Inspiration, What Inspires You?

I need some inspiration today and thought I would share some good quote graphics.  All of us need it sometimes a little pick-me-upper.  Enjoy!

What inspires you?

Say What? I Didn't Bloom Until I Was 41 YO

To say the least I was a late "bloomer."  I was 41 years old when I realized who I was and what I wanted out of life.  Better later than never.  Can you fathom the fact that some people go through their entire lives not knowing who they really are or "what they want to be when they grow up?"

It is not clear why it took me so long.  Everything else in life came to me early.  I walked at 8 months, had to have wisdom teeth out in my teens, oh and Ms. Mother Nature came to me when I was 11 years old.  The really important realizations came late for me.  Actually it was when I went back to college I got my mojo (is that a word still used?).

Each day I am learning who I am and I learn new things about myself.  If someone would have told me I was just like my Dad I would have argued for hours that I was not.  Hmph (saying with my arms crossed) I can see it now since he died in 2011.

Let's say I am a mixture of both my parents.  The drive, creativeness, dreams of what could be and leadership or some say bossy (I feel I am just an organizer and leader lol) that came from my Mom for sure. I will never ever come close to being the person she is. She can do it all with a smile, finds the good in everyone and has the patience of Job.  The part of me that doesn't put up with anything is Daddy, me being grouchy, bullheaded and opinionated is definitely from Daddy.  Both instilled work ethics in me which I will be forever thankful.  There are no two people that worked harder in their lifetime that I know.

So let's see looking back 10 years I would have never dreamed that I wouldn't have my baby boy, Dustin with me still.  He was killed when he was 17 years old in a car accident.  If you would have told me that I would survived his loss believe me I would have told you that you were crazy.  I wasn't that strong.  I am surviving his loss, still grieving everyday but living through the pain.

Me doing graphics?  Hahahahahaha there is no way, but I do and love doing it.  Learning a graphics program took me months to learn and I am still learning.  Knowing enough to get me through and not cause trouble is fine.

Traveling, me?  No way I just didn't like to travel much.  A really sweet, loving man came into my life that loved to travel either by his vintage Honda Gold Wing or by car.  Didn't much matter as long as we went.  I saw more and experienced more after I met Michael than I had my whole life.  I found so much enjoyment in exploring different states or sites.  Again learning.  I know you know "Knowledge is Power."

So many years growing up I absolutely hated the old antiques that flourished in my home growing up.  I thought it was a sign of being poor.  Now drooling occurs when I see vintage pieces that I yearn for.  What is really surprising is that now I am actually working with furniture, fixing, distressing, and painting? Somebody slap me so I can wake up!  Me?  No that was something my Mom did not me.

I saved the social media and blogging for last.  It's funny, I know more about some of you than I do my neighbor.  It has been since Dustin's death that I felt safe socializing.  Maybe since I can do it here in the comfort of my own home in my jammies, bedhead, drinking coffee that makes it more comfy.  I am more at ease now.  I am truly addicted to all things social.  Every link that supplies information I am reading it to learn more and more about everything.

You may be there sitting and reading my crazy rants thinking I cannot do all of that.  The important thing is yes you can.  Never stop learning and pushing yourself to heights you never thought of going.  I know I am afraid of heights too but the secret is don't look back just keep going toward your goal.

Will you make a couple of goals of something that you want to do but have never tried for fear of failure?  Is so, stop that!  Bloom where you are planted.  This is what I have had to do, no other choice was there for me.  Read this again 'bloom where you are planted."

Come on and try, let me know how it all turns out for you.  Email me at anytime myeclecticloft@gmail.com

Get out there and live today!

Showing Love to Some Abandoned Treasures

Inspiration has struck from several of the blogs that I have been visited this week.  I have several items that need love and attention.  My thought has always been to leave it in the original condition.  That has been a ground in thought for me.  Well I have come to the conclusion that it is time to give some of the items new life and truly make them a treasure.  You see I love the rust, the chips, the way things are but I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.

I want to share some projects that I wholeheartedly intend on working on this coming week.  Choosing which one to do first will be my problem.  Here they are in there just like I bought them.  They were posted on my Facebook for ideas so I am going with the popular vote and what I like.

The red on the sled will be left along.  The wood will be getting spruced up.  This one is easy peasy, right?

This beauty was something I just had to have.  It is finished with the 1980's style antiquing.  It has gorgeous beveled mirrors.  I actually have a plan for it.  I am going to strip it and then distress it.  In my bedroom I have a dresser with the waterfall sides but no mirror so I thought I would redo this and use the dresser as a makeup area.  I was proud of my idea.  What do you think?

This lamp has been around since I can remember.  A friend of my Mom's gave it to her in the 1950's but said it was from the 1940's.  Now that I am older and wiser I love this lamp.  The lamp shade is deplorable I couldn't even bring myself to share of photo of it with the shade on it now.  There's a first time for everything and I am going to make a lamp shade for this beautiful lamp.  Let's see what I can come up with.

That's all that will be on the burner this week and probably next.  We are having so much rain and I need to work outside for the mirror.

Cross your fingers and please stop back to see the finished results.

Changing Directions Series Part II - How to react when a change occurs

Changing Directions Series Part II

Obviously no two people react to a situation the same, we are all unique when it comes to reaction to trauma.

By now for most of you the trauma has come into your life, made your life take a huge detour and now you are headed in a different direction or directions unsure where to go what to do.

Let's focus, relax and take a deep breath.  I know this is hard but sit right at this moment, take deep breaths and allow yourself a few minutes to relax.  How long has that been?  How to relax here  Take a hot bubble bath, a long shower, walk, eat, whatever it takes to relax, just do it.

Allow yourself to grieve, it is normal and healthy to a point to get us through loss of a Loved One, rape, divorce, career loss, etc.  Grieving is supposed to be a healing process and in comes in no particular order for each one of us again it is different.

Here comes a tough one.  Allow yourself to laugh.  You may be like me after I lost my son Dustin.  I felt guilty to laugh or thought if I did laugh everyone would think I was "over" Dustin's loss.  Believe me nobody ever thinks that only we do in our heads.  Our friends and family love to see us laugh.  I am sure my son Dustin is so happy now that I can laugh, we did that so much.  Laugh at something, movie, joke, something just laugh.  Laughing in itself is very healing.

This series is short but you have homework...yes but no grading....that is the good thing.

• At this point you are in life, the change has happened, where you are now, how are you grieving?  Write down each emotion and action.
• set times to relax totally relax three times a day, set your schedule
• call that friend that you haven't talk to forever, make the first move, yes it's hard but worth it
•  go to a private place allow yourself to cry, talk to God, your Loved One, your cause of this change.  Scream, yell, cry and talk.  Talk to yourself, yes to yourself, we all do it, it is soothing too.
• pick a book, any book and read one chapter
• watch one news program national news 
• watch a TV show completely and actually listen to it
• allow yourself to laugh, come on you can do this
• relax

Now for most of you none of the above has happened in a long time well it's about time, let's go let's start on helping to learn to live with a broken heart.

After you have done the above write in your journal how each made you feel.  Be honest if you actually felt good for a change.  I am giving you suggestions it is up to you to work your program.  Journal, Journal, Journal!

I know you don't feel like doing this crap but for yourself and the ones that love you please try.

You can share your results, email me myeclecticloft@gmail.com or keep it to yourself, private.  No pressures to share.  Just do it!

Love, thoughts and prayers,

Nancy

"Changing Directions" Series to start Monday June 17 - June 17

Definition of INSPIRATION

a : a divine influence or action on a person believed to qualify him or her to receive and communicate sacred revelation 

b : the action or power of moving the intellect or emotions

c : the act of influencing or suggesting opinions 

Day to day different ideas, people, movies, books and the list could on and on as to what inspires a person.  Each person is unique as to what inspires them, we just never know.

Starting next Monday, June 17 I will begin the series "Changing Directions."  Are you going through something you don't think you can go through?  A divorce?  Child Custody?  Job changes?  Loss, grief?  Depression?  Lonely?  Do you just need your heart recharged?  "Changing Directions" is for you. 

"Changing Directions" will not be all me talking, there will be a couple of small workshops for you to participate in, homework (OH NO!!  Easy stuff).

I will have everything posted on Sunday evening but officially the series starts on Monday but feel free to join in at any time.  Any questions please email me at myeclecticloft@gmail.com 

Agenda:

Monday:  A change is happening in your life or has happened

Tuesday: How to react when a change occurs

Wednesday: Making the change work for you

Thursday:  Working through the change

Friday:  Surviving

Please share.

Is a Day Just Another Day?

It's that time a year again that I have to keep myself busy in so many ways.  When you have lost a child every day is an effort but special days are just worse; no words to describe the devastation that suddenly appear out of nowhere.  Each turn has your child there looking at you, smiling usually or from a past memory.  All that I have left are pictures and memories.  I should add the many lessons my son taught me in his short 17 years of life.  He was wise beyond his years.  His friends called him the “old man” because he always had the answers to life’s problems.

The horrible date is June 8, 2005 and that day is fast approaching.  We have been invited to baby showers, parties, and other things on that day.  Hello!!!!  Don’t you realize what day that is?  Do you know what you are asking me to do?

Truth is despite how crushed, depressed or ill-tempered I am on that day I have to remember Dustin’s words to me once, “Mom, life is too short you need to get out there and live; enjoy yourself.”  He is right and I know it but what makes the date so overwhelming?  Is it that I remember the phone call?  Is it the doctor telling me, “Well he’s dead.”  Yeah let’s say that doctor didn’t work there long after that comment to me. 

The one thing I have to do is keep on surviving, keep making the choices to continue to live my life no matter what day it is.  Will I cry on June 8^th, you bet’cha I will as I lie silently in bed like I do every night and every morning on a regular day.  Rolling out of bed will be a little tougher but I will rise up, get coffee and get my day going.  At some point I will go to the cemetery to visit him and play of couple of his favorite songs, Fat Bottom Girls and Desperado. 

When I do speaking engagements I talk about Choices and it has to be true for me to.  I can choose to lie in a nice bed with soft 600 count Egyptian sheets and with my fluffy pillow or get up and live as Dustin wanted me to do. You see he was my only child and very spoiled not a brat but spoiled.  I worked hard for us to have what we needed and what he wanted.  Now is no different.  He wanted me to live life so live life is what I choose to do. 

Dustin's website 

Some days may not be as productive as others but know that I am always choosing to make the right Choice.

Inspiration

Finally a beautiful day to work more in my yard.  My goal is to have everything cleaned up and ready to plant by Mother's Day.  In Ohio it is not recommended to plant any flowers until after Mother's Day.  Meanwhile since everything has been neglected for two years I have lots to do.

I needed inspiration and here it is for me today.  So simple but so real.

With will one can do anything.
Samuel Smiles