2020 did to us.</h3><div><br /></div><div>So, if (like me) you’re spending New Year’s Eve in your jammies hanging out on the couch doing not much at all, that’s okay. If (like me) you’re hoping and praying fervently for a better year next year, that’s okay. Or if, on the other hand, you’re whooping it up and popping champagne at midnight … that’s also okay. </div><div><br /></div><div>Whatever it is you're doing to transition to a new year...it’s all okay. </div><div><br /></div><div>Do what you need to do to acknowledge you survived as long as you do it safely and with kindness and compassion, both for yourself and for others. Let's move forward now...</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">My hope for you all is a bright and blessed New Year. May good things come to all of you: happiness, love, health, kindness, compassion, and everything you need in life.</h3><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Much love from me to you!</h3><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkeib2dNVn68CVq0jFgSl-9khXfDv9Id5Ls-eM9Rt8o9R-0ArwcLKOjTeYKUUxHSarnlCFlxDh9PPLGblbBiFAhSZh0elLG-B-Ge_3kCYVKEOsKiTWQQLmfyPePe2NsZ4fgryLJF1zRz4J/s1747/beth-wojiski-positively-bee-happy-new-year.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="beth-wojiski-happy-new-year" border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="1747" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkeib2dNVn68CVq0jFgSl-9khXfDv9Id5Ls-eM9Rt8o9R-0ArwcLKOjTeYKUUxHSarnlCFlxDh9PPLGblbBiFAhSZh0elLG-B-Ge_3kCYVKEOsKiTWQQLmfyPePe2NsZ4fgryLJF1zRz4J/w400-h284/beth-wojiski-positively-bee-happy-new-year.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">* * * * </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If you need any help at all with coping this season or at any time, many places have service on a sliding scale, through insurance programs, or offer financial aid. Here are a few resources that may help if you need that extra support*: </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/" target="_blank">National Suicide Prevention Hotline</a> 800-273-8255</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.betterhelp.com/" target="_blank">Better Help</a> (text-based mental health care)</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/best-mental-health-apps-4692902" target="_blank">7 Best Mental Health Apps</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.teladoc.com/" target="_blank">Teledoc</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.lemonaidhealth.com/" target="_blank">Lemonaid</a></div><div><br /></div><div>...or check with your local network / insurance provider.</div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">*Not personal recommendations; simply a list to get you started if you need help finding resources.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-38277940797197270872020-10-31T09:48:00.000-04:002020-10-31T09:48:35.798-04:00Guest Blog Post at Skinner Self-Publishing Services (Self-Care Tips You Can Sink Your Teeth Into)<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Happy Halloween!! It's my favorite holiday again, and although this year's festivities will be different than other years, I still managed to get up to something fun to celebrate. </span><div><br /></div><div>As you may know, I'm an editor and writer, and one of my fellow colleagues, Jody Skinner at Skinner Self-Publishing Services, reached out to me and several others in our field and asked if we'd like to participate in a self-care tips blog post for her website. <br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>And with it being Halloween ... we all wrote as if we were vampires! I promise these are tips you can really sink your teeth into! (Thanks to a fellow colleague for that quip, LOL) 🧛🤣</div><div><br /></div><div>So in lieu of a post here this month, I encourage you to go <a href="https://skinnerselfpub.com/self-care-ideas-for-writers/" target="_blank">check out the guest post </a>at Jody's site. It's valuable information, and while it's titled as being for writers, ANYONE can benefit from the suggestions there! <br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Take care, and have a safe Halloween! Toodle-oo!<br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKYG-yES6OSQf6IdxOfK4HKtLFQgmQKUbjBDZiMm003ssJXYk6QA812t3L6-9OEnzLR6td8Hss66jzxU1bbyQBnnW21N3imcZ1EnDP2dg5YlxoL_9n4a1SPQHNsy2Na6McqnIuHYsO9Ioy/s2000/Purple+Bones+Halloween+Cookies+Halloween+Birthday+Party+Ideas+Photo+Collage.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKYG-yES6OSQf6IdxOfK4HKtLFQgmQKUbjBDZiMm003ssJXYk6QA812t3L6-9OEnzLR6td8Hss66jzxU1bbyQBnnW21N3imcZ1EnDP2dg5YlxoL_9n4a1SPQHNsy2Na6McqnIuHYsO9Ioy/s320/Purple+Bones+Halloween+Cookies+Halloween+Birthday+Party+Ideas+Photo+Collage.png" width="320" /></a></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-37854949972226522012020-10-05T19:50:00.005-04:002020-10-05T19:59:08.850-04:00Crafting a Path to Peace: 5 Steps to Turn Your Hobby into a Meditative Art Form<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Happy Autumn! At the time I am drafting this post, fall has just ticked over from summer, and we are feeling that shift here in Pittsburgh. I am enjoying the cool mornings, warm and sunny afternoons, and crisp evenings, and I plan to enjoy every minute of it. </span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Most people "hate" this change over from summer because they know winter is coming soon after, but I choose to live in the moment and take it for what it is: gorgeous weather. There will be time to complain about rain and snow soon enough. :) </span><div><br /></div><div>We all know that 2020 has been a you-know-what, am I right? There are so many lessons in this year. For this month's post, I wanted to talk about how you can use hobbies to gain some peace. I've mentioned it before, both in writing and in talks I've given—indeed, I was supposed to give a workshop on this topic in Sedona this past spring, but that never happened—so let's talk about it here instead!</div><div><br /></div><div>As you may know from past posts, I'm really into prayer, meditation, and intuition work as a source of being true to myself, to always make decisions based on that truth, and to keep my blood pressure and stress hormone levels low. Paying attention to and developing these skills has brought me a great deal of peace in my life: reducing anxiety, helping me sleep better, and keeping me clear-minded. But it was only in the last several years that I realized I could apply these concepts to my crafting hobbies. </div><div><br /></div><div>You see, I used to be a stressy crafter. I used to craft as a means of escape, but would often find myself ruminating in the background. I had the wrong idea of what "escape" meant. My mind was so focused on what was bothering me that soon I'd find I was stabbing the fabric when I cross-stitched, tightening my tension too much in my knitting, or constantly breaking my singles while spinning yarn due to not paying attention to my drafting.</div><div><br /></div><div>But now, I realize that "escape" is really transcendence, that I can craft my way to peace by being mindful about what I'm doing instead of ruminating. Keep reading... </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDVmoQ1UG4YhOzv-Ox6FuXixvVChMzGM2g6SKd-zEWo6tL03iz_94TGtkmrnm3CiwmxMUYYOGS-6LROvTFv-wTuU7q3xtSBNCzDtiRlBfP9ke7IheDZjSYhyjaW7JFpgtI8gMkAqkp5kr/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDVmoQ1UG4YhOzv-Ox6FuXixvVChMzGM2g6SKd-zEWo6tL03iz_94TGtkmrnm3CiwmxMUYYOGS-6LROvTFv-wTuU7q3xtSBNCzDtiRlBfP9ke7IheDZjSYhyjaW7JFpgtI8gMkAqkp5kr/w267-h400/Crafting+a+path+to+peace.png" width="267" /></a></div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: center;">I've turned crafting into my own form of meditation. </h3><div>There are five steps you can take to start turning your hobby into a meditative practice and pass along all that good energy to others while you're at it. Here are the 5 steps I take every time I sit down to work on a hobby: </div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Breathe and stretch</b> — before picking up my piece, I take a good 5–10 deep breaths. I stretch my neck, my hands, roll my shoulders, and shake out any tension from the day.</li><li><b>Focus</b> — I focus on the craft I'm about to pick up. For example, if I'm going to crochet, then I put myself into "crochet mind" by envisioning myself using the hook to make something beautiful. </li><li><b>Set an intention</b> — whoever the recipient is going to be (including myself), I imagine that person in my mind and set a nice wish for them. I picture them wearing it or using it or smiling upon opening it. I imagine them happy and at peace. I might think of a specific situation that I want to turn out well for them and say prayers for them. This is where intuition can step in and help, too: what is your intuition telling you about what the recipient needs? You can pick up on that and focus on something good for them based on that nudge.</li><li><b>Work mindfully</b>—once I've done steps 1–3, I pick up the piece and begin. As I work, I continue to engage my breathing. Deep breaths in and out; no shallow breathing. I also focus on keeping my tension even. If I start to tense up, or feel my shoulders start to rise, I take a second to regroup, breathe, and focus on even tension. I refocus on happy things for the person I'm working the piece for. Mindfulness is the name of the game in this step.</li><li><b>Don't ruminate!</b> — energy transference is real, and I don't want to infuse the piece with anything negative. If I find my mind chewing on problems, I stop, regroup, breathe, then continue working. I stay focused on the task at hand; not my problems, the world's problems, or any other problems I could possibly dream up. If I start to ruminate, I might smile to myself to break the cycle, then...you guessed it: take a second to breathe, set my intention and envision happy things for the recipient again, and only then do I continue. <i>If I can't get this last part right, then I put the piece down.</i> (More about that in the next section.)</li></ol><h3 style="text-align: left;">Energy Transference and Crafting</h3></div><div>Some people take their crafts to the next level by learning new skills. I take mine to the next level with energy and intention. Some folks don't believe energy transference is real, but have you ever found yourself around someone really negative and not wanted to hang out with them any more? </div><div><br /></div><div>Your crafts (and any recipients, including yourself) are similarly affected. Don't put your bad mood into your work. Level yourself up by using intention and breath work. If you want to take your crafting into a safe space, where you can GET AWAY from your problems, not ruminate or stress out, taking steps 1–5 above are a great way to do that. I promise you it's next-level stuff. You may even find you're branching out in your actual skills as you engage with this new way of crafting. I can't tell you what this has done for my own abilities!</div><div><br /></div><div><b>This process has become so important to me, so ingrained into my lifestyle now, that if I'm in a bad mood, stressed out, etc., <i>I absolutely WILL NOT pick up a craft until I shift my mindset</i>.</b> I will not put any negativity into that piece, especially since most of what I make now goes to other people. Why would I give them a gift that has anything negative attached to it?</div><div><br /></div><div>Here are some scenarios you can consider, followed by suggested answers/intentions.</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b><i>How would a new parent feel</i></b> about that gorgeous baby blanket you made swaddling their precious newborn if they knew you were angsty and angry about politics while making it? <i>(Put politics aside and imagine that newborn growing up happy, healthy, cute, and giggly as they have tummy time and learn to crawl on that beautiful blanket.)</i></li><li><b><i>How would your mom feel</i></b> while wearing the gorgeous necklace you made for her birthday if she knew you were upset about something the entire time you made it? <i>(Why are you upset? Identify and deal with it, then take steps 1–5 and work on the necklace for your mom without those bad feelings; imagine her smiling beautifully and feeling thrilled as she proudly wears your elegant creation.)</i></li><li><b><i>How would your child feel</i></b> hugging the new stuffed animal you sewed for them if they knew you cried over it every night while you made it because that was the only time you had to yourself and could let out your tears? <i>(It's tough being a parent, and parents often hide their feelings while putting their kids first. Have your cry first, then take steps 1–5 and sew that stuffy with a clear mind while imagining your kiddo enjoying the heck out of their new toy.)</i></li><li><b><i>How would a cancer patient feel</i></b> wearing the chemo cap you made for them if they knew it had all your work frustrations stuck in it? <i>(Look, we all have work frustrations. Moan about it to a coworker or friend first to get it out of your system. Then set an intention for that cancer patient, that they will be warm and comforted by this hat and that they will regain full health; imagine them vibrant and happy and resuming activities they love to do.)</i></li></ul></div><div>Do you see how using your imagination is a part of setting your intentions? </div><div><br /></div><div>By taking a few moments to center yourself, breathe, envision positive things, watch your tension levels, etc., you are helping both yourself and the recipient of your gift. </div><div><br /></div><div>This applies even if the item you're making is for yourself. By having a mindful crafting practice, you are helping yourself doubly. I absolutely ADORE a blanket I made for myself and feel so comforted by it because I know I am wrapped up in not only soft and squishy yarn, but in the positive feelings and intent I set for myself while I made it. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Take Breaks for Physical Health and Flow</h3><div>Finally, in order to make sure you stay healthy physically along with all this awesome emotional work you're doing, make sure you take some breaks. Don't get a repetitive stress injury (RSI) by doing a craft or hobby for too long. On your breaks, drink water or herbal tea and stretch. Do a little bit of flow, like Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi gong, or walking around. Keep that healthy, deep breathing pattern going. When you resume the project, remember to keep your intention in mind and stay in that positive mindset as you work.</div><div><br /></div><div>You can apply the concepts I use to any hobby, too, as far as I can tell. Imagine following a similar process whether you're a knitter, crocheter, painter, jeweler, stamp collector, scrapbooker, woodworker, metalworker, sculptor.... The important thing is to breathe, flow, and set your intention to be a positive one. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">The bottom line is: hobby time is an opportunity to create a mindful and meditative state that positively affects both yourself and others.</h3><div><br /></div><div>Drop me a comment and tell me: </div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Have you been crafting or hobbying during the pandemic? If so, what are you making or doing?</li><li>If not, do you think you might try it again using these techniques to "meditate"? </li><li>Have you ever done anything like what I do?</li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div>I look forward to hearing from you! </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, and if you want to follow my crafting projects, you can find them on my newly resurrected <a href="https://boadiccea.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Crafting/DIY blog</a>!</div><div><br /></div><div>Be safe, be well, and take care. Till next time! 💛🐝<br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-24443399439329608582020-08-17T09:26:00.000-04:002020-08-17T09:26:14.177-04:005-Minute Stress Relief: 75 Exercises to Quiet Your Mind and Calm Your Body (Book Review)<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let's talk about stress this month. I imagine right now, a lot of people are stressed out over back-to-school stuff, more so in a pandemic.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Typically, parents would be preparing their kiddos to go back to school—buying new clothes, backpacks, school supplies and lunch boxes—but 2020 has really done a doozy on the process this year. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I really feel for parents, teachers, and kids right now. Are schools opening or not for in-person classes? Do parents have to figure out home school or online learning options? Will kids ever get to see their friends during the school year and have normal, kid lives again? How are teachers going to cope with all of this, too? How do administrators keep kids safe if they return to in-person classes?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's so incredibly stressful for all involved, with decisions literally impacting life and health to come. I don't envy anyone faced with these choices. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Back-to-school stress isn't the only stress out there, but is a huge piece of the stress that I'm seeing in my circle of friends right now. Since stress is always a component of life, </span>I thought it would be a good idea to review a book that may help.</div><div><span><h2 style="text-align: left;"><i>5-Minute Stress Relief: 75 Exercises to Quiet Your Mind and Calm Your Body</i> by Elena Welsh, PhD</h2><div> <center> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/5-Minute-Stress-Relief-Exercises-Quiet/dp/1641526343/ref=as_li_ss_il?dchild=1&keywords=5-minute+stress+relief&qid=1596568864&sr=8-2&linkCode=li3&tag=bethdub13-20&linkId=7633f793bb0b1d56ba3175383526c412&language=en_US" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1641526343&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=bethdub13-20&language=en_US" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=bethdub13-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=1641526343" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /></center></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I chose this book because I thought it would help people during the particularly stressful times we are encountering this year. It is written by a licensed clinical psychologist, Elena Welsh, who is based in Los Angeles, California and specializes in self-help books informed by science. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b>Synopsis</b></h2><div>This book says it will “take the stress out of relieving stress!” Sign me up! </div><div><br /></div><div>It offers simple activities one can do in order to reduce your stress levels, and it claims each of these will help you feel calmer within a few minutes. The book is small and portable, making it easy to travel with. It starts with the idea that stress will happen, but you can change your relationship to stress in order to shift your experience.</div><div><br /></div><div>The book is organized in a few different parts: </div><div><br /></div><div>Part One explains why you’re feeling stress and discusses what is physically happening in your body during stressful situations. The author discusses the parasympathetic nervous system and how stress can potentially be useful either in times of danger or in other situations that are not dangerous. She even discusses how generally happy situations, like weddings and births, can cause stress, and what a person can do about that. Causes, symptoms, and the mind-body connection are all explored in this easy-to-read section.</div><div><br /></div><div>Part Two consists of a series of 5-minute exercises. She starts with various ways to quiet the mind—including one of my favorite techniques: listening to the sounds around you—but she lists many other ways, too. She then has a segment about writing your stress out, which of course appeals to me, since I work in the writing world. She gives several examples of writing prompts and even space to write them within the book. There is a small surprise in the book that I don’t want to spoiler too much, but you might want to have some colored pencils on hand.</div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">My Thoughts</h2><div>For such a small book, it is extensively researched if the reference list is anything to go by, with sources primarily coming from scientific journal articles about cognitive behavior and the effects of cortisol and stress, to the effects of mindfulness and flow practices (such as tai chi, for example) on stress levels, and more. I’m impressed by this level of research, in particular. I don’t think I’ve ever seen SUCH a heavily researched work for a smaller self-help book like this one. It may be tiny, but it's mighty!</div><div><br /></div><div>My advanced reader copy does have an error in the pagination of the table of contents, but that's not a big deal. Hopefully they fixed it in the final print run. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think this would be a worthy addition to anyone’s toolkit if you are looking for ways to reduce your stress, particularly with 2020 going the way it has been. It addresses many kinds of stress and Elena Welsh writes in a way that is accessible to any reader and is authoritative in her knowledge. It's also easy to use the book if you want to hone in on a specific issue you'd like to address, and it's a fun read.</div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Get the Book </h2><div><i>5-Minute Stress Relief: 75 Exercises to Quiet Your Mind and Calm Your Body</i> by Elena Welsh, PhD is published by Callisto Publishers, and I acquired my copy through their advanced reader program. </div><div><br /></div><div>You can purchase the book <a href="https://amzn.to/2Xssbw0" target="_blank">online at Amazon</a>, and at the time of this writing, it is <a href="https://amzn.to/3fzLRVe" target="_blank">available for free</a> with a <a href="https://amzn.to/33rz58w" target="_blank">Kindle Unlimited</a> membership.</div><div><br /></div><div>While I am an Amazon affiliate and appreciate any support you give by clicking on my links, I also support libraries and indie bookstores. Small businesses and libraries can always use the business, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic shut them down for a long time. If you prefer to shop local, <a href="https://www.indiebound.org/indie-bookstore-finder" target="_blank">click here</a> to find an independent bookseller near you.</div><br />
<div><br /></div><div>Be well! 🐝💛</div></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-35454341471598592002020-07-10T12:56:00.001-04:002020-07-10T12:56:19.603-04:00Using the Power of Your Mind: Virtual Vacations in the Time of COVID-19<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50VvIOcRKH4ydH0C4S6ofmq786eW4GEe5G6e5TPO0qWMI2Bnq7Z3phagxRaNi4eP436p_Z5w4G9Pykrnh_flXPKCL5WlY-aLZC2vrYBcL-erDxtBTesyLGotyW3Nay6I7BCD9Jc5Rr320/s2048/take+me+to+the+ocean+%25282%2529.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50VvIOcRKH4ydH0C4S6ofmq786eW4GEe5G6e5TPO0qWMI2Bnq7Z3phagxRaNi4eP436p_Z5w4G9Pykrnh_flXPKCL5WlY-aLZC2vrYBcL-erDxtBTesyLGotyW3Nay6I7BCD9Jc5Rr320/w625-h351/take+me+to+the+ocean+%25282%2529.png" width="625" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's now July. The heat of summer is SIZZLING!! I don't know about where you live, but it's been in the high 90s here in Pittsburgh! I feel like I could fry an egg and bacon on the sidewalk and no one would bat an eyelash.</span><div><br /></div><div>Typically I'd be down south by now, spending some time with my parents near the North Carolina beaches, enjoying a mix of high heat and humidity juxtaposed with ocean breezes and gentle evenings listening to the peepers.</div><div><br /></div><div>But then COVID-19 happened, messing up vacation plans the world over.</div><div><br /></div><div>I could sit here and be upset that I can't travel right now. I could feel bad for myself, even though I really have nothing to feel bad about. After all, I'm healthy and employed...I don't really have anything to complain about, except for general worry for the world, which sometimes lends to unhappiness and a feeling of helplessness.</div><div><br /></div><div>Or, I could, you know...just <u><i>not</i></u>. Why put energy into something negative if I can at all help it? </div><div><br /></div><div>Everyone needs some time off, though, whether from work or other things. So in the absence of vacation plans, what's a girl to do? </div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div><font size="5">I've decided to find the feeling of vacation <i>within myself</i> instead of literally. </font></div><div><br /></div><div>Let me explain.</div><div><br /><div>The ocean is where I find my peace. Unfortunately, I’m landlocked and can’t easily get to one without traveling through areas that might expose me to COVID-19. That isn't a risk I'm about to take, so instead, I'll go there in my mind. </div><div><br /></div><div>How? </div><div><br /></div><div>Well, here are some examples: </div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>I watch YouTube videos of ocean waves and beach sunrises. 🌊 </li><li>I create photo collages for my computer desktop that evoke the positive feelings I get from the ocean and beach. (I use <a href="https://www.canva.com/join/commuting-celebrate-baseball" target="_blank">Canva </a>for this; it's a great tool with lots of free or paid options!)</li><li>I listen to sound files of waves breaking and seagulls calling. </li><li>I sit and recall what the feeling of sand squishing between my toes is like. </li><li>I imagine myself building a sand castle. </li><li>I have seashells 🐚 near my desk. </li><li>If I could import the smell of salt water and sand and seaweed, I would, but instead I just <a href="https://amzn.to/2C8G9vh" target="_blank">spritz a room spray</a>. I found <a href="https://amzn.to/3gs75F2" target="_blank">this awesome beachy-smelling essential oil</a> to run in my <a href="https://amzn.to/31MnvUV" target="_blank">diffuser</a>, too. </li></ul></div><div style="text-align: left;">Through any or all of these activities, I can simply imagine myself there!😊</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I decided to take it one step further, though, and made myself a video for a virtual ocean getaway. Enjoy this quick, virtual trip to the beach! </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TW16Gt9TO3Y" width="320" youtube-src-id="TW16Gt9TO3Y"></iframe></div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="2">(I did that using <a href="https://www.canva.com/join/commuting-celebrate-baseball" target="_blank">Canva</a>, too, actually.) </font></div><div><br /></div><div>Look, I know it's not perfect, but our minds are POWERFUL things! We can imagine our way to a sense of peace again. It's no different than meditation ... it's just a <i>different kind </i>of meditation.</div><div><br /></div><div><font size="5">I hope this reminder that we can use our imaginations to create a sense of peace within us and take a mini virtual vacation inspires you! After all, the mind is a powerful tool!</font></div><div><br /></div><div>So tell me: What do you do to put yourself in a good frame of mind? Where do you go in your imagination when you want to be at your happy place? What concepts or memories take you there and comfort you? Share your ideas below! 👇</div><div><br /></div><div>And if you created a photo collage or a video and you want to share, please do! 💛🐝</div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>Have a wonderful rest of July. I'll see you next month!</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there for more content!~</span></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=bethdub13-20&language=en_US&l=li1&o=1&a=B0746QVF1X" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-60303197394351242572020-06-17T05:30:00.084-04:002020-06-17T05:30:00.912-04:00On Pandemics and Productivity<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnnVzhPXfaGe5IfwTtjzK5nMlybSwPzE0RlZquo3oFveQx9EP8lGVOyXyX-snv2COSebx3G69eYNMvtYlatJEXaRAusQJSm2NnONw3YroaR0k8HAuj2LevUyAEipW7ByE5HLeRzy758Bv/s1920/PandemicProductivity.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnnVzhPXfaGe5IfwTtjzK5nMlybSwPzE0RlZquo3oFveQx9EP8lGVOyXyX-snv2COSebx3G69eYNMvtYlatJEXaRAusQJSm2NnONw3YroaR0k8HAuj2LevUyAEipW7ByE5HLeRzy758Bv/w400-h225/PandemicProductivity.png" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>I can't believe we are already halfway through June, and I've only made one substantive post and two announcements here in 2020, so</span> last week I sent my mailing list a message explaining my absence these past few months.<div><br /></div><div>While I may not have any kind of <i>viral </i>following, the following I do have is steady, and people noticed I wasn't writing. Some asked me why. I gave them the basic answer but didn't really get into any negative things, because I'm not much of a complainer, and other people were going through so much more than I was — I didn't want to pile on.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've been wanting to write here, but just...couldn't. And now I feel like I can again, but it seems weird to just resume writing without acknowledging that something happened. So let's get into the WHY of my absence. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>Between a deadly pandemic, natural disasters, racial injustice, and societal tensions, I wasn't coping too well. I got completely overwhelmed, actually. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm a worrier by nature, and while I've worked very hard to turn that around and have had great success with that over the years, this particular set of events these last few months challenged me in new ways. My mindset DEFINITELY took a hit.</div><div><br /></div><div>I mean, it hasn't been ALL bad. At the start of the year, I started a new dream job, where I was hired by a client to be a full-time editor. I still freelance evenings and weekends, too. And since the last time you've heard from me, I had the opportunity to perform <i>Carmina Burana</i> at Carnegie Music Hall with the <a href="https://www.pccsing.org/" target="_blank">Pittsburgh Concert Chorale</a> just before COVID-19 hit its stride.</div><div><br /></div><div>But then everything shut down, and so did I. I felt like a failure, not being able to write, but the words simply wouldn't come. I focused on sharing uplifting content on the Facebook page, and otherwise let this site slide. </div><div><br /></div><div><font size="4">Maybe it was different for other people, but for me, apparently a pandemic isn't a good time to be creative. </font></div><div><br /></div><div>So then for some reason, thinking the pandemic would somehow give me more time to focus on "getting things done" (influenced, I'm sure, by the gazillions of articles and posts I saw where people were taking on pandemic projects) I decided I could at least be "productive" for <i>positively b.e.e.</i> by revamping the website. </div><div><br /></div><div>...which I didn't <i>actually </i>do, because I'm not exactly good (or patient) with tech stuff like building websites. I was struggling with design components and tech limitations and a lack of knowledge, and I simply stopped trying. </div><div><br /></div><div><font size="4">Apparently a pandemic may not be a great time to be extra productive, either.</font></div><div><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="345" src="https://giphy.com/embed/1AiMSCSQq9HXcWD3d6" width="480"></iframe><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/youngertv-tvland-younger-tvl-1AiMSCSQq9HXcWD3d6">via GIPHY</a></p>
</div><div>Let's be clear: I was managing basic productivity in terms of getting my regular work done. I'm a hard worker and able to compartmentalize in order to meet deadlines. But I'd work all day, do some freelance work at night or on weekends, and then...fizzle out. There really wasn't enough gas left in the tank for anything else. Add to that the fact that compartmentalization only works so well...once you start not living your true feelings, there can be side effects.</div><div><br /></div><div>I constantly felt worried, stressed out, exhausted, and like I didn't have anything left in me after each work day ended. I was not sleeping right—well, let's be fair, I'm not much of a sleeper, anyway—but it was ten times worse than usual. I'd wake up in the middle of the night and worry incessantly about things. </div><div><br /></div><div>And I know I wasn't alone in this, because I saw it on my social media feeds. People were being stretched <i>really </i>thin emotionally, and it showed.</div><div><br /></div><div>My meditation practice went down the drain, I had trouble concentrating, I had literally no desire to write, and the only comfort I found was to bury myself in working on an <a href="https://ravel.me/boadiccea/u2ylj5" target="_blank">intricate blanket pattern</a> that I'd bought on <a href="ravelry.com" target="_blank">Ravelry</a>. (A blanket I started nearly a year ago and only just finished, I might add.)</div><div><br /></div><div>I have a lot of half-started projects around the house, too, which I would give a go but then just stop. I couldn't really get anything to stick. It was basically a sense of listlessness. In between articles and posts about how productive or creative some people were being were just as many posts about how other people were having issues getting anything done. </div><div><br /></div><div><font size="4">Did any of you experience the same? How did you cope?</font></div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway, a few weeks ago, I subscribed to the Calm app. (THANK YOU to my credit card company, who offered a full year's membership FOR FREE!) If nothing else, it gave some structure to my day that didn't involve work or "getting things done." </div><div><br /></div><div>Doing the "Daily Calm" session is ten minutes a day where I can disconnect from all of those negative feelings and reconnect with something resembling peace. I also started listening to their sleep meditations and stories, which helped me whenever I'd wake up in the middle of the night and start ruminating unhealthily. </div><div><br /></div><div><font size="4">Apparently a pandemic IS a good time to change up your meditation practice? </font></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="355" src="https://giphy.com/embed/3og0IMJcSI8p6hYQXS" width="480"></iframe><p><a href="https://giphy.com/gifs/star-shooting-the-more-you-know-3og0IMJcSI8p6hYQXS">via GIPHY</a></p></div><div><br /></div><div>After a few weeks of the new meditation routine, it seems to have done some good.</div><div><br /></div><div>The theme of one of the meditations from last week was all about acceptance. After that session, I felt the best I had in a LONG time, and it's because some things synced into place for me. I realized AND accepted: </div><div><br /></div><div>☆ I can only do what I can do. </div><div>☆ Pandemics aren't great times to "get things done."</div><div>☆ It's okay to slow down a little and take stock.</div><div>☆ It's okay not to be creative or productive during times of great distress.</div><div>☆ It's okay to take any time that I need for my well-being and mental health. </div><div><br /></div><div>And finally:</div><div><br /></div><div>☆ I am definitely <u>no</u> web master! 😂 </div><div><br /></div><div>So there it is. I went offline for a bit and accomplished, well, not much at all....and I accept that! I instantly forgave myself for not writing, not creating, and not revamping the website.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was <u>so</u> freeing! And with that freedom came the first spark of creativity I'd felt in a long time. </div><div><br /></div><div>As I said to my subscribers, the time of being "shut down" is coming to an end, both literally and figuratively. As things begin to reopen in the world, I feel my spirit reopening, too. I feel I can write again.</div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Look, I don't write all this to make a spectacle. This isn't about "poor Beth" or anything. I'm not looking for any sympathy, and I have a TON to be grateful for. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><font size="4">What this IS about is <u>you</u>. </font></div><div><br /></div><div>That's right. </div><div><br /></div><div>I want you to know that it's okay if you weren't super productive or creative during these uncertain times. I wanted to share my story—REAL TALK, not just the highlights—to let you know that you aren't alone if you had any of these feelings or difficulties over these last several months. </div><div><br /></div><div>While the focus of this blog is on positivity—getting the most out of life through gratitude, joy, fun, and other such things—you can't really appreciate or learn the positivity without looking the negative stuff dead in the eye. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm often commended for my positive attitude, but at the end of the day, I'm just like anyone else: I have bad days, weeks, or months. I go through really rough times emotionally sometimes, especially in extraordinary circumstances. We all do —and that's normal. </div><div><br /></div><div>There are ways to get out of any of these negative moods again, eventually. That's why I started this blog all those years ago: to focus on ways to disrupt that negativity. I may be good at resilience, recovery, and regaining a positive outlook after taking a few hits in life, but that's only because I've had lots of practice at it. It takes time to heal.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are resources to get help, <i>healthy</i> ways to find comfort or peace, and most of all, it's important to forgive yourself if you feel you've failed at something during this really extraordinary time in our world.</div><div><br /></div><div><font size="4">So with that, I'd like to hear from you and find out how you've been coping and if you have any advice for me and other readers. Please drop a comment below!</font><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the meantime, consider some of the below ideas if you're feeling rough around the edges: </span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The <a href="https://www.calm.com/" target="_blank">Calm </a>app. It's been <u>amazing</u> for regaining my inner peace. There are other apps out there, too, if Calm isn't the right fit for you, or maybe you want to try <a href="https://www.tranquilfern.com/" target="_blank">Tranquil Fern's mediation series</a>.</li><li>Jonathan Kirkendall's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/dclpc/" target="_blank">30-second(ish) Therapy</a> (he has a particularly good meditation about uncertain times). Jon's posts always brighten my day!</li><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee" target="_blank">positively b.e.e.'s Facebook page</a>, which has content in between blog posts to help you stay upbeat </li><li>Turn off the news. Seriously. It's on 24/7, it's everywhere, it's negative, and it's never-ending. Find a rhythm with the news cycle that doesn't trigger you into negative emotions.</li><li>Limit your time on social media. Mute the really negative people if you have to for a few days. Give yourself a break. I took the apps off my phone and that created some space for me to consciously participate instead of endlessly scrolling bad news, online fighting, and the other <i>ridiculously negative</i> stuff we see on a daily basis</li><li>Try to get some exercise if you can, since it will help with relaxation and releasing endorphins, which help you feel better emotionally. If you aren't comfortable going back to the gym yet when they reopen, there are <u>a ton</u> of free exercise videos on YouTube and other venues. The world is your exercise oyster—you only need to avail yourself of it. Here are some resources that I've used: </li><ul><li>my gym posts a free workout every day on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/COHFitness" target="_blank">their Facebook page</a></li><li>Leslie Sansone always has <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/walkathomemedia" target="_blank">free walking workouts</a> </li><li>Misty Tripoli <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFp3Mppm30bv75QGIhlFnNA" target="_blank">can get you dancing</a></li><li>there are tons of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=yoga+workout" target="_blank">free Yoga videos</a>, too</li><li>there's always a quick walk or bike ride around the block </li></ul></ul><div>And finally, if you need it, consider talking to a professional counselor. I found <a href="https://www.verywellmind.com/best-online-therapy-4691206" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">a list of sites</a> that may be able to help, and/or your employer or health insurance may offer either an Employee Assistance Program or other access to mental health care. If you are unemployed or underemployed due to the pandemic, some providers may accept a sliding scale based on what you can afford. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>I know these have been a difficult few months in particular, and we've all been through the wringer a bit. In reading this, I hope you:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>don't feel alone if you were</li><li>know that these feelings are normal if you're having them </li><li>find peace in uncertain times </li><li>forgive yourself if feel like you haven't weathered current events as well as you'd like, and</li><li>find resources that may help</li></ul></div><div><font size="4"><br /></font></div><div><font size="4">I feel like I'm starting to get my groove back, and I hope this post helps you find yours, too. Until next month, be well! Take care of yourselves, okay? 💛🐝</font></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-36406808561744666182020-06-11T12:43:00.000-04:002020-06-11T12:43:45.479-04:00And...we're back!<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">So if you caught <a href="https://www.positivelybee.com/2020/05/brb-renovations-underway.html" target="_blank">my last post</a>, I had taken some time out (between new job and pandemic and current events and life stuff and and and and...) to try to spiff up this website. </span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Long story short: I've decided to stay on the Blogger platform for the time being, after all. It looks like they've actually made some improvements to the tools, so I'm going to give them a chance. Sorry for the change in plans, but I'm no web master, and I'm choosing my battles, LOL.</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I did some meditations on acceptance recently, and I accept that I can just stay here! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Look for a post next week. I've got a lot rattling around in this ole' noggin of mine, and this is my favorite place to put those thoughts.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks for your patience during the downtime. :) </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the meantime, make sure you catch in-between-posts content on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page by following me there. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">See you next week! 🐝<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMV0W8KjG53EySgY-2cHOHswGjPjEBHcnJTKIvIJxfbolYr4r7xDI8OfUPVRTSnkDuyM-vDGSvZWC-GxdcPxM_NZzaiMOPe6ofVnlgMJcWxh1HOAN0ymqKrvBU7f7tWVyl5taZszsuZMnT/s1080/the+journey+continues.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="positively-bee-new-posts-resume" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMV0W8KjG53EySgY-2cHOHswGjPjEBHcnJTKIvIJxfbolYr4r7xDI8OfUPVRTSnkDuyM-vDGSvZWC-GxdcPxM_NZzaiMOPe6ofVnlgMJcWxh1HOAN0ymqKrvBU7f7tWVyl5taZszsuZMnT/w400-h400/the+journey+continues.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span></div>
</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-54298948277392321732020-05-04T18:09:00.001-04:002020-05-04T18:09:26.881-04:00BRB - Renovations Underway<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hello, </span><div>I hope you are all well during the COVID-19 pandemic! We are doing fine here in Pittsburgh. We are sheltering in place and, so far, staying healthy.<br /><br />I've been doing some work behind the scenes to make <a href="https://www.positivelybee.com" target="_blank">positively b.e.e.</a> a better site. Since I work full time and also take on freelance work nights and weekends, this has been a slow-going process for me, but the blog WILL be back! </div><div><br /></div><div>Stay safe out there, and we'll see you soon! </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05Qa-6adDgDcgUx0iUEUdWBj2cJGTJUCY9XVmkA4pKfhc78oKir0mNO2bzvpuiIEkaW3yyLvvhvs4tyoVVRNTKokvXvP4t82kRS5OT2aQxzgnZ9HGCrxJTIKRwQcuBDI0I-S7drCwos8s/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05Qa-6adDgDcgUx0iUEUdWBj2cJGTJUCY9XVmkA4pKfhc78oKir0mNO2bzvpuiIEkaW3yyLvvhvs4tyoVVRNTKokvXvP4t82kRS5OT2aQxzgnZ9HGCrxJTIKRwQcuBDI0I-S7drCwos8s/s320/BRB.png" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-4462709128326502612019-12-31T15:45:00.001-05:002019-12-31T16:05:11.200-05:00My 2020 Resolution: Going Within and Listening<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Greetings, all, and Happy Holidays! I hope you have been having a wonderful holiday season. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #111111; font-family: , , "san francisco" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "ubuntu" , "roboto" , "noto" , "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;">Photo by </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/@moniqa?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="background-color: whitesmoke; box-sizing: border-box; color: #767676; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s; white-space: nowrap;">Monika Grabkowska</a><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #111111; font-family: , , "san francisco" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "ubuntu" , "roboto" , "noto" , "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;"> on </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/baking?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="background-color: whitesmoke; box-sizing: border-box; color: #767676; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; transition: color 0.1s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.1s ease-in-out 0s; white-space: nowrap;">Unsplash</a></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We have had a nice set of holidays here at Chez Bee. Both Thanksgiving and Christmas were simple and lovely. My husband and I took time to cook together (though he treated me by doing most of the cooking on Christmas day; I was sous chef), and I've been rediscovering how much I enjoy baking. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Since we downsized into this smaller house many years ago, I really haven't been doing that much baking due to our small and, frankly, terrible oven. We have one of those apartment-sized stoves (it came with the place), and we haven't replaced it yet. It doesn't bake evenly, and it doesn't have a light, and I'd just kind of lost my enthusiasm for baking. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But then I discovered just how good my toaster oven is. Indeed, the manual gives instructions for baking several mainstay items, so I ordered bakeware made for a toaster oven and have been having a wonderful time rediscovering this hobby. I've even branched out to make things I've never made before. On today's agenda: these traditional <a href="https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/hungarian-walnut-cookies/" target="_blank">Hungarian cookies</a>. It feels good to get back into it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, those are the life updates, but there's one more thing I want to raise as we go into 2020.</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Being on the cusp of a new year, it's typical to make resolutions, such as to lose weight, get a new job, buy a house, etc.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you've been reading for any length of time, you know that I am a very goal-oriented person, myself. We've talked about how to reach our goals here on positively b.e.e. quite a few times, and usually, the topic is more of a how-to nature, whether it's making action plans or <a href="https://www.positivelybee.com/2018/03/fortune-cookie-friday-make-your-life.html" target="_blank">writing mission statements</a> or signing up for classes or <a href="https://www.positivelybee.com/2018/01/no-break-in-my-stride.html" target="_blank">changing mindset</a> or what have you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But this year I am going to take another tack when reaching for goals. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This year, my resolution is to get to know myself better by going within rather than using external factors. This may sound a little odd, but bear with me.</span><br />
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I've noticed I'm craving more silence. I'm not on social media as much. I'm reading more in my spare time. Sometimes I work on my hand crafts and don't have anything to accompany that task: no TV; no music; no audiobook—nothing.<br />
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This has been a bit of an eye-opener. How?<br />
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At first, the silence was nearly deafening. I noticed the noise in my head and all the things I tell myself.<br />
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Rather than tamp it down, I just let that play out for a bit so I could learn from it.<br />
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After learning from my internal speech, I then focused on my breathing and allowed pure intention to take the place of the noise.<br />
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This was so enlightening! The level of focus I have had these last few weeks has been amazing!<br />
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Anyway, the point of me sharing all of this is to encourage you to try the silent approach if you like when you set your resolutions this year. Turn off the TV, radio, music, whatever. Get off of social media and your news feed.<br />
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Do something you enjoy in total silence.<br />
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<li>Listen to the noise—what are you telling yourself? How can you learn from it?</li>
<li>Are you willing to let it go? Is it even yours?</li>
<li>B R E A T H E</li>
<li>Think about an intention that you can replace the internal monologue with</li>
<li>Keep breathing and focus that intent</li>
<li>How does that make you feel? What is the outcome?</li>
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Grab your journal and write any insights down! For me, a major insight was that half of the stuff replaying in my head wasn't even mine! It was my mind turning over things I'd read, things that upset me from the news or internet arguments, or thinking about scenes from movies or shows I'd watched, and then some of it was my own insecurities or worries. Once I was able to identify all of that, I was able to deal with it and focus.<br />
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I'll be curious to hear what your resolutions are and what approaches work for you. Maybe this approach doesn't work for you, but something else does. Drop me a line in the comments below and share what works, what doesn't, and what the outcome is!<br />
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In the meantime, I'd like to wish you all a wonderful winter, a Happy New Year, and the all the joy of discovery that awaits. </h3>
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Here's to an amazing 2020! </h3>
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💛🐝<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-588905578109770662019-10-31T13:05:00.000-04:002019-10-31T13:05:10.189-04:00Happy Halloween! <i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hello everyone! I can't believe October is just about over! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Things have been really hopping over here at Chez Bee. I finished my course, and then started another. Workflow has been steady, and I joined a gym! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So now it's Halloween, and my biggest challenge today is not to eat all the candy before the kiddos show up tonight in all their Halloween finery. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you know me at all, you know that Halloween is my FAVORITE holiday! 🎃👻🕷</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Why?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well... <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iTUwh9-8DwNte-wnYW6crwodDs-U-0YHUYElnFTk6qjEwIz0U8Q9sYO8P1AwFNfmrblvzNgJDtrrfuLkKE02FpcZoxa_zQ_cbenhw17CF3rU4zDS5EohfcJlF0sNES_5elxK_rack9an/s1600/IMG_34120890402263.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="704" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iTUwh9-8DwNte-wnYW6crwodDs-U-0YHUYElnFTk6qjEwIz0U8Q9sYO8P1AwFNfmrblvzNgJDtrrfuLkKE02FpcZoxa_zQ_cbenhw17CF3rU4zDS5EohfcJlF0sNES_5elxK_rack9an/s320/IMG_34120890402263.jpeg" width="233" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Young Bee as Princess Leia</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><a href="https://amzn.to/2WzeLwO" target="_blank">Costumes </a>are fun! My mom made my costumes when I was a kid, and there were some great ones! I still love getting into a costume for Halloween if I have an event to go to. At the very least, I don a witch's hat and cloak and pet my <a href="https://amzn.to/2N2VTDb" target="_blank">talking raven</a> when I answer the door to trick-or-treaters, and this year I'm wearing fuzzy, sparkly <a href="https://amzn.to/2WxeoCB" target="_blank">ghost socks</a>. I really enjoy seeing the creativity and imagination of kids who dress up. They're just so cute!<br />
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I may be about to express an unpopular opinion here, but I don't mind older kids trick-or-treating. They grow up so fast and this world can be so hard; if they want to hold on to this one piece of their childhood for another year or two, I have no beef with that, and there is plenty of candy to go around.<br />
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And I guess my second potentially unpopular opinion is that I love candy corn!<br />
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And then there are all the decorations! I love seeing what people do to their yards, porches, and doors during the Halloween season. Some people give a nod with fake cobwebs and spiders or a skeleton hanging around. Many carve jack o'lanterns. And then some go all out, turning their entire property into a haunted attraction! I've been seeing some posts on <a href="http://nextdoor.com/" target="_blank">Nextdoor </a>about local "haunted" houses, and I make sure I drive around to see them.<br />
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Fred and I often do our porch up with a whole Halloween tableau, but with my schedule and the weather this year, we're only going to have a few lights up and a small pumpkin-and-ravens display if I can get it together by the time trick-or-treat starts.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I loved this pumpkin costume!</td></tr>
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Also, there's something about autumn air that invigorates me. It is crisp and cool, and there's a crunch of leaves underfoot, amplified by dozens of little feet as they make their way around the neighborhood. Though this year it looks like we're going to get rain. You win some, you lose some!<br />
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I'm a huge fan of monster movies, too, and this time of year, they're readily available. I primarily love the <a href="https://amzn.to/2Wvyg9f" target="_blank">classics</a>, like Lon Chaney's <a href="https://amzn.to/2qcDWZC" target="_blank">The Wolf Man</a>, or Bela Lugosi's time-honored <a href="https://amzn.to/333vhHP" target="_blank">Dracula</a>. The <a href="https://amzn.to/2qcDzhG" target="_blank">House on Haunted Hill</a> is creepy (Vincent Price was amazing!) as is <a href="https://amzn.to/3265vkG" target="_blank">The Fog</a>, and of course, who doesn't like a good <a href="https://amzn.to/326PYkx" target="_blank">Swamp Thing</a> film on a Saturday afternoon? And I make sure to watch <a href="https://amzn.to/321bJlV" target="_blank">Something Wicked This Way Comes</a> at least once a year! I've been in my element because one of the local movie channels has been airing nonstop monster movies all week!<br />
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So anyway, those are some of my thoughts on Halloween and why it's a cool holiday! I think it's important to have some fun and enjoy all of the spooky delights this time of year. <i><b>As you encounter trick-or-treaters, try to see things through their eyes. I bet you smile! </b></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What are some of your favorite Halloween traditions or memories? Drop me a comment and share! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">In the meantime, I made you a <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3ksGxTKqXGf8E81YdX457X" target="_blank">Halloween playlist</a> for today and tonight. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Have fun, and be safe!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-77419441574758664652019-09-25T16:32:00.000-04:002019-09-25T16:32:00.199-04:00An Uplifting Back-to-School Story: Christian and Connor and a Viral Act of Kindness<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
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Hello everyone! I hope you are doing well!</h2>
For today’s post, I thought it would be cool to do something related to going back to school. September is when students typically resume classes here in the States, and I’ve also been “back to school” in the form of some professional training I’ve undertaken. (The irony of my timing on that was not lost on me, but I promise, I didn't plan it that way. It's also why I now need more time between posts.)<br />
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Over the last several weeks, I’ve enjoyed all the pictures my friends have posted of their kids on the first day of school or heading to college, or pictures of how they're settling in. Some of those kids I have watched grow up, as proven by their parents posting side-by-side photos of the first first-day-of-school pic next to the current one. How has time flown so fast that kids I once knew as babies are now seniors in high school or even starting college?<br />
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Thank you for all of you who share their photos—it’s so fun to see your kids grow up.<br />
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I used to really love school when I was a kid. For one thing, I’d geek out about all the new <a href="https://amzn.to/2l8U8cm" target="_blank">school supplies</a>, like <a href="https://amzn.to/2NU0SXA" target="_blank">pens</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2LpPLCS" target="_blank">notebooks</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapper_Keeper" target="_blank">Trapper Keepers</a>—man, am I dating myself? Apparently <a href="https://amzn.to/2PRHXza" target="_blank">they still make them</a>, though—and for another, it was always great to see my friends again after a summer off.<br />
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But not everyone has a good time in school. Some may find it overwhelming, especially if they have any kind of sensory issues.<br />
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So I wanted to share this uplifting story about what one little boy did for another overwhelmed little boy on their first day of school. Check out this short video:</h3>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BdtiW2UDfD0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BdtiW2UDfD0?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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On the first day of school, Connor Crites started crying as he stood outside waiting to go into the building...until another little boy, Christian Moore, grabbed his hand and consoled him. Christian continued to hold Connor’s hand until the bell rang, then walked with him into the school.<br />
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Christian's mother posted a photo of the exchange on Facebook, and Connor's mom saw the post and responded “Tell your son I said thank you so very much! That little boy he helped is my son and is autistic.”<br />
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The story went viral, and the mothers were interviewed. Some things the two moms said really stood out:<br />
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“It doesn’t matter, you know, color. It doesn’t matter gender. It doesn’t matter disability. It doesn’t matter anything, just be kind, open your heart, and that’s what we need in this world.”</blockquote>
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“One act of kindness can change someone’s life.”</blockquote>
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“It can change the world; that’s all it takes.”</blockquote>
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Amen to that, ladies!</h3>
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I hope you enjoyed this story fitting the back-to-school theme. I love highlighting stories where kindness saves the day! It could have gone so differently: imagine if you were Connor and grew up with awful memories of your first day of school instead of the beautiful memory he will now get to cherish for the rest of his life! Same goes for Christian: he did good! I hope school continues to go well for both of them, especially knowing they have each other.<br />
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I hope your kids, if you have any, have settled back into their school routines happily. And if you’re like me and are also getting back into homework and classwork, much power to you! Because man... I'd forgotten how hard homework is! How did I do this every day before? 🤣 </div>
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Take care!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Have you heard any good news, lately? Drop a comment below or on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee" target="_blank">the Facebook page</a>!</span><br />
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<u>Other sources for this story</u>:</div>
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<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/8-year-old-boy-consoles-crying-classmate-with-autism-on-the-first-day-of-school/" target="_blank">CBS News</a></div>
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<a href="https://people.com/human-interest/conner-christian-autism-first-day-school-photo-kansas/" target="_blank">People</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-15899829434872869382019-08-30T14:20:00.000-04:002019-08-30T14:20:18.697-04:00Positively b.e.e. is 2! <i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
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It's an exciting time over here at <a href="http://positivelybee.com/" target="_blank">positively b.e.e.</a> Want to know why? </h2>
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That's right: it's <i>positively b.e.e.'s</i> 2nd birthday!<br />
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Two years ago today, I was FED UP with my social media feed, the news cycle, and people's negative attitudes about the world. Life is short, and I was just not down with living it mired in negativity any more.<br />
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So <a href="https://www.positivelybee.com/2017/08/inaugural-post.html" target="_blank">I started this blog</a> as a way to try to disrupt those negative patterns. I wanted to give people a safe space where they could read something uplifting, learn something new, and engage with generally positive (but not 'fakey-sunshiney') content.<br />
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Many folks over the last two years have reached out in private or with a comment and told me what a post did for them, or how something I said helped them reframe a situation in their lives. That's very gratifying. I'm so glad I've been able to help people, and I love the interaction I have with my readers.<br />
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But I have a secret to share, too:<br />
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I might have been helping myself, too.<br />
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Yup. I'll be honest: I'm JUST AS MUCH IN NEED OF A PICK-ME-UP as anybody else out there.<br />
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So for positively b.e.e.'s birthday, I would like to ask you all for a gift. 🎁<br />
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No, really.<br />
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Not an ACTUAL, physical gift, but something meaningful all the same:<br />
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<b>Please help me celebrate by telling me something good!</b></h2>
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That's it! So simple, right?<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(I'm really only linking to <a href="https://amzn.to/34dU5Oc" target="_blank">Rufus and Chaka Khan</a> because the song is called "Tell Me Something Good," and it's got a good bass line, LOL!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I want to hear all about the good things in your lives, good things for the people you care about, or good things going on in the world. Any good things are much appreciated!</span></div>
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I'm letting you guys do MY job for a day! 😁<br />
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Drop me a comment below, on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" target="_blank">the Facebook page</a>, or subscribers can shoot me an email, and tell me something good, okay?<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I'll be waiting ...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">In the meantime, thank you SO much for reading<i> positively b.e.e.</i> every time I make a post and for sharing your thoughts with me! You guys make my day all the time! Mwah! 💛🐝</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-12630409722324369702019-08-12T12:00:00.000-04:002019-08-12T13:13:44.149-04:00Arise! A Retreat by Mystic Studios<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Hi everyone! I hope you are all well. Before I start today's post, I'd like to mention a tiny bit of housekeeping.<br />
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<h2>
Housekeeping</h2>
As you have probably seen in various emails and social media posts, I have been experimenting with a new posting schedule both here and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" target="_blank">on Facebook</a>, which is why there hasn’t been a new post here for a couple of weeks. I plan on posting in both places regularly, as well as continuing to send emails to my mailing list, so you will always have plenty of opportunities to get regular content from me.<br />
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Also, we held our first-ever gratitude challenge on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" target="_blank">the Facebook page</a>, and it went really well! If you didn't see it, we did a five-day gratitude challenge, where we named three things each day that we were grateful for. People's answers were so creative and touching! I got a lot of great feedback from readers, so be prepared for another challenge next month! 🐝<br />
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Let me tell you about the retreat I just went on!</h2>
I'd love to tell you about a retreat I went on recently. It was my way of taking care of myself after a period of extended stress, because I see retreats not as vacations but as one tool in the self-care toolkit.<br />
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I love the word “retreat,” because (for me) it means to take a step back and assess, learn something about myself, and grow as a person. This retreat checked all of those boxes, and I loved it!<br />
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The <a href="https://kimchestney.lpages.co/arise/" target="_blank"><i>Arise!</i> retreat</a> was offered on Saturday–Sunday, August 3–4 by <a href="https://www.kimchestney.com/" target="_blank">Kim Chestney</a>, and it was a full-day retreat with an optional overnight component that was chock-full of intuition work, soul flow, meditation, creativity, and healing!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KcqLtZhF8rHhyphenhypheniqSMlvdYFPH2aG_ehanO-ECQw8_2vFh8IuoGjZMJUpeIh4h8fhoDZVBWkwZrUzZ9e3LXvYboTK9xMVX8RAnzVXG_Bzxy512WVJUncKM1Qm3G1rMOLpvc49UzJtkTyqk/s1600/Arise-Retreat-Kim-Chestney-Intuition-Zen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KcqLtZhF8rHhyphenhypheniqSMlvdYFPH2aG_ehanO-ECQw8_2vFh8IuoGjZMJUpeIh4h8fhoDZVBWkwZrUzZ9e3LXvYboTK9xMVX8RAnzVXG_Bzxy512WVJUncKM1Qm3G1rMOLpvc49UzJtkTyqk/s400/Arise-Retreat-Kim-Chestney-Intuition-Zen.jpg" title="Arise-Retreat-Kim-Chestney-Intuition-Zen.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Group photo with all participants at <i>Arise!</i> 2019. Photo by Nicky Dunlap.</span></td></tr>
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It was held at the <a href="https://deepspringzen.org/" target="_blank">Zen Center of Pittsburgh</a>, which is situated on fourteen acres of gorgeous woodland about twenty-five miles northwest of downtown Pittsburgh in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. The Zen Center is a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C5%8Dt%C5%8D" target="_blank">Soto Zen</a> Buddhist temple and education center, and its caretakers are Kotoku and Colleen Crivello, who live and practice there. <a href="https://deepspringzen.org/heade-priest/" target="_blank">Kotoku </a>is a priest in this Japanese tradition of Buddhism, and the Center offers Sunday services and <a href="https://deepspringzen.org/zazen-instruction/" target="_blank">Zazen </a>training to visitors.<br />
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So after eating breakfast with my husband, I kissed him goodbye and jumped in my little bee car to head up there. I rolled down my windows as soon as I’d left the highway and started tootling over the rolling hills of the countryside. It's a very pleasant drive!<br />
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Arrival and Setting</h2>
Upon arriving at the Zen Center and parking my car, the first thing I noticed was the amazing smell: fresh, clean air sprinkled with the scent of sweet grass. I took in a deep breath and sighed in relief.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVAG9NxBSCq-QqOjBuwgEqj2HjQrgBeJ-myLa-6nZWEoqwHTmasI9Au1vsssxkY5v6eGErNIfoEGc_Xo0iWgrtEDuoxDJqTVJincIina7OP99B7tC-cv8Ed75Xki0CH106Y8ilvpU489u/s1600/Zen-Center-Pittsburgh-Arise-Retreat-Positively-Bee-Beautiful-View.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Beautiful View at Deep Spring Zen Center of Pittsburgh" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVAG9NxBSCq-QqOjBuwgEqj2HjQrgBeJ-myLa-6nZWEoqwHTmasI9Au1vsssxkY5v6eGErNIfoEGc_Xo0iWgrtEDuoxDJqTVJincIina7OP99B7tC-cv8Ed75Xki0CH106Y8ilvpU489u/s320/Zen-Center-Pittsburgh-Arise-Retreat-Positively-Bee-Beautiful-View.JPG" title="Zen-Center-Pittsburgh-Arise-Retreat-Positively-Bee-Beautiful-View.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Beautiful grounds at the Zen Center Pittsburgh.</span></td></tr>
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When I entered the building, I was greeted and shown my room, as I was staying for the full overnight experience. I had a room with a single twin bed and a large window overlooking a beautiful view, and was initially confused: someone’s things were already in it! I was informed that the priest uses that room as his robing room and stores his books and ceremonial items there. It was kind of him to give me his space for the night, and Colleen kindly gave me a little tour, telling me the meaning of the items in the room.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0TjaM2cuQpWytA33Y-RZauHTTTC04i1BsxDW0ICjs1P1iCH97lU3Y34WLSBqSFnG37KxBaZkx6s6bKV17oBXnqswTd58H5C4qOmWae0i9zid50jmeUL5vGiyE5pEwhzWgtin-gfQRKULF/s1600/Zen-Center-Pittsburgh-Arise-Retreat-Positively-Bee-Accommodations.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="My accommodations at the Zen Center during the Arise retreat" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0TjaM2cuQpWytA33Y-RZauHTTTC04i1BsxDW0ICjs1P1iCH97lU3Y34WLSBqSFnG37KxBaZkx6s6bKV17oBXnqswTd58H5C4qOmWae0i9zid50jmeUL5vGiyE5pEwhzWgtin-gfQRKULF/s320/Zen-Center-Pittsburgh-Arise-Retreat-Positively-Bee-Accommodations.JPG" title="Zen-Center-Pittsburgh-Arise-Retreat-Positively-Bee-Accommodations.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">My accommodations at Zen Center Pittsburgh.</span></td></tr>
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Activities</h2>
After everyone settled into their rooms, we all headed downstairs to the common area, and the event began! We were each given a small “goody bag,” which contained tools we would use throughout the day (such as a pencil, small notebook, and other items). After a quick tour of the house and grounds, we went into the Zendo and started with a thoughtful exercise: each of our bags had a card with a quote on it. As we introduced ourselves, we shared what the meaningful word in that quote was; for instance: joy, intention, gratitude, etc. Mine was “reverence.” It was a great ice breaker!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0e-s61Lo31Khyphenhyphen8HlsS3VDYKd0vAMWCQ2zIOzn-ktSb38nyq6v5SKTq4BP4VslqIeckhMVp5mM3RTQqYScx0rw0bj6UfnywEPSO2x5cn14sT62c7mAaqOLO4XzOv2JwU5jnGnMKnJ_W5w/s1600/Zen-Center-Pittsburgh-Arise-Retreat-Kim-Chestney.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Zendo at the Zen Center, Deep Spring Temple" border="0" data-original-height="951" data-original-width="1268" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0e-s61Lo31Khyphenhyphen8HlsS3VDYKd0vAMWCQ2zIOzn-ktSb38nyq6v5SKTq4BP4VslqIeckhMVp5mM3RTQqYScx0rw0bj6UfnywEPSO2x5cn14sT62c7mAaqOLO4XzOv2JwU5jnGnMKnJ_W5w/s320/Zen-Center-Pittsburgh-Arise-Retreat-Kim-Chestney.png" title="Zen-Center-Pittsburgh-Arise-Retreat-Kim-Chestney.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Zendo. Photo by Mystic Studios.</span></td></tr>
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We were then led on an intuitive soul flow yoga meditation by <a href="https://www.tranquilfern.com/" target="_blank">Nicky Dunlap</a>. I appreciated that it was doable by literally anyone: you could sit on the floor or in a chair and be of any ability whatsoever. The movements were gentle and the meditations for each movement were thoughtful and meaningful. Although I had started the day kind of tired, in pain, and stressed out, after Nicky’s soul flow session, I came away feeling refreshed, peaceful, and ready for the rest of the day.<br />
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Kotoku then gave a short talk on the basics of Buddhist meditation, discussing the Eightfold Path. Inside our goody bags was a handout entitled <i>Metta Sutra: Buddha’s Teaching of Loving Kindness</i>.<br />
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Kim then started us on some intuition exercises, and what I really like about Kim’s approach is that she considers intuition development work not to be some spooky, psychic ability, but rather a cognitive function that we were all born with and simply have to learn to access and trust it. I really enjoyed watching people who were introduced to this concept for the first time have their first “aha” moments when they realized they could trust not only themselves, but the others in the room, too. There was a great sense of camaraderie immediately among people who had never met before.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidmTlWAYuKCIpw5UZVhHtJQCaJ_8MPL-wMxp-3GmnpzREFEmXe3XgLn6mSX6GXak7Ev8kB6BBm7BbF4WzwJ9n-Lg56G82A7bz9Olykg7qVCpTRu5YWtfStDfWEx-iPZanllOXWyu6ZQ2VJ/s1600/Arise-Retreat-Group-Workshops.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="1045" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidmTlWAYuKCIpw5UZVhHtJQCaJ_8MPL-wMxp-3GmnpzREFEmXe3XgLn6mSX6GXak7Ev8kB6BBm7BbF4WzwJ9n-Lg56G82A7bz9Olykg7qVCpTRu5YWtfStDfWEx-iPZanllOXWyu6ZQ2VJ/s320/Arise-Retreat-Group-Workshops.png" title="Arise-Retreat-Group-Workshops.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A group working together and having fun! Photo by Mystic Studios.</td></tr>
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After a break, we had some unstructured time with optional creative activities, and I really appreciate the thoughtfulness that went into those activities. You weren't required to do them, and could opt instead to walk the grounds, go off by yourself, or do whatever you wanted to do, but if you wanted to participate in the activities, several stations were set up on the back porch of the house.<br />
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One station featured DIY Aromatherapy with <a href="http://www.thelizzielife.com/" target="_blank">Lindsey Bradley</a>, where she gave us instructions for a couple of different aromatherapy blends. I made one with clary sage, lavender, frankincense, bergamot, and a teensy bit of patchouli.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg875btfQDsogZVAjtZ1t3nHAlqFJOGj4sa8_KNx4plNnjq8ngyGWJcWPcsk5uyanwZzddBsFLjS7KXLBBx3sKV3y0cXGuaKvluXu9ktXzoEBzpkq8TnB4KB2HOJ0MKkA3Z6QJoeL0RZj8C/s1600/Aromatherapy-Lindsey-Bradley-Arise-Retreat.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="543" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg875btfQDsogZVAjtZ1t3nHAlqFJOGj4sa8_KNx4plNnjq8ngyGWJcWPcsk5uyanwZzddBsFLjS7KXLBBx3sKV3y0cXGuaKvluXu9ktXzoEBzpkq8TnB4KB2HOJ0MKkA3Z6QJoeL0RZj8C/s320/Aromatherapy-Lindsey-Bradley-Arise-Retreat.png" title="Aromatherapy-Lindsey-Bradley-Arise-Retreat.png" width="253" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lindsey Bradley's DIY aromatherapy.</td></tr>
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Meanwhile, Nicky passed around a basket full of writing prompts to get our creative journaling juices flowing. I saw several people grab their journals and go write for a while.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jG_oomrcKSn4_5HOYH_rrhG6MPebyetJMfQfV_ucohGwoWGnij37Eh8haOeSs_VyuYDgtqPrZ4FxILlm-Hc4UREuTvFOf6AXqLgIH3Tj2tqSWdPfzF6aKUqK_92lDlIpFfgyfmxw4MwB/s1600/Arise-Retreat-Journaling-Prompts-Positively-Bee.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jG_oomrcKSn4_5HOYH_rrhG6MPebyetJMfQfV_ucohGwoWGnij37Eh8haOeSs_VyuYDgtqPrZ4FxILlm-Hc4UREuTvFOf6AXqLgIH3Tj2tqSWdPfzF6aKUqK_92lDlIpFfgyfmxw4MwB/s320/Arise-Retreat-Journaling-Prompts-Positively-Bee.JPG" title="Arise-Retreat-Journaling-Prompts-Positively-Bee.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basket of journaling prompts.</td></tr>
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Two other activities were really neat: in one, we wrote wishes on tags to be tied to a Wishing Tree. Nature would eventually take those wishes onto the wind and out into the world. And in the other activity, we wrote things we wanted to let go of on slips paper and put them into a bucket. They would be later burned and released.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yH4HNyWpfCx0-czwsVC6_UZm0scbPTKzmlcNsuaNOytSyP_m51Mu_xYMwt4s0YsacQzvjxd7n9-ioj6t7Lhaf9NLgJeK-TOPLpj5YFtyW_rqCNW7PT7Nf8AA3RxozriMjd0unHYRiMhd/s1600/Wish-Tree-Tags-Arise-Retreat-Kim-Chestney-Intuition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1yH4HNyWpfCx0-czwsVC6_UZm0scbPTKzmlcNsuaNOytSyP_m51Mu_xYMwt4s0YsacQzvjxd7n9-ioj6t7Lhaf9NLgJeK-TOPLpj5YFtyW_rqCNW7PT7Nf8AA3RxozriMjd0unHYRiMhd/s320/Wish-Tree-Tags-Arise-Retreat-Kim-Chestney-Intuition.jpg" title="Wish-Tree-Tags-Arise-Retreat-Kim-Chestney-Intuition.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wish tree activity at Arise! Photo by Nicky Dunlap.</td></tr>
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After a delicious dinner of healthy fare, we did a walking meditation with Kotoku. He taught us how to modulate our breathing with each step, then led us around the grounds in a single file, ringing a bell at regular intervals.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjdQOUgVF3hzODFoO7QEmmVQo4fmHOU2NhaoAKc9Ibb1Cz6CIPHEMsLaexQfGIR2qCN-JvpcnIodXQjeMSi4XEfXhyLaLaBxyjA_z5L96x0Hz54DXmwPo_kG5oXxuv5soDqWkDFHKdVyU/s1600/Walking-Meditation-Arise-Retreat-Kim-Chestney-Inner-wisdom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="1600" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijjdQOUgVF3hzODFoO7QEmmVQo4fmHOU2NhaoAKc9Ibb1Cz6CIPHEMsLaexQfGIR2qCN-JvpcnIodXQjeMSi4XEfXhyLaLaBxyjA_z5L96x0Hz54DXmwPo_kG5oXxuv5soDqWkDFHKdVyU/s320/Walking-Meditation-Arise-Retreat-Kim-Chestney-Inner-wisdom.jpg" title="Walking-Meditation-Arise-Retreat-Kim-Chestney-Inner-wisdom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking meditation in single file. Photo by Nicky Dunlap.</td></tr>
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At first, I found it difficult not to want to look around at everything on the grounds, but then I got into a groove with it and realized, this really is the ideal meditation for me, as I’m not very good at sitting still! :) The meditation was punctuated by two dogs playing, weaving in and out and around us as we walked, which was, to me, a nudge to be in a state of unfettered joy more often.<br />
<br />
The final creative endeavor in this part of the day was the nature mandala. We all gathered items from the grounds—leaves, flowers, sticks, stones, etc.–and created a design with them. Mother Nature will take that away when she’s ready, too. It’s a great lesson in impermanent beauty, and people seemed to have fun collecting items and adding to the pattern.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOx8koIk46TP_77J40tHwrTlkDs6cA4Tez-B3rQe_660VjFlAaY2lnzEHVxTYkp2yGIi3xYF6NnkYs9ag5-LVS2Ms-yjMh2VGAzY01qZbBjIx7He1uP5tUhyfXzeKqyrILNYCu5Zvcto72/s1600/Mandala-Making-Arise-Retreat-Kim-Chestney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOx8koIk46TP_77J40tHwrTlkDs6cA4Tez-B3rQe_660VjFlAaY2lnzEHVxTYkp2yGIi3xYF6NnkYs9ag5-LVS2Ms-yjMh2VGAzY01qZbBjIx7He1uP5tUhyfXzeKqyrILNYCu5Zvcto72/s400/Mandala-Making-Arise-Retreat-Kim-Chestney.jpg" title="Mandala-Making-Arise-Retreat-Kim-Chestney.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making a nature mandala with found objects. Photo by Nicky Dunlap.</td></tr>
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Kim then led us in some more group intuition development exercises, and then we each received an intuition attunement. At that time, Kim cleared every person’s energy field and gave them a gift. It was moving to see people release everything they were holding in during that time. We laughed; we cried! It was a beautiful ceremony.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidWlEwlJP4OOmH_GFRH7ztP7HfGWwwE2PtsNKPOqkSEicLc0ABTK0kMpZr5X95C8XkEjV5ow-TeaEDiAJU5sGQ1H0arQfCt5SV3CkdyKzHURhe6OYfHeswgtQlcZlvWTfmcr2R1yBU8M6/s1600/Arise-Tim-Kim-Chestney-Reiki-Retreat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidWlEwlJP4OOmH_GFRH7ztP7HfGWwwE2PtsNKPOqkSEicLc0ABTK0kMpZr5X95C8XkEjV5ow-TeaEDiAJU5sGQ1H0arQfCt5SV3CkdyKzHURhe6OYfHeswgtQlcZlvWTfmcr2R1yBU8M6/s320/Arise-Tim-Kim-Chestney-Reiki-Retreat.jpg" title="Arise-Tim-Kim-Chestney-Reiki-Retreat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim Chestney doing an intuition attunement. Photo by Nicky Dunlap.</td></tr>
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Afterwards, we socialized in the Zendo while nibbling on Nicky’s amazing vegan cookies.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-Nz71rCQff8t7OibSFpZiyMnLXIg9O8kvsggl34MFmMSO-A2RytnEV9DtMYPN-bTMXP_T4yOuIXp6ChQeNRn78YU8ALbdj-v9H5cgyfC89kW7YS6gEp_rN6MACVR1UlweMTmn-caVg_K/s1600/Arise-Retreat-Altar-Intuition-Lab-Kim-Chestney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-Nz71rCQff8t7OibSFpZiyMnLXIg9O8kvsggl34MFmMSO-A2RytnEV9DtMYPN-bTMXP_T4yOuIXp6ChQeNRn78YU8ALbdj-v9H5cgyfC89kW7YS6gEp_rN6MACVR1UlweMTmn-caVg_K/s320/Arise-Retreat-Altar-Intuition-Lab-Kim-Chestney.jpg" title="Arise-Retreat-Altar-Intuition-Lab-Kim-Chestney.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just look at those cookies! Photo by Nicky Dunlap.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
After dark, we headed out to the fire pit and burned the slips of paper on which we’d written the things we want to let go of. While watching them go up in smoke, we sang a group rendition of The Beatles’ Let It Be. So fitting! And I was so impressed by some of my new friends singing harmony!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZDWdTXHbWBdaL9Vh89wGtNycaA5uMSpL-e7OAeffrMyWmNHxIPAToZkH6GpD5EzsTUchwf7J4WXhJymcafRp51cvwgGAtCBenhCxaJyf7JoqnaEj3hFeQ9jeG9aBxM4hWJvplXdyL_Lu/s1600/Arise-Retreat-Fire-Ceremony-Paper-Slips-Positively-Bee.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_ZDWdTXHbWBdaL9Vh89wGtNycaA5uMSpL-e7OAeffrMyWmNHxIPAToZkH6GpD5EzsTUchwf7J4WXhJymcafRp51cvwgGAtCBenhCxaJyf7JoqnaEj3hFeQ9jeG9aBxM4hWJvplXdyL_Lu/s320/Arise-Retreat-Fire-Ceremony-Paper-Slips-Positively-Bee.JPG" title="Arise-Retreat-Fire-Ceremony-Paper-Slips-Positively-Bee.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bucket of things people wanted to release in the fire ceremony.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1uB6NpPYiIoORU0RijESG9MbzQd09sqcqiWLCPKcudSi4zl3ZqO5t2_76siHgCozxCV642L3F2gQado1qV4KZULH1kvmLRthzQUX4jg8nHLaGR3bOghfo594t1KlWArKn1G1caXBXSNW1/s1600/Arise-Retreat-Fire-Ceremony-Intuition-LAb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1uB6NpPYiIoORU0RijESG9MbzQd09sqcqiWLCPKcudSi4zl3ZqO5t2_76siHgCozxCV642L3F2gQado1qV4KZULH1kvmLRthzQUX4jg8nHLaGR3bOghfo594t1KlWArKn1G1caXBXSNW1/s320/Arise-Retreat-Fire-Ceremony-Intuition-LAb.jpg" title="Arise-Retreat-Fire-Ceremony-Intuition-Lab.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ceremony at the fire pit. Photo by Nicky Dunlap.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It was such a fun and healing day! After hanging out by the fire, people who were not staying overnight gave a round of hugs and headed on home.<br />
<br />
Those who were staying over observed silent hours from 10:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. the next morning. “Silent hours” means only functional, necessary speech, no chit chat. I had come prepared to do some reading, and chose to start the mystic, <a amzn-ps-bm-asin="SEARCH" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="1a8ce202a7f39b147d1b013c4cd32847" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="St. Teresa of Avila" href="http://amazon.com/s/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=St.%20Teresa%20of%20Avila&tag=bethdub13-20&linkId=1a8ce202a7f39b147d1b013c4cd32847&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_3230573" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">St. Teresa of Avila</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_3230573" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=bethdub13-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=1a8ce202a7f39b147d1b013c4cd32847&_cb=1565624297631" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" />’s book <i><a href="https://amzn.to/2YYGYfV" target="_blank">The Interior Castle</a></i>, written in 1577 and still considered to be a seminal work about spiritual development.<br />
<br />
The next morning, silent hours ended with Kotoku ringing a bell throughout the house to wake us at 7:00 a.m. I awoke to the most amazing sunrise that cast the coolest pattern on the wall above me because of a lace valance in the window.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33BSHsA1Pmnm5E0bgjLnOdu4b9jy1xInfND1g1A7HiTPEZEMuWONq2Et1RYyOsBAznfublaxopZjVCdzKdkXP5panFzVOhFJgFwsdrxUboMbkGAwfnVnGS9dxka6hVmTOWReKnmdxuGOk/s1600/Arise-Retreat-Sunrise-Pattern-Positively-Bee.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi33BSHsA1Pmnm5E0bgjLnOdu4b9jy1xInfND1g1A7HiTPEZEMuWONq2Et1RYyOsBAznfublaxopZjVCdzKdkXP5panFzVOhFJgFwsdrxUboMbkGAwfnVnGS9dxka6hVmTOWReKnmdxuGOk/s320/Arise-Retreat-Sunrise-Pattern-Positively-Bee.JPG" title="Arise-Retreat-Sunrise-Pattern-Positively-Bee.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lace pattern at sunrise.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1FvBMYHOkDRuisII0IMAIPnBDHJCGZmDDVMps4p41XlFhVG600ILITtUIXNM4Pb9IfqDiqHPkBiwYTHzwxYKmsi_bTWva_vcPQGdG8I9ydVaGTX1wH9d7mZ2Zfp5CTTS7oxoeMWrv-97/s1600/Arise-Retreat-Zen-Sunrise-Intuition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1FvBMYHOkDRuisII0IMAIPnBDHJCGZmDDVMps4p41XlFhVG600ILITtUIXNM4Pb9IfqDiqHPkBiwYTHzwxYKmsi_bTWva_vcPQGdG8I9ydVaGTX1wH9d7mZ2Zfp5CTTS7oxoeMWrv-97/s320/Arise-Retreat-Zen-Sunrise-Intuition.jpg" title="Arise-Retreat-Zen-Sunrise-Intuition.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what greeted me when I looked out the window. Photo by Nicky Dunlap.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We had a sunrise Qi Gong session led by <a href="https://taichiforhealthpittsburgh.com/about/bio/" target="_blank">Gurney Bolster</a>, which was the perfect way to get that flow going first thing in the morning. The grass and air were cool and dewy; it the perfect summer morning!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEico_kzN_3Apf4hXeyiavyOPKGDe0X9IKNU1reisZi-aj6mNcqThK9O8r12SC64J3WyqkGtGKPv5k2GPuGxmTV4-nmYKbs5ocXJo5BHwQiTFW4gTP5Q8QxskfbXQoNITVMKoFgZ-T_XanZn/s1600/Arise-Retreat-QiGong-Sadhana.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEico_kzN_3Apf4hXeyiavyOPKGDe0X9IKNU1reisZi-aj6mNcqThK9O8r12SC64J3WyqkGtGKPv5k2GPuGxmTV4-nmYKbs5ocXJo5BHwQiTFW4gTP5Q8QxskfbXQoNITVMKoFgZ-T_XanZn/s400/Arise-Retreat-QiGong-Sadhana.JPG" title="Arise-Retreat-QiGong-Sadhana.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise QiGong with Gurney Bolster. Photo by Mystic Studios.</td></tr>
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After a light breakfast, we were given an orientation about Sunday services in the Zendo, with a talk led by Craig, one of the members of the Zen Center’s board. We were welcome to stay for the Zazen meditation should we wish, and I know several people did.<br />
<br />
I did not participate in the Zazen meditation because I had decided to go to Mass and light a candle for the victims of the El Paso and Dayton shootings, so I gave our teachers hugs and our hosts a heartfelt thank you for their hospitality and got on the road to find a local church.<br />
<br />
Side note: if you’re Catholic and in the Cranberry area, definitely check out St. Ferdinand. There is beautiful artwork inside the church, and the music was VERY well done, too! They had both an organist and a pianist as well as a beautiful singer performing her duties as the cantor! I ended up crying through much of the Mass; the music and message that day really touched me, and in combination with all the beauty of the <i>Arise!</i> retreat, I think I released and surrendered the pain I'd been carrying, both personally and from the news of the shootings. Our world is so complicated, and I’m so grateful I could spend a weekend surrounded by love, creativity, friendship, and beauty.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOi0gy4qgKyzKH9wj44tip05xyI9AmCihMO4kiBUrp9rekeKSKErNnBkaJOVpxvyOu6B9h6knJO_NLyKu1zXts3MUcRklBwNOQ8yWdahNuEXzySi2u9GgyYi_3HDfI1NqtqS0mSVVUz0UT/s1600/Positively-Bee-Catholic-Church-Saint-Ferdinand-Cranberry-PA.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOi0gy4qgKyzKH9wj44tip05xyI9AmCihMO4kiBUrp9rekeKSKErNnBkaJOVpxvyOu6B9h6knJO_NLyKu1zXts3MUcRklBwNOQ8yWdahNuEXzySi2u9GgyYi_3HDfI1NqtqS0mSVVUz0UT/s320/Positively-Bee-Catholic-Church-Saint-Ferdinand-Cranberry-PA.JPG" title="Positively-Bee-Catholic-Church-Saint-Ferdinand-Cranberry-PA.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful St. Ferdinand Church in Cranberry, PA.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h2>
Thank Yous</h2>
I would like to thank everyone involved—especially Kim, Nicky, Lindsey, and Jon–for their hard work in putting such a beautiful retreat together. Everything was perfect, right down to the tiniest of details. For instance, Nicky did such a gorgeous job with the flower arrangements and her delicious, homemade vegan and gluten-free cookies, and Lindsey laid out our lovely evening meal and coordinated getting us settled into our rooms. Jon was the man behind the scenes making sure everything just flowed. And finally, I would like to thank Kim for her wisdom, teaching, and thoughtfulness. Her events are always full of love, inclusiveness, and light, and if you can ever get to one, I highly recommend it!<br />
<br />
<h2>
What I Learned</h2>
I came away from the retreat refreshed, renewed, and ready for whatever may be. Through the reflection I did over the weekend, I learned:<br />
<br />
...to embody tranquility even when my fight-or-flight response wants to do otherwise.<br />
<br />
...that any struggle I’m feeling is just a blip in the greater scheme of things.<br />
<br />
...that there can be peace within and without.<br />
<br />
...that resistance is futile (<i>points to the Trekkies out there</i>) and releasing it brings opportunities for growth.<br />
<br />
...that creativity is possible in ways you've never imagined before, and if you open yourself up and tap into it, that well need never run dry!<br />
<br />
If you're touched by anything I've written about here, then maybe a retreat would be good for you, too! If you want to find out about more of Kim’s events and retreats, be sure to find her and the other presenters/coordinators at the links below and sign up for their mailing lists.<br />
<h2>
Links</h2>
<a href="https://www.kimchestney.com/" target="_blank">Kim Chestney / Mystic Studios</a> (Author and Founder of IntuitionLab)<br />
<a href="http://www.tranquilfern.com/" target="_blank">Nicky Dunlap / Tranquil Fern</a> (Photographer and Teacher)<br />
<i>(Side note: seriously, you need to go to something that Nicky brings cookies to. She's an amazing vegan and gluten-free baker!)</i><br />
<a href="http://www.thelizzielife.com/" target="_blank">Lindsey Bradley / Lizzie B.</a> (Aromatherapy and Wellness Educator)<br />
<a href="https://taichiforhealthpittsburgh.com/" target="_blank">Gurney Bolster / Tai Chi for Health</a> (Tai Chi and QiGong instructor)<br />
<a href="https://deepspringzen.org/" target="_blank">The Zen Center of Pittsburgh</a> (Soto Zen Temple and Education Center)<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-22155415725447494512019-07-26T15:19:00.001-04:002019-07-26T15:19:25.809-04:00My Summer Playlist<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hi all! I don't know about you, but I am feeling summertime right now. It's nice and hot here in Pittsburgh, and despite some rain, we have had several really nice, sunny days in a row. I've been spending more time outdoors, whether tending my tiny container garden on my front porch or taking walks in the park, and enjoying it immensely! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I thought we'd do things a little bit differently today. As you may know, sound and music are some of my favorite ways to lift my mood, raise my vibrations, and keep myself in a positive frame of mind. </span>When I was a teen and in my early twenties, I used to spend hours making mixtapes of my favorite songs for summer and then also songs from summer to take with me back to college.<br />
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These days, things are a little different—music is available at the click of a mouse or the swipe of a thumb over an app on your phone. But that doesn't mean I can't still have my "mixtape" fun. <span style="font-family: inherit;">I made myself a little Spotify playlist of summer fun songs, and now I can share it with you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are several genres of music here, so there should be a little something for everyone. Enjoy the music and have a wonderful weekend! 🌞 🎵 📻 🐝 </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_IbPCYaOw41FJWbKeWPJkhsq5267y_gGNR4sv-B51RJZXyg7zzF7vUQhdCTOgmNd4z_kE5ZObh5anuhDMl7k-35zrzfEn1XjBzELNV03XpMaiKIxcY7YswabopUJb3eyU1KaW6qQ1Yu6/s1600/Add+a+heading.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_IbPCYaOw41FJWbKeWPJkhsq5267y_gGNR4sv-B51RJZXyg7zzF7vUQhdCTOgmNd4z_kE5ZObh5anuhDMl7k-35zrzfEn1XjBzELNV03XpMaiKIxcY7YswabopUJb3eyU1KaW6qQ1Yu6/s640/Add+a+heading.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Full Spotify playlist can be found <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3hyGocTJEjrKirxgcHgWPn" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Track Listing:</span><br />
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2SIpZwR" target="_blank">Surfin' USA</a> – The Beach Boys</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/32OJR6h" target="_blank">ABC</a> – The Jackson 5</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2SIrjzP" target="_blank">Beatnik Beach</a> – The Go-Go's</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2JWmdgJ" target="_blank">The Summer Sun</a> – Chris Stamey (feat. Yo La Tengo)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2LFRuqp" target="_blank">Here Comes the Summer</a> – The Undertones</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2LIJRzg" target="_blank">Rockaway Beach</a> – The Ramones</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2LJ7g3z" target="_blank">Summer Fun </a>– The Barracudas</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2JVK4NG" target="_blank">Rock Lobster</a> - The B-52's</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2SFo4sY" target="_blank">Having an Average Weekend</a> – Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2LIIpwZ" target="_blank">Walking on Sunshine</a> – Katrina and the Waves</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2SIrjzP" target="_blank">Vacation</a> – The Go-Go's</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2SMj1qH" target="_blank">Life is a Highway</a> - Tom Cochrane</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2JX18Ti" target="_blank">Summer of '69</a> – Bryan Adams</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/32Tr8GF" target="_blank">Brown Eyed Girl</a> – Van Morrison</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2LJ8n3f" target="_blank">Summer Breeze</a> – Seals and Crofts</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2JW9cDZ" target="_blank">Red Red Wine</a> – UB40</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2LIqwOI" target="_blank">Uptown Funk</a> – Bruno Mars</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2ycNdlm" target="_blank">Happy</a> – Pharrell Williams</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2YiZoaR" target="_blank">Miami</a> – Will Smith</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://amzn.to/30Wdbpx" target="_blank">Rock Your Body</a> – Justin Timberlake</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-27051062291804920222019-07-19T13:25:00.000-04:002019-07-19T13:25:31.606-04:00Seeing Life through the Eyes of a Child<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When I stand at one of my kitchen counters, I am able to look out a big picture window into my front yard, which is situated on a "cozy" city street. But it’s a quiet street with lovely neighbors, and I get much peace watching birds and squirrels and sometimes rabbits and even <a href="https://www.positivelybee.com/2018/06/the-buck-and-us.html" target="_blank">the occasional deer</a> as I assemble a sandwich or a brew a cup of tea. </span><br />
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I was putting the kettle on when something caught my attention from out of the corner of my eye:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggplWw8kiNnYLiUzUUGZBvIMM62SJ5CkCURaZLb6P_lBJwRbnIJhx8Mx5gis01qAUNjFLN7_F7DpqFO4hHgs6TQkAEUX1RVZLsF70tb8dFVknpn74Yl3I7ZCdX5pOxAi479h8jeMWQi2Zk/s1600/daniel-hansen-VFSy8iXlHP4-unsplash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggplWw8kiNnYLiUzUUGZBvIMM62SJ5CkCURaZLb6P_lBJwRbnIJhx8Mx5gis01qAUNjFLN7_F7DpqFO4hHgs6TQkAEUX1RVZLsF70tb8dFVknpn74Yl3I7ZCdX5pOxAi479h8jeMWQi2Zk/s200/daniel-hansen-VFSy8iXlHP4-unsplash.jpg" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #111111; font-family: , "blinkmacsystemfont" , "san francisco" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "ubuntu" , "roboto" , "noto" , "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;">Photo by </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/@danielcph?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="background-color: whitesmoke; box-sizing: border-box; color: #999999; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; transition: color 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out 0s; white-space: nowrap;">Daniel Hansen</a><span style="background-color: whitesmoke; color: #111111; font-family: , "blinkmacsystemfont" , "san francisco" , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "ubuntu" , "roboto" , "noto" , "segoe ui" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: nowrap;"> on </span><a href="https://unsplash.com/search/photos/bubble?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" style="background-color: whitesmoke; box-sizing: border-box; color: #999999; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "San Francisco", "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Ubuntu, Roboto, Noto, "Segoe UI", Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start; text-decoration-skip-ink: auto; transition: color 0.2s ease-in-out 0s, opacity 0.2s ease-in-out 0s; white-space: nowrap;">Unsplash</a></span></td></tr>
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A single, solitary bubble floated in my field of vision. It dodged and weaved around porch furniture and bushes, buffeted by a light breeze before it swerved in toward the window to hover directly in front of my eyes for a millisecond before making its way down the sidewalk and into a neighbor’s yard. I guess the kids next door were <a href="https://amzn.to/2JSIIBO" target="_blank">playing with bubbles</a> and one made its way over to my house.<br />
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Do you know what I did next?<br />
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I threw my head back and laughed like no one was looking!<br />
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Okay, no one WAS looking, because I was home alone, but that’s not the point!<br />
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Immediately I was reminded of just how much I loved bubbles as a kid. I couldn’t get enough of them! My Dad and I used to go out in the yard and blow bubbles together, getting more <a href="https://amzn.to/2XQHDUV" target="_blank">interesting wands</a> and <a href="https://amzn.to/2XOzG2B" target="_blank">bubble contraptions</a> as summers went on. Some nights we’d be covered in soap remnants after a good evening of blowing bubbles. Those were such fun times!<br />
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I think as adults, sometimes we forget the simplicity of those childhood joys. We forget to look upon the world with bright eyes, joyful abandon, and a sense of play or even mild mischief.<br />
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It's summertime now, and I can't help but remember how summers used to be so carefree: Riding our bikes and swimming all day. Playing with our dolls or action figures. Sleeping with <a href="https://amzn.to/2XTDydS" target="_blank">stuffed animals</a>. Blowing bubbles and watching them float away on the breeze. Getting into epic <a href="https://amzn.to/32BJQCo" target="_blank">Nerf </a>battles. Making mud pies and <a href="https://amzn.to/2Y1puPw" target="_blank">sand castles</a>. Holding <a href="https://amzn.to/2XR8Erz" target="_blank">pretend tea parties</a> with our dogs or cats and guinea pigs who <a href="https://amzn.to/2JV8fu6" target="_blank">patiently put up with</a> being our “guests.”<br />
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Those days go by so quickly, and it seems the older we get, the years go by quickly, too. In some ways, time seems to test the limits of physics. Doesn't it seem like years speed up the older we get?<br />
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But this piece isn’t meant to be some introspective yearning for the days of yore, because we haven’t lost EVERYTHING from our childhoods. We can always carry our inner child with us...WITHIN us, helping shape and mold the people we are...the people we choose to be.<br />
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Are you jaded? Cynical? Unhappy? Unfulfilled? Stressed out? Busy? Did you forget to smile today?<br />
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Shed all of that. It does not serve you.<br />
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If you’re any of those things above lately, try changing the lens through which you view life.<br />
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When was the last time you giggled like a little kid on a merry-go-round? When was the last time you looked at something with a sense of childlike wonder?<br />
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Open your eyes and see how truly blessed you are to be here, right now. Part of being a child is to see things for the first time and have a sense of wonder and curiosity about them. Look at your spouse, your kids, your cat, your neighbor, your friends, and SEE them again. Go through your childhood mementos and SEE them, too. <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/WritingPrompts/comments/25gtsw/eu_in_the_final_minutes_of_his_life_calvin_has/" target="_blank">Don’t be Calvin, looking at Hobbes in his attic over the years and only seeing a stuffed animal.</a> Calvin and Hobbes had a special kind of magic; we can find that magic again.<br />
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I know we all have our daily responsibilities and stressors, but remember to stop and take a breath and live like kids do: unfettered. Unconcerned with all the bigger life stuff. Find the magic again, even if only for a few moments every day. Here are some tips to help with that:<br />
<ul>
<li>Dance like you’re in your favorite fairy princess costume and the fairy godmother just waved her magic wand over you. </li>
</ul>
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<li>Laugh at bad “dad jokes” with the abandon of a 5-year-old. </li>
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<li>Have a tea party with your kids or grandkids.</li>
</ul>
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<li>Get on that merry-go-round or swing next time you take the kids to the park. </li>
</ul>
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<li>Go on a rollercoaster and scream your fool head off. Then go do it again. And again, til you’ve laughed and screamed so hard you tucker yourself out and sleep the best sleep ever.</li>
</ul>
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Who cares if it's silly? Silly is fun!<br />
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Find your inner child and meet them again. Welcome them back into your life. If childhood wasn't so great, offer healing to yourself and allow yourself to honor your inner child now. (I'll drop a resource or two below.)<br />
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Try to see things from a child's perspective once in a while, and let me know how that goes. I think you'll find there's a different quality of joy in your life.<br />
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BRB... gotta go buy some bubbles.<br />
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xo! 🐝<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-72011106033916173912019-07-05T10:30:00.003-04:002019-07-05T10:32:41.185-04:00Getting Away: How a Trip to a Local Berry Farm Healed My Soul<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hello, fellow bee-peeps! I hope you have had an excellent week. If you are American, I hope you had a fantastic <a href="https://g.co/kgs/mTsPpR" target="_blank">Fourth of July</a> celebration! Ours was nice and quiet this year. My husband and I celebrate our wedding anniversary around the 4th every year; sometimes we get away, but this year we'll be spending the weekend doing something fun locally, instead. Which brings me to my next topic, actually!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">This week I wanted to talk about how it's important to get away once in a while in order to break up any routines and grab a "reset" in life. </span>For example, I've been working really hard lately. I had a huge deadline coming due on a recent Monday and was feeling the pressure. I was definitely starting to feel like I was "all work, NO play."<br />
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But I didn't cave to the stress and chain myself to the desk all weekend. Instead, I decided to give myself a much-needed soul break and get away for a morning. But where to go? I didn't want to spend a ton of money or take <u>too</u> much time.<br />
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If you're in the same boat, consider finding an inexpensive local destination that offers fun! And this week, I'd like to feature a destination local to Pittsburgh that, if you're from here or visiting, you can get to rather easily and have a great time!<br />
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The answer to my conundrum was only 15 miles away from the City of Pittsburgh in Monongahela, PA at <a href="http://www.triplebfarms.com/" target="_blank">Triple B Farms</a>. This is a pick-your-own berry farm with lots of activities in May through October every year. I found out about them because I had signed up for the <a href="https://runsignup.com/Race/PA/Monongahela/TheGreatPumpkinRunPittsburgh?raceRefCode=mpyDcaw8&utm_source=RunSignUp&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=mpyDcaw8" target="_blank">Great Pumpkin Run 5k</a> and wanted to know more about the location. After visiting their website, I made a snap decision: this would be my outing for a Saturday morning.<br />
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I spent a lovely 40-minute drive with the windows down, gulping in lungfuls of fresh, country air as I approached the farm. As soon as I parked, I was struck by the gorgeous, hilly farmland and the beautiful, blue skies.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfENPyDhCrYhR-QH90F-Y4Tus_LqfyKSb0sOmzU9GWFNcWdxF6V-D3Vw-d7jfelW8l2qwPdMcuV47jmrWicunoUazD6Trhwv0K7j6qGE5y9CbtMKSTA4k0MJwOHxQlnAPoQb6lsJFy86G/s1600/IMG_2419.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnfENPyDhCrYhR-QH90F-Y4Tus_LqfyKSb0sOmzU9GWFNcWdxF6V-D3Vw-d7jfelW8l2qwPdMcuV47jmrWicunoUazD6Trhwv0K7j6qGE5y9CbtMKSTA4k0MJwOHxQlnAPoQb6lsJFy86G/s320/IMG_2419.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous skies greeted me.</td></tr>
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After snapping a quick pic over the top of my <a href="https://www.fiatusa.com/abarth-500.html" target="_blank">Fiat 500 Abarth</a> (a fun little car to take out on a day to the country, I might add!), I walked over to the attractive entrance to the farm to begin my day.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhYxWZX58Xpuc1gsgMoRJLHilI2gOdTr9cs0EJcnYVivin_HjpGgTV_9Zbn_0Aj-XB0w334yagu04lN3Tfz94sSerayMdk3une_f2R6mdXBQPoNxIcLeH_niaxAb_PLwdNRzrGbD813e1/s1600/IMG_2423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdhYxWZX58Xpuc1gsgMoRJLHilI2gOdTr9cs0EJcnYVivin_HjpGgTV_9Zbn_0Aj-XB0w334yagu04lN3Tfz94sSerayMdk3une_f2R6mdXBQPoNxIcLeH_niaxAb_PLwdNRzrGbD813e1/s320/IMG_2423.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I felt very welcome from the start.</td></tr>
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The way the pick-your-own operation works is this: you go the tent in the above photo and pay $3 for a wristband. A tractor will then pick you up and take your group up to the field to pick your fruit. When you come back down in the tractor, you will weigh what you pick and pay for your purchase (and that $3 you paid for the wristband is credited to you in that transaction).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkPuHwOfR5jtZge4KNrRU0LqN9wSTqWxyLuldbZEdZWqmxBh086w9cJaVEJw7jQNiot9Z-tPR07Sw3lSoW007jI02nMFDKbxMg6Ufzor_dbU8jvGRzJY06BEhO6rDtErhkqWBC8Nr7fWR/s1600/IMG_2425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkPuHwOfR5jtZge4KNrRU0LqN9wSTqWxyLuldbZEdZWqmxBh086w9cJaVEJw7jQNiot9Z-tPR07Sw3lSoW007jI02nMFDKbxMg6Ufzor_dbU8jvGRzJY06BEhO6rDtErhkqWBC8Nr7fWR/s320/IMG_2425.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was my view from a bench under a shade tree.</td></tr>
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I decided it was too hot that day to actually pick berries (it was in the 90s, I believe!), so instead I acclimated myself to what the farm had to offer. I found out that there was an indoor (and air-conditioned!) farm market, so I first peeked my head in there. They had all kinds of food and gifts available for purchase, including produce, baked goods, kitchen and baking utensils, items made from honey, and things with a bee theme (of course, these were my favorites!) It also smelled heavenly in there, because the area where they do the baking is in the back of the store. That olfactory stimulation made me realize I hadn't had breakfast, yet, so I went in search of food.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJD_BkTiTRA2ljx3DBb3nb6BjxoTpHSXOp2z9pEYrbGY3uMkKQEqgPP1AI6Lh6t04x1BgxU6PKW9DTVr1fd9BoaMxY_ZzaDR3Io7d8uVIofjPV8B6F9XzhOPyEfilcOuBJnw_qD9iwHxO/s1600/IMG_2426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJD_BkTiTRA2ljx3DBb3nb6BjxoTpHSXOp2z9pEYrbGY3uMkKQEqgPP1AI6Lh6t04x1BgxU6PKW9DTVr1fd9BoaMxY_ZzaDR3Io7d8uVIofjPV8B6F9XzhOPyEfilcOuBJnw_qD9iwHxO/s320/IMG_2426.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can buy all kinds of goodies here.</td></tr>
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I was then made aware that right next door to the market is a food barn, where they serve basic seasonal breakfast items (like pancakes with fresh berries and blueberry donuts), coffee, tea, beverages, etc.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmLPQO1uirB9gZOXDfWDD5gb8Knmt9r2aTAUoG3hfyZNF7hR3lQZ6qundYVbj8IE2txSPD9TKvPOVolQgll3PPs_7gpqt8xV-vw8Z065syjw9Wtu5uBQgZpkincqEPHvRPJGeWIWDSIxH/s1600/IMG_2427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmLPQO1uirB9gZOXDfWDD5gb8Knmt9r2aTAUoG3hfyZNF7hR3lQZ6qundYVbj8IE2txSPD9TKvPOVolQgll3PPs_7gpqt8xV-vw8Z065syjw9Wtu5uBQgZpkincqEPHvRPJGeWIWDSIxH/s320/IMG_2427.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get breakfast or lunch during your visit!</td></tr>
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I got a short stack of pancakes with fresh blueberries and strawberries on them. It came with a side of sausage patties. I couldn't finish it, even the small plate, but it was delicious!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOb5kHX8clpH96nPG4434pT1TeTR1VtmDwzofgavIO0-kTmK5iCXRXPR6c0Div3uWafdWI7TzRsIdbM173ZKWamU9KM6HWOxNMIkDbLBkGitpKYxYD72AnOKcWa-Pdb-knFPpJzt_B6Pp9/s1600/IMG_2430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOb5kHX8clpH96nPG4434pT1TeTR1VtmDwzofgavIO0-kTmK5iCXRXPR6c0Div3uWafdWI7TzRsIdbM173ZKWamU9KM6HWOxNMIkDbLBkGitpKYxYD72AnOKcWa-Pdb-knFPpJzt_B6Pp9/s320/IMG_2430.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Food Barn is comfortable and cozy.</td></tr>
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After my meal, I took my coffee outside and sat on a bench under a tree, where a breeze was flowing and two gentlemen were conversing nearby. I sat and watched the world go by for a while, breathing deeply and enjoying my coffee and the warmth of a beautiful day.<br />
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The two gentlemen—who turned out to be the founder of the farm, Ron, and his buddy George—struck up a conversation with me and made me feel very welcomed. They even introduced me to many of the family and staff who were present while I was there.<br />
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After sitting under the shade tree with Ron and George for a while, I finished my coffee and decided to work off that pancake and sausage by exploring the farm a bit. I started up the path to the rest of the farm.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gGQhMn0uTwki9_pJDtd4opulxLWyLwGEkzwTBzTcrS0YMj2yBSMK4PqwNKNF6HcP_a07k8bxoutWUutsvV18nfdRaQ-h7WGDFWCJNacj1v7Ph2dYGcXs10SkKQ-f_o4839HfQRdDk4qU/s1600/IMG_2438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_gGQhMn0uTwki9_pJDtd4opulxLWyLwGEkzwTBzTcrS0YMj2yBSMK4PqwNKNF6HcP_a07k8bxoutWUutsvV18nfdRaQ-h7WGDFWCJNacj1v7Ph2dYGcXs10SkKQ-f_o4839HfQRdDk4qU/s320/IMG_2438.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Path leading to the bee and goat areas.</td></tr>
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As I walked, I realized that if you look closely at the buildings, there are little signs giving you important facts about bees. You know this caught my attention! I then started looking for all of them.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtvNCJA_0q2sV9MWtRbdsVxUTayUNlA8yW1hNw00OSlSAhprfCho_oR8E6XOUVs5WDUlGde6mGc68bU_kB47edFBub4qWuRdDBUZ2ERt_roKqHyLkOmfE9Hjud0dvrwURNzVurdMzbAiT/s1600/IMG_2439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtvNCJA_0q2sV9MWtRbdsVxUTayUNlA8yW1hNw00OSlSAhprfCho_oR8E6XOUVs5WDUlGde6mGc68bU_kB47edFBub4qWuRdDBUZ2ERt_roKqHyLkOmfE9Hjud0dvrwURNzVurdMzbAiT/s320/IMG_2439.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These signs were all over the farm.</td></tr>
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As I continued up the walkway, I discovered there was an entire display all about bees and their importance to the ecosystem!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6f32v6EcoAsGSlrdOOpZB-BybrE4pPBQjc_y4bCKqmce0nXC6SKsTDDuCQYScH5X3cnF3MyCAlQRhSNjSw5JukfbBBuOpbAodx-AOr21ZhZDZiffDYfQsvOtjiGHPyb5bkr-C7z6aLOQx/s1600/IMG_2440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6f32v6EcoAsGSlrdOOpZB-BybrE4pPBQjc_y4bCKqmce0nXC6SKsTDDuCQYScH5X3cnF3MyCAlQRhSNjSw5JukfbBBuOpbAodx-AOr21ZhZDZiffDYfQsvOtjiGHPyb5bkr-C7z6aLOQx/s320/IMG_2440.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful sign about how bees help the ecosystem.</td></tr>
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In addition to the really nice signage, there was a Bee Barn where you could find out how queen bees are marked by the beekeepers to keep track of their ages and other facts about how hives operate.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXfHkoXXn5gKEfbUtLUGBTC6MosGC-RiIrQfIzqAguXTPDT78-Ajhk-mdHnLFulUFRrT8tyMFeVNmU5Jaz0qHW4VnUq4-6bhGlmYkxo8GLvjUNmmg5YbfQgv3hjbvIiVGXsr1LCRlfwe3/s1600/IMG_2441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXfHkoXXn5gKEfbUtLUGBTC6MosGC-RiIrQfIzqAguXTPDT78-Ajhk-mdHnLFulUFRrT8tyMFeVNmU5Jaz0qHW4VnUq4-6bhGlmYkxo8GLvjUNmmg5YbfQgv3hjbvIiVGXsr1LCRlfwe3/s320/IMG_2441.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Need I say more?</td></tr>
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You could even view a hive inside the Bee Barn! The signage around the hive gave you important facts about bees and their life cycle and encouraged you to find the queen. I couldn't see her, myself, but I'm sure she and the other bees were quite busy!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKQ2iFGSyMczvH76soYq6GSOjVcaezEWz2P1_gEGIxpiTB6X_uYwSNDibRHdYaVkOBDc2VqHvt6Y9kKjij5u5C90jzWqBOkrBcny0H1DWP9KYtfErWjn0FfLcUMIXFcZ-GCWWpx83bUlE/s1600/IMG_2443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKQ2iFGSyMczvH76soYq6GSOjVcaezEWz2P1_gEGIxpiTB6X_uYwSNDibRHdYaVkOBDc2VqHvt6Y9kKjij5u5C90jzWqBOkrBcny0H1DWP9KYtfErWjn0FfLcUMIXFcZ-GCWWpx83bUlE/s320/IMG_2443.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View a working colony at the Bee Barn.</td></tr>
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I really enjoyed learning about bees while I was there. What a wonderful display; it must have taken much time and care to not only to install but maintain it. I'm sure kids love it!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5srSyvYVRgjoNFQYpz0ezWKAArLVrP_LF8rkXI1bCiY1SiQ2LKFanqoSXGJQCpdYbT6puA7mRSiKSdE8pB0m28BuRo4hXr-ekGWXeysCHny2vdbjuFOkLOyCFEHu5j0dFPu8EgwxNESj/s1600/IMG_2450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY5srSyvYVRgjoNFQYpz0ezWKAArLVrP_LF8rkXI1bCiY1SiQ2LKFanqoSXGJQCpdYbT6puA7mRSiKSdE8pB0m28BuRo4hXr-ekGWXeysCHny2vdbjuFOkLOyCFEHu5j0dFPu8EgwxNESj/s320/IMG_2450.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More learning available near the Bee Barn.</td></tr>
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After hanging out with the bees, I continued up the path to find this guy staring down at me:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihU_Y0eZ8SY9KSAYP0i7QWFp3Bx-wt4edK-aPV7N5mp0Gveb6tRbmcfudPiWbPwWtMBJsLSzCFrthz72e-aYyUOKloSfOQelS8bNgPmF_oIu6QGLw-570fHJk2V7ivzmwl_O1v5UZG8K45/s1600/IMG_2455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihU_Y0eZ8SY9KSAYP0i7QWFp3Bx-wt4edK-aPV7N5mp0Gveb6tRbmcfudPiWbPwWtMBJsLSzCFrthz72e-aYyUOKloSfOQelS8bNgPmF_oIu6QGLw-570fHJk2V7ivzmwl_O1v5UZG8K45/s320/IMG_2455.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do you see him up top?</td></tr>
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Oh. My. Gosh. GOATS! I bet you could hear my "Squeeeeeee!" all the way back in the City of Pittsburgh. I'm pretty sure I went supersonic because they were SO cute!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Idnz7i9omW8b_vo0UHiqogXxSYeDLq-L53mwtv7WgF80lV0S7HLWKX20oTnxgdt-r2VFRbx3JL-7owiSQGXA7HbaAD_7L_PTymX7aW8D4BT_E7j0kONNsWj01i6-iGFmfiv0zkFyAsUy/s1600/IMG_2456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Idnz7i9omW8b_vo0UHiqogXxSYeDLq-L53mwtv7WgF80lV0S7HLWKX20oTnxgdt-r2VFRbx3JL-7owiSQGXA7HbaAD_7L_PTymX7aW8D4BT_E7j0kONNsWj01i6-iGFmfiv0zkFyAsUy/s320/IMG_2456.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This guy wanted a snack!</td></tr>
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Two of the smallest goats obviously have people pegged as possible sources of food, LOL! There were goat-food machines (kind of like gumball machines) dotted all around the perimeter of the enclosure. For twenty-five cents, you could get a handful of feed and give these guys a snack. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW188WoFUVgPdcrWwBh6FRh3EspgEeG40YSz2OI1BXJDl06jfxZLKzvdaPaWhIXzr24B0Xq2NrE_9Cw1e9Jt4ckan1ikHIsU4Lz5FDtCFd3hV6ox7Pr8huuV79MOsSztogl4cu0SB8fwOb/s1600/IMG_2463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW188WoFUVgPdcrWwBh6FRh3EspgEeG40YSz2OI1BXJDl06jfxZLKzvdaPaWhIXzr24B0Xq2NrE_9Cw1e9Jt4ckan1ikHIsU4Lz5FDtCFd3hV6ox7Pr8huuV79MOsSztogl4cu0SB8fwOb/s320/IMG_2463.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not shy at all, is he?</td></tr>
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After walking all up and down the hills of the farm, I started making my way back down towards the market. I noticed on my walk that there was a really nice playground across from the berry-picking stands, giving parents another opportunity to entertain their kids if they tired of picking fruit.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Before leaving, of course, I shopped! I grabbed some pints of a variety of berries, including the most delicious golden raspberries I've ever had! I also grabbed a few baked goods and a new mug:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2D76Ua5AuuqnrDqpyAvPIGQY6nofGpi8RQodzEzaZsybXcCceyFQ5OPFlHAxB0Bx3ppJ-WZeoQdCAf0xEs_0iNGn6FAMUU776bpnzUp-A2fLEFaEYmb0hZ6KeDsSwIw1blKUaDEIvNTy/s1600/IMG_2502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2D76Ua5AuuqnrDqpyAvPIGQY6nofGpi8RQodzEzaZsybXcCceyFQ5OPFlHAxB0Bx3ppJ-WZeoQdCAf0xEs_0iNGn6FAMUU776bpnzUp-A2fLEFaEYmb0hZ6KeDsSwIw1blKUaDEIvNTy/s320/IMG_2502.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You know I HAD to have this, right? 🐝</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I then said my goodbyes to everybody I had met there and left to go back home, smiling all the way. As I drove, I again rolled down my windows and turned my music off so I could just feel the vibe of being in the country. As I reentered the city, I carried that vibe with me into the rest of my day, feeling content and happy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And then I sat down to work on my deadline for Monday. Not a thing bothered me the rest of the weekend! And I realized: this simple trip to Triple B Farms healed my soul a bit. I was in danger of getting stressy and anxious, and instead, I was happy and fulfilled!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
It really does help if you're able to get away for a bit, even if it's just a day trip or a morning spent at a local attraction. Break up your routine, say goodbye to to-do lists and stress, and live your life fully. Have fun, and bring that sense of fun back with you when you come back to your routine.<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope if you're ever in the Pittsburgh area, you'll check Triple B Farms out! They're open May–October, and have a seasonal schedule of activities throughout the picking season, whether berries in spring and summer or apples and pumpkins in autumn. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope you enjoyed this mini travelogue! And hey, let me know if you've taken any neat day trips, lately: just drop a comment below 👇 and share some of your favorite outings around your local area! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Have a great week, everyone! 🐝</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-51355554621032226352019-06-28T11:36:00.000-04:002019-06-28T11:36:56.299-04:00When Four Boys Walked into the Fire<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hello everyone! Happy Friday! You made it through another week. Congratulations!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Are you looking for a story about an act of kindness? If so, then this week's post will not disappoint! Today we'll focus on a heroic act that I saw make its way into the national news markets.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Catherine Ritchie, a 90-year-old woman living in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, was getting ready to go to bed one night when a fire broke out in her home. She was in her bedroom and tried to escape, but she couldn't make her way through the smoke to get out. She accidentally ended up in her closet twice instead of finding the door into the hallway. Can you imagine how terrifying that must have been?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Four teens saw the flicker of flames and smelled something burning, and without waiting for an adult to tell them what to do, they raced into action. Three of them didn't even know her, plus, who knew if she was even home? This is incredible to me. They broke their way into the house and found Ms. Ritchie laying on the floor. They carried her out and took care of her until her family could get to her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks to </span>Dylan Wick (16), Seth Byrd (16), Nick Byrd (14) and Wyatt Hall (17), Ms. Ritchie is alive and unharmed, and all four boys remained safe, as well.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Watch more about it here: </span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nyrsOcvqkmU/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nyrsOcvqkmU?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We talk a lot here about random acts of kindness. I truly believe that small acts throughout every day will help make the world a better place, but I am SURE glad to know that there are those who are willing to be heroic in their acts of kindness and risk their lives to save others. It sounds to me like these boys were just getting ready to go out for their evening fun and didn't even think twice about trying to help a neighbor. How did they know she needed help? What drove them to go inside a burning building? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks to them, Ms. Ritchie and her family have more time together instead of a traumatic ending. You </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">can</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>read JUST how much impact their actions had <a href="http://sunsetsandsnowflakes.com/2019/05/an-open-letter-of-thanks/">in a blog post</a> written by Ms. Ritchie's daughter<span style="font-family: inherit;">. Please do take a moment to read the whole thing—it's really moving!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope this story gives you some hope for the world and for our youth. This story is just incredible, to me, so I hope you've enjoyed it!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Have a great week! 💛🐝 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Sources: </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2019/06/07/when-year-olds-house-caught-fire-teens-across-street-rushed-save-her/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.09a556ff5586">Washington Post</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://kdvr.com/2019/06/07/4-oklahoma-teens-rush-into-burning-home-saving-life-of-90-year-old-neighbor/?fbclid=IwAR2I5Tq0WVnbpkSvMJMXZhCS1454a61bASIV62CUhAxyjtnQSkZyiYq1NAI">Fox31 KDVR</a></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-50675532383825908492019-06-21T09:00:00.000-04:002019-06-21T09:00:05.565-04:00Fortune Cookie Friday: Don't Curb Your Enthusiasm<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc24x7GfKkUdvK38p9nWpCb1v47quhPaaFNsv-7Guev8qlJbJKquDh4TkMJUyotBquw21aYPLdkhWaY7jvYYvBHSsYuu2ahev0-1otXKqG4_BKwXcMz7GhTKWnQEeKxWwn5u9vwz7Njidy/s1600/it%2527s+time+for.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="940" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc24x7GfKkUdvK38p9nWpCb1v47quhPaaFNsv-7Guev8qlJbJKquDh4TkMJUyotBquw21aYPLdkhWaY7jvYYvBHSsYuu2ahev0-1otXKqG4_BKwXcMz7GhTKWnQEeKxWwn5u9vwz7Njidy/s400/it%2527s+time+for.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Greetings fellow fortune cookie lovers! It’s that time again: a fortune cookie has inspired a post!<br />
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If you’re new here: welcome! If you’d like to know what all this fortune cookie talk is about, please see <a href="https://www.positivelybee.com/2018/02/introducing-fortune-cookie-fridays.html">this post</a>.<br />
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Okay, let's get to it. Today's fortune was sent in by a reader:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXEf_52sCYQscSL4qA65NbcCAEF2Lw9mIQDERj1vIXoW-qvFZe5Zbf2rYzV94dA0RBV3nzEKkelIUw9M-WRic70VWdQHPvr9MLmHHxJ5Feyo30_JnbWYjoDZKb0sntDFEIuDNnVaMc1aq/s1600/IMG_2199+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXEf_52sCYQscSL4qA65NbcCAEF2Lw9mIQDERj1vIXoW-qvFZe5Zbf2rYzV94dA0RBV3nzEKkelIUw9M-WRic70VWdQHPvr9MLmHHxJ5Feyo30_JnbWYjoDZKb0sntDFEIuDNnVaMc1aq/s320/IMG_2199+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>“Enthusiasm is contagious. Not having enthusiasm is also contagious.”</b></span></blockquote>
I don't know about you, but this reminds me to be mindful of how I react to things in front of others.<br />
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Have you ever been in a situation where someone told you something they were excited for but you didn't share their enthusiasm? I'll give you an example of a reaction I recently received:<br />
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I told people I was excited for a road trip I was going to be taking. My husband wasn't able to go with me, unfortunately, but I was still excited to be going by myself. I enjoy driving and exploring and doing cool things, whether alone or in a group. But when I told people my plans, I was asked by more than one person, "Aren't you afraid to be a woman traveling alone?"<br />
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No. I'm not.<br />
<br />
Should I be?<br />
<br />
(The answer is still "no," in case you were wondering.)<br />
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Try not to be a dream-killer by your lack of enthusiasm for something. The person who just excitedly told you their dream, their desire, their new project at work, or their plans for an upcoming vacation...they're counting on you to SUPPORT them. They’re TRUSTING you when they share this info with you. They're happy and want you to share in their joy! Don’t dash their hopes or be less than receptive.<br />
<br />
Even if you think something may not be the best idea, be mindful of how you give feedback. Try to do so in a neutral way, without attaching judgment to your comments. Avoid negative or disempowering language.<br />
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Or maybe your reaction is because you're a little bit jealous? Or maybe you just aren't that interested. I suppose those are reasons for a less-than-enthusiastic reaction, too.<br />
<br />
Whether your negative reaction is due to fear, jealousy, or disinterest, it's time for us to examine the cause from within ourselves.<br />
<br />
Since this blog is all about disrupting negativity and injecting positivity, let's take a moment and consider a scenario in which you acted less than favorably toward someone’s news. Consider how you could have reacted differently. Consider how you could have supported them and shared in their joy, or if you had concerns, how you could have reframed your follow-up questions to them. (I'm doing this too, by the way. I'm sure I've reacted negatively to someone, at some point. We're all human.)<br />
<br />
If you want to apologize to anybody, that's some super-advanced adulting right there, but it's also enough to <b><i>resolve not to do this to anyone in future.</i></b> It can take a little practice to stop having negative reactions, so be patient with yourself as you notice your internal reactions, figure out where they're coming from, and address them.<br />
<br />
And on the flip side: <b><i>if you’re on the receiving end of someone’s lack of enthusiasm, please don’t let it get to you!</i></b> Someone's negative reaction has more to do with them than with you, most likely. Many people have knee-jerk reactions and don't even realize they're doing it. <b><i>Someone may even be happy for you on some level, but something else gets the best of them and they don't express themselves elegantly.</i></b> Try to understand when you are on the receiving end of someone’s lack of enthusiasm that it is not <i>necessarily</i> a judgment on you or your project/dream/what-have-you. Try not to be hurt—but if you are hurt, find a way to let that person know in a way that garners a discussion rather than seeming like an admonishment of their behavior.<br />
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We can break the cycle instead of propagating it by choosing not to react negatively, ourselves, to someone else's negativity.<br />
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Whatever it is you're enthusiastic about, don't curb it! USE IT! Let that enthusiasm propel you to keep going and do the things that make you happy in life.<br />
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Have a great week! 🐝<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-40286050197469959902019-06-14T15:32:00.002-04:002019-06-14T15:32:31.642-04:005 Reasons Hugging is Good For You<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>This past weekend was the start of the <a href="https://traf.trustarts.org/events" target="_blank">Three Rivers Arts Fest</a>. I’ve lived in Pittsburgh for 11 years and until this past Sunday, I had never gone to this annual two-week festival of art, music, and culture run by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. This year, I promised myself I would go, and I had a great reason to: I wanted to support my friend’s daughter, <a href="https://traf.trustarts.org/events/3063" target="_blank">Lily Harvey</a>, who was performing on Sunday.<br />
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<a href="https://www.pittsburghpride.org/" target="_blank">Pittsburgh Pride</a> coincided with the festival this past weekend, so there were a lot of people attending both events. While there, I saw several people wearing T-shirts that said things like “FREE MOM HUGS” or “FREE DAD HUGS.”<br />
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I thought that was a great idea! I know that some in the LGBTQ+ community have been rejected and disowned by their families for being who they are. Getting a hug from someone who seems like a “mom” or a “dad” may just give them the comfort and strength they need.<br />
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Indeed, there was a viral post about this very topic, and if you haven’t seen it yet, please stop reading this for a moment and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/howiedittman/posts/2309134772479053" target="_blank">go read this account</a>, where the writer details moving stories about the people who asked for a hug during Pride. Go ahead—I’ll wait.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜</span></div>
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Okay, back now? Wasn’t that really touching?<br />
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I can’t imagine being rejected by my parents. I’m pretty positive mine would always love me no matter what. But many people aren’t as lucky, and they need our help. Being cared for, loved, and hugged are basic human rights, as far as I’m concerned. (And are awesome ways to disrupt negativity.)<br />
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So this got me thinking about hugs in general. I’m a pretty huggy person, so I wondered WHY do hugs help, and HOW do they help us?<br />
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I did a little reading on the topic!<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7e_M3lBKiSkCn8qVwRvalfbaz3uy7bTjdH7wQMPu3lTjKkjwxUST-fl5xwTD3zjNPCOUOUPxjMmyGX7R-DJO7tSkxKMzABcLl4Tu3zem8OOeRepsW0FLU-lJXOTrNq1-MjbiR6trR-Wqq/s640/5+reasons+why+hugging+is+good+for+you+%25281%2529.png" width="425" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here is my summary of five reasons hugging is good for you:</span></h2>
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1. Hugging releases brain chemicals that make you feel good.</h3>
When you are hugged by someone, your brain releases oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin. These rewarding brain chemicals help cement emotionally positive experiences and help reduce stress levels.<br />
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<h3>
2. Hugging reduces your heart rate and blood pressure.</h3>
Studies have been done that show both blood pressure and heart rate are reduced after the act of hugging. Having these two biometric stats lowered also contributes to the reduction of stress mentioned above, as well as less anxiety and a pervasive feeling of calm.<br />
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<h3>
3. Hugging may help fight infection.</h3>
With the reduction in stress, your body becomes more immune to infection. A <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797614559284" target="_blank">study</a> was done that showed a correlation between perceived social support and the effects of illness, showing reduced symptoms for those who felt they had good social support. And what is a hug if not a physical manifestation of social support?<br />
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<h3>
4. Hugging creates stronger relationships.</h3>
<a href="https://www.gottman.com/blog/how-a-parents-affection-shapes-a-childs-happiness-for-life/" target="_blank">It’s said</a> that children who are hugged regularly grow up more secure, confident, and sure of their place in their family. It’s <a href="https://www.elitedaily.com/life/couples-cuddle-happier-deeper-connections/1001633" target="_blank">also said</a> that couples who hug and cuddle each other have stronger relationships. Once again, those rewarding brain chemicals help cement a relationship through physical touch. Neurobiologist Mary Carlson studied orphans in Romania in the 60s and 70s and discovered there were negative effects to those who were not hugged or who did not have positive social interactions regularly; these effects included elevated stress hormones like cortisol.<br />
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<h3>
5. Hugging may help reduce pain.</h3>
A study was done in which people were exposed to a moderately painful stimulus with and without someone they love touching them. In the former scenario, being touched by a loved one had an <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/8299253/How-hugs-can-make-you-feel-better.html" target="_blank">analgesic effect</a>. Additionally, another study done on people who suffer from chronic pain conditions <a href="https://journals.lww.com/hnpjournal/pages/articleviewer.aspx?year=2004&issue=05000&article=00006&type=abstract" target="_blank">such as fibromyalgia</a> showed a reduction in symptoms when they sought six forms of therapeutic touch. Hugging is a form of therapeutic touch, is it not? Okay, I know this one is stretching a bit, but hear me out. For instance, just this morning my husband hugged me, and I’m in a full-blown fibro flare, so if he used too much pressure, it would hurt a little bit. But emotionally, I felt much better for having gotten that hug, and indeed, I often turn to him for a hug in times of increased pain. A hug from Fred is my favorite medicine! Those positive brain chemicals and reward circuits are doing their jobs! So while this is anecdotal evidence, at best, I’m going to call it a a legit win.<br />
<h3>
Conclusion</h3>
So with all that science to back it up, I think hugging is an EXCELLENT way to combat negativity! It’s simple, it costs nothing, and it can put a smile on someone’s face again. Why not offer someone a hug today? Not only would you help someone feel better, I bet it would help you, too.<br />
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As for those people at Pride who were willing to offer comfort to complete strangers with a hug, once again I am SUPER proud of my city for showing such compassion. You have my mad respect, Pittsburgh!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Until next time, be happy! 💛🐝</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><u>Sources:</u></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://brainfodder.org/science-of-hugging/">Brainfodder.org</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://time.com/5413957/hugs-are-good-for-you/">Time</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/hugging-benefits#1">Healthline</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/277/5332/1659">Science</a></span><br />
<a href="https://www.gottman.com/blog/how-a-parents-affection-shapes-a-childs-happiness-for-life/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Gottman Institute</span></a><br />
<a href="https://www.elitedaily.com/life/couples-cuddle-happier-deeper-connections/1001633"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Elite Daily</span></a><br />
<a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/8299253/How-hugs-can-make-you-feel-better.html"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Telegraph</span></a><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-65315700185768281422019-06-07T13:06:00.000-04:002019-06-07T21:18:10.442-04:00Five Steps You Can Take to Stop Limiting Yourself<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">So there I was, getting ready for my day, when I looked up on my wall and realized I'd forgotten to switch my calendar from May over to June. I really am terrible at doing that until about a week into a new month. =) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, when I did, I really loved this month's message, so I wanted to share it with you all. Let it inspire you: </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7B61jCl_xAU8fD2nzMIbblae5XDSnw6rGsEccYdK8hu4IK8oWbGCtKd8bK5gh8-cC1JEdhK3HHflCgxGlXPAx74NuCusV4om5C8s8aEyejT5M52NyHw8rXtI85eSffq220HUo1W0AAQD/s1600/you+are+your+only+limit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7B61jCl_xAU8fD2nzMIbblae5XDSnw6rGsEccYdK8hu4IK8oWbGCtKd8bK5gh8-cC1JEdhK3HHflCgxGlXPAx74NuCusV4om5C8s8aEyejT5M52NyHw8rXtI85eSffq220HUo1W0AAQD/s400/you+are+your+only+limit.png" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I can really relate to this. I had, in the past, a tendency to tell myself "no" when I desperately wanted to say "yes" to what life was offering me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes we blame others for why we don't do things we want to do. For instance, if you really wanted to backpack across Europe, but your family balked at that idea because they feared you'd be hurt while traveling, would that stop you? If it did stop you, would you forever resent them for it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">That's not really fair to them <i>OR</i> to you, though. Perhaps you could have addressed their fears, planned the trip a little differently, and still gone backpacking. But s</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">omeone else's fears have nothing to do with you, really. That's THEIR fear—NOT yours. If you choose not to go backpacking in Europe because of what someone else said, and you didn't find some way to do it in a way that helped everyone feel better about it, well, that was your choice. That's all-or-nothing thinking, and it's flawed. At the end of the day, by engaging in all-or-nothing thinking</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">, you are the only person stopping you from doing the thing you really want to do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's time to switch things up and stop stopping ourselves from achieving our hopes and dreams and then blaming others for it. We all have agency and independence to live the lives we want. Yes, we may have obligations and responsibilities and all that...but we still have agency and choice in everything we do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Limiting ourselves is a form of negativity because it does not allow us to live a happy and fulfilled life! Now, I'm not saying throw caution to the wind and just do whatever you want without consideration for others, but I think we can always strive to live the lives we want within the framework of our families, jobs, and responsibilities. We can find balance and still go for our dreams.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So where do we begin?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Imagine having infinite possibilities at your disposal if you were just open to them. Imagine something you really want to do, and then consider how you can make it happen. If you find yourself saying "I should" (or "shouldn't"), "I can't" or "I don't know how," note it, then discard it and reframe how you're talking to yourself. Replace that self-limiting talk to more open language: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>I can...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>I will...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>I know how to...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>I am capable of...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It can take a little practice to get used to your new language skills as you go. But words are really powerful tools, so let's make them work for us by breaking the concept down into an easy-to-follow five-step process: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><b>1. RECOGNIZE when you're limiting yourself. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Listen to how you talk, either internally to yourself or to others, and note how many times you do that in a day. Take a few days to just observe yourself and your speech patterns. You may be surprised to find out JUST how much you do limit yourself through your speech! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><b>2. STOP using limiting language. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After a few days of listening to yourself and understanding your limiting patterns, promise yourself to stop using it. If that means you have to stop and start your sentence over, do it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><b>3. CHANGE the language. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Instead of "I can't," change it to "I can." Instead of "I have to," change it to "I get to." Instead of "I don't know how to..." change it to "I will figure out how to..."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><b>4. BELIEVE you can make it happen. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Belief is so important to change. It doesn't take much effort, though. Use your imagination and see yourself doing the thing! Remember pretending when we were kids? Recall what it was like to see yourself doing something, and engage that part of your brain to see it happening.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><b>5. ACT on your belief and make it happen. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let's use the backpacking trip as an example: you could register for a class in personal safety/first aid, go shopping for backpack supplies, do research on the internet about best ways to backpack across Europe, apply for your passport, find out what travel cell phone plans will keep you in touch with the world if you need to be—any number of small actions will eventually add up to achieving your goal or dream.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Next time you're feeling negative, defeated, trapped, or limited, find a quiet place and take several deep, cleansing breaths. Then repeat after me: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">I am relaxed and open. </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">I am ready to welcome new opportunities, experiences, and ways of thinking about things. </span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">I am willing to change my thinking to emancipate myself—instead of being limited, I feel limitless.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">My life has room to accommodate my hopes and dreams.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">I am empowered by my own language to do anything I can dream of.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><i>Keep your eye on the prize (and this list of steps handy), and the possibilities are limitless! </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope this has given you some inspiration! Have a great week, everyone! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">Want some more inspiration? I've picked a few great books for you, below:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-84635288351591748132019-05-31T09:00:00.000-04:002019-05-31T09:00:03.897-04:00Fortune Cookie Friday: Good News for Bees<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0kheWrPaKvsqpbcRBJj4hqNcN1bp2CeuW5jhgidouUIXd3Qw6ng2W6t65vsV9CqfkRJUDSqQZJDbM8hVgyfmCI-RwtBH4Dvb09y751izoKASGn-CmlDko9DXDcR0OvG8aVW-fSA1c9Jq/s1600/good+news+for+bees+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0kheWrPaKvsqpbcRBJj4hqNcN1bp2CeuW5jhgidouUIXd3Qw6ng2W6t65vsV9CqfkRJUDSqQZJDbM8hVgyfmCI-RwtBH4Dvb09y751izoKASGn-CmlDko9DXDcR0OvG8aVW-fSA1c9Jq/s400/good+news+for+bees+%25281%2529.png" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Hello, all!</span></div>
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Today I’d love to share a fortune cookie with you, and apply its message to a scenario I recently read about.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYY9tW2ZV0N3xhw8boSy_fCJEPi6HsIEFuxv_DHSkvdd2rYLtH0RsXnUO-uyQvUlgVqVj5NW53U1T5e-29Xu5HmzZHahP0QqbJBBkp4D4V060xTR8adNAH6Qebej_w7HvJL248YmCfzYeR/s1600/IMG_1614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYY9tW2ZV0N3xhw8boSy_fCJEPi6HsIEFuxv_DHSkvdd2rYLtH0RsXnUO-uyQvUlgVqVj5NW53U1T5e-29Xu5HmzZHahP0QqbJBBkp4D4V060xTR8adNAH6Qebej_w7HvJL248YmCfzYeR/s320/IMG_1614.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Great things are made of little things. </span></blockquote>
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You may have figured out that bees are near and dear to my heart. After all, this blog is called <i>positively b.e.e.</i> because of my childhood nickname of Bee and my desire to make a small difference in the world.<br />
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But bees–the fuzzy kind with stingers—<a href="https://amzn.to/2Qwzkqo" target="_blank">are really important</a> for more than just my own sentimental reasons.<br />
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They are pollinators—the reason we have crops to eat and beautiful flowers to see and smell.<br />
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They are an example of little things that help to make great things!<br />
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There have been reports of anything from <a href="https://amzn.to/2WdARrz" target="_blank">Colony Collapse Disorder</a> to <a href="https://amzn.to/2JM4ny3" target="_blank">pesticides </a>to habitat loss to the planting of non-native plant species to climate change or <a href="https://amzn.to/2MikKV3" target="_blank">any number of other reasons</a> why bees and their colonies suffer, disappear, or die.<br />
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But with bees being important to our ecosystem, crops, and economy—other than <a href="https://amzn.to/30XaRQ0" target="_blank">becoming beekeepers</a>, how can we help them?<br />
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Well, one guy named Dan Harris just figured one tiny piece of that puzzle out!<br />
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Dan is the inventor of <a href="https://saviourbees.co.uk/" target="_blank">a nifty device</a> that you can use if you come across a starving bee on the sidewalk or patio. He figured out that bees’ fast metabolisms sometimes cause them to get caught short and have to rest, but without some kind of snack for them to nosh on, well...that’s basically a death sentence for a starving bee.<br />
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Each of these devices—no bigger than a credit card—holds three servings of a <a href="https://amzn.to/2EIuceg" target="_blank">beekeeper’s formula</a> to feed a starving bee. Simply peel back the foil and place the card down on the sidewalk next to the bee, and what do you know? They’ll climb on up onto the card and start chowing down, allowing them to continue their journey to the next flower or crop or back to their hive!<br />
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Dan has started <a href="https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/take-savethebees-to-the-streets" target="_blank">crowdfunding </a>the project and partnered with <a href="http://www.elhorno.co.uk/holding.html" target="_blank">Richard Horne</a>, who helped design and illustrate the cards. You can visit <a href="https://saviourbees.co.uk/" target="_blank">Bee Saviour Behaviour</a> for more information, as well!<br />
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So, to go back to our fortune: Dan's invention is <i>also</i> a little thing leading to a great thing, don't you think?<br />
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I highlighted this story not only because it’s good news for bees, but also to get your creative wheels turning:<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What small steps can you take today, this week, this month, or this year to solve a problem you’ve seen in your community, your neighborhood, or your life? Or to meet a goal you have? Or to help someone out who is in need?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Share your story with me—I’d love to hear about all those wonderful little things that are leading to great things! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span><br />
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Sources: </div>
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<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/24/bee-saviour-sugar-cards-could-help-starving-bees" target="_blank">The Guardian</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90173976/this-paper-can-save-exhausted-bees" target="_blank">Fast Company</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-36156301799794953712019-05-24T13:05:00.000-04:002019-05-24T16:21:01.477-04:00I Get a Good Feeling<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Okay guys, we haven't had a Friday Dance Party in a LONG time. And it seems appropriate to kick off the holiday weekend (in the US) with something upbeat, uplifting, and fun!<br />
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So stop what you're doing. Take a break and join me RIGHT NOW, and let's raise our endorphins along with our heart rates, and DANCE!<br />
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The lyric that particularly stood out to me: "Gotta love the life that we're living." Thank you, Flo Rida, for that!<br />
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Life is AWESOME, ya'll! Live it to the fullest!<br />
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If you're in the US, have a great Memorial Day Weekend.<br />
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💛🐝<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-89208113836038676252019-05-17T14:59:00.000-04:002019-05-21T13:52:33.638-04:00Crossing the Finish Line<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Hello everyone!<br />
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If you think I’ve forgotten about your requests for more stories about acts of kindness, you’d be mistaken! 😁<br />
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I recently saw a story right here in my adopted town of Pittsburgh that is making me smile a week later. It highlights some qualities that I really admire about this town. Pittsburgh and its outlying areas are full of people who exude perseverance, teamwork, compassion, empathy, and volunteerism.<br />
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Laura Mazur and Jessica Robertson were the last two runners in the full Pittsburgh Marathon. Everyone else had finished, and the streets were starting to empty out. They were total strangers to each other, as Laura is from New Bremen, Ohio, and Jessica hails from Braddock, Pennsylvania.<br />
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Laura and Jessica met around mile 14. Laura, who was running her 12th marathon, could see that Jessica, who was running her 1st marathon, was flagging, so she said to Jessica: “I’ll make you a promise. I won’t leave you if you don’t leave me. And no matter what, we will cross [the finish line] together.” Jessica’s response was: “Well, I won’t leave you because I can’t do this alone.”<br />
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And so they ran together, and at the last mile, they grabbed hands and held on tight as they fought to get to the finish line. At over seven hours of running, they were both exhausted, but they did it! You can see the sheer elation come over them as they finish in this video:<br />
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I am so in awe of these ladies, first of all, for completing a marathon, and secondly, for sticking together like that! </div>
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In addition, the people who volunteer on race day are to be commended for all of their hard work. Many commit to staying all the way to the end, even if the last runners are slow, so they can cheer them on. To me, that takes a lot of dedication. Toward the end of the race, several volunteers, some of whom had already finished their own races, could tell that the ladies needed some motivation, and they came through! Instead of being concerned with getting back home, into the shower, and eating some food after the race, they stayed there and cheered these ladies on!<br />
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One of them thought to pull out her phone, capturing the viral moment forever. You can see some of them talk about it starting in the middle of this video:<br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="https://w3.cdn.anvato.net/player/prod/v3/anvload.html?key=eyJtIjoiY2JzIiwidiI6IjQwODA4NzIiLCJhbnZhY2siOiJEVnpsOVFSem94M1pac1A5Yk51NUxpM1g3b2JRT25xUCIsInNoYXJlTGluayI6Imh0dHBzOi8vY2JzbG9jLmFsLzJINmxDSFIiLCJwbHVnaW5zIjp7ImNvbXNjb3JlIjp7ImNsaWVudElkIjoiMzAwMDAyMyIsImMzIjoiUGl0dHNidXJnaC5jYnNsb2NhbC5jb20ifSwiZGZwIjp7ImNsaWVudFNpZGUiOnsiYWRUYWdVcmwiOiJodHRwOi8vcHViYWRzLmcuZG91YmxlY2xpY2submV0L2dhbXBhZC9hZHM%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%3D%3D" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="640"></iframe></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>This whole story makes me smile, and I hope it has done the same for you.<br />
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If you’re feeling like the world is kind of wonky right now, take hope: there is good in this world. That will never end.<br />
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There will always be good people helping each other out.<br />
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Especially here in the Steel City.<br />
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You just have to look for them.<br />
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Have a great week! 🐝<br />
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<iframe border="0" frameborder="0" height="250" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?o=1&p=12&l=ur1&category=amzn_erd_jg_evg&banner=00DVP99CM1Z1AZ9XJA02&f=ifr&lc=pf4&linkID=267e12369ddba83dcca019e06ff767ac&t=bethdub13-20&tracking_id=bethdub13-20" style="border: none;" width="300"></iframe>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">~positively b.e.e. is on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/_positivelybee_/?hl=en" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Instagram</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/positively_bee" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Twitter</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">, and </span><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/positivelybee/" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #299c0a; font-size: 16px;">Pinterest</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">. Follow me there!~</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Sources:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/women-viral-pittsburgh-marathon-photo-encouraged-each-other-finish-race-n1003841" target="_blank">NBC News</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2019/05/07/marathon-finishers-hold-hands/" target="_blank">CBS Pittsburgh</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/marathon-makes-friends-complete-strangers-women-cross-finish/story?id=62945206" target="_blank">ABC News</a></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-21643621932491206082019-05-10T12:00:00.000-04:002019-05-10T12:00:00.216-04:00How Your Expectations Affect Your Stress Levels<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Hello everyone! I hope you’ve had a good week. A week that was not stressful in any way; that was happy and fulfilling and a total breeze!<br />
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What’s that, you say?<br />
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It wasn’t a total breeze? You’re stressed out to the hilt and headed to happy hour as soon as 5:00 p.m. hits so you can try to unwind and forget about work for a while?<br />
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Believe me, I can relate.<br />
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I have a history of being easily prone to stress, after all. And though my stress habit has vastly changed with all the self-development work I’ve been doing over the last several years, it will still sometimes rear its ugly head.<br />
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I often complain to my husband when these times arise, and he always says the same thing to me:<br />
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<i><b>So what does he mean by "stress is just expectations"? </b></i></div>
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It’s very simple, really: <i>your expectations (or someone else’s) can create stress in your life if you don’t manage them well.</i> If you’re stressed out, adjust your expectations accordingly.<br />
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My husband—who by the way has no interest in some of the stuff I am interested in, like meditation, manifestation, and living purposefully—has mastered the basic concepts of manifestation perfectly.<br />
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The basic gist is that the things you think of are the things you draw toward yourself.<br />
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He told me the other day: if you’re expecting to be stressed out, you will be.<br />
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Bang-zoom! He’s right!<br />
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I really married a winner. I’m grateful I have him to turn to when I’m stressed, because he gives me perspective that lets me get out of my own head.<br />
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Consider what expectations you are placing on yourself, your work day, your friends, or your family, and then see if you can tie that in to any feelings of stress you may be feeling or a stressful environment around you.<br />
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<i>Once you make the connection, adjust your expectations. </i></div>
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For example, I have been known to push myself too hard, work-wise, especially since I am self-employed. I have been learning how to adjust my expectations by telling myself: "You know what, Beth? It’s okay if you take a half day off today to do something for yourself."<br />
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I also don't always expect to be stressed any more. I've been able to take on larger workloads and do them in less time without feeling anxious or stressed out the way I used to. It's a whole new world over here, and I'm loving it!<br />
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<i>How hard are you pushing yourself or someone in your life? Is it creating stress? </i></div>
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If you feel like someone else’s expectations of you are adding to your stress, then you may want to address those, too.<br />
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I hope this has given you some food for thought, and helps ease any stress you feel in your life as you begin to work on it!<br />
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Until next week, I hope you have a great and stress-free week ahead! 🐝<br />
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RELEASE stress. THINK sharper. BOOST your mood. CONTROL your emotions. INCREASE energy levels. The <a href="http://www.brainev.com/demo/?a=bethw" target="_blank">Brain Evolution</a> system works by using special sounds to influence your brainwave patterns, helping to positively change your mood, your focus, your stress levels, your confidence—and MUCH MORE! They’ll give you a <a href="http://www.brainev.com/gift/?a=bethw&np=1" target="_blank">free relaxation MP3</a> to try out!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3700929114736362703.post-84859238168264788032019-05-03T18:56:00.000-04:002019-05-03T18:56:29.826-04:00Another Way to View Grieving: Let the Light In<i style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See <a href="http://www.positivelybee.com/p/privacy-policy-disclosures.html" style="background: transparent; color: #299c0a; font-style: normal;">Disclosures</a> for more info. </b></span></i><br />
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Hello friends,<br />
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I know the subject line sounds kind of serious, and, well...it is. But I’m going through some grief right now, so it occurs to me to share some of my thoughts on grieving, in case they’ll help you, too. After all, grief is negative because it hurts. And I'm all about disrupting negative things.<br />
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There are aspects to grief where we can grow or find comfort. A sense of gratitude, strengthened community connections, and reinforced positive neural associations through memory are also possible during the grieving process. I’ll get into that in a bit, but I wanted to preface with something, first.<br />
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At times in my life, I’ve been referred to as a bit of a “Pollyanna.” If you’re not familiar with the story of Pollyanna, it centers around a girl who, no matter what difficulty befalls her, finds the silver lining and is positive. <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Pollyanna" target="_blank">According to Merriam-Webster</a>, the term “Pollyanna” refers to “a person characterized by irrepressible optimism and a tendency to find good in everything.”<br />
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While the story of Pollyanna was definitely a factor in the formation of my resilience as a young child, it’s not the whole story of who I am and how I get through things. For one thing, I wouldn’t call my optimism “irrepressible.” It's usually in play, but I don’t sugarcoat life. I’ve learned to say, “Yeah, this stinks” when something stinks. I am realistic about what the issues are and work hard to find my way through them.<br />
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Even in my gratitude journal, I don’t sugarcoat. I don’t focus only on positives. Sometimes, I write about negatives, because I can find the meaning within them and am grateful for the lessons or the growth that happened because of them.<br />
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Grief is one of those scenarios. It really hurts. To add insult to injury, I am not one of those “pretty” criers. You know, the movie stars whose eyes perfectly release that one tear to stream down their faces while they look utterly beautiful in soft movie lighting?<br />
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Yeah. Not me at all. I’m a three-hanky, grotty, blotchy, red-faced crier. It’s ugly, guys.<br />
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See? That’s one truth of grief, for me. Not going to throw some positive language at you guys and say "See? All better!"<br />
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That's not how any of this works.<br />
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So with that in mind, what do I think can disrupt the negativity of losing someone you care about? What does grief really offer other than pain, sadness, and tears?<br />
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I have in mind <a href="https://amzn.to/2LoJkmO" target="_blank">Rumi’s</a> quote:<br />
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-size: large;"><i><b>Instead of letting it simply wound me, I let grief be the vehicle by which the Light may enter me. </b></i></span></div>
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How?<br />
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For one thing, I take time for <b><u>gratitude</u></b>. You can be grateful for knowing that person. No matter how big or how small a role they had in your life, this person shared their energy, friendship, thoughts, dreams, what have you...with YOU. Take note of what you found special about them and their role in your life. On the flip side, people are flawed, and maybe the person you’re grieving wasn’t always warm or nice or comforting to be around. But maybe the role they played in your life helped you to grow in some way? Take note of that, if that’s the case.<br />
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You will always have <b><u>memories</u></b> of them, too. Sometimes the people who die were complicated, and maybe the memories are complicated, too, but if you can focus on the good memories: the moments of laughter, or a photo they’re in where they pulled a silly face, or memories from a nice family trip; all of these can help as you go through the grieving process.<br />
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I know I’ve mentioned the book <a href="https://amzn.to/2PH1HSk" target="_blank">Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom</a> before. In it, they discuss strengthening positive brain states through association with positive memories. I look at my current cycle of grief as an opportunity to do that. I am focusing on the good memories, and it does help with the pain.<br />
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You can find ways to honor each person’s memory in a meaningful way, too, by incorporating memories of them into your actions. While people traditionally go to funerals or memorials, those aren’t the only way to honor someone’s life. For me, I like to take a specific action that is really tailored to that person and my memory of them. I’ll demonstrate this a bit later, at the end of this piece.<br />
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A third thing that happens when someone dies is <b><u>connection</u></b> and sense of <b><u>community</u></b>. As people come together to celebrate someone’s life, speaking about their own stories and memories of the person who died, there is comfort to be had in that. Social media brings more visibility to the grieving process, with people's walls becoming living memorials. So read what is written: even if the person sharing is a total stranger to you, I bet you can relate to what they say. You can smile and laugh at their memories as they share them. You can see the similarities between you. Go to the Facebook wall of any deceased person and read the impact they had on other people’s lives. Know that you are a part of a community of people who loved and liked that person. With the advent of the virtual world, sometimes our only way to participate in a sense of community after the death of an online friend is to congregate and share online.<br />
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For the more traditional method of grieving, funerals, wakes, and memorials are similar in the aspect of people talking about what the deceased meant to them. These services offer a time to get together with others to say goodbye to the deceased and are usually followed by a shared meal or get-together. Breaking bread with others is an incredibly healing tradition. Listen to the stories people tell around the table or room. Take comfort in sharing a bond with them through your loved one who passed.<br />
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No matter what your thoughts on grief and your ways of getting through it, know this: be okay with feeling the feelings. There is no shame in crying or any of the other <a href="https://www.webmd.com/balance/normal-grieving-and-stages-of-grief#1" target="_blank">side effects</a> that can happen with grief, such as sleeplessness, depression, anger, aches and pains, etc. These are normal responses. Don’t try to “be strong” and not cry or whatever it is we tend to do.<br />
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As an example of this: when I was a kid, my great-grandmother died, and I thought I was “being strong” for my family by trying not to cry too much. All I did was give myself a headache and feel sick to my stomach, and I ended up having a huge blowout at a family function afterwards when my grief became too much to bear and I couldn’t hold the tears in any longer. I was like a pressure cooker that went off, crying uncontrollably as I let it all out.<br />
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I was only 10 years old, and I have no idea where I got the notion I had to be strong at that young of an age.<br />
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Once I realized that “being strong” isn’t necessarily the answer (or rather, that strength looks different than I thought it did), I dedicated myself to not bottling it up, but feeling it and being kind to myself when I did. One of the things I had to get used to, feelings-wise, is how feelings can change during the stages of grieving. For instance, I could be crying about the person one minute and then smiling at a memory of them the next, and then be fine for a few hours or days, then have grief sneak back up on me at some unexpected time, sometimes months or years later.<br />
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That’s all okay, guys. It’s all normal, as long as you aren’t immersing yourself in it 24/7. So if you see yourself in anything I’m talking about, know that it’s okay.<br />
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Finally, if you’re grieving and having trouble with it or just want to talk, please reach out to someone: family, friends, or a grief counselor/therapist. You do not have to suffer alone, and there are ways a professional can help. While there is no “normal” timeline for how long it takes to recover from the death of a loved one, if you’re totally submerged in grief 24/7 and can’t find your way out, please do seek help. <a href="https://griefresourcenetwork.com/crisis-center/hotlines/" target="_blank">The Grief Resource Network</a> is one such resource available to you.<br />
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I am not ashamed to admit that during a period of much loss in my life many years ago, I reached out to many people for support, including a counselor for a period of several months. The counselor was great at helping me process the parts that had happened before I started seeing him, plus he gave me tools that helped me cope when the rest of it happened, and my friends and family were also there for me.<br />
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I hope this piece helps you if you are grieving something in your life. You are not alone, and it will get better, eventually.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Now, I hope you’ll help me honor the memory of my friends who passed recently by reading their stories: </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/dawntorkelson" target="_blank"><b>Dawn</b></a></span> was a knitter and spinner that I’d met online on <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/" target="_blank">Ravelry</a>, the popular site for fiber folks. We eventually became Facebook friends, and have known each other online for several years, though we never had the opportunity to meet in person. We had a lot of mutual friends, and had a great time online joking around about all kinds of things. She was a tough, take-no-bull-from-anyone type of gal, but also so, SO funny! She was a single mom, and her daughter, family and friends are going to miss her a ton.<br />
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My method of honoring Dawn’s memory was to go through a bunch of her old posts and click the “laugh” emoji button on all of them again. This seems really appropriate for me, since our relationship was totally online and mostly on Facebook, and it made me feel better for doing it. After only a few posts, I was laughing hysterically instead of crying. <i>Anytime I’m sad about Dawn’s passing, I will just go read her timeline and smile.</i><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/silver-spring-md/angeline-sathyasheelappa-8270025" target="_blank">Angeline</a></span></b> was a former co-worker at a job that was really, really difficult for me. I was terribly bullied at that job and often disrespected by my coworkers. It was a real “mean girls” club; they even made fun of me for being Catholic, and yet management would do nothing about it. But I did have a few friends there, and one of them was Angeline. I eventually left that job, and so did she, but we stayed in touch.<br />
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My best memories of Angeline involve how we’d talk for hours and laugh, commiserate, and share stories over a cup of masala tea. We liked to talk about old TV shows and books. Her family was from the southern part of India, and she went to the store and bought me masala tea powder and taught me how to use it. We’d also go out to dinner together, often to Indian restaurants in the area, and she would teach me about the dishes. I loved getting to know her, and will really miss her.<br />
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I am honoring Angeline’s memory by making a nice cup of tea with <a href="https://amzn.to/2Y3TFGf" target="_blank">masala tea powder</a> in it, just as soon as it comes in. (I had to order it online, as I’d run out of the bottle she’d given me a long time ago.) I might also look up some vintage TV shows and watch them for her. <i>Whenever I miss Angie, I will raise a cup of masala tea to her memory and smile.</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">✨Dawn & Angie brought light to my life, and I will honor that.✨</span></div>
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And for all of you: thank you for reading this piece. I hope it was helpful in your own journeys. 💛🐝<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>Need more resources? Here are some books that may help:</b></span><br />
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