Not Enough Time...

Never make the same mistake twice or you'll never get around to all of them.~ Unknown Author

Stop Putting Yourself Down

Why is it that we are so quick to condemn ourselves...

Why is it that we often forget to give ourselves credit for our accomplishments...

Why do we judge our own abilities so critically, but we are always supportive of others?

~

Today try to view everything you do through your best friend's eyes. 

I guarantee you'll get a much different (better) view.

~

'Many people go throughout life committing partial suicide - destroying their talents, energies, creative qualities. Indeed, to learn how to be good to oneself is often more difficult than to learn how to be good to others.' - Joshua Loth Liebman

Reminders For Tough Times

I 'stumbled upon' this Encouraging List recently and felt that I should share it A.S.A.P.

When the clouds keep comin', the waves keep crashin', the music stops playin', and all you see ahead of you are detours....keep your head up...it can and will get better.

This list inspired me and I hope it will inspire you too .

Have a great week!

Truly,

Amber

Click Here for A Little Fun Bedroom Inspiration.

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Shame on you...

Or not.

Happy Friday :)

Truly,

Amber

Positive Passwords

At any given time we probably have about a half dozen online ID's and passwords which we have to create and remember.Your bank account, your school related websites, your credit card accounts, are all password protected.

They all require a name to identify you and a secret code to verify you.

It can get boring and difficult to come up with new ones and sometimes they can be too easily hacked in to (the first name and a number that is used is by most is extremely generic, very simple to figure out and probably not very safe).

Have you ever tried using a motivational affirmation as a user ID or password?

Here are some examples:

BPositive
BPositive2
 URStrong
Better Days
 Stay Strong
Breathe
KISS
You R Amazing
Think Positive
Relax
Take it EZ
 Be Happy

Take into consideration that you use the account regularly. Then notice that as often as you use it, you will not be able to help but say the words as you type them in. And of course, it would help you do the thing your user ID tells you to! And....because it is recommended for safety to change online log-in's often, it's a great way to keep changing your affirmation!!!

 

Truly,

Amber

Opportunity Knocked

'You got your opportunity for a reason, so you must be doing something right. 

Don't ever forget that. ~ Gary Kubiak

Have Fun and Answer Dr. Phil's Q's

 On this Fun Friday take Dr. Phil's Quiz! 

Apparently this quiz is used in many human relations departments...(interesting)...and there's just 10 questions.

Though I have no idea what the question 'When do you feel your best?' had to do with it...but it was fun!

According to Dr Phil: My Score was 50

                 'AWWWWWW......thanks Dr. Phil'.

 Happy Friday!

Truly,

Amber

How Life's Challenges are Like a Baseball Game

I never liked baseball.

When I was about nine or ten years old I sat through the World Series with my twenty-something uncle.  

All I remember is how at the end, he swore he’d never watch another baseball game with me again. 

(Guess I asked too many questions.)

Fast forward twenty-nine years later… 

My kids are on baseball teams, my fiancée plays baseball and I’ve attended two major league games and one minor league.

What’s not to like about baseball!?

 Maybe it was the frequent exposure that changed my mind, or maybe having experienced baseball on a grander scale that made the sport more interesting. I’m not sure.

In the game every player gets an opportunity to bat eventually.

They can never tell what they’re going to get from the pitcher. 

They couuld be batting against a crappy slow ball or swinging at 

(and striking out on) a 99-mile-an-hour-top-notch pitch.

No matter how that ball comes at them, they always have two choices:

Let it go or give it their all. 

Then comes the next inning and the next one and the next...

The team could be down for 8 innings and suddenly, it all comes together in the ninth…and not only does it come together, but they end up grabbing an extra inning out of it, and use it to win the game. 

It's incredibly exciting! And actually, it reminds me a little of how we deal with life's obstacles .

Not everyone gets their chance in the beginning, but eventually, we all get to bat against our demons.

And if we lose, we get to wake up the next day and do it all over again.

Some games (and seasons) seem to go on forever (as many of life's problems do)...but maybe that’s a good thing…

As they say, ‘practice makes perfect’ and at least we get another chance. 

It could be preparation for the next time around. 

When we've learned something about how we handled the last pitch, how we reacted to it and whether we took action or not.

The next time you are faced with a curve-ball, will you strike out again because you used the same strategy as last time, or will you analyze the pitcher, anticipate his pitch accurately this time around, and send it into the stands?

Don't ever give up. The next game will be here before long, and you never know, you might just hit a home run.

Truly,

Amber

America is Accepting Gay Marriage

I have met many people in my life and most have become my friends.

Some are bi-sexual, some are homosexual and there are those that some would consider straight

(as if to insinuate that those who do not share the same ideals about relationships are 'not right' in their thinking).

I never understood fully why anyone would assume that a person of a different sexual orientation should be treated any differently.

People are all the same to me and none should not be denied love, acceptance and friendship. 

So, regardless of their lifestyles, and sexual orientation, my friends will always be straight with me.

And here’s to them:

A beautiful collection of wedding photos that shows how America can truly be accepting, loving and fair.

These couples were able to share their love for one another with the rest of the world, just like many other U.S. citizens can...and rightly they should :)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Truly, 

Amber

Sometimes The Truth is Funny

My Favorite Blog Took a Break

One of my favorite blogs took a break and nearly broke my heart this summer.

Okay, well maybe the devastation was not quite so severe, but I was pretty disappointed...at first.

I look forward to reading Rowdy Kittens and I love what Tammy reflects on and how she shares.

Back at the end of June, when Tammy posted her 'Taking a July Digital Sabbatical: Why and How?', I think I nearly fell off my chair!

She was leaving the Internet and her blog behind for an entire month! HUH!?

How would she survive this? How would her readers not go somewhere else?

Why would she do that?

After a long and (semi) patient wait, she returned from her vacation, and I received her August 1st post!

And now I know why she did it.

An inspiration to everyone wanting to relax, reconnect (and not via the Internet), read, write and just 'be'...

Read her blog today...A Beginner's Mind: Insights from my Digital Sabbatical

Thanks Tammy!

(Going away for a month did not make me forget about your messages...it made me look forward to them more;)

Truly,

Amber

Lost (RePost w/Link)

Ever get lost? 

Sure there’s Mapquest and GPS navigators and good old fashioned maps…so you shouldn't get off track, but have you ever just taken a wrong turn? 

Or, you know, when your GPS doesn’t realize you've just passed the road you should’ve turned down?

It stinks when that happens and can get quite discouraging if it happens more than once.

Usually it’s not too much effort to get back on track, but it does occasionally take longer than expected.

Ever notice that staying calm and thinking positive is the key to getting through it?

I had to travel somewhat far away recently. It was about an hour south of me and I had never traveled the road before.

As I drove south on the highway I got to thinking…

Just because you're going South doesn’t necessarily mean you are headed down.

It made me wonder how many people actually think that every bump in the road or wrong turn is actually a negative thing, rather than a positive thing.

I like to refer to a song that I know. 

It’s from my favorite band, Coldplay.

It’s called Lost (and actually a woman made this cool video to go along with it).

Listen to Lost -- and imagine-- what if every wrong turn or missed opportunity was meant to be. 

...That you were supposed to travel this road you're on so that you can see and/or experience whatever it is that is on that particular path.

Keep Calm and Carry On...

 

Truly,

Amber

Hackers Have Evolved

This comic shows the Evolution of the The Hacker since 1997.

Hopefully you've never been hacked and hopefully you never try Hacking..

Have a Happy Friday!

Truly,

Amber

A Clutter Review and a Secret...

If you are still struggling with clutter...

don't worry, I am too.

Well...maybe not this badly...but...

I have found these tips!

Until now I'd never heard of the One Minute rule!

AND

I just found out a secret I never knew:
Clutter is the result of an unmade decision!
(CAN YOU SAY 'AHA MOMENT'?)

These  might help you out!

(Out of your piles, that is!) 

But, don't worry, I'm not laughing at you being buried....

I'm laughing with you, because I am buried too!

Have a Clutter Free week
(Or at least try to)

Truly,

Amber

Are You Depressed?

Except for maybe on Charlie Brown, decades ago mental illnesses were viewed as taboo.

Nobody wanted to address them, let alone admitting to having one.

Now mental illness is being discussed more openly.

Even Hollywood has been sharing their battle with mental illnesses, like depression and bipolar disorder; raising awareness and encouraging acceptance and treatment. Here is a long list of celebrities who've been identified as having a mental illness.

According to WebMD the most common mental illnesses are anxiety and mood disorders, followed by psychotic and eating disorders.

No one should feel alone and it's an encouragement to society when someone well known comes forward to say they are struggling with something. Many mental illnesses should be treated similarly to other diseases.

Like cancer and diabetes they should be discussed, researched, accepted and treated.

I've been depressed before.

I could tell. In my instance I was really tired and sad. I felt overwhelmed by everything and motivated to do nothing.

If anyone says they've never been depressed, they are lying. No one can cope with everything that happens in life and stay chipper day in and day out. From time to time we will all experience feeling a little blue...but it's when more than a few things happen at one time...when people can get depressed.

The solution?
 Talk to someone. Get help.

But beware of thinking a doctor prescribing you pills is the quick fix...

In some cases, it is not a chemical imbalance, but the depression is a symptom of something else.

There could be something going on in your life that has led you to become depressed and that's where finding someone you trust to listen, understand and validate you, is helpful.

Sometimes depression can be situational.

It's where depression is caused by something in your life you feel you do not have control of is leading you to feel overwhelmed, trapped and down right hopeless.

But, once you talk about it, get through some fears, and make some changes, you feel alive again.

That is what happened to me. Once I identified what the issue(s) were in my life causing me to feel this way, and eliminated or changed them...I was a new woman!

Maybe you aren't actually depressed, and you aren't dealing with a mental illness, but you're just feeling a little burnt out or bummed out, here are a few things that can be done to boost your mood:

• STOP 'believing everything you think' (A popular quote and sooooo truthful. 'U' can be your own worst enemy)

• Start listing your accomplishments and don't stop ;)

• Get out into the sunlight (Aitamin D deficiency has been linked to S.A.D.) 

• Take a hot bath (And don't forget to add the bubbles. No bubble bath? Just uses a few squirts of shampoo!)

• Get a hobby you love and get a friend to do it with you

• Surround yourself with genuine, upbeat and supportive friends

• Volunteer at a shelter (people or animal)

• Send a card to someone who's sick, needs encouraging, or to just to say Hi to a relative you've not seen in some time...put bright stickers on it too! (No one is too old for stickers!)

• Help out a friend with a project you have experience with 

• Listen to a friends problems or worries (You will immediately forget your own)

• Turn off mellow, or melancholy, music and turn on upbeat songs you can sing cheerfully to!!!

• Watch a comedy or read the funnies (Laughing will improve your mood instantly)

•  Evaluate things in your day to day life: if something is VERY broken, fix it. Don't wait.

• And yes, the infamous thing we never want to hear- exercise! It's a fact that it gets the blood flowing to the brain and is a natural way to boost mood!

Take this Depression Test to see if you may be depressed.
(This is not a substitute for a medical diagnosis; if you feel you may be dealing with some type of depression or mental illness call your primary care physician and make an appointment. He/she may refer you to some one who can correctly diagnose you.)


'Noble deeds and hot baths are the best cures for depression.' -Dodie Smith

 

Truly,

Amber

Tropical Puzzle

The internet and gaming units have been popular because of their ability to entertain us and keep our attention.

I have always enjoyed good old fashioned puzzles though, and recenly I wondered, with all of this fangdangled technology now-a-days, is this type of puzzle dead? (If the tropical one does not load right away, use the slide tab below the photo to chooose the 19th one to the right...or browse the others!)


I was amazed! I could actually do a jigsaw puzzle on the computer!
I didn't need to go to the store to buy one! (Gotta love the internet.)

Problem is...I almost cannot sit still enough to complete it!

You try...and see how fast you can do this puzzle before your attention span expires!(Gotta hate the internet!)

Happy Friday!

Truly,

Amber

You Need To See This Guy's Positive Attitude!

Bad things happen. 

They can make us feel defeated, hopeless or discouraged.

If we look around us, there's almost always someone who has it worse than we do.

And sometimes those people still keep positive attitudes...

We wonder how? Or why?

Watch this video then come back and tell me if you still feel like having that Pity Party.

Truly,

Amber

Time Got A Hold On You?

‘How do I manage time when it always seems as if time is managing me?’

Do you find yourself saying this exact sentence more than once a week? 

How about more than once a day?!?

It seems that time is something that is never on our side.

Though, it is.

We get plenty of it. 

Years, hours, minutes, seconds.

So why does it seem as if we don’t ever have enough of it?

Because, it boils down to our choices of what to do with it and not all of us are great at successfully organizing it.

At home I squander time as good as anyone. I can always find the lesser important tasks to work on...but it never works to my benefit.

Over time (no pun intended) I found these five things to be quite helpful when organizing my day:

1. Prioritize: Do the tasks with shorter deadlines first
2. Do the harder things first: It gets them out of the way and ensures they get done (and don’t get procrastinated upon)
3. Delegate (this takes admitting you're not superhuman): If you have too much on your plate call on a family member, friend, spouse or better yet, if you have kids they would love to help
4. Get organized (and stay organized): Everything has a place and everything in it’s place.
5. TIO (Touch it once): this is an oldie but goodie. Never put something down unless it’s been dealt with.
6. Say No to things that are not priorities or which do not resonate with your purpose in life. 
7. Beware of Time Stealers: Yes this could be considered Facebook (it happens to me), but this could also be T.V., generic/no purpose internet surfing and sleeping late (yes I do abuse this when I can-but I feel best, and I'm more productive, when I get up two hours prior to the time I would normally get up and get ready for work.

We have all probably heard of tips like these before, though  it’s good to revisit them now and again. 

 

Need more help?

Eat That Frog! Book by Brian Tracy

Online Exercise & Strategies (plug in the time you spend on each activity): 

Time Management: My Daily Hourly Schedule Exercise

“Don’t let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use.”

                                                                                      – Earl Nightingale

What Color is Your Personality? Take this quiz to find out!

My favorite colors are yellow, black and white.

I have always been drawn to purple as well.

I have never been very much of a pink person.

I took this fun personality quiz which is supposed to reveal my 'color' and after checking off 

some traits, moods and attributes....

I was shocked to find out that....

I'M DEEP PINK!  WOW!!

you are deep pink #FF1493

Your dominant hues are red and magenta. You love doing your own thing and going on your own adventures, but there are close friends you know you just can't leave behind. You can influence others on days when you're patient, but most times you just want to go out, have fun, and do your own thing. Your saturation level is high - you get into life and have a strong personality. Everyone you meet will either love you or hate you - either way, your goal is to get them to change the world with you. You are very hard working and don't have much patience for people without your initiative. Your outlook on life is very bright. You are sunny and optimistic about life and others find it very encouraging, but remember to tone it down if you sense irritation.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

(Well, that explains my secret like for a few things in my life pink;)

As much as quizzes are not the true determining factor of who you are...they sure can be fun!

Click HERE to find out what color you are!

Truly,

Amber

Some things are just universal...

Whether you are young or old, female or male, college educated or not, there are some things that just apply to  life no matter what...

20 Quotes on Life shared by Alvin on All-Swagga

I encourage you to read them all, but #20 is surely a winner in my book.

Truly,

Amber

Say it with Photos

Sometimes we need to silence our minds to see...
And other times art silences our minds for us.

Check out these links for some photos that are sure to take your breath away and make you think.


http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/19IpZp/www.greeksky.gr/files/photos/atmospheric/20110616Storm.htm
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/16SgaK/yurioff.35photo.ru/photos/20100830/169919.jpg
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2iQh1j/oddstuffmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/ready-for-close-up.jpg
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2tEs3u/www.behance.net/ShirleyAnnDick/frame/263281

The last one is my favorite.

Ever wonder what your purpose is in life?
Looking at art can sometimes help you define that.

Truly,

Amber

Mind Over Matter

Every Path Has Its Puddle ~ Proverb

It's All How You React To It

Truly,

Amber

You Won't Regret It

A July sunrise at Put-in-Bay, Ohio

'Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it.'  

- George Halas

Truly,

Amber