My Girl-ifesto.

You can call it a mission or vision statement, a business plan, a mantra for life...  but I like Girl-ifesto. I think it sounds feisty. Yet girly. Like me. And maybe at least a little bit like you too, if you’ve found your way here.

Speak your mind.

Tell your story.

Sing out loud.

Own your quirks.

Laugh at yourself.

Laugh, period.

Cry, too.

Imagine.

Dance.

Be curious.

Be furious.

Have fun.

 Break the rules.

Make things.

Break things.
 

Go places.

 Engage.

Love.

Be.

feeling accomplished

For me, it really doesn't take much. I love it when I actually complete all (or most) of the things on my to do list. For the adrenaline junkie, this kind of weekend would rank a giant zero, but for a compulsive list maker (and checker-off-er) it was just what I needed.

I don't always love the rain, but in this case, it was a gift. It eliminated the dilemma of choosing between inside and outside chores. My lawn already desperately needs mowing, but... oh well. It's too wet. So I tackled my spring cleaning. There is nothing exciting about putting up window screens, washing comforters, and cleaning out closets, but there is, for me, a feeling of satisfaction when these totally un-sexy but necessary chores get done.

And I had time leftover to do all of the prep for my cousin's wedding invitations. As usual. when I agreed to make these, I had months, and now I have weeks. Maybe two. But on the plus side, I am not the bride!! :o)

The enduring human spirit

“Although the world is full of suffering, 

it is also full of the overcoming of it.”

– Helen Keller

…this quote appeared in my Facebook feed, like a gift to me, shortly after I had finished this paragraph, which I never published:

I am seriously considering shutting down my Facebook page. I am starting to lose faith in humanity. I can’t handle all of the bad news. It is getting more and more difficult for me to maintain a hopeful and optimistic attitude while exposed to abused children and starving animals, most of whom suffer at the hands of miserable humans. I have always believed that the good outweighs the bad, and that the power of positive thinking can overcome adversity, but the constant barrage of horrible images and news that inundate my Facebook feed is destroying my optimistic nature.

 

One of the really good things about getting older, and yes, I believe there are a few, is that we generally know ourselves. We know what we need to thrive, what pisses us off -- hell, yeah, we know that -- what motivates us, and what brings us down.

So, I know my capacity for bad news, and I can take measures to insure that I don't overdose on it. We can’t, and shouldn’t, block out absolutely every bit of bad news. It helps to be informed about the bad stuff, so that we can help others, protect ourselves, and make choices in our lives to influence positive change, to name a few.

The bad news also serves as a reminder to most of us of how good we really have it. I, for one, have certainly found that even on my worst days, I don’t have to look far to find someone who has it worse than me, and that usually slaps the self pity right out of me.

So when I find myself sinking too low, when the bad news threatens to crush my spirit, it’s just time to take a break, unplug, and remind myself that there is also incredible beauty, and good news, and love in this world, and I don’t have to look very far to find it.