Throw kindness around like confetti. ~Molly B. Kansas
The world is a crazy place, seemingly more so now than ever before. Not only is there strife and unrest everywhere we look, but bad behavior seems to be at an all-time high. We’re left feeling overwhelmed and helpless and, sometimes, hopeless. We think there isn’t anything we can do.
I came across today’s quote on a Dove chocolate bar wrapper: Throw kindness around like confetti. ~Molly B. Kansas
I like this quote very much because it’s easy and fun to throw confetti and it’s easy and fun to throw kindness around.
Even if you have a bully boss who trashes the office environment with their abuse, you can be kind and respectful to your coworkers. Even if you have been on the phone waiting on hold for over 45 minutes, instead of being sarcastic and cutting to the person at the call center, you can sympathize with them that some days it’s a tough to keep up at work.
You can remember that everyone has struggles and worries, even those that seem to have it made. You aren’t helping them by being grumpy, cranky, mean, uncaring, and not giving them a break. You’ve been in the same boat and you’ve appreciated a smile, a kind word, or someone giving you the benefit of the doubt. Throw that kindness around, just like handfuls of confetti!
When someone mentions the word “bullying”, we think of the schoolyard, assuming that bullying is a problem only children face. We believe that when kids grow into adulthood, they drop their childish ways: We think they’ll become more understanding and compassionate, that they’ll develop mastery over their emotions, that they’ll learn to be helpful to others, and that they’ll strive to become the best version of themselves. This is the course we’ve followed and we figure that everyone else will, too.
But they don’t.
Some adult bullies carry their bullying ways from childhood into adulthood. Others were nice as youngsters but something happened along their pathway to adulthood that turned them into bullies.
The point is that bullying is not a problem just for children. We adults can—and do—face it every day, too. We can encounter adult bullies in a variety of settings such as clubs and organizations, churches, neighborhoods, within our group of friends, and at work.
We don’t foresee this, which is why it’s so shocking when we run up against it. We expect adults to behave like, well, adults. We don’t anticipate that they’ll humiliate, belittle, or sabotage us or that we’ll see them do this to others. When we experience bullying directly or indirectly (witnessing another being bullied), we’re left bewildered, stunned, and wondering if what we just experienced/witnessed really did happen.
The good news is there are things we can do to help ourselves if/when we find ourselves in this type of situation. We can:
~Get out.
~Develop a support system.
~Pursue professional development opportunities.
~Feel good about ourselves.
~Take care of ourselves.
~Keep work in perspective.
We will talk more about these in upcoming posts. Stay tuned and check back often!
In the meantime, here are a few statements to say to yourself this week:
I am a child of the Universe, no less than the trees and the stars.
I am valuable and my thoughts, ideas, and talents are desperately needed in the world.
I am fully loaded with all I’ll need to create a wonderful life for myself.
I am someone’s miracle.
I am perfectly positioned to make my mark in the world.
I am so grateful that this situation is setting me up to be slingshotted decades ahead in my career and my life.
I am enlivened and aglow with the Divine Spark within me.
Repeat these statements first thing in the morning, several times throughout the day, and the last thing before going to bed. Let their power and inspiration infuse your mind, body, soul, and spirit.
You can do this, Pep Pal, especially since we’ll be doing it together!
Together, we are going to make a wonderful 2019 for ourselves because together we’re going to create soul-prospering lives.
I haven’t posted much in the last half of 2018. Even though I wasn’t posting, I was thinking of you and wishing you Peace and Goodness.
As I said, the second half of 2018 was difficult due to challenges that have forced me to reach deeper into myself. I continue to wrestle with these challenges—no, they didn’t automatically disappear at 12:00:01 AM on January 1, 2019 (darn!) (Haha!). Because of these, I have gained information and knowledge that is very helpful to me and I think it can help you, too. While it’s been good overall, holy moly it has been difficult and painful!!!
I hesitate to tell you that it’s been difficult and painful, however, it seems that’s the way growth and development goes. While we can learn techniques and have tools and information to work with during difficulties, it isn’t until obstacles, setbacks, and heartbreaks show up that we get to take our knowledge and tools out for a spin—just like we do with a car.
During the challenging times, we get to take everything we’ve learned and that we know and kick the tires on it. We see how quickly they respond in the sharp curves and steep hills, and how they perform when the conditions are icy and snowy, or in a hard steady rain when there’s flooding all around.
We’ll talk more about this in upcoming posts. I’ll share my experiences and what I’ve learned from them and I look forward to hearing about what you’ve experienced and learned.
While I’d love to get back to my schedule of daily posts, I know it’s unrealistic. For right now, I plan to post once a week on Mondays. Let’s help each other start the week off on a positive note!
With that in mind, here are positive truths for us to embrace this week. Join me in saying the following:
I am a Child of the Universe; I have a right to be here.
I am a valuable part of the world.
I am talented, gifted, and skilled, and what I offer is needed in the world.
I am kind.
I am generous.
I am positive.
I am ready for all the Magic, Miracles, and Majesty that is mine in 2019!
Hello Pet Pals! Even though I haven’t been blogging regularly I’ve been thinking of you.
Here are truths about you to say to yourself to start the week off right:
I am capable;
I am confident;
I am competent;
I have the intelligence that when faced with challenges, I come up I can figure it out;
I come up with creative and innovative solutions two difficulties and obstacles;
I have a pleasing personality;
I have excellent common sense;
I am a team player and I can also work well independently;
I have what it takes to be successful in my career;
I have what it takes to do an excellent job at my work;
I can depend on me to get the job done, get it done well, and get it done on time;
I am solution-oriented and I solve problems.
Repeat these phrases to yourself regularly throughout the day, especially if you’re working for a bully boss. You need to keep up your spirits and your self-confidence. These phrases are an effective tool to use. Feel free to tweak any of these statements to be more congruent with you and your particular situation.
I believe each one of us is on this Earth for a specific reason and that reason is to live a soul-prospering life. When we do this, we’re contributing our unique combination of gifts, abilities, and talents to the overarching goal of creating a better world. In the process, we get to live a deeply satisfying and fulfilling life that matters profoundly.
With this in mind, I’d like to share what I’m doing to live my soul-prospering life. Since I’m the author of this blog, I’m sure it comes as no surprise that I like to write. Here is a flash fiction story that I wrote this summer. Flash fiction is a short story of 500 words or less, although some people say the upper limit is 1000 words.
A special treat for you is that this story is part of a blog hop. At the end you’ll see links to others’ flash fiction stories. This is my first time participating and I’m very excited about it.
My story is 493 words and is called Black Moon. I hope you enjoy it-enjoy the other stories as well!
Black Moon
Mama turned from the front window of our snug cottage hidden in the dark woods. Even though the lights were out, the star glow was enough to show me her worried face. “A Black Moon on All Hallow’s Eve. I thought surely you’d– ”
“What, Mama? Whatever it is, I’ll do it.” I didn’t know what was upsetting her but I wanted to make her smile. “It’s still my birthday. We can be happy about that, right?”
“Of course, my love! The second New Moon in a month combined with your thirteenth birthday on All Hallow’s Eve. A very special night, indeed.” Mama hugged me, her fuzzy sweater tickling my nose.
Rustling in the woods drew her to the window.
Oh! A sharp twinge in my hips. I waited for pain but it didn’t come. Instead, it felt…natural.
A sudden rush of raw power from Mother Earth coursed through me from my feet to my head. What was going on?
Rather than fear, giddiness filled me. I bounded to Mama and threw my arms around her. “I lovelovelove the night!”
Mama laughed. “That’s because you’re a vampire.” She growled, pretending to nibble my neck.
“No, Mama.” I giggled. “Then I couldn’t eat your yummy meatloaf, so full of garlic.”
“Hmmm, true.” Mama pretended to think. “I know! You’re really a pixie or a wood sprite, and you fly like the wind.”
“Nope, not it.” I moved from her embrace and rolled my shoulders to ease the cramping. “Flying isn’t the only way to race like the wind.”
“Then you’re a zombie.” She lumbered toward me, arms outstretched.
I shrieked. “No, Mama!” The bones in my feet crackled as I dashed away from her.
“Then you’re a fairy or maybe an elf.”
“They’re too small and scrawny and won’t make decent toothpicks much less tasty tidbits.”
“Well then, that leaves one thing. You’re a–”
Yips and barks close to our cottage.
Too close.
“Oh no!” She let out a cry of fear.
My gaze sharpened on her. She looked delicate as she backed away from the window.
A howl echoed on the still night air. My pulse quickened. My bones ached, muscles throbbed. It felt so good! I stretched in anticipation.
She blindly reached back for me. “Hide! Wolves!”
Yes Mama, yes. That’s it!
I snapped my jaws now filled with gleaming teeth. I crept toward her, reveling in the power of my new form.
She saw me. Surprise on her face.
I inhaled. Ahhh, the sharp tang of fear. My mouth watered. I moved in.
A hard thump at the door followed by a rumbling growl that shook my bones. I stopped, crouched. Uncertain.
She dropped to her knees, relief flooding her face. Now on her hands, too. Broadening, elongating.
Huge.
Now I was surprised.
She padded to me, her claws clicking on the hardwood floor. “Welcome, Pup!” She nuzzled me, her soft fur tickling my nose. “Come, meet your true family.”
Happy Halloween, my dear Pep Pals! Feel free to share in the comments what you do that’s soul-prospering. Thanks!
Your Friend and Pep Pal,
Lauren
Here are the links to the other stories in this blog hop. Have fun reading!
<a href=”https://ctbridges.com/holloween-blog-hop” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Chris Bridges Posting Storytime Blog Hop. Give her shout out and say Hello!</a>
<a href=”http://www.vanessawellsbooks.com/blog.html” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>The Right Honorable Brotherhood of Spirits, Poltergeists and Ghosts, by Vanessa Wells</a>
Most of us don’t have the luxury of devoting 24/7/365 to pursuing our passions and living our purpose. Many of us still have obligations and responsibilities to fulfill. That requires us to work with other people and, unfortunately, some of them are very prickly.
This week, I’ll share with you pep talks that can be used for most situations, although the inspiration for these came from others’, as well as my own, challenges at work because of a difficult co-worker.
I hope the following pep talk can help you when you find yourself confronted by someone who makes you second guess yourself.
No matter what others say about me or do to me, and no matter how difficult the day may be, I allow myself to remember and believe that I am capable, I am competent, and I do have what it takes to live my life so that I am pleased.
I also allow myself to remember and believe that although my progress may be slow, I am crafting a soul-prospering life.
Thank you, Source, for your power, your protection, your provision, and your peace today.
Notice the “I allow myself…” statements. I have discovered that oftentimes when we’re confronted by someone with a very strong personality, we subconsciously might think that we don’t have the right to think positive and supporting thoughts about ourselves.
Ridiculous! We know the truth about ourselves and we can remind ourselves of our truth when someone is trying to get us to think their way about ourselves.
No way! Not happening!
Repeat frequently throughout the day: I know the truth about me and I’m allowed to think it!!
