3 Good Things That Happened During and After The Notre Dame Fire

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See Disclosures for more info. 

It's Good Friday, and if you’re familiar with my posting patterns, you may be expecting a fortune cookie today, but it seems more important to address something that happened earlier this week: the fire that nearly destroyed Notre Dame.

I know you must be wondering: what positive things could possibly have happened during and after a devastating fire? I'll get to that.

I took Notre Dame’s fire pretty badly. Such an iconic structure—one I’d always hoped to visit some day—up in flames just like that (*snaps fingers*), and during Holy Week, no less. Whether you're a person of faith or not, it is SUCH a part of history, of Paris—a place of beautiful art and architecture. Watching the iconic spire go crashing through the roof was just gutting!

To give a sense of the amount of time Notre Dame has been part of the Paris landscape, construction started over 800 years ago and was largely complete by about 1260. Beams were made from oak trees cut down in the 12th century. The entire wooden interior was lost, and two-thirds of the roof is gone. I found myself wondering, how old were those trees when the lumber was hewn for the construction? Was the wood in those beams a thousand years old? More?

As I watched the flames, I felt Notre Dame's, Paris', and the world's pain viscerally. I literally ached with the loss.

Maybe my feelings of loss are amplified by the fact that for the past week or so, several friends of mine and I have sat vigil for a friend dying of glioblastoma. She passed last night.

Suffice to say: everything hurts a ton right now.

But I started this blog because I wanted to find better coping techniques and shift how I think about things, to find a better way to live life more positively, and then share it with you.

To that end, I started looking for the silver lining in this event. What, if any, good news surrounds the loss of such a recognizable Paris icon?

Well, it turns out, there's enough good out there for me to hold onto. I hope the following points help you as you process the news, too.

3 Good Things That Happened During and After 

the Fire at Notre Dame

1. No one died in the fire.

There were construction workers laboring that day, involved in a restoration of the Cathedral’s roof. Having a fire start on a roof during a job is a roofer’s worst nightmare. Not only can a structure go up in flames within minutes, it’s very dangerous for the workers. But everyone got out alive. Not only that, but no firefighters or civilians were killed, either. Although one firefighter was injured, I’m grateful to hear that no other serious injuries occurred. (Prayers for that firefighter as they recover!) Credit can also be given to the giant robot, Colossus, that helped save lives by going in and spraying water where firefighters couldn't, taming the flames while firefighters had to fall back. These efforts saved lives while still allowing the bell towers to be saved. Which leads me to #2...

2. Precious art and artifacts were saved.

While the spire, beams, and stained glass were lost, other precious art was saved. Indeed, plans were already in place in case of emergency, so volunteers were able to mobilize quickly to save what could be saved from within the church. While a building can be rebuilt, what was inside was priceless and irreplaceable: the three 13th century Rose windows, the crucifix, the golden altar, the crown of thorns, the Saint-Louis tunic, and more—were saved! While some items remain unaccounted for, most of what was treasured inside was rescued as the building burned. In addition, the two iconic towers were not destroyed, either, keeping the building's structure intact. While restoration may be expensive, long, and difficult, it *can* be done.

3. The rebuilding effort is already underway at an amazing pace.

Donations are already rolling in for a restoration that could cost billions of dollars. It hasn’t even been a week, and the last figure I read said $1B has been raised so far. That’s incredible! Donations are coming from French citizens and companies, organizations in other countries, and individual donors from around the world. It’s good to hear that people are banding together in the face of the near-loss of one of France's national treasures.

Conclusion

While tragedy can really create a hiccup in our emotional state, leading to any number of negative side-effects, perhaps by looking for the silver linings—the helpers, the heroes, etc.—we can disrupt at least some of that negativity, ease our suffering, find zen again, and get through it together.

If you celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful Easter.  🕊

-Beth

BONUS ROUND!! Right before posting this, I found out that people had an impromptu vigil singing Ave Maria as they watched Notre Dame burn, so I’ll share it here. Have you ever seen complete strangers do something like this, in harmony, no less? Very touching, indeed. Here's the video:

 ~positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Follow me there!~

Sources
Vox
Metro UK
NY Post
People
Fox News
CNN

1 Piece of Inspiration For Your Week

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See Disclosures for more info. 


Today I'm going to share one piece of inspiration for your week. Take this message home with you and let it be a guide if you wish!

I have a calendar that hangs above my shelves in the bedroom. Each month features a phrase or saying against a bright graphic of some kind. It’s very basic, but still impactful.

The first two months were nice, but they didn’t really catch my eye. This month’s saying, though, is one of those that I can’t stop looking at and smiling.

I tried to take a picture of it, but just can’t get the lighting right, so instead, I’ve created something similar to it:

It's something so simple, and yet I think when we're feeling weary, we sometimes forget to do what it says. So, my beautiful, bright friends, this is just a reminder to:

🌟LET YOUR SOUL SHINE!🌟

Let people see it—all your beauty, light, fun, and happiness. Don’t let a bad day or a bad week squelch that within you. Don’t let people who are negative cause you not to shine!

How about we light this world up? Do something nice for someone, be a good leader to your team, help someone learn a new skill, color with the kids, spend time with friends, create new memories, laugh, love, joke around, play music, play some games... Go do anything that makes your soul happy and lets you share that with the world. Whatever you do, have fun. Be lighthearted and joyful.

With that, I wish you all an amazing week, and I'll see you next Friday! Mwah! 💛🐝

 ~positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Follow me there!~

Looking Out For Neighbors

This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See Disclosures. 



As spring gets ready to make an appearance, many people are still experiencing those last snow events of the season. While yesterday it was in the 70s in Pittsburgh, we got some snow only last week. How about you? It feels like such a slog any time it snows when you know you have to go to work or an appointment, doesn’t it?

Now imagine the anxiety that must come with any major weather event when you know your life depends on being able to get out of the house!

Natalie Blair of Parsippany, N.J. was faced with just that scenario, and were it not for the teen boys in her neighborhood who made sure she could get to her dialysis appointment after it snowed one night, she might have been stuck.

Patrick Lanigan and several of his friends were up and out there around 4:30 a.m. on a Monday (on a snow day, when they could have slept in!) When Ms. Blair looked out the window at 6 a.m., the entire drive was clear. You’ll see in the video below that it is quite a big driveway, too!

Here’s video about the event (and more sources will be at the bottom of the page):

This is a really good reminder to look out for our neighbors, especially those who are elderly or infirm, not just in snow events, but any time. We have a neighbor we like to check in on every so often (as does much of the neighborhood). If you notice you haven’t seen someone in a while, or you know they have frequent medical appointments, consider helping out, stopping by, or calling to see how they're doing. If you want to help neighbors with snow removal, perhaps your community has a program you can volunteer with? The City of Pittsburgh has a Snow Angels program that you can sign up with if you live in the area. Maybe where you live has something similar.


I hope this story was inspiring to you. Stay warm if winter decides to pop up one more time, and have a great week!  💛🐝

Photo by Filip Mroz on Unsplash

 ~positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Follow me there!~

Other sources:
Daily Record
ABC7 NY

Fortune Cookie Friday: Be Willing

This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See Disclosures. 

Photo by Hannah Olinger on Unsplash

Welcome back to Fortune Cookie Friday! I hope you’ve all had a good week and are ready for a nice weekend. I’m excited about my weekend plans, as I’ll be taking my first-ever writing course. I’ll let you know how it goes, but I'm really looking forward to it!


Before we get to today’s fortune, I wanted to provide an update to last week’s post about Soul Wounds and Sacred Revelations. For those of you local to the Pittsburgh region, author Deneen Joyner asked me to share the news that she will be doing a book signing at Barnes and Noble at Settlers Ridge on March 30th from 1-4 p.m. I highly recommend meeting Deneen in person if you can! If you want to read her book electronically, it’s available from a variety of sources, including here:



Okay, announcement aside, let’s get to today’s fortune, shall we? This one is a reader submission that came in just this week, and it fits in so perfectly with the theme of the last two fortunes we had (Success; Failure) that I’m going to trust the timing and share it today:

“You must be willing to act today in order to succeed.”

I like to think of this fortune as a reminder that “there’s no time like the present,” as the old adage goes. And I think it's fair to say that we can apply this concept to just about anything, not just life’s “big stuff.”

Keep reading for three examples about how you can apply this type of thinking. Feel free to utilize these ideas in any area of your life.

Example 1: Chores & Daily Life
I can look around my house and feel overwhelmed by how much laundry I have to do. If I'm honest, it’s a lot! Did I mention our washing machine broke after burst water pipes in our house a couple of weeks ago? No? It rained inside our house, and then I couldn’t wash all the wet towels because the washer broke. I got those handled at the laundromat til our washer got fixed, but now I’m a bit behind on the rest of the laundry! I feel like I am always playing catch-up, which can feel a little overwhelming.

(image courtesy clipartpng.com)

Now...I can sit here continuing to feel overwhelmed, or the next time I get up from this chair, I could just go throw in a load and start the machine up. But I have to be willing to do that, right?

It’s not that big a deal, but as anyone who has a lot on their to-do list can probably relate, sometimes one more thing to do can feel like one-too-many things. But the nice thing about doing laundry is it can do itself, for the most part, so I should really just get on with it.

(Hang on, BRB—gonna go throw in a load of laundry!)

Great! Now my laundry is getting done. I just had to be willing to act on it.


Example 2: Life Goal
Now, let’s say there’s a bigger goal you want to achieve. What steps are you going to take to get there? Are you willing to explore this?

Let me just make up an example out of thin air, since I hear this one a lot in my line of work: you want to publish a book.

Are you going to sit in the land of “Someday I want to…” or starting today, are you willing to take the steps you need to take to get that book published?

You can be doing something every single day to get the “published author” title after your name. Want some inspiration?

• Brainstorm your book idea with a basic notebook and pen ; you can even use workbooks or project notebooks made specifically for writers, if you think they'd help.

• You can take a writing class or join a writing support group in your local community.

• Start writing. Write every single day. Set word count goals. (500. 5,000. Doesn’t matter how many.)

• Read up on the publishing process so you know which direction you want to go in: self-publish or traditional publishing? What do you need to know about it?

• Reach out to people who will help you with your goal, such as: other writers to give you feedback and guidance on your work, beta readers, editor, proofreader, agent, etc. (You do know I’m an editor and proofreader, right? You've got one resource handled, at least.)

Do you see how quickly I jotted down some potential steps for that goal? It only took me a few minutes to do that. Once you've noted the steps, you can take action on them.

Example 3: Something You Want to Have
A few weeks ago, a friend who wasn't a crocheter expressed the desire to have a shawl. There's one she liked on Ravelry. I said to her, "Oh, you can TOTALLY make that yourself, and I can show you how."

I offered to do a "besties crochet-a-long" with her, where we would both buy the yarn and get started on it on the same day and do it together. I offered to be there for her every step of the way to answer questions.

I'm happy to say that she is now several repeats of the pattern ahead of me on this shawl!

I am so happy for my friend! She was willing to do something she had never done before in order to get the end result she wanted. She had faith she could do it, and she had the resources (me, the internet, YouTube) to help her when she had questions.

She hasn't crocheted anything more than a granny square before. She has never read a pattern. She hasn't touched a crochet hook in 20 years, but she is making herself a shawl! And all because she was willing to entertain the possibility that she could.

The Takeaway
So after reading these examples, are you inspired to get started on something you've always wanted to do? If so, what do you want to accomplish, and what steps are you going to take—TODAY—to get there?

Be willing to have an open mind. Be willing to act. Be willing to know that anything is possible. Be willing to have faith in yourself.

Be willing.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by what the steps may be, there’s help available to you. From groups on the internet to local meetup groups to friends and family to books and podcasts and YouTube videos on how to do just about anything...you will have the resources you need.

Whatever it is that you want to do, just start. 

What are you waiting for?

Drop me a comment and let’s talk about this! Tell me your goals and steps; maybe we can inspire each other or brainstorm!

Until next time,

💛🐝

 ~positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Follow me there!~

So About That Kindness Thing...

This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See Disclosures. 

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post detailing some potential scientific reasons as to why kindness appears to be contagious. Shortly after writing that post, I saw a piece that really highlights the concept, so please enjoy this feel-good story about a great random act of kindness that snowballed:

Duane Sherman, a 96-year-old WWII veteran and purple heart recipient, was not looking forward to his most recent birthday. Accustomed more to handwritten notes, cards and letters than to social media, he was not a man who would expect “Happy Birthday!” messages from his closest 200 friends on Facebook, you know? But most of his friends had predeceased him, and no cards were forthcoming.

His daughter, Sue, decided to make social media work for her dad, but in an unexpected way: she asked the internet to send her dad handwritten notes and cards for his birthday. And the internet said, “Ask, and you shall receive!”

According to the Good News Network, Mr. Sherman received over 50,000 cards from strangers in all 50 states and 10 countries!

"I’ll have a hell of a time reading them all," he said, delighted.

You can watch footage of Mr. Sherman and this epic birthday card story, below, courtesy of CBS.

So...how did this story make you feel? I know 50,000 cards is probably overkill, but it just goes to show how kindness can snowball. How amazing is it that 50,000 strangers all were touched by this veteran’s wish for a handwritten card? The generosity of people in general really gives me hope for our society.

Have a great week, everyone! 🐝

 ~positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Follow me there!~
Sources: Good News Network / KDKA / KCAL / CBSLA YouTube

Fortune Cookie Friday: Small Steps

This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See Disclosures. 


Hello everyone! Welcome to the first post and first fortune cookie of 2019! I want to start by wishing you all a very happy new year! 

I hope it is everything you wish it to be! Which brings me to today's fortune: 

A journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step. 

This fortune is from a meal that Fred and I shared with my parents the other day.  

I decided to post this as the first fortune of the year because of its message. It's appropriate for the new year, don't you think? 

With each new year, we're culturally primed to do a bit of a "reset"—we set resolutions, start new projects, create new goals, or wipe the slate clean from the year before. So this seems like the perfect time to consider our journeys.

So what do I mean when I say "journey"?  Well, that really is up to you. We could be talking about your entire life, or we could be talking about one portion, like a dream you have, something you've always wanted to do with your life.

Big or small, every goal or dream is able to be broken down into actionable steps, and every step is worthwhile, no matter how small. And that's why this fortune really spoke to me.

Let me give you an example from my own life: I always felt like I'd want to start my own business, but I was a little wary of the steps involved. I didn't want to have to deal with paperwork and taxes and all that jazz.

And then I saw an online course that really spoke to me, so I took it.

Taking that course was only beginning of my journey to entrepreneurship. My business started with just one small, simple step:  I took a course to learn new skills.

Since then, there have been more steps, too: I built a website (something I'd never done before). I made business cards. I started telling people about my dreams. I joined professional societies. And I've taken many, many more steps since then.

And I'm happy! Life is good! Isn't that what our journey in life is about? To do the things that make us feel fulfilled?

Sometimes, things have been difficult, but it's WORTH IT. I just keep taking small steps forward on my bigger journey, and they are starting to pay off.

I hope this gives you some food for thought?

Tell me, what journey are you on? I'd love to hear about your small steps, too. And if you'd like to read more about my own business journey, you can read about it here. We can learn from and inspire each other!

Have a great week, and a wonderful journey!

 ~positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Follow me there!~

Tenacity Through Trying Times

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I hope you'll forgive the alliterative title, but I couldn't resist when I read the story of Walter Carr, the subject of today's inspiring story.

Walter Carr is college student based in Birmingham, Alabama, who recently went viral when a story came out about his tenacity in a trying time.

Walter had just gotten a brand new job when his car broke down the day before his first day of work. He had just been hired by Bellhops moving company and was supposed to report for his first day at the home of a client 20 miles away from him by 8 a.m. the next morning. It must have been so stressful to get a brand new job and then find himself in that position!

He had called a friend of his to get a ride to work the next morning, and that friend initially agreed, so Walter put the phone down and took a nap, but when he woke up a few hours later, that friend had left him a voicemail saying he couldn't take him to work the next day, after all.

What a disappointment!

Walter then called around to everyone he knew. NO ONE, not even his girlfriend, could give him a ride to get him to his first day of work.

At this point, I want to know: what would you do?

Would you look at Google Maps and navigate a route to walk 20 miles to work, then calculate what time you'd have to leave home in order to make it to your job shortly before 8 a.m., because you wanted to get there early to make a good impression?

I'm not sure I have that in me, but I guess I'd find out if I'm ever in that situation. 

And that is why I have so much admiration for Walter's tenacity, which was the key to his triumphing over a seemingly insurmountable problem. 

After looking at his phone, Walter realized he'd have to get hopping if he would make it to work the next day. His phone said it would take him 7 hours to walk 20 miles, so he set off a little before midnight on Sunday night. By 2 a.m., he'd made it to the town of Hoover and took a break, then kept walking.

Can you imagine walking all night? My brain immediately goes to all the potential for danger, injury, exhaustion, dehydration ... but this guy just DID IT.

I can't imagine walking all night to work, can you? Photo by Robin Pierre on Unsplash

By 4 a.m., Walter had made it as far as Pelham when a passing cop car stopped to ask where he was headed. He said, "It’s hard to believe, it’s going to sound real crazy, but I’m actually headed to work." He then explained his situation. The cops gave him a ride to a local Whataburger, bought him breakfast and a lunch to go for later, then dropped him off at a local church—the safest place for him to be at 4 a.m.—so he could get a little rest before continuing on his way.

Photo by Matt Popovich on Unsplash

After resting a little while, Walter set off on foot again towards his final destination: the home of the Lameys in Pelham, Alabama. As he was walking, another cop drove by him and stopped, saying, "Get in the car. I got you." Apparently when the cops changed shifts, the former shift informed the new shift to check on Walter and make sure he got to work that day.

So they drove him the rest of the way to his destination, rang the client's doorbell, and explained who Walter is and why they were dropping him off. Jenny Hayden Lamey was so touched by his story that she posted about it on Facebook, and then it came to the attention of the CEO of Bellhops, Luke Marklin.

Marklin surprised Walter with a Ford Escape. But not just ANY Ford Escape. He gave him his own, personal car! In the meantime, Jenny Hayden Lamey started a GoFundMe campaign for Walter that far exceeded the $2,000 asked for. Indeed, he decided to use some of the funds to help others by donating to a nonprofit focused on increasing the number of students in Birmingham City Schools who meet their college, life, and career goals.

As to what he thinks of his walk?  He's quoted as saying: "'I couldn't believe it. I didn’t think that 20-mile walk would mean anything to anybody,' he said. I’m really thankful for it, the car, for everything.'" There he was, just thinking he had to get the job done, but the rewards for his tenacity went so much farther.

In terms of rewards, I'm not just talking about the car or the media attention. I'm talking about creating ripples in his community, tying people together from different walks of life or different places in their careers, simply by his humble actions. In one moment, a college student, a CEO, several cops, and a family all became players in this inspiring story. Since then, the story has made its way around the world inspiring others, and he's developed a friendship with the Lamey family that includes shooting hoops with their kids.

So what did you get out of Walter's tale? Did it make you smile? It made me smile, but it did more than that: it made me realize that tenacity is worth the effort, no matter the rewards. The rewards won't always be something huge like going viral, getting a car and making some money, but they will still be great, simply because I put in the effort to meet my goal. Anything worth having is worth working for, in my own mind. I'm curious as to what your thoughts are?

I have a bunch of additional reading for you, below, if you want to get the story from a variety of sources. But I'd like to close with Carr's own words, which are powerful: "'I've never been that person that gives up,' said Carr, 20. 'I've just never seen myself doing that. I can only be defeated if I allow myself do [sic] be defeated.'"

Thanks again for reading this week's post, and I very much hope it added some joy to your week! Have a wonderful weekend! 🐝


Sources quoted are linked inline. Here they are in full:
USA Today / Washington Post / AL.com / Fox News / CBS News / CNN

 ~positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Follow me there!~

Fortune Cookie Friday: Riches Coming

This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See Disclaimers & Policies on my About page.


Greetings, fellow fortune lovers! I hope this week has treated you well!

Today's fortune was sent in by a reader, and not only is it a good one, it looks delicious, doesn't it? I don't think I've seen a chocolate-covered fortune cookie before I saw this one!

There are riches headed your way.

(If they meant rich chocolate, they weren't kidding!)

Anyway, all joking aside, I think this one is about what we value in our lives.

How do you define "riches?"

To me, "riches" doesn't refer only to money or tangible goods. It can mean many intangible but worthwhile things, such as family, friends, and experiences.

I've said it before: our mindset will set our expectations. I'm not the only person out there who knows that words have power, or that how we think affects our reality.

To apply those concepts to this fortune: if we value things other than money, we'll always be rich.

For instance, I believe I am rich because:

• I am loved.
• I have friends.
• There are beautiful flowers blooming and spring is finally here!
• There's a really cute bunny in my yard right now.
• I have 40+ years of experiences to reflect upon, with more new ones to be created each day.

These are just a few examples.

I know this is one of those mind-bendy things that is so simple it seems hard. I didn't always think this way, and it has taken me some years to get there. It started with a regular gratitude practice and then went from there.

But I'll let you in on a little secret: from that work has come more peace. 🕊

And for me, peace is one of the most valuable of the "riches."

Thanks to the reader who sent this one in! If you'd like yours to be featured, please send a clear photo of your fortune cookie fortune through the Facebook page. Drop me a line and let me know what you think of this one! I'd love to hear what riches are in your lives! 🐝

 ~positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Follow me there!~

Fortune Cookie Friday: 50th Post Anniversary Edition!

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Today positively b.e.e. has reached another milestone: this is my 50th post since starting the site last August. WOOHOO! 

In honor of that, here is today's fortune:

🌷Greet your friends with open arms and happiness will come to you. 🌷

I can't agree more! This one is pretty straightforward. I consider myself rich when I think of all the wonderful friendships I have made over the years. There are so many happy memories that I cherish with friends old and new.

If you haven't in a while, consider reaching out to an old friend to reconnect, or make some social plans for the weekend.

Also: I hope that this blog brings YOU happiness. It makes me very happy to write it.

And thank you, friends, for making positively b.e.e. a success thus far. By continuing to share these posts, commenting, and interacting on social media, you not only spread positivity, light, joy and gratitude to others, you add to my happiness, too!

Let's continue to grow the message that there is value in greeting life—and friends—with open arms! 🌻

Tell me: what is making you happy today? Drop me a line on social media or leave a comment, below. I can't wait to read your responses!

Until next time,
b.e.e. 🐝


 ~ positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Follow me there! ~

Want a fortune cookie? 🥠 You can get them here. If you'd like to submit your fortune to be featured, please send me a clear photo through my Facebook page.

Fortune Cookie Friday: Human Resources

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Today's fortune was sent in by a reader. Let's take a look at it!

Of all our human resources, the most precious is the desire to improve.

Humans are very resourceful creatures, aren't we? When I go to museums and look at exhibits of ancient tools and how ancient civilizations lived, and then compare that to where we are now, I am constantly amazed by humanity's capacity to improve their lot in life.

This seems to be something innate in us, too. We aren't content to just sit there and keep doing things the same way. Cars, tools, medicines, healthcare, machines, industry—we are constantly surrounded by examples of innovation and creativity that serve to improve our lives.

Feel free to use this cookie to inspire you today! What about yourself do you desire to improve? Figure that out, and then figure out the steps you need to make that happen.

Drop me a line and let me know: where do you want to see improvement in your life? For me: I'd like to get better at spinning yarn. I'm fairly inconsistent in my output, so I'll either need to practice more, or take a class.

Thanks for reading today's fortune cookie! Until next time! 🥠🐝

If you want to get some fortune cookies and play along, you can get them here.  And if you want to send in a fortune cookie to be featured, you can do so through the Facebook page. You'll have to send me a picture in order to be featured. Thanks!



 ~ positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Follow me there! ~


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Fortune Cookie Friday: If It Seems Fates Are Against You

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Hi everyone! Buckle in, because today's fortune cookie may SEEM like a doozy, but I think if we get out of the box and really think about it, there's a great message here:

If it seems fates are against you today, they probably are.

💥*needle scratches on the record* 💥

Wait a minute... WHAT?!

Isn't this supposed to be a positivity blog?

I have to admit, when I opened this cookie the other night, I was a little mad that I'd gotten it. I didn't want to post about it. I thought it was "too negative" and wondered about the manufacturer letting something like get into a fortune cookie.

But then I realized that I was just playing into a story that some slip of paper wedged into a crispy, delicious, baked novelty was saying and I was taking that story WAY too literally, so I stopped with all that and instead got thinking about "How can this cookie possibly disrupt negativity?"

Well...let me break it down here.

What we THINK is going on ISN'T ALWAYS what is going on. 

Let me repeat that:

What we THINK is going on ISN'T ALWAYS what is going on.

If you "think" the fates are against you, they always will be, but we can change how we think.

If it "seems" the fates are against you—then change your fate. Things aren't always as they seem.

Our inner monologue will directly affect our outlook, perception, and experience. In order to have the result we want, we need to CHANGE our inner story, CHANGE what we're telling ourselves, and not play into a negative mindset. It is so easy to just slide into a "woe is me" about a situation sometimes, but it doesn't have to be that way.

What's the worst thing that can happen if you choose your reaction to something instead of just reacting? If you choose to smile when you're sad? If you choose to reach out to a friend when you're hurting? If you choose to take even one step in the direction of bettering yourself?

Yeah, I know, feelings are normal. Look, I'm not perfect. I get negative feelings, too. It's normal to feel them. To suppress them wouldn't be ideal, and you can't simplify this to one blog post, wave a magic wand, and say "All better now!"

So go ahead: feel them...and then choose to move past them and put your wishes out there into the world to feel better, to feel empowered, to feel like you can do something about a situation—whatever the case may be, where you're feeling like the fates, the world, the universe—whatever—is against you.

You might be surprised at how the fates suddenly align when you align your thoughts.

So, I mentioned that this cookie made me mad, initially, but now, I like it! I think it's a good reminder to us all to keep our thoughts square with how we want our lives to be.

Drop me a line on social media or a comment below and let me know: how did this cookie make you feel? Do you have another take on it? As always, I'd love to know! 🐝

If you want to have your fortune cookie featured on positively b.e.e., send me a message through Facebook with a photo. Want some fortune cookies of your own? You can order them here!


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Fortune Cookie Friday: Creativity Is GO!

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It's Friday the 13th, and that means it's a good day for a fortune cookie. 👍

Today's fortune cookie is about creativity! 

I found this one in an old journal:

Creative energy is up—capitalize on it.

This is so true in my life right now. I feel like a dam has broken and a lot is flowing through me right now.

This has been evident in some jewelry I've been designing using crochet thread, beads, and charms; photos I've been taking; things I've been writing—and I have a lot of ideas in my head.

When I get a lot of ideas in my head, sometimes they can get overwhelming. This is where keeping a notebook or journal handy (or a notebook app on my phone) can be helpful. I can jot things down, storyboard, or make lists, and then that helps me get ordered and make a plan for putting a creative piece into play.

And it is so important to capitalize on it when we have those inspirations, isn't it? Life isn't just work and school and chores and errands, and, and, and, and....

Commit to a better quality of life by pursuing your creativity in any form you wish—art, dance, music, crafts—whatever floats your boat, really! Get out there and get creative! Let's start a movement!

Drop me a line and let me know: what creative streaks are you experiencing right now? And how do you take your ideas and put them into action?

Have a great—and creative!—day! 🐝

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Want some fortune cookies, yourself? You can get some here. And I found a nice-looking and affordable journal online, too.

The Voices You Have Not Heard

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Today I'd love to share an inspiring person with you all!

Her name is Ms. Spearman, and she's an entrepreneur, life coach, and all-around awesome person.

I met Ms. Spearman many years ago when we both worked at the same firm. We hit it off pretty quickly, and I was immediately struck by her joy, realism, and fun attitude. I left that job in 2011, but we stayed in touch over time. I'm glad we did, because she is KILLING IT. She is on message, on point, and on topic, and I love what she is offering to the world.

After losing her job unexpectedly, Ms. Spearman has done what not many people believe they can do (but all of us can): she doubled down and got working on her TRUE life path. And she is here to tell us all how we can do that, too.

If you want a swift kick in the pants to go out there and live your best life — besides getting any inspiration you get here, I mean 😁— I highly recommend you go and check out her site.

Photo by Álvaro Bernal on Unsplash

Additionally, Ms. Spearman has a podcast that I am enjoying a lot! It's called The Voices You Have Not Heard and offers inspiring content about how to get out there and live the life we are meant to be living, and she will be featuring interviews with other entrepreneurs and inspiring people along the way. Her episodes are relatively short and digestible, so they are not a huge time commitment, and I have found that after each one, I just like to sit and think about what she had to say.

Check out The Voices You Have Not Heard via iTunes or your other favorite podcast aggregator! And thank you, Ms. Spearman, for adding value to my life with your words.

Drop me a line and let me know what you think of Ms. Spearman's blog or podcast, or feel free to make recommendations of other inspiring people you read or listen to! 🐝



 ~~ positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Follow me there!

New Beginnings

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So, some exciting things are happening over here at positively b.e.e.!

This past Friday was my last day at my regular 9-to-5 job. I've been spending my spare time reaching for some personal goals, and I am finally at a place where I can take the leap and really go for them! I've been taking classes, developing plans, talking to people, reading a lot, and working very hard at all of it. I thought it would take me a lot longer to get to this point than it had. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time, though, so I'm doing it. 

My colleagues gave me a great send-off, including a nice going away party, beautiful flowers, handwritten cards & notes, and even a really special goodbye breakfast. (You can see some of these in the above photo.) They really are the best!

Here are some of the questions I've been getting:

Where are you going?
To my couch. Or my desk at home. Or to visit my parents, other family, or friends. Or to the local coffee shop. Or to the car dealership waiting room while my car gets an oil change. The skills I have to offer and the problems I can solve are all doable from just about anywhere!

But...why would you leave your awesome job doing awesome stuff at that super-awesome place you used to work at?
Because it's time. It was a really good run, but this shift has been in progress for a long time, and several things synced up to make me realize the time is now. I am grateful for the years spent at my last job, and at various places along my career. I've learned new skills, made lasting friendships, and had awesome colleagues along the way.

So then what will you be doing?
Proofreading, copy editing, writing, and transcription. You'll note that these things are very portable. Additionally, I will be focusing on continuing to bring great content here at positively b.e.e., and have plans to expand my offerings.

How does your husband/family/whoever feel about this?
I have an amazing support system. My husband and parents have always encouraged me to aim for the stars, go for my dreams, and follow my heart. I recognize that I am very lucky to have them cheering me on, but I also recognize that I would do this even without their support. (I might not have done it *quite* as soon as I am, but I would do it anyway. I'm just built like that.) I also have friends, colleagues, and acquaintances rooting for me.

And really, most people have been incredibly supportive. Indeed, many of them said they wish they could do the same. Some of them HAVE done the same and given me some inspiration and advice. And others have told me they also plan to do the same in the future when the time is right for them.

A few people, though, reacted a little differently. Did you notice that some of the questions I got seemed just a little bit unsure? Maybe it doesn't come across in text, but in person, some people seemed almost afraid for me. Indeed, one person was a little negative about my next move, as if to dissuade me from taking the leap. But I firmly believe that if we never try, we never succeed. I cannot and will not live a fear-based life making fear-based decisions for my future. I've done that for long enough; it's time for a change.

There is freedom waiting for you,
On the breezes of the sky,
And you ask "What if I fall?"
Oh but my darling,
What if you fly?
― Erin Hanson

Ok, but...why?
How many times have I said there's no better time than now to live your best life? To always strive to be yourself and do the things you want to do in life, because life is short and we are only promised this moment? That is a major reason. If I'm going to sit here and talk about how we can fulfill our lives, live our dreams, and be happy in this world, then I need to have some integrity and walk that walk, too. 

There have been a few times in my life where I have been offered opportunities that I'd had to turn down, because I didn't have the bandwidth to accept them while still working in a traditional 9-to-5 setting, and I was too afraid to leave the security of a traditional job. I have now freed myself up to say "yes" instead of "no."

Indeed, after I turned in my resignation, I was approached by several people with invitations to collaborate on projects, so while I thought I'd be taking some time to ramp up, instead I will be hitting the ground running, which is exciting for me! :)

And, just because I will be working in a nontraditional setting does not mean I'm going to sit around all day eating bonbons and watching soaps. I will still be working hard. I just won't be going to someone's office to do that.

Oh, one other question I've gotten from a few people:

Great! This is wonderful news! What can I (we) do to help?
To anyone who has asked this: THANK YOU. I appreciate your support! Tell everyone you know that I'm out here doing this. Share this blog. Tell your friends and family. If you know any writers, business owners, website developers, bloggers, ANYONE who needs a skilled proofreader, copy editor, or writer, send them my name! If you have ever wanted to write your memoir or a book but don't like typing, did you know I can type it up FOR you? Want to write a letter that sounds businesslike but don't know how to go about that? Talk to me. I can help. These are just a few examples of things I have done for people.

Additionally, I hope you will consider using my affiliate links.

For example, if you were going to order something on Amazon, anyway, it doesn't cost you any additional money to use my Amazon Affiliate link, but it does help me out. You simply click on the link and buy whatever you normally would buy, and Amazon gives me a small percentage for the referral at no additional cost to you. If the Amazon link you click on is to a specific product (such as the fortune cookies I feature on Fridays), you don't have to buy that product; you can just click on that link, search on whatever you wanted to buy, and buy it. It's that simple, and will help me in my goals of bringing better content to you here.

So that's the scoop!
I'm super-excited by the changes taking place in my life, both within me and career-wise. I look forward to the next part of the journey.

Oh! And I almost forgot: I know it's Monday (and not Fortune Cookie Friday), but I'm going to include a fortune here in this post. I got this in a fortune cookie years ago, and must have tucked it away somewhere to be forgotten forever. Last week, though, it dropped out of a notebook as I was rearranging items on a shelf:

I mean, REALLY: does it get any better than that? Talk about getting a little confirmation I'm on the right track. Do I think fortune cookies are psychic? No. Do I believe in coincidences? No, not really.

Hey, it works for me. :)

Leave a comment below: what new beginnings are you embarking on this spring? Let's inspire and celebrate each other!

🐝

 ~~ positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Follow me there!