Fortune Cookie Friday: If It Seems Fates Are Against You

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

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!


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


Affiliate links help positively b.e.e. at no extra cost to you. If you're looking for a new backpack, I love Fjallraven's stuff! Here's one that I like.

Gathering 2018: Get Your Tickets Before They're Gone!

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

🔔Hear ye! Hear ye!🔔

Tickets to the Gathering 2018 are limited and are starting to sell! Get yours today before they are sold out! 🌸

WHAT
Gathering 2018 is a small-scale festival where you can kick back, relax, listen, laugh, and learn, and by the time you leave, you will have made new friends for life. There will be speakers, vendors, singing and spooky tales around the campfire, horse and buggy rides through historic Roan Mountain, a creek walk in the park, workshops, and so much more.

Details can be found here, and make sure you check out the Event page. Our host, Cat Young of the Mountain Gypsies, will be posting the speaker and workshop schedule there.

(Click here to see what I posted about this event, previously.)

WHEN
June 29-July 1, 2018 (Friday to Sunday).

WHERE
Breathtaking Roan Mountain, TN, at a cottage nestled at the bottom of the mountains. Yes, the host actually does this shindig in her back yard! You will be surrounded by beauty and magic in this historic State Park area of eastern Tennessee.

COST
$30 for the entire 3-day event buys you entrance to the event, which includes the speakers/workshops and a dinner party at an upscale restaurant in Banner Elk, NC, on Saturday night.* You can't beat this price with a stick!

*Note: the horse & buggy rides are provided by another vendor for an additional fee, and any other food, accommodations, and incidentals are at your own cost.

ACCOMMODATIONS
There are cabins in the Roan Mountain State Park that are clean and come with all of the linens, dishes, etc., that you would need. I stayed in these last year and they were cleaner than some hotel rooms I've stayed in, plus the staff and rangers were all very friendly and helpful. We really enjoyed our stay there last year and I thought the pricing was reasonable because you can fit several people into one cabin.

If you prefer, you also have the option to camp "rustic" style at the site of the event itself. Our host will offer a Porta Potty, water, electricity, and a spot to put your tent for the cost of $40 for the 3-day weekend.

Otherwise there are some B&Bs, AirBnBs, and hotels in the area within a 25-30 minute drive of the event.

So get your tickets now! Yes, you! :)

If you want to learn more about the Mountain Gypsies and what they do, check out this nifty video they made. A link to their Facebook page is listed there as well.

Alrighty—getting your tickets now? Great! :) Don't forget to mark yourself as "Going" on the Event page! And next time I post about this, I will be previewing some of items I'll be offering at positively b.e.e.'s table at this event, some of which are limited edition—made only for this event. Be there or be square!

🐝

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

Do like British T.V. as much as I do? Prime members: get your free trial to Amazon's Britbox Service!

Fortune Cookie Friday: Creativity Is GO!

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

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! 🐝

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

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

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

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!

Let's Motivate Monday: Dance Party Edition

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

Happy Monday! Let's get this week started right!

This song recently came up in a 90s Dance Hits playlist on Google's Play Music service. I found myself dancing in my chair and smiling as I worked, so why not share that with you?

 I mean how can you NOT get happy bouncing along to this?

Another thing I like about this song is that, although it's about the party lifestyle, they say not to drink and drive. I may be dating myself a little bit here, but back then, that wasn't a message you heard a lot in the clubs. Probably still isn't.

Feel free to send me your favorite dance hit. And let me know: what helps you get motivated on a Monday?

Now go out and slay this week! 🐝


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

Want this song in YOUR library? Get it here. Stream for free with Prime Music or buy the digital download or CD edition.

Fortune Cookie Friday: A Mystery, Not A Problem

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

So I guess this will be our next fortune, because as these things tend to happen to me, this one fell out of....well, I'm not quite sure where it came from! I found it sitting on my couch yesterday afternoon. I can only assume it fell out of the notebook I was writing in.

(I did mention that I have a ton of these things laying around, didn't I?) Anyway, here's today's fortune:

Life is not a problem to be solved but rather a mystery to be lived.

This one was timely, for me. It's been, honestly, a bit of a bad week. I try not to let bad weeks get to me too much, as I know they'll pass, but between my husband and I being ill and a bunch of other stuff that happened, it's definitely been one of those weeks if you know what I mean.

Sometimes, those weeks tend to pile up on one another. And then before you know it, you've had one of those months, or one of those years. How many times have you seen social media posts from people like, "That's it, 2018 is FIRED!" and it's only, what...April?

I'm sure we've all done it. I used to! But how about instead of letting those problems color our world view, we start thinking about good things in between the bad things? Maybe taking a moment to be grateful for something good, even amongst all the bad? This is how I get through the bad stuff, myself.

So my question for you is this: how do you view life? Is it a mystery to be enjoyed, or a problem to be solved?

This week, even though it is one of those weeks, I'm actively choosing to see life not as a problem or a series of problems. These things will be resolved, and the illnesses will pass.

I prefer the mystery of life, whatever may come. I prefer to give myself the freedom to enjoy it, even when problems arise, by solving any problems that come up but not equating them to life itself or inflating their status and meaning in my life.

My prayer for all who are suffering through life's problems is that they may see fewer problems. I pray for solace, comfort, and the good kind of mystery.

Drop me a line and let me know your thoughts. 🐝

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

Want some fortune cookies so you can play along? You can get them here.

Happy Easter and Happy Spring!

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

Today is Easter Sunday, and if you celebrate, then Happy Easter! If you don't, then Happy Spring! 🌷🌸

Photo by Sweet Amaryllis on Unsplash

Maybe it's just that the weather is getting warmer, but this time of year tends to symbolize renewal and hope for me. I went for a walk outside yesterday and relished the feel of sunshine on my face, smiled at some families flying kites in the park, and watched some folks play soccer. Before that, I took a moment over my morning coffee to watch the birds doing cute little bird things. They seemed happy to be out and about in my yard, chirping away!

So at least Spring is finally getting around to showing up (ok, ok, I know some of us are supposed to get snow), but really, winter is just about over and it's time for outdoor things!

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash

Drop me a line and let me know what you plan to do either for the holiday or just in general with the return of warmer weather. And have a wonderful day!  🐝

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